Ratio disciplinae fratrum Nov-Anglorum. A faithful account of the discipline professed and practised; in…

If the Reader will go somewhat higher into Antiquity, he may from the Archives thereof take down that famous Epistle of Clemens Romanus to the Brethren of the Church in Corinth, which in Eusebius is deservedly called, ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΚΑΙ ΘΑΥΜΑΣΙΑ, and, ΙΚΑΝΩΤΑΤΗ ΓΡΑΦΗ, A great, a wonderful, a powerful Writing, and one which, he says, was publicly read in some of the Churches: And which Irenaeus also most justly calls, Potentissimas Literas. In all Antiquity, after the Writings of their Apostles (which indeed make an Honourable Mention of this our Clemens, Phil. IV. 3.) there is not so exact a Representation of the Order observed in the first Christian Churches, as there is in this Epistle. Now this Epistle being written to the Brethren of the Church at Corinth, from that at Rome, on the Occasion of a Sinful Excess which they had committed in the Deposition of their Elders, there is not one Word said, as if the Brethren had assumed a Liberty to themselves, which they had no claim unto; but they are severely reproved, because they had Abused their Liberty, in hearkening unto the Suggestions of Two or Three discontented Persons, against Elders who had presided Laudably among them, and who had never deserved thus to be dealt withal.

If the Reader will go somewhat higher into Antiquity, he may from the Archives thereof take down that famous Epistle of Clemens Romanus to the Brethren of the Church in Corinth, which in Eusebius is deservedly called, ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΚΑΙ ΘΑΥΜΑΣΙΑ, and, ΙΚΑΝΩΤΑΤΗ ΓΡΑΦΗ, A great, a wonderful, a powerful Writing, and one which, he says, was publickly read in some of the Churches: And which Irenaeus also most justly calls, Potentissimas Literas. In all Antiquity, after the Writings of their Apostles (which indeed make an Honourable Mention of this our Clemens, Phil. IV. 3.) there is not so exact a Representation of the Order observed in the first Christian Churches, as there is in this Epistle. Now this Epistle being written to the Brethren of the Church at Corinth, from that at Rome, on the Occasion of a Sinful Excess which they had committed in the Deposition of their Elders, there is not one Word said, as if the Brethren had assumed a Liberty to themselves, which they had no claim unto; but they are severely reproved, because they had Abused their Liberty, in hearkening unto the Suggestions of Two or Three discontented Persons, against Elders who had presided Laudably among them, and who had never deserved thus to be dealt withal.