2 7. laying Apostolicall hands on them and being afterwards met in Councill they made a Decrce or Canon for the present deportment of the Churches and according as the present number of the Apostles was either more or lesse so they executed the same power and authority by sewer in number Act. 8.14.17 for Peter and Iohn being come to Samaria they two onely executed the same office by Ordination of others with imposition of hands and with Prayer which makes it appeare that this Commission was committed to the Apostles Conjunction et divisim and it was necessary to be so seeing they were to be dispersed the one from the other for Conversion of the Nations of the world In so much as the same office which was executed Conjunction by all joyntly whiles they were together was shortly after onely executed by two of them but it must be reduced to one alone or else peradventure it will not satisfie though for my owne part this President of executing it by two is sufficient to make it appeare that this Commission and office was given Divisim to be executed by any one as well as by any two of the Twelve there being no expresse direction to authorize two more than any one but it being naturally included and so the Apostles rightly understood it it was sufficient Nam expressio eorum quae tacite insunt nibil operatur What is included need not be expressed Num. 29 But to make it full it shall God willing be here made apparent that both before the Apostles were severed and dispersed among the Gentiles and afterwards Execution by one Episcopally this Office and Commission was executed by one of the Apostles alone whilest the company of the Apostles were at Hierusalem it pleased God that Samaria received the word and there one Simon Magus seeing the holy Ghost was given by Imposition of hands by Peter and Iohn Hee would have purchased the Holy-Ghost with money whereupon Saint Peter alone making use of the Keyes Acts 8.18 9 20 21 binds Him with this Malediction That he had no part nor portion in that matter and his money perish with him And how fast it stucke to him both Scripture and Ecclesiasticall story doe relate And Ananias and Saphyra dissembling and lying were so bound by Saint Peters sole Act of binding as divine Iustice smiting at the Cue thereof both fell downe dead to the great amazement and wonder of the Spectators Acts 5.1.1010 wherein he exercised this Office of Binding And Saint Peter being come to Casarea at the request of Cornelius Hee commanded that Cornelius and the company should be baptized which was done accordingly by which Act Saint Peter did exercise his Office of Commanding Acts. 10 44 4S and obedience was yeelded upon his sole Câ—mmand and Saint Paul reasoning in the Synagagnes of the lowes and finding them to be opposers of his Dâ—ctrine and Blesphemers of Christ He sbooke his raiment and by the Power of the Keyes exercised by himself alone Acts 18.2.5.6 He did bind them to heare their blood upon their â—wne hâ—ads and so it afterwards succeeded accordingly And be having summoned at Milet us the Elders the Spirituall Governours and Superintendants of the Church saves Spiritus Sanctus so Act. 10.17.18 constituit Episcopos ye are by the Holy Ghost made Bishops And rebuking the Church of Corinth for their Sedition and Division He tels them He was a Master-builder whose Office is to direct how and in what manor the fabricke shall be framed and erected i Cor. â— 3.10 10. and to superview the worke and to command the workefolkes to do e their worke and to place and displace whom he thinkes good for the better ordering of the Businesse And then Saint Faul after some reprooses does give them warning 1 Cor. 4.14,15 which carryes in it the Sence of Authority telling them that though they had ten thousand Teachers yet hee was their Father which imports awe reverence and Power And for that cause Hee sent unto them Timothy Ib. ver. 17. which manifests Saint Paul to be Superiour Mittendo by the Act of Mission and Timothie to be Inferiour and under obedience cundo by Going And moreover Saint Paul reproving them about the Inecstuous person doth behave himselfe therein as their chiefe Bishop exercising this Office both of Government and Ruling and also of Iudgement Doome and censure by Power of the Keyes in binding and loosing For concerning that Offendour 1 Cor. 5. per totum hee sayes I have judged already and then He commands them That in their Assembly they should In the Name of Iesus Christ and Saint Pauls spirit to wit of binding Power Deliver him unto Satan by casting him out of the Communion of that Church for castigation of the flesh that the spirit might be saved And then Hee gives them command Not to associate themselves with Fornicatours covetous persons extortioners or Idolatours and this he did doe in the Spirit or Power of judging For à minore ad majus hee sayes They themselves did passe judgement on them within as for those without the Pale of the Church Hee sayes Hee judged not but leaves them to the judgement of God and then in the power of that Office of Iudging and Commanding Hee requires them to put from among themselves or excommunicate that wicked incestuous person Cor. 2.6 to 10. And as Saint Paul had by the power of the Keyes caused that incestuous person to be excommunicated So be afterwards absolves him saying I forgive him and willed the Corinthians to forgive him too and to restore him his punishment being sufficient and to confirme their love to him and so he tryed An in omunibus obedientes their obedience by it And those Corinthians having had suits in Law one against another in the Courts of Iustiâ—e among Pagans 1 Cor. 6.1 to 9. how does Saint Paul handle them for it even as a man of authority and awfull power Audet aliquis vestrum Dare any of you doe it And concerning the matter of Marriage and single life he gives Rules or Canons as a Supreme Governour To azoyd Fornication Let every man have his owne wife and every woman her owne husband the unmarried and widowes if they could not abstaine to marry And to the married He gave command let not the wife depart from her husband And putting them in mind of his Ordinances or Canons in these and other things Hee praise them for keeping his Ordinances and then He makes more Canons 1 Cor. 11.2 to 15. and 28.1 Cor. 14.34 39. lawes and Ecelesiasticall Ordinances for receiving the Communion in both kinds For uncovering Mens heads and covering woment heads in the Church And for silence to be kept by women in Church assemblies and all things to be done with Decency and Order And as concerning Collections for the Saints hee commands them that looke what Order he had given at
