consent of the order and people be observed let him who is to preside over all be chosen by all And Pope Nicholas I. Because we know the custom of your Royal City that none can arrive at the top of the highest Priestly power without the assent of the Ecclesiastical people and the Emperour's suffrage Now in all these proceedings it is most apparent that there was no regard had to the Pope or any thought of him out of his particular Territory which he had as Metropolitan or afterward as Primate in some parts of the West No where else had he the least finger in the Constitution of a Bishop any where through the whole Church no not of the least Clergy-man When by Saint Cyprian so largely and punctually the manner of Constituting Bishops is declared when the Nicene Canons and those of other Synods do so carefully prescribe about the Ordination of them when so many reports concerning the Election of Bishops do occur in History why is there not a tittle of mention concerning any special interest of the Roman Bishops about them So true is that of Alb. Crantzius There was no need then of Apostolical confirmation it was sufficient if the Election were approv'd by the Archbishop now the Church of Rome has assum'd to her self the rights of all Churches We may by the way observe that in the first times they had not so much as an absolute power of ordaining a Presbyter in the Church of his own City without leave of the Clergy and People as may be inferred from that passage in Eusebius where Pope Cornelius relateth that the Bishop who ordained Novatus being hindred from doing it by all the Clergy and by many of the Laity did request that it might be granted to him to ordain that one person and he that so hardly could ordain one Priest in his own Church what authority could he have to constitute Bishops in all other Churches To all these Evidences of Fact our Adversaries do oppose some Instances of Popes meddling in the Constitution of Bishops as Pope Leo I saith that Anatolius did by the favour of his assent obtain the Bishoprick of Constantinople The same Pope is alledged as having confirmed Maximus of Antioch The same doth write to the Bishop of Thessalonica his Vicar that he should confirm the Elections of Bishops by his authority He also confirmed Donatus an African Bishop we will that Donatus preside over the Lord's flock upon condition that he remember to send us an account of his faith Also Gregory I. doth complain of it as of an inordinate Act that a Bishop of Salonae was ordained without his knowledge Pope Damasus did confirm the Ordination of Peter Alexandrinus The Alexandrians saith Sozomen did render the Churches to Peter being returned from Rome with the Letters of Damasus which confirmed both the Nicene Decrees and his Ordination But what I pray doth Confirmation here signifie but approbation for did he otherwise confirm the Nicene Decrees did they need other confirmation To the former Instances we answer that being well considered they do much strengthen our Argument in that they are so few so late so lame so impertinent for if the Pope had enjoyed a power of constituting Bishops more instances of its exercise would have been producible indeed it could not be but that History would have been full of them the constitution of Bishops being a matter of continual use and very remarkable At least they might have found one Instance or other to alledge before the time of that busie Pope Leo in whose time and by whose means Papal Authority began to overflow its banks And those which they produce do no-wise reach home to the point Anatolius did obtain the Bishoprick of Constantinople by the help of the Emperour and by the assent of the Pope's favour what then Anatolius being put into that See in the room of Flavianus by the influence of Dioscorus whose Responsal he had been and having favoured the Eutychian Faction Pope Leo might thence have had a fair colour to disavow him as uncapable of that Function and Dignity he being so obnoxious both having such a flaw in his Ordination and having been guilty of great faults adherence to the party of Dioscorus and irregularly ordaining the Bishop of Antioch but he out of regard to the Emperour's intervention did acknowledge Anatolius for Bishop this was the favourable assent with which he upbraideth Anatolius having displeased him and what doth this signifie Again Pope Leo did not reject Maximus Bishop of Antioch from communion nor disclaimed his Ordination although liable to exception what then is this a confirmation of him No such matter it was onely which in such a vixonely Pope was a great favour a forbearance to quarrel with him as not duely ordained which any other Bishop might have done If a Pope had a flaw in his Ordination another Bishop might refuse him Again Pope Leo did injoin the Bishop of Thessalonica to confirm Ordinations what is that to the purpose It belonged to that Bishop as a Metropolitan by the Canons to confirm those in his Province or as a Primate to confirm those in his Diocese It belonged to him as the Pope's Vicar in those Territories to which the Pope had stretched his Jurisdiction to execute the Pope's Orders but what is this to Universal Authority It is certain that Illyricum was then in a more special manner subjected to the Pope's Jurisdiction than any of the other Eastern Churches what therefore he did there cannot be drawn into consequence as to other places The same may be said in answer to the complaint of Pope Gregory and to any the like Instances Moreover surreptitious presumptuous pragmatical intrusions or usurpations of power do not suffice to found a right in this or any other case to which purpose and wholly to invalidate any such pleas these Observations may be considered 1. There do occur divers Instances of Bishops who did meddle in Ordinations of other Bishops so as to bear great stroke in constituting them who did not thereby pretend to Universal Jurisdiction and it would be extremely ridiculous thence to infer they had any reasonable claim thereto Thus it was objected to Athanasius that he presum'd to ordain in Cities which did not belong to him Eusebius of Constantinople did obtrude Eusebius Emissenus to be Bishop of Alexandria Eustathius of Antioch did ordain Evagrius Bishop of Constantinople Euzoius delivered unto Lucius the Bishoprick of Alexandria Lucifer a Sardinian Bishop did ordain Paulinus Bishop of Antioch they for a Salvo say as the Pope's Legate but upon what ground or testimony why did not Historians tell us so much The Pope had then been hissed at if he had sent Legates about such errands it was indeed out of presumption and pragmatical zeal to serve a party then ordinary in persons addicted to all parties right and wrong it not being
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
to a Donatist his Adversary citing the Authority of St. Cyprian against him he thus replieth But now seeing it is not Canonical which thou recitest with that liberty to which the Lord hath called us I do not receive the opinion differing from Scripture of that man whose praise I cannot reach to whose great learning I do not compare my writings whose wit I love in whose speech I delight whose charity I admire whose martyrdom I reverence This Liberty not onely the Ancients but even divers Popes have acknowledged to belong to every Christian as we shall hereafter shew when we shall prove that we may lawfully reject the Pope as a Patron of Errour and Iniquity 6. It particularly doth thwart Scripture by wronging Princes in exempting a numerous sort of People from subjection to their Laws and Judicatures whereas by God's Ordination and express Command every soul is subject to them not excepting the Popes themselves in the opinion of St. Chrysostome except they be greater than any Apostle By pretending to govern the Subjects of Princes without their leave to make Laws without his permission or confirmation to cite his Subjects out of their Territories c. which are encroachments upon the Rights of God's unquestionable Ministers III. Farther because our Adversaries do little regard any allegation of Scripture against them pretending themselves to be the onely Masters of its sense or of common sense Judges and Interpreters of them we do alledge against them that this pretence doth also cross Tradition and the common Doctrine of the Fathers For 1. Common usage and practice is a good interpreter of Right and that sheweth no such Right was known in the Primitive Church 2. Indeed the state of the Primitive Church did not admit it 3. The Fathers did suppose no Order in the Church by original Right or divine Institution superiour to that of a Bishop whence they commonly did style a Bishop the Highest Priest and Episcopacy the top of Ecclesiastical Orders The chief Priest saith Tertullian that is the Bishop hath the right of giving baptism Although saith St. Ambrose the Presbyters also do it yet the beginning of the Ministery is from the highest Priest Optatus calleth Bishops the tops and Princes of all The Divine Order of Bishops saith Dionysius is the first of Divine Orders the same being also the extreme and last of them for into it all the frame of our Hierarchy is resolved and accomplished This language is common even among Popes themselves complying with the speech then current for Presbyters saith Pope Innocent I. although they are Priests yet have they not the top of High priesthood No man saith P. Zosimus I. against the precepts of the Fathers should presume to aspire to the highest Priesthood of the Church It is decreed saith Pope Leo I. that the Chorepiscopi or Presbyters who figure the sons of Aaron shall not presume to snatch that which the Princes of the Priests whom Moses and Aaron did typifie are commanded to doe Note by the way that seeing according to this Pope's mind after St. Hierome Moses and Aaron did in the Jewish Policy represent Bishops there was none there to prefigure the Pope In those days the Bishop of Nazianzum a petty Town in Cappadocia was an High-priest so Gregory calleth his Father And the Bishop of a poor City in Africk is styled Sovereign Pontif of Christ most blessed Father most blessed Pope and the very Roman Clergy doth call St. Cyprian most blessed and glorious Pope which Titles the Pope doth now so charily reserve and appropriate to himself But innumerable Instances of this kind might be produced I shall onely therefore add two other passages which seem very observable to the enforcement of this discourse St. Hierome reprehending the discipline of the Montanists hath these words With us the Bishops do hold the places of the Apostles with them a Bishop is in the third place for they have for the first rank the Patriarchs of Pepusa in Phrygia for the second those whom they call Cenones so are Bishops thrust down into the third that is almost the last place as if thence Religion became more stately if that which is first with us be the last with them Now doth not St. Hierome here affirm that every Bishop hath the place of an Apostle and the first rank in the Church doth not he tax the advancement of any Order above this may not the Popish Hierarchy most patly be compared to that of the Montanists and is it not equally liable to the censure of St. Hierome doth it not place the Roman Pope in the first place and the Cardinals in the second detruding the Bishops into a third place Could the Pepusian Patriarch or his Cenones either more over-top in dignity or sway by power over Bishops than doth the Roman Patriarch and his Cardinals Again St. Cyprian telleth Pope Cornelius that in Episcopacy doth reside the sublime and divine power of governing the Church it being the sublime top of the Priesthood He saith the Blessed man concerning Pope Cornelius did not suddenly arrive to Episcopacy but being through all Ecclesiastical Offices promoted and having in divine administrations often merited of God did by all the steps of Religion mount to the sublimest pitch of Priesthood where it is visible that St. Cyprian doth not reckon the Papacy but the Episcopacy of Cornelius to be that top of Priesthood above which there was nothing eminent in the Church unto which he passing through the inferiour degrees of the Clergy had attained In fine it cannot well be conceived that the Ancients constantly would have spoken in this manner if they had allowed the Papal Office to be such as now it doth bear it self the which indeed is an Order no less distant from Episcopacy than the rank of a King differeth from that of the meanest Baron in his Kingdom Neither is it prejudicial to this Discourse or to any preceding that in the Primitive Church there were some distinctions and subordinations of Bishops as of Patriarchs Primates Metropolitans common Bishops for These were according to prudence constituted by the Church it self for the more orderly and peaceable administration of things These did not import such a difference among the Bishops that one should domineer over others to the infringing of primitive fraternity or common liberty but a precedence in the same rank with some moderate advantages for the common good These did stand under Authority of the Church and might be changed or corrected as was found expedient by common agreement By virtue of these the Superiours of this kind could doe nothing over their subordinates in an arbitrary manner but according to the regulation of Canons established by consent in Synods by which their influence was amplified or curb'd When any of these did begin to domineer or exceed his limits he was liable to account and correction he was
to become over-dilatory Pope Liberius for such reasons did request Constantius that Athanasius his cause should be tryed at Alexandria where he saith he that is accused and the accusers are and the defender of them and so we may upon examination had agree in our sentence about them Therefore divers ancient Canons of Synods did prohibit that any Causes should be removed out of the bounds of Provinces or Dioceses as otherwhere we shew 2. Such an Authority as this pretence claimeth must necessarily if not withheld by continual Miracle throw the Church into sad bondage All the World must become slaves to one City its wealth must be derived thither its quiet must depend on it For it not being restrained within any bounds of place or time having no check upon it of equal or co-ordinate power standing upon Divine Institution and therefore immutably setled must of its own nature become absolute and unlimited Let it be however of right limited by Divine Laws or Humane Canons yet will it be continually encroaching and stretching its power untill it grow enormous and boundless It will not indure to be pinched by any restraint It will draw to it self the collation of all preferments c. It will assume all things to it self trampling down all opposite claims of right and liberty so that neither Pastour nor People shall enjoy or doe any thing otherwise than in dependence on it and at its pleasure It will be always forging new prerogatives and interpreting all things in favour of them and enacting sanctions to establish them which none must presume to contest It will draw to it self the disposal of all places the exaction of goods All Princes must become his Ministers and executours of his Decrees It will mount above all Law and Rule not onely challenging to be uncontrollable and unaccountable but not enduring any reproof of its proceedings or contradiction of its dictates a blind Faith must be yielded to all its Assertions as infallibly true and a blind obedience to all its Decrees as unquestionably holy whosoever shall any-wise cross it in word or deed shall certainly be discountenanced condemned ejected from the Church so that the most absolute tyranny that can be imagined will ensue All the World hath groaned and heavily complained of their exactions particularly our poor Nation it would raise indignation in any man to reade the complaints This is consequent on such a pretence according to the very nature of things and so in experience it hath happened For It is evident that the Papacy hath devoured all the privileges and rights of all Orders in the Church either granted by God or established in the ancient Canons The Royalties of Peter are become immense and consistently to his practice the Pope doth allow men to tell him to his face that all Power in Heaven and in Earth is given unto him It belongeth to him to judge of the whole Church He hath a plenitude as he calleth it of Power by which he can infringe any Law or doe any thing that he pleaseth It is the tenour of his Bulls that whoever rashly dareth to thwart his will shall incur the indignation of Almighty God and as if that were not enough of Saint Peter and Saint Paul also No man must presume to tax his faults or to judge of his judgment It is Idolatry to disobey his commands against their own Sovereign Lord. There are who dare in plain terms call him Omnipotent and who ascribe infinite power to him And that he is infallible is the most common and plausible opinion so that at Rome the contrary is erroneous and within an inch of being heretical We are now told that If the Pope should err by enjoyning vices or forbidding vertues the Church should be bound to believe vices to be good and vertues evil unless it would sin against Conscience The greatest Princes must stoop to his will otherwise he hath power to cashier and depose them Now what greater inconvenience what more horrible iniquity can there be than that all God's people that free people who are called to freedom should be subject to so intolerable a yoke and miserable a slavery That tyranny soon had crept into the Roman Church Socrates telleth us They have rendred true that definition of Scioppius The Church is a stall or herd or multitude of Beasts or Asses They bridle us they harness us they spur us they lay Yokes and Laws upon us The greatest tyranny that ever was invented in the world is the pretence of Infallibility for Dionysius and Phalaris did leave the mind free pretending onely to dispose of body and goods according to their will but the Pope not content to make us doe and say what he pleaseth will have us also to think so denouncing his imprecations and spiritual menaces if we do not 3. Such an Authority will inevitably produce a depravation of Christian Doctrine by distorting it in accommodation of it to the promoting its designs and interests It will blend Christianity with worldly notions and policies It certainly will introduce new Doctrines and interpret the old ones so as may serve to the advancement of the power reputation pomp wealth and pleasure of those who manage it and of their dependents That which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to make a trade of Religion will be the great work of the Teachers of the Church It will turn all Divines into mercenary slavish designing Flatterers This we see come to pass Christianity by the Papal influence being from its original simplicity transformed into quite another thing than it was from a divine Philosophy designed to improve the reason to moderate the passions to correct the manners of men to prepare men for conversation with God and Angels modelled to a systeme of politick devices of notions of precepts of rites serving to exalt and enrich the Pope with his Court and Adherents Clients and Vassals What Doctrine of Christian Theology as it is interpreted by their Schools hath not a direct aspect or doth not squint that way especially according to the opinions passant and in vogue among them To pass over those concerning the Pope his Universal Pastourship Judgship in controversies Power to call Councils Presidency in them Superiority over them Right to confirm or annull them his Infallibility his double Sword and Dominion direct or indirect over Princes his dispensing in Laws in Oaths in Vows in Matrimonial cases with all other the monstrous prerogatives which the sound Doctours of Rome with encouragement of that Chair do teach What doth the Doctrine concerning the exempting of the Clergy from secular jurisdiction and immunity of their goods from taxes signify but their entire dependence on the Pope and their being closely tyed to his interests What is the exemption of Monastical places from the jurisdiction of Bishops but listing so many Souldiers and Advocates
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
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
