Conformity of the ecclesiastical discipline of the Reformed churches of France with that of the primitive Christians written by M. La Rocque ... ; render'd into English by Jos. Walker.

CONFORMITY.

The translating of Pastors from one Church to another has been strictly prohibited in the Ancient Church, by reason of Abuses which have been there∣in committed; and because these Translations were commonly the effect of Ambition, and Covetousness, for seldom any was translated from a greater to a less Church; but frequently, and almost always, from a less to a greater; the 15th Canon of the 1st Council of Nice; the 21st of that at Antioch, in the Year 341. the 1st of the Synod of Sardis, in the year 347, and several others, prohibit these sorts

of changes which have no other motive, as the Fathers of Sardis say, but covetousness, ambition, and a desire to domineer. Nevertheless all these Prohibitions has not hindered but several Bishops have been transferred from one Church to another. * 1.1 Socrates in his Ecclesiastical History recites a great many Examples of these Tran∣slations made before and after the Council of Nice. Pope Boniface at the beginning of the Fifth Century established Perigenes Bishop of Corinth, * 1.2 whereas before he was of Patras, as appears by the Letter writ by this Pope to Rufus Bishop of Thessalonica. Socrates also cites this Example.

But that it may not be imagin'd that all these Tran∣slations were nothing but the ill effects of the relaxation of the Discipline arrow_forward of the ancient Christians, and that they were not countenanc'd by the Authority of some Canon, it is to be observ'd there were some occasions wherein these changes were allowed; as for example, for the greater edifying of the Church, in such a case it was permitted to translate a Pastor from one Church to ano∣ther, provided it was done by consent of the Synod, as our arrow_back Discipline doth prescribe: The 14th. of the Canons attributed to the Apostles, explains it self after this man∣ner: It is not permitt•••• for a Bishop to leave his Church to go to another, altho he should be desired and invited thither by a great many, unless there be some great reason that obliges him to it, as that his Preaching might there tend to greater Edification, and there cause a greater growth of Piety, nei∣ther yet ought he to do it of his own accord, but by the Ex∣hortation and Judgment of several Bishops.

The fourth Council of Carthage assembled in the year 398, made a like Ordinance to that in the 27 Can. for having prohibited to go by ambition from one Church

to another, it adds, That if the benefit of the Church be advanced thereby, it may be done by approbation of the Synod, which shall put another in the place of him they send away. Thence it is that Pope Gellasius the first, doth not always simply condemn these Translations, but only then when they are made without cause. Hinemar, Archbishop of Rhemes, in the Ninth Century, autho∣rizes these Changes when there is good cause for them, or necessity, and that 'tis done by Order of the Synod; and he also produces sundry instances of this practise. I do not mention the first Epistle of Pelagius the second, who establishes, or rather approves, for the like motives, these kind of Translations, because I am perswaded 'tis false and spurious.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib 7. c 35 36, 37.
• * 1.2

  Collect. Rom Part 1. p. 52.