A disquisition concerning ecclesiastical councils. Proving, that not only pastors, but brethren delegated by…

A Pious Old Man, who was no ClergyMan, nor Exercised in Philosophical Notions, by his plain discourse did more towards the Conviction of an Heretical Philosopher, than all the Learned Bishops in the Council could do.

3. Popery came in at this door, of Pastors assuming more to themselves than belongs to them, and the Fraternities readiness to part with what was theirs. The Famous Author of the History of the Council of Trent, notwithstanding his being a Papist, has Asserted as much as this comes to. Pastors did not at first pretend unto a sole Authority, nor yet unto a Negative ⟨p. 20⟩in Synods, from the Beginning it was not so; nor yet in the days of Cyprian ^(k)(who flourished A. D. 250.) Presbyters, Deacons, and other People were in his Synod; and yet forty years before him Origen ^(l)complained of Episcopal Encroachments then beginning. In a Synod which Con••ned at Rome, by which Novatus was Condemned, there were many Presbyters and Deacons. That Elders and Brethren, as well as Pastors, had in those days their Interest in Ecclesiastical Councils, is so manifest, that a late Episcopalian cannot deny it; for in the year 270. there was a Synod Convened at Antioch, to Compose the Troubles there raised by their Bishop Paul; In this Synod were seventy two Bishops or Pastors. After they had Condemned the Heretic Paul, for his Immorality, as well as Heterodoxy, they gave an account of their proceedings in a Synodical Letter, directed to the then Bishop of ⟨p. 21⟩Rome, and to others ^(m)which Letter was written not only in the Name of the Bishops, but also of the Presbyters, Deacons and Laity, says Mr. Echard. And in some of the General Councils, there were not only Pastors, but Elders and Laymen too (as they call them) who had their Suffrage in them. So it was in the Nicene Synod: Vitus and Vincentius, who were not Pastors but Elders of the Church then in Rome, signed the Acts of that Council; and in that of Chalcedon there were many Laics. I know Papists and Prelates deny this, but the Testimony of Socrates and Euseius, and others, have sufficiently proved it. Notwithstanding the Mystery of Iniquity began to work betimes; It was a considerable time before Bishops did Monopolize all Synodal Power. The Usurpation came in gradually, until at last none but Bishops, who called themselves Pastors, were thought worthy to be Members Constituent of Ecclesiastical Councils, and of these there were sometimes