of Alexandria did saint AMBROSE write to him that hee should after he had iudged it procure his iudgement to be confirmed by the Pope Certainly said hee wee conceaue that you should relate the affaire to our holie brother the Bishop of the Roman Church for we presume that you will make noe iudgement that can displease him And a litle after To the end that we hauing receaued the tenor of your acts when we shall see that you haue iudged soe as the Roman Church will vndoutedly approue it we may reape with ioy the fruite of your examination And why then when it appeared that EVAGRIVS Successor to PAVLINVS had bene euill ordained for as much as Paulinus only had imposed his handes vpon him and that Flauianus by this occasion remained without a competitor did Theophilus send a legation to Rome to put Flauianus againe into the Popes grace and Flauianus an other to obtaine the restitution of communion with the Pope THEOPHILVS saith Socrates hauing sent the priest I sidorus appeased Damasus you must reade Anastasius that was offended and represented to him that it was profitable for the concord of the people to forgett the fault of Flauianus and soe the communion being restored to Flauianus the factions of the people of Antioch a while after that is to saie vnder Pope Innocent the first were reconciled And Sozomene speakinge of saint IOHN CHSOSTOME Archbishop of Constantinople who had a little before bene a priest of Flauianus and for that cause affected him IOHN saith he praied Theophilus to labour with him and to helpe him to make the Bishop os of Rome to be propitious to Flauianus and to this end there were deputed Acacius Bishop of Beroe and Isidorus And THEODORET although for his partiality he be not altogether to be credited in this cause speaking of the Emperor THEODOSIVS his voyage to Rome The Emperor said he exhorted them to extinguish this vnprofitable contention for you must reade 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and represented to them that Paulinus was alreadie dead and that Euagrius came not by lawfull meanes to the Prelacye And a little after Then vpon the exhortation of the Emperor those of the west promised to lay aside all bitternesse and to receaue the Ambassadors that Flauianus should send which the diuine Flauianus hauing learnt he sent to Rome a legation of most famous Bishops and priests and Deacons of Antioch for all which the chiefe was Acacius Bishop of 〈◊〉 in Syria renowned through all parts of Sea and land But here is too much of this historie lett vs passe on to the rest And why then when Saint AMBROSE Archbishop of Milan a cittie where the Emperors of the west made their residence speakes of his brother Satyrus doth he saie that when he had escaped Shipwracke and was cast vpon the Isle of Sardinia he inquired of the Bishop of that place whether he agreed with the Catholicke Bishops that is to saie as himselfe adds with the Roman Church And why then when he excuseth the custome of washing of feet which was practised in the Church of Milan although it was not vsed in the Church of Rome doth he crye We follow in all things the type and the forme of the Roman Church And againe The same Peter is our warrant for this obseruation who hath bene Bishop of the Roman Church And why then when he or the author that was of his tyme of the comētary that is attributed to him vpon the first Fpistle to Timothie explaines these wordes of the Apostle to conuerse in the howse of God Doth he write that Pope DAMASVS was the Rector of the Church Although saith he the whole world belonges to God neuerthelesse the Church is called the howse of God of which at this day Damasus is the Tector And why then when OPTATVS Mileuitanus that is Bishop of 〈◊〉 in Africa whom saint AVSTIN calls a Bishop of reuerend memory and whom Fulgentius honors with the title of a Saint disputes Thou against the Donatists doth he saie to Parmenian a Donatist Bishop canst not denie but that thou knowest that the Episcopall chaire was first sett vp in Rome for Peter in which seate wassett the head of all the Apostles Peter whereof also he hath bene called Cephas soe saith he to allude to the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies he head ressembles the Hebrow Cephas that is to saie a stone from whence this Apostle was named to the end that in this onely chaire vnitie should be preserued to all least the other Apostles might attribute to themselues each one his particular chaire but that he should be a Schismaticke and a Sinner that would against the onely chaire set vp an other And for what cause after he had cited the catalogue of Popes from saint PETER euen to his tyme doth he inferr from thence the Donatists could haue noe chaire and consequently noe Church since they had noe communion with the Bishop of Rome Giue vs said he an accompt of the originall of your chaire you that will attribute to your selues the holy Church But you 〈◊〉 quoth hee that you haue alsoe some parte at Rome but this is a braunch of your Error sprunge out of a lye and not from the roote of truth for in the end if Macrobius be inquired of soe was the name of the false Bishop that the Donatists kept at Rome where he sitts there can he answere in the chaire of Peter which 〈◊〉 he knowes not soe much as by sight And a while after From whence is it then that you attempt to vsurpe to yourselues the keyes of the Kingdome you that fight against the chaire of Peter by your bould and sacrilegious presumptions And why then when saint AVSTIN an African as well as he pressed the same Donatistes did he saie to them In the Roman Church there hath alwaies flourished the principalitie of the Apostolique Sea And againe Reckon the 〈◊〉 euen since the seate of Peter and in this order of the Fathers see who hath succeeded one an other this is the Rocke that the prowde gates of Hell shall neuer ouercome And in an other place considering the Popes as successors of saint PETER according to the other interpretation to witt according to that of the figure of the Church In this order of Fathers said he that is to saie from Saint Peter to Pope Athanasius there is not one Donatist And in his disputations against the Manichees In the Catholicke Church I am detained by the Successiion of Prelates from the Seate of Peter to whom our Lord gaue his sheepe to feede after his resurrection vnto the present Bishops seate And why then when the Empresse Eudoxia wife to Arcadius Emperor of the East seeing her husband would cause Theophilus to be degraded from the Patriarkship of Alexandria but delaied because saith the Emperor
Celestine make S. Cyrill Patriark of Alexandria his Vicar in the East to iudge the cause of Nestorius and appointed him to excommunicate Nestorius if within ten daies after the receipt of the letters from the Apostolicke Sea he did not anathematize his error The authoritie of our Sea said he being added to thee and vsing with power the representation of our place thou shalt execute exactly and seuerelie this sentence to wit that if within ten 〈◊〉 tolde aster signification made to him of this admonition Nestorius 〈◊〉 not his naughtie doctrines c. thy Holynesse prouiding without delaie for that 〈◊〉 shall declare him wholy cutt of from our bodie And Prosper touching the same history Celestine to cut of the Nestorian impietie ayded Cyrill the Bishop of Alexandria most glorious defendor of the faith with the Apostolicke sword And why then when S. Cyrill had receiued the Popes admonition did he send to signifie it to Nestorius and to the Constantinopolitans in these wordes 〈◊〉 are constrained to signifie to him by Synodic all letters that if verie speedily and within the tyme sett downe by the most holy Bishop of the Roman Church Celestine he renounce not his nouelties and anathematize them by writing c. he shall no more haue anie parte amongst the ministers of God And for what cause when Pope 〈◊〉 was come in the age following to Constantinople did the Religious men of Syria pray him to doe the same to Anthimus Archbishop of 〈◊〉 We pray you said they to doe to Anthimus as Celestine did to Nestorius assigning him a 〈◊〉 as Celestine did to Nestorius And why then when the Councell of Ephesus proceeded to the condemnation of Nestorius did they couch it in these termes Constrained necessarily by the 〈◊〉 of the Canons and by the letters of our most holie Father and fellowe minister 〈◊〉 we are come not without manie teares to pronounce this sad sentence against him And why then when the Legates of the Pope were arriued to the same Councell of Ephesus did they thanke the Bishops of the Councell for hauing shewed themselues true and holy members of the Pope We giue thankes said they to this reuerent Synod that the letters of our most holie and hlessed Pope hauing bene recited to you you haue by your holie and religious voyces shewed your-selues holie members to your holie head for your 〈◊〉 is not ignorant that saint Peter was the head of all the faith and of all the Apostles And againe none doubtes for it hath bene notorious in all ages that the holy and most blessed Peter Prince and head of the Apostles pillar of the faith foundation of the Catholicke Church did receiue from our Lord IESVS CHRIST the 〈◊〉 of the heauenly Kingdome and the power to binde and loose sinnes and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and decides causes yet vnto this daie and for all eternitie by his Successors of 〈◊〉 then the holy Successor and ordinarie Vicar and most blessed Pope and Bishop Celestine hath sent vs for him as his Lieutenant to this holie 〈◊〉 And why then when there was a question to passe from the cause of Nestorius to that of Iohn Patriark of Antioch did IVVENALL Bishop of 〈◊〉 say in presence of the whole Councell that the ancient custome and the Apostolicke tradition haue bene that the Church of 〈◊〉 was to be iudged by the Roman It is fitt said hee that the Right 〈◊〉 Bishop of Antioch Iohn honoring this great holy and 〈◊〉 all Councell should haue recourse hither to iustifie himselfe of what is obiected against him and that he should obey and honor the Apostolicke Throne of great Rome sittinge with vs and with the Apostolicke Throne of Ierusalem before which principallie it is accustomed by Apostolicke tradition and practice that the Seate of Antioch is to be ruled and iudged For that we must referr the laste clause of the period of IVVENALL to the Sea of Rome as 〈◊〉 hath done deceauing himselfe with this that the word to obey gouernes the datiue and not considering that the verbe to honor which is there added changeth the Rule it shall be shewed heereafter by seauē necessarie and vndoubted proofes And why then when the Councell proceeded indeede to the cause of IOHN Patriark of Antioch did they reserue the decision to the Pope Being moued writes the Councell to the Pope with the indignitie of the thing we would pronounce against him and the rest the same sentence that he had vnlawfullie pronounced against those which were conuinced of noe crime but to the end to conquerr his rashnesse with meekenesse although he had most iustlie deserued to suffer such a sentence yet we haue reserued him to the iudgement of thy pietie Which afterward the third oecumenicall Councell of Constantinople did imitate in the cause of Macarius Patriark of Antioch as the Emperor Constantine Pogonat reportes in these wordes Macarius Bishop of Antioch and his adherents haue bene deposed by the consent of the whole Councell and remitted to the discretion of the most holie Pope And why then when HILARIE Bishop of Arles vndertooke to ordaine Prelates in the prouince of Vienna without the Popes leaue did the Emperor Valentinian the third make a lawe which afterward the Emperor Theodosius the second inserted into his new constitutions vnder the title of the lawe of Theodosius and Valentinian by which he forbadd that anie inuocatiō should be made in the Church without the Popes licēce Whereas saith the lawe the merit of Peter who is the Prince of the Episcopall societie and the dignitie of the cittie of Rome and the authoritie of the sacred Synod haue soe establisht the primacie of the Apostolicke Sea as presumption should attempt nothing vnlawfull against the authoritie thereof for soe the peace of Churches shall be maintained by all if the vniuersalitie acknowledge her Rector And a little after Wee decree by a perpetuall ordinance that it shall not be lawfull either for the Bishops of the Gaules or those of other prouinces to attempt anie thing against the ancient custome without the authoritie of the Reuerend Pope of the eternall cittie but to them and to all those things shall be lawes which haue bene ordained or shall be ordained by the authoritie of the Apostolicke Sea in such sort as whatsoeuer Bishop being called to the iudgement of the Pope of Rome shall neglect to present himselfe he shall be constrained by the Gouernor of the prouince to appeare For to obiect that Prosper for all this attempt did call HILARIE Bishop of Arles a Saint it had bene somewhat if betweene HILARIES attempt and his death there had bene noe penance interposed but soe farr was HILARIE from persisting in this crime to the end of his daies that he went himselfe to make personall satisfaction to the Pope He vndertooke saith the author of his life reported by Cuias a iourney to ` Rome on foote and entred into the
to saie for the celebration of Prouinciall and nationall Synods for the correctiō of minor and particular causes for the confirmation either mediate or immediate of the Bishops of the same prouinces addeth for as much as this also is accustomed to the Bishop of Rome it is certaine that the intention of the coūcell was not by that to square the Bishop of Alexandria by him of Rome in things that wét beyond the limitts and authoritie of Patriarchall iurisdictiō and concerned the iurisdictiō of the head of the Church and the gouernment of the vniuersall societie but in those things onely that were withim the boūdes and within the facultie of Patriarchall iurisdiction No more then when they measured the power that the other Prefects of the Empire had within the cōpasse of their prouinces by the power that the prefects of the cittie of Rome had within the prouinces of his Prefecture they pretēded not by that that in matters that wen forth by appeale from the other prouinces the cittie Prefecte as head of the Senate and Vicar to the Prince was not Superior to all the others nor that whē in a nationall Councell they square out the power that the Archbishops haue ouer the Bishops of their prouinces to the modell of that which the Primate of the natiōs hath as particular Archbishop ouer the Bishops of his quarter they pretēd not by that that in things which goe beyōd the iurisdictiō of the prouinces regard the generall interest of the natiō the Primat should not be superior to the other Archbishops nor finallie whē in a regiment of men of warre they measure the power that euery particular Captaine hath to commaund his company by the paterne and modell that the Campe-Master of the Regimēt hath ouer his they intend not by that in things which are not in the particular comaund of euerie companie but haue regard to the order the disposition and gouernemēt of the Regiment in generall the Campe-Master should not be superiour to all the other captaines For both before the Councell of Nicea when the Church-men of Alexandria would accuse Dionisius the Patriarke of Alexandria their Bishop who was the first Patriarke of the Church after the Pope they transported themselues saith Athanasius to Rome accused him before Dionisius Bishop of Rome presently after the Councell of Nicea when the councell of Antioch Sea of the third Patriarkeship had bene celebrated it was argued of nullitie because saith SOCRATES the Ecclesiasticall law forbad to rule the Churches whithout the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And when the same Councell of Antioch the other councells of the East had deposed S. ATHANAS Patriarke of Alexandria and Marcellus Primate of Ancyra in Galatia and Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina a cittie of the Patriarkeship of Antioch The Bishop of Rome saith Sozomene restored them euerie one to his Church because to him for the dignitie of his Sea appertained the care of all things And when the Councell of Sardica within twentie yeare of that of Nicea and holden for the Confirmation of that of Nicea and composed of the like or a greater number of Bishops thē that of Nicea and at which assisted the same Osius Bishop of Corduba the same saint A THANASIVS then Patriarke of Alexandria the same Protogenes Bishop of Sardica which had assisted at that of Nicea proceeded to the direction of ecclesiasticall causes it did not onely authorize the appeales from the Bishops of all the Earth to the Pope but also declared that it was a very good and conuenient thing that from all the Prouinces the Bishops should referre the affaires to their head that is to saie to the Sea of the Apostle PETER And whē the Councell of Capua which the third Councell of Carthage calls a generall councell deputed Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria because of the neighbourhood of his Patriarkship to examine the cause of Flauianus Patriarke of Antioch saint AMBROSE writ to him that after he had iudged it he must get the Pope to confirme his iudgement And when the generall councell of Ephesus passed to the cause of Iohn Patriarke of Antioch Iuuenall Bishop of Ierusalē said that the ancient custome bare that the Church of Antioch was alwaies gouerned by the Roman and the councell in the Bodie of it remitted the iudgement of the Patriarke of Antioch to the Pope And when Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria had in the false Councell of Ephesus condemned and deposed Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople Flauianus appealed frō him to the Pope and that saith the Emperor Valentinian following the custome of the Councells And when the Councell of Chalcedon disanulled the false Councell of Ephesus it was voted by Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople that of all the acts of that councell none should remaine in force except the creation of Maximus Patriarke of Antioch because the Pope hauing receiued him into his cōmunion had iudged that he should gouerne the Church of Antioch whē Theodoret Bishop of Cyre neighbour to Persia and one of the Subiects of the Patriarkship of Antioch who had bene deposed by the same coūcell of Ephesus had frō it appealed to the Pope presented himselfe at the coūcell of Chalcedon the senators to cause order to be obserued there commaunded he should come in for as much as the Pope had restored him to his Bishopricke And when the Popes Legates bare the first word in the Councell not onely they intitled the Pope the head of all the Churches but also when the Fathers of the councell in their Bodie sent their Relation to the Pope they intreated him as the head of the vniuersall Church Thou hast guided vs said they by the legats as the head doth the members And againe As in this which is for the 〈◊〉 we haue brought correspondencie to our head so thy Soueraigntie may fulfill in the behalfe of thie Children that which concernes decencie and they treated Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria as ghostly vassall to the Pope 〈◊〉 said they hath extended his felonie euen against him to whom the 〈◊〉 of the Vine hath by our Sauiour bene committed that is to saie against thy Holynesse Euident and manifest arguments that the Pope had two qualities distinct the one of Patriarke of the West and the other of Soueraigne Vicar of Christ and head of the vniuersall Church and that when the other Patriarkes were compared to him it was in qualitie of Patriarke of the West and not in the quality of Soueraigne Vicar of Christ and head of the vniuersall Church The second Solution is that the Councell of Nicea speakes of the Bishop of Alexandria with restriction and of the Pope without restriction from whence it is that the Senators assisting at the Councell of Chalcedon to cause order to be obserued there after they had heard the lecture of the sixth Canon of the Councell of
that he would haue brought vnder the Patriarkships of Alexandria and of Antioch from whence it is that the same Pope Leo reproached it to him that he had packed this decree not simplie to exalte his ranke but to increase his power This thy fault said hee which to augment thy power thou 〈◊〉 committed as thou saist by the exhortation of others thy charitie had better and more sincerely blotted out if thou hadst not imputed that which could not be attempted without thy will to the onely Councells of thy Clergie And elsewhere After the vicious beginnings of thy promotion after the ordination of the Bishop of Antioch which against the rules of the Canons thou hast attributed to thy self I am greeued that thy dilection hath fallen so farre as to insringe the holy Constitutions of the canons of Nicea as if thou hadst watched a time for thy purpose wherein the Sea of Alexandria was fallen from the priuiledge of the second honor and wherein the Church of Antioch had lost the proprietie of the third dignitie to the end that those places being subiected to thy iurisdiction all the Metropolitans might be depriued of their proper honor And was it not vnder this pretence that the Patriarkes of Constantinople attributed to themselues the appeales from other Patriarkes That which was defined saith Balsamon in the Councell of Sardica for the Pope concerning appeales ought also to be extended to the Patriarke of Constantinople for asmuch as hee hath bene by diuers canons meaning the canon of the Councell of Chalcedon and that of the Councell Trullian honored in the same sort as the Pope And againe This priuiledge belonges not to the Pope alone that euerie Bishop being condemned should haue recourse to the Sea of Rome but it ought also to be vnderstood of the Patriarke of Constantinople And Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica the twentie eight canon of the Councell of Chalcedon and the thirtie sixth of the sixth Councell honoring the Sea of Constantinople with the same priuiledges with that of Rome grant also manifestly the appeales to that of Constantinople And in briefe was it not vnder this very pretence that when Gregorie Patriarke of Antioch had appealed to the Emperor and to the Councell from the persecutions of the Gouernors of Syria John Patriarke of Constantinople presumed to call a generali Councell of the Church of the East and to assigne the other Patriarkes and Metropolitans of the Empire of the East to be there and there to iudge with them the cause of Gregorie and there to intitle himself vniuersall Bishop Now is not this to protest that before that Constantinople was erected into the title of second Rome and that the Councells of Constantinople and Chalcedon had made this pretended extension of the priuiledges of the Bishop of Rome to him of Constantinople the vniuersall primacie and superintendencie of the Church belonged to the Pope For to say that at least it appeares from these words of the Councell of Chalcedon The Fathers did iustlie exhibit the priuiledges to the Sea of the ancient Rome for asmuch as that cittie had the Empire and the hundred and fiftie Religious Fathers moued with the same consideration 〈◊〉 attributed equall priuiledges to the holy Sea of the Cittie of 〈◊〉 That the cause wherefore the Fathers which had preceded the first Councell of 〈◊〉 had giuen the primacie to the Pope was not the Succession of saint PETER but the dignitie of the cittie of Rome besides that heere the question is not of right but of possession nor of 〈◊〉 the cause wherefore the Fathers which liued before the first Councell of 〈◊〉 had granted the primacie to the Pope but to knowe whether indeede they had graunted it him when the Bishop of the Councell of Chalcedon said that the primacie had bene exhibited to the Church of Rome because the cittie of Rome was the Seat of the Empire they intended not that the dignitie of the cittie of Rome had bene the next conioyned and immediate cause of the primacie of the Bishop of Rome but the cause antecedent obiectiue and remote contrarywise the next and conioyned cause of the primacie of the Church of Rome they acknowledged to be the Succession of saint PETER as it appeares both by the title that they gaue to the Popes Epistle calling it the sermon of the Sea of saint PETER and by the protestation that they made that the Popes primacie was of diuine right and instituted by the proper mouth of our Lord when they said speaking of Dioscorus He hath extended his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against him to whom the guarde of the vine was committed by our 〈◊〉 But the cause of the cause that is to saie the cause that moued saint PETER head of the Apostles to place and settle his Sea at Rome rather then in an other place they pretended to haue bene the dignitie of the Cittie By meanes whereof these two causes were not exclusiue but inclusiue one to the other As also the lawe of the Emperors 〈◊〉 Valentinian made six yeare before the Coūcell of Chalcedon comoynes them in these wordes Three things haue established the primacie of the Sea Apostolicke the Merit of saint Peter who is the Prince of the Episcopall 〈◊〉 the dignitie of the Cittie and the Synodicall authoritie And to this there is no repugnancie in that which the Fathers of the same Councell argued also of the dignitie of the cittie of Constantinople and they alleadged that it was second Rome to inferr from thence the second place to the Bishop of Constantinople for they grounded not their instance simplie vpon the temporall dignitie of the cittie of Constantinople which was saith saint AVSTINE daughter to the cittie of Rome but also vpon the spirituall dignitie of the Church of Constantinople which was daughter to the Church of Rome forasmuch as a part of the Clergie of Rome were transferr'd to Constantinople with the other Roman inhabi tants when one of the halues of the Empire was transported thither that is to saie they did not leane onely vpon this that the Cittie of Constantinople was an other Seate of the Empire but vpon this that the Church of Constantinople was a Swarme and a collonie of the Church of Rome and the Episcopall Sea of Constantinople a member and part of the Sea Episcopall of Rome or rather one and the same Sea Episcopall and one and the same Throne of saint PETER with that of Rome as Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople protesteth to Pope Hormisdas in these words I esteeme the Church of your ancient and this new Rome to be one self-same Church and I make account that that Sea of saint Peter and this of this Imperiall cittie is one selfe same 〈◊〉 And as it seemes the title of the lawe of the Emperor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it when he calls the Sea of Constantinople the Sea 〈◊〉 and Zonarus when he saith that in the tyme
causes of Bishops could not be determined till first the decision had bene made at Rome And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Sacerdot all lawe required that those things which were constituted without the Bishop of Romes sentence should be annulled Neuerthelesse for as much as Caluin obiectes that if this cause had belonged to the Popes Ordinary iurisdictiō he ought not to haue iudged it by the Emperors commission it is necessarie to cleere it To this obiection then before wee 〈◊〉 the matter to the bottom wee will answere in forme of a prologue fiue thinges first that it was not a commission except in regard of the three Assessors of the Gaules that the Emperor named to content the importunitie of the Donatists to the end that they might serue for 〈◊〉 warrants of the sinceritie of the proceedings of the Councell of Rome but a remittmēt as it appeares both by the Emperors confessiō who avowed that it belōged not to him to examin this cause by the electiō that the Pope made of fifteene other Bishops that he tooke for his assistāts besides those that the Emperor had nominated And therefore although S. AVG. in regard of the Donatists intētiō sometimes calls this remittmēta delegation neuerthelesse hee sheweth sufficientlie that it was rather a relegation then a delegation when he notes that the reason wherefore the Emperor did it was for as much as he durst not iudge the cause of a Bishop Your Superiors said he to the Donatists first brought the cause of Cecilianus to the Emperor Constantine And a little after But because 〈◊〉 durst not iudge the cause of a Bishop hee delegated the examination and 〈◊〉 thereof to Bishops I add that hee vsed this language by Synecdoche and referringe the word delegation to the Iudges of the Gaules onelie that were deputed to assist at the Councell of Rome and not to all the Councell of Rome as hee witnesseth elsewhere by these wordes The Emperor gaue to the Donatists the Iudges that themselues had demaunded that is to 〈◊〉 the Iudges of the Gaules And againe Donatus was heard at Rome by the Iudges that himself had demaunded For of the ninteene Bishops of the Councell of Rome there were but three of the qualitie of those that Donatus had demaunded Donatus had demaunded but three but saint AUSTIN extendes this clause by Synecdoche to all the Coūcell for as much as the three Iudges demaunded by Donatus had iudged in Common with all the Councell and were found soe conformable to the rest as the iudgement of the Councell which passed all with one voice and without anie diuersitie of opinions and theirs was one selfe same thing The second answere is that Constantine did not interpose his authoritie in this affaire as Maister by himself of the cause but as an Arbiter sought by the Donatists and assuringe himself as a Catholicke that he should be avowed by the Catholicks This Matter saith saint AVGVSTIN belonged greatly to the Emperors care whereof he ought to giue an accompt to God for the Donatists had made him arbiter and iudge of the cause of the tradition and of the Schisme From whence it appeares that the Emperors interposition in this cause was a matter of fact and not of right and whose example cannot be alleadged for a paterne of the ancient discipline of the Church The third that it was not a controuersie questioned amongst the Catholicks and according to the ordinarie lawes of the Church but a Sute commenced by the heretickes against the Catholicks and by waies extraordinarie to all the lawes and formes of the Church For the Donatists had alreadie broken the bond of vnitie and shaken off the yoake of the Churches authoritie They were saith saint AVGVSTIN alreadie culpable of the Schisme and alreadie stained with the horrible crime of the 〈◊〉 of Altar against Altar By meanes whereof there being noe iudge common betweene them and the Catholicks in the Church there remained nothing for them to doe but to haue recourse to the Arbitrements of the secular powers whose examples could noe more be drawne into consequence against the ordininarie authoritie of the Christian Church then the iudgment that Ptolomeus Philometor king of Egipt gaue betweene the Iewes and the Samaritans could forme a president against the ordinarie authoritie of the high priest and of the Sacerdotall colledge of the Iewish Church The fowrth that the cause questioned in this processe was not a cause of right and that should be proued by ecclesiasticall meanes such as the testimonies of Scripture or the traditions of the Apostles or the Custome of the Church or the sentences of the Fathers but a question of fact and whereof the hypothesis was mingled with accessories that belonged not to the causes of the Church and could not be examined by ecclesiasticall meanes onelie but must be iustified by human and secular meanes as the confronting of witnesses the acts of Notaries yea Pagan and heathen ones the Recordes of Clerkes and euen the applications of questions and corporall tortures For the accusation of the Donatists was principallie grounded vpon the framing of a false letter that they had forged against Felix Bishop of Aptunge for the examination whereof there must be a secular and proconsulary iudgement interposed betweene the ecclesiasticall iudgements that is to saie betweene the Councell of Rome and that of Arles to conuince the forgers of the falshood by the application of rackes and tortures Wee haue vndertaken saith saint AVSTIN the defence of the cause of Cecilianus although it belong not to the cause of the Churche that we may make their calumnies appeare euen in that And againe speaking of the torture which was offered to the scriuener Ingentius or Uigentius to make him confesse whether he had falsified the letter of the Aedile Alfius Cecilianus to Felix Bishop of Aptunge The Proconsull said hee amongst the fearefull cries of the vshers and the bloudy hands of the hangmen would not haue condemned a Colleague of his being absent And the fifth that all the actes that the Donatists extorted from the Emperor in this 〈◊〉 hee protested them to be soe manie irregularities and nullities and so manie vnlawfull enterprises vniust and extraordinarie wherein he suffered himself to be constrained against his will to giue waie to the passion and malice of the Donatists and in yeilding to them to assaie to reduce them to the peace and vnitie of the Church and he was soe 〈◊〉 from desiring to haue the example thereof serue for a lawe to the Bishops as contrarywise he promised to aske the Bishops pardon the historie is this The Donatists hauing accused Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage of treason or communication with traytors that is to saie with those that had deliuered the holie Bookes and the sacred Vessells to be put into the fier in the persecution tyme yea euen to haue bene ordained by a traytor soe did they intitle Felix
rest For how dost not thou denie the future perfection of these prophecies thou that fearest not to denie soe great in 〈◊〉 to which the perfection is due And in an other place Although there are manie kindes of heresies amongst Christians and that all would 〈◊〉 to be Catholickes and call the rest except themselue heretickes there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church if you cast your eyes ouer the whole worlde more aboundant in multitude and as those that know themselues to be of it affirme more sincere in truth then all the rest but of the truth that is an other question That which sufficeth for this dispute is that there is one Catholicke Church to which different heresies impose different names they beinge neuerthelesse all called by their particular 〈◊〉 that they dare not disauowe from whence it appeares in the iudgement of arbiters not possessed with fauour to whom the name of Catholicke whereof they are all ambitious ought to be attributed By which wordes S. AVG. elegantly declares that the Church was not called Catholicke because she was actually and at one selfe same tyme ouer all Natiōs but for this cause amongst others that in multitude of people and in extent of nations she exceeded each one of other Christian societies Of the comparison of the Church with the Cittie builte vpon a Mountaine CHAP. XX. The continuance of the Kinges answere FOr heretofore the Catholicke Church like the Cittie built vpon a Mountaine which could not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was not way subiect to be called in question but was euident and certaine to all in such 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 noe bodie of an vndistracted spirit could doubt of it THE REPLIE IT seemes that the excellent King holdes this word that cannot be hidden to haue reference onely to the Cittie built vpon a Mountaine and will not haue it belong to the Church but by accident that is when she resēbles the 〈◊〉 builte vpon a Mountaine That is to say it seemes that his Maiestie vnderstandes not that this condition to be like a cittie built vpon a Mountaine and by consequent not to be hidden belongs perpetually to the Church but will haue it that the Church sometymes enioyes this condition as when Saint AVGVSTINE writ and sometymes is depriued of it as afterwardes Neuertelesse Saint AVGVSTINE who is the best interpreter that can be of his owne wordes saith that the Church hath this most certaine marke that she cannot be hidd And againe that of her it is said The cittie built vpon the Mountaine cannot bee hidd From whence it appeareth that this Epithete of beeing vnconcealeable belongs not by accidēt to the Church when she shall be found like the cittie built vpon a hill but appartaines to her properly directly and perpetually For where his Maiestie adds that the Church was then soe manifest as noe man in his right wittes could doubt of her that was true and soe is she still at this day in regarde of all those that agree vpon the true markes of the Church that is to saie in regarde of those that accordinge to Gods promises designe the Catholicke Church by the perpetuitie of her continuance and by the eminencie of multitude and extent ouer nations aboue all other Christian Sectes But to all heretickes and schismatickes who reiected those markes and would receiue noe signe for a note of the Church but onely puritie of manners or triall of doctrine of which they attributed to themselues the iudgement by interpretation of Scripture made accordinge to theire sense the Church was not onely doubtfull but altogether hidden It is saith S. AVG. a condition cōmon to all heretickes not to see that thinge which is in the world the most apparent an t built in the light of all nations out of whose vnitie all that they doe though they seeme to doe it with great care cannoe more warrant them from the wrath of God then the spiders webbs against the extremity of colde Of the conformitie or inconformitie of the Donatists and Protestantes in the question of the Church CHAPT XXI The continuance of the kinges answere FOR she vvas not shutt vp in anie corner of the vvorld liyng I knowe not vvhere in the South as the foolish Donatistes affirmed but she vvas spread in leught and breadth ouer all the space of the Earth THE REPLIE THE Donatistes held not that theire Church was inclosed by right and for euer into Africa but onely in fact and for a certaine tyme noe more then the Caluinistes who haue pretended that the true visible Church had bene reduced for manie ages into the Prouince of Albigeois and other boundes and afterward in some valleys of Dolphiny And yet the Donatistes did not make this confession with theire good will but in theire owne defence by constraint Contrarywise they attempted with all theire power to shewe that theire Church was not restrained onely into Africa For this cause they kept a Bishop at Rome whom they had sent to a fewe African Donatistes that dwelt there They had plented a pretended Church in Spanie in the territory of a Lady called Lucilla that fauored them They had made the false Actes of the mock Councell of the Arrians holden at Philipopolis neere Sardica to passe current insteede of the true Councell of Sardica because in the letters of those Bishops amongst the names of the Bishops to whom they were addressed theire was the name of Donatus the false Bishop of Carthage one of the Bishops of the Donatistes party thereby to make it credible that the Councell of Sardica had communicated with them yea when they entered into conference with the Catholickes they grewe to be soe impudent but that it was confounded at the instant as to maintaine that theire communion was spread ouer all the earth Heere first saith Saint AVGVSTINE speaking of the conference that he had with Fortunius the Donatist did he attemps to 〈◊〉 that his Communion was ouer the extent of the earth I asked him there 〈◊〉 whether he could addresse cōmunicatorie letters which we call formall whither I 〈◊〉 appoint and I affirmed as it was manifest to all that by this meanes the 〈◊〉 might be easilie determined c. but because the thinge was euidently false 〈◊〉 out of this discourse by confusion of 〈◊〉 And finally when they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the visible 〈◊〉 of the Church they had recourse to the 〈◊〉 vniuersality and said they communicated inuisibly with all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hidden members of Christ which were spread ouer all the world for it is against them that saint AVG. disputes when he writes It 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that God hath other sheepe which I know not but God 〈◊〉 care of them he is too absurde in humane sense that imagins such things By 〈◊〉 whereof theire cause who haue separated them-selues from vs in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ages can be noe waie distinguished in the point of the Church from that of the Donatistes Of the extent of the ancient Catholicke Church
is deriued And in vertue of what power did he solicite Pope STEPHEN to write letters to the Gaules whereby he should depose Martian Bishop of Arles Thou shouldest saith he write letters into the prouince and to the people inhibiting in Arles by which Martian being deposed an other might be substituted in his place And why then when the same Saint CYPRIAN and the councell of Africa had embraced the error of rebaptising heretickes which since the Donatistes haue conuerted into an heresie did Saint VINCENTIVS 〈◊〉 say then Pope Stephen of happie memorie prelate of the Apostolicke Sea with 〈◊〉 before his other colleagues resisted it esteeming it a thing worthie of him to surpasse all others as well in deuotion of faith as he surmounted them by aucthoritie of place For as for the angrie words that Saint CYPRIAN lett slip against Pope STEPHEN which Saint AVSTIN iudges vnworthie to be reported they shall be spoken of hereafter And why then the same Pope STEPHEN had depriued of his communion Firmilianus Arch-Bishop of Cappadocia and the other Bishops of the Religions of Cappadocia Cilicia and Galatia for the same error of S. CYPRIAN but more obstinately defended did Firmilianus amongst his other wordes of fury which bare with them their owne confutation that he spued vp against the Pope reproch to him that he was soe senselesse he that boasted soe much of the place of his Bishops Sea and gloried that he had the succession of Peter vpon which the foundation of the Church had bene established as to introduce many other Peters and to cōstitute a plurality of Churches I am angrie said he not without cause with soe manifest and euident a follie in Stephen that he that glorifies himselfe soe much for the place of his Bishops Sea and maintaines that he hath the succession of Peter vpon which the foundation of the Church hath bene sett hath introduced manie other Peters and constituted new buildings of manie Churches in sustaining by his authoritie that baptisme is amongst heretickes And why then when DIONISIVS Patriarch of Alexandria had seene that Pope STEPHEN had shut the gate of his communion from Firmilianus and the other Bishops of Cappadocia Cilicia Galatia and the other neighbouring nations did he write to him letters of intercession and of intreaty vpon this subiect I writt to him said hee beseeching him for them all or praying him concerning all these things For as for that that Saint BASILL Archbishop of 〈◊〉 in Cappadocia omitted not to reckon Firmilianus amongst his Catholicke Predecessors notwithstanding his staine it was because he repented afterwardes as Saint AVGVSTINE witnesseth in these wordes Those of the East that had held the opinion of Ciprian corrected their iudgement And Saint IEROM in these Finally the Bishops themselues that had conceaued with Cyprian that heretickes should be rebaptised returning to their ancient custome published a newe decree saying what doe wee soe to them and to vs their Elders and ours haue giuen it by traditiō And why then whē the same DIONISIVS Patriark of Alexandria was fallen into suspition of heresie did the Catholickes of Alexandria in steed of hauing recourse to the Synodes of their prouinces come to accuse him at Rome before DIONISIVS Bishop of Rome They went vp said saint ATHANASIVS to Rome to accuse him before the Bishop of Rome being of his owne name And a while after And the Bishop of Rome the translator hath falsely reported the surname to that of Alexandria sent to Dionisius that he should cleere himselfe from those things whereof they had accused him and suddenly he answered and sent his bookes of defence and apologie And in an other place Some hauing accused the Bishop of Alexandria before the Bishop of Rome to holde the Sonne for a creature and not consubstantiall with the Father The Synod of Rome that is to say the consistory of Rome compounded of the Bishops neighbouring vpon the 〈◊〉 of Rome without whom the Pope iudged nothing of importance and of the principall Church men of Rome was offended with him and the Bishop of Rome writt to him the opinion of all the assistants and he iustifying himselfe addressed to him a booke of defence and apologie And why then when the councell of ANTIOCHE twice called from the prouinces of Pontus Capadocia Cyria Cilicia Lycaonia Palestina Arabia and from all the other Prouinces of the East had deposed Paulus Samosatenus Patriarke of Antioche and substituted Domnus in his steede And that Paulus would not quitt the possession of the Church did the Emperor Aurelian though a Pagan ordaine And that saith EVSEBIVS verie fitlie that it should be deliuered to him whome the Bishops of Italie and of Rome that is the Bishops of Italie assembled with the Pope should direct it to by writing For for what cause should EVSEBIVS who was one of the Bishops of the Patriarkship of Antioche and besides as an 〈◊〉 not well affected to the Roman Church and this word verie 〈◊〉 but to shewe that the Emperor had in this action followed the order of the church and that it was a thing fitt for the Ecclesiasticall lawes that the 〈◊〉 of Rome should iudge the affaires of the East euen after the 〈◊〉 of the East and synodes compounded of a farr greater mumber of Bishops and Prouinces When Paule saith EVSEBIVS would not quit the 〈◊〉 of the Church the Emperor Aurelian being called to this businesse ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it should be deliuered to him to whom the Bishops of Italie and of Rome of the same lawe should write backe And the Greeke manuscript of the 〈◊〉 of the councells kept in the priuate library of the most Christian kinge The Emperor Aurelian although a Pagan sent backe the question of Paul to the Bishop of Rome and to those that were by him that when they had examined whether he were iustlie deposed he might be dispossessed of the Church And Zonaras and after him Balsomon not onely Grecians but schismatickes The Emperor Aurelian enioyned the Bishop of Rome and the Bishops that were with him to examine those things wherewith ` Paul was charged and if he were iustly deposed to cast him out of the Church of the Christians Which alsoe since the 〈◊〉 councell of Ephesus did imitate when it reserued as shall appeare hereafter the iudgement of Iohn Patriarck of Antioche to the Pope and that Iuuenall Bishop of Ierusalem saied that the ancient custome and the 〈◊〉 tradition bare that the Church of Antioche was alwaies to be ruled by the Roman And after the councell of Ephesus the sixth oecumenicall councell of Constantinople when they sent backe the cause of Macarius Patriarck of Antioch to the Pope And why then when the Arrians held their false councell at Antioch 1270. yeares agone did Socrates an ancient Greeke author of 1200 yeares standing write IVLIVS Bishop of Great Rome was not there nor sent he anie in his steede
reuerence to the Apostolicke sea it shall turne you to great honor And a while after But what neede was there to exact from me the deposition of Timothy since hee was longe since deposed here with his Master Apollinarius by the iudgement of the Apostolicke sea and in the presence of Peter Bishop of Alexandria For whereas the demaund of this confirmation is not to be found in the Epistle of the councell of Constantinople reported by THEODORET it is because that Epistle is not the letter of the coūcell of the one hundred and fiftie Fathers but of an other councell celebrated the yeare following at Constantinople by some of the same Fathers either called backe againe as THEODORET pretends or remayning of the former councell as it appeares by the tenor of that letter And why then when the same councell had confirmed the election that the Syrians had made of Flauianus insteede of Miletius competitor of Paulinus to the Patriarkshipp of Antioch and had reunited in Flauianus person both their Rightes did the Pope call the cause to Rome before a councel that hee assembled there and by his letters accompained with those of the Emperor GRATIAN sent for the councell of Constantinople which had confirmed this election to cause them to come and put it againe to triall at Rome and gaue assignation to both parties to appeare there whereof one to witt Paulinus appeared but Flauianus distrusting the equitie of his cause had recourse to excuses and delaies The Ecclestasticall necessitie saith saint IEROM drew me to Rome with the holie Bishops PAVLINVS and EPIPHANIVS whereof the one gouerned the Church of Antioch in Syria and the other the Church of Salamina in Cypres And againe When the Emperiall letters had drawne to Rome the Bishops of the East and west Paul sawe there the admirable men and Bishops of Christ Paulinus Bishop of Antioch and Epiphanius Bishop of Salamina in Cypres And Sozomene the Bishop of Rome said he and all the westerne Praelates bare the ordination of Flauianus verie impatiently And a little after And therefore because it should be 〈◊〉 they together with the Emperor 〈◊〉 writt and called the Bishops of the East into the west And the same Fathers of the councell of Constantinople excusing themselues to the Pope and the councell of Rome that they could not come to Rome moued said they with brotherly charitie you haue called vs as your members by the letters of the most religious Emperor c. But besides that our Churches but a while before beginning to be restored if we should haue done this had bene 〈◊〉 abandoned it was a thing which many of vs could noe way put in execution for asmuch as we trauelled to Constantinople vpon the letters of your Reuerence sent the last yeare after the councell of Aquilea to the most religious Emperor Theodosius hauing prepared vs for none but that onely yourney of Constantinople and hauing gotten the consent of the Bishops remayning in the Prouinces for none but that And towardes the end of the Epistle speaking of PAVLINVS whom they belieued Pope DAMASVS fauored as hauing bene created Patriarcke of Antioch by Lucifer Legate to the Pope LIBERIVS his predecessor we 〈◊〉 you not to preferr the fauour or friendship to one particular man before the edification of the Churches that by this meanes the Doctrine of saith and Christian Charitie being confirmed amongst vs that is to saie of those of the East amongst themselues we may ceasse to haue in our mouthes these wordes condemned by the Apostle I am of Paule and I of Apollo and I of 〈◊〉 that is to saie we should cease from saying I am a Miletian I am a Paulinist I am an Appolinarist For that it is which those signifie I am of Paul I am of Apollo I am of Cephas which doe not designe as our aduersaries pretend the Pope and the Bishops of the Empire of the hast but the three factions whereinto the Churches of the Easterne Asia had bene deuided and rent vnder Paulinus Miletius and Appollinarius And indeede how could those of the East meane by those wordes amongst 〈◊〉 the Pope and themselues they that were soe tied in communion to the Pope as they had not bene restored to their seates as Theodoret said but euen nowe but vnder condition to communicate with the pope but that is so cleere as it needes noe proofe let vs goe on And why then when the euasions of Flauianus who withdrew himselfe because he knew he had bene ordered against the oath made betweene Miletius his predecessor and Paulinus that the longest liuer of them two should remaine the sole Patriarck had bene discouered and that the complaintes thereof were arriued to the Emperor THEODOSIVS then only Emperor who resided at Constantinople did the Emperor make him come from Antioch to Constantinople and pressed him to goe to Rome euen after the departure of the councell of Rome The Emperor said THEODORET often called vpon made Flauianus come to Constantinople and commaunded him to trauaile to Rome but Flauianus answering it was winter and promisinge to performe his commaund in the returne of the Spring returned into his countrie And a while after the Emperor hauing againe made him come to him againe commaunded him to transport himselfe to Rome For that THEODORET Suffragan of the Patriarkship of Antioch and creature to one of Flauianus successors adds that the Emperor touched with the second answere of Flauianus sent him backe to his prouince and tooke vpon him protection of his cause is a testimonie that hath more relation to fauour then to truth as it appeares by these wordes of saint AMBROSE written after the councell of Capua which was holden vnder Pope SIRICIVS Successor to DAMASVS Flauianus hath cause to feare and therefore he flies a triall And againe one onely Flauianus not subiect to lawes as it seemes to him appeares not when we are all assembled And a while after Flauianus only is exempted as he pretendes from the conditions of the Sacerdotall Colledge who will neither exhibite his presence to the Sacerdotall assemblie nor to the imperiall decrees And why then when Paulinus was dead and that Euagrius was substituted in his steed did the same councell of Capua which the third Councell of Carthage calls an vniuersall councell and that S. AMBROSE describes as assembled from an infinite mumber of Prouinces continue the first proceeding of the Pope and seeing that Euagrius had appeared and that Flauianus perseuered in his contempt delegated THEOPHILVS Bishop of Alexandria whose Patriarkship bordered vpon that of Antioch to examin it The sacred Synod saith saint AMBROSE in his Epistle to Theophilus hauing committed the right of examining this affaire to your vnanimitie and to our other colleagues of Egipt it is necessarie that you cite againe our brother Flauianus And why then when the councell of Capua had giuen this commission to THEOPHILVS Patriarke
that Pope INNOCENT aduertised of his death excommunicated the Emperor 〈◊〉 and the Empresse Eudoxia in these wordes And therefore I the 〈◊〉 and a sinner as depositary or Keeper of the Throne of the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 off thee and her from the participation of the immaculate mysteries of Christ our God and ordaine that whtasoeuer Bishop or Clarke of the holy Church of God which shall presume to administer them to you after he hath read this 〈◊〉 shall be deposed For whereas Socrates and after him Prosper and 〈◊〉 Comes reckon the Death of the Empresse Eudoxia to be manie 〈◊〉 before the death of saint CHRISOSTOME which is peraduenture the cause that moued Photius to saie that this George mistakes himselfe in some places of the history this is an Error in Socrates a Nouatian author and an Enemie to saint CHRYSOSTOMES memorie who in steede of saying as Cedrenus Zonarus Nicephorus and all the later grecians saie that Eudoxia dyed three monthes after the death of saint Chrysostome and vnder the seauenth consulship of Honorius and the second of Theodosius hath said that she died three monthes after the exile of S. Chrysostome and vnder the consulship of Honorius and Aristenetus perchance deceiued by the ambiguity of the greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies sometymes death sometymes goeinge out whereof it is credible they frō whom he tooke his history had made vse The proofe of the error is that Sozimus a pagan author who writt aboue 30. yeare before Socratcs and was eye witnesse of this history which Socrates was not extendes the life of Eudoxia many yeares beyond the banishment of S. Chrysostome For he saith plainely that the reuolt of the Isaureans was after the banishment of Iohn and that vpon the newes that came to Constantinople of their reuolt the Emperor sent Arzabacius with an armie into Pamphilia to suppresse them who hauing had many victories and prosperous successes against them might haue wholly rooted thē out had not Arzabacius degenerated from his first vigor and giuen himselfe vp to pleasures and couetousnesse for which cause he was called backe to Constantinople to vndergoe a capitall iudgement but being returned to the Court he gaue parte of his spoyles to the Empresse who saued him Nowe besides that it was impossible that all these things should happen in three monthes and moreouer that S. Chrysostome testifies that during his staie in Cucusus where he spent the first yeare of his exile the Isaurians had not yet bene suppressed by the Romans Marcellinus Comes setts downe precisely the departure of Arzabacius against the Isaurians to be the yeare after the cōsulship of Honorius and Aristenetus to witt vnder the cōsulship of Stilicon Anthemius a thing wholy incompatible with what Socrates and himselfe saie that the Empresse dyed the yeare of the consulship of Honorius and Aristenetus For how could the Empresse saue Arzabacius after his returne from the Isaurians warr begun vnder the consulship of Stilicon and Anthemius if she were dead in the consulship of Honorius and Aristenetus which was before that of Stilicō Anthemius And why did not S. Chrysostome himselfe in soe many letters as he writt in his fower yeares banishment make mentiō of the death of Eudoxia that was the cause of it if she were dead 3. monthes after his departure into banishment And how could Palladius who although he extēdes not his history to the tyme of Arcadius his excōmunication neuerthelesse he goes on with it to S. Chrysostoms death haue forgotten to put Eudoxia's death amongst the examples of the persons that dyed for hauing persecuted S. Chrysostom if she had bene dead when he writ his history therefore also the Emperor Leo surnamed the learned Cedrenus Zonarus Nicephorus Glicas all the other later Greekes haue rather chosen to followe Zozimus George of Alexādria their cōputation in Eudoxia's death then that of Socrates but this obseruation deserues a discourse of more leasure lett vs gett ground And why then when the tempest was appeased would the same Innocent neuer receiue Alexander Patriark of Antioch and Atticus Bishop of Constantinople into his communion till they had restored the name of saint Chrysostome into the recordes of their Churches I haue diligentlie inquired saith Pope Innocent writing to Alexander Patriark of Antioch whether the cause of the blessed Bishop Iohn hath bene fully satisfied in all conditions and being informed by those of your legation that all thinges haue bene fully performed according to our desire I haue giuing God thankes admitted the communion of your Church And a little after As for the letters of the Bishop Atticus because they were ioyned with yours I haue receiued them least the refusall of a man longe agoe suspended by vs might be an iniurie to you and yet we haue sussiciently and more then sussiciently ordained in the actes what ought to be obserued in his person And why doth THEODORET say Iohn being dead those of the west would neuer admitt the communion neither of the Egiptians nor of those of the East nor of the Bishops of Bosphorus and Thrace that is to saie of the iurisdictiō of Constantinople till they had inscribed the name of this admirable personage into the roll of the Bishops his predecessors and they esteemed Arsacius that succeeded him not worthie of a bare salutation And as for Atticus successor of Arsatius after manie legations and treaties for peace they finally receiued him but not vntill he had first added the name of Iohn to the other Bishops For that Theodoret saith this of those of the West and that saint Innocent recites it of himselfe are not thinges repugnant forasmuch that as the Greekes by the word Easterne meant the Patriark of Antioch and the Bishops of his Patriarkship and by the word Egiptians the Patriark of Alexandria and the Bishops of his Patriarkship soe by the word Westerne they vnderstood the Pope and the Bishops of his patriarkship because the Pope neuer decided matters of moment without some assembly either generall or particular of the Bishops of his patriarkship from whence it is that in the same letter of Innocent to Alexander it is added at the end that twenty 〈◊〉 Bishops of Italie haue subscribed to it And why then when the cause of Pelagius and Celestius had bene iudged both in the East where Pelagius was by the Synod of Palestine and in Africa where Celestius had bene by the Councells of Carthage and Mileuis did the Councell of Carthage write this to Pope Innocent This proceeding then our holie Lord and brother we conceiued we ought to represent to your charitie that to the statutes of our mediocritie there might be allso applied the authoritie of the Apostolicke Sea And againe We doubt not but your Reuerence when you shall haue seene the decrees of the Bishops which are said to be made vpon this occasion
Towne without a horse or anie beast of carriage and presented himselfe to Pope Leo reuerentlie offering him obedience and requiring with humilitie that he might ordaine of the estate of the 〈◊〉 after the accustomed manner c. neuerthelesse if it were not his will he would not importune him And againe He applied himselfe wholie to appease the spiritt of Leo with a prostrate humilitie And why then when Eutyches who liued in the tyme of the same Emperors pretended that he had appealed from Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople to Pope Leo did not Flauianus dispute that he could not appeale but that he had not appealed Eutyches saith Pope Leo writing to 〈◊〉 affirmes that in full iudgement he pretended you a request of appeale and it was not receiued by which meanes he was constrained to make acts of protestation in the cittie of Constantinople And Flauianus answering Leo Eutyches said he hath informed you that in the time of iudgement he pretended to vs and to the holy Councell heere assembled libells of appeale and that he appealed to your 〈◊〉 which was neuer done by him And againe Moued then most holie Father with all these attempts of his and with those which haue bene done and are done against vs and against the holy Church doe you worke confidently according to your wonted courage as it belongs to the priesthood and making the common cause and the discipline of the holy Churches your owne vouchsafe to confirme by your writings the condemnation which hath bene regularlie made against him And for what cause did the Councell of Chalcedon embrace the iudgement that the Pope had giuen against Eutyches after the sentence of Flauianus his owne Bishop as giuen by a competent iudge and attributed the finall deposition of Eutyches to the Popes iudgement By the decrees of his tyranny saied the Councell of Chalcedon writing to the Pope and speaking pf the attemptes that Dioscorus had made in the false Councell of Ephesus he hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 innocent and bath restored to him the dignitie whereof he was depriued by your Holynesse And why then when Peter Chrissologus Bishop of 〈◊〉 writt to the same Eutyches the Epistle which is annext to the front of all the Greeke and Latine actes of the Councell of Chalcedon did he saie We exhort thee in these things Reuerend Brother to lend an obedient attention to the letters of the most holy Pope of the cittie of Rome for asmuch as the blessed Peter who liues and rules in his owne Seate exhibits the true faith to those that seeke it for we for the desire we haue of peace and faith cannot heare matters of faith without the consent of the Bishop of Rome And why then when Theodoret Bishop of Tire a towne neere Persia and subiect to the Patriark of Antioch had bene deposed in the false Councell of Ephesus did he appeale to the Pope I attend said Theodoret in his letter to Pope Leo the sentence of your Apostolicke Throne and beseeche your Holynesse to succor me appealing to your right and iust iudgement and commaund that I transport myselfe to you and verifie that my doctrine followes the Apostolicke stepps And for what cause did Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople hauing bene deposed by the same Councell appeale to the same Pope We ought said the Emperor Valentinian the third writing to Theodosius the second Emperor of the East to preserue inuiolable in our daies the dignitie of particular Reuerence to the blessed Apostle Peter that the holy Bishop of Rome to whom antiquitie hath attributed the priesthood aboue all may haue place to iudge in matters of saith and of the Bishops c. for therefore according to the custome of Councells the Bishop of Constantinople had appealed to him in the contention which is risers about points of Faith and Liberatus Archdeacon of Carthage Flauianus saith he the sentence hauing bene pronounced against him appealed to the Apostolicke Sea by petition presented to his Legates For to saie as the Popes aduersaries doe that the actes of the falfe Councell of Ephesus which were read againe in the Councell of Chalcedon onely bare that Flauianus said to Dioscorus I appeale from thee without saying I appeale from thee to the Pope Who knowes not that those actes as it was represented to the Councell of Chalcedon had bene all falsified by Dioscorus who had put in and put out what he listed making the Bishops signe by force to blanckes They haue 〈◊〉 vs violence with woundes said the Bishops of the East to the Councell of Chalcedon we haue signed blanckes And Eusebius Bishop of Dorilaus reporting the same history to the councell of Cbalcedon Dioscorus said hee inserted in the actes things that were neuer spoken and constrained the Bishops to signe to blanckes And besides the exhibition that Flauianus made of his Petition of apppeale to the Popes Legates and the opposition that the Popes Legates made for him against Dioscorus and againste all the Councell as soone as he had appealed and the appeale that Theodoret the neighboring bishop to Persia and companion in Flauianus condemnation putin from the same councell to the Pope resisting and makeing his appeale be iudged of before the Pope doth it not sufficiently manifest that it was to the Pope that Flauianus appealed Moreoner how had Flauianus in saying simplie I appeale from thee made it vnderstood that it was to an oecumenicall councell that he apealed since the councell wherein Dioscorus condemned him tooke alsoe in condemning him the litle of oecumenicall and had bene assembled by the Emperor THEODOSIVS the second in the qualitie of oecumenicall and after confirmed as oecumenicall and that to be truly oecumenicall there wanted nothing of the number and plenitude of Bishops but the only authority of the Pope which was distracted from it by the seperation of his Legats whereof some were fledd and the rest remayned out of their ranke and amongst the presse Contrarywise that all the Patriarkes of the earth and all the principall metropolitans and Bishops of their Patriarkshipps were there and that there wanted of the Patriarkes none but the Pope alone is it not a sufficient proofe that Flauianus saying I appeale and presenting his libell of appeale to the Popes Legates and the Popes Legates protesting at the same tymt an opposition against the sentence from which he appealed that it was to the Pope that he appealed though the Emperor VALENTINIAN had not also said these expresse wordes The Bishop of Constantinople according to the custome of councells hath appealed to the Pope and Liberatus these Flauianus sentence hauing bene pronounced against him appealed to the Sea Apostolick For to obiect that the Pope did not retaine the iudgement of the cause intirely but desired it might be iudged in a generall councell haue wee not already said that the Popes custome after appeales was to doe two things one to iudge of
the cittie of Rome besides that she was head of the Empire of the West a thinge which was common to her with the two other citties of Alexandria and Antioch each in the behalfe of their ancient territorie had yet this condition more aboue the rest that she was also the head of the vniuersall Bodie of the Empire soe the finall and absolute Sea of S. PETER which he constituted at Rome besides the Patriarchall iurisdiction and as correspondent to the Empire of the West in which it agreed with the other Patriarchall Chaires had yet more the degree of head of the Church and Prince of the Patriarkes in which he was superior to the other patriarchall Thrones And when there was question of things that went beyond the Patriarchall iurisdiction that is of greater causes and which concerned the vniuersall Churches as were causes of Faith or of the generall customes of the Church or those of the finall deposition of Bishops or those of iudging the verie persons of the Patriarkes exercised Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction ouer them iudged both of their iudgements of their persons For S. PETER hauing purposed to followe in the distributiō of spirituall iurisdictions the order alreadie established in the distribution of temporall iurisdiction it must followe that the same proportion that was betweene the seate of Rome the seates of the other two Empires in case of politicke secular iurisdictiō must likewise be maintained betweene the Sea of the Bishop of Rome and those of the other Patriarkes in case of Ecclesiasticall spirituall iurisdiction that for two causes the one occasionall remote to witt the secular dignity of the cittie of Rome which had moued S. PETER to sett the spirituall soueraigntie of the Church in that place where alreadie the temporall soueraigntie of the common-wealth was setled the other neere formall immediate to witt the spirituall dignitie of S. PETER for the eminencie whereof it was fitt that he that was the head of the episcopall societie should establish his finall absolute Throne plant the stock of his direct succession in that place where the stocke principall Seate of the human temporall iurisdiction was alreadie planted As the Emperors Theodosius and Valentinian note in these wordes The primacie of the Sea Apostolicke hath bene established both by the merit of Peter who is the Prince of the Episcopall societie and by the dignitie of the cittie and by the sacred authoritie of the Synod Now there was this difference betweene the seate of the cittie of Rome and the seates of the other prefectures in matter of secular temporall iurisdiction that not only the Emperor of the Roman common-wealth commaunded the Prefects and Presidentes of the other Seates but also that the cittie prefect of Rome besides the iurisdiction of his ordinary territorie which was limitted in regarde of iudgement in the first instance to a certaine number of prouinces had yet as head of the Senate and vicar to the Emperor the right of examining by appeale the causes of all the prouinces of the Fmpire For when Augustus and the Emperors following establisht or re-establisht the office of Prefect of the cittie of Rome they gaue him power to iudge of the appeales of all the prouinces of the Roman circle as the interpreter of the notice of the Empire and euen the aduersaries of the Roman Church doe acknowledge alleadging be it well be it euill these words of Mecenas reported in Dion that the Prefect of the cittie shall iudge of the appeales and prouocations of all the Magistrates aboue mentioned And those of Statius addressed to the cittie prefect vnder Domitian Jnque sinum quae saepe tuumfora turbida quaestu Confugiunt legesque vrbesque vbicunque togatae 〈◊〉 longinquis implorant iura querelis And those of an epistle from the Senat to the iudges of Carthage reported by Vopiscus in the tyme of the Emperor Tacitus All appeales shall belong to the cittie Prefect which shall yet proceede from the 〈◊〉 and ordinarie Iudges And these of an other epistle of the Senat to the Iudges of Treues and to the Antiochians Aquileyans Milaneses Alexandrians Thessalonians Corinthians and Athenians The right of appeale hath bene vniuersallie decreed to the Prefecture of the cittie And these of an epistle of Tiberianus The appeales from all the powers and from all the dignities are returned to the cittie Prefect And these from a lawe of Constantine to Iulian the cittie Prefect Wee will not that the iudges from whom the appeale shall remitt the causes to our clemencie but they shall haue recourse to the sacred auditorie of thy grauitie to whom we haue committed our Vicarship which was after abolished by the translation of the appeales to the Pretoriall Prefects from whence wee haue a lawe of Constantius in the Theodosian-Code which ordaines the Prefect of the Pretory of Italie to examine the appeales from Sicily from Sardinia from Calabria from Prussia and from the prouinces now called Lombardy and adds for the cittie Prefect informed by our answere hath bene aduertised to depart from it By meanes whereof as the cittie of Rome besides that she is head of the Empire of the West leaues not to haue dominion ouer the heades of the two other Empires or to reduce the matter into more strict termes as the Prefect of Rome in the first ages of the Empire besides the ordinary iurisdiction that he had ouer the prouinces of his territory yet left not as Vicar to the Emperor and head of the Senat to iudge of the appeales os all other prouinces so the Pope beside the iurisdiction he had in qualitie of Patriark of the West ouer the prouinces of the patriarkship os the West yet lest not as head os the Church and successor of saint PFTFR and principall Vicar of Christ to haue the supereminence and generall superintendence ouer all the other prouinces To the Roman Church saith saint IRENEVS because of a more mightie principalitie that is to saie as hath aboue appeared because of a principalitien ore mightie then the temporall it is necessarie that all Churches should agree And saint CYPRIAN The Roman Church is the Chaire os PEPER and the principall and originall of the Socerdotall vnitie And Sainct Athanasius They haue had noe reuerent esteeme that Rome was the Sea Apostolick and metropolitan of Romania And saint GREGORIE Nazianzene The ancient Rome treads rightlie in the faith houlding all the West bound by the healthfull word as it is conuenient for her to doe that ruleth all the world And sainct IEROM a priest of the Church of Antioch and disciple of S. Gregorie Nazianzene writing to Pope Damasus I know the Church is founded vpon that stone whosoeuer eateth the lambe out of that howse is profane And a little after I know not Vitalis I am ignorant of Miletius I reiect Paulinus whosoeuer gathers not with
