k

n

m

And therefore Chryfoftom in Hom. xxxiv. on the Epiftle to the Hebrews, compares them to what is chief, and preeminent in every kind, as to the Præcentor and Governor of a Chorus, the General of an Army, the Captain of a Ship, and the Shepherd of a Flock. He calls them agxolas, which in Latin is familiarly tranflated Princes, and speaks of аžíÚμAT TO MÉ the Greatness of their Dignity, and upon thofe Words, Salute thofe who have the Rule over you (opsies jμov, i. e. your Rulers, or Princes) and all the Saints: See, faith he, how he honour'd them, in writing to these for the fake of them. So Origen calls them' Boλdlŵv xoyTM deXóv7wv ixxheoias Jes, Senators, and Princes of the Church of God. And in another Place, We, faith he, knowing that there is another Frame of Government in every City, ordained by the Word of God. exhort thofe, who are fitted by found Doctrine, and holy Lives to Govern, ἐπὶ τὸ ἀρκείν εκκλησίων, to Reign over, or be Rulers of the Churches. For the fame Word is ufed Mark x. 42. to fignifie the Princes of the Gentiles, δι δοκένιες ἄρχειν τὴν ἐθνῶν they who are accounted to Rule over the Gentiles. And what is more obfervable, it is used to fignifie the Power, and Greatness of our Lord himfelf; Rom. xv. 12. there fhall be a Root of Feffe, and in him, who shall rife agxev vv to Reign over the Gentiles, fhall the Gentiles truft. Then he proceeds, And our good Princes, or Magiftrates οι καλῶς ἄρχοντες ἡμῶν are

k Contra Celfum. Edit. Cantab. pag. 129.

'The Areopagites are called Bend, by Lucian, and in prophane Writers, Bendlinds always relates to the Courts of Legislation, or fupream Judicature.

m x "Agxav from "Agxw, I am Chief, in profane Authors figni fies the chief Commander in any Society, as in that of Aristotle, Οιον σραλιᾶς ἄρχοντι, ἢ πόλεως, ἢ δικs. See Budai Commentar. p. 130, 152. Pag. 428.

forc'd

21

forc'd to take upon them the Care of the Churches, by the Command of the great King, whom we believe to be the Son of God. So Church-Power, and Authority is call'd by Gregory Nazianz. Epift. xlvi. p. 807. áváμan dexn an unbloody Dignity, or Power, because it hath not the Power of the Sword. Tro γδ' ὁ ἄρχων εν μοι φαίνει), βόηθα ἀρετῆς δὴ ἀναδονικὴς κακίας, καν ἢ ἀναίμακτον ἄρκῃ ἀρχὴν, καθάπερ nuas, nav tμt tipus, 1⁄2 Tehaμ@vR, For an Archon, or Magiftrate, feems to me to be nothing else, than an Encourager of Virtue, and an Enemy of Vice. whether we have an unbloody Power, and Furifdi&ion, as we (Bishops) have, or the Power of the Sword, and Chains. So in his firft Apologetical Oration, fpeaking of refufing a Bishoprick, faith he, ὡς εἴτε πάντες φάΓοιεν ταύτην ἢ εἴτε λελερίαν χρὴ λέξειν, είτε ἡδημονίαν ; which Billius renders thus, Si omnes hoc five minifterium dicere oportet, five imperium, defugiant. And then defcribing the Anarchy, and Confufion of the Church without a Bifhop, faith he, εκ ὄντ@ βασιλέως, ἐδὲ ὄν7@ Αρχοντα, δὲ ispaleías, de Jurias, Si nec Rex, nec Archon effet, nec Sacerdotium, nec Sacrificium. And then fpeaking against promoting unqualified Perfons to the Epifcopal Office, It would be ftrange, faith he, To dexev avalaiver &ло to dexes, & fubditorum claffe, ac ordine ad imperium evehere. You fee then, Sir, by what Princely Names the Rulers of the Church were then called. And fo St. Chryfoftom, Hom. xv. on 11 Corinth. dex andμaliny,] a Spiritual Empire, of which he speaks in this manner, If the Civil Empire, or Government is an Art or Science better than all others; how much more is this of ours? Which truly is fo much more excellent than that, as that is more excellent than others, yea, and much more excellent-For there are two forts of Empire, or Government, one relating to civil Life, by which Men govern People, and Cities, of which St. Paul

