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The whole region between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates was called Syria, and, in the ancient Church, was divided into several Provinces. The four northernmost of these will give a fair indication of the extent of Dioceses at that period. In the neighboring Province of Palestine they were considerably smaller, but then, these latter were, probably, of much earlier date in their establishment. In the four Provinces, spoken of above, viz: Syria Prima, Syria Secunda, Euphratesia, and Theodorias, with but limited research, twenty Dioceses have been verified as existing at the time of Constantine. Later notitia give twenty-nine as the whole number. Most of these, in all probability, existed as early as A. D. 325. In Syria Prima, with an area of about five thousand four hundred square miles, we have five Dioceses, viz: Antioch, Selucia, Berræa, Gindarus, and Chalcis, giving an average extent to each of thirty-two miles in length and breadth. In Syria Secunda, situated inland about midway between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates, we have four Dioceses, viz: Apamea, Arethusa, Larissa, and Seleucobelus. Three others are given by later authors, Epiphania, Mariamne, and Raphanaea, and Bingham asserts, that seven was the ancient number. This Province contained an area of about four thousand eight hundred square miles. Reckoning only the four Dioceses, which have been verified as existing at the beginning of the Fourth Century, they have an average extent of thirty-four miles in each direction. In the Province of Euphratesia, which extended along the West side of the Euphrates river, we have seven Dioceses, viz: Hieropolis, Cyrus, (which some place in Syria Prima,) Samosata, Doliche, Germanicia, Zeugma, and NeoCæsarea. Later notitia give seven others, making in all fourteen. Bingham asserts, that the ancient number was thirteen. This Province contained about eight thousand square miles. Reckoning only the seven Dioceses, first mentioned, they have an average extent of thirty-three miles in length and breadth. In the fourth Province, Theodorias, there were four Dioceses, and the same number is all that is given in later notitiæ, viz: Laodicea, Balanea, Gabala, and Paltus. In this Province there was an area of about sixteen thousand square miles,

giving an average extent to each of twenty miles in length and breadth. Or, putting the four Provinces together, we have an extent of country nine-tenths of the size of the Diocese of New York, in which, A. D. 325, there were twenty Bishoprics. And whoever examines carefully into the size of Dioceses, during the Fourth Century, will readily perceive, that those in Syria, if anything, exceeded in area the majority.

This computation of the extent of Dioceses in Syria must be put in comparison with the average extent at earlier periods, previously stated, as though in later times they were smaller. In consequence of the more numerous writings of the Fourth Century, we are able to obtain a more accurate account of the state of the Church; and the number of Dioceses, mentioned in co-temporary writers, more nearly approaches the full number of those really existing. Although there is strong circumstantial evidence, that many cities recorded in later notitia were made Episcopal Sees at a very early date, none are taken into consideration except those which are mentioned as having Bishops, by co-temporary writers. Since these Bishops are spoken of but incidentally, it would indeed be contrary to all probability, that we should find, in an extremely limited number of writers, all the Sees in any one Province distinctly mentioned. We find, in fact, the names of many Bishops without the titles of any See attached to them, but mentioned in such a manner as to imply that they belong to Provinces, to all of whose known Dioceses other Bishops have elsewhere been assigned, making it thus certain, that there were more Dioceses, although their names have not been handed down by cotemporary writers.

5. In Palestine, where, most of all, we should expect to see the impress of Apostolic direction in reference to the oversight and government of the Churches, we find the Dioceses exceedingly small. Taking the Province of Palestina Prima, of which we have the most complete record, we find Episcopal Sees five, seven, and ten miles from each other. In the case of three Sees, viz: Gaza, Maiuma, (which was constituted a city and Bishopric by Constantine,) and Anthedon, Sozomen mentions particularly that they were not above three miles 51*

VOL. XIV.

from each other. This Province extended along the entire coast of Palestine and inland to the Jordan, being bounded on the East by that river, for about half its distance from the Dead Sea to the Sea of Galilee, embracing an area of about thirty-six hundred square miles. In the Sixth Century, there were about twenty-five Dioceses within these limits, most of which, probably, existed at the time of the Council of Nice, for, in the meanwhile, Palestine had diminished in population and in relative political importance. There are thirteen subscriptions of Bishops from this Province to the acts of that Council. In addition to these, Maiuma and Anthedon are mentioned by Sozomen as existing at the beginning of Constantine's reign. Others are to be found in subsequent writers, at sufficiently early dates, to make it probable that they were Sees in the time of Constantine. But, dividing the entire territory between the fifteen Dioceses of which we have positive testimony, that they were not of later origin than the beginning of the Fourth Century, we have an average extent for each Diocese of two hundred and forty square miles, or of less than sixteen miles in each direction. In other words, the Diocese of Rhode Island, the smallest in the United States, would contain over five of those ancient Dioceses, and New York would contain nearly a hundred. It must be remembered, also, that the average size of the Dioceses in Palestine, given above, is, in all likelihood, nearly twice as great as the reality.

6. As to Great Britain, there are no sufficient co-temporaneous data to ascertain the state of the Church in that Island previous to the Council of Nice. We have, however, later authorities to enable us to infer, that Bishops were much more numerous, at an early period, than at any time since Augustine and his successors at Canterbury succeeded in establishing their authority over the whole country. For the purpose of showing, clearly, that small Dioceses are not a Romish, but an ancient rule, and that the establishment of the Papal power has ever been signalized by consolidation of Dioceses, the evidence, though later than the Fourth Century, will be briefly stated. From the fact of Great Britain having been twice

converted to Christianity, (or, rather, that portion overrun by the heathen Saxons having received the Gospel a second time,) we have a plain and most significant indication of the different tendencies of the earlier and purer days of the Church, as distinguished from the later and more corrupt period, in relation to the size of Dioceses. There is no doubt but that a portion of Britain was converted at a very early period, probably in the time of the Apostles, certainly at a period not very remote from their day, and it is equally certain, that Bishops were appointed to preside over distinct Dioceses. Ussher makes mention of three Archbishoprics as existing in England before A. D. 179, viz: at Eboracum, (York,) Londinum, (London,) and Cambria, near the river Isca, (Caerleon on Uske.) Even in the extreme North, the Orcades, or Orkney Islands, had their Bishop, as early as A. D. 293. Four other Sees are named by him as existing at the beginning of the Fourth Century, viz: Lincoln, Mona, or Anglesea, Constantium, a suffragan See of York, and Augusta Civitatis Britanniæ. It is well known, too, that at the Council of Arles, A. D. 314, Britain was represented by three Bishops, those of York, London, and Caerleon. We cannot, it is true, ascertain the exact number of Sees at that early period, and yet we can learn enough to know, that they were far more numerous than the later ones, established by Augustine, under the direction of the Bishop of Rome. We have, still remaining, the names of seven Bishops, together with the titles of their Sees, who met to confer with Augustine at the Synod of Worcester. These were all Suffragans of the Archbishop of Caerleon upon Uske. Five of these Sees were situated within the present limits of the Principality of Wales, and two immediately adjoining. This would give an average extent of about thirty-five miles in each direction. Compare with this the Episcopacy, introduced by Augustine, at the end of the Sixth Century. We find, for a long period from that date, but seven Bishops among all the Saxons, one in each of the kingdoms of the Heptarchy. In the whole course of Church history, this arrangement of a Romish Missionary, appears to be the only parallel to our own custom, of a single Bishop having jurisdiction, not over a single city and its immediately

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