both see the Apostles and conferred with them unto h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Eleutherius who when Irenaeus wrote had the charge of that Bishoprick in the twelfth place after the Apostles Concerning whom and the integrity which then continued in each other succession from the Apostles dayes Hegesippus who at the same time published his History of the Church saith thus i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hegesip apud Euseb lib. 4. hist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soter succeeded Anicetus and after him was Eleutherius Now in every succession and in every City all things so stand as the Law and the Prophets and our Lord doe preach When this k Cum Elcutherius vir sanctus Pontificatui Romanae Ecclesiae praeesset misit ad eum Lucius Britanncrum Rex epistolam obsecrans ut per ejus mandatum Christianus efficeretur Et mox essectum piae poslulationis consecutus est su sceptamque fidem Britanni usque in tempora Diocletiani Principis inviolatam integramque quietâ pace servabant Bed hist ecclesiast Anglor lib 1. cap. 4. Eleutherius as our Bede relateth was Bishop of the Church of Rome Lucius King of the Brittaines sent an Epistle to him desiring that by his meanes he might be made Christian. Who presently obtained the effect of his pious request and the Brittaines kept the faith then received sound and undefiled in quiet peace untill the times of Dioclesian the Emperour By whose bloudy persecution the faith and discipline of our Brittish Churches was not yet so quite extinguished but that within ten yeares after and eleven before the first generall Councell of Nice three of our Bishops were present and subscribed unto the Councell of Arles l Tom. 1. Concilior Gall i.e. à Sirmondo edit pag 9. Eborius of Yorke Restitutus of London and Adelsius of Colchester called there Colonia Londinensium The first root of whose succession we must fetch beyond Elentherius and as high as S. Peter himselfe if it be true that he m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metaphrast Commentar de Petro Paulo ad diem 29. lunii constituted Churches here and ordained Bishops Presbyters and Deacons in them as Symeon Metaphrastes relateth out of some part of n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Eusebius as it seemeth that is not come unto our hands But to returne unto the Angels of the seven Churches mentioned in the Revelation of S. Iohn by what hath been said it is apparent that seven singular Bishops who were the constant Presidents over those Churches are pointed at under that name For other sure they could not be if all of them were cast into one mould and were of the same quality with Polycarpus the then Angell of the Church in Smyrna who without all question was such if any credit may bee given herein unto those that saw him and were well acquainted with him And as Tertullian in expresse termes affirmeth him to have been placed there by S. Iohn himselfe in the testimony before alledged out of his o Tertull. Praescript c. 32. Similiter Hieronymus in Catal. script Ecclesiast cap. 17. in Polycarpo Nicepherus lib. 3. Hist Ecclesiast cap. 2. Prescriptions so doth he else-where from the order of the succeeding Bishops not obscurely intimate that the rest of that number were to be referred unto the same descent p Habemus Ioannis alumnas Ecclesias Nam etsi Apocalypsim ejus Marcion respuit ordo tamen Episcoporum ad originem recensus in Ioannem stabit auctorem Sic caeterarum generositas recognoscitur Tertulsian a lvers Marcion lib. 4. c. 5. We have saith he the Churches that were bred by Iohn For although Marcion doe reiect his Revelation yet the order of the Bishops reckoned up unto their originall will stand for Iohn to bee their Founder Neither doth the ancient Writer of the Martyrdome of Timothy mentioned by Photius meane any other by those seven Bishops whose assistance he saith S. Iohn did use after his returne from Patmos in the government of the Metropolis of the Ephesians For q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phot. Bibliothec. num 254. being revoked from his exile saith he by the sentence of Nerva he betook himselfe to the Metropolis of Ephesus and being assisted with the presence of SEVEN Bishops he tooke upon him the government of the Metropolis of the Ephesians and continued preaching the word of piety untill the Empire of Trajan That he remained with the Ephesians and the rest of the brethren of Asia untill the dayes of Trajan and that during the time of his abode with them he published his Gospell is sufficiently witnessed by r Irenae advers heraes lib 2 cap. 39. item lib. 3. c. 1. 