thee scatters And S. AVST In the Roman Church hath alwaies 〈◊〉 the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke And Prosper whom saint 〈◊〉 reputes his second selfe and whom Joseph Scalager calls the most learned man of his age The principalitie of the Apostolick priesthood hath made 〈◊〉 greater by the Tribunall of Religion then by that of the Empire els where changing his prose into verse Rome great Apostle Peter's sacred Seate Head of the Churches-Bodie heere below Hath by Faithes Empire made her selfe more great Then she by all her armed powres could grow And 〈◊〉 the first in the epistle to Anastasius Bishop of Thessalonica It hath bene prouided by a grand order that all should not attribute all things to themselues but that in euery prouince there should be some whose sentence might holde the first place amongst their bretheren And againe that there might be others constituted in the greater citties who might vse a greater diligence by whom the care of the vniuersall Church might flow to the onely Seate of Peter And therefore 〈◊〉 the Allexandriās would accuse Dionisius Patriark of Alexandria their Bishop they went vp to Rome saith S. ATHANASIVS accused him before 〈◊〉 Bishop of Rome And when the same ATHANASIVS likewise Patriark of Alexandria Paul Bishop of Constautinople and Marcellus Primat of Aneyra in Galatia had bene deposed by diuers Councells of the 〈◊〉 The Bishop of Rome saith Sozomene restored to each one his Church because to him for the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things belonged And when the cause of Iohn Patriark of Antioch had bene propounded to the Councell of Ephesus the Councell remitted the iudgment to the Pope And Iuuenall Bishop of Jerusalem said that the anoient custome and 〈◊〉 tradition bare that the Church of Antioch should be ruled by the Roman And when the Councell of Chalcedon disanulled the actes of the false Councell of Ephesus they excepted the creation of Maximus Patriark of Antioch because saith Anatolius Archbishop of Constantinople The Pope hauing receiued him into his communion hath iudged that he should rule the Church of Antioch And when Theodoret Bishop of Cyre in the borders of Persia and subiect to the patriarkhip of Antioch had bene deposed in the same Councell of Ephesus he appealed to the Pope and the Councell of Chalcedon receiued him because saith the Senat The Pope had restored him to his dignitie And when Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople had bene deposed by Dioscorus Patriark of Alexandria and by the false Councell of Ephesus he appealed likewise to the Pope and that saith the Emperor Valentinian following the custome of the Councells And when Iohn Patriark of Alexandria had bene driuen from his Sea by the plott of the 〈◊〉 Zeno he also appealed to the Pope that with the intercessiō of the Patriark of Antioch as Liberatus Archdeacon of 〈◊〉 a writer of a thousand and one hundred yeares antiquitie reportes in these wordes John saith Liberatus hauing taken Synodicall letters of intercession from Calendian Patriarke of Antioch appealed to Pope Simplicius And thus much of the comparison of the Pope with the other Patriarkes For as for the canon of the Councell of Nicea which seemes to rule the Bishops of Alexandria Antioch ouer the Bishop of Rome it shall be spoken of heereafter Of the difficulties of the Scripture concerning the tyme of S. Peters staie at Antioch and at Rome CHAPT IV. BVT against this that wee haue affirmed of the sitting of Saint PFTER at Antioch and at Rome Caluine and the other aduersaries of the Church forme twelue principall obiections eight from the Scripture and fower from the Fathers The first obiection is that S. PAVL found S. PETER in Ierusalem the two first voyages that he made thither the one three yeare after his conuersion the other when he carried the almes for the famine foretould by Agabus then that the Episcopall staie of S. PETER at Antioch which after S. Ieroms computation betweene these two voyages could not be seauen yeares as S. Gregorie affirmes it as wee suppose it for asmuch as S. Paules conuersiōhappened at the soonest three yeares after the death of IESVS CHRIST S. PETER departed from Jerusalem to goe to Rome the secōd yeare of the Empire of Claudius which was the eleauenth yeare after the death of Christ. The seconde obiection is that S. PETER still assisted at Jerusalem at the Councell holdē for the legall causes about twentie yeare saie they after the death of our Lord and was crucified as we saie the fourteenth yeare of the Empire of Nero that is the seauen thirtith yeare after the death of our Sauiour then he could not haue bene 25 yeare at Rome as wee saie The third that S. PAVL addressing the principall of his epistles to the Romans doth not there salute S. PETER whom he would not haue forgottē if he had bene there The fourth is that S. PAVL writing from Rome to the Philippians complained that euery one sought his owne not that which was of Christ. And to Timothie that all had abandoned him which he would not haue done if S. PETFR had bene there The fist that when S. PAVL came to Rome the bretheren went to meete him amongst whom there is noe mention of S. PETFR and the Iewes prayed him to declare to them his opinion of the sect of the Christians a thing they would not haue required if S. PETER had preached at Rome before him The sixt that S. LVKE who writ the history of the Actes of the Apostles maketh no mention of S. PETERS voyage to Rome The seauenth that S. PAVL who hath described the enterview betweene S. PETER and him at Jerusalem and Antioch speakes not of their enter-view at Rome which was the most famous cittie of the world And the eigth that S. Iohn made mention of the kinde of death by which S. PETER should glorifie God but makes no mention of the place of his death Now lett vs first dispatch the obiections taken out of scripture and after we will proceede to those taken out of the Fathers To the first obiection then from Scripture which is that S. PAVL still found Saint PETER in Jerusalem in the two first voyages that he made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one three yeares after his conuersion and the other when 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the almes for the famine foretould by Agabus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the Episcopall staie of S. PETER at Antioch which was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the two voyages could not bee of seauen yeares I answere that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Paul happened not in the third yeare after the death of our 〈◊〉 as they pretend a thing which troubles all the harmonie of the history but the first And this I proue in this manner Betweene the Councell of Ierusalem and S. 〈◊〉 departure to goe to Rome S. Paul remained
of our Lord. And CAIVS of one tyme with Tertulian If thou wilt gue to the Vaticane or to the waie of Hostia thou shalt finde the trophies that is the Sepulchers of those which haue founded this Church And CLEMENT Alexandrius before him Papias the hearer of S. IOHN Marke being intreated at Roman by the bretheren writt a briefe Ghospell which PETER haueing read approued And ORIGEN PETER was crucified at Rome with his head downewards And saint CYPRIAN The Rome ā Church is the Chaire of PETER and the principall Church from whence proceeded the Sacerdotall vnitie And EVSEBIVS Vnder the Empire of Claudius the prouidence of God brought the great Apostle Saint PETER to Rome And againe the histories beare that PAVL was beheaded and PETER crucified at Rome vnder Nero and the titles of PETER and PAVL preserued to this daie in their sepulchers confirme it And LACTANTIVS PETER and PAVL preached at Rome and their 〈◊〉 remained written for memorie And S. ATHANASIVS though it were declared to PETER and PAVL that they should suffer 〈◊〉 dome at Rome yet they 〈◊〉 not to trauell thither And S. CYRILL of Ierusalem PETER and PAVL presidents of the Church came to Rome And saint EPIPHANIVS At Rome were first Apostles and Bishops PETER and ` PAVL and then Linus and then Cletus and then Clement And saint AMBROSE PETER is our warrant for this custome who hath bene Bishop of the Roman Church And againe Christ haueing answered PETER I goe to Rome to be crucified againe PETER vnderstood that this answere belonged to his Crosse And the Emperors GRATIAN and VALENTINIAN and THEODOSIVS Wee will that all the people ruled by the Empire of our clemencie liue in such Religion as the Religion insinuated hither-to by the diuiue Apostle PETER declareth that he gaue to the Romans And OPTATVS Mileuitanus Thou canst not denie but that thou knowest that in the Cittie of Rome the Episcopall Chaire was first conferred to Peter wherein Peter head of the Apostles sate And saint IEROM Simon PETER Sonne of Jona of the Prouince of Galilee of the Borough of Bethsaida brother to the Apostle Andrew and Prince of the Apostles after the Episcopat of the Church of Antioch and the preaching of the dispersion of those of the Circumcision which had belieued in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and 〈◊〉 came to Rome the second yeare of the Empire of Claudius to ouerthrow Simon Magus and held the Sacerdotall Chaire twentie fiue yeares there And againe Hegesippus affirmes That he came to Rome vnder Anicetus who was tenth Bishop of Rome after PETER And else where Cyprian addressed the Councell of affrica to Steuen Bishop of the Roman Church who was the twentie sixth after the Blessed Peter And RVFFINVS Peter ruled the Roman Church for the space of twentie fower yeares And SVLPITIVS Seuerus The Christiā Religion had then taken roote in the Cittie of Rome Peter being Bishop there And S. CHRISOSTOME What spectacle shall Rome see in the daie of Iudgemeut Paul comeing forth of his graue risen againe with PETER And OROSIVS Nero 〈◊〉 PETER to death by the Crosse and PAVL by the sword And saint AVGVSTIN Wee see the most eminent height of the thrice noble Empire submitting his diadem bend his knee to the supulcher of the fisherman PETER And in an other place I thinke this part of the world ought to suffice thee wherein our Lord would crowne with a most glorious martir dome the first of his Apostles And else where What hath the chaire of the Roman Church done to thee wherein PETER hath bene set and wherein now Anastasius sitts And againe To PETER hath succeeded Linus to Linus Clemēt to Clemēt Anacletus to Anacletus Euaristus Of the Canon of the Councell of Nicea touching the gouernment of the Patriarches CHAPT V. HAuing dispatched the difficulties of the Scripture and of the Fathers cōcerning S. PETERS staie at Antioch Rome there remaines to solue the obiections that the aduersaries of the Church make against what wee haue said of the Popes superioritle ouer the other patriarkes whereof the principall is taken frō one of the Canōs of the coūcell of Nicea which ordaines that the anciēt customes obserued in Egipt Lybia and Pentapolis should goe on to witt that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue the power of all those things because it was also so accustomed to the Bishop of Rome Now the aduersaries of the Church doe more willing lie make vse of the Councell of Nicea in such like cases then of anie other because the actes of the Councell of Nicea which if wee had them might cleere the sence of the Canons of the same Councell are loste that there remaine to vs of the acts of the first fowre generall Councells no more but those of Ephesus and of Chalcedon And therefore wee must supplie what wants in the breuitie and omission of this Canon by conferring it with the acts of the other councells or by the examination of the histories of their ages To this obiection then wee bring two Answeres the first is that it hath alreadie bene aboue shewed in the Chapter of the patriarkes that the pope had two distinct qualities the one of patriarke of the West the other of head of the Church vniuersall as the Prefect of the Cittie Presecture by which the aduersaries of the Church would measure the spirituall Iurisdictiō of the Pope who had 2. distinct qualities the one of pre fect of the Cittie Prefecture in which he was equall to the prefect of the other prouinces the other of head of the senate Vicar of the Emperor in which he was superiour to the prefects of prouinces and iudged by appeale of the cause of all their Iurisdictiōs By meanes whereof although in things that concerned but the patriarchall Iurisdictiō as were the celebratiō of prouinciall or nationall coūcells the correctiōs of māners of the simple priests or deacōs the confirmatiōs either mediate or immediate of the Bishops of the Patriarkship and the subalterne iudgements of the causes euen of Bishops All the other Patriarkes were squared out by the modell and paterne of that of Rome neuerthelesse when there question of things that went beyond the limitts of Patriarchall iurisdiction that is to 〈◊〉 of Maior causes and which conuerned the vniuersall Church as were causes of Faith or generall customes of the Church or those of the finall depositions of Bishops or that of the iudgements euē of the persons of the Patriarkes the Bishop of Rome as head of the Church and superintendent of the other Patriarkes exercised Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction ouer thē and iudged of their iudgements and persons And therefore when the coūcell of Nicea ordained that in Egipt Lybia and Pentapolis the Bishop of Alexandria should remaine in possessiō of the authority he had for all the causes whereof the councell thē spake that is
rootes but not that Ruffinus did not dye an hereticke and anathematized by the Roman Church as saint IEROME insinuates when he saith describing enigmaticallie the reuolte anathema and the sepulcher of Ruffinus who was dead in Sicilia The Scorpion is pres 〈◊〉 vnder the Sicilian earth betweene Enceladus and Porphirus it must be read betweene Enceladus and Porphirion who were two of the Giants that the Poeticall fables had said to be reuolted against Jupiter and had bene strucken dead with thunder bolts and couered with the Mountaines of Sicilia With what faith then can they alleadge the words of Ruffinus when the authoritie of the Roman Church is in question by whose Tribunall he had bene condemned and excommunicated you can scarce light vpon a place in Ruffinus translations where there is an occasion presented to speake of the Pope and of the Roman Church but he sharpens and enuenoms it as particularly when Eusebius reporting the history of Pope Victor who had excommunicated the Church of Asia be cause of the question about keeping the pasch saith There are yet to be found letters of the Bishops which handled Victor some what roughlie Ruffinus adds of his owne as prouiding vnprofitablie for the affaires of the Church and in the verse following where Eusebius writes Ireneus exhorted Victor not to cut off all the Churches of God which helde the tradition of this ancient custome Rufsinus turnes it Ireneus reprehended him that he had not done well to cutt off from the bodie of vnitie so manie and so great Churches of God and sees not that in thinking to calumniate Pope Victor he callumniates the councell of Nicea who renewed the same excommunication a thing possibly pardonable in Eusebius who besides that he was an Arrian writt his histories before the Councell of Nicea but inexcusable in Ruffinus who made his translation afterwardes With what colour then would they square the intention of the originall Greeke of the canons of the Councell of Nicea by the addition that Ruffinus a passionate translator incensed against the Church of Rome hath made thereto And as for ignorance what translator was euer more worthie to be refused in that regard then Ruffinus whose clauses are almost as manie prooffs of ignorāce and impertinencie for what could be imagined more vnapt then to make of Iames Bishop of Ierusalem Iames Bishop of the Apostles of the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signfies Blessed or happie a Saint called Macarius of Eusebius Pamphilus an heretick and an Arrian Pamphilus a Catholicke and a Martyr of Xistus a pithagorian and Pagan Philosopher XISTVS Pope and Martir An error that S IEROM bitterly reproues and which gaue occasion to saint AVSTIN to stumble and retract vpon the same matter of question which comes of quaero a verbe actiue querimony which comes of queror a verbe deponent of Corepiscopus whereof the Nicea Councell speakes the vacant place of a Bishop and so of infinite others which moued saint IEROM to saie that Ruffinus was so vnapt in both tongues as the Romans tooke him for a Grecian and the Greekes for a Roman And as for bouldnesse and rashnes what interpreter euer shewed lesse Religion or Faith in obseruing the text of his Authors then Ruffinus who hath alwaies taken libertie to add or diminish as it seemed good to him Thy conscience saith saint IEROM speaking to Ruffinus of the translation hee had made of Origen knowes what thou hast added and what thou hast taken away and what thouhast changed from one place to an other as it hath pleased thee And Erasmus in his preface vpon saint HILARY Ruffinus hath 〈◊〉 to himselfe the same authoritie in the translation of all the bookes which he hath translated and principallie in that of Origens writings and in that of Eusebius historie but this is not the libertie of an interpreter but the licence of a defiler of an others workes And Scaliger in his annotations vpon the Chronicle of Eusebius It is the custome of Ruffinus saith hee to omitt to peruert and to change the texts as he list With what face then can they now leaue the Greeke text of the Councell of Nicea to haue recourse to Ruffinus translations a perpetuall corrupter of the translations of antiqultie and particularlie of that of the Canons of Nicea where of he Suppresses some diuides others mangles some adds to others depraues some mistakes the sence of others I haue said Suppresses some for he suppresses the twentith Canon of the Councell of Nicea which containes the Ordenance to adore standing in the Sundaies seruice and during the fiftie daies of Pentecoste And that in hate of the resurrection of the very flesh which as an Origenist he opposed no more remembring what he had written of it when he was yet a Catholicke I haue said diuided and multiplied others for he diuided the eigth and the ninteenth Canons into two others and of either of them made two different Canons I haue said mangles some for he mangles the sixt and ecclipseth from it the Rights of the Bishop of Antioch in fauour of Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem whom he pretended to be an Origenist as himself was And maymes the end of the thirteenth And that which the fathers saie of Dying penitents to whom the Councellregrauntes the communion of the Sacrament after the examination of the Bishop with condition notwithstanding that if they chance to suruiue they shall be admitted but to the communion of prayers he interprets it of the examination of the Bishop for penitents recouered I haue said adds to others for he adds to the eighteenth this whole clause That Deacons in the absence of Bishops and priests might distribut the Eucharist And to the ninth 〈◊〉 or haue bene conuinced thereof by others which are no more within the Greeke text of the Councell then this of the Churches suburbicary I haue said depraues some for he depraues the ninteenth and saith of Deaconesses in generall that which the Canon onely saith of the Paulianist deaconesses I haue said mistakes the sence of others for in the eigth he is ignorant of the sence of the word Corepiscopus and turnes it the vacant place of a Bishop And in the ninth that of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and interprets of confession of priests after promotion That which the councell saith of the Confession of Priests before promotion that is to say of the Confession made in the triall of those that were to be promoted to priesthood For whereas some to warrant the clause of the Churches Suburbicary alleadge that Pope Gelasius writing about the end of the same age approued the workes of Russinus excepting those things that saint IEROM had reprehended It is a vaine and friuolous warrantie for as much as Pope Gelasius intended to speake of the workes or dogmaticall translations of Russinus as was the Commentary vpon the Creede and the
Bishop of Rome because of the dignitie of his Seate 〈◊〉 care of all thinges belonge is one and the same language or rather that this that Ruffinus saith here that the Bishop of Rome is to haue the care of the Suburbicary Churches and this that he saith elsewhere Rome by the grace of God is the head of all the Christrians is one and the same thing But graunt that Ruffinus by the word Churches Suburbicarie doth intend in generalll all the Churches of the prouinces subiect to the Empire of Rome nor in particular the onely Churches of the Cittie subiect to the Prouostship of Rome but intends the Churches of the Prouinces or Nations where the Metropolitans or Primats acknowledge the Pope immediatly without the intermedling of anie the Patriarks to wit the Churches of the Patriarkship of the west would that hinder that besides the immediate superintendencie that the Pope hath ouer the prouinces of his Patriarkship hee might not haue a mediate superintendencie ouer all the prouinces of the others Hemer if it be lawfull to compare thinges sacred to prophane doth not he teach vs that besides the Commaund Agamemnon had as a particular King ouer the compaines of his owne subiects and the other kings like him euerie one ouer their owne hee had yet beyond that as head and Captaine generall ouer the Armie of the Greekes the vniuersall authority and superintendencie ouer the other kinges and ouer their Companies And will not the aduersaries of the Pope haue it that the Prouost of the Cittie of Rome to whose temporall proportion they pretend to square the Popes spirituall authority besides the ordinarie iurisdiction of his Prouostship wherein they equall him to other Prouosts had besides in the first ages an other extraordinary iurisdiction by which as head of the Senate and Vicar of the Emperor he was superior to other Prouosts and iudged of the appeales of all the Prouinces And saint BASILL that great Archbishop of Cappadocia did not hee consider the Pope some tymes as Patriarch of the west where hee calls him the Corypheos of those of the west and sometymes as head of the vniuersall Church when he writes to those of the west Be it that you repute yourselfe head of the vniuersall Church the head cannot say to the feete you are not necessarie to me be it that you place yourselues in the ranke of the other members of the Church you cannot say to vs that are constituted in one same bodie with you you are not necessarie to me for that he vseth this disiunctiue particle be it it is not there to cast anie doubt but to distinguish the addresse of his speache into two branches whereof the one to witt be it that you repute yourself head of the vniuersail Church had regard to the Pope and the other to witt be it that you place yourselues in the ranke of the other members had regard to the other Bishops of the west And doth not hee himself reporte that Eustathius Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia hauing bene deposed by the Councell of Melitina in Armenia a Catholicke and orthodoxall Councell and hauing brought letters of restitution from Pope Liberius was receiued without forme of processe into the Councell of 〈◊〉 in Cappadocia And doth not saint IEROM who was priest of Antioch and creature to Paulinus the Bishop of Antioch and resident within the diuision of the Patriarkship of 〈◊〉 say What should the Churches of the East doe and those of Egipt and that of the Sea Apostolicke designing by the Churches of the Sea Apostolicke those which were subiect immediatly without acknowledging anie other Patriarke betweene to the Patriarkship of the Pope And by the Churches of Egipt those which answered to the Patriarkship of Alexandria by the Churches of the East those which were submitted to the Patriarkship of Antioch And yet for all that doth he not write to Pope Damasus about the contention of Vitalis Meletius and Paulinus Competitors in the Patriarkship of Antioch I am ioyned in communion with thy blessednesse that is to say with the Chaire of PETER I know the Church is built vpon that rocke And a little after I know not Vitalis I reiest Meletius I am ignorant of Paulinus whosoeuer gathers not with thee scatters That is to saie doth he not teach vs that the distinction of the Popes patriarkship from the other patriarkships hindred not the Popes superioritie ouer the others And did not Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople write to Pope Leo Wee haue giuen aduertisment to your Holynesse of the excommunication of Eutyches that you may make his 〈◊〉 knowne to all the Bishops resident vnder your pietie And yet for all this did he not when Eutyches pretended to haue appealed to the Pope submitt his iudgemēt to that of the Pope And did not himselfe in the second Councell of Ephesus appeale to the Pope And Iohn the second and Anthimus and Menas and Iohn the fourth his successors did they not acknowledge and protest that they were subiect to the Pope And the Popes that came after Leo did not they depose Acacius and Anthimus Patriarkes of Constantinople and iudge by appeale the causes of John Athanasius subiects to the Patriarkes of Constantinople And did not the Pope S. GREGORIE the great call the Bishops of the West his Bishops If the causes said hee of the Bishops which are committed to me are treated by the religious Emperors by the intercessions of strangers miserable man that I am what doe I in this Church but that my Bishops dispise me and haue recourse to secular iudges against me I thāke God almightie for it and I impute it to my sinnes Yet did not he saie of all the Bishops in generall If there be anie fault in the Bishops I know noe Bishop but is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke And Iulian the former who liued 1050. yeares past did he not turne the hundred thirtith one new cōstitution into these words yet more rawe thē those of Ruffinus That the Bishop of the first Iustinianea should haue the same right ouer the Bishops subiect to him as the Bishop of Rome had ouer the Bishops submitted to him And yet by this doth he pretend to equall the Bishop of the first Iustinianea to the Pope or to exempt him and his Bishops from the Popes iurisdiction Nothing lesse but by the Bishops submitted to the Pope he intended the Bishops submitted immediately to the Pope without the interposition of other Patriarks as it appeares both by the originall greeke of the law which beares this We ordaine that in all prouinces subiect to him he holde the place of the Sea Apostolicle of Rome following the things defined by the most holie Pope Vigilius And by the lawe of the same Iustinian to Epiphanius which saith We will suffer nothing to passe concerning the state of the holy Churches which shall not be also referred
to the blessednesse of the most holy Pope for as much as he is the head of all the most holy Ministers of God And by the places aboue cited of saint GREGORIE the great which witnesse that the Pope confirmed euen then that is to saie fiftie yeare after Iulian the former the election of the Bishop of the first Iustinianea and sent him the Archiepiscopall mantle and the reuocation of the Vicarship of the Sea Apostolicke and iudged by appeale of the causes of his Bishops chasticed him himselfe when he had misiudged But in summe whatsoeuer the sence of this addition of Russinus bee it imports little to knowe it For hauing bene excommunicated for his errors in saith by the Pope and the Roman Church who doubtes but if he could insert into his translation anie thing to the Popes preiudice he hath done it It 〈◊〉 before the Councell of Nicea which wills that to euery Church the prerogatiues thereof be preserued the Roman Church was she whereof S. IRENEVS cryes out to this Church because of a more mightie principalitie that is to saie because of a principalitie more mightie then the temporall it is necessary that all the Churches should agree It was she that S. CYPRIAN called the Chaire of Peter and the principall Church from whence the 〈◊〉 all vnitie proceeded It was she of whom S. IEROM writt I know the Church is built vpon this stone whosoeuer eates the lambe out of this howse is prophane It was she of whom S. AVSTIN said In the Roman Church hath alwaies 〈◊〉 the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke It sufficeth that before the Councell of Nicea which ordaineth that the ancient customes should remaine entire the law Ecclesiasticall sorbad to canonize Churches that is to 〈◊〉 to make canons touching the generalitie of Churches without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome that the Ecclesiasticall custome bare that the finall depositions of Bishops could not be proceeded to without attending the decision from Rome and that from the tyme of the Emperor Gallienus that is to saie more then sixtie yeares before the Councell of Nicea the Churchmen of Egipt desiring to accuse Dionisius Bishop of Alexandria their Patriarke went vp saith saint ATHANASIVS Patriarke of the same Sea of Alexandria to Rome and accused him before 〈◊〉 Bishop of Rome It sufficeth that presently after the same Councell of Nicea when S. ATHANASIVS Patriarke of Alexandria Paul Bishop of Constantiuople Marcellus Primate of Galatia Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina had bene deposed by diuers Councells of the East Iulius Bishop of Rome restored to euery one his Church because to him saith Sozomene for the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things appertayned It sufficeth that after the death of ATHANASIVS Pope Damasus confirmed the ordination of Peter Patriarke of Alexandria successor to the same saint ATHANASIVS and restored him to his Sea of Alexandria It sufficeth that in the Councell of Sardica holden for the defence of the Councell of 〈◊〉 whereat assisted besides more then three hundred other Bishops the same Osius that was President at the Councell of Nicea the same saint ATHANASIVS which had helped to frame the acts of the Councell of Nicea the same Protogenes Bishop of Sardica which was at the Councell of Nicea the Episcopall appeales to the Pope were authorized by a written lawe and the Bishops of all the prouinces exhorted to referr the affaires to their head that is to saie to the Sea of the Apostle PETER It sufficeth that in the Councell of Lampsacus in Asia the Macedonians purposing to returne to the Catholicke Church sent their Legats from Asia to Rome to protest obedience to the Pope to oblige themselues to come vp to his Tribunall or to the iudges delegated by him in all causes that should be attempted against them It sufficeth that in the Councell of Tyana in Cappadocia Eustachius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia who had bene deposed by the Councell of Melitina the Metropolitan cittie of Armenia bringing letters of restitution from Pope Liberius was receiued without forme of processe and had place as a Bishop in the Councell It 〈◊〉 that when the Emperor Constantius had caused S. ATHANAS Patriarke of Alexandria to be deposed in a Councell of more then three hundred Bishops of the East and West he thought he had not satisfied his desire if the thing saith Amianus Marcellinus were not confirmed by the authority whereof the Bishops of the eternall cittie are superiors It sufficeth that when the same Canon of the Councell of Nicea which is now in question was renewed in the Councell of Constantinople the other Patriarkes and Primats were forbidden to meddle beyond their diuisions Let the Bishop of Alexandria said the Synod gouerne onely what belongs to Egipt and let the Bishops of the East that is to saie of the patriarkship of Antioch admister onely to the East where neuer Coūcell interdicted the Pope from medling in matters which were out of his patriarkship Cōtrariwise the Pope in importāt occasiōs hath alwaies takē notice of the ecclesiasticall affaires of the Empire of the East iudged by appeale the causes of other patriarkships the Catholicke Councells of the East thēselues yeilding to be solicitors executors of his sentences oppositely neuer anie of the other Patriarks once attempted to examine the Ecclesiasticall causes of the Empire of the West and of the patriarchall diuision of the Pope It sufficeth that in the Mileuitan Councell holden by the Bishops of Asrica and by S. AVSTIN amongst others it was affirmed that the Popes authoritie was of diuine right and drawne from the authoritie of the holy Scriptures and then not to be restrained to the simple patriarkship of Rome but vniuersall and such as the law of the Emperor Valentinian the third describes it when it calls the Pope the Rector of the vniuersalitie of Churches And the Emperor Iustinian when he writes that the Pope is the head of all the most holy ministers of God And the Bishop of Patara in Lycia one of the prouinces in Asia when he saith to the same Emperor Iustinian that there were many kings and princes in the world but there was noe one of them that was ouer all the earth as the Pope was ouer the Church of all the world It sufficeth that in the generall Councell of Ephesus when the Fathers had executed the sentence of deposition that the Pope had pronounced at Rome against Nestorius when they should haue passed to the cause of Iohn Patriark of Antioch the Councell reserued the iudgement thereof to the Pope and that according to the ancient custome and tradition Apostolicall It sufficeth that in the false Councell of Ephesus after Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria and his pretended generall Councell had deposed Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople and Theodoret Bishop of Syre Flauianus saith the Emperor Valentinian
of Antioch hauing esteemed that some what ought to be done for the priuiledges of your Church let it take care to explaine it by letters that wee may answere absolutelie and fitlie to thy consultation for the present it shall suffice to pronounce in generall that if anie thing seeme to haue bene attempted or euen for a time exhorted by anie one in what Synod soeuer it be against the canons of the Councell of Nicea it cannot doe preiudice to the inuiolable decrees And a little after In the Councell of Ephesus Juuenall the Bishop thought to haue found a sufficient aduantage to witt that of the schisme of Iohn Patriarke of Antioch to obtaine the principalitie of Palestina and to cause his insolent boldenes to be confirmed with surreptitious writinges which Cyrillus of holy memorie iustly abhorring represented to me and intreated me with great instance and care that noe consent should be giuen to such lawlesse attempts The tenth nullitie is that Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople seeing this canon could not subsist if it were discouered that it had bene annulled by the Pope concealed from the Bishops of the Councell of Chalcedon the abrogation that the Pope had made of this decree and kept backe the Popes letters whereby he had annulled and abolished it a fraude so perillous as it had like to haue turned vpsidowne all the Church of the Empire of the East For the Pope hauing ioyned in one letter the abrogation of this decree with the confirmation that hee made of the other acts of the Councell Anatolius because he would not shewe the censure of his ambition concealed the Popes letters where the one and the other clause was contained which was the clause that the Easterne Churches remained in such doubt whether or not the Pope had confirmed the Councell of Chalcedon as infinite people for this cause making difficultie to receiue it the Emperor was faine to request the Pope to dispatch new letters confirmatiue of the Faith of the Councell of Chalcedon to all the Bishops who had assisted there and to send them to each one of them in their Churches This said Pope Leo in his answere to the Emperor Martian your clemencie thinks will be more easilie fufilled if throughout all the Churches we signifie that the definitions of the Councell of Chalcedon haue pleased the Sea Apostolicke a thing whereof there was noe occasion of doubt c. seeing I haue written to your Glorie and to the Bishop of Constantinople letters which euidentlie 〈◊〉 that I approued those thinges which had bene there defined concerning Catholicke Faith but because by the same letters I had reproued those things which vnder the occasion of the Synod had bene euilly attempted he rather chose to conceale my applause then to publish his ambition And in his epistle to the Empresse Pulcheria whereas the most Religious Emperor hath willed that I should write letters to all the Bishops which assisted at the Councell of Chalcedon whereby I should confirme what was then defined concerning Faith I haue willinglie accomplished it least the deceiptfull dissimulation of some should pretend to put people in doubt of my sentence although by the meanes of the Bishop of Constantinople to whom I had largelie testified my ioy that which I had written might haue come to the knowledge of all if he had not rather chosen to conceale my contentment then to publish the rebuke of his ambition The eleauenth nullitie is that Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople euen he that had packed this Canon he himself in whose fauour it had bene particularized departed from it as is seene by the text of the epistle that Pope Leo the first writt him which is such This thy fault which to increase thy power thou hast committed as thou saist by the exhortation of others thy charitie had better and more sincerelie blotted out if that which could not be attempted without thy consent thou hadst not imputed it to the onely Councells of thy Clergie c. But it contents me much deare brother that thy dilection protests to bee agreeued with that which euen then ought not to haue pleased thee it 〈◊〉 to re-enter into common grace the profession of thy charitie together with the attestation of the most Christian Prince and let not his correction seeme tardie that hath gotten so reuerent a suretie And by these words of Pope Gelasius written fortie yeares after against Acacius That which the Sea Apostolicke consented not to nor did the Emperor impose it nor Anatolius vsurpe it and all was put into the power of the Sea Apostolicke and therefore what the Sea Apostolicke confirmed in the Councell of Chalcedon hath bene in force what it refused could not be stedfast The twelfth nullitie is that this Canon hath bene falselie inserted into the catalogue of the Canons of the Councell of Chalcedon by the latter Greekes which perchance made Sainct GREGORIE to saie The Councell of Chalcedon hath in one place bene 〈◊〉 by the Church of Constantinople for during all the age of the Councell of Chalcedon this Canon which had bene but proiected and not confirmed remained in the onely historie of the Acts and was not inserted into the catalogue of the Canons till a long time after as it appeares both by the testimonie of the most ancient Greeke and latine copies in all which the Rolle of the Canons containes but twentie seauen Canons And by the collection of Theodoret an author of the same age in which the list of the Canons of the Councell of Chalcedon is but of twentie seauen Canons And by the Edition of Dionisius Exiguus time-fellow with the Emperor Iustinian whose catalogue of the Canons of the Councell comprehend but twentie seauen Canons And by the acknowledgement that Theodoret Anagnestes a Greeke author makes thereof in these words The Councell of Chalcedon published twentie seauen Canons And the thirteenth nullitie is finally that the number of thirtie Canons which the Greekes of following ages haue attributed to the councell of Chalcedon to comprehend this and to make it come in vnder the title of the twentie eight is a supposed number For it is euident that the two last canons to witt the twentie ninth and the thirtith are noe canons but are the one of them an interlocution betweene Paschasinus the Popes Legate and Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople and the other a prohibition prouisorie to anie of the Bishops of Egipt which had excused themselues from signing the epistle of Pope Leo because they remained without a Patriarke not to depart from Constantinople before the arriuall of the newes of the creation of a new Patriarke of Alexandria which haue bene taken out of the historie of the Acts of the Councell and transferred into the catalogue of the Canons Whereunto it serues not to alledge for counterbattery that the councell Trullian which was holden two hundred and fortie yeares after the councell of Chalcedon citeth this
in the epistle to Iohn Bishop of Syracusa Who doubts but the Church of Constantinople is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke which the most Religious Lord the Emperor and our brother the Bishop of the same cittie protest continuallie Hee writes in the Epistle following to the same Bishop If there be anie cryme found in Bishops I know noe Bishop but is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke but when crimes exact it not all according to the condition of humilitie are equall He writes in the Epistle to Iohn the defendant correcting the iudgement which had bene giuen against the Bishop Steuen If they answere he had neither Metropolitan nor Patriarke it must be replied that the cause should haue bene heard and determined by the Sea Apostolicke which is the head of all the Churches He writes in the Fpistle to Iohn Bishop of Panormus Wee admonish thee that the Reuerence of the Sea Apostolicke be not troubled by the presumption of anie For then the state of the members remaines intire when 〈◊〉 iniurie is done to the head of the faith He writes in the Epistle to Natalis Bishop of Salona If one of the fower Patriarks had committed such an act so great a disobedience could not haue passed without a grieuous scandall He annulled in his Epistles to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople the Iudgement of the Church of Constantinople against Iohn Priest of Chalcedon Reprouing said he the sentence of the foresaid Iudges we declare him by our definition to be Catholicke and free from all hereticall crime And elsewhere Knowst 〈◊〉 not that in the cause of Iohn the Priest against our brother and Colleague John of Constantinople He had recourse according to the Canons to the Sea Apostolicke and it hath bene defined by our sentence He abrogated in his Epistle to Athanasius 〈◊〉 Regular of Lycaonia the decree of Iohn Bishop of Constantinople against him and restored him to his place Wee decree thee said he to be exempted from all blott of hereticall frowardnes and doe grant thee free leaue to returne into thy Monasterie and to holde the same place and ranke as thou didst before He abrogated in the Epistle to Iohn Archbishop of Larissa in Thessalia the sentence of the same Archbishop of Larissa against Adrian Bishop of Thebes and one of the fuffragans of the Archbishopricke of Larissa and ecclipsed the Bishopricke of Thebes from the iurisdiction of the Archbishopricke of Larissa and ordained that if the Archbishop of Larissa should euer more vndertake to exercise iurisdiction ouer the Bishop of Thebes he should be depriued of the communion of the Body of Christ and that it might not be restored to him except at the point of death but by the leaue of the Bishop of Rome Wee ordaine said hee that thy brotherhood obtaine from the power thou hadst before ouer the Bishop of Thebes and ouer his Church and according to the letters of our Predecessor for if anie cause either of faith or of crime or of money be pretended against our said Colleague Adrian it may be iudged if it be a matter of meane importance by our Nuncios which are or shall be in the Royall Cittie that is to saie in Constantinople and if it be a matter of Weight that it should be reported bither to the Sea Apostolicke to be decided by the sentence of our audience And if at anie time or for what occasion 〈◊〉 thou doe attempt to contradict this our decree know that we declare thee 〈◊〉 from the sacred Communion soe as it maie not be restored to thee vnlesse in the article of death but with the leaue of the Bishop of Rome And finally he abrogated in his Epistle to John Patriarke of the first Iustinianea who had confirmed the sentence of the Archbishop of Larissa the iudgement of the said Iohn Primate of the first Iustinianea and condemnes him to remaine depriued of the communion of the Bodie of Christ for the space of thirtie daies Abrogating said hee and annulling the decrees of thy sentence Wee decree by the authoritie of the blessed Prince of the Apostles that thou shalt be depriued of the sacred communion for the space of thirtie daies Nowe what was this but to crye with a lowde voice that in refusinge the title of Vniuersall he refused not therefore the title of Head of the Church and the Iurisdiction and superintendency ouer all other Bishops Archbishops and Patriarks Of the Order of sitting in the Councell of Nicea CHAPT VIII BVT Caluin to fight against this doctrine and to proue that the Pope is not head of the Church nor Superior to the other Patriarkes vseth fower principall meanes first that the Popes legates haue not presided in the ancient Generall Councells The secōd that the Pope called them not The third that the appeales of Bishops were not to the Pope And the fourth that the Canons of Africa forbadd the Bishop of the first Sea by which Caluin impertinently 〈◊〉 the Pope to call himselfe Prince of Bishops and the first meanes he striues to proue by Seauen examples which wee had best confute all at a clapp for 〈◊〉 they will obiect them to vs in a second Answere He produceth then before all things the order of the Councell of Nicea which he ignorantly calls the Councell of Nice not knowing that the Councell of Nice was an hereticall Councell that the Arrians held at Nicé in Thrace to deceiue the Catholicks by the affinitie of the words Nice and Nicea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compounded almost of the same letters The Arrians saith the Epistle of the Asians to Liberius caused to be signed by fraude and periuries at Constantinople a faith contrarie to that of the holy Councell of Nicea which had bene brought from Nice in Thrace And Socrates They transported themselues into a cittie of Trace called Nice and after a longe st aie held there an other Councell c. to surprise the simple by the affinitie of the words For the simple people belieued that it was the faith of Nicea in Bithinia And Theodoret They brought manie Bishops against their wills into a Towne of Thrace whose name was Nice And Sozomene Passing through Thrace they came into a cittie of the Countrie called Nice 〈◊〉 there kept a Conuenticle c. And this they did expressely at Nice to the end to perswade the simple people to cōsent to it 〈◊〉 by the neerenes of the words and belieuing it to be the decree which was made at Nicea For although Stephanus doe indeede put in a Cittie of Nicea in Thrace neuerthelesse besides that Ammianus Marcellinus saith that the 〈◊〉 of Thrace situate vpon the passage from Italie to Constantinople which was the same wherein the Arrians had held their false Councell was called Nice The Greciā Ecclesiasticall historians very notablie marke this difference betweene the Councell of the Catholiques and that of the Annians vpon
to cause the 〈◊〉 of the westerne Church to be carried to the generall Councells celebrated in the East sent a legation compounded of two kinde of Legats the one internall and taken from the bodie of the particular Roman Church whom wee with the Councell of Sardica call Legats taken out of the Popes owne side and the other externall and taken out of the order of the Bishops And this legation was sometymes made by two distinct commissions as in the sixth generall Councell the Legats from the popes particular person and those from the Councell of Rome were deputed feuerally And sometymes by a ioynt deputation as in the Councell of Ephesus and Chalcedon Now were those Legats that we call internall that is to saie taken out of the particular Clergie of the Roman Church the principall Legats not in honor except when the Popes legations and those of the Councell of Rome were distinct but as for the instructions and in the report of the Popes intentions And therefore also when there was question of the particular voice of the Pope they were often named alone as in the historie of Sozomene and in the list of the signatures of the Councell of Sardica because they were onely Legats deputed both from the person of the Pope and from the bodie of his Church And of those examples we haue one remarkable in the commission that the Councell of Ephesus gaue to the Bishops that it sent to Constantinople for by this commission the Councell of Ephesus intituled Phillip Priest of the Roman Church Legate from the Pope in these words To Phillip Priest holding the place of the Bishop of Rome Celestine to Arcadius to 〈◊〉 c. And intituled not Arcadius Legat to the Pope though he were both Bishop and Legat to the Pope altogether because Phillip was Legat à latire from the Pope that is to saie a Legate taken out of the very bodie of the particular Roman Church and Arcadius was Legat from the Patriarchall Roman Church that is to saie Legat from the Pope and Councell of Rome by meanes whereof when Sozomene and Theodoret say there were two Legats from the Pope at the Councell of Nicea to witt Uito and Uincentius and that S. ATHANASIVS and Socrates put Osius Uito and Vincentius into one place they contradict not one an other for as much as the one speakes onely of the internall Legats that we call Legats a latere of which Osius was none and the other speakes of the Legats aswell internall as externall whereof Osius was one And in this the ancient Greeke and Latine Canonists agree with vs For not onely Hincmarus Archbishop of Rhemes who flourished in the time of Charles the Balde and was not suspected to fauour the Pope much writes At the Councell of Nicea in the place of Syluester Osius Bishop of Cordua and Vito and Vincentius Priests of the cittie of Rome presided But alsoe Dalmatius Bishop of Cyzica in Asia one of the Fathers of the Councell of Ephesus who liued neere a thousand two hundred yeares agoe and after him Gelasius Priest of Cyzica who liued vnder the Emperor Zeno a thousand one hundred and fortie yeares agoe that is to saie in the next age to the Councell of Nicea and from whose pen is come to vs the famous Canon of the Eucharist so much cited by Caluin and by all the Sacramentaries written in the extract of the same Councell of Nicea that Osius was the Popes Legat in the Councell of Nicea and that Vito and Vincentius were his Colleagues At this Councell saith 〈◊〉 of Cyzica speaking after Dalmatius of Cyzica of the Councell of Nicea assisted Osius Bishop of Cordua who held the place of the Bishop of great Rome Syluester with the Priests Uito and Vincentius And not onely Gelasius of Cyzica vseth these words but Photius Patriarke of Constantinople the greatestenemie to the Roman Church that euer was amongst the Greekes alleadgeth them neere eight hundred yeares agoe in these words I haue said he read a booke in forme of a historie intituled The Acts of the Councell of Nicea containing three tomes and bearing added he a little after the title of Gelasius of Cyzica in this booke saith he the Author writes that Osius Bishop of Cordua and Vito and Vincentius Roman Priests assisted at the Councell from the part of Syluester Bishop of Rome And not onely Photius alleadgeth them but himselfe in his treatie of the Synods dedicated to Michell King of the Bulgarians and reported by Euthymius writes with Vito and Uincentius was ioyned Osius Bishop of Cordua And indeede for what other cause should Osius simplie a Bishop of the patriarkship of the Roman Church and subiect in the first instance to the Metropolitan of Seuilla in Spaine and by appeale to the Patriarke of the West haue preceded all the Patriarks of the East yea in the East it selfe he that in the Councell of Eluira that we call Elibertin composed of ninteene Bishops of Spaine had held but the secōd or according to others the eleauenth place And in the Councell of Arles compounded of two hundred Bishops had had noe ranke amongst the principall Bishops of the Councell but for the same cause for which Uito Uincentius simple Priests of the Roman Church preceded them to witt for the order of his legation for to precede them by vertue of the particular conditions of his person neither age nor antiquitie of promotion nor learning nor desert hath euer giuen ranke in generall Councells to anie simple Bishops before Archbishops much lesse before the Patriarks otherwise the distinction of the Seas had bene introduced in vaine and the personall condition of Osius were good to make his person reuerent but not to make him preside in a generall Councell where the order of the Hierarchy saith Caluin ought to be singularly obserued Iointly that euen in all these qualities there were manie in the Councell that surpassed him For if wee speake of persecutions for the Faith 〈◊〉 Bishop of one of the citties of Thebaida who had lost a knee vnder the persecution of Maximinus and an eye whose skarre the Emperor Constantine was wont to kisse was not he there Potamon Bishop of Heraclea in Egipt whom S. EPIPHANIVS calls great Bishop and great 〈◊〉 and who in the same persecution had had an eye put out was not he there Paul Bishop of Neocesarea vpon Euphrates whose handes had bene maimed with a hott iron in the persecution of Licinius was not he there And if we speake of the guiftes of prophetie and working of miracles Spiridion Bishop of Trimithunta in Cyprus that Ruffinus calls a man of the order of the Prophets was not he there James that great Bishop of Antioch in Mygdonia otherwise called Nisibis that Theodoret saith had raised againe the dead and whom hee intitles the prince of
was not Pope Siluester that sent him to the Emperor into the East to prouide for the trouble of Arrius whereof the Bishop of Alexandria had written to the same Siluester and to 〈◊〉 the Emperor to interpose his authoritie and that what remaines to vs from the 〈◊〉 of the Ecclesiasticall history more 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the first 〈◊〉 of the Emperors to note their actions then those of the Popes to the end to strengthen the Church with the temporall authoritie of the Empire hath not past it ouer in 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who can 〈◊〉 vs that the same Eusebius with an 〈◊〉 malice as being an Arrian and for that cause an Enemie to the Roman Church hath not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well as he dissembled that Alexander 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the relation of the trouble of the Church of 〈◊〉 to Pope 〈◊〉 and an other relatiō 〈◊〉 the circular letters addressed to the 〈◊〉 Bishops of the East as it appeares from the number and the degrees of those that were excommunicated where of there is mention 〈◊〉 which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee learne euidently 〈◊〉 Pope 〈◊〉 who writes to the Emperor Constantius Wee haue 〈◊〉 in our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Siluester of holy memory and 〈◊〉 from saint 〈◊〉 Patriarke of the same place of 〈◊〉 who 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pope CELESTINE The longe 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 me to communicate those things to your 〈◊〉 The Fathers of the third 〈◊〉 Councell of Constantinople which was the 〈◊〉 generall Councell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and which liued neere a thousand yeare agoe and had read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ecclesiasticall histories that the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 robbed from vs and in whose cares there sounded yet the memory of the acts of the Councell of Nicea doe not 〈◊〉 throughly 〈◊〉 that not onely the Emperor Constantine but also Pope 〈◊〉 wrought for the 〈◊〉 of this Councell when they 〈◊〉 The most sacred 〈◊〉 and the famous 〈◊〉 called the great and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Councell at Nicea And doth not the analogie of the historie informe vs that the Pope before the celebration of the Coūcell of Nicea must 〈◊〉 haue holden a 〈◊〉 Councell of the westerne Church that is to 〈◊〉 a Councell compounded of the deputies from the particular 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Prouinces to send by delegates carrying the 〈◊〉 of that Councell the sence of all the westerne Church to the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 as it was done when there was question of holding the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 Otherwise how had the Councell of 〈◊〉 which was compounded but onely of the Easterne Prouinces and where there were but 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 Bishops of all the west bene originallie 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 I say originally and not by accession as that of 〈◊〉 if some one of them had not bene deputed to 〈◊〉 the voice of all the westerne Church And which of those Bishops 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 except Osius who onely had his 〈◊〉 with the Popes 〈◊〉 before the heads of all the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if the authors of the 〈◊〉 all historie for the most part 〈◊〉 which remaine to vs haue spoken of noe Councell of the West preambulary to that of 〈◊〉 what 〈◊〉 is it 〈◊〉 that of the Councell of Capua that the Councell of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 generall Coucell and that saint AMBROSE describes as assembled from all the partes of the world and for the affaires of the East there is found noe author of the ancient Ecclesiasticall historie that speakes a word And if Eusebius aud those that haue followed him haue made noe memorie of the Councell of the West holden for the preparation of the Councell of Nicea what meruaile is it if they haue made noe mention of the deputation of the Bishop sent from the Pope and the Councell of the West to represent their person at the Councell of Nicea Wee finde indeede that Eusebius Bishop of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Italie and Lucifer Bishop of 〈◊〉 in Sardinia two Bishops of the Popes Patriarkship where 〈◊〉 into the East and that at the issue of their banishment one of them to wit Lucifer created in Syria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 and assisted by one of his deacons at the Councell of Alexandria holden for the restitution of the Churches And the other to witt Eusebius assisted there in person but that they bare the qualitie of the Popes Legates when they were banisht into the East or since wee finde nothing in all the Grecian antiquitie And neuerthelesse saint IEROM describing the life of Lucifer saith Lucifer Bishop of Calaris sent Legat for the faith with Pancratius and Hyllarius Clerkes of the Roman Church by the Bishop Liberius to Constantius because he would not vnder the name of Athanasius condemne the Faith of Nicea was banisht into Palestina And describing that of Eusebius Eusebius saith hee made from a Lecturer in the Roman Church Bishop of Vercelles was for the confession of his faith 〈◊〉 by the Emperor Constantius to Scythopolis and from thence to Cappadocia And saint HILLARIE describing the Councell of Millan from whence they where both sent into the East by Constantius Eusebius Bishop of 〈◊〉 saith hee is there with the clerks of Rome and Lucifer Bishop of Sardinia And Liberius himself in an Epistle to the Emperor Constantius which remaines to vs in the workes of Lucifer I haue said hee sent to you my holie Brother and fellow-bishop Lucifer with Pancratius my fellow-Priest and Hillary Deacon And Nicetas a graue Greeke Author and who had seene manie Ecclesiasticall histories that tyme hath enuied to vs expounding these words of saint GREGORIE Nazianzene There were at Cesarea in Coppadocia Bishops of the west which drew all that were orthodoxall to them add's These Bishops were Lucifer and Eusebius who had bene sent from Rome And why then as all the ancient Greekes cōcealed the deputation of 〈◊〉 and Eusebius Bishops of Uercelles from the Pope to the Emperor Constantius so could not Eusebius and those that haue followed him conceale the deputation of Osius from the Pope be it to the Emperor Constantine or be it to the Church of Alexandria And if from this that Eusebius notes not that Osius whom in hate to Catholicke doctrine he vouchsafes not so much as to name in all the historie of the life of Constantine was sent by the Emperor into Egipt as the Popes legate or from this that hee doth not relate that Osius assisted at the Councell of Nicea as the Popes Legat 〈◊〉 doe ensue that it was not in the qualitie of the Popes legate that Osius presided at the Councell of Nicea must wee not conclude by the same meanes that he presided not there at all for Eusebius saith not that Osius presided at the Councell of Nicea he onely saith that he sate there with manie others From Spaine itselfe said hee there was one verie famous Bishop sett with manie others Two onely historians doe informe vs
if there had bene any generall Councell holden vnder the Pagan Emperors the Christians had bene obliged in conscience and to the spirituall Tribunall of the Church though it had not bene called by them And that if the Turke should euer make himselfe vniuersall monarch of the world and that there should be a generall Councell holden vnder 〈◊〉 Empire the Christians should be obliged in conscience and to the spirituall Tribunall of the Church though it were not called by him And then if the authoritie necessarie to make generall Councells obligatorie in conscience ought to be perpetuall and alwaies to haue place how can that be by imperiall authoritie which hath bene deuided into soe manie parcells as at this daie in a manner the least part of it belonges to the Empire For the conuocation of the pluralitie dispersed must depend from an vnitie and from an vnitie that hath authoritie ouer euerie indiuiduall of the pluralitie as the ancient Emperors themselues acknowledged that of the Pope to be when they ordayned That euery Bishop that being called to the Popes iudgment should 〈◊〉 to come should be constrained by the Gouernor of the Prouince to appeare And therefore as often as our aduersaries crie out such an Emperor called such or such a Councell so often they loose their tyme and their labour For wee are agreed that whilst the Emperors were Monarchs of the world or of the greater part of the world they called them all in regard of temporall authoritie but we saie besides the secular authoritie of the Emperor which was necessarie to make the conuocations of Councells authenticall temporally must an other authoritie interuene to witt a spirituall and ecclesiasticall authoritie to make it lawfull and authenticall spirituallle and to make that the Councells may be said to be called from God and obligatorie in conscience and to the Spirituall Tribunall of the Church Now that we maintaine to haue bene the authoritie of him who was the principle center of ecclesiasticall vnitie and the head of all the Bishops and without whose sentence it was vnlawfull to make definitiue lawes in the Church to witt the Pope whose authoritie for this regard ought to concurr with the authoritie of the Emperors either actuallie or virtuallie I said either actuallie or virtuallie for as much as it sufficed for the spirituall validitie of the conuocation of Councells that the Popes did either call them or cause them to be called or approued their conuocation For when the Emperors called them either at the Popes instance or with the consent and approbation of the Pope the spirituall conuocation of the Pope was alwaies reputed to interuene as also the Catholicke Emperors and which abstained from tyranizing ouer the Church neuer called them but whē the Pope required it of them or they required it of the Pope And when they were required by the Pope they were alwaies readie to call them although that for the places where they should be celebrated the Emperors because of the commodities or incommodities of the State reserued the election to themselues For whereas the Emperor Constantius refused Pope Liberius who demaunded of him that a generall Councell might be holden for saint ATHANASIVS cause it was the refusall of an Arrian Emperor noe lesse an enemie to the Sonn of God then to saint ATHANASIVS And whereas the Emperor Arcadius refused Pope Innocent who sent saith Sozomene fiue Bishops and two priests of the Roman Church to the Emperors to demaund of them a Councell for the cause of saint Chrisostome and sent saint CHRISOSTOME into a more remote banishment it wasatyrannicall act of an Emperor possest by the Enemies of this holy man For this then the temporall conuocation of the Emperors was necessary to wit that the ministers of the Empire who were obliged by the politicke and imperiall lawes not to suffer anie assemblies without the Emperors permission should not hinder them that the Estate should haue noe colour of iealousies and that the officers of the cittie should furnish the charges Staples and transportations of the Bishops and that the Councells should be kept at the expences of the imperiall Exchequer and that finallie the decrees of Councells might be obligatorie to the secular Tribunall and executory temporallie and by the Ministrie of the politicke Magistrate but not that the conuocation of the Emperors was of the essence of the Councell as that of the Popes was nor serued to make them obligatorie in conscience and to the spirituall Tribunall of the Church noe more then the Presidency of the same Emperors at the Councells either by themselues or their Officers was of the essence of the Councells as that of the Pope was but onely for comelynes and ornament and for keepeing order and temporall policie witnes this language of the Councell of 〈◊〉 to Pope LEO the first Thou didst preside by thy legates in the Councell as the head to the members and the Emperors presided there for seemelynesse and ornament striuing with thee as Zorobabel with Iesus to renew in doctrine the building the Ierusalem of the Church For what meanes this comparison of Pope LEO with Iesus high Priest of the Iewish lawe and of the Emperor Marcian with Zorobabel Prince of the Iewish people but that there was like analogie in Christian Religions betweene the Pope and the Emperor for the holding of Councells as there was in the Iewish Church betweene the high Priest which was Iesus and the Prince of the people which was Zorobabel for the building of the Temple that is to saie that the one to witt the Pope should concurr there as head of the Priesthood and spirituall iurisdiction and the other to witt the Emperor should concurr there as head of the politicke and temporall iurisdiction and therefore when there is question of the calling of Councells there must be a distinction betweene the spirituall calling of Councells and the temporall calling of Councells that is to saie betweene the conuocation necessarie to make their assemblie authenticall temporallie and the conuocation necessarie to make their assemblie authenticall in conscience and spirituallie In the first case there was nothing to be determined betweene the Popes and the Emperors for none doubtes but the authoritie necessarie to call generall Councells temporallie and to make them executory by the secular arme was the authoritie of the Emperors noe more then at this daye anie doubtes but the authority necessary to make the conuocation of Nationall Councells authenticall temporally must be that of the Kings or Princes within whose estates they are to be holden In the second case there was yet lesse for as much as it is euident that the authoritie necessarie to legitimate in conscience the conuocation of Councells and to make them obligatorie spirituallie must be a spirituall and ecclesiasticall authoritie a temporall Magistrate not being able to conferr anie spirituall authoritie to Councells And indeede when the Emperors haue pretended
who had bene iudged in the first instance by the Archbishop of Constantinople and in the 〈◊〉 instance by the Pope did the Councell of Chalcedon cry out that Dioscorus and the false Councell of Ephesus had restored to Eutyches the dignitie that the Pope had depriued him of He hath said they declared Eutyches in 〈◊〉 and hath restored to him the dignitie taken from him by your Holynesse And wherefore then when John Patriarke of Alexandria had bene deposed from his patriarkship and Peter surnamed Mongus established in his place did John appeale to Pope Simplicius and tooke Synodicall letters from Calendion Patriarke of Antioch to accompanie his appeale John saith Liberatus addressed himselfe to Calendion Patriarke of Antioch and hauing gotten from him Synodic all letters of intercession appealed to Pope Simplicius And wherefore then when Pope Felix successor to Simplicius had deposed the same Peter Mongus Patriarke of Alexandria and Acacius Patriarke of Constantinople and Peter surnamed the Tanner Patriarke of Antioch and that these three Patriarkes trusting vpon the support of the Emperor Zeno who was an hereticke like themselues dispised the Popes sentence doth Victor of Tunes saie that they dyed all three vnder damnation And wherefore then when the Emperor Justin a Catholicke Prince was come to the Empire was the sentence that the Pope had pronounced against them executed soe exactlie that their names euen after their deathes were blotted out of the records of the Churches of Alexandria of Antioch and of Constantinople And that for the rest that had communicated with them but were not comprehended by name within the Popes letters the Emperor was faine to demaund pardon of the Pope for them Wee aske grace saith the Emperor writing to Pope Hormisdas for the names not of Acacius not of either Peter that is to saie not of Peter Patriarke of Antioch and of Peter Patriarke of Alexandria not of Dioscorus or Timotheus of whom your Holynesse letters to vs directed made especiall mention but of those whom the Episcopall Reuereuce hath celebrated in the other citties And wherefore then when Pope Agapet deposed within Constantinople itselfe Anthimus Patriarke of Constantinople doth Liberatus saie The Empresse Theodora wife to the Emperor Iustinian on the one side secretlie offered great presents to Pope Agapet and one the other side tried him with threates to hinder him from deposing Anthimus but the Pope persisted in not hearing her request And Anthimus seeing himselfe cast out of his Sea rendred vp the Archiepiscopall mantle to the Emperors and retired himselfe into a place where the Empresse tooke him into her protection And for what cause when the Councell of Constan 〈◊〉 holden vnder Menas speakes of the deposition of the same 〈◊〉 Patriarke of Constantinople doth it saie that the Pope had pardoned Peter Patriarke of Ierusalem and the other Bishops of the East that had communicated with him It must not be wondred at saith the Councell if the great Sea Apostolicke still continue to followe the first tract preseruing the Rights of the Church inuiolate and maintayning the faith and granting pardon to those that haue sinned And againe The blessed Pope Agapet of holie and Reuerend memorie comeing into this Royall Cittie hath next God giuen his helping hand to the sacred Canons and hath cast Anthimus out of the Sea which appertained not to him and hath pardoned those who had participated or communicated with him And wherefore then when John Archbishop of Larissa and Iohn Primate of the first Justinianea had iniustly condemned the one in the first and the other in thè second instance Adrian Bishop of Thebes in Thessalia did Sainct GREGORIE depriue the Bishop of the first Iustinianea of the communion for the space of thirtie daies and Ecclipsed the Bishopricke of Thebes from the iurisdiction of the Archbishopricke of Larissa and ordained that if the Archbishop of Larissa should anie more attempt to enterprise anie thing vpon the Bishop of Thebes he should remaine depriued of the sacred communion soe as it might not be restored to him except at the point of death without the leaue of the Bishop of Rome And wherefore then when the same S. GREGORIE restored Athanasius Abbot of Tamnaca in Lycaonia who had bene deposed by John Patriarke of Constantinople and had appealed from him to the Sea Apostolicke did he saie to him Wee declare thee free from all crime of heresie and giue thee free le aue to repaire to thy Monasterie and there to holde the same place as thou didst before But for as much as these shiftes are more then sufficiently confuted by the onely Canons of the Councell of Sardica which were framed to iustifie the restitution of S. ATHANASIVS and in the presence of S. ATHANASIVS himselfe wee remitt the Reader to the Chapter wee shall heereafter make thereof And the while we will examine the obiections that Caluin alleadges against the appeales to the Sea Apostolicke which consist in fiue principall instances which though they are treated of vnder two titles the one of corrections the other of appeales Neuerthelesse for as much as the right of appeales dependes from that of corrections and besides that Caluin mingles the instances of the one with the instances of the other we will treate of them vnder one Title to witt vnder that of Appeales Of the opposition of S. Ireneus to Pope Victor CHAPT II. THE first instance then that Caluin alleageth against the Popes censures is taken from Eusebius an Arrian author and from Ruffinus enemie to the Roman Church his translator who writt that S. IRENEVS reprehended Pope Uictor for hauing excommunicated the Churches of Asia for the question of the daie of Pasche which they obserued according to a particular tradition that S. IOHN had introduced for a tyme in their prouinces because of the neighbourhood of the Iewes and to bury the Synagogue with honor and not according to the vniuersall tradition of the Apostles Jreneus saith Caluin reprehended Pope Victor bitterlie because for a light cause he had moued a great and perillous contention in the Church There is this in the text that Caluin produceth He reprehended him that he had not done well to cutt of from the bodie of vnitie soe manie and soe great Churches But against whom maketh this but against those that obiect it for who sees not that S. IRENEVS doth not there reprehend the Pope for the wante of power but for the ill vse of his power and doth not reproache to the Pope that he could not excomcommunicate the Asians but admonisheth him that for soe smale a cause he should not haue cutt of soe manie prouinces from the bodie of the Church Jreneus saith Eusebius did fitlie exhort Pope Victor that he should not cutt of all the Churches of God which held this ancient tradition And Ruffinus translating and enuenoming Eusebius saith He questioned Victor that he had not
