Confessions and proofes of Protestant divines of reformed churches that episcopacy is in respect of the office according to the word of God, and in respect of the use the best : together with a brief treatise touching the originall of bishops and metropolitans.

XIV. THESIS.

That Protestant Divines of other Reform'd Churches, have held it most equall to be directed by the judgements of Anci∣ents for proof of a practice Apostolical.

WE plead no other equity in this cause,a then what Cal∣vin held necessary against Anabaptisticall Revelati∣ons, arguing negatively in this manner, These lyes (saith he) are easily confuted, because many were then living who had been conversant with the Disciples of the Apostles. So he concerning Doctrines. How much more convincent must this Argument be when our Question shall be of the practice of the Church in the dayes of the Apostles? even as is daily done by all Christian Churches, for p••oof of the practice of baptizing of Infants, against the same Anabaptisticall Faction; yea, why not also for the like Originall practice of Episcopacy, even by the confession of Protestant Divines of excellent judgement: b Beza must not be neglected, telling us, that he ought not to neglect the Ordinance of a higher degree of a Bishop above a Presbyter, because this was an ancient custome in the famous Church of Alexandria. So he. This is well, but he hath not quite told out his tale, which he doth elsewhere out of the words ofc Hierome, saying namely, that in Alexandria, from Mark the Evangelist, one was elected by the Presbytery,

and placed in a higher degree, whom they named Bishop, which was done for a remedy against Schisme. Be it then that touching this Series and order of Succession, as it was said of Saint Mark the Apostle, be it taken inclusively, or exclusively; it necessarily implyeth, that the Original of Episcopacy was in the dayes of the same Apostles. Master Moulin giveth us a lowder Accent, saying, thatd he was never so hard faced as to censure these Bishops: Ignatius, Polycarpe, Augustine, Chrysostome, and other great lights of the Church, to have usurped an unlawfull function in the Church of Christ; So he: Alleadging among his ancients Polycarpe and Ignatius; the first of which, as all the learned know, lived in the dayes of the Apostles, and as antiquity it self teacheth, and consent of Protestant Divines of Remote Churches will afterwards grant, to have been in the dayes of Saint John the Evangelist, the Bishop of Smyrna. The other, viz. Ignatius, was also acquainted with those, who had been the Disciples of Christ. Besides, we have hearde Scultetus resolving, that Iames (not the Apostle) the Brother of our Lord, was Bishop of Hie∣rusalem, from the plentifull testimonies of Antiquity it self. We will conclude with this our proof from the same Anti∣quity; but what? even that whichf Bucer finds resolved upon (as he saith) before Hierom, let us take his own words. Di∣vine Fathers more ancient then Hierom. Cyprian, Ireneus, Eu∣sebius, and other Ecclesiastical Historians shew, That in the Apostles times there was one elected and ordained, who should have Episcopal function and superiority over Presbyters; so

he, instancing in Iames, of whom we have spoken who was Bishop of Hierusalem.

Notes

• a

  Calv Tract. Theol. Eccl••si. reform, a•• 74 Iren••o & Ori¦gini negotium erat cum impro∣bis nebulonibus▪ qui, dum pro li∣g••o••os errores p••••••errent in 〈◊〉〈◊〉, eos sibi divinitus rev••∣latos 〈◊〉〈◊〉. Hujus 〈…〉〈…〉 facilis erat Re∣vel••tio quô ••ad∣huc superstites erant multi, qui familiares Apostolorum discipuli fue∣runt: quibus re∣c••ns erat hujus doctrinae me∣moria, quam Apostoli tradiderunt.
• b

  Beza de Minist gradibus. Pro primatu Ordinis inter Presbyteros communicato ••••nguli p••storibus per vices Primatùs dignitate, quod visum fuit hunc ad unum equidem ••otius p••esbyterii judicio delectum transferre, certè reprehendi nec possit, nec deb••t, cum 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••••ustus mos 〈◊〉〈◊〉 primum presbyterum deligendo in Alexandrinâ Ec∣clesiâ celeberrimâ inde à Marco Evangeli•••• observatus.
• c

  B••za de Minist grad. c. 23. ••uod autem unus electus est qu•• ••aeteris praeponer••tur, in Schismatis factum est Remelium, ne unus∣quisque ad se Christum traho••••s Ecclesiam rumperet; nam & Alexandriae a Marco Evangelistâ ad Heracl. usque et Dionysium Episcopos, Presbyteri unum semper à se electum in cel••iore gradu coll••catum Episcopum nominabant.
• d

  Moulin Ep. 3. ad Episc. Winton. Non sum adeo ••ris duri ut velim adversus illa veteris Ecalesiae Lumina Ignati∣um, Polycarpum Cyprianum, Au∣gustinum, Chry∣sostomum, &c. ferre sententi∣am, ut adversus usurpatores mù∣neris illiciti: plus semper a∣pud me potuit veneranda An∣tiquitas, quam novella cujus∣quam constitu∣tio. See below. The like ac∣knowledgment will Beza give us hereafter.
• e

  Scultet. observat. in Titum. c. 8. sed ego de Jacobo dicam, non illo quidem Apostolo sed Salvatoris nostri fratre.
• f

  Bucer de Anim. curâ et officio Pastor: Apud patres Hieronymo vetustiores clara habemus Testimonia, in praecipuis Ecclesiis omnibus temporibus Apostolorum ita comparatum est, ut Presbyteris omnibus quidem officium Episcopale fuerit impositum. Interim tamen Apostolorum temporibus unus, de Presbyteris electus utque or∣dinatus est in officii ducem & quasi Antistitem, qui cateris omnibus praeivit, & curam animarum, ministeriumque Episcopale pracipuè & in summo gessit atque administravit, quod de Jacobo legis, Act. 15. ubi Lucas Jacobum describit ut Antistitem totius Ec∣clesiae omniumque Presbyterorum.