38 40 Next, for the church of Jerusalem: it is unanimously delivered by all ancient writers, that James, the Lord's brother, was the first bishop thereof. St. Jerom says, he was ordained by the apostles immediately after our Lord's crucifixion. Epiphanius calls him, therefore, the first bishop; the first who had an episcopal chair, the first to whom Christ committed his own throne upon earth. Chrysostom says, he was made bishop by Christ himself: the author of the Apostolical Constitutions, both by Christ and the apostles. In like manner, Eusebius" always speaks of him under that character, as first bishop of Jerusalem, ordained by the apostles. So Hegesippus," Clemens Alexandrinus," and Dionysius," bishop of Corinth, all cited by Eusebius. To whom we may add St. Austin," who styles John, bishop of Jerusalem, St. James's successor, and possessor of the chair wherein he sat as first bishop of the place. And it is remarkable, what Clemens, one of the ancientest of these writers, says, that this was designed as a peculiar honour to St. James, in regard that he was the brother of Christ: for though our Saviour usually gave the preference to Peter and John, and James his brother, yet none of those contended about this honour, but chose this James, surnamed Justus, to be bishop of the place; where he lived a saint, and died a martyr. Some time after his death, as Eusebius" relates from ancient tradition, the apostles and disciples of our Lord, as many as were yet in being, met together with our Saviour's kinsmen (several of which were then alive) to consult about choosing a successor in St. James's room; and they unanimously agreed upon Simeon, son of Cleopas, our Saviour's cousin according to the flesh; thinking him the 36 Cotel. Not. in Const. Apost. lib. 7. c. 46. Pearson, de Success. Rom. Pontif. Dissert. 2. c. 2. Cave, Hist. Lit. vol. 1. in Clem. 37 Hieron. Catal. Script. c. 3. Post passionem Domini, statim ab apostolis Hierosolymorum episcopus ordinatus. Id. Com. in Gal. i. p. 165. Hic Jacobus primus Hierosolymorum episcopus fuit. Epiphan. Hær. 78. Antidicomar. n. 7. Id. Hær. 29. Nazor. n. 3. Hær. 66. Manich. n. 19. 39 Chrys. Hom. 38. in 1 Cor. xv. 40 Const. Apost. lib. 8. c. 35. 41 Euseb. lib. 2. c. 23. lib. 3. c. 5 et 7. lib. 7. c. 19. 2 Hegesip. ap. Euseb. lib. 2. c. 23. 49 Clem. Hypotypos. lib. 6. ap. Euseb. lib. 2. c. 1. "Dionys. ap. ad Atheniens. ap. Euseb. lib. 4. c. 23. 45 Aug. contra Crescon. lib. 2. c. 37. Hierosolymitanam ecclesiam primus apostolus Jacobus episcopatu suo rexit. Id. cont. Liter. Petil. lib. 2. c. 51. Cathedra ecclesiæ Hierosolymitanæ, in qua Jacobus sedit, et in qua hodie most fit and worthy person to sit upon the episcopal throne. The same is asserted by Eusebius in other places," and the author of the Constitutions under the name of Clemens Romanus. From Jerusalem, if we pass to Antioch, there again we find Euodius first, and after him Ignatius, ordained bishops by the hands of the apostles. Baronius and some others fancy, that they sat both at the same time, the one as bishop of the Jews, and the other of the Gentiles; but Eusebius" says expressly, that Euodius was the first, and Ignatius the second, after Euodius was dead. And it is agreed by all ancient writers, that they were both consecrated before St. Peter's death. Of Euodius there can be no question made, if it appears that Ignatius was ordained by the apostles in his room. Now this is most expressly said by Theodoret," that he received the gift of the high priesthood, ἀρχιερωσύνης χάριν, from the hand of the great Peter. In like manner, Chrysostom, in his encomium" upon him, says, he does not only admire him, because he was thought worthy of so high a degree; but that he was ordained to it by those holy men, and had the hands of the blessed apostles laid upon his sacred head. The same is said in effect by Athanasius," when he calls him the first bishop of Antioch after the apostles; and Origen," who calls him the second after St. Peter; and Jerom," the third: for though they count differently, yet they mean the same thing; that Ignatius was ordained successor to Euodius while the apostles lived, and so might be called either second or third after the apostles, according as St. Peter and Euodius were included, or excluded out of the number. 