about limits the Apostles made no new distributions but followed the form of the Empire planting in every City a compleat and entire Church that consisted not only of the Inhabitants of the City but of the Region belonging to it If any were converted and if their distance or number made them incapable of repairing to the City-Church upon all their Religious occasions they had Congregations apart and subordinate Officers to attend them as it was in the civil disposition our Saviour having appointed several Orders in his Church and the Apostles propagating those and appointing some new as occasion required Only as in greater causes the Country people sued in the City Courts so likewise in such causes of Religion that concerned the whole community such as that of receiving in and turning out of the communion the Christians of the Territory were under the authority of the City-Church Hence it is that the Canons of ancient Councils mention a Territory belonging to every City Bishop The thirty fourth Canon (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. Ap. 34. of those called Apostolick forbids a Bishop to do any thing without the concurrence of his Metropolitan but what related to his own Diocese and the Territories under it And the ninth of Nice that provides so favourably for the Puritans when they should return to the communion of the Church supposeth Bishops to have a considerable Diocese besides their City For by this it is ordered that if a Bishop of the Puritans should embrace Catholick Communion and there were another Bishop of the Catholick Church in the same City that then (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. Nicen. 8. the Puritan should either retain the title of a Bishop in the same City if the other did think fit or else be received as a Presbyter But least this may have the appearance of two Bishops in the same Town some place is to be provided for him that he may be either a Chorepiscopus or a Presbyter in the Country The Synod of Antioch forbids the Presbyters of the Territories to send Canonical letters and in another gives the Bishop of the City full authority (y) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. Antioch 9. to order Ecclesiastical affairs not only in his City but in the whole Territory that belongs to it to ordain Presbyters and Deacons to exercise Jurisdiction within the extent of his Diocese And in the next Canon forbids (z) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Can. Antioch 10. the Chorepiscopi to ordain Presbyters or Deacons in the Country without the consent of the Bishop of the City to which they and the Territory did belong The Council of Elvira speaks of Deacons (a) Diaconus regens plebem Can. Eliber 77. that had Country cures and that the Bishop to whom they belonged was to perfect those who were baptized by these Curees by confirmation Basil (b) Basil ep 192. salutes the Country Clergy of the Diocese of Nicopolis distinct from those of the City and Theodoret who had a Diocese forty miles square reckoned (c) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. ep 42. his Episcopacy of divine institution and that his large Territory as well as his City was committed into his hands by God Theodosius Bishop of Synnada is said to drive the Macedonian Hereticks not only out of his City but (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socr. l. 7. c. 3. out of all his Territories And Eustathius (e) Basil ep 73. overthrew all the Altars of Basilides in all the Territory of Gangrae And Synesius writing to the whole Church of Ptolemais addresseth to the people of the City and to those of the Country Parishes that belonged to it It would be an endless labour to alledge all the instances of this nature since nothing is more obvious and occurs more frequently in Ecclesiastical Writers I have shewed how great Territories belonged anciently to the Greek and Roman Cities how unlike their constitution was to ours and especially in this respect I have also shewed that the civil and Ecclesiastical Territories were the same and Mr. Clerkson confesses it His demands therefore concerning this matter receive a full answer and the proof which he (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synes ep 11. required not without intimation of despair made good and beyond all reasonable exception To make this matter yet more clear I will instance in some Bishopricks whose extent are known or so much at leastwise as discovers them to be Dioceses consisting of many Country Parishes besides the City Churches I will begin with the Bishoprick of Theodoret because the limits of it have been described with greatest exactness and particularity The Diocese of Cyrus was forty miles in length and as much in breadth And Theodoret (h) Theod. ep 42. proceeds to describe it so minutely that he sets down the number of acres together with the condition and tenure of the land There were fifty thousand free from any service ten thousand belonging to the Fisc about fifteen thousand more subject to taxes but unable to pay according to the proportion then set So that this instance seems clear beyond all exception And as to the Ecclesiastical state of this Territory in his Epistle to Leo he says (i) Theod. ep 113. there were eight hundred Churches in it all belonging to his care Yet some have endeavoured to take off the evidence of this Epistle to Leo when it was urged by the learned Bishop of Worcester Mr. Baxter suspects it because it came from the Vatican Library and Mr. Clerkson (l) No evid of Dioc. Ep. p. 39. suggests the same suspition But this frivolous cavil hath been answered by the same hand that alledged the instance I will take the liberty to add only this that it happens fortunately to this Epistle that it hath an ancient voucher and a clear testimony in the next age after it was written For Liberatus (m) Quos secutus Theodoretus Papae suggessit quanta mala pertulerit rogans ut tali causae subveniretur Liber Brev. c. 12. makes mention of it and informs us that Theodoret wrote to Leo suggesting how much he had suffered of Dioscorus and desiring that for the remedy of these evils another Council might be called And (n) Constat ex ep p. 113 116. Garner in Liber p. 83. Garnerius in his observation upon this place directs us to this Epistle to Leo. Mr. Clerkson instead of eight hundred Churches constantly reads eighty without so much as giving notice that it is only his conjecture But be the number how it will we must lay aside all thoughts of Congregational Episcopacy in this Region Another exception against this instance is offered by Mr. Clerkson (o) No evid of Dioc. p. 39. that this was not a Diocese but a Province and that Theodoret was a Metropolitan And for this he quotes the learned Author whose testimonies he pretended to answer although he expresly says that this is not to be
