young sophisters; but as sober Divines, in a fervent pursuit of that truth, which God and his purer Church have left and consigned

That God, who is the Father of Lights and the God of Truth and Peace, enlighten the eyes of his poor seduced people, that they may see and acknowledge his truth; not suffering themselves to be blinded with unjust prejudices and false suggestions; and that they may know those things, which belong to their peace!

SECT. 2.

The Difference of the Condition of Foreign Churches and Divines, from those of our Northern Neighbours.

BUT, first, ere we enter these lists, let me advise you, and your now-master the Faction; not to deceive yourselves vainly, with the hope of hiding your heads, under the skirt of the authority of those Divines and Churches abroad, which retain that form of go vernment whereto you have submitted.

For, know, their case and yours is far enough different. They plead to be, by a kind of necessity, cast upon that condition, which you have willingly chosen. They were not, they could not be, what you were, and might still have been. Did any of them for sake and abjure that Function of Episcopacy, which he might freely have enjoyed with the full liberty of professing the Reformed Religion? It is true, many Bishops have been faulty in their own persons, and condemned too justly of exorbitance, in managing their calling; but, where the calling is, as it should be, severed from these exceptions to the person, did ever any wise man or Christian Church condemn that calling for itself?

Yea, if the last Bishop of Geneva had become a Protestant, and consented in matter of doctrine to Calvin, Farell, Viret, have you or any man living just cause to think, that the city would not gladly have retained his government still, and thought themselves happy under such a protection? Would they have ejected him as an enemy, whom they might have enjoyed as a patron? Would they have stood upon his Episcopacy, while they had his concur rence in the truth of religion? No man, that hath either brain or forehead, will affirm it; since the world knows the quarrel was not at his dignity, but at his opposition to the intended Reformation.

But, because this is only a suggestion of a then-future-condi tionate contingency, and may perhaps meet with some stubborn contradiction, hear what Calvin himself saith, for himself and his copartners. "If they would,” saith he *, “bring untò us such á

* Calvin. de Necessit. Eccles. Reformandæ. Talem si nobis Hierarchiam exhibeant, in qua sic emineant Episcopi ut Christo subesse non recusent, ut ab illo tanquam Unico Capite pendeant, et ad ipsum referantur, &c. tum, verð, nullo

Hierarchy, wherein the Bishops shall so rule, as that they refuse not to submit themselves to Christ, that they depend upon him, as their Only Head, &c. then, surely, if there shall be any, that shall not submit themselves to that Hierarchy, reverently and with the greatest obedience that may be, I confess there is no Anathema of which they are not worthy." Thus he, in the Treatise of the Necessity of Reforming the Church.

Do you hear your doom from your own oracle? Lo, such, and no other, was that Hierarchy, wherein you lately bore a part, and which you have now condemned: make account, therefore, of the merit and danger of Calvin's just Anathema.

Yet, again, the same author, in his Confession of Faith; written in the name of all the French Churches, speaking of the depraved estate of the Roman Church, then in the fieri of reforming, plainly writes thus *; Interea, tamen: "Yet, in the mean time, we would not have the authority of the Church, or of those Pastors, or Superintendents, to whom the charge of governing the Church is committed, taken away. We confess, therefore, that these Bishops or Pastors are reverently to be heard, so far forth as, according to their function, they teach the Word of God."

And, yet more plainly: "Certainly," saith he †, speaking even of Popish Bishops, "if they were true Bishops, I would yield them some authority in this case: not so much as themselves desire; but so much as is required to the due ordering of the policy or government of the Church."

Lastly, for it were easy to heap up this measure, in an Epistle of his, wherein the question is purposely discussed, What is to be done, if a Popish Bishop shall be converted to the reformed religion; he so determines it; That it is fit such an one, first, renounce his Popish power of sacrificing, and profess to abstain from all the superstitions and fœdities of the Romish Religion: then, that he must do his utmost endeavour, that all the Churches, which belong to his Bishoprick, may be purged from their errors and idolatry: and, at last, concludes, that both his possessions and authority too, should be left him; by virtue whereof, he must take order, that the Ministers under him do duly preach God's Word, as himself also must do. Thus he, wisely and moderately not, first of all, stripping him of his Episcopal power, and discharging all his Clergy of their respects and obedience to him, and reducing him to the

non Anathemate dignos fatear, si qui erunt, qui non eam reverenter summiáque obedientia observant. Cited also, as approved, by Chamier. De Membris Eccles. Lib. iv. cap 1.

