pose things, which agree so well; and as well in a Bishop, as in a civil Magistrate.

For, as for Rule, if we affect any but fatherly, and moderate, and such as must necessarily be required for the conservation of peace and good order in the Church of God, we do not deprecate a censure. We know how to bear humble minds, in eminence of places: how to command, without imperiousness; and to comply, without exposing our places to contempt. So as those are but spiteful frumps and malicious suggestions, which are cast upon us, of a tyrannical pride, and lordly domineering over our brethren. We are their superiors in place, but we hate to think they should be lowlier in mind.

But, hereof, we shall have fitter occasion in the sequel.

SECT. 10.

The Superiority and Jurisdiction of Bishops, proved by the Testimony of the First Fathers and Apostolical Men: and, first, of Clemens, the Partner of the Apostles.

As for that jurisdiction which we claim, and those reverend and obedient respects which we expect from our Clergy; if they be other than those, which were both required and given in the very first times of the Gospel, under the Apostles themselves, and of those whom they immediately entrusted with the government of the Church, let us be hissed out from among Christians.

For proof of this right, then, whom should I rather begin with, after the Apostles, than an Apostolical man; a copartner and a dear familiar of the two prime Apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul? I mean Clemens, whom St. Paul mentions honourably in his Epistle to the Philippians, by the title of one of his fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life; Phil. iv. 3: one, who laid St. Peter in his grave, as Theodoret tells us; and followed that blessed Apostle, both in his See and in his Martyrdom: yea, one, whom Clemens Alexandrinus enstyles no less than an Apostle of so great reputation in the Church, that, as Jerome tells us, he was by some reputed the penman of the holy Epistle to the Hebrews: and that learned Father finds the face of his style alike, if not the same.

You look now, that I should produce some blown-ware out of the pack of his Recognitions, or Apostolical Constitutions: but I shall deceive you; and urge a testimony from that worthy and apostolic author, which was never yet soiled, so much as with any pen, either in citation, or much less in contradiction; of venerable and unquestionable authority. It is of that noble and holy Epistle of his, which he wrote to the Corinthians upon the occasion of those quarrels, which were, it seems, on foot in St. Paul's time, and still continued: emulation and side-takings, amongst and against their teachers; which, belike, proceeded so far, as to the ejecting of their Bishop

and Presbyters out of their places. He gravely taxes them, with this kind of spiritual conspiracy; and advises them to keep their own stations.

For which purpose, having laid before them the history of Aaron's rod budding, and thereby the miraculous confirmation of his election, he adds, " And our Apostles, knowing, by our Lord Jesus Christ, the contention that would arise, ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματος τῆς Ἐπισκο

, about the name of Episcopacy; and they, for this very same cause, having received perfect knowledge; appointed the foresaid (degrees), and gave thereupon a designed order or list of offices, that, when they should sleep, (in their graves), others, that were well approved men, might succeed in their charge or service. Those, therefore, which were constituted by them, or of other renowned men (after them), with the consent and good liking of the whole Church, and have accordingly served unblamably, in the sheepfold of Christ, with all meekness, quietly, and without all taint of corruption; and those, who, of a long time, have carried a good testimony from all men; these we hold cannot justly or without much injury be put from their office and service. For, it were no small sin in us, if we shall refuse and reject them, who have holily and without reproof undergone these offices of Episcopacy. And, withal, blessed are those Presbyters, who, having dispatched their journey (by death), have obtained a perfect and fruitful dissolution: for now, they need not fear, lest any man shall out them from the place wherein they now are. For, we see that some ye have removed and displaced from their unblamably-managed office. are contentious, my Brethren; and are quarrelsome about those things, which do not concern salvation. Search diligently the Scriptures &c." Thus Clement.

Ye

Did he write this, trow we, to the Church of Corinth, or of Scot land? Judge you how well it agrees. But, in the mean time, you see these distinctions of degrees: you see the quarrels arising about the very title: you see that the Bishops ordained by the Apostles succeeded in their service: you see they continued, or ought to continue in their places, during their life: you see it a sin to out them, except there be just cause in their misdemeanor.

