Answer to the Animadversions on the Dissertations, Treatise · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Of Teſtimonies in Ignatius, deemed to favour the Congregational way.
Sect. 1.
The Prefacer's pretenſions avoyded. foreign. His Hypotheſis confutable from Ignatius. The power of prejudice. Of Popiſh Churches. Chorepiſcopi. Metropoles. Conformity of Eccleſiaſtick with Civil distributions. The Ignatian Churches phanſied by the Prefacer. The Gnoſtick haereſie no deflowring of the purity of the Church. The ſeveral branches of the phanſied Model, how well grounded in Ignatius. foreign. A Catholick, a National, a Metropolitical, a Dioceſan Church in Ignatius.
Num. 1. BUT we are from Clemens once more brought down to Ignatius again, and of the great prejudices and miſtakes, and unjuſt apprehenſions which we Prelatiſts have had in reading, and bringing teſtimonies from him, we are now to be admoniſhed in theſe words, as followeth.
2. To return then to our Ignatius, even upon this conſideration of the difference that is between the Epiſtles aſcribed to him, and the writings of one of the ſame time with him, or not long before him, as to their language and expreſſion about Church-Order and Officers, it is evident that there hath been ill favour'd tampering with them, by them who thought to prevaile themſelves of his authority, for the aſſerting of that which never came into his mind.
As I intimated before, I have not inſiſted on any of thoſe things, nor doe on them altogether, with the like that may be added, as a ſufficient foundation for the total rejection of thoſe Epiſtles which goe under the name of Ignatius. There is in ſome of them a ſweet and gracious ſpirit of Faith, Love, Holineſſe, Zeal for God, becoming ſo excellent and holy a witneſſe of Chriſt as he was, evidently breathing and working. Neither is there any need at all, that for the defence of our Hypotheſis concerning the non-inſtitution of any Church-Officer whatſoever, relating to more Churches in his office, or any other Church, than a ſingle particular Congregation; that we ſhould ſo reject them: For although many paſſages, uſually inſiſted on, and carefully collected by D. H. for the proof of ſuch an Epiſcopacy to have been received by them of old, as is now contended for, are exceedingly remote from the way and manner of the expreſſions of thoſe things, uſed by the Divine Writers, with them alſo that follow'd after, both before, as hath been manifeſted, and ſome while after the dayes of Ignatius, as might be farther clearly evidenced, and are thruſt into the ſeries of the diſcourſe with ſuch an incoherent impertinency, as proclaims an interpolation, being ſome of them alſo very …idicul…us, and ſo fooliſhly hyperbolical, that they fall very little ſhort of Blaſphemies, yet there are expreſſions in all, or moſt of them, that will abundantly manifeſt, that he who was their Author (whoever he was) never dreamt of any ſuch fabrick of Church-Order as in after Ages was inſenſibly received. Men who are fu…l of their own apprehenſions, begotten in them by ſuch repreſentations of things, as either their deſirable preſence hath exhibited to their mind, or any after prejudicate preſumption hath poſſ…ſt them with, are apt upon the leaſt appearance of any likeneſſe unto that Church, they fancie, to imagine that they ſee the face and all the lineaments thereof, when upon due examination it will eaſily be diſcovered, tha… there is not indeed the leaſt reſemblance, between what they find in, and what they bring to the Au…hors, in, and of whom they make their inquiry. The Papiſts having hatched and own'd by ſeverall degrees, that monſtrous figment of Tranſubſtantiation (to inſtance among many in that abhomination) a folly, deſtructive to what ever is in us as being living creatures, Men, or Chriſtians, or whatever by ſenſe, reaſon, or Religion, we are furniſhed withall, offering violence to us in what we hear, what we ſee with our eyes, and look upon, in what our hands doe handle, and our pala…s taſte, breaking in upon our underſtandings with vag…an… flying formes, ſelf-ſubſiſting accidents, with as many expreſſe contradictions on ſundry accounts, as the nature of things is capable of relation unto, attended with more groſſe Idolatry than that of the poor naked Indians, who fall down and worſhip a piece of red cloth, or of thoſe who firſt adore their Gods, and then correct them; doe yet upon the diſcovery of any expreſſions among the Antients ſeeming to favour them, which they now make uſe of, quite to another end and purpoſ…, than they did, who firſt ventured upon th…m, having minds filled with their own abhominations, doe preſently cry out, and triumph, as if they had found the whole fardel of the Maſs in its perfect dreſs, and their breaden God in the midſt of it. It is no otherwiſe in the caſe of Epiſcopacie; men of theſe later Generations, from what they ſaw in preſent being, and that uſefulneſſe of it to all their deſires and intereſts, having entertain'd though's of love to it, and delight in it, ſearching Antiquity, not to inſtruct them in the truth, but to eſtabliſh their prejudicate opinion received by Tradition from their Fathers, and to confute them with whom they have to doe, whatever expreſſions they find, or can hear of, that fall in, as to the ſound of words, with what is now inſiſted upon, inſtantly they c…y out vi…imus, Io-Pean… what a ſimple Generation of Presbyters and Independents have we, that are ignorant of all Antiquity, or doe not underſ… what they re…d and look upon Hence if we will not believe that in Igna…tus's dayes there were many Pariſh Churches with their ſingle Pr…, … ſubordination to a Dioceſan Biſhop, either immediately, or by the into poſed power of a Chore-epiſcopus and the like, and …hoſe Dioc…ans ag…n in the preci…cts of Provinces, laid in a due ſubjection to their Metrop…itans, who took care of them, as they of their Pariſh Prieſts, every Individual Church having no Officer but a Presbyter, every Dioceſan Church having no Presbyter but a Biſhop, and every Metropolitan Church having …her Presbyter nor Biſhop properly related unto it, as ſuch, but an Archbiſhop, we are worſe than Infidels: Truly, I cannot but wonder, whether it doth not ſome…imes …nter into theſe mens thoughts to apprehend now …prible they are in their proofs, for the fathering of ſuch an Eccleſiaſtical diſtribution of Governors and Government, as undeniably i… qu…d, after the civil diviſions and conſtructions of the times and places, wherein it was introduced, upon th…ſe holy perſons, whoſe ſouls never o…ce entred into the ſecrets thereof.
