manie called it in question yet as for him ãâã reiected it not The Councell of Constantinople surnamed ãâã held longe after condemned it And Photius the Patriarke of Constantinople yet later saith It can hardly be iustified from Arrianisme which makes it to be ãâã that it is not the same writinge which bore that name in Saint Epiphanius ãâã or that it hath since bene salsified by the Arrians Neither doth that booke ãâã either expressely or equiualently that all Bishops are in a sort oecumenicall He saith no more but this speakeinge collectiuely to all Bishops and not distributiuely to euery Bishop Wee write these thinges for confirmation ãâã ãâã of you to whom the episcopat is committed ouer all But if the had said it what could followe of that doth not Saint AVGVSTINE say that the ãâã all charge is common to all Bishops and for all that doth hee forbeare to protest in the same place that the Pope is supereminent in a more high ãâã As ãâã saith hee cease not to rore about the pastures of our Lords ãâã and to seeke euerie side for in-letts to snatch awaie the sheepe bought at soe high a ãâã and that to vs all which exercise the office of Bishops the pastor all charge is common although thou art ãâã in a higher degree And in an other place that in the Roman Church there hath alwaies flourisht the ãâã of the Apostolicall chaire Of the comparison of the Pope with other Bishops CHAPT XXV The continuance of the kings answere BVt then the ordinary ãâã shewed that it was very true and a thousand examples of history may yet easily demonstrate it THE REPLIE ANd wherefore then that we may begin this information in the age of Saint ãâã which was the first age after that of the Apostle and end it in that of Saint ãâã the great whom Caluin will haue to be the ãâã true and lawfull Bishop of Rome when Saint IRENEVS disputes against the Valentinians doth he cry with the Roman Church because of a more powerfull principalitie that is because of the principalitie of the apostolicall Sea it is necessary that ãâã ãâã should agree for that by this more powerfull principalitie Saint IRENEVS meant not the ãâã principality of the Cittie of Rome but an other more powerfull principality to ãâã the Spirituall principality of the Apostolicall Sea wee haue ãâã both from the same Saint IRENEVS who in the ãâã ãâã period called the Roman Church the greatest and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Rome ãâã the two most glorious Apostles ãâã and Paule And from Saint AVGVSTINE who saith In the Roman ãâã hath alwaies flourisht the ãâã ãâã of the Apostolical seate And from Saint PROSPER Saint ãâã second soule who writt ãâã ãâã of the apostolicall ãâã hath added more greatenesse to Rome by the Tribunall of Religion then by that of the Empire And why then when VICTOR had excommunicated the Churches of Asia the lesser vpon the question of Easter day which they obserued not according to the vniuersall tradition of the Apostles but according to a locall and particular tradition which had bene instituted for a tyme in their Prouinces did not the same Saint IRENEVS reproche to him that he could not doe it and that he had noe more power to cast them out of the Church then the other Bishops onely admonishe him as it shall appeare hereafter that he should not for soe small a matter cut of soe manie and soe great Churches He exhorted him said EVSEBIVS not to cut of all the Churches of God which held the tradition of this ancient custome And RVFFINVS translatinge EVSEBIVS He reprehended him said hee to haue done ãâã to cutt from the vnitie of the bodie soe manie and soe great Churches For as for the slaunders wherewith EVSEBIVS and RVFFINVS hereticall Authors the one an Arrian and the other an Origenist both enemies to the Roman Church doe poyson this history they shall be answered hereafter and it shall be shewed that the censure of VICTOR was soe iust that it was after followed by the Oecumenicall councells of Nicea and Ephesus And why then when TERTVLLIAN priest of Carthage in Africa was fallen into the heresie or rather frensie of Montanus doth he write that Praxeas had inforced the Bishop of Rome who did before acknowledge the prophesies of Montanus Prisca and Maximilla and by this acknowledgement brought peace to the Churches of Asia and Phrigia to reuoke his letters of peace already published and cease to ãâã the spirituall guiftes persuadinge him to belieue false thinges of these prophets and of their Churches and opposing to him the authority of his predecessors For the Montanists of Asia and Phrigia haueing been excommunicated by the Catholicke Bishops and Metropolitans of their Prouinces what right could the Pope haue to receiue them into his communion and to grante them peace if he were not head and superintendent of the whole Church and principally according to the ancient Ecclesiasticall discipline which held that noe Bishop except he were superior could receiue to his communion those that had been execmmunicated by their owne Catholicke Bishops And why then when the same TERTVLLIAN declaimes against the decree of Pope Zepherinus which ordayned that Adulterers hauing done penance ãâã be receiued into the communion of the Church doth he call him though whith a ãâã and hereticall scorne the great high priest and the Bishop of Bishops and the good ãâã and the blessed Pope I heare saith he that an Edict hath been propounded and certainely peremptorilie to witt that the great high priest and the Bishop of Bishops saith I pardon the crimes of adulterie and ãâã to those that haue performed their penance And againe thou dost sweeten thy sermons with all the allurements of mercie that thou canst good shepheard and blessed Pope and in the parable of the sheepe thou seekest thy Goates And why then when the blessed Martyr CORNELIVS had been created Pope did Saint CYPRIAN say that the Emperor Decius bare with more patience to see a competitor arise in the ãâã then to see an high priest of God constituted at Rome or according to the oldest and best Copies theÌ to see an high Priest constituted his riuall in Rome alluding to the two titles that the pagan Emperors assumed the one of Emperor and the other of high Priest and comparing the concurrence that the Emperor receiued in the quality of Emperor hy the creation of a riuall in his Empire with the concurrence that he receiued in the qualitie of high priest by the creation of a Bishop of Rome And wherefore doth he call the ãâã Church the Chaire of Peter and the principall Church and the originall of the ãâã all vnitie They durst saith he saile to Rome and carrie letters from prophane and Schismaticall persons to the chaire of Peter and to the principall Church from whence the sacerdot all vnitie
in the East will frame such a iudgement where at we shall all reioyce in the ãâã of God And why doth the Mileuitan Councell to which S. AVSTIN was secretary write these wordes to Pope INNOCENT For as much as God by the guift of his principall grace hath placed you in the Apostolicke Sea and hath graunted you to be such in our daies as wee ought rather to feare that it should be imputed to vs for a crime of negligence if we should conceale from your Reuerence those things which for the Church ought to be represented to you then to imagine that you can receiue them disdainefully or negligentlie we beseeche you to applie your pastorall diligence to the great perills of the weake members of Christ And towardes the end But we belieue with the helpe of the mercie of our God JESVS CHRIST who vouchsafe to direct you consulting with him and to heart you praying to him that those that holde these opinions soe peruerse and pernicious will more casilie yeilde to the authoritie of your Holynesse drawne from the authoritie of the holie Scriptures And why then when the same Pope INNOCENT answered both the Councells did he testifie to them that they had behaued themselues toward him in the same manner as all the other prouinces had done to his predecessors It was not by human sentence but diuine said that great Pope in the answere to the Mileuitans Councell inserted amongst saint Austins Epistles and cited by saint Austine himselfe in his writinges against the Pelagians that the Fathers haue ordained that all things that are treated in prouinces distant and farr of should not be determined till first they were come to the knowledge of the Apostolicke Sea to the end that the sentence that should be found to be iust might the confirmed by the intire authority of the same Sea and that from thence the other Churches as Springes all proceeding from their mother source and running with the purity of their originall through the diuers Regions of the whole world might take what they ought to ordaine And in the answere to the Mileuitan Councell which is alsoe inserted amongst saint AVSTINS Epistles You prouide said he diligently and worthilie for the Apostolick honor for the honor I saie of him that besides assaultes from without sustaines the care of all the Churches following in the consultation of difficult things the forme of the ancient rule which you know hath alwaies bene practised by all the world with me And a while after princippally as often as there is question in pointes of faith I conceaue all our bretheren and Colleagues in the Bishops Sea ought not to referr what may profitt in common to all the Churches to anie but to Peter that is to saie to the author of their name and dignitie And why then to take away all occasion from replying that he spake in his owne cause doth saint AVSTIN soe highlie praise both these answeres Vpon this affaire saith saint AVSTINE were sent the relations of the two Councells of Carthage and Mileuis to the Apostobick Sea c. to all these things Pope INNOCENT answered vs as was conuenient and as the Prelate of the Apostolick Sea should answere vs. And in the epistle to Optatus Of this new heresie Pelagius and Celestius hauing bene authors or most violent and famous promoters they alsoe by the meanes of the vigilancie of two Episcopall Councells with the helpe of God who vndertakes the protection of his Church haue also bene condemned in the extent of the whole Christian world by the Reuerend Prelates of the Catholicke Sea yea euen by the number of two of them Pope INNOCENT and Pope ZOZIMVS if they correct not themselues and besides doe not penance And why then when the Africans had held their last Councell against Celestius did Prosper write vnder the twelfth coÌsulship of Honorius Theodosius The decrees of the Councell of Carthage of 214-Bishops were carried to Pope ZOZIMVS which hauing bene approued the Pelagian heresie was condemned throughout the world And againe Pope ZOZIMVS of happie memory added the power of his sentence to the decrees of the African Councells and to cut of the wicked armed the right handes of all the Bishops with Peters sword And in an other place speaking of the Roman Church in generall The principallitie of the Apostolicall priesthood hath made Rome greater by the tribunall of Religion then by that of the Empire And why then when the Bishops of Africa were assembled at Cesarea in Mauritania doth saint AVSTIN saie The necessities of the Church enioyned to vs by the Reuerend Pope ZOZIMVS Bishop of the Apostolicke Sea had drawne vs to ãâã And why then when BRIXIVS Bishop of Tours had bene cast out of his Seat and IVSTINIAN created Bishop in his steede and Armenius after him had BRIXIVS recourse to Rome to the same Pope Zozimus that gaue him letters of re-establishment vpon which he was receiued and restored BRIXIVS saith saint GCEGORIE of Tours transporting himselfe to Rome related to the Pope all his sufferinges And a little after Returning then from Rome the seauenth ãâã with the authority of the Pope of the cittis he disposed his way to Tours And why then when Socrates a Greeke author of the same age with Zozimus produced examples of the translations of Bishops did he alleage in the head of all the other examples the translation of Perigenes Bishop of Patras one of the citties of Peloponesus that the Pope coÌmaunded to be made Archbishop of Corinth And who alsoe in his qualitie assisted at the Councell of Ephesus Perigenes saith Socrates had bene ordained Bishop of Patras but because the cittizens of Patras had not receiued him the Bishop of Rome commaunded that he should be Bishop of the MetropolitaÌ Church of Corinth the Bishop of that place being dead in which Church also he gouerned all the daies of his life And why then when Pope Boniface successor to Zozimus was raised to the Popedome did S. AVSTIN write to him Thou disdainest not to be a ãâã ãâã the humble though thou rulest more highlie And againe The pastorall watch is common to vs all that exercise the office of Bishops although thou art ãâã in a more high degree And why then when Pope CELESTINE had succeeded in the Pontificall dignitie to Pope BONIFACE did Prosper reporte that he sent GERMAN the Bishop of Auxerra into Great Brittanie and made him his legate there and instituted Palladius first Bishop of Scotland Pope Celestine said Prosper at the instance of Palladius sent German Bishop of Auxerra in his ãâã that casting out the heretickes he might addresse the Brittaines to the ãâã saith And againe Palladius was ordered and sent first Bishop by Pope Celestine to the Scotts belieuing in Christ. And why then when Nestorius Archbishop of Constantinople begaÌ to trouble the Faith of the Easterne Church did the same Pope
Celestine make S. Cyrill Patriark of Alexandria his Vicar in the East to iudge the cause of Nestorius and appointed him to excommunicate Nestorius if within ten daies after the receipt of the letters from the Apostolicke Sea he did not anathematize his error The authoritie of our Sea said he being added to thee and vsing with power the representation of our place thou shalt execute exactly and seuerelie this sentence to wit that if within ten ãâã tolde aster signification made to him of this admonition Nestorius ãâã not his naughtie doctrines c. thy Holynesse prouiding without delaie for that ãâã shall declare him wholy cutt of from our bodie And Prosper touching the same history Celestine to cut of the Nestorian impietie ayded Cyrill the Bishop of Alexandria most glorious defendor of the faith with the Apostolicke sword And why then when S. Cyrill had receiued the Popes admonition did he send to signifie it to Nestorius and to the Constantinopolitans in these wordes ãâã are constrained to signifie to him by Synodic all letters that if verie speedily and within the tyme sett downe by the most holy Bishop of the Roman Church Celestine he renounce not his nouelties and anathematize them by writing c. he shall no more haue anie parte amongst the ministers of God And for what cause when Pope ãâã was come in the age following to Constantinople did the Religious men of Syria pray him to doe the same to Anthimus Archbishop of ãâã We pray you said they to doe to Anthimus as Celestine did to Nestorius assigning him a ãâã as Celestine did to Nestorius And why then when the Councell of Ephesus proceeded to the condemnation of Nestorius did they couch it in these termes Constrained necessarily by the ãâã of the Canons and by the letters of our most holie Father and fellowe minister ãâã we are come not without manie teares to pronounce this sad sentence against him And why then when the Legates of the Pope were arriued to the same Councell of Ephesus did they thanke the Bishops of the Councell for hauing shewed themselues true and holy members of the Pope We giue thankes said they to this reuerent Synod that the letters of our most holie and hlessed Pope hauing bene recited to you you haue by your holie and religious voyces shewed your-selues holie members to your holie head for your ãâã is not ignorant that saint Peter was the head of all the faith and of all the Apostles And againe none doubtes for it hath bene notorious in all ages that the holy and most blessed Peter Prince and head of the Apostles pillar of the faith foundation of the Catholicke Church did receiue from our Lord IESVS CHRIST the ãâã of the heauenly Kingdome and the power to binde and loose sinnes and that ãâã ãâã and decides causes yet vnto this daie and for all eternitie by his Successors of ãâã then the holy Successor and ordinarie Vicar and most blessed Pope and Bishop Celestine hath sent vs for him as his Lieutenant to this holie ãâã And why then when there was a question to passe from the cause of Nestorius to that of Iohn Patriark of Antioch did IVVENALL Bishop of ãâã say in presence of the whole Councell that the ancient custome and the Apostolicke tradition haue bene that the Church of ãâã was to be iudged by the Roman It is fitt said hee that the Right ãâã Bishop of Antioch Iohn honoring this great holy and ãâã all Councell should haue recourse hither to iustifie himselfe of what is obiected against him and that he should obey and honor the Apostolicke Throne of great Rome sittinge with vs and with the Apostolicke Throne of Ierusalem before which principallie it is accustomed by Apostolicke tradition and practice that the Seate of Antioch is to be ruled and iudged For that we must referr the laste clause of the period of IVVENALL to the Sea of Rome as ãâã hath done deceauing himselfe with this that the word to obey gouernes the datiue and not considering that the verbe to honor which is there added changeth the Rule it shall be shewed heereafter by seaueÌ necessarie and vndoubted proofes And why then when the Councell proceeded indeede to the cause of IOHN Patriark of Antioch did they reserue the decision to the Pope Being moued writes the Councell to the Pope with the indignitie of the thing we would pronounce against him and the rest the same sentence that he had vnlawfullie pronounced against those which were conuinced of noe crime but to the end to conquerr his rashnesse with meekenesse although he had most iustlie deserued to suffer such a sentence yet we haue reserued him to the iudgement of thy pietie Which afterward the third oecumenicall Councell of Constantinople did imitate in the cause of Macarius Patriark of Antioch as the Emperor Constantine Pogonat reportes in these wordes Macarius Bishop of Antioch and his adherents haue bene deposed by the consent of the whole Councell and remitted to the discretion of the most holie Pope And why then when HILARIE Bishop of Arles vndertooke to ordaine Prelates in the prouince of Vienna without the Popes leaue did the Emperor Valentinian the third make a lawe which afterward the Emperor Theodosius the second inserted into his new constitutions vnder the title of the lawe of Theodosius and Valentinian by which he forbadd that anie inuocatioÌ should be made in the Church without the Popes liceÌce Whereas saith the lawe the merit of Peter who is the Prince of the Episcopall societie and the dignitie of the cittie of Rome and the authoritie of the sacred Synod haue soe establisht the primacie of the Apostolicke Sea as presumption should attempt nothing vnlawfull against the authoritie thereof for soe the peace of Churches shall be maintained by all if the vniuersalitie acknowledge her Rector And a little after Wee decree by a perpetuall ordinance that it shall not be lawfull either for the Bishops of the Gaules or those of other prouinces to attempt anie thing against the ancient custome without the authoritie of the Reuerend Pope of the eternall cittie but to them and to all those things shall be lawes which haue bene ordained or shall be ordained by the authoritie of the Apostolicke Sea in such sort as whatsoeuer Bishop being called to the iudgement of the Pope of Rome shall neglect to present himselfe he shall be constrained by the Gouernor of the prouince to appeare For to obiect that Prosper for all this attempt did call HILARIE Bishop of Arles a Saint it had bene somewhat if betweene HILARIES attempt and his death there had bene noe penance interposed but soe farr was HILARIE from persisting in this crime to the end of his daies that he went himselfe to make personall satisfaction to the Pope He vndertooke saith the author of his life reported by Cuias a iourney to ` Rome on foote and entred into the
