APreface to the Reader. taro ; that the Apooles inllituted c*tetropolitanArch- Bffhaps ów,e 6áH dHÿn. But to make all fore the learned `Doî1our will not fo giveover : But Sell :1 r, he adds that the Epigraphe oftheEpiflle to the Romans grants him the whole ca/e,that is;EwxaeTíg ñrs ivy'° ax) ër -rózai' 2e eie Proptairor, exquia (faith he ) Ecclef e Romans, ejufq, epifcopo Paper ecclefis Omni-; bus inurbicariâ regione,aut provincia Romans contends, prsfeëluram competiifevidemtu. Although I havefpent forne time in the confiderarion of mens confeaures ofthofefubar= bicarian Charches,that(as is pretended ) are here pointed to, and the rifeof the Rifbop of Roms jurifdi(lian over thofe Churches, in a correfpondency to the civil goverment of the Prefecsl of the City, yet fogreat a Critick inthe Greek tongue as Cafaaban. Exerc : 15. ad eon: tso: having profetTed that expreflìon: tr ziz*çi ,e:a'Pu puílap , to be barbarosss and unintelligible , I thall not contend about it. For the prefidencymentioned ofthe Church in,or at Rome, that it was a prefidency offurifditïion and not only an eminency offaithandholinefe that is inten- ded , the Doaour thinks it not incumbent on him toprove: thofewith whom he hat to do, are ofanother mind : although by this time forceAlteration might be attempted yea there was,as elfewhere fhall befhewed: and fomuch for Ignatius his Archi.Epifcopacy. The example ofAlexandria is urged in the next place in their words : idemde Alexandriâ, de spa' Eufebists ,t- Narcum'aoi;iiaiaswejönr z'señsAre ex rí etwni'oo,Si,EccleRas(inplurali primate is Alexandriâ inflituife. Has owner ab eofob xominé st çe'Awsçrotifeíá asesraias,adminie pandas fufcepif fe Annianum , Neronisannootlavo idem Eafebieu affermat:quibus pate: prim,ari- am Alexandria of Tatriarchalem cathedramfixam effe, ad qua); reliqua provincia illius ecclefi.t. á Marco plantate,utadmetropoliticam foamper inebant; doubtlefs. for t There is not any paffage inany ancient t4'uthor, more clearly difcovering the uncertainty ofmany things in" Antiquity, then this pointed to by the Doeour in Eufebéus. Forfirft, the fendingofMark the evangeli,/1 into Egypt , and his preaching.there at Alexandria what he hadwritten inthe Gofpel, is but a report.t31'tenlaid fo, but what ground they had for their faying fo,he relates nor. And yetwe knowwhat a foundation ofmany Affertions byfollowing Writers,this Rumor or report is made to be. z In the very next words the Authouraffirmes and infifts long upon it in thenext Chapter that Philo's book., ati sñ pia Tÿl'nTxn,.l, was written concerning the Chriftians converted by Marks preaching at e,flexandria,when it notoriouuly known that it treateth ofthe EQ'ens , a Seét among the Jewes , amongft wholeobfervances many things werevaine , fuperftitions,and foolifh ; unworthy tobe once applauded as the pra&ife ofany Chriftian in thofe dayes: thatfame Philo, is faras can begathred living and dying in theJett,- ifb Religion,having been employed by themwith anApology to Rome in the daimOfCaligula But 3. Suppofe that Markewere at ,41exandria , and preached the Gofpel there, which is not improbable , and planted fundry Churches in that great and populous City of Jewess and Gentiles and that as an evangelic the care of thofe Churches was upon him, in a pecu- liar manner nay , and adde farther that after his death , as Hierome affures us , the Elders and Presbytersof thofe Churcheschofe out one among themfelves to Prsfde in their convo- cations &meetings;lf I fay all this be fuppofed, what will cafue? why then it is manifeft that there was fixedat Alexandria a Patriarchal Chain ,& a Metropolitical Church, according to the Appointment ofJefus Chriftby his Apoftles.Si hoc nonftprobationum fatir,nefcio quidftfa- tia.lfforce few congregations live together in love,and communion,and the fellowfhipof the Gofpel ina City , he is (lark blind that feesnot that tobe an Arch-Bithops See. The reafon is as cleare as his in thecomedian for the freedomeofhis Wife. Sy: ntinam Phrygian; uxorem' meamunii mecum videam liberam. Dem : Optimam mulieremguidon. Sy: Et quidem nepoti tto,hsejus filio, hodié primate mammem dedit teat. Dem: herclé, verb,ferio, hquidemprimam de- dit baud dubiumgain emittio/Equumfier. Mic: oh ram rem?Demob ram: and there is an end of theconteft The Dolour indeedbath fundry other Se$ions added to thefe foregoing,which as they concerne times more remote from thofe who fiat received the Apoflelical infliturions, fo I muff ingenioully profefs that I cannot feeany thing , wheron to fatten afufpition ofd proof , fo far as to call it into examination , and therefore I fhall abfolve the Reader from the penalty ofthisDigref ion. The truth is when I fist named Ignatius for a wirnefs in the taufeI am pleading for , I lit- tlethought of that excurfion which 1 have occafionallybeen drawn out unto. Whenfirft I raft an eye Tomefew months fineupon the Differtation ofthe Learned Dotior , in defenceof Epifcopacy.8e law it fo Cheker'dwith greekand Latine,fo full ofquotationsdivine & humane, I began to think, that he dealt withhis Adverfaries, baoife,,clypeifq&resell erendibtee that therewould be no flandingbefore his fhowre of arguments:but aftera littléferious perufal,I E a muff
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=