to determine. It is nowhere expressly declared by any of the earliest fathers, & was never affirmed or taught by the Church before the Council of Nice (Chillingas Pref. § 18. 33.) Iranæus sais 'who are the clean? those who go on firmly, believing in the Father & in the Son." The fundamental doctrine or the firmness of the X" faith in this early age then was to believe in the Father & Son. Constantine wrote to Arius & Alexr treating the question "as vain foolish & impertinent as a dispute of words without sense which none could explain nor any comprehend &c.' This line is commended by Eusebius (Vit. Constant 1. r. c. 64 &c.) and Socrates (Hist. Eccles. 1. i. c. 7) as excellent admirable & full of wisdom. 2 Middleton. 115. remarks on the story of St. John & [illegible]" Le saint concil (de Nièce anno 630) ayant defini que le fils de dieu est de meme substance que son pere & qu'il est eternel comme lui, composa une Simbole (the Nicene creed) ou il explique la divinite du pere et du fils et qu'il finit par ces paroles 'dont le regne n'aura point de fin.' car la doctrine que regarde le Saint Esprit ne fut ajoutée que dans la seconde concile tenu contre les erreurs de Macedoniens, ou ces questions furent agitées." Zonaras par Coussin. Ann. 330. The second council meant by Zonaras was that of Constantinople ann. 381. D'hist. Prim. Xty. pref. XXXVIII. 2d app. to pref. 49. The Council of Antioch ann [ ] expressly affirms of our Saviour οὐκ ἐστιν ὁμουσιος that he was not consubstantial to the father. The Council of Nice affirmed the direct contrary. Dhist. Prim. Xty. Pref. CXXV.

Episcopy. Gr. Eлisиоños. Lat. Episcopus. Ital. Vescovo. Fr. Evesque. Saxon, Byscop. Bishop (overseer). The epistles of Paul to Timothy & Titus are relied on (together with Tradition) for the Apostolic institution of bishops.

As to tradition, if we are Protestants we reject all tradition, & rely on the scripture alone, for that is the essence & common principle of all the protestant churches. As to Scripture 1. Tim. 3. 2. ‘a bishop must be blameless &c. Eл16иоñо5.' v. 8.; 'likewise must the deacons be grave &c. Aianovos' (ministers). C. 5. v. 6, he calls Timothy a 'minister, Ataxovo5;' C. 4. v. 14. 'neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was by prophecy with the laying on the hands of the presbytery,

given thee

πρεσβυτερίου; C. 5. ' rebuke not an elder ; Πρεσβυτεροι. 5:17;'let the elders that rule well, &c. IIρεoßvτεpou.' 5.19; 'against an elder (Пpɛбßurɛpos) receive nt an accusn.' 5.22. 'lay hands suddenly on no man, xɛɩpas éxitíoε1.' 6.11. He calls Timothy man of God avopшnε τov dεov, 2. Tim. 1. 6. 'stir up the gift of ἄνθρωπε τοῦ θεοῦ,

god, which is in thee, by the putting on of my hands 'ε10εσε∞5 Twv xεipov' but ante c. 4. v. 14, he said it was by the hands of the presbytery. This imposition of hands then was some ceremony or custom frequently repeated, & certainly is a good proof that Timothy was ordained by the elders (& consequently that they might ordain) as that it was by Paul. I. II. Paul calls himself a preacher,' an apostle,' 'a teacher.' 'unpv, naι añоστоλos κηρυξ, και αποστολος nai didαбnaλos.' Here he designates himself by several synonims as he had before done Timothy. Does this prove that every synonim authorizes a different order of ecclesiastics. 4. 5. 'do the work of an Evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry ἔργον ποίησον εὐαγγελιστου, την διακονιαν σου πληροφο ρεισον.” Timothy then is called 'επισκοπος, διακονος, ευαγ γελιστος." ανθρωποσ θεου. 4.11. He tells Tim. to bring Mark with him, for he is profitable to me for the ministry.' Stanoviav. Epist. to Titus. 1. 1, he calls himself 'a servant of god' dovλoo Beov.' 1.5. for this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain (naταoτηons) elders in every city, as I had appointed thee.' If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children, not accused of riot or unruly, for a bishop must be blameless as the steward of god &c. Here then it appears that as the elders appointed the bishops, so the bishops appointed the elders, i. e, they are synonims. Again when telling Titus to appoint elders in every city he tells him what kind of men they must be, for said he a bishop must be &c., so that in the same sentence he calls elders bishops. 3.10 ‘a man that is an heretic after the first & second admonition, reject, aiperinov.' James 5. 14. 'is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders (πрεбẞUTɛpos) of the church, & let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the lord.'

Another plea for Episcopal government in Religion in England is it's similarity to the political governmt by a king. No bishop,

VOL. 11.-7

no king. This then with us is a plea for government by a presbytery which resembles republican government.

The clergy have ever seen this. The bishops were alwais mere tools of the crown.

The Presbyterian spirit is known to be so congenial with friendly liberty, that the patriots after the restoration finding that the humour of people was running too strongly to exalt the prerogative of the crown promoted the dissenting interest as a check and balance, & thus was produced the Toleration Act.

