Page 333. “’Tis plain, all the power the bishops have, is derived from the people, &c.”  In general the distinction lies here.  The permissive power of exercising jurisdiction, lies in the people, or legislature, or administrator of a kingdom; but not of making him a bishop.  As a physician that commenceth abroad, may be suffered to practise in London or be hindered; but they have not the power of creating him a doctor, which is peculiar to a university.  This is some allusion; but the thing is plain, as it seemeth to me, and wanteth no subterfuge, &c.

Page 338.  “A journeyman bishop to ordain for him.”  Doth any man think, that writing at this rate, does the author’s cause any service?  Is it his wit or his spleen that he cannot govern?

Page 364.  “Can any have a right to an office without having a right to do those things in which the office consists?” I answer, the ordination is valid.  But a man may prudentially forbid to do some things.  As a clergyman may marry without licence or banns; the marriage is good; yet he is punishable for it.

Page 368.  “A choice made by persons who have no right to choose, is an error of the first concoction.”  That battered simile again; this is hard.  I wish the physicians had kept that a secret, it lieth so ready for him to be witty with.

Page 370.  “If prescription can make mere nullities to become good and valid, the laity may be capable of all manner of ecclesiastical power, &c.”  There is a difference; for here the same way is kept, although there might be breaches; but it is quite otherwise, if you alter the whole method from what it was at first.  We see bishops:  There always were bishops:  It is the old way still.  So a family is still held the same, although we are not sure of the purity of every one of the race.

Page 380.  “It is said, That every nation is not a complete body politic within itself as to ecclesiasticals.  But the whole church, say they, composes such a body, and Christ is the head of it.  But Christ’s headship makes Christians no more one body politic with respect to ecclesiasticals than to civils.”  Here we must shew the reason and necessity of the Church being a corporation all over the world:  To avoid heresies, and preserve fundamentals, and hinder corrupting of Scripture, &c.  But there are no such necessities in government, to be the same everywhere, &c.  It is something like the colleges in a university; they all are independent, yet, joined, are one body.  So a general council consisteth of many persons independent of one another, &c.

However there is such a thing as jus gentium, &c.  And he that is doctor of physic, or law, is so in any university of Europe, like the Respublica Literaria.  Nor to me does there seem anything contradicting, or improper in this notion of the Catholic Church; and for want of such a communion, religion is so much corrupted, and would be more, if there were [not] more communion in this than in civils.  It is of no import to mankind how nations are governed; but the preserving the purity of religion is best held up by endeavouring to make it one body over the world.  Something like as there is in trade.  So to be able to communicate with all Christians we come among, is at least to be wished and aimed at as much as we can.