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 Theological 
 
 Seminary, 
 
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 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
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 O F T H E 
 
 Christian Religion 
 
 Is demonfiratedj by infallible Vroof from 
 
 jfoiit 3^ttles, 
 
 WHICH ARE 
 
 Inconip atthle to any Impojlitre that ever yet 
 has been, or that can pojjihly be. 
 
 In a L E T,T E R to a Friend. 
 
 y, ^ A Short and Eafle ^/^^^ 
 
 MET HOD 
 
 U-lrt' WITH THE y ^^'/y ^— 
 
 ••^ TTr Wherein the ^ Q J ^ >^A ^ y^" 
 
 C E R T A I N T Y 
 
 The Eighth Edhioiu 
 
 LONDON : 
 Printed by ], Applebee. and Sold by John Chexkley, 
 /at the Sign of tlie Crovon and Blue-Gate^ over- 
 againft the Weft-End of the Town-Houfe in 
 Boflon, 1723. ' o 
 
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A Short and Eafie 
 
 METHOD 
 
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 N Aiifwer to yours of the Third 
 Inftant, I much condole with 
 you your unhappy Circumftan- 
 ces, of being placed amongft 
 fach Company, where, as you 
 fay, you continually hear the 
 facred Scriptures, and the Hifto- 
 ries therein contained, particularly of Mofes, and 
 of Chrijl^ and all Revealed Religion turned into Ri- 
 dicule, by Men who fet up for Seyife and Reafon, And 
 they fay, That there is no greater Ground to be- 
 lieve in Chrift^XhdiW in Mahoynet ♦, th.at all thefe Pre- 
 tences to Revelation are Cheats, and ever have been 
 among Pagaiis, Jews^ Mahometans^ and Chrijliam ; 
 That they are all alike Impofitions of Citnnhg and 
 A 2 Dcfgnivg 
 
[4] 
 
 Dejtgvhig Men^ upon the CreJiility, at firft, of JimpU 
 arid inithhikhig People, till, their Numbers encrca- 
 iing their Dehijioris grtw popular^ came, at 1 aft, to be 
 efl:ablif!:i'd by Laws • and then theForce o^ Education 
 and Cnjium gives a Byafs to the Judgments of after 
 Ages, till fuch Deceits come really to be believ'd, 
 being receivM upon Truft from the Ages foregoing, 
 without examining into the 0/igival and Bottom of 
 them. Which thefe our modern Men of Senfe, (as 
 they delire to be efteem'd) fay, That they only 
 do, tfiat they only have their Jiidgjnents freed fuDm 
 the flaviih Authority of Precedents and I^aws^ in 
 Matters of Truths which, they fay, ought only to 
 be decided by Keafon ^ tho' by a prudent Compli- 
 ance with Popularity and Laws^ they preferve them- 
 felves from Outrage, and Legal Penalties ^ for none 
 oT their Complexion are addicted to Sufferings ot 
 Marty? dom. 
 
 Now, Sir, that which you defire from me, is, 
 
 fome iliort Topic of Reafon, if fuch can be found, 
 
 whereby, without running to Authorities, and the 
 
 intricate Mazes of Learning, which breed long Dif- 
 
 putes, and which thefe Men of Reafon deny by 
 
 wholefale, tho' they can give no Reafon for it, only 
 
 fuppofe that Authors Jiave been Trumped upon us, 
 
 Literpolated^ and Corrupted^ fo that no ftrefs can be 
 
 laid upon them, tho' it cannot be fhewn wherein 
 
 thc_7 are fj Corrupted ^^ which, in Reafon ought to lie 
 
 upon them to prove, wlio alledge it •, otherwife it 
 
 is not only a Precarious^ but a Guilty Plea : And the 
 
 more, that they refrain not to quote Books on their 
 
 fide, for whofe Authority there are no better, or 
 
 not fo good Grounds. However, ^rou fay, it makes 
 
 your Difputes endlefs,and they go away with Noife 
 
 and Clamour, and a Boaft,That there is nothing, at 
 
 Icafl: nothing Certain,to be faid on the Chrijiian fide. 
 
 Therefore you. are deiirous to find fome Ojic Topick 
 
 of Reafon, which fliould demonftrate the Truth of 
 
 t ic Ciiriitian Religion, and at the fame Time di- 
 
 ftinguifh 
 
[5] 
 
 Iringiiiih it from the Impojlures o£ Mahomet^ and tlie 
 Old Pagait World : That our Deijls may be brought 
 to this Teft, and be either obligM to renounce their 
 Reafojiy and the common Reafon of Manki7id, or 
 to fubmit to the clear Proof, from Reafon^ of the 
 Chrifiian Religion, which muft be fuch a T^roof\ 
 as no LnpoJIiwe can preteild to, otherwife it cannot 
 prove the Chrijiian Religion not to be an Impojiiir.e. 
 And, whether fuch a Proof, one fingle Proof (to a- 
 void Confufion) is not to be found out, you defire 
 to know from me. 
 
 And yo'i fay, that you cannot imagine but 
 there muft be fuch a Proofs becaufe every Tnith 
 is in itfelf C/^(t;', and O?/^ ^ and therefore that Om 
 Reafon for it, if it be the true Reafon, muft be 
 fufficient ^ and, i^ fiifficieitt^ it is better than 77iany • 
 for imiltiplichy confounds, cfpecially to weak Ju'ig- 
 ments. 
 
 Sir, you have impos'd an hard Task upon me, 
 I wilh I could perform it : For tho' every Truth is 
 One^ yet our Sight is fo feeble, that we cannot (al- 
 ways) come to it direEHy^ but by many Inferences^ 
 and laj'^ing of Things together. 
 
 But I think, that in the Cafe before us, there 
 is fuch a Proof as you require, and I will fet it down 
 as Short diwdi Flaht as I can. ^ 
 
 II. Firft then, I fuppofe, that the Truth of the 
 Do&rine of CHRIST will be fufficiently evinced, 
 if the Matters of FaB, which are recorded of him 
 in the Gofpels be True •, for his Miracles, if True^ 
 do vouch the Truth of what he delivered. 
 
 The fame is to be faid as to Mofes, If he brought 
 the Children oi Ifrael thro' theRed-Sea^m thatwzV^- 
 culom manner, whicli is related in Exodus, and did 
 fuch other wondcrfulThings as are there told of him, 
 it muft neceffarily follow, that he was fent from 
 GOD: Thefe being the ftrongeft Proofs we can 
 defire, and wliich every DeiJI will confefs he wouVI 
 A 3 acquiefce 
 
acquiefce in, if he faw them with his E3''es. T^iere- 
 fore tlie ftrefs of this Canfe will depend upon the 
 Proof of thefe Matters of FaB, 
 
 1. And xhQ Method I will take, is, Firfl, To lay 
 down fach Rules^ as to the Tmth o^ Mat ten of Fa^, 
 in General, that where they All meet, luch Matters 
 ofFaB cannot be falfe. And then, Secondly, To 
 fliew that all thefe i^«/^5-do meqt in the Matters of 
 Fa&, of Mofes and of Chrifl -, and that they do not • 
 meet in the Matters of F'acI: ot Mahomet^ of the Hea- 
 then Deities, or can poilibly meet in any Impjlure 
 whatfoever. 
 
 2. The Rules are thefe^ 
 
 Iff. That the Matur of FaB be fucb, as 
 that Mens outward Senfes, their ^y^j* and 
 Bars may be Judges of it. 
 
 2. That it be done Ptihlickly^ in the Face 
 of the World. 
 
 3. That not only publick Moimments be 
 kept up in Memory of it, but fome outward 
 Anions to be perform'd. 
 
 4. That fuch Monuments and fuch ABlom 
 or Ohfcrvances be hijlituted^ and do commence 
 from the Time that the Matter of FaB was 
 done, 
 
 9. The Two firft Rules make it impoiTible for 
 any fuch Matter oj FaB to be imposed upon Men, 
 at the Time when- fuch Matter of FaB was faid to 
 "be done, becaufe every Man's Hyes and Sejifes wou'd 
 contradift it. For Example ^ fnppofe any Man 
 Hiou'd pretend, that Yefterday he divided the 
 Thaines, in Prefence of all the People of London^ 
 and carried the whole City, Men, Women, and Chil- 
 dren, over to Southwark on dry Land, the Waters 
 •ftanding like Walls on both fides : I fay, it is mo- 
 rally 
 
L7l 
 
 rally impoffible that he could perfwade the Peo- 
 ple of London, that this was true, when every ilfj?r, 
 JVoinan^ and Child^ could contradict him, and fay. 
 That this was a notorious Fallhood, for that they 
 had not feen the Thames fb divided, or had gone 
 over on dry Land. Therefore I take it for granted, 
 (and I fuppofe, with the allowance of all the Beijls 
 in the World) that no fuch Impoiition could be put 
 upon Men, at the Time when fuch fuhlick Matter of 
 Fa& was faid to be done. 
 
 4. Therefore it only remains, that fuch Mat- 
 ter oj Fa^ might be invented fome time after, wheii 
 the Men of that Generation, wherein the Thing was 
 faid t© be done, are all paft and gone •, and the Cre- 
 dulity of after Ages might beimpos'd upon, to be- 
 lieve that Things were done in former Ages, which 
 were not. 
 
 And for this the Two laft Rules fecure us as 
 much as the Two fiiB: Rtiles^ in the former Cafe; 
 for whenever fuch a Matter of FaEi rame to be in- 
 vented, if not only Momimejits were faid to remain 
 of it, but likewife that publick A^ims 2iX\^ Ohfer- 
 vavces were conftantly us'd ever lince the Matter of 
 Fa& was faid to be done^ the Deceit muft be de- 
 tected, by no fuch Monuments appearing, and by the 
 Experience of every Man^ Woman, and Child^ who 
 muft know that no fuch ABions or Obfewances were 
 ever us'd by them. For fexample ^ Suppofe I 
 fliould now invent a Story of fuch a Thing, done a 
 Thoufand Years ago, I might perhaps, get fome to 
 believe it -, but if I fay, that not only fuch a Thing 
 was done, but that from that Day to this, every 
 Man, at the Age of Twelve Years, had a yoint of 
 his little Finger cut off^ ) and that every Man in 
 the Nation did want a ydnt of fuch a Unger •, and 
 that this Injiitiition was faid to be part of the Mat- 
 ter ofFaB done fo many Years ago, and vouch'd as 
 a P/'c^o/land Co7ifirmation of it, and as having de- 
 fcended without Interruption, and been conftantly 
 
 A 4 pra^tis'd. 
 
[8] 
 
 pra£lis''d, in Memory of fuch Matter of Fa^^ all.a- 
 'iong, from the Time that -fuch Matter of FaB was 
 ,^ne : I fay, it is impoirible I ihould be believed 
 
 hi fuch a Cafe, becaufe every one could contradict 
 
 me, as to the; Mark of cutting off a Johit of the 
 "Fhiger . and that being part of my original Matter 
 
 of FaB^ muft demonftrate the whole to be falfe. 
 
 . in. Let us now come to the Second Point, to 
 fliew, that the Matters of FaB of Mofes, and of 
 Ch?yf,have all thefe i^w/aorM^fr^s before-mention'd; 
 and that neither the Matters o^ Fact of Mahoviet, or 
 what is reported of the Heathen Deities^ have the 
 like ^ and that no hnpojior can have them all. 
 
 T. As to Mofes, I fuppofe it will be allsw'd me. 
 That he could not have perfuaded 6coogo Men, 
 that he had brought them out of Mgypt, through 
 the Red Sea • fed them 40 Years without Bread, by 
 viiraculous Manna^ and the other Matters oj FaB re- 
 corded in his Boolcs, if they had not been true. 
 Becaufe every Man's Senfes that were then alive, 
 muft have contradicted it. And therefore he muft 
 have impos'd* upon all their Senfes^ if he could' 
 have jnade them believe it, when it was falfe^ and 
 no fuch Things done. So that here are the Firft' 
 and Seco7id of the above mentioned Four Marks. 
 
 For the {i^-wQ Reafon it was equally impoflible* 
 for him to have made them 'receive his Five Books 
 as Truth, and not to have rejected them, as a ma- 
 nifcft Impojinre '^ which told of all thefe Things as 
 cTone before their Eyes^ if they had not been fo 
 done. See how pofltivcly he fpeaks to them. Bent. 
 Xi. 2. to Yer. 8. And know you this Day, for I fpeah 
 vot with your Children which have Hot known, and which 
 have not feen the ChaJUfevient oj the Lord your God, 
 hisGreatnefs, his viighty Fland, and his ftrctched-out 
 Arm, arid his Miracles, and his AHs, which he did 
 in^ the viidji of ic^gypt, unto Pharaoh the King of 
 •^o7P^> ^^^^ '"^^0 <-^^ f-^'^^ Landj and what he did unto 
 
 tho 
 
[9] 
 
 the Army of JEgypt, tinto their Horfes^ avd to their 
 Chariots •, hom he viade the Water of the Red-Sea to 
 overflow them ns they piirfued after yon 5 and how 
 the Lord hath dejiroycd them unto this day : And what 
 he did unto you iji the Wildemefs, until ye came into 
 this Flace •, ayid what he did unto Dathaii and Abi- 
 ram, the Sons of Eliab, the Son of Reuben, how the 
 Earth opened her Mouthy and fwallowed them up, and 
 their _IioujJ)olds, and their Tents ^ and all the fiihjlance 
 that was in their pofej/ion, in the midfl oj all Ifrael. 
 But your Eyes have feen all the great ABs of the Lord, 
 which he did^ &c. 
 
 From hence we muft fuppofe it impoilible that 
 thefe Books of Mofes^ (if an Impofture^ could 
 have been invented and put upon the People, wJio 
 were then alive, when all thefe things were faid to 
 be done. 
 
 The utmoft therefore that even a Suppofe can 
 ftretch to, is, That thefe Books were wrote in fome 
 .Age after Alofes^ and put out in his Name. 
 
 A N D to this, I fay, That if it was fo, it was im- 
 polhble that thofe Books ftiould have been received, 
 as the Booh o^Mofes, in that Age wherein they may 
 have been fuppos'd to have been firft invented. Why ? 
 Becaufe they fpeak of themfelves as delivered by Mo- 
 fesj and kept in the Ark from his time. And it came 
 topafs^when Mofes had made an end of writing the words 
 of this Law in a Book until they were finified •, that Mo- 
 fes commanded the Levites, who hare the Ark of the 
 Covenajit of the Lor d^ faying^ Take this Book of the Law^ 
 and put it in the fide oj the Ark of the Coveiiant oj the 
 Lord your God^ that it may be there jor a witnefs agaiyijl 
 thee^ Deut.xxxi. 24, 25, 26. And there was a Copy of 
 this Book to be left likewife with the King. And it Jball 
 i^e when he fitteth upon the Throne oj his Kingdom^ that 
 he flmll write him a Copy oj this Law in a Book, out oj 
 that which is before the Frieflsthe Levites: And it jJ)all 
 he with him, and he JImll read therein' all the dayi of 
 his Life : That he f?iay learn to fear the Lord his 
 
 ^ ^ God, 
 
[ lO ] 
 
 Goi, to keep all the Words of this Law and thefe Sta» 
 tutes to do them, Deut. xvii. 1 8, 19. 
 
 Here, you fee that this Book of the Law^ 
 Ipeaks of it felf, not only as an Htjlory or Relation 
 of what things were then done: But as thejfand- 
 ifjg and municipal Lav^ and Statutes of the Nation of 
 the Jews^ binding the Ring as well as the People. 
 
 Now, in whatever Age after Mojes you will 
 fuppofe this Book to have been Forged^ it was 
 impoiFible it cou'd be receivM as Truth •, becaufe 
 it was not then to be found, either in the Ark, or 
 with the Kivg, or any where elfe : For when firft 
 Invented, every body muft know, that they had ne- 
 ver heard of it b'efore. 
 
 And therefore they cou'd lefs believe it to be 
 the Book of their Statutes, and the ftanding Law of 
 the Land.^ which they had all along received, and 
 by which they had been Governed, 
 
 Cou'd an3r Man, now at this Day, invent a Book 
 of Statutes or Acls of Parliament for B^tgland^ and 
 make it pafs upon the Nation as the only Booko^ 
 Statutes that ever they had known > As impoffible was 
 it for the Books of Mofes (if they were invented in 
 any Age after Mofes) to hare been received for 
 what they declare themfelves to be, vi%. The 
 Statutes and Municipal Law of the Nation of the 
 Jews : And to have perfuaded the Jews^ that they 
 had Ownd and Acknowledg d thefe Books, all along 
 from the Days o^ Mofes, to that Day in which they 
 were firft invented,that is, that they h^diOwnd them 
 before they had ever lb much 2iS Heard o^ them. 
 Nay, more, the whole Nation muft, in an Inftant, 
 . forget their former Laws and Governjnent, if they 
 couM receive thefe Books, as being their For?ner 
 Laws. And they cou'd not other wile receive them, 
 becaufe they vouch'd themfelves fo to be. Let me 
 ask the DeiJIs but this One ftiort Qiieftion, Was 
 there ever a Book of Sham- Laws, which were not 
 the* Laws of the Nation, Palvid upon any People^CincQ 
 
 the 
 
the World began ? If not, With what Face can they 
 fay this of the Fook of Laws of the Jewi ? Why will 
 they fay that of them, which they confefs impof- 
 ilble in nny Nation ^ or among any People ? 
 
 But they muft be yet more Unreafonable. For 
 the Books of Mops have a further Demonftration of 
 their Truth, than even other Law -Books have : For 
 they not only contain the Laws, but give an 
 Hijlorical Account of their hifiitution^ and the PraHice 
 of them from that Time : As of the Pajfover in 
 Memory of the Death of the Firft-Born 
 in JEgypt: And that the fame Day, all Nu7n.vuu 
 the Firfi Born o^ Ifrael both of Man and 17, 18. 
 Beaft, were by a perpetual Law, dedica- 
 ted to God : And the Levites taken jor all the Firji- 
 born oj the Children of Ifrael. That Aaroiis Rod 
 which budded, was kept in the Ariz, in Memory of 
 the Rebellion and wonderful DeJiniUion of Rorah^ 
 Dathan, and Ahiram •, and for the Confirmation of 
 the Priejihood to the Tribe of Levi, Aslikewife 
 the Pot ol Manna, in Memory of their having been 
 fed with it 40 Years in the Wildernefs. That the 
 Br aT^en Serpent was kept (which remain'd to the Days 
 o^Hezekiah. 2 Kingx^ui. 4.) in Memory of that' won- 
 derful Deliverance, by only Looking upon it, from 
 the Biting of the Fiery Serpejits. Num. xxi. 9. 
 The Feaft of Pentecoji, in Memory of the dreadful 
 Appearance of God upon Mount Horeb, 8cc. 
 
 And befides, thefe Remembrances of particular 
 A&ions2LVid Occurrences, there were other folemn In- 
 Jiitiitioyts in Memory of their Deliverance out of 
 ^gypty in the General^ which included all the Par- 
 ticulars. As of the 6"^^^^. Deut. $, 15. Their 
 dayly Sacrifices, and yearly Expiation, their New- 
 Moons, and feveral F^df/5 and Fafis,. So that there 
 were Tearly, Monthly, Weekly, Daily Remetnbrajices^ 
 and Recognitions of thefe things. 
 
 And not only fo, but the Books of the fame 
 Mofes tell us, that a particular Tribe (of Levi) 
 
 was 
 
[ '^ ] 
 
 was Apphited and Confecrated by God as his 
 Vriejh ^ by whofe Hands and none other, the 
 Saerifces of the People were to be cfFer'd, and thefe 
 folemii IvJIitiitzons to be celebrated. That it was 
 Death for any other to approach the Altar. That 
 their Hi^^h Fneji wore a Glorious Mitre^ and magni- 
 ficent Robes of God's own Contrivance, with the 
 miraculous Urim and Thummhn m his BreaJ! plate^ 
 whence' the divzjie Refpo7jfes were givtn, 
 Niimhers That at his Word, the Khg^ and all the 
 xxvii. 21. People were to go out, and to come in. 
 That thefe Levites were likcwife the 
 Dewt. xvii. Chief -Judges^ even in all 0'7;i/ Caufes, 
 8, to 13. and that it was Death to relift their 
 I Chr.xxiii, Sentence. Now when ever it can be 
 4. fuppos'd that thefe ^00/a of Mo/^5 were 
 
 forg'd, in fome Ages after Mofes^ it 
 is impoffible they could have been received as True, 
 unlefs the Forgers could have made the whole 
 Nation believe, that they had received thefe 
 Booh from their Fathers, had been inftrudted in 
 them when they were Children^ and had talight 
 them to their Children^ moreover, that they had 
 all been circunicifed, and did circumcife their 
 Children^ in purfuance to what was. commanded 
 in thefe Booh^ that they had obferved the year- 
 ly Pa If over ^ the weekly Sahbath, the New -Moons, 
 and all thefe feveral Fectjls, FaJIs, and Ceremonies 
 commanded in thefe Booh : That thtj had never 
 eaten any Swines Fiefii, or other Meats prohihited 
 in thefe Books ; That they had a magnificent Taher- 
 9iacle^ with a vifible Pr'iefthood t© Adminijier in it, 
 which was confined to the Tribe of Levi 5 over 
 whom was placed a glorious High-Priejl, cloath'd 
 with great and mighty Prerogatives , whofe Death 
 
 only could deliver thofe that were lied 
 Num. XXXV. to the Cities of Refuge. And that 
 25. 28. thefe Priejfs were their ordinary 
 
 Judges^ even in Civil Matters : I fay, 
 
 was 
 
was it polRble to have perfuaded a whole Nation of 
 Men, that they had Knomi and FraBifed all thefe 
 Things, if they had not done it ? or, SecoMy. 
 To have received a Book for Truth, which faid they 
 had praBifed them, and appeal'd to that PraBice ^ 
 So that here are the Third and Fourth of the Marks 
 above-mentioned. 
 
 But now let us defcend to the utmofl: Degree 
 of Siippf'Jitio}!, viz. That thefe Things were Fra- 
 Bifed, before thefe Booh of Mofes were Forgd ^ and 
 that theie Booh did only impofe upon the Nation^ in 
 making them believe. That they had kept thele 
 Obfervancei in Memory of fuch and fuch^Things, as 
 were inferted in thofe Booh, 
 
 Well then, let us proceed upon this Siippojition^ 
 (however groundlefs) and now, will not the fame 
 Impojjibilities occur, as in the former Cafe ? For 
 Firjl, This muftfappofe that the Jews kept all thefe 
 Obfervances in Memory, of Nothirig, or without 
 knowing any thing of their Original, or the Keafon 
 why they 'kept them. Whereas thefe very Obfer- 
 vayiccs did exprels the Gromtd and Redfon of their 
 being kept, as the Pajjover in Memory of God's Paf» 
 fing overxht Children of the If raelites, in that Night 
 wherein he flew all the lirji-hurn of c^gypt, and fo 
 of the Reft. 
 
 But Secondly^ Let us fuppofe; contrary both to 
 Reafon, and Matter of FaB, That the Jews did not 
 know any Reafon at all why they kept thefe Obfer- 
 vances ^ yet was it pojfible to put it upon them. 
 That they had kept thefe Obfervances in Memory 
 of what they had never heard of before that Day, 
 whenfoever you will fuppofe that thefe Booh of 
 Mofes were firft Forged ^ ■ For Example, fuppofe I 
 iliou'd now forge fome Romantick Story, ot ftrange 
 Things done looc Years ago, and in Confirmatioa 
 of th]s, fhould endeavour to perfuade the Chriftian 
 World, that they had all along, from that Da^ to 
 this, kept the Firjl-Day of the Jfeek in Memory of 
 
C H 3 
 
 facfi an Hero, an ApoUofiius, a Earcoshas, or a Ma- 
 homet ^ and had all been Baptized in his Name 5 and 
 Swdre by his Name, and upon that very JBook^ 
 (which I had then forged, and which they never 
 law before) in their publick Judicatures-^ that this 
 Book was their Gofpel and Laip, which they had 
 ever lince that Time, thefe looo Years paft um- 
 verfally receiv'd and ownM, and none other, I 
 wou'd ask any Deiji, whether he thinks it pojfible, 
 that fuch a Cheat cou'd pafs, or fuch a Legend be re- 
 ceiv'd as the Gofpel of Chrijiians •, and that they 
 could be made believe, that they never had any 
 other Gofpel ? The fame Reafon is as to the Booh of 
 Mofes 5 and miift be, as to every Matter of Fa^^ 
 which has all the four Marks before-mention'd 5 'and 
 thele Marks fecure any fuch Matter of Fa SI as much 
 from being Invented and ijnpos'd in any after Ages, 
 as at the Time when fuch Matters of Fa^ were faid 
 to be done. 
 
 L E T me give one very familiar Example more 
 in this Cafe. There is the Stonbenge in Salisbury- 
 Plain, every body knows it ^ and yet none knows 
 the Reafon why thofe Great Stones were fet there, 
 or by whom, or in Memory of what. 
 
 Now fuppofe I fhou'd write a Book to Morrow, 
 and tell there, That thefe Stones were fet up by 
 Hercules, Polyphemits, or Gar agantiia, in Memory of 
 fuch and fuch of their Actions. And for a further 
 Confirmation of this, fhou'dfay, in this Book, That 
 it was wrote at the Time when fuch Actions were 
 done, and by the very Aclors thciui^eWcs, ox Eye- 
 J^itnefes, And that this Book had been receiv'd as 
 Truth, and quoted by Authors of the greateft Re- 
 putation in all Ages lince. Moreover, that this 
 Book was well kno\^n in England, and enjoyyi'd by 
 Acl of Parliament to be taught our Children, and that 
 we did teach it to our Children, and Iiad been taught 
 it our fclves when we were Children, I ask any 
 Deijl, Whether he thinks this could pafs upon Eng- 
 
 lajid ? 
 
[■5 3 
 
 land ? And wTietlier, if I, or any other fhould in- 
 fift upon it, we fhould not, inftead of being be- 
 liev'd, be fent to Bedlam ? 
 
 No w let us compare this with the Stonhevge, as 
 i may call it, or Twelve great Stones fet up at Gf/- 
 gal^ which is told in tlie iv. Chap, of Jojima. There 
 it isfaid, F^r. 6. that the Reafon why they were fet 
 up, was, that when their Children^ in after Ages, 
 fhould ask the Meaning of it,it ihould be told them. 
 And the thing in Memory of which they were fet 
 up, was fuch as cou'd not poiTibly be imposM upon 
 that Nation^ at that Time, when it was faid to be 
 done, it was as wonderful and miraculous as their 
 Paflage thro' the Red Sea. 
 
 And withal, free from a very poor Objedion, 
 which the Deijfs have advancM againft that Mira- 
 cle of the Red Sea : Thinking to folve it by a Spring- 
 Tide^ with the Concurrence of a firong Wind, hap- 
 pening at th e fame Time, which left the Sand fo 
 dry, as that the Ifraelites being all Foot, might 
 pafs thro' the Op^fey Places and Holes, which it 
 muft be fuppos'd the Sea left behind it: But that 
 the ty£gyptians being all Horfe and Chariots, ftuck in 
 thofe Holes and were entangl'd, fo as that they cou'd 
 not March fo faft as the Ifraelites : And that this was 
 all the Meaning of its being faid. That God took 
 oiF their (the ^^3?ptfiiw5) Chariot -Wheels, that they 
 drove them heavily, So that they wou'd make no- 
 thing extraordinary, at leaft, not Miraculous in all 
 this Adtion. 
 
 T H I s is advanced in Le Clerk's Dijfertations upon 
 Genejis, lately Printed in Holland, and that Part 
 with others of the like Tendency, endeavouring to 
 refolveother Miracles,^s that o^ Sodom and Go7fior rah, 
 &c- into the mere Natural Caufes, are put into 
 BngliJJ) by the well known T. Brown, for the Edifica- 
 tion of the Deijls in England, 
 
 But thefe Gentlemen have forgot, that the If- 
 raelites had great Herds of many Thoufand Cattle 
 
 with 
 
[,6] 
 
 with them -, which wou'd be apter tojfray, and fall 
 into thofe Holes, and Owjey Places in the Sarid^ than 
 Horfeswith Riders, who might direft them. 
 
 But fuch precarious, and Jilly Siippofes are not 
 worth the Anfivering. If there had been no more 
 in this Pa f age thro' the Red Sea, than fhat of a 
 Sprivg'Tide, Sec, It had been impoffible for Mofes 
 to have made the Ifraelites believe that Relation gi- 
 ven of it in Exodus, with" fo many Particulars, 
 which" themfelves faw, to be true, 
 
 And all thofe Scriptures which magnifie -this 
 Action, and appeal to it as a full Demonftration 
 of the miraculous Power of God 5 mufibe reputed 
 as Ro7nance or Legend. 
 
 I Say this for the fake of* (ome Chriftians, who 
 think it no Prejudice to the Truth of the Holy Bible, 
 but rather an Advantage, as. rendering it more eafy 
 to be believ'd, if they ixan folve whatever feems 
 Miraculous in it, by the Power of fecond Caitfes : 
 And fo to make all, as they fpeak, Natural and Ea- 
 fie. Wherein, if they couM prevail, the mtural 
 and eafie Refult wou'd be, not to belieye one Word 
 in all thofe Sacred Oracles, For if things be not, 
 as they are told in any Relatid?!, that Relation muft 
 hefalfe. And if falfe in i^art, we cannot Tntjl to 
 ir, either in Whole, or in Fart, 
 
 Here are to be excepted. Mi f'Tra7jJlations, and 
 Errors, either in Copy, or in Frefs, But where there 
 is no Room for fuppofing of thefe, as where all Co- 
 pie.^ do agree -, there we muft either Receive all, or 
 Rejeci all. I mean in any Book that pretends to be 
 written from the Mouth of God, For in other com- 
 mon Hijhries, we may believe Eart and reject Eart^ 
 as we lee Caufe. 
 
 B u T to return. The Eajfage of the Ifraelites o- 
 vex Jordan^ in Memory of which xhoie Stones at 
 Gilgal were fet u)), is free from all thofe little Carp- 
 iiigs before- mentioned, that are made as to the Eaf- 
 fage thro' the Red Sea, For Notice was given to the 
 
 Ifraelites 
 
C^7] 
 
 Ifraelites the Day fcefore, of this great Miracle to h6 
 done. Joj1),\u, 5;. It was done at Koon- day, before 
 the whole Nation, A.nd when the Waters of Jor^ 
 dan were divided, it was not at any Low -Ebb, but 
 at theTime when that River overflowed all his Banh^ 
 ver. I J. And it was* done, not by Wi7ids, or in 
 length of Time, which Winds muft take to do it : 
 But all on the fuddain, as foon as the Feet of the 
 Friefls that bare the Ark were dipped in the Bhm of 
 the Water^ Then the Waters which came down from 
 above^ flood and rofe itp upon an Heap, very far from 
 the City Adam, that is beflde Zaretan ; And thofe that 
 came down toward the Sea of the Plain, even the Salt' 
 Sea, faiVdf, and were cut off: And the People pajjei 
 over, right againfl Jericho. The Priefls flood in the 
 midft of Jordan, till all the Armies of Ifrael had 
 faffed over. And it came to pafs, when the Priefls 
 that bare the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, wera 
 come lip, out of the Midfl of Jordan, and the Soles -ff 
 the Priefls Feet were lift up upon the Dry Land, that 
 the Waters of Jordan returned iinto their Place^ and 
 flowed over all his Banks as they did before. And, 
 the People came up out of Jordan, on the Tenth Day 
 of the firfl Month, and encamped in Gilgal on ths 
 Eafl Border of Jericho. Afid thofe Twelve Stonez 
 which they took out of Jordan, did Jofhua pitch in 
 Gilgal. And he fpake unto the Children of irrad, fay- 
 ing. When your Children (liall ask their Fathers in 
 Time to come, faying, what mean thefe Stones ? Then 
 flmll ye let your Children htow, faying, Ifrael came 0- 
 ver this Jordan on dry Land. For the Lord yoiit 
 God dryed up the Waters of Jordan from before yott^ 
 until ye were paffed over •, as the Lord your God did 
 to the Red- Sea, which he dryed up, from before its, tin- 
 til we were gone over. That all the People of the 
 Earth might know the Hand of the Lord, that it is. 
 Mighty : That ye might fear the Lord your God for 
 ever. Chap. iv. from ver, i8. 
 
 B If 
 
■[ »s ] 
 
 i V tlie PafTage over the Red-Sea^ had been only 
 talcing Advantage of a Spring-Tide^ or the like. 
 How wou'd this teach all the People oj the Earthy that 
 the Hand of the Lord was Mighty ! How wou'd a 
 Thing, no more Remarkable, have been taken No- 
 tice of thro** all the World ! How wou'd it have 
 taught Ifrael to fear the Lord, when they muft 
 know, that notwithflanding, of all thek Big-Words^ 
 there was fb Little in it ! How cou'd they have be- 
 lieved, or received a Book, as Truths which they knew, 
 told the Matter fo far otherwife from what it was I 
 
 B u T, as I faid, this PafTage over Jordan^ which 
 is here compared to that of the Red-Sea^ is free from 
 thofe Cavils that are made as to that of the Red- 
 Sea, and is a further Atteftationtoit,beingraidto be 
 done in the fame Manner as was that of the Red Sea. 
 
 Now, to form our Argument, let Us fuppofe, that 
 there never was any fuch Thing as that Raff age over 
 Jordan. That thefe Stones at Gilgal were fet up, 
 npon fome other Occaiion, in fome after Age. And 
 then, that fome deligning Man invented this Book 
 of JoJInia^ ?nd faid, that it was wrote by Jofnia, at 
 that Time. And gave this Stonage at Gilgal, for a Tejli- 
 Tfwny of the Truth of it. Wou'd not every Body 
 fay to him, We know the Stonage at Gilgal : But 
 w^e revei heard before of this Reafon for it? 
 Nor of this Booh of J:'flma ? Where has it been 
 all this while ? And If here, and How came you, 
 after fi many Ages to find it? Befides, this Book 
 tells Us, tiiat this Raffage over Jordan was ordain \l 
 to be taught our Children^ from Age to Age : And 
 therefore, that they were always to be IvJlruBed in 
 t}\Q Meaning of that Stonage at Gilgal as a Memorial 
 ofii. But we were never taught it when we were 
 Children • nor did ever teach our Children any fuch 
 Thing. And it is not likely. That cou'd have been 
 forgotten, while fo remarkable a Stonage did con* 
 tinue, which was fet up for that, and no other 
 End: ' 
 
 An d 
 
L^9l 
 
 An!) iF, for the Reafbns before giveri, nofucft 
 tmpofition cou'd be put upon Us, as to the Stoiiage at 
 Salisbury -Plain •, How much lefo cou'd it be as lo the 
 Stonage at Gil gal ^ 
 
 A N D if wjere we know not the Reafoyt of a hare 
 naked Monnnmtt^ fuch a ^oam-Reafoji caniloi be 
 impos'd , How much more is it impoiiible to 
 impofe upon Us, in Actioiu and Ohfervances^ 
 which we celebrate in Memory of particular 
 Fajfages ^ How impoffiblero make Us forget thofe 
 Fajfages which we daily Commeworate •, and perfuade 
 Us, that we had always kept fuch IvJHtutiGr.s in Me- 
 mory of what we never heard of before •, That is, 
 that We knew it, before We knew it ! 
 
 A N D if we find it thus iinpoiiible for an tmpoJi» 
 tion to be pat upon Us, even in fome Things, wiuch 
 have not all the Foitr- Marks before-mennoned : 
 How muc'^ more impoffible is it, that any Deceit 
 fliou'd be in tnat Thing, wh^re all tlie Fonr-Ma^ks 
 do meet ! 
 
 This has been Ihew'd in th&FirJi Place, as to 
 the Matters of Faci of Mofes, 
 
 2. Therp-^fcre I covas now (St^cojidly) to fheWj" 
 that, as in the Matte/ s of Facl of Mofes^ fo likewife, 
 all thefe Four Mc?rh do meet in. the Matters of FaB^ 
 which are recorded iri the Gofpel, of Our BlciTed 
 Saviour. And my Work herein v,?ill be the 
 fliorter, becauJe all that is faid before, "^f Mo- 
 fes and his Books, is every Way as applicable to 
 Chriji and His Gofpel His Works and Miracles are 
 there faid to be done pithlickly, in the Face of thQ 
 World, as heargu'd to his Accufers, / fp a ke openly 
 to the JforU, and in Secret have I faid i^othirg, Joh, 
 xviii. 20.. It is told, and JBAi, ^f, that Three thou- 
 fand at one Time • Act., iv, 4. that above Five 
 thoufand at another Time, were converted, upon 
 Convidtion of what t':- :?r/lves had feen, what had 
 hten done publickly before their Eyes, wherein it 
 was impoifible to have imposed upon them, There. 
 
 B 2 . fore 
 
fore here were the two Firft of the Rules befor^- 
 mentio }'J. 
 
 T H F N for the Two fecond : Baptifnt and the 
 Lord's Snp^h were inftituted as perpetual Memo- 
 rials nf t wVq Thii-igs-, and they were not inftituted 
 in ifter-Ages, but at^the very Time when thefe 
 Things were Cdd to be done ^ and have been obfer- 
 ved without Interruption, in all Ages through the 
 whole Chriftian World, down all the Way from 
 that Time to this. And Chyijf Himfelf did ordain 
 ■^^P'jjfles^ and other Minijlers of His Gofpel^ to Preachy 
 ard Ad?mniJ}ertheie Sacraments • and to 
 Matth. Govern His Chutxh : And that alwayi^ 
 
 xxviii. 20. even unto the End of the World, Accord- 
 ingly they have continued by regular 
 Siicccjfion^ to t is Day ; And, no Doubt, ever ihall, 
 w^'ile the Earth mall laft. So that the Chriftian 
 Cleryy are as notorious a Matter of FaB^ as the Tribe 
 Ot Levi among &j. J^ws. And the Gofpel is as much 
 a Laiv to the Chnjilam, as the Book of Mojes to 
 the Jews: And it being Part of the Matter of 
 TaB rt\^tt<^t in the GofpeL that fuch an Order 
 of Men were appointed by Chrijf^ and to continue 
 to the End of the IForU • confequently, if tlio. 
 Gofpel was a FiBion^ and invented (as it muft be) in 
 f^nie Ages after Chriji ^ then, at tnat Time, when 
 it was fiift invented, there cou'd be no fuch 
 Order of Clergy^ n.s derivM themfelves from the In- 
 flitmion of ChriJi ^ v/hich muft give the Lye to the 
 Gofpel^ rnd demonftrate the whole to be Falfe. And 
 th.^ Matters of Fact of C/?;'z/? being prefs'4 to be True, 
 110 otherwife than as there was, at that Time (when- 
 ever the Deijis will fappofe the Gofpel to be Forged) 
 not only publick Sacramerits of Chriji's Inftitution, 
 but an Order of Clergy, like wife of his Appoint- 
 ment to Admiinfter them : And it being impoftible 
 there cou'd be any fach Things before they were/?^- 
 vented^ it is as impoilibie that they fnould be Recei- 
 ved wlien Livented. And therefore, by what was faid 
 
 above. 
 
[.I ] 
 
 al')Ove, it was as impoffible to have impos'd upon 
 Manlcind in this Matter, by inventing of it in after- 
 Ages, as at the Time when thofe Things were faid 
 to be done. 
 
 9. The Matters o? Faci o^ Mahomet, or v/hat is 
 Fabled of the Deities, do all want fomeof the a- 
 forefaid four Rules, whereby the Certainty o^ ATat- 
 ters of Facl is demonftrated. Firft, for Mahomet^ he 
 pretended to no Miracles, as he tells us in his Al- 
 coran, c. 6. &c, and thofe which are commonly told 
 of him pafs among the Mahometans themfelvcs, 
 but as Legendary Fables -, and, as fuch are rejedted 
 by the Wife, and Learned among them •, as the Le- 
 gends of their Saints are in the Church of Rome. See 
 Dr. Prideaiix his Life of Mahomet^ Page 34, , 
 
 But, in the next Place, thofe which are told of 
 him, do all. want the Two firft RiiUs before-menti' 
 oned. For his pretended Converfe with the M6o7i^ 
 his Merfa, or Night- Journey from Mecca to Jem- 
 falem, and thence to Heaven, 8cc. were not per- 
 formed before any f Body. We have only his 
 own Word for them. And they are as groundlefs 
 as the Delufions of Fox, or Mitggjeton among our 
 felves. The fame is to be faid (in the fecond Place) 
 of the Fables of the Heathen Gods, of Mercury's 
 ftealing Sheep,ywpfi^/s turning himfelf into a Bull, 
 and the like *, befides the Folly and Unworthinefs of 
 {\ich fenfelejs jiietcn^ed Miracles, And, moreover, 
 the Wife among the Heathen did reckon no other- 
 wife of thefe but as Fables, which had a Mythology, 
 or Myfiical meaning in them, of which fevcral of 
 them have gi/e»usthe Rationale, or Explication, 
 And it is plain enough that Ovid meant no other by 
 all his Met amor phofes, 
 
 I T is true, tht Heathen Deities, had their Priejh : 
 They had like wife F^^/j, Games, and other piblick 
 Injiitiitions in ?vlemory of them. But all thefe want 
 the Fourth Mark, viz,. That fuch Friejl-Hood and 
 hjjiitutions Ihou'd Commeyice from the Tnrie that fuch 
 B 3 . Things 
 
[ ^^- ] 
 
 Tilings 9S tliey Commemorate, were faid to be done^ 
 otherwife thsy cannot f cure after Ages from the 
 Impojlure^ hj deteding it, at the Time when firfl: 
 Jvventedy as hath- been argu'd before. But the £^c- 
 chamlu^ and other Heath en- Feafis were inftituted 
 ma;iy Ages after what was reported of thefe Gods 
 was faid to bedouv^and therefore can be no Proof o£ 
 them. And the Priejls o^ Bacchus : Apollo, &c, were 
 not Grdahid by thefe foppofed Gods : But were ap- 
 pointed by oihers, in after Ages, only in Honour 
 to them. And therefore thefe Orders of Priejfs are 
 no Evidence to the Truth of thQ Matters of Fa^y 
 which are reported of their Qjds, 
 
 IV. Now, to apply what has been faid. You 
 may challenge all the Deijis in -the World to 
 fhew any fiction that is Fabulous ^ which has all 
 the four Rules, or Marh btfore-inention^d. 2slo, it 
 is impoirible. And (to refume a, little what is 
 fpoke to before) the Hifcories of Exodus, and the 
 Gofpel cou'd never have been receiv'd, if they had 
 not been true • becaufe the Ir»fl:itution of the Prieft- 
 hood of Leviy and o^ Chrijl : Of the Sabbath, the 
 Pafs'over, cf Circnmcifion , of Baptif7n, and the 
 Lprd''s- Supper, 8cc. are there related, as defcending 
 all the way down from thofe Times, without In- 
 terruption. And it is full as impollible to perfuade 
 Men, that they had been Grcitjncis^d, Baptizdy had 
 Circmncud or Baptized their Children^ celebrated 
 Pa fs- overs ^ Sabbaths, Sacraments, &c. under the Gw- 
 "i^ eminent, and Admijnjiratlon of a certain Order of 
 Priefis, if they had done none o& thele Things, as 
 to make them believe that they had gone through 
 Seas upon Dry land, feen the Dead raifed, &c. And 
 without believing of thefe, it was impolfible that 
 either the Law, ox tlie Gofpel CQu'd have been re- 
 (:eiv'd. 
 
