Space of four Years after Bishops had been laid afide, (if Edwards reckons right in his Gangræna) than have been known in the Univerfal Church from the Foundation of it to that time.

And it is no lefs worthy our Obfervation, that thofe who fet up against all Revealed Religion, and feem to aim at the Introduction of Atheism or Deifm are no lefs Anti-Epifcopal than our Schifmaticks or Hereticks. The Infamous Author of the Book falfely entituled the Rights of the Chriftian Church beftows one (g) whole Chapter of that Scandalous Treatife in an endeavour to overthrow the Divine Right of Epifcopacy. Indeed, as long as Epifcopacy continues, thefe fort of Men can have no hopes of making their most pernicious Principles to be received in the World. This is as good as confeffed by the Author of the Turkish-Spy: A Man who under the Disguise of a Mahometan has taken occasion to undermine Christianity in its most fundamental Articles, and whilft he would appear a Bigot for the Alcoran, endeavours to expofe that as well as the Gospel, and plainly Difcovers himself an Infidel as to all Revealed Religion, and to be indeed a meer Deist. Now this Gentlemen in a (b) Letter to the Mufti (as is pretended) fhews plainly that there is no fubverting Christianity, till Epifcopacy is first abolished. The Chriftian Church, fays he, feems to be a Stately Building, whereof Prelacy is the Corner Stone; if this were removed all would fall to the Ground. That which they call the Hierarchy; if it could once be diffolved or pulled down, we fhould foon fee all Christendom laid in Ruines. This Hierarchy, is a Gradual Subordination • of Archbishops, Bishops and Priests; the Infe

riour depending on the Superiour, and all < deriving theirOrders and Dignities from their 'chief Patriarchs. Thefe are the Links which compose that Chain that faftens Christendom 'together; were this once Broke the United 'Interest of Europe would foon fall to Pieces. The way must be by beginning at the lowermoft Link; could but the Priefts be ren'dred Independent on the Bishops, and on each 'other, it would be a fair ftep to the Difinantling of the Outworks, thefe Priests drawing ' infinite numbers of People after them; as it is apparent in Geneva, Holland, Swifferland and ' other Places, where they have quite Aboli'fhed the Order and Authority of Bishops: And ' it is obfervable, that none of thefe foremen'tioned Countries fince that time, have ever 'been Inftrumental in oppofing the Victorious

Arms of the Ottoman Empire; as if with the • downfal of Epifcopacy, the Charm were diffi 'pated, which had for fome Ages precipi'tated thefe Nations (among others) to a rash ' and obftinate refiftance of that Force, which 'is deftined by Fate to Conquer and Reform 'the World. Weigh well this thought, and 'thou wilt find that the Order of Bishops is 'Effential and necessary to the good Estate of Christendom, and that the only way for the Muffulmans to undermine all Europe will be to fupplant this Order, and introduce an Ecclefiaftical Independency among the Priests, by which means every one fhall affume to himfelf, not only his proper Fragment of the Torn Dignity, but the whole Fundamental 'Power of a Bishop; taking upon him to do thofe Offices which before it was not accounted lawful for any but a Mitred Head to per⚫ form.

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form. Hence in time will follow innumerable Inconveniencies, Diftafts and Broils; and perhaps as many Schifms as there are particular Priests to Head them: Since every one will be apt to think himfelf capable of dictating to all the rest, and judge it below him to receive the Law from any. Thus will there be a clear Stage for Ambition, Avarice and Luft to act their parts on; and when by the Craft of defigning Men, the Super'ftition of Bigots, and the Eafinefs of the Credulous, the greatest part fhall be fo divided, that it will be difficult to find two Men of the fame mind in Articles of Faith; It will then be eafy, either by the Intelligible • Reafons of the Alcoran, or the more cogent Arguments of the Sword, to plant the true and undefiled Faith in thefe Countries.