Thus fares it with our Doctor and his Ignatius: foreign, (it ſhould be foreign. I ſhall o…el… crave leave to ſa… to him a, Auguſtulus of Quintilius Varus, upon the loſſe of the Legions in Germany under his command; Quintui Vare, redde …gi…res; Domine Doctor, redde Eccleſias: Give us the Churches of Chriſt, ſuch as they were in the dayes of the Apoſtles, and down to Ignatius, though before that time (if Hegiſippus may be believed) ſomewhat d…ure…, and our conteſt about Church-Officers and Government will be never at an end, than p…h …s you will readily imagine. Give us a Church all whoſe membe…s are holy, called, ſanctified, juſt…fied, …ving ſtones Temples for the Holy Ghoſt, Saints, Believers, united to Chriſt the … by the Spi…it that is given to them, and dwelleth in them, a Church whoſe foreign, that doth nothing by its membe…s ap…, that appertains to Church …de, but when it is gathered foreign, a Church that being ſo gathered together in one place foreign, acting in Church things, in i…s whole body under the … and reſidence of its Officers▪ a Church walking in o…er, and not as ſome, who foreign (of whom ſaith Ignatius, foreign, ſuch as calling the Biſhops to the Aſſemblies, yet doe all things without him (the manner of ſome in our …ayes) … ſuppoſeth not to …eep th… Aſſemblies according to the command of Chriſt) give us, I …y …uch a Church, and let us come to them when they foreign, ſuch as the Churches in the dayes of Ignatius appeare to have been, and are ſo rendred in the Quotations taken from his Epiſtles, by the learned Doctor for the confirmation of Epiſcopacie, and as I ſaid before, the conteſt of this preſent digreſſion will quickly draw to an iſſue.
3. The firſt thing here aſſumed, is the evidence of ſome ill favoured tampering with Ignaetius's Epiſtles, deduced from the difference between them and Clement's, in their expreſſion about Church-Order and Officers. But indeed if there were any ſuch thing, I hope it will not be imputed to me, who have been as carefull as is poſſible, to get an emendate copie of theſe Epiſtles, and having firſt contented my ſelf with that, which had paſt Vedelius's tryal at Geneva, which one might hope would burn up all the ſtubble, which could be gotten in there, toward the founding of Epiſcopacie, I have ſince fallen upon Copies much more purified than that, clenſed from almoſt all the droſſe. every paſſage, which this Prefacer hath thought fit to accuſe or diſlike in them: And ſeeing he now profeſſeth againſt the total re…ecting of them, and gives them many good words in teſtimony of a ſweet and gracious spirit breathing in them, if he ſhall now be pleaſed to direct me to any way of procuring a yet more emendate Edition, & ſuch as may perfectly accord his language with all others of his time, or not long before him, particularly with Clemens, I ſhall acknowledge it a great obligation, and a diſcovery worth his undertaking. But as far as my eyes yet ſerve me, there is little hope of this, and therefore as it is, I muſt be content to think, as the evidences before me exact from me, that though Clemens ſaith truly, that the Apoſtles at their firſt preaching placed no more but a Biſhop and Deacon in each Citie, yet before Ignatius's time, there was a middle order conſtituted in the Churches of Aſia, and that alſo by the appointment of the Apoſtles, and that this is a very fair account of all the difference of their language and expreſſion about Church Order and Officers.
4. In the next place he hath very ingenuouſly diſcovered, upon what account it is, that he hath beſtowed ſo many of his good words at laſt upon Ignatius, becauſe, forſooth, he hath no need for the defenſe of his Hypotheſis totally to reject them, and becauſe there are expreſſions in all, or moſt of them, that will abundantly manifeſt, that he who was their Author, never dreamt of any ſuch fabrick of Church-order as in after ages was inſenſibly received. But 1. I think not this the right way of judging mens works, whether they be theirs or no (the due motive of receiving or rejecting any antient writing) by comparing them with our own Hypotheſes, and obſerving which way our neceſſities oblige us. This we were wont to call foreign, ſerving and requiring all others to ſerve and miniſter to the wants of our Hypotheſis.
5. Secondly: If it ſhould really appear, what is here pretended, that there ſhould be expreſſions in theſe Epiſtles which would abundantly manifeſt that their Author never dreamt of our modern Hierarchie, how eaſie would it be for one that would tranſcribe copies from our Prefacer, to reply, that ſuch and ſuch places were interpolated and inſerted by ſome later hand, who meant unkindly to Epiſcopacy, and then what ſecurity could be found to aſcertain thoſe paſſages to be genuine, which would not as reaſonably ſerve our turn, to retain thoſe which we think define for Epiſcopacie.
6. Thirdly: Whereas he addes, that the fabrick we plead for, being not yet dreamt of in Ignatius's dayes, was in after ages inſenſibly received, why may not that alſo miniſter to us an excuſe, in caſe we ſhould not have been able to anſwer one of his former queſtions, to ſet down diſtinctly at what time Presbyters (the ſecond or middle order) came firſt into the Church, it being as eaſie to imagine, and as credible to be affirmed, that after the writing Clement's one, before the writing of Ignatius's many Epiſtles, this order was brought in, but ſo as to us at this diſtance of ſo many Centuries, it is not now ſenible or diſcernible.
7. All this may again be ſaid foreign, and to ſhew that it is no hard matter to write foreign, Animadverſions on the Author of the Animadverſions. At the preſent I am to take notice what the Prefacer's Hypotheſis is, which he hath undertaken to defend, viz. That there never was any Church-Officer inſtituted in thoſe firſt times, relating to more Churches in his Office, or to any other Church than a ſingle particular Congregation. The very ſame indeed that my memory ſuggeſts to me out of the Saint's Belief, printed twelve or fourteen years ſince, where inſtead of that Article of the Apoſtolick Symbole, the Holy Catholick Church, this very Hypotheſis was ſubſtituted. But then it muſt be remembred, that the Diſſertations being written in anſwer to Blondel, were not obliged to be confronted to this Hypotheſis, and that though Ignatius ſhould be found to ſay as little as I, againſt this, yet he might yield competent teſtimonies againſt Blondel for the ſuperiority of Biſhops above Presbyters, which was all that I there indeavoured, becauſe all that I was there required to evince from them.
8. But then ſecondly; Ignatius is not perfectly ſilent in this matter neither; for as in his Epiſtle to the Smyrnaeans, beſide the foreign, or multitude under a particular Biſhop, there is foreign, the Catholick Church, which ſure is more than a ſingle particular Congregation, ſo the National Church of Syria under the Metropolis of Antioch, of which Ignatius himſelf is ſtyled the Biſhop and Paſtor, is frequently mention'd in thoſe Epiſtles. In the Epiſtle to the Epheſians, foreign, pray for the Church which is in Syria, the Church of that whole Nation put under that one denomination, of which yet certainly there were …ivers aſſemblies, and ſo twice in the Epistle to the Magneſians, foreign, and foreign, the Church in Syria; and in the Epiſtle to the Philadelphians, foreign, the Church of Syria which is at Antioch, joyning them all under Antioch, the Metropolitical Church. And let this ſerve for a taſte of Ignatius's judgement of our Prefacer's Hypotheſis.
