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 WE 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 That there is no peece of Antiquity of more esteem then the Epistle of Clement unto the Corinthians Then That this was brought to light by a learned Gentleman Mr. Patrick Young and lastly for the matter it self 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 only that there should be in time to come a contention about the word Bishop If we should ask our Opposites when this contention was first known in times of old they would be loth to tell us knowing right well that it was first raised by one Aerius of whom Epiphanius and Austin have told us that he broke out into Schisme and because he could not obtain to be made a Bishop did therefore spurne against Episcopacy teaching saith St. Austin that there ought to be no difference between 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 himself an adversary to the Churches of God and consequently no way acceptable to God himself The second point 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 between the letters of P. and B. But this was a lapse Therefore to our matter in hand We answer that meer 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 himself Co-presbyter another himself Presbyter a third himself 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 â—rambe will be sodden once again 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 and deeds namely concerning this Clement Not only that he maintained the distinct degrees of Episcopacy but that also he was distinctly above Presbyters a Bishop himself Yet should not our Opposites pose us in that where Vedelius a Professour of Geneva gave them if they have read him some satisfaction shewing that as soon 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 point the distinguishing of times doth solve many doubts It is meet now at length we hear Clemens himself speak Clement immediately after his relation of the aforesaid Prophecy addeth saying concerning the Apostles 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 yeeld the cause and that even by the judgment 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 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 Apostolical 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 rank 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 down expressely in the same Book which our Opposites have objected against us which if you would not see or seing not regard all we shall say is We are sorry for it Yet after this our retorsion of their objected Authors upon themselves we shall endeavour 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 Apostolical right of Episcopacy NOthing can be more manifest for the first three Ireneus Tertullian and Origen to which we add Augustine do all professe themselves ready to deduce
the succession of Bishops in the principal Sees from the dayes of the Apostles Next they instance in some Apostolicall Church as namely from Ja. the B op of Hierns Mark in Alexandria What say our Opposites to this a principal one Salmasius by name calleth this alleadgment of James a Bishop false and foolish his reason was because James was an Apostle and therefore not to keep residence in one See First be it known that whatsoever this James was all Antiquity rendereth him unto us a Bishop of Hierusalem viz. Eusebius Epiphanius Hierom Egesippus Chrysostom and Ambrose the 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 fool Yet we may not restrain rational men from reasoning and therefore we answer that were it that Ia. had been an Apostle yet other Protestant Divines of the reformed Churches were no fools as Dr. Scultetus zuinglius and Mr. 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 costrained to this answer but furthermore tell our Opposites that which hath been judiciously proved at large that this was not Iames that Apostle but Iames the Brother of our Lord and onely an Apostolical Disciple which may satisfie our Opposites untill we come to speak of their objected Timothy and Titus called Evangelists As for Mark if in the line of succession of Bishops of Alexandria he only 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 that learned Divinity Professor in the Academy of Geneva in his most elaborate work 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 himself he rendereth him unto us a Disciple of the Apostles a Bishop of Antioch an holy man aud 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 taught 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 chief therein 4. The distinction between Bishops and Presbyters was in the dayes of the Apostles and lastly professeth for himself and others that if they had a Bishop 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 thus Whatsoever the Vniversall Church holdeth and was not instituted by Councels but alwayes kept that must most rightly be judged to have been 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 shewn between 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 been hitherto our proofes even from such Ancients as either had seen the Apostles or else from such as had been 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 will vanish as soon as we shall give light by proofes of the Apostolicall Oâ—â—giâ—all of Episcopacy in diverse 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 proof of a practice Apostolical WE plead 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 been 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 daily done by all Christian Churches for pâ—oof 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 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 elsewhere out of the words of Hierome saying namely that in Alexandria from Mark the Evangelist one was elected by the Presbytery 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 Mark the Apostle be it taken inclusively or exclusively it necessarily implyeth that the Original of Episcopacy was in the dayes of the same Apostles Master Moulin giveth us a lowder Accent saying that 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
