The State of thefart$ Churches, &c. 911 journeth as a Itrauger) at Rome, in the City of Rome ; to the Churckof God that dwelletl or fojourneth at Corinth. Foralthough that Church was then in dilorder,under no certain Rule, having call off all their Elders, &c. yet the Church of Rome not only allows it to be a lifter- Church, but falutes the Brethren of it in the following word.,; KÀnmis, airiaoj.civois ¿y Ari -il 2Jq. r.,e,ív : called andfanUified through the will of God by our Lord 7efws Chrifi. The Churches of Chrift were not fo ready in thole days to condemn the perlons, nor to judge the Church. (fateand conditionof others, on every niilcarriage real or fuppofed , as fume have been and are in thefe latter Ages. 2. This Addrefs being from the body of the Church at Rome unto that at Corinth, without the leaft mention of the Officers of them inparticular; it is evident that the Churches themfelves, that is, the whole entire Community of them, had Communion with one another, as they were filter- Churches ; and that they had themfelves the tranf- gtionofall Affairs wherein they were concerned ; as they had in the days of the Apoftles , A s 15. 1, 2, 3. It was the Brethren of the Church at Antioch who determined that Paul and Barnabau and certain othersfltould go up to Hierufalem to confult the Apoftles and Elders. See allo Chap. 21.22. This they did not, nor ought to do, with- out the Pretence, Guidance, Conduct and content of their Elders or Rulers where they hadany. But this they were not excluded from. And that Church, the whole Body or fraternity whereof doth advife and confult in thole things wherein they are concerned , on the account of their Communion withother Churches, is a Congregatio- nal Church, and noother. It was the Church who fent this Epiftle unto the Corinthians; Claudius Ephebus, Yalerius, Bibo, Fortunatus, are named as their Pag. 73° N 2 Mellen-
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