our Opposites to the contrary 39 The Answer to the first Argument 39 To the Second 39 To the Third 41 To the Fourth 42 To the Last 43 XXII Thesis That our Opposites third Exposition of the word Angell to signifie one only Pastour in the Church of Ephesus is extremely new and naught 44 XXIII Thesis That by the word Angell of Ephesus to signifie a singular and individuall Pastour having a Prelacy over Presbyters is proved by a large consent of Protestant Divines without Exception judicious and ingenuous 45 XXIV Thesis That Antiquity held not the word Angell whereof we treat to be taken collectively for a Multitude of Pastours 48 XXV Thesis That the word Angell in other places of the Revelation is commonly if not alwayes individually taken 48 XXVI Thesis That by Angell is meant individually one Bishop is demonstrated by Historicall learning without contradiction 50 XXVII Thesis That Christ himself shewed his approbation of Prelacy which the foresaid Angels had in their severall Churches 52 The judgment of Protestant Divines of remote Churches as well such as were the first Reformers of Religion as others after them in behalf of Episcopal degree in the Church THis they perform both by their direct and ingenious confessions and after by sound and solid Proofs so far as to shew Episcopal Prelacy to be According to Gods Word as also to acknowledge the same for use to be the Best kinde of Ecclesiastical Government We are in the first place to try their plain confessions concerning the said Prelacy as well in special for our English as touching Episcopacy in generall in what Orthodox Church soever and afterwards to adjoyn the proofs 1. THESIS That our English Episcopacy hath been justified by the confession of the most learned Protestants of remote Curches in special by the Church of Geneva OUr Episcopall Prelacy we are sure was profess'd and practis'd by Bishops 1. In the dayes of King Edward the 6. who as they were the principal Authors of the Reformation of our Protestant Religion so did some of them seal the truth of their profession with their bloud and have therefore been with others thus extoll'd by that golden mouth of the French Church Master Moulin saying That they were for zeal nothing inferiour to the most excellent servants of God that Germany or France ever had which saith he none will deny is so if not wilfully stupid and blinded in day-light Yea and touching those then Archbishops and Bishops Beza for the Church of Geneva It happened in our memory that she speaking of our English Church hath had men of that calling not onely constant Martyrs of God but also excellent Pastours and Doctors 2. In the dayes of Queen Elizabeth Calvin the most illustrious star of the Church of Geneva doubted not to instile Archbishop Cranmer A most accomplish'd Prelate saith he who hath the cure not onley of England but also of the whole Christian world which he did to the dignifying of the Government of our English Church and no marvel seing that he durst professe to yeild in behalf even of Popish Bishops upon condition that renouncing the dependance upon the Pope and acknowledgment of Christ as their onely Head with profession of his Truth Then shall we professe all them saith he who shall not reverently and willingly submit to their Government to be worthy of whatsoever Anathema or curse So he even in his Tractate of Reformation of the Church at what time also Beza after his congratulating the restitution of our Protestant Religion in England earnestly desired the whole Clergy under the Government of Grindal then Bishop of London to submit unto him holding him worthy of much punishment who should despise his Authority Yea and so well did he approve of the then Government by Archbishops and Bishops as to wish it might be perpetual unto them Sadell likewise who is sufficiently commended by his excellent writings in defence of the Protestant Religion did joyn together with Beza in an Apology to vindicate themselves from a sinister report as if they had detracted from the Right of Government by Arch-bishops and Bishops avouching the same aspersion to have been a most impious slander And Bishop Jeuell how was he honoured by Peter Martyr calling him A most renowned Prelate and by Sibbrandus Lubbartus entitling him The Ornament not onely of England but also of the whole world Hierom Zanchee one in the opinion of our Opposites we doubt not worthily renowned in his Letters to Queen Elizabeth he exhorteth her Majesty with an imprimis and especially to extend her care power and authority to have godly Bishops skilfull in holy Scriptures of which sort saith he by the blessing of God you have already very many and to cherish and hear them Also in his Epistle to Arch-bishop Grindall upon occasion of his remove to Canterbury he expresseth his joy for that accesse of dignity as a testimony of Gods love towards him and a means whereby he might more and more promote Gods true