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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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
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
as it hath pleased God whollie to accept may be hastned by the prayers and sacrifices of the Church and necessarie with necessitie of precept and to exercise christian charitie and pietie both to the Church that offers them and to the ministers and Pastors by whom she offers them The prayer of the Saintes they haue holden as necessarie to the bodie of the Church and to the ministers by whō they are made with necessitie of precept to exercise the commerce betweene the Church Militant and the Church Triumphant and to particular persons out of the offices of the Church and in their priuate deuotions not neeessary with necessitie of act but only profitable that they may the more easilie obtaine pardon for their sinnes by the concourse of their prayers who are alreadie in the per fect and assured possession of the grace of God but necessary to them and all others with nessitie of approbation that is to saie they are obliged not to contradict them and not to condemne the custome and doctrine of the Church in that article and not to separate themselues from her vpon this occasion vnder paine of falling into Anathema and to be holden for heretickes All which things I will not now stand to proue least I make a Booke of a letter but I doe oblige myselfe to iustifie them when soeuer you shall desire it and to make it appeare both by the vnanimous consent of the Fathers that haue flourished in the time of the first fowre councel's and by the formes which remaine to vs in their writings of the ancient Church Seruice that all the Catholicke Church of their times hath vninersallie and vniformely beleeued holden and practised them throughout all the regions and prouinces of the earth I oblige myself I saie to make it appeare to you that she hath holden these fower thinges in the same sence and in the same forme and for the same end as our Lyturgies are and not as obseruations that then sprung vp but as things that the same Fathers testified to haue bene beleeued and practised from all antiquitie and to be deriued to them by an vninterrupted continuance from the tradition or approbation of the Apostles Soe as they cannot renounce the Communion of our Church vnder pretence of anie of these fowre points without renoūcing the Communion of the ancient catholick Church and consequently the inheritance of saluation and that by authors and testimonies all able to abide the touch as you know I am curious to make vse of noe other and with cleare and ingenuous answeres to all obiections collected out of the Fathers of the same ages or of ages before them A thing that will be the more easie for me because the proofes that wee will avouch out of the Fathers are proofes which containe in expresse termes the affirmatiue of what wee saie whereas our aduersaries cannot finde one only passage which containes in expresse terme the negatiue but only in termes from whence they pretend to inferr it by consequence and which at a iust tribunall would not merit so much as to be heard For who knowes not that it is too great an iniustice to alleadge consequences from passages and euen those euill interpreted and misvnderstood and in whose illation there is alwaies some paralogisme hidd against the expresse wordes and the liuely and actuall practise of the same fathers from whom they are collected and that may be good to take the Fathers for Aduersaries and to accuse them for want of Sence or memorie but not to take them for Iudges and to submitt themselues to the obseruation of what they haue beleeued and practised To this I will also adde whensoeuer you shall desire it the present Conformitie of all the other Patriarchall Churches in these fowre cases with the Roman and of all those which haue remained euen to this daie vnder their iurisdiction to witt those that are vnder the Patriarchall iurisdiction of the Patriarck of Constantinople as the Grecians Russians Muscouites and Asians of Asia-minor separate from vs neere eight hundred yeares Of those that are vnde the Greeke Patriarch of Antioch as the Syrians Mesopotamians and others yet more Easterne nations for those that obey the Syrian Patriarch as the Maronites perseuer in the Communion of the Roman Church of those that relye vpon the Egiptian Patriarch of Alexandria as the Egiptians whom they call Cophtites and the Ethiopians which haue bene diuided both from vs and from the greekes more then eleuen hundred yeares euen from the time of one of the fowre first Councells to witt of the Councell of Chalcedon For all these hold these fower pointes yea with more iealousie if it be possible then the latine Churches and particularlie the article of the Sacrament where of they doe not only beleeue transubstantiation which the greekes at this daie call in the very self same sence and phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also exercise the adoration with externall gesture more full of humilitie then ours A manifest proof that these fowre pointes were vniformely holden and obserued by the ancient Cahtholicke Church since all the partes whereinto the ancient Catholicke Church is dismēbred doe retaine them vniformly to this daie notwithstanding soe manie distances separations and diuisions through all the regions of the Earth These are in generall the causes that haue moued me to vse that exception in my letter that you obiect to me in yours whereof if the Excellent King of great Brittaine had as well leasure to heare the particularities as he hath capacitie to comprehend them I assure myselfe he would not thinke it strange that I should desire in him the title of Catholique but he would desire it himsefe and put himsefe in state to obtaine it and to cause it to be obtained by those that are depriued of it that is to saie he would add yet to is other Crownes that of making himsefe a mediator of the peace of the Church which would be to him a more triumphant glorie then that of all the Alexanders and of all the Caesars and which would gaine to his Isle noe lesse an honor in hauing bredd him thē to haue bredd great Constantine the first deliuerer and pacifier of the christian Church I praie god that he will one daie Crowne all the other graces wherewith he hath indowed him with that and heare to this effect the prayers of his late Queene Mother whose teares like those of S. Augustins Mother doe not onlie intercede for him in heauen but her blood also And likewise keepe you Sr. in his safe and holie protection From Paris 15. Iulij 1611. AN ADMONITION TO THE READER This letter to Mons. Casaubon occasiond the whole discourse ensuing For the letter being shewed to his most excellent maiesty our Souuerain Lord king Iames of glorious memory it pleased him not only to read it but to take paines to answer it as he thought most conuenient To which answer of his maiesty the Cardinall replieth
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
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
the Donatists doe heale from the wound of infidelity and Idolatrie they hurt them more greevously with the wound of Schisme And for a proofe of his saying he alleadgeth the example of Core Dathan and Abiron and other Schismatickes of the old Testament who were all sent quicke into hell and punished more greevouslie then the Idolators Who doubtes saith he but that was committed most criminally that was punist most seuerelie And therefore as the ancient heretickes haue alwaies against the vnitie of the Church pressed and Cryed out the Faith the Faith soe the ancient Fathers against the diuisions of heretickes and Schismatickes haue alwaies pressed and cried out the Church the Church He shall iudge saith S. IRENEVS those that make Schismes in the Church ambitions men not hauinge the honor of God before theire eyes but rather embracing theire owne interests then the vnitie of the Church and for little and light causes deuidinge the great and glorious bodie of Christ. And a little after For in the end they cannot make anie soe important a reformation as the euill of the Schisme is pernicious And sainct DENIS of Alexandria writinge to Nouatian Certainly all thinges should rather be indured then to consent to the diuision of the Church of God those martyrs beinge noe lesse glorious that expose themselues to hinder the dismembringe of the Church then those that suffer rather then they will offer Sacrifice to Idolls And sainct CYPRIAN Doe those that assemble themselues without the Church of Christ suppose Christ to bee with them in theire assemblie Allthough they should be dragged to death for the confession of the name of Christ yet this spott is not washt awaie from them with bloude the inexpiable and inexcusable crime of discord is not purged vith death t selfe he cannot be a martyr that is not in the Church And sainct PACIAN Although saith he Nouatian hath bene put to death yet hath he not bene crowned Wherefore not because it was out of the peace of the Church out of concord out of this mother whereof whosever will be a martyr must be a portion And Saint CHRYSOSTOME nothinge stirrs saith he so sharpely the wrath of god as the diuision of the Church so as when wee haue done all other kindes of good workes wee shall deserue no lesse cruell punishment deuidinge the vnitie and fulnes of the Church then those that pierced and deuided his owne blessed bodie And S. AVGVSTINE Out of the Catholike Church all thinges may bee had except Saluation etc. They may haue and preach the faith in the name of the Father the sonnne and the holy ghost but they can noe where haue Saluation but in the Catholicke Church And a little after I saie more if a man out of the Church suffer the enemie of Christ I saie not his Catholike brother that desires his Saluation but the enemie of Christ if he suffer him without and that he being out of the Church the enemie of Christ saie to him offer incense to Idolles adore my Gods and for not adoring them he be put to death by the enemie of Christ he may well shedd his bloud but he cannot obtaine the Crowne And in an other place Being constituted out of the Church and separated from the heape of vnitie and the bond of Charitie thou shouldest be punisht with eternall death though thou shouldest haue bene burnt aliue for the name of Christ. Aud againe I goe not to worship the diuells I serue not stockes and stones but I am of Donatus his partie What will it serue thy turne that the Father is not offended since he will reuenge the Mothers 〈◊〉 And in his worke against the Aduersarie of the law and the Prophets If he heare not the Church let him be to thee as a heathen or publican which is more grieuons then if he were stricken by the sword consumed with flames exposed to wilde beastes And in the booke of Pastors The diuell doth not saie let them be Donatistes and not Arrians be they heere be they there they appartaine to him that gathers without any distinction Let him saith the diuell adore Idolls he his mine let him remaine in Iewish superstition he is myne let him abandon vnitie and enter into such or such an heresie he is myne And in the profession to be made by the Donatistes returninge to the Church Wee thought it had not imported in which part we had held the Faith of Christ but thanckes be to our Lord that hath taken vs in from the diuision and taught vs that it belonhgs to God who is one to be serued in vnitie And FVLGENTIVS the second Sainct AVGVSTINE and the Phenix borne a new out of his ashes Out of this Church neither doth the title of Christian warrant anie bodie nether doth baptisme conferr Saluation nor can they offer a Sacrifice acceptable to God nor receiue remission of Sinnes nor obtaine life eternall For there is one only Church one only doue one only well beloued one only sponse And againe Beleeue this stedfastly without doubting that euery hereticke or schismaticke baptized in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost if before the end of his life he be not reconciled to the Catholikke Church what almes soe euer he geueth yea though he should shed his bloud for the name of Christ he cannot obtaine saluation Faire but fearefull lessons for those who thinke that in what communion soeuer they be so they beleeue in Christ they may be saued Of the marks of the Church CHAPTER V. The continuance of the Kinges answere AMongst the proper markes of the Church the King confesseth that that is greatly necessary but his Majesty is not of opinion that it is the true forme of the Church and as the philosopher termes it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that wherein it consisteth THE REPLIE Neither is it necessarie that a condition for to be the marke of anie thing should be the essentiall forme of the thing for then we should haue noe marke of anie substantiall thing For we know not the essentiall forme of anie one of them except only of man and for more then three thousand yeares the true essentiall forme of man was vnknowen witnes the ieast of Diogenes vpon the definition of a man giuen by Plato And therefore Saint BASILE reprocheth it to Eunomius who had boasted that he knew the essence of the Father that he knew not soe much as the essence of the ground whereupon he walked euery daie and that what comes to the knowledge of men are but accidents Neither on the other side is it necessary that the essentiall forme of a thing should be the marke of the same thing Nay contrarywise to be the essentiall forme of anie thing and to be the marke of the same thing are commonly repugnant and incompatible conditions For the marke doth demonstrate the thing to the sense and the
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
Scripture haue bounded her to a little number of Moores of the Cesarian prouince then we must goe to the Rogatists if to a little compaine of Tripolitans Byzacenians and prouincialls the Maximianists haue gotten her If onlie to those of the East we must seeke her amongst the Arrians Macedonians Eunomians and others if there be others to be found for who can number the particular heresies of euerie nation But if by the diuine and most certaine testimonie of the holie Scriptures she is designed to be in all Nations whatsoeuer is alleadged to vs or from whence soeuer it is alleadged by those that saie heere is Christ there is Christ if we be sheepe lett vs rather heare the voice of our shepheard who saith beleeue them not for these are not tobe found in manie places where she is and she who is euerie where is also wheresoeuer they are And againe My sheepe heare my voice and follow me You haue heard his most manifest voice recommendinge his future Church not only in the psalmes and in the prophets but by his owne mouth alsoe And a little after This is no obscure question and wherein they may deceiue you of whom our Lord hath foretolde that they should come and saie lo heere is Christ behold he is tbere lo he is in the desert that is to saie out of the frequeneie of the multitud beholde him heere in the secret places that is in hidden traditions and darke Doctrines You heare that the Church must be spread ouer all and grow to the haruest you haue the citie of which himselfe that built it said the Cittie built vpon a hill cannot be hidden it is then she that is not in anie single parte of the earth but is well knowne euery where Beholde the markes of the Church that saint AVGVSTINE affirmes to be designed by the voice of the pastor and soe cleerely designed as they neede noe interpreter to the end that the Church beinge knowne by them we may after by the Church be informed of the sense of the other voices of the pastor which neede interpretarion Produce to vs said he something for your cause which cannot be interpreted more truly against you nay which at all needes no interpreter as these wordes In thy seede all nations shall be blest neede no interpreter As these wordes It behoued that Christ should suffer and rise againe the third daie and that in his name there should be preached penāce and remissiō of Sinnes through all nations beginning from Ierusalem haue no neede of an interpreter c. As these wordes And this Ghospell of the kingdome shall be preached through the whole world in testimonie to all people and then the end shall come haue noe neede of an interpreter As these wordes Let both grow together till haruest haue noe neede of an interpretor For when they had neede of an interpretor our Lord himselfe ineerpreted them for euen as when a testator ordaines some one to interpret the difficulties of his testament and that the name o this interpreter being common and equiuocall to manie the testator assignes marks in his 〈◊〉 to make him knowne the clause whereby he designes the markes to know him must be so cleere as they shall need no interpreter since it is by them that he should be knowne to whom it is necessary they should addresse themselues to make them vnderstand those thing that shall neede interpretation So God hauing promised in his testament to giue the interpretatiō of his testamēt to the Church the wordes whereby the markes of the Church are there designed must be so