II. After the Reformation, the churches on the Con- tinent of Europe relinquished the hierarchy, although it might have been retained with ease in Germany, Swe- den, and Denmark, as numerous bishops became Prot- estants. The Church of England, however, retained it, anel, in fact, she is distinguished from all other Europe- an Protestant churches by her claim to a regidar hierar- chy, in fuU apostolical succession. The High-Church notion of the hierarchy is stated by J. H. Blimt {Dic- tionary of Historical and Doctrinal Theology, s. v.) as follows : " Oiu- Lord, the chief bishop, chose out twelve apostles and seventy disciples, corresponding to the twelve princes of tribes and the seventy elders, who, with Moses, governed God's ancient people, in order to show that his Church is the true spiritual Israel of God. St. Paul gave authority to Timothy and Titus to constitute bishops and deacons ; St. Paul exercised visitation over the priests summoned to Ephesus; with Barnabas he ordained priests (Acts xiv, 23). St. Peter gave charge to priests and deacons (1 Pet. v, 1-5), and St. John re- ceived divine commission to exercise authority over the seven angels or bishops of the churches of Asia. In or- der to presen-e the unity of the Chiuch, Christendom was divided into dioceses, each with a number of priests and deacons luider one head, the bishop, to regulate the faith and manners of the people, and to minister to them in God's name. The hierarchy embraces the power of jurisdiction and of order, considered as a ])7incip(!lify. The hierarchy of order was established to sanctify the Body of Christ, and is composed of all persons in orelers. The hierarchy oi jurisdiction was established for the government of the faithful, and to promote their eternal holiness, and is composed of prelates. The hierarchy of order by ministration of the sacraments and preach- ing the Gospel aims at elevating and hallowing the sjiir- ituallife ; the hierarchy of jurisdiction is for the promo- tion of exterior discipline. The hierarchy of order con- fers no jurisdiction, but simplj- power to perform eccle- siastical functions and administer sacraments, whereas the other hierarchy bestows jurisdiction, and cemsc- ejuently the right of making ordinances concerning the faith and ecclesiastical discipline, and to correct offend- ers. The principal duty of ministers of the Church is to lead men to the knowledge and worship of God, and the Church therefore requires laws and rules for the guid- ance of her ministers. The hierarchy of order, that of the ministration of the ^^'ord and sacraments, appertains to all clergy according to the measure of their power; the hierarchy of juriseliction, which is, in fact, the hierar- chy, being the chief power of the Church, pertains to prelates alone, but cannot exist without the other hie- rarchy, although the latter can be without jurisdiction, which it presupposes, and is its foundation. In the one the clerical character or order,\. e. the ecclesiastical of- fice, only is regareled ; in the other the degree, the rank in jurisdiction of a prelate, is alone considered. Both have one origin and one object, and both flow from the clerical character; but oreler is of divine right, juris^dic- tion an ecclesiastical necessity, with its differences of chief bisho])s, prelacies, and ranks of ministers." The Protestant K/i/sc'/Kd < 'hiirch retains the hierarchy of or- der, viz. liisli(i|is. priests, and deacons, together Mitli the claim of aiKistolicnl succession. But the power of juris- diction is divided with the laity, who are represented in the highest judicatory, the General Convention, and in
HIERAX
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this view that Church is not hierarchical. The Metho- dist Episcopal Church preserves the order of bishops, presbyters or elders, and deacons, but does not claim that her episcopacy retains the so-called apostolical suc- cession ; and she admits the laity to many of her of- fices, especially to those in which temporalities are con- cerned. The Presbyterian and Congregational church- es of America are not hierarchical in government. See Bishops; Church; Episcopacy; Laity; Okders; Papal Svsteji; Protestant Episcopal Church; KojiAN Catholic Church.
Hierax or Hieracas, an Egyptian ascetic philos- opher, native of I^ontus or Leontopolis, classed among the heretics of the 3d century. Epiijhanius, Photius, and Peter of Sicily considered him a Manicha^an. " He was, at all events, a perfectly original phenomenon, dis- tinguished for his varied learning, allegorical exegesis, poetical talent, and stiU more for his eccentric ascetism. He taught that, as the business of Christ on earth was to promulgate a new law, more perfect and strict than that of Closes, he prohibited the use of wine, flesh, mat- rimony, and whatever was pleasing to the senses. Hi- erax denied the historical reality of the fall and the res- urrection of the body; excluded children dying before years of discretion from the kingdom of heaven ; distin- guished the substance of the Son from that of the Fa- ther ; taught that Mclchizedec was the Holy Ghost ; ob- scured the sacred volume with allegorical interpreta- tions; and maintained that paradise was only the joy and satisfaction of the mind. His followers were some- times called Abstinents, because of their scrupulously ab- staining from the use of wine and certain meats. He wrote some commentaries on Scripture, and hymns, which are only known by quotations in Epiphanius. See Lardner, Worhs, iii, 285; Mosheim, Comm, ii, 404; Neauder, Church Ilistori/, i, 713 ; Schaif, Histon/ of the Christian Churcli, p. 510; Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, xxiv, 647.