A33359:20
Diocesan churches not yet discovered in the primitive times
Diocesan churches not yet discovered in the primitive times, or, A defence of the answer to Dr. Stillingfleets allegations out of antiquity for such churches against the exceptions offered in the preface to a late treatise called A vindication of the primitive church, where what is further produced out of Scripture and ancient authors for diocesan churches is also discussed.Diocesan churches not yet discovered in the primitive times, or, A defence of the answer to Dr. Stillingfleets allegations out of antiquity for such churches against the exceptions offered in the preface to a late treatise called A vindication of the primitive church, where what is further produced out of Scripture and antient authors for diocesan churches is also discussed.
London: printed for Thomas Parkhurst, 1682
Diocesan Churches not yet discovered in the Primitive times.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
TO show that many Presbyters in one Church was not enough to prove it a Diocesan, I I made it manifest that it was usual in the ancient Church, to multiply Presbyters, beyond what we count necessary; (not beyond what is necessary, as it is too often misrepresented:) For this I offered two Testimonies, one asserting it to be so in the First Age, the other in the Fourth, and thought these sufficient, if they could not be denied, (as they are not) to evince it to have been so in the Third: For who can reasonably suppose, but that had place in the Third, which was usual both in the Ages before and after? The first was that of Bishop Downham, who says, at the first Conversion of Cities, the number of people converted were not much greater than the number of Presbyters placed amongst them. But this, its said can be of little use; because, 1. This was not the case of the Church of Carthage, it was not a new converted Church, but settled long before, and in a flourishing condition.
TO shew that many Presbyters in one Church was not enough to prove it a Diocesan, I I made it manifest that it was usual in the antient Church, to multiply Presbyters, beyond what we count necessary; (not beyond what is necessary, as it is too often misrepresented:) For this I offer'd two Testimonies, one asserting it to be so in the First Age, the other in the Fourth, and thought these sufficient, if they could not be denied, (as they are not) to evince it to have been so in the Third: For who can reasonably suppose, but that had place in the Third, which was usual both in the Ages before and after? The first was that of Bishop Downham, who sayes, at the first Conversion of Cities, the number of people converted were not much greater than the number of Presbyters placed amongst them. But this, its sayed can be of little use; because, 1. This was not the case of the Church of Carthage, it was not a new converted Church, but setled long before, and in a flourishing condition.
The Church of Carthage by the fierce persecutions in Cyprian's time (which is the time we speak of) was brought so low, and reduced to so very few, as if it had been but new converted, and how was it in a settled and flourishing condition, when it was so lamentably wasted, and still harassed one year after another? or who can believe