THE MODERATE PRESBYTERIAN.  
London, the third of April, 1662. 
 SIR,  
THe time is now quiet for the matter of News from this place, only that you may know that I am not unmindful of my duty to you, I have sent to you the Copy of an eminent Presbyterian's Answer, made to a Queree, proposed to him by another more rigid Presbyterian; whether or not the re-ordaining of such Presbyterian Divines here, as were afterwards to be consecrated Bishops, be not scandalous to the Presbyterian reformed Churches abroad, and a direct disclaiming of communion with them? You will find the Answer mild enough; which take as followeth,  
SIR,  
IT is well known to all those, especially Divines of the Reformed Church, with whom I have had the happiness to converse, both at home and abroad, that in my private opinion I was never too rigid in matter of Ecclesiastical Government, either for Episcopacy or Presbyterianisme: For as having spent the greatest part of my years in Foreign Countries under the latter, it seemed smother to me; so the continual practice of the former in the Christian Church, from the very foundation of it in the Apostles time, made it always seem venerable to me, and to draw somewhat nearer even to the word of God. Yet durst I never presume in my own mind, that either the one or the other was absolutely Jure Divino, but I ever thought that with a good conscience I might live under either of them. One thing I know well, that the word of God forbid doth all confusion in the Church, ●nd commends Ecclesiastical Government in general: But to determine this or that kind of Government in particular, I think there is a latitude left to the Supreme Magistrate; so that admitting neither Episcopacy nor Presbyterianisme, in themselves simply considered to be Jure Divino; Yet, either of them being established Jure Humano, or by the Authority of the Civil Magistrate, must be received by me and submitted unto, as being, in that case, Jure Divino: Seing that Jue Divinum, in the word of God, tieth all Subjects to render active obedience to Jus Humanum and lawful Authority, in these things, whereby the esteem of Religion and fundamentals of Faith are not shaken; and such may Episcopacy and Presbyterianisme be conceived to be: And whosoever resufeth to submit to either of them, being established by Authority, must be, not only a Rebel to the Supreme Power upon earth, but to God himself also. Now to answer your long question in few words, let me entreat you to distinguish betwixt a Minister of the Gospel simpliciter quatalis, and a Minister of the Gospel in potentia proxima, to be a Bishop: Albeit Presbyterian Ordination may make a qualified person a lawful Minister of the Gospel; yet, in my weak judgement, to put him in potentia proxima to be a Bishop, Episcopal Ordination, if not necessary ad esse, yet requisita ad decorum & ad bene esse. Hence may be inferred, that by the re-ordaining of, or conferring Episcopal Ordination upon Presbyterian Divines, to put them in a capacity to be Bishops, as no scandal is justly given by the English Bishops to the Presbyterian Churches in Foreign Countries, so I am confident (as being throughly acquainted with the opinion in that point, of many of the most learned and eminent amongst them) that no occasion of scandal will be taken by them at the same; far less that they will think that the Church of England (which they ever held, and still do hold as it was constituted in the days of Queen Elizabeth, King James and King Charles' the first, all of blessed memory, to have been a glorious Orthodox Church) doth thereby intend to disclaim communion with them; their Maxims and Principles both of Divinity and Policy (for they never esteemed bad Policy to be consistent with good Divinity) being more consonant to these of the Church of England, constitued as said is, then to those, according to which the Presbyterians in these Kingdoms have walked these three and twenty years bygone. But I forbear now to enter upon this point; their new Doctrine and the woeful effects that have followed thereupon, do sufficiently evidence the truth of it to the world.