ì.And asto his appeal to the difcipline ofthe Ancients ; I leave theRea- derto thedeceit ofthis mans arguings, r. Ifhe cannot find it fully pro- ved in thisBook, that the Churches of the ancient Bithops were notfo big as our greaten Parishes, asto thenumber of Souls, much lefs asour. Dioceffes. z. And if inmy abftrud of Church-Hiflory of Bishopsand Counfels, I have not fully proved, that Difcipline was neglected corrup- ted or overthrown dy degrees as Bifhopr-Churches overlwelled. When we read fuch doleful complaints inHiftory, Fathers, Counfels and their Canons of the corruptionoftheChurches,is this thetrueufe to be madeof all, that we mull be like them,andnot blame them, leg we open the nakednef of our Fathers ? 3. And ifmen can make themfelveswillingly fo blind, as by a ítory that the Fathers did fuch things amongPeople and circum- fiances which we know not,to renounce common experience that it is not now any where done, nor can poliìbly be done; Ifmen can be fo ignorant what our Pariíhes and Dioceffes are, and what aBishop and Chancellor do and can do, Let fuch err, for I am unable tocure them, anymore than ifthey were confident,that my Lord Major canGovern all theFamilies of London as their Mailers, by Rewards, without Fami- ly-Mafters,or that one Phyfitian, or oneTutor,could ferveinfead ofma- ny for the City. Indeed they that have as lowan efteemoftrue Difcipline, as Mr. D. in his Letter feems to have, may eafily believe that a fewmen may do it. And thofePapifis that can let the Church be the fink of common un cleannefs, anda Nurfery of Ignorance, Vice, and Prophanenefs ; fo they may but keep up their Wealth, and Eafe, and Honour, by crying, up Order, Government, andunity; may accordinglybelieve, that no more knowledge, Piety or Difcipline is a duty, than ferveth the ends of their worldly Dominion. I mull again give notice to the Reader that whereas the Common Objections ofthe greatnefsofBithopcChurches in thefecondCenturie,are fetcht from the inffances ofRome, and Alexandria, I have anfwered even thofe two in the beginningofmyBreviate ofChurch-Hiflory, to which I mull refer you, andnot again repeat it here. I know that poor ingnorant Perlons mullexpect fucha shameful Cant ofold reproach as this,tocheat theminto thehatred ofChrifis Church-or- der and Government,into a loveofClergie-bondage, afcornful fmile íhall tell them [Mr. Baxter would have as many Bishops as Parishes, and a Pope in every Parish ; when men think one in a Diocefs too much : When every ignorant or rafh Prie (ball be the Mager of all the Parifh, andyou have no remedyagaifl his Tyranny ; what a brave reformation will this bed Andfuch a deceitfulfcorn will ferveto delude the ignorant and ungodly',
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=