Bishop Iohn had bene satisfied in all conditions and hauing learned from those of your legation that all things had bene accomplished according to our desire I haue by the grace of God admitted the communion of your Church And a little after As for the letters of the Bishop Atticus because they were ioyned with yours we haue receiued them least the refusall of a man alreadie a long while suspended by vs should turne to your preiudice and yet we haue sufficiently and more then sufficiently ordained in the acts what ought to be obserued in his person And Theodoret treating of the same matter Iohn being dead those of the West would neuer admitt the communion either of the Egiptians those of the East nor of the Bishops of Bosphorus and Thrace that is to saie of the diuision of Constantinople till they had inscribed the name of that admirable personage into the rolle of the Bishops his predecessors and esteemed Arsacius that succeeded him scarce worthie of a salutation and as for Atticus successor of Arsactus after manie legations and requests for peace they receiued him finallie but when he had added the name of John to the other Bishops And the third that if what Sigebert writes were true there were great difference betweene suspending themselues from the communion of anie one which was sometymes done by intermitting the commerce of communicatory letters and excommunicating him or making him incommunicable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that in the matter of verie excommunications there was great difference betweene minor excommunications which depriued those that were smitten with them from the vse of the Sacraments but depriued them not as is aboue said from the other fruits of the Churches communion and the maior excommunications which tooke awaie not onely the vse of the Sacraments but cast out those that were therewith attainted from the bodie and societie of the Church Now it was with this kind of excommunication wherewith Pope Victor excommunicated the Bishops of Asia who obserued the Pasche according to the Iewish computation Victor saith Eusebius moued with the answere of Polycrates attempted to cutt of at one blowe from the common vnion all the Diocesses of Asia and the neighbouring Churches as Heterodoxall and proscribed them by letters declaring all the bretheren which inhabited those Regions incommunicable And againe Ireneus exhorted Victor that he should not cutt of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Churches of God that obserued the tradition of this ancient custome By which wordes it maie appeare that the meaning of Vistors censure was not simplie to seperate himselfe from the communion of the Asians but to diuide and cutt of the Asians from the bodie and societie of the whole Church and that the remonstrance and exhortation that S. IRENEVS and others made him was not to keepe him from seperating himselfe from the cōmunion of the Asians but that he should not cutt of the Asians from the bodie and common masse of the Church for the verbes to proscribe and to declare incommunicable expresse an other thing then to seperate himselfe from them the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereof Eusebius makes vse signifieth to diuide and cutt of from the bodie and from the masse for which cause Ruffinus hath translated it to cutt of from the vnitie of the bodie He reproued him saith Ruffinus for not doeing well in cutting of from the vnitie of the bodie so manie and so great Churches of God And certainlie what subiect of terror had Pope Victor giué to the Bishops of Asia in threatning to excōmunicate them if he had intended onely to seperate himselfe from them And why should Polycrates haue said that hauing the word of God for him he feared not those that threatned him if this threat had bene noe more but to seperate himself from their communion and not to seperate and cutt them of from the communion of the bodie and from the societie of the Church For what greater wound had the Asian Bishops receiued in the Popes seperation from them then the Pope in the Asian Bishops seperation from him if the Popes excommunication had bene noe other thing then a declaration that seperated himselfe from their communion Contrariwise the Bishops of Asia minor and of the neighbouring prouinces that the Pope comprehended in his censure being so great number as Polycrates saith that if hee should represent their names the multitude would seeme too great why had it not bene more opprobry for the Pope to be seperated from them then for them to be separated frō the Pope if the Popes excōmunication had bene but a simple declaration that he departed from their cōmunion And it can not be said that Eusebius writes that Victor attempted to cutt them of for the question is not of the diminutiue termes which Eusebius whom S. IEROM calls the ensignebearer of the Arrian faction vseth with an Arrian en uie and malignitie against the Romane Church but of the intention of Victor of the Bishops that made their remonstrances to him And yet lesse can it be replied that the other Bishops opposed themselues against it for they opposed it not but in the forme of remonstrances and exhortations representing to him not that he could not doe it and that he enterprized beyond his iurisdiction but that for soe small a cause he ought not to cutt of soe manie Churches from the vniuersall bodie and societie of the Church Wherein was discouered the euill will of Eusebius against the Roman Church who saith that the other Bishops did bitterly reproue Victor when there is question to produce an example of the bitternes of their reprehensions he alleadges for his onely patterne the words of S. IRENEVS where there is not one bitter word to be found which containeth onely simple gentle remonstrances and full of submission to the person of Victor and to the authoritie of his Sea For to represent to the Pope that he ought not to cutt of so manie Churches from the bodie and from the societie of the vniuersall Church was it anie other thing then to confesse that if the cause had bene sufficient as afterward the Councells of Nicea and of Ephesus shewed it to be it belonged to him to cut them of and chiefely in the time of the pagan Emperors vnder whom noe generall councells could be celebrated And to vse the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies to diuide and cutt of from the bodie and from the masse what was it but to saie that it was the Roman Church that as the stocke and roote did not cutt her selfe of from the Churches that she excommuni cated but cutt them of from her selfe and in cutting them of from her selfe cutt them of from the communion of the whole bodie noe more nor lesse then the head in cutting of anie member from the communion thereof cutts not it selfe of from that but cutts of that from it selfe
and in cutting it of doth not onely cutt it of from the communion of the head onely but from the communion of the whole bodie or that the stocke and roote in cutting of some branche cuts not of it selfe from that but cutts that of from it selfe and in cutting it of cutts it not of onely from the communion of the roote but from that of the whole tree And therefore we alsoe see that in all the breaches of communion which haue bene betweene the Roman Church and the other Churches there hath happened fower things The first that when other Churches haue separated themselues from the Roman all the Catholicke Churches haue alwaies remained vnited with the Roman and haue separated themselues from those which haue forsaken her The second that when it hath bene the Roman Church which hath excōmunicated others all the Catholicke Churches haue forsaken them or if they not thought the cause of the excommunication grieuous haue had recourse to the Roman Church with remonstrances and intercessions to beseeche her to suspend and reuoke her censure as it appeares both by the words of S. IRENEVS to Pope Victor vpon the excommunication of the Asians he exhorted him not to cutt of all the Churches of God 〈◊〉 held the tradition of this ancient custome And by those of Dionisius Bishop of Alexandria to Pope Steuen vpon the condemnation of the Bishops of Cappadocia I haue said hee written beseeching him for all these things or occording to the other translation beseeching him for them all And by these of Socrates vpon the Popes censure against Flauianus Patriarke of Antioch Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria hauing sent the Priest Isidorus appeased Damasus you must reade Anastasius his indignation and represented to him that it was profitable for the concord of the people to forgett the fault of Flauianus and soe the communion hauing bene restored to Flauianus the factions of the people of Antioch were soone after revnited And by these of the Councell of Carthage vpon Pope Innocents sentence against Theophilus Patriark of Alexandria for S. CHRYSOSTOMES cause It had bene agreed vpon that concerning the dissention of the Roman and Alexandrian Churches Pope Innocent should be written to that both Churches may obserue the peace that our Lord hath commaunded For why should it be ordained that Pope Innocent should be written to and not Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria but because it was the Pope that kept the key of the Ecclesiasticall communion and that it was the Roman Church to whom it belonged to receaue the Alexandrian Church into her communion and not to the Alexandrian Church to receiue the Roman into her communion And in briefe that it belonged to the Roman Church to prescribe to the Alexandrian the lawes of the revnion and not to the Alexandrian to 〈◊〉 them to the Roman as Theodoret witnesseth that it happened a while after in these words Iohn being dead those of the West would neuer admitt the communion nether of the Egiptians nor of those of the East nor of the ` Bishops of Bosphorus and Thrace till they had inscribed the name of this admirable personage into the rolle of the Bishops his predecessors And the third that when the separation hath continued those that were excluded from the communion of the Roman haue alwaies bene cast out from the communion of the other Catholicke Churches and reputed for heretickes or schismatickes as it-appeares euen in the busines of the Asians excommunicated by Victor whose Sectaries were afterward constrained to abiure their heresie in these termes I anathematize all heresie and particularlie that of the Quartodecumans And the fowrth that when the deuided partes were to be revnited the other Churches haue alwaies sent to take and demaund their restitution into the commnnion of the Roman Church and that the Roman Church neuer sent to take or demaund that of other Churches Those of the West saith Theodoret speaking of Flauianus Patriarke of Antioch promised to laie by all bitternesse and to 〈◊〉 the Embassadors that Flauianus should send Which the diuine Flauianus hauing heard he sent a legation of famous Bishops and Priests and Deacons of Antioch to Rome And Socrates The communion hauing bene restored to Flauianus the parts of the Church of Antioch were soone after reunited And Pope Innocent the first writing to Alexander Patriarke of Antioch vpon S. IOHN CHRYSOSTOMES cause I haue diligentlie in quired whether the case of the blessed Bishop Iohn had bene satisfied in all pointes and hauing found by those of your 〈◊〉 that all things had bene accomplished according to our desire I haue by the grace of God admitted the communion of your Church And 〈◊〉 treating of the same matter Iohn being dead those of the West would neuer admitt the communion neither of the Egiptians nor of those of the East nor of the Bishops of Bosphorus and Thrace that is to saie of the diuision of Constantinople till they had inscribed the name of that admirable personage into the rolle of the Bishops his predecessors and scarcely esteemed Arsacius who had succeeded him 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 saluted and as for Atticus successor to Arsacius after manie legations and 〈◊〉 for peace they finallie receaued him but when he had first added the name of Iohn to the other Bishops And Pope Leo in his Epistle to Anatolius Patriark of Constantinople concerning the Bishops of the false councell of Ephesus Wee will said hee that by our Legats the care of the affaire being communicated to thee it be ordained that those that with full satisfaction shall condemne their euill actions and rather chose to accuse then to defend themselues shall enioy the vnitie of our peace and cōmunion And else where But as for those that haue more grieuously sinned if they after such satisfactiō as it shall seeme it ought not to be refused c. let the things be reserued to the more mature determination of the Sea Apostolicke And Pope Hormisdas tyme-felowe with the Emperor Iustin in his Epistle to Epiphanius Patriarke of Constantinople You must said hee put on my person and of those that shall 〈◊〉 with you in communion and by you to the Sea Apostolick informe vs by your letters therein 〈◊〉 therein the tenor of the libells which they shall haue presēted And againe Which we thought wought to impose vpon you laying our charge vpon your diligence because you haue giuen noe small proofe of your resistance to hereticks And Victor of Tunes reporting the same historie The Emperor Iustin reunited those of the East c. with 〈◊〉 satisfaction for those of the West And the Emperor Iustinian nephew and Successor to Iustin in the Epistle to Pope Iohn surnamed 〈◊〉 Wee haue hastned to submitt and vnit to your Holynesse Sea all the 〈◊〉 of the East Countries And certainelie if the Pope had holden noe other ranke in the ecclesiasticall communion then the other Patriarkes
that were admitted into her communion were admitted into the Communion of the whole Catholicke Church and that those that were seperated from her communion were seperated from the communion of the whole Bodie of the Catholick Church Of the oppositions of saint Cyprian CHAPT III. THE second instance of Caluin is taken from saint CYPRIAN and consistes in seauen heades produced by him or by his disciples The first that saint CYPRIAN calls Pope Steuen Brother The second that he complaines because Basilides a Bishop of Spaine hauing bene deposed by a Synod of his Prouince for hauing bowed vnder persecution and an other hauing bene ordained in his place Pope Steuen restored him The third that he saith there were but a small number of lost and desperate persons who beleeued that the authoritie of the Bishops of Africa was lesser The fowrth that he saith that the ecclesiasticall causes ought to be determined where they were bredd The fift that hee affirmes that the Episcopall power is one thing whereof euerie one holdes his portion vndiuidedly The sixth that hee cries none of vs constitutes himselfe Bishopp of Bishopps And the seauenth finallie that he vseth rude wordes against Pope Steuen and accuses him of ignorance and of presumption To the first then of these heades which is that saint CYPRIAN calls Pope Cornelius brother Wee answere he calls him Brother not to denie to him the superintendencie of the Ecclesiasticall gouernement but for two other causes The one to insinuate that the Popes superintendencie ouer other Bishops was not a Lordly Monarchie as that of temporall princes ouer their subiects but a gentle and brotherly Monarchie as that of an elder brother ouer his younger Bretheren which is the title that our Lord himselfe would beare when he made himselfe be called the first borne amongst manie bretheren and which is the memoriall of humilitie that God had giuen to the Kings of his people when he had pronounced Thou shalt take a king from amongst thy bretheren And againe that the kings heart may not be exalted aboue his bretheren From whence it is that the Scripture to represent this brotherly Monarchie as well in the Sacerdotall as in the politicke order saith in the first booke of Esdras And Iosua sonne of Iosedeck 〈◊〉 vp and the priests his bretheren and built vp the Altar of God And the other to signifie the vnitie of the communion that Tertullian calls the nomination of brotherhood and to shew that he spake not of the Antipope Nouatianus to whom the Schismatickes adhered but of the true Pope Cornelius and of Steuen his successor with whom the Catholicke Bishops communicated as Erasmus hath acknowledged vpon the same place of saint CYPRIAN in these termes The word BROTHER doth not there signifie equalitie but societie of Religion For that it was a familiar thing for ancient authors to vse the word Brother not to exclude the superioritie 〈◊〉 but to expresse the vnitie of communion it appeares by a thousand testimonies It appeares first by the testimonie of saint AMBROSE who calls the Bishop of Rome his holy Brother and neuerthelesse ' in the same place aduertiseth Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria who was a committee from the Councell of Capua to iudge the cause of Flauianus Patriarke of Antioch to procure his iudgement to be confirmed by the Pope Wee conceaue said hee that you ought to reserr the affaire to our holy brother Bishop of the Roman Church for wee presume you will iudge soe as can not displease him And a little after that Wee hauing receaued the tenor of your acts when wee shall see that you haue iudged things soe as the Roman Church shall vndoubtedlie approue we will receiue with ioy the fruite of your examination It appeares secondly by the testimonie of the Catholicke Bishops of Africa who answered the Donatists in the conference of Carthage that Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage had bene their brother Hee was saith saint AVSTIN our brother because of the communion of the Sacraments And neuertheles the Archbishop of Carthage was head and Superintendent of all the Bishops of Africa It appeares thirdly by the testimonie of saint AVGVSTINE who calls Aurelius Archbishop of Carthage his brother and neuerthesse saint AVGVSTINE was the spirituall subiect to Aurtlius and had bene made Bishop of Hippo by meanes of the dispensation that Aurelius had giuen to Ualerius to take him for coadiutor and himselfe acknowledged that he was obliged to execute his commaundemēts I haue said hee obeied thy commaundements my holie brother 〈◊〉 It appeares fowrthlie by the testimonie of Epigonius one of the Bishops of the third Councell of Carthage who calls the same Aurelius his brother and neuerthelesse acknowledgeth in the same place that Aurelius had superintendencie ouer all Africa It appeares in the fifth place by the testimonie of John Patriarke of Constantinople who writing to Pope Hormisdas intituleth him his Brother and neuertheles protests wee doe in all things followe the Sea Apostolicke and preach all that hath bene thereby decided And promise in the tyme to come not to recite amidst the sacred misteries the names of those that are seperated from the communion of the Catholicke Church that is to saie addeth hee that doe not altogether agree with the Sea Apostolicke And finallie it appeares by the testimonie of the Emperor Justinian who 〈◊〉 to Pope John surnamed Mercurius Wee demaund that your Fatherlie 〈◊〉 may declare to vs your intention by your letters directed to vs and to the most holie Bishop and Patriarke of this famous cittie your brother And neuertheles in the same Epistle and in the Epistle to the Patriarke of Constantinople he affirmeth that the Pope is the head of all the holie Prelates of God And the same may be said of the words Colleague or Fellow-Minister that the ancient Catholique Bishops sometimes attribute to the Pope not to weaken the Superioritie of the Gouernment but to designe the societie of the Ministrie and to shew that the faithfull and wise seruant that the Master hath substituted ouer the companie of his seruants to giue them their nourishment in due season is not Lord but fellowe Seruant to his fellowe Seruants For that the Fathers doe so vnderstand it it appeares by manie Examples It appeares first by the Epistle of the Synod of Alexandria where the Bishops of Egipt call saint ATHANASIVS Patriarke of Alexandria their Colleague who neuerthelesse was their head and had iurisdiction ouer all the Bishops of Egipt and Libia as it appeares both from the sixth Canon of the Councell which giues perfect authoritie to the Bishop of Alexandria ouer all the Bishops of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis And from the Remonstrance that the Metropolitans of Egipt made to the Councell of Chalcedon that they could enterprise nothing without the authoritie of the Bishop of Alexandria It appeareth secondlie by the Epistle of Proclus Archbishop
of Constantinople who intreateth Domnus Patriarke of Antioch that he would beare with the infirmities of Athanasius Bishop of Perhes his fellowe Minister and to graunt him for his iudges other Bishops then his Metropolitan who was suspected by him It appeares thirdly by the sentence of the Bishops of the Councell of Ephesus who called Pope Celestin their most holy Father and fellowe Minister and nenerthelesse made themselues the executioners of his Decrees Constrained Necessarilie said they by the force of the Canons and by the letters of our most holie father and fellow-minister Celestin wee are come not without teares to pronounce this heauie sentence against Nestorius And finallie it appeares by the writings of Optatus Bishop of Mileuis in Africa who calls the Pope Siricius companion of Societie with the Catholicke Bishops and neuertheles acknowledgeth him in the same place for the heire of saint PETERS Chaire and for center and principle of Ecclesiasticall vnitie To the second head which is that saint CYPRIAN complaines that Basilides a Bishops of Spaine hauing bene deposed by the Councell of the Prouince for hauing yeilded vnder the persecution and an other hauing bene ordained in his place Pope Steuen had restored him Wee answere that this complaint insteede of wounding the Popes authoritie wholie confirmes it For saint CYPRIAN complaines not of the enterprize made by the Pope but of the surprize made vpon the Pope by Basilides who had misinformed him concerning that affaire Behold his 〈◊〉 That Basilides said hee after the discouerie of his crimes and the ignominie of his conscience made naked by his owne confession trauailing to Rome hath deceiued our brother Steuen remote by a farr distance of place and ignorant of the historie in fact and the truth of the matter which hath bene concealed from him to procure that he might be vniustly restored to his Bishopricke from which he had bene iustlie deposed cannot annull an ordination lawfully made c. Neither is he so worthie of blame who hath by negligence suffred himselfe to be misinformed as he is worthie of execration that hath fraudulently imposed it vpon him Now who sees not that this manner of speeche is not to reproue the interprize made by the Pope but the surprize made vpon the Pope And indeede how could saint CYPRIAN reproue the enterprize made by the Pope he that writes to him 〈◊〉 there be letters directed from thee into the prouince and to the people that inhabite Arles whereby Marcian being deposed an other may be substituted in his place To the third head that is that saint CYPRIAN writes Since it hath 〈◊〉 or dained to vs all or by vs all and that it is iust and equitable that euerie cause should be heard where the crime hath bene committed and that to euerie pastor there should be assigned a part of the flocke which he may rule and gouerne besore he come to yield an accompt of his actions to God those that we rule must not runne heere and there and cause the well vnited concord of the Bishops to knocke one against an other by a fraudulent and deceiptfull rashnes but pleade their cause where there may be accusers and wittnesses of their crimes Wee answere that he speakes heere of minor and particular causes whereof it was afterward ordained in the Councell of Carthage That particular causes should be determined within their prouinces that is to saie causes os manners and which concerned nothing but the liues of Clerkes and of inferior Clerkes onely that is to saie of Priests deacons subdeacons and other ecclesiasticall persons constituted to the lesser orders as it appeares both by these wordes Those whom we rule and by the qualitie of Fortunatus person of whom the question was who was a priest of the Church of Carthage who had bene excommunicated for his crimes by saint CYPRIAN and had made a Schisme against him at Carthage And not of Maior causes as those of faith or of the Sacraments or of the generall customes of the Church or of the depositions of the persons of Bishops the definition of which causes might be reserued for the iudgements beyond the Seas For that there was euer this difference in Africa betweene the inferior Clerkes that is to saie Priests deacons subdeacons and other ecclesiasticall persons constituted to the lesser orders and the superior Clerkes that is saie Bishops that the causes of the inferior Clerkes of Africa ought to be determined in Africa and not passe beyond the Seas but that the causes of the superior Clerkes that is to saie of Bishops might be transferred to the iudgement beyond the Seas wee learne it from saint AVGVSTINE who cries out that Cecilianus one of saint CYPRIANS Successors in the Archbishoprike of Carthage and within fortie yeares of S. CYPRIANS tyme who had bene condemned in Africa by a Councell of seuentie Bishops might reserue his cause beyond the Seas for as much as he was of the order of Bishops and not of that of Priests deacons and other inferior Clerkes There was noe question then saith saint AVGVSTINE of Priests or Deacons or other Clerkes of the inferior order but of the Colleagues that is to saie of Bishops who might reserue their cause intire to the iudgement of the other Colleagues and principallie of the Churches Apostolicke For whereas saint AVGVSTINE vseth the word Churches Apostolicke in the plurall number wee answere that in the Chapter following and shew that it is not to exclude the eminencie of the Roman Church ouer the rest 〈◊〉 of contrarywise he said but three lynes before In the Roman Church hath alwaies flourisht the principalitie Apostolicke But to preuent the malice of the Donatists who refused the iudgement that Pope Melchiades had giuen of the cause of Cecilianus for as much as they said that Melchiades had sacrificed to Idolls and consequenrlie could not iudge of the cause of Cecilianus who was accused of a crime of the like nature or equiualent to it It sufficeth at this tyme to inferr from the wordes of saint AVGVSTINE that there was this difference betweene the superior and inferior Clerkes of Africa that the causes of the superior Clerkes might be iudged beyond the Seas and not those of the inferior Clerkes And therefore where saint CYPRIAN saith that euery cause should be iudged where the crime had bene committed he spake of the causes of inferior Clerkes that is to saie of Priests Deacons subdeacons and other Ecclesiasticall persons constituted to the lesser order and not of the causes of superior Clerkes that is to saie of Bishops To the fowrth head which is that saint CYPRIAN complaines That the authoritie of the Bishops of Africa seemed lesse to some lost and desperate persons who had alreadie the yeare before bene iudged by them Wee answere two things the one that the word lesser hath noe reference heere to the Roman Church and is not a Comparatiue of relatiue signification but
Bisop of Aptunge they first obtained a iudgement of seauentie Bishops in Africa against him Then discerning that Cecilianus dispised 〈◊〉 iudgement as well because it was giuen against an absent person as because as saint AVSTINE saith that he sawe himselfe vnited by communicatory letters with the Roman Church in the which adds the same saint AVGVSTINE hath alwaies flourisht the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke and with the other Countries from whence the Ghospell came in to Africa they resolued to pursue beyond the seas a new iudgement Now they seared the Popes Tribunall both in generall because all Italie had bene trobled with persecutions vnder the Empire of Dioclesian by meanes whereof they figured to themselues that there would be manie Bishops that had bowed or bent and consequentlie would supporte the cause of Ceci 〈◊〉 and in particular if wee beleiue the Donatists in the conference of Carthage because the Pope Melchiades was suspected by them as a complice as they pretended of the same crime or one equiualent to that of him that ordained Cecilianus They began said saint AVGVSTINE speaking of the Donatists of the conference of Carthage to charge Melchiades of the crime of Treason and to 〈◊〉 that their superiors had shunned his iudgement because he was a Traytor For these causes then that is to saie be it for the suspition that they had in common against all Italie be it for that they had in particular against the Pope they addressed themselues to the Emperor Constantine who then was resident amongst the Gaules and besought him to giue them iudges from amongst the Gaules because in that prouince whereof his Father Constantius had had gouernment there had bene noe persecution which was to refuse in generall all the prouinces where Dioclesians persecution had taken place amongst which Italie was one of the principall Your Superior saith Optatus Mil. presented to the Emperor yet ignorant of the affaire the request which followes Wee beseeche thee ô excellent Emperor Constantine because thou art of a iust race whose father amongst all the Emperors neuer practised anie persecution and that the Gaules are freed from this crime for in Africa there are contententions amongst vs let there be giuen to vs Iudges from amongst the Gaules And what meruaile is it if they addressed themselues to Costantine since after they had recourse to the Emperor Iulian the Apostata a pagan and an infidell prince the Emperor Constantine amazed and angrie with this proceeding reproached it to the Donatists and obiected to them that they would receiue iudgement from him who himselfe did attend the iudgement of Christ. He durst not saith saint AVSTINE iudge the cause of a Bishop And Optatus Mileuitanus from whom S. AVGVSTINE borrowed this historie Hee answered them saith hee with a spirit full of indignation you aske of me iudgement in this world of me I saie that doe my self attend the iudgement of Christ that is to saie you would haue me constitute my self for a Iudge of the Ministers of Christ I that doe my self attend the iudgement of Christ. Which was the same protestation that he made afterward at the Coūcell of Nicea in these wordes repeated by our glorious CHARLEMAINE To me who am constituted in a lay condition it is not lawfull to iudge of Bishops And this the Emperor Ualentinian renewed in these wordes repeated by saint AMBROSE and by the same CHALEMAINE Your businesse ô Bishops is farr aboue vs and therefore treate amongst you of your causes And that S. ATHANASIVS remēbred to the Emperor Constatius in these termes What hath the Emperor in common with the iudgement of Bishops And againe when did the iudgements of the Church take their force from the Emperor And saint MARTIN to Maximus This is a new and neuer heard of impietie that a secular iudge should iudge a cause of the Church And this was the first protestation of irregularitie made by the Emperor Constantine against the Donatists to witt that leauing the waie and the ordinarie progresse of the iudgments of the Church they had recourse to him to obtaine Iudges and which hath bene alwaies followed since by the pious and religious Catholicke Emperors This request neuerthelesse of the Donatists that the Emperor reiected as a iudge he beleiued that hee ought not altogether to reiect as an arbiter and compounder of the busines but thought it to bee to purpose in some sorte to make vse of the arbiterment that the Donatists referred to him to assaie to reconcile them to the Catholickes whose communion he held and for that occasion assured himselfe that he ought to be auowed and agreed vnto by them And therefore desiring on the one side to preserue the forme of the ordinarie iudgements of the Church on the other side being constrained to giue some waie to the hardnes of those that he desired to bring backe by faire meanes he remitted them frō the Gaules to Rome to be iudged by the Pope Melchiades with the assistance of three Bishops of the Gaules that he caused to trauaile thither Maternus of Cologne Rheticius of Autun and Marinus of Arles that they might be wittnesses and warrants of the sinceritie of his proceedings I haue ordained saith the Emperor in his Epistle to Melchiades euill inscribed to Mechiades and to Marcus that Cecilianus with ten of his accusers and ten of his abetters that is to saie ten Africā Bishops which opposed him and ten of Africk Bishops which maintained him trauelled so farr as to Rome that in your presence ioyning with you Rheticius Maternus and 〈◊〉 your Colleagues whom for this effect I haue enioyned to trasport themselues to Rome he may be heard so as you shall know that it belonges to the most religious lawe I haue said in the Epistle euill inscribed to Melchiades and to Marcus for there it must be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as well because Marcus was not Bishop of Rome till after Siluester Successor to Melchiades as because if this Marcus had bene anie other then a Bishop the Emperor would not haue said ioyntlie with you your colleagues Rheticius Maternus and Marinus And if he had bene Bishop hee had not directed 〈◊〉 letter to Melchiades Bishop of Rome and to Marcus without adding to it the qualitie of Bishop These three Bishops of the Gaules then hauing bene vpon the nomination of the Emperor admitted by the Pope and called by him to the Councell of Rome became iudges of the right of the affaires Now to whom doth it not heereby appeare quite contrarie to that which the Caluenists pretended to inferr For first if the Emperor as he protests himselfe had noe right to iudge the causes of Bishops howe could hee in right giue them Iudges I saie in right and not in fact for as much as the Emperor could well giue them Iudges in fact and whose
iudgement should be obligatorie to the secular Tribunall and executory by the officers of the Empire and vnder the imposition of paines and temporall punishments but hee could not giue them Iudges in right whose Iudgements should bee obligatorie in conscience and to the Tribunall of the Church and should make those that contradicted culpable of spirituall censures and punishments And secondly the Donatists hauing specified in their request that they demaunded Iudges of the Gaules and that of purpose to exclude particularlie the iudges of Italie the Emperor harkening to their request and giuing them Iudges of the Gaules how had he sent them to Rome to iudge the cause with the Pope and vnder his Presidencie and direction who was hee against whom if wee giue creditt to the Donatists in the conference of Carthage their petition was principallie presented if hee had not acknowledged that the Pope was naturall and ineuitable Iudge of the cause Is there any likelyhood that the Emperor beeing resident amongst the Gaules and the Iudges whom he nominated for the Donatists being risident there that hee would haue sent them from about his person where they were to the Popes person from whom they were seperated by so large a distance of Sea and land to serue him for assistants if hee had belieued that it was himselfe and not the Pope that was the Naturall Iudge of the affaire To what purpose should he haue made the Donatists take so much paines who came to him out of Africa into Gallia and the three Iudges that hee graunted them who were also in Gallia to trauaile from thence to Rome if hee had not acknowledged that which wee read latelie in saint ATHANASIVS That the causes of the Bishops could not be determined till de decision had bene made at Rome And in Sozomene That those things that were constituted without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome were nullities And in saint AVGVSTINE vpon the same place that in the Roman Church had alwaies flourisht the principallitie of the Sea Apostolicke But let vs kintt vp our historie To these three Bishops nominated by the Emperor the Pope yet added fifteene more whose names Optatus reportes Merocles Bishop of Milan Florian Bishop of Cesena Zoticus Bishop of Quintian Stemnius Bishop of Arimini Felix Bishop of Florence Gaudensius Bishop of Pisa Constantius Bishop of Faensa Proterius Bishop of Capua Theophilus Bishop of Beneuentum Sauinus Bishop of Terracina Secundus Bishop of Preneste Felix Bishop of the three lodges Maximus Bishop of Hostia Euander Bishop of Ursin and Donatian Bishop of Foro-Clodi Now if the Pope had not bene iudge of this case but by deputation and that the Emperors addresse to him had bene but a simple commission and not a remittment how could he haue taken fifteene others Bishops for his assistants besides those that had bene nominated by the Emperor and Bishops of Italie also which was the prouince that the Donatists had principallie pretended to refufe by their petition And why did not the Donatists reproach to him that hee had exceeded the boundes of his commission For as for Caluins saying that the Emperor nominated Iudges out of Gallia Spaine and Italie it is an ignorance disproued by Optatus who affirmes that the Councell of Rome was compounded but of ninteen Bishops in all towitt of the Pope three Bishops of Gaules and fifteen Bishops of Italie and that there were noe Bishops of Spaine and teacheth vs that the Emperor nominated but onely three Bishops of the Gaules Iudges saith Optatus were giuen Maternus of Cologna Rheticius of Autun and Marinus of Arles And indeede how could the Donatists haue desired Iudges out of Spaine where the persecution had bene soe cruell Wherefore although S. AVGVSTINE extendes as farr as he can the Emperors commission to the iudges of the Councell of Rome of purpose to make that Councell not capable of refusall by the Donatists who hauing taken the Emperor for their arbiter it seemed they could not decline a iudgement wherein his authority had interuened yet he extends it noe farther then to saie that the Emperor sent Bishops to Rome to iudge the cause with Melchiades and neuer goes so farr as to say that he gaue commission to Melchiades or gaue him for a iudge Contrarywise speaking of the iudges giuen by the Emperor he restraines them as hath bene 〈◊〉 aboue noted to the Bishops of the Gaules onelie Iudges saith hee were giuen to the Donatists those that they had demaunded that is to saie the Bishops of the Gaules Insinuating thereby that the Pope was none of the iudges that were giuen and that the Emperors delegation extended it selfe noe farther then onely to the iudges of the Gaules which he had deputed to the end they might bee witnesses and colleagues of the Popes iudgement and did not comprehended the Pope From whence it appeares that when he said that the Emperor delegated the examination of Cecilianus his cause to the Bishops or that the Councell of Rome absolued Cecilianus by the Emperors commaundement he speakes by Synecdoche that is to saie by extending the part to the whole for as much as the Bishops delegated by the Emperor and enabled by the Emperors commission which was valid in respect of the Donatists that had sought it made a part of the Councell of Rome where Cecilianus his cause was examined a part so conformable to the opinion of the whole as the iudgement of the Emperors Commissioners and that of the whole Councell was one selfe same thing Otherwise we must conclude by the same reason that Donatus had demaunded for iudges all those that assisted at the Councell of Rome that is to saie both the Pope and the fifteene iudges of Italie for S. AVGVSTIN saith in the like wordes that Donatus was heard at Rome by the iudges that he had demaunded And yet it is certaine that Donatus had demaunded none but the three iudges of the Gaules yea with the exclusion of the others But S. AVSTIN saith that he had bene heard by the iudges that he had demaunded for as much as amongst the iudges that heard him were those that he had demaunded who being conformable in their opinions with the rest it was as much as if he had demaunded them all Let vs finishe our historie The Pope assisted by these eighteen Bishops three nominated by the Emperor and fifteen chosen by him iudged the cause of Cecilianus and iudged it soe soundlie as saint AVSTIN takes occasion from thence to call him the FATHER of the Christian People How innocent saith saint AVSTIN was the last sentence pronounced by the blessed Melchiades how intire how prudent how peaceable And a while after O blessed man ô Sonn of Christian peace and Father of Christian people From this iudgement of the Popes notwithstanding the Donatists appealed to the Emperor and that was the second irregularitie and so great and enormious an irregularitie that
of Africa forbad the clerkes of their Prouinces the appeales beyond Seas In the Mileuitan Couueell saith Caluin where saint AVGVSTINE assisted those that should appeale beyond Sea were excommunicated It is true but to this instance we bring two sharpe and decisiue answeres the first that the canon is meant but of appeales in minor and personall causes as were causes as well pecuniarie as morall that is to saie as well ciuill as criminall of clerkes and not in maior causes that is to saie in common and Eclesiasticall causes as were causes of Faith and Sacraments or of the vniuersall customes of the church And the second that he speakes but of the Appeales of Priests deacons and other clerkes of the inferior order and not of the Appeales of the Clerkes of Superior orders that is to sale of Bishops For the cleering then of the first of these doubtes which is that the Canon is meant but of Appeales in minor causes it must be knowne that the ecelesiasticall Tribunalls did then examine not onely the spirituall and religious causes of the Church but also all the temporall and secular causes of ecclesiasticall persons as well ciuill as criminall This appeares both by the first Councell of Constantinople which ordaines That if anie one doe begin a particular processe against a Bishop as hauing receiued losse or iniurie from him the person and Religion of the accuser shall not be examined but if it be an ecclesiasticall crime the accusers person shall be examined and first it shall not be lawfull for heretickes to accuse orthodox Bishops for ecclesiasticall causes And by the third Councell of Carthage celebrated ninteen yeares before the Mileuitan Councell which decrees That 〈◊〉 Clerke that leauing the Ecclesiasticall gouernment would purge himselfe in the publicke iudgements although the sentence be to his aduantage if it be in a criminall iudgement he shall loose his degree and if it be in ciuill iudgement he shall loose that which hath bene adiudged to him And by the Epistle to the Emperor Theodosius the second who to aduance the iudgement of the controuersie of Nestorius imposed truce to the Councell of Ephesus of all pecuniarie and criminall causes and ordained that they should handle noe cause neyther ecclesiasticall nor other till that of Faith were determined Now these different sortes of causes were not reputed to be all of a weight but the one to witt those that regard Faith or the generall customes of the Church were called maior causes maior businesses maior affaires And the others to witt those that regard the particular persons of clergy men and consisted in accusation of manners or pursuite of pecuniarie interests were called minor causes minor businesses and minor affaires And that by a distinction taken from the analogie of the Scripture which 〈◊〉 that Iethro aduised Moyses to suffer the minor causes of the Israelites to be iudged by the inferior iudges and to reserue to himselfe onely the maior causes Those that shall be maior causes said hee lett them bring to thee but let themselues iudge the minor causes The vse of this distinction may be seene in a thousand places of antiquities It appeares in these wordes of the Epistle of the same Pope Innocent vnder whom the Mileuitan Councell was holden to Uictricius If they be maior causes that are in question after the Episcopall iudgement lett them be referred to the Sea Apostolicke as the Synod and ancient customes vetus and not beata ordaine Which Epistle I the rather alleage because it was cited by the Bishops of France in the second Councell of Tours a thousand and seauen hundred yeares agone It appeares in these wordes of the Epistle of the Pope saint LEO the first to 〈◊〉 Bishop of Thesalonica his Vicar in Macedonia and other prouinces 〈◊〉 Constantinople If anie maior cause be moued for which it maie be reasonable and necessarie to call an Episcopall assemblie lett it suffice thee to cause two Bishops to come to thee out of euerie prouince such as the Metropolitans would choose And a litle after And if their iudgement be found differing from thy opinion let the acts be sent to vs with authenticall testimonie that all dissentions taken awaie a sentence pleasing to God may be decreed It appeares in these wordes of the Epistle of saint GREGORIE the Great to Iohn Bishop of the first Iustinianea If anie cause of faith or of crime or of pecuniary matter be obiected against our Colleague Adrian Bishop of Thebes lett it be iudged if it be a matter of light importance by our Nuncios which are or shall be in the royall Cittie that is to saie at Constantinople and if it be a matter of weight let it be referred hither to the Sea Apostolicke And finally it appeares in the capitularie of our great Emperor Charlemaine where the wordes of Pope Innocent the first are repeated by forme of lawe in these wordes If they be maior the Sea Apostolicke as the Synod and the blessed or to reade better the ancient custome ordaines And from thence it is that Hincmarus Archbishop of Rheims writing a little after that is to saie vnder Charles the Balde to Pope Nicholas the first maketh him this protestation Let it not please God that we should soe despise the priuiledge of the first and soueraigne sea of the Pope of the holie Roman Church as to wearie your soueraigne aucthoritie with all the Controuersies and with all the quarrells of the Clergie as well of the Superior as inferior order which the canons of the Councell of Nicea and the decrees of Innocent and of the other Popes of the holy sea of Rome commaund to be determined in their prouinces And againe Wee Metropolitans trauailinge in our prouinciall Councells decide carnall controuersies and haue care after iudgement to referr the maior causes and of maior persons to the examination of the Pope of the Soueraigne Sea And from hence it is alsoe that Gerson declaming longe tyme after against the disorders in the court of Rome during the schisme of Iohn the twentie three cryes out If the iudgement of minor causes be reproued in Moyses by Iethro how would it be in the Pope and in his Court of soe manie continuall and importune imployments of most prophane and vnworthie processes The first solution then that wee bring to the prohibition that the Bishops of the Mileuitan Councell made to their clerkes from appealing beyond Sea is that the wordes of the Councell were intended not of appeales in maior causes that is to saie in causes that concerne faith or the vniuersall customes of the church but of appeales in minor causes that is to saie in causes morall or pecuniarie of Ecclesiasticall persons And this solution besides the places alreadie alleadged wee drawe first from the text of the canon which saith preciselie In the cause that they shall haue to shewe that he speakes of their particular causes
of the watchfulnes of two Episcopall Councells with the helpe of God who takes the protection of his Church haue also bene condemned in all the Christian world by the Reuerend Prelates of the Sea Apostolicke yea euen to the number of two Pope Innocent and Pope Zosimus if they doe not correct themselues and besides doe pennance And Prosper his disciple Vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius and of Theodosius the decrees of the Councell of Carthage two hundred and fourteen Bishops were carried to Pope Zosimus which hauing bene approued the Pelagian heresie was condemned throughout the world And againe The Pope Zosimus of blessed memorie added the force of his sentence to the decrees of the Councells of Africa and to cutt of impious persons armed the right hands of all the Bishops with the sword of Peter The second solution that whe bring to the place of the Mileuitan Councell is that the Canon speakes but of inferior clerks which were Priests deacons subdeacons and other lesser Orders and not superior Clerks that is to saie Bishops whose causes because of the importance and dignitie of their persons were reputed maior causes as Pope Nicholas the first though longe after writes to the Bishops of France in these wordes The more the Bishops are in a principall degree and more exalted in the Church of God the more when their preseruation is treated of or their deposition ought their causes to bee reckoned amongst maior and difficult causes for they are the first in the Church they are those which holde the reede in their hand to measure the holie Ierusalem they are those that rule in Gods buildings And this solution we drawe first from the very wordes of the Mileuitan Councell which are It hath bene thought fitt that the Priests Deacons and other Clerks of the inferior order in the causes that they shall haue if they complaine of the iudgements of their Bishops appeale not but to the Councells of Africa or to the Primates of their prouinces By which words restrained to onely priests deacons and other Clerkes of inferior order it is manifest that the Councells except the Clerkes of the superior order that is to saie Bishops And secondly wee drawe it out of the Epistle of Pope Iulius the first reported by saint ATHANASIVS which saith that saint ATHANASIVS could not be definitiuely iudged without the Roman Church because he was of the order of Bishops They were said he Bishops and not of vulgar Churches And a little after If then there were such a suspition conceaued against the Bishops there it must haue bene written of to this Church here Hereby testifying to vs that there was this difference betweene the Bishops and the inferior Clerkes as the causes of inferior clerkes were determined in particular Councells but the causes of Bishops could not be iudged definitiuely without the Pope And thirdly wee collect it from saint AVGVSTINE who teacheth vs as wee note in the appendix of the conference of Fontaine-bleau that the prerogatiue of Bishops and that of priests deacons and other inferior Clerkes were distinct in Africa for matter of appeale and that the one to witt Bishops might appeale beyond Sea and not the others yea groundes the iustice of the Catholickes of Africa who tooke part with Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage against the Donatists who opposed him vpon this that Cecilianus hauing bene iudged by a Councell of seauentie African Bishops assembled at Carthage could haue appealed beyond Sea for as much as he was not of the number of Priests deacons or other inferior Clerkes but was of the order of Bishops He might saith saint AVSTIN despise the conspiring multitude of his enemies because he sawe himselfe ioyned by communicatorie letterrs with the Roman Church in which hath alwaies flourisht the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke and with the 〈◊〉 transmarine Churches For adds he a little 〈◊〉 there was noe question of Priests deacons or other Clerkes of the inferior order but of the colleagues that is to saie of Bishops who might reserue their cause intire to the iudgement of other Bishops and principallie of the Churches Apostolicke In which place saint AVSTIN vseth the word Churches Apostolicke in the plurall number not to denie the eminencie of the Roman Church ouer the other Apostolicke Churches of which contrarywise he had newlie said that Cecilianus might dispise the conspiring multitude of his Enemies for as much as he sawe himselfe vnited by communicatorie letters with the Sea of Rome in which had alwaies flourisht the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke but to the end to shutt vp the gate against the shift of the Donatists which calumniated and reiected the iudgement that Pope Melchiades had made of Cecilianus because they said that Melchiades not onely was culpable of the crime of treason as well as Cecilianus and by consequent capable of refusall in this case but also whilst he was yet a deacon had Sacrificed to Idolls with Pope Marcellinus For although this reproach were false as appeares by the computation that saint AVGVSTINE giues it elswhere and by the testimonie that Theodoret giues to Marcellinus to haue bene most excellent in persecution Neuertheles it gaue colour to the Donatists to reuolte against the Popes iudgement therefore saint AVSTIN without tying himself to the specialitie of the Roman Church contents himself to saie in generall that Cecilianus might reserue his cause to the iudgement of the transmarine Churches and principally those that are Apostolicke to inferr thēce that the Donatists who vpon the onelie sentence of the Councell of Africke without attending a iudgement frō beyond Sea had instituted an other Archbishop at Carthage were 〈◊〉 For the priuiledge that the Bishops of Africke had that they might appeale beyōd Sea was such that their causes could not be determined either till the Roman Church should examine them or in default of the Roman Church putting it in the forme of a case giuē not graūted that they had iust cause to refuse the Pope in anie affaire till the iudgemēt of all the other trāsmarine Churches principallie Apostolicke had interuened as S. AVS declares a while after in these wordes Put the case that the Bishops that iudged the cause at Rome had not bene good iudges there remayned yet the vniuersall Councell of the whole Church For this cause then the Mileuitan Councell willing according to the ancient African discipline witnessed by saint AVSTIN himselfe to except at the Canon where the defence of the appeales beyond Sea is questioned the clerkes of the superior order that is to saie the Bishops put in by waie of barr the specification of priests Deacons and other Clerkes of the inferior order to hinder Bishops from being comprehended therein It hath bene thought fitt saith the Councell that the Priests Deacons and other clerkes of the inferior order should not appeale but to the Councell of Africa or to the 〈◊〉 of
Bishop and if anie man happen in anie thing to contradict his profession or his signature he shall thereby make himself incapable of this Societie And to the end to fitt it to the tyme of the sixth Councell of Carthage either he or the Exemplifiers which haue come after him haue changed the name of Genetlius into that of Aurelius against the credit of the copies of the second Councell of Carthage which say Genetlius and of Fulgentius Ferrandus who citeth these Canons with the title of the Councell holden vnder Genetlius The seauēth reason but one that cōprehendes vnder it a legiō of others is that almost all the canōs that are inserted into this collection are there inserted with precise notes of Canons cōposed pronoūced in the sixth Councell of Carthage neuerthelesse there is scarce one of them where there are not some clauses that cannot agree neither with the tyme nor with the persons nor yet with the discipline of the Fathers of the sixth coucell of Carthage As for example in the third canō it is said when in the Councell past the continence of the clergie was treated of these three degrees were restrained by the consecrations as to one kind of conscription of Chastitie to witt Bishops Priests and deacons Now it hath alreadie bene shewed that these wordes cannot be of the sixth Councell of Carthage as well because they are word by word in the second Councell of Carthage which had bene celebrated thirtie yeare before with this same remitment to the past Councell as because in the Councell of Carthage holden vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius which had immediately preceded the sixth councell of Carthage there had bene nothing ordained concerning the continence of the clergie And it cannot be said that by this phrase in the councell past they intended to speake of the Councell assēbled vnder the consulship of Vincentius Flauitas which had bene celebrated eighteen yeares before the sixth councell of Carthage For besides that this note of tyme in Concilio praeterito determinately taken to saie in the past councell hath reference to the councell last past and indeterminately taken to saie in a councell past it cānot haue bene vsed by the sixth councell of Carthage in the tyme whereof the decree of clergie continēce had bene published not in one but in manie and seuerall Councells as the twentie fifth canon of the same collection declares when it saith That hath pleased vs which hath also bene confirmed in seuerall Councells that the subdeacons which handle the Sacraments and the Deacons Priests and Bishops according to the former decrees shall abstaine euen from their wiues The word in Concilio praeterito cannot be expounded of the Councell holden vnder the Consulship of Uincentius and Flauitas for as much as the canon of the celibat published vnder the consulship of Uincentius and Flauitas is wholie reported in the same collection more then twentie chapters after In the fifth Canon the text sayth Faustinus Bishop of Potentia of the Prouince of Urbin Legat of the Roman Church saith It pleases that Bishops Priects and Deacons or those that handle the Sacraments keeping chastitie shall abstaine euen from their owne wiues Now this Canon is not a Canon by itselfe but the trayne of a former Canon that is to saie of the second canon of the second Councell of Carthage in the which the compiler of the collection or his exemplifiers in steede of these wordes It was said by all the Bishops it pleaseth all that the Bishops Priests and Deacons or those that handle the Sacraments keeping chastitie shall abstaine euen from their owne wiues hath put to fitt the decree to the tyme of the sixth Councell of Carthage Faustinus Bishop of Potentia of the Prouince of Vrbin Legat of the Roman Church saith It pleases that Bishops Priests deacons or those that shall handle the Sacraments keeping chastitie shall abstaine euen from their owne wiues A thing that can noe waie subsist For besides that if it had bene the Popes legat that had spoken this language he would neuer haue forgotten to mention the decrees of the celibate sent to the Bishops of Africa by Pope Syricius It is euident that this clause is not a Canon a parte but it is the approbation and conclusion of the proposition of the Canon and therefore alsoe in the second Coūcell of Carthage it is ioyned in one and the same canō with the preceding article And neuerthelesse the author of the collection intitled the sixth Councell of Carthage not onely hath thereof made two canons in chiefe but the better to distinguish and make manifest his impertinēcie hath intituled thē with two differing titles and hath placed before the one of them this inscription Of continence chapter the third And before the other Of the diuers orders that ought to abstaine from their wiues chapter fourth And the Greeke Interpreter the very same In the ninth canon the text of the collection is Augustin Bishop Legat of the prouince of Numidia said Uouchsafe to ordaine that if anie in respest of their crimes be cast out of the Church and that anie Bishop or Priest receiue them into communion he may be held to be inuolued in the like crime as those that shunne the regular iudgement of their Bishop Now these are the wordes of the second Councell of Carthage where after Felix Bishop of Selemsela and Epigonius Bishop of Bulla Regia for it must be read Bullensium regiorum and not Bullensium regionum as it appeares both by the acts of the conference of Carthage which saie Bullensium regiorum and by the Geograficall tables of Ptolomy where there is a cittie of Africa called Bullaria which is a corrupt abridgement of the word Bulla regia had made the proposition of the article Genetlius Bishop of Carthage replied With good cause then doe our Bretheren and fellowe Bishops propound that those that in respect of their crimes are cast out of the Church if auoyding the regular iudgment of their Bishop they be receiued to the communion by anie Bishop or Priest he shall be held to be inuolued in the like crime Onely there is this difference that whereas the second Conncell of Carthage saith Genetlius Bishop saith the compiler or his exemplifers to accommodate the Canon to the time of the sixth Councell of Carthage haue sett Augustin Bishop Legat of the prouince of Numidia saith which is a metamophosis that cannot take place as well because Epigonius was dead as it hath bene aboue shewed a long tyme before the sixth Councell of Carthage as because saint AVGVSTIN would not haue said in the sixth Councell of Carthage Vouchsafe to ordaine of a thing alreadie ordained and in the same termes thirtie yeare before In the fourteenth canon the collection saith Item it hath pleased that from the prouince of Tripolis in regard of the
no more receiue those to the Communion that haue bene excommunicated by vs And a while after That so those that in their owne Prouince haue bene depriued of the Communion may not seeme to be rashlie and vnfitly restored to the Communion by your Holynesse And this request they propt vp with fiue reasons The first that the Councell of Nicea had forbidden that those which had bene excommunicated in one Prouince should be receaued to Communion in an 〈◊〉 Your Reuerence said they will easilie acknowledge that this hath bene so defined by the Councell of Nicea for although it seemes to restraine the caution to inferior Clerks and to lay men by how much strōger reason did they intend it allso to Bishops A thing that the heate of contention drew from their mouthes and which is directlie against S. AVGVSTINE who saith speaking of Cecilianus Archishop of Carthage who had bene deposed by a Councell of seauentie African Bishops assembled at Carthage Hee might contemme the conspiring multitude of his Enemies because he knew himselfe to be vnited by communicatorie letters to the Roman Church in which hath alwaies flourisht the principalitie of the sea Apostolick and from the other Countries from whence the Ghospell first came into Africa And against the Councell of Nicea it selfe which precisely limitts the words to Priests and Laymē which hauing bene excommunicated by their Bishop could not be receiued to Communion by anie of the other Bishops of the same Prouince For whereas the African Fathers inferr that if the Councell of Nicea spake these words of Priests and Laymen they must be much more intended of Bishops this is formally opposite to saint AVGVSTINES foundatiō who saith that Cecilianus tyme-fellowe with the Councell of Nicea might haue appealed beyond Sea because hee was not of the number of Priests and other inferior Clerkes but of the number of Bishops They did not handle the cause saith hee of Priests Deacons or other inferior Clerkes but of Bishops which might reserue their causes to the iudgement of the churches beyond Sea The second that the Councell of Nicea committs the causes as well of Bishops as of Priests to the Metropolitan which is true for the iudgement of Priests in the second instance and of Bishops in the first But not for the iudgment of Bishops in the last instance as appeares by the testimonie of saint ATHANASIVS who had assisted in person at the Councell of Nicea which alleadges for his defence an Epistle where Pope Julius writes that the Councell of Antioch and other Councells of the East could not depose ATHANASIVS from the Bishopricke of Alexandria without expecting the decision of the church of Rome Are you ignorant saith hee that the custome is that they should first write to vs and so from hence should proceede the iust decision of causes and therefore if there were anie suspition conceiued against the Bishop there that is to saie of Alexandria they must write to the Church heere that is to saie to the Church of Rome The third that the grace of the holy Ghost shall not be wanting to euery prouision or to euery Prouince to discerne the equitie of causes and that it is not credible that God should inspire the Justice of the triall to one only man what soeuer he be and denie it to an infinite number in a Councell A certaine proofe that they spake of the causes of equitie and iustice as well ciuill as criminall and not of causes of faith of which contrarywise they had written a yeare or two before to Pope Innocent vpon the subiect of Pelagius and Celestius his cause which was a cause of Faith Wee doubt not with the helpe of Gods mercie who will vouchsafe to heare thee praying and to guide thee consulting but those that hold these peruerse thinges will more easily yield to the authoritie of thy Holynesse deriued from the authoritie of holy Scriptures And Pope Innocent to themselues Alwaies and as often as matters of faith are handled I conceiue that all our Bretheren and colleagues can haue no reference but to Peter that is to saie to the author of their name and dignitie The fourth That it was very hard to assure beyond Sea iudgements because of the difficultie of causing witnesses to passe the seas How can said they the Iudgements beyond Sea be certaine wherein the necessarie persons of witnesses for the debilitie of sexe of age or manie other hindrances interuening cannot appeare An euident Argument that they spake of particular and personall causes And the fifth that it had neuer bene taken from the African Church by any decree of a Councell that Appeales should goe out of Africa and that to send Legats from Rome into Africa to iudge them vpon the place it was not constituted by any Councell A thing the ignorance whereof they might well excuse forasmuch as they had no more then in Africa the true copies of the Councell of Sardica but only as had bene aboue shewed those of the false Councell of Sardica composed by the Arrians and publisht by the Donatists which gaue ground to all this question The second request was that the Pope should no more grante them clerkes executioners so were certaine clerkes of the Roman Church called committees to cause to be executed with the helpe of secular power and of the imperiall forces that is to saie by the strength of Vshers Sergeants and Souldiers the iudgements of the Pope or of his Legats a thing which prouoked much murmure in Africa For although the malice of the African Poeple who after they were fastned in the hate of anie Ecclesiasticall person would hardlie lett goe their hold did sometymes make this remedie necessarie Neuerthelesse the abuse of those which did too violently applie it did often conuert it into a pretence and occasion of complaint as S. AVGVSINE testifies in an Epistle to the same pope Celestine when he saith speaking of Anthony Bishop of Fussala in Numidia who had appealed to the Pope from the iudgemēt which the inhabitantes of Fussala had caused to be giuen against him He threatens them saith hee with secular power and with the furie of souldiers as if they should come to execute the iudgements of the Sea apostolike in such sort as the miserable inhabitants being Christians and Catholiks feared more grieuous vsage from a Catholike Bishop then they did when they were hereticks from the lawes of the Emperors For these causes then the African Bishops besought the Pope to grant no more Clerkes executors to those which demanded them That you will not also said they send your clerks for executors to all those wich demaund them nor permitt that wee should seeme to introduce the typhe or smoky meteor of the age into the Church of Christ which propounds the light of simplicitie and the daie of humility to those that desire to see God Calling the force and military violence with which those executors did
backe to Pope Iulius an Epistle adorned with flowers of eloquence and composed in an orators stile full of manie figures and not free from greeuous threatnings for although they auouched by theyr letters that the Roman Church obtained the prize of honor from them all as hauing bene from the beginning the Schoole of the Apostles and the Metropolitan of Religion although the Doctors of the Christian world were come thither from the East Neuerthelesse they did not thinke they ought to be put behind vnder colour that they were inferior in Greatnesse and multitude of Churches since contrarywise they were much Superior in vertue and election of opinion that is to saie in Arianisme And as for Iulius they reproached it to him for a crime that he had admitted into his communion Athanasius and his consortes and were offended at it pretending that by that Acte their Councell had bene iniuryed and their Sentence abrogated a thing that they calumniated as vniust and repugnant to the ecclesiasticall Rule For that the authors of that Epistle that Sozomene argues of ironia because they fained by their exordium to confesse the primacie of the Roman Church which they denied by their conclusion of slander because they pretended that the abrogation that the Pope had made of their Councell was a thing outragious and contrary to the lawe of the Church and of impudence for as much as they set vpon him to whom for the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things belonged were Arrians it appeares both by the testimonie of S. ATHANASIVS who called them Eusebians that is to say of Eusebius his Sect the chiefe firebrand of the Arrians heresie And by the reproache that Iulius made to thē that they had altered the decision of the Councell of Nicea and by the answere that themselues made to that reproach to witt that as for the things they had done against the decisiō of those that had bene assembled at Nicea they Answered nothing although they signified that they had manie causes to excuse their Actions but that it was superfluous then to enter into defence of it since they were suspected to haue violated iustice in all things by the glorie that they attributed to them selues to be more excellent in beleefe then the Roman Church And finallly by the offer that they made to Julius to enter againe into peace and communion with him if he would admitt the deposition of S. ATHANASIVS and of his cōsortes And that Sozomene calls them those of the East it is in parte because the principall Seate of the Arrians heresie was the East and in part because they were the Bishops of the Patriarkship of Antioch and other Arrians their adherents who after the Councell of Antioch holden in the dedication reassembled themselues at Antioch to answere Pope Iulius which Patriarkship of Antioch was called the Patriarkship of the East because amongst the Asian prouinces which acknowledged the Roman Empire the diuision of Antioch held the place of the East from whēce it is that Cornelius Tacitus Amianus Marcellinus say that Antioch was the head of the East and that the Councell of Constantinople ordaines That the Bishops of the East that is to saie of the Patriarkshipp of Antioch should only rule the East And that Iohn Patriarke of Antioch saith in the Schismaticall Councell of Ephesus speaking of the Bishops of his Patriarkship wee that are called of the East And it is not to be said that Iulius in the Answere that he sent to Danius it must be read Dianus and to Phlacillus it must be read Placitus and to Narcissus and to 〈◊〉 and to Maus and to others which had written to him from the second mock-councell of Antioch stiles them his Bretheren For he calls them his Brothers because of the communion of the Episcopall character As S. AVGVSTINE calls the Donatists his Bretheren because of the Communion of the charactar of Baptisme but not but that all those Bishops were Arrians and the most impious of all the Arrians for this Dianius was a Bishop of Cesaria in Capadocia an Arrian and this Placitus was a Bishop of the Arrians of Antioch and this Narcissus was an Arrian Bishop of Veroniade in Cilisia and this Eusebius was Bishop of Nicomedia Ensigne-bearer of the Arrian faction who procured as S. ATHANASIVS notes the second Councell of Antioch and the Councell of Sardica and likewise the others But lett vs againe pursue the course of our history of Arrianisme vpon the complaint propounded by the Catholikes against the Arrians of the woundes made in these two decrees of the Councell of Nicea the two Emperors the one Catholike and the other 〈◊〉 agreed vpon the holding of a Generall Councell and called from the two Empires to Sardica a Cittie situate in the confines of both the Empires to decide it Paul and Athanasius saith Socrates demanded to haue an other Councell called to the end that as well their cause as that of faith might be 〈◊〉 in a generall Councell shewing that their depositions had bene made with a purpose to destroy the Faith Then vpon their request a generall Councell was publisht at Sardica Now of this Councell the issue in regard of Faith was that the fathers assembled at Sardica confirmed the Creede of the Councell of Nicea as Harmenopolus a Greeke author and a schisrnatike reportes after thousand others in these words By the aduise of the Emperors and of the Bishop of Rome the Synod of Sardica was assembled composed of three hundred fortie one Fathers which confirmed the Councell of Nicea and published the Canons For that which S. ATHANASIVS saith that the Councell of Sardica would not permitt that anie thing of faith should be reduced into writing ought to be vnderstood that it would not permitt that there should be anie new Creede made but ordained that they should hold themselues to that of Nicea which they amplified not by waye of innouation but by way of exposition And as for the matter of Appeales they approued the restitution that the Pope had made of Paul of Athanasius and of the other Bishops with had bene deposed in the Councells of Tyre and Antioch and receiued them into their Communion vnder this title that the Pope having examined their cause had not condemned them They answered saith Sozomene that they would not 〈◊〉 the Commnnion of Athanasius and of Paul for as much principally as Iulius Bishop of Rome hauing examined their cause had not condemned them and to preuent the Churches trouble thereafter in like accidents reduced into writing three Canons vpon the matter of appeales where of the first was propounded by Osius Presidēt of the Councell and concluded by all the Councell in these termes If anie Bishop in anie cause in likelyhood ought to be condemned and that hee presume to haue not an euill but a good cause to the end the iudgement may be renewed if it
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
first man who against the Ecclesiasticall canō made vse of an appeale wee bring two Answeres the one that those wordes are not the wordes of Socrates but the wordes of an hereticall author from whom Socrates reports them to wit from Sabinus who to calumniate saint CYRILL who although for feare of Constantius the Arrian Emperor he did then communicate outwardly with the Arrians neuerthelesse was in doctrine and beleefe a catholicke reproaches it to him that he had appealed rom the Councell of Cesarta in Palestina wherein he had bene deposed by the Arrians and had put in his appeale to the Councell of Seleucia holden by the Arrians but wherein there were manie couert catholicks and which communicated not with the Arrians but in the receipt of the Sacraments and differd wholie from them in faith The truth of his Answere appeares both by this that Socrates in the beginning of this historie saith that he hath abridged it from the collection of Sabinus Let the Readers saith he curious to know things in particular search them in the collections of Sabinus where they are at large sett downe wee running ouer them haue but extracted heads And by the canon whereto this Author saith that Cyrill contradictes which was a canon of the Councell of Antioch holden in the dedication which Councell Socrates was so farr from thinking it lawfull as contrariwise not only in the same historie he makes an Apostrophe against the memorie of Eleusius who had qualified the Bishops of the Councell of Antioch with the title of Fathers and askes him How ò Eleusius dost thou call those Fathers that were assembled at Antioch and deniest that title to their Elders And a little after that if those that were assembled at Antioch haue rooted out their Fathers those that followe them followe Paricides but also in the cause of saint CHRISOSTOME he saith that the canon of the Councell of Antioch which was produced against him had bene forged by the Arrians And in deede how could Socrates haue held the Bishops appeales for a new thing and cōtrarie to the canon of the Church hee that alleadgeth for a reproach of nullitie against the Councell of Antioch that the lawe of the Church imported that those thinges that were done without the Bishop of Romes consent were nullities And who had said speaking of Paule Bishop of Constantinople of Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina of Marcellus primat of Ancyra in Galatia and other Bishops deposed by the Councell of Antioch and other Councells of the East and yet had had recourse to the Pope the Bishop of Rome because of the prerogatiue of his Church armed them with confident letters and writt into the East and restored them euery man to his place and that a longe while before the action of Cyrill and of the Councell of Seleucia The other answere is that Sabinus himself did not pretend to saie by that that Cyrill had done a new thing and cōtrarie to the lawes of the Church or as the words of Sabinus imported from a lesse Tribunall to a greater that is to saie from the Councell of Palestina to that of Seleucia in appealing from one Synod to an other For the Councell of Antioch it self vpon which Sabinus grounds himself ordaines that a Bishop còdēned may haue recourse to a greater Synod But for this that he had in his appeale followed the forme of secular appeales for as much as he had taken to speake according to the stile of this time a releefe of appeale from the imperiall Chancerie that is to saie had taken letters from the Emperor to oblige the Bishops of the Councell of Seleucia and particularly the Acacians who being Arrians and fauourd by the Officers of the Emperor who assisted at the Councell who were 〈◊〉 would not haue suffered that the cause of Cyrill who had bene condemned by 〈◊〉 in the Councell of Palestina should againe haue bene put to triall to receaue his Appeale and to renew the examination of his cause This appeares both by the beginning of the historie of the Councell of 〈◊〉 where it is said that diuers letters of the Emper ors were brought where of some ordained that they should first treat of matters of faith and others that they should first handle the causes of accused Bishops And by the very words of Sabinus against Cyrill which are As soone as he had bene deposed hauing sent a libell of appeals to those that had deposed him he appealed to a greater iudgement to which appeale the Emperor Constantius added his suffrage and this Cyrill did only the first against the Custom of the 〈◊〉 Canon making vse of Appeales as in lay iudgments By which words Sahinus intended not to saie that Cyrill was the first that appealed from a lesser Synod to a greater but that hee was the first the vsed the forme of secular appeales in Ecclesiasticall iudgement that is to saie that had recourse to the Emperor to cause his appeale to be accepted And therefore hee saith not that he was the first that vsed appeales but that hee was the first that vsed them as in laie-Iudgments And this finallie appeares by the same Canon of the Councell of 〈◊〉 the transgression whereof 〈◊〉 obiects to S CYRILL which Canon forbids not that wee may appeale from a lesser Synod to a greater contrariwise ordaines it in expresse words but forbids that they should haue recourse to the Emperors authoritie and setts downe the deffence in these words If any Priest deposed by his owne Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishop deposed by a Synod presume to importune the eares of the Emperor whereas he should haue recourse to a greater Synod and referr the right that he 〈◊〉 he hath to a greater number of Bishops let him not be receaued to 〈◊〉 From whence it appeares that this that Sabinus reprehended in Cyrill was not that he had appealed from the Synod of Palestina to a greater Synod to witt to that of Seleucia which was compounded of all the East but for hauing recourse to the Emperor for hauing obtained letters from him to cause his appeale to be accepted which is that that he calls to vse appeales as in lay iudgments for as much as in lay iudgments the Emperor gaue letters to oblige the seconde Iudges to 〈◊〉 the appeale and the first to yeeld to it TO the second instance which is that in the first generall Councell of Constantinople it was ordained that those that would accuse a Bishop should accuse him to the Synod of the Prouince and if the Synod of the Prouince did not content them they should haue recourse to the Synod of the Patriarkship and that after it should noe more be lawfull neither to importune the eares of the Emperor nor to disquiet a generall Councell wee answere that he speakes of the accusers of Bishops and not of Bishops accused that is to saie that he pretends not to ordaine that it should
