A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort…

III. My next and greatest Witness is Ignatius, in whom (to my admiration) the Diocesans so much confide, as that quasi pro aris & focis they contend for the authority of his Epistles. I am as loth to lose him as they are: therefore I will not meddle in Blondel's controversy (against whom they say Doctor Pierson is now writing.) In his Epistle to the Philadelphians he saith, [[Greek or Hebrew]] [There is to every Church one Altar, and one Bishop, with the Presbytery and the Deacons my fellow servants.] I am not able to devise apter words to express my sense in. He saith not this of some one Church, but of all; nor yet as of an accident proper to those times of the Churches minority; but as of the Notes of every Churches Individuation or Haecceity as they speak. The Unity of the Church is characterised by One Altar, and One Bishop with the Presbytery and Deacons. If [[Greek or Hebrew]] were out, it would not alter the sense, being plainly implied. Bishop Downame's Exposition of [Greek or Hebrew] as if it signified Christ, is so forced and contrary to the evidence of the Text, that his own party quite forsake him in it, and he needeth no confutation. For who ever before dreamed that the Unity or Individuation of each particular Church, consisted in having one Christ, who is the common Head of all Churches? One Christ to every Church and one Bishop, would signify that every Church must have one several Christ, as well as one several Bishop. Nor is [Greek or Hebrew] so used by the Ancients, except when the Context showeth that they speak by allusion of Christ. Master Mede's plain and certain Exposition and Collection I gave you before; the same with ours.

III. My next and greatest Witness is Ignatius, in whom (to my admiration) the Diocesanes so much confide, as that quasi pro aris & focis they contend for the authority of his Epistles. I am as loth to lose him as they are: therefore I will not meddle in Blondel's controversie (against whom they say Doctor Pierson is now writing.) In his Epistle to the Philadelphians he saith, [〈non-Latin alphabet〉] [There is to every Church one Altar, and one Bishop, with the Presbytery and the Deacons my fellow servants.] I am not able to devise apter words to express my sense in. He saith not this of some one Church, but of all; nor yet as of an accident proper to those times of the Churches minority; but as of the Notes of every Churches Individuation or Haecceity as they speak. The Unity of the Church is characterised by One Altar, and One Bishop with the Presbytery and Deacons. If [〈non-Latin alphabet〉] were out, it would not alter the sense, being plainly implied. Bishop Downame's Exposition of as if it signified Christ, is so forced and contrary to the evidence of the Text, that his own party quite forsake him in it, and he needeth no confutation. For who ever before dreamed that the Unity or Individuation of each particular Church, consisted in having one Christ, who is the common Head of all Churches? One Christ to every Church and one Bishop, would signifie that every Church must have one several Christ, as well as one several Bishop. Nor is so used by the Ancients, except when the Context sheweth that they speak by allusion of Christ. Master Mede's plain and certain Exposition and Collection I gave you before; the same with ours.