a speciall manner 35. To this I shall adde thirdly that as Aristides saith of Ephesus that it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the common magazine or store-house of Asia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their refuge for all wants so it must needs be the fittest way of conveying intelligence speedily to all the Cities of Asia especially the proximae civitates as Irenaeus said the Cities next adjoyning and so most commodious to assemble those other Bishops to Paul at Miletus and not only him or those that are supposed to have resided at Ephesus 36. And accordingly we finde in Eusebius that the Epistle of Antonius â—ius concerning the Christians which was to be communicated to all Asia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was proclaimed or divulged at Ephesus in the common meeting of Asia as the readiest way to make it universally knowne 37. All which being premised and withall that there is no reason to imagine that St. Paul at the time of his fimall parting taking his solemne last leave of them v. 38. should not so much consider as to call for or desire to see any of the rest of his Sonnes the Governours of the Inferiour Churches to whom he had committed that numerous flock which was now so universally in such danger of Wolves save onely those of the one Church of that one City of Ephesus supposing there had been more than one there This will be a very competent confirmation of Irenaeus his testimony that indeed thus it was as he hath delivered that the Bishops of the Cities neerest adjoyning to Ephesus as many as by summons from thence could speedily be called together in all reason the Bishops of the Cities which were under that Metropolis were sent to meet the Apostle at Miletus and accordingly met him there 38. The second testimony is that maxime of the Greeke Scholiast on 1 Pet. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Booke of the Acts calls the Bishops Elders which being avow'd by me in the Dissertations and cleared through all the places in the Acts they ought by all Lawes of disputing either to have endeavoured the refuting of what is there said or the proving that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders must needs there signifie Presbyters in the moderne notion which having not here attempted to doe there is no kinde of force in what is here dictated nothing said but what had beene long since largely and clearely answered 39. Yet because in the next Chapter where this place of the Acts is viewed againe one argument I see produced in favour of their pretensions which they found in an observation of mine I shall thinke my selfe concern'd to give an account of it 40. It is this Pag. 85. If the Apostle by the Elders of the Church had meant the Bishops of the Church of all Asia he would have said not the Elders of the Church but of the Churches It is an observation made use of by one of those that makes use of this answer we are now confuting That when the Scripture speakes of Churches in Cities it alwayes useth the singular number as the Church of Jerusalem the Church of Corinth c. but when it speakes of provinces where there are many Cities then it uses the plurall number as the Churches of Judaea and the Churches of Asia Rev. 1. 11. According to this observation if the Apostle had meant of the Bishops of all Asia he would have said the Elders of the Churches whereas he calls them Elders of the Church v. 17. and so must meane the Elders of the Church of Ephesus and so meere Presbyters not Bishops 41. But herein is a manifest mistake For the observation is not made as is here suggested of Churches in Cities and Provinces that the former of them are constantly to be understood where there is mention of a Church in the singular number without any name of particular City added to it and that when a Province is mention'd 't is alwayes done by Churches in the plurall number This is the sense on which their argument is founded But if the Reader consult the Dissertations p. 190. He shall finde there is no such thing 't is onely this That in the New Testament there is mention made of Churches in the plurall number the Churches of Judaea of Samaria of Galilee of Syria of Cilicia of Galatia of Asia of Macedonia whereas in other places there was as frequent mention of a Church in the singular the Church in Jerusalem in Antioch in Cenchrea in Corinth of the Thessalonians of Ephesus of Smyrna of Pergamus of Thyatira of Sardis of LaodicaeaÌ„ 42. The cause of that difference is there said to be this that Judaea c was the name of a Province in which there being many Cities there were consequently many Churches and Bishops in them whereas one City with the territory adjoyning to it being ruled by one single Bishop was to be called a singular Church and therefore that which is said to be done in every Church Acts 14. 13. is said to be done in every City Tit. 1. 