Chapter of the Bifliop's adminiflring all Ordinances
(p) Ap. Can. I. Niccn.Conc. can. 4* ^
S' in
2
5 8 The Hijlory of Ordination.
in his own Perfon, which had been impofTible for
him to do in a Diocefs of the modern Extent.
What Bifhop now can baptize all in his Diocefs,
can adminifter the Lord's Supper to his whole Dio-
cefan Flock, and that every Lord's Day, can take care
of all the Poor in his Diocefs, can hear the Cate-
chumens, or Children fay their Catechifm, can
confiilt his Clergy, and his whole Flock in the Ma-
nagement of Church AffairSi and at the reading of
publick Letters ; can number his Flock, know ^11 the
Poor, entertain all his Clergy as his proper Family,
and teach them all every Lord's Day ? All this and
much more, as I fhall prove anon, was done by the
primitive Bifliop, which is a Demonftration that his
Diocefs was ot no larger Extent thaft our modern
Pariflies. This I will undertake to make good by th€
following Obfervations.
1. The IVork of the Prmitrje Bifhop was Juchy as none
hut a Parijh Bijhop could perform. Chryfofiom faith, n
Biffjop mufi not take care only of the Men-, and negleSi the
Women — hut he mufi vifit them when they are Jicky com-
fort them in their Griefs, rebuke them that are remifsy and
relieve the JffliBed (q)- Again, He is accountable for all
and every Souly for all their Sins, for the Damnation of
every one that perifJyes any ivay through his default (r).
He calls them miferable Wretches that defire the Of-
fice ; What can one fay to thofe Wretches^ who plunge
themfelves into an Ahyfs of Sufferings ^ Thou mufi give
an account of all whom thou rulefty Womeny Meny and
Children (f). I am aftonifhed, faith he, at thofe who
feek fuch a weighty Charge ; wretchud and miferable^
Many doft thou fee what thou feekeft? Canft thouan-
fwer for one Soul ? When thou haft got this Dignity,
confidcr to the Punifhment of how many Souls thou
art liable (t). Thefeand many other PafTages of the
(q) Chryf. de Saccrd. Lib. 6. (r) Ibid in Heb. 15. 17, (i) Id.ia
Hcb. Horn. 54» (t) Chryr.ia Tir, Hop?, i.
like
The Hiflory oj Ordination. 259
like nature in this excellcnc Bifhop's Works, make ft
evident that the ancient Bifhopricks v/ :rc no ionget
than the Biihop could overile in his own Perfon, and
that he was perfohally to take care of his whole
FJock, Women and Children not excepted.
But more particularly,
1. It was the Bifhop that baftiz.ed 2\\ the Catechu-*
mens in his Diocefs, took theit Examination and
Gonfe/Iion in the Prefence of the whole Church and
Clergy ; as appears at large in Dionyjiu^'s Ecclefiafti-
cal Hierarchy {w),
2. It was the BifhOp that adminiftred the Eucharifi
to the whole Diocefs at one Altar, attended with all
the Eccleftaflkal Orders y cfpecially the Priefis and Dca*
cons, who ftood round about him, and afTifled
him (w;.
3. It was the Bifliop's proper Office to preach to th^
whole Diocefs, as the Pallor of it. Aiid therefore it is
obferv*d by the Author oi ih^Ecclefiafikal Hierarchy, x.\\2X
it was proper to the Bijhop to have at his Ordination d
Bible laid on his Head, which the inferior Orders had
not (x).
We are Bi/hops for their fakes, faith Jufltn, to whoni
\Ve tninifter in the Word and Saeramcnts fy). The
fathers of the fixth Council o^ Confl amino fie at 7r«/.
/«w decreed, that the Bffiops who prefide in the Churches^
Jh^ud every Day, efpecially on the Lord's Dayi, teach alt
their Clergy arid People the Words of Fiety and true
Religion, gathering the judgments of Truth out ef the
Holy Scriptures (2).
