be understood of those who be Adulti or men grown who have lost and forfeited their Baptismall Regeneration by actuall grosse sinnes not repented off yeelded unto without any reluctancy or striving against the apprehension of what they see in the world as soon as they come to knowledge leading them into a wrong habit both of desiring and doing wherby they walk not like children of the light who must be therefore spoken unto as to men unregenerate because a new kinde of regeneration at least a new degree thereof must be wrought in them by the Ministery of the word which by the Law brings them to repentance and by the Gospel to Faith in Christ these graces being further fortified by the second Sacrament which upon due examination of themselves they are bound to receive Dicitur quidam à nonnullis concedendam non esse◠Regenerationem nisi per verbum quod est semen Dei Petrus quippe ait priori Epist cap. 1. nos esse renatos baudquaquam semine corruptibili sed incorruptibili quod est sermo Dei Caeterum ad id respondemus de adult is hominibus id esse intelligendum De infantibus autem non it a rem se habere nisi velimus Hebraeorum filios melioris facere sortis quam Christianorum as Peter Martyr speaketh See Peter Mar in his common Places pag. 838. That is It is said indeed by some that regeneration is not to be granted but by the Word which is the seed of God because Peter saith in the first Epist chapter 1. That we are born againe in no wise by corruptible seed but by incorruptible which is the word of God But to that we answer That it is to be understood of men grown but concerning Infants the case is otherwise except we would make the children of the Hebrews of a better condition then the Children of Christians So then albeit we know this Sacrament of Baptisme to be effectuall to the regeneration of Infants yet are we not to grant Baptismall grace in it self sufficient to the salvation of men grown Mr. Tho. Bedf. in Sermon on Rom. 6,7 pag. 58. It is fitly therefore said by a learned Preacher to be available for the state of infancy to them a state of salvation as the Church teacheth them to stile it and to blesse God for it But afterwards when they become actuall sinners they must become actuall penitents And as they have contracted a new guilt so they must seek for a new grace otherwise the first will be found insufficient to salvation Thus farre that author And so you see how little you have gotten by your restriction of regeneration to the word alone For though you were so peremptory in your assertion concerning it as that you could say The truth is That the Children of God doe receive the Spirit of God to regenerate them not by sprinkling of water in baptisme but by bearing the Gospel Preached yet the truth is that Truth is nothing neer you for you affirme falsly and will by degrees be found still to be full of so many malicious slanders absurdities lies and errors as will make Orthodox and quiet men cry out that you are not so much tedious as troublesome both to the Church and State as be also the rest of your crew which now adayes do use to shew their heads and faces with such audacious boldnesse as makes it be admired that such spirits should be amongst us and be the first forsooth for reformation But I pray God work all for the best and settle us so in peace that Truth Unity and Goncord may flourish amongst us and seeing oh Lord the foolish ones do reproach thee daily do thou arise and maintain thine own cause in spight of all that shall oppose it DIALOGUE Gent. What do they say of the Catechisme in the Service-book Min. They say it is full of Popish errors as first in the Rubrick before the Catechisme it is written that Children baptized have all things necessary to salvation and are undoubtedly saved The truth is that they have no knowlede of sinne nor of the wrath and curse of God due to sinne nor of Christ nor of the Articles of the Christian Faith and therefore have neither Faith nor Repentance without which none can be saved It is true that Infants born of the Elect are undoubtedly saved by vertue of Gods everlasting Covenant of grace so many as are of the number of the Elect I say so many as are of the number of the Elect because many of the Elect that are now Saints in Heaven have brought forth children that are Reprobates and damned soules in Hell For Adam had Cain as well as Abel and Abraham had Ishmaell as well as Isaac and Isaac had Esau whom God hated as well as Jacob whom God loved ANSWER Well and what of all this Are not Infants baptized because they are born in originall sin and is not originall sin washt away in baptisme And if so then who will not say that a childe baptized is undoubtedly saved For though the root of corruption doth still remain yet the guilt is pardened and so such a childe dying before it hath procured a new guilt through the fructification of the branches which spring from the foresaid root is by virtue of holy baptisme so washed as it may be saved For baptisme is not a meer naked signe or badge of Christianity but an ordinary and efficatious means of Regeneration as I have already proved out of plain texts of holy Scripture And where as you come in again according to your wonted manner with The truth is that they have no knowledge of sinne nor of the wrath and curse of God due to sinne nor of Christ nor of the Articles of the Christian Faith and therefore have neither faith nor repentance