most primitive ages when evidently there was no such a political Conjunction of Christians Arg. III. The Apostles delivered one Rule of Faith to all Churches the embracing and profession whereof celebrated in Baptism was a necessary condition to the admission into the Church and to continuance therein therefore Christians are combined together in one political Body Answ. 1. The Consequence is very weak for from the Antecedent it can onely be inferred that according to the Sentiment of the Ancients all Christians should consent in one Faith which Unity we avow and who denieth Answ. 2. By like reason all Mankind must be united in one political Body because all men are bound to agree in what the Light of nature discovereth to be true and good or because the Principles of natural Religion Justice and Humanity are common to all Arg. IV. God hath granted to the Church certain Powers and Rights as Jura Majestatis namely the Power of the Keys to admit into to exclude from the Kingdom of Heaven a Power to enact Laws for maintenance of its Order and Peace for its Edification and Welfare a Power to correct and excommunicate Offenders a Power to hold Assemblies for God's Service a Power to ordain Governours and Pastours Answ. 1. These Powers are granted to the Church because granted to each particular Church or distinct Society of Christians not to the whole as such or distinct from the Parts Answ. 2. It is evident that by virtue of such Grants particular Churches do exercise those Powers and it is impossible to infer more from them than a Justification of their Practice Answ. 3. St. Cyprian often from that common Grant doth infer the Right of exercising Discipline in each particular Church which Inference would not be good but upon our Supposition nor indeed otherwise would any particular Church have ground for its Authority Answ. 4. God hath granted the like Rights to all Princes and States but doth it thence follow that all Kingdoms and States must be united in one single Regiment the Consequence is just the same as in our Case Arg. V. All Churches were tied to observe the same Laws or Rules of Practice the same Orders of Discipline and Customes therefore all do make one Corporation Answ. 1. That All Churches are bound to observe the same Divine Institutions doth argue onely an Unity of relation to the same Heavenly King or a specifical Unity and Similitude of Policy the which we do avow Answ. 2. We do also acknowledge it convenient and decent that all Churches in principal Observances introduced by humane prudence should agree so near as may be an Uniformity in such things representing and preserving Unity of Faith of Charity of Peace Whence the Governours of the primitive Church did endeavour such an Uniformity as the Fathers of Nice profess in the Canon forbidding of Genu-flexion on Lord's days and in the days of Pentecost Answ. 3. Yet doth not such an agreement or attempt at it infer a political Unity no more than when all men by virtue of a primitive general Tradition were tied to offer Sacrifices and Oblations to God that Consideration might argue all men to have been under the same Government or no more than the usual Agreement of neighbour Nations in divers fashions doth conclude such an Unity Answ. 4. In divers Customes and Observances several Churches did vary with allowance which doth rather infer a difference of Polity than agreement in other Observances doth argue an Unity thereof Answ. 5. St. Cyprian doth affirm that in such matters every Bishop had a Power to use his own discretion without being obliged to comply with others Arg. VI. The Jewish Church was one Corporation and in correspondence thereto the Christian Church should be such Answ. 1. As the Christian Church doth in some things correspond to that of the Jews so it differeth in others being designed to excell it wherefore this argumentation cannot be valid and may as well be employed for our Opinion as against it Answ. 2. In like manner it may be argued that all Christians should annually meet in one place that all Christians should have one Arch-priest on Earth that we should all be subject to one temporal Jurisdiction that we should all speak one Language c. Answ. 3. There is a great difference in the case for the Israelites were one small Nation which conveniently might be embodied but the Christian Church should consist of all Nations which rendreth Correspondence in this particular unpracticable at least without great inconvenience Answ. 4. Before the Law Christian Religion and consequently a Christian Church did in substance subsist but what Unity of Government was there then Answ. 5. The Temporal Union of the Jews might onely figure the spiritual Unity of Christians in Faith Charity and Peace Arg. VII All Ecclesiastical Power was derived from the same Fountains by succession from the Apostles therefore the Church was one political Body Answ. 1. Thence we may rather infer that Churches are not so united because the Founders of them were several Persons endowed with co-ordinate and equal Power Answ. 2. The Apostles did in several Churches constitute Bishops independent from each other and the like may be now either by succession from those or by the constitutions of humane prudence according to emergences of occasion and circumstances of things Answ. 3. Divers Churches were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and all were so according to Saint Cyprian Answ. 4. All temporal power is derived from Adam and the Patriarchs ancient Fathers of families Doth it thence follow that all the World must be under one secular Government Arg. VIII All Churches did exercise a Power of Excommunication or of excluding Hereticks Schismaticks disorderly and scandalous people Answ. 1. Each Church was vested with this Power this doth therefore onely infer a resemblance of several Churches in Discipline which we avow Answ. 2. This argueth that all Churches took themselves to be obliged to preserve the same Faith to exercise Charity and Peace to maintain the like Holiness of conversation What then Do we deny this Answ. 3. All Kingdoms and States do punish Offenders against Reason and Justice do banish seditious and disorderly persons do uphold the Principles and Practice of common Honesty and Morality Doth it thence follow that all Nations must come under one civil Government Arg. IX All Churches did maintain entercourse and commerce with each other by formed communicatory pacificatory commendatory synodical Epistles Answ. 1. This doth signifie that the Churches did by Admonition Advice c. help one another in maintenance of the common Faith did endeavour to preserve Charity Friendship and Peace this is all which thence may be concluded Answ. 2. Secular Princes are wont to send Ambassadours and Envoys with Letters and Instructions for settlement of Correspondence and preserving Peace they sometimes do recommend their Subjects to other Princes they expect
which Conclusions it is evident That the Apostles themselves would not be able to understand many of them That ancient Fathers did never think any thing about them That divers of them consist in application of artificial terms and phrases devised by humane subtilty That divers of them are in their own nature disputable were before disputed by wise men and will ever be disputed by those who freely use their judgment That there was no need of defining many of them That they blindly lay about them condemning and cursing they know not who Fathers Schoolmen Divines c. who have expresly affirmed points so damned by them That many Truths are uncharitably back'd with Curses which disparageth them seeing a man may err pardonably 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many things we offend all For instance what need was there of defining what need of cursing those who think concupiscence to be truly and properly sin upon Saint Paul's Authority calling it so That Adam presently upon his transgression did lose the sanctity and justice in which he was constituted What need of cursing those who say that men are justified by the sole remission of sins according to Saint Paul's notion and use of the word Justification What need of cursing those who say the grace of God by which we are justified is onely the favour of God whereas it is plain enough that God's grace there in Saint Paul doth signifie nothing else applied to that case Or that Faith is nothing else but a reliance in God's mercy remitting sins for Christ seeing it is plain that Saint Paul doth by Faith chiefly mean the belief of that principal point of the Gospel Or that good works do not cause an encrease of justification seeing Saint Paul doth exclude justification by works and it is a free work of God uncapable of degrees Or that after remission of sin in justification a guilt of paying temporal pain doth abide Or that a man cannot by his works merit encrease of grace and glory and eternal life seeing a man is not to be blamed who doth dislike the use of so sawcy a word the which divers good men have disclaimed What need of cursing those who do not take the Sacraments to be precisely Seven or who conceive that some one of their seven may not be truly and properly a Sacrament seeing the word Sacrament is ambiguous and by the Fathers applied to divers other things and defined generally by St. Austin Signum rei sacrae and that before Peter Lombard ever did mention that number What need of damning those who do conceive the Sacraments equal in dignity What need of defining that Sacraments do confer grace ex opere operato which is an obscure Scholastical phrase What need of cursing those who say that a Character is not impressed in the soul of those who take Baptism Confirmation or Orders seeing what this Character is or this spiritual and indeleble mark they do not themselves well understand or agree What need of cursing those who do not think that the validity of Sacraments and consequently the assurance of our being Christians dependeth on the Intention of the Minister What need of cursing those who think that a Pastour of the Church may change the Ceremonies of administring the Sacraments seeing St. Cyprian often teacheth that every Pastour hath full authority in such cases within his own precinct What need of defining the Second Book of Maccabees to be Canonical against the common opinion of the Fathers most expresly of St. Austin himself of the most learned in all Ages of Pope Gelasius himself in decret which the authour himself calling his work an Epitome and asking pardon for his errours disclaimeth and which common sense therefore disclaimeth Their new Creed of Pius IV. containeth these novelties and heterodoxies 1. Seven Sacraments 2. Trent Doctrine of Justification and Original sin 3. Propitiatory Sacrifice of the Mass. 4. Transubstantiation 5. Communicating under one kind 6. Purgatory 7. Invocation of Saints 8. Veneration of Reliques 9. Worship of Images 10. The Roman Church to be the Mother and Mistress of all Churches 11. Swearing Obedience to the Pope 12. Receiving the Decrees of all Synods and of Trent A DISCOURSE Concerning the UNITY OF THE CHURCH By ISAAC BARROW D. D. late Master of Trinity College in Cambridge Aug. de Bapt. 3. Non habet Charitatem Dei qui Ecclesiae non diligit Vnitatem LONDON Printed for Brabazon Aylmer at the Three Pigeons against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1683. A DISCOURSE Concerning the UNITY OF THE CHURCH EPHES. 4.4 One Body and one Spirit THE Vnity of the Church is a Point which may seem somewhat speculative and remote from Practice but in right Judgments it is otherwise many Duties depending upon a true notion and consideration of it so that from ignorance or mistake about it we may incur divers offences or omissions of Duty hence in Holy Scripture it is often proposed as a considerable Point and usefull to Practice And if ever the Consideration of it were needfull it is so now when the Church is so rent with Dissentions for our satisfaction and direction about the Questions and Cases debated in Christendom for on the Explication of it or the true Resolution wherein it doth consist the Controversies about Church-Government Heresie Schism Liberty of Conscience and by consequence many others do depend yea indeed all others are by some Parties made to depend thereon Saint Paul exhorting the Ephesians his disciples to the maintenance of Charity and Peace among themselves doth for inducement to that Practice represent the Unity and Community of those things which jointly did appertain to them as Christians the Unity of that Body whereof they were members of that Spirit which did animate and act them of that Hope to which they were called of that Lord whom they all did worship and serve of that Faith which they did profess of that Baptism whereby they were admitted into the same state of Duties of Rights of Privileges of that one God and universal Father to whom they had all the same relations He beginneth with the Vnity of the Body that is of the Christian Church concerning which Unity what it is and wherein it doth consist I mean now to discourse In order to clearing which Point we must first state what the Church is of which we discourse for the word Church is ambiguous having both in Holy Scripture and common use divers senses somewhat different For 1 Sometimes any Assembly or Company of Christians is called a Church as when mention is made of the Church in such a house whence Tertullian saith Where there are three even Laicks there is a Church 2. Sometimes a particular Society of Christians living in spiritual Communion and under Discipline as when the Church at such a Town the Churches of such a Province the Churches all the Churches are mentioned
According to which notions St. Cyprian saith that there is a Church where there is a People united to a Priest and a Flock adhering to their Shepherd and so Ignatius saith that without the Orders of the Clergy a Church is not called 3. A larger Collection of divers particular Societies combined together in order under direction and influence of a common Government or of Persons acting in the Publick behalf is termed a Church as the Church of Antioch of Corinth of Jerusalem c. each of which at first probably might consist of divers Congregations having dependencies of less Towns annexed to them all being united under the care of the Bishop and Presbytery of those places but however soon after the Apostles times it is certain that such Collections were and were named Churches 4. The Society of those who at present or in course of time profess the Faith and Gospel of Christ and undertake the Evangelical Covenant in distinction to all other Religions particularly to that of the Jews which is called the Synagogue 5. The whole body of God's people that is ever hath been or ever shall be from the beginning of the world to the consummation thereof who having formally or virtually believed in Christ and sincerely obeyed God's Laws shall finally by the meritorious Performances and Sufferings of Christ be saved is called the Church Of these Acceptions the two latter do onely come under present consideration it being plain that Saint Paul doth not speak of any one particular or present Society but of all at all times who have relation to the same Lord Faith Hope Sacraments c. Wherefore to determine the case between these two we must observe that to the latter of these that is to the Catholick Society of true Believers and faithfull Servants of Christ diffused through all ages dispersed through all Countries where part doth sojourn on Earth part doth reside in Heaven part is not yet extant but all whereof is described in the register of Divine Pre-ordination and shall be recollected at the Resurrection of the Just that I say to this Church especially all the glorious Titles and excellent Privileges attributed to the Church in Holy Scripture do agree This is the body of Christ whereof he is the Head and Saviour This is the Spouse and Wife of Christ whereof he is the Bridegroom and Husband This is the House of God whereof our Lord is the Master which is built upon a rock so that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it This is the City of God the new the holy the heavenly Jerusalem the Mother of us all This is the Sion which the Lord hath chosen which he hath desired for his habitation where he hath resolved to place his rest and residence for ever This is the mountain of the Lord seated above all mountains unto which all Nations shall flow This is the elect generation royal Priesthood holy nation peculiar people This is the general Assembly and Church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven This is the Church which God hath purchased with his own bloud and for which Christ hath delivered himself that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle nor any such thing but that it might be holy and unblemished To this Church as those high Elogies most properly do appertain so that Unity which is often attributed to the Church doth peculiarly belong thereto This is that One body into which we are all baptized by one Spirit which is knit together and compacted of parts affording mutual aid and supply to its nourishment and encrease the members whereof do hold a mutual sympathy and complacence which is joined to one Head deriving sense and motion from it which is enlivened and moved by one Spirit This is that one spiritual House reared upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. This is that One family of God whereof Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence good Christians are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is that one City or Corporation endued with an ample Charter and noble Privileges in regard to which Saint Paul saith we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow Citizens of the Saints and that our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our civil state and capacity is in Heaven or that we are Citizens thereof That one Holy nation and peculiar People the spiritual Israel subject to the same Government and Law that which is called the Kingdom of Heaven enioying the same Franchises and Privileges following the same Customs and Fashions using the same Conversation and Language whereof Jesus Christ is the Lord and King This is the one Flock under one Shepherd This is the Society of those for whom Christ did pray that they might be all one It is true that divers of these Characters are expressed to relate to the Church after Christ but they may be allowed to extend to all the faithfull Servants of God before who in effect were Christians being saved upon the same account and therefore did belong to the same Body To this Church in a more special and eminent manner all those Titles and particularly that of Vnity are ascribed but the same also in some order and measure do belong and are attributed to the Universal Church sojourning upon Earth For because this visible Church doth enfold the other as one Mass doth contain the good Ore and base Alloy as one Floor the Corn and the Chaff as one Field the Wheat and the Tares as one Net the choice Fish and the refuse as one Fold the Sheep and the Goats as one Tree the living and the dry Branches Because this Society is designed to be in reality what the other is in appearance the same with the other Because therefore presumptively every member of this doth pass for a member of the other the time of distinction and separation not being yet come Because this in its Profession of Truth in its Sacrifices of Devotion in its Practice of Service and Duty to God doth communicate with that Therefore commonly the Titles and Attributes of the one are imparted to the other All saith Saint Paul are not Israel who are of Israel nor is he a Jew that is one outwardly yet in regard to the conjunction of the rest with the faithfull Israelites because of external Consent in the same Profession and conspiring in the same Services all the Congregation of Israel is styled a holy Nation and peculiar People So likewise do the Apostles speak to all Members of the Church as to elect and holy Persons unto whom all the Privileges of Christianity
no more than Humane Thus in effect we see that it hath succeeded from the Pretence of this Unity the which hath indeed transformed the Church into a mere worldly State wherein the Monarch beareth the garb of an Emperour in external splendour surpassing all worldly Princes crowned with a triple Crown He assumeth the most haughty Titles of Our most holy Lord the Vicar general of Christ c. and he suffereth men to call him the Monarch of Kings c. He hath Respects paid him like to which no Potentate doth assume having his Feet kissed riding upon the backs of men letting Princes hold his Stirrup and lead his Horse He hath a Court and is attended with a train of Courtiers surpassing in State and claiming Precedence to the Peers of any Kingdom He is encompassed with armed Guards He hath a vast Revenue supplied by Tributes and Imposts sore and grievous the exaction of which hath made divers Nations of Christendom to groan most lamentably He hath raised numberless Wars and Commotions for the promotion and advancement of his Interests He administreth things with all depth of Policy to advance his Designs He hath enacted Volumes of Laws and Decrees to which Obedience is exacted with rigour and forcible constraint He draweth grist from all Parts to his Courts of Judgment wherein all the formalities of suspence all the tricks of squeezing money c. are practised to the great trouble and charge of Parties concerned Briefly it is plain that he doth exercise the proudest mightiest subtlest Domination that ever was over Christians 8. The Union of the whole Church in one Body under one Government or Sovereign Authority would be inconvenient and hurtfull prejudicial to the main designs of Christianity destructive to the Welfare and Peace of Mankind in many respects This we have shewed particularly concerning the Pretence of the Papacy and those Discourses being applicable to any like Universal Authority perhaps with more advantage Monarchy being less subject to abuse than other ways of Government I shall forbear to say more 9. Such an Union is of no need would be of small use or would doe little good in balance to the great Mischiefs and Inconveniences which it would produce This Point also we have declared in regard to the Papacy and we might say the same concerning any other like Authority substituted thereto 10. Such a Connexion of Churches is not any-wise needfull or expedient to the Design of Christianity which is to reduce Mankind to the Knowledge Love and Reverence of God to a just and loving Conversation together to the practice of Sobriety Temperance Purity Meekness and all other Vertues all which things may be compassed without forming men into such a Policy It is expedient there should be particular Societies in which men may concur in worshipping God and promoting that Design by instructing and provoking one another to good practice in a regular decent and orderly way It is convenient that the Subjects of each temporal Sovereignty should live as in a civil so in a spiritual Uniformity in order to the preservation of Goodwill and Peace among them for that Neighbours differing in opinion and fashions of practice will be apt to contend each for his way and thence to disaffect one another for the beauty and pleasant harmony of Agreement in Divine things for the more commodious succour and defence of Truth and Piety by unanimous concurrence But that all the World should be so joined is needless and will be apt to produce more mischief than benefit 11. The Church in the Scripture sense hath ever continued One and will ever continue so notwithstanding that it hath not had this political Unity 12. It is in fact apparent that Churches have not been thus united which yet have continued Catholick and Christian. It were great no less folly than uncharitableness to say that the Greek Church hath been none There is no Church that hath in effect less reason than that of Rome to prescribe to others 13. The Reasons alledged in proof of such an Unity are insufficient and inconcluding the which with great diligence although not with like perspicuity advanced by a late Divine of great repute and collected out of his Writings with some care are those which briefly proposed do follow together with Answers declaring their invalidity Arg. I. The name Church is attributed to the whole body of Christians which implieth Unity Answ. This indeed doth imply an Unity of the Church but determineth not the kind or ground thereof there being several kinds of Unity one of those which we have touched or several or all of them may suffice to ground that comprehensive Appellation Arg. II. Our Creeds do import the belief of such an Unity for in the Apostolical we profess to believe the Holy Catholick Church in the Constantinopolitan the Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Answ. 1. The most ancient Summaries of Christian Faith extant in the first Fathers Irenaeus Tertullian Cyprian c. do not contain this Point The word Catholick was not originally in the Apostolical or Roman Creed but was added after Ruffin and Saint Austin's time This Article was inserted into the Creeds upon the rise of Heresies and Schisms to discountenance and disengage from them Answ. 2. We do avow a Catholick Church in many respects One wherefore not the Unity of the Church but the Kind and Manner of Unity being in question the Creed doth not oppose what we say nor can with reason be alledged for the special kind of Unity which is pretended Answ. 3. That the Unity mentioned in the Constantinopolitan Creed is such as our Adversaries contend for of external Policy is precariously assumed and relieth onely upon their interpretation obtruded on us Answ. 4. The genuine meaning of that Article may reasonably be deemed this That we profess our adhering to the Body of Christians which diffused over the World doth retain the Faith taught the Discipline setled the Practices appointed by our Lord and his Apostles that we maintain general Charity toward all good Christians that we are ready to entertain communion in Holy Offices with all such that we are willing to observe the Laws and Orders established by Authority or Consent of the Churches for maintenance of Truth Order and Peace that we renounce all heretical doctrines all disorderly practices all conspiracy with any factious combinations of people Answ. 5. That this is the meaning of the Article may sufficiently appear from the reason and occasion of introducing it which was to secure the Truth of Christian Doctrine the Authority of Ecclesiastical Discipline and the common Peace of the Church according to the Discourses and Arguments of the Fathers Irenaeus Tertullian St. Austin Vincentius Lirinensis the which do plainly countenance our Interpretation Answ. 6. It is not reasonable to interpret the Article so as will not consist with the State of the Church in the Apostolical and