46 Euseb. lib. 3. c. 11. 48 Constit. Apost. lib. 7. c. 46. 49 Baron. an. 45. n. 14. an. 71. n. 11. Halloix Vit. Ignat. c. 2. p. 394. 50 Euseb. lib. 3. c. 22. 51 Theod. Dial. 1. t. 4. p. 33. 52 Chrysost. Hom. 42. in Ignat. t. 1. p. 501. Ed. Front. Duc. 58 Athan. de Synod. Arim. t. 1. p. 922. 54 Orig. Hom. 6. in Luc. Ignatium dico episcopum Antiochiæ post Petrum secundum. 55 Hieron. Catal. Scriptor. in Ignat. Tertius post Petrum apostolum episcopus. 56 Hieron. Catal. Script. c. 17. Polycarpus Joannis apostoli discipulus, ab eo Smyrnæ episcopus ordinatus. 57 Iren. lib. 3. c. 3. Ab apostolis in Asia, in ea quæ est Smyrnis ecclesia, constitutus episcopus, quem et nos vidi. mus in prima nostra ætate. lian and Eusebius "witness the same; the one say ing, that he was ordained by St. John; and the other, by those that had seen the Lord. Papias was another disciple of St. John," as both Irenæus and St. Jerom witness; and he was contemporary with Ignatius and Polycarp, and bishop of Hierapolis about the same time; that is, in the beginning of the second century. So that it is probable, he was another of those bishops which St. John ordained in Asia, though we have no express testimony to prove it. 62 But it is asserted by all ancient writers, that Timothy was ordained bishop of Ephesus by St. Paul. Eusebius," Chrysostom, Epiphanius, Jerom," Hilary the deacon," and the author of the Passion of Timothy in Photius," unanimously attest it. And Theodoret" affirms, moreover, that he was bishop, under the title of an apostle. auch in Most of the same authors agree in the same evidence for Titus, that he was made bishop of Crete by St. Paul also. And Chrysostom," with Eusebius, seems to give both him and Timothy the power of metropolitans; of which more hereafter. Others say, that Dionysius the Areopagite was made first bishop of Athens. Eusebius" more than once mentions an epistle of Dionysius bishop of Corinth, a very ancient writer of the second century, wherein this is expressly asserted. So that he must be ordained, either by St. Paul himself, as Suidas and others" think, or by some other apostle. It is generally agreed, that this Dionysius died some time before St. John, and was succeeded in his bishopric by Publius, and he by Quadratus, whom St. Jerom calls a disciple of the apostles; which, in all probability, refers to his being tutored by St. John. Now, if Quadratus himself was St. John's disciple, (as he might be, who was bishop in the time of the emperor Hadrian, to whom he presented his apology,) then there might be three bishops successively at Athens, all trained up by the apostles, and two of them consecrated by their hands, or at least with their consent and approbation. 72 was then the common name of all that were properly bishops: of which I say no more in this place, because I give a more particular account of it in the following chapter. all thing array of Se pup CHAPTER II. OF THE SEVERAL TITLES OF HONOUR GIVEN TO BISHOPS IN THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH. Sect. 1. called apost.es. FOR further confirmation of what has been asserted in the foregoing chap- All bishops at first ter, it will not be amiss here to subjoin next a short account of the several titles of honour which were given to bishops in the primitive church. The most ancient of these, is the title of apostles, which, in a large and secondary sense, is thought by many to have been the original name for bishops, before the name bishop was appropriated to their order. For at first they suppose the names bishop and presbyter to have been common names for all of the first and second order; during which time, the appropriate name for bishops, to distinguish them from mere presbyters, was that of apostles. Thus Theodoret' says expressly, The same persons were anciently called promiscuously both bishops and presbyters, whilst those who are now called bishops were called apostles. But shortly after, the name of apostles was appropriated to such only as were apostles indeed; and then the name bishop was given to those who before were