praise-worthy in a Bishop, to be so poore as to have nothing of his own. But to return to the ancient election of Bishops that it could not lawfully be without the confent of the people is fo expreffe in Cyprian, and fo often to be met with, that to cite each place at large, were to tranflate a good part of the volume, therfore touching the chief paffages, I referre the rest to whom fo lift perufe the Author himselfe in the 24. Epift. If a Bishop faith he, be once made and allow'd by the teftimony and judgement of his colleagues, and the people, no other can be made. In the 55. When a Bishop is made by the Suffrage of all the people in peace. In the 68. marke but what he faies, The people chiefly hath power, either of choofing worthy ones, or refufing unworthy: this he there proves by authorities out of the old and new Testament, and with folid reasons, these were his antiquities.

This voyce of the people to be had ever in Epifcopal elections was fo well known, before Cyprians time, even to thofe that were without the Church, that the Emperor Alexander Severus defir'd to have his governours of Provinces chosen in the fame manner, as Lampridius can tell: So little thought it he offenfive to Monarchy; and if single authorities perfwade not, hearken what the whole generall Councel of Nicaa the first and famousest of all the reft determines, writing a Synodal Epift. to the African Churches, to warn them of Arrianisme, it exhorts them to choose orthodox Bishops in the place of the dead fo they be worthy, and the people choose them, whereby they seem to make the peoples affent fo neceffary; that merit without their free choyce were not fufficient to make a Bishop. What would ye fay now grave Fathers if you should wake and fee unworthy Bishops, or rather no Bifhops, but Egyptian tafk-mafters of Ceremonies

thrust purposely upon the groaning Church to the affliction, and vexation of Gods people? It was not of old that a Confpiracie of Bishops could fruftrate and fob off the right of the people, for we may read how S. Martin foon after Conftantine was made Bishop of Turon in France by the peoples confent from all places thereabout maugre all the oppofition that the Bishops could make. Thus went matters of the Church almost 400. yeare after Chrift, and very probably farre lower, for Nicephorus Phocas the Greek Emperour, whose reign fell neare the 1000. year of our Lord, having done many things tyrannically, is faid by Cedrenus to have done nothing more grievous and difpleafing to the people, then to have inacted that no Bishop should be chosen without his will; fo long did this right remain to the people in the midst of other palpable corruptions: Now for Epifcopall dignity, what it was, fee out of Ignatius, who in his Epistle to those of Trallis confeffeth that the Prefbyters, are his fellow Counsellers, and fellow benchers. And Cyprian in many places, as in the 6.41.52. Epift. fpeaking of Prefbyters, calls them his Comprefbyters, as if he deem'd himselfe no other, whenas by the fame place it appeares he was a Bishop, he calls them Brethren; but that will be thought his meekneffe: yea, but the Presbyters and Deacons writing to him think they doe him honour enough when they phrase him no higher then Brother Cyprian, and deare Cyprian in the 26. Epift. For their Authority 'tis evident not to have bin fingle, but depending on the counsel of the Prefbyters, as from Ignatius was erewhile alledg'd; and the fame Cyprian acknowledges as much in the 6 Epist. and addes therto that he had determin'd from his entrance into the Office of Bishop to doe nothing without the confent of his people, and fo in the 31. Epift, for it were tedious to courfe through all his