without which none can be saved it is further answered in the words of one well able to satisfie See M. T. Bedf. Treat of the Sacr. pag. 192. viz. That in the Baptisme of Infants the spirit worketh not as a morall agent to proffer grace to the will but as a naturall or rather supernaturall Agent to work it in the will to put grace into the heart conferring upon them seminall and initiall grace which doth not presuppose Faith but is in it selfe the seed of Faith To parents converted Baptisme conveyed as did Circumcision to Abraham a superaddition of further grace to what they had extraordinarily received But to their Children Baptisme conveyed as did Circumcision to Isaac the first seeds of grace and regeneration Adde this that the Faith of the Parent is sufficient to qualifie the child for Baptisme yea for the grace of Baptisme the childe I say in whom as yet corruption of nature being scant active calleth for no act of personall grace to remove the barre of guilt polluted he is but by the act of another not by consent of his own therefore the faith of the Parent sufficeth to procure for
Jordan For then the water did not so much wash Christ the Lord as was washed by him The truth then is that this is no popish errour in the judgement of so holy a Father although now a dayes any thing be popery which a peevish precisian thinks good to stumble at As little or lesse cause have you to quarrell about the mysticall washing away of sinne for a thing may be really performed although the manner be mysticall and the means such as doth not discover in what maaner the reallity of the thing is done So that although it be true that the soules which are defiled with sinne are washed in the blood of Christ which Saint John affirmeth yet the virtue and efficacy of his blood shed is conveighed and sealed to us by such wayes and means as himselfe hath appointed otherwise he had never said that Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God Joh. 3.5 But the water you say doth but signifie Signifie it doth but to say it doth but signifie is to assign unto it no end but only to teach the minde by other senses that which the word doth teach by hearing And unto Infants which are not capable of instruction who would not think it a meer superfluity that any Sacrament is administred if to administer the Sacraments be but to teach receivers what God doth for them But when our Saviour Christ saith as in the text already mentioned that except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God the truth is that as the Spirit is a necessary inward cause so Water is a necessary outward mean why else are we likewise taught in another text That Baptisme is a bath of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 And that with water Christ doth purifie and clense his Church Eph. 5.26 Let then the Sacraments have their due for though they do not conferre grace ex opere operato as the Papists teach yet they conferre grace ex opere operantis because the holy Ghost worketh both in and by those holy Rites and Institutions DIALOGUE Min. In another prayer the Minister prayeth that the Infant may receive remission of sinnes by spirituall regeneration The truth is that the Children of God have their sinnes forgiven and are sanctified by Faith Rom 5.1 and not by spirituall regeneration which is but an effect of Faith purifiing the heart Act. 15.9 Or to speak more plainly it is God that justifieth Rom. 8.33 by accepting of the sufferings and obedience of Christ as a sufficient recompence and satisfaction and doth by Faith assure the hearts of his Children that for the merits of the sufferings and obedience of Christ his wrath is pacified and his Justice satisfied ANSWER And is it possible that you should be offended with this Prayer because the Minister prayeth that the Infant may receive remission of sinnes by spirituall regeneration Why man Remission of sinnes is plainly promised to them that receive Baptisme aright as we read in Act. 2.38 It is therefore the Doctrine of the Catholick Church to beleeve one Baptisme for the remission of sinnes as I am sure you know and are bound unto it except you mean to be an Heretick Let it then good Sir be lawfull to pray for that which the Scripture promiseth and to demean our selves as we ought in the use of these holy mysteries Simon Magus indeed received no benefit by Baptisme because he was not disposed aright but yet neverthelesse where no obstacle comes between even the sinnes of the Baptized are remitted Your false tenet is also again confuted by that which the devout Ananias said to Paul at the time of his Conversion And now why tarriest thou Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sinnes calling on the name of the Lord Act. 22.16 See then your error now at full not only remission spoken of but also Prayer mentioned If therefore your accusation be just let any man that will but come and see as he ought to doe be judge You have alledged Scripture but very impertinently and as for your first quotation out of Rom. 5.1 there is no such thing there as you speak of concerning sanctification by Faith Put on your Spectacles when you look again But I conclude this answer in the words of that worthy Hooker Eccles Polit. lib. 5. sect 60 pag. 132. 