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 between him and with other Bishops and all reformed Churches beyond the Sea At what time likewise Cyrill late Greek Patriarch of Constatinople 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 been respected then surely would not the Divines about Breme in Germany have sent their controversies had among themselves onely unto certain Bishops in England as they did to have them moderated by their judgements not to speak of their dedications of some of their Books 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 lawfulness thereof in generall II. THESIS That there was never any visibly constituted Church in all Christendome since the Apostles time for 1500. years and more which held Episcopacy in it self to be unlawfull WE are not ignorant that even at this time all Episcopacy and Prelacy of any one above Presbyterie is cryed down by some as unlawfull in it self notwithstanding our Opposites cannot but know what besides Epiphanius Saint Angustine recorded of one Aerius to wit that he because he could not obtain to be made a Bishop did therefore teach that there ought to be no difference between 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 never any visible Church of Christ before him we adde nor 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 Aerius 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 commeth on roundly I have since my infancy saith he abhorr'd the opinion of Aërius Tylenus 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 shewn as Calvin Beza Sadle and Causabon who have given their ample suffrages for our English Episcopacy but only speak against the Romish Hierarchie And now for the generality of it Beza is again at hand saying If there be any as I think saith he there is not who altogether reject the Episcopall Order God forbid that any of sound brains should ever assent to their furies and besides protesteth his acknowledged observance and all reverence to all Bishops reformed Hitherto against the objected unlawfulnesse of Episcopacy in the Church of Christ. But this will not satisfie some men except furthermore the lawfulness thereof may appear 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 Episcopal Prelacy is acknowledged by Protestant Divines of remote Churches to be according to the Word of God and their consent therein unto Primitive Antiquity LVther may well be allowed for the fore-man amongst the Reformers of the Protestant Religion who proveth the Prelacy of Episcopacy above simple Presbyters for so he saith by Divine Right and this he doth in his Tractâ—te called his Reselution grounding his judgment upon Scripture whereof hereafter Accordingly Bucer against the Pope as Anti-Christ We see saith he by their perpetual 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 Govern in so sacred an Order who hath for the same cause the Appellation of Bishop in Scripture Scultetus the Divine Professour at Heidelberg professing Episcopal 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 Schollar Isaac 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. So Ignatius and again Reverence your Bishop as Christ and the Apostles have commanded you Or thus To be a divine power the resistancè whereof is against God himself So Cyprian And thus God placed Bishops over His family So 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 So Augustine Or thus Bishops constituted over Presbyters as the Word of God teacheh So Epiphanius And thus 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 again Augustine Before we end this point we shall desire our Opposites to bethink themselves what they think may signifie the suffrages of the Fathers of the Synod of Calcedon for Antiquity one of the first four Generall and in this generality universally receiv'd throughout Christendom for amplitude consisting of six hundred and thirty Bishops and for aversenesse against the Pope of Rome that which undermin'd the very foundation of Romish Popedom which is a pretence of having been 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 This Councell concerning Episcopacy ordain'd that To depose a Bishop down to the degree of a Presbyter is Sacriledge This so great a Harmony between 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 our
take him at his own words in granting that it was some way an Authoritative Prelacy and 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 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 proof 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 be confessed that the Presbytery had then a President over them yea when the community of names So he of Presbyters and Bpâ— remained among them accordingly as 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 whither 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 Presidentship 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 pains in oppugning Episcopacy How much more if they had consulted with Gods own Oracle in his word wherein we find which formerly we pointed at that Saint Peter intituled himself a Co-presbyter 1. Pet. 5. 1. Saint Iohn himself a Presbyter 1. John 1. And Saint Paul himself thrice he could then stoop 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 Apostelship we end this point in hope that our Opposites will take out this lesson which Calvin learnt from the Divine Text in the Epistle of Titus what 's that Even our full conclusion in this cause We learn 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 only other objection which our Opposites enforce in this case to wit that Timothy and Titus with all other such Disciples of the Apostles the assistants and immediate successors did take care of the Churchs 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 For 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 learned Scultetus sheweth that at this time they were not exercis'd in assisting the Apostoles for collecting of Churches at Evangelists but for Governing of them that had been collected as the generall praecepts given by the Apostles saith he do prove thereby to become the examples Types for the successours to follow and thereupon he concludeth them to have been the same who otherwise were called Evangeliste for preaching the Gospel although by their superintendency Bishops To the same purpose Master Moulin will have it known that whatsoever Timothy and Titus had whether as Bishop or Evangelist it was such as had a continual succession in the Church which is as others confesse as James had in Jerusalem and Marke in Alexandria which was Episcopall Titus saith Tossahus after his peregrinations with Paul was appointed Bishop of Creet and before these Zuinglius confess'd that Tim. at that very time when Paul advis'd him to pursue the work of an Evangelist 2 Tim. 4. was then Bishop in some place or other by all consequence Dr. Gerhard a late famous Theological Author 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 been an Assistant even as Luther 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. One was chosen as chief in the Church of Ephesus to gâ—â—d 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 been proved from Timothy in the Church of Ephesus and for surplus age to all this we answer to the objected reasons propounded for Timothy's non-residence in Ephesus by that qualification which Calvin hath done in like cases namely that Pastours are not so strictly tied to their Glebe or charge as that they may not help other Churches upon necessary occasions As for the objected terme of Evangelists we moreover answer from Scripture where we find 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 in Evangelist being a Deacon We think all this should be satisfactory although no more were said But more we have XIX THESIS That Antiquity taught an Episcopacy both in Timothy and Titus OUr strongest Opposite Salmasius could not but confesse concerning Antiquity although he spurne against it That Chrysostome Epiphaneus Theophylact Theodoret and other Greek Commentatours have collected out of the words of Paul that Titus was verily Bishop of Creeâ—e and that there could not be divers Bishops in one City which is our