of Judas wherein upon Saint Peter's motion all the disciples present did by consent present two out of whom God himself did elect one by determining the lot to fall upon Matthias so that this designation being partly humane partly divine so far as it was humane it went by free election of the whole fraternity and Saint Peter beside generally suggesting the matter to be done did assume nothing peculiar to himself The next constitution we meet with is that of Deacons to assist the Apostles and Elders in discharge of inferiour Offices wherein the Apostles did commit the designation of the persons to the multitude of the disciples who elected them and presented them to the Apostles who by prayer and laying on of hands did ordain them Nor had Saint Peter in this action any particular stroke As to the Constitution of Bishops in the first Apostolical times the course was this The Apostles and Apostolical persons who were authorized by the Apostles to act with their power and in their stead did in Churches founded by them constitute Bishops such as divine inspiration or their grace of discretion did guide them to So did Saint John in Asia setting those apart for the Clergy whom the Spirit had markt out This was not done without the consent of the Christian people as Clemens Romanus telleth us in his excellent Epistle to the Corinthians But he doth not acquaint us although he were himself Bishop of Rome that the Pope had any thing to doe in such Constitutions or in confirmations of them the whole Church saith he consenting Why doth he not add for his own sake and the Pope confirming In the next times when those extraordinary persons and faculties had expired when usually the Churches planted were in situation somewhat incoherent and remote from each other upon a vacancy the Clergy and people of each Church did elect its Bishop in which action commonly the Clergy did propound and recommend a person or persons and the people by their consent approve or by their suffrages elect one a strict examination of his Life and Doctrine intervening the which Order Tertullian briefly doth intimate in those words The Presidents of the Church are certain Elders well approved who have obtained that honour not by price but by proof It may be enquired how a Bishop then was Ordained in case his City was very remote from any other Churches Did they send for Bishops from distant places to Ordain him Or did the Presbyters of the place lay their hands on him Or did he receive no other Ordination than that he had before of Presbyter Or did he abide no Bishop till opportunity did yield Bishops to Ordain him Or did providence order that there should be no such solitary Churches The ancient Commentatour contemporary to St. Ambrose and bearing his name did conceive that upon decease of a Bishop the elder of the Presbyters did succeed into his place Whence had he this out of his invention and conjecture or from some Tradition and History Afterward when the Faith was diffused through many Provinces that Churches grew thick and close the general practice was this The neighbour Bishops being advertised of a vacancy or want of a Bishop did convene at the place then in the Congregation the Clergy of the place did propound a person yielding their attestation to his fitness for the charge which the people hearing did give their suffrages accepting him if no weighty cause was objected against him or refusing him if such cause did appear Then upon such recommendation and acceptance the Bishops present did adjoin their approbation and consent then by their devotions and solemn laying on of their hands they did Ordain or Consecrate him to the Function Of this course most commonly practised in his time we have divers plain Testimonies in St. Cyprian the best Authour extant concerning these matters of ancient Discipline For which reason saith he that from divine tradition and Apostolical observation is to be observed and held which also is with us and almost through all Provinces kept that for duely celebrating ordinations unto that people for whom a Bishop is ordained all the neighbour Bishops of the same Province or people should resort and a Bishop should be chosen the people being present which most fully knoweth the life of each one and hath from his conversation a thorough insight into his practice the which we see done with you in the ordination of our Collegue Sabinus that by the suffrage of all the fraternity and by the judgment of all the Bishops which had assembled in the presence and had sent letters to you about him the Bishoprick should be deferr'd to him Again A people obedient to the Lord's commands and fearing God ought to separate it self from a wicked Bishop such a notoriously wicked Bishop as those were of whom he treateth who had renounced the Faith and not to mingle it self with the sacrifices of a sacrilegious Priest seeing especially that it hath a power either to chuse worthy Priests or to refuse those who are unworthy the which also we see to descend from divine authority that a Bishop should be chosen the people being present before the eyes of all and that he who is worth and fit should be approved by publick judgment and testimony Again when saith he concerning himself a Bishop is substituted in the place of one deceased when he is peaceably chosen by the suffrage of all the people and whom if according to the divine instructions the whole fraternity would obey no man would move any thing against the College of Priests none after the divine judgment after the suffrage of the people after the consent of the fellow-Bishop would make himself judge not indeed of the Bishop but of God Again Cornelius was made Bishop by the judgment of God and his Christ by the testimony of almost all the Clergy by the suffrage of the people being then present and by the College of Priests ancient and good men and Cornelius being in the Catholick Church ordained by the judgment of God and by the suffrage of the Clergy and people Again When a Bishop is once made and is approved by the testimony and the judgment of his Collegues and of the people The Authour of the Apostolical Constitutions thus in the person of Saint Peter very fully and clearly describeth the manner of Ordination of Bishops in his times After one of the chief Bishops present has thus prayed the rest of the Priests with all the people shall say Amen and after the prayer one of the Bishops shall deliver the Eucharist into the hands of the person ordained and that morning he shall be plac'd by the rest of the Bishops in his Throne all of them saluting him with a kiss in the Lord. After the reading of the Law and Prophets of our Epistles the Acts and Gospel he who is ordained shall salute the
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
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
Church we are not merely upon that score to condemn or reject from communion of Charity or Peace for in that they do but use their Liberty 10. But if such Churches do maintain impious Errours if they do prescribe naughty Practices if they do reject Communion and Peace upon reasonable terms if they vent unjust and uncharitable Censures if they are turbulent and violent striving by all means to subdue and enslave other Churches to their will or their dictates if they damn and persecute all who refuse to be their Subjects in such cases we may reject such Churches as heretical or schismatical or wickedly uncharitable and unjust in their Proceedings A TABLE of the AUTHOURS quoted in the Treatise of the Pope's Supremacy and Vnity of the Church A. S. AMbrosius 155. in Luc. 277. de Poen 274. de Sac. 128. Anastasius in vit Joh. 204.210 Anton. de Concil Pis. 24. Anselmus in Joh. 60. Apost Can. 324. Aquinas Tho. 278. Arist. Pol. 131.142.314 S. Athanas. Disp. contra Arium 3. Athanas. 73.115.148.155.202 Athanas. de Syn. 321. August Triumph 3. S. Augustinus contra Crescon 48.53.127.133 Idem de Unit. Eccles. 26.123.250.251.277.296.301.307 Ep. 128.155.249.155.305.314 in S. Joh. 31. contra Don. 54. de Bapt. 150.300 in Psal. 296. contra Jul. 223. B. BAlusius 170. Not. ad Agorbard 26. Baronius 5.10.82.142.151.161.122.180.187.203.216.232.234.239.241.151.256.215.264.318 S. Basil. 68.115.246.264 Epist. 61.160.244 in Is. 61. de Judicio Dei 33. Bellarminus 2.3.15.51.59.69.71.137.148.153.193.256.269.257.261.287.321 S. Bernardus 141.145.281 de Consid. 40.265 Binius 6.8.52.65.152.192.265.277.325 Bochell 2. Bodin de Rep. 147. Bullae Variorum P. 5. c. C. CAmd Hist. 5. Canon Apost 164.178.241 Cajet in 1 Cor. 284. Canus 6. Celest. ad Cyril 203.213 Chrysol 62. S. Chrysostomus 30.31.32.63.67.74.75.82.264.269.281.313 Idem in Ephes. 40. in Act. Apost 44.45 in S. Joh. 49. in Galat. ibid. 55. Ep. 135.159 in Colos. 283. in 1 Cor. 301. Claudianus 132. Clemens ad Corinth 48.58.113 S. Clemens Alex. 118.297.299.308 Clemens Alex. apud Euseb. 57. Cod. Afr. 164.241.248 Cod. Lib. 1.179 Concilium Ant. Bas. 25.264.132.135.141.267.268 Chalced. 165.166.163.225.135.136.248.270.303.202.203.204.205.206.121 Sard. 84.233 Trid. 2.7.135.136.280.283.285.286.230 Lat. 41.136.185.281.325 Ludg. 146. Tolet. 227. Nic. 241.121 Trull 84. Eph. 234.278.155 Florent 21. Cons. 25.330.121.248 Miler 248. Carth. ibid. Conc. sub Men. 85.231 Const. Apost 230. Card. Cusanus de Conc. Carth. 43. S. Cyprianus 149.150.150.252.263.269 de Unit. Eccles. 58.62 in Conc. Carth. 211.216 Ep. 54.71.67.79.113.115.124.125.129.153.157.158.162.229.232.235.243.248.249.276.277.269.301.302.304.305.312.315.318.323 S. Cyril 68.78.282 D. DAmasi P. Ep. Distinct. 228 c. Durandus 263. Dionysius de Eccl. Hier. 58. E. EAdmeri Hist. 182.270 S. Epiphan 83.252 Haer. 34.51.324.298.308 Erasmi Praefat. ad Hieron 288. Evag. 239.240 Euseb. 158.173.273.202 Hist. 32.73.298.318 de Vit. Const. 86.186.304.305.306 F. FAC. Hermian 276. Florus 131. G. POpe Gelas. distinc 58. Ep. Georg. Alex. vita Chrys. 12. Gervas Dorob apud Twisd 151. Grat. Dist. 10.41 Greg. Decret 15. Greg Past. 53. Greg. M. Ep. 122.124.125.265.225.169 S. Greg. Naz. 130.152.159.257 Guicc 136.143 Gunth Lig. 180. H. HEgesippus apud Euseb. 57. Hesychius apud Photium 46. Hieron adv Evagr. 152.125 Hieron Ep. 129. S. Hier. in Matt. 33. in Jovin 42. Hilar. de Trin. 35. Hilar. 153.155.213 Hist. Trident. 321. Horat. 177. I. IGnat ad Trall 294. S. Iren. 87.88.119.158.299.311.316.318 Joseph de Bello Jud. 160. Isid. Dist. 169. Isid. Hispal 128.58 Isid. Pelusiot 130. Justini Cod. 204. Justini Novell 235. L. LActantius 35. Lateran Concil 46. Launoius 12.116.185 P. Leo Ep. 126.273.204.205.208.209.225.230.225.254 Livius 178. M. MAchivel 144. De Marc. 170. Marsil Patav. 17. Matt. Paris 6.7.182.183.192.251.262.265 Memor Hist. de 5 Propos. 267. N. POpe Nic. Ep. 174.175.200.210 O. OCcam 17. Optat. lib. 2.303 Orient Relat. ad Imper. Act. 208. Orig. in Matt. 62. Otho Frising Chron. 13. P. POpe Pash Ep. apud Eadmer 261.262 Pelag. Ep. 123.201.86 Petr. ad Jacob. 83. Photius 33.42 Pighius de Hier. 265. Platina de Vit. Pont. 8.28.41.145.150.215.228 Plut. in Pyrr 174. Prudent in Apotheos 290. R. RIgalt in Cypr. Ep. 60. 157.237 Ruffinus 170. S. SEnec de Benef. Sigeberti Chron. 9. Sleid. 139.141 Socrates Sozom. 12.87.120.173.186.167.208.216.234.242.226.232.252.253.256 Spalatens 5. Suetonius 83. P. Symac Ep. 325. Synes Ep. 325. Synod Ant. 157.216.312.231 Ansel. 85. Bas. 133.314 Chalc. 158 159.167.168.184.231·233.245.254.257.264 Const. 165.159 Eph. 168. Trull 201. Nic. 164.166.231 Flor. 177. Laod. 166. Sard. 324. T. TAcitus 131.142 Ann. 174. de Morib Germ. 178. Tertullianus 26.50.58.63.67.77.80.118.119.164.298.216.269.280.282.294.297.309.318 Theod. 156.161.166.187.208.227.229.237.238.255.256.323 Theoph. in Matth. 33.253 Tho. Aq. 3.6 Tho. Cajet Orat. 267. Thorn 318. Thuan. 146. Tort. Tort. 147. Trid. Concil 41. Twisd 184. V. VAles in Euseb. 310. P. Vrb. Ep. 7. Vsserius 242.315 Z. ZAbarellus 4. Zozomen 117.131.161.213.225.227.232.239.250 A TABLE OF Things or the Chief Matters contained in the Treatise of the Pope's Supremacy and of the Vnity of the Church A. ABsolution Particular Absolution why allowed in the Church of Rome 139. Anacletus and Cletus by some thought to be the same 88. Anathema's of the Romanists 289. Angels Popish Doctrine of worshipping them contrary to Scripture 280. Apostles Which the Elder 34. That Office of the greatest Authority in the Primitive Church 37. This Authority of their Office they frequently assert never Superiority over one another 50. Their manner of Life ibid. Their Equality attested by the Fathers and plain from Scripture 57 59. Their extraordinary Privileges and miraculous Powers not successive nor communicable 78. Appeals to the Pope disclaimed 248 249. B. S. BAsil His Authority against the Pope's Supremacy 123. Bishops How to discharge their Office 40. In what sense said to be Successours of the Apostles 79. All Bishops styled Clavigeri by the Council of Compeigne 65. Their Residence and Translation 84 85. The Highest Order in the Church 128. Their Equality notwithstanding some Differences in Order and Privileges 125 129 151. An Answer to such who object They had a Power as well as Emperours to call General Councils 193. Metropolitan Bishops in their Provinces had far more Power and more truly grounded than the Pope had in the whole Church 212. What kind of Authority they had heretofore in Synods ibid. Their Ordination in whose Power Their Authority and Rights 215 216. Constitution of them not in the Power of the Pope but Emperour 225. Nor Censuring them in the power of the Pope 231 232. No power in the Pope to depose them 233 The contrary Assertions examined and confuted in seq v. 241. Confirmation of them belongs not to the Pope 269. Bishops and Pastours Their Authority in Church Government in the Primitive Church 312 313. Their Character ibid. C. CAnon Law The vain pretence for the Obligation thereof 210. Canons Ancient Canons their silence concerning the Pope's Authority 120 121. Canons Universal Canons Popes no Power to alter them nor Exemption from them 213 their policy herein ibid. contrary Opinion from whence arising ibid. Canons of Popes why set above General Councils 268.
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
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
of course by Papal appointment For this surely according to the Pope's meaning by which their obligation is to be measured is designed in the profession ordained by Pope Pius IV. wherein every beneficed Clergy-man is injoined to say And I do promise and swear true Obedience to the Roman Pontife the Successour of Saint Peter and the Vicar of Jesus Christ. Which profession was appointed in pursuance of a Sanction made by the Trent Council that all such persons should vow and swear to abide in Obedience to the Roman Church and consequently how hard soever its Yoke should be they would not shake it off which inferreth most absolute Sovereignty of that Church or of the Pope who ruleth the roast in it But what that true Obedience doth import or how far the Papal Authority in the Pope's own sense and according to the publick spirit of that Church doth stretch is more explicitly signified in the Oath which all Bishops at their Consecration and all Metropolitans at their Instalment are required to take the which as it is extant in the Roman Pontifical set out by order of Pope Clement VIII doth run in these terms I N. Elect of the Church of N. from henceforward will be faithfull and obedient to Saint Peter the Apostle and to the Holy Roman Church and to our Lord the Lord N. Pope N. and to his Successours canonically coming in I will neither advise consent or doe any thing that they may lose life or member or that their Persons may be seised or hands any-wise laid upon them or any injuries offer'd to them under any pretence whatsoever The counsel which they shall entrust me withall by themselves their messengers or Letters I will not knowingly reveal to any to their prejudice I will help them to defend and keep the Roman Papacy and the Royalties of Saint Peter saving my Order against all men The Legate of the Apostolick See going and coming I will honourably treat and help in his necessities The rights honours privileges and authority of the Holy Roman Church of our Lord the Pope and his foresaid Successours I will endeavour to preserve defend increase and advance I will not be in any counsel action or treaty in which shall be plotted against our said Lord and the said Roman Church any thing to the hurt or prejudice of their Persons right honour state or power and if I shall know any such thing to be treated or agitated by any whatsoever I will hinder it to my power and as soon as I can will signify it to our said Lord or to some other by whom it may come to his knowledge The Rules of the Holy Fathers the Apostolick decrees ordinances or disposals reservations provisions and mandates I will observe with all my might and cause to be observed by others Hereticks Schismaticks and Rebels to our said Lord or his foresaid Successours I will to my power persecute and oppose I will come to a Council when I am call'd unless I be hinder'd by a Canonical impediment I will by my self in person visit the threshold of the Apostles every three years and give an account to our Lord and his foresaid Successours of all my Pastoral Ossi and of all things any-wise belonging to the state of my Church to the discipline of my Clergy and People and lastly to the salvation of Souls committed to my trust and will in like manner humbly receive and diligently execute the Apostolick commands And if I be detain'd by a lawfull impediment I will perform all the things aforesaid by a certain Messenger hereto specially impower'd a member of my Chapter or some other in Ecclesiastical Dignity or else having a Parsonage or in default of these by a Priest of the Diocese or in default of one of the Clergy of the Diocese by some other Secular or Regular Priest of approved integrity and Religion fully instructed in all things above-mentioned And such impediment I will make out by lawfull proofs to be transmitted by the foresaid Messenger to the Cardinal Proponent of the Holy Roman Church in the Congregation of the Sacred Council The Possessions belonging to my Table I will neither sell nor give away nor mortgage nor grant anew in fee nor any-wise alienate no not even with the consent of the Chapter of my Church without consulting the Roman Pontife And if I shall make any alienation I will thereby incur the Penalties contain'd in a certain Constitution put forth about this matter So help me God and these Holy Gospels of God Such is the Oath prescribed to Bishops the which is worth the most serious attention of all men who would understand how miserably slavish the condition of the Clergy is in that Church and how inconsistent their obligation to the Pope is with their duty to their Prince And in perusing it we may note that the clauses in a different character are in the more ancient Oath extant in the Gregorian Decretals by which it appeareth how the Pope doth more and more enlarge his Power and straiten the bands of Subjection to him And it is very remarkable that the new Oath hath chang'd those words REGVLAS SANCTORVM PATRVM into REGALIA SANCTI PETRI i. e. THE RVLES OF THE HOLY FATHERS into THE ROYALTIES OF SAINT PETER § XV. I know there are within the Roman Communion great store of Divines who do contract the Papal Sovereignty within a much narrower compass refusing to him many of those Prerogatives yea scarce allowing to him any of them There are those who affirm the Pope in Doctrine and Discipline subject to the Church or to a General Synod representing it Which opinion thwarteth a proposition in Bellarmine's opinion e'en almost an Article of faith but to be even with him they do hold his proposition to be quite heretical The Pope is simply and absolutely above the Vniversal Church this proposition is almost an Article of faith saith Bellarmine The Cardinal of Lorrain on the contrary But I saith he cannot deny but that I am a French-man and bred up in the Church of Paris which teaches that the Roman Pontife is subject to a Council and they who teach the contrary are there branded as Hereticks There are those who affirm the Pope if he undertake Points of Faith without assistence of a General Synod may teach Heresie which opinion as Bellarmine thought doth closely border on heresie And those who conceive that Popes may be and have been Hereticks whence Christians sometimes are not obliged to admit their Doctrine or observe their pleasure There are those who maintain the Pope no less than other Bishops subject to the Canons or bound to observe the Constitutions of the Church that he may not infringe them or over-rule against them or dispense with them and that to him attempting to doe so obedience is not due There are those who maintain that the Pope cannot subvert or violate the Rights and Liberties of particular
do style their Peter The truth is then among Christians there was little standing upon punctilio's private considerations and pretences to power then took small place each one was ready to comply with that which the most did approve the community did take upon it to prescribe unto the greatest persons as we see again in another instance where the Brethren at Antioch did appoint Paul and Barnabas the most considerable persons among them to go up unto Jerusalem They were then so generous so mercifull so full of charity as rather than to cause or foment any disturbance to recede or go whither the multitude pleased and doe what was commanded by it 10. In all relations which occur in Scripture about Controversies incident of Doctrine or Practice there is no appeal made to Saint Peter's Judgment or allegation of it as Decisive no Argument is built on his Authority dissent from his Opinion or disconformity to his Practice or disobedience to his Orders are not mentioned as ground of reproof as aggravation of any errour any misdemeanour any disorder which were very strange if then he was admitted or known to be the Universal Prince and Pastour of Christians or the Supreme Judge and Arbitratour of Controversies among them for then surely the most clear compendious and effectual way to confute any errour or check any disorder had been to alledge the Authority of Saint Peter against it who then could have withstood so mighty a prejudice against his cause If now a question doth arise about any Point of Doctrine instantly the Parties at least one of them which hopeth to find most favour hath recourse to the Pope to define it and his Judgment with those who admit his pretences proveth sufficiently decisive or at least greatly swayeth in prejudice to the opposite Party If any Heresie or any Opinion disagreeing from the current sentiments is broached the Pope presently doth roar that his voice is heard through Christendom and thundreth it down if any Schism or disorder springeth up you may be sure that Rome will instantly meddle to quash it or to settle matters as best standeth with its Principles and Interests such influence hath the shadow of Saint Peter's Authority now but no such regard was then had to poor Pope Peter himself he was not so busie and stirring in such cases the Apostles did not send Hereticks to be knocked down by his Sentence nor Schismaticks to be scourged by his Censure but were fain to use the long way of Disputation striving to convince them by Testimonies of Scripture and rational discourse If they did use authority it was their own which they challenge as given to them by Christ for edification or upon account of the more than ordinary gifts and graces of the Divine Spirit conferred on them by God Saint Peter no-where doth appear intermedling as a Judge or Governour paramount in such cases yea where he doth himself deal with Hereticks and disorderly persons confuting and reproving them as he dealeth with divers notoriously such he proceedeth not as a Pope decreeing but as an Apostle warning arguing and persuading against them It is particularly remarkable how Saint Paul reproving the factions which were among Christians at Corinth doth represent the several parties saying I am of Paul I am of Apollos I am of Cephas I am of Christ Now supposing the case then had been clear and certain and if it were not so then how can it be so now that Saint Peter was Sovereign of the Apostles is it not wonderfull that any Christian should prefer any Apostle or any Preacher before him as if it were now clear and generally acknowledged that the Pope is truly what he pretendeth to be would any body stand in competition with him would any glory in a relation to any other Minister before him It is observable how Saint Clemens reflecteth on this contention Ye were saith he less culpable for that partiality for ye did then incline to renowned Apostles and to a man approved by them but now c. If it be replyed that Christ himself did come into the comparison I answer that probably no man was so vain as to compare him with the rest nor indeed could any there pretend to have been baptized by him which was the ground of the emulation in respect of the others but those who said they were of Christ were the wise and peaceable sort who by saying so declined and disavowed faction whose behaviour Saint Paul himself in his discourse commendeth and confirmeth shewing that all indeed were of Christ the Apostles being onely his Ministers to work faith and vertue in them None saith Saint Austin of those contentious persons were good except those who said but I am of Christ. We may also here observe that Saint Paul in reflecting upon these contentions had a fair occasion of intimating somewhat concerning Saint Peter's Supremacy and aggravating their blameable fondness who compared others with him 12. The consideration of the Apostles proceeding in the conversion of people in the foundation of Churches and in administration of their spiritual affairs will exclude any probability of Saint Peter's Jurisdiction over them They went about their business not by Order or Licence from St. Peter but according to special instinct and direction of God's Spirit being sent forth by the Holy Ghost going by revelation or according to their ordinary prudence and the habitual wisedom given unto them by those aids without troubling St. Peter or themselves more they founded Societies they ordained Pastours they framed Rules and Orders requisite for the edification and good Government of Churches reserving to themselves a kind of paramount inspection and jurisdiction over them which in effect was onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a paternal care over them which they particularly claimed to themselves upon account of spiritual parentage for that they had begotten them to Christ If saith St. Paul to the Corinthians I am not an Apostle to others I am however so to you why so because he had converted them and could say As my beloved sons I warn you for though ye have ten thousand instructours in Christ yet ye have not many fathers for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the Gospel This paternal charge they did exercise without any dependence or regard to Saint Peter none such appearing it not being mentioned that they did ever consult his pleasure or render him an account of their proceedings but it rather being implyed in the reports of their actions that they proceeded absolutely by virtue of their universal Office and Commission of our Lord. If it he alledged that Saint Paul went to Jerusalem to Saint Peter I answer that it was to visit him out of respect and love or to confer with him for mutual edification and comfort or at most to obtain approbation from him and the other Apostles which might satisfy some doubters but not
