Residence were the Metropoles Concil Constantinop 1. can 2. which also the second Canon of the second generall Councell afore mentioned doth clearely import But I shall not thus satisfy you perhaps except the second point also be declared namely to whose Government the Churches of all other Provinces did belong Touching which I will tell you briefly what searching the best I could into the ancient Ordination and government both Civill and Ecclesiasticall of the Empire of Rome I have observed The whole Empire of Rome was divided into XIII Dioceses whereof VII belonged to the East Empire and VI. beside the Prefecture of the city of Rome before mentioned to the West Those XIII Dioceses together with that Prefecture contained among them CXX Provinces or thereabout so that to e-every Diocese belonged the administration of sundry Provinces Lastly every Province contained many Cities within their territories The Cities had for their Rulers those inferiour Iudges which in the Law are tearmed Defensores civitatum and their seats were the cities themselves to which all the Townes and Villages in their severall territories were to resort for justice The Provinces had for theirs either Proconsules or Consulares or Praesides or Correctores foure sundry appellations but almost all of equall authority and their seats were the chiefest cities or Metropoles of the Provinces of which in every Province there was one to which all the inferiour cities for judgement in matters of importance did resort Lastly the Dioceses had for theirs the Lievtenants called Vicarij and their seats were the Metropoles or principall cities of the Diocese whence the edicts of the Emperour or other Lawes were published and sent abroad into all the Provinces of the Diocese and where the Praetorium and chiefe Tribunall for judgement was placed to determine the Appeales and minister justice as might be occasion to all the Provinces belonging to that jurisdiction And this was the disposition of the Roman Governours for to speake of the severall properties of these subordinate Rulers government were tedious and for our purpose needlesse And truly it is wonderfull how neerely and exactly the Church in her Government did imitate this civill Ordination of the Roman Magistrates For first in every city as there was a Defensor civitatis for secular government so was there placed a Bishop for spirituall regiment in every city of the East and in every city of the West almost a severall Bishop whose jurisdiction extended but to the city and the places within the Territory of it for which cause the jurisdiction of a Bishop was anciently knowne by no other name but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying not as many ignorant Novelists think a parish as now the word is taken that is the places or habitations neere a Church but the Townes and Villages neere a city all which together with the City the Bishop had in charge Secondly in every Province as there was a President so was there an Arch-Bishop and because his Seat was the principall City of the Province he was commonly knowne by the name of Metropolitan Lastly in every Diocese as there was a Lievetenant-Generall so was there a Primate seated also in the principall city of the Diocese as the Lievtenant was to whom the last determining of Appeales from all the Provinces in differences of the Clergy and the soveraigne care of all the Diocese for sundry points of spirituall government did belong So that by this discourse it appeareth that 1. a Bishop in the ancient acception was the chiefe spirituall governour of a City 2. A Metropolitan chiefe of a Province 3. a Primate chiefe of a whole Diocese which was anciently a farre greater matter then a Province as containing the joynt administration of many Provinces although now it import a farre lesse jurisdiction even that Precinct which anciently 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did Now of what Cities these Primates of the Dioceses were Bishops and what Provinces belonged to the jurisdiction of every one I could set downe but I should be long which I am loth to be loving a great deale better sparingnesse then prolixity of discourse and specially at this present when I have no leasure to spare But by this that I have already said of the number of the Dioceses you may see that there were XI Primates besides the III. Patriarchs for of the XIII Dioceses besides the Praefecture of the city of Rome which as before I said was administred by the Patriarch of Rome that of Egypt was governed by the Patriarch of Alexandria and that of the Orient by the Patriarch of Antiochia and all the rest by the Primates Yet I must confesse that in Africa as it is to be seen in sundry of the African Councells the name of Primates and Metropolitans was promiscuously used for the superintendents of single Provinces although the just power and dignity of Primate belonged but to one among them all Now touching the power and jurisdiction of these Primates although it was no lesse then that of the Patriarchs the office being the same as you may see in Anacletus his epistles Anaclet epistol ad Episcop Ital. Gratian. Dist 99. and in Gratian and the name also of Patriarchs of the Dioceses being commonly given unto them by Iustinian yet the honour was somewhat lesse the Patriarchs ever having precedence and priority of place in Councells and that in a certaine order first Rome then Alexandria and then Antiochia But if you should aske me the reason why all these soveraigne Bishops being equall in power only three of them till the ambition of the Bishops of Constantinople and Ierusalem had obtained that title had the name of Patriarchs Gelas in Concil 1. Romano Gregor lib. 6. Ep. 37. ad Eulog I can yeild no better although I know some Bishops of Rome have pretended other then either because from these three cities above all others the Christian Religion was dispersed abroad among many nations in acknowledgement whereof Christians reverenced them as mother-Churches