* Interea, tamen, Ecclesiæ authoritatem, vel Pastorum, et Superintendentium, quibus Ecclesiæ regendæ provincia mandata est, sublatam nolumus. Fatemur, ergo, Episcopos sive Pastores reverenter audiendos, quatenus pro sux functionis ratione Verbum Dei docent. Confess. Fidei nomine Gall. Eccles.

† Sanè, si veri Episcopi essent, aliquid eis in hác parte authoritatis tribuerem: non quantum sibi postulant; sed quantum ad politiam Ecclesiæ ritè ordinandam requiritur. Calv. Instit. l. iv. c. 10.

rank of the meanest plebeian Presbyter, as some hot heads would have done.

You hear how judicious and moderate Calvin's opinion was, then; and, had he been in your late pretended Assembly at Glasgow or this of Edinburgh, what vote he would have given. Had he had the casting voice, your coat had not been cast, for him. How happy were it for your Churches, if all among you, who so much honour his name, would as readily submit to this his judgment! Sure I am, had it been so with you, you had been as far from defying Episcopacy in holy professors, as you are now from truth and peace.

SECT. 3.

The Judgment of the German Reformers, concerning the retaining of Episcopacy.

AND, that the French Reformers may not herein be thought to go alone, take notice, I beseech you, what the German Divines, of the Ausburgh-Confession, have freely professed to this purpose: who, taking occasion to speak of Canonical Ordination, break forth into these words following: Sed Episcopi &c: " But the Bishops," say they, "do either force our Priests to disclaim and condemn this kind of doctrine, which we have here confessed; or, by a certain new and unheard-of kind of cruelty, put the poor and innocent souls to death. These causes are they, which hinder our Priests from receiving their Bishops: so as the cruelty of the Bishops is the cause, why that Canonical Government or Policy, which we earnestly desired to conserve*, is, in some places, now dissolved." And, not long after in the same chapter: Prorsus hic iterum &c: "And now, here again, we desire to testify it (to the world) that we will willingly conserve the Ecclesiastical and Canonical Government, if only the Bishops will cease to exercise cruelty upon our Churches. This our will shall excuse us before God, and before all the world, unto all posterity: that it may not be justly imputed unto us, that the authority of Bishops is impaired amongst us; when men shall hear and read, that we, earnestly deprecating the unjust cruelty of the Bishops, could obtain no equal measure at their hands."

Thus those learned Divines and Protestants of Germany: wherein all the world sees the Apologist professeth for them, that they greatly desired to conserve the Government of Bishops; that they were altogether unwillingly driven from it; that it was utterly against their heart, that it should have been impaired or weakened; that it was only the personal cruelty and violence of the Romish Persecutors, in a bloody opposition to the doctrine of the Gospel, which was then excepted against.

Quam nos magnopere conservare cupiebamus.

To the same purpose is that, which Camerarius reports concerning those two great lights of Germany, Melancthon and Luther: That Philip Melancthon, not only by the consent but the advice of Luther †, persuaded the Protestants of that time, that if Bishops would grant free use of the true doctrine, their ordinary power and administration over their several Dioceses should be restored unto them. And the same Melancthon, in an Epistle to Luther, hath thus: "You do not believe in how great hatred I am, both with the Noricians, and I know not whom else, for restoring to the Bishops their jurisdiction:" and, in a most true censure in his History of the Augustan Confession: Hoc autem malè habet quosdam immoderatiores, reddi jurisdictionem, restitui Politiam Ecclesiasticam; "This," saith he, "troubles certain immoderate men, that jurisdiction is re-delivered to the Bishops, and their Ecclesiastical Policy restored."

