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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A45214	A defence of the humble remonstrance, against the frivolous and false exceptions of Smectymnvvs wherein the right of leiturgie and episcopacie is clearly vindicated from the vaine cavils, and challenges of the answerers / by the author of the said humble remonstrance ; seconded (in way of appendance) with the judgement of the famous divine of the Palatinate, D. Abrahamvs Scvltetvs, late professor of divinitie in the University of Heidelberg, concerning the divine right of episcopacie, and the no-right of layeldership ; faithfully translated out of his Latine.	Hall, Joseph, 1574-1656.; Scultetus, Abraham, 1566-1624. Determination of the question, concerning the divine right of episcopacie.	1641 (1641)	Wing H378; ESTC R9524	72,886	191

Faith there therefore he commandeth Timothy to stay at Ephesus Titus at Crete not as Evangelists but as governors of the Churches And indeed the Epistles written to either of them doe evince the same for in these he doth not prescribe the manner of gathering together a Church which was the duty of an Evangelist but the manner of governing a Church being already gathered together which is the duty of a Bishop and all the precepts in those Epistles are so conformable hereunto as that they are not refer'd in especiall to Timothy and Titus but in general to all Bishops and therefore in no wise they suit with the temporary power of Evangelists Besides that Timothy and Titus had Episcopall jurisdiction not onely Eusebius Chrysostome Theodoret Ambrosius Hierome Epiphanius Oecumenius Primasius Theophylact but also the most ancient writers of any that write the History of the new Testament whose writings are now lost do sufficiently declare Eusebius without doubt appealing unto those in his third book of Ecclesiasticall History and 4. chapter Timothy saith hee in Histories is written to bee the first which was made Bishop of the Church of Ephesus as Titus was the first that was made Bishop of the Church of Crete But if John the Apostle and not any antient Disciple of the Apostles bee the authour of the Revelation hee suggests unto us those seven new Examples of Apostolicall Bishops For all the most learned Interpreters interpret the seven Angels of the Churches to be the seven Bishops of the Churches neither can they doe otherwise unlesse they should offer violence to the text What should I speake of James not the Apostles but the Brother of our Saviour the Sonne in law of the Mother of our Lord who by the Apostles was ordained Bishop of Hierusalem as Eusebius in his 2d. book of Ecclesiasticall History 1 chap. out of the 6. of the Hypotyposes of Clement Hierome concerning Ecclesiasticall writers out of the 1. of the Comments of Egesippus relate Ambrose upon the 1. chap. unto the Galatians Chrysostome in his 23 Homily upon the 15 of the Acts Augustine in his 2d. book and 37 chap. against Cresconius Epiphanius in his 65 Heresie The 6. Synod in Tullo and 32 Canon all assenting thereunto For indeed this is that James that had his first residence at Jerusalem as an ordinary Bishop whom Paul in his first and last coming to Hierusalem found in the City almost all the Apostles preaching in other places Gal. 1.19 and that concluded those things which were decreed in the assembly of the Apostles Act. 21. For hee was with Chrysostome Bishop of the Church of Hierusalem from whom when certaine came Peter would not eate with the Gentiles Galat. 2.12 From examples I passe to authorities which Ignatius confirmes by his own authority Whose axiomes are these The Bishop is he which is superiour in all chiefty and power The Presbytery is a holy company of counsellours and assessours to the Bishop The deacons are the imitators of angelicall vertues which shew forth their pure and unblameable ministry He which doth not obey these is without God impure and contemnes Christ and derogates from his order and constitution in his Epistle to the Trallians In an other place I exhort that ye study to doe all things with concord The Bishop being president in the place of God The Presbyters in place of the Apostolick Senate the Deacons as those to whom was committed the Ministry of Jesus Christ in his Epistle to the Magnesians And againe Let the Presbyters be subject to the Bishop the Deacons to the Presbyters the people to the Presbyters and Deacons in his Epistle to those of Tarsus But Ignatius was the Disciple of the Apostles from whence then had he this Hierarchie but from the Apostles Let us now heare Epiphanius in his 75. Heresie The Apostles could not presently appoint all things Presbyters and Deacons were necessary for by these two Ecclesiasticall affaires might bee dispatch Where there was not found any f●t for the Episeopacie that place remained without a Bishop but where there was need and there were any fit for Episcopacy they were made Bishops All things were not compleat from the beginning but in tract