Five disputations of church-government and worship

2. The very same I say of Prelacie, Epist. ad Philip. which mentioneth only two sorts, Presbyters and Deacons.

3. And though Ignatius oft mention three, it seems to me that they were all but the Governors or Ministers of one Congregation, or of no more people then one of our Parishes. In the Epist. ad Smyr•. he saith [[Greek or Hebrew]. i. e. Ubi Episcopus praesens fuerit, illuc & plebs Congregetur, sicuti & ubi Christus est omnis militia coelestis a•est] as the common interpreter translateth it, [ut vid. est in Edit. Perionii & Usherii,] &c. [Ubi comparuerit Episcopus, ibi & Multitudo sit; quemadmodum ubi Christus, ibi omnis astat exercitus coelestis] as Hier. Vairlenius & Videlius translate it: Or, [Ubi utique apparet Episcopus, illic multitudo sit; quemadmodum utiq, ubi est Christus Jesus, illic Catholica Ecclesia] as Ushers old Translation. And by the Context it appeareth that this pl•bs, or multitudo is the Church which he ruleth, and not only one Congregation among many that are under him: For this doth without distinction bind all the people one as well as another, to be where the Bishop is or appeareth, viz. in the public Assembly for Communion in Worship. It is plain therefore there that were not then many such Assemblies under him: otherwise all save one must have necessarily disobeyed this command.

3. And though Ignatius oft mention three, it seems to me that they were all but the Governours or Ministers of one Congregation, or of no more people then one of our Parishes. In the Epist. ad Smyr•. he saith [〈non-Latin alphabet〉. i. e. Vbi Episcopus praesens fuerit, illuc & plebs Congregetur, sicuti & ubi Christus est omnis militia coelestis a•est] as the common interpreter translateth it, [ut vid. est in Edit. Perionii & Vsherii,] &c. [Vbi comparuerit Episcopus, ibi & Multitudo sit; quemadmodum ubi Christus, ibi omnis astat exercitus coelestis] as Hier. Vairlenius & Videlius translate it: Or, [Vbi utique apparet Episcopus, illic multitudo sit; quemadmodum utiq, ubi est Christus Iesus, illic Catholica Ecclesia] as Vshers old Tranlation. And by the Context it appeareth that this plbs, or multitudo is the Church which he ruleth, and not only one Congregation among many that are under him: For this doth without distinction bind all the people one as well as another, to be where the Bishop is or appeareth, viz. in the publick Assembly for Communion in Worship. It is plain therefore there that were not then many such Assemblies under him: otherwise all save one must have necessarily disobeyed this command.