Christians who within the Ken of memory Hâ—drian Sarav Praelat ad tractat de gradibus minister came into this Kingdome for Protection had the noble Johannes a Lasco for their Bishop Thus it was with all Christian men and assemblies all the world over till within the age of some who might be yet living the waters of the Cantons and the Lake of Lemanus began to be troubled And now when the grosse errors of Doctrine came to be both discovered by one side and impetuously defended by the other and the impugners cruelly persecuted to bonds and death those who could not enjoy the freedome of the true Religion under their Popish Bishops thought themselves driven to set up Church-governors and Pastors of their own And these once estblished now must belike be defended They might not be under those they had they could not have those they should they rested under those they could get And hence is all this Distraction §. 22. The government by Bishops both universall and unalterable WE have seen the grounds of Church-government laid by our Saviour himself in imparity We have seen it so built up by Apostolike hands we have seen the practise of the ancient and subsequent Church laying on the roof to make a perfect Fabrick Yet what is all this if the charge be not universall and perpetuall yeild it to be so ancient as the Apostles themselves yet if it be arbitrary whether for time or place what have we gained Surely as God is but one and ever himself so would he have his Church There may be threescore Queens and fourscore Concubins and Virgins without number but his Dove his undefiled is but one and though she may go in severall dresses and trimmings yet still and ever the stuffe is the same Plainly though there may be varieties of circumstantiall fashons in particular Churches yet the substance of the government is and must be ever the same That ordinary power which the Apostles had they traduced to their successors as bequeathed by our Saviour in his last fare well to them unto the end of the world For we may not think as one said well that the Apostles carried their Commission with them up to heaven They knew it was given them for a perpetuity of succession He that said Go teach all Nations and baptize added Behold I am with you to the end of the world He could not mean it of their persons which staid not long upon earth after him he meant it of their Evangelical successors So was he with them as he was with his domesticks their Predecessors not in the immediatnesse and extraordinary way of calling not in the admirable measure and kinds of their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or gifts not in the infalliblenesse of their judgement nor in the universality of their charge but in the effectuall execution of those offices which should be perpetuated to his Church for the salvation of mankinde Such were the preaching of the Gospell and the administration of the Sacraments the ordaining Church-officers the ordering of Church affairs the infliction of censures and in short the power of the Keys which we justly say were not tyed to St. Peters girdle but were communicated to all his fellows and to all his and their successors for ever By vertue whereof all true Pastors can open and shut heaven gates above much more the Church doors hereupon earth And all these as are of such necessity that without them the Church could not at all subsist at least not long and in any tolerable Condition The power of these acts as it was by our Saviours Commission originally in the Apostles being by them conveyed to the Church and not by the Church conveyed to them So it succeeded accordingly in and to their successors and was incorporated into their office we that are Priests receive the Keys in Peter saith St. Ambrose Veniat ad Antistites saith St. Augustine Let them come to the Bishops by whom the keys are ministred in the Church As Beza said truly of the promise of the holy Ghost Beza de Graeci minist c. 5. that it was given for the good of the whole Church yet not unto the whole Church but peculiarly unto the Apostles to give to others at least so must it be said of this power And so indeed by Calvins own determination Calv. Instit 1. 4. c. 3. none but Pastors might lay hands on the ordayned Hoc postremo hâ—bendum est non universam multitudinem manus iâ—posuisse suâ—s ministris sed folos pastores and none but they were capable to weild the great censures of the Church Shortly then was this power left by the Apostles or was it not left If it were left as we could else have no Church was it left with all or with some with all it cannot the multitude cannot be thought fit for these affaires If with some then whether with one in a City or territory or with more If with more why is the charge then imposed upon one One Timothy in Ephesus One Titus in Creet One Angel in Thyatira One other in Philadelphia Laodicea and the rest And why are those single persons challengeable for the neglect And if this power and this charge were by the very hands of the Apostles entayled upon these eminent persons which should by due ordination therein succeed them and from them lineally descend upon us I wonder what humane power dare presume to cut it off Neither do I lesse marvell at the opinions of those Divines which holding Episcopacy thus to stand Jure Apostolico in the first institution yet hold it may be changed in the sequel For me I have learned to yeild this honour to these inspired men that I dare not but think these their ordinances which