 And the Truth of the Matters of Fact of Exodm 
 pad the Gofpel, being no otherwife prefs'd upon 
 
 Men^ 
 
C ^5 ] 
 
 Men, thai- as they have pra6tifed fuch puhUcl Ivfli- 
 tiitiom -5 it is appealing to the Senfss of Mankind 
 for the Truth of them : And makes it impoffible 
 for any to have invented fach Stories in after Ages, 
 without a palpable detection of the Cheat, when 
 firfl: invented ^ as impoffible as to have impos'd 
 upon the Senfes of Mankind at the Time, when 
 fuch pihlick Matters of FaB were faid to be done. 
 
 V. I do not fay, that every thing which wants 
 thefe four Marh is Falfe : But, that nothing c^n 
 be Falfe which has them u4lL 
 
 I have no manner of Doubt, that there was fuch 
 
 ^ a Man as yulim Cafarr, that he fought at Pharfah'a, 
 
 was kiird in the Senate-Hoiife • and many other 
 
 Matters of Fa6t of Antient Times, tho' we keep no 
 
 publick Ohfervances in-Memory of them. 
 
 But this fhews that the Matters of Fad of 
 Mops and ofChnJi^ have come down to us better 
 guarded than any other Matters of Fad how true 
 Ibever. 
 
 And yet our Deifs who would laugh any Man 
 out of the World, as an irrational Bnite^ t]iat 
 ihould offer to deny C^far^ or Alexander, Homer or 
 Virgil, then puhlick 7 forks Sind AO.ioiis, do, at the 
 fame time value thcmfelves as the only Men o^Wit 
 and Senfe^ of Free, Generous, and Unhyaji Jndgnmits, 
 for ridiculing the Hiftories of Mofes and Chrijl, that 
 are infinitely better atteflied, and guarded with 
 infallible Marks, which the others want. 
 
 VL Besides that, the Importance of the Sub- 
 jed wou'd oblige all Men to enquire more narrowly 
 into the one than the other : For what Confecjuence 
 is it to me, or to the World, whether there was 
 fuch a Man as Cafar •, whether he beat or was bea- 
 ten at Fharfalia -, whether Hcnner or Virgil wrote 
 fuch Books 5 and whether what is related in the Iliads 
 or JEneids be True or Falfe > It is not two Pence up 
 B 4 or 
 
[ H ] 
 
 br down to any Man in the World. And therefore 
 it is worth no Man's while to enquire into it, ei- 
 ther to Pppofe or Jiifify the Truth of thefe Re- 
 lations, 
 
 But our very Souh and Bodies, both this Life 
 and Eternity, are concern'd in the Truth of what 
 is related in the Holy Scriptures • and therefore 
 Men wou'd be more inquifitive to fearch into the 
 Truth of thefe, than of any other Matters of Fadt ^ 
 Examine and lift them narrowly •, and find out 
 the Deceit, if any fuch cou'd be found : For it con- 
 cern d them Nearly, and was of the laffc Importanca 
 to them. 
 
 How unreafonable then is it to rejeffc thefe Mat- 
 ters of Fa6t {ojifted, fo examirt'd, and fo attejied as no 
 other Matters of Fadt in the World ever were • and 
 yet to think it the moft higbly Unreajonahle^ even to 
 Madnefs, to deny other Matters of Fad, which have 
 not the thoufandth part of their Evidence, and are 
 of no Confequence at all to Us, whether True or 
 Falfel 
 
 VII. There are feveral other Topics^ from 
 whence the Truth of the Chriftian Religion is evin- 
 ced to all who judge by Reafon, and give themfelves 
 leave to confider. As the Improbability that Ten or 
 Twelve poor illiterate Fiji: er- men fhould forma De- 
 Ugn of converting the whole AVorld to believe their 
 Delujions ^ and the Impojfihility of their effedling it, 
 without Force of Arms, Learning, Oratory, or any 
 one vifible thing that could regommend them ! And 
 to impofe a DoSrine quite oppojite to the Liijls and 
 Pleafures of Men, and all worldly Advantages, or 
 Enjoymeitts ! And this in an Age of fo great Learning 
 and Stgacity, as that wherein the Gofpel was firft 
 preach'd '• That thefe Apoftles iliould not only un- 
 dergo all the Scorn and Contempt^ but the fevereft 
 Ferfccutions, and moft cruel Deaths that could 
 be inflidted, Jn Atteftatioa to what themfelves 
 
 knew. 
 
knew to be a meer Deceit and Forgery of tlieir own 
 contriving! Some have fuffer'd for £>ron which 
 they thought to be Tntth • but never an^^ for what 
 thenifelves knew to be Lies, And the Apoftles mufi: 
 know what they taught to be Xji^j,'if it was (b, be- 
 caufe they fpoke oTthofe things which 
 ABs iv. 20. they faid, they had borh/^^wand heard ^ 
 I Job, L i. had looKd uport^ and handled with 
 their' Hands ^ &c. 
 Neither can it be faid, that they, perhaps, might 
 have proposed fome temporal Advantages to them- 
 lelves, but mifs'd of them, and met with Sujferivgs 
 inftead of them : For, if it had been fo, it is 
 more than probable, that when they faw their Dif- 
 appointment, they would have difcover'd their 
 Confpracy ^ efpecially when they might not have 
 only fav'd their Lives^ but got great Rewards for 
 doing of it 5 that not one of them fhould ever have 
 been brought to do this ! 
 
 But this is not all : for they tell us, that their 
 Mafter bid them expert nothing but Svfferings in 
 this World. This is the Tenure of all th^t Gofpel 
 which they taught. And they told the fame to al| 
 whom they Co7iverted% So that here was no Di& 
 appointment. 
 
 For, all that were Converted by them, were 
 Converted upon the certain Expectation of Suffer* 
 ivgs^ and bidden prepare for it. Chrlji command- 
 ed his Difciples to take up their Crofi daily and 
 follow him ^ and told them, that in the World 
 they ftiould have Tribulation : That whoever did 
 not forfake Father^ Mother^ ^^U^, Children^ Landf^ 
 and their very Lives^ could not be his Difciples : 
 That he, who fought to fave his Life in this World, 
 Ihould Zo/^ it in the next. 
 
 Now, That this defpifed DoBri^ie oi the Crofs 
 fhould prevail fo Univerfally againft the Allure- 
 tnents c£ Flelh ^uA Blood, and all the Blandipmeiits 
 pf thiis World •, againft the Rage and Perfecution of 
 
 all 
 
I 26 2 
 
 all the Kings and Powers of the Earth, muft fliew 
 its Original to he Divine, and its l?wied[or Almighty. 
 What is it elfe, could Conquer without Arms, Per- 
 fuade withouti^/?^f orfc'Z: •, overcome jBw^whVs •, difarm 
 Tyrants^ and fubdue Ejnpres without Oppfition I 
 
 VIII. We may add to all this, the Teftimonies of 
 the mofi: bitter E7iemies and Perfecutors of Chrifti- 
 anity, hothjews and Gentiles, to the Truth of the 
 Matte?' cfFaB oiChyiJi^ fuch as Jofe^hiis and Tad- 
 ius'^ of Which the Firft fiourifliM about Forty Years 
 after the Death.of Ci^^nT?, and the Other about Se- 
 vejity Years after : So that they were capable of 
 examining into the Truth, and wanted not Prejudice 
 and Malice fufficient to have inclin'd them to deny 
 the Matter of FaB: itfelf of Chrift : But their Con- 
 feffing to it, as lilcewife Liician, Celfiis, Porphyry^ 
 and Juliayi tlie Apoftate ^ the Mahometans fince, and 
 all other Enemies of Chriftianity that have arifen in 
 the World, is an undeniable Atteftation to the 
 Truth of the Matter of Faff. 
 
 IX. But there is another Argument more 
 flrong and convincing than even this Matter of 
 Faci •, more than the Certainty of what I fee with 
 my Eyes : and which the Apoftle Peter cali'd a more 
 fure Jford, that is. Proof than what he fam and 
 heard upon the Holy Mount, when our Bleffed Savi- 
 our was Transfigured before him and two other of 
 the Apojiles : For, having repeated that PafTage as 
 a Proof of that whereof they were Eye'TFitnejjes^ 
 and heard the Voice from Heaven giving Atteftation 
 to our Lord Qrijl, 2 Pet. i, i6, 17, 18. He fays, 
 ver. 19. We have alfo a 7norii fure Word of Prophecy 
 for the Proof of this Jefus being the Mejfiah, thdX is, • 
 the Prophecies which had gone before of Him, from 
 the Beginning of the World •, and AU exaftly juU 
 filled in Him. 
 
 Men, 
 
C^7] 
 
 Men may difpute an hwojltion or Dehfon up- 
 on our outward Senfes •, but how that can be Falfe 
 that has been fo lovg^ even from the Beginning of 
 the World, and fo often by all the Prophets, in fe- 
 veral Ages foretold j how can this be an Imjjojition^ 
 or a Forgery ? 
 
 This is particularly infifted on in the Method 
 with the Jews : And even the Beijis muft confefs, that 
 that Book we call the Old-Tejiament^ was in the 
 Hands of the Jews long before our Saviour came in- 
 to the World. And if they will be at the Pains to 
 compare the Prophejies that are there of the Mejiah^ 
 with the Fulfilling of them, astoTm^, Vlace^ and 
 all other Qrcimjlances^ in the Perfoyt, Birth ^ Life^ 
 Deaths RefurreBion^ and Afcenfwn of our Bleffed 
 Saviour^ will find this Proof what our A^oftle here 
 calls it , a Light Jlmilng in a dark place, until the Day 
 dawn, and theDay-fiar arife in your Bearts.Which God 
 grant. Here is no poflibility of Deceit or Irnpojlure, 
 . Ol d PropheJie5^(and all fo agreeing) cou'd not have 
 been contrived to countenance a new Cheat : And 
 nothing cou'd be a C^^^t, that cou'd fulfil all thefe^ 
 
 For this therefore I refer the Deijfs to the Method 
 with the Jews, 
 
 I defire them likewife to look there, SeB. XI. and 
 confider the Prophejies given fo long ago,of which they 
 fee the Fulfilling at this Day, with their own Eyes, 
 of the State of the Jews, for many AgQs paft, and at 
 prefent ^ without a King, or Prieft, or Temple, or Sacri- 
 fee, fcattered to the four Winds, Sifted as with a Sieve^ 
 among all Nations:, jet preferved^ and always fo to 
 be, a diftinft People from all others of the whole 
 Earth. Whereas thofe Mighty Monarchies which Op- 
 preiTed the Jews^ and which Commanded the World ^ 
 in their turns^ and had the greateft Humane Pro- 
 fpe£t of Perpetuity, were \o be extinguifh'd, as 
 they have been, even that their Names fhould be 
 blotted out from under Heaven. 
 
 A s likewife, That as Remarkable of our Blepd 
 Saviour J concerning the Prefervation and Progrefs of 
 
 the 
 
• [.8] 
 
 the Chrijl'ian Church, when in her Swadlhig Cloaths^ 
 confifting only of a jew poor Fifier-Mejt. Not by 
 the Sword, as tha^ of Mahomet^ but under all the 
 Verjecntion of Men and Bell ^ which jn ftiould 
 not prevail againft Her. 
 
 But though I offer thefe, as not to be flighted 
 ty the Beijis^ to which they can fhew nothing e- 
 qual in all prophane Hiftory •, and in which it is im- 
 poifible any Cheat can lie •, yet I put them not up- 
 on the fame Foot as the Prophejies before- mentioned 
 of the Marks and Coming of the Mejfiah, which 
 have been fince the T^orld began. 
 
 And that General Expeftation of the whole 
 Earth, at the Time of His Coming, iniifted upr 
 on in the Method with the Jews^ Sed. V. is Greatly 
 to be Notic'd. 
 
 B u T, I fay, the foregoing Frophejies of our Savi' 
 our^ are fo ftrong a Proof, as even Miracles wou'd 
 not be fufficient to break their Authority. 
 
 I mean, if it were poffible that a True Miracle 
 could be wrought, in contradiElion to them. For 
 that would be for God to contradid Himfelf. 
 
 B u T no Sign or Wonder, that could poifibly be 
 folv'd, fhould ihake this Evidence. 
 
 I T is this that keeps the Jews in their Obftinacy. 
 Tho' they cannot deny the Matters of Ki^ done by 
 our Blejfed Saviour, to be truly Miracles, if fo done 
 as faid. Nor can they deny that they were fo done, 
 becaufe they have all the Four Marks beforemen- 
 tioned. Yet they cannot yield ! "Why ? Be- 
 caufe they think that the Gofpel is in contra^ 
 diBion to the Law, Which, if it were, the Con- 
 fequence would be unavoidable, that Both cou'd not 
 be True, To folve this, is the Bufinefs of the 
 Method with the Jews. But the ContradiHion, which 
 they fiippofe, is in their Comments that they put 
 upon the Law, efpecially they expefta LiteralFul- 
 filling of thofe Promifes of the Refiauration of Je- 
 rufale?n, and outward Glories of the Church, of 
 
 which 
 
L^9l 
 
 which there is fuch frequent mention in the Books 
 of Mofes, the FJalms^ and all the Prophets. And 
 many Chrijiians do eiped the fame •, and take thofe 
 Texts as Litterally as the Jem do. We do Believe 
 and Pray for the Converjion of the Jem, For this 
 End they have been fo miraculoufly Preferved, ac- 
 cording to the Proi)heJies fo long before of it. And 
 when that Time ftiall Come, as they are the mofi: 
 Honour Me and Ancient of all the Nations on the 
 Earth, lb will their Church Return to be the Mo^ 
 ther Chriftian Churchy as fhe was at Firft : 
 And Rome muft Surrender to Jerufalefn. Then all 
 Nations will Flow thither. And even EzekieVs 
 Temple may be Litterally Built There, in the Metro- 
 polls of the whole Earth •, which Jerufalem muft 
 be, when the Fulnefs of the Gentiles, Ihall meet 
 with the Converjion of the Jews, For no Nation 
 will then contend with the Jews^ nor Church with 
 Jerufalem for Supremacy. All Nations will be am- 
 bitious to draw their Origina} from the y^J?'^, whofe 
 are the Fathers, and from whom, as concerning the 
 Flefh, Chrijicsime. 
 
 Then will be fulfiU'dthat outwsixi Graytdeur and 
 Reftauration of the Jews and of Jerufalem^ which 
 they expeft, purfuant to the Prophejies. 
 
 They pretend not that this is limited to any par- 
 ticular Time of the Reign of the Mejftah, They are 
 fiire it will not be at the beginning *, for they ex- 
 pert, to go thro' great Conflicts and Tryals with their 
 Mejiah, (as the Chriftian Church has done) before 
 his Final Conqueft^ and that they come to Reign with 
 him. So that this is no Obftruction to their Em- 
 bracing of Chriftianity, They fee the fame things 
 fulfiird in us, which they expedi: Themfelves ^ and 
 we exped: the fame things they do. 
 
 I tell this to the Deifts, left they may think' that 
 the Jews have fome ftronger Arguments than they 
 know of », That they are not perfuaded by the 
 Miracles of our Ble^ed Saviour, and by the fulfilling 
 
 of 
 
[ 30 ] 
 
 of all tlie Pfophejies in him, that were made con- 
 cerning the Mejfiah, 
 
 As I fa id before, I wou'd not plead even Mir a* 
 chs againft thefe. 
 
 A N D if this is fufficient to perfuade a ^erp, it 
 is much more fo to a Deijl^ who labours not under 
 tiiefe ObjeBiom, 
 
 Besides,! wou'd not feem to clalh with that (in 
 a found Senfe) reafonable Caution^ us'd by Chrijllan 
 Writers, not to put the Iffue of the Truth wholy 
 upon Miracles^ without this addition, when not 
 done in Contradiction to the Revelations already 
 giveil in the Holy Scripures, 
 
 And they do it upon this Consideration, That 
 tho' it is impolTible to fuppofe, that God wou'd 
 work a real Miracle, in contradiction to what he 
 has already ReveaVd : Yet Men may be inipos'd up- 
 on by Falfe and Seemz7ig Miracles, and pretended 
 Revelations, (as there are many Examples; efpecial- 
 ly in>^he Church o{ Rome) and fb may be fliaken in 
 the Faith, if they keep not to the Holy Scriptures 
 as their Rule. 
 
 We are told, 2 Thejf, ii. 9. of him who fe coming 
 is after the workijig of Satan, with all Power, and 
 Signs, and Lying- wonders. And Rev, xiii. 14. xvi. 
 14. and xix. 20. of the Devil, and Falfe -Prophets 
 working Miracles, But the Word, in all thefe 
 Places, is only %\)if.HA, Signs, that is, as it is ren- 
 dered Matth. XXV. 24. which tho' fometimes it may 
 be us'd to fjgnifie Real Miracles, yet not always, not 
 in thefe Places. For though every Miracle be a 
 Sign and a J^oyuler, yet every Sign, or Wonder, is 
 not a Miracle. 
 
 X. Here it may be proper to confider a com- 
 mon Topic of the Deifls, who when they are not a- 
 ble to flandout againft the Evidence o^FaU, that 
 fuch and fuch Miracles have been done : Then turn 
 
 a- 
 
[31] 
 
 about and deny Tuch Things to be Miracles, at leaft. 
 That we can never be Sure whether any wojiderfiil 
 Thing that is (hewn to us, be a True or a Falfe Mi^ 
 racle. 
 
 And the Great Argument they go upon, is this. 
 That a M/>^c/^ being that which'excepo's the Fomr 
 of Nature, We cannot know what exceeds it, unkfs 
 we knew the utmojR: hxterit cl he I^cwer of Nature : 
 And no Man pretends to know that ^ therefore, 
 that no Man can certaMy k?^.ow whether any Event 
 be miraculous. And, c0Df.quer.tl7, he ]nay be cheat- 
 ed in his Judgment between True^ and Falfe-Mi- 
 racles. 
 
 To which I snfwer. That Men may be f Cheated^ 
 And there are many Examples of it. 
 
 But that tVongh we may not always Kncn^ 
 when we are Cheated^yet wq <'an certainly tell in ma- 
 ny Cafes, when we are not Cheated, 
 
 For tho' we do not know the utmoit Extent of 
 the Power of Nature, pl-rhaps, in any one Thing, 
 yet it does not follow, that we know not the iVii- 
 ^w/'^ of any thing, in feme pwafvr:^ -^ and that cer- 
 tainly too. For Exam pi- , Tho' 1 do not know 
 the utmofl: Extent o tne Power ol Fire, yet I cer* 
 tainly know, That it is the Nature of Fire to hum : 
 And that when proper Fewel is adminiitred to it, 
 it is contrary to the Nature of lire not to con- 
 fume it. Therefore, if I fee three Men taken off 
 the Street, in their common wearing Apparel, and 
 without any Preparatiofi, cafl: into, the midft of a 
 Burytivg FieryFur-nace . and that the Flajne was fb 
 jjerce, that it hum U]) thofe Men that thrrw them 
 in -, and yet that thefe who v/ere thrown in, fhou'd 
 Walk up and down in the_ Bottom of the Furnace^ 
 and I fliouM iee a Fourth It rfon with them ot Glo- 
 rious Appearance like the Son of God •, and that 
 thefe Men fliou'd come up agrun out of the Furnace 
 
 without 
 
[3^ J 
 
 witTinutany harm, or fo much as the fmello^Fire 
 upon themfelves, or their Cloaths, I could not be 
 deceived in thinking that there was a Stop put to 
 the Nature of Fire^ as to thefe Men ^ and that it 
 had its EiFed upon the Men whom it burned at the 
 fame Time. 
 
 Again, Tho' I cannot tell how Wonderful and 
 Sudden an Increafe of Corn might be produced by the 
 concurrence of many Caufes^ as a warm Climate^ the 
 fertility of the Soil, Scc.Yet this I can certainly know. 
 That there is not that Natural Force in the Breath 
 of two or three l^ords fpoken to- multiply one fmall 
 Loaf of Bread fo fajt^ in the hreakiiig of it, as Truly 
 and Really^ not only in Appearance and Shew to the 
 Eye, but to fill the Bellies of feveral Thoufand 
 hungry Perfons •, and that the fragments fhou'd be 
 much more than the Bread was at fir ft. 
 
 S o neither in a Word fpoken, to raife the Dead, 
 cmt Defeafes^&c. 
 
 Therefore, tho** we know not the utmoft Extent 
 of the Power of Nature •, jet we can certainly know 
 Vfhsit IS Co7it vary to the iV^^wVe of feveral fuch Things 
 as we do know. 
 
 And therefore tho' we ma}^ be cheated and im- 
 posed upon in many Seeming- Miracles and Wonders 5 
 yet there are fome Things wherein we may be Cer- 
 tain. 
 
 But further, the Beijh acknowledge a God, of 
 an Almighty Power ^ who made all Things; 
 
 Yet they would put it out of his Power to make 
 any Revelation of his Will to Mankind. For if we 
 cannot be certain of any Miracle^ How lliould 
 we know when Go^ fent any t\\iY\^ Extraordinary 
 to us^ 
 
 Kay, How ihould we know the ordinary Power 
 of Nature^ if we know not what exceeded it ? If we 
 know not what is Natural^ how do we know there is 
 fuch a thing as Nature i That all is not 5ttperw<r- 
 tural, all Miracles, and fo difputahle, till we come 
 
 to 
 
[35 J 
 
 to downright Sceptkifm^ and dou'ot the Certtxhity ojlf 
 bur outward Senfes, whether ive See^ Hear, or Feel . 
 or all be not a jniraculovs Illufion ! 
 
 Which, becaule I know the Deijis^re not iii-^ 
 clin'd to do, therefore I will return to purfue my 
 Argument upon the comnBion of our outward Senfes\ 
 defiring only this, That they wou'd allow the 8en^ 
 fes of other Men to be as Certain as their own. 
 Which they cannot refufe, fince without this, they 
 can have no Certainty of their own. 
 
 XI. Therefore, from what has been laid, the 
 Caufe is fumm'd up fhortly in this, That tho' we 
 cannot fee what was done before our Time, yet By 
 the Marks which I have laid down concerning the 
 certainty of Matters of FaB done before our Time, 
 we may be as much aflur'd of the Truth of 'em, as 
 if we faw them with our Eyes ^ becaufe whatever 
 Matter of.FaB has all the four Marks before-men- 
 tioned, cou'd never hsive been Invented and Receivdl 
 but upon the Conviction of the eutward Senfes of all 
 thofe who did Receive it, as before is demonftrated. 
 And therefore this Tbpic which I have chofen, does 
 fland upon the Convidion even of Men's ont-^ 
 ipard SenJ'es, And fince ypu have confin'd me id 
 oneTojpic, I have not iiifi'fted upon the other, whicR 
 I have only nam'd. 
 
 XII. And now it lies upon the Deijis^ if ihey 
 wouM appear as Men of Reafon, to fhew fome 
 
 , Matter of FaB of former Ages, which they allow to 
 be true, that has greater Evide7ice of its Truth^ 
 than the Matters of Faa: of Mhjes and ofChriJt: 
 Qtherwife they cannot, with any fhew o£ Reafoit^ 
 rejedt the one, and yet admit of the other. 
 
 B u T, I have given them greater Latitude than 
 this •, for I have Ihewn fuch Marks of the Truth of 
 the Matters of FaB: of Mofes and ofChriJf, as no 
 i|,ther Matters ojFaS of thofe Times, however true-^ 
 
 C have. 
 
C 34 ] 
 
 have, but thefe only : And I put it upon them t© 
 fhew any Forgery that has All thefe Marks, 
 
 This is a ihort IJfue, Keep them clofe to this. 
 This determines the Caufe all at once. 
 
 Let them produce their Avollonm Tyavaus, 
 whofe Life was put into EugUp by the execrable 
 ^ Charles Eloinit, and compar'd with all the IHt 
 and Malice he was Mafter of, to the Life and Mi- 
 racles of 'our Bleflkd Saviour, * 
 
 Let them take Aid from ail the Legends in 
 the Church pf Rome^ thofe Fioiis Cheats, the foreft 
 JDifgraces of Chripanity ♦, 'and which have bid the 
 faireft of any one Contrivance, to overturn the 
 Certainty of the Miracles of Chrijl, and his Ajjo- 
 Jlles^ and whole Truth of the Gofpel, by putting 
 them all upon the fame Foot •, at leaft, they are fo 
 imderftood by the generality of their Devotees^ tho* 
 Difdwnd and Laugh' d at hj the Leanid^ and Men 
 of Senfe among them. 
 
 Let them Pick and Chufe the moft probable of 
 all the Fables of the Heathen Deities, and fee if 
 ih^j can find in any of thefe, the Four Marks be- 
 fore-mention'd. 
 
 Otherwise let them fubmit to the Irrefraga- 
 ble Certainty of the Chr'fftian Religion. 
 
 XIIL But, if, notwithftanding of all that is 
 faid, the Beljis will ftill contend, Tnat all this is but 
 FrieJi'Craft. the Invention of Fricfis^ for their own 
 
 Profit, 
 
 * The Hand of that Scorner, vohi'ch durji write fuch otitragious Bhfphe- 
 sny againji his ^\.kQ^, the Divine Vexigc:ii.c.: has 7/iade his 01971 Execu- 
 tioner. JVhich I wou d not ha-ve meutioit'd {becanfc the like 'judgment 
 hug btfaWn others) but that the Tlieilticai Club, l^ve fet this up as a 
 i'rinciple ; and prir,ted a Vindicaticn of this fa7?ie Blounr,/or murderijig 
 of himjelf, hjy»ay cf JnJJifcutioti of i,^ii m\i,dci. Which jome of thou 
 have /;?.'<. c, as "well as forynerly^ horribly praciijcd upon them[elves, 
 'Therefore this is no coiynhoti ^judgment to which they are delivered^ 
 but a nji[ibU Maik ftt ufon thefn^ tj) Jhew how far God has forfaken 
 them; and as a Cailtton to all Chnlnans, io veware ofth£7n^ and 
 wo: CO came near th-^ Tent- of thefe. w;cked Mmy Ufi they pcrifti in their 
 Dfcitf uCtioH, b9th of ioui arid B jcly . 
 
C 35 3 
 
 Profit, &c. then they will give us an tied ofPneJll] 
 far different from what they intend : For then, we 
 muft look upon thefe Priejfs, not only as the Gfw- 
 ^ihgefl and Wifeft of Mayikind, but we Ihall be 
 tempted to adore them as Deities^ who have 
 fuch Power, as to impofe, at their pleafure, up- 
 on the Senfes of Mankind to make them believe^ 
 that they had pra^tis'd fuch Fiihlick InJiitntionSj E- 
 naded them by L^JJJ^^jTaught them to their Children^ 
 &C. when they had never done any of thefe Things^ 
 or ever fo much as heard of them before t And 
 then, upon the Credit of their Believing that they 
 had done fuch Things as they never did, to make 
 them further Believe, upon the fame Foundation, 
 whatever they pleas'd to impofe upon them, as to 
 Former Ages ; I fay, fuch a Power as this, liiuft ex- 
 ceed all that is Human •, and, confequently, make us 
 rank thefe Priejis far above the Condition of Mortals, 
 
 2. Nay, this were to make them out- do all that 
 has ever been related of the hifenial Powers t For 
 though their Leger-demahi has extended to deceive 
 fome unwary Beholders ^ and their Power of Working 
 fome feemi-ng Miracles has been great, yet it never 
 reach'd, nor ever was fuppos'd to reach fo far, as^ 
 to deceive the Senfes of all Mankind, in Matters o£" 
 fuch Fiiblick and Notorious Nature as thofe of which 
 we now fpeak, to make them believe, that they 
 had enafted Laws for fuch pvblick Obfervances^ con- 
 tinualfy Pradis'd them. Taught them to theit 
 C^z7rfmz,andhad been Inftrudted in them themfelves 
 from their Childhood, if they had never EnaBed^ 
 PraEtis'd^ Taught^ or been Taught fuch Things. 
 
 9. And as this exceeds all Xht Power oi Hell 
 and Devils^ fo is it more than ever God AU 
 mighty has done fince the Foundation of the World. 
 None of the Miracles that He .has ihewn, or Be^ 
 lief whicK He has requir'd to any thing that He 
 has ReveaVd^ has ever contradided the outward 
 iSenfes of any one Man in the World, much lefs of 
 
 C-2 'M 
 
C 3^ ] 
 
 all^Majiktrd together. For Miracles hting A'P' 
 peals to our ctitward Sevfes^ if'theyfhou'd over- 
 throw the Certainty of our outward Senfes^ muft de- 
 flroy,with it^ all their owu Certainty ^2^$ to us ; fince 
 we have no other way to judge of a Miracle exhi- 
 bited to our jS^;//t^5,than upon the Suppofition of the 
 Certainty of our Senfes, upoii which we give credit 
 to a Miracle^ that is ihewn to our Sejifes, 
 
 4. T H I s, bj the v/ay, is a yet unanfwer'd 
 Argument againft the Miracle o^ Tranfuhjiantiation^ 
 and fhev/s the Weaknefs of the Defence which the 
 Church of Rome offers for it, (from whom the Soci- 
 7/f^wi have lickM it up, and, of late, have Glory'd 
 much in it amongfl: us,) That the Dodrines of the 
 Trinity or Incarnation contain as great feeming Ab- 
 furdities as that of Tranfuhjlantiation, For I wou'd 
 ask, Wnich of our Senfes it is which i^e Do6trines 
 of the Trinity or Incarnation do contradidt } Is it 
 our Seeing, Hearing, Feelings Tajie^ or Smell ^ whereas 
 TranfuhJta7itiation do's contradid: all of thefe. There- 
 fore the Co7nparifon is exceeding Jbort^ and out of 
 purpofe. But to Return. 
 
 I F the Chfijiian Religion be a Cheat, and nothing 
 elfe but the Inveyition oi Priejls ^ and carry M on by 
 their Craft, it makes their Power and Jfifdom greater, 
 than thatof 7kf^7/, Angels, or Devils-^ and more than 
 God Himfelf ever yet ihew'd or exprefs'd, to De- 
 ceive and Impofe upon the Se7tfes of Mankijid^ in fuch 
 Pjiblick and Notorious Matters of Fa^i. ^ 
 
 XIV. And this MiracU, which t\\e Deijls mufl: 
 run into to avoid thefe recorded o^ Mofes andChriJl^ 
 is much greater, and more aftonilliing than all the 
 Scriptures tell of The?n, 
 
 S o that thefe Men, who laugh at all Miracles, 
 are nowoblig'd to account for the greateft of all, 
 hov/ the Senfes 01 Majikind cou'd be impos'd upon ill 
 fuch puhlick Matters of FaB. 
 
 And liow then can they make the Priejls the 
 
 moft 
 
. [37] 
 
 mofl: coriiemptible of all Mavkhtd, fince tliey malce 
 The?n'tht fole Authors of this the greatefi o^ Miracles, 
 
 XV. And iince the Beifis, (thefe Men of Senfe 
 and Reafon) have fo 7;f/«? and 7w^^« an Idea of the 
 Fviejlsoi all ReVigions , why do they not recover the 
 World out of the Fojfejfion and Govenment of fiich 
 Blockheads ? Why do thev fuffer iCf?;^^ and 5f^t^5 to 
 be led by Them • to eftablilh their Deceits by Laws^ 
 and inflift Femlties upon iheOppofers of them ? Let 
 the D^;//^ try their Hands ^ thej have been trying, 
 and are now bufie about it. And free Liberty they 
 have. Yet have they not prevail'd, nor ever yet did 
 prevail in any Cfi^fhV^ or Generous Nation. And 
 tho' they have fome hroads ^Lvaong the HQte7itotSj and 
 fome other the moft Brutal Part of Mankind^ yet are 
 they ftill exploded, and Friejls have and do prevail 
 againft them, among not only the Greatejl^ but Beji 
 Part of the World, and the moft G/owws for Arts^ 
 Learnings and Ifar, 
 
 XVI. F o R as the Devil do's ape God^ in His In- 
 Jiitittiovs 0^ Religion •, His Feafis, Sacrifices, &c. fb 
 likewife in His Friejh, without whom, no Keligion, 
 whether True or Falfe, can ftand. Falfe Religion is 
 but a Corruption of the True^ The True was before 
 it* though it be follow'd clofe upon the Heels. 
 
 The Revelation made to Mofes, is elder than a- 
 ny Hijlory extant in the Heathen World. The Hea- 
 thens^ in Imitation of him, pretended, likewife to 
 their Revelations \ But I have given thofe Marks 
 which diftinguiih them from the True : None of 
 them have thofe Four Marks before- mentioned. 
 
 Now the Deifis think all Revelations to be equal- 
 ly Fretended, ^nd a Ch^at •, and the Friejis of all Re- 
 ligions to be the fame Contrivers and Juglers • and 
 therefore they proclaim War equally againft all, 
 and are equally engag'd to bear the Brunt of all. 
 
 C ^ And 
 
[38] 
 
 'A N D if tlie Conteft be only betwixt the Betfis 
 and the Friejts^ which of them are the Men of the 
 greateft Varts and Seyife^ let the Ejfecis determine it •, 
 and let the Dejfis yitldi the Vi&ury to their Conquer- 
 ors, who by their own Confeffion, carry all the 
 .World before them. 
 
 XVII. I F the De'ijis fay, That this is becaufe all 
 the World are Blochheais, as well as thofe Friejis 
 who govern them ^ that all are Blockheads, except 
 thQ Be'ijis^ who vote themfelves only to be Me7t of 
 Senfe. This, (befides the Modefty of it) will fpoil 
 their great and beloved Topc^ in behalf of what 
 they call Natural Religion, againft the KeveaVdy 
 vi%» appealing to the Cormmyi Reafon of Mayihyid : 
 This they fet up againft Revelatiojt •, think this to be 
 fufficient for all the ufes of Men, here, or hereafter, 
 (if there be any after- State) andi therefore that there 
 is no ufe of Revelation : This Common Reafon they 
 advance as Infallible, at lea'ft, as the furejl Guide, 
 yet now cry out upon it, when it turns againft 
 them ^ when this Common Reafon runs after Revela- 
 pon, (as it always has done) then Coimnon Reafon is 
 z Beaft, and we muft look for Reafojt, not from the 
 Common Sentiments q£ Mankiyid, but only among the 
 feaux, the Deijfs. 
 
 XVIII. Therefore, if the DeiJIs would a- 
 void the Mortification, (which will be very uneafie 
 to them) to yield and fubmtt to be Subdud and Hejp'd 
 down before the Friejh^ whom of all Mankind they 
 pate and Befpfe •, if they would avoid this, let 'em 
 confefs, as the Truth is. That Religion is no Inven- 
 tion of Priejls, but of Divine Original : That Friefs 
 were Inftituted by the fame Author of Religion-^ 
 ^nd that their Order is a, Ferpetual and Living AJonn^ 
 Vieytt of the Matters of Fact of their Religioji, In- 
 i];ituted from the Ti?«e that fuch Matters of FctB 
 Sincere piid to be doi)e, as the Levites from Mofes ^ 
 
L39l 
 
 the Apoftles, and fuccceding Clergy^ from Chnfl, to 
 this Day. That no Heathen Friejis can fay the fame : 
 They were not appointed by the Gods whom they 
 ferved, but by others in after- Ages : They cannot 
 ftand the Tejl of the Four Rules before- mentioned, 
 which the Chrijlian Priejis can do, and they 07ily. 
 Now the Chrijiian Priejthood, as Inftituted by Chriji 
 Himfelf, and continu'd by Siiccejjion to this Day, 
 being as Impregnable and Flagrant a Tejlimony to the 
 Truth of tht Matters of Facial Chrifi, as the Sa- 
 crajnents^ or any other Publick hijiitiitions : Beiides 
 that, if the Priejihood, were taken away, the Sacra- 
 Tnents, and other Publick Injlitiitions^ which are ad- 
 miniftred by their Hands, muft fall with them : 
 Therefore the Devil has been moft bufie, and bent 
 his greateft Force, in all Ages, againft the Priejl^ 
 hood, knowing, that if Tte goes down, ^// go's 
 with it. 9 
 
 XIX. W J T H the Beijis, in this Caufe, are join'd 
 the ^akers^ and other of our Dijfejiters, who throw 
 off the SucceJ/ion of our Priejihood, (by which only 
 it can be demonftrated) together with the Sacra- 
 ments and publick Fejiivals. And if the Devil cou'd 
 have prevail'd to have thefe dropt, the Chrijiian Rs" 
 ligion would lofe the moft Undeniable and Dcmonjira- 
 tive Proof for the Truth of the Matter of Fadt of 
 OUT Saviour, upon which the Truth of his Do&rine 
 do's depend . Therefore we may fee the Artifice and 
 Malice of the Devils in all thefe Attempts. And 
 let thofe wretched Injinivients, whom he Ignorantly 
 (and fome by a mifguided Zeal) has deluded thus to 
 undermine CZ?ri^w;z>j!, now at laft look back and 
 lee the Snare in which they have been taken : For 
 if they had prevail'd, or ever fhould, Chrijiianity 
 dies with them. At leaft, it will be'render'd pre- 
 carious^ as a thing of which no CertaijiVwo^ can be 
 given. Therefore let thofe of them, who have any 
 Zeal for the Truth, blefs God that they have not 
 
 C 4 pre- 
 
[40] 
 
 prevaiFd^ and qmclcly leave them-, and let all p- 
 thers be aware of them. 
 
 And let us Confider and Honour the Pnejihood^ 
 Sacra7ne7its^ and other Publick htjlitiitiom. of Chnjl^ 
 wot oiiXj 2.% Meaitso^ Grace ^ 2tnd Helps to Devotion^ 
 but as the Great Evidences of the Chrijlian Religiono 
 
 Such Evidences as no pretended Revelation ever 
 Lad, or can have. Such as do plainly diftinguifli it 
 from all foolilh Legends and hnpojiiires whatlbever. 
 
 XX. And now, laft of all, if one Word of 
 Advice would not be loft, upon Men who think fo 
 nnmeafurablyof themfelves, astheP^f/?^, you may 
 reprefent to them,- what a Condition they are in, 
 Xvho fpend that Life and Senfe^ which God has given 
 them, in Ridiculing the Greateft of His Blejivgs, 
 His Revelations of Cbrijf, and by Chriji^ to Redeem 
 thofe from Eternal Mifery, who flia^l Believe in 
 Him, and Obey His Laws, And that God, in His 
 wonderful Mercy a>id Wifdom, has fo Guarded His 
 Revelations^ as that it is paft the Power of Men or 
 Devils to Counterfeit : And that there is no Denying 
 of them, unlefs we will be fo abfurd, as to deny 
 not only the Reafon, but the Certainty oF the out- 
 tpard Senfes, not only of One, or Two, or Three^ but 
 of Mankind in General. That this Cafe is fo very 
 Plain, that nothing but want of Thought can hinder 
 any to difcover it. That they muft yield it to be 
 fo Plain, unlefs they can fhew forne Forgery^ which 
 has all the Four Marks, before fet down. " But if 
 they cannot dor this, they muft quit their Caufe, 
 and yield a Happy Vi^oryovev themfelves *. Or elfei 
 iit down under all that Ignominy, with which they 
 have loaded the Frzejh, of being, not only the moft 
 Pernicious, but j^what will Gall them more) the moft 
 Inconjiderate, and InconfidevahU of Majikind, 
 
 T^^^ERE-^ 
 
C 4' ] 
 
 Therefore, let tTiemnot think it an Under- 
 valuing of iheiv Jf^orthinefs, that their whole Caufe 
 is comprifed within fo narrow a Compafs ; And no 
 more Time beftow'd upon it than it is worth. 
 
 But let them, rather, Refled, how far they 
 have been all this Time from Chrijiianity^ whok 
 EiidimenU thcr are yet'to learn ! How far from the 
 Way of Salvation I How far the Race of their Lives 
 is rim, before they havefet one Step in the Road to 
 Heaven. And therefore, how much Diligence they 
 ought to ufe, to redeem all that Time they have 
 loft, left they lofe themfelves for ever ., and be con- 
 vinc'd, by a dreadful Experience, when it is too 
 late, That the Gof^el is a Truth, and of the laft 
 Confequence, 
 
 F I N I 5. 
 
 Pifcourfe concerning Ep I s c O P AC Y* 
 
 ^€ SHALL begin this Difcourfi with a 
 
 fel folemn Appeal to every ?erfon, who has 
 
 ^'"^ read the foregoing prt Method with 
 
 the Beijls, whether it is 7iot abfolutely 
 
 ^ . ^ neceffary, that a lineal and uninterrupted 
 
 Succejfiono^ the Minijfers of Jesus Christ >«W 
 be fafcrvedy left Chriftianity, our holy R^|jg^^^ 
 
[4^] 
 
 j!)ouli he rcftderd precarious, as a Thing of which no 
 certain Ptoofcan be given ? 
 
 I Am fure there is no Man in his Wits but will 
 fay, it is abfoluiely necejfary, . 
 
 I wou^d not be fo underftood, as if I meant that 
 every One who has read the fliort Method, is fully 
 convinc'd that the SiicceJUion p\v& be derived in the 
 BiJIwps : But this I mean •, that there is no Man 
 (without he has a Defgn to fap and undermine the 
 very Foundations o^Chrifiianity)h\xX. will,nay, he muft 
 own, that it is of abfohtte Neceffity, that there fhould 
 be an uninterrupted Succejfion of the "^ Priejfhood prer 
 ferved : And for this reafon, becaufe fhou'd the Suc- 
 ceffion be broken and interrupted, the Chriftian Re- 
 ligion would lofe the moft tindeniable and deynonjira^ 
 live Proof for the Truth of the Matter of Faft of our 
 Saviour^ upon which the Truth of his Do&rine do's 
 depend. For the Proof and Illuftration of which I 
 refer to the Short Method, 
 
 And 7dly, I ask thofe Perfons who have perus'd 
 what Mr. Pemberton (a famous diflenting Teacher in 
 New'Byigland^ now deceas'd) has faid in his Dif- 
 courfe of Ordination by Presbyters^ whether he is 
 not fatisfy'd that. It is moft evident that thofe who 
 are to ferve God in the Miniftry of his Gofpel, 
 jnuji be duely aiithori%'d to dif charge the Office of a 
 Gofpel Mirujier ? And that, God has not left this 
 Work of the Miniflry in common, but within a fa- 
 cred Inclofure, which can't, be broke over without 
 the Efforts of a Cor^/;-like Spirit ? As that great 
 Man hath excellently expr^fs'd it. But inafmuch as 
 this Treatife m^y fall into the Hands of fome, who 
 have not feen what Mr. Pemberton has written, I 
 
 Ihall 
 
 * Whether this Succeflion muft he preferv*d only in the Bifliops, or 
 whether it may not be deriv'd thro* the Presbyters, or whether BJfhops 
 and Presbyters are not the fame, I do not now (ay : But what I contend 
 iov as iiecejfaryy isan uninteirupted Succeffion of Go/]bg/MinifterS: And 
 he that deiiyesfuch a Succeflion of the. Miniftry to be neceflary, is aa 
 liueniy to Chr/Jiianitj, 
 
[43] 
 
 ihall fay fomethiiig at this time by way of Advice 
 to thofe Perfo7J5, who madly t*hink that there is no- 
 thing at all necefiary to confiitute a Gofpel Minlfter^ 
 but (what they fondly call) a good ftock of Gifts. 
 To thefe mad B)nhufafts^ thefe heady Im^oftors^ 
 whofe pretended Gifts are in nothing extra- 
 ordinary, except in a furious Zeal without Know- 
 ledge, and a Volubility of Toiigiie, ivhich proceeds from 
 a Habit o^ Speaking without Thinking ^ and an Ajjii- 
 rance that is never out of Countenance-^ for ttn 
 Thoufand Blunders, which wou'd daJJ) and cofound 
 any Man of Sejife, or Modefty, or that conlider'd 
 the prefe7ice o[ God, in which he fpoke : To thefe 
 Men I fay I (hall fpeak fome thing concerning the 
 Qualifications requifite in a Gofpel Minifter. 
 
