6 The Preface. them, and fomight do in this particular unto himfelf alto 's but I (hail endeavour tocafe him ofthat trouble at prefent. Only T muft fay that it is fallen out fomewhat nnexpe6ted- ly, that the Ruins of the principle Bulwarkof the Papacy, which bath been effe&ually demoliíhed by the Writings of Proteftants of all forts, -fhould be endeavoured to be re- paired by a Perfon, juftly made eminent by his Defence of the Proteftant Religion againft thofe ofthe ChurchofRome. 2. But it may be pleaded, that although the Churches following the firtt Ages, did infenfibly degenerate from the Purity and fimplicity ofGofpel Faith and i''or/hip, yet they neither did nor could do fo, from an Adherence unto, and abiding in their Original conilitution ; or from the due Ob- fervationof Church Order,_ Rule, and Difcipline, leatt of all could this happen in the Cafe of Diocefan Epifcopacy. I Anfwer z. That as unto the Original of' any thing that looks like DiocefanEpifcopacy, or the Paftoral Relation of one Perfon of a diftin t order from Presbiters, unto many particular compleat Churches withOfficers of their own, with Power and Jurisdietionin them and over them, unto the Abridge- ment of the exercife of that Right and Power unto their own Edification, which every true Church is entrufted with- al by Jefus Chrift, it isvery uncertain, and was introduced by infenfible Degrees, according unto the effe&ual work- ing of the Mi.flery of Iniquity. Some fay, that there were two diftinec Orders, namely, thofe of Bifiops andPresby- ters, inftituted at first, in all Churches planted by the A poftles ; But as the contrary may be evidently proved, fo a fuppofition of it, would no way promote the caufe of Diocefan Epifcopacy, until thofe who plead for it have de- rnonftrated the State of the Churches wherein they were placed, to be of the fame nature with thofe now called Diocefan ; Wherefore this Hypothe, fs begins generally tobe deferted,
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