Religion Our Opposites ought not to be offended with us although we offer unto them next an Author somewhat distastfull unto them at the first hearing namely D. Saravia because as he is a Religious Divineâ— and as un-Episcopall as any other so also is he as Orthodox every-where as they know inveighing against the Romish Hierarchie he confesseth himself to wonder at the wisdome of the Reformers of Religion in England So as not any where deviating from the antient Church of Christ and concludeth with this Epiphonema saying I hold it a part of her happiness that she hath retained with her the order of Bishops 3. In the raigne of King James that famous Isaack Casaubon whom we reckon as the fourth witnesse from the Church of Geneva had that estimation of our English Episcopall government as to confesse That no Church doth come nearer the form of the primitive Church then it doth so farre that even they who envyed her happinesse are notwithstanding constrained to extoll it He proceeds furthermore to blazon the worthinesse of it If saith he the essentiall part of the Church be enquired into and what either necessarily belongeth unto the Doctrine of Salvation or else to the decency of the Church then praysed and magnified be God no Church upon earth can be found which more professeth the faith and resembleth the form of the ancient Catholique Church then it doth So he But to return to our French witnesse again worthy Master Moulin in an answer to a Papist who upbraided him with the discipline of England doth avouch the dignity thereof telling him furthermore That their agreement is such that England saith he hath been a refuge to our persecuted Churches and correspondently the excellentest servants of God in our Churches as Peter Martyr Calvin Beza and Zanchee have often written Letters full of respect and amity to the Prelates of England
determining all Controversies of Faith it hath been evidently and copiously proved that the amplitude of his Diocesse was limited by three hundred Bishops in the Generall Councell of Nice His pretended right of Universall Authority was contradicted an 553. by six hundred Bishops in the Councell of Calcedon where we find it accounted to be but of Humane Authority against his pretended universall challenge of appeale to Rome it was twice contradicted by Bishops in two Councells in Africk and as for his pretended infallibility in judgement the 165 Bishops in the Councell of Constantinople condemned the Decree of Pope Vigilius aud in the sixth and seventh Councells consisting in all of 603. Bishops was Pope Honorius condemned for an Heretique We may not omit the mention of singular persons Bishops who have had their solemne oppositions against the Popes of their times Cyprian Athanasius Basil Cyrill of Alexandria Hilary of Arles and Augustine with many others But what talke we of Bishops in other Sees seeing we have in the See of Rome it self one who did prejudice the pretended and usurped dignity and authority of all his Successours in condemning the pretence of the highest Title and Prerogative which the Pope doth challenge which is to be called The Vniversall Bishop of Christs Church by judging it to be proud prophane and blasphemous and the Bishop we mean was Pope Gregory the first whom Mr. Brightman hath adorned with this Encomium The flying Angell mentioned Apoc. 8. 13. whose lustre saith he God would use for the Church As for our Church of England since the Reformation it hath been conformable to the Primitive Surely greater faithfulness could not be shown then in the seal of Martyrdom nor more opposition to Popedom then to cut off all dependence upon it by the neck ever since nor this more by any then in Bishops as our Ecclesiastical monuments have recorded not to mention the writings publique in confutation of all Popish Errours and Heresies onely let it be lawfull for us to point at the last Synod and Convocation was vehement against Popery as for this is spoken by him that was absent from it any one may read After these Confessions of Protestant Divines we are to ascend higher to our proofs for evincing the same to be according to the word of God as Apostolical first from Antiquity and after from the word of God it self Our first proof that Episcopacy is according to the word of God by manifesting it to have been of Apostolical Institution by necessary reasons VIII THESIS That to be of Apostolical Institution argueth in it a divine Right by the confession of excellent Divines of the Reformed Churches FRom the Church of Geneva we have before us Mr. Beza to deliver his own words Surely if Episcopacy had proceeded from the Apostles I would not doubt to ascribe unto it a divine Ordinance So he This is plain Secondly from the Churches within the Palatinate Scultetus by name argueth accordingly The Apostles placed Bishops above Presbyters and therefore is Episcopacy of divine Institution A third properly call'd Salmasius