the confession of PETER and the Church was built vpon the person of PETER are both ioyntly true but in different sence for the confession of PETER is the causall foundation of the Church that is to saie it is the cause for which the Church is built vpon the person of PETER rather then vpon that of anie other Apostle for as much as the primacie of this confession not proceeding nor preuented from or by anie humane instruction but proceeding immediatlie frō the pure reuelation of God the other Apostles being silent not knowing what to answere was the cause in fauour whereof Christ chose preferring him before all others saint PETER to constitute him the foundation of his Church And the person of Peter is the formall foundation of the Church that is to saie him vpon whose ministrie by preferring him before all others Christ hath built and edified his Church But the differenc of these two expositions is that the one is immediate and the other mediate the one direct and the other collaterall the one literall and the other morall the one originall and perpetuall and the other accessorie and temporall the one consigned from the beginning and the other introduced by occasion For before the Arrians were risen vp that is to saie before the age of Constantine and of the first Councell of Nicea the interpretation that was current in the Church was that not of the confession of PETER but of the person of PETER As when 〈◊〉 saith in his Booke of Prescriptions against heretikes Was there anie thing cōcealed from Peter who was called the stone of the building of the Church And ORIGEN See what is said to the great foundatiō of the Church and the solid stone vpon which Christ hath built his Church And elsewhere Peter vpon whō the Church of Christ hath bene built against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile And in the comentarie vpon the Epistle to the Romans trāslated by saint HIEROME When the Soueraigne authoritie of feeding the Sheepe was giuen to Peter and that vpon him as vpon a stone the Church was built the confessiō of anie other vertue was not exacted of him but onlie that of Charitie And S. CYPRIAN Peter whom the Lord chose first and vpon whom he built his Church And againe God is one and Christ is one and the Church is one and the Chaire is one built by the voyce of our Lord vpon Peter But after the coming of Constantine when the Arrians had lifted themselues vp against the diuinitie of Christ the Fathers finding no passage in the scripture more expresse to proue vnto them that IESVS CHRIST was the sonn of God not by adoption but by nature then this Confession of sainct PETER Thou art Christ the Sōne of the liuing God in which they held that the word liuing had bene expressely inserted to shew that IESVS CHRIST was the sonn of God by generation for as much as to engender as saie the Philosophers is proper to liuing thinges they tooke care as much as was possible for them to 〈◊〉 the dignitie of this confession And because that in fauour thereof and for it S. PETER had bene constituted foundation of the Church they licensed themselues to call it by Metonimy that is to say by translation of the name from the effect to the cause the foundation of the Church that they might haue the more occasion to declaime against those that destroyed it in reproching thē that they ruined the foundatiō of the Church that is to saie the confession in fauour whereof and for whose cause he that had made it had bene constituted foundation of the Church but neuerthelesse to shew that they intended not in doeing this to exclude the person of PETER from being the formall foundation of the Church that which the same fathers had said in one place of the confession of PETER as causall foundation of the Church they said it in an other yea often times in the same place of the person of PETER as formall foundation of the Church This appeares by saint HILARIE who disputing in his workes of the Trinitie against the Arrians after he had said This faith is the foundation of the Church by this faith the gates of hell are disabled against her this faith hath the keyes of the heauenlie Kingdome Adds immediately after to declare that this should be intended of the saith of sainct PETER causallie and meritoriouslie but of his person formallie that is to saie that this confession hath only bene the meritorious cause for which sainct PETER hath receiued these things but that it is the person of PETER that hath properly and formallie receiued them This is hee that in the silence of all the other Apostles acknowledging beyond the capacitie of human infirmitie the Sonn of God by the Reuelation of the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the Confession of his blessed faith a supereminent place And a little after Hee hath confessed Christ to be the Sonn of God and for that he is called blessed This is the Reuelation of the Father this is the foundation of the Church this is the assurauce of eternitie from hence he had the keyes of the Kingdome of 〈◊〉 from hence his earthly iudgments become heauenly And a little before After the confession of the Sacrament the blessed Symon is submitted to the edification of the Church receiuing the keyes of the heauenly Kingdome And in his comentaries vpon the verie place of the words of IESVS CHRIST The confession of Peter hath receaued a trulie worthiereward And a little after in the title of a new name blessed foundation of the Church and worthie Stone of her edification that destroyed the lawes of 〈◊〉 and the gates of the deepes and all the prisons of Death O blessed Porter of heauen to whose arbitrement the keyes of the eternall entrie are deliuered whose iudgments on earth haue authoritie to preiudge in heauen And elsewhere Christ had so great a zeale to suffer for the Saluation of human kinde as Peter the first Confessor of the Sonn of God the foundation of the Church the Porter of the heauenly kingdome the iudge of heauen vpon earth disswading him he called him by the name of Satan And soe sainct CHRYSOSTOME interprets it that is to saie sometimes of his faith Upon this stone said hee that is to say vpon the faith of this confession And sometimes of his person Hee promiseth saith he to make a fisherman more solid then anie kinde of stones And vpon the fiftith Psalme heare what he saith to PETER That Pillar that foundation and therefore called Peter as made a Rocke by faith And againe that Pillar of the Church that basis of the faith that be ad of the Apostolick flock And saint CYRILL doth euen the same sometimes of his faith He hath said hee called the immutable faith of Peter his disciple a Rocke and sometimes of his
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
alone and from belonging to her alone noe more then when in a common weale the factious part and which separated it-selfe from the state and reuoltes against the true preseruers of the Estate come to be deuided from that which remaines in the lawfull administration of the Estate this diuision hinders not the part which restes vnited with the Estate from preseruing the right and title of the vniuersallitie of the cōmon-wealth and those thinges which are done by it alone from being accounted to be done by the whole Bodie of the common-wealth Whose whole being is preserued in this part alone the other by the desertion thereof hauing lost all the part it had in the name and effect of the common-wealth Of the sence wherein the Roman Church is called Catholicke CHAP. IX The continuance of the Kinges answere TO attribute to themselues the title of Catholicke as proper to themselues alone THE REPLIE WHEN wee vse this traine of Epithetes the Catholicke Apostolicke Roman Church we intend not by the word Roman the particular Church of Rome but all the Churches which adhere and are ioyned in communion with the Roman Church euen as by the Iewish Church wee intended not the tribe of Iuda only but the lines of Leui and Beniamin and manie relikes of the lines which were ioyned therewith For S IOHN BAPTIST was of the tribe of Leuy and sainct PAVL of that of Beniamin Anna of the tribe of Aser and neuerthelesse they were all of the people of the Iewes and of the Iewish Church but they were called Iewes and Iewish people because of the adherence and communion that they had with the principall Tribe which was that of Iuda Soe all the other Churches which communicate with the Roman in what soeuer part they are constituted are comprehended vnder the common word of the Roman Church when wee saie the Catholicke Apostolicke and Roman Church because they hold the Roman Church for the center and originall of their communion And in this sence saint AMBROSE saith that his brother inquired if the Bishop of one of the citties of Sardica where he desired to be baptised consented with the Catholicke Bishops that is to saie added hee with the Roman Church And in this sence saint HIEROME saith that the Church of Alexandria glorifies her selfe that she participates with the Roman Faith And in this sence Iohn Patriarke of Constātinople writes to Pope Hormisdas Wee promise not to recite amongst the sacred mistiries the names of those which are separate from the communion of the Cathoick Church that is to saie that consent not in all thinges with the Sea Apostolick And in this sence Beda vseth these words Our mother the Roman Church In this same sence they comprehend vnder the Greeke Church not only the natuaall Greekes but the Russians and Muscouites although they be distinct in nation and in language from the Greekes yea euen haue their Seruice in a tongue quite different for asmuch as they adhere to the Creeke Church Not that the particular Roman Church may not also in a certaine regard be called Catholicke For the word Catholicke is taken in three sortes to witt either formallie or causallie or participatiuelie Formally the only vniuersall Church that is to saie the Societie of all the true particular churches vnited in one selfe same communiō is called catholicke Causallie the Roman church is called Catholicke for as much as she infuseth vniuersalitie into all the whole bodie of the Catholicke church That it is soe to cōstitute vniuersalitie there must be two thinges one that may analogicallie be insteede of matter thereto to witt the multitude for where there is no multitude there can be noe vniuersalitie And the other to be in-steede of forme thereto to witt vnitie for a multitude without vnitie makes noe vniuersalitie Take awaie saith sainct AVGVSTINE the vnitie from the multitude and it is a tumult but bring in vnitie and it is the people And therefore the Roman Church which as center and beginning of the ecclesiasticall communion infuseth vnitie which is the forme of vniuersalitie into the Catholicke Church and by consequent causeth vniuersalitie in her may be called catholicke causallie though in her owne being she be particular noe more nor lesse then the Galley to which all the other Gallies of a Fleete haue relation of dependancie and correspondencie is called the Generall although she bee but one particular Galley because it is she that by the relation that all others haue to her giues vnitie to the totall and generall bodie of the Fleete And finallie particular Churches are called Catholicke participatiuely because they agree and participate in doctrine and communion with the catholicke Church And in this sence the Church of Smyrna addresseth her Epistle To the Catholick Church of Philomilion and to all the Catholick Churches which are throughout the world Of the causes wherefore the Roman Church hath cutt of the rest from her communion CHAP. X. The continuance of the Kings answere AND to exclude from their communion all the rest which dissent from them in anie thinge or refuse the yoake of slauerie THE REPLIE THE most excellent King may be pleased to remember two things one that antient authors haue written that oftentimes for one only word contrarie to Faith manie heresies haue bene cast out of the bodie of the Church And the other that the societies of the Egiptians and Ethiopians haue not bene excluded out of the Church for refusinge that which his maiestie call the yoake of slauerie that is to saie the Superintendencie of the Roman Church but for hauing imbraced the Sect of Eutyches who with all his partakers was cutt off from the Church by the Councell of Chalcedon and that euen to this daie they are all readie and haue often offerred to acknowledge the Pope whom they confesse to bee the Successor of the Prince of the Apostles if they might be receiued into the communion of the Roman Church without obliging them to anathematize Eutiches and Dioscorus And as for the diuision of the Greeke Church the true cause thereof hath bene the Schisme fallen out betweene Ignatius lawfull Patriarke of Constantinople whom the Pope preserued in his communion and Photius intruded into the Patriarkship by the fauour of the Emperor to which Schisme the Greekes added for an obstacle of reuniō as the crabb cast the stone into the oyster to hinder it from shutting itselfe againe the difference of the procession of the holy Ghost and of Schismatickes became flatt heretickes This was the true cause of the seperation of the Greekes and not the yoake of slaueries of the Roman Church of the which neither Jgnatius nor anie of his Catholicke Predcessors had euer complayned Of the sence wherein the hereticks belonge not to the Catholick Church CHAP. XI The Continuance of the Kings Answere AND so on the suddaine to pronounce presumptuouslie that they belonged not in anie thing to the Catholicke Church THE REPLIE This deniall is
others haue gone forth and is gone forth from none which is also the marke that S. AVGVSTINE 〈◊〉 it when he saith The Catholicke Church combating against all heresies may be opposed but she cannot be ouerthrowne all 〈◊〉 are come forth from her as vnprofitable branches cutt off from their Vine but she remaines in her vine in her roote in her Charitie And S. PACIAN Bishop of Barcelona before him when he writes Now to knowe whether she hath bene principallie built vpon the foundation of the prophetts and of the Apostles in Iesus Christ the corner stone Consider whether she began before thee whither she hath growne before thee if she be not withdrawne from her first foundation whether in separating herselfe from the rest of the Bodie she haue not constituted to herselfe her Masters and her particular instructions if she haue argued anie thing vnaccustomedlie if she haue formed anie point of new right if she haue declared to her Bodie the diuorce of peace then lett her be esteemed to be departed from Christ and to be constituted forth of the prophetts and Apostles And therefore although the point of the assentiall deitie of Christ deserue to be more cleerelie exprest in Scripture then anie other as the qualitie of the Testator ought to bee more cleerelie exprest in the Testament then anie other neuerthelesse for as much as the heretickes by their malice and subtletie shift off the places of Scripture alleadged to this purpose the Fathers after they had tried all their strength to bring them backe to reason by Scripture were constrained seeing they could not make them yeeld vp their weapons by that waie to chāgetheir battery haue recourse to the authoritie of the Church Behold saith saint ATHANASVS wee haue shewed the succession of our doctrine from father to sonn you new Cayphas what Progenitors of your phrases and your termes will you bringe vs And saint HILARIE Lett vs consider soe manie holie fathers what will become of vs if wee anathematize them for we bringe thinges to this point that if they haue not 〈◊〉 Bishops we are none since we haue bene ordained by them And the same saint ATHANASIVS It is sufficient that these things are not of the Catholicke Church and that the Fathers were not of that beleefe From whence it appeareth that if the point of Christs diuinitie had neuer bene exprest in Scripture they held the light of the perpetuall testimonie of the Church for a sufficient proofe of this article For whereas saint CHRISOSTOME compares the Scripture to a Rule according whereto all things should be squared besides this that according signifies there not against he intéds that Scriptures rule all thinges either mediately or immediately that is to saie either by it selfe or by the meanes whereto it remitts vs as hee testifies himselfe in these wordes From whence it appeares that the Apostles deliuered not all thinges in vriting but also manie thinges vnwritten Now either of these are worthie of equall credit Of the Rules to iudge admitted by sainct Chrysostome and S. Augustine CHAP. XX. The continuance of the Kings answere THese two Rules to iudge the King with the English Church embracing them with an earnest desire pronounceth that hee acknowledgeth that doctrine finall ie both to be true and also necessarie to saluation that running from the Springe of the holie Scripture by the consent of the ancient Church as by a channell hath bene deriued downe to this time THE REPLIE NEither doe saint CHRISOSTOME and saint AVGVSTINE restraine the meanes to iudge of all the doctrine of the Church to these two onelie meanes by exclusion of the third to witt of Apostolicke Tradition since saint AVGVSTINE saith this is plainelie read neither by thee nor by me And againe The Apostles haue prescribed nothing in this yet the custome opposit to Cyprian ought to bee beleeued to haue taken originall out of their tradition as it is in manie thinges that the vniuersall Church doth obserue And for this cause indeede well beleeued to haue bene commaunded by the Apostles though they haue not bene written And that saint CHRYSOSTOME saith that from thence it appeares that the 〈◊〉 haue not giuen all thinges in writinge but some also without writinge whereof both sortes are in like manner worthie of creditt And elsewhere It is not in vaine that the Apostles haue giuen it by tradition to offer sacrifice for the dead they know how much aduantage and profitt encreaseth to them thereby Neither is the question in the disputation which is now handled betweene his maiestie and vs of the examination of the right but of the examination of the fact that is to saie wee are not to inquire by conferring the conclusions of Faith with their principles which of the English doctrine or ours is the truth which is a question of right whose triall besides that it must be long goes out of the listes frō the state of the questiō that we treate of But to inquire by the continuāce cōformitie with the aunciēt Catholicke Church whether our Church be the same Church as was in the time of S. AVGVSTINE and of the fowre first Councells which is a question of fact in which must be handled not what ought to be beleeued but what hath bene beleeued For his maiestie being of agreement that there was an obligation of communicatiō with the antient Catholicke Church which flourisht in the time of the foure first Councells and that whosoeuer was separate from the communion of that Church was an hereticke or a Schismaticke And the question is whether I might except from the praises of his maiestie the title of Catholicke which is the first cause of this comparison consisting in the knowing not whether the Church of those ages had beleeued well or euill which is a question of right but whether the Church of the last ages from which his maiestie or those that haue bene before him haue separated themselues be the same Church by an vninterrupted succession both of persons and of doctrine as that was in the time of S. AVGVSTINE which is a question of fact and capable of being proued by historie alone soe as the subtletie of spiritts can finde noe shift for it now to leapefrom the question of fact to the question of right And in steede of examining whether the Catholicke Church of this time had the same beleefe in the pointes controuerted betweene vs and our aduersaries as the Church in the time of the foure first Councells had to dispute whether the Church of those ages hath beleeued well and with what reseruations and mollifications her beleefe must 〈◊〉 receiued it is to goe forth from the state of the question and to change the order and meanes of the disputation Of the application of the Thesis of this obseruation to his Hipothesis CHAP. XXI The continuance of the Kinges answere THen to make an end of this discourse the
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
in as high fame As was the first inuentour of the same Nor can your worke bee any whit disgrac't By those who think it done with too much 〈◊〉 For had it beene in Michaell Angells power To perfect his great iudgment in one hower Hee who for that should valew it the lesse His owne weake iudgment would therein expresse And though wee in a common Prouerb fay That Rome was not built all vp in one day Yet could wee see a Citty great as Rome In all her 〈◊〉 in one minute come To such perfection wee might more expresse Our wonders and not make the glory lesse So I conclude with modest truth and dare All their free Censures who can but compare And whosoere shall try may spend his Age Ere in your whole work hee shall mend one Page A TABLE OF THE TITLES AND SVMMARIES OF THE CHAPTERS CONTAYNED IN THESE FOWER FIRST BOOKES OF THE REPLIE TO THE MOST EXCELLENT KING OF GREAT BRITAINE THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. OF the vse of the word Cathòlicke fol. 13. II. Of the conditions of the Catholicke Church 17 III. Of the proceeding of the fathers for the preseruation of the vnitie of the Church 21 IV. Of the necessitie of communicating with the Catholicke Church 23 V. Of the markes of the Church 25 VI From what places of the voyce of the Shepheard the markes of the Church ought to be taken 32 VII Of the examples which we haue from the practise of the Apostles 35 VIII Of the definition of the Church and in what vnion it consists 36 IX Of the vnion of the predestinate and by way of adiunction of the visibilitie or inuisibilitie of the Church 39 X. Of the vnitie of eternall faith 48 XI Of other inuisible vnions 51 XII Of the knowledge that the Predestinate haue of their predestination 52 XIII Of the inequalitie of these two phrases to communicate with the Catholick Church and to communicate with some member of the Church departing from the rule of faith 55 XIV How to vnderstand the words of S. Gregory NazianZene there is a sacred warre 57 XV. Of the pretended precepts to goe forth from the visible communion of the Church 58 XVI Of the consequence of the places alledged by the Fathers for the authoritie of the Catholick Church 68 XUII. Of the distinction of the heretickes and schismatickes 69 XVIII Of the agreement of the auncient Catholicke Church with the moderne 70 XIX Of the conformitie or inconformitie of the sence wherein the word Catholick hath been common to the auncient Catholick Church and to the moderne 74 XX Of the comparison of the Church with the citie built vpon a mountaine 76 XXI Of the conformitie or inconformitie of the Donatists and Protestants in the question of the Church 77 XXII Of the extent of the ancient Catholick Church and the moderne 78 78 XXIII Of the communion that the Bishops of the East had by letters with those of the west 79 XXIV Of these words of the constitution of S. Clement the vniuersall Episcopate is committed to Bishops 80 XXV Of the comparison of the Pope with other Bishops 81 XXVI Of formed letters 113 XXVII Of pretended excommunications attempted against the Pope 116 THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. OF Councells 125 II. Of the effect of Councells for the visibilitie of the Church 127 III. Of the comparison of the Pope with the other Patriarkes 128 IV. Of the difficulties of Scripture concerning the time of S. Peters 〈◊〉 at Antioch and at Rome 137 V. Of the Canon of the Councell of Nicea touching the gouernment of the Patriarches 147 VI. Of the addition of the word Churches suburbicarie made by Ruffinus in the Latine translation of the Councell of Nicea 161 VII Of the claime of the Bishops of Constantinople 178 VIII Of the order of sitting in the Councell of Nicea 204 IX Of the order of the sittings in the first Councell of Ephesus 217 X. Of the order of the sittings in the second Councell of Ephesus 219 XI Of the order of sittings in the Councell of Calcedon 220 XII Of the order of the sittings of the fifth Councell of Constantinople 222 XIII Of the order of sitting in the sixt Councell of Carthage 229 XIV Of the order of the sittings in the Councell of Aquilea 231 XV. Of the calling of Councells 232 THE THIRD BOOKE CHAP. I. OF Appeales 244 II. Of the opposition of sainct Ireneus to Pope Uictor 249 III. Of the opposition of S. Cyprian 251 IV. Of the commission of the Emperor Constantine the great for the iudgment of Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage 264 V. Of the decree of the Mileuitan Councell concerning the beyond-sea Appeales 273 VI. Of the order and distinction of the Councell of Carthage 281 VII Of the African Councell 309 VIII Whether the Latine edition of the African Canons be more faithfull then the Greeke rapsodie 315 IX Of the difficultie touching the Epistles that are at the end of the African Councell 326 X. Of the question of Appeales treated off in the sixt Councell of Carthage 329 XI Of the Councell of Sardica 348 THE FOVRTH BOOKE CHAP. I. THE Estate of the Easterne Church 376 II. What the deuision of the Empire hath wrought to the diuision of the Church 378 III. Of the interpretation of those words Thou art Peter and vppon this Rock I will build my Church 379 IV. Of the indiuisibilitie of the Church 398 U. Of the effect that diuision brings to the Church 399 VI. Of the pretended corruption of the Church 400 VII Of the exclusiō of hereticks frō the bodie of the Catholick Church 402 VIII Of the qualitie wherein the Catholicke Church attributes to herself the name of whole 410 IX Of the sence where in the Roman Church is called Catholick 411 X. Of the causes wherefore the Roman Church hath cutt off the rest from her communion 413 XI Of the sence wherein the Hereticks belong not to the Catholick Church ibid. XII Of the proceeding of other sects 414 XIII Of the perswasion that other sects pretend to haue of the truth of their Church by scriptures ibid. XIV Of the sence wherein Hereticks haue disputed the word Catholicke 415 XV. Of the cases wherein the communion in vow with the Catholick Church may be imputed as actuall 417 XVI Of the equiuocation of termes diminutiues imployed for negatiues 419 XVII Of the authoritie of the worke iutituled imperfect 422 XVIII Of the vnderstanding of these words of sainct Augustine To seeke the Church in the words of Christ. 423 XIX Of the vnderstanding of the words of sainct Chrisostome in the thirtie third Homelie vpon the Acts. 427 XX. Of the rules to iudge admitted by sainct Chrysostome and sainct Augustine 429 XXI Of the application of the Thesis of this obseruation to his Hipothesis 430 XXII Of the personall succession of the Bishops 431 XXIII Of the succession of doctrine 434 XXIV Of the holding of a Councell 436 XXV Of the reduction of the disputation to
the state of the Question 437 XXVI Of the inuention of order in the iustification of the reformation before the proofe of the deformation 438 XXVII Of the indefectibilitie of the Church 439 XXVIII Of the sense wherein the Fathers haue intended that their doctrine had bene holden from the beginning 441 XXIX Of the exceptions that the Kinge produceth to shewe that he hath not separated himselfe from the Church 442 XXX Of the demannds made for Reformations since the fiue last ages 443 XXXI Of the agreement of the English reformers with the Donatists 444 XXXII Of the authoritie of the rest of the Christian people which denied to the Church the title of Catholick 446 XXXIII Of the testimonies of our writers 447 XXXIV Of the begging of the principle contained in this hypothesis ibid. XXXU Of the temporall causes of the separation of England 448 XXXVI Of the comparison of the English Church with the Iudaicall ibid. XXXVII Of the comparison of the Charitie of the antient African Church and the moderne Roman Church 462 XXXVIII Of the innocencie of the Church in the matter of conspiracies against his maiestie ibid XXXIX Of the writings of the illustrious Cardinall Bellarmin 463 An admonition to the Reader COurteous reader for so I will esteeme of thee whosoeuer out of a true desire of vnderstāding the truth takest this learned work into thy hands to peruse it with iudgment and yet without preiudice vouchsafe before thou begin the perusall thereof to take these few obseruations from me First whereas the most eminent authour thereof had proiected to diuide it into twelue seuerall bookes or partiall treatises and died before he could make a compleat end thereof being often diuerted from it by manifold employments which his high estate calling was subiect vnto by some more necessary dispute writings which the cōdition of France did then affoord his frinds either not marking this his proiect or because all the work was not ended neglecting that diuision set is foorth reparted into six bookes only and those so vnequally sorted that the first book alone is in the French edition farre bigger then all the other ensuing fiue bookes taken together This vnproportionable partition we haue amended in this English translation as we might easily do by the citations or quotations with which the authour himself bordered his margent for in them he sometimes referres him self to such a chapter of the second seuenth eleuenth twelft booke whereby he sufficiently insinuates into how many bookes he intended to diuide this his excellent worke at what matter euery booke should take its beginning which his intention we haue obserued in this that now we present to thy view that the fit diuision of matters therein handled may make it more intelligible and lesse tedious Secondly the humour of the French demanded for their satisfaction that the many places which are cited out of learned holy and classicall autours hould not only be faithfully translated in the text but also placed at large in their originall languages in the margen that the learned reader might without recourse to the seuerall volumes which required a copious library whereof few are furnished out of hand examin the faithfullnes of the trāslatiō cōsequētly how fitly the alleged authority made for the purpose But this humour not yet for ought I haue seen much raigning in our country we haue thought it sufficient to cite the places only in the margen which are fully expressed in the text the rather because the excellent translatresse copy which we haue faithfully expressed contayned no more and more beseemed not her translation as not desiring to make shew of skill in greek and other such learned languages but only of that which was sufficient for her assumpt that it is of a faithfull translation according to the significant expressement of the French Thirdly we haue not presumed to alter or change any one word of her translation but in some few places where the French allusions could not be so well vnderstood if they were expressed in English properly corresponding thereunto for euery tongue hath some peculiar graces and elegancies which be lost in the translation yf they be put word for word And yet this haue we done as we sayde very seldome and that especially in the word Church wich we English men vse deriued from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the house dedicated to our Lords seruice which tropically we vse also to signify the congregation of the faithfull most solemnly and vsually made in the Church The French expresse it by the name of Eglise from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vocatus ad professionem fidei the company of the faithfull called by Christ to professe his lawe by which word they secundarily or tropically vnderstand and call the Church or house of prayer So in the name of S. Peter in Frenche S. Pierre which word also signifies a rock or stone in French as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in greek and Cephas in Syriak do but in our English we haue no such allusion No other change but in these few and such like haue we made neither was it needfull the translatresse hauing so fittly and significantly expressed the autours meaning that it would haue been lost labour to striue to do it better and rather marring then mending so perfect an expression Lastly I desire thee gentle reader to beare with the faults of the presse The printers being Wallons and our English strange vnto them it was incredible to see how may faults they committed in setting so that in ouerlooking the proofes for the print the margins had not roome enough to hold our corrections and do what we could yet the number of our corrections being so many a great many of them remayned vncorrected by the fastidious fantasy of our workman Yet we iudge there is no fault that may hinder or change the sence but is amended and for the rest we desire thee to pardon vs considering how hard it is to make a stranger here to expresse our ortography Farewell in our Lord and he of his goodnes giue thee grace to take profit by reading these learned discourses Thy Wellwisher in Christ Iesus F. L. D. S. M. APPROBATIO TRanslatio haec operis excellentissimi quod eminentissimus Cardinalis Perronius pro fides catholicae doctrina ad potentissimum Regem ac Dominum nostrum Jacobum totius Britanniae Franciae Hiberniae Monarcham summa cum cruditione pariter modestia conscripsit facta a nobilissima quadam Heroina prouinciae nostrae serenissimae Reginae Dominae nostrae Mariae 〈◊〉 Borboniae dicata per omnia fideliter concordat cum ipsa autoris mente verbis sententiis Qua propter dignā eam 〈◊〉 quae typis tradatur vtex tanti Praeceptoris accuratissimis cloquentiaque incomparabili vestitis disputationihus fructum copiosum capiatur Anglia nostra qualem vniuersa Gallia cum perpetua Magni autoris veneratione se percepisse protestatur
2. Decemb. 1631 F. Leander de S. Martino sacrae Theologiae Doctor Hebraeae linguae in alma Academia Duacena professor Regius Benedictinorum conuentus S. Gregorij Angliae Prior. THE LETTER OF THE LORD CARDINALL OF PERRON SENT TO MONSIEVR CASAVBON INTO ENGLAND SIR the letter that you deliuered to Monsieur de la Bodery was deliuered to me by him euen as I was vpon my departure for a voyage into Normandy and since my returne from thence I haue bene almost perpetuallie sicke which hindered me from answering with more speede Now that my disease begins to be at some truce with me I will paie the arrerages of this delaie and will first thanke you for the good office that you haue done me in shewing the letter I writt to you to the most excellent king of great Brittaine and in procuring me an interest in his fauour I will striue so to husband it by my humble seruice s and particularlye by celebrating his prayses which is the only fruite that good and vertuons kinges such as hee doe gather from allthe labours and thornie cares that the burden of a kingdome loades them with as his maiestie shall haue noe cause to be sorrie that it be declared to after ages how he hath honord mee with his well wishes ād how I haue had his 〈◊〉 in reuerence and admiration As for the translation of the verses of Virgill whereof you writt to me that he desires a Copie that which I sent you being lost I deferr yet for some daies to acquit myself of that dutie because I haue put it to the presse with the addition of a part of the fowrth which I haue ended expresselie for his maiestie sake to inlarge my presēte to him As soone as those few Copies which are in doing shall be finished I will not faile to addresse one of them to you to offer vp to him on my behalfe The third point of your letter yet remaines which is that his Maiestie was astonisht at those wordes in my letter That excepting the title of Catholicke I knew nothing wanting in him to expresse the figure of a perfect and compleate Prince and that he pretendes that since he beleeues all thinges that the Ancientes haue with an vnanimous consent esteemed necessarie to saluation the title of Catholique cannot bee donied him Now as on the one side I can not but greatlie praise his maiesties pietie and Christian humilitie in not disdayning to submitt his iudgement adorned with so manie lightes naturall ād acquired to that of those cleare beames of antiquitie imitating therein the wisdome of that great Emperor Thodosius who thought there was noebetter meanes to agree the dissentions which disturbed the Church of his time then to exact from either part an answere whither thy beleeued that the Fathers which had flourish'd in the Church before the separation had bene orthodoxall and that being confessed to summon them to submitt themselues to whatsoeuer they should be found to haue beleeued so on the other side there are manie obseruations `to be made vpon this Thesis before wee passe to the hypothesis which since I Cannot represent to his maiestie I shall be gladd to informe you of them for your particular satisfaction The first is that the name of Catholicke is not a name of beleefe simplie but of Communion also else antiquitie would not haue refused that title to those Which were not separated from the beleefe but from the Communion of the Church nor would they haue protested that out of the Catholicke Church the Faith and Sacramentes may be had but not Saluation Out of the Catholicke Church saith S. Augustin in his treatie of Conference with Emeritus a man may haue orders hee maie haue Sacraments he may sing Alleluya he may answere A men he may keepe the Gospell he may haue and preach the faith in the name of the Father of the Sonn and of the holie Ghost but he can no where finde Saluation but in the Catholicke Church And in the Booke De vtilit credendi There is a Church as all men graunt if you cast your eyes ouer the extent of the whole world more full in multitude then all the rest and as those that know themselues to be of it affirme more sincere in the doctrine of truth But of the truth that is an other question that will suffice for this search that there is one Catholicke Church vpon which seuer all heresies impose seuerall names whereas they are all call called euery one by his particular name which they dare not disauow from whence it may appeare to the iudgment of anie arbiter that is not prepossessed by fauour to whom the name of Catholicke where of all are ambitions ought to bee attributed And in the Booke against the fundamentall Epistle Then to omitt this wisdome which you denie to bee in the Catholicke Church there are manie other things which doe most iustlie retaine me in her bosome the consent of people and nations retaine me therein the authoritie begūn by miracles nourished by hope increased by charitie confirmed by antiquitie retaines me therein the succession of Prelates euen from the verie seate of Peter to whom our Lord deliuered his sheepe to be fedd after his Resurrection euen to the present Bishops seate retaines me therein and finallie the verie name of Catholick retaines me therein which not without cause this Church alone amongst so manie heresies hath in such sorte obtained as though all heretickes would be called Catholiques neuerthelesse when a stranger askes where the Catholicke Church doth assemble there is not one 〈◊〉 that dares shew his 〈◊〉 or his howse And in his treatise of Faith and of the Creede Wee beleeue the holie Church and that Catholick for heretickes and schismatickes call their Congregations Churches but hereticks beleeuing of God false thinges violate faith and Schismatickes separate themselues from brotherly charitie by vniust diuisions allthough they beleeue the same things that we beleeue and therefore neither can the hereticke belonge to the Catholicke Church because she loues God nor the schismaticke because she loues her neightour And in the Booke Of the vnitie of the Church All those that beleeue as hath bene said that ouer Lord IESVS is come in the flesh and is risen againe in the same flesh wherein he was borne and hath suffered and that he is the sōne of god god with god ād one with the Father and the onlie immoueable word of the Father by which all things haue bene made but yet dissent so from his bodie which is the Church that theire communion is not with the whole or is spread in deed but yet is in some part found to be separate it is manifest they are not in the Catholick Church And Prosper his scholler Hee saith hee that Communicates with this vniuersall Church is a Christian and a Catholicke but he that communicates not therewith is an hereticke and Antichrist And for this cause wee see that the Fathers denied the title
of Catholique to the Donatists because of the separation of Communion and yet graunted it to those from whom the Donatists had taken their doctrine because of the vnitie of Communion Cyprians people saith S. Pacian hath neuer bene called otherwise then Catholicke And Sainct Vincentius Lerinensis O admirable change the authors of one selfe same opinion are adiudged Catholickes and the Sectaries heretickes And S. Augustin Dissention and diuision saith hee makes you heretickes and peace and vnitìe makes Catholiques And that in the fowrth Coūcell of Carthage this article was inserted into the triall of the promotion of Bishops whither they beleeue that out of the Catholicke Church none cā be saued And that in the Epistle of the Councell of Cyrtha it was repeated by S. Augustin who was Secretarie thereto in theses wordes Whosoeuer is separated from this Catholicke Church how praise-worthie soeuer he conceaue his life to bee by this onlie crime that he is separated from the vnitie of Christ he shall not haue life but the wrath of God shall remaine vpon him And after by Fulgentius in these wordes Beleeue firmelie and doubt it not at all that no hereticke or Schismaticke baptized in the name of the Father of the sonne and of the only Ghost if he be not reconciled to the Catholicke Church what almes soeuer he may giue yea though he should shedde his blood for the name of Christ can in any sort be saued That I say was against or principallie against the Donatists And neuerthelesse the Donatists agreed in all the doctrine of the Creede and of the Scripture with the Catholicks Your are with vs saith S. Augustine in Baptisme in the Creede and in all the other Sacraments of our Lord but in the spirit of vnitie and in the bond of peace and finallie in the Catholicke Church you are not with vs And yet they differed only in one pointe of vnwritten tradition which as S. Augustin himself who principallie triumphes ouer this heresie confessed could not be demonstrated by Scripture This saith hee in the Booke of the vnitie of the Church neither thou nor I doe euidentlie reade And in the first Booke against Cresconius though for this there be noe example in the scriptures yet euen in this wee follow the truth of the Scriptures when wee doe that which hath pleased the vniuersall Church which the authoritie of the same scriptures doth recommend And in the secōd Booke of Baptisme against the Donatists And ourselues saith hee durst affirme no such thing but that we are upheld by the vnanimous authoritie of the Church And in the fift The Apostles haue in this prescribed vs nothing but this custome which was opposite to Cyprian ought to be beleeued to haue taken it's originall from their tradition as manie other things which the vniuersall Church obserues and for this cause are with good right beleeued to haue bene commaunded by the Apostles although they haue not bene vvritten From whence it appeares that to obtaine the name of Catholicke it sufficeth not to hold or rather to suppose to hold the same beleefe that the Fathers held vnlesse they communicate with the same Catholicke Church wherewith the Fathers did communicate and which by succession of persons and as wee pretend of doctrine is deriued downe to vs and if she haue lost anie thing of her extent in our hemisphere she recouers as much and more daily in the other hemisphere that these prophecies may be fulfilled In thy seede shall all the nations of the earth be blessed In the last daies the mountaine of the howse of our Lord shall bee vpon the topp of mountaines and shall be exalted aboue all the highe hills and all nations shall come vp to her This Ghospell of the Kingdome must be preached ouer all the world and then the end shall come and such like in right whereof the Church as saith S. Augustin hath obtained the title and the marke of Catholicke The SECOND obseruation is vpon the restriction in Cases necessarie to saluation For besides pointes necessarie to saluation there are two other degrees of thinges the one sort profitable to saluation as it is according to the opinion of your owne ministers to sell all our goods and giue it to the poore to fast in affliction to appease the wrath of God to pray our Bretheren in the faith to praie to God for vs and the other sort lawfull and not repugnant to saluation as to fly from persecution to liue by the Altar since we serue at the Altar to putt awaie our wiues for adulterie and other the like for I alleadge these for examples and not for instances Now it is needefull to be cōformable to the integritie of the beleefe of the Fathers to beleeue all thinges that they haue beleeued according to that degree wherein they haue beleeued them to witt to beleeue for thinges necessarie to saluation those thinges that they haue esteemed to be necessarie for saluation and for thinges profitable to saluation those things that they haue esteemed to be profitable to saluation and for things lawfull and not repugnant to saluation those thinges that they haue holden to be lawfull and not repugnant to saluation and not vnder colour that the two last kindes are not things necessarie to saluation but only profitable or lawfull to condemne them and to separate ourselues for their occasion from the Church which then had thē in practise and still practiseth thē to this day The third obseruation is vpon the ambiguitie of the word necessarie to saluation which because of the diuers kindes of necessitie which haue place in matters of religion is capable of diuers sences for there is an absolute necessitie and a conditionall necessitie a necessitie of meanes and a necessitie of precept a necessitie of speciall beleefe and a necessitie of generall beleefe a necessitie of act and a necessitie of approbatio I call an absolute necessitie not simplie but by vertue of Gods institution that which receiues no excuse of impossibilitie nor anie exception of place time or persons as in regard of those that are of age capable of knowledge the beleefe in Christ mediator betweene God and man for neither the circumstance of being in a place where wee cannot be instructed in that article nor the preuention of time in dying before wee are informed thereof nor the condition of being an ignorant person vnlearned dull not apt to comprehend a sheepe and not a shepheard can warrant those from damnation that beleeue it not actually for as much as who beleeues not in the onlie Sonn of Gods is alreadie iudged And in regard of little Children baptisme only according to our doctrine may supplie the defect of Faith in Christ in their behalfe agreeing with that sentence of S. Augustin Doe not beleeue doe not saie doe not teache if thou wilt be a Catholick that little children which are 〈◊〉 by death from being
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
with that modesty and submission which is due to the person and worth of so high and mighty a Monarch and with that learning and solidyty that might be expected from so great a maister of truth as that most eminent Cardinall was in behalf of so glorious a cause as is the doctrine of the catholique Church THE L. CARDIN PERRONS REPLIE TO HIS MAIESTIES ANSWER TO THE LETTER WRITTEN TO MONS CASAVBON THE FIRST OBSERVATION Reduced into an abridgement by the Kinge THE name of Catholicke doth not simplie designe Faith but also Communion with the Catholicke Church for this Cause the Fathers would not suffer that those should bee Called Catholickes which had separated themselues from the communion of the Church though they retained the Faith thereof For there is one only Catholicke Church out of the which Faith and Sacramentes may be had but not Saluation To this end there are manie places alleaged out of S. AVGTSTIN OF THE VSE OF THE WORD CATHOLIQVE THE ANSVVERE OF THE KINGE CHAPITRE I. TO beleeue the Catholicko Church and to beleeue the Communion of Saintes are put distinctly as diuers thinges in the Creede and it seemes the first was ptincipallie inserted to discerne the Iewish Synagogue from the Christian Church which ought not to be as that was inclosed within the lymittes of one only nation but to be spread in length and breadth through all the regions of the world And therefore the reason is not manifest enough why in the beginning of this obseruation it is said that the title of Catholicke designeth Communion These two thinges are very neere one an other but different notwithstandinge as wee haue shewed THE REPLIE WHEN the Philosopher FAVORINVS disputed against the Emperor ADRIAN and that his hearers were amazed and reproached it to him that he suffered the Emperor to confute him and yielded to him he answered them should not I yield to a man tha commaundes twentie legions Soe if there were noe question in this worke but of humane philosophie secular learninge it should be easie for me to stop my selfe at FAVORINVS boundes and to abstaine to contest with his maiestie or to resist him But since heere wee treate of his interest who hath not legions of men but of Angells and which hath for his title THE KINGE OF KINGES AND LORD OF LORDES and from whom this excellent Kinge himselfe makes profession to holde in Fee his life and Crownes that is to saie the cause of IESVS CHRIST and of his Kingdome which is the Church I will promise myselfe from his Maiesties bountie that he will not mislike where it shall be needefull that I resist and contradict him with all the respectiue libertie that the lawes of disputation yield me Then for the argument of the Creede I will saie after I haue kist my weapones three thinges for my defence FIRST that it is vncertaine whither the cause of the Communion of Saintes be an article aparte or an explication of the precedinge cause and a declaration that the Catholicke Church consistes not in the simple number of the faithfull euery one considered a parte but in the ioinct Communion of all the bodie of the faithfull in such sorte as both clauses make but one article as it seemeth sainct IEROM RVFFINVS and Sainct AVGVSTINE who haue omitted the latter haue esteemed it The SECOND that it is vncertaine whether it signifie the Communion that the faithfull liuinge haue one with an other or the Commerce that the Saintes of the triumphant Church doe exercise with the Saintes of the militant Church by the prayers that the Saints of the triumphant offer for the Saints of the militant and the commemoration that the saints of the militant make of the saints of the triumphant which is that that wee in our Liturgie call to communicate with the memory of the Saintes And the THIRD that whatsoeuer it signifie it is most certaine that the word CATHOLICKE was not added to that of the Church to distinguish the Christian Church from the Iewish Synagogue which had neuer borne the name of Church in qualitie of a title of a Religion when the creed was Composed and by consequence did not oblige the Christian Church to take the Epithete of Catholicke to bee discerned from that from which in all cases she had bene suffieientlie distinguished by the title of Christian but it was added to discerne the true Church from hereticall and schismaticall Societies which vsurpe equiuocally and by false markes the name of Church for that our Lord was the first that affected and consecrated the word ECCLESIA which we vsually translate in Englishe Church to signifie a societie of Religion whereas before neither it nor the Hebrewe word that answeres to it had anie other vse but that which prophane authors giue it which is to signifie Assemblies conuocations Generall Estates as when DEMOSTHENES said to ESCHINES thou wert dumbe to the assemblies where the greeke word is Ecclesijs the conuocations or general meetings And as when Aristotle called the conuocations of Creete ecclesias And as when the Scholiast of HOMER said Iupiter gathered together Ecclesias the Assemblies of the Gods It appeares first by the testimonie of MOSES who forbids bastardes to enter into the Church of Israell And of DAVID who singes I hate the Church of the malignant And of S. STEPHEN who said MOSES was in the Church in the solitarie place that is to saie with the multitude of the people in the desert It appeares secondlie by the testimonie of S. IEROM and of S. CYRILLVS who interpretinge this verse of ESAY Thou shalt bee called by a new name that the mouth of our Lord shall pronounce Doe affirme that this new name must be the name of Church It shall noe more saith S. IEROM be called Ierusalem and Sion but it shall receiue a new name that the Lord shall impose vpon it sayinge to the Apostle PETER thou art PETER and vpon this PETRA or rock I will build my Church And S. CYRILL It shall be noe more called Synagogue but the Church of the liuinge God And finallie it appeares by the verie testimonie of our aduersaries that not only in all the textes of the old Testament where the Greeke translation of the Seuentie vse the word Ecclesia but also in all those of the new where that word hath relation to anie other multitude beside the Christian Church they expresse it by Congregation or Assemblies And if since the cōminge of IESVS CHRIST and the edition of the creede the Fathers haue sometymes called the Synagogue by the name of Ecclesia or Church it hath bene by anticipation to shew the successiue vnitie of the one and other societie but not that the Iewish Church while it lasted hath euer vndertaken to attribute to herselfe the title of a Church in the qualitie of a title of Religion Neither consequently when the creede was composed was there neede of an
Epithete to distinguish the Christian Church from her for as the starr that the authors call Lucifer although it be the same with that that is called Vesper yet when it goes before the Sonne it beares one name and when it followes him it hath an other soe although the Iewish congregation hath bene in some sorte one same societie with the Christiā Congregatiō neuerthelesse whē this societie hath gone Before her SVNNE which is CHRIST she hath borne one name to witt the Synagogue and when she followes him she beares an other to witt the Church And therefore when our Lord said to S. Peter Dic ecclesiae tell it to the Church and if he heare not he Church let him be to thee as an heathen or a publican And when S. LVKE relates that HEROD sett himselfe to Persecute quosdam de ecclesia some of those of the Church and when saint Paul writes I teach it so in all the Churches And againe bee without scandall to the Iewes and to the Gentiles and to the Church of God And when S. Iames proclaimes If anie one be sicke lett him call the priestes of the Church And when S. Ireneus saith there haue bene sacrifices among the people there are sacrifices in the Church they thought they had sufficiently distinguished without anie other additiō the Christian Church frō the Iewish Synagogue And contrariwise when the Church of SMYRNA in an age neighbouringe vpon that of the Apostles intitles her Epistle to the Church of PHILOMILION and to all the a Diocesses of the Catholique Church that are throughout the world And when CLEMENT ALEXANDRINVS writes There needes not manie wordes to shewe that the mocke-Councells of heretickes are after the Catholicke Church And when TERTVLLIAN saieth Marcion gaue his money to the Catholique Church which reiected both it and him when he strayed from our truth to heresie And when sainct CYPRIAN aduertised the Bishops of Africke that passed in to Italie to acknowledge and hold fast the roote and matrice of the Catholicke Church And when Saint EPIPHANIVS reporteth that vnder the persecution of DIOCLESIAN those that held the ancient Churches called themselues the Catholicke Church and the Militians the Church of the martyres And when the Emperor CONSTANTINE ordained that all the Oratories of the Heretickes should be taken from them and presently after deliuered to the Catholicke Church they pretended not by the word Catholicke to distinguish the Christian Church from the Iewish but to distinguish the great and the originall bodie of the Church from the particular and later sectes Yet wee acknowledge that the word Catholicke in distinguishing by hervniuersalitie the true Church from the hereticall and schismaticall sectes distinguisheth her alsoe by accident from the Iewish Synagogue as a speciall difference in distinguishing her species from other species of the same genders doth also distinguish it from that of other genders though that be not her proper office for the word reasonable discerninge men from birds fishes serpentes and other beastes leaves him not vndiscerned accessarily from plantes metalls and stones But we maintaine the expresse and direct end for which the Surname of Catholik hath bene added to the Church I saie to the Church and not to the figures of the Church hath bene to distinguish it from hereticall and Schismaticall sectes If I should this daie by chance enter into a populous towne saith S. PACIANVS an author celebrated by sainct Ierom and finde there Marcionistes and Apolinarians it must be reade Apellecians Cataphrigians Nouatians and other such like which call themselues Christians by what surname should I knowe the Congregation of my people if it were not intitled Catholicke and againe Christian is my name Catholicke is my Surname that names me this markes me out by that I am manifested prodor non probor by this I am distinguished And sainct CYRILL of Ierusalem an author the same age expoundinge the creede For this cause saith he thy faith hath giuen thee this article to holde vndoubtedlie and in the holie Catholicke Church to the end thou 〈◊〉 flie the polluted 〈◊〉 of heretickes And a little after And when thou comst into a towne inquire not simplie where the temple of our Lord is for the other heresies of impious persons doe likewise call theire dens the temples of the Lord neither aske simplie where the Church is but where is the Catholique Church for that name is the proper name of this holie Church And sainct AVGVSTINE in his booke of the Faith and the creede Wee beleeue saith he the holie Church and that Catholicke for the heretickes and Schismatickes name also theire Congregations Churches but heretickes beleeuing in God in a false manner violate the faith and Schismatickes by theire vniust Diuisions seperate themselues from brotherlie Charitie although they beleeue the same thinges that we beleeue therefore the hereticke appartaineth not to the Catholicke Church because she loues God nor the Schismaticke because she loues her neighbour So that it amazeth me that I haue had soe little industrie to explaine myselfe as to haue giuen his Maiestie occasion to answere that the reason for which I had said in the beginninge of my first obseruation that the word Catholicke was not a title of simple beliefe but of communion was not enough manifest For hauinge alleaged these fower places of sainct AVGVSTINE Schismatickes appertaine not to the Catholicke Church although they beleeue the same thinges with vs. Those that disagree soe from the bodie of Christ which is the Church as theire communion is not with all or that it spread it selfe but is found separate in some part it is manifest they are not in the Catholicke Church There is a Church if you cast your eyes ouer the extent of the whole world more aboundant in multitude and also as those that know themselues to be of it affirme more sincere in truth then all the others but of the truth is an other disputation Diuision and dissention makes you heretickes and peace and vnitie makes vs Catholickes And hauinge accompanied them with these wordes of sainct VINCENTIVS 〈◊〉 O admirable conuersion or change the authors of one selfe opinion are called Catholiques and the followers of it beretickes And with those of sainct PROSPER 〈◊〉 that communicates with the vniuersall church is a christian and a 〈◊〉 catholicke and he that communicates not therewith is an hereticke and Antichrist It seemed to me that I had sufficiently shewed that the title of Catholicke is not a simple title of beliefe but of communion also It is true I expected not that a question that had bene anciently moued and adiuged euen with the interuention of the authoritie of Emperors should againe haue bene contested against and put into dispute For in the controuersie of Catholickes and Donatistes vpon the word Catholicke before the decision whereof as sainct Austin saith the Church was neuer
perfectly treated of no more then before the questions of the Arrians the Trinitie had neuer bene perfectlie treated of the thesis or tenet of the Catholickes was that the word Catholicke was a word of Communion and not a word of Simple beliefe The Christian Africans are called saith Saint AVGVSTIN and not with out good right Catholickes protesting by theire proper Communion the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And againe wee shew by the testimonie of our Cōmunion that wee haue the Catholicke Church the thesis of the Donatistes contrariwise was that the word Catholicke was not a word of Cōmunion but of beliefe and obseruation of precepts The Donatistes saith Saint AVSTIN answered that the word Catholike was not deriued from the vniuersalitie of nations but from the fulnes of the Sacramentes that is to saie from the integritie of the doctrine And in the Epistle to VINCENTIVS Rogat Thou thinkest said he then to saìe some subtile thing when thon interpretest the name of Catholicke not from the Communion of the whole world but from the obseruation of all the preceptes and diuine Sacramentes And againe you are those that hold the Catholicke faith not from the Communion of the whole world hut from the obseruation of all the preceptes aud diuine Sacramentes And the iudgement that was made vpon this difference was that the word Catholicke was a title not of simple beliefe but of Communion also After a contention of 40. daies saith OPTATVS Mileuit speaking of the first disputation of the Donatistes the finall sentēce of the Bishops Eunomius and Olimpius whcih were the Bishops deputed to iudge the possessiō of the word Catholicke betweene the Catholickes of Africa and the Donatistes was that that was Catholicke that was spread throughout the world And Saint AVSTINE speaking of the Conference of Carthage The Commissarie said he answered that he could not by 〈◊〉 attribute the name Catholicke to anie other then to those to whom the Emperor from whom he had his Commision had attributed it And in an other place citing the law of the Emperors made vpon this Conference The Emperors said he haue forbidden that those that vsurpe the name of Christians out of the Communion of the Catholicke Church and will not in peace adore the author of 〈◊〉 should dare to possesse anie thing vnder the title of the Church And againe The Emperors of our Communion haue ordained lawes against all heretikes now they call heretickes those that are not of theire Communion amongst which you are And after disputing with the same Donatists Thou askest said he of a stranger whether he be a pagan or a Christian he answeres thee a Christian thou askest him whether he be a catechumenus or one of the faithfull least he should intrude himselfe vnlawfullie to the Sacraments he answers thee one of the faithfull thou askest him of what Communion he is he answers thee a Christian Catholicke CHAP. II. Of the Conditions of the Catholicke Church The pursuite of the kings answere NOw the King belieues simplie without colour or fraude that the Church ōf God is one only by name and effect Catholicke and vniuersall spread ouer all the world out of which he affirmes himselfe there can be noe hope of Saluation he condemnes and detestes those which either heeretofore or since haue departed from the faith of the Catholicke Church are become heretickes as the Man ichees or from her Communion and are become schismatickes as the Donatists Against which two kindes of men principally sainct AVGVSTINE hath written the things alleaged in this obseruation THE REPLIE TELESIVS a Stripling of Greece hauing won the prize and victorie of the Combate in the Pythian games when there was question of leadinge him in triumph there arose such a dispute betweene the diuers natiōs there present euery one being earnest to haue him for theire owne as the one drawing him one waie the other an other waie insteed of receiuing the honor which was prepared for him he was torne and dismembred euen by those that stroue who should honor him most Soe happenes it to the Church All those that beare the name of Christians auow that to her only appertaines the victory ouer hell and that whosoeuer will haue parte in the prize and glory of this Triumph must serue vnder her ensigne But when they come to debate of the true bodie of this societie then euery sect desirous to draw her to themselues they rent and teare her in peeces and in steed of embracing the Church which consistes in vnitie they embrace schisme and diuision which is the death and ruyne of the Church The cause or rather the pretext of this euill comes from two faultes that the aduersaries of the Church commit in the distinction of the word Ecclesia or Church which makes the possession vncertaine and disputable The one is the fraudulent restriction of the terme of the Church to the only inuisible number of the predestinate by which when they feele themselues pressed to represent the succession of theire Church they saue themselues like Homers Aeneas or Virgils Cacus in obscuritie and darknes The other is the equiuocall and captious extension of the same word Church to all Sectes which professe the name of Christ by which when they see themselues excluded from the refuge of theire inuissble Church they haue recourse from darknes to confusion and confesse that there hath bene alwaies a visible Church but sometymes pure in faith and sometymes impure that is to saie now a Church and now noe Church And therefore I attribute it to a singular care of the prouidence of God that his Maiesty saying he beleeues the catholicke Church hath added as to preuent all theses shiftes without colour or fraude For to beleeue the catholicke church without colour or fraude is to beleeue her in the sence that the Fathers haue beleeued and vnderstood her the Fathers I say which haue lest vs these sentences pronunced sometymes as in the hypothesis against the Manichees and Donatists but as in the thesis against all kindes of heretickes or schismatickes in generall that out of the Catholicke Church there is noe saluation that whosoeuer is separate from the Catholicke Church cannot haue life and other such like which his Maiestie protested to approue Now first by the word Catholicke Church these Fathers haue beleeued and intended such a Church as these wordes of Esay 〈◊〉 In the last daies the Mountaine of the Lord shall be on the topp of all the Mountaines and all the hills shall flowe to her The people shall walke in thy light and the kings in the brightnes of thy Orient Theire seede shall be knowne amongst the people and theire kinge in the middest of the nations And these of our Lord The Citie built vpon the mountaine cannot be hid Tell it to the Church and if he heare not the Church let him be to thee as
his father who wil not haue the Church for his mother That Christ is not with those that assemble out of the Church That although they should be slaine for the confession of Christ this spot is not washt awaie euen with bloud That he cannot be à martyr that is not in the Church That out of the Catholicke Church one may haue Faith Sacraments Orders and in summe euery thing except saluation That he that communicates not with the Catholicke Church is an hereticke and Antichrist That noe hereticke nor Schismaticke that is not restored to the Catholicke church before the end of this life can be saued if they had belieued that all the Sectes that professe the name of Christ both heretickes and Schismatickes had bene in the Catholicke Church THIRDLY by the word Catholicke Church they did not intend a Church interrupted and intermitting as that of the protestantes which is borne and dyes by fittes like the Tyndarides but such a Church as these wordes of the prophet describe As in in the daies of Noe I swore that I would no more bring the waters of the floud vpon the earth soe haue I sworne I will no more be angrie against thee Thou shalt noe more be called the forsaken I will place my sanctification in the midst of them for euer I will noe more doe to the rest of this people as in tymes past And these of our Lord The gates of hell shall not preuaile against her I am with you vntill the consummation of all ages The Spirit of truth shall dwell with you eternally Let the one growe with the other vntill the haruest that is to saie a Church permanent eternall and not capeable of ruine Wee acknowledge said that great ALEXANDER Bishop of Alexandria one only Catholicke and Apostolicke Church which as she can neuer bee rooted out though all the world should vndertake to oppose her soe she outhrowes disperseth all the wicked assaulth of heretickes And Sainct ATHANASIVS The Church is inuincible though hell it selfe should arise with all the power thereof against her And THEOPHILVS God in all tymes grants one selfe grace to his Church to witt that that Bodie should be kept intire and that the venome of the Doctrine of heretickes shall haue noe power ouer her And Sainct AVGVSTINE in the comentary vpon the 47. psalme God saith he hath founded her eternallie let not heretickes deuided into factions boaste let them not lift themselues vp that saie heere is Christ and there is Christ. And againe But perchance this Cittie that hath possessed the whole world shall be one daie ruined neuer may it happen God hath founded her eternallie If then God hath founded her eternally wherefore fearest thou that her foundation should fall And in the Comentary vpon the 101. psalme But his Church which hath bene of all nations is noe more she is perished soe saie they that are not in her O impudent voice And a little after this voice soe abominable soe detestable soe full of presumption and falshood which is sustained with noe truth illuminated with noe wisedome seasoned with noe salt vaine rash headie pernicious the holy Ghost hath foreseene it And in the treatie of the Christian combate They saie the whole Church is perished and the relickes remaine only on Donatus his side O prowde and impious tongue And in the worke of Baptisme against the Donatists If the Church vere perished in Cyprians tyme from whence did Donatus appeare from what earth is he sprung vp from what Sea is he come forth from what heauen is he fallen And in the third booke against Parmenian How can they vaunt to haue anie Church if she haue ceased from those tymes And in the explication of the Creede to the Cathecumenistes The Catholicke Church is she that sighting with all heresies may be opposed but cannot be ouerthrowne All heresies are come out from her as vnprofitable branches cut from the vine but she staies in her vine in her roote in her Charitie And the gates of hell shall neuer ouerthrow her Behold without colour or fraud what the Father 's vnderstood by the word Catholicke Church to witt a Church visible and eminent aboue all other Christian societies A Church pure from all contagion of schisme and heresie A Church perpetuall and which had neuer suffered nor neuer could suffer anie interruption neither in her faith in her Communion nor in her visibilitie This Church if the most excellent King haue let hin giue her to vs if not lett him receiue her from vs Aut det as saint AVSTINE said to the Donatists aut accipiat Of the proceeding of the Father for the preseruation of the vnitie of the Church CHAP. III. The pursute of the Kinges Answere THe Kinge commendes also the prudence of the religious Bishops who in the 4 Councell of Carthage as it is heere truly obserued added to the forme of the examination of Bishops a particular interrogatory vpon this point And his Maiestie is not ignorant that the Fathers of the ancient Church haue oftentymes done manie thinges by forme of accommodation for the good of peace and to the end to preuent the breach of vnitie and mutuall Communion whose example he protesteth he is 〈◊〉 to imitate and to followe the steps of those that procure peace euen to the Altars that is to saie as much as in the present estate of the Church the integritie of his Conscience will permitt him For he will giue place to none either in extreame griefe he suffers for the separation of the members of the Churdh which the good Fathers haue soe much detested or in his dosire to communicate if it were possible for him with all the members of the mysticall bodie of our Lord Iesus-Christ THE REPLIE IT was not by way of prudence as prudence signifies a human vertue that the Fathers pronounced this decree that out of the Catholicke Church saluation could not bee obtained but by way of decision and as an article of faith For this cause saith sainct AVGVSTINE vpon the Creede The Conclusion of this Sacrament is determined by the holie Church for as much as if anie one be found on t of it he shall be excluded from the number of the Children And he shall not haue God for his Father that will not haue the Church for his Mother and it shall serue him for nothing to haue belieued or done soe manie and soe manie good workes without the true end or butte of the souer aigne good And sainct FVLGENTIVS in his booke of the Faith Holde this firmely and doubt it not that euery hereticke and Schismaticke haptized in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost if before the end of this life he be not revnited to the Church Catholicke whatsoeuer almes he distribute yea though he should shed his bloud for the name
