A33359:210
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.
So far the Writer of the Letter. Let me now return to our Author's Preface; To show that the Christians ⟨p. 58⟩in Alexandria adhering to Athanasius were not so exceeding numerous as is pretended, and not to be compared with the Christians now in London, I had said, that the greatest part of the Inhabitants of that City were at this time Heathens or Jews; of those who passed for Christians, it is like Athanasius had the lesser shareu, the Novatians and other Sects, the Meletians especially, and the Arians, did probably exceed his flock in numbers, it may be the Arians there were more numerous. This last clause (which appears by the expression, I was not positive in) he alone sixes on, and would disprove it by a passage out of Athanasius. But the Greek is false printed, and and the sense defective for want of some word, and so no Judgment can be well passed thereon, unless I saw it; and where to see it he gives no direction. My concern therein is not so great as to search for it through so voluminous an Author. It will serve my turn well enough, if the Arians were but very numerous, or as Sozomen expresses them, [Greek or Hebrew]w, which cannot be denied, though they alone were not more numerous. The last thing he would take notice of, is the Diocese of Theodoret, but this is remitted to the Dean of Paul's, yet one thing he says he cannot omit; though some may think that he had better have passed it (as he had many other things); than being so much in haste, to slip at almost every line, as he does in those few which concern it.
So far the Writer of the Letter. Let me now return to our Author's Preface; To shew that the Christians ⟨p. 58⟩in Alexandria adhereing to Athanasius were not so exceeding numerous as is pretended, and not to be compared with the Christians now in London, I had said, that the greatest part of the Inhabitants of that City were at this time Heathens or Jews; of those who passed for Christians, it is like Athanasius had the lesser shareu, the Novatians and other Sects, the Meletians especially, and the Arians, did probably exceed his flock in numbers, it may be the Arians there were more numerous. This last clause (which appears by the expression, I was not positive in) he alone sixes on, and would disprove it by a passage out of Athanasius. But the Greek is false printed, and and the sense defective for want of some word, and so no Judgment can be well passed thereon, unless I saw it; and where to see it he gives no direction. My concern therein is not so great as to search for it through so voluminous an Author. It will serve my turn well enough, if the Arians were but very numerous, or as Sozomen expresses them,