The State of thefill. Churche.r, &c. I 13 ercife of their power and liberty in choofing or refuting the Officers that were to be fet over them. Some few things we may obferve from theTeftirno- nies infifed on. As, I. There is in them a true andfull reprefentation ofthe State, Order, Rule, and Ditcipline of theChurches in the fiat Ages. It is a fufficient demonfration"that all thole things wherein at the prefent the State and Order of the. Church are fuppofed to confit , are indeed later Inventi- ons ; not merely becaufe they arenot mentioned by them, but becaufe they are not fo , when they avowedly pro. fell to give an account of that State and Order of the Church which was then in ufe and practice. Had there been then amongChrifians Metropolitan Archbijhops , or. Bithops Diocefan , Churches National or Provincial, an enclofure of Church- power, or Eccletiafical Jurifdiftion in and for the whole rule ofthe Church, unto Bifbiops and Officers utterly forraign unto any pretence of Apotlolical Infitutionor countenance ; had many Churches , or ma- ny hundreds of Churches , been without Rule in or a- mong themfelves,fubjeét to the rule ofany oneman(land- ing in no efpecial relationuntoany of them, with other things of the like nature , been then invented, known, and in ufe, how could they poffibly be excufed in palling themover without the leaf taking noticeof them, or gi- ving them the honour of being once mentioned by them ? How eafie had it been for their PaganRulers, untowhom they prefented their accounts (tome of them) ofthe flare oftheir Churches,to have replyed,that they knew well e- nough there were other Dignities, Orders, and pra&ifes than what they did acknowledge, which they were either afraid or athamed to own ? But betides this filence,on the other hand, theyallèrt fuch thingsof the officers appoin- ted in the Church , of the way of their appointment, of 2 the
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