 These Qualifications are of two forts, Ferfonal 
 or SacerdotaL 
 
 I ft. Perfo7Tal, The Holinefs of the Adjniniftrator, 
 And, tho' this is a great Qualification to ft and pre* 
 pare a Man for fuch an holy Adminiftration, yet 
 this alone does not fufficiently qualify any Man to 
 take upon him fuch an Adminiftration. 
 
 But there is moreover required, 2i/y, a Sacer^ 
 dotal Qualification 5 that is, an outward Commijjioji 
 to authorife a Man to execute any facerdotal, or 
 minijlerial A6t of Religion. For, This Honour ?io 
 Man taketh unto himfelf but he that is called of Gody 
 as was Aaron -, Heb. v. 4. So alfo Christ glorified 
 Ttot himfelf to be_ made an High-Prieji • but He that 
 
 faid unto hi?nj Thou art my Son 5 Hhou art a 
 
 LYieJi, &c. 
 
 Accordingly we find, that Chrijl: did not take 
 upon him the Office of a Preacher, hiW after that 
 outward Cominiffion given to Him by a Voice from 
 Heaven, at his Baptifmt^fovit is written, Mat.iv. 17, 
 From that Time Jefus began to preach. Then 
 He began •, and He was theu about thirty Tears of 
 •Age, Luke iii, 2^. Now no Man can doubt of 
 fbrWs Qualifications, before that Time, as to Holi^ 
 
 7^^fs, 
 
[ 44 ] 
 
 fiefs, Sufficiency, and all perfonal Endowments. And 
 if all thefe were not fufficient to Chrift himfelf, 
 without an outward Covi?mJ/io7i, what Man can pre- 
 tend to it upon the Account of any perfonal Excel- 
 lencies in himfelf, without an oiitward Comimffion ? 
 
 III. And, as Chrifi was outwardly Commiffiona- 
 ted by his Father^ To did not He leave it to his Dif- 
 ciples, every one^s Opinion of his own Sufficiency, 
 to thruft himfelf into the Vineyard^ but chofe twelve 
 Apoflles by Name ^ and feventy others of an infe- 
 rior Order, whom he fent to preach. 
 
 IV. And, as Chrift gave outward Covimiffioris 
 vrhile he was upon the Earth, fo we find that his 
 Apoftles did proceed in the fame Method, after his 
 Afcenfion. ABs xiv. 23. They ordained the?n Elders 
 in every Church. 
 
 Let this fuffice to (hew whsLtfacred Mounds are 
 thrown up by Divine Appoijitvient^ a round this holy 
 Calling : And tho** much more might be ofFer'd, I be- 
 lieve this will be fufficient to affright the Head- 
 Jlrong, and to keep him from feizing with hisfacri- 
 legious Hands upon "the facred Office. 
 
 V. But had they, who were thus ordained by 
 the Apoftles^ Power to Ordain others ? Yea, Tit. i. 5. 
 For this Caufe left I thee in Crete, that thou flmddji 
 
 ordain Elders in every City, i Tim. v. 22. Lay. 
 
 Haoids fiiddenly on no Man, Sec demerit in his hrlt 
 Epiftle to the Corinthians, writing concerning the 
 Schifm which was rifen up amongft them, fays Parag. 
 44. That the Apoftles fore-knowing there woud bo 
 Contefts concerning the Epifcopal Name (or Office) did 
 themfelves appoint the Perfo7is : And not only fo, lefi 
 that might be faid to be of Force only during their 
 Time. But that they afterwards eftabliftjed an Order 
 how, when thofe whom they had ordained ftjould die j 
 others^ fit and approved Men^ ftjould fucceed them in 
 iheir Miniftry^ Parag. 43. That they who were in^ 
 
 trufted_ 
 
[ 45 ] ^ 
 
 tnijted with this Work hy God, in Chr'ift, did cnvfti- 
 tute thefe Offices. 
 
 But this Matter depends not upon the Tefti- 
 mony ©f him, or many more that might be pro- 
 duced. It is fuch a publick Matter of Fad, that I 
 might as well go about to quote particular Authors, 
 to prove that there were Emperors in Rome, as that 
 the Minifters of the Church of Chrift were ordahtsd 
 to^fiicceed one another, and that they did fo fuc^ 
 ceed. 
 
 But here is a Difpute, whether this Siicceffioyt 
 was prefeived in the Order of Bifiops or Presbyters^ 
 Or whether both are not the fame ? 
 
 T o which I anfwer, that this Sue cejion from the 
 Apjiles is preferv'd and derived o^ily in the Bijhops : 
 As thG Continuance ot any Society, is deducM only 
 in the Succellion of the chief Governors of the Soci- 
 ety, not of the inferior Officers, Thus in Kingdoms, 
 we reckon by the Sitcceffion of the Kings^ not of 
 Sherriffs or Covjiables-, and in Corporations by the 
 Sitcceffion of the Mayors, or other chief Officers . not 
 of the inferior Bailifs or Serjeants: So the Site* 
 ceffion of the Churches is computed in the Sitcceffion 
 of the BiJJiops, who are the chief Governors of the 
 Churches, and not of Presbyters, who are but inferu 
 QUr Officers under the Billwps. 
 
 But this you will fay is gratis diBum, Here is 
 no Proof. Therefore to proceed. I anfwer that in 
 this, the Matter of Fad is as clear and evident, as 
 the Sticceffiions of any Rings or Corporations in the 
 World. 
 
 T o begin with the Apojiles, we find not only 
 that they conftituted Timothy Biiliop of Ephefus^ 
 and Titus of Crete ^ as in the Subfcriptions of St. 
 PaitVs Epiftles to them : But, in Eufebius and other 
 Ecclefiajiical Hijiorians, you have the BiJIwps nam''d 
 who were conftituted by the Apojiles themfelves, o- 
 Vcr the then famous C^«/T^^j of JerufaUm, Antioch^ 
 
 Rome 
 
[ 4^ ] 
 
 Rome and Alexandria^ and many otBer Churches I 
 and the Succejfwn of them down all along. 
 
 St. Polycarp, Bijbop of Smyrna^ was Difdple to 
 St. John the Apojlle ^ and St. IrcjiAiis,^ who was Dif- 
 dple to St. Poly car jjy was conftituted Bzjlmp of Xy- 
 o;w in France, 
 
 And fo it was in all other Churches^ throughout 
 the whole World, whtxtvtx Chrijiianhy was plant- 
 ed, Epifcopacy was every where Eftablifhed, with- 
 out one Exception^ as is evident from all their Re* 
 cords. 
 
 I T was fo with England^ whither it is generally 
 fuppos'd, and with very 'good Grounds, that St. 
 Paul firft brought the Chrijlian Faith, Clemens Ro- 
 vtaniis^ who was a Companion of St, Paul, in his firft 
 Epijlle to the Corhtthians, Paragr. 5:. fays, that St. 
 Paul went preaching the Go/pel even to the utmoft 
 Botmds of the Tfefi •, iryn tq i^.fuef. to? Aucr^ft)?, by which 
 Term Britain was then underftood. And Theodoret 
 exprefly names the Bntains among the Nations con- 
 verted by the Apoliles, (Tom. 4. Serm. 9. p. 610.) 
 And Eufebius in his Evangelical Demonft ration, (L. g« 
 c. 7. p. 119.J names likewife the Britaiyis 2l^ xhtw 
 converted. 
 
 But whether St. Paul^ or, as fome conjefture, 
 Jofeph of Ariviathea, or any other Apojiolical Per- 
 fon was the firft who preached Chriji in England^ it 
 matters not, as to our prefent Purpofe ^ who en- 
 quire only concerning Epifcopacy •, and it is cer- 
 tain by all our Hiftories, that as far up as they give 
 us any Account of Chripanity in this Ifland, they 
 tell us likewife of Bipops^, and the Succej/ion of the 
 Church of England has been deduc'd in the SucceiLon 
 of BiJI)ops^ ^nd not o^ Presbyters. And particular- 
 ly in the Diocefs of Lo7tdon, which was the firft 
 Archi-Epifcopal Scat,, before Aiigujiin the Monh came 
 hither, after which it was eftabliiVd in Canterbury^ 
 And the Saxon Writers have tranfmitted the Suc^ 
 ceffionoii\\Q\tBifl)opi m Canterbury^ Rochejier, Lon* 
 dony &c. And 
 
. [ 47 ] . 
 
 And in Countries fo remote and barbarous as 
 IJland it felf we find the fame care taken-, Ara or 
 Aras^ an IjlandiJJ) Frieji Sire-nam'd Hijtjrede the 
 Learned, who*flouriih'd in the eleventh Ceyitiiry^ 
 and was 25 Years old when Chrijliajiity was carry'd 
 thither, in his Book of that Country written in 
 IJlandijJ}^ has tranfmitted to Pofterity, not only the 
 Succejion^ but the Genealogies of the BiJIwps of ^ . 
 Shalholt and Hola (the two Epifcopal Sees of IJland)- ' '^^^ '^ 
 as they fucceeded one another in his Time. I menti- 
 on this of IJland^ to fhevy that Epifcopa^y has extend- 
 ed it felf equally with Chrijlianhy^ which was car- 
 ry'd by it, into the remoteft corners of the Earth ^^ 
 upon which account the Bifiops of Skalholt and Ho- 
 la^ and their Sticcejfwn^ are as remarkable Proofs of 
 Epifcopacy^ tho' not fo famous as the BiJIwps of Can^ 
 terbiiry and London. 
 
 I F the Presbyterians will fay (becaufe they have\ 
 nothing left to fay) that all London (for Example) 
 was but one Parijf:, and that the Presbyter of every 
 other PariJI) was as much a BiJIjop as the Bijfwp of I 
 XowJow 5 becaufe the words ■EOTV;co'7r(^ and Ufi<Tl^v7i^Q^^\ 
 BiJ/jop and Presbyter are fometimes usM in the fame/ r^^^yyy 
 Senfe ^ they may as well* prove that Chrijl was but / 
 a Deacon^ becaufe He is fo call'd. Rom. xv. 8. £^iiKov(^\ 
 which we rightly tranflate siMimfler: And BiJIwpj • f 
 fignfies an Oyerfeer, and Presbyter an ancient Man,) lO^eMA 
 or elder Man. whence our Term of ^/J^nw^;?. And( 
 this is as good a Foundation to prove that the ApO'*) 
 files were Aldermen, in the City Acceptation of tho] .J I 
 Word «, or that pur Aldermen are all Bljbops andr^^ 
 Apoflles, as to prove that Presbyters and BiJIwps are/ 
 all one, from the childifh Gingle of the Words. ' 
 
 It wou'd be the fame Thing, if one Ihou'd un- 
 dertake to confront all Antiquity, and prove againft 
 all theHiftories, that the Emperors o{ Rome were no 
 more than Generals of Armies^and that every Roman 
 Gejieral was Emperor of Ro?ne ^ becaufe he cou'd 
 
 find 
 
[4n 
 
 find tlie Word Imperator fometimes apply'd to the 
 General of an Army, 
 
 Or as if a Common 'wealth man fhou'd get. up and 
 Tay, that our former Khtgs were no more than our 
 Bi^es are now -, becaufe the Stile cff Grace^^ which 
 is now given to iJtikes, was then given to Khigs. 
 
 And fuppofe that any One were put under the 
 pennance of anfwering to fuch ridiculous Argu- 
 ments •, what Method wou'd He take, but to fhew 
 that the Emperors of Roftie^ and former Kings of 
 Bvglayid, had Generals of Armies and Buhs under 
 thein, and exercis'd Authority over them ? 
 
 Therefore when we find it given in Charge to 
 Timothy^ the firft Bipop of Ephefus, how He was to 
 proceed againft his Presbyters, when they tranf- 
 grefTed •, to fit in Jitdg7nent upon them, examine 
 Witnejfes againft them, and pafs Cenfnres upon them, 
 it is a m.oft impertinent Logomachy to argue from 
 the Etymology of the Words, that notwithftanding 
 of all this, a Bilhop and Presbyter are the fame thing. 
 Therefore that one Text i. Tim. v. 19. is fufiici- 
 ent to filence that pitiful clamoui; of the Pesbyteri^ 
 arts . our EngliJI) reads it, againft an Elder, which is 
 the Literal Tranflation of the Word Presbyter, y^-r^ 
 ^2i<^^v7if>v againft a Presbyter receive not an AccU' 
 fation, but bejore two or three Witnejfes, and, them 
 thatftn rebuke before all, that others alfo may fear , Now, 
 upon the Presbyterian Hypothefis, we muft fay that 
 Timothy had no Authority or Jurifdi^ion over that 
 Presbyter, againft whom He had power, to receive 
 Accufations, e's.SLimnt}f^it7tefes, and pafs Gw/«rw up- 
 on Him : And that fuch a Pr^s^j^ter had the lame Au- 
 thority over Timothy, which is fo extravagant and 
 againft common Senfe, that I will not ftay longer 
 to confute it •, and think this enough to have faid 
 toncerning the Freslyterian Argument from the Mt]l\ 
 tnology of the Words Biftjop and Fresbyter. 
 
r 4p ] 
 
 And this likewife confutes their otlier Pre'te^tcel 
 which I have mention^, that the ancient BiJ/wprhh 
 were onlv fi^gl^ ai'J^ htdepevdent Coiigregatiojts, or 
 PanJIjes, " This is a Topic they have taken up but of 
 late, (being beaten from all their other Holds) and 
 launched by Mr. Vavid Clerhfov, in a Bcolc which 
 "He entitles Prmitive Bpifcopacy^ which has gi/eii 
 Occafion to an excellent Anfwer, by Dr. He7jry 
 Maurice, call'd -^ Defence of Diocefan Epifcopacy^ 
 which I fuppofe, has ended that Controvcrfy, and 
 hindred the World from being more troubled upon 
 that Head. And their other little Shift, and as 
 groundlefs, that the Primitive Bifiops were no other 
 than their Moderators, advancM more lately by GiU» 
 Rule the Moderator o{ the General Affembly in 
 Scotland, has been as learnedly, and with great 
 clearnefs of Reafon, confuted by the worthy jf, 5*, 
 in his Principles of the Cyprianic Age, 
 
 But as I faid, that Text, i.Tim. v. 19. has 
 made all thefe Pretences wholly ufelefs to the Pres^ 
 byterians : For fuppofing their moft notorious falfe 
 Suppofition, as if the Bijl:opricho^Jeriifalem,Ro7ne^ 
 Alexandria, or London, confifted but of one iingle 
 Congregation, and that fuch BiJIwps had no Presbyters 
 under them 5 but that all Presbyters were equally 
 Bifiops •, I fay fuppofing this, then it muft follow 
 from what we resLd o[ Ti?nothy, th^t one Bijjj op or 
 Presbyter had Jurifdidion over other Bifiops and 
 Presbyters, which will deftroy the Presbyterian Claim 
 of Parity, as much as their ConfeiTion to the Truth, 
 and plain Matter ofFaB, that Bifiopsh^d Presbyters 
 under their Jurifdiction -, and that they were di- 
 ftindl Orders : Notwithftanding that a BiJIwp may 
 be called Ar^tVof©- a Deacon.or MiniJtevo^ChriJl'^ and 
 likewife n^g^r/St^T^p©^, an Blder or grave Man^ wliich 
 is a Term of Magijlracy and Dignity, and is not ty'd 
 to Age. And a tresbyter may likewife. in a found 
 Senfe be called a Bipop, that is, an Overfeer or 
 Shepherd, which He truely is over his i:>articular 
 
 'D Flock, 
 
C5o] 
 
 Flork, without denying at all his Dependance up* 
 on His Bijlw^ and Overfeer. 
 
 As nndcr the T^rm of Pneft, the Hrgh Frieji 
 was inclu-lfd, without deftroying 'is Supremacy^ o- 
 ver the or her Pricjls, Againft which Suprevmcy 
 KoR A H and his Vreihyters^ or in^eriour Priejh arofe. - 
 
 A N D if the Presbyterians will take his Word, 
 whom, of all the Fathers^ they moft admire, and 
 quote often on their fide, that is, St. Jerorn ; he 
 will tell them, in that very £p(/?. {cid Bvagr.). which 
 they boafi: favours them fo much. That what 
 j^jT'o?/ and his 5o7/j, and the Levites were in the 
 Temple^ that fame are Bijbop, Presbyter^ and Dea- 
 con m taQ Church. 
 
 A N D long before Him, Clevwm Rojnanus^ who 
 was BijJwp of Rome, who conversed with the Apojlles^ 
 and^ lejrn'd the Chrijlian Faith from their Mouths j 
 He I fay, in his i. Epijile to. the Corinthians^ 
 rnal:cs frequent Allufion to the Epifcopaoy o^ the 
 Levitical Priffihood^ and argues from thence to that 
 of the Chrifiian Church. 
 
 Thus Parag, 40 To the High'TrieJl (^fays he) 
 were allotted his prQper Offices^ to the Pviejis^ their 
 proper Place was ^Jignd ^ a7id to the Levites their 
 Services were appointed ^ and the Lay-men were re- 
 Jlraind within the Precept i to Lay -men. And Pa- 
 ragr, 42. He applies that ^mptz/r^, Ifa. Ix. 17. t<y 
 the Officers of the Chriflian Church, and renders it 
 thus •, / will covjlitiite therr Bifhops in right eoujnefi^ 
 and their Miuifters [or Deacons j in Faith, The 
 Gr^^/i Tranflation of the LXX has it thus. I will 
 give Thee Rulers (or Pxinces) in Peace ^ and thyBi- 
 liiops in Righteovfnefs, 
 
 I T was the frequent Pvlethod of thofe Primitive 
 Fathers to Reafbn* thus from the Parallel 'twixt the 
 Law and the Gofpel, the one being an exadl: Typa 
 of the other, and therefore being fuifiird in theo- 
 ther. And in this they followed the Example of 
 Chriji^ and the uiooftlcs who argu'd in the lame 
 
 Manner, 
 
C 5' ] 
 
 Manner, as you may fee Matth. v. and l.Cor.tl 
 the whole Epiftle to the Hebrews^ and in many o- 
 ther Places of the NetP-Teftamejit, 
 
 Now the Presbyteriajts are defir'd to ftiew any one 
 Difparity betwixt their Cafe and the Cafe of Aora^j 
 who was a Frieft of the fecond Order, that is, a 
 T'resbytef''^ and withdrew his Obedience from the 
 Higb'Prieft with other mutinous Levites : For there 
 was no Matter of DoBrine, or Worfiip betwixt then! 
 and Aaron, nor any other Difpute, but that of 
 Church Government, And, by the Parallel betv/ixt 
 the Old Teftament and the New, Kbrah wsiS a F/esby- 
 tcrian, who rofe up againft the Epifcopacy o'i A* 
 aron. Bnt this Cafe is brought yet nearer home 5 
 for we are told {Jide i i.) of thofe under the Gofpel, 
 who periJI) in the Gain fayijtg of Kordh i And in the 
 Epiftle oi Clement to the Corinthians before quoted, 
 Paragraph, 43. He plainly applies this Cafe of 
 Rorah, to the State of the Chrijlian Chiinh 5 fhew- 
 ing at large, that as Mofes, by the Command of 
 God, determin^'d the Pretentions of the twelve 
 Tribes to the Glory of the Priejlhood, by the mira- 
 culous Budding of Aaron s Rod, which was after 
 the Schifm and FuniJImient of Korah and his Com- 
 pany. So liketpifej He fays, the Apojiles Foreknow- 
 ing, by Chrift • that Diffentions wou'd arife alfo in 
 the Chrijlian Church by various Pretenders to the 
 Evangelical Priejl-hood^ did fettle and eftabliOi, not 
 Only the Perfons themfelves •, but gave Rules and 
 Orders for continuing the 5w6t^^o?/ after their Deaths, 
 as I have before quoted his Words. So that it is 
 plain from hence. That the Evangelical Priejlhood, 
 is as pojitively, and certainly eftablifli'd, and deter- 
 min'd, in the Succellion ol Ecclejiajlical Ordination^ 
 as the Levitical was, in the SucceJJion of Aaron, and 
 confequently, that the Rebellion of Presbyters from 
 under the Government of their Bifiops, is the fame 
 Cafe as the Rebellion (for fo it is calfd. Numb, xvii, 
 lo.) of Korah and his Levites, againft Aaron^ who 
 
 I) 2 had 
 
LP 2 
 
 had as good a Pretence againft Him from the Word 
 Lev'ite, which was common to the whole Trihe^ as the 
 Presbyterians . have againft Bifiops, from the Name Ei- 
 JJwp and Presbyter, being iifed fbmetimes promifcuouf- 
 ly, and apply'd to the Clergy in general-, which is a 
 Term that includes all the Orders of the Church, as 
 Levite did am.ong the Jerps, 
 
 But, to leave the fruitlefs Conteft about F'Wj, 
 le' this Matter be determined, as other Matters of 
 Fa6t are. ■♦ 
 
 I F I pretend to fucceed any Man in an Hojiotir 
 or EJlate^ I muft name him who had fuch an Eftate or 
 Honour Defer e me, and the Man who had it before 
 him k and who had it before him^ and fo up all 
 the way to him whofirfthad it -^ and from whom all 
 the r:ft do derive ♦, and how it v/as lawfully de- 
 dncM ^Tom one to another. 
 
 Th I s t.heBifiops have done,as I have fliewn,and can 
 
 name all the Way backward, as far as Hiftor}'- goes, 
 
 from the prefent Bijhop/^f LondonX^ox Example^Uo 
 
 the firft Plantation oiCbriftianhy in this Kingdom : 
 
 So from the prefent Bifhop orLyom in France^ up 
 
 to tren&U',, the Difciple.of St. Polycarp, v^ho was 
 
 'the Biihop o{ Smyrna (one of the Angels mentioned 
 
 in the Revelations) and the Dilc:iple to the Holy 
 
 Apoflle John, who wrote the Apocalyps, as before 
 
 is 'old. The Records are yet more certain in the 
 
 great Bifiiopricks o? Rome, Antioch^ Alexandria^ and 
 
 others, while they lafted in the World, And tho' 
 
 the Records may not be extant of. every fmall Bi- 
 
 Jboprick, which v/as left taken Notice of ^ as the 
 
 JNames of manjKings are loft in obfcure Nations \ of 
 
 Many Mayors or Shcrrijfs, who notwithftanding 
 
 have as certainly fuccceded one another, as where 
 
 the Records are preferv'd. I fay, tho'' every B'lJJwp 
 
 in the World cannot tell the Names of all his Pre« 
 
 deceflors up to the Apoftles, yet their Succeifion is 
 
 certain : And in m.ofl Clmftian Nations tliere are 
 
 Bijbops who can do it, wliich is a fufficient Proof for 
 
 the 
 
[53] 
 
 tlie reft, all ftanding upon the fame Bottom, and 
 being cleriv'd in the fame Manner. 
 
 But, as I faid before, we have as clear a Sue- 
 ceffio7t of our Bijhops as of our Kivgs : And to thofe 
 who demand a Lift of them, I anfwer, that Stows 
 Surveyor Lorido7!^w\U give them rhe Names of all the 
 Bifliops of London, from that Time upwards, as fai: 
 as our Hiftory reaches, and from Stow to this pre- 
 fent Bifhop of London^ they are well known. And 
 if they will go Abroad, they may fee in Eiifehius^ 
 the SuccejTion of the great Biihopricks. And there 
 is a Lift of them in the end of Dr. Cave's Lives of 
 the Fathers, 
 
 Naw, to ballance this, it is defir'd, that the 
 Treshytenam wou'd fhew the SucceJ/ion of any one 
 Presbyter in the World who was not likev/ife a Bz- 
 fiop, in our Acceptation of the Word, in the like 
 manner from the Apoftles. 
 
 'Till when, their fmali Criticifms upon the 
 Words, BiJ/wp and Presbyter, is as poor a Plea, as 
 if I ihould pretend to be Heir to an Eftate from 
 the likenejs o^ my Name to Somebody^ who once had it. 
 
 And here I cannot choofe but apply the Com- 
 plaint of our Saviour, jfoJm V. ^:^, If any come in 
 the Name of Chrift^ that is, by a Commiirioa 
 from him, derived down all the Way by regular 
 OrdinatioTi^ him ye will not receive : Nay, tho' he 
 be otherwife a Man without Exception, either as to 
 his Life and Converfation, or as to his Gijts and Siif- 
 fxiency for the Miniftry ^ ye, (I mean man)'') make 
 this his Co7nm2j/io7i an Objedion againft him : For 
 this Reafon alone you will not accept him. But if 
 another come in his ow7i Name, that is, without any 
 Co7m?nffio7i, but what he lias from himfelf ^ his own 
 Opi7iio7i of his owti Worthi7ie[s ^ givi7ig out that hini- 
 felf is Joine great one, (Ads viii. 9.) him ye will re- 
 ceive,and follow and admire ^ heapi7ig to your f elves 
 Teachers, havi7ig itchi7ig Ban, as it was prophecy'd 
 ofthefe (and (uch-lik^J moft degenerate Times, 2 
 Tim, iv. 3. 
 
 D 3 And 
 
C 54] 
 
 A N D now, having faid thus much as to the Sue- 
 ceffion foin the Apojtles, ihewing that it is only 
 derived in the Bifliops, and having put the Preshy- 
 teriayis to prove their Succejioit in the Form of Pres- 
 hytery^ which they can never do ^ becaufe, as I have 
 faid before, the Chronology of the Church do's not 
 compute from the Siiccejion of the Presbyters, but 
 only of the Bifliops, as being the chief Goverjton of 
 the Church. And therefore, tho' in many Bilhop- 
 ricks, the Roll of their Bifliops is preferv'd from 
 the Apolllcs to this Day • yet there is not one bare 
 Presbyter, that is, the Minifter of a Parifh, and no 
 more, no, not in all the World, who can give a Roll 
 of his Predecellbrs, in that Parilh, half way to 
 the Apoftles, or near it : For, from the firft Plan- 
 tation of Chriftianity, the Church was divided into 
 Biihopricks •, this was neceilary for the Goverynnent 
 of the Church : But it was not fo early fubdivided 
 into Pariihes. The Presbyters at firfl: attending up- 
 on the Bifliop, were fent out by him, to luch Pla- 
 ces, and for fuch Time as he thought fit *, and re- 
 turning, gave Account of their Stewardfhips, or 
 were vijited^ and changed by him, as he faw Caufe ^ 
 And therefore tho' one might come after another, 
 in t,he Place where He had inhtiftred before ♦, yet 
 they cou'd not properly be faid to fitcceed one ano- 
 ther ^ if they cou'd, pray give us an uninterrupted 
 Succejfwn of any one Presbyter in the whole World, 
 from the Apoftles to this Day. 
 
 I have been thus long upon tht Presbyterians, be- 
 caufe they ojily of all our Dijfenters^ have any pre- 
 tence to Siiccejion, And what I have faid as to them, 
 muft operate more ftrongly againft our later Inde- 
 pendent, BaptiJIs, &c. who have not the Face to 
 pretend to SiicceJ/ion, but fet up i:;ieerly upon their 
 own pretended Gifs. 
 
 But, left the Independent or Baptift, fliou'd pre- 
 tend in Defence of themfelves, to a Succeihon from 
 the Appftles, (i^ being demonftrated in ihcfiort Me- 
 '"■■■•■■■■ * '■ ' ■ '.^ ■ -- ■ - • '■■ ' ■ .. thodj 
 
?W, that it is neceflaiy that the Snccejton fhmiM 
 be prcfervM uninterrupted,or elfe Chriftianity will 
 be render'd precarious ^ ) and left further, they 
 ^lould pretend that their Ordhmtiovs are repda;\ 
 'Snd that they are fent by Gog ^ fit being neceflary 
 for them to affirm this, becaufe the learned Mr. 
 Pembertoji has made it fo plain, that no one jnuft 
 ininifter in lioly Things, but thofe whom God has 
 appointed, and that Appointment is by Impofition 
 of Hands ^ and no one can ordain or impofe Hands, 
 lilt thofe, and 07dy thofe whom Chrift has anthorizd 
 fo to ch.) I fay, left they 11k uM pretend to both 
 of thefe, that is, SvcceJfio7t f^rom the Apoftlcs and 
 lawful O/'^in^^f 07/, I will here ihew (lo undeceive 
 the poor deluded People in this Country, and in 
 I^ew Evgland^ &c.) I fay, I will now fh^v/ where 
 fome of them are abfolutely cut offTiom both : For, 
 if we fliou'd trace either t'ie Indeye-ndent^ or Baptift^ 
 up to thofe who firft fent them, before we cou'd ar- 
 rive to one hundred Years from this Date backwards, 
 we'fhouM find, fome of them ordain'd by Lay Bre* 
 fhren, and fome without any Ordiiiation at all. 
 Therefore it is impoifible that thefe Men can be in 
 the SucceJioUj or that they can be lent ( in the or- 
 dinary Way I mean) by God •, becaufe the Scrip- 
 ture fays exprefly, how JJ) all they j^r each mthoiit they 
 are fent : And in another Place, 7io Man taketh this 
 HojJGiir to hiynfelj^ hut he that is called oj God\as was 
 Aarov, And how that was, ihall be Ihewn in the 
 fequel of this Difcourfe, 
 
 An D to fhew you, that I don't fpeak without 
 Book as to their being ordain'd by Lay- Men, (tho' 
 I have particular Initances of the Matter of Fad) 
 I will lliew what the Ecclefiajiical Laws of the Co?!- 
 gregatiom in New England^ lay concerning it. 
 
 In their Vlatform of Church -Bifcipline^ pag. 5^ 
 and 24. they allow Lay-men to ordain. Pag. 23. 
 §. 9. ' In fuih Chitrches where there are Elders^ 
 ' (that is, Gofpel Minifters) Impojition of Elands^ 
 
 D 4 T ^» 
 
* in Ordination^ h to he perform d by the fe, Elders. 
 ' Pag. 24.. §. 4. For filch Churches where there are no 
 
 * Elders, (that is. Presbyters ox Gofpel Minifters) /w?- 
 ^pojition oj Hands rnay be performed by fo?ne of the Brff^ 
 
 * thren orderly chofen by the Church thereunto, 
 
 A s for the Reafon which the Platfor?n offers for 
 the Brethren to impofe Hands, it is founded upon 
 a very grofs Miftake, viz. That the People have an 
 inherent Right to conftitute Gofpel Minifiers •, which 
 they have not •, for none but Jefus Chrift can con- 
 ftitute Gofptl Minijiers^ they are his EmhaJJadors^ 
 and no olie can appoint E7nhaJfadorSjh\it HLe whofe 
 Emhajfadors they are, as I ihall ihew more fully 
 tefore I have done. 'As for that ExprelFion in the 
 Platform^ viz. ' In fuch Churches where there are no 
 '^ Elders, it is fo far from being a 
 Numb. viii. juft Parallel to the Cafe it quotes, that 
 ic. it is no Parallel at all •, for at that very 
 
 time there were in the JewiJI) Church 
 both Mofcs and Aaron, And further (by the by) I 
 fhall make this Remark upon ' a Church without El- 
 ders, that it is a flat Contradiction in Terms ^ for 
 a Church is a Society, and as /wc^ muft have Go- 
 verment, but it cannot have Government without 
 Elders or Governours, which is the fame Thing, and 
 lb meant in that very Place. 
 
 A ^ D how, as I faid before, having fpoken thus 
 jnuch concerning Sacceiuon, I mufi: be obliged 
 to account for an' Objediion, which with fome feems 
 ■ a mighty one, even enough to overthrov/ all that 
 I have faid concerning the SucceJ/ion of our Bifiops : 
 And that is, the great Deluge and long Mid right of 
 Popery, which has, in old Time,darken'd this Nation. 
 Well, — The SucceJj7o7J, of which I have been 
 treating,, was 7ta Part of that Darknefs ^ and we 
 have, by God's Bleiling, recovered our felves, 
 from, that Darknefs. But that Darknefs was 
 fnch,; ^s,' v/irh fome, to dcftroy the Epifcopal Sue- 
 i;'7//(?>/ ^ ' becanfe, as they fay, fuch great Errors^ 
 
[^7] • 
 
 efpeciaUy that of Idolatry, does quite tin-Church 
 a People, and confequently miift break their Sue- 
 cejfion. . 
 
 This, by the way, is a Vop^l) Argument, the' they 
 that now make it, are not aware of it. For the 
 Church of Rome, argues thus, that Idolatry do's Jin- 
 Church', and therefore, i^ ihe was Idolatrous for fo 
 long a time, as we charge upon Her, it will follow, 
 that for fo many Ages, there was no vijible Churchy 
 at leaft in thefe weftern Parts of the World. And 
 Arlanifm, (which is Idolatry) having broke in fo 
 many times upon the Church *, i^ Idolatry did quite 
 U7i-Cfhurch, and break theSucceJ^on, there wou'd hard- 
 ly be a Chrijiian Church left in the "World. The 
 Confequence of which wou'd be as fatal to the Ro» 
 7najis, and to the Dijfenters as to us : Therefore, let 
 them look to ihatFoJition, which they have advanc'd 
 againft us,, that Idolatry does ujuCburch, 
 
 But, that it does not tin Church, I have this to 
 offer againft thofe Papijfs and Biffenters of all Sorts 
 and Denominations, who make the Objection. 
 
 i//. If it does quite tin- church, then cou'd no Chri- 
 jiian be an Idolater •, becaufe, by that, he wou'd 
 ipfo faBo^ ceafe to be a Member of the Chriftian 
 Church. But the Scripture does fuppofe that a ChrU 
 Jiian may be an Idolater : Therefore Idolatry do's 
 not iin-Church : The Miyior is proved, i Cor, v. 2. If 
 any Man that is called a Brother (that is, a Chriftian^ 
 
 be a Fornicator, or covetous, or an Idolater 
 
 Nay, Eph. v. 5;. a covetous Man is called an Idolater: 
 And Col. iii. v. Covetoufnefs is Idolatry, So that, by 
 this Argument, Covetoufnefs do's un»Church, If it 
 be faid, that Covetoufnefs is call'd Idolatry only by 
 AlluHon, but that it is not formal Idolatry : I know 
 no Ground for that Diftindtion. The Scripture callsy 
 it Idolatry, and makes no Diftindion, 
 
 But adly. In the firft Text quoted, i Cor, V. T I. 
 both Covetoufnefs and Idolatry are nam'd ^ fo that, 
 you have both material and jormal^ ox \\^hat otlier 
 \ot% of Idolatry^ you pkafe to fancy. I 
 
« C 58 ] 
 
 I grant, that, in one Senfe, Idolatry does int-^ 
 Church • that is, W'jile we continue in it, it renders 
 us obnoxious to the J^rath of Goi, and forfeits our 
 Title to the Promifes which are made tqthe Chunh 
 in the Gofpel : But fb does Fornication^ Covetouf- 
 nefs, and every other Sin,- till we repent and return 
 from it. But none of thefe Sins do fo un-chiirch us, 
 as to exclude cur returning to the Fold, by fiucere 
 Repentance ^ or to heed a fecond Baptifin, or Admif- 
 :fion into the Church : Neither do's Idolatry, ' Do I 
 then put Idolatry upon the Level with other com- 
 mon Sins ? No, God forbid, far from it : Every Scab 
 is not a Leprofy ^ yet a Leper is a Alan^ and may re- 
 cover his Health. Idolatry is a fearful Z.^;?rq/ji; but it 
 does not therefore quite mm C/?wrc/?, nor throw us out 
 of the Covenant : For, if it did, then wou'd not Re- 
 pentance heal it ^becaufe Repentance i^ a great Part 
 \ of the Covenant. And therefore, iince none deny 
 Repentance to an Idolater ^it follows that he is not ytt 
 quite out of the Covenant. Some of the Ajicie^its 
 ihave deny'd Repejitance to Apnjiacy^ yet granted it 
 to Idolatry • which (hews, that they did not look 
 upon Idolatry as an abfolnte Apojlacy • for every Sin 
 \s an Apojlacy in a limited Senfe, 
 
 2dly. L Ts T us, in this Difquifition, follow the 
 Examples btrfore mentioned, of the y4/;r)///^5 and moft 
 Irimitive Fathers, to meafure the Chrijiian Church 
 with its exad: Ty/>^, the Church under the Law^ 
 which are not two Churches, but two States of the 
 fame Church •, for it is the fame Chriftian Church 
 from the firft Promife of Chrift, Geju iii. 15. to 
 tht End of the \Vorld> And therefore it is faid, 
 Beb. iv. 2. That the Gofpel was preached unto them 
 as well as unto us. And thefe two States of the 
 Church, before and after Chrift, do anfwer like a 
 pair of Lidejttnres to one another , the one being to 
 an Iota, fulfilled in the other. Matt. v. 18. Now 
 we find frequent Lapfes to Idolatry in the Church 
 of the jfejps •, yet did not this un church them •, no, 
 nor deorive thenvof a coitipet^nt Meafure of God's. 
 " • :' ' ' ■ . Holy 
 
C 59 ] 
 
 Holy Spirit^ as it is written, J^'eh.ix, 18. 20. Tea^ 
 whenihey had made them a Molten Calf \a71df aid, this i? thy 
 God—yetthoity in thy manifold Mercies jorfoohejl thevi 
 not ' — Thou gaveji thy good Spirit to ivJlriiU: them, Sec, 
 
 And let it be here obferv'd, that tho' God feilt 
 many Prophets to reprove the great Wi^ckednefs and 
 Idolatry, as well of their Priejls as People •, yet none 
 of thefe holy Prophets did feparate Communion 
 from the wicked Priejis : They would not joyn in 
 their Idolatrous Jforfiip •, but in all other Parts, 
 , they joyn'd with them 5 and fet up no oppofite 
 Priejlhood to them. 
 
 So little did xh^Prophets think that their Idolatry 
 had either nn ChurcVd them, or broke the Succeffion 
 of their Priejis •, or that it was lawful for any, hojp 
 holy foever, to ufurp upon their Priejihood, and fup- 
 ply the Deficiencies of it to the People. And ap- 
 ply to this, what I have before fhewn, in the words 
 of St. Clement, whofe JSIame is written in the Book of 
 Life, That the Evangelical Priejihood, is as furely fix- 
 ed, in the BiJIwps of the Churchy and its Succejion 
 continued in thofe crdain'd by them, as the Leviti- 
 cal Priejihood was confirmed by the Budding of A- 
 rons Rod, and to be continu'din that Trihe, 
 
 And here let our Korahites, of feveral Sizes, 
 take a view of the Heinoufnefs of their Schijm •, and 
 let them not think their Crime to be nothing, be- 
 caufe they have been targht, with their Mother s 
 Milk, to have the utnioft Abhorrence to thQ very 
 Name of a Bijhop •, tho' they cou'd not tell why. 
 Let them rather confider ferioiifly the Misfortune of 
 their Education, which ihouM make them Strangers, 
 to all the reft of the Chrijiian World but themfelves 
 in a Corner ^ and to all the former Ages of Cfjri- 
 Jiianity. 
 
 But, are they willing to be undeceived ? Then 
 they muft know that Epifcopacy has none fo great 
 an JEnemy as the Papacy -, which wcu'd engrofs the 
 whole tpifcopal Power, into the fingle See of Rome-^ 
 |)y making all other BiJIwps abfolutely dependent 
 '■'"/" • ' upon 
 
[<5o] 
 
 upon that, which oTiJy they call the Apojiolical Chair. 
 And no longer fince than the Councel of Trent, the 
 Tojjc endeavour'd with 'all his Intereft, to have tfif- 
 covary, except only that o{ the Bifiop of Rofne^ to be 
 declar'd not to hejuredivhio. By which none other 
 Bifiops cou'd claim any other Power, but what they 
 had from Him. But even that Council was not fo quite 
 degenerated as to fufFer this to pafs. 
 
 A N n the Jefnits, and others, who difputed there 
 on the Pope''5 Part, us'd thefe fame Arguments a- 
 gainft tht" divine Right of Epifcopacy, which from 
 them, and the Fopijh Canonijis and School-vien have' 
 been lick'd up by the Freshyterians and others of 
 our Bijfehters. They are the fame Arguments that 
 are us'd by Pope and Presbyter againil Epifcopacy, 
 
 "When the Pope cou'd not carr}^ his Caufe a- 
 gainit .£p?/6(?piicji in the Council of Trent, he took 
 another Method, and that was, to fet up a vaft 
 [Number of Presbyterian Priefis^ that is, the Regulars, 
 whom he exempted from the Jurisdidtion of their 
 refpedtive Bifiops, and fram'd them into a Method 
 and DifcipUne of their own, accountable only to 
 Superiours of his, and their own contriving \ which is 
 exadly the Tresbyterian Model 
 
 These Ufurpations upon the Epifcopal Authori- 
 ty, made the famous Arch-biJImp o^Spalato, quit his 
 great Preferments in the Church of Rome, and tra- 
 vel into England^ in the Reign of King Ja?nes I. to 
 feek for a more Primitive and Indepejtdent Epifco- 
 pacy. Himfelf, in his Conjilimn ProfeBim'is, gives 
 thefe fame Reafcns for it : And that this fhameful 
 Deprejjion andProJlitution of Epifcopacy, in the Church 
 ci^ Rome, was the Caufe of his leaving her. 
 
 H E obferv'd truly, that the further we fearch 
 upward into Antiquity, there is flill more to be 
 found of the Epifcopaly and lefs of the Papal Power 
 and Eminency. 
 
