I. THESIS. That our English Episcopacy hath beene justified by the confession of the most learned Protestants of remote Churches, in speciall by the Church of Geneva.

OUr Episcopall Prelacy we are sure was profess'd, and practic'd by Bishops.

1. In the dayes of King Edward the 6^th, who as they were the principall Authors of the Reformation of our Protestant Re­ligion, [Page 2] so did some of them seale the truth of their profession with their bloud, and have therefore beene with others thus extoll'd by that golden mouth of the French ChurchMoulin epist. ad episc. Win­ton Quorum Martyrum ha­bemus scripta, & meminimus gesta, ac zelum; nullá ex parte inferiorem zelo praestantissimo­rum Dei servo rum, quos Ger­mania, aut Gal­lia tulit: hoc qui negat, opor tet ut fit vel ïmprobè vecors, vel gloriae Dei ïnvidus, vel ce­rebrosâ stolidi­tate caliget in clarâ luce. Master Moulin saying, That they were for zeale nothing inferiour to the most excellent servants of God, that Germany or France ever had; which (saith he) none will deny is so, if not wilfully stu­pid, and blinded in day-light. Yea, and touching those then Archbishops and Bishops,Bezae Re­spons ad Sarav. de Minist. gra­dibus, c. 18 p. 303. Quod si nunc. Anglica­nae Ecclesiae in­stauratae suorum Episcoporum & Archiepiscoporum authoritate suffulta praestant, quemadmodum hoc illi nostrâ memoriâ contigit, ut ejus ordinis homines non tantùm insignes Dei Martyres, sed etiam praestantissimos Pastores, ac Doctores habuerit Beza for the Church of Geneva. It happened in our memory, that she (speaking of our English Church) hath had men of that calling, not onely constant Mar­tyrs of God, but also excellent Pastours, and Doctors.

2. In the dayes of Queene Elizabeth, Calvin the most lu­strious starre of the Church of Geneva doubted not to instile Archbishop Cranmer Calvin epist. Cranmero, Te praesertim (Ornatissime Praesul) qui altiori in specula sedes, in hanc curam incumbere necesse est. Scio non ita unius An­gliae haberi abs Te rationem quin universo orbi consulas. A most accomplish'd Prelate, (saith he) who hath the cure, not onely of England, but also of the whole Christian world, which he did to the dignifying of the go­vernment of our English Church; and no marvell, seeing that he durst professe to yeild, in behalfe, even of Popish Bishops, upon condition, that renouncing the dependance upon the Pope, and acknowledgement of Christ as their onely Head, with profession of his Truth Calvin. tom. 7. ad Sadoletum, & de necessitate reformandae Ecclesiae. p 69. Verùm talem nobis si contribuant Hierarchiam in quâ emineant Episcopi, ut Christo subesse non recusent, ut ab illo tanquam ab unico capite pendeant, & ad ipsum referantur, in quâ si fraternam charitatem inter se colant, & non alio modo quam ejus veritate colligati, tum verò nullo non Anathemate dignos fatemur si q­erunt, qui eam non reverenter & summâ cum obedientiâ observent. Then shall we professe all them (saith he) who shall not reverently and willingly submit to their government, to be worthy of whatsoever Anathema or curse. So he, even in his Tractate of reformation of the Church. At what time also Beza after his congratulating the restitution of our Protestant Religion in England, earnestly de­sired the whole Clergy under the government of Grindall then [Page 3] Bishop of London, toBeza ad Grindal Epist. 23. ut omnibus praesulibus suis ex animo obse­quantur: ma­jori poenâ digni sunt qui Autho­ritatem Tuam aspernabuntur. Idem rursus ad Sarav. upon the considerati­on of the Go­vernment by Arch-Bishops and Bishops. Fruantur sane istâ Dei benefi­centiâ, quae uti­nam sit illi na­tioni perpetua. submit unto him, holding him wor­thy of much punishment who should despise his Authority. Yea, and so well did he approve of the then government by Arch-Bishops and Bishops, as to wish it might be perpetuall unto them. This is cited by the Author of the Survey of the preten­ded holy disci­pline, &c. Be­za apud Sara­via de Minist. gradibus. p. 343. c. 21. Nedum, ut quod falsissi­mè & impuden­tissimè nonnulli nobis objiciunt cuiquam uspiam Ecclesiae sequendum nostrum peculiare exem­plum praescribamus, ìmperitissimorum illorum similes, qui nihil nisi quod ipsi agunt, rectum putant. Sadell likewise, who is sufficiently commended by his excellent writings in defence of the Protestant Religion, did joyne together with Beza in an Apology to vindicate themselves from a sinister report, as if they had detracted from the Right of Government by Arch-bishops and Bishops, avouching the same aspersion to have beene a most impious slaun­der. AndPet. Martyr Epist praefix. Juelli Apol. Amplissime Praesul, & Domine mihi quotidie etiam atque etiam observande. Bishop Juell, how was he honoured by Peter Martyr, calling him A most renowned Prelate; and by Sib­brandus Sibrand contra Grotium p. 183. citatus à Ni­cholao Videlio, lib. de Episcopat. Constantini magni p. 25. Lubbartus, entitling him The Ornament not onely of England, but also of the whole world.

Zanchius in Epist. ad Eli­zab. Angliae Regin. Cogitet Tua Majestas in hoc omnem Tuam curam, potentiam, & authori­tatem intendere, ut Imprimis Episcopos habeas pios, & in Sacris literis eruditos sicut Dei be­neficio habes quamplurimos, eosque foveas & audias. Hierom Zanchee, one in the opinion of our Opposites (we doubt not) worthily renowned, in his Letters to Queene Elizabeth, he exhorteth Her Majestie with an Imprimis, and especially to extend her care, power, and authority, to have godly Bishops, skilfull in holy Scriptures, of which sort (saith he) by the blessing of God you have already very many: and to che­rish and heare them. Idem Epist. Edmund. Grindallo Episcop. non possum non gratulari novam & amplissimam dignitatem: quoniam ista sunt di­vinae benedictionis Testimonia & constantis Tuae in Deum pietatis quâ ejus beneficentiâ cura Tua magis magîsque in verâ Religione & pietate promoveri possit. Also in his Epistle to Arch-bishop Grindall, upon occasion of his remove to Canterbury, he ex­presseth his joy for that accesse of dignity, as a testimony of Gods love towards him, and a meanes whereby he might more and more promote Gods true Religion. Our Opposites ought not to be offended with us, although we offer unto them next an Author, somewhat distastfull unto them at the first hearing, [Page 4] namelySaravia de Minist. gradi­bus in Epist. ad Lectorem. Saepe miratus sum eo­rum sapientiam, qui Anglicanae Ecclesiae resti­tuerunt divinum cultum, & ita se attempè­rârunt ut nus­quam decessisse ab antiquâ & priscâ Ecclesiae consuetudine re­prehendi possint. Et in Epist. De­dicatoriâ. In parte foelicitatis Regni Anglica­ni numerandum est, quód hunc Ordinem Episco­porum retinet. D. Saravia, because as he is a Religious Divine, and as un-Episcopall as any other, so also is he as Orthodox; every where, as they know, inveighing against the Romish Hierarchie; he confesseth himselfe to wonder at the wisedome of the Reformers of Religion in England, so as not any where deviating from the antient Church of Christ: and concludeth with this Epiphonema, saying, I hold it a part of her happinesse that she hath retained with her the order of Bishops.

3. In the raigne of King James, that famousIsaac' Ca­saub. Regem al­loquens, in praefat. ad exercit. Qui Ecclesiam habeas in Tuis regnis partim sum olim ita in­stitutam, partim magnis Tuis la­boribus ita instauratam, ut ad florentis quondam Ecclesiae formam nulla bodie propius accedat, quàm Tua: inter, vel excessu, vel defectu peccantes, mediam viam sequuta. Quā mode­ratione hoc primum assecuta est Ecclesia Anglicana, ut illi ipsi, qui suam foelicitatem invi­dent, saepè tamen ex aliarum comparatione illam cogantur laudare. Idem Epist. ad Card. Peron. Reg. Brit nomine: sed ex animi quoque sui sententia. Certo ac liquido mihi con­stat, si notae [...] quaerantur, & verè necessaria ad Salutem spectentur, aut etiam ad decorum Ecclesiae, nullam in orbe terrarum (Deo uni sit laus & gloria) inventam, quae pro­piùs ad fidem aut speciem antiquae Ecclesiae Catholicae accedat, &c. Isaack Ca­saubon, whom we reckon as the fourth witnesse from the Church of Geneva, had that estimation of our English Episco­pall government, as to confesse, That no Church doth come nearer the forme of the Primitive Church, then it doth; so farre, that even they who envyed her happinesse, are notwithstanding constrained to extoll it. He proceeds furthermore to blazon the worthinesse of it. If (saith he) the essentiall part of the Church be enquired into, and what either necessarily belongeth unto the doctrine of Salvation, or else to the decency of the Church, then (praysed and magnified be God) no Church upon earth can be found, which more professeth the faith, and resem­bleth the forme of the ancient Catholique Church, then it doth. So he.

But to returne to our French witnesse again: worthyMaster Moulin in his Buckler of Faith, p. 271. Ma­ster Moulin, in an answer to a Papist, who upbraided him with the discipline of England, doth avouch the dignity thereof, telling him furthermore, That their agreement is such, that England (saith hee) hath beene a refuge to our persecuted Churches, and correspondently the excellentest servants of God in our Churches, as Peter Martyr, Calvin, Beza, and Zanchee, [Page 5] have often written Letters full of respect and amity to the Pre­lates of England. So he.

Lastly, now under our Gracious Soveraigne King Charles, in the time of Arch-bishop Abbot, whose daily experience did testifie the reciprocall correspondence betweene him, and with other Bishops and all reformed Churches beyond the Sea. At what time likewise Cyrill late Greeke Patriarch of Constan­tinople did so farre honour both him and our English Church, as to professe his accordance therewith, more specially then with any other. And if our Bishops of later date had not beene re­spected, then surely would not the Divines about Breme in Germany have sent their controversies had among themselves, onely unto certaine Bishops in England (as they did) to have them moderated by their judgements, not to speake of their dedications of some of their Bookes unto Bishops. These last Relations nothing, but the importunity of these times, could have extorted from us. Thus much of particular respects had in speciall to our English Episcopall Government, by singular approved Divines of the reformed Protestant Churches. In the next place, as the thread of our method leadeth us, we are to examine what they will say touching the unlawfulnesse, or lawfulnesse thereof in generall.

II. THESIS. That there was never any visibly constituted Church in all Chri­stendome since the Apostles time for 1500 yeares and more, which held Episcopacy in it selfe to be unlawfull.

WE are not ignorant that even at this time, all Episco­pacy, and Prelacy of any one above Presbyterie, is cryed downe by some as unlawfull in it selfe,August. de Aërio lib. de Haeresi cap. 53. Quia non potuit Epi­scopus ordinari, dicebat Presby­terum ab Episco­po nullâ diffe­rentiâ debere discerni. notwithstanding our Opposites cannot but know what, besides Epiphanius, Saint Augustine recorded of one Aerius, to wit, that he, be­cause he could not obtaine to be made a Bishop, did therefore teach that there ought to be no difference betweene a Presbyter and a Bishop. So he: and for that cause they listed him among the erroneous Authors of that Age, but (he being excepted) [Page 6] never any visible Church of Christ before him, we adde, not yet any thus protested after him, nor before these dayes of con­tradiction defended his opinion. Now whether the humour of desire to rule others, and the unwillingnesse to be subject un­to others, may not equally transport some Ecclesiasticks to op­pose against Episcopacy, they can best judge whom it most concernes. We know (beside infinite others, who have ac­knowledged the lawfulnesse of Episcopacy) some Protestant Divines of remote Churches, who have fully condemn'd the opinion of Aërius. Three may suffice for three hundred if they be learned and judicious Authors, and not interested in that which is now called Episcopall Policy.Master Mou­lin in Epist. 3. ad Episc. Win­ton. Ab incuna­bulis Aërium damnavi. Master Mou­lin commeth on roundly: I have since my infancy (saith he) abhorr'd the opinion of Aërius.Tylenus in paraenes. Ante Aërium de Epi­scopis exauto­randis nemo, post Aërium so­lùm Geneven­ses studebant. Tyllenus also a Divine of the French Church as pertinently and plainly. None ever be­fore Aërius endeavoured the extirpation of Episcopacy, nor yet after him any, but some of Geneva. What some he might meane we know not, but whom he might not meane we have already shewne; as Calvin, Beza, Sadel, and Casaubone, who have given their ample suffrages for our English Episcopacy, but onely speake against the Romish Hierarchie: And now, for the generality of it,Beza de Mi­nist. gradibus. p. 2. Si qui sunt (quod sanè mi­hi non facilè persuaseris) qui omnem Episco­patûs Ordinem, ut Tu scribis, rejiciunt, absit, ut quisquam sa­naementis furo­ribus illorum assentiatur. Iidem si modò deformatam domum Dei adamussim ex verbi divini Regulâ proviribus instaurarent, ut Ecclesiae Christianae fidos pastores, cur non agnoscamus? observemus? & omni Reverentiâ prosequamur? Beza is againe at hand, saying, If there be any, as I thinke (saith he) there is not, who altogether reject the Episcopall Order, God forbid that any of sound braines should ever assent to their furies; and besides, protesteth his ac­knowledged observance, and all reverence to all Bishops reform'd. Hitherto against the objected unlawfulnesse of Episcopacy in the Church of Christ. But this will not satisfie some men, ex­cept furthermore the lawfulnesse thereof may appeare in that degree which is called in respect of its right, According to the Word of God. It belongeth unto us to shew this by the Con­fession of Divines of remote Protestant Churches, which we are ready to performe, and more too.

III. THESIS. That Episcopall Prelacy is acknowledged by Protestant Divines of remote Churches to be according to the Word of God, and their consent therein unto Primitive Antiquity.