of Christ cannot be saued And that which the Fathers haue done to hinder the breache of peace and of mutuall communion hath passed noe further then either to tolerate some locall and particular customes which brought more burden then profit as the custome some Africans had not to touch the ground with theire naked feete in the Octaues of theire Baptisme or to endure the manners and conuersation of some vitious men without applyinge the iron corrosiue of excommunication for feare of diuidinge the Church insteede of purginge it from wicked persons From whence proceeded that famous sentence of sainct AVGVSTINE They tolerate for the good of vnitie that which they hate for the good of equitie As for that which they haue done for the reestablishmēt of peace it hath beē extēded to the yeeldinge somethinge in the seuerity of discipline For when Arrian or Donatist Bishops came backe to the Church the Church in fauour of the people which followed them receaued them by a forme of generall rehabilitatiō with facultie to exercise theire Episcopall power Now this was against the ordinary rigor of the Canons And therefore sainct AVGVSTINE hath from thence taken occasion to say Thas as the trees that are inoculated receiue a wound in their barke to giue waie to those branches that should be graffed in soe the Church receiues a wound in her discipline to the end to take in and reincorporate hereticall people which were conuerted and returne together with theire Bishops but not that the loue of peace hath euer transported the Fathers so farr as to yield neuer so little in matters of Faith Contrarywise sainct BASILE witnesseth a That they haue alwaies rather chosen to suffer a thousand deathes then to b betraie one sillable thereof And sainct EPIPHANIVS recited by sainct IEROM saith c That for one word or two contrary to faith manie heresies haue bene cast forth of the Church And S. AVGVSTINE That the thinges contrary vnto faith and good manners the Church doth neither approue them conceale them nor doe them Therefore his Maiestie ought not to haue feared to imitate wholy the zeale of the Fathers for the good of peace and to doe for the restoringe the vnitie of the Church all things that the ancient Catholicke church hath approued practised taught Neither ought he to haue added to his offer the exception of that prouerbe euen to the Altars since our of the true Church such as was that of the Fathers to whose only Conditions wee exact his Maiesties communion with ours there are noe true Altars but only Altars agaiust Altars that is to saie prophane and Schismaticall Altars as those of Ieroboam were and the high places in the time of the law Nor finally should he limit the desire he hath to communicate with all the true members of the misticall bodie of Christ within this Condition if it were possible for it is so possible to communicate with all the actuall members of the misticall bodie of Christ that con trariwise it is impossible except in case of error of fact to communicate with anie one of them but you must communicate either immediately or mediatly with all the rest for the Church is that Societie whereof DAVID said Ierusalem which is built as a Cittie whose participation is in vnitie And sainct CYPRIAN The Catholicke Church which is one is not dismembred nor diuided but keepes herselfe vnited and is glewed together by the cement of the Prelates adheringe the one to the other And sainct AVGVSTINE Those whose Communion is not with all or that doe spread themselues but yet find themselues in some parte diuided it is manifest they are not in the Catholicke Church And againe Whosoeuer defendeth one parte separate from the rest let him not vsurpe the title of Catholicke And in an other place It may be will some one saie that there are other 〈◊〉 of God I knowe not where whereof God hath care but I knowe them not But he is too absurd euen in Common sense that imagins such thinges Of the necessitie of communicatinge with the Catholicke Church CHAP. IV. The pursute of the kinges Answere THese thinges beinge soe the kinge neuerthelesse esteemes that he hath very iust cause to dissent from them who without anie distinction and exception 〈◊〉 presse this Communion THE REPLIE THere is saith sainct AVGVSTINE noe iust necessitie to diuide vnitie and there is saith againe the same Doctor noe assurance of vnitie but in the Church which built according to Gods promise vpon the mountaine cannot be hidden For besides that the examination of the Church is soe easie and soe certaine as sainct AVSTIN saith I haue the most manifest voice of my pastor who expresses to me and pointes me out the Church without anie ambiguitie And againe this is noe obscure question wherein they may deceiue you of whom the lord hath foretolde that they shall come and saie heere is Christ And that the particular examination of Faith contrariwise is soe dangerous and difficult as yet most learned haue deceaued themselues in it And as sainct Ierom cryeth out There is great danger in speakinge in the Church for feare least by a wronge interpretation the Ghospell of Christ may be made the Ghospell of a man or which is worse the Ghospell of the diuell There is further this difference which is that he who hath the Church is sure to adhere to the true Faith though he know not distinctly all the articles thereof and that he is in the waie of Saluation where he that hath Faith and is not in the Church hath noe hope of Saluation If I haue all Faith saith Sainct PAVLE and 〈◊〉 not Charity I am nothinge And Sainct AVGVSTIN He that hath Charitie is secure and none can transporte charity out of the Catholique Church And elswhere If Schismatickes had Charitie they would not rend the bodie of Christ which is the Church By meanes whereof as much as Charitie is more excellent then Faith followinge that oracle of the Apostle but the greater of the three is Charitie soe much the instance of the Church is more necessary then that of Faith Aboue all these thinges saith sainct PAVLE holde Charitie which is the bond of perfection and lett the peace of Christ whereby you haue bene called into one bodie holde the principall place in your hartes And againe lett vs not for sake our Congregation as some haue accustomed to doe And sainct Iude Woe be to those that perish in the Contradiction of Core And a while after people that separate themselues sensuall men not hauinge the Spirit And it is a thinge so acknowledged by the Fathers that they affirme that faith it selfe turnes to increase of damnation to those that possesse it out of the Church yea they holde the cryme of Schisme to be worse then that of infidelitie and Idolatrie Those saith Saint AVSTIN whom
essential forme doth shewe it to the vnderstandinge the marke designes the thing in the existence the essentiall forme designes it in the offence The marke teacheth where the thinge is and the essentiall forme teacheth what it is the marke is sooner knowne then the thing and contrarywise the thing is sooner knowne then the essentiall forme of the thing for the thing defined as Aristotle saith preceedes in knowledge the definition that is to saie the whole is knowne before the resolution of the thing into his essentiall partes And therefore to saie that the eminencie of the Communion is not the essentiall forme of the Church hinders it not from being a marke of the Church and a marke likewise not only greatlie necessary but absolutely necessary She hath saith Saint AVGVSTINE this most certaine marke that shee cannot be hidden shee is then knowne to all nations the Sect of Donatus is vnknowne to many nations therefore that is not shee Againe on the other side to saie that the doctrine is the essentiall forme or belongeth to the essentiall forme of the Church makes not that 〈◊〉 it should be a marke of the Church for a marke must haue three conditions The first is to be more knowne then the thing since it is it that makes the thing knowne the second that the thing neuer bee found without it And the third as we haue said elswhere that it be neuer found either alone if it be a totall marke or with its fellowes if it be a marke in part without the thing Now the truth of doctrine in all instances thereof is much harder to be knowne then the societie of the Church I said in all instances thereof because to know the right of the cause of the Church in one particular question with one or other Sect sufficeth not to knowe the Church by the doctrin but it is necessary to know the truth of the doctrine of the Church in all her particularities contested by heresies as well past as present before we can 〈◊〉 by vertue of the examination of the doctrine where the true Church is For there needes no more but that shee goe wrong in anie one controuersie to make her fall from the title of the true Church Now who is he that can vaunt to know the integritie of the doctrine of the Church in all her instances and to haue made the examination against euery one of the other societies by infallible and insoluble proofes to all theire answeres and by inuincible and irrefutable answeres to all theire obiections And if anie could doe this who knowes not that the simple people and ignorant and rusticall persons of whose Saluation neuerthelesse God hath the same care that he hath of the learned and to whom the markes of the Church should be equally common since they are equallie obliged to obay her are not capable of this examination For the rest of the people saith Saint AVGVSTINE it is not the quicknes of vnderstandinge but the simplicity of beliefe that secures them And by consequent who seeth not that they must haue other markes to know the Church by then that of her doctrine to wit markes proportionable to theire capacitie that is to saie externall and sensible markes as 〈◊〉 antiquitie perpetuitie and such like euen as children and ignorant persons must haue externall and sensible markes and other then the essentiall forme of a man to know and discerne a man from other liuing creatures By what manifest marke cries out Saint AVGVSTINE speaking in the person of a Catechumenist by what demonstration shall I that am yet little and weake and cannot discerne the pure truth from the manie errors know the Church of Christ to which I am constrained to belieue by the euent of soe manie things heeretofore presaged for these causes saith he the Prophet goes forward and as it were collecting methodically the motions of that spiritt saith that she is foretolde to be that Church which is eminent and apparent to all And a little after and also because of the motions of these little ones who may be seduced and diuerted by men from the brightnes of of the Church our Lord goes before them saying The Citie built vpon the Mountaine cannot be hidd And indeede how is it that Esaie should prophecy that In the last daies the Mountaine of the Lord should be on the topp of all the Mountaines and that all the hills should flow to her and that the Nations should come and saie let vs goe vp into the Mountaine of our Lord and into the howse of the God of Iacob and he will 〈◊〉 vs his waies if the only marke to know assuredly the howse of the Lord that is to saie the Church were the especiall knowledge of his waies And how should Sainct PAVL say God hath placed in the Church Apostles Prophetes Euangelists Pastors and Doctors c. to the end we should be noe more little children blowne about with euery winde of doctrine if he had not giuen vs other markes to know the Church then the puritie of doctrine Besides suppose the doctrine to be the marke of the Church it must be either the doctrine contested betweene the parties that pretend the title of the Church or the doctrine not contested now it cannot be the doctrine not contested because both sides haue it And lesse yet the doctrine contested for while the truth of the doctrine is contested it remaines vndecided of which side it is and the certaine and assured decision cannot be made but by the Church by which meanes it is necessary that duringe the cōtestation of the doctrine there must be other markes to know the Church by which being acknowledged the question of the doctrine may be decided And you cannot saie that the contested doctrine can be decided by Scripture only for besides that there are matters of Religion which are not anie waie touched by the Scripture ās that whereof Saint AVGVST speaketh The Apostles in truth haue prescribed nothing of that but this custome which was opposite to Cyprian ought to be belieued to haue taken its originall from theire tradition Saint IEROME protests that the Scriptures consist not in the reading but in the vnderstanding and that by a wrong interpretation the Ghospell of God may be made the Ghospell of a man nay which is worse the Ghospell of the diuell Wherefore to iudge surely of the doctrine by the Scripture it is necessarie to be first assured of the interpretation of the Scripture and that by an infallible meanes For all the conclusions of Faith which are not found in termes expresse and incapable of ambiguitie in the Scripture but are drawne by interpretations to make them conclusions of Faith and decisions infallible and equall to the authoritie of theire principles must be drawne from it by an infallible meane Now there are but three waies whereby we may pretend to be assured that a conclusion drawne from
spouse markes of the place where he dwells she saith Least I be as hidden amougst the flockes of thy competitors that is to saie saith saint AVGVSTINE of those that being in the beginninge with thee would assemble without not thy flocke but theire stocks For what is this but to saie that the Church demaundes marks of her spouse not to be discerned from all kinde of things but to be discerned only from the societie of heretickes which beare by false markes the name of Christ and the title of Churches And secondly it is not necessary that the markes in parte that is to saie those that taken separatlie haue not the entire office of markes may not be found euery one a parte without the thing marked but that the thing may not be found without euery one of them nor they taken iointly and altogether without the thing whose marke they are And therefor the argument of the markes in parte separated is good to argue negatiuely and to saie with sainct Austine against the Donatistes The Church hath this most certaine marke that she cannot be hidden she is then knowne to all nations the sect of Donatus is vnknowne to manie nations then that is not she Or with saint IEROM against the Luciferians Hilarius being dead a deacon he could ordaine no Priest after him now that is noe Church that hath noe Priestes or with the same saint AVGVSTINE against all heresies in generall euerie heresie that sitts in corners is a concubine and no matron But the argument of the markes in part taken iointlie is good to argue both negatiuely and affirmatiuely and to conclude with saint AVGVSTINE Suppose then that I omitt this wisedome that you denie to be in the Catholicke Church there are many other thinges that retaine me most iustlie in her lappe The consent of people and nations retaines me The authoritie begun by miracles nourished by hope increased by charitie confirmed by antiquitie retaines me The Succession of Prelates since the sea of Peter to whom or Lord consigned the feeding of his sheepe after his resurrection to the present Bishops Sea retaines me and finallie the very name of Catholicke retaines me which not without cause this Church alone amongst soe manie and soe great heresies hath so maintained as when a stranger askes where they assemble to comunicate in the Catholicke Church there is no hereticke tha dare shew him his owne temple or his owne howse From what places of the voice of the sheepeheard the markes of the Church ought to be taken CHAPTER VI. The continuance of the Kinges answere The king hath learnt from the reading of the holie Scripture and all the Fathers heretofore none excepted held noe otherwise that the true and essentiall forme of the Church is that the sheepe of Christ doe heare the voice of theire pastor THE REPLIE To heare the voice of the Pastor is the office of the sheepe but not the essentiall forme either of the Church or of the sheepe For the essentiall forme of the Church I meane essentiall forme analogically as that of the supposts constituted by aggregation is vnitie in the meanes of vocation to saluation and the essentiall forme of the flocke is the communion and participation to this vnitie The name of Church saith saint CHRISOSTOM is a name of agreement and vnion And saint AVGVSTINE God is one the Church is vnitie nothing agreeth with this one ' but vnitie But if the essentiall forme of the flocke were to heare the voice of the Pastor doth not he heare the voice of the Pastor that heares her voice of whom the Pastor said by the mouth of Esay Thou shalt iudge euerie tongue that resisteth thee in Iudgement And by his owne mouth The gates of Hell shall not preuaile against her And whosoeuer heares her not shall be held as a heathen and a Publican And by the mouth of saint PAVL He hath placed in the Church Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors and Doctors c. that we may no more be little children fleeting and wauering with euerie wind of Doctrine And doth not saint AVGVSTINE cry out The truth of Scripture is held by vs when we doe that which pleaseth the vniuersall Church whom the authoritie of the same scriptures recommends And againe There are manie thinges that the vniuersall Church obserueth and which therefore are lawfullie belieued to haue bene deliuered by tradition of the Apostles although we finde them not written And then againe to heare the voice of the Pastor is it not to heare it according to true vnderstanding for doth not TERTVLLIAN pronounce An adulterate glosse doth as much outrage to the truth as a false penne And doth not Saint Hilarie saie The heresie is in the vnderstanding and not in the Scripture the sense and not the word becomes the crime And doth not saint Ierome write The Ghospell is not in the words but in the sense And doth not saint AVGVSTINE cty out All the heretickes which receiue the scriptures thincke to follow them when they follow theire owne errors And in an other place Heretickes were no heretickes but that misvnderstanding the Scripture they defend obstinately theire owne false opinions against the truth thereof And againe Manie things are spoken by Christ in the Scriptures in such a manner as the impions Spirits of heretickes who will needs teach before they are taught are thereby lead into error And vpon saint Iohn The heresies and peruerse doctrines which intangle Soules and cast them headlong into hell haue theire birth no where but from good Scriptures euilly vnderstood And so is not the question still to whom it belongs to iudge infalliblie of the true sense of the Scripture Moreouer the first voice of the shepheard that the Fathers summond the sheepe to heare is it not that whereby he designes the markes of his Sheepefolde that is of his Church I haue said saint AVGVSTINE the most manifest voice of my pastor who recommends and expresses to me his Church without anie ambigiutie I must blame myself if for the wordes of men I straie from his floke which is the Church since principallie he admonishes me saying My sheepe heare my voyce Now which is this voice of the pastor wherein Saint AVGVSTINE will haue vs seeke for the markes of the Church but that wich expresses not the doctrine contested betweene him and his aduersaries which was that of the truth of the baptisme giuen by hereticks but the prerogatiues of eminencie perpetuitie vniuersalitie and other externall and sensible markes and conditions promised to the Church If the holie Scriptures saith saint AVGVSTINE haue designed the 〈◊〉 only in Africa and in a little medly of men dwelling in the rockes and Mountaines neere Rome and in the howse and territorie of a spanish Ladie though whatsoeuer other pamphlets may be produced there are none but the Donatists that haue the Church if the
For first the word Ecclesia Church is deriued from a verbe which signifies to call and not to predestinate frō whence S. Paul confirming the vse of this etymology inscribes his first to the Corinthians To the Saints called And in the epistle to the Ephes. he saith One bodie and one Spirit as you are called in one hope of your vocatiō And in the epist. to the Coloss. Lett the peace of Christ rule in your harts by which you are called in one-selfe bodie And secondly the Church is a Societie and there is this difference betweene a simple multitude and a societie that the societie adds to the partes of the multitude a condition and a certaine caracter as it were in vertue whereof they may cōmunicate together Now predestination as it is simple predestination puts nothing into the persons of the predestinate and is not made in them but in God only and by consequent doth not make them actually partes of the Church Our predestination saith S. AVGVST is not made in vs but in God the three other things are made in vs vocation iustification and glorification For that that is alleadged out of saint Paul that God knowes those that are his and hath marked them with his signet must be vnderstood that he hath marked the predestinate in himselfe that is to saie in his eternall determination and not in them as an Architect who designes in his spirit certaine stones that he will imploy in his building markes thē not by this mentall designation in them but in himselfe and makes thē not by this simple determinatiō actuall partes of his building I meane to be briefe that the vniō that cōstitutes men in the Church is in thē now the vnion that the predestinate haue in God as they are simplie predestinate is not in thē but in God alone And so it is not the vnion of predestination but that of vocatiō that cōstitutes men in the Church Thirdly S. Paul teacheth vs that the Church is the bodie of Christ and that by analogie to an organicall body God saith he constituted him head ouer all the Church which is his bodie And againe I accomplish that which wātes of the passions of Christ in my flesh for his bodie which is the Church Now it is of the essence of an organicall bodie as it is organicall to be composed of diuers offices members and parts If all the members saith S. Paul were one member where should the bodie be And by this reason the schoolemen proue that the heauens are not animated or liuing bodies because they are not organicall bodies and they proue they are not organicall bodies because they are not made vp of heterogeneall and different partes in cōposition and cōplexiō And therefore it is of the essence of the Church to haue distinction of members organs and offices is the Church doth not arise from the hidden and eternall predestinatiō for then the not predestinate could not be ministers and pastors of the Church but from externall and tēporall vocation And by consequent it is in the externall visible and temporall vocation and not in predestination which is internall to God hiddē and eternall that the being and essentiall forme of the Church consists Fowrthly the same Saint Paul saith that God hath tempered the honor of the members that there might be no schisme in the body Now the predestinate are not capable of schisme as they are predestinat but as they are called so it is not predestination but vocation that frames the bodie of the Church Fiftly he affirmes the Church to be our mother the superior Ierusalem saith he that is 〈◊〉 saie Ierusalē taken not accordinge to the lowlynes of the legall 〈◊〉 but according to the height of the Euangelicall sense is free which is our mother And he addes that it is of her that 〈◊〉 writes Reioyce thou barren woman that bringst not forth children Now the Church doth not engēder vs by predestination for God alone is the author of predestination and not the Church but by vocation and consequently it is vocation and not predestination that cōstitutes the Church in the state of a Church mother of the faithfull Moreouer the knowledge of being Children to the mother is before the knowledge of being Children to the father by the interposition of the mothers authoritie saith saint AVG wee are perswaded of the true Father For that that Aristotle writes That in certaine partes of the vpper 〈◊〉 where women were common they discerned the children by the resēblance they had to theire fathers was good for those people where that similitude had place but we in whose nature the image of God is soe defaced by the spott of originall sinne as we can noe more be knowne to be his children by vertue of naturall similitude only there is noe other meanes for vs to pretend to this quality but that we are regenerated by him in our spirituall mother which is the Church his only spouse And for this cause the Ancientes are soe carefull to saie that he shall not haue God for his Father that denies the Church for his mother and that if any be out of the Church he shall be excluded out of the mumber of the children and to exhort the Christians to doe like the Xanthians in taking the Surname of theire mother that is to say the title of Catholicke We receiue the holy Ghost saith Saint AVGVSTINE if we loe the Church if we be knitt in one bodie by charitie if we reioyce in the Catholicke name and faith Now the certaintie of being Children to the Church cannot serue vs for a meanes and path way to come to the perswasion of being the children of God if the definition of the Church consist in the hidden and inuisible secret of predestination For by this definitiō contrarywise we must be assured to be Children of God and comprehended in the Rolle of the predestinate before we can be assured that we are the Children of the Church So the definition of the Church ought to consist not in the hidden and inuisiblie condition of predestination but in the externall and visible condicion of vocation Also we see that our Lord who was the God-father of this Societie and gaue it the name of the Church in that sense that she ought to beare it hath neuer vsed that name neither he nor his Apostles but to designe a visible Societie constituted by externall and temporall vocation For when he saith Vpon this rocke I will builde my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her And I will giue thee the keyes of the the kingdome of heauen this word in the future tense I will build shewes he speakes of a Church constituted not by prestination which was established from all eternitie but by externall and temporall vocation And the word keyes which signifies the authority of the ministery confirmes it
same Sacraments If we be in vnitie saith S. AVGVSTINE what haue two altars to doe in this Citty Neither can the office of mutuall prayers that is to saie prayers made one for an other constitute an Ecclesiasticall vnitie and Communion For Catholickes namely vpon good friday pray for heretickes and heretickes for Catholickes although indeede the exercise of prayers either made ioyntly or exacted one from the other be an office of communion though an vnperfect one And therefore the Councell of Laodicea forbiddes Catholickes to pray with heretickes And the first Councell of Nicea ordaines that those penitentes that had in perill of death receiued the Eucharist theire health beinge recouered should remaine with those that communicate by prayer onely And the Councell of Ancyra admittes a Communion without Obligation And the religious of Egipt driuen away by Theophilius being come to Constantinople were not depriued by Saint CHRISOSTOM of the Communion of prayer He thurst them not saith Socrates out of the participation of prayer but he iudged it not conuenient to admitt them to the Communion of the Sacraments before the knowledge of the cause Neither is true Charitie to be found out of the Church but only an humane affection which can noe otherwise be called charitie but equiuocally None saith saint AVGVST can transport charitie forth of the Catholicke Church And againe Thou hast proued to me that thou hast faith proue to me like wise that thou hast charitie Keepe vnitie Neither can the simple coniunction of hope constitute anie Ecclesiasticall communiō for all heretickes and Schismatickes agree in this pointe that they hope eternall life and the promised inheritance Wee saith Petilian the Donatist hauing nothinge yet possessinge all thinges beleeue that our soules are our reuenewe and with out labour and bloud we purohasse the eternall riches of heauen Neither finally can the coniunction in one iust hope haue anie place but amongst those that are called and inserted into the bodie of the Catholicke Church followinge this sentence of saint Paule One bodie and one spirit as you are called in one hope of your vocation Of the knowledge that the predestinate haue of their predestination CHAP. XII The continuance of the Kings answere KNowing I speake of the elect that they are predestinate from before the foundation of the vvorld to be coheires vnited in bodie and copartners of the promises of God in the Ghospell a the diuine Apostle saith THE REPLIE HEere the most excellent Kinge behaues himself like Hippomanes who runninge with Atalanta for masterie cast out golden apples in her way to delaie her with takinge them vp soe his Maiestie putts rubbes in this discourse to staie the course of my pen and to stoppe me to examine them But I hope to remoue them so quickly that I shall be time enough at the end of my carrere To this then I will succinctly saie fower thinges The first that philosophers teach vs that the morall passion which wee call hope from whence theologicall hope hath by analogy borowed her name is alwaies mingled and tempred with feare By meanes whereof those thinges that fall vnder the obiect of hope as are the goods of future life in respect of euery particular man cannot be apprehended with a certaintie of Theologicall faith that is to saie infaillible not to be doubted of otherwise hope should noe more be a vertue distinct frō faith against this oracle of sainct PAVL now remaines faith hope and Charitie and these things are three but ought to be embraced with an expectatiō mingled tempered with feare as Dauid exhortes vs in these wordes ferue the Lordin feare and reioyce in him with tremblinge And S. PAVL in these Thou subsistest by faith be not pussed vp but feare He that thinkes he stands let him take heede least he 〈◊〉 And againe worke your saluation with feare and tremblinge And speaking of himselfe I chastize my bodie and bring it vnder least when I haue preached to others myselfe become a reprobate The second that faith cannot bee but of things reuealed by the word of God for faith saith saint PAVL is by hearing and hearing by the word of God Now it is not reuealed to anie one in the word which God hath consigned to his Church either by writinge or tradition that he is absolutelie of the number of the predestinate and therefore if hee haue not expresse and particular reuelation from God as Saint Paule had who vpon this occasion speakes somtimes of himselfe according to his common condition as simply one of the faithfull and sometymes according to his extraordinary reuelatiō of a predestinate person he can not haue anie certaintie of Faith in this respect For to saie that it is reuealed to vs in scripture that whosoeuer trustes in our Lord shall not be cōfounded And that our Lord himselfe saith who beleeues in me hath life eternall all these pro mises not to speake of other modifications which the scripture puts to them ought to be vnderstood with the condition wherewith our Lord will haue them vnderstood when hee saith who perseuers to the end shall be saued And Saint Paule when he writes See the goodnesse of God in thee if thou perseuere in goodnes otherwise thou shalt be also cutt of Now where is it that this finall perseuerance is particularly promised to anie one in the word of God for if you answere that our Lord saith all that you aske for when you pray beleeue you shall receiue it and it shall be done to you And consequentlie if we demaunde perseuerance we shall obtaine it I answere that he meanes all that you demaunde as you should demaunde it Now the principall condition required to demaunde perseuerance as you should demaunde it is to perseuere in demaundinge it and not to content our selues with demaundinge it once but to demaunde it petpetually followinge this preeept os Saint Paule Pray without ceasinge And againe watch and pray with all perseuerance Far Salomon demaunded wisedome and begged it in faith without staggeringe which is the condition wherewith saint IAMES saith we should begge it but because he did not perseuere to aske it he lost it Now this perseuerance to aske perseuerance where is it promised to anie one in the scripture The third that this beliefe is pernicious both to religion as an enemie to humilitie and good workes and to States and common-wealthes as an enemie to good manners For imprinting in the spirit of euery particular man yea which is worse as well of those that are wicked and reprobate as of others because what is proposed in a Religion for a doctrine necessarie to saluation all doe thinke themselues obliged to holde it that he is assuredly predestinate and that whatsoeuer sinnes he commit he shall infallibly haue leasure and grace to repent him before his death this I say doth puffe vp men with arrogance and
apostasy to wit whether hee meane the reuolte of the people from the Roman Empire or the reuolte of 〈◊〉 Christians from the Religion of Christ to that of Mahomet or the reuolte of the Iewes from vnder all the temporall principalities within whose estates they are dispersed to revnite themselues in a newe monarchie vnder theire pretended Messias that is to saie vnder Antichrist As little will I stand to examine whether this temple of God wherein the sonne of perdition shall sitt be to be vnderstood by the materiall temple of Ierusalem when Antichrist shall haue caused it to be reedified as Sainct IRENEVS cont haeres lib. 5. cap. 30. protestes in these wordes When Antichrist shall haue laied desolate all things heere in this world and shal haue raigned three yeares and a halfe and shall be sett in the temple at Ierusalem then the Lord shall come from Heauen And as it seemes to be gathered from the relation of the speech of Sainct PAVLE to those wordes of DANIEL spoken of the Iewish temple and cited by our Lord vpon the speeche of the locall temple of Ierusalem the abhomination of desolation shall be in the temple from whence it is that auntient writers note that Iulian the Apostata one of the figures of Antichrist would haue attempted to reedifie it Or whether it be to bee vnderstood by the Iewish nation whom God had first chosen for his liuinge temple in which Antichrist shall place his throne followinge this prophecy of our Lord to the Iewes I am come in the name of my father and you haue not receiued me if an other come in his owne name you will receiue him Or whether it be to be vnderstood of nations heeretofore Christian in who temples now turned into mosqueas now there Mahomet the fore-runner of Antichrist sitts and that one daie shall ioyne with the Iewes to receiue Antichrist It is sufficīet that all the fathers are agreed vpon two thinges the one that Antichrist shall be the pretended Christ and Messias of the Iewes Antichrist saith Saint HILLARIE shall be receiued by the Iewes And Saint CYRILL of Ierusalem saith he shall deceiue the Iewes as beinge the Christ expected by them And Saint IEROM Wee know that Antichrist shall be the Christ of the Iewes And S. CHRYSOSTOME Christ argues the imposture of the Iewes by the expectation of Antichrist in that they not receiued him that qualified himselfe as sent from God and him that shall not acknowledge God but glorifie himselfe to be the soueraigne God they will adore And Saint AVGVSTINE Christ by these words if an other come in his owne name you will receiue him signifies that the Iewes shall receiue Antichrist And againe The Iewes shall fall into his nett of whom our Lord hath said I am come in my fathers name and you haue not receiued me an other shall come in his owne name and you shall receiue him And of whom the Apostle writes that the man of sinne and the Sonne of perdition shall be reuealed who shall oppose and exalte himselfe aboue all that shall be called God And S. CYRILL of Alexandria speakinge to the Iewes in the person of our Lord you shall receiue for as God I know all things him that shall come vnder a selfe title And THEODORET The Iewes which haue crucified our Lord because he called himself the Sonne of God shall giue creditt to Antichrist that shall call himselfe h the great God From whence it appeares that neither Antichrist shall take the title of a Christian nor his faction the title of a Church although they possesse many peoples and nations which haue before possessed the name of a Church since all the Fathers agree that he shall be receined by the Iewes The other thinge wherein the Fathers agree is that this apostacie shall bringe noe interruption to the course and visible succession of the Catholicke Church that is to saie it shall not hinder but that there shall be alwaies a Christian Societie illustrious and eminent aboue all false and pretended Churches from whose communion it shall be forbidden to departe as Saint AVGVSTINE declares in these wordes If the Church should not be heere till the end of the world why did Christ saie I ame with you to the end of the world And in an other place speakeinge of the very comeinge of Antichrist whose raigne hee deemed should be but three yeares and a halfe Let none imagine saith he that that little while that the Diuell shall be vnbounde there shall be noe Church vpon the earth And shortly after disputinge whether while that short space of tyme lasted the diuell should be so vnbound as that he should hinder anie from entringe into the Church either Children by baptisme or men by Conuersion but said he We should rather belieue that euen then there will not want people both to goe out of the Church and to come into the Church for certainly both fathers will be soe couragious as to giue baptisme to theire children and those that then beginn first to beleeue will be soe constāt as they will cōquer this stronge one euen although he be vnboūd Whereby he shewes plainely that he speakes not of a Church hidden and vnknowne but of a Church visible and exposed to the eyes and knowledge of men The sowrth obiectiō is that the woeman that had brought forth him that ought to rule the nations fledd into the wildernesse And againe that two winges of a great Eagle were giuen to the woeman to flye into the wildernesse For these two retreates into the wildernesse are but one retreate repeated by two seuerall descriptions betweene the which is inserted the fall of the diuell to shewe the the cause of the reuenge that he would haue exercised vpon the woeman From this retreate then they conclude that the Church shall then be inuisible But besides that the same answeres alreadie propounded against the argumentes which are drawne from the allegoricall expositions of the reuelation are alsoe of force against this allegation what shall hinder vs from interpretinge this passage with Saint AVGV of the blessed virgin who brought forth him that ought to rule the nations and who is described crowned with starrs because she was descended from the race of the twelue Patriarches who in Iosephs dreame were sigured by ste starrs and who is represented enuironed by the Sunne because according to the translation of the seuentie which is that the Apostles haue followed the Psalmist singeth He hath pitched his tabernacle in the Sunn And who shall hinder vs from sayinge the wildernesse wither she flew was heauen into which she was assumed after her death which the Grecians call wildernesse because it is exempt from all generation wherefore Pindarus calleth the heauen a desert or wildernesse in these verses If thou of combates honor mean'st to singe Seeke not when daie on the horizon stayes A
light more splendid then the Sunn whose rayes From the ethereall desert first doe springe And that the rest of the seede of the woman were those of whom our Lord said shewing his disciples See heere my mother and my bretheren For though Saint Iohn make mention of the paines of childbirth neuerthelesse those wordes may be vnderstood to be spoken accordinge to the ordinarie custome of the childbirth of wemen as it is written that the daies of the purification of the childbirth of the virgin were accomplished and that she presented our Lord in the temple to obserue the lawe that commaunded that euery male that opens the wombe shall be holy to the Lord. Now if the mention of the paines of childbirth keepe vs from expoundinge this passage of the virgin and obligeth vs to transferr it to the Church what shall hinder vs from interpretinge still the wildernesse to be heauen and from sayinge that the wildernesse whither the woman fled was heauen into which the first of the faithfull persecuted and martyred fled euery day by theire death and the Church in theire persons from before the face of the serpent and were deliuered from his Snares persecutions and temptations followeinge this exclamation of Saint IOHN Blessed are those that dye for the cause for the Lord for they shall rest from thence forward from theire labors Or if wee will not by the word Wildernesse vnderstand heauen who shall hinder vs frō sayinge that this woman was the Church who haueinge bene once amongst the Iewes after she had brought forth Christ by the preachinge of the Ghospell was persecuted by the Iewes that is to saie the people of the Gentiles which is often vnderstood by the wildernesse from whence it is that S. AVG. interpretinge these wordes of the Psalmist Whē I passed through the wildernesse the earth trēbled writes the wildernesse were the natiōs that 〈◊〉 ignorant of God the wildernesse was there where there was noe lawe giuen from God where noe Prophetes had dwelt which had foretolde that the Lord should come And who can hinder vs from Supposeinge that the relicks of the seede of the woman were the Iewes who were conuerred to the Christian Religion and whose generall reunion with the Church shall be made before the end of the world or who can forbidd vs to interpret this wildernesse to be the exclusion from ciuill and politicke charges from which the Church was soe banished vnder the pagan Emperors that the Christians were not admitted to anie parte of the administration of the Common wealth For our aduersaries will not haue that the number of three yeares and a halfe to which this flight is limitted should be taken accordinge to the ordinary and literall accompt Or finally if it permitted to the last commers to hope to finde the diuination of the passages of the Reuelation in theire coniectures as the cupp of prophecie in Beniamins Sacke Who shall hinder vs from applyinge this allegory to the Conuersion of the Countries newly discouered and to in terpret the wildernesse to be the Indias and the other hemispheare which had bene soe longe tyme left waste and desert from the knowledge of the true God and from saying that the two wings are the two nauigation of the East and west by which the Church that the diuell vnder the ensignes of Mahomet striues to driue from our hemispheare is gone to visite those regions conformable to the stile of the Grecians which call the sailes of shipps wings and say winge a shippe in steede of settinge to the sailes and who shall hinder vs from interpretinge the Eagle from whence these two winges preceede to be the westerne part of the Roman Empire whereof these two nauigations are partes and from expoundinge the relickes of the woman to be the Catholickes that remaine vnder the tiranny of Mahomet For to expound the woman to be the secret mumber of the predestinate and the wildernesse to be inuisibilitie and obscurity how can it agree with that that our Lord Cryes If they tell you heere is Christ beholde him in the desart goe not forth beholde him in the secret places belieue them not And S. AVGVSTINE after him It is not an obscure question and wherein they can deceiue you of whom our Lord foretolde that they should come and saie see heere is Christ beholde he is there see heere hee is in the wildernesse that is out of the frequency of the multitude And a while after that is then the Church that is not in anie one parte of the earth but which is well knowne ouer all And how can it be that the woman beinge retired into the wildernesse that is to saie the Societie of the predestinate beinge shadowed hidden and obscured from before the face of the Dragon shall quit the pursuite of the woman to goe make warr with the relickes of the seede of the woman for if the woman be inuisible how can the relickes of the woman be visible And if from that that is said that the woman flied into the desert it be permitted to conclude that the Church shall be inuisible wherefore shall we not by the same reason conclude that the Babylon of the Reuelation shall be inuisible seeinge Saint IOHN writes And he carried me in the spirit into the desert and I saw the woman sitt vpon the beast And this wee saie not that we pretend to warrant this interpretation more then the rest but to shew how weake foundation such allegoricall allegations are to builde a reuolt and an alteration of Religion vpon and to ouerthrowe soe manie euident and literall promises of perpetuall beinge visibilitie eminencie and purity as God hath made to his Church Of the consequence of the places alleadged by the fathers for the aucthoritie of the Catholicke Church CHAPT XVI The continuance of the Kinges answere NOw to come neerer the point the kinge denies that this exact collection of places out of Saint AVGVSTINE doth in anie sorte touch him THE REPLIE IN truth if the most excellent Kinge can proue that the Church to which he adheares hath bene perpetually visible and eminent aboue all other Christian Societies as Saint AVGVSTINE puts this condition for one of the necessary markes of the Church when he saith she hath this most certaine marke that she cannot be hidden she is then knowne to all nations the sect of Donatus is vnknowne to manie nation then that cannot be she And if he can shew that she hath bene not onely perpetuallie visible and eminent but also perpetuallie pure from all contagion of Schisme and heresie as Saint AVGVSTINE protestes that to be of the essence of the Catholicke Church when he writes noe hereticke belonges to the Catholicke Church because she loues God nor noe Schismaticke because she loues her neighbour And againe The Church of the Saintes is the Catholicke Church the Church of the Saintes is not the Church of the hereticke she was
predesigned that she might be discerned and hath bene exbibited that she might be seene And if he can proue that she neuer went forth from the Communion of anie other but that all other went forth from her and shee alwaies remained in her roote visible eminent perpetuall immutable and exempt from all interruption which is a marke which Saint AVGVSTINE testifies to be inseperable from the Church when he writes The Catholicke Church fightinge with all heresies may be opposed but she cannot be ouerthrowne All heresies are come out from her as vnprofitable branches out from the vine but she remaines in her vine in her roote in her Charity In truth I saie if the excellent kinge can shewe these 3. thinges I confesse freely that this Collection of passages that out of the Catholick Church none can be saued that whosoeuer is separate from the Catholicke Cburch how laudable soeuer he presumes his life to be for this only Crime that he is separated from the vnitie of Christ he shall not haue life but the wrath of God shall remaine vpō him that he shall not haue God for his Father that will not haue the Church for his mother and that it shall nothinge auaile him to haue 〈◊〉 or done such and soe many good workes without the end of the soueraigne good that out of the Catholicke Church all thinges may be had but saluation that he that Communicates with the the generall Church is a Christian and a Catholicke and he that communicates not therewith is an hereticke and Antichriste that it must be 〈◊〉 and vndoubtedly held that euery hereticke or Schismaticke baptised in the name of the father the Sonn and the holy Ghost if before the end of his life he doe not 〈◊〉 himselfe to the Catholicke Church what almesdeedes soeuer he doe yea though he should 〈◊〉 his blood for the name of Christ can in noe sorte be saued makes not against his Maiestie But if contrarily the excellent kinge cannot proue that the Church to which he adheres hath taken the originall of her visible Communion continued and not interrupted from aboue 60. or 80. yeares and that betweene the tyme of the Fathers from whom that collection of passages hath bene extracted and the tyme of Caluins pretended reformation there hath neuer bene anie Church anie communion anie Societie anie person that hath held iointlie vniuersally those thinges for which England hath deuided herselfe from the visible Communion of that Church wherein she was before then I had need be instructed to apprehend how these passages make not against his maiestie Of the distinction of heretickes and Schis matickes CHAPT XVI The continuance of the kinges answere FOr from all these testimonies there followes onely this consequently that there remaines noe hope of saluation for those who are seperated from the faith of the Catholicke Church or from the Communion of the same Catholicke Church which the kinge as we haue said before grauntes himselfe THE REPLIE THe Collection of the passages that I haue produced doe not put this alternatiuely that amongst those that are seperated either from the faith of the Catholicke Church or from her Communiō there is noe saluation Otherwise in a thinge that the Fathers would should be cleere and manifest they had a perpetuall ambiguitie to witt what it were to be seperated from the faith of the Catholicke Church For there would remaine alwaies this questiō whether the pointes of separatiō were pointes of Faith and the separation might be made vpon such a pointe as the one side would say it were a pointe of Faith and the other that it were not As the Pellagians disputinge against the Catholickes said theire difference was not in a pointe of Faith And the Catholicks said the contrary and as yet to this daie the Zuinglians and the Caluinistes disputinge against the Lutherans theire contestation is not about a point of faith and the Lutheranes saie the contrary But the Fathers absolutely sett Downe this Maxime that out of the Communion of the Catholicke Church there is nōe saluation reducinge all the certainly and euidence of this proposition that out of the Church there is noe saluation to the seperation of Communion It is true that the seperation of Communion may proceede from either of these two causes to witt either from an error in faith in which case those that forsake the Church are called heretickes or from defect in Charity in which case they are called Scismaticks But because those that sinne either in the one or in the other cannot be soe easily conuinced either of the one or of the other as of the seperation of the Communion of this visible Church eminent aboue all hereticall and Schismaticall sectes whom God would be exposed to the view of all Nations and called Catholicke and to whom he hath affected the promises and prerogatiues of the perpetuall assistance of his holy Spirit For this cause the Fathers and the Councells of Africa Saint AVGVSEINE beinge theire Secretary haue pronounced this sentence soe often before particulariz'd by the penns of the precedinge authors that out of the Catholicke Church there is noe saluation without makinge distinction betweene those that seperate 〈◊〉 from the faith of the Church and those that seperate themselues from her communion for as much as all those that seperate themselues visiblie from the faith of the Church seperate themselues also frō her Cōmunion For there are noe declar'd heretickes but they are withall Schismatickes also Onely there is this difference that heretickes seperate themselues from the Faith and Communion of the Church both together and the Schismatickes onely seperate themselues from her communion although there are fewe Schismatickes who to the separation of communion add not the separation of some pointe of faith For as Sea-crabbs when they see oysters open cast in litle stones within theire shells to keepe them from shuttinge againe that they may haue tyme to deuowre them soe when Schismatickes see a breache made in the Church to hinder it from closeinge againe they caste pointes of heresie into theire Schisme and from Schismaticks become accessorily heretickes Wee esteeme said Saint IEROM the difference betweene heresie and Schisme to be that heresie holdes a peruerse doctrine and Schisme for Episcop all dissention seperates men equallie from the Church which difference may well haue place a while in the beginninge but in tract of time there is noe Schisme that doth not forge to it-selfe some heresie to seeme to haue the iuster cause to seperate it selfe from the Church And therefore when the Emperors speake of the Donatists who are those principally for whom his Maiestie added this clause or haue seperated themselues from her communion they taxe them accessorilie of heresie From thence saith the lawe it is happened that from Schisme heresie is bred And when Saint AVGVSTINE disputes against them he proues to thē that they are not onely
Schismatickes but alsoe heretickes Thou art said he to Gaudentius both a Schismaticke by sacriligious dissention and an hereticke by sacriligious doctrine But the principall difference that wee obserue is that all call those that haue begunne with dissention in faith and to whom Schisme hath but the place of an accessory heretickes and those that haue begunne with schisme and to whom heresie is come accessorily after the schisme as the feuer after the wound Schismatickes Of the agreement of the ancient Catholicke Church with the moderne CHAP. XVIII The continuance of the Kinges answere ANd heere most Illustrious Cardinall his Maiestie requires from you that you will represent to your selfe how great Difference there is betweene Saint AVGVSTINS tyme and this of ours how the sace and all the exterior forme of the Church to saie nothinge of the interior is changed THE REPLIE THis is the request that I would myselfe most humblie make to his Maiestie to witt to sett before his eyes the estate of the Catholicke Church in the tyme of Saint AVGVSTINE and of the fower first Councells A Church that belieued a the true and reall presence and the orall manducation of the Bodie of Christ in the Sacrament vnder the kindes and within the Sacramentall kindes as Zuinglius the principall Patriarch of the Sacramentaries acknowledgeth himselfe in these wordes From the tyme of Saint AVGVSTINE that is 1200. yeares agoe the opinion of corporall flesh had alreadie gotten the masterie A church that in this qualitie adored the Eucharist not onely with thought and inward deuotions but with outward gestures and adorations actually reallie and substantiallie the true and proper bodie of Christ. For I will not speake now of Transubstantiation for which I reserue a treatise apart A Church that belieued the bodie of Christ to be in the Sacramēt euen besides the vse and for this cause kept it after Consecration for domesticall communions to giue to sicke persons to carry vpon the Sea to send into farr prouinces A Church that belieued that the communion vnder both kindes was not necessary for the integritie of participation but that all the Body and all the blood was taken in either kinde and for this cause in domesticall communions in communions for Children in communions for sicke persons in communions by Sea in communions of penitentes at the hower of Death in communions sent into farr prouinces they distributed it vnder one kinde A Church that belieued that the Eucharist was a true full and intire Sacrifice it alone succeedinge all the Sacrifice of the lawe the newe Oblation of the newe Testament the externall worshipp of latria of the Christians and not onely an Eucharistiall Sacrifice but alsoe a Sacrifice propitiatory by application of that of the Crosse and in this qualitie offered it as well for the absent as for the present aswell for the communicantes as for the non-communicantes as well for the liuinge as for the dead A Church that for the oblation of this sacrifice vsed Altars both of wood and stone erected and Dedicated to God in memory of the martyrs and consecrated them by certaine formes of wordes and ceremonies and amōgst others by the in shriuinge theire relickes A church wherein the faithfull made voyages and pilgrimages to the bodies of the said Martirs to be associated to theire merites and helped by theire intercessions prayed the holy martyrs to pray to God for them celebrated theire Feastes reuerenced theire relickes made vse of them to exorcise euill spirites kissed them caused them to be touched with flowers carried them in clothes of silke and in vessells of gold prostrated themselues before theire shrines offered sacrifices to God vpon theire tombes touched the grates of the places where theire relickes were kept tooke and esteemed the dust from vnder theire relickaryes and went to pray to the martires not onely for spirituall health but for the health and temporall prosperity of theire families carried theire Children yea theire sicke cattell to be healed And when they had receiued some helpe from God by the intercession of the said martyrs hunge vp in the temples and vpon the Altars erected to theire memory for tribute and memoriall of the obtayninge of theire vowe images of golde and siluer of those partes of theire bodie that had bene healed And when the godly and learned Bishops of the ancient tyme reporte these thinges they celebrate and exalt them as soe many beames flashes and triumphes of the glory of Christ. A Church which held the apostolicall traditions not written but cōsigned viua voce and by the visible and ocular practise of the Apostles to theire successors to be equall to the Apostolicall writinges and held for apostolicall tradions all the selfe same thinges that we acknowledge and embrace in the qualitie of apostolicall traditions A Church that offered prayers both priuate and publicke for the Dead to the end to game ease and rest for them and to obtaine that God would vse them more mercifullie then theire sinnes deserued and held this custome for a thinge necessary for the refreshinge of theire soules and for a doctrine of apostolicall tradition and placed those that obserued it not in the Cataloge of heretickes A Church that held the fast of the 40. daies of Lent for a Custome not free and voluntary but necessary and of Apostolicall tradition and reckoned amongst heretickes those that obserued it not and duringe the tyme of Lent as in a generall mourninge of Christians forbadd the Celebration of weddinges and the solemnisations of marriages A Church that out of Pentecost held the fast of all the Fridaies in the yeares in memory of the Death of Christ except Christmasse day fell vpon one which she excepted namely as an apostolicall tradition For I speake not of wednesdaies supplyed in the west by satturdaies A Church that held the interdiction made to Bishops Priestes and Deacons to marry after theire promotion for a thinge necessary and of apostolicall tradition A Church that held marriage after the vowe of virginitie a sinne and that by apostolicall tradition and reputed religious men and religious weemen that married after the solēne vowe of single life not onely for adulterers but for incestuous persons A Church that held the l minglinge of water with wine in the Sacrifice of the Eucharist for a thinge necessary and of diuine and Apostolicall tradition A Church that held the exorcismes exsufflations and renunciations which are made in baptisme for sacred Ceremonies and of Apostolicall tradition A Church that besides baptisme and the Eucharist which were the two initiatinge-Sacramentes of Christian Religion held Confirmation made with the Chrisme and the signe of the Crosse and allowed onely to Bishops the power
to conferr it Marriage for a true and proper Sacrament Pennance for a true and proper Sacrament and vocall Confession to the Pastors of the Church for one of the Conditiōs necessary to this Sacrament Order for a true and proper Sacrament and Extreame Onction for a true and proper Sacramēt which are the seuen Sacramentes that the Roman Church acknowledges and the Greeke Communion alsoe makes profession to embrace with vs. A Church which in the Ceremonies of baptisme vsed oyle salte waxe lights exorcismes the signe of the Crose the word Epheta and other thinges that accompanie it to testifie by oyle that in baptisme wee are made Christians that is partakers of the vnction of Christ by salte that God contracted with vs in baptisme an alliance for euer followinge the stile of the Scripture which calls eternall alliances alliances of salte by the light that Christ is the light that enlightens all men commeinge into the world by exorcismes that baptisme puts vs out of the Diuells possession by the signe of the Crosse that it is the Death of Christ that giues strength to all Sacramentes by the word Epheta that God accomplisheth spiritually in vs by baptisme what he wrought corporally in the deafe and dumbe man A Church that esteemed baptisme for persons of full age necessary with a conditionall necessitie and for children necessary with an absolute necessitie and for this cause permitted lay men to baptise in danger of death A Church that vsed holy water consecrated by certaine wordes and ceremonies and made vse of it both for baptisme and against inchantments and to make exorcismes and coniurations against euill spirits Frō whence it is that S. Gregory the great who though he were after the first fower Councells yet not to be excepted against by English men who tooke the originall of their mission from him ordained when Englad returned backe from paganisme to Christiā Religiō that the temples should not be demolished but expiated by the sprinkling of holy water A Church that in the oeconomy of Ecclesiasticall ministrie held diuers degrees the Bishop the Priest the Deacō the Acolite the Exorcist the Reader and the Porter and consecrated and blessed them with diuers formes and ceremonies And in the order Episcopall acknowledged diuers seates of iurisdictīo of positiue right to witt Archbishops Primates Patriarckes and one supereminent by diuine law which was the Pope without whom nothing could be decided appertayning to the vniuersall Church the want of whose presēce either by himself or by his legates or his confirmation made all Councells pretended to be vniuersall vnlawfull A Church wich held a succession of Bishops not interrupted since the first mission of the Apostles for an essentiall condition of her reputed those who had it not or that communicated with those that had it not for Schismatiks and cul pable of the same Curse with Core Dathan and 〈◊〉 A Church that held the distinction of Bishop and Priest and namely in the acte of ordinatiō for a thing of diuine law and Apostolicall tradition and condemned as hereticks those that held it not A Church that held free will for a doctrine of faith reuealed in the holy scripture that held that faith onely without Euāgelicall works is not sufficient for saluation that wicked men perseuering to the end were reprobates but not predestinate to euill that the certainty that particular men presumed to haue of their predestination was a rashe bouldnes A Church wherein their seruice was said throughout the East in Greeke and through the west aswell in Africa as in Europe in Latine although that in none of the prouinces neither of Europe nor Africa except in Italie in the citties where the Roman colonyes resided the latine were vnderstood by the simple people but onely by the learned In briefe a Church that vsed either in gender or in species either informe or in analogie the very same ceremonies vvhich are the vvords vvell knovven the all men vvhich the Catholique vseth vniuersally at this 〈◊〉 obserued the distinctīo of the Feasts and ordinary daies the distinction of Ecclesiasticall and lay habits the reuerence of sacred vessells the custome of shauing and vnction for the collation of orders the ceremonie of vvashing their hands at the Altar before the consecration of the mysteries the kisse of peace before the 〈◊〉 pronounced a part of the seruice at the Altar vvith a lovv voice and vvheard made processions vvith the relickes of the martyrs accompained the dead to their 〈◊〉 vvith vvax tapers in signe of ioy and future certainty of their resurrectiō had the pictures of Christ and his Saînts both out of Churches and in Churches and vpon the very altars of martyrs not to adore them as adoration signifies di nine vvorship but to reuerence by them the souldiers and champions of Christ vsed the signe of the crosse in all their conuersations imprinted it on the forehead of their catechumenists painted it on the portall of all the hovvses of the faithfull gaue the blessing to the people vvith their hand by the signe of the Crosse imployed it to driue away evill spirits proposed in Ierusalē the very Crosse to be adored on good friday vsed incense in their Synaxes not particularly incēse of Arabia but indifferently odoriferous gummes for they held not incense for sacrifice as in the tyme of the lawe but for a simple ceremony designed to represent the effect of prayers described by these wordes of Dauid Let my prayer arise euen as incense into thy presence And by these of the Reuelation The smoke of the incense of the prayers of the Saints ascended from the hand of the Angell before God And finally a Church which held that the Catholicke Church had the infallible promise that she should be perpetually visible and eminent in her communion perpetually pure and vncorrupted in her doctrine and in her Sacramentes and perpetually bound and cōtinued in the succession of her ministrie and that to her onely belonges the keeping of the Apostolicall traditions the authority of the interpretation of scripture and the decision of controuersies of Faith and that out of the succession of her Communion of her doctrine and of her ministrie there was neither Church nor saluation Beholde what the excellent King when it shall please him to consider it at sufficient leasure shall finde the Catholicke Church to haue bene in the tyme of saint AVG. and of the 4 first Councelles Let his Maiestie see whether by these features he can knowe the face of Caluines Church or of ours Of the conformitie or inconformitie of the sense wherein the word Catholicke hath bene cōmon to the ancient Catholicke Church and to the moderne
CHAP. XIX The continuance of the Kinges answere IN how differing sense the Church is now called Catholicke from what it was then THE REPLIE I haue drawne out this clause from betweene the two that precede it because I would frame an answere by itselfe for as much as I beleiued the intention of the excellent King was as it is of other protestantes to saie that the Church beares the name of Catholicke now in an other sense then she bare it in S. AVST tyme because then she possessed all nations and now she possesses them not To this then I answere that S. AVG. neuer pretended that the Catholicke Church in his tyme did absolutely possesse all nations but onely by 〈◊〉 that is to say by applicatiō of the name of all to the greater part and in comparison of other Christian sectes and societies in regarde of which the Catholicke Church was soe large as it was called for eminencie the Church of all the nations Contrarywise where the Donatistes sett this errour on soote that the Church hadceased and was perished the principall reason that S. AVGVST opposed to them was that she was not yet spread ouer all the natiōs and that she must last without interruptiō from the first preaching in Ierusalem till the Ghospell had bene preached throughout the earth and then should be the end of the world Soe as it were to giue the lye to all the promises and prophesies of God to suppose she were perished since there were yet manie nations to which she had not yet extended herselfe And therefore the Church bore the title of Catholicke then in noe other sense then she doth nowe For soe farr was she from being called Catholicke from the atiuall possession of all Nations that not onely heresies whose numbers were very great were excluded but there were likewise an infinite Company of pagan Nations to which she was not yet arriued There are saith Saint AVGVSTINE amongst vs that is in Africa innumerable barbarous nations to whom the Ghospell hath not yet been preached Which was soe confessed amongst the Catholickes and Donatistes as the Donatistes made vse of it against the Catholicke Church to question her Catholicke title If you pretend saith Petilian the Donatist that you holde the Catholick Church beholde you are not inpossession of all for you are past into a parte And Saint AVGVSTINE confuting the wordes of Cresconius Thou arguest vainely saith he against the euident truth that all the worlde communicates not with vs because there are yet manie barbarous nations which haue not 〈◊〉 iued in Christ. And againe how is the world saist thou full of your communion where there are soe manie heresies whereof there is noe one that communicates with you And againe reporting these wordes of Vincentius Thou saist that as for the partes of the earth that wherein the Christian faith is named is but a little portion in comparison of the world And the Catholickes on the other side made vse of it against the Donatistes to proue that the Church had neuer receiued interruption But that Church said the donatistes is noe more she is perished soe saie they said Saint AVG that are not in her ô impudent voice c. This abominable and detestable voice full of presūption and falshood which is vnder propt with noe truth illuminated with noe wisedome seasoned with noe salte vaine rash headie pernicious the spiritt of God hath foreseene it And a litle after this Ghospell shall be preached where In all the world to whom in testimome to all nations and what after and then the end shall come Seest thou not that there are still nations to whom the Ghospell hath not been preached c. and soe how is it that thou saist that the Church is alreadie perisht from all nations since it is therefore that the Ghospell is preached to witt that it might be in all nations The Church thē in S. AVS tyme was not called Catholicke for her actuall extent into all natiōs but she was called Catholicke for two other causes the one that as more aboundant and the other that as radicall originall Church she held the place of all in regarde of other Christian Societies For in all the diuisiōs which were made from the first beginning of the Christian name not onely she remayned soe full in regarde of euery sect that came out from her that she held the place of the whole and the seperated sect the place of a part but alsoe in the act of seperation she still remayned immoueable I meane to say that the change for which the seperation happened was made not in her but in the hereticall sect Soe as it was the hereticall sect that was seperated frō her and not she from the hereticall sect And by cōsequēce to her as perseuering in the same profession in the same Estate wherein the whole Church was before the seperatiō apertained the right to holde the place of the whole and to inherite the being and aduantages of the whole And to the other to be reduced into the cōdition of a parte and to be cutt of and 〈◊〉 from the appellation and 〈◊〉 of the whole noe more nor lesse then in the deuisiō of a tree that parte wherein the trunke the stocke and the roote remaine keepes the name of the whole and the parte which is cutt of the name of a branche and of a part seperated from the whole They vnderstād not saith S. AVST speakeing generally of heretickes that there is one certaine true holsome and as I may saie germinall radicall societie from whence they are seperated in an other place Whosoeuer is separated from the whole and defēds a part cut off from the masse or bodie it selfe lett him not vsurpe the name of Catholicke And againe The Catholicke Church fighting with all heresies may be opposed but she cannot be ouerthrowne All heresies are come forth from her as vnprofitable branches cutt off from theire vine but she remaines in her vine in her roote in her charitie and the gates of hell shall not conquer her And as OPTATVS Mileuit before him Wee must consider who staies in the roote with the whole worlde and who is gone forth For these causes thē and also that the Catholicke Church was soe eminent both for perpetuitie and extent aboue all others as it was easie to iudge that it was to her onely and to noe other that the promise had bene made that in her seede all nations should be blessed and that in her should be denounced the remission of sinnes through all nations beginninge from Ierusalem for these causes I say S. AVG. affirmed that to her onely belonged the title of Catholique Thou 〈◊〉 saith he against Crescomius the Donatist the rest of the nations that the Church hath not yet possessed and takest noe heede how manie she hath 〈◊〉 from whence she dailie spreades to finish the possession of the
although the Ecclesiasticall Canon forbidds to rule the Churches without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And likewise Zozomenus a greeke author alsoe and of the same tyme with Socrates IVLIVS saied he reprehended them that they had secretly and priuily altered the faith of the Councell of Nicea and for that against the lawes of the Church they had not called him to the Synod for there was a Sacerdot all lawe which imported that all things which were done without the aduice of the Bishop of Rome should be inualid And why then when Eusebius of Nicomedia vsurper of the Bishopricke of Constantinople and firebrand of the Arrian faction and the other Arrians his complices sawe that the deposition of Saint ATHANASIVS that they had packed in the councell of Antioche was argued of nullitie because the Popes authoritie did not appeare therin Did they aduise themselues to repaire this defect to preuent the Pope and to pray him to calle the cause to his tribunall EVSEBIVS saith Socrates haueing done in the councell of Antioche what he listed sent an Embassador to JVLIVS Bishop of Rome requiring him to be iudge in the affaire of ATHANAS and to call the cause before him And this not after the voyage of S. ATHANAS to Rome as Socrates and Sozomene and the Protestants with them pretend but before as IVLIVS recited by S. ATHANASIVS saint ATHANASIVS himselfe and THEODORET doe writness ATHANASIVS said IVLIVS is not come to Rome of his owne motion but haueing bene called and hauing receiued 〈◊〉 from vs. And saint ATHANASIVS EVSEBIVS and his partie writt to Rome that is to 〈◊〉 to the Pope they writt alsoe to the Emperors CONSTANTINE and CONSTANT C. that is to saie to CONSTANTINE Emperor of the Gaules whose residence was at Treuers and to CONSTANT Emperor of Itali and Africa whose residence was at Millen but the Emperors reiected them and as for the Bishop of Rome he answered that we should keepe a Councell where we would And in an other place The Eusebians writt to IVLIVS and thinkinge to terrifie vs demaunded of him that he would call a Councell and that himselfe if he would should be the iudge thereof That is to say they demaunded either that the Pope would keepe a Councell out of Rome in which the cause might be iudged in the presence of his Legates or that he should iudge it himselfe at Rome if he pleased And a while after But when they heard the newes of our arriuvll at Rome they were troubled not expecting our comeing thither And THEODORET Assoone as ATHANASIVS receiued the citatior from IVLIVS he transported himselfe in diligence to Rome And why then when the same IVLIVS obiected to the Arrians the enterprise of the Councell of Antioch did he reproch them that against the custome of the Church they had deposed saint ATHANASIVS in the Councell of Antioch without attending first for a decision from Rome Are you ignorant said Pope IVLIVS in the second answere to the Arrians recited by saint ATHANASIVS that the custome is that we should be first written to and that from hence the iust decisions of things should proceede And therefore if there were anie suspicion conceiued against your Bishop there you must haue written to this Church A manifest argument that the request that the Arrians a while after the Councell of Antioch had made to the Pope to call the cause of ATHANASIVS before him and to call a Councell to iudge it or to iudge it himselfe if hee would was noe newe attribution of iurisdiction to the Pope as the aduersaries of the Church imagine but a truce of their rebellion to the Popes iurisdiction For how could the Pope haue reproached to the Arrians that the Councell of Antioch against the ancient custome of the Church had deposed saint Athanasius without stayinge for a decision from Rome if the Pope had not had right to iudge the cause of saint Athanasius but since the Councell of Antioch And how could the Arrians themselues haue inserted 15. yeares after these wordes in the false letter that they inforced Pope Liberius to write against saint Athanasius I haue following the traditions of the ancients sent on my behalfe Lucius Paule and Aehanus Priests of the Roman Church into Alexandria to Athanasius to cause him to come to Rome that we might ordaine himselfe beeing present vpon his person what the discipline of the Church exactes if this right had bene from the newe attribution of the Arrians and not from the ancient tradition of the Church and euen from that that IVLIVS newly came from speaking of For the things which wee haue receiued from the blessed Peeter I doe signifie them to you But let vs againe goe forward with our interrogatories And why then when the articles of the Eusebians against S. Athanasius were brought to Rome did the Pope vpon the accusation of one of the parties as the common iudge adiourne or giue them both a day and that following the Ecclesiasticall Canon Julius saith Theodoret following the Ecclesiasticall lawe commannded the Eusebians to present themselues at Rome and gaue assignation to the diuine Athanasius to appeare in iudgement And why then when those greate Prelates Athanasius Patriarke of Alexandria Paule Bishop of Constātinople MARCELLVS primate of 〈◊〉 in Galatia ASCLEPAS Bishop of Gaza in Palestina LVCIVS Bishop of Andrinopolis in Thrace who had bene accused of diuers crymes some Secular As Athanasius of the crymes of manslanghter and Rape and other Ecclesiasticall as the same Athanasius to haue caused a Chalice to be brokē And Asclepas to haue ouerthrowne an Altar and had bene deposed from their seates by diuers councells of Thrace and of Asia and had bene heard at Rome did the authors of the Ecclesiasticall histories say that the bishop of Rome restored them forasmuch as to him because of the dignitie of his sea the care of all thinges appartained IVLIVS Bishop of Rome said Socrates because of the priuiledge of his Church armed them with couragious letters and sent them backe into the East and restored to eache of them his place rebukeinge those that had 〈◊〉 deposed them And Sozomene the Bishop of Rome haueing examined their complaints and found that they agreed touchinge the decree of the Councell of 〈◊〉 receiued them into his communion as conformable and of the same beliefe And because that to him for the dignity of his Sea the care of all things belonged he restered to euery one of them his Church For as for the out ragious letters that those of the East that is to say as it shall appeare heereafter the Bishops of the Patriarckship of Antioch and their complices who were Arrians writt against IVLIVS in hate because he had broken their Councell and restored saint Athanasius I meane to confute them particularly in an other place It shall suffice nowe that I say two thinges one