cleere that they shall neede noe interpreter so that by them the Church beinge knowne we may after by the Church learne the vnderstanding of those things that neede an interpreter And therefore the order and course of S. AVGVSTINE was to verifie by places of Scripture which had not need of an interpretor the externall and sensible markes ' of the Church by the externall and sensible markes of the Church the Church itselfe and by the Church the vnderstanding of those places of Scripture which had need of interpretation n This point said he we reade it not plainely and euidētly neither I nor thou but if there were beere some mā indued with wisdome to whom our Lord himselfe had giuen testimonie and that he were consulted with by vs about this question I beleeve we would nothinge doubte to doe as he would 〈◊〉 vs for feare of beinge iudged repugnant not soe much to him as to our Lord Iesus Christ by whom he was recommended Now he giues testimony to his Church And elswhere Whosoeuer then feareth to be deceaued through the obscuritie of this questiō lett him cōsult with that Church which the holy Scripture bath designed without 〈◊〉 ambiguitie But this was when hee disputed with the Donatists who agreed with the Catholicks concerninge the truth of the Scripture for when he disputed with the Manichees or with the Infidells which denied or questioned it then he changed his method and did not proue to them the Church by the Scripture but the Scripture by the Church and to that end he vsed two kindes of proceedinge The one was to put it for a ground that if god haue care of the Saluation of man as without this principle all discourse of Religion is in vaine there can be noe doubt but he hath appointed a meanes howe they might attaine it and that this meanes not cōsisting in thinges knowne by naturall reason for as much as thē naturallie all men would agree in it it is thē of necessity that it should consist in authority and then this ground benig laid to verifie that amonge all the Societies of Religion that bee in the world the onely Catholicke Church hath the true markes of authority The other proceedinge was to propose to them the accomplishment of profecies touching the extirpation of Idolles and the ruyne of the false Gods of the paganes and touchinge the abolishment of the Iewish Ceremonies and the dispersinge of the people of the Iewes and touchinge the comeinge of a newe lawe maker and of a newe Religion and to represent to them that these prophecies were written before the birth of our Lord and kept by the enemies of the Church and were couched in termes soe cleere that it was a wonder that the Iewes which kept them were not persuaded by them but that within the same bookes it was foretolde that theyshould be stricken with blindnes and that in seeinge they should not see And by this meanes to proue to them that these were sacred and inspired from God and then this obtained to shewe them in the same prophecies the markes whereby amongst soe manie Societies which should vsurpe the title of Christian Societies shee was to be discerned to whow appertained the right of beinge the true Common wealth of Christ. And she beinge finally acknowledged to addresse them to
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
deceiptfull that is to saie he spake not this language to shewe that when he writt it there was then noe externall and visible Church which must be communicated with vnder paine of anathema but contrarywise to shew that they must continue to conserue the externall and visible communion of that Church impolluted and vndefiled from the contagion of the Arrians And therefore in the second place alleadged by his Maiestie he representes two Combates that the good Catholicke Pastors had in theire charges some within the Church against the iealousie emulation of euill Catholickes others without the Church against heretickes Schismatickes And which heretickes and not against the Church intituled Catholicke he calleth the warre sacred warre in imitation of the Phocensian warre which was called sacred Of the pretended precepts to goe forth from the visible communion of the Church CHAP. XV. The continuance of the Kings answere NOW that in the Church it was once necessarie to make such a separation we lerrne it cleerely as well out of other places of the Scripture as frō that which is opēlie declared to vs by this admonition of the holy Ghost made to the Church certainely not without cause Goe out of Babylon my people least you communicate in her sinnes Now what this Babilon is from whence the people of God are commaunded to goe forth the kinge searcheth not into it nor decides nothinge in that respect This certainly at least the thinge it self shewes manifestly that whether in that place by the word Babylon be meant a particular Church or the greater parte of the vniuersall Church it must be she hath heertofore bene a lawfull Church wherewith Religious men communicated 〈◊〉 and then from whom after her deprauation had yet past further the faithfull receiued commaundement to goe forth and to breake the communion they had with her Soe as it is easie to be vnderstood from thence that the faithfull ought not to desire all kinde of communion with those which are called vnder the title of Christ but only that which is made retaining still the 〈◊〉 of the doctrine reuealed from heauen THE REPLIE IT was not without cause the first Grecians called their allegoricall sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be it that this word intend hidden conealed senses or whether it intend suspitions For all senses purelie allegoricall are but suspitiōs coniectures haue noe firme solide foūdatiō And it is not without cause that the hebrew Doctors call the literall sense of the scripture the little word the allegoricall sense the great word For the literall sense is restrained by the square straight measure of that which is cōtained in the text where as the allegoricall sence hath noe boūd but is multiplied infinitly goes as farre as humane imaginatio can be stretched And therefore this axiom is past for a prouerbe in diuinitie that allegories proue nothinge Now if there be a booke in the world writtē in an allegoricall stile what one cā be equalled in that kinde to the Reuelation which as Sainct IEROM saith containes as manie Sacraments that is to saie sacred riddles as wordes And if Sainct AVGVSTINE cryed out against the Donatists who would haue found a prediction of theire Church in an allegoricall verse of the Canticles and said to them who is it that dares without a most vnbridled licence produce for himselfe that that is 〈◊〉 in an allegorie if he haue not places more cleere by whose light to illustrate that which is obscure What would he saie in this age not against his Maiestie but against the proceedinges of those that haue built the vocation of theire Church vpon these alegoricall wordes of the Reuelation goe forth of Babylon my people who knowes not that it is a solution sufficient for arguments drawne out of allegoricall expositions to answere I denie it and principally when there may be an other sense giuen to the allegoricall wordes then that according to which they are alleadged If I could not saith Sainct AVGVSTINE answering an allegoricall obiection proue this sense by anie more certaine argument yet it ought to satisfie euerie iudicious bearer that I haue foūd an issue for these wordes by meanes whereof it appeares that they haue alleadged nothīge for thēselues that is certaine but what may de doubted of And not only may there be found an other way of vnderstādinge this passage then that which his Maiestie supposes but antiquitie hath found two others and both celebrated by excellent and authenticall Authors and those which haue come after haue yet added a third The first way of vnderstandinge it is to interpret Babylon described by the Reuelation to be the Societie of all the wicked in generall as S. AVGVSTINE and many others often expound it in that sense and to expound Ierusalem described in the same booke to be the Societie of all the Good which are the two Citties whereof Saint AVGVSTINE hath composed a worke of the Cittie of the diuell which began in Cain and the Cittie of God which began in Abell For as there is the same reason in things contrary and opposite soe must the interpretatio of that Ierusalem painted out in the Reuelation and that of that Babylon which is opposed to it be a like Marke said Saint AVGVSTINE the names of these two Citties Babylon and Ierusalem Babylon signifies confusion and Ierusalem the view of peace c. They are mingled from the beginninge of humane kind and shall continue soe to the end of the world Hierusalem tooke her beginning from Abell and Babylon from Cain And a little after From whence can we now shew them that is discerne them Our Lord will shew to vs when he placeth them the one on his right hand the other on his left Ierusalem shall heare come you blessed of my father take possession of the kingdome which is prepared for you from the beginminge of the world and Babylon shall heare goe you cursed into eternall fire which is prepared for the diuell and his Angells Yet we may also bringe some marke accordinge to the capacitie that it pleases God to giue vs by which the faithfull and godlie Cittizens of Ierusalē may be distinguished from the Cittizens of Babylon Two loues make these two Citties the loue of God makes Ierusalem the loue of the world makes Babylon let euerie one then examine himselfe what he loues and he shall finde of which he is a Cittizen And in an other place all the wicked belong to Babylon as all the Saintes doe to Ierusalem And in the volume of the Cittie of God And what shall we gather from this but that we must flie out of the middle of Babilon which propheticall precept ought spirituallie to be vnderstood in this sense that out of the Cittie of this world wich is without doubt the societie of euill Angells and wicked men we should flie with the steps of faith which workes by loue and
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
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
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
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
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
in the East will frame such a iudgement where at we shall all reioyce in the 〈◊〉 of God And why doth the Mileuitan Councell to which S. AVSTIN was secretary write these wordes to Pope INNOCENT For as much as God by the guift of his principall grace hath placed you in the Apostolicke Sea and hath graunted you to be such in our daies as wee ought rather to feare that it should be imputed to vs for a crime of negligence if we should conceale from your Reuerence those things which for the Church ought to be represented to you then to imagine that you can receiue them disdainefully or negligentlie we beseeche you to applie your pastorall diligence to the great perills of the weake members of Christ And towardes the end But we belieue with the helpe of the mercie of our God JESVS CHRIST who vouchsafe to direct you consulting with him and to heart you praying to him that those that holde these opinions soe peruerse and pernicious will more casilie yeilde to the authoritie of your Holynesse drawne from the authoritie of the holie Scriptures And why then when the same Pope INNOCENT answered both the Councells did he testifie to them that they had behaued themselues toward him in the same manner as all the other prouinces had done to his predecessors It was not by human sentence but diuine said that great Pope in the answere to the Mileuitans Councell inserted amongst saint Austins Epistles and cited by saint Austine himselfe in his writinges against the Pelagians that the Fathers haue ordained that all things that are treated in prouinces distant and farr of should not be determined till first they were come to the knowledge of the Apostolicke Sea to the end that the sentence that should be found to be iust might the confirmed by the intire authority of the same Sea and that from thence the other Churches as Springes all proceeding from their mother source and running with the purity of their originall through the diuers Regions of the whole world might take what they ought to ordaine And in the answere to the Mileuitan Councell which is alsoe inserted amongst saint AVSTINS Epistles You prouide said he diligently and worthilie for the Apostolick honor for the honor I saie of him that besides assaultes from without sustaines the care of all the Churches following in the consultation of difficult things the forme of the ancient rule which you know hath alwaies bene practised by all the world with me And a while after princippally as often as there is question in pointes of faith I conceaue all our bretheren and Colleagues in the Bishops Sea ought not to referr what may profitt in common to all the Churches to anie but to Peter that is to saie to the author of their name and dignitie And why then to take away all occasion from replying that he spake in his owne cause doth saint AVSTIN soe highlie praise both these answeres Vpon this affaire saith saint AVSTINE were sent the relations of the two Councells of Carthage and Mileuis to the Apostobick Sea c. to all these things Pope INNOCENT answered vs as was conuenient and as the Prelate of the Apostolick Sea should answere vs. And in the epistle to Optatus Of this new heresie Pelagius and Celestius hauing bene authors or most violent and famous promoters they alsoe by the meanes of the vigilancie of two Episcopall Councells with the helpe of God who vndertakes the protection of his Church haue also bene condemned in the extent of the whole Christian world by the Reuerend Prelates of the Catholicke Sea yea euen by the number of two of them Pope INNOCENT and Pope ZOZIMVS if they correct not themselues and besides doe not penance And why then when the Africans had held their last Councell against Celestius did Prosper write vnder the twelfth cōsulship of Honorius Theodosius The decrees of the Councell of Carthage of 214-Bishops were carried to Pope ZOZIMVS which hauing bene approued the Pelagian heresie was condemned throughout the world And againe Pope ZOZIMVS of happie memory added the power of his sentence to the decrees of the African Councells and to cut of the wicked armed the right handes of all the Bishops with Peters sword And in an other place speaking of the Roman Church in generall The principallitie of the Apostolicall priesthood hath made Rome greater by the tribunall of Religion then by that of the Empire And why then when the Bishops of Africa were assembled at Cesarea in Mauritania doth saint AVSTIN saie The necessities of the Church enioyned to vs by the Reuerend Pope ZOZIMVS Bishop of the Apostolicke Sea had drawne vs to 〈◊〉 And why then when BRIXIVS Bishop of Tours had bene cast out of his Seat and IVSTINIAN created Bishop in his steede and Armenius after him had BRIXIVS recourse to Rome to the same Pope Zozimus that gaue him letters of re-establishment vpon which he was receiued and restored BRIXIVS saith saint GCEGORIE of Tours transporting himselfe to Rome related to the Pope all his sufferinges And a little after Returning then from Rome the seauenth 〈◊〉 with the authority of the Pope of the cittis he disposed his way to Tours And why then when Socrates a Greeke author of the same age with Zozimus produced examples of the translations of Bishops did he alleage in the head of all the other examples the translation of Perigenes Bishop of Patras one of the citties of Peloponesus that the Pope cōmaunded to be made Archbishop of Corinth And who alsoe in his qualitie assisted at the Councell of Ephesus Perigenes saith Socrates had bene ordained Bishop of Patras but because the cittizens of Patras had not receiued him the Bishop of Rome commaunded that he should be Bishop of the Metropolitā Church of Corinth the Bishop of that place being dead in which Church also he gouerned all the daies of his life And why then when Pope Boniface successor to Zozimus was raised to the Popedome did S. AVSTIN write to him Thou disdainest not to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the humble though thou rulest more highlie And againe The pastorall watch is common to vs all that exercise the office of Bishops although thou art 〈◊〉 in a more high degree And why then when Pope CELESTINE had succeeded in the Pontificall dignitie to Pope BONIFACE did Prosper reporte that he sent GERMAN the Bishop of Auxerra into Great Brittanie and made him his legate there and instituted Palladius first Bishop of Scotland Pope Celestine said Prosper at the instance of Palladius sent German Bishop of Auxerra in his 〈◊〉 that casting out the heretickes he might addresse the Brittaines to the 〈◊〉 saith And againe Palladius was ordered and sent first Bishop by Pope Celestine to the Scotts belieuing in Christ. And why then when Nestorius Archbishop of Constantinople begā to trouble the Faith of the Easterne Church did the same Pope
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
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
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