to receive his commands or authoritative instructions from him it being as we shall afterwards see the design of Saint Paul's discourse to disavow any such dependence on any man whatever So doth St. Chrysostome note What saith he can be more humble than this Soul after so many and so great exploits having no need at all of Peter or of his discourse but being in dignity equal to him for I will now say no more he yet doth go up to him as to one greater and ancienter and a sight alone of Peter is the cause of his journey thither And He went saith he again not to learn any thing of him nor to receive any correction from him but for this onely that he might see him and honour him with his presence And indeed that there was no such deference of the Apostles to St. Peter we may hence reasonably presume because it would then have been not onely impertinent and needless but inconvenient and troublesome For 13. If we consider the nature of the Apostolical Office the state of things at that time and the manner of Saint Peter's Life in correspondence to those things he will appear uncapable or unfit to manage such a jurisdiction over the Apostles as they assign him The nature of the Apostolical Ministery was such that the Apostles were not fixed in one place of residence but were continually moving about the World or in procinctu ready in their gears to move whither Divine suggestions did call them or fair occasion did invite them for the propagation or furtherance of the Gospel The state of things was not favourable to the Apostles who were discountenanced and disgraced persecuted and driven from one place to another as our Lord foretold of them Christians lay scattered about at distant places so that opportunities of dispatch for conveyance of instructions from him or of accounts to him were not easily found Saint Thomas preaching in Parthia Saint Andrew in Scythia Saint John in Asia Simon Zelotes in Britain Saint Paul in many places other Apostles and Apostolical men in Arabia in Aethiopia in India in Spain in Gaul in Germany in the whole world and in all the Creation under Heaven as Saint Paul speaketh could not well maintain correspondence with Saint Peter especially considering the manner of his Life which was not setled in any one known place but moveable and uncertain for he continually roved over the wide World preaching the Gospel converting confirming and comforting Christian people as occasion starting up did induce how then could he conveniently dispense all about his ruling and judging influence how in cases incident could direction be fetched from him or reference be made to him by those subordinate Governours who could not easily know where to come at him or whence to hear from him in any competent time To send to him had been to shoot at rovers affairs therefore which should depend on his resolution and orders must have had great stops he could but very lamely have executed such an office so that his jurisdiction must have been rather an extreme inconvenience and encombrance than any-wise beneficial or usefull to the Church Gold and Silver he had none or a very small Purse to maintain Dependents and Officers to help him Nuncio's Legates à latere Secretaries Auditours c. Infinity of affairs would have oppressed a poor helpless man and to bear such a burthen as they lay on him no one could be sufficient 14. It was indeed most requisite that every Apostle should have a complete absolute independent Authority in managing the concerns and duties of his Office that he might not any-wise be obstructed in the discharge of them not clogged with a need to consult others not hampered with orders from those who were at distance and could not well descry what was fit in every place to be done The direction of him who had promised to be perpetually present with them and by his Holy Spirit to guide to instruct to admonish them upon all occasions was abundantly sufficient they did not want any other conduct or aid beside that special Light and powerfull influence of Grace which they received from him the which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did as Saint Paul speaketh render them sufficient Ministers of the New Testament Accordingly their discourse and practice do throughly savour of such an independence nor in them is there any appearance of that being true which Bellarmine dictateth that the Apostles depended on Saint Peter as on their head and commander 15. Particularly the discourse and behaviour of Saint Paul towards Saint Peter doth evidence that he did not acknowledge any dependence on him any subjection to him Saint Paul doth often purposely assert to himself an independent and absolute power inferiour or subordinate to none other insisting thereon for the enforcement or necessary defence of his Doctrine and Practice I have become a fool in glorying ye have compelled me saith he alledging divers pregnant arguments to prove and confirm it drawn from the manner of his call the characters and warrants of his Office the tenour of his proceedings in the discharge of it the success of his endeavours the approbation and demeanour toward him of other Apostles As for his call and commission to the Apostolical Office he maintaineth as if he meant designedly to exclude those pretences that other Apostles were onely called in partem solicitudinis with Saint Peter that he was an Apostle not from men nor by man but by Jesus Christ and God the Father that is that he derived not his Office immediately or mediately from men or by the ministery of any man but immediately had received the grant and charge thereof from our Lord as indeed the History plainly sheweth in which our Lord telleth him that he did Constitute him an Officer and a chosen instrument to him to bear his name to the Gentiles Hence he so often is carefull and cautious to express himself an Apostle by the will and special grace or favour and appointment and command of God and particularly telleth the Romans that by Christ he had received grace grace and Apostleship For the warrant of his Office he doth not alledge the allowance of Saint Peter or any other but those special gifts and graces which were conspicuous in him and exerted in miraculous performances Truly saith he the signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all patience in signs and wonders and mighty deeds and I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed through mighty signs and wonders by the power of the Spirit of God To the same purpose he alledgeth his successfull industry in converting men to the Gospel Am I not an Apostle saith he are ye not my work in the Lord If I am not an Apostle to others I am surely one to
you for the seal of mine Apostleship are ye in the Lord. And By the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was on me became not in vain but I laboured more abundantly than they all In the discharge of his Office he immediately after that he had received his call and charge from our Saviour without consulting or taking licence from any man did vigorously apply himself to the work Immediately saith he I conferred not with flesh and bloud neither went I up to Jerusalem to them that before me were Apostles so little did he take himself to be accountable to any man In settling order and correcting irregularities in the Church he professed to act merely by his own Authority conferred on him by our Lord Therefore saith he being absent I write these things that being present I may not use severity according to the authority which the Lord hath given me for edification not for destruction Such being the privileges which he did assert to himself with all confidence he did not receive for it any check from other Apostles but the chief of them knowing the grace that was given unto him gave unto him the right hand of fellowship in token of their acknowledgment and allowance of his proceedings Upon these considerations plainly signifying his absolute independence in the reception and execution of his Office he doth more than once affirm and in a manner boast himself to be inferiour in nothing to the very chief Apostles in nothing that is in nothing pertinent to the Authority or substantial Dignity of his place for as to his personal merit he professeth himself much less than the least of the Apostles but as to the authentickness and authority of his Office he deemed himself equal to the greatest being by the grace of God what he was a Minister of the Gospel according to the gift of the grace of God which was given him according to the effectual working of his power When he said he was behind none he could not forget Saint Peter when he said none of the chief he could not but especially mean him he did indeed as St. Chrysostome saith intend to compare himself with St. Peter when he said in nothing he could not but design that which was most considerable the Authority of his place which in the context he did expresly mention For when he objected to himself the semblance of fondness or arrogance in speaking after that manner he declared that he did not speak rashly or vainly but upon serious consideration and with full assurance finding it very needfull or usefull to maintain his Authority or to magnify his Office as he otherwhere speaketh If things had been as now we are taught from the Roman School it is strange that Saint Paul should compare himself so generally not excepting Saint Peter that he should express nor by the least touch intimate no special consideration for his as they tell us ordinary Pastour that he should not consider how lyable such words were to be interpreted in derogation to Saint Peter's due prerogatives But it is no wonder that Saint Paul in Saint Peter's absence should thus stand on his own legs not seeming to mind him whenas in immediate transactions with him he demeaned himself as his fellow yielding to him no respect or deference as to his Superiour For When Saint Paul went to Jerusalem to have conference with Saint Peter and other Apostles who were chief in repute he professeth that they did not confer any thing to him so as to change his opinion or divert him from his ordinary course of practice which was different from theirs this was it seemeth hardly proper or seemly for him to say if Saint Peter had been his Sovereign but he seemeth to say it on very purpose to exclude any prejudice that might arise to his Doctrine from their authority or repute their authority being none over him their repute being impertinent to the case for whatsoever addeth he they were it maketh no matter to me God respecteth no man's person the which might well be said of Persons greater in common esteem but not so well of one who was his Superiour in Office to whose opinion and conduct as of his Judge and Pastour by God's appointment he did owe a special regard Again St. Paul at Antioch observing St. Peter out of fear and policy to act otherwise than became the simplicity and sincerity of Christians to the prejudice of Evangelical Truth Charity and Liberty against his own judgment and former practice drawing others by his pattern into the same unwarrantable course of behaviour did withstand him to the face did openly reprove him before all because he was blameable did as P. Gelasius I. affirmeth to excuse another Pope misbehaving himself worthily confute him did as St. Augustine often doth affirm and urge in proof that greatest Persons may sometimes err and â—ail correct him rebuke him chide him Which behaviour of Saint Paul doth not well consist with the Supposition That Saint Peter was his superiour in Office if that had been Porphyrius with good colour of reason might have objected procacity to Saint Paul in taxing his betters for he then indeed had shewed us no commendable pattern of demeanour toward our Governours in so boldly opposing Saint Peter in so openly censuring him in so smartly confuting him More unseemly also it had been to report the business as he doth in writing to the Galatians for to divulge the miscarriages of Superiours to revive the memory of them to register them and transmit them down to all posterity to set forth our clashing and contests with them is hardly allowable if it may consist with justice and honesty it doth yet little favour of gravity and modesty It would have been more seemly for Saint Paul to have privately and humbly remonstrated to Saint Peter than openly and downrightly to have reprehended him at least it would have become him in cold bloud to have represented his carriage more respectfully consulting the honour of the Universal Pastour whose reputation was like to suffer by such a representation of his proceedings Pope Pelagius II. would have taught Saint Paul better manners who saith that they are not to be approved but reprobated who do reprove or accuse their Prelates and Pope Gregory would have taught him another lesson namely that the evils of their Superiours do so displease good Subjects that however they do conceal them from others and Subjects are to be admonished that they do not rashly judge the life of their Superiours if perhaps they see them doe blameably c. It is plain that Saint Paul was more bold with Saint Peter than any man now must be with the Pope for let the Pope commit never so great crimes yet no mortal saith the Canon Law presume to reprove his faults But if Saint Peter were not in Office
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
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal in honour to Saint Peter as we before shewed The like we declared of St. Hierome St. Cyril c. And as for St. Cyprian who did allow a Primacy to Saint Peter nothing can be more evident than that he took the other Apostles to be equal to him in power and honour The like we may conceive of St. Austin who having carefully perused those Writings of St. Cyprian and frequently alledging them doth never contradict that his sentiment Even Pope Gregory himself acknowledgeth Saint Peter not to have been properly the Head but onely the first member of the universal Church all being members of the Church under one head 6. If Pope Leo I. or any other ancient Pope do seem to mean farther we may reasonably except against their Opinion as being singular and proceeding from partial affection to their See such affection having influence on the mind of the wisest men according to that certain maxime of Aristotle every man is a bad Judge in his own case 7. The Ancients when their subject doth allure them do adorn other Apostles with the like titles equalling those of Saint Peter and not well consistent with them according to that rigour of sense which our adversaries affix to the commendations of Saint Peter The Epistle of Clemens Rom. to Saint James an Apocryphal but ancient Writing calleth St. James our Lord's Brother The Bishop of Bishops the Clementine Recognitions call him the Prince of Bishops Ruffinus in his translation of Eusebius The Bishop of the Apostles St. Chrysost. saith of him that he did preside over all the Jewish believers Hesychius Presbyter of Jerusalem calleth him the chief Captain of the New Jerusalem the Captain of Priests the Prince of the Apostles the top among the Heads c. The same Hesychius calleth Saint Andrew the first-born of the Apostolical Choire the first setled pillar of the Church the Peter before Peter the foundation of the foundation the first-fruits of the beginning c. St. Chrysostome saith of Saint John that he was a pillar of the Churches through the world he that had the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven c. But as occasion of speaking about Saint Paul was more frequent so the elogies of him are more copious and indeed so high as not to yield to those of Saint Peter He was saith St. Chrysostome the ringleader and guardian of the Choire of all the Saints He was the tongue the teacher the Apostle of the world He had the whole world put into his hands and took care thereof and had committed to him all men dwelling upon Earth He was the light of the Churches the foundation of Faith the pillar and ground of Truth He had the patronage of the World committed into his hands He was better than all men greater than the Apostles and surpassing them all Nothing was more bright nothing more illustrious than he None was greater than he yea none equal to him Pope Gregory I. saith of Saint Paul that he was made head of the Nations because he obtained the principate of the whole Church These Characters of Saint Paul I leave them to interpret and reconcile with those of Saint Peter 8. That the Fathers by calling Saint Peter Prince Chieftain c. of the Apostles do not mean Authority over them may be argued from their joining Saint Paul with him in the same appellations who yet surely could have no Jurisdiction over them and his having any would destroy the pretended Ecclesiastical Monarchy St. Cyril calleth them together Patrons or Presidents of the Church St. Austin or St. Ambr. or Max. calleth them Princes of the Churches The Popes Agatho and Adrian in their General Synods call them the ring-leading Apostles The Popes Nicholas I. and Gregory VII c. call them Princes of the Apostles St. Ambrose or St. Austin or St. Maximus Taur chuse you which doth thus speak of them Blessed Peter and Paul are most eminent among all the Apostles excelling the rest by a kind of peculiar prerogative but whether of these two be preferred before the other is uncertain for I count them to be equal in merit because they are equal in suffering c. To all this discourse I shall onely adde that if any of the Apostles or Apostolical men might claim a presidency or authoritative headship over the rest Saint James seemeth to have the best title thereto for Jerusalem was the mother of all Churches the fountain of the Christian Law and Doctrine the See of our Lord himself the chief Pastour He therefore who as the Fathers tell us was by our Lord himself constituted Bishop of that City and the first of all Bishops might best pretend to be in special manner our Lord's Vicar or Successour He saith Epiphanius did first receive the Episcopal Chair and to him our Lord first did entrust his own Throne upon Earth He accordingly did first exercise the Authority of presiding and moderating in the first Ecclesiastical Synod as St. Chrysostome in his Notes thereon doth remark He therefore probably by Saint Paul is first named in his report concerning the passages at Hierusalem and to his orders it seemeth that Saint Peter himself did conform for 't is said there that before certain came from Saint James he did eat with the Gentiles but when they were come he withdrew Hence in the Apostolical Constitutions in the Prayer prescribed for the Church and for all the Governours of it the Bishops of the principal Churches being specified by name Saint James is put in the first place before the Bishops of Rome and of Antioch Let us pray for the whole Episcopacy under Heaven of those who rightly dispense the word of thy Truth and let us pray for our Bishop James with all his Parishes let us pray for our Bishop Clemens and all his Parishes let us pray for Evodius and all his Parishes Hereto consenteth the Tradition of those ancient Writers afore cited who call Saint James the Bishop of Bishops the Bishop of the Apostles c. SUPPOSITION II. I proceed to examine the next Supposition of the Church Monarchists which is That Saint Peter's Primacy with its Rights and Prerogatives was not personal but derivable to his Successours AGainst which Supposition I do assert that admitting a Primacy of Saint Peter of what kind or to what purpose soever we yet have reason to deem it merely personal and not according to its grounds and its design communicable to any Successours nor indeed in effect conveyed to any such It is a rule in the Canon Law that a personal Privilege doth follow the Person and is extinguished with the Person and such we affirm that of St. Peter for 1. His Primacy was grounded upon personal acts such as his chearfull following of Christ his faithfull confessing of Christ his resolute adherence to Christ his embracing
