Five disputations of church-government and worship

§. 1. I Come now to the most Ancient fixed Bishop that the Church was acquainted with, except the mere Episcopus Gregis, the Overseer of the flock; and that is, A President of many Elders in one particular Church. The Diocesan Bishop was long after this: The first Bishops (if you will call them so) in the Church were the first mentioned Itinerant Bishops that were sent abroad to convert souls and gather Churches, and afterward took care to water and confirm them. The next sort of Bishops (and the first so called) were the fixed Pastors of particular Churches, that cannot be proved to have any superiority over Presbyters. The third ⟨p. 308⟩sort of Bishops (in time, and the first fixed Bishops that were superiors to other Pastors) were these Presidents of the Presbyteries of particular Churches. And these are they that now we have to speak of. And I shall prove that it is not unlawful to have such.

§. 1. I Come now to the most Ancient fixed Bishop that the Church was acquainted with, except the meer Episcopus Gregis, the Overseer of the flock; and that is, A President of many Elders in one particular Church. The Diocesan Bishop was long after this: The first Bishops (if you will call them so) in the Church were the first mentioned Itinerant Bishops that were sent abroad to convert souls and gather Churches, and afterward took care to water and confirm them. The next sort of Bishops (and the first so called) were the fixed Pastors of particular Churches, that cannot be proved to have any superiority over Presbyters. The third ⟨p. 308⟩sort of Bishops (in time, and the first fixed Bishops that were superiours to other Pastors) were these Presidents of the Presbyteries of particular Churches. And these are they that now we have to speak of. And I shall prove that it is not unlawful to have such.

§. 2. But first I must tell you what I mean; and show you that such may be had among us. I have in one of the former Disputations, defined a particular Church. It should ordinarily consist of no more then may hold personal Communion together in Gods public Worship. But yet take notice, 1. That it tendeth to the strength and honour of it, that it be not too small; but consisting of as many as are well capable of the Ends. 2 And it is lawful for these to have some other meeting places for part of the Church, besides the principal place which is for the whole. Chapels of ease may lawfully be made use of, for the benefit of the weak, and lame, and aged, that cannot always or often come to the common Assembly. And where such Chapels are not, it is lawful to make use of convenient houses. Yea if there were no Place to be had, sufficiently capacious of a full Assembly, or else if persecution forbade them to meet, it might still be but one Church, though the members met in several houses ordinarily: as five hundred in one, and three hundred in another, or one hundred only in several places, every one going to which house he pleased, and having several Pastors that in Society and by Consent did guide them all. But though somewhat disorderly may be born with in cases of Necessity; yet 1. As it is Necessary to the Ends, and so to the Being of a particular Church that they be a Society capable of personal Communion; and the personal Teaching, Guidance and Oversight of the same Pastors, So 2. It is desirable, as much tending to Order and Edification, that all of them that are able do frequently meet in one Assembly, for the Worshipping of God with one heart and mouth. And this is the Church I speak of.