ßr$2,) every creature : Howwould this fland with fix±ng in a peculiar Diocefs ? Sea. 13. And 2. We find them anfwering their Commiflìon in their pra& -ice, going abroad and preaching and planting Char; hes, and fometimes vifiting them in their paffage,but not felling on themas their Diu. ffes ; but going further, if they had opportunity, to do the like for other places. Yea they planted Bifhops in the feveral Cities and Churches which they had gathered to Chrifl. Though Paul flaid three years at E- phefus and other adjacent parts of efif :a , yet did not all that abode prove it his peculiar Diocefs : ( And yes its hard to findagain fo long an abode of Paul or any Apoflle in one place.)Elders that were Bifhops we findat Ephefur, Ails ao.and Tome fay Timothywas their Bifhop, and fore fay yohrs the Apo. file was their Bifhop: but its clear that it was no peculiar Di- ocefs of Paul. See. 14. And 3. We (till find that there were more thenone of thefe general itinerant Miniflers in a Place, or at leaf} that no one excluded others from having egnal power withhim in his Province, where ever he came. Barnabas, Silas, Titus, Ti- tnothtus, Epaphroditus, and many more were fellow- labourers withPaul in the fame Diocefs or Province, and not as fixed Bifhopsor Presbyters underhim, but as General Minifters as well as he. We never read that he faid to any of the falle Apoftles that fought his contempt [ This is my Diocefs,what have you to do toplay the Bishop inanother mansDiocefs? Much lefs didhe ever plead futh a Power, againfl Peter,Barnabas or any Apoflolical Minifler a Nor that ?awes pleaded any fuch prerogativeat yerufalem. Sal. i 5. And therefore though we reverence Eufebius and other Ancients , thattell us offome Apoflles Dioceffes,we take them not as infallible reporters , and have reafon in thefe points partly todeny them credit from the word ofGod. The Churches that were planted by any Apoflle, or where an Apo- -filewas longefl refident, were likeenough to reckon thefriesof their Paflors from him For the founder of aChurch is a Pallor ofit, thoughnot a fixed Pallor, taking it as his peculiarcharge, but delivering it into thehands of fuch : And in this fence we have great reafon to underfiand the Catalogues of theAncients . ... and
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