A treatise of episcopacy confuting by Scripture, reason, and the churches testimony that sort…

He next, Cap. 1. laboureth much to prove that the words Ecclesia, Paraecia, and Diocaesis, of old were of the s••e signification; About words we have no mind to strive: But all the proofs that he brings of the extent of a Church to more than one Congregation or Altar, are fetched from later times, when indeed Churches were transformed into Societies much different from those before them.

He next, Cap. 1. laboureth much to prove that the words Ecclesia, Paraecia, and Diocaesis, of old were of the s••e signification; About words we have no mind to strive: But all the proofs that he brings of the extent of a Church to more than one Congregation or Altar, are fetcht from later times, when indeed Churches were transformed into Societies much different from those before them.

He citeth Concil. Carth. 2. c. 5. & 3. 42, 43, &c. that places that had no Bishops before should not receive Bishops without the consent of the Bishop whom they were before under. Indeed by these Canons we see much of the state of the Church in those times, and partly how the Case was altered. Every Church had a Bishop of its own: Those Churches were almost all first planted in Cities: The multitudes were Heathens: but the City Christians with those in the Country near them, were enow to make a Church or Congregation. In time so many were Converted in the Country Villages, that they were allowed Assemblies like our Chapels at home: And some of them had Country Bishops set over them: And in many places greater Towns (which they then called Cities) were anew converted. The Presbyters that were abroad among these new Converts or scattered Christians, made them know that every Church should have a Bishop, and that they might choose one of their own: And few Presbyters being then Learned able men in Comparison of the Bishops, by this advantage of presence among them, many raw and schismatical Presbyters crept into the Peoples affections, and persuaded them to choose ⟨p. 57⟩them for their Bishops: when they were chosen and ordained, they encroached on the rest of the old Bishops Diocese, and also refused to come to the Synods, lest their failings should be known, pretending that they must stay with their own People. Now the Bishops that complained of this, did not allege, 1. That no Bishop should be made but in a City, 2. Nor that when Christians multiplied, they must not multiply Bishops accordingly, but all be under their first Bishop only, 3. Nor that a new Congregation had not as good right to have and choose a Bishop of their own, as the first City Congregation had. But only to keep ignorant Schismatical Presbyters from deceiving the People for their own exaltation, and from hindering Synodical Concord, they Decreed that none in their Dioceses should have Bishops, without the first Bishops consent; And that being so Consecrated they should frequent Synods, and should be Bishops only of that People that first chose them, and not encroach on the rest of the Diocese. And whereas he hence gathereth that the Country Churches [ever from the beginning belonged to the City Bishops.]