and roote of this vnitie and by relation and adherence whereto all the colledge of the Apostles and all the Bodie of the Church might be manitained in vnitie For the thinges which are plurall by themselues and are not one with locall vnitie cannot without loosing their vndiuided pluralitie be reduced to a visible vnitie vnlesse by relation to some thing which by it self may be visiblie one And secondlie to maintaine this vnitie it is necessarie further beside the internall authoritie essentiall to the Apostleship there should be an other externall authoritie and accessory to the Apostleship which might haue the superintendencie ouer the care of the preseruation of vnitie to cause the Apostles to exercise their Apostleship in vnitie And as the office of the cause is to rule his effect he that should be the beginning and originall of this vnitie should likewise haue the superintendencie ouer the rest for what concernes the preseruation of vnitie and by consequence that to him should belonge the supereminent iurisdiction ouer things necessarie to the maintenance of vnitie that is to saie ouer things necessarie to preuent schisme and hinder the disorder and confusion of the exercise of the ministrie as are the distinction and distribution either mediat or immediate ofiurisdiction the suspension limitation of the exercise of the ministrie and other such like Not that the Apostles for their maintenance in vnitie had neede that the effect of this Authoritie should be practised so euidently ouer them as ouer their sucessors because of the assistance that they had euery one in particular of the Spirit of God but to the end to propound to the Church a forme and a modell of the order that she should keepe after their decease 〈◊〉 as although there were noe neede of a Councell in the time of the Apostles to decide questions of Religion whereof euerie particular Apostle might be informed with all fullnes and certaintie neuerthelesse the holie Ghost would that they should vse this forme in the matter of legall things to leaue it for a patterne to the Church of the succeeding ages in like occurrences It was then the internall authoritie and essentiall to the Apostleship which consisted in the power of reuealing matters of faith with assurance of infallibilitie to make canonicall writings to institute the first mission of pastors remitt sinns to giue the holy Ghost and other the like that saint CYPRIAN spake of when he said that all the Apostles were indued with equall authoritie and not of the externall authoritie and accidentall to the Apostleship which was instituted to cause it to bee exercised in vnitie THIS appeares first because he touches before and after the originall of vnitie The Lord saith he buildes the Church vpon him being one and commaunds him to feede his sheepe And although he conferr like power after his Resurrection vnto all his Apostles and said to them As my Father sent me so send I you c yet to manifest vnitie he constitutes the Chaire one and disposeth by his authoritie that the originall thereof shall take beginning from one That certainly that Peter was the other Apostles were also indued with a like share of authoritie and power but the originall takes his beginning from one that the Church the Chaire may appeare to be one And a little after according to the antient manuscripts and the citations of Iuon and Gratian He that abandons the Chaire of Peter vpon which the Church is built can he bee confident of being in the Church And elsewhere Peter vpon whom one God hath built the Church and from whom he hath instituted the originall of vnitie This appeares secondly because he calls the Roman Church the Chaire of Peter and the principall Church from whēce Sacerdotall vnitie proceedes This appeares thirdly because saint HIEROME after he had repeated the same sentence of S. CYPRIAN in these words Thou wilt tell me that the Church is built vpon Peter though the like be done in an other place vpon others and that the fortitude of the Church doe leane equallie vpon all Adds but amongst twelue one is chosen to the end that a head being appointed the occasion of Schisme might bee taken awaie To teach vs that in all other things the Apostles were equall to saint PETER except in those that had regard to the preuention of Schisme and the preseruation of vnitie for the consideration whereof he had bene constituted head of the Apostles And finallie because Optatus Mileuitanus countryman to the one to witt saint CYPRIAN and timefellowe to the other to witt saint HIEROME cries out Thou canst not denie but that at Rome the Episcopall Chaire hath bene placed by the Apostle Peter c. in which the vnitie was obserued by all to the end that all the Apostles should not attribute to themselues to each one his Chaire but that he should be a sinner and Schismaticke who against the onelie Chaire should erect an other And a little after from whence is it then that you would vsurpe to yourselues the keyes of the Kingdome you that by your presumptions and audacious sacriledges combat against the Chaire of Peter To the eleuenth obiection which is that Eusebius ill translated by Russinus reportes from Clemens Alexandrinus that Peter James and Iohn established Iames brother to our Lord Bishop of the Apostles Wee answere that it is from a faultie Grammar a faultie-diuinitie For the greeke text saith of Hierusalem and not of the Apostles Peter saith he James and John contested not for glorie or opinion for greeke word signifies either but vnanimouslie constituted Iames brother of our Lord Bishop of Hierusalem that is to saie James and John did noe more stand vpon it to dispute for honor with S. PETER as they had formely done but vnited themselues with him to consecrate Iames Bishop of Ierusalem whereto the words of CHRISOSTOME agree about the iealousie that James and John formerly had of the Primacie of S. PETER Harken said hee how this same Iohn that latelie demaunded these thinges afterward wholie yeelds the primacie to Peter TO the twelfth obiection which is that S. CHRYSOSTOME vpō the proposition made by S. PETER in the first of the Acts to substitute an other Apostle in steede of Iudas writes See the modestie of James he had bene made the greeke saith he hath bene made Bishop of Hierusalem yet he saith not a word vpon this occasion Consider also the singular modestie of the other disciples how they yeelded the Throne to him and debated not more among themselues Wee answere that this obiection is Andabates fence For this concession of a Throne hath reference not to S. IAMES but to S. PETER who whilst he spake S. JAMES was soe modest as although he were so excellent that he was after made Bishop of Hierusalem he opened not his mouth and the other Apostles as James and Iohn Sōns of Zebedeus which had formerly bene iealous of S.
no Seates annexed to the dignitie of their Seas but the ancientest primate or Metropolitan preceded the others And therefore whatsoeuer extension and communication that the lesse curious authors haue made of the name Patriark to other primates and Metropolitanes yet when there harh been question to speake of the Patriarckes properlie soe called the Church neuer acknowledged more then fiue Patriarckes three ancient and originarie Rome Alexandria and Antioch and two accessorie and supernumerarie 〈◊〉 and Constantinople as it appeares both by the testimonie of the Emperor IVSTINIAN who writes the most Blessed Archbishops and Patriarckes which are he of ancient Rome he of Constantinople he of Alexandria he of Antioch and hee of Jerusalem and by the testimonie of saint GREGORIE the great who reckons fower Patriarckes besides the Pope when he saith in his Epistle to Natalis Bishop of Salona If one of the fower Patriarkes had committed such a disobedience it could not haue passed without a greeuous scandal And by the testimonie of the sixth generall Councell of Constantinople which saith to the Emperor CONSTANTINE Pogonat We praie your imperiall wisdome that the copies of this decree may be sent to the fiue Patriarchall Thrones And by the Testimonie of Balsamon who compares the Patriarckes to the Organes of the Senses and affirmes that as there are fiue Senses in the human Bodie so there are fiue Patriarckes in the Church The Patriarckes saith Salsamon are as the fiue senses in one onely and selfe-same head And againe Wee acknowledge the fiue most sacred Patriarckes for the onely head of the Bodie of all the Churches of God And indeede the seauenth Canon of the Councell of Nicea in saying Because the ancient Custome and tradition beares that the Bishop of Ierusalem be honored the Councell or daineth that he haue the next place of honor sauing the dignitie of his owne Metropolitan Doth it not euidently shew two things the one that the Sea whereof the Councell spake before this Canon had a preeminent ranke of honor both before the Bishop of Ierusalem and before all the other Seas of the Church And the other that the Bishop of Jerusalem had the next place of honor after them that is to saie followed them in order of ranke and precedencie and had place of all the metropolitans euen his owne to witt the Arbishop of Cesarea who was Metropolitan of Palestina but without anie Patriarchall Iurisdiction but contrariwise with an obligation to remaine subiect in the first instance to the Iurisdiction of the metropolitan of Palestina and by appeale to that of the Patriarke of Antioch Now there were but three Seas which preceded that of Ierusalem and after that of Ierusalem there were noe more Seas which had fixed places but all the other Primates and metropolitans changed their Seates according to the anterioritie or posterioritie of their promotion And consequentlie the intention of the Councell of Nicea was not to place in the rankes of Seas trulie Patriarchall that is to saie which had Patriarchall place and iurisdiction but onely the three Seas before named there and in the same ranke as they are there named to wit Rome Alexandria and Antioch as saint LEO the first protests to Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople in these wordes I am sorrie that thy charitie is fallen into this faulte to assaie to infring the most sacred constitutions of the canons of Nicea as if thou hadst wacht a time on purpose to make the Sea of Alexandria loose the priuiledge of the second honor and the Church of Antioch the proprietie of the third Dignitie And to this it contradicts not that the same Councell of Nicea saith speaking of the Sea of Antioch Likewise both in Antioch and in other prouinces the priuiledges to be preserued to the Churches For hee meanes by the other prouinces the Easterne prouinces which he would should be subiect to the Bishop of Antioch sauing the right of those who by reason of the too great distance or incommoditie of the waies had accustomed to take the ordination of their Metropolitans from their Synods which hath giuen subiect to Pope Innocent the first to write that by the Councell of Nicea the Bishop of Antioch was established not ouer a Prouince but ouer a Diocesse that is to saie according to the Stile of the ancient lawiers ouer a Bodie and a great number of Prouinces and to saint IEROM to saie that the Councell of Nicea had decreed that Antioch should be the Metropolitan of all the East And to Alexander Patriarke of Antioch to complaine that the Cyprians against the Canons of the Councell of Nicea ordained their Bishop without his permission And to the Cyprians contrariwise to protest that by the Canons of the Councell of Nicea the right of the ordination of their Bishops had bene preserued to them The true Patriarkes then ancient and originarie in regard of Iurisdiction were the onely three Seas of saint PETER Rome Alexandria and Antioch which were all three in some sorte one Sea as saint GREGORIE the great witnesseth to Eulogius Patriarke of Alexandria in these wordes Although said hee there be manie Apostles yet for principalitie the onely Sea of the prince of the Apostles hath obtained the authoritie which is in three places from one onelie for hee exalted the Sea wherein he vouchsafed to set vp his rect and end his present life he hath adorned the Sea to which he ordained the Euangelist his disciple and he hath established the Sea wherein he was resident seauen yeares although he were to depart from it which our Hincmarus long after repeated in these termes the Seas of the Roman Alexandrian and Antiochian Churches are one same Sea of the great Prince of the Apostles Peter And of this ternary number the reason was that saint PETER of whose authoritie and superintendencie wee will treate els where willing in his life time to cast the first foundations of the Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction which ought to be obserued after him and the other Apostles iudged that the easiest meanes to establish it was to settle the principall Seates in those places where the principall Tribunalls of the temporall Iurisdiction were constituted because of the correspondencie which the inferior Citties alreadie had to those Seates Now there were then three principall Citties Metropolitan and Capitall in the Empire bredd from the vnion of the Easterne Empire that is to saie the Monarchie of Alexāder of his Successors with the Empire of the west That of Alexandria which Dion Chrisostome calleth the second Cittie beneath the Sunne which was the Seate of the Empire of Egipt and of the other neighbour-Regions after conuerted into the prefecture of Egipt That of Antioch which Iosephus calls the third Cittie of the Roman world and which is intitled by saint Chrisostome the head and mother-Cittie of the East which was the head of the particular Empire of
