The State of the ftrf Churches, &C. 99 red unto thole who were ordained by the Apoftles them. felves. (2.) They gave Rules and Orders , namely, in their Writings, concerning the Offices and Officers that were to be in theChurch , with the way whereby they thould be fubfiituted into the place and room of them that were deceafed 5 as we know they have done in their Writings. (3.) After this was done by the Apoftles,other excellent pertòns, as the Evangelißs,did the fame. There affitted the Churches in the Ordination and Choice of their Officers according unto the Rules prefcribed by the Apoftles. And I know not but that the eminent Paftors of other Churches who ulually gave their afftftance in the Petting apart and Ordination of others unto the Minittry., be intended. I have infifted long on this Teftimony, being led on by the Excellency of the writing itfclf. Nothing re mains written fo near the times of the Apoftles ; nor loth any that is extant which was written afterwards, give fuch anEvidence of Apoftolical Wildom, Gravity, and Hu- mility. Neither is there in all Antiquitie, after the wri- tngs of the Apoftles, fuch a Reprefentation of the State, Order, and Rule of fiat Evangelical Churches. And it is no fmall prejudice unto the pretenfions of future Ages, that this Apoftolical perron handling a moft weighty Eccle- (iafical caufe, makes not the leaft mention of fuch Offices, Power, andProceedings, as wherein fome would have all Church-rule and order to confift. The Epiftle of Polycarpus and the Elders of theChurch at smyrna with him, unto the Church of the Philippians, is the next on Roll of Antiquity. Nothing appears in the whole to intimate any other Church-flare or Order than that delcribed by Clemens. The Epistle is directed unto the whole Church at Philippi, not unto any particu- 0 2 lar
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