they intended to succession immutable Some kinds of Ceremonious prescriptions fell from them which were meant to be only locall and temporary those we have no reason to think our selves oblieged to but those which they left for the administration of Gods Church it shall be high presumption in any to alter because the Apostles did but meet together divers times on the first day of the week and St. Paul ordered that day for the laying aside their Collections And that is only called the Lords day by the Apostle How strongly are the vehement opposites of Episcopacy wont to maintain that day in succession to the Jewish Sabbath and that in all points unalterable by any humane authority Surely had they but the tenth part of that plea from the Apostles for this their Judaicall-Evangelicall Sabbath which we have for our Episcopacy they would make us feel the Dint of this argument and would in the rigorous observation of it out-do the Jews But you are now ready to choak me with some Apostolicall ordinances which were even of tâ— emselves reversed Be it so Then you tell me of the first form of their goverment of the Church which say you was by an
EPISCOPACIE BY Divine Right ASSERTED BY JOS. HALL B. of Exon. IN DOMINO CONFI 〈◊〉 LONDON Printed by R.B. for Nathanael Butter at the Pide-Bull by S. Augustine's Gate 1640. TO THE KINGS Most Excellent Majestie our most Gracious Soveraigne Lord CHARLES By the Grace of GOD of Great Britaine France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith c. May it please your Majestie WHen about a year agoe I presumed to tender to your Royall hands some few short Propositions concerning Church-Government I little thought that either the publike or my own Dioecesan Occasions would have called on me for so large and speedy a pursuance of them as now I am invited unto Episcopacie since that time hath suffered in the north even to the height of patience and I have met with some affronts within my owne Iurisdiction All evils especially those of Schism◠〈◊〉 as the plâ—gâ—◠〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—ing and doe much mischiefe both in their act and the spreading It was therefore time for me to bend my best indeavours both to the remedy of what had happened in mine owne Dioecesse and prevention of what future mischiefe might ensue And long I sate downe and waited for the undertaking of some abler pen but seeing such a silence in so needfull a subject as one that might not be too long wanting either to the vindication of the common cause or the safety of my owne charge I have thus boldly rushed forth into the Presse I cannot be so weakly inconsiderate as to think that I could put my finger into this fire and not be scorched I doe well know never any man toucht upon this quarrell who was not branded with the deepest censure Yet I do willingly sacrifice my self herein to God and his Truth I confesse my heart burnes within mee to see a righteous cause thus martyred through unjust prejudice and to see some honest and well-minded Christians misled into a palpable error under the pretence of zeale and piety by the meere names of two or three late Authors not more learned and godly than in this point grossely mistaken If your Majesties great Cares of State could part with so much leisure as to peruse this short but faithfull relation of the first ground and originall of this unhappie division in the Church it might please your Majestie to be informed that when Petrus Balma the last Bishop of Geneva was by his mutining Citizens frighted and driven out of his place and that Church was now left headlesse Farell and Viret two zealous Preachers there devised and set up a new platforme of Church-Government never before heard of in the Christian World Themselves would supply the Bishop and certaine Burgesses of the City should supply his assistant Clergie and both these together would make up the body of an Ecclesiasticall Senate or Consistorie This strange bird thus hatched by Farell and Viret was afterwards brooded by two more famous successours and all this within the compasse of our present age Now had this forme being at first devised only out of need for a present shift contained it selfe within the compasse of the bankes of the Lemane lake it might have beene there retained with either the connivence or pitie of the rest of the Christian world but now finding it selfe to grow in some places through the fame of the abettors into request and good successe it hath taken the boldnesse to put it selfe forth to the notice and approbation of some neighbour Churches and some there are which I blesse my selfe to see that have taken such liking to it that they have affected a voluntary conformity thereunto and being weary of that old form of Administration which hath without contradiction continued in the whole Christian Church from the times of the blessed Apostles of Christ inclusively untill this present age are not onely eager out of their credulity to erect this new frame but dare venditate it to the world after fifteene hundred yeares deep silence for the very Ordinance and Kingdome of Christ whereas if any living man can shew any one lay Presbyter that ever was in the Christian World till Farell and Viret first created him let me forfeit my reputation to shame and my life to justice This is the true ground of this wofull quarrell wherein I cannot but heartily pitie the misguidance of many well-meaning soules of your Majesties subjects which are impetuously carried away in the