like, in the Works of S. Cyprian, is an authentick and warrantable Interpretation of it, as being directly fuitable to his own manifeft and familiar Notion of the Word; and therefore I leave the Reader to judge, whether the Enquirer's promifcuous Joining of it with the Word [Judgment] in the Quotation now before us, (as if they were Synonymous Terms) and Laying the whole Strefs of the Quotation upon it, when the holy Father himself had cautiously diftinguished them in both Places, where Occafion was offer'd him to do fo, does not feem (at leaft) a mistaken Apprehenfion of that great Author's Senfe; and by that Means strains the whole Quotation, to prove a Popular Election, when, by what has been offer'd, we may clearly fee, there is no fuch Evidence to be found in either Part of it. * The other Authority brought to prove the fame Thing, is a Paffage in S. Clement's first Epiftle to the Corinthians, where our learned Author obferves; † That Apostles and Apoftolick Preachers ordain'd Bishops and Deacons with the Confent of the whole Church; that is, by their Votes given for the Candidate to be ordain'd in the Manner of a regular Election; for fo the Subject he applies it to, obliges us to understand it. Now this Evidence fo far agrees with the former, that the whole Force of it lies in the' Signification of a fingle Word again, and won't want many (1 hope) to fhew the Invalidity of it. S. Clement's Word for confenting here, is [ounddo * See Eng. P. 49. L + Καλαςαθένας ὑπ ̓ ἐκείνων καὶ μεταξὺ ὑφ ̓ ἑτέρων ἐλλογίμων ἀνδρῶν, συνεδοκησάσης δ ἐκκλησίας πά Clem. Rom. Ep. 1. ad Corinth. p. 57. ons. [owddoxnodons] and if any Word in the Greek Tongue could aptly render S. Cyprian's Senfe of Suffrages in the Notion I have juft now given of it, I fhould think it might be this. But let the Language of the infpir'dPenmen determine it for us. Eudoxia is of near Affinity to it; (to be fure) and this we often meet with in Holy Writ. God's Complacency in his own Son is exprefs'd by that Word in three of the Evange lifts; *This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed. S. Paul ufes it for taking Pleasure in Infirmities, in Reproaches, in Neceffities; and for the Wicked's being pleas'd in Unrighteousness; [2 Thef. ii. 12.] And other Places in Holy Writ might be produc'd to the fame Purpose, which the learned † Commentators expound by rejoycing, refting highly fatisfy'd, and acquiefcing in them. And how can the Right of Election be grounded on fuch a Term as this? SS. Luke expreffes Saul's Confent to the Death of S. Ste. phen, indeed, by the very fame Word `which S. Clement ufed here: But if that tragical A& was all over Rage, and Riot, and lawless Violence of a barbarous and incens'd Multitude, (as the Holy Penman's Relation of it does fufficiently fhew) then Saul's Confenting to fuch an A&t as that, can have no other Senfe (I think) fo fairly put upon it, as that * 'Ev @ ev Sonnoa. Matt. iii. 17. Mark i. 2. Luc. iii. 22. Η Ευδοκῶ ἐν ἀπενείαις, &c. 2 Cor. xii. 1o. * Ευδοκήσαντες ἐν ἀδικίᾳ τότ ̓ ἐτὶ χαίρω, εὐφραί νομαι, μετ' αθυμίας δέχομαι. Theodor. in loc. Προστ Jednoar douws T adinia. Theophyl. in loc. Ο Σαυλ ἢ ἦν συνοδικῶν τῇ ἀναιρέσει αυτό. Α. vili. I. that which we have found to be in all the foregoing Particulars upon this Head; that is, he highly approv'd the Thing, had a thorough Satisfaction in it, and his Heart went along with theirs, who were principal Actors in it: So that the Senfe of S. Clement's Word, even in the Language of Holy Scripture itfelf, does in no-wife warrant fuch an Inference from it as can establish a Popular Election in the least. To ftrengthen these two Authorities, the Enquiry offers three or four Examples of Matter of Fact, where Bishops were actually chofen by the People; and therefore the Primitive Church did own fuch a Power in them. I'll propose them