_ is of human regulation,
and may be modified as circumstances require. Other officers may be
appointed, and the manner in which ministers are invested with their
jurisdiction may be varied. To use the language of the Episcopal Church in
the United States, in the Preface to her Book of Common Prayer, "It is a
most invaluable part of that blessed liberty, wherewith Christ hath made
us free, that, in His worship, different forms and usages may, without
offence, be allowed, provided the substance of the faith be kept entire;
and that, in every Church, what cannot be clearly determined to belong to
Doctrine, must be referred to Discipline; and therefore, by common consent
and authority, may be altered, abridged, enlarged, amended, or otherwise
disposed of, as may seem most convenient for the edification of the
people, 'according to the various exigencies of times and occasions.' ...
The particular Forms of Divine Worship, and the Rites and Ceremonies
appointed to be used therein, being things in their own nature indifferent
and alterable, and so acknowledged, it is but reasonable, that, upon
weighty and important considerations, according to the various exigencies
of times and occasions, such changes and alterations should be made
therein, as to those, who are in places of authority should, from time to
time, seem either necessary or expedient."

In the Church of England, there are Archbishops, Deans, and various other
officers and titles of office; but these are of local authority, and do
not interfere with the three Divinely-appointed orders. To use the
language of Hooker, "I may securely, therefore, conclude, that there are,
at this day, in the Church of England, no other than the same degrees of
ecclesiastical orders, namely, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, which had
their beginning from Christ and His blessed Apostles themselves. As for
Deans, Prebendaries, Parsons, Vicars, Curates, Archdeacons, and such like
names, being not found in the Scriptures, we have been thereby, through
some men's errors, thought to allow ecclesiastical degrees not known nor
ever heard of in the better ages of former times. All these are in truth
but titles of office," admitted "as the state of the Church doth need,
degrees of order still remaining the same as they were from the
beginning."

Two hundred years ago, Hooker gave the following challenge, which has
never yet been accepted:--"We require you to find but one Church upon the
face of t