The elcFcnth Council of Toledo, enjoyns Bifiops ta
preach conflantly, and not to be binder d by any Worldly
Cares from the S^udy of the Scriptures, nor fuffer thofe com^
mitted to their Care to perijh Viith the Pamine of the Word
of God (Z . .
■ ■■' ■" ._ - - ■ - ■ - '^
(u; (w; Id. Ibid. cap. 6. (xj DcEccl,.
Hier. Cap. 9, (7) Contra Crcfcon. Lib. z. cap. x. [z] Can* 19^
la} Can. 2.
S i 4. Th^
i6o The Htjlory of Ordination.
4. The Bifhops took care of all the Poor iii their
Dioceires.
Juflin Martyr faith, ' That the Collections of the
^ Church were depofited with the Bifliop, out of
* which he relieved the Orphans and Widows, and
* thofe that are in Want by reafon of Sicknefs, or
* fome other Caufe, as alfo fuch as are in Bonds, and
* Strangers that come from far ; afid in a Word, he
* is Curator and Overfecr over all the Poor (b).
* The Author of the Apofiolkal Co'nftitutions^ charges
* the Bifhops to be careful to relieve Orphans, to ex-
* prefs a paternal Care of them, to give conjv»gaI Pro-
* tedions to Widows, to provide Husbands for fuch
*" as arc in the Flower of their Age; Work for Artifi'
* cers, and a Houfe^to lodge in for Strangers.
Again, ' You mufl be very careful of Orphanrs
* that they want nothing: you muft be helpful to
*■ Virgins until they be ripe for Marriage, and then
^ you muft marry them to the Brethren : fet out
* Youths to Apprentiffeip;s, that they may learn
•^ Trades (c>.- ' ■ '^- V - c */^^
Ignatim exhorts Poly carp y not to negleB the IVidowfy
hut to be^ their Curator after God. He adds,^ let there be
frequent Affemblies, feek all by Name; defpife not the Men
and Maid Servants (d).
What BilTiop now is able to take Care of all the
Poor in his Diocefs ; to provide Trades for Or-
phans, Husbands for poor Virgins j to know the
whole Flock by their Namesy the Servants not except-
ed ? What Bifhop can feek his whole Dioeefs by Name^
and know if any be abfent in the Weekly Aifemblies ?
Something of this might be done by the Paflor of
one of our lefler Parifhes, but it is altogether impra-
dicable in our larger Parilhes, much more in our Dio-
ceffes. It follows then that the ancient Diocejfesy in
which the Bijhops took care of all the Poor^ and knew
(b; Apol. 2- p, 77. Edit. S)'lburg. (c) Conft. Ap. 8. *;• (^)
Ignat. ad Polyc.
V * their
The Hijlory of Ordination. a6i
tjieir Congregations by their Names, were no bigger
than one of our ordinary Parifhes.
In the Biftop's Abfence th^ Care of the Poor was
committed to the Presbyters and Deacons. Thus
Cjprian in his Retirement wrote to his Presbyters
and Deacons, ' That they would fupply tii- Necef-
Mities of the Confedbrs in Prifon, and^oiLer Poor
^ that perfcvered in the Faith, put of the Churcji
' Stock which was in their keeping (c).
The 41 Apollol. Canon ' Commands the frenfury
of the Church to be depofited with the Billiop, for
if the precious Souls of Men be committed to his
Charge, much more ought he to take care of the
pubh'ck Money, that by his Order all Things may
be difpenfed to the Poor by the Hands of the Pref-
byters and Deacons. He may take out of it hin\-
felf as much as is neceflary to fuppiy his own Wants,
-if he be in Want, and to relieve llrange Brethren,
that nothing be wanting to them.
The Presbyters and Deacons afTifled the Bifhop in the
Diftribution of the Publick Charities, as the Church-
Wardens and Overfeers of the Poor do with us, but
they did all by the Determination and Authority of the
Bijhop^ of whofe Fidelity they were appointed Wit"
nejjes, as appears by the Council of Antioch ('f).
