A33359:272
Diocesan churches not yet discovered in the primitive times
Diocesan churches not yet discovered in the primitive times, or, A defence of the answer to Dr. Stillingfleets allegations out of antiquity for such churches against the exceptions offered in the preface to a late treatise called A vindication of the primitive church, where what is further produced out of Scripture and ancient authors for diocesan churches is also discussed.Diocesan churches not yet discovered in the primitive times, or, A defence of the answer to Dr. Stillingfleets allegations out of antiquity for such churches against the exceptions offered in the preface to a late treatise called A vindication of the primitive church, where what is further produced out of Scripture and antient authors for diocesan churches is also discussed.
London: printed for Thomas Parkhurst, 1682
Diocesan Churches not yet discovered in the Primitive times.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Nicephorus speaks but of 14 Churches at Constantinople in the reign of Theodosius junior, nor meet I with any Author that gives an account of more, yet this was about an hundred years after Byzantium was re-edified, and both Constantine and the succeeding Emperors endeavoured to make that City as populous as could be, and furnished it with Churches answerable to the numbers of the Inhabitants. So that there's no likelihood there could be 40 Churches in Rome at any time nearer Diocletian's than Optatus's.
Nicephorus speaks but of 14 Churches at Constantinople in the reign of Theodosius junior, nor meet I with any Author that gives an account of more, yet this was about an hundred years after Byzantium was re-edifyed, and both Constantine and the succeeding Emperours endeavoured to make that City as populous as could be, and furnished it with Churches answerable to the numbers of the Inhabitants. So that there's no likelihood there could be 40 Churches in Rome at any time nearer Dioclesian's than Optatus's.
But to help this our Author tells us out of Optatus, ⟨p. 87⟩that there were three Donatists Bishops at Rome successively before Macrobius, who was Contemporary with Optatus, and that the first of them was Victor Garbiensis, and he will have Optatus to speak of the State of Rome (the 40 Churches there) not as it was in his own time, but in that of this Victor, when this was, he says, is not easy to six. pag. 56.
But to help this our Author tells us out of Optatus, ⟨p. 87⟩that there were three Donatists Bishops at Rome successively before Macrobius, who was Contemporary with Optatus, and that the first of them was Victor Garbiensis, and he will have Optatus to speak of the State of Rome (the 40 Churches there) not as it was in his own time, but in that of this Victor, when this was, he sayes, is not easie to six. pag. 56.