of time all things were provided which were required for the perfection of those things which were necessary the Church by this means receiving the fulnesse of dispensation But Eusebius comes neerer to the matter more strongly handles the cause who in his third booke of Ecclesiasticall History and 22 chapter as also in his Chronicle affirmeth that Erodius was ordained the 1. Bishop of Antioch in the yeere of our Lord. 45. in the 3. yeere of Claudius the Emperor at which time many of the Apostles were alive Now Hierome writeth to Evagrius that at Alexandria from Mark the Evangelist unto Heraclius and Dionisius the Bishop the Presbyters called one chosen out of themselvs and placed in a higher degree the Bishop But Marke dyed as Eusebius and Bucholcerus testifie in the yeere of our Lord 64. Peter Paul and John the Apostles being then alive therefore it is cleere that Episcopacie was instituted in the time of the Apostles and good Hierome suffered some frailty when he wrote that Bishops were greater then Presbyters rather by the custome of the Church then the truth of the Lords disposing unlesse perhaps by the custome of the Church hee understands the custome of the Apostles and by the truth of the Lords disposing hee understands the apointment of Christ yet not so hee satisfies the truth of History For it appears out of the 1.2 and 3. Chapters of the Revelation that the forme of governing the Church by Angels or Bishops was not only ratified and established in the time of the Apostles but it was cōfirmed by the very Son of God And Ignatius called that form the order of Christ And when Hierome writes that it was decreed in the whole World that one chosen out of the Presbyters should bee placed over the rest And when I have demonstrated that in the life-time of the Apostles Bishops were superior to Presbyters in Ordination and that each Church had one placed over it doe wee not without cause demand where when and by whom Episcopacie was ordained Episcopacie therefore is of divine right Which how the Prelates of the Church of Rome for almost 300. yeers did adorne with the truth of Doctrine innocency of life constancy in afflictions and suffering Death it selfe for the honour of Christ and on the other side how in succeding times first by their ambition next by their excessive pragmaticall covetousnesse scraping up to themselves the goods of this world then by their heresie last of all by their tyranny they corrupted it that the Roman Hierarchy at this day hath nothing else left but a vizard of the Apostolicall Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy and the lively image of the whore of Babylon our Histories both antient and moderne doe abundantly testifie Wherefore all Bishops are

songs and prayers which were ever used before their sacrifices For before every of their severall sacrifices they had their severall songs still used in those times of peace all which accurately written were transmitted to the subsequent generations from the time of Moses the Legat unto this day by the ministery of the high Priest This Book did that high Priest embezell wherein was contained their Genealogies to the dayes of Phineas together with an historicall enarration of the yeares of their generation and life Then which book there is no history besides the Bookes of Moses found more ancient Thus that ancient Record That there were such forms in the Jewish Church we doubt not but that they should be deduced to the use of the Church Evangelicall to save the labour of their devotions is but a poore and groundlesse requisition Those formes which we have under the names of St. Iames who was as Egesippus tells us the first Bishop and Leiturgus of Hierusalem of Basil and Chrysostome though they have some intersertions which are plainly spurious yet the substance of them cannot be taxed for other then holy and ancient And the implication of the ancient Councell of Ancyra is worthy of observation which forbids those Presbyters that had once sacrificed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to offer or to preach or to serve in the holy Liturgies or administrations Howsoever I perswade my selfe every ingenuous reader finds reason and authority enough in this undeniable practise of antiquity to out-face an upstart conceit of some giddie heads that condemne all formes of prayer be they never so holy because such Now what should a man doe with such sullen and crabbed pieces as these If he crosse them in plaine termes he is false If he comply with them in good words he Rhetoricates What have I professed concerning conceived prayers but that which I ever allowed ever practised both in private and publike God is a free Spirit and so should ours be in powring out our voluntary devotions upon all occasions Nothing hinders but that this liberty and a publique Liturgie should be good friends and may goe hand in hand together and whosoever would forcibly sever them let them beare their owne blame I perceive this is it which these techy