Paragraph 36.1

1. It is agreeable to the word of God, and practise of the primitiue church, that there should be Archbishops, Bishops, and such like differences, and inequalities of ecclesiasticall ministers.

2. Whosoeuer be or shall be consecrated, or ordered, according to the rites of the booke of Consecration of Archbishops, Bishops, and ordering of Priests, and Deacons, they be rightly, orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered.

The proofe from Gods word.

Albeit the tearmes, and titles of Archbishops wee finde not: yet the superioritie which they enioy, and authoritie which Bishops and Archbishops doe exercise, in ordering, and consecrating of Bishops, and ecclesiasticall ministers, is grounded vpon the word of God. For we finde, that.

In the Apostles daies, howe themselues both were in dignitie aboue the euangelists, and the 70. disciples, and for authoritie both in and ouer the Church, as twelue Patriarches, saith Beza,^* and also established an ecclesiasticall Hierarchie. Hence came it, that Bishop was of Ierusalem, Iames.^†

Of Antioch, Peter,^‡ of the Asian Churches, Iohn,⁴ of Alexandria, Marke,⁵ of Ephesus,⁶ yea and all Asia,⁷ Timothie; Of all Creete, Titus,⁸ of Philippos, Epaphroditus,⁹ of Corinth and Achaia, Apollos: of Athens, Dionisius; of France, Crescens,¹⁰ of Brittane, Aristobulus.¹¹

In the purer times succeeding the Apostles, so approoued was the administration of the Church affaires by these kinde of men, as

They ordained Patriarches, and Corepiscopie.¹²

They ratified the degrees of ecclesiasticall supereminencie, at the first, and most famous Councell at Nice.¹³

They gloried much, and greatly, that they had receiued the apostles doctrine by a succession of Bishops,¹⁴ that they were the successors in the Apostles doctrine, of the godly Bishops,¹⁵ and that Bishops succeeded in the roome of Apostles.¹⁶

Their godly monuments, and worthy labours, and bookes yet extant, doe shewe that Bishop was of Lions, Irenaeus; of of Antioch, Ignatius; of Carthage, Cyprian: of Hierusalem, Cyrill, of Alexandria, Athanasius; Basil, of Cesarea, of all Thracia, Asia, and Pontus; Chrisostome, Hilarie of Potiers; Augustine of Hippo, Ambrose of Millane: all of these most notable instruments for the aduancement of Gods honour, and glory in their daies.

Finally, from the Apostles daies hitherto there neuer wanted a succession of Bishops, neither in the East, nor Westerne Churches, albeit there haue bin from time to time both Marprelates, and Mockprelates to supplant their states, and Ilprelates, abusing their functions, and places, to the discredite of their calling and profession. So prouident hath the Almightie bin for the augmentation of his glory, and people by this kind, and calling of men.

The Errors and adversaries vnto this truth.

This manifesteth the erroneous and euill mindes.

1. Of the Anabaptists, who condemne all superioritie among men, saying that euery man should be equall for calling; and that there should be no difference of persons among Christians.¹⁷

2. Of the old haeretickes, viz. the Contobaptites, which allowed of no Bishopes;¹⁸

The Acephalians, who would not bee at the commaund, or yeelde obedience vnto Bishops;¹⁹

The Aerians, that equalled Bishops, and Priests, making them all one;²⁰

The Apostolikes, which condemned Prelacie.²¹

3. Of the late Scismatikes, namely

The Iesuites, who cannot brooke Episcopall praeheminence;²² and in their high court of Reformation haue made a Lawe, for the vtter abrogation of all Episcopall iuresdiction.²³

The disciplinarians, or Puritans among our selues. For

They abhorre, and altogether doe loath the callings of Archbishops, Bishops, &c, as the author of the Fruitfull Sermon doth;²⁴ & say, that by the praelaticall Discipline, the libertie of the Church is taken away;²⁵ and that in steed of Archbishops, and Bishops, an equalitie must be made of ministers.²⁶

They tearme the differences of Ministers, A proud ambitious superioritie of one minister aboue another;²⁷ and Archbishops, and Bishops, they call the supposed Gouernors of the Church of England.²⁸

Some of them will not haue Bishops to bee obeyed either when they cite, or when they inhibite, or when they excommunicate.²⁹

Some of them haue not only Archbishopes, and Bishops, but also Parsons, and Vicars in detestation. For

Miles Monopodios numbreth Parsons, and Vicars among the hundred points of Poperie, yet remaining in our Church.³⁰

Others say that Birds of the same feather, viz. with Archb. and Bishops, are Parsons and Vicars,³¹

Barrow publisheth that Parsonages, & Vicarages be in name, office, and function, as Popish, and Antichristian, as any of the other.³²

It is therefore an egregious vntruth that Puritans (or which is equivalent: The good men, the Faithfull, and Innocent ministers, for so doe they stile themselues) affect not any popularitie, or paritie in the Church of God, as some of them would make his maiestie beleeue.³³

Archbishops, Bishops, and ministers, which according to the booke of Consecration, be, or shalll be consecrated, or ordered, they are consecrated, and ordained rightly, orderly, and lawfully, because afore theire Consecration, and ordination they be rightly tried, or examined; by imposition of hands, needfull and seasonable prayers, they be consecrated, and ordained; and all this is performed by those persons, that is by Bishops to whom the Ordination & Consecration of Bishops, and ministers, was alwaies principallie committed,³⁴ and also after the same forme, and fashion (corruptions being afore taken away, and remooued) as Bishops, and Priests afore the raigne of K. Edward the sixt, formerly were.

The adversaries vnto this truth.

Well therefore may they disgorge their stomaches, but trouble our consciences they shall neuer, which condemne, or depraue our callings; as doe

1. The Familie of Loue which dislike, and labour to make contemptible the outward admission of ministers.³⁵

2. The Papistes; who say their pleasure of the Bishops, and ministers of the Church of England, and of other reformed Churches.

None is to be admitted for a Bishop, (say they) which is not ordained by imposition of three or foure (Romish) Catholike Bishops at the least, of which none are to be found among the Protestants.³⁶

Whosoeuer taketh vpon him to preach, to minister Sacraments &c, and is not ordered by a true Catholike (that is a Popish) Bishop, to be a (urate of soules, Parson, Bishop &c, he is a theefe, and a murderer.³⁷

Our Bishops, & ministers they are not come in by the doore (saith Stapleton) they haue stolne in like Theeues;³⁸ they be vnordered Apostataes,³⁹ pretended,⁴⁰ and sacrilegious ministers,⁴¹ Intruders;⁴² Meere lay men, and not Priests, because first they haue receaued none vnder Orders, and next they are not ordained by such a Bishop, and Priest, as the Catholike (Romane) church hath put in authoritie.⁴³

3. The Puritanes. For they write, that

The Bishops of our Church haue none ordinary calling of God, and function in the scriptures, for to exercise;⁴⁴ they are not sent of God, they be not the ministers of Iesus Christ, by whome hee will aduance his Gospell.⁴⁵

Inferior ministers they are not (say they) according to Gods word, either prooued, elected, called, or ordained.⁴⁶ Hence, the Church of England wanteth (say they) her Pastors and teachers,⁴⁷ and hence they vrge diuers afore ordained to seeke at their Classis, a new approbation, which they tearme the Lords ordinance,⁴⁸ and to take newe callings from classicall ministers, renouncing their calling from Bishops.