A85313:19
Presbyterial ordination vindicated. In a brief and sober discourse concerning episcopacy, as claiming greater…
Presbyterial ordination vindicated. In a brief and sober discourse concerning episcopacy, as claiming greater power, and more eminent offices by divine right, then presbytery. The arguments of the Reverend Bishop Dr Davenant in his determination for such episcopacy are modestly examined. And arguments for the validity of presbyterial ordination added. With a brief discourse concerning imposed forms of prayer, and ceremonies. Written by G.F. minister of the gospel in defence of his own ordination, being questioned, because it was performed by Presbyters.Presbyterial ordination vindicated. In a brief and sober discourse concerning episcopacy, as claiming greater power, and more eminent offices by divine right, then presbyterie. The arguments of the Reverend Bishop Dr Davenant in his determination for such episcopacy are modestly examined. And arguments for the validity of presbyterial ordination added. With a brief discourse concerning imposed forms of prayer, and ceremonies. Written by G.F. minister of the gospel in defence of his own ordination, being questioned, because it was performed by Presbyters.
London: printed for Nathanael Webb, 1660
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The scope of the Covenant (though I never took it) so far as I can see as to the things of God, is to reduce all things to the Perfect Rule, the Holy Scriptures, which I think men do extremely vilify, in departing from it, and bringing in another Lesbian Rule of Antiquity, as if the Scriptures were not before the Fathers: and well may I call it Lesbian Rule, as Erasmus interprets the Adage. Lesbia Regula dicitur quoties pr•eposterè, non ad rationem factum, sed ratio ad factum accornmodatur. Cum Lex moribus applicatur, non mores ad Legem emendantur. And is not this the practice of men in all these Controversies about the Officers of the Church, and the Worship of God in this Nation, to tell us of the Fathers, and Primitive [but not Apostolical] Churches, they allege their Acts, [not in all things neither] and so carry the Scriptures to their Acts, but not their Acts to the Scriptures, and so judg them by the Perfect Rule. Calovius the Lutheran hath strongly proved, 1that The Testimony of the Church, or Consent of the Fathers in the five first Secula, or Centuries, after Christ, is not the Rule of Interpretation of the Scriptures, nor a medium so necessary, that without it by the Scriptures alone, the mouths of Adversaries cannot be stopped. I yield to the Fathers as much as he doth.
The scope of the Covenant (though I never took it) so far as I can see as to the things of God, is to reduce all things to the Perfect Rule, the Holy Scriptures, which I think men do extreamly vilifie, in departing from it, and bringing in another Lesbian Rule of Antiquity, as if the Scriptures were not before the Fathers: and well may I call it Lesbian Rule, as Erasmus interprets the Adage. Lesbia Regula dicitur quoties pr•eposterè, non ad rationem factum, sed ratio ad factum accornmodatur. Cum Lex moribus applicatur, non mores ad Legem emendantur. And is not this the practice of men in all these Controversies about the Officers of the Church, and the Worship of God in this Nation, to tell us of the Fathers, and Primitive [but not Apostolicall] Churches, they alledg their Acts, [not in all things neither] and so carry the Scriptures to their Acts, but not their Acts to the Scriptures, and so judg them by the Perfect Rule. Calovius the Lutheran hath strongly proved, 1that The Testimony of the Church, or Consent of the Fathers in the five first Secula, or Centuries, after Christ, is not the Rule of Interpretation of the Scriptures, nor a medium so necessary, that without it by the Scriptures alone, the mouths of Adversaries cannot be stopped. I yield to the Fathers as much as he doth.