3. Irenaeus That upon his returne from the Iland after the death of Domitian hee applyed himselfe to the government of the Churches of Asia is confirmed likewise both by ſ Euseb lib. 3. hist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieronym in Catal. scrip Ecclesiast cap. 9. Eusebius and by t Hierom who further addeth that u Id. ibid. Praefar in Evangel Matthaei at the earnest intreaty of the Bishops of Asia he wrote there his Gospell And that he himselfe also being free from his banishment did ordaine Bishops in diverse Churches is clearely testified by Clement of Alexandria who lived in the next age after and delivereth it as a certaine truth which he had received from those who went before him and could not be farre from the time wherein the thing it selfe was acted x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alexandrin in lib. de divite salvando qui falso Origenis nomine habeture editus ad calcem tomi 3. Commentariorum Michaelis Ghislerii Euseb hist lib. 3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When S. Iohn saith hee Domitian the Tyrant being dead removed from the Iland of Patmos unto Ephesus by the intreaty of some he went also unto the neighbouring nations in some places constituting Bishops in others founding whole Churches Among these neighbouring Churches was that of Hierapolis which had Papias placed y Euseb lib. 3 hist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hieron Catal. script Ecclesiast cap. 18. Chronic. ad ann Trajin◠2. Bishop therein That this man was z 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irenae advers haetes lib. 5. cap. 33. a hearer of S. Iohn and a companion of Polycarpus is testified by his owne Schollar a Irenaeus vir Apostolicorum temporum Papiae auditcris Evangelistae Iohannis discipulus Episcopus eccle sia Lugdunen sis Hieronym epist 29. ad Theodoram Irenaeus and that he conversed with b Hi sunt Presbyteri Apostolorum discipuli quorum Irenaeus lib. 5. cap. 36. meminit the disciples of the Apostles and of Christ also he himself doth thus declare in the Proëme of the five bookes which he intituled A declaration of the words of the Lord. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ita enim ex Graecis MSS. vetere
of the whole Asian Diocese Upon which ground it was that among those Bishops which Palladius in the life of Chrysostom mentioneth to have been ordayned by Antoninus Bishop of Ephesus f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sozomen hist lib. 8. cap. 6. some were of Lycia and Phrygia as well as others of Asia the ordination of these latter being challenged by vertue of his Metropoliticall of the others by his Patriarchicall jurisdiction Which Patriarchicall right of ordination being taken afterwards from that See by the Councell of Chalcedon was by g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euagr. Instor lib. 3. cap. 6. Timothy of Alexandria the deadly enemy of that Councell restored againe So we see that as Metropolitan of the Asian province he thus subscribeth unto the Constantinopolitan Synod held under Menna h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potiùs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil CP sub Mennâ Act. 5. I Hypatius by the mercy of God Bishop of the Metropolis of the Ephesians of the Asian Province have defined and subscribed and as Patriarch of the Asian diocese to the letters sent by the sixth Councell of Constantinople unto Pope Agatho thus i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Synod VI. Constantinop Act. 18. I Theodorus by the mercy of God Bishop of the Metropolis of the Ephesians and Primate of the Asian Diocese both for my selfe and the Synod that is under me have subscribed And of the Proconsular Asia and by occasion thereof of the Asian Diocese also whereof it was a member thus much may suffice THE PATRIARCHICALL Government of the ancient Church declared by way of Answere unto foure Questions proposed unto EDWARD BREREWOOD The first Question Whether every Church or Bishop at the time of the Nicene Councell were subject to one of the three Patriarchs of Rome of Alexandria and of Antiochia mentioned in the 6. Canon of that Councell Answere NO They were not the Canon it selfe puts it out of question For when as the former part of that Canon had reserved to those three the accustomed prerogative and power over their neighbour Regions there