should sit above the Pope as in the pride of his heart he might perhaps offer to do I cannot forbear to note what an ill conceit Bellarmine had of Leo I. and other Popes that they did forbear coming at Synods out of this villainous pride and haughtiness 15. One would admire that Constantine if he had smelt this Doctrine or any thing like it in Christianity should be so ready to embrace it or that so many Emperours should in those times do so some Princes then probably being jealous of their honour and unwilling to admit any Superiour to them It is at least much that Emperours should with so much indulgence foster and cherish Popes being their so dangerous rivals for dignity and that it should be true which Pope Nicholas doth affirm that the Emperours had extolled the Roman See with divers privileges had enriched it with gifts had enlarged it with benefits had done I know not how many things more for it surely they were bewitched thus to advance their concurrent Competitour for Honour and Power one who pretended to be a better man than themselves Bellarmine in his Apology against King James saith that the Pope was vellet nollet constrained to be subject to the Emperours because his Power was not known to them it was well it was not but how could it be concealed from them if it were a Doctrine commonly avowed by Christians it is hard keeping so practical a Doctrine from breaking forth into light But to leave this consideration Farthermore We have divers ancient Writings the special nature matter scope whereof did require or greatly invite giving attestation to this Power if such an one had been known and allowed in those times which yet do afford no countenance but rather much prejudice thereto 16. The Apostolical Canons and the Constitutions of Clement which describe the state of the Church with its Laws Customs and Practices current in the times of those who compiled them which times are not certain but ancient and the less ancient the more it is to our purpose wherein especially the Ranks Duties and Privileges of all Ecclesiastical Persons are declared or prescribed do not yet touch the Prerogatives of this Universal Head or the special respects due to him nor mention any Laws or Constitutions framed by him Which is no less strange than that there should be a Body of Laws or description of the state of any Kingdom wherein nothing should be said concerning the King or the Royal Authority It is not so in our modern Canon-law wherein the Pope doth make utramque paginam we reade little beside his Authority and Decrees made by it The Apostolical Canons particularly do prescribe that the Bishops of each Nation should know him that is first among them and should esteem him the Head and should doe nothing considerable or extraordinary without his advice as also that each one of those Head-bishops should onely meddle with those affairs which concerned his own precinct and the places under it also that no such Primate should doe any thing without the opinion of all that so there may be concord Now what place could be more opportune to mention the Pope's Sovereign Power how could the Canonist without strange neglect pass it over doth he not indeed exclude it assigning the Supreme disposal without farther resort of all things to the arbitration of the whole body of Pastours and placing the maintenance of concord in that course 17. So also the Old Writer under the name of Dionysius the Areopagite treating in several places about the degrees of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy was monstrously overseen in omitting the Sovereign thereof In the fifth Chapter of his Ecclesiastical Hierarchy he professeth carefully to speak of those Orders but hath not a word of this supereminent rank but averreth Episcopacy to be the first and highest of divine Orders in which the Hierarchy is consummated and in his Epistle to Demophilus there is a remarkable place wherein he could hardly have avoided touching the Pope had there been then one in such vogue as now for advising that Monk to gentleness and observance toward his Superiours he thus speaketh Let passion and reason be governed by you but you by the holy Deacons and these by the Priests and the Priests by the Bishops and the Bishops by the Apostles or by their Successours that is saith Maximus those which we now call Patriarchs and if perhaps any one of them shall fail of his duty let him be corrected by those holy persons who are co-ordinate to him why not in this case let him be corrected by the Pope his Superiour but he knew none of an Order superiour to the Apostles Successours 18. Likewise Ignatius in many Epistles frequently describeth the several Ranks of the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy extolleth their Dignity and Authority to the highest pitch mightily urgeth the respect due to them yet never doth he so much as mention or touch this Sovereign degree wherein the Majesty of the Clergy did chiefly shine In his very Epistle to the Romans he doth not yield any deference to their Bishop nor indeed doth so much as take notice of him is it not strange he should so little mind the Sovereign of the Church or was it for a sly reason because being Bishop of Antioch he had a pique to his brother Jacob who had supplanted him and got away his birthright The counterfeiter therefore of Ignatius did well personate him when he saith that in the Church there is nothing greater than a Bishop and that a Bishop is beyond all rule and authority for in the time of Ignatius there was no domineering Pope over all Bishops 19. We have some Letters of Popes though not many for Popes were then not very scribacious or not so pragmatical whence to supply that defect lest Popes should seem not able to write or to have slept almost 400 years they have forged divers for them and those so wise ones that we who love the memory of those good Popes disdain to acknowledge them Authours of such idle stuff we have yet some Letters of and to Popes to and from divers eminent Persons in the Church wherein the former do not assume nor the latter ascribe any such power the Popes do not express themselves like Sovereigns nor the Bishops address themselves like Subjects but they treat one another in a familiar way like brethren and equals this is so true that it is a good mark of a spurious Epistle whereof we have good store devised by colloguing Knaves and fathered on the first Popes when any of them talketh in an imperious strain or arrogateth such a Power to himself 20. Clemens Bishop of Rome in the Apostolical times unto the Church of Corinth then engaged in discords and factions wherein the Clergy was much affronted divers Presbyters who had well and worthily behaved themselves were ejected from their Office in a seditious manner did write a very
had been then as commonly known and avowed 23. Whereas divers of the Fathers purposely do treat on methods of confuting Hereticks it is strange they should be so blind or dull as not to hit on this most proper and obvious way of referring debates to the decision of him to whose Office of Universal Pastour and Judge it did belong Particularly one would wonder at Vincentius Lirinensis that he on set purpose with great care discoursing about the means of setling points of Faith and of overthrowing Heresies should not light upon this notable way by having recourse to the Pope's Magisterial sentence yea that indeed he should exclude it for he after most intent study and diligent inquiry consulting the best and wisest men could find but two ways of doing it I saith he did always and from almost every one receive this answer that if either I or any other would find out the frauds and avoid the snares of up-start Hereticks and continue sound and upright in the true Faith he should guard and strengthen his Faith God helping him by these two means viz. First by the Authority of the Divine Law and then by the Tradition of the Catholick Church And again We before have said that this hath always been and is at present the custome of Catholicks that they prove their Faith by these two ways First by Authority of the Divine Canon then by the Tradition of the Vniversal Church Is it not strange that he especially being a Western man living in those parts where the Pope had got much sway and who doth express great reverence to the Apostolick See should omit that way of determining points which of all according to the modern conceits about the Pope is most ready and most sure 24. In like manner Tertullian professeth the Catholicks in his time to use such compendious methods of confuting Hereticks We saith he when we would dispatch against Hereticks for the Faith of the Gospel do commonly use these short ways which do maintain both the order of times prescribing against the lateness of impostours and the Authority of the Churches patronizing Apostolical tradition but why did he skip over a more compendious way than any of those namely standing to the judgment of the Roman Bishop 25. It is true that both he and St. Irenaeus before him disputing against the Hereticks of their times who had introduced pernicious novelties of their own devising when they alledge the general consent of Churches planted by the Apostles and propagated by continual successions of Bishops from those whom the Apostles did ordain in doctrines and practices opposite to those devices as a good argument and so indeed it then was next to a demonstration against them do produce the Roman Church as a principal one among them upon several obvious accounts And this indeed argueth the Roman Church to have been then one competent witness or credible retainer of tradition as also were the other Apostolical Churches to whose Testimony they likewise appeal but what is this to the Roman Bishop's judicial Power in such cases why do they not urge that in plain terms they would certainly have done so if they had known it and thought it of any validity Do but mark their words involving the force of their argumentation When saith Irenaeus we do again after allegation of Scripture appeal to that tradition which is from the Apostles which by successions of Presbyters is preserved in the Churches and That saith Tertullian will appear to have been delivered by the Apostles which hath been kept as holy in the Apostolical Churches let us see what milk the Corinthians did draw from Paul what the Philippians the Thessalonians the Ephesians do reade what also the Romans our nearer neighbours do say to whom both Peter and Paul did leave the Gospel sealed with their Bloud we have also the Churches nursed by John c. Again It is therefore manifest saith he in his Prescriptions against Hereticks that every doctrine which doth conspire with those Apostolical Churches in which the Faith originally was planted is to be accounted true as undoubtedly holding that which the Churches did receive from the Apostles the Apostles from Christ and Christ from God but all other doctrine is to be prejudged false which doth think against the truth of the Churches and of the Apostles and of Christ and of God their argumentation then in short is plainly this that the conspiring of the Churches in doctrines contrary to those which the Hereticks vented did irrefragably signifie those doctrines to be Apostolical which discourse doth no-wise favour the Roman pretences but indeed if we do weigh it is very prejudicial thereto it thereby appearing that Christian Doctrines then in the canvasing of points and assuring tradition had no peculiar regard to the Roman Churche's testimonies no deference at all to the Roman Bishop's Authority not otherwise at least than to the Authority of one single Bishop yielding attestation to tradition 26. It is odd that even old Popes themselves in elaborate tracts disputing against Hereticks as Pope Celestine against Nestorius and Pelagius Pope Leo against Eutyches do content themselves to urge testimonies of Scripture and arguments grounded thereon not alledging their own definitive Authority or using this parlous argumentation I the Supreme Doctour of the Church and Judge of controversies do assert thus and therefore you are obliged to submit your assent 27. It is matter of amazement if the Pope were such as they would have him to be that in so many bulky Volumes of ancient Fathers living through many ages after Christ in those vast treasuries of learning and knowledge wherein all sorts of truth are displayed all sorts of duty are pressed this momentous point of doctrine and practice should nowhere be expressed in clear and peremptory terms I speak so for that by wresting words by impertinent application by streining consequences the most ridiculous positions imaginable may be deduced from their Writings It is strange that somewhere or other at least incidentally in their Commentaries upon the Scripture wherein many places concerning the Church and its Hierarchy do invite to speak of the Pope in their Treatises about the Priesthood about the Unity and Peace of the Church about Heresie and Schism in their Epistles concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs in their Historical narrations about occurrences in the Church in their concertations with heterodox adversaries they should not frequently touch it they should not sometimes largely dwell upon it Is it not marvellous that Origen St. Hilary St. Cyril St. Chrysostome St. Hierome St. Austin in their Commentaries and Tractates upon those places of Scripture Tu es Petrus Pasce oves whereon they now build the Papal Authority should be so dull and drowsie as not to say a word concerning the Pope That St. Austin in his so many elaborate Tractates against the Donatists wherein he discourseth so prolixly about the Church its Unity Communion
bulk whereas so long ago when it was but in its budd and stripling age it was observed of it by a very honest Historian that the Roman Episcopacy had long since advanced into a high degree of power beyond the Priesthood 3. This pretence doth thwart the Scripture by destroying that brotherly co-ordination and equality which our Lord did appoint among the Bishops and chief Pastours of his Church He did as we before shewed prohibit all his Apostles to assume any domination or authoritative Superiority over one another the which command together with others concerning the Pastoral function we may well suppose to reach their Successours so did St. Hierome suppose collecting thence that all Bishops by original Institution are equals or that no one by our Lord's order may challenge Superiority over another Whereever saith he a Bishop is 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 power of wealth or lowness of poverty do not make a Bishop higher or lower but all are Successours of the Apostles where doth not he plainly deny the Bishop of Eugubium to be inferiour to him of Rome as being no less a Successour of the Apostles than he doth he not say these words in way of proof that the authority of the Roman Bishop or Church was of no validity against the practice of other Bishops and Churches upon occasion of Deacons there taking upon them more than in other places as Cardinal Deacons do now which excludeth such distinctions as Scholastical fancies have devised to shift off his Testimony the which he uttered simply never dreaming of such distinctions This consequence St. Gregory did suppose when he therefore did condemn the Title of Vniversal Bishop because it did imply an affectation of Superiority and dignity in one Bishop above others of abasing the name of other Bishops in comparison of his own of extolling himself above the rest of Priests c. This the ancient Popes did remember when usually in their compellation of any Bishop they did style them Brethren Collegues fellow-Ministers fellow-Bishops not intending thereby complement or mockery but to declare their sense of the original equality among Bishops notwithstanding some differences in Order and Privileges which their See had obtained And that this was the general sense of the Fathers we shall afterward shew Hence when it was objected to them that they did affect Superiority they did sometimes disclaim it so did Pope Gelasius I. a zealous man for the honour of his See 4. This pretence doth thwart the Holy Scripture not onely by trampling down the dignity of Bishops which according to St. Gregory doth imply great pride and presumption but as really infringing the Rights granted by our Lord to his Church and the Governours of it For to each Church our Lord hath imposed a Duty and imparted a Power of maintaining divine Truth and so approving it self a pillar and support of truth of deciding Controversies possible and proper to be decided with due temper ultimately without farther resort for that he who will not obey or acquiesce in its Decision is to be as a heathen or publican Of censuring and rejecting Offenders in Doctrine or Demeanour Those within saith Saint Paul to the Church of Corinth do not ye judge But them that are without God judgeth wherefore put away from among your selves that wicked person Of preserving Order and Decency according to that Rule prescribed to the Church of Corinth let all things be done decently and in order Of promoting edification Of deciding Causes All which Rights and Privileges the Roman Bishop doth bereave the Churches of snatching them to himself pretending that he is the Sovereign Doctour Judge Regulatour of all Churches over-ruling and voiding all that is done by them according to his pleasure The Scripture hath enjoyned and empowered all Bishops to feed guide and rule their respective Churches as the Ministers Stewards Ambassadours Angels of God for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministery for the edification of the Body of Christ To them God hath committed the care of their People so that they are responsible for their Souls All which Rights and Privileges of the Episcopal Office the Pope hath invaded doth obstruct cramp frustrate destroy pretending without any warrant that their Authority is derived from him forcing them to exercise it no otherwise than as his Subjects and according to his pleasure But of this Point more afterward 5. This pretence doth thwart the Scripture by robbing all Christian People of the Liberties and Rights with which by that Divine Charter they are endowed and which they are obliged to preserve inviolate Saint Paul enjoyneth the Galatians to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free and not to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage there is therefore a liberty which we must maintain and a power to which we must not submit and against whom can we have more ground to doe this than against him who pretendeth to dogmatize to define Points of Faith to impose Doctrines new and strange enough on our Consciences under a peremptory obligation of yielding assent to them to prescribe Laws as Divine and necessary to be observed without warrant as those Dogmatists did against whom Saint Paul biddeth us to maintain our Liberty so that if he should declare vertue to be vice and white to be black we must believe him some of his Adherents have said consistently enough with his pretences for Against such tyrannical Invaders we are bound to maintain our Liberty according to that Precept of Saint Paul the which if a Pope might well alledge against the proceedings of a General Synod with much more reason may we thereby justify our non-submission to one man's exorbitant domination This is a Power which the Apostles themselves did not challenge to themselves for We saith Saint Paul have not dominion over your faith but are helpers of your joy They did not pretend that any Christian should absolutely believe them in cases wherein they had not Revelation general or special from God in such cases referring their Opinion to the judgment and discretion of Christians They say Though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed If any man c. which Precept with many others of the like purport injoyning us to examine the truth to adhere unto the received Doctrine to decline heterodoxies and novelties doth signify nothing if every Christian hath not allowed to him a judgment of discretion but is tyed blindly to follow the dictates of another St. Austin I am sure did think this liberty such that without betraying it no man could be obliged to believe any thing not grounded upon Canonical Authority for
Have they not challenged propriety in both Swords Ecce duo Gladii How many Princes have they pretended to depose and dispossess of their Authority Consider the Pragmatical Sanctions Provisors Compositions Concordats c. which Princes have been forced to make against them or with them to secure their Interest Many good Princes have been forced to oppose them as Henry the Second of England King Lewis the Twelfth of France that Just Prince Pater Patriae Perdam Babylonis nomen How often have they used this as a pretence of raising and fomenting Wars confiding in their Spiritual Arms interdicting Princes that would not comply with their designs for advancing the interests not onely of their See but of their private Families Bodin observeth that Pope Nicholas I. was the first who excommunicated Princes Platina doth mention some before him But it is remarkable that although Pope Leo I. a high spirited Pope Fortissimus Leo as Liberatus calleth him was highly provoked against Theodosius Junior Pope Gelasius and divers of his Predecessours and Followers Pope Gregory II. against Leo Vigilius against Justinian c. yet none of them did presume to excommunicate the Emperours All these dealings are the natural result of this Pretence and supposing it well grounded are capable of a plausible justification for is it not fit seeing one must yield that Temporal should yield to Spiritual Indeed granting the Papal Supremacy in Spirituals I conceive the high flying Zelots of the Roman Church who subject all Temporal Powers to them have great reason on their side for co-ordinate Power cannot subsist and it would be onely an eternal Seminary of perpetual discords The quarrel cannot otherwise be well composed than by wholly disclaiming the fictitious and usurped power of the Pope for Two such Powers so inconsistent and cross to each other so apt to interfere and consequently to breed everlasting mischiefs to mankind between them could not be instituted by God He would not appoint two different Vicegerents in his Kingdom at the same time But it is plain that he hath instituted the civil Power and endowed it with a Sword That Princes are his Lieutenants That in the ancient times the Popes did not claim such Authority but avowed themselves Subjects to Princes 9. Consequently this Pretence is apt to engage Christian Princes against Christianity for they will not endure to be crossed to be depressed to be trampled on This Popes often have complained of not considering it was their own insolence that caused it 10. Whereas now Christendom is split into many parcels subject to divers civil Sovereignties it is expedient that correspondently there should be distinct Ecclesiastical Governments independent of each other which may comply with the respective civil Authorities in promoting the good and peace both of Church and State It is fit that every Prince should in all things govern all his Subjects and none should be exempted from subordination to his Authority As Philosophers and Physicians of the Body so Priests and Physicians of the Soul not in exercising their Function but in taking care that they do exercise it duly for the honour of God and in consistence with publick good otherwise many grievous inconveniences must ensue It is of perillous consequence that foreigners should have authoritative influence upon the Subjects of any Prince or have a power to intermeddle in affairs Princes have a natural Right to determine with whom their Subjects shall have intercourse which is inconsistent with a Right of foreigners to govern or judge them in any case without their leave Every Prince is obliged to employ the power entrusted to him to the furtherance of God's Service and encouragement of all good works as a Supreme power without being liable to obstruction from any other power It would irritate his power if another should be beyond his coercion It is observable that the Pope by intermeddling in the affairs of Kingdoms did so wind himself into them as to get a pretence to be Master of each Princes being his Vassals and Feudatories 11. Such an Authority is needless and useless it not serving the ends which it pretendeth and they being better compassed without it It pretendeth to maintain Truth but indeed it is more apt to oppress it Truth is rather as St. Cyprian wisely observeth preserved by the multitude of Bishops whereof some will be ready to relieve it when assaulted by others Truth cannot be supported merely by humane Authority especially that Authority is to be suspected which pretendeth dominion over our minds What Controversie being doubtfull in it self will not after his Decision continue doubtfull his Sentence may be eluded by interpretation as well as other Testimonies or Authorities The opinion of a man's great wisedom or skill may be the ground of assent in defect of other more cogent Arguments but Authority of Name or Dignity is not proper to convince a man's understanding Men obey but not believe Princes more than others if not more learned than others It pretendeth to maintain Order but how by introducing Slavery by destroying all Rights by multiplying Disorders by hindring Order to be quietly administred in each Countrey It pretendeth to be the onely means of Unity and Concord in Opinion by determining Controversies which its Advocates affirm necessary But how can that be necessary which never was de facto not even in the Roman Church Hath the Pope effected this do all his followers agree in all points do they agree about his Authority Do not they differ and dispute about infinity of questions Are all the points frivolous about which their Divines and Schoolmen dispute Why did not the Council of Trent it self without more adoe and keeping such a disputing refer all to his Oracular Decision Necessary points may and will by all honest people be known and determined without him by the clear Testimony of Scripture by consent of Fathers by General Tradition And other points need not to be determined That he may be capable of that Office he must be believed appointed by God thereto which is a question it self to be decided without him to satisfaction His power is apt no otherwise to knock down Controversies than by depressing Truth not suffering any Truth to be asserted which doth not favour its Interests Concord was maintained and Controversies decided without them in the ancient Church in Synods wherein he was not the sole Judge nor had observable influence The Fathers did not think such Authority needfull otherwise they would have made more use of it A more ready way to define Controversies is for every one not to prescribe to others or to prosecute for then men would more calmly see the Truth and consent It pretendeth to maintain Peace and Unity But nothing hath raised more fierce Dissentions or so many bloudy Wars in Christendom as it It is apt by tyrannical administration to become intolerable and so to break the