The Fifth Council of Orleans under Childebert ap-
points the Bifliop to relieve the Poor of his Territory
and City out of the Church-Houfe (j) with Food an^
Cloathing (ft).
It were impofTible for a Bifliop oS one of our mo-
dern Diocelles, to relieve the 2(»th part of the Poor;
lie can neither know them, as this Canon requires him
to do, nor cap they come to his Houfe for Relief
who liv? 39 or 40 Miles diftant from him. It follows^
(t) Ep. ^.JtO Cenc. Antioch. Cm* 44. (t) Dc Domo EcJcfise,
S i thac
1^0. The Hijlory of Ordination,
that the ancient Dioceffes were very different from
thofe of the modern Form.
IT. The ancient Diocefes were Ijke our Parifhes,
becaiife ' the whole Diocefs met together in one
* Place, which a Diocefs of the prefcnt extent can- i\
^ not do. ^
In Ignatius' s time thpre was no Church Aflembly
without the Bifhop. * Where the Bifhop appears,
^ faith he, there let the Multitude be ; as where :
* Chrift is, there the Catholick Church is. It is not
* lawful without the Bifhop, either to bapti2e or ad-
^ minifter the Lord's Supper ; for what he approves
* is pleafing to God, that every thing that is don^
* may be firm and ftedfaft (g).
There was but one Altar or Comraunion-Table in
che whole Diocefs. Thus Ignatius, ' If any one be
* not within the Altar, he is deprived of the Bread
* of God : for if the Prayer of one or two have fo
* great Power, how rr:uch more the Prayer of the
* Bifliop and the whole Church (h) ? In another place,
* Run altogether as into one Temple of God, as to
* one Altar, as to ore Jefus Chrift [i),
' Jtifiin Mr.rtyY him^ that on Sunday all that lived
* in the City and Country met together in one Place,
* and the Bifhop (is;&s
< the Eucharift to tb-^-m (k).
Hence Cyprian makes one B'Jhop and one Altar Rela-
tives ; and faith, ' That none can fet up another Al-
* tar, or a new Piieflhood, befides the one Alt^
* and one Priefthood (\).
It is grame
Epifcopacy, that anciently the Bifiiop's Diocefs was
fo fmall, that one Altar was fufficient for it. So Mr.
Mtrde Proof for Churches in the 2d Cent. p. 25: Dr, Ham-
mond, D^JJtrt. 3. cap. S- f' ^5-
{■^] Ep ad Snr.yrn. p. 6. Vofs. ]Edit. (h) Ep. ad. Eph. p. ^o. (i)
AdiViggnes. p. j+. (k) Appi* 2. p, 77- ('] Ep- 4Q.
The Hijhry of Ordinatim. a 6^
Dr. Stflltngfleet faith, ' That altho* when the Church-
^ es increafed, the Occafjon:^! Meetings were frc-
' guent in feveral Places, yet ftill there was but one
* Church and one Altar, and one Baptidry, and one
* BiiLop, with many Presbyters ailifting him: And
^ this fo very plain in Antiquity, as to the Churches
* planted by the Apoftles themfelvcs in feveral Parts,
' that none but a great Stranger in the Hiftory of
^ the Church can ever pall it in cjueftion (m).
When Dioceffcs increafed that they could not all
meet conftantly together, they were obliged to come
all tQgether when Matters of Confcquence were to
be determined. All the Diocefs met to manage
Church Affairs. Cyprian tells his Presbyters and
Deacons, ' That from the Beginning of his Epifco-
? pacy he had determined to do nothing by his pri-
f vate Judgment, without their Adyiccy and Confent
^ of his Peqple (n).
All the People of a Diocefs were prefent at
Church-Cenfures. Hence Clemens Romanus exhorts
the Corinthian Schifmaticks to depart, and fubmit to
the Determination of the Multitude (o).