133. There were saith he of the old Valentinian Hereticks some which had Knowledge in such admiration that to it they ascribed all and so despised the Sacraments of Christ pretending that as Ignorance had made us subject to all misery so the full redemption of the inward man and the work of our restauration must needs belong unto Knowledge only They draw neer unto this error who fixing wholy their mindes on the known necessity of Faith imagin that nothing but Faith is necessary for the attainment of all grace Yet is it a branch of Beliefe that Sacraments are in their place no lesse required then beliefe it selfe DIALOGUE Min. In another Prayer thanks is given to God for regenerating the Infant with his holy Spirit The truth is that the Children of God do receive the Spirit of God to Regenerate them not by springling of water in Baptism but by hearing the Gospel Preached 2 Cor. 3.8 Act. 10.44 To make mention of all the Popish errors that are in other Prayers and Collects would be too tedious ANSWER To be regenerated is to receive new motions of the minde by the holy Ghost and to be made a new creature Whereto agreeth that which Melancthon writeth Melanct. in Loc. pag. 246. Cum spiritus sanctus novos motus novam vitam afferat dicitur haec conversio Regeneratio But this you say is done not by the sprinkling of water in Baptism but by hearing the Gospel Preached and hereupon you point us to two places of Scripture I shall shew you two other which are more plain and proving the one is Jam. 1.18 the other is in 1 Pet. 1.23 In that of S. Iames the words bethese of his own will begat he us with the Word of Truth And in S. Peter thus Being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth abideth forever And yet notwithstanding the scripture saith elswhere That a man must be born again of Water and the Spirit Joh. 3.5 And in another text Baptisme is expresly termed the Laver of Regeneration Tit. 3.5 to both which places in a former answer I have already pointed you So that Regeneration is wrought you see by severall means not by the word alone but by Baptisme as well as by the word The one you mention the other is forgotten nay it is altogether denied by you But be better advised and crosse not the Scriptures good Sir I beseech you And for a full clearing let it be known that what the word doth in that which you mention is to
came of them Also our Saviour Christ saith that he gave his life a ransome for many Matth. 20.28 and that his blood was shed for many Matth. 26.28 He doth not say that his blood was shed for all mankind but for many that is for the Elect only who are many though but few in comparison of the multitude that are Reprobates ANSWER When our Church teacheth her Children to say I believe in God the sonne who hath redeemed me and all mankinde she hath respect to the ample latitude of the merit of Redemption wrought by Jesus Christ which is such and so large as that it extends it selfe to all it excludes none but hath satisfied Justice and made a way for all men to attain unto mercy For if God be not willing that any one should perish as Saint Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 2.9 but that all men should be saved as Saint Paul to Timothy declareth 1 Tim. 2.4 then surely the Son of God who came to seek and to save that which was lost and to do the will of his Father laid down his life in common for all that thereby a way might be made for all to attain unto mercy Christ indeed gave his life for his sheep and laid it down for his friends but not for them only For He is the propitiation for our sinnes and not for ours only but for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 2.2 And well might he say he gave his life a ransome for many and that his blood was shed for many who shed his blood for all and gave himselfe a ransome for all 1 Tim. 2.6 Nor do we but read that Judas was one of them to whom Christ said My blood is shed for you Luk. 22.20 and yet Judas was a Reprobate To which agreeth that of Saint Peter concerning some who should bring in privily damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2.1 And again saith another scripture Of how much sorer punishment shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite to the spirit of Grace Hebr. 10.29 And in the second chapter of the same Epistle the Apostle saith expresly Heb. 2.9 But we see Jesus who was made a little lower then the Angels for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honour that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man And again The Lord saith the Prophet hath laid on him the iniquity of us all Esa 53.6 And I saith Christ if I be lifted up from the Earth will draw all men unto me Joh. 12.32 And in the 2 Corinth 5.14 Christ dyed for all And in Tit. 2.11 The grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men And in Rom. 5.18 As by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousnesse of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life as our common translation reads it And will you notwithstanding all this deny that the price paid by Christ was not paid for all nor made for all The truth is that it hath not been beneficiall to all and in that respect our Saviours words are manifest that he shed his blood for many And so the Apostle likewise meaneth expresly declaring that we trust in the living God who is she Saviour of all men specially of those that beleeve 1 Tim. 4.10 you see then that God excludes none but those that exclude themselves by unbeliefe For though Christ hath not gained all yet neverthelesse he hath dyed for all as Chrysost