(ig6) ed'in chief Cities, and therefore the Bithopswere Metropolitans But how prove they the confequence? By their flrong imagi- nation and affirmation. The Orders of the Empirehad not then . fuch cocine&ion and proportion, and correfpondency with the Orders ofthe Church. Let them giveus any Valid proof that the Bifhop.of aMetropolis had then (in Scripture times) the - Bifhops of other Cities under him, as the Governor of them, á.nd we fhali thank them for fuch unexpecged light. But pre- fumption mull not go for proofs. They were much later times . that afforded occafion for fuch contentions as that of Bafil and. 4nshymins, ( Whether the bounds of their Epifcopal Jurisdic`fi on should changeas the Emperourschanged the Stateof thePro- vinces?) Let them prove that thefeAlanAngels had the Bifhops of other Churches, and the Churches themfclves under their fit- ris.diaion, and then they have done fomething. Sea. 25 . But ifthere were any preheminenceofMetropoli-- litans neer thefe times, it cannot be proved tobe any more then an honoraryPrimacy to be .Epifcspass prime fedis but not a Governour ofthe refl. How rife could Cypri,an truly fay (even fo long after) as is before alledged, that none of them was a Bishop. of Bishops, nor impofd on others, but all were left free to their own confciences,as being accountable only to God?, Sea. 26. Yea the Reverend Author above mentioned (hews. (Dilfertat, de Epifcop. 4. cap., 10. ScELq, t o, P1 alibi ) that there were in thofe times more Bithops then one in a City, though not in una eeclefia ant Cm's. And the like bathGrotins oft. So that a City had oft then more Churches then one, and thofe Churches had their feveral Bifhnps: and neiîherof'thce Bifhops was the Governour oftheother or his Congregation: much lefs ofthe remoter Churches and nilhops of other Cities. And this they think to have been the cafe ofPeter and Paul at. Rome, yea and oftheir immediate fucceffors there. And fo in other places .(Lege Differs. 5, c, a. Se&27. When the great C)regery T'baumaturgsss- was made Bithopof Neocafarea,he had butfeventeen Chriffians in his City ; and when he had increafed themby extraordinary fucaefíes. }et. wefind not that he had fomuch as a Presbyter under him. And ifhe had, its not likely that Alnfonixs, his firíi and chief enter- tainer, would have beenmade but his )Deacon, and be the only maa
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=