ecclefiaftical, i. e. clerical power; fince 'tis well known, that the clergy had, for many ages, ufurped and appropriated the name of the CHURCH to themselves, to the injury of the true church of Chrift, which is the christian laity, or collective body of believers. Thus did they choose to maintain their own ufurpations over the chriftian people, by ambiguous and fraudulent terms and tranflations of the word of God, rather than endanger their own pretenfions and craft by a plain honeft verfion, that might lead the reader into a true knowledge of the genuine sense of scripture. I WILL give one inftance more of the integrity of the managers of this tranflation, becaufe 'tis directly to my prefent purpose. Acts xiv. 23. When they had oRDAINED them elders in every church, they commended them to the Lord. The Greek word TOVNOTES is rendered by the old ecclefiaftical word, ORDAINED, because the ordination is here fuppofed to be made by Paul and Barnabas, and fo may feem to countenance the appropriation of ordinations to clerical men. But they knew that this would not bold throughout the N. T. and therefore we have the fame word rendered very differently, and made to convey quite another notion, when the using the old ecclefiaftical word, ORDAINED, might have led the people into an opinion, which it was not the clergy's intereft fhould be countenanced and propagated, WAS gated. 2 Cor. viii. 19. St. Paul tells the Corinthians: We have fent with him (Titus) the brother, whofe praise is throughout all the churches, and not only so, but who was also chofen (potomes ORDAINED) of the churches to travel with us. Had thefe words been rendered, who ORDAINED BY THE CONGREGATIONS, which is the true fenfe of them, an indifferent reader would have been apt to have concluded, that originally every chriftian congregation had some share in the ordination of their own officers; as in all right and equity one would think they ought to have, and as we are fure they had for a long term of years in the election of them. But there were certain reasons why this should be concealed as a fecret from the poor laity, and why even the word of God itfelf fhould be fo rendered as to countenance the deception. I intend foon to lay before the world fome other curiofities of this kind; and shall now only observe farther, that as the fcripture tells us, that the friendship of this world is enmity with God; fo friendship with that church, which the corrupt clergy have erected, is direct enmity to the church of Chrift. The rights of the true church are the rights and liberties of the chriftian flock; and when the authority and rights of any other church are pleaded for, 'tis a plea for the ufurpations of thofe men over the liberties liberties of the church of Chrift, who never were honoured with that facred name, and who at best are but the minifters and fervants of it. To be a flaunch churchman, and a true fon of the church, in the christian and honourable fenfe of the words, is to maintain a steady oppofition to all ecclefi aftical encroachments and abuses, and not Servilely to fubmit to clerical claims and determinations; but zealously to assert, and fteadily ftand up in defence of thofe liberties, with which Chrift hath made the chriftian people free. In this fenfe I am a true churchman, and fo is every Old Whig and Confiftent Proteftant in the kingdom; but to be a true churchman, in the ecclefiaftical fense of the expreffion, is to betray the caufe of christianity, and confent to the facrifice of the most valuable liberties of mankind. I know this zeal for the true church will be cenfured by the craftsmen of the age, as enmity to that church which they have trumpt up in the room of it. And I allow the charge is true; for 'tis impoffible to be acted by a true zeal for the privileges of the christian people, who are the only church of chrift that the fcriptures mention, and not to be an enemy to the iniquitous pretences of a few worldly and ambitious men, who have robbed the christian laity of this facred name, and without colour and reafon have facrilegiously affumed and appropriated it to themTelves. And as that illuftrious prelate, who who hath so ftrenuously and unanswerably defended the rights and liberties of the people, hath raised to himself a monument of glory, that will laft whilft true religion and liberty fhall have a being in these kingdoms; he will not be offended with me when I mention to his honour, and the honour of a wife and grateful adminiftration, what was but a few days ago fpoken to his reproach by a reverend doctor of this city: That he is the greatest enemy the church hath had for many ages, and has been rewarded with four bishopricks for his pains. To the charch of Chrift he hath approved himself the most fteady friend; and if he is an enemy to the church, it can be only to the unchriftian ufurpations of * whom he bath tried, which fay they are the church, and are not, and whom he hath found lyars. Nor can there ever be a more juft and equitable diftribution of national rewards, than on those who efpoufe the cause of virtue, and are the avowed patrons of the civil and religious liberties of mankind. The best preferments are but a reward equal to his merit; and every good man rejoices to fee that merit fuitably rewarded, and bleffes the hand that fo wifely and juftly beftowed it. * Revel. ii. 2. men, NUM B. NUM B. LXXIV. Emongmos veteribus Græcis dicebatur, quifquis alicui negotio aut loco fuerat præfectus. I. Cafaub. in Æn. Tact. apud Polyb. Na foronet N a former paper I have given fome account of the notion of the word CHURCH, as used both by facred and prophane writers. I now intend to confider the proper meaning of the word BISHOP, which is a term that hath made a very confiderable noife and figure in the learned world; on which account I hope my candid reader will excufe if I fhew a little more of my learning me, than ufual in the explication of it; efpecially as I fhall endeavour to vail nothing from him under the cover of myftery, but to make him as wife and knowing as myself. THE word bishop then, comes by certain gradual alterations from the Greek mo gms, epifcop, pifcop, pifchop, bishop, and is originally of Pagan or Heathen derivation, and what is very wonderful, both of the mafculine and feminine gender. 'Tis of great antiquity and dignity, and in its primary and original fenfe denotes an infpector or overfeer And of thefe inspectors and |