above all the rest or else for the great dignity of the cities themselves exceeding all other of the Roman Empire For first of Rome the Lady of the world there is no question Dio Chrysost in orat 32. ad Alexandrinos Aristid in orat de Romae laudib but she surpassed all the rest and of Alexandria Dion Chrysostomus and Aristides have recorded it to be the second as Iosephus also hath registred Antiochia for the third city of all the Empire And as for the Vnity of the Church the preservation whereof you suppose might be the finall cause of reducing all Christian countries under the Regiment of those three Patriarchs it was otherwise singularly provided for partly by the excellent subordination before touched of inferiour Clerks to Bishops in every City of Bishops to Metropolitans in every Province and of Metropolitans to Patriarchs or Primates in every Diocese and partly if the wounds and rents of the Church by
Certain Briefe TREATISES WRITTEN BY DIVERSE LEARNED MEN concerning the ancient and Moderne government of the CHURCH Wherein Both the Primitive Institution of EPISCOPACIE IS MAINTAINED AND THE LAWFULNESSE OF THE Ordination of the Protestant MINISTERS beyond the Seas likewise defended The particulars whereof are set downe in the leafe following IOB 8.8 9. Enquire I pray thee of the former age and prepare thy selfe to the search of their Fathers For we are but of yesterday and know nothing OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Vniversity Anno Dom. 1641. THE SEVERALL TREATISES touching Church-government gathered here together are these I. A Discovery of the causes of the continuance of these Contentions concerning Church-government by RICHARD HOOKER Pag. 1. II. A summary view of the Government both of the Old and New Testament by LANCELOT ANDREWES late Bishop of Winchester Wherein whatsoever is included within these markes hath been added to supply the imperfection of the written copy Pag. 7. III. The Originall of Bishops and Metropolitans briefly laid downe by MARTIN BUCER IOHN RAINOLDES and IAMES Arch-bishop of Armagh Pag. 45. IV. A Geographicall and Historicall disquisition touching the Lydian or Proconsular Asia and the seven Metropoliticall Churches contained therein by the said Arch-bishop of Armagh Pag. 76. V. A Declaration of the Patriarchicall Government of the ancient Church by EDWARD BREREWOOD Pag. 96. VI. A briefe Declaration of the severall formes of Government received in the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas by IOHN DUREE Pag. 123. VII The lawfulnesse of the Ordination of the Ministers of those Churches maintained against the Romanists by FRANCIS MASON A SVMMARIE VIEW OF THE GOVERNMENT BOTH OF THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENT WHEREBY The Episcopall Government of Christs Church is vindicated Out Of the rude Draughts of LANCELOT ANDREWES late Bishop of Winchester Whereunto is prefixed as a Preamble to the whole a Discovery of the Causes of the continuance of these Contentions touching Church-government out of the fragments of RICHARD HOOKER OXFORD Printed by LEON LICHFIELD Anno Dom. 1641. The causes of the continuance of these Contentions concerning Church-Government COntention ariseth either through errour in mens judgements or else disorder in their affections When contention doth grow by errour in judgement it ceaseth not till men by instruction come to see wherein they erre and what it is that did deceive them Without this there is neither policy nor punishment that can establish peace in the Church The Moscovian Emperour being weary of the infinite strifes and contentions amongst Preachers and by their occasion amongst others forbad preaching utterly throughout all his Dominions and in stead there of commanded certain Sermons of the Greeke and Latine Fathers to bee translated and them to be read in publique assemblies without adding a word of their owne thereunto upon paine of death Hee thought by this politique devise to bring them to agreement or at least to cover their disagreement But so bad a policy was on fit salve for so great a soare We may think perhaps that punishment would have beene more effectuall to that purpose For neither did Solomon speak without book in saying that when folly Prov. 22.15 is bound up in the heart of a child the rod of correction must drive it out and experience doth shew that when errour hath once disquieted the minds of men and made them restlesse if they doe not feare they will terrify Neither hath it repented the Church at any time to have used the rod in moderate severity for the speedier reclaiming of men from error and the reuniting such as by schisme have sundred themselves But we find by triall that as being taught and not terrified they shut their eares against the word of truth and sooth themselves in that wherewith custome or sinister persuasion hath inured them so contrariwise if they be terrifyed and not taught their punishment doth not commonly worke their amendment As Moses therefore so likewise Aaron as Zerubabel so Iehoshua as the Prince which hath laboured by the Scepter of righteousnesse and sword of justice to end strife so the Prophets which with the booke and doctrine of salvation have soundly and wisely endeavoured to instruct the ignorant in those litigious points wherewith the Church is now troubled whether by preaching as Apolloes among the Iewes or by disputing as Paul at Athens or by writing as the learned in their severall times and ages heretofore or by conferring in Synods and Councells as Peter Iames and others at Ierusalem or by any the like allowable and laudable meanes 2. Cor. 8.18 their praise is worthily in the Gospell and their portion in that promise which God hath made by his Prophets Dan. 12.3 They that turne many unto righteousnesse shall shine as the starres for ever and ever I say whosoever have soundly and wisely endeavoured by those meanes to reclaime the ignorant from their errour and to make peace Want of sound proceeding in Church controversies