 St. Ig7tatiush£a]], in every Line almoft, of the 
 high Authority of the BtJJjop, ucxt and immediately 
 under ChriJI 3 asall the ot ler Writers ia thofe primi- 
 
 ' ' ■ ' ' tive 
 
tive Times : But there is a profound Silence in tTiem 
 all of that Sjipremacy in the Bipop o{Rome^ which is 
 now claim'd over all the other Bifiops of the Gr- 
 tholic Church -, which could not be, if it had been 
 then known in the World. This had been a ihort 
 and eiledual Method, whereby St. Paiil^ or St. Cle^ 
 ment might have quieted the great Schlfm of the Co- 
 7inthia7is^ againft Wiiich they both wrote, in their 
 Epijiles to them*, to bid them refer their Diffe- 
 rences to the hijallihle Judge of Controverfies^ the 
 Supreme Fajior at Rome. But not a Word of this. 
 Efpecially confidering that St. Veter was one, fo|r 
 whom fome of thefe Cormhiam ftrove ( i . Cor, i. 1 2.) 
 againft thofe who prejen'd others before Him, 
 
 The ufiivp'^d Suprefnacy of the later Bifiops of 
 Rome over thcii FelloTP BiJJjops^ has been as fatal to 
 Bfpifcopacy, as the KebelUon of our yet later Fresby- 
 ters againft their refpedive Bifiops, 
 
 And indeed, whoever wou'd write the true 
 Hiftory of Preshyterianiffn, muft begin at Rome, and 
 not at Geneva, 
 
 S o very groiindlefs as vvell as malicious^ is that 
 popular Clamour of Bpifcopacy having any the leaft 
 Relation to Popery, They are fo utterly irreconci* 
 lable, that it is impoJTibie they can ftand together : 
 For that Moment that Bpifcopacy were reftor'd to 
 its primitive Independency, the Papacy^ that is, that 
 Supremacy ^ which do's now diflinguiflii it, muft ipfo 
 ja&o ceafe. 
 
 T H u s I have fhewn, in Anfwer to the Objedi- 
 on of the Ages of Popery in England^ that all thofe 
 Errors, even Idolatry it felf, do's not wi-Church^ 
 > nor break Succejjionz And 2dly, I have exemply- 
 fy'd this from the parallel of the Jewiflf Churchy 
 nnder the Law, Then applying of this to our Cafe, 
 I have vindicated Bpifcopacy from the Imputation 
 of Popery. And Lwill now go on to farther Rea- 
 fins, why the SucceJJion of our prefent Bijliops is not 
 hurt by that Deluge of Popery which once cover'd the 
 Face of Great Britain, The 
 
162-} 
 
 The End of all Goventvmtt^ as well in the 
 Church diS State, is to -^rekiVQ Peace , Uvhy 2Lnd Or- 
 der 5 and this cannot be done, if the Mal-Admm- 
 Jlration of the Officers in the Goveritmejit^ did vacate 
 their Commlffion^ Without its being recalVd by thoie 
 who gave fuch ComvnJfio7t to them. For then, ifi. 
 E^er}^ Man muft be Jiidge, when fuch a Commijfion 
 is vacated ^ and then no Man is bound to obey longer 
 than he pleafes. 2dly, One may fay it is vacated, ano- 
 ther not, whence perpetual Contention mufl arife. 
 
 A Man may forfeit his Commilhon, that is, 
 do thofe Things, \Vhich give juft Caafe to his 
 Superiours to take" it from him : But it is not actu- 
 ally vacated, 'till it be aclmlly re-caWd by thofe who 
 have lawful Power to take it from him : Other- 
 wife there couM be no leace nor Certainty in the 
 "Worldj either in public or private Affairs, 
 
 N G Familjr cou'd fublift. No Man enjoy an E- 
 ftate. No Society whatever cou'd keep together : 
 And the Church being an outward Society muft con- 
 fequently lubfift by thofe Laws, which are indi- 
 fpenlible to every Society. And tho' Idolatry do's 
 juftly forfeit the Commijjion of any Church, in 
 this Senfe, that God's Piomifes to her being C071' 
 ditiojial. He may juftly take her Comviijfion ^xom 
 her, and remove her CavdleJIick : Now tho' her Corn^ 
 mjfion be thus forfeitable, yet it ftill contijmes, and 
 is not aBually vacated, 'till God fhall pleafe aBuaUy 
 to recaU it, or take it way : For no Cojmniffion is voidy 
 'till it be fo declar'd. Thus, tlio' the Jews did often 
 fall into Idolatry, yet (as before has been faid) God 
 did bear long with them •, and did not im- Church 
 them, tho' they had juftly fojfeited.Aud thofe wicked 
 Eiisbayid-men, who flew thole whom the Lord fent 
 for the Fruits of his Vineyard, yet continued ftill 
 to be t]\e Husband men of the Vineyard, 'till their 
 Lord did difpoftefs them, and ^ave tlieir Vi7uyard 
 
 unto others. 
 
 And 
 
C ^3 ] 
 
 And vafunil Reafon, do's enforce this . if a 
 Steward abufe his Truft, and oppreffes the Tejijjits^ 
 yet are they ftill oblig' : to pay their Rejit to him, and 
 Jiis Difcharges are fufficient to them againft their 
 Laudlord.'tiWhe i\\3\] fuperfede fuch a Steward. And 
 thus it is in the Sacerdotal Commifion, Abnfes in it, 
 do not take it away, 'till God or thofe to whom 
 He has committed fuch an Authority, fhall fufp end ^ 
 dtyrive^ or degrade, fas the FaB requires^) fuch a 
 Bifiop or a Priefl. 
 
 And there is this higher Confideration in the 
 Sacerdotal Coinmijjion^ than in thofe of civil Socie- 
 ties ^ that it being immediately from God, as m7ie 
 (therefore) can take this Honour to Himfelf^ but ha 
 that is called of God, as was Aaron •, fo none can 
 take it away, but he thatis asexprejly ^nd outward* 
 ly called thereunto, as Aaron was to be a Priejf. 
 For this wou'd be to Ufurp upon God's immediate 
 Prerogative^ which is to conftitute his own Priefis^ 
 Upon this Foundation I argue. 
 
 As the Necelfity of Government^ and the Gene- 
 ral Commands in Scripture, of Obedience to Goverr> 
 7nejit do require our Submmiifion to the Qovemment 
 in being, where there h no Competition concerning the 
 Titles, that is, where no One claims a better Right 
 than theFoJJeJfor .-So where a Church,once eftablilh'd 
 hyGod, tho' lufFering many Interruptions, do's con- 
 tinue,. Her Governours ought to be acknowledg'd, 
 where there is no better Clai7n fet up againft them. 
 
 This was the Reafon why our Saviour and 
 his Apojfles did, without Scruple, acknowledge 
 the High'Priefl and Sanhedrin of the Jews in their 
 Time ^ tho' from the Days of the Maccabees, there 
 had been great Interruptions, and Breaches in the 
 due Sttccejfion of their L^riejis : And before Chriji 
 came, and all his Time, the Romans as Conquerors^ 
 difpos'd of the Priejihood as they pleas'd -, and made 
 it annual and arbitrary, which God had appointed 
 hereditary and unmoveable. 
 
 But 
 
[d4] 
 
 But there was then no Competition. The ^em 
 Aid. fubmit to it, becaufe they were under the Sub- 
 jedion of the Romans, and cou'd have no other • no 
 High'PrieJ} claimed againft him in PofTeffion, 'but 
 all fubmitted to him. 
 
 And our Saviour did confirm his Authority^ 
 and of the ^anhedriii, or inferior Priefts with hini^ 
 (i^^f. xxiii. 2.) Saying, The Scribes and Pharifees 
 Jit in Mofes's Seat : All therefore, whatfoever they bid 
 you obferve, that obferve and do. And St. Taiil own'd 
 the Authority of the High-priejl, Ads xxiii. 5. 
 
 Many Objedlions might have been rais'd a- 
 gainft the Dedudion of their Succefwn from Mofes : 
 But there being none who claimed a better Right 
 than they had • therefore their Right was iin- 
 controverted 5 and by ouf Saviour's Authority was 
 confirm'd. 
 
 Now, Suppofe Come hit erruptio7is had been in the 
 Succejjion, or Corrruptions in the Docirine, and War- 
 Jhip of our EvgliJI) Bifiops, in former Ages, yet, (as 
 in the Cafe of the Scribes and Phciri fees) that cou'd 
 have no EfR-dt to invalidate their Comjnijfion and 
 Authority at the prefent. 
 
 Lest the Di^^wten fhould think, that what has 
 l>een laftfaid may be of any Service to them,in an- 
 fwering their Defeds as to SucceJIon,! defire them to 
 take Notice, that it is only Meant of a Church tphicb 
 T^as once ejiablifl^^d by God ^ but Epifcopacy, and no 
 other For7n of Government was eflablifhed by God, 
 (as I will fully fliew by and by) therefore they 
 are cut off from making this Plea. 
 
 L E T us now enquire what Affurance aiid Co?/- 
 fent there is in the Epifcopal Comjnunlon, beyond 
 that of any other. I am the rather induced to 
 make this Enquiry, becaufe I have met with 
 many ignorant People who have been taught, that 
 there are more who difown Epifcopacy than own it ; 
 and therefore if they lliou'd depart from theif 
 
 prefent 
 
C ^5 ] 
 
 preFent Principles, they mull condemn tlie greatelf 
 part of the Chriftian World. 
 
 To ihew therefore thefe poor People, into what 
 a wretched Error they are unhappily deluded ^ (not 
 that I wou'd be here underftood as if I meant, tha^ 
 Truth were to be decided by Kumbers) I will now 
 inform them how infinitely they are miftakeu 
 in their Suppolition •, and if it v/as any Argument 
 before for their not coming over to Bfifcopacy^ be- 
 caufe they thought the greatefl: part of the Chrillian 
 World were anti-Epifcopal^ it ought now to be as 
 ftrong a Motive for their embracing of Epifcopacy^ 
 when they are undeceiv'd, and find what fmall pro- 
 portion thofe who are againft Epifcopacy, bear ta 
 to thofe who have it. 
 
 Let them therefore know afliiredly, that the 
 whole Chrijiian World, as it always has been, lb it 
 is, at this prefent, Epifcopal^ except a few Bi Renters ^ 
 who, in lefs than two Imndred Tears lafi pafi, have 
 arifen like a Wart upon the Face of the Wejler^i 
 Church. For little more Proportion do our Bijfeji^ 
 ters in Great-Britain and ISiew Englafid, the Hugoiwts, 
 in France^ AhQ Presbyterians in BoUayid, Geneva, and 
 thereabouts, bear to the whole Body of the Latijt 
 Church, which is all EpifcopaL But if you compare 
 them with the Catholick Church all over the World, 
 which is all Epif copal ^ they will not appear fo big 
 as a Mole. 
 
 If our Dijfenters think it much that the Church of 
 Rofiie is reciconM in the Lift againft them 5. we will 
 be content to leave them out ^ Nay- more, if We 
 ihou'd give them all thofe Churches, \Yhich own 
 the Supremacy of Rome^ to be joyn'd with them, 
 (as they are the neareft a-kin to them of any I 
 know in the World) it will be fo far from cafting 
 the Ballance on their fide, that the other EpiJ copal 
 Churches will, by far, out-number them both. 
 
 E Let 
 
[66] 
 
 Let US then; to tKefe JD'if enters againft Epifco- 
 pacy^ add the Churches of Italy, and Spain entire, 
 with thepopjjl) Part o^Gerinavy, France^ Poland, and 
 Hungary, ( I think they have no more to reckon 
 uronj againft thefe we produce the vaft Empire of 
 Kvjia, f which is greater in Extent, than all thofe 
 poviJI) Countries before nam'dj GreatrBritain, Ben- 
 onark, Sweden^ and all the Lutheran Churches in Ger- 
 tnany.vj'hich will vafily out- number both tht Papijfs 
 m-\d (their Kinffnen) the Diffenters o£ all De7w?mna' 
 ttons before mcntion'd. And this Comparifon is 
 only made as to the Latin Church. 
 
 But then, we have all the reft of the Chrijlian 
 World, wholly on the Epifcopal fide, againft both 
 the Supremacy 0^ Rome, and parity of the Presbyte- 
 rians, &c. viz. The whole Greek Church, the ArniB" 
 mans, Georgians, Mingrelians, t Jacobites, the Chri- 
 Jlians of St. Thomas and St. John, in the Eajl Indies, 
 and other Oriental Churches, 
 
 Then in Africa, the Cophties in ^gypt, and great 
 Empire of the Abyjjins in Ethiopia, Thefe all are 
 Epifcopal, and never own'd the Supremacy of Roine, 
 and over-reckon, out of Sight, all that diU)wn Epif- 
 copacy, and all that own the Supremacy of Koms 
 with them. 
 
 Let me add, that among out Dijfeiiters, every 
 Clafs of them do's condemn all the reft ; the Pres- 
 lyterzan condemns the ^taher •, the ^laker con- 
 demns him • Lidependent, Baptiji, Sec. all condemn 
 one another, and each deny the other's Ordination, 
 or Call. 
 
 If to what has been laft faid, it fhould be re- 
 ply 'd, that this is a Mi S'reprefe7itat2on, and that they 
 
 t Here I muft be oblig'd to account for this Term Jacobites, becaufe 
 I am dealing; with a People who are very timoious and ape to ftart at a 
 Worcf, if they don't like the Spund of ir, tho* its Meanipg be never 
 fj innocent- Thtfc Jacobites then are vaft Numbers of Chriftians in- 
 hi»bitins in Babylonia and MeJopoPamj^t under a Patriarch of their own. 
 
 don't 
 
1^7 1 
 
 don't deny eacli other's Ordination * alas-a-day^ 
 they deny it 1 .no, no, they live amicably together, 
 tho' the Bigots of Unijonmty (as Cottoji Mather mo- 
 deftly calls the Church of£77^Ltw^j won't believe Ab- 
 furdities, Contradidions, and ImpolFibilities-, that 
 Fin and Water, Earth and A'lr^ IhouM mingle to- 
 gether in one comprehenjive Mafs^ without fo much 
 as one faint Struggle, which fhould get nppermofi: ^ 
 I fay, fuch an Infinuation as this, will give me a 
 fair Opportunity of producing a certain very long 
 and black, jet-black Lift of Amthemas and D^?;2- 
 ftations^ that were thunder'd out by each one fe- 
 verally againft the other, (m thofe Days of Pi/rzVj, 
 as fome good Men call them) the Days of Juper- 
 Re-reformation in England^ from 41 to 60^ by the 
 Anahaptijis^ Miiggletoniam^ Anti- Sabbatarians'^ Anti^ 
 9tomians ^ and more particularly between that lovely 
 lovijig P<^z>, the red-hot Presbyteriayjs, and the no lefs 
 fiery Homothimadon Brethren : Which, I make na 
 Queftion, will fatisfy moft People, that as much 
 like Lambs as they appear at prefent, they h)ave 
 very long Teeth as well as Claws, and that thty 
 never faii'd making ule of them when they had 
 Power. 
 
 S o that, as I faid befote, the Ordination of every 
 one. of them is difown'd by all the reft ♦, and all 
 of them together by the whole Chrijfian jrorld. 
 And if their Ordinations are not vaVid^ then they 
 have no more Authority to adminifter the Sacra* 
 ments^ than any other Lay men ^ and corifequently, 
 there can be no Security in receiving Bajjtifm from 
 any of them. 
 
 What allowances God -will make to thofe who 
 think their Ordination to be good enough, and that 
 they are true Miniflers of the Gofpeh^ and, as fuch, 
 do receive the Sacraments from them, I lliall not 
 determine. 
 
 But They have no Reafon to expeft the like 
 Allowances who are warned of it before-hand, and 
 
 E 2 will 
 
will notwithflranding venture upon it, Lef/Dre thefe 
 Dijfejiters hsve fully and clearly acquitted them- 
 felves cf {o great and tinlverfal a Charge laid againft 
 them .., fuch an one, as muft make the whole Chri- 
 Jlian IForld Wrong, if they are ' in the Right t, not 
 only the prefent Chriftian Churches, but all the Ages 
 0^ Chriftianity from Chriji, Of which the Dijfejtters 
 are deiir'd to produce any one, in any part of the 
 
 World, that was not Epif copal any one confti- 
 
 tuted Church upon the Face of the Earthy that was 
 not governM hjBlfiops, diftindl from, andfuperiour v 
 to Presbyters, before the Vaitdois in 'Piedmont^ the 
 Hitgonots in France, the Calviiiijls in Geneva, and 
 the Presbyterians thence tranfpianted in the laft 
 Age, into Holland, Scotland^ Old England and A^evf 
 England. 
 
 I F it fhou'd be returned, that neither is- the 
 Church of England without Oppofers •, for, that the 
 Ciurch of Ro7Jie oppofes her, as do likewife our Dif^ 
 fenters, 
 
 I Anfwer, None of them do oppofe her, in the 
 Point we are now upon, that is, the validity of 
 Epifcopal Ordination, which the Church o^ Ro7ne do's 
 own •, and the Preshyterians dare not deny it, be- 
 caufe they wou'd C thereby j overthrow all their 
 own Ordinations-^ for the Presbyters who reform H 
 (as they call it) from Bifiopsj receiv'd their Ordi- 
 nations from Bill)ops. 
 
 And therefore, tho"* the Epifcopal Principles 
 do invalidate the Ordination by Presbyters, yet the 
 Presbyterian Principles do not invalidate the Or- 
 dination by Bifwps : So that this Validity of Epifco* 
 pal Ordination ftands fafe, on all fides, even by the 
 Confelfion of thofe who are Enemies to the Epifcopal 
 Order: And, in this, the Bijhops have no Oppo- 
 fers. 
 
 Whereas, on the other Hand, the Validity o£ 
 the Presbyterian Ordijiation, is own'd by none but 
 themfelves ^ and they have all the reft of the Chri- 
 
 flian 
 
ftian World as oppofite to them. Therefore, tf> 
 flate the Cafe the moft impartially ^ to feceive 
 Bapufm from thefe Diffeitters ^is, at leaft, an Baz^ard 
 of many Thotifaiids to Ojte • as many as all the reft 
 of ChriJIianiUi are more than they : But to receive 
 it from the Bifiops, or Epif copal Clergy, has no Haz- 
 ard at all, as to its Validity^ even as own'd by the 
 Freshyteriam themfelves. 
 
 Now, if any Perfon fliould find fault with this 
 way of Rcafoning; and Ihould fay, that this is. 
 rank l^opery, aPopi/f) Argument to perfwade People 
 to come over to the faferjide • and that if this Ar- 
 gumfent be conclufive, we our felves muft return to 
 the Church of Rome : I fay, if any ihall think tlius, 
 I here give them this Anf.ver. That in all the Dif- 
 pures betwixt the C/;nr/:& of Rome Siud Us, we have 
 the Advantage of this Argument againfi: them in 
 tvevy Point. For Example ^ they fay, That if the 
 Church thought it fit to give the Communmi in both 
 Kinds ^ to have the publick Offices in the vulgar 
 Tongue, to have no Images^ or Fi^Iures of God the 
 Father in their Churclifs^ and fo of other Matters, 
 it wou'd do well, and they wou'd be pleased with it ^ 
 and all of them that ever I met with fay, they 
 wou'd be glad and rejoice in it. And confefs, fdiat 
 "bating the Authority of the Church) we are on ihQ 
 fafer iide of the Queflion. For no one fays, thaf 
 it is a Sin to worlhip God without any ImagQ of Him 
 before me. 
 
 Therefore the whole Hazard lies on the other 
 jide, viz,. Whether that be not "the Idolatry forbid- 
 den, Deut, iv. 12. 15, 1 6, &c, and many other Pla- 
 ces in Scripture ? Again, it can be no Sin to receive 
 the holy Sacramejit in both Kinds ^ as it was inftituted. 
 But the Difpule is, whether taking away xht Cup 
 is not mutilating the Sacrament, and confequertly 
 Sacrilege, ^sFopeGelaJius cail'd it ? And then, whe- 
 ther the Council of Conjiance had Authority to jenadt 
 this Sacrilege with a 7ion ohjiante to the Ivjiitmion of 
 
 E 3 ^^^-'''^ 
 
[7o] 
 
 ChriJ^y and the Practice of the Church to that Time, 
 whicli,was T4C0 Years after Chrijl ? 
 
 I fay, we have no plainer and more perfwafive 
 Arguments againft the Papijis, than to fhew them, 
 that v/e are on the fafer fide all the Way. 
 
 And wou'd you (you who are fotnuch againft 
 Fopery) have us lofe this Advantage, by running 
 down the Argument of beirig on the fafer fide ? 
 
 But now, the 07ily Point wherein the Fapifs fb 
 much as pretend to turn the Argument upon us, is 
 on Account of our M/^.-jw. And this grounded on 
 a falfe and foolifli Story they had trump'd up of the 
 J^agH'Head Covfecration. 
 
 But this has been confuted, and our firft Con- 
 fepratiom fo fully vindicated, that, as Arch-biihop 
 Braynhal has fliewed to us, the Fap'ijls themfelves 
 have quitted that Pretence and given it up. 
 
 The Arch'hifljop has printed the Orighial Record 
 of that Co7ifecratioyi which is ftill preferv'd and 
 forth-coming. So that there is no Difpute of the 
 Validity of our Ordinatioyjs^ nor confequently of our 
 Baptifm. 
 
 Therefore we perfvi^ade you to the furejl Side^ 
 without giving any Advantage to the Fapijia ^ for 
 we perfwade them by the fame Argument. And 
 are fure that we are on the fife Side^in our Difputes 
 with Them, as v/ell as with Ton, 
 
 Therefore this Argument can be of no Advan- 
 tage to the Church of Kojne^ nor is any Way lead- 
 ing to Fopery, ' 
 
 And now, haying mentibn\l the Word Fopery^ 
 I beg leave to fay fomething concerning it. And 
 herein I ih^li more immediately direct my felf 
 to thofe poor People, who have been fo unhappily 
 deluded with the Sound of this one Word Fopery, 35 
 to iiy affiighted from the beft covijihiited^ the moft 
 Frimiiive and Apujlolic Church at this Day in the 
 y^licle World -^ 1 mean the Church of Evglajid^, 
 
 To 
 
C 71 ] 
 
 To you, my Friends, I dired my Difcourfe at 
 prefenr, and therefore let me freely fpeakto you'^ 
 and I entreat jou to talce particular Notice of what 
 follows, i make no Qjieftion but that mofi: of you 
 think, that the Government of the Chiirchhj Bifiops 
 is an hmovation^ brought in by the 'Popes of Kome^ 
 And indeed I do not greatly blame you for fo think- 
 ing, becaufe I know that you have been taught to 
 believe, that Bijbops are an hmovatioyi upon the 
 primitive Government of the Church, introduced 
 b.y the Pride and Tyraimy oi Rome : That in the firfi 
 z^dipiireji Ages of Chrijiianhy, Bifliops were utter 
 Strangers to the Church : And that in later Ages 
 when the Church had many Corruptions in it, thi$ 
 likewife of Bifhops was introduc'd, particularly by 
 the Pope o{Rome^ [that ManofSin'] upon the Ruins 
 of the true primitive Fresbyterial^ Apoftolic Govern- 
 ment. That (as I Paid before^ in the firftand pureft 
 Ages, BifJmp and Presbyter were the fame, without 
 any Difference • and if fo, (no doubt) BiJJjops fu- 
 periour to Presbyters muft be an Ufurpation upon that 
 Difcipliyie whicfe Chriji appointed : And therefore 
 to Pay that there is any Difference between them is 
 Popery, ay, rank Popery, 
 
 1 make no doubt, but that I have ftated your 
 CaPe right, I msan, that you fo believe, and that 
 you have Jo been taught, 
 
 A N u now my Friends, let me entreat you to 
 be undeceived. And in order to it, I (hall firft re- 
 mark, that this one Word Po PF R Y, has been the 
 Trojan-Horje let in among us; from whence moft, 
 (if not all) of our prePent Troubles have arifen ; 
 This Word Popery has been that fatal Engine which 
 has been uPed by wicked and malicioas Men, to 
 raiPe thoPe high, frightful, and imChriJlian Walls of 
 Separation between us. This is an old Stratagem, 
 (and I wou'd to God it were not now us'd.) If wick- 
 ed Men have a, Mind to blacken any Thing, tho' 
 wever fo good and innocent in itPelf, they prelently 
 E 4 make 
 
[ 70 
 
 make an hideous Oat-cry of Fopery, Idolatry, and Su- 
 perftition •, this routes the mad Eynhufiajl -^ this it is 
 that catches with the gaping i^jf^/j/^^the mad mthiitk- 
 hig Populace^ who feldom examin Things deeper than 
 their Surfaces •, it was this Word Popery which the 
 fubtile Sons o^ Machiavel and Mifchief made ufe of 
 (fometime after the Ilebellion had broken out againft 
 King Charles the Firil of hleffed Memory) to gain 
 their wicked Ends : And it was chiefly by this fa- 
 tal Ignis Fatuus^that theyhurry'd our deluded Ance- 
 ftors into thofe horrid Fields of Blood and Confujioii :- 
 "Where, when they were once enter'd (good God !) 
 what Havock did they make ! ^Parents againft their 
 Children, and Children againft their Parents! 
 How did they rijie ( which was a Thing not prac- 
 tised by the worft of Men, nay, even a vicious 
 Heathen wou'd have bluili'd at itj I fay, how did 
 they rifle the fair,the facred and goodly Monuments 
 of the Dead ! and thofe ftately and magnificent 
 Piles, thofe majeftic and awful StriiBiires^ I mean 
 thofe Chriftian Te7}iples, which were raised in honour 
 of our God and our Redeemer^ wereT^y thcfe impious 
 Jfretches turned into Stables and Slaughter -Hoiife^, 
 And zx length, horridly ftriding from one Step of 
 Wickednefs to another, they, (oh dreadful !) they^ 
 I fay, murthered the Parent of their Country ! thei 
 beft Chnjlian as well as the beft King upon Earth -^ 
 and aitcr that, they overwhelmed and buryM in 
 Ruins the beft Church in the whole World : But God 
 be thanked it arofe again. 
 
 And all thcfe horrid Things were perpetra- 
 ted by Men v/ho had been fadly deluded, and had 
 been taught that many Things in the Church of 
 E',igiand v/ero Rags of the Whore of Babylon, and 
 particularly that Biftiops were Creatures of the 
 pope's making ^ and .to have them in the Church 
 \y^s rank Popery, 
 
 This (as I faid bei'ore) has been an old Device, 
 and I do not ib grc^tljr wonder that you likewife of 
 
 this 
 
[73] 
 
 this prefent Age fboth here and in New-Evghnd) 
 are deceiv'd, when the fame Artifice is made ufe of 
 to delude you. 
 
 But in anfwer to this Charge, that the Govern- 
 vient oj the Church by Bifiops is Popifli -^ I tell you, 
 that it is a vile and wicked Infinuation. And to 
 make it plain to you that it is not PopiJ/j, I will 
 fhew you how it is impoffible that it ihould be fo : 
 Cand I ihould think that were fufficient in all Rca- 
 fon, to fatisfy any Man, but him who is refblv'd 
 not to be convinced : ) And the Method I Ihall 
 take in proving this, fhall be firft, in telling you, 
 that the firft Pope of Rome (in the modern, and in 
 your Acceptation of the Word Pope) was not till the 
 yth Ce7itiiry^ above Six hundred years after Chrijl : 
 And nextly I will produce the Teftinionies of the 
 Vrhnitivd Fathers and Councils of the Church and 
 thefe Teftimonies fhall be brought from the firfb 
 and pureft Ages of the Chrijiian Churchy xh^ 
 firft Four hundred and fifty Years after Chriji : 
 the lateft of which Authorities is 150 Years before 
 there was a Pope of Rome^ (in the i)refent Accepta- 
 tion of the Word Pope) and if thofe Teftimonies 
 which I fhali prefent ly produce, make mention of 
 the Bifiops as the 07ily Governours of the Church, 
 and not only of the Time in which each one of thefe 
 Perfons lived, but fpeaking of .Sf/;opj as ordained 
 by Cbriji and his Apoftles, and having defcended 
 down all the Way to each one of them by an it7nn' 
 terrupted Siiccejfion ^ I fay, if thefe Tejli monies af- 
 firm thus much, let no Man be fo foolilh, nay, wick- 
 ed and malicious, as to fay, that it is Popery, when 
 fome of the Perfons, whofe Teftimonies I produce, 
 lived above 500, and the lateft of theiji 15:0 Years 
 before the Pope was thought of. 
 
 Heke follows a fliort ColleSion of Authorities for 
 Epifcopacy, as diftinct from, and fuperiour to Presby- 
 tery, taken out of the Fathers and Councils, in the 
 firft four hundred and fifty Ye^rs after Chrijl, 
 
 111 
 
[ 74 ] 
 
 In the Year of our Lord 70. 
 
 S T. Clevient Bifhop of Rome, and a glorious Mar* 
 tyr, whofe Praife is in the Gofpel, and of whom 
 particular Mention is made, FhiL iv. 5. Clemeiit — 
 whofe ]Sla7}ie is hi the Booh of Life. He I fay, fpeaks 
 thus, in his ift. Epijlle to the Corinthians, n. 42. p. 
 89. of the Edition of Oxford, 1697. 
 
 The Apoftles having preach'd the Gof])el, thro' 
 Regions and Cities, did conftitute the firft Fruits 
 of them, having prov'd them by the Spirit- to be 
 Biftiops and Minifters [or Deacons] of thole, who 
 ihou'd believe ^ and this, not as a new Thing, for 
 many Ages before it was written concerning Bi- 
 Ihops and Minifters [or Deacons] . for, thus faith 
 the Scriptures, in a certain place, / will 
 Ifa, Lx, covjiitiite their Biihops in Right eoufnefs 
 17. ajtd their Minifters [or' Deacons] in 
 
 Faith. What wonder is it then, that 
 thofe who were intnifted by God, in Chrift, with 
 this* CommiHion, ihould conftitute thofe before 
 fpolce of ? 
 
 Ibid. N. 44. And the ^//q/?/^5 knew by the Lord 
 Jefus Chriji, that Contefts wou'd arife concerning 
 the Ej)ifopal Name, (or Order) and for this Caufe, 
 having per fedl fore knowledge (of thefe Things) 
 they did orciain thofe whom we have mention'd be- 
 fore^ and moreover, did eftabliili the Conftitution, 
 that bther approved Men ftiould fucceed thofe who 
 dy'd, in their Office and Miniftry. 
 
 Therefore thofe that were conftituted by them, 
 or afterwards by other approved Men, with the 
 Confent of all the Church, for the Church applaud- 
 ing the Choice) and have adminiftred to the Flock 
 of Chrift unblamably, with Humility and Qiict- 
 ncfs, without all Srain of Filth or Naughtinefs ; and 
 have carryM a good Report, of a long Time, from 
 all Men, I think cannot, without great Injuftice, 
 be turned out of their Office : For, it will be no 
 
 fmaU 
 
[75] 
 
 fmall Sin to us, if we thruft thofe from their Bi- 
 fliopricks who have holily and without Blame of- 
 fer'd our Gifts (and Prayersj to God, Blefled are 
 thofe Priefts who are happily dead, for they are 
 not afraid of being ejeded out of the Places in which 
 they are conftituted. For, I underftand that you 
 have depos'd fome, from their Miniftry, who be- 
 hav'd themfelves un-reproveable amongft you. 
 
 Par. 40. To the High-Prieft his proper Offices were 
 appointed ^ the Priejls had their proper Order, and 
 the Levkes their peculiar Services, or Beaconlbip ^ 
 and the X^ji-w^w, what was proper for L^ji-w^w. 
 
 This, as before fliewn, St. Clemcitt apply'd 
 to the Diftribution of Orders in the Chriftian 
 Church •, Bifhops, Priefts and Deacons. And the 
 Office of the Levites^ is here call'd by the Word 
 r^tstyjovicu. J, e. the Office of Beacons, 
 
 Anno Domini, 71. St. J^Wi:itfn5, a glorious Martyr 
 of Chrift, was conftituted, by the Apoftles, BijJ)op of 
 Antioch^ and did thereby verily think that he fuc- 
 ceeded them (as all other Biftiops doj in their full 
 ApoJioUcal Office, Thence he lalutes the Church 
 of the Tralliajts^ in the Fulnefs of the ApoJioUcal 
 Characler 5 and in his Epiftle he fays to them. 
 
 B E Subject unto your Bifiops as to the Lord 
 
 And to the Freshyten, as to the Apofiles o^ Chr'ifi — 
 Likewife the Deacons alfo, being Minifiers of the 
 Myfieriesoi. Chrijl, ought to pleafe in all Things'— 
 Without thefe there is no Church. — He is without, 
 who do's any Thing without the BiJIjop, and Fres- 
 byters and Deacons *, and fach a one is defiPd in hi$ 
 Conference. 
 
 I N his Epiftle to the Magnejtans, he tells them, 
 That they ought not to defpife their BiJIwp, for his 
 Youth, but to pay him all manner of Reverence, 
 according to the Commandment of God the Father. 
 And as I know that your holy Presbyters do ■■ 
 
 Therefqre as Qriji dii nothing without the 
 
 Father^ 
 
Father^ fo neither do ye, whether Freshyter^ Deacon^ 
 or Lau:, any thing without the BiJIwp, 
 
 Some indeed callhini Bifiop^ yet do all Things 
 without him -^but thefe feem not to me to have a good 
 Confcience, but rather to be Hypocrites and Sconters. 
 
 I exhort you to do all Things in the fame Mind 
 cf God, the BiJIjop prefiding in the Place of God ^ 
 and the Presbyters in Room of the Collcdge of the 
 Apojiles ^ and the Deacons, moft beloved in me, 
 who are intrufted with the Miniftry, of Jefm 
 Chrifi. 
 
 ,HE direBs his Epiftle to the Church at Philadel- 
 phia, to thoje who are in Unity with their Bifliop a?id 
 Presbyters ajtd Deacons. A^id fays to the7n, in his 
 Epiftle. 
 
 Tff>4T as many as are of Chrijfl, thefe are with 
 the Bifiop ', and thofe who fhall repent, and return 
 to the Unity of the Church, being made worthy of 
 jfefus Chrifi, fnall partake oiT eternal Salvation in 
 the Kingdom of Chrifi, 
 
 My Brethren, be not deceived, if any fhall fol- 
 low him that makes a Schifm, he iliall not inhe* 
 lit the Kingdom of God. 
 
 I exhort you to partake of the one Eucharifi, for 
 there is one Body of the Lord Jefus, and one Blood 
 of his, which was fhed for us ^ and one Cup — and 
 one Altar, fo there is one Bi/fjop, with his Presby- 
 tery, and the Deacons my Fellow- Servants 
 
 Give heed to the Bifimp, arid to tlie Presbytery^ 
 and to the Deacons without the Bifi)op do no- 
 thing. 
 
 IN his Epifile to the Smyrna?ans, he fays. Flee 
 Divifions as the Beginning of Evils. All of you 
 follow your Bifiop, as jf^fus Chrifi the Father ; and 
 the Presbytejy^ as the Apofllcs ,and reverence the Vea- 
 cons as the Inilirution ot God. Let no Man do any 
 Thing of what appertains to tlie Church, witliout 
 the Bifi)op, let that Sacrament be judg'd eftedual 
 and firm, which is difpcnccd by ih<: Bijbop^ or by 
 
 hiia 
 
L77l 
 
 him to whom the Bifiop has committed it. Where-* 
 ever the BiJIwp is^ there let the People be • as where 
 Chriftis, the Heavenly Hoft is gathered together. It 
 is not lawful, without t\\^ Bifiop, either to baptize^ 
 or celebrate the Offices : But what he approveth af, 
 according to the good pleafure of God, that is firm 
 and fafe, and fo we do every Thing fecurely. 
 
 I Salute your rnoft worthy Bijlmp^ your venera- 
 ble Presbytery^ and the Deacom my Fellow Ser- 
 vants. 
 
 I N his Epiftle to St. Polycarp, Bifhop o( Symnia^ 
 and Martyr, who together with hhnfelf^ was Difdple 
 to St, John the Apojile^ and Evangelifi, He gives 
 thefe DireBioTis, 
 
 If any can.remain inChaflity, to the Glory of the 
 Body of the Lord, let him remain without Boafting, 
 if he boaft, he perifhes^ and if he pretends to know 
 more than the Bifiop he is corrupted. It is the 
 Duty both of Men and Women that marry, to be 
 joyn'd together by the Approbation of the Bijhop^ 
 that the Marriage may be in the 
 Lord — ^ Give heed to your Bi- "^ignatuis herefp^ks 
 JJmp, that God may hearken unto ^^^oPolycarphmthvo* 
 
 -XT T\/r c 1 / ^T • -L ^^^ to the Church o£ 
 
 You. My Soul for theirs, who smjma. 
 Subjefl: themfelves under the O- 
 bedience of their Bifiop', Presbyters and Beacons, and 
 let me take my Lot with them in the Lord. 
 
 And he fays to Biihop Polycarp, Let nothing bs 
 done without thy Senteytce mid Approbation, 
 
 A. D. 1 80. St. IrenAUs Bijlhop of Lyons^ in France, 
 who was Difciple of St. Polycarp, and flourilh'd a- 
 bout the Year of Chriji 180. Ii^ his Book, Ad vers, 
 Hsrefes. 1, 3, c. 2. 
 
 W E can reckon thofe Bifiops, who have been 
 conftituted by the Apojiles, and their SuccelTors all 
 the Way to our Times. And if the ApoJIles knew 
 hidden Myfteries, they wou'd 'certainly deliver 
 them chiefly to thofe, to whom they committed the 
 Churches themfelves 5 and whom they left their 
 
 own 
 
C7S] 
 
 own Snccejfors, and in the fame place of Govern- 
 ment as themfelves. We have the SiicceJ/ions of the 
 Bifhops, to whom the Apojiolic Church in every 
 place was committed. All thefe (Hereticks) are 
 much- later than the Bifhops, to v^hom thQ Apjilei 
 did deliver the Churches. 
 
 L. 4. c. 6. The true Knowledge is the Dodrin 
 of the ApoJfUs, znd the ancient State of the Church, 
 thro"* the whole World, and the Churches of the 
 Body of Chriji^ according to the Succejion of the 
 Bifiops, to whom they committed the Church that 
 is in every Place 5 and which has defcended even 
 unto us. 
 
 A. D. 20^. TerUiUian^ of the Prefcription of 
 Hereticks, c, 32, 
 
 Let them (Hereticksj produce the Original of 
 their Churches •, let them fhew the Order of their 
 Billiops, that by their Siiccejfion^ deduc'd from the 
 Beginning, we may fee whether their firft Biihop 
 had any of the Apojfles, or Apofiolicdl Men, who 
 did like wife perfevere with the Apojiles^ for his 
 Founder and PredecefTor. For, thus the Apojlolical 
 Churches do derive their Succeilion : As the Church 
 of Smyrna from Polycarp, whom John (the Apoftle) 
 placed there > The Church of Koine from Clejnent^ 
 who was, in the like manner, ordain'd by IMer : 
 And fo the other Churches can produce thofe confti- 
 tuted in their Bifiopricks by the Apojlles. 
 
 C. 36. Reckon over the y4pq//o2fcaZ Churches, where 
 the very Chairs of the Apoftles do ytt prelide in 
 their own Places. At Corivth^ Fhilippi^ Ephefits^ 
 Thejalomca, Sec. 
 
 OrBaptifm, c. 17. The High prtejl, who is the 
 Bijhop, has the Power of conferring Baptifm ^ and 
 under him the Presbyters and Deacons «, but not with* 
 out the Authority of the Biihop. 
 
 A. D. 220. Ori^eiiis Comment, in Matt, Ratho' 
 wagi^ \66B,Gr, Lat. ]), 253;, 
 
 Or2ge7t 
 
C 19 ] 
 
 Qrigen names the diftinft Orders of Bip)op^ Vren^ 
 lyter ^vA Beacon.. Such a Bifhop {fay% he^Jpeakivg 
 of (me who fought vain Glory ^ Sec) doth not defire a 
 
 good Work and the fame is to be {aid as to 
 
 Presbyters and Deacons The BiJIjops and Presby- 
 
 ters^ who have the chief Place among the People • 
 
 The Bifiop is called Prince in .the Churches : And 
 fpeaking of the irreligious Clergy, he dire&s it to them^ 
 whether Bilhops, Presbyters, or Deacons. 
 
 u4. D. 240. St, Cyprian^ Arch-biihop of Carthage, 
 Edit, Oxon. Epif, 99. Lapfs. 
 
 Our Lord, whofe Commands we ought to reve- 
 rence and obey, being about to conftltute the Bpif- 
 copal Honour, and the Frame of his Church, faid to 
 Peter^ Thou art Peter, &c. From whence the Order 
 of Biihiops and Conftitution of the Church do's de- 
 fcend, by the Line of Siiccej^o'n, through all Times 
 and Ages, that the Church lliou'd be built upon the 
 
 Biiliops ■— It is eftablilh'd by the Divine Law, 
 
 that every Ad of the Church Ihou d be Govern'd 
 by the Bifhop. 
 
 To Cornelius, then Bifhop of Rome, Epift. 45;. 
 
 We ought chiefly (Brother) to endeavour to keep 
 that Unity which was en joyn'd by our Lord and his 
 Apoftles to us their Succeflors, to be carefully ob- 
 ferved by us. 
 
 Epiji. 5. Rogatkzno, 
 
 The Deaco7is ou^ht to remember that it was the 
 Lord who chofe the Apojiles, that is, the BiJ/jops, 
 EpiJL 66, Florentio, 
 
 Chriji faid to the Apoftles, and by that to all Bi- 
 lhops or Governors of his Church, who fucceed the 
 Apoftles hj vicarious Ordination, and are in their 
 Head, He that heareth you, heareth Me. 
 
 For from hence do Schifms and Herefes arife, 
 and have arifen, while the Bifhop, who is One, 
 and Governour of the Church, by a proud Prefump- 
 tion is defpis'd •, and that Man who is honoured as 
 worthy by God, is accounted miworthy by Man, 
 
 Epift. 
 
[8o] 
 
 Epift. ^9. Cornelia. 
 
 KoR areHerefies fprung up, or Schifms arifert 
 from any other Fountain than from hence, that O- 
 bedience is not paid to the PrieJI of God •, and that 
 there is not one Fricjl at a Time in the Church, and 
 one Judge fot the Time in the Place of Chrijl, To 
 whom, if the whole Fraternity did obey, according 
 to the divine CEconomy, none won'd dare to move 
 
 any Thing againft the Sacerdotal College-^ It is 
 
 neceflary that the BiOiops fliould exert their Au- 
 thority with full Vigour. But if it is fo, that 
 
 we are afraid of the Boldnefs of the moft profligate; 
 and that which thefe wicked Men cannot Compafs 
 by the Methods of Truth and Equity, if they can 
 accomplilli by their rallinefs and Del|)9ir, then is 
 there an End of the £pf/co/7^/ Authority^and of theit 
 fuhlime and divhie Power in governing the Church, 
 Nor can we remain Chrijiians any longer, if it is 
 come to this, that v/e fhou'd be^afraid of the Threats 
 and Snares of the Wicked ^ 
 
 The Adverfary of Chrijl^ and Enemy of his 
 
 Church, for this End ftrikes at the Bifiop or Rider 
 of the Church, with all his Malice, that the Go* 
 vernour being taken av/ay, he might ravage the 
 more violently and cruelly upon the Shipwreck of 
 the Church, 
 
 I s Honour then given to God, when the Divine 
 Majefty and Cenfure is fo defpifed, that thefe fa- 
 crilegious Perfons fay, do mt think of the Jfrath of 
 God^ he not afraid of his Judgment^ do not hwck 
 at the Door of the Church ^ but without any Re- 
 pentance or Confeilion of their Crimes, defpiling 
 the Authority of their Biihops, and trampling it 
 under their Feet, a falfe Peace is preach'd to be 
 had from the Vrc%hyters, {viz.) In their taking up- 
 on them to admit thofe, that were fallen, into Com- 
 munion, or the Peace of the Church, without the 
 Bijhojf, 
 
 TheV 
 
[8i] 
 
 tn E Y imitate the coming of AntiChriJi now 
 approaching. 
 