LƲther may well be allowed for the fore-man amongst the Reformers of the Protestant Religion,Luther. com. 1. fol. 309. Reso­lut. ejus super propositionibus Lypsiae disputa­tionibus habitis, conclusio. Probo quam libet civi­tatem habere debere Episco­pum proprium jure divino, quod ex Paulo ad Titum osten­do dicente (Hu­jus rei gratiâ reliqui Te Cre­tae, ut quae de­sunt corrigas, ut constituas simplices Pres­byteros per ci­vitates sicut Ego disposui Ti­bi, Hos autem Presbyteros fu­isse Episcopos Hieron. & tex­tus sequens ostendit, dicens, oportet Episcopum irreprehensibilem esse. who proveth the Prelacy of Episcopacy above simple Presbyters (for so he saith) by divine Right; and this he doth in his Tractate called his Resolution, grounding his judgement upon Scripture, whereof hereafter. Accordingly Bucer, against the Pope as Anti-Christ:Bucer, de Regno Christi lib. 2. cap 12. Ex perpetuâ Ecclesiarum observatione ab ipsis Apostolis videmus visum hoc esse spiritui Sancto, ut inter Presbyteros unus Ecclesiarum & totius Sacri Ministerii gerat curam singulorum, & cunctis praerat aliis quâ ác causâ Episcopi nomen hujusmodi Ecclesia­tum Curatoribus est peculiariter attributum: tametsi hi sine Presbyterorum consilio nihil sta­tuēre debuerant qui & ipsi propter hanc communem Ecclesiarum administ. rationem Episcopi in scripturis vocantur. We see (saith he) by their perpetuall observa­tion of Churches, and from the Apostles themselves, that it see­med good to the Holy Ghost that some singular one should be ap­pointed among the Presbyters to governe in so sacred an Order, who hath, for the same cause, the Appellation of Bishop in Scripture, Scultetus the Divine, Professour at Heidelberg, professing Epi­scopall degree to be of divine Right, and professeth to prove it to be such by efficacious reasons, who in the sequell of his discourse, will be as good as his word; with whom agreeth that admirable SchollarIsaack Casaubon. Exercit. Episcopi, Presbyteri, Diaconi apertit Scripturae testimoniis sunt fundati. Ibid Apostolorum hodie vicarii sunt, et si non pari pote­state cum Apostolis omnes Episcopi, ut è B. Cypriano-antea dicebamus. Exercit. 14. Cyprian, Ep. 65. Apostolis vicariâ ordinatione succedere Episcopos. Isaack Casaubon the ornament of Geneva, who held the same to be grounded upon the Testimo­nies of Scriptures. These may serve for the present, till we come to a larger consent.

All these and other the former confessions of Protestant Di­vines are the proper idiom, and language of primitive Anti­quity, teaching thus. Episcopacy is by the Ordination of Christ. [Page 8] SoIgnatius il­lam formam E­piscopalem [...]. Teste Sculteto in Titum. Ignatius: and againe,Cyprian E­pist. 65. ad Ro­gat. Quod si­nos aliquid fa­cere contra De­um audemus, qui Episcopos facit. Et Epist. 27. ad Laps. cum igitur di­vinâ lege sun­data sit &c. Epist ad Cornel. Ecclesiae guber­nandae sublimem a [...] divinam po­testatem. Reverence your Bishop as Christ and the Apostles have commanded you. Or thus, To be a divine power, the resistance whereof is against God himselfe: So Cyprian. And thus, God placed Bishops over his family: SoOrigen. Tract. in Mat. 31. cognoscunt Epi­scopi quòd hoc non vos salvat, quod constituit eos Dominus super familiam ejus &c. Origen. And thus, The Apostles were made Bishops by Christ, who ordained others (meaning Bishops) in other places, by whom the Church should be govern'd: August. in quaestion. veter. & novi Testa­ment. pag. 97. Nemo ignorat Salvatorem no­strum Episcopos instituisse, quando Apostoli facti sunt, qui missi sunt ut mittere possint alios; Ipse enim imprimit Apostolos instituit Episcopos. So Augustine. Or thus,Epiphanius adversus Aërium. [...]. De Haeresi 75. Bishops constituted over Presbyters, as the Word of God teacheth: So Epiphanius. And thus,August. lib. 7. contra Donatist. cap. 42. De Apostolis à Christo missis, qui­bus nos successimus eâdem potestate Ecclesiam Dei gubernantes: & de Verb. Domini Serm 24. Qui vos spernit, me spernit &c. None can be ignorant that Bishops were instituted by Christ when he made his Apostles, by whom others should be made Bishops, whom we suc­ceed, and (speaking of Bishops) of whom Christ said, he that de­spiseth you, despiseth me: So againe Augustine.

Before we end this point we shall desire our Opposites to bethinke themselves what they thinke may signifie the suffra­ges of the Fathers of the Synod of Calcedon, for Antiquity, one of the first foure Generall; And in this generality univer­sally receiv'd throughout Christendome, for amplitude con­sisting of six hundred and thirty Bishops, and for aversnesse against the Pope of Rome, that which undermin'd the very foundation of Romish Popedome, which is a pretence of ha­ving beene established by the divine Authority of Christ the universall Bishop of the Church, and equalling another Pa­triarch with him, and shewing that all the Primacy which the Pope of Rome had, was but from humane Authority. ThisConcil Calced, Can. 29. [...]. Councell concerning Episcopacy ordain'd, that To depose a Bishop downe to the degree of Presbyter, is Sacriledge.

This so great a Harmony, betweene the former Protestant Divines, and those eminent Fathers, how shall it not sound delightfull unto every docible and unpreoccupated hearer? These confessions notwithstanding, we have not discharg'd [Page 9] our Assumption, untill we produce their proofes, which is to be perform'd according to our former promise, after that we shall manifest the like confessions of Protestant Divines and ac­cordance to Antiquitie, in acknowledging Episcopacy to be the best forme of Government in respect of the use thereof.

IV. THESIS. That Episcopall Government in the Church, is, in respect of the necessary use thereof, the best by the consent of Protestant Di­vines of other reformed Churches.

SOme peradventure will conceive, that three at the least be­ing required in the degree of comparison, to make up a best: Therefore our three must be taken either for Episcopacy, which is a Prelacy of one above more; or Presbytery, which is an equality of moe among themselves; or that which is cal­led an Independency, of one in each Parish without relation to any other. Which mis-begotten brat was never heard of in ancient times, or approv'd of any latter Church of Christ since; and indeed is but the erecting of a Pope in every Pa­rish, whereof somethingSee here­after. hereafter. It will be sufficient that we understand a best in the full latitude with comparison of whatsoever other.

Our Protestant Witnesses we ranke into two Classes; First is the Church of the Lutherans, who were the first Reformers of our Protestant Religion. Luther: tom. 2 fol. 307. Plus illis tribuo, quàm merentur, qui eos tam san­cto & veteri nomine dignor. Lupos enim & canes appellare oportet, & fol. 320. Nemo contra statum Episcoporum, & veros Episcopos vel bonos pastores dictum putet quicquid cóntra hos Tyrannos dicitur. Apol. Confess. Aug cap. de numero & usu Sacramenti. Nos saepe protestati sumus summâ cum vo­luntate conservare Politiam. Ecclesiasticam & gradus in Ecclesiâ factos etiam summâ autho­ritate. lib 4. cap. Protestant. de unitat. Eccles ut schismata vitarentur accessit utilis ordina­tio ut ex multis Presbyteris eligeretur Episcopus qui regeret Ecclesiam docendo Evangelium, & retinendo Disciplinam, ut praeesset Presbyteris, &c. If our Reader will be pleased but to cast his eye upon the Marginalls, he may finde out these following observables, viz. that Luther will be known, when he complained of Bishops, to have meant over tyrannous (Po­pish) Bishops, and them, (as he saith) who are unworthy of the [Page 10] Holy name of Bishop; next, that all Protestant Churches of Germany in their generall Confessions, had (as they say) often protested their earnest desire to conserve the discipline of degrees in the Church by the Authority of Bishops, whereby to remove dissensions and Schismes from the Church, Then thatPhil Me­lanct Hist. conf. Aug. pag. 365. Teste Sarav. de Minist. gradi­bus cap. 16. Quanquam ut ego quod censeā dicam, utinam possem admini­strationem resti­tuere Episcopo­rum. Video e­nim qualem si­mus habituri Ec­clesiam dissolu­tâ politiâ Eccle­siasticâ. Video postea futuram Tyrannidem multò intolera­biliorem, quàm unquam fuit, nihil concessi­mus praeter ea Lutherus cen­suit esse red­denda. Melancthon ci­tat Bucerum disciplin cleric. Quia omnino necesse est ut Cle­rici suos habe­ant Curatores atque Custodes instaurandos, ut Episcoporum, ita & Archiepiscoporum, alio­rumque omnium, quibuscunque nominibus censeantur potestas & animadversio, ne quis omninò fit in hoc ordine [...]. Me­lancthon, by the perswasion of Luther, was as much bent for Episcopall Government as any, when he burst out into this expression; I would to God it lay in me to restore the Govern­ment of Bishops, for I see what a Church we shall have, the Ec­clesiasticall Policy being dissolv'd, I foresee it will be farre more intolerable then ever it was. There is added to this the ac­knowledgement of Bucer; Holding it necessary, that the Cler­gy have those, (speaking of Bishops) to whom the Authority of the Church is committed: His reason, lest that refractory and dissolute persons should be in the Church. Prince Hanolt, after he became a sincerely profess'd Protestant and faithfull Prea­cher of the Gospell, speaking of Bishops, that would be faith­full in governing the Church:Georgius Princ Anholt. Concion. In praefat. de Ordina­tione Teste Saravia pag. 267. utinam sicut gerunt nomina & titulos, ita se reipsâ praestarent Episcopos. Si fideliter Ecclesias regerent, quàm libenter, quantâque cordis laetitiâ, pro Episco­pis ipsos habere, revereri, morem gerere, debitam jurisdictionem & ordinationem eis facere, eâque sine ullâ recusatione frui vellemus. How willingly, and with what gladnesse of heart, would we (saith he) reverence, obey, and yeeld them their ordination and jurisdiction, the which we and Luther have very often protested, both by word and wri­ting.

We now passe unto the other Classes of Protestant Divines, of Reformed Churches, beginning with Calvin himselfe, who hath a double intuition concerning Presbyteriall Go­vernment. One as it may be considered is in an Independency; so that every one have a Right of excommunication in him­selfe: Calvinus Epistol. ad Gasparum Magnum. uti­le fuit jus excommunicandi permitti singulis pastoribus, nunc ea res odiosa est, & facilis est tapsus in Tyrannidem, & Apostoli alium usum tradiderunt. this he calleth, unprofitable, odious, and such as easily [Page 11] turneth into Tyranny, and contrary to that which the Apostles taught. Next beholding them in a joynt parity, he relateth the reason of the first beginning of Episcopacy, and saith true­ly,Calv. inflit. lib. 4. cap. 2. & Tom. 7. fol. 218. Presbyterum in suo numero ex singulis civita­tibus unum eli­gebant, cui spe­cialiter titulum Episcopi da­bant, ne ex ae­qualitate ut fe­ri solet, dissidia nascerentur. That by the parity and equality among Presbyters, (as it useth to be) Schismes and dissentions might arise among them. This Parenthesis [as it useth to be] which he inserteth, cer­tainly hath in it a sting, which pierceth into the bowells of the cause. Successour to Calvin was Beza, who thus far succeedeth him also in his opinion, asBeza de di­vers. Ministro­rum gradibus cap. 23. apud Sarav. p. 386. Ipsâ tandem experientiâ compertum su­isse, non satis virium eos ha­buisse ad impro­bos compescen­dos; communi­catâ viz: singu­lis pastoribus per vices hujus Primatûs dignitate: Ergo visum fuit ad unum, & illum quidem totius Presbyterii judicio, delectum trans ferre, quod certè reprehendi non debet cum praesertim vetustus hic mos fuit in Alexandrinâ Ecclesiâ, jam inde à Marco Evangelistâ observatus esset, & rursus, absit ut hunc Ordinem, etsi merâ divinâ dispositione non constitutum, tamen aut ut te­merè, aut superbè inventum reprehendam, cujus potiùs magnum usum fuisse, quandiu boni & Sancti Episcopi Ecclesiis praefuerunt, quis inficiari possit? to confesse (as he saith) from ex­perience, this of the Presbyterian Government, That it being not sufficient to represse vices, choice was made of one to governe the rest, as was observed anciently (saith he) from the Evang. Marke in the famous Church of Alexandria: Againe, speaking of the institution of Episcopacy, whatsoever it was, he will be known to abhor & reprehend it, as erected by pride: But why? For none can deny (saith he) but that there was great use of it whilst that goodly and godly Bishops were chiefe over others.