out of the University and Church of Leiden in the Low-countries one of great fame and a profess'd friend unto our Opposites and notwithstanding confesseth saying If the Institution of Episcopacy saith he be from the Apostles then it is of divine Right So they Certainly because what power was ordained by the Apostles proceeded from the Spirit of God like as was their decree against Strangled and Blood their Holy-kisse their Agapae and the like in their first Institution And although these were abrogated in time yet the necessity of perpetuating Episcopacy standeth upon two grounds one is the first reason of institution thereof which was for avoiding Schisme the other was the universal continuance thereof from age to age upon experience of the same reason Which as we have heard hath been held most reasonable to almost all Protestant Divines of remote Churches Now therefore that which we are to make good is onely our Assumption to wit that Episcopacy was of Apostolical Institution then which nothing almost can be more evinceable if testimonies from Antiquity evidences out of Scriptures and upon both these the confessions of Protestant Divines of the Reformed Churches may be held satisfactory our first endeavours concerning Antiquity for this performance must be to remove objections which our opposites cast in our way The onely peremptorily objected Ancients are these two Hierome and Clement both whom we are now to salute IX THESIS That no Ancient Father absolutely denied the Apostolical Original of Episcopacy no not the objected Hierome who will shew himself a manifest Patron thereof THe objected sentence of Hierome saying concerning Episcopal Prelacy That it is rather by the custom of the Church then by the Lords disposal is confessed by the Theological Protestant Professour in the University of Heidelberg to be understood by the decree of the Lords disposal the immediate ordinance of Christ in his dayes upon earth and affirming the custom happily to have meant the Apostolical custom after they began the forming and framing of the Churches However for this one place objected against us we have many most evident Testimonies out of Hierome himself to prove the first institution of Episcopacy to have been indeed Apostolical First is from the original occasion whereunto he alludeth even the contention in the Church of Corinth when some held of Paul some of Appollo some of Cephas whereof it is confessed by the foreceited Palatinate Doctour That the words of the Apostle will not suffer me saith he to doubt but that alteration was made in the dayes of the Apostles and his confirmation is as doubtlesse namely because no man can produce any other original of the questioned Schisme and contention This is a chief point and therefore we desire to hear what Videlius the Divine Professour in Geneva will say unto it He handleth the matter accurately which is to be reserv'd to its proper place In summe out of Ignatius the disciple of the Apostles he sheweth the difference of Bishop and Presbyter begun timely in the Church even presently after the contention to the Corinthians whereof it is say'd some held of Paul and some of Apollo and some of Cephas Secondly Hierome granteth in general yet distinctly of Bishops That they are the Successors of the Apostles Thirdly yea he sheweth who were Successours in the very dayes of the Apostles reckoning among others Timothy Titus Polycarpus and Euodius Fourthly He relateth who were first Bishops of all others after them to wit James of Jerusalem and Marke of Alexandria Fifthly he alleadgeth the Analogy between Aaron and his sonnes in respect of the Levites with Bishops and Presbyters from as he saith Apostolicall tradition Sixthly the Episcopall part of Excommunication against Vigilantius he calleth His Apostolicall Iron Rodde So Hierome It were incredible if that
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
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
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
opinion of singularity and onelinesse as a thing not acknowledged in other remote and reformed Churches of Protestants not considering what hath been published to the world long-ago that the word Superintendent is of the same signification with the word Bishop both from the same Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet some Protestant Churches practising a Prelacy vail it over with the word Superintendency If we would know what Zanchie will speak out and to the purpose in telling us that Episcopi whom we call Bishops and Superintendents are words of the same sense and signification and therefore where there is an agreement in the thing signified there ought not to be any altercation and strife about words But what will he say to the practice He distinguisheth Protestant Churches in this respect into three differences some whereof practise a superiority of one above the Clergy under the