5. The sum of which observation is onely this that one City with the territory adjoyning to it never makes above one Church in the Scripture style whereas a Province or Country or Nation consists of many Cities and so of many Episcopall Sees or Churches 43. This was all that was said in that place or that was usefull to be said in order to the end to shew the Originall of Metropolitanes there And what a wresting of a plaine obvious observation is it to conclude it from hence to be my assertion that when that must be whensoever or else the conclusion cannot be deducible from it the Scripture speakes of a Province it is in the plurall number It doth sometimes do so and that was all that was usefull to me If it had done so but once though twenty times it had done the contrary it had been sufficient for some reasonable account there must be for the doing it once and what could that be but the number of the Cities and so of Churches in each Province or Nation much more when there were so many examples of it 44. But this is not to affirme that it alwayes doth so especially when being left at large without any restraint not the Church of Ephesus or the like but indofiniâ—ely the Church it is very capable of another interpretation For sure when I wrote that I had not forgotten my Creede or in it the name Church in the singular number which by the adjunct of Catholike must needs be more than the Church of one City And having read Mat. 16. where the whole Church of Christ is called my Church in the singular a like phrase to that of the Church of God which the Bishops here are commanded to feed and in the one Epistle to the Ephesiaâ—s having six examples of the word Church in the singular each signifying evidently the universall Church I might very well be allowed
inlarged to those that were in want It being Justin Martyr's affirmation of the first times that all the offerings were brought to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or President and that he was thereby made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Curator of all that were in want And when what is sent to the Bishop is supposed to be sent to him as the Oeconomus or steward of the Church not for the inriching himself but to provide for those that wanted I cannot imagine why this may not be as conveniently supposed as that it should be sent to the Preâ—byters onely So in like manner the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 14. 23. are Bishops againe and such and only such as farre as we have any footsteps of it were at that time ordained in the Churches one in every City where the Gospell was received with one or more Deacons to attend him And to this as the words so often mentioned out of Clemens Romanus are most evident that the Apostles of Christ preaching through Cities and Regions constituted their first fruits 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Bishops and Deacons so the context in this place of the Acts is very agreeable For here when Paul and Barnabas had preacht and converted a competent number at Derbe v. 12. and returned to the Cities of Lystra Iconium and Antioch v. 22. coâ—firming the soules of the brethren i.e. the faithfull there it followes before their parting that they ordained Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in every Church that sure is in every of the Churches here named not many in each but Elders in all one Bishop in every Church which again is no news for me or any Praelatist to affirm when in the Epistle to Titus St. Paul's direction is conformable to his practice appointing him to ordaine Elders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 City by City or in every City c. 1. 5. and presently calling the Elder so to be ordained Bishop as in the Epistle to Timothy he is also called Thus much paines I shall not grudge to have taken if it be but to rescue a small booke very innocently meant from the charge of two suâ—h Paradoxes as they are called by those who have not thought fit to believe them and are as unwiling that others should and therefore conclude their discourse against them with tragicall expressions of offering manifest violence to the Scriptures of being sufficient instead of upholding Episcopacy to render it odious and contemptible c. And when they have said so much with so little weight of reason to justifie it they will then part with all meeknesse and perfect temper but we forbeare i.e. abstaine to adde more when they had said as much ill as could be I am sorry there was still any more bitternesse within to be supprest when there was so much vented However it is we are now at end of a second post and to have time to breath a while after some lassitude CHAP. III. Concerning the Opinion of Antiquity in this Question Sect. 1. The Testimonies of Clemens Romanus Bishops and Deacons the onely offices at the first Corinth Metropolis of Achaia What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie The Apostles care to prevent contentions about Episcopacy Hegesippus's testimony of the contentions at Corinth Clement a Bishop SOme things there are yet behind in their Appendix wherein I discerne my selfe to be concern'd in some directly and immediately in others by remoter obligation as when some of those testimonies of Antiquity which are in the Dissertations manifested to be perfectly reconcileable with our pretensions and some of them evident confirmations of them are yet by these Writers crudely taken up and made use of as Testimonies on their side without ever taking notice of that which is said in the Dissertations to cleare the contrary Of the former sort wherein I am more immediately pointed at there are foure things First Concerning one testimony of St. Hierome Secondly concerning Ignatius his Epistles in generall and the appeales that I make to hâ—s authoriâ—â— which they will not allow to have force with them Thirdly concerning one testimony cited by them out of St. Ambrose on Ephes 4. and answered by me but that answer disliked and rejected by them Fourthly concerning the Chorepiscopi Of the second sort are the testimonies out of Clemens Romanus Polycarpe Irenaeus and Tertullian especially the two former of them I shall therefore briefly survey every one of these and I suppose I have pitcht on the most convenient Method and that which will give the Reader the clearest view both of the judgement of Antiquity concerning Episcopacy in generall to which their Appendix professeth wholly to be designed and