(g2, ofSubpresbyters, it wouldbe to do their own work, and not another mans. My next proof of the limitation ofChurches in Scripture times is that Deacons and Bithops were diftind Officers appointed to the fame Churches. The Churchwhich the Deacon was related to, was the very fame, and of the fame extent, with the Church which theBifhop was related to ; as is plain in all Texts where they are defcribed ; flit. 6. r Tim. 3. 7át. 7. &c. But it is molt clear that noDeacon then had the charge of many hundred Churches, or more than one fuch asI have defcribed : Therefore neither had the Bifhop of that Church. They that have now extended the Office of the Deaconsfurther, andhave alienated them from their firft works, of attending at the Sacred Tables, and taking care of the Poor, cannot deny but that this wasat leaft a great part of their work in theScripture times and fome Ages after (at leaft when 7eromead Evagr. defcribed the Offices of the Presbyters and Deacons.) And was any man then made a Deacon to a Diocefs ? or to many hundred Churches ? or to more thanone ? Didhe attend the Tables ofmany Churches each Lords day at the fame time? Ifyouu fay that there were many Deacons, and fome were in one Church and fome h another, it is true : that is, They were infeveral Affemblies, w_hich were every one a.true Church, and they were oft many in one Affembly : But there wasno one that was related to Many fatedChurch: Affemblies 5. nor to a Church of a leffer fize or magnitude than the Bithop. was. g. And that there was no Church then without a Bifhop (one ormore), is evident fromAll. 54. 23. They ordained them Elders in every Church; com- pared with other Texts that call them. Bithops : And Doctor HammondPhew eth that thefe Elders were Bithops. And indeed it was not a Church , in a proper political fenfe) that had no Bithops formally or eminently. No more. than there can be a Kingdom without a King, a School without a School-ma 1ter, ora family without -a;Mafter.= . Obje&. They are calledChurches Aft. r¢. 23.. before theyhad ordained Elders.- Anfty. i. It is not certain from the Text, for the name. might be, given . from their flarein fieri or which theywere now entring.into. 2. If it were fo, it, is certain that the appellation. was equivocal, as it. isufual to_ difinguifh. the. Kingdom from the King, the School.from theSchool,mafter, theFamily from. the Mailer, but not in the frif political fenfe of thewords, for that compre-. hendeth both. 3. The truth is, they were true political Churches befòre.,- For theyhad temporary unfixedBifhops, even the Apofles and.Evangelifts,. that converted them, and officiated among them. Otherwife they could have heldno Sacred Affemblies for holyCommunion.and'the LordsSupper, ashay. ingnone to adminifter it. The fixing of.peculiar Bithopsdid not make therm brit Churches, but made them.fetled Churches in fuch an_order.as. God would. dtablith.. 6: L- aftiy, The felling. ofChurches - with Bithops in..'every'City, Tit. r. 5._ ,loth thew of what magnitude the Churches were in the Scripture.times. For,. a,.It.is known that . (mall Towns in 7eadea.were calledCities. 2.. And., that Creete:
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=