A DETECTION OR DISCOVERY OF A NOTABLE FRAVD Committed by R. B. a Seminary Priest of ROME upon Two of the Articles of the Church of ENGLAND In a Booke Imprinted in Anno 1632. Intituled The Judgment of the APOSTLES and of Those of the first Age in all points of Doctrine questioned betweene the Catholikes and Protestants of England as they are set downe in the nine and thirty Articles of their RELIGION With an Appendix concerning Episcopacy By a Lay Gentleman LONDON Printed by E. P. for William Leake and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancery-Lane neere the Rowles 1641. To the right Honourable HENRY Earle of Manchester Lord Privy Seale and one of his Majesties most Honourable Privie Councell My most honoured Lord SEeing it is a Maxime of divine and humane Law most infallibly true Suum cuiq reddere I hold my selfe obliged in Obedience to it to dedicate unto your honourable Patronage the ensuing Tract most truly and humbly acknowledging Tam me quam omne meum to be your Lordships Creature made fortunate by the Rayes of those sweet Influences which have issued from your Lorships ever Candide Aspect which Bounty my inability wanting means of any Requitall or other Retribution doth claime this my poore Infant-worke together with all other Services both as a duty of Tribute unto your Lordships high Merit and as a signall or testimoniall Badge of that ever bounden Gratitude and Recognition which my Heart and Tongue rendreth unto your Lordships goodnesse Your honourable Greatnesse as able and your gracious Benignity as willing to protect it hath Encouragâ—d my humble Boldnesse to beseech your noble acceptance of it I neither will nor can presume it worthy your Lordships Perusall not daring to arrogate so high as to invite so great a Iudgement to discend beneath it's proper Spheare to behold A thing so meane and low It 's sufficient that your Lordship vouchsafe the loane of your honourable name to give it credit unto others of the lesser Orbe For though this Tract as I am somewhat confident containes in it nothing but what is justifiable by the evidence of Truth yet it is likely to meet with opposition Quia veritas odium parit but it being quitted from harms by such as are Friends to the vertue of truth splendent as light radiated from the Sun it may serve ut fragmentum in Cophinis Christi or otherwise ut minutumi Gazophylacio Ecclesiae how ever your Lordship and the world may find that Inter res seculares I have spared some time for sacred designes taught to doe so well by the rare President of your Lordships divine Enchyridion de contemplatione mortis et immortalitatis a piece of such admirable excellence as would exse without your honourable name or dignity protect it selfe But my Modicum lesser than a meere shadow to that perfect substance implores both your honourable regard to the Author and worke and also Fronte serena to entertaine this humble duty of him whose perpetuall suit unto the Supremest is for all successefull blessings on the Person and state of your honourable Lordship and noble Posterity both in stocke and branches as well for health and life to be happily lengthned here as for Eternity to be enjoyed hereafter for some manifestation of his Cordiall meaning the soule of verball expressions he really wishes for such Imployment as may testifie him to bee Your Lordships most faithfull and humble Servant PEDAELL HARLOWE To the READER IN Lent 1639 there came to my hands commended and esteemed by some as a choice piece a Booke intituled The judgement of the Apostles and of those of the first Age in all points of doctrine questioned betweene Catholikes and Protestants of England as they are set downe in the Nine and thirty Articles of their religion by an old Student in Divinity Dedicated to her most excellent Majesty Queene Mary subscribed R. B. Which Booke opening about the middest of it with intent to read such part of it as first offered it seife to my view I casually lighted on the Ninth Chapter thereto the six twentieth Chapter hath reference both which chapters doe treat of the Consecration of our Bishops and the Ordination of our Priests Ministers and Deacons wherein as it is there delivered is concerned the Standing or ruine of our whole Religion Hereat making some pause as morthy the reading which being perusid me thought it was a point not to be slighted jam securis ad radicem ' its ayme was to strike at the roote for the utter overthrow and razing up the Basis and foundation of the visible Entity of that Church whereof my selfe is an unworthy Member and consequently as it concerned the generall so it concerned me in particular how much my soule was afflicted and troubled at it cannot be exprest because the particulars urged by the Adversary are chiefely or altogether matters of Fact and Record not matter of Dispute Reasoning or argumentation so as nothing could be had from the reach of Reason or my onne understanding on which I presume not nor from literature whereof my portion is but small how to be brought out of the Bryers and for that purpose applying my selfe to the learned of our Church in Print especially Master Francis Mason late Archdeacon of Norfolke now with God who have most exactly and gravely to their eternall praise and renowne vindicated our Church in the matter of Consecration and Ordination against a great company of virulent cunning and subtile adversaries I could not meet with any of those particulars alleadged in these Two chapters of this Author's Booke anywhere objected treated of or answered which happened as I beleeve because this Booke came either under the Presse since those workes were finished or else it lurk't so close as it came not to the view of those brave Defendors of our Church whereupon being become restlesse in my selfe and holding it too supine negligence to continue still ignorant in so weighty a matter without some indeavour to be satisfied in so reall a Concernment I became resolved to make such search into it my selfe as my weake abilities could attaine unto which having in some poore measure atchieved it was originally intended for my owne selfe-satisfaction but thereof some of my friends having view they became very desirous to be pleasured with Copies of it which being found to be too tedious and over-chargeable it was earnestly desired to be made vnlgar by the Presse but being loath to be read in Print it hath lyen by me by the space of a yeare in which time it having gotten approbation by some of Eminent learning I am become obedient to the desires of others in that behalfe holding it better to Communicate a browne morsell than to be totally uncharitable being persâ—aded it can doe no hurt but to the Adversary by detection of his Fraud and hoping that this piece of plainnesse may at present give some content and satisfaction if
not to all yet to such as thinke it better to have a little light than none at all untill an abler Pen as meaner than mine cannot be should vouchsafe a more polite and exact Vindication of our afflicted Church from this Aversaries false Accusation wherenith it hath stood charged unhappily these eight yeeres which will in my simple opinion be worth the undertaking to the end the Foule mouth of this Romish Adversarie may be as fully stopped in the particulars now in question as other like Underminers of our Churches foundation have beene already concerning all other their vaine plots and devices against our Episcopall Consecration and Sacerdotall Ordination to their utter shame and perpetuall silence which brave worke concerning these parpiculars had ere this time I beleeve shewed it selfe Conspicuous to the world if this Booke of R. B. had in all this time come to the viem before me of any of our brave and able Champions of our Israel In the meane season if this shall as a taste yeeld any relish or product any profit at all it is a blessing farre beyond my deserts and if Errors in it bee remitted or passed over in gentle silence it is a favour of grace heartily Supplicated Howsoever my meaning is good Ultra non And although this worke is concerning Church affaires and consequently lay-hands may bee said arr not Sacred enough to handle it Yet upon perusall it will appeare to bee so dependant on temporall Lawes and Acts municipall as will I trust take off the Censure Mittendi Falcem in Messem alienam And for the accommodation of the vulgar who understand not the Latine tongue such Latine sentences as are produced out of Authors are translated into our vulgar tongue for their ease and satisfaction save onely a few Scriptures for which