( Mt ) whowas firfl to be called to Office under the NewTetra- mentafter the .Af enfionofChrifl,fell undera double Con- fideration, namely of an Officer in general, and of an Apofile, which office was extraordinary ; there was a ,threefoldA& in his Call ; the People chofe two ; one of which was to be an Officer, Ac`s I. 23 ; Gods immedi- ate Determination of one, as he was to be an .,fpofile, ver. 24. and the obedient Content ofthe People incom- pliance with that Determination, ver. 26. The Foundation of thefe Churches was generally in a fmall number of Believers. But their Church irate was not compleat until they were füpplyed with all ordinary Officers, as `BiJhops and Deacon. The former wereof of feveral forts, as (hall be proved hereafter. And of them there were many in every Church, whófe number was encreafed as the Members oftheChurch were mul- tiplied. So Godappointed in the Church of the yews, that every ten Families fhould have a peculiar Ruler of their ownChoice; Dent. 1.13,1 q., 15. For there is no mention in the New Teframent of any one jingle Bifop or Elder , in any Church of any fort whatever, either .Albfolutely or by way ofPréhemi- nence. But as the Elders of each Church were many, at leafr more thenone, fo therewas a parity among them, and an Equality in Order, Power, and Rule. Nor can any Infrance be given unto the Contrary. Ofthefe Churches one onely was originally planted, in one City Town, or Village. This way was taken from Convenienofor Edification, and not from any poli- tive Inflitution and it may be otherwife where Come- , niency and Opportunity do require it. The Number in H h thefe
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