of_o office_n to_o continue_v for_o the_o sake_n whereof_o those_o excellent_a epistle_n be_v write_v and_o we_o have_v no_o great_a assurance_n that_o these_o epistle_n be_v by_o s._n paul_n than_o we_o have_v that_o there_o be_v bishop_n to_o succeed_v the_o apostle_n in_o the_o care_n and_o government_n of_o the_o church_n chap._n ix_o apostolical_a authority_n be_v communicate_v to_o the_o angel_n mention_v revel_v 1.20_o who_o be_v bishop_n of_o the_o asiatic_a church_n what_o timothy_n be_v at_o ephesus_n and_o titus_n in_o crete_n that_o be_v the_o angel_n mention_v revel_v 1.20_o in_o their_o several_a diocese_n they_o govern_v the_o seven_o church_n of_o asia_n with_o apostolical_a or_o episcopal_a authority_n this_o be_v what_o you_o oppose_v and_o one_o may_v therefore_o have_v expect_v from_o you_o another_o account_n of_o they_o to_o which_o you_o will_v adhere_v but_o you_o fix_v upon_o nothing_o a_o practice_n very_o common_a among_o many_o that_o be_v engage_v with_o you_o in_o the_o same_o work_n who_o combine_v indeed_o in_o their_o attempt_n against_o the_o truth_n but_o without_o any_o steady_a principle_n and_o in_o great_a confusion_n among_o the_o rest_n the_o assembly_n of_o divine_n tell_v we_o 75._o that_o these_o title_n of_o angel_n be_v mysterious_a and_o metaphorical_a and_o that_o it_o can_v not_o be_v safe_a or_o solid_a to_o build_v on_o they_o the_o structure_n of_o episcopacy_n and_o yet_o they_o be_v not_o of_o the_o mind_n of_o the_o old_a alogian_o who_o deride_v the_o revelation_n of_o s._n john_n 32._o say_v of_o what_o advantage_n be_v it_o that_o he_o talk_v of_o seven_o angel_n and_o of_o seven_o trumpet_n they_o affirm_v that_o this_o book_n be_v of_o singular_a use_n to_o christian_n to_o the_o end_n of_o the_o world_n revelation_n they_o have_v also_o furnish_v we_o with_o annotation_n on_o it_o such_o as_o they_o be_v and_o particular_o without_o any_o he_o sitation_n they_o give_v their_o interpretation_n of_o this_o 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the_o divine_a will._n walo_n messalinus_n 184._o and_o some_o other_o affirm_v that_o these_o angel_n be_v the_o church_n themselves_o and_o to_o comply_v with_o they_o we_o must_v believe_v that_o the_o angel_n of_o the_o church_n be_v the_o church_n of_o the_o church_n 18._o which_o i_o think_v be_v no_o good_a sense_n grotius_n reflect_v on_o their_o exposition_n do_v just_o charge_v it_o with_o a_o manifest_a contradict_v of_o the_o holy_a scripture_n 343._o which_o declare_v that_o the_o candlestick_n be_v the_o church_n and_o that_o the_o seven_o star_n be_v the_o angel_n of_o the_o seven_o church_n but_o whither_o say_v he_o may_v not_o man_n be_v draw_v by_o a_o itch_n of_o contradiction_n when_o they_o dare_v confound_v those_o thing_n which_o the_o spirit_n of_o god_n do_v so_o plain_o distinguish_v yet_o i_o deny_v not_o that_o the_o instruction_n which_o do_v immediate_o relate_v to_o the_o angel_n be_v communicate_v by_o the_o spirit_n not_o only_o to_o they_o but_o to_o the_o church_n also_o it_o be_v fit_a that_o both_o shall_v be_v make_v sensible_a how_o their_o duty_n and_o interest_n be_v combine_v and_o encourage_v one_o another_o in_o the_o performance_n of_o the_o thing_n enjoin_v and_o in_o carry_v on_o the_o work_n of_o reformation_n with_o the_o great_a vigour_n and_o application_n if_o these_o angel_n be_v neither_o celestial_a spirit_n nor_o the_o church_n of_o asia_n themselves_o it_o can_v be_v imagine_v that_o they_o be_v any_o thing_n else_o but_o the_o pastor_n of_o those_o church_n yet_o this_o be_v suppose_v some_o question_n have_v be_v make_v about_o their_o number_n which_o be_v omit_v say_v smectymnuus_n not_o without_o some_o mystery_n lest_o we_o shall_v understand_v by_o angel_n one_o minister_n alone_o and_o not_o a_o company_n this_o you_o call_v a_o critical_a nicety_n but_o i_o take_v it_o to_o be_v a_o profane_a abuse_n of_o the_o holy_a scripture_n under_o a_o pretence_n of_o discover_v a_o mystery_n it_o be_v say_v 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not_o here_o for_o a_o angel_n no_o more_o proper_o signify_v a_o college_n of_o angel_n than_o a_o man_n signify_v a_o troop_n or_o a_o corporation_n nor_o be_v the_o description_n of_o the_o several_a angel_n applicable_a to_o a_o multitude_n unless_o we_o will_v suppose_v that_o all_o the_o elder_n of_o the_o respective_a society_n deserve_v the_o same_o particular_a reproof_n or_o commendation_n which_o have_v not_o the_o least_o shadow_n of_o truth_n we_o read_v indeed_o that_o the_o strong_a cattle_n before_o who_o jacob_n place_v his_o rod_n general_o bring_v forth_o the_o speckled_a or_o ringstrake_v and_o this_o we_o impute_v to_o a_o miracle_n and_o question_v not_o the_o thing_n because_o it_o be_v relate_v by_o moses_n in_o the_o book_n of_o genesis_n 30_o but_o what_o shall_v make_v all_o the_o presbyter_n of_o each_o of_o the_o seven_o church_n