more then the twenty ninth and thirtith and that it is manifest to haue bene transferred from the history of the acts into the rolle of the Canons which possible is the subiect that hath giuen saint GREGORIE occasion to complaine that the Councell of Chalcedon had bene altered by the Greekes Afterward when Rome was fallen into the seruitude of the northerne nations a people barbarous and hereticall the Patriarkes of Constantinople makeing vse of the oportunitie or rather importunitie of the tyme againe sett forward the instance of this Canon and obtained from the Emperor Zeno who raigned in the East a lawe whereby he confirmed the precedency to the Bishop of Constantinople before the other Patriarkes that is to saie before the other Patriarkes of the East And one from the Emperor Justinian after the recouery of Rome by which he ordained that the Bishop of Constantinople should hold the second place in the Church Wee ordaine said the Emperor Iustinian that the blessed Archbishop of Constantinople new Rome shall haue the second place after the holie Sea Apostolicke of the ancient Rome and shall be preferred before all other Seas From whence it is that Liberatus time-fellowe with Iustinian speaking of the Councell of Chalcedon adds And although the Sea Apostolicke to this daie contradicts this decree neuerthelesse the decree of the Synod doth in some sort remaine by the Emperors protection Now Anatolius had procured that the Clerkes of the Councell of Chalcedon in renewing the Canon of the Councell of Constantinople should insert a word therein For whereas the Councell of Constantinople had simplie ordained that the Bishop of Constantinople should haue the prerogatiues of honor after the Pope those that renewed is added thereto Equall and couched the reuocation of the Canon in these words that the Chaire of Constantinople should haue the prerogatiues equall to that of the ancient Rome and shall haue the same aduantages in Ecclesiasticall causes as she hath being the second after her that is to saie ordained that the same prerogatiues as the Pope had absolutely ouer all Patriarkes the Bishop of Constantinople should haue them after the Pope ouer the other Patriarkes The Bishops of Constantinople then seeing that this Canon not onely granted them to hold the second place after the Bishop of Rome but also to enioy the same priuiledges with him as Constantinople being a diuision of Rome and a second Rome went so farr as to desire to participate in the same titles of honor which had bene yeilded to the Bishop of Rome to possesse them in a second place and in forme of adiunctes and colleagues with him and finding that in the Councell of Chalcedon the title 〈◊〉 or vniuersall had bene offerd to the Bishop of Rome they insisted as second Popes and Bishops of the second Rome to participate therein not in intention to exercise it in regard of the Pope but vnder the Pope and in regard of the other Patriarkes and were openly fauor'd therein by the Emperors For not onely the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder the Emperor Justin predecessor to Iustinian yeilded the title of vniuersall Patriarke to Iohn the third Patriarke of Constantinople but also the Emperor Justinian in the lawe to Epiphanius Patriarke of Constantinople exhibited to him the title of vniuersall Patriarke and after vnder the same Justinian the Councell of Constantinople holden against 〈◊〉 attributed the name of vniuerfall to Menas still after vnder Mauritius Iohn Bishop of Constantinople surnamed the Faster held a kinde of Councell at Constantinople where he began to intitle and inscribe himself Vniuersall Bishop and then the Popes displaied their censures against this title for although the Synods of the East had before this time yeilded the title of vniuersall Bishop to the Bishop of Constantinople neuerthelesse the Bishop of Constantinople had neuer yet presumed to inscribe and subscribe himself Vniuersall Patriarke vntill the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Mauricius the Emperor And therefore the Pope Pelagius the second predecesson to saint GREGORIE abrogated and annulled all the decrees of that Councell except what had bene decided concerning the cause of Gregorie 〈◊〉 of Antioch It hath bene reported to the holy Sea Apostolicke faith Pope Pelagius the second that John Bishop of Constantinople intitles himself Vniuersall and that vpon this presumption of his he hath called you to a generall Councell notwithstanding that the authoritie of calling generall Synods hath bene consigned by a singular priuiledge to the Sea Apostolicke of the blessed Peter And a little after And therefore all that you haue decreed in that noe Synod of yours for Synod so attempted it could not be but a conuenticle I ordaine by the authoritie of the blessed PETER that it be annulled and abrogated And saint GREGORIE successor of the same Pelagius Our predecessor Pelagius of blessed memorie hath disannulled by a sentence intirely valid all the acts of that Synod except what concerned the cause of Gregorie Bishop of Antioch of reuerend memorie When Pope Pelagius was dead and saint GREGORIE his successor establisht in the Popedome the same John Bishop of Constantinople assisted by the fauour of the Emperor Mauricius still continued his challenge and perseuered to attribute to himselfe the qualitie of vniuersall Bishop not to exercise it in the Popes behalfe but to exercise it in the Popes absence and as colleague and adiunct to the Pope in the vniuersalitie ouer the Empire of the East and toward the other Patriarkes For it shall be shewed heereafter that he alwaies acknowledged the Pope for head and stock of the vniuersalitie and for absolutely vniuersall ouer all the Church and did protest himself to be his subiect and inferior and did not pretend to enioy the title of vniuersall but vnder the Pope and by association subalterne and subordinate to the Popes authoritie which was soone after interdicted him by the Emperor Phocas immediate Successor to Mauricius who declared that the title of vniuersall Bishop appertained but to the Bishop of Rome onely and could not be communicated to him of Constantinople And so much of the truth of the history Now let vs come to the obiections which are drawne from it To the first then of these obiections which is that in the Councell of Chalcedon Anatolius packed to be declared equall to the Pope after the Pope wee bring three Answeres The first answere is that he pretended not to be declared equall to the Pope in regard of the Pope but vnder the Pope and in regard of the other Patriarkes that is to saie that he did not pretend to haue like aduantage ouer the Pope as the Pope had ouer him but to haue the same priuiledges ouer the other patriarkes as the Pope had ouer him and them and by this meanes to be equall to the Pope not in regard of the Pope but in regard of the other patriarks And this is testified by the vniuersall historie of
cittie of Constantinople that the Emperor had deputed to maintaine order in the Councell considered so much their owne interest in the challenge of Anatolius esteemeing they might by this meanes still augment the dignitie of their cittie and in such sort imprinted into the spirits of the assistants that it was the desire and passion of the Emperor that the Bishops of the Councell belieued they could not resiste this decree without offending the Emperor and the Senat of Constantinople and all the Imperiall Court of the East as it appeares by the relation of the Bishops of the Councell to the Pope in these words Wee gratifieing the most religious and Christian Emperors who take pleasure in this decree and all the illustrious Senat and in a word all the royall citty haue esteemed it to purpose that this honor should be confirmed by the generall Councell And a little after Wee pray you then to honor our iudgement with your decrees and that as in what concerned the weale we haue brought 〈◊〉 to our head so your soueraigntie may accomplish toward your children what concernes decency for in so doeing the religious Emperors shall be gratified The seauenth nullitie is that Eusebius Bishop of Dorylaus and abettor to Anatolius his Claime vsed a manifest surprise to cause this decree to be approued by the Councell which was to testifie to the Councell that it was agreable to the Pope I haue said Eusebius of Dorylaus voluntarily signed this canon because I haue read it at Rome to the most holie Pope in the presence of the clerkes of Constantinople and he approued it From whence it is that the Bishops of the Councell writt to the Pope in the relation that they addressed to him that it was vpon this foundation that they had proceeded to the confirmation of the decree Wee haue said they taken the 〈◊〉 to confirme it as a thing begun by your Holynesse in fauour of those that you 〈◊〉 alwaies desired to cherish knowing that in whasoeuer children doe well it is referred to their Fathers And neuerthelesse this testimony was a testimonie sull of falsehood and imposture as it appeares both by the instruction that the Pope had consigned to the Legates which bare Suffer not the canon of the holie Fathers to be violated by anie rashnes And a little after And if anie perchance trusting in the power of their owne citties shall attempt to vsurpe anie thinge represse them as agreeth with 〈◊〉 And by the words of the same Leo who writt in the epistle to Maximus If they saie that the bretheren which I haue sent in my steede to the Synod haue done anie thing 〈◊〉 what concernes Faith it shall be no force for as much as they haue bene sent by the Sea Apostolicke to this end onely to roote out heresies and to defend 〈◊〉 And in his epistle to Anatolius Neuer maie my conscience consent that so 〈◊〉 a couetousnesse shall be helped by my fauor but rather that it be suppressed by me and by those that allow not the prowde but consent with the humble The eight nullitie is that when they would proceede to the approbation of the canon the Popes Legates protested a nullitie against it and made their protestation to be registred within the acts of the Councell This appeares first by the verball processe of the Councell where their opposition is couched in these words Wee require your excellence to commaund that the things which were yesterdaie done against the canons in our absence may be cutt of or if not that our contradiction may be inserted into the acts that we may know what wee haue to reporte to the Apostolicke Bishop and to the President of the whole Churches that hee may pronounce the iniurie done to his Sea and to the subuersion of the canons This they added not that this decree gaue anie authority to the Patriarke of Constantinople but after the Pope and in regard of the other Patriarkes but forasmuch as to propound it without the Popes consente who was the protector of the rightes of the other Patriarkes and preseruer of the canons and to make it passe against the opposition of his Legates it was to wound the dignitie of the Sea Apostolicke and to infringe the ancient discipline which annulled the rules of the Church made without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And secondly it appeares by these words of the Pope to Anatolius Our bretheren sent in behalfe of the Sea Apostolicke which presided in my steede at the Councell resisted pertinently and constantlie to those vnlawfull attempts crying out with a lowd voice that the presumption of a pernicious noueltie might not be exalted against the canons of the Councell of Nicea And their contradiction cannot be doubted since thou thy-self complainest in thy letters that they haue desired to crosse thy enterprise wherein thou dost greatelie recommend them to me but thou accusest thy-selfe for not obeying them And thirdly it appeares by the relation of the Councell itselfe to the Pope which containes these words Daigne most holy and blessed Father to embrace these things for the most holy Bishops Paschasinus and 〈◊〉 and the most religious Priest Boniface holding the place of your Holynesse haue greatlie striued to contradict this rule desiring that such a good might take the intire originall from your prouidence to the end that as the rule of Faith so that of good order might be attributed to you The ninth nullitie is that the Pope insteede of consenting to the request that the Councell solicited by Anatolius and by the Emperor and the Senate had made to him to confirme this canon disannulled abolished it Ioyninge with vs said the Pope in his epistle to the Empresse 〈◊〉 the pietie of your faith wee annull the plotts of the Bishops repugnant to the rules of the holy canons establisht at Nicea and by vertue of the authoritie of the blessed Apostle Peter doe wholie abrogate them by a generall sentence And Pope Gelasius fortie yeares after repeating the same historie That which the authoritie of the Sea Apostolicke hath confirmed in the Councell of Chalcedon hath remained in force and what she hath refused could obtaine noe stedfastnesse And onely she hath disannulled that which the Synodicall congregation had adiudged against order should be vsurped And it is not to be said that the Pope abrogated this canon for passion or out of desire to contradict and not in zeale to preserue the right of the other Seas and to maintaine the canons of the Councell of Nicea for the Pope did not abrogate it of his owne motion but hauing bene already prayed before by saint CYRILL Patriarke of Alexandria and since by Maximus Patriarke of Antioch not to permitt that such attempts should take place and that the rights of the Churches setled by the Councell of Nicea should be violated Thy charitie saith Pope Leo in his epistle to Maximus Patriarke
to call generall Councells without being moued thereto or seconded by the iust ecclesiasticall authoritie those Councells haue bene declared illegitimate not onely by the finall issue of their iudgements but by the originall vice of their forme if the Popes confirmation did not come in to correct the defect For the Councell of Arimini which was compounded of fower hundred Bishops and which had bene called by the Emperor Constantius was declared inualid not onely for the issue of the iudgement but for this cause amongst others saith the Councell of those of the West reported by Theodoret That it had bene holden without the consent of the Bishop of Rome whose sentence should first of all haue bene attended And in the Councell of Chalcedon the first complaint that was made against the false Councell of Ephesus that the Emperor Theodosius the second surprized by the fraude of the Eutychians had called without the Popes authoritie although with a request to the Pope to assist at it or to send to it was That Dioscorus presumed to hold a Councell without the Bishop of Romes permission which had neuer bene lawfull or before done By meanes whereof all the question of the spirituall and ecclesiasticall authoritie necessary from the part of the conuocation to make Councells lawfull in conscience and obligatory to the internall Tribunall of the Church is betweene the Pope and the other Patriarkes and consistes in this to witt to whom either to the Pope or to the other Patriarkes it belonged to call Councells spiritually Now who doubtes but it must be to him of the Patriarkes that ought to preside there and the defect of whose presence either mediare or immediate rendred the Councells inualid And who sees not that euen if the Pope had not bene the direct Successor of saint PETER if he had not bene his Vicar in whose name all Councells ought to be called if he had not bene the center of the ecclesiasticall vnity and Communion if he had not bene the Bishop as saint CYPRIAN saith of the chaire of Peter and of the principall Church from whence the Sacerdotall vnitie proceeded and in breefe had he not bene superior in authoritie to the other Patriarkes but onely the first of them in order it belonged to him to call them as it did anciently to the Presidēt of the senate to call the Senate And therefore whē Pope Gelasius saith The Sea Apostolicke onely decreed that the Councell of Chalcedon should be holden It is not to the exclusion of the Emperor that he makes this restriction but to the exclusion of the other Patriarkes And when Pope Pelagius S. GREGORIES predecessor writes The authority to call generall Councells hath bene attributed by a singular priuiledge to the Sea Apostolicke of holie Peter It is not to the exclusion of the Emperors that he makes this limitation but to the exclusion of the other Patriarkes and particularly of the Bishop of Constantinople for the Bishop of Constantinople pretending by the creation of his cittie into the title of the second Rome to haue bene made equall to the Pope not in regard of the Pope as hath bene aboue said but in regard of the other Patriarkes had dared to presume to