as when the Councell of Nicea pronounced anathema against the Arrians in these wordes they that saie there was a time wherein the sonn was not the Catholick Church anathematizeth them that is to saie decideth that their Communiō ought to be renounced and abhorred and held sor anathema The anathema's executory applicatory and abiuratory are those by which euery particular person doth protest and declare that hee will practise the sentence of the Church decreed against those persons or doctrines which haue bene by her iudiciarily anathematized and to abiute and hold them for anathema And for this cause iudiciary anathema's cannot be pronounced but by persons grounded vpon iurisdictiō but executory and abiuratory Anathema's may be made not only by persons destitute of iurisdiction but by meere laie men As in the Councell of Ephesus when Cordanepius a lay man returned from the Sect of the 〈◊〉 to the Church he anathematized all those that followed the Sect of the 〈◊〉 I anathematize saith hee all heresie and namely that of the quartodecumans And to this day when anie one returnes from 〈◊〉 heresie into the Catholicke Church he is caused to anathematize that heresy from whence he departs But these anathema's are but simple abiuratory anathema's that is to saie they are but bare executions and applications of iudiciary anathema's and the word to Anathematize in such a case signifies noe other thing but to abiure abhorr and hold them for anathematized Now it was in this second sorte that saint HILLARIE anathematized Liberius for hauing signed and subscribed the communion of the 〈◊〉 to wit not with a iudiciary but with an abiuratory anathema For the iudiciarie anathema had bene already pronounced by the councells of Nicea and of Sardica against the Arrians into whose coummunion Liberius was entered soe as there was noe more question to decree the sentence of anathema against him but to execute it in abiuring and abhorring him as fallen into the sentence of anathema pronounced against the Arrians in the Councells of Nicea and Sardica and therefore saint HILLARY adds to his anathema this word for my parte and saith for my parte anathema to thee ô Liberius to shewe that he spake not with a iudiciary anathema but with an anathema abiuratory and abnegatory whereby hee did not seperate Liberius from the communion of the Church who had alreadie seperated himselfe in departing from her to the 〈◊〉 but whereby he seperated himselfe from the communion of Liberius The third answere containes two branches the one is that this anathema was not pronounced by saint HILLARIVS in the tyme of vnitie and agreement of Popes but in tyme of Schisme and duplicitie of Popes to witt when Liberius and Felix sate concurrently in the Pontificall chaire of Rome Now there is great differēce between pronouncing anathema against a doubtfull Pope and sitting in Schisme with another Pope and pronouncing anathema against one only certaine and peaceble Pope for in the first case to witt in case of Schisme betweene two Popes it is an ordinary thing that those that take parte with the one doe pronounce abiuration and anathema against the other as during the Schisme of John 23 th and of Gregorie the twelfth and of Bennet the 13 th for whose extinction the Councell of Constance was kept those that tooke parte with any one of these three Popes pronounced abiuration and anathema against the other two without pretending notwithstanding to departe from the reuerence and obedience due to the Sea Apostolicke And therefore during the Schisme of Liberius and Felix saint HILLARY might pronoūce anathema against Liberius and seperate himselfe from his communion and enter into the communion of the other Pope without seperating himselfe euer the more from the communion of the Sea Apostolicke The other is that this anathema was not pronounced by S. HILLARY in the tyme that the Roman Church acknowledged him for Pope but in the tyme that Liberius was fallen from the Papacie and that euen the Roman Church abiured renounced and disauowed him for Pope and had withdrawne herselfe from his communion and from his obedience and had ranged herselfe with Felix his competitor For the vnderstanding whereof we must distinguish the tyme of Pope Liberius Popedome into thee partes the first before his falle the second during his fall the third after his fall Now during the first parte to witt before his falle he was so firme a defender of the Faith of the Councell of Nicea and of saint ATHANASIVS innocencie and soe great an enemy to the heresie and communion of the Arrians as the Emperor Constantius for that cause made him be tiranòusly carried away and transported by way of banishment into the cittie of Beroe in the borders of Thrace and at the instance of the Arrians caused Felix the deacon of Rome to be ordained in his steede During the second parte which began at his banishmēt he ouercome with the length of two yeares exile and other corporall vexations and persecutions he suffered himselfe to be drawne to signe the condemnation of S. Athanasius and to admitt the cōmunion of the Arrians and entered into Rome with a promise to continue in that resolutiō then the Roman Church ceased to acknowledge him for Pope For Popes that falle visiblie and by their owne coufession or not contested signature into an heresie notorious cōdemned by a precedent sentence of the Church or into cōmunion with an hereticall societie as was that of the Arrians falle from the Papacie from that tyme cease from their right of being Popes And Felix on the other side who was entred by the packe of the Arrians into his place made himselfe so firme a protector of the Catholicke Faith and Communion and so constant an aduersary of the Arrians as the Roman Church if wee beleiue the ancient inscriptions and the ancient martirologes where Felix is intitled Pope and Martyr and the ancient Catalogues of the Popes where he is put into the ranke of the Popes by the name of Felix the second making valid by a new election or an acceptation equiualent to a new election the ordination of Felix receaued him for Pope in Liberius steede I haue said if we beleiue the ancient inscriptions and martyrologes and the ancient Catalogues of the Popes For many moderne authors and Onuphrius amongst the rest hold that Felix was neuer true Pope and that Liberius neuer fell from the Papacie nor euer receiued the Arrians into his communion And they beleiue that all that saint ATHANASIVS saint HILARY and other ancient writers haue written was grounded vpon a false rumor that the Arrians had spread And they alleadge for this purpose Ruffinus that saith he could neuer discouer the truth of it I cannot discouer saith Ruffinus certainly whether the Emperor Constantius sent backe Liberius to Rome because he had yeilded to his will or because he was pressed to it by the Romans And Sozomene who reportes
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
but a simple Bishopricke subiect itselfe in the first instance to the Archbishop of Cesarea and by appeale to the Patriarck of Antioch and not bearing the title of a Patiarcke but onely as a name of honor to haue place in the Councells after the true Patriarckes but not to exercise Iurisdiction ouer anie other diocesse This appeares both by the Councell of Nicea which perserues the title of honor to the Bishop of Elia that is to the Bishop of Ierusalem alwaies sauing the dignitie of his owne Metropolitan meaning the Archbishop of Cesarea And by saint IEROM who askes John Bishop of Jerusalem why he had recourse to the Sea of Alexandria since the iudge of the Bishop of Jerusalem in the first instance was the Archbishop of Cesarea and in the second hee of Antioch Thou saith hee which searchest out Ecclesiasticall rules and makest vse of the Canons of the Councell of Nicea c. answere me wherein doth Palestina belong to the Bishop of Alexandria it is ordained if I be not deceiued that Cesarea should be metropolitan of Palestina and Antioch of all the East then either thou oughtest to haue referred they cause to the Bishop of Cesarea c. or if there were cause to seeke a iudgement farther thou shouldest rather haue writen to Antioch And a while after but thou hast rather chosen to importune eares alreadie possessed then to yeild due honor to thy Metropolitan And finallie this appeare by the Councell of Chalcedon which assignes to Iuuenall Patriarck of Ierusalem for his first Patriarchall territorie the three Palestina's For that Ierusalem in the Councell of Constantinople was called the mother of all the Churches it was mother in antiquitie and not mother in authoritie And that in the Councell of Ephesus Iuuenall Bishop of Ierusalem saith according to the Latine translation of Rome that the ancient custome and the Apostolicall tradition was that the Church of Antioch was to be directed by the Church of Ierusalem it is a mistaking of the translator of Rome who insteede of saying the Roman as Peltanus hath it hath said the Ierosolomitan For that the laste clause of the period is to haue reference to the Roman Sea as was done by Peltanus and not to that of Ierusalem as the interpreter of Rome hath done abusing himselfe with this that the word to obey gouernes the datiue and not considering that the word to honor which is there added alters the rule is verified by seauen vndoubted profes First it is verified by this that the greeke text shoud also haue no construction there being no verbe within the period to gouerne this accusatiue the throne Apostolicke of great Rome but the verbe to honor It is secondly prooued because alwaies the Bishops of Rome and not those of Ierusalem haue iudged of the Councells of Antioch as it hath bene aboue specified in the cause of Paule Samosatenus and of of saint ATHANASIVS It is thirdlie verified because the nullitie propounded against the Councell of Antioch in saint ATHANASIVS time was grounded not vpon the absence of the Bishop of Jerusalem who yet was no more there then the Bishop of Rome as Socrates notes but vpon the absence of the Pope or his legates It is verified in the fowrth place because the Bishop of Antioch was so farr from being subiect to him of Ierusalem that contrariwise the Bishop of Ierusalem as hath lately bene shewed both by the testimonie of the Councell of Nicea and by that of saint IEROM was subiect in the first instance to the Bishop of Cesarea and by appeale to him of Antioch It is verified in the fifth place because the same Councell of Ephesus and in the presence of the same Iuuenall sent backe the cause of Iohn Patriarcke of Antioch to the Pope It is verified in the sixt place because in the Councell of Chalcedon where Iuuenall was also present the sentence of Anatholius Bishop of Constantinople was that Maximus Bishop of Antioch should remaine for as much as Pope Leo hauing receiued him into his Communion had iudged that he should rule the Church of Antioch And finallie it is verified because in the general Councell of Constantinople against the Monothelites the cause of Macarius Patriarke of Antioch who had bene deposed by the Councell was sent backe not to the Bishop of Ierusalem but to the Pope Macarius and his adherents saith the Emperor Constantine Pogonat haue bene deposed by the consent of the whole Councell and remitted to the discretion of the most 〈◊〉 Pope The same may be also said of the Archbishopricke of Constantinople for as much as although that the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Nectarius had desired to erect it into a Patriarckship neuerthelesse this desire had no place till after the Councell of Chalcedon By meanes whereof the Church did not acknowledge in the tyme of saint AVSTIN anie more then the three Patriarchall Chaires which had bene acknowledged by the Councell of Nicea to witt Rome Alexandria and Antioch For whereas Socrates putts amongst the Patriarchips of the Easterne Empire the primacie of Pontus and that of Asia-minor from whence some inferr that it is an impertinent thing to goe about to restraine the number of the ancient Patriarckes to the onely Seas mentioned by the Canons of the Nicean Councell they shew their owne impertinencie not to see that Socrates there extendes by confusion of language the word Patriarkes to all kinde of Primates and imployes it not vniuocallie and in the same sence whereto we imploy it when we speake of Patriarkes properly taken no more then when Cassiodorus calls the primates and Metropolitans of Italie Patriarcks or when Gregorie of Tours calls Nicetius 〈◊〉 of Lion Patriarcke they intend not to speake of Patriarckes properly and strictly taken but of Patriarckes taken largely and generally Now these things were manifestlie distinct as Cuias hath plainelie noted in these termes the imperiall lawe separates the priuiledges Patriarchall and metropoliticke For not to touch other diuersities which were betweene the Patriarckes speciallie taken that Antiquitie otherwise calls Archbishops and Patriarkes generally taken that is betweene Patriarckes and those that were but simplie Primates and Metropolitans there was this difference betweene them that the Seate of the Patriarckes properly and especiallie taken was fixed and annexed to the dignitie of their Seas and neuer varied for anie respect of anterioritie of posterioritie of promotion In such sorte as Patriarckes properly taken neuer preceded by anie primates or Motropolitans whatsoeuer anterioritie of promotion the simple primates or metropolitans had before them nor amongst the Patriarckes properly taken the third neuer preceded the second whatsoeuer antiquitie of promotion he had aboue him but their Seates were annexed to the order of their Seas and not to that of their promotion Where Patriarckes generally and inproperlie taken that is to saie primates or metropolitans had amongst them
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
oppressed inclosed as the most part of the faithfull were constrained to hide themselues in caues and places vnder ground to auoid the persecutions tyrannies of the infidells Iointlie that wee say not that S. PETER remained alwaies fixed and tied to Rome while he was Bishop thereof but that he went from tyme to tyme planting the Ghospell in the lesser citties and placing Bishops ouer them and that during these voyages he administred the Roman Church by the ministrie of Linus and Cletus whom he had there establisheth for his Coadiutors which is the cause for which if wee belieue Russinus they are sometimes reckoned in the order of the Bishops of Rome before S. CLEMENT and sometymes after him And whereas the Iewes prayed S. PAVL when he came to Rome to informe them of the sect of the Christians which they obiect to vs they would not haue done if saint PETER had already bene Bishop there Wee answere that they prayed S. PAVL to informe them not of the sect of the Christiās but of the opiniō that he whom they reputed to be greatly versed in the Iewish doctrine had of them Otherwise how could S. PAVL say in his epistle to the Romans aboue fower yeare before his arriuall at Rome your faith is declared through the whole world To the sixt obiection which is that S. LVKE who hath written the historie of the Apostles speaketh not of the voyage of S. PETER to Rome we answere S. LVKE purposed to write particularlie the actes of saint PAVL his master and not these of the other Apostles For except that which past betweene the death of our Lord and the conuersion of saint PAVL where he treates the historie of the Apostles in cōmon to make it serue for a foundation to the particular relation of the actes of S. PAVL and except the discourse of the conuersion of Cornelius which hee adds there for as much as this conuersion was the ouerture of the Ghospell to the Gentiles for whose vocatiō S. PAVL had bene called S. LVKE doth not after that to the end of his booke make mention of anie other Apostle vnlesse in as much as hee was in the place where S. PAVL was and yet he omitts the voyage of S PAVL to Ierusalem to visit S. PETER S. PETER S. PAVLES meeting at Antioch and the right hand of association giuen by S. PETER S. IAMES S. IOHN to S. PAVL the voyage of the same S PAVL into Galatia which caused Beza to saie Luke hath omitted manie thinges and principallie S. PAVLES voyage to the Galathians And therefore so farr is S. IEROM from making vse of S. LVKES silence to weaken the credit of S. PETERS staie at Rome as contrariwise he argues the staie of S. PETER at Antioch and at Rome to shew how S. LVKE hath passed manie thinges vnder silence and takes this foundation for a certaine and vndoubted principle of historie Finallie saith S. IEROM we haue learnt that Peter was the first Bishop of the Church of Antioch and that from thence be was transferred to Tome which Luke hath vtterly omitted To the seauenth obiection which is that S. PAVL speakes of the enterview betweene S. PETER and himselfe both at Ierusalem and Antioch but speaks of no meeting betweene S. PETER and him at Rome which was the famousest cittie of the world wee answere that the epistle to the Galatiās which is the onely place where S. PAVL speaks of the enterviews betweene S. PETER and him to dissipate the reproaches that they that would seduce the 〈◊〉 laid vpon him that he had not bene instituted Apostle by