more particularly of the truth of those two propositions which have been accused as Paradoxes in me but will now appeare not to be such by taking these testimonies as they lie in the order of time wherein the Authors lived and then that of St. Hierome which happens to be first mentioned by them p. 102. will fall to be one of the last to which we shall make reply First then for Clemens they thus begin sure we are that Clemens who lived in the first century in his famous Epistle to the Corinthians an undoubted piece of antiquity makes but two Orders of Ministery Bishops and Deacons And having set downe the place which testifies this * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and rendered it thus Christ Iesus sent his Apostles through Countries and Cities in which they preached and constituted the first fruits approving them by the spirit for Bishops and Deacons to those who should afterwards believe From hence they observe p. 105. That Bishops and Deacons were the onely orders of Ministâ—ry in the first Primitive Church And that the Apostles appointed but two Officers that is Bishops and Deacons to bring men to believe because when he had reckon'd up three Orders appointed by God amongst the Jewes High-Priest Priests and Levites coming to recite Orders appointed by the Apostles under the Gospell â—e doth mention onely Bishops and Deacons And here one would think were little for the Presbyterians advantage even no more than one of my Paradoxes would have afforded them which from this very testimony and some other concluded that which was then so strange for them to heare yet now can be confest by them that the Apostles at their first plantations contented themselves with Bishops and Deacons one of each or perhaps more of the latter in every City But when these men thus grant the conclusion from this place which I inferr'd I have yet no reason to boast of their liberality because I suppose it their meaning that by Bishops Clemenâ—â— meant Preâ—byters though this they do not so much as say in twice repeating of their conclusion And yet certainly it needed more than saying proving by some evidence or argument that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops in that place signifies any thing else but Bishops All that they offer toward a reason
to discerne the word Church in the singular without any addition of Ephesus or the like which restraines it in all the examples there produced to be appliable to a farre larger body than the Church of one City and consequently be quit from all obligation of making the Elders of the Church Act. 20. 17. the Elders of the one City of Ephesus 45. There is little doubt I suppose but the Church of the whole World consisting of many Churches as the parts thereof may be and is in Scripture called the Church in the singular and so certainly may the Church of a Nation or a Province especially if it be united together under one Primate or Metropolitane as it is certaine the Churches and Cities neer Ephesus nay over all Asia were according to the plaine words of St. Chrysostome who when others affirme of Timothy that he was by Paul ordained Bishop of the Metropolis of Epheâ—us expresseth the same thing thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is manifest that Timothy had a Church committed to him or indeed an intire Nation that of Asia The like is ordinarily observable of Crete a whole Island with an hundred Cities in it in each of which Titus was appointed to ordeine a Bishop or Elder which yet is styled in the subscription of the Epistle to Titus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church of Crete and the subscription never questioned upon that score by any that it spake improperly herein 46. And consequently there can be no harshnesse in this interpretation Paul sent to Ephesus and call'd the Elders of the Church to come to him to Miletus and in his Oration addrest to them called them Bishop of the flock and of the Church of God meaning them singular praefects of severall Cities of the Church of Asia especially of those which were neerest Ephesus the chiefe Metropolis of the whole Nation 47. And so much in answer to that Objection in defence of their argument from the Elders of Ephesus as they call them 48. Another proofe of the same is there added Pag. 85. Thus The Syriack translation reads it he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church of Ephesus so Hierome Presbyteros Ecclesiae Ephesinae so concilium Aquisgranense 49. What authority St Hierome's testimony is to carry with us in this matter hath been elsewhere largely shewed and we may hereafter have farther occasion to declare it and our reasons of it At the present it is willingly confest that St. Hierome on Tit. 1. doth indeavour to prove that in Scripture Bishop and Presbyter is the same and from him Isidore Hispalensis de officiis Eccl. l. 2. hath the same and both have according to that prolepsis changed the words of the Text in the Acts and instead of what there we reade sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church they read sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the same Church expressing themselves to meane of the Church of Ephesus And the councell of Aken Aquisgranense having transcribed nine Chapters from Isidore verbatim consequently doe the like So that the authority of Isidore and that councell being as great as St. Hierome can make it from whom evidently it proceeds may yet be allowed to yeild to the farre greater authority of Polycarp's auditor Irenaeus who hath sufficiently cleared it to the contrary 50. As for the Syriack tanslation it is not here recited exactly accordingly to the truth For in that thus the words