throng by the meere sway of names and tyrannie of an ignorant zeale not being so much as suffered to know where they are or on what ground they goe the fervent desire of whose reclamation as of the settlement of others whom the ill condition of the time might cause to stagger hath put my pen upon this envious but necessarie taske whereto also my zeale was the more stirred by an information which I received from the late meeting at Edinburgh In the eight Session whereof it is reported that one M. G. Grahame Bishop of Orkney had openly before the whole body of the Assembly renounced his Episcopall Function and craved pardon for having accepted it as if thereby he had committed some hainous offence this uncouth act of his was more than enough to inflame any dutifull son of the Church and to occasion this my ensuing most just expostulation Only I had need to crave pardon of your Majestie for the boldnesse of this interpellation that I have dared to move your Majestie to descend so low as to take view of this on my part so confidently undertaken duell Although if the Combatants be single yet the Cause is so common as that the whole Church of God claimes her interest in it But your Majesties long-knowne goodnesse incourages me to this presumption And withall I could not but have some due regard to that right and propriety which your Majestie may justly challenge in all the labours of this kinde from whose pen soever as being under God appointed the great Patron of all divine truths the great Guardian and Protector of these parts of his Church upon earth whose true ancient and Apostolicall government is here questioned and whose deserved devotions and faithfull prayers shal be continually powred out to the God of heaven for your Majesties long and happy preservation amongst which shall be duly paid the daily tribute of Your Majesties most humble Loyall and zealously devoted Subject and Servant Ios Exon. The Contents The First Part. § 1 AN expostulatorie entrance into the question Page 1 § 2 The difference of the condition of forraigne Churches and Divines from those of our Northerne neighbours Page 6 § 3 The judgement of the German Reformers concerning the retention of Episcopacie Page 10 § 4 The attestation of forraign Divines to our Episcopacie Page 14 § 5 The particularity of the difference of our freedome and the benefit of a Monarchicall reformation Page 17 § 6 The project and drift of the treatise following Page 27 § 7 The first ground or Postulate That government whose foundation
is laid by Christ and whose fabricke is raised by the Apostles is of divine institution Page 28 § 8 The second ground The practice and recommendation of the Apostles is sufficient warrant for an Apostolicall Institution Page 30 § 9 The third ground That the formes ordained for the Churches Administration by the Apostles were for universal and perpetuall use Page 32 § 10 The fourth ground That the universall practice of the Church immediately succeeding the Apostolike times is a sure Commentary upon the practice of the Apostles and our best direction Page 35 § 11 The two famous rules of Tertullian and S. Augustine to this purpose asserted Page 39 § 12 The fifth ground That the Primitive Saints and Fathers neither would nor durst set up another forme of government different from that they received of the Apostles Page 50 § 13 The sixth ground That if the next successors would have innovated the forme of government yet they could not in so short space have diffused it through the whole Christian world Page 56 § 14 The seventh ground That the ancientest Histories of the Church and writings of the first Fathers are rather to be believed in the report of the Primitive state of the Church than the latest Authors Page 59 § 15 The eight ground That those whom the ancient Church of God and all the holy Fathers of the Church since have condemned for Hereticks are no fit guids for us to follow in that their judgement of the government for which they were so condemned Page 64 § 16 The ninth ground That the accession of honourable Titles and Compatible priviledges makes no difference in the substance of a lawfull and holy calling Page 66 § 17 The tenth ground That those Scriptures whereon a new and different forme of government is raised had need to be more evident and unquestionable than those which are alledged for the former that is rejected Page 69 § 18 The eleventh ground That if Christ had left this pretended order of government it would have ere this time been agreed upon what that forme is and how to be managed Page 71 § 19 The twelfth ground That if this which is challenged be the Kingdome of Christ then those Churches which want any essentiall part of it are mainly defective and that there is scarce any at all entire Page 72 § 20 The thirteenth ground That true Christian policie requires not any thing absurd or impossible to be done Page 74 § 21 The fourteenth ground That new pretences of truths never before heard of especially in maine points carry just cause of suspicion Page 76 § 22 The fifteenth ground That to depart from the judgement and practice of the universall Church of Christ ever since the Apostles times and to betake our selves to a new invention cannot but be beside the danger extremely scandalous Page 78 The Second Part. § 1 THe Termes and state of the Question setled and agreed upon Page 1 § 2 Church government begun by our Saviour in a manifest imparity Page 11 § 3 The execution of this Apostolicall power after our Saviours