XLVIII. About the fame time that Luther began his Reformation in Germany, Zuinglius alfo began to do the fame in Switzerland, and foon after Calvin did the fame at Geneva, and in France. Thefe two agreed fo near in their Opinions, that their Followers have fince been indifferently called either Zuinglians or Calvinists, but they differed in many Points from the Lutherans, and have ever fince held different Communions, however in the Point of Epifcopacy they agreed with them, holding Bishops and Presbyters. to be but one and the fame Order, or rather, that there is but one Order of Ministers, that is, of Perfons who have Authority to minifter the Word and Sacraments in the Church. (1) For tho' they tell us that there should be in the Church Paftors, Elders, and Deacons, by which one might imagine that they had Three Orders of Minifters, yet when we come to examine what they mean by them, we fhall find that the Elders and Deacons have nothing to do in the Miniftry of the Word and Sacraments, but answer to our Church-wardens and Overfeers of the Poor. For thus they defcribe them. (m) The Elders Office is, together with the Paftors, to overfee the Church, to gather and keep up the folemn Affemblies, and to take care that the Members in Communion do perfonally appear at thofe holy Congregations, to make Report of Scandals and Offences in Confiftory, and with the Paftors to take Cognizance and pafs Cenfures on them. Now excepting the laft Claufe, their Elders are exactly the fame as our Church-wardens. (n) The Deacons Office is to collect and diftribute, by the Ad

(1) Confeff of Faith, Art, 29. form. in France, cap. 3. Can. 3.

(m) Difcipl. of the Re(n) Ibid. Can. 4.

vice of the Confiftory (that is, the Veftry) Monies unto the Poor, Sick, and Prifoners, and to vifit and take care of them. This is exactly the fame with our Overfeers of the Poor. And (0) it is declared immediately, that it doth not belong unto the Elders or the Deacons Office to preach the Word of God, nor to adminifter the Sacraments. So that there is no other Order amongst them to whom they allow the Miniftry of the Word and Sacraments, but him whom they call the Paftor. Nor are there any different Degrees among thefe Paftors, but they are all of the fame Order and the fame Degree. For fo it is declared by them in (p) their Confeffion of Faith, where they fay, We believe that all true Paftors, in whatever Places they may be difpofed, have all the fame Authority, and equal Power among themselves under Jefus Christ, the only Head, the only Sovereign, and only univerfal Bishop and that therefore it is unlawful for any Church to challenge unto it felf Dominion or Sovereignty over another. So that all Superiority whatfoever of one Church or Paftor over another, is by them declared to be unlawful; in which they have run a Length beyond the Lutherans, for these allow that Bishops, or an Order of Men above common Paftors or Presbyters, may be admitted and retained in Charity, and for Peace fake, but the others make it an Article of their Faith that fuch Superiority is UNLAWFUL. And therefore whatever any of their Divines may fay in their Writings, or whatever Complements they may make to the Church of England occafionally, or howfoever they may, many of them, pretend the Plea of Neceffity, and that they want Bishops only becaufe they could not have them,

(0) Ibid. Can. 5. (p): Art. 30.

this is plainly nothing but meer Cant and Grimace, to impofe upon us. For this Declaration concerning the Parity of Paftors, and the UNLAWFULNESS of Imparity amongst them, confequently the UNLAWFULNESS of Epifcopacy, which confifts in an Imparity of Paftors, is not a Matter of meer Difcipline amongst them, which may be changed according to Times and Circumftances, but an Article of Faith, which is unchangeable. Neither had they any more Neceffity than the Lutherans to fet up a Miniftry without Epifcopacy; for foon after they began their Reformation (q) the Archbishop of Aix, the Bishop of Troies, and the Bifhop of Ufez, went over to their Communion. So that they had even a Canonical Number of Bishops to continue the Succeffion amongst them, if they had pleafed to make ufe of it; but they contemned and defpifed it, nay, exprefly declared against it: And reckoned it an Advancement if they fhould admit them after Trial into the Miniftry amongst them. For fo they decreed in their Synod at Orleance, held in the Year 1562, a little after thefe Bishops came over to them: (r) If it happen, fay they, that a BISHOP or Curate defire to be PROMOTED unto the Ministry of the Gofpel, they may not be received till fuch time as they are firft admitted Members of the Church, renouncing all their Benefices and other Rights depending on the Church of Rome, profeffing alfo publickly Repentance for their past Sins, as they shall be ordered by the Confiftory, and after LONG TRIAL AND PROOF had of their Repentance, and godly Converfation, THEY MAY BE CHOSEN INTO THE MINISTRY OF THE GOSPEL, according to the Canons our Church Dif

(q) Du Pin, Centur. 16. Vol. 2. p. 407.

