The Healing Attempt, Chapter 2
CHAP. II. The Judgment of the Reformers in Edward the Sixth's Days the ſame 'twas in Henry the Eighth's, holding no Difference by Divine Law between a Biſhop and Presbyter.
IN the Firſt Year of Edward the Sixth's Reign, an Act of Parliament paſſed, ſufficiently Declaring the Epiſcopal Orders as diſtinct from, and above that of the Presbyter, to be wholly from the Crown; for it was affirm'd, That all Authority of Juriſdiction Spiritual, is derived and deducted from the King's Majeſty, as Supream Head of theſe Churches of England and Ireland.
The Deſign of this Law, as Dr. Heylin has it, was to weaken the Authority of the Epiſcopal Order, Hiſt. Edw. 6. p. 51.by forcing them from their ſtrong hold of Divine Inſtitution, and making them no other than the King's Miniſters only, His Eccleſiaſtical Sheriffs (as a man might ſay) to execute his Will, and diſperſe his Mandates.
Dr. Poynet Biſhop of Winchester, in this King's Reign, in Anſwer unto a Book writ by Stephen Gardiner, tho' ſent out under the Name of Dr. Martin, about the Marriage of Prieſts, doth ſufficiently ſhew that the Reformers in thoſe days were great Approvers of Calvin's Notions about Church Government, and therefore willing to lay aſide even the very Name Biſhop, and make uſe of the Names [Superintendent, Minister, Senior, Elders, &c.] for theſe are his words. And further, whereas it pleaſeth Martin, not only in this place, but alſo hereafter, to Jeſt at the Name [Superintendent,] he ſheweth himſelf bent to condemn all things that be good. Who knoweth not, that the Name [Biſhop] hath ſo been abuſed, that when it was ſpoken, the People underſtood nothing elſe but a great Lord, that went in a white Rochet, with a wide ſhaven Crown, and that carrieth an Oyl Box with him, wherewith he uſeth once in ſeven years, riding about to Confirm Children, &c. Now to bring the People from this abuſe, what better means can be deviſed than to teach the People their Error by another word out of the Scriptures of the ſame ſignification, which thing by the term [Superintendent] would in time have been well brought to paſs—The name [Biſhop] ſpoken amongſt the Unlearned, ſignified to them nothing leſs than a Preacher of God's Word, becauſe there was not, nor is any thing more rare in any Order of Eccleſiaſtical Perſons than to ſee a Biſhop Preach.—I deny not, but the name [Biſhop] may be well taken, but becauſe the Evilneſs of the Abuſe hath marred the Goodneſs of the Word, it cannot be denied but that it was not amiſs to joyn for a time another word with it in his place, whereby to reſtore that abuſed word to his Right Signification.—Oh how the Papiſts would triumph over us, if they had like proof for the names (I ſay) of Pope, Cardinal, Canon, Prebendary, Monk, &c. as we, that profeſs Chriſt have for the maintainance of the terms and names (Superintendent, Miniſter, Seniors, Elders, Brethren,) and ſuch like by us uſed.
The Reſolution Archbiſhop Cranmer gave to the Queſtions propounded by Edw. 6. approved by the Biſhop of St. Aſaph, Therleby, Redman and Cox, See Dr. Stillingflèet's MS.makes it manifeſt, that theſe great Reformers owned not Epiſcopacy as a Diſtinct Order from Presbytery, of Divine Right, but only, as a prudent Conſtitution of the Civil Magiſtrate for the better Governing the Church. In the Apoſtles time (ſays Cranmer) when there was no Chriſtian Princes by whoſe Authority Miniſters of God's Word might be appointed,Reſol. to Q. 9. nor Sins by the Sword corrected, there was no Remedy then for the Correction of Vice, or appointing of Miniſters, but only the conſent of Chriſtien multitude by themſelfe, by an Uniform conſent to follow the advice and perſwaſion of ſuch Perſons, whom God had moſt endued with the Spirit of wiſdom and counſaile.—Sometime the Apoſtles and other unto whom God had given abundantly his Spirit, ſent, or appointed Miniſters of God's Word, ſometime the People did chooſe ſuch as they thought meet thereunto.
—The Biſhops and Priests were at one time, and were not two diſtinct Things, Reſol. to Q. 10.but both one Office in the Beginning of Chriſt's Religion.—The People before Chriſtian Princes were,Reſol. to Q. 11. commonly elected their Biſhops and Prieſts.—In the New Testament, he that is appointed to be a Biſhop or Prieſt, needeth no conſecration by the Scripture;Reſol. to Q. 12. for Election or appointing thereto is ſufficient.
Thus far that Excellent Perſon (ſaith a Reverend Divine of the Church of England) in whoſe Judgment nothing is more clear than his aſcribing the particular Form of Government in the Church to the Determination of the Supream Magistrate.The Divine Right of Forms of Church Government Examined, p. 390, &c.