A Preface to the Reader. and tomake fupplication cr -; srríouart. Eph. 6. r 8. With manylnoré expreffrons ofthe like nature. Does all this relate to immediate Revelation, and are allthings done therby whichwe are laid to doe in the Spirit? Beforewe were inaruded in this myftery , and were informed that, db.apdaarrtr5t'ariumov, did.fignify to be taught by revelation. We had thought that the expreflìonof doing any thing rrscrvaSua7t had mamfefted the Affrflance , guidance, anddire- &ion, which for the doingof it we receive , by the holy and b effed fpirit ofGod , promifed unto us,and bellowed on,in& through the Lord Jefus Chrift.Yeabut he addes,that it is allo fpokenof the Apofflec. veÿ/rruery pracognitionem (i : e: ) Revelationem 4tnncins.asaier, they appointed them Bithops and Deacons , by thehelpes and prefenceof the fpirit with them; the Apoftles examined,tryed thole who were to be appointedBiftiops, fo obtaining, and re- cievingaperfea foreknow!edge, or knowledgeof thembefore their Admiflìon into office. This altoexpreffes Revelation ( .-.),Pasta itnnpires ) upontryal it was revealed unto them ) and fo mutt any thing elfe beallowed to be , that our Dodtour will have to be fo now he is affec- ting to that purpofe.But had the 'ENbrls./ árdkss,who appointingBihhops and Deacons after the Apoftlestime , had theyalto this fpecial Revelation ? Or may they not belaid', d'ouu.vieet ru arit¡UtZTI, If not, howwill you lookupon them.under thenotionof iTdoy,...v.w7wr,who neg- leaedfo great a duty : if theydid,let us know when this way ofconftituting Churchofficers by immediate Revelation ceafed i and what was afterwards took up id the Roomethereof: and who they were that fiat proceeded-on another account, and on what,Authority they did it ? There are a generationofmen in the world,will thank the Doltourfor this intimation , and will tyeknots upon it,that will trouble him toloofe. Beforewe retorne, let us look but a little timber ; and we (hall have a littlemore light givenus , into what was theconditonand-powerof the people imtheChurch in the dales of Clement, fpeakingof them who occa(ìoned the divifion , and fchifma in. the Church ofCo- rinth , or them about whole exaltation into office , or dejediou from it that faddifference fell out, hegives than this advice. Ticú. i.o fu y yivrasa; ns iva e3,xr-;7,s, nsrrn çróuir a'y«- mns' itaosro:. it di' iuè cddte tÿ %ets ,ÿ ayieµzza ix. uqd ïivrtju .x éar p5l'sCoi vote rei eregszccaóu +ra +soô Bt a credo, ,uoÿor rti aolp.nry a xarx itpnrsuérm :taro'vV'rggine(4W10 ISVEOUTipaY. It fermes the a4;963, the multitude or thepeóple were not fuch poore iitconfderable things as they are reported to be, whenheadvifes them to flop andflay thefeditíon, by yeelding obedience to the thingsby them appointed andcommanded. If it werein it felfe evil!, dilorderly,andnot according to the mind ofChrift, that the people fhouldorder andappoint things in the Church, it had been limply evil! for Clemens,:to have advifed any toyeeld obedience unto thingsby them fo appointed. Where is nowIgnatius his %.IITöorErf ro inrextay tr y p;c: &c. Even thofe who are contending about Rule and goverment in the Church , are advifed to ftand.to the determination of the people , and to cry , vri` veesae us,a This isalfo inrfiedonby Bien- dellue,who thence arguespoteflatem plebis CircaSacra. Differ. 5 Cap.8. Seet.q.. eild vet- ba hat ( faithour Dafior) prodigii inflar eft quad notandum duxit Day:-Blondellue [ poteflatem PlebiüCirca Sacra] (de quit tandem integrant differtatianem elucubravit:) artifrciiegaibulcun9; afferturas, Hic (inquit ) usi mecer Clemens fideler etiam de Epifeopara ant Presbyterie conten- dentei, nonab Epifcopifingulari ÿ izpiy r,.s mitts, fed à multitsdisr'srpraceptis pependiffe. But let not our Dolourbe angry , nor cry-out fo fart ofProdigiesz a:fittfetimewill manifeft , that many things may not be prodigiour,which yet arecontraryto fundry of his conceptions, and Apprehenlons. I cannot but acknowledge him to be provoked; but,with all mutt fay, that I have found verycommonly,thatreafons ufhered in by Luth loud(lamours,have in examinati- on proved to have flood in need offomefach noylesasmightfright men from the confide - ration of-them. What is in the noxtSedlions fetrtrpxtdtheildcttçCdiildren ofEpi /copacy front being afrighted with this prodigy may perhaps be of more efficacy thereunto , then the ex- clamations beforementioned : He therefore proteedes. SeE7;.S: Cea(4::faith he) Teri. rem ageret Da Blondelltu de Presbyteria / lest (non de £pìfeopie noflru.)sti. tiiìplaste t triumphaturra Brit,nec enimab univerfoaliquo `PresbyterorutvCalirgie; quad ille.camafflillim ardet,fed dmulti- tudinis foliue eflrbitrio, turniontendentes.de Pp:fcope;,tuns fidelesaWmaìfbainthios,pependi,(fe sgné cencludendumerie. ifany man in the world bath .manifefte!4wtwetdefpe;ateAffeetionto- wards Bresbyterie, then thisDottour bath done:toward Epifcopi ..for my part Alm habits. But though neither Clemens,nor Blordelluè (peak any onewordàbontthe orderingof, things, multirudinis folios arbitrio , yet- here isthat laid-by them boíhs;.asis fur iiciendydeftrudtive, not only to the Epifcopacy the D,oitourcontends for, as a shit giw lyinconlllentwith the power , and liberty here granted tht,people,but ofany fuch ErplititiinAplfo,as,flballundertabe the ordering; anddifpofìngofthings inthe Church ofGod ,wtt%wtthecool-eat a d Conrär- reni
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