they may turne to in their English Bibles all which neverthelesse is humbly submitted to the correction of Superiours and to the judgement of those who can judge what it is to take paines without hope of gaines accounting my Reward very great if what I have done shall be in any sort accepted or can doe any Service Hoping you will not blame him who hath thus laboured for your sakes and would if he could doe more to bee Your ready and faithfull friend PEDAELL HARLOWE To R. B. or to such other Pontifician as shall assume to be his Vindicatour THough the Proverbe be Good wine needs no Bush yet where both good wine is within the house and also a faire Bush or brave signe without at the doore it is the more compleat and sutable and so giving full content it increases custome and advances credit to the owner But let the signe be never so brave and fine without if corrupt wine be within that house soone looses custome fals to neglect and becomes contemptible Such Sir is your Booke whose Title is so faire having the Apostolike image in Front as meriteth eo nomine highest Reverence honour and esteeme in all Christendome over The worke of an old Student in Divinity beares with it a double portion of reverence amongst all men for Sagenesse of Age and also among the best sort of Men for Divinities sake And it being dedicated to our most Royall Queene Mary Consort to our most dread Soveraigne Lord King Charles of ever renouned memory it drawes another parcell of honourable regard unto it which brave and fine outside requires the inside to be sutable in the beauty of Truth honesty and goodnesses otherwise howsoever your Favourers may flatter your wit for putting on a fair rich garment on an ugly and foul carcase to make it passe the better with such as will be easily cozened with shadowes your judgement neverthelesse must needes suffer for presuming such brave and rich Furniture to decke an unworthy and base creature withall for a present for such as can discover her Deformitie as soone as they see her If your Booke be such as such indeed it is then those glorious Titles and attributes of Apostolike judgement Divinity and royall Majestie must be taken from it as too much prophaned and Presumptuously taken in vaine Whereas if your Booke were correspondent unto and justifyable by that Title it would be a Volumne of Truths Veritas in tolo et veritas in qualibet parte even the truth the whole truth nothing but truth according to the constant custome of the holy Apostics of Jesus Christ in delivering heavenly Doctrines purely sincerely without fraud or deceit as by St. Paul is protested not onely to the Church of Rome Veritatem dico non mentior testimonium mihi perbibente conscientiâ meâ in Spiritu Sancto But also to the Church of Corinth Deus et pater Domini nostri Iesu Christi scit quod non mentior And likewise to the Church of Galatia Ecce coram Deo non mentior And so also for the Church of Ephes veritatem dico non mentior But contrarily lying Fraud punctually suites and agrees with the judgement and practice of Apostataes and Apostaticall men Builders and upholders of the Church malignant whose doom is Destruction Qui in temporibus novissimis discedent à fide attendentes spiritibus Erroris et Doctrinis Daemoniorum in hypocrisi loquentium mendacium et cauteriatam habentium conscientiam suam So as the judgment of the Apostles is Verities Dialect The judgement of Apostataes is Errors Rhetorick Now unto which of these two judgements Apostalicall or Apostaticall this Adversary of ours R. B. and his Booke doe properly belong let the Sequell determine it Whereby it will evidently appeare I trust that R. B. very well deserves the signe of the Whetstone to be prefixed to the Front of his Booke In perpetuan rei memoriam Your Tell-troth-Friend P. H. A direction for the Quotations HAving with great industry difficulty and paines had a visible knowledge not trusting to second helpes concerning all the Authorities and Quotations cited in this Tract save onely one which I could find neither among the Stationers or Booksellers nor the Libraries at Westminster or Sion Colledge nor private Studies I have for the accommodation of the searching Reader set downe each Quotation so direct and certaine in the marginall notes as the same may be found with ease so as the severall Impressions of each Booke be also here set downe which are as followeth viz. Names of the Authors The times and places of Impression Augustinus Basilia 1542. Archidiaconus Venctiis 1601. Antiquitates Britannicae Hanoviae 1605. Bellarminus Coloniae Agrippinae 1628. Baronius Coloniae Agrippinae 1624. Binius Coloniae Agrippinae 1618. Budaus Parisiis 1541. Biel. In epistola 1620. Dominicus Soto Salmantica 1568. Franciscus de victoria Lugduni 1588. Gregorius de valentia Lutetiae 1609. Godwinus Episc. Londavens Londini anglicè 1615. Historia Ecclesiastica per Basiliae 1611. Eusebium Socratem Zozomenum c. Basiliae 1611. Iohannis Reignolds Londini 1602. Mercellus Venetiis 1582. Optatus Milevitanus
Parisiis 1631. Petrus Paludanus Panormitarms 1527. Ruewardus Tapperus Coloniae 1577. Registrum Cantuariense in libris pergamenis in officina Registrarii principalis Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis in vico vocato Doctors Comous Lon Sleidonnis Argeotorari 1558. A DISCOVERY OF A notable Fraude and Deceit committed by R. B. a Seminarie Priest upon Two of the Articles of the Church of England SECT. I. Num. 1 THis Romish Adversary R. B. raises his Engines for undermining of our Church upon these two severall Articles of ours to wit the Three and twentieth Articles and the sixe and thirtieth Article following It is not lawfull for any man to take upon him the office of publike preaching in the Congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same and those wee ought to judge lawfully called and sent which be chosen and called to this worke by men who have publike authority given them in the Congregation to call and send Ministors in the Lords Vineyard The booke of Consecration of Archbishops and ordering of Priests and Deacons lately set forth in the time of K. Edward the sixt and confirmed the same time by authority of Parliament doth containe all things necessary to such Consecration and ordering neither had it any thing that of it selfe is superstitious or ungodly and therefore whosoever are consecrated or ordered according to the Rites of that Booke since the second yeare of the aforenamed King Edward unto this time or shall be hereafter consecrated or Ordered according to the same Rites we decree all such to be rightly and lawfully consecrated and ordered Upon these Two Articles are Three such Engines devised by R. B. for overthrow of the Foundation of the visible and outward Entity of our Church of England in point of Consecration and Ordination here delivered in his owne words as are novell and consequently unconfuted The particulars whereof are as followeth R. B. OBIECTION I. Num. 2 This new Protestant Queene Elizabeth her Raigne beginning here in the yeare 1558. and 1559. in her first Parliament never had any knowne publike allowed square Rule forme maner order or fashion whatsoever for any to have publicke authority to call make send or set forth any pretended Minister untill the yeare 1562. when their Religion was foure yeares old and these Articles were made and in them the Booke of King Edward the sixt about ten or eleven yeares old when he set it forth by Parliament was first called from Death wherewith it perished in the first yeare of Queene Mary It hath beene pretended that Mathew Parker was made a Bishop on the seventeenth