proper charge, having no Government of any other Church CCongregation ) orElders. De f4tlo this is plainly yielded. Well : this much being yielded,and we having come fo far to an agreement, about the actual Church Conffitution and Go, vernment oftheScripture times, wedelire to know fome.fuffici- ent reafon,why we in there times may not take up with thaGo- vernment and I, [lurch order which was practifed in theScripture times ?And the Reafon that is brought againil it is this ; Becaufe it was the Apoffles intention that this fingle Bifhop who in Scri- pture times had but one Congregation, and Governed no Pi fhould after Scripture times , have many fettled Con- gregations, and their Presbyters under them, and fhouid have the power ofordaining them, &c. To this I anfwer, a. The In- tentions ofwens hearts are fecret till theyare force way reveal- Td. No man of this age Both know the Apoffles hearts but by ome fign : what then is the revelation that Proveth this Inten- tion i? Either itmuff be force Word or Deed. For thefirft I can - not yet find. any colour of proof which they bring from any word ofthe Apoftles, where either they givepower to this Pref- by ter or Bifbop to Ruleover many Presbyters and Congregati- ons>for the future o Nor yet where they do fo much as foretell that foitfhllbe. As for thofe of Paul to Timothj and Thus, that they rebuke s t an Elder, and receivenot accufation agairir'`. them but under twoor three V'Jitnefes, the Reverend Author al. #îrmezh that thofe Elders were not Presbyters under fuck Bi- fhops as we now fpeak of, but thofe Bithops thernfelves, whom' Tærafothyand Taus might rebuke. And for nicer fact's without Scripture words, there is none that can prove this pretended In- tention of theApoffles. Firff, there is nofact of the Apoffles themfelves or the Churches or P,ifiors in Scripture time to prove it. For Subordinate Prejd ters are confcffed not to be then Inflituted,and fo not exiffent : and other fart of theirs there cänbenone. _ And no faef after them can prove it. Yet this is the great Argument chat moil infift on that the practice ofthe Church after Scripture tunes, cloth prove that Intentionofrhe Apoffles which Scripture doth not ( for ought is yet proved by them that d can find j at all e sprefs. But we deny that, and re- . qu,i-e proof ofit. It is,not bare laying fo that will ferve. 19 it not poffible for the fucceeding. Bifbops to err and miflake the Apoffles
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