men quarrell and dislike that I make the applause of conceived prayer but a vantage-ground to lift up the publique forme of our sacred Church-Liturgy the higher which they are indeed loth should stand upon even termes yea above ground professedly wrangling first at the Originall then the confirmation of it For the first I had said our Liturgy was selected out of ancient modells including in a parenthesis not Roman but Christian and thereby signifying as any ingenuous reader would construe it that our said Liturgie had no relation either to the place or religion of Rome but only to the Christian and holy matter of those godly prayers Now these charitable men fly out into high termes and beseech your Honours to consider How ye may trust these men who sometimes speaking and writing of the Roman Church proclaime it a true Church of Christ and yet here Roman and Christian stand in opposition Ignorantly or maliciously when any man may see here is not an opposition meant but a different modification As when the Prophet sayes I am a worme and no man Or the Apostle It is no more I but sin Or I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me Neither is any phrase more common in our usuall speech In what sense we hold the Roman a true Church is so cleared by the unanimous Suffrages of unquestionable Divines that this iron is too hot for their fingers Being then thus qualified our Liturgie needs not be either ashamed of its originall published in King Edwards proclamation or blankt with their unjust aggravation The composers of it we still glory to say were holy Martyrs and Confessors of the blessed Reformation of Religion and if any rude hand have dared to cast a foul aspersion on any of them he is none of the Tribe I plead for I leave him to the reward of his owne merits Thus composed and thus confirmed by the recommendation of foure most religious Princes and our owne Parliamentary Acts they dare not absolutely discharge it but they doe as they may nibble at it in a double exception The one of the over-rigorous pressing of it to the justling out of Preaching and conceived Prayer which was never intended either by the Law-makers or moderate Governours of the Church The other that neither our owne Lawes nor K. James his proclamation are so unalterable as the Lawes of the Medes Persians Which bold flout how well it becomes their gravity and pretended obedience we leave at either Bar. After an over-comprehensive recapitulation of their exploits in this mighty Section they descend to two main Quaere's whereof the first is Whether it be not fit to consider of the alteration of the present Liturgie Intimating herein not an alteration in some few expressions excepted against but a totall alteration in the very frame of it as their reasons import Yes doubtlesse Sirs ye may consider of it it is none of the Lawes of the Medes and Persians What if the weak judgement of K. Iames upon some pretended reasons decreed all forbearance of any farther change What if that silly and ignorant Martyr D r Taylor could magnifie it to B. Gardner and others as complete What if great Elogies and Apologies have been cast away upon it by learned men since that time What if Innovations in Religion be cryed out of as not to be indured yet consider of the alteration Neither need ye to doubt but that this will be considered by wiser heads then your own and whatsoever shall be found in the manner of the expressions sit to be changed will doubtlesse be altered accordingly but the maine fabrick of it which your reasons drive at my hope is we shall never see to undergo an alteration Yet still do you consider of this your projected alteration whiles I consider shortly of the great reasons of your consideration First it symboliseth much with the Popish Masse Surely neither as Masse nor as Popish If an holy Prayer be found in a Roman Portuise shall I hate it for the place If I find gold in the Channell shall I throw it away because it was ill laid If the Devills confessed Christ the Son of God shall I disclaime that truth because it passed through a damned mouth Why should we not rather allow those good prayers which symbolize with all Christian piety then reject those which dwel amongst some superstitious neighbours It was composed you say into this frame on purpose to bring Papists to our Churches Well had it been so the project had been charitable and gracious What can be more thank-worthy then to reclaime erring soules But it failed in the successe Pardon me brethren if it had done so it was neither the fault of