participate in the East in the title of vniuersall Patriark which title the Pope had receiued at the Councell of Chalcedon and in continuance of this presumption had endeuored to call a generall Councell that is to saie a generall Councell of the Empire of the East in the East To the end then to represse his arrogance the Pope put him in mynde that the power to call generall councells that is to saie the generall councells aswell of all the Empire as of the particular Empire of Constantinople as a ease exceeding the simple patriarchall authoritie belonged to the onely direct and absolute successor of S. PETER It hath bene reported to the Sea Apostolicke saith the same Pelagius writing to the Bishops of the East that Iohn Bishop of Constantinople hath intituled himselfe vniuersall and by vertue of this his presumption hath called you to a generall Councell he meanes the generall Councell of the East whereof Euagrius speakes called for the cause of Gregorie Patriarke of Antioch notwithstanding that the authoritie of calling generall Councells hath bene attributed by a singular priuiledge to the Sea Apostolicke of the holy Peter And a little after And therefore all that you haue decreed in this your not Councell but conuenticle I ordaine by the authoritie of holy PETER Prince of the Apostles c. that it be disanulled abrogated Which S. GREGORIE the great also reportes in these words Our predecessor Pelagius of happie memorie hath abrogated by a sentence intirely valid all the actes of this Synod except what concerned the affaire of Gregorie Bishop of Antioch of happie memorie Now doth not this alone suffice to decide the whole question For if the Bishop of Constantinople vnder pretence of the equalitie that he challenged to haue obtained with the Pope in superioritie ouer the other Patriarkes presumed to call the generall Councells of the East why is it not manifest that the authoritie to call generall Councells forasmuch as concernes spirituall and Ecclesiasticall power belonged to the Pope And if it were soe when the Emperors possest almost all the Regions of the Empire and when the Catholicke Church was spread almost ouer all the other patriarkships how much more nowe when that the Emperors hold but the least part of the Estates of the ancient Empire and that the Catholicke Church is almost reduced into the prouinces of the patriarkship of the Pope or to those that by the conuersion of countries newlie discouered haue drawne their mission and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction from them But heere is enough of the calling of Councells lett vs goe forward to the other Articles CARD PERRONS REPLIE TO THE KING OF GREAT BRITAINE THE THIRD BOOKE Of Appeales CHAPT I. The continuance of the Kings Answere FOr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obseruation that is to saie of a contrary obseruation to 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 had said that those which vvere excommunicate by anie of the Churches vvere presently acknovvledged to be 〈◊〉 of through all the Catholicke Church it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE REPLIE AND what doth this then signifie that Theodoret speaking of the 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 made of saint ATHANASIVS Patriarke of Alexandria at the tribunall of Pope Julius writeth Julius following the lawe of the Church commaunded them to come to Rome and cited the deuine 〈◊〉 in iudgement And what doth this then signifie that 〈◊〉 faith that after the same ATHANASIVS 〈◊〉 of Alexandria Paul Bishop of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marcellus Primat of 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in 〈◊〉 And Lucius Bishop of Andrinopolis in Thrace had bene deposed by diuers Councells of the 〈◊〉 of the East The Pope restored them euerie one to his Church because to him for the dignitie
carnally that Peter that should tell them knew them 〈◊〉 FOR that in the sixth of S. IOHN S. PETER answeres in common for all the Apostles Wee beleeue and knowe thou art Christ the Sonn of the liuing God besides that the Latine editions haue not the word liuing Wee saie it was a later thing for as much as when sainct PETER answered Wee beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God hee had bene alreadie constituted head and Prince of the other Apostles and in this qualitie he answered alone for all the rest as sainct CYRILL testifies in these wordes By one that presided or that was preeminent all answered and had alreadie receiued the promisses of our Lord that vpon him he would build his Church As S. CYPRIAN declares in these wordes Peter speakes heere vpon whom the Church had bene built And therefore as the Apostles had part in the primacie of this confession only by adherence and non-repugnancie so our Lord gaue them part in the authotitie he had giuen to S Peter by adherence and communication with S. PETER that is to saie vnder condition of cōmunicating and adhearing and remayning in vnitie with saint PETER And yet this part that he promised and gaue them in the rule and ministrie of the Church was afterward to witt as in right in the eighteenth of saint MATHEW What yee bind on earth shall be bound in heauen And as the installment into the possession in the twentith of saint IOHN Receiue the holie Ghost whose sinns yee forgiue shall be forgiuen to the end to shewthat to sainct PETER ōly the cōditiō of being a Rock that is to sa rule and foundation of the building of the Church had bene principallie and originally giuen and that afterwards it was extended to the other Apostles it was by aggregation and association and by communicating and adhering with him and as hauing relation and correspondence to him as to the Center and middle forme of the veritie of the Church For as God gaue first his spiritt to Moyses and after tooke of the Spiritt that he had giuen to Moyses and gaue thereof to the seauen tie two Elders not that God tooke awaie from Moyses anie portion of the spiritt that he had giuen him not that the spirit of God was diuisible but to the end to establish and shew a relation of vnitie dependencie and adherencie of the seauentie two Elders to Moyses Soe in some sort for I compare not the two histories wholie our Lord gaue first the whole authoritie of the ministrie and the Chaire Apostolicke to saint PETER alone I intend as in right and not in actuall possession which he receaued not till after the Resurrection and after 〈◊〉 it to all the twelue Apostles in common to the end to shew the relation of dependencie vnitié and adherence that they ought to haue with saint PETER whom vpon this occasion Macharius an antient Egiptian diuine calls the successor of Moyses Afterward said hee to Moyses succeeded Peter to whom the new Church of Christ and the true priesthood hath bene committed Which hath caused the Fathers to saie that there was but one Chaire which was the Chaire of PETER but that in this Chaire all the Apostles were placed to witt by the adherence communion and vnitie that they had with S. PETER In the Episcopall Chaire saith saint OPTATVS Mileuitanus there is sett the head of all the Apostles Peter from whence he also hath bene called Cephas to the end that in this only Chaire vnitie might be preserued in all least the other Apostles should attribute to themselues euery one his Chaire a parte but that he might be a Schismaticke 〈◊〉 that against this onelie Chaire should erect an other And therefore also the surname of PETER by which this Condition of being the foundation of the rule of the Church is designed hath bene giuen to him only to beare it in the title of a proper name and not to anie other Apostle to show that to him by excellencie and eminencie ouer all the rest appertained the thing whereof he alone bore the name For since our Lord should by the word PETER designe the condition of being the ministeriall foūdation of the Church for what cause should he affect it to Peter alone to beare it in the title of a proper and ordinarie name and not giue it to anie other if he were not to bea foundation of the Church in an other manner then the rest Which S. BASILL hath in such sort acknowledged as desiring to shew the difference which is betweene the substance and the hipostaticall proprieties of anie subiect he alleadgeth for example of the substance the substāce of humanitie which is commō to PETER PAVL although said he the appellations be different yet the substance of Peter and Paule and of all men is one and alleadgeth amongst the examples of the hypostaticall indiuiduall and incommunicable conditions of PETER that is to saie which are particular to him onely and are not common to him with saint PAVL nor with anie other the condition of being the foundation of the Church Because said he the names of men signifie not their substances but the proprieties whereby each of them is designed in particular From thence it is that when wee heare the name of Peter we vnderstand not his substance c. but conceiue the sence of the proprieties which are perticular to him For as soone as wee heare this word wee vnderstand Peter the Sonne of Ionas he that was of Bethsaida he that was Brother to Andrew he that of a Fisherman was made an Apostle he that 〈◊〉 reason of the supereminencie of his Faith receiued vpon him the edification of the Church AND for this same cause to saint PETER onely there hath bene conferred singularlie separately and apart the authoritie of the rule of the Church and to all the rest onely in common and ioyntlie with him to the end to shew that he was the originall the source the center and the beginning of the vnitie of the Church and that no other out of his Communion could exercise the rule and ministrie thereof but that the rest had right to exercise it it is onely as associated and aggregated with him and as grafted and inserted vpon him For our Lord neuer said singularly to anie of the Eleuen Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church and I will giue thee the keies of the Kingdome of heauen nor I haue praied for thee that thy faith shall not faile And finallie Thou being conuerted confirme thy Bretheren nor louest thou me more then these feede my sheepe But only hath said in generall to all the Bodie of the Apostles sainct PETER being Colleague present and comprehended therein that which he had said before to saint PETER alone as to the head That which yee shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and they
whose sinns yee forgiue shall be forgiuen Which hath moued saint CYPRIAN to saie that Christ hath instituted saint PETER the originall of vnitie PETER saith he vpon whom Christ hath built his Church and instituted him the originall of vnitie And againe One chaire built vpon Peter by the voyce of our Lord. And for this occasion as although in a tree there be but the stocke and the bodie of the tree only that succeedes and is tied by direct continuance with the roote neuerthelesse the other branches are tied to it by oblique and collaterall succession and continuance Soe though there bee but only the Bishop of Rome that is saint PETERS successor in direct succession neuerthelesse all the Bishops are esteemed in some sort to be sett in saint PETERS Chaire and to be in a manner saint PETERS successors to witt by oblique and indirect succession because of the communication that they haue with the Chaire of S PETER But the Bishops are neuer said neither in their whole bodie nor separately to be successor to anie other particular Apostle but are said either in generall to bee the Apostles successors or in particular successors to S. PETER as to him that for being the head of the Apostleship containes in vertue all the Apostolicke Bodie so as neuer anie one Bishop hath called himself successor to anie other Apostle except those that haue succeded locallie to anie one of the other Apostles as the Bishops of Hierusalem are in title successors to saint IAMES BVT against this exposition the aduersaries to the Primacie forme thriteen oppositions the first that our Lord adds presently after speaking to Peter Got behind me Sathan The seconde that he cries out If anie one amongst you desire to bee greatest he shall be the least The third that S. PETER forbids from domineering ouer the flockes The fourth that the Apostles sent PETER and IOHN into Samaria The fifth that S. IAMES voted last in the Councell of Hierusalem The sixth that S. PAVLE names S. IAMES before S. PETER The seauenth that the same S. PAVL saith that the Ghospell of the Gentiles was committed to him as that of the circumcision to PETER The eighth that he saith S PETER walked not right in the Ghospell The ninth that he saith he resisted him to his face because he was reproueable The tenth that S. CYPRIAN writes that the other Apostles were the same that Peter was The eleauenth that EVSEBIVS reportes out of S. CLEMENT Alexandrinus that PETER IAMES and IOHN contested not amongst themselues for the honor but made IAMES Bishop of the Apostles The twelfth that Sainct CHRISOSTOME writeth that the other Apostles yeelded the Throne to IAMES And the thirteenth That the same S. CHRISOSTOME writes that the Principalitie was committed to IAMES To the first then of these obiections which is that our Lord said a while after to S. PETER Goe behind me Satan Wee answere S. HIEROME hath solued it in these words This blessing beatitude and edification of the Church vpon Peter is promised to Peter in future times and not giuen to him in time present I will build said he my Church vpon thee To the seconde which is that our Lord cryes elsewhere If anie one amongst you desire to be greatest let him be the least Wee answere he doth there forbidd the desire and not the effect of the Primacie the Ambition and not the thing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witnes this traine that followes as the Sonn of man is come into the world not to be serued but to serue By which he pro pounds himself to his disciples for an example not of an Anarchy but of Superioritie accompanied with humilitie To the third Which is that S. PETER writes not domineering ouer the flocks Wee answere that the Greeke word signifieth a violent Dominion such as that whereof our Lord said The kings of the nations domineere ouer them And such as S. HIEROME representeth it in these words The Princes of the Churches are wont to oppresse the People with arrogance of whom it is written they haue constituted thee Prince be not puft vp but be amongst them as one of them And not a presidencie and fatherlie direction such as was that of Samuell ouer the people of Israell who after he had exercised the Gouernment of Israell and iudged the people many yeares iustified himself in the end saying I haue conuersed with you from my youth to this 〈◊〉 answere me in the presence of God and of his annoynted if I haue taken anie mans bullock or his Asse or if I haue commaunded by force and oppressed any one of you And such as that whereof sainct PAVL said Obey your prelats and be subiect to them And elsewhere Let him that presides preside in all diligence And our Lord himself which is the wise and faithfull seruant that our Lord hath constituted ouer his familie It is Peter saith sainct AMBROSE chosen by the iudgement of our Lord to feede his flocke who hath merited to heare feede my lambes feede my sheepe To the fourth which is that the historie of the Actes testifies that the Apostles when it was in agitation to forme the Church of Samaria sent thither PETER and IOHN wee answere it was a mission of request as that when the Israelites sent Phinees their high priest and the princes of the tribes and not a mission of authority To the fifth which is that S. IAMES voted last in the Councell of 〈◊〉 Wee answere that in Councells contrary to the order of secular companies those that preside vote first And namely saint HIEROME saith that saint PETER from whose words S. IAMES tooke his Rule was the Prince of this decree To the sixth which is that S. Paule writes that Iames Cephas and Iohn seeing the grace that God had conferred vpon him gaue to him and to Barnabas the right hands of fellowshipp Wee answere that the greeke edition of Complutum and manie seuerall Readings Greeke and Latine haue it Cephas Iames and Iohn Witnesse S. CHRISOSTOME who in his comentarie vpon the Epistle to the Galatians reades Cephas Iames and Iohn and Theodoret who in his comentarie vpon the fifteenth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans alleadging this passage reports it in these words The Apostle teacheth this manifestly in the Epistle to the Galatians for he saith Peter Iames and Iohn who seeme to be the pillars gaue the right hands of fellowship to me and to Barnabas And saint AVGVSTINE who as well in the text as in the comentarie reades Cephas Iames and Iohn And saint HIEROME who not only both in the text and the comentarie reades Cephas Iames and Iohn but euen in his writings against Heluidius citeth the text of saint PAVLE in these words Cephas Iames and Ishn. And moreouer elswhere speaking of saint PAVLS Ordination to the Apostleship saith Paule was ordained Apostle of