ascent into Heaven Page 16 § 4 The derivation of this power and majoritie from the Apostles to the succeeding Bishops Page 19 § 5 The cleare testimonies of Scripture for this majoitie especially those out of the Epistles to Timothy and Titus urged Page 26 § 6 Some elusions of these Scriptures met with and answered Page 35 § 7 The testimonie of S. John in his Revelation pressed Pag. 41 § 8 The estate and order of Episcopacie deduced from the Apostles to the Primitive Bishops Page 49 § 9 The testimony and assent of Bucer and some famous French Divines Page 54 § 10 The superiority and jurisdiction of Bishops proved by the testimonie of the first Fathers and Apostolicall men and first of Clemens the partner of the Apostles Page 59 § 11 The pregnant and full testimonies of the holy Saint and Martyr Ignatius urged Page 65 § 12 The testimonie of the ancient Canons called the Apostles Page 79 § 13 The state and historie of the next age Page 84 § 14 Proofes of the confessed superiority of Bishops from severall forceable arguments out of antiquitie Page 88 § 15 Power of Ordination only in Bishops Page 90 § 16 Power of jurisdiction appropriated to Bishops from the first Page 95 § 17 Exceptions against our Episcopacie answered and particularly of the dissimilitude of our Bishops to the Primitive in their Pompe and perpetuity Page 99 § 18 The practice of the whole Christian Church in all times and places is for this government by Bishops Page 110 § 19 Of the suppression of contrary Records and of the sole opposition of the heretick Aerius Page 117 § 20 The vindication of those Fathers which are pretended to second Aerius his opinion Page 120 § 21 The practice of the Waldenses and Albigenses in allowance of Episcopall government Page 125 § 22 The government by Bishops both universall and unalterable Page 129 The Third Part. § 1 THe appellation of Lay-Elders and the state of the Question concerning them Page 1 § 2 No Lay-Elder ever mentioned or heard of in the times of the Gospell in all the world till this present age the texts of Scripture particularized in pretence of the contrary Page 7 § 3 Lay-eldership a meere stranger to all antiquitie which acknowledgeth no Presbyters but Divines Page 15 § 4 S. Ambrose's testimonie urged commonly for Lay-Elders answered Page 19 § 5 The utter disagreement and irresolution of the pretenders to the new Discipline concerning the particular state of their desired government Page 24 § 6 The imperfections and defects which must needs be yeelded to follow upon the discipline pretended and the necessary inconveniences that must attend it in a kingdome otherwise setled Page 30 § 7 The knowne newnesse of this invention and the quality of the late authors of it Page 36 § 8 A recapitulation of the severall heads and a vehement exhortation to all Readers and first to our Northerne brethren Page 42 § 9 An exhortatorie conclusion to our brethren at home Page 53 EPISCOPACIE BY DIVINE RIGHT §. 1. An expostulatorie entrance into the Question GOod God! what is this that I have lived to heare That a Bishop in a Christian Assembly should renounce his Episcopall function and crie mercy for his now-abandoned calling Brother that was who ever you be I must have leave a while to contest seriously with you the act was yours the concernment the whole Churches You could not think so foule a deed could escape unquestioned The world never heard of such a Penance you cannot blame us if we receive it both with wonder and expostulation and tell you it had beene much better to have been unborn than to live to give so hainous a scandal to Gods Church and so deep a wound to his holy truth and Ordinance If Tweed that runs betweene us were an Ocean it could not either drown or wash off
our Bishop differs from Calvins namely in a setled imparity and a perpetuity of jurisdiction Give me therefore such a Pastor as shall be ordained a perpetuall Moderator in Church affairs in a fixed imparity exercising Spirituall Iurisdiction out of his owne peculiarly demandated Authority this is the Bishop whom we contend for and whom they oppose I do well see therefore how we may make a shorter cut of this controversie than hath formerly been made by others whose large discourses upon the importune Angariation of others hath been learnedly spent upon the names and titles of a Bishop and Presbyter upon the extent of their first charge whether Parochiall or Diocesan And upon the difference and priority of those Limitations since the only thing that displeaseth in Episcopacy is their majority above Presbyters which is pretended should be only a priority of Order not a superiority of degree and their power of jurisdiction over Presbyters for yield these by a due ordination to a prime pastor for a constant continuance you make him a Bishop denie these to a Bishop you make him no other than a plain Presbyter our only labour therefore must be to make good these two points and to evince that imparity in the Governours of the Church and the power of Episcopall Iurisdiction is not of any lesse than Apostolicall and divine Institution to which Task we now addresse our selves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. §. 