tary preaching of the Gospel, or by any other means, he is received into the breast of man; that he enlightens and leads them to the knowledge of God, guides them in the paths of truth, and entire newness of life, and encourages the hape of Everlasting Salvation. We believe that there is one church of God, and that not, as formerly amongst the Jews, confined to one corner or kingdom, but Catholic and universal, and extending over the whole earth, in such a manner, that no nation whatever can justly complain of being excluded from the Church, and incapable of belonging to the people of God. We believe, also, that this church is the kingdom, body, and spouse of Christ; that of this kingdom, Christ is the sole monarch; of this body, the sole head; of this spouse, the sole bridegroom; that there are various orders of ministers in the Church, that some are Deacons, others Priests, others Bishops, to whom the instruction of the people, and the care and management of religious concerns, are entrusted. And yet we maintain, that there neither is, nor possibly can be, any one man appointed to exercise supreme controul over the whole Church; for, in the first place, Christ is ever present to assist his Church, and requires no vicar,* or sole inheritor and successor; and secondly, no man is endued with a mind sufficiently comprehensive to embrace the universal Church, that is, every part of the world, so as to regulate and administer its affairs with propriety. The Apostles, according to St. Cyprian, † enjoyed an equal share of power, and each was invested with the same authority as St. Peter; they were all in like manner enjoined "to feed the flock, to go into the world, and preach the gospel." St. Jerome likewise observes, "that all Bishops, wherever they reside, whether in Rome or Eugubium, in Constantinople or Rhegium, held equal pre-eminence, and are of the same priesthood. St. Cyprian § moreover declares, that there is one order of Episcopacy, a perfect and independent part of which each Bishop holds; and according to the decree of the council of Nice, the Bishop of Rome has no more authority in the church than the patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch. *This argument is intended to refute the Popish doctrine, that the Roman Pontiff is Christ's Vicar General on earth, and the temporal prince of his kingdom in this world. + De simplicitate Prælatorum. + Ad Evagrium. § De simplicitate Prælatorum. But the Roman Bishop, who now claims universal ecclesiastical dominion, is unworthy of the name of Bishop, or even of Priest, unless he administer the sacraments, and instruct the people, by preaching and admonishing them on suitable occasions. For, as St. Augustin observes, the Title of Bishop is not honorary, but efficient, and he must not be considered worthy of that dignity, who does not labour for the improvement of the Church, as well as his own advancement. Nor can either the Pope, or any other individual, be the supreme head and governor of the whole Church, any more than he can be her bridegroom, light, salvation, and life: for these names and titles are the distinguishing privileges of Christ himself, and can, with propriety, be applied to him alone; and we know that no Roman Bishop ever assumed so arrogant a title, previous to the reign of the Emperor Phocas, A. D. 613, who, it is well authenticated, obtained the throne by the murder of his master, the Emperor Mauritius. The council of Carthage † wisely decreed, that no Bishop should be allowed the title of sovereign Pontiff, or chief Priest; the Pope, therefore, in + Cap. xlvii. * 1 Tim. 1. 2, &c. Pontifex Maximus, was the title of the heathen Chief assuming such a distinction, and usurping an authority to which he is not entitled, not only acts in defiance of the ancient Councils and Fáthers, but assumes (if he believes the writings of his own predecessor,* Gregory) "an arrogant, profane, sacrilegious, and Anti-christian title," and becomes therefore the King of Pride; that Lucifer, who exalts himself above his brethren, who abjures the faith, and thereby shews himself the forerunner of Antichrist. We maintain, that a minister ought to be lawfully called, and duly and ritually appointed to the Church of God, and that no man ought to intrude into the sacred office at the impulse of his own will and pleasure. We are, therefore, unjustly calumniated by those, who are continually asserting, that confusion and disorder are the characteristics of our party; that nothing is done with regularity and order, for that with us, all are Priests, all Doctors, all Interpreters of the Scriptures. Priest, and cannot properly be rendered into English any other way, as it does not, in any degree, express the nature of the Episcopal office; yet the popes of Rome have usurped this heathen title! Greg. lib. iv. ep. 76, 78, 80; lib. vii. ep. 69. We, moreover, say that authority has been granted to the Priesthood by Christ, to bind, to loose, to open, to shut. The power of loosing consists in this-That the minister, by the preaching of the gospel, offers to the broken, contrite, and truly penitent heart, absolution through the merits of Christ, and declares the certainty of the remission of sins, and the hopes of Eternal Salvation; or reconciles, restores, and receives into the congregation and unity of the faithful, those sincere penitents who, by any grievous misconduct, or notorious public offence, have shocked the minds of their brethren, and in a manner separated themselves from the Communion of the Church, and the body of Christ.— Again, the power of binding and shutting, is exercised as often as the gate of the Kingdom of Heaven is closed against the unbelieving and obstinate, and the vengeance of God and eternal punishment is denounced against them, as often as those, who have been publicly excommunicated are excluded from the bosom of the Church. Now, the sentence thus pronounced by his ministers, God himself so far approves, that whatsoever is either loosed or bound by them on earth, he has graciously declared shall, in like |