P. 317. And, apparat. ad Libros de Primatu Pape, Poft diftinctionem Ordinum factam & fuperlatum unum Epifco pum pluribusPresbyteris, non Aliud nec Majus Difcrimen inter Utrofque invectum quam utEpifcopus folus Jus Ordinationis haberet, quo carebat Presbyter, p. 52. vide plura ibid. p. 74, 112, 113, 114, 116, 123, 152, 264. Blondel, Apologia pro fententia Hieronym. p. 157. thus, Nemo vero jure negaverit, ex quo quædam Epifcopis illis affignata eft fuper Confortes, umex utClericorum quorumcunque Confecrationibus præeffert, ex erundemque Claffe prodirent, qui ad Epifcopatus Presbyteriique gra dus evectos, folenni ritu in demandati muneris poffeffionem, totius Ecclefiæ nomine mitterentur, neceffe fuiffe. Electos igitur confueta manus impofitione, Myfticaque Prece confecrare foli debuerunt; Non Alii quos fecundas in Ecclefiaftica Minifterio Partes obire Confuetudo voluerat, vide Plura p. 345. Daille Le Scriptis Areopagita & Ignatii, p. 388. Having cited these words from Ignatius's Epiftle ad Heronem (which we acknowledge to be Spurious) Επίσκοποι χειροτονησι χειροδιτησι, he Subjoyns thus, fe primi Gradus Miniftros, i. c. Veri Nominis Epifcopos intelligere Oftendit, dum iis de quibus loquitur Or dinandi & Manum Imponendi jus diferte tribuit.

Rang'd them in an Order diftinct from, and Superior to the Order of Prefbyters, (b) and, he laughs at the Jargon of thofe Popifh Schoolmen who Affert that Bishops and Prefbyters do not make Diftinct Orders, but Different Degrees of One and the fame Order. (c) Blondel readily grants that if Epifcopacy

(b) Si ulla porro ponenda eft inter Ordines Diftinatio, illa om

nationis proteftate--Apparat. p. 115. and Sola igitur Ordinatio facit Ordinis Differentiam, ibid. p. 116. vi. de Paria, ibid p. 112. & walo Meß. P. 403, 404.

nino videtur ex Ordi

() Nugantur qui

negant Ordine differe

Epifcopos a Presbyte

ris Apparat. p. 153. See ikid. P. 39, 66, 72, 112, 113,

114, 115, 118, 135, 136.

was

was Inftituted by the Apoftles, and if the Power of Ordination was by them Committed to Bishops, Prefbyters can

(d) Certe, fi pari- not Ordain. (d) of thefe tate inter Epifcopos their Conceffions you have & Presbyteros per A

poftolos ipfos fublata, a Specimen on the Margent. illis proprias quafdam Now, confidering that functiones affignavit, their Caufe and Intereft his ademit Dominus,

nec Presbyteri huma no Privilegio freti, a liena unquam ad fe ttahare cebuerunt. Cum Culpa fit fe immifcere rei ad fe non pertinenti, &c. pol. pry Sent. Hieron. p. 377, 378. vide plura p. 158 & 167.

T

naturally tended to forbid them to make them; what elfe befides the Irrefiftible Force of thorough Convition, can we Imagine, cou'd have obliged fach Three to make fuch Conceffions? To be fure they had never made them if they had not feen very great Reafon for making them. If then we fhall find fufficient Evidence that Epifcopacy is of Apoftolical Inftitution, it must follow that Ordinations were always perform'd by Bishops, and never without them; and this muft amount to a fhrewd Plea for the Invalidity of Ordina tions that are not Epifcopal. If then we fhall find fufficient Evidence that Ordinations were always perform'd by Bifhops and never with out them, we fhall have a fhrewd Plea for the Invalidity of Ordinations that are not Epifcopal.