dint of their censures The like answer serves for their objected Homilies Surely were they enjoyned to all by lawfull authority and made so familiar to the eares of every congregation as the Liturgie is some few could not forbeare them without offence whiles withall they should be allowed the helps of preaching As in this case it is done the use of the set Liturgie being seconded by prayers conceived But the project is singular That if any Ministers should prove insufficient to discharge the duty of Prayer in a conceived way it may be imposed upon him as a punishment to use set formes and no other Never Confessor injoyned such a penance Never Law-maker imposed such a mulct Certainly it were a more just and needfull motion that many who take upon them to preach with so small abuse of Gods sacred Word might as in way of correction be injoyned onely to reade Homilies But who sees not in this overture an utter cassation of that Liturgie which is pretended to be left free For if the freedome of a sole conceived prayer shall depend upon the supposed sufficiency of the Minister shew me the man amongst five hundred of the forward Artizans that Will confesse or think himselfe insufficient for the act or unfurnished with the gifts of Prayer Away then with the Book whiles it may be supplied with a more profitable non-sense Surely where God hath bestowed gifts it is fit they should be imployed and improved to the best advantage of his people But where there is nothing but an empty over-weening and proud ignorance there is great reason for a just restraint SECT III. THus their cavils concerning the Liturgie are vanished we descend to the longer quarrell of Episcopacie Where it is their ill hap to stumble again at the entring into these Lists beginning their answer pardon good Reader with a manifest leasing whiles they dare say that whatsoever hath been either spoken or written by any either learned Divines or well reformed Churches is taxed by me as no other then the unjust clamours of weak or factious persons Certainly had I done so I had been no lesse worthy to be spit upon for my saucy uncharitablenesse then they are now for their uncharitable falshood After my complaints of the many railing invectives and scandalous Libels published of late I came now to bemoane my self to that high Court of Justice in these words As for that forme of Episcopall government which hath hitherto obtained in the Church of God I confesse I am confounded in my selfe to heare with what unjust clamours it is cried down abroad by either weak or factious persons Abroad I say in relation to both Houses lest any malicious person should have traduced my words as reflecting upon any free speech made in either of them against some of that calling alluding to that impious licentiousnesse of our frequent Libellers both in the City and Countrey which shamefully revile Episcopacy as wicked and Antichristian Now come these brotherly slanderers sure the termes can be no better and would needs Wier-draw my words as farre as France Germany or Geneva it self and cry out of my Arrogancy as condemning all Divines all Churches which the God of heaven knowes never came within the verge of my thoughts Yea if I could have been so abominably presumptuous as to inlarge my abroad to other Nations yet I beseech you readers see how well this follows Episcopall Government is with unjust clamours cryed down abroad by either weake or factious persons therefore whosoever speaks or writes against Episcopacy is either weake or factious Brethren if you have any remainders of modesty or truth left in you cry God mercy for this egregious and palpable calumnie Of the same straine is their witty descant upon my confoundednesse I made use of the phrase as that which is taken up by the most elegant Greek and Latine Authors to expresse extreame sorrow these deep Philologers as not seeming to know other sense take it of a confoundednesse through distraction sure the man is not in his rightwits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And how so trow we Heare how he raves He talks of all peaceable and right affected sons of the Church and craves an admittance in all their names whereas all could not take notice of his book doubtlesse a deep phrensie Brethren I am still and shall ever be thus selfe-confounded as confidently to say that he is no peaceable and right affected Son of the Church of England that doth not both hate Libels and wish well to Liturgy and Episcopacy both which summe up my humble Remonstrance But this flip they confesse is small that other is worthy of a large Dos of Ellebore that I say Episcopall govermnent that is government by Diocesan Bishops derives it selfe from the Apostles times this they say they cannot but rank amongst my notorious speake out Masters I would not have that word stick in your teeth or in your throat And why is this truth so notorious Because there were no Diocesans of above an hundred yeares after Christ Now Readers I beseech you cast back your eies upon those Lines of mine and see whether I make any mention at all of Diocesans but onely of the sacred government by Episcopacy Wanton wits must have leave to play with their owne stern Brethren what needs this importunity Even selfe-confounded men doe not alwaies speake false What the joynt-confession of all reformed Divines is concerning the derivation of Episcopacy from the Apostolique times I have elsewhere shewed from some in