immediately subjected to his Patriarchal Jurisdiction Pope Nicholas I. doth very jocularly expound this Canon affirming that by the Primate of the Diocese is understood the Pope Diocese being put by a notable figure for Dioceses and that an appeal is to be made to the Bishop of Constantinople onely by permission in case the Party will be content therewith We may note that some Provincial Churches were by ancient custome exempted from dependence on any Primacy or Patriarchate Such an one the Cyprian Church was adjudged to be in the Ephesine Synod wherein the privileges of such Churches were confirmed against the invasion of greater Churches and to that purpose this general Law enacted Let the same be observ'd in all Dioceses and Provinces every where that none of the Bishops most beloved of God invade another Province which did not formerly belong to him or his Predecessours and if any one have invaded one and violently seiz'd it that he restore it Such a Church was that of Britain anciently before Austin did introduce the Papal Authority here against that Canon as by divers learned Pens hath been shewed Such was the Church of Africk as by their Canons against transmarine appeals and about all other matters doth appear It is supposed by some that Discipline was scrued yet one peg higher by setting up the Order of Patriarchs higher than Primates or Diocesan Exarchs but I find no ground of this supposal except in one case that is of the Bishop of Constantinople being set above the Bishops of Ephesus Caesarea and Heraclea which were the Primates of the three Dioceses It is a notable fib which Pope Nicholas II. telleth as Gratian citeth him That the Church of Rome instituted all Patriarchal Supremacies all Metropolitan Primacies Episcopal Sees all Ecclesiastical Orders and Dignities whatsoever Now things standing thus in Christendom we may concerning the interest of the Roman Bishop in reference to them observe 1. In all these transactions about modelling the spiritual Discipline there was no Canon established any peculiar Jurisdiction to the Bishop of Rome onely the 2. Synod of Nice did suppose that he by custome did enjoy some Authority within certain precincts of the West like to that which it did confirm to the Bishop of Alexandria in Egypt and the Countries adjacent thereto 3. The Synods of Constantinople did allow him honourary privileges or precedence before all other Bishops assigning the next place after him to the Bishop of Constantinople 4. In other privileges the Synod of Chalcedon did equall the See of Constantinople to the Roman 5. The Canons of the two First and Fourth General Synods ordering all affairs to be dispatched and causes to be determined in Metropolitan or Diocesan Synods do exclude the Roman Bishop from meddling in those concerns 6. The Popes out of a humour natural to them to like nothing but what they did themselves and which served their Interests did not relish those Canons although enacted by Synods which themselves admitted for Oecumenical That subscription of some Bishops made above sixty years since as you boast does no whit favour your persuasion a subscription never transmitted to the knowledge of the Apostolick See by your Predecessours which from its very beginning being weak and long since ruinous you endeavour now too late and unprofitably to revive So doth Pope Leo I. treat the Second Great Synod writing to Anatolius and Gregory speaking of the same says That the Roman Church has not the acts of that Synod nor receiv'd its Canons 7. Wherefore in the West they did obtain no effect so as to establish Diocesan Primacies there The Bishops of Cities which were Heads of Dioceses either did not know of these Canons which is probable because Rome did smother the notice of them or were hindred from using them the Pope having so winded himself in and got such hold among them as he would not let go 8. It indeed turned to a great advantage of the Pope in carrying on his Encroachments and enlarging his worldly Interests that the Western Churches did not as the Eastern conform themselves to the Political frame in embracing Diocesan Primacies which would have engaged and enabled them better to protect the Liberties of their Churches from Papal Invasions 9. For hence for want of a better the Pope did claim to himself a Patriarchal authority over the Western Churches pretending a right of calling to Synods of meddling in Ordinations of determining Causes by appeal to him of dictating Laws and Rules to them against the old rights of Metropolitans and the later Constitutions for Primacies Of this we have an Instance in St. Gregory where he alledging an Imperial Constitution importing that in case a Clergy-man should appeal from his Metropolitan the cause should be referred to the Archbishop and Patriarch of that Diocese who judging according to the Canons and Laws should give an end thereto doth consequentially assume an appeal from a Bishop to himself adjoyning If against these things it be said that the Bishop had neither Metropolitan nor Patriarch it is to be said that this cause was to be heard and decided by the Apostolical See which is the head of all Churches 10. Having got such advantage and as to extent stretched his Authority beyond the bounds of his sub-urbicarian precincts he did also intend it in quality far beyond the privileges by any Ecclesiastical Law granted to Patriarchs or claimed or exercised by any other Patriarch till at length by degrees he had advanced it to an exorbitant omnipotency and thereby utterly enslaved the Western Churches The ancient Order did allow a Patriarch or Primate to call a Synod of the Bishops in his Diocese and with them to determine Ecclesiastical Affairs by majority of suffrages but he doth not doe so but setting himself down in his Chair with a few of his Courtiers about him doth make Decrees and Dictates to which he pretendeth all must submit The ancient Order did allow a Patriarch to ordain Metropolitans duly elected in their Dioceses leaving Bishops to be ordained by the Metropolitans in their Provincial Synods but he will meddle in the Ordination of every Bishop suffering none to be constituted without his confirmation for which he must soundly pay The ancient Order did allow a Patriarch with the advice and consent of his Synod to make Canons for the well ordering his Diocese but he sendeth about his Decretal Letters composed by an infallible Secretary which he pretendeth must have the force of Laws equal to the highest Decrees of the whole Church The ancient Order did suppose Bishops by their Ordination sufficiently obliged to render unto their Patriarch due observance according to the Canons he being liable to be judged in a Synod for the transgression of his duty but he forceth all Bishops to take the most slavish oaths of obedience to him that can be imagined The ancient Order did appoint that Bishops accused for
be derogated from persons dying in the peace and communion of the universal Church by his condemning that perverse opinion Yet did the Synod in smart terms reflecting on the Pope and giving him the lie not regarding his opinion or authority decree that persons deceased were liable to be anathematized they did anathematize Theodorus they did expresly condemn each of the Chapters they threatned deposition or excommunication on whoever should oppose their Constitutions they anathematize whoever doth not anathematize Theodorus But Pope Vigilius did refuse to approve their Doctrine and Sentence and therefore which was the case of many other Bishops as Baronius himself doth confess and argue was driven into banishment wherein he did expire Yet posterity hath embraced this Synod as a legitimate and valid General Synod and the Popes following did profess the highest reverence thereto equally with the preceding General Synods so little necessary is the Pope's consent or concurrence to the validity of Synodical definitions Upon this Baronius hath an admirable reflexion Here stay saith he O Reader and consider the matter attently Ay do so I pray That it is no new thing that some Synod in which the Pope was not even present by his Legates but did oppose it should yet obtain the title of an Oecumenical Synod whenas afterward the Pope's will did come in that it should obtain such a title So in the opinion of this Doctour the Pope can easily change the nature of things and make that become a General Synod which once was none yea which as it was held did not deserve the name of any Synod at all O the virtue of Papal Magick or rather O the Impudence of Papal Advocates The Canons of the sixth General Council exhibited by the Trullane or Quinisext Synod clearly and expresly do condemn several Doctrines and Practices of Rome I ask whether the Pope did confirm them they will to be sure as they are concerned to do answer No and indeed Pope Sergius as Anastasius in his Life reporteth did refuse them yet did they pass for legitimate in the whole Church for in their general Synod the second Nicene without contradiction one of them is alledged out of the very original paper wherein the Fathers had subscribed as a Canon of the Holy General Sixth Synod and avowed for such by the Patriarch Tarasius both in way of argument of defence and of profession in his Synodical Epistle to the Patriarchs where he saith that together with the divine doctrines of the Sixth Synod he doth also embrace the Canons enacted by it of which Epistle Pope Adrian in his Answer thereto doth recite a part containing those words and applaud it for Orthodox signifying no offence at his embracing the Trullane Canons And all those 102 Canons are again avowed by the Synod in their Antithesis to the Synod of Constantinople In fine if we believe Anastasius Pope John VII did being timorous out of humane frailty direct these Canons without amendment by two Metropolites to the Emperour that is he did admit them so as they stand But it may be instanced that divers Synods have asked the Popes consent for ratification of their Decrees and Acts. So the Fathers of the Second General Synod having in an Episstle to Pope Damasus and the Western Bishops declared what Constitutions they had made in the close speak thus In which things being legally and canonically settled by us we do exhort your reverence to acquiesce out of spiritual charity and fear of the Lord So the Synod of Chalcedon did with much respect ask from Pope Leo the confirmation of its Sanctions That you may know how that we have done nothing for favour or out of spite but as guided by the divine direction we have made known to you the force of all that has been done for your concurrence and for the confirmation and approbation of the things done Of the Fifth Synod Pope Leo II. saith that he agrees to what was determin'd in it and confirms it with the authority of the Blessed Saint Peter To these allegations we reply That it was indeed the manner of all Synods for notification of things and promulgation of their Orders for demonstration and maintenance of concord for adding weight and authority to their determinations for engaging all Bishops to a willing complyance in observing them for attestation to the common interest of all Bishops in the Christian truth and in the governance and edification of the Church having framed Decrees concerning the publick State to demand in fairest terms the consent to them of all Catholick Bishops who were absent from them to be attested by their subscription So did Constantine recommend the Nicene Decrees to all Bishops undertaking that they would assent to them So more expresly the Synod of Sardica in their Epistle to all Bishops of the Catholick Church Do ye also our brethren and fellow-ministers the more use diligence as being present in spirit with our Synod to yield consent by your subscription that concord may be preserved every where by all the fellow-ministers So did Pope Liberius request of the Emperour Constantius that the faith delivered at Nice might be confirmed by the subscription of all Bishops So did Athanasius procure a Synod at Alexandria to confirm the Decrees at Sardica and in Palestine concerning him So the Macedonian Bishops are said to have authorized their Agents to ratifie the faith of Consubstantiality Many such Instances occur in story by which it may appear that the Decrees of Synods concerning Faith or concerning any matters of common interest were presented to all Bishops and their consent requested or required because say the Roman Clergy in Saint Cyprian a decree cannot be firm which has not the consent of many Whence it is no wonder if any Synods did thus proceed toward so eminent a Bishop as was he of Rome that they should endeavour to give him satisfaction that they should desire to receive satisfaction from him of his conspiring with them in Faith of his willingness to comply in observing good Rules of Discipline that as every vote had force so the suffrage of one in so great dignity and reputation might adjoin some regard to their judgment The Pope's confirmation of Synods what was it in effect but a declaration of his approbation and assent the which did confirm by addition of Suffrage as those who were present by their Vote and those who were absent by their Subscription are said to confirm the Decrees of Councils every such consent being supposed to encrease the authority whence the number of Bishops is sometimes reckoned according to the subscriptions of Bishops absent as the Council of Sardica is sometimes related to consist of three hundred Bishops although not two hundred were present the rest concurring by subscription to its definitions Other Bishops in yielding their suffrage do
Bishop might alledge all having a like right and common interest to Vote in those Assemblies 3. Accordingly the dissent of other Bishops particularly of those eminent in dignity or merit is also alledged in exception which had been needless if his alone dissent had been of so very peculiar force 4. The Emperour and many other Bishops did not know of any peculiar necessity of his confirmation Again it may be objected that Popes have voided the Decrees of General Synods as did Pope Leo the Decrees of the Synod of Chalcedon concerning the Privileges of the Constantinopolitan See in these blunt words But the agreements of Bishops repugnant to the Holy Canons made at Nice your faith and piety joyning with us we make void and by the authority of the Blessed Apostle Saint Peter by a general determination we disanull and in his Epistle to those of that Synod For however vain conceit may arm it self with extorted compliances and think its wilfulness sufficiently strengthened with the name of Councils yet whatever is contrary to the Canons of the above-nam'd fathers will be weak and void Lastly in his Epistle to Maximus Bishop of Antioch he says He has such a reverence for the Nicene Canons that he will not permit or endure that what those holy fathers have determined be by any novelty violated This behaviour of Pope Leo although applauded and imitated by some of his Successours I doubt not to except against in behalf of the Synod that it was disorderly factious and arrogant proceeding indeed from ambition and jealousie the leading act of high presumption in this kind and one of the seeds of that exorbitant ambition which did at length overwhelm the dignity and liberty of the Christian Republick Yet for somewhat qualifying the business it is observable that he did ground his repugnancy and pretended annulling of that Decree or of Decrees concerning Discipline not so much upon his authority to cross General Synods as upon the inviolable firmness and everlasting obligation of the Nicene Canons the which he although against the reason of things and rules of Government did presume no Synod could abrogate or alter In fine this opposition of his did prove ineffectual by the sense and practice of the Church maintaining its ground against his pretence It is an unreasonable thing that the opinion or humour of one man no wiser or better commonly than others should be preferred before the common agreement of his brethren being of the same Office and Order with him so that he should be able to overthrow and frustrate the result of their meetings and consultations when it did not square to his conceit or interest especially seeing there is not the least appearance of any right he hath to such a Privilege grounded in Holy Scripture Tradition or Custom for seeing that Scripture hath not a syllable about General Synods seeing that no Rule about them is extant in any of the first Fathers till after 300 years seeing there was not one such Council celebrated till after that time seeing in none of the First General Synods any such Canon was framed in favour of that Bishop what ground of right could the Pope have to prescribe unto them or thwart their proceedings Far more reason there is in conformity to all former Rules and Practice that he should yield to all his Brethren than that all his Brethren should submit to him and this we see to have been the judgment of the Church declared by its Practice in the cases before touched IV. It is indeed a proper endowment of an absolute Sovereignty immediately and immutably constituted by God with no terms or rules limiting it that its will declared in way of Precept Proclamations concerning the Sanction of Laws the Abrogation of them the Dispensation with them should be observed This Privilege therefore in a high strein the Pope challengeth to himself asserting to his Decrees and Sentences the force and obligation of Laws so that the body of that Canon Law whereby he pretendeth to govern the Church doth in greatest part consist of Papal Edicts or Decretal Epistles imitating the Rescripts of Emperours and bearing the same force In Gratian we have these Aphorisms from Popes concerning this their Privilege No person ought to have either the will or the power to transgress the precepts of the Apostolick See Those things which by the Apostolick See have at several times been written for the Catholick faith for sound doctrines for the various and manifold exigency of the Church and the manners of the faithfull how much rather ought they to be preferr'd in all honour and by all men altogether upon all occasions whatsoever to be reverently received Those Decretal Epistles which most holy Popes have at divers times given out from the City of Rome upon their being consulted with by divers Bishops we decree that they be received with veneration If ye have not the Decrees of the Bishops of Rome ye are to be accused of neglect and carelesness but if ye have them yet observe them not ye are to be chidden and rebuk'd for your temerity All the Sanctions of the Apostolick See are so to be understood as if confirm'd by the voice of Saint Peter himself Because the Roman Church over which by the will of Christ we do preside is proposed for a mirrour and example whatsoever it doth determine whatsoever that doth appoint is perpetually and irrefragably to be observed by all men We who according to the plenitude of our power have a right to dispense above Law or right This See that which it might doe by its sole authority it is often pleased to define by consent of its Priests But this power he doth assume and exercise merely upon Usurpation and unwarrantably having no ground for it in original right or ancient practice Originally the Church hath no other General Law-giver beside our one Lord and one Law-giver As to practice we may observe 1. Anciently before the First General Synod the Church had no other Laws beside the Divine Laws or those which were derived from the Apostles by Traditional custom or those which each Church did enact for it self in Provincial Synods or which were propagated from one Church to another by imitation and compliance or which in like manner were framed and setled Whence according to different Traditions or different reasons and circumstances of things several Churches did vary in points of Order and Discipline The Pope then could not impose his Traditions Laws or Customs upon any Church if he did attempt it he was liable to suffer a repulse as is notorious in the case when Pope Victor would although rather as a Doctour than as a Law-giver have reduced the Churches of Asia to conform with the Roman in the time of celebrating Easter wherein he found not onely stout resistence but sharp reproof In St. Cyprian's time every Bishop had a free power according to his discretion