called apostles. Thus, he says, Epaphroditus was the apostle of the Philippians, and Titus the apostle of the Cretians, and Timothy the apostle of the Asiatics. And this he repeats in several other places of his writings. The author under the name of St. Ambrose3 asserts the same thing, that all bishops were called s apostles at first. And therefore, he says,' that St. Paul, to distinguish himself from such apostles, calls himself an apostle, not of man, nor sent by man to preach, as those others were, who were chosen and sent by the apostles to confirm the Chrys. Hom. 1. in Tit. It. Hom. 15. in 1 Tim. 70 Euseb. lib. 3. c. 4. It. lib. 4. c. 23. 71 Suidas in Voce Dionys. Maxim. Prolog. ad Oper. Dionysii. 72 Hieron. de Scriptor. c. 19. Quadratus apostolorum discipulus, Publio Athenarum episcopo ob Christi fidem martyrio coronato, in locum ejus substituitur. 73 Theodor. Com. in 1 Tim. iii. 1. Theodor. Ibid. 2 Theodor. Com. in Phil. i. 1. It. in Phil. ii. 25. Ambros. Com. in Eph. iv. Apostoli episcopi sunt. Id. Com. in Gal. i. 1. churches. Amalarius' cites another passage out of this same author, which speaks more fully to the purpose: They, says he, who are now called bishops, were originally called apostles: but the holy apostles being dead, they who were ordained after them to govern the churches, could not arrive to the excellency of those first; nor had they the testimony of miracles, but were in many other respects inferior to them therefore they thought it not decent to assume to themselves the name of apostles; but, dividing the names, they left to presbyters the name of the presbytery, and they themselves were called bishops. This is what those authors infer from the identity of the names, bishop and presbyter, in the first age. They do not thence argue, (as some who abuse their authority have done since,) that therefore bishops and presbyters were all one; but they think that bishops were then distinguished by a more appropriate name, and more expressive of their superiority, which was that of secondary apostles. Sect. 2. After that, successors of the apostles. Afterward bishops thought it honour enough for them to be styled the apostles' successors. As Cyprian," and Firmilian,' and the bishops in the council of Carthage call themselves and others. And St. Jerom speaks of them in the same style, saying, Wheresoever a bishop is, whether at Rome, or Eugubium; at Constantinople, or at Rhegium; at Alexandria, or at Tanis; they are all of equal merit, their priesthood is the same; they are all successors to the apostles. And both he and St. Austin" draw that of the psalmist to this sense; "Instead of thy fathers thou shalt have children, whom thou mayest make princes in all lands:" they say, bishops are the sons of the apostles, and princes and fathers in the church. 7 Firmil. Ep. 55. ap. Cypr. p. 225. Con. Carthag. ap. Cypr. in Suffragio Clari a Mascula. Hieron. Epist. 85. ad Evagr. It. in Psal. xliv. 16. 10 Aug. Com. in Psal. xliv. 16. p. 169. Pro apostolis nati sunt filii tibi, constituti sunt episcopi, - Ipsa ecclesia patres illos appellat. 11 Aug. Ep. 42. ad Fratres Madaurens. Christiana societas per sedes apostolorum et successiones episcoporum certa per orbem propagatione diffunditur. 12 Sidon. lib. 6. Ep. 1. ad Lup. Tricassin. In apostolica sede novem jam decursa quinquennia. 13 Paulin. Ep. 45. ad Alypium. Cum principibus populi sui sede apostolica meritò collocavit Dominus. See also Tertul. de Præscrip. c. 36. Ipsæ adhuc cathedræ apostolorum suis locis præsidentur. Habes Corinthum. | Sect. 4. Bishops called of the bishop of Rome, but given to all bishops in general, as deriving their original and counting their succession from the apostles. The catholic church, says St. Austin," is propagated and diffused over all the world by the apostolical sees, and the succession of bishops in them. It is plain, this is not spoken only of the bishop of Rome, but of all other bishops whatsoever. Sidonius Apollinaris "2 uses the same expression, in speaking of a private French bishop, who sat five and forty years, he says, in his apostolical see. And Paulinus 13 makes no more but the usual compliment to Alypius, when he tells