the Gentils by Peter and Iames and Iohn And therefore when it is found written in anie place Iames Cephas and Iohn as in the poeme of Theodoret vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians and in that of the Epistle to the Hebrewes wee saie that this order is to haue reference to the prioritie of the knowledge that Iames receiued of the fruites of the grace of saint PAVLE for as much as when Paule and Barnabas came the first tyme from Antioch into Hierusalem they found but only saint IAMES because saint PETER was in prison And indeede not only throughout the scripture where saint PETER is named with the other Apostles he is first named or if he be last named it is in increasing and rising by degrees As when saint PAVLE saith The other Apostles and the bretheren of our Lord and Cephas But also when there is question of making the Generall catalogue of the Apostles saint PETER is alwaies first placed and Iudas last and all the rest without order or at least without the title of second or third to shew that there was not only handled simplie primacie of order but of dignitie and he is not only set downe first but he is sett first with the expression of the word first The first saith S. MATTHEW is Peter which Beza findes so to presse him as he chargeth falshood vpon this place of the Ghospell I suspect saith Beza that this word FIRST hath bene added by some one that would establish the primacie of Peter for that saint ANDREW was called before saint PETER because saint ANDREW as saint EPIPHANIVS saith was the eldest From whence it is that Bethsaida is called the cittie of Andrew and of Peter This was in the first vocation described by saint IOHN and before our Lord had said to saint PETER Thou shalt be called Peter in which word contained implicitly the promise to make him VICAR of the true Rock and to constitute him ministeriall head of the Church and not in the second vocation described by saint MATHEW and made after the imposition of the name of Peter in the which as S. EPIPHANIVS saith Peter preceded his brother To the seauenth which is that saint PAVL writes That the Ghospell of the circumcisiō had bene committed to PETER and the Ghospell of the vncircumcision to him Wee answere this clause is not a diuision of the authoritie of ministrie but a more especiall testimony of the blèssing of God vpon S. PETER to persuade the Iewes and vpon saint PAVLE to perswade the Gentills otherwise S. PAVLE had bene excluded from preaching the Ghospell to the Iewes and neuerthelesse wheresoeuer he came addressed himself first to the Iewes and saint PETER from declaring the Ghospell to the Gentiles yet neuerthelesse it was by his ministrie that God first opened the gate of the Church to the Gentiles as appeares both by the historie of the conuersion of Cornelius and by the protestation that he made to the Councell of Hierusalem in these wordes You know that God from the daies of old hath willed to call the Gentiles by my mouth To the eighth which is that the same S. PAVLE saith that saint PETER abstayning to eate with the Gentiles vpon the coming of the Iewes walked not with right stepps in the Ghospell Wee answere that it was as Tertullian saith a vice not of doctrine but of conuersation and which consisted more in the occasion then in the thing since saint PAVLE himself made himself after ward a Iewe to the Iewes and a Gentile to the Gentiles that hee might gaine all and circumcised Timothie and purified himself in the temple To the ninth which is that he adds that hee resisted S. PETER to his face or in his presence which is a phrase which we are accustomed to vse to expresse a resistance to anie more eminent person because he was reprouable or according to the Greeke and S. HIEROME reproued Wee answere this resistance was not a reprehension of authoritie but a reprehension of charitie as those of Iethro to Moyses or of S. BERNARD to Pope Eugenius that is to saie a reprehension that excluded not the superioritie of the reproued ouer the reprouer Witnes these wordes of saint Aug. you see what saint Cyprian saith that the holie Apostle Peter in whom there shined soe great a grace of the Primacie being reproued by saint Paule did not answere that hee had the Primacie and would not be reproued by new men later then himself And againe The Apostle PETER hath left a more rare example of humilitie to posteritie in teaching men not to disdaine reproofe from their inferiors then Paule in teaching the meaner to resist the greater sauiug charitie for the defence of the truth And these of saint CHRISOSTOME giuing the reason of the humilitie that S. PETER shewed in this action And from hence it coms saith hee that Paule reproues and Peter beares it to the end that while the Master reproued holdes his peace schollers may change their opinion TO the tenth obiection which is that S. CYPRIAN saith that the other Apostles were the same that Peter was indued with like authoritie and power It is true but saint CYPRIAN speakes there of the internall and essentiall power of the Apostleship and of the externall and accidentall power to the Apostleship that is to saie that they were equall as concerning power but not concerning the order of the exercise of the power for the vnderstanding whereof it must be knowne that there are two things requisite to exercise the Apostleship lawfullie the one to exercise it with authoritie for those that exercise it without power as the false Apostles were vsurpers and sacrilegious persons witnes this sentence of saint PAVL None attributes honor to himself but he that is called like Aaron the other to exercise it in vnitie For those that had exercised it out of vnitie had bene schismaticks although they had true commission and authoritie to exercise it At Rome saith Optatus Mileuitanus there hath bene placed a Chaire for Peter that vnitie might bee preserued by all least the other Apostles should attribut to euery one his owne And againe he repeateth the knowledge that sainct PETER had of the diuinitie of the Sonn of God the promise that hee had made him to die with him and how he had thrice denied him And adds yet neuerthelesse for the good of vnitie he had not merited to be separated from the number of the Apostles And a little after They remained all innocent and a Fisherman receiued the keyes that the negotiation of vnitie might be formed c. without which thing vnitie which is soe necessarie could not bee Now to preserue that vnitie in which the internall and essetinall authoritie of the Apostleship ought to be exercised it was necessarie first to haue a subiect which should be as the center the head
Disciples And Optatus Mileuit In the Roman Chaire there is sett Peter the head of all the Apostles And againe Against the gates of hell we reade that Peter our Prince hath receaued the wholesome keyes And S. CYRILL of Alexandria Peter as the Prince and head of the rest first cryed out thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Euen vntill then it was a thing so well knowne vnto antiquitie that sainct PETER was the visible head of the Church and of Christian religion as the verie Pagans and Porphirius amongst the rest as sainct HIEROME reportes it reproched it to Christians that S. Paul had bene so rashe as to reproue Peter the Prince of the Apostles and his master And they fained as saith sainct AVGVSTINE that the Oracles of their false Gods hauing bene inquired of concerning Christian Religion answered this blasphemie that Chrict was innocent of the imposture of the Christiās but that Peter who was a Magitian for the loue he bore to his Master had inuented Christian Religion And this may be said of the comparison betweene PETER and the other Apostles for I will not now treate of the other frequent markes of the preheminēce and authoritie of S. PETER which are in the Euangelicall and Apostolicke historie As that our Lord commaunded him to paie the tribute for himself and for him that he vndertooke the care of the replacing of an other Apostle in Iudas his steede all the Colledge of the Apostles suffring themselues to bend and to be lead by his words that he is nominated as for preheminence and ranked a part Peter and the Eleuen that they bore the sicke into the Apostles waie that Peters shadowe might passe ouer them that that he alone iudged Ananias and Saphira to death that to him alone is reuealed the introduction of the nations into the Church and other the like for as much as it is not my purpose to examine the other places of scripture but onely those that his maiestie hath alleadged and to examine those not by scripture but by the Fathers whose obiection me thinkes I haue sufficiētly satisfied And as for Origēs interpretatiō which extends this text to all Christians in generall and saith that whosoeuer confesseth that Christ is the Sonn of God is made a foundation of the Church it is an interpretation morallized from this passage to bring it into sence although strained and wrested whose fruite may be applied to all the hearers and not a serious and litterall interpretation as the same Origen that makes vse of it testifies when he expounds it expressly and literallie of the persō of Peter There remaines the third point which is that the Church is built vpon Christ now in this point we are all of accord with his Maiestie but yet wee graunt not that S. PETER leaues to be the visible and ministeriall Foundation of the Church for the Philosophers teach vs that thinges subordinate combat not one an other but imbrace presuppose one other therefore to saie that Christ is the foundation of the Church and to saie that S. PETER is the foundation of the Church are not repugnant propositions but vnanimous and compatible For wee doe not pretend that they are foundations of the Church after one and the same sort but we hold that Christ is the foundation of the Church by himself and by his owne authoritie and S. PETER only by commission no more then to saie with Moyses that God only was the guide of the people of Israell in their passage from Egipt to the land of Chanaan and to saie with S. STEVEN that Moyses guided the people in the Wildernesse This was he said he that was with the Church in the desert Are not things incompatible for god was the guide of the people of Israel by his proper vertue and Moyses by commission and lieuetenancie from God Likewise to saie that the Vice-Roy of Ireland is the foundation of the gouernment and policie of Ireland And to saie that the excellent Kinge of Great Brittaine is the foundation of the state and policie of the same Ireland are not things incompatible for the excellent King of Great Brittaine is so by his proper authoritie and the Vice-Roy is soe by commission lieuetenancie and representation Although notwithstanding that the literall intention of this passage Vpon this Rock I will build my Church is no way to designe by the word Rock the person of Christ but that only of Peter as it appeares by six euident reasons THE first that our lord hauing foretold to S. PETER that he would change his name not by the attribution of a simple Epithete as he did to the Sonns of Zebedee whom he called the Sonns of thunder but by the imposition of a name ordinarie and permanent in saying to him Thou shalt be called 〈◊〉 puts him noe where in possession of this promise nor explaines to him noe where the cause of the imposition of this name but in this passage Thou art Peter vpō this Rock I will build my Church Now this passage cānot explaine the sence of the word Peter if in the secōd part of the passage the word Rock be not taken in the same sence and for the same subiect for which it is taken in the first and by consequence this clause vpon this Rock I will build my Church cannot there be interpreted of the person of Christ but on the only person of S. PETER The second that our Lord meanes in this place to render an exchange for the words that S. PETER spake of him as may appeare by this preface And I tell thee which for this cause Beza hath translated into these words And I tell thee reciprocallie Now S. PETER in his propositiō had done two things the one to declare the appellatiue name of our Lord which is Christ the other to explaine the sence and energy of the same name of CHRIST in saying Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God And therefore the lawe of the Antithesis correspōdencie wills that not only our lord should declare the name that he had promised to giue him in saying to him Thou art Peter but also should explaine the sence energy of this name in saying to him and vpon this Rock I will build my Church Which could not be vnlesse by the word Rock in this second clause there were literally vnderstood the person of S. PETER and not that of CHRIST THE third that it had bene a thing extremely from the purpose to haue made mention of the name of Peter for the language that our Lord meant to speake to S. PETER if by this clause and vpon this Rock he had not intended to speake of the person of Peter For the word Rock hath no metaphoricall relation to the keyes but to the building The fourth that it had bene an inconstant grammaticall consequence and euil knitt to saie And I
