Five disputations of church-government and worship

§ 1. I Come next to speak of a third sort of Ministry, which hath a greater resemblance to the ancient Episcopacy, then any of the rest: Yea indeed is the same that was exercised about the second or third Century after Christ. And that is, the fixed Presidents of the Presbyters of many Churches associated. In the first settlement of Churches, there was either a single Pastor to a single Church; or many Pastors, in equality, at least of Office: And whether from the beginning or afterward only, one of them became the stated President, is very uncertain: of which anon. But when the Churches increased in magnitude, and many Congregations were gathered under one Presbytery, then that Presbytery also had a stated President, as the Congregational Presbyteries perhaps had before. And thus he was an Archbishop under the name of a Bishop, that awhile before was either unknown, or else must needs be esteemed an Archbishop.

§ 1. I Come next to speak of a third sort of Ministry, which hath a greater resemblance to the ancient Episcopacy, then any of the rest: Yea indeed is the same that was exercised about the second or third Century after Christ. And that is, the fixed Presidents of the Presbyters of many Churches associated. In the first settlement of Churches, there was either a single Pastor to a single Church; or many Pastors, in equality, at least of Office: And whether from the beginning or afterward only, one of them became the stated President, is very uncertain: of which anon. But when the Churches encreased in magnitude, and many Congregations were gathered under one Presbyterie, then that Presbyterie also had a stated President, as the Congregational Presbyteries perhaps had before. And thus he was an Archbishop under the name of a Bishop, that awhile before was either unknown, or else must needs be eseemed an Archbishop.