 Epjl, 8oi Snccejfo, 
 Valeria)! (the Emperor j wrote to the Senate^ that 
 the BiJIwps and the Presbyters, and the Beacons^ 
 fhou'd be profecuted. 
 
 Firmlianiis Cypriano. Epift. 75;. p. 225:. 
 The Power of remitting Sins was given to the 
 Apojlles, and to the BiJIjops, who have lucceeded 
 them by a vicarious Ordination. 
 
 Epift. 16. p. 36. Cyprianus Pteshyterh & 
 Diaconibus, 
 "What Danger ought We to fear from the Dif- 
 pleafure of God, when fome Presbyters^ neither 
 mindful of the Go/pel, nor of their own Station in 
 the Church, neither regarding the future Judgment 
 of God, nor the BiJJwp who is fet over them, which 
 was never done under our Predeceflbrs, with the 
 Contempt and Neglect of their Bifiop, do arrogate 
 all unto themfelves ? I cou'd bear with the Con- 
 tempt of our Epifcopal Authority, but there is now 
 no room left for DilTembliqg. 
 
 A. B. 7,6'^, Optatits MilevitanU5,'Bi{hoi) o[ Mileve^ 
 
 OT Mela in Ntmidia in Africa^ in his fecond 
 
 Book againft Parmeiiian, 
 
 The Church has her feveral Members, Sil/wps^ 
 
 Presbyters J Beacons^ and the Company of the Faith- 
 
 Yot/ found in the Church, Beacons, Presbyters^ 
 BiJ1)ops, you have made them Lay-men-^ acknow- 
 ledge that you have fubverted Souls. 
 
 A. B, 370. St. Ambrofe, Biihop o{ Milan, Upon 
 Ephef, iv. II. Speaking of the feve/al Orders of the 
 Church: And he gave fome Apoftles, and lome Pro* 
 phets and Evangelifts, &c, fays, that by X^clg. Apo* 
 files there, were meant the BiJ/mpt ^ by Prophets, the 
 Expounders of the Scriptures-^ and by the EvavgC' 
 lifts, the Beacons, But fays, that they all met ia 
 the BiJIwp 5 for that he was the chief Priejl ^ that is, 
 
 F {fays 
 
[8=] 
 
 (fays he) Vrhice of the Triefis, and both Prophet and 
 Evangelijl, to fupply all the Offices of the Church 
 for the Miniflry of the Faithful. 
 
 ArJ upon \ Cor. xii. 28. fays. That Chriji confti- 
 tuted the Apoftles Head in the Church -, and that 
 thefe arc the Bijhops. 
 
 A)id upon V. 29. are all Apojlles ? i. e. all are not 
 Apnfiles. This is true, (fays he) becaufe in ,the 
 Church there is but one Bifhop. 
 
 And becaufe all things are from one God the 
 Father, therefore hath He appointed that one Bi- 
 Ihop iliould preiide over each Church. 
 
 In his Book of the Dignity of the Pyiefrhood, c. 9. 
 be fays. That there is nothing in this World to be 
 found more excellent than the PrieJIs ^ nothing more 
 fublime than the BiJI.wps. 
 
 And fpeating oi' what was incumbent on the 
 feveral Orders of the Church, he do's plainly di- 
 ilinguiih them ; For, fays he, in the fame Place ^ 
 
 God do's require one 'thing from a Biiliop, ano- 
 ther from a Presbyter, another from a Deacon^ and 
 another from a Lay- man. 
 
 A, D. 380, St. Jerom in his Comment on the 
 Epift. to Titus. 
 
 When it began to be faid, I a7n of Paul, / of 
 Apolios, &c. and every one thought that thofe 
 which he baptized, belonged to nimlelf, and not to 
 Chriji'^ it was decreed thro' the whole Earth, that 
 one cliofcn from among the Freshyters ihond be fet 
 over the reft, tliat the Seeds of Schlfm might be 
 taken away. 
 
 In his Epijl. to Evagrius. 
 From Ma?^ the EvavgeUJi to Eleracla-^^ and Bi* 
 onyfiis the Billiops, the Presbyters of ^gypt- have 
 always chofen out one from among themfelves, 
 whom having pkced in an higher Degree than the 
 reft, they called their Biiliop. 
 
 H E that is advanced, is advanced from lefs to 
 greater. 
 
 The 
 
[ S3 ] 
 
 The Greatnefs of Riclres, or the KumilityVf 
 Poverty, do's not make a Bilhop greater or iefs, 
 feeing all of them are the Succejfors of the AooJIlcs, 
 
 That we may know the ApoJIolical CEcovotj^ to 
 be taken from the Pattern of the Old Teltameut, t\\Q 
 fame that Aaron and his Sotts, and the Levites were 
 in the Temple^ the Bifiops. Presbyters, md-Deacom 
 are in the Church of Chnji. 
 
 To JNepotlanm, 
 
 Be fubjed to your B'ljiwp or Chief FrieJI^ and re- 
 ceive him as the Father of your Soul. 
 Againft the Litciferiam, 
 
 Th.e Safety of the CJmrch (.lepends upon the 
 Dignity of the High prieft, to whom, unleis a fort 
 of abfolute and eminent Power be given aboye all, 
 there will be as many Schifms in the Church as 
 there are' Priefts. Thenc^ it is, that without the 
 Command of the Bilhop, neither a Presbyter nor 
 
 a Deacon have Power to Baptize^ And the 
 
 Bifhop is to impofe his Hands upon thofe who are 
 baptized by Presbyters or Deacons, for the invo- 
 cation of the holy Spirit, 
 
 And comforihig Heliodoriis a Bifhop, vpo7t the 
 Death of Nepotian his Presbyter and Nephew, he 
 commends Nepotian, in that he reverenced his Bilhop. 
 
 H E honour'd Heliodoriis in Publick as his Bifliop, 
 at home as his Father. But among his Presbyters 
 and Co-eqvaU, he* was the iirft in his Vocation, &c. 
 
 Upon the 6th of Ifa. He calls the future Bi- 
 fhops Princes of the Church. 
 
 Of the Ecclejiajiical Writers. Concerning James. 
 
 James, after the Paifion of our LorJ, was imme- 
 diately, by the Apoftles^ ordained Biihop of Jeni- 
 falem. The like he tells of the frft Biihops cj other 
 Places^ 
 
 . Epift. 54.. Againft Mont anus. 
 
 With us the Bifmps hold the Place of, the A- 
 pojiles. 
 
 rs 
 
[ 84 ] 
 
 A. D. 42c. St. Attg'ujiin Bifliop of Hipp in A- 
 ffica^ Epift. 42. ' > 
 
 The Root of the Chr'ijiian Society is diffused 
 throughout the World, in a fure Propagatiorijby the 
 Seats of the Apojiles^ and the Siiccejjion of the Bijhops, 
 
 ^lej}, veter, & mvi Tejl. N. 97. 
 
 Theite is none but knows that om Savmir iidi 
 conftitute Bifiops in the Churches ^ for before he 
 afcended into Heaven^ he laid his Hands upon the 
 Apqjlles and ordain'd them fiifiops, 
 
 h. 7. c. 43. The Sentence of our Lord J^/w^ 
 Chrijl is clear, who fent his Apojiles^ and gave to 
 them alone that Power which he had received frgm his 
 Father ^ to whom we have fiicceeded, governing the 
 Church of God by thefa7?ie Power. 
 
 Epift. 162. Speaking of the Bifhops hehtgcaird 
 Avgels. R^cla. 2. fayshe. By the Voice oPGod, the 
 Gover7ioiir of the Church is ]3rais'd, under the Name 
 of an Angel. 
 
 Sermon 24. Of theTFords of oiir Lord, 
 
 I F he faid to the Apoflles alone, he that defpifeth 
 you, defpifeth me^ then defpife us : But if thofe 
 Words of his come down even unto us, and that he 
 has called us, and conftitutedusin their Place, fee 
 that you do not defpife us. 
 
 Againft Faitjhs. L. 33. cap. ult. 
 
 W E embrace the holy Scriptttre, which from the 
 Times of the prefence of Chrifl hinifelf ; by the Dif- 
 poiition of tlie Apojlles, and the Sue cej/iovs of other 
 Bifiops from their Seats, even to thefe Times, has 
 come down to us, fafely kept, commended and ho- 
 nour'd through the whole Earth. 
 
 Againft P^tf/i J?;. L. 2. c. <5;t, 
 
 What has the Chair of the Church of Rome 
 
 done to thee, in which Peter fat, and in which at this 
 
 \>dy,A7iaftafiu5 fits •, or of the Church of Jerufalem, in 
 
 which James did fit, and in which Johii do's now 
 
 lit ? 
 
 Againft 
 
[ 85 ] 
 
 Againft Julian, L. 2^ cap. ult. 
 ■ Irotam, Cyprian^ Reticm^ Olymphts, Hilary^ Gre- 
 gory, Ba]il, John, Ambrofe thefe were Bifiops^ 
 
 grave, learn'd, &c. 
 
 ^ivjilom upon the Old Tejlament, Q.. 215;. 
 
 The Af?/^^ bears the Image of God, as the BjJ1)op 
 bears the Image of Chriji. ^ Therefore while he is 
 in that Station, he is to be hbnour'd, if not for hiin- 
 felf, yet for his Order. 
 
 Let thisfuffice as to the Teftimonies of particu- 
 lar Fathers of the Church, tho' many more may 
 be produc'd, in that Compafs of Time, to which 
 I have confin'd our prefent Enquiry. 
 
 And now (that no Conviction might be want* 
 ing) I will fet down fonle of the Canons of the 
 Cojmcih in thofe Times, to the fame Purpofe y 
 whereby it will appear, that Epifcopacy, as d'ljtin^ 
 from, and Stiperiotir to Presbytery, was not only the 
 Judgement of the firft glorious Saints and Martyrs 
 o^ChriJl ^ but the current DoBrin, and Governvient of 
 the Church, both Greek and Latin^ in thofe early 
 Ages of Chrijlianity, 
 
 I N the Canons of the Apojiles^ the Diftindion of 
 BiJIwp, Presbyter, and Deacon is fo frequent, that it is 
 almoft in vain to give Citatiojts, The 1. and 2. Ccc 
 mn ihew the Difference to be obferv'd in the Or- 
 daining of them. 
 
 L E t a BiJI)op be confecrated by two or three Bi^ 
 f>ops, 
 
 ly E T a Presbyter and Deacon be ordain d by one 
 BiJ/)op. 
 
 See the fame Diftinftion of thefe Orders, '^ Ca- 
 non 2|. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 17. 18. 25. 27. 28. 29. 32. 
 3^. 36. 42. 44. 45. 51. 52. 5^ 63. 68. 69. 70. 8^ 
 Ci77(?7z. 15. Shews the JiirifdiBion of the Bilhops over 
 the Presbyters and Deacons. 
 
 If any Presbyter ov Deacon, or any of the C/^- 
 rical Order, fliall leave his own PariJI), and go to 
 another, without the i^jfiop's Leave, he Ihall offici- 
 
 F 3 ate 
 
[86] 
 
 ate no longer^ efpeciallj if he obey nottne BifJwpy 
 when he exhorts him to return, perfiftingin his In- 
 folence and diforderly Behaviour, butheihallbe 
 reduc'd there to communicate only as ^Layman. 
 ^ And Can, 7,\, If any Presbyter, defpiling his 
 own Bipop, fiall gather Co7tgrrgatio7ts a-part^ and 
 eredt another Altat\ his^Bipop not being convidtof 
 Wiclcedhefs or Irreligion, let him be deposed as 
 an ambitious Perfon ; for, he is a Tyraiit * As likewife 
 • fuch other Clergy^ and as many as fhall join with 
 Him •, but the Lay-men iliail be excommunicated. 
 But, let this be after the firft, fecond, and third 
 Admonition of the BiJJjop^ 
 
 Can. ^9. Xet the Presbyters and D^^6'owj do no- 
 thing without the Confent of the Bifiop ^ for it is 
 he to whom the People of the Lord are commit- 
 ted, and from whom an Account'of their Souls will 
 be required. . . 
 
 Can. 4T. We ordain the BiJIwp to have Power.'" 
 of the Goods of the Church — And to adminifter 
 to thofe who want, by. the Hands of the Presbyters 
 and Deacons. 
 
 Can, 55. If any Clergyman fnall reproach his 
 B'^Jhop, let him be deposed : For, tbov pah not /peak 
 evil of the Ruler of the People. 
 
 After the Canons of the Apoftles I produce 7text 
 ^^r^-^t Council 0/87 Biihops held ^t Carthage, in the 
 Tear of Chrift 256, under St. Cyprian, Arch-biihop 
 f)f that place, which is puhliped in St, Cyprian'5 
 Works hfore quoted, p. 229. Where he tells ns, . 
 
 That beiides the Bipops,^ there met there both' 
 Preslytcrs and Deacons, and great Numbers of the 
 Laity. 
 
 The Council of Eliberis in Spain, about the Tear 
 f>/ Chrifl: ^o^ Cap. 18, and 19. Bifhops, Pres- 
 byters cnid Deacons are na?nd dijiincf. And C. 32. 
 Presbyters and Deacons are forbid to give the Com- 
 minion to thofe who grievovjly offended^ without the 
 Command oj the liiiliop. 
 
 c. 7^' 
 
[ 87 1 
 
 C 1')*' Of thofe who fiall Jalfely accitfe ii Biiliop, 
 Presbyter or Deacon. 
 
 Cap. 77. Il is ordained that thofe who are bap- 
 ♦iz'd by a Deacon^ without the BiJIwp or Presbyter^ 
 fh all afterwards be confirmed by the Bifiop, 
 
 The Council of Aries in France, about the Year 
 
 of Chnjl 309. Cap. 18. It is declar'd that the Dea- 
 
 com fhould be Subject to xheFreshyters. And c. 19, 
 
 That the Presbyters ihould be fubjed to their Bi- 
 
 jhop^ and do nothing without his Confent. 
 
 A. U. 515. Th'^ Council 0^ Ancyra, cap. t. and 
 2. . Having prohibited thofe Presbyters and Deacons 
 who had, in Times of Perfecution, offer 'd to /Jo/.y, 
 from the Execution of their Office^ fays, that not- 
 withfianding the BiJ/wp may difpence with Them 
 if he fees their Repentance lincere ^ for that this 
 Power is lodg'd in the BiJI:op. 
 
 A- D. 321. The Council of X^oizL:^^. Can. 41. 
 That no Clergyman ought to travel, without the 
 Confent of his Bifjop. 
 
 • Can. 56. That the Presbyters ought not to go 
 into the Church, and fit in their Stalls, 'till the Bi' 
 pjop come, and to go in with the hifiop. 
 
 A. JD. 9 2 5. The firft and great Council of Nice, 
 
 Can. 16. That if any Presbyters or Deacons leave 
 their own Churches, they ought not to be received 
 into any other Church : And that if any fhall or- 
 dain fuch in his Church, as belong to another, with- 
 out the Confent of his proper Bipop, let fuch Ordi* 
 7iatio7is be void. 
 
 A. D.'2,76. The Council of G^?7^;'^. 
 
 Can. 6. If any have private Meetings out of the 
 Church without their Presbyter, let them he anathe- 
 matiz'd by the Sentence of the Bifiop. 
 
 Can. 7. Jf any will take or give of the Fruits 
 offered to the Church, out of the Church, without 
 Leave of xhQ Bifiop^ let hiin he Amthe?na, 
 
 F 4 A. D. 
 
A. D. HI- The Council o£ Antiocb. 
 
 Ca7t. 5. If any Freshyter ov Deacojt, leaving his 
 own PariJI)^ iliall go to others j and refufeto return, 
 when his own -5f//;oj; ihall Summon him, let him 
 be deposed. 
 
 CaTf, 4. If an}'' ^f/Z^op being depos'd by a /SjiwoJ, 
 or a Freshyter or Deacon being dex)os'd by his own 
 proper ■Bi/hop, fhall prefume to excrcife his Fun£ti- 
 on, let no Room be left them, either for Reftau- 
 ration or Apology. 
 
 Ca)t, 5. If an3r Freshyter or Deacon, defpillng 
 his own .J^ifiop, fliall feparate himfelf from the 
 Church, an^^gather a Congregation of his own, and 
 let up a different Altar •, and ihall refufe to fub- 
 iTiit himfelf to his Bipop^ calling him the firfl: and 
 fecond Time, let him be abfolutely depos'd. 
 
 Can. 17. If any Freshyter or IJ^^cow being de- 
 pos'd by his own proper Bijhop^ or a BiJI^op bp the 
 Synod^ dare appeal to the i^hig^ feeing his Appeal 
 lies to a greater Sy7wdo£ more BiJJwps, where he is 
 to expert the pjfamination of his Caufe, and to refer 
 the Decifion to them : But if, malcing light of thefe, 
 he trouble the King with it, fuch an one is worthy 
 of no pardon , nor ought to be admitted to make 
 any Sort of Apology, or to have hopes of his Be-* 
 ing ever reftor'd any more. 
 
 Can. 22. Tfiat a Bifiop ought not to ordain Pres- 
 lyters or Deacons in another Bijjjop's Diocefs, with- 
 out his leave. 
 
 A. D. 548. In the Council of Carthage^ Canon ix. 
 
 The Cafe is put where a Deacon being accus^d^ 
 fhall be try'd by three neighbouring BifiopSy a Fres- 
 hyter by fix, and a Bi//)op by twelve. 
 
 A. I). ;8i. T/?? (S^co?/^ CEcumenical Council c/ 
 Conflaiitinoplc, Canon 6. Ranks thofe with Here- 
 pcks, who, tho' they Profeft the true Faith, yet 
 run into Schifm, and gather Congregations a-payt 
 from, and in Opppfition to our Canonical Bh 
 Jljops. 
 
 A, D, 
 
1^9 1 
 
 A. D. 419. The Council of Carthage, Camn 5; 
 Mentions the three diftindt Orders of i:ifhop^ Freiby^ 
 ter and Beacon •, and compares them to the High- 
 prieft, Priejls and Levites. 
 
 In thefam^ Manner they are as diJfhtBly mention d^ 
 Canon 4. Bifbop, Presbyter and Deacon •, and their 
 Powers diftinft. For^ Canon 6. It is declared not 
 to be lawful for 'Presbyters to confecrate Churches, 
 or reconcile Penitents •, but if any be in great Dan- 
 ger, and defirous to be r^conciVd in the Abfence of 
 the Bijhop, The Presbyter ought to confult the Bu 
 f)op, and receive his Orders in it, as is declared in 
 the 7 Canofu 
 
 Can. 10. If any P/'^i^)'?^/', being puff 'd up with 
 pride, Ihall make a Schifm againft his own proper 
 BiJIjop, let him -be Anathema. 
 
 Canon 11 Gives leave to a Presbyter^ who is 
 condemn'dby his BtJI)op^ to appeal to the neigbour- 
 ing Bifiops ., but if, without this, he flies off, and 
 makes 2LSchif7n from his Bijbop^ it confirms the Ana- 
 thema upon him. Canon 12 Orders what is before 
 recited out of Can. 11 of the Council of Carthage, 
 
 That a BijJ^op who is accusM (hall be try'd by 
 twelve Bifiops^ if more may not be had ; a Presbyter 
 hjjix Bifiops^ with his own Bifiop, and z Deacon by 
 three. 
 
 Canon 14 Orders that z« Tripoli, hecaiifeof ths 
 fmaJler J^umber of Bijhops in thofe Parts, a Presby- 
 ter ihall be judg'd by five Bipops, and a Deacon 
 by three^ his own proper Bipop prefiding. 
 
 Canon 46. That a Presbyter fliall not reconcile 
 a Feytitent, without the Knowledge of the BiJ/wp-^ 
 unleft upon Necefilty in the Abfence of the Bifiop. 
 
 Canon 59. That one Bifiop may Ordain many 
 Presbyters •, but that it was hard to find a Presbyter 
 who was fit to be made a Bifiop. 
 
 Canon 65. That a Clergy -man^ being condemned, 
 hj the Bifiops, cannot be deliverM by that Church to 
 ^hich he did belong, or hj any Men whatfoever. 
 
 Camv 
 
L90-] 
 
 Camn 126, TFiat Presbyters and Beacom may^ 
 appeal from their own BifJjop to the neighbour- 
 ing Bifiops, chofen by confent of their own Bzpop^ 
 and from them to the Primate or Provincial Synod • 
 but not to any trans^marine or foreign Jurisdiction, 
 under pain of Excommmiication. 
 
 A. D. 451. The Comicil 0/ Chakedon, being 
 the fourth ge^ieral Council ', Canon 9. 
 
 I F any Clergyman have a Caufe of complaint a- 
 gainfl: another Clergyman, let him not leave his 
 own proper Bifjop, and have recourfe to the Secu- 
 lar Courts '-■ — Whoever do's otherwife fiiall be 
 put under tlie Canonical Cenfwes. 
 
 Cancn 12;. That a foreign G^r^j-Wcr?;, and not 
 known, fhall not officiate in another City, without 
 Commendatory Letters from his own Bi/Jwp. 
 
 Ca7ion 18. If any of the Clergy fhali be found 
 confpiring, or joyning in Fraternities^ or con- 
 triving any Thing againft the Bi/hops they ihall 
 fall from their own Degree. 
 
 Ca7wn z 9. To reduce a Bijbop to the Degree of a 
 Presbyter is Sacrilege, 
 
 These Authorities are fo plain and full as to 
 prevent any Application, or multiplying of fur- 
 ther Qiotations which might eafily be done : For, 
 if thele can be anfwer'd, fo may all that can polfi- 
 blybe producM, or even fram'd in Words. 
 
 And there is now no Remedy left to the Presbyte- 
 rians and" other Diffenters from Epifcopacy, but to 
 deny all thefe by Whole-fale, to throw off all y^wtf- 
 qttity^ as well the firft Ages of Chrijiianity^ even that 
 wherein the Apojiles themfelves^ lived and taught, 
 as all fince ; andfotojiand upon a new Foundation of 
 their own Invention, 
 
 But this only fhews the Defperatenefs of their 
 Caufe -, and the impregnable Bulwark of Epifco* 
 pacy ^ which (I mull fay it) flands upon fo vta- 
 vy, ckar, and Authentic Evidences, as can never be 
 overthrown, but by fitch Arguments, fnch Topicks^ 
 as muft x^ndti Chrijiianity it klf precarious. 
 
 And 
 
I 91 ] 
 
 A N D if from the Etyjmlogy of the Words Bijhop 
 and Presbyter^ any Argument can be drawn (agaiiift 
 all the Authorities produc'dj to prove them the 
 fame, we may, by this way of reafoning prove 
 
 Cyrus to be Cbrijl, for ib he is calFd, Ifa.^'y. i. - 
 
 aiwhited, which the "Word Cbriji fignifies. 
 
 O R if the Presbyterians will have t'^eir Moderator 
 to be a Bijhopj we will not quarrel with them a- 
 bout a Word. Let us then have a Moderator, fuch 
 as the BiJImps before defcrib'd, -yzz,. A Moderator^ as 
 a (landing Officer, during Lije, to whom all the 
 Presbyters are to be obedient as to Chrijl, i. e. to the 
 Moderator, as reprefenting the Perfon' of Chriji : 
 That nothing be done in the Church without Him : 
 That He be under ftocd as the V rumple of Ujiity in 
 'his Church ^ fo that, they who unjuftly hreak ofr from 
 his Conuminmi, are thereby in a Schifm : That He 
 fhew his Succeffiov, by regular Ordhiation, conveyed 
 down from the Apojlles, In lliort, that He have all 
 that^C^jr^c7^r and Authority^ which we fee to have 
 been recogniz'd in tht BiJIwps^'m the very ^^s of the 
 ApoJiles,and all the fucceeding Ages o^ChriJlianl^y -^ 
 and then call Him Moderator, Siiperihteytdefit, or Bi- 
 JI)op r For, the conteft is not about the Name,hut the 
 Thi7ig, 
 
 A N D if we go only upon the Etymology of the 
 Word, how iliall we prove Presbyters to be an Order 
 in the Church, more than Bifiops ^ as Athavafivs 
 faid to Ih'acontius . of thofe who perfwadedhim not 
 to accept of a BiJJjoprich, Why do they perfwade you 
 not to be a Bifhop, when they themfelves will have 
 Presbyters, 
 
 I will end this Head, ,with the Advice of that 
 great Father to this fame JDracontius, 
 
 If the Government of the Churches do not pleafe 
 JOM •, an^ that you think that the Office of a BiJImp 
 has no reward, thereby making your ftlf a Defpifer 
 of our Saviour, who did inftitute it -, I befeech you 
 furmife not any fuch Things as thefe, nor do j^-ou " 
 entertain any who advife fuch Things 3 for that is 
 
 not 
 
[92] 
 
 not worthy of Braconthis : For what things ihtLord 
 did inftitute by his Apojiles, thofe Things remain 
 both good and fitre» Athavaf, Epift, ad Draco7it» 
 
 Having thus explain'd thofe Texts of Scriptvre 
 which fpeak of Epifcopacy, by the concurrent Senle 
 of thofe who liv'd with the Apojiles, and were taught 
 the Faitb from their Mouths-, who liv'd zealous 
 Cojtfefors, and dy'd glorious Martyrs of Chrift ^ and 
 who fucceeded the Apojiles in thofe very Churches 
 where themfelves had fate Biffwps: And having 
 cieduc'd their Teftimonies, and of thofe who fuc- 
 ceeded them down for Fo2ir hujidred avd fifty Tears 
 a/ffr Chrift-, ffrom which Time, there is not even 
 fo much as a Doubt raisM againfi: the wiiverfal re- 
 ctY>tion of Epijc op acy) and this not only from their 
 Writings apart, but by their Canom and Laws^ when 
 affembled together in Council •, which one wou'd 
 think fufficient Evidence, againft none at all on the 
 other fide, that is, for the Sttccefion of Churches in 
 the Presbyterian Form, of which wo one Inftance can 
 be given, fo much as of one Church in the World 
 fo deduc'd, not only from the Days of the Apoftlesy 
 (as is fliewn for Epijcopacy) but before Calvin and 
 thofe who reformed with him, about iSo Years laft 
 paft : I fay, tho' what is done is fufficient to fatisfy 
 any ivdljferent and itnlyxsd Judgment, yet there is 
 one Topk behind, which, with fome Men, I mean 
 onr Diffenting Brethren., which I fay, weighs more 
 than all Fathers and Cottncils ^ and that is, the late 
 Reformation^ from whence fome date even their very 
 Cbrifiia^tity, And if even by this too Epifcopacy 
 ihoud be witnej's'^d and uipprovV, then is there no- 
 thing at all in the World left to the Oppofers of 
 Jipijcopacy, nothing of Antiquity^ Precedent^ or even 
 any Avtbority but their own n^ilful JfiU againft all 
 /iges of the Catbalick Clmrch, even that of the Ra- 
 Jormation as well as all the reft. 
 
 Let us then examine. Firft, for tiie Clmrth of 
 En^larJ^ tlia,i is thrpwn off clearly hy our Biffen- 
 
 ters^ 
 
tfrs, for that was rejormi under Epifcopacy^ and 
 continues fo to this Day. 
 
 And as to our neighbour Nation of tot/ jw^, where 
 the Presbytenajts do boaft, that the Reformation was 
 made by Presbyters •, that is moll clearly and aiithen^ 
 tically confuted, by a late learned and worthy Au- 
 thor (already mention'd) in his Fundajnental Char^ 
 ter f>f Presbytery, printed 1695, fo as to flop the 
 Mouths of the moft pervferfe, who will not be per- 
 fwaded tho' they are perfwaded. 
 
 G we then abroad, and fee the State of the 
 Reformed Churches there. 
 
 The Ljttheram are all cut off, as the Church of 
 England • for they ftill retain Epifcopacy, as in Deji* 
 mark, Sweden, &c. 
 
 There remains now only the Calv'mfls. Here 
 it is the Presbyterians fet up their Reft 1 This is 
 their ftrong (and as they thinkj impregnable Foun- 
 dation ! 
 
 And even this will fail them as much as all the 
 other : For, be it known unto them (however they 
 will receive it) that Gi^z;zwhimfelf, and ^^z^,and the 
 reft of the learned Reformers 0^ their Part, did give 
 their Teftimony for Epifcopacy as mdch as any. 
 They counted it a moft unjuft Reproach upon them, 
 to think that thej condemned Epifcopacy •, which 
 they fay they did not throw off, but could not 
 have it there, in Geneva, without coming under 
 the papal Hierarchy : They highly applauded and con- 
 gratulated the Epifcopal Hierarchy of the Church of 
 England, as in their feveral Letters to Qjieen Eliza- 
 heth, to the Arch-bipop of Canterbury, and others of 
 our EnglijJ) Bifjops : They pray'd heartil}^ to God 
 for iheprefervation and continuance of it : Bemoan'd 
 their own unhappy Circumftances, that thty cou'd 
 not have the like, becaufe they had no Magijlrate 
 to proted them •, and wiftied for epifcopacy in their 
 Churches, the want of which they own'd as a great 
 Defeciy but call'd it their Misfqrtune ra;her than 
 
 theii 
 
^ [94] 
 
 their Fault, As the learned of the Frevxh Htigomfs 
 have likewifc pleaded in Their behalf. 
 
 As for their Eicufe. I do not now meddle 
 with it, for I think it was not a good one. They 
 might have had Bifiops from other Places, tho"* 
 there were none among themfelves, but thofe 
 who were Popijh: And they might as well have had 
 BiJ/wps as Presbyters, without the Count eimitce of the 
 Civil Ma^ijtrate. It might indeed have rais'd a 
 greater Perfeaition againft them ^ but that is no- 
 tliing as to the Truth of the Thing. And if they 
 thought it a Triith^ they ought to have fuiFer'd for 
 it. 
 
 But whatever becomes of their Exettfe, here it 
 is plain, that they gave their Suffrage for Bpfco- 
 pacy :, which whofo pleafes may fee it at large in 
 Dr.Durels Viev? of the Government and'Worllnp ijtthe 
 Eejorjned Churches beyond the Seas, (who was himfelf 
 one of them) printed 1662. 
 
 S o that our Modern Presbyterians have departed 
 from Calvin as well as from Luther^ in rheir Abhor- 
 rence Oi Epifcopacy^ from all the Chrijlian World ^ in 
 all Ages 5 and particularly from all our late i^tJ- 
 forjners, both of one fort and another. 
 
 CALVIN wou'd have anathematizd all of them, 
 had he liv'd in cur Days, He fays there were none 
 fuc'n to be found in his Time, xvhooppos'd the Epif- 
 copal Hierarchy^ but only the Papal, which afpir'd 
 to an univerfal Supremacy in lint See of Rome^ over 
 ihe whole CathoUck Church, which is the Prerogative 
 of C/;/7^ alone. But, fays he, 
 
 If tJiey wou'd give us fuch an Hierarchy^ in 
 w]uch the Bijbops fhou'd fo excell, as that, they 
 did not refule to be fubjcdt to Chriji, and to depend 
 upon Him as their only Head, and refer all to him ^ 
 then I will conftfs that they are worthy of all A7ia- 
 the?nas^ if any fuch fhall be found, who will not 
 reverence it, and fubmit themfelvcs to it, with the 
 utmoft Obedience. Calvin de JSecefnat. Eccles Re- 
 jorwand, ^ See, 
 
[ 95 3 
 
 See, he fays, if there fjall he avy fiich, which 
 fuppofes that He knew none fuch • and that He 
 own'd none fuch amongft his Reforjnen : And that 
 if ever any fuch ihoa'd^rife, He thought there were 
 no Anathemas which they did not deferve, who 
 Ihou'd rcfufe to fubmit to tht Epifcopal Hierarchy^ 
 without fuch aa Univerfal Head, as excludes Chriji 
 from being the 07ily imverfd Head -^ for if there be 
 another, ( tho' liibftitute^ He is not only. Thus He 
 is caird the chiej BiJIwp, but never the only ^i/7;op, 
 becaufe there are others deputed under him. 
 
 But Chnjl calls no Bif/wp the umverfal Bijlmp^ or 
 Headof the Catholic Church, becaufe jfife has appoint- 
 ed no Suhjlitnte in that fiipreme Office ; as not of hwz- 
 verfal Kivg^ fo neither o^ umverfal Biflwp, 
 
 And Beta fuppofes as politivelj as Calvhi had 
 done, that there were none who did oppofe the 
 Epifcopal Hierarchy without fuch an Umverfal Head 
 now upon Earth ^ or that opposM the Order of j&pf/- 
 copacy •, and condemns them as Mad-men^i^ any fuch 
 cou'd be found. For thus fays He^ . 
 
 I F there be any (which you fhall hardly per- 
 fwade me to believe) who reject the whole Order of 
 Epifcopacy •, God forbid that any Man, in his Wits, 
 IhouM affent to the Madnefi of fuch Men. Beza^ 
 adTradtat. de Minift. Ev. farad, ab Hadrian. Sa- 
 rav. Belga Edit. C. i. 
 
 And particularly as to the Church of Evgland^ 
 and her Hierarchy of Arch-hifJ)ops and Bifiops • he 
 fays, that He never naeant to oppugn any Thing of^ 
 that, but calls it a fingidar Bleffing of God^ and wijijes 
 that pe may ever enjoy it. Ibid. c. 1 8. 
 
 S o that our Modern Vreshyteriam are difarmM of 
 the Precedent of Calvin, Bez.a, and all the Reform 
 Wrs abroad ^ by whofe Sentence they are anathe- 
 ?riatized, and counted as Mad-men, 
 
 Here then, let us conlivier and beware of the 
 fatal Progrefs of hrror ! Calvin and the Reformers 
 with Him, fet up Fresbyterian Government, as they 
 
 pre- 
 
I 96 1 
 
 pretended, by Necej^ty 5 jbut ftill kept up and 
 profefs'd the higheft Regard to the Bpifcopal Cha- 
 ra^er and Authority : But thofe who pretend to 
 follow their Example, have utterly abdicated the 
 whole Order of Epifcopacy, as Antichrifitan and an 
 htfupp or table Grievance ! While at the fame Time, 
 they wou'd feem to pay the greateft Reverence to 
 thefe Rejor7ners ^ and much more to the Authority 
 of the firji and pureji Ages of Chrijlianity •, whofe 
 Fathers and Couvcih fpoke all the High Thivgs, be- 
 fore quoted, in Behalf of Epifcopacy ^ far beyond 
 the Language of our later y^po/o^i/i for^hatv4po- 
 Jlolic Hierarchy •, or what durfl: now be repeated, 
 except from fuch unquejlionahle Authority. 
 
 And now, let me tell our Dijfenters of all E^e* 
 jiomi^mtions^ that they imitate the Hardnefs of the 
 Jews J who built the Sepulchers of thofe Prophet Sy 
 whom ihtiT Fathers {[qw ^ while^ at the fame Time^ 
 ihty adher'd to, and out-did the Wickednefs of 
 their Fathers^ in Perfecuting the Siiccejfors of thofe 
 Frophets, 
 
 1 make no Qiieftion, but by this Time, 1 have 
 made my felf many Enemies by talking thus freely 
 againft the DiJJenters, But if I have, all that I can 
 fay is, that 1 wouM willingly difpleafe no Man^ 
 "but live at Peace with all the World. God knows 
 my Heart, I hate no Man's Perfon, but would do him 
 all the Good that is in my Power. But if I cannot 
 do him that Good without difpleafing liim, I ought 
 to prefer his Good to the difturbing him a little 5 
 clfe I do not really love him. And if he takes Of* 
 fence at me for this, it is his Fault, not mine. 
 
 And truly as to our d'ljfeyttirg Brethren upon 
 the Foint of Religion^ I look upon their Cafe with 
 t\\t greateft Compajfion and Concern that is polHble 
 for the fake of their Souh, which to me they feem 
 to hazard upon the greateft Uncertainty^ and the 
 moft caiffekJJy of any upon Earth, 
 
 I'iRST 
 
L97l 
 
 First caufelejly, becaufe they pretend to be one 
 with us as to DoBrin and TforJJnp^ and break oft' for 
 nothing but what themfelves call hidiferent Things -^ 
 and in which thev declare they can comply occafion- 
 ally with a good Confcience,^ 
 
 But then, fecondly, their Separation is upon 
 the gieateft UvcertaiJity^ if not a Certainty againft 
 them, which I earneftiy invite them to coniider, 
 with that Serioufnefs which their tterml Salvation 
 do's require. 
 
 F o R if Chriji delegated his Power to his Apojiles^ 
 and they to others, to continue to the End of the 
 World. 
 
 I F the Apojiles ' did delegate Bifiops under 
 them, in all the Chrijfian Churches^ which they 
 l)lanted throughout the whole Earth. 
 
 I F Epifcopacy was the known and received Go- 
 vernment of all the Churches in the World, not 
 only in the Apofiolic Age, but in all the Succeeding 
 Ages ^or 1500 Years. 
 
 ^ If it was not polFible for Churches (b difpers'd 
 into (b many far diRant Regiovs, to concert all to- 
 gether, andatonce^ to alter that Frame of Govern- 
 ment which had been left them by the Apojlles, 
 
 If luchan Alteration 0^ Goverjtment cou'd not be 
 without great Notice to be taken of it, as if .the 
 Government . of a >3ation was chang'd from Com- 
 moft'wealth to Monaichy, 
 
 And i[ no Author or Hijlorian of thofe Times 
 makes the leaft Mention of iuch a Change of Go- 
 vernment, hwt all with one Voice {^^^'k'ko^ Epifcopacy^ 
 ^nd tht Succejion o^ the Bifiops in all the Churches^ 
 from the Days of the Apojiles • and in thofe Ages 
 of Zeal^ when the Chripans were fo forward to fa- 
 criiice their Lives in Oppofition to any Error or 
 Deviation from the Truth, no one takes any JSotice 
 oi^Epifcopacy as being an Encroachment n'^on the 
 R^ght .of the Presbyters or the People, or being 
 any the leaft Deviation from the Apojlolical Ivptuti' 
 «^'. . G I . 
 
[98] 
 
 I fay, if 'thefe Things are not pojjihh to ar.y think- 
 ing Man, then Epifcopacy mufl be Vie Frmithw 
 and Apojlolkal IvJiittiUon. And it is as mpofible' 
 to be otherwile, as to fuppofe that all the great 
 Monarchies in the World ihou'd be turn'd into Com- 
 7non wealths^ or the Cofmnon tpealths into Monarchies^ 
 all at one Injlant, and yet (tooj that no Bod-\^ fliou'd 
 Icnow it, or that thofe who wrote the HiJIories of 
 thofe Times, Ihou'd take wo Notice of it • or any 
 Man be found to afTert his Liberty and Freedoin a- 
 gainft fuch flagrant Ufurpatioris ! Or that none of 
 thofe who had the Gover7i7ne7it -hefove fhou'd com- 
 plain of any wrovg done to them, or fet up theit 
 Claim! ^ ^ • 
 
 Such Revolntiom couM not happen, but they wou'd 
 have fet the World in a Flame. And iH^resbytery, or 
 any other For7?i of Government except Epifcopacy^ 
 hai been the Vri7)iitive hijlitittimi^ the Bifiops cou'd 
 never have ftolen themfelves into Pofleflion, and 
 iiftirp'd upon all Chnrcbes without any Notice^ and 
 without vafi: StniggVnig and Covtcji, 
 
 I s not the cha??ge of Church- Government in Scot" 
 lavd from Epifcopacy to Presbytery lince the Revohi'* 
 tio7t, very v/ell known ? And was it not known, that 
 the Church of Evglajid was overthrown in the' late ^ 
 Times o^ Ufitrpatio7i ? Is there any Hiflory of thofe 
 Times does not make mention of it ? 
 
 Hov/ then can we fuppofe that Epifcopacy (if an 
 Ufurpatioji) fcou'd have prevaiFd in all the Churches 
 of the World, w'ithout the leaft Notice or Oppofitioii 
 ,by any whatfoever ? 
 
 This being fettled to a De??io7jJ}ratio7i, I wou'd 
 next lay before our inihappy dij]'e7ti27ig Brethre7t what 
 the Co7ifeqiie7KC will be, if we ivilljully and without 
 any Necejity break off from Epifcopacy, which ha^ 
 defce7ided to us from the Apojlles, by as clear and 4vi' 
 dent Fa[i as that there were E7nperours in Ro7?ie after 
 C^far, or Kings in E7igla7id iince TnUiam the Co7tqtie' 
 rour. For it is as evident iii all Ecclefiaflkal Hijlo- 
 
 ;- " ricsy 
 
L 99 J 
 
 rm, that there were BiJf)op in all Churches from the 
 very Beghwhig, 
 
 I F Bifiops then were conftituted as Goviniors of 
 Churchesyhe that difbwns the Governor of any Society 
 or Corportition difowns the Govervment of it, and 
 cannot he call'd a Mejnher of fuch a Society., ard con- 
 fequently has no Tzt/^ or Right to the lYivileges cf it. 
 
 This is evident both in F^^fr and Reafon every 
 Day before our Eyes. And the Diffevters will allow 
 it in every Cafe but their own, ' And in their own^ 
 when any break off from them. Therefore I wou'd 
 earneftly exhort them to conjider oP their Cafe^ and 
 that it muft be the fame in their Cafe as in others, 
 for that the Reafon is the fame : 
 
 And if fo, then their Ordinations in Oppojition 
 to Epifcopacy ar6 not only htvalid but Sacriuge, and 
 Rebellion againft Chrifl who did ijifitiite this Society^ 
 and gave them their Charter^ and if their Ordinations 
 ^rentill, then their Baptifms are fo too, and all their 
 Ordinances, They are out of the vifihle Churchy and 
 have no Right to any of thePromifes in the GoJpeJ^ 
 which are all made to the Church, and to none oti:er* 
 
 Nay, Baptifm by any other Lay -men or by a 
 Mid wife in Cafe of Necejfity^ is more eXcufable, 
 and I fhou'd have a lefs Sin to anfwer foi, if I 
 fhou'd fufFer my ChUd to be haptiz^'d by fuch an 
 One •, than by thofe who pretend to h^^ve Ordiva^ 
 tion^ but have wow(?, except what is worfe than vone^ 
 that is, what is in dired Oppolition to the C^nrch. 
 For the firfl: of thefe pretend to vo Commijfion ot 
 Authority, but excufe themfelves purely ujun the 
 Foint of JSeceJfity^ and wouM not J ave thoug^.t it 
 lawful for them to do if an}^ Clergy-vian Had been 
 prefent : Whereas the other claim it as their Kight^aud 
 in Preference to the Bifhops or Clergy, T^e Liife- 
 rence feems to me •, as it in my Abfence one Ihou'd 
 break open, my Doors on Suppofition of a Fire, and 
 .an Hottfe-hreaker ftiouM do it to rob me. 
 
