A33359:47
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.
Valesius (whom our Author much relies on) in his Notes upon this place, is so far from thinking that Constantine built more Churches in Heliopolis, that he judges this one at present was not necessary for it, the Town having then no Christians in it: and assigns this as the reason why Eusebius speaks of it as a thing unusual, that it should have a Bishop appointed, and a Church built in it. His words are, Fortasse hoc novum & inauditum fuisse intelligit, &c. He may think this new and unheard ⟨p. 10⟩of, that a Church should be built in a City, where as yet there were no Christians but all were alike idolaters. Therefore this Church was built at Heliopolis, not for that there was any necessity of it, but rather in hope that he might invite all the Citizens to the profession of the Christian Religion. So that the Bishop here had none for his Diocese but one Church, and that empty, there being then no Christians 1in that one Parish; which yet was all he had to make him a Diocesan.
- 1in lib. 3. de vit. Constant. c. 58. p. 235.
The better to confute Theodoret, who says (for they are his words, not mine) that Alexander with all the Brethren met together, he endeavours to show the state of that Church about the latter end of Constantine, &c. this he does here and after by an undue Application of some passages in Sozomen. For the account which that Historian gives of that City is not confined to Constantine's time, but reaches beyond it, ay, and beyond Julian's too, which appears, as by other passages, so by his mentioning the heathen Temples in the time of that Emperor. And with respect to the time after Constantine must that expression be understood, which makes C. P. to exceed Rome, not only in Riches, but in the number of Inhabitants, otherwise it will be apparently false. For when Chrysostom was Bishop there, about 70 years after (when it is like the number of the Inhabitants were doubled, it cannot be questioned but they were far more numerous) he who best could do it, reckons the Christians then to be an 100000