First, then, for the mention that is made of many presbyters in the church of Corinth, to whom Clemens, in the name of the church of Rome, exhorts to give all due respect, honour, obedience : He tells you that by " The
42 A PREFACE TO THE READER.
cliurch of Corinth," all the churches of Achaia are meant and intended. The epistle is directed only Tfj i/i-/.}.rjaia rou 0£&D '^aPoiM-oar, KoonQov^ without the least intimation of any other church or churches. The difi'erence it is ■written about was occasioned by one or two persons in that church only ; it is that church alone that is exhorted to order and due subjection to their elders. From the beginning to the end of the epistle, there is not one word, apex, or tittle, to intimate the designation of it to any church or churches beyond the single church of Corinth, or that they had any concernment in the difference spoken to. The fabric of after ages lies so close to the doc- tor's imagination that there is no entrance for the true frame of the primi- tive church of Christ; and therefore every thing must be wrested and appor- tioned to the conceit of such an episcopacy as he hath entertained. Whereas he ought to crop off both head and heels of his own imagination, and the episcopacy of the latter days, which he too dearly affects, he chooseth rather to stretch and torture the ancient government of the church, that it may seem to answer the frame presently contended for. But let us a little attend to the doctor's learned arguments, whereby he endeavours to make good his assertion : —
1. He tells you that Corinth was the chief city of Achaia, the metro- polis (in a political sense and acceptation of the word) of Greece, where the proconsul had his residence. Dissert, v. cap. ii. sect. 3. Let us grant this to our learned doctor, lest we should find nothing to gratify him withal ; what then will follow ? Hence, saith he, it will follow, sect. 4, that this epistle which was sent, " Ecclesiae rra^or/iolari Kosiv&ov, non ad unius civitatis ecclesiam, sed ad omnes totius Achaifc Christianos, per singulas civitates et regiones, sub episcopis aut praefectis suis ubique coUocatas missa exis- timetur." But pray, doctor, w'hy so ? We poor creatures, who are not so sharp-sighted as to discern a metropolitan archbishop at Corinth, on whom all the bishops in Greece were dependent, nor can find any instituted church in the Scripture or in Clemens of one denomination beyond a single congregation, cannot but think that all the strength of this con- sectary, from the insinuation of such a state of things in the church of God, is nothing but a pure begging of the thing in question, which will never be granted upon such terms.
Yea, but he adds, sect. 5, that " Paul wrote his epistle not only to the church of Corinth, but also to all the churches of Achaia; therefore Clemens did so also." At first view this argument seems not very conclusive, yea, appears, indeed, very ridiculous. The enforcement of it which ensues may perhaps give new life and vigour to it. How, then, is it proved that Paul wrote not only to the church of Corinth, but to all thorn in Achaia also? Why, saith he, in the second e]iistle, chap. i. verse i, it is so ex- pressed. He writes, Tfi sxxXrjffia rou Qiov rfi o'jffr] iv Kosli/dw, ai/v rnTg ayioii waai ToTi aZffiv Iv oX») rfi kyajia. Very good. It is indisputably evident that Paul wrote his second epistle to the church at Corinth and all the rest of Achaia, for he expressly affirms himself so to do; and for the first epistle, it is directed not only to the church of Corinth, chap, i., verse 2, but also •Kadi roTg £T/r.a>.oi;,asi'o/c rh ovo/xa, rou Kuw'ou ri/xuv 'ijjffoD XwffroD sv catr/' rCrrw, — that is, saith our doctor, in the whole region of Achaia! So, indeed, says the doctor's great friend, Grotius, to whom he is beholden for more than one rare notion. I say it not in any way of any reproach to the doctor, only I cannot but think his careful warding of himself against the thoughts of men that he should be beholden to Grotius doth exceedingly unbecome the doctor's gravity and self-denial. This is complained of by some who have tried it in reference to his late comment on the Bevelation. And
A PREFACE TO THE READER. 43
in this Dissertation he is put by his own thoughts (I will not say guilty) to an apology, cap. i. sect. 24 : " Qua in re suffragium suum tulisse Hugo- nem Grotium rbv cravu ex annotationibus postliumis, nuper editis, et post- quam hjec omnia typographo transcripta essent, cursim perlectis edoc- tum gratulor." Let not the reader think that Dr Hammond had trans- mitted his papers full of rare conjectures to the printer before Grotius* Annotations upon the Kevelation were published, but only before he had read them. The doctor little thinks what a fly this is in his pot of oint- ment, nor how indecent with all impartial men such apologies, subservient to a frame of spirit in bondage to a man's own esteem and reputation, ap- pear to be. But let this pass, and let the saints that call upon the name of Jesus Christ in every place be the saints in every part of Achaia, — though the epistle itself (written, indeed, upon occasion taken from the church of Corinth, yet) was given by inspii-ation from God for the use not only of all the saints in the whole Avorld at that time wherein it was written, but of all those who were to believe in any part or place of the world to the end thereof, — although the assertion of it be not built on any tolerable conjecture, but may be rejected with the same facility wherewith it is tendered, what now" will hence ensue? Why, hence it follows that Clemens also wrote his epistle to all the churches in Achaia. Very good ! Paul writing an epistle entitled chiefly to the Corinthians, expressly and gjjrws directs it to the saints or churches of Achaia, yea, to all that call upon the name of God in every place, so that his epistle, being of catholic concern- ment, is not to be confined to the church of Corinth only, although most of the particular things mentioned in that epistle related only to that par- ticular church; therefore, Clemens directing his epistle to the church of Corinth only, not once mentioning nor insinuating an intention of extend- ing it to any other, handling in it only the peculiar concernment of that church, and a difference about one or two persons therein, must be sup- posed to have written to all the churches of Achaia ! And if such argu- ments as these will not prove episcopacy to be of apostolical constitution, what will prevail with men so to esteem it!