it temporally executory they testified that it was by the Popes authority that it had iudged the cause of Flauianus The synod of Chalcedon said the lawe by the authoritie of the most blessed Bishop of the Citty eternall in glorie Rome examining exactly matters of Faith aud strengthning the foundation of Religion attributed to Flauianus the reward of his past life and the palme of a Glorious death Now how is this anie other thing but to saie that which Pope Gelasius writt forty yeares after in these wordes The sea Apostolicke delegated the Councell of Chalcedon to be made for the common faith and the Catholicke and Apostolicke truth And againe Flauianus hauing bene condemned by the Congregation of the Greeke Bishops the sea Apostolicke alone because he had not consented thereunto absolued him and contrary wise by his authoritie condemned Dioscorus Prelate of the second sea who had there bene approued and alone annulled the wicked synod in not consenting to it and alone by his authoritie ordained that the Councell of Chalcedon should be kept But things incident carry vs away lett vs againe returne to our careere And why then when the Councell of Chalcedon was open was the first coÌplaint that was made against Dioscorus patriark of Alexandria that he had presumed to vndertake to keepe a generall Councell and to be President there without commission from the Pope Vpon which complaint also Dioscorus came downe from this Patriarkall seate wherein he was first sett and stood in the middest of the place as an accused party and not as iudge Wee haue in our handes said Paschasinus Bishop of Lylibea in Sicilia and Legat from the Pope speaking to the Councell the commaundments of the blessed and Apostolicke Prelate of the Cittie of Rome who is the head of all Churches whereby he vouchsaffed to ordaine prouisionallie that Dioscorus sit not in the councell and that if he attempt it that he should be cast out And Lucentius Bishop of ãâã also the Popes Legate Dioscorus said he must yeild an account of iudgement for as much as hauing noe right to doe the office of a iudge be attempted it and presumed to holde a Synod without the authoritie of the sea Apostolicke which neuer hath bene lawfull nor neuer was done And Euagrius in the narration of the history of the Councell The senat saith he hauing ãâã of the legates from Leo what charge there was against Dioscorus they ãâã that he must yeild an account of his owne iudgement because against might ãâã had vsurped the person of a Iudge without the Bishop of Romes permission After which answere ` Dioscorus by the senats iudgment stood in the ãâã of the place And why then when Theodoret Bishop of Cyre a cittie as hath bene said in the confines of Persia had bene restored by Pope Leo from the Deposition of the Councell of Ephesus from whence he had appealed to him did the Emperors Officers who assisted in the Councell of Chalcedon to cause order to be obserued proclayme Lett the Right Reuerend Bishop ãâã come in that he may haue part in the Synod because the most holy Archbishop ãâã bath ãâã him to his ` Bishopricke and that supplied vpon this restitution the most sacred and religious Emperor hath ordained that he shall assist in the holy ãâã For that the Emperor had made himselfe the Executor of the Popes authority in this Councell it appeares by the protestations he had made of it a little before in these wordes Wee conceiued that we ought first to addresse ourselues to thy Holynesse who hast the superintendance and principalitie of Faith And againe Our desire is that peace should be restored to the Churches by this Councell celebrated vnder thy authoritie And why then when the Priests and deacons of Alexandria presented their Petitions against Dioscorus in the Councell of Chalcedon did they couch them in these termes all the Councell seeing and approuing it and ordayning that they should be registred in the Actes To the most holy and most blessed Archbishop and Vniuersall Patriarcke Leo and to the most holy and ãâã Councell For as for the instance that the Bishop of Constantinople made afterward to participate in this title vnder the Pope and in second place after the Pope as Constantinople being a second Rome it shall be spoken of hereafter And why then when Paschasinus the Popes Legate gaue his voice vpon the deposition of Dioscorus did he saie That the Pope had pardoned all those who in the false Councell of Ephesus had by force consented to Dioscorus that is to ãâã to almost all the Metropolitans and Patriarkes of the Easterne Empire The ãâã Apostolicke saith he graunts them pardon for those things that they committed there against their wills for asmuch as they haue remained vnto this time adhering to the most holie Archbishop Leo and to the holy and vniuersall Councell And why then when the actes of the false Councell of Ephesus were in the Councell of Chalcedon annulled did Anatolius Bishop of ConstaÌtinople pronounce that of all that had bene done in the Councell of Ephesus nothing ought to remaine entire but the election of Maximus Bishop of Antioch for as much as that had bene coÌfirmed by the Pope My voice said he is that none of the things ordained by the pretended Councell of Ephesus shall remaine firme concept that which was done for Maximus Bishop of great Antioch for as much as the most holy Archbishop of Rome Leo receiuing him into his communion hath iudged that he ought to rule the Church of Antioch From whence it is also that the same ãâã who had bene created Archbishop of Constantinople in the false Councell of Ephesus held not his Archbishopricke from the false Councell of Ephesus but from the confirmation of the sea ãâã as Pope Leo writing to the Emperor Marcian puts him in mynde in these Wordes It should haue sufficed him that by the consent of my fauour ãâã ãâã ãâã the Bishopricke of soe great a Cittie And why then when the Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon framed that famous relation to Pope Leo which is not only inserted in all the ãâã and latine Actes of the Westerne and Easterne libraries but also is cited by the Greeke Schismatickes and amongst others by Nilus Arch bishop of Tessalonica in his Booke against the Pope did they write to him that he had ruled in the Councell as the head to the members and that the Emperors had presided there to cause order to be obserued that is to auoide such murthers and tumultes as happened in the false Councell of Ephesus And put a like difference betwene the Popes Presidencie and the Emperors as betweene the Presidencie of Iesus the high priest of the Sinagogue and that of Zorobabel prince of the Iewish people in the building of the Temple You presided the Councell writt to the Pope in ' this assemblie as the head
their mouthes that think to call it in question And yet lesse will I stand to solue this that Iustinian in the lawe Constautinopolitana writes that the Church of Constantinople is the head of all the other Churches For it shall be shewed heereafter that he speakes of the other Churches of the iurisdiction of Constantinople which are treaetd of in the lawe and not of the other Patriarkall Churches amongst which Iustinian neuer attributed but the second ranke to the Church of Constantinople as it appeares by the Nouel ãâã where he saieth We ordaine following the definitions of the fower first Councells that the holy Pope of the ancient Rome is to be first of all Prelates and that the most Blessed Archbishop of Constantinople or new Rome shall haue the second place after the holy Sea Apostolicke of old Rome and shall be preferred before all the other Seas And why then when Epiphanius was dead and that Anthymus Bishop of Trebisond had bene made Patriark of Constantinople in his steede did Anthymus oblige himselfe by protestation written to all the other Patriarkes to obey the Pope Anthymus saith the Councell of Constantinople held vnder Menas promiseth to doe all that the Archbishop of the great Sea Apostolick should ordaine and writt to the most holy Patriarkes that hee would in all things followe the Sea Apostolike And why theÌ wheÌ Pope Agapet was a while after arriued at CoÌstantinople did he depose the same Anthymus Patriark of Constantinople and then euen in Constantinople and in the sight of the Emperor Iustinian that fauour'd him and excommunicated the Empresse Theodora his wife who did obstinately maintaine him and ordained Menas priest of Constantinople Patriarke in his steede Agapet saith Marcellinus Comes an author of the same tyme being come from Rome to Constantinople draue away Anthymus soone after his arriuall from the Church saying that according to the ãâã rule he was an adulterer because hee had left his Church and had vnlawfully procured another and ordained the priest Menas Bishop in his roome And Liberatus one likewise of the same tyme with Marcellinus Comes saith The Empresse in secret promising great presents to the Pope if he would leaue Anthymus in his ãâã and on the other side proouing him with threates the Pope persisted not to ãâã to her demaund And Anthymus seing he was cast out of his Seate gaue vp his Mantle to the Emperor and retired himselfe where the Empresse tooke him into her protection and then the Pope for the Emperors sake ordained Menas Bishop in his steede consecrating him with his owne hands And Victor of Tunes of the same tyme with Liberatus published by Ioseph Scaliger Agapet saith he Archbishop of Rome came to Constantinople and deposed Anthymus ` Bishop of Constantinople vsurper of the Church for it must be read peruasorem and not ãâã uersorem and enemy to the Councell of Chalcedon and excommunicated the Empresse Theodora his Patronesse and made at the same time Menas Bishop of the Church of Constantinople And the Emperor Iustinian himselfe We knowe saith hee that the like thing hath bene done in the case of Anthymus who was deposed from the Seate of this royall cittie by the most holy Bishop of the Ancient Rome Agapet of sacred and glorious memorie For those that from these insuing words of Iustinians but he hath bene also deposed and condemned first by the sentence of this Prelate of holy memorie and after of the sacred Synod heere celebrated doe inserre that the finall deposition of Anthymus was not made by the Pope but by the Councell of Constantinople doe not consider that the first clause of Iustinian speakes as shall appeare heereafter of the deposition of Anthymus from the Patriarkall Seate of Constantinople which was done and perfected by the Pope And the second speakes of the deposition of Anthymus from the Archbishopricke of Trebisond which was begun by the Pope but hauing bene tyed to certaine conditions which the continuance of the Popes life did not permitt him to cleere it was finished after his death by the Synod of Constantinople But tyme presseth vs lett vs hasten And why then when Menas Patriark of Constantinople gaue his voyce in the Councell of Constantinople vpon the second deposition of Anthymus that is to say vpon his deposition from the archbishopricke of Trebisond did he say we followe as you knowe the Sea Apostolicke and obey him and haue his communicants for ours and condemne those that are condemned by him And why then when the body of the Councell formed a sentence against the same Anthymus is it couched in these termes We ordaine following things well examined by the holy and blessed Pope c. that he shall be cutt of from the bodie of the holy Churches of God and cast out of the Archbishops Seate of Trebisond and depriued from all dignitie and Sacerdotall action and according to the sentence of the same holy Father stript from the title of Catholicke And why then when the Emperor Iustinian would at the instance of the Empresse Theodora his wise who was an Eutychian persecute Pope Siluerius Agapits Successor doth Liberatus ArchdeacoÌ of Carthage an AfricaÌ author and of the same tyme and that Hinemarus an ancient Archbishop of Rhemes cites vnder the title of a Saint say that the Bishop of Patara in ãâã one of the prouinces of Asia disswaded him from it by the remonstrance that he made him that there was noe temporall monarchie which was equall in extent to the spirituall authoritie of the Pope He represented to him said Liberatus the iudgement of God vppon the expulsion of the Bishop of soe great a Sea admonishing him that there were manie kings in the world but there was not one of them as the Pope who was ouer the Church of the whole world who had bene dispossessed of his seate And why then when the same Emperor Iustinian would erect the first Justinianea of Bulgaria the cittie where he was borne into the forme of a supernumerarie Patriarkship did he ground his ordinance vpon the Vicarship and concession of the Pope Wee ordaine said hee that the Bishop of the first Justinianea shall alwaies haue vnder his iurisdiction the Bishops of the Prouinces of the Mediterranean Dacia of Dacia Ripensis of Triballea of ãâã of the vpper Misia and of Pannonia c. and that in all prouinces subiect to him he shall holde the place of the sea Apostolicke of Rome according as things were defined by the most holy Pope Vigilius And why then when Rusticus deacon of Rome of the same tyme with Justinian writt his booke against the Ascephales did he make this graue exhortation to himselfe Remember that thou art a Christian and a Deacon and that of the most soueraigne Church of all the world And why then when the Bishops of France celebrated the second Councell of Tours 1048. yeares agoe did they say our Fathers
the cittie of Rome besides that she was head of the Empire of the West a thinge which was common to her with the two other citties of Alexandria and Antioch each in the behalfe of their ancient territorie had yet this condition more aboue the rest that she was also the head of the vniuersall Bodie of the Empire soe the finall and absolute Sea of S. PETER which he constituted at Rome besides the Patriarchall iurisdiction and as correspondent to the Empire of the West in which it agreed with the other Patriarchall Chaires had yet more the degree of head of the Church and Prince of the Patriarkes in which he was superior to the other patriarchall Thrones And when there was question of things that went beyond the Patriarchall iurisdiction that is of greater causes and which concerned the vniuersall Churches as were causes of Faith or of the generall customes of the Church or those of the finall deposition of Bishops or those of iudging the verie persons of the Patriarkes exercised Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction ouer them iudged both of their iudgements of their persons For S. PETER hauing purposed to followe in the distributioÌ of spirituall iurisdictions the order alreadie established in the distribution of temporall iurisdiction it must followe that the same proportion that was betweene the seate of Rome the seates of the other two Empires in case of politicke secular iurisdictioÌ must likewise be maintained betweene the Sea of the Bishop of Rome and those of the other Patriarkes in case of Ecclesiasticall spirituall iurisdiction that for two causes the one occasionall remote to witt the secular dignity of the cittie of Rome which had moued S. PETER to sett the spirituall soueraigntie of the Church in that place where alreadie the temporall soueraigntie of the common-wealth was setled the other neere formall immediate to witt the spirituall dignitie of S. PETER for the eminencie whereof it was fitt that he that was the head of the episcopall societie should establish his finall absolute Throne plant the stock of his direct succession in that place where the stocke principall Seate of the human temporall iurisdiction was alreadie planted As the Emperors Theodosius and Valentinian note in these wordes The primacie of the Sea Apostolicke hath bene established both by the merit of Peter who is the Prince of the Episcopall societie and by the dignitie of the cittie and by the sacred authoritie of the Synod Now there was this difference betweene the seate of the cittie of Rome and the seates of the other prefectures in matter of secular temporall iurisdiction that not only the Emperor of the Roman common-wealth commaunded the Prefects and Presidentes of the other Seates but also that the cittie prefect of Rome besides the iurisdiction of his ordinary territorie which was limitted in regarde of iudgement in the first instance to a certaine number of prouinces had yet as head of the Senate and vicar to the Emperor the right of examining by appeale the causes of all the prouinces of the Fmpire For when Augustus and the Emperors following establisht or re-establisht the office of Prefect of the cittie of Rome they gaue him power to iudge of the appeales of all the prouinces of the Roman circle as the interpreter of the notice of the Empire and euen the aduersaries of the Roman Church doe acknowledge alleadging be it well be it euill these words of Mecenas reported in Dion that the Prefect of the cittie shall iudge of the appeales and prouocations of all the Magistrates aboue mentioned And those of Statius addressed to the cittie prefect vnder Domitian Jnque sinum quae saepe tuumfora turbida quaestu Confugiunt legesque vrbesque vbicunque togatae ãâã longinquis implorant iura querelis And those of an epistle from the Senat to the iudges of Carthage reported by Vopiscus in the tyme of the Emperor Tacitus All appeales shall belong to the cittie Prefect which shall yet proceede from the ãâã and ordinarie Iudges And these of an other epistle of the Senat to the Iudges of Treues and to the Antiochians Aquileyans Milaneses Alexandrians Thessalonians Corinthians and Athenians The right of appeale hath bene vniuersallie decreed to the Prefecture of the cittie And these of an epistle of Tiberianus The appeales from all the powers and from all the dignities are returned to the cittie Prefect And these from a lawe of Constantine to Iulian the cittie Prefect Wee will not that the iudges from whom the appeale shall remitt the causes to our clemencie but they shall haue recourse to the sacred auditorie of thy grauitie to whom we haue committed our Vicarship which was after abolished by the translation of the appeales to the Pretoriall Prefects from whence wee haue a lawe of Constantius in the Theodosian-Code which ordaines the Prefect of the Pretory of Italie to examine the appeales from Sicily from Sardinia from Calabria from Prussia and from the prouinces now called Lombardy and adds for the cittie Prefect informed by our answere hath bene aduertised to depart from it By meanes whereof as the cittie of Rome besides that she is head of the Empire of the West leaues not to haue dominion ouer the heades of the two other Empires or to reduce the matter into more strict termes as the Prefect of Rome in the first ages of the Empire besides the ordinary iurisdiction that he had ouer the prouinces of his territory yet left not as Vicar to the Emperor and head of the Senat to iudge of the appeales os all other prouinces so the Pope beside the iurisdiction he had in qualitie of Patriark of the West ouer the prouinces of the patriarkship os the West yet lest not as head os the Church and successor of saint PFTFR and principall Vicar of Christ to haue the supereminence and generall superintendence ouer all the other prouinces To the Roman Church saith saint IRENEVS because of a more mightie principalitie that is to saie as hath aboue appeared because of a principalitien ore mightie then the temporall it is necessarie that all Churches should agree And saint CYPRIAN The Roman Church is the Chaire os PEPER and the principall and originall of the Socerdotall vnitie And Sainct Athanasius They haue had noe reuerent esteeme that Rome was the Sea Apostolick and metropolitan of Romania And saint GREGORIE Nazianzene The ancient Rome treads rightlie in the faith houlding all the West bound by the healthfull word as it is conuenient for her to doe that ruleth all the world And sainct IEROM a priest of the Church of Antioch and disciple of S. Gregorie Nazianzene writing to Pope Damasus I know the Church is founded vpon that stone whosoeuer eateth the lambe out of that howse is profane And a little after I know not Vitalis I am ignorant of Miletius I reiect Paulinus whosoeuer gathers not with
thee scatters And S. AVST In the Roman Church hath alwaies ãâã the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke And Prosper whom saint ãâã reputes his second selfe and whom Joseph Scalager calls the most learned man of his age The principalitie of the Apostolick priesthood hath made ãâã greater by the Tribunall of Religion then by that of the Empire els where changing his prose into verse Rome great Apostle Peter's sacred Seate Head of the Churches-Bodie heere below Hath by Faithes Empire made her selfe more great Then she by all her armed powres could grow And ãâã the first in the epistle to Anastasius Bishop of Thessalonica It hath bene prouided by a grand order that all should not attribute all things to themselues but that in euery prouince there should be some whose sentence might holde the first place amongst their bretheren And againe that there might be others constituted in the greater citties who might vse a greater diligence by whom the care of the vniuersall Church might flow to the onely Seate of Peter And therefore ãâã the AllexandriaÌs would accuse Dionisius Patriark of Alexandria their Bishop they went vp to Rome saith S. ATHANASIVS accused him before ãâã Bishop of Rome And when the same ATHANASIVS likewise Patriark of Alexandria Paul Bishop of Constautinople and Marcellus Primat of Aneyra in Galatia had bene deposed by diuers Councells of the ãâã The Bishop of Rome saith Sozomene restored to each one his Church because to him for the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things belonged And when the cause of Iohn Patriark of Antioch had bene propounded to the Councell of Ephesus the Councell remitted the iudgment to the Pope And Iuuenall Bishop of Jerusalem said that the anoient custome and ãâã tradition bare that the Church of Antioch should be ruled by the Roman And when the Councell of Chalcedon disanulled the actes of the false Councell of Ephesus they excepted the creation of Maximus Patriark of Antioch because saith Anatolius Archbishop of Constantinople The Pope hauing receiued him into his communion hath iudged that he should rule the Church of Antioch And when Theodoret Bishop of Cyre in the borders of Persia and subiect to the patriarkhip of Antioch had bene deposed in the same Councell of Ephesus he appealed to the Pope and the Councell of Chalcedon receiued him because saith the Senat The Pope had restored him to his dignitie And when Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople had bene deposed by Dioscorus Patriark of Alexandria and by the false Councell of Ephesus he appealed likewise to the Pope and that saith the Emperor Valentinian following the custome of the Councells And when Iohn Patriark of Alexandria had bene driuen from his Sea by the plott of the ãâã Zeno he also appealed to the Pope that with the intercessioÌ of the Patriark of Antioch as Liberatus Archdeacon of ãâã a writer of a thousand and one hundred yeares antiquitie reportes in these wordes John saith Liberatus hauing taken Synodicall letters of intercession from Calendian Patriarke of Antioch appealed to Pope Simplicius And thus much of the comparison of the Pope with the other Patriarkes For as for the canon of the Councell of Nicea which seemes to rule the Bishops of Alexandria Antioch ouer the Bishop of Rome it shall be spoken of heereafter Of the difficulties of the Scripture concerning the tyme of S. Peters staie at Antioch and at Rome CHAPT IV. BVT against this that wee haue affirmed of the sitting of Saint PFTER at Antioch and at Rome Caluine and the other aduersaries of the Church forme twelue principall obiections eight from the Scripture and fower from the Fathers The first obiection is that S. PAVL found S. PETER in Ierusalem the two first voyages that he made thither the one three yeare after his conuersion the other when he carried the almes for the famine foretould by Agabus then that the Episcopall staie of S. PETER at Antioch which after S. Ieroms computation betweene these two voyages could not be seauen yeares as S. Gregorie affirmes it as wee suppose it for asmuch as S. Paules conuersioÌhappened at the soonest three yeares after the death of IESVS CHRIST S. PETER departed from Jerusalem to goe to Rome the secoÌd yeare of the Empire of Claudius which was the eleauenth yeare after the death of Christ. The seconde obiection is that S. PETER still assisted at Jerusalem at the Councell holdeÌ for the legall causes about twentie yeare saie they after the death of our Lord and was crucified as we saie the fourteenth yeare of the Empire of Nero that is the seauen thirtith yeare after the death of our Sauiour then he could not haue bene 25 yeare at Rome as wee saie The third that S. PAVL addressing the principall of his epistles to the Romans doth not there salute S. PETER whom he would not haue forgotteÌ if he had bene there The fourth is that S. PAVL writing from Rome to the Philippians complained that euery one sought his owne not that which was of Christ. And to Timothie that all had abandoned him which he would not haue done if S. PETFR had bene there The fist that when S. PAVL came to Rome the bretheren went to meete him amongst whom there is noe mention of S. PETFR and the Iewes prayed him to declare to them his opinion of the sect of the Christians a thing they would not haue required if S. PETER had preached at Rome before him The sixt that S. LVKE who writ the history of the Actes of the Apostles maketh no mention of S. PETERS voyage to Rome The seauenth that S. PAVL who hath described the enterview betweene S. PETER and him at Jerusalem and Antioch speakes not of their enter-view at Rome which was the most famous cittie of the world And the eigth that S. Iohn made mention of the kinde of death by which S. PETER should glorifie God but makes no mention of the place of his death Now lett vs first dispatch the obiections taken out of scripture and after we will proceede to those taken out of the Fathers To the first obiection then from Scripture which is that S. PAVL still found Saint PETER in Jerusalem in the two first voyages that he made ãâã ãâã ãâã one three yeares after his conuersion and the other when ãâã ãâã ãâã the almes for the famine foretould by Agabus and ãâã ãâã ãâã that the Episcopall staie of S. PETER at Antioch which was ãâã ãâã the two voyages could not bee of seauen yeares I answere that the ãâã ãâã of ãâã Paul happened not in the third yeare after the death of our ãâã as they pretend a thing which troubles all the harmonie of the history but the first And this I proue in this manner Betweene the Councell of Ierusalem and S. ãâã departure to goe to Rome S. Paul remained