St. Paul Speaks, when he faid, Let every Soul be Subject to the higher Powers; and another more fublime than that, I mean that of the Church, of which St. Paul fpeaks, faying, Obey them that have the Rule over you, and fubmit your felves, because they watch for your Souls, as thofe that must give an Account. This Government is as much more excellent than the Civil, as Heaven is than the Earth: Yea, and much more. For it takes Care chiefly, that Crimes may not be committed, rather than punish them when they are committed; and when they are committed, it doth not deftroy the Criminal, but takes Care that his Crimes be taken away. And it hath little regard to the things of this Life, but all its Concerns are for heavenly things. For our Converfation is in Heaven, and our Life is there hid with Chrift, in God. Moreover, there are the Rewards for our Labours, and here we run for the Crowns that are there; for this Life is not exftinguish'd by Death, but then shines with greater Luftre. Wherefore thofe to whom this Empire is intrufted, have a greater Honour committed to them, not only than the Governours of Provinces, but thofe who are encircled with the Imperial Diadem, as being ordained to form, and fit Men for greater, and more excellent things. Farthermore, thofe who are Governours in this Life, are as much inferiour to them, who have the Ecclefi aftical Government, as it is more excellent to have the Authority over the Willing, more than the Unwilling, for the Former is a natural Empire, but the Latter is full of Fear, and Force, This is the Effect of Compulfion, but That of Election, and Free Will. Again, that Empire is more excellent than this, becaufe it is not only an Empire, but a Paternity, as having all the Gentleness, and Sweetness of a paternal Government, commanding greater things, than the Civil Government, and at the fame time perfuades. For the Civil Magiftrate faith, If thou committeft

Adultery

Adultery thou shalt dye; but the Ecclefiaftical threa tens the greatest Punishments that can be, to him who looks on a Woman with a wanton Eye. This then is a venerable Tribunal, which arraigns the Body, and reacbeth the Soul; and therefore, there is as much Difference between this Empire, and the other, as between the Body, and the Soul. Moreover, be that is a Fudge in the one, can only fit in Fudg ment upon open Crimes, and not of all open Crimes neither, but only of fuch as are prov'd. But on the con trary, our Court informs all who appear in it, that be who fits Fudge with us will lay open all things. and manifeft them upon the Stage of the whole World, and that it will be impoffible for any Man to hide himfelf from him. And in his Homily on Acts 15. he commends St. James, Bishop of Hierufalem, that he let Peter, and Paul fpeak before him in the Council, feeing († dexov exagjoukvC) he was placed in the Supream Power. For it becomes thofe, who were ( plán duvaseía) in great Power, or Principality, to be more humble, and gentle, &'c. So then the Church hath an Empire, and is a Principality, as well as the State, of which the Bishops are Archons, or Princes under Chrift Jefus, as the Apostles were. So Ifodorus Pelufiota, in the Cafe of Zofimus, Maro, and Euftathius: There is this Difference (faith he) betwixt dexas nooμinds, and ἀρχὰς πνευματικάς, the Ecclefiaftical Minillers, or Magiftrates, and Minifters, or Magiftrates of State: If thefe offend, the whole World can diftinguish betwixt their Perfons, and their Functions; no Difparagement falleth upon any, but the Offenders. But if Ecclefiaftical Perfons become obnoxious, then they confound their Perfons, and their Functions; and transfer the Shame of the Faults of fome, even upon all, yea upon the whole Order it felf. And accordingly, Eufebius fetting down the Succeffions of thefe Archons, the Bishops in the feveral Churches,

in the common Appellation then in ufe, calls their Chairs Thrones. So he faith of Simeon, Bilhop of Hierufalem, that he was worthy of his Throne; and of Fuftus his Succeffor, that he fucceeded him in the Throne of the Bishoprick of Hierufalem. And Lib. VII. cap. xxii. he calls the See of Hierufalem Segvov 'Amosoλixov the Apoftolick Throne. St. Chryfoftom faith, in Hom. 86. on St. John's Gofpel, Chrift did inveft his Apoftles with Power, xaθάπερ τὶς βασιλεὺς ἄρχοντας ἀποςέλλων, as a King fends forth his Archons, i. e. Princes, and Governours with Power immediately from himself. So Neilus, Archbishop of Theffalonica transcribes thefe Words out of the Acts, and Subscriptions of the fixth General Council, Peter Presbyter, and Vicar of the Apoftolical Throne of the Metropolis of Alexandria. And fo the five Patriarchal Sees were called καθολικός, και οικομικοί χρόνοι the Catholick, and Oecumenical Thrones. Here I cannot but put you in Mind, that Hierarchy from the Greek isgaexia fignifies an bholy Empire, and the Word Bifhoprick, which is the Word for a Diocess in our Mother Tongue, fignifies a Bishop's Principality; a Word which Ireneus ufed of the Church of Rome, which being the moft powerful of all Churches; when he wrote, he fpeaks thus, Ad hanc enim Ecclefiam propter potentiorem Principalitatem, Unto this Church, upon the Account of its more powerful Principality, every Church muft refort. Every Church then was a Principality, tho' this then was the greateft. But to return to Eufebius, who called the Bishops Chairs Thrones, they are fo called by

t

Lib. III. Cap. ii.

ง De Primatu Papæ.

imi.

r

P Ibid. Cap. xxxv.

Theophan. in Chronographia, & in vita Conftantini Copro

Lib. II. Cap. iii. cum Johannis Ernefti Grabe Notis in Locum. * See A. B. Laud's Conference with Fisher the Jefuit. p. 110.

Epiphanius,