The true nature of a Gospel church and its government

2. THERE were many Bishops in one City in one particular Church, Phil. 1.1. To all the Saints that are at Philippi, with the Bishops and Deacons. That the Church then at Philippi was one particular Church or Congregation was proved before. But to have many Bishops in the same Church, whereas the nature of the Episcopacy pleaded for, consists in the Superiority of one over the Presbyters of many Churches, is absolutely inconsistent. Such Bishops, whereof there may be many in the same Church, of the same Order, equal in Power and Dignity with respect unto Office, will easily be granted; but then they are Presbyters as well as Bishops. There will, I fear, be no end of this contest, because of the prejudices and interests of some; but that the identity of Bishops and Presbyters should be more plainly expressed, can neither be expected nor desired.

3. THE Apostle being at Miletus, sent to Ephesus for the Elders of the Church to come unto him, that is the Elders of the Church at Ephesus, as hath been elsewhere undeniably demonstrated, Act. 20.17, 18. unto these Elders he says, Take heed unto your selves, and to all the Flock, over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops, to feed the Church of God, ver. 28. If Elders and Bishops be not the same Persons, having the same Office, the same Function and the same Duties, and the same Names, it is impossible, so far as I understand, how it should be expressed. For these Elders are they whom the Holy Ghost made Bishops; they were many of them in the same Church; their Duty it was to attend unto the Flock; and to feed the Church, which comprise all the Duties, the whole Function of Elders and Bishops, which must therefore be the same. This plain Testimony can no way be evaded by pretences and conjectures unwritten and uncertain; the only answer unto it, is, It was indeed so then, but it was otherwise afterwards; which some now betake themselves unto. But these Elders were either Elders only and not Bishops; or Bishops only and not Elders; or the same Persons were Elders and Bishops, as is plainly affirmed in the words. The latter is that which we plead. If the first be asserted, then was there no Bishop then at Ephesus; for these Elders had the whole oversight of the Flock: If the Second, then were there no Elders at all, which is no good exposition of those words, that Paul called unto him the Elders of the Church.