day of December But alas they had then no forme or Order to doe such a businesse untill foure yeares after this pretended admittance alleaged to have beene the seventeenth of December 1559. Here I have proved demonstratively that they neither have any lawfull Iurisdiction or Ordination among them But to doe a worke of Supererogation in this so much concerning the standing or overthrow of our Frotestants whole Religion quite overthrowne by this one dispute if they have no rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated Bishops Priests or Deacons I thus further demonstrate First then if the Decree of this later Article as they terme it were to be accepted and received for a just and law full Decree yet the first Protestant Bishops Priests and Deacons in Queene Elizabeths time from which all that now be in England or have beene since then cannot be said to be rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated by this very Article it selfe For that supposed Booke of King Edward the sixt being abrogated and taken away by Queene Maries Lawes and not afterwards revived by the Protestant Lawes of Queene Elizabeth untill in those Articles in the yeare of Christ 1562. as their date is Queene Elizabeth beginning her Raigne the 17 of November 1558 all their first pretended Bishops Priests and Deacons must needs be unrightly unorderly and unlawfully made though by that Booke of King Edward because there was no Protestant right order or Law to make or admit any into such places by that Booke not approved or allowed by any Protestant right order or Law all that time P. H. ANSWER Num. 4 This objection more then once repeated is nothing but a litigious and impertinent quarrell for want of matter For posito That Archbishop Parker wanted in his consecration some Punctilioes of outward Order for me or fashion according to the prescript tenor of our Lawes or Rules or that there was not any law or publike Rule of our Common-meale prescribing an outward for me of Consecration then in â—cre yet such want or Fayler did not nor could vitiate destroy or annibilate his Consecration celebrated in a sufficient Church manner in esse and substance good and valide in regard regall Lawes and Ecclesiasticall Canons are but circumstantiall and ad bene â—sse fitting and directing quatenùs ad nos the Ceremony and outward forme thereof which Order and forme if it hap at any time upon just or reasonable occasion not to be pursued the same is not destructive to such Consecration to make it invalide or fruitlesse But of all others this objection becomes not R. B. nor any Romanist First because the (a) Pontificians do exclude all civill and municipall Lawes of Princes and Republikes from Intermedling with those Ecclesiasticall Affaires wherein your Romish rote is like the bold (b) Protest of the Donatists against Insperiall authority in Church businesse Quid Imperatori cum Ecclesia What have Emperours Kings and Princes to dowith Ecclesiasticall affaires whereas seeing Kingsare both (c) Custodes utriusque Tabulae Nutritii Ecclesiae Keepers of both Tables and Nursing Fathers and Nursing Mothers of the Christian Church it belongs unto and is a Duty of Regality to constitute and ordeine lawes concerning Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy and the Regiment of the Church and per potestatem coactivam by power coactive to enforce the due execution of the duties of Religion and to cause punishments to be inflicted on the Delinquents to succour the oppressed and to cherish the good both among Priests and Laikes as well in Church as Common-weale But indeed the immediate Actes of the Episcopall Priestly and ministeriall office as Preaching Administration of Sacraments and the Actuall consecration of Bishops and ordination of Priests Ministers and Deacons belongs properly to the Pastorall charge Numb. 5 Secondly because the Romish Church is guilty of violation both of Canons and it's owne Pontificall being content to derive succession from many incanonicall and irregular Consecrations For contrary to the tenor of the first generall (d) Councell of Nice and their owne Iurists and (e) Doctors determining that Consecration of a Bishop ought to be by Three Bishops at the least the Romish Church hath not onely consecrated some Bishops by (f) one onely Bishop and two mitred Abots but hath permitted Boy (g) Priests Boy Bishops Boy Cardinals and
established And therefore afterwards there was made The Statute of 5. and 6. of King Edward the fixt Cap. 1. The Kings most excellent Majestie hath caused the aforesaid Order of Common Service intituled The Booke of Common Prayer to be faithfully and godly perusâ—d explained and made fully perfect and hath Adjoyned it to this present Statute adding also a Forme and manner of making and Consecrating of Archbishops Bishops Priests and Deacons to be of like force authority and value as the same like aforesaid Booke intituled The Booke of Common Prayer was before and to be accepted received used esteemed in like sort and manner as by the said Act of the second yeare of the Kings Majesties raigne was ordained for uniformity of Service and administration of the Sacraments And the aforesaid Act to stand in full force to and for the establishing the Booke of Common Prayer now explained and hereunto annexed And also the said Forme of making Archbishops Bishops Priests and Deacons hereunto annexe is it was for the former Book And Bee it further enacted that if any person shall wittingly or wilfully heare or be present at any other form of Common Prayer Administration of Sacraments making of Ministers and other Rites then are mentioned in the said Booke shall suffer c. Hereby as is manifest the forme both of Common Prayer Celebration of the Sâ—â—amâ—nâ—s and also Ordination and Consecration of Bishops Priests and Deacons was made One intire Booke or volume And afterwards Queene Marie haâ—ing attained the Crowne did as R. B. sayes make an Act of Repeale in Anno primo regni sui cap. 2. Thus It is enacted and established that one Act of Parliament in 2. Edward 6. intituled an Act for the uniformity of Service and Administration of the Sacraments throughout the Realme and also one other Act made 5. Edward 6. entituled An Act for the uniformity of Common Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments shall be from henceforth utterly Repealed and of none effect This being that Act of Parliament which R. R. sayes killed King Edwards Booke of Consecration it is to be observed that this Act of Repeale doe's expressely neither mention any thing in particular nor in precise words repeale any Law made for preseribing the forme of Consecration c. But it doe's repeale and mention onely the foresaid Lawes intituled Acts for the uniformity of Common Prayer and Administration of Sacraments which particular is not here urged to gainesay it but that thereby The authority for that manner of Consecration and Ordination was repealed and annihilated but it is here offered for removall of a weake objection which peradventure may be made upon the Statute of Revier hereafter mentioned made in the very beginning of the raigne of Queene Elizabeth Num. 10 But such was the high wisedome of Royall Queene Elizabeth of ever most famous memory as that notwithstanding the confident affirmation of R. B. there was not in her raigne for preventing of all scruples doubts and quarels any Consecration till Queene Maries Law therein was repealed and made vtterly voyd by Stat. 1. Eliz. cap. 2. thus Wheras at the death of our late Soveraign Lord King Edward the sixt there remained one uniforme Order of Common