this diffidence and caution does that Learn'd Man propose his Opinion which together with the testimonies upon which it is grounded (a) Vindic. of the Prim. Ch. p. 34. and Seq has been considered at large in another place and I am not willing here to transcribe Yet that I may not seem to decline an Answer in this place I will give the sum of what is there answer'd and add something for future explication First then Altar in the primitive sense signify'd not only the Communion Table but the whole place where the Chair of the Bishop and the Seats of the Presbyters were plac'd and in this sense there was but one Altar in one Diocese as there is now but one Consistory This is explain'd by passages out of Ignatius Cyprian and Arch-Bishop Vsher and to be within the Altar which is Ignatius his phrase is no other than to be in Communion with the Bishop and his Clergy And the one Altar is no more than one Communion which may be held in different places and at several Tables Besides some passages cited out of Ignatius about one Altar are only allusive to the Jewish Temple and Altar and therefore are not to be urg'd too strictly Lastly the name of Altar might be appropriated to that of the Bishop's Church upon another account and that is in respect of the oblations of the Faithful which were presented there only and from thence distribution was made according to the occasions of the Church Among other oblations was the Bread and the Wine which were to serve for the Sacrament these were always bless'd at the Bishops Altar though not always consecrated there Concerning these oblations preparatory to the Sacrament Mr. Mede has given a judicious account in his Treatise of the Sacrifice where he shews these Offerings were in the nature of a Sacrifice and upon the account of these gifts the Table might receive its name of Altar For as the Jews had but one Altar on which their Sacrifices were offer'd and sanctify'd yet were they eaten at several Tables so the Bishops Altar might serve to the same purpose at least within the same City to receive those Oblations which were to be communicated in different places This was the practice of Rome in Pope Innocent (a) Innoc. Ep. ad Decent the first his time who sent the Bread allready consecrated to all the Churches of the City but did not send any to such Presbyters as were plac'd in remote Cemiteries since they might consecrate themselvs and as for Country Parishes he did not think it convenient the Holy Consecrated Bread should be sent to them for it was not fit it should be carry'd to places remote So all though not present in the same place did yet partake of one Altar and eat of the same Spiritual Bread And to this purpose perhaps may most commodiously be understood that noted passage of Justin Martyr concerning the administration of the Eucharist in Christian Assemblies where he says that the Deacons distribute it to all that are present and carry it to those who are not present For to all who were not present as they were dispers'd in their several dwellings it could not conveniently be carry'd by the Deacons besides that in numerous Congregations it was not easy to know who was not present Nor is Valesius (a) Annot. in Euseb l. 5. c. 24. his conjecture very probable who would send it to persons of other Dioceses So that it seems most probable that it was carry'd from the Bishop's Church to other Assemblies in the same City Nor will this look strange for those times that the Holy Bread should be sent from the Bishops Altar to other Churches of the same City when it was usual to send it into remote Countries and Dioceses as a symbol of Communion The old Bishops of Rome before (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb H. E. l. 5. c 24. Victor's time us'd to send such presents and (c) Act. Lucian ap Metaph. 7. Jan. Lucian the Martyr sent them from his Prison So Paulinus (d) Paul Ep. 1. did to Severus This practice was forbid by the Synod (e) Can. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Ladicea that the holy Mysteries should not be sent abroad into other Dioceses which Zonaras observes to have been a very ancient custom And this forbidding it to be carry'd into other Dioceses seems to allow its being carry'd from the Bishop's Church to other places of the same Diocese After Mr. Mede (a) Prim. Ep. p. 16. Dr. Hammond is brought in a witness of this notion of one Altar (b) In re incomperta non est audacter nimis pronunciandum Ham. Diss 3. c. 8. s. 15. He mentions it indeed as the opinion of some learned Men but he himself makes no judgment concerning it leaving the matter as uncertain and declining to pronounce any thing in a point so obscure Bishop Taylor (c) Episc Assert is likewise forc'd to appear in this cause meerly because he cited Damasus in the life of Pope Marcellus who is said to have made twenty five Titles as so many Dioceses for Baptism and Penance From whence the Bishop is said (d) Prim. ep p. 16. to infer that there was yet no preaching in Parishes and but one pulpit in a Diocese And further Damasus and the Doctor out of him leaves us evidently to conclude that there was no Communion Table but in the mother Church And this three hundred and five years after Christ and at Rome too It is not very advisable to conclude any thing too hastily upon the authority of this pretended Damasus it costs such counterfeits nothing to build twenty Churches in a day and to consign them to what use they please But this Impostor as he had little wit so in this instance his luck was very bad to make so many Converts and to erect so many Titles in the year three hundred and five when the Roman Emperors were persecuting the Christians to utter extirpation and when there was not a Church or Title standing in Rome This was the third year of the Persecution according to (a) Baluz Chron. Mart. ex Lact. Dodw. Di. 8. Cypr. XI Lactantius or the second according to Eusebius and therefore a sorry time for Converts and making of Titles and Baptistries So that the relation being fabulous and forg'd by one who had no knowledg of those times the inferences made from it must drop It was surely not very well contriv'd to multiply Churches for Baptism and to leave but one Communion Table for all the Christians of Rome For one Baptistry may serve the greatest City because men are baptiz'd but once and that not all together but at several times and in ancient times no City had more unless where the magnificence of Emperors or Bishops made as it were many Cathedrals And at this time in the City of Florence (b) Pflaumern Merc. Ital. Lasselina reckon'd among
he was only a Monk but our Author in his haste was pleas'd to create him a Bishop But if he does too much honour to his person by one mistake he does as much disgrace his seat by another For though Stephanus make Hypselis a Village yet was it not so when Arsenius was Bishop there for this Arsenius the Meletian Bishop so famous in the story of Athanasius (s) Athan. Ap. 2. p. 786. T. 1. styles himself Bishop of the City of Hypselis Socrates speaking of the same person says (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socr. l. 1. c. 32. that he subscrib'd the condemnation of Athanasius as Bishop of the City of Hypselis with the same right hand which was pretended to have been cut off by Athanasius and Epiphanius (u) Epiph. Haer. 66. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speaking of this place gives it the same title For giving an account of Scythianus the Father of the Manichean doctrin he says that he came to Thebais to a City call'd Hypselis And to conclude Ptolomy (x) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes it the Metropolis of the Country call'd from it Hypseliotes (y) Prim. Ep. p. 21. Dracontius being made a Bishop in the territory of Alexandria could have no City for his seat (z) Athan. Ep. ad Drac Our Author pronounces too rashly from this passage for the Territory of Alexandria is the same with its Nomus or Prefecture and in the same Nomus there may be more Cities than one otherwise all Egypt must have but six and thirty Cities for into so many Nomi it was divided But that this Dracontius had a City for his seat our Author might have learnt from Athanasius (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. Ep. ad Antioch in a place which is often cited in this chapter It was Hermopolis the lesser which Ptolomy (b) Ptol. l 4. Steph. places in the Alexandrian Region and the only place he mentions there besides Alexandria (c) Prim. Ep. p. 21. Secontaurus was a very small and contemptible Village that Ischyras was made Bishop of containing so few Inhabitants that there was never Church there before And is this then to be a model of Primitive Episcopacy But this place deserves a more particular consideration This Ischyras who pretended to be a Presbyter of Meletius or Colluthus his Ordination accus'd Athanasius of forcing his Church overthrowing his Communion-Table and breaking the Chalice although it was prov'd he never was a Presbyter nor had any Church for there never had been any in his Village For a reward of calumny this Hamlet was erected into a Bishop's seat by Constantius in opposition to the Catholick faith to the rules of the Church and to (d) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. Ap. p. 802. p. 793. ancient tradition and usage of that Country Athanasius (e) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athan. Ap. 2. p. 802. Socr. l. 1. c. 27. is very particular in his Description of this place which was made the scene of his Accusation and tells us that Mareotis the Region in which this Village was had always belong'd to the Bishop of Alexandria as part of his Diocese that here never had been a Bishop nor so much as a Chorepiscopus before Ischyras but the Villages were distributed to Presbyters some having ten some more of them to make up one Parish In this Region there were fourteen Parish Presbyters and thirteen Deacons as appears by their subscriptions to the Letter they sent to the Synod of Tyre on the behalf of their Bishop This was the state of that place and since our Author was not asham'd of urging this instance to countenance his notion I am content the whole cause should be try'd upon this issue and that it may be judg'd by this instance which Episcopacy was the primitive Diocesan or Congregational Here was a large Region that had many Churches and many more Villages so near Alexandria that they could not want Christians in the earliest times yet we are assur'd by a (f) Athan. Ap. 2. p. 792. competent Judge of this matter that this Region never had a Bishop of its own but was always under the Bishop of Alexandria who at certain times visited it in person But about three hundred years after St. Mark had planted the Church of Alexandria Constantius upon the Instigation of the Arians made one of the least of these Villages a Bishop's seat against all Rule and Prescription as Athanasius contends Judge then which is most ancient or most primitive in this place the Diocesan or the Parish Bishop And since the council of Sardica is obliquely tax'd by Mr. Clerkson as guilty of Innovation upon the account of forbidding Bishops to be made in Villages excepting such where Bishops had been formerly made This passage is sufficient to clear and justifie that Canon against frivolous reflections since it appears from hence that there was too much reason to put a check to the innovations of the Arians who for the encouragement and strengthning of the party took upon them to multiply Bishopricks contrary to the ancient tradition and practice of the Church (g) Prim. Ep. p. 21. That was little better where the (h) Gro. Alex. p. 110. Anon. 345. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writers of the life of Chrysostom tell us Theophilus of Alexandria setled a Bishop How long shall we have Innovations urg'd upon us for proof of Primitive Episcopacy Theophilus is justly blam'd by all the writers of Chrysostom's life for erecting new Bishopricks against the Canons of the Church in places unseemly and where there had been no Bishop before And such wâ—â— this place which our Author has produc'd for an Episcopal seat it never had any Bishop before Theophilus ordain'd one there A happy place where primitive Episcopacy began about four hundred years after Christ when from the days of St. Mark to that time it had lain under the yoke of Diocesan Usurpation Having travell'd through Egypt not with the usual curiosity to see great Cities and Pyramids but with an humble inquisitiveness to look for Villages and the obscurest places that had been the seats of Bishops let us now sit down and recollect what we have observ'd We have found after great search that two Villages in Lybia where Cities are not very frequent once in distracted times had a Bishop though they had been Parishes belonging to Erythros for near four hundred years after Christ One Village we find had a succession of two Bishops but the circumstances of the place or people are altogether unknown Another Village we observ'd in Lybia that gave name to a people and had a considerable territory Four Cities we mistook for Villages not because they were small but for want of skill One Village wanted nothing of a City but the name and to make amends for this defect a large Country was joyn'd to it One was made a Bishops seat for private ends about the beginning of the
the title of Ordo Provincialis of which I must give a more particular account hereafter And for the Testimony of Sozomen it is to be observ'd that he mentions the ordaining of Bishops in Arabia and in Cyprus as a thing unusual and of rare example because he compares it with the practice of the Scythians who had but one Bishop for a Nation though they had many Cities But let us leave this wild Country and follow our Author whither he is pleas'd to lead (e) Prim. Ep. p. 21 22. In Syria Theodoret tells us of Paul a Confessor in the Persecution by Licinius one of the Fathers of the first Council of Nice and Bishop of Neocaesarea which he says is a Castle or a Fort near Euphrates Why this place should be reckon'd among Villages I can see no reason since the word (f) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. Hist Eccl. l. 1. c. 7. which he renders Castle or Fort signifies any fortify'd place for even Cities pass under this name as Gotofred (g) Etsi non sim nescius de omnibus munitis locis in quibus civitates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quoque dici Gotofr in l. 15. de Erog Mil. Annon has observed and those places which Eunapius (h) Eunap excerp leg calls Fortresses Ammianus Marcellinus (i) Ammian Marc. l. 18. p. 187. styles Cities and Pinaca a City of the Parthians upon the Tygris is styl'd by Strabo (l) Strab. l. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fortress consisting of three Castles which made it in a manner a Tripolis i. e. three Cities It is not therefore fair to reduce this Town into the condition of a Village because it was a Garrison and a fortify'd place whereas notwithstanding this it might have been a City but I will not contend about words For though this place should have been no better than a Village yet are we never the nearer to know the extent of this Confessor's Bishoprick unless our Author would think fit to confine him within the walls for perhaps the bounds of this Diocese were laid out when the Castle was besieg'd (m) P. 22. Maronia is describ'd by Jerom to be a Village 30 miles from Antioch and we meet (n) Georg. Alex. vit Chrys p. 236. with a Bishop there and the name of him Timothy That there was such a Village Jerom (o) Hieron in vit Malchi Mon. tells us but that it had a Bishop neither he nor any body else ever said before our Author This little place indeed had a Church and was the possession of Evagrius a Kinsman of St. Jerom who was sometime Bishop of Antioch and probably this Village though distant 30 miles did belong to that City But George in the life of Chrysostom saith it had a Bishop named Timothy He says indeed that there was a Bishop of Maronia but that this was the place neither he nor any body else affirm'd before There were two Cities of this name one in the Syrian Chalcis and the other in Thrace both which Ptolomy (p) Ge. Ptol. l. 5. l. 3. mentions The Bishop of the latter in all probability was the person who suffer'd in the cause of Chrysostom for he was of his Province Thrace having long before been subject to Constantinople and in less then 30 years after we find one (q) Docimasius Diaecesis Thraciae Provinciae Rhodopes Civitatis Maroniae Conc. Eph. p. 535. Ed. Labb Docimasius Bishop of that City among the subscribers of the first Council of Ephesus and many ages before this Polybius (r) Polyb. Hist l. 5. makes mention of this City To proceed Athanasius (s) Athan. Ep. ad Solitar vit deg p. 812. T. 1. gives us the name of a Bishop in Calanae and of another in Siemium which were Villages or such obscure inconsiderable places as no Geographer takes notice of King James his Regulators were not more dangerous men to the Franchises of our Corporations than this Author is to ancient Cities for if there be but a letter amiss the Charter is forfeited and it sinks into an obscure Village This is the case of Calanae because there is a C. where there should be a B. our Author has dis-franchis'd it The place where Euphration was Bishop was Balanea so it is writ in Antonin's Itinerary 27 miles from Gabala and 24 from Antaradus Stephanus (t) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Steph. styles it a City of Phoenicia in his time call'd Leueas and adds that Epicrates had writ an Encomium upon it Ptolomy (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ptol. l. 5. names it next to Paltis and so does (x) Plin. l. 5. Pliny in the same order it lies in Athanasius But why must this be Euphration's Town Because the same Euphration among the subscribers of the first council of Nice writes himself Bishop of Balaneae but I have better proof than this it is because Athanasius himself makes him Bishop of that City For speaking of the Bishops who were depriv'd for adhering to him he says (y) Athan. Ap. 1. Initio that Balaneae mourns for Euphration For Siemium whether it be a Village or a City or any thing I cannot tell 't is possibly a mistake of the Copist for the name of some City For it is not likely that Athanasius who had Bishops of the principal Cities of all parts sufferers for his sake would think fit to omit so many of considerable and known titles and to name the Bishop of a place unknown to all Geographers Here may be room for conjecture but I dare not venture knowing the temper of my Adversaries to be too captious to make necessary allowance for critical divination But it is in vain it seems to contend (z) Prim. Ep. p. 22. for the Council of Antioch in their Synodal Epistle (a) Euseb H. E. l. 7. concerning Paulus Samosatenus mention (b) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops both in Country and Cities These Country Bishops who were the flatterers of Paulus Samosatenus Valesius (c) Chorepiscopos intelligere videtur eos enim distinguit Epistola ab Episcopis Urbium Vale. takes to be Chorepiscopi and the meaness of their behaviour makes it probable that they were of his own Diocese and had dependence upon him But whatever they were it does not appear from this or any thing else that they were Parish Bishops for even the Chorepiscopi had many Villages and Congregations under their superintendence Let it not seem tedious to the Reader that he is led on through Villages only and obscure places for it is in his way to the holy Land yet to mortify his curiosity he must not see either Jerusalem or Caesarea or any other City only he may if he please take notice that in Palestine Jamnia (d) Prim. ep p. 22. was a Village in Strabo's account so is Lydda in Josephus yet both Bishops seats in Tyrius his Catalogue so is Nais there and
the site of many of those places is at this time as uncertain as where Simon the Tanner's house stood in Joppa or Pilate's in Jerusalem and yet such things and many more as minute are shewn to Travellers who have more civility than to gain-say the Tradition of the Country of which the Inhabitants make no small gain And the reason why Geographers have not mention'd these places in Tyrius his late Catalogue was not for shame for they have many places as inconsiderable but because they were found only in a Catalogue and mention'd in no History From (a) Prim. Ep. p. 24. Palestine and the Patriarchat of Jerusalem we come to Cyprus where Sozomen (b) l. 7. c. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tells us it was usual to have Bishops in Villages as also in other Countries without regard it seems to any restraint which some Bishops endeavour'd to put upon that practice and thus it continues with the Cypriots to this age The first thing I shall take notice of is a little disingenuous Artifice of our Author in transposing these words in other Countries as if Sozomen when he had named Cyprus had added other Countries indefinitely and spoken of a thing usual in many Countries But that Historian shewing the different traditions and practice of several Nations observes that the Scythians though they had many Cities yet had but one Bishop In other Nations as in Cyprus and Arabia there were Bishops in Villages setting one unusual practice against another and intimating that he knew of no other Countries where they had Village-Bishops and therefore having no other Instances in the Catholick Church he takes notice of the Montanists and Novatians who in Phrygia had Bishops in Villages So that from this passage we ought rather to conclude that it was not usual in other Countries besides those specified in this passage to have Village-Bishops at least-wise that Sozomen knew no other or did not remember any when he wrote that passage Now though in Cyprus some Villages were Bishops seats yet may we not conclude that either all or the greatest part were such nor can we make any guess how many Villages went to make up a Diocese in Cyprus Gratian (c) De Bell. Cypr. p. 1. Bishop of Ameria tells us that in the Island there are 840 Villages and about two hundred thousand Souls The ancient state of this Island is not to be taken from the present calamitous condition under which it groans for in Trajan's time (d) Dio. Cass in Trajano there were more men destroy'd here by the Jews in one day than are now in all the Country Mr. Clerkson tells us without any Author that whereas there are betwixt twenty and thirty Bishops in that Island and it is likely the number has decreas'd there as in many other places there are but four of their seats which have the face of a City As to the present state of Cyprus (e) In Cypriana Provincia quatuor tantum Episcopi suffraganei numerantur Dr. Smith Graec. stat Hod. p. 71. there are but four suffragan Bishops in the whole Island and if Mr. Clerkson had consulted his Miraeus upon this occasion he had found there but four Greek Bishops and five Latins before it was taken by