The testimony is so clear, that I well foresee you will be not a little pinched with it; and desirous to give yourself ease. And which way can you do it?

Perhaps you will be quarrelling with the authority and antiquity of the Epistle. But this iron is too hot for you to take up. It hath too much warrant in the innate simplicity of it, and too much testimony from the ancient Fathers of the Church, for any adversary to contradict. Though it could come but lately to our hands, yet we know, long since, that it had the attestation of Justin Martyr; of Irenæus, who calls it κανωτάτην γραφήν, τοῖς Κορινθίοις ; of Clemens

*Clem. Epist. ad Corinthios. c. 44, 45. 'Aπósoλa μ fyrwσav did To Kugía ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χρισοῦ, ὅτι ἔξις ἔσαι ἐπὶ τᾶ ὀνόματος τῆς Ἐπισκοπῆς· διὰ ταύλων οὖν τὴν α τίαν πρόγνωσιν εἰληφότες κ. τ. α.

Alexandrinus; of Origen; of Cyril of Jerusalem; of Photius, who terms it o óλoyov, “a very worthy Epistle;" of Jerome, who terms it, valde utilem, " a very profitable Epistle," and tells us that it was of old publicly read, as authentical, in Churches, and that in the character of it, it much resembles that to the Hebrews. This noble monument, that you may not doubt how it came so late to our hands, was, by Cyril, the late worthy Patriarch of Constantinople, sent out of his library of Alexandria, whence he removed, to our gracious Sovereign of Great Britain, for a precious present; as that, which was, by the hand of St. Tecla herself, transcribed, and placed at the end of the Old and New Testament, fairly by her written in the same character: a present, worth too much gold. And, if any man do yet misdoubt, his eyes may inform him by the view of it, in his Majesty's Library, where it is kept; and, out of a desire of more public good, was lately set forth by the learned searcher of antiquities, Mr. Patrick Yong, the worthy keeper of his Majesty's Library.

But, if any man shall hope to elude this testimony, by taking advantage of the only mention of Presbyters and Deacons in the foregoing passages, let him know, this was only according to the occasion of the writing of that Epistle. And, withal, let him consider who wrote it; even Clement, Bishop of Rome: whether the first, as some of the ancient; or the third, as others; after St. Peter: a difference, not hard to be reconciled: and, therefore, how little danger there is of his favouring a parity in that sacred administration.

SECT. 11.

The Pregnant and Full Testimonies of the Holy Saint and Martyr, Ignatius*, urged.

AFTER him, what better and more convincing authority can we appeal unto, than that of holy Ignatius, the famous Martyr of

* Scarcely any other question respecting Ecclesiastical Antiquity has been so vehemently discussed, as that which concerns the writings of Ignatius. The defenders of Episcopacy finding in them the most explicit and unequivocal declarations in their favour, it became the interest of its opposers to prove them spurious. "Ne de brevioribus quidem Ignatii Epistolis," observes Harles in his new edition of Fabricius's Bibliotheca Græca, "tam acriter fuisset disputatum, nisi patrones vindicésque jurium et dignitatis Episcoporum in illis Epistolis præsidium, idque firmum, ad suam sententiam et Episcoporum auctoritatem, quæ vel adeo constituta jam ætate Apostolorum permagna fuisset, ut jam Ignatii ævo discrimen inter Episcopos et Presbyteros esset observatum, stabiliendam repetisse sibi persuasissent. Hinc, post editas illas atque vindicatas à Vossio et Usherio, ii præcipuè, qui pro auctoritate Episcoporum inter Anglos, Gallos, etiam Germanos, quasi militaverunt, fidem illarum æquis viribus veluti defendere studuerunt: inter quos eminet Pearsonus; cui etiam multi viri docti inter Lutheranos, qui vocantur, accesserunt. Eo majorem diligentiam adhibuerunt, et acriorem vim ingenii atque majorem litterarum adtulerunt copiam ad fidem et breviorum et longiorum minuen◄

