CHAP. XIX.
THere are severall grand pleas in behalf of Primitive and Catholick Episcopacy, which I here crave leave to produce and urge in a way different from other mens pens, before all Learned, Godly and Consci∣encious Christians, Ministers and others; not onely in order to relieve oppressed Episcopacy, but also to re∣duce them to an happy reconciliation, and this Church to the state of a setled and uniform Reformation or Religion, which will hardly ever be obtained in England by the violent and partiall exclusion of the ancient Rights, pristine Power and evident priviledges of Episco∣pacy, unlesse the Antiepiscopall parties can take care to burn or smother all Monuments of true Antiquity, or to banish all excellent books, ancient and modern, which have asserted it, or at least forbid their new seminaries and all Scholars the reading of them. If they cannot rid the world of these bookes, then they must make some sharp Index expurgatorius, which shall blot out the words of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Episcopus, Antistes, Praepositus, summus Sacerdos, Pastor, Pater, with those of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, ••aterni∣tas, Eminentia, Dignitas, Sanctitas, Authoritas, and other like expressi∣ons, setting forth the eminent dignity and ancient authority of Epis∣copacy in all Churches; which expressions are so frequent and conspi∣cuous in all Ecclesiastick writers, Greek and Latin, that the starres in the firmament are not more numerous or more illustrious in a clear night, or the Sun-beames shining at bright noon.
The Native, Primitive, Apostolick, Catholick and Divine splen∣dor of Episcopacy cannot be eclipsed, without darkning the faces of all Churches and all Christians. Nor in effect will it ever be done, unlesse its implacable enemies can take care by their cunning activity, that none shall be Students, or Preachers, or Professors of Christianity, or of true Divinity in England, but such as will be content first to be blinded and hoodwinckt as to all knowledge of Antiquity; next, that their Disciples shall take the measures of their Religion, Ordination, Church-order, Ecclesiasticall Jurisdiction and Christian Communion, not from Jerusalem, or Antioch, or Ephesus, or old Rome, or any other famous, Catholick, Primitive Churches, (which were all under Episcopall inspection, and in its Communion) but from Geneva, Francfort, Amsterdam, Arnheim, or Edenbrough; and this since they have pretended (of later yeares) to be wiser