144 SILENCE OF THE APOSTOLICAL CANONS. tical a doctrine from breaking forth into light. But to leave this consideration, Furthermore, we have divers ancient writings, the special nature, matter, scope whereof required, or greatly invited, giving attestation to this power, if such an one had been known and allowed in those times; which yet afford no countenance, but rather much prejudice thereto, - 16. The Apostolical Canons,' and the Constitutions of Clement, which describe the state of the church, with its laws, customs, and practices, current in the times of those who compiled them (which times are not certain but ancient, and the less ancient the more it is to our purpose), wherein especially the ranks, duties, and privileges of all ecclesiastical persons are declared or prescribed, yet do not touch the prerogatives of this universal head, or the special respects due to him, nor mention any laws or constitutions framed by him; which is no less strange than that there should be a body of laws, or description of the state of any kingdom, wherein nothing should be said concerning the king or the royal authority. It is not so in our modern canon law, wherein the pope makes utramquepaginara; we read little beside his authority and decrees made by it. The Apostolical Canons particularly prescribe that " the bishops of each nation should know him that is first among them, and should esteem him the head, and shoulddo nothing considerable," or extra- ordinary, "without his advice;" as also, that " each one" of thosehead bishops " should only meddle with those affairs which concerned his own precinct [district], and the places under it; also, that no such primate should do any thing without theopinion ofall, that so there may be concord."' Now, what place could be more opportune to mention the pope'ssovereign power? How could the canonist, with- out strange neglect, pass it over? Does he not indeed exclude it, assigning the supreme disposal, without farther resort, of all things, to the arbitrationof thewhole body of pastors, and placing the main- tenance of concord in that course? 17. So also the old writer, under the nameof Dionysius the Areo- pagite, treating in several places about the degrees of the ecclesias- tical hierarchy, was monstrously overseen [mistaken] in omitting its sovereign.' In the fifth chapter of his Ecclesiastical Hierarchy hepro- fesses carefully to speak of those orders, but has not a word of this 1 Const Apost., viii. 4, &c. 2 Toúç is rxóTauç i, o r,v ïhav; siSá vas xF;2 Táv év avTaiç Tpw "Tav, xai ñysioAas aLsóV ré; xspaXav, xai p49SSY Ts Tp4TT61V 9rEeprr3v fívsv Tñ; iX;ÌV,U yv4/.anç' ÉXE(va SE paóva TpdTT" ËxarTOV, Yea Tñ aú.roa Ta,2axiá iT2ßdxxs4 xai Taiç La) aú'T B zWpaBç eaXa 1,9M is 7v,; 2Vfw Ti; Tr[ivTrov yvrú44:1; araseiTed Ti ,LTa yáp ópaóvaia 70.ras.-_4post. Can. xxxiV. $ 'H aria TIYV 1fipaaxWY T2t1ç Tpd ?n p iv ÉÇ9 TÓIV Slog-Toady TalBav, áxpoTáTn M xai irxámn ñ aürñ Wei yáp sis aúTñv daroTST.sïTai xai daroTxnpacTas Tara Tr ",; xaf >p ae ;spap- xixç Sawarp<nry.Dionys. de Hier. Ecci, cap T.
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