the name of all and shall doe again in the due place to what purpose were this unseasonable anticipation Indeed no true Divine did ever hold otherwise The question never was Whether Bishops were derived from the Apostles But what kinde of Bishops they were For us if we not deduce ours from them in respect of all the essentialls of our calling let the shame be ours Whereas I say the government hath continued without any interruption they aske jeeringly What at Rome and tell me of some places of the world as Scotland for example wherein this government was never known for many years together Brethren what means this whether simplicity or scorne Could yee imagine me to meane that every place through the whole world hath had a continued Line of Bishops ever since the Apostles sure you cannot so wrong your own judgements Alas we could tell you of China Iapan Peru Brasil New-England Virginia and a thousand others that never had any Bishops to this day Yet it is never the lesse safe to say that the form of Government by Bishops in the Christian world derives it selfe without interruption from the Apostles times for as much as there hath been no time or age since them wherein there hath not been this forme of Episcopall Government continued You tell me that In ancient times the Scots were instructed by Priests and Monks and were without Bishops two hundred and ninety years I acknowledge the words

be scanned Objections which would to God they were onely of my own framing In the first That Episcopacy is no prejudice of Soveraigntie I justly prove for that there is a compatiblenesse in this case of Gods act and the Kings It is God that makes the Bishop the King that gives the Bishoprick what can you say to this You tell us you have already proved that God never made a bishop as hee stands in superiority over Presbyters so you told us and that is enough we were hard hearted if wee would not believe you When as wee have made good by undeniable proofes that besides the grounds which our Saviour laid of this imparity the blessed Apostles by inspiration from God made this difference in a personall ordaining of some above the rest and giving expresse charge of Ordination and Iurisdiction to those select persons in Church government the Bishops have ever since succeeded Tell us not therefore that if wee disclaim the influence of Soveraignty into our Creation and assert that the King doth not make us Bishops wee must have no beeing at all For that the Reader may see you stop your owne mouth answer me I beseech you Where or when ever did the King create a Bishop name the man and take the cause It pleases his Majestie to give his Congedelier for a Bishops Election to his See to signifie his Royall assent thereunto upon which the Bishop is solemnly ordained by the imposition of the hands of the Metropolitan and other his Brethren and these doe as from God invest him in his holy Calling which he exercises in that place which is designed and given by his Majestie What can be more plaine then this truth As for that unworthy censure which you passe upon the just comparison of Kings in order to Bishops and Patrons in order to their Clerks it shall be acknowledged well deserved if you shall be able to make good the disparity When hee shall prove you say that the Patron gives Ministeriall power to his Clerke as the King gives Episcopall power to the Bishop it may bee of some conducement to his cause Shortly brethren the same day that you shall shew mee that the King ordained a bishop the same day will I shew you that a Patron ordained a Presbyter The Patron gives the benefice to the one The King gives the bishopricke to the other neither of them do give the Office or Calling to either Goe you therefore with your Frier Simon to your Cell and consult with your Covent for more reason and wit then you shew in this and the next scornfull Paragraph wherein whiles you flout at my modest concession with an unbeseeming frump you are content silently to balke that my second answer which you know was too hot or too heavie for your satisfaction In the second the Imputation pretended to bee cast by this Tenet upon al the reformed Churches which want this governement I indevoured so to satisfie that I might justly decline the envy which is intended to be thereby raised against us For which cause I professed that wee doe love and honour those our sister Churches as the dear spouse of Christ and give zealous testimonies of my well wishing to them Your uncharitablenesse offers to choake me with those scandalous censures and disgracefull terms which some of ours have let fall upon those Churches and their eminent professors which I confesse it is more easie to be sorry for then on some hands to excuse The errour of a few may not bee imputed to all My just defence is that no such consequent can be drawne from our opinion for as much as the Divine or Apostolicall right which wee hold goes not so high as if there were an expresse command that upon an absolute necessity