Christ but by S. PETER by the other Apostles who gaue him their right hands for associatiō was written if wee belieue S. CHRYSOSTOME before the epistle to the Romans and then we must not thinke it strange that S. PAVL touched nothing there of the enterview of S. PETER him at Rome since it was written before the voyage of S. PAVL to Rome To the eighth obiection which is that S. IOHN makes mention of the kinde of death of S. PETER but makes noe mention of the place of his death we answere two things the one that S. IOHN makes mentiō of the kinde of S. PETERS death not of of the place where because the kinde and not the place of the death of S. PETER belonges to the explication of this prophecie of our Lord When thou shall be olde thou shalt stretch forth thy hands And the other that so farre is this clause of S. IOHN from weakning the beliefe of S. PETERS death at Rome that it fullie confirmes and authoriseth it For S. IOHN hauing writt his Ghospell manie yeares after the martyrdome of S. PEEER and hauing explained and proued this 〈◊〉 os our Lord thou shalt stretch forth thy hāds by the kinde of S. PETERS death without specifying it particularly it must be that when S. IOHN 〈◊〉 his Ghospell the kinde of S. PETERS death was knowne and euidēt to all partes of the Church Now the kinde of S. PETERS death could not be knowne to all partes of the Church but the place of his death must likewise be knowne to them nor could the place of S. PETERS death be knowne to all the Church bee anie other then Rome For how could it háppen that not onely all the ancient authors yea those that writt in the next age after S. IOHN as S. DIONISIVS of Corinth S. IRENEVS Caius Tertullian infinite others but the very stones also the inscriptions of the sepulchres of S. PETER S. PAVL which were yet preserued and publickly shewed at Rome in the tyme of Caius should witnesse with a cōmon voice that S PETER had bene martired at Rome that noe other Church but the Roman did euer glorie in his Relicks and his martirdome if frō the time wherein S. Iohn writt his Ghospell the place of S. PFTERS death had bene knowne to all the partes of the Church had bene anie other then Rome And therefore what remaines in all the texts obiected to vs from scripture which agrees not perfectly with the Chronology of the Church concerning the history of S. PETER Saint PAVL affirmes that three yeare after his conuersion he trauelled to Ieru salem to visit S. PETER consents not that exactly with our computatiō which reckons the conuersion of S. PAVL the first yeare after the death of our Lord the voyage of S. PETER to Antioch the fifth S. LVKE reportes that S. PAVL being come to Ierusalem for the distributiō of the almes during the famine which began the eleauenth yeare after the death of Christ found S. PETER there prisoner doth not that wholie agree with our Chronologie which supposes that the Episcopall Seate of saint PETER at Antioch was seauen yeare fiue compleate two imperfect The same S. LVKE writes that S. PETER withdrawing himselfe
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
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
that were instituted in the Churches without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And the Emperors Theodosius and Valentinian Wee decree that accoding to the ancient custome nothing shall be innouated in the Churches without that sentence of the reuerend Pope of the Cittie of Rome Now how was this anie other thing but to make the Pope what the same lawe of Theodosius and Valectinian calls him to witt the Rector of the vniuer salitie of Churches and what the Councell of Chalcedō intitles him to witt the Guardian of the Lords Vine and what the Councell of Sardica the Councell of Chalcedon and the Emperor Iustinian qualifie him to wit the head of Bishops For if as the Prouinciall Nationall or Patriarchall Councells could not be reputed perfect nor decide the affaires of the 〈◊〉 or of the nation or of the Prouince without the Metropolitan 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the generall Councells could not be generall nor decide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which concerned the vniuersall Church without the assistance and 〈◊〉 of the Bishop of Rome And if as S. IEROM saith that the Councell of 〈◊〉 had ordained that Antioch should be the metropolitan 〈◊〉 spirituall of all the East so not only saint ATHANASIVS calls Rome the Sea 〈◊〉 and metropolitan of Romania that is of all the Roman Empire beates the Arrians with the epistle which they had writen to the Pope in the which though fainedly irronically they had called the Roman Church the Schoole of the Apostles and the Metropolitan of religion but also S. GREGORIE Nazianzene cries out the ancient Rome marcheth right in the saith 〈◊〉 all the west tied by the healthfull word as it is conuenient that 〈◊〉 should doe which rules all the world And if as the Bishops of Egipt protested at the Councell of Chalcedon that it was the custome in the prouinces of the 〈◊〉 of Egipt to doe nothing without the sentence ordinance of the Archbishop of Alexandria So Socrates saith that the Coucell of Antioch was argued of nullitie for as much as the ancient Ecclesiasticall law bare that the Churches could not bee ruled without the 〈◊〉 of the Bishop of Rome how is it that the Bishop of Rome was not metropolita of the vniuersall Church such in regard of the whole Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriark Metropolitan was in regard of his diuision And if the Pope reciprocallie as heire to the principall Sea of S. PETER Metropolitan of the vniuersall Church was Rector of the vniuersality of Churches how could it be that the originall Patriarks which were heires of the 〈◊〉 Chaires of S. PETER the Metropolitans of the secōd 〈◊〉 of the Empire were not by proportion in the behalfe of their diuisions that which the Pope was ouer the whole extent of the Church It appeares thirdlie by the proceeding of the same Councell of Nicea and in the same Canon For what cause had the Councell of Nicea to represse the rebellion of Meletius Bishop of Sycopolis in Egipt who refused to obey the Bishop of Alexandria his Patriarke alledged the custome of the Pope not that of the Patriark of Antioch The Patriark of Antioch was in person at the Councell which the Pope was not hee was neerer both to the cittie of Nicea wherein the Councell wae holden to the Sea of Alexandria in whose fauour this Canō was made then the Pope he had the 〈◊〉 ouer fifteene great prouinces where of the least conteined more countries then the Protestants attribute to the Patriarkship of the Pope For what cause doth the Councell to suppresse Meletius alledge the custome of the Bishop of Rome and not that of the Bishop of Antioch but because the Bishop of Antioch his authoritie was of positiue right as well as that of the Bishop of Alexandria by which meanes the same 〈◊〉 that carried Meletius to denie the one might likewise haue carried him to denie the other where the Popes authoritie was of diuine right that is to saie as S. AVSTIN the Mileu Councell speake drawne 〈◊〉 the authoritie of the holie scriptures Moreouer for what cause did the Coūcell of Nicea confirme the custome of the Patriark of Alexandria that of the Patriark of Antioch not confirme that of the Pope but because the Popes authoritie depends not of the authoritie of Councells but proceeded from the verie mouth of our Lord as Pope Gelasius whō S. 〈◊〉 the secōd S. AVS or rather the second Oracle of the African Church calleth the Reuerēd Prelat of the Sea Apostolicke hath since expressed it in there words The holie Romā Catholicke Apostolick Church hath not bene preferred before other Churches by anie synodicall constitutions but hath obtained the primacie Euāgelicall voice of our Lord and Sauiour when he said Thou art Peter and vpō this rocke I will builde my Church Now this being so how is it not manifest that the intention of the Councell was not to restraine the authoritie of the Pope to the limits of a simple particular Patriarkship as that of the other Patriarkes but to propound the authoritie that the Pope had in regard of the vniuersall Church for a type and patterne of the authoritie of the other Patriarkes in regard of their patriarkships for either the law diuine gaue nothing to the Pope ouer the other Bishops or if it gaue him anie thinge it was giuen him ouer all the Earth although for the cōmoditie of the vniuersall gouernement of the Church the Pope abstained from the immediate administratiō of the other Patriarkships cōtented himselfe with the onely immediate gouernement of the patriarkship of the West and with the mediate generall superintendencie ouer the rest It appeares fowthly by the possession wherein the Pope remained after the Canon of the Councell of Nicea of iudging the persons and iudgements of the other Patriarkes and that in the view with the applause euen of those that had made the canon of their successors without that anie euer murmured that this practise contradicted it for how had Pope Iulius the first who was created Pope fiue yeares after the Coúcell of Nicea restored those great Champions of the Councell of Nicea saint ATHANASIVS Patriark of Alexandria Marcellus Primat of Ancyra in Galatia Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina because to him saith Sozomen for the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things apperteyned if the intentiō of the Councell of Nicea had bene to restraine the authoritie of the Pope into the onely limitts of a particular Patriarkship as well as that of the other Patriarkes And how had those great Chāpions defendors of the Coūcell of Nicea made vse of the Popes restitution to re-enter their Seas if it had bene contrary to the canon of the Councell of Nicea the which themselues had helped to compose S. ATHANASIVS amongst the rest who had bene the soule and pen thereof was then heire
it had bene admittted in some prouinces of Pontus Asia Minor and Thracia shall also haue place through all the prouinces of Illiria that is to saie of the Easterne Illiria to witt thae if there doe anie controuersie arise it may not be reserred to the holy iudgment and sacerdotall councell without the knowledg of the most holy and right Reuerend the Bishop of the cittie of Constantinople which hath the priuiledges of the ancient Rome And Photius Patriarke of Constantinople reporting the same lawe The sixth constitution said hee of the second title of the first booke of the code ordaineth that all the Canonicall questions that shall arise in all Illiria may not be decided without the sentence of the Bishop of Constantinople and of his Synod which hath the priuiledges of the ancient Rome Now what was this priuiledge of the ancient Rome to whose imitation nothing could be decided not onely in all the prouinces of Thracia Pontus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also in all the prouinces of the Easterne Illiria without the knowledge or according to the text of Socrates and of Photius without the sentence of the Bishop of Constantidople and of his Synod but that which we now come from speaking of with the same 〈◊〉 that the Ecclesiasticall lawe gaue the Pope through the whole earth to witt that without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome there might be made no new definition in what part of the world soeuer and which the law of Valentinian inserted into the new constitutions of the same Theodosius renewes in these wordes We decree that according to the ancient custome nothing shall be innouated in the Churches without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And therefore what other thing was it to graunt to the Bishop of Constantinople in Ecclesiasticall matters the priuiledges of the cittie of Rome but to make the Bishop of Constantinople particularly in his diuision what the Bishop of Rome was ouer all the Earth It appeaaes in the seauenth place by the possession wherein the Pope continued notwithstanding the erection of the Patriarkship of 〈◊〉 to iudge of the iudgements and of the persons of the Patriarkes of Constantinople and to receiue the appeales in maior causes from their diuisions For not onely the Popes as well after the Councell of Constantinople wherein the erectiō of the Patriarkship of Constātinople was attempted as after that of Chalcedon where it was againe sett vpon remained in perpetuall possession to iudge of the iudgements of the persons of the Patriarkes of Constantinople and to receiue the appeales of the maior causes from their diuisions but also the Patriarkes of Constantinople remained in perpetuall profession of obedience and of subiection to the Pope The one of these pointes shall be seene heereafter both by the appeale that SCHRYSOSTOME Archbishop of Constantinople cast in from the Councell of Constantinople to Pope Innocent the first and by the appeale that Eutiches Abbot of Constantinople cast in from Flauianus Patriark of Constantinople to Pope Leo the first by the appeale that the same Flauianus Patriark of Constantinople cast in from the second Councell of Ephesus to the same Pope Leo the first that saith the Emperor Valentiniā the 3 rd according to the custome of Councells by the condemnatiō that Pope Felix the third made of Acacius Patriark of Constantinople in vertue whereof he was raced yea after his death out of the records of the Church of Constantinople and by the deposition that Pope Agapet made of Anthymus Patriarke of Constātinople by the iudgemēt that the Pope S. GREGORIE the Great gaue in the causes of Iohn priest of Chalcedon and Athanasius a Regular of Lycaonia appealing to him from the tribunall of the Patriarke of Constantinople And the other shall appeare in the same chapter by the protestations that Iohn the second Anthimus Menas Iohn the fowrth Patriarkes of Constantinople euery one in his tyme made to acknowledge thēselues submitted subiect to the Pope to the Roman Church Now how was this anie other thing but a perpetuall testimonie that the Patriark all dignitie exempted not those that were thereof prouided from the iurisdiction superioritie of the Pope then that the intention of the Councell of Nicea had neuer bene to restraine the Popes authoritie within the simple limitts of a particular patriarkship as well as that of other Patriarkes but to propose the Popes authority in regard of the vniuersall Church for a type and patterne of the authoritie of the other Patriarkes in regard of their patriarkships It appeares in the eight place by the proceeding of the Emperor Iustinian the first who desiring to erect the first Iustinianea of Bulgaria the cittie of his Birth into the forme of a supernumerary patriarkship ouer the six Archbishoprickes of the six prouinces neere to that towne ordained that in those six prouinces she should hold the place of the Sea Apostolicke of Rome following the definitions of Pope Vigilius Wee decree saith the Emperor that the blessed Bishop of the first Iustinianea shall haue vnder his proper iurisdiction the Bishops of the Mediterranean Dacia of Dacia Rypensis of Triballea of Dardania of vpper Misia and of Pannonia and that they shall be ordained by him and by his proper Synod and that in the prouinces subiest to him he shall hold the place of the Sea Apostolicke of Rome following the things defined by the holie Pope Vigilius For that the intention of the Emperor Iustinian was to erect by this lawe the Bishoprick of the first Iustinianea of Bulgaria into the forme of a Patriarkship of honor although this honor remained to him but in shadowe and smoake wee learne from two cases The one that in the Councell of Constantinople surnamed Trullian holden vnder Iustinian the second before Bulgaria was possest by the Infidells Iohn Bishop of Iustinianopolis signed in the ranke of the Patriarkes in this order Paul of Constantinople Peter of Alexandria Anastasius of Ierusalem George of Antioch and Iohn of Iustinianopolis And the other that euer after the returne of Bulgaria to be Christian the latter Greekes did in some sorte continue this title to him as Curopalates a Greeke Author acknowledgeth when he coupleth the Archbishop of Bulgaria with the Patriarkes in these termes The designatiō of the other Patriarkes is made without anie diuersitie as well of him of Alexandria of him of Antioch of him of Ierusalem as also of the Archbishop of the first Iustinia nea called Achrida and of all Bulgaria And as Barlaam a Greeke Author natiue of Peloponosus confirmes it in his disputations against the Greeke schismaticks when hee writes that in the part separate from the Pope there were fiue Patriarkes on the other part saith he the are fiue Patriarkes reckoning him of Bulgaria And that this priuiledge to hold the place of the Sea Apostolick in the six prouinces neere the first
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
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
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
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
