H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which now at length being 70. years…H. Zanchius his confession of Christian religion Which novve at length being 70. yeares…

The holy fathers therefore in times past thus considering these matters, so appointed this order in the clergy, that all the rest of the clerks should be maintained and guided of the presbytery or Elders with singular care & diligence. And that among the Elders, the bishop, as a consul among the Senators of a common wealth, should bear the chiefest care and governance both of the whole church, and also peculiarly of the whole order of the clergy. And in all ⟨p. 342⟩the greatest and most populous congregations they ordained bishops, and to each of them they committed the next congregations, which were in little towns & villages, & decreed that the elders & curates of those congregations whom they called Chorepiscopi: country or petty-bishops, should every one hearken & obey the bishop & presbytery next unto them. These those superior bishops did call together, & all their whole clergy, and did instruct them in knowledge, and the diligent execution of their office. But whereas it was the Lords will, that his people should mutually love among them selves, and should mutually care one for another, even as far and wide as might be possible (for all christians are one body:) the holy fathers ordained that the bishops of each province (for then all the romaine jurisdictions were distributed into provinces) should meet together with their presbyteries, so often as the necessity of the churches required: but always twice in the year, and there they should enquire concerning Christs doctrine and discipline, how the same was administered, and how it prospered in the churches: that where they found any default, they might correct it: that which they knew to be well, they might confirm and set forward. And that these Synods might also be ordered aright and orderly, they would have the Metropolitan, the bishops of every mother city, to be the chief directors, to call them together and to guide ⟨p. 343⟩them: For in each province, the head city, wherein was the mansion or seat of the chief governor, was called Metropolis, or the mother city. And therefore they enjoined unto these Metro. politaine bishops a certain care & charge over all the churches throughout their province: that if they should understand of any thing taught or done amiss either of the ministers of the churches or of the common sort, that they should give warning thereof in time:

The holy fathers therefore in times past thus considering these matters, so appointed this order in the clergy, that al the rest of the clerks should be maintained and guided of the presbiterie or Elders with singular care & diligence. And that among the Elders, the bishop, as a consull among the Senators of a cōmō wealth, should beare the chiefest care and gouernāce both of the whole church, and also peculiarly of the whole order of the cleargie. And in all