the Turks In Hierocles his Notitia it had fifteen Cities and yet in that of Leo the wise we find but thirteen Bishops nor can we find that ever it had more in elder times for Carolus a S. Paulo (f) Geogr. Sacr. p. â—06 could not find above twelve Bishops seats from the subscriptions of Councils and other ancient writings The Synodical letter (g) Baron Anal. A. 643. of the Cyprian Bishops to Pope Theodorus against the Monothelites has no subscriptions and so the number of them is unknown and what number the Synod (h) Socr. l. 6. c. 10. under Epiphanius that condemned the writings of Origen did consist of is as much in the dark But that Epiphanius (i) Vindic. of Prim. Ch. p. 554 555. had himself a large Diocese in Cyprus hath been already shew'd in another place In pursuit of Primitive Episcopacy we are carry'd from Cyprus to Armenia where the Catholick had above 1000 Bishops under his obedience as (a) l. 7. c. 32. Otto Frisingenses writes from the report of the Armenian Legates and after him (b) Ann. 1145. Baronius and our Brierwood (c) Prim. Ep. p. 24 25. Yet both the Armenia's in Justinian 's time who made the most of them made but four Provinces which had in all but twenty Cities If the Armenian Bishops had not amounted to above the twentieth part of the number yet more than one half of them must be Village-Bishops Since Brierwood is cited for voucher of these 1000 Bishops I am content to submit the whole matter to his Arbitration He (d) Brier Enq. p. 127. thought that Otho mistook perhaps Obedience for Communion as he verily believ'd he did for the Communion which the Armenians maintain'd with other Jacobites extended indeed very far but the jurisdiction of Armenia contain'd only four Provinces in which small Circuit that such a multitude of Bishops should be found is utterly incredible for all the Bishops of Armenia in Leo 's Novel and those of Cilicia in Guilelmus Tyrius put together exceed not the number of thirty And although I find that Justinian divided the two Armenia 's into four Provinces yet were not for that cause the number of Bishops increased any whit the more (e) Nov. 31. c. 2. Justinian when he made a new distribution of Armenia into four Provinces made an express provision (f) Quae vero ad Sacerdotia spectant volumus in eadem manere forma quantum ad ipsa nil penitus innovetur that the Ecclesiastical state of the Country should not be affected with this alteration of the civil forms and therefore we find in all Armenia that belonged to the Roman Empire but two Ecclesiastical Provinces in Leo's Diatyposis which was the ancient distribution of that Country Of these two Justinian made three and annexed to them some Cities from other Provinces which notwithstanding remain'd in their former dependance as to Ecclesiastical matters To these Provinces he added a fourth which was never before reduc'd into the form of a Province which was before divided into several Satrapies of barbarous names This is represented in Leo's Notitia (g) Nov. 31. c. 2. under the title of the higher Mesopotamia or fourth Armenia and divided into two parts In the first we have Martyropolis mention'd by Justinian and 33 Bishops seats more under the Metropolis of Amida And in the second part there are most of those barbarous names mention'd by Justinian Sophene Bilabitene Astianica Anzitene together with Cetharizan call'd by Justinian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the Notitia if I mistake not styl'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though that pass'd with the Transcriber for the name of a Town In
Rome and Constantinople Luitprandus (f) Luitpr Leg. ad Niceph. Phoc. in Acerentilas Acherunte Turrico Gravina Maceria Tricarico relates that Nicephorus Phocas ordered Polyectius Patriarch of Constantinople to raise Otranto to the dignity of an Arch-Bishoprick and that he would not permit the Latin service to be any longer us'd in Appulia and Calabria Whereupon the Patriarch sent the Bishop of Otranto a priviledge to consecrate Bishops in six Towns of that Country which are there named and are said to belong to the Bishop of Rome When the Western Emperours and at last the Normans got footing in the Greek Territories the Greeks were soon shut up in their Towns And thence it seems to come to pass that several Episcopal Towns there have no Diocese or Territory at all Not that it was always so while the Country was in the hands of the Greek Emperours but because this was the expiring condition of the Greek Churches in those parts the open Country being in possession of their Enemies and thrown into the neighbouring Latin Dioceses But Bishopricks were much thinner in Calabria an age or two before For in the Notitia publish'd by Goar (g) Hist Byz ad calc Codini and afterwards by Dr. Beveridge (h) Synodic T. 2. Calabria has but eight Bishops In the North of Italy the Dioceses are still large but have been much greater in ancient times For the Province of Milan though it was much larger than it is now in the middle (i) Anno 452. of the fifth Century had but nineteen Suffragans as appears from the subscriptions (l) Inter opera Leonis Pap. Ep. 52. of the Synod of that Province under Eusebius Bishop of Milan Among these is the Bishop of Regium and Brixellum and Placentia which belonged afterwards to Ravenna and are now under the new (m) Bologna Erected 1583. Metropolis of Bologna The Bishop of Turin was then a Suffragan but is since made a Metropolitan by Sixtus IV. and borrowed some Suffragans from the old Province Augusta now Aosta was then a Suffragan of Milan but now belongs to Tarantaise Genua was then a Suffragan but is since (n) Anno 1132. a Metropolis and took away Albingaunum along with it and Como that then belong'd to the Synod of Milan is now under Aquileia besides many new Bishopricks raised within this Province and taken out of the old Dioceses As Alexandria de Capaglia raised (o) Anno 1175. by Alexander the III. And Cazale raised (p) Anno 1474. by Sixtus the fourth who gave it sixty Castles or Burgs taken from the Jurisdiction of Aste and Vercelli yet Vercelli after this diminution has (q) Ughel Ital. Sac. T. 4. a very large Diocese remaining for it is forty miles in length and thirty-five in breadth In the Province of Aquileia there were but fifteen Bishopricks in the time of Gregory the Great when the controversie of the three points was so hot in Istria and they are all nam'd by Paulus Diaconus (r) Paul Diac. de Gest Long. l. 3. c. 12. l. 18. Cont. Eutrop. in t Rom. Script Many of the old Sees are still remaining several are chang'd but the number is still the same and the Dioceses are large To conclude the ancient Dioceses of Italy were large and not half so numerous as they are now For they have been increasing every age since the writing of the Provincial and even then they were exceedingly multiplied beyond what they had been in the first six or seven Centuries There are now in Italy 31 Arch-Bishops and 281 Bishops which makes up 312. Now if we look back but two ages we shall find the number much less for in Biondi's time who died in the year 1463 there were but 264 Cities or Episcopal seats in all Italy And Leandro Alberti (s) Leand. Alberti Descritt d' Ital. Praefat. who liv'd in the beginning of the fifteenth Century could not make out above 300. And since that time it seems there were twelve added The more ancient Copies of the Provincial fall short of Biondi's reckoning some having but 250 and the oldest of all not above 