Five disputations of church-government and worship

Sect. 13. And 2. We find them answering their Commission in their practice, going abroad and preaching and planting Churches, and sometimes visiting them in their passage, but not settling on them as their Dioceses; but going further, if they had opportunity, to do the like for other places. Yea they planted Bishops in the several Cities and Churches which they had gathered to Christ. Though Paul staid three years at Ephesus and other adjacent parts of Asia, yet did not all that abode prove it his peculiar Diocese: (And yes its hard to find again so long an abode of Paul or any Apostle in one place.) Elders that were Bishops we find at Ephesus, Acts 20. and some say Timothy was their Bishop, and some say John the Apostle was their Bishop: but its clear that it was no peculiar Diocese of Paul.

Sect. 13. And 2. We find them answering their Commission in their practice, going abroad and preaching and planting Churches, and sometimes visi•ing them in their passage, but not s•tling on them as their Diocesses; but going further, if they had opportunity, to do the like for other places. Yea they planted Bishops in the several Cities and Churches which they had gathered to Christ. Though Paul staid three years at Ephesus and other adjacent parts of Asia, yet did not all that abode prove it his peculiar Diocess: (And yes its hard to find again so long an abode of Paul or any Apostle in one place.) Elders that were Bishops we find at Ephesus, Acts 20. and some say Timothy was their Bishop, and some say Iohn the Apostle was their Bishop: but its clear that it was no peculiar Diocess of Paul.

Sect. 14. And 3. We still find that there were more then one of these general itinerant Ministers in a Place, or at least that no one excluded others from having equal power with him in his Province, where ever he came. Barnabas, Silas, Titus, Timotheus, Epaphroditus, and many more were fellow-labourers with Paul in the same Diocese or Province, and not as fixed Bishops or Presbyters under him, but as General Ministers as well as he. We never read that he said to any of the false Apostles that sought his contempt [This is my Diocese, what have ou to do to play the Bishop in another mans Diocese?] Much less did he ever plead such a Power, against Peter, Barnabas or any Apostolical Minister: Nor that James pleaded any such prerogative at Jerusalem.