oppressed inclosed as the most part of the faithfull were constrained to hide themselues in caues and places vnder ground to auoid the persecutions tyrannies of the infidells Iointlie that wee say not that S. PETER remained alwaies fixed and tied to Rome while he was Bishop thereof but that he went from tyme to tyme planting the Ghospell in the lesser citties and placing Bishops ouer them and that during these voyages he administred the Roman Church by the ministrie of Linus and Cletus whom he had there establisheth for his Coadiutors which is the cause for which if wee belieue Russinus they are sometimes reckoned in the order of the Bishops of Rome before S. CLEMENT and sometymes after him And whereas the Iewes prayed S. PAVL when he came to Rome to informe them of the sect of the Christians which they obiect to vs they would not haue done if saint PETER had already bene Bishop there Wee answere that they prayed S. PAVL to informe them not of the sect of the ChristiaÌs but of the opinioÌ that he whom they reputed to be greatly versed in the Iewish doctrine had of them Otherwise how could S. PAVL say in his epistle to the Romans aboue fower yeare before his arriuall at Rome your faith is declared through the whole world To the sixt obiection which is that S. LVKE who hath written the historie of the Apostles speaketh not of the voyage of S. PETER to Rome we answere S. LVKE purposed to write particularlie the actes of saint PAVL his master and not these of the other Apostles For except that which past betweene the death of our Lord and the conuersion of saint PAVL where he treates the historie of the Apostles in coÌmon to make it serue for a foundation to the particular relation of the actes of S. PAVL and except the discourse of the conuersion of Cornelius which hee adds there for as much as this conuersion was the ouerture of the Ghospell to the Gentiles for whose vocatioÌ S. PAVL had bene called S. LVKE doth not after that to the end of his booke make mention of anie other Apostle vnlesse in as much as hee was in the place where S. PAVL was and yet he omitts the voyage of S PAVL to Ierusalem to visit S. PETER S. PETER S. PAVLES meeting at Antioch and the right hand of association giuen by S. PETER S. IAMES S. IOHN to S. PAVL the voyage of the same S PAVL into Galatia which caused Beza to saie Luke hath omitted manie thinges and principallie S. PAVLES voyage to the Galathians And therefore so farr is S. IEROM from making vse of S. LVKES silence to weaken the credit of S. PETERS staie at Rome as contrariwise he argues the staie of S. PETER at Antioch and at Rome to shew how S. LVKE hath passed manie thinges vnder silence and takes this foundation for a certaine and vndoubted principle of historie Finallie saith S. IEROM we haue learnt that Peter was the first Bishop of the Church of Antioch and that from thence be was transferred to Tome which Luke hath vtterly omitted To the seauenth obiection which is that S. PAVL speakes of the enterview betweene S. PETER and himselfe both at Ierusalem and Antioch but speaks of no meeting betweene S. PETER and him at Rome which was the famousest cittie of the world wee answere that the epistle to the GalatiaÌs which is the onely place where S. PAVL speaks of the enterviews betweene S. PETER and him to dissipate the reproaches that they that would seduce the ãâã laid vpon him that he had not bene instituted Apostle by Christ but by S. PETER by the other Apostles who gaue him their right hands for associatioÌ was written if wee belieue S. CHRYSOSTOME before the epistle to the Romans and then we must not thinke it strange that S. PAVL touched nothing there of the enterview of S. PETER him at Rome since it was written before the voyage of S. PAVL to Rome To the eighth obiection which is that S. IOHN makes mention of the kinde of death of S. PETER but makes noe mention of the place of his death we answere two things the one that S. IOHN makes mentioÌ of the kinde of S. PETERS death not of of the place where because the kinde and not the place of the death of S. PETER belonges to the explication of this prophecie of our Lord When thou shall be olde thou shalt stretch forth thy hands And the other that so farre is this clause of S. IOHN from weakning the beliefe of S. PETERS death at Rome that it fullie confirmes and authoriseth it For S. IOHN hauing writt his Ghospell manie yeares after the martyrdome of S. PEEER and hauing explained and proued this ãâã os our Lord thou shalt stretch forth thy haÌds by the kinde of S. PETERS death without specifying it particularly it must be that when S. IOHN ãâã his Ghospell the kinde of S. PETERS death was knowne and euideÌt to all partes of the Church Now the kinde of S. PETERS death could not be knowne to all partes of the Church but the place of his death must likewise be knowne to them nor could the place of S. PETERS death be knowne to all the Church bee anie other then Rome For how could it háppen that not onely all the ancient authors yea those that writt in the next age after S. IOHN as S. DIONISIVS of Corinth S. IRENEVS Caius Tertullian infinite others but the very stones also the inscriptions of the sepulchres of S. PETER S. PAVL which were yet preserued and publickly shewed at Rome in the tyme of Caius should witnesse with a coÌmon voice that S PETER had bene martired at Rome that noe other Church but the Roman did euer glorie in his Relicks and his martirdome if froÌ the time wherein S. Iohn writt his Ghospell the place of S. PFTERS death had bene knowne to all the partes of the Church had bene anie other then Rome And therefore what remaines in all the texts obiected to vs from scripture which agrees not perfectly with the Chronology of the Church concerning the history of S. PETER Saint PAVL affirmes that three yeare after his conuersion he trauelled to Ieru salem to visit S. PETER consents not that exactly with our computatioÌ which reckons the conuersion of S. PAVL the first yeare after the death of our Lord the voyage of S. PETER to Antioch the fifth S. LVKE reportes that S. PAVL being come to Ierusalem for the distributioÌ of the almes during the famine which began the eleauenth yeare after the death of Christ found S. PETER there prisoner doth not that wholie agree with our Chronologie which supposes that the Episcopall Seate of saint PETER at Antioch was seauen yeare fiue compleate two imperfect The same S. LVKE writes that S. PETER withdrawing himselfe
of our Lord. And CAIVS of one tyme with Tertulian If thou wilt gue to the Vaticane or to the waie of Hostia thou shalt finde the trophies that is the Sepulchers of those which haue founded this Church And CLEMENT Alexandrius before him Papias the hearer of S. IOHN Marke being intreated at Roman by the bretheren writt a briefe Ghospell which PETER haueing read approued And ORIGEN PETER was crucified at Rome with his head downewards And saint CYPRIAN The Rome aÌ Church is the Chaire of PETER and the principall Church from whence proceeded the Sacerdotall vnitie And EVSEBIVS Vnder the Empire of Claudius the prouidence of God brought the great Apostle Saint PETER to Rome And againe the histories beare that PAVL was beheaded and PETER crucified at Rome vnder Nero and the titles of PETER and PAVL preserued to this daie in their sepulchers confirme it And LACTANTIVS PETER and PAVL preached at Rome and their ãâã remained written for memorie And S. ATHANASIVS though it were declared to PETER and PAVL that they should suffer ãâã dome at Rome yet they ãâã not to trauell thither And S. CYRILL of Ierusalem PETER and PAVL presidents of the Church came to Rome And saint EPIPHANIVS At Rome were first Apostles and Bishops PETER and ` PAVL and then Linus and then Cletus and then Clement And saint AMBROSE PETER is our warrant for this custome who hath bene Bishop of the Roman Church And againe Christ haueing answered PETER I goe to Rome to be crucified againe PETER vnderstood that this answere belonged to his Crosse And the Emperors GRATIAN and VALENTINIAN and THEODOSIVS Wee will that all the people ruled by the Empire of our clemencie liue in such Religion as the Religion insinuated hither-to by the diuiue Apostle PETER declareth that he gaue to the Romans And OPTATVS Mileuitanus Thou canst not denie but that thou knowest that in the Cittie of Rome the Episcopall Chaire was first conferred to Peter wherein Peter head of the Apostles sate And saint IEROM Simon PETER Sonne of Jona of the Prouince of Galilee of the Borough of Bethsaida brother to the Apostle Andrew and Prince of the Apostles after the Episcopat of the Church of Antioch and the preaching of the dispersion of those of the Circumcision which had belieued in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and ãâã came to Rome the second yeare of the Empire of Claudius to ouerthrow Simon Magus and held the Sacerdotall Chaire twentie fiue yeares there And againe Hegesippus affirmes That he came to Rome vnder Anicetus who was tenth Bishop of Rome after PETER And else where Cyprian addressed the Councell of affrica to Steuen Bishop of the Roman Church who was the twentie sixth after the Blessed Peter And RVFFINVS Peter ruled the Roman Church for the space of twentie fower yeares And SVLPITIVS Seuerus The ChristiaÌ Religion had then taken roote in the Cittie of Rome Peter being Bishop there And S. CHRISOSTOME What spectacle shall Rome see in the daie of Iudgemeut Paul comeing forth of his graue risen againe with PETER And OROSIVS Nero ãâã PETER to death by the Crosse and PAVL by the sword And saint AVGVSTIN Wee see the most eminent height of the thrice noble Empire submitting his diadem bend his knee to the supulcher of the fisherman PETER And in an other place I thinke this part of the world ought to suffice thee wherein our Lord would crowne with a most glorious martir dome the first of his Apostles And else where What hath the chaire of the Roman Church done to thee wherein PETER hath bene set and wherein now Anastasius sitts And againe To PETER hath succeeded Linus to Linus ClemeÌt to ClemeÌt Anacletus to Anacletus Euaristus Of the Canon of the Councell of Nicea touching the gouernment of the Patriarches CHAPT V. HAuing dispatched the difficulties of the Scripture and of the Fathers coÌcerning S. PETERS staie at Antioch Rome there remaines to solue the obiections that the aduersaries of the Church make against what wee haue said of the Popes superioritle ouer the other patriarkes whereof the principall is taken froÌ one of the CanoÌs of the couÌcell of Nicea which ordaines that the ancieÌt customes obserued in Egipt Lybia and Pentapolis should goe on to witt that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue the power of all those things because it was also so accustomed to the Bishop of Rome Now the aduersaries of the Church doe more willing lie make vse of the Councell of Nicea in such like cases then of anie other because the actes of the Councell of Nicea which if wee had them might cleere the sence of the Canons of the same Councell are loste that there remaine to vs of the acts of the first fowre generall Councells no more but those of Ephesus and of Chalcedon And therefore wee must supplie what wants in the breuitie and omission of this Canon by conferring it with the acts of the other councells or by the examination of the histories of their ages To this obiection then wee bring two Answeres the first is that it hath alreadie bene aboue shewed in the Chapter of the patriarkes that the pope had two distinct qualities the one of patriarke of the West the other of head of the Church vniuersall as the Prefect of the Cittie Presecture by which the aduersaries of the Church would measure the spirituall IurisdictioÌ of the Pope who had 2. distinct qualities the one of pre fect of the Cittie Prefecture in which he was equall to the prefect of the other prouinces the other of head of the senate Vicar of the Emperor in which he was superiour to the prefects of prouinces and iudged by appeale of the cause of all their IurisdictioÌs By meanes whereof although in things that concerned but the patriarchall IurisdictioÌ as were the celebratioÌ of prouinciall or nationall couÌcells the correctioÌs of maÌners of the simple priests or deacoÌs the confirmatioÌs either mediate or immediate of the Bishops of the Patriarkship and the subalterne iudgements of the causes euen of Bishops All the other Patriarkes were squared out by the modell and paterne of that of Rome neuerthelesse when there question of things that went beyond the limitts of Patriarchall iurisdiction that is to ãâã of Maior causes and which conuerned the vniuersall Church as were causes of Faith or generall customes of the Church or those of the finall depositions of Bishops or that of the iudgements eueÌ of the persons of the Patriarkes the Bishop of Rome as head of the Church and superintendent of the other Patriarkes exercised Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction ouer theÌ and iudged of their iudgements and persons And therefore when the couÌcell of Nicea ordained that in Egipt Lybia and Pentapolis the Bishop of Alexandria should remaine in possessioÌ of the authority he had for all the causes whereof the councell theÌ spake that is
to saie for the celebration of Prouinciall and nationall Synods for the correctioÌ of minor and particular causes for the confirmation either mediate or immediate of the Bishops of the same prouinces addeth for as much as this also is accustomed to the Bishop of Rome it is certaine that the intention of the couÌcell was not by that to square the Bishop of Alexandria by him of Rome in things that wét beyond the limitts and authoritie of Patriarchall iurisdictioÌ and concerned the iurisdictioÌ of the head of the Church and the gouernment of the vniuersall societie but in those things onely that were withim the bouÌdes and within the facultie of Patriarchall iurisdiction No more then when they measured the power that the other Prefects of the Empire had within the coÌpasse of their prouinces by the power that the prefects of the cittie of Rome had within the prouinces of his Prefecture they preteÌded not by that that in matters that wen forth by appeale from the other prouinces the cittie Prefecte as head of the Senate and Vicar to the Prince was not Superior to all the others nor that wheÌ in a nationall Councell they square out the power that the Archbishops haue ouer the Bishops of their prouinces to the modell of that which the Primate of the natioÌs hath as particular Archbishop ouer the Bishops of his quarter they preteÌd not by that that in things which goe beyoÌd the iurisdictioÌ of the prouinces regard the generall interest of the natioÌ the Primat should not be superior to the other Archbishops nor finallie wheÌ in a regiment of men of warre they measure the power that euery particular Captaine hath to commaund his company by the paterne and modell that the Campe-Master of the RegimeÌt hath ouer his they intend not by that in things which are not in the particular comaund of euerie companie but haue regard to the order the disposition and gouernemeÌt of the Regiment in generall the Campe-Master should not be superiour to all the other captaines For both before the Councell of Nicea when the Church-men of Alexandria would accuse Dionisius the Patriarke of Alexandria their Bishop who was the first Patriarke of the Church after the Pope they transported themselues saith Athanasius to Rome accused him before Dionisius Bishop of Rome presently after the Councell of Nicea when the councell of Antioch Sea of the third Patriarkeship had bene celebrated it was argued of nullitie because saith SOCRATES the Ecclesiasticall law forbad to rule the Churches whithout the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And when the same Councell of Antioch the other councells of the East had deposed S. ATHANAS Patriarke of Alexandria and Marcellus Primate of Ancyra in Galatia and Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina a cittie of the Patriarkeship of Antioch The Bishop of Rome saith Sozomene restored them euerie one to his Church because to him for the dignitie of his Sea appertained the care of all things And when the Councell of Sardica within twentie yeare of that of Nicea and holden for the Confirmation of that of Nicea and composed of the like or a greater number of Bishops theÌ that of Nicea and at which assisted the same Osius Bishop of Corduba the same saint A THANASIVS then Patriarke of Alexandria the same Protogenes Bishop of Sardica which had assisted at that of Nicea proceeded to the direction of ecclesiasticall causes it did not onely authorize the appeales from the Bishops of all the Earth to the Pope but also declared that it was a very good and conuenient thing that from all the Prouinces the Bishops should referre the affaires to their head that is to saie to the Sea of the Apostle PETER And wheÌ the Councell of Capua which the third Councell of Carthage calls a generall councell deputed Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria because of the neighbourhood of his Patriarkship to examine the cause of Flauianus Patriarke of Antioch saint AMBROSE writ to him that after he had iudged it he must get the Pope to confirme his iudgement And when the generall councell of Ephesus passed to the cause of Iohn Patriarke of Antioch Iuuenall Bishop of IerusaleÌ said that the ancient custome bare that the Church of Antioch was alwaies gouerned by the Roman and the councell in the Bodie of it remitted the iudgement of the Patriarke of Antioch to the Pope And when Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria had in the false Councell of Ephesus condemned and deposed Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople Flauianus appealed froÌ him to the Pope and that saith the Emperor Valentinian following the custome of the Councells And when the Councell of Chalcedon disanulled the false Councell of Ephesus it was voted by Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople that of all the acts of that councell none should remaine in force except the creation of Maximus Patriarke of Antioch because the Pope hauing receiued him into his coÌmunion had iudged that he should gouerne the Church of Antioch wheÌ Theodoret Bishop of Cyre neighbour to Persia and one of the Subiects of the Patriarkship of Antioch who had bene deposed by the same couÌcell of Ephesus had froÌ it appealed to the Pope presented himselfe at the couÌcell of Chalcedon the senators to cause order to be obserued there commaunded he should come in for as much as the Pope had restored him to his Bishopricke And when the Popes Legates bare the first word in the Councell not onely they intitled the Pope the head of all the Churches but also when the Fathers of the councell in their Bodie sent their Relation to the Pope they intreated him as the head of the vniuersall Church Thou hast guided vs said they by the legats as the head doth the members And againe As in this which is for the ãâã we haue brought correspondencie to our head so thy Soueraigntie may fulfill in the behalfe of thie Children that which concernes decencie and they treated Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria as ghostly vassall to the Pope ãâã said they hath extended his felonie euen against him to whom the ãâã of the Vine hath by our Sauiour bene committed that is to saie against thy Holynesse Euident and manifest arguments that the Pope had two qualities distinct the one of Patriarke of the West and the other of Soueraigne Vicar of Christ and head of the vniuersall Church and that when the other Patriarkes were compared to him it was in qualitie of Patriarke of the West and not in the quality of Soueraigne Vicar of Christ and head of the vniuersall Church The second Solution is that the Councell of Nicea speakes of the Bishop of Alexandria with restriction and of the Pope without restriction from whence it is that the Senators assisting at the Councell of Chalcedon to cause order to be obserued there after they had heard the lecture of the sixth Canon of the Councell of