Cyprian fpeaks of a Decree made by himfelf and
66 Bi/hops more, ' That the Lapfed ordinarily fhpu'd
* not be admitted to Communion without the Re-
*■■ queft and Knowledge of the People (p).
They all met together to chufe a pew Bifhop. Cy-
prian faith, ' the People chiefly hath the Power of
" chuling worthy Miniftcrs and rejecting the unwor-
' thy fq;.
Thus Fabianus eleded Biftop of Rome by all the
Brethren aflembled together in the Church : and all
the People cried with one Confent that he was worthy.
jr&i«t ret
(m) Sermon agninfl Sep. p. 17. (n) Cypr. F.p. 6. (o)
4ptffuosif3^» L^i t3 9rAH3-j
vid. Ep. 51. (qj Ep. 68. /
S 4 (r) Here
a 6 4 2^^^' Htjl^ry oj Ordtnatim.
(x). Here all the Rema;/ Church met together in one
place.
Ordinations were celebrated in an Epifcopal AJfem-
hlyl Cvprian faith, ^ that it was of Divine Tradition
'* and o^ u^poftol/calOlfervatioK, and almofi: every where
^ practiTcdi that for the regular performing of Ordi-
* Yuitiouy the neareil: Bifhops of the Province came to-
*• gether to the People that wanted a Bifhop, and the
\ new Biftop was chofen in the Prefence of the Peo-
* pie, who were Wi'tnelfes to his Life and Conver-
^{ation (f).
This agrees with Clemens his Account of Or^s^w^//-
OYij ' which, faith he, was celebrated with the Confcnt
f of the whole Church (r).
The whole Church met at the reading of publick
Letters. Thus Cyprian writes to Cornelius Bifhop of
Rorne^ that he doubts not but ^ he always read his E-
■^ piftles to his moil flourifhing Clergy that prefided
* with him, and' to the moft holy and moft numerous
? People, and defires it may be done alfo for the fil-
ature (u).
As numerous as the Clergy and Chriflian People at
Rente were at this time, they were no more than
fcould aflemble in one place to hear Cypr/ans Letters
read by Cor^^^Z/z/y unto them.
The whole Roman Church was concern'd in the
Epiftle which the Roman Clergy wrote to the Clergy
at Carthage in Cyprians Retirement, \'Cr'hich ends with
Salutations to the Brethren of Carthage from the Con-
feflors, Presbyters, and the zvhok Clmych at Ro?ne (w).
All the Diocefs were obliged to communicate with
the Bifhop at Eafler, and other principal Feftivities.
Thus the fourth Council of Orleans, ' Let the chief
f Citizens keep the great Feflivals in the Prefence of
^(r) Eufcb-E.-Hirt. 6. ip. ({) Ep. 68. {t) TvuU.w^*o-*,i -^ t^KXn-
r'liti %-fltV;;5, A J Corinth. Ep. S. 44, Edit. Paul. Coir>ra. (u^ Ep. 5-5 •
fw) Ep.' ^. inter C ■ pr. Epif>^
h?
The Hijlory of Ordi'mitim. 165
* the Bifhop. The Council of y^gatha requires the
greater Solemnities to be celebrated in the City
-or Parifh Church.
' III. The ancient DiocefTes were parochial, becaufe
there were Diocejjes in Villages and lejj'er I'vwns as ujell
CIS in'Cifies.
Soz.omen obferves that in Scythia^ tho' there were
{everal Cities, there was but one Biihop: in other
Countries there were Bifhops in fome Villages, as
in Arabia and in Cyprus, ^s alfo among the Novatians
in Phrygia and among the Momamfls (\).
In Egypt there were Bifhops in feverai Villages, as
in Hydrax and Paldijca, two Villages belonging to
Ventapolis ; Olhimi, a Village in the fame Region, had
its Bifliop (y).
In other Parts of Africa the ancient Cuftom of fet-
ting up Bifliops in lefler Villages and other obfcure
Places was continued unto Leo's Time, who wrote
to the Bifhops of Mauritania Caftarienfis to forbid
that Pradice, as contrary to fome Canons, and the
Dignity of Bifhops (7).