him, that God had deservedly placed him in an apostolical see with the princes of his people. Where we must also note, that Paulinus speaks in the usual phrase and prince of Ch style of those ancient times, when he people. calls bishops princes of the people. For that was another usual title that was given them; as appears from Optatus," and several passages in St. Jerom;" who, to distinguish them from secular princes, usually styles them principes ecclesia," princes of the church; applying to them that prophecy of Isa. lx. 17, which, according to his translation, is, "I will make thy princes peace, and thy bishops righteousness." Upon which he has this note ;" That the majesty of the Holy Scripture is to be admired, in that it calls those who were to be bishops in future ages, by the name of princes. In the Greek writers they are styled άρχοντες ἐκκλησιῶν, governors and princes likewise; as frequently in Eusebius, Origen," Chrysostom," and many others. In the same sense Cyprian" and Sect. 5. Tertullian commonly call them presidents, or provosts of the church; which Eusebius" and Justin Martyr" call роOTWTES, and sometimes póɛopo," and others popo, inspectors; all which are proper characters of bishops, who have the care, presidency, and inspection of the church. Habes Philippos, &c. στατες πρόεδροι, popo Prepositi, pOE 14 Optat. lib. 1. p. 39. Ipsi apices et principes omnium episcopi. 15 Hieron. Com. in Esa. iii. 16 Hieron. Com. in Psal. xliv. Principes ecclesiæ, id est, episcopi. Id. Com. in Esa. v. et Tit. i. 17 Hieron. Com. in Esa. lx. Scripturæ S. admiranda majestas, quod principes futuros ecclesiæ episcopos nomi navit. 18 Euseb. Hist. lib. 6. c. 28. lib. 8. c. 1 et 3. It. de Martyr. Palæst. c. 1. 19 Origen. Hom. 11. in Jerem. Cont. Cels. lib. 3. P. 129. 20 Chrys. de Sacerdot. lib. 3. c. 15. Id. Hom. 3. ad Pop. Antioch. t. 1. p. 48. 21 Cypr. Ep. 3, 9, 13, 27, 81. Ed. Oxon. Præpositi. Tertul. Apol. c. 39. Ad Uxor. lib. 1. c. 7. De Cor. Mil. c. 3. 23 Euseb. lib. 6. c. 3, 8, 10. lib. 7. c. 13. lib. 8. c. 6. Sect. 6. Principes sacerdotum, pontifices mazimi, summi sacerdotes, &c. And because this presidency was not only over the people, but also over the clergy, they were dignified upon that account with the distinguishing characters of summi sacerdotes, pontifices maximi, and principes sacerdotum, chief priests, and princes of the clergy. The author under the name of St. Ambrose," gives the bishop expressly the title of chief priest, and prince of the priests. And so, frequently, the name summus sacerdos is used by St. Jerom: as, where speaking of himself, he says, In the opinion of all men he was thought worthy of the high priesthood; he explains" himself to mean a bishopric. And in another place," the prosperity of the church depends upon the honour of the chief priest. The same title is given to all bishops, by the author of the Questions upon the Old and New Testament under the name of St. Austin. Sidonius" calls them summi pontifices; where he speaks only of the bishops of France. And therefore, when Tertullian" gives the title of pontifex maximus to the bishop of Rome, he does him no greater honour than, in those days, was done to every bishop in the world; and some think he meant not the bishop of Rome in particular, but comprehended all others under that title. As it is certain the council of Agde does, when it orders" every metropolitan to call his suffragans, ad ordinationem summi pontificis; which means not, to the ordination of the pope of Rome, but to the ordination of any French bishop within the metropolitan's province or jurisdiction. For then, as we have seen, summus pontifex was the ordinary title of every bishop whatsoever. "Ambros. Com. in Ephes. iv. In episcopo omnes ordines sunt, quia primus sacerdos est, hoc est, princeps sacerdotum. Hieron. Ep. 99. ad Asellam. Omnium pene judicio dignus summo sacerdotio decernebar. Id. Dial. c. Lucifer. p. 139. Ecclesiæ salus in summi sacerdotis dignitate pendet. "Aug. Quæst. Vet. et N. Test. c. 101. Quid est episcopus nisi primus presbyter, id est, summus sacerdos ? "Sidon. lib. 4. Ep. 11. lib. 7. Ep. 5. Habasides, cited by Echellensis and Bishop Pearson, deliver