(30) dredCongregations making one Churchprime ordinis. z. That this Church had ordinarily a Bifhop prefent (not prefent in one Congregation and many hundred-without.) 3. That the Bifhopbaptized, and took the Confellions of the Baptized, and performedthe ordinary Worfhip, and adminiftred.the Lords Supper. (Dobtor Hammond - himfelfmaintaineth that it is the Bifhop that 7ertu1lian fpeaketh of.) 4. That Difeipline was exercifedin thofe Church Af femblies, and therefore the Bifhop was prefent. ~. 5. They took the Sacrament from none but the Bifhops hand (fave that the Deacon diltributed it as from him) which proveth that the Bifhopwas prefent, when ever the Sacrament was.adminiltred. 6. They had thefe Affemblies eve- ry Lords day. All which fet together plainly fheweth that then every Church had a prefent Bithop, (ordinarily) and was no more than one Congregation, 'met for fuch Communion as is defcribed. `'Cyprian VI. And even in Cyprizn's time the alteration was not great : Ep f. 68. in the Se- (Edit. Goùlart.) p. 2ót. he faith, [Propter quod plebs obfequens pneceptisdomini- eLcff of cis & Deum metuens, be.] i. e. [For which carafe thepeople that are obedient to and five " theLords Commands andfear God, ought to feparate themfelves from a f:nful Pre- Presbyters " late (or Bifhop) and not tobe prefent, at the Sacrifices of a Sacrilegious Prieft Epiti 44 "'feting they have the greateft power either ofchufing worthy Priefts, or of re- (ed.Goul) " fufing the unworthy : which very thing we fee comingdownby Divine Au- y:L.9[De- " thority, that the Priefí, the people being prefent,bechofen (or appointed) be- us ungo & " fore the eyes ofall, and by the publick judgment and teftimony be approved chri/tus " worthy and fit. And fo going on to prove the Divine Right hereof he ad- unaEble- deth, " which was before done fo diligently and cauteloufly, the peoplebeing fa " all called together, left any unworthy perfon fhould creep into the Miniftry Aliud Al." of the Altar, or the placeofPriefthood. For that the unworthy are fome- tare con- "times ordained, not according to the Will ofGod, but according to the pre- Pus, aut " fumption of Man ;.and that thefe things are difpleafing to God which come Saeerdoti- um no " not of legitimate and juil Ordination, God himfelf doth manifeff by the vum $ fieri pro). ." Prophet Ofee, Paying, Theymade themfelves a King, but not by me : And there- ter union '" fore it is diligently to be-obferved, and held of Divine Tradition and Apo- Altare b " ftolical Obfervation, whichwith us alfo and almoft all the,Provinces is held, unum Sa- cerdotium rightcelebrating Ordinations, " that for the of all the p next Bitho s of the fame non pored. " Province do come together,to thatpeople over whom the Bifhop(or Prelate) " is Pet, and that the Bifhop be appointed them, (or aligned) thepeoplebeing " prefent who fuliyeft know the life of every one, and have throughly Peen the " aft of every ones Converfation : which altowe faw done with you in theOr- " dination of Sabinus our Colleague, that the Office of a Bifhop was given " (or delivered) him, and hands impofed on him, in the place of Baftlides, by the fuffrage ofthe whole Fraternity, and by the judgment of the Bifhops that hadmet together and had Pent you Letters concerning him. And before Sect. 4. Deus inßruit, &c. " God inftruéïeth andJheweth that " the Ordinations of Priefts (that is, Bithops) ought not to be done but under the "Confcience (that is, prefent fight and confent) . of the affifting people, that the . Laity
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