2. IT was absolutely forbidden in the Ancient Church, and all such Ordinations declared null, so as not to communicate Office-Power or give any Ministerial Authority. So it is expressly in the First Canon▪ of the Council of Chalcedon, and the Council Decrees, That all Imposition of Hands, in such cases, is invalid and of no effect. Yea, so exact and careful were they in this matter, that if any one, for any just cause, as he judged himself, did leave his particular Church or Charge, they would not allow him the Name or Title of a Bishop, or to Officiate occasionally in that Church, or any where else. This is evident in the case of Eustathius a Bishop of Pamphilia. The good Man finding the discharge of his Office very troublesome, by reason of Secular Businesses that it was encumbered withal, and much opposition, with Reproach that befell him from the Church it self, of his own accord laid down and resigned his Charge, the Church choosing one Theodorus in his room. But afterwards he desired, that though he had left his Charge, he might retain the Name, Title and Honour of a Bishop: For this end he made a Petition unto the Council of Ephesus, who, as themselves express it, in mere commiseration unto the Old Man, condescended unto his desire as unto the Name and Title, but not as unto any Office-Power, which they judge, related absolutely unto a particular Charge, Epist. Can. Ephes. 1. ad Synod. in Pamphil.
2. IT was absolutely forbidden in the Ancient Church, and all such Ordinations declared null, so as not to communicate Office-Power or give any Ministerial Authority. So it is expresly in the First Canon▪ of the Council of Chalcedon, and the Council Decrees, That all Imposition of Hands, in such cases, is invalid and of no effect. Yea, so exact and careful were they in this matter, that if any one, for any just cause, as he judged himself, did leave his particular Church or Charge, they would not allow him the Name or Title of a Bishop, or to Officiate occasionally in that Church, or any where else. This is evident in the case of Eustathius a Bishop of Pamphilia. The good Man finding the discharge of his Office very troublesome, by reason of Secular Businesses that it was incumbred withal, and much opposition, with Reproach that befell him from the Church it self, of his own accord laid down and resigned his Charge, the Church choosing one Theodorus in his room. But afterwards he desired, that though he had left his Charge, he might retain the Name, Title and Honour of a Bishop: For this end he made a Petition unto the Council of Ephesus, who, as themselves express it, in meer commiseration unto the Old Man, condescended unto his desire as unto the Name and Title, but not as unto any Office-Power, which they judge, related absolutely unto a particular Charge, Epist. Can. Ephes. 1. ad Synod. in Pamphil.