of the strings of Eunomius lire was broken the greeke fables saie that a grashopper came and set herselfe vpon the lire and supplied with her songe the defect of the string that wanted so when LIBERIVS banisht and cast out of his seate by the Arrians began to be wanting to the consorte and 〈◊〉 of the Church Felix one of the Deacons of Rome that the Arrians had caused to be substituted in his place supplied against their expectation the defect of LIBERIVS and soe lifted vp his voice sor the innocencie of ATHANASIVS and the faith of the Councell of 〈◊〉 that he was for this cause driuen out of Rome by the Arrians and if we will beleiue the ancient inscriptions martyred The second that when the Emperor had drawne by force frō LIBERIVS what he would he sent him backe to Rome to exercise ioinctly with FELIX the gouuerment of the Church LIBERIVS in steede of persistinge in the conditions that the Arrians had wrested from him tooke vp againe such a zeale for the protection of the cause of saint ATHANASIVS and for the defence of the faith that he despised from thence forwarde all the threatninges and persecutions of the Emperor and did noe lesse imitate saint Peter in repairing the offence of his fall then he did before in committinge it And the third that when LIBERIVS was arriued at Rome 〈◊〉 if we will belieue Sozomene dyed which was saith the same Sozomene a notable care of the diuine prouidence in the behalfe of S. Peeters Sea A while after saith Sozomene FELIX deceased and Liberius alone ruled the Church which was disposed by the prouidence of God least the seate of Peeter should be dishonored being gouerned by two Rulers But lett vs returne to our interrogatories And why then when the Arriars had caused LIBERIVS to be remoued from Rome doth saint AIHANASIVS crye they haue not had a reuerent memorie that Rome was the Apostolicke Sea and Metropolitan of Romania that is to saie of the Roman Empire For first that saint ATHANASIVS by the word Romania meant all the Roman Empire we learne from saint EPIPHANIVS who saith Manes passed out of Persia into Romania And in an other place The fire of Arius tooke possession of almost all Romania And againe Constantine sent letters against Arius throughout all Romania And from POSSIDIVS who calleth the Vandalls that sacked Africa the destroyers of Romania And secondly that by the word Metropolitā he meanes a spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Metropolitan and not simplie a secular and temporall Metropolitan a Metropolitan of Religion and not simplie a Metropolitan of state and policie we learne it from the allusion to the Epistle to the Arrians that he cues in the same place in which the Arrians though scornefully and ironically had called the Catholicke Church the Schoole of the Apostles and Metropolitan of Religion And from the Epistle of saint IEROM against Iohn Bi hop of Jerusalem in which he said that the Councell of Nicea ordayned that 〈◊〉 should be the Metropolitan of all the East that is to say the spirituall and Ecclesiasticall Metropolitan of all the East And why then when the Macedonians in the Councell of Lampsacus in 〈◊〉 resolued to revnite themselues to the Catholicke Church did they send EVSTATHIVS Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia THEOPHIL and 〈◊〉 and other Asian Bishops to Rome who after their confession of faith subscribed with their handes added these wordes to Pope 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 anie one after this confession of faith expounded by vs will attempt anie accusation against vs or against these that sent vs lett him come with letters from thy Holynesse before such orthodoxall Bishops as thy Holinesse shall please to appoint and contest with vs in iudgement and if there doe a crime appeare lett the authors thereof be punished And why then when the same Eustathius who had bin deposed from the Bishopricke of Sebaste in Armenia by the Councell of Militine in Armenia and shewed to the Councell of Tyana in Cappadocia the letters of restitution that he obtained from Pope Liberius was restablished in his Bishopricke Eustathius writes S. Basile to those of the West 〈◊〉 bene cast out of his Bishopricke because he had bene deposed in the synod of Militiue aduised himselfe to finde meanes to be restored to trauaile to you Now of the things that where propounded to him by the most blessed Bishop LIBERIVS and to what he submitted himselfe we are ignorant onely he brought a letter which restored him which being shewed to the Councell of Tyana he was reestablished in his Bishops seate And why then when the abrogation of the Councell of Arimini was in question did saint BASILE write to S. ATHANASIVS It seemed to vs to be to good purpose to write to the Bishop of Rome to be watchfull ouer these partes and giue his iudgement to the end that since there is difficultie in sending from thence persons in behalfe of a common and synodicall decree he may vse his authoritie in the businesse and choose men capable of the labour of the waie c. and hauinge with them the actes of Arimini that they may disannull those things that haue bene done by force For whereas in an other place the same saint BASILE stunge with the intermission that the Bishops of the west had made in communicatinge by Ecclesiasticall letters with him vpon an aduertisment that had bene giuen at Rome that he communicated with heretickes cryes against the pride of those of the west and saith that they knew not the truth that is to say the truth of the Easterne affaires neither had prtience to learne it And againe that they should not by affliction add paine to those that were oppressed and humbled nor esteeme that dignity consisted in disdaine It was not to taxe those of the west that they stretched their iurisdiction to farr that hee spake this langage but contrariwise to taxe them that they tooke not sufficient notice of the Asian affaires as it appeares by the letter he writt to them in the name of himselfe and all the Bishops of Cappadocia whose Metropolitan he was which contained these wordes Wee are readie to be iudged by you prouided that those which slaunder vs may appeare face to face with vs in the presence of your Reuerence And againe Comfort vs with your peaceable letters and with your charitable communications easinge as by a sweete somentation the wound which your former negligence hath made in our heartes And that which he adds to the first complaint that those of the west preuented with false suspicions did the same thinges in his behalfe as they had done in the cause of Marcellus to wit that they tooke them for aduersaries that reported the truth to them and established heresie in trustinge too much in their owne opinions not that he pretended the Pope had euer approued the heresie of Marcellus Only he meant
Victor of Vtica answere him that he might not enter into those listes without the consent of other Churches and namely of the Roman Church which is the head of all Churches Let the King said Eugenius write to his friends and I will written my 〈◊〉 that our colleagues may come who with vs may shew you our common faith and principally the Roman Church which is the head of all Churches And why then when Fulgentius an African Bishop of the same tyme and the other Bishop of Africa assembled with him made their answere to Peter a deacon and deputy of the East did they say to him The Roman Church which is the topp of the world enlightned with two great lights Peter and Paule 〈◊〉 it is soe And why then when the Emperor Anast asius Zeno's successor solicited Macedonius Patriark of Constantinople to suppresse in the seruice of his Church the memorie of the Councell of Chalcedon did Macedonius answere him that he could not doe it without a generall Coūcell presided by the Pope The Fmperor Anast asius saith Theodorus Anagnostes pressed Macedonius to abrogate the Councell of Chalcedon but Macedonius answered him he could not doe it without a generall Councell wherein the Bishop of Rome must be President And why thē when the Bishops of the Easterne Church banded themselues against the preuarication of their Patriark Acacius did they write to Pope Symachus Thou art euerie day taught by thy sacred Doctor Peter to feede the sheepe of Christ which are committed to thee throughout the habit able earth not constrained by force but willinglie thou that with the most learned Paule cryest out to all thy subiects we doe not rule ouer you in faith but cooperate with you in ioy And why then when Vitalianus a Scithiā had rebelled against the Emperor Anastasius because he persecuted the Catholickes had borne armes at the gates of Constantinople did Victor of Tunes say He would neuer promise peace to the Emperor but vpon condition that he should restore to their Seates those that had bene banisht for defending the Councell of Chalcedon and should vnite all the Churches of the East with the Roman Church And why then when Justin a Catholicke Prince had succeeded the Emperor Anastasius did he cause Pope Felix sentence to be executed against Peter Patriark of Alexādria and Acacius Patriark of Constantinople and made their names be razed euen after their deathes out of the records of their Churches and from the recitall in the misteries We anathematize saith John Patriark of Constantinople in an epistle to Pope Hormisdas Timothie the parricide surnamed Aelurus and we condemne likewise Peter of Alexandria his disciple and partaker in all things and we alsoe anathematize Acacius sometimes Bishop of this cittie of Constantinople c. and we promise heere after not to recite in the sacred misteries the names of those that are excluded from the cōmunion of the Catholicke Church that is to saie that consent not fullie with the Sea Apostolicke And the Emperor Iustin in his epistle to the same Pope We haue giuen order that the reuerend Church of Cōstantinople and manie others should accomplish your desire not only in other things but also in razing the names that you haue required to be takē awaie frō the sacred recordes And a while after praying the Pope that he would be cōtent that the names of those only which had bene cōdemned by name by the Sea Apostolicke should be blotted out without exacting the racing of those that had cōmunicated with thē for the difficulty that there would be in razing the names of soe many Bishops to be takē away out of the recordes of their churches We aske noe grace said he for the names of Acacius nor for either the one Peter or the other that is to saie Peter Patriark of Antioch and Peter Patriark of Alexādria nor for Dioscorus nor Timothie of whom your Holynesse letters addressed to vs made speciall mention but of those that the Episcopall reucrence hath celebrated in other citties And Victor of Tunes The Emperor Iustin saith he revnited those of the East vnder worthie satisfaction to the Prelates of the West except the euill Bishops for it must be read prauos and not paruos which died blinded with their ancient error to witt Acacius late Bishop of Constantinople Peter Bishop of Antioch and Peter Bishop of Alexandria and caused the decrees of the Councell of Chalcedon to be reuiued that had bene banisht by the Emperors Zeno and Anastasius And why then when the Emperor Justinian nephew and successor to Justine was come to the Empire neere eleuen hundred yeares agoe did he make profession to acknowledg the Pope for he head of all the Churches Wee preserue said hee in the lawe to Epiphanius Patriarke of Constantinople the Estate of the vnitie of the most holie Churches in all things with the moct holie Pope of the ancient Rome to whome we haue written the like because we will not suffer anie thing to passe concerning the affaires of the Church which shall not be alsoe referred to his Blessednesse for asmuch as he is the head of all the holy Prelates of God And in the lawe Inter claras where the Epistle of the same Emperor to the Pope and the expedition of Hipatius and Demetrius his Legates to the Pope against Cirus and Eulogius Legates for the Acaemites soe were certaine Religious men of Constantinople called because of their long watches is inserted We will not suffer said he that anie thing shall be treated of belonging to the state of the Churches though 〈◊〉 and manifest which shall not alsoe be referred to your Holynesse who are the head of all the Churches For as for the shiftes of those that not being able to auoid the lawe Inter claras striue to make it suspected for false I will not staie to confute them It sufficeth that the defence of those two great Oracles of Themis Alciat and Cuias haue made of this lawe and the authenticall copie which is to be found in the Greeke Basiliques beginning with these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the history that Liberatus an African author of the same tyme reportes of it when he saith Hypatius Bishop of Ephesus and Demetrius Bishop of Philippi were sent by the Emperor Iustinian to Pope Iohn surnamed Mercury to consult with the Sea Apostolicke against Cyrus and Eulogius deputed by the Acaemites c. but Pope Iohn we being then present at Rome confirmed the Emperiall confession by an Epistle of his and addressed it to the Emperor And the testimonie that Iustinian himselfe giues it in the lawe to Epiphanius and in the Epistle to Pope Agapet and the old greeke paratitles translated and published by Leunclauius a protestant lawyer which reckon for the eight lawe of the Code the Emperor Justinians Epistle to the Pope and the Popes answere to him stopp
that the Arrians spread the rumor that Liberius had condemned Consubstantialitie The Arrians said he spread the rumor that Liberius had condemned the word consubstantiall Neuerthelesse for as much as saint IEROM speakeing of Liberius his exile writeth Liberius Bishop of the Roman Church hauing bene sent into exile for the Faith all the Clerkes swore they would receiue noe other but Felix hauing bene substituted in the priest hood by the Arrians manie periured themselues and at the end of the yeare were cast forth because Liberius ouercome with the wearynesse of his banishement and signing the hereticall impictie entred into Rome in the forme of a Conqueror And in an other place Fortunatianus Bishop of Aquilea is in this reputed detestable that he first solicited Liberius who was gone into banishment for the faith and inclined him and induced him to signe the heresie We followe the opinion of those that hold that during the tyme interposed betweene the returne of Liberius and the death of Felix Liberius remained fallen from the Popedome and that Felix was then true Pope For there is noe doubte but that the Clerkes which were cast forth with Felix because saith saint IEROM Liberius hauing signed the hereticall impietie was 〈◊〉 into Rome like a Conqueror were the orthodoxall and Catholicke Clerkes of the Roman Church who did materially periure themselues because they abandoned Liberius but not formally because Liberius first abandoned himselfe And in the third tyme which began after the death of Felix which if we beleeue Sozomene followed soone after the returne of Liberius Liberius not onely abiured that which the Arrians had constrained him to doe but made himselfe so constant a protector of the Catholicke Faith and cause and so despised all the persecutions of the Emperor as the Roman Church after the death of Felix and all the other Churches of the Catholicke communion with her did receiue and acknowledge him with an acknowledgement equiualent to rehabilitation for Pope In which appeared two actes of the prouidence of God with had appeared in saint Peters fall One that as saint Peter in the rising from his fall confirmed his Bretheren so Liberius in rising from his confirmed all the Bishops of the Catholicke Church shewing them the way rather to suffer a thousand persecutions then to signe the Councell of Arimini And the other that as the Fathers noted that God permitted saint Peter to fall that he might learne by his owne example to vse mercie to those that should fall and not to vse that rigor to them that the Nouatians would afterward haue introduced so God permitted that Liberius should fall into the communion of heretickes to the end that being restored he might learne by his owne example and serue himselfe for an example to others not to shutt the gates of Episcopall cōmunion from those Bishops that should fall into the same faulte when they should come to repentance and not to vse that rigor toward them that afterward the Luciferians would haue introduced Now it was in this meane while to witt when the Roman Church abiured Liberius because he had receiued the Arrians into his communion and ceased to acknowledge him for Pope and had reduced themselues into the obedience of Felix that saint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is abouesaid these parenthesis be his adhering to the Roman Church abiured him also and anathematized him not with a iudiciary but with an applicatory and abiuratory anathema and by consequence the obiection which is drawne from it is not onely vnprofitable but impertinent For what meruaile is it if in this meane while to witt when the Roman Church herselfe abiured Liberius and withdrew herselfe from his obedience and ceased to acknowledge him for Pope and tooke Felix his part saint HILARY adhering to the Roman Church did abiure him and anathematize him also not with a iudiciary anathema but with an executory and abnegatory 〈◊〉 and tooke likewise the parte of Felix to whom the orthodoxall Clerkes and inhabitantes of the cittie of Rome had ranged themselues The great and admirable DAMASVS who was after successor to Liberius in the Popedome and whom the Greekes called the diamond of Faith had not he bene one of those that had withdrawen themselues from the communion of Liberius and had transferred themselues to that of Felix and so what wonder is it if Liberius owne successor and all the true Roman Church with him hauing ceased to acknowledge Liberius for Pope and hauing abandoned and anathematized him that is to saie with an executory and abiuratory anathema and hauing acknowledged Felix his Competitor for true and law full Pope S. HILARY also in their imitation ceased to account Liberius for Pope and anathematized him not with a iudiciary but with an executory and abiuratory anathema in withdrawing himselfe from his communion and passing to that of Felix And finally the fowrth and last answere is that as in tyme offchisme and duplicity of Popes S. HILARY following the orthodoxall and Catholicke part of the Clergie of Rome adhered to Felix and anathematized Liberius so in the tyme of the vnitie of Popes the same S. HILARY testifies that all Catholickes acknowledged the Pope for head of the Church For he reportes the epistle of the Councell of Sardica wherein the Bishops of the Councell writt these wordes to Pope Iulius Liberius predecessor It shall be esteemed verie good and conuenient if from all prouinces the Bishops should referr the affaires to their head that is to saie to the Sea Apostolicke of Peter And thus much of the second obiection there remaines third To the third obiection then which is that Dioscorus in the false Councell of Ephesus did not content himselfe to excommunicate 〈◊〉 the Archbishop of Constantinople but went so farr as to excommunicate Pope Leo who vpeld him Wee answere three things first that it was not vnder his owne name that Dioscorus Patriark of Alexandria decreed this excommunication but vnder the name of all the false Councell of Ephesus which had bene called in the qualitie of an Oecumenicall Councell and which intitled it selfe an Oecumenicall Councell By meanes whereof this instance toucheth not the question whether another Bishop Archbishop or Patriark may excommunicate the Pope but whether a Councell Oecumenicall pretēding that the Pope is fallen into heresy may excōmunicate him The second that Dioscorus was deposed for this presumption in the Councell of Chalcedon and depriued for all eternity not onely of the title of Patriark but also of the title of Christian and Catbolicke in such sort as this example is so farr from making against the Pope as it falls vpon their heades that alleadge it And the third that there was so great difference betweene the enterprise of excōmunicating the other Bishops Archbishops Patriarkes and presumption of excommunicating the Pope as although Dioscorus Patriark of Alexandria was an Arch-hereticke and that he had approued in a full Councell the heresy of Eutiches and
cōmuniō of the true Catholick church doe concurr to it and it is not requisite that those that are lawfully seperated frō her either for Schisme or herefie as are the Greekes who erre in the Faith of the procession of the holy Ghost which his Maiestie himself holdes to be an article of Faith the naturall Egiptians Ethiopians who erre in the Faith of the hipostaticall vnion in the qualitie of Eutichians and Monophysites are excluded frō the Bodie of the Church from before the fifth Councell should assist to it And notwithstanding yet euen in these last ages there haue bene Councells Oecumenicall indeede and in the sence whereto his Maiestie imployes this terme when the partes seperated frothe Bodie of the Church whould haue conspired to some re-uniō As that of Lateran vnder Pope Innocent the third where there where with the Pope the Patriarckes of Constantinople and Ierusalem and the legates of those of Alexandria and Antioch and more then 400. Bishops and 70. Archbishops from all the partes of the Church aswell Greeke as Latine And that of Florence vnder Eugenius the fourth where assisted the Greekes with their Emperor and their Patriarke and the Legates of three other Patriarkes and the Armenians and the deputies also of the Ethiopians and in both these they were agreed of all the points of Faith which in these daies are againe put to question From whence it appeareth that the wante of Generall Councells could not make the Church to be lesse acknowledgeable in the last daies then she was in the first Of the effect of Councells for the visibilitie of the Church CHAPT II. The continuance of the Kinges answere AND in the ancient tymes it was a firme bond by which all the mēbers of the Catholicke Church were bound in the frame of one selfe Body which body for this cause was meruailously noble and eminent being so constituted in the view and knowledge of all that none thought they would could haue bene ignorant of her One Faith one policie one Body of the Catholicke Church a frequent visitation of the partes amongst themselues a meruailous consent of all the members an admirable sim pathie THE REPLIE RAther some tyme these were the meanes which heretickes or those Emperors that fauored them made vse of to shake and dissolue the masse and frame of the Body of the Church frō whēce proceeded the complaintes of the Fathers that after things had been once resolued of in the Church they should noe more holde other newe Councells that after the Councell of Nicea euery other Councell was superfluous and that they neuer sawe any good effect of all those Councells as is by S. GREGORIE Nazianzene aboue said And therefore these rich and magnificent amplifications of eloquence were noe impediments but that the Church when Luther began might haue bene not onely as much but more visible illustrious and eminent then she was manie tymes in those ages witnesse the obiections that the Donatists made to saint AVSTIN of the estate of the Church principallie in the East in saint HILLARYS tyme Such was said saint AVS the tyme whereof Hillary hath written from whence thou thinkest to sett ambushes for so manie deuine witnesses as if the Church were thē perished from the Globe of the Earth And saint IEROM because the East striking against herselfe by the ancient fury of her people tore in little peeces the vnseamed coate of our Lord wouen from aboue and that the foxes destroyed the Vine of Christ in such sort as it is difficult amongst the dry pondes and which haue noe water to discerne the sealed fountaine and the inclosed garden therefore I thought I ought to consult with the Chaire of Peter and the Faith praised by the mouth of the Apostles For whereas his Maiestie adds that the Bodie of the Church was then set in such an eminence of view and knowledg that she could not be vnknowne noe not by those that would haue bene ignorant of her this was verie true if you tooke all Catholicke prouinces together and compared them with euery particular Sect and it had place in regarde of those that were within the bosome of the Church which neither then nor since could haue bene ignorant of the Bodie and Societie of the true Church for as much as they all agreed in the hypothesis that the Church ought to be discerned by inimitable and indisputable markes and that those that had them not could not faine to haue them as the communion with the Sea of saint PETER the continued and not interrupted Succession of ministrie and Doctrine the eminencie and vniuersalitie aboue all other Christian Sects taken euerie one a parte and other such like But in regard of those that were seperated from it as heretickes and Schismatickes who would discerne the Church by markes more obscure then the thing itselfe and such as all Sects perswade themselues to haue to witt by the conformitie of Doctrine with the scripture interpreted according to the sentence of euerie particular man there was nothing lesse euident For to those the Church how eminent soeuer she had been hath alwaies been obscure hidden not for the want of her light eminencie but because of their darknes and blindnes This saith saint AVS is common to all hereticks to be vnable to see the thing that in the world is most manifest and constituted in the light of all nations out of whose vnitie whatsoeuer they worke although they seeme to doe it with great care and diligence can noe more profitt them against the wrath of God then the spider webb against the extremitie of colde And againe The Church is not hidden for she is not vnder a bushell but vpon a Candlesticke to giue light to all that are in the Howse And of her it is said The Cittie built vpon a Mountaine cannot be hidd but she is as hidden to the Donatistes who heare so cleere and manifest testimonies which demonstrate her to be spread ouer the whole world and yet had rather blindfold strike against the mountaine then ascend it And other where how can I call those but blinde that see not so great a mountaine and shutt their eyes against the lampe sett vpon the candlesticke Of the comparison of the Pope with the other Patriarkes CHAP. III. The continuance of the kinges answere IF anio one vvere fallen for heresie or Schisme from the communion of one of the Churches I saie not one of the first which vvere the Seates of the fovver Patriarckes but of anie other of those vvhich vvere much lesse as soone as it vvas knovvne he vvas reputed excluded from the communion of all the Catholicke Church THE REPLIE IN the tyme of saint AVSTINE there was yet but three true 〈◊〉 Seates in the Church I meane invested with patriarchall Iurisdiction to witt Rome Alexandria and Antioch Ierusalem hauing obtained noe patriarchall diuision till the Councell of Chalcedon For before it was
the East that is to saie of the Asian East after conuerted into the gouermnent of Siria and other Easterne prouinces and that of Rome which was the head of the westerne Empire from whence the ancient Iewes called Rome the Empire of Edom that is the Empire of the West by allusion to Idumea which was situate toward the West from the Southerne Judea And they called Titus who sackt Ierusalem Titus the Idumean a thing which gaue occasion to the latter Rabbies to deriue the race of Titus from Idumea and that the 〈◊〉 Paraphrast turnes these wordes of Jeremias He will visit thee daughter of Edom into these I will visit thee impious Rome For the diuision of Alexanders Empire hauing been finallie reduced to two principall Empires the one the Empire of Egipt holden by the posteritie of Ptolomeus sonne of Lagus whereof Alexandria was the head the other the Empire of Asia possessed by the Successors of Seleucus who after he had conquered Demetrius king of Asia made saie Eusebius and saint IEROM of the two Kingdomes of Syria and Asia one Empire whose capitall cittie was Antioch Then when those two Empires came to be vnited with that of the common wealth of Rome which before held the Empire of the West there where three principall Citties Metropolitā and capitall in the Empire two subalterne to witt Alexandria which was head of the Empire of the South that is the Empire of Egipt and Antioch which was the head of the Empire of the East that is the Empire of Asia And one 〈◊〉 to witt Rome which was particularly head of the Empire of the West and besides had the superintendencie ouer the heades of the other two Empires For I doe not reckon Carthage for so much as she was long before made a member of the Westerne Empire For these causes then as the Church cast her first roote in Asia saint PETER also first planted his Episcopall Sea at Antioch the capitall cittie of the East where he was resident comprehending his voyages into the neighbour prouinces seauen yeare and there foūded a successor or rather a succession which was after the death of the Apostles head of all the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the Easterne Asia from whence it is that in the Councell of Chalcedon the Patriark of Antioch intitleth his Sea the Sea of S. PETER of the great cittie of the Antiochians that S. CHRYSOST citizen of Antioch cryes God shewed by the effect that he had great care of the cittie of Antioch for hee ordained that Peter the superintendent of the whole world hee to whom he had consigned the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen hee to whom he had committed the dispositiō of all things should be a long tyme resident there that S. INNOCENT the first of the same tyme with S. CHRYSOSTOME writes to Alexander Patriark of Antioch The Sea of Antioch had not giuen place to the Sea of Rome but what that obtained onlie by the waie this obtained absolutelie and finallie From whence the same saint PETER seeing that the Church began to growe further and to spread her rootes through all the world he trāsported himselfe to Rome which was both in particular head of the West in generall head of the world held there the Episcopall Chaire cōprehending manie voyages 25. yeares Simon Peter saith saint IEROM sonne of Jona of the prouince of Galilee of the borough of Bethsaida brother to Andrew the Apostle and prince of the Apostles after the Episcopate of the Church of Antioch and the preaching of the dispersion of those of the Circumcisiō who had belieued in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia came to Rome the second yeare of the Empire of Claudius to ouerthrow Simon the Magician and there held 25. yeares the Episcopall Chaire And S. LEO the first addressing his speech in the forme of Apostrophe to the same S. PETER Thou hadst said hee alreadie founded the Church of Antioch in which the word Christian first receiued birth thou hadst alreadie replenished Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia with the lawes of the Euangelicall preaching Then finallie hauing established the superintendēcie of the Easterne Church at Antioch and of that of the West at Rome and considering he had still one of the three capitall citties of the Empire to prouide for to witt that of Alexandria which was the head of the Empire of Egipt he appointed placed there his second selfe that is to saie his Ghostlie childe and welbeloued disciple S. Marke the Euangelist From whence it is that Julius the first reported by S. ATHANASIVS writes of Alexandria it was not a common Church but of the number of those that the Apostles themselues had instituted And S. IEROM The Church of Alexandria doth glorie that she pertakes in the faith of the Roman And againe that the Chaire of the Apostle Peter confirmeth by his preaching the preaching of the Chaire of Marke the Euangelist And saint LEO the first writing to Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria Since that the most blessed Apostle Peter hath receiued from our Lord the principalitie of the Apostleship and that the Roman Church remaines in his institution it is vnlawfull to beleiue that his holie disciple Marke who first gouerned the Church of Alexandria hath formed his decrees vpon anie other rules of tradition And frō thence tooke beginning these three Patriarchall Seas correspondent to the three Imperiall Seates vnder which the generall vnion of the Empire was made but not so yet equall but that amongst these three first Churches that is to saie first in regard of the Churches of their diuisions there was one first of the first exalted superintendent ouer both the others to witt the Roman From whence it is that the Councell os Sardica the Councell of Chalcedon and the Emperor Iustinian S GREGORIE the Great call her the head of all the Churches that the Emperor Valentinian intitles the Pope The Rector of the vniuer salitie of Churches And that the Councell of Chalcedon qualifies him him to whom the guarde of the vine is committed by our Sauiour And that the Emperor Constantine Pogonat and the sixth Councell of Constantinople call him the Protothrone of the vniuersall Church the Presidēt of the Apostolicall height the Soucraigne Pope the Capitaine of the sacred warfare and the vniuersall Patriark and Arch-pastor and call the other Patriarkes Sinthrones of the Pope aster the Pope For I will not add that which some Catholickes vse to alleadge of Cassiodorus to witt that he attributed to the Pope the title of Bishop of the Patriarkes as well because Cassiodorus there speakes not of Patriarkes properlie taken but extends the word to Primates and Metropolitans as because I doubt it must be read disiunctiuelie Papam vel Patriarchalem Episcopum and not explicatiuely Papam vel Patriarcharum Episcopum It sufficeth me to saie that as
Nicea and of the third Canon of the Councell of Constantinople inferred thereupon thus it appeares from hence that all primacie and principall honor hath alwaies bene 〈◊〉 to the Bishop of Rome a thing that amazes me that the Greeke Schismatickes and 〈◊〉 amongst the rest did not perceiue it For Nilus Archbishop of Thesalonica disputing against the Pope saith If the Canon of the Councell of Nicea had distributed the Climates of the earth to euerie one of the Bishops-Generall so he calls the Patriarkes and had determinately setled nothing vpon the Sea of the Pope but had contented itself with saying that he had receiued the primacie there had bene some reason to esteeme that all the earth had bene vnder him And neuerthelesse not onely the Councell of Constantinople ordaines that the Bishops should not exceede their limitts but that according to the Canons of the Councell of Nicea the Bishop of Alexandria gouerned onely the affaires of Egipt And the Bishops of the East that is of the Patriarkship of Antioch onely the affaires of the East And the Councell of Chalcedon ordaines to the Bishop of Ierusalem the three Palestina's And to him of Constantinople Asia minor Pontus and Thrasia and the Barbarous prouinces that is to say Russia and Muscouia without euer goeing about either that or anie other Councell to sett out a part to the Bishop of Rome nor prescribe limitts out of which he might not exercise his authoritie But euen the Councell of Nicea speakes of the Bishop of Alexandria with restriction assigning him the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis and of the Pope without restriction leauing him the waie free and assigning him noe limitts nor anie determinate number of prouinces The customes said the Canon obserued from antiquitie in Egipt Libia and Pentapolis are to be maintained to wit that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the power of all those things for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishop of Rome By meanes whereof it remaines in the libertie of the Reader to supplie the word ouer all the Church and to expresse the Canon in this sence that the customes obserued from antiquitie in Egipt Libia and Pentapolis should be maintained to wit that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the power of all those things for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishop of Rome ouer all the Church For what was this custome practized by the Bishop of Rome but that whereof saint IRENEVS speakes when he saith to the Roman Church because of a more mightie Principalitie it is necessarie that all the Church should agree And saint AVSTIN when he writes In the Roman Church hath alwaies flourisht the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke And Socrates when he affirmes that the Ecclesiasticall lawe bare that uo decrees might be made in the Church without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And Sozomene when he notes that to the Bishop of Rome because of the dignitie of his Seate the care of all things apportained And so who sees not that the intention of the Councell was net to compare the Bishop of Alexandria with the Pope formallie but anologically that is to saie that the intention of the Councell was not to compare the authoritie of the Bishop of Alexandria ouer the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis with the authority of the Pope ouer anie determinate territorie but to compare the authoritie of the Bishop of Alexandria ouer the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis with the authority of the Pope ouer the whole Church It is certaine that in this clause for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishopof Rome there is an omission which should be supplied either by the extent of an vniuersall word of particular restriction Now that the designe of the Councell was not to compare the Sea of Alexandria as head of the particular Prefecture of Egipt with the sea of Rome as head of an other particular prefecture but to compare the Sea of Alexandria as head of the particular prefecture of Egipt with the Sea of Rome as head of all the Empire the decree of the Councell of Chalcedon which shall be spoken of hereafter shewes it when it saies designing the temporall cause of the priuiledges of the Church of Rome The fathers yeilded the priuiledges to the Sea of the ancient Rome for as much as that Cittie helde the Empire And the Confronting of these wordes of Socrates The Ecclesiasticall rule bare that no lawes should be introduced into the Church without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome with these of the Bishops of Egipt to the Councell of Chalcedon Permitt vs to attend the ordination of our Archbishop to the end that according to the ancient customes we may follow his sentence And againe It is the custome in the prouinces of the prefecture of Egipt to doe noe such ting without the sentence and ordinance of the Archbishop of Alexandria confirmeth it For to saie that there could be nothing established in the vniuersall Church without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome and to saie there could be nothing established in the prouinces of the Prefecture of Egipt without the sentence of the Bishop of Alexandria was it not to make the Bishop of Alexandria that in the prefecture of Egipt that the Bishop of Rome was ouer the whole Church And therefore the Councell saying simplie for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishop of Rome and not specifying where nor bringing in 〈◊〉 restriction what should hinder vs from supplying ouer all the Church and from answering that the intention of the Councell was to ordaine that the Bishop of Alexandria who in Egipt Libia and Pentapolis was as Vicar bred from the Sea of saint PETER who had there established his second selfe that is to saie his sonne and welbeloued disciple the Euangelist saint MARKE should haue the superintendencie of the Ecclesiasticall affaires in all these prouinces for as much as the Bishop of Rome to whom as Sozomene saith because of the dignitie of his Seate the care of all things appertained had it generally ouer all the Church or if they will presse vs to reduce the enthymeme of the Councell into the forme of a complete sillogisme what can hinder vs from reducing it into this The same priuiledges that the Bishop of Rome hath in regard of the whole Church the other Patriarkes haue proportionablie euery one in reregard of his Patriarkship Now the Bishop of Rome hath this priuiledge that to him because of the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things pertaines and that without him nothing can be decided of things which concerne the gouernment of the vniuersall Church the Bishop of Alexādria then ought to enioy by proportion the same priuiledges in the prouinces of his Patriarkship that is to say in the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis
to witt that to him because of the dignitie of his Sea appertaines the superintendencie of the Churches of the same Prouinces and that without him nothing should be decided in causes which concerne them For that the Patriarkes in their diuisions were as images and modells of the Popes authoritie and as Vicars borne from the Apostolicke Sea that is to saie were euery one in the extent of his Patriarkship that that the Pope was vniuersallie ouer the whole Church And then that as the Riuer Melas in Greece produced the same kindes of animals and plantes as Nilus in Egipt but lesser and proportionable to the quantitie of his course so the same authoritie that the Pope had ouer all the Church to wit that without him nothing might be decided in things which had regard to the vniuersall Church the Bishop of Alexandria had it proportionablie in his diuision to witt that without him nothing could be decided of the Ecclesiasticall causes of Egipt and of all the deuision of Alexandria it appeares by ten meanes besides many others It appeares first by the diuersitie of the conditions vnder which the Pope and the other Patriarkes participated to the succession of the Sea of Saint PETER who was the head and superintendent of Episcopall iurisdiction for the Pope onely bare the title of absolute successor and ordinary Vicar to saint PETER as being constituted in the Tribunall where saint PETER had established his finall and absolute Sea where he had planted the stocke of his direct Succession from whence it is that saint CYPRIAN calls the Roman Church the Chaire of Peter and the principall Church and the originall of the Sacer dot all vnitie and that the councell of Sardica exhortes the Bishops of all the prouinces to referr the causes to their head that is to saie to the Sea of the Apostle PETER and that 〈◊〉 saith that the Death of Pope Felix was the prouidence of God least the Sea of PETER might be dishonored being gouerned by two 〈◊〉 and that saint IEROM writes to Pope DAMASVS I am ioyned in communion with thy 〈◊〉 that is to saie with the Chaire of PETER and that Pope Innocent the first reported and approued by saint AVSTIN writt to the Bishops of Africa I conceaue that all our bretheren and colleagues can referre causes and principallie concerning faith to none but to PETER that is to 〈◊〉 to the author of their name and dignitie and that the Legates of Pope 〈◊〉 in the oration that they made to the Councell of Ephesus and which was confessed and registred by the ordinance of the Councell called the Pope the Successor and ordinarie Vicar of saint PETER And that the councell of Chalcedon intitled the Epistle of the Pope saint LEO the first The Sermon of saint PETERS Sea whereas the part that the other patriarkes had to the Successioin of saint PETER was an oblique and collaterall part and founded vpon subalterne and particular causes to witt that of the patriarke of Antioch vpon the passing and transitorie Sea of saint PETER at Antioch from whence it is that saint CHRYSOSTOME saith Peter the superintendet of the whole world he to whō Christ had cōsigned the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to whom he had committed the disposition of all things was a long time resident at Antioch And that the Pope Innocent the first tyme sellow to the same saint 〈◊〉 writt to Alexander the Patriarke of Antioch The Sea of Antioch had not giuen place to Rome had it not bene that what that 〈◊〉 but by the waie this hath obtained absolutely and finallie And that of the patriarke of Alexandria vpon the commission that saint PETER gaue to his second-selfe that is to saie to his deare and welbeloued disciple saint MARKE to goe found the Church of Alexandria the Metropolitan cittie of Egipt and of the prouinces adiacent from whence saint GREGORIE the great cries out The sea of Peter in three places is of one alone for he had exalted the Sea wherein hee vouchsafed to staie and finish his present life he hath adorned the Sea to which he hath ordained the Euaugelist his disciple hee hath established the Sea wherein he was resident seauen yeare though he were to depart from it By which meanes as the Pope represented the Stocke of the direct succession of saint PETER and the other Patriarkes represented the branches of the oblique and collaterall succession of saint PETER so what the Pope was in regard of the vniuersall Church the other Patriarkes were in the behalfe of their particular Patriarckships and reciprocally what the other Patriarkes were in the behalfe of their particular Patriarkships the Pope was in regard of the vniuersall Church It appeares secondly by the analogie of the ancient order of the Church which bare that the same priuiledges that the Patriarkes Primats and Metropolitans had to wit that without them nothing could be decided of the affaires of their deuisions and that the Prouinciall nationall or Patriarchall Councells which were held in their territories could not be esteemed perfect if they assisted not there the Popes had thē for the affaires which regarded the gouernment of the vniuersall Church and for the celebration of generall Councells and reciprocallie that the same priuiledges that the Popes had as that the care of all the Church pertained to them and that without them nothing could be decided of points concerning the vniuersall Church nor generall Councells bee celebrated the Patriarkes Primats and Metropolitans had them proportionablie in their limitts to witt that the care of all the affaires of their deuisions belonged to them and without them nothing could be decided in the affaires of their iurisdictions nor the Councells of their territories bee celebrated For as the Councell of Antioch which I alledge because it borrowes this decree not from the discipline of the Arrians but from the ancient forme of the Church saith that the care of all the Prouince belongs to the Metropolitan Soe Sozomen saith that the Bishop of Rome restored Athanasius Patriarke of Alexandria Paule Bishop of Const antinople Marcellus primate of Ancyra in Galatia for that to him because of the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things appertained And as the same Councell of Antioch saith speaking of particular Councells That Sinod is perfect at which the Metropolitan assists Soe Socrates witnesseth That Generall Councells and which were to prouide for the Generall lawes of the Church could not be celebrated without the Pope IVLIVS saith he had not assisted at the Councell of Antioch nor had sent anie in his place although the Canon of the Church forbids to make Ecclesiasticall lawes without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome or according to the translation of EPIPHANIVS followed by Cassiodorus to celebrate Councells without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And Sozomene There was an eccclesiastic all lawe which annulled all things
translations of the treatises of some Greeke diuines and not of his historicall workes or translations Otherwise how could Pope Gelasius in the same decree haue condemned the ten bookes of the recognitions of Clement which had bene translated by Russinus and how could he haue written in the same place the holy Roman Catholicke and Apostolicke Church hath not bene preferred before other Churches by anie Synodicall Constitutions but hath obtained the primacie by the Euangelicall voice of our Lord and Sauiour saying Thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my Church And how could he haue writtē elsewhere speaking of the ancient canons of the Church These are the Canons which ordaine that from all partes of the world the appeales shall be brought to the Sea Apostolicke And how could he haue said that the care of the Regions of Egipt and of Antioch had bene by Pope Felix committed to Acacius Patriark of Constantinople And whereas they add that saint CYRILL sending the Canons of the Councell of Nicea to the Bishops of Africa writt to them that they might finde them in the Ecclesiasticall historie which they pretend must be vnderstood of the history of 〈◊〉 for as much as those of Socrates Theodoret and Sozomene were written since and besides containe nothing of the canons of the Councell of Nicea this is yet a more feeble and deceiptfull caution For besides that many others had made collections of the Ecclesiasticall historie as amongst the Catholickes saint ATHANASIVS Bishop of Alexandria who had composed a volume intituled Synodica Theodorus Bishop of Mopsvestia not yet then noted for heresie who had framed a particular historie of the Councell of Nicea Philip of Sida who had compiled an vniuersall Ecclesiasticall history And amongst the heretickes Philostorgius the Arrian and Sabinus the Macedonian where is the article of the Bishop of Antioch and the precept to adore standing on the sundaies and during the fiftie daies of Pentecoste which were contained in saint Cyrills Copie to bee found in Ruffinus edition and contrariwise where are the permission to deacons to distribute the Eucharist in the absence of priests and Bishops and the restitution of the communion to penitents before the accomplishement of their pennance and the extension of the canon of the Paulianict deaconesses to all deaconesses in generall and the equiuocation and mistaking of the confession of priests after promotion which are all in the edition of Ruffinus to be read in the copie of saint CYRILL contrarywise if saint CYRILLS intention had bene to approue the edition of Russinus by this remittment why did not the Africans which turned or caused to be turned from Greeke into Latine saint CYRILLS Greeke Copie followe Ruffinus in their translation and put in the Clause of Churches Suburbicarie And saint CYRILL himselfe if he had beleiued that the clause of Churches suburbicary should haue bene added to the Canō of the Councell of Nicea how could he haue taken a Vicarship and commission from Pope Celestine to execute the sentence of the Sea Apostolique against Nestorius Archbishop of Constantinople And how could hee and the other Bishops of the Councell of Ephesus haue approued of the oration of the Popes Legates by which they called the Pope the head of the Church and the Vicar and ordinary Successor of saint PETER and why had they reserued the iudgement of the cause of Iohn Patriarke of Antioch to the Pope And then what proofe is there that Ruffinus by the word suburbicary did intend the Churches within a hundred thousand paces of the Cittie of Rome and not the Churches of all the Citties subiect to the Empire of the Cittie of Rome Is there anie likelyhood that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue had Egipt Libia and Pentapolis vnder which were yet intended many other great prouinces either annexed or subalterne as Ammoniaca Maroeotides Thebaidis and besides the immense Region of Ethiopia from whence the Greeke Emperor Leo surnamed the Philosopher saith in the life of saint CHRYSOSTOME that the Emperor Arcadius caused Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria to cometo Cōstantinople accompanied with Indian and Egiptian Bishops And that the Bishop of Rome by whom they squared him had no more but those onelie Churches that where neere the 〈◊〉 of Rome Theocritus writeth that Ptolomeus Philadelphus king of Egipt of whose Empire the Prouinces since attributed to the Patriarkship of Alexandria made the principall parte commaunded 33339. citties Of townes thirtie three thousand three hundred thirty nine Vnder the yoake of his decrees their seruile heads incline And Strabo and Diodorus Siculus and the interpreter of the notice of the Empire after them saie that the ancient diuision of Egipt was diuided into thirtie six prouinces whereof Delta in Egipt contained ten and the 〈◊〉 Theodosius the second writing to Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria to cause him to come to the false Coūcell of Ephesus sent to him to bring his ten metropolitan Bishops or ten of his metropolitā Bishops that is to saie heades of Prouinces with him And the Bishop of Antioch who was but the third Patriarke had vnder him the two Syria's the three 〈◊〉 the two Cilicia's the three Arabia's the Region of Euphrates Mesopotamia Jsauria and Osrhoene and more as he pretended the Isle of Cyprus without reckoning manie other prouinces which though he 〈◊〉 not their metropolitans yet neuerthelesse acknowledge him For there were manie prouinces which acknowledged their Patriarks and were obliged to appeare at their patriarchall Synods although they tooke not from them the ordination of their metropolitans from whēce it is that Balsamon writes that the Councell of Antioch holden vnder the patriark Peter Jberia Asiatica otherwise called the prouince of the Georgians was made Autocephalus that is to saie exempt from takeing the ordination of their Metropolitan anie other where then from the Synod of the prouince and neuerthelesse still remained subiect to the patriarke of Antioch And when the Councell of Chalcedon would erect Constantinople into a patriarkship they assigned him for his patriarchall Diuision the prouinces of Trace pontus Asia minor with the Barbarous prouinces that is to saie Russia and Muscouia which together contained more ground then all Europe principally if we giue Credit to Herodotus who saith that the Thracians were the greatest nation of the world next the Indians And the Pope who was the first patriarke and the patterne and modell of all the patriarkes to haue bene restrained to the onely Churches neere the Cittie of Rome what a Birth-right had that bene For to saie that the Pope had in his portion the Cittie of Rome which recompenced in splendor and dignitie the extént of the other patriarkships and besides that the prouinces neere the Cittie of Rome were much more peopled then the prouinces neere the other patriarchall Citties who knowes not first that the Cittie of Rome being vnder the Popes
according to the custome of Councells appealed from him to the Pope and Theodoret did the like that the Pope vpon these appeales replaced Flauianus alreadie dead into the Catalogue of the Bishops of Constantinople and restored to Theodoret his Bishopricke and annulled all the acts of the false Councell of Ephesus except the creation of Maximus Patriark of Antioch which remained in force because said Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople the Pope hauing receiued him into his communion iudged that he should rule the Church of Antioch And finally it sufficeth that when the greeke text of the same canon of the Councell of Nicea translated by Ruffinus had bene read in the Councell of Chalcedon a Councell composed of aboue six hundred Greeke Fathers who vnderstood both Greeke and the Greeke Canons better then Ruffinus who was so vnapt and barbarous in both the tougues as S. IEROM saith the Latins tooke him for a Grecian and the Greekes for a Latine so farr were the Fathers of that Conncell from inferring from thence anie equallitie betweene the Pope and the Patrirake of Alexandria that contrariwise in their Synodicall relation they protested they held the Pope for the head of their societie Thou rulest ouer vs said they as the head doth ouer the members And againe We praie thee to honor our iudgement with thy decrees and that as in what concernes the weale we haue brought correspondencie to our head so thy 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 to thy children what concernes decency And on the other side they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Alexandria as subiect and ghostly vassall to the Pope in these words ` 〈◊〉 hath extended his 〈◊〉 euen against him to whom the guarde of the Vine hath bene committed by our 〈◊〉 that is to sait 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 Of the claime of the Bishops of Constantinople CHAPT VII BVT the aduersaries of the Church not finding anie foundation in the history of the other Patriarkes to establish the equallitie that they would introduce betweene the Pope and the simple Patriarkes had recourse to the claimes of the Bishops of Constantinople which are to be reduced principallie into two The first claime was that of Anatolius who packed in the Councell of Chalcedon by the 〈◊〉 of the Emperor Marcian and of the 〈◊〉 of the cittie of Constantinople to be declared the second 〈◊〉 and to 〈◊〉 after the Pope the like 〈◊〉 of honor as the Pope because Constantinople was a second Rome that is to saie packed to be declared equall to the Pope not in regard of the Pope to whom 〈◊〉 he and all his Catholicke successors alwaies protested 〈◊〉 inferiors but in regard of the other Patriarkes ouer whom he affected to be what the Pope was ouer him and them For that is it that these words of the Councell of Chalcedon signifie that the cittie of 〈◊〉 should be honored in Ecclesiasticall causes as the Roman being the second after her to witt that as the Bishop of Rome had the 〈◊〉 absolutely ouer all the Patriarkes so the Bishop of Constantinople should haue it after him ouer all other Patriarkes It was ordained saith 〈◊〉 repeating the same Canon that the Sea of new Rome because of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 she held after the ancient Rome should haue the primacie before the other Sea The second Clayme was that of John and of Cyriacus Patriarkes of 〈◊〉 who in the tyme of Pelagius the second and of Sainct GREGORIE would participate in the title of vniuersall Bishop which in the presence with the consent of the Councell of Chalcedon had bene attributed to the Pope pretending that by the same Councell of Chalcedon it had bene said that the Bishop of Constantinople should enioy the like 〈◊〉 of honor as the Pope after the Pope and then that as the Pope had the right to beare the title of vniuersall Bishop through all the world so the 〈◊〉 of Constantinople should haue the right to beare it in the Empire of the East For that such was their Clayme it appeares besides a thousand other proofes by the capitulation of the great Comentor of Homer Eustathius Patriarke of Constantinople and the other 〈◊〉 would haue renewed with the Latins vnder the Greeke Emperor Basilius six hundred yeares agone to witt that the Bishop of Constantinople might be called vniuersall in the Empire of the East as the Pope ouer all the world The Bishop of Constantinople saith Glabar an author of the same age with his Prince Basilius and some other Greekes held a Councell 〈◊〉 it might be lawfull for them with the Popes consent to haue the Church of 〈◊〉 to be held and called in that compasse vniuersall as the Roman is in the 〈◊〉 of the whole world Now may I in two words not onely confute these two obiections but also retort them against the Popes aduersaries For if the Bishop of Constantinople pretended to obtaine the second place after the Pope be cause Constantinople was a second Rome that is to saie a part and a branche of the cittie and Church of Rome for what cause is it not manisest that the Church of Rome before his challenge had then the primacie before all other Churches as also the officers of the Emperor Marcian acknow ledged in these termes euen when they protected Anatolius By the proofes which haue bene produced on both sides it appeares that the primacie before all and the principall honor hath bene preserued by the canons to the most beloued of God the Archbishop of the ancient Rome And if the Bishop of Constantinople would participate in the title and nomination of vniuersall Bishop because Constantinople was a second Rome how could it be but that the title of vniuersall Bishop did appartaine primitiuely and originally to the Bishop of Rome But for as much as the beginning of these contentions came from the Councell of Constantinople it is best to take the busines at the source of the history which is thus At the Councell of Constantinople held vnder the great Theodosius the Greeke Bishops ordained in fauor of the Cittie of Constantinople and in fauor of the Emperor of the East who resided there to make a new Sea of the Empire that the Bishop of Constantinople should haue the prerogatiues of honor after him of Rome because Constantinople was a second Rome Now this Canon was noe Canon of a Generall Councell for be it that it was framed by the Councell of Constantinople that we call Generall or be it was made by that which was reassembled at Constantinople the yeare following the Councell of Constantinople that wee call Oecumenicall hauing bene composed onely of the prouinces of the Empire of the East and being become generall but by the adiunction and confirmation of that which was celebrated at the same tyme at Rome and this Canon not hauing bene sent thither it could not hold the place of a Canon of a generall Councell And therefore when Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople would haue caused
of the Councell intitled the 8 th Occumenicall the Bishop of Rome and him of Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and homothronall that is to saie vnited in one selfe-same 〈◊〉 and set in one selfe-same Sea And therefore the Fathers of the Coūcell of Chalcedon did noly alleage in their Canō that it was reasonable that Constātinople being adorned by the Empire and the Senate should enioyalsoin the secōd place after the Cittie of Rome the same priuiledges in Ecclesiasticall causes but addeth thereto in their relation two other reasons taken frō the spirituall affinitie of the Church of Constantinople with that of Rome The one the facilitie of the influence of the gouernment of the Church of Rome into that of Constātinople for as much as the beames of the Sea Apostolicke might spread more commodiouslie from Rome to Constantinople then to the other Patriarchall Seas because of the communication that those two cities which made one selfe same head of the Empire had together By meanes whereof it was more conuenient that the rules which the other Patriarkships should take from the Roman Church the Church of Cāstantinople where resided in ordinary the Nuncios of the Sea Apostolicke and which was neerer the Patriarkship of Rome should receiue them first and immediatly from the Roman Church and then communicate them to the other Seas which were farther off The other that the Church of Constantinople was daughter and extract frō the Roman Church wee haue said they bene incouraged to doe this for that the Beame Apostolicke raigning amidst you and you by your ordinary gouernment 〈◊〉 it to the Church of Constantinople you may cause it to shine the 〈◊〉 into these partes because you are wonted without enuie to inriche those of your linage with the participation of your Goods And therefore Pope Leo with a purpose to cutt off in a word all their hope of this pretence writt to the Emperor that Constantinople what soeuer Anatotius might attempt could neuer be made a Sea Apostolick Let Anatolius said he not disdaine the imperiall 〈◊〉 which he cannot make a Sea Apostolicke which moued the latter Greekes to add another deuise For considering that the pretence of the vnitie of their Sea with that of saint PETER could not serue for a good Colour of a Spirituall title to perserue thereto the second place in the Church they haue had recourse to deriue by a fabulous list and which hath noe testimonie in antiquity the Succession of the Bishops of Bizantium from saint ANDREW brother to saint PETER to maintaine to the Church of Constantinople built vpon the foundation of Byzantium the second Sea after that of saint PETER The third Answere is what soeuer the ayme and sence of this Canon may be there can noething be inferred from it either lawfull or Canonicall forasmuch as it was a surreptitious Canon and obtained by fraude and by surprize and against which there were thirteen nullities whereof the least is sufficient to impose a perpetuall silence to all those that alleadge it The first nullitie is that they were neither the presidents of the Councell nor the Bishops of the Councell which propounded and particularized this Canon but the Clerkes of the Church of Constantinople and particularly Aetius Archdeacon of Constantinople as it appeares both from the eleuenth action in which one of the clauses which was after entered into this Canon to witt that the Metropolitans of Asia minor should receiue their ordination from the Bishop of Constantinople hauing bene contested by the Bishops of Asia the onely Clerkes of the Church of Constantinople with lowde voices cried out Lett the ordinance of the hundred and fiftie fathers so called they the Canon of the Councell of Constautinople falsely alleadged to that purpose stand let not the priuiledges of Constantinople perish lett the ordinations be made according to the custome by our Bishop And from the words of Aetius Archdeacon of Constantinople when he would haue excused the obreption of this Canon which were It is a thing accustomed in Synods after principall matters haue bene defined to questiō and decide some other necessary things Now we haue to witt the holy Church of Constantinople some articles to propound And from the excuse that Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople made when he departed from this canon which was that he had bene set on to solicit it by the importunitie of his clergie This thy fault saith Pope Leo answering Anatolius which to augment thy power thou hadst committed as thou saist by the exhortation of others thou hadst better and more sincerelie blotted out if thou hadst not imputed to the onely councell of thy clergie that which could not be attempted without thy consent The second nullitie is that this decree was made at an vndue hower and after the assemblie of the Councell had bene separated and when the Popes Legates and the Senators which assisted there on the Emperors part were retired as it appeares both by the complaint that the Popes 〈◊〉 made thereof the morrowe after to the Emperors officers 〈◊〉 to keepe order in the Councell which contained these words 〈◊〉 after the departure of your excellencie and of our humilitie they saie there were made certaine articles that we pretend to be contrarie to the canons and to 〈◊〉 discipline And by the answere of the Emperors officers which was If there were anie articles framed after our departure let them be read And by these words of Liberatus There was that daie another session wherein after the departure of the Judges and the Senat and the Legats of the Sea Apostolicke certaine priuiledges were adiudged to the Church of Constantinople taking aduantage of the condemnation of Dioscorus And to that is not 〈◊〉 the excuse that Actius Archdeacon of Constantinople alleadged to the Emperors officers in these words Wee requested my Lords the Bishops of Rome to assist to it they refused saying they had noe commaundement to that effect Weereported it also to your magnificence you commaunded the Synod should examine it when your excellencie was gone forth the holie Bishops which are heere risinge as for a common businesse required that the action should be made now it is in our hands nothing hath bene done in a corner or by stealth but the action hath bene competent and canonicall For either the clerks of Constantinople had made no such request to the Popes Legates the Emperors officers or it was not that daie nor vpon the point of the action otherwise the Emperors officers would not haue answered the Popes Legats as being ignorant of the historie If there be anie article framed since our departure let it le read The third nullitie is that this canon was made the Bishops of all the other Patriarkships being absent in the onely presence of the Bishops of the Patriarkship of Antioch and of the prouinces neere Constantinople That it was so besides that the Bishops of
canon as a canon of the Councell of Chalcedon for besides that in saying wee renewe the decree made by the hundred and fiftie Fathers assembled in this religious and royall cittie and by the six hundred and thirtie Fathers assembled at Chalcedon it shewes sufficientlie how this canon had bene till then disputed and called in question the Councell Trullian was aschismaticall ignorant and vnlawfull Councell as it shall heereafter appeare both by the testimony of BEDA an author of the same time who calls it an impious Councell and by the approbation which was made there of the Councell of Africa concerning the Anabaptisme of heretickes which had bene an erroneous and reprouable Councell as Saint AVGVSTINE and all antiquitie doe testifie and as the Popes aduersaries themselues doe acknowledge And this suffficeth for the first obiection Now let vs goe forward to the second To the second obiection then which is that the Bishop of Constantinople went about to participate in the title of Oecumenicall or vniuersall whereof the Pope had receiued the nomination in the Councell of Chalcedon wee bring fower Answeres The first answere is that it was not to possesse this title by the exclusion of the Pope but to possesse it by the association of the Pope and in regard of the other Patriarkes for not onely in the Councell of Chalcedon the title of vniuersall had bene offered the Pope before the Bishop of Constantinople had euer presumed to aspire to it but in the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Menas which is the first Councell where the name of Vniuersall had bene giuen to the Patriarke of Constantinople bee it directly or be it from the relation of a Councell holden a little before it there were read the requests of the Churchmen of Constantinople of Antioch and of Jerusalem presented in Constantinople it self to Pope Agapet and couched in these termes To our most holie and most blessed Lord Agapet Archbishop of the ancient Rome and vniuersall Patriarke And during the contention of saint GREGORIE and the Patriarks of Constantinople Eulogius patriarke of Alexandria writing to Pope GREGORIE calls him Uniuersall Pope And in the next age after saint GREGORIE the Emperor Constantine the bearded residing at Constantinople and assisting at the third generall Councell of Constantinople intituleth the pope Uniuersall Patriarke and Arch-Pastor You haue said hee in the epistle to the councell of the West seconded your captaine the vniuersall â—ier arch and Patriarke And againe You haue bene present by your Procurators you and the vniuersall Arch-Pastor at our councell And after when the Emperor Basilius the younger and Eustachius Patriarke of Constantinople would haue reconciled themselues to the Roman Church they capituled that it might be lawfull for them to obtaine with the consent of the Pope that the Church of Constantinople should be called Uniuersall in the compasse thereof as the Roman was in the compasse of the whole world And still after them Balsamon although puft vp with his imaginarie title of Patriarke of Antioch and a great enemy to the Latins which possessed his pretended patriarksip he fauoured the Pope as little as he could and attempted to proue all the patriarkes equall for that which concernes the ordinary administration of their patriarkships neuerthelesse he confessed that the custome of the Greekes was to attribute to the Pope the title of Vniuersall Pope and to the Bishop of Constantinople that of Vniuersall Patriarke I haue said hee a purpose to tell wherefore the Pope of Rome is called Vniuersall Pope and likewise the patriarke of Constantinople Vniuersall patriarke And a little after But because the Deuill of self-loue hath separated the Pope from the societie of the other most holy Patriarkes and hath restrained him onely into the West I omitt this discourse as vnprofitable The second Answere is that by the word Vniuersall the Bishop of Constantinople neuer pretended to exempt himself from the Popes iurisdiction but acknowledged himself subiect and inferior to the Pope as it appeares by those very peeces where the name of Vniuersall is attributed to the Bishop of Constantinople which doe all testifie that he was subiect and inferior to the Pope and that the instance that he made to be adioyned and associated to the Pope in the participation of the vniuersalitie was not to the end to possesse it in regard of the Pope but vnder the Pope and in regard of the other Patriarkes alwaies acknowledging the Pope for stocke and head of the vniuersalitie and protesting himselfe his subiect and his inferior For in the law of the Emperor Iustinian to Epiphanius Patriarke of Constantinople which is the first where the word vniuersall is offerred to the Patriarke of Constantinople doth not Justinian write to him Wee haue in all thinges preserued the Estate of the vnitie of the holy Churches with the most holy Pope of ancient Rome to whom wee haue written the like For wee suffer not that anie thinge should passe touching the Ecclesiasticall Estate which shall not be also referred to his Blessednesse for as much as he is the head of all the most holie Prelats of God And in the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Menas which is the first Councell in forme where we see the title of Vniuersall giuen to the Patriarke of Constantinople Is it not saith Anthimus Patriarke of Constantinople protested to doe all that the Soueraigne Pope of great Rome should decree And writt to all the most holy Patriarkes that hee would altogether followe the Sea Apostolicke And Menas Patriarke of Constantinople doth noe hee himself pronouncé these words Wee will in all things follow and obay the Sea Apostolicke And in the heate of the question of the word Vniuersall doth not saint GREGORIE reporte that Iohn Priest of Chalcedon a Cittie situate in Asia and at the gates of Constantinople hauing bene iudged at the Tribunall of Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople appealed from him to the Sea Apostolicke and was againe iudged at Rome and the Bishop of Constantinople giuing his helping hand to it euen then when he tooke vpon him the qualitie of vniuersall and sending the Acts of the first iudgement to Rome to be reuiewed by the Pope Knowest thou not Saith sainct GREGORIE that in the cause of John the Priest against our brother and fellow-Bishop Iohn of Constantinople he had recourse according to the Canons to the Sea Apostolicke and that it hath bene defined by our sentence And elsewhere John Bishop of Constantinople hath gone soe farr as vnder pretence of the cause of John the Priest he hath sent hither Acts wherein almost at the end of euerie line he calls himselfe vniuersall Patriarke And finally the Emperor and the Patriarke of Constantinople did they not themselues acknowledge in the strenght of this dispute that the Church of Constantinople was subiect to the Roman Church as saint GREGORIE reportes it in
