minent title of
Apostles as a name in the Churches stile appropriated from its common
notion (_of a Messenger, or one sent_) to that speciall dignity, which
had extraordinary call, mission, gifts and power immediately from
Christ: they contented themselves with the ordinary titles of Bishops
and Presbyters, until Use (the great Arbitrator of words, and Master
of language) finding reason to distinguish by a peculiar name those
persons, whose Power and Office were indeed distinct from, and above
all other in the Church, as succeeding the Apostles in the ordinary
and constant power of governing the Churches, (the honour of whose
name they moderately, yet commendably declined) all Christian Churches
(submitting to that special Authority) appropriated also the name of
Bishop, without any suspicion or reproach of arrogancie, to those who
were by Apostolicall propagation rightly descended and invested into
that highest and largest power of governing even the most pure and
Primitive Churches: which, without all doubt, had many such holy
Bishops, after the pattern of _Timothy_ and _Titus_; whose special
power is not more clearly set down in those Epistles (the chief
grounds and limits of all Episcopall claim, as from divine Right) then
are the characters of these perilous times and those men that make
them such; who not enduring sound Doctrine, and clear testimonies
of all Churches practice, are most perverse Disputers, and proud
Usurpers, against true Episcopacy: who if they be not Traytours and
Boasters, yet they seem to be very covetous, heady, high-minded;
inordinate and fierce, lovers of themselves, having much of the form,
little of the power of godlinesse.

Who, by popular heaps of weak, light, and unlearned Teachers, seek
to over-lay and smother the pregnancy & authority of that power of
Episcopall Government, which, beyond all equivocation and vulgar
fallacy of names, is most convincingly set forth, both by Scripture,
and all after Histories of the Church.

This I write rather like a Divine, then a Prince, that Posterity may
see (if ever these papers be publique) that I had faire grounds
both from Scripture-Canons, and Ecclesiasticall examples whereon my
judgement was stated for Episcopall Government.

Nor was it any pollicy of State or obstinacy of will, or partiallity
of affection, either to the men, or their Function which fixed me;
who cannot in point of worldly respects be so considerable to me as to
recompence