Service and Prayer and administration of Sacraments and other Rites and Ceremonies in the Church of England authorized by Act of Parliament holden in the sift and sixt yeares of our said late Soveraigne King Edward the sixt intituled an Act for the uniformioy of Common Prayer and Administration of Sacraments the which was repealed and taken away by Act of Parliament in the first yeare of the raigne of our late Soveraigne Lady Queene Mary to the great decay of the honour of God and discomfort to the Professors of the Truth of Christs Religion Be it enacted by Authority of this present Parliament that the Estatute of Repeale and every thing therein conteined onely concerning the said Booke and the Service Administration of the Sacraments rites and Ceremonies cont eyned or appointed in or by the said Booke shall be void and of none effect from and after the Feast of the Nativity of Saint Iohn Baptist next comming And that the said Booke with the Order of Service Administration of the Sacraments Rites and Ceremonies with the Alterations and Additions therein added and appointed by this Statute shall stand and be from and after the said Feast of the Nativity of Saint Iohn Baptist in full force and effect according to the tenor and effect of this Statute any thing in the foresaid Estature of Repeale to the contrary not withstanding Now by this Acte of Parliament the aforesaid Acte of Queene Mary being repealed as concerning this very Booke which comprised in it as well the Consecration of Bishorps and Ordination of Priests and Deacons as the Celebration of Divine Servic and administration of the Sacraments And from and after Mid-Summer then following in Anno 1559. The same Booke being in all things become againe in full vigour and force then afterwards was Doctor Parker our first Protestant Bishop which was made in Queene Elizabeths Raigne elected and consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury for ought by R.B. urged to the contrary rightly orderly lawfully according to publike knowne and allowed Square rule forme order fashion which Booke and all Consecrations ab initio regni Elizabethae Reginae were againe Confirmed by Acte of Parliament 8. Elizab. cap. 1. not for any need of it but to satisfie some causelesse scrupulofities If it be objected That in this last Act there is no expresse mention of Consecration then it is answered as before touched That Queene Maries Lawe made no expresse mention of Consecration neither But to make it Sans doubt by this Law is Queene Maries Law made utterly voyd Whereby King Edwards Lawes therein became in force And more-over by this Law of Queene Elizabeth that Booke which is but one Totum is recontinued and set in it 's full strength and vertue Hereby it appeares what little regard R. B. had either to the force of truth or to his owne Reputation and credit by affirming with bold considence that this Booke was first called from Death to life by the nine and thirty Articles only and that the Church of England had not for the space of foure yeares any publicke allowed forme of consecration of Bishops or Ordination of Priests and Deacons SECT. II. R.B. OBIECTION II. Num. 11 AGaine the first Protestant Censecration or admittance of any to be a Bishop by that Booke or Order in Queene Elizabeths Raigne was on the 17 day of December in her second yeare as they pretend from the Register of Marthew Parker But their owne both private and publike Authorities prove that both Matthew Parker their first pretended Archbishop and others were received and allowed for Arch-Bishops and Bishops about 6 moneths before their first pretended Consecration on the 17 of December For Parker Barlow Scory and Grindall were
raigne Ergo the Episcopall Acts of Coverdale Hodskins though once consecrated Bishops were ipso facto meâ—re Nullities and of no validity If R.B. or his vindicatour will grant the Major then I know what will become of the Romish Church in England and of all Episcopall and Sacerdotall Acts by Romish Bishops and Priests in Consecrations Ordinations Marriages Sacrifices absolutions c. even to be here in England meere nullities Againe I perceive R. B. did faint in his Assertion not adventuring to say that Coverdale and Hodskins were either no Bishops at that time de factor Num. 17 or were disallowed to exercise Episcopacy which for to doe he ought to maintaine that they were never at all consecrated to be Eishops and if he allow them to be once consecrated Bishops then hee ought to produce some Act or Sentence for unbishoping of them or for discharge of their exercise of Episcopacy which he doe's not goe about to doe But I say it was neither the one not the other but it proceeded from themselves whatsoever was wanting therein they beingin truth long before consecrated lawfull Bishop neither they themselves nor the State of the Realme holding or judging them to be no Bishops here quoad officium or passing any Sentence against exercise of it but they did not exercise of themselves at that time Episcopacy here quoad Beneficium But posito these two had beene excommunicate deprived deposed or degraded had they not neverthelesse by your owne Doctrine continued Bishops quoad characterem quoad officium as well as Priests having such a Character by Consecration and ordination imprinted as is indelible your Councell of Trent determines it for you Siquis dixerit per sacram Ordinationem non imprimi Characterem vel cum qui Sacerdos semel fuit Laicum rursùs fieri posse Anathema sit if any one shall say that a Character is not imprinted by holy Orders or that He which once was a Priest can be made Lay againe let him be accursed And such also is the Character of Episcopacy as according to the Romish Doctrine neither by Schisme heresie excommunication suspension deposition or degradation it can be obliterated as your (a) Gregory de Valentia (b) Gabriel Biel (c) Dominicus à Soto (d) Capreohis say And also your great (e) Cardinall Bellarmine sayes Observandum est Characterem Episcopalem esse absolutam perfectam independentem potestatem conferendi Sacramenta Confirmationis Ordinis ideo non solum posse Episcopum sine aliâ Dispensatione confirmare Ordinare sed etiam non potest impediri ab ullâ superiori potestate quin re verâ Sacramenta ista conferat si velit licet peccâ—t si id faciat prohibente Summo Pontifice It is to be observed that the Episcopall Character is an absolute perfect and independant Power to conferre the Sacraments of confirmation and Orders therefore a Bishop may without any Dispensation constitute ordaine and not onely He cannot be hindred by any superiour power but also hee may conferre those Sacraments if hee will though he offend if he doe it the high Bishop prohibiting it And likewise your Petrus de Palnde sayes Si non omnis Episcopus potest Ordines conferre hoc esset vel propter Demeritum'vitae quia esset malus vel propter defectum Fidei quia Haereticus vel propter Sententiam Ecclesiae quia esset excommunicatus vel suspensus vel alias praecisus vel propter Depositionem ab Ordine vel quia esset Degradatus sed nihil istorum impedit quin omnis Episcopus possit veros Ordines conferre if every Bishop cannot conferre Orders it would be either by reason of Demerit of life because he is wicked or by defect of faith because be is an Hereticke or else by reason of the Sentence of the Church because he is excommunicated or suspended or otherwise cut off or because hee is deposed from Orders or because he is degraded but none of these doe hinder but that every Bishop may conferre true orders So as if Coverdale and Hodskins had beene deposed in Queene Elizabeths