Baxter - BV669 B3 1681

t To-3 ) canprove that ever they didonee(to make a Bifhop-and Beaconsof the two' or three- firft Novice-converts before therewere anymore Converted, and to make Bifliops and Deacons before there were any Chrifhans to confti- tute Churches, meerly for future "Churches,) this is not Clemens aft, whoe- verelfe will ovin it. 4. Laftly he notethhere that this was doñeby the Revelationof the Spirit, whereby theyexamined and tryed who was worthy of that Dignity. And, a. Whatufefor examination who was worthy, where there was no other to Rand inCompetition and where the firlt Convert fiii was taken ? Elefti- on is é muftis. And if he he compelled to grant that there weremore Chri- ftians over whom theBifhop was fet, it is aContradiftion tofay that h Bi- fnopand his Flock, though fmail, is no Church. 2. It is hard to believe that themultitude of ignorant Lads, and wicked .Men that are now fet over Churches, are Conftituted by this Apoftolical choice and Tryal, by the Holy Ghoit. Cap. 5. §. 5. He nowacknovrledgeth that where many were at firft Converted, not always the lieft but the fitteft was chosen Bifhop.. And how prove yo,i that heand'his 'lock wereno Church ? The fame he main- tain th, 4. r I. And after from the choice nfuallymade by f ffragesand other reafons,well confuteththeféxmerconceit, when he took it tobeBlondels; bue fivehe Could not believe that theywere .Ecclef e nondirm hate, orfuture Believers that choirBilhopsbySuffrages ? But having fo fully in this Cnap- ter confuted-his former, as Blondef'sopinion, I doubt not but Blondel is in this aseahly reconciled tohim as he to himfeif1 and to :ant -no more, but, t. That the Apaftles tried (not to make Bill-lops of the firft Converts lim- ply, but) to choofe them out of the ancient, grown, andproved Chri- ftians. 2. And that being fo chofen (not he that was firft Baptized, but) he that was firft ordained, had the prefidence in the Confeffus,of their Pres- byters : Which the Dr. mighteafily have feen, and (pared his infulting upon the contrary frppofition. But let it hère again be noted, that §. 9. he exprefly and confidently al- ferteth all that I now delre, viz. That Clemens doth fpeakof Churches beginning,inwhich thirewere not yetmany Believers,and thereforewith- out doubt, neither Presbyters influenced. If he means Cno Subjeft Presbyters] or it he means [not-many in a Church but one Bifhop] 1 delire no more : For then noBifhop had more ChurchAffemblies than one, nor any half-Presby- ters were ordained by the Apoftles. For Clemens doth not tell us what the Apoftles did in thebeginning of their Preaching only, but giveth us this as an accountof all their courfe, in fettling Offices in the Churches where they came. Cap. 6. He confelfeth that Clemens mentioneth but twoOrders,Bifhops andDeacons, (and we would haveno more) and 4.4. is over angry with Blondel for gathering hence, that he.didnot doas thofe that from the Yew ifhElders, or Priefts, or the 7o gather another order, what is there in this Colleftion that delrveththe that words of that §; Cap. 6;

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