fence of the city; and tho' he had many architects and artists to carry on his designs, yet as Plutarch tells us in his life, he appointed Phidias, one of the best painters and ftatuaries in the world, παντων επισκόπις, bishop over them all. So that Phidias was properly bishop of the craftsmen. Antiochus Epiphanes † compelled the Jews to forfake their national religion, and to embrace his Gods. For this purpose he erected temples to them in all the towns and cities of Judea, and every where facrificed fwine upon the altars. He moreover commanded the Jew's not to circumcise their children, threatning very feverely all who fhould be found to do it. And to carry on this holy work of converfion more effectual1y, κατιςησε επισκοπες, he appointed bishops to compel the Jews to come in, and force them to obey the king's command. And in this pious work of converting by compulfion, these bishops have had their fucceffors by a lineal and uninterrupted descent throughout almost all ages and nations; whom I cannot call by a more proper name than that of inquifitory bishops. Cicero the famous Roman orator, tells his friend Atticus, that he prefided over a very troublesome affair. For that Pompey would have him emoxorov bishop over Campania and the fea coaft, and that to him as fuch, the foldiery, and whole management of Pompey's affairs, fhould be committed. Nor is it an unusual thing to fee bishops in later ages gallantly heading the troops of Mars, as well as feeding the flocks of Chrift like fhepherds, and gently gathering the lambs with their arms. Thefe I fhall diftinguifh by the ftile and title of martial or military bishops. too BUT befides thefe, I find other bishops alfo, of a fomewhat different and inferior kind and office. Themiftius, the philofopher, in his oration upon the confulate of Jovian the emperor, fpeaks of certain flattering bishops, who would have perfuaded Jovian not to have given liberty of confcience to perfons of all perfuafions, but to have perfecuted those who would not subscribe to their opinions. Themiftius juftly fays of them: aλspyda, & DEO Dreaπεύοντας: They worfhip the purple and not God. And tho' one would imagine, by the account which Socrates gives, that they were chriftian bishops of whom Themiftius speaks, yet this cannot be true: fince 'tis effential to the character of a chriftian bishop not to worfhip the purple more than God, but to worship God more than the purple. Thefe I fhall dignify by the very reverend name of purple-hunters. 8 Homer, the prince of poets, fpeaks of fome perfons who were conftituted bishops, Socrat. E. Hift. 1. 3. c. 25. in order to be spies. Thus Menelaus * says to his brother Agamemnon, Are you going to fend any one of your companions as a bishop or Spy amongst the Trojans? And when Vlyffes faw Dolon approaching to the Grecian camp, who came as a fpy from the Trojans, he whispers † Diomedes: Νηεσσιν επισκοπος ημετέρησιν. He comes as a bishop or Spy into our navy. This branch of the epifcopal office, however neceffary at proper times, was not greatly coveted, because of the danger that attended it. Thus Menelaus tells his brother in the first cited place of Homer, Aada, υποχεται τοδε I fear you'll εprov get no body to undertake this office. Nor would Dolon affume it, till he had the promife of a very great reward; which, however, he never received; Diomedes, without any regard to his epifcopal function, cruelly putting the poor bishop to death, in the very execution of his office. So dangerous is the employment cfa Spy bishop. μη στις του Homer alfo fpeaks of another fort of bifhops, whom he mentions with a kind of indignation; and in order to do it with less offence, he makes the reproach come from one Euryalus in a fpeech to Vlyffes, in Επισκοπος ησιν οδαίων, * Il. x. v. 38. † Ibid. 342. ‡ Odyf. 9. v. 163. which he calls him κερδών δ' αρπαλεων You are a bishop of victuals and plundered gains. This heathen fort of victualling and harpy bishops are directly oppofite to that chriftian bishop which St. Paul fpeaks of, who he fays muft be, σωφρονα, μη παροινον, μη αιχροκερ Sn. fober, not given to wine, nor a lover of filthy lucre. 7. Pollux alfo fpeaks of a certain fet of bifhops, whom he calls av ETTIOKOTO!, bishops of the games; fuch as running, wrestling, riding, boxing, &c. which were fome of the most celebrated games of the ancients. These bishops, or masters of the revels, are not wholly unknown to our own nation; fuch kind of sports and games, even on fundays, having been authorised by the epifcopal authority; that holy martyr Laud being the patron, defender, and fupport of them. And because these inspectors, or biShops of the revels, did adjuft every thing relating to them, in the exacteft manner, and were themselves probably very dextrous fportfmen; hence he who fat well on an horfe, or had a great skill in throwing a dart, is faid to do it ‡mongWTara, 1. C. moft epifcopally. I could add many other things to illuftrate this fubject, and to fhew of how great extent the epifcopal power was amongst the ancient heathens. But leaft I fhould be * 1 Tim. 3. 23. † 1. 3. c. 30. § 140. thought thought to make an undue oftentation of my fmall learning, and exceed the bounds of my paper, I fhall not add any thing more on this head; referving for a future paper the difcuffion of the nature and office of the επισκοπος or bifhop in the chriftian church. NUM B. LXXV. To the OLD WHIG. SIR, TH HE favourable difpofition which appear'd laft feffion in both houfes of parliament to the universities, not only in granting them liberty to purchase advowfons in mortmain, but in many expreffions of concern for their welfare, and for the amendment of any thing which may be inconvenient to those great nurseries of found learning, gives me encouragement to hope that fome reformation of their local ftatutes may be effected; which, as they were made fo many ages ago, and under fuch different circumftances of church and ftate, want much to be reduced to a model more agreeable to the reafon and policy of the prefent times. I would particularly recommend to the public the alteration of fuch ftatutes as re |