Presbyterie. Alfo from Ate. i 3.1,2,3. They werethe-Propbety and Teachers of the Church of Antioch that--irpofed hands on Barnabas and Saud, ( whether it were for their firft Ordination_ to the Office, or only for a particular Million I now difpute: not. ) The Church of Antioch had ,not many Prelates, if any:- but they had many Prophets and Teachers., and thefe and none but thefe are mentioned as the. Ordainers. As for them that fay chefewere the Bifhops of many Churches of Syria, when the Text faith they all belonged to this Church of Anrioch,they. mayby Inch prefumptuous conéradidtionsof Scripture fay much,, but prove little: Sea. 24. As for them that grant us, that there were no. fubje&Presbyters-inftituted in Scripture - times, and fo expound, the Presbyterie here to be. only Apoftles and Bifhops of the: higher order, I have (hewed already, that they yield us the: Caufe : though I mull add, that we can own no new fort of Presbyterie, not inilitutedby Chrifl or his Apoffles. But for them that think that Prelates with fubje& Presbyters were ex iftent in thofe times, they commonly expound this Text of Or- dination by fuch fubjedt:Presbyters,, withothers of a Superior rank or degree, together : Now, as to our ufe, it is fufficient,. that hence we prove that a Presbyterie may ordain : and that un, deniably a Presbyteriecodified of Presbyters,. and fo that Pref.,: byters may ordain. This is commonly granted us, from this Text. That which is laid again{l us by them that. grant it, is, that Presbyters did Ordain,but not alone, but with the Bilhops;. Se6t. .2g. Buts, i. if this were proved, its. nothing againft us : for if Presbyters with Bifhops have power to Ordain, then it is not a work that is without the reach of their Office but that which belongeth to them : and therefore if they could prove- it irregular for them to Ordain without a Bithop, ye would they not proveitNull. Otherwife they might prove it Nul ,. if a Bithop Ordain without a Presbyterie, becaufe according. to this Objedtion they mua concur. 2 But indeed, they prove not that any above Presbytersdid concur in Ti,nothies Ordina' tion, whatever probability they may fhew,for it,. And till theyprove it, we mull hold fo much as is proved and granted;. Sea 26. As for 2 dim.1.6.it is no certain proof of it. í.t anay be. impofition of.hands: in Confirmation, or for. the firft Dd 3 giving.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=