8. II. Then, Let us firft confider the Holy Scriptures of the New Teftament. In fhort, in them we find no Commiffions Granted, No Orders Conferred but by thofe who

had

had Epifcopal Authority either Formally or Eminently. The Commiffions given by our Lord to the XII. Mat. 10. and to the LXX. Luke 10. were but Temporary: Neither did they Conftitute thofe who got them, Governours of the Chriftian Church. The Chriftian Church was not Founded till Our Lord rofe from the Dead. 'Twas after his Refurrection that He (who is the Great Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls) Sent the XI. as his Father had fent him; that is, Gave them their Commiffions to be the Supreme Governours of his Vifible Church. Fob. 20. 21.

9. The Apoftles thus Invested with Epifcopal Power Ordain the VII. Deacons, A&, 6. 6. Whether they themfelves Ordain'd the First Prefbyters of the Church of Jerufalem, or whether they firft Confecrated St. James to be Bishop of that Church, (which 'tis certain they did very foon after our Lord's Afcenfion) and then left it to him to Ordain his own Prefbyters, comes all to one Purpofe; either way, 'tis plain, thofe firft Prefbyters had Epifcopal Ordination. That Impofition of Hands which is mentioned A. 13. 3. was no Ordination, but a Peculiar Benediction of Two who were Apoftles before, while they were to enter on a Peculiar Expedition. The firft Ordination of Prefbyters we Read of was Perform'd by Two Apoftles, Paul and Barnabas, i. e. Two Perfons Cloathed with Epifcopal Authority, in an Eminent Degree. Act. 14. 23. We find Timothy when he was Settled Bifhop of Ephefus (which was not done during

all

I

all that Period of Time St. Luke accounts for in the Book of the Ads of the Apostles) in Full Poffeffion of, at leaft, the Chief Power of Ordination. This is Evident from the Rules laid down by St. Paul, 1 Tim. 3. to be Obferv'd by him in Promoting whether PreJbyters or Deacons. His having this Power is alfo plain from 1 Tim. 5. 22. and 2 Tim. 2. 2. As much is Evident concerning Titus, from Tit. 1. 5, &c. And who can reafonably doubt that the VII. Angels (i. e. Bishops) of the VII. Churches mentioned in the Firft Three Chapters of the Revelation had the fame Power? "Tis evident from the Epiftles written to them, and your own Blondel, (Pref. ad Apol. pro Sent. Hieron. p. 6,) Confeffes, They were Chargeable with what Male-Adminiftrations foever happened in their Refpective Churches. How, could this have been, if Ordinations cou'd have been perform'd without them? Whereon can the Right Administration of the Affairs of a Church Depend more than on due Care and Caution taken, that her Officers be Worthy Men, and fit for their Imployments? But how cou'd thofe Angels have been obliged to take fuch Care and ufe fuch Caution, if Officers could have been Ordain'd without Dependance on them? How cou'd they be made to Anfwer for the Practices of those who had not their Commiffions from them, and were not Subject to them?

10. Hitherto then, and fo far as the Scriptures inform us, All Ordinations were perform'd

form'd by thofe who were Superiour to Ordinary Prefbyters. The only Text you have produced; The only Text your Fathers of the Westminster Affembly could find to be produced as Countenancing Prefbyterial Ordinations, is, 1 Tim. 4. 14. But I am perfwaded it cannot do you any Service. This is certain that even fuppofing the word ageCUTEgior in that Text did unqueftionably fignifie a Society, a Senate or a Colledge of Prefbyters, you fhall never be able to prove that 'twas any thing like to One of your Modern Scottish Claffical Prefbyteries. How will you be able to prove that there were any of your Lately Minted Order of Rul ing Elders in it? Perhaps you'll fay, Ruling Elders do not Concur with you in the Impofition of Hands. I afk, Why fo? Have they not, at least, by your Principles, the Power of Government in Parity with your Preaching Elders? Why, then, fhould they not Concur in the Communication of it? But to come nearer you:

11. Firft, Making the juft now mentioned Suppofition, viz. That the Teeo Bulegor was a Senate, &c. How will you be able to prove that 'twas a Senate of Ordinary Prefbyters; St. Chrifoftom, and divers other Fathers are pofitive that it was not: And their Reason is, that Timothy was a Bifhop; and 'twas never heard nor read of, that Prefbyters cou'd Ordain a Bishop. Befides, I afk, do not those of your Party, that they may avoid Timo

thy's