writings which are fo full of the like affertions, infomuch that ev'n in the womb and center of Apoftacy Rome it felfe, there yet remains a glimps of this truth, for the Pope himselfe, as a learned English writer notes well, performeth all Ecclefiafticall jurifdiction as in Confiftory amongst his Cardinals, which were originally but the Parish Priests of Rome. Thus then did the Spirit of unity and meekneffe inspire, and animate every joynt, and finew of the mysticall body, but now the graveft, and worthiest Minister, a true Bishop of his fold shall be revil'd, and ruffl'd by an infulting, and only-Canon-wise Prelate, as if he were fome flight paltry companion: and the people of God redeem'd, and wash'd with Chrifts blood, and dignify'd with so many glorious titles of Saints, and fons in the Gospel, are now no better reputed then impure ethnicks, and lay dogs; ftones & Pillars, and Crucifixes have now the honour, and the almes due to Chrifts living members; the Table of Communion now become a Table of separation ftands like an exalted platforme upon the brow of the quire, fortifi'd with bulwark, and barricado, to keep off the profane touch of the Laicks, whilft the obscene, and furfeted Prieft fcruples not to paw, and mammock the facramentall bread, as familiarly as his Tavern Bifket. And thus the people vilifi'd and rejected by them, give over the earnest study of vertue, and godlineffe as a thing of greater purity then they need, and the fearch of divine knowledge as a mystery too high for their capacity's, and only for Churchmen to meddle with, which is that the Prelates defire, that when they have brought us back to Popish blindneffe we might commit to their difpofe the whole managing of our falvation, for they think it was never faire world with them fince that time: But he that will mould a modern Bishop into a primitive, must yeeld him

to be elected by the popular voyce, undioceft, unrevenu'd, unlorded, and leave him nothing but brotherly equality, matchles temperance, frequent fafting, inceffant prayer, and preaching, continual watchings, and labours in his Ministery, which what a rich bootie it would be, what a plump endowment to the many-benefice-gaping mouth of a Prelate, what a relish it would give to his canary-fucking, and fwan-eating palat, let old Bishop Mountain judge for me.

How little therfore those ancient times make for moderne Bishops hath bin plainly discours'd, but let them make for them as much as they will, yet why we ought not ftand to their arbitrement fhall now appeare by a threefold corruption which will be found upon them.

1. The best times were fpreadingly infected. 2. The best men of those times fouly tainted. 3. The beft writings of those men dangerously adulterated. Thefe Pofitions are to be made good out of those times witneffing of themfelves. First, Ignatius in his early dayes teftifies to the Churches of Afia, that even then Herefies were fprung up, and rife every where, as Eufebius relates in his 3. Book, 35. chap. after the Greek number. And Hegefippus a grave Church writer of prime Antiquity affirms in the fame Book of Euseb. c. 32. that while the Apostles were on earth the depravers of doctrine did but lurk, but they once gon, with open forehead they durft preach down the truth with falfities: yea thofe that are reckon'd for orthodox began to make fad, and fhamefull rents in the Church about the trivial celebration of Feasts, not agreeing when to keep Eafter day, which controverfie grew fo hot, that Victor the Bishop of Rome Excommunicated all the Churches of Afia for no other cause, and was worthily therof reprov'd by Irenæus. can any found Theologer think that these great

For

Fathers understood what was Gospel, or what was Excommunication? doubtleffe that which led the good men into fraud and error was, that they attended more to the neer tradition of what they heard the Apostles fomtimes did, then to what they had left written, not confidering that many things which they did, were by the Apostles themselves profest to be done only for the present, and of meer indulgence to fome fcrupulous converts of the Circumcifion, but what they writ was of firm decree to all future ages. Look but a century lower in the 1. cap. of Eufebius 8. Book. What a univerfal tetter of impurity had invenom'd every part, order, and degree of the Church, to omit the lay herd which will be little regarded, those that feem'd to be our Paftors, faith he, overturning the Law of Gods worShip, burnt in contentions one towards another, and increfing in hatred and bitternes, outragiously fought to uphold Lordship, and command as it were a tyranny. Stay but a little, magnanimous Bishops, fuppreffe your afpiring thoughts, for there is nothing wanting but Conftantine to reigne, and then Tyranny her selfe shall give up all her cittadels into your hands, and count ye thence forward her trustiest agents. Such were these that must be call'd the ancientest, and most virgin times between Christ and Conftantine. Nor was this general contagion in their actions, and not in their writings: who is ignorant of the foul errors, the ridiculous wrefting of Scripture, the Herefies, the vanities thick fown through the volums of Justin Martyr, Clemens, Origen, Tertullian and others of eldeft time? Who would think him fit to write an Apology for Chriftian Faith to the Roman Senat, that would tell them how of the Angels, which he must needs mean those in Gen. call'd the Sons of God, mixing with Women were begotten the Devills, as good