And in all the annals of the Church, whether under the Law or the Gospel, there is not one instance of a schism against the priesthood which God had appointed, but great errors in doctrine and worship did follow it. Thus, the priesthood which Micah set up of his own head, and that which Jeroboam set up in opposition to that of Aaron, both ended in idolatry. Thus the Novatians and Donatists, who made schisms against their Bishops, fell into grievous errors, though they did not re

And into what gross errors, both as to doctrine and worship, has the Church of Rome fallen, since her Bishop set up for universality, and thereby commenced that grand schism against all the Bishops of the earth, whom he sought to depress under him; but while ho would thrust other churches from him, he thrust himself from the Catholic Church.

is equally against letting the whole depend
upon one universal bishop, and against throw-
ing off the whole episcopate; that is, all the
bishops in the world; which would be a total
dissolution of the Church as a society, by
leaving no governors in it; or, which is the
same, setting up governors of our own head,
without any authority or succession from the
apostles, which is rendering the whole pre-
carious, and without any foundation. And it
is a supposing that Providence is more obliged
to stand by a Church set up in direct opposi-nounce the faith.
tion to his institution, than by that Church
which Christ himself has founded, and pro-
mised to be with it to the end of the world.
And though he has permitted errors and
heresies to overspread several parts of it at
several times for the probation of the elect,
like the waning of the moon, yet has he not
left himself without witness, and has restored
light to her, pursuant to his promise, that the
gates of hell should not prevail against her;
and this by the means of his servants and
substitutes, the bishops of his Church, whom
he has not deserted; all of whom, through
the whole world, always did, and still do
maintain and own the apostolic creed. And
wherein some, as the Arians, have perverted
the sense of some articles, that lasted but a
short time; and the truth has been more
confirmed by it in the unanimous consent
and testimony of the whole Episcopal college,
to the primitive doctrine which they had
received from the beginning. God healed
these heresies in his own way, by the bishops
and governors of his Church whom he had
appointed, and without any infraction upon
his own institution.

And it is observable that these heresies began by infraction, which men made upon his institution of Bishops, as Arius, an ambitious presbyter, first rose up against his Bishop, before he was given up to that vile heresy, which he vented afterwards by degrees, to gain a party after him, thereby to maintain the opposition which he had made against his Bishop: and, by a just judgment, he fell from one error to another, till he at last completed that detestable heresv which bears his name.

What hydra heresies, and monstrous sects (fifty or sixty at one time, of which we have the names) flowed like a torrent into England, after Episcopacy was thrown down!

So evident is that saying, that the Church is the pillar and ground of the truth, that we can hardly find any error which has come into the Church, but upon an infraction made upon the episcopal authority.

XIV. AN INFALLIBLE DEMONSTRATION OF

EPISCOPACY.

For which this is to be said, that it has all the four marks before-mentioned, to ascertain any fact, in the concurrent testimony of all churches, at all times; and therefore must infallibly be the government which the Apostles left upon the earth. To which we must adhere till a greater authority than theirs shall alter it.

I doubt not but that all this will determine you to the Church of England, and keep you firm to Episcopacy, as a matter not indifferent.

And I pray God, that "he who hath begun a good work in you, may perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ." Amen.

A

SHORT AND EASY METHOD

WITH

THE JE W S.

BY THE

REV. CHARLES LESLIE, M. A.

FIRST PUBLISHED IN 1698.