Service to the edification of People in Charity and Piety by the encouragement of secular Powers by the concurrent advice and aid of Ecclesiastical Pastours by many advantages hence arising 6. We suppose all Churches obliged to observe friendly communion and when occasion doth invite to aid each other by assistence and advice in Synods of Bishops or otherwise 7. We do affirm that all Churches are obliged to comply with lawfull Decrees and Orders appointed in Synods with consent of their Bishops and allowed by the Civil Authorities under which they live As if the Bishops of Spain and France assembling should agree upon Constitutions of Discipline which the Kings of both those Countries should approve and which should not thwart God's Laws both those Churches and every man in them were bound to comply in observance of them From the Premisses divers Corollaries may be deduced 1. Hence it appeareth that all those clamours of the pretended Catholicks against other Churches for not submitting to the Roman Chair are groundless they depending on the supposition that all Churches must necessarily be united under one Government 2. The Injustice of the Adherents to that See in claiming an Empire or Jurisdiction over all which never was designed by our Lord heavily censuring and fiercely persecuting those who will not acknowledge it 3. All Churches which have a fair settlement in several Countries are co-ordinate neither can one challenge a Jurisdiction over the other 4. The nature of Schism is hence declared viz. that it consisteth in disturbing the Order and Peace of any single Church in withdrawing from it Obedience and Compliance with it in obstructing good Correspondence Charity Peace between several Churches in condemning or censuring other Churches without just cause or beyond due measure In refusing to maintain Communion with other Churches without reasonable cause whence Firmilian did challenge P. Stephanus with Schism 5. Hence the right way of reconciling Dissentions among Christians is not affecting to set up a political Union of several Churches or subordination of all to one Power not for one Church to enterprize upon the Liberty of others or to bring others under it as is the practice of the Roman Church and its Abettors but for each Church to let the others alone quietly enjoying its freedom in Ecclesiastical Administrations onely declaring against apparently hurtfull Errours and Factions shewing Good-will yielding Succour Advice Comfort upon needfull occasion according to that excellent Advice of the Constantinopolitane Fathers to the Pope and Western Bishops after having acquainted them with their proceedings towards the conclusion they thus exhort them We having in a legal and canonical way determined these Controversies do beseech your Reverence to congratulate with us your Charity spiritually interceding the fear of the Lord also compressing all humane affection so as to make us to prefer the edification of the Churches to all private respect and favour toward each other for by this means the word of faith being consonant among us and Christian Charity bearing sway over us we shall cease from speaking after that manner which the Apostle condemns I am of Paul and I am of Apollos but I am of Cephas for if we all do appear to be of Christ who is not divided amongst us we shall then through God's grace preserve the body of the Church from Schism and present our selves before the throne of Christ with boldness 6. All that withdraw their communion or obeysance from particular Churches fairly established unto which they do belong or where they reside do incur the guilt of Schism for such persons being de Jure subject to those particular Churches and excommunicating themselves do consequentially sever themselves from the Catholick Church they commit great wrong toward that particular Church and toward the whole Church of Christ. 7. Neither doth their pretence of joining themselves to the Roman Church excuse them from Schism for the Roman Church hath no reason or right to admit or to avow them it hath no power to exempt or excuse them from their duty it thereby abetteth their Crime and involveth it self therein it wrongeth other Churches As no man is freed from his Allegiance by pretending to put himself under the protection of another Prince neither can another Prince justly receive such disloyal Revolters into his Patronage It is a Rule grounded upon apparent Equity and frequently declared by Ecclesiastical Canons that no Church shall admit into its protection or communion any persons who are excommunicated by another Church or who do withdraw themselves from it for Self-excommunication or Spiritual felony de se doth involve the Churches Excommunication deserving it and preventing it Which Canon as the African Fathers do alledge and expound it doth prohibit the Pope himself from receiving persons rejected by any other Church So when Marcion having been excommunicated by his own Father coming to Rome did sue to be received by that Church into communion they refused telling him that they could not doe it without the consent of his Reverend Father between whom and them there being one faith and one agreement of mind they could not doe it in opposition to their worthy fellow-labourer who was also his Father St. Cyprian refused to admit Maximus sent from the Novatian party to communion So did P. Cornelius reject Felicissimus condemned by St. Cyprian without farther inquiry It was charged upon Dioscorus as a heinous misdemeanour that he had against the Holy Canons by his proper authority received into communion persons excommunicated by others The African Synod at the suggestion of St. Austin decreed that if it happen'd that any for their evil deeds were deservedly expell'd out of the Church and taken again into communion by any Bishop or Priest whosoever that he also who received him should incur the same penalty of Excommunication The same is by latter Papal Synods decreed The Words of Synesius are remarkable He having excommunicated some cruel Oppressours doth thus recommend the case to all Christians Upon which grounds I do not scruple to affirm the Recusants in England to be no less Schismaticks than any other Separatists They are indeed somewhat worse for most others do onely forbear communion these do rudely condemn the Church to which they owe Obedience yea strive to destroy it they are most desperate Rebels against it 8. It is the Duty and Interest of all Churches to disclaim the Pretences of the Roman Court maintaining their Liberties and Rights against its Usurpations For Compliance therewith as it doth greatly prejudice Truth and Piety leaving them to be corrupted by the ambitious covetous and voluptuous Designs of those men so it doth remove the genuine Unity of the Church and Peace of Christians unless to be tyed by compulsory Chains as Slaves be deemed Unity or Peace 9. Yet those Churches which by the voluntary consent or command of Princes do adhere in confederation to the Roman
true wonder of the world and changer of the Age did affirm the Pontifical Authority so much to exceed the Royal Power as the Sun doth the Moon and applieth to the former that of the Prophet Jeremy Ecce constitui te super gentes regna See I have set thee over the Nations and over the Kingdoms to root out and to pull down and to destroy and to throw down c. Of this Power that Pope made experiment by deposing the Emperour Otho IV whom saith Nauclerus as rebellious to the Apostolical See he first did strike with an Anathema then him persevering in his obstinacy did in a Council of Prelates held at Rome pronounce deposed from Empire The which Authority was avowed by that great Council under this Pope the which according to the men of Trent did represent or constitute the Church wherein it was ordained that If a Temporal Lord being required and admonished by the Church should neglect to purge his Territory from Heretical filth he should by the Metropolitan and the other Comprovincial Bishops be noosed in the band of Excommunication and that if he should slight to make satisfaction within a year it should be signified to the Pope that he might from that time denounce the Subjects absolved from their Fealty to him and expose the Territory to be seised on by Catholicks c. Before that Pope Paschal II. deprived Henry IV. and excited enemies to persecute him telling them that they could not offer a more acceptable Sacrifice to God than by impugning him who endeavoured to take the Kingdom from God's Church Before him Pope Vrban II. called Turban by some in his Age did preach this Doctrine recommended to us in the Decrees that Subjects are by no authority constrained to pay the Fidelity which they have sworn to a Christian Prince who opposeth God and his Saints or violateth their Precepts An instance whereof we have in his granting a privilege to the Canons of Tours which saith he if any Emperour King Prince c. shall wilfully attempt to thwart let him be deprived of the dignity of his honour and power But the great Apostle if not Authour of this confounding Doctrine was Pope Gregory VII a man of a bold spirit and fiery temper inured even before his entry on that See to bear sway and drive on daring projects possessed with resolution to use the advantages of his place and time in pushing forward the Papal Interest to the utmost who did lift up his voice like a trumpet kindling Wars and Seditions thereby over Christendom His Dictates and Practices are well known being iterated in his own Epistles and in the Roman Councils under him extant Yet it may be worth the while to hear him swagger in his own language For the dignity and defence of God's Holy Church in the name of Almighty God the Father Son and Holy Ghost I depose from Imperial and Royal Administration King Henry Son of Henry sometime Emperour who too boldly and rashly hath laid hands on thy Church and I absolve all Christians subject to the Empire from that Oath whereby they were wont to plight their faith unto true Kings for it is right that he should be deprived of Dignity who doth endeavour to diminish the Majesty of the Church Go to therefore most Holy Princes of the Apostles and what I said by interposing your Authority confirm that all men may now at length understand if ye can bind and loose in Heaven that ye also can upon Earth take away and give Empires Kingdoms and whatsoever mortals can have for if ye can judge things belonging unto God what is to be deemed concerning these inferiour and profane things And if it is your part to judge Angels who govern proud Princes what becometh it you to doe toward their servants Let Kings now and all Secular Princes learn by this man's example what ye can doe in Heaven and in what esteem ye are with God and let them henceforth fear to slight the commands of Holy Church but put forth suddenly this judgment that all men may understand that not casually but by your means this Son of iniquity doth fall from his Kingdom So did that Pope not unadvisedly in heat or passion but out of settled judgment upon cool deliberation express himself in his Synods at Rome This Pope is indeed by many held the inventour and broacher of this strange Doctrine And even those who about his Age did oppose it did express themselves of this mind calling it the novel Tradition Schism Heresie of Hildebrand Pope Hildebrand saith the Church of Liege in their answer to the Epistle to P. Paschal is authour of this new Schism and first did raise the Priests lance against the Royal Diadem Who first did girt himself and by his example other Popes with the sword of war against the Emperours This onely Novelty saith Sigebert not to say Heresie had not yet sprang up in the world that the Priests of him who saith to the King Apostate and who maketh hypocrites to reign for the sins of the people should teach the people that they owe no subjection to bad Kings and although they have sworn Allegeance to the King they yet owe him none and that they who take part against the King may not be said to be perjured yea that he who shall obey the King may be held excommunicate he that shall oppose the King may be absolved from the crime of injustice and perjury Indeed certain it is that this man did in most downright strains hold the Doctrine and most smartly apply it to practice yet did he disclaim the invention or introduction of it professing that he followed the notions and examples of his predecessours divers of which he allegeth in defence of his proceedings We saith he holding the Statutes of our Holy Predecessours do by Apostolical authority absolve those from their Oath who are obliged by Fealty or Sacrament to Excommunicate persons and by all means prohibit that they observe Fealty to them And so it is that although for many successions before Pope Hildebrand the Popes were not in condition or capacity to take so much upon them there having been a row of persons intruded into that See void of vertue and of small authority most of them very beasts who depended upon the favour of Princes for their admittance confirmation or support in the place yet we may find some Popes before him who had a great spice of those imperious conceits and upon occasion made very bold with Princes assuming power over them and darting menaces against them For Pope Leo IX telleth us that Constantine M. did think it very unbecoming that they should be subject to an Earthly Empire whom the Divine Majesty had set over an Heavenly and surely he was of his authour's mind whom he alledged although indeed this Pope may be supposed to speak this and other
to him so many Dependents what might not he say or doe Pope Gregory VII being a man of untameable Spirit and taking advantage from the distractions and corruptions of his Times did venture to pull a feather with the Emperour and with success having mated him did set up a peremptory claim to Sovereignty over all Persons in all Causes In his footsteps his Successours have trodden being ever ready upon occasion to plead such a title and to practise according to it No Pope would foregoe any Power which had been claimed by his Predecessours And Popes would ever be sure to have dancers after their pipe numberless abetters of their pretences No wonder then that persons deferring much regard to the Authority of Popes and accommodating their conceits to the Dictates of them or of persons depending on them should in their opinions vary about the nature and extent of Papal Authority it having never been fixed within certain bounds or having in several Ages continued the same thing § XI Wherefore intending by God's help to discuss the pretended Authority of the Pope and to shew that He by no Divine institution and by no immutable right hath any such Power as he doth claim by reason of this perplexed variety of Opinions I do find it difficult to state the Question or to know at what distinct mark I should level my Discourse § XII But seeing his pretence to any Authority in Temporals or to the Civil Sword is so palpably vain that it hardly will bear a serious dispute having nothing but impudence and sophistry to countenance it seeing so many in the Roman Communion do reject it and have substantially confuted it seeing now most are ashamed of it and very few even among those Sects which have been its chief Patrons will own it seeing Bellarmine himself doth acknowledge it a Novelty devised about 500 years ago in St. Bernard's time seeing the Popes themselves what-ever they think dare now scarce speak out and forbear upon sufficient provocation to practise according to it I shall spare the trouble of meddling with it confining my Discourse to the Pope's Authority in Ecclesiastical affairs the pretence whereto I am persuaded to be no less groundless and no less noxious than the other to Christendom the which being overthrown the other as superstructed on it must also necessarily fall § XIII And here the Doctrine which I shall contest against is that in which the Cordial partizans of that See do seem to consent which is most common and current most applauded and countenanced in their Theological Schools which the Popes themselves have solemnly defined and declared for standing law or rule of jurisdiction which their most authentick Synods whereby their Religion is declared and distinguished from others have asserted or supposed which the tenour of their Discipline and Practice doth hold forth which their Clergy by most solemn professions and engagements is tied to avow which all the Clients and Confidents of Rome do zealously stand for more than for any other point of Doctrine and which no man can disclaim without being deemed an enemy or a prevaricator toward the Apostolick See § XIV Which Doctrine is this That in the words of the Florentine Synod's Definition the Apostolical Chair and the Roman High-Priest doth hold a Primacy over the Vniversal Church and that the Roman High-Priest is the Successour of Saint Peter the Prince of the Apostles and the true Lieutenant of Christ and the Head of the Church and that he is the Father and Doctour of all Christians and that unto him in Saint Peter full Power is committed to feed and direct and govern the Catholick Church under Christ according as is contained in the Acts of General Councils and in the Holy Canons That in the words of Pope Leo X. approved by the Laterane Synod Christ before his departure from the world did in solidity of the Rock institute Peter and his Successours to be his Lieutenants to whom it is so necessary to obey that who doth not obey must die the death That to the Pope as Sovereign Monarch by Divine Sanction of the whole Church do appertain Royal Prerogatives Regalia Petri the Royalties of Peter they are called in the Oath prescribed to Bishops Such as these which follow To be Superiour to the whole Church and to its Representative a General Synod of Bishops To convocate General Synods at his pleasure all Bishops being obliged to attend upon summons from him To preside in Synods so as to suggest matter promote obstruct over-rule the debates in them To confirm or invalidate their Determinations giving life to them by his assent or subtracting it by his dissent To define Points of Doctrine or to decide Controversies authoritatively so that none may presume to contest or dissent from his Dictates To enact establish abrogate suspend dispense with Ecclesiastical Laws and Canons To relax or evacuate Ecclesiastical Censures by indulgence pardon c. To void Promises Vows Oaths Obligations to Laws by his Dispensation To be the Fountain of all Pastoral Jurisdiction and Dignity To constitute confirm judge censure suspend depose remove restore reconcile Bishops To confer Ecclesiastical Dignities and Benefices by paramount Authority in way of Provision Reservation c. To exempt Colleges Monasteries c. from Jurisdiction of their Bishops and ordinary Superiours To judge all persons in all Spiritual Causes by calling them to his cognizance or delegating Judges for them with a final and peremptory Sentence To receive Appeals from all Ecclesiastical Judicatories and to reverse their Judgments if he findeth cause To be himself unaccountable for any of his doings exempt from judgment and liable to no reproof To erect transfer abolish Episcopal Sees To exact Oaths of Fealty and Obedience from the Clergy To found Religious Orders or to raise a Spiritual Militia for propagation and defence of the Church To summon and commissionate Souldiers by Croisade c. to fight against Infidels or persecute Infidels Some of these are expressed others in general terms couched in those words of P. Eugenius telling the Greeks what they must consent unto The Pope said he will have the Prerogatives of his Church and he will have Appeals to him and to feed all the Church of Christ as Shepherd of the Sheep Beside these things that he may have authority and power to convoke General Synods when need shall be and that all the Patriarchs do yield to his will That the Pope doth claim assume and exercise a Sovereignty over the Church endowed with such Prerogatives is sufficiently visible in experience of fact is apparent by the authorized dictates in their Canon-law and shall be distinctly proved by competent allegations when we shall examine the branches of this pretended Authority In the mean time it sufficeth to observe that in effect all Clergy-men do avow so much who bonâ fide and without prevarication do submit to take the Oaths and Engagements prescribed to them
Churches settled in them agreeably to the ancient Canons of the Church Universal There are those who assert to General Councils a power of Reforming the Church without or against the Pope's consent There are those who as Bellarmine telleth us do allow the Pope to be no more in the Ecclesiastical Republick than as the Duke of Venice in his Senate or as the General of an Order in his Congregation and that he therefore hath but a very limited and subordinate Power There are consequently those who conceive the Pope notoriously erring or misdemeaning himself to the prejudice of the Christian State may be called to an account may be judged may be corrected may be discarded by a General Synod Such notions have manifestly prevailed in a good part of the Roman Communion and are maintained by most Divines in the French Church and they may be supposed every-where common where there is any liberty of judgment or where the Inquisition doth not reign There have been seasons wherein they have so prevailed as to have been defined for Catholick Truths in great Synods and by them to have been applied to practice For In the first great Synod of Pisa it was declared that Councils may reform the Church sufficiently both in Head and Members and accordingly that Synod did assume to judge two Popes Gregory XII and Benedict XIII contending for the Papacy whereof one was the true Pope and deposing them both did substitute Alexander V. who for one year as Antoninus reporteth according to the common opinion did hold the Seat of Peter The Synod of Constance declared that the Synod lawfully assembled in the Holy Ghost making a General Council representing the Catholick Church militant hath immediately power from Christ to which every one of whatever state or dignity he be although it be Papal is bound to obey in those things which belong to Faith and the extirpation of the said Schism and the general reformation of the Church of God in Head and Members The which Doctrine they notably put in practice exercising jurisdiction over Popes and for Errours Misdemeanours or Contumacies discarding three of whom it is hard if one were not true Pope and chusing another who thereafter did pass for a right Pope and himself did confirm the Acts of that Council So that this Semi-heresie hath at least the authority of one Pope to countenance it Our most holy Lord the Pope said in answer thereunto that he would maintain and inviolably observe all and every of those things that were conciliarly determin'd concluded and decreed by the present Council in matters of Faith The Synod of Basil declared the same Point that Councils are superiour to Popes to be a truth of Catholick Faith which whoever doth stiffly oppose is to be accounted a Heretick Nor say they did any skilfull man ever doubt the Pope to be subject to the judgment of General Synods in things concerning Faith In virtue of which Doctrine and by its irresistable authority the Synod did sentence and reject Pope Eugenius as criminal heretical and contumacious These Synods although reprobated by Popes in Counter-synods are yet by many Roman Catholick Divines retained in great veneration and their Doctrine is so current in the famous Sorbonne that if we may believe the great Cardinal of Lorrain the contrary is there reputed heretical § XVI Yet notwithstanding these oppositions the former Opinion averring the Pope's absolute Sovereignty doth seem to be the genuine Doctrine of the Roman Church if it have any For those Divines by the Pope and his intimate confidents are looked upon as a mongrel brood or mutinous faction which he by politick connivence doth onely tolerate because he is not well able to correct or suppress them He is afraid to be violent in reclaiming them to his sense lest he spend his artillery in vain and lose all his power and interest with them Nor indeed do those men seem to adhere to the Roman Party out of entire judgment or cordial affection but in compliance with their Princes or upon account of their Interest or at best with regard to peace and quiet They cannot conveniently break with the Pope because his Interest is twisted with their own so as not easily to be disentangled For how can they heartily stick to the Pope whenas their Opinion doth plainly imply him to be an Usurper and a Tyrant claiming to himself and exercising authority over the Church which doth not rightfully belong to him to be a Rebel and Traitour against the Church invading and possessing the Sovereignty due to it for such questionless the Duke of Venice would be should he challenge and assume to himself such a Power over his Commonwealth as the Pope hath over Christendom to be an Impostour and Seducer pretending to infallible conduct which he hath not How can they honestly condemn those who upon such grounds do shake off such yokes refusing to comply with the Pope till he correct his Errours till he desist from those Usurpations and Impostures till he restore to the Church its Rights and Liberties How are the Doctrines of those men consistent or congruous to their practice For they call the Pope Monarch of the Church and Universal Pastour of Christians by God's appointment indefectibly yet will they not admit all his Laws and reject Doctrines which he teacheth particularly those which most nearly touch him concerning his own Office and Authority They profess themselves his loyal Subjects yet pretend Liberties which they will maintain against him They hold that all are bound to entertain Communion with him yet confess that he may be heretical and seduce into Errour They give him the name and shadow of a Supremacy but so that they can void the substance and reality thereof In fine where should we seek for the Doctrine of the Roman Church but at Rome or from Rome it self where these Doctrines are Heterodoxies § XVII We shall not therefore have a distinct regard to the Opinion of these Semi-romanists nor consider them otherwise than to confirm that part of Truth which they hold and to confute that part of Errour which they embrace allowing at least in word and semblance more power to the Pope than we can admit as due to him Our discourse shall be levelled at him as such as he pretendeth himself to be or as assuming to himself the forementioned Powers and Prerogatives § XVIII Of such vast Pretences we have reason to require sufficient Grounds He that demandeth assent to such important Assertions ought to produce clear proofs of them He that claimeth so mighty Power should be able to make out a good Title to it for No man may take this more than Pontifical honour to himself but he that is called by God as was Aaron They are worthily to be blamed who tumultuously and disorderly fall upon curbing or restraining those who by no law are subject to them We cannot well be justified