it to be renewed in the Councell of Chalcedon the Popes Legates answered that is was not to bee found in the Code of the Synodicall Canons of the vniuersall Church and added that is was neuer put in practise If the Bishops of Constantinople said they haue enioyed it what would they haue more and if they haue not enioyed it why doe they demaund it and for this very cause Pope Leo writt backe to Anatolius The signatures of certaine Bishops made as thou pretendest more then threescore yeares agone cannot vphold thy intention to which being tardie and longe agoe fallen thou hast sought weake and feeble proppes for neuer hauing bene transmitted to the knowledge of the Sea Apostolicke it could obtaine noe force And saint GREGORIE to the Patriarkes of Alexandria and Antioch The Roman Church hath neuer hitherto neither now doth receiue the Canons or acts of the Councell of Constantinople but she hath admitted that Synod in what it hath defined against Macedonius Anatolius then seeing this Canon had remained without effect for want of hauing bene confirmed by the Pope and by the westerne Church resolued to take the occasion of the Councell of Chalcedon celebrated at the gates of Constantinople and of the deposition of ` Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria and second Patriarke of the Church which ranke he desired to possesse to attempt to cause it to be renewed And therefore spying out at the Euening of the twelfth daie the time that the assemblie of the Councell was seperated and that the legates of the Pope and the Senate were retired and that there were none remayning but the Bishops that he thought he could easily bring to his Bowe makeing vse of the absence of the Prelates of Egipt and of Libia who assisted not at the last Sessions of the Councell for as muche as there was yet noe 〈◊〉 of Alexandria established in Dioscorus his steede and preuailing with the fearefulnes of Maximus Bishop of Antioch created in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Ephesus who for the sence he had of the vice of his 〈◊〉 durst not open his mouth against Anatolius who had ordained 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 a decree be particulariz'd which renewed the pretended Canon of the Councell of Constantinople and made it be signed by certaine Bishops of the prouinces neere Constantinople There was that 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 an other Session when after the departure of the Iudges and the 〈◊〉 and the Legates of the Sea Apostolicke certaine priuiledges were 〈◊〉 to the Church of Constantinople by Anatolius his vsurpation takeing aduantage of 〈◊〉 condemnation The next day the Popes Legates stood vpon the forme of this surprise to the Councell and represented that the Bishops themselues that had signed this decree had signed it by constraint But the plott was so well laid for Anatolius borne out by the Emperor and by the Senat of Constantinople and by the Prelats of his diuision that their resistance was in vaine For part of the Bishops being absent as those of the Patriarkship of Alexandria who had the principall interest in it and part dissembling their opposition as Maximus Patriarke of 〈◊〉 who afterward complained to the Pope of the preiudices that the priuiledgs of his Church had receiued in the Councell of 〈◊〉 and part confessing against their will that they had signed it with their will as the Bishops of Asia minor who had already protested in the sowrth action that they had as lieue dye as permitt that the Bishop of Constantinople should ordaine their metropolitans And besides that Eusebius Bishop of Dorylaus one of the Bishops of the diuision of Constantinople assuring falsely that the Pope was of agreement with the Article the Councell passed forward to the approbation of the Canon and when the legates of the Pope opposed it they writt to the Pope to pray him to confirme it in these termes We praie thee to honor our decree with thy iudgement and as wee haue brought correspondence to our head for matters of weale so thy souer aigntie may fulfill to thy children in matters of decencie for in so doeing the religious Emperors shall be gratified Now the Pope had bene allreadie desired not to giue consent to such enterprizes for vpon this that in the Councell of Ephesus Juuenall Bishop of Jerusalem abusing the absence and contumacie of Iohn Patriarke of Antioch and assaying to vsurpe the iurisdiction of Palestina against the Canon of the Councell of Nicea which attributed the superintendencie of Palestina and of the Bishop of Ierusalem himselfe to the Archbishop of Cesarea one of the metropolitans of the Patriarkship of Antioch saint CYRILL Patriarke of Alexandria praied the Pope to consent that such attempts should take place In the Councell of Ephesus saith Pope LEO the first in his Epistle to Maximus Patriarke of Antioch Iuuenall Bishop thought to haue found out a sufficient occasion to obtaine the principalitie of Palestina and to cause his audacious insolence to be confirmed by surreptitious writings which saint Cyrill of holy memorie iustly haueing in honor represented to me and declared to me by his letters what Iuuenalls ambition had attempted and requested me with great 〈◊〉 and care that no consent might be giuen to such vnlawfull attempts For those causes then and allso that Maximus Patriarke of Antioch had renewed the same request vnto him the Pope insteede of confirming the decree of the Councell of Chalcedon seeing it inviolated the order of the Councell of Nicea which had giuen the second place to the Bishop of Alexandria and the third place to the Patriarke of Antioch annulled and abrogated it by these words addressed to the Empresse Pulcheria The pietie of your Faith ioyned with vs wee annull the plotts of the Bishops repugnant to the rules of the holy canons established at Nicea and by vertue of the authority of the blessed Apostle PETER wee wholy abrogate them by a generall sentence And that with such effect as the Emperor and the Bishop of Constantinople were constrained for the tyme to depart from their pursuite as it appeares by these words of the same Pope to Anatolius This thy fault which thou hast committed to augment thy power as thou saist by the exhortations of others thy tharitie had better and more sincerely blotted out if that which could not be attempted against thy will thou hadst not imputed it onely to the Councell of thy Clergie c. but it is an agreable thing to me most deare brother that thou dost now protest to be displeased with what should not euen then haue pleased thee but the profession of thy loue and the testimonie of the Christian Prince shall suffice to cause thee to re-enter into common grace and let not his correction seeme tardie that hath gotten so reuerent a suertie And from hence it comes that in manie greeke and latine copies this canon is onely in the historie of the acts but not in the Catalogue of the Canons noe
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
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
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
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
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
Rome examining the affaire haue pronounced the definition And wherefore then when 〈◊〉 and Vrsacius the two principall aduersaries to saint ATHANASIVS would depart from their pursuite did they come to Rome to aske pardon of the Pope for the slaunders they had laied vpon saint ATHANASIVS They came in person said Sulpitius Seuerus to aske pardon of Julius Bishop of Rome And themselues in the acte of their pennance your Pietie in your naturall goodnesse hath daigned to pardon our error And wherefore then when the same Vrsacius and Valens had obtained the Popes pardon did they add this protestation at the end of their acte And besides this we promise that if vpon this occasion either those of the East or Athanasius himselfe will maliciouslie appeale vs in iudgement we will not depart from what you shall ordaine And the legates of the Asian Bishops to Pope Liberius in like manner If ante one after this profession of faith expounded by vs will attempt anie accusation against vs or against those that haue sent vs let him come with letters from your Holinesse before such orthodoxall Bishops as your Holynesse shall thinke fitt and contest with vs in iudgement And if a crime appeare let the author be punisht And wherefore when the Arrians constrained Pope Liberius to condemne saint ATHANASIVS did they insert these words into the false letter that they made him signe I haue 〈◊〉 the tradition of the Elders sent in my behalfe Lucius Paul and Aelianus priests of the Roman Church into Alexandria to Athanasius to cause him to come to Rome to the end I might appoint he being present vpon his person what the discipline of the Church exacts And for what cause doth S. BASILE testifie that when Pope Liberius had restored Eustathius Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia who had bene deposed by the Councell of Militina in Armenia an orthodox and Catholicke councell the councell of Tyana in Cappadocia receiued him without inquiring of the condition by meanes whereof he had bene restored The things saith hee which were propounded to him by the blessed Liberius and those whereto he submitted himselfe we know not sauing that he brought a letter which restored him which hauing bene shewed to the Councell of Iyana he was reestablished in his Bishopricke And wherefore then when S. IOHN CHRYSOSTOME had recourse by letters to Pope Innocent to procure the sentence to be abrogated that the mocke councell of Constantinople had pronounced against him did he write to him One thing I require of your vigilant soule which is that although those that haue troubled the world be sicke of an impenitent and incurable disease yet if they will remedie it they maie neither be punisht nor interdicted And wherefore then when the councell of Ephesus had excommunicated and deposed Iohn Patriarke of Antioch and his adherents did it reserue the definitiue iudgement to the Pope to correct or confirme the action and besought the Pope to conceiue a iust indignation against him that soe he might punish him for his rashnesse Wee haue saie the Fathers of the councell reserued him to the iudgement of thy pietie and the while we haue declared them excommunicate and depriued of all Saurdot all power And a while after May it then please thy Holynesse to conceiue a iust indignation against these things for if it be lawfull for euerie one to doe outrage to the greatest Seas so spake they because of the Sea of Alexandria which preceded that of Antioch and to pronounce sentences vnlawfull and not canonicall or rather contumelies against those ouer whom they haue noe power c. Ecclesiasticall affaires will fall into an excessiue confusion but if those that committ such enterprises may be punished according to their desert all 〈◊〉 will cease And wherefore then when the Emperor Valentinian the third would suppresse by one of his lawes Hilarie Bishop of Arles who had presumed to consecrate Bishops of the Gaules without the Popes licence doth he saie That the Popes clemencie alone permitted Hilarie still to beare the title of a Bishop And againe Wee ordaine that whatsoeuer the Sea Apostolicke shall decree shall be a lawe that is to saie shall be executed by the ministers of the Imperiall iustice and that euerie Bishop who being called to Rome by the Pope shall refuse to appeare shall be constrained by the Gouernor of the prouince And wherefore then when Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople had bene condemned by the false Councell of Ephesus did the same Valentinian the third write to the Emperor Theodosius his Father in lawe We ought in our daies to preserue to the blessed Apostle Peter the dignitie of the Reuerence proper to him inuiolate that the blessed Bishop of the cittie of Rome to whom antiquitie hath yeilded the Priesthood ouer all may haue waie to iudge of Bishops and of faith For for this reason Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople followiug the custome of Councells hath appealed to him by petition in the contention moued concerning faith And wherefore then when Theodoret had bene condemned in the same Councell of Ephesus did he write to the Pope I attend the sentence of your Apostolicke Throne and doe beseeche your Holynesse to succour me appealing to your right and iust iudgement and to commaund that I maie he transported to you and verifie that my doctrine sollowes the Apostolicall pathes And for what cause when the Pope had restored him did the Senators that assisted at the Councell of Chalcedon saie Let the most Reuerend Bishop Theodoret come in because the most holy Archbishop Leo hath restored him to his Bishops Sea And the Councell euen the same Theodoret is worthie of his Sea Long liue Archbishop Leo Leo hath iudged the iudgment of God And wherefore then when Pope Leo would sett his hand to the restitution of the Bishops that had inclined to the false Councell of Ephesus did he write to Anatolius Archbishop of Constantinople But as for those that haue more 〈◊〉 sinned in this cause if perchance they come to repentance and abandoning the defence of themselues being conuerted to condemne their owne error and that their satisfaction maie be such as it seemeth they ought not to be reiected let the matter be reserued to the more mature determination of the Sea Apostolicke And for what cause when Paschasianus the Popes Legate voted vpon the same subject did he pronounce in the presence of the Councell of Chalcedon that the Pope had pardoned all the Bishops and Archbishops of the East which had suffered themselues to be 〈◊〉 borne by the violence of Dioscorus The Sea Apostolicke saith hee hath graunted them pardon for what they haue against their 〈◊〉 committed for asmuch as they haue hither to remained adhering to the most holy Archbishop Leo and to the most holie and vniuersall Councell And wherefore then when Dioscorus and the false Councell of Ephesus had restored Eutyches
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
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
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
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
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
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
that the Bishops which iudged at Rome had not bene good Iudges yet there remained the vniuersall Councell of the whole Catholicke Church Doth it not verisie that after the Popes iudgement supposing and not graunting that it had bene subiect to appeale there remaines noe other iudgement but that of the generall Councell of the whole Church But let vs returne to the Councell of Arles From this Councell then the Donatists had againe recourse to the Emperor and forced him to examine the cause himselfe And this was the fowrth irregularitie as it appeares by the protestation that the Emperor made for which he would aske pardon of the Bishops He gaue waie saith saint AVGVSTINE to their importunitie to stopp their mouthes and yeilded 〈◊〉 sarr as to iudge this cause after the Bishops but with an intent afterward to craue pardon of the holie Bishops Now how can an example for which the emperor protests that himselfe will craue the Bishops pardon serue for a lawe to the Bishops yet this was not all for the Donatists did noe more obey the iudgement of the Emperor then they had done to that of the Councell of Rome holden in the Popes presence or to that of the Councell of Arles holden in the presence of the Popes legates but disavowed the Petitions that they had presented to the Emperor Constantine and said that that busines was not for the emperors examination and that it was not their solicitation that brought it before him and cast this imputation vpon the Catholickes soe as the last dispute was whether the Catholickes or the Donatistes had caused the Emperór to intervene in this cause both disavowing it If he be culpable saith saint AVSTIN speaking of the Bishop Felix who ordained Cecllianus whō the Emperor had caused to be heard before the Procōsull of Africa that hath bene absolued by an earthlie iudge not hauing demaunded it how much more are those 〈◊〉 that wouldhaue an earthlie king to be iudge of their cause For if it be noe crime to haue appealed to the Empero rit is noe crime to haue bene heard by the Emperor neither thē by him to whom the Emperor had delegated the cause that is to saie by the Proconsull And againe know that your superiors haue first brought Cecilianus his cause before Constantine oblige vs to proue it to you and if wee proue it not doe with vs what you can Now let vs recapitnlate all the heades of this historie The first head saie the Caluinists was that the Donatists addressed themselues to the Emperor Constantine to aske Iudges of him it is true but what consequence can you drawe frō this exāple For were not the Donatistes alreadie Schismatickes and separated from the obedience and from the communion of the Church And besides had not they recourse afterward to the Emperor Iulian the Apostata a pagan and insidell Prince to recouer their Churches that the Christian and Catholicke Princes had taken from them and with this Elogie that in him onely all iustice remained And did not saint AVGVSTINE crie out to them If it were in your power you would not now call against vs the Emperor