Nicea and of the third Canon of the Councell of Constantinople inferred thereupon thus it appeares from hence that all primacie and principall honor hath alwaies bene ãâã to the Bishop of Rome a thing that amazes me that the Greeke Schismatickes and ãâã amongst the rest did not perceiue it For Nilus Archbishop of Thesalonica disputing against the Pope saith If the Canon of the Councell of Nicea had distributed the Climates of the earth to euerie one of the Bishops-Generall so he calls the Patriarkes and had determinately setled nothing vpon the Sea of the Pope but had contented itself with saying that he had receiued the primacie there had bene some reason to esteeme that all the earth had bene vnder him And neuerthelesse not onely the Councell of Constantinople ordaines that the Bishops should not exceede their limitts but that according to the Canons of the Councell of Nicea the Bishop of Alexandria gouerned onely the affaires of Egipt And the Bishops of the East that is of the Patriarkship of Antioch onely the affaires of the East And the Councell of Chalcedon ordaines to the Bishop of Ierusalem the three Palestina's And to him of Constantinople Asia minor Pontus and Thrasia and the Barbarous prouinces that is to say Russia and Muscouia without euer goeing about either that or anie other Councell to sett out a part to the Bishop of Rome nor prescribe limitts out of which he might not exercise his authoritie But euen the Councell of Nicea speakes of the Bishop of Alexandria with restriction assigning him the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis and of the Pope without restriction leauing him the waie free and assigning him noe limitts nor anie determinate number of prouinces The customes said the Canon obserued from antiquitie in Egipt Libia and Pentapolis are to be maintained to wit that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the power of all those things for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishop of Rome By meanes whereof it remaines in the libertie of the Reader to supplie the word ouer all the Church and to expresse the Canon in this sence that the customes obserued from antiquitie in Egipt Libia and Pentapolis should be maintained to wit that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the power of all those things for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishop of Rome ouer all the Church For what was this custome practized by the Bishop of Rome but that whereof saint IRENEVS speakes when he saith to the Roman Church because of a more mightie Principalitie it is necessarie that all the Church should agree And saint AVSTIN when he writes In the Roman Church hath alwaies flourisht the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke And Socrates when he affirmes that the Ecclesiasticall lawe bare that uo decrees might be made in the Church without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And Sozomene when he notes that to the Bishop of Rome because of the dignitie of his Seate the care of all things apportained And so who sees not that the intention of the Councell was net to compare the Bishop of Alexandria with the Pope formallie but anologically that is to saie that the intention of the Councell was not to compare the authoritie of the Bishop of Alexandria ouer the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis with the authority of the Pope ouer anie determinate territorie but to compare the authoritie of the Bishop of Alexandria ouer the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis with the authority of the Pope ouer the whole Church It is certaine that in this clause for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishopof Rome there is an omission which should be supplied either by the extent of an vniuersall word of particular restriction Now that the designe of the Councell was not to compare the Sea of Alexandria as head of the particular Prefecture of Egipt with the sea of Rome as head of an other particular prefecture but to compare the Sea of Alexandria as head of the particular prefecture of Egipt with the Sea of Rome as head of all the Empire the decree of the Councell of Chalcedon which shall be spoken of hereafter shewes it when it saies designing the temporall cause of the priuiledges of the Church of Rome The fathers yeilded the priuiledges to the Sea of the ancient Rome for as much as that Cittie helde the Empire And the Confronting of these wordes of Socrates The Ecclesiasticall rule bare that no lawes should be introduced into the Church without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome with these of the Bishops of Egipt to the Councell of Chalcedon Permitt vs to attend the ordination of our Archbishop to the end that according to the ancient customes we may follow his sentence And againe It is the custome in the prouinces of the prefecture of Egipt to doe noe such ting without the sentence and ordinance of the Archbishop of Alexandria confirmeth it For to saie that there could be nothing established in the vniuersall Church without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome and to saie there could be nothing established in the prouinces of the Prefecture of Egipt without the sentence of the Bishop of Alexandria was it not to make the Bishop of Alexandria that in the prefecture of Egipt that the Bishop of Rome was ouer the whole Church And therefore the Councell saying simplie for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishop of Rome and not specifying where nor bringing in ãâã restriction what should hinder vs from supplying ouer all the Church and from answering that the intention of the Councell was to ordaine that the Bishop of Alexandria who in Egipt Libia and Pentapolis was as Vicar bred from the Sea of saint PETER who had there established his second selfe that is to saie his sonne and welbeloued disciple the Euangelist saint MARKE should haue the superintendencie of the Ecclesiasticall affaires in all these prouinces for as much as the Bishop of Rome to whom as Sozomene saith because of the dignitie of his Seate the care of all things appertained had it generally ouer all the Church or if they will presse vs to reduce the enthymeme of the Councell into the forme of a complete sillogisme what can hinder vs from reducing it into this The same priuiledges that the Bishop of Rome hath in regard of the whole Church the other Patriarkes haue proportionablie euery one in reregard of his Patriarkship Now the Bishop of Rome hath this priuiledge that to him because of the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things pertaines and that without him nothing can be decided of things which concerne the gouernment of the vniuersall Church the Bishop of AlexaÌdria then ought to enioy by proportion the same priuiledges in the prouinces of his Patriarkship that is to say in the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis
that were instituted in the Churches without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And the Emperors Theodosius and Valentinian Wee decree that accoding to the ancient custome nothing shall be innouated in the Churches without that sentence of the reuerend Pope of the Cittie of Rome Now how was this anie other thing but to make the Pope what the same lawe of Theodosius and Valectinian calls him to witt the Rector of the vniuer salitie of Churches and what the Councell of ChalcedoÌ intitles him to witt the Guardian of the Lords Vine and what the Councell of Sardica the Councell of Chalcedon and the Emperor Iustinian qualifie him to wit the head of Bishops For if as the Prouinciall Nationall or Patriarchall Councells could not be reputed perfect nor decide the affaires of the ãâã or of the nation or of the Prouince without the Metropolitan ãâã ãâã ãâã the generall Councells could not be generall nor decide ãâã ãâã which concerned the vniuersall Church without the assistance and ãâã of the Bishop of Rome And if as S. IEROM saith that the Councell of ãâã had ordained that Antioch should be the metropolitan ãâã spirituall of all the East so not only saint ATHANASIVS calls Rome the Sea ãâã and metropolitan of Romania that is of all the Roman Empire beates the Arrians with the epistle which they had writen to the Pope in the which though fainedly irronically they had called the Roman Church the Schoole of the Apostles and the Metropolitan of religion but also S. GREGORIE Nazianzene cries out the ancient Rome marcheth right in the saith ãâã all the west tied by the healthfull word as it is conuenient that ãâã should doe which rules all the world And if as the Bishops of Egipt protested at the Councell of Chalcedon that it was the custome in the prouinces of the ãâã of Egipt to doe nothing without the sentence ordinance of the Archbishop of Alexandria So Socrates saith that the Coucell of Antioch was argued of nullitie for as much as the ancient Ecclesiasticall law bare that the Churches could not bee ruled without the ãâã of the Bishop of Rome how is it that the Bishop of Rome was not metropolita of the vniuersall Church such in regard of the whole Church ãâã ãâã Patriark Metropolitan was in regard of his diuision And if the Pope reciprocallie as heire to the principall Sea of S. PETER Metropolitan of the vniuersall Church was Rector of the vniuersality of Churches how could it be that the originall Patriarks which were heires of the ãâã Chaires of S. PETER the Metropolitans of the secoÌd ãâã of the Empire were not by proportion in the behalfe of their diuisions that which the Pope was ouer the whole extent of the Church It appeares thirdlie by the proceeding of the same Councell of Nicea and in the same Canon For what cause had the Councell of Nicea to represse the rebellion of Meletius Bishop of Sycopolis in Egipt who refused to obey the Bishop of Alexandria his Patriarke alledged the custome of the Pope not that of the Patriark of Antioch The Patriark of Antioch was in person at the Councell which the Pope was not hee was neerer both to the cittie of Nicea wherein the Councell wae holden to the Sea of Alexandria in whose fauour this CanoÌ was made then the Pope he had the ãâã ouer fifteene great prouinces where of the least conteined more countries then the Protestants attribute to the Patriarkship of the Pope For what cause doth the Councell to suppresse Meletius alledge the custome of the Bishop of Rome and not that of the Bishop of Antioch but because the Bishop of Antioch his authoritie was of positiue right as well as that of the Bishop of Alexandria by which meanes the same ãâã that carried Meletius to denie the one might likewise haue carried him to denie the other where the Popes authoritie was of diuine right that is to saie as S. AVSTIN the Mileu Councell speake drawne ãâã the authoritie of the holie scriptures Moreouer for what cause did the CouÌcell of Nicea confirme the custome of the Patriark of Alexandria that of the Patriark of Antioch not confirme that of the Pope but because the Popes authoritie depends not of the authoritie of Councells but proceeded from the verie mouth of our Lord as Pope Gelasius whoÌ S. ãâã the secoÌd S. AVS or rather the second Oracle of the African Church calleth the ReuereÌd Prelat of the Sea Apostolicke hath since expressed it in there words The holie RomaÌ Catholicke Apostolick Church hath not bene preferred before other Churches by anie synodicall constitutions but hath obtained the primacie EuaÌgelicall voice of our Lord and Sauiour when he said Thou art Peter and vpoÌ this rocke I will builde my Church Now this being so how is it not manifest that the intention of the Councell was not to restraine the authoritie of the Pope to the limits of a simple particular Patriarkship as that of the other Patriarkes but to propound the authoritie that the Pope had in regard of the vniuersall Church for a type and patterne of the authoritie of the other Patriarkes in regard of their patriarkships for either the law diuine gaue nothing to the Pope ouer the other Bishops or if it gaue him anie thinge it was giuen him ouer all the Earth although for the coÌmoditie of the vniuersall gouernement of the Church the Pope abstained from the immediate administratioÌ of the other Patriarkships coÌtented himselfe with the onely immediate gouernement of the patriarkship of the West and with the mediate generall superintendencie ouer the rest It appeares fowthly by the possession wherein the Pope remained after the Canon of the Councell of Nicea of iudging the persons and iudgements of the other Patriarkes and that in the view with the applause euen of those that had made the canon of their successors without that anie euer murmured that this practise contradicted it for how had Pope Iulius the first who was created Pope fiue yeares after the Coúcell of Nicea restored those great Champions of the Councell of Nicea saint ATHANASIVS Patriark of Alexandria Marcellus Primat of Ancyra in Galatia Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina because to him saith Sozomen for the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things apperteyned if the intentioÌ of the Councell of Nicea had bene to restraine the authoritie of the Pope into the onely limitts of a particular Patriarkship as well as that of the other Patriarkes And how had those great ChaÌpions defendors of the CouÌcell of Nicea made vse of the Popes restitution to re-enter their Seas if it had bene contrary to the canon of the Councell of Nicea the which themselues had helped to compose S. ATHANASIVS amongst the rest who had bene the soule and pen thereof was then heire
it had bene admittted in some prouinces of Pontus Asia Minor and Thracia shall also haue place through all the prouinces of Illiria that is to saie of the Easterne Illiria to witt thae if there doe anie controuersie arise it may not be reserred to the holy iudgment and sacerdotall councell without the knowledg of the most holy and right Reuerend the Bishop of the cittie of Constantinople which hath the priuiledges of the ancient Rome And Photius Patriarke of Constantinople reporting the same lawe The sixth constitution said hee of the second title of the first booke of the code ordaineth that all the Canonicall questions that shall arise in all Illiria may not be decided without the sentence of the Bishop of Constantinople and of his Synod which hath the priuiledges of the ancient Rome Now what was this priuiledge of the ancient Rome to whose imitation nothing could be decided not onely in all the prouinces of Thracia Pontus and ãâã ãâã but also in all the prouinces of the Easterne Illiria without the knowledge or according to the text of Socrates and of Photius without the sentence of the Bishop of Constantidople and of his Synod but that which we now come from speaking of with the same ãâã that the Ecclesiasticall lawe gaue the Pope through the whole earth to witt that without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome there might be made no new definition in what part of the world soeuer and which the law of Valentinian inserted into the new constitutions of the same Theodosius renewes in these wordes We decree that according to the ancient custome nothing shall be innouated in the Churches without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And therefore what other thing was it to graunt to the Bishop of Constantinople in Ecclesiasticall matters the priuiledges of the cittie of Rome but to make the Bishop of Constantinople particularly in his diuision what the Bishop of Rome was ouer all the Earth It appeaaes in the seauenth place by the possession wherein the Pope continued notwithstanding the erection of the Patriarkship of ãâã to iudge of the iudgements and of the persons of the Patriarkes of Constantinople and to receiue the appeales in maior causes from their diuisions For not onely the Popes as well after the Councell of Constantinople wherein the erectioÌ of the Patriarkship of ConstaÌtinople was attempted as after that of Chalcedon where it was againe sett vpon remained in perpetuall possession to iudge of the iudgements of the persons of the Patriarkes of Constantinople and to receiue the appeales of the maior causes from their diuisions but also the Patriarkes of Constantinople remained in perpetuall profession of obedience and of subiection to the Pope The one of these pointes shall be seene heereafter both by the appeale that SCHRYSOSTOME Archbishop of Constantinople cast in from the Councell of Constantinople to Pope Innocent the first and by the appeale that Eutiches Abbot of Constantinople cast in from Flauianus Patriark of Constantinople to Pope Leo the first by the appeale that the same Flauianus Patriark of Constantinople cast in from the second Councell of Ephesus to the same Pope Leo the first that saith the Emperor ValentiniaÌ the 3 rd according to the custome of Councells by the condemnatioÌ that Pope Felix the third made of Acacius Patriark of Constantinople in vertue whereof he was raced yea after his death out of the records of the Church of Constantinople and by the deposition that Pope Agapet made of Anthymus Patriarke of ConstaÌtinople by the iudgemeÌt that the Pope S. GREGORIE the Great gaue in the causes of Iohn priest of Chalcedon and Athanasius a Regular of Lycaonia appealing to him from the tribunall of the Patriarke of Constantinople And the other shall appeare in the same chapter by the protestations that Iohn the second Anthimus Menas Iohn the fowrth Patriarkes of Constantinople euery one in his tyme made to acknowledge theÌselues submitted subiect to the Pope to the Roman Church Now how was this anie other thing but a perpetuall testimonie that the Patriark all dignitie exempted not those that were thereof prouided from the iurisdiction superioritie of the Pope then that the intention of the Councell of Nicea had neuer bene to restraine the Popes authoritie within the simple limitts of a particular patriarkship as well as that of other Patriarkes but to propose the Popes authority in regard of the vniuersall Church for a type and patterne of the authoritie of the other Patriarkes in regard of their patriarkships It appeares in the eight place by the proceeding of the Emperor Iustinian the first who desiring to erect the first Iustinianea of Bulgaria the cittie of his Birth into the forme of a supernumerary patriarkship ouer the six Archbishoprickes of the six prouinces neere to that towne ordained that in those six prouinces she should hold the place of the Sea Apostolicke of Rome following the definitions of Pope Vigilius Wee decree saith the Emperor that the blessed Bishop of the first Iustinianea shall haue vnder his proper iurisdiction the Bishops of the Mediterranean Dacia of Dacia Rypensis of Triballea of Dardania of vpper Misia and of Pannonia and that they shall be ordained by him and by his proper Synod and that in the prouinces subiest to him he shall hold the place of the Sea Apostolicke of Rome following the things defined by the holie Pope Vigilius For that the intention of the Emperor Iustinian was to erect by this lawe the Bishoprick of the first Iustinianea of Bulgaria into the forme of a Patriarkship of honor although this honor remained to him but in shadowe and smoake wee learne from two cases The one that in the Councell of Constantinople surnamed Trullian holden vnder Iustinian the second before Bulgaria was possest by the Infidells Iohn Bishop of Iustinianopolis signed in the ranke of the Patriarkes in this order Paul of Constantinople Peter of Alexandria Anastasius of Ierusalem George of Antioch and Iohn of Iustinianopolis And the other that euer after the returne of Bulgaria to be Christian the latter Greekes did in some sorte continue this title to him as Curopalates a Greeke Author acknowledgeth when he coupleth the Archbishop of Bulgaria with the Patriarkes in these termes The designatioÌ of the other Patriarkes is made without anie diuersitie as well of him of Alexandria of him of Antioch of him of Ierusalem as also of the Archbishop of the first Iustinia nea called Achrida and of all Bulgaria And as Barlaam a Greeke Author natiue of Peloponosus confirmes it in his disputations against the Greeke schismaticks when hee writes that in the part separate from the Pope there were fiue Patriarkes on the other part saith he the are fiue Patriarkes reckoning him of Bulgaria And that this priuiledge to hold the place of the Sea Apostolick in the six prouinces neere the first
