APrefaceto the Reader. firms plainly thatthole Governours were the Presbyters of the Church:2fvq(faith he) afar dp2Eia 75 Co Xersm cirri; e.Kxe 7W; Wan7,176 41,7.10 KcpaV9frov C41(.70101 20/ SV 77 A e; ,,a çane *Is ,ç w pJ ctetrnQs,And in all places throughout the whole Epiflle,writing ( :aaab- aJa7b AEE r oiV.Kan%iftvaDV ) to that particular Chisrchof Corinth,the Saints dwelling there,wal- king in the order fellowJbip ofthe Ghofpel, where heCreates ofthofe things,he (till intimates a plurality ofPresbyters inheChurch ( as there may , nay there ought to be in everyfingle congregation ,e411 i zo. 28. ) without thelean intimationofany fingular ¶Perfon, promoted upon any account whatever above his fellowes. So in the Advice given to the perfonswho occafioned the divifon beforementioned; corer sciuvtor lot Xe<srs+pnvit4T., a á sÿ g$Içaa- p h t Corinth b fuch as our 'Valour peakeshim to ave ben ihad been impofìle that e thus paffed by in Clime. But the Dollourgives youa doubleanfwer to this obfervation,with the feveral parts where- of,!doubt not but that he makeshimfelfe merry,ifhe can fuppofe that any men are fowedded to his dilates, as CO give them entertainment:for indeed they are plainly iocular. But learned menmuft have leave fometimes toexercife their fancies , and to fport themfelves with their own imaginations. r i hen , for the mention that is made ofmany Presbyters in the Church ofCorinth , to whom Clement in the name of the ChurchofRome, exhorts to give all due refpell, honour, obe- dience. He tells you that by theChurch of Corinth,all the Churches ofAdmit are meant andin- tended. TheEpiftle is directed only 7y Wanda B,á orapcaa&ox K6Qaysor,without the leaft intima- Lionofany other Church or Churches. Thedifference it iswritten about,was occalionedby one or two perfons inthat Church only : it is that Church alone that is exhorted to order, and due fubjedion to their Elders. From the beginning to the end of the Epifie, there is not one word, apex, or tittle to intimate the defignationerf it, toany Church,or Churches beyond the frngle Church ofCorinth: or that they had any concernment in the difference fpoken to. The Eabrick of after Ages lies fo dole to the `Voelonr simagination ; that there is no entrance for the true frameof the PrimitiveChurchofChrift : and therefore every thing muff be wre- fled, and apportioned to theconceit of fuckan Epifcopacy as he hath entertainedWhereas he ought to crop off,bothhead, &harles ofhis own imagination,and the Epifcopacyofthe latter dayes,which he too dearly affeds,he choofeth rather to flretch,&torture the antientgoverment of the Church,that it may feem to anfwer the frame prefentiy contended for.But letus alittle attend to the Donor's learned argument ;whereby he endeavours tomake good his afertion. t He tels you that Corinth was the chief Cittyofe"fchsia t the cMcrrapolis (in apolitical fenle and Acceptation ofthe .word ) ofGreece,where the Pro-Conful hadhis Refidence : Difr. 5:cap:a.SeEl.3. Let us grant this to our learned DoElour, leaft we fhould find nothing to gra- tify himwith all ; what thenwill follow? hence ( faith he) it will follow ( Seel: 4: ) that this Eplf le which was Pent £eclefta wapotaiaa Kópar.ov non ad :mint civitatis Eccle/am , fed ado- wes totius Achaia Chriflianos, perftngulas civitates e3' regiones , fob Epi/copra ant prafeflis Juts uái4, collocates miffa exflimetur : But pray pallor why fo ? We poor creatures who arc not fo fharp lighted,as to difcernea Metropolitan Arch-Bi/hopat Corinth,of whom all the Ei- Jbops in Greece were dependant,nor can find any inflituted Church in the Scripture , or in Cle- ment , ofone denomination, beyond a tingle Congregation , cannot but think that all the ftengrh of this Confellary , from the infinuationof fuch a (late of things, in the Churchof God is nothing but a pure begging of the thing in Queftion , which will never begranted upon loch rearmes. Yeabut he adds, Seel: 5: That Paul wrote hit Epifile not only to the Church ofCorinth , but' alto to all the Churches of Achaia;therefore Clement did/a alto : At firft view thisArgument feemes not very conclufrve, yea appeares indeed very ridiculous : the inforcement of itwhich enfues may perhaps give new lifeand vigour to it: How then is it proved that Pan/wrote not only to the Church ofCorinth,but to all them in Achaia alto? why faith he in the z£pifiie: r. chap: I. v: it is fo expref: he writes éxnvnof27oi, foot 7ñ óuar iv pía a,Kcarìv $ áyfoat wwaroisL. oro iv fa, 7r .via. Very good i It is indifputably evident that Paul wrot his fecondEpifi/e to the Church at Corinth, and all the raft of Achaia, for he exprefly affirmes himfelfe fo to do, and for the firfr Epiftle , it is direded notonly to the Church of Corinth t : cap: a. verfe,bur alto 74g Enai.rtAErolfTfs too Ttl v tlo itto o'lavi XPaSOV iv mold riocW; that is,faithour Dolton, in the whole Region of Achaia. So indeed faies the Dollars great freind Grating, to whom he is beholding for more then one rare notion. I fay it not inany wayofany reproach to the Deflour , only I cannot but think , his careful wardingofhimfelfeagainfi the thoughts .of men
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