CHAP. VI. That it is not of Gods injlitution, nor is pleating to him that there be no Churches and BiJhops but inCities ór that aCity with its territories, or Country adjacent, be the bounds of each Church. SOme late molt elleemed defenders of Dioeefanes, efpecially Dr. Ham- mond, lay fo great a ftrefs upoh the fuppofition, that the Apofiles fet led the Churches in theMetropolitaneand Diocefane order,and that they did partly in imitation of the Jewifh policy, and partly as a thing,necef- fary by thenature of thething, that even in HeathenKingdomes, when Churches are gathered- in any Cities, they mul have a difference of Church power over each other as they find the Cities tohavea civil pow- er (as you heard before fromDr. El.) that I think it meet here breifly to prove, z.That it was not of the Apofiles purpofe to haveChurches and Bithops placed only in Cities, and not in Villages. z. Nor that Church powerfhould thus follow thecivil; 3. Nor that aCity with its territories fhould hethe meafureof the habitationofeach Churches members. The licet in fome cafes Idenynot, but the oportet is the queftion, yea and the licet in other cafes. The two firtl are proved together by thefe reafons, following. x. Chrift himfelf our grand examplar did not onlypreach and ,con- vert Chriflians in Cities, but in Country villages, where he held affem- blies, and preacht and .prayed, yea in mountains and in Ships : And thoughhe planted no particular Churcheswith fixed Bithops there, yet that was becaufe he did fo no where. He performed all offices in the Countrywhichhe dia in the Cities, except that which was appropriated to Jerufálemby theLaw and the inllitutionofhis lati fupper, which could be done but in one place. 2. There is noLaw ofGod (direé}or indirect)whichmaketh it a duty to fettle Churches and Bithops in Cities only, and forbiddeth the fetling them inCountry villages: This is moll evident to him that will fearch the Scripture, and but try the pretendedproofs of the late.Prelatitis for the vanity of their pretenlons will eafily appear ; They have not fc fair a pretenfe in the NewTeftament for afferiin.g tuch a Law, as thePop: bath tor his fupermacy in [Peter feed my Jheep].. And where there is no Law, there is no obligation on us unto duty, and no fin in otniflion. If they fay that [the Apofiles did plant Churches only inCities compre- hending theirtcrritories'] I anfwer, z. They provethat they planted them is Cities ; but the filence of the Scripturesproveth opt the Negative, that Q city
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