A Continuation of Letters Concerning the Constitution and Order of the Christian Ministry

the doctrine of Election-Mr. How misrepresents and
abuses a clause in the Presbytian Confession of Faith
-Virtually vilifies an article of his own Church-Cer-
tain facts stated in the former volume, concerning Eng-

lish Episcopalians, denied-Proved to be true-Charge

of illiberality against the author-Refuted-The claim

of high-churchmen construed by impartial judges, and

even by Episcopal writers, as we construe it-Charge

against the author of departing from his own Confession

of Faith-Denied-Conclusion. p. 36-73.

Scripture the only rule of faith and practice-Dr.
Bowden declines being judged by Scripture alone-Be-
gins with the testimony of the Fathers-Even this testi-
mony he is afraid to encounter in its natural order-
Singular management to make it appear more favourable
to his cause than it is Argument drawn from the Asia-
tic Angels reviewed-Shown to make nothing in favour
of Prelacy-Blondel misrepresented-His real opinion
stated-The argument founded on the mission of Timo-
thy and Titus again examined-The argument drawn

from the Constitution of the Jewish Synagogue reviewed

and defended-Quotations from Episcopal writers in

support of that argument-Argument drawn from the

alleged Episcopal character of James, examined and re-

futed-Calvin unjustly produced as a witness in favour

of this argument-Calvin grossly misrepresented in an-

other instance-Dr. Bowden denies that the genuine-

ness and authenticity of the Scriptures can be decided

without the Fathers-Contradicts the doctrine of our

Church, and of his own. p. 74-117.

LETTER IV.

Testimony in favour of the office of Ruling Elder more

particularly considered This, or some similar office,

necessary in the Church-There were Ruling Elders in

the Jewish Synagogue-They are expressly mentioned

in the New Testament-Testimony in favour of this

office from the Fathers-The Waldenses, the Bohemian

brethren, and the Hussites, had Ruling Elders in their

Churches before Calvin was born-Testimony of the

Reformers-Martin Bucer-Peter Martyr-Confes-

sion of Saxony-Acknowledgment of Archbishop Whit-

gift-Szegedin-Kromayer-Voetius-Ursinus- This

office adopted by the great body of the Reformed Churcht-

es-Objections against it-Answered. p. 118-147.

LETTER V.

Testimony of the Fathers reviewed-The author's

former protest and explanations on this subject disre-

garded by Dr. Bowden-Charge of suppressing testimo-

ny from the Fathers unfounded-Charge of misrepre-

senting the testimony of other Fathers equally unfounded

-The Fathers of the third and fourth centuries ought

not to be credited, even if they had asserted the apostoli-

*cal institution of Prelacy-But they do not assert it-
The number of Bishops, in early times, a strong argu-
ment against Prelacy-The relation of Bishops to par-
ticular flocks equally conclusive against the diocesan
scheme-Additional testimony from the Fathers-Hila-
ry-Chrysostom-Basil-Fourth Council of Carthage
-Apostolical Constitutions-Sixth general Council of
Constantinople-Council of Aix la Chapelle-Duties of
the primitive Bishop show that he was not a diocesan,

but a parochial Bishop-Recapitulation of testimony

from the Fathers. p. 148-216.

LETTER VI.

Testimony of the Reformers-Further proof that the

Waldenses were Presbyterians-Additional testimony

also that the Bohemian brethren embraced the doctrine

of ministerial parity-The attempts of Dr. Bowden and

Mr. How to show that the English Reformers were be-

lievers in the divine right of Prelacy, examined and

shown to be insufficient Dr. Bowden represents the

first reformation in Scotland, under Knox, as prelatical

in its character-This representation shown to be an er

roneous one-Testimony of the Reformers on the conti-

nent of Europe-Luther-Augustan Confession-De-

fence of the Augustan Confession-Smalkald Articles-

Syllabus of controverted Points-Confession of Saxony

-Confession of Witemberg-French Confession-Bel-

gic Confession--Second Helvetic Confession-Confession

of Bohemia-Ursinus-Musculus-Szegedin-Junius-

Sadeel-Crakenthorp-Further proof that the Churches

of Sweden and Denmark are not, and never were, Epis-

copal, in Dr. Bowden's sense of the word-Recapitula-

tion. p. 217-277.

LETTER VII.

Testimony of Calvin-Extraordinary frains taken by
modern high-churchmen to abuse and blacken the charac
ter of this Reformer-Presbyterianism established in
Geneva before Calvin ever saw that city-This Refor-
mer alleged to have been, in the early part of his life,
favourable to Prelacy-Demonstration that this was not
the case-Particular quotations from Calvin's Institutes
and Commentary to show that he was a uniform believ-
er in the apostolic institution of Presbyterianism-Pas-
sages from Calvin's writings alleged to be favourable to
Prelacy, shown to be of a directly opposite character-
The assertion, that Calvin was never ordained, refuted
-The high honour in which he was held by Archbishop
Cranmer, and the other English Reformers-His influ
ence over those Reformers- The prevalence of his opin-
ions, at an early period, in the Church of England-
Testimonies in favour of Calvin by eminent Episcopal
writers-The personal character of Calvin vindicated
His conduct in the cases of Castalio, Perrin, Gruet, Bol-
sec, and Servetus, set in a true light-Dr. Bowden and
Mr. How throw out many reflections against Calvinism
-In doing this, they oppose the thirty-nine Articles of
their own Church, and many of the most eminent Re-
formers of that Church, as well as the Scriptures-The
difficulties of Calvinism-Still greater difficulties in Ar-
minianism-Consequences of rejecting the former, and
embracing the latter. p. 278-340.

LETTER VIII.

Testimony of the Successors of the Reformers-Le
Blanc-Chamier Danau Bochart-Claude-Daillé

-Balduin-Dieterich-Hulsemann-Gerhard-Bud-
daus-The Synod of Dort-Mr. How's astonishing
misconceptions and misrepresentations of that Synod-
Its testimony shown to be strongly in favour of Presby-
terian parity-Testimony of some distinguished members
of that Synod in their private capacity-Gomarus-