Works of Hooker, Book 8 · Part 4
To call and dissolve all solemn Assemblies about the Publick Affairs of the Church.
AMongst sundry Prerogatives of Simons Dominion over the Jews, there is reckoned, as not the least, That no man might gather any great Assembly in the Land without him. For so the manner of Jewish Regiment had alwayes been, that, whether the cause for which men assembled themselves in peaceable, good, and orderly sort were Ecclesiastical, or Civil, Supream Authority should assemble them; David gathered all Israel together unto Ierusalem; when the Ark was to be removed, he assembled the Sons of Aaron and the Levites. Solomon did the like at such time as the Temple was to be dedicated; when the Church was to be reformed, Asa in his time did the same: The same upon like occasions was done afterwards by Ioash, Hezekiat, Iosiah, and others.
The Consuls of Rome, Polyb. l. 5. demilit. ac domis…t. Rom. Discipl.Polybius affirmeth to have had a kinde of Regal Authority, in that they might call together the Senate and People whensoever it pleased them. Seeing therefore the Affairs of the Church and Christian Religion, are Publick Affairs, for the ordering whereof more Solemn Assemblies sometimes are of as great importance and use, as they are for Secular Affairs: It seemeth no less an act of Supream Authority to call the one, then the other. Wherefore the Clergy, in such wise gathered together, is an Ecclesiastical Senate, which with us, as in former times, the chiefest Prelate at his discretion did use to assemble; so that afterwards in such considerations as have been before specified, it seemed more meet to annex the said Prerogative to the Crown. The plot of reformed Discipline not liking thereof so well, taketh order, that every former Assembly before it breaketh up, should it self appoint both the time and place of their After-meeting again. But, because I finde not any thing on that side particularly alledged against us herein, a longer disputation about so plain a cause shall not need. The antient Imperial Law forbiddeth such Assemblies as the Emperor's Authority did not cause to be made.Lib. 1. de Cul. illisid. & do conventiculis, cap de Ephe. & Presbyt. Before Emperors became Christians, the Church had never any General Synod; their greatest Meeting consisting of Bishops, and others the gravest in each Province. As for the Civil Governor's Authority, it suffered them only as things not regarded, or not accounted of at such times as it did suffer them. So that what right a Christian King hath as touching Assemblies of that kinde, we are not able to judge,Hierarch. lib. 6. cap. 1. till we come to later times,Constant. concil. à rheedasio. Sardicen. coosi… à Con. when Religion had won the hearts of the highest Powers. Constantine, (as Pighius doth grant) was not only the first that ever did call any General Councel together, but even the first that devised the calling of them for consultation about the businesses of God. After he had once given the example, his Successors a long time followed the same; in so much that St. Hierom to disprove the Authority of a Synod, which was pretended to be general,Hieron. cont. …ussinum. l. 2. useth this as a forcible Argument, Dic, quis Imperator have Synodum jusserit convocari? Their Answer hereunto, is no Answer, which say, That the Emperors did not this without conference had with the Bishops: for to our purpose it is enough, if the Clergy alone did it not otherwise than by the leave and appointment of their Soveraign Lords and Kings.Sea omen. l. 6. cap. 7. Ambros. Epist. 5…. Whereas therefore it is on the contrary side alledged, that Valentinian the elder being requested by Catholick Bishops, to grant that there might be a Synod for the ordering of matters called in question by the Arians, answered, that he being one of the Laity, might not meddle with such matters, and thereupon willed, that the Priests and Bishops, to whom the care of those things belongeth, should meet and consult together by themselves where they thought good. We must, with the Emperor's speech, weigh the occasion and drift thereof. Valentinian and Valens, the one a Catholick, the other an Arian, were Emperors together: Valens, the Governour of the East, and Valentinian of the West Empire. Valentinian therefore taking his Journey from the East, unto the West parts, and passing for that intent through Thracia, there the Bishops, which held the soundnesse of Christian Belief, because they knew that Valent was their professed Enemy, and therefore if the other was once departed out of those quarters, the Catholick Cause was like to finde very small favour, moved presently Valentinian about a Councel to be assembled under the countenance of his Authority; who by likelihood considering what inconvenience might grow thereby, inasmuch as it could not be but a means to incense Valens the more against them, refused himself to be Author of, or present at any such Assembly; and of this his denyal gave them a colourable reason, to wit, that he was, although an Emperour, yet a secular Person, and therefore not able, in matters of so great obscurity, to fit as a competent Judge. But if they which were Bishops and learned men, did think good to consule thereof together, they might; Whereupon, when they could not obtain that which they most desired, yet that which he granted unto them they took, and forthwith had a Councel. Valentinian went on towards Rome, they remaining in consultation, till Valens, which accompanied him, returned back, so that now there was no remedy, but either to incurr a manifest contempt, or else at the hands of Valens himself, to seek approbation of that they had done. To him therefore they became Suitors: his Answer was short; Either Arianism, or Exile, which they would; whereupon their Banishment ensued. Let reasonable men now therefore be Judges, how much this example of Valentinian doth make against the Authority, which we say that Soveraign Rulers may lawfully have, as concerning Synods and Meetings Ecclesiastical.