We may well presume (as was said) that the other part of the misquoted sentence of Zanchie is extant in some Impression of his Works, wherein he did so symbolize with the forecited Sentence of Calvin, Citat. per Petrum Moulin: filium Hieron. Zanch. Thesibus de verâ reformandarum Ecclesiarum ratione. Testor me co­ram Deo in mea conscientiâ non alio habere loco quam Schismaticorum illos omnes, qui in parte Reformationis Ecclesiarum ponunt nullos habere. Episcopos, qui authoritatis gradu suos compresbyteros emineant, ubi liquido possint haberi. Praeterea cum D. Calv nullo non Anathe­mate dignos censeo, quotquot illi Hierarchiae, quae se Domino Jesu submittit, subjici no­lunt. Testifying before God (for these are the words) that he holdeth them Schismaticks, who shall deter­mine, that in the restauration of Churches there ought to be no Bishops, having authority over Presbyters, where freely they may be had. He proceedeth furthermore, I thinke with Calvin saith he, them to be worthy of whatsoever Anathema, who will not [Page 12] be subject to their government, which submitteth it selfe to Christ. So he, furthermore concerning the testimonies, as I may so say, of Ecclesiasticall Government,Zanchius Pag. 7. in suâ confessione. Quid certius exhistoriis, ex con­ciliis, ex omni­um patrum scri­ptis, quam illos Ministrorum Ordines, de qui­bus dicimus cum totius Reipubl. Christianae consensu in Ecclesiâ constitutos & receptos fu­isse? Quis autem ego sum qui quod tota Eccle­siâ approbat, improbem? neque omnes docti viri nostri temporis improbare ausi sunt, quippe quod norunt & licuisse haec Ec­clesiae, & ex pi­etate atque ad optimos fines pro aedificatione e­lectorum ea om­nia fuisse per­fecta & ordi­nata: quid quòd in Ecclesiis protestantium non desunt Episcopi. Zanchie con­fessed Episcopacy to have beene ordained for the best end, to wit, the edification of the Elect. The sentence of Calvin hath beene formerly alleadged; Unto these we adde the saying of the Proloquutour in the Synod of Dort, who is rendred unto us, by them that heard him, to have wished, That the Church with them were so happy as our English, by having an Episcopall Government among them. This case was so evident to a late Advocate for Presbyters, Salmasius by name, that although he relucteth justly against an irregular Prelacy, yet doth he freely and ingenuously grant, That Walo, alias Salmasius lib. de Epise. p. 413. Episcopus Ecclesiis regendis unicus praepositus est qui & Presbyteris pluribus unius Ecclesiae praeesset. Bono fine hoc institutum esse nemo negat, cum optima ratio fuerit ita instituendi. the preferring of one Bishop in every Church, was instituted with best reasons.

Would any see more? Then he is to observe the Protesta­tion made by the German Divines in the Augustane confessi­on, protesting their desire for the conservation of Episcopacy; whereof it is testified by aConradus Vorstius in Apol. pro Eccles. Orthodox; de Augustan. Confess. pag. 285. In Colloquio Possiaceno Augustanae confessioni per omnia se subscribere paratos esse, te­stati sunt, praeterquam Articulo doctrinae de Eucharistiâ, utpote obscuriùs positâ. Theologicall professour, that other Protestants were ready to subscribe to the Augustane Confession, (per omnia) excepting onely the Article of the Eucharist, because it was not clearly explain'd: among these Protestants he names Calvin, Beza, Vermilius, Marlorat, and Zanchius, which probably could not have beene altogether true, if they had beene adversaries to the foresaid Protesta­tion.

Before we can conclude, we returne to Geneva to be satis­fied in a maine question; which is, whether the forme of Government in Geneva ought to be prescribed as a patterne to other Reformed Churches to be regulated thereby: and [Page 13] when we consult withBeza c. 21. pag. 343. apud Sarav. Quod falsissimè & im­pudentissimè nonnulli nobis objiciunt, cui­quam uspiam Ecclesiae sequendum nostrum peculiare exemplum praescribamus, imperitissimorum illorum si­miles, qui nihil, nisi quod ipsi agant, rectum putant. Beza about this very poynt, he telleth us, that this opinion was imparted unto their Church, but in the name of the whole Church of Geneva rejecteth it as A most false and impudent exprobration. After this compa­rison made by weight and ponderation, we seeke to try what may be done by computation and numbring.

V. THESIS. That the most Protestant Churches doe professe and practice a Prelacy over Presbyters.

MAny now look upon our English Bishops as birds upon owles, yet not peradventure so, as they for strangenesse or for reverence; but with left eyes in an opinion of singulari­ty and onelinesse, as a thing not acknowledged in other re­mote and Reformed Churches of Protestants; not considering what hath beene published to the world long-agoe, that the word Superintendent is of the same signification with the word Bishop: both from the same Greeke, [...]. Yet some Protestant Churches practising a Prelacy, vayle it over with the word superintendency: If we would know what,Zanchius in suâ confessione. fuit mihi prae­terea habenda ratio illarum e­tiam Ecclesia­rum, quae licet Evangelium complexae sint, suos tamen, & re & nomine habuerunt E­piscopos, quos (mutatis bo­nis graecis nominibus in malè latina) vocant Superintendentes & Generales Superintenden­tes; sed etiam ubi neque vetera illa bona Graeca neque haec nova malè Latina verba obtinent, ibi tamen solent esse aliquot primarii, penes quos fere tota est Authoritas. Sed cum de rebus convenit quid de nominibus altercamur? Teste Sarav de Ministrorum gradibus, c. 23. p. 365. Zan­chie will speake out, and to the purpose, in telling us that E­piscopi (whom we call Bishops) and Superintendents are words of the same sense and signification: and therefore where there is an agreement in the thing signified, there ought not to be any al­tercation and strife about words. But what will he say to the practise? he distinguisheth Protestant Churches in this respect into three differences, some whereof practise a superiority of one above the Clergy under the proper name of Bishops; an­other [Page 14] sort the same, but under the name of Superintendents and Generall Superintendents, whom we call Arch-Bishops. Lastly, he discloseth a third kinde, (a circumstance very remarkeable) who although they avoid the Titles of Bishops or Superin­tendents, yet use they to be such primarii, as to say, eminent in Prelacy, as in whom (for so he saith) the whole Authority con­sisteth. Now therefore our question must be, whether the Church exercising Prelacy, or the other, that onely practise e­quality exceed in number.

The number of Churches, which had Prelates under the name of Bishops, and the other of Superintendents (being in signification the same) seemed to Greg. de Valentia the Jesuite so many, that he thought all Protestant Churches to have Bishops.

An excellent servant of God Doctor Duraeus, and a zealous hunter after the best game, which is, the generall peace of Pro­testant Churches among themselves, hath set downe a Cata­logue of the Churches reform'd on both Parties, and reckon­eth (if I be not mistaken) seven Bishops in the Kingdome of Swede: in Denmarke Bishops, in other Lutheran Churches Su­perintendents, and in all Imperiall Cities among the Prote­stants, besides divers other reform'd Churches the like; which we suppose will rather keepe their conformity with England, then tast new wine with others, seeing that, as the Text saith,Luk. 5.39. The old is better: and whether the Episcopall forme be not the onely and Apostolicall cometh now to be discussed by in­quiring into Antiquity.

VI. THESIS. That the former reasons of Confessions of Protestant Divines, concerning the necessity of Episcopall Prelacy, for preservation of concord, and preventing of Schisme, is correspondent to the judgement of Antiquitie.

IT would be worth our knowledge to understand, that the former Confessions of Protestants Divines are, in effect, but [Page 15] the ecchoings unto the sentences of ancient Fathers. Among whom, Hierome could tell us,Hieron. in Epist. ad Evagr. Omnes Episcopi (ubicunque sunt locorum) Suc­cessores sunt A­postolorum. Ad Evagr. Quòd posteà unus est electus, qui prae­poneretur caete­ris, in Schismatis remedium fa­ctumest, ne quis­quam ad se tra­bens Ecclesiam Christi corrum­pat. That the originall of Episco­pacy (which is the placing of one Presbyter in a degree above others) was decreed throughout the whole world, for taking a­way Schisme: which use thereof was held so necessary in the dayes of Antiquity, that the said Hierome spared not to af­firme,Hieron. ad­vers. Lucif. Ec­clesiae salus ex summi Sacerdo­tis dignitate pē ­det, cui nisi ex­ors quaedam & ab omnibus emi­nens detur pote­stas, tot in Ec­clesiâ efficientur Schismata quot Sacerdotes. That the safety of the Church dependeth upon the dignity of a Bishop, to whom except some eminent authority be given, there will be as many Schismes, as there are Priests in the Church. So he, and before him Tertullian thus,Tertull. lib. de Baptismo, Episcopus propter Ecclesiae honorem, quo salvo salva est Pax. The Bishop is for the honour of the Church, which being in safety, our peace will be also safe. But howNyssen Hom. in Ecclesiast ut Chorus ad Choriphaeum respicit nempè suum ductorem, nauta ad Gubernatorem & Acies ad Imperatorem; ita etiam ad Ecclesiamii, qui praesunt in coetu Ec­clesiae. Chrysostom. orat. in dicta Apostoli Omnia in gloriam Dei] Quemadmodum Cho­rus Praecentorem, & nautarum multitudo Gubernatorem requirit sic & Sacerdotum coetus Pon­tificem, &c. Chrysostome and Gregory Nys­sen doe illustrate, both affirming the same necessity of a Bi­shop in the Church, as is a Praecentor in a Quire, a Governour in a Campe, and a Pilot in a Ship. By which Episcopall order (saithBasil. in Epist. ad Eccles. Ai. de Episcopis Membra Ecclesiae hâc dignitate tanquam unâ quadam animâ in concordiam, & communionem reducantur. Basil) the Church is reduced as one soule into com­munion and concord: yea, and before all these;Cyprian. E­pist. Ʋnde Hereses, unde Schismata, nisi quòd Sacerdoti Dei non obtemperent, qui est loco Christi Judex. Idem Epist. 55. Actum est de Episcopatûs vigore, & de Ecclesiae gubernandae sublimi ac divinâ potestate, &c. (where he speaketh of himselfe, and not of the Bishop of Rome) Cyprian Bishop and Martyr, complained of such insolencies of Pres­byters against their Bishops, as being causes of heresies and schismes against a divine power of Government. So he; These, will some say, are but their sayings, and shall we therefore thinke that their sayings were not the symbolls and expressi­ons of their meaning? but we presume better of them that are ingenuous, and the rather for their further satisfaction which may be had in the next Thesis.

VII. THESIS. That Bishops primitively were not onely the chiefest champions for the Christian faith, but also the greatest adversaries to Ro­mish Popedome, as have also our English.

BEfore we can begin the proofe of this Thesis, we are con­fronted by our Opposites against Primitive Fathers in strange termes,Smectym. in their vindi­cation. Bishops by advancing the authority of Episco­pacy did thereby (say they) but plead their owne cause, and made a stirrop for the Romish Antichrist to mount into his Pontificall saddle. So they. Which contumely against the reverend an­tiquity, we are loath to call by its proper name; being there­fore not to reprove others, but to prove what we have in hand, which is that some of the ancient Bishops lived in the torrid zone of fiery persecution, and others in a temperate. Of the first sort we have it confessed, That the persecuting Emperours did, above all others, make their Inquisitions and exercises of their furies most especially upon Bishops; we have it upon record in Cyprian, but much more in other Ec­clesiasticall Histories, wherein, as is confessed byBrightman. in Apocalyps. Dioclesiani tē poribus erant a­trocissimae cla­des, sed tamen fideles ad extre­mum certamen constanter per­stitetunt, repor­tantes Trophaea victoriae corpo­ris stigmata. Ma­ster Brightman, although Dioclesian in his Edict, did especially command the destruction of all that had taken sacred Orders, yet in a further Complures Episc. insignes erant in Conci­tio Nicaeno; & rursus qui histo­riam scripsit, meminit centum & sexaginta Episcoporum, qui in Sagasanâ extincti sunt, & in provinci­as edicto Re­gis proferantur ut delerentur universi qui sa­cros ordines habuerint. speciality the massacring of Bishops; he relateth that one hundred and sixty of them were martyred in two places; yea, and in the Church of Rome it selfe is also reckoned the num­ber of 25 Bishops, who were Martyrs of Christ in those primi­tive ages. To fancie that these afflicted and persecuted Mem­bers of Christ for their degree sake, could pride it in their E­piscopall office, would be held to be but a dreame, they will rather thinke, that if they should prelate it, (as Mariners use to frolike it) rather in a calme of tranquillity; but for this also we shall easily subscribe to the judgement of Master Beza, who when he was thus posed, whether he should impute the note of pride unto these Primitive servants of God, (whose names have alwaies beene celebrious in the Church of Christ [Page 17] (to wit) Basil, Nyssen, Nazianzen, Athanasius, Chrysostome, Ambrose, and Augustine, who are knowne to have afterwards had Episcopall Government in their severall Churches) an­swereth, saying,Beza de Ministrorum gradibus, c. 25. pag. 543. apud Saraviam. Ne­minem adhuc audivi loquen­tem, neque legē scribentem, qui non honorificè, sicut par est, de magnis illis suo­rum temporum hominibus sen­tiat: nempe Nazianzeno, Nisseno, Basi­lio magno, Atha­nasio, Cypriano, Chrysostimo, Ambrosio, Au­gustino. I never heard any speake, or read any write otherwise then honourably of those men, as was meete. So he, of his time; he could not prophesie of the future. It were good, that these who use this new and broad language had considered,Iren. lib. 5. adversus haeres. cap. 20. That Bishops were then almost the onely ones, who, as occasion fell out, either pulled the Romish Pope out of his Saddle when he was mounted, or else pluckt away his Stirrop, that in those times he could not get up. For whereas Popedome, being a double usurpation one of pleni­tude of Authority,See the booke intituled, The Romish Grand Impostor, throughout. universall over Bishops; and the other of an infallibility of judgement in determining all Controver­sies of Faith, it hath beene evidently and copiously proved, that the amplitude of his Diocesse was limited by three hun­dred Bishops in the Generall Councell of Nice. His preten­ded right of Universall Authority was contradicted an. 553. by six hundred Bishops in the Councell of Calcedon, where we finde it accounted to be but of Humane Authority against his pretended universall challenge of appeale to Rome, it was twice contradicted by Bishops in two Councells in Africk; and as for his pretended infallibility in judgement, the 165 Bishops in the Councell of Constantinople condemned the De­cree of Pope Vigilius; and in the sixth and seventh Councells, consisting in all of 603 Bishops, was Pope Honorius condem­ned for an Heretique. We may not omit the mention of sin­gular persons Bishops, who have had their solemne oppositi­ons against the Popes of their times, Cyprian, Athanasius, Ba­sil, Cyrill of Alexandria, Hilary of Arles, and Augustine, with many others. But what talke we of Bishops in other Sees? seeing we have in the See of Rome it selfe one, who did prejudice the pretended and usurped dignity and authority of all his Successours in condemning the pretence of the high­est Title and Prerogative which the Pope doth challenge; which is to be called, The Ʋniversall Bishop of Christs Church, by judging it to be proud, prophane, and blasphemous, and [Page 18] the Bishop we meane was Pope Gregory the first, whom M^r. Brightman hath adorned with this Encomium, Mr. Bright­man, in Apoc cap. 8.13. cited hereafter. The fly­ing Angell mentioned, Apoc. 8.13. whose lustre, saith he, God would use for the Church. As for our Church of England since the Reformation, it hath beene conformable to the Primitive. Surely greater faithfulnesse could not be showne then in the seale of Martyrdome, nor more opposition to Popedome, then to cut off all dependence upon it by the necke ever since, not this more by any then in Bishops, as our Ecclesiasticall monu­ments have recorded; not to mention the writings publique in confutation of all Popish errours and Heresies, onely let it be lawfull for us to point at, the last Synod and Convocation was vehement against Popery, as (for this is spoken by him that was absent from it) any one may read. After these Con­fessions of Protestant Divines we are to ascend higher to our proofes, for evincing the same to be according to the word of God, as Apostolicall; first from Antiquity, and after from the word of God it selfe.