time yet might they consecrate an other And if you say Fieri non debet it ought not to be done then I say Factum valet dissolvi non potest being done it availeth and cannot be undone But here the Consecration of Archbishop Parker by Imposition of their hands was so farre from doing ought therein in Contempt of or against Authority as that it was done by Regall Assent and Command comprised in the Queenes Letters Patents directed to them and others to Consecrate Doctor Parker to be Archbishop of Conterbury The Letters Patents are thus Elizabetha Dei gratiâ c. Reverendis in Christo Patribus Miloni Cover dale quondam Exoniensi Episcopo Iohanni Suffraganeo Bedd c. Elizabeth by the Grace of God c. To the Reverend Fathers Miles Coverdale late Bishop of Exeter Iohn Suffragan of Bedford c. whereby it is manifest they were allowed and also imployed as consecrate Bishops in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths raigne Num. 18 But posito they had not beene allowed Bishops yet if Deposition or Degradation cannot obliterate the Character of Episcopacy but it is still in force quatenus ad officium as concerning the office notwithstanding the benefits profits and all that pertaines ad exeroitium jurisdictionis as concerning the exercise of jurisdiction be taken away how little hurt can not-allowance or disallowance doe But if I may speake my mind freely I conceive that when R. B. said that Coverdale and Hodskins were not allowed for Bishops in all Queene Elizabeths time he did intend that his Vulgar Reader should beleeve that they were never Consecrated Bishops at all For I cannot easily be perswaded but that this old Student did well know that Coverdsle and Hodskins had beene long before Consecrated Bishops and still continued Bishops de jure For the Records declare it plaincly that Hodskins was 9. Decembris 29. Hen. 8. Anno Domini 1537. Consecrated and so continued till his death from whom the principall Bishops in Queene Maries raigne descended By him was Consecrated Thomas Thurlby who was one of the Consecrators of your Cardinall Poole Archbishop of Canterbury and as for Coverdale he was 30. August 1551. An. 2 Edw. 6. Consecrated Bishop of Exeter who being displaced and imprisoned by Queene Mary was at the desire of the King of Denmarke sent to his Majesty by the same Queene And returning backe in the beginning of the raigne of Queene Elizabeth he being aged cared not to returne to his Bishopricke but retired to a private life not allowing himselfe Episcopacy quoad Beneficium et jurisdictionem yet he still continued true and perfect Bishop de jure quoad esse et Titulum which two Coverdale and Hodskins did joyne with the other two Barlow and Scory in the Episcopall Act of Consecrating of Doctor Parker to
whereas Sir Humphrey Lynd said that although the Doctours of antient Church did rest in Two Sacraments Baptisme and the Lords-Supper as generally Necessary to salvation yet they called many Rites and Ordinances by the name of Sacraments as The signe of the Crosse Exorcisme holy-Bread given to Catechumeniâ—s Novices in the Faith One Master Iohn Heigham a Papist taking on him to answer that Booke does most unconscio ably turne the word NOVICES into NOVICES and so very untruly pretending that Sir Humphrey Lind had thereby yeelded that the Signe of the Cresse Exorcisme holy-bread holy-water and the like are Novices in the Faith endeavours most absurdly to make Sir Humphrey dispute against himselfe and the Church of England And by that silly devise this Heigham takes occasion to slide from the point without any answer at all to it Hi sunt Fratres in Malo Falshood incorporates it selfe in Fraternity against sacred Truth walking here desolate a while Sed magna est veritas et in die suo pravalebit divine and holy Truth will in her season become Victorious and Tryumphant with Gloria in excelsis hurling blacke and ugly Error and False-kood headlong into the Bottomeles Pit the dark and noysome Cave of that wicked monster Abaddon the Father of Lyes Amen Amen EPILOGVE or APPENDIX Num. 21 NOw this Tract is finished me thinkes I heare two sorts of people among us whisper their Conceits the one are the Preciser sort people of good intents demanding of me why I have in this Tract severall times used the word Priest and Sacerdotall rather than the word Minister and Ministeriall doe's it not savour of Popery Are you not inclined Sir a little to allow and relish the Masse-Priest Sacrifice and Altar For removall of such misconceits if any such arise I say I used the word Priest and Sacerdotall because it is indifferently used with the word Minister sometimes the one sometimes the other not onely in our publike Lyturgie but also in these two Articles now in some sort vindicated against our Romish Antagonist R. B. And in the same sense doe I also intend it And for mine owne part I conceive that Sacrifice Altar and Priest may be all indifferently used as Supper Table Minister even in this present age as well as in the Primitive age and as farre it is now from any just and reall offence unto judgements and consciences rightly informed and disposed as it was to the Fathers of antient Church and unto the Primitive Christians being holy Saints and Martyrs But Popery which came in by Intrusion secretly into the Church betwixt the Primary and later purity hath caused such a distaste to words and phrases of aniquity extremely abused by Romanisme as that these termes Sacrifice Altar Priest are become edious or at least scrupulous especially unto weake judgements and tender consciences which may I suppose be easily rectified and sufficiently satisfied with this one Distinction or Method for many when the Holy Eucharist is spoken of as a Sacrifice as often it is among the Antients and so might be by them and may also by us be called Sacrifice to wit Commemoratory and Sacramentall then may be useed th word Priest and Altar as words relatively sutable and convenient But when the Eucharist is spoken of as the Lords Supper as so it is according to Scripture Phrase then the words Table and Minister is the meetest adjuncts for that subject And thus we may joyne with Antiquity both in language and sence without offence and thereby explode and reject as erronious the doctrine of Sacrifice proper and propitiatory Masse-Priest and reall-Altar Num 22 Affront to Episcopacy The other is Popish Faction whom me thinkes I heare say that although we Papists must confesse that the frauds of our Brother R. B. are now so discovered and laid open as that Hee cannot by any of us be fairely defended or excused And therefore the Consecration of Archbishop Parker and consequently of all the English Bishops since and now being must stand sacred and valide notwithstanding any thing produced pleaded or proved by R. B. to the contrary yet ne-verthelesse let us Romanists cheere up our selves sparing our labours and paines to seeke the overthrow of the Episcopacy of the Church of England For see we not that a great multitude of the Members of their owne Church yea of their Clergie too doe lowdly crie downe Episcopacy not onely quoad personas for exorbitancy by personall misdemeanours and for over large exercise of jurisdiction in their function too too bad as is alleaged but also quoad officium jus Episcopatus against the Right of Episcopacy as Antichristian and intollerable in the Church devised by man and not ordained by Christ And therefore they would have it utterly abolished out of their Church And instead of it they would have their new devised Presbyterie to be Consistorially set up for Government of the Church as that which is indeed