in their generations accommodating their discourse to the state of times and places 11. It is also to be observed that often the Popes are supposed to speak and constitute things by their own authority which indeed were done by Synods consisting of Western Bishops more closely adhering to that See in regard to those Regions the Decrees of which Synods were binding in those places not so much by virtue of Papal authority as proceeding from the consent of their own Bishops how ready soever He were to assume all to himself pretending those Decrees as precepts of the Apostolical See Whence all the Acts of modern Popes are invalid and do not oblige seeing they do not act in Synod but onely of their own Head or with the advice of a few Partizans about them men linked in common interest with them to domineer over the Church 12. Yet even in the Western Countries in later times their Decrees have been contested when they did seem plainly to clash with the old Canons or much to derogate from the Liberties of Churches nor have there wanted learned Persons in most times who so far as they durst have expressed their dislike of this Usurpation For although the Bishop of Rome be more venerable than the rest that are in the world upon account of the dignity of the Apostolical See yet it is not lawfull for him in any case to transgress the order of Canonical governance for as every Bishop who is of the Orthodox Church and the Spouse of his own See doth intirely represent the Person of our Saviour so generally no Bishop ought pragmatically to act any thing in anothers Diocese 13. In the times of Pope Nicolas I. the Greeks did not admit the Roman Decrees so that Pope in an Epistle to Photius complains that he did not receive the Decrees of the Popes whenas yet they ordained nothing but what the Natural what the Mosaical and what the Law of Grace required And in another Epistle he expostulates with him for saying that they neither had nor did observe the Decrees made by the Holy Popes of the Prime See of the Roman Church 14. That which greatly did advance the Papal Jurisdiction and introduced his Usurpation of obtruding new Decrees on the Church was the venting of the forged Decretal Epistles under the name of Old Popes which when the Pope did alledge for authorizing his practices the French Bishops endeavouring to assert their Privilege did alledge that they were not contained in the whole body of their Canons 15. The power of enacting and dispensing with Ecclesiastical Laws touching extoriour Discipline did of old belong to the Emperour And it was reasonable that it should because old Laws might not conveniently sute with the present state of things and the publick welfare because new Laws might condâ—ce to the good of Church and State the care of which is incumbent on him because the Prince is bound to use his power and authority to promote God's Service the best way of doing which may be by framing Orders conducible thereto Accordingly the Emperours did enact divers Laws concerning Ecclesiastical matters which we see extant in the Codes of Theodosius and Justinian These things saith the Council of Arles we have decreed to be presented to our Lord the Emperour desiring his clemency that if any thing be defective it may be supplied by his prudence if any thing be unreasonable it may be corrected by his judgment if any thing be reasonably ordered it may by his help the Divine Grace assisting be perfected We may observe that Popes did allow the validity of Imperial Laws Pope Gregory I. doth alledge divers Laws of divers Emperours concerning Ecclesiastical affairs as authentick and obligatory Rules of practice 16. Divers Churches had particular rights of independency upon all power without themselves Such as the Church of Cyprus in the Ephesine Synod did claim and obtain the confirmation of Such was the ancient Church of Britain before Austin came into England The Welch Bishops are consecrated by the Bishop of St. Davids and he himself in like manner is ordained by others who are as it were his Suffragans professing no manner subjection to any other Church V. Sovereign power immediately by it self when it pleaseth doth exercise all parts of Jurisdiction setting it self in the Tribunal or mediately doth execute it by others as its Officers or Commissioners Wherefore now the Pope doth claim and exercise Universal Jurisdiction over all the Clergy requiring of them engagements of strict submission and obedience to him demanding that all causes of weight be referred to him citing them to his bar examining and deciding their causes condemning suspending deposing censuring them or acquitting absolving restoring them as he seeth cause or findeth in his heart He doth encourage people to accuse their pastours to him in case any doth infringe his Laws and Orders But in general that originally or anciently the Pope had no such right appropriate to him may appear by arguments by cross instances by the insufficiency of all pleas and examples alledged in favour of this claim For 1. Originally there was not at all among Christians any Jurisdiction like to that which is exercised in Civil Governments and which now the papal Court doth execute For this our Saviour did prohibit and Saint Peter forbad the Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And St. Chrysostome affirmeth the Episcopal power not to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Ecclesiastical History doth inform us that such a Jurisdiction was lately introduced in the Church as by other great Bishops so especially by the Bishop of Rome For saith Socrates from that time the Episcopacy of Alexandria beyond the Sacerdotal Order did assume a domineering power in affairs The which kind of power the Roman Bishops had long before assumed for saith he the Episcopacy of Rome in like manner as that of Alexandria had already a great while agoe gone before in a domineering power beyond that of the Priesthood At first the Episcopal power did onely consist in Paternal admonition and correption of offenders exhorting and persuading them to amendment and in case they contumaciously did persist in disorderly behaviour bringing them before the Congregation and the cause being there heard and proved with its consent imposing such penance or correction on them as seemed needfull for the publick good or their particular benefit All things saith St. Cyprian shall be examin'd you being present and judging And elsewhere according to your divine suffrages according to your pleasure 2. Originally no one Bishop had any Jurisdiction over another or authority to judge his actions as St. Cyprian who well knew the current judgment and practice of his age in many places doth affirm who particularly doth reflect on the Roman Bishop for presuming to censure his brethren who dissented from him Let us all saith he
Church with these words The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Holy Ghost be with you all Amen And let all answer And with thy spirit After which words let him exhort the people Thus it was then in a practice so obvious and observable that a Pagan Emperour took good notice of it and chose to imitate it in constituting the Governours of Provinces and other Officers When saith Lampridius of Alexander Severâ—s he would either give rulers to Provinces or make presidents or ordain procuratours he set up their names exhorting the people if they had any thing against them to prove it by manifest evidence if they could not make their accusation good they were to die for it and he said 't would be hard not to doe that in the choice of Governours of Provinces to whom the lives and fortunes of men were entrusted which the Christians and Jews did in setting up those who were to be ordained Priests Afterward in process of time when the gaps of distance being filled up and Christendom becoming one continued Body Ecclesiastical Discipline was improved into a more complete shape for Constitution of a Bishop all the Bishops of a Province did convene or such as could with convenience the others signifying their mind by writing and having approved him who was recommended by the Clergy and allowed by the people they did ordain him the Metropolitan of the Province ratifying what was done So the Nicene Synod regarding the practice which had commonly obtained did appoint with a qualification to be generally observed It is most fit say they that a Bishop be constituted by all Bishops in the Province but if this be hard either because of urgent necessity or for the length of the way then three of the body being gathered together those also who are absent conspiring in opinion and yielding their consent in writing let the Ordination be performed but let the ratification of what is done be assigned to the Metropolite in each Province In this Canon the which is followed by divers Canons of other Synods there is no express mention concerning the interest of the Clergy and people in election of the Bishops but these things are onely passed over as precedaneous to the Constitution or Ordination about which onely the Fathers did intend to prescribe supposing the election to proceed according to former usual practice That we ought thus to interpret the Canon so that the Fathers did not intend to exclude the people from their choice doth appear from their Synodical Epistle wherein they Decree concerning Bishops constituted by Meletius who returning to communion with the Church did live in any City that If any Catholick Bishop should happen to die then should those who were already received ascend into the honour of him deceased in case they should appear worthy and the people should chuse the Bishop of Alexandria withall adding his suffrage to him and his confirmation the which words with sufficient evidence do interpret the Canon not to concern the Election but the Ordination of Bishops Thus the Fathers of the second General Synod plainly did interpret this Canon by their proceeding for they in their Synodical Epistle to Pope Damasus and the Western Bishops did assure him that they in the Constitution of Bishops for the principal Eastern Sees had followed this Order of the Synod of Nice together with the ancient law of the Church in agreement whereto they had ordained Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople with common consent under the eyes of the most religious Emperour Theodosius and of all the Clergy the whole City adjoining also its suffrage and that for Antioch the Bishops of the Province and of the Eastern Diocese concurring had canonically ordained Flavianus Bishop the whole Church consenting as with one voice to honour the person Indeed the practice generally doth confirm this the People every where continuing to elect their Bishop So did the people of Alexandria demand Athanasius for their Bishop So Pope Julius did complain that Gregory was intruded into the place of Athanasius not being required by the Presbyters not by the Bishops not by the People So Gregory Nazianzene describeth the Elections of Bishops in his times to be carried by the power of wealthy men and impetuousness of the people So Austin intimateth the same in his Speech about designation of a Successour to himself I know says he that after the decease of Bishops the Churches are wont to be disturbed by ambitious and contentious men So the tumults at Antioch in chusing a Bishop after Eustathius at Rome after Liberius at Constantinople after Alexander at Milain when St. Ambrose was chosen So Stephanus Bishop of Ephesus in justification of himself saith Me forty Bishops of Asia by the suffrage of the most noble and of the substantial Citizens and of all the most reverend Clergy and of all the rest of the whole City did Ordain and his Competitour Bassianus Me with great constraint and violence the people and the Clergy and the Bishops did install In the Synod of Chalcedon Eusebius Bishop of Ancyra saith that the whole City of Gangra did come to him bringing their suffrages Posidius telleth us of St. Austin that in ordaining Priests and Clergymen he deemed the greater consent of Christians and the custom of the Church was to be followed So Celestine the First Let no Bishop be given them against their wills let the consent and request of the Clergy the people and the order be expected and Pope Leo the First When there shall be an election of a Bishop let him be preferr'd who has the unanimous consent of the Clergy and people so that if the votes be divided and part for another person let him by the judgment of the Metropolitan be preferr'd whose merits and interest are greatest onely that none may be ordained against their wills or without their desire lest the unwilling people contemn or hate a Bishop whom they never desired and become less religious than they ought because they could not have such a Bishop as they would And in other of his Epistles There is no reason that they should be accounted Bishops who were neither chosen by the Clergy nor desired by the people nor with the Metropolitan's order consecrated by the Provincial Bishops Certainly the desires of the Citizens and the testimonies of the people should have been expected with the judgment of the honourable and the choice of the Clergy which in the Ordinations of Priests use to be observ'd by those who know the rules of the Fathers When peaceably and with such concord as God loves he who is to be a teacher of peace is ordained by the agreement of all Let Priests who are to be ordained be required peaceably and quietly let the subscription of the Clergy the testimony of the honourable the
Theophanius Bishop of Antioch So the Synod of Pisa did constitute Pope Alexander V. that of Constance Pope Martin V. that of Basil Pope Felix V. 7. All Catholick Bishops in old times might and commonly did confirm the Elections and Ordinations of Bishops to the same effect as Popes may be pretended to have done that is by signifying their approbation or satisfaction concerning the orthodoxy of their Faith the attestation of their Manners the legality of their Ordination no canonical Impediment and consequently by admitting them to communion of peace and charity and correspondence in all good Offices which they express by returning 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in answer to their Synodical communicatory Letters Thus did St. Cyprian and all the Bishops of that Age confirm the Ordination of Pope Cornelius being contested by Novatian as St. Cyprian in terms doth affirm When the See of Saint Peter the Sacerdotal Chair was vacant which by the will of God being occupied and by all our consents confirm'd c. to confirm thy Ordination with a greater authority To which purpose each Bishop did write Epistles to other Bishops or at least to those of highest rank acquainting them with his Ordination and enstallment making a profession of his Faith so as to satisfie them of his capacity of the Function 8. But Bishops were complete Bishops before they did give such an account of themselves so that it was not in the power of the Pope or of any others to reverse their Ordination or dispossess them of their places There was no confirmation importing any such matter this is plain and one instance will serve to shew it that of Pope Honorius and of Sergius Bishop of Constantinople who speak of Sophronius Patriarch of Jerusalem that he was constituted Bishop before their knowledge and receipt of his Synodical Letters 9. If the designation of any Bishop should belong to the Pope then especially that of Metropolitans who are the chief Princes of the Church but this anciently did not belong to him In Africk the most ancient Bishop of the Province without election did succeed into that dignity Where the Metropoles were fixed all the Bishops of the Province did convene and with the consent of Clergy persons of quality and the commonalty did elect him So was St. Cyprian Bishop of Carthage elected So Nectarius of Constantinople Flavianus of Antioch and Cyril of Jerusalem as the Fathers of Constantinople tell us So Stephanus and Bassianus rival Bishops of Ephesus did pretend to have been chosen as we saw before And for Confirmation there did not need any there is no mention of any except that Confirmation of which we spake a consequent approbation of them from all their fellow-Bishops as having no exception against them rendring them unworthy of communion In the Synod of Chalcedon it was defined that the Bishop of Constantinople should have equal Privileges with the Bishop of Rome yet it is expresly cautioned there that he shall not meddle in Ordination of Bishops in any Province that being left to the Metropolitan For a good time even in the Western parts the Pope did not meddle with the Constitution of Metropolitans leaving the Churches to enjoy their Liberties Afterwards with all other Rights he snatched the Collation Confirmation c. of Metropolitans VII Sovereigns have a power to Censure and Correct all inferiour Magistrates in proportion to their Offences and in case of great misdemeanour or of incapacity they can wholly discharge and remove them from their Office This Prerogative therefore He of Rome doth claim as most proper to himself by Divine Sanction God Almighty alone can dissolve the spiritual marriage between a Bishop and his Church Therefore those three things premised the Confirmation Translation and Deposition of Bishops are reserved to the Roman Bishop not so much by Canonical Constitution as by Divine Institution This power the Convention of Trent doth allow him thwarting the ancient Laws and betraying the Liberties of the Church thereby and endangering the Christian Doctrine to be inflected and corrupted to the advantage of Papal Interest But such a power anciently did not by any Rule or Custom in a peculiar manner belong to the Roman Bishop Premising what was generally touched about Jurisdiction in reference to this Branch we remark 1. The exercising of Judgment and Censure upon Bishops when it was needfull for general good was prescribed to be done by Synods Provincial or Patriarchal Diocesan In them Causes were to be discussed and Sentence pronounced against those who had deviated from saith or committed misdemeanours So it was appointed in the Synod of Nice as the African Synod wherein St. Austin was one Bishop did observe and urge in their Epistle to Pope Celestine in those notable words Whether they be Clergy of an inferiour degree or whether they be Bishops the Nicene decrees have most plainly committed them to the Metropolitans charge for they have most prudently and justly discerned that all matters whatsoever ought to be determined in the places where they do first begin and that the grace of the holy spirit would not be wanting to every particular Province The same Law was enacted by the Synod of Antioch by the Synods of Constantinople Chalcedon c. Thus was Paulus Samosatenus for his errour against the Divinity of our Lord and for his scandalous demeanour deposed by the Synod of Antioch Thus was Eustathius Bishop of Antioch being accused of Sabellianism and of other faults removed by a Synod of the same place the which Sentence he quietly did bear Thus another Eustathius Bishop of Sebastia for his uncouth garb and fond conceits against marriage was discarded by the Synod of Gangra Thus did a Synod of Constantinople abdicate Marcellus Bishop of Ancyra for heterodoxy in the point concerning our Lord's Divinity For the like cause was Photinus Bishop of Sirmium deposed by a Synod there gathered by the Emperour's command So was Athanasius tryed and condemned although unjustly as to the matter and cause by the Synod of Tyre So was St. Chrysostome although most injuriously deposed by a Synod at Constantinople So the Bishops at Antioch according to the Emperour's order deposed Stephanus Bishop of that place for a wicked contrivance against the fame of Euphratas and Vincentius In all these Condemnations Censures and Depositions of Bishops whereof each was of high rank and great interest in the Church the Bishop of Rome had no hand nor so much as a little finger All the proceedings did go on supposition of the Rule and Laws that such Judgments were to be passed by Synods St. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deposed fifteen Bishops 2. In some case a kind of deposing of Bishops was assumed by particular Bishops as defenders of the Faith and executours of Canons their Deposition consisting in not allowing those to be Bishops whom for erroneous Doctrine or