9. What again here follows of the hyperbolical, and little ſhort of blasphem…s paſſages in theſe Epiſtles, of their impertinency, of their remoteneſſe from the way and manner of expreſſion in the Divine Writings, and thoſe which follow'd after, I have formerly wearied my ſelfe, and the Reader with the account of them ſeverally, and, I think, given him reaſon to believe with me, that they needed not here again have been heaped up ſo ſoon by way of repetition.
10. The next larger portion of this Section endeavours to ſhew what prejudice, or the fulneſſe of a mans own apprehenſion, is able to doe in the reading and citing Teſtimonies out of Authors, and this is by me ſo fully granted, and in part experimented in this Prefacer, particularly, in his fetching the power of the people in Eccleſiaſtical affairs, from Clement's bidding the generous perſon (foreign) to ſacrifice his owne proſperitie and poſſeſſions to the peace of the People, as when a King ventures his life, or Moſes ſaith, Blot me out of thy book, in order to the ſame end, that truly I needed not the inſtance of the Papiſt fetching his doctrine of Tranſubſtantiation out of the Antients to convince me of it. As it is, I have no exceptions to his evidence, nor to the concluſion inferr'd by it, in general, of men full of their own apprehenſions. OnelyOnly I crave leave to interpoſe, before it be thought applicable to me: For unleſſe he can prove that Ignatius's plain mentions (ſo oft repeated, that it is become a charge of impertinence againſt him) of the three Orders in the Church, Biſhops, Prieſts, and Deacons, are as little able to inferre (what I alone undertook to deduce from them) that there were more than two Orders in the Church in Ignatius's time (and ſo before Blondel's aera of 140. yeares) as the teſtimonies from whence the Papiſts conclude their Tranſubſtantiation, and their whole fardel of the Maſſe are unable to inferre their deſired concluſion, I ſhall ſit down in peace, wholly unconcern'd in that large inſtance, and the foreign of it, or application, to the men of theſe latter dayes in the matter of Epiſcopacie.
11. OnelyOnly let me aſſure him that theſe later daies afford ſome men, which have ſearcht Antiquity to inſtruct them in the truth, taking the pains of that travail on purpoſe for that one end, and after the Scripture, have expected to fetch truth from that ſearch, rather than any other; and have therefore begun their ſtudy of Divinity in that order, and counted the ordinary courſe of ſetting out from the modern ſyſtemes to be very prepoſterous, and if the Prefacer's own conſcience ſhould chance to tell him that he hath not exactly obſerved this method, that he hath firſt espouſed opinion and frames of Government, and then ſearcht Antiquity to establiſh them, or if it ſhould not, yet becauſe it is as credible, and eaſily ſuggeſted of him, as by him of others, and others conſciences may and doe excuſe them as perfectly, as his can be pretended to excuſe him, I hope this will be a competent reply to that part of this Section alſo.
12. For as to that which follows in the purſuit hereof, of the Pariſh Churches in Ignatius's dayes, of the Chorepiſcopus, &c. of the Dioceſan's ſubjection to the Metropolitanes, &c. from whence his neceſſary wonder ariſeth, whether it doth not enter into our hearts, how contemptible we are in our proofs, &c. It may ſuffice to ſay, that the Prefacer hath ſure forgotten himſelf, when he deſired to perſwade others, that all theſe are the concluſions which I have made (or any other Prelatiſt) out of Ignatius's Epistles: Certainly the aſſerting of the three orders, all of them as Apoſtolical, is the one thing which wee need deduce from thence, and if that be granted us from that authority, there is an end of the Prelatiſt's contention with Blondel.
13. As for that of Pariſh Churches, ſure I have as yet concluded nothing from Ignatius concerning that ſubject, nor ever expreſt my ſelf to think him worſe than an Inſidel, that diſcern'd them not in theſe Epistles. The firſt time I ever ſpake of them was very lately in anſwer to the London Miniſters, which the Prefacer, having not yet ſeen, may turne to it, cap. 1. ſect. 19. And I ſhall now onelyonly adde in relation to Ignatius, that the form of Government there deſcribed being this, one Biſhop with his Preſbytery, i. e. College of Presbyters under him, and one, or more Deacons of a third rank, ruling, and adminiſtring in their ſeveral places and o… the affairs of any one particular Church, be it Trallis, Magn…ſia, or the like (together with the whole Territorie belonging to that Church of ſuch a Cit…; or if it be a M…polis, the … adjoyning) all this may very well be done, and very eaſily imagined without any exact diſtribution into ſeveral congregations, ſuch as we now call Pariſhes, as long as the Orders of the Biſhops, without whom, ſaith he, nothing was to be done, were by all inferiours regularly obſerved And if, as occaſion ſeemed to require, or expedience adviſe, the Biſhop (either then or afterwards) made more punctuall diſtributions of the believers committed to his charge, and ſo appointing ſeverall aſſemblies in the ſame City, and in each village one, placed alſo a Presbyter in every ſuch aſſembly, this I hope, will not be ſtyled any working of the myſterie of iniquitie (which I ſee by and by mentioned) but a regular acting of the Biſhop according to that power, which from the Apoſtles every ſuch ſingularly inſtituted Governor was intruſted with in every Church.
14. Next for the Chorepiſcopi, it is knowne how little I am concerned to juſtifie the deducing them from theſe Epiſtles. I profeſſe to believe there is not a word ſaid of them there, nay when Blondel was willing to deduce them from Clement's phraſe, foreign, and out of him the London-Miniſters, I have *Diſſ 3 cap. 8. Sect. 17. &c. V…d. Lond. Miniſt cap. 3. Sect. 1. n. 16.refuted their deduction, and ſhew'd that they came not into the Church ſo early, And ſo for that alſo he might have omitted his wonderment now, as reaſonably, as I was but lately rebuked for it.
