probably by this time the archdeacons were chosen out of the order of presbyters; though when first they began to be so, is not very easy to determine. Only we are certain that some centuries before the time of Gratian the custom was altered. For archdeacons, in the ninth century, were some of them at least of the order of presbyters; as appears from Hincmar's Capitula1 directed to Guntharius and Odelhardus, two of his archdeacons, whom he styles, presbyterarchdeacons. And there is reason enough to think it was so in the time of Gratian: the archdeacons were then generally of the order of presbyters, as they have been ever since; which makes it no wonder that in Gratian's time they should have power over the Archipresbyteri, which, in the language of that age, often signifies no more than rural deans, over which the archdeacons have usually power at this day. But by this the reader may judge how little such writers are to be depended on, who take their estimate of former ages from the practice of their own, and reckon every thing ancient, that is agreeable to the rules and customs of the times they live in.

SECT. 9. Of the Name 'Aravrɩrǹç, Circumlustrator, and whether Archdeacons had any Power over the whole Diocese.

But to return to the archdeacons of the primitive Church. There is one thing more may admit of some dispute,—whether the archdeacon's power anciently extended over the whole diocese, or was confined to the city or mother Church? In the middle ages of the Church there is no question but they had power over the whole diocese; for Isidorus Hispalensis, who lived in the beginning of the seventh century, in the account which he gives of the archdeacon's office, says, "the parochial clergy were under his care, (that is, the deacons and inferior clergy:) and that it belonged to him to order mat

1Hincmar. Capitula Archidiaconibus Presbyteris data. Con. tom. viii. p. 591. 2 Isidor. Ep. ad Ludifred, et ap. Gratian. Dist. xxv. c. 1. Solicitudo quoque Parochitanorum (al. Parochiarum) et ordinatio, et jurgia ad ejus pertinent curam: Pro reparandis Diocesanis Basilicis i, se suggerit Sacerdoti: Ipse inquirit Parochias cum jussione Episcopi, et Ornamenta, vel res Basilicarum Parochitanorum (al. Parochiarum) et Libertatum Ecclesiasticarum Episcopo idem refert.

ters, and end controversies among them; to give the bishop an account what Churches stood in need of repairing; to make inquiry by the bishop's order into the state of every parish, and see what condition the ornaments and goods of the Church were in, and whether the ecclesiastical liberties were maintained." Habertus thinks' the archdeacons were invested with the same power some ages before, and for proof cites a passage out of the council of Chalcedon, where in an instrument presented by the presbyters of Edessa against Ibas, their bishop, one Abramius, a deacon of that Church, in all the Latin translations is called Diaconus Apantita, which Habertus takes to be a general inspector of the Church. But there are two evident reasons against this, which it is a wonder so observing a person as Habertus should not see: 1st. That Abramius was not an archdeacon, but only a private deacon of the Church; for in the same place there is mention made of another archdeacon, who, when Ibas was about to have had Abramius ordained bishop of Batena, interposed and hindered him from doing it, because he had been censured for the practice of magic, and never given any satisfaction to the Church. And though it is said, that Ibas took occasion to remove that archdeacon from his office, yet it is not once intimated that he put Abramius in his room; which if he had done, it would doubtless have been made another article of accusation against him before the council. 2dly. The original Greekin Labbe's edition is not Διάκονος απαντητής, asHabertus reads it, but only “ Διάκονος ἀπ ̓ αυτῆς τῆς ἡμετέρης ἐκκλησίας, a deacon of that our Church of Edessa :" and though Aravτirns be put into the margin, yet it is not owned to be any various reading, but only the editor's conjecture; which I think is not sufficient to build such an assertion upon, when no other proof or authority is pretended. Therefore I determine nothing concerning this power of the archdeacons in ancient times, but leave it to further inquiry, and the determination of every judicious reader.

Habert, in Pontifical. par. 9. obser. 6.

Con. Chalced. Act. x. p. 650.

Sect. 10. Of the Name Cor-Episcopi, why given to Archdeacons. Valesius takes notice of another name, which he thinks was sometimes given to the archdeacons, that is the name Cor-Episcopi; for which he cites the words of one Joannes Abbas1 in a book written about the translation of the relicks of St. Glodesindis. This at first may look like a corruption of the name Chorepiscopus, because in the latter ages the power of the ancient Chorepiscopi dwindled into that of the archdeacons; but when it is considered, that all the deacons anciently were called the bishop's eyes, and his ears, his mouth, and his heart, as has been noted in the last chapter, sect. 18. it will appear very probable that the archdeacon should be peculiarly dignified with those titles; and therefore be called Cor-Episcopi, the bishop's heart, because he was used to signify his mind and will to the people as he is called Oculus Episcopi, not only in ancient authors but in the Decretals, and the council of Trent,* because he was the bishop's eye to inspect the diocese under

him.

SECT. 11.-The Opinions of Learned Men concerning the first Original of the Name and Office of Arch-deacon.