is immediatly added that the dignities or priviledges belonging to the Churches of other Provinces should in like sort be maintained And the second Canon also of the first Generall Councell of Constantinople will enforce as much But for the better declaring of this point two things would be considered First what the Extent or Bounds of those three Patriarchs jurisdiction was Secondly to whose jurisdiction the rest of the Provinces belonged without those precincts Touching the first Concil Nicen can 6. To the Patriarch of Alexandria are attributed in the Nicene Councell the Regions of Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis Epiphan contr haeres sect 68. prope princip Epiphanius addeth Thebais Maraeotica and Ammoniaca and yet he addeth nothing for Thebais and Maraeotica were provinces of Aegypt and Ammoniaca was part of Lybia The utmost cities of which Patriarchs jurisdiction were toward the East Rhinocorura not farre from Anthedon and Gaza where he confined with the jurisdiction of Antiochia and toward the West Berenice neere the greater Syrtis that was I say the utmost city of his jurisdiction that way but the utmost bound of it was at the towne of Phileni in the bottome of the greater Syrtis where the jurisdiction of Egypt confined with that of Afrique Within which large bounds at the time of the Nicene Councell were a Notitia Provinciar six Provinces of the Romane division but afterward in the time of the b Action 1. Concil Chalced in epist ad Dioscorum Councell of Chalcedon it seemes there were tenne the greater Provinces being then divided into lesse for so many Metropolitan Bishops doe the Emperors Theodosius and Valentinian call to that Councell out of the Diocesse of Egypt To the Patriarch of Antiochia belonged all c Concil Constantinop 1. can 2. the Provinces of the Orient which name taken properly in the Romane writers not for the Easterne Empire whereof Constantinople was the Metropolis but for the East Diocesse of the Empire whereof Antiochia was containeth all the Provinces of the Romane Empire lying at the East end of the Mediterrane Sea as farre as their Empire extended Eastward together with Cilicia and Isauria confining with the former but yet being on the North side of the midland Sea all together being in number d Notitia Provinc prope princip 15. Provinces Now lastly touching the jurisdiction of the Patriarch of Rome although I will not take on mee resolutely to determine the precincts of it yet I will tell you my opinion Which is that it contained all those Provinces of the Diocesse of Italy which the old Lawyers and others terme Suburbicarias There were ten of them whereof three were the three Islands Sicilie Corsica and Sardinia and the other seven were in the firme land of Italie and took up in a manner all the narrow part of it for all Italie East ward belonged to it but on the West the river Magra which was and still is the limit of Tuscany toward the Tyrrhene Sea and the River Esino Asius it was called not farre to the West of the city Ancona toward the Adriatique Sea were the bounds of it for at that River Esino if I be not mistaken the Province of Picenum Suburbicarium confined with that which was termed Picenum Annonariū whereof the former belonged to the Praefecture of Rome whereof the city of Rome was Metropolis and the later together with all the other provinces in the broader part of Italy there were seven of them in all pertained to the Diocese of Italy properly so termed whereof the Metropolis was the city of Milan And that this and no other was the ancient jurisdiction of the Roman Patriarch I am not without reason to perswade me for first Ruffin hist Eccles lib. 1. cap. 6. Ruffinus in his Ecclesiasticall history registring the Canon of the Nicene Councell above alleadged setteth it down thus Apud Alexandriam ut in Vrbe Româ vetusta consuetudo servetur ut ille Aegypti hic Suburbicariarum Ecclesiarum solicitudinem gerat whose translation if he meant but to translate the Canon out of the Greek as I will not approve so his declaration if he meant that I cannot reprove because living so shortly as he did after the Nicene Councell and being of Italy as hee was hee might well know the bounds of that Patriarch's jurisdiction as it was then practised Secondly so many Provinces and no more belonged to the Prefecture of the city of Rome that was to the civill Jurisdiction of him that was Vicarius Vrbis Notitia Provinciar Imper Occidental as in the book of Provinces is manifest And of all the other Ecclesiasticall jurisdictions whether of Patriarchs or Primates it is certaine that they extended no farther then the Temporall Regiment of the Lievtenants did that is to the bounds of those Dioceses whereof the cities of their