15. As for that of Metropolitan Churches or Biſhops, I doe not againe remember that Ignatius firſt gave me the modell for that frame; Certainly I have produced other, I hope, competent evidences to conclude whatſoever I affirme of it, and if ſome not obſcure intimations out of Ignatius were obſerved to be given that way, as when in the Epistle to the Romans he calls himſelfe foreign Biſhop of Syria, and foreign, the Paſtor of the Church in Syria, being at that time the known Biſhop of Antioch, one ſingle City; but that the Metropolis of Syria, to which I may adde, that in the Epiſtle to Polycarpe, ſpeaking of his ſucceſſor, he doth it in the like ſtyle, foreign, he that ſhould be thought worthy of the dignity of going into Syria, yet have not I … thoſe Diſſertations laid the weight on them, (much leſſe counted them worſe than infidels, that are not convinced by them) though if I had, that would not have rendred my proofs ſo admirably contemptible, as 'tis pretended.
16. Laſtly, for the whole frame of Eccleſiaſtick Government, being, in his phraſe, la…quied after the civil diviſions,] as I no where Father it on, or deduce it from Ignatius, whom now we have to deale with, ſo if inſtead of his darker phraſe of contempt, the matter be ſet down in more ſignificative intelligible words, v…z. That the Apoſtles in each Nation, where they came to plant the Faith, thought not fit to innovate (unneceſſarily) in this matter of diſtributions already made, whether in Judaea or the Gentile regions, but planting a Church in a chief Citie, and extending the Faith to the Region about it, and to other adjacent inferior Cities, annext the Regional-Church to the City-Church, and preſerved the ſubordination of inferior Citie-Churches to the chief Citie-Church, i. e. to the Metropolis, and this conſtantly when there was no conſiderable reaſon to adviſe any change, if, I ſay, the matter be thus intelligibly, and without the help of odious expreſſions, repreſented, I know not what appearance of exception can lie againſt it: But of this alſo I have formerly and *Vindic. to …nd Miniſt. cap. 1. ſect. 1….elſwhere ſpoken ſufficiently, and here is nothing, I am ſure, ſuggeſted, to which any farther reply can be accommedated. And therefore as yet I need adde no more of it.
17. So that what follows of the redde Legiones, and redde Eccleſias, requiring me to restore the Churches of Chriſt, as they were in the Apoſtles dayes, &c. was ſure very unneceſſary. I have in no kind robb'd him of the Churches, which before my tampering with Ignatius he had found, and made himſelfe owner of there: If Quintilius Varus had been as guil…l…ſs of the l…ſſe of the Legions in Germany, as I have been of purlo…ning the frame of Independent Congregations out of theſe Epiſtles, I believe Auguſtus would not have inflicted any ſevere fine upon him for that mi…adventure I can truly aſſure him, that if I had found any M…d…l formed according to his hypotheſis in thoſe Epiſtles, when I read them, as diligently as I could, to diſcern what the Government was in his time, I might, and ſhould have anſwerd Blondel another way than I did, and replyed firſt to his Preface, which is much of it written with ſome asperitie againſt the Independents, and had that more compendious way of not being concernd in the whole ſubſequent Apologie, which is deſigned againſt Epiſcopacie: And I ſhall not lye, if I now tell him that I have ſince my writing the laſt period, once more read over all the ſeven Epiſtles, as they are in Voſſius's Edition, on purpoſe to obſerve whether there were any one word, formerly unobſerved by me, which might in the leaſt favour his hypotheſis, and I ſhall ſpeake my ſenſe uprightly, that I might as ſuccesfully have ſought it in the firſt Chapter either of Geneſis, or St. Mathew's Gospel, whether the former interpolated copies, or ſuppoſititious Epiſtles may af…ord him any ayd, he will pardon me, I hope, that I have not had the curioſitie or leiſure to examine.
18. This being thus true, it was but neceſſary for him to remember out of Hegeſippus, that the Churches before Ignatius's time were defloured: That place of Hegeſippus to which he referres, is ſure the ſame which he had ſet down in the entrance on the view of Antiquity, and which I took a view of cap. 1. Sect. 1. and ſhew'd how unjuſt his collection was from thence, as it was by him applyed to the Antient writings: And I have now the like reaſon to complaine again, that what Hegeſippus faith of thoſe vile haeretical Apoſtates, the Gnoſticks, that they oppoſed their falſe Doctrine, and preacht it up againſt the foreign, preaching of the truth, ſhould by him be applied to the prejudice of the true Church, which carefully oppoſed all their inſinuations, or to theſe Epiſtles of Ignatius, which were purpoſely written, almoſt every one of them, to keep that poyſon out of the Churches. It is moſt certain, that the firſt method of theſe deceivers, was by deſpiſing and ſpeaking eviil of the Governors of the Church to inſinuate their poyſon into the brethrens minds, and ſo that they were the foreign, the ſecret biters firſt, and then afterward the foreign, the raving dogs, as he calls them, which ſlew in the face of the Government, but the Church held out conſtantly againſt their clancular, and open aſſaults, and they never were able in the leaſt to deflour it, the haereticks doctrines, and their practiſes are continually branded by the Writings of thoſe times, and there is not the leaſt appearance of their leaven, but all the direct contrary in any Epiſtle of Ignatius, or other writings of thoſe times.
19. It is time that I now come to the interpretation of his redde Eccleſias, the particulars of his demand, concerning the Churches, which he hath found in Ignatius, and I am accuſed for robbing him of. And though I have already ſaid enough of this in the groſſe, yet I ſhall ſpare no pains to give punctual anſwer to every branch of it.
20. And 1, ſaith he, Give us a Church, all whoſe members are holy, called, ſanctified, …uſtified, living stones, Temples for the Holy Ghoſt, Saints, Believers, united to Christ the head by the Spirit that is given to them, and dwelleth in them. To this I anſwer very briefly, that in all Ignatius's Epiſtles, there is no title ſo much as of intimation that any Church, to which he wrote, or which was under his Government, or which he had any occaſion to ſpeak of, was thus qualified, particularly all whoſe members were holy or ſanctified. Secondly: I am not ſure that if that were the Ignatian model of a Church, this Prefacer would be able to parallel it in any congregation, which theſe laſt, not beſt da…es, have brought out among us. Thirdly: That this might as well be done, and as probably hoped under a ſubordination of Officers and Governours, ſuch as we Prelatiſts pretend to, as in any equal number of men, by whatſoever other form compacted or knit together. This may ſuffice without farther inſiſting, till ſome reaſon be urged to the contrary againſt any of theſe three affirmations.
