(1) A&. 4. 34.

Converts to Chriftianity, (f) Who being Poffeffors of Lands or Houfes fold them, and brought the Prices of the Things that were fold and laid them down at the Apostle's Feet: And Diftribution was made unto every Man according as he had need. That this Practice was in England fetled upon the coming in of Auguftine the Monk appears (8) Lib. 1. c. 27. from (g) Bedes Hiftory of that Miffion.

Rights of Paroch. Clergy.

P. 224.

Priests and Deacons living thus in common with their Bishop were not denominated from any proper Parish or Precinct of their own, but from the See of the Bishop to whom they belonged: As a Presbyter or Deacon of the Church of Alexandria, of Antioch, of Rome, of Duties and Carthage, of Ephefus or the like. (h) And this Relation which a Clergyman ftood in to the Bishop of his Diocese (as the late Bishop of Worcester has obferved) was called a Title: And fo fine Titulo, fignifies without being owned by fome Bishop. And if any deferted their Bifhop they were liable to Deprivation. From the ftipend which was given to every Presbyter and Deacon out of the Church Revenues, and from the particular Charge or Cure affigned to each of 'em by the Bishop at his Pleasure with the Advice and Confent of his College, I am perfuaded that both Presbyters and Deacons were called Canons, that is, the Presbyters Canonici Majores and the Deacons Canonici Minores. For the Civil Law calls Stipends (i) Canonica Penfitationes: And St. Paul calls that part of the Church committed more especially to his Care, (k) the Canon which God had distributed to him. Afterwards when fome Presbyters and Deacons were taken off from the Cathedral or Mother-Church, and fetled in remote parts of the Diocess, then only those

(i) Cod. Lib. 12.

tit. 62. 1. 2.

(k) 2 Cor. 10. 13.

Presbyters

Presbyters and Deacons which conftantly refided with the Bishop preferved the Name of Canons; because when fixed Parish-priests were fetled and maintained by their own Parish, then these only, who lived with the Bishop received the Canonicas Penfitationes, and had the general care of the whole Church or Diocefs under the Bishop. For when it was found necessary to have Presbyters fixed in particular Districts or Parishes, the Bishop would not leave himself deftitute of a College or Society to advise and affift him in confering Orders, difpofing of the Church Revenues, and putting the Canons in Execution. Yet he made no new Decrees or Rules for the Government of his Diocess without affembling his Clergy in a Diocefan Synod. Therefore (1) St. Cyprian writing to his Clergy (4) Epift. 6. fays, As to thofe things which my Comprefbyters Donatus and Fortunatus, Novatus and Gordius have written to me, I can return no Answer by my felf alone; fince I determined from the Beginning of my Epifcopate to Decree nothing by my own private Sen'tence, without your Counfel, and the Confent of all my People.

..

Now it is to be noted that every Bishop and his Clergy, with the People under their Care, made a distinct Church, and the Canons made by the Bishop and his Bresbyters who compofed the Diocefan Synod were of good force and Authority within that Diocefs, fo as to bind all the Members of it, all that either lived or fojourned within that Jurifdiction: Infomuch, that if an Apostle or Bishop of another Diocefs came amongst them he was obliged to conform to the Canons of that Church during the time of his abode there. An Inftance of

which

(b) Act. 21. 18. which we have in the Scriptures, (a) where we

(b) Gal, 11. II. &c.

