[2671 § 39. On the other fide they plead ; I. That it is fifer for the Church to have Religion in the power of many Bfhops or Paftors , than that one High Prieft or Patriarch fhould have power to corrupt it, or filence the faithful preachers, or perfecute the people when ever he proveth a bad man : Yea they fay it mull: be rare if he be not bad, fèeing it is certain that the moft proud and worldly men ( which are the worft ) will be the moft carnet feekers of rich and honourable places ; and he that feeketh will ufually find. 2. They fay Chrift direftly forbad this to his Apofties L k aa. That which they ftrove for was it that he forbad them : But that which they 'trove for was who fhould be the chief or grea- teft ( and not who fhould tyrannize ) 3. They fay that all Church hiftory affureth us that there have been more Schifms and fcandalous con- tentions about the great fuperiour Bifhopricks far, than any ofthe reft : It is a doleful thing to read the hiftory of the Churches ofAlexandria, Antioch, Confantinople,, and Rome : Gregory ..i?lïazianz.en giveth it as the reafon,why the con- tention at Cefarea was fo lamentable, becaufe it was fo high an Archbifhoprick. The whole Chriftian world hath been fcandalized, torn and diftrated by the ftrife of Bithops of and for the higheft feats. Their famous General Councils whichwe juftiy honour for their function and that which they did well, were fhamefully mili- tant: even the first and moft. honoured Council at Nice, was with great difficulty kept in Peace by the perfonal prefence, wifdom and authority f Confantine, preaching peace to the preachers of peace, burning their libels of mutual accula- tion;
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