The nonconformists plea for peace, or, An account of their judgment in certain things…

§32. Nay we have already said, that securing the state, worship, doctrine and true discipline of the inferior particular (Parish) Churches, there are some of us that much incline to think that Archbishops, that is, Bishops that have some oversight of many Churches with their Pastors, are Lawful successors of the Apostles in the ordinary part of their work. And such of us have long ago said, that the Episcopal Government of the Bohemian Waldenses described by Commenius and Lascitius, is most agreeable to our judgment of any that we know exercised: Therefore that which we humbly offered for our concord in England at His Majesties Restoration, was Archbishop Ushers form of the Primitive Church Government, not attempting any diminution of the Power, wealth or honour of the Diocesans or Archbishops, but only a restoration of the Presbyters to their proper Office work, and some tolerable discipline to the particular Parish Churches.

§32. Nay we have already said, that securing the state, worship, doctrine and true discipline of the inferiour particular (Parish) Churches, there are some of us that much incline to think that Archbishops, that is, Bishops that have some oversight of many Churches with their Pastors, are Lawful successours of the Apostles in the ordinary part of their work. And such of us have long ago said, that the Episcopal Government of the Bohemian Waldenses described by Commenius and Lascitius, is most agreable to our judgment of any that we know excercised: Therefore that which we humbly offered for our concord in England at His Majesties Restauration, was Archbishop Ushers form of the Primitive Church Government, not attempting any diminution of the Power, wealth or honour of the Diocesanes or Archbishops, but only a restauration of the Presbyters to their proper Officework, and some tolerable discipline to the particular Parish Churches.

§33. But we must ever much difference, so much of Church order and Government as God himself hath instituted, and is purely divine and unchangeable, from those accidentals which men ordain though according to Gods general Rules: For these are often various and mutable, and are means to the former, and never to be used against them. And of these accidentals of Government we say as they that say no such form is fixed by God. Concord, order & decency and edification are always necessary, But oft times it may be indifferent whether concord, order and decency be expressed by this accidental way or that. And