Our first proofe, that Episcopacy is according to the word of God, by manifesting it to have beene of Apostolicall Institu­tion by necessary reasons.

VIII. THESIS. That to be of Apostolicall Institution, argueth in it a divine Right, by the Confession of excellent Divines of the Reformed Churches.

FRom the Church of Geneva, we have before us M^r. Beza to deliver his owne words.Beza tra­ctat. de Minist. gradibus c. 23. Certè si ab ipsis Apostolis esset profecta haec mutatio, non vererer illam ut caeteras Apostolicas Ordinationes divinae in solidum dispositioni tribuere. Surely if Episcopacy had proceeded from the Apostles, I would not doubt to ascribe un­to it a divine Ordinance. So he. This is plaine; Second­ly, From the Churches within the Palatinate Scultetus by name, argueth accordingly.Scultetus observat in Tit. esse jutis divini. Ratio. Apostolos praefixisse Presbyteris Episcopos. The Apostles placed Bishops [Page 19] above Presbyters, and therefore is Episcopacy of divine Instituti­on. A third, property call'd Salmasius, out of the University, and Church of Leiden in the Low-Countries, one of great fame, and a profess'd friend unto our Opposites; and not­withstanding confesseth, saying,Walo alias Salmasius lib. de Episc. pag. 422. Institutio Epis­copi si ab Apo­stolis, est Jure Divino. If the Institution of Epis­copacy (saith he) be from the Apostles, then it is of divine Right. So they. Certainly, because what power was ordained by the Apostles proceeded from the Spirit of God: like as was their decree against Strangled and Bloud, their Holy-kisse, their Agapae, and the like in their first Institution.

And although these were abrogated in time, yet the necessi­ty of perpetuating Episcopacy standeth upon two grounds, one is the first reason of institution thereof, which was, for a­voyding Schisme; the other was, the universall continuance thereof from Age to Age, upon experience of the same rea­son: which as we have heard, hath beene held most reason­able to almost all Protestant Divines of remote Churches. Now therefore, that which we are to make good is onely our Assumption, to wit, that Episcopacy was of Apostolicall In­stitution, then which nothing almost can be more evincible, if testimonies from Antiquity, evidences out of Scriptures, and upon both these, the confessions of Protestant Divines of the Reformed Churches may be held satisfactory, our first endeavours concerning Antiquity, for this performance must be to remove objections which our opposites cast in our way. The onely peremptorily objected Ancients are these two, Hieron, and Clement, both whom we are now to salute.

IX. THESIS. That no Ancient Father absolutely denyed the Apostolicall Ori­ginall of Episcopacy, no not the objected Hierome who will shew himselfe a manifest Patron thereof.

THe objected sentence ofHieron. in 1. ad Tit. Sicut Presbyterī sci­ant se Ecclesiae consuetudine iit, qui sibi praepositi sunt esse subjectos; ita Episcopi noverint se magis consuetudine, quam dispositionis Dominicae veritate Presbyteris esse majores, & in com­muni debere Ecclesias regere. Hierome, saying, concerning Episcopall Prelacy, That it is rather by the custome of the [Page 20] Church, then by the Lords disposall, is confessed by the Theo­logicall Protestant Professour in the University of Heidelberg to be understood,Scultet. observat in Tit. c. 8. Nisi fortè consuetudinem Ecclesiae pro con­suetudine Apo­stolicâ, et dispo­sitionis Domi­nicae veritatem pro instituto Christi capiat. by the decree of the Lords disposall; the immediate ordinance of Christ, in his dayes upon earth, and affirming the Custome, happily, to have meant the Apostolicall custome after they began the forming and framing of the Churches. However, for this one place objected against us, we have many most evident Testimonies out of Hierome him­selfe, to prove the first institution of Episcopacy to have been indeed Apostolicall.

First is from the originall occasion, whereunto he alludeth, even the contention in the Church of Corinth, whenHieron. in 1 Tit. Ante­quam Diaboli instinctu studia in Religione fierent diversa in­ter populos, E­go sum Pauli, Ego Apollinis, Ego Cephae, communi consi­tio Presbyteris Ecclesiae guber nabantur posteà autem in toto terrarum orbe decretum est ut unus ex Presby­teris electus su­perponetur caeteris. some held of Paul, some of Apollo, some of Cephas, whereof it is confessed by the forecited Palatinate Doctour,Scultetus in Tit. Hoc coep­tum est viventibus Apostolis, prior Epistol. ad Corinthios nos dubitare non finit. That the words of the Apostle will not suffer me (saith he) to doubt, but that alteration was made in the dayes of the Apostles, and his confirmation is as doubtlesse; namely, because no man can pro­duce any other originall of the questioned Schisme and con­tention. This is a chiefe poynt, and therefore we desire to heare whatVidelius in Epist. Ignat. ad Philadelphenses, cap. 14. Discrimen illud Presbyterorum & Episcopi ut ex pluribus Epistolarum locis apparet, tempore Ignatii fuit, etenim illud valde maturè ipsorum Apo­stolorum temporibus in Ecclesiam irrepsit statim post quam dici coeptum est. Ego sum Pauli, Ego Cephae, &c. Teste Hieronymo in Titum. Vedelius the Divine Professour in Geneva will say unto it. He handleth the matter accurately, which is to be reserv'd to its proper place. In summe out of Ignatius the disciple of the Apostles he sheweth the difference of Bishop and Presbyter begun timely in the Church even presently after the contention to the Corinthians, whereof it is sayd, some held of Paul, and some of Apollo, and some of Cephas.

Secondly, Hierome granteth in generall, yet distinctly of Bishops,Hieron. in Epist. ad Euagr. Omnes Episcopi (ubicunque sunt locorum) successores sunt Apostoli. That they are the Successours of the Apostles.

Thirdly, yea he sheweth who were Successours in the very dayes of the Apostles, reckoning among others,As they are set downe in their divers Titles in his Booke, De Ecclesiasticis scriptoribus. Timothy, Titus, Polycarpus, and Euodius.

Fourthly, He relateth who were first Bishops of all others after them, to wit,Idem de script. Eccles. Jacobus minor Hierosolymita­nus Episcopus, Marcus Eccle­siae Alexandri­nae primus E­piscopus. James of Hierusalem, and Marke of Alexandria.

Fifthly,Idem Epist. ad Euag. 58. Aaron & filii summi Sacerdo­tes & ut Aa­ron, Eleazar, & Levitae, juxta traditiones Apostolicas hoc sunt Episcopi, Presbyteri, & Diaconi. he alleadgeth the Analogy betweene Aaron and his sonnes in respect of the Levites with Bishops and Pres­byters, from (as he saith) Apostolicall tradition.

Sixthly, theIdem ad Rupert. ad­vers. Vigilant. Miror sanctum Episcopum in cujus parochiâ Presbyter esse dicitur, acquiescere furori ejus, & non virgâ Apostolicâ & ferred confringere vas inutile. Episcopall part of Excommunication a­gainst Vigilantius he calleth His Apostolicall Iron Rodde. So Hierome. It were incredible if that all these Apostolicall Re­lations concerning Episcopacy, should not amount unto so much as to make up an Apostolicall Institution thereof.

The second objected Father is Clement, whereof their suc­cesse will be no better, if not much worse.

X. THESIS. That Clement an Apostolicall Disciple, to whose arbitrement both our Opposites and we offer to yeeld our selves, doth patro­nize Episcopacy, as being Apostolicall.

WEe are earnestly called upon to hearken unto Clement talking of a Prophecy of a future contention which should happen about the name of Bishop. Next,Smectym. vind. pag. 136. That there is no peece of Antiquity of more esteeme, then the Epistle of Clement unto the Corinthians, Then; That this was brought to light by a learned gentleman M. Patrick Young; and lastly for the mat­ter it selfe, That there is a common and promiscuous use of the word Presbyter and Bishop.

We shall answer punctually to every one, viz. The Pro­phecy maketh for us, the Epistle much more, the Publisher also as much as can be desired, and that Objection of the indiffe­rency of the Words of Bishop and Presbyter is scarce worthy the mention.

We begin with the Prophecy. The Prophecy was onely, [Page 22] that there should be in time to come, a contention about the word Bishop. If we should aske our Opposites, when this con­tention was first knowne in times of old, they would be loth to tell us, knowing right well, that it was first raysed by one Aërius, of whom Epiphanius and Austin haveSee above. told us, that he broke out into Schisme, andSee above. because he could not obtaine to be made a Bishop, did therefore spurne against Episcopacy, teaching, saith Saint Austin, that there ought to be no difference betweene Bishops and Presbyters; therefore thus they may see the Prophecy fulfilled, both when, and in whom, if they like it. But if any shall boast, that it is fulfilled now by their pre­sent Opposalls against Episcopacy, after that it hath had ap­probation with a continuall use universally in the Churches of God: then have we nothing else to reply, but what the spirit of God, from the pen of the holy Apostle, putteth in our mouth; If any be contentious (saith he) we have no such cu­stome, nor the Churches of God, whereby the wilfully conten­tious maketh himselfe an adversary to the Churches of God, and consequently no way acceptable to God himselfe.

The second poynt which we are to discerne, is that, which they call identity of names of Bishops and Presbyters: they should have called it community of names, especially know­ing that there is no more identity in the words Presbyters and Bishops, then there is betweene the letters of P. and B. but this was a lapse; Therefore to our matter in hand. We an­swer, that meere names and words make but verball conse­quences, to which we oppose a reall and Logicall consequence à paribus, thus; for of the very Apostles of Christ one insti­led himselfe Co-presbyter, another himselfe Presbyter, a third himselfe Deacon, who are all common names with others that were not Apostles; and notwithstanding; the Apostles them­selves in respect of their Offices and Functions were Gover­nours over Presbyters, which sheweth that the enterchange­ablenesse of names cannot conclude an indifferency of degree. But this crambe will be sodden once againe, when we shall be occasioned to give further satisfaction. As for the present, it may well be said, what shall we need words, when we see acts [Page 23] and deeds, namely concerning this Clement? not onely that he maintained the distinct degrees of Episcopacy, but that al­so he was distinctly above Presbyters, a Bishop himselfe. Yet should not our Opposites pose us in that, whereVedelius. Exercit. 8. ad Mariam in Ig­natium, cap. 3. Lino & Cleto defunctis ante Clementem, so­lus Clemens su­perstes, solus e­tiam Episcopi nomen retinuit, tum quia inter adjutores Apo­stolorum solus ipse restabat, tum quia jam invaluerat di­stinctio Episcopi & Presbyteri, ita ut caeteris Ecclesiae Roma­nae Presbyteris, qui cum solo Clemente es­sent, nomen id non fuerit tri­butum. Vedelius a Professour of Geneva gave them (if they have read him) some satisfaction; shewing, that as soone as Clemens remained the sole Adjutour of the Apostles after Linus and Cletus, the name of Bishop was given unto him, and not attributed to any Presbyter or Presbyters in the Church of Rome. So he. Is not this to the poynt; the distinguishing of times doth salve ma­ny doubts. It is meet now at length we heare Clemens him­selfe speake. Clement immediately after his relation of the aforesaid Prophecy, addeth, saying concerning the Apostles,Clement ad Corinth. Epist. p. 57. [...]. For this cause, they having a perfect foreknowledge, constitu­ted the aforesaid, and left a description of Officers and Ministers in their course, who after that they themselves should fall asleep, other godly men might succeed and execute their function. So Clement. Whence it is evidently collected, that Bishops were the successours of the Apostles, because a Role and Catalogue of Bishops is frequently had in Ecclesiasticall stories, lineally deduced from the Apostles, as the most of the learned Prote­stants of the Reformed Churches have ever confessed. But if our Opposites cannot prove the like Catalogue of Presbyters of a primitive and right line of descent, then are they wholy to yield the cause, and that even by the judgement of Clement, which is now ready to be furthermore confessed by the exact learning of the Publisher of Clement. This Gentleman, our Opposites call Learned, we owe him an higher title, even one exquisitely learned; he commenting upon the same Epistle of Clement, now objected against Episcopacy, teacheth that the right word [...] agreeth with the word census in Tertullian, by whom it appeareth, that it was a custome in Apostolicall Churches to make a Role (for this word he held not unfit) of the Order of Bishops to bring them unto their first originall, even as, saith Tertullian, Polycarpus was from John the A­postle in the Church of Smyrna, and Clemens, in the Church of Rome, from Peter, speaking even of this our Clemens, and [Page 24] addeth of others; and others (saith he) whom the Apostles constituted Bishops, from whom others might deduce their tradu­ctions and offsprings; what is, if this be not, an inexpugnable convincement of our Opposites to prove Episcopacy to be of an Apostolicall Ordination. Yet is not this all.

