Chap. 5. the. 24. Diuision.
Galerianus Maximinus the Emperour to the ende that he might promote the idolatrie, and* 1.1 superstition where vnto he was addicted, chose o〈1 line〉〈1 line〉 the choysest magistrates to be priestes, and that they might be in great estimation gaue eche of them a trayne of men to followe them: (a) 1.2 and now the Christians and Christian Emperours thinking that that would promote the Christian reli∣gion, that promoted superstition, and not remembring that it is often tymes abhominable before God, which is esteemed in the eies of men▪ endeuoured to make their Bishops encoūter and match with those idolatrous priestes, and to cause that they should not be inferiour to them in wealth and outwarde pompe. And therefore I conclude, that seing the causes and fountaynes, from whence this pompe and statelinesse of Bishops haue come, are so corrupt and naught, the thing it self which hath rysen of such causes can not be good.
There is no such thing in that place of Eusebius quoted in your margent: for in that booke and chapter of Eusebius, he onely sheweth that Inchaunters and Sorcerers were greatly estéemed of Maximinus, and that he buylded Churches of Idols in euery Citie, and appoynted idolatrous Priestes in euery place, also that he placed in euery prouince one to be chiefe ouer the rest, & furnished him with souldiers and seruants: but there is not one woorde, that any Christian Prince toke any example of him to do the like in Christianitie. It rather appeareth that Maximinus did in this point imitate the Christians, who had theyr Metropolitanes, and one chiefe Bishop in euery pro∣uince long before this time, as I haue declared before. And I sée no cause why you should say that Christians did follow the Gentiles rather in prouiding for the mini∣sters of the Gospell sufficiently, than in buylding of Churches in euery Citie, and pla∣cing ministers in them, for Maximinus did this aswell as he did the other. This I am well assured of, that there is no such signification in that place of Eusebius, that any Christian Prince should follow this example. And therefore your conclusion beyng collected and gathered of such false and vntrue coniectures, must néedes be lyke vnto them.
I do not speake to mayntayne any excessiue or outrageous pompe, but I speake of the 〈1 line〉〈1 line〉egrees in the Ecclesiasticall state, and of the manners and conditions of the persons, as they be now according to the lawes and customes allowed in this Church of England.