( 24 ) that had a Bithop, Presbytery and Deacons : For the fcattered Presbyters of many difiant Parities cannot be meant by the Presbytery which is fuppofed prefent with the Bithop and Deacons. II.-The next in the Florentine Copy is the Epiflle to Polycarpe, where he faith to the Bithop, L " Let not the Widows be negletied : Next after the Lord, " be thou the Curator of them : Let nothing be done without thy Sentence and do "thou nothing without God : ?old what thou doff letit bewell fable : Let Congre- gations be often made : feekall by name : deJefè not Servants and Maids : peak " to my Sifters to love theLord, and be fubjell in fefh andffint to their Husbands, " and to themen to love their Wives. And theMen that marry, and the Women that are married, muff mal, their union with the fomenteof the Bithop, &c.] Here it is evident, i.. That it was a Church of which Widows were a part' that is here meant : But Widows then were fpecial parts ofparticular Parith- Churches, and not common to a Diocefs of many fuch. 2. It was fuch a Church where the. Bithophimfelf was to take care of all the Widows, and fee that they were not negle&ed : And that could not be done to a Diocefs of many fcore or hundred Parifhes. 3. It was a Church where the Bithop as prefent could fee to all that was ,done. 4. It was aChurch that was oft to affemble orbe congregate : which a.. Dio- cefs never Both : For it is frequent Congregations of the fameperfons that is here,; .commanded or dewed. 5. It was a Church fo affembled that theBithop could by name take an ac- eount who was abfent by his own eye : Yea, even of the Servant-men and Maids. 6. And fuch as the Bifhopcould himfelfmarry all that were married in it, or at leafi be their particular Counfellor therein : And exhort all Husbands and Wives to their duties. 7. He afterfaith, [" I am ofone foul with thim that are fubjell to theBehop, "Presbyters and Deacons.] Signifying that thefe three were the prefent Officers ofoneand the fame.particular Church: III. The next is the Epifile to the Spbefians ; where, r. Pag.17. he willeth them to love their Bithop, and all ofthem to imitate him:which fuppofeth that they knew him (and fo 'dothnot one in an hundred in moll ofour Dioceffes, nor ever fee his face.) 2. Pag. 19. He tells them that [ "They agree in the Semenceof the Bifhop, " and fo doth the worthy Presbytery agreewith him, as thefirings of a Harp, ; and "therefore,in their confent and confounding love Jefus Chrifi isfang : and they are " all madea Chore, that being confonant in confent, receiving in unity divinemelody, " they might with one voice fing by leftsChuff to. the Father that be may hear them, " and know by whom they do good. ] Where it is moll plainly fignified that it was a Church whichfang toGod byChrifl in one Chore, in unityofconcept- ing voice, under one Bithopand his Presbytery andDeacons prefent con- duóing them. 3. After
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