as not to give it up untill they perfectly understand concerning Episcopacy it self Quid mali fecit I shall speak at this time only of the first of these three points That Episcopacy is not repugnant to the government setled in the Church for perpetuity by the Apostles Whereof I conceive this which followes as clear a demonstration as any thing of this nature is capable of That this government was received universally in the Church either in the Apostles time or presently after is so evident and unquestionable that the most learned adversaries of this government do themselves confesse it Petrus Molinaeus in his book De munere postorali purposely written in defence of the Presbyteriall government acknowledgeth That presently after the Apostles times or even in their time as Ecclesiasticall story witnesseth it was ordained That in every City one of the Presbytery should be called a Bishop who should have preheminence over his Colleagues to avoid confusion which oft times ariseth out of equality And truly this form of government all Churches every where received Theodorus Beza in his Tract De triplici Episcopatus genere confesseth in effect the same thing For having distinguished Episcopacy into three kinds Divine Humane and Satanicall and attributing to the second which he calls Humane but we maintain and conceive to be Apostolicall not only a priority of order but a superiority of power and authority over other Presbyters bounded yet by lawes and canons provided against Tyranny he clearly professeth that of this kind of Episcopacy is to be understood whatsoever we read concerning the authority of Bishops or Presidents as Justin Martyr calls them in Ignatius and other more ancient Writers Certainly from these two great defenders of the Presbytery we should never had this free acknowledgement so prejudiciall to their own pretence and so advantageous to their adversaries purpose had not the evidence of clear and undeniable truth enforced them to it It will not therefore be necessary to spend any time in confuting that uningenuous assertion of the Anonymus Authour of the Catalogue of Testimonies for the equality of Bishops and Presbyters who affirmes That their disparity began long after the Apostles times But we may safely take for granted that which these two learned Adversaries have confessed and see whether upon this foundation laid by them we may not by unanswerable reason raise this superstruction That seing Episcopall Government is confessedly so ancient and so Catholique it cannot with reason be denyed to be Apostolique For so great a change as between Presbyteriall Government and Episcopall could not possibly have prevailed all the world over in a little time Had Episcopall Government been an aberration from or a corruption of the Government left in the Churches by the Apostles it had been very strange that it should have been received in any one Church so suddainly or that it should have prevailed in all for many Ages after Variâsse debuerat error Ecclesiarum quod autem apud omnes unum est non est erratum sed traditum Had the Churches err'd they would have varied What therefore is one and the same amongst all came not sure by errour but tradition Thus Tertullian argues very probably from the consent of the Churches of his time not long after the Apostles and that in matter of opinion much more subject to unobserv'd alteration But that in the frame and substance of the necessary government of the Church a thing alwayes in use and practice there should be so suddain a change as presently after the Apostles times and so universall as received in all the Churches this is clearly impossible For what universall cause can be assigned or fained of this universall Apostasie you will not imagine that the Apostles all or any of them made any decree for this change when they were living or left order for it in any Will or Testament when they were dying This were to grant the question to wit that the Apostles being to leave the government of the Churches themselves and either seeing by experience or foreseeing by the Spirit of God the distractions and disorders which would arise from a multitude of equalls substituted Episcopall government instead of their own Generall Councells to make a Law for a generall change for many ages there was none There was no Christian Emperour no coercive power over the Church to enforce it Or if there had been any we know no force was equall to the courage of the Christians of those times Their lives were then at command for they had not then learn't to fight for Christ but their obedience to any thing against his Law was not to be commanded for they had perfectly learn't to die for him Therefore there was no power then to command this change or if there had been any it had been in vain What device then shall we study or to what fountaine shall we reduce this strange pretended alteration Can it enter into our hearts to think that all the Presbyters and other Christians then being the Apostles Schollers could be generally ignorant of the will of Christ touching the necessity of a Presbyteriall government Or dare we adventure to think them so strangely wicked all the world over as against knowledge and conscience to conspire against it Imagine the spirit of Diotrephes had entered into some or a great many of the Presbyters and possessed them with an ambitious desire of a forbidden superiority was it possible they should attempt and atchieve it once without any opposition or contradiction and besides that the contagion of this ambition should spread it self and prevail without stop or controule nay without any noyse or notice taken of it through all the Churches in the world all the watchmen in the mean time being so fast asleep and all the dogges so dumb that not so much as one should open his mouth against it But let us suppose though it be a horrible untruth that the Presbyters and people then were not so good Christians as the Presbyters are now that they were generally so negligent to retain the government of Christs Church commanded by Christ which we now are so zealous to restore yet certainly we must not forget nor deny that they were men as we are And if we look upon them but as meer naturall men yet knowing by experience how hard a thing it is even for policy arm'd with power by many attempts and contrivances and in a long time to gain upon the liberty of any one people undoubtedly we shall never entertain so wild an imagination as that among all the Christian Presbyteries in the world neither conscience of duty nor love of liberty nor aversenesse from pride and usurpation of others over them should prevail so much as with any one to oppose this pretended universall invasion of the Kingdome of Christ and the liberty of Christians When I shall see therefore all the fables in the Metamorphosis acted and prove stories when I