it is related. And for the other part of the Relation, viz. the setting out of Parishes, and the apportioning of Diocesses; that Platina refers unto the Countrey, unto the parts and Provinces abroad, Parochias & Dioeceses foris distribuit; so he tells us there: adding withal, quo quisque finibus suis, limitibusque contentus esset, that this was done, that every Bishop might contein himself within the limits of his Diocess, and every Presbyter be confined to his proper Parish. And this as Dionysius did with∣in the limits and precincts of his jurisdiction, viz. that is to say, the Patriarchate of Rome; (for it were vain to think that he could do the like over all the World, being beyond the sphere of his activity:) so other Primates, seeing the conveniency and ease which redounded by it to the Church, might and did also do the like within their Commands. Concerning which, it is to be remembred, that as the Romans in each City had a Civil Magistrate, called a Defensor Civitatis, who was to do justice for, and in the name of the Commonwealth, not only in the City it self, but also unto all the Towns and Villages within the Territory of the same: so in each City, there had been placed a Bishop in the former times, who was not only to take care of the Church of God, within the walls and circuit of that City, but also of the parts ad∣joyning, accordingly, as they were gained to the faith of Christ. And then the sub∣stance of the Institution, will be briefly this, that when the faith had spread it self in the Countrey Villages, and that it was too cumbersom a work for the City-Presby∣ters, to repair thither upon all occasions: it was thought fit by Dionysius, and after∣wards by other Primates following the Example, that every Countrey Town and Vil∣lage which had received the faith of Christ, should be furnished with its proper Presby∣ter; and that the Presbyters so setled and dispersed in the Countrey Villages, should be responsible to the Bishop of that City, within the Territory of the which, the said Village stood. Which distribution of the Church into those smaller portions, and particular Congregations, as we now call Parishes; so the Collection of these Parishes into one united body, under one Pastor or chief Governour, which was the Bishop of the City, we do call a Diocess: borrowing the names of both from the Ancient Wri∣ters, in whom the same are very frequent; and frequent also in the sense, in which now we use them, specially in those Authors, and Synodical Acts, which did succeed the times we speak of.
'Tis true, the words being used otherwise in the Ancient Writers, [unspec VI] such of them chiefly, as relate unto us the occurrences of the former times, have given some men occasion to conceive that there was never any Bishop in the Primitive Church, but a Parish-bishop, viz. the Rector of each several Congregation, to whom the cure of Souls is trusted; because they find that in Eusebius, the Churches of Jerusalem, Antioch, and Alexandria, are called Paroeciae: and that there were no Diocesses, nor Diocesan Bishops in the purest times, because they find them not so called in those Ancient Writers. For satisfying of which doubt, it is first confessed, that by Eusebius, the Churches of Jerusalem, Antioch and Alexandria, as also of Corinth, Ephesus, Lyons, Carthage, and many other famous Cities, are called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Paroeciae: There is no doubt at all of that. But then it is to be confessed, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in that Author, is never used to signifie a Countrey-parish, or a sole Congregation only, which we call a Parish: but for the whole City, with the Suburbs and adjoyning Villages, within the circuit of the which, were many Congregations, and material Churches. The very composi∣tion of the word doth import no less, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of a City, containing not alone the Citizens, but all such Borderers and Strangers as dwelt near, or repaired to any chief Church or City, for Gods publick Worship; as our learned Bilson doth observe, comprizing not the City only, but the Towns and Villages near the City, as Master Brere∣wood also noteth. And this may be made good even from Eusebius himself, so often cited to the contrary, who having said that Laetus was President of Alexandria, and the rest of Egypt, adds next, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but the inspection, or superintendency of the Paroeciae, or Churches there, Demetrius, had of late recei∣ved: So that Demetrius, being Bishop of the Church of Alexandria, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, as he after calls him, was not the Bishop of a Parish only, or of the Congregations in the City only; but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, of all the Churches throughout Alexandria, and those parts of Egypt, which were under the command of Laetus, for their Civil Government.
And lest it may be thought, that the word being 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in the plural num∣ber, may bear a different construction, from what it doth, being used in the singular: the same Eusebius tells us of the same Demetrius, that he was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,