Church-history of the government of bishops and their councils abbreviated including the chief part…

§. 10. Had it been necessary to the Churches Union against Schism or Heresy for Christians to know that Peter or some one of his Apostles must be his Vicar-General, and Head of his Church to whom all must obey, who can believe that Christ would not only have silenced so necessary a point, but also at a time when he was desired or called to decide it, have only spoken so much against it, to take down all such Expectations. Yea we never read that Peter exercised any Authority or Jurisdictions over any other of the Apostles, nor more than other Apostles did; much less that ever he chose a Bishop to be Lord of the Church, as his Successor. Nay he himself seemeth to fore-see this mischief, and therefore saith, 1. Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3. The Elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an Elder and a Witness of the Sufferings of Christ, and also a Partaker of the ⟨p. 5⟩Glory that shall be revealed. (These are his Dignities.) Feed the Flock of God which is among you, (not out of your reach and hearing in a vast Diocese) taking the oversight, not by constraint, but willingly (and on willing men) not for filthy lucre, but of a ready wind; neither as being Lords over Gods Heritage, but being Examples to the Flock; and when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away.

§. 10. Had it been necessary to the Churches Union against Schism or Heresie for Christians to know that Peter or some one of his Apostles must be his Vicar-General, and Head of his Church to whom all must obey, who can believe that Christ would not only have silenced so necessary a point, but also at a time when he was desired or called to decide it, have only spoken so much against it, to take down all such Expectations. Yea we never read that Peter exercised any Authority or Jurisdictions over any other of the Apostles, nor more than other Apostles did; much less that ever he chose a Bishop to be Lord of the Church, as his Successor. Nay he himself seemeth to fore-see this mischief, and therefore saith, 1. Pet. 5. 1, 2, 3. The Elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an Elder and a Witness of the Sufferings of Christ, and also a Partaker of the ⟨p. 5⟩