But, sect. 6, the doctor comes closer, and gives his reason why this tes- timony of Clemens is not of any efficacy to the purpose in hand. Saith he, " At quis (sodes) a fidelibus de episeopatu (ut vis) contra ipsos ab apostolis constitutes episcopos contendentibus ; quis a poi>ulo contra prin- cipem suum tumultus cicnte ; quis verbis ad retundendum seditionem ad plebem factis, argumenta ad authoritatem populo adjudicandum, principi derogandum duci posse existimavit ? " Though many words follow in the next section, yet this is all of answer that is given to this signal testimony of Clemens. I know the doctor, for the most part, meets not only with favourable readers, but also partial admirers, or else, certainly, his excla- mation would scarce pass for an invincible argument, nor such rhetorical diversions as this be esteemed solid answers. There is not by Blondellus any argument taken from the faithful's tunndtuating against the bishops (that " If ajjpointed by the apostles," which is thrust in, taken for the per- sons of those bishops, is against the express testimony of Clemens in this epistle), nor from the ]ieople's seditiously rebelling against their prince, nor from any word spoken to the people to repress their sedition ; neither was any thing of this nature urged in the least by Blondellus ; nor is there any colour given to such a collection from any thing in the words cited from the epistle or the context of them. It is the advice of the church of Borne to the persons (whether already in office or aspiring thereunto) about whom the contention and division was in the church of Corinth that
A PREFACE TO THE EEADER. 41
is Insisted on. It is not the words or plea of them who were in disorder. There is not any reprehension given to the body of the church, the mul- titude, or people, who are supposed to tumultuate, to quiet them, but a direction given, as was said, by the church of Rome to the persons that occasioned the difference, how to behave themselves, so that a timelv issue might be put to the division of the church. To this end are they advised to observe the -Trooardyixara, the orders, precepts, decrees, or appointments, of " the multitude," as, from Acts xv. 12, the body of the church is called. It is not that they should yield to their tumultuating, but yield obe- dience to their orderly precepts. Ta rr^oaraaadiMiva b-zh toZ TrXr^doug are by him approved ; and had it not been lawful for them with the presby- ters fT^oaraTTsiv in the affairs of the church, Clemens, writing this epistle to the whole church, could not possibly have led them into a greater snare.
It is a sad thing to consider the pitiful entanglements and snares that some men run into, who will undertake to make good what they have once engaged for, let what will come against them.
To return, then : it is evident that in the time of Clemens there were but two sorts of officers in the church, bishops and deacons ; whereas the e])istles of Ignatius do precisely, in every place where any mention is made of them (as there is upon occasions and upon none at all), insist on three orders, distinct in name and things. With Clemens it is not so. Those whom he calls bishops in one place, the very same persons he immediately calls presbyters, after the example of Paul, Acts xx. 28, Tit. i. 5, 7, and plainly asserts episcopacy to be the office of presbyters. ' hfiaor'.a, saith he, ou (if/.oa, rj/^Tv 'israi sdv rovg afMifiirTug -/.ai da/'ug TPOgivi'y/.oi/Tag ra duisa Trig s~iax.o-~r,g avro£aAW,aei'. Mazag;o/ o/ 'Tr^oodoi'iro^rjaavrsg 'jroiaZunooi, — namely, because they were in no danger to be cast from their episcopacy. And whereas the fault which he reproves in the church of Corinth is their division, and want of due subjection to their spiritual governors, according to the order which Christ hath appointed in all the churches of the saints, he affirms plainly that those governors were the presbyters of the church : Alct-^pu, saith he, '/.a.} X'lav alaypu, xa/ dva^/a rijg s-j X^/ffrw ayuy^g a'/.ojsrat, T7i\i (SiQaiorccT'/i'j, /.ai aoyaiav KopivOimv sx.7iXrjSia\i, di' 'iv ?] hvo 'rr^uCdi'TTa, erasiaZitv 'TTohg rovg TroiaZ-oTiiovg. And in all places throughout the whole epistle, writ- ing sy.j'.Xrjsia rov Qsov TaPor/.c-jOT^ Kopn6oii, to that particular church of Co- rinth, the saints dwelling there, walking in the order and fellowship of the gospel, where he treats of those things, he still intimates a plurality of pres- byters in the church (as there may, nay, there ought to be, in every single congregation, Acts xx. 28), without the least intimation of any singular person promoted, upon any account whatever, above his fellows. So in the advice given to the persons who occasioned the division before mentioned, 'M6\iov 70 ffoifxviov Tou XPiffTCiv iiprjvsv'sroj, /j^sra ruv ■/.aOiaraf/.inciJV ':T^iaZvThooy. Had there been a singular bishop at Corinth, much more a metropolitan, such as our doctor speaks him to have been, it had been impossible that he should be thus passed by in silence.
But the doctor gives you a double answer to this observation, with the several parts whereof I doubt not but that he makes himself merry, if he can suppose that any men are so wedded to his dictates as to give them entertainment; for indeed they are plainly jocular. But learned men must have leave sometimes to exercise their fancies, and to sport them- selves with their own imaginations.