21. Secondly: He demand… a Church whoſe foreign or multitude is where the Biſhop appears. This character of a Church, or rather exhortation how it ought to be, is indeed ſet down by *Voſſ Edit. p. 6.Ignatius in his Epiſtle to the Church of Smyrna, where in purſ…t of the advice, foreign, Let all men follow the Biſhop, and foreign, Let no man doe ought of the things that belong to the Church without the Biſhop, and that Euchariſt was to be accounted foreign, firm, or valid, which was done by the Biſhop, or by ſome commiſſionated by him, he then a foreign, Where the Biſhop appeareth, there let the multitude be, as where Chriſt Jeſus is, there is the Catholick Church, making in the latter part that difference between the Orthodox, and haeretical Apoſtate Gnoſticks, that the former acknowledged and adhered to him, and the later denyed him, and proportionably in the former, making the ſame difference betwixt the Euchariſt duly, and unduly adminiſtred; that where it-was duly, there the people received it in communion with their Biſhop, either of him, or of ſome body commiſſionated by him; which as it is competently diſtant from their model, where neither Biſhop, nor any from him commiſſionated is received, ſo I am ſure it is farre enough from any contrarietie to the Prelatiſts, or favour to the Prefacers pretenſions. What particle of it it is, which to his phanſie looks ſo agreeable, I cannot divine, and ſo have no more to reply to it.
22. Thirdly: He demands a Church that doth nothing by its members apart, but when it is gathered foreign. This, I preſume belongs to a place in the Epiſtle to the Magneſians, which we ſhall meet againe in his laſt demand, and there conſider it more fully. At the preſent, let it ſuffice, that it is no more than this, that no man was to doe any thing on his own head, or without the Biſhop and Preſbyters, but when they met together they ſhould joyn in one prayer, &c. And this ſure may be granted without any damage to the Prelatiſt, who deſires as much as any, that publick Aſſemblies be frequented, which is the meaning of being gathered foreign, and that no inferiour member of the Church doe ought foreign that belongs to the Church, without the Biſhop. But if the meaning of the demand be▪ either that the Biſhop with his Presbyters, who are indeed members of the Church, ſhall doe nothing without the concurrent conſent of the foreign or people, which was the thing he contended for out of Clemens, this I am able to aſſume, will never be inferr'd from that place, or out of theſe Epiſtles, and for any other inference he will draw from hence, in order to the no other Church, but a ſingle particular Congregation, which we find in his hypotheſis, this I ſhall ſpeak to in anſwer to his laſt demand, where he recurres to this place again.
23. Fourthly he demands a Church that being ſo gathered together in one place doth foreign, acting in Church things in its whole body, under the rule & preſidence of its officers.] Here if [acting in its whole body] denote any power againe of the foreign or whole body of the people, or any more than their regular obedience to the lawfull commands of the Biſhop over them, I ſhall be able to demonſtrate that the words of Ignatius ſound nothing toward it. They are in the Epiſtle to the *Voſſ. Edit. pag. 33.Magneſians, and are a plaine exhortation to unity and concord, and that to be evidenced in their actions, and the rule of that obedience to their Biſhop, preſiding, ſaith he, foreign, in the place of God, as the Presbyters in the place of the College of Apoſtles, and the Deacons intrusted with the Miniſterie of Jeſus Chriſt, from whence he concludes with the foreign paying reverence to one another, i. e. (according to the meaning of that phraſe in S. Peter, foreign, 1 Pet. 5. 5.) to the Biſhop, &c. their ſuperiors, and, beſides mutual love, and care of avoiding diviſions, to the foreign, &c. being united to the Biſhop, and th…ſe that are ſet over them, for a patterne and doctrine of incorruption or Ortho…oxe Religion, in oppoſition to the infections and corruptions of the Gnoſtick Hereſies. And then what analogie beares this with the hypotheſis of the Prefacer, what unkinde aſpect hath it on the Prelatiſt's pretenſions?
24. Fifthly, he demands a Church walking in order, and not as ſome, who, foreign, which he renders, ſuch as calling the Biſhop to the Aſſemblies, yet doe all things without him—Here it was a little news to me to ſee a piece of Greek Engliſhed (This being, I thinke, the firſt time that the Prefacer hath done ſo, I ſhall not attempt to gueſſe at the reaſon of it) But indeed it was much more ſo, to finde [foreign] rendred [calling the Biſhop to the Aſſemblies] Doth he meane that the people had the …ower of calling Aſſemblies, or calling the Biſhop to them? I ſhall not againe detaine the Reader with my conjectures of his ſenſe, This I am ſure of, 1. that there is no mention of Aſſemblies, but that thoſe words, [to the Aſſemblies] are perfectly interpolated by the Prefacer: 2. that foreign] is no more than they call him Biſhop, allow him the name or title, but, as he addes, doe all without him, ſubject not their actions to his directions or command (as in the words immediately precedent, foreign, being onelyonly called Chriſtians, and being truly ſuch, are ſet as extreamely contrary, or as in the ſame *V…ſſ. Edit. pag. 36.Ep. ad Magneſ: foreign, calling Jeſus Chriſt is oppoſed to true Chriſt…ity, and ſure doth not ſignifie calling Jeſus Chriſt to their aſſemblies) and then of them that doe thus, Ignatius may be allowed to adde, foreign, that they d…e not aſſemble validity according to the command (all actionr of ſuch, foreign, having no kinde of validity in them) and by ſo adding he paſſes no ſentence upon the Prelatiſt, unleſſe he be onelyonly nominally ſuch, plead for Biſhops and diſobey them.
25. Laſtly, ſaith he, give us ſuch a Church, and let us c…me to them when they are foreign, (i. e. all in the ſame place aſſembled together in prayer) ſuch as …he Churches in the dayes of Ignatius appeare to have been, and are ſo rendred in the quotations taken from his Epiſtles by the Doctor for the confirmation of Epiſcopacie.] To this I anſwer, 1. that if the Church he would have, be ſet down by me as he deſires, in the quotations from Ignatius, then I needed not have been called to for the giving him his Churches back againe, I had, it ſeems, either never detained them, or elſe rendered them already. Secondly, for this laſt paſſage, the moſt that I have quoted toward it, is from the Epiſtle to the Magneſians, And the whole paſſage lyes thus, foreign Be ye united to the Biſhop—and ſtrait, Pag. 33.foreign. As the Lord therefore being in union with, did nothing without his Father, neither by himſelfe, nor by his Apoſtles, ſo neither doe ye any thing without the Biſhop and his Pre…byters, nor attempt to account any thing reaſonable, which appears ſo to you privately, but in the ſame place let there be one prayer, one ſupplication, one mind, one hope, in love, and joy unblameable.