 I F we cannot have the Ordimvces as Chrif has 
 commanded them, it is more dutiful to God, and ex- 
 
 G 2 prelles 
 
C i°° ] 
 
 exprefles greater HujniUty in our felves^to pray Him 
 not to impute t^e ¥^a7it of them. to us, than totalce 
 upon us to inftitute new 0?'dhiances, or fet up a 
 rrw Priejlhood of our own H^ads, ^ds jfe^'eboam ^nd 
 Mkah did. » 
 
 Bu ^ it is certainly lefs culpable for'a Layman 
 ' ^ o f-me one Friejlly A6t, as to baptiz^e^ &c, upon 
 .\ Necejfity, and where no Clergy -via^i is to be had, 
 than if he fhou'd fet up falfe Orders, and pretend 
 to the facred Office^ and gather Coiigregatiom after 
 hiin, in direct Oppofition to the Church, and to 
 tear her in pieces. There is no Comparifon betwixt 
 thefe two Cafes. 
 
 ' I aslc any lober Manjna}^, any Man of but coimnon 
 Sejife or Reafon, this one Queftion. 
 
 Suppofe you had a Grant of an EJlats or Ojpcs 
 from the King, but it was to pafs the Great Seal ^ 
 and my Lord Chancellor not being in the way,Wou'd 
 you counterfeit the Great Seal to fecure your Grant > 
 
 No, furely-5 for if you did, (I have a flrong 
 Fancy) you wou'd lofe your Grants and be hang'd 
 for Treafon into the Bargain. 
 
 I verily believe ■ you'd think it much fafer to 
 trufl the aJ -f^'s Promife, and tell him "bow it was not in 
 your Forper to have the Great-Seal put to ^^^ Grant. 
 
 Without ^oubt you arq of Opinion, that this^ 
 wou'd be the moll fafe and' wife Courfe* you cou'd 
 take.And.the7{f7/^ wou'd (farely)lay no Blame upon 
 you for what was not in your Power to help. 
 
 Now I apply it. We have a promife of Salva,- 
 tion by the Redemption of Chrifi, Bur it is required 
 that this Grant be Sign'd and Scal'd by Baptijm. 
 The Apojlles^ and their Succeffors the Bijbops of the 
 Churchy arethofe empower'd'by Chrijl. to affix this 
 Seal of Baptifin to the Grant, either by themfelves^ 
 or their lawful Deputiei whom they fliall empower 
 to do it : Such as the Priejis and Deacons, to whom 
 they give this CommiiHon by foUnm Words^ and the 
 laying on of their Hands. 
 
 Now 
 
Now, fiippofe I were in a Place where none of 
 thefe were to be had. Shall T take upon me to af- 
 fix the Seal myfelf? Or fliall I.conftitute Priep or 
 Deaco7ts to af^x it forme? or fhali I rather chufe 
 to want it, fince I 'cannot have the proper Officers, 
 and triift to the Mercy of Chrijl ? 
 
 I am fare ^I fhou'd chufe the laft. It woii'd be 
 much greater Humility in me, and Trnjl in God too, 
 who, I wou'd not doubt, wou'd fupply the Defed 
 which was not in niy Power to help, than to coun- 
 terfeit the Great Seal of Heaven^ and to take upon 
 me to appoint Officers to reprefent Chrift, and to 
 fign and fcal his Covenant^ as his Attorneys, in hh 
 ls!ame, to whom he gave no fu ch Commiihon \ this 
 wou'd be to ujurp the Prerogative of the great and 
 tremefidous God, and the higheft Treafoyt againft 
 the Majejfy of Heaven ! againft the King of Kings, 
 and Lord o^ Lords ! I Ihou'd think my Grant much 
 more fecure without any Seal, than with fuch a Seal^ 
 and fo affix' d. 
 
 And now I apply myfelf .witli a Chriftian Con- 
 cern to our wi//^^^ Z^f^ewt^r^, and let them fee and 
 consider, that when they receive fwhat they call) 
 the Sacraments of Baptifm and the Lord's Supper, in 
 their Congregatiojts, they receive no Sacraments, nor 
 are their Children •Z'-^^te'^ any more than if a Mid- 
 wife had done it : Nay, that it had been lefs guil- 
 tily done by her, in Cafe of Neceffity, than by the 
 others in the ordinary Way •, whofe Mlnijiratio^is 
 are not only void, and null, (if the}?- have not a 
 lawful Authority) but are Sacrilegious, and like the 
 Offerings of Korah, are Rebellion againft the Lord, 
 And will tender Parents carry their Children to, 
 at leafi-, difputed Baptifms ? while the Presbyterians 
 themfelves deny not the Validity of Bpifcopal Ordi- 
 7iation, and confequently of the Sacraments admi- 
 niftred by.t/;^z> Hands, Will you run an Hazard 
 then, where your Souls are concerned, and of your 
 Children, when you may hefure^ by the Confeilion 
 
 G 3 of 
 
[ I02 ] 
 
 of all Parties, even of thofe Men, who (thro' Igno- 
 rance) unhappily vvjlead you} O lay your Hands 
 U])on your Hearts, aiul ftand not out wilfully a- 
 gai fl- your own Salvatmi^ and in lo plain a Cafe^ 
 where you have no Eicufe I 
 
 And now, I am well aflurV-, that to thofe who 
 with tiTiprejiidic'd Minds feek for Truth : I fay, I 
 . amfure, that what has been offered inTDefence of 
 Epifcopacy will appear fufficient : Yet, left any 
 foolifh Perfon who ft u dies to obfcure Truth for 
 httereji^ and to fupport a bad Caufe, fliall notwith- ^ 
 ftanding all that has been faid, malceufe of that* 
 old thread hare Argument, and harp ftill upon the 
 old worn out String, I mean the Etymology^ the fevfe- 
 l^fi y^w^/e^of the Words Bipop and Preshyter-^ and 
 becaufe the Word Presbyter fbmetimes iignifies a 
 ^ifiop, and the Word Bijhop fometimes iignifies a 
 Presbyter, and therefore they will (with juft as much 
 Learvivg ?.s Modejly) ftand to it, thatBiiliop and 
 Presbyter are the fame Thhig, 
 
 Or if any learned Gentleman, to fliew his 
 Parts, fliou'd ftill patronise this forfaken Argu- 
 ment, (tlio' I am certain that moft People will 
 be fully fatisfy'd, that thofe who fliall infift upon 
 it, have nothing elfe to fay.) I ftiall now, that the 
 poor People may not be deceived with fuch fenfelefS 
 Lugomachy, fay foniething further to it. 
 
 The Word Jmperator, which we tranflate Empe- 
 TOT, fometimes iignifies the Qeyieral of an Army^ 
 or any other Commander ^ for the Word iignifies 
 Cojjimaiider. And we know that many command 
 bciides the Einperor himfelf. Now luppofe any to 
 fliew his V/h and Lear vi Tig, Ihou'd fet up a new 
 Efypothejis and fay. That there never was an Ern- 
 peror in Roine :^ and fupport this learned Novfe7ifi^ 
 with abundance of Qiiotatiqns out of the Roman 
 Authors, where t lie Go/ t-T^/ of an ^/"W)! was call'd 
 Jmperator, and tlience Ihou d mofi wifely argue that 
 Cdfar or Avgvjlus^ or any other of the Roimvt Em- 
 
 perorsy 
 
[ 103 J 
 
 per on were no more than bare GenernU of Armies^ 
 but had nothing to do in civil Affairs, or were any 
 civil Miigijl rates, at all. 
 
 I fuppofe every 'Body wou'd laugh at him, or if 
 he were in earneft, think him a Madmav. Becaiife 
 he play'd with )Vords againft plain E3f<f?. And all 
 the Hiftories of thofe Times wou'd contradid him 
 and Ihew his Folly, When I fee the Pidures oi thfe 
 12 C&fars or Emperors oF Rovie : I mean fo many 
 Kings with r^^^I PoB?^/',and I have been always told 
 ib, and never heard any Bod}^' fay oth^erwife. 
 
 And the Succefion .of the Ro7nan Ernpre was de* 
 dnc'd in the Succejfwn of their Emperors, And it is 
 told when ovLt Emperor did fiicceed another. There 
 were many Lnperatores, that is, Generals in every 
 one ofthefe Reigm, as it is with us ^ but the Go* 
 vernmejit was not deduced in the Succejfion of thefe 
 Generals^ but only of their Rijtgs or Emperors^ in 
 the proper Acceptation 'of the Word, 'as Kings. 
 
 An d I will appeal to any learned Diflenter in 
 the W^orld, whether in the EcclefiaJHcal Hijiories^ 
 the Siiccefton of all the Churches is not reclcon'd by 
 the Succejfwn of the Bifhops alone, and not of the 
 Presbyters or Deacons. 
 
 This makes the Cafe clear. And that the Bi- 
 iliops were the Goveryiors of the Churches. And as 
 I faid before, how cou'd thefe Bifliops have thruft 
 themfefves thus into the ch\^^ Government all the 
 World over, without %ny Oppofition, and to be 
 ownd. as fuch, and achtowledgd. by all, if the 
 Original Jyijiittition had been Presbytery or any other 
 Fra?ne of Goverjiment ?* Or it there were Presbyte- 
 rians in thofe Days, fas^ our Presbyterians wou'd have 
 us believe) thty were much more moderate and 
 complaifayit than our Presbyterians, to let the Bifhops 
 -ufmp upon their Authority^ and engroft all into their 
 own Hands, without fo much as one RemonJIrance ! 
 or the leaft Snarle from any of them 1 Strange ! -.«— 
 wondrous ftrange I 
 
 G 4 None 
 
[ »o4 ] . 
 
 None then did objei^ that BiJIwp and Presbyter 
 were the fame Thing, from the Etymology of the 
 Words. 
 
 Such Tripng wou'd not then have been endur'd ! 
 They knew very v/ell, that the Word E?s7cr;toT©' 
 which we tranflate BiJJwp, lignify*d an Over-feer* 
 in which Senfe every Shepherd may be call'd an 
 EtiV/.ox^, much more any Presbyter or Paftor in 
 the Church. The Etymology of the Word n?55-/SuT2?^ 
 is Elder- vian, which we call Alderman , and the iS^- 
 7/7or^5 or Elders was us'd to exprefs Authority, land 
 pot only ^^^ •, as the Elders, that is, the Chiefs or 
 JFi^^^5 of the People, an ExpreJTion frequent in 
 Scripture. Hence Amhaffadors have been call'd 
 P^shyters, and other Great Men, or in great Employ- 
 Tnents, Now, if any Man* fhou'd infer from this, 
 that every Amhaffador or Alder^nan of the City were 
 z Clergyman, and of the Degree of P^-^xZ^jit^r in the 
 Church, I fuppofe he cou'd perfwade but a few. 
 The Word A{x>coi/(^ fignifies a Mimjier or Servant ^ 
 and Ko7?/. XV. 8. C/?/-// is call'd Aiy.Kov(^, fas I faid be- 
 fore) fhall v/e argue therefore, that Chrift is no 
 more than a Servant, and of the Order o^ Deacon 
 in the Church > Such, and no better are the Argu- 
 ments from thQ Etymology of Words, that Bifhops are 
 no more than Presbyters. 
 
 Such poor^StufF as this frets even my Patience ! 
 But leaving this Matter, let us go on and try if we 
 can anfwer the next doughty ObjeBion ^ which tho' 
 it is nor, yet (at iirft fight) loolcis fometbing like 
 an Argument •, and 'tis this. Some Men'fay, that 
 Epifcopacy did not come in ali at once^ but encroach'd 
 by Degrees. • 
 
 Ay, was it S o th^n ? — —Very well. Then let 
 them Ihew, when it beg^n : And we will take care 
 to reckon for the Encroachments afterwards. 
 
 But fay they, there are many Errors whofe J5c- 
 j[fM7/f7/^ we do not know, and yet we may difcover 
 X^Qii} to be Erron afterwards. That the Tarez 
 
 ■^ere 
 
C 105 ] 
 
 were fbwn while the Huslandman flept,I)Ut were not 
 difcover'd 'till they, were grown up. Thus errone^ 
 Cits Opiniom may be inftill'd from one to another, 
 and propagate a long Time before the World takes 
 public I^otice of them •, and vo Body may be able 
 then to tell who was the /;// Broacher, And it might 
 be fo ,of Epifcopacy and Things of the Like Na- 
 ture. Might it fo?— Alack- a- day !— really I never 
 dreamt that it might be fo of any Thing of this 
 Nature ! 
 
 But however, we muft defend our felves as well 
 as we can ^ and therefore in Anfwer to this ter- 
 rible Argument, I fay. 
 
 That 'tis very tru'e, this may be in Opinions-, 
 which are broached and propagated- in the Dark. 
 
 But harkee Gentlemen •, Government is not a 
 Thing of this Nature, It is always pw^/z6- and be- 
 fore every Man's Face, And When it is alter d or 
 overthrown, every Man has a Share in it, and feels 
 it, it aifeds him and his Circiwijlances more or lefs. 
 And no Hijfory of thofe Times can mifs taking No^ 
 tice of it. Now Epifcopacy is Goverjtment, And 
 cou'd not be. introduc'd but upon the Rii27is of that 
 Goveryiment ( whatever it was)* that was before it. 
 
 Therefore, I earneftlydeliretheDissEKTERS 
 to do me this one fmall Favour, that .is, Ihew me 
 the Beginning of Epifcopacy. For That Govsrju 
 went fhowever it be . as to private Opinions) whofe 
 Beginning we know not, muft h^ave been from the 
 Beginning. 
 
 T H u s no Man can fix the. Time when Monarchy 
 began in the World fince Adam^ or the Divifon of 
 the Nations after the Flood, And this is a Devion- 
 firation that tht Original of Monarchy was from 
 thence^ and did not begin in any after Time, 
 
 B u T we can pund:ually tell the Beginnivg of e- 
 vexy,Co?nmoti'Wealth in the World, all Hif cries of 
 thofe Times do tell it. 
 
 And 
 
[ I05 ] 
 
 And thus, no Man can tell the Bejrinnhtg o£ 
 Epfcopacy at any Time Unce the Apjiles, But 
 we all Jcnow the Beghmvg of Presbytery^ that there 
 was r\o Preahytemn Church in the World before 
 John Cctlvht, 
 
 This is the Reafon why I demand from the 
 Dijfe7tters, that they wou'd fliew the Titne when 
 Epifcopacy did begin. For if they cannot fHew it^ 
 they mnft own Epifcopacy to have defcended all the 
 way from the Apojlles, 
 
 But f()me Men may fay, Is not an Uriiverfal 
 BiJIwp' over all the BiJIjops and Churches in the 
 "World a great Cha7!ge in the Government q^ the 
 Church ? And the chuvcb of Ro?ne pretends to 
 have derived this Form of Goveriwiejit all the way 
 down from St. Peter. Therefore, by 3''our own 
 Argument, you are obliged to Ihew the Twie when 
 ihisUmverfal BifiopAid (et up at Ko7ne, 
 
 This we do with great Readinefs. The iirfS: 
 that afTum'd to be zmiverfal Bifiop was John Bi^io]} 
 of Co7iJlantimple '^ againil whom Gregory I. call'd 
 the Great, v/rote with much Spirit, and faid that 
 none of his own Predecejfors - BiJIwps o£ Kojne did 
 ever afllime fuch an arrogant Title^ which he calls 
 likewife blafphemous, and laid that whoever did ar- 
 rogate it to himfelf, was a Lucifer for' Pride, and 
 tht For e- rnmer oi Anti'Ch rift. 
 
 Yet Pope Bojiiface 7, next Sue ce [for hut one to 
 Gregory I. took this Title, given him by Phocas that 
 Tyrant and Ufurper^ who firfi: deposed and then Mur- 
 therd his Mafter Mauricim the E7nperor. 'This was 
 in the Seve7ith Century, And from that Beginning 
 we fhev/the Progrefs of this Ufurpation o^ the Popes, 
 and the Struggle of the Bljlwps againft it, in many 
 Inftances, even at the Council of Trent, and very 
 o remarkably in the Year 1682. by the 7ne7?iorahU 
 Decrees than made by the whole Body of the BiJIwps 
 and Uergy of Francs^ But it woLi'd fill an Hiftory 
 
 t9 
 
C 107 ] 
 
 to tell of the Oppojition made by the Bifliops and 
 other learned Men. 
 
 And not only as to this Point of Government ^hnt 
 tveY\ in the Boclrhial Difptites we have with the 
 Church of Rome^ (whole Begivnhigs arelefs obviousj as 
 of Purgatory, htvoration of Saints, Tranf-fuhjtayitiatton^ 
 Half Communion, Prayers in an Unknown-Tongue^ Qfc, 
 even in all thefe Cafes, we are able to tell the Be- 
 ginnings of them, and the Time when there was no 
 flich Thijtg, Let this be fliew''d of Epifcopacy. 
 
 This is a fure and certain Rule whereby to 
 know, the Original of any Species of Government^ 
 whether in Church or State . That if we cannot af-^ 
 fign its Beginning to any Time ihort of that to which 
 it pretends, we mvji allow it to have been from that 
 Beginning. For that Government's of fhch n public 
 Nature, that the. Change of it muft be known to e- 
 very Body. 
 
 This may be illuftrated by enquiring into the 
 Origiital of Monarchy, and of. Common wealths and 
 other Popular Governments. Thefirft Common wealths^ 
 that ever were in the World., were thofe in Greece^ 
 and the Hijiories of thofe Times give a particular 
 Account of the Beginning of every one of them. We 
 all know how long the Qevernments in Venice, in 
 Holland, in Geneva, &c, have been in the Frame 
 they now are. 
 
 Let then the Commou'wealth-men and the 
 Orators for the Power of the People, (if they will 
 argue fairly and upon the Square with us) fet down 
 the Tifne when Monarchy did begin inthelForld, and 
 fee if this Clew will not lead them up to the Divi- 
 fion of the Nations after the Flood, which I am fure 
 no Man (who has ^tdw that Account which holy 
 Scripture gives us of itj will venture to fay, was 
 done by tYit People, And from that Time to Adam 
 the Tranlition is eafie, Noah being but the tenth 
 from hini, and iliQ Names of the other nine Patri- 
 archs ^xe-g^ivQll \\s in the fifth of Genejis, Let the 
 
 Rgf 
 
[io8] 
 
 RepiihUcans tlien conlider at what Mra of Time they 
 will bring in their Orr^hial State of Nature ! 
 
 A N D this Bemovjlrathn is as clear for Epifcopacyy 
 as for Momrchy, Unlefs our Dijfenters can ihew 
 the Tivie^ Unce the Apojiles^ when there was no 
 Epijcopacy in the Church, Or that they think fuch 
 ^'Revolution of Government^ as from Presbytery, or 
 Independency^ to Epijcopacy cou'd be brought about 
 without any Body^'s Notice or Knowledge ! 
 
 What think ye my Friends ? Was there ever 
 a Time in the World when all Mankind (all but the 
 Ufurpers /) were all a-fleep — But whatever your 
 Thoughts may be concerning this Matter, for whe- 
 ther you may think it worth your while to fpend one 
 Thought about it, you who care not to trouble your 
 felves with fuch Trifles, with fuch indifferent Things 
 as thefe) I fay, whatever your Thoughts may be 
 concerning this Matter ^ I affiire you the World 
 will expedt fomething of an Anfwer to that jams 
 fiort ^leflion, viz. If hen did Epifcopacy begin ? 
 
 And I am refolvM to keep you clofe to this Point. 
 For this determines the C<^iife all at once, without a- 
 ny Voring or Difputing, Let us then know, (you I 
 mean who are fo ready at ahfwering) let rs know I 
 fay, when Monarchy or *when Epifcopacy did begin. 
 And if you cannot fix- the Time Short of, the Be- 
 ginni7ig cf Mank27td, or of Chrijiianity, it wou'd be 
 Modejfy RS well as Jrtflice to knock under, and be 
 lilent from henceforth and forever. 
 
 The Bijfenters are likewife difarm'd of the Re^ 
 tortion I forefee they wou'd have made upon us, 
 and with which they wou'd have made a great 
 Noife among the People, and reprefented us as Pa- 
 pifls,m affording the Church of Rome an Handle a- 
 gainft ns, and obliging us to fix the Time when the 
 I'apal Ufurpation did begin 5 othcrwife that we mull 
 give up to them the Univerfal Supremacy of the Pope^ 
 ^s deduced from St. Peter, But we have fix'd the 
 very Time^ and'nam'd the Century, and <che very 
 
 'Pqpe^ 
 
Pope who firft alTumM the Title of miiverfal BiJJmp ^ 
 and fhewn the Oppolition made to that Pretence 
 ever fince, even by the Bifiops and Divines of the 
 Church of Ro?ne, So that this Caiife and that of J6- 
 pifcopacy come not near one another, upon our Ar- 
 gument, unlefs the Dipnters can ihew the like Be- 
 ginning of Epifcopacy^ and the like Oppofition made 
 to it from the very Begiftning, 
 
 And as I faid before, The far greateft Part of the 
 Chrijlian Church never did own, nor do own at this 
 Day the Supremacy o^'Roine, without reckoning 
 thofe in the ireji who have broken ojBF from it fince 
 the Kefori7iation. But the Diffenters cannot fhew a- 
 ny One fingle Church in the whole JforU that did not 
 own Bpifcopacy, and was not it felf Epifcopal^ from 
 the Days of the holy Apojiles down to Mr. Calvin. 
 And at this Day they are all Bpifcopal^excei^t a FeiPy 
 very Few in Comparifon where his BifcipHne has 
 prevail'd in fome Corners of the "World. And I 
 have fliewn before, that He and Beza and the firfl: 
 Reformers did give full Attejfation to Epifcopacy, and 
 pleaded Necefity for their Departing from it ^ l)Ut 
 anathemati% d^ and reckon d thofe as Mad-men who 
 did oppofe it, or wou'd not join with it where they 
 might have had it with Fiirity of Do&rine and 7-^or- 
 fiip, as in England, which they particularly nam'd, 
 and wifh'd they cou'd enjoy fo great a Blelfing, 
 and pray'd for the Profperity of our Epifcopacy, 
 
 Our Dijfenters and their Caiife is difarm^d and 
 deferted evQvy where, and by all. They plead no 
 NeceJ/ity^ but difpute againftthe Government of Epif- 
 copacy^ as IsJovd, and as an Ufiirpation upon thep^-f- 
 mitive Govermnejit of the Churqh, And yet they 
 can fliew none other that ever was, before Mr. Cal- 
 vin^ in any Part-of the Chrijlian World. Never was, 
 a Caiife, I think, lb exposed, and ftrip'd fo naked as 
 this! 
 
 Here I wou'd defire the Reader to take notice, that 
 tho' there is not the fame Reafon or Demojjf ration to 
 fee the Begiymijig of Errors in Opinion^, as the Re» 
 
 vohtiom 
 
volutions of Govenmen in a 1137 Society \ yet that 
 we can trace out the Beginnhi^s even of thofe Dociri7tal 
 Errors WQ charge upon the Church of i^ow^, fome of 
 which I nam'd. And the Method to come at the Know-, 
 ledge of their Original is this 5 When Opivions come 
 abroad, and make ajlir in the World, tney are then 
 Fa&s, and may be difprov'd as other Fa^s are. We 
 can tell when they firjl appeared, and that they did 
 not appear before. And this is the Method b)'- which 
 we difprove the DoBri7ial ^ Errors in the Church of 
 Rome^ and fhew them to be Novelties, 
 
 And here I beg leave to give a little friendly 
 Advice to our mipd Bi ([enters of all Dejwminatmis, 
 
 My Frievds^ what has been faid as to Epifcopa- 
 cy is undeniable^ and a plain Demovjiration from 
 FaB^ which is fo Jure an Argument that nothing 
 can be reply 'd. 
 
 And I am like wife as fure, that it is dowjiright 
 impoj/ible^ but that what has been faid, muft create 
 a Doubt at leaft in any roniidering Man, whether 
 he plight not to fuhynit to Epifcopacy. 
 
 New fuppofe I come to' the Sacrajnent^ and have 
 any Doubt whether this Man is lawfully ordahid^ 
 and can confecrate and adjninJjlcr the Holy Sacrament 
 tovie^ will not that 0/ Horn. 14. 23. come into my 
 Mijid ? He that douhteth is davuied if he eat, becaufe 
 he eateth not of Faith, for whatfoever is not of Faith, 
 is Sin. lu what a Condition then are our unhappy 
 Diffenters who cannot eat in Faith, unlefs they 
 fully , plainly, and clearly anfwer what has been faid, 
 fb as to leave no Doubt behind it I They may (which 
 God forbid) ihut their Eyes, and go on willfully, 
 but this will be* a frelh Aggravation^ and will 
 double their Sir^, 
 
 What Compajfion can they have for their te^tder 
 Infants, to carfy them to difputcd Baptiffn, when 
 they may have that which is clear^ and undifpiited 
 offer'd to them 1 will they prefent the Provo* 
 cation of their Offeri7tgs,' and pawn their Souls 
 upon the greateft Uncertaijity ! Will they 
 
 dare 
 
[ X" ] 
 
 dare to fay, that it is not an Uncertahty at bcft, 
 when they mil mt becaufe tliey caitnot anfiver for 
 themfelves ! Is not this to he felf-condejnnd ! To put 
 the Stumbling-block of their hiqnity before their Faces ^ 
 and then come to enquire of the Lord ! 
 
 T H I s I ihou'd think were enough to roufe the 
 Confcience of any Dijfenter that is not hardened -to a 
 Stone. I'm fure, if 1 was a Dijfenter, it wou'd prick 
 me to the Heart. And 'till I cou'd give an An- 
 fwcr to what has been faid in thefe Papers, I 
 wou'd never go to a Meetings left I perifti'd in 
 their Sin : I wou'd not receive iheiiSacramejits, left I 
 ofFer'd their Frovocations : Andfl (hou'd think my felf 
 gitilty of the Blood of my Child^ if I brought it to 
 their Baptifm : At leaft my own Blood wou'd lie up- 
 on my He AD, if I did it with 2i doubting Mind,whilel 
 cou'd have that Baptifm which was U7idifputed to 
 make my Child si Me77iber o^ the Church. And how can 
 he who has thruft himfelf out of the Church, admit 
 another to be a Member of it ? Can I make another 
 Free of any Corporation, who am not Free my felf > 
 No. If I am baptized by a Schifmatick, I am bap- 
 tized into his Schifm, and made a Member of it, and 
 iiot of the C/;«rc/? againft which he is in Rebellion 
 and open Defiance to it. The Children of Korah, Da* 
 than and Abiram were fwallowed up with Them. 
 If we will hazard our felves, let us have fome Com- 
 faJliQn for our innocent Children ! 
 
 The Charge upon them is very, very heavy -, I 
 muft confefsit is exceeding heavy, but it is as true' 
 ^s it is great, I know it will raife the Indig7jation 
 of many of them, and I ihall hear it from all 
 Hands. What I — fay they, wou'd he im-Churcb 
 us, and a7i7ml our Sacranmtts ? - — wou'd he make 
 the ordinary Minifirations of our Mi7iijkrs as lit- 
 tle valid, and more guilty than if perform'd by 
 a Midmje in Cafeof Neceiiity ? Where, where is the 
 Moderation of this Man } Where is his Charity ^ 
 He makes all our Meeti^igs to be. AjjeinUies of Ko" 
 rah, in Rebellion againft God! We are not. able 
 
 ^0 
 
[II.] 
 
 to bear it We will not bear it — It is not fit 
 
 fuch a Man ihau d live upon the Earth. All this 
 
 I exped to hear. And now I deflre them to 
 
 hear my; Defence. • I hope they are not all jpro- 
 
 vok'd beyond the Bounds of Reafon. 
 
 First then, I defire them to tell me^ what they 
 think it is a Man's Duty to do,, if he is only 
 verily i;)erfwaded this is their Cafe ? ( But methinks 
 if he proves it too, he Ihou'd be fufFer'd to fpeak) 
 Ihall he be filent and let them go on in their Sin ^ 
 and let them jP'w/; eternally for him, rather than 
 he wou'd be at the Pains to convhwe, them if he 
 cou'd •, or rather than difpleafe them, or lofe their 
 Favour^ or run the hazard of what they might 
 do to him {if permitted) in the Bitter 7iefs of their 
 Spirit ^ Or, in the next Place, if fuch a SileJice 
 wou'd be highly guilty, and argue Self love, ra-. 
 ther than the Love of our Neighbour? ftiall he 
 then, lince he mu^ fpeak, or offend his own Confci- 
 ence, fhall he 7?mice the Matter, and alleviate or ex' 
 ciife, SLud fmooth over their Si7i till it appear tole- 
 rable ? This wou'd be really to few Fi Hows, to hate 
 our Neighbour, and fiijfer Sin upon him, and to bear 
 Sin for him, as our Margin reads. Lev, xix. 17. For 
 t^^t /w lies upon me, which I fufFer to go inireprov'd 
 in another. 
 
 And (if I do my Duty as a good Chrijlian) I am 
 to lay out his Sin before him in its proper Colours, 
 to let it appear as black and heijiom as it is, that 
 hQ fljttcr . not himfelf in his own Sight, until 
 his abominable Sin be found out, 'Till it find him 
 out, and Judgment overtake him, when ('alas!^ 
 there lliall be no Remedy. But if he repejit, then, 
 as Solomon fays, he that reproveth, will iind more 
 Favour than he th^it fattcrcth with his Lips. 
 
 Therefore I hope ftili to find then Favour in ^n 
 honejl Jf^ay • in a true and confcientirnis Difcharge of 
 my Outy^ tho at prefent I purchafe their Difpleajiir'e. 
 
 And 
 
C "3] 
 
 fure. But if (which God Jorhid) it fhou'd Iiappen 
 otherwife, yet I have delivered mine own SouL 
 
 And I do here proteft before God, in the moft 
 fe]^ous manner, that I believe their Cafe to he really 
 as I have put it And the Arguments which I h^e 
 offer'd to them have fully convinc'd myfelf (and 
 many othersj that Epifcopacy was the primitive and 
 Apojiolic Lijlitution of the Governinent of the Church. 
 And confequently that thofe Presbyters and others 
 who break oft from it, are guilty of the very Sin 
 of Korah, and of thofe Chrijiiaiis of whom St. ^itde 
 fpeaks, who feparate themfelves^ and periji) in the 
 Gain-fayivgof Korah, /know nothing wherein his 
 Gain-fayivg did conlift, but in his Gain-faying to the 
 Priefihood of Aaron. He differ'd not with Aaron 
 in any. other Point either of DoBrijie or Tf^orJInp. 
 And fince St. Jude brings down this very Cafe of 
 Korah to the Chriflian Churchy and applies it to thofe 
 who feparated themfelves, and broke ofFfrom their 
 lawful Governors in the Church, I fee not why it h 
 not as applicable at this Day. 
 
 And that ufuyping upon theChrifianPrieJIhood^znd 
 feparating our f elves in Oppofition to it, is as great a 
 Sm as it was in the Levitical Difpenfaticn, if not 
 greater, as much greater as the Priejihood which GocL 
 ordain'd by Chriji, is of more Dignity and Regard with 
 Him than what H e appointed by his Servant Mofes. 
 For Mofes was but a Type of Chrifl, and the Priejl* 
 hood and Sacrifices appointed by him, were but Types 
 of the nearer and more exprejfive Christian Sa- 
 crifice and Prieji-hood. 
 
 Shall then the Ufurpers of the Levitical Priefi- 
 hood be fwallow^d up quick into the Pit, and is there 
 no yudgment of God due to the Ufurpers upon the 
 Chrijiian Prieflhood ? "Was it Death for any but the 
 Priefts to offer the legal Sacrifices, and may the Evan- 
 gelical Sacrifice be ofter'd, without Offence, by any 
 Haijds not lawfully ordain d? 
 
 H And 
 
E ^H] 
 
 A K D mufl: tBey not be told of this? Muft I be 
 their E:'mny becatife I tell them the Truth ? Is it 
 
 becaiife I love them not ? God knowetlL, I 
 
 dgclare, fo far as I know my own Mind, (tho' I 
 cannot fay as St. Paul did in a like Cafe, yet) I 
 wou'd giv myLije to purchafe their Reroiiciliation, 
 and that I might fee the Ujtity of the Spirit, in the 
 Bond of Peace, 
 
 i F they will not believe me, I eannot help it. 
 But I will not fail to tell them the true and the 
 right Way. 
 
 After what I have faid, he mufi: want all 
 Charity who does not belieVe my ProfeiTions are 
 true and from my Heart, Nay, it is againft my 
 Intereft to provoke fo great a. Body of Men, and 
 who have ib great Potper and htfluence ^ and who are 
 capable to do me good or harm. Therefore it can 
 be nothing that moves me to concern myfelf with 
 them, and to lay their Sin before them, but the 
 Davger I apprehend there is to their Souls, 
 
 And it will confirm my Charge againft them, 
 iPfnftead of anfvveringmyp/<3ffw siudjhort Argument, 
 they return railing Acciifations againft me, and Ha- 
 tred for my Good will. 
 
 Indeed I provoke them to anfwer,but it is not by 
 way o^ iyifultivg, but to Ihew them the little Ground 
 they have for their Separation^ when they cannot 
 Jifflijy it, or a7!fwer one plain ^lejtion that is ask'd 
 t]iem. When did Epifcopacy begin ? 
 
 It is to he hop'd, that fome will coniider this 5 
 and if the3^ fee not their Way thro' but 'that they 
 are hcdg'd in on ev'ry fide, and can find nothing 
 to reply^ they will think 0^ retuvjmig^ that they Sin 
 not wilfully, nor offend of maliciom IFickednefs, of 
 whom King David fays, forgive thein not. And the 
 fevercft faying in the whole Book of God, is of thofe 
 Tffho for fake the ajjemhling themfelves together ^ as the 
 manner 0} fo7neis^ Heb. x. 25. For of thofe it is faid. 
 That, if we Jin 7yiljully, after we have received the 
 
 Knowledge 
 
Knowledge of the Truths there remaineth no more Sa* 
 cri fee for Shis, hut a certain fearful lookhtgfornf Judg- 
 fnent and fiery hidjgnation^ which jhall devour the Ad- 
 verfaries. 
 
 Oh ! dreadful I And will Men naalce themfelves 
 thefe Adverfarzes, by forfaking the Chilrch of Chrift^ 
 and feparathtg thejnfelves ^ and run the Hazard of 
 this terrible Se.7ttence •, and upon a Caufe whicPi 
 they cannot defend, nor anfwer ^Jford to that plain 
 hut forceable Queftion I have ask'd, and without 
 anfwering of which they muft ftand condemned td 
 all the World •, and (which is more) to their own 
 Coiifcience ! pray Ood give them Repentance before 
 it be too late. 
 
 I have reduc'd the Difpute betwixt us to one 
 iingle Point, of which every one ma3f.j'udge, a Point 
 o^FaB which cannot be counterfeited. That is, 
 when Epifcopacy did begin* And this determins the 
 whole Matter, without a multitude of ^otatiom^ 
 or referring to many Books. 
 
 ^ I hope what I have already faid in Vindication 
 of my Innocency, will be fufficient to fatisfy all Per- 
 fonsof the fincerity of my IntentiornXow^ids them. — 
 And fb without making any further Apology ^ Go 
 we on to iilence one great Clamoiir^ which I be- 
 lieve will be made againft the DoBrine I have laid 
 down, and which raifes fuch Prejudices in the Minds 
 of many, that if I cannot remove ir, all I have faid 
 will be inefFedtual ^ and tho' they cannot anfwer 
 me, yet they will ftill oppoje me. Some Men fay, 
 that by my Argument all the foreign Reformed 
 Churches which have not BiJIwps are nn Chirrch'dy 
 and put out of the Fold of Chrifs Flock. Whicii 
 is lb very iincharitahle^ and of fuch dangerous Con- 
 lequence to the Reformation, that if fhcu'd bring t^?^ 
 thoufand De7nonfl rations to fupport. it, they will not 
 receive it. 
 
 1 have fpoke before of the reforind Chiirches abroad 
 which are not Epifcojjal, and yet are not Antiepif- 
 
 H 2 copal'. 
 
[1X6] 
 
 ropal:, that is, whqfe Principles are not againfi: 
 Epfco'jacy •, but their Circiimjiances^ the Frame of the 
 Cnnl Govermnent wh^te they are, and other 'i^^'c^y^ 
 Jities they lie under, they fliy, hinders them from 
 having it. But that they highly aprove it, and wifh 
 they might have it. As I have fhewn from Calvin^ 
 and others of the firfi: Reformers y and from the 
 Church and Univerjity of Geneva at this Day. VVho 
 condemn our Dijfenters^ and even anathefnatiz^e them, 
 for fetting up againft Epifcopacy, and making a 
 Separation in England, from it. 
 
 N o w, if the NeceJIity of thefe foreign Churches be 
 really and truly as they pretend,* which they muft 
 Icnov/ better than we, great Allowance will be made 
 for the Cafe o[]S/eceJ/ity,2i^ of J^^i^/^'s eating the Shew- 
 'bread, whicli^otherwife had been yreJumpUioiis in 
 him, and a*Sfw. And t^Q Countenance which our Vif- 
 fe7!ters plead from theie foreign Churches, is the fame 
 as if from this Example ofD^i;fJ,others fhou'd have 
 fet up a Trinciple, that the Shew-bread was no more 
 hallowed than any other Bread, and that it was law- 
 ful for any, and without any JS/eccffity, to profane 
 the Temple, and eat of that Bread which it was not 
 law Jul to eat, but for the Friejls only. Is it not 
 tht fame, that from a NeceJ/ity, pleaded in Geneva, 
 &c. our Dijfeiiters, without any Neceffity, renounce 
 ^nd difown Epifcopacy in itfelf, and for Epifcopa^ 
 cy fake ? — Becaufe it is Epifcopacy ! 
 
 But now to put the Cafe to the utmoft Extre- 
 mity •, Suppofe thefe reform' d Churches fiiou'd, like 
 our Dijenters, give up the Plea of JSJccejjhy, and 
 ftand it out againft Epifcopacy upon a Principle as 
 iin-Scriptural, as an Ufurpation, and confequently as 
 j4nti chrijlian. Put the Cafe thus, and what wou'd 
 be the Confcquence ? Muft the Demonjhation of 
 Epifcopacy from the Begi7ining fall to the Ground, 
 becaufe a i'ew in thefe latter Ages had depart- 
 ed from it ? Muft all the Churches in the World 
 be given up in Favour of the Calvinifts ^ For that 
 
 is 
 
[M7] 
 
 is tlie Cafe. All others are Epif copal, and Tiaye 
 been fo. And what x-)roportion docs \he Calvijiift 
 Party bear to all the Churches in tilt CJirirtian 
 World ? Not fo much as a Mole-hill to a MountaUi, 
 Which then muft give Place ? Wou'd you throw 
 down a Mountain to malce room for a Mole hill ^ 
 Wou'd you throw down all Antiquity to make room 
 for a very rnodeni Novel ? WouM you rejed tvio. 
 Example of the firft 1500 Years, to countenance a 
 late Up'ftart in the two laft Centuries ? If fo, (my 
 Friends) if that be your^Defign, I wou'd willhjigly 
 ask one Qucftion more, and a ferious, a very leri- 
 ous one too, that is, how you mil dejend t/;^ Creed, 
 the Authority of the holy Scriptures^ or even avy Ar- 
 tide oj the Chriftian Faith ? For do we believe 
 them any otherwile than as handed down to us all 
 the way from Chrifi^ and his Apojlles, as the DoBrine 
 which was once delivered to the Saints ! 
 
 But fome may fay. What ! wcu'dyou put the 
 Faith md. Doctrine oiChriJi, upon the fame Level 
 with Epifcopacy. 
 
 T o which I anfwer. Whatever the Importance of 
 the one or the other may be, the Evidence for them 
 is the fame, yea, and in one Point ftroiiger for Epif- 
 copacy^ as being Matter o^Goveryiment, which is more 
 obvious to the JSlotice of Men, and any Change^ or 
 Alteration i\\ it more obfervable than vrBoBrine^ 
 or Opinions. Tho' as I faid before. Doctrines may 
 become FaBs, 'and provable the fame way 5 as it 
 is row a Matter of Fact, whether fuch and fuch 
 Doctrines are prof^fs'd in the Church of England^ 
 what Booh are in the Canon of x:\-\e holy Sciptures 
 allowed b}^ her, Qfc. 
 
 And thus the Faith znd. Chrifian Doctrine, is 
 prov'd throughout all the Ages from Chrif. We fee 
 what the Faith was which was all along profefs'd in 
 the Church. And thus we detcdl the novel DoBrines 
 Q^ Romc^ and of the Sectaries among us^"' 
 
 H ^ Thus 
 
■ C "S ] 
 
 Thus much as to the Evidence of Epifcopacy. But 
 now as to the hnportance of it. There is nothing of 
 more hnporfhnce to any Society than Governmejit. 
 Iris veccjjary^ and of the very Effence of a Seciety^ 
 without Whidbno Number of Men cou'd be a Society. 
 
 Therefore Governvicjit is abfolutely Tieceffa- 
 ry, and the moft of any other Thing, to the Churchy 
 as a Church, that is, as a Society. And the Prefer- 
 %ratio:i of the Faith and DoBrine of the Churchy de- 
 pends under God, moftly and chiefly in the Support 
 of the Government of the Churchy that is, in fupport- 
 ing her as a Society. Whence She is call'd' in Scrip- 
 ture the Pillar and Ground of the Truth. 
 
 And where her Difcipline fails, there is an open 
 Door for all Errors and Herejies to creep in, as the 
 Experience of our own as well as of former Ages 
 has intruded us. And as it is in all other Govern- 
 wents, the Laws lofe their Force, and are forgotten, 
 where the Power of the Governors is cramped or over- 
 
 But it may be Replv'd. The Bipnters have 
 Government in what they call their Churches^ for 
 Xhtj are Societies, and, as you fay, every Society 
 muft have Government, 
 
 I N Anfwer to which I fay, That as every So- 
 ciety muft have Government^ fo no Society or Corpo- 
 ration can have any other than what is prefcrib'd to 
 them- by their Charter, granted to them by their 
 firil hijTitiitor and Founder of their Co'rporatioru 
 
 Suppofe a Mob fhouM rife up in London, and fup- 
 pofefome of the Common Council ox Alderman fhou'd 
 join with them, and they Ihou'd make a new Regu- 
 lation of their Charter and inftead of O N E Lord 
 Mayor fliou'd fet up Ten, and make a new Divifion 
 of their Wards and ^&t over them whom they Pleas'dj 
 and if this fhou'd prevail for many Years together, 
 wou'd all this make them a lawful Gove^'mne7it^ Might 
 not the Kii?^ juftly biiiig a ^o IFarranto againft 
 Juca a Corporation^ who adted from- no Autbority^ 
 
but their own, and had quite altef d, that is.avmtir^ 
 the Charter he had given t?iem ? For all Authority 
 inuft be derivM from fome Svperioiir, 'till we come 
 to God himfelf . from whom all Authority in Hea- 
 ve7i and Earth is derived. All other Authority is 
 Rebellion againfl: God, and iifiirpivg of his Prero- 
 gativii. 
 