There were feverai Bifhops in fmall Villages in P.z-
leftins under the Patriarch of Jerufaleniy as appears
by Guliel. "tyring his Catalogue. This is confefs'd by
Mr. Fuller^ an Epifcopal Divine, who obferves that
^ Lydda, Jamnia, and Joppa, three Epifcopal Towns,
' were within four Miles one of another. — He adds,
*■ Neither let it dagger the Reader, ii in that Catalogue
* of Tyrim he light on many Bifhop*s Seats, which
* are not to be found in Mercator, Orteliusy or any o-
^ ther Geographer, for fome of them were fuch poor
* Places, that they were aiham'd to appear in a
* Map. — For in that Age Bifhops had their Sees at
* poor and contemptible Villages [h).
(x) Eccl. 7. 19. Of KtJfjbtct^ ixio-xtT^i iiftfTtth fy) Synef. Epift.dj.
'7) Ibid. Ep. 76. (a) Ep. Drcr. 87. cap*, z. [b) Hift. of Holy fVaK,
Lib, -L. C.2.
Greg.
t66 The Hiflory of Ordination.
Greg, Naz,ra72z.e?Zy was made Bi/hop of Sajimusy z
¥ery little Town by Bafil (c).
This Practice generally obtained until the Bi/hops
thought it A diminution of their Grandeur to preiidc
in mean Villages and Country Towns.
The Council of Sardicuy about the Year 549, for-
bids the creding of Bifhopricks ' in any Village or
* little City to which one Tresbyter was fufficient, be-
* caufe it is not neceflary to make a Bifhop there, left
* t;he Dignity and Authority of a Bifhop (hould grow
* contemptible : nor ought the Bifliops thj^t are in-
^ vited from another Province to ordain a Bifhopj^
* unlefs in fuch Cities as had Biihops before, or in
< fuch a populous City asdeferves to have a Bi/hop f.
1. This Canon, which was fubfcribed by about;
J 2 1 of the Weftern Bifiiops at Sardica, does not ab-
folutely condemn the making of Bifhqps in Villages
and lefler Cities, (*) but only in fuch ^s were too
big for the Overfight of a fingle Presbyter, as many
of our Pariflies arc.
2. Any Village that was too big a Charge for one
Presbyter might have a Bifhop. So that in the O-
pinion of this Council, which Socratss calls a General
Council^ I Places not fo big as feveral of our Parifhes,
were capable of having Bifhops. Many of our Pa-
riflies have more than one Presbyter, and few Parifh
Rectors but have their Curates.
3 This Canon allows the ereding of Bifiiopricks
in fuch populous Cities as had none before : and the
rcftraint is only upon foreign Bifhops that are invited
from another Province. A Bifhop might ered a Vil-
lage into a Bifhoprick in his own Diocefs.
If a Place was too great for one Presbyter, it might
be fuppl'kd by a Bifhop and one or more Presbyters,
[:.) Naz, Monod. in Bifil. M. Vit. -f Sardic. Concil. Can. 6. cui
fufficit unus Prcsbvter. * Vid, valcf, nor. in Socrat, Hift. Eccl. 2.
IK), i- Hift. E-s-'i. 1. 20. eit.ni^i%y. Q^yi^.
as
The Hijlory of Ordination, a 6 7
as t:here was occafipn. And there were fome Bifho-
pricks (o little', that a Bifhop and one Presbyter were
thought fufficlcntto fupply them ft-
Chryfoflom judged 1 50 Pcrfons a fufficient Charge for
one Perfon. lis, faith he, a very laborious undertaking
for one Minifltr alone ^0 prefide over I 50 Men f.
So that according to the Sentiments of this Great
Man, who had juft ideas of the Paftoral Charge, a
Congregation of 200 Perfons needed a Bifhop to
prefide over them with one or more Presbyters.