Constantine because he fauors the truth but you would rather call Iulian the Apostata out of hell The second head was that the Emperor partlie yeilding to their importunitie graunted them Iudges from the prouince that they had demaunded that is to saie from the Gaules it is true but did not the Emperor protest before he graunted this to them that it belonged not to him who attended the iudgement of Christ to meddle with the iudgements of Christ's Ministers And after he had graunted them this did he not remitt them to Rome to iudge the cause with the Pope and vnder the Presidencie and direction of the Pope The third head was that the Donatists appealed from the Popes iudgement to the Emperors iudgement it is true But doth not the Emperor crie out that this appeale was a thing not fitt to be spoken or heard that it was a madd impudence of furie that it was a recourse from he auenlie to earthlie iudgement and a manifest contempt of Christ's authoritie The fowrth head was that notwithstanding this protestation the Emperor graunted them a Councell at Arks it is true but doth not saint AVGVSTINE testifie that it was an irregular action when he saith that the Emperor did it giuing waie to the peruersues of the Donatists And that the Popes legates and the assistants that were with him at the Councell of Rome were present at that of Arles And that the Fathers of the Councell bewailed that the Pope could not assist there and said that if he had bene there present they had pronounced a more severe sentence against the Donatists doth it not proue that it was not a iudgement of appeale but a more ample reuiew of the cause which the Donatists said was not fullie heard The fift head was that the Donatists had recourse againe from the councell of Arles to the Emperor and prayed him to take the examination of the cause himselfe which he did it is true but doth not saint AVGVSTIN saie that he protested the he would afterward craue pardō of the holy Bishops And doth he not further testifie that the Donatists did noe more agree to the Emperors iudgement then to the former The Emperor saith hee is chosen iudge the Emperor iudging is dispised With what ingenuitie then can Caluin and his disciples saie that this historie is enough to end the question and fully to cleere the busines for who sees not that these proceedings not hauing bene at the instance of the Catholicke partie and according to the ordinary formes of the Church but at the instāce of the hereticall partie and by extraordinarie waies and against which the Emperor himself protests for iniustice for furie for impietie and obligeth himselfe to aske the Prelates pardon And hauing finally bene reiected and disauowed euen by those that had solicited for them and as it were snatched it out of the Emperors handes there is noe more iustice in makinge vse of them to the preiudice of the ordinarie lawes of the Church and to propound them for copies and paternes of the anciēt forme and ecclesiasticall discipline then to alleadge against the present authoritie of the Pope and the Councell the audience and conference that King Charles the ninth graunted at Poissy to the Protestants of his Kingdome after the councell of Sens and Trent to the end to proue to bring them backe to the church by way of mildenes and accommodation and to inferr from thence that the Conference of Poissy was giuen aboue the Councells of Sens and Trent Of the decree of the Mileuitan Councell concerning the beyond Sea Appeales CHAPT V. THE fowrth instance of Caluin is that in the Mileuitan Councell holden vnder Pope Innocent the first thousand two hundred yeares agoe the Bishops
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
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
that is to say betweene the three thirtith canon of the latine Rapsody the thirtie fourth And therefore the Greekes haue taken awaie these three quotations from the place where they are sett in the latine Rapsody and haue sett them in the Greeke Rapsody after the canons and signatures of the third Councell of Carthage as pertinentlie for the two last quotations as impertinently for the first which should precede the Register of the third Coūcell of Carthage But this is enough for the question of the compiling which neuerthelesse I remitt to the Iudgement of the readers For I know well that Cresconius an African canonist of 〈◊〉 a thousand yeares antiquitie hath cited the canons of a Councell that he intitles the generall Councell of Carthage with numbers answering to the numbers of this collection which we call the African Councell It is true that he might either be abused about the clause whereof wee haue spoken aboue or else that he might call this collection the generall Councell of Carthage for as much as it is a collection of many seuerall Councells of Carthage as Gratian and the other canonists alleadge the collection of the Greeke Synods made by Martin the ancient Bishop of Brague or Bracara in Spaine vnder the singular title of a Councell and intitles it 〈◊〉 Councell of Pope Martin Well know I also that the Africans in their Epistle to Pope Boniface sent him the copie of some Canons either made or confirmed by their Councell but there is no impediment why this sending may not be intended of the canons of the seauenth Councell of Carthage which had bene holden in the presence of the legates of the said Pope Boniface the day before the date of this Epistle And therefore without peruerting the iudgment of the Readers I haue contented my selfe with touching the causes of the first difference Let vs goe on to the second The secōd difficultie hath regarde to the number of the canons of this Rapsodie consists in this that the latine editiō cōtaines but an hūdred canons which with the Epistles and the act sent from the East make anhūdred fiue chapters that of the Greekes containes an hundred thirtie three besides the Epistles And the reason of this difference proceedes frō this that the originall Rapsody not comprehending all the canons of the Councell of Carthage but being restrained to the number of an hundred and the Greekes not hauing the copies of those other Councells of Carthage in cheefe that wee haue it seemed necessarie to them to add to this century an other collection of thirtie three Canons which goes vnder the title of the Canons of the sixth Councell of Carthage but which is taken from diuers former Councells and to sett it at the head of their Rapsodie For that the originall rapsody containes but an hundred Canons and was conformable to the number and to the cyphers of the latine and not of the Greeke it appeares by the citations that Cresconius an ancient African Canonist makes of this medley that we call the 〈◊〉 Councell wherein the numbers and titles of the Canons answere the order of the latine Rapsody Whether the latin edition of the African Canons be more faithfull then the Greeke Rapsody CHAP. VIII The Aduersaries of the Church will haue it that the relation of the Greeke rapsody is more faithfull then that of the latine Rapsody And wee cōtrary wise maintaine that the Relatiō of the latine rapsody is much more sure sauing some faultes in the Exēplifiers thē that of the Greeke that for three causes the first because the Councells of Africa haue bene made in latine and not in Greeke by meanes whereof reason wills that the latine Rapsody which hath bene taken out of the originall it selfe except the Epistles whereof it seemes as it shall appeare heereafter that the latine hath bene translated from the Greeke translation and that the 〈◊〉 latine originall hath bene lost must be more certaine then the Greeke Rapsody which had bene made but vpon the extracts of the translation The second because the Greekes haue bene much more ignorant in the matter of Councells of Africa then the latins as it appeares by the erroneous Councell holden vnder saint CYPRIAN that the Greekes haue sett into the ranke of the orthodox Councells of Africa And the third because that in the places where the readings of the Greeke and Latine Rapsody differ the readings of the latine Rapsody 〈◊〉 with the Councells of Africa in cheefe which wee haue in our hands and with the custome of the ancient African Church reported by saint AVGVSTINE by Fulgentius Ferrandus and other African Doctors And the readings of the Greeke Rapsody are repugnant thereunto I will content myselfe to alleadge two examples besides that which wee haue already tendred of the adition of the Bishops to the canon of the appeales The first example shall be taken from the seauentith one Canon of the Greeke Rapsody where the African Fathers hauing said It hath pleased that the Bishops priests and Deacons according to the former determinations shall abstaine from their owne wiues The Greekes that doe indeede forbid Priests to marry after their promotion yea call such marriages impious and detestable but if before their promotion they haue bene married prouided it were but once and besides that they be simple Priests and not Bishops doe permitt them the continuance of the wiues that they haue married before their priesthood haue aduised themselues to abuse the ambiguitie of their tongue which maketh vse of one same word to expresse determination and to expresse terme and haue conuerted these words according to the former determinations or according to their owne determinations into these wordes according to their proper termes And to the end to delude the sense of the canon haue made weekely priests who serue by turnes and alternatiue weekes and obserue the Celibat during the weekes of their Seruices and intermit it during the rest Now how false this interpretation is and how contrarie to the intention of the African fathers who neuer knew these weekely priests nor these alternatiue Celibats it appeares first by all the Conncell of the ancient Latine Church holden in the Regions neere Africa which oblige Bishops Priests and deacons without distinction of turnes and vicissitudes to a perpetuall Celibat It hath pleased saith the Elibertine Councell celebrated in the prouince of Grenado in Spaine neere an hundred yeares before the sixth Councell of Carthage to ordaine Bishops Priests Deacons and Subdeacons establisht in the Ministrie to abstaine wholie from their wiues and to 〈◊〉 no children And the first Councell of Toledo celebrated in Spaine in the tyme of the fifth Councell of Carthage from whence this canon is taken If anie Deacons haue liued incontinentlie with their wiues lett them not be honored with the degree of Priesthood And the second Councell of Arks celebrated a
since without this dedicatiō the ordinarie Sacrifices of the Lawe could not be lawful by cōsequēce according to our aduersaries had neede of the testimony of a canonicall Scripture and S. PAVL when he cites in the Epistle to the Hebrewes the historie of the tympanized Martyrs and that not in matters of things knowne by naturall light as when he alleadgeth Aratus or in manners as when he alleadgeth Menander or Epimenides but in matter of faith and to verifie these two theologicall propositions that faith is the proofe of things not apparant and by faith the Saints haue Conquerd Kingdomes and wrought Iustice. For the historie and the word it self of tympanized Martirs S. PAVL takes it from the second Booke of the. Machabees as Theodoret hath noted and after him the Ministers of Geneua who in their annotations vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes haue quoted in the Margent of this verse the sixth Chapter of the second of the Machabees I know well that the Caluinists doe shake the Authoritie of the two Bookes principallie of the second they obiect fiue things first that the author excuseth the lownesse of his stile the secōd that it is not an originall historie but the extract epitomy of a more large history the third that the primitiue author was called Iason which is a pagan and prophane name the forth that he was a Cyrenian and not a Jewe the fifth that this historie containes manie contrarieties both to itselfe and to prophane histories But there is none of these obiections but brings his solution with him for to the first oppositiō which is in behalfe of the excuse of the stile wee answere that S. PAVL doth yet excuse himselfe in more expresse termes for the stile of his Epistles whē he saith Though I be ignorant as concerning words yet I am not so in knowledge To the second opposition which is in behalfe of the qualitie of the historie which is the abridgment of a larger history wee answere that the historie of Kings and that of Chronicles are also of other larger histories of the Kings of Israel and Iuda and that to make a history Canonicall it is not necessary that the holy Ghost should immediatly indite all the matter of the Narration but it sufficeth that he so assist it that in the composition of the ingredients of the history there be noe falshood mingled with it To the third opposition which is cōcerning the name of Iason one of the authors of the originall history which they will haue to bee a prophane name wee answere that the name Jesus in hebrewe and the name Iason in greeke the one deriued from the hebrewe word Iesa which signifies saluation and the other from the the Greeke word Iasis which signifies healing is one selfe-same From whence it came that the priest Iesus brother of Onias was called Jesus amongst the Hebrewes and Iason amongst the Greekes as Onias his brother was called Onias or Oniā amōgst the hebrewes which signifies the strēgth of the people and Menelaus amongst the Greekes that since Iason sonne of Eleazar and manie other Iewes bore the same name To the fourth oppositiō which concernes the coūtrie of this Iason who is surnamed Iason the Cyrenean we answere that Cyrene was a prouince and peopled with Iewes frō whence it is that the Ghospell calls him that did helpe to carry the crosse of our Lord Symon the Cyrenean and that S. LVKE calls one of the Synagogues of Ierusalem the Synagogue of the Cyreneans And finally to the fifth and last opposition which is concerning the pretended repugancie of this history either against itselfe or against prophane histories we answere that if this gate should be once opened there were noe Canonicall booke whose authoritie might not be called in question For who knowes not that it is a thousand times more difficult to reconcile either the historie of the Chronicles which saith that Elias writ to Ioram king of Iuda with the historie of the Kings which saith that Elias had bene taken vp out of the world eight yeare before the raigne of the same Ioram King of Iuda or saint MATTHEW who writes that Ioram King of Iuda begat Ozias and reckons from Dauid to Ozias fourteen Generations with the history of the Kings the Chronicles which tetestifie that Ioram was the Grandfather of the Grandfather to Ozias and let ts downe from Dauid to Ozias seauenteen Generations or the historie of the Acts which computes the death of Theodas to be vnder the Empire of Tiberius with Iosephus an author of that countrie and tymel who reckons it vnder the Empire of Claudius then to reconcile all the seeming repugnancies which are in the historie of the Machabees either against itselfe or against prophane histories And if it shoud be lesse who sees not that it belongs not as hath bene already said to the matter now in agitation For the question that is in dispute in the matter of the collection intituled the sixth Councell of Carthage is not whether the bookes of the Machabees are in their ground Canonicall or not not whether the other partes of the Church haue reputed them canonicall or not Canonicall but whether the African Church hath holden them for such and whether the Greeke interpreters in ecclipsing them from the canon of the African Church haue done falsely or not Now wee proue that they haue done so both by the Catalogue of the third Councell of Carthage and by that of saint AVGVSTINE and by a thousand other authenticall testimonies and consequently that the latine edition of the African canons is of better creditt then the Greeke Rapsody which is that wee haue obliged our selues to proue Of the difficultie touching the epistles that are at the end of the African Councell CHAPT IX THERE remaines one last difficultie which is represented vpon the matter of the Councells of Africa touching the Epistles annexed to the end of the century of the African Canons to witt whether the latine text of these Epistles which wee haue at this daie in our Libraries haue bene translated from the Greeke translation and added to the collection of Dionisius the ancient latine originall being lost or whether the ancient latine text being come to our hands it haue bene corrupted by the Schismatickes of West the whether it were in the tyme that the Church of Aquilea and that of Grada were in Schisme and that the Popes held for the Church of Grada and the Lumbards for the Church of Aquilea or whether it were afterwards For that it hath bene familiar with the Schismatickes of the West to abuse these Epistles to the fomenting their rebellions it appeares by the mocke-Councell of Rheims holden for the cause of Arnulphus Bishop of Orleans where the principall piece that the Schismatickes made vse of was the Epistle of the