there must bee either Episcopacy or no Church but so far only that it both may and ought to be How fain would you heere finde mee in a contradiction Whiles I one-where reckon Episcopacy amongst matters essential to the Church another where deny it to be of the essence thereof Wherein you willingly hide your eys that you may not see the distinction that I make expresly betwixt the Being Well-beeing of a Church Affirming that those Churches to whom this power and faculty is denied lose nothing of the true essence of a Church though they misse something of their glory and perfection No Brethren it is enough for some of your friends to hold their Discipline altogether essentiall to the very being of a Church We dare not be so zealous The question which you aske concerning the reason of the different intertainment given in our Church to priests converted to us from Rome and to Ministers who in Qu. Maries dayes had received Imposition of hands in Reformed Churches abroad is meerely personall neither can challenge my decision Onely I give you these two answers that what fault soever may bee in the easie admittance of those who have received Romish Orders the sticking at the admission of our brethren returning from Reformed Churches was not in case of Ordination but of Institution they had beene acknowledged Ministers of Christ without any other hands layed upon them but according to the Lawes of our Land they were not perhaps capable of institution to a benefice unlesse they were so qualified as the Statutes of this Realme doe require And secondly I know those more then one that by vertue onely of that Ordination which they have brought with them from other Reformed Churches have enjoyed Spirituall Promotions and Livings without any exception against the lawfulnesse of their calling The confident affirmation which you alleage of the learned bishop of Norwich is no rule to us I leave him to his owne defence You think I have too much work on my hand to give satisfaction for myselfe in these two main Questions which arise from my book What high points shall wee now expect trow wee First whether that Office which by divine right hath sole power of Ordination and ruling all other Officers of the Church which hee sayth Episcopacy hath belong not to the being but onely to the glorie and perfection of a Church Can wee tell what these men would have Have they a minde to goe beyond us in asserting that necessity and essentiall use of Episcopacy which we dare not avow Do they not care to lose their cause so they may crosse an Adversary For your Question you stil talke of sole Ordination and sole jurisdiction you may if you please keepe that paire of soles for your next shooes VVee contend not for such an height of Propriety neither do we practise it they are so ours that they should not bee without us as we have formerly shewed That therefore there should bee a power of lawfull Ordination and government in every setled Church it is no lesse then necessary but that in what case soever of extremity and irresistible necessitie this should be only done by Episcopall hands we never meant

desires to goe a Mid-way in this difference holding it too low to derive Episcopacy from a merely humane and Ecclesiasticall Ordinance holding it too high to deduce it from an immediate command from God and therefore pitching upon an Apostolicall institution rests there but because those Apostles were divinely inspired had the directiōs of Gods spirit for those things which they did for the common administration of the Church therefore and in that onely name is Episcopacie said to lay claime to a Divine right howsoever also it cannot be gainsaid that the grounds were formerly laid by our Saviour in a knowne imparity of his first agents Now surely this truth hath so little reason to distaste them that even learned Chamier himselfe can say Res ipsa coepit tempore Apostolorum vel potius ab ipsis profecta est And why should that seeme harsh in us which soundeth well in the mouthes of lesse-interessed Divines but because the very title of that book hath raised more dust then the treatise it selfe Bee pleased Readers to see that this very question is in the very same termes determined by that eminent light of the Palatinate Dr. Abrah Scultetus whose tract to this purpose I have thought fit to annex Peruse it and judge whether of those two writers have gone further in this determination And if you shall not meet with convincing reasons to bring you home to this opinion yet at least-wise find cause enough to retaine a charitable and favourable conceit of those who are as they think upon good grounds otherwise minded and whilest it is on all parts agreed by wise and unprejudiced Christians that the calling is thus ancient and sacred let it not violate the peace of the Church to scan the originall whether Ecclesiasticall Apostolicall or divine Shortly let all good men humbly submit to the Ordinance and heartily wish the Reformation of any abuses And so many as