2. Church government begun by our Saviour in a manifest imparity WE begin with our undertaken issues and shall show that this imparitie of government and Epiâ—copall Iurisdiction was founded by Christ and erected by his Apostles both by their practise and recommendation Who sees not then a manifest imparitie in our Saviours owne choice in the first gathering of his Churâ—h wherein his Apostles were above his other Disciples the twelve above the 70 above them in priviledges and especially in the immediatenesse of their calling above them in their Masters respects above them in gifts and in the power of their dispensation above them in Commission above them in miraculous operations Even those 70 were Ministers of the Gospel but those twelve were even as it were the Patriarks of the Church noted still by an article of Eminence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The twelve others were labourers in the work these were master-builders as St. Paul to his Corinthes others might heal by their touch these by their very shadow Others had the holy Ghost these gave it Philip was an Evangelist he preached he wrought miracles he converted and baptized the Samaritans yet till Peter and Iohn came down and prayed and laid their hands on them Act. 8.14.15 they recived not the holy Ghost And how plain is it that such honorable regard was given to the Twelve that when one room fell voyd by the Treason of Iudas Hier. de script Eccles it must by the direction of the Spirit of God be made up by an election out of the 70. Had it not been an higher preferment to have been an Apostle wherefore was that scrutiny and choyce What do I urge this point He never read Scripture that can doubt of it wherefore did the chosen vessell stand so highly upon the challenge of his Apostleship if he had not known it to be a singular honour And how punctually doth he marshall up as some divine Herald the due rankes of Ecclesiasticall offices First Apostles 1 Cor 12.28 Secondly Prophets Thirdly Teachers then those that do miracles after that the gifts of healing helps in governing diversity of Tongues but perhaps you will not be so illiberall as to deny the Apostles a precedency of honour in the Church how can you and bee a Christian But you sticke at their Iurisdiction Here was nothing but equality true an equality among themselves pari consortu praediti et honoris et potestatis as Cyprian truly but a superiority of power in them all and in each of them over the rest of the members of Christs Church Verily I say unto you saith our Saviour Matth. 19 2â— ye that have followed me in the Regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory ye shall also sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Isarel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Regeneration That is as Cameron very well interprets it Camer in locum in the Renovation of the Church for under the state of the Gospel the Church was as new born and made anew according to that of St. Paul All things are become new alluding to the Prophet Isaiah who to this sence Behold saith he I create new heavens and a new earth Esa 65.17 and the former shall not bee remembred nor come into minde And Beza himself though he make a difference in the pointing and thereby in the Construction yet grants that according to his second sense the preaching of the Gospell by Christ and his messengers is meant by this regeneration Quia tum veluti de integro conditus est mundus because then the world was as it were made anew So as then was the time when the Sonne of man began to bee exalted to the Throne of his glory both in earth and in Heaven And then should the Twelve that had forsaken all for him enjoy all in him Then should they sit on twelve Thrones and judge the twelve Tribes of Israel What are the twelve Tribes of Israel but the whole Church of God For whereof did the first Christian Church consist but of converted Iewes And whâ—ther did our Saviour bend all his allusions but to them Num. 1.16 They had their twelve Princes of the Tribes of their Fathers heads of the thousands of Israel Nu. 11.16.17 They had their seventy Elders to bear the burden of the people The Son of God affects to imitate his former Polity and therefore chooses his twelve Apostles and 70 Disciples o tgather and sway his Evangelicall Church The twelve Tribes then are the Church The twelve Apostles must be their Iudges and governours Their siitting showes authorâ—tie Their sitting on Thrones eminence of power their sitting on twelve Thrones equalitie of their Rule their sitting to judge power and exercise of Iurisdiction their sitting to judge the twelve Tribes of Israel the universalitie of their power and jurisdiction And what Iudgement could this be but Ecclesiasticall and Spiritual for civill rule they challenged not and what Thrones but Apostolicall and by their derivation Episcopall Who knowes not how ordinary that stile is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we finde it even in Aerius himself Epiphan haere 75. And if the Apostles seat was his Throne and the Bishops succeeded the Apostles in those seats who can deny them this power of Spirituall judicature and jurisdiction To the same purpose is that of S. Augustine Aug. de Civit. dei 1. 20. who upon the words of S. Iohn I saw seats and some sitting on them
