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A LETTER to the

AUTHOR.

SIR,

HE deplorable State of Chriftianity in those Parts of it which have reform'd from Popery in Doctrine, is chiefly to be afcrib'd to the Contempt or Neglect of the Divine Inftitutions, relating to the Conftitution and Oeconomy of the Church. This in par ticular hath brought all the Disorder and Confufion in Matters of Religion, for which England is fcandalous above all o ther Chriftian Countries; having ever fince the Great Rebellion, abounded with Religious Sects and Factions, which owe their Original, more or lefs, to the direful Change and Overthrow of that Government, which Chrift ordain'd for his Church, and his Apoftles left in it, and which throughout all Ages was continued without Interruption in the Chriftian World for 1500 Years, as that very Form of Church-Government, which all Chriftians thought was ordain'd

to

to continue unto the End of the World. There never was in all that Time any Church founded but in, and with EPISCOPACY; nor did ever any Sect of Men affume the Title of a Church, till they could get a pretended Bishop, from whom they. had their Priefts, and their Priefts their Miffion, till the Time of the Reformation; nor did any Chriftian Priests, or People of an Epifcopal Church, ever rife up againft their Bishops as fuch, and reject the whole Order, but thofe of Great Britain, under the Pretence of farther Reformation; by which they have brought fuch Confufions, and fo expos'd Religion among us, that it is in a great Measure loft, fo that we may fay (as was long fince faid of Juftice in the Iron Age of the World) that fhe hath taken her Flight from Earth to Heaven. Could any Church, or Father of the Catholick Church, in Antient Times, have imagin'd or believ'd without the Gift of Prophecy, that an Age would come, when the Presbyters of a National Church would take upon them to depofe their Bi hops, and teach the People that their Or der was contrary to God's Word, or grie, vous and unneceffary to the Church! Could they have imagin'd, that in a flourish. ing Church, pure in Doctrine and Worship, confifting of Two Provinces, an Affembly

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