de jure divino and consequently Presbyterie ought to be put into Possession of the Church and Episcopacy to be ejected out of it Howbeit others indeed doe allow of the right of Episcopacy onely desiring moderately some Reformation and limitation of the Bounds and exercise of it to the end it may be brought into some convement Temper Wee Romanists doe with great expectation waite upon the successe thereof not doubting but that this Division will doe the English-Protestant-Church more harme and mischiefe than a thousands such as our R. B. can doe with Frauds and lias and will sooner destroy their Church than our Gunpowder plot had it taken effect could have done Marke 3.24 25 26. For Christs Maxime is infallibly true Si regnum aut domus contrasese dissideat non potest stare illud Regnum aut illa domus A Kingdome or house at division within it selfe cannot stand but must fall to ruine and destruction Num. 23 P. H. Now therefore seeing many men have of late vented themselves in this cause let me also come in with my vote tco as an Appendix to this Tract of mine conceiving it to be a fruitlesse worke Episcopacy vindicated by Scripture to quit our English Episcopacy from the Batteries raised up against It by Romesh R. B. a knowne and professed enemy of our Church if it suffer by Brethren at home naturally wounding deepest I therefore adventure to say That me thinks seeing Ordination of our Ministers hath hundreds of years beene and is in this Kingdome immediatly derived from Episcopacy this clamour specially by Ministers against Episcopacy as Antichristian should be spared even for their owne sakes and should be by Ministers more tenderly handled least it be retorted upon them that upon their owne grounds their owne Ordination and Admission into the Church is from Antichristianity and and from a Power before God unlawfull Ejectione firme But howsoever for as much as these Presbyterians have brought an Ejectione firme against Episcopacy pressing to have
did encrease it more and more But this Episcapail office of Superintendency was long before any Advancoment of honour or Revenew was conferred by Princes on Bishopricks Yea long before the Bishops could enjoy any assurance of peace for life or member being generally Martyred and persecuted for the Gospels sake And the other Reason is because this office is Spirituall which necessarily requires a Divine hand and Power to be the Author Founder and Institutor of it and that must needs be Jesus Christ the mysticall head of the Church from whom all divine and spirituall gifts are derived unto his mysticall Body and each member thereof Without all doubt Christ had in himselfe this office and power of government Mar. 28.18.19.20 Maâ—ke 16.15 John 20.20 21 22 23. and of binding and loosing For the divine Text sayes All power in heaven and earth was given to him And out of his large Stocke of power he after his Resurrection did conferre some parcell of it unto those who should after his Ascension be Governours in the Church saying unto them that As his Father sent him so also he did send them giving them Command to goe unto all Nations and to teach what he had commanded and breathing into them the Holy Ghost gave them power to bind and loose Mat. 20.25 26 -7 28. Marke 10.42.43 44 45. Luke 22.25 Vos 26 27. Which gift of power and authority was not contrary nor repugnant unto his pleasure signified unto them formerly saying The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Lordship over them but yee shall not dâ—e so which Prohibition Verum non it a erit inter vos or Vos autem non it a dominabimini yee shall not rule or domineere so or in such manner as heathen Princes used to doe was not an absolute Prohibition from use of all manner of Superiority among the Clergie but a Prohibition aliquo modo a qualified Prohibition not to Rule as heathen Princes used to doe tyrannically after their-owne wills with Stat pro ratione Voluntas their pleasure to be their Law for their owne ends not regarding the welfare of the people Will. Archbp. of Canterb conference wub M. Fisher S. 6 pa 5 et 247. Mar. 23 8 9 10.10.13 13.14.15 which prohibition aliquo modo or suomodo doth infer an allowance of ruling in the Church aliquo modo in a temperate charitable manner otherwise what shall be said to a Text containing a stricter Prohibition than this Text do's and that is where Christ forbids his Disciples to be called Masters with a strong reason for it because they were Omnes frat es all Brethren If a convenient exposition can be fittâ—d to this Text that Christ did therby for bid unto them ambition or Title â—t forbidding what himself assumed saying yee call me Masier and Lord and yee say well for so I am but was so farre from affecting of honourable Titles as he beares himselfe so lowly and humbly as that He washed their feet exhorting them to doe so likewise and the chiefest and greatest among them to be Servant tanto altior tanto submissior the more honourable in out ward condition the more humble in mind and in submissive deportment If this Text being literaliter of an absolute Tenor of Prohibition may receive a benigne interpretation much more may the Text Vos non ita dominsbimini being not an absolute but a qualified Prohibition may receive the like exposition that Christ did thereby for bid such ambitious and tyrannicall Government as was exercised by Pagan-Princes and allowed neverthelesse of ruling in the Church by Superiours upon Inferiours otherwise the Consistoriall Fresbyters therefore may neither rule or governe nor be so much as called Mastors but what need of seeking further for Proofe this our Text affords it sufficiently by our Saviours words of Maximus and minimus he that is greatest among you Luke 22.26 let him be least Qui major est in vobis fiat sicut minor maximus erit Minister not that he that in authority is made Superio should be pulled down by his Inferiours but still be Superiour in authority and also be humbled in himselfe Mar. 20.28 to minister unto Inferiours just as Christ being most Supreme came to minister as followeth there in the next verse Num. 28 This being cleered it remaines to be inquired to what part of the Clergi Christ did conferre this office of Governing giving of Orders and of Binding and loosing I say not to all the then present Clergy but to some as Superiours to exercise it upon others as Inferiours episcopaty ex jure divino For which purpose it is to be noted that Christ had a Clerâ—y of two sorts to wit the Apostles and Seventy Disciples the Apostles were first called made neerest unto him and in Communion with him the Seventy Disciples were called afterwards and sent out from Christ two by two to the Apostles and to the Seventy Disciples equall Commission and power was given Mar. 4.18 20 10 1 2 8. Marke 3.13 2 19. Luke 9.1 2 10 10.1 2 20. 1. To preach the Gospell 2. To administer Sacraments 3 To heale and cure diseases 4. To worke Miracles This office they all had in Parity and in Common among them but the office and power of Mission or ordination of others for the jadiciall use of the Keyes for binding loosing in the Church and of Governing in the Church to preserve the Doctrine of Faith order therein was conferred on the Apostles conjunctim et divisim joyntly severally to them Christ said As my Father sent me so I send you 10 1.4â—4 43 and 3 22 and 4 1 2. Commission corjunction et divisim to the end by power of that Mission they might send others as he had sent them Into them he breathed the Spirit of truth Accipite Spititum Sanctum for the establishing of sacred Doctrines and for prevention of heresies and errors in matters of Faith and to them were the Keyes of binding and loosing of Delinquents and Penitents out of and into the Church for offences unto the Church and for the absolute confirmation of them in this sacred office the Holy Spirit did according to Christs promise visibly descend on them at Pentecost Luke 24.49 Act. 1.4 Act 2.1.2.3.4 after Christs Ascension into heaven In all or any of which particulars the Seaventy Disciples for ought I read in Scripture had not any immediate participation or share and according to the Power and Authority of this office conferred on the Apostles joyntly and severally they did whiles they were all at Hierusalem convene and assemble together Act. 1.2.6.13.20.23.24.25.26 and elected Mathias to succeed Iud is in his Bishopricke whereof he was deprived by his Treason to his Master and by his Act of Felo de se And these Twelve Apostles at another Assembly did ordaine for their ease Seaven Deacons at a time Act. 6 1
