Cf « CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC CC cc cC CC CC ,CC GG Cc CC CC CC CC cr Cc a Cc r55] theancient Church, which reprefents to us an Image of the Divine Iníli- tution. For altho' the Bithops of thofe Times publilhed many Canons, in which they Teem to exprefs more than isexpreffed in theHolyScriptures; yet they framed their whole OEco- nomy with fo much Regard to that only Rule, the Word of God, ,that you may eafily fee, they have fcarce any thing, in this refpet, different from the Word of God All thofe who were enjoin'd the (Dutyof teach- . ing, they called Presbyters. Thefe, in every City, chofe one of their ownNumber, towhom they fpecially gave the Name of Bithop, let, as commonly happens, Dentionsfhould arife froman Equality.---That eve- ry Province had among the Bithops one Archbithop, and that in the Council of Nice, Patriarchs were appointed fuperior to Archbifhops in Order and Dignity, this appertained to the Prefervation of Difcipiine. --- The Government fo conflituted fore call theHierarchy, an improperWord, (as I think') certainly not ufed in. Scripture But to pafs by theWord, if we regard the thing itfelf, we thall find that the ancient Bithops were willing to frame no other Form cc of
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