speaketh Chrysost in Rom. 14. He hath done that which was his part to do if therefore others will not doe that which is theirs they must notwithstanding Christs death be damned Ideo passus est ut tolleret peecatum Mundi Si quis autem in Christum non credit generali beneficio ipse se frodat ut siquis clausis fenestris radios solis excludat saith Saint Ambrose Ambr. Serm. 8. in Psal 118. That is Christ therefore suffered that he might take away the sinne of the world But if any one believe not in Christ he defrauds himself of that generall benefit as any one by having his windows shut excludes the light of the Sunne In medio Temple misericordia est non in angulo aut diversorio In communi posita est offertur omnibus nemo illius expers nisi qui renuit as saith Saint Bernard Bern. Serm. in purif pag. 101. which is as if he should say Although Christs merits are common to all and that he keeps open house to all commers yet those only have full benefit by them that lay hold upon him God loved the World indeed when he gave his only begotten sonne howbeit they only shall not perish but have life everlasting who believe on him Joh. 3.16 So then that Christs precious blood hath greater efficacy or force in some then in others is not the fault of him who did so well impart it but of them who do so ill imploy it And so all this while no errour in our Common Catechisme DIALOGUE Min. It is also affirmed in the Catechisme that we are made the Children of God in Baptisme The truth is that whosoever is not a childe of God before he be baptized shall never be a childe of God because all that are the children of God were before the world was made the children of God by virtue of Gods eternall decree of Election ANSWER This is answered before and therefore to avoid prolixity and repetition I shall justly passe it over DIALOGUE Min. It also affirmeth that there are two Sacraments generally as necessary to salvation intimating that the Sacraments are necessary to salvation so as if a childe dye before he be baptized be shall be damned which is the cause that Midwives do take upon them to Baptize Intimating also that there are more Sacraments then two therefore it is written in the Rubrick * You would say after if you cared to relate things aright before the Communion that every Parishioner shall communicate thrice in the year and also receive the Sacraments meaning the five Popish Sacraments For there are none other ANSWER We teach indeed that Christ hath ordained in his Church two Sacraments only as generally necessary to Salvation viz. Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord and will you be he that shall blame us for it These two are said by the Ancients to flow out of Christs side when hanging upon the Crosse for us the souldier with his speare let out from thence Water and Blood Joh. 19.34 It is therefore said that This is he that came by Water and Blood even Jesus Christ not by Water only but by Water and Blood 1 Joh. 5.6 And will you be he which shall not grant these two legitimate and true
tribe of thine inheritance and mount Sion wherein thou hast dwelt Lift up thy feet that thou maist utterly destroy every enemy which hath done evill in thy Sanctuary Thine adversaries roare in the middest of thy Congregations and set up their Banners for tokens He that hewed timber afore out of the thick trees was known to bring it to an excellent worke But now they breake down all the carved worke thereof with axes and hammers All which being spoken by a man after Gods own heart is of current weight and without exception I may therefore turn againe now to follow what is next in the Dialogue And that which is next is about the order prescribed by the Church in the Visitation of the sick in which because you have some exceptions the same with what we have heard from you already in certain other passages shall not here be again repeated DIALOGUE Gent. What form of Prayer doth the Service-book prescribe for sicke persons Min. It prescribeth no form to be used in the Church Gent. What then Min. The Minister must go to their houses and salute them as the Masse-Priest doth saying Peace be to this house and to all that dwell in it and when he is come where the sick person is he must kneele kc. ANSWER And why I pray doe you quarrell with this Christ taught his Disciples so to salute the house into which they entred Math 10.12,13 and Luk. 10.5,6,7 And may not the Ministers since those times doe the like but be blamed for their labours You fight with your own shaddow and quarrell without a cause as is most apparent There be six duties of charity of which our Saviour will speak at the latter day and to come and visite the fick is one of them Math. 25.35,36 Nor is it in the Minister but even a work also of his office And therefore being sent for he commeth to pray with instruct comfort and strengthen the sick party For Is any man sick among you let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray over him Jam. 5.14 This order then is not without a scripture rule But you have a further quarrell and that 's against our absolving the sick person from all his sinnes in the name of the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Why man if it be done in the name of the blessed Trinity it is not by any primary or originall power that is in our selves For the Bishops and Pastours of the Church doe not forgive sinne by any absolute power of their own