hath made many more stiffe in errour now then before Want of wise and discreet dealing hath much hindred the peace of the Church It may bee thought and is that Arius had never raised those tempestuous stormes which we read he did if Alexander the first that withstood the Arrians heresy had born himselfe with greater moderation and been lesse eager in so good a cause Sulpitius Severus doth note as much in the dealings of Idacius against the favourers of Priscillian when that heresy was but green and new sprung up For by overmuch vehemency against Iactantius and his mates a sparke was made a flame insomuch that thereby the seditious waxed rather more fierce then lesse troublesome In matters of so great moment whereupon the peace or disturbance of the Church is knowne to depend if there were in us that reverend care which should be it is not possible wee should either speak at any time without feare or ever write but with a trembling hand Doe they consider whereabout they goe or what it is they have in hand who taking upon them the causes of God deale only or chiefly against the persons of men We cannot altogether excuse our selves in this respect whose home controversies and debates at this day although I trust they be as the strife of Paul with Barnabas and not with Elymas yet because there is a truth which on the one side being unknown hath caused contention I doe wish it had pleased Almighty God that in sifting it out those offences had not grown which I had rather bewaile with secret teares then publick speech Neverthelesse as some sort of people is reported to have bred a detestation of drunkennesse in their children by presenting the deformity thereof in servants so it may come to passe I wish it might that we beholding more foule deformity in the face and countenance of a common adversary shall be induced to correct some smaller blemishes in our owne Yee are not ignorant of the Demaunds Motives Censures
Isidorus de Patrib and Dorothei Synopsis To two of these Timothy and Titus the one at Ephesus the other at Crete Euseb lib. 3. cap. 4. the Apostles imparted their owne Commission while they yet lived even the chiefe authority they had To appoint Priests Tit. 1.5 Hieron in eum locū To ordaine them by imposition of hands 1. Tim. 5.22 2. Tim. 2.2 To keep safe and preserve the Depositum 1. Tim. 6.14 20.2 Tim. 1.14 To command not to teach other things 1. Tim. 1.3 Tit. 3.9 2. Tim. 2.16 To receive Accusations 1. Tim. 5.19 21. To redresse or correct things amisse Tit. 1.5 To reject young Widowes 1. Tim. 5.11 To censure Hereticks and disordered persons Tit. 1.11 and 3.10 1. Tim 6.5 2. Tim. 3.5 And these after the Apostles deceased succeeded them in their charge of Government which was ordinary successive and perpetuall their extraordinary guifts of miracles and tongues ceasing with them So Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 3. Quos successores relinquebant suum ipsorum locum Magisterii tradentes Of the promiscuous use of their NAMES These were they whom posterity called Bishops But in the beginning regard was not had to distinction of Names The authority and power was ever distinct the name not restrained either in This or Other The Apostles were called Priests or Seniors 1. Pet. 5.1 Deacons or Ministers 1. Cor. 3.5 Teachers or Doctors 1. Tim. 2.7 Bishops or Overseers Acts 1.20 Prophets Acts 13.1 Revel 22.9 Evangelists 1. Cor. 9.16 The name of Apostle was enlarged and made common to more then the XII To Barnabas Act. 14.4 14. Andronicus Rom. 16.7 Epaphroditus Phil. 2.25 Titus and others 2. Cor. 8.23 Timothy Hieron in Cant. Chr. Euseb The Priests were called Prophets 1. Cor. 14.32 Bishops Philip. 1.1 Tit. 1.7 So Chrysostom in Philip. 1. Quid hoc an unius civitatis multi erant episcopi Nequaquà m sed Presbyteros isto nomine appellavit Tunc enim nomina adhuc erant communia Hierome Hîc episcopos Presbyteros intelligimus non enim in unâ urbe plures Episcopi esse potuissent Theodoret Non fieri quidem poterat ut multi Episcopi essent unius civitat is pastores quo sit ut essent soli Presbyteri quos vocavit Episcopos in 1. Tim. 3. Eosdem olim vocabant Episcopos Presbyteros eos autem qui nunc vocantur Episcopi nominabant Apostolos Oecumenius Non quòd in unâ civitate multi essent Episcopi c. For in the Apostles absence in Churches new planted the oversight was in them till the Apostles ordained and sent them a Bishop either by reason of some schisme or for other causes The Bishops as the Ecclesiasticall History recounteth them were called Apostles Philip. 2.25 Evangelists 2. Tim. 4.5 Diaconi 1. Tim. 4.6 Priests 1. Tim. 5.17 For it is plaine by the epistle of Irenaeus to Victor in Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 26. that they at the beginning were called Priests that in very truth and propriety of speech were Bishops And by Theodoret in 1. Tim. 3. that they which were Bishops were at the first called Apostles The name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Suidas was given by the Athenians to them which were sent to oversee the Cities that were under their jurisdiction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The name Episcopus was given among the Romans to him qui praeerat pani vaenalibus ad victum quotidianum ff de munerib honorib Cicere ad Atticum lib. 7. epist 10. Vult me Pompeius esse quem tota haec Campania maritima ora habeat Episcopum The name in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gen. 41.34 seemeth to have relation to the second use for they were such as had charge of the graine laying up and selling under Ioseph The necessary use of the BISHOPS office and the charge committed to him The party who in the New Testament is called Episcopus is in the Old called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 109.8 with Act. 1.20 In a house or familie it is first affirmed of Ioseph Gen. 39.4 who had the oversight and government of the rest of the servants In a house there may be many servants which have places of charge but there is one that hath the charge of all that is Oeconomus the Steward So doe the Apostles terme thēselves 1. Cor. 4.1 and their office 1. Cor. 9.17 and their successours the Bishops Tit. 1.7 Vid. Hilar. in Matth. 