judgement was given hath thus Non hoc putandum de ultimo judicio c. We may not think this spoken of the last judgement but the seats of the Prelats or presidents by whom the Church is governed and the governors themselves are to be understood the judgment that is given cannot be any better way taken than for that which is said Whatsoeuer ye binde on earth shal be bound in heauen §. 3. The execution of this Apostolicall power after our Saviours ascent into Heaven THe power is clear will you see the Execution of it Look upon St. Paul the Posthumous and Supernumerary but no lesse glorious Apostle see with what Majesty he becomes his new erected Throne one while deeply (a) 2 Thess 36. charging and commanding another while (b) 1 Cor. 5.4.5.6.7 controlling and censuring One while (c) 1 Cor. 11.2 1 Cor. 16 1. giving Laws and Ordinances another while urging for their observance One while (d) 1 Tim. 1.6 1 Tim. 2.9 1 Tim. 6 13. 2 Cor. 13.2 2 Cor. 4.21 1 Tim. 1.20 ordaining Church-governours another while adjuring them to do their duties one while threatning punishment another while inflicting it And if these be not acts of Iurisdiction what can be such which since they were done by the Apostle from the instinct of Gods Spirit wherewith he was inspired and out of the warrant of his high vocation most manifest it is that the Apostles of Christ had a supereminent power in Gods Church And if any person whosoever though an Evangelist or Prophet should have dared to make himselfe equall to an Apostle he had been hissed out yea rather thunder-struck by deep Censure for an Arrogant and saucy usurper Now if our blessed Saviour thought it fit to found his Church in an evident imparity what reason should we have to imagine he did not intend so to continue it It had been equally easie for him had he so thought meet to have made al his followers equally great none better than a disciple none meaner than an Apostle But now since it hath pleased him to raise up some to the honour of Apostles no lesse above the 70 than the seventy were above the multitude only injoyning them that the highest in place should be the lowest in minde and humility of service what doth he but herein teach us that he meant to set this course for the insuing government of his Church Neither is it possible for any man to be so absurd as to think that the Apostles who were by their heavenly Master infeoffed in this known preeminence should after the Ascent of their Saviour descend from their acknowledged superiority and make themselves but equall to the Presbyters they ordained No they still and ever as knowing they were qualified for that purpose by the more speciall graces of the holie Ghost kept their holie state maintained the honour of their places What was the fault of Diotrephes but that being a Church-governour he proudlie stood out against St. John not acknowledging the Transcendant power of his Apostolicall Iurisdiction whom the provok't Apostle threats to correct accordinglie so as those that lay Diotrephes in our dish do little consider that they buffet none but themselves who symbolize with him in opposing Episcopal that is as all antiquity was wont to construe it Apostolicall government But you are ready to say This was during their own time they were persons extraordinary and their calling and superioritie died with them Parâ—câ—â—l 1. c. 4. Thus our Tileno-mastix in terms The only question is Whether of the ordinary Presbyters which were singlie set over severall Churches they advanced one in degree above his brethren We shall erre then if we distinguish not These great Ambassadors of Christ sustained more persons than one they comprehended in themselves the whole Hierarcy they were Christians Presbyters Bishops Apostles So it was they were Apostles immediatlie called miraculouslie gifted infalliblie guided universallie charged Thus they had not they could not have any successors they were withall Church governours appointed by Christ to order and settle the affairs of his Spirituall Kingdome And therein besides the preaching of the Gospel and baptizing common to them with other Ministers to ordain a succession of the meet Administrators of his Church Thus they were would be must be succeeded Neither could the Church otherwise have subsisted No Christian can denie this all binding upon a necessitie of Apostolicall succession though differing in the qualitie and degree of their successors §. 4. The derivation of this power and majority from the Apostles to the succeeding Bishops NOw therefore that we have seene what ground our Saviour laid for a superioritie in them Let us see how they by his divine inspiration erected it in others who should follow them â—hat was Apostolicall this was Episcopall It is true as Calâ—in saith that at the first all to whom the Dispensation of the Gospell was committed were called Presbyters whether they were Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors and Doctors as before the Apostles were commonly called by the name of Disciples in every Chapter yet in degree still above the 70 and we do still say one while Bishops and Curats comprehending all Presbyters and Deacons under that name another while Bishops Pastors Curats not distinctly observing the difference of names So they all were called Presbyters yet not so but that there was a manifest and full distinction betwixt the Apostles and Presbyters as thrise Act. the 15. They therefore though out of humility they hold the common names with others yet maintained their places of Apostles and governed the Church at first as it were in common And thus as St. Ierome truly All maine matters were done in the beginning by the common Councell and consent of the Presbyters their consent but still the power was in the Apostles who in the nearer Churches since they in person ordered Ecclesiasticall affairs ordained only Presbyters in the remoter Bishops This for the Consummation of it was an act of time Neither was the same course held at once in every Church