(40) Cap. z 5. bath, the fame Evidence : The Bithop difpenfeth all theGoods and Lands of the Church, to all that need, but mull not appropriate them to his Kindred, &c. but de themby the confent of his Presbytersand Deacons. XX. Coned. Carthag. 4. cap. r4. The. Bifhop's dwelling was to be near the Church. (But ifhe had many Churches,they would have told which.) Can.17. The Bithop was toexercife thecare of Government ofWidows, Orphans, and Strangers by his Arch-Presbyter and Arch -Deacon ("which Iheweth that they had not many Churches.; where each appropriate Presbyter and Deacons did it.) Can. 22. ThePeoples.confent and teílimonywas neceffary to every Clerk ordained : , (which fheweth how large the Churches or People were.) Can. 35. The Bithop is ordered to fit above the Presbyters in the Church, and in their Confefs ; but at home to know himfelf to be their Colleague: which theweth that they were all belonging to one Church, and not to many far from each other. 'XXI. 'Concil. Laodic. Presbyters mutt not go into the Church (or Sacrarium as the other Ed.) before the Bithop, nor fit in the Seats, but muff go in with the Bithop, orfit in lower Seats (till he comes.) Which Iheweth that they were all in one Church. And if therehad been many Churches diftant where there were no Bithops but Presbyters only, it's like that Cafe would have been ex- cepted, as well as is the Cafe ofthe Bifhop's. [ Sick{nefs andPeregrination.] See Binnius three Verfions, To. r. pag. 292. and Crab's two Vol. r. pag. 3ro. Can. 28. Forbidding the Agape, or Church Feaftsto bemade in the Church, implieth that other Houfescould contain the Church Members. And Can. 58. Forbidding Oblationes fieri vet celebrari in domibus ab Epifeop o vel Presbyteris, doth thew that till they built Chappels there was but one Congregation in City, which was where theBithop was. XXII. Decretum Innocent. r. P. Rom. (in Crab, Vol. r: pag. 45;.) Dicit, De confignandis infantibus manifeflum eft non ab alio, quam ab Epifcopis fieri licere : Nam Presbyteri hat fint Sacerdotes, Ponti$catus tarnen apicem non babent, &c. And for how many one Bithop can do this with all his other work alfo, you may judge. XXIII. (To look back,) Conci!. Carthag. 2. Can 3. decreeth, [Çhrifmatis confeetio, Û' puellarum confecratio a Presbyteris non fiant : Vel reconciliarequenquam in publica mitfa, Presbvteronon licere.] (Crab. pag. 424.) But this being anor- dinary publick work, this fuppofet the Bifhop Rill prefent in every Church to do it, and tohave a Church no more numerous than he could do it for : whereas if Difcipline were but moderately exercifed according to the ancient Canons, there could not be fewer than many hundreds in a day for the Bithop either to excommunicate or abfoive In this Diocefs whereI live, Leg. Albafiin. Not. pag. 268. And the fourthCan. fortifieth.this by this exception, Si quif- quant
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