proper name of Bishops another sort the same but under the name of Superintendents and General Superintendents whom we call Arch-bishops Lastly he discloseth a third kinde a circumstance very remarkeable who although they avoid the Titles of Bishops or Superintendents yet use they to be such primarii as to say eminent in Prelacy as in whom for so he saith the whole Authority consisteth Now therefore our question must be whether the Church exercising Prelacy or the other that onely practise equality exceed in number The number of Churches which had Prelates under the name of Bishops and the other of Superintendents being in signification the same seemed to Greg. de Valentia the Jesuite so many that he thought all Protestant Churches to have Bishops An excellent servant of God Doctor Duraeus and a zealous hunter after the best game which is the general peace of Protestant Churches among themselves hath set down a Catalogue of the Churches reform'd on both Parties and reckoneth if he be not mistaken seven Bishops in the Kingdom of Swede in Denmark Bishops in other Lutheran Churches Superintendents and in all Imperial Cities among the Protestants besides divers other reform'd Churches the like which we suppose will rather keep their conformity with England then tast new wine with others seing that as the Text saith The old is better and whether the Episcopal form be not the onely and Apostolical cometh now to be discussed by inquiring into Antiquity VI. THESIS That the former reasons of Confessions of Protestant Divines concerning the necessity of Episcopal Prelacy for preservation of concord and preventing of schisme is correspondent to the judgment of Antiquity IT would be worth our knowledge to understand that the former Confessions of Protestant Divines are in effect but the ecchoings unto the sentences of ancient Fathers Among whom Hierome could tell us That the original of Episcopacy which is the placing of one Presbyter in a degree above others was decreed throughout the whole world for taking away Schisme which use thereof was held so necessary in the dayes of Antiquity that the said Hierome spared not to affirm That the safety of the Church dependeth upon the dignity of a Bishop to whom except some eminent Authority be given there will be as many Schismes as there are Priests in the Church So he and before him Tertullian thus The Bishop is for the honour of the Church which being in safety our peace will be also safe But how Chrysostome and Gregory Nyssen do illustrate both affirming the same necessity of a Bishop in the Church as is a Precentor in a Quire a Governour in a Campe and a Pilot in a Ship By which Episcopal order saith Basil the Church is reduced as one soul into communion and concord yea and before all these Cyprian Bishop and Martyr complained of such insolencies of Presbyters against their Bishops as being causes of heresies and schismes against a divine power of Government So he These will some say are but their sayings and shall we therefore think that their sayings were not the symbolls and expressions of their meaning but we presume better of them that are ingenuous and the rather for their further satisfaction which may be had in the next Thesis VII THESIS That Bishops primitively were not only the chiefest champions for the Christian faith but also the greatest adversaries to Romish Popedome as have also our English BEfore we can begin the proof of this Thesis we are confronted by our Opposites against Primitive Fathers in strange termes Bishops by advancing the authority of Episcopacy did thereby say they but plead their own cause and made a stirrop for the Romish Antichrist to mount into his Pontificall saddle So they Which contumely against the reverend antiquity we are loath to call by its proper name being therefore not to reprove others but to prove what we have in hand which is that some of the ancient Bishops lived in the torrid zone of fiery persecution and others in a temperate Of the first sort we have it confessed That the persecuting Emperours did above all others make their Inquisition and exercises of their furies most especially upon Bishops we have it upon record in Cyprian but much more in other Ecclesiasticall Histories wherein as is confessed by Master Brightman although Dioclesian in his Edict did especially command the destruction of all that had taken sacred Orders yet in a further speciality the massacring of Bishops he relateth that one hundred and sixty of them were martyred in two places yea and in the Church of Rome it self is also reckoned the number of 160. Bishops who were martyrs of Christ in those primitive times To fancy that these afflicted and persecuted Members of Christ for their degree sake could pride it in their Episcopall office would be held to be but a dream they will rather think that if they should prelate it as Marriners use to frolike it rather in a calme of tranquility but