the Catholick Church with the state of the ancient Church wee should looke to take such a time wherein not only our competitors might agree with vs that the Church of the Fathers was still the true Church the true Spouse of Christ she in whom resided the lawfull authoritie to iudge questions in Religion but also those monuments doe sufficiently remaine to vs to manifest throughly all her doctrines and all her obseruations Which can neuer be better chosen for both partes then in the time wherein the fower first Councells were holden that is to saie from the Emperour Constantine who was the first Emperour that was publicklie a Christian to the Emperour Marcian And it seemes to me that his Maiestie hath yielded to this and also more liberallie in some of his writinges hauing extended this space to the first fiue ages For besides that the deliuerie from the yoake and subiection of the Pagans then gaue the Church meanes to speake lowder and to haue more communication with all her partes situated in so manie different regions of the earth and to flourish in a greater multitude of learned and excellent writers which is the cause that there remaine to vs without comparison more monuments of those ages wherein to view the entire forme of the ancient Christian Religion then of the former ages Besides this I saie our aduersaries cannot denie but that church which nursed vp the first Christian Emperours which rooted out the Temples and seruices of the false Gods which exercised the Soue raigne Tribunall of Spirituall authoritie vpon earth by the condemnation which she denounced vpon the fowre most famous heresies in the fowre first generall Councells which were the fowre first Parliaments and Estates generall of Christs Kingdome must bee she of whom it hath bene foretold that Kinges should be her nursing Fathers that the nations should walke in her light and Kings in the brightnes of her rising that euery engine sett vp against her should be destroyed that she should iudge euery tongue that should resist her in iudgment that God had sett watchmen vpon her walles which neuer should be silent by daie or night that the gates of hell should not preuaile against her that whosoeuer should not obey her should be holden for a heathen and a publican and in breefe that she was the Pillar and foundation of truth Shall we loubt Sayth S. Augustin who liued in the betweene-times of these first fowre Councells to sett our-selnes in the lapp of that Church which by succession of Bishops from the seate of the Apostles euen to the confession of all mankinde the hereticks in vaine barking about her and being condemned partlie by the iudgment of the people themselues part lie by the grauitie of Councells and partlie by the maiestie of Miracles hath obtained full authoritie to whom not to giue the preheminence must be an act of extreame impietie or of a headie arrogancie And againe The Catholick Church fighting against all heresies may be opposed but she cannot be ouerthrowne all heresies are come forth from her as vnprofitable branches cutt From their vine but she remains in her roote in her vine in her charitie Let that then bee holden for trulie anciēt and marked with the character of the primitiue Church which shall be found to haue bene beleeued and practised vniuersallie by the Fathers which liued in the time of the first fowre Councells and principallie when it shall appeare to vs that the things testified to vs by the authors of those ages were not holden by them for doctrines or obseruations sprung vp in their time but for doctrines or obseruations which had bene perpetuallie practised in the Church from the age of the Apostles although perchance there can not be found for euerie of them in particular so expresse testimonies in the former ages as in those of the first fowre Councells because of the fewe writinges which the persecution of those times haue suffered to come to our handes For it sufficeth to assure vs of the perpetuall vse of such thinges that the Fathers of the first fower Councells who had more knowledge of the ages before them then wee can haue doe testifie to vs to haue beleeued and practised them not as thinges instituted in their age but as thinges that haue alwaies had place in the Church and had come to them by a succession of obseruation from the Apostles downe to their time and that there is not to be found in former authors anie testimony against them but contrariwise in all places where there is occasion to mention them agreable and fauorable testimonies that is to saie in breefe that is to be holden ancient by vs which those whom we account ancient haue themselues holden to be ancient The fifth obseruation is vpon the consent of the beleefe of the Fathers which some contentious spirits would haue to be when one selfesame thing is actuallie found in the writings of all the Fathers which is an vniust and impertinent pretence For to haue a doctrine or obseruation to bee trulie holden by the Fathers for vniuersall and Catholicke it is not necessarie it should be in the writinges of all the Fathers who haue not all written of the same matters and of whose writinges all haue not come to our handes but there are two other lawfull waies to secure our selues of them The one is when the most eminent Fathers of euery country agree in the affirmation of the same doctrine or practise and that none of the others that haue bene without note of dissention from the Church haue opposed it As when S. Augustin hath cited against the Pelagians the testimonie of eleuen eminent Fathers all consenting in one and the same doctrine he supposeth hee hath sufficientlie produced against them the Common beleefe of the Catholicke Church and when the Councell of Ephesus had produced tenn Fathers of former ages they conceiued they had sufficiently expressed the consent of the former Church against Nestorius his doctrine Because none saith Vincentius Lerinensis doubtetb but that those tenn did trulie hold the same with al their other bretheren The other is when the Fathers speake not as Doctors but as witnesses of the Customes and practise of the Curch of their times and doe not saie I beleeue this should be soe holden or so vnderstood or so obserued but that the Church from one end of the earth to the other beleeues it so or obserues it soe For then we noe longer hold what they saie for a thing said by them but as a thing said by the whole Church and principallie when it is in pointes whereof they could not be ignorant either because of the Condition of the thinges as in matters of fact or because of the sufficiencie of the persons and in this case wee argue noe more vpon their wordes probablie as wee doe when they speake in the qualitie of particular Doctors but we argue therevpon demonstratiuelie That then
shall remaine trulie vniuersall and Catholicke that the most eminent Fathers of the times of the fowre first Councells haue taught in seuerall regions of the earth and against which none except some persons noted for dissention from the Church hath resisted or that the Fathers of those ages doe testifie to haue bin beleeued and practised by the whole Church in their times And that shall remaine trulie antient and Apostolicke that the Fathers of those ages doe testisie to haue bin obserued by the whole Church not as a thing sprung vp in their time but as a thing deriued downe to them either from the immemorial succession of former ages or from the expresse tradition of the Apostles For these thinges hauing bin holden vniuersallie by the Catholicke Church in the time of the first fowre Councells they could haue noe other originall but from an vniuersall authoritie for as much as in the Catholicke Church which did then so strictlie obserue the rule mentioned by Saint Vincentius Lirinensis of opposing vniuersalitie to particularitie a doctrine or obseruation from a particular beginning could not be slipt in ād spread into an vniforme and vniuersall beleefe ād Custome through all partes of the Earth and principallie soe as the Fathers that were next after these vniuersall innouations could not perceiue it but it must needes be that all that was then vniuersallie obserued in the Church must haue come from an vniuersall beginning Now there were in those ages according to the beleefe of your ministers but two beginnings of vniuersall authoritie in the Church to wit either the Apostles or the generall Councells for they Will not yeild that the Sea Apostolicke had then anie vniversall authoritie And therefore whatsoeuer was vniuersallie and vniformly obserued in the Church by all the Prouinces of the Earth in the time of the first fowre generall Councells and had not begun in that time but had bin before practised that is to saie before there had bin anie generall Councell in the Church must necessarilie haue bin from the tradition of the Apostles following these rules of S. Augustin Those thinges said hee which we obserue not by writeing but by tradition which are kept ouer all the extent of the earth must be vnderstood to haue bin retained from the appointemēt and institution either of the Apostles themselues or from the generall Councells whose authoritie is most wholsome in the Church And elsewhere what custome soeuer men looking vpward can not discerne to haue bene instituted by those of later times is rightlie beleeued to haue bin instituted by the Apostles and there are manie such which would bee too longe to repeate And againe If anie one herein seeke for diuine authoritie that which the vniuersall Church obserues and which hath not bin instituted by the Councells but hath alwaies bin held is iustly beleeued not to haue bin giuen by tradition but by Apostolicall authoritie c. Which Rules of S. Augustin if they haue place in those things which the Fathers of the time of the first fowre Councells testifie to haue bin obserued iu the Church before the fowre first Councells how much more ought they to haue it in those things that the same Fathers affirme not in termes equiualent but expresslie to haue bin instituted and ordained by the Apostles These fiue obseruations then made vpon the theses I will saie to passe vnto the hypothesis that your ministers to whose societie his Maiestie outwardlie adheres are so farr from holding all the same thinges that the Fathers haue beleeued and practised as necessarie to Saluation that in the only Synaxis or Church Lirurgie which is the Seale of Ecclesiasticall Communion the fowre principall thinges for which they haue seperated themselues from vs which are the reall presence of the Bodie of Christ in the Sacrament the Oblation of the Sacrifice of the Eucharist prayer and oblation for the dead and the prayers of the Saints the Fathers haue all vniuersallie and vniformely beleeued holden and practised as things necessarie but in different kindes of necessitie vnto saluation By which meanes if your ministers had bene in the time of the Fathers as 〈◊〉 haue for these thinges renounced our Seruice and our Communion so must they for the same causes haue renounced the Seruice and Communion of the Fathers and Consequently the title and Societie of the Catholicke Church I haue said the reall presence of the Bodie of Christ in the Sacrament not but that I could haue gone farther and said the Substantiall transition of the Sacrament into the Bodie of Christ which wee call transubstantiation but I haue been content to saie the reall presence because it is not precisely and particularlie vpon the transubstantiation but vpon the reall presence of the Bodie of Christ in the Sacrament that we ground the importance and necessitie of this Sacrament to Saluation to witt the Communion and Substantiall vnion to the Bodie of Christ which S. Cyrill calls the knott of our vnion with god Nor is it particularly and precisely vpon transubstantiation but vpon the reall presence that the two inconueniences depend for which your ministers in this article seperate themselues from our Lyturgies which are one the adoration of the Bodie of Christ in the Sacramēt which they will haue to be only sought and adored in heauen and the other the pretended distraction of the vnitie of the Bodie of Christ by existence in manie places in the Sacrament Neither haue I spocken of the prerogatiue of the Roman Church which all the Fathers haue holden for the center and roote of Episcopall vnitie and of Ecclesiasticall Communion because I will beleeue you are sufficientlie read in antiquitie to knowe that the first Fathers Councells and Christian Emperors haue perpetuallie granted therevnto the primacie and supereminent ouersight ouer all religions and ecclesiasticall things which is all that the church exacts as a point of Faith from their confession that enter into her communion to the end to discerne her societie from that of the Greekes and other complices of their Sect wich haue deuided themselues for some ages from the visible and ministeriall head of the Church These fowre points then which are the principall Springes of our dissention and which being agreed vpon it would be easie for vs to agree vpon the rest I saye that the Fathers of the time of the fowre first Councels haue all holden and practised as necessary to Saluation though with diuers kindes of necessitie The reall Presence of the Bodie of Christ and the oblation of the sacrifice they haue holden as necessary with necessitie of meanes for the Bodie of the Church absolutely and for euery particuler person conditionnallie Prayer and oblation for the dead they haue holden as necessarie by necessitie of meanes for those for whom it is done that soe their deliuerace from temporall paines which remaine after this life for sinne cōmitted after baptisme ād for which thy haue not done such penances
