Hßoryof thePuritans, examin'c. 237 Neal, Ibid. " And if there can be better Evidence " under Heavenfor any Matter of Fas, (and in this Caufe, Matter ofFat? fo derived, evinceth Matter " of Right,) let Epifcopacy befor ever abandoned out « of God's Church." Then follow thefeWords, orhitted by Mr. Neal, p. 22. But if thefe be (as they are) certain and ir- « refragable Alas I what ftrange Fury poffeffeth the Minds of ignorant and unftable Men, that they fhould thus headily defire, and fue to (hake ,, off fo facred and well-grounded an Inftitution ? ,, If our Bifhops challenge any other fpiritual 44 Power than was by ilpoßolique Authority dele- ,' gated unto, and required of Timothy, and Titus, ., and the Angels of the feven Antient Churches, (fome whereof are known to us by Name) let " them be difclaim'd as Ufurpers. And if we do " not Phew out of the genuine and undeniable Wri- " tings of thofe Holy Men, &c." as follows in Mr. Neal. Neal, Ibid. The foie Right of Ordination his Lord- fhip proves from the Words of St. Paul, 2 Tim. i. 6. Stir up the Gift of God which is in thee, by the lay- ing on ofmy Hands ;' and that this Power was ne- ver communicated to Presbyters frein the Words of St. Jerom , by whom Ordination is excepted from the O0ce "óf a Presbyter, Give me leave (fays the Bifhop, Defence, p.52.) to marvel how you can have this Boldnefs to fay, this Power is communicated to Presbyters, when you know, that not only other Antiquity, but Sr . Hierome himfelf, and that Council ofAquifgrane which you cite, do till except Ordination; which yet we do not fo appropriate, as to lay our Hands alone upon theHead of any Presbyter.' Neal, p. 405. The Sme6tymnuan Divines contend on the other hand, that .iii(hops- and Presbyters were originally thefame. That Ordination to the Office' of a Bilhop
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