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
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
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