24.45 In a flock Vid. Hierenym epist 4. ad Ruslicum cap. 6. epist 85. ad Evagrium the Pastour Ioh. 21.15 Act. 20.28 Mat. 25.32 1. Pet. 5.2 Ephes 4.11 In a Camp the Captaine Matth. 2.6 Hebr. 13.7 17 24. In a ship the Governour 1. Cor. 12.28 under whom others Act. 13.5 In the Common-wealth they be such as are set over Officers to hasten them forward and see they doe their duties as in 2. Chron. 34.12 and 31.13 Nehem. 11.22 and 12.42 So that what a Steward is in a house a Pastour in a flock a Captaine in a Camp a Master in a ship a Surveiour in an office That is a Bishop in the Ministerie Upon him lieth to take care of the Churches under him 2. Cor. 11.28 Philip. 2.20 1. Pet. 5.2 Concil Antiochen can 9. and for that end to visit them Act. 9.32 and 15.36 and to be observant Of that which is Well and orderly to confirme it Act. 15.41 Revel 3.2 Otherwise to redresse it Tit. 1.5 To him was committed I. Authority of ordeyning Tit. 1.5 and so of begetting Fathers Epiph. haeres 75. See Ambrose Theodoret and Oecumenius in 1. Timoth. 3. Damasus epist 3. Hierome epist 85. ad Evagr. Leo epist 88. Concil Ancyran can 12. al. 13. For though S. Paul should mention a Companie with him at the ordeyning of Timothie 1. Tim. 4.14 yet it followeth not but that he onely was the Ordeyner No more then that Christ is the onely Iudge although the XII shall sit with him on Thrones Luc. 22.30 II. Authority of enjoyning or forbidding 1. Tim. 1.3 Ignat. ad Magnesian Cyprian epist 39. III. Authority of holding Courts and receiving accusations 1. Tim. 5.19 1. Cor. 5.12 Revel 2.2 Augustin de opere monachor cap. 29. IV. Authority of correcting 1. Tim. 1.3 Tit. 1.5 Hieron contra Lucifer cap. 4. epist 53. ad Riparium Cyprian ep 38. ad Rogatianum V. Authority of appointing Fasts Tertullian advers Psychicos FINIS THE ORIGINALL OF BISHOPS AND METROPOLITANS briefely laid downe BY MARTIN BUCER sometimes Professor of Divinity in the Vniversity of Cambridge IOHN RAINOLDES late Professor of Divinity in the Vniversity of Oxford IAMES VSSHER sometime Professor of Divinity in the Vniversity of Dublin afterward Arch-Bishop of Armagh and Primate of all IRELAND Whereunto is annexed A Geographicall and Historicall Disquisition touching the Lydian or Proconsular Asia and the seven Metropoliticall Churches contained in it by the said Arch-bishop of Armagh Together with A Declaration of the Patriarchicall Government of the ancient Church by Edward
to ordaine the Bishops that were under him which they gather out of those words of S. Paul unto him a Tit. 1.5 For this cause left I thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting and ordaine Elders in every city as I had appointed thee Out of which M. Calvin collecteth this doctrine unto us for the generall b Discimus ex hoc loco non eam fuisse tunc aequalitatem inter Ecclesiae ministros quin unus aliquis autoritate consilio praeesset Calvin in Tit. 1.5 We learne out of this place that there was not then such an equality betwixt the ministers of the Church but that there was some one who was president over the rest both in authority and in counsell and S. Chrysostom for the particular of Titus c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Tit. 1. homil 1. Had hee not been an approved man he would not have committed that whole Iland unto him he would not have commanded him to supply the things that were defective hee would not have committed unto him the judgement of so many Bishops if he had not had very great confidence in the man and B. Iewell upon him againe Having the government of many Bishops what may we call him but an Archbishop Which is not so much to be wondred at when we see that the Bishops of another Iland stick not and that without any controll to deduce the ordination of their Metropolitan from the Apostolick times in the face of the whole generall Councell of Ephesus For whereas the Patriarch of Antioch did claym an interest in the ordaining of the Metropolitan of Cyprus the Bishops of that Iland prescribed to the contrary that d A sanctis Apostolis nunquam possunt ostendere quòd adfuerit Antiochenus ordinaverit vel communicaverit unquà m insulae ordinationis gratiam neque alius quisquam Concil Ephcsin Act. 7. from the time of the holy Apostles it could never bee shewed that the Bishop of Antioch was ever present at any such ordination or did ever communicate the grace of ordination to that Iland and that the former Bishops of Constantia the Metropolis of Cyprus Troilus Sabinus Epiphanius e Et nunc memorati Episcopi qui ante illos sanctissimi Episcopi qui à sanctis Aposlolis erant omnes ortho loxi ab his qui in Cypro conslituti sunt Ibid. and all the holy and orthodoxe Bishops which were before them ever since the holy Apostles were constituted by those which were in Cyprus and therefore desired that f Sicut initio à temporibus Apostolorum constitutionibus canonibus sanctissime magnae Synodi Nicaenae illaesa superior insidiis potentiâ permansit nostra Cypriorum synodus Ibid. as in the beginning from the times of the Apostles and by the constitutions and canons of the most holy and great Synod of Nice the Synod of the Cyprian Bishops remained untouched and superiour to privy underminings and open power so they might still bee continued in the possession of their ancient right Whereupon the Councell condemning the attempt of the Bishop of Antioch as g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. an innovation brought in against the Ecclesiasticall lawes and the canons of the holy Fathers did not only order that h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. the governours of the Churches which were in Cyprus should keep their owne right entire and inviolable according to the Canons of the holy Fathers and their ancient custome but also i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pauIo