 I F itLor^Z? had prevail'd againfl: Aaron there had 
 been Government ftill, and it had been only chang- 
 ing the OhjeB^ that Korah had been the HighFrieJl 
 inftead o{ Aaron ^ and who knows but he was as ca- 
 pable of it as Aaro7t, and as good a Man. bating 
 his Rebellion ? But you l^e how God judg'd this 
 Cafe-^ and that it was oi'er- turning all GovemrneM 
 by taking it off its true Foundation and Bajis, as be- 
 ing deriv'd from God, and fabfifting upon his Au- 
 thority . ^ 
 
 This indeed is a FaralleUCafe to that of Presby- 
 ters throwing of their Bifiops, and fetting up a new 
 Goverjiment and a new Regulation of their own. 
 •And hy the fame Rule that they broke cfFfroni 
 their Bifiops, others broke off from them, and 
 wou'd have neither BiJIjops nor Presbyters^ but every 
 Man^ Woman and Child took upon them the facrcd 
 Office, and thought it no Ufurpation 1 
 
 The' Priejis o^ Jereboam had Government. And 
 the}^ were t^w to two of the Tribes. Yet the ^t'7i 
 were the Scifmatich, fif I may be allow'd to call 
 'em fo) becanfe they did it in Oppofition to that 
 Priefiho-^d which God had ordained. So that we are 
 not to jeckon the Truth by Numbers, (as I faid be- 
 fore) Elfe Mahomet wou'd have the better of C^/^f- 
 fiiamty. But thank God the Presbyterians have not 
 yet that Argument to bragg of. 
 
 I F I fhouM be thought (as I exped I fhall) too 
 fevere in my Inferences- upon the Diffenters leaving 
 the Communion of the Church of England^ as if it 
 were not only throwing themfelves out of the 
 Churck^ but even forfaking' Chrifi himfelf. This 
 
 H 4 may 
 
[ I20 ] 
 
 may be thougTit a carrying the Matter too far. If I 
 had made it a Crime^ and but a Moderate 
 Crme^ it had been tolerable and they wou'd have 
 faid fo me thing to it. Jut now(perhaps) thty will 
 rjot Avfwer a Jford. 
 
 But then I have this to fay to them, that it is 
 becaufe they have-not z Word to anfwer. For is 
 the Greatnefs of the Charge a Reafc:>n why a Man 
 ought not to dear hinifelf ? I thought Men wou'd 
 think themfelves more concernM to anfwer an hea* 
 vy Charge than a flight one. And no Doubt they 
 wou'd, if they thought they were able to^o it, or 
 their Caufe cOu'd bear it. 
 .But alas! why do they call it my Charge up- 
 on them ? I only lay before them that CVyz/w;-^ which 
 God has pronounc'd upon their Siru I can neither 
 make it more nor lefs. And I fhou'd not deal faith- 
 fully by them if I either added or fiibJfraBed, one 
 Tittle of what God has threats d. It would be de- 
 ceivivg them to their own Dejfruclion ^ and their 
 Blood wou'd be required at my Hand. IFherefors 
 (as Sr. /^^«Z faid, Acis xx. 26, 27.J / takejou to re- 
 cord this Day, that I am pure from the Blood of all 
 Men ^ for I have not jJmnned to declare mito yov, all 
 the Council of God. Whereby the Apojile do's im- 
 ply, that he had not been pure from their Blodd, if he 
 had kept lack any of the' Cow ;/a7 ofGoi, and not 
 declar'd ic all and wholly unto them. . . 
 
 Now I befeech the Diffenters^ as they wou'd a- 
 void the fierce Anger 6f God, to look upon their 
 own Sin in the Example given of it in Korah, and 
 which St. Jiide fays is an Example to thofe who fe- 
 p^irate themfelves in the ChriJtian^Church. The Dif- 
 piite of Korah with Aaron wa's perfonal, he laid 
 Pride and Ambition to the Charge of Aaron and 
 his Sons, as if they had engrofs'd the Priejlhuod to 
 thenjfelves. And the popular Argument againfl: 
 them was, that^they were no holier than other Men. 
 That all the Congregation was holy^ every one of 
 the;n J this catca'd the Populace, they were glad 
 
 tQ 
 
[,.I ] 
 
 to hear of this, and to fee themjelves exalted ! They 
 then began to think (as fome among us) that they 
 had no Need of the Minijlration of Aaron or his Sons^ 
 but cou'd minifter unto tbemfelves, feeing they were 
 all holy, and why then fliou'd they not be accepted 
 of God, as well as by the Mediation of Aaron or his 
 Sons, who were no better (no not a Bit) than Tbem- 
 felves ? Read Niimh. xvi. 3. And they gathered them- 
 felves together againjl Mofes and againji Aaron, faying^ 
 you take too much upon you, feeiytg all the Congregation 
 are holy every one of them, and the Lord is among them\ 
 wherefore the7i*lift ye up your felves above the Congre^ 
 gat ion of the Lord ? 
 
 These were their Fretences, But the true Rea- 
 fon was, that thefe mutinous 'Presbyters had a Mind 
 to the High'FrieJlhood, They wou'd have been all 
 Biflmps, This was the Bottom of their Defign, hid 
 under all their fine Pretences to HoUnefs, And thus 
 Mofes dete6ted them, ver, 8, 9, lo. And Mofes 
 faid unto Korah, hear T pray you, ye Sons of Levz^ 
 feemeth it but a fniall Thing unto you, that the God of 
 Ifrael hath feparated you from the Co7jgregation of Ifra- 
 el, to bring you near to himfelf to do the Service ofths 
 Tahernachof the Lord, and tojland before the Congre- 
 gation, to viinijler unto theyn •, and he hath brought thee 
 nearer to him, and all thy Brethren the Sojis of Levi 
 with thee? And fek ye the Prieflhood alfo ? 
 
 Now let the Dijfe7tters fee if there be one Cir- 
 . cumftance of Difference betwixt their Cafe and that 
 of Korah ? And their Pretences are the very lame, 
 even at this Day, they have not departed from the 
 very f^'ords of Korah, for do they not fay to their 
 Bifiops, Te take too much upon Te ? And do they not 
 give the fam*e Reafon, the Holi7jefs of tlie People who 
 are Go d's Heritage, and that the BiJJwps do lift up 
 themfelves and Lord it over the Heritage of Chrif i 
 Are not thefe their very Words ? And the fame Pre- 
 tences and the Words of Korah againft Aaron ? And 
 have they not made it apparent, that their Defigo 
 . • -• was 
 
C 122 ] 
 
 was the fame with that of Korah^ to feize upon the 
 Friejihood for themfefves ? And have they not lorded 
 it over the People with ten- fold the rigour that ever 
 was fhew'd by the BiJIwps ? The little Finger of Pres- 
 ytcr) was thicker than the Loids of Epifcopacy ! (as I 
 can fully, and will, majce appear if it be deny'dj 
 How then can thtj avoid appljring to themfelves 
 the Anfwer of Mofes to Korah^ ver, ii. For which 
 Caitfe ("that is for his feeking thePriefi:hood)Z'ofZ? thou 
 and all thy Company are gathered together agahtfi the 
 Lord Aytd what is Aaroji that ye murmur againji him ^ 
 And may not we fay the fame tb our Korahites 
 at this Day ? What are the Bifiops that ye murmur 
 againft them ? You are gathered together againft the 
 Lord ^ th^t is, againfl what he has infcituted and or- 
 daiJied, For the Matter was not, what Aaron was, 
 or what Korah was, as to their Pe^ fonal Qiialifi- 
 catioiis j or which of them was moil fit for the Prieft- 
 hood ? No, this was not the Cafe, But which of them 
 God h'dd appointed i --- Which of them was called 
 of God to this Office ? 
 
 And how called ? (/ pray take Notice) Not hy 
 the Call of the People^ fthe Phrafe ftill usM by the 
 Bijfenters) for Korah had that Call: Not ]py the in- 
 ward Call of their own Impidfes and Conceit of their 
 own Holinefs^ for this too Korah and our Difenters 
 plead, that they are all holy every one of them, 
 they are the People of the Lord^ and the Heritage of 
 Chyiftl But the [^leftion was^ whidi of them was. 
 outwardly ordain d by fuch as had Power from God 
 to ordain them ^ Aaron and his Somi were c.onffcrat* 
 ed by Mofes, who had fpecial Command from God fo 
 to do. And Korah wou'd thrufl: himfelf into this by 
 the Voice of the People and his and ■ tV^cir ' Holiiiefs! 
 For was not the Lord among them. ? - Moft afiu- 
 redly ! And they were the peculiar People out of all 
 the Earth. 
 
 And as St. Jtide arguM againft the Separatifs in 
 his Days, and piov'd them Guilty of the Gahifiy- 
 
 ivg 
 
[ 123 ] 
 
 77tg of Korah, fo as I faid before, St. Paul us'd the 
 fame Argument as I have as to the Calling of Aaron^ 
 and applies it to the Callivg ofChriJl, That it mufl 
 be an ouWard Calling, and vijible before the Eyes of 
 Men. For thus fays he, fpeaking of the Vriejlhood, 
 Heb. V. 4. And no Man taketh this Honour unto him- 
 felj\ hut he that is called of God, as was Aaron .* So 
 alfo^ Chriji glorify d not himfelf to he nmde an High- 
 Prieji^ but he that faid unto hiniy Thou art my Son- — 
 Thou art a Frieji jor ever^ &c. 
 
 And it was not only faid fo before of him in the 
 Scriptures^ but afterwards was prbclaim'd publiclcly 
 by a Voice from Heaven, in prefence of all the 
 Feople at his Baptiftn. And it is obfervable (as I 
 remark'd beforej that He did not enter upon the 
 Execution of his Friefthood, 'till after this publick 
 Notification by the Mouth of God himfelf. For it is 
 faidMatth. 4. 17. From that Time Jefus began to 
 preach. 
 
 And if H e who had fo long before been de- 
 clar'd a Frieft for ever, and in whom* dwelt 
 the whole Fuhiefs of the God»head bodily, if He 
 couM not take this Honour unto himfelf^ nor 
 enter upon the Execution of his Frteftly Office^ with- 
 out an outward and vifible Call from God ^ what is 
 that Thing wh^ch is ftyl'd at this Day a Call from 
 the Feople ? Can their Call, or their Conceits of any 
 Maxis Sufficiency enable him to take this Honour unto 
 himielf ? Is this th^Call o^ Aaron and of Chriji} — 
 No •, but it is of Korah and our Diffenters who fet 
 up upon their Gifts ! 
 
 An D I hope wliat has been laft faid will make 
 Cat leaftj fome Imprsffion upon Thofe who are not 
 judicially infatuated. That Chriji himfelf the Son of 
 God, tho' ordain'd from Eternity to be a Friejl, and 
 Frophefyi of fo long before, ytt that when he came 
 in the Flefb, he did not begin Xo preach, or execute 
 any part o£ his Fr 2 ejlly Office/uW after his Comnijjion 
 was pYochjind by the* Voice of God from Heaven, 
 
 o at 
 
[ 1-4 ] 
 
 at his Baptifm^ in the Audience of all the People^ and 
 that the holy Spirit defcended upon him vijibly as a 
 Dove defcendeth, in all their Sights^ giving Con^ 
 . vidion even to their outward Sevfes, And that the A- 
 pojlle argues from hence ^ That he did not gJorifie him- 
 felfto be made a Prieft^ but he that f aid unto him^ 
 iChou art a Prieji^ forever^ Sec, And that none 
 . can take this Honour to hivifslf\ but he that is called of 
 God^ as was Aaron^ that is by an outward Commijfwji 
 given him by God^ for fo Aaron was called^ being 
 outwardly confecrated by Mofes, in Prefence of all 
 the People. And tfiis was the Argument Mofes us'd 
 sgainft Korah^ that hewou'd thruft himfelf into 
 the Priejlhood without any Call from God, tho' he 
 bad tite Call of the People^ and much Holinefs^ as 
 he pretended. But the Call of God to the Priejihood 
 was always an outward CaU^ as I have lliewn. 
 
 And it is a great Mercy to us. For how otherwife 
 fhou'd/ we know who were our Priejls ^ If inward 
 Holinefs were the Call^ how eafily are People im- 
 l'5os'd upon by falfe Pretejiders, and by Bypocrites I 
 Efpecially .when they Flatter the People^ like Ko- 
 yahj and call Them all holy too ! And as the Peo- 
 ple, who know not the Hearty are not good Judges 
 of the ^talijications for the Priejlhood, 
 
 So, on the other Hand,they can hRye no Authority 
 to inveft anyi Man with this Honour : Becaufe the 
 Office of the Priejlhood is to tranfad with us as from 
 God^ to blefs in his Name, and to Minijler to us in 
 thofe Ordinances He has commanded, to /^7j and 
 feal his Covenant with us, and to us, as his Amhaf- 
 fadors impower'd by him to this Purpofe. And 
 who can appoint an Ajnhajfador but the King who 
 fends him ? Who elfe ran give him his Authority ? 
 How otlicrwife is the King obligM to ratify what is 
 fignd by his Amha (fadors in his JSJame purfuant to 
 his Ivjhuclions ^ As it is Treafon for any SuhjeB to 
 prefurr;e to fend an Amhajfador in xhc Name of his 
 Kivg^ it is really taking upon himfelf to be King: 
 
So it is the greateft Blafphemy for any Man or Men 
 to take upon them to appoint Priejfs for God, that 
 is, in plain Confequence, ufarping the Prerogative 
 of God, and, as much as in our Power, to dethrone 
 him, and fet up our felves in his Place. 
 
 The Apojilss call themfelvcs ^ Amhaf[ador$ o£ 
 Chrijl. And now, (I fpeak not (God forbid I fliou'd) 
 of any of thofe learn'd and truly Pious Gentlemen 
 who are Teachers either here or in other Parts of 
 the World ; but it is well known and confefs'd by 
 all woo know any Thing oY the Matter, that the 
 Chrijiian Priejlhood was never fo lliaroefully debas'd, 
 as it has been this Hundred Years laft paft, fince 
 Chrijl'ianity has been in the World J I fay, the A* 
 yojiles caird themfelves Amhajfadors of Chr'ijl. .And 
 now, every Tag^ Rag and Lovg-tail call themfelves 
 his Ambajfadors too, by 2i' Call from the People! 
 Good God ! — Good God I — How has the Priejlhood 
 been vilify'd of late I Was it a Glory to Chrijl to be 
 made a Priejl ? And now, from this vile Projlitu- 
 tiono^ it, it is come to be thought (amorgfdme 
 Men) the meanefi: of Employjuents, and hardly be* 
 fitting a Gentlemayi ! 
 
 The twelve Tribes once ftrove for it as the 
 higheft Honoiir. And it fell not into Contempt, 'till 
 a King fet up by the People, took upon him to dif- 
 pofeof the Priepjood' too, and made Priejls of the 
 ineanefl: of the People. And this Thing became Sin 
 to the Houfe of Jeneboam, even to cut it ojf, and to 
 dejlroy it from off the Face of the Earth, i. Kings. 
 1 3. g4. Thus God exprefs'd his Indignation againft 
 the firfl: Trophaner of the Priejlhood, tho' thefe were 
 Priejls he had fet up for his Calves. But God will 
 not have the Notion of Priejlhood to be vilify d, tho' 
 in an Idolatrous WorJlnp\ Jofeph had Refpedl to this, 
 and wou'd not fufFer the Lands of the Priefts to be 
 fold, when all the Reft of Mgypt was fold to the 
 Ki7tg, When the Priefthood fell into the Hands of 
 the King, to be difpos'd of by Him, it foon fell un- 
 der 
 
C '^'^ ] 
 
 def one Feeto{ Beafts of the People^ when They 
 had taken upon T h e m to make Ki7Jgs too. 
 
 And this Witchcraft is in the Si7i of Rebellion 
 that People are given up to believe a Lie^ and think 
 they are in the Right Thus we muft prefume Ko- 
 ruly thougfit, when he appeat'd with his CevfershQ-' 
 fore the Lord, which was a folemrt Appeal to him, 
 for the Jiiftice of his Catife, that the Lor4 might 
 thereby ihew whom he had chofen, and who were 
 holy. Numb, i6. 7. .Thus have we heard of ma- 
 ny Appeals to God by our Dijjhiters. 
 
 But fome lay great Strefs upon that Defcription 
 given of a Prieft^ Heb. v. l. That every high-prieft ta- 
 ken from among Men, is ordain d for Men., in Things 
 peraiining to God, that he may offer both Gifts and Sa- 
 crifices for Sins, They fay, That here Priefts are or- 
 dain' d for Men. 
 
 S o they are. But it is not fdid by Man. No 
 
 Doubt Priefts were ordain'd for the Benefit of Men, 
 And here it is told, to offer both Gifts and Sacrifices 
 for Sins, But the People were not to offer their own 
 Gijts nor their Sacrifices, but by the Hands of the 
 Priefts. And thefe are calFd Things pertaining to 
 God, And who but God Himfclf can ordain in 
 Things pertaining to God? Can we appoint diXiCi or 
 dain for Him ? Therefore theApoftle argues ver,/^. 
 That no Man taheth this Honour to himfelf\ hit he 
 that is called of God, And how called ? As was 
 Aaron, that is, by an outward Call and Confecration 
 to that Office, by thofe who had Power from God fo 
 to appoint and cmtfecrate him. Thence tlie Apoftle 
 carries on the Argument to C/^rf/t Himfelf, and 
 Ihews, thai even H e was thus called of God, but 
 did not glorify himfelf to be a Fritft, as by his own 
 Authority, And, as I Ijave often told you before, 
 He did not enter upon the Execution of his Priefi- 
 hood, 'till his Commiffion was publickly proclaimed 
 from Heaven, 
 
 And now before I conclude, I muft anfwer one 
 grand ObfcBion •, I have heard fojne Men fay that 
 
 the 
 
the Chrijllan Pnejihood is not fo plain and afcertain'd 
 as was that of the Lev'it'ical, vjhich being fix'd to 
 one Tribe^ there cou'd be no Mijfakivg of it. 
 
 No ? Did not Korah miftake it, who was one 
 
 of that Tribe, tho' not of the Family o^ Aaron ^ 
 Did not Jereboam miftake it, (that fame Jcrehoam 
 who was fet up by the People) and the ten Triba 
 v/ith Him, who fet up other Priejls ^ Methinks 
 this was fome fmall Miftake. But did not Micah 
 miftake it, who confecrated his Son to be a Priefi 
 who was not of the Tribe of Levi ? Another 
 finall Miftake it may be ? Nay farther, did not 
 SanbaUat and the Samaritam miftake it when they 
 fet up another Temple? And many other Miflakes 
 of this Sort we find in the Hijiory of the Jews after 
 the Captivity ♦, and after the Maccabees. And th^j 
 miftook it fo long at laft, 'till the Siiccejpon of their 
 ' Priejlhood was loft, as it is at this Day. 
 
 But blefed be God, the SiicceJ/ion of the Chrijii- 
 an BiJI)ops is open arid flagrant to this Day, in all 
 the Churches of the World, except among the little 
 Calvinijls^ who are but of Tejterday, 
 
 One Tribe was fufticient for Priejls to e- 
 leven Tz-fZ^^i. But when Chrijlianity was to be ex- 
 tended to the utmoft Parts of the Earth, the Priejl- 
 hood then cou'd not be confin'd to one Family, But 
 the Siiccejfion of it went afterwards by Confecratioyt^ 
 and not by Inheritance, And, as I have faid, has 
 been better preferv'd. 
 
 And now as the Apofile fays, If He dyed mthout 
 Mercy, who defpis'd Mofes^s Law, and ih(^ Priejlhood 
 which he fet up ^ of how much forer Piini/I)me7it, fnp- 
 pofe ye ^ JImll he bethought worthy^ who hath trampled 
 under Foot the Son of God, and that church and 
 Priejlhood which he has ordain d and projnisd to be 
 with it to the End of the World ? 
 
 • F I N I S. 
 
[ ,.8] 
 
 THE 
 
 EPISTLE 
 
 O F 
 
 St. I G N ATI U S 
 
 T O T H E 
 
 TRALLIANS. 
 
 IGNATIUS, who is alfo called THEOPHORUS, 
 To the Holy Church which is at Tralles in Alia ; 
 Beloved of God the Father of Jefus Chrijl -, 
 JEleci, and worthy of God •, Having Peace through 
 the FleJI), and Blood, and Pafion of Refits Chriji our 
 Hops . in the RefurreBion which is by Him : Which 
 alfo^ Ifahite in its Fiilnefs, continuing in the Apo- 
 Jlolical Chara&er y Wijbing all Joy and Happinefs' 
 znito it. 
 
 Have heard of ,your Blamelefs and 
 Conftant.Dirpofition through Patience, 
 which rjot only appears in your Out- 
 ward Converfation, but is Naturally 
 rooted and grounded in you : In like 
 manner as Polybius your Bifliop has declared unto 
 me i Who came to me to Smyrna, by the Will of 
 God and Jefus Chrift •, and fo rejoyced toge-" 
 ther with me in my Bonds for Jefus Chrift, that 
 in Effect I faw your Whole Church in Him. Having 
 therefore received the Teftiniony of your Good 
 VViM towards me for God's fake, b}^ Him, 1 feemed 
 to find you, as alfo I knew that yc were the Fol- 
 lowers of God. _ 
 
 II. For 
 
C ^^^ 3 
 
 II. For wliereas ye are fubjed to your Biihop as 
 to Jefus Chrift,ye appear to me to live not after the 
 manner of Men, but according to Jefus Chrift •, who 
 died for us, that fo believing in his Death, ye might 
 efcape Death. It is therefore neceffary, that as ye 
 do, fo without your Bifliop, you Ihou'd do nothing : 
 Alfo be ye fubjedt to your Presbyters, as to the A- 
 poftles of Jefus Chrift our Hope ^ in whom, if we 
 walk, we fhall be found in Eim, The Deacons al- 
 fo, as being the Mhiifters of the Myfteries of Jefus 
 Chrift, muft by all means pleafe all. For they are 
 not the Minifters of Meat and Drink, but of the 
 Church of God, "Wherefore they muft avoid all 
 Offences, as they would do Fire. 
 
 III. In like manner, let all Reverence the Dea- 
 cons as Jefus Chrift, and the Bifhop as the Father ^ 
 and the Presbyters as the Sanhedrim of God, and 
 College of the Apoftles. Without thefe there is no 
 CTiurch. Concerning all which I am perfwaded 
 that ye think after the very fame manner : For I 
 have received, and even now have with me the Pat- 
 tern of your Love, in your Biftiop. Whofe very 
 Look is Inftrudive ^ and whofe Mildnefs Powerful : 
 Whom I am perfwaded, the very Atheifts them- 
 felves cannot but Reverence. But becaufe I have 
 a Love towards you, I will not write any more 
 Iharply unto you about this Matter, tho' I very 
 well might ^ but now I have done fo 5 left being a 
 Condemned Man, I Ihould feem to prefcribe to you 
 as an Apoftle. 
 
 IV. I have great Knowledge in God ^ but I re- 
 frain myfelf , left I fliould periih in my Boafting. 
 For now I ought the more to fear •, and not hear- 
 ken to thofe that would puff me up. For they that 
 fpeak to me in ?ny praife, Chaften me. For I indeed 
 defire to fufFer, but I cannot tell whether I am 
 worthy fo to do. And this Defire, though to others 
 it does not appear, yet to my felf it is for that very 
 reafon the more Violent. I have therefore need of 
 
 I ' Mode- 
 
[ f 30 ] 
 
 Moderation ^ by which the Prince of this World is 
 ieftroyd. 
 
 v. A M I not able to write to you of Heavenly 
 things ? Bat I fear left I fhould Harm you, who are 
 yet but Babes in Chrift • CExcufe me thu Care '^) 
 And left perchance being not able to receive them, 
 ye Ihould be choaked with thenh For even I niy 
 felf, although I am in Bonds, yet am not therefore 
 able to underftand Heavenly Things : As the Places 
 of the Angels, and the feveral Companies of them, 
 under their refpedtive Princes ^ Things Viiible and 
 Inviflble^ but in thefe lam yet a Learner. For many 
 things are wanting to us, that we come not fhort of 
 God. 
 
 Vf. I Exhort you therefore, or rather not I,butthe 
 Love of Jefus Chrift^ that ye ufe none but Chriftian 
 nourifhment ; abftaining from Pafture which is of 
 another Kind, I mean Herelie. For they that are 
 Hereticks^ confound together the DoBrine oj Jefuf 
 Ghrift •, with their o»^zfPoi(bn, whilft they feem 
 worthy of Belief: As Men give a deadly Poifon mix'd 
 with Sweet Wine ^ which He who is ignorant of, does 
 with the treacherous Pleafure fweetly drink in his 
 own Death. 
 
 VIL Wherefore guard your felves againft fuch 
 Perfons. And that you will do if you are not puffed 
 up ^ but continue infeparable from Jefus Chrift otir 
 God, and from your Bifhop, and from the Com- 
 mands of the Apoftles. He that is within the Al- 
 tar is Pure .-But he that is without, that is, that 
 does a.ny thing without the Bifhop, and Presbyters, 
 and Deacons, is not Pure in his Confcience, 
 
 VIII. Not that I know there is any thing of 
 this Nature among you ^ But I fore-arm you, as be- 
 ing greatly Beloved by me, forefeeing the Snares of 
 the Devil. Wherefore putting on Meeknefs, re- 
 »ew your felves in Faith, that is the Flefh of the 
 LORD 5 and in Charity, that is the Blood of Jefus 
 Chrift, Let no Man have any Grudge aganft his 
 
 . Neigh- 
 
[»30 
 
 Neighbour. Give no Occafion to the Gentiles • left 
 by means of a few Foolifh Men, the whole Congre- 
 gation of God he Evil fpoken of. For woe to that 
 Man through whofe Yanity my Name is Blafphemed 
 by any. 
 
 IX. Stop your Ears therefore, as often as any 
 one ihall fpealc contrary to Jefus Chrift •, who was of 
 the Race of D^z;f^, of the Virgin Mary, Who was 
 truly Born, and did Eat and Drink , Was truly 
 Perfecuted under Pontm Filate •, Was truly Crucified 
 and Dead •, Both Thofe in Heaven, and on Earth, 
 and under the Earth being Spectators of it. Who 
 wasalfo truly raifed from the Dead by his Father, 
 after the fame manner as he will alfo raife up us 
 who believe in Him, by Chrift Jefus *, without whom 
 we have no true Life. 
 
 X. But if as fbme who are Atheifts, that is to 
 fay Infidels, pretend, that he only feem\l to Suf- 
 fer : (They themfelves only feeming to exift) why 
 then am I Bound ? Why do I defire to fight with 
 Beafts ? Therefore do I die in vain : Therefore I 
 will not fpeak falfely againft the LORD. 
 
 XI. Flee therefore thefe Evil Sprouts which 
 bring forth deadly Fruit -, of which if any one 
 tafte, he fliall prefently Dye. For thefe are not 
 the Plants of the Father ■, Seeing if they were, 
 they would appear to be the Branches of the Crofs, 
 and their Fruit would be Inccorruptible : By which 
 he invites you through his Palfion, who are 
 Members of him. For the Head cannot be with- 
 out its Members, God having promifed a Union, that 
 is Himfelf. . 
 
 XII. I Salute you from Smynta^ together with the 
 Churches of God that are prefent with Me 5 who 
 have refrelli'd me in all tilings, both in the Flefli 
 and in the Spirit. My Bonds, which I c^rry about me 
 for the fake of Chrift, (befeeching him that I may 
 attain unto God) exhort you, that you continue 
 in Concord among your felves, and in Prayer with 
 
 one 
 
. C ^32 ] 
 
 one another. For it becomes every one nf you, e- 
 fpecially the Presbyters, to refreih the Bifliop, to 
 the Honour of the Father, of Jefus Chrift, and of 
 the Apoftles. I befeecK you that you hearken to 
 me in Love ^ that I may not by thofe things which 
 I write, rife up in Witnefs againft you. Pray alfo 
 forMe-, who through the Mercy of God ftand in 
 need of your Prayers, that I may be worthy of the 
 Portion which I am about to obtain, that I be not 
 found a Reprobate. 
 . XIII. The Love of thcfe who are at Smyrna and 
 Ephefus falute you. Remember in your Prayers the 
 Church of Syna^ from which I am not worthy to be 
 called, being one of the leaft of it. Fare ye well 
 in Jefus Chrift ^ being fubjeft to your Biihop as to 
 the Command oj God ^ and fo likewife to the Pres- 
 bytery. Love every one his Brother with an un- 
 feigned Heart. My Soul be your Expiation, not . 
 only now, but when Lftiall have attained unto God: 
 For I am yet under Danger. But the Father is 
 Faithful in Jefus Chrift, to fulfil both mine and 
 your Petition : In whom may ye be found ublame- 
 able. 
 
 Ta t/;^ T R A L L I A N S. 
 
 ST. Ignatius, the Author of this Epiftle, was a 
 Companion of the Apoftles^ end was taught the 
 Faith of Chrift fiom their Mouths : t He wrote this 
 Epiftle with many other as He was on his way to 
 Rome^ where he feal'd theT;wt/; (of what he had 
 taught and written) with his Blood, being caft to 
 the Wild Beafts : Thus dying a glorious Martyr of 
 the ever blefled Jcfits, ^ 
 
 Uis Martyrdom was but fevenYeas after the Death 
 of St. John, who wrote the Revelations 
 
 i Enfcb. Ecclef. Hiji. LiL 3. Cap. 36. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
the; 
 
 SPEECH 
 
 O F 
 
 Mr. John Checkley, 
 
 UPON HIS 
 
 T R Y A L, 
 
 At Bojlon ill New-England^ 
 
 For Publishing 
 
 The Short and Eafy Method with the Beifts : 
 To which was added, A Difcourfe concerning Epis- 
 copacy ; In Defence of Chrtjlianity ^ and the 
 Church o/" England, againft the 2Deiftff and 
 H^naentcrs* 
 
 To which is Added, 
 
 The Jury's Verdid •, His Plea in Arreft of Judg- 
 ment ; and the Sentence of Court. 
 
 The Second Edition. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed by J, Apple bee, in Bolt-Court^ Fket-Street, 
 M,DCC,XXXVIII, 
 
THE 
 
 SPEECH 
 
 O F 
 
 Mr. John Checkley, 
 
 Upon his Tryal at Bofton in 
 
 May it pleafe your Honours^ and you 
 Gentlemen of the Jury ^ 
 
 Y Counfel having made lb very 
 good a Defence on my Behalf, 
 the faying any thing for myfelf 
 may feem needlefs and unnecct- 
 fary. 
 
 And indeed it would be fo, if the Charge 
 againft me was not out of the common Road, 
 gnd very extraordinary. 
 
 A a But 
 
[4] 
 
 But (may it plcafc yoar Honours) I am 
 repreknted as a Perfon Guilty on many 
 Accounts : i//, For wickedly and malicioufly 
 imagining and contriving, by the Subtilty of 
 Arguments, to draw into Difpute his prefent 
 Majcfty's Title to the Crown, i3c. idlyy Of 
 fcandalizing the. Minifters of the Golpel by 
 Law efiablijhed in this Province, ^dlyj I 
 am charged with falfifying the holy Scrips 
 tures. 4t/6/y, With reprefenting the Church 
 of Rome as the frefent Mother Church ; and 
 lafily^ With railing Diviiions, Jealoufies, and 
 Animofities, among his Majefty's loving Sub-^ 
 je5is of this Province, 
 
 Thefe are Crimes of a very heinous Na^ 
 ture ; and had they been as fully prov^d^ as 
 they have been jlrongly juggefted in the In- 
 didment, I muft acknowledge I Ihould de* 
 ferve a very fevere Puniflim.ent. 
 
 Since then the Charge againft me is fb 
 very extraordinary ; fince thefe ^Proceedings^ 
 and the Methods of my Prolecution, feem to 
 be Ibmething new in this Country ; and 
 fince I am fo fiiliy confcious of the Inno- 
 cency of my Intentions, and that I had no 
 Malice in my Heart : I believe your Honours 
 Avill readily allow, that to be filent, at thi» 
 Junclure, would look like an Argument of 
 Guilty and be truly Criminal. 
 
 With your Honours Permiffion, then, I 
 fliall go on, and will endeavour to take up 
 no more Time, than to adyert to fuch ThiBgs, 
 
 not 
 
. t5] 
 
 not €o fully infilled on by my Counlcl, as 
 will further ftiew the Innocency of my In- 
 tentions, and that I had no Malice in my 
 Heart, nor defigned any thing again ft the 
 Government, 
 
 May it pleafe yotir Honour s^ and you 
 Gentlemen of the Jury ; 
 
 The firft PafTage pretended to be againlt 
 the Government, is this, P. 6^. " As the 
 ^' Neceffity of Government, and the general 
 ^' Commands in Scripture of Obedience to 
 " Government, do require our Submiffion 
 ^^ to the Government in being, where there 
 ^^ is no Competition concerning the Titles ; 
 *^ that is, where no one claims a better 
 ^' Right than the PoffelTor : " thereby (faith 
 the Indictment) fubtilly, by Arguments, to 
 traduce and draw into Difpute the undoubt- 
 ed Right and Title of our faid Lord the 
 King, ^c. 
 
 But this was not defigned, nor can it pof- 
 fibly be wrefted, to hurt the Title of his pre- 
 ient Majefty ; unlels any Perfon will make 
 it appear, that another hath a better Title to 
 the Crown than his frefent Majefty \ which 
 I am fure is not averred here, nor any thing 
 like it. For the whole Sentence is no more 
 than an hypothetic Propofition concerning 
 Government in general (without any Aver- 
 ment of any particular Government) ; and 
 
 founded 
 
[6] 
 
 founded upon this Maxim of the Law, that 
 bare ToffeJJlon is a good Tit ley till a better 
 can be produced. 
 
 But, (may it pleale your Honours) to flievy 
 you farther, that I had no evil Defign againft 
 the Government, I beg Leave to remark, 
 and to fliew wherein 1 induftrioufly altered 
 the Phrafe, to prevent any fuch Mifapplica- 
 tion of it. 
 
 In the Book from whence this Paffage is 
 tranfcrib'd, the Words run thus j P. 36. 
 '^ As the NecefTity of Government, and the 
 " general Commands in Scripture of Obe- 
 " dience to Government, do require our 
 " Submifiion to the Government in being, 
 ^' where there i? no Competition concerning 
 " the Titles, or any that claims a better Right 
 " than the PofTelTor. 
 
 Here I beg your Honours, and you Gen- 
 tlemen of the Jury, to obferve, that thefe 
 Expreffions, where there /r no Corn-petition 
 C07icerning the Titles^ or any that claims a 
 better Right than the ToJfe(jbr : I fay, thefe 
 Expreffions in this Book, are not explanatory 
 one of the other, but are disjunB \ and 
 by the AfTiftancc of a few, ufeful Innuen- 
 do's, this Expreffion, ^ujhcre there is 710 Com- 
 petition concerning the Titles^ might have 
 been fo dreiVd up, as to have looked like 
 [omething againlt the prelcnt Government. 
 "For every body knov^s^ that there is a Com- 
 petition 
 
[7] 
 
 petition concerning the Title to the Crown of 
 England. 
 
 But to prevent all Poflibility of miftakc 
 concerning, this Expreffion, and that it might 
 not be frejfed and forced to fight againft 
 the Government whether it would or not ; 
 in this very Book it is explained in inch 
 a Manner as (feems to mej to make it al- 
 moft impoffible for any one but an Enemy 
 to the prcfent Government, fo much as to 
 think that thefe Words were defigned againft 
 it. 
 
 For in this B&ok^ thefe Words, where 
 there is no Competition concerning the Titles^ 
 are immediately explained in this Manner^ 
 That is, where no one claims a better 
 Right than the Tojfefor. 
 
 And by the Words, claims a better Rights 
 muft mean, juftly claims a better Right. 
 
 And indeed, it is impoffible to force it to 
 have any other Meaning, if the preceeding and 
 fubfequent Matter, and the Defign and Scope 
 of the Argument, be confidered. 
 
 For it is an Argument with the Diflenters 
 from the Church of England^ in this Man- 
 ner, liiz. Epifcopacy was inftituted by Chrift, 
 for the ftanding and perpetual Government 
 of his Church. 
 
 That Form of Government ftill exifts in the 
 Church of England. 
 
 Therefore, luppofing that the prefent Bi- 
 fhops did not derive there Power by an unin- 
 terrupted 
 
[8] 
 
 tcriupted Succeffion from the ' Apoftles, but 
 were appointed by the King, or by fome 
 others not having Epifcopal Power ^ yet 
 lince they govern according to that Form, 
 which Chrift appointed, tho' they did not 
 come regularly by it, they ought to be o- 
 bey'd, until Ibme other Perfons fhall come and 
 make it appear, that they have a better Right 
 to govern the Churchy than thofe in actual 
 Tojfe/ion. 
 
 And the Reafon for fuch Obedience is 
 given, viz. That if it were not fo, a Door 
 would be opened to let in Anarchy and end- 
 leis Confufion, if every bold Pretender to a 
 Right fhouid be hearkened to, and his bare 
 ^retenfions^ Ihould be fufficient to alienate 
 the Obedience of the People, from thofe in 
 actual Poffeflion. 
 
 This (may it pleafe your Honours) is the 
 Argument. Now, nothing is more plain, 
 than than every different Seft among the 
 Diflenters, expreflly affirm their own par- 
 ticular Form of (what they call) Church 
 Government to be of Chrift's Inftitution, 
 and claim a better Right to the Govern- 
 ment of the Church than the Biftiops, whom 
 they call Ufurpers *, (particular Inftances of 
 which I am ready to produce ^ but Ihall wave 
 it, believing it would be no Pleafure to 
 your Honours at this Time, to hear with 
 what Scurrility fome imprudent Men have 
 treated that venerable Order :) I fay, each 
 
 differing 
 
[9] 
 
 differing Sed among the Diffenters claim ^ 
 better Right than the Bifti^ops ; yet the Biftiops 
 and they only ought to be obeyed : 
 
 Why ? Becaufe none of thefe Diffenters 
 have ever yet made it appear, that their 
 Claim is J VST. 
 
 May it pieafe your Honours : This is the 
 whole Defign and Drift of the Argument ; 
 and I have been thus loug upon it, to make 
 it appear to your Honours, and to you Gen- 
 tlemen of the Jury, that it is impoffible to 
 cloath thefe Words, claims a better Eighty 
 with any other meaning than justly claims 
 a better Right \ for otherwife, the Argument 
 would have no Defign, but would be gla- 
 ring Nonfenfe, and Contradiftion to the im- 
 mediately preceding and confequent Matter, 
 and to the Scope and Defign of the whole 
 Book. 
 
 I hope your Honours, and you Gentlemen 
 of the Jury, will not take more Notice of 
 an Innuendo^ an Inference^ or In/inuationj 
 than of an exprefs Declaration. And if 
 there are any Words which feem to bear a 
 doubtlul Meaning, I hope your Honours will 
 in all fuch Cafes incline to the moft favour- 
 able Side. 
 
 May it pieafe your Honours; It is a known 
 Rule m the i?^;^^^;/ Law, In ambiguis ora- 
 tionibns maxime [ententia ffecianda eft ejus 
 qui eas frotuli^et. Wherever Words are ca- 
 pable of a double Conftrudion, there the In- 
 B tention 
 
[ lo] 
 
 tcntion of the Speaker is chiefly to be looked 
 alter, and attended too. 
 
 I have folemnly declared, that I induftri- 
 oufly altered the Phrate, and with this very 
 Intention^ viz. to prevent any Mifappiica- 
 tion of it, as if it was defign'd againit the 
 Government. 
 
 Every Man hath a right to explain his own 
 Intentions ^ and ohfcure Ex^rejfions mull not 
 (I hope) have Meanings put upon them^ 
 contrary to ex^refs Declarations* 
 
 This is a Rule in all common and civil 
 Cafes between Man and Man^ but in cri- 
 minal Cafes, there that Law exafts a ftrider 
 and a nicer Proof: Wherever the Life or 
 Liberty of a Citizen is concerned, there the 
 Proofs ought to be Luce meridiand clariora^ 
 as evident as the Sun at Noon-day. 
 
 But (may it pleafe your Honours) what 
 Proofs have been produced, and in what 
 
 Form have they appeared? Verily, in 
 
 no very comely Form ! For they are nothing 
 but bare and naked Imiendds and Inftnua- 
 tions. 
 
 May it pleafe your Honours. I mention 
 thefe Maxims of the Roman Law, only as 
 they are agreeable to the common Senfe and 
 Underftanding of Mankind, as Rules of Rea- 
 Ibn and Equity ; and which (I would per- 
 fwade my fell) your Honours will always 
 make the Rule of your Adions. 
 
 Since 
 
[ " ] 
 
 Since therefore, I affirm, that there is no 
 Perfbn, who JUST L 2^ Claims a better 
 Right to the Crown of England than His 
 preient Majefty, I hope your Honours will 
 be of my Opinion, that he who fhall ftart 
 at this Paflage, and fay, that it is againft the 
 prefent Government, looks like an Enemy 
 to it^ for, without an Inuendo^ it plainly 
 intimates, that he thinks fome other Perfon 
 befides His prefent Majefty justly claims 
 a better Title: which is by no Means afferted 
 in this Paflage, nor in any part of the Book \ 
 but the direct contrary. 
 
 Wherefore I have an humble Confidence, 
 that your Honours, and you Gentlemen of 
 the Jury, will not think this Paflage fufficient 
 to make the Book a Libel^ nor 7ne guilty, ' 
 
 The next (pretended) fcandalous Claufe is 
 this, pag. 107. ^' Let then the Common- 
 " Wealth-men and the Orators for the Power 
 " of the People, (if they will argue fairly 
 *' and upon the fquare with us^ fet down 
 " the Time when Monarchy did begin in 
 " the World, and fee if this Clew will not 
 " lead them up to the Divifion of the Na- 
 " tiojcis after the Flood, v/hich I am fure no 
 " Man (who has feen that Account which 
 " Holy Scripture gives us of \t) will venture 
 *' to fay, was done by the People. 
 
 Thereby (faith the Indidmcnt) meaning 
 
 and infinuating, that the Title of Our faid 
 
 Lord the King to the Crown was not good. 
 
 B a Now 
 
[ I^ ] 
 
 Now to evince, beyond all Contradiftion, 
 that thcfe Expreffions likewife, bear not the 
 leaft Refemblance of any Reflexion, upon 
 His Majefty's Title to the Crown, I moft 
 humbly entreat your Honours to hear me 
 patiently, while I reprefent the true deflgn 
 of this Argument, and the impotts Schemes 
 againit which it militates. 
 
 Fir ft then : The Deifts, (thofe Men who 
 wou'd turn the World, and even God and 
 Nature, upfide down!; thefe Men fooliftily 
 dream of an independent State of Nature ^ 
 T^hat is to fay, they affirm, that once upon 
 a Time (tho* they never yet could tell whenj 
 all Mankind were upon a Level, and that 
 there was no Inch Thing as Government in 
 the World; and that Tom, Dick, and Harry, 
 ay, every individual Man, Woman, and Child, 
 had a Right to the whole World ; there- 
 fore, fince God had not inftituted any Go-^ 
 vernment, they, the "Teople, all of 'em met 
 together, and (to prevent the dire Confufion 
 that might happen upon the bloody Scram- 
 ble that was like to enlue) they erected Go- 
 vernment. 
 
