rity the Apostle had given them) for Want of this Popular Election in them. But that neither their Commiffions or Inftructions for ordaining Bishops and Deacons in the Church, do either require, or imply any fuch Elections in them, will appear evident (I think) from a very few Texts, which immediately relate to them.

The Commiffion to Timothy is directly referr'd to in 2 Tim. ii. 2. The things that thou hast heard of me among many Witneffes, (fays the great Apoftle) the fame commit thou to faithful Men, who fhall be able to teach others alfo.

The Subftance of Titus's Commiffion is, at Titus i. 5. For this Caufe left I thee in Crete, (fays the fame Apostle) that thou shouldst fet in Order the things that are wanting, and ordain Elders in every City, as I had appointed thee.

Nothing can be plainer (I think) than thefe three Things are here: Firft, That there was a full Right and Power of ordaining Elders in the Church unquestionably invested in these Primitive Pastors of the Apoftolical Churches. Secondly, That each of them in their single Perfons are exprefly specify'd, addrefs'd, and pointed to, for the Discharge and Execution of it, [Commit thou to faithful Men, &c. and that thou fhouldft ordain Elders, &c. as I had appointed thee.] And, Thirdly, That there is not the leaft Direction, or fo 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; neither Texts, nor Contexts, if we please to look into them, will fuggeft the least Imagination of any fuch Thing: And therefore, without farther Remark upon them,

I pro

I proceed, in the next place, to confider the larger Inftructions given to them by the great Apostle, for the due Execution of their important Charge. These lie difperfed in the feveral Epiftles directed to them: And here, if any where, we might hope to find the Secret of a Popular Election enjoin'd in all their Ordinations But, on the contrary, instead of clear Instructions for it, we find they had the strongest Cautions given them against it, that a holy Prophet and Apostle together (whofe Commiffion alone they acted by) could well have left with them. For S. Paul, inftructing Timothy in the Genius of the People of the Province he had placed him in, in plain Terms foretells him what they would one Day do, if they were left to their own Elections, and might choose Paftors for themselves. The Time will come (fays be) 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 Succeffors too, (for it was an indefinite Prophecy, in Point of Time, to them all) that they fhould beware of trusting too much to the Votes and Suffrages of the People, in that particular Affair especially of providing Paftors for themselves: And that Titus had a Caution to this Purpose much of the fame Kind with this, is visible enough in S. Paul's confirming the Cretian Poet's hard Testimony of his own Countrymen, that they were always Lyars, evil Beafts, and flow Bellies. [Tit. i. 12.] For that the Apostle meant it not of fuch as were unconverted only, but chiefly of fuch as

were

were then become Members of the Church, and indeed of them alone, in refpect of the Use he made of it) is manifeft from the Words immediately following, wherein he enjoins Titus to rebuke them sharply, that they might be found in the Faith; which, furely, was to judge and cenfure them for it; and that had been contrary to his own Doctrine in another Place, if they were not Members of the Church: For (1 Cor. V. 12.) he difowns his Right of judging them that are without; What have 1 to do (fays he) to judge them that are without? If the Lay-Members of the Cretian Church therefore had fuch a Character as this faften'd upon them by the very Apostle himself, (which, at least, must affect a confiderable Part of them) let any Man judge what Probability there is, that Titus fhould have it given him in his Inftructions to let the People choose their Pastors for themfelves, or that he should take up that Method himself in conferring Holy Orders on any in that Island.

'Tis true, indeed, they have this excellent Inftruction amongst the reft, that Bishops and Deacons must be proved firft, and found to be blamelefs; 1 Tim. iii. 2, 1o. and Tit. i. 6.] which does undoubtedly fuppofe a careful Inquifition and wife Trial to be made of the perfonal Qualifications of every Candidate for holy Orders: And upon this indefinite Advice, and fingle Intimation, (which, when we have faid the most of it that we can, leaves the whole Matter to the Discretional Judgment of the Ordainers themselves) do many Advocates for Popular Election ground their Plea, for a neceffary Ap

peal

peal to the Votes and Suffrages of the People in all Ordinations: Nay, our learned Enquirer himself, tho' he offer'd no Scripture Authority for it, when he was directly treating of the Point; yet when he comes to the Method of his Confiftory, in examining into the Life and Converfation of fuch Candidates for Holy Orders, he firft tells us, they were propofed to the People for their Teftimony, and then immediately fubjoins the former of these Texts as an Apoftolical Canon, to countenance, at least, if not to enjoin the Practice of it.

In answer to which, I offer these few Confiderations:

First, That the holy Apostle's Meaning in it appears not to be fo, by the Cautions given to Timothy and Titus, which I mention'd but now.

Secondly, That the Nature of the Thing itfelf, namely, the Qualifications requir'd in this Cafe, feem very unfuitable to fuch a Popular or Congregational Inqueft as this. And,

Laftly, That our judicious Enquirer himself, where he most explains his Sense upon this Subject, does not a little countenance the contrary Opinion of it.

The first of these Particulars (of the Apostle's Senfe of it) is clear'd already, and needs no Repetition.

The fecond, which is the Nature of the thing itself, or the Qualifications requir'd in the Perfons to be ordain'd, (and note, Epifcopal Orders in the Sense of the Enquiry are included

here)

+ See Eng. p. 88.

here) I fhall take from the Enquirer's own Pen. †The Gifts, or Qualifications, (fays he) touching which a Candidate for the Miniftry was examin'd, may be reduc'd to thefe four Heads.

Firft, His Age, to prevent admitting a Novice or a Stripling, as he explains the thing. Secondly, His Condition in the World, in refpect of being free from all fecular Employments, or mundane Affairs.

Thirdly, His Converfation, that he might be known to be meek and humble, and of an unspotted and exemplary Life.

Fourthly, His Understanding, that he might be of a good Capacity, and fit to teach others; under which Head, he falls in clearly with Origen and Clemens Alexandrinus, that all forts of Humane Learning, and Logick, and Philofophy in particular, were not only useful, but neceffary for a Presbyter; they were amiable, and profitable for him, as his own Words are, at Pag. 94.

The ingenious Author, who drew up these Particulars, was very fenfible (I doubt not) that three in four of them needed no appealing to any Congregation of Men to be fatisfy'd in them. Little need of bringing whole Multitudes to a Poll, to know what, or where-abouts, the Age of any Candidate fhould be; or whether involv'd in fecular or worldly Affairs, or no; and more abfurd still, to enquire there of his Skill or Abilities in those Depths of humane Learning, which are thought proper for him.

The only Qualification, then, which could fall under the Cognizance of fuch Judges as thofe,

K

7

+ See Enquiry, p. 84, &c.

muft