whiles it was in Fieri some which were nearer being supplied by the Apostles presence needed not so present an Episcopacy Others that were small needed not yet their full number of Offices neither were there perhaps fit men for those places of eminence to be found every where whence it is that we finde in some Scriptures mention only of Bishops and Deacons in others of Presbyters not of Bishops This then was the Apostles course for the plantation of the Church and the better propagation of the Gospel where ever they came they found it necessary to ordain meet assistants to them and they promiscuously imparted unto them all their owne stile but Apostolicall naming them Bishops and Presbyters and Deacons according to the familiarity and indifferency of their former usage therein But when they having divided themselves into severall parts of the world found that the number of
in the town of Kirkwall The Superintendent of Rosse his Dioecesse shall comprehend Rosse Sutherland Murray and the North Isles called the Skye and Lewes with their adjacents his residence shal be the Canonry of Rosse The Superintendent of Argile his Dioecesse shall be Argile Kintire Lorne the South Isles Argile and Boot with their adjacents his residence is at Argile The like of the Superintendent of Aberdene the Superintendent of Breckin the Superintendent of Fiffe the Superintendent of Edinburgh the Superintendent of Iedburgh the Superintendent of Glasgow the Superintendent of Dumfreys all of them bounded with their severall jurisdictions which who desires to know particularly may have recourse to the learned Discourse of D Lindsey then Bishop of Brechen concerning the proceedings of the Synod of Perth Where he shall also finde the particularities of the function and power of these Superintendents Amongst the rest these That they have power to plant and erect Churches to set order and appoint Ministers in their Countreys That after they have remained in their chiefe townes three or foure moneths they shall enter into their Visitation in which they shall not onely preach but examine the life diligence and behaviour of the Ministers as also they shall trie the estate of their Churches and manners of the people They must consider how the poore are provided and the youth instructed they must admonish where admonitions need and redresse such things as they are able to appease They must note such crimes as are hainous that by the censures of the Church the same may be corrected And now what main difference I beseech you can you finde betwixt the office of these Superintendents and the present Bishops How comes it then about that the wind is thus changed That those Church-governours which your owne reformers with full consent allowed and set downe an Order for their Election in your Constitutions before the Book of Psalms in Meeter should now be cashiered There and then M. Knox himselfe whose name you professe to honour by the publike authority of the Church conceives publike prayer for M. Iohn Spotteswood then admitted Superintendent of Lothian in these words O Lord send upon this our Brother unto whom we doe in thy name commit the chiefe charge of the Churches of the division of Lothian such a portion of thy holy Spirit as that c. And in the name of the Church blesseth his new Superintendent thus God that hath called thee to the office of a watchman over his people multiply the gifts of his grace in thee c. Now I beseech you how is this Superintendency lost That which was then both lawfull and usefull and confessed for no other then a calling from God is it now become sinfull and odious Are we become so much wiser and more zealous than our first reformers as there is distance betwixt a Superintendent and no Bishop But what is it the stroake the Bishops have in government and their seat in Parliament which is so great an eye-sore Let me put you in mind that your greatest patrons of your desired Discipline have strongly motioned an Ecclesiasticall Commission for the over-looking and over-ruling your Consistories and even when they would have Bishops excluded both out of those Comitiall Sessions Moved also to the Lords of the Counsell in Q Eliz. time by the humble Mot. and out of the Church yet have moved such was Beza's device long since for Scotland That in the place of Bishops there might be present in the Parliament-house some wise and grave Ministers of speciall gifts and learning sorted out of all the land to yeeld their Counsell according to Gods heavenly Law even as the Civill Iudges are ready to give their advice according to the temporall Law and for matters of greater difficulty What a world is this Grave and wise Ministers and yet no Bishops Doth our Episcopacie either abolish our Ministery or detract ought from wisdome and gravity Away with this absurd partiality But these must be to advise not to vote in any case beware of that where then is the third estate Beza's Counsell we see is yet alive but it comes not home to the purpose Welfare that bold Supplicator to Q. Elizabeth which moved that foure and twenty Doctors of Divinity to be called by such names as should please her Highnesse might be admitted into the Parliament House and have their voices there instead of the Bishops O impotent envie of poore humorists Doctors but no Bishops Any men any names but theirs the old word is Love creepes where it cannot goe How much are we beholden to these kinde friends who are so desirous to ease us of these unproper secularities Even ours at