c'ro') 4. As the Apofiles laid hands on Believers to convey the Holy Ghotf, fo the Prelatifts think that theBifhops then Confirmed Believerswith Impofition of hands, faith Doéfoe Hammondon Heb. 13. a. 7'o teach, exhort, confirm and im- poree hands, all.which were the Bops office in that place.] And Owhat a work it is to know theperfons of many hundredParifhes to be capable ofConfirma- tion, and fo to confirm them (of which more afterward.) g. I need not prove that the Bifhops then were the Mailers of the Affem- blies, and called them, appointing time and place, as the Rulers of the Sy- nagogues did which flteweth that they were prefent with the Church A1: femblies. 6. TheBithops adminiftred the Lords Supper (as all confefs) and therefore muff have fume Paftoral notice of the fitnefs of all the Church to receive it which intimateth fufficiently the extent of theChurch. 7. They went before the Affemblies ufually in performanceof the publick woríhip They prayed with them, and praifed God : And DoorHammond thinks that in all this in Scripture times, they had not fo much as a Presbyter to aflift them. 8. They admonilhed the unruly and diforderly, and received Accufations, and- openly reprovedand excommunicated the Impenitent. And0, how great a work is it to deal with one Soul aright as mutt be done, before it çometh to Excommunication ! Much more with all in a Parith. Much more in many hundred Parithes. g. It is confcffed that it was the Bifhops work to äbfolve the penitent pub- lickly. And then he mutt judge of their Repentance : and then he mutt try it : And for how many thoufand can a Bifhop do this, with the left ? so. The Bifhop did difmifs the Congregation with a Benedi&ion (as is maintained by thofe that we difpute with) and therefore mull be prefent in it. a 1. They were to vial and pray with the fick, and all the (ck.to find for them to that end, Jam. 4.14. If any be fick amongyou let him call for the Elders of the Church, and let thempray over him] faith Doófor Hammond [8ecaufe there is no evidence whereby thefe (inferior Presbyters) mayappear to bave been brought into the Church fo early, And becaufe the vifitingof fick, is anciently mentioned as one branch of the office of Bifhops ; therefore it may very reafonably be refolved, that the Bops ofthe Church, one in each particular Church, but many in the uni verfal:, are here meant.] Though I am far from believing him that the fick per- fon is bid to fend butfor-one, when the term is plural, or that he muff fend for many out ofother Churches, I will take his conceflion that this was the Bishops work. 12. Laftly, Theywere to take care of the poor, and of the Contributions and Church flock, faith Doálor Hammond on i Cor 12. 28. The fupreme trufi and charge was referved to the Apofiles and Bifhopsofthe Church. So in the 411i. Canon of . the Apofiles, the Bop muff have the care ofthe moneys, fo that by bit power all be difpenfed to the poor by the Presbyters andDeacons ;. and we command that he have in bis power the Church Goods. So jufiin Martyr, Apol, 2. That which
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