 This (may it pleafe your Honours) is the 
 Scheme of the Deifts : And I am fure I need 
 not tell you, that it is a direft Contradi£tion 
 to the Holy Scriptures; and thele Deifts not 
 believing one Word in thole facred Pages, no 
 Wonder they talk fo wildly. 
 
 It 
 
C ^3 ] 
 
 It was the want of Ravelatlon that made 
 the aricienc Sages grope fo in the dark, and 
 have iuch ftrange Notions concerning the O- 
 rigin of the Worldj of Mankind^ and of 
 Government. 
 
 The Wifdom (even) of Ariftotle could 
 never give a Solution to this fingle Qiieftion , 
 Which was firfi^ the Hen or the Egg ? If 
 
 he faid- -The Egg Then how came 
 
 this Egg hcre^ unlefs fome Hen laid it'i 
 
 —If he faid, the Hen was firjL--^ Then 
 
 from whence came this Hen but jrorn fome 
 Egg which mufl be before it ? 
 
 This was an inextricable Difficulty with 
 Ariftotle, But a flender acquaintance with 
 the firft Chapter of Genefls would have in- 
 formed him, that as God made the tirft Hen, 
 from which all of the fame Ipecies have been 
 derived; io he likewife created the World 
 and Mankind, and adually inftitued a par^ 
 ticular Form of Government^ giving to one 
 Man the Dominion over the World, and over 
 all that he had created in it. 
 
 The God of Order did not create a Num- 
 ber of People all at once, without Order 
 and Government^ and then leave them to 
 fcramble for Property and Dominion, as fome 
 Deiftical Republicans would have us be- 
 lieve contrary to the exprefs Words of Scrip- 
 ture. 
 
 And to ftiew that I do not abufe them, 
 tho' I could bring a Multitude of Quotations 
 
 from 
 
[ H] 
 
 from their own Writings ; (but that I may 
 not take up too much of your Honours 
 Time) I ftiall only produce three Lines from 
 their Veteran Mercenary^ their Oracle, -D^- 
 niel de Foe^ who certainly knew his own 
 Scheme. 
 
 To be as free as Nature firji made Many 
 Eer the i?afe Laws of Servitude began^ 
 When wild in Woods the noble Savage ran. 
 
 This IS their wild Notion of an indej^en^ 
 dent State of Nature. 
 
 But the Vanity and Falfehocd of this bru- 
 tal Scheme is detedied, as with a Sun-beam, 
 from the Holy Scriptures, from the firft of 
 Cenefls^ and from the Book of Job^ where we 
 are told (according to one Tranflation) That 
 vain Man is piff'd up with Tride^ and thinks 
 himfelf free-born like a wild Jlfs's Colt* 
 
 Thele Men wou'd have all Mankind fuch 
 Savages. And chey are jBtly called Beafts, 
 who range themfelves in the natural State of 
 Beafts, all independent, and no Government 
 among them. 
 
 It is this impious and brutal Notion^ 
 which the Argument in this Book militates 
 againft and dcftroys. 
 
 Secondly^ The Word People is an in- 
 definite Term, and the Republicans could 
 never yet agree concerning it's true Mean- 
 ing. 
 
 That 
 
[>5] 
 
 That great Man Mr. Locke exprefly fays, 
 that the free Vote of every individual, is 
 ablblutely neceffary to the erefting of Go- 
 vernment, and, at the fame Time, fays that 
 it is im^ojjibk to be had. And nothing is 
 more certain than this, that no Country or 
 Nation can be produced, where ever^ one 
 of the Teo^le hath a free Vote in the choice 
 of their Rulers. And it is like wife cer- 
 tain, that at the very Time when the De- 
 mocracy was moft in Vogue, in ancient Greece 
 and RomCj all the common People had not 
 a Vote at the Eledion of their Magi- 
 ftrates. 
 
 The Athenian Rabble did not chufe the 
 Demarchi\ — ——(Here the Chief Judge 
 interrupted, and faid, the Court can't fpend 
 their Time in hearing you talk about the 
 Greeks and Romans* It is nothing to your 
 Cafe.) 
 
 May it fleafe your Honour. 
 
 By the Statutes of Magna Charta chap. 
 
 29. 5 Edw. 111. chap. 51. and 23 Edw. 
 
 III. chap. 5. No Man ought to be con- 
 demned without Anfwcr. Cokes 4 Injlit. 38. 
 And my Lord Coke fays in the fame Place, 
 That the more high and abfolute the Jurif- 
 diclion of the Court is, the more juft and 
 honourable it ought to be in the Proceed- 
 ing, and to give Example of Juftice to infe- 
 rior Courts. 
 
 I 
 
t i6] 
 
 1 was not fufFered to defend my felf in the 
 infcriour Court ^ I befeech your Honours to 
 let me make my Defence. 
 
 CThe Chief Juftice faid, well, go on.) 
 
 I fay then, that the Athenian Rabble did not 
 chule the Demarchi ; 
 
 The Exhort of Sfarta were not chofen by 
 the Spartan Mob ; 
 
 Nor did all the Roman Tlebeians chufe 
 the Roman Tribunes, 
 
 This wild and imfra^icable (pretended) 
 Power of the People, was never reduced to 
 Practice by any Nation, or among any People. 
 And it is only againft this rude, confufed 
 Notion, that the Argument in this Book is 
 leveird. 
 
 Thus much for this licentious^ unlimited^ 
 pretended Vower of the Teofle ! 
 
 And as for the pretended Independent State 
 of Nature^ Vm fure that could have no Ex- 
 iilence at the Time n:ientioned in the loth of 
 Genefis \ when Nimrod (in prophane Hiftory 
 called Belus^ was King in Babylon^ and A" 
 Jhur built Nineveh^ the Seat of the Afyrian 
 Monarahs ^ both which are mentioned in that 
 Chapter. 
 
 And from Nimrod we have the Names of 
 all the Monarchs, and their SuccefEon, to 
 the End of the Afyrian Monarchy. 
 
 And after that of the Medes and Ter/i- 
 ansj the Greeks and Romans j and from the 
 
 Diyifion 
 
[ 17] 
 
 Divifion of the Roman Empire, we have the 
 Succeffion to the prefent Empire of Ger- 
 many in the Weft, and the Sultan of Con- 
 fiantinofle in the Eaft. 
 
 And in all this TraEi of "time^ not the leaft 
 Crevice to let in this wild independent State. 
 
 Thefe are pubHck Matters of Fact in 
 which Mankind cannot be deceived. There- 
 fore the Argument in this Book ftands good 
 and firm, and may ftill, with good Rcafon, 
 demand of the Republicans, at what yEra 
 of time they will bring in their Original State 
 of Nature ! 
 
 And I have the fame humble Affurance 
 that I had before, that your Honours, and 
 you Gentlemen of the Jury, will not think 
 this Demand, nor the Argument againft the 
 Power of the People, as I have explained it, 
 any Refledion upon His prefent Majefty's 
 Title, nor fufficient to make me guilty^ nor 
 this Book a LibeL 
 
 The next and laft Paflage pretended to 
 be againft the Government is this, p. fo8. 
 " Was there ever a Time in the World 
 " when all Mankind (all but the Ufurpers ! ) 
 " were all afleep ? 
 
 This Claufe likewife hath nothing in it 
 againft the Government any more than the 
 foregoing. And to demonftrate that it has 
 not, I muft humbly beg leave to repre- 
 fent, to your Honours and ro the Genrle- 
 men of the Jury, it's tnie and genuine 
 
 G Meaning. 
 
[i8] 
 
 'Meaning. In the Proceis of which Repre-* 
 lentation, I Ihall be obliged, by the Nature 
 of my Defence, to mention the Affembly of 
 Divines at Wejiminfter^ and other Great 
 Men among the DijQTenters • but I fhall do 
 it with ail due deference to their Charafters ; 
 therefore, I befeech your Honours to hear me 
 patiently. 
 
 This Queftion, What think je my Friends ? 
 Was there ever a time in the World when 
 all Mankind (all but the Ufarpers! ) were 
 all afueep^^ is only an ironical Ex^ojlulatioUy 
 with thofe who aiSirm the Government of 
 the Church by Bilhops to be an Ufmfation, 
 and who (with Dei lis) deny the uninterru^^ 
 ted Succejjion of the Goffel Minijiry. 
 
 The Book argues the Impofiibiiity of fuch 
 an Order of Men creeping into the Church 
 all at once, and all the World over, with- 
 out any Body's Notice or Knowledge ! And 
 the Book is further proving pofirively, that, 
 in Fad, theie Bilhops have always been 
 in the Church fince its firft Inftitution, and 
 proves it by this Medium, viz. The Tefii- 
 ?nony of an uninterrupted Succejjion of Goffel 
 Minijiers. 
 
 And fince it is part of the Charge againft 
 me, that I have ranked fuch with Deifts 
 who deny the Succeffion of the Priefthood j 
 I Ihall, in the Profecution of this Part of my 
 Defence, (to fave time) anfwer both in one. 
 
 And 
 
[ 19] 
 
 And in order to it I will (with your Ho- 
 nours leave) entreat the Affiftance of thole 
 'Presbyterian Minijiers^ the Compilers of 
 the Divine Right of Church Government y 
 approved by the Wejiminfier A^embly^ who, 
 when it was objeded againft them by the 
 JndepndentSy after the firft Edition of their 
 Book, that by their Principles, an uninter- 
 rupted Succcjfion of ordained Terjons was 
 neceffary ; which Succeffion they could not 
 pretend to, unlefs they would juftify the 
 Antichriftian Ordinations of the Church of 
 Romej fiCc. they added an Appendix to their 
 lecond Edition, wherein they confidered the 
 Objedion, and returned an Anfv/er to it 
 under thefe two Heads ; ij?. That the Re- 
 formation was begun before the Council of 
 Trenty and till the Council of Trenty the 
 Church of Rome was not fo corrupted, as that 
 her Ordinations were nulL The Church of 
 Rome could as validly ordain as baptize, and 
 who did ever queftion the Validity of her 
 Baptifms ? 
 
 idlyy The Englijh Clergy had not th^ir 
 Ordinations i^om Rome '^ Chriftianity was very 
 early (Anno 63 or 64) in Great Britain^ 
 and Church Officers were then ordained, and 
 a Succejfion of valid Ordinations was always 
 uuinterrupedly continued. 
 
 I muft now (with your Honours Permii- 
 fion) feek for lb:ne Aid from The Divine 
 Right of the Gofpel Minijiry^ written, at 
 
 C 2 leait 
 
[ 20] 
 leaft authorized, by the Trowtcial Affembly 
 of London^ publilhcd in the year 1654. 
 which lays, that Church Tower is firft feated 
 in Chr/fi^ the Head, and from him commit- 
 ted to the Jjpojiles^ and from them to Church 
 Officers \ and they alone who have recdved 
 it from the Jpjtles can derive and tranf- 
 mit it to other Minifters. Ail Ordination 
 by the People is Null and Void, as be- 
 ing not only not grounded on Scripture, but 
 againft Scripture. 
 
 And to intrude into the Minifterial Office, 
 without Ordination, is as the Sin of Korah 
 and his Company. 
 
 The fame Provincial A^embly have much 
 more to this Purpoie, in their other Treatife, 
 called, The Divine Right of the Minijtry 
 of England yi^om whence^ that I may not tire 
 your Honours) I fhall quote but a few things. 
 
 Chap, 3. fag, 44. They lay, they think 
 it no diipaiagement to their Miniflry to 
 lay, they received it from Chrifl and his 
 ApoJtleSj and from the Primitive Churches, 
 through the impure and corrupt Channel 
 of the Church of Rome " And, f. 43. 
 '^ the receiving our Ordination from Chrifi 
 " and his Jpojiles^ and the Primitive 
 " Churches^ and lb all along thro* the apq- 
 '' uate Church of RomCy is lb far from nulli- 
 " lying our Miniftry, or dilparaging of it, 
 *' that it is a great ftrengthening of it, when 
 " it Ihall appear to all the World, that 
 
 " our 
 
[^i 3 
 
 ^^ our Miniftry is derived to us from Chrifi 
 ^' and his AfoJileSj by Succeflion of a Mi- 
 *-^ niftry continued in the Church for 1600 
 " Years, and that we have a Lineal Su c- 
 '^ CESSION from the Jpofiles, 
 
 Thus far the TFefimmfter A^embly. And 
 were it not intruding too far upon your Ho- 
 nours Patience, I ^ would keep company with 
 my Indiftment {North about) to that Part 
 oi Great Britain called Scotland^ and Ihew, 
 that (even) the General Jffembly of Scotch 
 "Presbyterians^ held the.abfolute Neceffity 
 of an uninterruped Sue ce [ft on from the A^o^ 
 files ; which I could abundantly piove ^ but 
 fhall wave it, and clofe this Part of my De- 
 fence, with the Words of that Great and 
 Learned Man, the late Mr. Temberton in his 
 Difcourfe of Ordination, /. 2. " It is not to be 
 " difputed that Chrifi: has appointed zjtand-^ 
 " ing Gofpel Minijiry in his Church, to con- 
 ^^ tinue to the Confummation of ail things. 
 
 " It was not a temporary Conftitution, but 
 ^^ a ftanding Ordinance, that there ihould be 
 ^' in all Ages of the Church an Order of 
 '' Men to repreient his Perfon, publilh his 
 *^ Laws, exhibit the Promiles, and adminifter 
 " Seals and Cenfures. 
 
 '^ This feems evident to a Demonf ration^ 
 " from the Promife of Chrift's Prefcnce to be 
 *' with his Minifters to the End of the World, 
 ^^ Mattk xxviii. 0.0.. 
 
 Thus 
 
Thus far Mr. Temberton. 
 
 And I firmly believe that your Honours, 
 and moft of the Presbyterian and Congrega^ 
 t tonal Minifters in this Country, are of the 
 fame Opinion with this Great Man. There- 
 fore I fhall fay no more upon this Head. 
 
 Believing that what I have offered, will 
 fully convince your Honours, and you Gen- 
 tlemen of the Jury, what is the true Mean- 
 ing and Defign of this Claule, JVas there 
 ever a time in the World when all Man- 
 kind (all but the Usurpers ! ) were all ajleep ; 
 and that it was not fpoken concerning Civil 
 Government at all, and therefore impoffi- 
 ble to be any Reflection upon His prefent 
 Majefty's Title to the Crown of England :y 
 and at the fame time demonftrate, that the 
 ranking' of fuch Men who deny the unin- 
 terrupted Succeffion of the Trieflhood under 
 the Goffely with Deijis^ notwithftanding it 
 is Part of the Charge againft me, that yet 
 it is no Cri'me\ evenj^//r Honour s^ the late 
 Mr. '^Fefnberton^ the Generau A^embly of 
 Scotland^ and the A^embly of Divines at 
 Weftminjler^ being my Judges. 
 
 With your Honours Permiffion, I ftiall 
 now defcend to another Part of the Charge 
 againil me, and of another Nature ; i?/^. Of 
 Icandalizing the Minifters of the Gofpel by 
 Law eftablijhed in this Province, 
 
 And I doubt not but that I ftiall fully 
 clear my felf from this Part of the Charge 
 likewifc. Wherefore, 
 
Wherefore, in order to my Vindication, 
 I fhall endeavour fuccindly to prove thcfe 
 three Propofitions. 
 
 i/, That no Afts of Affembly in this Pro- 
 vince, either by Rightj could, or, in Fa£i^ 
 have eftabliftied any way of Worfhip and 
 Miniftry, whether Tresbyterian or Congre- 
 gational ; fo as to make that the Eftablifti- 
 ment, and the Epfco]?al Churches to be Dif- 
 [enters. 
 
 idly^ That by a pifl and true Conftrudi- 
 on of the Laws of this very Trovincey the 
 Church of England is ejiabliped here. 
 
 2,dlyy That by the Laws of England-, the 
 Church of England^ as eftabliftied in Eng-- 
 land., and no other, is pofitively ejiablijh' 
 ed in all his Majefty's Plantations. 
 
 I fliall now endeavour to prove the firft 
 Part of the firft Propofition, viz^. That no 
 Ads of this Province, by Rights could efta- 
 blifti any way of Worftiip and Miniftry, fo 
 as to make that the Eflabli/hment^ and the 
 Epfcopal Churches to be Dijfenters, 
 
 May it pleafe your Honours . As the Books 
 fay, a Law made againft the Law of God is 
 void ; fo the Charter to this Province from 
 whence we derive our Power to make Ads 
 and Laws, referves and exprelsly provides, 
 that no A£t fhall be made repugnant to the 
 Laws of England^ which therefore, if made, 
 would be iplo facto void. 
 
 If 
 
[ H] 
 
 If therefore I can prove, that the Church 
 ef England is by the Laws of England efia- 
 hlijhed in the Plantations^ and no other ^ 
 then the ejtal^lijhing any other, and 
 making the Church of England to be Dif- 
 fenterSy is plainly repugnant to the Laws 
 of England^ and confequently inconfiftent 
 with and againft our Charter^ and therefore 
 
 VOID. 
 
 As to the iecond Part of the firft Propo- 
 rtion vijz* That no Laws of this 
 
 Province, in Fa6ty have eftaHiffoed any way 
 of Worlhip and Miniftry, lb as to make that 
 the Ejlablijhment. and the Epfcopal Churches 
 to be Diffenters. 
 
 May it plcafe your Honours, and you 
 Gentlemen of the Jury : Had thele Afts 
 (for Inftance) confirmed the Tlat-form^ and 
 the Minijiry pirfuairt to that^ then in Fad 
 they had ^oratleaft had attempted to have^^ 
 ejtc'iHified another Way and Miniftry. 
 
 But thefe Laws make ufe only of gene- 
 ral Terms, in relation to any way of Wor- 
 lhip and Miniftry, without ever mention- 
 ing either the Presbyterian or Congregation 
 iial by Name j therefore I humbly conceive, 
 that neither of thele can be the Eftablijh" 
 7nent^ to the Exclufion of the F^pfcopal 
 Churches^ an'd fo as to make them the Dif- 
 j enters. 
 
 I fhall now endeavour to make good 
 my fecond Propofition, which is this. 
 
 That 
 
C ^5 ] 
 
 That by a jufl and trtte Corxftrudion of the 
 Laws of this very T r ovine e^ the Church of 
 England is ejlablijhed here. 
 
 And in order to it, I muft ask leave of 
 your Honours to premifc a few things : 
 
 17?, That where the Ads of Aflembly 
 make ule of any Words, and do not explain 
 what they mean by them, I humbly con- 
 ceive, that fuch Words fhall be conftrued 
 according to the Laws of England. 
 
 As for Inftance, the word Libel and De^ 
 famation in the Aft about Criminals. The 
 Word, Fee-Simple^ in the Aft for Diftribu- 
 tion of Inheritances, ^c. 
 
 idly^ Where two Expofitions may be of 
 an Aft, and the one is agreeable to the Laws 
 of England^ and the other contrariant or 
 repugnant to them \ I moft humbly believe, 
 that your Honours will take it in the firft 
 Senfe, and not in the latter. 
 
 Now, without reciting all the Laws re- 
 lating to Pablicfc Worlhip and Miniftry, 
 which would take up too much time, though 
 I have them all ready, if your Honours fliall 
 think it neceflary, I believe it will be fuf- 
 ficientto remark, that the Afts of Aflembly 
 make ufe o n l y of indefinite Exprejfions and 
 general Terms. 
 
 For Example, in the ^th and ^th of 
 William and Mary^ the Aft makes menti- 
 on of a gathered Churchy and provides, 
 that the Minifter fliall be chofen according 
 
 D tQ 
 
[.6] 
 
 to the DireBion given in the Word of God-^ 
 and the Laws likewile ordain, that each 
 Town fliall have an Orthodox Minifter, or 
 Miniftcrs. 
 
 But thcfe Ads no where explain what 
 thofe DireBions in the Word of God are^ 
 nor what is meant by an Orthodox Mini- 
 Iter. 
 
 So that, I humbly conceive, Recourfe 
 muft be had to the Laws of Englandy as is 
 ufual in like Caies, to know the true and 
 undifguifed meaning of thefe general Terms 
 and indefinite Exfrejftons. 
 
 And I am fure I need not inform your 
 Honours, what the Laws of England mean 
 by .the Words Church and Orthodox Mini' 
 fier. 
 
 But that the Gentlemen of the Jury 
 (who can't be fuppofed to be fo well ac- 
 quainted with the Laws of England) may 
 know what they mean ; I moll humbly en- 
 treat your Honours Patience, while I recite 
 Part of the I'^th of Eliz. Chapter 12. 
 which was defigned to fettle Orthodoxy-, 
 and declares who fliall be deemed Orthodox 
 Miniftcrs. 
 
 The Acl: runs thus, 
 
 " That the Churches of the Queen's Ma- 
 " jcfty's Dominions may be ferved with 
 " Paftors of found Religion' Be it enaft- 
 " ed by the Authority of the prefent Par- 
 *' liament, That every Perfon under the 
 
 *' Degree 
 
[ ^7] 
 
 « Degree of a Bifliop, which doth or Ihall 
 " pretend to be a Prieft, or Miniltcr of 
 ^' God's Holy Word and Sacraments, by 
 ^' reafon of any other Form of Inftitution, 
 <^ Confecration, or Ordering, than the 
 " Form fet forth by Parliament, in the 
 " Time of the late King of moft worthy 
 *' Memory, King Edward VI. or now 
 " ufed in the Reign of our moft graci- 
 <^ ous Sovereign Lady, fhall in the Prefence 
 « of the Biftiop, ^c. declare his Affent, and 
 " fubfcribc to all the Articles of Religion, 
 « comprized in a Book Imprinted, En- 
 <^ tituled, Articles, whereupon it was a-* 
 <^ greed, ^c. 
 
 Thefe (May it pleafe your Honours) are 
 the Articles of the Church of England ; And 
 " (fays my Lord Chief Juftice Coke) the 
 " Subicription hereby required is to three 
 " Articles. 
 
 " The ift is, That the King's Majefty, 
 ^' under God, is the only fupream Govor- 
 " nour of the Realm, and all other his High- 
 « nefs*s Dominions and Countries. 
 
 " idly, That the Book of the Common- 
 *^ Prayer, and of Ordering of Biihops, Priefts 
 *' and Deacons, containeth nothing in it con- 
 ^^ trary to the Word of God, '^c. 
 
 " ^dly. That he alloweth of the faid 
 " XXXIX Articles of Religion, and acknow- 
 ^' ledgeth them to be agreeable to the Word 
 ^< of God. 
 
 D 2 After 
 
[ ^8 ] 
 
 After reciting thefe three Articles, my 
 Lord Coke goes on, — And I heard Wrayy 
 *^ Chief Jufticc in the King's Bench ^a^ch. 
 *^ a:^d of Eliz,^ report ^ That where one 
 « Smhh ilibflribed to the fkid XXXIX Ar- 
 ^^ ticks of Religion, with this Addition, (^o 
 " f^^ J^J'th as the fame were agreeable to the 
 ^' iVord of God J that it was refolved by 
 ** him, and all the Judges of England^ that 
 " the Subfcription was not according to the 
 " Statute of the 13th of ^/z^. becaufe the 
 *' Statute reqiiires an ablblute Subfcription, 
 " and this Subfcription made it conditio- 
 " nal ; and that this Act was made for 
 « avoiding Diverfity of Opinions, S^^. and 
 <' by this Addition the Party might, by his 
 " own private Opinion, take fome of them 
 ^' to be againft the Word of God \ and by 
 " this means Diverfity of Opinions Ihould 
 ^^ not be avoided, which was the Scope of 
 « the Statute ; and the very Ad it felf, 
 " made touching Subfcriptions, hereby of none 
 *^ EfFeft. Coke 4. Inpt. 324. 
 
 Now (may it pleafe your Honours) if a 
 Perfon ( though epifcopally ordained J who 
 xefules to give his Affent and Gonfent to 
 thefe three Articles abfolutely, and without 
 any Condition or Relervation, Ihall not, 
 by all the Judges of England^ be deemed 
 Orthod^x^ or of Sound Religion \ (which is 
 one and the fame thing) much lefs ^in 
 my humble Opinion^ fliall a Diffenting 
 
 "Teacher 
 
Teacher^ who abfblutely ccndemns Subfcrip-r 
 tion, and imagines, that thofe who impofe it, 
 have not right Opnions of Religion^ or aie 
 not of found Religion^ or Orthodox : I lay, 
 fuch a Perfon (^ certainly y^ by the Laws of 
 England^ will not be allowed to be of found 
 Religion or Orthodox ! 
 
 Who like wife, in the Eye of the Law of 
 Englandyis mere laicus^ not in Holy Orders, 
 but a mere Lay-Man, 
 
 Since then the Laws of England allow 
 no Minifter to be Orthodox^ but he who is 
 Epifcopally Ordained^ ^nd who fubfcribes the 
 aboveiaid three Articles, which is a Minifler 
 of the Church of England. 
 
 And inafmuch as by the Ads of Aflembly 
 of this Province, an Orthodox Miniitry is 
 fifablifbed in every Town ; 
 
 Therefore, by a j^y? and true Conftrudion 
 of the Laws of this very Trovince^ /^unleis 
 they are repugnant to the Laws of England) 
 the Minifiers of the Church of England are 
 eftabliftied here. 
 
 I beg leave to remark under this head, 
 that our prefent Governour Col. Shuie^ in his 
 Order to the Magiftratcs ot Brifiol^ &C. 
 wherein he prohibits their taxing the Church- 
 men towards the Maintenance of any other 
 Minifters, of any other Profelfion than Epf- 
 copalj calls the Church of England the ejia- 
 blifhcd Church here. 
 
 And 
 
[5o] 
 
 And the late Governour, Col. Dudley^ (by 
 wife Men, defervedly acknowledged the 
 tvifeft Man that ever was in this Country) 
 in a like Order, in Favour of the Church at 
 Hewbury^ declares the Church of England to 
 be the ejlabliped Church ; and fpeaking of 
 their Proceedings for fettling a Church there, 
 fays, that they are according to Law^ and 
 that they ought to be fuffered to- go peacea- 
 bly on for their good Ejiablijhment^ 
 
 May it peafe your Honours ; 
 
 The Opinion of this great and wife Man, 
 was founded upon his exad Knowledge of 
 the Laws of England:) feme of which (by 
 your Honours Permiffion) I fliall now pro- 
 duce, in order to make good my third Pro- 
 pofition^ vi^» 
 
 That by the Laws of England^ the Church 
 of England J a% efiablified in England^ and 
 jio OTHER, is pofitively eftablijhed in all 
 His Majefty's Plantations. 
 
 May it fleafe your Honours^ and you 
 Gentlemen of the Jury ; 
 
 The Common Law, and efpecially Magna 
 Charta^ is allowed to be the Law of the 
 Plantations, and every Englijhman\ Birth- 
 Right. And by that, the noly Churchy i. c. 
 the Church of England, is for ever inviolably 
 confirmed. 
 
 The Church reformed, and confirmed, and 
 eflabliped by the nd, 3d, 5th, 6th, of Edw 
 VL mentions England-, JValeSy Calais^ and 
 
 the 
 
t3i 1 
 
 the Marches thereof, and other the King's 
 Dominions^ and fays, the Inhabitants of this 
 Realm, and other his Majejty's Dominions. 
 
 This was repealed by the ifi of Mary ^ but 
 the i/? of Elizabeth took off that Repeal- 
 and mentions again the Realm of England^ 
 WaleSj or Marches of the fame, and (or) 
 
 other the ^een's Dominions \ and in 
 
 the Conclufion exprefsly inhibits any other to 
 be eftabitjh'd within the Realm, or any other 
 the ^een*s Dominions or Countries. 
 
 The 13th of Eliz, which declares who 
 are Orthodox Minifters, entitled an Ad for 
 the Minifters of the Church to be of ^ound 
 Religion^ — and provides. That the Churches 
 of the ^een's Majefly's Dominions may be 
 
 ferved with found MiniJterSy &c. qualified 
 
 as in the A£t. 
 
 Now, ^may it pleafc your Honours) I 
 humbly conceive, that by King's Dominions 
 muft be meant not only the then Domi- 
 nions, but what fliall be the King's Domi- 
 nions at all times, /while that Law remains 
 in force. 
 
 As ^for Inftance^ Afts of Trade that ex- 
 tend to the Plantations, bind new or acquired 
 Vlacesy added to the King's Dominions^ af" 
 ter juch A5is were made. 
 
 -And the 12th of Charles 11. which was 
 made after the Settlement of thefe Colonies, 
 confirms thofe former Ads, that mention the 
 -King's or Queen's Dominions or Countries. 
 
 - - But 
 
.[ 3^ ] 
 
 But above all, the 5th oiQ^Anne^ entitu- 
 led, An A5{ for fecuring the Church of Eng" 
 land, as by Law ejtabliflo'd^ re-inforces and 
 conhrms the 15th of El'tz. and the 12th 
 of Charles II. — and provides. That the King 
 Ihall Iwear to maintain the faid Settlement, 
 ( i, e» by the faid Ads, which A6ts compre- 
 hend the King's Dominions or Countries J of 
 the Church of Englandy and the Govern- 
 ment thereof, as by Law eftablijh^d within 
 the Kingdoms of England and Irelandj Do- 
 minion of WaleSy and Town of Berwick 
 upon Tweedy and the Territories thereunto 
 belonging. 
 
 And immediately declares, that this Aft 
 fhall be held a fundamental and effential 
 Part of any Union between the two King- 
 doms. 
 
 May it pleafe your Honours ; 
 
 By all the foregoing Afts, and by this 
 Ad in particular, it appears, that the Church 
 of England^ as ejiablijh'd in England^ and 
 no OTHER, is eflablljlod in all his Majefty's 
 Plantations. 
 
 And by the fame Aft it appears, that to 
 efiablifh any other, would be a Breach of 
 the Union between the two Kingdoms. 
 
 Therefore I humbly hope, that neither 
 your Honours, nor you Gentlemen of the 
 Jury, will look upon this Book, as written 
 to the Scandal of th^ Minivers of the G^- 
 
[ 3^ ] 
 
 /^/, eflablijhed by Law in this Province; 
 
 for it is a Defence of th em and their 
 
 Sacred Character. 
 
 May it fleafe your Honours ; ■ 
 
 1 have a great deal more to fay in my 
 Defence j but perceiving that fo much Time 
 is already lapfcd, I fhall omit it, only beg- 
 ging Leave to lay fome few Things to the 
 Jury. 
 
 Gentlemen, I would have you ferioufly 
 confider what you are about. 
 
 Remember that the Book indited is, The 
 Short and Eafy Method with the Deist s, 
 an no other ^ a Book wrote in Defence of 
 Chrijtianity, in Defence of our Holy Faith^ 
 againft the blafpheming Dei(ts. 
 
 And tho' there are fome Paffages in the 
 Indidment, which are fpoken of the Congre- 
 gational and Tresbyterian Minifters in this 
 Country; yet I would have you confider, 
 that theje Taffages are not in the Book indi- 
 Bedj but in another. 
 
 But granting that they were there, I be- 
 feech you, Gentlemen, to reflect with your- 
 felves, whether thofe gentle Methods of 
 reafoning and perfwading, and thofr tender 
 and ccmfajfionate Exfojtulations with thole 
 Gentlemen, to make them ierioufly con- 
 fider with themfelves, of the Validity of 
 
 that Commiflion by which they ad: 
 
 I fay, refled (Gentlemen) whether this looks 
 like Malice, and whether it fhould bring 
 
 E upon 
 
[ 54 ] . 
 
 upon me fuch a fevere Profecution, and Is 
 lufficicnt to demonjtrate me a CriminaU 
 
 I would have you confider, that I have 
 fufFered ^ery much already on account of my 
 Religion. 
 
 May it fleafe your Honours ; 
 
 I ihall now conclude, only beg leave to 
 render Thanks for the Liberty granted to me 
 iwbich is:) as denyd me at the Seffions) of 
 making fo particular a Defence \ and if in 
 the Profecution of it, I have laid any Thing 
 ungrateful to your Honours, I am fure you 
 will forgive me, when you confider, that 
 the nature of the Charge againft me obliged 
 me to fuch a manner of Defence. 
 
 ''Wherefore, without any further Apology, 
 I fliall fubmit it to your Honours, and to you 
 Gentlemen of the Jury, with all that Hu- 
 nnlity that becomes a Chriftian. Hoping, 
 nay, being well affured, that you will not 
 iind me guilty -^ nor this Book a LibeU 
 
 The Jury's VerdiB. 
 
 ,L yohn Checkley % 
 
 ^ adfed' C 
 
 Dom. Reg.\ 
 
 THE Jury find fpecially ; viz. If the 
 Book entituled^ A Short and Eafy Me- 
 thod with the Deists, containing in it a 
 Difcour[e concerning Epfcopacy^ Qublijhed 
 and ma7iy of them fold by the fat d Checkley) 
 be a falfe and fcandalous Libel '^ Then we 
 
 find 
 
[ 35 ] 
 
 find the faid Checklcy guilty of all and euery 
 7 art of the Indictment (excepting that 
 fuffofed to traduce and draw into diffute 
 the tmdouked Right and Title of our So- 
 vereign Lord King George, to the Kingdoms 
 of^ Great-Britain and Ireland, and the Ter- 
 
 ritories thereto belonging) But if the [aid 
 
 Book^ containing a Difcourfe concerning Efif- 
 cofacy as afore faid ^ be not a falfe and jean- 
 dalous Libel \ 'Then we find him not guilty. 
 
 Att' Samuel Tyley, Clerc. 
 
 The Tlea in Arreft of Judgment. 
 
 May it pleafe your Honours y ^V 
 
 NOtvvithftanding that I have been heard 
 fo fully by my Counfel, in Arreft of 
 Judgment; I nuift yet beg Leave of your 
 Honours, to fay fomething further myfelf 
 on the faime Plea, why Judgment ought to be 
 Arrefled. 
 
 May it pleafe your Honours ; 
 
 Upon my Trial at the Seffions, it was of- 
 ten declared from the Bench, that they would 
 not have me fuppofe, that I was to be tried 
 for writing any Thing in the Defence of the 
 Church of England and of Epfcopny^ againft 
 the Tresbyterian or Congregational Minilters 
 
 in this Country : no, by no Means I for 
 
 the Miniflers were able to defend therr: [elves. 
 
 And to demonftrate to your Honours that 
 their Worihips dcfigned to amend the Indid- 
 
 E 2 mcnt 
 
[ 36] 
 
 nient in that Particular, they ordered the 
 Attorney-General to infift upon thofe three 
 Claufes only (pretended to be) againft the 
 Government. 
 
 The Jury found me guilty of imagining 
 and contriving^ by the Subtillty of Arguments^ 
 to traduce the 'Title of His frefent Majefty. 
 
 (For it cannot be fuippoled, that they 
 found me guilty oi any Ihing elfe^ fince that 
 and that only^ by Order of the Worfhipful 
 Bench, was all the Charge againft me.) 
 
 And an heavy Judgment was thereupon 
 given. From which Judgment I appealed to 
 this Honourable Court; and after a fill and 
 fair Hearing, have been acquitted absolutely 
 by a Verdicl: of Twelve Men, from being 
 guilty of traducing and drawing into dijfute 
 the undoubted Right and Title of our ^^ove- 
 reign Lord King George, to the Kingdoms 
 of Great- Britain and Ireland, and the Terri- 
 tories thereto belonging. 
 
 This was the Charge againft me ; and of 
 this and this only^ was I lound guilty in the 
 lower Court. 
 
 But the Verdict of the Jury in this Ho- 
 murable Court., is an absolute Rever/ionoi the 
 Jury's Verdicl befoie the Sefions. 
 
 V/herefore I humbly hope, that this alone 
 (if there were nothing elfe) will be thought 
 lufficicnt, why Judgment ftiould not be given 
 againft miC. 
 
 For, with all due SubmifTion, I cannot 
 yet believe, that your Honours, in your fu- 
 
 periour 
 
[ 57 ] 
 
 perour Wifdom, will ever give the Icafl: 0> 
 cafion for the World to lay, that the very 
 formal Realbn of rny Condeinnation, was my 
 publilhing a Book entitaled, " A Short and 
 " Ealy Method with the Deiits, whercia 
 ^^ the Certainty of the Chriltiaa Religion is 
 " demonftrated by infalliabie Proof irom four 
 *' Rules, which are incompatible to any Im- 
 ^' pofture that ever yet has been, or can poi- 
 « fibly be. 
 
 To which was added another, in Defence of 
 thelacred and venerable Order of Biihop;>, and 
 in Defence of the Church of England^ '\i\ 
 whole jalutary Communion (by the Grace of 
 God) I purpofe to live and die. 
 
 Nor can i poffibly imagine, that this Ho- 
 nourable Court will give the lead Umbrage 
 to People for their luppoling, that your Ho- 
 nours think the Juiliccs at the Seiiions, did 
 not put my Trial upon a right Footing j or, 
 that their. Worlhips Ipokc unadvifedly, when 
 they faid, The Minijlers can defe?id them- 
 felves I 
 
 There are likevvife other Things, v/hich, in 
 my humble Opinion, are worthy of the No-' 
 tice of this Honourable Court, before Judg- 
 ment is given againit me. 
 
 The Jury have brought in a fpeciai Ver- 
 dict, and have not declared the Book a Libel, 
 that being left with your Honours, whether 
 you will adjudge it fo or not. 
 
 And that the Book may not be condemned 
 as a Libel, I humbly beg Leave to remark 
 
 thele 
 
thefe few Things for your Honours Confi- 
 deration. 
 
 It's a ruFd Cafe in my Lord Coke's 4 Inftrf. 
 2^S' ^' That if one fhall fay of a Merchant, 
 That he is a Bankrupt, or would be a 
 Bankrupt within two Days ; the Words 
 contain Matter of a Libel^ and are actio- 
 
 fiable. Bat I humbly conceive, that if 
 
 the Merchant, of whom the Words were 
 Ipoken, was actually declared a Bankrupt by 
 the Laws of the Land, at the Time when 
 the Words were fpoken ; the Words would 
 not contain in them the Matter of a Ltbel^ 
 refpeding that Man, and confequently not 
 aBionable. 
 
 The Ule I would make' of it is this. 
 
 The Book, now under the Confideratio.n of 
 the Honourable Bench, contains in it Argu- 
 ments for Epilcopacy, all of them laid down, 
 from the Beginning to the End, in a Hypo- 
 thetic Manner, thus, If Jejus Chriji in- 
 
 Itituted Biihops, and gave to them alone the 
 Power of fending others, then thoje who 
 pretend to have Chrifi's Commiifion, and 
 have not received it, either immediately from 
 Chrift, or immediately from thefe Biihops, 
 cannot be the Minifters of Chrift according to 
 Chrift's Inuitucion. 
 
 And further, that if any Perfon fhall caiife- 
 lefsly feparate from any found Part of the 
 Catiioiick Church, he is a Schifmatic^ and 
 Excommunicate^ by voluntarily cutting hirn- 
 Iclf off from the body of Chrift. 
 
 Now 
 
[ 39] 
 
 Now if any one fhall make the Aflurnp- 
 tion and lay, thefe are the "Treshyterian and 
 the Congregational Minifters, ®^. and their 
 reipcaivc Congregations under them. 
 
 Tet^ (may it pleafe your Yi.oviom^) granting 
 it to be [o \ I humbly conceive, that the 
 laying, concerning the Diffenting Minifters, 
 and their Congregations, that they are no 
 Minifters, and that they are Schismatics and 
 Excommunicates (fuppofing that thele Speeches 
 were absolute and not conditional ) ; yet, I 
 fay, I iiumbly hope, that this would not be 
 actionable, nor, refpeding the Diffenters, Mat- 
 ter of a Libel, Why ? 
 
 ^ Becaufe, the Dijfenters of all Denomina- 
 tions, are declared to be Schifmatics and Ex- 
 communicates by the Laws of the Land. 
 
 And in order to make this appear, I beg 
 Leave to recite the 4, 5, 6, 7, p/io, u, and 
 1 2th Canons of the Church of England pub- 
 lifiied by his Majcfty's Authority under the 
 Great Seal of England^ and now re-printed 
 this very Year by the King's Printer, by Or- 
 der of his Grace the Archbilhop of Canter- 
 hury, ^•*^-^^***** s;^after reading the Ca- 
 
 nons. 
 May it pleafe your Honours ; 
 
 There are no Expreffions in the Book at 
 Kar, tantamount to thele Cenfares of the 
 Diflenters, in the Canons juft now recited. 
 
 And 1 lliall humbly leave it with your 
 Honours, // it may not be worth your Con- 
 
 fidcratioHy 
 
[+o] 
 
 fideratioftj whether the condemning this 
 Bock, will not be a Declaration, that the 
 Church paflcd thefe Cenfiires againft the Dii^ 
 fentcrs clave errante ? 
 , But be that as it will, the Diflenters are 
 atfirm'd to be no Minijlers^ to be Schismatics^ 
 and excommunicate by the Canons of the 
 Church ot England^ which are Part of the 
 Law of the Land ; and therefore, to fay the 
 fame Thir^.gs of them, I humbly hope, jhall 
 not be deem'd a LibeL 
 
 The Sentence of Court. 
 
 Suffolk^ f At a Court of Assise, ^c. 
 
 Nov- 17^ 1724. 
 
 Cbeckley If 
 adfed' > '^'^HE Court hav 
 
 Dom. Reg. j J ing maturely ad- 
 
 vijed 071 this fpecial Verdidf^ are of Opnion 
 that the [aid John Checkley is guilty 
 of piblijhing and felling of a falfe and fcan- 
 dalous LibeL Ifs therefore conjidered by the 
 Courts That the faid John Checkley 
 Jhall fay a Fine of Fifty Tounds to the King^ 
 and enter into Recognizance in the Sum of 
 One Hundred Tonnds, with two Sureties in 
 the Sum of Fifty Tounds each^ for his good 
 Behaviour for fix Months^ and alfo fay Cofls 
 of Trofecution^ jianding committed until this 
 Sentence be ferjormed. 
 
 Att* Samuel Tyley, Clerc* 
 
 FINIS. 
 
SPECIMEN 
 
 Of a True 
 
 Dijfenting Catechism, 
 
 Upon Right True-Blue 
 
 Diffenting PRINCIPLES, 
 
 WITH 
 
 * LEARNED NOTES, 
 
 By Way of Explication. 
 
 ^.eftion. Why don*t the Diffenters in their Pub- 
 lick Worihip make ufe of the Creeds ? 
 
 Anfwer. Why ? Becaufe they are not fet down 
 
 tVcrd for Word in the Bible. 
 
 G)uefi'ion. Well, — But why don't the Bljfenters 
 in their Publick Worfhip make ufb of the Lord's- 
 Prayer ? 
 
 Anfwer. Qh! Becaufe that is fet down 
 
 Word for Word in the Bible. 
 
 * They're fo perverfe and oppofite 
 As if they worfhip'dGod for Spite. 
 
.?w 
 
 m*^ /