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in a Presbytery.7 No Presbyteries mentioned in the Word of God, ever exceed that latter size.8
In many Patristic Churches there were approximately seven Congregations associated in each Presbytery, and then again seven such Presbyteries associated together in one Regional Synod. Thus that famous authority on the Westminster Assembly, Rev. Dr. Alexander F. Mitchell, notes in his essay on the early pre-papal Keltic Church that the latter was ‘High' Presbyterian. Mitchell explains that "in South Britain, there were ‘Bishops' [alias Over-seers].. .with distinct ‘Sees’ [alias Sessions]. There were at least seven in Wales at the time of the conference.. .with Austin of Canterbury [around A.D. 600]…. They seem to have been [guided] by ‘Tribal Bishops’ …[and were] located in groups of seven near each other."
