The true and only way of concord of all the Christian churches the desirableness…

§. 17. Dr. Hammond (Dissert, cont. Blond. & Annot. in Act. 11. & pass.) affirmeth that it cannot be proved that the order of subject Presbyters was existent in Scripture times; and consequently holdeth that Bishops had but single Congregations (as Ignatius speaketh with One Altar). Now if Diocesans, Metropolitans, Provincials, Patriarchs, or Pope as constitutive of Church-species were made after, either these new Churches were made by the Bishops of Parochial Churches, or by those that were No Bishops or Pastors of any Churches at all (For the Apostles were dead, and no institution of these but Scriptural can be truly proved. And other Churches besides the Catholic and Parochial, or single, (distinct from a compound of Churches) there were then none.) For the lower to make the higher Churches, is that which they will not grant, who grant not that Presbyters may propagate their own species; and deny that power ascendeth ab inferioribus. And that men of no Church, made all these new Church-species is no honour to them.

§. 17. Dr. Hammond (Dissert, cont. Blond. & Annot. in Act. 11. & pass.) affirmeth that it cannot be proved that the order of subject Presbyters was existent in Scripture times; and consequently holdeth that Bishops had but single Congregations (as Ignatius speaketh with One Altar). Now if Diocesans, Metropolitans, Provincials, Patriarchs, or Pope as constitutive of Church-species were made after, either these new Churches were made by the Bishops of Parochial Churches, or by those that were No Bishops or Pastors of any Churches at all (For the Apostles were dead, and no institution of these but Scriptural can be truly proved. And other Churches besides the Catholick and Parochial, or single, (distinct from a compound of Churches) there were then none.) For the lower to make the higher Churches, is that which they will not grant, who grant not that Presbyters may propagate their own species; and deny that power ascendeth ab inferioribus. And that men of no Church, made all these new Church-species is no honour to them.

§. 18. Two contrary opinions herein now reign: One of the Papists that think Christ instituted the Pope with power to make inferior Church species. That other is, that Christ or his Apostles instituted Diocesans, giving them power both as rulers to make Parish Churches (or Chapels) under them, and by Contract or Consent to make the highest species over them, (Provincial, National, Patriarchal, and say some Papal.) But as to the Papists so much is said against their supposition that it's not here to be confuted: And it's certain that single Church order was constituted by no Pope, and that all the Apostles had power thereto. And as for the latter, which affirmeth the lower degrees to make the higher, we still want the proofs