A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort…

Now let it be for the present granted that for such reasons Episcopacy in each Church was justly settled, and call it an order or a degree as you please; It will be a difficult question, what shall be judged of those that have the same place and Title, without the same Qualifications and precedency of parts? Because the Reason of his power faileth. If one be chosen Bishop to keep out Heresy, and he prove a Heretic, and the Presbyters Orthodox, what is his power to that end? If one be chosen Bishop to keep out Schism, and he prove a Schismatic or Sect-Master, and the rest concordant, what is his power? If one be made Bishop to teach the people better than the Presbyters, and to teach the Presbyters themselves, and to defend truth and Godliness, and he prove more ignorant than the Presbyters, and Preach not to the thousandth or hundredth part of his Diocese once in all his life, nor to any at all past once in many weeks or months or years, and if he do but silence the Ministers that are abler and far more pious than himself, what ⟨p. 170⟩power hath he as a Bishop to those ends? Sure I am that dispositio matter is necessary as sine qua no•, ad receptionem formae. If one be made a Schoolmaster, that cannot reach the Scholars half so much as they know already, but hath need to learn of them, and yet will neither learn of them, nor suffer them to learn without him, I know not well how far he is their Schoolmaster indeed. If one be made a Physician, that knoweth not half so much as I do, I should be loth for Order sake to venture my life upon his trust. Nor yet to venture my own life and others in a Ship that had an ignorant Pilot, when the Mariners had more skill, but must not use it. Orders and Office that are appointed for the work's sake, essentially suppose ability for that work. And without the necessary qualifications, they are but the Carcasses or images of the office (but of this before).

Now let it be for the present granted that for such reasons Episcopacy in each Church was justly setled, and call it an order or a degree as you please; It will be a difficult question, what shall be judged of those that have the same place and Title, without the same Qualifications and precedencie of parts? Because the Reason of his power faileth. If one be chosen Bishop to keep out Hetesie, and he prove a Heretick, and the Presbyters Orthodox, whatis his power to that end? If one be chosen Bishop to keep out Schisin, and he prove a Schisinatick or Sect-Master, and the rest concordant, what is his power? If one be made Bishop to teach the people better than the Presbytres, and to teach the Presbyters themselves, and to defend truth and Godliness, and he prove more ignorant than the Presbyters, and Preach not to the thousandth or hundredth part of his Diocese once in all his life, nor to any at all past once in many weeks or months or years, and if he do but silence the Ministers that are abler and farr more pious than himself, what