A Preface to the Readert feewhether the man drives, and what heaimes at after he bath fet out his Bi/hop like an Eni- perour, or an efiern- Icing, in all pompa and glory. He addes , rati ..makómes áp%v7us u`ed:ro ,ÿpa- o,nas,yt,3s, rottr`E7E f< cvswsßz:?= at. v®rpET=. ThepayingoftributetothemasKings is the Nine of thefe de,criptions, that they may havewherewithal to maintaine their pompe and grearnefs , according to the inflitution of oar Lord tefue Chrifi and hie blefeed a4psflles. But I (hall not rake fartherinto this dunghil nor fhall i adde any more inftancesof this kindout of Ignatius, butdole into one infifted on by ourpodour, for the proof Of his Epifcopacy: Difert.a.Cap.25. 7. Saith he,9uartè. TgiS1.old, zE j=,Iva S á es); w¿úv. 'dá v e}B y' 4 ';vrrassowsvwv rut csmaki,rara ,,raeoCv7eyts xj Jlakóvots. Eptfcopo attendite ut & vobis Deusat- tendat ego animammeam libentercarom loco fubflitui caperem ( quodfinglicè optimè dicimue , ( my foul for theirs ) qui Epifcopo, Pre(byterie,&Diaconis abfequuntur. 1 hope I may without great difficulty obtaine the Doelours pardon , that I dare not be fo bold withmy/OR/ex ro leopard it in that manster,efpecially being not mine owne to difpofe of. Upon theft and many more the like accounts do the Epiftles feeme to me , to be like the Children that the ?ewes had by their firange Wives. 2Teh: r 3, who fpake part the language of eAíldod, andpart the languageof the?ewes. That there are in them manyfootfieps of a gra- cious Spirit , every wayworthy of, and becoming the great andholy perfonage, whofe they are efteemed, fo there is evidently a mixture of the workingofthat worldly and carnal Spirit, which in his dayes was not fo let look as in after times. For what is there in the Scripture, what is in the genuine EpiffleofCiemetis, that gives countenance to thofe defcriptions of Epifcopacy , Bthops, and the fubjeetion to them,that are in thofe Epiftles ( as nowwe have them ) So infifted on?What titles, aregiven to Bithops?What Sovereignty, Power, Rule,Do- minion is afcribed to them ? Is thereany thing ofthe like Nature in the writings ofthe A- pofiles? InClemens, the Epi/ileof Polycarpus &c. Or any unqueftionable legitimateoff-fpring ofany of the fir t Worthies ofChriftianity ? Whence have they their three orders ofBi- fhops Presbyters , and Deacons , upon the diftindobfervation ofwhich fomuch weight is laid ? Is there any one word, iota, title, or (jllable , in the whole book ofGod givingcounte. nance to any filch diftin&ions ? Eph. 4. 8. We have Pullersand Teachers. Rom: r z. 7 8. Him that teacheth, him that exhorteth, him that ruloth, andhim thatßewethmercy, Philip. r. r. We have Bithops andDeacons : and their Inftitutionswith theorderof it we haveat large ex- preffed. r Tim:3.I.2. Bitlsopsand Deaconswithout thelnterpolition ofany otherorder what- ever. Deacons we haveappointed aAtls the7. And Elders. eA6344.23. Thofe whoare Bi- lhops wefind called Presbyter:. Titus:t. 5.7. And thole who are Presbyters,we find termed Bi- lhops. trills 20. 28. So that Deacons we knowand Bifhops who are Presbyters , or Presbyters who are Bthhops we know; but Bitbops, Presbyters, and `Deacons , as three diftinél orders in the Church , from theScripture weknow not. Neither did Clemens in his Epifite to the Co- rinthians, know ofany more thenwe do , which a few inftances will manifeft : faith hefpeak- ing ofthe Apoftles. Kx>á X*'6_,0 âv rÿ r kegs rnpv'aaoviae og4s c7av 7La ásacspyeéf tiuN db clai -Ent Ts 'va'unit cis lmavó'rusù, dtosÓVys^rof uOuívoue amtoro' 47oúroé Kew&e&xy5 J' msa %evrev tihy&e m ;i:navimeov rjdlaoivry &C. BifhopsandDeacons(as intheChurch at Philippi)this man knowes: but the third order he is utterly unacquainted withal. And that the Difference of this man's exprellions concerning Church Rulers from thofe in the Epifile underconfederation , may the better appear; and his afferting ofRithepa, and Presbyters to be one and the fame,maythe moreclearly be evidenced,) [halt tranfcribe one other Paffage from him,whofe length I hope will be excufed from the ufefulnets of it , to the Purpofe in hand. Pug. 57. 58. Kai it 'a ósß Tct oms o ÿyvmacv dtrár:ú e esc ripsov 'fnacvXe.rî , ó71 i ss isrg hu die 4f".`"1" E raocsr,. IUm 7,Zstlw ár ártica',' :yvool 4'1,07'5 70, fitly waa'ogoee mile eaefiVAGIV151,4Çtm,r.o r'..gnvouiv A& ,seyÓ7lá';loprptunla- mvd ' <of=.trevaat`Erse."JEdt:urta sávoxäe w7tu;aonupyicocu: ,au ÿvm,oî47.;4v7o, iidi,pniy,ryasro J It' tr,ru., i>J:oyiuev o'eho,v TvEvAxn,drrs ¿oexaoios vrdvas ( for fo it feemes was the manner of the Church in his dayes,that their officers were appointed by the coulent ofthe whole Church) Jy /4174y rwav7a ¿4.r'n,.r R,J aw(Jois, aetseuq, oo osvaepylíoor, ñmixCUS, 1t`p d ovo stuuapweguivst :sro".7.7S yelvots, íaó oodor Tr.7ns i diry.'rusvo¡.t'ri;otor ñm4doAsgae'P "5,7.47,55, 515oop71axbNo5e -$ (ss' e ', ë'av rate au ve5 kj v c5 . ,rsya6vau táJt e,54 4 roxoor r ooCdrrouo. IDIct,tj,esor ár acrAtuo- pa1t1N7ES Z,Eo Jaffe: ( or the B:fops of whom hewas fpeaking) ¿,aiooS É)Aropmoy Ki 70,4R4 '901 112. «vd.iurto. &c. And fundryother difcoveries are there, in that Epifile ofthe like nature : It is not my defigne,nor purpofe to infli upon the parity ofEithops and Presbyters,or ratherthe I- dentity ofofficedenoted, by fundry Appellations from there and the like places: this work is done to the full by lllondetlus, that our labour in this kind, ( were that the purpofe inhand, ) is prevented. He that thinkesthe Argumentsofthat Learned man to this purpofe are indeed C 3 anfwered
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