flutedunto the antis of Chrift's Inftitutiozz. i 37 poflles 'appointed that there fhould be Bifhops or Elders ordained Afv, that is, in every City and Town where Chriftian Religion was received; and Clemens affirmeth, that they did thernfelves conftitute Eifbops and Deacons rye Vpxs x`, or6Aes, in the Regions, or Villages and Cities' 3 et there was another Form afterwards introduced. Theodcret SiChop of Cprros affirms, that there were eight hundred Churches committed to his care, Fpift. 113. whereof many were in Towns and Cities having no Bifhop of their own. The whole Country ofScythia, though there were in it many Cities, Villages and For- tretfes , yet had but one Sifhop, whole Refdence was at Tomis, all other. Churches being under him; as Zo- zomen declares, lib. 6. cap. 20. So it is at this day in divers Provinces belonging of old unto the Greelt- Church ; as in Moldavia and Walachia , where they have one whom they call the 71yß Sys®.., the Reader or Ruler that prefides over all the Churches in the Nation. And this O: der of things, that there thould not be a Ei- fhop in frnallerChurches, was 6rft confirmed in the fxth Canon of the Council of Sardis, in the Year 347. In Anfwer hereunto I [hall do thefe two things. Firer, I [hall [laew that there is no Church Order, State, or Church-Form ofDivine Inftitution, that dòth any way impede, take away, or overthrow the Liberty, Power and Order of particular Congregations, fuch as we have defcribed. Secondly, I (hall enquire into the caufes of Churches of another State or Order, as the Power of Magiftrates and Rulers, or their own choice and con- tent. r. There is no Form, Order, or Church flee Divinely Infiituted, thatfhould annul the Infitutionof particular Congregations, or abridge them of their Liberties, or de- prive themof the Power committedunto them. T It
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=