Christ: whose memory is justly precious to the whole Church đ God, a nis "erv resent age: that Miracie of Martyrs, who called his letters Christ & chains of spiritual pears; who, when he was to be crown to the vid beasts for the profession of Christ, could beast, hat he should er to the world, as the sun, that he might use to Jud; and, when he heard the ions rearing, “ I am,” said

sam uone mineradom, a lagilan Presberiani dicuntur: quorum dux quasi et fortissimus . naxime duneus Dailians.”

There has been guten escecting the spuriousness of VIII Epistles, wenien lave Jassen inner ne name of gnatus: out for the genuineness of the VII nose a the Trallians, Magnesians, Phipesans, and Romans, there are irre

VIE DW ice success te proses

it was, owever, ulowen, ves wome who received these VII Epistles as gemure, dat new we SEALY REDUtes a corrupted. Vedelus, whose edi10 i nem contra a stan 300 4 15-sea a 23, is used by our author, marks many as 1 de par us, and borrowed chiefly from the Apostolan Consumtions. Car aura vas i vever, of a different opinion: but chenus, we sail presently see. The incombe, cree years after this work of Bishop at us a coction, but accompanied by a mame, wien differed most widely from sen, Amsterdam, the first copy of Jane Grees! snes, otained from a MS. in the Meakson Lorary a Florence, ne tar o de Romans, which is wanting in that M>, ing Juausted a way umare roma Colbert, MS. at Paris. With De Grees Text, 2 Yarwa Uster's edition, with which version de genuine Grees was rund unes vasily to agree. Usher published, in consequence, the text text, is Apventis gatiana; wherein be cordially ad prea de Mecream Text ir esa ext das been since received as the standard and gemune ex v Zaursen, damona, Creterus, Smith, and others. The interpriated annons sometimes u de Liger, and the genuine the Smaller

edition.

I shail pont u be artions verveen be interpolated text as quoted by our auher, and he genuine. A vil be seen, nat several passages, the genuineness of which he defends itinst Veritus, are a rewry not genuine; and that others are nterpolated, or vaka Varenus appears to dave had no suspicion. Enough, however, remains a genuine, a proven is in question, viz. the sanction of the tree Uriers, and he supertory of he Episcopai.

The reader vil ind, ne pracu nors in ms subject enumerated by Fabrcus, Bio. Graca, ib. v. cap. vol. v. of is own edition. pp. 38-47; or TOL M. of Hartes's edition, 30. 32—17, with aruinonal au bors by that editor. He may consult Hammond's Dissertatio de gato," in his Works, 20. vol. iv. pp74, 184 Auswer to the daimadversions on the Dissertations touching IgMauss 2pistes, and he episcopacy a them asserted." particularly chap. m. sect. 3. pp. 22-25, at the end of the Seema Vume of his Works; and Cotelerius's Pares Apostolici, edit, 1794, by Le Clerc, in the Second Volume of which he will find every thing most interesting on the surject―z the VII Genuine Epistles, in the smaller or pure edition; the same Episties, in the larger or interpolated; the Viil Spurious Epistles; the diferent Lacin Versions; and the Prefaces and chief Notes of Uster, Fassius, and others; with the Vindiciae Ignatiance of Bo. Pearson. See also the judicious and impartial Lardner (Credio. p. i. ch. 5. in his Works: Lond. 1738. vol. ii. pp. 65—10): who, while he acknowledges the question resperring the authenticity of even the maller ention of the Vil Epistles to be very difficult; yer, considering the testimonies to be found to them in Ireneus, Origen, and Eusebius, and also their internal characters of great simpücity and piety, accounts them, in the main, the genuine production of Ignatius." EDITOR.

he*, "Christ's wheat: oh, let me be ground with the teeth of wild beasts, that I may be found pure bread for my God: make much of these wild beasts, that they may become my sepulchre; that nothing may be left of my body, &c. I would rather die for Christ, than reign over the whole world."

