Episcopacie by divine right. Asserted, by Jos. Hall, B. of Exon

§. 9.

An exhortary conclusion to our brethren at home.

ANd for you, my dearely beloved Bre∣thren, at home; For Christs sake, for the Churches sake, for your soules sake, be [ 10] exhorted to hold fast to this holy Institution of your blessed Saviour, and his unerring Apo∣stles; 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 fa∣mous servants of God, what strong Cham∣pions of Truth, and renowned Antagonists of Rome, and her superstitions; what ad∣mirable Preachers; what incomparable Wri∣ters; [ 20] yea, what constant and undaunted Mar∣tyrs, and Confessours; men that gave their blood for the Gospell, and imbraced their fagots, flaming; which many gregarie Pro∣fessours held enough to carry cold and pain∣lesse: 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 pre∣sent 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 E∣piscopacie, and raked together, out of all histo∣ries, [ 10] all the insolencies, and ill offices, which have, in former ages, been done by professedly Popish Prelates (which do almost as much con∣cerne 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 ad∣versaries [ 20] 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 memo∣ry 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 [ 10] Great Britaine, heare what Iacobus Lectius, the learned Civilian of Geneva in his Theologicall Prescriptions, dedicated to the Consuls, and Se∣nate of Geneva, saith of them, De Episcoporum au∣tem 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 [ 20] to us in his Epistles to Timothy and Titus, Cujus∣modi olim in magno illo Britanniarum regno extitisse, at{que} 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 Ge∣neva 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: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Let all things be done to the honour of God; Give respect to your Bishop, [ 10] as you would God should respect you. My soule for theirs which obey their Bishop, Pres∣byters, 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.

Notes

• Iacob. Lectius. Prascriptionum Theologicarum l. 2. Nota. 2.