Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

zs) Many together, s 14.23 * Timothyhad his Gift by the lay- * If one were _Aa ino on of Pauls hands and of the hands of the Presbyterie, I Tim. not meant of and 2 'Tim. t .6. Confirmation 4.14. or giving the Prop. 8. It feems that each Apoflle did exercife a Govern- Holy Ghoff, ment over the Churches which were once planted but this was and the other principally in order to well fetling and confirming them. of Ordinati- Prop. 9. No one Apoflle did appropriate a Diocefs to himfelf, oratherincline and fay, Here Iam foie Governor, or amclef Governor ; nor to think, did they or could they forbid anyothers to Govern in their Diocefs r though, as is Paid, they did agree to diftribute their work to the publike advantage, and not to be all in one place at once : but yet fúccefíively they might. Prop. i o, Nay its certain that they were fo far from being the foie Bithops of fuch or fuch a Diocefs, that theyhad ufually ferne more unfixedgeneral Officerswith them. Paul and Bar- nabas went together at firft : and after the Divifion, Barnabas and Mark,, Patel andSilas, and fometimes Timothy, and fome- time Epaphroditus, and fometime others went together after- ward. And others as well as lames were ufually at 7erufalem and all thefe had a general power where they came. And it cannot be proved that names was Ruler of Peter, Pani and the reft when they were at 7erufalem, nor that he had any higher power then they. Trop. it. Yet it feems that the feveral Apoltles didmoft look after thofe fame Churches which themfelveshad been the inftru.. menus of gathering, and thatfome addition of refped was due to thofe that hadbeen fpiritual Fathersto them, above the refl., Cor,4.15. Prop. I z. It was therefore by the General Commiffion of Apof}lethip that they Governed. particular Churches pro tempere while they were amongor neer them, and not by any fpecial Commifsionor Office of being the Diocefan or Metropolitans of thisor that place. - a. It was below them, and a diminution of their honor tobefo affixed, and take the charge of any par- ticular Churches. 2. We find not that ever they did it. 3 If they had, then all the diforders and ungovernedrefs of thofe Churches would be imputable to them, and therefore they mull be Rill with them as fixed Bithops are, teeing they cannot go- vgrn themat fuch a Glance as makes them uncapable. 4. Wien E Peur.

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