This blessed Saint in all those confessedly-genuine Epistles which he wrote, seven in number, still so beats upon this point, as if religion depended upon it, Reverence and Obedience to their Bishops.

This man lived in the days of the Apostles; conversed with them; and, in likelihood, saw Christ in the flesh, being martyred in the eleventh year of Trajan, according to Baronius: and, there. fore, thoroughly acquainted with the state of God's Church, in the Apostles' time, and his own; and should, in this name, be more to us than a thousand witnesses. Every word of his is worthy to carry our hearts along with him.

Hear, then, what he saith in his Epistle ad Trallianos +: "Be subject to your Bishop, as to the Lord, for he watcheth for your souls." And, straight : "Necessary it is, that, whatsoever ye do, ye should do nothing without your Bishop: but be ye subject also to your Priests, as to the Apostles of Christ." See what a distance here is! Whereas, other of the Fathers compare the Bishops to the Apostles, Presbyters to the Seventy Disciples, this man advanceth his pattern higher requiring obedience to Bishops, as to Christ; to Presbyters, as to the Apostles. And what proportion is there, betwixt the respects we owe to God and to man?

And, a while after, yet higher. "The Bishop," saith he§, "bears the resemblance of God the Father of all things; the Priests are as the bench of his Apostles, &c."

⚫ And, lest any man should construe these words to sound only of a generality of reverent respects, without yielding of any power of command, soon after he speaks home: "for what other," saith he," is a Bishop, than he, that is superior to all principality and power; and, as far as a man's power may reach, made an imitator

* Ακούσας τὸ βρυγμα τῶν λεόντων, ἔφη σίτος Ιησῦ Χρισ5 εἰμί κ. τ. α. Hier. Cata Jog, Script. Eccles.

† Τῷ Ἐπισκόπῳ ὑποτάσσεσθε, ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ, αὐτὸς γὰρ ἀγρυπνει ὑπὲς τῶν ψυχῶν Epist. ad Trall. p. 4. ed. Vedelii.-The genuine text of the Medicean codex has the passage thus.-.'ETIOX6 TotáσGeode ws 'Ino Xe. EDITOR. † Αναγκαῖον οὖν ἐστὶν, ὅσαπες ποιεῖτε, ἄνευ τῇ Ἐπισκόπε μηδὲ πράττειν ὑμᾶς ἀλλ ̓ ὑποτάσσεσθε καὶ τῷ πρεσβυτερίν, ὡς ἀποτόλοις Ιησε Χρις-Epist. ad Trall. p. 4. ed. Vedeli.-The genuine Greek has this whole passage; only it substitutes meg for ormeg; which, says Hammond, (Works vol. ii. Append. p. 23.) makes a "more grammatical sense: not whatsoever things you do, do nothing &c., but it is necessary, as already you practise, to do nothing without the Bishop'." EDITOR.

§ Ὁ Ἐπίσκοπος τοῦ Πατρὸς τῶν ὅλων τύπος ὑπάρχει οἱ δὲ πρεσβύτεροι, ὡς συνέδριο Θεό, καὶ σύνδεσμος ἀπος όλων Χριςόν Epist. ad Trail. p. 5. ed. Vedeliὡς καὶ τὸν Ἐπίσκοπον, (scil. πάντες ἐντρεπέσθωσαν) ὄντα υἱὸν τῷ Πατρός. τοὺς δὲ πρεσβυτέρους ὡς συνέδριον Θεῶ, καὶ ὡς σύνδεσμον ἀποτόλων. Cod. Med. EDITOR.

Ti vág is 'ExiσXOTOS; x. T. a. Epist. ad Trall. p. 9. ed. Vedelii.—The whole passage is wanting in the Codex Med. EDITOR.