time was in all anciently priority in ordination did ground a right to precedence as it is in ours with some exception so might Saint Peter upon this account of being first ordained Apostle obtain such a Primacy 2. Saint Peter also might be the first in age which among Persons otherwise equal is a fair ground of preference for he was a married man and that before he was called as is intimated in Saint Luke and may be inferred from hence that he would not have married after that he had left all and devoted himself to follow our Lord. Upon which account of age St. Hierome did suppose that he was preferred before the beloved Disciple why saith he was not Saint John elected being a Batchelour it was deferred to age because Peter was elder that a youth and almost a boy might not be preferred before men of good age I know that Epiphanius affirmeth St. Andrew to have been the elder Brother but it doth not appear whether he saith it from conjecture or upon any other ground And his Authority although we should suppose it bottomed on tradition is not great tradition it self in such matters being very slippery and often one tradition crossing another 3. The most eminent qualifications of Saint Peter such as we before described might procure to him this advantage They might breed in him an honest confidence pushing him forward on all occasions to assume the former place and thence by custom to possess it for qui sibi fidit Dux regit examen it being in all action as in walking where he that naturally is most vigorous and active doth goe before the rest They might induce others to a voluntary concession thereof for to those who indisputably do excell in good qualities or abilities honest and meek persons easily will yield precedence especially on occasions of publick concernment wherein it is expedient that the best qualified persons should be first seen They probably might also move our Lord himself to settle or at least to insinuate this order assigning the first place to him whom he knew most willing to serve him and most able to lead on the rest in his service It is indeed observable that upon all occasions our Lord signified a particular respect to him before the rest of his Collegues for to him more frequently than to any of them he directed his discourse unto him by a kind of anticipation he granted or promised those gifts and privileges which he meant to confer on them all Him he did assume as Spectatour and Witness of his glorious Transfiguration Him he picked out as Companion and Attendant on him in his grievous Agony His Feet he first washed to him he did first discover himself after his Resurrection as Saint Paul implieth and with him then he did entertain most discourse in especial manner recommending to him the pastoral care of his Church by which manner of proceeding our Lord may seem to have constituted Saint Peter the first in order among the Apostles or sufficiently to have hinted his mind for their direction admonishing them by his example to render unto him a special deference 4. The Fathers commonly do attribute his priority to the merit of his Faith and Confession wherein he did outstrip his Brethren He obtained supereminent glory by the confession of his blessed faith saith St. Hilary Because he alone of all the rest professeth his love John 21. therefore he is preferred above all saith St. Ambrose 5. Constantly in all the Catalogues of the Apostles Saint Peter's name is set in the front and when actions are reported in which he was concerned jointly with others he is usually mentioned first which seemeth not done without carefull design or special reason Upon such grounds it may be reasonable to allow Saint Peter a primacy of order such an one as the Ring-leader hath in a Dance as the primipilar Centurion had in the Legion or the Prince of the Senate had there in the Roman State at least as among Earls Baronets c. and others co-ordinate in degree yet one hath a precedence of the rest IV. As to a Primacy importing Superiority in power command or jurisdiction this by the Roman Party is asserted to Saint Peter but we have great reason to deny it upon the following considerations 1. For such a Power being of so great importance it was needfull that a Commission from God its Founder should be granted in down-right and perspicuous terms that no man concerned in duty grounded thereon might have any doubt of it or excuse for boggling at it it was necessary not onely for the Apostles to bind and warrant their Obedience but also for us because it is made the sole foundation of a like duty incumbent on us which we cannot heartily discharge without being assured of our obligation thereto by clear revelation or promulgation of God's will in the Holy Scripture for it was of old a current and ever will be a true Rule which St. Austin in one case thus expresseth I do believe that also on this side there would be most clear authority of the Divine Oracles if a man could not be ignorant of it without damage of his salvation and Lactantius thus Those things can have no foundation or firmness which are not sustained by any Oracle of God's word But apparently no such Commission is extant in Scripture the allegations for it being as we shall hereafter shew no-wise clear nor probably expressive of any such Authority granted by God but on the contrary divers clearer testimonies are producible derogating from it 2. If so illustrious an Office was instituted by our Saviour it is strange that no-where in the Evangelical or Apostolical History wherein divers acts and passages of smaller moment are recorded there should be any express mention of that Institution there being not onely much reason for such a report but many pat occasions for it The time when Saint Peter was vested with that Authority the manner and circumstances of his Installment therein the nature rules and limits of such an Office had surely well deserved to have been noted among other occurrences relating to our Faith and Discipline by the Holy Evangelists no one of them in all probability could have forborn punctually to relate a matter of so great consequence as the settlement of a Monarch in God's Church and a Sovereign of the Apostolical College from whom so eminent Authority was to be derived to all posterity for compliance wherewith the whole Church for ever must be accountable particularly it is not credible that Saint Luke should quite slip over so notable a passage who had as he telleth us attained a perfect understanding of all things and had undertaken to write in order the things that were surely believed among Christians in his time of which things this if any was one of the most considerable The time of his receiving Institution to such
instances which follow In the designation of a new Apostle to supply the place of Judas he did indeed suggest the matter and lay the case before them he first declared his sense but the whole company did chuse two and referred the determination of one to lot or to God's arbitration At the institution of Deacons the twelve did call the multitude of disciples and directed them to elect the persons and the proposal being acceptable to them it was done accordingly they chose Stephen c. whom they set before the Apostles and when they had prayed they layd their hands on them In that important transaction about the observance of Mosaical Institutions a great stir and debate being started which Saint Paul and Saint Barnabas by disputation could not appease what course was then taken did they appeal to Saint Peter as to the Supreme Dictatour and Judge of Controversies not so but they sent to the Apostles and Elders at Jerusalem to enquire about the question when those great messengers were arrived there they were received by the Church and the Apostles and Elders and having made their report the Apostles and Elders did assemble to consider about that matter In this assembly after much debate passed and that many had freely uttered their sense Saint Peter rose up with Apostolical gravity declaring what his reason and experience did suggest conducing to a resolution of the point whereto his words might indeed be much available grounded not onely upon common reason but upon special revelation concerning the case whereupon Saint James alledging that revelation and backing it with reason drawn from Scripture with much authority pronounceth his judgment Therefore saith he I judge that is saith St. Chrysostome I authoritatively say that we trouble not them who from among the Gentiles are turned to God but that we write unto them c. And the result was that according to the proposal of Saint James it was by general consent determined to send a decretal Letter unto the Gentile Christians containing a Canon or advice directive of their practice in the case It then seemed good to or was decreed by the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to send and the Letter ran thus The Apostles and Elders and Brethren to the Brethren of the Gentiles Now in all this action in this leading precedent for the management of things in Ecclesiastical Synods and consistories where can the sharpest sight descry any mark of distinction or preeminence which Saint Peter had in respect to the other Apostles did Saint Peter there any-wise behave himself like his pretended Successours upon such occasions what authority did he claim or use before that Assembly or in it or after it did he summon or convocate it no they met upon common agreement did he preside therein no but rather Saint James to whom saith Saint Chrysostome as Bishop of Jerusalem the government was committed did he offer to curb or check any man or to restrain him from his liberty of discourse there no there was much disputation every man frankly speaking his sense did he more than use his freedom of speech becoming an Apostle in arguing the case and passing his vote no for in so exact a relation nothing more doth appear did he form the definitions or pronounce the Decree resulting no Saint James rather did that for as an ancient Authour saith Peter did make an Oration but Saint James did enact the Law was beside his suffrage in the debate any singular approbation required from him or did he by any Bull confirm the Decrees no such matter these were devices of ambition creeping on and growing up to the pitch where they now are In short doth any thing correspondent to Papal pretences appear assumed by Saint Peter or deferred to him If Saint Peter was such a man as they make him how wanting then was he to himself how did he neglect the right and dignity of his Office in not taking more upon him upon so illustrious an occasion the greatest he did ever meet with How defective also were the Apostolical College and the whole Church of Jerusalem in point of duty and decency yielding no more deference to their Sovereign the Vicar of their Lord Whatever account may be framed of these defailances the truth is that Saint Peter then did know his own place and duty better than men do know them now and the rest as well understood how it became them to demean themselves St. Chrysostome's reflexions on those passages are very good that indeed then there was no fastuousness in the Church and the souls of those primitive Christians were clear of Vanity the which dispositions did afterward spring up and grow rankly to the great prejudice of Religion begetting those exorbitant pretences which we now disprove Again when Saint Peter being warned from Heaven thereto did receive Cornelius a Gentile Souldier unto Communion divers good Christians who were ignorant of the warrantableness of that proceeding as others commonly were and Saint Peter himself was before he was informed by that special revelation did not fear 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to contest with him about it not having any notion as it seemeth of his Supreme unaccountable Authority not to say of that infallibility with which the Canonists and Jesuits have invested him unto whom Saint Peter rendreth a fair account and maketh a satisfactory Apology for his proceedings not brow-beating those audacious contenders with his Authority but gently satisfying them with reason But if he had known his Power to be such as now they pretend it to be he should have done well to have asserted it even out of good-will and Charity to those good Brethren correcting their errour and checking their misdemeanour shewing them what an enormous presumption it was so to contend with their Sovereign Pastour and Judge Farther so far was Saint Peter from assuming Command over his Brethren that he was upon occasion ready to obey their Orders as we may see by that passage where upon the conversion of divers persons in Samaria it is said that the Apostles hearing it did send to them Peter and John who going down prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost The Apostles sent him that had he been their Sovereign would have been somewhat unseemly and presumptuous for Subjects are not wont to send their Prince or Souldiers their Captain to be sent being a mark of inferiority as our Lord himself did teach A servant said he is not greater than his Lord nor he that is sent greater than he that sent him Saint Luke therefore should at least have so expressed this passage that the Apostles might have seemed to keep their distance and observed good manners if he had said they beseeched him to go that had sounded well but they sent him is harsh if he were Dominus noster Papa as the modern Apostles of Rome
Church The other Apostles did receive an equal share of honour and power who also being dispersed in the whole world did preach the Gospel and to whom departing the Bishops did succeed who are constituted through the whole world in the Sees of the Apostles By consequence the Fathers do assert this equality when they affirm as we before did shew the Apostolical Office to be absolutely Supreme when also they affirm as afterwards we shall shew all the Apostles Successours to be equal as such and particularly that the Roman Bishop upon account of his succeeding Saint Peter hath no prâ—-eminence above his Brethren for wherever a Bishop be whether at Rome or at Eugubium at Constantinople or at Rhegium at Alexandria or at Thanis he is of the same worth and of the same Priesthood the force of wealth and lowness of poverty doth not render a Bishop more high or more low for that all of them are Successours of the Apostles 19. Neither is it to prudential esteem a despicable consideration that the most ancient of the Fathers having occasion sometimes largely to discourse of Saint Peter do not mention any such Prerogatives belonging to him 20. The last Argument which I shall use against this Primacy shall be the insufficiency of those Arguments and Testimonies which they alledge to warrant and prove it If this Point be of so great consequence as they make it if as they would persuade us the subsistence order unity and peace of the Church together with the Salvation of Christians do depend on it if as they suppose many great points of truth do hang on this pin if it be as they declare a main Article of Faith and not onely a simple errour but a pernicious heresie to deny this primacy then it is requisite that a clear revelation from God should be producible in favour of it for upon that ground onely such points can firmly stand then it is most probable that God to prevent controversies occasions of doubt and excuses for errour about so grand a matter would not have failed to have declared it so plainly as might serve to satisfie any reasonable man and to convince any froward gainsayer but no such revelation doth appear for the places of Scripture which they alledge do not plainly express it nor pregnantly imply it nor can it by fair consequence be inferred from them No man unprepossessed with affection to their side would descry it in them without thwarting Saint Peter's Order and wresting the Scriptures they cannot deduce it from them This by examining their allegations will appear I. They alledge those words of our Saviour uttered by him upon occasion of Saint Peter's confessing him to be the Son of God Thou art Peter and upon this rock will I build my Church here say they Saint Peter is declared the Foundation that is the sole Supreme Governour of the Church To this I answer 1. Those words do not clearly signifie any thing to their purpose for they are metaphorical and thence ambiguous or capable of divers interpretations whence they cannot suffice to ground so main a point of Doctrine or to warrant so huge a Pretence these ought to stand upon down-right evident and indubitable Testimony It is pretty to observe how Bellarmine proposeth this Testimony Of which words saith he the sense is plain and obvious that it be understood that under two metaphors the principate of the whole Church was promised as if that sense could be so plain and obvious which is couched under two metaphors and those not very pat or clear in application to their sense 2. This is manifestly confirmed from that the Fathers and Divines both ancient and modern have much differed in exposition of these words Some saith Abulensis say that this rock is Peter others say and better that it is Christ others say and yet better that it is the confession which Peter maketh For some interpret this rock to be Christ himself of whom Saint Paul saith Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ. St. Austin telleth us in his Retractations that he often had expounded the words to this purpose although he did not absolutely reject that interpretation which made Saint Peter the rock leaving it to the Readers choice which is the most probable Others and those most eminent Fathers do take the rock to be Saint Peter's faith or profession Vpon the Rock saith the Prince of Interpreters that is upon the faith of his profession and again Christ said that he would build his Church on Peter's confession and again he or another ancient Writer under his name upon this rock he said not upon Peter for he did not build his Church upon the man but upon his faith Our Lord saith Theodoret did permit the first of the Apostles whose confession he did fix as a prop or foundation of the Church to be shaken Whence Origen saith that every disciple of Christ is the rock in virtue of his agreement with Peter in that holy confession This sense even Popes have embraced Others say that as Saint Peter did not speak for himself but in the name of all the Apostles and of all faithfull people representing the Pastours and people of the Church so correspondently our Lord did declare that he would build his Church upon such faithfull Pastours and Confessours Others do indeed by the rock understand Saint Peter's person but do not thereby expound to be meant his being Supreme Governour of the Apostles or of the whole Church The Divines Schoolmen and Canonists of the Roman Communion do not also agree in exposition of the words and divers of the most learned among them do approve the interpretation of St. Chrysostome Now then how can so great a Point of Doctrine be firmly grounded on a place of so doubtfull interpretation how can any one be obliged to understand the words according to their interpretation which Persons of so good sense and so great Authority do understand otherwise with what modesty can they pretend that meaning to be clear which so perspicacious eyes could not discern therein why may not I excusably agree with St. Chrysostome or St. Austin in understanding the place may I not reasonably oppose their judgment to the Opinion of any Modern Doctours deeming Bellarmine as fallible in his conceptions as one of them why consequently may I not without blame refuse their Doctrine as built upon this place or disavow the goodness of this proof 3. It is very evident that the Apostles themselves did not understand those words of our Lord to signify any grant or promise to Saint Peter of Supremacy over them for would they have contended for the chief place if they had understood whose it of right was by our Lord 's own positive determination would they have disputed about a question which to their knowledge by their Master was
already stated would they have troubled our Lord to inquire of him who should be the greatest in his Kingdom when they knew that our Lord had declared his will to make Saint Peter Viceroy would the Sons of Zebedee have been so foolish and presumptuous as to beg the place which they knew by our Lord's word and promise fixed on Saint Peter would Saint Peter among the rest have fretted at that idle overture whenas he knew the place by our Lord 's immutable purpose and infallible declaration assured to him And if none of the Apostles did understand the words to imply this Roman sense who can be obliged so to understand them yea who can wisely who can safely so understand them for surely they had common sense as well as any man living now they had as much advantage as we can have to know our Lord's meaning their ignorance therefore of this sense being so apparent is not onely a just excuse for not admitting this interpretation but a strong bar against it 4. This interpretation also doth not well consist with our Lord's answers to the contests inquiries and petitions of his Disciples concerning the point of Superiority for doth he not if the Roman expositions be good seem upon those occasions not onely to dissemble his own word and promise but to disavow them or thwart them can we conceive that he would in such a case of doubt forbear to resolve them clearly to instruct them and admonish them of their duty 5. Taking the Rock as they would have it to be the Person of Saint Peter and that on him the Church should be built yet do not the words being a Rock probably denote government for what resemblance is there between being a Rock and a Governour at least what assurance can there be that this metaphor precisely doth import that sense seeing in other respects upon as fair similitudes he might be called so St. Austin saith the Apostles were Foundations because their Authority doth support our weakness St. Hierome saith that they were Foundations because the Faith of the Church was first laid in them St. Basil saith that Saint Peter's Soul was called the Rock because it was firmly rooted in the Faith and did hold stiff without giving way against the blows of temptation Chrysologus saith that Peter had his name from a Rock because he first merited to found the Church by firmness of Faith These are fair explications of the metaphor without any reference to Saint Peter's Government But however also admitting this that being such a Rock doth imply Government and Pastoral Charge yet do they notwithstanding these grants and suppositions effect nothing for they cannot prove the words spoken exclusively in regard to other Apostles or to import any thing singular to him above or beside them He might be a governing Rock so might others be the Church might be built on him so it might be on other Apostles he might be designed a Governour a great Governour a principal Governour so might they also be this might be without any violence done to those words And this indeed was for all the other Apostles in Holy Scripture are called Foundations and the Church is said to be built on them If saith Origen the Father of Interpreters you think the whole Church to be onely built on Peter alone what will you say of John the Son of thunder and of each of the Apostles c. largely to this purpose Christ as St. Hierome saith was the Rock and he bestowed on the Apostles that they should be called Rocks And You say saith he again that the Church is founded on Peter but the same in another place is done upon all the Apostles The twelve Apostles saith another ancient Authour were the immutable Pillars of orthodoxie the Rock of the Church The Church saith St. Basil is built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Peter also was one of the Mountains upon which Rock the Lord did promise to build his Church St. Cyprian in his disputes with Pope Stephen did more than once alledge this place yet could he not take them in their sense to signify exclusively for he did not acknowledge any imparity of Power among the Apostles or their Successours He indeed plainly took these words to respect all the Apostles and their Successours our Lord taking occasion to promise that to one which he intended to impart to all for themselves and their Successours Our Lord saith he ordering the honour of a Bishop and the order of his Church saith to Peter I say to thee c. hence through the turns of times and successions the ordination of Bishops and the manner of the Church doth run on that the Church should be setled upon the Bishops and every Act of the Church should be governed by the same Prelates as therefore he did conceive the Church to be built not on the Pope singularly but on all the Bishops so he thought our Lord did intend to build his Church not upon Saint Peter onely but on all his Apostles 6. It is not said that the Apostles or the Apostolical Office should be built on him for that could not be seeing the Apostles were constituted and the Apostolical Office was founded before that promise the words onely therefore can import that according to some meaning he was a Rock upon which the Church afterward to be collected should be built he was A Rock of the Church to be built as Tertullian speaketh the words therefore cannot signify any thing available to their purpose in relation to the Apostles 7. If we take Saint Peter himself for the Rock then as I take it the best meaning of the words doth import that our Lord designed Saint Peter for a prime Instrument the first mover the most diligent and active at the beginning the most constant stiff and firm in the support of his Truth and propagation of his Doctrine or conversion of men to the belief of the Gospel the which is called building of the Church according to that of St. Ambrose or some ancient Homilist under his name He is called the Rock because he first did lay in the Nations the Foundations of Faith In which regard as the other Apostles are called Foundations of the Church the Church being founded on their labours so might Saint Peter signally be so called who as Saint Basil saith allusively interpreting our Saviour's words for the excellency of his Faith did take on him the edifying of the Church Both he and they also might be so termed for that upon their testimonies concerning the Life Death and Resurrection of Christ the Faith of Christians was grounded as also it stands upon their convincing discourses their holy practice their miraculous performances in all which Saint Peter was most eminent and in the beginning of Christianity displayed them to the edification of the Church This interpretation plainly doth agree with matter
