( 95 ) bilhops to he litre Diving, with Dr. Hammond, it will be fomewhat to his Caufe, but nothing to ours. Cap. 8. he openeth his conceit (which in time I fhall fhewdoth yieldus the whole Caufe) that every place of Scripture which mentioneth Bi- fhops or Presbyters; meaneth Diocefan fupereminent Bithops only. And first he proveth it of the Elders Bilhops of Ephefus, Al's zo. becaufe the whole flock, is meant of all Afia: Fully proved, becaufe /reams faid (as he thought) that the Bithops were convocate from Ephefus and the neareft Cities. But, t. Irenæus faith not [Bifheps] only, but Bithops and Presby ters, conjoining then as two forts, and not [Bithops or Presbyters] as the Doctor doth. z. The nearefl Cities, and all Afia, we take not for words of the fame importance. ;. We take not your bare word for the validi- ty of the Confequence, that becaufe the Bilhops of feveral Cities were there, therefore it is all Aj'i tàat is angularly called =Iv aóiin'oov, the whole Flock, and not each 3ilhops Flock refpectively; q. d. Each ofyou looltto your feveral Flock` 4. We think if you calculate the time, Alts 20 and zt. and confider Paul's hafte AFIr zo. 16. that few impartial men will believe that Paul's Mef%:ngers (that were wont to go on foot) did fo quickly go all over Afia, and fo quickly get together all the Bithops of Afia to Miletum ; unlefs they all resided at Ephefus, as our Englifh Bi- (hops do at Lrndan, and Governed their unknown peopleby a Lay-Chan- cellour. 5. And Irenæus, ibid. p. 2. faith [Et amniahujufmodi per foliate Lucam cognovimeos, we know all fuch things by Luke alone, pretending uo other Tradition. And if it be in Luke it isyet to be thence proved. 6. But he pleadeth our Caufe too ftrongly, by fuppofing tint each City then had a Bifhop without any fubjeft half-Presbyter, and o that no fuch Office was yet made. Cap. 9. Of Timothy's Epifcopacy concerneth not our Caufe. Though I hope that neither he nor his Church were fo bad as the Angel or Church in.Rev. 2. is defcribed. And it's eafier to anfwer the ftrengtti ofDr. Ham- mond, than for him to anfwer the Evidence brought by Prin in his Onbi.. {hoping Timothy and Tirus, to Thew the itinerant life and Miniftry of Ti morby, contrary to the life of a fixed Bithop. And ifnon- refidencyhave fuck Patrons, andTimothy have taught men to leave their Churches year after year, and play the Pallor many hundred Miles diftant, it will make us dream. that non.refidence is a duty. And if all thefe years Timothy's Metropolitan Church at Ephefus had no ordained Presbyter (but PA -een- gers that fell in)" I blame them not, or wonder not at leaft, that they lot their firft love ; for it's like they feldom hadany Church Af emblies toCom municate and WorfhipGod together. Cap. ro. Cometh to the cafe ofPhilippi, Phil: i. 1, 2. And, i. S. 3. he faith, It is manifefi that EpaphroditusRiifhop of Philippi was at Rome with Paul when he wrote this Epiflle (and he fuppofeth thatthere were yet noPresby- ters, but Bifhops.) And fo whenPaul wrote to all the Saints which are at Philippi, with the Bilhops and Deacons;] he meant [to thofe that are not at- Philippi,
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