home can nibble at these as they think ill-placed honours and services yours goe alas too roundly to worke striking at the root of their Episcopacie not pruning off some superfluous twigs of priviledge rather than not strike home not caring whom they hit in the way would God I might not say even the Lords Anointed whom they verbally professe to honour at whose sacred Crowne and Scepter if any of the sons of Belial amongst you do secretly aime whiles they stalke under the pretence of opposition to Episcopacie the God of heaven find them out and powre upon them deserved confusion But for you alas Brethren what hopes can I conceive that these pre-judged papers can have any accesse to your eyes much lesse to your hearts my very Title is barre too much But if any of you will have so much patience as to admit these lines to your perusall I shall beseech him for Gods sake and for his own to be so farre indifferent also as not upon groundlesse suggestion to abandon Gods Truth and Ordinance and out of meere opinion of the worth of some late Authour to adore an Idoll made of the earings of the people and fashioned out with the graving toole of a supposed skilfull Aaron Shortly after these poore well-meant howsoever I doubt ineffectuall endeavours my prayers shall not be wanting for your comfortable peace loyall obedience perfect happinesse Oh that the God of heaven would open your eyes that you may see the truth and compare what you have done with what you should doe how soone would you finde cause to retract your own decrees and to re-establish that true Ordinance of the living God which you have beene mis-induced to abandon §. 9. An exhortary conclusion to our brethren at home ANd for you my dearely beloved Brethren at home For Christs sake for the Churches sake for your soules sake be exhorted to hold fast to this holy Institution of your blessed Saviour and his unerring Apostles and blesse God for Episcopacie Doe but cast your eyes a little back and see what noble instruments of Gods glory he hath beene pleased to raise up in this very Church of ours out of this sacred vocation What famous servants of God what strong Champions of Truth and renowned Antagonists of Rome and her superstitions what admirable Preachers what incomparable Writers yea what constant and undaunted Martyrs and Confessours men that gave their blood for the Gospell and imbraced their fagots flaming which many gregarie Professours held enough to carry cold and painlesse To the wonder and gratulation of all forraigne Churches and to the unparallelable glory of this Church and Nation I could fill this page with such a Catalogue of them who are now in their heaven that come for the present to my thoughts besides those Worthies yet living both here and in Ireland who would be unwilling from my pen tO blush at their owne just praises as might justly shame and silence any gaine-sayer After that a malicious Libeller hath spit out all his poyson against Episcopacie and raked together out of all histories all the insolencies and ill offices which have in former ages been done by professedly Popish Prelates which do almost as much concerne us as all the Treasons and Murders of formerly male-contented persons can concerne him faine would I have him shew me what Christian Church under heaven hath in so short a time yeelded so many glorious Lights of the Gospell so many able and prevalent adversaries of Schisme and Antichristianisme so many eminent Authours of learned workes which shall out-bid time it selfe let envie grinde her teeth and eat her heart the memory of these worthy Prelates shall be ever sweet and blessed Neither doubt I but that it will please God out of the same rod of Aaron still to raise such blossomes and fruit as shall win him glory to all eternity Go you on to honour these your reverend Pastors to hate all factious withdrawings from that government which comes the nearest of any Church upon earth to the Apostolicall And that I may draw to Conclusion for the farther Confirmation of your good Opinion of the Bishops of your Great Britaine heare what Iacobus Lectius Iacob Lectius Prascriptionum Theologicarum l. 2. Nota. 2. the learned Civilian of Geneva in his Theologicall Prescriptions dedicated to the Consuls and Senate of Geneva saith of them De Episcoporum autem vestorum vocatione c. As for the calling of your Bishops saith he speaking to his Popish adversaries others have accurately written thereof and we shortly say that they have a show of an Ordinary Ministery but not the thing it selfe and that those onely are to be held for true and legitimate which Paul describes to us in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus Cujusmodi olim in magno illo Britanniarum regno extitisse atque etiamnum superesse subindeque eligi Episcopos non diffitemur Such kind of Bishops as we doe not deny but yeeld to have been of old and to be still at this day successively elected in the great Kingdome of Britaine Thus he when Geneva it selfe pleades for us why should we be our owne adversaries Let me therefore confidently shut up all with that resolute word of that blessed Martyr and Saint Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let all things be done to the honour of God Give respect to your Bishop as you would God should respect you My soule for theirs which obey their Bishop Presbyters Deacons God grant that my portion may be the same with theirs And let my soule have the same share with that blessed Martyr that said so Amen FINIS