fhadow of proof. Such was well calculated for parties, who, not being qualified to examine, must be contented to take things upon truft. But the writer, if acquainted with his fubject, must have known, that what he calls a "moft undifputed axiom," has not only been difputed, but difproved by numberlefs writers. Without detaining you by entering particularly into this controverted point, there are two or three circumftances which I would take leave to recommend to this writer's confideration.

ST. CLEMENT, in his firft epiftle to the Corinthians, writes thus: "The Apostles (fays he) conftituted (or ordained) bishops and deacons, for fuch as (were not yet converted, but) fhould in some time to come be brought over to the faith." There needs no comment upon this testimony; for, whatever imaginary people may be fuggefted to have borne a part in the election or ordination of such bishops and deacons as thefe, it is plain the people over whom they were afterwards to prefide, or to whom they were to minister, could have none at all. "It is not imaginable, (fays the learned HAMMOND)*

HAMMOND ON IGNATIUS's epiftles, page 31. Should the author of the letter here alluded to be open to conviction, and not determined to maintain, per fas et nefas, his own favourite pofitions,

on this epistle of ST. CLEMENT's, how the examination and approbation could belong to the people,

or the whole church, when thofe over whom they were constituted were not yet come in; they are made bilhops, των μελλοντων πιςυειν, of thofe which hould afterwards come into the faith. And if there had been a full church to choose, yet the matter in CLEMENS, extending not only to the bishops of the present, but alfo the fucceffors for the future age, what right could the then prefent people have to choose not only for their own but the future age, and fo deprive their fucceffors of their privilege? But waving both these, the matter is otherwife clear. They are the fame perfons which did preach and conftitute, and examine or approve, that is, the Apostles did every one of thefe; and doing it, rw wveuμal, by the Spirit, by revelation or direction of the Spirit, (in the fame manner as they are faid to know by CHRIST that there would be contention about this matter, and that having received perfect foreknowledge they conftituted those bishops) it is evident they had no need of any act of the people in doing it; and fo that the

I would recommend to his confideration the Differtations of HAMMOND against BLONDEL, which, as CHILLINGWORTH obferves, never were answered, nor ever will be.

examination and approbation was that of the Apostles, and not of the people; of the Apostles, affifted and directed by the Spirit of GOD, and not fo much as advised, that we hear of, or inftructed by the people." See HAMMOND, vol. xi. on IGNATIUS's Epiftles, fect. 1. chap. 4. page 31. According to the teftimony, then, of this primitive writer, who lived in the Apostolic age, the Apostles did unquestionably constitute and ordain pastors in the church, without the fuffrage or election of the people. The text, Acts xiv. 23, which has been usually appealed to in favour of popular election, will be found, upon confulting the learned HAMMOND, not to apply to the subject. And it is remarkable," that the inquifitive SUICEr, (who was friend enough to popular elections) amongst other fignifications of the word xapoтover, undertakes to prove, by many teftimonies and examples, that the stretching out of the hand included in it, imports no more than barely creating, conftituting, and defigning perfons to the place or office intended for them, as diftinct from fuffrage and election; and (which is not a little to the purpose) produces this very text, at the head of many other authorities, for a clear testimony and example of it."

The commiffion to TIMOTHY is directly referred to in 2 TIM. ii. 2. "The things that thou haft heard of me, among many witneffes, (fays the great Apostle) the fame commit thou to faithful men, who fhall be able to teach others alfo." The fubstance of TITUS's commiffion is to be found, TITUS i. 5. "For this cause left I thee in Crete, (fays the Apoftle) that thou fhouldest fet in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee."

From the foregoing texts it evidently appears, "that there was a full right and power of ordaining elders in the church unquestionably invested in these primitive pastors of the Apoftolical churches: That each of them, in his fingle perfon, is expressly fpecified, addressed, and pointed to, for the discharge and execution of it- Commit thou to faithful men, &c. and that thou shouldest ordain elders, &c. as I had appointed thee."

And that there is not the leaft direction, or so much as hint or intimation given to either of them, to call in the affiftance, or wait the approbation, of the people in the cafe; on the contrary, there is the strongest caution against it, when ST. PAUL, instructing TIMOTHY in the genius of the people of the

province, in which he had placed him, in plain terms foretells what they would one day do, if they were left to their own elections, and might choose pastors for themselves. "The time will come, (fays he) when they will not endure found doctrine, but after their own lufts fhall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." 2 TIM. iv. 3. This was a pretty fair warning, one would think, both to TIMOTHY himself and to his fucceffors too, (for it was an indefinite prophecy in point of time to them all) that they should beware of trufting too much to the votes and fuffrages of the people, in that particular affair especially, of providing pastors for themselves.

Thus much will be fufficient to point out to you the narrow ground, upon which the boldest affertions fometimes ftand.

But upon the fuppofition, that the end which writers against our establishment have in view should be completely answered, by the body of the community being drawn away from our church, give me leave to ask, what advantage will be derived from that circumstance to the ftate? (for in that point of view I am now placing the fubject.) Do you think, Sir, that the government of this country will stand upon a firmer foundation than at prefent, when its