( 59) Churches, or Separation from them, and mutual charges of Impofitions and Schifms thereon, they muff be all regulated by thisEnquiry ; namely, what is that Church State which Chrift hath prefcribed. Herein alone is Confcience concern- ed as unto all Duties of Ecclefflical Communion. Neither can a charge of Schifm be managed againft any , but on a fuppofition of Sin , with refpe1 unto that Church-State and Order which Chrift hath appointed. A Diffent from any thing elfe , however pretended to be ufeful, yea advanta- geous unto Church Ends, mutt come under other prudential confiderations. All which fhall be fully proved, and vindi- cated from the exceptions of Dr. St. 3. There have been, and are in the World, feveral forts of Churches of great Power and Reputation , of feveral Forms and Kinds , yet contributing Aid to each other , in their refpeóive Nations; As (i) The Papal Church which pretends it felf to be Catholick or Univerfal , comprehen- five of all true Believers or Difciples of Chrift , united in their Subjetion unto the Bithop of Rome. (s) There were of old, and the fhadow of them is Rill remaining, Church- es called Patriarchal , firft 3, then 4, then S of them, whereinto all other Churches and profeffed Chriflians in the Roman World were difiributed, as unto a Dependance on the Authority, and Subjeáion to the JurifdiCtion,and Order of the Bifhops of 5 principal Cities of the Empire, who were thereon called Tatriarks. (3) Various Divifions un- der them, of Archiepi copal or Metropolitical Churches ; and under them of thofe that are now called Diocefan, whole hounds and limits were fixed and altered according to the Variety of Occafzons and Occurrences of things in the Na- tions ofthe World. What hath been the Original of all thefe forts of Churches, how from Parochial Afíemblies , they grew up by the Degrees of their Defcent nowmentioned, into the height and center of Papal Omnipotency, hath been declared elfewhere fufficiently. 1 z 4. Some
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=