CHAP. III. DISS. I. the disqualifying circumstances of rank and fortune are in their case entirely wanting their poverty and humility of condition are completely Apostolical. Do our dissenting brethren then acknowledge the pretensions of these unennobled pastors? Do they concede that Episcopacy in Scotland and America, though not in England, is by divine right? Do they permit the honours of Episcopacy to a Bishop at Eugubium and refuse them to one at Rome1? Do they grant the same submission to be rightfully claimed by the Bishop unendowed and unrecognized by the state, which they refuse to the Prelate or Metropolitan? Far from it their hostility is directed absolutely and altogether against the order under any circumstances whatsoever. They no more recognise the spiritual claims of the poorest Bishop in the north, than of the wealthiest Primate in the south. They equally deny obedience to be due from Presbyters to the simple Doctor as to the mitred noble. Consequently the mere circumstance of Episcopal wealth and power is not the true reason why they cannot see in the Prelates of this country the representatives of the Apostles. Early origin of Church Endow ments. 1 It may here be interesting to remark, that the Ubicumque fuerit episcopus, sive Romæ, sive Eugubii, sive Constantinopoli, sive Regii, sive Alexandriæ, sive Tanis, ejusdem meriti est et ejusdem sacerdotii: potentia divitiarum, et paupertatis humilitas vel sublimiorem vel inferiorem episcopum non facit. Cæterum omnes Apostolorum successores sunt.-Hieron. Epist. ad Evag. CHAP. III. endowments attached to Churches, and the distinc- DISS. I. tions bestowed on Church officers, are much more ancient than is generally supposed. The settlement of lands and houses upon ecclesiastical bodies is commonly regarded as of later date than even the political establishment of Christianity in the reign of Constantine: and the Apostolic poverty and purity of the Church antecedent to that late period, has often been the theme of dissenting panegyric. Yet at the very beginning of the third century, we find from public records that landed property, even within the limits of Rome itself, was attached to certain Christian Churches. Before the close of that century not only the church of Rome, but also those of Milan, Carthage, Antioch, and Alexandria, are described to have been opulently endowed 1. A decree was passed by Constantine in the early part of his career, and while he only shared (with Licinius) the imperial dignity, (A.D. 303.) that the gardens, lands, and other possessions, which had previously belonged to the Church, and which had been confiscated in time of persecution, should be restored. And St. Chrysostom, raised to the Patriarchal see of Constantinople, reproachfully contrasts the poverty of that Church, in his time, with its wealth and prosperous state in preceding ages 2. 1 See Gibbon, Decline and Fall. 2 The Fathers of the primitive Church, long before St. Chrysostom, are urgent and authoritative in their demands of liberal support from Christian people to their Pastors. Those econo CHAP. III. DISS. I. The appropriation also of peculiar titles to the highest order of Church officers is of very remote antiquity. Without inquiring into the necessity, or even vindicating the propriety, of all the titles Titles. mists who retain their attachment to religion and Christian insti- I think, ought now to be observed according to the letter." DISS. I. actually bestowed (some of which, as being of an oriental and Asiatic character, have been in later CHAP. III. times exchanged for the more simple diction of European nations,) it is remarkable how very soon expressions of profound respect, not only for the governors of the Church, but for every circumstance connected with them, were adopted into general usage. The practice so unpopular with dissenters of calling the Bishop's seat in his cathedral a throne is of primitive origin. The chair of the Bishop of Jerusalem is stated to have been called his Apostolic throne, because St. James, the kinsman of our Lord, was its first occupant. The seat of the Bishop of Alexandria was, on the same principle, styled the throne of St. Mark, because that Evangelist was the first Bishop of the See. An ornament on the head (petalum) corresponding perhaps to the mitre, though now disused by our Church, is mentioned by writers in the fourth century to have been worn by Bishops of preceding ages. And in the second and third centuries, Bishops themselves not only were addressed in forms of respectful salutation, but were dignified with higher titles than the greatest metropolitan in the present day would feel warranted in receiving. They are styled "Heads and princes of the people," (apices et principes omnium,) princes of the Clergy, (principes sacerdotum,) Chief Priests, (summi sacerdotes,) supreme Pontiffs, (pontifices maximi,)Vicars of Christ, (vice Christi,) Popes, (Papæ,) blessed Popes, (Papa benedicti,) and most glorious Popes, (Papæ CHAP. III. 1 DISS. I. gloriosissimi.) The very title most obnoxious to our dissenting brethren-that of lords (or deamora) was the ordinary Episcopal appellation in the days of Athanasius and of Augustin 2. jection. Aerius an ancient copalian. Seventh ob- 7. The only argument from antiquity, (perhaps the fairest argument which the anti-episcopalian anti-Epis- advocate can produce,) is derived from the opinion of the heretic Aerius. This person was the first and only real opponent of Episcopacy in the ancient Church3. He flourished about the middle of the fourth century. The occasion of his heresy was his envy of Eustathius, who though of equal age, and of the same qualifications, was preferred before him 1 This last title is given by the Presbyters of Rome, to Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage. The title of Pope or "Father" was not then confined to the Bishop of Rome. It was for a long time after the common designation of Bishops. : 2 Letters of that ancient date are still quoted: as for example, from the Bishops of the second general council to "the most honourable Lords Damasus, Ambrose," &c.: from my Lord Eusebius, Bishop of Cæsarea, to my Lord Paulinus, Bishop of Tyre and from the Synod of Jerusalem, congratulating the Clergy of Egypt, and of Lybia, on the restoration of their Lord Bishop Athanasius from exile. Calvin addresses his friend Cranmer by his usual titles-Reverende domine, Reverend Lord, &c. Similar letters may be consulted from Peter Martyr, from Gaulter, Beza, and Sadeel, in the name of the Church of Geneva. See Durel, Bingham, and Hicks, (p. 251.) on the Priesthood. 3 Tertullian mentions certain heretics in his time, who disregarded Bishops, but who disregarded at the same time the essential doctrines of Christianity, and believed, with the Heathens, in a plurality of gods. The opinion of such sectaries is unworthy of attention.-Tertull. de præscrip. Heret. cap. 42. |