Palæmon, or, The grand reconciler composing the great difference and disputes about church-government and discovering the primitive government of churches, built upon the Word of God, and the practice of the apostles / compiled by one who labours for the peace of the church.

SECT. IV.

ANd that the same forme of Government which was setled in Hierusalem and the forenamed Churches, was likewise established in the Church of Antioch, may be proved by that Text in the 13. of Acts, where we read, that there were in the Church of Antiochia certaine Prophets and Teachers, and as they mini∣stred unto the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the worke whereunto I have called them; and when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands upon them, they sent them away. It is safe to affirme, that these Pro∣phets and Teachers were no other then that ranke and order of Presbyters, because we reade, that they ministred unto the Lord and gave imposition of hands, which was the worke of ordi∣nary Ministers, though that particular imposition of hands upon Paul and Barnabas was not an ordination of Paul and Barnabas, but a separation of them, v. 2. and destinating them to distinct Countries. The Heads of the Church were S. Paul and Peter, as appeares by Ignatius in his Epistle ad Magn. where wee have these words For at Antiochia the Disciples were first called Chri∣stians, Paul and Peter founding the Church. But to untwist a doubt which some may make, that is, How it came to passe, that

there were two Heads of that Church? Wee may answer, that there were two severall congregations at one and the same time there; the one of the Gentiles, called by the Apostle Uncircum∣cision; the other of the Jewes; the care of the one was com∣mitted to Peter, the other to S. Paul. These two Apostles being called away by their imployments in other parts, tooke the same course with this Church which before was done by S. Paul with those which he commended to the care of Timothy and Titus: For, both congregations being by that time united together in a sweet harmony of Love and Peace, he commended them joyntly to the care of Euodius the Bishop, who was predecessour to Ig∣natius. To maintaine yet further the truth of the position we are assured by the authority of Dionysius Bishop of Corinth, that Di∣onysius the Areopagite, S. Pauls Convert, was Bishop of Athens. In Alexandria, from Mark the Evangelist (who was first set over that Church) there was a continued succession of Bishops and Presbyters, even untill the times of Heraclas and Dio∣nysius, as Saint Hierome witnesses in his Epistle to Eua∣grius.

Notes

• Act. 12.2.
• Gal. 2.9, 10.
• Act. 17.34.