translations of the treatises of some Greeke diuines and not of his historicall workes or translations Otherwise how could Pope Gelasius in the same decree haue condemned the ten bookes of the recognitions of Clement which had bene translated by Russinus and how could he haue written in the same place the holy Roman Catholicke and Apostolicke Church hath not bene preferred before other Churches by anie Synodicall Constitutions but hath obtained the primacie by the Euangelicall voice of our Lord and Sauiour saying Thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will build my Church And how could he haue writteÌ elsewhere speaking of the ancient canons of the Church These are the Canons which ordaine that from all partes of the world the appeales shall be brought to the Sea Apostolicke And how could he haue said that the care of the Regions of Egipt and of Antioch had bene by Pope Felix committed to Acacius Patriark of Constantinople And whereas they add that saint CYRILL sending the Canons of the Councell of Nicea to the Bishops of Africa writt to them that they might finde them in the Ecclesiasticall historie which they pretend must be vnderstood of the history of ãâã for as much as those of Socrates Theodoret and Sozomene were written since and besides containe nothing of the canons of the Councell of Nicea this is yet a more feeble and deceiptfull caution For besides that many others had made collections of the Ecclesiasticall historie as amongst the Catholickes saint ATHANASIVS Bishop of Alexandria who had composed a volume intituled Synodica Theodorus Bishop of Mopsvestia not yet then noted for heresie who had framed a particular historie of the Councell of Nicea Philip of Sida who had compiled an vniuersall Ecclesiasticall history And amongst the heretickes Philostorgius the Arrian and Sabinus the Macedonian where is the article of the Bishop of Antioch and the precept to adore standing on the sundaies and during the fiftie daies of Pentecoste which were contained in saint Cyrills Copie to bee found in Ruffinus edition and contrariwise where are the permission to deacons to distribute the Eucharist in the absence of priests and Bishops and the restitution of the communion to penitents before the accomplishement of their pennance and the extension of the canon of the Paulianict deaconesses to all deaconesses in generall and the equiuocation and mistaking of the confession of priests after promotion which are all in the edition of Ruffinus to be read in the copie of saint CYRILL contrarywise if saint CYRILLS intention had bene to approue the edition of Russinus by this remittment why did not the Africans which turned or caused to be turned from Greeke into Latine saint CYRILLS Greeke Copie followe Ruffinus in their translation and put in the Clause of Churches Suburbicarie And saint CYRILL himselfe if he had beleiued that the clause of Churches suburbicary should haue bene added to the CanoÌ of the Councell of Nicea how could he haue taken a Vicarship and commission from Pope Celestine to execute the sentence of the Sea Apostolique against Nestorius Archbishop of Constantinople And how could hee and the other Bishops of the Councell of Ephesus haue approued of the oration of the Popes Legates by which they called the Pope the head of the Church and the Vicar and ordinary Successor of saint PETER and why had they reserued the iudgement of the cause of Iohn Patriarke of Antioch to the Pope And then what proofe is there that Ruffinus by the word suburbicary did intend the Churches within a hundred thousand paces of the Cittie of Rome and not the Churches of all the Citties subiect to the Empire of the Cittie of Rome Is there anie likelyhood that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue had Egipt Libia and Pentapolis vnder which were yet intended many other great prouinces either annexed or subalterne as Ammoniaca Maroeotides Thebaidis and besides the immense Region of Ethiopia from whence the Greeke Emperor Leo surnamed the Philosopher saith in the life of saint CHRYSOSTOME that the Emperor Arcadius caused Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria to cometo CoÌstantinople accompanied with Indian and Egiptian Bishops And that the Bishop of Rome by whom they squared him had no more but those onelie Churches that where neere the ãâã of Rome Theocritus writeth that Ptolomeus Philadelphus king of Egipt of whose Empire the Prouinces since attributed to the Patriarkship of Alexandria made the principall parte commaunded 33339. citties Of townes thirtie three thousand three hundred thirty nine Vnder the yoake of his decrees their seruile heads incline And Strabo and Diodorus Siculus and the interpreter of the notice of the Empire after them saie that the ancient diuision of Egipt was diuided into thirtie six prouinces whereof Delta in Egipt contained ten and the ãâã Theodosius the second writing to Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria to cause him to come to the false CouÌcell of Ephesus sent to him to bring his ten metropolitan Bishops or ten of his metropolitaÌ Bishops that is to saie heades of Prouinces with him And the Bishop of Antioch who was but the third Patriarke had vnder him the two Syria's the three ãâã the two Cilicia's the three Arabia's the Region of Euphrates Mesopotamia Jsauria and Osrhoene and more as he pretended the Isle of Cyprus without reckoning manie other prouinces which though he ãâã not their metropolitans yet neuerthelesse acknowledge him For there were manie prouinces which acknowledged their Patriarks and were obliged to appeare at their patriarchall Synods although they tooke not from them the ordination of their metropolitans from wheÌce it is that Balsamon writes that the Councell of Antioch holden vnder the patriark Peter Jberia Asiatica otherwise called the prouince of the Georgians was made Autocephalus that is to saie exempt from takeing the ordination of their Metropolitan anie other where then from the Synod of the prouince and neuerthelesse still remained subiect to the patriarke of Antioch And when the Councell of Chalcedon would erect Constantinople into a patriarkship they assigned him for his patriarchall Diuision the prouinces of Trace pontus Asia minor with the Barbarous prouinces that is to saie Russia and Muscouia which together contained more ground then all Europe principally if we giue Credit to Herodotus who saith that the Thracians were the greatest nation of the world next the Indians And the Pope who was the first patriarke and the patterne and modell of all the patriarkes to haue bene restrained to the onely Churches neere the Cittie of Rome what a Birth-right had that bene For to saie that the Pope had in his portion the Cittie of Rome which recompenced in splendor and dignitie the extént of the other patriarkships and besides that the prouinces neere the Cittie of Rome were much more peopled then the prouinces neere the other patriarchall Citties who knowes not first that the Cittie of Rome being vnder the Popes
gouernement is not because of his dignitie of patriarke but because of his qualitie of Bishop And secondlie who knowes not that Diodorus Siculus writes that manie placed Alexandria the first or second of all the Citties of the world and assirmes that in his tyme there were aboue three hundred thousand Freemen inhabitans in Alexandria and that Herodian saith that Geta esteemed that Alexandria and Antioch were not farr short of Rome and that ãâã calls Constantinople equall to Rome And as for the prouinces neere Constantinople and Alexandria who knowes not that they were no lesse peopled then the prouinÄes neere and contiguous to Rome and principallie if we belieue Josephus wherein ãâã saith that Egipt contained Seauenty fiue hundred thousand of men without accompting the inhabitantes of Alexandria And Diodorus Siculus who saith that the ancient Egipt contained aboue eighteen thousand Citties or famous Boroughes The word Suburbicary being deriued as Grammar teacheth vs from the word vrbs the lawes of Etimology will that the varietie of the signisications should be ruled according to the difference of the acceptions of the word vrbs the primitiue Now the word vrbs preciselie taken for the ãâã of Rome had two Offices the one to distinguish her from all Cittie 's contained vnder the Empire of the same Cittie of Rome which was Called by excellencie and absolutely vrbs from whence it is that S. CYPRIAN calls the Clearks of Rome Clearkes of the Cittie and the first Councell of Arles intitles the Deacons of Rome the deatons of the Cittie And Optatus Mileuitanus calls Zepherinus Bishop of Rome Zepherinus of the Cittie And GREGORIE of Tours saith Papam Vrbis intending the Pope of Rome and that conformablie both to the eminencie of the Cittie and to the Councell that Mecenas reported by Dion gaue to Augustus to make all other people take their Citties but for Countrie howses and Villages and to beleiue that there was but one Cittie trulie a Cittie to witt Rome And the other to distinguish it from the onelie Citties subiect to the Prouostship of Rome which they called the Prefecture of the Cittie which contained the next hundred thousand paces to the Cittie of Rome And therefore as the word vrbs taken precisely for the Cittie of Rome had two vses one relatiue to the Imperiall territorie of the Cittie of Rome and the other relatiue to the prouostall territorie of the Cittie of Rome so the word suburbicary taken according to the reason of the etymology ought to haue two offices the one generall to witt to designe all the Citties situate within the emperiall territory of Rome that ancient writers called Romania from whence it is that saint ATHANASIVS said that Rome was the Sea Apostolick and Metropolitan of Romania the other particular and more proper to lawyers to witt to designe the onely Citties situate within the prouostall territorie of Rome that is to saie within a hundred thousand paces about Rome which they called suburbicary to distinguish theÌ from the Citties of Italie subiect to the Pretoriall prefect of Italie who held his Seate at Milan the which and principallie since the tyme of Constantine was partycularly called Italie for before Constantines tyme the pretoriall Prefecture was not yet diuided into fowre Pretoriall Prefectures of Italie of Gallia of Illiria and of the East but consisted in one onely Prefecture though it were sometymes solidarily administred by two persons Now to pretend that it were in this second sence to wit not by relation to the Imperiall territory of Rome but by relation to the Prouostall territory of Rome that Ruffinus hath translated that the Bishop of Rome should haue the care of the Churches suburbicary what were this but to finde the Readers some what to laugh at For besides that this terme was not in vse but in the authors that haue written since Constantin and the Councell of Nicea who euer heard of shutting vp the Popes authoritie within the next hundred thousand paces of the Cittie of Rome is there so simple a scholler that knowes not that the Pope setting aside his qualitie of head of the Church was Patriarcke of the West whence it is that saint BASILE considering him as Patriarke calls him the Corypheos of the westerne people And that S. IEROME speaking of him in the same qualitie cries out let them condemne me of heresie with the west let them condemne me of heresie with Egipt that is to saie with Damasus and with PETER vnderstanding by Damasus Pope Damasus and by PETER Peter Patriarke of Alexandria whom Socrates saith Pope Damasus had newly then restored And euen the Greeke Scismaticks did not they ancieÌtly acknowledge that the Patriarkship of the Pope did anciently coÌtaine all the prouinces of the Empire of the West that is to saie all the Prouinces of Italie Africa Spaine France and the Germanies England the Western Illiria vnder which was vnderstood Dalmatia HuÌgaria the neighbouring prouinces Thou Seest saith Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica disputing against the Latins that the Canon of the Councell of Nicea esteemes that the rules of the Fathers ought to be confirmed which haue distributed to euery Church their priuiledges to witt that some of the Nations should be submitted to the Bishop of Alexandria others to the Bishop of Antioch as those of Syria the two Cilicia's Coelosiria Mesopotamia And to the Bishop of Rome is giuen the same to wit that he haue the superintendencie of those of the West And Zonarus a Greeke commenter and a Schismatick expounding the sixth CanoÌ of the Coucell of Nicea long before Nilus The Councell saith ãâã ordaines that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue the ãâã of ãâã of Libia and Pentapolis c. as the ancient custome had giuen to the Bishop of Rome to commaunde in the prouinces of the west yea doth not the same Zonarus write that the patriarkship of Rome comprehended not onely all the prouinces of the Empire of the West but also almost all the westerne prouinces of the Empire of the East To the Roman Church saith ãâã comenting the fifth Canon of the Councell of Sardica were then ãâã almost all the westerne Churches to wit those of Macedonia those of Illiria those of ãâã those of Peloponesus those of Epirus which haue since bene attributed to the Sea of Constantinople For those prouinces that Zonarus calls westerne were all of the Empire of the East but they were called western and appertained to the Patriarkship of the west for as much as they had bene ãâã the ancient Empire of the West such as it had bene possessed by the common-Weale of Rome before the Empire of Asia holden by the Seleucides other neighbour-Princes that of Egipt were vnited to it such as it had bene limited by the Emperors Antonius and Geta when they ãâã to diuide the Roman world and set the Bosphorus for a barr betweene
and their Bishop to the Sea of Constantinople are these the Archbishop of Thessalonica the Archbishop of Syracusa the Archbishop of Corinth the Archbishop of Rhegium the Archbishop of Nicopolis the Archbishop of Athens the ãâã of Patros And finally it appeares by the testimonie of Zonarus the most famous Canonist of the Greekes who interpreting the words of the Councell of Chalcedon that the Bishop of Constantinople should ordaine but onely the metropolitans of Pontus Asia and Thracia adds for the Diocesses to witt those of Macedonia Thessalia Hellada Peloponesus Epirus and Illyria were at that tymestill subiect to the Bishop of Rome And then if the lawe Omni innouatione cessante had bene executed and that the Prouinces of the Easterne Illyria should haue remayned after that disposed to the Bishop of Constantinople would not the consequence haue bene yet worse for the Popes aduersaries for that Pope Leo the first who was made Pope eighteen yeare after this lawe reproues the Archbishop of Thessalonica his vicar in Illyria because hauing called Atticus Metropolitan of the ancient Epirus and he excusing himself vpon his sicknes and vpon the winters colde he had employed the arme of the Easterne Empire to make him come by force and writt to him Wee haue in such sort committed our Vicarship to thy charitie as thou art called to a part of the care and not to the fulnesse of power And that the Emperor Iustinian being willing to exalt the Bishop of the first Iustinianea of Bulgaria ouer diuers Prouinces of the Easterne Illyria alleadgeth for a reason of his ordinance the definition of Pope Vigilius and not that of the Patriark of Constantinople and constitutes him vicar of the Apostolicke Sea of Rome in these very Prouinces doth it not necessarilie shew that either the lawe of the Emperor Theodosius the second had remained without effect or that the Pope had iurisdiction out of his Patriarship and that before the Councell of Nicea saint CYPRIAN solicited Pope Steuen to write to the Gaules that Marcian Bishop of Arles might be discharged and reproued the same Steuen for that he had vpon a false reporte restored Basilides and Martial Bishop of Spaine deposed for hauing abiured in the persecution time And that a while after the Councell of Nicea Valens Bishop of Murses in Pannonia and Vrsatius Bishop of Singidon in Mysia asked the Popes pardon for the slaunders they had published against saint ATHANASIVS and that Socrates saith that Perigenes Bishop of Patros in Achaya was by the Popes commaundement made Bishop of Corinth And that saint PROSPER writes that Pope Celestine sent Germanus Bishop of Auxera his vicar into Scotland and that the Bishop of Thessalonica had bene from time to time till Pope Leo the first and from Pope Leo the first to the time of Pope GREGORIE the great vicars of the Sea Apostolicke in Macedonian Achaya Epirus and other Greeke Prouinces and not vicars of simple negotiation as Balsamon pretends but Vicars of iurisdiction as Zonarus and the Greeke Emperor Leo more learned and more ancient then hee and the very Epistle of Pope Leo beare witnes shew they not plainely either that the Pope had iurisdiction out of his Patriarkship or that his Patriarkship extended further then the Prouostship of Rome For as for the new Critickes that obiect that the Emperor Valentinian the third commaunded by one of his lawes the prefect of the Cittie that he should banish those which were not in the Popes Communion from the space of an hund red thousand paces about the Cittie of Rome and inferr from thence that the Popes authoritie did then extend but an hundred thousand paces about Rome they shew themselues blinde with two more then Tiresian blindnesses the one not to see that there was difference betweene this that the Emperor Valentinian the third did which was to beare so great a respect to the Popes as not to permit to those that were out of their Communion the very temporall dwelling within the Prouostships of the Cittie of Rome and the consequence that they inferr from it which is to saie that the Popes had not power to exclude those which were not in their communion from the spirituall communion of all the Church And the other not to perceiue that the bound of an hundred thousand paces is fitted to the lawe not because the Popes iurisdiction extended no further but because the ordinarie iurisdiction of the Prouost of the Cittie of Rome to whom the lawe was directed extended no further then ouer the next hundred thousand paces to the Cittie of Rome Otherwise how could saint PROSPER haue said speaking of Pope Celestins proceedinges against Coelestius he commaunded Coelestius should be driuen from the vtmost endes of Italie and how could saint AVSTIN haue written that Pope Innocent and Pope Zosimus condemned Pelagius and Coelestius through all the Christian world and how should the same Emperor Valentinian the third haue said in an other lawe Wee ordaine by a perpetuall sanction that neither to the Bishops of the Gaules nor to those of other prouinces it shall be lawfull against the ancient custome to attempt anie thing without the authoritie of the Reuerend Pope of the eternall Cittie but that to them and to all that be for a lawe that the authoritie of the Sea Apostolick shall haue ordained But why should wee haue recourse to reason to confute that which ruins and destroies it selfe by the proper hippothesis thereof for had not the Cittie of Constantinople bene formed and made by the patterne of the ancient Rome had she not the same offices priuiledges and politicke orders with the ancient Rome from whencet he ancient Rome saith by the mouth of Claudian Cum subito par Roma mihi diuisaque sumpsit Aequales aurora togas Had she not a Senat as Rome had had she not one of the Consulls as Rome had had she not a Prouost of the Cittie whose ordinarie iurisdiction was inclosed within the next hundred thousand paces to the Cittie of Constantinople as Rome had and when they would honor her with spirituall priuiledges and erect her into the title of a Patriarkship did they not rule her by the square and by the modell of the Patriarkship of Rome alleadging that as she was honored with like temporall priuiledges as Rome was so it was reasonable to honor her that is to saie in a Patriarchall degree with like Ecclesiasticall priuiledges If then the Patriarkship of Constantinople were squared by that of Rome and Constantinople had her Prouost of the Cittie whose ordinary iurisdiction was contained within the next hundred thousand paces to the Cittie of Constantinople as well as that of Rome who sees not that either the Patriarchall iurisdiction of the Pope must not be restrained within the ordinary territory of the Prouostship of the Cittie of Rome that is to
saie within an hundred thousand paces next the Cittie of Rome or that the Patriarchall iurisdiction of the Bishop of Constantinople must likewise bee restrained within the ordinarie territorie of the prouost of the Cittie of Constantinople that is to saie within an hundred thousand paces next the Cittie of Constantinople for that Constantius Sonne of Constantine attributed to the Prouost of the Cittie of Constantinople the appeales from the diuisions of Thrace of Pontus and Asia it was not of the ordinary iurisdiction of the Prouostship of the Cittie of Constantinople noe more then the appeales of all the Prouinces of the Empire that the ancient Emperors had attributed to the Prouost of Rome were of the simple and precise ordinary iurisdiction of the Prouostship of the Cittie of Rome By meanes whereof to forme and mould the spirituall authoritie of the Bishop of Constantinople by the patterne and modell of that of the Bishop of Rome it was necessarie either that the spirituall authoritie of the Pope should be extended ouer all that which was of the extraordinarie iurisdiction of the Prouost of the Cittie of Rome or that the spirituall authoritie of the Bishop of Constantinople should be inclosed within the onely boundes of the ordinarie iurisdiction of the Prouost of the Cittie of Constantinople that is to saie within the next hundred thousand paces of the Cittie of Constantinople Now so farr was this from being so that the patriarchall territory of the Bishop of Constantinople was confined within an hundred thousand paces next the Cittie as contrary wise the Patriarckship of Constantinople had for diuision the prouinces of Pontus Thracia Asia minor and the barbarous Prouinces that is to say Russia and Muscouia which contained more ground then all Europe And against this it is not to be said that Constans sonne of Constantine and brother to Constantius had depriued the Prouost of the Cittie of Rome from the right of examining by appeale the causes of all the prouinces and had attributed it to the pretoriall Prouosts For if the Pope had bene squared by the patterne of the prouost of the Cittie of Rome it had bene by the patterne of the prouost of the Cittie of Rome not such as he was since the Empire of Constantine but such as he had bene vnder the Empire of the Predecessors of Constantine Otherwise how had the Councell of Nicea confirmed the ancient prerogatiues of the Bishop of Alexandria in Egipt Lybia and Pentapolis for asmuch rs they were grounded vpon the custome of the Bishop of Rome Moreouer the same lawe of Constans sonne of Constantine which tooke awaie the appeales of the prouinces of Italie from the prouost of the cittie and attributed them to the pretoriall prouost of Italie coÌprehended by names Sicilia Sardinia Campania Calabria and Brusse And neuerthelesse it is certaine that these prouinces and particularly Sicilia remained alwaies in the Popes patriarkship as longe as the Latine and Greeke Churches were vnited For those that saie that Sicilia was added to the patriarkship of Constantinople when Iustinian attributed the Secular appeales of Sicilia to the pretor of Constantinople committ two grosse ignorances the one not to knowe that the spirituall iurisdiction of Sycilia was not transferred to the Patriarkship of Constantinople till after the Greeke Emperors infected with the heresie of the Iconoclasts had bene driuen from Rome and in reuenge had depriued the Pope not onely of the exercise of spirituall authoritie but also from the temporall reuenew that he had in Sicilia which remained to them and the other not to perceiue that seeing Sicilia which was out of the ordinary territorie of the Prouost of the Cittie and belonged before the vsurpation of the Vandalls to the Pretoriall Prouost of Italie and since the expulsion of the Vandalls to the Pretor of Constantinople to whom Iustinian had attributed it for as much as when hee re-conquered Sicilia the Gothes still held Italie was of the Popes Patriarkship the Popes authoritie was not then restrained to the onely territory of the Prouostship of the Cittie of Rome for that Sicilia both before and after Iustinian had bene and remayned vnder the Patriarkship of Rome till the tyme of the Iconoclast Emperors wee learne both from the Epistles of saint LEO the first written neere a hundred yeares bofore Iustinian which ordained the Bishops of Sicilia to send euery yeare three Bishops of their prouinciall Synod to Rome the third of the Calends of October and from the Epistles of saint GREGORIE the Great written fiftie yeares after Iustinian whereby he made Maximian Bishop of Syracusa his Vicar ouer all the Churches of Sycilia and from the sixth generall Councell where the Bishops of Sicilia signed amongst the Bishops of the Popes Patriarkship and from the Councell Trullian celebrated vnder Iustinian the second where the description of the Patriarkship of Constantinople was repeated without anie mention of Sicilia and finallie from the very confession of the Greeke Emperor Leo surnamed the Learned who placeth amongst the Churches subtracted from the Sea of Rome and attributed to the Sea of Constantinople the metropolitan Church of Syracusa and all her subalterne Churches And so what remaines but that Ruffinus an author that saint IEROM saith is full of impietie of language and that Ioseph Scalager calls a slanderous and ignorant interpretor and who was so little curious in the stile of the lawyers as hee employed with Lampridius and the other authors of the declination of the latine tongue yea as saint IEROM reproacheth it to him with the vulgar the word parentes to signifie Kinsmen setts therein the adiectiue Suburbicary not according to the speciall vse of the lawyers but according to the etymologie of the word and then that as the generall office of the word vrbs absolutely taken and by excellencie for the Cittie of Rome was to distinguish her from all the Citties subiect to the Roman Empire from whence it is that they called the Bishop of Rome for distinction from all other Bishops the Bishop of the Cittie so Ruffinus by the Churches Suburbicary intends not the Churches within an hundred thousand paces of the Cittie of Rome but the Churches of all the Citties subiect to the Empire of the Cittie of Rome which saint ATHANASIVS calls the Sea Apostolick and Metropolitan of Romania And indeede that Ruffinus in translating or rather in epilogizing the Canon of the Nicean Councell omitts the clause of the Patriarkship of Antioch and translates onely that the Bishop of Alexandria shall haue the care of the Churches of Egipt and ãâã of Rome that of the Churches Suburbicary is it not a manifest proofe that he vseth these words not in forme of diuision but in forme of Subordination and that this which he saith that the Bishop of Rome should haue the care of the Suburbicary Churches and that which Socrates and Sozomene saie that to the
