The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

What Apology can be made for the weakness, and Ignorance of that holy Martyr, if we shall suppose ⟨image 18⟩him to have had Apprehensions like those in these Epistles of that sacred Order, for omitting those all-conquering Reasons, which they would have supplied him with all, to his purpose in hand, and pitching on Arguments every way less cogent and useful. But I say, I shall not insist on any such things as these, but only,

What Apologie can be made for the weakness, and Ignorance of that holy Martyr, if we shall suppose ⟨image 18⟩him to have had Apprehensions like those in these Epistles of that sacred Order, for omitting those all-conquering Reasons, which they would have supplied him with all, to his purpose in hand, and pitching on Arguments every way less cogent and useful. But I say, I shall not insist on any such things as these, but only,

4 I say that there is not in any of the Doctor's excerpta from those Epistles, nor in any passage in them, any mention or the least intimation of any Church whereunto any Bishop was related, but such an one, as whose members met altogether in one place, and with their Bishop disposed, and ordered the affairs of the Church. Such was that whereunto the holy Martyr was related; such were those neighbouring Churches, that sent Bishops, and Elders to that Church; And when the Doctor proves the contrary, erit mihi magnus Apollo: From the Churches and their state and Constitution, is the state and Condition of their Officers, and their Relation to them to be taken. Let that be manifested to be such from the appointment of Jesus Christ by his Apostles, or de facto in the days of Ignatius, or before the contemperation of Ecclesiastical Affairs occasionally, or by choice, to the civil constitution of Cities, and Provinces in those days, as would, or possibly could bear, a rural Diocesan metro-political Hierarchy, and this controversy will be at end; When this is by any attempted to be demonstrated, I desire it may not be with such sentences as that urged by our Doctor, from Epist: ad Ephes: [Greek or Hebrew]. The expression in it concerning Christ being unsound, unscriptural, concerning Bishops unintelligible, or ridiculous: But it may be said, what need we any more writing, what need we any truer proof, or Testimony? The Learned Doctor in his Dissertations Disser: 4. cap: 5: hath abundantly discharged this work, and proved the seven Bishops of the seven Churches mentioned Revel: 2. 3: to have been Metropolitans, or Arch-Bishops: so that no just cause remains, why we should farther contend.