are of this mind Peace be upon them and the whole Israell of GOD. AMEN THE DETERMINATION of the question Concerning the Divine Right of EPISCOPACY By the famous and learn'd Divine Dr. Abrahamus Scultetus late Professour of divinity in the Vniversity of HEIDELBERG Faithfully translated out of his Observations upon the Epistles to Timothy and Titus LONDON Printed for NATHANIELL BVTTER 1641 The Question Whether Episcopacie be of Divine right That is whether the Apostles ordained this Government of the Church that not onely one should be placed over the people but over Presbyters and Deacons who should have the power of Imposition of Hands or Ordination and the direction of Ecclesiasticall Counsels THis was anciently denyed by Aerius as is related by Epiphanius in his 75 Heresie and by Iohn of Hierusalem as appears by Hierome in his Epistle to Pammachius And there are not wanting in these dayes many learned and pious men who although they acknowledge Aerius to have erred in that he should disallow of that manner of Ecclesiasticall government which had beene received by the whol World yet in this they agree with him that Episcopall government is not of Divine Right From whose opinion why I should sever my judgement I am moved by these strong reasons famous examples and evident authorities My judgement is this First in the Apostles Epistles the name of Bishop did never signifie any thing different from the office of a Presbyter For a Bishop Presbyter and an Apostle were common names as you may see Act. 20. Phil. 1. v. 1. Tit. 1. 1. Pet. v. 12. Act. 1.20 Next In the chiefe Apostolicall Church the Church was governed by the common advice of Presbyters and that for some yeers in the time of the preaching of the Apostles For first of all companies must bee gathered together before we can define any thing concerning their perpetuall government Then the Apostles as long as they were present or neere their Churches did not place any Bishop over them properly so called but only Presbyters reserving Episcopall authority to themselves alone Lastly after the Gospell was farre and neere propagated and that out of equality of Presbyters by the instinct of the Devill Schismes were made in Religion then the Apostles especially in the more remote places placed some over the Pastors or Presbyters which shortly after by the Disciples of the Apostles Ignatius and others were onely called bishops by this appellation they were distinguished from Presbyters Deacons Reasons moving me to this opinion First Hierome upon the 1. Chapter of the Epistle to Titus writeth that a Presbyter is the same with a Bishop and before that by the instinct of the Devill factions were made in Religion and it was said among the people I am of Paul I of Apollo but I of Cephas the Churches were governed by the common counsell of Presbyters afterwards it was decreed in the whol world that one chosen out of the Presbyters should be placed over the rest From whence I thus argue When it began to be said among the people I am of Paul I of Apollo but I of Cephas then one chosen out of the Presbyters was placed over the rest But whiles the Apostles lived it was so said among the people As the first Epistle to the Corinthians besides other of St. Pauls Epistles puts it out of doubt Therefore while the Apostles lived one chosen out of the Presbyters was placed over the rest Againe There can be no other terme assigned in which Bishops were first made then the time of the Apostles for all the prime successors of the Apostles were Bishops witnesse the successions of Bishops in the most famous Churches of Hierusalem Alexandria Antioch and Rome as it is in Eusebius therefore either the next successors of the Apostles changed the force of Ecclesiasticall government received from the Apostles according to their owne pleasure which is very unlikely or the Episcopall government came from the Apostles themselves Besides even then in the time of the Apostles there were many Presbyters but one Bishop even then in the time of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee that was placed over the rest which afterwards was called Bishop did impose hands or ordaine Ministers of the Word which Presbyters alone did not presume to doe Even then therefore the calling of Bishops was distinct from the Office of Presbyters If any desire the examples of Apostolicall Bishops the books of the antient are full of the Episcopal authority of Timothy and Titus either of which howsoever first performed the office of an Evangelist yet notwithstanding ceased to be an Evangelist after that Timothy was placed over the Church of Ephesus and Titus over the Church of Crete For Evangelists did only lay the foundations of faith in forraign places then did commend the rest of the care to certaine Pastors but they themselves went to other Countries and Nations as Eusebius writes in his third Booke of Ecclesiasticall History and 34. Chap. But Paul taught sometimes in Ephesus and Crete and laid the foundations of