thereby for above three hundred years but however such as they are they do not reach home to the purpose They alledge Flavianus Bishop of Antioch deposed by Pope Damasus as they affirm But it is wonderfull they should have the face to mention that Instance the story in short being this The great Flavianus a most worthy and Orthodox Prelate whom St. Chrysostome in his Statuary Orations doth so highly commend and celebrate being substituted in the place of Meletius by the Quire of Bishops a party did adhere to Paulinus and after his decease they set up Evagrius ordaining him as Theodoret who was best acquainted with passages on that side of Christendom reporteth against many Canons of the Church Yet with this party the Roman Bishops not willing to know any of these things three of them in order Damasus Siricius Anastasius did conspire instigating the Emperour against Flavianus and reproaching him as supporter of a Tyrant against the Laws of Christ. But the Emperour having called Flavianus to him and received much satisfaction in his demeanour and discourse did demand and settle him in his place The Emperour saith Theodoret wondring at his courage and his wisedom did command him to return home and to feed the Church committed to him at which proceeding when the Romans afterward did grumble the Emperour gave them such reasons and advices that they complyed and did entertain communion with Flavianus It is true that upon their suggestions and clamours the Emperour was moved at first to order that Flavianus should go to Rome and give the Western Bishops satisfaction but after that he understood the quality of his plea he freed him of that trouble and without their allowance settled him in his See Here is nothing of the Pope's deposing Flavianus but of his embracing in a Schism the side of a Competitour it being in such a case needfull that the Pope or any other Bishop should chuse with whom he must communicate and consequently must disclaim the other in which choice the Pope had no good success not deposing Flavianus but vainly opposing him wherefore this allegation is strangely impertinent and well may be turned against them Indeed in this Instance we may see how fallible that See was in their judgment of things how rash in taking parties and somenting discords how pertinacious in a bad cause how peevish against the common sense of their brethren especially considering that before this opposition of Flavianus the Fathers of Constantinople had in their Letter to Pope Damasus and the Occidental Bishops approved and commended him to them highly asserting the legitimateness of his Ordination In fine how little their authority did avail with wise and considerate persons such as Theodosius M. was De Marca representeth the matter somewhat otherwise out of Socrates but take the matter as Socrates hath it and it signifieth no more than that both Theophilus and Damasus would not entertain communion with Flavianus as being uncapable of the Episcopal Order for having violated his Oath and caused a division in the Church of Antioch what is this to judicial Deposition and how did Damasus more depose him than Theophilus who upon the same dissatisfaction did in like manner forbear communion whenas indeed a wiser and better man than either of them St. Chrysostome did hold communion with him and did at length saith Socrates not agreeing with Theodoret reconcile him to them both They alledge the Deposition of Nestorius But who knoweth not that he was for heretical Doctrine deposed in and by a General Synod Pope Celestine did indeed threaten to withdraw his communion if he did not renounce his errour But had not any other Bishop sufficient authority to desert a perverter of the Faith Did not his own Clergy doe the same being commended by Pope Celestine for it Did not Cyril in writing to Pope Celestine himself affirm that he might before have declared that he could not communicate with him Did Nestorius admit the Pope's judgment no as the Papal Legates did complain He did not admit the constitution of the Apostolical Chair Did the Pope's Sentence obtain effect No not any for notwithstanding his threats Nestorius did hold his place till the Synod the Emperour did severely rebuke Cyril for his fierceness and implicitly the Pope and did order that no change should be made till the Synod should determine in the case not regarding the Pope's judgment So that this instance may well be retorted or used to prove the insignificancy of Papal authority then They alledge also Dioscorus of Alexandria deposed by Pope Leo but the case is very like to that of Nestorius and argueth the contrary to what they intend He was for his misdemeanours and violent countenancing of heresie solemnly in a General Synod accused tried condemned and deposed the which had long before been done if in the Pope his professed and provoked Adversary there had been sufficient power to effect it Bellarmine also alledgeth Pope Sixtus III. deposing Polychronius Bishop of Jerusalem But no such Polychronius is to be found in the Registers of Bishops then or in the Histories of that busie time between the two great Synods of Ephesus and Chalcedon and the Acts of Sixtus upon which this allegation is grounded have so many inconsistences and smell so rank of forgery that no conscionable nose could endure them and any prudent man as Binius himself confesseth would assert them to be spurious Wherefore Baronius himself doth reject and despise them who gladly would lose no advantage for his Master Yet Pope Nicholas I. doth precede Bellarmine in citing this trash no wonder that being the Pope who did avouch the wares of Isidore Mercator They alledge Timotheus the Usurper of Alexandria deposed by Pope Damasus and they have indeed the sound of words attesting to them These are Heads upon which the B. Damasus deposed the Hereticks Apolinarius Vitalius and Timotheus The truth is that Apolinarius with divers of his Disciples in a great Synod at Rome at which Petrus Bishop of Alexandria together with Damasus was present was condemned and disavowed for heretical Doctrine whence Sozomen saith that the Apolinarian Heresie was by Damasus and Peter at a Synod in Rome voted to be excluded from the Catholick Church On which account if we conclude that the Pope had an authority to depose Bishops we may by like reason infer that every Patriarch and Metropolitan had a power to doe the like there being so many Instances of their having condemned and disclaimed Bishops supposedly guilty of heresie as particularly John of Antioch with his convention of Oriental Bishops did pretend to depose Cyril and Memnon as guilty of the same Apolinarian heresie alledging that to exscind them was the same thing as to settle Orthodoxy The which Deposition was at first admitted by the Emperour The next Instance is of Pope Agapetus in Justinian's time for so deep into time is
be deaf to the complaints of the whole World or make as if you were so why sleep you when will the consideration of so great confusion and abuse in appeals awake in you they are made without right or equity without due order and against custome Neither place nor manner nor time nor cause nor person are considered they are every where made lightly and for the most part unjustly with much more passionate language to the same purpose But in the Primitive Church the Pope had no such power 1. Whereas in the first times many causes and differences did arise wherein they who were condemned and worsted would readily have resorted thither where they might have hoped for remedy if Rome had been such a place of refuge it would have been very famous for it and we should find History full of such examples whereas it is very silent about them 2. The most ancient Customs and Canons of the Church are flatly repugnant to such a power for they did order causes finally to be decided in each Province So the Synod of Nice did Decree as the African Fathers did alledge in defence of their refusal to allow appeals to the Pope The Nicene decrees said they most evidently did commit both Clergymen of inferiour degrees and Bishops to their Metropolitans So Theòph in his Epistle I suppose you are not ignorant what the Canons of the Nicene Council command ordaining that a Bishop should judge no cause out of his own district 3. Afterward when the Diocesan administration was introduced the last resort was decreed to the Synods of them or to the Primates in them all other appeals being prohibited as dishonourable to the Bishops of the Diocese reproaching the Canons and subverting Ecclesiastical Order To which Canon the Emperour Justinian referred For it is decreed by our Ancestours that against the Sentence of these Prelates there should be no Appeal So Constantius told Pope Liberius that those things which had a form of Judgment past on them could not be rescinded This was the practice at least in the Eastern parts of the Church in the times of Justinian as is evident by the Constitutions extant in the Code and in the Novels 4. In derogation to this pretence divers Provincial Synods expresly did prohibit all Appeals from their decisions That of Milevis Let them appeal onely to African Councils or the Primates of Provinces and he who shall think of appealing beyond Sea let him be admitted into communion by none in Africk For if the Nicene Council took this care of the inferiour Clergy how much more did they intend it should relate to Bishops also 5. All persons were forbidden to entertain communion with Bishops condemned by any one Church which is inconsistent with their being allowed relief at Rome 6. This is evident in the case of Marcion by the assertion of the Roman Church at that time 7. When the Pope hath offered to receive Appeals or to meddle in cases before decided he hath found opposition and reproof Thus when Felicissimus and Fortunatus having been censured and rejected from communion in Africk did apply themselves to Pope Cornelius with supplication to be admitted by him Saint Cyprian maintaineth that fact to be irregular and unjust and not to be countenanced for divers reasons Likewise when Basilides and Martialis being for their crimes deposed in Spain had recourse to Pope Stephanus for Restitution the Clergy and People there had no regard to the judgment of the Pope the which their resolution Saint Cyprian did commend and encourage When Athanasius Marcellus Paulus c. having been condemned by Synods did apply themselves for relief to Pope Julius the Oriental Bishops did highly tax this course as irregular disclaiming any power in him to receive them or meddle in their cause Nor could Pope Julius by any Law or Instance disprove their plea Nor did the Pope assert to himself any peculiar authority to revise the Cause or otherwise justifie his proceeding than by right common to all Bishops of vindicating Right and Innocence which were oppressed and of asserting the Faith for which they were persecuted Indeed at first the Oriental Bishops were contented to refer the cause to Pope Julius as Arbitratour which signifieth that he had no ordinary right but afterward either fearing their Cause or his Prejudice they started and stood to the canonicalness of the former decision The contest of the African Church with Pope Celestine in the Cause of Apiarius is famous and the Reasons which they assign for repelling that Appeal are very notable and peremptory 8. Divers of the Fathers alledge like reasons against Appeals Saint Cyprian alledgeth these 1. Because there was an Ecclesiastical Law against them 2. Because they contain iniquity as prejudicing the right of each Bishop granted by Christ in governing his flock 3. Because the Clergy and People should not be engaged to run gadding about 4. Because Causes might better be decided there where witnesses of fact might easily be had 5. Because there is every where a competent authority equal to any that might be had otherwhere 6. Because it did derogate from the gravity of Bishops to alter their Censure Pope Liberius desired of Constantius that the Judgment of Athanasius might be made in Alexandria for such reasons because there the accused the accusers and their defender were St. Chrysostome's Argument against Theophilus meddling in his case may be set against Rome as well as Alexandria 9. St. Austin in matter of appeal or rather of reference to candid Arbitration more proper for Ecclesiastical causes doth conjoin other Apostolical Churches with that of Rome For the business says he was not about Priests and Deacons or the inferiour Clergy but the Collegues Bishops who may reserve their cause entire for the judgment of their Collegues especially those of the Apostolical Churches He would not have said so if he had apprehended that the Pope had a peculiar right of revising Judgments 10. Pope Damasus or rather Pope Siricius doth affirm himself incompetent to judge in a case which had been afore determined by the Synod of Capua but says he since the Synod of Capua has thus determined it we perceive we cannot judge it 11. Anciently there were no Appeals properly so called or jurisdictional in the Church they were as Socrates telleth us introduced by Cyril of Hierusalem who first did appeal to a greater Judicature against Ecclesiastical rule and custome This is an Argument that about that time a little before the great Synod of Constantinople greater Judicatories or Diocesan Synods were established whenas before Provincial Synods were the last resorts 12. Upon many occasions Appeals were not made to the Pope as in all likelihood they would have been if it had been supposed that a power of receiving them did belong to him Paulus Samosatenus did appeal to the Emperour The Donatists did not appeal to the Pope
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
Rome This hath been the Doctrine of divers Popes Which not onely the Apostolical Prelate but any other Bishop may doe viz. discriminate and severe any men and any place from the Catholick communion according to the rule of that fore-condemned heresie Faith is universal common to all and belongs not onely to Clergymen but also to Laicks and even to all Christians Therefore the sheep which are committed to the cure of their Pastour ought not to reprehend him unless he swerve and go astray from the right faith 15. That this was the current opinion common practice doth shew there being so many instances of those who rejected their Superiours and withdrew from their communion in case of their maintaining errours or of their disorderly behaviour such practice having been approved by General and Great Synods as also by divers Popes When Nestorius Bishop of Constantinople did introduce new and strange Doctrine divers of his Presbyters did rebuke him and withdraw communion from him which proceeding is approved in the Ephesine Synod Particularly Charisius did assert this proceeding in those remarkable words presented to that same Synod 'T is the wish and desire of all well affected persons to give always all due honour and reverence especially to their spiritual Fathers and Teachers but if it should so happen that they who ought to teach should instill unto those who are set under them such things concerning the faith as are offensive to the ears and hearts of all men then of necessity the order must be inverted and they who teach wrong Doctrine must be rebuked of those who are their inferiours Pope Celestine I. in that case did commend the people of Constantinople deserting their Pastour Happy flock said he to whom the Lord did afford to judge about its own Pasture St. Hierome did presume to write very briskly and smartly in reproof of John Bishop of Hierusalem in whose Province he a simple Presbyter did reside Who makes a schism in the Church we whose whole house in Bethlehem communicate with the Church or thou who either believest aright and proudly concealest the truth or art of a wrong belief and really makest a breach in the Church Art thou onely the Church and is he who offendeth thee excluded from Christ Malchion Presbyter of Antioch disputed against Paulus Samosatenus his Bishop Beatus Presbyter confuted his Bishop Elipandus of Toledo But if the Rectour swerve from the faith he is to be reproved by those who are under him 16. The case is the same of the Pope for if other Bishops who are reckoned Successours of the Apostles and Vicars of Christ within their precinct if other Patriarchs who sit in Apostolical Sees and partake of a like extensive Jurisdiction by incurring heresie or schism or committing notorious disorder and injustice may be deprived of their Authority so that their Subjects may be obliged to forsake them then may the Pope lose his for truth and piety are not affixed to the Chair of Rome more than to any other there is no ground of asserting any such Privilege either in Holy Scripture or in old Tradition there can no promise be alledged for it having any probable shew that of Oravi pro te being a ridiculous pretence it cannot stand without a perpetual miracle there is in fact no appearance of any such miracle from the ordinary causes of great errour and impiety that is ambition avarice sloth luxury the Papal state is not exempt yea apparently it is more subject to them than any other all Ages have testified and complained thereof 17. Most eminent persons have in such cases withdrawn communion from the Pope as other-where we have shewed by divers Instances 18. The Canon Law it self doth admit the Pope may be judged if he be a Heretick Because he that is to judge all persons is to be judged of none except he be found to be gone astray from the faith The supposition doth imply the possibility and therefore the case may be put that he is such and then he doth according to the more current Doctrine ancient and modern cease to be a Bishop yea a Christian Hence no obedience is due to him yea no communion is to be held with him 19. This in fact was acknowledged by a great Pope allowing the condemnation of Pope Honorius for good because he was erroneous in point of Faith for saith he in that which is called the Eighth Synod although Honorius was anathematized after his death by the Oriental Bishops it is yet well known that he was accused for heresie for which alone it is lawfull for inferiours to rise up against superiours Now that the Pope or Papal succession doth pervert the truth of Christian Doctrine in contradiction to the Holy Scripture and Primitive Tradition that he doth subvert the practice of Christian piety in opposition to the Divine commands that he teacheth falshoods and maintaineth impieties is notorious in many particulars some whereof we shall touch We justly might charge him with all those extravagant Doctrines and Practices which the high flying Doctours do teach and which the fierce Zealots upon occasion do act for the whole succession of Popes of a long time hath most cherished and encouraged such folks looking squintly on others as not well affected to them But we shall onely touch those new and noxious or dangerous positions which great Synods managed and confirmed by their Authority have defined or which they themselves have magisterially decreed or which are generally practised by their influence or countenance It is manifest that the Pope doth support and cherish as his special Favourites the Venters of wicked Errours such as those who teach the Pope's infallibility his power over temporal Princes to cashier and depose them to absolve subjects from their allegiance the Doctrine of equivocation breach of faith with hereticks c. the which Doctrines are heretical as inducing pernicious practice whence whoever doth so much as communicate with the maintainers of them according to the principles of ancient Christianity are guilty of the same crimes The Holy Scripture and Catholick Antiquity do teach and injoin us to worship and serve God alone our Creatour forbidding us to worship any Creature or Fellow-servant even not Angels For I who am a Creature will not endure to worship one like to me But the Pope and his Clients do teach and charge us to worship Angels and dead men yea even to venerate the reliques and dead bodies of the Saints The Holy Scripture teacheth us to judge nothing about the present or future state of men absolutely before the time untill the Lord come who will bring to light the hidden things of darkness and will make manifest the counsels of hearts and then each man shall have praise of God But the Pope notoriously in repugnance to those precepts anticipating God's judgment and arrogating to himself a knowledge requisite thereto doth presume to determine
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
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
such a kind Unity which is a sufficient Proof that it hath no firm ground We may say of it as Saint Austin saith of the Church it self I will not that the Holy Church be demonstrated from humane reasonings but the Divine Oracles Saint Paul particularly in divers Epistles designedly treating about the Unity of the Church together with other Points of Doctrine neighbouring thereon and amply describing it doth not yet imply any such Unity then extant or designed to be He doth mention and urge the Unity of Spirit of Faith of Charity of Peace of Relation to our Lord of Communion in Devotions and Offices of Piety but concerning any Union under one singular visible Government or Polity he is silent He saith One Lord one Faith one Baptism one God and Father of all not one Monarch or one Senate or one Sanhedrin which is a pregnant sign that none such was then instituted otherwise he could not have slipped over a Point so very material and pertinent to his Discourse 2. By the Apostolical History it may appear that the Apostles in the Propagation of Christianity and founding of Christian Societies had no meaning did take no care to establish any such Polity They did resort to several places whither Divine instinct or reasonable occasion did carry them where by their Preaching having convinced and converted a competent number of persons to the embracing Christian Doctrine they did appoint Pastours to instruct and edifie them to administer God's Worship and Service among them to contain them in good order and peace exhorting them to maintain good correspondence of Charity and Peace with all good Christians otherwhere this is all we can see done by them 3. The Fathers in their set Treatises and in their incidental Discourses about the Unity of the Church which was de facto which should be de jure in the Church do make it to consist onely in those Unions of Faith Charity Peace which we have described not in this political Union The Roman Church gave this reason why they could not admit Marcion into their Communion they would not doe it without his Father's consent between whom and them there was one faith and one agreement of mind Tertullian in his Apologetick describing the Unity of the Church in his time saith We are one body by our Agreement in religion our Vnity of discipline and our being in the same Covenant of hope And more exactly or largely in his Prescriptions against Hereticks the breakers of Unity Therefore such and so many Churches are but the same with the first Apostolical one from which all are derived thus they become all first all Apostolical whilst they maintain the same Vnity whilst there are a Communion of peace names of brotherhood and contributions of hospitality among them the rights of which are kept up by no other means but the one tradition of the same Mystery They and we have one Faith one God the same Christ the same Hope the same Baptism in a word we are but one Church And Constantine the Great in his Epistle to the Churches Our Saviour would have his Catholick Church to be one the members of which though they be divided into many and different places are yet cherisht by one Spirit that is by the will of God And Gregory the Great Our Head which is Christ would therefore have us be his members that by the joints of Charity and Faith he might make us one body in himself Clem. Alex. defineth the Church A people gathered together out of Jews and Gentiles into one Faith by the giving of the Testaments fitted into Vnity of Faith This one Church therefore partakes of the nature of Vnity which Heresies violently endeavour to divide into many and therefore we affirm the ancient and Catholick Church whether we respect its constitution or our conception of it its beginning or its excellency to be but one which into the belief of that one Creed which is agreeable to its own peculiar Testaments or rather to that one and the same Testament in times however different by the will of one and the same God through one and the same Lord doth unite and combine together all those who are before ordained whom God hath predestinated as knowing that they would be just persons before the foundation of the world Many Passages in the Fathers applicable to this Point we have alledged in the foregoing Discourses 4. The constitution of such an Unity doth involve the vesting some Person or some number of Persons with a Sovereign Authority subordinate to our Lord to be managed in a certain manner either absolutely according to pleasure or limitedly according to certain Rules prescribed to it But that there was ever any such Authority constituted or any Rules prescribed to it by our Lord or his Apostles doth not appear and there are divers reasonable presumptions against it It is reasonable that whoever claimeth such Authority should for assuring his Title shew Patents of his Commission manifestly expressing it how otherwise can he justly demand Obedience or any with satisfaction yield thereto It was just that the Institution of so great Authority should be fortified with an undoubted charter that its Right might be apparent and the Duty of Subjection might be certain If any such Authority had been granted by God in all likelihood it would have been clearly mentioned in Scripture it being a matter of high importance among the establishments of Christianity conducing to great effects and grounding much duty Especially considering that There is in Scripture frequent occasion of mentioning it in way of History touching the use of it the acts of Sovereign Power affording chief matter to the History of any Society in way of Direction to those Governours how to manage it in way of Exhortation to Inferiours how to behave themselves in regard to it in way of commending the Advantages which attend it it is therefore strange that its mention is so balkt The Apostles do often speak concerning Ecclesiastical Affairs of all natures concerning the Decent administration of things concerning preservation of Order and Peace concerning the furtherance of Edification concerning the Prevention and Removal of Heresies Schisms Factions Disorders upon any of which occasions it is marvellous that they should not touch that Constitution which was the proper means appointed for maintenance of Truth Order Peace Decency Edification and all such Purposes for remedy of all contrary Mischiefs There are mentioned divers Schisms and Dissensions the which the Apostles did strive by instruction and persuasion to remove in which Cases supposing such an Authority in being it is a wonder that they do not mind the Parties dissenting of having recourse thereto for decision of their Causes that they do not exhort them to a Submission thereto that they do not reprove them for declining such a Remedy It is also strange that no mention is made of any Appeal made by