Clement is further represented unto us by the same learned Publisher, as one register'd and enroll'd by antiquity as Bishop of Rome, in the Catalogue of the same Bishops lineally descen­ded from the Apostles, whether in the first, second, or third ranke, it matters not; and the doubt, such as it is, is solved in the Margent by our foresaid Geneva Professour: And for witnesses hereunto, are cited Optatus, Hierome, Ruffinus, Eu­cherius, and Photius, set downe expressely in the same Booke, which our Opposites have objected against us; which if you would not see, or seeing not regard, all we shall say is, We are sorry for it: Yet after this our retorsion of their objected Au­thours upon themselves, we shall indeavour to give them fur­ther satisfaction from our selected and expresse suffrages of antiquity for the truth of Apostolicall succession of Episco­pacy.

XI. THESIS. That other Primitive Fathers before Hierome did unanimously testifie an Apostolicall right of Episcopacy.

NOthing can be more manifest for the first threeIreneus ad­vers. haeres. l. 3. c. 3. Habemus annumerari eos qui ab Apostolis instituti sunt E­piscopi in Eccle­siis, qui nihil ta­le docuerunt, & l. 4. c. 43. Qui cum successione Episcopatùs Chrisma Veritatis certum acceperunt. Ireneus Tertull praescript. cap. 31. lib. 4. contra Marcion. cap. 5. Romanae perinde & caeterae extant Ecclesiae, quae ab Apo­stolis in Episcopatum constitutos Apostolici seminis traduces habeant. Tertullian, andOrigen in Johan. de Episc. Quod Dominus in Ecclesià ordinavit post Apostolos, quià in eâ primum sortiti sunt locum. Origen, to which we addeAugust. Epist. 42. Radix Christianae societatis per sedes Apostolorum & successio­nes Episcoporum certâ per orbem propagatione diffunditur. Au­gustine, doe all professe themselves ready to deduce the succes­sion of Bishops in the principall Sees from the dayes of the Apostles? next they instance in some Apostolicall Church, [Page 25] as namely from Ja. the B^op of Hierus. & Mark in Alexandria: What say our Opposites to this? a principall oneWalo alias Salmas. de Episc. pag. 201. Ab­surdum est Cle­mentis Alexan­drini commen­tum. & p. 406. Fabula est, quam in libre Hypotyposeω̄r de ordinatio­ne, &c. (Salma­sius by name) calleth this alleadgement of James a Bishop false and foolish: his reason was, because James was an Apo­stle, and therefore not to keepe residence in one See. First, be it knowne, that whatsoever this James was, all Antiquity ren­dereth him unto us a Bishop of Hierusalem, (viz.) Eusebius lib. 7. cap. 8: Jacobus, quem Scriptura fratrem Domi­ni nominat, Hie­rosolymae Eccle­siae sedem acce­pit. Eu­sebius, Epiphan. lib. 2. cap. 2. Haeres. 65. Ja­cobus primus Ecclesiae Hiero­solymitanae. Epiphanius, Hierom, Egesippus. Apostolorum temporibus erat quod Jacobus cognomento Justus Ecclesiam Hieros. post Apost. accepit, sic Hieron. de scriptis Ecclesiae in Jacobo Egesippus, Chrysost. Hom. 33. in Act. 1.15. Jacobus Episc. Ecclesiae Hiero­selymitanae. Chrysostom andAmbros. in 1 Galat. Jacobus ab Apostolis Hierosol. constitutus est Episco­pus. Ambrose theSynod. 6. in Trullo can. 32. Ad stipulantes. enimvero hic est ille Jacobus, qui fixum Hierosolymis habuit domicilium velut Ordinarius Episcopus, quem Paulus primo & ulti­mo suo adventu invenit in urbe Apostolis sere omnibus foris Evangelizantibus, Gal. 1. Act. 21. Synod of Trullo: How then shall it become us but of yesterdayes birth, thus to pull reverend An­tiquity, by the beard, and give them the foole? Yet we may not restraine rationall men from reasoning, & therefore we an­swer; that were it that Ja. had been an Apostle, yet other Pro­testant Divines of the reformed Churches, were no fooles, as Dr.Scultetus observat. in Tit. Jacobum ab Apostolis Hierosolymorum Episcopum ordinatum testantur patres quam plurimi. Scultetus, Zuinglius tom 2. de Eccles. fol. 48. Apostoli Apostolorum nomina deposuerunt, uni sedi affixi, sive senectâ impediti, aut peregrinationibus afflicti; exem­plum esto Jacobus minor Hierosol. Episcopus. Zuinglius, and Mr.Moulin lib. de Vatibus cap. 10. Apostoli toti Ecclesiae invigilabant in solidum & indivisum, aliquam tamen peculiarem provinciam qui­busdam Apostolis fuisse assignatam discimus ex Sacrâ Scripturâ. Gal 2.7. Moulin each one can answer; that notwithstanding the proper fun­ctions of the Apostles, in visiting of Countries after Coun­tries for conversion of people, and founding of Churches; yet whether enfeebled by Age, or upon extraordinary occasions, they might fix themselves to one Province. But yet are we not constrained to this Answer; but furthermore tell our Oppo­sites that, (which hath beenArchiepisco­pus Spalatensis, tomo quarto. judiciously proved at large, that this was not James that Apostle, but James the Brother of our Lord; and onely an Apostolicall Disciple, which may sa­tisfie [Page 26] our Opposites, untill we come to speake of their obje­cted Timothy and Titus, called Evangelists; As for Marke if in the line of succession of Bishops of Alexandria, he onely be taken exclusively, yet must the Ordinance of that See be ne­cessarily held Apostolicall.

XII. THESIS. That the Apostolicall Antiquity of Episcopacy is confessedly proved out of Ignatius.

Vedelius pro­fessor Gene­vensis Apol. pro Ignatio. cap. 1. Ignatius Apo­stolorum disci­pulus erat; quem nemo negabit fuisse virum sanctissimum, Ecclesiae Antiochiae Episcopum, et qui Christi ve­ritati Testimonium praebuerit saevissimo mortis genere sub Tra­jano Impera torc. Item Exercit prima in Ep. ad Tract cap. 4. § 4. Bellar. lib. 4. de Pontifice c. 25 Quemadmodum Apostoli primi erant sub Christo, ita Episcopi primi sub Pontifi­ce. Resp imo Episcopi non sunt primi sub Pontifice, sed sub Christo, nisi Bellarmino Ignatius mentitur, qui Episcopum nullam in Ecclesiâ habere supra se potestatem dicit hâc ipsâ Episte­tá Et Epist. ad Smyrnenses. [...]. Ib. c 9. num 8. Pon­tificii statuunt Papam ut Episcoporum Dominum: at Ignatii tempore maximus in Ecclesiâ erat episcopus, post. Archiep. Item Exercit. 1. cap. 2. num. 4 Ignat. in Epist ad Polycarp. Verba e­jus monent Episcopum officii sui. ut agnescat se tum demum aliorum Episcopum esse quando ipse Episcopori [...] principi pareat: Talibus Episcopis & libenter paremus. [...]. VEdelius that learned Divinity Professor in the Acade­my of Geneva, in his most elaborate worke of Exercita­tions upon the Epistles of Ignatius for vindicating his Doctrine from the false glosses of Bellarmine, Baronius and o­ther Romish writers, is copious in manifesting the direct judgement of Ignatius in many notable points. Concerning Ignatius himselfe he rendereth him unto us a Disciple of the Apostles, a Bishop of Antioch, an holy man, and a faithfull Mi­nister of Christ. 2. Concerning the cause against Bellarmine, and others who will have Bishops the first under the Pope of Rome, as the Apostles were under Christ, this he confuteth out of Ignatius, who tanght that Presbyters should be subject to Bishops, and Bishops to Christ. 3. Against Papists who pro­claime the Pope to be Bishop of Bishops: he confesseth Ig­natius holding the Bishop in every Church to be the next un­der Christ, and chiefe therein. 4. The distinction betweene Bi­shops and Presbyters, was in the dayes of the Apostles: and lastly professeth for himselfe and others, that if they had a Bi­shop [Page 27] such as was Polycarpus (a Disciple also of the Apostles) they as Ignatius required of the Smyrnaeans, would willingly, yea, necessarily obey him. So he. In this Maxime we behold two Disciples of the Apostles, Ignatius and Polycarpus: both Bi­shops distinctly from Presbyters and governours: and this in the Apostles times. As well therefore may our opposites deny themselves to have depended naturally from their own pa­rents, as Bishops originally from the Apostles. We are to pursue this yet a little further.

XIII. THESIS. That Antiquity hath given us Rules of Resolution for the know­ledge of any Apostolicall practice, which may serve in the case of Episcopacy.

THe rule given by Antiquity, was alwayes held Catholique throughout all Christian Churches of ancient times. St. Austins rule may be our first direction thusAugust. de Baptism. contra Donatist l. 4. Quod universa tenet Ecclesia, nec consiliis in­stitutum, sed semper reten­tum est, non nisi Authoritate A­postolicâ tradi­tum rectissime creditur. Whatso­ever the Ʋniversall Church holdeth, and was not instituted by Councels, but alwayes kept, that must most rightly be judged to have beene from Apostolicall Authority: So he: which for our purpose is as much as Dr. Scultetus most judiciously and ingenuously confess'd, that if no Interim can be shewne be­tweene the Apostles times, and the dayes immediately succee­ding, when there was no Episcopall Government over Presby­ters in the Church, then must the same have proceeded im­mediately from the Apostles. We hold this most reasonable; even as if the Question were, what the practice is of the Country adjoyning unto us; Our next bordering neighbours to it, would be the most competent witnesses of their manners, such have beene hitherto our proofes even from such anci­ents, as either had seen the Apostles, or else from such as had beene conversant with the immediate Disciples of the Apo­stles. Our Opposites not able to instance in the practice of any one Primitive Church to the contrary, onely object a com­munity of names of Presbyters and Bishops, which shadow [Page 28] will vanish, as soone as we shall give light by proofes of the A­postolicall Originall of Episcopacy in divers Theses follow­ing, by expression, confession and Authorities.

XIV. THESIS. That Protestant Divines of other reform'd Churches, have held it most equall to be directed by the judgements of Anci­ents for proofe of a practice Apostolicall.

Calv. Tract. Theol. Eccles. reform. pag. 374 Ireneo & Ori­gini negotium erat cum impro­bis nebulonibus, qui, dum prodi­giosos errores proferrent in medium, eos sibi divinitus reve­latos dicebant. Hujus mendacii facilis erat Re­velatio, quòd ad huc superstites erant multi, qui familiares Apostolorum discipuli fue­runt, quibus re­cens erat hujus doctrinae me­moria, quam Apostoli tradiderunt.WE pleade no other equity in this cause, then what Calvin held necessary against Anabaptisticall Revela­tions, arguing negatively in this manner. These lyes, (saith he) are easily confuted, because many were then living who had beene conversant with the Disciples of the Apostles. So he concerning doctrines. How much more convincent must this Argument be, when our Question shall be of the practice of the Church in the dayes of the Apostles? even as is dayly done by all Christian Churches, for proofe of the practice of baptizing of Infants, against the same Anabaptisticall Faction; yea, why not also for the like Originall practice of Episcopacy, even by the confession of Protestant Divines of excellent judgement: Beza de Minist. gradibus. Pro primatu Ordinis inter Presbyteros communicato singulis pastoribus per vices Primatûs dignitate, quòd visum fuit hunc ad unum equidem totius presbyterii judicio delectum transferre, certè reprehendi nec possit, nec debet cum praesertim vetustus mos fuit primum presbyterum deligendo in Alexandrinâ Ec­clesiâ celeberrima inde à Marco Evangelistâ observatus. Beza must not be neglected, telling us, that he ought not to neglect the Ordinance of a higher degree of a Bishop above a Presbyter, because this was an ancient custome in the famous Church of Alexandria. So he. This is well, but he hath not quite told out his tale, which he doth elswhere out of the words ofBeza de Minist. grad. cap 23. Quod autem unus electus est qui caeteris praeponeretur, in Schismatis factum est Remedium, ne unus­quisque ad se Christum trahens Ecclesiam rumperet; nam & Alexandriae a Marco Evangelistâ ad Heracl. usque et Dionysiam Episcopos, Presbyteri unum semper à se electum in celsiore gradu collocatum Episcopum nominabant. Hierome, saying namely, that in Alexandria, from Marke the Evangelist, one was elected by the Presbytery, [Page 29] and placed in a higher degree, whom they named Bishop, which was done for a remedy against Schisme. Be it then that touching this Series and order of Succession, as it was said of Saint Marke the Apostle, be it taken inclusively, or exclusively; it necessarily implyeth, that the Originall of Episcopacy was in the dayes of the same Apostles. Master Moulin giveth us a lowder Accent. saying, that Moulin Ep. 3. ad Episc. Winton. Non sum adeo oris duriut velim adversus illa veteris Ecclesiae Lumina Ignati­um, Polycarpum Cyprianum, Au­gustinum, Chry­sostomum &c ferre sententi­am, ut adversus usurpatores mu­neris illiciti: plus semper a­pud me potuit veneranda An­tiquitas, quàm novella cujus­quam constitu­tio See below. The like ac­knowledgment will Beza give us hereafter. he was never so hard faced, as to censure these Bishops: Ignatius, Polycarpe, Augustine, Chrysostome, and other great lights of the Church, to have u­surped an unlawfull function in the Church of Christ. So he: Alleadging among his ancients Polycarpe, and Ignatius; the first of which, as all the learned know, lived in the dayes of the Apostles, and as antiquity it selfe teacheth, and consent of Protestant Divines of Remote Churches will afterwards grant, to have beene in the dayes of Saint John the Evangelist, the Bishop of Smyrna. The other, viz, Ignatius, was also ac­quainted with those, who had beene the Disciples of Christ. Besides, we have heardScultet. observat. in Titum. c. 8 sed ego de Jacobo dicam, non illo quidem A­postolo sed Salvatoris nostrifratre. Sculietus resolving, that James (not the Apostle) the Brother of our Lord, was Bishop of Hie­rusalem, from the plentifull testimonies of Antiquity it selfe. We will conclude with this our proofe from the same Anti­quity, but what? even that whichBucer de Anim. curâ et officio pastor: Apud patres Hieronymo vetussiores clara habemus Testimonia, in praecipuis Ecclesiis omnibus temporibus Apostolorum ita comparatum est, ut Presbyteris omnibus quidem officium Episcopale fuerit impositum Interim tamen Apostolorum temporibus unus de Presbyteris electus utque or­dinatus est in officii ducem & quosi Antistitem, qui caeteris omnibus praei [...]it, & curam animarum, ministeriumque Episcopale praecipuè & in summo gessit atque administra­vit, quod de Jacobo legis, Act. 15. ubi Lucas Jacobum describit ut Antistitem totius Ecclesiae omniumque Presbyterorum Bucer finds resolved upon (as he saith) before Hierom. let us take his own words. Di­vine Fathers more ancient then Hierom. Cyprian, Ireneus, Eu­sebius, and other Ecclesiasticall Historians shew, That in the Apostles times there was one elected, and ordayned, who should have Episcopall function, and superiority over Presbyters; so [Page 30] he, instancing in James, of whom we have spoken who was Bishop of Hierusalem.