fairly as they are, and confider them as briefly as I can. His firft Example is that of Alexander, Bishop of Ferufalem, chofen there (fays he) by the Compulfion or Choice of the Members of that Church. So he tranflates the Quotation for us; which (in plain English) is thus: † That the Brethren would not fuffer Alexander to return home. The Matter of Fact was this; Alexander was a Bifhop in Cappadocia long before that Time, but came to Jerufalem out of Devotion to pray there, and visit the Country. Here, by one Divine Vision to himself, and another to the People of Jerufalem, God was pleas'd to fignify, that he fhould stay amongst them, and be an Affiftant Bishop to the fuperannuated Narciffus, who was now 116 Years old; upon which L 2 *See Enquiry, P. 46. + Αδελφοὶ ἐκετ ̓ οἴκαδε αυτῷ παλινος ἂν ἐπιτρέ Eufeb. 1. 6. C. II. πισι which Visions, with an audible Voice from Heaven to confirm them, the People would not fuffer him to return home again. This is the firft Example of the People's choofing a Bishop for themselves. I fhall join the fecond to it, because of the Refemblance they have to one another: 'Tis that of || Fabianus's Promotion to the Bishoprick of Rome. This looks a little fairer to the Purpose indeed; for the People were met in Confultation about nominating a Perfon whom they liked: And whilst they were thus together, a Dove miraculously lights upon Fabianus's Head, in the fame Manner as the Holy Ghoft formerly defcended on our bleffed Saviour; at which Divine Vision, in fo miraculous a Manner, the People (as it were by Infpiration, for fo the Hiftorian's exprefs Words are *) cry out with one Heart and one Mind, that Fabianus was worthy of the Bishoprick; and ftraitway they haftily fet him on the Throne. These are the two leading Inftances or Examples of a Popular Election in the Primitive Church, and to fpeak my Thoughts freely of them, they incline me much more to admire, than to reply: To admire (I fay) that so important a Right and Privilege of all Chriftian Congregations in the World, (as that of electing their own Bishops furely would be) should be fupported in the very Foundation of it, by two fuch fingular Examples as these. Yet, Ib. See Eufeb. 1. 6. c. 29. Hift. Eccl. * Ωσσερ ὑφ ̓ ἑνὸς πνεύματΘ θεία κινηθέντα ὁμόσε. ! Yet, because S. Cyprian furnishes me with a fhort Answer to all extraordinary Occafions of this Nature, I fhall leave it with the Reader, and hope it may excufe a farther Reply. *We must not wait for the Teftimony of Men, (fays that excellent Father) where the Teftimony of God is given in before. By this Maxim, that holy Martyr himfelf practis'd, when he ordain'd the eminent Confeffor Aurelius, a Deacon of his Church, without the People's Character or Teftimony of him; which, I freely own, he ordinarily us'd to inform himfelf by. And if the Conftancy of Aurelius, under his feveral Trials and Perfecutions, deferv'd the Name of God's Teftimony for him; (for that was all in the Cafe) furely the heavenly Voice and Visions, in each of the foregoing Inftances, (both of Alexander and Fabianus too) may well be taken for no less; and confequently the humane Suffrages (whether of Laity or Clergy) in thofe Elections, were but very indifferentPrecedents to shew how far they might go. There are two Examples more propos'd to us; 1, That of Cornelius, the Succeffor of Fabianus at Rome; and laftly, that of S. Cyprian himfelf at Carthage. But forafmuch as all the Force of both of them || lies in that Conftruction of the Word [Suffrage again, and in the Language of that Holy Father too, which we have feen already, can warrant no Confequence from it, I conceive the Anfwer to them both to be given there. 'Tis true indeed, Pontius the Deacon calls L 3 Non expectanda funt teftimonia humana, cum præeedunt divina fuffragia. Cypr. Ep. 38. Edit. Oxon. See Enquiry, p. 47. |