Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BX5151 .B3 1659

dll t onsofthe molt Learned..andReverend man that at this time bath deeply engaged .himfelfin defenceof Epifcopacy, whodoth grant us all thefe things following: i .That inScripture times they were the fame perfons,andof the fame office that were called Bi. (hops and'Presbyters. 2. That all the Presbyters mentioned in Scripture times; or then inlìitured(as far as we can know; had a Power ofOrdination. 3.Andalfo a Power. ofRuling theChurch, Excommunicating and Abfolving. 4. That there was not then in being any Presbyter ( fuch as the Bifhops would have in thefe times) who was under the Bifhop ofaparticular Church or Diocefs. His words are thefe [ And although this title of Elders, have best alfaextended to a fecund Order in the Church, andss now'only in life for them; under the Name of Presbyters, yet in the Scripture times it belonged principally, if not alone to Bifhops therebeing no Evidence, that anyofthatfe- sond order were then infiituted, though foot after, before the wri- ting ofIgoatius Epiftles there werefilch inftitaued in allChurches.] 5. i t is yielded alto:by hita that it is theoffice--of thefe Presby- ters or:Bifhops toTeach frequentlyand diligently,to;.reduce He `reticks, to reprove, rebuke, Cenfure and abfolve, to vilit all the fick and pray with them, &c. And therefore it mull needs follow that their Díocefs`muft be no larger then thatthey may faithfully perform all this to the Members of it Andifthere bebut one Bi- fhoprodo it,' mmolt certain.then by experience that hisDiocefs muff be no bigger then this Parifh,nor- perhapshalf fobig.b;And it mull needs foiìöw,bat in Scripture times a Particular Church Dr.-LDifberr. confined not olfeve' al Churches affocated,nor offeverai Con- 2,03. Pnuà lÿ re ationsordinari} y meeting incorn- ' p levera! lacesforChriftian[ §.q. amnion non ufqttequgiit erum effe quodpro concefJ'P cia:itate rien fuitepiares Epif°copos ) enim in una °çclefrîe aut netuplures -f:riiul Epifcopi nunquarn fu rint,rúhil tarnen obflare quin in eréylem civitate duo alquando difte;mtnata cceiuefuerint,duobus Apoflolis ad fidem, addufli,diverfsfor fn dialcïtis dr`aliguando ritibus disjiantti, quibus duo itidem Epifcopi feorírita, e'r.. divifïs ac,?.;trpædere-ilto Er p. zrYs 6..zx. :[ Ex his ratio'eonftat, quare fine P;;esbyterörum mentione interveniente, Eo.ifcopis Deacoriíìmrirfpáateadjiciaru.ur,.quia fcilicetin fngulis:lUl.zéedoniæ àiuitatibus, griam` vis ìï.pifcotrus conflicrats.font, Diaconrs tantram.0-pds offía v ubi¡; Epifcopcs ada nt`tit. ` Mark-Welt tire:fbtii* of the gneiiion by 1Di: H. Difbért. Epift.§. 30;3 r. The contriver- t,is:nnt kuibusdemum nóminibus cog'nitr Point Ecclefsaruïn ItcFfor^es, fed ad untern in pipitari

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