if anie of her members departe from the rule of faith will preferre the loue of truth before the loue of vnitie She knowes that the supreme lawe in the howse of God is the sinceritie of heauélie doctrine which if anie one forsake he forsakes Christ who is truth it self he forsakes the Church which is the 〈◊〉 foundation of truth VVith such separatistes a man truly Catholique neither will nor maic communicate Far what agreement is there betweene Christ and 〈◊〉 THE REPLIE HEERE his Maiestie must giue me leaue to saie that he changeth the way of his disputation and goes out of the lists quite from the state of the question For the question is not whether to obtaine the name of Catholicke to attaine to saluation it be necessary to be vnited with anie one of the members of the Church when it comes to be separated frō truth but whether to obtaine the name of Catholicke attaine to saluation it be necessatie to be vnited with the whole masse vniuersall Bodie of this Church which the Fathers haue called Catholick Neither is it the question whether there may be anie externall and visible societie wherewith it is vnlawfull to commuuicate but whether such a tyme can be wherein there is noe externall and visible Societie wherewith it is necessary to communicate For to saic that all Communion are not to be desired and that there are Congregations wherewith it is not lawfull to Communicate whieh of vs euer doubted it Nay contrarily doe we not daily pronounce anathema against those that Communicate with heretickes or Schismatickes and in that we 〈◊〉 his maiestie to returne to the Communion of the Catholicke Church from that of the Caluinists doth it not proue sufficiently that we holde not that there should be Cōm union helde with all kinde of sects The state thē of the questiō to ouerthrowe our Thesis and cōclude some thinge against vs requires not to proue that there may be Societies wherewith we ought to haue noe Cōmunion for who denies that but to proue that there may come a tyme wherein there can be found noe externall and visible Societie wherewith it is lawfull to communicate and that this tyme beinge come as Luther supposed it to be when he began to pitch his ensignes in the fielde it is necessary to goe forth from all the Religions that are then to be found visible in the world and to make a new Communion and a congregation a parte See heere what is needefull to be proued and in steede of this the excellent kinge aleageth that if anie member of the Church departe from the rule of Faith the Church must preserr the loue of veritie before the loue of vnitie To this answere of his 〈◊〉 we will answere two thinges the first that there is noe incompatibilitie beweene this thesis we must be vnited with the vniuersall bodie of the Catholicke Church And this antithesis if anie member departe from the rule of faith we must not be vnited with it For the one speakes of the bodie of the Church and the other speakes of some one of the members of the Church and the speciall mention os some one of the Church departing from the true faith supposes the staie and perseuerāce of the rest of the bodie of the Church in the faith Now it is with that bodie from whence that parte that forsakes the faith deuides it selfe that wee say we must haue Communion and vnitie and not with the parte that separates it selfe from the bodie for it is not a meanes to maintaine vnitie to haue vnitie with those that deuide themselues from vnitie The second that there is great difference betweene the rightes and 〈◊〉 of the Catholicke Church the preuiledges of particular Churches For the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost was neuer promised to euery particular Church but to the bodie of the Catholicke Church And therefore as the elements are corruptible in their partes but incorruptible in their all soe the Church is corruptible in her parts but incorruptible in her all in such sorte that though some particular Churches may erre in faith and consequentlie cease from beinge Churches neuerthelesse there alwaies remaines one masse of a Churche exempt 〈◊〉 corruptiō soe greate and eminent that she representes and conserues in herselfe the beinge rightes and prerogatiues of all the whole And soe the obligation that we haue to Communicate with the Catholicke Church is one thinge and an other the obligation that we haue to Communicate with particular Churches For with her wee are bound to Communicate necessarily and absolutely vnder paine of anathema and damnation because out of her Communion none can be saued and with others onely whiles they Communicate with her And the pretence of truth cannot be alleadged to make this obligation conditionall since Saint Paule saith the Church is the fouudation of truth And Saint AVGVSTINE within the wombe of the Church truth hath her dwellinge Nor can it be obiected that the supreme lawe in the howse of God is the sinceritie of heauenly Doctrine For besides that this lawe hath her Statutes written and vnwritten following this precept of S. PAVL followe the traditions that you haue receiued from vs whether by wordes or by Epistles And this testimonie of Eusebius The Apostles haue giuen some things by writing and others by vnwritten lawes And this obseruation of sainct CHRYSOSTOME From whence it appeares that the Apostles haue not deliuered all things by writinges but manie things alsoe without writing it is not only necessary in matters contested to haue a lawe but it is needefull besides the lawe to haue a iudge with authoritie able to oblige and subdue the sense of particular persons to interpret the wordes of the lawe which Iudge as we haue alreadie demonstrated cā be noe other but the Church How to vnderstand these wordes of sainct Gregory Nazianzene There is a sacred warre CHAP. XIV The continuance of the Kings Answere THE Church then must flye the communion of those and saie with sainct Gregory Nazianzene that a 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 is better then an infected vnitie And will not doubt to pronoūce with the same blessed Father that there is a sacred warie THE REPLIE THERE is noe doubt of prouing that there may be some societie whose communion must be auoided for none denies it but of prouing that there may come such a tyme wherein there is noe externall and visible societie wherewith we are bounde to cōmunicate Now the places that his Maiestie citeth out of S. GREGORIE NAZIANZENE are soe farre from insinuatinge anie such thing as they affirme the quite contrary For S. GREGORIE saith not these wordes against the externall and visible Communion of the Church of his tyme but against the craftie practises of the Arrians which demaūded vnder pretence of peace to be receiued into the communion of the Church with Confessions of the faith ambiguous and
inferr that the Patriarkes were as the Prefects of the Pretorie from whence there was noe appeale that shall be satisfied heereafter and shewed that it is a vice in the transcription of the copies And the fourth and last Answere is that this claime was not longe suffered in the Bishop of Constantinople for the Emperor Mauricius who fauored it hauing bene extinguished by the conspiracie of Phocas the same Phocas interposed his temporall authoritie and forbadd him anie more to call himselfe Vniuersall Bishop reseruing that title onely to the Pope alone It is true that afterward the Empire being againe fallen into the hands of two hereticall Emperors Heraclius and Constans successors to Phocas the Greekes againe sett abroache this custome and not onelie sett it abroache but haue since continued it euen to the last ages as it appeares by the inscriptions of 〈◊〉 Germanus Constantius Alexius and other Patriarkes of Constantinople reported in the Canon lawe of the Greekes where they inscribe and signe Vniuersall Patriarks Onely they vse this distinction that they call the Pope Vniuersall Pope and the Patriarke of Constantinople Vniuersall Patriarke And that if it be lawfull to giue way to coniectures for two reasons the one because the antiquitie of the title of Vniuersall Patriarke was euidently restrained by this distinction to the superiority onely ouer the simple Patriarkes wherein the Pope was not comprehended as it appeare when saint GREGORIE saith that if one of the 〈◊〉 Patriarkes had done that against the Popes letters that was done by the Bishop of Salona such a disobedience could not haue past without a most 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the other forasmuch as the Constantinopolitans 〈◊〉 the word POPE except amongst the monkes to be a title more exalted then that of PATRIARK because the name of Pope was more reuerend amongst the Bythinians a people neere Constantinople who had accustomed in the time of Paganisme to call Jupiter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that of Patriarke from whence it is that the latter Greekes haue 〈◊〉 although ignorantlie that the reason why the Patriarkes of 〈◊〉 bare the title of Pope came from this that sainct CYRILLVS Patriarke of Alexandria had bene legat to the Pope in the Councell of 〈◊〉 as Balsamon noteth in these termes The Bishop of Alexandria hath bene called Pope for asmuch as saint CYRILLVS in the third Councell receiued the priuiledges of the Pope of Rome Celestinus And Nicephorus in these Celestinus Bishop of Rome refused to assist at the Councell of Ephesus for the danger of nauigation but he writt to Cyrillus that he should hold his place there and since that time the fame goes that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Tyara and the name of Pope and of iudge of the world For whereas Beda Paul the Deacon Theophanes and Anastasius the 〈◊〉 and after Anastasius the Bibliothecary all the latine 〈◊〉 say that Phocas iudged that the Sea of the Roman and Apostolicke Church was the head of all the Churches forasmuch as the Church of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 herself the first of all the Churches It is a mistake that Beda an English author and later by an hundred yeare then Phocas hath made of the question which was about the word Vniuersall and not about the word 〈◊〉 And of this wee haue two certaine and vndoubted proofes the one that saint GREGORIE who is he onely of all the authors of the age that hath spoken of this contestation and who was himself one of the parties contesting testifies that the dispute was about the word Vniuersall and not about the word First And the other that the Patriarkes of Constantinople haue alwaies remained within the termes of the second Sea and haue perpetually yeilded the first to the Bishop of Rome For neuer can it be found in anie monumēt of antiquitie that the Church of Constantinople hath at anie tyme taken the title of the first of all the Churches contrarywise all the pens of antiquitie haue witnessed that the Church of Constantinople neuer affected more then the second in the Church and hath alwaies giuen the first to the Church of Rome for in the Councell of Constātinople which was the source of all those pretēces it was 〈◊〉 that the Bishop of Constantinople should haue the prerogatiues of honor after the Pope because Constantinople was a second Rome They 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrates that the Bishop of Constantinople should haue the 〈◊〉 of honor after the Bishop of Rome because Constantinople was a second Rome And in the Councell of Chalcedon it was ordained she should be honored as the Church of Rome being the second after her It was esteemed fitt saith 〈◊〉 that the Sea of new Rome because of the second ranke it held after that of 〈◊〉 Rome should be preferred before the others And in the third generall councell of Constantinople which was the sixth generall councell the councell called the Pope the Protothrone of the vniuersall Church the Emperor 〈◊〉 Pogonat called the Patriarks Synthrones of the Pope after the Pope that is to 〈◊〉 sett in one same throne with the Pope after the Pope And in the councell intituled Trullian the canon of the councell of Chalcedon was renewed in these words Wee decree that the Sea of Constantinople shall haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Sea of ancient Rome and shall be honored in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it being the second after it And when Nicephorus Patriarke of 〈◊〉 writes against the Iconoclasts he calls the Sea of Rome the 〈◊〉 and Apostolicke Sea The diuine Patriarke Nicephorus saith Zonarus speaking of the Icconomaks writes thus their being cutt of from the Catholik Church appeares clearely amonst other things by the letters of the blessed Archbishop of Rome that is to saie of the first and apostolicke Sea And against this it is not to be obiected that the Emperor Zeno calls Constantinople the mother of all the Orthodoxall For he speakes of the orthodoxall of his Empire that is to say of the Empire of the East within the which there remained the yeare before noe Patriarchall Sea except that of Constantinople but was possessed by hereticall Patriarkes As little is it to be obiected that Iustinian saith that the Church of Constantinople is the head of all the other Churches For he speakes not of the Church of Constantinople in regard of the Churches of the whole world but of the Cathedrall Churche of the Cittie of Constantinople that is to saie of the Church of saint Sophia that he calls the great Church of Constantinople in regard of the other Churches of the Patriarkship of Constantinople as it appeares both by the next following discourse of the Chartularies and by the Seauenth lawe of the foregoeing title where he writes to the Bishop of Constantinople That the Pope is head of all the holie Prelats of Gods And by the 131. Nouel where the same Iustinian ordaineth that the Sea of Constantinople should be the second after Rome Wee
execute the iudgements of the Sea Apostolike Secular typhe for this is that which the marriage of these two words Typhe of the age signifies to witt the furious and violent manner with which the worldly and secular powers were accustomed to cause themselues to be obeyed as when the author of the life of Fulgentius saith That Fulgentius commaunded nothing with the Typhe of secular dominion And as when the Councell of Ephesus calls the vse that Iohn Patriarke of Antioche had made of the letters of Dionisius Gouernor of Syria to the Captaine of the Garrison and of the souldiers of Cyprus to hinder the Bishops of Cyprus from electing to themselues an Archbishop without the permission of the Patriarke of Antioch Secular Typhse and drawing from this particular case a generall lawe ordaines That noe Bishop vsurpe the Prouinces which haue not bene from all antiquitie vnder his predecessors c And vnder pretence of the execution of sacred thinges introduce not the Typhe of secular power And a little after And that all letters obtained to the contrarie may remaine disannulled and of no effect And finallie the third and last request but expressed in termes of Confidence and assurance is that the Pope will not suffer that Apiarius to whom by the first Iudgement it had bene permitted to remaine in Africa and exercise his Priesthood where he would prouided it were not at Sicca should remaine anie longer in Africa and that he would not cause him to be assisted with Secular authoritie to this effect Behold the words of the clause which containe also the end and conclusion of the Epistle which I haue translated from the Greeke text because the Greek edition of the Epistles as hath bene aboue shewed is more correct then the latine For as for the wretched Apiarius hauing alreadie bene condemned for his infamous crimes by our Brother Faustinus wee are no more in care for it as much as by the meanes of the approbation and moderation of your Holynesse for the preseruation of brotherly charitie Africa will no longer indure him Now vpon this what answere the Pope made them wee haue it not but that it is easie to be iudged by the successe that he satisfied them of the mistaking of the Councell of Nicea for that of Sardica and made it appeare to them that what they found not in the Councell of Nicea had bene ordained yea euen by their predecessors in the Councell of Sardica For the Appeales of the African Bishops to the Pope continued as before as it appeares both by the Rule that Pope LEO onely eight yeare later then CELESTINE made vpon the appeale that Lucifrinus a Bishop of Africa had cast into the Sea Apostolike and by the care that the Africans had afterward to insert into their Canon law the Canons of the Councell of Sardica vpon the matter of Appeales to the Pope For Fulgentius Ferandus deacō of Carthage a little later then S. AVGVSTINE and tyme-fellow with S. FVLGENTIVS registers into the collection that he made of the Canons these decrees vnder the title of the fixth and sifth Canon of the Councell of Sardica That a condemned Bishop may appeale if he will to the sea Apostolike and that during the appeals an other cannot be ordained in his Chaire By meanes whereof this question brought no interruption to the possession wherein the