read that St. Paul the Apostle of the Gentiles being come to Worship at Jerufalem, the Bifhop of that place, St. James the Brother of our Lord Summoned his Synod to receive him, and give him Directions for his Behaviour whilft he contiuued amongst them. I fay he Summoned his Synod of Presbyters on this occafion, for it is certain they met together on St. Paul's arrival, and I cannot fuppofe that they did fo by Chance; for the Day after hiscoming into that City, it is faid, that Paul went in unto James, and all the Elders were prefent. And it is plain that the defign of his going to them was not meerly for a Civil Visit, but to learn from them what were the Rules or Canons which they had made for the Direction of the Practice of fuch as lived within their Jurifdiction, that he might order his Behaviour accordingly: And they informed him that the Rule or Canon in that place was, that all that were fews, tho' they had embraced the Chriftian Faith were to keep the Law of Mofes,and therefore exhorted him to do fo, and he complied with them. But the Canons or Rules made in a Diocefan Synod were Obligatory only within that Diocese over which the Bifhop and his Presbyters had Jurisdiction, as is evident from the Example of the fame Apostle St. Paul, who, tho' he thought himself bound to obferve the Canons of the Church of Jerufalem whilft he fojourned there, yet did not think it fit to do fo when he was in another Diocefe; for he would not fuffer this very Canon, which he conformed to at Jerufalem to be obferved at Antioch, and blamed (b) even St. Peter himself for obferving St. James's Canon

in

in that Place. I can find but one Diocefan Synod more in the Scriptures, and there the Apostle or Bishop was not perfonally prefent; but it was Summoned by his Authority, and acted wholly under his Power, and he had his Delegate or Deputy there to fupply his Place. This Synod was Summoned by St. Paul (c) to () 1 Cor. 5. 3. cenfure the Incestuous Perfon who had Married. his Father's Wife. Now I have already fhewed (d) that St. Paul was the Apoftle or Bishop of (d) Supr. c. 4. the Corinthians, and claimed a Jurifdiction over them, as fuch, exclufive of any other Apoftle or Bishop. But he having the Care of fo many Churches could not be conftantly refident there, neither could he go to 'em upon this great occasion; there being then fuch a great offence committed which deferved a fevere Punishment, he fent (e) Timothy to fupply his (I Cor. 4. 17. Place, and appointed a Synod of his Diocess to be held, and ordered them upon Examination of the Matter if they had found the Fact to be as it had been represented to him to proceed against the Offender, and Excommunicate him in the name of Christ by virtue of his Authority who was their Bishop. (ƒ) For (f) 1 Cor. s. 3. I verily, fays he, as absent in Body, but present in Spirit, by vertue of the Power and Authority which belongs to me as your chief Shepherd under Christ, have judged already as tho' I were prefent concerning him who hath fo done this Deed, in the name of our Lord Jefus Chrift, when ye are gathered together and my Spirit (that is in a Publick Synod or Affembly gathered in the name of Chrift, in which you are to fuppofe me prefent among you by vertue of that Power committed to me which I have delegated to Timothy) with the Power of our Lord Jefus Chrift, to deliver

K

deliver fuch a one unto Satan, &c. And that a Synod was held, and the Cenfure past according to St. Paul's appointment, and that the Sentence of Excommunication had the defired Effect, and brought the Offender to Repen(g) 11 Cor. 11. tance, we learn from the other (g) Epistle to

5. &c.

(b), A☎. 11. 27.

thefe Corinthians wherein he joyns with them in giving Abfolution to this Penitent Sinner. Thus we find that in this first Age of the Church, whilft it was under the immediate Care and Government of the Apostles, the Company of Elders or the Diocefan Synod fate with the Bishop, or by his Commiffion and Authority with his Delegate (if he could not be present himself) both to prefcribe Rules or Canons to be obferved by the Members of their Church, and likewife to give Judgment upon Tranfgreffors. We read alfo, (b) that when a Collection was made at Antioch for the Brethren in fudea, it was not fent to the Bishop aIone to be difpofed of meerly as he pleased, but to the Elders, by which undoubtedly is meant the College of Presbyters, whereof the Bishop was the Head, to be diftributed as they fhould judge convenient by common confent. For they had a joynt care with the Bishop or Apostle (tho' Subordinate to him) of that Diocefs to which they belonged, and received a Power from the Holy Ghoft as well as he had done to guide the Flock committed to their common Charge: As appears from St. Paul's own words to the Elders of the Church of Ephefus when they were come to him at Miletus (i) Act. 20.17. to receive Directions from him. (i) Take heed, fays he, to your felves, and to the Flock, over which the HOLY GHOST has made you Overfeers. The Bishop or Apostle had Ŏr