Auflin mentions Churches both in the Cities and
in the Countries *,
Several Bifhops are named in the Council which
Cyprian call'd abput the baptizing of Hereticks, whofe
Seats were fo obfcure that they are not to be found
in any of our Geographical Tables t-
' The Synod o£ Lao dice a about the Year 5 6S. prohi-
ted Bifhops to be made in Villages and Country Vlaces Cd).
Pope X^o, who flourifh'd, A. D' 450. enforced the
Obfervation of thefe Canons on the African Churches,
in tbefe Words. * As to what concerns the Dignity
^ of the Prieflhood, we require above all things the
* Canonical Decrees be obferv'd, that Bifhops be not
* confecrated in every Place, or in every Caftle, or
' in fuch Places as had none before: fince the Presby-
^ ters Care is fufficient where there are fewer People
* and leller Aflcmblies : but the Epifcopal Powers
* ought to prefide only over the greater Affemblies,
^ and more populous Cities : left the Prieftly Eminen-
' cy and Honour be applied to little ViUsLgQSy and
* Country Farms,or co obfcure and uninhabited Towns,
* i^ontrary to the Divinely infpired Decrees of the
* Holy Fathers : whereby the Epifcopal Honour, to
* which the moft excellent things ought to be com-
* mitted, may grow contemptible by being over nu-
ft CrtD. Carth. Can. 19. Balfam. f Chryf. in Igiut. iriTFovv'^
5cc. * Contra. Petil. 3. 31. f Sent. Epifc. 87. de H«rer. baptir..
mcrous
2 68 The Hijlory oj Ordination.
S merous. Which Reftitiitm the Bifhop complains to
•t' have been done in his Dioccfs, and defires that
* when the Bifhops of thoic Places, in which they
f fhould not have been ordain'd, happen to die, the
fAPiaces may be reftored to the Jurifdidion of that
^ Bifhop wliofe they were before (e).
St is obferveable here, that,
1 . The Ambition of Rcftttutmy who could not en-
sure any Diminutipn of his Diocefs, occafion'd this
Decree of Pope Leoy who afriimed a Power over the
^ifrican Churches, whiqh Jefus Chrift never gave him.
The Roman Pontifs were as forward to determine the
Ditferences of cgnt^iiding Bifliops in remote Provin-
ces, as the old Ro7nan Emperors were to arbitrate the
Quarrels of contending States, by whi^h fubtile Ar-
tihce the one and other enlarged their Empire.
2. That the reafon why Eifhpps muft not be made
.in A^illa^es is, nc facer dotaiis Homy fiii iiumerofitate Vif
lefiat, left the Epifcopal Honour /liould ^ecpme con-
temptible by fetting Bifiiops over the leifer Allemblies.
A Presbyter was thought fufficient for thefe. As if
■the Honour of Epifcopacy qonlifted in the Fewnefs
Qf Bifiiops, in the fsumeroufnefs of their Flocks, and
the Greatnefs q^ the Places where they prefided. It
is not the number of Pallors, nor the fmallnefs of
their Flocks, nor the meanefs of their Seats that can
make them defpicable, while they confcientioufly f^cd
the Flock. Nor can all the Grandeur of this World
fecure them from Contempt, if they want Perfonal
Worth, and be deficient in Faftoral Duties
3. Leo's other Reafon againft multiplying of Biflio-
pricks is taken from the Infpired Caiions^ as he blaf-
phemouily calls them. 'Tis the Prerogative of the
facred Scriptures to be Divinely inspired f, and thefet-
im2, of Mens Decrees on the level with thofe hasoc-
caiTon'd the Corruptions of the Chriftian Church,
.tiif'j.Lcoa. 1. £p. ;jccr. by. c&p. 1. f zTira. 3. ;5. 3-«(r« yf a^jj,
arid
The Hiflory of Ordination. 069
and the refolving of all Religion into the Will oS
Man.