a quite contrary story, that the name was first given to the patriarch of Alexandria, and thence carried to Rome: which seems to be said in answer to the Romish pretences. But the truth of the matter is, that it was no peculiar privilege of one patriarch or other, but the common title of all bishops, who were called fathers of the church, and fathers" of the clergy; and papa means no more. Therefore Tertullian, in his book de Pudicitia, c. 13, speaking indefinitely of any Christian bishop who absolves penitents, gives him the name of Benedictus papa. Or if we suppose, as some do, that he speaks particularly of the bishop of Rome, yet there is nothing singular in it; for, at the same time, Dionysius, presbyter of Alexandria, speaking of Heraclas his bishop, gives him the very same title," The blessed pope Heraclas. And Arius himself," in one of his Epistles, speaks of his bishop Alexander in the same style. St. Jerom gives the title" to Athanasius, Epiphanius, and Paulinus; and writing often to St. Austin, he always inscribes" his Epistles Beatissimo papæ Augustino. So among Cyprian's Epistles, those that are written to him are usually inscribed" in the same manner, Cypriano papa. And the clergy of Rome themselves" give him the title of Benedictus papa, and Beatissimus and Gloriossimus papa Cyprianus. It were easy to add many other testimonies out of Epiphanius, and Constantine's Epistles, and the Theodosian Code, and especially Sidonius Apollinaris," who always gives the French bishops the style of Dominus papa. But in so plain a case I need not insist any longer, especially since a learned Romanist" has undertaken to prove, out of authors as late as Photius and Gregory of Tours, that papa was the common name of all bishops for several ages: who also notes out of Balsamon, that this name was sometimes given to the inferior clergy; who were called papæ pisinni, little fathers; and their tonsure, or crown, thence called rawaλýrpa, the tonsure of the fathers. In comparison of whom, Balsamon" calls presbyters honore suo: patres se sciant esse, non dominos. Id. Ep. 2 et 3. ad Nepotian. Com. in Psal. xliv. &c. Dionys. Ep. ad Philemon. ap. Euseb. lib. 7. c. 7. Παρὰ τοῦ μακαρίου πάπα ἡμῶν Ἡρακλῆ. 89 Arius Ep. ad. Euseb. Nicom. ap. Theod. lib. 1. c. 5. et ap. Epiphan. Hær. 69. Arian. 40 Hieron. Ep. 61. ad Pammach. p. 163. 41 Id. Ep. 17, 18, 25, 30. inter Epist. Augustini. 42 Cypr. Ep. 30, 31, 36. Edit. Oxon. 43 Ep. 8. Cleri Rom. ad Cler. Carthag. ibid. Didicimus secessisse Benedictum papam Cyprianum. Ep. 30. Cler. Rom. ad Cypr. Beatissime ac gloriosissime papa. Sidon. lib. 6. Epist. 1. Domino papa Lupo. Lib. 6. Ep. 2. Papæ pragmatio. Lib. 6. Ep. 3. Domino papa Leontio. And so for twelve Epistles together. 45 Savaro, Comment. in Sidon. lib. 6. Ep. 1. p. 379. 46 Balsam. Com. in Can. Apost. c. 59. It. in Con. Antioch. can. 10. and the chorepiscopi, protopapæ, and protopapades, chief fathers; speaking in the language of his own times, when the chorepiscopi and presbyters were become all one. Sect. 8. Pater patrum, and episcopus episcoporum. But bishops had still a more honourable title than that of papa; for they were commonly called patres patrum, and episcopi episcoporum, fathers of fathers, and bishops of bishops. The first that had this title was James, bishop of Jerusalem; which made the counterfeit author under the name of Clemens Romanus," inscribe an epistle (as directed to him) with this title, Clemens Jacobo domino, episcopo episcoporum, &c. To which Sidonius Apollinaris" alludes plainly, when, writing to Lupus, an eminent French bishop, he tells him, he was father of fathers, and bishop of bishops, and another James of his age. By this we understand what Tertullian" means, when, speaking ironically of the catholic bishops, who admitted adulterers into communion again upon their repentance, he says, I hear there is a decree published, and that a peremptory one; the chief pontiff, the bishop of bishops, saith, I forgive the sins of adultery and fornication to all those that repent of them. Some take this for a peculiar character of the bishop of Rome, and I will not deny, but that Tertullian might intend more especially