lie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And from Miletus he sent and called for the Elders of the Church of Ephesus where is but one mention of Ephesus not two as is here suggested from the translation that it reades he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Church of Ephesus The short of it is Ephesus being but once named in that verse the Greeke placeth it in the begining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and this being the Originall must certainly over-rule all translations and accordingly all translations but one to read it onely the Syriack hath mis-placed the word Ephesus put it in the later part of the period quite against all Syntaxis and for doing so are here cited and their testimony made use of to assist Presbytery when the manifest truth in the Originall and by all other translations acknowledged would not allow them any the least advantage 51. After they had produced these two arguments to prove that the Church in the City was governed in the Apostles days by a Common-councell of Presbyters the Reader would hardly expect that which now next followes in these words From all this we gather that the Asian Angels were not Diâ—cesan Bishops but congregationall Presbyters seated each of them in one Church not any of them in more than one 52. This conclusion as the words lie consists of two parts 1. That each of these Asian Angels under the title of Congregationall Presbyters was seated in one Church This if it were meant as the words sound were the granting to us all that we contend and would hardly be reconciled with the third observation that the Church in the City was governed by the common councell of Presbyters For sure each of those Presbyters is not a common councell But I rather believe they have not so soone disclaimed their praemisses and therefore that it is more reasonable to interpret their words by their principles than their meaning by their words and so that by congregationall Presbyters they meant so many Colleges of such Presbyters seated each of them i. e. each of those Colleges in one Church And if that be their conclusion I must acknowledge it to accord perfectly with their praemisses which being already answered there remaines no force in the conclusion 53. And for the second part that not any of them was seated in more than one understanding it againe as the words sound it is no way contrary to our pretensions for we doe not thinke that the Angel of Ephesus was seated in Smyrna or in any Church but that of Ephesios and the territory thereof and although as that was a Metropolis other Cities were under it and so other Bishops subordinate to the Bishop of Ephesus yet was not any other City the Seat of that Metropolitane but onely Ephesus whereof he takes his denomination as although Rochester be under the Metropolis of Canterbury yet the Archbishop of Canterbury is not seated at Rochester but some other Bishop affixt to that City and Diocese As for any other meaning of it proportionable to that which we were faine to affixe to the former I confesse my selfe ignorant what it can tend to For it is as if they should say not any councell of Presbyters was seated in more Churches than one Which is as if they should say no one body is in severall places And I know no Prelatist that either directly or by consequence hath affirmed it is 54. What remaines in the last Paragraph of this Chapter
of St. John who we know was after his returne from banishment affixt to Asia and seated at Ephesus the chiefe Metropolis there to superintend in the Jewish part of the Asian Church over all the Bishops and Metropolitans there 10. To this I might adde fiftly that the Bishops in every City were successors of the Apostles as is largely deduced Diss 3. c. 3. Sect. 14. c. which they could not truly be if the Apostles whom they succeeded were not in vested with that power wherein they succeeded them i. e. were not first Bishops before them But I shall not inlarge of this having no need of more evidences in this matter 11. Fourthly therefore when it is added that if the Apostles be affirmed to be properly Bishops this were to degrade the Apostles and to make their office ordinary and perpetuall This is but a shortnesse of discourse of which a very few words will suffice to admonish any for there is no more strength in that consequence than there would be in affirming that such an one is a Man therefore he is not a living Creature or that he that saith he is a living Creature degrades him from being a man For as to that of ordinary and perpetuall 't is no way inconvenient that the Apostles who had somewhat temporary and extraordinary for the first planting of Churches in respect of which especially they were called Apostles might also have somewhat which was of ordinary perpetuall use in the Church wherein others might and should succeed them and that is it unquestionably which wee meane by the word Bishops when we ascribe it to them or any of them or to Christ himselfe the source and originall Copy of that power in the Church 12. Fiftly when another inconvenience is accumulated on this much to the former purpose but in more words this were to exalt the Bishop above his degree and make him an Apostle end to make the Apostle a Bishop 1. It is evident that if the forementioned exception were true viz. That it were the degrading the Apostle it could not farther be truly said that it were the exalting the Bishop above his degree for supposing one to be above the other the degrading one would make the other eâ—uall to him without any new act of exalting him if the Apostle have already descended to the Bishop sure the Bishop need not cannot ascend to the Apostle