A Prefaceto the Reader. as an Apoflolical inflitution;. Now becaufe I fuppofe the Do&ourwillnot alert, nor Both in- tend a civil dependance,and fubordination ofCities, as fuch,among them felves,nor will a de- pendance as to Counfel,advice, afliflance, and thelike fupplies which in their mutual Come munion , the letter Churches might receive from the greater and more eminent ferve his turne: but an ecclefeaflicaldependence and fubordinatton,fuch as whereby many particular Churches, with InferiourOfficers refiding in them , and withthem, depended on, and were in fabjedtion untoforce one perfonof a fuperiour order , commonly refiding in force emi- nent City , and manyof thefeGovernours of a fuperiour order in the greater Cities were in fuch fubordination unto force one ofhigh degree , termed a cMetrops1itan, and all this by A- paflolical inflitútion is that which he aymeth at,whichbeing amofi gallant adventure,in a ow- king generation , we íhall doubtlefs find him quittinghimfelfe like a man in his undertaking: z Then he tells you that the queflion about Mofaical Rites and necefty oftheir obfervation, Was referred to `ferufwlem by thetingle ;Church of Antioch. But how does the Doélour make good this firfi fiep , whichyet if hecould,would do him no good at all ?It is crue,that Paul was now come to Antioch, ch:14, 2.6: alfo that he was brought on his Way by theChurch, chap: a S.3:but yet that the Brethrenwhowere taught the Doan:.e conrefied about,v. t:were only of the ChurchofAntioch ( whenit is moot certaine from the Epiftles ofPaul to the Galatians; Celeffans, Romanes, & others,thatgreat diflurbance was railedfarce 'and wide,inall theChur- chesof the Genrilea obout this controverfy ) nothing is offered. It feems indeed that their difputes grew to the grearefi height at v4ntioch, whether Brethren from other parts and Churches did altocome, whilefl BarnabaeandPaul abode there, but that thatEngle Church referred thedeterminingofthat controverfy, to them at ferufulem, exclufrvelyto others , the Valour provesnot. And it is molt evident,from the returneof the An(wer fent by the Apo files from ferufalem, v: 23: that the referencewas from allthe Churches of the gentiles , yea and all the fcattered brethren,perhapsas yet not brought into Church Order , not only at An- tioch , but allo throughout Sjriaand Cilicia. ,It is then granted what he nextobferves, viz: that in the Anfwer returnedfrom }erufalem, with them at Antioch, rhofe in Syria and Cilicio; are joyned; the reafon ofit beingmanifeft , namely their trouble aboutthe fame Controverfy being no lets then theirsat Antioch. It is alto granted , that as Paul Kit through the Cities, that he delivered them the decrees to keep , that were ordained, by theApoftles and Elders, cl: 16.4: and that not onlyto the ChurchesofSyria and-Cilicia, which he left, c: z 5.41: but alto to thofe throughout Phrygia,and the Regions ofGalatia v: 6. What now followes out ofall- this ? what ? but that s4ntioch by eApofloliralinflitution was theMetropolitanSeeof all the Churches ofSyria andCilicia, Good Dotllour do not beangry,buc tell us how this may be pro. ved. Why doubtlefs it was fo: as Antioch belongedto the Metropolitan Churchatferufalem,as he told usout ofPhilo (whowas excellently acquainted with Apofiolical inflitutions.)What yerufalem was to the wholeChurch,and Nation of the Jewes , whileft the nameof God was, fixed there, weknow; Bur whatwas the primitive eflate of the Churchesof Jefus Chrifi made of yetxes and Gentiles, tyed neither to City,or Mountaine,I muff bepardoned,if I cannot find the Dollour making any tender of manifefling or declaring. The reafons ofreferring this controverfy unto a determinationat7erufalem , the HolyGhofl acquaints us with, Alas 19: z, That we have no need of this Metro-political figment , to informeus in it.And now; ifwe will not, notonly fubmit to Diocefan Bifhops: but alío reverence the grave Metro-Politans , (lan- ding upon inch cleare Apoflolical inflieution ; It is fit that all the world fhould count us . the arranteft Schifmaticksthat ever lived fince Pape Boniface his time. The fumme thenof this doubty Argument for the eAApoflolicelinflieution of Metropolitans ( that none might ever more dare to call °Dioce/ians into quefiion hereafter) Is this; Paul who wasconverted about the, 3 or 4th yeare ofCaligula,5,or 6yeares after the AfcentionofChrift,having withgreat fuccefs. for 3 yeares preached the Gofpel,went up to jerufalemwith Barsabas , upon the Perfecution rais'd againft him at pamafcusA&:9 zz:whencereturningto his work,he went fir[# to Tarfus,, A&. 9. 30: thence to Antioch: where he abode one whole yeare.Aet: t 1.25,z6: &was then Pent to Jerufalemwith thecolleélions for the saints about the4th year of Claudius,Ver.3o:thence returningagaine to Antioch , hewas Pent out by the commandof the Holy Ghofi more emi- nently,&peculiarly,then formerly,for the couvertionofthegentiles,A(1:13.1,2,3:in this under- taking in thefaace ofayeare, or two, he preached,&gatheredChurches(whereofexprefs mentis on is made)at Salamir,A& 13.9: in the Ifle efPaphosv.6 :at Perga in Pamphilia 13:at Antioch in Pif:di,, a4.atIconiumchap: t4,a :at Lyffra and Derbe,v:6:andatTerga,z6:inall thefe places gathering force Believers to Chrill,whom before they returned to Antioch he vifited all over, the fecond time,and retied Elder, in the feveredcongregatious,chap:14.2r,22,z3: in this jour- E ny
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