fiers tocontinue. ) Theunfixed Miniflers ( whether Apoflfesq Evangel:as or Prophets) were fuck as had no fpecial charge of any one Church as their Diocefs, but were todo their belt for the Church in general, and followthe dire&ion and call of the Holy Ghofl for the exercifing of their Minifiry. But its known to all that our Engsifh Bifhops were not fuch. They were no ambulatory itinerant Preachers : they went not about to plant Churches, and confirm and direct fuch as they hadplanted : but were fixed to a City, and had every one their Diocefs, which was their proper charge ( butÁOhhow they difcharged their un- dertaking! ) Se&. t t. Obje&. rive Apofflea might agree among them felves to divide their Provinces, and did accordingly, James being Bifhop ofJerufalem, Peter of Rome, &c. Anfay. No doubt but common reafon would teach them when they were fent to preach the Gofpel to all theworld , to difperfe themfelves, and not be preaching all in a place,to the difadvantage of their work: But i. Itsone thing to travail leverai ways, and fodivide them- felves as itinerants ; andanother thing to divide the Churches among them, as their feveral Diocefles towhich they fhould be fixed : Which they never did , for ought is proved. 2. And its one thing prudently to difperfe themfelves for their labour , and another thing to claim a fpecial power, over a Circuit or Diocefs as their charge , excluding a like charge and power of others. Sofar as any man,Apoflle or other, was theFather of fouls by their converfion ï they owned him a fpe- cial honour and love , which the Apoftles themfelves did fome -. times claim But this wasnothing to a peculiar Diocefs or Pro- vince. For in the fame City (as ?erufalem ) fome might be converted by one Aporde, and force by another. And if a Pres- byter convert them, I think the adverfaries will not therefore make them his Diocefs, not give him thereanEpifcopai Power, much tels above Apoilles in that place. Nor was this the Rule that Dioceffes could be boundedby, as nowthey are taken. Se&, r z. Nor do we find in Scripture the leal} intimati- on that the Apoftles were fixed Diocefan Bithops , but much to the cpntrary. i. In.that it was not corfiílent with the General charge, and work that Chrift had laid upon them to go into all the world ,ti and preach the Gofpel to Aa 3 every
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