I cannot goe up staires to him who hath prevented me by his dignation or misfortune and is already come or fallen downeâ— to me Secondly therefore this makes not the Bishop an Apostle which is a degree higher than he though in respect of the Episcopall power common to them with the Aposles it is nothing strange in the Antient Writers for the first Bishops of the Churches James the Bishop of Jerusalem Thaddaeus Luke Barnabas Marke Timothy Titus Clemens Ignatius to be called Apostles as is evidenced at large in the Dissertations but onely supposes the Apostle to be a Bishop which he may well be as the greater conteineth the lesse though the Bishop be no Apostle as it is confest that the lesse containes not the greater 13. And lastly for the citation out of Dr. Whitaker I have no directions to the place which may inable me to examine it And I know circumstances of the context or the designe of the speech may much alter it from what it signifies to me at my reading it thus cited But if it be distinctly thus and incapable of a more commodious interpretation I cannot consent to the truth of it or comprehend upon what grounds of reason he should so severely censure those Scriptures and Fathers which have been produced to affirme that the Apostles were Bishops and particularly St. John and St. Peter And indeed when it falls out that each of those two Apostles peculiarly calls himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Elder or as they render it Presbyter I shall demand Did either of those speake properly or no If they did were either of those little distant from mad-men If so I shall be content to be under any censure in their company And therefore if they spake not so properly I shall be content with them to have spoken improperly also But if Apostles may be called Presbyters without any of these inconveniences of degradation in them any insâ—lence in the Presbyter or madnesse in the Speaker my onely remaining Quaere is why they might not without all this adoe be called Bishops also meaning by Bishops as I now meane For I am sure that is the same thing that I understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elder in those three places and they who differ from me herein do yet understand it of Presbyters and so had said in the second consideration expresly that St. John calls himselfe a Presbyter and then all the spice of madnesse consists in this thinking a Bishop capable of that exaltation that a Presbyter in perfect sobriety is capable of And so much for the third consideration Section VI. Of the word Angel and Starre pretended to be common to all Ministers Of Messenger and Embassadour The singularity of the word Angel THe fourth consideration is That the word Angel which is the title given to those supposed Bishops doth not import any peculiar jurisdiction or praeeminence but is a common name to all Ministers and so is used in Scripture For all Ministers are Gods Messengers and Embassadours sent for the good of the elect and therefore the name being common to all Ministers why should we thinke that there should be any thing spoken to one Minister that doth not belong to all The same may be said of the word Starre which is also a title given to those supposed Metropolitans It is evident that all faithfull Ministers are called Starres in Scripture whose duty is to shine as lights unto the Churches in all purity of Doctrine and holinesse of conversation There is nothing in these titles that argue these Ministers to be Bishops in our brethrens sense Insomuch as had they not been called Bishops by some authors that succeeded them who spake of former times in the language of their owne times this way of arguing would have been counted ridiculous 2. â—o this consideration I might if it were needfull reply 1. That the word Angel is no where used for any other Officer or Minister in the Church save onely the Prophets such as Haggai c. 1. 13. and John Baptist Mat. 11. 10. and the chiefe Priest Mal. 2. 7. 3. Secondly that as to the words Messenger and Embassador there is in ordinary speech some considerable difference betweene them the latter having in it a connotation of dignity sustaining the person of the King from whom he is sent immediately which is not applicable to the former And agreeably when it is used of St. Paul and Timothy in whose name that Epistle is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee are Embassadors 2 Cor. 5. 20. there is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
the practice which in this particular he recommended to the Church And I must needs tell the Objectors that as meane an opinion as they seem to have of this work of visiting the sick I cannot but affirme on the contrary that if it were duely and advantagiously managed it were extreamely usefull and beneficiall to the good of Soules and as proper for a Bishop personally to performe when his other publick necessarie taskes wherein many more are concern'd and wherein he hath no proxies to supply his place permit as any one part of his divine office differing from the rest only in this and in that respect yeilding the precedence to them that other parts of his office are or may be at the same time extensive to many whilst each act of this is terminated in some one whose soul yet ought to be more pretious in his eyes than all other acquisitions in the world Accordingly it is in the Dissertations evidenced out of Polycarp's Epistle who was somewhat after the time of James the author of this Epistle that part of the Bishop's office it was then esteemed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to visit all the sick in like manner as in Justin Martyr he is made the Curator of all that are in want the grand distributer of all the liberalities of the Church As for the onely objection that is here tendered against this interpretation of the place from the singalar 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Church not of the Churches the answer is obvious that this Epistle of James being written to all the Jewes in dispersion Jam. 1. 