for this also we shall easily subcribe to the judgement of Master Beza who when he was thus posed whether he should impute the note of pride unto these Primitive servants of God whose names have alwayes been celebrious in the Church of Christ to wit Basil Nysen Nazianzen Athanasius Chrysostome Ambrose and Augustine who are known to have afterwards had Episcopall Government in their several Churches answereth saying I never heard any speak or read any write otherwise then honourably of those men as was meete So he of his time he could not prophesie of the future It were good that these who use this new and broad language had considered That Bishops were then almost the only ones who as occasion fell out either pulled the Romish Pope out of his Saddle when he was mounted or else pluckt away his Stirrop that in those times he could not get up For whereas Popedome being a double usurpation one of plenitude of Authority universall over Bishops and the other of an infallibility of judgement in
the Apostles and as antiquity it self teacheth and consent of Protestant Divines of Remote Churches will afterwards grant to have been in the dayes of Saint John the Evangelist the Bishop of Smyrna The other viz. Ignatius was also acquainted with those who had been the Disciples of Christ. Besides we have heard Scultetus resolving that Iames not the Apostle the Brother of our Lord was Bishop of Hierusalem from the plentifull testimonies of Antiquity it self We will conclude with this our proof from the same Antiquity but what even that which Bucer finds resolved upon as he saith before Hierom let us take his own words Divine Fathers more ancient then Hierom. Cyprian Ireneus Eusebius and other Ecclesiastical Historians shew That in the Apostles times there was one elected and ordained who should have Episcopal function and superiority over Presbyters so he instancing in Iames of whom we have spoken who was Bishop of Hierusalem XV. THESIS That Master Beza himself is challengable to yeild unto Apostolical right of Episcopacy from his own former confession MAster Beza hath already confessed concerning the famous Church of Alexandria that from Mark the Evangelist one was chosen to be placed in a degree above Presbyters called Bishop is according to the Testimony of Hierom. The Story hereof hath been of late published by Master Selden the Ornament of our Nation excellently conversant in ancient exotick Learning out of the Relation of Eutychâ—us that Mark the Ev. placed Anianus Patriarch or Bishop over Presbyters in the Church of Alexandria In which book also there is set down the full Catalogue of 18. Bishops successively unto Dionysius that possessed the same See which proveth as plainly an Episcopal and personal succession by an Apostolical Constitution from Anianus to Alexandria in a lineal succession as was the filiall and natural descent from Adam to Thara which makes up eighteen Generations What need then many words the most Theses which have been premised and almost all afterwards to be propounded do declare the same by joynt accordance of Protestant Divines of reformed Churches and suffrages of Antiquity We hasten to our last proof but are arrested in our way by our Opposites to answer two objected Testimonies of Antiquity XVI THESIS That the Testimonies of Nazianzen and Augustine are unworthily objected to the contrary VVE are urged to reckon these two excellent Bishops although in true Construction they have answered for themselves Nazianzen say our Opposites mustering up the evils that had hapned unto him reckoneth ejection out of his Episcopacy holding it a part of wisdome to avoid it wishing that there were no 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 place of President-ship or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Tyrannicall Prerogative in the Church but that they might be known only by vertue We have alleadged Nazianzen according to the genuine sense So they But so as usually in an Heterogeneall sense to inferre a necessary abnegation of Episcopacy They who seek iugenuously the genuine sense of Sentences in Authors must be Janus-like faced looking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backward and foreward both which properties have been wanting to our opposites first because before the words objected they lay before their eyes this saying of Nazianzen there was a time when Episcopacy was had in great admiration and desired of wise and prudent men and the second as not considering that was then spoken only comparatively against the Tyrannicall Government of Bishops which by all Protestant Bishops hath been condemned in the Popish Hierarchie besides that this was but the breath of vexatious passion upon occasion of one Maximus whom Nazianzen calleth a Cynicke and doggish Philosopher because whereas he himself had the Generall esteem in the Church of Christ to be by way of excellence