Galatia even so they should doe and repeates it to them 1 Cor. 16.1.2 what that Order was were it not a folly thinke you that Saint Paul should take on him to make Orders Rules and Canons it he did not know He had Power and authority both to create them and also to put them in execution in those severall Churches And the same Saint Paul writing to the Church of Galatia complaines that some had endeavoured to pervert them from the Gospell He by the Power of the Keyes doth accurse with Anathema such False Teachers Si quis whis evangel zazerit praterid quod accepistis Gal. 1.7 8 9. Anathema sit And to the Church of Thessalonica Hee gives his Commands to withdraw themselves from such as walke disorderly and not after the Traditions or Ordinances by them received from Him 2 Thes. 3.6.10 12.14 commanding that he that would not worke should not eate and that with quietnesse they should worke and eate their owne bread and requiring that they which obeyed not his word they should not associate or keepe company with them And as for Hymenaeus and Alexander who were retrograde in the Faith Saint Paul by power of the Keyes did deliver to Satan and in particular Hee binds Alexander the Copper-smith who had done him much Evill to be rewarded by the Lord according to his workes Thus it is manifest that Saint Paul alone as Metropolitan and Superintendent of severall Churches or Diocesses did exercise this Office of Government of making Canons Rules and Ordinances of Mission and Ordination and of censures by Binding and Leosing which He did doe without Conjunction with or assistance of any Consistory or Presbytery or any other with Him as I conceive Num. 30 Episcopacy delegated unto successors And now finally least it should be alledged that though this office was in the Apostles as well divisim as anjunction equally yet it ended with them as to the execution of it by one alone and then it fell into the Church promiscuously or into the Consistory which if any shall say Let it be proved and take it But the contrary appeares evidently for Saint Paul delegated it unto Timothy and Titus the one instituted Bishop of Ephesus and the other Bishop of Crete as is evidenced by these Scripture-particulars Saint Paul tells Timothy that he had disposed of him for Ephesus to the end he should charge others that they should teach no other Doctrine 1 Tim. 1 3â— which carries in it matter of power and Authority not to permit false Doctrine And the Apostle as Metropolitan giveth Timothy his charge and rules how he should governe and order the Ephesian Church willing and appointing how men should pray with hands erected 1 Tim. 1.18 2 Tim. 2.8.0 and women to be adorned with modest apparell with shamefastnesse and modesty learning in silence with subjection nottaking on them to teach or to usurpe authority ower the man And then the Apostle declares as an undoubted truth 2 Tim. 3.1.4.9.11 that the desire of the office of a Bishop is a good worke whose care ought to be to rule his owne Family wel that he may rule the Church the better and he having given Timothy severall instructions he appoints him to command and teach them not onely teach them as a Presbyter but also command as a Superintendent and Superiour otherwise he might command and doe it himselfe and concerning Elders Widdowes and Children hee appoints Timothy to give them in charge to be blamelesse and gives him powor of receiving and rejecting of Widdowes into and out of the care of the Church which is a parcell of authority surely and as for the Elders he appoints Timothy to let them be couâ—ted worthy of double honour 1 Tim. 5.17.19.22 surely then Timothy was a person of greater honour authority other wife he could not conferre honour on others and as for the power of Ecclesiasticall-judicâ—ture Timothy must not receive an accusation against an Eâ—der but before two or three witnesses Which informes me that Timothy had power as an Ecclesiasticall Iudge to heare and determine complaints and to examine witnesses and to give Sentence and Elder being Presbyter sheweth that he was Iudge of Presbyters and Teachers And as for Mission and Ordination it is cleere as the Sunne that Timothy had that power to Execute it alone for he is exhorted suddainly to lay hands on no man and Timothy himselfe was ordained and consecrated to this Office per prophetion aforehand eum impositione manuum presbytery 1 Tim 1.18 and 4.14 with imposition of hands by the Presbyterie non per Presbiteros not by the Presbyters but by the office of the Presbytery which may be done by one as if I say I receive Baptisme at the bands of Priesthood I say true though it be alwayes done by one Minister onely 2. Tim. 1.8 and so it appeares this was For Saint Paul sayes it was perimpositionem Manuum mearum by imposition of my hands which addes confirmation to the former point that one Apostle did and might execute this office of Episcopacy and so a Bishop might then be consecraeted by one as Timothy then was Council Nicen. 1. can. 4. Bin 10. pâ— 161. col 1. P. though afterwards when the stock of Bishops was stored it was Decreed that Conseeration should be done by three at the least And never thelesse for the point in hand our Apostle here appointeth Timothie that what he had heard from Saint Paul he should commit to faithfull men able to teach which is the Power of Ordination of Ephesus 2 Tim. 2.2.14 which Ministers hee was to charge that they should not strive about words tending to the subversion of the Auditory which comprises in it matter of Episcopall Authority And as for Titus the Apostle tells him Tit. 1.5 that he also left him in Creet aini corrigea qua desunt to the end that he should set in Order things wanting constituat per Civitates Presbyteros and ordaine Elders in every City which plainely declareth that Titus was ordained Bishop of Crete by Saint Paul alone and that Titus had power delegated to him to rule and governe otherwise he could not set things in Order and had power to ordaine teaching Elders to wit Presbyters and Ministers which Iurisdiction and power was not to be Exercised in one Parish onely but the Text sayes in every Citty whereby Titus had a large Dixes or Territory And at the end of these Epistles of Saint Paul to Timothy and Titus it is recorded though peradventure not Scripture yet exceeding ancient and next Scripture the Church of the Ephesians and Titus ordained the first Bishop of the Cretians I shall conclude with that of the Spirit of God to the Angels of the seven Churches in Asia Reve. 2. These were not indeed Angels or spirituall Essences for reall Angels are not partly'good and partly evill nor to be chargedwith good