pòst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. for all other dioceses and provinces wheresoever that no Bishop should intrude himselfe into any other province which had not formerly and from the beginning been under him or his predecessours The beginning of which kind of subordination of many Bishops unto one chiefe if it were not to bee derived from Apostolicall right yet it is by Beza fetched k Neque verò magis existimandum est hunc externum ordinem fuisse initio humani generis Pagi enim ex familiis ex pagis urbes ex urbibus civitates ipsae suadente naturâ necessitate flagitante senfim coierunt aliis aliorum exemplum sequutis Bez. de divers gradib ministr contr Sarav cap. 24. § 4. from the same light of Nature and enforcement of Necessity whereby men were at first induced to enter into consociations subjected one unto another and by Bucer acknowledged to have l Atque hoc consentiebat legi Christi siebatque ex jure corporis Christi M. Bucer de vi usu S. Ministerii inter scripta ejus Anglicana pag. 565. been consentaneous to the law of Christ and to have been done by the right of the body of Christ and by all men must be confessed to be conformable to the patterne delivered by God unto Moses For having set apart the three families of the Levits for his owne service and constituted a chiefe as we have heard over every of them he placed immediatly over them all not Aaron the High Priest but Eleazar his son saying m Num. 3.32 Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest shall bee chiefe over the chiefe of the Levites and have the oversight of them that keep the charge of the Sanctuary In respect of which oversight as he hath by the Septuagint warrantably enough by the word of God given unto him the name of n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 LXX Num. 4.16 a Bishop so the holy Ghost having vouchsafed to honour him with the title of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 o Iid. Num. 3.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the President of the Presidents of the Levites none that without prejudice did take the matter into consideration would much stick to afford unto him the name of an Arch-bishop at least hee would be taught hereby to retaine that reverend opinion of the primitive Bishops of the Christian Church who so willingly submitted themselves not only to the Archiepiscopall but also to a Patriarchicall government which Calvin professed hee did that in all this they were farre from having a thought p Reperiemus veteres Episcopos non aliam regendae Ecclesiae formam voluisse fingere ab eā quam Deus verbo suo praescripsit Calvin Institut lib. 4. cap. 4. §. 4. to devise another forme of Church-government then that which God had prescribed in his Word A GEOGRAPHICALL AND Historicall disquifition touching the Lydian or Proconsular Asia and the seven Metropoliticall Churches contained therein AS the lesser Asia now called Natolia or Anatolia was a part of the great and Asia properly so called a part of that lesser so the Lydian or Proconsular Asia was a parcell of that Asia which was properly so called For the fuller understanding whereof wee are to call to mind that the Romans having possessed themselves of the countryes which had formerly belonged unto the Pergamen
to gather at large as o Erasm Annot in Act. 16 Rom. 16. Erasmus did after him that Asia in the New Testament denoteth that part of Asia minor in which Ephesus standeth It is here also further to be noted that as in the state of the civill governement the jurisdiction of the annuall Presidents by Aristides styled p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristid in orat citat quum antea dixisset 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops was extended unto all the cities that were contained within the limits of their severall provinces so in the Easterne empire especially the Ecclesiasticall regiment was herein conformed unto the civill there being but one Metropolitan Bishop setled in every Province unto whom the Bishops of all the rest of the cities were subordinated By which meanes it came to passe that of the seven Churches in Asia spoken of in the book of the Revelation Ephesus alone in the dayes of Constantine had the Metropoliticall dignity lest unto it Then after the dayes of Valens the Emperour Lydia being separated from Asia the Bishop of Sardis which had been the q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Strabo lib. 13. pag. 625. ancient seat of the Lydian Kings became the Metropolitan of that province the sees of Philadelphia and * In the Latin edition of the subscriptions adjoyned unto the 6 Action of the Councell of Chalcedon Thyatira is made subject to Synnada but the Greeke readeth there not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rather a see well knowne to be suffragan to Synnada which Synnada in Socratis histor Ecclesiast lib. 7. cap. 3. is by another error made to be a city of Phrygia Pacatiana whereas it was without all controverfy the Metropolis of Phrygia Salutaris See the subscript of the V. generall Councell Collat. 