) think,that dejure &obligatione, it ceafed with the Apoftles, as being tlteit proper work, that cannot be true, t. Becaufemanyothers were employ- ed in the fame work in the Apoftles days : 2. Becaufe it is Chrift's own defcription ofthat Miniftry to whom he, promifeth his prefence, to the end of theAgeor World, Mat. 28. r 9, zo. 3. Becaufe to thisday, there is frill lamentableneceffity of fuch : Five parts in fix of theWorld being yet Infidels... 30. It is moft probable that this fervice abated andwithered gradually by the floth.and felfifhnefs of Paftors. And that it was the purpofe of 'the Apoftles, that the fixedBifhops fhoulddo their art of both the fe works; that is, Both to preach for the Converting of all the Infidel Countries near them, and alto Govern their particular Churches (yet not but that fome others might be deputed to the Gathering of Churches alone.) And then thefe Bifhops finding fo much work at home, and finding that the Itinerant work among Infidels, was very difficult, by reafon of La- bour, Danger, and their want of Apoftolicalgifts, hereupon they feared themfelves, and too much neglefted the Itinerant work. Yet I mutt confefs that filch Evangelifts did not yet wholly ceafe. Eufebius Hfl. lib. g. cap. 9. faith, Pantanos is faid to have !hewed fuch a willing mind to- wards the publifhing ofthe Dottrine of Chrift, that he became.a Preach- er of the Gofpel to the Eaflern Gentiles, and was lent as far as India: For there were , I fay there were then, many Evangelifts prepared for this purpofe, to promote and plant the Heavenly Wordwith GodlyZeal, after themanner of the Apoftles. 31. It was the ordinary cuftome of the Apoftles to preach and plant Churches firft in Cities, and not in Country Villages. Becaufe in Ci- ties there were, a. thegreateft number ofAuditors, and 2. the greateft number of Converts; And fo there only were found a fufficient num- ber to conftitute a Church. Not that this was done through any pre- eminenceof the City, or ignobility, of Villages ; but for the competent numbers fake. And had there been perlons enow for a Church in Vil- lages, they would have placed Churches and Paftors there allo (as at Cenclrrea it feems they did.) 3z. When there was a Church of Chriftians in the City, and a few Converts in the Country Villages that joyned with them, they all made up but one full Afl'embly, or Church, fit for perfonal Communion, for a long time after the Apoftles days ; the main body of the people being ftill Infidels : fo that the Chriftian Churches ftood among the Infidels as thin, as the Churches of the Anabaptifts, Separatifts and independants did among us here inEngland, in the days when they had greateft Li- berty and countenance. 3 3. Thoughat firft the Bifhopsbeing men of the fame Office with the other Presbyters, were notto do a work diftinft and of any other kind than thePresbyters might do, but only Lead them and Prefide among them in the fameworkas their Condu tors(as I laid before ofachiefJuftice,&c,) Yet
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