In the Vacancy of a See, (fays he) all the Members of it, (Clergy and Laity) met together, to choose a fit Perfon for a Succeffor; and it need not be difputed between us, but that in many Dioceses (tho' not in all) they commonly did fo; provided that by choofing here, we may be allow'd to understand what our Enquirer himself fairly intimates to us, that 'twas no more than to pitch upon a Perfon acceptable to themfelves, whom they might propofe and recommend to the Neighbouring Bifhops, for their Confent and Approbation, (for his own Scheme runs fo) that is, for thofe Bishops to accept or refuse him, as they should think fit; for where we fue for Approbation or Confent, we must allow a.Right and Power to disapprove and diffent

too.

But then the next Words in the Enquiry run higher than fo, and may mislead the Reader, if he be not well aware of it: They met (fays he) to choofe a Succeffor, to whom they might commit the Care and Government of their Church. This is fomewhat more (fure) than preparing to recommend to others; 'tis plainly attributing to them a confiderable Share (at least) of original Right and Power invefted in them, to dispose of their Bishoprick to the Perfon they should please to choose. And we need not doubt,but that our learned Author intended they fhould be underftood fo; fince in another † Place, where he treats directly of the Acts and Powers of the Lay-Members of a Church, he affirms in plain Terms,

I 2

+See Eng. p. 103.

Terms, that they had a Power not only to el the Perfon of their Bishop, but to depofe him too in cafe he prov'd Scandalous, Heretical, or the

like.

Now what this Lay-Power was, in constituting Bishops of old, and from whence it came, is the Point in queftion; and for the easier Solution of it, we need only carefully observe these Two things: 1ft, What the holy Scriptures themselves teach us concerning the divine Inftitution of this facred Office and Power of Conftituting and Ordaining Bishops and Pastors in the Church, together with the Manner it was firft executed and put in Practice in the very Apoftolical Age itfelf. And, 2dly, What Account we meet with of the fame thing, in the following Ecclefiaftical Records of Fathers, Councils, or Hiftorians, in the Ages very near approaching to the firft.

These two great Authorities (impartially compar'd together) will teach us to distinguish fairly, between a Divine Right, Authority, and Power, of ordaining Elders in the Church,completely and abfolutely convey'd (by the Fountain of all Power) to the fingle Perfons of the first Spiritual Rulers of it;without the Concurrence of any Popular Election, on the one hand; and the wife and prudent Rules and Methods which the fucceeding Governors in many Parts of the Church laid down for themselves in the Ufe and Practice of that Ordaining Power, fo entirely convey'd down to them, on the other. And if this fhort and clear Diftinction were but duly attended to, and without Prejudice apply'd to the present Difpute before us, the Adverfa

ries

faries on both fides might happily find their Account in it, and come nearer to compromise their fatal (tho' unneceffary) Difference about it. For, if the former Part or Member of this Diftinction appear true, (which I fhall particularly confider by and by) then fuch as difallow the Neceffity of Popular Elections in the Cafe, (call them by what Name we please) muft, at least, have a fair Appearance of a very important Plea (even from the holy Scriptures themselves) for their Opinion of it; and on the other fide, if very Primitive Bifhops, fucceeding in the Places, Character, and Power of thofe earlier Predeceffors of theirs in the Chriftian Church, did form Rules or Canons by mutual Confent amongst themselves, not to exercise that Ordaining Power and Office (so invested in them) any otherwise than in the Prefence, and with the general Approbation of the Church or People, over which the Perfon fo ordain'd, was intended to prefide; then the Advocates for this Popular Claim, Intereft, or Right (call it what you will) of bearing fome Part alfo, in electing and conftituting a Bishop over them, may have plaufible Precedents of Ecclefiaftical Antiquity to recommend their Plea for it too: Which two Points, I humbly conceive, contain the main Substance of what is generally offer'd on one fide or the other; at least, they feem to me, more immediately and directly to anfwer all the Reafonings of our learned Enquirer about it; who, thro' all his Management of this Argument, grounds his whole Scheme upon fuch ancient Ecclefiaftical Authorities alone; and as for Texts of holy Scripture, or any authentick Charter of Popular Election

13

Election contain'd in them, (at the first Divine or Apoftolical Inftitution of it) has thought fit not to mention one; [as the *Reader may see,by confulting the References noted in the Margin here.]

To begin then with the former Part, or Member of the Diftinction itself; which is this, That the holy Scriptures fet forth to us a Divine Right, Authority, and Power of Ordaining Elders in the Church, completely and abfolutely convey'd (from the Fountain of all Power in it) to the fingle Perfons of the first Spiritual Rulers of it, without any previous or concurrent Election of the People in it, and farther, that the Apoftles themselves, or Apoftolical Men, (eminently fo call'd, and adopted into the Number of them) did accordingly both execute and convey the fame Ordaining Power, in the fame Manner, unto others at their first planting of Chriftian Churches in the World. This Evidence of Fact, I fhall briefly hew, the holy Scriptures do fet forth to us.

And firft, as to the peculiar Apoftolick College itself, which we know was firft confecrated and ordain'd to this holy Function, (as the Spring and Fountain from whence all the reft is undoubtedly derived) I prefume it will not be difputed, but that they received a Fulness of Power for Ordinations, as well as every other Part of their Minifterial Office, from the bleffed Jefus himself, (whether before or after his Refurrection) without any imaginary Appea

rance

See Enq. P. 23, 24. and p. 46, to p. 49.

rance of fuch a Popular Choice or Approbation in the Cafe: And therefore I do but barely name the Thing; tho' I muft make this fhort Remark upon it, that 'tis no inconfiderable Circumstance to the Point in hand, that the Catholick Church was thus founded upon Governors and Paftors ordain'd to rule over every Part of it, before there was any form'd Church or fettled Congregation in the World to have any hand in it. This comes as near the Root (I'm fure) of all Divine Right or Power in Ordinations, as 'tis poffible to do: And in what other Sense can we reasonably conceive those first Plenipotentiaries of Church-Power could understand their bleffed Lord's Exprefs Commiffion to them, * As my Father hath sent me, even fo fend I you, than as a perfonal Power to ordain others in the fame Manner likewife, according as the Occasion of converting all Nations, and gathering Churches in them, (where there were none before) did moft naturally require.

That they did fo understand, and execute their Commiffion fo too, (if a very short Digreffion may be allow'd me here) that one venerable Record of Antiquity, which our Enquirer himself fingled out to prove the Contrary by, will manifeftly fhew; I mean S. Clement's first Epistle to the Corinthians, where the holy Father's Words are thefe: § The Apostles I 4 (fays

* Fob. xx. 21.

+ See Eng. P. 49.

Ο Οἱ Απόςολοι — καθίςανον τὰς ἀπαρχὰς αυτ εἰς ἐπισκόπες και διακόνες τη μελλόντων πιςεύειν. Clem. ad Corinth. Ep. 1. p. 54, 55.