8. Thyatira being made subject to him as Smyrna and Pergamus were to the Bishop of Ephesus There remained then of the seven only Laedicea which got the honour of being the Metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana as we read in the Greeke subscription of the first epistle unto Timothy the latenesse whereof is thence rightly collected by the learned q Vnde satis liquere potest de subscriptione primae epistolae ad Timotheum recentiorem eam esse Cujac in exposit Novell 145. Cujacius For as the distinction of Phrygia Pacatiana and Salutaris is no where to be found before the distribution of the provinces made by Constantine so at that time also when but one Metropolis was allotted unto every Province it is a question whether of those two * Laodicea and Hierapolis as they were neere one another and so conjoyned by the Apostle in Coloss 4.13 so have they the first place also assigned unto them among the cities of Phrygia Pacariana by Hierocles in the civill list of the Provinces Append Geogr. sacr pag. 21. prime cities that were so neare together Hierapolis which without all controversie was acknowledged to belong unto Phrygia was not rather chosen to be the mother city therein then Laodicea which by reason of the doubtfull situation thereof as wee have heard was indifferently challenged to appertaine unto Phrygia Garia and Lydia In the dayes of the succeeding Emperours indeed r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Chalcedon Can. 12. who yielded so farre to the ambition of some Bishops that they were content there should bee two Metropolitans in one Province both these cities were accounted for the Metropoles of Phrygia Pacatiana which is the cause why in the fourth generall Councell assembled at Chalcedon aswell ſ Concil Chalced. Act. 6. Nunechius Bishop of the Metropolis of Laodicea as Stephen Bishop of the Metropolis of Hierapolis doe subscribe for themselves and the absent Bishops which were under them as also in the fifth generall Councell held at Constantinople there is mention made at the same time t Concil V. Collat. 8. of Iohn Bishop of the Metropolis of the Laodiceans and Auxanon Bishop of the Metropolis of the Hierapolitans and in the sixth of Tiberius Bishop of the Laodiceans and Sisinnius of the Hierapolitans either of them giving unto his seat the title u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil VI. Constantinop Act. 18. of the Metropolis of the Pacatian Phrygians And although by a Canon of the said Councell of Chalcedon it was provided that any Bishop which afterward x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Chalced. can 12. would attempt to make such divisions to the derogation of the rights of his owne Metropolitan should be deprived of his dignity and that y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. the new Metropoles formerly constitured by the Imperiall Charters should so content themselves with this honour that the proper rights should still be preserved unto that which was the Metropolis indeed yet we see for all this that z Notit Graec. in Appendic Geograph sacr pag. 16. 18. item 48. 52. Iur. Graeco Roman tom 1. pag. 94. 98. in the lists of the Bishopricks of the East made in the succeeding times there are still distinct suffragans reckoned under these two Metropolitans of Laodicea and Hierapolis and that diverse other private Bishops were not hereby restrained from aspiring unto a Metropoliticall dignity among whom to speak only of those who are within our compasse was the Bishop of Smyrna who found the means to be made first a Notir Graec. in Append Geograph sacr pag. 8. 40. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or independent and then b Iur. Graeco-Roman tom 1. pag. 88. 45. a Metropolitan with c Ibid. pag. 100. seven suffragans depending upon him d Georg. Codin Curopalat de Offic. Constantinop pag. 221. 237. edit Fr. Iunii the Bishop of Pergamus who was exempted likewise from his subordination to Ephesus and made a Metropolitan by himselfe and the Bishop of Philadelphia e Ibid. pag. 219. 231. who by Andronicus Palaeologus the elder was substituted into the place of the Bishop of Sardis and made Metropolitan of all Lydia So as of the Bishops of the seven Churches mentioned in the book of the Revelation he of Thyatira only excepted all at the last became Metropolitans as they were at the first But among all these the See of Ephesus had evermore the preeminence And as it was the mother city of the Proconsular Asia so was that Asia likewise the prime Province of all the Asian Diocese and had in such esteem that the Proconsul thereof was exempted from the jurisdiction of the Praefectus Praetorio Orientis as before we have heard out of Eunapius unto which the Vicarius or Lievtenant of the rest of the Asian diocese was subject Gonformably whereunto in the Ecclesiasticall government the Bishop of Ephesus was not only held to bee the Metropolitan of the Proconsular Asia but also the Primate of all the provinces that were contained within the compasse
the authority which is deferred unto those whom they call chuse and ordaine by particular imposition of hands of other more ancient Seniors to be their Seniors is the very same which the Bishops in ancient time had over other Ministers as may appeare to the full by a Description thereof and of all the ordinances of that Church which are put forth in a Book printed Anno 1633. with this title Ratio Disciplinae Ordinisque Ecclesiastici in Vnitate Fratrum Bohemorum Whereunto I desire to remitte those who would know particulars THE ADDITION OF FRANCIS MASON unto his Defence of the Ministery of the Church of England wherein the Ordination of the Ministers of the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas is maintained by him against the ROMANISTS PHILODOX THough somewhat may be said for the Ministers of England yet for Luther and Calvin and their Disciples you can bring no shew nor shaddow of probability ORTHODOX That point is without the circle of our present subject which concerneth only the Ministery of England PHILOD I perceive you are afraid and would fayne fly the field indeed I cannot blame you it is a dangerous point Latet anguis in herbâ ORTHOD. The handling of a question of this nature requireth the particular knowledge of the estate of those Churches with the occurrences and occasions out of which their proceedings and actions did grow and that according to the severall circumstances of time persons and places appearing by Records In which respect I would willingly referre this point to the learned men living in the same Churches which are best acquainted with the particulars of their owne estate Notwithstanding least you should insult and triumph over our Brethren I am content to skirmish a little with you using for my chiefest target your owne testimonies as Iudas Macchabeus protected Israel with the sword of Apollonius 1. Maccab. 