Star.
London, England, 1809-03-22 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OF THE STAR.

ON THE PROPHECIES.-NO. XXIV.

THIRD TRI'IkIPET.—PART 11.
§ V. Of the step: Mat more dire'ctly led to the establish-
ment of Ecclesiastical dominion.
The Presiding Elders, in the different congrega-
tions, having assumed a superiority over their col-
leagues, and made themselves bishops, to the exclusion
of the rest, in such a manner as at last tcemake their
own office different in point of order • ; having esta-
blished a territorial dominion over their respective
parishes, and, by this means, their own authority over
every new congregation within their original bounds,
all of which new congregations, contrary to the ori-
ginal institution, were dependent t ; and having, in
process of time, excluded all those who were not
office-bearers from any share in the management of
the affairs of the licitly to which they belonged t --A
different kind of warfare followed. The bishops
having secured their own supremacy in their respec-
tive dioceses, the mere ambitious among them, not
content with the share of wealth and power, which
they lid thus acquired, having now become " Lords
of the Gentiles," began to prosecute means for sub-
jugating
their neighbouring bishops and extending j
their own dominion. Nor was the accomplishment
of this attended with so much difficulty as might at
first view be imagined. Men's minds were in some
measure prepared for it by- the changes that had al-
ready been effected. The authority of the bishop
having► superseded that of the scriptures, nothing
could he more natural than that the great bishops
slay ild lord it over the little.—But who were the great
bi ;Lops ?—Those who had the richest congregations :
thatis the bishops of the large cities.
Other circumstances also concurred to give them
this superiority. The churches, as has already been
noticed, maintained a correspondence with each other,
and sometimes met, by deputies, in synods, to consult
together on matters of great and general concern. It
was ge,nerally more convenient that the smaller in
number should go to the place where the greatest re-
sided than the contrary.; hence the metropolis of any
province became the usual place of meeting ; " and
the bishops of that place, from a sort of natural title
to preside in the convention, were, by the gradual
but sure operation of custom, regarded as the head of
the body. Hence the bishop of the metropolis was,
very naturally, denominated the metropolitan ; and
this term was, by co,psequence, understood to denote
his presidency over the bishops of the province (a)."ln
some of the African provinces, however, and in Nu-
midia and Mauritania, " the honour of presidency
was determined by seniority. The senior bishop was
president of the synod, and head of the province.
Accordingly with them he was denominatedfirimus,
primate, and not metropolitan (b)." A struggle for
power was now the order of the day. In proportion
as the bishops of other cities found their dignity
eclipsed by that of the metropolitans, they sought con-
solation by exercising lordship over the country
bishops. It is not necessary that the various steps
they pursued should be traced in this place : suffice it
to observe, that at length thty suppressed the country
bishops by canon, and annexed their bishoprics to those
of the next city bishops !

As all the provinces within the same prefecture
had closer connexion with one than those
which happened to have different civil governors, and
to be more disjoined, this communion, in respect to
ecclesiastical polity, was enlarged, and councils were
sometimes convened from all the churches within the
prefecture, or at least the civil diocese, which gra-
dually gave the bishop of the capital, where the pre-
fect had his residence, and kept his court, the like
ascendant over the metropolitans,, within the bounds
of that jurisdiction, which the latter had obtßined
from similar causes, over the bishops within their re-
spec4ive provinces (,), and hence had patriarchs their
origin §. To be in ief : the very same powers which
the bishops had usurped over their colleagues, the
presbyters, was thus claimed and acquired by the
metropolitans over the bishops, and soon after by the
patriarchs over the metropolitans—usurpations which
were afterwards ce7:fit rued by canon, when Constan-
tine professed the Christian religion.
Only one step more Was wanting to complete the
climax of subjugation and dependance. From mere
local circumstances, first the presiding bishop, then
the metropolitan, and lastly the patriarchal bishops,
:ad established their sovereignty over those who pri-
Aarily were their equals in ever) thing that respected
apostolic order—Nothing could be more natural than
that the bishop of the Imperial city should claim and
acquire a similar sovereignty over those who had no
ether right to their usurped authority, than what had

