mblance between the lower classes of secular preachers, and the
mendicant Friars, whose conduct was the disgrace and ruin of Popery, is
most evident; especially in their abuse of the parochial clergy, from
whom they completely estranged the minds of the people, and then led
them into all the absurdities of fanaticism. He shewed that it was
preserving the worst parts of Popery to make a merit of attending
religious assemblies, instead of considering and hearing the word, as a
help to right action; and that in uncharitable judgment of others, with
respect to their spiritual state, and a pertinacious persuasion that
salvation is confined to their own church, the strict Calvinist and the
strict Papist were as one. And he bade Mr. Barton to join with him in
praying God, that there might not be a still closer resemblance; for the
crime of King-killing was of Popish origin, and was defended under the
plea, that to promote the cause of God by cutting off his enemies was
our duty, thus investing themselves with the right of judging who were
God's enemies, and what was truly his cause.

In saying that the discipline and Liturgy of the English church was
copied from that of the church of Rome, the case was unfairly stated.
Her reformers endeavoured, in all things, to go back to the earliest and
purest models. With singular modesty of judgment, they thought invention
and discovery ill-sounding names in religion. The usages she kept in
common with Rome were those she copied from the primitive churches, and
were therefore uncontaminated with her errors.

In respect to the word _bishop_, admitting there was a misapplication of
the term, in its present sense, to the ministers of the Ephesian and
Cretan churches, whom Timothy and Titus were commissioned by St. Paul to
select and appoint, yet it was to Timothy and Titus themselves, and to
the authority they were commanded to exercise over these bishops or
presbyters, that we were to look for the scriptural precedent of
Episcopacy. The word Bishop did not come into the use to which we now
apply it during the lives of the apostles, who possessed the same
species of superintendence. But after the death of St. John, the
apostolical fathers, who succeeded as governors of the church of Christ,
modestly declined assuming the name of Apostle, as sanctified by the
peculiar appointment of their heavenly Lord. As Christianity spread,
each tract of country, or large city, had its bishop or overseer,