CHAP. XXI.

THAT BISHOPS WERE ORDAINED AGREEABLY

TO DIVINE INSTITUTION AND APOSTOLICAL TRADITION.

IT is certain, that the Apostles ordained nothing in the Church which they had not received of the Lord; but they created Bishops, such as were Titus and Timotheus, wherever there was need of them: for had not the Apostles, when dispersed over the world, appointed Bishops, there would never have existed so great and universal consent respecting Episcopacy. Seeing how widely the Churches were scattered over the world, and how remote many were one from the other, it would have been wonderful if not

one had retained that regimen, which is in our day fancied to be divine, and may be seen in some reformed Churches. It could not but happen that Churches should differ in unimportant matters, concerning which no certain directions had been left to them by the Apostles; but it certainly would have been the greatest of miracles, that they should have all simultaneously and unanimously agreed in altering the form of government which had been delivered to them by the Apostles.

All the orthodox have believed that they were herein following an Apostolical tradition and divine institution. Irenæus writes as

follows: "All who will listen to the truth may clearly find in the Church an Apostolical tradition manifest throughout the world; and we are able to enumerate those who were appointed Bishops in the Churches by the Apostles, and also their successors down to our own times, who never taught nor knew of any such things as these [the heretics, of a Lib. iii. cap. 3. adv. Hæres.

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whom he is speaking] madly imagine." From these words of Irenæus it appears, that that must be an Apostolical tradition, and divine institution, which has been received in all the Churches founded by the Apostles. Now the Episcopal Order has been every where received by all Churches, wherefore it is an Apostolical tradition, and divine institution.

Cyprian says, "Whence have schisms and heresies arisen, and whence do they still arise, except from the proud and presumptuous contempt which some persons shew towards their Bishop, who is one, and presides over the Church? Have they not arisen even from this, that unworthy men presume to judge a man who has been honoured by God?" &c. The same author, in his 27th Epistle, (following the order of his Epistles,) infers from the passage in St Matthew, "Thou art Peter, &c." that, consequently, the Order of Bishops and the plan of the Church has ever since been such, that through a perpetual succession of times and

b Lib. iv. Epist. 9.

persons, the Church has continued to stand upon a foundation of Bishops who have governed all its acts. Since therefore this institution is of divine origin, I wonder that men should be found who think that the office of the Apostles and Evangelists has ceased in the Church, and that there are now no Pastors and Bishops with Apostolical authority, to whom the brotherhood of the Presbytery is subject in things pertaining to the good government of the Church.