Section 2

SECT. II.

BUT it is necessary before we proceed to Instruction and Application, that we be resolved more clearly who those Elders or Bishops be that Paul doth here exhort. I am desirous to do all that lawfully I may to avoid controversy, especially in this place, and on such occasions; But here it is unavoidable, because all our following application will much depend upon the explication: and if you shall once suppose that none of this Exhortation was spoken to men in your office and capacity; no wonder if you pass it over and let it alone and take all that I shall hence gather for your practise, as impertinent. This Text was wont to be thought most apt to awaken the Ministers of the Gospel to their duty: but of late the negligent are gratified with the News, (for news it is) that only Bishops in a s•pereminent sense, whom we usually call Prelates are spoken to in this Text; and not only so, but that no other Text of Scripture doth speak to any other Church Presbyters (certainly) but them; yea, that no other were in being in Scripture times. Here are two Questions before us to be resolved. 1. Whether the Elders here mentioned were the Elders of one Church of Ephesus, or of all that part of Asia, that is, of every Church one. This is but in order to the second, which is, whether these Elders were only Prelates, ⟨p. 6⟩or such Bishops as among us have carried that name.

BUT it is necessary before we proceed to Instruction and Application, that we be resolved more clearly who those Elders or Bishops be that Paul doth here exhort. I am desirous to do all that lawfully I may to avoid controversie, especially in this place, and on such occasions; But here it is unavoidable, because all our following application will much depend upon the explication: and if you shall once suppose that none of this Exhortation was spoken to men in your office and capacity; no wonder if you pass it over and let it alone and take all that I shall hence gather for your practise, as impertinent. This Text was wont to be thought most apt to awaken the Ministers of the Gospel to their duty: but of late the negligent are gratified with the News, (for news it is) that only Bishops in a spereminent sense, whom we usually call Prelates are spoken to in this Text; and not only so, but that no other Text of Scripture doth speak to any other Church Presbyters (certainly) but them; yea, that no other were in being in Scripture times. Here are two Questions before us to be resolved. 1. Whether the Elders here mentioned were the Elders of one Church of Ephesus, or of all that part of Asia, that is, of every Church one. This is but in order to the second, which is, whether these Elders were only Prelates,