(1 ó) had that promife, Matth. 15. 2o, 21: Where two or three are gathered toge- ther in my Name, &c. And, If two of you agree of a thing, &c. If you fay that there was no need till they were all dead, I anfwer, It is a Fic°1ion. The greateft numerous Church at Jerufalem, had more need of more than One to officiate among them, ( and fo had Ephefus, Antioch, Coritn5, &c. ) than tnoft Churcheselfe had in St. john's days. And were all the Apofiles fo negli- gent and forgetful ? 2. What proofis there that St. Johndid make this change ? It is either by Scripture that it is proved, or by Hii Cory. a. Not by Scripture : For r;No Scripture mentioneth S. John's doing it. 2. Dr. Hammond andhis followers confers that it was not done (as can be proved) in Scripturetimes. And' Chronologers fuppofe that there was but a year or two, between hisdeath, and the end of Scripture times, that is, the writing- ofhis Apocalypfe. And is it probable that he began fo great a Change the lad year of his life? 2. And Hiftory maketh no mention of it at all. (For I am afhamed to anfwer their nonconcluding reafon,-from St. fohn's bringing a young pro- digal to a Presbyter to be educated, or his Ordaining Presbyters, when it is nomore than is Paid of the other Apof les. ) Let them give us, if they can, any Satisfactory proof, that S. Johnalone, a year or two ere he died, made this newfpecies of Presbyters and Churches, that we may believe it tobeofGod. But blind prefumptions we darenot trufe. 3. None of the AncientChurches, Councils or Doc`ìors (that ever I could find) did ever hold that Subpresbyters were inflituted by St. Johnalone, and thefechanges made by him: How then (hall we think that men of yefterday can tell us without them, and better than they, and contrary to them,the hi(io- ry of thofe times ? 4. By as good a courfe as this, what humane corruption may not be de- fended, and Scripture fuppofed infufficientto notifie Gods Church-inftitutions to us ? When there is nothing laid in Scripture for them, the Papifts or others may fay that S. Jain made this or that Change when all the rett were dead But why mull we believethem ? q. And the Church bath reje6ed this plea already long ago. WhenPa- pas pleaded that he had the Millenary Doárine from St. John himfelf, and when the Eaftern Churches pretended his Authority for their time of Eaters obfervation ; here was incomparably a fairer thew of St. John's Authority than is produced by Dr. H. in the'prefent cafe: And yet both were over-ruled-by the Content of.theChurches. H. And that it cannot be proved to be the Apoltles intentions that their eflablilhment herein lhould be but tefhporary, and left to the will ofman to change, I have largely proved in my Diifput. r. óf Church Government long ago. I nowonly fay; z. That
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