special Revelations from God or upon personal graces his great Faith his special love to our Lord his singular zeal for Christ's Service or upon personal gifts and endowments his courage resolution activity forwardness in apprehension and in speech the which advantages are not transient and consequently a preeminency built on them is not in its nature such 2. All the pretence of Primacy granted to Saint Peter is grounded upon words directed to Saint Peter's Person characterized by most personal adjuncts as name parentage and which exactly were accomplished in Saint Peter's personal actings which therefore it is unreasonable to extend farther Our Lord promised to Simon Son of Jona to build his Church on him accordingly in eminent manner the Church was founded upon his Ministery or by his first preaching testimony performances Our Lord promised to give him the Keys of the Heavenly Kingdom this Power Saint Peter signally did execute in converting Christians and receiving them by Baptism into the Church by conferring the Holy Ghost and the like administrations Our Lord charged Simon Son of Jonas to feed his Sheep this he performed by preaching writing guiding and governing Christians as he found opportunity wherefore if any thing was couched under those promises or orders singularly pertinent to Saint Peter for the same reason that they were singular they were personal for These things being in a conspicuous manner accomplished in St. Peter's Person the sense of those words is exhausted there may not with any probability there cannot with any assurance be any more grounded on them whatever more is inferred must be by precarious assumption and justly we may cast at those who shall infer it that exposâ—ulation of Tertullian What art thou who dost overturn and change the manifest intention of our Lord personally conferring this on Peter 3. Particularly the grand promise to Saint Peter of founding the Church on him cannot reach beyond his person because there can be no other foundations of a Society than such as are first laid the successours of those who first did erect a Society and establish it are themselves but superstructures 4. The Apostolical Office as such was personal and temporary and therefore according to its nature and design not successive or communicable to others in perpetual descendence from them It was as such in all respects extraordinary conferred in a special manner designed for special purposes discharged by special aids endowed with special privileges as was needfull for the propagation of Christianity and founding of Churches To that Office it was requisite that the Person should have an immediate designation and commission from God such as Saint Paul so often doth insist upon for asserting his title to the Office Paul an Apostle not from men or by man not by men saith St. Chrysostome this is a property of the Apostles It was requisite that an Apostle should be able to attest concerning our Lord's Resurrection or Ascension either immediately as the twelve or by evident consequence as Saint Paul thus Saint Peter implyed at the choice of Matthias wherefore of those men which have companyed with us must one be ordained to be a witness with us of the Resurrection and Am I not saith Saint Paul an Apostle have I not seen the Lord according to that of Ananias The God of our Fathers hath chosen thee that thou shouldest know his will and see that just one and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth for thou shalt bear witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard It was needfull also that an Apostle should be endowed with miraculous gifts and graces enabling him both to assure his Authority and to execute his Office wherefore Saint Paul calleth these the marks of an Apostle the which were wrought by him among the Corinthians in all patience or perseveringly in signs and wonders and mighty deeds It was also in St. Chrysostome's opinion proper to an Apostle that he should be able according to his discretion in a certain and conspicuous manner to impart Spiritual Gifts as Saint Peter and Saint John did at Samaria which to doe according to that Father was the peculiar gift and privilege of the Apostles It was also a privilege of an Apostle by virtue of his commission from Christ to instruct all Nations in the Doctrine and Law of Christ He had right and warrant to exercise his function every where His charge was universal and indefinite the whole world was his Province he was not affixed to one place nor could be excluded from any he was as St. Cyril calleth him an Oecumenical Judge and an Instructour of all the Subcelestial World Apostles also did govern in an absolute manner according to discretion as being guided by infallible assistence to the which they might upon occasion appeal and affirm It hath seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us Whence their Writings have passed for inspired and therefore Canonical or certain Rules of Faith and Practice It did belong to them to found Churches to constitute Pastours to settle orders to correct offences to perform all such Acts of Sovereign Spiritual Power in virtue of the same Divine assistence according to the Authority which the Lord had given them for edification as we see practised by Saint Paul In fine the Apostleship was as St. Chrysostome telleth us a business fraught with ten thousand good things both greater than all privileges of grace and comprehensive of them Now such an Office consisting of so many extraordinary privileges and miraculous powers which were requisite for the foundation of the Church and the diffusion of Christianity against the manifold difficulties and disadvantages which it then needs must encounter was not designed to continue by derivation for it containeth in it divers things which apparently were not communicated and which no man without gross imposture and hypocrisie could challenge to himself Neither did the Apostles pretend to communicate it they did indeed appoint standing Pastours and Teachers in each Church they did assume Fellow-labourers or Assistents in the work of Preaching and Governance but they did not constitute Apostles equal to themselves in Authority Privileges or Gifts For who knoweth not saith St. Austin that principate of Apostleship to be preferred before any Episcopacy and the Bishops saith Bellarmine have no part of the true Apostolical Authority Wherefore Saint Peter who had no other Office mentioned in Scripture or known to Antiquity beside that of an Apostle could not have properly and adequately any Successour to his Office but it naturally did expire with his Person as did that of the other Apostles 5. Accordingly whereas the other Apostles as such had no Successours the Apostolical Office not being propagated the Primacy of Saint Peter whatever it were whether of Order or Jurisdiction in regard to his Brethren did cease with him for when there were no Apostles extant there could be no Head or Prince of
instance we may discern what little consideration sometimes was had of personal or topical succession to the Apostles in determining the extent of Jurisdiction and why should the Roman Bishop upon that score pretend more validly than others 6. Saint Peter probably e'er that he came at Rome did found divers other Churches whereof he was paramount Bishop or did retain a special superintendency over them particularly Antioch was anciently called his See and he is acknowledged to have sate there seven years before he was Bishop of Rome Why therefore may not the Bishop of Antioch pretend to succeed Saint Peter in his universal Pastourship as well as his younger brother of Rome why should Evodius ordained by Saint Peter at Antioch yield to Clemens afterward by him ordained at Rome Antioch was the first-born of Gentile Churches where the name of Christians was first heard Antioch was as the Constantinopolitan Fathers called it the most ancient and truly Apostolical Church Antioch by virtue of Saint Peter's sitting there or peculiar relation to it was according to their own conceits the principal See Why therefore should Saint Peter be so unkind to it as not onely to relinquish it but to debase it not onely transferring his See from it but devesting it of the privilege which it had got Why should he prefer before it the City of Rome the mystical Babylon the mother of abominations of the earth the Throne of Satan's Empire the place which did then most persecute the Christian Faith and was drunk with the bloud of the Saints 7. The ground of this preference was say they Saint Peter's Will and they have reason to say so for otherwise if Saint Peter had died intestate the Elder Son of Antioch would have had best right to all his goods and dignities But how doth that Will appear in what Tables was it written in what Registers is it extant in whose presence did he nuncupate it it is no-where to be seen or heard of Neither do they otherwise know of it than by reasoning it out and in effect they say onely that it was fit he should will it but they may be mistaken in their divinations and perhaps notwithstanding them Saint Peter might will as well to his former See of Antioch as to his latter of Rome 8. Indeed Bellarmine sometimes positively and briskly enough doth affirm that God did command Saint Peter to fix his See at Rome but his proofs of it are so ridiculously fond and weak that I grudge the trouble of reciting them and he himself sufficiently confuteth them by saying other-where It is not unprobable that our Lord gave an express command that Peter should so fix his See at Rome that the Bishop of Rome should absolutely succeed him He saith it is not improbable if it be no more than so it is uncertain it may be a mere conjecture or a dream It is much more not-unprobable that if God had commanded it there would have been some assurance of a command so very important 9. Antioch hath at least a fair plea for a share in Saint Peter's Prerogatives for it did ever hold the repute of an Apostolical Church and upon that score some deference was paid to it why so if Saint Peter did carry his See with all its Prerogatives to another place But if he carried with him onely part of his Prerogative leaving some part behind at Antioch how much then I pray did he leave there why did he divide unequally or leave less than half if perchance he did leave half the Bishop of Antioch is equal to him of Rome 10. Other persons also may be found who according to equal judgment might have a better title to the succession of Peter in his Universal Authority than the Pope having a nearer relation to him than he although his Successour in one charge or upon other equitable grounds For instance Saint John or any other Apostle who did survive Saint Peter for if Saint Peter was the Father of Christians which Title yet our Saviour forbiddeth any one to assume Saint John might well claim to be his eldest Son and it had been a very hard case for him to have been postponed in the succession it had been a derogation to our Lord 's own choice a neglect of his special affection a disparagement of the Apostolical Office for him to be subjected to any other neither could any other pretend to the like gifts for management of that great charge 11. The Bishop of Jerusalem might with much reason have put in his claim thereto as being Successour of our Lord himself who unquestionably was the High-priest of our Profession and Archbishop of all our Souls whose See was the Mother of all Churches wherein St. Peter himself did at first reside exercising his Vicarship If our Lord upon special accounts out of course had put the Sovereignty into Saint Peter's hands yet after his decease it might be fit that it should return into its proper chanel This may seem to have been the judgment of the times when the Authour of the Apostolical Constitutions did write who reporteth the Apostles to have ordered Prayers to be made first for James then for Clement then for Evodius 12. Equity would rather have required that one should by common consent and election of the whole Church be placed in Saint Peter's room than that the Bishop of Rome by election of a few Persons there should succeed into it As the whole body of Pastours was highly concerned in that Succession so it was reasonable that all of them should concur in designation of a Person thereto it is not reasonable to suppose that either God would institute or Saint Peter by will should devise a course of proceeding in such a case so unequal and unsatisfactory If therefore the Church considering this equity of the case together with the expediency of affairs in relation to its good should undertake to chuse for its self another Monarch the Bishop of another See who should seem fitter for the place to succeed into the Prerogatives of Saint Peter that Person would have a fairer title to that Office than the Pope for such a Person would have a real title grounded on some reason of the case whenas the Pope's pretence doth onely stand upon a positive Institution whereof he cannot exhibit any Certificate This was the mind of a great man among themselves who saith that if possibly the Bishop of Triers should be chosen for Head of the Church For the Church has free power to provide its self a Head Bellarmine himself confesseth that if Saint Peter as he might have done if he had pleased should have chosen no particular See as he did not for the first five years then after Peter's death neither the Bishop of Rome nor of Antioch had succeeded but he whom the Church should have chosen for it self Now if the Church upon that supposition would have
add If an Angel from Heaven should tell you beside what you have received in the Legal and Evangelical Scriptures let him be anathema in which words we have St. Austin's warrant not onely to refuse but to detest this Doctrine which being nowhere extant in Law or Gospel is yet obtruded on us as nearly relating both to Christ and his Church as greatly concerning both our Faith and Practice 2. To enforce this Argument we may consider that the Evangelists do speak about the propagation settlement and continuance of our Lord's Kingdom that the Apostles do often treat about the state of the Church and its edification order peace unity about the distinction of its Officers and Members about the qualifications duties graces privileges of Spiritual Governours and Guides about prevention and remedy of Heresies Schisms Disorders upon any of which occasions how is it possible that the mention of such a Spiritual Monarch who was to have a main influence on each of those particulars should wholly escape them if they had known such an one instituted by God In the Levitical Law all things concerning the High-Priest not onely his Designation Succession Consecration Duty Power Maintenance Privileges but even his Garments Marriage Mourning c. are punctually determined and described and is it not wonderfull that in the many descriptions of the New-Law no mention should be made concerning any Duty or Privilege of its High-Priest whereby he might be directed in the administration of his Office and know what observance to require 3. Whereas also the Scripture doth inculcate duties of all sorts and doth not forget frequently to press duties of respect and obedience toward particular Governours of the Church is it not strange that it never should bestow one precept whereby we might be instructed and admonished to pay our duty to the Universal Pastour especially considering that God who directed the Pens of the Apostles and who intended that their Writings should continue for the perpetual instruction of Christians did foresee how requisite such a precept would be to secure that duty for if but one such precept did appear it would doe the business and void all contestation about it 4. They who so carefully do exhort to honour and obey the temporal Sovereignty how come they so wholly to wave urging the no less needfull obligations to obey the Spiritual Monarch while they are so mindfull of the Emperour why are they so neglectfull of the Pope insomuch that divers Popes afterward to ground and urge obedience to them are fain to borrow those precepts which command obedience to Princes accommodating them by analogy and inference to themselves 5. Particularly Saint Peter one would think who doth so earnestly injoin to obey the King as Supreme and to honour him should not have been unmindfull of his Successours or quite have forborn to warn Christians of the respect due to them surely the Popes afterward do not follow him in this reservedness for in their Decretal Epistles they urge nothing so much as obedience to the Apostolical See 6. One might have expected something of that nature from St. Paul himself who did write so largely to the Romans and so often from Rome that at least some word or some intimation should have dropped from him concerning these huge Rights and Privileges of this See and of the regard due to it Particularly then when he professedly doth enumerate the Offices instituted by God for standing use and perpetual duration for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the Vnity of Faith c. He commendeth them for their Faith which was spoken of through the whole world yet giveth them no advantage above others as St. Chrysostome observeth on those words for obedience to the Faith among all Nations among whom also are ye this saith St. Chrysostome he saith to depress their conceit to void their haughtiness of mind and to teach them to deem others equal in Dignity with them When He writeth to that Church which was some time after Saint Peter had setled the Popedom he doth onely style them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called Saints and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beloved of God which are common adjuncts of all Christians He saith their Faith was spoken of generally but of the fame of their Authority being so spread he taketh no notice that their obedience had come abroad to all men but their commands had not it seemeth come anywhere He wrote divers Epistles from Rome wherein he resolveth many cases debated yet never doth urge the Authority of the Roman Church for any point which now is so ponderous an Argument 7. But however seeing the Scripture is so strangely reserved how cometh it to pass that Tradition is also so defective and staunch in so grand a case We have in divers of the Fathers particularly in Tertullian in St. Basil in St. Hierome Catalogues of Traditional Doctrines and Observances which they recite to assert Tradition in some cases supplemental to Scripture in which their purpose did require that they should set down those of principal moment and they are so punctual as to insert many of small consideration how then came they to neglect this concerning the Papal Authority over the whole Church which had been most pertinent to their design and in consequence did vastly surpass all the rest which they do name 8. The designation of the Roman Bishop by succession to obtain so high a degree in the Church being above all others a most remarkable and noble piece of History which it had been a horrible fault in an Ecclesiastical History to slip over without carefull reporting and reflecting upon it yet Eusebius that most diligent Compiler of all passages relating to the original Constitution of the Church and to all transactions therein hath not â—ne word about it who yet studiously doth report the Successions of the Roman Bishops and all the notable occurrences he knew concerning them with favourable advantage 9. Whereas this Doctrine is pretended to be a Point of Faith of vast consequence to the subsistence of the Church and to the Salvation of men it is somewhat strange that it should not be inserted into any one ancient Summary of things to be believed of which Summaries divers remain some composed by publick consent others by persons of Eminency in the Church nor by fair and forcible consequence should be deducible from any Article in them especially considering that such Summaries were framed upon occasion of Heresies springing up which disregarded the Pope's Authority and which by asserting it were plainly confuted We are therefore beholden to Pope Innocent III. and his Laterane Synod for first Synodically defining this Point together with other Points no less new and unheard of before The Creed of Pope Pius IV. formed the other day is the first as I take it
Discipline should never insist upon the duty of Obedience to the Pope or charge those Schismaticks with their rebellion against him or alledge his Authority against them If we consider that the Pope was Bishop of the Imperial City the Metropolis of the World that he thence was most eminent in rank did abound in wealth did live in great splendour and reputation had many dependences and great opportunities to gratify and relieve many of the Clergy that of the Fathers whose Volumes we have all well affected towards him divers were personally obliged to him for his support in their distress as Athanasius Chrysostome Theodoret or as to their Patrons and Benefactours as St. Hierome divers could not but highly respect him as Patron of the cause wherein they were engaged as Basil Gregory Nazianzene Hilary Gregory Nyssene Ambrose Austin some were his partizans in a common quarrel as Cyril divers of them lived in places and times wherein he had got much sway as all the Western Bishops that he had then improved his Authority much beyond the old limits that all the Bishops of the Western or Latine Churches had a peculiar dependence on him especially after that by advantage of his Station by favour of the Court by colour of the Sardican Canons by voluntary deferences and submissions by several tricks he had wound himself to meddle in most of their chief Affairs that hence divers Bishops were tempted to admire to court to flatter him that divers aspiring Popes were apt to encourage the commenders of their Authority which they themselves were apt to magnifie and inculcate considering I say such things it is a wonder that in so many voluminous discourses so little should be said favouring this pretence so nothing that proveth it so much that crosseth it so much indeed as I hope to shew that quite overthroweth it If it be asked how we can prove this I answer that beside who carefully peruseth those old Books will easily see it we are beholden to our Adversaries for proving it to us when they least intended us such a favour for that no clear and cogent passages for proof of this pretence can be thence fetched is sufficiently evident from the very allegations which after their most diligent raking in old Books they produce the which are so few and fall so very short of their purpose that without much stretching they signifie nothing 28. It is monstrous that in the Code of the Catholick Church consisting of the decrees of so many Synods concerning Ecclesiastical order and discipline there should not be one Canon directly declaring his Authority nor any mention made of him except thrice accidentally once upon occasion of declaring the Authority of the Alexandrine Bishop the other upon occasion of assigning to the Bishop of Constantinople the second place of honour and equal privileges with him If it be objected that these discourses are negative and therefore of small force I answer that therefore they are most proper to assert such a negative proposition for how can we otherwise better shew a thing not to be than by shewing it to have no footstep there where it is supposed to stand how can we more clearly argue a matter of right to want proof than by declaring it not to be extant in the Laws grounding such right not taught by the Masters who profess to instruct in such things not testifyed in records concerning the exercise of it such arguments indeed in such cases are not merely negative but rather privative proving things not to be because not affirmed there where in reason they ought to be affirmed standing therefore upon positive Suppositions that Holy Scripture that general tradition are not imperfect and lame toward their design that ancient Writers were competently intelligent faithfull diligent that all of them could not conspire in perpetual silence about things of which they had often fair occasion and great reason to speak In fine such considerations however they may be deluded by Sophistical Wits will yet bear great sway and often will amount near to the force of demonstration with men of honest prudence However we shall proceed to other discourses more direct and positive against the Popish Doctrine II. Secondly we shall shew that this pretence upon several accounts is contrary to the Doctrine of Holy Scripture 1. This pretence doth thwart the Holy Scripture by assigning to another the prerogatives and peculiar Titles appropriated therein to our Lord. The Scripture asserteth him to be our onely Sovereign Lord and King To us saith it there is one Lord and One King shall be King over them who shall reign over the house of David for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end who is the onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the One Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy The Scripture speaketh of one Arch-Pastour and great Shepherd of the Sheep exclusively to any other for I will said God in the Prophet set up one Shepherd over them and he shall feed the Sheep and There saith our Lord himself shall be one Fold and one Shepherd who that shall be he expresseth adding I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd giveth his life for the Sheep by Pope Boniface his good leave who maketh Saint Peter or himself this Shepherd The Scripture telleth us that we have one High-Priest of our Profession answerable to that one in the Jewish Church his Type The Scripture informeth us that there is but one Supreme Doctour Guide Father of Christians prohibiting us to acknowledge any other for such Ye are all Brethren and call ye not any one Father upon Earth for one is your Father even he that is in Heaven Neither be ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ. Good Pope Gregory not the seventh of that name did take this for a good argument for What therefore dearest Brother said he to John of Constantinople wilt thou say in that terrible trial of the Judge who is coming who dost affect to be called not onely Father but General Father in the World The Scripture representeth the Church as a building whereof Christ himself is the chief Corner-stone as a Family whereof he being the Pater-familias as all others are fellow-servants as one Body having one Head whom God hath given to be Head over all things to the Church which is his Body He is the One Spouse of the Church which title one would think he might leave peculiar to our Lord there being no Vice-husbands yet hath he been bold even to claim that as may be seen in the Constit. of Pope Greg. X. in one of their General Synods It seemeth therefore a Sacrilegious arrogance derrogating from our Lord's Honour for any man to assume or admit those Titles of Sovereign of the Church Head of the Church our Lord Arch-Pastour Highest-Priest Chief Doctour Master Father Judge of Christians upon what
pretence or under what distinction soever these pompatick foolish proud perverse wicked profane words these names of singularity elation vanity blasphemy to borrow the Epithets with which Pope Gregory I. doth brand the Titles of Vniversal Bishop and Oecumenical Patriarch no less modest in sound and far more innocent in meaning than those now ascribed to the Pope are therefore to be rejected not onely because they are injurious to all other Pastours and to the People of God's heritage but because they do encroach upon our onely Lord to whom they do onely belong much more to usurp the things which they do naturally signifie is a horrible invasion upon our Lord's Prerogative Thus hath that great Pope taught us to argue in words expressly condemning some and consequently all of them together with the things which they signifie What saith he writing to the Bishop of Constantinople who had admitted the title of Vniversal Bishop or Patriarch wilt thou say to Christ the Head of the Vniversal Church in the trial of the last judgment who by the appellation of VNIVERSAL dost endeavour to subject all his Members to thee whom I pray dost thou mean to imitate in so perverse a word but him who despising the Legions of Angels constituted in fellowship with him did endeavour to break forth unto the top of Singularity that he might both be subject to none and alone be over all who also said I will ascend into heaven and will exalt my throne above the stars for what are thy brethren all the Bishops of the Vniversal Church but the stars of heaven to whom while by this haughty word thou desirest to prefer thy self and to trample on their name in comparison to thee what dost thou say but I will climb into heaven And again in another Epistle to the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch he taxeth the same Patriarch for assuming to boast so that he attempteth to ascribe all things to himself and studieth by the elation of pompous speech to subject to himself all the members of Christ which do cohere to One Sole Head namely to Christ. Again I confidently say that whoever doth call himself Universal Bishop or desireth to be so called doth in his elation forerun Antichrist because he pridingly doth set himself before all others If these argumentations be sound or signifie any thing what is the pretence of Vniversal Sovereignty and Pastourship but a piece of Luciferian arrogance who can imagine that even this Pope could approve could assume could exercise it if he did was he not monstrously senseless and above measure impudent to use such discourses which so plainly without altering a word might be retorted upon him which are built upon suppositions that it is unlawfull and wicked to assume Superiority over the Church over all Bishops over all Christians the which indeed seeing never Pope was of greater repute or did write in any case more solemnly and seriously have given to the pretences of his Successours so deadly a wound that no balm of Sophistical interpretation can be able to heal it We see that according to St. Gregory M. our Lord Christ is the one onely Head of the Church to whom for company let us adjoin St. Basil M. that we may have both Greek and Latin for it who saith that according to Saint Paul we are the body of Christ and members one of another because it is manifest that the one and sole truly head which is Christ doth hold and connect each one to another unto concord To decline these allegations of Scripture they have forged distinctions of several kinds of Churches and several sorts of Heads the which evasions I shall not particularly discourse seeing it may suffice to observe in general that no such distinctions have any place or any ground in Scripture nor can well consist with it which simply doth represent the Church as one Kingdom a Kingdom of Heaven a Kingdom not of this world all the Subjects whereof have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heaven or are considered as members of a City there so that it is vain to seek for a Sovereign thereof in this world the which also doth to the Catholick Church sojourning on earth usually impart the name and attributes properly appertaining to the Church most universal comprehensive of all Christians in heaven and upon earth because that is a visible representative of this and we by joining in offices of piety with that do communicate with this whence that which is said of one concerning the Unity of its King its Head its Pastour its Priest is to be understood of the other especially considering that our Lord according to his promise is ever present with the Church here governing it by the efficacy of his Spirit and Grace so that no other corporeal or visible Head of this Spiritual Body is needfull It was to be sure a visible Headship which St. Gregory did so eagerly impugn and exclaim against for he could not apprehend the Bishop of Constantinople so wild as to affect a Jurisdiction over the Church mystical or invisible 2. Indeed upon this very account the Romish pretence doth not well accord with Holy Scripture because it transformeth the Church into another kind of Body than it was constituted by God according to the representation of it in Scripture for there it is represented as a spiritual and heavenly Society compacted by the bands of one faith one hope one Spirit of Charity but this pretence turneth it into a worldly frame united by the same bands of interest and design managed in the same manner by terrour and allurement supported by the same props of force of policy of wealth of reputation and splendour as all other secular Corporations are You may call it what you please but it is evident that in truth the Papal Monarchy is a temporal Dominion driving on worldly ends by worldly means such as our Lord did never mean to institute so that the Subjects thereof may with far more reason than the People of Constantinople had when their Bishop Nestorius did stop some of their Priests from contradicting him say We have a King a Bishop we have not so that upon every Pope we may charge that whereof Anthimus was accused in the Synod of Constantinople under Menas that he did account the greatness and dignity of the Priesthood to be not a spiritual charge of souls but as a kind of politick rule This was that which seeming to be affected by the Bishop of Antioch in encroachment upon the Church of Cyprus the Fathers of the Ephesine Synod did endeavour to nipp enacting a Canon against all such invasions lest under pretext of holy discipline the pride of worldly authority should creep in and what pride of that kind could they mean beyond that which now the Popes do claim and exercise Now do I say after that the Papal Empire hath swollen to such a