St. Peter gave the title of clergy to all god's people till Pope Higinus & y succeeding prelates took it from them & appropriated it to priests only. I Milt. 230.

Origen, being yet a layman, expounded the scripchures publickly & was therein defended by Alexander of Jerusalem & Theodotn of Cæsarea producing in his behalf divers examples that the privilege of teaching was antiently permitted to laymen. The first Nicene council called in the assistance of many learned lay brethren. ib. 230.

Bishops were elected by the hands of the whole church. Ignatius (the most ant' of the extant fathers) writing to the Philadelphians sais'that it belongs to them as to the church of god to chuse a bishop.' Camden in his description of Scotl sais 'that over all the world bps had no certain dioces till pope Dionysius about the year 268 did cut them out, & that the bps of Scotl extd their function in what place soever they came, indifferently till temp Malcolm 3. 1070.'

Cyprian, epist. 68. sais 'the people chiefly hath power either of chusing worthy or refusing unworthy bps the council of Nice contrary to the African churches exorts them to chuse orthodox bps in the place of the dead.' I Milt. 254.

Nicephorus Phocas the Greek emperor Ann. 1000 first enacted that no bps sha be chozen without his will. Ignatius in his epistle to those of Tra [mutilated] confesseth that the presbyters are his fellow-sellers & fellow henchers & Cyprian in the 6. 4. 52. epst. calls the presbyters, 'his com-presbyters' yet he was a bps.-A modern bps to be moulded into a primitive one must be elected by the people, undiocest, unrevenued, unlorded. 1 Milt. 255. From the dissensions among sects themselves arises necessarily a right

of chusing & necessity of deliberating to which we will conform, but if we chuse for ourselves, we must allow others to chuse also, & to reciprocally. This establishes religious liberty.

Why require those things in order to eccliastical communion which Christ does not require in order to life eternal? How can that be the church of Christ which excludes such persons from its communion as he will one day receive into the kingdom of heaven.

The arms of a religious society or church are exhortations, admonitions & advice, & ultimately expulsion or excommunication. This last is the utmost limit of power.

How far does the duty of toleration extend?

I. No church is bound by the duty of toleration to retain within her bosom obstinate offenders against her laws.

2. We have no right to prejudice another in his civil enjoiments because he is of another church. If any man err from the right way, it is his own misfortune, no injury to thee; nor therefore art thou to punish him in the things of this life because thou supposeth he will be miserable in that which is to come on the contrary accdg to the spirit of the gospel, charity, bounty, liberality is due to him.

Each church being free, no one can have jurisdn over another one, not even when the civil magistrate joins it. It neither acquires the right of the sword by the magistrate's coming to it, nor does it lose the rights of instruction or excommunicn by his going from it. It cannot by the accession of any new member acquire jurisdn. over those who do not accede. He brings only himself, having no power to bring others. Suppose for instance two churches, one of Arminians another of Calvinists in Constantinople, has either. any right over the other? Will it be said the orthodox one has ? Every church is to itself orthodox ; to others erroneous or heretical.

No man complains of his neighbor for ill management of his affairs, for an error in sowing his land, or marrying his daughter, for consuming his substance in taverns, pulling down building & in all these he has his liberty: but if he do not frequent the church, or there conform to ceremonies, there is an immediate uproar.

The care of every man's soul belongs to himself. But what if he neglect the care of it? Well what if he neglect the care of his

Will the

health or estate, which more nearly relate to the state. magistrate make a law that he shall not be poor or sick? Laws provide against injury from others; but not from ourselves. God himself will not save men against their wills.

If I be marching on with my utmost vigour in that way which according to the sacred geography leads to Jerusalem straight, why am I beaten & ill used by others because my hair is not of the right cut; because I have not been dresst right, bec. I eat flesh on the road, bec. I avoid certain by-ways which seem to lead into briars, bec. among several paths I take that which seems shortest & cleanest, bec. I avoid travellers less grave & keep company with others who are more sour & austere, or bec. I follow a guide crowned with a mitre & cloathed in white, yet these are the frivolous things which keep X" at war.

If the magistrate command me to bring my commodity to a publick store house I bring it because he can indemnify me if he erred & I thereby lose it; but what indemnification can he give one for the kdom of heaven?

I cannot give up my guidance to the magistrates, bec. he knows no more of the way to heaven than I do, & is less concerned to direct me right than I am to go right. If the Jews had followed their Kings, among so many, what number would have led them to idolatry? Consider the vicissitudes among the Emperors, Arians, Athana &c. or among our princes. H. 8. E. 6. Mary. Elizabeth. Locke's Works 2d vol.

Why persecute for diffee in religR opinion?

1. For love to the person.

2. Because of tendency of these opns to dis[illegible].

1. When I see them persecute their nearest connection & acquaintance for gross vices, I shall believe it may proceed from love. Till they do this I appeal to their own conscences if they will examine, wh. ye do nt find some other principle.

2. Because of tendency. Why not then level persecution at the crimes you fear will be introduced? Burn or hang the adulterer, cheat &c. Or exclude them from offices. Strange should be so zealous against things which tend to produce immorality & yet so indulgent to the immorality when produced. These moral vices all men acknowlege to be diametrically against X. & ob