XV. THESIS. That Master Beza himselfe is challengeable to yeild unto A­postolicall right of Episcopacy, from his owne former confession.

MAster Beza hath alreadyVide Thesin 12. confessed concerning the famous Church of Alexandria, that from Marke the Evangelist, one was chosen to be placed in a degree above Presbyters, called Bishop, is according to the Testimony of Hierom. The story hereof hath beene of late published by Master Selden, the Ornament of our Nation, excellently con­versant in ancient & exotick Learning, out of the Relation of Eutycheus, that Mark the Ev. placed Anianus Patriarch or Bi­shop over Presbyters in the Church of Alexandria. In which book also, there is set down the full Catalogue of 18 Bishops successively unto Dionysius, that possessed the same See, which proveth as plainly an Episcopall & personall succession, by an Apostolicall Constitution from Anianus to Alexandria in a lineall succession, as was the filiall and naturall descent from Adam to Thara, which makes up eighteene Generati­ons. What need then many words? the most Theses which have beene premised, and almost all afterwards to be propoun­ded, do declare the same by joynt accordance of Protestant Divines of reformed Churches, and surffages of Antiquity. We hasten to our last proofe; but are arested in our way by our Opposites, to answer two objected Testimonies of Antiquity.

XVI. THESS. That the Testimonies of Nazianzen, and Augustine are unwor­thily objected to the contrary.

VVE are urged to reckon these two excellent Bishops, although in true Construction they have answered for themselves.Smect. vindi­cat. pag. 88. Nazianzen (say our Opposites) mustering up the evils that had happened unto him, reckoneth [Page 31] ejection out of his Episcopacy, holding it a part of wisedome to avoid it, wishing that there were no [...] place of Pre­sident-ship, or [...] or Tyrannicall Prerogative in the Church, but that they might be knowne onely by vertue, We have alleaged Nazianzen according to the genuine sense; So they; but so as usually in an Heterogeneall sense to inferre a necessary abnegation of Episcopacy. They who seeke ingenuously the genuine sense of Sentences in Authors must be Janus-like faced, looking [...] backward and forward, both which properties have been wanting to our op­posites; first because before the words objected they lay be­fore their eyes this saying ofNazianz. orat. 28. Fuit tempus quando cordati & prudentes viri Episcopa­tum in admira­tione habuerunt & desiderabant. Nazianzen; There was a time when Episcopacy was had in great admiration, and desired of wise and prudent men; and the second, as not considering that was then spoken onely comparatively against the Tyrannicall Government of Bishops, which by all Protestant Bishops hath beene condemned in the popish Hierarchie; besides, that this was but the breath of vexatious passion upon occa­sion of one Maximus, whom Nazianzen calleth a Cynicke and doggish Philosopher, because, whereas he himselfe had the generall esteeme in the Church of Christ to be, by way of excellence, called [...], the Divine, notwithstanding he was vehemently persecuted by the same unworthy Prelate, and by his circumvention disturb'd out of his Bishopricke; and therefore sensible of that indignitie, did utter the language of his hearts griefe. But why did not our Opposites tell us, that af­ter this storme their fell a calme, when the same godly Bishop was with generall applause received to his Bishoprick againe; but especially we may complaine that they have by their si­lence smothered Nazianzens judgement concerning the cause it selfe, which is the right of Episcopacy, and which he e­steemed the most perfect kinde of Government; So he. And is not this as much as to have held it the best? which he further declareth in his funerall Orations which he had of 3. famous Bishops, Basil, Athanasius, and Cyprian. Augustine writing to Hierome Walo pag. 355. usus, inquit obtinuit, ut E­piscopatus Presbyterio ma­jor fit secundum honorum voca­bula Ergo usu & consuetudine Ecclesiae priùs constitutum est ut Episcopi ma­jores essent Presbyteris, tum ex re di­stinctâ vocabu­lorum etiam in­sequuta est di­stinctio. saith, that custome hath obtained, that Episcopacy should be higher then Presbytery, according to the honour and [Page 32] dignity of the words. Therefore (saith Walo) the distinction of Episcopacy and Presbytery was first constituted by the Church. So he; whose Disciples our other Opposites have learned this lesson, saying,Smect. Vin. dic. pag. 87. If Augustine had knowne the majority of Bishops above Presbyters, to have beene of Divine or Apo­stolicall institution, he might have said so much; nay, he would have said as much. And we answer, if any of our Opposites had regarded to search the judgement of Augustine, they would not have said thus much, because it is evident that Au­gustine did say as much as they require he should have said, as hath beene shewne; saying of himselfe and other Bishops, thus; we succeed the Apostles in the same power, and that Christ instituted Bishops when he ordeined his Apostles: that weSee above repeate not his condemning Aërius (as Epiphanius did) for denying Episcopacy to have beene an institution Aposto­licall; and now whether our Reader thinke it more reasona­ble, to yeild to the supposition of what Augustine would have done, or the manifestation what he did, we permit to his judgement. This obstacle thus remov'd, we fall now upon the last proofe.

Our last proofe, That Episcopacy is of Apostolicall right, & ac­cording to the word of God, even from the word of God it selfe.

To this purpose, two places of Scripture are especially to be alleadged: The Epistle of Paul to Timothy and Titus, and the Epistles of St. John in the Revelation to the seven Chur­ches in Asia, which are to be discussed according to our for­mer Method, by the consonant Testimonies of ancient Fa­thers; and consent of Protestant Divines of generall esteeme and approbation.

XII. THESIS. That Timothy and Titus both had a Prelacy over Presbyters, notwithstanding the objection of the community of Names of Bishops and Presbyters, is sufficiently confessed by Protestant Divines of Remote Churches.

THere can none be held a more sufficient witnes with our Opposites, then he who hath professedly pleaded this [Page 33] cause in their behalfe, & notwithstanding freely, & deerly gran­teth: thatWalo lib de Episc. per totum cap primum ex­traordinariâ missione & fun­ctione p. 70 sic alii discipuli Christi & Apo­stolorum ejus &c. p. 229. Ti­tum Cretae insu­lae praefecit Paulus, qui non singulari in ali­quâ Civitate E­piscopus fuit, sed totam illam provinciam ad tempus procura­ret. Tales fue­runt Apostolo­rum auditores & discipuli, quique primi eo­rum successores. Timothy and Titus were indeed Governours o­ver their Provinces and places, where the Apostle had appointed them; and that they had over the Presbyters a kinde of Aposto­licall authority, which he in his owne judgement calleth extraor­dinary, and we take him at his owne words; in granting that it was some way an Authoritative Prelacy, & for the distincti­on of extraordinary, it will by and by receive an ordinary, but a true Answer: yet we do not so much presse his confession, as we may do his Reasons thereof, deducted from the Texts themselves, concerning their Prelaticall power of ordering matters that were amisse. Tit. 1.5. of receiving Accusation against Presbyters, 1 Tim. 5.19. and the like.

But our other Opposites will needs pose us, requiring us to answer their first Objection, videl. Smect. That the Bishops, whose pedegree was derived from the Apostles, were no other then Pres­byters; then, this is proved, say they, by two instances: The first is, The identity of their names, which (quoth they) is a proofe of no small consequence, we answer, yea, rather of none at all: else was Master Beza but of small judgement, when speaking of the Apostolicall Age, he confessed,Beza de Minist. grad. cap. 22. Habuit jam tum Pres­byterium suum aliquem [...] Presby­terum, etiam Presbyterorum manente com­muni appellati­one. that the Presbytery had then a President over them, yea, when the com­munity of names So he of Presbyters and B^ps remayned among them: accordingly asDoctor Reynolds his conference with Hart. c. 8. divis. 3. Dr. Reynolds hath said that the Pres­bytery had then one, who was President over them, when as yet the names of Bishop and Presbyter were the same; who further­more concerning the time of distinguishing the name of Bi­shop and Presbyter, whether sooner or later, here or there, he saith. The name of Bishop was afterwards appropriated by the usuall language of the fathers of the Church, to him that had the Praesidentship over the Elders, So he, Hereby granting that the Presidentship by Bishops was of force before the ti­tle and name was appropriated and allotted unto them. If our Opposites had acquainted themselves with these learned authors, they would have spared their paines in oppugning Episcopacy. How much more if they had consulted with Gods owne Oracle in his word, wherein we finde (which [Page 34] formerly we pointed at) that Saint Peter entitled himselfe a Copresbyter. 1 Pet. 5. & 1. Saint John himselfe a Presbyter. 1 John 1. And Saint Paul himselfe thrice (he could then stoope no lower) a Deacon. Col. 1.23. & 25. 2 Cor. 3. & 6. Yet notwithstanding all these inferiour appellations they held still the Authority of their Apostleship: we end this point in hope that our Opposites will take out that lesson, which Calvin learnt from the divine Text in the Epistle of Titus: what's that? even our full conclusion in this cause.Calvinus in Titum 1.5. Dis­cimus ex hoc lo­eo non eam fu­isse aequalitatem inter Ministros, quia unus ali­quis authoritate praeesset. We learne from hence, that there was not then an equality (saith he) among the Ministers of the Church; but that one was with Authority placed over others. Their second convincing ob­jection would be discuss'd.

XVIII. THESIS. That Timothy and Titus have had a Prelacy, as Bishops over the Presbyters in the Apostles times: notwithstanding the ob­jection that they were called Evangelists, according to con­sent of Protestants of reform'd Churches.

IN the next place we are to examine the second, and onely other objection, which our Opposites enforce in this case, to wit,Smectym vin­dicat. pag. 115. that Timothy and Titus, with all other such Disciples of the Apostles, the Assistants and immediate successors, did take care of the Churches, not as properly Bishops, but as Evange­lists, who had no setled residence in any of the Churches: So they; But are encountred with other Protestant Divines of remote Churches in good number. ForLuther tom 1. fol. 309 Re­solutiones ejus super propositio­nes Lypsiae dis­putat. conclus. 13. Probo quam­libet civitatem habere debere Episcopum pro­prium jure divino, quod ex Paulo ad Titum ostendo dicente, (Hujus rei gra­tià reliqui te Cretae, ut quae desunt corrigas, & constituas Presbyteros per civitates, sicut ego disposui tibi) Hos autem Presbyteros fuisse Episcopos Hieroni & textus sequens ostendit dicens, Oportet Episcopum irreprehensibilem esse, &c. B Au­gustin. in Epist. ad Hieron. Episcop. descripturus rationem reddit & dicit. Erat enim Civitas quasi diceret, non erat simplex Presbyter, sed Episc. de quo loquor, quia erat civitas cui praeerat. Luther among his other Resolutions inserted this: That Episcopacy was of divine Right, grounding his judgement upon the Text, specifying Titus his Government in Creete, as being consonant to the judgement of Augustine.

2. Their learnedScultetus in Titum cap. 8. pa. 10. At Pau­lus Ephesi et in Cretâ aliquan­diu docuerat, i­deo Titum & Timotheum in Cretâ jubet ma­nere, non utiquè ut Evangelistas, sed Ecclesiae gu­bernatores. Id quod etiam E­pistolae ad u­trumque scriptae evincunt: In his enim non Eccle­siae colligendae, quae erat Evan­gelistarum, sed collectae guber­nandae, quae est Episcoporum, rationem, illis praescribit; suntque praecep­ta omnia ita confirmata, ut non speciatim ad Timotheum vel Titum, sed generatim ad omnes Episcopos referantur. Ideoque ad Temporariam Evangelistarum potestatem minimè quadrent. Scultetus sheweth, that at this time, they were not exercis'd in assisting the Apostles for collecting of Churches as Evangelists, but for governing of them, that had beene collected, as the generall praecepts given by the Apostles, (saith he) do prove thereby to become the examples and Types for the successours to follow: and thereupon he concludeth them to have beene the same, who otherwise were called Evange­lists for preaching the Gospell, although by their superinten­dency Bishops. To the same purposeMoulin in Epist. 3. ad Episc. Win­ton. Quomodo appellaveris Titum, Timotheum, & Marcum, seu Episcopos five Evangelistas? con­stat eos habuisse successores Episcopos haeredet illius preminentiae Master Moulin will have it knowen, that whatsoever Timothy and Titus had, whe­ther as Bishop or Evangelist, it was such as had a continuall suc­cession in the Church, which is as others confesse, as James had in Hierusalem, and Marke in Alexandria, which was Episco­pall. Titus (saithPaulus Tossanus index in Sacra Bib. Titus comes Peregrinationum Pauli, postea Cretensium Episcopus. Tossanus) after his peregrinations with Paul, was appointed Bishop of Creet, and before theseZuinglius tom. 2. fol. 45. Idem Episcopi & Evangelistae nomen: nam Paulus, 2 Tim. 4. [Tuvigila, opus Evan­gelistae perage; ministerium tuum probatum reddito] aliquo in loco tunc temporis fuit Episcopus, cum haec scriberet Apostolus, Ergo constat idem fuisse Officium utriusque. Zuin­glius confess'd, that Tim. at that very time, when Paul advis'd him to pursue the worke of an Evangelist. 2 Tim. 4. was then Bi­shop in some place or other, by all consequence.

