neeringly
addressed him as "apostolice" and reminded him that "ecclesia spiritus,
non ecclesia numerus episcoporum." What rights Calixtus had already
claimed as belonging to the apostolic office may be ascertained from
Hippol. Philos. IX. 11. 12. But the introduction to the Philosophoumena
proves that Hippolytus himself was at one with his opponent in supposing
that the bishops, as successors of the Apostles, had received the
attributes of the latter: [Greek: Tas haireseis heteros ouk elegxei, e
to en ekklesia paradothen hagion pneuma, ou tuchontes proteroi hoi
apostoloi metedosan tois orthos pepisteukosin hon hemeis diadochoi
tugchanontes tes te autes charitos metechontes archierateias te kai
didaskalias kai phrouroi tes ekklesias lelogismenoi ouk ophthalmo
nustazomen, oude logon orthon siopomen, k.t.l.] In these words we have
an immense advance beyond the conception of Irenaeus. This advance, of
course, was first made in practice, and the corresponding theory
followed. How greatly the prestige and power of the bishops had
increased in the first 3rd part of the 3rd century may be seen by
comparing the edict of Maximinus Thrax with the earlier ones (Euseb., H.
E. VI. 28; see also the genuine Martyr. Jacobi, Mariani, etc., in
Numidia c. 10 [Ruinart, Acta mart. p. 272 edit. Ratisb.]): "Nam ita
inter se nostrae religionis gradus artifex saevitia diviserat, ut laicos
clericis separatos tentationibus saeculi et terroribus suis putaret esse
cessuros" (that is, the heathen authorities also knew that the clergy
formed the bond of union in the Churches). But the theory that the
bishops were successors of the Apostles, that is, possessed the
apostolic office, must be considered a Western one which was very slowly
and gradually adopted in the East. Even in the original of the first six
books of the Apostolic Constitutions, composed about the end of the 3rd
century, which represents the bishop as mediator, king, and teacher of
the community, the episcopal office is not yet regarded as the apostolic
one. It is rather presbyters, as in Ignatius, who are classed with the
Apostles. It is very important to note that the whole theory of the
significance of the bishop in determining the truth of ecclesiastical
Christianity is completely unknown to Clement of Alexandria. As we have
not the slightest evidence that his conception of the Church was of a
hierarchical and anti-heretical type, so he very rarely mentions the
ecclesiastical officia