Bishop of Rome because of the dignitie of his Seate ãâã care of all thinges belonge is one and the same language or rather that this that Ruffinus saith here that the Bishop of Rome is to haue the care of the Suburbicary Churches and this that he saith elsewhere Rome by the grace of God is the head of all the Christrians is one and the same thing But graunt that Ruffinus by the word Churches Suburbicarie doth intend in generalll all the Churches of the prouinces subiect to the Empire of Rome nor in particular the onely Churches of the Cittie subiect to the Prouostship of Rome but intends the Churches of the Prouinces or Nations where the Metropolitans or Primats acknowledge the Pope immediatly without the intermedling of anie the Patriarks to wit the Churches of the Patriarkship of the west would that hinder that besides the immediate superintendencie that the Pope hath ouer the prouinces of his Patriarkship hee might not haue a mediate superintendencie ouer all the prouinces of the others Hemer if it be lawfull to compare thinges sacred to prophane doth not he teach vs that besides the Commaund Agamemnon had as a particular King ouer the compaines of his owne subiects and the other kings like him euerie one ouer their owne hee had yet beyond that as head and Captaine generall ouer the Armie of the Greekes the vniuersall authority and superintendencie ouer the other kinges and ouer their Companies And will not the aduersaries of the Pope haue it that the Prouost of the Cittie of Rome to whose temporall proportion they pretend to square the Popes spirituall authority besides the ordinarie iurisdiction of his Prouostship wherein they equall him to other Prouosts had besides in the first ages an other extraordinary iurisdiction by which as head of the Senate and Vicar of the Emperor he was superior to other Prouosts and iudged of the appeales of all the Prouinces And saint BASILL that great Archbishop of Cappadocia did not hee consider the Pope some tymes as Patriarch of the west where hee calls him the Corypheos of those of the west and sometymes as head of the vniuersall Church when he writes to those of the west Be it that you repute yourselfe head of the vniuersall Church the head cannot say to the feete you are not necessarie to me be it that you place yourselues in the ranke of the other members of the Church you cannot say to vs that are constituted in one same bodie with you you are not necessarie to me for that he vseth this disiunctiue particle be it it is not there to cast anie doubt but to distinguish the addresse of his speache into two branches whereof the one to witt be it that you repute yourself head of the vniuersail Church had regard to the Pope and the other to witt be it that you place yourselues in the ranke of the other members had regard to the other Bishops of the west And doth not hee himself reporte that Eustathius Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia hauing bene deposed by the Councell of Melitina in Armenia a Catholicke and orthodoxall Councell and hauing brought letters of restitution from Pope Liberius was receiued without forme of processe into the Councell of ãâã in Cappadocia And doth not saint IEROM who was priest of Antioch and creature to Paulinus the Bishop of Antioch and resident within the diuision of the Patriarkship of ãâã say What should the Churches of the East doe and those of Egipt and that of the Sea Apostolicke designing by the Churches of the Sea Apostolicke those which were subiect immediatly without acknowledging anie other Patriarke betweene to the Patriarkship of the Pope And by the Churches of Egipt those which answered to the Patriarkship of Alexandria by the Churches of the East those which were submitted to the Patriarkship of Antioch And yet for all that doth he not write to Pope Damasus about the contention of Vitalis Meletius and Paulinus Competitors in the Patriarkship of Antioch I am ioyned in communion with thy blessednesse that is to say with the Chaire of PETER I know the Church is built vpon that rocke And a little after I know not Vitalis I reiest Meletius I am ignorant of Paulinus whosoeuer gathers not with thee scatters That is to saie doth he not teach vs that the distinction of the Popes patriarkship from the other patriarkships hindred not the Popes superioritie ouer the others And did not Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople write to Pope Leo Wee haue giuen aduertisment to your Holynesse of the excommunication of Eutyches that you may make his ãâã knowne to all the Bishops resident vnder your pietie And yet for all this did he not when Eutyches pretended to haue appealed to the Pope submitt his iudgemeÌt to that of the Pope And did not himselfe in the second Councell of Ephesus appeale to the Pope And Iohn the second and Anthimus and Menas and Iohn the fourth his successors did they not acknowledge and protest that they were subiect to the Pope And the Popes that came after Leo did not they depose Acacius and Anthimus Patriarkes of Constantinople and iudge by appeale the causes of John Athanasius subiects to the Patriarkes of Constantinople And did not the Pope S. GREGORIE the great call the Bishops of the West his Bishops If the causes said hee of the Bishops which are committed to me are treated by the religious Emperors by the intercessions of strangers miserable man that I am what doe I in this Church but that my Bishops dispise me and haue recourse to secular iudges against me I thaÌke God almightie for it and I impute it to my sinnes Yet did not he saie of all the Bishops in generall If there be anie fault in the Bishops I know noe Bishop but is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke And Iulian the former who liued 1050. yeares past did he not turne the hundred thirtith one new coÌstitution into these words yet more rawe theÌ those of Ruffinus That the Bishop of the first Iustinianea should haue the same right ouer the Bishops subiect to him as the Bishop of Rome had ouer the Bishops submitted to him And yet by this doth he pretend to equall the Bishop of the first Iustinianea to the Pope or to exempt him and his Bishops from the Popes iurisdiction Nothing lesse but by the Bishops submitted to the Pope he intended the Bishops submitted immediately to the Pope without the interposition of other Patriarks as it appeares both by the originall greeke of the law which beares this We ordaine that in all prouinces subiect to him he holde the place of the Sea Apostolicle of Rome following the things defined by the most holie Pope Vigilius And by the lawe of the same Iustinian to Epiphanius which saith We will suffer nothing to passe concerning the state of the holy Churches which shall not be also referred
according to the custome of Councells appealed from him to the Pope and Theodoret did the like that the Pope vpon these appeales replaced Flauianus alreadie dead into the Catalogue of the Bishops of Constantinople and restored to Theodoret his Bishopricke and annulled all the acts of the false Councell of Ephesus except the creation of Maximus Patriark of Antioch which remained in force because said Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople the Pope hauing receiued him into his communion iudged that he should rule the Church of Antioch And finally it sufficeth that when the greeke text of the same canon of the Councell of Nicea translated by Ruffinus had bene read in the Councell of Chalcedon a Councell composed of aboue six hundred Greeke Fathers who vnderstood both Greeke and the Greeke Canons better then Ruffinus who was so vnapt and barbarous in both the tougues as S. IEROM saith the Latins tooke him for a Grecian and the Greekes for a Latine so farr were the Fathers of that Conncell from inferring from thence anie equallitie betweene the Pope and the Patrirake of Alexandria that contrariwise in their Synodicall relation they protested they held the Pope for the head of their societie Thou rulest ouer vs said they as the head doth ouer the members And againe We praie thee to honor our iudgement with thy decrees and that as in what concernes the weale we haue brought correspondencie to our head so thy ãâã would ãâã to thy children what concernes decency And on the other side they ãâã ãâã ãâã of Alexandria as subiect and ghostly vassall to the Pope in these words ` ãâã hath extended his ãâã euen against him to whom the guarde of the Vine hath bene committed by our ãâã that is to sait ãâã thy ãâã Of the claime of the Bishops of Constantinople CHAPT VII BVT the aduersaries of the Church not finding anie foundation in the history of the other Patriarkes to establish the equallitie that they would introduce betweene the Pope and the simple Patriarkes had recourse to the claimes of the Bishops of Constantinople which are to be reduced principallie into two The first claime was that of Anatolius who packed in the Councell of Chalcedon by the ãâã of the Emperor Marcian and of the ãâã of the cittie of Constantinople to be declared the second ãâã and to ãâã after the Pope the like ãâã of honor as the Pope because Constantinople was a second Rome that is to saie packed to be declared equall to the Pope not in regard of the Pope to whom ãâã he and all his Catholicke successors alwaies protested ãâã inferiors but in regard of the other Patriarkes ouer whom he affected to be what the Pope was ouer him and them For that is it that these words of the Councell of Chalcedon signifie that the cittie of ãâã should be honored in Ecclesiasticall causes as the Roman being the second after her to witt that as the Bishop of Rome had the ãâã absolutely ouer all the Patriarkes so the Bishop of Constantinople should haue it after him ouer all other Patriarkes It was ordained saith ãâã repeating the same Canon that the Sea of new Rome because of the ãâã ãâã she held after the ancient Rome should haue the primacie before the other Sea The second Clayme was that of John and of Cyriacus Patriarkes of ãâã who in the tyme of Pelagius the second and of Sainct GREGORIE would participate in the title of vniuersall Bishop which in the presence with the consent of the Councell of Chalcedon had bene attributed to the Pope pretending that by the same Councell of Chalcedon it had bene said that the Bishop of Constantinople should enioy the like ãâã of honor as the Pope after the Pope and then that as the Pope had the right to beare the title of vniuersall Bishop through all the world so the ãâã of Constantinople should haue the right to beare it in the Empire of the East For that such was their Clayme it appeares besides a thousand other proofes by the capitulation of the great Comentor of Homer Eustathius Patriarke of Constantinople and the other ãâã would haue renewed with the Latins vnder the Greeke Emperor Basilius six hundred yeares agone to witt that the Bishop of Constantinople might be called vniuersall in the Empire of the East as the Pope ouer all the world The Bishop of Constantinople saith Glabar an author of the same age with his Prince Basilius and some other Greekes held a Councell ãâã it might be lawfull for them with the Popes consent to haue the Church of ãâã to be held and called in that compasse vniuersall as the Roman is in the ãâã of the whole world Now may I in two words not onely confute these two obiections but also retort them against the Popes aduersaries For if the Bishop of Constantinople pretended to obtaine the second place after the Pope be cause Constantinople was a second Rome that is to saie a part and a branche of the cittie and Church of Rome for what cause is it not manisest that the Church of Rome before his challenge had then the primacie before all other Churches as also the officers of the Emperor Marcian acknow ledged in these termes euen when they protected Anatolius By the proofes which haue bene produced on both sides it appeares that the primacie before all and the principall honor hath bene preserued by the canons to the most beloued of God the Archbishop of the ancient Rome And if the Bishop of Constantinople would participate in the title and nomination of vniuersall Bishop because Constantinople was a second Rome how could it be but that the title of vniuersall Bishop did appartaine primitiuely and originally to the Bishop of Rome But for as much as the beginning of these contentions came from the Councell of Constantinople it is best to take the busines at the source of the history which is thus At the Councell of Constantinople held vnder the great Theodosius the Greeke Bishops ordained in fauor of the Cittie of Constantinople and in fauor of the Emperor of the East who resided there to make a new Sea of the Empire that the Bishop of Constantinople should haue the prerogatiues of honor after him of Rome because Constantinople was a second Rome Now this Canon was noe Canon of a Generall Councell for be it that it was framed by the Councell of Constantinople that we call Generall or be it was made by that which was reassembled at Constantinople the yeare following the Councell of Constantinople that wee call Oecumenicall hauing bene composed onely of the prouinces of the Empire of the East and being become generall but by the adiunction and confirmation of that which was celebrated at the same tyme at Rome and this Canon not hauing bene sent thither it could not hold the place of a Canon of a generall Councell And therefore when Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople would haue caused
that he would haue brought vnder the Patriarkships of Alexandria and of Antioch from whence it is that the same Pope Leo reproached it to him that he had packed this decree not simplie to exalte his ranke but to increase his power This thy fault said hee which to augment thy power thou ãâã committed as thou saist by the exhortation of others thy charitie had better and more sincerely blotted out if thou hadst not imputed that which could not be attempted without thy will to the onely Councells of thy Clergie And elsewhere After the vicious beginnings of thy promotion after the ordination of the Bishop of Antioch which against the rules of the Canons thou hast attributed to thy self I am greeued that thy dilection hath fallen so farre as to insringe the holy Constitutions of the canons of Nicea as if thou hadst watched a time for thy purpose wherein the Sea of Alexandria was fallen from the priuiledge of the second honor and wherein the Church of Antioch had lost the proprietie of the third dignitie to the end that those places being subiected to thy iurisdiction all the Metropolitans might be depriued of their proper honor And was it not vnder this pretence that the Patriarkes of Constantinople attributed to themselues the appeales from other Patriarkes That which was defined saith Balsamon in the Councell of Sardica for the Pope concerning appeales ought also to be extended to the Patriarke of Constantinople for asmuch as hee hath bene by diuers canons meaning the canon of the Councell of Chalcedon and that of the Councell Trullian honored in the same sort as the Pope And againe This priuiledge belonges not to the Pope alone that euerie Bishop being condemned should haue recourse to the Sea of Rome but it ought also to be vnderstood of the Patriarke of Constantinople And Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica the twentie eight canon of the Councell of Chalcedon and the thirtie sixth of the sixth Councell honoring the Sea of Constantinople with the same priuiledges with that of Rome grant also manifestly the appeales to that of Constantinople And in briefe was it not vnder this very pretence that when Gregorie Patriarke of Antioch had appealed to the Emperor and to the Councell from the persecutions of the Gouernors of Syria John Patriarke of Constantinople presumed to call a generali Councell of the Church of the East and to assigne the other Patriarkes and Metropolitans of the Empire of the East to be there and there to iudge with them the cause of Gregorie and there to intitle himself vniuersall Bishop Now is not this to protest that before that Constantinople was erected into the title of second Rome and that the Councells of Constantinople and Chalcedon had made this pretended extension of the priuiledges of the Bishop of Rome to him of Constantinople the vniuersall primacie and superintendencie of the Church belonged to the Pope For to say that at least it appeares from these words of the Councell of Chalcedon The Fathers did iustlie exhibit the priuiledges to the Sea of the ancient Rome for asmuch as that cittie had the Empire and the hundred and fiftie Religious Fathers moued with the same consideration ãâã attributed equall priuiledges to the holy Sea of the Cittie of ãâã That the cause wherefore the Fathers which had preceded the first Councell of ãâã had giuen the primacie to the Pope was not the Succession of saint PETER but the dignitie of the cittie of Rome besides that heere the question is not of right but of possession nor of ãâã the cause wherefore the Fathers which liued before the first Councell of ãâã had granted the primacie to the Pope but to knowe whether indeede they had graunted it him when the Bishop of the Councell of Chalcedon said that the primacie had bene exhibited to the Church of Rome because the cittie of Rome was the Seat of the Empire they intended not that the dignitie of the cittie of Rome had bene the next conioyned and immediate cause of the primacie of the Bishop of Rome but the cause antecedent obiectiue and remote contrarywise the next and conioyned cause of the primacie of the Church of Rome they acknowledged to be the Succession of saint PETER as it appeares both by the title that they gaue to the Popes Epistle calling it the sermon of the Sea of saint PETER and by the protestation that they made that the Popes primacie was of diuine right and instituted by the proper mouth of our Lord when they said speaking of Dioscorus He hath extended his ãâã ãâã against him to whom the guarde of the vine was committed by our ãâã But the cause of the cause that is to saie the cause that moued saint PETER head of the Apostles to place and settle his Sea at Rome rather then in an other place they pretended to haue bene the dignitie of the Cittie By meanes whereof these two causes were not exclusiue but inclusiue one to the other As also the lawe of the Emperors ãâã Valentinian made six yeare before the CouÌcell of Chalcedon comoynes them in these wordes Three things haue established the primacie of the Sea Apostolicke the Merit of saint Peter who is the Prince of the Episcopall ãâã the dignitie of the Cittie and the Synodicall authoritie And to this there is no repugnancie in that which the Fathers of the same Councell argued also of the dignitie of the cittie of Constantinople and they alleadged that it was second Rome to inferr from thence the second place to the Bishop of Constantinople for they grounded not their instance simplie vpon the temporall dignitie of the cittie of Constantinople which was saith saint AVSTINE daughter to the cittie of Rome but also vpon the spirituall dignitie of the Church of Constantinople which was daughter to the Church of Rome forasmuch as a part of the Clergie of Rome were transferr'd to Constantinople with the other Roman inhabi tants when one of the halues of the Empire was transported thither that is to saie they did not leane onely vpon this that the Cittie of Constantinople was an other Seate of the Empire but vpon this that the Church of Constantinople was a Swarme and a collonie of the Church of Rome and the Episcopall Sea of Constantinople a member and part of the Sea Episcopall of Rome or rather one and the same Sea Episcopall and one and the same Throne of saint PETER with that of Rome as Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople protesteth to Pope Hormisdas in these words I esteeme the Church of your ancient and this new Rome to be one self-same Church and I make account that that Sea of saint Peter and this of this Imperiall cittie is one selfe same ãâã And as it seemes the title of the lawe of the Emperor ãâã ãâã it when he calls the Sea of Constantinople the Sea ãâã and Zonarus when he saith that in the tyme