Gerhard. tom. 6. De Minister. Ecclesiast. num. 227. 2 Tim. 4. Fac quae Evangelistae. Haec vox hoc in loco generaliter sumitur, non specialiter pro quodam Doctorum ordine, quo Timotheus constitutus fuerit Ecclesiae Ephesinae Episcopus, nec ulterius Paulum comitatus. Sicut etiam Lutherus red­didit specialiter [dicti Evangelista erant Apostolorum [...], à quibus in partem muneris Apostolici asciti ad diversa loca ab illis mittebantur. In illorum Evangelista­rum numero censendi sunt Timotheus et Titus. Timotheum Lystriae assumpsit Paulus Act. 16. postea eum misit in Macedoniam Act. 19.22. & ad 1. Cor. 4 17. Ad Phil. 2.19. Ad Thes. 1: c. 3.2. Tandem verò Ephesinae Ecclesiae Episcopus. 1 Tim. 3.15. Titum [...]. 2 Cor. 8.23. Eum misit ad Corinth. 2 Cor. 5 6.12.18. Assumpsit secum Hierosol. Gal. 2.1. Misit in Dalmatiam. 2 Tim. 4.10. Tandem Cretensium Ecclesiarum constituit Episcopum Tit. 1.5.Dr. Gerhard a late famous Theologicall Authour is copi­ous in this Argument: who in the same sheweth that the word Evangelist, given to Timothy when Paul wrote unto him, was taken in a generall acceptation, and not as properly be­longing to him, as he had beene an Assistant, even as Luther [Page 36] (saith he) understood it. Besides he sheweth out of Scripture exactly the severall Stations, which Timothy had with Saint Paul in exercising his office, before that time that he was placed Bishop in Ephesus.

We forbeare the full allegation of the like Authours cited by others, that we may hearken to our English Doctour Rey­nolds, nothing inferiour to any of the rest even in the opinion of our Opposites themselves, telling us of that very time, when Paul assembled the Ministry at Miletum, Act. 20.28.Dr. Rey­nolds Confe­rence with Hart, cap. 8. distinct. 3. One was chosen as chiefe in the Church of Ephesus to guide it, the same whom afterwards the Fathers of the Primitive Church called Bishop. So he. And for confirmation hereof sheweth that which must indeed be impregnable, to wit, A lineall succession of 27 Bishops (as hath beene proved) from Ti­mothy in the Church of Ephesus, and for surplusage to all this we answer, to the objected reasons propounded for Timothy's non-residence in Ephesus by that qualification, whichCalvin. in­stitut lib. 3. c. 3. §. 7. Pastoribus singulis assigna­tur sedes, inter­ea non negamus, quià pastor a­lias Ecclesias adjuvare possit, qui uni est alli­gatus: sive quid turbarum inter­cedat quod ejus praesentiam re­quirat, sive ab eo petatur con­silium. Nec e­nim sunt veluti Glebae addicti, ut Juriscon­sulti. Cal­vin hath done in like cases, namely, that Pastours are not so strictly tied to their Glebe or charge, as that they may not helpe other Churches upon necessary occasions. As for the objected terme of Evangelists, we moreover answer from Scripture, where we finde Philip preaching the word of God in Samaria, Act. 8.5. Called an Evangelist, Act. 21.8. And yet was one of the seven, meaning Deacons, Act. 6.5. Our Quaere is, why Timothy might not as well be called an Evangelist for preach­ing the word, being a Bishop, as Philip was, for the same cause, named an Evangelist, being a Deacon. We thinke all this should be satisfactory, although no more were sayd: But more we have.

XIX. THESIS. That Antiquity taught an Episcopacy both in Timothy and Titus.

OUr strongest OppositeWalo, alias Salmas. lib. de Episc. pag. 229. Titum Cretae insulae praefecit Paulus, qui non singulari in aliquâ civitate Episcopus fuit, sed totam illam provinciam ad tempus procuraret. Tales fuerunt Apostolorum Auditores & disci­puli, quicunque primi eorum successores extitere. Salmasius could not but con­fesse concerning Antiquity, (although he spurne against [Page 37] it) That Chrysostome, Epiphanius, Theophylact, Theodoret, and other Greeke Commentatours have collected out of the words of Paul, that Titus was verily Bishop of Creete, and that there could not be divers Bishops in one City, which is our present defence, and agreeth as well to Timothy as to Titus. Hieron. de Eccles. script. Ephesiorum E­piscopus à Pau­lo ordinatus. Hie­rome hath recorded both Timothy, and Titus Bishops, the one of Ephesus, and the other of Creete, to whomAmbros. in praefat. ad Ti­moth. c. 3. Hunc creatum Episco­pum. Ambrose, Greg. Pap. de Curat. Past. part. 2. c. 11. Primasius, Primasius in 1 Tim. Gregory the Great, doe consent: Luther also bringeth in Augustine into the sayd Chorus. We hasten to our last Act.

XX. THESIS. That our Opposites first Exposition, which interpreteth the An­gell to meane the whole Church and congregation, is notably extravagant.

ALthoughLib. 3. de Episc. pag. 183. Sit ergo hoc fixum, per An­gelos nihil aliud voluisse Johan­nem designari, nisi ipsas Ec­clesias. Walo Messalinus, the grand adversary to Episcopacy, be very peremptory for this exposition, yet will it altogether appeare groundlesse. But first we are to hearken unto his glosse. Let it be held a firme and fixt truth, (saith he) that by the name of Angells are not signified any that had Presidency over others, but the whole congregation and Churches. So he; Pythagorically upon his owne word, as we see: whereunto we may rather answer, Let it be held firmely and fixtly, that this glosse upon the Text is evidently confuted by the context, which standeth thus, cap. 1. & 20. The An­gells are called Starres, and the Churches Candlesticks, so that he must turne Starres into Candlesticks, before that he can make the Angell to signifie the whole Congregation. Be­side cap. 2.1. the command to John is, Write to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus, where if by Angell must be understood the Church, then were it as much as to have beene sayd, Write unto the Church of the Church of Ephesus. But we know the spirit of wisdome could not write unwisely.

XXI. THESIS. That our Opposites second Exposition of the word Angell, to sig­nifie onely the Order and Colledge of Presbyters, is erroneous, notwithstanding the Arguments of our Opposites to the con­trary.

XXII. THESIS. That our Opposites third Exposition of the word Angel, to sig­nifie one onely Pastor in the Church of Ephesus, is extreme­ly new and naught.

THis misbegotten brat, namely an exposition, which before these dayes of distraction never saw print, we might thinke should by and by vanish with its owne no­velty: how much more for the safety thereof, which we are rather to enquire after, seeming to us to be very transpa­rent. For the reasons, which these our Opposites might have read inBrightman in Apoc. p 11. Ephesus evasit nobilior propter Pauli operam triennalem in eâ Act. 19.10. & 20.31. Di­vinam ad popu­lum Scriptam Epist. datum iis Timotheum pastorem ac faeli cissimam Jo­hannis Apost. per tot annos irrigationem. Master Brightman, viz. The City of Ephe­sus was more innobled of all other, by Pauls Trienniall la­bour [Page 45] therein: Next, by the divine Epistle written unto the people there, as also by that Timothy was ordein'd their Pastor, and besides, for John's laborious watring thereof for so many yeares together. So he. But how successefull were these then? this was told us in the Acts of the Apostles, concerning the Church of Ephesus; whereof it is said, so mightily grew the word of God, and prevail'd. Act. 19.20. Now that after Pauls long residence, after Timothies Pastorship, and after Saint Johns watering of that Church, and so long a time; and that with so admirable successe, and yet here but one onely Pastor among them. Is this credible? What saith the Scrip­ture? The Harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. But here in the mightily great Harvest, the labourers are fewer then few. We ought not to be blamed for medling with such trifles in earnest, but that our study hath beene to weed out even the least scruples, now that we are to expedite a matter of highest importance, which is our proofe of Episcopacy from the word of God: and to that purpose from confutation of the nega­tive part held by our Opposites, we passe to the proofes and confirmations of our affirmative.

XXIII. THESIS. That by the word Angel of Ephesus, to signifie a singular and individuall Pastor having a Prelacy over Presbyters, is proved by a large consent of Protestant Divines without exception judicious and ingenuous.

THe Divines, which we shall produce shall be those, whom our Opposites themselves cannot call Partialists in behalfe of Bishops, whether they be of remote Chur­ches, or as it were domestiques in our owne Country. Of the first kinde, we alleadge the last chiefe Pastor of the Church of Geneva Master De­odate his notes upon the Apoc. 2.1. Master Deodate, who is to be cited out of his Booke lately authoriz'd to be publish'd, by Order of the House of Commons this Parliament. The Text in the Reve­lations is, Write to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus: His [Page 46] paraphrase thus. That is, saith he, to the Pastor or Bishop; under whose person ought to be understood the whole Church. The Church to be implyed or understood, and the Pastor or Bishop, under whose person, which, because person, can be but one, according to the Etymon of the word Angel, Persona quasi per se una: Or as it is defin'd in Philosophy. A person is an individuall intellectuall Nature, yet so in this place as he being to acquaint all with the contents of this E­pistle, all were understood to be concern'd in him, as all the o­ther following witnesses will acknowledge. Before him in the same Church of Geneva was Theodore, Beza in Apoc. 2.1. An­gelus [...], quem oportet admoneri & per eum Colle­gas, totamque adeo Ecclesiam. Beza, By An­gel (saith he) is meant the President, who was admonish'd and his Collegues with him. So he.

Bullinger in Apoc. cap. 2. concio septima. Nemo autem existimet hanc Epiostlamuni inscriptam An­gelo, i. e. Epis­copo vel pastori, nihil ad Ecclesi­am pertinere. Nam sub finem Epistolae Epi­phonema adjici­tur. Qui habet aurem audiat quid Scriptura dicat Ecclesiis. Nominatur er­go pastor, sed non excludun­tur oviculae; Interim verò Angelo inscribi­tur, ut admone­antur Pastores, in ipsis esse per­multum situm qualis sit Eccles Bullinger, although he, as others affirme, that the Epistle concerneth as well People as Pastors, yet doth he consent un­to us, that, the Epistle was inscribed to one, by whom the Pastors and people might be enformed: As punctually and pertinentlyMarlorat. in Apoc. 1.12. Quamvis quae­dam tam in Clero, quam in Populo corrigenda essent non tamen populum, sed Clerum aggreditur: nec quemlibet de Clero, nominatim Principem Cleri, utique Episcopum. Marlorat, some things (saith he) were to be corrected as well in the people, as in the Clergy; yet doth not John addresse himselfe unto the people, nor yet to the Clergy, but to the chiefe of them, which is the Bishop, and that not without good reason. So he. Of our chiefeGualther. Hom. 9. in Apoc. 8. Angelo, id est, Episcopo Smyrnensi, atque adeo toti Ecclesiae; constat ex Historiis Polycarpum fuisse hunc Angelum. Gualther held the same opinion with further evidence of these other words. [Unto the An­gell of the Church of Smyrna write] that is, saith he, To the Bishop thereof, as Histories do manifest. Gaspar Sib. in Apoc. p. 185. de uno singulari Angelo, quae sententia mihi magis arridet. Gaspar Sibilius having compared the divers expositions confess'd, saying, This, as spoken but of one Angel, pleaseth me better. Piscator in eandem Apoc [Angelo] id est, Episcopo, nec non ipsi Ecclesiae. Pisca­tor briefly and consonantly to the Angel, that is, to the Bishop, and to the Church: namely Bishop expressely, and Church consequently, because of matters of concernment to them al­so.Paraeus [Angelo Ephesinae Ecclesiae] sic vocat pastorem ejus, eadem appella­tione Christus aliarum Ecclesiarum Episcopos dignatur. Paraeus doubteth not to make his explanation as gene­rally to be observ'd in these Epistles. It is the word of Christ [Page 47] (saith he) that that, which is meant to the Church, should be inscribed to the Bishop of the place, or Church. Aretius [Angelo] id est, Ministro Ec­clesiae per quem ad totum coetum res proferantur. Aretius is of no lesse esteeme then the former, and as punctuall altoge­ther, by Angell interpreting a speciall one Minister, and Disciple of John; by whom the writing might be commended to the whole Church. P. Martyr cōment. in pri­mam Corinth. 11. Johannes jubetur scribere ad Angelos Ec­clesiarum, qui e­rant illarum E­piscopi. Peter Martyr used to be reckoned among the first Worthies. John (saith he) was commanded to write to the Angels, who were the Bishops of the Churches. But what do we multiply remote Authors, when one of their Doctors may satisfy us both for the generall, and for himselfe?Scultetus observat. in Tit. Doctissimi quique interpre­tes per septem Ecclesiarum Angelos inter­pretantur sep­tem Ecclesiarum Episcopos, ne­que enim aliter possunt, vim nisi facere textui velint. All the most learned Interpreters, (saith Dr. Scultetus) by Angels ex­pound the Bishops of the Churches, nor can it be otherwise inter­preted without violence to the Text. So he. After our so long peregrination in remote Churches, it is time to hast home, to try what our owne English Divines have judged of this mat­ter; and lest now we be too numerous, we shall single out three, who will be held singular in the estimation of our Op­posites themselves.Dr. Rey­nolds in his Conference with Hart. c. 2. divisio. 3. Dr. Reynolds. Although in the Church of Ephesus, saith he, there were sundry Elders and Pa­stors to guide it, yet, among these sundry, was there one Chiefe, whom our Saviour caelleth the Angel of the Church. Apoc. 2. So he. His words need no Paraphrase,Dr. Fulke in Apoc 2 Ad Pergamensis Ecclesiae Episco­pum Epistola haec destinatur. Dr. Fulke is one of them whom our Opposites have cited for their part, who, if he speake directly against them, they may not be offended with us. The Epistle to Pergamus, saith he, was directed to the Bishop thereof. We have reserved Master Cartwright to the last, that his Testimony may be more lasting in the memory of our Op­posites, as from one who useth to be most gratefull unto them. The letters written to the Churches, saith he, were therefore directed to the Angel, because he is the meetest man by office, by whom the Church may understand the tenor of the letter. So he, and so they. Although this Cloud of witnesses thus raining downe aboundance of Testimonies, for proofe of an Aposto­licall originall of Episcopacy,Mr. Cart­wright on the Rhemes Testa­ment upon A­poc. 2. may justly be held so convin­cent, that nothing but selfenesse in any party can oppose any thing against it, yet shall we furthermore fortify their proofes, desiring that this one thing may be observ'd, (to wit) the rea­son [Page 48] why all our Opposites have strugled against this our Ex­position, as a break-neck to their whole cause; but wee'll go on.