The Truth is, this thought of his deferves, as he fays, to be well weighed, not out of fear of Mufjulmen, (who, God be thanked, are yet at a good distance from us) but with Refpect to his Brethren the Deifts, for whofe fake the Book was Written, and who are wife enough to fee that there is no overthrowing Chriftianity without beginning at Epifcopacy, and therefore in all their efforts for the Introduction of Infidelity they fail not to make fome Reflections on the Hierarchy: For could they once get that Obstacle removed, they might poffibly have fome fair hopes of fucceeding in their Designs.

Eraftus alfo, who wrote his Thefes and the Confirmation of them (as he tells us himself in his Preface) with a Design to fhew that the Magiftrate was vefted with all Spiritual as well as Temporal Power, which is in effect to say that

all Religion is derived from the Magiftrate: And confequently if the Magiftrate be not a Chriftian there can be no Body to prefide over and to take care of the Church, or to put its Laws in Execution. Whence it neceffarily follows that there can be no revealed Religion, unless the Revelation be committed to the Magiftrate. Now it is plain from the Scriptures that the Chriftian Religion was not committed to the Temporal Powers to be Published to the World, but to twelve poor Fishermen and fome others, who had no manner of Temporal Authority, nor ever pretended to any: But it is plain that these Men and their Succeflors exercised a Spiritual Authority, even that of Excommunication, not only without any Commiffion from, but alfo against the Will and direct Prohibition of the Supreme Powers then in being, who forbid the Exercise of that Religion for three Hundred Years together. The confequence of which is, that the Chriftian Religion was for fo long time a falfe Religion: And if it was fo then it must be fo ftill, fince there has been no new Revelation of it fince Sovereign Princes embraced it. For which reafon I cannot but rank Eraftus (how much foever he may pretend to Chrifianity) amongst the Writers for Deifm. And he plainly declares himself an Enemy to Epifcopacy, and maintains the Parity of Ecclefiaftical Minifters. Telling us in his Sixty third Thefis, That he thinks it very evident from the Writings of the Apostles Peter and Paul, that Minister, Bihop, and Presbyter (if by that name we under ftand the Office and not the Age of any Person) were in the Apostles time the very fame. For without Difpute he faw plainly that if he fhould

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fhould allow any Difparity amongst Ecclefiafticks, that would neceflarily overthrow his Irreligious Hypothefis.

(1) Rights of the (a) A late Scandalous Author of the fame Church, p. 178. Stamp with the two former, tells us, that it was the Opinion of Archbishop Cranmer (whom he truly Stiles that great Reformer and glorious Martyr) that he that's appointed Bishop or Prieft (between whom, he fays, there was no Diftinction) needs no Confecration by the Scripture, for Election or appointing thereunto is fufficient. This he pretends was delivered in Writing at a Confult of the most Eminent Divines of this Nation, A. D. 1540. But if Archbishop Cranmer did ever deliver a Paper containing any fuch Doctrine as his Opinion, it is very certain that it must be before he had confidered the Point, for it is indifputable that he was afterwards of another mind when he Subfcribed to Dr. Leyghton's Pofition, and declared under his Hand, (b) That a Bishop hath Authority from God in Scripture, as his Minister to make a Prieft, and that he had not read that any other Man had Authority to make a Prieft by Scripture, or knew any Example thereof. And that there is a Confecration required as by Impofition of Hands. For fo we be taught by the Enfample of the Apostles. Who were made Bishops and Priests by Chrift, and after them the Seventy two Difciples were made Priests. And that this was his constant settled Opinion appears evidently from his Sermon of the Authority of the Keys, published by himself above Seven Years after his Subscription to Dr. Leyghton's Pofition. This excellent Sermon is in fol. 226, of his Book entituled CATECHISMUS, That is to fay, a fhort Instruction into Chriftian Religion, &c. by the most Reverend

(b) Colle&t of

Records in the
Bishop of S rum
Hift of the Re

3d Book of the

format. p. 225. 227. 230.

Father