c. Which thing also Agrippinus of blessed memory with his other Fellow-bishops who then governed the Church of Christ in the African Province and in Numidia did establish and by the well-weighed examination of the common advice of them all together confirmed it Thus it was the custome in the Churches of Asia as Firmilian telleth us in those words Vpon which occasion it necessarily happens that every year we the Elders and Rulers do come together to regulate those things which are committed to our care that if there should be any things of greater moment by common advice they be determined Yet while things went thus in order to common Truth and Peace every Church in more private matters touching its own particular state did retain its Liberty and Authority without being subject or accountable to any but the common Lord in such cases even Synods of Bishops did not think it proper or just for them to interpose to the prejudice of that Liberty and Power which derived from a higher Source These things are very apparent as by the course of Ecclesiastical History so particularly in that most pretious Monument of Antiquity St. Cyprian's Epistles by which it is most evident that in those times every Bishop or Pastour was conceived to have a double relation or capacity one toward his own Flock another toward the whole Flock One toward his own Flock by virtue of which he taking advice of his Presbyters together with the conscience of his People assisting did order all things tending to particular Edification Order Peace Reformation Censure c. without fear of being troubled by Appeals or being liable to give any account but to his own Lord whose Vicegerent he was Another toward the whole Church in behalf of his People upon account whereof he did according to occasion or order apply himself to confer with other Bishops for preservation of the common Truth and Peace when they could not otherwise be well upheld than by the joint conspiring of the Pastours of divers Churches So that the Case of Bishops was like to that of Princes each of whom hath a free Superintendence in his own Territory but for to uphold Justice and Peace in the World or between adjacent Nations the entercourse of several Princes is needfull The Peace of the Church was preserved by communion of all Parts together not by the subjection of the rest to one Part. 7. This political Unity doth not well accord with the nature and genius of the Evangelical dispensation Our Saviour affirmed that his Kingdom is not of this World and Saint Paul telleth us that it consisteth in a Spiritual influence upon the Souls of men producing in them Vertue Spiritual Joy and Peace It disavoweth and discountenanceth the elements of the world by which worldly designs are carried on and worldly frames sustained It requireth not to be managed by politick artifices or fleshly wisedom but by Simplicity Sincerity Plain-dealing as every Subject of it must lay aside all guile and dissimulation so especially the Officers of it must doe so in conformity to the Apostles who had their conversation in the world and prosecuted their design in simplicity and godly sincerity not with fleshly wisedom but by the grace of God not walking in craftiness or handling the word of God deceitfully c. It needeth not to be supported or enlarged by wealth and pomp or by compulsive force and violence for God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise and the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and base despicable things c. that no flesh should gloâ—y in his presence And The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God c. It discountenanceth the imposition of new Laws and Precepts beside those which God hath injoined or which are necessary for order and edification derogating from the Liberty of Christians and from the Simplicity of our Religion The Government of the Christian State is represented purely spiritual administred by meek persuasion not by imperious awe as an humble ministery not as stately domination for the Apostles themselves did not Lord it over mens faith but did co-operate to their joy they did not preach themselves but Christ Jesus to be the Lord and themselves their servants for Jesus It is expresly forbidden to them to domineer over God's people They are to be qualified with Gentleness and Patience they are forbidden to strive and enjoined to be gentle toward all apt to teach patient in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves They are to convince to rebuke to exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine They are furnished with no Arms beside the divine Panoply they bear no sword but that of the Spirit which is the word of God they may teach reprove they cannot compell They are not to be entangled in the cares of this life But supposing the Church was designed to be one in this manner of political regiment it must be quite another thing nearly resembling a worldly state yea in effect soon resolving it self into such an one supposing as is now pretended that its management is committed to an Ecclesiastical Monarch it must become a worldly Kingdom for such a Polity could not be upheld without applying the same means and engines without practising the same methods and arts whereby secular Governments are maintained It s Majesty must be supported by conspicuous Pomp and Phantastry It s Dignity and Power must be supported by Wealth which it must corrade and accumulate by large Incomes by exaction of Tributes and Taxes It must exert Authority in enacting of Laws for keeping its State in order and securing its Interests backed with Rewards and Pains especially considering its Title being so dark and grounded on no clear warrant many always will contest it It must apply Constraint and Force for procuring Obedience and correcting Transgression It must have Guards to preserve its Safety and Authority It must be engaged in Wars to defend its self and make good its Interests It must use Subtilty and Artifice for promoting its Interests and countermine the Policies of Adversaries It must erect Judicatories and must decide Causes with Formality of legal process whence tedious Suits crafty Pleadings Quirks of Law and Pettifoggeries Fees and Charges Extortion and Barretry c. will necessarily creep in All which things do much disagree from the original constitution and design of the Christian Church which is averse from pomp doth reject domination doth not require craft wealth or force to maintain it but did at first and may subsist without any such means I do not say that an Ecclesiastical Society may not lawfully for its support use Power Policy wealth in some measure to uphold or defend it self but that a Constitution needing such things is not Divine or that so far as it doth use them it is
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
offices of humanity toward their subjects travelling or trading any where in the World common Reason doth require such things But may common Unity of Polity from hence be inferr'd Arg. X. The effectuâ—â— Preservation of Unity in the primitive Church is alledged as a strong Argument of its being united in one Government Answ. 1. That Unity of Faith and Charity and Discipline which we admit was indeed preserved not by influence of any one Sovereign Authority whereof there is no mention but by the concurrent vigilance of Bishops declaring and disputing against any Novelty in Doctrine or Practice which did start up by their adherence to the Doctrine asserted in Scripture and confirmed by Tradition by their aiding and abetting one another as Confederates against Errours and Disorders creeping in Answ. 2. The many Differences which arose concerning the Observation of Easter the Re-baptization of Hereticks the Reconciliation of Revolters and scandalous Criminals concerning the decision of Causes and Controversies c. do more clearly shew that there was no standing common Jurisdiction in the Church for had there been such an one recourse would have been had thereto and such Differences by its Authority would easily have been quashed Arg. XI Another Argument is grounded on the Relief which one Church did yield to another which supposeth all Churches under one Government imposing such Tribute Answ. 1. This is a strange Fetch as if all who were under obligation to relieve one another in need were to be under one Government Then all Mankind must be so Answ. 2. It appeareth by St. Paul that these Succours were of free Charity Favour and Liberality and not by Constraint Arg. XII The use of Councils is also alledged as an Argument of this Unity Answ. 1. General Councils in case Truth is disowned that Peace is disturbed that Discipline is loosed or perverted are wholsome Expedients to clear Truth and heal Breaches but the holding them is no more an Argument of political Unity in the Church than the Treaty of Munster was a sign of all Europe being under one civil Government Answ. 2. They are extraordinary arbitrary prudential means of restoring Truth Peace Order Discipline but from them nothing can be gathered concerning the continual ordinary State of the Church Answ. 3. For during a long time the Church wanted them and afterwards had them but rarely For the first three hundred years saith Bell. there was no general assembly afterwards scarce one in a hundred years And since the breach between the Oriental and Western Churches for many Centenaries there hath been none Yet was the Church from the beginning One till Constantine and long afterwards Answ. 4. The first General Councils indeed all that have been with any probable shew capable of that denomination were congregated by Emperours to cure the Dissentions of Bishops what therefore can be argued from them but that the Emperours did find it good to settle Peace and Truth and took this for a good mean thereto Alb. Pighius said that General Councils were an invention of Constantine and who can confute him Answ. 5. They do shew rather the Unity of the Empire than of the Church or of the Church as National under one Empire than as Catholick for it was the State which did call and moderate them to its Purposes Answ. 6. It is manifest that the congregation of them dependeth on the permission and pleasure of secular Powers and in all equity should do so as otherwhere is shewed Answ. 7. It is not expedient that there should be any of them now that Christendom slandeth divided under divers temporal Sovereignties for their Resolutions may intrench on the Interests of some Princes and hardly can they be accommodated to the Civil Laws and Customs of every State Whence we see that France will not admit the Decrees of their Tridentine Synod Answ. 8. There was no such inconvenience in them while Christendom was in a manner confined within one Empire for then nothing could be decreed or executed without the Emperour's leave or to his prejudice Answ. 9. Yea as things now stand it is impossible there should be a free Council most of the Bishops being sworn Vassals and Clients to the Pope and by their own Interests concerned to maintain his exorbitant Grandeur and Domination Answ. 10. In the opinion of St. Athanasius there was no reasonable cause of Synods except in case of new Heresies springing up which may be confuted by the joint consent of Bishops Answ. 11. As for particular Synods they do onely signifie that it was usefull for neighbour Bishops to conspire in promoting Truth Order and Peace as we have otherwhere shewed Councils have often been convened for bad Designs and been made Engines to oppress Truth and enslave Christendom That of Antioch against Athanasius of Ariminum for Arianism The second Ephesine to restore Eutyches and reject Flavianus The second of Nice to impose the Worship of Babies The Synod of Ariminum to countenance Arians So the fourth Synod of Laterane sub Inn. III. to settle the prodigious Doctrine of Transubstantiation and the wicked Doctrine of Papal Authority over Princes The first Synod of Lions to practise that hellish Doctrine of Deposing Kings The Synod of Constance to establish the maime of the Eucharist against the Calistines of Bohemia The Laterane under Leo X. was called as the Arch-bishop of Patras affirmed for the Exaltation of the Apostolical See The Synod of Trent to settle a raff of Errours and Superstitions Obj. II. It may farther be objected that this Doctrine doth favour the Conceits of the Independents concerning Ecclesiastical Discipline I answer No. For 1. We do assert that every Church is bound to observe the Institutions of Christ and that sort of Government which the Apostles did ordain consisting of Bishops Priests and People 2. We avow it expedient in conformity to the primitive Churches and in order to the maintenance of Truth Order Peace for several particular Churches or Parishes to be combined in political Corporations as shall be found convenient by those who have just Authority to frame such Corporations for that otherwise Christianity being shattered into numberless shreds could hardly subsist and that great Confusions must arise 3. We affirm that such Bodies having been established and being maintained by just Authority every man is bound to endeavour the upholding of them by Obedience by peaceable and compliant Demeanour 4. We acknowledge it a great Crime by factious behaviour in them or by needless separation from them to disturb them to divide them to dissolve or subvert them 5. We conceive it fit that every People under one Prince or at least of one Nation using the same Language Civil Law and Fashions should be united in the bands of Ecclesiastical Polity for that such a Unity apparently is conducible to the peace and welfare both of Church and State to the furtherance of God's worship 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
salus in summi Sacerdotis dignitate pendet Hier. c. Lucif 4. The safety of the Church depends upon the dignity of the High-priest Ego dignus summo Sacerdotio decernebar Id Ep. 99. ad Asell In Episcopo omnes ordines sunt quia primus Sacerdos est hoc est Princeps Sacerdotum Propheta Evangelista caetera adimplenda officia Ecclesiae in ministerio fidelium Ambros. in Eph. 4.11 In the Bishop there are all Orders because he is the first Priest i. e. the Prince of Priests and Prophet and Evangelist and all other Offices of the Church to be fulfilled in the ministery of the faithfull 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. supr Pontifex princeps Sacerdotum est quasi via sequentium Ipse summus Sacerdos ipse Pontifex maximus nuncupatur Isid. Hisp. apud Grat. dist 21. cap. 1. Nam Presbyteri licèt sint Sacerdotes pontificatûs tamen apicem non habent P. Innoc. I. Ep. 1. ad Decent dum facilè imponuntur manus dum negligenter summus Sacerdos eligitur Id Ep. 12. ad Aurel. Nè quis contra Patrum praecepta ad summum Ecclesiae Sacerdotium aspirare praesumeret P. Zoz I. Ep. 1. ad Hesych Ideóque id quod tantùm facere Principibus Sacerdotum jussum est quorum â—ypum Moses Aaron tenuerunt omnino decretum est ut Chorepiscopi vel Presbyteri qui filiorum Aaron gestant figuram arripere non praesumant P. Leo. Ep. 88. Pontificatus apicem non habent Ibid. Vid. Ep. 84. cap. 5. S. Hier. ad Evagr. Vt sciamus traditiones Apostolicas sumptâ—s de veteri Testamento Quod Aaron filii ejus atque Levitae in templo fuerunt hoc sibi Episcopi Presbyteri diaconi vendicant in Ecclesia Or. 19. p. 309. A Bishop called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apost Const. 8.10 12. Summus Christi Pontifex Augustinus Paulin. apud Aug. Ep. 36. Aug. Ep. 35. Beatissimo Papae Augustino Hieron Aug. Ep. 11 13 14 c. Optamus te beatiss gloriosissime Papa in Domino semper valere Ep. 31. Apud nos Apostolorum locum Episcopi tenent apud eos Episcopus tertius est habent enim primos de Pepusa Phrygiae Patriarchas secundos quos appellant Cenones atque ità in tertâ—m id est plenè ultimum locum Episcopi devolvuntur quasi exindè ambitiosior religio fiat si quod apud nos primum est apud illos novissimum sit Hier. ad Marcellam Ep. 54. actum est de Episcopatûs vigore de Ecclesiae gubernandae sublimi ac divina potestate Cypr. Ep. 55. ad P. Cornel. Non iste ad Episcopatum subitò pervenit sed per omnia Ecclesiastica officia promotus in divinis administrationibus Dominum saepe promeritus ad Sacerdotii sublime fastigium cunctis religionis gradibus ascendit Cypr. Ep. 52. The Africans had a particular care that this Primacy should not degenerate into tyranny Conc. Ant. Can. 9. Vid. Apost Can. 34. Conc. Carth. apud Cypr. Cod. Asr. Can. 39. Nestorius Dioscorus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb. 8.1 So Eusebius complaineth of the Bishops in his time So Isidor Pelusiot Ep. 20.125.4.219 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. Orat. 28. O that there were not at all any Presidency or any preference in place and tyrannical prerogative So Socrates of the Bishop not onely of Rome but Alexandria lib. 7. cap. 11. So St. Chrysostome in 1 Tim. 3.1 in Ep. Orat. 11. So Greg. Naz. complained of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Psal. 2.8 Col. 1.23 Luke 24.47 Matt. 28.19 Cùm tot sustineaâ— tanta negotia solus c. Hor. Ep. 2.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Zos. Hist. 1. p. 4. Steph. Felicioribus sic rebus humanis â—mnia Regna parva essent concordi vicinitate laetantia Aug. de Civ D. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Pol. 7.4 There is a certain measure of greatness fit for Cities and Commonwealths as well as for all other things Living Creatures Plants Instruments for every one of these hath its proper virtue and faculty when it is neither very little not yet exceeds in bigness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. For who would be a Captain of an excessive huge multitude c. Suis ipsa Roma viribus ruit Hor. Ep. 16. quae ab exiguis initiis creverit ut jam magnitudine laboret sua Liv. I. Ac nescio an satius fuerit populo Romano Sicilia Africa contentos fuisse aut his etiam ipsis carere dominanti in Italia sua quà m eo magnitudinis crescere ut viribus suis conficeretur Flor. 3.12 Tunc jam Roma subjugaverat Africam subjugaverat Graciam latéque etiam aliis partibus imperans tanquam seipsam ferre non valent se sua quodammodo magnitudine fregerat Aug. de Civ D. 18.45 Tac. Hist. 2. p. 476. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dion lib. 56. Tac. Ann. 1. He advised them to be content with what they had and by no means to endeavour the enlargement of their Empire for said he it will be hardly kept and this he himself observ'd not in word onely but in deed for when he might have gotten more from the barbarous Nations yet he would not Ipsa nocet moles utinam remeare liceret Ad veteres fines moenia pauperis Anci c. Clau. de bello Gildon The Synod of Basil doth well describe the duty of a Pope but it is infinitely hard to practise it in any measure Conc. Bas. Sess. 23. p. 64. c. Exod. 18.18 P. Alex. II. Epist. ad Ger. Rhem. Bin. p. 284. 2 Cor. 11.28 Tanta me occupationum onera deprimunt ut ad superna animus nullatenus erigatur c. Greg. I. lib. I. Ep. 7 25 5. Such a weight of employments presses me down that my mind can by no means be rais'd to things above Si administratio illius temporis Mare fuit quid de praesenti Papatu dicendum erit Calv. Inst. 4. c. 7.22 If the ordering of affairs in those times was a boundless Sea what shall we say of the present Papacy Nunquid mirandum est de tam longinquis terris Episcopos tuos tibi narrare impune quod volunt Aug. contra Crescon 3.34 What marvel if the Bishops from so remote Countries tell you what they please without check or Controll De lungas vias luengas mentiras Hispan Prov. Syn. Basil. Sess. 31. p. 86. Vid. Bernard Ep. 178. de Consid. Romam pergens Stephanum Collegam nostrum longè positum gestae rei ac tacitae veritatis ignarum fefellit ut exambiret reponi se injustè in Episcopatum de quo fuerat justè depositus Cypr. Ep. 67. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Basil. Ep. 10. Bas. Ep. 73.74 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bas. Ep. 349. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Some are altogether ignorant of what is here done others that think they know them declare them unto us more contentiously than truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epist.