XXIV. THESIS. That Antiquity held not the word Angell (whereof we treat) to be taken Collectively for a multitude of Pastours.

IF that our Opposites had not said that we cited no ancient Fathers for our exposition, we should not have framed this Thesis; onely we cannot tell with what appetite they did it: Is it that they hold the judgement of Fathers satisfactory in this case? why then have they not alledged any one syl­llable out of them for their owne collective sense? But we list not to expostulate, rather hoping the best, we intreat them to spell the words ofAmbros. in 1 Corint. 1. An­gelos Episcopos dico, sicut docet in Apocalypsi Johannes. Ambrose, they are but few, I call Bi­shops Angells, as I am taught in the Revelation. What Ambrose meant by Bishops who can doubt? LikewiseAugust. E­pist. 192. Di­vinâ voce lau­datur Angeli nomine Praepo­situs Ecclesiae. Augustine the famous Bishop of Hippo, saith, of one of these Angells, That he was set over the Church by the divine voice (meaning the Scrip­ture.) IfSee above. Scultetus when he said, that all the most learned Interpreters, by Angells, understood Bishops; if among All, he comprehend the Ancients, we have not to seeke more wit­nesses; however, we need not, because there is but very rare commenting upon the Apocalyps among the Fathers, much lesse upon these Texts. All this notwithstanding we are sure of that what is wanting in their Commentaries, they supply in their historicall relations, as will appeare by and by, rendring unto us one Polycarpus Bishop and Martyr to have beene one of these Angells in the Church of Smyrna. In the interim we will plead Reason with our Opposites.

XXV. THESIS. That the word Angell in other places of the Revelation is com­monly if not alwaies Individually taken.

BEtter reason they cannot expect then is the retorting of their owne Argument upon them: when they dislike this, [Page 49] The word Angell is commonly, if not alwayes taken Collectively, ergo, ought it to be so interpreted in the second and third Chap­ters. So they; but altogether amisse, as hath beene shewen. It will be our part to prove the contradictory, whereof upon observation in reading Commentaries upon the Revelation, we are the more confident; our Opposites at their leisure may inquire to other Authors; We for this present shall need but commend a speciall one unto them who in their opinion may stand for many, because onely now at hand. He after these two Chapters (as the Marginalls shew)Brightman­nus in cap. 7.2. id est. Constan­tius. cap 8.17. Angelus vo­lans. i. e. Greg. Magnus. c. 10. Angelus robu­stus, id est Che­stus. cap. 14. There is seven times alius An­gelus, and of the first three he saith, Erant hi tres totidem coelestes vi­ri, &c. v. 15. Alius, ut proba­bile est Mini­ster, and yet af­ter doubleth fondly, v. 17. Angelus alius est, Tho. Crom­wellus, v. 18. Alius Tho. Car­merus, cap. 16. Sunt 7. Angeli, v. 2. Angelus primus Eliz. Regin. v. 3. Se­cundus, id est, Mart. Chemni­tius v. 5. An­gelus Aquarum, Civis aliquis Magistratus, v. 7. Alius Angelus. Ʋnus aliquis. Videat relique Lector, cap. 16. vers. 2, 3, 5, 7, 12.17. cap. 19. vers. 21. cap. 19. vers. 17. through his whole Commentaries upon the same Booke, taketh the word Angell so farre Individually, as to interpret it of some one person, either ex­presly by name, or else equivalently by an Individuum vagum, as thus, some notable one, or the like.

In the second place, we doe appeale to the Texts them­selves to give a sufficient tast; for oftentimes the Angells are reckoned seven, and after distributed ordinatively into first, second third, and so till the seventh, as plainly as one can reckon the seven dayes in the Weeke, Chap. 15. & 16. Afterwards we have recited one Angell having the Key of the bottomlesse pit, Chap. 20. was there need of a Collectively understood multitude of Angells to keepe one Key? The like may be said of a mighty Angell for delivering a little booke, Chap. 10.1, 2. Besides the Angell whom John is said to have worshipped, Chap. 22. will they say this Angell also to com­prehend a Multitude? then might the Angell reply, have you forgot when I said to John, I am thy fellow Servant, but five words, and every one an Individuall.

Thirdly, to returne to the questioned Texts, whereas some of the Angells are commended for notable vertues, and as much condemned for some notorious vices; they that thinke that all the same vices and vertues did as well imply every Pastour in all the Colledges of the seven Churches may as well conceive, that where the deformities are noted in any Cor­poration, [Page 50] therefore every person in it is equally flat-nosed, crook't-legged, bald-headed, and the like.

Lastly, the Angells and Churches being both reckoned distinctly seven times, that there should be a Collective num­ber of the Order of Pastours, without so much as any insinua­tion of distinguishing them either from Angells, or Churches; have they any Key to unlock such a Mystery? From this kind of reasoning, we passe unto an evidence of no lesse impor­tance, Historicall Experience, and Practice.

XXVI. THESIS. That by Angell is meant Individually one Bishop, is demonstra­ted by Historicall learning without contradiction.

HIstory is the life of memory, and memoriall of mens lives, if it may be undubitably had, it must necessarily seale up the verity of all that hath beene said of an Apostolicall Institution of Episcopacy, whereof we have had evident in­stances in the Episcopall Traditions from James in Jerusalem, Marke in Alexandria, Peter in Antioch and in Rome: And now we are to insist upon examples of the descent from John in two of these Angelicall Churches Ephesus and Smyrna. For the first, it hath beene made good unto you out of Eusebius, thatPolycrat. E­pist. ad Victo­rem apud Euseb. Hist. lib. 5. cap 25. Polycrates writ himselfe Bishop of Ephesus, testifying withall a line of seven Bishops of his owne kindred, his Prede­cessours: whereunto may be added the Declaration made by Leontius the Archbishop of Magnesia in the generallC [...]ncil. Cal­ [...]ed. Act. 11. Coun­cell of Calcedon of the succession of the seven and twenty Bi­shops from Timothy in the same Church of Ephesus; which Timothy, all antiquity with a large consent of most approved Protestant Divines have testified to have beene Bishop there; none will thinke, but shame it selfe would have restrained Leontius from making such a publique Declaration in the hear­ing of six hundred Fathers assembled in this Councell, if the matter it selfe had beene liable to any contradiction. The next instance (as we are perswaded) may be held satisfactory [Page 51] and infringeable in it selfe, in Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna, in the dayes when Saint John lived: our witnesses deserve your hearing, we will begin with the veriest junior of all, saying,Hieronym. de Scrip. Eccles. Polycarpus Jo­hannis discipu­lus & ab eo Smyrnae Episco­pus ordinatus, totius Asiae princeps fuit, qui nonnullos Apostolorum qui Dominum vide­rant Magistros habuerit & vi­derit. Postea vero regnante Marco Antonio quartâ post Ne­ronem persecu­tione Smyrnae sedente procon­sule & univer­so populo in Am­phithet. adver­sus eum perso­naliter igni tra­ditus est. Polycarpus who had beene Disciple to one that heard the Lord, and afterward burnt a Martyr of Christ, was ordained Bishop of Smyrna by Saint John. Hieronym. de Scrip. Eccles. Polycarpus Jo­hannis discipu­lus & ab eo Smyrnae Episco­pus ordinatus, totius Asiae princeps fuit, qui nonnullos Apostolorum qui Dominum vide­rant Magistros habuerit & vi­derit. Postea vero regnante Marco Antonio quartâ post Ne­ronem persecu­tione Smyrnae sedente procon­sule & univer­so populo in Am­phithet. adver­sus eum perso­naliter igni tra­ditus est. So Hierome. Another, Polycarpus Bishop and Martyr was placed by John Bishop of Smyrna. SoEuseb. A­lius Polycarpus. Episc. & Martyr suffragiis Smyrnes. Episcopatum obtinuit. Eusebius A third before him. By John was Polycarpus constituted Bishop of Smyrna. SoTertull. praescript. cap. 23. à Johannae Smyrnae collocatus. Euseb. Hist. lib. 3. c. 30. Episcopus Smyrnae abiis qui erant [...]. Tertullian. And before him a fourth testifieth as one that had seene this Poly­carpus, That after that he had beene instructed by the Apostles of Christ, with whom he had beene conversant, he was made by them Bishop of Smyrna. SoIren lib. 3. cap. 3. vide & apud Euseb lib. 3. c. 55. [...], &c. Polycarpus non solum edoctus à Christi discipulis & con­versatus apud multos qui Christum ipsum viderunt, verum etiam ab Apostolis constitutus Episco­pus Ecclesiae in Asia quae dicitur Smyrna, quem in tenera nostra aetate nos ipsi vidimus; diù enim vixit & valdè senex per nobile & gloriosum Martyrium vitâ docessit. Ireneus. We ascend somewhat higher, to one who writ an Epistle to the same Polycarpus, intiutling him the Bishop of Smyrna; and in his Epistle to the Church of Smyrna, saluting him as their Bishop.Ignatius Epist. [...]: & Epist ad Smyrnenses, [...], Vedelius. Exercit. in istās Epistolas. Ig­natius in these Epistles and sayings which Vedelius the Pro­fessour in the Church of Geneva, and an exact discerner and discoverer of the corruptions crept into his writings, doth hold as genuine and legitimate. Can our Opposites require a greater confirmation of any historicall poynt, which they themselves maintaine, as more amply testified then this is? whereto as many of our former Protestant Divines did sub­scribe, so is there not one to our knowledge from this Saint John that ever did contradict it.

XXVII. THESIS. That Christ himselfe shewed his approbation of the Prelacy which the foresaid Angells had in their severall Churches.

THere was yet never either favourites to Episcopacy, not opposites against it, but have granted, that whatsoever the government was meant in these seven Churches, it had the approbation of Christ, by the tenour of his Epistles writ­ten unto them. First from the words of the Chap. 1.1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ sent by his Angell to his Servant John] to acknowledge the Epistles to have beene dictated by Christ himselfe, conveied by an Angell to John, and as it fol­loweth in the second and third Chapters, distributed by John to the severall Angells, and communicated to the Churches. After this, by the vertue of the same letters, an inquisition is made, (as it were a Visitation kept) upon every Angell of the Churches, concerning the discharge of their offices; wherein two of them are found of weight and commendable, the o­ther five, more or lesse criminally delinquents, yet so; as to manifest a justification of the offices. The approbation of the function is seene, not onely (which reason none can deny) by Christ his commending their diligence, zeale, and faithful­nesse; but even likewise in his processe of convictions, repre­hensions, and denuntiations against their remissenesse, dissolute­nesse, and faithfulnesse of others; but how? certainly, so that the condemnation of their vices and abuses argued an appro­bation of their Offices and Functions because it was done not with an absolute intent to remove them at the first, but onely to reforme them, and continue them upon their Reformation; therefore was it said from Christ to one, Repent, or else, &c. Chap. 2.5. & 16. to another, Repent, if not, I will come against thee, and the like; this we see was no deprivation of the Of­cers at first, much lesse abolition of the Offices which were to continue from age to age.

The last poynt will be our Assumption from all these pre­misses, [Page 53] which is, that these Angells, being so amply, evident­ly, and with so unanimous consent of the most and best ap­proved Protestant Divines, agreeable to Historicall practise of Apostolicall Churches, proved to have beene such Bishops as had a Prelacy over the Clergy with Christs owne appro­bation, a truth, which the evidence of these Scriptures did expresse in part fromBeza de Minist. grad. cap. 13. Quid objicis in aeta­tem Johannis Apost. Asiae Ec­clesiae septem habuerunt Epis­copos, divinâ non humanâ or­dinatione sibi praefectos, Apo­stolo singulos il­los singularum Ecclesiarum An­gelos minime compellaturo, & culpam malè obitae functionis minimè illis attributuro, nisi eminentior fuisset eorum in Ecclesiae regimine auctoritas. Hoc, inquam, quor sum adversus Hieronymum & nos torques? nec enim ille, quum diceret Ecclesias initio fuisse communi Presbyterorum consilio gubernatas, ita desipuisse existimandus est, ut som­niaret neminem ex Presbyteris illi coetui praefuisse, &c. Beza himselfe; his sentence is large, consisting of these briefes; First, that the Episcopacy which seemed to him to be regulate, was to be collected out of this Scri­pture of the Apocalyps. Secondly, that the same was a Presi­dency, and Prefecture-ship of one Presbyter over the rest. Third­ly, that it was a Prelacy of Authority. Fourthly, that Hierome was of judgement. Fifthly, that to hold otherwise, were to doate and play the foole: all which prove the difference of Bishop and Presbyter both to have beene of Apostolicall Instituti­on, because under John in the Church of Asia; and to have had the approbation of Christ, because of Christ his com­mendation of the faithfull discharge of this Function, which fully makes good unto us, both our Conclusions, That E­piscopacy for the Office and Function it selfe is according to the word of God, and in respect of use, therefore the Best.