Bishops and councells that supposed that it was to gaine the crowne of martirdome to dye for resisting it some belieuing Pope Vigilius neuer confirmed it and others belieuing that Pope Vigilius who was said to confirme it was not true Pope forasmuch as he had intruded into the Papacy his predecessor being yet liuing that whatsoeuer threatnings banishments and punishment the Emperor Iustinian employed vpon it hee could neuer compasse it neither hee nor his next successors but this is enough for this obiection of Caluin let vs goe on to the rest Of the order of the sittings in the sixth Councell of Carthage CHAPT XIII CAluins sixt obiection is taken from thé sixth Councell of Carthage In the sixth Councell of Carthage saith Caluin Aurelius Archbishop of the cittie presided and not the Ambassadors of the Sea of Rome Now wee might send him to dispute this matter with Hincmarus Archbishop of Rheims of almost eight hundred yeares antiquitie who said contrarywise speaking of the sixth Councell of Carthage The Councell of Carthage where the Sea Apostolicke presided by his Uicars Neuerthelesse least it should seeme to be a delaie the best will be to trie it out in the field To this obiection then wee will bring three answeres the first that there is nothing more vncertaine then the Rolles of the sittings and signatures of Councells where the copies varie and mistake at euery turne sometymes following the order of the persons sending somtymes the order of the persons sent somtymes the order of the tyme of their arriuall somtymes the errors in the writing which slipp in in the transcription of listes and Catalogues as it appeares besides an hundred other proofes by the repetition of one of the Sessions of the first Councell of Ephesus inserted into the latine copie of the Councell of Chalcedon in which Arcadius Proiectus and Phillippus the Popes legates are named not onely after all the Bishops but euen after Bessula Deacon and legate of Carthage which was the order of the tyme of their arriuall and neuerthelesse the greeke originall of the same Councell of Ephesus placeth them in all the Sessions whereat they assisted immediately after saint CYRILL first legate of the Pope and as it appeares by the thing itselfe which is presented by the testimony of Hincmarus for Hincmarns affirmes particularly that the Sea Apostolicke presided by legates at the Councell of Carthage in these words The Councell of Carthage where the Sea 〈◊〉 presided by Uicars The second that there where diuers kindes of legates some which represented the negotiating person of the Pope as 〈◊〉 Agents Nuntios Apocrisaries and Ambassadors and others which represented the iudiciary person of the Pope as Cathedraticall Vicars and legates a kinde onely necessary for generall Councells where the Bodie of the Church speakes with her head and not for particular Councells as this of Carthage was Now amongst these deputies some held the ranke of those that sent them and others not for in the Councell of Chalcedon Iustinian Bishop of Cos legat or rather Nuntio and Ambassador from the Pope to Constantinople although he bore the 〈◊〉 of the Pope legate at the Councell neuerthelesse sate not with the other legates of the Pope but after the Patriarkes and among the 〈◊〉 and at the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Menas the Ambassadors of the Patriarkes of Antioch and Ierusalem were not sett in the ranke of their Patriarkes but in the ranke of their simple personall dignitie and after the Archbishops and Bishops And the third Answere finally is that in the sixth Councell of Carthage the legation of the Popes deputies was finished by the death of Sozimus who had sent them the yeare before and had not bene renewed by Boniface his Successor whose creation they knewe well for they procured and charged themselues to carry him the Councells letters but they had not yet receiued anie commission from him and treated onely vpon the memories that they had brought from his predecessor By meanes whereof they were noe more the Popes legates but Exlegates continuing neuertheles in office to solicite for the rights of the Roman Church that they had begun in the former Councell and for this cause bearing for honor sake in the signatures the title of the Legates of the Roman Church but not the title of legates or Vicars of Pope Boniface then sitting And indeede if they had bene then in the actuall qualitie of the Popes Vicars and Cathedraticall Vicars that is to saie representing the iudiciary person of the Pope they had bene sett one with an other and had all signed in the ranke of Bishops Now this was not soe for Faustinus Archbishop of Potentia assisted but in his simple ranke of Archbishop belowe Aurelius Archbishop of Carthage and Ualentine Archbishop of Numidia and Phillippus and Asellus were not there in the ranke of Bishops but sate and signed as simple priests after all the Bishops where as in the Councell of Ephesus which was generall the same Phillip priest as Vicar deputed to represent the iudiciarie person of the Pope was set with saint CYRILL and Arcadius likewise the Popes legates before all the other Primates Archbishop s and Bishops It it true that Faustinus Phillippus and Asellus had bene either nuntios or legates to Pope Sozimus in a Councell holden the yeare before at Carthage vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius and the eigth of Theodosius as it appeares from the discourse and from the Epistle of the sixth Councell of Carthage but of this Councell for that which is inserted vnder the date of the same consulls in the Rapsodie of the Councells of Africa speakes not of the Popes legates there remaines to vs noe piece whereby wee may iudge whether the Popes agents presided or presided not onely it appeares that the authority of the Pope was very eminent there for it was sent to Rome and confirmed by the Pope as Prosper an author of the same age testifies in these words Under the 12 th Consulship of Honorius and the eigth of Theodosius a Councell of two hundred and fourteen Bishops hauing bene holden at Carthage the Synodicall decrees were carried to Pope Sozimus Which hauing bene approued by him the heresie of Pelagius was condemned throughout the world And againe Pope Zosimus annexed to the decrees of the African Councells the force of his sentence and for the extirpation of the wicked armed the right hand of all the Prelates with the sworde of Peter Of the order of the sittings in the Councell of Aquilea CHAPT XIV THE seauenth obiection of Caluin is That there was a generall Councell kept euen in Italie to witt adds hee the Councell of Aquilea wherein saint AMBROSE presided for the credit that he had with the Emperor Now this obiection is the crowne master-piece of all Caluins obiections for matter of impertinency For first S. AMBROSE did not preside there but Valerianus Bishop of Aquilea
done well in cutting of from the bodie of vnitie soe manie and soe great Churches of God And in truth how could S. IRENEVS haue reprehended the Pope for wante of power he that cries To the Roman Church because of a more powerfull principalitie that is to saie as aboue appeareth because of a principalitie more powerfull then the temporall or as we haue expounded otherwhere because of a more powerfull Originall it is necessarie that euerie Church should agree And therefore alsoe S. IRENEVS alleadgeth not to Pope Victor the example of him and of the other Bishops of the Gaules assembled in a councell holden expresselie for this effect who had not excommunicated the Asians nor the example of Narcissus Bishop of Ierusalem and of the Bishops of Palestina assembled in an other Councell holden expressely for the same effect who had not excommunicated them nor the example of Palmas and of the other Bishops of Pontus assembled in the same manner and for the same cause in the Region of Pontus who had not excommunicoted them but onely alleadges to him the example of the Popes his predecessors The Prelates saith hee who haue presided before Soter in the Church where thou presidest Anisius Pius Hyginus Telesphorus and Sixtus haue not obserued this custome c. and neuerthelesse none of those that obserued it haue bene excommunicated And yet ô admirable prouidence of God the successe of the after ages shewed that euen in the vse of his power the Popes proceeding was iust For after the death of Victor the Councells of Nicea of Constantinople and of Ephesus excommunicated againe those that held the same custome with the prouinces that the Pope had excommunicated and placed them in the Catalogue of heretickes vnder the titles of heretickes Quarto decumans But to this instance Caluins Sect doe annexe two new obseruations the first that the Pope hauing threatned the Bishops of Asia to excōmunicate them Polycrates the Bishop of Ephesus and Metropolitan of Asia despised the Popes threates as it appeares by the answere of the same Polycrates to Pope Uictor which is inserted in the writings of Eusehius and of S. IEROM which S IEROM seemeth to approue when he saith hee reportes it to shewe the spirit and authoritie of the man And the second that when the Pope pronounced anciently his excommunications he did noe other thing but separate himselfe from the communion of those that he excommunicated and did not thereby separate them from the vniuersall communion of the Church To the first then we saie that soe farr is this epistle of Polycrates from abating and diminishing the Popes authority that contrary wise it greatly magnifies and exaltes it For although Polycrates blinded with the loue of the custome of his nation which he beleeued to be grounded vpon the word of God who had assigned the of the Month of March for the obseruation of the Pasche and vpon the example of saint IOHNS tradition maintaines it obstinately Neuertheles this that he answeres speaking in his owne name and in the name of the Councell of the Bishops of Asia to whom he presided I feare not those that threaten vs for my elders haue said it is better to obaie God then man Doth it not shew that had it not bene that he belieued the Popes threate was against the expresse word of God there had bene cause to feare it and he had bene obliged to obaie him for who knowes not that this answere it is better to obaie God then men is not to be made but to those whom we were obliged to obaie if their commaundements were not contrarie to the commaundments of God And that he adds that hee had called the Bishops of Asia to a Nationall Councell being summoned to it by the Pope doth it not insinuate that the other Councells where of Eusebius speakes that were holden about this matter through all the prouinces of the Earth and particularly that of Palestina which if you beleiue the act that Beda said came to his handes Theophilus Archbishop of Cesarea had called by the auctoritie of Victor were holden at the instance of the Pope and consequently that the Pope was the first mouer of the vniuersall Church And that the Councells of Nicea of Constantinople of Ephesus embraced the censure of Victor and excommunicated those that obserued the custome of Polycrates doth it not proue that it was not the Pope but Polycrates that was deceiued in beleiuing that the Popes commaundement was against Gods commaundement And that saint IEROM himselfe celebrates the Paschall homelyes of Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria which followed the order of Nicea concerning the Pasche Doth it not iustifie that when saint IEROM saith that he reportes the Epistle of Policrates to shew the spirit and authoritie of the man he intends by authoritie not authoritie of right but of fact that is to saie the credit that Polycrates had amongst the Asians and other Quartodecumans To the second obseruation which is that when the Pope excommucated other Bishops Archbishops or Patriarkes he seperated himselfe from their communion but did not thereby seperate them from the communion of the Church Wee will doe noe other thing then examine examples that they alleadged for proofe of their hypothesis And yet we will not examine them all for we haue alreadie confuted the most part of them in the Chapters preceding as that of saint HILARY against Liberius and others the like We will onely treat of those that they propound to vs a newe which consist in three principall heades The first is that the fifth Coūcell of Carthage ordained that euery Bishop that should fall into the cases mentioned by the tenth and thirteenth canons of the same Councell should content himselfe with the communion of his one Church alone from whence they conclude that euerie excommunication did not import priuation of Sacraments The second that Nicephorus writes that Pope Vigilius hauing excommunicated Menas Patriarke of Constantinople for fower moneths Menas yeilded him the same measure And the third that Sigesbert speaking of the proceeding of Pope Innocent in the cause of saint CHRISOSTOME saith that Pope Innocent and the Bishops of the West suspended themselues from the communion of those of the East To the first then of these examples which is That the fifth Councell of Carthage odaines thà t euerie Bishop that should fall into the case of Canons aboue mentioned should content himself with the communion of his owne Church onelie Wee answere two things The one that the censure whereof the Canons of this Councell speake was not an excommunication but a restitution of communion by which those that did fall into the cases whereof there is question might administer the 〈◊〉 in their owne Diocesses and to their owne People but not out of their diocesses And the other that the Pope himselfe often vsed 〈◊〉 restriction as it appeares by the Epistle of
it is a comparitiue of positiue signification which hath noe other meaning but lesse then it should be that is to saie little or not great enough as when the same S. CYPRIAN writeh in the Epistle to Antonius If the number of Bishops resident in Africa seemed lesse sufficiēt that is to saie not enough sufficient And the other that if it were a comparison of the comparatiue signification it should noe more haue reference to the Roman Church but to these wordes paucis desperatis perditis interpreting them in the ablatiue and not in the datiue and translating the period in this sence If it be not peraduenture that the authoritie of the Bishops constituted in Asrica who had alreadie iudged of them be esteemed lesse then a small number of desperate and lost men it seemes that the continuance of the period doth afterward declare which compares the number of the Bishops of Africa who had iudged of Fortunatus with those that tooke part with Fortunatus and not with the Roman Church in these wordes If the number of those that iudged of them the yeare past comprehending the Priests and deacons be reckoned it will be found there were more assistants present at the iudgement and at the examination of the cause then of those that tooke Fortunatus part And indeede if saint CYPRIAN had intended this word in a comparatiue signification and in regard of the Roman Church how could he haue said three lines aboue they presumed to saile to the Roman Church which is the Chaire of Peter and the principall Church from whence the Sacerdot all vnitie hath proceeded And how coul Optatus Mileuitanus an African as well as hee saie At Rome hath bene constituted to Peter the chiefe the Episcopall Chaire that in this onely Chaire the vnitie of all might be preserued And howe could saint AVGVSTINE an 〈◊〉 as well as either of them say That Cecilianus might despise the conspiring multitude of his Enemies that is to saie of seauentie Bishops of Africa assembled in the Councell of Numidia with him For as much as he sawe himself vnited by letters communicatorie with the Roman Church in which had alwaies flourisht the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke and with the other Countries from whence the Ghospell came into Africa And againe That he doubted not but that Pelagius and Celestius who had bene iudged by two Councells of Africa whould more easilie yeild to the Popes authoritie drawne out of the authoritie of the holie Scriptures To the fifth head which is that the same S. CYPRIAN saith That there is but one Bishopricke whence euerie one holds his portion vndiuidedlie Wee answere hee vseth this language to insinuate that the Bishopricke cannot be possessed separatelie out of the vnitie and societie of the Episcopall Bodie but not to denie but that in the vnitie of this Episcopall Bodie the functions of Episcopall power are exercised in a more principall and eminent manner in the Roman Church then in the other Churches noe more then when wee saie that the soule is possessed by all the partes of the bodie inseparablie and vndiuidedly wee intend not to saie that for the exercise of her functions she resides not in a more principall and eminent fashion in the head then in the other partes otherwise why should hee call the Roman Church the Chaire of PETER and the principall Church and the originall of Sacerdot all vnitie To the sixth head which is that S. CYPRIAN saith in the Councell holden for the rebaptization of heretickes None of vs constitutes himself Bishop of Bishops Wee answere he speakes there onelie of the Bishops of Africa to whom hee directs his speach and whom hee exhorts to tell their opinion freelie in the Councell without being held backe by the respect of the authoritie that as Primate of Africa hee had ouer them And wee will add that if hee had holden this language euen to taxe and preuēt the Pope obliquely who afterward condemned him the matter would be of noe weight for as much as this Coūcell was an erroneous Coūcell where S. CYPRIAN cast the foundations of the Donatists heresie and that as such it was not onelie condemned by the Pope and by all the rest of the Church but euen by those that had adhered to saint CYPRIAN witnes these wordes of saint 〈◊〉 The Blessed Cyprian stroue to auoide the myrie lakes and not to drinke of the strainge waters and vpon this subiect addressed the Synod of Africa to Steuen Bishop of Rome who was the twentie sixth after saint PETER but his strife was in vaine And finallie those that had bene of the same opinion with Cyprian sett forth a newe decree saying What shall wee doe Soe hath it 〈◊〉 deliuered to them by their Ancestors and ours To the seauenth head which is of the inuectiues that S. CYP. suffered to slipp out of his mouth after the contention that hee had with Pope Steuen for the rebaptizatiō of hereticks taxing him of ignorance and presumption Wee answere it is impietie in Caluin to alleadge them since S. AVSTINE holds them vnworthy to be reported and couereth them with this excuse The things which Cyprian in anger hath spread against Steuen I will not fuffer them to passe vnder my penn And we adde the resistance that Pope Steuen made to the error of S. CYPRIAN was the safetie of the church as saint Uincent Lerin witnesseth in these wordes Then the Blessed Steuen resisted with but before his Colleagues iudginge it as I conceaue a thing worthie of him that he should surmount them as much in Faith as he did in the authoritie of his place Of the Commission of the Emperor Constantine the Great for the iudgement of Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage CHAPT IV. THe third instance of Caluin is taken from Optatus Mileuitanus and from saint AVGVSTINE who saie that the Donatists hauing accused Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage and Felix Bishop of Aptunge his Ordinator and besought the Emperor Constantine who thē was resident amongst the Gaules to giue them Iudges of the Gaules the Emperor gaue them three Bishops of the Gaules whom he sent to Rome to iudge the affaire with Pope Melchiades But whom doth this Instance combate against but those that alleadge it For the Emperor being constrained by the importunitie of the Donatists and that as himselfe protested against all Ecclesiasticall order to giue them Iudges and hauing giuen them according to their demaund Iudges of the Gaules what could he more expressely doe to testifie the Popes authoritie then to remitt them to Rome and to ordaine that the same Iudges of the Gaules that hee had giuen them should transporte themselues from the Gaules to Rome to the end the cause might be 〈◊〉 at the Popes Tribunall and vnder the presidencie and direction of the Pope Was there a Stronger meanes to proue what wee reade in S. ATHANASIVS That antient custome of the Church was that the
it made the Emperors haire stand on end To this appeale saith Optatus Mileu the Emperor answered thus O madd impudence of furie they haue put in an appeale that is to saie a secular appeale to the imperiall Tribunall as in the causes of the Gentiles And the Emperor Constantine himselfe in the Epistle to the Catholicke Bishops What so great frensie saith hee perseuers in them as to perswade themselues with an incredible arrogance of things which are not permitted either to be spoken or heard And a litle after They seeke for secular iudgements and leaue those that are celestiall ô madd impudence of furie And againe What will these detractors you must reade detrectators saie of the law who refusing the heauenlie iudgement haue demaunded mine is this the account they make of Christ our Sauiour He was farr enough then from approuing the appeale from the Popes iudgement to his since he calls this Appeale a thing not fitt to be spoken or heard maddimpudence of surie a recourse from heauenlie to earthly iudgement and a contempt of Christs authoritie Neuertheles pressed by the Donatists importunitie he graunted them an other Councell at Arles not in the forme of a iudgement of appeale as the Donatists pretended but in the forme of a ciuill request and of a more ample review of the cause which the Donatists who complaining for the omission of Felix his crime said had not bene fullie heard And this againe irregularly that is to saie against the ordinarie course of the iudgements of the Church and to giue way to the Donatists fury He gaue them saith saint AVSTIN an other iudgement at Arles that is to saie of other Bishops not that it was necessarie but giuing waie to their peruersnesse At this Councell compounded of two hundred Bishops assisted the Popes legates as appeares by the Catalogue of the Bishops of the first Councell of Arles although confusedly and ill applied to the Canons of the the second And Marinus Rheticius and Maternus assistants at the first iudgment for that the Popes legates are not named in the Epistle from the Councell to the Pope it is because themselues were the Messengers that carryed them And the relation of the Councell was directed to Pope Siluester Successor to Melchiades in these wordes Being come to Arles by the will of the pious Emperor from thence most Religious Pope or according to other copies most glorious Pope we salute thee with all due reuerence And the Fathers of the Councell testified to the Pope in their Epistle a great griefe that he could not assist there in person and protested t hat if he had bene there present they would haue pronounced yet a more rigorous sentence against the slanderors But that said they could not be for as much as thou mightest not remoue from the place where the Apostles sitt continuallie and where their bloud without intermission giues testimonie to the glory of God And they sent their decrees to the Pope that he might spread them through all the partes of the world It hath pleased said they according to the ancient custome these things should be intimated to thee who holdest the maior administrations and by thee principallie to all For insteede of these maimed and corrupted words Placuit etiam antequam ante qui maiores Dioceses tenes per te potissimum omnibus insinuare You must restore 〈◊〉 etiam 〈◊〉 iuxta consuetudinem antiquam adte qui maiores dioceses or maiores Dioceseos tenes per te potissimum omnibus insinuari That is to saie It hath pleased according to ancient custome that these things should be insinuated to thee that holdest the maior administrations or the maioritie of the administration and by thee to all For the proper and originall signification of the word Diocese is to signifie administration From whence it is that Zonara speaking of the Empire of Constantine and Jerene say All the Diocese of the Empire meaning all the administration of the Empire From whence appeares Caluins extreame ignorance who saith that Marinus Bishop of Arles iudged by appeale of the sentence of Pope Melchiades and that Pope Melchiades indured it and neuer opposed himselfe against it For besides Melchiades was dead before the Councell of Arles which was holden vnder Siluester his successor was celebrated and had neede of a strainger miracle then that of Caluins to raise him vp againe if it had bene an appeale from the Pope the Popes Legates would not haue assisted there and would not haue iudged by appeale of their Maisters iudgement and the Councell would not haue addressed their relation to the Pope and would not haue bewailed the Popes absence and would not haue said that if the Pope had bene present they had pronunced a more heauie sentence against the delinquents And then how could Marinus Bishop of Arles who had bene one of Pope Melchiades assistants at the iudgement giuen at Rome haue iudged by appeale of the Councell of Rome And how could the other assistants of the Pope haue iudged by appeale of the Popes iudgement or rather of their owne For not onely the same Marinus Bishop of Arles who had bene one of the Popes assistants at the Councell of Rome assisted at the Councell of Arles but also the other Bishops who had acompanied the Pope at the iudgement of Rome as well those that the Emperors had nominated as Maternus Bishop of Cologna Rheticius Bishop of Autun Marinus Bishop of Arles as those that the Pope had associated there as Merocles of Milan Proterius of Capua and others were present voted and signed at the Councell of Arles And besides how could Marinus and all the Councell haue written to the Pope That he held the maior dioceses or the maior administrations a thing that whatsoeuer it signifie attributes to the Pope a prerogatiue that the Bishop of Arles and the other Bishops of the Councell had not if Marinus had bene iudge by appeale of the Popes iudgement for whereas some of Caluins disciples saie that is was not the same Marinus Bishop of Arles that was at the Councell of Rome who iudged of the Popes sentence but Martian Bishop of Arles his Successor this is an ignorance yet greater then the former for there is not so meane a Scholler but knowes that Martian Bishop of Arles was dead more then fiftie yeares before Marinus and before the Councell of Arles Ioyntlie that the Bishop of Arles and particularly Martian could not iudge of the Pope by appeale since the same Martian being fallen into the Sect of the Nouatians saint CYPRIAN had addressed himselfe in these words to Pope Cornelius to praie him to depose him Let there be letters written from thee into the prouince and to the people inhabiting Arles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being deposed another may be placed in his steede And indeede that which saint AVSTIN saith to the Donatists put case
and not of the causes of the church And secondly from the argument that hath bene sett before one of the places of the Greeke translation of this canon neere thousand yeares agoe which saith in their proper causes to distinguish them from Ecclesiasticall causes for the first councell of Constantinople that the Greekes held for the Palladium of their discipline And the third Councell of Carthage oppose proper causes to ecclesiasticall causes not that proper and temporall causes of ecclesiasticall persons were not sometimes called ecclesiasticall causes but because when the word ecclesiasticall cause was speciallie taken it was restrained onely to ecclesiasticall matter And thirdlie wee collect it from the practise and proceedinges of the same Mileuitan Councell For after that Pelagius whose cause was a maior cause and belonging to the Faith had bene iudged in the East by the Bishops of Palestina and that Celestius his disciple had bene heard and excommunicated for the same cause in Africa by the African Bishops the Mileuitan Councell remitted the finall iudgement thereof to the Pope in these words Because God by the guift of his principall grace hath placed thee in the Sea Apostolicke and in our daies giuen thee for such as wee ought rather to feare that it should be imputed to vs for a crime of negligence if wee chould conceale from they Reuerence those things that ought to be represented for the good of the Church then to apprehend that they would seeme troublesome or contemptible to thee Wee beseech the to applie thy pastorall diligence to the great perills of the sick members of Christ And a little after Iusinuating these things into they Apostolicall breast wee neede not extend our-selues in language and to amplifie so great an impietie with words being assured that they will so moue thee as thou canst not delaie their correction least they should spread farther And againe But we hope with the helpe of the mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ who vouchsafe to gouerne thee consulting with him and to heare thee praying to him that those that holde these doctrins so peruerse and pernicious will more easilie yeeld to the authoritie of thy Holynesse drawne out of the authoritie of the holie scriptures in such sort as we may haue more cause to reioyce in their correction then to afflict ourselues in their ruine A meruailous encounter of the effects of Gods prouidence which willed that the same Mileuitan Councell which the Lutherans and Caluinists abuse to ouerthrowe the Popes authoritie not onely puts it in practise but also witnesseth that it is of diuine right and grounded vpon the authoritie of the holie scriptures For to thinke to shift off this Epithete drawne from the authoritie of the holie scriptures by saying that the Councell speakes not of the cathedrall and Iudiciary authoritie of the Pope but of the authoritie of the passages of the scripture alleadged by the Pope against Pelagius it is a childish and ridiculous shifte aswell because the Pope had not then alleadged anie thing against the Pelagians as because it had bene a singular impertinencie that the Pelagians would rather yeild to the Popes authoritie then to that of the other Bishops doctors and Catholicke Councells and amongst the rest of saint IEROM saint AVGVSTINE and of the two Councells of Africa whereof bookes are full saith saint PROSPER Of Channells that wee bring From the eternall Spring Because the Popes authoritie was drawne from the authoritie of the holy scriptures If by the Popes authoritie they had intended the passages alleadged by the Pope and not the authoritie of the Popes chaire Iointly that the fiue Bishops of Africa who accompained the relation of the Mileuitan Councell with their letters did sufficientlie explicatē of what authoritie the Mileuitan Councell intended to speake when they writt to the Pope If the abettors of 〈◊〉 knew that the booke which they belieue or knowe to be his hath bene anathematized and condemned by the authoritie of the Catholicke Bishops and principallie by that of thy Holynesse which wee doubt not but it is of greater weight in his behalfe wee will imagine that they will noe more dare to disturbe the soules of the faithfull which are simplie Christian. And fowerthlie wee collect it from the words of the same saint INNOCENT the first to whom the Mileuitan Councell addresse their relation who not onely in the Epistle alreadie cited to Victricius saith That the ancient custome bare that the maior causes after the Episcopall iudgement were referred to the Sea Apostolicke but also in the verie answere of the Mileuitan Councell witnesseth that causes of Faith were wont to haue recourse to the Sea Apostolicke As manie tymes said hee as there is question of anie matter of faith I make accounte that all my bretheren and fellowe Bishops cannot chuse but referr it to Peter that is to saie to the 〈◊〉 of their name and dignitie Which wordes are not to be argued of ambition since saint AVSTIN commendes them as iust and lawfull in these wordes Vpon this the relations of the two Councells of Carthage and Mileuis were sent to the Sea Apostolicke And a little after Wee writt also to Pope Innocent of blessed memorie familiar letters wherein wee treated the affaire somewhat more amplie To all these things he answered vs in the same manner as was conuenient and fitt that the Prelate of the Sea Apostolicke should answere vs. And finallie we drawe it from the issue of Celestius his cause which was that Pope Innocent hauing bene preuented by death before he could bring it to effect Pope Zosimus his Successor and that euen at the instance of the Councells of Africa who sent to Rome the verball processe of that that past betweene them and Celestius finisht it And after he had heard Celestius in person and deliberated whether hee would absolue him or not absolue him from the excommunication that the Bishops of Africa had pronounced against him he finallie confirmed the sentence of the Councells of Africa and declared him condemned and excommunicated through the whole earth Celestius saith saint AVGVSTINE speaking of the answeres that Celestius made to the Interrogatories of Pope Zosimus would not condemne the things that had bene obiected to him by the Deacon Paulinus in the Councell of Carthage but he durst not resist the letters of the blessed Pope Innocent but promist to comdemne all what that Sea would comdemne And therefore hauing bene gentlie fomented like a franticke person to the end to giue him a little rest it was not yet thought fitt that he ought to be absolued from the bondes of excommunication but for the space of two moneths attending an answere from Africa leasure for repentance was giuen him vnder a certaine medecinall sweetenes of iudgement And againe Of this newe heresie Pelagius and Celestius hauing bene the authors or the most famous and violent promoters they themselues by the meanes
had bene brought out of the East and that when they should come they whould assemble a councell to aduise vpon it From whence it appeares that the sixth councell of Carthage was finished the same yeare wherein it began and lasted but till the copies came out of the East which arriued in the month of Nouember of the consulship of Monaxius and Plinta and the other that when there was question of the last processe of Apiarius and of the second voyage of Faustinus into Africa the Bishops of Africa writt to Pope Celestine that they had assembled a councell expressly vpon the occurrence of this Businesse from it may be gathered that the sixth councell of Carthage had not continued till then Our holy brother fellowe Bishop Faustinus said they coming to vs wee haue assēbled a councell Whereto there may yet be added that betweene the first appeale of Apiarius when he was pursued by the inhabitants of Sicca which was determined in the sixth councell of Carthage in the presence of Flauianus and the second appeale of the same Apiarius when he was pusued by the inhabitants of Thabraca which was determined in the Councell holden after the returne of Faustinus into Africa there did againe interuene an other Councell by which he had bene depriued a second time of the 〈◊〉 of all the Bishops of Africa And it is not to bee replied that the sixth Councell of Carthage chose twentie two deputiesto finish what had not bene determined in the generall assemblie of the Councell for it was an ordinarie thing for the generall Councells of Africa when they had bene some daies together to auoide the wearysomnes and the expences of so great a multitude of Bishops to choose three or fower 〈◊〉 from euerie prouince who should prepare and put into forme the actes of the Councell as in the Councell holden the yeare before vnder the twelfth Consulship of Honorius after the constitution of the 〈◊〉 there was chosen three deputies of euery prouince to determine the other businesse of the Councell and to reduce into forme the actes of what had bene there resolued And neuerthelesse soe farr is it from appearing from thence that this Councell lasted to the yeare following as contrarywise the yeare followinge which was the yeare after the twelfth consulship of Honorius there was assembled a newe Councell the eigth of the calends of June which was that that we call the sixth of Carthage The seauenth skirmish is about the collection intituled the sixth Councell of Carthage which is a gathering of thirtie three of the principall canons of the former Councells of Carthage which manie thinke to haue bene made in the sixth Coūcell of Carthage and we cōntrarywise pretend it to be compiled by some impertinent Rapsodist whether an African during the last and most barbarous tyme of the dominion of the Uandalls in Africa or an Europian while the heresie and tyrannie of the Vandalls hindred the catholickes on this side the Sea from beinge able to haue exact communication and knowledge of the ecclesiasticall things of Africa And we are grounded in this beliefe by infinite reasons The first reason is that Fulgentius Ferandus an African deacon and very conuersant in the African antiquitie who writ a little before the expulsion of the Uandalls out of Africa not onely makes noe mention of this collecton that they intitle the sixth councell of Carthage but also citinge some of the canons that are there alleadgeth them vnder the title of canons of the former Councells of Carthage As when he citeth the canon of the canonicall Bookes he cites it from the Councell of Carthage where there was added the permission to reade the Passions of the martyrs which is the third Councell of Carthage and doth not note that this canon hath bene published in anie other Councell of Carthage when he registers the prohibition of ordayninge Bishops without the consent of their Primate he alleadgeth it with these quotations 〈◊〉 Councell of Carthage vnder the Prelate Genetlius title tenth the Generall Councell of Carthage title fortie fowerth And the Councell of Zelles in the recitall of the Popes Epistle and maketh noe mention amongst the places where this canon of the Councell is that we call the sixth Councell of Carthage which was holden the yeare after that of Zelles When he inrolls the canon of the celibate of Bishops Priests and deacons he inserts it with this quotation The Councell of Carthage title the first and Councell of Zelles And of the Coūcell of Carthage holden after that of Zelles which is that which we call the sixth he speakes not one word And it is not to be obiected that these fragments are found in the collection of Dionisius Exiguus For besides that the collection of Dionisius Exiguus was compiled not by a naturall African as was Fulgentius Ferandus but by a Scythian it was made after the Register of Ferandus as it appeares both by the canons of the Apostles which are there inserted which in Pope Gelasius his tyme and in Fulgentius Ferandus his tyme who were both Africans were neither receuied in the church of Rome nor in the African church and for this cause are not mentioned in the Register of Ferandus and by the diuision of the last canon of the seauenth councell of carthage which the collection of Dionisius and the Greeke edition that followes it doe diuide inpertinently into two canons whereas Fulgentius Ferandus and the originall text of the seauenth Councell of Carthage doe place them vnder one onely title And to this there is noe opposition in this that Victor Bishop of Tununes or according to others Tunnes extendes the 〈◊〉 of Fulgentius Ferandus if the quotations be not transposed to the one twētith yeare of the Empire of Justinian For it is certaine that Fulgentius Ferandus writt from the tyme of the Emperor Anastasius and of Fulgentius Bishop of Ruspa to whom he dedicated the Epistle of the fiue questions The second reason is that these fragments intituled the sixth Councell of Carthage are not in the collection of Jsidorus Mercator and in the ordinary volumes of the Coūcells where the Coūcells of Africa in chiefe are reported and all the other ancient Councells of the latine church whereof wee make vse Contrarywise that the sixth Councell of Carthage which is there inserted containes noe canons and comprehends but the verball processe of what passed betweene the Popes legates and the Bishops of Africa about the matter of appeales which verball processe is reduced onely to tenn Chapters after which immediatly followes in the ordinarie copies the seauenth Councell of Carthage The third reason is that the sixth Councell of Carthage and the seauenth were not two different Councells but two actions of one and the same Councell the one celebrated the eigth of the calends of June vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius and the
the first Protestants haue caused to bee published and republished manie tymes this sixth Councell of Carthage as a Storehowse reputed by them very powerfull to resist the authoritie of the Sea Apostolicke but also haue vomited disgorged with so much impudence the venome of their inuectiues against the Popes vnder the which this matter hath bene treated of as the heauens abhorre it calling Pope Boniface whom S AVGVS calls Reuerend Pope Boniface to whō he dedicated one of his principall Bookes and whom Prosper qualifies Pope of holy memory insteed of Boniface Maleface And Pope Celestine whom the Generall Councell of Ephesus calls new S. Peter in the steede of Celestine Infernall And yet since these two last yeares their Successors dissembling the learned answers of the Illustrious Cardinalls Bellarmine and Barronius haue caused the same Councell to be twice new printed once in France an other time in Germanie as an insoluble piece against the Popes authotity And therefore since the affairedeserues to be treated with much diligence and read with much attention it belongs to me to contribute the one and to the readers to the lend the other To this instance then before I vndertake to search this history to the bottomb I will bring eight obseruations in forme of preseruatiues and antidotes The first obseruation shall be that whatsoeuer the aime and successe of this Councell were nothing could be inferred from it to trouble shake the Popes authoritie in regard of Appeales For in the Coūcell of Chalcedon which was holden by six hundred thirtie six Bishops thirtie yeares after the sixth Councell of Carthage which was more famous authenticall then the sixth Coūcell of Carthage as being a generall Coūcell one of the first four Generall Coūcells whereas the sixth Coūcell of Carthage wat but a Nationall Coūcell the Appeales of causes which cōcerned either faith or the persons of Bishops cōtinued to goe to the Pope according to the forme that had bene ordayned by the rule of the Coūcell of Sardica The Epistle of the Emperor Valentiniā the third annexed to the head of all the copies of the Coūcell of Chalcedon as well Greeke as latine is a testimonie of this which saith Wee onght to preserue 〈◊〉 in our daies the dignitie of particular reuerēce to the blessed Apoctle Péter 〈◊〉 that the holie Bishop of Rome to whō antiquitie hath grāted the priesthood 〈◊〉 all may haue place to iudge of faith and of Bishops c. For for this cause 〈◊〉 to the custome of the Councells Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople hath 〈◊〉 to him in the cōtrouersie which is mooued concerning faith The law of the Emperor Marcian annexed to the end of the Acts of the same Councell is a testimonie of this which cryes out The Synod of Chalcedon by the authority of the blessed Bishop of the cittie eternall in glorie Rome examining matters of faith exactly and establishing the foundations of Religion giues to Flauianus the reward of his past life and the palme of a glorious death A testimonie of this is the petition of appeale sent to the Pope by Theodoret Bishop of 〈◊〉 a cittie confining vpon Persia and subiect to the Patriark of Antioch which saith I attend sentence of your Apostolicke Throne and beseeche your Holynesse to succour me appealing to your right and iust iudgement A testimonie of this is the ordinance of the directors of the policie of the Councell which was Let the most reuerend Bishop Theodoret come in that he may partake of the Councell because the most holy Archbishop Leo hath restored his Bishopricke to him and that the most sacred and religious Emperor hath ordained that he be present at the Councell And finallie the relation of the same Councell is a testimonie of this which writes to the Pope approuing the iudgement of appeale that he had giuen in the cause of Eutyches Abbot of Constantinople and condemning Dioscorus and the false Councell of Ephesus for presuming to meddle with it He hath restored to Eutyches the dignitie whereof he was depriued by your Holinesse c And after all this He hath 〈◊〉 his felony euen against him to whom the keeping of the vine had bene committed by our Sauiour that is to saie against your Apostolicke Holynesse The second obseruation shall be that the controuersie of appeales which was handled in the sixth Councell of Carthage was not of appeales in maior and Ecclesiasticall causes that is to saie in causes of Faith or of the Sacraments or of discipline or of the customes and ceremonies of the Church but of appeales in minor and personall causes that is to saie in the secular and temporall causes of persons constituted in orders as causes of adultery drunkenes battery theft debt and others causes as well morall as pecuniary and as well ciuill as criminall of Ecclesiasticall persons which the decrees of Councells and the lawes of Emperors submitted to the Tribunall of the Church This appeareth both by the qualitie of Apiarius his cause for which this question was moued which was a morall cause and wherein there were 〈◊〉 and infamous crimes handled and not an Ecclesiasticall cause And by the remonstrance which the Africans made to Pope 〈◊〉 That the beyond-sea iudgments could not be assured for the difficultie of causing witnesses to passe out of Africa into Europe which often because of the weakenes either of age or sexe could not indure sea voyages And by the Epistle of Pope Innocent the first which S. AVGVSTINE calls worthie of the Sea 〈◊〉 wherein these words were contained And principally whensoeuer 〈◊〉 of faith are handled I conceiue that all our brethren and colleagues ought not 〈◊〉 them but to Peter that is to saie to the authour of their name and dignitie And finally by the very proceedings of the Mileuitan Councell and of the Councell of Carthge holden vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius For not only the Fathers of the Mileuitan Councell where the prohibition was made to inferior Clerkes not to appeale beyond sea 〈◊〉 the finall iudgment of Celestius alreadie heard and iudged for a cause of Faith in Africa to Pope Innocent the first with this acknowledgment that the Popes authority was of diuine right or to vse their owne owne termes drawne from the authority of the holy Scriptures but euen Pope Innocent the first being dead before he could heare Celestius in person and hauing only condemned him in generall vpon the reporte of the Councells of Africa the African Bishops reassembled in the Councell of Carthage holden vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius wherein the question of Apiarius and the controuersie of Episcopall appeales began caused their acts concerning Celestius to be carried to Rome and procured them to be confirmed by Pope Zosimus successor to Innocent The reuerend Bope Zosimus saith S. AVGVSTINE pressed Celestius to condemne those things that the Deacon Paulinus
of Appeales that had bene sent them vnder the title of the Canons of the Councell of Nicea were not in the copies of the Councell of Nicea that had bene brought out of the East and not knowing that they were in those of the Councell of Sardica which was the Appendix and the seale of the Councell of Nicea they tooke licence to write an Epistle to Pope Celestine to beseeche him no more so easily to receaue the Appeales of the Clergie men of Africa Now some might call in question the credit of this Epistle as well because it is a peece out of the worke and annexed to the continuance of the sixth Councell of Carthage which had bene held three yeare before as a foundling without anie mention of the date or of the actes or of the history of the Councell where it was written as because it was full of clauses and cannot be compatible with the discipline of the Africans for it takes for a first foundation that if the Councell of Nicea excluded Priests from being to be adiudged by Appeale out of their Prouinces the Bishops may by stronger reason be excluded And the foundation of the Africans contrarywise in the question that they had against the Donatists was that Cecilanus after he had bene deposed by the Bishops of Africa might haue reserued the iudgment of his cause to the beyond sea Churches for as much as he was not of the number of Priests or other inferior Clerkes which the Coūcell of Nicea 〈◊〉 Cecilianus assisted could not be ignorant of It takes for a second foundation that ecclesiasticalls condemned might appeale to the Councell of their Prouince yea euen to the generall Councell of all Africa which is manifestly against the history and discipline of the Councells of Africa and principally for the inferior Clerkes as Priests deacons and Subdeacōs For the holding of the anniuersary Councells of all Africa had bene suppressed twelue yeares before Celestine in the Coūcell holden vnder the seauenth Consuslhip of Honorius where it had bene ordained that the vniuersall Councells of Africa should no more be ordinary and anniuersary and should no more be holden but for extraordinary and vniuersall causes And that the causes that were not common should be iudged in their Prouinces And that if there were an appeale the appealant and the partie should choose Iudges from whom it should not be lawfull to appeale And finally it takes for a third foundation that there was no difference of priuiledge betweene Clerkes of the Superior order in the matter of passiue iurisdiction and that the same which had bene ordained concerning the one ought by a stronger reason to haue place concerning the others which is directly contrary to the African discipline which makes so great difference betweene the one and the other as to iudge Priests in the second instance there needed but six Bishops with the Diocesan and to iudge a Bishop in the first instance there must be twelue with the Archbishop of the Prouince But for as much as this Epistle is in the collection of Dionisius whether it haue bene added since or whether it were inserted from the beginning and that after Dionisius Pope Adrian and the Emperor Charlemaine made mention thereof although there be ancient copies where neither of these Epistles are to be found I will not resist it Only I will saie that S. AVGVSTIN assisted not at the Councell where it was written as appeares as well because there is no mention made of him neither at the beginning nor end of the Epistle a thing which would neuer haue bene forgotten to authorise and fortifie the action as well as it had bene in the Epistle to Boniface as because those that were after him in order of promotion and which were wont to be enrolled after him in publicke actions and amongst others The asius 〈◊〉 and Fortunatianus are named in the inscription of the Epistle and not he For that S. AVGVSTINE did vse to precede The asius appeares by the fortie fifth and two and sixtith Canon of the councell intitled African and that hee vsed to precede Uincentius and Fortunatianus appeares by the collation of Carthage where the deputies for the Catholickes vere Aurelius Alipius Augustinus Uincentius Fortunatus Fortunatianus and Possidius Now this Epistle containes two partes to witt a narration and a supplication which wee report from the Greeke text for as much as the Greeke edition as wee haue aboue shewed is more intire and correct in matter of Epistles then the latine The narration then it Our holy brother and colleague Faustinus coming to vs wee beleeued that hee had bene sent with Apiarius to the end that as by his meanes Apiarius had bene formerly restored to his Priesthood so now by his labour hee might be purged of so manie crimes as had hene obiected against him by the Tabracenians But the multitude of our Synod running ouer the crimes of Apiarius found them to bee so great and in so great number as they haue surmounted the protectiō rather then iudgment and affection of a defender rather then the iustice of a Judge of the same Faustinus for first he hath throughly resisted all the assemblie charging it with diuers contumelies vnder colour of pursuing the priuiledges of the Roman Church and willing to cause himselfe to be receiued vnto our Communion because your Holynesse beleeuing he had appealed to you which yet he could not proue had restored him to the Cōmunion 〈◊〉 this succeeded not with him as you may know better by the verball processe of the actes cōtrarywise after a laborious inquiry of three daies during which wee examined with much anguish the diuers charges which were obiected to him God a iust iudge powerfull patiēt hath cut off by a great abridgemēt the delaies of our colleague Faust. ād the tergiuersatiōs of the same Apiarius by which he attēpted to hide his infamous villanies c. For our God pressing the conscience of this fraudulent denyer and his will beinge to publish to men the Crimes that his prouidence condemned being yet hidden in his hart as in a bogge of vices he hath blased out and sufferd himselfe to fall into a confessiō of all the vices which were obiected against him c. and hath cōuerted our hope by which wee beleeued and desired that he might purge himselfe from these so shamefull blotts and staines into greef but that our greefe hath bene eased by this only confort that wee haue bene deliuered from the affliction of a longer labour After the narration marcheth the supplication which consists in three requests The first request is that the Pope should noe more so easily receiue those that should appeale to him from Africa Premised then said they the office of a due salutation wee beseech you with all our affection that you doe no more so easily admitt these to your 〈◊〉 that shall come from hence and
the holding of the Councell of Chalcedon and inserted with the Greeke Acts of the same Councell of Chalcedon saith That Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople had appealed to the Pope following the custome of Councells which had principallie reference to the Councell of Sardica and not only the Senate of Constantinople deputed to cause policie to be obserued in the Councell of Chalcedon receiued Theodoret Bishop of Cyre who had appealed to Pope Leo and made him enter and haue a seate in the assemblie of the Councell because Pope Leo had restored his Bishopricke to him a thing which was grounded vpon the canons of the Councell of Sardica but also Zonara explaining the canon of the Councell of Sardica which calls Metropolitans Archbishops And conferring it with the sixth Councell of Carthage which reiects the vse of this word saith that the Councell of Chalcedon hath retained it yielding rather to the authoritie of the Councell of 〈◊〉 then to that of the Councell of Carthage And Balsamon Nilus and other Greeke Schismatiks will haue it that the Councell of Chalcedon yielded the appeales of the Easterne prouinces to the Patriark of Constantinople pretending that it was grounded vpon the canons of the Councell of Sardica which gaue the appeales to the Pope and they haue extended this right to the Patriark of Constantinople for as much as Constantinople was a second Rome For as for the supplie of proofes that the Popes aduersaries pretend to collect from Dionisius Exiguus it shall be satisfied heereafter The third Answere is that the verie copie of this Rapsodie which was produced in the Councell of Chalcedon was a falsified code as appeares by the canons thereof that were produced in the same Councell for the fowre canons which were read in the Councell of Chalcedon vnder the title of Rule eightie fourth eightie fifht nintie fourht and nintie sixth were fowre canons of the Councell of Antioch celebrated vnder Constantius Now this Councell was an hereticall Councell holden by the Arrians and at the instance of Constantius an Arrian against saint ATHANASIVS And of these fowre canons that which was quoted vnder the cypher of the canon eightie fifth that is to saie vnder the cypher of the canon correspondent to the fowrth canon of the Councell of Antioch had bene partycularly framed against saint ATHANASIVS This appeares both by the historie of Socrates which reportes that the fifteenth canon of this councell of Antioch hauing bene produced against S. CHRISOSTOME when the Emperor Arcadius would haue caused him to be deposed S. CHRISOSTOME answered that this canon was come out of the shopps of the Arrians and had bene forged by them against S. ATHANASIVS Iohn saith Socratès answered that this Canon was not of the Church but of the Arrians For those that assembled themselues at Antioch for the distruction of the faith of consubstantialitie publisht this canon out of hate to saint ATHANASIVS And by that of Sozomene who writes And for that of the Ecclesiasticall Canon Iohn refusing it they receiued not his apologie but deposed him although hee insisted for it must be read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it was a Canon of hereticks And by the Epistle of Bope Innocent the first to the Constantinopolitans reported in the same Sozomene were Pope Innocent saith speaking of the canons of the Coūncell of Antioch that werè produced against saint CHRISOSTOME These canons ought not to be receiued by catholicke Bishops for wee must not patch vp the inuention of hereticks with the canons of catholicks And by the testimonie of Paladius a Greeke author and tyme mate with saint CHRISOSTOME who saith in the life of saint CHRISOSTOME and vpon the subiect of the same canons Theophilus had sent Canons composed by fortie of the Complices of Arrius Soe spake he because that of nintie Bishops which assisted at the Councell of Antioch there were but fortie or according to the Epistle of Iulius thirtie six which actually comdemned saint ATHANASIVS but these fortie did so oppresse the rest by the force and tyranny of Constantius an Arrian Emperor who was there present that they alone caused to be ordained and publisht what they listed And a little after Elpidius Bishop of Laodicea and Tranquillus shewed the Emperor Arcadius that these Canons were hereticall And finally this appeared by all the authors of saint CHRISOSTOMES life who saie that his defendors offered the Emperor Arcadius to quitt his protectiō if his aduersaries would signe that they held the same Faith with those that framed these canons And this is alsoe acknowledged by the ministers of Germanie who in the laste Greeke impression of the canons of the Councell that they haue made at Witenberge saie vpon the fourth canon of the Councell of Antioch which is that that was read in the Councell of Chalcedon vnder the name of canon eightie three This canon seemes to bee made in hate and ruine of the pious Athanasius And vpon the eleuenth This canon was likewise framed against saint Athanasius And vpon the fifteent This canon was also vndoubtedly made against the Good Athanasius to take from him the power of Appealing to an other Synod And vpon the twentie fifth This Councell of Antioch not only neglected the faith of the Councell of Nicea touching Christs diuinitie but also stroue cautelouslie to disanull it By meanes whereof it is cleere that the Rapsodie which was produced at the Councell of Chalcedon in the cause of Bassian and Steuen where these canons were inserted was not the true vniuersall Code of the canons of the Greeke Church which had bene preserued in the Episcopall Bibliotheque of Constantinople since the time of the Councell of Constantinople to that of saint CHRISOSTOME but was the same falsified code that Cyrinus Bishop of Chalcedon who was an Egiptian by extraction and for that cause a partaker which Theophilus and a cruell aduersarie to sainr CHRISOSTOME And other Asians Enemies to saint CHRISOSTOME conspiring and assembled with Theophilus had produced against the same saint CHRISOSTOME and which remained after the death of Cyrinus in the Episcopall Bibliotheque of Chalcedon a thing whereto the fathers of the Coūcell of Chalcedō tooke noe heede because the canōs which were inserted into this Rapsodie were there inserted without in scription of titles and without distinction of Councells and with suppression of the name of the Councell of Antioch And against this it auailes not to saie that S. HILARIE speaking of the Synod of Antioch holden in the dedication calls it the Synod of the Saints for he saith it to accomodate himselfe to the infirmitie of Eleusius Bishop of Cyzica and other secret catholicks of the Asian prouinces amongst whom he inhabited for foundation whereof you must knowe that Eleusius and the other couert catholicks of the Asian prouinces that were called Demy 〈◊〉 for
not be lawfull for a Bishop accused to appeale frō the Patriarkall Synod to thē Generall Councell or to the Pope who was the head thereof and represented it but that it should not be lawfull for the accuser after the Cause had bene adiuged in the first instance by the prouinciall Councell and in the second by the Patriarchall Coucel to pursue it elsewhere no not before a Generall Councell as appeares by the Conclusion of the Canon which is If anie one despising the thinges aforesaid shall dare to importune the eares of the Emperor or the iudgement of the secular magistrates or disunite the Generall Councell c let him be no more 〈◊〉 waie receaued in his accusation Otherwise how could saint CHRYSOSTOME being deposed a while after this Councell by a Councell holden at the instance of the Emperor and the Empresse in thè Suburbs of Constantinople haue appealed to a Generall Councell And how a little after seeing himself depriued of the Pope of a Generall Councell because of the obstacle that the Emperor of the East and the Empresse his wife without whom a Generall Councell could not be celebrated gaue to it could he haue appealed to the Pope And how could the Emporor Ualentinian haue said that Flauianus Bisho of Constantinople had appealed to the Pope according to the custome of Councells And how could the Councell of Chalcedon holden at the gates of Constantinople haue approued of the appeale of Theodoret Bishop of Cyre a cittie of the Patriarkship of Antioch to the Pope and the iudgment of restitution be giuen by the Pope vpon his Appeale To the third Instance which is that the Emperor Justin ordaines that clerkes should be first iudged by their Bishop and then by their metropolitans and then by the Patriarkes of the Nation and should obey the things decided by him as if from the beginning he had bene the iudge for as much as against the sentence of such Bishops the former Emperors had ordained that there should be noe appeale Wee answere that he speakes of the causes of inferior clerkes who in the first instance ought to be iudged by their Bishops in the second by the metropolitans and in the third by the Patriarke and not of the causes of Bishops And where as he saith that against the sentence of such Bishops the former Emperors haue ordained that there should be noe appeale wee say with Balsamon that the place is corrupted and thus it must bee reads against such sentence of Bishops to witt against the sentences of Bishop giuen in lay matters and it must bee interpreted of the appeale to the secular Tribunall as appeares by the same lawe of the Emperors Arcadius Honorius and Theodosius to which that of Justin remitts the Readers which ordaines that the sentences of Bishops should be as those of the Prouostes of the Pretory from whence it is not lawfull to appeale Wee ordaine said the Emperors writing to Theodorus Prouost of the Pretorie that the Episcopall sentence shall remaine firme in the behalse of those which haue desired to be iudged by the Bishops add that like reuerence be giuen to their iudgements as to yours from whence it is not lawfull to appeale And by the report that Photius made of the same law in these wordes The ninth constitution of the fourth title of the first booke of the code saith That the Sentences of Bishops should bee as those of the prouostes of the 〈◊〉 from whence it is not lawfull to appeale that is to saie that it is noe more lawfull to appeale from the sentences of Bishops to the imperiall Tribunall then from those of the Prouost of the Pretory for the Emperors might well ordaine that for things temporall there should be noe appeale from the Bishops to them but not that for things sperituall there should be noe appeale frō Bishops to the superior ecclesiasticall Tribunalls To the fourth instance which is that the Emperor Iustinian ordaines that if anie clerke or layman attempt an action against a Bishop for what cause soeuer the cause should be iudged before the metropolitan and that if any one contradict the things iudged the cause should be referred to the Blessed Archbishop and Patriarke of the diocesse and there according to the lawes and canons he must end it And a little before that if two Bishops of one selfe Sinod haue a contestatiō one against the other the Metropolitan with two of the Bishops of the Synod that is to saie of the Episcopall societies of the Prouinces shall iudge thereof and that if one of the parties contradict it the blessed Patriarke of the nation shall decide it without that either of the parties can contradict it Wee answere that he speakes of the causes of Bishops where there interuenes noe deposition the finall deposition of Bishops hauing bene aliwaies subiect to appeales be it to the Pope or to a Generall Councell as appeares by the historie of 〈◊〉 time-fellowe with Iustinian who saith that John Patriarke of Alexandria hauing bene deposed at the instance of the Emperor Zeno by the Synod of the Prouince appealed to the Pope And by saint ATHANASIVS who reports these words out of the Epistle of Pope Iulius They must write to all of vs that by all of vs that may be iudged which is iust For those that were disquieted were Bishops And againe Are you ignorant that it is the custome to write first to vs and that from hence should proceede the decision of things And therefore yf there were anie suspition conceaued against the bishop there it must haue bene written off to the Church here And besides wee saie thas whereas he ordaines that the Patriarke should end causes he incends he should end them in regard of secular indgements that is to saie that after the Patriarke no secular iudge should dare to examine it nor should anie of the partles contradict before anie Secular Iudge as when he saith in the former Paragraphe that if it be an Ecclesiasticall cause which is attempted against anie clearke the secular Iudges should not intermeddle in it but the Blessed Bishop must end it For he intends not heereby to saie that there can be noe appeale from the Bishop to superior ecclesiasticall Iudges but that there should be noe appeale from the Bishop to the Prince and the secular Magistrat And it is not to be said that the Pope saint GREGORIE the first cites the constitution of Iustinian whereof there hath bene aboue mention in the cause of the Bishop Steuen who seemed to be accused of a crime meriting deposition to witt of the crime of treason for besides that those that make this allegation forget to add to it the traine of saint GREGORIES text which is That if they saie contrariwise that there is noe Metropolitan nor Patriarke it must be answered that the cause ought to be iudged and decided by the Sea Apostolicke which is the head of all the Churches That
caused the diuision of the Church especiallie in the West for whatsoeuer multitude of gouernments haue had place there vnder the title of Empire Kindome Principalitie and Common wealth and whatsoeuer difference of manners languages lawes and institutions that haue raigned there the Church hath bene no more visible in the tyme when the Empire was one and ruled ouer all the East and west then it hath bene vnder this diuersitie of Princes and gouernments Also the vnitie of the Church was not foretold by the Prophets only for the time wherein there should be but one tēporall monarcke in the world if euer that title could haue belonged to anie Prince but also for that tyme wherein there should bee seuerall kinges and Administrators of Estates according to this Prophecie of the Psalmist The Kings and Kingdomes shall agree in one to serue our Lord. Which caused S. AVGVSTINE to saie vnder colour that in the whole world Kingdomes are often deuided yet for all that Christian vnitie is not 〈◊〉 for as much as the Catholicke Church remaines on either part And indeede that the vnitie of the Church depends not from the vnitie of the Empire but from the relation to a visible center of the Ecclesiasticall communion it appeared sufficiently euen in the time of the greatest vnitie and extent of the Empire when the Christians which were vnder Firmus King of the Barbarians in Africa vnder Mania Queene of the Sarazins vnder Cosroes King of Persia states all distinct yea the most part of the time enemies to the Romane Empire And after in Damascus and other neighbouring Prouinces vnder the Kings of the Agarenians did all agree in the vnion and communion of the Catholicke Church For as for the deuisions which are at this daie in the East euery one knowes that that of Egypt and Ethiopia hath begun from the time of the vnitie of the Empire And that of the Armenians likewise as appeares by the decisiōs made against them in the Canōs of the Coūcell holden vnder Iustinian 〈◊〉 And that of the Nestorians and Iacobites which haue yet to this day their sect in Mesopotamia other partes of Asia likewise And as for the Greeke Church it is certaine that although it began to be diuided since the separation of the Empire neuerthelesse the cause of the diuision was not the diuision of the Empire vnder which it perseuered yet manie yeares in vnitie with the Latine but the Schisme betweene the two competitors of the Patriarkship of Constantinople Ignatius and Photius to which to make it the more lasting heresie was added and which the Emperors according as they haue bene good or euill haue indeuoured themselues to fomēt or stopp and there haue not wanted generall Councells euen of the two seuerall Churches to extinguish this diuision when they haue desired it For histories are full of these examples witnes that which was holden at Constantinople vnder the Emperor Basilius for the restitution of Ignatius that which was holden vnder Pope Innocent the third which wee call the great Councell of Lateran to reunite the Greeke church with the Latine and that which was holden for the same effect at Florence vnder Eugenius the fourth at which the Emperor and the Patriarke of Greece assisted in person As also the diuision of the Empire and the rule of the Greeke Emperors after of the Mahometan Princes did not hinder the Churches that acknowledged the Patriarke of the Syrian tongue whom we call Maronites from perseuering in the communion of the Roman Church In such sort as this varietie and diuision of sects in the East can not be attributed to the defect of the vnitie of the Empire since in the time that the Empyre was most vnited these troubles and innouations had such place therein as Socrates and Sozomene doe in the tyme of the Emperor Constantius set the mount Tuscis in Illiria for a bound betweene the quiet peace of the Church and the tempest and turbulencie of hereticks But it ought to be attributed to the want of constancie of the Easterne people or rather to the blessing of God vpon the Roman church which would shew that this prophecie Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock I will build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it hath had some more speciall effect for the Sea of S. PETER then for those of the other Patriarkes according to that oracle of the great Leo Besides the stone that our Lord hatt sett for a foundation noe other building shall be stedfast Of the interpretation of these vvords Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock I will build my Church CHAPT III. The continuance of the Kings answere SINCE that time the Catholicke Church in truth hath not ceast to be for it shall allwaies bee and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against her who is founded on Christ the true stone and in the faith of PEETER and of the other Apostles THE REPLIE THat some times the Fathers expound these words Vpon this Rock I will build my Church of the Faith of S. PETER and say that the Church was built vpon the confession of PETER And that some times they expound it of the person of PETER and saie that the Church hath bene founded vpon the person of PETER they are not contrarie expositions the one excluding the other but conioynt the one including the other for they intend the Church to speake the Schoole language is built causallie vpon the confession of PETER and formallie vpon the ministrie of the person of PETER that is to saie the confession of PETER was the cause werefore Christ chose him to constitute him for the foundation of the ministrie of his Church By that saith saint HILLARIE the blessed Confession hath obtained his reward and that the person of saint Peter hath bene that vpon which our Lord hath properlie built his Church Soe as to saie that his Church is built vpon the confessio of PETER is not to denie that it is built vpō the person of PETER but it is to expresse the cause wherefore it is built vpon him noe more then to sale with saint HIEROME that PETER walked not vpon the waters but Faith is not to denie that saint PETER walked trulie properly and formallie vpon the water but it is to expresse that the cause that made him walke there was not the actiuitie or naturall vertue of his person but the faith that he had giuen to the words of Christ. And therefore as these two propositions the faith of PETER walked vpon the waters and the person of PETER walked vpon the waters are both true but in a different sence for the faith of PETER walked vpon the waters causallie as the Schooleme sare that is to saie it was the cause that the person of saint PETER walked there and the person of saint PETER walked there trulie properlie and formallie so these two propositions the Church was built vpon
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.