(r) Quick's Synodicon, p. 23.

K 2

ciplines

cipline, 6 and 8 of the Synod of Paris, and 3 of Poitiers. That is, they may then be inade Mi nifters, in the fame manner that other Candidates for the Miniftry are made fo, according to their Difcipline, looking upon them to be but meer Lay-men, and treating them as fuch. Their first Minifters alfo were but meer Lay-men, as is acknowledged by themselves. That is, they were Men who were never ordained to any Orders in the Church, either of Bishop, Prieft, or Deacon, but pretended only to an extraordinary inward Call. That is, they fancied themselves fit Perfons to minifter the Word and Sacraments, and fo took the Office upon them of their own Heads, without any other Miffion. For thus they tell us in their Confeffion of Faith, (s) We believe that it is not lawful for any Man of his own Authority to take upon himfelf the Government of the Church, but that every one ought to be admitted thereunto by a lawful Eletion, IF IT MAY POSSIBLY BE DONE, AND THAT THE LORD Do So PERMIT. Which Exception we have exprefly added, BECAUSE THAT SOMETIME (As IT HATH FALLEN OUT IN OUR DAYS) the State of the Church being interrupted, GOD HATH RAISED UP SOME PERSONS IN AN EXTRAORDINARY MANNER TO REPAIR THE RUINS OF THE DECAYED CHURCH. And tho' they had fome which were Priefts ordained in a regular Succeffion, nay, and Bishops too, as I have before fhewed, yet they rejected thofe Ordinations, and ftuck by their own extraordinary Call. For thus they declare and decree in the Synod of Gap, Anno 1603. (t) The Question being moved, whether in treating of the Call of our first Paftors and Reformers, it were expedient that we should lay the Strefs of that Authority

(s) Art. 31. (t) Quick's Synodicon, p. 227%7.

for

for Preaching and Reforming, upon that Call and Ordination they had in the Church of Rome, or no; this Synod doth judge, that we ought, according to the One and Thirtieth Article, to found it principally UPON THEIR EXTRAORDINARY VOCATION, WHEREBY THEY WERE, BY AN INWARD POWERFUL, IMPULSE FROM GOD, RAISED UP, AND COMMANDED TO EXERCISE THEIR MINISTRY, rather than to charge it upon the forry Relicks of a corrupted Call and Ordination in the Romish Church. Nay, now they have laid aside the Pretences to an extraordinary or enthufiaftical Call, and pretend to ordain Minifters by Impofition of Hands, according to the Apoftles Practice, yet they do not hold fuch Impofition of Hands to be in any wife neceffary, but that Election alone is fufficient. So that if a Company of Lay-men, of what Rank foever, get together, and chufe one amongst themselves to be their Minifter, that is a fufficient Vocation to that Office. For thus they decree (u) in the Synad at Paris 1665, Because that in the Ninth Article of the Difcipline it is faid, that when Minifters are to be confirmed, there shall be Impofition of Hands upon them, YET NOT AS OF PURE NECESSITY: It is demanded whether the Churches that have no fuch Cuftom, fhould for Time to come fubmit unto the Ufage of it? The Reply was, that there being neither Precept nor Promife touching this Matter, THEREFORE NO NECESSARY OBLIGATION SHOULD BE ESTABLISHED ABOUT IT. (w) And again in the Synod of Rochel, in the Year 1571, they order this Claufe to be added to their Eighth Canon of Difcipline concerning Ordination, that, Altho' the Ufage of Impofition of Hands be good and holy, YET IT SHALL NOT BE REPUTED NECESSARY,

(H) Quick's Synod. p. 62.

(w) Ibid. p. 93.