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
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
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
heresy or schisme were growne more wide and dangerous by the congregation of Councels either Provinciall by the Metropolitan or Patriarchall by the Patriarch or Primate or Generall by the Emperour according to the severall necessities of the Church The second Question To what Patriarch was the Church and Bishop of Carthage subject To Alexandria or Rome Answere TO neither of both But he himselfe was Primate and consequently had Patriarchicall jurisdiction in all the provinces there were VI. of them of the Diocese of Afrique for of the XIII Dioceses of the Empire before mentioned that of Afrique was one So that all the Region of Afrique excepting the most Aesterly part of it called Mauritania Tingitana for that Province belonged to the jurisdiction or Diocese of Spaine as it is in Notitiâ Provinciarum and the Easterly part beyond the greater Syrtis for that belonged to the jurisdiction of Egypt all the rest of Afrique I say was subject to Carthage as their chiefe Primate Chiefe Primate I must tearme him speaking now of Afrique because as before I observed the Africans usually called all their Metropolitans Primates contrary to the custome of the rest of Christendome But yet as I said the principall power of Primate in Afrique belonged to the Arch-Bishop of Carthage alone Novell 131. cap. 1. For Iustinian doth plainly give him the same jurisdiction and prerogative in the Diocese of Afrique that he did to the Bishop of Iustiniana prima in the Diocese of Dacia that is to say as you shall understand by mine answer to your last Question of an absolute Primate Which assignement or donation of Iustinians notwithstanding you must not conceive to be the first erecting of it to that dignity but the restoring of it when as by the service of Belisarius he had recovered it with Afrique out of the Vandales hands who had held the dominion and possession of it many yeares to the state of Primacy wherein it had been before they surprised it Stephan de Vrbib in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Leo. 9. Epist 4. Salvian lib. 7. de gubernatione Dei Stephanus Byzantius also I remember calleth it the Metropolis of Afrique and Leo the IX a Pope acknowledgeth it to have been the Metropolis of all Afrique and that which Salvianus writeth of it in the 7. book importeth no lesse But above all the erecting of it by Iustinian into a Praetorian Praefecture doth most evidently assure it assigning it not a Lievetenant Vicarium as it had before it came into the Vandales hands when it was under the jurisdiction of the Praefectus Praetorij Italiae but as I said à Praefectus Praetorio Cod. lib. 1. tit 27. de offic Praefect Praetor Africx leg 1. as it is in the Code and annexing to his jurisdiction two Provinces more then anciently pertained to it For even the principall Cities of Dioceses wherein the Vicarij kept residence were cities of Primacies much rather therefore those that were the seats of the Praefecti Praetorio whose places the Vicarij did but supply Now for your first doubt of Lybia in the Nicene Canon attributed to the Patriarch of Alexandia you must understand that it is there taken properly for that region of Afrique which retained peculiarly the name of Lybia of which you may read in S. Hierome in his Questions on Genesis where he entreateth of the progeny of Noahs sonnes The situation of it Prosem lib. 4. Geograph in initio in tab 3 Africae Procop lib. 6 Aedificior you may find in Ptolemy to bee that region of Afrique that lyeth next to Egypt and for the amplitude Procopius may direct you that it anciently contained all that was betwixt Egypt and Cyrenaica Yet true it is that the name of Lybia in a generall acception contained all the regions of Afrique and the very like was the fortune of the name Africa it selfe which properly signifying the region about Carthage yet became common to all the Countries from Spaine to Egypt And may we not observe the same in the names of the other grand Regions of the Continent Asia and Europe for Europa properly was but one of the Provinces of Thrace whereof Heraclea was the Metropolis and Asia properly taken but one of the Provinces of