( 93 ) Order ofthe Civil Government,and give precedency to thole that wereBithops of fuch Cities as had precedency in the Civil Government, was the molt convenient Or der : And in thefe Meetings they agreed on fuch Canons or Orders for all in that Compafs to obferve, as they thought beff tended to their ends And having no forcing Power ( as is aforefaid ) they formed their ìni pofitions on voluntarily penitents fo - as might ferve in- :dead of the Power of the Sword : Even Murderers, In- ceftuous, Adulterers, they couldnot punifhwith Death, Stripes, or Mults, .. and they were loth to disgrace Chri- ftianity fo much as to accufe filch-to the Heathen Magi- ¡hates ; and therefore they laid the greater fhame upon them, forbidding them Communion with Chriftians for fo many years as they thought meet, and before they re- Bored them they were humbly to beg the Prayers and Communion ofthe Church. But yet: there Synods were fmall and few and rare, and never any dreamt of them as a Council of all the Churchon Earth. But when God bleffed the Rome World with a Chrifti- añ Emperour after: the fharp Perlecution ofDioclefian,and this Emperor had by Religion' ,and Intereft made the Chri(7i4n souldiers his chief confideyits or (trehgth, he fludiedthe utmoff increa[e of:tire Chrif1ians, and to that end invited:all to Chrrdianity, by thefavour oftheCourt, and by fuçh<Honours,r;Comma ds, ,Wealth, and Dig- nities, as they were capable of ," s and aboveail h çxaJ ted the Chriffian B:ifhops., 'whom:"be.food theRulers ofthe ChriftianSocieties : He gave themRonoùrs,andWealth,, and"Power He made a Law-that no;Chriítians f.ouldbe forced tòo go,to theCivil Heathen.:fudieaturgs,,felornft Ir, BifhopS,i and gave Power : to .ttioBifho'ps, tqr be-theCbr.i- fhians judges, forífew háiuous Crimes b ing,in time exeeptedo.
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