accommodation of Laws to the different humours and fashions of so many Nations Shall a decrepit old man in the decay of his age parts vigour such as Popes usually are undertake this May we not say to him as Jethro did to Moses Vltra vires tuas est negotium The thing thou doest is not good thou wilt surely wear away both thou and this People that is with thee for this thing is too heavy for thee thou art not able to perform it thy self alone If the care of a small Diocese hath made the most able and industrious Bishops who had a Conscience and sense of their duty to grown under its weight how insupportable must such a thing be The care of his own particular Church if he would act the part of a Bishop indeed would sufficiently take up the Pope especially in some times whenas Pope Alex. saith Vt intestina nostrae specialis Ecclesiae negotia vix possemus ventilare nedum longinqua ad plenum extricare If it be said that Saint Paul testifieth of himself that he had a care of all the Churches incumbent on him I answer that he and other Apostles had the like questionless had a pious solicitude for the welfare of all Christians especially of the Churches which he had founded being vigilant for occasions to edifie them but what is this to bearing the charge of a standing government over all Churches diffused through the world that care of a few Churches then was burthensome to him what is the charge of so many now to one seldom endowed with such Apostolical graces and gifts as Saint Paul was How weak must the influence of such an Authority be upon the circumferential Parts of its Oecumenical Sphere How must the outward branches of the Churches faint and fade for want of sap from the root of Discipline which must be conveyed through so many obstructions to such a distance How discomposed must things be in each Country for want of seasonable resolution hanging in suspence till information do travell to Rome and determination come back thence How difficult how impossible will it be for him there to receive faithfull information or competent testimony whereupon to ground just decisions of Causes How will it be in the power thence of any malicious and cunning person to raise trouble against innocent persons for any like person to decline the due Correction laid on him by transferring the Cause from home to such a distance How much cost how much trouble how much hazard must parties concerned be at to fetch light and justice thence Put case a Heresie a Schism a Doubt or Debate of great moment should arise in China how should the Gentleman in Italy proceed to confute that Heresie to quash that Schism to satisfie that Doubt to determine that Cause how long must it be ere he can have notice thereof to how many cross accidents of weather and way must the transmitting of information be subject how difficult will it prove to get a clear and sure knowledge concerning the state of things How hard will it be to get the opposite parties to appear so as to confront testimonies and probations requisite to a fair and just decision how shall witnesses of infirm sex or age ramble so far how easily will some of them prepossess and abuse him with false suggestions and misrepresentations of the case how slippery therefore will the result be and how prone he to award a wrongfull sentence How tedious how expensive how troublesome how vexatious how hazardous must this course be to all parties Certainly Causes must needs proceed slowly and depend long and in the end the resolution of them must be very uncertain What temptation will it be for any one how justly soever corrected by his immediate Superiours to complain hoping thereby to escape to disguise the truth c. who being condemned will not appeal to one at distance hoping by false suggestions to delude him This necessarily will destroy all Discipline and induce impunity or frustration of Justice Certainly much more convenient and equal it should be that there should be near at hand a Sovereign Power fully capable expeditely and seasonably to compose differences to decide causes to resolve doubts to settle things without more stir and trouble Very equal it is that Laws should rather be framed interpreted and executed in every Countrey with accommodation to the tempers of the People to the circumstances of things to the Civil State there by persons acquainted with those particulars than by strangers ignorant of them and apt to mistake about them How often will the Pope be imposed upon as he was in the case of Basilides of whom St. Cyprian saith going to Rome he deceived our Collegue Stephen being placed at distance and ignorant of the fact and concealed truth aspiring to be unjustly restored to the Bishoprick from which he was justly removed As he was in the case of Marcellus who gull'd Pope Julius by fair professions as St. Basil doth often complain As he was in aiding that versatile and troublesome Bishop Eustathius of Sebastia to the recovery of his Bishoprick As he was in rejecting the man of God and most admirable Bishop Meletius and admitting scandalous reports about him which the same Saint doth often resent blaming sometimes the fallacious misinformation sometimes the wilfull presumption negligence pride of the Roman Church in the case As he was in the case of Pelagius and Celestius who did cajole Pope Zosimus to acquit them to condemn Eros and Lazarus their accusers to reprove the African Bishops for prosecuting them How many proceedings should we have like to that of Pope Zosimus I. concerning that scandalous Priest Apiarius whom being for grievous crimes excommunicated by his Bishop that Pope did admit to communion and undertake to patronize but was baffled in his enterprize This hath been the sense of the Fathers in the case St. Cyprian therefore saith that seeing it was a general statute among the Bishops and that it was both equal and just that every one's cause should be heard there where the crime was committed and that each Pastour had a portion of the Flock allotted to him which he should rule and govern being to render unto the Lord an account of his doing St. Chrysostome thought it improper that one out of Egypt should administer justice to Persons in Thrace and why not as well as one out of Italy The African Synod thought the Nicene Fathers had provided most prudently and most justly that all affairs should be finally determined there where they did arise They thought a transmarine judgment could not be firm because the necessary persons for testimony for the infirmity of sex or age or for many other infirmities could not be brought thither Pope Leo himself saw how dilatory this course would be and that longinquity of region doth cause the examination of truth
for his actions to any other Judge but God That this notion of liberty did continue a good time after in the Church we may see by that Canon of the Antiochene Synod ordaining that every Bishop have power of his own Bishoprick govern it according to the best of his care and discretion and provide for all the Country belonging to his City so as to ordain Priests and Deacons and dispose things aright The Monks of Constantinople in the Synod of Chalcedon said thus We are sons of the Church and have one Father after God our Archbishop they forgot their Sovereign Father the Pope The like notion may seem to have been then in England when the Church of Canterbury was called the common mother of all under the disposition of its Spouse Jesus Christ. VI. The Ancients did hold all Bishops as to their Office originally according to Divine Institution or abstracting from humane Sanctions framed to preserve Order and Peace to be equal for that all are Successours of the Apostles all derive their Commission and Power in the same tenour from God all of them are Ambassadours Stewards Vicars of Christ entrusted with the same Divine Ministeries of instructing dispensing the Sacraments ruling and exercising Discipline to which Functions and Privileges the least Bishop hath right and to greater the biggest cannot pretend One Bishop might exceed another in Splendour in Wealth in Reputation in extent of Jurisdiction as one King may surpass another in amplitude of Territory but as all Kings so all Bishops are equal in Office and essentials of Power derived from God Hence they applied to them that in the Psalm Instead of thy Fathers shall be thy Children whom thou mayst make Princes in all the earth This was St. Hierome's Doctrine in those famous words Whereever a Bishop be whether at Rome or at Eugubium at Constantinople or at Rhegium at Alexandria or at Thenis he is of the same worth and of the same Priesthood the force of wealth and lowness of poverty doth not render a Bishop more high or more low for that all of them are Successours of the Apostles to evade which plain assertion they have forged distinctions whereof St. Hierome surely did never think he speaking simply concerning Bishops as they stood by Divine Institution not according to humane Models which gave some advantages over other That this notion did continue long in the Church we may see by the Elogies of Bishops in later Synods for instance that in the Synod of Compeigne It is convenient all Christians should know what kind of Office the Bishops is who 't is plain are the Vicars of Christ and keep the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven And that of the Synod of Melun And though all of us unworthy yet are the Vicars of Christ and Successours of his Apostles In contemplation of which verity St. Gregory Nazianzene observing the declension from it introduced in his times by the ambition of some Prelates did vent that famous exclamation O that there were not at all any presidency or any preference in place and tyrannical enjoyment of prerogatives which earnest wish he surely did not mean to level against the Ordinance of God but against that which lately began to be intruded by men And what would the good man have wished if he had been aware of those pretences about which we discourse which then did onely begin to bud and peep up in the World 1. Common practice is a good Interpreter of common sentiments in any case and it therefore sheweth that in the primitive Church the Pope was not deemed to have a right of Universal Sovereignty for if such a thing had been instituted by God or established by the Apostles the Pope certainly with evident clearness would have appeared to have possessed it and would have sometimes I might say frequently yea continually have exercised it in the first Ages which that he did not at all we shall make I hope very manifest by reflecting on the chief passages occurring then whereof indeed there is scarce any one which duly weighed doth not serve to overthrow the Roman pretence but that matter I reserve to another place and shall propound other considerations declaring the sense of the Fathers onely I shall add that indeed 2. The state of the most primitive Church did not well admit such an universal Sovereignty For that did consist of small bodies incoherently situated and scattered about in very distant places and consequently unfit to be modelled into one political Society or to be governed by one Head Especially considering their condition under Persecution and Poverty What convenient resort for Direction or Justice could a few distressed Christians in Egypt Ethiopia Parthia India Mesopotamia Syria Armenia Cappadocia and other Parts have to Rome what trouble what burthen had it been to seek Instruction Succour Decision of Cases thence Had they been obliged or required to doe so what offences what clamours would it have raised seeing that afterward when Christendom was connected and compacted together when the state of Christians was flourishing and prosperous when passages were open and the best of opportunities of correspondence were afforded yet the setting out of these pretences did cause great oppositions and stirs seeing the exercise of this Authority when it had obtained most vigour did produce so many grievances so many complaints so many courses to check and curb it in Countries feeling the inconveniences and mischiefs springing from it The want of the like in the first Ages is a good Argument that the cause of them had not yet sprung up Christendom could not have been so still if there had been then so meddlesome a body in it as the Pope now is The Roman Clergy in their Epistle to St. Cyprian told him that because of the difficulty of things and times they could not constitute a Bishop who might moderate things immediately belonging to them in their own precincts how much more in that state of things would a Bishop there be sit to moderate things over all the World when as Rigaltius truly noteth the Church being then oppressed with various vexations the communication of Provinces between themselves was difficult and unfrequent Wherefore Bellarmine himself doth confess that in those times before the Nicene Synod the authority of the Pope was not a little hindred so that because of continual persecutions he could not freely exercise it The Church therefore could so long subsist without the use of such Authority by the vigilance of Governours over their Flocks and the friendly correspondence of neighbour Churches And if he would let it alone it might do so still That could be no Divine Institution which had no vigour in the first and best times but an Innovation raised by Ambition VII The Ancients when occasion did require did maintain their equality of Office and Authority particularly in respect to the Roman Bishops not onely interpretatively by practice but directly and
may be seen in all solemn addresses and reports concerning them which is an Argument sufficiently plain that Bishops in those times did not take themselves to be the Pope's Subjects or his inferiours in Office but his fellows and mates co-ordinate in rank Were not these improper terms for an ordinary Gentleman or Nobleman to accost his Prince in yet hardly is there such a distance between any Prince and his Peers as there is between a modern Pope and other Bishops It would now be taken for a great arrogance and sawciness for an underling Bishop to address to the Pope in such language or to speak of him in that manner which is a sign that the World is altered in its notion of him and that he beareth a higher conceit of himself than his primitive Ancestours did Now nothing but Beatissimus Pater most Blessed Father and Dominus noster Papa our Lord the Pope in the highest sense will satisfy him Now a Pope in a General Synod in a solemn Oration could be told to his face that the most Holy Senate of Cardinals had chosen a Brother into a Father a Collegue into a Lord. Verily so it is now but not so anciently In the same ancient times the style of the Roman Bishops writing to other Bishops was the same he calling them Brethren and Fellow-ministers So did Cornelius write to Fabius of Antioch beloved brother so did he call all other Bishops be it known to all our Fellow-bishops and brethren So Julius to the Oriental Bishops To our beloved brethren So Liberius to the Macedonian Bishops To our beloved brethren and Fellow-ministers and to the Oriental Bishops To our brethren and Fellow-bishops So Damasus to the Bishops of Illyricum So Leo himself frequently in his Epistles So Pope Celestine calleth John of Antioch Most honoured brother to Cyril and to Nestorius himself Beloved brother to the Fathers of Ephesus Signiours brethren Pope Gelasius to the Bishops of Dardania Your brotherhood St. Gregory to Cyriacus Our brother and Fellow-priest Cyriacus If it be said the Popes did write so then out of condescension or humility and modesty it may be replied that if really there was such a difference as is now pretended it may seem rather affectation and indecency or mockery for it would have more become the Pope to maintain the majesty and authority of his place by appellations apt to cherish their reverence than to collogue with them in terms void of reality or signifying that equality which he did not mean But Bellarmine hath found out one instance which he maketh much of of Pope Damasus who writing not as he alledgeth to the Fathers of Constantinople but to certain Eastern Bishops calleth them most honoured sons That whole Epistle I do fear to be foisted into Theodoret for it cometh in abruptly and doth not much become such a man and if it be supposed genuine I should suspect some corruption in the place for why if he writ to Bishops should he use a style so unsutable to those times and so different from that of his Predecessours and Successours why should there be such a disparity between his own style now and at other times for writing to the Bishops of Illyricum he calleth them beloved brethren why then is he so inconstant and partial as to yield these Oriental Bishops less respect wherefore perhaps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was thrust in for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or perhaps the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was intruded and he did write to Lay-men those who governed the East who well might be called most honoured sons otherwise the Epithet doth not seem well to sute but however a single example of arrogance or stateliness or of what shall I call it is not to be set against so many modest and mannerly ones In fine that this salutation doth not always imply Superiority we may be assured by that inscription of Alexander Bishop of Thessalonice to Athanasius of Alexandria To my beloved Son and unanimous Collegue Athanasius IX The ground of that eminence which the Roman Bishop did obtain in the Church so as in order to precede other Bishops doth shake this pretence The Church of Rome was indeed allowed to be the principal Church as St. Cyprian calleth it but why was it preferred by Divine Institution no surely Christianity did not make Laws of that nature or constitute differences of places Was it in regard to the succession of St. Peter no that was a slim upstart device that did not hold in Antioch nor in other Apostolical Churches But it was for a more substantial reason the very same on which the dignity and preeminency of other Churches was founded that is the dignity magnitude opulency opportunity of that City in which the Bishop of Rome did preside together with the consequent numerousness quality and wealth of his flock which gave him many great advantages above other his Fellow-bishops It was saith Rigaltius called by St. Cyprian the principal Church because constituted in the principal City That Church in the very times of severest persecutions by the providence of God as Pope Cornelius said in his Epistle to Fabius had a rich and plentifull number with a most great and innumerable people so that he reckoneth forty four Presbyters seven Deacons in imitation of the number in the Acts seven Sub-deacons forty two Acoluthi fifty two others of the inferiour Clergy and above fifteen hundred Alms-people To that Church there must needs have been a great resort of Christians going to the seat of the Empire in pursuit of business as in proportion there was to each other Metropolis according to that Canon of the Antiochene Synod which ordered that the Bishop of each Metropolis should take care of the whole Province because all that had business did resort to the Metropolis That Church was most able to yield help and succour to them who needed it and accordingly did use to doe it according to that of Dionysius Bishop of Corinth in his Epistle to Bishop Soter of Rome This saith he is your custome from the beginning in divers ways to doe good to the brethren and to send supplies to many Churches in every city so refreshing the poverty of those who want Whence it is no wonder that the Head of that Church did get most reputation and the privilege of precedence without competition To this Church said Irenaeus it is necessary that every Church that is the faithfull who are all about should resort because of its more powerfull principality what is meant by that resort will be easie to him who considereth how men here are wont to go up to London drawn thither by interests of Trade Law c. What he did understand by more powerfull principality the words themselves do signifie which exactly do agree to the Power and Grandure of the Imperial City but do not well sute to
the authority of a Church especially then when no Church did appear to have either Principality or Puissance And that sense may clearly be evinced by the context wherein it doth appear that St. Irenaeus doth not alledge the judicial Authority of the Roman Church but its credible Testimony which thereby became more considerable because Christians commonly had occasions of recourse to it Such a reason of precedence St. Cyprian giveth in another case Because saith he Rome for its magnitude ought to precede Carthage For this reason a Pagan Historian did observe the Roman Bishop had a greater authority that is a greater interest and reputation than other Bishops This reason Theodoret doth assign in his Epistle to Pope Leo wherein he doth highly complement and cajole him for this city saith he is the greatest and the most splendid and presiding over the world and flowing with multitude of people and which moreover hath produced the Empire now governing This is the sole ground upon which the greatest of all ancient Synods that of Chalcedon did affirm the Papal eminency to be founded for to the throne say they of ancient Rome because that was the royal city the Fathers reasonably conferred the privileges the fountain of Papal eminence was in their judgment not any divine Institution not the Authority of Saint Peter deriving it self to his Successours but the concession of the Fathers who were moved to grant it upon account that Rome was the Imperial City To the same purpose the Empress Placidia in her Epistle to Theodosius in behalf of Pope Leo saith It becometh us to preserve to this city the which is mistress of all lands a reverence in all things This reason had indeed in it much of equity of decency of conveniency it was equal that he should have the preference and more than common respect who was thence enabled and engaged to do most service to Religion It was decent that out of conformity to the State and in respect to the Imperial Court and Senate the Pastour of that place should be graced with repute it was convenient that he who resided in the centre of all business and had the greatest influence upon affairs who was the Emperour's chief Counsellour for direction and Instrument for execution of Ecclesiastical affairs should not be put behind others Hence did the Fathers of the Second General Synod advance the Bishop of Constantinople to the next privileges of honour after the Bishop of Rome because it was new Rome and a Seat of the Empire And the Fathers of Chalcedon assigned equal privileges to the most Holy See of Rome with good reason say they judging that the city which was honoured with the Royalty and Senate and which otherwise did enjoy equal privileges with the ancient Royal Rome should likewise in Ecclesiastical affairs be magnified as it being second after it Indeed upon this score the Church of Constantinople is said to have aspired to the supreme Principality when it had the advantage over old Rome the Empire being extinguished there and sometimes was styled the Head of all Churches It is also natural and can hardly be otherwise but that the Bishop of a chief City finding himself to exceed in wealth in power in advantages of friendships dependencies c. should not affect to raise himself above the level it is an ambition that easily will seise on the most moderate and otherwise religious minds Pope Leo objected it to Anatolius and Pope Gregory to John from his austere life called the Faster Upon the like account it was that the Bishops of other Cities did mount to a preeminency Metropolitane Primatical Patriarchal Thence it was that the Bishop of Alexandria before Constantine's time did acquire the honour of second place to Rome because that City being head of a most rich and populous Nation did in magnitude and opulency as Gregory Nazianzene saith approach next to Rome so as hardly to yield the next place to it Upon that account also did Antioch get the next place as being the most large flourishing commanding City of the East the which as Josephus saith for bigness and for other advantages had without controversie the third place in all the world subject to the Romans and the which St. Chrysostome calleth the head of all cities seated in the East Saint Basil seemeth to call the Church thereof the principal in the world for what saith he can be more opportune to the Churches over the world than the Church of Antioch the which if it should happen to be reduced to concord nothing would hinder but that as a sound head it would supply health to the whole body Upon the same account the Bishop of Carthage did obtain the privilege to be standing Primate of his Province although other Primacies there were not fixed to places but followed Seniority and a kind of Patriarch over all the African Provinces Hence did Caesarea as exceeding in temporal advantages and being the Political Metropolis of Palestine o'ertop Jerusalem that most ancient noble and venerable City the source of our Religion It was indeed the general Rule and practice to conform the privileges of Ecclesiastical dignity in a proportion convenient to those of the secular Government as the Synod of Antioch in express terms did ordain the ninth Canon whereof runneth thus The Bishops in every Province ought to know that the Bishop presiding in the Metropolis doth undertake the care of all the Province because all that have business do meet together in the Metropolis whence it hath been ordained that he should precede in honour and that the Bishops should doe nothing extraordinary without him according to a more ancient Canon holding from our Fathers that is according to the 34th Canon of the Apostles It is true that the Fathers do sometimes mention the Church of Rome being founded by the two great Apostles or the succession of the Roman Bishop to them in Pastoral charge as a special ornament of that Church and a congruous ground of respect to that Bishop whereby they did honour the memory of Saint Peter but even some of those who did acknowledge this did not avow it as a sufficient ground of preeminence none did admit it for an argument of authoritative Superiority St. Cyprian did call the Roman See the chair of Saint Peter and the principal Church yet he disclaimed any authority of the Roman Bishops above his brethren Firmilian did take notice that Pope Stephanus did glory in the place of his Bishoprick and contend that he held the succession of Peter yet did not he think himself thereby obliged to submit to his authority or follow his judgment but sharply did reprehend him as a favourer of Hereticks an authour of Schisms and one who had cut himself off from the communion of his brethren The Fathers of the Antiochene Synod did confess that in writings all did willingly honour the Roman
