( 79) been in doubt whether thole Bithops that had but one or two Presbyters,fhouid have one taken from them to make a Bithop of, whichwas yet affirmatively decreed, becaufe there may bemore foundfit to make Presbyters of, where it's hard to findany fit to be Bifhops. I will fpeak itin the words ofthe learnedBithop Billone Perpet> Govern. c. 13. p. a56. [ " In greater Churches they had great numbers of Presbyters : In "ftnaller they had often two, fomewhere one, and fometimes none. And "yet for all this defeat of Presbyters, the Bithops then didnot refrain to im- "pofe hands without them. The number of Presbyters in inanyplaces were "twoin a Church, as Ambrofewriteth on ITim. 3. fometimes but one. Lì 'ç the thirdCouncil Carthag. when it wts agreed that the Primate ofthat City ." might take the Presbyters ofevery Diocefe andOrdain them Bithops for fuch " places as defired them, though the Bithop under whom the Presbyter before lived were unwilling to (pare him, Pollhumianus a Bifhop demanded, [what "ifa Bithop have but one only Presbyter, mutt that one,be taken from him ?] "Aurelius the Bithop of Carthage. anfwered, One Bithop may. Ordain many. "Presbyters, but a Presbyter fit for a Bithoprick is not eafily found : where-. "fore ifa man have but one only Presbyter,and fit for the room of a Bithop, he "ought to yield that one tobe Ordained. Polihumianus replied, Then ifano- ther Bithop have a number of Clerks, that others frore fhould relieve him.. " Aurelius anfwered, Surely as you `helped another.Church, fohe that hath "many Clerks fhall.be driven to (pare you one of them, to be ordairied by *not many, "you ] A Diocefe fuch as is intimatedhere, wedo not ftrive againfi.. churches,. XXIV. Another evidence is that when ever we read ofperfecution turning theChriftians out oftheir Churches, you ever find them gathered into oneCon- gregation, when they could have leifure and place to meet in, and ufually a Bithop with them ; milefs he were banithed, imprifoned, or martyred, and then tome Presbyter fupplied the place : or unlefs they were fcattered into many little parcels. And you find no talk of the perfecution of multitudes ofCountrey Presbyters afar off, but ofthe Bithopwith his City. Presbyters and' Church. To which add that it was One Church 1h11, which rejected, obtru- ded Bithops, and refufed to obey the 'Emperour who impofed them. All this .. is manifelt in Gregory Neocefár. his flight with Muínius, and the hate of his Church : In the Cafe ofBafil 3 and of LUÇius the obtruded Bilhop at Alexan dria, and in the Cafe of Antioch before defcribed, and of Rome it felt. It's.. tedious to cite numerous teltimoníes in a well known cafe. If Alexandria; was in fuch a cafe, or near it, I hope you will doubt of no other Churches.. And that with this you may fee what Conventicler the Chriitians kept when the: Emperours forbad them, and how refolutely the Bithops preached when the Emperoors fìlenced them,I willrecite the words of Baronnes himfelf,and in him: ofUionjfeasAlexandr.. aped Eafèb.lib. 7. c.'io. & c. 17. and cyprian ep. 5. &c.. in Baron.adan. 57. p 542. that thofe who cry out againit Preaching and 'Con- ". vepticles, when they are but firong enough to drive .others our of the Temples; may better underhandthemfalves. zguaadá.;
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