We' meet with an Afyican Canon about the Yea#
384. againft creating of Bifhops in DiocelVes that ne««
Ver had any (f). And another forbids a People thai?
had been fubjed to the Bifhop of the Diocefe to re^*
ceive another Bifhop befides him (g). '
Thefe rcftraints eftablifl^'d the Boundaries of Bifhd-
pricks, which ought to have been multiplied as the
Believers increafed, whofe Edification fhould have
been more confulted than the Grandeur of Bifhops.
The Sdj(on Council of Herudjord under TbtodQrtti
Archbifhop of Canterbury , about the Year (573. deter-
mined among other things, that BjjJjopricks fhould be in-
creafed as the number of the Faithful encreas'd (hj. ■'Theo^
dorus faith, he took this Canon out of the Book of
Canons made by the Fathers, which he produc'd in
the Council. Whether he refers to fome ancient Ca-
non, or to a late Decree o^iG'fegory, who allow'd ^«-
(lin the Monk to confecrate J 2 more Bifhops under
him befides the Bntijh Bifhops, I determine not (\),
Of thefe latter, Bcde makes mention of 7 who af-
ferted their Rights and ancient Cufloms againfty^w-
flin^ to whom the Pope of Rome had unjuftly fubje(5l-
ed them (k). It does not appear that Gregorys Di-
redion was obferv'd in conftituting 1 2 Engiijh Bifhops
under the Jurifdiction of York. The Sub/edion of
Scotland to the Metropolitan of Torky was not inttnd-
ed in P. Gregory s Epiftle, becaufe he fpeaks not of tht
TiBs and SiotSj but of the Church of the Engiijh j, and
the 13 Bifhopricks fubjected to York he would have
ercded in the Neighbouring Vlaces ff, when they fhould
embrace the Gofpel (1). :,
If this Gregorian Conftitution had been obferved.
(fj Carth. Cone. z. can. 5. (g) Canli. Con. 3. Cin. 41. Circa
A. D. 599. (h) Eccl- Hift. 4. 5". (ij I^id. i. 29. (k) Ibid. t. 2.
t Nova Angiorura Ecclefia ff. Cum tioitiius loci* (i;. Bed.- HHl
Eccl, 1. t9* -^^ '
'I'jo The Hijlory of Ordtnatton.
there lliould have been at leaft 33 Bifbopricks in Eng^
land aiid Walesy but the Succellbrs of Auflin confulted
the Honour of their Order, and the Bifhops of York
chofe rather to extend their Power over Scotland than
to multiply Bifhopricks in the Northern Parts of
England.
The Senfe of Gregorys Cdnftitutidn may be gather-
ed from his Anfwer to Auflms eighth Queflion>
wherein he commands him not to create Bifliops at
fo great a Diftanee, but that they may conveniently
come together at the Ordination of Bifhops fm).
IV. The ancient Dioceires were originally Parochi-
al? ii we confider how numerous they were in a Province,
In Africa Bifhopricks lay very near one another^
that vaft Allemblies ot Bifhops met together on fevC'*
ral occafions. A Council of 45 and another of loa
Donatifi Bifhops depofed Vrimianus, and fubflituted
Maximianus ; and a Council of 310 Bifhops of the
fame Fadion condemn'd the Maximiansy and not long
after received him into Favour again (n).
In the famous Conference at Carthagey Auflin men-
tions about 27P Bifhops on the part of the Donatiflsi
and 286 Catholick Bifhops, befides 20 more who
came to Carthage, but had not fubferibed their Names
in the publick Lill, and 120 more who could not be
prefent ; To which number Auflin adds fixty vacant
Seats, not yet filled (o).
The whole number of Bifhops and Bifhopricks on
the Catholick part amounts to 48^.
The firil Council of Carthage appoints three neigh-
bouring Bifhops to hear the Caufe of a Deacon, fix
Bifhops that of Presbyter, and twelve Bifhops to pafs
Judgment on a Bifhop t- I^ every Deacon now were
to be judged by three Bifiopy and every Vresbyter by.
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