Church as having been from the beginning the School of the Apostles and the Metropolis of Religion although yet from the East the instructours of the Christian Doctrine did go and reside there but from hence they desired not to be deemed inferiours because they did not exceed in the greatness and numerousness of their Church They allowed some regard though faintly and with reservation to the Roman Church upon account of their Apostolical foundation they implied a stronger ground of pretence from the grandeur of that City yet did not they therefore grant themselves to be inferiours at least as to any substantial Privilege importing Authority If by Divine right upon account of his succession to Saint Peter he had such preeminence why are the other causes reckoned as if they could add any thing to God's Institution or as if that did need humane confirmation The pretence to that surely was weak which did need corroboration and to be propp'd by worldly considerations Indeed whereas the Apostles did found many Churches exercising Apostolical authority over them eminently containing the Episcopal why in conscience should one claim privileges on that score rather than or above the rest Why should the See of Antioch that most ancient and truly Apostolical Church where the Christian name began where Saint Peter at first as they say did sit Bishop for seven years be postponed to Alexandria Especially why should the Church of Jerusalem the Seat of our Lord himself the mother of all Churches the fountain of Christian Doctrine the first Consistory of the Apostles enobled by so many glorious performances by the Life Preaching Miracles Death Burial Resurrection Ascension of our Saviour by the first preaching of the Apostles the effusion of the Holy Spirit the Conversion of so many people and Constitution of the first Church and Celebration of the first Synods upon these considerations not obtain preeminence to other Churches but in honour be cast behind divers others and as to Power be subjected to Caesarea the Metropolis of Palestine The true reason of this even Baronius himself did see and acknowledge for that saith he the Ancients observ'd no other rule in instituting the Ecclesiastical Sees than the division of Provinces and the Prerogative before established by the Romans there are very many examples Of which examples that of Rome is the most obvious and notable and what he so generally asserteth may be so applied thereto as to void all other grounds of its preeminence X. The truth is all Ecclesiastical presidencies and subordinations or dependencies of some Bishops on others in administration of spiritual affairs were introduced merely by humane Ordinance and established by Law or Custome upon prudential accounts according to the exigency of things Hence the Prerogatives of other Sees did proceed and hereto whatever Dignity Privilege or Authority the Pope with equity might at any time claim is to be imputed To clear which point we will search the matter nearer the quick propounding some observations concerning the ancient forms of Discipline and considering what interest the Pope had therein At first each Church was settled apart under its own Bishop and Presbyters so as independently and separately to manage its own concernments each was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 governed by its own head and had its own Laws Every Bishop as a Prince in his own Church did act freely according to his will and discretion with the advice of his Ecclesiastical Senate and with the consent of his people the which he did use to consult without being controllable by any other or accountable to any farther than his obligation to uphold the verity of Christian profession and to maintain fraternal communion in charity and peace with neighbouring Churches did require in which regard if he were notably peccant he was liable to be disclaimed by them as no good Christian and rejected from communion together with his Church if it did adhere to him in his misdemeanours This may be collected from the remainders of State in the times of St. Cyprian But because little disjointed and incoherent Bodies were like dust apt to be dissipated by every wind of external assault or intestine faction and peaceable union could hardly be retained without some ligature of discipline and Churches could not mutually support and defend each other without some method of entercourse and rule of confederacy engaging them Therefore for many good purposes for upholding and advancing the common interests of Christianity for protection and support of each Church from inbred disorders and dissentions for preserving the integrity of the faith for securing the concord of divers Churches for providing fit Pastours to each Church and correcting such as were scandalously bad or unfaithfull it was soon found needfull that divers Churches should be combined and linked together in some regular form of Discipline that if any Church did want a Bishop the neighbour Bishops might step in to approve and ordain a fit one that if any Bishop did notoriously swerve from the Christian rule the others might interpose to correct or void him that if any errour or schism did peep up in any Church the joint concurrence of divers Bishops might avail to stop its progress and to quench it by convenient means of instruction reprehension and censure that if any Church were oppressed by persecution by indigency by faction the others might be engaged to afford effectual succour and relief for such ends it was needfull that Bishops in certain precincts should convene with intent to deliberate and resolve about the best expedients to compass them And that the manner of such proceeding to avoid uncertain distraction confusion arbitrariness dissatisfaction and mutinous opposition should be settled in an ordinary course according to rules known and allowed by all In defining such precincts it was most natural most easie most commodious to follow the divisions of Territory or Jurisdiction already established in the Civil State that the Spiritual administrations being in such circumstances aptly conformed to the Secular might go on more smoothly and expeditely the wheels of one not clashing with the other according to the judgment of the two great Synods that of Chalcedon and the Trullane which did ordain that if by Royal authority any city be or should hereafter be re-established the order of the churches shall be according to the civil and publick form Whereas therefore in each Nation or Province subject to one Political Jurisdiction there was a Metropolis or Head-city to which the greatest resort was for dispensation of Justice and dispatch of principal Affairs emergent in that Province it was also most convenient that also the determination of Ecclesiastical matters should be affixed thereto especially considering that usually those places were opportunely seated that many persons upon other occasions did meet there that the Churches in those Cities did exceed the rest in number
or inferiour to a Senate or any Assembly in his Territory Therefore the Pope doth claim a Superiority over all Councils pretending that their determinations are invalid without his consent and confirmation that he can rescind or make void their Decrees that he can suspend their Consultations and translate or dissolve them And Baronius reckons this as one errour in Hincmarus Bishop of Rhemes that he held as if the canons of councils were of greater authority in the Church of God than the decrees of Popes which says he how absurd and unreasonable an opinion it is c. That the authority of the Apostolick See in all Christian Ages has been preferred before the universal Church both the canons of our predecessours and manifold tradition do confirm This is a question stiffly debated among Romanists but the most as Aeneas Sylvius afterward Pope Pius II. did acutely observe with good reason to adhere to the Pope's side because the Pope disposeth of Benefices but Councils give none But in truth anciently the Pope was not understood Superiour to Councils for greater is the authority of the world than of one city says St. Hierome He was but one Bishop that had nothing to doe out of his precinct He had but his Vote in them He had the first Vote as the Patriarch of Alexandria the second of Antioch the third but that order neither gave to him or them any advantage as to decision but common consent or the suffrages of the majority did prevail He was conceived subject to the Canons no less than other Bishops Councils did examine matters decreed by him so as to follow or forsake them as they saw cause The Popes themselves did profess great veneration and observance of Conciliar Decrees Pope Leo I. did oppose a Canon of the Synod of Chalcedon not pretending his Superiority to Councils but the inviolability of the Nicene Canons but it notwithstanding that opposition did prevail Even in the dregs of times when the Pope had clambred so high to the top of power this Question in great numerous Synods of Bishops was agitated and positively decided against him both in Doctrine and practice The Synod of Basil affirmeth the matter of these Decrees to be a verity of the Christian faith which whoever doth pertinaciously resist is to be deemed a heretick Those Fathers say that none of the skilfull did ever doubt of this truth that the Pope in things belonging to faith was subject to the judgment of the same General Councils that the Council has an authority immediately from Christ which the Pope is bound to obey Those Synods were confirmed by Popes without exception of those determinations Great Churches most famous Vniversities a mighty store of learned Doctours of the Roman Communion have reverenced those Councils and adhered to their Doctrine Insomuch that the Cardinal of Lorrain did affirm him to be an Heretick in France who did hold the contrary These things sufficiently demonstrate that the Pope cannot pretend to Supremacy by universal Tradition and if he cannot prove it by that how can he prove it not surely by Scripture nor by Decrees of ancient Synods nor by any clear and convincing reason XV. The Sovereign of the Church is by all Christians to be acknowledged the chief Person in the world inferiour and subject to none above all commands the greatest Emperour being his Sheep and Subject He therefore now doth pretend to be above all Princes Divers Popes have affirmed this Superiority They are allowed and most favoured by him who teach this Doctrine In their Missal he is preferred above all Kings being prayed for before them But in the primitive times this was not held for St. Paul requires every soul to be subject to the higher powers Then the Emperour was avowed the first person next to God To whom says Tertullian they are second after whom they are first before all and above all Gods Why c. we worship the Emperour as a man next to God and less onely than God And Optatus since there is none above the Emperour but God who made him while Donatus extolleth himself above the Emperour he raises himself as it were above humanity and thinks himself to be God and not Man For the King is the top and head of all things on earth Then even Apostles Evangelists Prophets all men whoever were subject to the Emperour The Emperours did command them even the blessed Bishops and Patriarchs of old Rome Constantinople Alexandria Theopolis and Jerusalem Divers Popes did avow themselves subject to the Emperour XVI The Confirmation of Magistrates elected by others is a Branch of Supremacy which the Pope doth assume Baronius saith that this was the ancient custome and that Pope Simplicius did confirm the Election of Calendion Bishop of Antioch Meletius confirm'd the most holy Gregory in the Bishoprick of Constantinople But the truth is that anciently Bishops being elected did onely give an account of their choice unto all other Bishops especially to those of highest rank desiring their approbation and friendship for preservation of due communion correspondence and peace So the Synod of Antioch gave account to the Bishops of Rome and Alexandria and all their Fellow-ministers throughout the world c. of the election of Domnus after Paulus Samosatenus So the Fathers of Constantinople acquainted Pope Damasus and the Western Bishops with the Constitution of Nectarius Flavianus c. This was not to request Confirmation as if the Pope or other Bishops could reject the Election if regular but rather to assure whom they were to communicate with We have say the Fathers of the Synod against Paulus Samosatenus signified this our chusing of Domnus into Paulus his room that you may write to him and receive letters of communion from him And St. Cyprian That you and our Collegues may know to whom they may write and from whom they may receive letters Thus the Bishops of Rome themselves did acquaint other Bishops with their Election their Faith c. So did Cornelius whom therefore St. Cyprian asserteth as established by the consent and approbation of his Collegues When the place of Peter and the Sacerdotal Chair was void which by God's will being occupied and with all our consents confirmed c. and the testimony of our Fellow-bishops the whole number of which all over the world unanimously consented The Emperour did confirm Bishops as we see by that notable passage in the Synod of Chalcedon where Bassianus Bishop of Ephesus pleading for himself saith Our most religious Emperour knowing these things presently ratified it and by a memorial published it confirming the Bishoprick afterwards he sent his rescript by Eustathius the Silentiary again confirming it XVII It is a Privilege of Sovereigns to grant Privileges Exemptions Dispensations This he claimeth but against the Laws of God and Rights of Bishops Against the Decrees of Synods against the
Christians If he claimeth exorbitant Power and exerciseth Oppression and tyrannical Domination over his Brethren cursing and damning all that will not submit to his Dictates and Commands If instead of being a Shepherd he is a Wolf worrying and tearing the Flock by cruel Persecution He by such behaviour ipso facto depriveth himself of Authority and Office He becometh thence no Guide or Pastour to any Christian there doth in such case rest no obligation to hear or obey him but rather to decline him to discost from him to reject and disclaim him This is the reason of the case this the Holy Scripture doth prescribe this is according to the Primitive Doctrine Tradition and Practice of the Church For 10. In reason the nature of any spiritual Office consisting in Instruction in Truth and Guidance in Vertue toward attainment of Salvation if any man doth lead into pernicious Errour or Impiety he thereby ceaseth to be capable of such Office As a blind man by being so doth cease to be a Guide and much more he that declareth a will to seduce for Who so blind as he that will not see No man can be bound to follow any one into the ditch or to obey any one in prejudice to his own Salvation to die in his iniquity Seeing God saith in such a case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrines the Precepts of men They themselves do acknowledge that Hereticks cease to be Bishops and so to be Popes Indeed they cease to be Christians for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such a one is subverted 11. According to their Principles the Pope hath the same relation to other Bishops and Pastours of the Church which they have to their people he being Pastour of Pastours But if any Pastour should teach bad Doctrine or prescribe bad Practice his people may reject and disobey him therefore in proportion the Pastours may desert the Pope misguiding or misgoverning them In such cases any Inferiour is exempted from obligation to comply with his Superiour either truly or pretendedly such 12. The case may be that we may not hold communion with the Pope but may be obliged to shun him in which case his Authority doth fail and no man is subject to him 13. This is the Doctrine of the Scripture The High Priest and his fellows under the Jewish Oeconomy had no less Authority than any Pope can now pretend unto they did sit in the Chair of Moses and therefore all their True Doctrines and Lawfull Directions the people were obliged to learn and observe but their false Doctrines and impious Precepts they were bound to shun and consequently to disclaim their Authority so far as employed in urging such Doctrines and Precepts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them alone saith our Saviour they are blind leaders of the blind Under the Christian dispensation the matter is no less clear our Lord commandeth us to beware of false Prophets and to see that no man deceive us although he wear the cloathing of a Sheep or come under the name of a Shepherd coming in his name Saint Paul informeth us that if an Apostle if an Angel from heaven doth preach beside the old Apostolical Doctrine introducing any new Gospel or a Divinity devised by himself he is to be held accursed by us He affirmeth that even the Apostles themselves were not Lords of our faith nor might challenge any power inconsistent with the maintenance of Christian Truth and Piety We saith he can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth the which an ancient Writer doth well apply to the Pope saying that he could doe nothing against the truth more than any of his Fellow-priests could doe which S. Paul did in practice shew when he resisted Saint Peter declining from the truth of the Gospel He chargeth that if any one doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 teach heterodoxies we should stand off from him that if any brother walketh disorderly and not according to Apostolical tradition we should withdraw from him that if any one doth raise divisions and scandals beside the doctrine received from the Apostles we should decline from him that we are to refuse any heretical person He telleth us that grievous Wolves should come into the Church not sparing the flock that from among Christians there should arise men speaking perverse things to draw disciples after them but no man surely ought to follow but to shun them These Precepts and Admonitions are general without any respect or exception of Persons great or small Pastour or Lay-man nay they may in some respect more concern Bishops than others for that they declining from truth are more dangerous and contagious 14. The Fathers in reference to this case do clearly accord both in their Doctrine and Practice St. Cyprian telleth us that a people obedient to the Lord's commandments and fearing God ought to separate it self from a sinfull Bishop that is from one guilty of such sins which unqualifie him for Christian Communion or Pastoral charge and Let not addeth he the common people flatter it self as if it could be free from the contagion of guilt if it communicate with a sinfull Bishop whose irreligious Doctrine or Practice doth render him uncapable of communion for how saith he otherwhere can they preside over integrity and continence if corruptions and the teaching of vices do begin to proceed from them They who reject the commandment of God and labour to establish their own tradition let them be strongly and stoutly refused and rejected by you St. Chrysostome commenting on Saint Paul's words If I or an Angel saith that Saint Paul meaneth to shew that dignity of persons is not to be regarded where truth is concerned that if one of the chief Angels from heaven should corrupt the Gospel he were to be accursed that not onely if they shall speak things contrary or overturn all but if they preach any small matter beside the Apostolical doctrine altering the least point whatever they are liable to an anathema And other-where very earnestly persuading his Audience to render due respect and obedience to there Bishop he yet interposeth this exception If he hath a perverse opinion although he be an Angel do not obey him but if he teacheth right things regard not his life but his words Ecclesiastical Judges as men are for the most part deceived For neither are Catholick Bishops to be assented to if peradventure in any case they are mistaken so as to hold any thing contrary to the canonical Scriptures of God If there be any Church which rejects the faith and does not hold the fundamentals of the Apostolical doctrine it ought to be forsaken lest it infect others with its heterodoxy If in such a case we must desert any Church then the Roman if any Church then much more any Bishop particularly him of
the state of men canonizing them declaring them to be Saints and proposing them to be worshipped and on the other side he damneth curseth and censureth his Fellow-servants God in his Law doth command us not to bow down our selves unto any image or worship the likeness of any thing in heaven or earth or under the earth the which Law whether Moral or Positive the Gospel doth ratifie and confirm charging us to keep our selves from idols and to fly worshipping of idols that is to observe the Second Commandment the validity whereof the Fathers most expresly assert and divers of them were so strict in there opinion about it that they deemed it unlawfull so much as to make any Image But the Pope and his Adherents in point-blank opposition to Divine Law and Primitive Doctrine doth require us to fall down before and to worship Images Moreover we decree that the Images of Saints be especially had and retain'd in Churches and that due honour and veneration be imparted to them so that by those Images which we kiss and before which we uncover the head and fall down we adore Christ and venerate the Saints whose likeness they bear Neither is he satisfied to recommend and decree these unwarrantable venerations but with a horrible strange kind of uncharitableness and ferity doth he anathematize those who teach or think any thing opposite to his decrees concerning them so that if the ancient Fathers should live now they would live under this curse The Holy Scripture under condition of Repentance and amendment of life upon recourse to God and trust in his Mercy through Jesus Christ our Saviour doth offer and promise Remission of sins Acceptance with God Justification and Salvation this is the tenour of the Evangelical Covenant nor did the Primitive Church know other terms But the Pope doth preach another Doctrine and requireth other terms as necessary for Remission of sins and Salvation for he hath decreed the confession of all and each mortal sin which a man by recollection can remember to a Priest to be necessary thereto anathematizing all who shall say the contrary although the Fathers particularly St. Chrysostome frequently have affirmed the contrary The which is plainly preaching another Gospel forged by himself and his abettours as offering Remission upon other terms than God hath prescribed and denying it upon those which Christianity proposeth He teacheth that no sin is pardoned without absolution of a Priest He requireth satisfaction imposed by a Priest besides repentance and new obedience as necessary Which is also another Gospel He dispenseth pardon of sin upon condition of performances unnecessary and insufficient such as undertaking Pilgrimages to the Shrines of Saints Visiting Churches making War upon Infidels or Hereticks Contributing money Repeating Prayers undergoing Corporal Penances c. Which is likewise to frame and publish another Gospel These Doctrines are highly presumptuous and well may be reputed heretical God hath commanded that every soul should be subject to the higher powers temporal as to God's Ministers so as to obey their Laws to submit to their Judgments to pay Tribute to them And the Fathers expound this Law to the utmost extent and advantage If every soul then yours if any attempt to except you he goes about to deceive you But the Pope countermandeth and exempteth all Clergy-men from those duties by his Canon Law excommunicating Lay-Judges who shall perform their Office in regard to them Because indeed some Lay-persons constrain Ecclesiasticks yea and Bishops themselves to appear before them and to stand to their judgment those that henceforth shall presume to doe so we decree that they shall be separate from the communion of the faithfull The Scriptures do represent the King or Temporal Sovereign as Supreme over his Subjects to whom all are obliged to yield special respect and obedience The Fathers yield him the same place above all next to God and subject to God alone The ancient good Popes did acknowledge themselves Servants and Subjects to the Emperour But later Popes like the man of sin in Saint Paul have advanced themselves above all Civil power claiming to themselves a supereminency not onely of Rank but of Power over all Christian Princes even to depose them Christ has committed the rights both of terrestrial and celestial government to that blessed man who bears the keys of eternal life If the secular power be believers God would have them subject to the Priests of the Church Christian Emperours ought to submit and not prefer the execution of their Laws to the Rulers of the Church God by indispensable Law hath obliged us to retain our obedience to the King even Pagan charging us under pain of damnation to be subject to him and not to resist him But the Pope is ready upon occasion to discharge Subjects from that obligation to absolve them from their solemn Oaths of Allegiance to encourage Insurrection against him to prohibit obedience We observing the Decrees of our holy Predecessours by our Apostolical Authority absolve those from their Oath who were bound by their Fealty and Oath to excommunicated persons and we forbid them by all means that they yield them no Allegiance till they come and make satisfaction Thus doth he teach and prescribe Rebellion Perjury together with all the Murthers and Rapines consequent on them which is a far greater Heresie than if he should teach Adultery Murther or Theft to be lawfull For they are enjoined by no authority to perform the Allegiance which they have sworn to a Christian Prince who is an adversary to God and his Saints and contemns their commands Not onely the Holy Scripture but Common Sense doth shew it to be an enormous presumption to obtrude for the Inspirations Oracles and Dictates of God any writings or Propositions which are not really such This the Pope doth notoriously charging us to admit divers writings which the greatest part of learned men in all Ages have refused for such as Sacred and Canonical anathematizing all those who do not hold each of them for such Even as they are extant in a Translation not very exact and framed partly out of Hebrew partly out of Greek upon divers accounts liable to mistake as its Authour St. Hierome doth avow According to which Decree all who consent with St. Hierome St. Austin St. Athanasius c. with common sense with the Authour of the Second of Maccabees himself must incur a curse what can be more uncharitable more unjust more silly than such a Definition He pretendeth to Infallibility or encourageth them who attribute it to him which is a continual Enthusiasm and profane bold Imposture The Scripture doth avow a singular reverence due to it self as containing the Oracles of God But the Pope doth obtrude the Oral Traditions of his Church divers of which evidently are new dubious vain to be worshipped with equal reverence as the Holy