200. So much is the number of the Italian Bishopricks increased within five hundred years But if we go a little back we shall find yet fewer Bishopricks in Italy For in the Notitia publish'd by Dr. Beveridge (t) Notae in Synodic out of the Oxford Copy there are in all but fourscore Episcopal Sees Carolus a S. Paulo Bishop of Aurenches u had suppress'd this part in his edition giving notice that every thing was so corrupt and confused that he could make nothing of it He is tax'd by Dr. Beveridge as if this omission had proceeded from want of sincerity But whatever cause that French Bishop had to leave out this part yet the Notitia had been published (x) Goar ad Codin Int. Hist Byz Anno 1644. entire twenty years before the Dr's Edition and much more correctly for the Oxford Copy having fallen into the hands of a raw Transcriber came out with many more faults than its own In this Notitia the Suburbicary Province has but two and twenty Bishops Campania just so many Annonaria under Ravenna has one more than those and Aemylia has only three The Provinces of Milan and Aquileia are wholly left out It cannot be denied that this Notitia is imperfect and very confused and Salmasius (y) Salm. Prim. Pap. who had seen it before Goar's Edition gives that account of it And therefore let us examine yet ancienter Records to come to a more certain computation of the old Italian Bishopricks In a Roman Council (z) Conc. Rom. sub Agath Anno 689. apud Conc. Gen. 6. Act. 4. under Pope Agatho we have the subscriptions of the Italian Bishops by their Provinces and we may judge by the subscriptions of such Provinces as are best known as to the number of their old Dioceses such as Milan and Aquileia that this was a plenary Synod and all the Bishops of Italy present in it but such as age or necessity did excuse And the Pope calls (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it the Generality of the Synod yet all the Italian Bishops here were but about an hundred and twelve The first Roman Synod (a) Conc. Rom. 1. sub Sym. Anno 499. under Symmachus was of the Roman Province properly so called For no Metropolitan subscribed besides Symmachus nor any Bishop of any known Italick Province no Suffragan of Milan Aquileia or Ravenna In this there were 72 Bishops whose names and titles remain These subscriptions do sufficiently shew that the Roman Province at that time was much wider than the Jurisdiction of the City Prefect and reach'd a great way farther than a hundred miles from Rome For there were most of the Bishops of Campania Felix which was all of it beyond the Lapis Centesimus as Salmasius (b) Salm. Ep. de Reg. Suburb does allow Beyond this
yet there was the Bishop of Acheruntia in Calabria of Vibon in Brutia of Canusium in Apulia and on the other side of Rome there was the Bishop of Ariminum and several others whose seats were far beyond the Provinces assigned by Salmasius to the Roman Diocese A general Synod (c) Anastas in Symmach of Italy under the same Pope had 115 Bishops which is the only Synod besides that mentioned above that the Writer of his life takes notice of under that Pope (d) Syn. Rom. 4. sub Sym. but certainly the most remarkable for number of any then held It was this confirm'd Symmachus his Election and condemn'd his Competitor and his Guardians and the occasion being extraordinary it cannot be doubted but the greatest part (e) Totius fere Italiae Episcopi Ennod. Ticin 2. Synod Defensor of the Bishops of Italy were there And though the subscriptions be imperfect yet from those that are left we may find that there were some from every Province The greatest objection it seems which the Enemies of this Synod could make against it was (f) Testis est Roma si omnes Episcopi senes debiles convenerunt Ennod. that all the old and infirm Bishops were not there and then that all were not call'd by the King 's Writ attending to two or three only who were too far engaged in the cause to become Judges of it which Ennodius exposes rather as Cavils than Arguments Which he could not have done with any sincerity or modesty if much the greater part had not been assembled upon that occasion There is indeed a Synod (g) Synod 5. sub Symmacho under this Pope whose Title bespeaks 218 Bishops but there might have been as many more if borrowed subscriptions might pass muster this is the case For more than half the subscriptions of this Council are taken from that of Chalcedon and there are not a hundred of Italy the rest were discharged from the Synodical attendance and now no longer able to answer to their Names Under Damasus we have another general Council (h) Conc. Rom. sub Dam. Anno 369. Theod. H. E. l. 2. c. 22. Collect. Rom. Holsten p. 163. Vales Annot. in Soz. l. 6. c. 23. of Italy consisting of 93 Bishops in which Auxentius was deposed But besides Italians there were some Gallick Bishops in this Council and it cannot be doubted but Damasus assembled all he could in a cause that required the authority of the greatest number he could make since the Arians had for some time began to plead a majority And it is certain some came from far for the Bishop of Aquileia was there Under Julius the first we have a Roman Synod (i) Julii Epistola apud Athan. Ap. 2. that seems to be general in which above fifty Bishops were assembled where Vito presided as the Bishop of Rome's Deputy This seems to be the same Vito who was sent Legat to the Council of Nice Here Athanasius was received into Communion And Julius (l) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Letter to the Bishops of the East alluding to this Synod tells them that what he writ as in his own name was the judgment of all Italy Valesius would not have Vito preside in this Council but would render the words so that those Bishops assembled in Vito's Parish-Church But I do not see any reason to depart from Nannius his Translation of this passage The Copy that he translated is very different from the Greek that is printed and may possibly have a relative which may take away the ambiguity of that Expression I have seen some Greek pieces of Athanasius in Manuscript varying often from the printed Copy but exactly answering Nannius his version in all those variations which I have mention'd here upon this occasion that the frequent variations of that Version from the Original may not be thought to proceed from affectation of liberty or mistake To return then to the purpose for which this passage was produc'd if the judgment of between fifty and sixty Bishops be represented as the sentence of all the Bishops of Italy surely in those days their number must be very much short of what they are at present I will conclude this Disquisition concerning the Bishopricks of Italy with the Roman Synod (m) Anno 251. under Cornelius which by Eusebius (n) Euseb l. 6. c. 43. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called a very great Synod and by Cyprian (o) Cornelius cum plurimis Episc Cypr. Ep. 55. Ed. Ox. said to consist of very many Bishops They were in all sixty which could never have been observ'd as a very great Synod if every good Village or Town in Italy where there were some thousands of such had been provided of a Bishop But whether this were a Synod of the Province of Rome only or of all Italy is a question about which learned men are divided The words of Eusebius are ambiguous and not easie to be determined For he says that Cornelius sent Letters to Fabian Bishop of Antioch giving (p) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. an account of the Synod at Rome and the judgment of all in Italy and Africk St. Jerom speaking of these Letters of Cornelius says (q) De Synodo Romana-Italica Hieron de Script Eccles in Cornel. that he wrote about the Roman the Italick and African Synods as if besides that of Rome there had been another at the same time in some other place of Italy Now if Jerom had seen no more of Cornelius his Epistles than what Eusebius has excerpted this of the Italick Synod may be a mistake Bishop Pearson (r) Jo. Cestrens Annal. Cppr. p. 31. has demurr'd upon this matter and the Conclusion of that Chapter in Eusebius seems to make all clear At the end of his Letter he sets down the names of those who were present in the Roman Synod and their Dioceses and he sent likewise the names of the persons (s) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and of their places who came not to this Synod but signified their consent by Letters to what was there determined Here is no place left then to an Italick Synod for by this account all who were not at Rome consented by their Letters And that much the greater part of the Bishops of Italy appear'd in this Synod cannot well be doubted considering this assembly was for common direction in a case very difficult and nice and so nearly concerning the peace of the Church And he who observes it as an extraordinary thing that out of all Italy sixty Bishops should be assembled in one Synod could not but have taken notice of the number of the rest who approved the acts of this Council by their Letters if it had been any thing proportionable to this Therefore we have reason to conclude that at that time there were not very many more Bishops in all Italy I know it is suggested by some that there were
were in Spain 71 Bishops and 7 Metropolitans In a Controversy between the Arch-bishops of Toledo and Valentia it is said that Constantine had divided the Country into Provinces and Dioceses much to the same effect with what has been already produc'd with this agrees the observations of Luitprandus which are taken from the same Books For speaking of the 13th Council of Toledo he saith the number of the Bishops there were 76 of whom 27 subscrib'd by Proxies And in his Chronicon he gives notice of several new Bishopricks erected in Spain in the later end of the seventh Century The Dioceses of Spain must be very large then when so great a Country was divided between 70 or 80 Bishops and especially considering the Province of Narbon was then reckon'd to Spain At the time of the Council of Illiberis Spain seems to have but few Bishops For tho' we find by the Subscriptions that the Bishops had met there from all the Provinces of Spain yet were there in all but 19. And long before this (g) Anno. 254. in St. Cyprians time two Cities in Spain seem'd to belong to one Bishop as may be gather'd from the Inscription of St. Cyprians (h) Ep. 67. Epistle Foelici Presbytero plebibus consistentibus ad Legionem Asturicae Upon which Vasaeus (i) Vasaeus in Chron. Hisp Anno. 256. has this Remark Colligi videtur Legionenses atque Asturicenses eo tempore eidem Episcopo fuisse subjectos licet postea divisi Episcopatus fuerint Our Author (l) Prim. ep p. 40. cites Rabanus Maurus to very little purpose when he makes him to say that there were fewer Bishops at first but in process of time they were Ordain'd not only in Cities but in places where there was no need Which then is the most Primitive way the first or that which comes after After a tedious peregrination our Author (f) Anno. 305. Conc. Illib (m) Prim. ep p. 40. is very kind to let us come nearer home I need not tell you how few Cities there are in Ireland yet Primat Usher tells us out of Nennius that St. Patrick founded there 365 Churches and as many Bishops I hope no reasonable man will blame me as too difficult of belief if I refuse this fable for evidence The authority of Nennius may be question'd without imputation of scepticism and can never pass as long as men have judgment enough to distinguish between History and Legend But I take Nennius his way of writing to be a degree even below Legend But since this fabulous Calendar of Irish Bishops has pass'd without contradiction not that any body ever believ'd it but because it is too gross to be refuted and since it has been and is still urg'd for History in the behalf of Primitive Episcopacy I will endeavour to trace it to its Original and when the ground of the Story is understood it will do the Congregational way but very slender service Arch-Bishop Vsher (n) Antiquit. Eccl. Brit. p. 473. ult Ed. publish'd a Catalogue of old Irish Saints which is divided into three ranks which are distinguish'd one from another as well by time as by merit The first is the best they consisted all of Bishops and their number was 350 they were founders of Churches c. This Order of Saints lasted for four Reigns the last of which was Tuathail but they were not all Irish but Romans and Franks and Britans Now according to Arch bishop Vshers (o) Antiquit. p. 490. Ed. ult Chronology of those Reigns there is above a hundred years from the beginning of St. Patrick's Apostleship to the end of Tuathail only there is one King before him in that Chronological Table which the old Catalogue does not mention That these were the Bishops of St. Patrick's ordination we may find in Jocelin (p) Usher Antiq. p. 492. who says that St. Patrick ordain'd just so many with his own hand and founded 700 Churches To compleat the Irish Calendar Nennius increas'd their number to 365 a singular complement to a lazy Nation to make it holiday for them all the year round Now whether all these liv'd in Ireland or were all ordained by Patrick the Catalogue does not say But it says expresly That they were of several other Nations besides Irish So that this may rather represent the Communion of Patrick and the number of Bishops in Britain and France that kept Easter on the fourteenth of the Moon than his Suffragans of Ireland And the fewness of Bishops in succeeding times and under the second order seems to represent a great change not in the lives of the Bishops for if I mistake not it is the cause that is in the bottom of that Catalogue but in the observances which are there mention'd For whether the Franks by this time had taken another way and the Brittish Churches were under great calamities or Augustin the Monk had introduc'd the Roman customs there are but few Bishops in the second order But supposing these holy Bishops had been all of Ireland yet there is no need of so many Cathedrals for them for they lasted four Reigns which makes up a hundred years And though all the Bishops seats in Ireland had not been above fifty they might easily have afforded 350 Saints in the compass of a hundred years But because there are but sixty years allow'd for St. Patrick's Government in Ireland even in that and the surviving generation this number of Bishops might easily rise from fifty I mention this number because sometimes Ireland has had so many Dioceses or more as we may see in a copy of the Provincial publish'd by (q) Geogr. Sacr. S. Paulo which hath more Seats in it than that of which Cambden speaks After all I am not well satisfi'd but all St. Patrick's Bishops may be a fable and he himself only a Saint of imagination For who can tell but Patricius Arvernensis may have sunk a day lower in the Calendar and made the Irish a Patricius Hibernensis Or the Spanish Patrick (r) Luitpr Advers of Malaga who according to Luitprandus lays claim to that day might appear to the Irish in a Dream as St. George did to our Country-men and become their Protector and at last their Apostle For the Calendar is the ground upon which the Legendaries run divisions and as barren as it seems to be it has produced a world of devout Fables For in old time give a Monk but a name and he would quickly write a life Our Author taking S. Patrick's (s) Prim. Ep. p. 40. 365 fabulous Bishopricks for effective is not content but would increase their number about the twelfth Century Afterwards says he the number of Bishops increased in Ireland so that when Malachias went into Ireland near 600 years after S. Patrick Anno 1150. (t) Bern. vit Malach. Vnus Episcopatus non esset contentus uno Episcopo sed singulae paene Ecclesiae singulos haberent