Pope was of appeales euen in minor causes and by consequent much lesse in maior causes as those of Faith were for which Theodoret Bishop of Cyre a Cittie neere vpon Persia appealed in the same tyme to pope 〈◊〉 and was iudged and restored by him all the Generall Coūcell of Chalcedon holden a while after the Councell of Carthage approuing and confirming it For I will not alleadge the Epistle of S. AVGVSTINE to Celestine which is in the supplie of S. AVGVSTINS Epistles imprinted by Plantine where the same S. AVGVSTINE pursues in the behalfe of Celestine the iudgment of the appeale made by Anthony Bishop of 〈◊〉 to Pope Boniface and represents to him to iustifie the sentence of the bishops of Africa who had left him his title and depriued him of this Bishops Sea That there had bene manie like 〈◊〉 in Africa euē the Sea 〈◊〉 iudgeing it or confirming the iudgement of others as particularly of 〈◊〉 Uictor and Laurence Bishop of the Cesarian 〈◊〉 because it seemes that this Epistle was written before that of the Councell of Africa to Celestine It sufficeth that neither the possession of the appeales from Africa to Rome were interrupted by this question neither did the Bishops of Africa cease to remaine in the same Communion and reuerence of the Sea Apostolike as they were before as the words of S AVGVSTINE to Pope Boniface written in the current of the difference testifies Thou disdainest not thou which presumest not 〈◊〉 though thou presidest highlie to be a friend to the 〈◊〉 And these of Pope Celestine after the death of S. AVGVSTINE Wee haue alwaies had Augustine of holie 〈◊〉 in our cōmunion which Prosper citeth to iustifie to the Bishops of the Gaules S. Augustins doctrine against the Pelagiās And these of Capreolus Archbishop of Carthage immediate successor to Aurelius vnder whom the sixth Councell of Carthage was holden writing to the fathers of the Councell of Ephesus 〈◊〉 praie you to resist 〈◊〉 with such constancie at the authoritie of the sea Apostolicke and the seuerltie of the Prelates assembled in 〈◊〉 seeme not to permitt that the doctrine of those that the Church hath long since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come to be borne againe And these of Eugenius one of the other successors to the same Aurelius to the Lieutenant of Hunnericus Lord of Africa The Roman Church is the head of all the Churches And these of Fulgentius and of the Bishops of Africas the Roman Church which is the head of the world Of the Councell of Sardica CHAPT XI I Remember that I promised in the former chapter to handle in this the truth and authoritie of the Canons of the Councell of Sardica the time summons me now to performe my promise and with so much the more neede because the Popes aduersaries haue a while agoe caused a Greeke Code of Canōs to be imprinted which they haue intituled A Code of the 〈◊〉 of the Vniuersall Church from whence they haue ecclipsed and cutt off the Canons of the Councell of Sardica against the credit of all the Greeke Canonists Photius Zonara Balsamon Harmonopolus and against the Greeke impressions euen of Basle Wittenbourg and other Protestant Citties and in summe against the truth of all the Greeke codes as well printed as manuscript of all the westerne and Easterne libraries Then to compasse this designe with some method I will aduertise the readers that there past two things in the Councell of Nicea which gaue an occasion soone after for the holding of the Councell of Sardica the one was
Iustinian himselfe in the Sea of Constantinople in the steede of Eutychius and deceased twelue yeares after the death of Iustinian And it derogates not from this that Balsamon reiects all the Nomocanons that is to saie all the marriages of lawes and canōs which haue bene made before that of Photius And amongst the rest one Nomocanon which distributes the lawes and canons into fiftie titles For be it that he speake of that of Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople surnamed Scholasticus be it that he speake of an other later he reiects it not for not hauing bene antient enough but for being too antient for as much as manie lawes of the Emperor Iustinian which are there inserted haue ceased to be in vse hauing bene abrogated by the later Emperors yet lesse is this repugnant to it that the canons intituled from the Apostles are quoted in this synagogue vnder the number of eigthie fiue canons Whereas Doonisius exiguus and after him Cresconius report but of fiftie For bsiedes this that the greeke code of Dionisius as hath bene aboue noted was very lame and defectiue it is certaine that the Greekes both before Theodoret and before Dionisius Exiguus retained eightie fiue as appeares by these wordes of the councell of Constantinople surnamed Trullian Wee ordaine that the eightie fiue canons which haue bene receaued and confirmed by the holie Fathers who haue preceded vs and haue bene giuen vs by them vnder the name of the canons of the holie and glorious Apostles remaine from hence forward 〈◊〉 and vnmoueable And by the councell of Constantinople holden vnder Nectarius in the cause of Agapius and of Bagadius more then sixtie yeares before Theodoret that the councell Trullian canoniseth in these wordes Wee seale also the canons of the holie fathers which reassembled thēselues anew in this religious imperiall cittie vnder Nectoirius Archbishop of the same cittie vnder Theophilus Archbishop of Alexandria Which coūcell holden vnder Nectarius in the cause of Agapius and Bagadius cites the seauentie sixth Canon of the Apostles for I will not renewe the difference that hath bene since Pope Gelasius betwene the greeke and latine church in regard of these Canons intituled from the Apostles It sufficeth to defend the antiquitie of this Synagogue that from before the time of Theodoret the Greekes held eigthie fiue canons for Apostolicall canons and this may be said touching the sixth obiection lett vs dispatch the two others The seauenth obiection that the Popes aduersaries propound against the authoritie of the canons of the Councell of Sardica is that Pope Adrian the first in the epitomy of the canons that he addresses to Charlemaine saith that the Canons of the councell of Sardica are not to be found amongst the Greekes and that Pope Nicholas the first in his Epistle to Photius Patriarke of Constantinople and to the 〈◊〉 writes The Councell of Sardica which you saie you haue nott To this obection then wee answere two thinges the one that if Photius who was author of the schisme which lasts to this daie betweene the greeke and Latine Church should haue said by malice and to couer his intrusion in to the Patriarkship of Constantinople which he had vsurped vpon 〈◊〉 true and lawfull Patriarke that the Greekes had not or receiued not the Councell of Sardica it were noe great meruaile no more then that the Bishops of Egypt writt to the Emperor Leo to couer their heresie that they knew not the Synod of the hundred fifteen fathers that is to saie the first generall Synod of Constantinople in the which neuerthelesse Timothie the first their Patriarke had assisted and presided For Photius hauing intruded into the Patriarkship of Constanstinople against the Canons of the Coūcell of Sardica which forbad Laymē to vsurpe ecclesiasticall charges there is noe doubt but he would willingly haue auoided that which condemned him And the other that it is a mistaking in Pope 〈◊〉 who deceaued himself vpon the Epitomy of the Canons of Pope Adrian who was deceiued vpon Dionisius his collection For not only the Councell of Constanstinople surnamed Trullian that the Greekes intituled the sixt generall Councell which was more then an hundred and fiftie 〈◊〉 before Pope Adrian more thē two hundred before Pope Nicolas 〈◊〉 before Photius that Photius himself canoniseth registers it in his 〈◊〉 as an vniuersall oecumenicall Coūcell writes Wee seale also the 〈◊〉 that haue bene publisht by the fathers assembled at Sardica Carthage by those which reassembled thēselues the second time in this Religious and imperiall 〈◊〉 vnder Nectarius Archbishop of this imperiall Cittie and Theophilus 〈◊〉 of Alexandria But Photius himself in his Nomocanon insertes allmost 〈◊〉 euery title the canōs of the coūcell of Sardica those particularly of the Episcopall appeales to the sea Apostolike after Photius Simō 〈◊〉 Zonara Balsamō Alexius Blastares Harmenopolus other later 〈◊〉 Canonists The eigteenth last obiection that the aduersaries of the church make against the authoritie of the canōs of the coūcell of Sardica 〈◊〉 that the practises of episcopall appeales which are the subiect of the third fourth and fift Canon of the Coūcell of Sardica hath bene long 〈◊〉 to the Easterne Church For proofe whereof they alleadge six 〈◊〉 the first is that Socrates speaking of Cyrill Bishop of Hierusalem who had appealed from the Councell of Palestina holden vnder Acacius Archbishop of Cesarea to a greater iudgment that is to saie to the iudgement of the Councell of Seleucia saith that Cyrill practised the first and 〈◊〉 one of this kind of proceeding making vse against the custome of the ecclesiasticall Canon of appeales as in a lay iudgement The 〈◊〉 that the first Councell of Constantinople that was called the 〈◊〉 generall one ordained that after the Synod of the Prouince the 〈◊〉 of the Patriarkship might examine in the second instance of the 〈◊〉 of Bishops but that if after the Synod of the Patriarkship anie one 〈◊〉 dare to importune the eares of the Emperor or of secular Princes 〈◊〉 disquiet the generall synod that he bee no more receaued to pursue his 〈◊〉 The third that the Emperor Iustiniā saith that frō the sentēces of the Patriarkes there is noe appeale no more then from the sentences of the Prouosts of the Pretory The fourth that the Emperor Iustinian ordaines that if a Clearke attempt anie Cause against his Bishop 〈◊〉 bee iudged by his Metropolitan and in case the one of the parties 〈◊〉 to obey the iudgement the Patriarke of the diocese shall end 〈◊〉 The fifth that the Emperors Leo and Constantine declared that the sentence of the Patriarke was not subiect to appeale as being the Prince of Ecclesiasticall iudgements And the sixth that Photius in his Nomocanon saith there is noe appeale from the sentence of the Patriarkes To the first then of those obiections which is that Socrates saith that Cyrill Bishop of Jerusalem was the only and
person he foretold him he should noe more 〈◊〉 calld Symon but 〈◊〉 signifiing most aptlie by that word that vpon him as vpon a 〈◊〉 and a stedfast stone he should build his Church And this may be said of the first point of this Article which is of building of the Church vpon the faith or vpon the person of PETER Let vs passe forward to the secōd which is of that of the other Apostles The Church saith his maiestie is founded vpon the Confessiō of PETER the other Apostles Here it is needefull to distinguish the diuers vses that this word foundation of the Church receaues in the Scripture for it is one thing to be the foundation of the faith of the Church and an other thing to be the foundatiō of the Ministrie of the Church And againe the foundation of the faith of the Church is of two sortes for there is an obiectiue foundation of the faith of the Church and a suggestiue foundation of the faith of the Church I call that an obiectiue foundation of the faith of the Church which is the first obiect that the Church is obliged to knowe and embrace for doctrine of faith and that is Christ of whom S. PAVLE saith None can 〈◊〉 anie other foundation besides that which is alreadie laid that is Chrict For the first thing that enters into the obiect of the Christian faith as it is Christian is Christ God and Man crucified for our Sinns And all the other doctrins of Faith haue noe other place then as superedifications and accessories to that I call that a suggestiue foundation of faith of the Church vpō which the Church grounds and assures the beleefe of those things which she holdes for doctrines of faith and this againe is double the one principall and originall to wit the holy Ghost of whom our Lord saith Hee shall suggest to you all thinges that I haue told you and the other instrumentall and organicall to wit the voice and pen of those that he hath chosen to declare vnto vs the misteries of faith with certaine and infallible authoritie And in this sence not only all the Apostles and Euangelists but also all the prophets are foundations of the faith of the Church according to this Apostolicall sentence Wee are edified vpon the foundation of the Prophets and of the Apostles And in this same sence sainct PAVL said in the second to the Corinthians That he had bene nothing inferior to the most excellently great of the Apostles And in the Epistle to the Galatians That he had not receiued his Ghospell from men but from God And that those that seemed to be something that is to saie those that for the more particular familiaritie that they had with our Lord it seemed they should bee more eminent in the doctrine of Faith and should bee the Pillars of Faith had taught him nothing For to be something according to the stile of those 〈◊〉 the east is a word not of contempt but of great and extraordinarie estimation I call him foundatiō of the ministrie of the Church that hath the supereminēce and superintendencie of the gouernment and ministrie of the Church which I haue distinguisht frō the foūdatiō of the Faith not but that the primitiue and originall Ministrie of the Church comprehends the Office of reuealing the Faith and that the perpetuall and ordinarie ministrie of the Church comprehends the office of preseruiug and propagating the Faith from whence it is that sainct PAVL calleth the Church The pillar and foundation of faith But because the foundation of the Ministrie extends further and manie as sainct LVKE amongst others haue bene foundations of the Faith of the Church who neuerthelesse haue not bene foundations of the Ministrie of the Church Now it is of this kinde of Foundation to witt of the Foundation of the ministrie of the Church that is treated off in these words of our Lord Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock I will build my Church as it appeares by what followes of the keyes and of the power to binde and loose This qualitie then of foundation of the gouernment and ministrie of the Church to dispute whether since it haue bene extended and communicated to the whole Bodie of the Apostles it is an other point For what S. PAVL saith If they be ministers of Christ I am so more then they is to be vnderstood of the excesse in the labour of the Ministrie and not in the authoritie But at the least when our Lord pronounced these wordes Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock I will build my Church It is certaine that in that instant and in those wordes it was conferred to none but to sainct PETER for the wordes are all pronounced in singular termes and excluding pluralitie Blessed art thou Symon Sonn of 〈◊〉 and I saie vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this Rock I will build my Church and I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Which sainct AMBROSE declares who after he had said This man to wit PETER when he had heard but 〈◊〉 what saie yee that I am presently not forgetfull of his place he made the primacie adds to it It is then this Peter that answered before the rest but for the rest and therefore he is called Foundation Which sainct CYPRIAN likewise acknowledges in these wordes Vpon him beinge one he built the Church And it is not to be said that the Condition of Foundation of the Church hauing bene giuen to sainct PETER in fauour and for recompence of his Coafession all the other Apostles that had part in his Confession ought also to haue their part therein For the qualitie of foundation of the Church was not giuen to sainct PETER in fauour of his Confession simplie for then it should be common to all the faithfull but in fauour of the primacie of his Confession wherein the other Apostles had noe actual part but only by consent and non repugnancie for as much as sainct PETER only answered as illuminated immediately from God the others being silent and not knowing what to saie and learning it but my the means of sainct PETERS Answere Hee was saith sainct 〈◊〉 made worthie of first knowing what there was of God in Christ. And 〈◊〉 CYRILL of Hierusalem All the other Apostles being silent for this doctrine was aboue their reach Peter the Prince of the Apostles and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Church not of his owne inuention neither perswaded by human reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his soule by God the Father said to him thou art Christ the Sonn of the liuing God And sainct ATHANASIVS manie yeares before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father reuealed to Peter those thinges whereof our Lord demaunded him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not doubt but the same Lord who inquired as if he had first reuealed to 〈◊〉 those things that he had knowne from the Father he askes him humanly to 〈◊〉 in inquiring