26. This whole plaee, I did not conceive what it imported, ſave onelyonly perfect agreement and ſubmiſſion to the judgement of their ſuperiors, in oppoſition to the foreign, thoſe that entertain'd private doctrins, which were not left in the Church by the Apoſtles, together with all mutual unity, charity, conjunction in prayer of all ſorts, for ſupply of wants, pardon of ſins, in the ſame h…pe and joy—But I now ſuppoſe that the thing here deſigned to be inferred from this in the cloſe (as from the foreign toward the beginning) of his demands, is the eſtabliſhment of his grand hypotheſis foremention'd, the n…inſtitution of any Church Officer whatever, relating to more Churches in his Office, or any other Church than a ſingle particular congregation. And this, it ſeems, he was ſo willing to have competently teſtified here, that one and the ſame teſtimonie, a little diſ…uiſed, is … to appear twice to the ſame purpoſe, and ſo becomes a double witneſs (a military trick, which officers ſometimes uſe, when their companies are not fu…, to muſter the ſame ſouldier twice under ſeveral names) And ſo we ſee that which truly I have attended for all this while (and could not really think it deſigned by him, til this repetition of the teſtimony ſhew…d me, that special weight was layd on it.) that this one place of foreign and foreign (for foreign is again inſerted to help the inference) muſt conclude the …institution of any Church Officer relating to any but a ſingle particular congregation. The reaſonableneſſe of which will be judged by any man, if he ſhall but put the premiſes and concluſion together thus; It was Ignatius's command to the Mag…ſi…ns, that no man muſt do any thing …n his own head without the Biſhop and Presbyters, but when they aſſemble together, they muſt have one prayer, one ſupplication (adding, one mind, one hope in charity, in joy unblameable) therefore in Ignatius's time there was no other Officer inſtituted in the Church, which related to more Churches in his office, or to any other Church than a ſingle particular congregation.
27. If this be the manner of concluding Church-models from antient Writers, I ſhall not wonder that the Pr…latiſts wayes of inference have been diſliked, for I acknowledg they beare no proportion with this. For certainly 1. if he had ſpoken of ſome ſingle congregation, which conſtantly met in the ſame place, within the ſame walls, and bid them when they thus met, they ſhould have one prayer, one ſupplication, as one mind, one hope, this would onelyonly conclude that there were ſuch particular congregations, and ſo we know among us every Pariſh Church is, where none but the publick Liturgie is uſed; but this would no way conclude, as the hypotheſis doth, that there is no other but ſuch. A particular affirmative hath no power of excluding all but it's ſelf. Ignatius's ſpeaking of a ſingle houſe, cannot conclude it his opinion, that there is no Town, no City, no Province, no World made up of all theſe, nor conſequently that he which is Ruler of that houſe, may not alſo be placed in office in the City, in the Nation, &c.
28. But then ſecondly; 'tis manifeſt that in this place, where he talks of [foreign] he talks alſo of the Biſhop and Preſbyters, and the Prefacer hath not yet told me, that his particular congregation will bear all thoſe, a Biſhop and Deacon, or Deacons, he ſaid he could allow, but then that Biſhop was to be but a Presbyter, whatſoever he was call'd: And therefore I may ſuppoſe that a Biſhop and Presbyters in Ignatius's ſenſe, ſuch as he makes two orders, ſuperiour to Deacons, and all three in that Church of the Magneſians, to which he ſpeaks, will not be born by his particular Congregation, and therefore even that, which Ignatius here ſpeaks of, was not ſuch.
29. Thirdly: They that live under a Biſhop and Presbyters, and doe every one of them, ſomewhere or other, aſſemble with other Chriſtians in ſome one place (as whoſoever aſſemble in any place, muſt aſſemble in one) may yet all of them make up above one ſingle congregation, the ſeveral Christians of the City of Oxford, may live obediently under the Biſhop of Oxford, and uuder the Presbyters of that Citie, and every one aſſemble foreign, partake conſtantly of the Church-meetings, ſome at St. Peters, others at Allhallows, and every one at ſome or other, and yet all thoſe make up many particular Congregations, and the Biſhop govern them all, and ſo relate in his office to them all, and by the ſeveral Presbyters, ordain'd and inſtituted to the ſeveral charges, administer and order all.
30. Nay fourthly: the foreign—might fitly be rendred no more but unanimous …rayer, all one with foreign, continue in concord, and in prayer one with another in the Epiſtle to the Trallians, and that may equally be done, whether they meet all in one, or in many places. And ſo ſtill he hath not gain'd ſo much as his particular affirmative from hence, that the [foreign] here ſpoken of by Ignatius, referr'd to a ſingle congregation, which yet if it did, were farre enough from concluding the [none but ſuch.]
31. Laſtly, It is farther evident from Ignatius, 1. that there is foreign a Catholick Church. 2. foreign, the Church in Syria, joyned under himſelf as their one Paſtor, i. e. a National Church; and thirdly, foreign, the Church of Syria at Antioch, a Metropolitical Church, and ſo foreign, the Church which preſided in the place of the Region, or Province of the Romans, a Metropolitical and Provincial Church again: And fourthly, in every Epiſtle, a Church under a Biſhop, Presbyters, and Deacons, which the world hath hitherto call'd a Dioceſan Church, conſiſting of many ſingle congregations.
32. It is not eaſie to reckon up all the inconſequences of this inference, whereby the Prefacers hypotheſis is concluded from this Testimony of Ignatius Theſe may at the preſent ſuffice, till farther diſcovery be made by him, what medium will be choſen to draw this concluſion out of theſe premiſes, which ſeem not at all inclin'd to it. And ſo though we are not come much nearer to a concluſion of this controverſie, there is yet no ſeaſon of adding more to the debating of it, and therefore ſo much for this Section alſo.
Sect. 2.
The myſterie of iniquitie. Clement's argument for the allaying the ſedition. Proofs of the Congregational way invalid. The contrary more than intimated by Ignatius. The Eccleſiaſtick diſtributions contemper'd by the Apoſtles to the Civil. foreign in Ignatius.
Num. 1. THat which next follows, is the telling us three things that he will not inſiſt on, and onelyonly one fourth that he will, and me-thinks that ſhould not detain us long. He thus begins.