for so only Christ their Master forgiveth sinnes but ministerially as the servants of Christ and stewards to whose fidelity their Lord and Master hath committed his Keyes If you aske me how Christ came by this power seeing none can forgive sinnes but God I answer first that he had it by Commission from God it was a power given him by his Father and so we reade in Joh. 20.21 Secondly he had it through the Union of the God-head and Manhood into one person For though it be true that as he was God he had it of himselfe yet not so as he was Man For as he was Man he had it by virtue of the Union from God Now this he transfers further Peter had a promise that the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven should be given but this promise was not accomplished untill afterwards not untill the day of Christs Resurrection whereupon we reade in as plain words as may be That the same day at night which was the first day of the weeke and when the doores were shut where the Disciples were assembled for feare of the Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and said unto them Peace be unto you And when he had so said he shewed unto them his hands and his sides Then were the Disciples glad when they had seen the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again Peace be unto you As my Father sent me so send I you And when he had said that he breathed on them and said unto them receive the holy Ghost Whosoevers sinnes yee remit they are remetted unto them and whosoevers sâ—nnes ye retaine they are retained Joh. 20.19,20,21,22,23 When this promise was made to Peter although spoken to him in particular yet not with an intent to invest him solely in the thing promised as even the sequel and accomplishment thereof fully proveth Howbeit because he by his Confession gave answere for the rest and was the speaker for them when Christ said But whom say ye that I am therefore doth Christ direct his speech to him againe in particular who as he spake for them all so he is promised the Keyes in the behalfe of them all See Mat. 16.15,16,17.18,19 This then sheweth that S Peter was indued with no more power then the rest of the Apostles and therefore the Pope can claime no more then another Bishop and in that regard our Ordination is lawfull and right valid and firme although we goe not over to Rome to fetch it For so long as we have Bishops of our owne consecrated and installed into their Office as Bishops alwayes have been there is no doubt or scruple to be made Knowing therefore that when we take Ordination we also receive an holy and Ghostly authorioy not only in having the word of Reconciliation and dispensation of the Sacraments committed unto us but also of binding and loosing or of remitting and retaining sinnes we may not suffer our Church to be dâ—famed nor the Ministers thereof to be accounted Antichristian For hath our Saviour said Whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose sinnes yee retain they are retained and shall any mortall man deny it His words are not Whose sinnes yee signifie to be remitted but Whose sinnes yee remit which the Author of the Practice of Piety no Papist sure hath well observed Nor is the same but granted by a distinction put between declare and pronounce For to declare is chiefly to shew Gods goodnesse towards penitent sinners which every good Christian may doe when he sees occasion for the comfort of his brother according to the truth of Gods gratious promises but to pronounce is to give sentence as a Judge in the name of him who hath the authority primarily in himselfe You speak of the key of Knowledge and explaine it well enough but that is not the sole key of binding and loosing and therefore not a thing which comes fully home to the purpose Whensoever therefore any sick person or burthened sinner shall unbosome himselfe to one of Gods ministers and shall heare him pronounce thus By the authority which Christ hath committed to me I doe absolve thee from all thy sinnes in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost then may the said Sinner rest assured that his sinnes are forgiven him and that God doth ratifie in Heaven what his Priest pronounceth on Earth The like may be said of one who for the present sees
thee in Crete that thou shouldest put in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Presbyters in every City as I appointed thee Tit. 1.5 Titus was therefore a Bishop at the least and hath the power of Ordination as in this first testimony is more then manifest Besides it is to Titus that the authority is given to stop the mouths of false teachers and to convince them sharply that they may be sound in the faith verse 11.13 And again upon him is the charge laid to reject an heretick after he had beene once or twice admonished as in the third Chapter at the tenth verse So then though the Diocesse was large and the Clergy numerous yet he is in power above them all Idem Ministerium sed diversa potestas But come we next to the Seven Churches of Asia which are ruled by their Seven Angels although at the same time they had in them their other Pastors All as one speaketh were Angels in respect of their Ministery one was the Angell in respect of his fixed superiority For the Apostles that planted Churches in Cities left them to one Bishop and the rule is according to Gods word that there be one Angell to watch over the City and Country belonging to it and so we see