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2. That account which they give, that representation which they make of the kind, state, and order of the churches among them, doth absolutely agree with, and answer unto, what we are taught in the divine writings about the same things. There were indeed, before the end of the second century, some practices in and about some lesser things (such as sending the consecrated elements from the assembly unto such as were sick) that they had no warrant for from any thing written or done by the apostles: but as unto the substance of what concerns the state, order, rule, discipline, and worship of evangelical churches, there is not any instance to be given, wherein they departed from the apostolical traditions or institution, either by adding any thing of their own unto them, or omitting any thing that was by them ordained.

3. From this state, the churches did by degrees and insensibly degenerate, so as that another form and order of them did appear towards the end of the third century. For some in the first churches, not applying their minds unto the apostolical rule and practice, who ordained elders in every church, and that not only in cities or towns, but as Clemens affirms, κarà xúpaç in the country villages, many disorders ensued, with respect unto such collections of Christians and congregations, as were gathered at some distance from the first or city church. Until the time of Origen, the example of the apostles in this case was followed, and their directions observed. For so he writes; 'Hμeïç év ékáoty πολει ἄλλο σύστημα πατρίδος, κτισθεν λόγῳ Θεοῦ επιστάμενοι τοὺς δυνατοὺς λόγῳ καὶ βίῳ ὑγιεῖ χρωμένους ἄρχειν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄρχειν ἐκκλησιῶν παρακαλοῦμεν.-Καὶ εἰ ἄρχουσιν οἱ καλῶς ἄρχοντες εν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, ὑπὸ τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν πατρίδος, λέγω δὲ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἐκλεγομένοι· ἄρχουσι κατὰ τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ προτεταγμένα. "And we knowing that there are other congregations gathered in the towns up and down, by the preaching of the word of God' (or that there is another heavenly city in any town built by the word of God), we persuade some that are sound in doctrine and of good conversation, and meet for their rule, to take on them the conduct or rule of those churches; and these whilst they rule within the churches those societies of divine institution by whom they are chosen, they govern

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them according to the prescriptions or commands and rules given by God himself.' Adver. Cels. lib. 8.

Those of whom he speaks, muss were the pastors or principal members of the churches that were established. When they understood that in any place distant from them, a num ber of believers were called and gathered into church-order by the preaching of the word, they presently, according unto their duty, took care of them, inquired into their state and condition, assisting them in particular, in finding out, trying, and recommending unto them, persons meet to be their officers and rulers. These he acknowledgeth to be churches and cities of God, upon their collection by the preaching of the word, antecedently unto the constitution of any officers among them; as the apostles also did. Acts xiv. 22, 23. Wherefore the church is essentially before its ordinary officers, and cannot as unto its continuance depend on any succession of theirs, which they have none, but what it gives unto them. These officers, thus recommended, were chosen, as he tells us, by the churches, wherein they were to preside, and thereon did govern them by the rule of God's word alone.

Hereby was the original constitution and state of the first churches for a good season preserved. Nor was there the least abridgment of the power either of these churches or of their officers, because it may be they were some of them planted in poor country villages. For as no man in the world can hinder, but that every true church hath‘de jure' all the rights and powers that any other church in the world hath or ought to have, or that every true officer, bishop, elder, or pastor, hath not all the power that. Christ bath annexed unto that office, (be they at Rome or Eugubium), so there was no abridgment of this power in the meanest of them, as yet attempted.

But this course and duty in many places not long after became to be much omitted; whether out of ignorance or neg ligence, or unwillingness of men to undertake the pastoral charge in poor country churches, I know not. But so it was, that believers in the regions round about any city, iv Xépais, were looked on as those which belonged unto the city churches, and were not settled in particular congregations for their edification, which they ought to have been.

And the councils that afterward ensued, made laws and canons that they should be under the government of the bishops of those city churches. But when the number of such believers was greatly increased, so as that it was needful to have some always attending the ministry among them, they came I know not how to have chorepiscopi' among them and over them. The first mention of them is in the synod of Ancyra in Galatia, about the year 314, Can. 13. and mention is again made of them in a synod of Antioch, An. 341, and somewhat before at the council of Neocæsarea, Can. 13. and frequently afterward, as any one may see in the late collections of the ancient canons. I verily believe, nor can the contrary be proved, but that these chorepiscopi' at first were as absolute and complete in the office of episcopacy, as any of the bishops of the greater cities, having their name or denomination from the places of their residence; Επισκοποὶ κατὰ χώρας, and not for an intimation of any inferiority in them unto other city bishops. But so it came to pass, that through their poverty and want of interest, their ministry being confined unto a small country parish, and perhaps through a comparative meanness of their gifts or abilities, the city bishop claimed a superiority over them, and made canons about their power, the bounding and exercising of it, in dependance on themselves. For awhile they were esteemed a degree above mere presbyters, who accompanied or attended the bishop of the city church in his administrations; and a degree beneath the bishop himself, in a posture never designed by Christ nor his apostles. Wherefore in process of time, the name and thing were utterly lost, and all the country churches were brought into an absolute subjection unto the city churches; something being allowed unto them for worship, nothing for rule and discipline; whereby the first state of churches in their original institution, sacredly preserved in the first centuries, was utterly lost and demolished.

