(2I) To confirmmy Expofition ofClemens, note, that Grotius himfelf Fptft. ad Bignon. giveth this as a reafon toprove this EpiftleofClemens tobe genuine. dcod nufquam meminit exortis illius Eptfcoporum authoritatis, qua Ecclefi.e confue- tudinepoll Marci mortemAlexandria, atque eo exemplaalibi introduci ctepitfedplane, ut Paulus Apoftolus offendit, Ecclefias communi Presbyterorum, qui iidem omnes m Epifcopi, eonfiliofume gubernatas.] that is, Becaufe he no where maketh mention of that excelling authorityof Bi(hops which began to be intrduoced at Alexandria by the cuflom ofthe Church, afterthe deathof Mark, andin other places by that example :. But he plainlyfheweth, as the Apoffle Paul cloth, that the Churches were governed by theCommon Council ofPresbyters, who were alfo Bops.] Note alto, as aforefaid, that Do&or Hammond in Dirt. granteth as to matter of fain, that Clemens fpeaketh butof theBilhops of fingle Congregati- ons, whom he alfo calleth Presbyters; there being no other in the Church of Corinth. II. My next Witnefs is Pius Bithop ofRome, in EpifI. Juffo Epifeooppo ; ist Siblioth. Patr. Tom. 3. pag. 15. mentioning onlyBifhops and Deacons : ofwhich Doûor Hammondmaking the fame Conceflìon, fill granteth that hitherto Bi- (hops hadhut fingleChurches. (Of this more anon.) III. Mynext. andgreater( Witnefs is Ignatius, 4n whom (tomy admiration) the Diocefanes fo much confide, as that quafi pro arts &focis they contend for the authority of his Epiftles. 1 am as loth to lofe him as they are : therefore I will not meddle in Blondel's controverfie tagaint whom theyfay.DoEìor Pier- fon is now writing.) In his Epifile to the Philadelphians he faith, ["Ev,9u6ta- q-í ov 7tÓ;iry 7ÿl istH.%ryóice,lìy & i.ntOX17r(ÿ' ä¡ua TCß 7rgt6 UTs jer),nr Tots óä«- uóoosc Tote oruvdlírAotc Mg.] [7here is to everyChurch one Altar, and one Bilhop, with the Presbytery and the Deacons myfellow fervants.] I amnot able tode vile apter words to.exprefs my fent in. He faithnot this of fome one Church., . but of all ; nor yet as ofan accident proper to thofe times of the Churches mi- nority ; but as of the Notes of every. Churches Individuation or Hx.cceity as they.fpeak. TheUnityofthe Church is characterifed by One Altar, andOne Bafhop with the Presbytery and Deacons. If [ 7rá631 Try ilual4aí4 ]were out, .. it would not alter the fenfe, being plainly implied. BithopDorename's Expofi tion of ,y .lasú e,ecv as if it fignilied Chriff, is fo forced and contrary to the evidenceof the Text, that his own party quite forfake him in it, and he need- eth no confutation. For who ever before dreamed that theVnity or Indivi duation ofeach particular Church, confited in having one Chrift, who is the common Head of all Churches ? One Chrilf to every Church and one whop, would fignifie that every Church mutt have one feveral Chritt, as well as one feveral. Bithop. Nor is-Su ic45(e,ov fo ufed by the Ancients, ex= cept when the Context fheweth that they fpeak by allufion of Chrif. 1Nátcr, Merle's plain and certain Expofition and Gollet`ìon Tgave you before.; the._ fäme with ours, As
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