it here in these Seven Churches where each Angell answers for the whole City as one Temple committed to him And therefore as is worthily avouched the Pope that will be over all Cities and Diotrephes that will be under none that is he who rejects equals and he that receives no superiours are equally proud of an unjust preheminence The evasion which some have sought is very poore to one that is say they to more To one Angel that is collectively to more Angels then one But to what purpose is it to insist any where upon propriety of speech if a man may as he pleaseth take such a lawlesse liberty of construction for without doubt no more are the Seven Angels to be taken collectively then are the seven Churches of both which Christ himselfe hath said The seven Starres are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlestickes that thou sawest are the seven Churches Rev. 1.20 And then afterwards these seven Churches are likewise named both at the 11. verse of that first Chapter as also in the two next Chapters that follow and shewed to be these viz. Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea In a word the approvements charges and chalenges here made are personall and easie to be distinguished from the speeches directed to others of the same Church as in example may be seen in that which is said both to the Angel and to them of Smyrna where first the graces of that Angel are acknowledged and then to those of his Church is said that the Divell should cast some of them into prison and that they should bee tried and endure tribulation ten dayes wherein they are in generall premonished of the persecution that should befall them And then addressing to the Angel of the Church in particular the speech is to him in the singular saying Bee thou faithfull unto the death And so indeed he was for Polycarpus was then the Angel of Smyrna and died Bishop there being crowned with the royall wreath of Martyrdome about the yeare of our Lord 170. which was 86. yeares after he began to be Bishop and to serve God in that charge the head of this beginning reaching up to the yeare of Christ 84. which was ten yeares before S. Iohn received his Revelation hee is poore in reading that shall deny it and rich in wrangling that will not grant it making thereby Ireneus and Eusebius of no better credit then the histories of Tom Thumb and Garagantua Nor is it but greatly worth the marking with what an admirable constancie that blessed Martyr continued faithfull as Eusebius largely tels the story by which without doubt he set a cleare Comment upon the Text in sticking so closely to his heavenly admonition I will instance in no more although the like may be seen in some of the rest especially in that which was said to the Angel of the Church of Thyatyra who notwithstanding those good parts services and graces which were commended in him is not a little taxed in this viz. that he suffered the woman Iezabel For mark how the words run Thou sufferest the woman Iezabel who calleth herselfe a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants c. Now as one worthily were he but an ordinary Presbyter unarmed with power how could hee help it Or why should hee bee charged with what hee could not redresse A A little Brasse or Copper well rub'd and furbished may glitter like gold but here are more then shewes and probabilities of imparity amongst Christs Ministers cleare testimonies of supereminent and jurisdictive power as from first to last in these few lines hath been truly made apparant Episcopacie is therefore of no other then Divine Institution and was first begun by our blessed Saviour in his twelve Apostles it hath been continued ever since by the governing of the Church with Bishops who are in this the Apostles successors and to bee continued till the end of the world He that shall deny it had need to looke better about him for setting aside some prerogatives and priviledges peculiar onely to them who were the first Apostles their calling could not bee extraordinary for if it were then how could Christ be with them untill the end of the world But lo saith he I am with you alwayes even unto the end of the world Matth. 28.26 And now after all this I could further back the whole with testimonies of the Ancient but the Scriptures are cleare enough without them And yet to give truth the greater luster I shall collect some few besides what of this nature hath been already and briefly set them downe S. Hierom shall be first who expounding these words in the 44. Psalm namely that In the stead of Fathers thou shalt have Children breakes forth into these words Fuerint O Ecclesia Apostoli patres tui quia ipsi te genuerunt Nunc autem quia illi recesserunt à mundo habes pro his Episcopos silios that is O Church the Apostles were thy Fathers because they begate thee But now because they have left the world thou hast in their stead Bishops and they are sonnes The same doth also S. Austin note upon the foresaid Psalme Quidest saith he pro patribus tuis nati sunt tibi filii Patres missisunt Apostoli pro Apostolis filii nati sunt tibi constituti sunt Episcopi S. Hierom againe Catol Script Eccles Epist ad Evagr. Com. in Matth. in Proem in Praefat. in Marc. though no fast friend hath left recorded that Bishops in Alexandria began whilst many of the Apostles were aliye as S. Peter and S. Paul S. James and S. Marke which last I mean S. Marke is by the confession of the said