action_n for_o irenaeus_n tell_v we_o 233._o that_o polycarp_n be_v not_o only_o teach_v by_o the_o apostle_n but_o constitute_v by_o they_o bishop_n of_o smyrna_n and_o his_o word_n deserve_v the_o great_a credit_n because_o he_o be_v a_o hearer_n of_o polycarp_n in_o his_o young_a year_n 20._o and_o understand_v doubtless_o what_o place_n he_o have_v in_o the_o church_n and_o the_o manner_n of_o his_o advancement_n to_o it_o i_o need_v make_v no_o inference_n from_o this_o example_n because_o it_o be_v so_o obvious_a that_o it_o destroy_v your_o hypothesis_n chap._n xviii_o the_o testimony_n of_o the_o father_n be_v necessary_a for_o the_o ascertain_n to_o we_o the_o canon_n of_o the_o holy_a scripture_n it_o be_v as_o cogent_n for_o the_o divine_a original_a of_o episcopacy_n there_o be_v some_o that_o will_v hardly_o hear_v with_o patience_n any_o argument_n that_o be_v draw_v from_o the_o authority_n of_o the_o father_n because_o as_o they_o conceive_v or_o pretend_v it_o favour_v the_o papist_n a_o thing_n very_o acceptable_a to_o the_o papist_n can_v it_o be_v prove_v but_o we_o do_v they_o too_o much_o honour_n if_o we_o believe_v that_o the_o ancient_a tradition_n be_v on_o their_o side_n when_o some_o of_o the_o most_o learned_a among_o they_o dare_v lay_v no_o claim_n to_o it_o for_o the_o support_n of_o those_o doctrine_n wherein_o they_o differ_v from_o we_o and_o many_o of_o their_o great_a bigot_n have_v find_v themselves_o so_o press_v by_o it_o that_o they_o have_v appeal_v from_o it_o to_o their_o oracle_n for_o the_o time_n be_v the_o pope_n i_o mean_v to_o who_o cornelius_n mussus_n 14._o one_o of_o their_o number_n profess_v that_o he_o attribute_v more_o credit_n than_o to_o a_o thousand_o augustine_n jeroms_n and_o gregory_n and_o so_o end_v the_o noise_n of_o antiquity_n universality_n and_o consent_n it_o be_v not_o my_o business_n here_o to_o attempt_v a_o vindication_n of_o the_o father_n any_o far_a than_o it_o answer_v my_o present_a 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may_v seem_v that_o if_o they_o be_v man_n so_o extreme_o corrupt_a they_o deserve_v no_o great_a credit_n in_o any_o thing_n and_o may_v be_v suspect_v to_o have_v make_v as_o bold_a with_o the_o oracle_n of_o god_n as_o they_o have_v do_v with_o his_o institution_n of_o church-government_n i_o make_v no_o doubt_n to_o affirm_v that_o the_o testimony_n of_o the_o father_n be_v at_o least_o as_o cogent_a for_o the_o divine_a original_a of_o episcopacy_n as_o it_o be_v when_o they_o ascertain_v to_o we_o the_o canon_n of_o scripture_n which_o yet_o be_v like_a to_o suffer_v nothing_o by_o this_o comparison_n for_o if_o we_o reject_v they_o as_o false_a witness_n when_o they_o inform_v we_o that_o bishop_n be_v appoint_v by_o the_o apostle_n we_o must_v not_o only_o believe_v as_o i_o have_v intimate_v already_o that_o the_o pastor_n of_o the_o church_n notwithstanding_o their_o great_a distance_n from_o one_o another_o and_o their_o different_a custom_n and_o interest_n general_o hit_v at_o the_o same_o time_n upon_o the_o same_o project_n to_o destroy_v that_o ecclesiastical_a polity_n which_o have_v christ_n for_o its_o founder_n but_o that_o every_o where_o they_o have_v the_o same_o fatal_a success_n we_o must_v also_o believe_v that_o however_o government_n be_v a_o very_a nice_a thing_n and_o be_v not_o usual_o change_v without_o fear_n and_o jealousy_n and_o mighty_a clamour_n and_o however_o the_o alteration_n of_o the_o form_n of_o government_n be_v so_o easy_o observe_v yet_o do_v the_o rise_a prelate_n give_v so_o dextrous_a and_o nimble_a a_o turn_v to_o the_o government_n of_o the_o church_n over_o all_o the_o world_n that_o that_o there_o be_v not_o the_o least_o notice_n take_v of_o it_o or_o else_o we_o must_v believe_v that_o they_o destroy_v all_o the_o record_n of_o that_o transaction_n so_o that_o no_o monument_n remain_v of_o their_o ambition_n and_o this_o we_o must_v also_o believe_v against_o the_o declaration_n of_o those_o that_o be_v 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