9 Apoftles were Stewards andKey -Bearers in that one Church ; and that by his Dotrine none but one of them should he Steward of Gods Myfteries, or have the Keys : And therefore he faith, that [Thóuóh the Apoflles are called Stewardì of the Myfleries of God, i Cor. ¢. 1. that is to be rec1oned as pertaining- to the many divided Families, that is the many particular Chur- ches, difiinei parts of theVnsverfal Church, which the A)ofta's divided among themfelves. Anfw Uniefs his etiam here be a felf-contradifting cheat, it will hence follow, 1. That the Apoftles are not Stewards of Gods Nlyfte- ties ingathering Churches, but only to the Churches gathered. a. That in Baptizing and giving theHoly Gltot, to fuch as yet entered not into a Particular Church, they excercifed. not any oftheir Paid Srewardfhip or Power. ;. That thay have no Power of the Keyes at all, over any that are not Members of a Particular Church, (fuch as the Eunuch, AFI. 8. And many Merchants, E:mbad`adors, :Travellers, and many thoufands that want Paltors or opportunity,or hearts, yea and all Chrifiians in the ftrit Inftant as meerly Baptized Perfons feting Baptifine entereth them only into, the Univerfal Church, and not into any particular (as inch) 4. And that till the :Apoltles gathered particular Churches,and diftributed them, they had noStewardfbip, nor nfe (at lealt) of the Keyes. And what ifit can never be provedthat ever the. Apoftles diftri bated the univer- fal Church into Apoftolical Provinces, but only pro re nata diftributed themfelves, in the World,, were they never Stewards thennor Key-bearers? Verily if I believed fuch a diflribution of the World into twelve or more Provinces by them, 1, fhould queftion the power that altered that Conftitution., and fet us up but four or five Patriarches. And were the fame Apoftles no Stewards or Key - .bearers out of their (feigned) feveral Provinces? If we mule be filenced unlefs we fubferibe to the Dictates of fuch felf conceited Confidant men, who íhall ever:. Preach that isnot born under the fame Planet with them). Cap. 17. he preceedethltill tomain- tain ourCaufe, that even in 7taflin Martyrs writings,and.oehers ofthat Age, by, the qttawsehnc are meant the Bithops of the feveral Churches who had not one Presbyter under them, but Deacons only, and therefore had but fing`e Congregations; but did themfelves alone with the Deacon perform all the public]; Offices in the Church, And that no equalPresbyter was placed with them,. offendeth us nomore than that our Parifli-Minifters now are prefented and inftituted alone, yea and have power to take Curates under them as their helpers. Cep. 18. He proveth truly that the Names Saceretos and.Sacerdotium are ufualiy by old Writers fpohen of foie Bithops.and Epifcopacy. Bywhich we are the more confirmed in our Opinion, that he that is. not Epifcepus ;reds a Bifhop over the Flock, is not Sacerdos, true Pallor, but bath on- ly a limb of theNinifteriaf Office, being a thing of prefumptuous Prelates inftitution. Cap. 19. He further ftrtngtheneth us by maintaining that the word Pres- byter, in the places o: the NewTellament.citcd by him, doth mean only a Bi-
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