1. these could not make up any one particular Church of any single denomination but yet all conjoyne very fitly in that one Vniversal style of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church In this respect we know 't is called the Catholick Epistle of James because written to the whole Church of the Jewes all the believers of that nation wheresoever disperst out of their Countrey Now these inhabiting in divers Cities it is as certaine there were divers Bishops in this circuit and so the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Elders of the Church are most commodiously set to expresse these severall Bishops belonging to this complexe body the Church of the dispersion Not that there were more of these in one City for that consideration would never have caused the plural expression because were there never so many the sick person needed not have called more at once and upon that score 〈◊〉 shall demand of them that argue from the number was every sick man in their opinion to call for the whole Presbytery â—or againe because there were not as many Churches as Elders but onely because these many particular Churches of which there was an equal number of Elders were very fitly comprehended under the one general 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church in the singular number Sect. XI A last objection from Act. 21. 18. and 14. 3. and 11. 30. answered Elders for Rulers or Bishops THere yet remaines one sort of Objections more against these Paradoxes in these words Besides when it to said Act 21. 18. Paul went in with us unto James and all the Elders were present It is supposed by our Episcopall men that James was at this time Bishop of Jerusalem Now we demand who were these Elders were these also Bishops of Jerusalem will this answer consist with our brethrens judgement so likewise when it is said Act. 15 4. And when they were comâ— to Jerusalem they were received of the Church and of the Apostles and Elders we demand what is meant by the Church Is it not meant the Church of Jerusalem to which place they are said to come And if so then we askâ— farther what is meanâ— by the Elders Must it not be answered that by Elders are meant the Elders of Jerusalem And then let any man 〈◊〉 us how these Elders can be said to be Bishops in a Prelatical sense especially according to the sense of our brethren who make James to be at this time the onely Bishop of Jerusalem Adde farther It is said Act. 14. 3. Whâ—n Paul and Barnabas had ordained them Elders in every Church Act. 11. 30. They sent reliefe to the Elders c. Can any imagine that this reliefe was sent onely to Bishops and that Paul and Barnabas ordeined no Presbyters in any Church but only Bishops Is not this to offer manifest violence to the Scriptures and instead of upholding of Episcopacie is not this sufficient to render it odious and contemptible to all sober and godly and moderate Christians But we forbeare It seems we have still remaining another heape of inconvenient Confessions that we labour under And upon them more socratico they make their demands And although I might justly wonder why they which have reade the Dissertations and know what answer I give to every of their demands should be at the trouble to aske them againe yet because I am resolved not to be weary of attending them I shall answer them as punctually as they could wish and patiently support all the odium that will result from thence among all sober and godly and moderate Christians Here onely I desire two things may be remembred which have already been evidenced 1. that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elderâ— in the style of the Old Testament in the continued use of all languages being an expression of power and dignity is in the New Testament upon all reasonable accounts as properly applicable to the Rulers and Governours Ecclesiastical as the word Apostles or Bishops or Presidents or Rulers or any the like would be thought to be and withall very fit to expresse single Rulers in each particular Church in case any such may otherwise appeare to be mentioned in Scripture there being no propriety in the word or peculiarity in the usage of it to incline it to joynt power of Collegues ruling in common Accordingly evidences have been produced in the Dissertations to shew the continuance of this usage among Authors after the Scripture-time that it long remained in the language of the Antients Policarpe Papias Irenaeus Clemens Alexandrinus and Tertullian many of which are knowne and by the adversaries acknowledged to assert Episcopacy in our moderne sense and yet use the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Elders to denote sometimes the Apostles sometimes the singular Bishops in each Church And therefore the affirming this one thing so attested and confirmed viz. that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may very conveniently be interpreted Bishops as oft as the circumstances of the Text will beare it will not I hope still be so unfoâ—tuâ—ate as to fall under the censure of Paradoxe and odious being indeed a plaine obvious observation which hath nothing of difficulty or harshnesse in it Having praemised this I shall onely adde that the Apostles being by all Praelatists I hope convincingly affirmed and proved to have ordeined Bishops in every City of Converts and