of the Councell intitled the 8 th Occumenicall the Bishop of Rome and him of Constantinople ãâã ãâã ãâã and homothronall that is to saie vnited in one selfe-same ãâã and set in one selfe-same Sea And therefore the Fathers of the CouÌcell of Chalcedon did noly alleage in their CanoÌ that it was reasonable that ConstaÌtinople being adorned by the Empire and the Senate should enioyalsoin the secoÌd place after the Cittie of Rome the same priuiledges in Ecclesiasticall causes but addeth thereto in their relation two other reasons taken froÌ the spirituall affinitie of the Church of Constantinople with that of Rome The one the facilitie of the influence of the gouernment of the Church of Rome into that of ConstaÌtinople for as much as the beames of the Sea Apostolicke might spread more commodiouslie from Rome to Constantinople then to the other Patriarchall Seas because of the communication that those two cities which made one selfe same head of the Empire had together By meanes whereof it was more conuenient that the rules which the other Patriarkships should take from the Roman Church the Church of CaÌstantinople where resided in ordinary the Nuncios of the Sea Apostolicke and which was neerer the Patriarkship of Rome should receiue them first and immediatly from the Roman Church and then communicate them to the other Seas which were farther off The other that the Church of Constantinople was daughter and extract froÌ the Roman Church wee haue said they bene incouraged to doe this for that the Beame Apostolicke raigning amidst you and you by your ordinary gouernment ãâã it to the Church of Constantinople you may cause it to shine the ãâã into these partes because you are wonted without enuie to inriche those of your linage with the participation of your Goods And therefore Pope Leo with a purpose to cutt off in a word all their hope of this pretence writt to the Emperor that Constantinople what soeuer Anatotius might attempt could neuer be made a Sea Apostolick Let Anatolius said he not disdaine the imperiall ãâã which he cannot make a Sea Apostolicke which moued the latter Greekes to add another deuise For considering that the pretence of the vnitie of their Sea with that of saint PETER could not serue for a good Colour of a Spirituall title to perserue thereto the second place in the Church they haue had recourse to deriue by a fabulous list and which hath noe testimonie in antiquity the Succession of the Bishops of Bizantium from saint ANDREW brother to saint PETER to maintaine to the Church of Constantinople built vpon the foundation of Byzantium the second Sea after that of saint PETER The third Answere is what soeuer the ayme and sence of this Canon may be there can noething be inferred from it either lawfull or Canonicall forasmuch as it was a surreptitious Canon and obtained by fraude and by surprize and against which there were thirteen nullities whereof the least is sufficient to impose a perpetuall silence to all those that alleadge it The first nullitie is that they were neither the presidents of the Councell nor the Bishops of the Councell which propounded and particularized this Canon but the Clerkes of the Church of Constantinople and particularly Aetius Archdeacon of Constantinople as it appeares both from the eleuenth action in which one of the clauses which was after entered into this Canon to witt that the Metropolitans of Asia minor should receiue their ordination from the Bishop of Constantinople hauing bene contested by the Bishops of Asia the onely Clerkes of the Church of Constantinople with lowde voices cried out Lett the ordinance of the hundred and fiftie fathers so called they the Canon of the Councell of Constautinople falsely alleadged to that purpose stand let not the priuiledges of Constantinople perish lett the ordinations be made according to the custome by our Bishop And from the words of Aetius Archdeacon of Constantinople when he would haue excused the obreption of this Canon which were It is a thing accustomed in Synods after principall matters haue bene defined to questioÌ and decide some other necessary things Now we haue to witt the holy Church of Constantinople some articles to propound And from the excuse that Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople made when he departed from this canon which was that he had bene set on to solicit it by the importunitie of his clergie This thy fault saith Pope Leo answering Anatolius which to augment thy power thou hadst committed as thou saist by the exhortation of others thou hadst better and more sincerelie blotted out if thou hadst not imputed to the onely councell of thy clergie that which could not be attempted without thy consent The second nullitie is that this decree was made at an vndue hower and after the assemblie of the Councell had bene separated and when the Popes Legates and the Senators which assisted there on the Emperors part were retired as it appeares both by the complaint that the Popes ãâã made thereof the morrowe after to the Emperors officers ãâã to keepe order in the Councell which contained these words ãâã after the departure of your excellencie and of our humilitie they saie there were made certaine articles that we pretend to be contrarie to the canons and to ãâã discipline And by the answere of the Emperors officers which was If there were anie articles framed after our departure let them be read And by these words of Liberatus There was that daie another session wherein after the departure of the Judges and the Senat and the Legats of the Sea Apostolicke certaine priuiledges were adiudged to the Church of Constantinople taking aduantage of the condemnation of Dioscorus And to that is not ãâã the excuse that Actius Archdeacon of Constantinople alleadged to the Emperors officers in these words Wee requested my Lords the Bishops of Rome to assist to it they refused saying they had noe commaundement to that effect Weereported it also to your magnificence you commaunded the Synod should examine it when your excellencie was gone forth the holie Bishops which are heere risinge as for a common businesse required that the action should be made now it is in our hands nothing hath bene done in a corner or by stealth but the action hath bene competent and canonicall For either the clerks of Constantinople had made no such request to the Popes Legates the Emperors officers or it was not that daie nor vpon the point of the action otherwise the Emperors officers would not haue answered the Popes Legats as being ignorant of the historie If there be anie article framed since our departure let it le read The third nullitie is that this canon was made the Bishops of all the other Patriarkships being absent in the onely presence of the Bishops of the Patriarkship of Antioch and of the prouinces neere Constantinople That it was so besides that the Bishops of
these words Who is it saith hee that doubts but that the Church of Constantinople is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke which the most Religious Lord the Emperor and our brother Bishop of the same cittie continuallie protest For as for the illusion of those who to weaken the credit of this passage cauill vpon the word Eusebius which is in the printed copies before these words Bishop of the same cittié and obiect that the Bishop of Constantinople then being was not called Eusebius but Cyriacus I will not stand vpon it to say that there was noe inconuenience in it that Cyriacus might haue had two names and be called Eusebius Cyriacus as Sainct IEROME was called EVSEBIVS IEROME And besides that the word Eusebius might there be taken adiectiuely and signifie pious and religious as when Arrius writt to Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia Farewell Eusebius trulie Eusebius that is to saie farewell Eusebius truly Religious It will be a shorte cutt to answere at the first that it is an error of the Exemplarists who of an ãâã euill written and for that occasion blotted out and written againe haue made Eusebius for the copies of this epistle which had bene currant two hundred yeare after saint GREGORIE read simplie and our brother Bishop of the same cittie without makeing anie mention of ãâã as is seene by the relation of Amalarius Bishop of Treuers who liued eight hundred yeares agone who inserting into his Booke of the Ecclesiasticall offices this epistle of saint GREGORIE whole and intire from the beginning to the endinge reports the period now in question in these onely words without anie mention of Eusebius for as for that which is spoken of the Church of Constantinople who doubts but it is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke which the most Religious Lord the Emperor and our brother the Bishop of the same Towne continually protest And therefore alsoe when the Patriarkes of Constantinople were in anie Synodicall action with the Popes Legates yea within Constantinople it selfe they abstayned from the title of Vniuersall and left it to the Popes Legates alone for their master to the end to shew that they held the Pope for head and stocke of the Vniuersalitie and did repute themselues Vniuersall but in the absence of him or of those that represented him as appeares by the signatures of the third generall Councell of Constantinople which was celebrated vnder Constantine Pogonat in the next age after Sainct GREGORIE wherein the Popes Legates signed in the qualitie of Legats to the vniuersall Pope and the Patriarke of Constantinople in the qualitie of onely Bishop of Constantinople for though the epistle of the Emperor to the Patriark of Constantinople written before the holding of the Councell attributes to him the title of Vniuersall neuerthelesse in the signatures of the Councell the onely Legats of the Pope take the title of Vniuersall for their master and signe in this forme Theodorus humble Priest of the holy Church of Rome and holding the place of the blessed and vniuersall Pope of the cittie of Rome Agatho I haue subscribed George humble Priest of the holy Church of Rome and holdinge the place of the blessed and Vniuersall Pope of the Cittie of Rome Agatho I haue subscribed Iohn humble ` Deacon of the holy Church of Rome and holding the place of the blessed and vniuersall Pope of the Cittie of Rome Agatho I haue subscribed And the Patriarke of Constantinople forbare it and signed thus George by the mercie of God Bishop of Constantinople new Rome I haue voted and subscribed The third Answere is that whatsoeuer was the intention of the Patriarke of Constantinople so farr was hee from doeing anie thinge against the Popes authoritie as contrarywise he confirmed and ãâã it altogether And that it is so how from this that the Bishop of Constantinople pretended to be vniuersall Bishop because Constantinople had bene associated to the Rights of Rome can it chose but followe that the Bishop of Rome was so primitiuely and originallie For as for those that saie that the Patriarke of Constantinople was called Oecumenicall Bishop in the same sence wherein the other Patriarkes were so called not knowing that there is great difference betweene the word Catholicke Bishop which Nilus attributes to the Patriarkes which signifies generall Bishop of a Region and the word ãâã Bishop which signifies vniuersall Bishop either of all the Imperiall Orbe or of the particular Orbe of the Empire of Constantinople I will not stand to confute them it shall suffice me to aske them why then the Patriarke of Constantinople neuer gaue the name of vniuersall Patriarke to the other Patriarkes of the East And why the other Patriarkes of the East neuer gaue it one to another but haue yeilded it onely to the Bishops of Rome and of Constantinople And why the Bishops of Constantinople haue stirred vp so many tragedies to participate therein and haue alleadged that Constantinople was the second Rome and ought after her to enioy the same Rights and priuiledges And in briefe it shall sussice me to aske them why then both anciently and euen to this day the Patriarke of Constantinople doth attribute to himself by vertue of his vniuersalitie this aduantage aboue the other Patriarkes of the East to call the generall Councells of the East and to preside in them and to iudge by appeale of the sentences of the other Patriarkes It hath bene reported saith Pope Pelagius in the epistle before alleadged to those of the East to the Sea Apostolicke that Iohn Bishop of Constantinople inscribes himselfe Vniuersall and by vertue of that his presumption hath called you to a generall Councell And the Emperors Constantine and Leo The care and the iudgement of all the Metropolitanships and Bishopricks and of all the Monasteries and Churches appertaine to their proper Patriarke but the Patriarke ol Constantinople may in the territorie of the other Seas when there hath bene noe precedent consecration plant the Crosse and not onelie soe but also may decide and determine the controuersies bredd ' in the other Seas And Nilus The twentie eight canon of the Councell of Chalcedon and the thirtith six of the sixth Councell honoring the Sea of Constantinople with like priuiledges to that of Rome graunt also manifestly the appeales to that of Constantinople And Balsamon This priuiledge is not giuen to the Pope alone to witt that euerie condemned Bishop should haue recourse to the Sea of Rome but it ought also to be vnderstood of the Patriarke of Constantinople And elsewhere that which neuerthelesse is but a claime bredd amongst the Greekes since the schisme The fifteenth canon of the councell of Antioch was abolished by the fourth Canon of the councell of Sardica or at least is to be vnderstood of the Synods which are subiect to noe appeale as those of the Pope and of the Patriarke of Constantinople For as for the place of Photius from whence they
the troupe of the Councell was not he there S. NICHOLAS Bishop of Myra in Lycia a man for manners and for miracles Apostolicall was not he there And if wee speake of credit and estimation with the Emperor euen he whose credit wee learne from Osius to witt Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea in Palestina whoÌ the Emperor from his childhood had knowne in the East and whom he testified in his conceit to be worthie of the Bishopricke of the whole earth and to whom besides so manie other letters and markes of familiaritie he directed the first commission for the re-establishment of the Churches in the East and the charge of the transcription of the sacred bookes for the Churches of Constantinople was not he there Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia who afterward baptized the Emperor and who was Metropolitan of the prouinces where the Councell was held and Bishop of the Seate of the Empire in the East and of the cittie where the Emperor resided a man say Socrates and Sozomene indued with great authoritie and very prudent and honored in the pallace of the Emperor for the ecclipse of his fauour with the Emperor happened not till after the Councell and lasted but a moment was not he there Alexander Bishop of the future Imperiall cittie of Byzantium conuerted by exchange of name into Constantinople was not he there Paphnutius of whom Socrates saith the Emperor honored him extraordinarily and kept him ordinarily in his Court was not he there Protogenes Bishop of Sardica to whom the Emperor had addressed his first lawe for the manumission in Churches and to Osius the second lawe was not he there And if wee speake of learninge the same Eusebius Bishop of Cesarea of whom the Emperor said that he more then admired his knowledge and his studies was not he there Alexander Patriarke of Alexandria whom Theodoret calls the admirable Bishop was not he there Eustachius Patriarke of Antioch who made the oration of the Councell and whom Sozomene intitles the miracle of eloquence was not he there And if wee speake of reuerence for age the same Alexander of Alexandria whom the histories of the Councell call the old man and whom the epistle of the Councell exalts for hauing at that age sustained so manie labours was not he there Alexander Bishop of Constantinople of threescore and three yeares of age whether he were then Bishop in cheife or as the Patriarkes of the Church of Constantinople will haue it Coadiutor and Legate of Metrophanes yet elder then himself was not he there And if we must speake of the antiquitie of promotion Zeno whom saint EPIPHANIVS calls antique Bishop of Phenicia euill qualified by the lists of the signatures of the Councell Bishop of Tyre was not he there Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia before Bishop of Berith whom saint EPIPHANIVS calls the ancient old-man of Nicomedia was not he there And in briefe an infinite number of other Bishops that Eusebius for the antiquitie aswell of their age as of their promotion comprehends in the first clause of this passage some where honored because of their length of tyme others flourished in the rigor of their age and spirits others were newly entred into the course of their charges were not they there For that in the Councell of Sardica the age of Osius was accompted amongst those things that purchased him Reuerence that was more then twentie yeare after the Councell of Nicea And that saint ATHANASIVS calls him the Father of Bishops and saith he died a centenarie it was neere fortie yeare after the Councell of Nicea But if none of these what personall qualitie soeuer he had noe not Alexander Patriarke of Alexandria whom the Epistle of the Councell calls the master of the Councell that is to saie Master for sufficiencie did aduance himselfe a finger breadth beyond the degree of his dignity for what cause should Osius for his particular coÌditioÌs haue bene President of all the Assemblie For to saie Osius presided there as the Emperors deputie the Emperor was in person at the Councell and so could haue noe deputy and besides that he presided not there but was sett there beneath the Bishops and in a lower Seate and after he had attended and desired the leaue of the Bishops to shew that in matter of Religion he was of the number not of the Iudges but of those that were to be iudged And in the sirst Councell of Arles where the Emperor Constantine assisted also in person and Osius with him as it appeares by the reproches of the Donatists against the Iudges of that Councell wherein Osius was inwrapped not onely Osius who was alreadie then in as great Credit with that Emperor witnesse the Epistle of the iudowing the Churches of Africa did not preside there but euen in the letter of the Councell was not placed amongst the first Bishops but comprehended vnder the curtaine of silence with the troupe and multitude of the Bishops And in the Councell of Sardica where Osius presided aswell as at the Councell of Nicea he was so euill willed by Constantius the Lord of the Empire who was an Arrian that he could not be said there to preside in qualitie neither of a fauorite or of a Deputie to the Emperor contrarywise the care he had to make himself Procurator and Promoter of the Popes Rights and the instance he made for the appeales to the Pope and for the honor of saint PETERS memory and the iustificatiue relation of the Councells which Protogenes Bishop of Sardica and he dedicated to the Pope and the protestation that he and the other Bishops inserted into the Epistle of the Councell to the Pope to hold him for head of the Church and to acknowledge That it was a conuenient thing that from all Prouinces of the earth the Prelats of God should referr all affaires to their head that is to saie to the Sea of the Apostle Peter shew sufficiently that it was from the part of the Pope and not of the Emperors that he presided there And from this it derogates not that saint ATHANASIVS makeing the recitall of the signatures of the Councell of Sardica puts the signatures of Osius without a title of Legation and before that of the Pope in those words Osius of Spaine Iulius of Rome by Archidamas and Philoxemus For besides that this recitall followes not the rankes of the dignities as it appeares by Nessus an African Bishop who is placed there before Gratus Archbishop of Carthage And moreouer that hee vseth this order for as much as Osius signed the Epistle of the Councell immediately and by himselfe and the Pope mediatelie and by another the legates of the Pope who were Bishops had a vote of their owne in the Councell and the Priests not From whence it is that when the legations of the Pope and of the Councell of Rome were