As for Bucer, he is noted and confessedly acknowledged, for a favourer of Religious Episcopacy ..

See now, I beseech you, how willing these first Reformers were, to maintain and establish Episcopal Government; how desirous to restore it; how troubled, that they might not continue it. Might they have enjoyed the Gospel, they would have enjoyed Episcopacy.

In whose steps, then, do you tread, while you defy it? Certainly, if the Genevan and German Prelacy would have but tolerated a Reformation of the Papal Corruptions, there had never been, either a Parity of Ministers or a Lay-Presbyter, in the world, to this day.

SECT. 4.

The Attestation of Famous Divines abroad to our Episcopacy. WHAT should I need to press you with those attestations of high respect, which the most eminent Divines of Foreign Churches have ever wont to give.to our Episcopacy?

To begin with Beza: though a truer back-friend to the Hierarchy, than his cooler predecessor; yet this he can say for ours ¶: "If now the Reformed Churches of England, under-propped with the authority of Bishops and Archbishops, do hold on; as this hath happened to that Church in our memory, that she hath had men of that calling, not only most notable Martyrs of God, but also ex

* Camer. in Vità Melancth.

+ Who professeth also so much in the small Chaldian Articles. Art. 10. Melanct. Epist. Luthero.

Melanct. Camerario Hist. Confes. August. per Chytræum.

Buc. de Regno Christi. He, that desires to see more testimonies of this kind,

I refer him to the Survey of Discipl. chap. 8.

¶ Beza. Resp. ad Sarav. p. 111. Vid. Surv. Discipl. p. 135,

cellent Pastors and Doctors; Fruatur sanè istá singulari Dei beneficentia, quæ utinam illi sit perpetua: let her, in God's name, enjoy this singular bounty of God, which I wish she may hold for ever."

As for learned and moderate Zanchius, he hath spent his judgment so freely on our part, that he confesseth, a certain great man, and we guess whom he means, took exceptions at his favour of Episcopacy.

Let me, not without the professions of my dear respects to my ancient and worthy friend D. Molinæus, tell you what he heartily writes to our late-admirable Bishop of Winchester, Egóne malè vellem Ordini vestro &c; “What! that I should have an ill conceit of your Order, of which I never spake without honour! as who do well know, that the restoration of the English Church and eversion of Popery, next under God and your Kings, is chiefly to be ascribed and owed to the learning and industry of your Bishops: some whereof, being crowned with Martyrdom, subscribed the Gospel with their blood; whose writings we have; whose acts and zeal we record, as no whit inferior to the best of God's servants, which France or Germany hath yielded: he, that denies this, is either wickedly foolish, or envious to the glory of God, &c."

What should I need to thicken the air, with clouds of witnesses ?

There is witness enough, in the late Synod of Dort. When the Bishop of Landaff had, in a speech of his, touched upon Episcopal Government; and shewed, that the want thereof gave opportunities to those divisions, which were then on foot in the Netherlands: Bogermannus, the President of that Assembly, stood up; and, in a good allowance of what had been spoken, said, Domine, nos non sumus adeò fælices: "Alas! my Lord, we are not so happy." Neither did he speak this in a fashionable compliment: neither the person, nor the place, nor the hearers were fit for that: but in sad gravity, and conscionable profession of a known truth. Neither would he, being the mouth of that select Assembly, have thought it safe to pass those words, before the Deputies of the States and so many venerable Divines of foreign parts (besides their own,) if he had not supposed this so clear a truth, as that Synod would neither disrelish, nor contradict.

What do I single out a few? All the world of men, judicious and not prejudiced with their own interests, both do and must say thus; and confess, with learned Casaubon, Fregevill, and Saravia, that no Church in the world comes so near to the Apostolic Form, as the Church of England.

And are you weary of that condition, which other good and wise men proclaim happy? Do you dote upon that, which they would be glad to change?

* P. Molin. Ep. 3. Reverendiss. Viro, Præsuli dignissimo, D. Episc. Winton.