THIS PRETENCETO JURISDICTION CONTRARY TO SCRIPTURE. 335 The men of the Tridentine convention (those great betrayers of the church to perpetual slavery, and Christian truth to the prevalency of falsehood, till God pleases), upon divers occasions, pretend to qualify and empower bishops to perform important matters, origi- nally belonging to the episcopal function, as the pope's delegates.' But contrariwise, according to the doctrine of holy Scripture and the sense of the primitive church, the bishops and pastors of the church immediately receive their authority and commission from God, being only his ministers. The Scripture calls them the "ministers of God" and "of Christ" (so Epaphras, so Timothy, in regard to their ecclesiastical function, are named), the "stewards of God," the "servants of God," "fellow- servants" of the apostles.--Col. i. 7, iv. 7; 1 Thess. iii. 2; 1 Tim. iv. 6; Tit. i. 7; 2 Tim. ii. 24. TheScripture says that "the HolyGhost had made them bishops, to feed the church of God;" that "Godhad given them," and con- stituted them in the church, "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ" (Acts xx. 28; Naz. Or. xxx.; Eph. iv. 11; 1 Cor. xii. 28), that is, to all effects and purposes concerning their office: for " the work of the ministry" comprises all the duty charged on them, whether in way of order or of governance, as they now precariously [uncertainly] and groundlessly in reference to this case distinguish;' and " edifying the body" imports all the designed effects of their office, particularly those which are consequent on the use of jurisdiction, which St Paul affirms was appointed for edification: "According," says he, "to the authoritywhich God hathgiven me for edification,and not for destruc- tion," 2 Cor. x. 8, xiii. 10. They "preside in the Lord," erpoïascc- ,wsvor iv Bupfw, 1 Thess. v. 12. They allow no other head but our Lord, " from whom the whole body is fitly joined together," &c., Eph. iv. 16. The fathers clearly express their sentiments to be the same. St Ignatius says that the bishop " presides in the place of God,"3 and that " we must look upon him as our Lord himself,"4 or as our Lord's representative; that, therefore, "we must be subject to him as unto Jesus Christ."* and to acknowledge themselves as holding the high office of bishops by the favour of thePope of Rome! En. ' This was an expedient. Vid. Coneil. 3 Ordo confertur a Deo immediate, jurisdictio mediate. Bell. iv. 25. [That is, " Order is conferred by God immediately, jurisdiction mediately," a distinction which the author says is "precarious," or arbitrary, and "groundless."En.] 3 npoxaAnpcivou mou" iorroxáorou sic .róvrov esau. Ign. adMagnes. 4 Tá, oúv É9ríoxa9rav Sñ?.ov ór, riç ais-Ór rór Xúprov óai vrpoo:xirsrv. Ign. ad Eph. ixroxóvrry úaooáçr,r s roc 'Inoov Xprorä. Ign. ad Trail. * It is surprising that Dr Barrow should quote as genuiae these extravagant expres-
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