(6+) that they thould not Lord it over Gods Heritage. And Yobs d idmeet with a LordingDiotrephes, that loved to have the pre. heminence. While they layunder the Crofs, the Bithops were afpiring, andufurping authority over one another ; or elfe Viaor of .Rome had not prefumed to Excommunicate the ,Alan Bi- fhops for not conforming to his opinion : What abundanceofun- worthy contentions did the Bithops of the firft ages fill the Churches with ? : and much about fupfriority , who tbould be greateft ; what . hould be the priviledges . of their feveral Seas ; &c. Their pride no doubt was a great caufe of their contention ; and thofe contentions necefsirated the interpofi Lion of :Emperors to reconcile them that could not agree of them- felves, If the Emperors called a Council to that end, even the Council it Self would fall to pieces and make all wore, if the .Magifirate did not moderate them. Had not ,Conflantine burnt theNyene Schedules, and done much to maintainanUni- on among them,the fuccefs of thatCouncil might have been ,uch as would have beenno great encouragement to fucceeding ages to feek for more. What bitter quarrels are there - between, the molt eminent of all the Fathers and : Bithops of theChurch betweenChryfofio n andEpiphaxites ; Chryfafionr andTheophilrs.r %exgndri$tes ; .:Theron and _ john of yertefalcm ; lerkene and Ro wts ; betides his quarrels with Cbrpfeftom and 4st_ys+fine. Ì opennot the concealed nakednefs of the Saints; but mention thofe publike doleful tragedies which made the Church an amazement to it fell, and :a fcorn to the - Heathens that lived about them ; witnefs the well known cenfure of _elm,roianrer ,Iffarcellinus when fo many people. hall be murderedat once in ,contention fora liilhoprickas wereat the choice of Damalus ; ambition wastoo predominant. The mentioningof the conten- tions of thofe molt excellent Bithops, and the firfi four general .Cou c;ls, . makes Luther break outinto fo many admiring excla- mations, in his Treatife de Crncilüs, that ever fuch men should fo.,an;bitioufly quarrel about toyes and trifles and childifh thine.s, and that even to the dillurbingof all the Churches, and Petting the Chriftian world on a flame. Of the two Churches of Sow_and Cosfiaativoplc he faith, Itahe Asa Ecclela. ambitio.te ,rixahe fist, de re aa ihili,-vaniffimis.& rsegacimis næ réù, .donee s .,dem,rrtravee horribiliter vafiata & deleta e(i. pag::i y .5. This =cauil:d
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