The Preface. ly. But I believe not that he fpekeof [richBi(hops onlyasWe have inqueflion, or that he didnot plainly (peak ofPresby- ters as fuch. For he fpeaks of the plenitude ofPower and Grace in the church: and therefore intendedmorethenwhat Was proper toa Prelate. z. Hemtntion'eth Elders,Ma ;ores natU ingeneral without diiflinllion.0 And "3, His prxfident isplainly related to theChurch(as theubithews :)it being the People and not the Elders over whom theft Eldersare (aid to prefade. And 4.Baptizing isfirflinflanced,whichwas known to becommonly theworkof Presbiyters,andnever'ap- propriated to thePrelate. So that thefameperfons that did Baptize,even the Elders ofthcChurch,according to Firmi- tian, did thenpoftefs the power of layingonhands andofor- daining.But thefe thingsare morefullydt f cnfi'dinwhat.fol- lorveth, And ifany either adverfary or'friendwould fee the ReformedChurchesMiniflryandordinationmotefully vin- dicated, Irefer them to Voetiusagain(! Jafenius'Defpe- rata caufaPapatus: which if 1 had read before I had writ ten this Difputatien,! think I/bonldhave(paredmy labour. Reader,i f others are too6ufie tomilled thee, 'I may fup- pofe tbeeunwiring to be milled, elpecially ina matter offo great concernment: ' ForfaithBlef edAgufline,Multos in- venimus qui mentiii velint, qui autem falli r:eminem:de Dotrin.Chriíl,l. t cap.36. ) Andtherefore as thon lovefl Chri11, his Church, and carpel, and thefouls of others and thine own, take heed bow thou venturefï in following a jai o f angry men, to unchurchfogreatand excellent apart of theCatholich Church, and to vili fieand depofe f great a number ofable faithful! Miniflersof chrzfl, as thofe that hadnot Prelatical Ordination. And if you are Gentlemen, or unlearned men, thatfor want of longanddiligent flddyingofthefematters, are un- capable ofjudgingofthem,and therefore takeall on the Au- thorityof thofewhefe Learningandpartsyou moll e/feem, I befeech
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