this be obserued of Bishops that those which haue bene depriued of the communion in their prouince might not appeare to be restored rashlie and duely to the communion by your Holynesse And the Greeke text contrarywise makes two diuers clauses of this traine whereof he referrs the first to the Pope and not to the Councell of Nicea and distinguisheth them by the word then which is an aduerbe of illation in these termes For if it appeare that he hath had care to extend his caution euen to clerkes and laymen by how much stronger reason would he haue is to be obserued in regard of Bishops Let not those then that haue bene suspended from the communion in their owne prouince appeare to be hastilie and otherwise then is fitt restored to the cōmunion by your Holynesse Now that the reading of the Greeke edition be the true one it appeares by the branch following which is Likewise also the impudent flightes of priests and inferior clerkes let your Holynesse as a thing worthie of you reiect them Which supposeth a precedent prayer to the Pope particularly made for the Bishops The fourth patterne shall be taken from the middle of the same petition where the Greeke text contayning the grace of the holy Ghost shall not want to euery prouision the latine exemplifiers of the Greeke word which fignifies there prouision some of them haue made prouidence and other some prouince For that there it must be read prouision and not prouince it appeares by the clause that followes which saith And principally since it is permitted to euery one if he finde himselfe agreeued at the sētēce of the iudges to appeale to the Synod of his prouince The fifth patterne shal be taken frō the end of the same Epistle where the Greeke text saith For as for the wretched Apiarius hauing already bene for his infamous crimes cast out of the Church of Christ by our brother Faustinus we are no more in care for as much as by the meanes of the approbation and direction of your Holynesse for the preseruation of brotherly Charitie Africa will suffer him no longer which is the true sence of the Bpistle where the Fathers intend to expresse that the Pope will noe longer permitt that Apiarius to whom by the first iudgement of Faustinus his 〈◊〉 of the African Bishops reuiewing the cause with him it had bene granted to remaine in Africa and so exercise there in anie place he could or would the office of priesthood prouided it were not at Sicca hauing bene by the second iudgement condemned and excommunicated yea by the very month of Faustinus his Holinesse legate should remaine in Africa and exercise anie priesthood there which sence also the protestants haue followed as well in the Greeke as in the latine of the last impression of the Councells of Africa which they haue made in Germany And the latine edition contrarywise saith transferring the speech to 〈◊〉 For as for our Brother Faustinus Apiarius hauing bene already cast out of the Church for his enormious crimes we are assured sauing the probity and 〈◊〉 of your Holynesse that brotherly Charitie will not permitt that he be 〈◊〉 longer borne with in Africa Now this translation is both against the Greeke text which referrs the speeche to Apiarius and not to Faustinus and against the expresse intention of the Councell which might well cōueniently desire the Pope not to permitt anie longer that Apiarius should remaine in Africa but not desire him no more to keepe a Legat in Africa principally according to the opinion of those that will haue it that the Councell of Carthage where Genetlins presided was celebrated vnder the Empire of Valentinian the third who begun to be Emperor but the yeare after the Consulship of Uictor and Castinus vnder the which according to them this letter was written and that Faustinus the Popes Legate assisted at it And against the testimonie of Leo the first who was created Pope eight yeares after the death of Celestine who makes mention of a Bishop called Potentius who was his Legat in Africa For as for the clause wee are no more in care of it which wants in the Greeke printed copies it is in the ancient greeke copies commented by Zonara and by Balsamon And as for the word probity which is read in the latine text it may be it is a deprauation of the Greeke word which signifies 〈◊〉 which also the Germans haue retained in the new edition as well Greeke as latine of their Conncells But it is alreadie a longe while since this digression began to exceede the proportion of the other partes of my worke And therefore the feare to abuse the Readers patience obligeth me to conclude and to pray them to excuse me if I haue suffered myselfe to be carried beyond what was my purpose at the beginning of the chapter The importance of the matter shall recompence the defect of the proportion which perchance in these kindes of searches will not be displeasing to spiritts curious of antiquities Of the Question of Appeales treated of in the sixth Councell of Carthage CHAPT X. THE fifth instance of Caluin against the Popes authoritie is taken from the dispute that happened about the matter of Appeales in sixth Councell of Carthage and consists in this that Apiarius priest of the cittie of Sicca in Africa hauing appealed to the Pope from a sentence that the Bishops of Africa had giuen against him And the Bishops of Africa hauing complained of this Appeale the Pope sent them the canons of the appeales made in the Councell of Sardica and directed them to them vnder the title of the canons of the Councell of Nicea for as much as the Councell of Sardica was an appendix of the Councell of Nicea By meanes whereof the African's not finding these Canons in the Copies of the councell of Nicea that they had with them deputed some into the East to see if they could finde them in the copies of the Easterne Churches and not hauing found them there and besides finding themselues much aggreeued as the frequent appeales which those that had badd causes cast in from their Iudgments besought the Pope that he would not more so easily receiue Appeales from the church-men of their prouinces Now this instance hath bene after manie ages the principall engine of the aduersaries against the Popes authoritie as it appeares both by the vse that the Schismatickes of the mock-Councell of 〈◊〉 made of it to the end to oppresse the innocence of Arnulphus Bishop of Orleans which the Pope maintained And by the calumnies where with Zonar as and Balsamon Greeke Schismatickes vniustly charge the memorie of Pope Zosimus for hauing alleadged the canons of the Councell of Sardica vnder the title of the canons of the Coūcell of Nicea And finally by the proceedings of the protestants who in this slander haue followed and surpassed them For not only
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
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
of Milan of Picena of Tuscany of Campania of Calabria Apulia of Brussa of Sicilia of all Africa entirelie of Sardinia of Spaine of France and of the Brittans And Theodoret registring the inscription of the same Councell The holie Synod assembled by the Grace of God at Sardica from Rome from Spaine from France from Italie from Campania from Calabria from Africa from Sardinia from Pannonia from Misia from the first Dacia from Dardania from the second Dacia from Macedonia from Thessalia from Achaya from the Epiruses from Thracia from Rhodope from Asia from Caria from Bithinia from Helespont from the first Phrigia from Pisidia from Capadocia from Pontus from the second Phrigia from Cilicia from Phamphilia from Lydia from the Cyclades Jlands from Egipt from Thebaidis from Lybia from Galatia from Palestina and from Arabia And elsewhere exagerating the obstinacie of Acacius Archbishop of 〈◊〉 in Palestina one of the heads of the Arrian faction The Councell assembled at Sardica deposed this Acacius said hee but hee obeyed not the deposition despising so great a number of Bishops And Sulpitius Seuerus describing the conuocation of the Councell of Sardica first proiected as he pretends by Constantine and after executed by his children Hee commaunded said hee that from all the world the Bishops should assemble themselues at Sardica And Socrates reporting the historie of the Councell of Sardica Paule and Athanasius demaunded that their Cause that of faith might be examined in a generall Councell By the ordinance then of the two Emperors there was a Generall Councell called at Sardica And the Emperor Justinian in the Edict of faith indited as Hincmarus notes by the second Councell of Constantinople that wee call the fifth Generall Councell They were said hee speaking of the Aduersaries to the Councell of Nicea anathematized some whiles they liued and some after their death by Damasus of holy memorie Pope of olde Rome and by the Generall Councell of Sardica And Uigilius the old Bishop of Trent The holie Bishops said hee assembled at Sardica from all the prouinces that is from Rome from Spaine from France from Italie from Campania from Calabria from Africa from Sardinia from Panonia from Missiae from Dacia from Dardania from the other Dacia from Macedonia from Thessalia from Achaya from Epirus from Thrace from Rhodope from Asia from Caria from Bithinia from Helespont frō Phrigia from Pisidia from Capadocia from Pontus from Cilicia from the other Phrigia from Pamphilia from Lidia from the Islands of the Cyclades from Egipt from Thebaides from Lybia from Galatia from Palestina and from Arabia expounded this faith To which I will add aboue my bargaine for an ouer measure that the title that saint HILLARIE and saint EPIPHANIVS giue to the Councell of Sardica of the Councell of those of the West is so farr from abating anie thing of the qualitie and authoritie of a generall Councell as contrariwise Monsieur le Feure a great Reader and Examiner of saint HILLARIES writings causing a new fragment of the workes of the same saint HILLARY to be printed doth iugeniouslie acknowledge the Councell of Sardica for a generall Councell in the preface of his Edition by these words Athanasius approued his innocencie in the Synods of Alexandria and of Rome and in the Generall councell of Sardica The fourth Obiection is that in the Code of the Canōs of the Greeke church which was produced in the Councell of Chalcedon in the cause of Bassianus and Steuen the Canons of the Councell of Sardica were not contained to this obiection wee bring three answeres the first that there were two volumes of Canons produced in the Councell of Chalcedon the one where the Councells were sett downe in heades and with the inscriptions of their titles and the particular number of their Canons as appeares by the fourth and fifteenth act of the same Councell of Chalcedon where the fourth and sixth Canons of the Councell of Nicea were read with the titles of the fourth and sixth Canons of the most holy three hundred and eighteen Fathers assembled at Nicea And the third Canon of the Councell of Constantinople with the title of Synodicall of the second synod held by the hundred and fiftie Fathers at Constantinople vnder Nectarius And the other where the canons were annexed one after an other vnder a continued Cypher in the forme of a chaine and of a rapsody and without inscription of the titles of the Councells whence they were taken and without distinction of the particular number of the Canons of euery Councell as appeares in the fourth and eleuenth act where the third forth sixteenth and seauenteenth Canons of the Councell of Antioch were read vnder a simple quotation of Canon 84. 85. and 94. and 95. without anie mention neither of the title or of the particular cyphers of the Councell from whence they were taken Now it is not of the volumes in heads where the Canons of the Councells were inserted with inscription and distinction of the titles of their Coūcells but of this rapsodie where the Canons were annexed one at the end of an other without inscription and distinction of the titles of their Councells that the aduersaries to the Sea Apostolike speake and therefore it is but the onely copie of this rapsodie that raiseth all this question The second answere is that there is noe proofe that euen in the copie of this rapsodie the Canons of the Councell of Sardica are not cōprehended with the Canons of the other Councells For that the fower Canons which are cited of this copie which are the fourth the fifth sixteenth and seauēteenth Canōs of the Coūcell of Antioch are cited vnder the title of rule eightie fourth eightie fifth nintie fourth nintie sixth is good to shew that before those Canons there were but the twentie Canons in the same volume of the Councell of Nicea the twentie of the councell of Ansyra the fifteene of the councell of Neocesarea the twentie one of the councell of Gangres and the siftie nine of the councell of Laodicea And therefore Hincmarus antient Archbishop of Rheims argues pertinentlie out of this copie that the councell of Nicea had made but twentie Canons but not to conclude that the Canons of the councell of Sardica which had bene made after those of the councell of Antioch were not in the same volume And the supplie of proofe which they pretend to drawe from Dionisius Exiguus is nothing as shall appeare heereafter contrariwise there are manie proofes that the Councell of Chalcedon had both acknowledged and obserued the canons of the Councell of Sardica For not onlie the first Councell of Constantinople which was alleadged in the Councell of Chalcedon confirmes the tome of those of the West that is to saie if wee beleeue zonara and Balsamon the Councell of Sardica and not only the Epistle of Ualentinian the third addressed to the Emperor Theodosius the second for
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
Constantinople calls a most diligent Writer of the life of S. CHRISOSTOME And George Patriarke of Alexandria who liued a thousand yeare agoe witnesse not only as hath aboue appeared that the Canon of the Councell of Antioch that the Schismatickes of the East produced against S. CHRISOSTOME had proceeded from the Shopp of the Arrians but also that it had bene abrogated with the common voice of the Greeke and Latine Bishops by the Canons of the Councell of Sardica This Canon saith Palladius and after Palladius George Patriark of Alexandria and after George Patriarke of Alexandria Photius Patriarke of Constantinople was as impious and the worke of impious men abrogated in the Councell of Sardica by the Romans Italians Illyrians Macedonians and Greekes The second that Sozomene an antient Greeke historian and who liued neere an hundred yeares before Iustinian reportes for the defence of the same S. CHRISOSTOME an Epistle of Pope Innocent the first to the Constantinopolitans where hee writes speaking of the canons of the Councell of Antioch We saie not onlie that they are not to be followed but also that they must bee condemned with heretic all and Schismaticall doctrins as was done in the councell of Sardica by the Bishops that haue bene before vs. The third that Balsamon Patriarke of Antioch and guardian of the charters of the Church of Constantinople notes after all them that the 〈◊〉 canon of the Coūcell of Antioch was abolished by the fowrth canon of the Councell of Sardica Note saith Balsamon commenting the fourth Canon of the councell of Sardica that by this Canon the fifteenth Canon of the coūcell of Antioch was abrogated And comenting the fifteēth Canon of the councell of Antioch This Canon saith hee was disannulled by the fourth canon of the councell of Sardica The fowrth counterbattery is that the greeke edition of the Canons of the coūcell of Sardica is not a translation of the antient latine edition which was currēt whether in the time of Pope Zosimus or whether since in the time of Dionisius Exiguus but that it is a greeke edition primitiue and originall which was made in the councell itself whereof as holden vpon the confines betweene both empires the Canons were publisht from the beginning in both tongues This appeares by manie differences which are betweene the old latine edition and the greeke edition nor in substance but in the order in the phrases formes and circumstances and amongst others in the seauenth Canon of the latine edition which is the fourteenth in the greeke for the latine edition produced by Pope Zosimus his legates in the sixth councell of Carthage and inserted into the collection of Dionisius Exiguus and into that of Isidorus Mercator hath Osius saith If a Bishop moued with choler against a priest or deacon of his would cast him forth of the church it must be prouided that being innocent he be not condemned or excommunicated and therefore the excommunicated person shall haue power to interpeale the Bishops of the next Prouince and procure his cause to be heard by them And the greeke edition besides manie other differences hath it thus The excommunicated person shall haue power to haue recourse to the Bishop Metropolitan of the same Prouince and if the Bishop Metropolitan be absent to addresse himselfe to the Metropolitan of the next prouince and to require that his cause may be diligentlie examined A thing which euidently sheweth that the Greeke editiō was not taken from the latine edition which was curret be it in the time of Pope