which does not give us altogether so frightful an Image.

THE Word tranflated obey in the last Verse, is explained by the Word remember in the first; and the Reason given in the one is, because pou are to confider the End of their Conversation; and in the other is, because they watch for your Souls; fo that the Hebrews were exhorted to remember, hearken to, or be perfuaded by their Guides, who had spoken to them the Word of God, which was the End of their Converfation, and who watched for their Souls: And, I think, all good Chriftians ought to do fo ftill, when they know where to find them, and the Clergy have agreed amongst themselves who they are.

AT the latter End of the Second Epistle to Timothy, in our Edition of the Bible, he is faid to be the first Bishop of Ephesus, by which we are to understand, if we please, that he was in Poffeffion of the Authority and Dignity of a modern Prelate; but the Text fays no fuch Matter Indeed Paul's first Epistle, chap. i. v. II. fays, that the glorious Gospel of Chrift was committed to his Truft, that is, he was intrufted to preach it. And, v. 18. he commits the fame Charge to Timothy: But in chap. iv. v. 12, 13. he tells him what he is to do; he is to ke an Example to the Believers in Word, in

Con

Converfation, in Charity, in Faith, in Purity; and, till he comes himself, he is to give Attendance to Reading, to Exhortation, to Doctrine; and the rest of the Epiftle is spent in telling him what Doctrine he is to preach.

IN his 2d Epistle, Paul fays unto him, And the Things thou hast heard from me amongst many Witneffes, the fame commit thou to faithful Men, who shall be able to teach others alfo ;; which he expreffes fummarily before, in these Words, Lay Hands fuddenly on no Man; a Ceremony always used amongst the Jews, to denote a Perfon appointed for any Purpose, as well as on many other Occafions; fo that Paul himself knew, by Inspiration, who was fit for his Charge, and Timothy was to make good Inquiry after faithful Men: But there is no Power here given but to preach the Gospel, and to employ others to do it; which I have fhewn every one was at Liberty to do, though all had not an equal Call, or were equally qualified for it; and therefore it was certainly good Advice to endeavour to find out fuch as were, and prevail. upon them to undertake it.

IN the Epistle to Titus, who, it seems, was another Bishop, he is directed to fet in order the things which are wanting, (the Business amongst us of Churchwardens and Veftry-men) and

to

to ordain Elders in every City, as Paul had appointed him; which alludes to private Directions before given, and proves nothing, but that Paul took the best Precautions, and most prudent Measures, to propagate Christianity, by reducing his Converts in every City, into orderly, though voluntary Societies, by finding out and appointing discreet and honest Men to affift and fuperintend the reft; and it cannot be doubted but the People, who knew him to be inspired, would be advised by him, accept his Recommendations, and confequently hearken to, trust their Affairs, and be directed by the Wisdom of Perfons fo powerfully recommended; which Respect and Deference has been always paid by every Sect, that ever appeared in the World, to their first Founders, and for the most part to their After-leaders

too.

THESE are all the Texts that I can at prefent remember, which are ufually brought to fupport the priestly Claims, except such as plainly. relate to our Saviour himself, or his Apostles; but if any others occur hereafter, I fhall take Notice of them in proper Time.

BUT what has all this to do with a formal and folemn Inftitution, and established Form of Government, a political Oeconomy, or, in

Eccle

Ecclefiaftical Language and Style, a Spiritual Hierarchy ?

WHAT, muft fovereign and independent Power (without which, as I have fhewn in my 48th Paper, there can be in this Cafe no Power at all) depend upon figurative Expreffions, and Allufions to Seniority of Age, as Elders; to mean and low Profeffions, as Guides, Shepherds, Paftors, Teachers, Overseers, notably tranflated Bifbops? Or upon the critical Knowledge of antient Eastern Terms, of doubtful and difputed Significations, which would put it in the Power of the very few Men faid to be skilled in the Oriental Tongues, to fettle what Establishments or Religion they please?

THE Prophets and Evangelifts often speak after the Manner of the Eaftern Nations, which was for the most part figurative; where, for ever, to the End of the World, and fuch-like Language, was frequently used to denote a long Space of Time; and therefore general Expreffions in Scripture are not always to be taken strictly, as Covetousness is the Root of ALL Evil: Swear not AT ALL: Children and Servants, obey your Parents and Masters in ALL things: Take no Care for the Morrow: Take no Thought for your Life, what you shall eat,

what

what you shall drink, or what you shall put on: Whatever you ask of my Father in my Name, he will give it you. Submit yourselves to one another: Te younger, be fubject to the elder; yea, be fubject to one another. And there were many other things which Jefus did, the which if they fhould be written, the whole World could not contain the Books: And more than an Hundred others of the fame Kind. When fuch Paffages occur, we must conftrue them by the Rules of eternal Righteousness, the Reason of the Thing, and the general Bent of Scripture; and then we cannot mistake their Meaning, but in fuch Cafes as are of no Confequence, whether we do or not.

BESIDES, almost all Words vary their Meaning by Time; and every one, of the least Reading, knows that there is fcarce a Word in Nature, (except the proper Names of Perfons, Places, and Things) that is answered by any other in a different Language, fo as to comprehend exactly the fame Number of Ideas; nor is it probable, that any two Perfons of the fame Nation ever used one fuch Word precifely to the fame Purpose; but if they were asked to give an adequate Definition of what they meant by it, would differ in fome Particular: Therefore 'tis abfurd to fuppofe, that

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