1644 WILLIAM CHILLINGWORTH. Original MSs. Apostolic Origins of Episcopacy - Influenced John Wesley. Anti-Presbyterian.

A very rare and previously unknown original MSs by influential 17th century Anglican, William Chillingworth [1602-1644].

Often remembered as a controversialist in matters of theology, he was no hot-blooded debater or desk thumper. His entire was marked by both significant and subtle shifts theologically. He thought deeply about things and his controversial writings had an unusually irenic tone for the time and reflected the perspective of someone deeply aware of the evils of schism in the broader community of faith. Even when it came to the Presbyterians and other Dissenters, he was unusually moderate in his critiques.

His moderation was not a lack of principle though. For years, he refused preferment as he felt unable to subscribe to the thirty-nine articles in good faith. 

Interestingly, he was convinced when young, for a time, to become a Catholic and study at Douai. Later in life, this led to his authorship of his most influential work of the time, i.e. The Religion of Protestants a Safe Way of Salvation, which urged the superiority of Protestantism because of its seat of authority in the text of Scripture rather than in the Papacy and Papal tradition. 

While tradition played a role in Chillingworth's thinking, he declared "The Bible, and the Bible alone is the protestant religion." The work was and remains a significant contribution to the doctrine of Scripture and to it John Wesley and his "quadrilateral" owe much on the subject of Scripture [and Episcopacy]. Charles Wesley's little volume MS Ordinations was prefaced with a quote by Chillingworth on schism.

Dr. Charles Yrigoyen Jr in his Tapping the Riches says that Wesley "highly esteemed and learned much from the writings of classical Anglican thinkers such as Chillingworth, Hooker and Laud. His profound respect for scripture, reason and tradition as authorities for Christian thought and practice was rooted in standard Church of England theology."

Interestingly, Chillingworth, though a firm Anglican, rarely made it a wedge issue with dissenters. However, after the radical Presbyterians of 1643 seemed to be asserting a new Papacy in Presbytery [a charge leveled by Roger Williams on the one side and Anglicans on the other],he felt the need to make his position clear. The present tractate, written just before his death in the same year, is perhaps his clearest and most assertive work on the Episcopal tradition. And, well, he blisters the Presbyterians. 

It was initially issued anonymously and only had his name appended to it after his death. 

Chillingworth, W. The Apostolical Institution of Episcopacy. 

A good + original MSs with makeshift title page also apparently in Chillingworth's hand.