3.12 But the trumpets have already sounded to the encounter behold we enter the field expecting your fiery darts against the host of Israel PHIL. VNtill Protestants shew the lawfull vocation of their first head and spring Martin Luther they all being derived of him may be counted amongst the Acephali those ancient Heretiques even as the branch of an honourable house being stained the whole posterity after remaineth spotted ORTHOD. Are all the Pretestants derived from Martin Luther you know the contrary in the Churches of England Scotland Helvetia France and Flanders Neither can any of the Protestants be counted Acephali For those blaspheinous Heretiques opposing themselves against the Councell of Chalcedon maintained this damnable Heresy a Niceph. lib. 18. cap. 45. that there is but one nature in Christ whereas all wee doe most stedfastly beleive and stedfastly professe that Christ is God truly and Man perfectly one person inseparably and yet two natures distinctly God truly against the Arrians condemned in the first generall Councell Man perfectly against the Apolinarians condemned in the second generall Councell One person inseparably against the Nestorians condemned in the third generall Councell Two natures distinctly against the Eutychians condemned in the fourth generall Councell From which Heresies and all other the Protestants may be justified to be cleare and much clearer then your selves PHILOD THe Acephali were so called according to b Isid Origin lib. 8. cap. 5. Isidor because there could be found no head nor authour from whence they did spring Such are the Protestants therefore they may be all called Acephali ORTHOD. You said even now that our first head and spring was Martin Luther If you have found our head how can you call us Acephali PHILOD But who was Luthers head or whence did he spring he was a body without a head and a river without a spring ORTHOD. Did you not resemble him to a branch of an honourable house therefore if we may beleive you this branch hath a roote this body a head and this river a spring PHILOD Indeed he did spring frō the Church of Rome as he was a Priest but he was never Bishop and yet he tooke upon him to ordaine Ministers as though he had beene a Bishop Wherefore if you will grant that all ministeriall power must of necessity be derived from a Bishop as from a head then seeing Luther was no Bishop he was no head so all his ofspring are Acephali But if you deny this preheminence of Bishops then flying Scylla you fall into Charybdis and shunning the name of Acephali you become Aerians ORTHOD. Or rather if ministeriall power may be derived from a Presbyter in case of necessity then are they not Acephali if they acknowledge the preheminence of Bishops then are they not Aërians PHIL. VVHat was the heresy of the Aërians c Ad Quodvult Deum Haeres 53. S. Austen declareth how Aērius being prevented of a Bishoprick for griefe thereof falling from the Church became an Arrian and broached new opinions One whereof was that there ought to be no difference betweene a Bishop and a Priest And doe not almost all the Lut herans and Calvinists teach the same For wherein doth a Bishop excell a Presbyter so much as in his Order and what is so proper to the excellent order as the power of Ordination Wherefore seeing they communicate this to a Presbyter they take away in effect all difference and so concurre with the Aërians ORTHOD. For the dispelling of this cloud let us first consider this Heresy and then examine this odious imputation This heresy consisted not in this that a Bishop and a Presbyter are of one order nor in this that a Presbyter in some causes may ordaine which points sundry of your selves doe maintaine as hereafter shall be declared following herein as they were verily perswaded Saint Ierome and others of the ancient Fathers who are very farre from being Aërians But what it was and wherein it consisteth we may learne of Epiphanius and Austen d Epiph. haeres 75. §. 3. Epiphanius describeth it in this manner What is said Aërius a Bishop to a Priest the one differeth nothing from the other For there is one order one honour and one dignity The Bishop imposeth hands so doth also the Priest The Bishop baptizeth so doth likewise the Priest The Bishop is a disposer of divine worship and the Priest is likewise The Bishop sitteth in the throne the Priest sitteth also By e Aug. ad Quod vult Deum haer 53. Austen thus Dicebant Presbyterum ab Episcopo nullâ differentiâ debere discerni i. The Aërians said that a Bishop ought to be distinguished from a Priest by no difference What meant Aerius when he said there ought to be no difference He could not meane that there ought to be none by the lawes of the Church for it is evident that they put a difference Therefore his meaning was that by the word of God there ought to be no difference So he controuled the preheminence of Bishops as contrary to the Scripture Wherein his owne position was false
Bishopricks were contained that e Insuper praeter septem collaterales Episcopos erant alii Episcopt qui dicuntur suffraganci Romani Pontificis nulli alii Primati vel Archiepiscopo subjectis qui frequenter ad Synodos vocarentur MS. Vatican apud Baron ann 1057. §. 23. were immediatly subject to the Bishop of Rome and frequently called to his Synods the names whereof are found registred in the Records of that Church The antiquity of which number as it may in some sort receive confirmation from the Roman Synod of seventy Bishops held under Gelasius so for the distinction of the Bishops which belonged to the city of Rome from those that appertayned to Italy we have a farr more ancient testimony from the Edict of the Emperour Aurelian who in the controversy that arose betwixt Paulus Samosatenus and Domnus for the house which belonged unto the Church of Antioch commanded that it should be delivered to them f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Niceophorus Callist lib. 6. hist cap. 29. but Eusebius lib. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more fully 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whom the Bishops of Italy and Rome should by their letters declare that it ought to be given which distinction aswell in the forecited g Ex provinciâ Italiae civitate Mediolanen c. Ex provinciâ Romanâ civitate Portuen ut suprà Acts of the Councell of Arles as in the Epistles of the h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synod Sardic epist ad Alexandrino in 2. Athanasii Apologiâ tomo 1. Oper edit Commelin pag. 588. Sardican Synod and i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Athanas epist ad solitar vit agentes ibid. pag. 640. At hanasius may likewise be observed the name of Italy being in a more strict sense applyed therein to the seven provinces which were under the civill jurisdiction of the Vicarius or Lievtenant of Italy and the Ecclesiasticall of the Bishop of Millaine And it is well worth the observing that the Fathers of the great Councell of Nice afterwards confirming this kind of primacy not only in the Bishops of Rome and Antioch k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Nicaen 1. Can. 6. but also in the Metropolitans of other Provinces doe make their entrance into that Canon with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the ANCIENT customes continue Which openeth unto us the meaning of that complaint which some threescore and tenne yeares before this S. Cyprian made against Novatianus for the confusion which by his schisme he brought upon the Churches of God that l Cùm jampridem per omnes provincias per urbes singulas ordinati sint Episcopi in aetate antiqui in fide integri in pressurâ probati in persecutione proscripti ille super eos creare alios pseudoepiscopos audeat Cyprian epist 52. whereas long since in all Provinces and in all Cities Bishops had been ordained in age ancient sound in faith tryed in affliction proscribed in persecution yet took he the boldnesse to create other false Bishops over their heads namely subordinate Bishops in every City and Metropolitans in every Province In Africk at that time although there were many civill Provinces yet was there but one Ecclesiasticall whereof Cyprian himselfe was m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Constantinopol in Trullo can 2. Arch-bishop as the Fathers of the Trullan Synod call him It pleased saith he in one of his Epistles n Vniversis Episcopis vel in nostrâ provinciâ vel trans nare constitutu Cyprian epist 40. all the Bishops constituted either in our province or beyond the sea intimating thereby that all the Bishops which were on his side the sea did belong unto one province o Quoniam latiùs fusa est nostra provincia habet etiam Numidiam Mauritanias duas sibi cohaerentes Id. epist 45. For our province saith he in another place is spread more largely having Numidia also and both the Mauritaniaes annexed unto it Whence that great Councell assembled by him for determining the question touching the baptizing of those that had been baptized by Hereticks is said to bee gathered p Ex provinciâ Africâ Numidià Mauritaniâ Concil Cypriam out of the province of Africa Numidia and Mauritania For howsoever in the civill government the Proconsular Africa wherein Carthage was seated Numidia and both the Mauritanies Sitifensis Caesareensis were accounted three distinct provinces yet in the Ecclesiasticall administration they were joyned together and made but one province immediatly subject to the Metropoliticall jurisdiction of the prime see of Carthage Some threescore yeares before this African Councell was held by Cyprian those other Provinciall Synods were assembled by the Metropolitans of sundry nations for the composing of the Paschall controversy then hotly pursued and among the rest that in our neighbour country out of q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb histor lib. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the parishes for so in the ancient language of the Church those precincts were named which now we call dioceses of which Irenaeus had the superintendency whence also hee wrote that free Epistle unto Victor Bishop of Rome r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the person of those brethren over whom he was president at which time and before the ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most famous Metropoles of that country and so the t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. ibid. most eminent Churches therein were Lyons Vienna in the one whereof Irenaeus was then no les renowned a Prelat then Cyprian was afterwards in Africa Dionysius the famous Bishop of Corinth was elder then they who among many other Epistles directed one u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. lib. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Church of Gortyna and all the rest of the Churches of Crete wherein he saluted their Bishop Philip. whereby it appeareth that at that time aswell as in the ages following Gortyna was the Metropolis and the Bishop thereof the Metropolitan of all the rest of that whole Iland Which kind of superintendency there Eusebius the ancientest Ecclesiasticall historian now extant deriveth from the very times of Titus whom out of the histories that were before his time he relateth to have held x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Id. lib. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishoprick of the Churches in Crete With whom the Grecians of after times doe fully concurre as appeareth both by the subscription annexed by them unto the Epistle of S. Paul y 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Titus ordained as there they say the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians and by the argument out of Theodoret prefixed by them before the same speaking of him to the same effect that z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoret argument epist ad Tit. in Occumenio he was by Paul ordained Bishop of that great countrey and had commission