2. Being unwilling to goe too far ou… of my way, I ſh…ll no…
1. Conſider the ſeverals inſtanced in, f…r the proof of Epiſcopacy by the Doctor, ſeeing inde…i…bl… the interp…etation muſt follow, and be pr… po…tio…ed by the generall iſſue or that ſtate of the Church, in the da…es wherein thoſe Epiſtles we…e w…, or are pretended ſo to be, if that appear to be ſuch as I have mention'd, I p…ſume th… Doctor himſelf will confeſſe, tha… his witneſſes … wor… to his buſineſſe, for who…e confirmation he doth produce them Nor
2. Shall I inſiſt upon the degene…ation of the inſtitutions and appointments of Jeſus Chriſt, concerning Church-Adminiſtrations in the mannagement of the ſucceeding Churches, as principled, and …pir…ted by the operative and efficaci… us myſterie of iniquity, occaſion'… and advantaged by the accommodation of Eccleſiaſticall affaires to the civill …iſt…ibu…ions, and alo…ments of the po…tical ſtate of things in thoſe dayes; nor
3. Inſiſt much farther on the exceeding diſſimili…ude and inconf…mity that is between the expreſſions concerning Church Officers, and … theſe Epiſtles (whence ever they come) and thoſe in the w…tings of unqueſtionable credit, immediately before, and after them, as alſo the u…ter ſilence of the Scripture in thoſe things, wherewith they ſo abound. The Epiſtle of Clemens, of which mention was made before, was wri…ten for the compoſing and quieting of a diviſion and diſtemper that was fallen out in the Church of Cor…n…h. Of the cauſe of that diſſention that then miſerably rent that congregation, he informes us in that complaint, that ſome (foreign) were wrongfully caſt from the Miniſtry by the mult…u…e, and he tells you, that theſe were good honeſt men, and faithfull in the diſcharge of their du…y; for ſaith he foreign, though they were unblameable both in their converſation and Miniſtry, yet they removed them from their office: To reprove this evil, to convince them of the ſinfulneſſe of it, to reduce them to … right underſtanding of their duty, and order, wal…ing in the fe…low…hip of the Goſpel, what courſe doth he proceed in? what arguments doth he uſe? He min…s them of one God, one Ch…ſt, one B…d…, one Faith; tels them that wicked men alone uſe ſuch wayes and practices, bids them read the Epiſtle of Paul formerly written to them upon …cc…ſion of another diviſion, and to be ſubject to their own Elde…s; and all of them leave off contending, quietly doing the things which the people, o… the body of the Church commanded Now had this perſon w…i…ing on this occaſion, uſing all ſo…ts of arguments, artificial, o… in…r…ficial … his purpoſe, been baptiſed into the opinion and eſteem of a ſingle Epiſcopal …uperintendent, whoſe exultation ſeems to be the deſign of much which is ſaid in the Epiſtles of Ignatius, in the ſenſe wherein his words are uſually taken, would yet never once ſo much as bid them be ſubject to the Biſhop, that reſemblance o… God the Father ſupplying the place of Chrrſt, nor o… them h…w…er…ib…e a thing it was to diſobey him, nor paw…d his ſoul …or theirs, that ſhould ſubmit to him, that all th… obeyed him w…r ſafe, all that diſobeyed him were rebellious, cu…ſed, and ſeparated …m G…d. What Apology … be made for the weakneſſe and ignora…ce of that Holy M…yr, if we ſh…ll ſuppoſ… him to have had apprehenſions like thoſe in there Epiſtles of …h… ſacred order, for omitting thoſe all-conq…e…ing …e…ſons, which they would have ſupplyed him with…ll, to his purpoſe in han…, and p…ching on arguments every w…y leſſe uſefull and c…gent. But I ſay I ſhall not inſiſt on any ſuch things as theſe, but onel…
4. I ſay there is not in any of the Doctor's Ex e…p…a from thoſe Epiſtles, not in any paſſage in …, any mention, or the leaſt intimation of any Church wherunto a…y Biſhop was related, but ſuch an one, as whoſe members met altoge…her in one place, and with th…i… Biſhop diſp…ſed and ordered the … of the Church. Such was that whereunto the h…l… Martyr was rela…ed; ſuch were thoſe neighbou…ing Churches that ſent Biſhops and E…s to that Church: And when the Doctor proves the contrary, …rit m…h…magn… Apollo: From the Churches and their ſtat… and conſtitution, is the ſtate and condition of their Officers, and their …lation to them …en Let that be manifeſted to be ſuch from the appointment of Jeſus Chriſt to his Apoſtles, or de facto in th… d…yes …f Ignatius, o… be…ore the contempe…a…ion o… Eccleſiaſtical …ff…i…es occaſiona…y, or by ch…ce, to the civil conſtitution of Cities …nd Provinces in theſe dayes, as woul…, … poſſibly c…uld beare a … Dioceſan, Metropolitica… Hierarchi…, and this controverſie will be at an end: When this is by any attempted to be demonſtrated▪ I deſire i… may not be wi…h ſuc… …ntences as that u…ged by our Doctor from Epiſt. ad Epheſ. foreign. The expreſſion in it concerning Chriſt being unſound, unſcriptural, concerning Biſhops, unintelligible, or ridiculous.
3. How unwilling the writer of this Preface (therein to ſhew the judgement of Antiquity concerning Perſeverance) hath been to goe out of that his way, the large Animadverſions, which he hath afforded Epiſcopacie, Ignatius, and me, will ſufficiently demonſtrate: As it is, the ſooner he ſhall now return to his rode againe, the more tolerably eaſie it will be for the Reader, and me, and therefore I ſhall endeavour to make as much haſte as he, and neither take any notice of what hath been ſaid in the Diſſertations for proof of Epiſcopacie, but yield, that if it appear, that there were none but particular Independent Congregations in Ignatius's time, I have then produced no teſtimony from him by which the Prefacer may be concluded, though as far as concerns Blondel, who went upon diſtant hypotheſes, all that I ſaid may have been in full force againſt them.
4. His ſecond conſideration concerning the degenerating of Chriſts inſtitutions concerning Church Adminiſtrations in the management of ſucceeding Churches, and the principle of that degeneration the working of the myſterie of iniquity, and the occaſion of that again, the accommodation of Eccleſiaſtical affairs to the civil diſtributions (which is in effect that the Apoſtles erecting Mother-Churches in chief Cities, where they firſt preacht, as at Jeruſalem to all Judaea, Antioch to all Syria, &c. was a ſpecial occaſion of, and advantage to the working of the myſterie of iniquitie) is that which in the ſeveral degrees of it might yield large diſcourſe, the mysterie of iniquity, in St. Paul, being remote enough from this; and diſtributions of Churches, ſuch as were moſt commodious, far enough from having either iniquity or myſterie in them. But I ſhall readily tranſcribe his patterne, & as he hath not, neither ſhall I infiſt on it.