PETER debated the Primacie with him noe longer but yeelded him Presidencie This appeares as well by the text of the history where there is noe tracke of respect giuē to S IAMES but to S. PETER onlie as by the time wherein S. IAMES was created Bishop of Hierusalem For the first act that the Apostles did after the Ascension of our Lord was the substitution of MATHIAS insteede of 〈◊〉 in the historie whereof sainct CHRYSOSTOME saith these words And Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius testifie that the promotion of saint Iames to the Bishopricke of Hierusalem happened afterward By meanes whereof the Apostles could not in that action that is to saie in the election of MATHIAS yeeld Presidēcie to saint IAMES because of the Bishoprick of Hierusalem And the same is confirmed both by this that saint CHRISOSTOME had written vpon the twentith chapter of saint MATTHEW Marke said hee how this same Iohn that latelie made such demaunds after wholie yeeldes the Primacie to saint Peter And by this that he adds presently after the place obiected This mā saith hee speaking of saint PETER first constitutes a doctor and saith not wee are enough to teach far was he from vaine glory And a little after he takes the first authoritie of the affaire as he that had all other put into his hands for to him Christ had said And thou being once conuerted confirme thy bretheren And by this that he protests in the beginning of his discourse Peter saith hee both as full of 〈◊〉 as hauing receaued from Christ the flocke into his keeping and as the first of the Colledge alwaies first beginns to speake To the thirteenth obiection which is that saint CHRISOSTOME writes vpon the fifteenth of the Acts that the principalitie was committed to Iames It is true but he speakes there onlie of the Principalitie of the Hierosolomitan Church if indeede the greeke word doe in that place intēd principalitie and not beginning and that the sence be not that IAMES had bene establisht from the beginning that is to saie that he was of the ancient Apostles and not of the new as saint PAVL and neuerthelesse that he tooke noe exceptiōs to S. PAVL for speaking betweene S. PETER and him For what soeuer that Greeke word signifies it is certaine it can signifie nothing but the principalitie of the particular Church of Hierusalem and not the principalitie of the vniuersall Church which S. CHRISOSTOME himself testifies elswhere to haue bene grāted to saint PETER in these words For if anie one aske me said hee how did Iames obtaine the Sea of Hierusalem I will answere that Christ hath constituted Peter Master not of that Sea but of all the world And againe Christ had foretold Peter great things and had put the whole world into his hands and had pronounced martirdome to him and she wed him greater loue then to the rest And indeede S. CHRISOSTOME alleadgeth not this principalitie to shew the modestie of saint Iames in this that he was not offended that saint PETER had spoken before him but to shew the modestie of saint IAMES in this that he was not offended that saint PAVL spake betweene saint PETER and him A manifest proofe that he treates not of the vniuersall principalitie but of the principalitie of the particular Church of Hierusalem of which he makes mention in this place because those that had moued the trouble for which the Coūcell was holden were the Iewes and Pharisees of Hierusalem conuerted to Christianitie who were iealous to see that the Gentiles were receaued into the Church without obliging themselues to the obseruation of the lawe And because saint IAMES had more especiall credit in their behalfe because he was not only their Bishop but Bishop of the Cittie which but a while before was Metropolitan of the lawe and consequently it seemed he should be touched with a more strict interest to the obseruation of the lawe then anie other and also that he had not gone about with sainct PETER and sainct PAVL to receiue the Gentiles into the Church and by this meanes had not lost his 〈◊〉 in the behalfe of the legalists It was saith sainct CHRYSOSTOME a profitable prouidence that those thinges were done by those that were not to reside in Hierusalem and that he that taught the Hierosolomitans was not refusable and that his opinion might not be departed from For these causes then sainct IAMES had by accident a greater authoritie in the behalfe of the authors of this Scandall then the other Apostles to preserue the which he did saith saint CHRISOSTOME that which those ought to doe that are constituted in great authoritie that is to saie he suffered saint PETER to speake more seuerelie and himself spake more gentlie But that compared simplie with saint PETER hee was either equall or superior in iurisdiction saint CHRISOSTOME is so farr from hauing euer thought it that contrariwise he cries out a lowde Peter was the Prince of the Apostles and the mouth of the disciples and the head of the Colledge and for this occasion Paule went vp to visitt him letting the rest alone And a little after Christ put into his hands the Prouostship of his bretheren and vpbraids him not with his deniall of him nor reprocheth him with what was past but saith to him if thou louest me be president of they bretheren and the same loue that thou hast in all things shewed to me and whereof thou hast boasted shew it now and that life that thou hast said thou wouldst laie downe for me laie it downe for my sheepe And in the homilie thirtith three vpon saint MATHEW The first and the Corypheos of the Apostles was a man ignorant and without learning And in the homily fiftie fift Not onely the Apostles were Scandalized but also the Corypheos that is to saie Soueraigne of them all Peter And in the second booke of the Priesthood Christ committed the care of his sheepe to Peter and Peters Successors And in this doe all the rest of the Fathers agree aswell Greeke as latine Thou seest saith saint GREGORIE Nazianzene amongst the disciples of Christ all sublime and worthie of election that one of them is called the Rock and that the foundations of the Church are committed to him and the other is more beloued and leanes vpon the bosom of Iesus and the rest suffer the difference And saint AMBROSE The Lord said hee by these words louest thou me more then these asked the question not to learne but to teach being readie to be himself exalted into Heauen which was he whom he would leaue to vs for the Vicar of his loue And a little after And because that of them all he onlie protests he is preferrd before them all And elsewhere With a full floud of teares the Churches Rocke Did cleanse his Crime at crowinge of the Cocke And S. EPIPHANIVS Christ hath appointed Peter to be the guide and leader of his
himselfe confest in these wordes The Apostles saith hee in truth haue prescribed nothing of this but this Custome ought to be beleeued to haue taken originall from their tradition as there are manie things that the vniuersall Church obserueth which art with good reason beleeued to haue bene giuen by the Apostles although they be not in writing Was this to pretend to seperate themselues from the Church out of iollitie of hart and without anie cause and neither to blame the faith nor discipline of the Church Of the authoritie of the rest of the Christian people which denied to the Church the title of Catholick Chapt. XXXII The continuance of the Kings Answere THE English haue separated themselues by a cruell necessitie from that Church that infinite Christian people that I may speake as modestly as I possiblie can doe not 〈◊〉 to be the true vniuersall Church THE REPLIE THat the English Church hath bene iustly forced by a cruell necessitie to depart from the Catholicke Church wherein alone the stocke of vnitie doth reside as our very aduersaries dare not saie that the bodie of Catholicke vnitie was to be found in anie other Societie when the English nation deuided themselues from her saint AGVSTINE will not avow who saith that there is no iust necessitie to deuide vnitie And lesse S. DIONISIVS of Alexandria who was much antienter then saint AVGVSTINE who writes Thou oughtest rather to suffer all kinds of death then to deuide the Church of Christ. For whereas his maiestie adds that an infinite number of Christian people doe not grant her to bee the true vniuersall Catholicke Church if these people can shew that there was an other to whom this title belonged when Luther came into the world wee will confesse her not to be soe but if it be not in their power not only to shewe but to faine an other then this must be shee For the Catholicke Church is perpetuall and their contradiction that are departed from her can not raise anie doubt of her title more then the contradiction of the antient Arrians and other hereticks could cause the antient Catholicke Church to loose this title For in that only that they haue departed from her and cannot shew that she hath departed from anie of all the other Societies which are in being they testifie that she only is the true Catholicke Church that is to saie the true stocke and originall roote of the Church from whom all others by their Schismes and diuisions are departed and gone forth Of the testimonies of our writers CHAP. XXXIII The continuance of the King answere AND that maniē of your writers themselues haue a longe while agoe ingeniousliē confessed to haue much varied from the antient in the dogm'as and in the forme of discipline and to haue patched and tacked together manie new thinges to the old manie euill thinges to the good THE REPLIE THOSE writers haue bene such as I haue aboue described as Erasmus Cassander and others who partly in presumption and partlie in ignorance of antiquitie and partlie to gratifie those Princes in whose fauour they haue taken penn in hand haue written thinges which would confound their faces if they were to maintaine them before anie that were versed of purpose in the studie of Antiquitie Of the begging of the principle contained in this hypothesis CHAPT XXXIV The continuance of the Kings answere WHICH is alreadie so knowne to all the world as it is noe longer in thé power of anie to denie it or to be ignorant of it THE REPLIE THIS is to take for a principle of disputation that which is the subiect of the controuersie for not only all Catholickes but also all the Christian Societies in the world more antient then the authors of this diuision and who haue noe interest neither for the one part nor for the other and if they had anie would haue it rather against the Church from which they are separated then for her doe maintaine that all the principall pointes that the pretended reformers calumniate in the Roman Church are of the true faith and of the true discipline of the antient Catholicke Church Of the temporall causes of the separation of England CHAP. XXXV The Continuance of the Kings Answere ADD to this that the Church of England had found the yoake of the Roman Bondage so hard vpō her for some ages past being incrediblie tormented frō daie to day with new vexations oppressions and vnheard of exactions as 〈◊〉 only cause before iust iudges may seeme to be able to free her from suspition of Schisme and as S. AVGVSTINE saith speaking of the Donatists wicked dismembring For sur ely the English haue not separarated themselues for iollitie of heart from brotherly charitie as the 〈◊〉 did THE REPLIE IF it may please your maiestie to call againe to memorie the historie of the Schisme of England you will finde that all those thinges which were alleadged for pretence of the Churches diuision haue noe waie bene the cause thereof contrariwlse that the English Church was more flourishing when this separation happened and the King of England and his clergie more affectionate to maintaine the Faith and communion of the Roman Church then euer they had bene before as appeares by the Booke that he made in defence of the Church against Luther the originall whereof he sent to Rome with these verses such as they are addressed to Pape Leo written with his owne hand Harrie the English King at once doth recommend This worke Leo to thee which publick proofe shall lend To shew which way his faith and friendship both doe bend But that it was the amorous passion of that King who to satisfie the appetite which transported him would cause a iust mariage to be broken and marrie her that he loued his first lawfull wife and by whom he had issue being yet liuing to which the Pope conceaued that he could not with a safe conscience giue consent This was the true and onely cause of all this Iliad of euills From hence gusht all these teares Of the comparison of the English Church with the Iudaicall CHAP. XXXVI The continuance of the Kings answere NOT for feare of the 〈◊〉 which was eminent but did not yet presse them like the tenn tribes of the people of the Iewes but after hauing suffered manie ages after the 〈◊〉 of vnspeakable greeuances they haue finallie shaken from their shoulders that insupportable burthen which neither their strength was longer able to beare nor would their conscience permitt them to doe it THE REPLIE HERE I might content myself with saying that what was ordained and approued by God in the separation of the ten tribes of Israell from the Kingdome of Iuda was the only di uision of State and not that of Religion For God as saint AVGFSTINE saith commaunds neither Schisme nor heresie And by consequence what pretence soeuer is added of present and not future euill there can be noe consequence