Some may perhaps be desirous to know further the first rise and original of the name and office of archdeacons in the Church; but this is a matter involved in so great obscurity, that it cannot easily be determined. Habertus and some others of the Roman Communion, reckon this office as ancient as that of deacons themselves, deriving both from apostolical constitution, and making Stephen the first archdeacon of the Church. But others with greater reason, deduce it only from the third century, and leave it as a matter under debate and inquiry, whether there were any such thing as the archdeacon's office in the time of Cornelius, bishop of Rome, which was in the middle of the

Joh. Abbas ap. Vales. Not. in Theodorit. lib. i. c. 26. Ad hoc inspiciendum Sacrorum Ministros cum Archidiacono majore, quem Cer-Episcopi dicunt, Pontifex direxit. 2 Isidor. Pelus. lib. i. ep. 29.

Con. Trid. Sess. xxiv. cap. 12. 5 Habert. Not. in Pontifical. p. 207. Baron. an. 34.

3 Decretal. lib. i. tit. xxiii. c. 7.
de Reform.
n. 285.

6 Bp. Fell. Not. in Cypr. Ep. 52. al. 49. ad Cornel.

third century. This is certain, that Cornelius in his Epistle to Fabius, where he gives a catalogue' of the Roman clergy, though he speaks of deacons, subdeacons, acolythists, exorcists, readers, and door-keepers, makes no particular mention of the archdeacon; nor does Cyprian ever so much as once use the name. Yet before the end of this century, Cæcilian is supposed to have had the title, as well as the office, of archdeacon of Carthage, because Optatus calls him so; and the name often occurs in St. Jerom and other writers of the fourth age, in which St. Jerom lived. Baronius indeed urges St. Austin's authority, to prove that Stephen was properly an archdeacon; for he says, St. Austin calls him Primicerius diaconorum. But he that will look into St. Austin, will quickly find his mistake; for his words are not Primicerius diaconorum, but Primicerius martyrum, the protomartyr, as we commonly call him, because he was the first that suffered for the name of Christ. And hence the reader may observe by the way, that the words primicerius and primus, do not always denote principality or priority of power and jurisdiction, but only priority of time or precedency of honour and digntiy, in respect of place, or outward order. In which sense the same St. Austin 3 says, in another place, "that Stephen is named first among the deacons, as Peter was among the Apostles;" Which is a primacy that may be allowed to them both, without any pretence of jurisdiction. Habertus urges further the authority of the Greek Menologion, which gives Stephen the title of archdeacon: but such books are not sufficient evidence, being they are of a modern date, and speak of ancient things in the language and phrase of their own times; for which reason they are not much to be depended on, except when they are backed with the concurrent testimony of some ancient authors, of which there are none in this case to yield any collateral evidence to this assertion. Yet, on the other hand, the opinion of Salmasius is equally to be

2

Cornel. Ep. ad Fab. ap. Euseb. lib. vi. c. 43. Aug. Ser. i. de Sanctis. tom. x. Hodiè celebramus Natalem, quo Primicerius Martyrum migravit ex mundo. 3 Aug. Ser. 91 de Diversis. Inter Diaconos

illos nominatus Primus, sicut inter Apostolos Petrus.

discarded, who' asserts that the office of archdeacon was not in the Church in the time of St. Jerom, though St. Jerom3 himself says, in most express words, "that the custom then was to have one bishop, one archpresbyter, one archdeacon, in every Church." But this is the usual way of that author in his book De Primatu to advance paradoxes of his own fancy for ancient history, and lay down positive assertions upon the most slender conjectures; yea, many times against the plainest evidence of primitive records, as in the case before us, and many others which I have had occassion to take notice of in this discourse. It were to be wished, that that author, who wrote upon a useful design, had been a little more accurate in his accounts of the state of the clergy of the primitive Church; and whilst he was demolishing the Pope's supremacy, had not confusedly treated of some other orders and offices, which were of greater antiquity in the Church.

CHAP. XXII.

Of Deaconesses.

SECT. 1.-The ancient Name of Deaconesses, Aiákovoi, Пpeoẞúrides, Viduæ, Ministræ.

HAVING spoken of deacons and archdeacons, it remains that I say something in this place of deaconesses, because their office and service was of great use in the primitive Church. There is some mention made of them in Scripture, by which it appears, that their office was as ancient as the apostolical age. St. Paul calls Phoebe, "a servant of the Church of Cenchrea." Rom. xvi. 1. The original word is Alákovos, a deaconess, answerable to the Latin word Ministra, which is the name that is given them in Pliny's Epistle, which speaks about the Christians. Tertullian and

1 Salmas. de Primat. c. i. p. 8. 2 Hieron. Ep.4. ad Rustic. cited befor. sect. 1. 8 Plin. Lib. x. Ep. 97. Quò magis necessarium credidi, ex duabus ancillis, quæ Ministræ dicebantur, quid esset veri et per tormenta quærere. Tertul. Lib. i. ad Uxor, c. 7. Id. de Veland. Virg. c. 9.

Epiph. Hær. 79. n. 4. Ignat. Ep. ad Smyrn. n.13.