5. The third, on which he will not inſiſt much farther, was competently inſiſted on before, in comparing Clement's two orders in the Church (and the like in St. Paul) with Ignatius's three. But the deſign of returning to it again, was to offer one argument more, which had not formerly been made uſe of, and I muſt not let that fall to the ground: It is this, that if the Biſhop had been in that esteem in Clement's time, in which theſe Epiſtles ſet him out, as the reſemblance of God the Father, he would certainly have bid them be ſubject to him, and uſed that as an argument to compoſe the ſedition, of which he wrote unto them.
6. But 1. it is certain that negative arguments prove nothing, there might be Biſhops in Clement's dayes, and the power due to them as great, as that which would intitle them to the image of God the Father, and yet the ſedition being raiſed againſt the Biſhops themſelves, and the queſtion being not concerning the Order, but the Perſons, who ſhould be advanced to it, the mention of the dignitie of the Order, or of the due ſubjection to it, might be no proper way of appeaſing that ſedition, nor, as ſuch, choſen to be made uſe of by Clement.
7. Secondly: We know that next the obligations to peace, &c. the firſt and principal argument uſed by Clemens, was the inſtitution of theſe their Biſhops by the Apoſtles, and the dignity of that Order being ſuch, that the Apoſtles foreſaw the contentions that would be foreign for the dignity or name of it, he tels them that the Apoſtles had made a liſt of ſucceſſors in each Church, preſuming, and not needing more particularly to tell them, that this was an high aggravation of their crime, in throwing thoſe out, whom God had thus particularly ſet over them And I know not that Ignatius would or could upon his hypotheſes, have argued ſtronger to his purpoſe.
8. What the Prefacer addes by way of flouriſh, I ſhall not need to attend to: By this brief account 'tis cleare, though Clemens mentions but two Orders, and Ignatius three, yet Biſhops may have been in equal eſteem with both of them. And that is all that I need reply, to that which, he ſaith, is one of the ſuch things which he will not inſiſt on.
9. The fourth thing, on which he is reſolved to inſiſt, and inlarge his digreſſion, is, that which I had thought had been already newly inſiſted on (and, I hope, compently anſwer…d) that in all the Epiſtles there is no intimation of any Church whereunto any Biſhop related, but ſuch an one as whoſe members met altogether in one, and with their Biſhop diſpoſed and ordered the affairs of the Church. And ſo on to the ſame purpoſe, and I ſhall be Magnus Apollo, if I ſhew him any.
8. Now I am perſwaded, 1. that it already appears ſufficiently, that the [foreign] the members of each Church meeting together in prayer, is no proof, that to them bel …ged in the leaſt, to dispoſe and order the affairs of the Church, and yet beſides, that nothing hath yet been pretended for it out of Ignatius, unleſſe it be the foreign, nothing on their own heads, in the ſame place, which is much remoter from that purpoſe.
9. Beyond this it hath appear'd farther, that the office of all members under the Biſhop was by Ignatius's doctrine to obey their ſuperiours, to live under ſubjection, and that is not to dispoſe, or order. And the places ſo long inſiſted on out of Clemens alſo, have, I hope, appear'd to infer nothing to that purpoſe.
10. Secondly: 'Tis as certain that I have *See ſect. 1. n. 8. & 14.already performed this task laid on me by him, and ſhew'd him that Ignatius, as Biſhop of Antioch, the Metropolis, is call'd Biſhop and Pastor of the Church of Syria, and ſome other the like paſſages, which directly inferre what he requires me to inferre, and ſo that I have thus much title to his favour, and ſhould not be put off to a Poetical expreſſion for my reward.
11. As for the condition he interpoſeth, that I muſt ſhew this before the contemperation of affairs to the civill conſtitutions of Cities & Provinces, I confeſſe that to be a rigorous condition, and ſuch as unleſſe I be releaſed from that reſtraint, I ſhall be utterly diſabled to perform my task: For he cannot but know, that it is my affirmation that, at the firſt planting of the Churches, the Apoſtles thus contemper'd the Eccleſiaſtick to the Civil diſtributions of Citie… and Provinces, having no power of making new Cities or Provinces, any more than of conſtituting new Nations, and yet planting their Churches, and conſtituting Biſhops in …ities (and thence foreign, in every City, and foreign, in every Church, is all one in the ſacrea ſtyle) which muſt neceſſarily inferre that the Eccleſiaſtical agreed with the civil diſtributions And truly how the Church was order'd before the Apoſtles planted it, I have not the curioſity to inquire.
12. A ſecond condition he is alſo pleaſed to lay on me by way of farther reſtraint, to make my obedience yet more difficult. That my proofs muſt not be ſuch as is that Teſtimony urged by me from the Epiſtle to the Epheſians, foreign.] This paſſage it ſeems hath not found favour with him, the first part of it is, ſaith he, un…ound and unſcripturall, the ſecond unintelligible or ridiculous.
13. But I cannot yeild to his cenſure in either part. For the firſt, Let it but be conſidered that Chriſt came to reveale the will of his Father that whatſoever he taught, he taught from his Father, & there can be no unſoundneſs in the expreſſion, to ſay, that Chriſt is the ſentence of his Father (any more than that he is the word, or the wiſdome of his Father) meaning thereby that what he delivered▪ was his Fathers ſentence or good pleaſure, for ſo in the title of the Epiſtle to the Philad: foreign by Chriſts ſ…e is explained immediately by foreign, according to his owne will.
14. And for the ſecond, let him but read it as he may finde Voſſius and the Arch-Biſhop of Arm…gh read it, foreign by the appointment or ſentence, or foreign, owne will of Chriſt, and ſure it is very intelligible and far from ridiculous, even no more than this, that the Biſhops ordeined in all regions by the Apoſtles, were appointed by, or by appointment of Chriſt, as the ſame matter is in the Epiſtle to the Philadelphians ſet downe in a parallel phraſe, where the Biſhop, Presbyters and Deacons are ſaid to be foreign, deſigned by the appointment of Jeſus Chriſt. Or if the foreign be le…t out, then, reading foreign with foreign ſubſcri…tum, as the old Latine Sententia will beare, it is directly all one with the former. Or if in the third place, it be read in the nominative caſe, foreign, then the figure is very intelligible, that theſe Biſhops are Chriſts …p…intment, Chriſts ſentence, Chriſts will, i. e. are appointed or determined or willed by him. And ſo I hope there is yet nothing ſo very unintelligible, or at all ridicul… in Ignatius, or my teſtimonies from him, that I ſhould need this c…tion to be interpoſed againſt I produce more.