The Doctrine of the Saints' Perseverance

The Doctor in this Chapter commences per saltum, and taking it for granted that he hath proved Diocesan Bishops sufficiently before, though he hath scarce spoken any one word to that purpose in his whole book, (for to prove one superintending in a Church by the name of Bishop, others acting in some kind of Subordination to him, by the name of Elders, and Presbyters, upon the Account of what hath been offered concerning the state of the Churches in those, days, will no way reach to the maintenance of this presumption) he sacrifices his pains to the Metropolitical Archi-Episcopacy dignity, which as we must suppose, is so clearly founded in Scripture and Antiquity, that they are as blind as Bats and Moles, who cannot see the ground and foundation of it.

The Doctour in this Chapter commences per saltum, and taking it for granted that he hath proved Diocesan Bishops sufficiently before, though he hath scarce spoken any one word to that purpose in his whole book, (for to prove one superintending in a Church by the name of Bishop, others acting in some kind of Subordination to him, by the name of Elders, and Presbyters, upon the Account of what hath been offered concerning the state of the Churches in those, dayes, will no way reach to the maintenance of this presumption) he sacrifices his paines to the Metropolitical Archi-Episcopacy dignity, which as we must suppose, is so clearly founded in Scripture and Antiquity, that they are as blind as Bats and Moles, who cannot see the ground and foundation of it.

But first, be it taken for granted, that the Angels of the seven Churches, are taken for the Governors of those Churches, then that each Angel be an Individual Bishop of the Church to which he did belong. 2 Be it also granted that they were Bishops of the most eminent Church or Churches, in that province, or Roman political distribution of those countries, in the management of the Government of them, I say, Bishops of such Churches, not urbium [Greek or Hebrew], (as the Doctor terms them) what advance is made by all this to the Assertion of A Metropolitical Archi-episcopacy, I cannot as yet discover. That they were ordinary Officers of Christ's institution, relating in their Office, and ordinary discharge of it, not only to the particular Churches wherein they were placed, but to many Churches also, no less committed to their charge, then these wherein they did reside, the Officers, Rulers, Governors of which Churches, depended on them, not only as to their advise, and counsel: but as to their power and Jurisdiction, holding their place, and employment from them, is some part of that, which in this undertaking is incumbent on our Doctor to make good, if he will not be supposed to pre, varicate in the cause in hand; To this end he informs us, Sect: secundâ, that in the new Testament there is in sundry places, mention made of Churches in the plural number; as Gal: 1. 21. 1 Thes: 2: 14.