I shall add but one argument more, to evince the true state and nature of evangelical churches herein, namely, that they were only particular congregations; and that is taken from the duties and powers ascribed in the Scripture unto churches, and the members or entire brotherhood of them. It was observed before, that the epistles of the apo

stles were written all of them unto the body of the churches, in contradistinction unto their elders, bishops, or pastors; unless it were those that were written unto particular persons by name. And as this is plain in all the epistles of Paul, wherein sometimes distinct mention is made of the officers of the church, sometimes none at all; so the apostle John affirms that he wrote unto the church, but that Diotrephes (who seems to have been their bishop) received him not; at once rejecting the authority of the apostle, and overthrowing the liberty of the church: which example was diligently followed in the succeeding ages. 3 Epist. John, ver. 9. And the apostle Peter, writing unto the churches on an especial occasion, speaks distinctly of the elders, 1 Pet. v. 1, 2. See also Heb. xiii. 24. the body of the epistle being directed to the body of churches. Wherefore all the instructions, directions, and injunctions given in those epistles as unto the exercise of power, or the performance of duty, they are given unto the churches themselves. Now these are such, many of them, as cannot be acted or performed in any church by the body of the people, but that which is congregational only. It were too long here to insist on particulars; it shall be done elsewhere; and it will thence appear, that this argument alone, is sufficient to bear the weight of this whole cause. The reader may, if he please, consider what representation hereof is made in these places compared together, Matt. xviii. 15-18. Acts i. 12. 23. ii. 1. 42. 44. 46. v. 11-13. xi. 21, 22. 25, 26. 28-30. xii. 5. 12. xiv. 26, 27. xv. 1-4. 6. 12, 13. 22, 23. 27, 28. 30. xx. 28. Rom. xv. 5, 6. 14. 25, 26. xvi. 1. 17, 18. 1 Cor. i. 4, 5. chap. v. throughout; xii. 4. 7-9. 11. 15. 18. 28–31. chap. xiv. throughout; xvi. 10, 11. 2 Cor. iii. 1-3. vii. 14, 15. viii. 22-24. ii. 6-11. viii. 5. Ephes. ii. 19-22. v. 11, 12. Gal. vi. 1. Phil. ii. 25-28. Col. i. 1, 2. ii. 3 iii. 16. iv. 9. 12. 16, 17. 1 Thess. v. 11-14. 2 Thess. iii. 6, 7. 14, 15. Heb. xii. 13. x. 24, 25. xii. 15, 16. In these, I say, and other places innumerable, there are those things affirmed of, and ascribed unto, the apostolical churches, as unto their state, order, assemblies, duties, powers, and privileges, as evinces them to have been only particular congregations.

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CHAP. VI.

Congregational churches alone suited unto the ends of Christ in the
institution of his church.

HAVING given an account of that state and order of the gospel churches which are of divine institution, it is necessary that we declare also their suitableness and sufficiency unto all the ends for which the Lord Christ appointed such churches. For if there be any true proper end of that nature, which cannot be attained in or by any church-state in this or that form, it must be granted that no such form is of divine appointment. Yea, it is necessary not only that such a state as pretends unto a divine original, be not only not contradictory unto, or inconsistent with, such an end, but that it is effectually conducing thereunto, and in its place necessary unto that purpose. This therefore is that which we shall now inquire into; namely, whether this state and form of gospel churches in single congregations be suited unto all those ends for which any such churches were appointed; which they must be on the account of the wisdom of Jesus Christ, the author and founder of them, or be utterly discarded from their pretence. Nor is there any more forcible argument against any pretended church-state, rule, or order, than that it is obstructive unto the souls of men in attaining the proper ends of their whole institution. What these ends are, was in general before declared; I shall not here repeat them, or go over them again, but only single out the consideration of those which are usually pleaded, as not attainable by this way of churches in single congregations only; or that at least they are not suited unto their attain

ment.

The first of these is mutual love among all Christians, all the disciples of Christ. By the disciples of Christ I intend them, and them only, who profess faith in his person and doctrine, and to hear him, or to be guided by him alone, in all things that appertain unto the worship of God, and their living unto him. If there are any called Christians who in these things choose other guides, call other ministers, hear them in their appointments, we must sever them from our

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