Zosimus be it in the time of Dionisius Exiguus but it is the antient originall greeke edition of the councell of which some clauses were lost in the latine edition from the time of Pope Zozimus and Dionisius Exiguus The fifth counter-batterie is that not only all the greeke editions as that of Photius Simon Logotheta Zonara Balsamō Alexius and other greeke canonists containe the same canons of the councell of Sardica but also all the other Easterne editions aswell Russian as Syrian Armenian Egiptian and Ethiopian as it appeares for the Syrian editions by the Syriack collections of the canons which is at Rome in the Bibliotheque of the great Duke Cosmo yet liuing whither the great Duke Ferdinand his Father made to be brought all the Syrian bookes that he could recouer in the East And in regard of the Ethiopian Edition by the Code of the Ethiopian canons which is at Rome in the howse of the Ethiopians and for the rest by the copies which are to be found in all the prouinces of the East by meanes whereof the canons of the Councell of Sardica must haue bene currant in the East longe before Justinians tyme the naturall Egiptian Churches which wee call Cophtichs and Ethiopians hauing seperated themselues from the greeke and latine churches from the time of the councell of Chalcedon and haue had since the time noe communion with them And finallie the sixth counterbatterie is that Theodoret who liued neere one hundred yeare before Justinian and that Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople who liued in the same age with Iustinian inserted into the collection of the Greeke Councells the canons of the Councells of Sardica with the other canons of the Greeke church for in the greeke Librarie of Queene Catherine of Medicis which was brought from Constantinople to Florēce by Demetrius Gara Lascaris other greekes 〈◊〉 frō the sack of Conctātinople and which is now vnited with the librarie of the most Christian kinge there is found an old Synagogue a manuscript of the canons reduced into fiftie titles by Theodoret Bishop of Cyre vnder which there is annexed a concordance of the imperiall lawes of Iustinian with the canons contained in these fistie titles made by Iohn Scolasticus Patriarke of Constantinople in both which workes the canons of the couūcell of Sardica are quoted and inserted equallie with the other canons of the Greeke church Now that this Synagogue which was the name that they gaue to the antient collections of councells as it appeares by the report of Socrates who cites the collections of Councells made by Sabinus vnder the title of a Synagogue of the councells is truly antient and certainly Theodorets is not to be doubted For besides this that the manuscript which is verie antient beares this title Synagogue of the Canons reduced into fiftie titles by Theodoret Bishop of Cyre And besides that the stile of the author is wholie agreeable to the stile of Theodoret there are manie thinges to shewe that this collection could not but bee made in Theodorets time that it is so first the author testifies in his exordium that there were but ten Synods celebrated since the Apostles to his time There haue bene said hee ten great Synods of the Fathers since the Apostles And propounding a while after in the forme of a table the canons of the same ten councells whereof his worke is compiled he placeth that of
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
S. GREGORIE alleadgeth this lawe it is not to applie it to the meritt of Steuens cause but to shewe that Steuen ought to be drawne in iudgement before the Councell of his Prouince and not before the Councell of an other prouince And indeede how could S GREGORIE haue pretended that in maior causes that is to saie wherin there were handled either the finall deposition of Bishops or matters of Faith the Patriarks sentences not to be subiect to appeale he that cries out Do not you know that in the cause that John the priest had hee meanes John a priest of Chalcedon who had bene condemned for a matter of faith at Conctantinople against our brother and Colleague Iohn Bishop of Constantinople he hath had recourse according to the canons to the Sea Apostolick and that it hath bene defined by our iudgement To the fifth Instance which is that the Emperors LEO and Constantine saie that the Sentence of the Patriarke is not subiect to appeale and is not to be retracted by an other Iudge as being the Prince of Ecclesiasticall iudgement Wee saie that those two Emperors who haue written since the Schisme of the Greeke Church speake of the Patriarke by excellencie that is to saie of the Patriarke of Constantinople whom they beleeue to holde the place of Pope in the East for they esteemed the sentences of other Patriarkes to be subiect to appeales but they beleeued that the sentences of Patriarkes vniuersall that is to saie according to them of the Pope and of the Patriarke of Constantinoplee whom they associated with the Pope in the Right of vniuersall Patriarke for as much as Constantinople was a second Rome and the Patriarke of Constantinople for this occasion according to them a second Pope were not subiect to appeale This appeares both by the tenth Article of the sixth title were they saie the iudgement of all Metropolitanshipps and Bishopricks belonge to their proper Patriarke but to him of Constantinople it is lawfull to confirme and reforme and determine the contestations bredd in other Seas And by Balsamon who writes vpon the fifth canon of the Councell of Antioch that this comdemnation is ment of Synods not subiect to appeale as of the Pope and of the Patriarke of Constantinople To the sixth and last Instance which is that Photius saith that from the Patriarks there is noe appeale wee answere it is not Photius that speakes for Photius inserts not in his Nomocanon but the only texts of the constitutions of the Emperors without mingling anie thing of his owne but that these are the words of the constitution of Iustine vnckle to Iustinian to which wee haue aboue answered who saith alluding to the eighth lawe of the fourth title of the code for against such Episcopall sentences as it hath bene ordained by our elders there is noe appeale Of which words the Greeke Bookebinders or Exemplifiers haue made for against the sentences of such Bishops that is to saie of the Patriarks there is noe appeale Together that if Photius the author of the Schisme that still continues betweene the latine and Greeke Churches had written these words to defend the inuasion made vpon the Sea of Ignatius true and lawfull Patriarke then aliue and to hinder the appeale that Ignatius had put in against Photius and his pretended Synod to the Pope 〈◊〉 taking effect it would haue borne noe weight But so farr 〈◊〉 it from being soe as not only Photius but after him Simon Logothetae Zonara Balsamon Alexios Blastares Harmenopolus and other greeke canonists insert into their collections the canons of the Couucell of Sardica and particularly the third fourth fifth by which the Episcopall appeales of all the prouinces are yeelded to the Pope but also that vnder the verie title of the retractation of the sentences of Bishops vnder which he registers this constitution of Iustine he quotes third fourth fifth canon of the Councell of Sardica which ordaine that the Episcopall appeales should be remitted to the Pope For to this that Zonara to preserue the Easterne appeales to the Patriarke of Conctantinople saith that the Councell of Sardica in making the Rule of the Episcopall appeales intended to yeeld noe more to the pope but the westerne Appeales Wee saie besides this that this exceptiō defaulketh not Africa which made a parte of the westerne prouinces and was subiect to the Prouost of the Pretory of Italie it is against the precise intention of the Councell of Sardica which publisht this Rule expresselie to abrogate the canon of the Councell of Antioch and to iustifie the restitution that Pope 〈◊〉 had made of saint ATHANASIVS Patriarke of Alexandria and of Paule Bishop of Constantinople of Marcellus primate of Ancyra in Galatia and of Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina who had bene deposed from their Seas by the Councells of Tyre of Hierusalē of Antioch other Easterne Coūcels Iuliū saith Zosom receiued Athanasius Bishop of Alexādria Paule Bishop of Constātinople Marcellus Bishop of Ancyra in Galatia Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina and Lucius Bishopp of Andrinople into his communion and because that to him for the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things belonged he restored to each of them his Church And elsewhere speaking of the Fathers of the Councell of Sardica they answered that they would not seperate themselues from the communion of Athanasius and of Paule and Principally for as much as Iulius Bishop of Rome had examined their cause and had not condemned them And therefore Balsamon seeing that this euasion could not subsist hath inuented an other which is that the councell of Sardica had indeede yeelded to the Pope the appeales of all Bishops but that Constantinople hauinge since bene erected to the title of the secōd Rome the right of appeales hath bene deuided betwene the Pope and the Patriarcke of Constantinople Those thinges said Balsamon commenting the third canon of the councell of Sardica which are heere defined of the Pope ought also to bee extended to the Patriark of Constantinople because by diuers Canons he meaneth the canons of the councell of Chalcedon and of the conncell surnamed Trullian by which he pretendes that he Bishop of Constantinople was made equall to the Pope excepting precedence he hath bene honored with priuiledges in all things equall to those of the Pope And againe commenting the fift canon of the same councell of Sardica This priuilege belongeth not to the Pope alone that it should be necessarie that euerie condemned Bishop haue recourse to the Sea of Rome but it ought also to be vnderstood of the Sea of Constantinople And Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica The twētie eight canō of the councell of Chalcedō and the thirtie sixt of the sixth synod honoring the Sea of Constantinople with the same priuiledges as the Sea of Rome yeelde also manifestlie the 〈◊〉 to the Sea of Constantinople And so much for the Councell of Sardica CARDINALL
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
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
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
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
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
the world But who sees not that this was in the time wherein 〈◊〉 contract was expired and that of the Christian Church did beginne The lawe and the prophetts saith our Sauiour Vntill Iohn And sainct PAVLE Blindnes is partlie fallen vpon Israel that the fullnes of the Gentiles might be introduced Now the lease that God had made of his vine to the Iewish Church hauing bene but for a time what wonder is it that when this lease is come to expire the prerogatiue that she had by vertue of her contract should cease and that the master of the vineyard should lett forth his Vineyard to other 〈◊〉 and this fufficeth for the comparison of the Christian Church with the Iewish For to ascend to the time before the lawe of Moyses and to alleadge the little mention that is made there of the continuance of the Church it is clere that it had bene a thinge superfluous for the Scripture to haue represented particularlie the estate of the Church of those ages the knowledge of the succession of the Church not hauing bene necessarie but after the last institution of the lawe for the seruice whereof she is establisht as to the Iewes after the institution of the lawe of Moyses and to the Christians after the institution of the Euangelicall lawe Although both before and after the floud there are manie monuments of it For both before the floud this that the sonns of God knew the daughters of men shewes that there was an especiall people which boare the title of the children of God which title the interpretors would haue to be taken by the posteritie of Seth to distinguish themselues from the posteritie of Cain when Seth had begotten Enos and that they began saith the Scripture to all chemselues by the name of the Lord And the vniuersall corruption which fell out in the end vpon all the other families descended from Seth except that of Noe was a corruption of manners and for which if wee beleeue saint HIEROME all those that perish with a temporall death in the floud perisht not with an eternall death And after the floud that Noe liued almost to the sixtith yeare of Abraham And Sem the Sonn of Noe whom Luther calls the Pope of his Age till after the death of Iacob And that Melchisedech kinge of Salem was priest of the most high and in his qualitie blest Abraham that Rebecca wife of Isaach wēt to enquire of God vpon the misterie of her childrē shewes that euē thē the true worship visible seruice of God had place both before elsewhere thē in the familie of Abrahā Butto cōclude grant all the hypothesis to be such as the Protestāts pretend that the Church had bene interrupted both before the lawe vnder thelawe what would that make against the christiā church to whō Christ held this language As in the daies of Noe I swore that I would neuer againe bringe the waters of the Floud vpon the Earth soe I haue sworne that I will noe more be angrie against thee Thou shalt noe more be called the forsaken I will noe more doe to this people as in former daies I will contract a new alliance with them not according to the alliance I contracted with their Fathers when I brought them out of the land of Egipt The cittie of the Lord shall noe more be pulled vp nor destroyed The glorie of this second howse shall bee much greater then that of the first The cittie built vpon the mountaine cannot be hidden The gates of Hell shall not preuaile against my Church I am with you to the consummation of ages This Ghospell of the Kingdome must be preached through the whole world and then the end shall come Hee hath placed in his Church the Apostles Prophetts Pastors and Doctors c till wee all shall meete in the vnitie of faith The Church is the firmament of truth and other such like Of the comparison of the Charitie of the antient African Church and the moderne Roman Church CHAP. XXXVII The continuance of the Kinges answere AND surely the antient Church to recall the Donatists that were refractory to her communiō had accustomed by an admirable Charitie to prouide euen for the te mporall commodities of the Bishops that should be conuerted and of others also And the Roman Church to knitt againe the loue and good will betweene her and the English Church hath first employed the thunderboltes of Bulls and afterward of force sometimes openly and sometimes vnder-hand THE REPLIE THE antient Catholicke Church of Africa offered for the good of Charitie and of the Ecclesiasticall communion to yeeld vp the Bishoprickes of Africa not to those Donatist Bishops which still remained on Donatus his partie but to those that would returne to the communion of the Catholicke Church And the Roman Church hath excommunicated by her Bulls not those that will returne from the English diuision to the Catholick communion but those that after many admonitions are obstinate still to remaine in the separation And therefore there is in this no Antithesis betweene the proceedings of the antient Catholicke Church and those of the moderne For as concerning this word the thunderboltes of Bulls by which some thinke to make the Popes censures the more odious his maiestie may remember if 〈◊〉 please that it is an antient phrase of speeche that the Grecians vse who called the condemnations euen of secular iudgementes thunderboltes and to expresse that one was condemned in iudgment they would saie he was Thunder-strucken Of the innocencie of the Church in the matter of conspiracies against his maiestie CHAP. XXXVIII The continuance of the Kings answere TRAYTORS manifestlie culpable of the paricide vndertaken in this prouince she hath receiued into her lapp and still wholie protects them those that haue suffered iudgemēt for the same cause she Inrolles in the Catalogue of martyrs and propugneth from daie to daie their innocencie against all lawes diuine and humane THE REPLIE IF anie of those that were partakers of the abhominable cōspiracie proiected against his maiestie be receiued at Rome it is an error of fact and not of Right founded vpon a false information that is to saie vpon the beleefe that they haue imprinted there that they are not culpable of that attempt as Princes are accustomed to receaue in the qualitie of innocent persons those that haue recourse to them out of other Prouinces if the verball processe of the crime be not sent to them that they may informe themselues of the truth or falshood of the imputation And this lawe is a lawe of resuge and freedome cōmon to the Estates of all Princes But to beleeue that the Pope protects them in the qualitie of being culpable of this conspiracie I know to well how much I haue heard him detest it with his owne mouth For as touching those that haue bene excluded in England that that