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

§. 13. The Universality of Christians is the Catholic Church, of which Christ is the only Head or Sovereign; but it is the duty of these to worship God in solemn Assemblies, and to live in a holy Conversation together; and to join in striving against sin, and to help each other in the way to life; therefore Societies united for these ends are called, Particular Churches.

§. 13. The Vniversality of Christians is the Catholick Church, of which Christ is the only Head or Soveraign; but it is the duty of these to worship God in solemn Assemblies, and to live in a holy Conversation together; and to join in striving against sin, and to help each other in the way to life; therefore Societies united for these ends are called, Particular Churches.

§. 14. When the Apostles had converted a competent number of Christians, they gathered them into such Assemblies, and as a Politic Society, set over them such Ministers of Christ, as are afore described, to be their Guides.

§. 14. When the Apostles had converted a competent number of Christians, they gather'd them into such Assemblies, and as a Politick Society, set over them such Ministers of Christ, as are afore described, to be their Guides.

§. 15. These Officers are in Scripture called sometime Elders, and sometimes Bishops, to whom Deacons were added to serve them and the Church subordinately. Dr. Hammond hath well described their Office in in his Annotat. which was to preach constantly in public, and private, to administer both Sacraments, to pray and praise God with the People, to Catechize, to visit and pray with the sick, to comfort troubled Souls, to admonish the unruly, to reject the impenitent, to restore the penitent, to take care of the poor, and in a word, of all the Flock.