says that holy Bishop (d) Aug. ep ad Marcellin 159. (d) Germanicenses ad curam humilitatis nostrae pertinent Aug. ep 251. Ed. Bened. or that I may not seem to pass the bounds of my own dispensation this will be most advantagious to the Church of the Diocese of Hippo. And speaking of a place called Germanicia in that Diocese affirms e that it belongs to his care and in another place that (f) Visitandarum Ecclesiarum ad meam curam pertinentium necessitate profectus sum Vide ep 74 212 236. he had Churches under his care which he was obliged to visit To diminish this Bishoprick of Hippo yet farther Mr. Clerkson shews that St. Austin was so far from having all the Region under his Jurisdiction that he had not the whole Town the Donatists had a Bishop there This indeed is true of the former part of St. Augustin's Episcopal administration but after the Imperial Rescript which followed the Conference at Carthage Hippo had no Donatists for all returned to the communion of the Church For so I think St. Austin in his Epistle to Vincentius may most commodiously be understood where speaking of his former opinion which was against using any compulsion for reducing men to the communion of the Church he confesseth that experience hath altered his judgment in that point (g) Aug. ep 48. The instance of my own City was urged against me which was once wholly Donatist but now converted to Catholick unity by the fear of the Imperial Laws which now so utterly detests your pernicious animosity that she might seem never to have been infected with it So that after all these exceptions St. Austin's Diocese remains undiminished Caesarea in Cappadocia had a Diocese of so vast extent that few of our Northern Bishopricks can equal it For Basil the Bishop of that City had (h) Greg. Naz. Carm. de viti sua fifty Chorepiscopi in his Diocese who were his deputies for the administration of discipline in lesser causes in the remoter part of his Diocese Cappadocia was (i) Strab. l. 12. about four hundred miles in length according to Strabo and above two hundred in breadth Caesarea was placed in the middle of this great Country and was at first the Metropolis of the whole and when the Country was divided into two Provinces the greatest share remained under the ancient and greatest Metropolis Yet in this tract which cannot be conceived less than two hundred and fifty miles there were but (l) Colligere feci Episcopos sub me constitutos sunt enim duo Ep. Capp pr. ad Leon. two Bishopricks besides that of Caesarea i. e. Thermae and Nyssa Basil (m) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas ep 264. excuses himself to Eusebius Bishop of Samosata for not writing to him by some great Persons who had been in Caesarea because he was then upon his visitation And in another place speaks of a Country Parish of his Diocese called Venesa where he ordained one Glycerius a Deacon to assist (n) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ep 412. the Presbyter of that Parish And he reproves the Chorepiscopi of his Diocese for suffering the Presbyters of Country Parishes to make what inferiour Church-officers they pleased and therefore orders (o) Ep. 181. a list of all the inferiour Officers of Country Churches to be brought to him and that none be made thereafter without his consent There is likewise another Village called Dacora mentioned by Sozomen (p) Soz. l. 7. c. 27. in the Territory of Caesarea where Eunomius (q) Philostorg l. 10. was born and buried and Julian ordered (r) Soz. l. 5. c. 4. a search to be made for all the goods not only of the Churches in Caesarea but of all the Churches of the Diocese Tyana the Metropolis of the second Cappadocia had a considerable Diocese belonging to it Euphrantas Bishop of that City mentions (s) Praedium autem quod dicitur Pasa duodecim milliarijs distat Tyanensis Metropoleos sub eadem Civitate est usque hodie Ap. Conc. C. P. 2. Coll. 5. one George of Pasa who lived in Gregory Nazianzen's time and notes that Pasa was a Country place twelve miles from Tyana and belongs to that City says he to this very day But this Diocese must be much more considerable than this passage speaks as well as the rest of Cappadocia The whole Country as I noted before was about four hundred miles in length and two in breadth which makes a summ of eight hundred square miles Now in all the Country there were in the middle of the fifth age but eleven Bishopricks and then it was all Christian So that every Bishop one with another may have a Diocese that wants not much of a hundred miles square which can be matched by but few in our Country besides Lincoln But because the division of Dioceses is generally unequal as the Territories of Cities were some of these will fall out to be vastly great and others but of moderate extent Nor is there any place for suspicion that Bishopricks were sunk or united in this Country for it was so far from that that several of these few were erected in the fourth Century Sasima was made a Bishoprick by Basil which before belonged to Caesarea or Tyana for Gregory's expression is ambiguous From Tyana it was two and thirty miles distant from Caesarea above a hundred And upon second thoughts it seems to me rather to belong to the first for it was nearer to it and within its Province and given up by Basil who desires (t) Bas ep 88. Anthimus the new Metropolitan to take care of it Nazianzus too was a Bishoprick raised in the fourth Century as we may learn from Nazianzen (u) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. Or. 19. in Patr. who says that the place had but one Bishop before his Father In the Council of Ephesus one John subscribes (x) Johannes Episc totius Lesbi Iren. Traged Contest quorund Ep. sub 28. himself Bishop of all Lesbus The Island according to Strabo (y) Strab. l. 13. was eleven hundred furlongs which wants not much of seven score miles in compass Nor had this Bishop summed up all his titles for his Successour Florentius in the Council of Chalcedon writes (z) Florentius Episcopus Lesbi Tenedi Prosilenes Aegialorum per Euelpistum Chorepiscopum subscripsi Conc. Chalc. Act. 1◠himself Bishop of several other Islands Now if one City cannot have Territory enough in the judgment of the Congregational Antiquaries to make a large Diocese two ancient Cities with their Territories may surely yield a Diocese of many Congregations And in the Council of Ephesus (a) Conc. Eph. par 2. Act. 1. there were several Bishops who had two Cities within their Diocese Timothy was Bishop of Fermissus and Eudocias Athanasius was Bishop of Diveltus and Sozopolis And in Europa there are many instances of this nature and the Bishops of that Province