38 / 504
A Preface
to the Reader.
pofehim
to
have had Apprehenfions
like chofe in
thefe Epiftles
of
that
furred
Order
,
fer
o.
mining
chore all-
conquering Reafons
,
Which
they would have fupplied,himwith
all
,
ro
his
purpofe
in
hand
,
and pitching
on
Arguments
every way
lefs
cogent
and ufeful.
But
I
fay, I
fhall not
infft
on any
fuch
things
as
diele
,
but only,
4 I
fay
that there
is
not
inany
of
the
Doftor's excerpts
from thofe
Epiftles,
nor
in any paf-
fage
in them
any mention or
the
loft
intimation
of
any Church
whereunto
any
Bifbap
was
.
related
,
but
fuch an
one,
as
whole members met
altogether in
one
place,and with
their
Rithop
difpofed
,
and
ordered the
affaires
of
the Church.
Such was
that
whereunto the holy
Mar-
tyr
was
related;
fuch were
thofe neighbouring Churches,
that
rent Bithops, and Elders
to
that
Church
;
And
when
the
Toftaur
proves
the contrary
,
erit
mihimagma
eApolle
:
From
the
Churches andtheir fiate and Confticution
,
is
the (late and Condition
of
their
Officers,
and their
Relation
to
them
to
be
taken.
Let
that
be
manifeffed to
be fuch
from theappoinc-
ment
of
Jelin Chrift
by his
Apoftles or
de
fable
in
the dayes
of
Ignatius
or before the
con
-
temperation
of
Erclefiaftical Affairer
occafionally
,
or
by choyce
,
ro
the civil confhtution
of
Citties
,
and Provinces in thofe
dayes,
as
would,or
pof
ably
could beare
,
a
rural
Diocefan me-
tro-political Hierarchic
,¡
and this controverfy will
be
at
end
;
When
this
is
by
any attempted
to
be
demonftrated I
delire it may
not
be
with
fuch fenrences
as
that
urged
by
our
Doîtaxr,
from
Epift
:
ad
Ephef:
'I5T
"sc
XeisóeT
næstòs
ii
yr.ius
,
ais:
'
¿
,'Qi
OZ.ot
tt
zt
r
shpy7a óetâe's7tt
'Ino'oú
xe.gso;
yalvs
eioir.
The
expreflion in
it
concerning
Chrift
being unfound, unfcriptural,
concerning
Bijbops
unintelligible
,
or
ridiculous:
But
it
may
be
faid
,
what
need we any more
writing,
what
need wee any
truer proof,
or
Teftimony
?
The Learned
Dse?our
in his
Differ
-
rations Differ:
4.cap:5:
bath abundantly
difcharged
this
worke
,
and proved
the
feaven
Bijbops
ofthefeven
Churches
mentioned Revel
:
z.
3
i
to
have been Metropolitans,
or
e.4rchBilbops:
fo
that
no
juft
caufe
remaiaes, why we
fhould farther contend.
Let
then the Reader pardon this my utmoft
Excurfion
in
this digreflion
,
-to
whofe corn.
pals
I had
not
the leaft thoughts
of
goingforth
,
at the entrancethereof,
and
I
fhall
returne
thither
whence I have turned.afide.
Differt:
4.cap,
5.
The Dellour tells us,that,
feptem
Ecclefarum
Angeli,non
tantum
Epifca-
pi
fed
&
C9l'etropolita
i
:
e
c
Archi-Episcopì
flatuendifilet.
t
:
e:principalíutatrbium
e!ost
t
ad
quos
provincia integra
&
in iis
multarum
inferiorum erbium
ecclefe,
earume
Epifcopi tasequam
ad
Archiepifcopum
am
Metropolitanism pertinebant.
The
Doftour
in this
Chapter
commences
per
¡ahem) ,
and taking
it for
granted
that
he
bath
proved
Diocefan
Btfbops
fufficiencly
before,
though
he
hath
fcarce fpoken
any one
word to
that
purpofe in
his
whole
book,
( for
to
prove one fuperintending
in
a
Church
by the
name
of
Bifhop,
others afting
in
fome kind
of
Subordination
to, him
,
by
the
name
of
Elders,
and
Presbyters ,
upon
the
Account
of
what bath
been
offered concer-
ning
the
flare
of
the
Churches
in chore,dayes
,
will no way reach
to the maintenance
of
this prefumption
)
he
facrifices
his
pines
to the
Metropolitical
efrrhi-
Ppifcopacy
dig-
nity
which
as
we muff fuppofe
is fo
clearly founded
in
Scripture and
Antiquity, that they
ate
as
blind
as
Bats and
Moles, who
cannot
fee
the ground
and
foundation of
it.
But
fir
ft,
be
it
taken for granted
that
the
Angelis
of
the
fever
Churches,
are taken
for the
Clovernours
of
thofe Churches,
then
that
each Angel
be
an
Individual
Bifbop
of
the
Church
tò
which he did belong.
z
Be
it
alfo
granted
that
they were
Bijbops
of
the moft eminent
Church
or
Churches, in
that
province
,or
Romane
political
ditlribution
of
thofe countries
,
in
the management
of
the Goverment
of
them,l
fay,Bijhops
offuch Churcher,
not
urbium i amei,
(as
theDoltour termer
them)what
advance
is
made
by all
this to the Affectation
ofA
Metro
-
political Arehi-epifcopacy,i
cannot
as
yet difcovet.That
they
were5ordinary Officers
ofChrifi's
inftitution relating
in
their
Office
,
and
ordinary
difcharge
of
it, not only
to
the particular
Churches wherein they
were placed ,
but to
many Churches alto
,
no
lets
committed to their
charge, then
there
wherein they did retide,the
Officers,
Rulers,
Governours
of
which Churches,
depended
on
them ,
not only
as
to their
advife, and
counfel:
but
as
to their
power
and 7urifdi-
gtion ,
holding their
place and
employment from them
is
force
part
ofthat
,
which
in
this
undertaking
is
incumbent
on our Doelour to
make
good
,
if he
will
not
be
fuppofed
to pre,
yaricate in
the
caufe in
hand
;
To
this end
he informes us,
SeEI:
fecnndâ,that
in
the
new
Totta-
ment there
is
in fundry places, mention made
of
Churches
in
the
plural
number; as'Gal;
1.2r.
a
Thef: 2514. e.4Efs
9.3
1,e
-4th
15.4a.
r Cor:
t-
6.I. tlal
:1.
z.Revel, r.
r
rTome times,of
Church
only
in
the
fngular
number
;aseA'Els8.I,i5,4,22.Afts
I1.z6,Rom;>6.1.
I
Cor:i.z.
zCor.
r.r,
rThef
:1.t-. Revel
:y.a.Revel:z.8,Revel:z.12,18. Now
this
is
an
Obferyation
,which
as
we
are
not at
all
beholding
to
the
Dollour
for it,
no
more
I
fuppofe will
there
be
found
to
be
to