Scripture And also receives and venerates with the like pious respect and reverence the Traditions themselves which have been preserved by continual succession in the Catholick Church Among which Traditions they reckon all the tricks and trumpery of their Mass-service together with all their new notions about Purgatory Extreme unction c. He also used several ceremonies as mystical benediction lights incensings garments and many other such things from Apostolical discipline and tradition The Scriptures affirm themselves to be written for common instruction comfort edification in all piety they do therefore recommend themselves to be studyed and searched by all people as the best and surest means of attaining knowledge and finding truth The fathers also do much exhort all people even women and girles constantly to reade and diligently to study the Scriptures But the Pope doth keep them from the people locked up in Languages not understood by them prohibiting Translations of them to be made or used The Scripture teacheth and common sense sheweth and the Fathers do assert nothing indeed more frequently or more plainly that all necessary points of faith and good morality are with sufficient evidence couched in Holy Scripture so that a man of God or pious men may thence be perfectly furnished to every work But they contrary-wise blaspheme the Scriptures as obscure dangerous c. Common sense dictateth that devotions should be performed with understanding and affection and that consequently they should be in a known tongue And Saint Paul expresly teacheth that it is requisite for private and publick edification from this Doctrine of Paul it appears that it is better for the edification of the Church that publick prayers which are said in the audience of the people should be said in a tongue common to the Clergy and the people than that they should be said in Latin All ancient Churches did accordingly practise and most others do so beside those which the Pope doth ride But the Pope will not have it so requiring the publick Liturgy to be celebrated in an unknown tongue and that most Christians shall say their devotions like Parrots He anathematizeth those who think the Mass should be celebrated in a vulgar tongue that is all those who are in their right wits and think it fit to follow the practice of the ancient Church The Holy Scripture teacheth us that there is but one Head of the Church and the Fathers do avow no other as we have otherwhere shewed But the Pope assumeth to himself the headship of the Church affirming all power and authority to be derived from him into the subject members of the Church We decree that the Roman Pontife is the true Vicar of Christ and the head of the whole Church The Scripture declareth that God did institute marriage for remedy of incontinency and prevention of sin forbidding the use of it to none who should think it needfull or convenient for them reckoning the prohibition of it among heretical doctrines implying it to be imposing a snare upon men But the Pope and his Complices do prohibit it to whole Orders of men Priests c. engaging them into dangerous vows Our Lord forbiddeth any marriage lawfully contracted to be dissolved otherwise than in case of adultery But the Pope commandeth Priests married to be divorced And that marriages contracted by such persons should be dissolved He dissolveth matrimony agreed by the profession of monkery of one of the espoused If any shall say that matrimony confirmed not consummate is not dissolved by the solemn profession of religion of either party let him be Anathema Our Saviour did institute and enjoin us under pain of damnation if we should wilfully transgress his order to eat of his body and drink of his bloud in participation of the Holy Supper The Fathers did accordingly practise with the whole Church till late times But notwithstanding Christ's institution as they express it Papal Synods do prohibit all Laymen and Priests not celebrating to partake of Christ's bloud so maiming and perverting our Lord's Institution and yet they decline to drink the bloud of our redemption In defence of which practice they confound body and bloud and under a curse would oblige us to believe that one kind doth contain the other or that a part doth contain the whole Whereas our Lord saith that whoso eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud hath eternal life and consequently supposeth that bad men do not partake of his body and bloud yet they condemn this assertion under a curse The Holy Scripture and the Fathers after it commonly do call the elements of the Eucharist after consecration bread and wine affirming them to retain their nature But the Popish Cabal anathematizeth those who say that bread and wine do then remain If any shall say that in the Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist the substance of bread and wine remain let him be Anathema The nature of the Lord's Supper doth imply communion and company but they forbid any man to say that a Priest may not communicate alone so establishing the belief of non-sense and contradiction The Holy Scripture teacheth us that our Lord hath departed and is absent from us in body untill that he shall come to judge which is called his presence that heaven whither he ascended and where he sitteth at God's right hand must hold him till the times of the restitution of all things But the Pope with his Lateran and Tridentine Complices draw him down from heaven and make him corporally present every day in numberless places here The Scripture teacheth us that our Lord is a man perfectly like to us in all things But the Pope and his adherents make him extremely different from us as having a body at once present in innumerable places insensible c. devested of the properties of our body thereby destroying his humane nature and in effect agreeing with Eutyches Apollinarius and other such pestilent Hereticks The Scripture representeth him born once for us but they affirm him every day made by a Priest uttering the words of consecration as if that which before did exist could be made as if a man could make his Maker The Scripture teacheth that our Lord was once offered for expiation of our sins but they pretend every day to offer him up as a propitiatory Sacrifice These devices without other foundation than a figurative expression which they resolve to expound in a proper sense although even in that very matter divers figurative expressions are used as they cannot but acknowledge they with all violence and fierceness obtrude upon the belief as one of the most necessary and fundamental Articles of the Christian Religion The Scripture teacheth us humbly to acknowledge the rewards assigned by God to be gratuitous and free and that we after we have done all must acknowledge our selves unprofitable
servants But the Papists curse those who although out of humility and modesty will not acknowledge the good works of justified persons to be truly meritorious deserving the encrease of grace eternal life and augmentation of glory so forcing us to use saucy words and phrases if not impious in their sense The Scripture teacheth one Church diffused over the whole world whereof each part is bound to maintain charity peace and communion with the rest upon brotherly terms But the Romanists arrogate to themselves the name and privilege of the onely Church condemning all other Churches beside their own and censuring all for Apostatical who do not adhere to them or submit to their yoke Just like the Donatists who said that the world had apostatized excepting those who upon their own terms did communicate with them onely the communion of Donatus remained the true Church The Holy Scripture biddeth us take care of persons pretending to extraordinary Inspirations charging on the Holy Spirit their own conceits and devices Such have been their Synods boldly fathering their Decrees on God's Spirit And their Pope is infallible by virtue of inspiration communicated to him when he pleaseth to set himself right in his Chair Whence we may take them for bodies of Enthusiasts and Fanaticks the difference onely is that other Enthusiasts pretend singly they conjunctly and by conspiracy Others pretend it in their own direction and defence these impose their dreams on the whole Church If they say that God hath promised his Spirit to his Church it is true but he hath no less plainly and frequently promised it to single Christians who should seek it earnestly of him The ancient Fathers could in the Scriptures hardly discern more than two Sacraments or Mysterious Rites of our Religion by positive Law and Institution of our Saviour to be practised But the Popes have devised others and under uncharitable curses propound them to be professed for such affirming them to confer grace by the bare performance of them Every Clergy-man and Monk is bound by Pius IV. to profess there are just seven of them and the Tridentine Synod anathematizeth all those who do say there are more or fewer although the Ancients did never hit on that number But these our Sacraments both contain grace and also confer it upon those who worthily receive them They require men to believe under a curse that each of those were instituted of Christ and confer grace by the bare performance Particularly they curse those who do not hold matrimony for a Sacrament instituted by Christ and conferring grace What can be more ridiculous than to say that marriage was instituted by Christ or that it doth confer grace Yet with another anathema they prefer Virginity before it and why forsooth is not that another Sacrament And then they must be comparing the worth of these Sacraments condemning those heavily who may conceive them equal as being Divine Institutions If any say that these seven Sacraments are so equal one to another that one is in no respect of more worth than another let him be Anathema The first as it seemeth who reckoned the Sacraments to be seven was Peter Lombard whom the Schoolmen did follow and Pope Eugenius IV. followed them and afterward the Trent men formed it into an Article back'd with an Anathema Upon which rash and peremptory Sentence touching all ancient Divines we may note 1. Is it not strange that an Article of Faith should be formed upon an ambiguous word or a term of art used with great variety 2. Is it not strange to define a Point whereof it is most plain that the Fathers were ignorant were in they never did agree or resolve any thing 3. Yea whereof they speak variously 4. Is it not odd and extravagant to damn or curse people for a point of so little consideration or certainty 5. Is it not intolerable arrogance and presumption to define nay indeed to make an Article of Faith without any manner of ground or colour of Authority either from Scripture or the Tradition of the ancient Fathers The Holy Scripture forbiddeth us to call any man Master upon earth or absolutely to subject our Faith to the dictates of any man It teacheth us that the Apostles themselves are not Lords of our faith so as to oblige us to believe their own inventions It forbiddeth us to swallow whole the Doctrines and Precepts of men without examination of them It forbiddeth us to admit various and strange doctrines But the Pope and Roman Church exact from us a submission to their Dictates admitting them for true without any farther enquiry or discussion barely upon his Authority They who are provided of any Benefices whatever having cure of Souls let them promise and swear obedience to the Roman Church They require of us without doubt to believe to profess to assert innumerable Propositions divers of them new and strange no-wise deducible from Scripture or Apostolical Tradition the very terms of them being certainly unknown to the Primitive Church devised by humane subtilty curiosity contentiousness divers of them being in all appearance to the judgment of common sense uncertain obscure and intricate divers of them bold and fierce divers of them frivolous and vain divers of them palpably false Namely all such Propositions as have been taught by their Great Junto's allowed by the Pope especially that of Trent Moreover all other things delivered defined and declared by the Sacred Canons and Oecumenical Councils and especially by the Holy Synod of Trent I undoubtedly receive and profess and also all things contrary thereunto and all heresies whatsoever condemned and rejected and anathematized by the Church I in like manner do condemn reject and anathematize This is the true Catholick Faith out of which there can be no Salvation This Usurpation upon the Consciences of Christians none like whereto was ever known in the world they prosecute with most uncharitable censures cursing and damning all who do not in heart and profession submit to him obliging all their consorts to join therein against all charity and prudence The Scripture enjoineth us to bear with those who are weak in faith and err in doubtfull or disputable matters But the Popes with cruel uncharitableness not onely do censure all that cannot assent to their devices which they obtrude as Articles of Faith but sorely persecute them with all sorts of punishments even with death it self a practice inconsistent with Christian meekness with equity with reason and of which the Fathers have expressed the greatest detestation They have unwoven and altered all Theology from head to foot and of Divine have made it Sophistical The Pope with his pack of mercenary Clients at Trent did indeed establish a Scholastical or Sophistical rather than a Christian Theology framing Points devised by the idle wits of latter times into Definitions and peremptory Conclusions back'd with Curses and Censures concerning
or prejudice to Charity The Faith of Christians did at first consist in few Points those which were professed in Baptism whereof we have divers Summaries in the Ancients by analogy whereto all other Propositions were expounded and according to agreement whereto sound Doctrines were distinguished from false so that he was accounted orthodox who did not violate them So he that holds that immovable Rule of truth which he received at his Baptism will know the words and sayings and parables which are taken out of the Scriptures c. II. It is evident that all Christians are united by the bands of mutual Charity and Good-will They are all bound to wish one another well to have a complacence in the good and a compassion of the evils incident to each other to discharge all offices of kindness succour consolation to each other This is the command of Christ to all This is my commandment saith he That ye love one another This is the common badge by which his Disciples are discerned and distinguished Hereby saith he shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another They must have the same love They must love as brethren be compassionate pitifull courteous each to other They must bear one anothers burthens and especially as they have opportunity doe good to the houshold of faith If one member suffer all the members must suffer with it and if one member be honoured all the members must rejoice The multitude of them who be-believe must be like that in the Acts of one heart and of one soul. They must walk in love and doe all things in love Whoever therefore doth highly offend against Charity maligning or mischieving his brethren doth thereby separate himself from Christ's body and cease to be a Christian. They that are enemies to brotherly charity whether they are openly out of the Church or seem to be within they are Pseudo-christians and Anti-christs When they seem to be within the Church they are separated from that invisible conjunction of Charity Whence Saint John They went out from us but were not of us He saith not that by their going out they were made aliens but because they were aliens therefore he declareth that they went out Wherefore the most notorious violations of Charity being the causing of dissentions and factions in the Church the causeless separation from any Church the unjust condemnation of Churches Whoever was guilty of any such unchristian behaviour was rejected by the Fathers and held to be no Christian. Such were the Novatians the Donatists the Meletians the Luciferians and other Schismaticks For what can be more acceptable and pleasant than to see those who are severed and scattered into so many places yet knit and joined together in the bond and union of charity as harmonious members of the body of Christ. In old time when the Church of God flourished being rooted in the same faith united in love there being as it were one conspiracy or league of different members in one body For the communion of the Spirit is wont to knit and unite mens minds which conjunction we believe to be between us and your charitable affection They therefore who by the bond of Charity are incorporated into the building setled upon the rock But the members of Christ are joined together by the charity of union and by the same cleave close to their head which is Christ. III. All Christians are united by spiritual cognation and alliance as being all regenerated by the same incorruptible seed being alike born not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God whence as the sons of God and brethren of Christ they become brethren one to another so that it is a peculiar title or appellation of Christians the brethren signifying all Christian people and a brother being the same with a Christian professour IV. The whole Christian Church is one by its incorporation into the mystical body of Christ or as Fellow-subjects of that spiritual heavenly Kingdom whereof Christ is the sovereign Head and Governour whence they are governed by the same Laws are obliged by the same Institutions and Sanctions they partake of the same Privileges and are entitled to the same Promises and encouraged by the same Rewards being called in one hope of their calling So they make up one spiritual Corporation or Republick whereof Christ is the Sovereign Lord. Though the place disjoin them yet the Lord joins them together being their common Lord c. Hence an habit of Disobedience doth sever a man from this Body for not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven or continue therein Every such person who denieth God in works is a Rebel an Outlaw renouncing his Allegiance forfeiting his Title to God's protection and favour He is not a sheep of Christ because he doth not hear his voice He is separated from the Body by not holding the Head 'T is a lie to call one's self a Christian and not to doe the works of Christ. He that does not the work of a Christian name seems not to be a Christian. When in stead of the works themselves he begins to oppose even the most apparent truth whereby he is reproved then he is cut off from the Body or the Church Hence St. Austin often denieth wicked persons to be in the Church or to appertain unto its Unity For when there is one and the same Lord that dwelleth in us he every where joins and couples those that are his with the bond of Vnity V. All Christians are linked together in peaceable concord and confederacy so that they are bound to live in good correspondence to communicate in works of Piety and Devotion to defend and promote the common interest of their Profession Upon the entrance of the Gospel by our Lord's Incarnation it was by a celestial Herald proclaimed Peace on earth and good-will among men It was our Lord's office to preach Peace It was a principal end and effect of his Death to reconcile all men and to destroy enmity He specially charged his Disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to maintain Peace one with another It was his Will at parting with them Peace I leave with you The Apostles frequently do enjoin to pursue Peace with all them who call upon the Lord with a pure heart to follow the things which make for Peace and edification mutual to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace It was in the Prophecies concerning the Evangelical state declared that under it The Wolfe should dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard should lie down with the Kid and the sucking Child should play on the hole of the Aspe that is that men of all tempers and conditions by virtue of this Institution should
be disposed to live innocently quietly and lovingly together so that they should not hurt or destroy in all God's holy mountain for that would be a Duty incumbent on the Disciples of this Institution which all good Christians would observe The Evangelical Covenant as it doth ally us to God so it doth confederate us together The Sacraments of this Covenant are also symbols of Peace and Amity between those who undertake it Of Baptism it is said that so many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ and thence Ye are all one in Christ Jesus All in one Spirit have been baptized into one Body And in the Eucharist by partaking of one individual Food they are transmuted into one Body and Substance We saith Saint Paul being many are one bread one body for all of us do partake of one bread By which Sacraments also our people appears to be united for as many grains collected and ground and mingled together make one bread so in Christ who is the bread of heaven we may know our selves to be one body that our company or number be conjoined and united together With us there is both one Church and one mind and undivided concord Let us hold the peace of the Catholick Church in the unity of concord The bond of concord remaining and the individual Sacrament of the Catholick Church continuing c. He therefore that keeps neither the unity of the Spirit nor the conjunction of Peace and separates himself from the bond of the Church and the college or society of Priests can have neither the power of a Bishop nor the honour Thus in general But particularly All Christians should assist one another in the common Defence of Truth Piety and Peace when they are assaulted in the Propagation of the Faith and Enlargment of the Church which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to contend together for the faith of the Gospel to be good souldiers of Christ warring the good warfare striving for the Faith once delivered to the Saints Hence if any where any Heresie or bad doctrine should arise all Christians should be ready to declare against it that it may not infect or spread a doubt arising as in the case of celebrating Easter They all with one consent declared by letters the Decree of the Church to all every where Especially the Pastours of the Churches are obliged with consent to oppose it While we laboured here and withstood the force of envy with the whole strength of our faith your Speech assisted us very much Thus did the Bishops of several Churches meet to suppress the Heresie of P. Samosatenus This was the ground of most Synods So they who afterward in all places and several ways were gathered together against the innovations of Hereticks gave their common opinion in behalf of the faith as being of one mind what they had approved among themselves in a brotherly way that they clearly transferred to those who were absent and they who at the Council of Sardis had earnestly contended against the remainders of Arius sent their judgment to those of the Eastern Churches and they who had discovered the infection of Apolinarius made their opinions known to the Western If any Dissention or Faction doth arise in any Church other Churches upon notice thereof should yield their aid to quench and suppress it countenancing the peaceable checking and disavowing the factious Thus did St. Cyprian help to discountenance and quash the Novatian Schism Thus when the Oriental Churches did labour under the Arian Faction and Dissentions between the Catholicks St. Basil with other Orthodox Bishops consorting with him did write to the Western Bishops of Italy and France to yield their succour For this my brother we must earnestly endeavour and ought to endeavour to have a care as much as in us lies to hold the Vnity delivered to us from the Lord and by the Apostles whose successours we are and what lies in us c. All Christians should be ready when opportunity doth invite to admit one another to conjunction in offices of Piety and Charity in Prayer in communion of the Eucharist in brotherly conversation and pious conference for edification or advice So that he who flies and avoids communion with us you in your prudence may know that such a man breaks himself off from the whole Church Saint Chrysostome doth complain of Epiphanius Then when he came to the great and holy City Constantinople he came not out into the Congregation according to custome and the ancient manner he joined not himself with us nor communicated with us in the Word and Prayer and the Holy Communion c. So Polycarp being at Rome did communicate with P. Anicetus If Dissention arise between divers Churches another may interpose to reconcile them as did the Church of Carthage between that of Rome and Alexandria If any Bishop were exceedingly negligent in the discharge of his Office to the common damage of Truth and Piety his neighbour Bishops might admonish him thereto and if he should not reform might deprive him of Communion All Christians should hold friendly correspondence as occasion doth serve and as it is usefull to signifie consent in Faith to recommend Persons to foster Charity to convey Succour and Advice to perform all good offices of Amity and Peace Siricius who is our companion and fellow-labourer with whom the whole world by mutual commerce of canonical or communicatory Letters agree together with us in one common Society The Catholick Church being one body 't is consequent thereto that we write and signifie one to another c. In cases of doubt or difficulty one Church should have recourse to others for Advice and any Church should yield it Both common charity and reason requires most dear brethren that we conceal nothing from your knowledge of those things which are done among us that so there may be common advice taken by us concerning the most usefull way of ordering Ecclesiastical affairs One Church should acquaint others of any extraordinary transaction concerning the common Faith or Discipline requesting their approbation and countenance Thus did the Eastern Churches give account to all other Churches of their proceedings against P. Samosatenus Which letters are sent all the world over and brought to the notice of all the Churches and of all the Brethren When any Church or any Pastour was oppressed or injured he might have recourse to other Churches for their assistence in order to relief Let him who is cast out have power to apply himself to the neighbouring Bishops that his cause may be carefully heard and discussed Thus did Athanasius being overborn and expelled from his See by the Arian faction goe for refuge to the Church of Rome St. Chrysostome had recourse to the Bishop of Rome and to those of the West as also to the Bishop