called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Divine notwithstanding he was vehemently persecuted by the same unworthy Prelate and by his circumvention disturb'd out of his Bishopricke and therefore sensible of that iudignity did utter the language of his hearts grief But why did not our Opposites tell us that after this storme there fell a calme when the same godly Bishop was with generall applause received to his Bishoprick again but especially we may complaine that they have by their silence smothered Nazianzens judgement concerning the cause it self which is the right of Episcopacy and which he esteemed the most perfect kind of Government So he And is not this as much as to have held it the best Which he further declareth in his funerall Orations which he had of three famous Bishops Basil Athanasius and Cyprian Augustine writing to Hierome saith that custom hath obtained that Episcopacy should be higher then Presbytery according to the honour and dignity of the words Therefore saith Walo the distinction of Episcopacy and Presbytery was first constituted by the Church So he whose disciples our other Opposites have learned this lesson saying If Augustine had known the majority of Bishops above Presbyters to have been of Divine or Apostolicall institution he might have said so much nay he would have said as much And we answer if any of our Opposits had reguarded to search the judgement of Augustine they would not have said thus much because it is evident that Augustine did say as much as they require he should have said as hath been shewn saying of himself and other Bishops thus we succeed the Apostles in the same Power and that Christ instituted Bishops when he ordained his Apostles That we repeate not his condemning Aërius as Epiphanius did for denying Episcopacy to have been an institution Apostolicall and now whether our Reader think it more reasonable to yeeld to the supposition of what Augustine would have done or the manifestation what he did we permit to his judgement This obstacle thus removed we fall now upon the last proof Our last proof that Episcopacy is of Apostolicall right according to the word of God even from the Word of God it self To this purpose two places of Scripture are especially to be alleadged The Epistles of Paul to Timothy and Titus and the Epistles of St. John in the Revelation to the seven Churches in Asia which are to be discussed according to our foremer Method by the consonant Testimonies of ancient Fathers and consent of Protestant Divines of generall esteem and approbation XII THESIS That Timothy and Titus both had a Prelacy over Presbyters notwithstanding the objection of the community of Names of Bishops and Presbyters is sufficiently confessed by Protestant Divines of Remote Churches THere can none be held a more sufficient witnes with our Opposites then he who hath professedly pleaded this cause in their behalfe notwithstanding freely deerly granteth that Timothy and Titus were indeed Governours over their Provinces and places where the Apostle had appointed them and that they had over the Presbyters a kind of Apostolical anthority which he in his own judgement calleth extraordinary and we
Matthew or some other of the disciples of the Lord and the things that Aristion and John the Elder our Lords disciples did speak The two last of whom he often cited by name in the processe of the work relating the passages in this kind which he had heard from them Neither can any man be so simple as to imagine that in the language of Clemens Alexandrinus the name of a Bishop should import no more then a bare Presbyter if he consider that not the difference only betwixt Presbyters Bishops and Deacons is by him acknowledged but further also that the disposition of their three offices in his judgement doth carry with it an imitation of the Angelicall glory To say nothing of the Emperour Hadrian who hard upon the time of the fore-named Papias writing unto the Consul Servianus touching the state of things in Aegypt maketh distinct mention in his letter of the Presbyters of the Christians and of those who call themselves the Bishops of Christ. And thus having deduced Episcopacy from the Apostolicall times and declared that the Angels of the seven Churches were no other but such as in the next age after the Apostles were by the Fathers tearmed Bishops we are now further to enquire why these Churches are confined unto the number of seven in the superscription of that Apostolicall Epistle prefixed before the book of the Revelation Iohn to the seven Churches in Asia Grace be unto you and peace where S. Iohn directing his letters unto them thus indefinitly without any mention of their particular names cannot by common intendment be conceived to have understood any other thereby but such as by some degree of eminency were distinguishable from all the rest of the Churches that were in Asia and in some sort also did comprehend all the rest under them For