• Till about the middle of the third century the -churches had
a mixed aristocratical and democratical Government ; the fernier,
consisting-of the bishops or presbyters, gradually gaining the as-
ceudancy : from that time the power of the bishops over_the
other presbyters pined ground, and in a short time the goverb-
went became purely monarchical, all powerbeing usurped by the
bishops.
t These &parrs congregations were provided with presbyters
by the bishop, and from this time the term pariah, which origi-
tiallv expressed the extent of the bishop's charge, was applied to '
the bounds of the subordinate cures, and difccece became the name
of the bishop'.. dominions : ecclecia, which by popular use had been
applied to the pace in which the bishop's ectlelia met, was gra-
dually and at length universally given to these meeting-houses,
and then the mother-church obtained the name of cathedra!, from
(loshdra) a mat or chair, because there the bishop's throne wa,s
erected. Thu bishops having thus divested themselves of much
trouble without parting with any of their emoluments, for they
still received the same proportion from the public contributions
of the whole diocese, endeavoured to bring this division into a
kind of regular system, dividing the diocese into Deaneries, so
called because they included at first ten parishes. The deaneries
did not long continue to consist of ten presbyters, but the name
was preserved, as was that of the president or chief of the ten,
who was called &canes, the dean—and the deanery of the cathe-
dral, being as it were the head of the clergy of the diocese, ob-
tained the name catitrlanos, the chapter. Other divisions, changes
and te w titles followed not necessary to be here enumerated.
'The only vestige that remained of the rights formerly be-
longing to the whole body was, that in some places the people
continued to assemble at the election of a bishop—an event that
was generally conducted with tumult, and often accompanied
with bloodshed. Those who have witnessed a contested election
of a Member of Parliament for Middlesex or Westminster, may
form an opin:on,but very inadequately, of the outrage and riot
that attend( d the election of the bishop of a large diocese. In the
contest betwixt Dainasus and Ilrsinus for the episcopal chair Of
Rome, about the middle of the fourth century, 137 people were
d!

TO THE EDITOR OF THE
ON THE PROPHECIES.—NO.
THIRD TRI'MPETe--PART
• § V. Of the steps Mat more directly &
menu of Ecclesiastical domin
The Presiding Elders, in the diff
tions, having assumed a superiority
leagues, and made themselves bishops,
of the rest, in such a manner as at las
own office different in point of order
Wished a territorial dominion over •
parishes, and, by this means, their ow'
every new congregation within their c
all of which new congregations,. cont
ginal institution, were dependent t ; a
process •of time, excluded all those
office-bearers from any share in the
the affairs of the bOdy to which they
different kind of warfare followed.
having secured their own supremacy
tive dioceses, the more ambitious am
content with the share of wealth an(
they had thus acquired, having now b
of the Gentiles," began to prosecute
jugating their neighbouring bishops
their own dominion. Nor was the a
of this attended with so much difficul
first view be imagined. Men's mind
measure prepared for it by* the chanE
ready been effected. The authority
having superseded that of the seri'
could he more natural than that chi
sho ild lord it over the little.—But wht
bi;Lops?—Those who had the richest
thatis• the bishops of the large cities.
Other circumstances also concurret
this superiority. The churches, as h
noticed, maintained a correspondence •
and sometimes met, by deputies, in sy
together on matters of great and gene
was ge,nerally more convenient that
number should go to the place where
sided than the contrary.; hence the mt
province became the Usual place of
the bishops of that place, from a sort
to preside in the convention, were,
but sure operation of custom, regarde
the body. Hence the bishop of the
very naturally, denominated the me
this term was, by ceDsequence, uncle]
his presidency over the bishops of the p
some of the African provinces, howel
midia and Mauritania, the honou
was determined by seniority. The se.
president of the synod, and head a
Accordingly with them he was deno:
• primate, and not metropolitan (b)."
power was now the order of the day.
as the bishops of other cities fount
eclipsed by that of the metropolitans, t:
solation by exercising lordship ovt
bishops. It is not necessary that tl
they pursued should be traced in this
to observe, that at length they suppres
bishops by canon, and annexed their bis
of the next city bishops !
As all the provinces within the s:
haft a closer connexion with one anotl
which happened to have different civil
to be more disjoined, this communio:
ecclesiastical polity, was enlarged, an,
sometimes convened front all the char
prefecture, or at least the civil dioce
dually gave the bishop of the capital,
feet had his residence, and kept his
ascendant over the metropolitans,, wit
of that jurisdiction, which the latter
from similar causes, over the bishops
spec4ive provinces (,), and hence had
origin §. To be bi ief : the very SaMI
the bishops had usurped over their
presbyters, was thus claimed and a
metropolitans over the bishops, and so
patriarchs over the metropolitans—ust
were afterwards ce7:fiinied by canon,
tine professed the Christian religion.
Only one step more wanting 1
climax of subjugation and dependanci
local circumstances, first the presidin
the metropolitan, and lastly the patri
:ad established their sovereignty over
rarily were their equals in every thini
apostolic order—Nothing could be me
that the bishop of the Imperial city sh
acquire a similar sovereignty over tlu
ether right to their usurped authority,
• Till about th,. middle of the third center)
a mix (A aristocratical aud democratical Goverr

_
massacred!
cred!
Campbell's I,.ectures, vol. 1, p. 284. dkeir
(b) p. 2ry. (c) Ibid. fol
'rinse patriarchs were also called archbishops, es were also Ti
,the Primates. In those government' which -the,. Creeks called
eparcbles, the head bishops were called ranches a title internat. Lll4
diste by= thait of patriarch and metropolitan. as