to reflect upon him: but yet there is nothing singular in the title, which did not belong to other bishops as well as him; as appears from what has been already cited out of Sidonius. To which we may add the testimony of Athanasius," who styles Hosius, The father of bishops. And Gregory Nazianzen gives the same title to his own father, as St. Jerom does to Epiphanius, styling him the father of all bishops. Cotelerius" observes, that Gregory Nyssen is called Tarn Tariρwv, father of fathers, by the second council of Nice; and others say, Theodosius the emperor gave Chrysostom the same honourable title after death. As to the reason of these names, it is probable some bishops might have them upon the account of personal merit ; and others, from the eminency of their sees; as the bishop of Alexandria, to whom Balsamon gives the 52 47 Pseudo-Clem. Ep. 1. ad Jacob. 48 Sidon. lib. 6. Ep. 1. Tu pater patrum, et episcopus episcoporum, et alter sæculi tui Jacobus. 49 Tertul. de Pudicit. c. 1. Audio etiam edictum esse propositum, et quidem peremptorium, pontifex scilicet maximus, episcopus episcoporum dicit, ego et mechiæ et fornicationis delicta pœnitentia defunctis dimitto. 50 Baron. an. 142. n. 4. an. 216. n. 4. Georg. Ambianas Observ. in Tertul. t. 3. p. 633. 51 Athan. Epist. ad solit. vit. agentes, t. 1. p. 837. title of pater patrum, many ages after. But there was a more general reason why all bishops should be called so, as may be collected from Epiphanius;" who says, that the order of bishops was an order that begat fathers to the church; that is, bishops made bishops by ordination; whereas presbyters could only beget sons, by the power which they had of baptizing. And therefore, though we sometimes find presbyters called fathers, yet we no where find the title of pater patrum given to any of their order. Yet I must here also observe, that several of these titles were never kindly received among the African fathers; because the bishops of Rome began to abuse them, to establish a usurped authority over their neighbours. Therefore, in two African councils held at Carthage, the one under Cyprian, the other in St. Austin's time, these titles, episcopus episcoporum, princeps sacerdotum, and summus sacerdos, were discountenanced and forbid, insomuch that the primates themselves were not allowed to use them. But of this more hereafter, when we come to speak of metropolitans. Sect. 9. called patriarchs, Gregory Nazianzen in his rhetorical way usually gives bishops the title of Bishops sometimes patriarchs; by which he means not patriarchs in the proper sense, as the word came afterward to be used in the church, to signify bishops of the larger sees, who had primates and metropolitans under them; but any bishops whatsoever, that were heads of their own family, that is, the church subject to them. Thus he styles his own father patriarch, though he was but bishop of Nazianzum, a very small city in Cappadocia, under Cæsarea the metropolis. And in his oration" before the council of Constantinople, he gives the same title to all other bishops, complaining of the Arian cruelties against them. Have we not had, says he, our ancient bishops, or, to speak more properly, our patriarchs, publicly murdered by them? In another place, complaining of the corrupt promotions and practices of some bishops of his age, he thus takes his leave of them, Valete; insolentes estote : patriarchatus per sortes inter vos distribuite. Farewell: go on in your insolence: divide the patriarchal dig Gr. Rom. t. 1. lib. 5. p. 362. Kúpios MáρKos TαTÉρwv πατὴρ ὑπάρχων, &c. 57 Epiphan. Hær. 75. Aerian. Iatépwv yevvntikǹ TÁƐIS. Πατέρας γὰρ γεννᾷ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ. 58 Con. Carthag. ap. Cypr. p. 229. Neque enim quisquam nostrum episcopum se episcoporum constituit, aut tyrannico terrore ad obsequendi necessitatem collegas suos adigit. 59 Con. Carth. 3. c. 26. Ut primæ sedis episcopus non appelletur princeps sacerdotum, aut summus sacerdos, aut aliquid hujusmodi, sed tantum primæ sedis episcopus. 60 Naz. Orat. 19. p. 312. Orat. 20. de Laud. Basil. p. 312. Orat. 41. p. 675. 61 Orat. 22. p. 525. 62 Naz. Cygn. Carm. de Episcopis, t. 2. p. 308. |