Anatolia whereof the Metropolis was Ephesus And that the name of Lybia in the Nicene Canon is to be taken in this peculiar sense the Canon it selfe will enforce not only because it is ordered in the Canon in such sort as indeed the Countries lye betwixt Egypt Pentapolis Pentapolis is the same that is otherwise termed Cyrenaica but much more effectually for the former reason perhaps is but light because it had been vaine to have added Pentapolis after Lybia if they had meant by Lybia all the great Region of Afrique whereof Pentapolis was but a small part As for the point of Appeales certaine it is that the last appeales of the Clergy in any Diocese were regularly to be made to the Patriarch of that Diocese and that from the sentence of the Patriarch was no appeale as it is evident by the Constitutions of Iustinian Novell 123. cap. 22. Cod. lib. 1. Tit. 4. leg 29. both in the Novells and in the Code in the title de Episcopali Audientiâ L. Sancimus But you must understand that those whom Iustinian calls the Patriarches of the Diocese were not only the five Patriarchs for in Iustinians time there were so many commonly termed by that Name but as I before noted the Primates of the Dioceses who had Patriarchichall jurisdiction For Iustinian in the place of the Code now alleadged acknowledgeth the order of appealing there set downe from the Bishop to the Metropolitane and from him to the Patriarch of the Diocese to have been an old decree And that very decree we find in the Councell of Chalcedon Concil Chalced Act. 15. can 9. Bellar. l. 2. de Pontif. Rom. cap. 22. but not under the name of Patriarch of the Diocese but of Primate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Diocese for as for Bellarmin's interpreting the Bishop of Rome to be the Exarch of the Diocese in that Canon mentioned although he follow * Nicol I. in epist ad Michael Imp. a Pope therein it is by his leave but an unskilfull shift and bewrayeth in him some ignorance of the ancient Ordination and government of the Church And with these Constitutions of the Empire and of the Church those decrees of the Councels of Melevis and of Afrique which you alleadge Concil M levit can 22. Concil African cap. 105. doe perfectly agree for by them are forbidden if you mark them well not onely Trans-marine Appeales meaning those to Rome although in the Milevitan Canon there be a speciall clause to exclude them because the Bishop of Rome had specially claimed that priviledge but all forraine Appeales any whether out of Afrique so that by these Canons the Bishop of Alexandria was no lesse excluded then the
position is condemned by the a Sess 23. Can. 7. Councell of Trent not from the Episcopall considered alone and apart from the Priest-hood for the Bishoprick without the Priest-hood saith b Bellarm. de Sacram. Ordinis cap. 5. §. 16. Bellarmine is so farre from being a superiour order that in very deed it is nothing but a meere figment in the mind Wherefore I will anwere your question with these words in Gregory de Valentiâ c Gregor de Valentiâ to 4. d. 9. q. 1. p. 4. resp ad arg 1. Episcopum non per solam potestatem quam in Episcopali ordine accepit sed per illam simul per Sacerdotalem potestatem ordinare Sacerdotem A Bishop ordaineth Priests not by the power only which he received when hee was ordained Bishop but by his Episcopall Presbyteriall power joyned together which is agreeable to Bellarmine saying d Bellarm. de Sacram. ord cap. 5. §. 13. The entire Episcopall ordination ariseth from a double ordination and the entire and perfect Episcopall character which is an absolute perfect and independent power of conferring the sacraments of Confirmation and Order is not one simple quality but a thing composed of a double Character ORTHOD. THen you referre it only to the Sacrament and Character of order wherefore if it can bee proved out of your owne writers that every Presbyter hath as much as a Bishop of the Sacrament and Character of order you must confesse that every Presbyter hath intrinsecall power to give orders But this shall be proved by a world of witnesses all affirming in effect that which is added in Episcopall Consecration whereby a Bishop is distinguished from a Presbyter is neither Sacrament of order nor imprinteth a Character To begin with the Schoolemen The Master of the Sentences saith e 4. Sent. dist 24. Cumque omnes spirituales sint c. Whereas all the seven orders are spirituall and sacred yet the Canons thinke that two only are called sacred orders by an excellency to wit