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
to the Church CHAPT V The continuance of the Kings answere AND also which is principallie to be lamented it is happened by this dissipation that there is lesse force in the seperate parts then there was in the whole to resist the enemie of mankinde who as Christ teacheth vs is a wake and attentiue vpon 〈◊〉 occasion to mingle the good seede with darnell and tares THE REPLIE AFTER the deuision of the externall communion all the soule the forme and essence of the Church rests in one onlie of the societies which remaine after the diuision and not in the others which are no more trulie partes of the Church but only equiuocallie euen as when a member is separated from a liuing and sensible Bodie all the essence the Soule and forme of the creature remaines in the Bodie from whence that separation hath bene made and not in the part that hath bene separated from it which is noe more a part of the Bodie but equiuocallie and inproperlie And therefore after the separation of hereticks all the same strength vigor and vertue which was in the Bodie of the Church before the separation remaines in the part from whence the separation is made as she that inherits the condition of all and not in the others in such sort as she hath noe lesse force to resist the corruption that the enemie of mankinde would bring in but contrariwise oftentimes more for as much as the constancie of the Charitie of those which remaine in the Church is made the more vnited and the more eminent by the separation of the rest according to this sentence of saint PAVLE There must be heresies that the Good may be manifested And therefore saint AVGVSTINE writes That the Church makes vse of 〈◊〉 for the approbation of her doctrine and of schismaticks for the demonstration of her stedfastnes And elsewhere That those that goe forth from the Bodie of the Church are as euili humors by whose purgation the Bodie is eased By meanes whereof his Maiestie ought not to pretend that the alienations of the partes which are seperate from the Bodie of the Church haue left in her from whom they are seperated the lesse vigor to resist the enemie of mankinde and to maintaine her self vncorrupted then there was in the whole Bodie before but contrariwise to presuppose that the same vertue which resided in the whole Bodie is reunited in the part that succeedes it As when one of our eyes hath lost his former light His splendors faire effect shines in the other sight And th'extinguisht beame adds to the cleere-eyes store Who sees alone as much as both could see before Also it cannot be found that since the separation of the Roman Church and the Greeke faction quoted by his Maiestie which is the greatest seperation that euer was made the Roman Church receaued anie doctrine which was not holden by all the Bodie of the Catholike Church when this diuision happened and noe more till then since the separation of the Egiptians and Ethiopian Prouinces Of the pretended corruption of the Church CHAPT VI The continuance of the Kings answere AND what wee now see with our eyes to be happened yea and handle it with our handes it is a ridiculous thing and more then absurd to dispute if heretofore it could be or now can be done THE REPLIE THere was neuer anie age wherein those that seperated themselues from the Church haue not beleeued that they saw cleerly and euidently that she was corrupted and full of palpable and Cymerian darknes otherwise they had not seperated themselues from her The figure of this preiudication preceded in the rashnes of Oza who beleeued that the Arke was about to fall and vpon that beleefe put out his hand to lifte it vp for which he was punisht with death And followed in the incredulitie of the Apostles who while our Lord slept thought that the Barke wherein they were with him was about to perishe in indignation whereof he chidd them for their little faith and taught them that he that keepes Israell doth neither slumber nor sleepe and the historie since hath cōtinued in all the pretended Reformers of the Church For as Pentheus in seeing his children thought hee had seene Beares Tigers Serpents and other wild beastes and did not perceiue that the euill was not in them but in his sight Soe the heretickes in all ages in seeing their mother that is to saie the Church thought they had seene a troope of Dragons Lyons and wild-beasts and vpon that occasion haue put themselues to flight not discerning that the euill was not in the Church but in their eyes And that it is soe did not the Luciferians saie That the Catholicke Church had bene conuerted into a brothell and was become the whore of Antichrist And did not the Donatists call the Apostolicke chaire the chaire of Pestilence And did they not crie out that the Catholicke Church was become the shield of Romulus And saith not saint AVGVSTINE of them I iustly persecute him that detracts from his neighbour wherefore shall I not more iustlie persecute him that publickly blasphemes the Church c. when he saith she is a whore And the Pelagians when there was alleadged to them the number and the multitude of the Catholicks did they not answere that to finde anie thing a multitude of blinde men auailed nothing And neuerthelesse who knowes not at this daie that they were the blinde men and not the Church And then this pretended corruptiō of the Church being the theame of the question debated by vs to cause that to passe as a thing graunted it is to put for a principle that which his maiestie ought if it please him to reserue to be iudged at the end not presuppose at the beginning of the disputation For to saie that there is no thing but is altered and corrupted by age this argument is good for those thinges that are preserued by ordinarie and naturall faculties but not for those that are assisted by extraordinary and supernaturall helpe and to whom these words of Dauid may be applied Thy youth shall he renewed as the youth of an Eagle Now the Church is of this number for our Lord saith of her without exception of time Thou art wholly faire and there is noe spott in thee and shee sings and will sing to the end of the world I am black but I am faire that is to saie I am black in manners but faire in doctrine And therefore S. AVGVSTINE compares her to Sara who when she was old left not to be faire And for this same cause sainct HIEROME citing these wordes of Salomon that the eye that mockes his Father or despiseth the age of his mother the Crowes of the valley shall pull it out interprets them of hereticks who despise the age of the Church Assoone saith hee as the eye of the hereticks mocks the creator his father or despiseth the age
and not our mother as the first Eue was who engendred her children dead to Saluation but as the second Eue who engendred her children liuing From whence it is that saint AMBROSE and saint HIEROME call the Church the true Eue mother of the liuing And how then is it that hereticall sects who amongst the conditions vnder which they receiue men into their communion oblige them to hold killing doctrines should attribute to thēselues the title of a Church Hee teacheth vs that the Fathers of the Earth will not giue their children a Scorpion for an egge or a Serpent for a Fishe And how then is it that the Church should giue hers poyson insteede of wholesome food or that hereticall sects whose wine saith saint HIEROM is the furie of Dragons and the incurable furie of Aspes should bee Churches Hee teacheth vs that the Church is the Waie the Gate and Entrie into the Kingdome of Heauen yea for this cause himself often calls it the Kingdome of Heauen it is then of the Essence of the Church that Saluation might be therein obtained and the waie howe to come to the Kingdome of Heauen and consequently that amongst the conditions vnder whose obligation she receiues men into her communion there be none repugnant to Saluation Now contrarywise it is of the Essence and of the definition of hereticall and Schismaticall Societies that amongst the conditions vnder which they receiue men into their communion there are conditions repugnant to Saluation otherwise they could not be hereticall Schismaticall And so it is of the Essence and of the definition of the Church not to be hereticall and it is of the Essence and of the definition of hereticall Societies contrarywise not to be Churches nor partes of the Church and they cannot be called Churches nor members of the Church but falselie and equiuocallie as a dead member that is cutt off from the Bodie is noe member but equiuocallie and by abuse of speeche of as a dead man or a man either formed in picture or raised in a Sculpture is noe man but equiuocally by abuse of speech By meanes whereof it is to erre against the Essence and definition of the Church to hold them for Churches or to reckon them in the totalitie of the catholick Church and to this all the Fathers agree Heresies saith Clemens Alexandrinus are equiuocallie called Churches And saint CYPRIAN Nouatianus doth as Apes doe who would seeme to be men though they be not soe so will he seeme to haue a Church though he haue none And againe When the Nouatians demaunded beleeuest thou the remission of sinns by the holie Church they lye in their Interrogatorie for they haue noe Church And the Elibertine Councell If anie one passe from the Catholick Church vnto heresie and returne againe to the Church c. And the Councell of Sardica Wee cast out of the limtts of the Catholicke Church those that affirme Christ to be God and not verie God And saint HIEROME Heretick make in their Church by false appellation that which they made when they were yet heathen And againe Noe hereticall congregation can be called the Church os Christ. And elsewhere In what Church hath he beleeued in that of the Arrians but they haue none And in the same worke If thou hearest in anie place of men denominated from anie other then from Christ as Marcionites Ualentinians Montagniers or Campites knowe that there is not the Church of Christ. And Optatus Mileuitanus Out of the onelie Church which is the true Catholick Church others amongst hereticks are esteemed to be and are not And againe There is one onely Church which cannot be amongst you and amongst vs it remaines then that she must be in one place And S. AVGVSTINE you are with vs in the creede and in the other Sacraments of our Lord c but you are not with vs in the Catholique Church And againe There is one Catholique Church vpon which other 〈◊〉 impose other names although themselues be all called by particular names which they dare not disauowe From whence it appeares in the iudgement of Iudges not preoccupate with fauour to whom the name of Catholicke whereof they are all ambitious ought to be attributed And elsewhere The Church of the saints is the Catholique Church the Church of the Saints is not the church of Hereticks She hath bene predesigned before she was seene and hath bene exhibited that she might bee seene And in the Booke of Faith and of the creede Neither do the Hereticks belonge to the Catholick church because she loues God nor the Schismatickes because She loues her neighbour And in the Booke against the Fundamentall Epistle In this Church finallie the name of Catholique detaines me which this Church alone amongst so manie and so great heresies hath so preserued as when a stranger askes where they assemble to the Catholick Church there is noe hereticke dare she we his Temple or his howse And in his Treatise vpon saint IOHN All hereticks and Schismaticks are gone out from vs that is to saie are gone out from the Church Faustinus was not President to a Church but to a faction The holie Ghost hath not glorified Christ with a true glorie but in the Catholick Church for elsewhere addeth hee be it amongst hereticks be it amongst Pagans his true glorie vpon earth cannot bee And vpon sainct MATTHEW Jewes and all other hereticks which doe indeede confesse that there is a holy Ghost but denie that he is in the bodie of Christ which is his onely Church no other certainelie but onely the Catholicke are without doubt like the Pharises who though they did confesse that there was an holie Ghost yet denied him to be in Christ. And in the Booke of the method to cathecise the not instructed Wee must saith hee garnish and animate the infirmitie of man against temptations and scandalls be it without or be it within the Church 〈◊〉 against Gentiles or 〈◊〉 or hereticks and within against the Strawe in the Barne of our Lord. And againe Let not the Enemie seduce thee not only by those that are without the Church whether Pagans or Iewes or Hereticks but euen by those that thou seest in the Church euill liuers And in the fowrth Councell of Carthage where he assisted in person Let not the Conuenticles of Hereticks be called Churches but mock-Councells And the verie lawe of the Emperors Hereticks rashlie presume to call their Conuenticles Churches Now if this haue place in other heresies to witt that the beeing and title of a Church is denied to them how much more in that of the Eutychians that is to saie of the Egyptians and Ethiopians which destroy not the walles the roofe and the couering onely but the foundation of the Edifice of Faith vpon the which all the other partes of the doctrine are built to witt Christ the corner stone and maintaine
that the Church was then perished for since the excellent King will haue it that the only assured marke to discerne which either of the Church which hee calls English or of ours is the true Church be it that which is the essentiall forme of the Church and that he pretends to be doctrine it is necessary that he suppose that the difference which are betweene the Church that hee calls English and ours be questions which take awaie the essentiall forme of the Church and destroy the being of a Church And by consequence that that of the one or other Societie which errs in these pointes shall bee depriued of the essentiall 〈◊〉 of a Church and destitute from the being of a Church And then if when Luther came into the world there were noe Societie neither visible nor inuisible which held that that the English Church holdes at this daie in the pointes disputed betweene her and vs it followes there was then noe Church Of the authoritie of the worke intituled imperfect CHAP. XVII The Continuance of the Kings Answere AND therefore the excellent King thinkes that he ought with soe much the more Care in so great a floud of different opinions withdrawe himselfe into the mountaines of the holie Scripture THE REPLIE WHEN Nauplius King of the Island of Euboea now called Negrepont would at the returne frō the Seige of Troy cause the fleete of the Greekes to be shipwrackt to reuenge the death of his Sonn Palamides hee sett by night torches in forme of a beacon vpon one of the mountaines of his Island at the foote whereof the Sea was full of bankes cliffes and rockes so to drawe their shipps by the hope of a safe hauen to runn hazard and perish in those shores Soe whenantient heretickes whom saint AVGVSTINE calls mountaines for Shipwracke would cause the Catholickes to make shipwracke in Faith the more their doctrines haue bene pernicious and mortall the more they haue adorned and illustrated them with texts and lampes of the scripture This appeares in the heresie of the Arrians who painted and coloured their error with more then fortie passages of the Bible and by this art attempted to call men backe from the externall and sensible markes of the Church which could not bee pretended by false ensignes by those who had them not to reduce them to the only marke of the scripture the interpretation whereof by their subtletie they made subiect to as manie deceipts as there were wordes But aboue all this is verified in the writer from whom his Maiestie borrowes this language who was one of the most passionate Champions of the Arrians For though he cites these wordes without naming the Father neuerthelesse both the termes wherein they are couched and the tracke of those who haue alleadged them before him to witt Caluin in some of the prefaces to his institution the author of the Booke of the Eucharist in the preface to his worke cannot suffer vs to doubt but that they were taken from the author of the worke intituled Imperfect falselie attributed to Sainct CHRYSOSTOME Now that this Author was not onelie an open Arrian but one of the most eager and violent Champions of the Arrians it appeares by this that he calls the Trinitie triangular impietie and the doctrine of the homousians that is to saie of those that held the Consubstantialitie of the Father and the sonne Heresie Not but that I knew well that he is sometimes alleadged euen by Catholickes with the title of saint CHRISOSTOME vnder whose name he had bene first printed at Basle But because it is one thinge to alleadge him in places where hee disputes not against the Church wherein he is excellent and aboue all in the discourse of manners and an other to alleadge him in the places where hee combates with deliberate purpose against the doctrine of the Catholicke Church of his age as he doth in that from whence the words are taken which his maiestie produceth For behold the expresse termes of the passage When you shall see the impious heresie which is the armie of Antichrist sett in the holie places of the Church then let them which are in Iudea flie into the Mountaines that is to saie let them that are in the christian Societie haue recourse to the scriptures And a little after The Lord then knowinge that so great a confusion of things should arriue in the last daies for this cause commaunds that the Christians who are in the Christian Societie being willing to receaue the stedfastnes of the true faith should haue recourse to noe other thing but to the Scriptures otherwise if they cast their eyes elsewhere they shall be scandalized and perish not discerning which is the true Church Now that by this impious heresie and by this Armie of Antichrist he intends the Catholicke Church and the communion of them which beleeue the equalitie of the Father and the sonne he plainelie shewes when he saith in the same Homilie that the great spirituall euills which haue come vpon the Church haue happened in the time of Constantine and Theodosius and that the armie of Antichrist is the heresie and the abhomination of desolation which hath since them possest the holie places of the Church that is to saie the Basilickes that Theodosius cōmaunded to be deliuered vp to the Catholickes And whē he saith in the former Homilie that the heresie of the Homousians that is to saie of those that hold Christ to be consubstantiall which his Father Fights not only against the Church of Christ but euen against the other heresies which hold not the like And in the nineteneth Homilie when hee calls the worshippers the Trinitie Those that honor the triangular impietie Whereby it appeares that this passage if so farre from giuing fauour to his Maiesties intention as contrariwise it manifestes how dangerous a thing it is to seeke to reduce the markes of the Church to the onelie doctrine drawne from the scripture by the interpretation of euerie particular person since the Arrians in the point which of all others should be most expresse in the scriptures for the catholickes to witt in the point of the diuinitie of Christ for if there be anie thing cleree in a Testament it should be the qualitie of the testator refused all the other markes of the Church and all the other waies of disputation and burnt with desire to fight by the onely texts of the Scripture disarmed from the traditions of the Church Of the vnderstanding of these words of S. Augustine to seeke the Church in the words of Christ. CHAP. XVIII The continuance of the Kings answere AND to seeke according to the Councell that S AVGVSTINE heretofore gaue to the Deuatists the Church in the Words of Christ. THE REPLIE WHEN S. AVGVSTINE said in the booke of the vnitie of the Church there is a question betweene the Donatists and vs where the Church is what shall wee thē doe shall wee seeke her
expresse wee must haue recourse thereto But wee said that he neuer thought neither in generall that all things belonging to Religion were treated off in scripture nor in particular that the contention betweene the Catholickes and the Donatists concerning Baptisme was of that quality And wee maintaine that for soe manie yeares wherein hee combated with them about this article when there was quēstion of Searching the cause to the bottome hee neuer produced one proofe out of Canonicall scripture Indeede he hath often alleadged places of Scripture to make some approaches to it and to beate downe certaine defences to solue by scripture the arguments that the Donatists brought out of Scripture to maintaine that the custome of the Church in the point contested was according to Scripture in as much as According signifies not against the Scripture to establie generall theses and preparatiues to proue the propositions that had some simpathy and affinitie with that which hee disputed As for example he doth indeede proue by scripture that what is sound and intire amongst heretickes must not be repeated againe when they returne to the Church but that Baptisme is sound and intire amongst them he doth noe were proue by Scripture He proues indeede by Scripture that there may be ecclesiasticall thinges out of the Church but that Baptisme is of that number he nether doth nor can proue by Scripture He proues indeede by scripture that it is against the commaun dement of God if heretickes haue receaued the Baptisme of Christ in their owne partie to rebaptise them for wee also reade that our Lord answered Sainct PETER Hee that is wholie washt neede washe but his feete But that heretickes receiue the Baptisme of Christ in their Sects and not 〈◊〉 polluted and prophane washing which is all the knott of the question he noe were proues by scripture For as hee notes elsewhere Peter of whom this is written had not bene baptised by heretickes he prooues indeede by scripture that they who are out of the interior and Spirituall vnitie of the Church as Judas and wicked Catholickes doe not for that leaue to conferr true Baptisme but that they who are neither inwardlie nor outwardlie in the Church who are out of the vnitie of the profession of Faith and of the communion of the Sacraments of the ecclesiasticall bodie can conferr it he proues noe where by scripture And in Summe the thinges which belong to the Solutions of arguments to probable and coniecturall preparatiues to shewes of possibilitie and non repugnancie to soften and dispose the spiritt of the Readers he doth indeede prooue by scripture but the impression of the last forme the assumption and hypothesis of the sillogisme the proofe of this precise and speciall point that Baptisme whereof Sainct IOHN cryes None may receaue anie thinge except it be giuen him from heauen That Sainct PETER saith to be administred into remission of Sinnes That Sainct PAVL calls the washing of regeneration and the renewing of the holie Ghost and whereof hee writes One faith and one Baptisme And againe All they that are baptized haue put on Christ That this Sacrament I saie may be conferred out of the Church which is the fullnes of Christ which is the sealed Fountaine which is the only dwelling of the holie Ghost which is shee alone that hath receiued the keyes and the authoritie to remitt sinnes that this can subsist amongst hereticks who haue neither faith nor guift from heauen nor the holie Ghost you can neuer finde that in soe maine yeares as saint AVGVSTINE the principall opposite and ouerthrowe of this heresie hath contested her he hath neuer manifested nor could hee nor he hath not pretended to proue by anie passage of Scripture but by the only vnwritten traditions of the Apostles and the generall practise and vniuersall attestation of the Church Wee must saith hee obserue in these thinges what the Church of God obserues The question now betweene you and vs is which of yours or ours is the Church of God And againe Wherefore although in truth there be noe example to be produced of this out of the 〈◊〉 Scripture yet we leaue not to maintaine euen in this case the truth of the Scriptures when we obserue what hath bene approued by all that Church that the authoritie of the canonicall Scripture recommendeth And in an other place This is neither openlie nor euidentlie read neither by you nor by me c. But if anie one indued with wisdome and recommended by the testimonie of our Lord Iesus Christ were to be found in the world and that hee had bene consulted by vs vpon this question wee ought noe waie to doubt to doe what he should tell vs for feare of being iudged repugnant not so much to him as to our Lord Jesus Christ by whose testimonie hee had bene recommended Now he giues testimonie to his Church And in the worke of Baptisme against the same Donatists The Apostles saith hee haue prescribed nothing in this matter but this custome ought to be beleeued to haue taken the originall there of from their tradition as there are manie thinges which the vniuersall Church obserues and which are therefore not without cause beleeued to haue bene commaunded by the Apostles although they be not written From whence the contrarie appeares to what his maiestie pretends to inferr from this passage to witt that the scripture only destitute of the vnwritten Apostolicke tradition cannot decidè all pointes of Faith nor refute all heresies For the point in agitation betweene the Catholicks and the Donatists concerning the truth realitie of the baptisme giuen by hereticks was a point of faith and wherein obstinate error would make an heresie The proofe of this is first that the doctrine of Baptisme importes so much to the faith as where there is noe true baptisme there is noe true Church S PAVL teaching vs that God clenseth his Church through the washing of water in the word Now there where the Church is destroyed there is destroyed this article of the Faith of the Creede I beleeue the bolie Catholick Church And secondlie that the vnitie of Baptisme belonges so to faith as S. PAVL saith there is one faith and one Baptisme And that the creede of Cōstātinople setts amōgst the Articles of the Confession of the Faith We 〈◊〉 one baptisme in the remission of sinns in such sort as if the Donatists erred in disanulling the baptisme of heretickes and rebaptizing them they destroyed the faith of the vnitie of baptisme and anathematised the character of Christ which had alreadie bene imprinted in the baptized by baptisme And if the Catholicks erre in approuing the baptisme of heretickes and in not rebaptisinge them when they came to them they sinned against the Faith of the necessitie of Baptisme for the constitution of the Church and consequently had noe Church And neuerthelesse neither could this point of Faith be proued nor
the contrarie heresie confuted by Scripture only destitute of the helpe of tradition And although Optatus Mileuitus in the beginning had attempted it neuerthelesse the successe hath made saint AVGVSTINE who hath gone further in this question see and confesse that to compose it there was a necessitie of hauing recourse to the vnwritten Apostolicke tradition And what saint AVGVSTINE alleadgeth in generáll against Petilianus must not be obiected against this If anie one of Christ or of the Church or of ought belonging to the faith or to life declare 〈◊〉 then this that you haue receaued in the legall and Euange licall scriptures let him be anathema For himselfe declares elsewhere as it shall appeare hereafter that this word of S. PAVL further signifies against or to the preiudice of The Apostle faith hee hath not said more then but further for if he had said more then hee had condemned himselfe He that desired to come to the Thessalonians to supplie what was wanting in their Faith Now hee that supplies adds that which was not in the thing but takes not awaie what was therein before Of the vnderstanding of the words of S. Chrysostome in the thirtie third homilie vpon the Acts. CHAP. XIX The continuance of the Kinges answere EVEN soe S. CHRISOSTOME as well elsewhere as of deliberate purpose in the thirtie third homilie vpon the Acts handling this question how the true Church may be discerned amongst manie Societies which attribute this name to themselues doth teach that there are two instruments to iudge and decide this question First the word of God and afterward the antiquitie of the doctrine not inuented by anie late bodie but alwaies knowne since the beginning of the Church when she was but breeding THE REPLIE THERE are fowre 〈◊〉 to be made vpon this Article the first that sainct CRYSOSTOME giues not this Rule to discerne the true Church from all societies that differ from her in what point soeuer but onlie to discerne her from those that differ from her in the point of Christs diuinitie wherein it is noe wonder if the scripture be more cleere and expresse then in anie other The second that this marke to discerne the Church he giues not to those that are alreadie preoccupated with the opinion of anie of the Christian sects but to the Pagans which were not anticipated with passion for anie of the parties that combated about the pointes of Christs diuinitie and for this reason might seeme to iudge the more impartiallie The third that sainct CHRYSOSTOMES ayme is not to treate seriouslie there of the markes of the Church with the Pagans but to stopp their mouthes and to shew that whereas they said that they would turne Christians but that they knew not on which part to range themselues these were but pretences and not true language The fowrth that hee stopps not there but acknowledging that this meanes because of the subtletie and shiftes of hereticks is not sufficient requires and exactes an other that is to saie that hee reduceth in the last instance all the summe of the question to this point that that is the true Church which hath remained stedfast and immutable in her communion and from whence all the others are gone forth and that came forth from none A Pagan saith hee comes and saith I would turne Christian but I know not to whom I ought to adhere for there are amongst you manie strifes seditions and tumultes I know not which opinion I should choose nor which I ought to preferr euerie one saith I followe the truth whom shall I that am vtterlie ignorant in the Scriptures beleeue seeing both sides as well the Catholickes as the Sects of the Arrians as it shall appeare heereafter protest the same thinge That certainly answereth hee makes much for vs for if wee saie wee must beleeue reasons thou shalt not without cause be troubled but if wee saie wee must beleeue the Scriptures and they be simple and true it is easie for thee to iudge thereof if anie one conforme himselfe to them he is a Christian if anie striue against them he is farr from this rule But what will become of it saith the Gentile if the other coming also saie the scripture affirmes this thinge and thou saist it affirmes an other thinge and that you wrest the scripture into diuers parts each drawing the vnderstanding of the words thereof to his owne side c. Then saith S. CHRISOSTOME we will inquire of the Pagan if what he saith be pretences and excuses and aske him ifhe condemne the Gentiles Hee must saie some thinge for he will not desire to come to vs till first he condemne them wee will aske him then for what cause 〈◊〉 condemnes them for he will not condemne them without cause It is manifest that he will saie because their Gods are Creatures and are not the vncreated God This 〈◊〉 well answere wee for if this 〈◊〉 found in other heresies a clause which euidently shewes that he spoke onely of those heresies which opposed the 〈◊〉 of Christ which were those where with the East was afflicted and wee affirme the contrarie what neede more words Wee all confesse that Christ is God but see who combats against it and who combates not against it wee call him God and pronounce of him thinges worthie of God that he hath power that he is not seruile that he is sree that he doth all thinges of himself and they the contrary And then finallie seeing that this attempt succeeded not sufficiently It is not possible saith hee but he that heares without preoccupation should be perswaded For as if there were a Rule according to which all thinges should be squared there were noe neede of great consideration but it would be easie to discerne him that should make wrye lines Euen soe is it nowe But wheresore then would he saie doe they not see it Preiudication and human causes doe manie thinges that replies 〈◊〉 they saie also of vs. And how can they saie it for wee haue not seperated ourselues nor haue made noe schisme nor diuision in the Church Wee haue noe heresiarchs wee name not ourselues after the name of anie man wee haue noe leaders as to one Marcion to another Manicheus to an other Arius to an other an other heresi-founder But if wee take the appellatiō of anie particular it is not from those that began anie heresie but of those that preside ouer vs and gouerne the Church Wee haue noe doctors vpon earth God forbid wee haue one alone in heauen This also will hee saie the others likewise affirme it but the name that they beare answereth hee to witt of Marcionites or of Manichees or of Arrians conuinceth them and stopps their mouthes By which words it appeares that the last analysis and resolution of the question is all determined in this point that that is the true Church which hath remained vnmouable and stedfast in her communion from whom all the
king answeres to the first obseruation that it can not be applied to the Hipothesis proposed without manie defects For so farr is this English Church from hauing departed from the faith of the ancient Catholicke Church which she honours and reuerences as she is not so much as departed from the Faith of the Roman Church in as much as she consents with the Catholicke Church THE REPLIE I Appeale from Phillip to Phillip that is to saie from the most excellent King to himselfe for what doth my first obseruation import yea according to the abridgement that this maiestie hath made of it but that the name of Catholicke doth not only denote faith but also communion with the Catholick Church and therefore that the antient writers would not suffer those to be called Catholickes who had separated themselues from the communion of the Church although they retained the Faith thereof Now how then is it that the most excellent King alleadgeth to shewe that this obseruation cannot be applied to his Hypothesis without manie errors that he is not departed neither hee nor his Church from the faith of the antient Church For the obseruation wherein it is handled being that to be Catholicke it is not sufficient not to be separate from the Church of the Catholicke faith but also not to be separated from the communion of the Catholicke Church is it not fussicient to applie it to the Hipothesis and to except the most excellent Kinge from the title of Catholicke that his Maiestie hath separated himselfe not from the Faith if soe be he had not done soe but frō the onlie cōmunion of the Catholicke Church And if the most excellent King saith that she from whom he hath separated himself is not the same Catholicke Church as she was in the time of the Fathers and of whom the Fathers said that out of her communiō the title of Catholicke nor the reward of saluation could not be obtained must he not shew that there is an alteration happened in thinges which are of the essence of the Church and without which the verie being of the Church cannot be preserued and besides this that he must finde out and cause to appeare an other societie wherein the succession of the doctrine and of the ministrie both of the communion and of the prerogatiues of the antient Catholieke Church hath continued and whereto he hath ranged himselfe to the end that adhering thereto he may saie that he hath not separated himselfe from the communion of the antient Catholicke Church but is returned into it Of the personall suceession of the Bishops CHAP. XXII The Continuance of the Kings Answere IF wee seeke for the succession of persons wee haue in being the name of Bishops and the succession vninterrupted from the first THE REPLIE IT sufficeth not to constitute the personall successiō of Bishops that some are entred in the steede of others but they must bee entred with the same forme and with the same conditions essentiall to a Bishopricke that their predecessors entred withall Noe more then it sufficeth to make the Priests of Ieroboa Successors to the true Leuiticall Priests that he had driuen awaie that they came into their places not being come in with cōditions necessarie to succeede thē And therefore whether the mission of the Bishops which are at this daie in England be a true ecclesiasticall mission made by ecclesiasticall authoritie and with the iust ecclesiasticall formes or rather a politick mission I forbeare to dispute Onlie I will saie that there are two kindes of successions in the personall continuance of a Bishops Sea the one the succession of authoritie and the other the succession of the character Whereof it is 〈◊〉 that the English according to the principles commō to them and vs haue not the one and it is euidēt that according to their owne particular principles they cannot haue the other For there doe meete together or concurr according to vs two conditions in Episcopall mission the one concerning the collation of authoritie the other concerning the impression of the character which comes from the part of the sacrament of order which wee conceaue to imprint a Seale which cannot be blotted out Now the condition which concernes the character which we will heere call sacramentall mission may well be preserued out of the Church for as much as the character cannot be blotted out and consequently may be giuen though vnlawfullie yet reallie out of the Church by them that haue carried it out of the Church But that which cōcernes authoritie which wee will call notwithstanding the barbarisme of the word authoritatiue missiō although it cānot be giuen in the Church without the other yet it cannot be carried awaie nor giuen with the other out of the Church and may be taken awaie by the Church from them to whom she hath giuen it when she shall iudge it necessarie to depose or degrade them As the Councell of Sardica deposed Narcissus Menophantus and others who notwithstanding left not to preserue the character of the sacrament euen as the officers of a prince when they ioyne themselues with a faction of rebells may carry with them the Seale and the character of the Patent of their offices and preserue it out of the state and out of the common wealth but they cannot carrie 〈◊〉 the authoritie of their office with them And therefore when they that haue bene degraded by the Church or ordained out of the Church returne to the Church the lawfull authoritie to exercise their function must be restored to them either by a particular rehabilitation or by a publicke declaration that the Churches makes to receaue them into her communiō with the exercise of their charges which serues them for a generall rehabilitation As when the Arrians returned to the Catholicke faith the Church restored to their Bishops the lawfull authoritie to administer the Bishop ricks whereof the ecclesiasticall lawes had depriued them and rehabilitated them all at once by the publicke declaration that she made to admitt them with the function of their charges From whence it appeares that they that are ordained out of the Church and by an other societie then by the true Church although they be indeede Bishops as for the Character of the Sacrament neuerthelesse they are not Bishops as for the function of authoritie and as manie times as they shall pretend to vse their authoritie without being rehabilitated by the Church soe often they commit sinn and sacriledge Let vs consider saith S. HILARY speaking of the Fathers of the Coūcell of Nicea what wee doe doe wee that anathematize them c For if they haue not bene Bishops we cā be none And S. ATHANASIVS It is impossible that the ordination of Secūdus as made by the Arriās should haue anie force in the Catholicke Church And S. HIEROME There are at this daie noe Bishops in the world sauing those that were ordained by the Synod And the lawe of the Emperors
beginning of these last diuisions either perswaded in some pointes by the innouators or ioyned to the partie of the innouators themselues haue attempted to seeke out some accommodation in matter of doctrine and of the vniuersall Religion of the Church to come to a reunion perswading themselues that as the Poet saith all men doe Sinn Without the walls of Troy and 〈◊〉 within It will bee alwaies easie for vs to shew that the desire of reconciliation rather then the knowledge of antiquitie and truth hath caused them to speake this language Of the agreement or disagreement of the English reformers with the Donatists CHAP. XXXI The continuance of the Kinges answere AND therefore the English Church feareth not that she can seeme in the iudgment of sincere arbitrators to haue done anie thinge like to the 〈◊〉 in this separation They out of a iollitie of harte and without anie cause abandoned the Catholicke 〈◊〉 approued by the consent of all nations whereof they could neither blame the faith nor the discipline THE REPLIE NEITHER was the Catholicke Church then actuallie approued by all nations for these prophecies In thy seede shall all nations be 〈◊〉 and This Ghospell must be preached ouer all the world shall not be fullie accōplisht as S. AVGVSTINE notes till the end of the world But it might well be said by 〈◊〉 in regard of other Christian sectes to be spread ouer all nations because the extent thereof was more eminont as it is nowe then that of anie other Christian Societie Neither was she approued by 〈◊〉 men of all the Christian nations For who knowes not how great the multitude of other heresies was when the sect of the Donatists sprange vp and how much greater then when the passages of the Fathers cited in the beginning of this obseruation were pronounced against them Of one side the Arrians possessed almost all the East of the other side the number of the Donatists was such in Africa as they held all at a time Councells of three hūdred Bishops yea euē in the time of S. AVGVSTINE there where whole natiōs that professed christianitie which did not acknowledg 〈◊〉 Catholick Church as that of the Gothes Vandalls And in breefe elghtie or an hundred other sects of Christiās which were then in the world diuided like Sāpsons Foxes by the heads but tyed together by the tayles did all agree to reproue the Catholicke Church And whereas the excellent king addeth that the Donatists could blame neither the faith nor discipline of the Catholicke Church if by blaming his maiestie intend to blame with reason that is not particular to the Donatistes for neuer anie Sect either Schismaticall or hereticall could blame with reason the faith or discipline of the Church But if by blaming he intend accusing and slandring her and beleeuing that they had iust occasion to doe soe who euer blamed the faith and discipline of the Catholicke Church more then the donatists who called themselues the Bishops of thē Catholicke truth and obiected to the Catholickes that they erred in faith in beleeuing that the holy Ghost resided out of the Church and in holding that Baptisme which cannot be administred but by the operation of the holy Ghost might be conferred out of the Church and in the Societie of hereticks who reprocht it to them thāt they violated these oracles One faith one Baptisme It is lawfull to be baptised if thou dost beleeue be yee euery one of you baptised in the remission of Sinnes Christ purgeth his Church by the washing of water in the word Who heares not the Church lett him be as a publican and as a heathen Baptisme is the washing of the regeneration of the Ghost The Church is the close Garden and the sealed Fountaine Who gathers not with Christ scatters And other such like alleadged by them in so great number as Vincentius Lyrinensis cryes out But perchance this new inuention that is to saie the heresie of the Donatists will want defences nay she was assisted with soe great strength of spirit with so many flouds of Eloquence with so great a number of protectors with so much likelyhood with so manie oracles of diuine lawe but expounded in a new and naughtie manner that it seemes to me that such a conspir aice could neuer haue benē destroyed if this same imbraced this same defended this same extolled profession of noueltie had not in the end left the cause of soe great a motion alone and abandoned And as for the discipline of the Church did not they blame it who taxed the discipline of the Church to haue receiued without expiation of preceding pennance those that in the persecution time had denied Christ and communicated in the sacrifices of the Pagans and consequently to haue bene polluted with the contagion of the Pagans who accused her for hauing receaued conuerted heretickes into her communion without giuing them true Baptisme which could not be giuen according to them but in the Church and consequently to haue polluted her communion with the contagion of vnbaptised or vncircumcised spirituallie and so to haue lost the being of the true Church which could not subsist without the true vse of the sacramēts Who made profession in manners of a conuersation of life much better ruled more reformed then that of the Catholickes from whence it is that S. AVGVSTINE forbidds the catholicks to reproche the Donatists with anie other thing but that they were not Catholickes Who called themselues the little flocke of the lord the two tribes of the Kingdome of Iuda who said we hauing nothing and possessing all things wee account our soule to he our riches and by our paines and our blood we purchase the treasure of heauen And in breese who supposed themselues to haue such reason for their separation as they reputed the Catholickes not to be worthie of so much as the name of Christians as hauing lost the true vse of Baptisme whereby men are made Christiās when they spake to them they said Caius Seius Caia Seia O man 〈◊〉 thou be a Christian O woeman wilt thou be a Christian And cryed to them Come o yee ignorant and wretched people who are commonlie called Catholickes And called the Chaire of Rome the Chaire of pestilence and called the Catholicke Church an Harlott and an Adulteresse and chose rather to suffer all kindes of persecutions and false Martirdomes then to communicate with her If I persecute saith Saint AVGVSTINE iustlie him that detracts from his neighbour why should I not persecute him that detracts from the Church of Christ and saith this is not shee but this is an hatlott And againe If the punishment and not the cause made Martirdome heauen should be full of your martirs And against whom contrariwise the Catholickes in matter of doctrine had not one passage of scripture for them but only the Apostolicall vnwritten tradition as S. AVGVSTINE
were vnder the iurisdictiō of Israel came to him out of all the citties which had bene giuen to him for their habitation leauing their possessiō and their inheritance and passing and inhabiting in Iuda and in Hierusalē because Ieroboā had driuen them out hee his Successors least they should attend to the seruice of our Lord hauing appointed priests of the high places to sacrifice to the diuells and to the calues that he had caused to be sett vp Frō other places also of all the tribes of Israel those that sett their hartes to seeke the God of Israel went vp to Hierusalem to offer their sacrifices before the Lord God of their Fathers Whereto Josephus adds these words as pronounced by Hieroboam in forme of an oration to the people of Israel I thinke said hee none of you are ignorant that there is noe place where God is not and that he reserues not to himselfe anie appointed seate but that euery where he heares those that pray to him and casts his eyes vpon all that serue him For this reason I haue not thought fitt to suffer you to goe so farr to worship and with so much paines and also in an enemie cittie as Hierusalem is The temple that is there was built by a mortal man neither more nor lesse then myselfe Therefore I haue consecraced for you two Calues of Golde the one in Bethel and the other in Dan that goeing thither according to the ease and oportunitie of the neighbourhood you may there worship God more commodiouslie Besides you shall want noe priests and Leuites whom I will establish from amongst you that you may haue noe more neede of the tribe of Leui nor of the familie of Aaron Behold then that the Church was then so farr from being confined to the Kingdome of Israel as the Metropolitan Seate of the religion seruice of God which was Hierusalem the place where sacrifices ought to be celebrated which was the temple the soueraigne tribunal of the adoration which was the Altar the succession of Dauid from whom the Messias was to come the high priest and all the sacerdotall and Leuiticall Estate which administred and represented the vniuersall Bodie of the Church did remaine following the election and institution of God in the partes of the Kingdome of Iuda and out of that of the Kingdome of Israel Which the holie Ghost had longe before declared by the mouth of the Psalmist in these termes not onlie historicall but also propheticall He hath saith hee reiected the tabernacle of Ioseph and hath not chosen the tribe of Ephraim that is to saie the kingdome of Israel which was called Ephraim for as much as Ieroboam as saith S. HIEROME who first raigned there was of the tribe of Ephraim but hath chosen the tribe of Iuda and the mountaine of Sion which he loued And after by that of Ezechiel in these Sonn of man saith the Lord take a peece of wood and write vpon it Iuda and the children of Israel which are vnited to him and of his fellowshipp and take an other and write vpon it The word of Ioseph which is in the hand of Ephraim and all the families of Israel and of all those which are vnited to him And therefore the historie of Tobie saith that when all those of the tribe of Nephthali went to the golden calues that Ieroboam king of Israel had made Tobie only fled the companie of all the rest and went into Ierusalem to the temple of the lord and there worshiped the Lord God of Israel offering all his first fruites and his tithes And therefore our Lord when the Samaritan said to him our Fathers worshipped in this mountaine that is to saie in the mountaine of Samaria and of Gerassim and yee affirme that in Hierusalem is the place where wee ought to worshipp answered that Saluation was on the Iewes side And for this same cause S. PAVL alleadging his extraction from Abraham according to the flesh notes particularly that he was issued from the familie of Beniamin as signifiing that he was extracted from the societie of those in whose communion resided the true Bodie of the Church The tribe of Iuda saith S. AVGVSTINE and the line of Beniamin had remained in the societie of the Temple the Tribe of Leui which was that of the Priests the tribe of Iuda which was the royall line and the line of Beniamin Those only staied on Hierusalems partie and in the communion of the Temple of God when the separation had bene made by the reuolt of Salomons seruant Doe not then imagine that it is of little weight that the Apostle adds issued from the tribe of Beniamin For it is as if he should haue said communicating with Iuda and not being depriued of and separated from the temple But behold yet more which is that the complaint of Elias is soe farr from verifying this pretended interruption and this generall ecclipse of the Iewish Church as contrarywise it appeares that at the same time at the same howre at the same moment that Elias lamented the persecution of Achab the true Religion florisht in Iudea with more glorie puritie and splendor then euer she had done since the first Salomon which was the figure of her true spouse and the author of the materiall Temple till the other that was declared to be greater then Salomon that is to saie vntill our Lord who built the spirituall Temple of the Catholicke Church For in the same time that Achab and Iesabell persecuted Elias Iosaphat sonn and Successor to Asa raigned in Iuda And to proue it soe the historie beares that Josaphat came to the crowne of Iuda the fowrth yeare of the Raigne of Achab King of Israel Now thete were six yeares and more of Achabs gouernement expired when Elias made his lamentation For the great drought whereof the hebrewes assigne the beginning to be in the third yeare of Achab and which lasted three yeares and six moneths according to the report of S. IAMES was then precisely finished so as the complaint of Elias not only falls out in the time of Iosaphat but meetes exactly with the reuolution of the third yeare of his Empire which was iust the same 〈◊〉 wherein he celebrated that famous circuit and if I dare so stile it that walking Parliament and those great daies of Religion where the most notable Princes of his estate and the principall priests and Leuites were appointed to trauell through all the citties of his Kingdome Behold the 〈◊〉 wherein Elias complaint happened Now what Iosaphat was frō the beginning to the end of his life how hee walked intirely in the way of Asa his Father without turning from it in anie thing but doeing what was pleasing to the Lord how the Seruice of God was holily celebrated and administred vnder his authoritie how the Almightie was with him because he trode in the stepps of Dauid his Predecessor and trusted not in
this cause soe abhor Achaz as being dead although his owne sonn succeeded him they did not 〈◊〉 him in the sepulcher of his Fathers THE fifth obiection is taken from the foure hundred Prophetts that Achab caused to come and prophecie before Josaphat who were all found false prophetts and Micheas alone a true Prophet But neither did this fall out in the kingdome of Iuda where was the seate of the Church but in the kingdome of Israel neither were those Prophets of the colledge of the Prophetts of Baal and of the qualitie of those of whom before Elias had said Take all the Prophetts of Baal and let not one man escape And of whom afterward Elias said to Ioram sonn of the same Achab What is there betweene me and thee Goe to the Prophets of thy Father and of thy mother And therefore when Iosaphat would cause Micheas to come hee asked him is there not heere one Prophet of the Lord to distinguish him from the Prophetts of Baal by this word of the Lord which is the same difference which Iehu afterwards vsed when being desirous to put Baal's Priests to death he said Take beede least there be anie of the seruantes of the Lord amongst you but lett the seruant of Baal be only heere The sixth obiection is taken from the historie of Manasses an Idolatrous Prince and who caused all manner of abominations and false worshipp to be practised in Hierusalem and Iuda But besides this that hee came afterward to repentance and then draue awaie all the Idolls and all the false Gods from Hierusalem and commaunded the people of Iuda to serue God euen then when he exercised his greatest impieties the church and the multitude of Gods true seruants were not for all that inuisible Contrariwise the scripture saith that he shedd so much innocent blood as Hierusalem was filled there with euen vp to the throate By meanes whereof although there had then bene no solemne assemblies in the Synagogues of Iuda and that all publicke exercise had bene suspended there yet the slaughter of the faithfull yet warme still breathing and the voyce of their blood which smoaked and cryed for vengeance as that of Abel before heauen and earth permitied not that the true Religion should be vnknowne and inuisible there For as manie executions and martirdomes as there were so manie sacrifices of praise and sweete smell were they soe manie professions of Faith soe manie sermons so manie seales and sacraments of the true beleefe which refresht and confirmed the memorie of the doctrine of saluation euen in the spiritts of those that persecuted it for as much as all men knew and themselues protested the cause wherefore they were banisht pursued and martyred For the Church is not only illustrated by her Lillies but also by her roses that is to saie she is not only euident by her quiet and peaceable exercises which are the congregations to heare and adore the word of God and to communicate in the sacramentes but also by her militarie exercises dyed in blood which are the martyrdomes and the executions suffered for the defence of the Faith which doe often no lesse increase her fame and renowne in the times wherein she is oppressed then in the seasons wherein she enioyes more calme quiet and fulfills without hindrance her ordinarie and accustomed workes Soe as S. AVGVSTINE saith she is then eminent in her most stedfast champions THE seauenth obiection is taken from the transmigration of Babilon during with time they pretend that the visible communion of the Iewish Church was interrupted But who knowes not that the Iewes during this exile had the true externall exercise of their religion wherein they wrought their Saluation performed the visible obseruation of all their worships seruices and ceremonies except of the Sacrifice alone which could not be offered but in the Temple and were euidently distinguished from other nations witnes these wordes of Aman to Assuerus There is a people 〈◊〉 ouer all the Prouinces of thy Kingdome and diuided into manie partes that practises new lawes and ceremonies And these of the historian Manie other nations and sects ioyned themselues to their religion and to their ceremonies For that this historie fell out in the time of the transmigration it appeares by this that it is said that Mardocheus was one of those that had bene transported from Hierusalem in the time of Nabuchodonosor and of Iechonias And it is not cōtradictorie to this that Assuerus writes that Amā was a Macedonian and would haue betraied the Empire to the Macedonians For the copie of the same epistle reported by Iosephus sixteene hundred yeares a gone hath it Allophilus that is to saie a stranger And that the Greeke Latine Edition saith a Macedonian it proceedes from the Syriacke translation of the same Epistle made after the death of Alexander after which all strangers in Asia were called Macedonians as at this daie all those of the west are called Frankes there From whence it is that the Syriacke edition saith that Assicerus was cloathed in a Macedonian habit that is to saie in the habit of a stranger THE eight obiection is taken from the writings of the Prophetts who often deplored the dessolation of the seruice of God in their people But either they spake of the portion of the Kingdome of Israel diuided from that of Iuda and of the faction of the schismaticall Israelites who were no more the Church and to whom God protested by the mouth of Ieremie that he had giuen the libell of diuorce Or if they spake of that of the Kingdome of Iuda S. AVGVSTINE teacheth vs that they spake prophetically and by an analogie of time of the future Estate of the Iewish people such as they should be after the death of our Lord Or if they spake by Synecdoche and according to the stile of preachers who censure the vices of particular persons in generall termes to the end to reproue as S. AVGVSTINE saith of S. HILARY the more seuerelie that which they reproue more vniuersallie that is to saie that they spake of certaine particular persons who either abandoned the Religion of their Fathers some to followe that of the Pagans that sacrificed to Idolls some to followe that of the Schismatickes who sacrificed in the high places or if they remained in the true religion and communion liued wickedlie there as concerning manners They collect saith S. AVGVSTINE speaking of the Donatists he might haue added the Caluinists to them either ignor antlie or fraudulentlie the places of Scripture which are spoken either of the wicked which are nimgled with the good vntill the end or of the destruction of the first people of the Iewes and would wrest them against the Church of God that she may seeme to haue failed and to be perisht from the whole earth The ninth and finall obiection is taken from the comdemnation that the Iewish Church made of the Sauiour of
after the death of Siluerius after which the Clergie of Rome for the benefit of peace had accepted him had bene persecuted and vnworthily vsed at Constantinople by the Emperor with whom he was constrained to spend his life in exile because the Gothes vnder the conduct of their new King Totilas had againe taken Rome whereto would this turne but to the glorie of Uigilius and to the shame of the Emperor For saith not Nicephorus that the Emperor repented it and doe not the same actes shew that he sent the principall ministers of his Empire to Uigilius to praie him to returne And that Uigilius during this persecution remained so constant that he would neuer giue anie waie to the Emperors violences but deposed in Constantinople it self Theodorus Archbishop of Cesarea the principall Gouernor of the Emperor and excommunicated Menas Patriarke of Constantinople and all that adhered to him Did it not throughlie shew the confidence he had in the dignitie of his Sea Wee decree thee saith hee ô Theodorus late Bishop of Cesarea by the publication of this sentence depriued aswell of Sacerdot all honor and of the Catholicke communion as of all Episcopall power and function and wee ordaine that thou shalt heereafter applie thy-self to nothing but to the teares of pennance by which hauing obtained remission of thy crimes thou maist recouer if thou deseruest it the place of 〈◊〉 and of communion with me or after my death with my successor And thou Menas Bishop of the cittie of Constantinople which art inwrapt with the same crime with all the Bishops Metropolitans and Micropolitans c wee suspend you from the sacred communion till eache of you acknowledging the error os his preuarication haue blotted out before vs his proper fault with a competent satisfaction And this that he cries out numbring Theodorus his crimes Thou art come in despising the authoritie of the Sea Apostolicke which had pronounced interdiction by vs into the Church where there hung the Emperors Edicte 〈◊〉 there hast celebrated the solemnity of Masse And this that he adds Wee haue charged the Ministers of the most clement Emperor to signifie to him from vs that he ought not to communicate with those which haue by vs bene excommunicated least he thereby runne which God forbid into a grieuous sinne Doth it not shew that the Pope in excommunicating the other Bishops Archbishops and Patriarks did not onelie pretend to separate himselfe from their communion but to separate them and cutt them of from the communion of the Church And as for the persecution of the Empresse which happened long before and for an other cause to witt forasmuch as Vigilius after his predecessor Siluerius was dead and that he was become true Pope would not keepe the promise that he had made and secretlie accomplisht to her during his Antipapacy to admitt Anthymus and the other Eutychians into his communion What greater glorie could Uigilius receiue then that whereof S. GREGORIE speakes when he writes Pope Uigilius constituted in the Royall cittie that is to saie at Constantinople publisht a sentence of condemnation against Theodora then Empresse and against the Acephales And what more visible punishment could the Empresse receiue then that whereof Victor Tunonensis writes The ninth yeare after the Consulship of Basilius the Empresse Theodora enemie to the Councell of Chalcedon strucken her whole bodie ouer with the wound of an vniuersall canker that is to saie with leprosie prodigiouslie ended her life For whereas the same Uictor who was a Schismaticke and tooke part with Rusticus the Deacon and other Roman Clerkes reuolted against Pope Vigilius and against the fifth generall Councell writeth that the Bishops of Africa that is to saie the schismaticall Bishops of Africa for the Catholicke Bishops of Africa tooke the other part excommunicated Vigilius there hath alreadie bene two things spoken of concerning this the one that they held not Uigilius for true Pope but for an intrusiue Pope because he had vsurped the Papacie his predecessor Siluerius being yet aliue as it appeares by this that the same Victor placeth a little after amongst the nullities of the fifth generall Councell the vice of the creation of Uigilius who had said he 〈◊〉 ordained Bishop of Rome Siluerius being still aliue And the other that Pope Siluerius had alreadie long before excommunicated Uigilius for hauing intruded himselfe into the Papacie in these termes Doe thou then receiue and those that consent whith thee the sentence of paine of condemnation and know that being condemned by vs by the iudgement of the holy Ghost and by the Apostolicke authoritie that the name and office of Sacerdotall ministery is taken from thee And againe 〈◊〉 Siluerius Pope of the cittie of Rome giuing consent to all the statutes I haue signed this decree of Anathema against the vsurper Uigilius By meanes whereof the act of the Schismaticall Bishops of Asrica against Uigilius was rather a renouation and an application of the excommunication of Pope Silutrius then a primitiue and originall excommunication To the third example which is that Sigebert writes that Pope Innocent the first and the Bishops of the West suspended themselues from the communion of those of the East for the quarrell of Saint CHRYSOSTOME from whence the Protestants inferr that when the Pope excommunicated the other Bishops Archbishops or Patriarks he separated himselfe from their communion and did not separate them from the communion of the Church Wee haue three answeres the first that it is a ridiculous thing to alleadge for the testimonie of the historie of Pope Innocent and of S. CHRYSOSTOME Sigebert who writt seauen hundred yeares after them and who was an open enemie to the Sea Apostolicke and partaker with the Emperor Henry the fourth against Pope Gregorie the seauenth and his successors The second that Pope Innocent the first did not suspend himselfe from the communion of those of the East but suspended those of the East from the Ecclesiasticall communion the which although they still continued in fact with some of their Diocesans according to the custome of Schismatickes this hindred them not from being suspended by right and that they should send to demaund restitution of the Pope as it appeares by these words of the same Innocent in the epistle to Boniface Knowe saith he speaking of those of Antioch that we haue receiued them into our bowells least the members which had a long while required health should be excluded from the vnitie of the bodie And in the epistle to Maximianus What we haue done in the behalf of those of Antioch we will doe it in the behalfe of others if they will accomplish the same treaties and conditions and send as those did to beseeche by a solemne legation that the communion might be restored to them And in the Epistle to Alexander Patriarke of Antioch I haue diligentlie inquired whether the cause of the blessed