taking Asia here in that stricter sense wherein the New Testament useth it as denoting the Lydian Asia alone of the circuit whereof I have treated elsewhere more particularly it is not to be imagined that after so long pains taken by the Apostles and their disciples in the husbanding of that part of the Lords vineyard there should be found no more but seven Churches therein especially since S. Paul that wise master-builder professeth that he had here a great door and effectuall opened unto him and S. Luke testifieth accordingly that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Iesus both Iews and Greeks so mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed Which extraordinary blessing of God upon his labours moved the Apostle to make his residence in those parts for the space of three years wherein he ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears So that in all reason we are to suppose that these seven Churches comprising all the rest within them were not bare Parochiall ones or so many particular congregations but Diocesan Churches as we use to call them if not Metropoliticall rather For that in Laedicea Sardis Smyrna Ephesus and Pergamus the Roman governours held their Courts of justice to which all the Cities and Towns about had recourse for the ending of their suites is noted by Pliny And besides these which were the greatest Thyatira is also by Ptolomy expresly named a Metropolis as Philadelphia also is in the Greek Acts of the Councell of Constantinople held under Menas Which giveth us good ground to conceive that the seven Cities in which these seven Churches had their seat were all of them Metropoliticall and so had relation unto the rest of the Townes and Cities of Asia as unto daughters rising under them This Lydian Asia was separated from Caria by the river Maeander upon the banks whereof Magnesia and Trallis were seated to the Christians whereof Ignatius directed two of his epistles wherein he maketh mention of Damas Bishop of the one Church and Polybius Bishop or Ruler as Eusebius calleth him of the other whom they had sent to visit him at Smyrna adding withall in that to the Trallians his usuall admonitions Be subject to the Bishop as to the Lord and to the Presbytery as to the Apostles of Jesus Christ our hope He that doth any thing without the Bishop and the Presbyters and the Deacons such a one is defiled in conscience Fare ye well in Jesus Christ being subject to the Bishop and likewise to the Presbyters Wherein we may note that with twelve years after mention of the seven Churches made in the Apocalyps for then as hath been shewed were these epistles of Ignatius written other Episcopal cities are found in the same Lydian Asia and two such as in after times are well known to have been under the government of the Metropolitan of Ephesus But whether this subordination were as ancient as the dayes of Ignatius whose Epistles are extant unto these three Churches and Damas the then Bishop of Magnefia with Polybius of Trallis were at that time subject to One simus the Bishop of Ephesus might well be doubted but that the same Ignatius directeth one of his Epistles unto the Church which had presidency in the place of the Region of the Romans and in the body thereof doth attribute unto himself the title of the Bishop of Syria Whereby as he intimateth himself to have been not onely the Bishop of Antiock but also of the rest of the province of Syria which was under that Metropolis so doth he likewise not obscurely signifie that the Bishop of Rome had at that time a presidency over the Churches that were in the Vrbicarian Region as the Imperiall Constitutions or the Roman Province as the Acts of the first Councell of Arles call it What that Vrbicarian Region was I will not now stand to discusse whether Tuscia onely wherein Rome it selfe was situated which in the dayes of Ignatius was one entire region but afterwards divided into Tuscia Suburbicaria and Annonaeria or the territory wherein the Praefectus Vrbis did exercise his jurisdiction which was confined within the compasse of a hundred miles about the City or with that those other provinces also whereunto the authority of the Vicarius Vrbis did extend or lastly the circuit within which those 69. Bishopricks were contained that were immediatly subject to the Bishop of Rome and frequently called to his Synods the names whereof are found registred in the Records of that Church The antiquity of which number as it may in some sort receive confirmation from the Roman Synod of seventy Bishops held under Gelasius so for the distinction of the Bishops which belonged to the city of Rome from those that appertained to Italy we have a farre more ancient testimony from the Edict of the Emperour Aurelian who in the controversie that arose betwixt Paulus Samosatenus and Domnus for the house which belonged unto the Church of Antioch commanded that it should be delivered to them