the order of Deaconship and Priesthood because the Primitive Church so farre as we can reade had only these two and of these only wee have the Apostles precept For the Apostles ordained Bishops and Presbyters in every City we read also that Levits hee meaneth Deacons were ordained by the Apostles Thus hee affirmeth that the Primitive Church in the Apostles time had Bishops Priests and Deacons yet acknowledgeth but two sacred orders the Deaconship and the Priesthood And whereas he saith Ordo Episcoporum est quadripartitus the order of Bishops is branched into fowre parts it is certaine he taketh the word Order largely and improperly which may appeare because a little before he excludeth the Episcopall function from being an Order in these plaine and expresse termes Sunt alia quaedam non ordinum sed dignitatum vel officiorum nomina dignitatis simul officii nomen est Episcopus There be also other names not of Orders but of Dignities and offices yea a Bishop is a name both of Dignity and Office Bonaventure f 4. Sent. dist 24. q. 3. a. 2. Episcopatus desicit ab ordine c. The Episcopall function commeth short of an order because order is a seale that is a Character because a seale doth signify a Character and this Character is not imprinted in the Episcopall function a signe whereof is this that a Bishop cannot be consecrated unlesse he be a Priest and so of it selfe it doth not imprint a Character Moreover it faileth from being an Order because there is not given any new power but only the power of binding and loosing is inlarged And Episcopatus includit necessariò ordinem perfectissimum scilicèt Sacerdotium illi super addit eminentiam The Episcopall function includeth necessarily the most perfect order to wit the Priesthood and addeth unto it eminency Thomas Aquinas saith g Supplement 3 part q. 40. art 5. Ordo potest accipi dupliciter c. Order may be taken two wayes one way as it is a Sacrament and so as it is said before every order is ordered to the Sacrament of the Eucharist whereupon seeing a Bishop hath no more superiour power then a Priest in this respect the Bishoply function shall not be an order Order may be considered another way in that it is a certaine office in respect of certaine sacred actions and so seeing a Bishop hath power in Hierarchichall actions above a Priest in respect of the body Mysticall the Bishoply function shall be an Order Durandus h In 4. sent dist 24. q. 6. Dicendum est quòd Episcopatus seu ordinatio Episcopalis est Ordo Sacramentum non quidem praecisè distinctum à sacerdotio simplici sed ut est unum sacramentum cum ipso sicut perfectum imperfectum i. e. It is to be said that the Bishoply function or the Episcopall ordination is an order and a sacrament not truely and precisely distinct from the simple Priesthood but as it is one sacrament with the Priesthood even as perfect and imperfect Dominicus Soto i De Iustit Iure l. 10. q. 1. art 2. 4. sent dist 24. q. 2. art 3. Episcopatus non est sacramentum Ordinis est tamen Ordo hoc est Dignitas gradus altior sacerdotio cui eminentiora officia sunt annexa i. e. The Bishopship is not a sacrament of Order and yet it is an order that is a higher dignity and degree them Priesthood to which certaine eminent offices are annexed Richardus k In 4. sent dist 24. art 5. q. 2. Ordo dupliciter potest accipi uno modo pro gradu potestatis ordinatae mediatè vel immediatè ad consecrationem corporis vel sanguinis Christi alio modo pro quolibet gradu potestatis respectu quarumlibet actionum sacrarum Primo modo Ordo est sacramentum sic Episcopatus non est ordo c. i.e. Order may be taken two waies one way for the degree of an ordinate power mediatly or immediatly to the consecration of the body or blood of Christ another way for any degree of power in respect of certaine sacred actions In the first sense Order is a sacrament and so Episcopatus is not an order and before Non sunt nisi septem ordines in Ecclesiâ quod non esset verum si Episcopatus esset ordo i. e. There are but seven orders in the Church which would not be true if Episcopatus were an Order Aureolus doth argue l In 4. d. 24. q. 1. art 2. by proving that the Episcopall function is not another order distinct frō the Priesthood because then this order should be either superiour then a Priest or inferiour But it is neither so nor so Therefore it is no way an order The Minor is proved Because it is apparent that it cannot be an inferiour order because that which is inferiour is first taken and is presupposed to the superiour order But