of Antioch VI. Now because in the transacting of these things the Pastours have the chief hand and act in behalf of the Churches which they inspect therefore is the Church united also by their consent in Doctrine their agreement in Peace their maintaining entercourse their concurrence to preserve Truth and Charity We ought all to be vigilant and carefull for the body of the whole Church where members are dispersed through many several Provinces Seeing the Church which is one and Catholick is not rent nor divided but truly knit and united together by the bond of Priests united one to another This agrees with the modesty and discipline and the very life of all that many of the Bishops meeting together might order all things in a religious way by common advice That since it having pleased God to grant us peace we begin to have greater meetings of Bishops we may also by your advice order and reform every thing Which that with the rest of our Collegues we may stedfastly and firmly administer and that we may keep the peace of the Church in the unanimity of concord the divine favour will vouchsafe to accomplish A great number of Bishops we met together Bishops being chosen did acquaint other Bishops with it It was sufficient saith St. Cyprian to Cornelius that you should by your Letters acquaint us that you were made a Bishop Declare plainly to us who is substituted at Arles in the room of Marcian that we may know to whom we should direct our brethren and to whom we should write All Churches were to ratifie the Elections of Bishops duly made by others and to communicate with those And likewise to comply with all reasonable Acts for Communion To preserve this Peace and Correspondence it was a Law and Custome that no Church should admit to Communion those which were excommunicated by another or who did schismatically divide We are believed to have done the same thing whereby we are found to be all of us associated and joined together by the same agreement in censure and discipline The Decrees of Bishops were sent to be subscribed VII All Christian Churches are one by a specifical Unity of Discipline resembling one another in Ecclesiastical administrations which are regulated by the indispensible Sanctions and Institutions of their Sovereign They are all bound to use the same Sacraments according to the forms appointed by our Lord not admitting any substantial alteration They must uphold that sort of Order Government and Ministery in all its substantial parts which God did appoint in the Church or give thereto as Saint Paul expresseth it it being a temerarious and dangerous thing to innovate in those matters which our Lord had a special care to order and settle Nor can they continue in the Church that have not retained Divine and Ecclesiastical Discipline neither in good conversation nor peaceable life In lesser matters of Ceremony or Discipline instituted by humane prudence Churches may differ and it is expedient they should do so in regard to the various circumstances of things and qualities of persons to which Discipline should be accommodated but no Power ought to abrogate destroy or infringe or violate the main form of Discipline constituted by Divine appointment Hence when some Confessours had abetted Novatianus against Cornelius thereby against a fundamental Rule of the Church necessary for preserving of Peace and Order therein that but one Bishop should be in one Church St. Cyprian doth thus complain of their proceeding To act any thing against the Sacrament of Divine ordination and Catholick unity once delivered makes an adulterate and contrary head out of the Church Forsaking the Lord's Priests contrary to the Evangelical discipline a new Tradition of a sacrilegious Institution starts up There is one God and one Christ and one Church and one See founded upon Peter by the word of the Lord besides one Altar and one Priesthood another Altar cannot be erected nor a new Priesthood ordained Hence were the Meletians rejected by the Church for introducing Ordinations Hence was Aerius accounted a Heretick for meaning to innovate in so grand a point of Discipline as the Subordination of Bishops and Presbyters VIII It is expedient that all Churches should conform to each other in great matters of prudential Discipline although not instituted or prescribed by God for this is a means of preserving Peace and is a Beauty or Harmony For difference of Practice doth alienate Affections especially in common People So the Synod of Nice That all things may be alike ordered in every Diocese it hath seemed good to the holy Synod that men should put up their Prayers to God standing viz. between Easter and Whitsontide and upon the Lord's-day The Church is like the World for as the World doth consist of men all naturally subject to one King Almighty God all obliged to observe his Laws declared by natural Light all made of one bloud and so Brethren all endowed with common Reason all bound to exercise good Offices of Justice and Humanity toward each other to maintain Peace and Amity together to further each other in the prosecution or attainment of those good things which conduce to the Welfare and Security of this present Life even so doth the Church consist of persons spiritually allied professing the same Faith subject to the same Law and Government of Christ's heavenly Kingdom bound to exercise Charity and to maintain Peace toward each other and to promote each others good in order to the future Happiness in Heaven All those kinds of Unity do plainly agree to the universal Church of Christ but the Question is Whether the Church is also necessarily by the design and appointment of God to be in way of external policy under one singular Government or Jurisdiction of any kind so as a Kingdom or Commonwealth are united under the Command of one Monarch or one Senate That the Church is capable of such an Union is not the Controversie that it is possible it should be so united supposing it may happen that all Christians may be reduced to one Nation or one civil Regiment or that several Nations spontaneously may confederate and combine themselves into one Ecclesiastical Commonwealth administred by the same Spiritual Rulers and Judges according to the same Laws I do not question that when in a manner all Christendom did consist of Subjects to the Roman Empire the Church then did arrive near such an Unity I do not at present contest but that such an Union of all Christians is necessary or that it was ever instituted by Christ I cannot grant and for my refusal of that opinion I shall assign divers Reasons 1. This being a Point of great consideration and trenching upon Practice which every one were concerned to know and there being frequent occasions to declare it yet the Holy Scripture doth no where express or intimate
Aeneas Sylvius his Account hereof Ibid. Catholick How much the abuse of that Word hath conduced to the Pope's Pretences 264. Censures Ecclesiastical Censures the great advantages made from them by the Pope 182. Ceremonies Why multitude of them in the Church of Rome 139. Charity Want thereof in the Church of Rome 286. Charity among Christians 299 301. breach thereof denominates a man to be no Christian 300. Charity to the Poor of other Churches in primitive Times no Argument of Unity of Church Government 320. Church Unity thereof 293. The various acceptations of the Word Church 294. The Titles and Privileges thereof 295. Church Government and Discipline in ancient times 162 c. Church Government No necessity of one kind onely of external Admistration thereof 306 307. The contrary shewed to be most proper and convenient in seq Church of Rome An Account of them who by voluntary Consent or Command of Princes do adhere in Confederation to the Church of Rome 325. Civil Magistrates Authority 271. Clergy Romish Clergy's Exemption from secular Jurisdiction whence 138. Communion Church Communion 296. Community of Men on several accounts may be termed One 297. Confession Auricular Confession 139. Confirmation of Magistrates belongs not to the Pope 269. Conscience The Usurpations made thereupon by the Popish Doctrines 288. Constantine M. His Judgment of Eusebius 86. No General Synod before his Reign 185. Controversies in the Church how in ancient times determined 115 149 264 303 304. Council of Trent Their Character 2. Enjoyned the Pope's Supremacy should not be disputed 18. Councils Their Authority above the Pope's 25. Councils Their Infallibility why pretended 139. Councils General Councils which so esteemed 188 first called by the Emperours ibid. when first celebrated 209 Use of them proves not there was Unity of Government in the Primitive Church 320 the proper occasion of General Councils assigned ibid Cup in the Sacrament why with-holden from the Laity 139. S. Cyprian's Account of S. Peter's primacy of Order 33 his Epistle concerning the deposing Marcianus examined 235 c. S. Cyril's supplying the Place of P. Celestine in the General Council 203 204. Cyril of Hierusalem the first according to Socrates who did introduce Appeals 249. D. POpe Damasus An Epistle of his in Theodoret whence Bellarmine's pretence for the Pope's Supremacy adjudged spurious 156 157. Decrees of Popes when contested against the ancient Canons 214. Whence their new Decrees introduced ibid. Decretal Epistles Their forgery and great advantage to the Church of Rome 184. Discipline and Order of the Primitive Church 211. Discipline The enacting and dispensing with Ecclesiastical Laws about the same belong'd of old to Emperours 214. Discipline of the Church 305. main Form thereof not to be violated ibid. Dispensations 184. the Pope no power to grant them 270 281. Dissentions The Mischiefs arising from them 175 18â— The Profits accrewing from hence to the Romanists ibid. Dissentions How reconciled among Christians 323. E. ECclesiastical Jurisdiction not impugn'd by disclaiming S. Peter's Superiority 40. Emperours not Popes did first conâ—â—â—gate General Synods 185. Testimonies of Popes owning the same 193. Emperours themselves or Honourable Persons authorized by them did heretofore preside in General Synods 203. Empires Their Original and Increase 174. Episcopacy The Ends assigned of that Order 87. Eusebius Constantine M. his Character of him 86. Excommunicated Persons not admitted into Communion by other Churches 305 324 325. Exemptions The Pope no Power to grant them 270. F. FAith Unity of the Church preserved by it 299. Fathers What regard to be given to their account of S. Peter's Primacy of Order or bare Dignity 32. Fathers A Censure of their Writings 71. Bellarmine's account of the same ibid. The latter Fathers most guilty in Expressions 72. Fathers A Character of their Writings 119. Feed my sheep The Romish Interpretation rejected and the true established ibid. G. GLosses of the Romanists on Scripture 70 their Corruptions and Partiality herein 73. Gregory M. his Character and Authority against the Pope 123. H. HEresie of Simony Popes guilty of it 266. Hereticks How confuted in ancient times 115 c. Humility strictly enjoyned to Christ's Apostles and Followers 39. I. JEsuites Their Character 182. Jesus according to common notion of the Jews did imply his being the Son of God 30. Ignorance of Popes in Divinity 267. Ignorance How serviceable to the Church of Rome 182. Image Worship 139 280. Indulgences 184. Infallibility Pretence to it the greatest Tyranny 137. Whence pretended 139. The mother of Incorrigibility and Corruption of Manners 140. v. 265. Inspiration The Popes and Synods bold pretensions to it 286. Jurisdiction Universal Jurisdiction over the Clergy the Pope's Presumption herein and when begun 215. Jurisdiction Temporal and Ecclesiastical nature thereof 271. K. KEys Power thereof as also all other Authority communicated to all the Apostles equally 42 64. Kings have the Power onely of calling General Councils 191. The unreasonableness of the contrary 192. v. Emperours L. LEgends of the Church of Rome the Profits arising from them 184. Laws Ecclesiastical Laws In whose Power to enact them 212. The Pope subject to them ibid. M. MArriage The Romanists abuse thereof 284. Why forbidden to their Priests 139. Mass. Doctrine thereof ibid. Merit Doctrine thereof in the Chur. of Rome 138 286. Miracles Why pretended to by the Romanists 139. Monarchy Universal Monarchy not politick nor convenient 130 neither in Church nor State 152. Monarchy less subject to abuse than other ways of Government 315. Monastries why exempted by the Pope from secular Jurisdiction 138. Monkery 140. N. POpe Nicholas the first who excommunicated Princes secundum Bodin 146. O. OAth of Bishops of Rome at their Election 22. Obedience Blind Obedience 177. Order and Discipline of the Primitive Church 211. v. Discipline Ordination Priority therein did anciently ground a Right to Precedence 34. Orthodox Who such in the Primitive Church 299. P. PAstours of the Church Their duty to maintain Peace and Charity 304. Patriarchs not an higher Order than Primates 169 their Institution and Authority 170 171. Peace to be inviolable among Christians 301 the Sacraments conducive to the same 302 as also Convocation of Synods ibid. S. Peter in personal accomplishments most eminent among the Apostles 32 It is probable he was first called to the Apostolical office 33 his Zeal and Activity 30 34 his Superiority in Power rejected 35 was no Priest at the Celebration of our Lord's Supper contra Concil Trid. 36 not Bishop of Rome 82 whether ever at Rome 83 whence his Primacy asserted 27. Popes Supremacy The Controversies about it 1 The great Disturbances it hath caused 2 pretended authority to depose Princes 3 their behaviour according to their circumstances 17 pretended Supremacy in Spirituals 20 their imperious arbitrary Government 40 the insolent Titles given them 41 no Judge of Controversies 115 c. their Character before and after Constantine 142 Usurpation on Princes 145 Causes of the growth of pretended Supremacy 172
sciam frater pro mutua dilectione quam debemus exhibemus invicem nobis florentissimo illic Clero tecum praesidenti sanctissimae atque amplissimae plebi legere te semper literas nostras Cypr. Ep. 55. ad Corn. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syn. Ant. Can. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Dionys. Corinth apud Euseb. 4.23 Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem convenire Ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt ubique fideles Iren. 3.3 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I conjecture he said Quoniam pro magnitudine sua debeat Carthaginem Roma praecedere Cypr. Ep. 49. Autoritate qua potiores aeternae urbis Episcopi Amm. Marcell lib. 15. p. 47. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod. Ep. 113. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syn. Chalc. Act. 16. Can. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Placid in Syn. Chalc. p. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syn. Const. Can. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syn. Chalc. Can. 28. Sacrosanctam quoque hujus religiosissimae civitatis Ecclesiam matrem nostrae pietatis Christianorum Orthodoxae religionis omnium ejusdem Regiae urbis sanctissimam sedem c. Imp. Leo. Cod. Lib. 1. Tit. 2. § 16. The Holy Church of this most religious city the mother of our devotion and of all orthodox Christians and the most holy See of that imperial city Bonifacius III. à Phoca Imperatore obtinuit magnâ tamen contentione ut sedes B. Petri. Apostoli quae caput est omnium Ecclesiarum ità diceretur haberetur ab omnibus quem quidem locum Ecclesia Constantinopolitana sibi vendicare conabatur faventibus interdum Principibus affirmantibúsque eo loci primam sedem esse debere ubi Imperii caput esset Plat. in Bonif. III. p. 161. Boniface III. though with a great deal of stir obtained of the Emperour Phocas that the See of Saint Peter the Apostle which is the head of all Churches should be so called and accounted by all which dignity the Church of Constantinople did indeed endeavour to assert to it self Princes sometime favouring them and affirming that there the chief See ought to be where the head of the Empire was Phocas rogante Papâ Bonifacio statuit sedem Romanae Ecclesiae caput esse omnium Ecclesiarum quia Ecclesia Constantinopolitana primam se omnium Ecclesiarum scribebat Anastas in Bonif. III. Idem Sabellicus Blondus Laetus c. tradunt Phocas at the entreaty of Pope Boniface appointed that the Roman See should be the head of all Churches because the Church of Constantinople wrote her self the chief of all Churches 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. Orat. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Evag. 2.4 passim 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Joseph de Bello Jud. 3.3 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas. Ep. 48. ad Athanas. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syn. Ant. Can. 9. Syn. Chalc. 17. Sedis Apostolicae primatum S. Petri meritum qui Princeps est Episcopalis coronae Romanae dignitas Civitatis sacrae etiam Synodi firmavit authoritas Valentin Nov. 24. in fin Cod. Theod. Cypr. Ep. 55.52 Atque ego in hac parte justè indignor ad hanc tam apertam manifestam Stephani stultitiam quod qui sic de Episcopatûs sui loco gloriatur se successionem Petri tenere contendit Stephanus qui per successionem Cathedram Petri habere se praedicat Firmil apud Cypr. Ep. 75. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soz. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. Synod Const. Theodoret hist. l. 5. c. 9. p. 211. Quae quantumlibet à Petro ante Alexandrinam fuerat instituta tamen quoniam praefectura Alexandrina Augustalis dicta longè praestabat Syriae praefecturae c. Baron Ann. 39. § 10. Epiph. Synod Constant. ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Optat. lib. 6. p. 169. Hier. Ep. 61. Conc. Nic. Can. 7. Majores enim in instituendis sedibus Ecclesiarum non aliam iniisse rationem quam secundum divisionem Provinciarum Praerogativas à Romanis anteà stabilitas quà m plurima sunt exempla Baron Anno 39.10 * Cypr. Ep. 52.55.72.73.76 Omnis hic actus populo erat insinuandus P. Corn. apud Cypr. Ep. 46. All this business was to have been imparted to the people Secundum arbitrium quoque vestrum omnium nostrum commune consilium ea quae agenda sunt disponere Cypr. Ep. 40. Plebi Vniv. To order what was to be done according to your judgment and the common advice of us all Et limanda plenius ratio non solùm cum Collegis meis sed cum plebe ipsa universa Cypr. Ep. 28. And the reason is more throughly to be examined not onely with my Collegues but with the whole people Praejudicare ego soli mihi rem communem vindicare non audeo Ep. 18. I dare not therefore prejudge nor assume to my self alone a matter which is common to all Hoc enim verecundiae disciplinae vitae ipsi omnium nostrum convenit ut Episcopi plures in unum convâ—nientes praesente stantium plebe quibus ipsis pro fide timore suo honor habendus est disponere omnia consilia communis religione possimus Cypr. Ep. 14. For it becomes the modesty the discipline and the manner of our living that many Bishops meeting together the people being also present to whom respect ought to be had for their faith and fear we may order all things with the common advice quoniam non pancorum nec Ecclesiae unius aut unius Provinciae sed totius orbis haec causa est Cypr. Ep. 14. because this is the concern not of a few men or one Church or one Province but of the whole world Idcirco copiosum corpus est Sacerdotum ut si quis ex Collegio nostro haeresin facere gregem Christi lacerare vastare tentaverit subveniant caeteri Cypr. Ep. 76. Therefore the Clergy is a large body that if any one of our own society should vent an heresie and attempt to rent and waste the flock of Christ the rest might come in to their help * Particularly in the dispensation of Church goods Conc. Ant. Can. 25. †Nov. 137. cap. 4.123 cap. 10. ‖ Vid. Can. Apost 38. al. 30. de Synodis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syn. Const. can 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conc. Chalced. Can. 17. Conc. Trull Can. 38. P. Anacl dist 99. cap. 1. P. Greg. VII Ep. 6.35 Ad hoc divinae dispensationis provisio gradus diversos constituit ordines in se distinctos ut dum reverentiam minores potioribus exhiberent potiores minoribus diligentiam impenderent una concordiae fieret à diversitate contentio rectè officiorum gereretur administratio singulorum Joh. VIII Ep. 95. To this end divine providence hath appointed degrees and divers orders distinct from one another that while the less reverence the greater and
as well in the places and bounds of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as of Secular Empire Wherefore Saint Peter's Monarchy reason requiring might be cantonized into divers spiritual Supremacies and as other Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions have been chopp'd and chang'd enlarged or diminished removed and extinguished so might that of the Roman Bishop The Pope cannot retain power in any State against the will of the Prince he is not bound to suffer correspondences with Foreigners especially such who apparently have interests contrary to his honour and the good of his people 5. Especially that might be done if the continuance of such a Jurisdiction should prove abominably corrupt or intolerably grievous to the Church 6. That power is defectible which according to the nature and course of things doth sometime fail But the Papal Succession hath often been interrupted by contingencies of Sedition Schism Intrusion Simoniacal Election Deposition c. as before shewed and is often interrupted by Vacancies from the death of the Incumbents 7. If leaving their dubious and false suppositions concerning Divine Institution Succession to Saint Peter c. we consider the truth of the case and indeed the more grounded plea of the Pope that Papal preeminence was obtained by the wealth and dignity of the Roman City and by the collation or countenance of the Imperial authority then by the defect of such advantages it may cease or be taken away for when Rome hath ceased to be the Capital City the Pope may cease to be Head of the Church When the Civil powers which have succeeded the Imperial each in its respective Territory are no less absolute than it they may take it away if they judge it fit for whatever power was granted by humane Authority by the same may be revoked and what the Emperour could have done each Sovereign power now may doe for it self An indefectible power cannot be settled by man because there is no power ever extant at one time greater than there is at another so that whatever power one may raise the other may demolish there being no bounds whereby the present time may bind all posterity However no humane Law can exempt any Constitution from the providence of God which at pleasure can dissolve whatever man hath framed And if the Pope were devested of all adventitious power obtained by humane means he would be left very bare and hardly would take it worth his while to contend for Jurisdiction 8. However or whencesoever the Pope had his Authority yet it may be forfeited by defects and defaults incurred by him If the Pope doth encroach on the rights and liberties of others usurping a lawless domination beyond reason and measure they may in their own defence be forced to reject him and shake off his yoke If he will not be content to govern otherwise than by infringing the Sacred Laws and trampling down the inviolable Privileges of the Churches either granted by Christ or established by the Sanctions of General Synods he thereby depriveth himself of all Authority because it cannot be admitted upon tolerable terms without greater wrong of many others whose right out-weigheth his and without great mischief to the Church the good of which is to be preferred before his private advantage This was the Maxime of a great Pope a great stickler for his own dignity for when the Bishop of Constantinople was advanced by a General Synod above his ancient pitch of dignity that Pope opposing him did say that whoever doth affect more than his due doth lose that which properly belonged to him the which Rule if true in regard to another's case may be applied to the Pope for with what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged and with what measure ye mete it shall be measured to you again On such a supposition of the Papal encroachment we may return his words upon him It is too proud and immoderate a thing to stretch beyond ones bounds and in contempt of antiquity to be willing to invade other mens right and to oppose the Primacies of so many Metropolitans on purpose to advance the dignity of one For the privileges of Churches being instituted by the Canons of the holy Fathers and fixt by the Decrees of the venerable Synod of Nice cannot be pluckt up by any wicked attempt nor altered by any innovation Far be it from me that I should in any Church infringe the Decrees of our Ancestours made in favour of my Fellow-priests for I do my self injury if I disturb the rights of my brethren The Pope surely according to any ground of Scripture or Tradition or ancient Law hath no Title to greater Principality in the Church than the Duke of Venice hath in that State Now if the Duke of Venice in prejudice to the publick right and liberty should attempt to stretch his power to an absoluteness of command or much beyond the bounds allowed him by the constitution of that Common-wealth he would thereby surely forfeit his Supremacy such as it is and afford cause to the State of rejecting him the like occasion would the Pope give to the Church by the like demeanour 9. The Pope by departing from the Doctrine and Practice of Saint Peter would forfeit his Title of Successour to him for in such a case no succession in place or in name could preserve it The Popes themselves had swerved and degenerated from the example of Peter They are not the Sons of the Saints who hold the places of the Saints but they that doe their works Which place is rased out of St. Hierome They have not the inheritance of Peter who have not the faith of Peter which they tear asunder by ungodly division So Gregory Nazianzene saith of Athanasius that he was Successour of Mark no less in piety than presidency the which we must suppose to be properly succession otherwise the Mufti of Constantinople is Successour to St. Andrew of St. Chrysostome c. the Mufti of Jerusalem to St. James If then the Bishop of Rome instead of teaching Christian Doctrine doth propagate Errours contrary to it If instead of guiding into Truth and Godliness he seduceth into Falshood and Impiety If instead of declaring and pressing the Laws of God he delivereth and imposeth Precepts opposite prejudicial destructive of God's Laws If instead of promoting genuine Piety he doth in some instances violently oppose it If instead of maintaining true Religion he doth pervert and corrupt it by bold Defalcations by Superstitious additions by Foul mixtures and alloys If he coineth new Creeds Articles of Faith new Scriptures new Sacraments new Rules of Life obtruding them on the Consciences of Christians If he conformeth the Doctrines of Christianity to the Interests of his Pomp and Profit making gain godliness If he prescribe Vain Profane Superstitious ways of Worship turning Devotion into Foppery and Pageantry If instead of preserving Order and Peace he fomenteth Discords and Factions in the Church being a Make-bate and Incendiary among