distinct as in the sixth generall Councell the legates of the Councell of Rome because they where Bishops tooke the qualitie of difinitors and signed in this forme Iohn vnworthie Bishop of the holy Church of Port and legate of all the Synod of the holy and apostolicke Sea of the cittie of Rome I haue defined and subscribed And the Legats from the particular person of the Pope abstained from it and signed thus Theodorus humble Priest of the holie Church of Rome and holding the place of the most blessed and vniuersall Pope of the cittie of Rome Agatho I haue subscribed Now saint ATHANASIVS had an interest not to diminish the number of those that voted for his iustification in the CouÌcell of Sardica and not to loose that of Osius For this cause then he procured him to signe not as a simple reporter of the Popes voice but as hauing right himselfe to vote and say his opinion in the Councell and reserued to Archidamus and Philoxemus who were but simple Priests and had noe voice of their owne in the Councell the office to represent the voice and the signature of the Pope and in truth with what a face could Osius haue accepted to preside in the Councells whether of Nicea or Sardica in the behalfe of the Emperors he that writt to the Emperor Constantius Goe not about to meddle in Ecclesiasticall affaires and commaund not vs in such matters but rather learne of vs God hath committed the Empire to thee and the gouernment of the Churches to vs. And S. ATHANASIVS How could hè haue past without censure hee that cries out that an Emperor presiding in Ecclesiasticall iudgements is the abhomination foretold by Daniell For that afterward in the Councell of Chalcedon the Emperor Marcian presided the Fathers of the Councell declared that it was not for things Ecclesiasticall but for order and temporall policie to the end to hinder such seditions as had happened in the false Councell of Ephesus and testified that the presidencie of the Emperor whas not of the essence of the Councell as that of the Pope but onely for comelynesse and ornament Thou gouernest vs there said they to the Pope ãâã the head doth the members contributing thy good will by those that hold thy place and the faithfull Emperors presided there for ornament or to cause good order to be obserued there And in the sixth generall Councell holden vnder the Emperor Constantine Pogonat it is said in the Rolle of the causes of the Laycks the most religious and Christian Emperor presiding that hath reference not to the assemblie of the Synod but to the assemblie of the Senate and of the imperiall offices For there were two distinct assemblies in the hall of the Councell the one that of the Senators and officers of the Empire wherein the Emperor presided and the other that of the Synod of the Bishops wherein the Popes Legats presided as it appeares both by the verball processe of the Councells which after it had decreed the assemblie of the officers of the Empire added the holy and generall Councell being also assembled called by the imperiall ordinance in this Royall and God-protected Cittie to witt the most reuerend Priests Theodore and George and the most Reuerend Iohn the deacon holding the place of the most holy and sacred Archbishop of old Rome Agatho and George the most holy and sacred Archbishop of this famous cittie of Constantinople new Rome And by the protestation that the same Emperor sent to Rome for the holding of the Councell in these wordes I will not sitt as Emperor with them and I will not speake Emperiouslie but as one of them and what the Prelates shall ordaine I will execute And finally by the modestie which he vsed in the signatures in signing last and after all the Bishops For whereas in the false Councell intituled Trullian the Emperor Iustinian ãâã his sonne signed contrary to his Fathers modestie before all the Prelates it was an irregular action and done in an erroneous and illegitimat Councell as it shall appeare hereafter And then if creditt with Emperors should haue giuen anie Bishop the prerogatiue to preside in Councell what Bishop had euer more credit with the Emperor Constantius then ãâã Bisohp of Murses to whose meritts and not to his Souldiers valour he said he ought the victorie ouer MagneÌsius and the preseruation of his Empire And vpon whose industrie and counsells he depended in all affaires of Religion Who not witdstanding neuer presided in anie one of the manie Councells holden vnder Constantius Or what Bishop had euer more creditt with the Emperor ãâã then Theodorus Archbishop of Cesarea in Cappadocia who was his deare and trustie Counsellor and Assessor or rather the soule and Oracle of all his Counsells who notwithstanding presided not in the fifth Generall Councell but sate there in his simple ranke of Metropolitan belowe all the Patriarks and legates of the Patriarkes Now if Osius had presided in the Councell of Nicea for the meritts and conditions of his person must not the election haue bene made before by a solemne and authenticall act in the Councell or if he had presided there by delegation from the Emperor must not the same Emperor haue signified it and inrolled his commission in the Councell for if they saie there is noe mention found of it because the acts of the Councell are lost wherefore should they rather exact testimonies of the delegation of Osius by the Pope then by the Emperor and not content themselues that the analogie of the ancient Ecclesiasticall order and that which is saued from the Shypwracke of the acts of the Councell in the memorie of the following ages and hath bene collected by Dalmasius or others yet more ancient and by Gelasius of Cyzica Greeke and Thrace authors the one writing a hundred yeare the other an hundred fiftie after the CouÌcell of Nicea and the Confession of the latter and Schismaticall Greekes themselues as ãâã and others doe plainely informe vs of it in affirming that Osius was ãâã legate with Vito and ãâã And that saint ATHANASIVS and Socrates doe tacitly informe vs so in setting Osius Vito and ãâã in one and the same place and before the second Patriarke For where ãâã and after him Socrates and Sozamene saie that from before the Councell of Nicea the Emperor Constantine had sent Osius from Nicomedia into Egipt to assaie to pacifie the difference of the Church of ãâã which commission happened not seauen yeare ãâã the Councell of Nicea as they conceiue that would salue the actes intituled from Siluester but the next yeare before the Councell of Nicea as it appeares by Sozomens historie who putts the calling of the Councell of Nicea presently after the returne of Osius what can assure vs that it had not bene with the aduise and authoritie of Pope Siluester or rather what can assure vs that it
of it the one is Socrates who saith after saint ATHANASIVS At this Councell assisted Osius Bishop of Cordula Uito and Uincentius Priests The other Dalmatius of the same tyme with Socrates who writes and Galatius of Cyzica fiftie yeares after him At this Councell assisted Osius Legat of the Bishop of Great Rome Siluester with the Priests Uito and Uincentius but as for Eusebius hee saith thereof nothing at all contrariwise hee affirmes cleerelie that the Priests of the Bishop of Rome whom he reserues to name last as the seale and the Crowne of the Councell held there the ranke of their Bishop The Bishop of the cittie regnant saith hee assisted not there because of his age but his priests kept his ranke there Now by what arithmeticke could the priests of the Roman Church keepe there the ranke of the Bishop of Rome if Osius possessed the first place otherwise then in the qualitie of their Colleague and filling vp one selfesame place with them Moreouer howe had not the Patriarkes of Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem lost at the Councell of Nicea their rightes of the second third and fowrth Seates in the Councells against the expresse protestation that the Councell of Nicea made to preserue their priuiledges if Osius Uito and Uincentius had held diuers places there and not one and the same place And how had the Councell of Constantinople celebrated in the same age that the Grecians call the second generall Councell when they would erect Constantinople into a Patriarkship ordained that the Patriarke of Constantinople should hold the second place after the Bishop of Rome if in the first generall Councell the Bishop of Rome had not held the first place And how could the legates of the Pope in the Councell of Chalcedon haue complained that Dioscorus had presumed to vndertake to preside in a pretended generall Councell without the Popes authoritie which had neuer bene lawfull nor euer had bene done if Osius had presided in the Councell of Nicea without the Popes authoritie And how could the Emperor Iustinian haue said Wee decree following all the sower holie Concells that the most holy Pope of olde Rome be the first of all the Prelates if in the first of all the generall Councells a simple Bishop of Spaine had bene the first otherwise then in the qualitie of delegate by the Pope And finallie how came it that an Action so irregular as that by which a man who was neither Metropolitan nor Patriarke had preceded all the Patriarkes of the East and euen in the East was not noted amongst the extraordinary examples of antiquitie And how came it not to speake of the interest of the Patriarkes that Theognis Bishop of Nicea the Cittie wherein the Councell was celebrated and Eusebius Bishop of Nicomedia head of the Arrian faction and Metropolitan of the Prouince of Bithinia wherein the Councell was holden and Bishop of the Seate of the Emperors in the East did not oppose it as well as when Fortunius Archbishop of Carthage was at Constantinople the Metropolitans subiect to the Patriarkship of Constantinople opposed this that the Archbishop of Carthage should haue caused the acts of the second generall Councell of Constantinople to be searched to see what place the legate of Primosus Archbishop of Carthage had there And how chanced it that they and the other Arrians who after the death of Constantine and Constans the Catholicke brothers to Constantius the hereticall Emperor stirred heauen and earth to reuerse the auctoritie of the Conncells of Nicea and Sardica could not alleage for a meanes of nullitie that Osius had presided irregularly in the one and the other if he had presided otherwise then as representing the person of him to whom the right to preside did appertaine But the question in the matter that Caluin propounds is not betweene the Pope and Osius who at least was one of the Suffragans or reare Suffragans of the Pope that is to saie one of the Bishops of the Popes Patriarchall diuision And by consequence what ranke soeuer he held it could not tend to the Popes preiudice For were it that the Pope sent him from the West into the East with the title of legat or were it that being alreadie there the Pope had chosen and designed him by letters to represent his person or were it that neither the one nor the other had chanced but that being at the Councell he had bene intreated as the most ancient Bishop there present of the Popes Patriarkship to ioyne himselfo with his deputies to helpe them to present him it could be noe waie to the disaduantage of his Patriarke It is betweene the Pope and the other patriarks and consists in this whether at the Councell of Nicea the Popes deputies were sett after the other three patriarks or before them Now of this ATHANASIVS and Socrates put vs out of doubt when they saie that the order of the Councell was Osius Bishop of Corduba Vito and Uincentius priests Alexander of Egipt Eustachius Patriarke of great Antioch and Macarius Bishop of Ierusalem For to this that Eustachius Patriarke of Anthioch or as others saie Eusebius Archbishop of Cesarea made the oration of the Councell to the Em peror and was sett at the head of the Bishops on the rigth hand in respect of the Emperor to whom his speeche was directed it sufficeth to answere two things the one that the highest qualified were not chosen to preach the oration but the most eloquent amongst whom Eustachius that Sozomene calls admirable in eloquence held the first ranke And the other that the right hand at the coming in and reckoning from the place where Constantine was who had his backe turned towards the doore and his face to the Fathers at the first incounter of whom in coming from the doore he staied was not the most honorable place in the Councell but the right hand at goeing forth and to reckon from the place where the Ghospell was sett as appeares by the order of the Councell of Chabcedon and of the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Menas where the Presidents were sett at the left hand from the side where they came in which was the right hand from the side of the Ghospell and the others at the right hand Of the order of the sittings in the first Councell of Epehsus CHAPT IX THE second obiection of Caluin is taken from the first Councell of Ephesus and couched by him in these wordes Att the first Councell of Ephesus saith Caluin Pope Celestin vsed an oblique practise praying saint CYLILL Bishop of Alexandria who otherwise was to preside there to hold his place And the Popes Ambassadors were there in an inferior place But with what oblique faith was this done For first Pope Celestine had made saint CYRILL Patriarke of ALEXANDRIA his Vicar in the East before anie Councell was spoken of to be kept at Ephesus and had giuen him commission to
coÌtribute our presence at the reuereÌd Synod which the necessitie of time and Custome will not permitt neuerthelesse your brotherhoods may make account that in these brothers of mine Paschasinus and Lucentius Bishops and Boniface and Basilius priests sent from the Sea Apostolick I doe preside in your Councell For the letter the Pope writt to the Emperor was dated the sixth of the calends of Iulie and that he writt to the Councell was dated the fifth And why should he haue praied him since in the secular confirmation of the Actes of the Councell the same Emperor saith The Councell of Chalcedon hath examined matters of faith by the authoritie of the Blessed Leo Bishop of the Cittie eternall in glorie Rome And why since the Fathers of the Councell writt to the Pope Thou didst preside in the Councell as the head to the members exhibiting there thy good will by those that held thy place And the faithsull Emperors presided there for policie and ornament And why since the Emperor Anastasius a while after pressing Macedonius Patriark of Constantinople to race out of the Rolle of his Church the name of the same Councell of Chalcedon Macedonius answered him That he could not doe it without a generall Councell wherein the Bishop of great Rome did preside Of the order of the sittings of the fifth Councell of Constantinople CHAPT XII CAluins fifth obiection is That Menas presided at the fifth Councell of Constantinople And that the Pope being called thither debated not the first place but without anie difficultie suffercd Menas Patriarke of the place to preside Which is an obiection wherein ignorances march by troupes For first Menas was dead fiue yeares before the fifth Councell of Constantinople was holden as appeares by the Acts of the fixth Councell of Constantinople which say Menas dyed the one and weÌntith yeare of the Empire of Iustinian but the fisth Councell of Constantinople was holden the twentie seuenth And by Uictor of Tunes an author of the same age who saith That the fifth Councell of Constantinople was holden vnder Eutychius Successor to Menas And by the very Acts of the fifth generall Councell in all the Sessions whereof Eutychius is named and not Menas For what we haue from the Councell of Constantinople vnder Menas are but particular acts and preambulatory to the Generall Councell which was after holden vnder Eutychius which hath giuen occasion to Euagrius and to Nicephorus to mistake and to thinke that the fifth Councell of Constantinople had bene begun vnder Menas and finisht vnder Eutychius as impertinently as the same Euagrius placeth Epiphanius betweene Anthymus and Menas and maketh Epiphanius succeede Anthymus whereas contrariwise he was his predecessor And secondly Pope Agapet who went to Constantinople not to assist at anie Councell but to treate a peace betweene the Emperor Iustinian and Theodat king of the Gothes was dead when the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Menas was celebrated And by conseuqent had noe occasion to debate for the first place and Siluerius his Successor in whose tyme this Councell was holden neuer was at Constantinople And suppose Agapet had bene liuing and present at the Councell how could Menas haue presumed to preside in his presence hee that said in the same Councell Wee followe the Sea Apostolicke obey it And who had bene made Patriarke of Constantinople and his Predecessor Anthymus deposed from the Patriarkship of Constantinople by Pope Agapet And who calls Pope Agapet his Father of most holy memory And how would the Emperor Jusiinian haue permitted it he that said Wee will not suffer that anie thing shall passe concerning the estate of Churches but what should be referred to the blessednesse of the holy Pope of old Rome for asmuch as he is the head of the holie Prelates of God And againe Wee decree according to the definitions of the fower Councells that the holie Pope of old Rome be the first of all the Prelates and wee ordaine that the blessed Archbishop of Constantinople new Rome shall haue the second place after the holie Sea Apostolicke of old Rome and shall preceede all the other Seas Also how would hee haue permitted it hee that forsooke his great friend Anthymus whom he had exalted from the Bishops Sea of Trebysond to the Patriarkship of Constantinople and suffered him to be deposed in his presence from the Patriarkship of Constantinople by Pope Agapet Wee know saith he lawe of the Emperor Justinian that the same hath bene done to Anthymus who hath bene deposed from the Sea of this Royall cittie by the most holy Bishop of old-old-Rome Agapet of holy and glorious memorie because that against all the sacred canons he had intruded himself into a Sea that appartained not to him For what hee adds presently after but he hath also bene deposed and condemned by the common sentence first of that person of holy memorie and then of the holie Synod heere celebrated because he had straied from the right doctrine hath reference not to the deposition of Anthimus of the Patriarkship of Constantinople as the Patriarke Nicephorus and Cedrenus supposed authors farr from the age of Justinian but to the deposition of Anthimus from the Bishops Sea of Trebisond For the vnderstanding whereof you must knowe that there were two depositions of Anthymus one from the Patriarkship of Constantinople which was made and perfected by the Popes onely action and wherein the Councell of Constantinople whereof Iustinian speaketh had noe hand and the other from the Bishops Sea of Trebyzond which was indeede begun by the Pope who ordained that if Anthymus did not purge himself of the heresie which was imputed to him he should be deposed also from the Bishops Sea of Trebisond which had bene reserued to him by the first deposition and should be withall excommunicated and depriued of all Sacerdotall title and of all Catholicke nomination But because the Pope could not finish this second deposition by reason death preuented him before he had the leasure to be fully cleered from the condition that was therevnto apposed it was finished and executed in the Councell This appeares by the Acts of the same Councell whereof Iustinian speaketh to witt of the Councell of Constantinople holden by Menas for the confirmation whereof was published two moneths after this lawe which is annexed to the end of the Councell For the action that precedeth it is the last although it be first recited God saie the Regulars of Syria in their petition to the Emperor reported by the same Actes sent into this cittie Agapet truly Agapet that is to saie beloued of God and man Pope of old Rome for the deposition of Anthymus and of the foresaid hereticks as ãâã he sent great Peter to the Romans for the destruction of the witcheraft of Simon This reuerend person then knowinge by the requests of many of ours the thinges iniustly attempted vpon the Churches and knowinge
them by sight would not so much as admitt into his presence Anthymus transgressor of the canons but iustly deposed him from the Episcopall Sea of this cittie And a little after After the Bishops of Palestina assembled in this cittie and the other Easterne Bishops that is to saie of the Patriarkships of Antioch and Ierusalem and the deputies of the others Bishops and we did againe present petitions touching Anthymus and the other hereticks and demaunded that Anthymus should certifie his belieue by libell to the Sea Apostolicke and should purge himself from all hereticall errors and in this case should returne to the Church of Trebisonde or if he would not doe it that he should be finallie condemned and deposed from all sacerdot all dignitie and action And a little beneath These our iust requests the same most holy personage to witt Agapet preuenting them and seeing Anthymus had failed to appeare he condemned him with the foresaid hereticks and despoyled him of all office and dignitie sacerdot all and of all title orthodoxall euen till the pennance of his errors And the Fathers of the Councell itself in the sentence of the Synod The blessed Pope Agapet of most holie aud happie memorie settinge with God his hand to the sacred canons deposed Anthymus from the Sea which appartained not to him pardonning those which had participated or communicated in this act that is to saie Peter Patriarke of Jerusalem and other of the East And a little after But because that euen in doctrine Anthymus was burdened with infinite accusations and that manie petitions and supplications were presented against him and by diuers reuerend personages to a most religious Emperor and to the most blessed Pope the same most blessed Pope after much paine taken with a fatherly care to call backe his soule c. pronounced a sentence by writinge against him full of clemencie and seemely holynesse grauntinge him time of repentance and ordaining that till he had changed his opinion and satisfied the doctrines canonically defined by the Fathers hee should neither haue the title of a Catholicke nor a Prelate From whence it appeares that the Pope had made two diuers depositions of Anthymus and in two differinge tymes one from the Patriarkship of Constantinople and that grounded vpon discipline because against the canons Anthymus was exalted from the Bishops Sea of Trebisond to the Patriarkship of Constantinople And the other from the Bishops Sea of Trebisond which had bene reserued to him by the deposition from the Patriarkship of Constantinople and that grounded vpon doctrine because Anthymus was accused and defamed for heresie But the difference that was betweene these two depositions was that the first I meane that from the Patriarkship of Constantinople was absolute and definitiue and made and perfected by the Pope without the helping hand of anie Councell For whereas within the petition of the Bishops of the Patriarkships of Antioch and Jerusalem to the Pope the latine interpreter hath vnaptly translated Exossauimus Anthymum you must saie you haue cast forth Anthymus ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã as it appeares by this that follows And our Emperor hath participated in your good worke And the second to wit that from the Bishopricke of Trebisond was by prouision and conditionall and tempered with this clause vntill pennance which left the sentence depending and subiect to reuocation in case that Anthymus should appeare and purge himselfe of heresie Now the Pope died before he had leasure to attend whether Anthimus would come to repentance and purge himself both of the contempt and of the heresie which was imputed to him For this cause then the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Menas takinge it vp where the Pope left it and making an end to fulfill all the formalities required to cleere the doubt of the condition cited Anthymus againe and seeing he appeared not executed the second sentence of the Pope against him and deposed him from the Bishopricke of Trebizond and from all Sacerdotall and Catholicke title but without touching in anie sorte the deposition alreadie made and perfected from the Patriarkship of Constantinople Weé saie the Fathers of the Councell followinge those thinges well examined by the blessed Pope ordaine that he shall be cast out of the bodie of the holy Church of God and despoyled of the Bishopricke of Trebizond and depriued of all Sacerdotall dignitie and action and according to the sentence of the most holy Pope of the appellation of Catholicke For whereas the narration of the sentence of the Councell the lawe of Iustinian reporting the historie of the same sentence places amongst the causes of Anthymus deposition the transgression that he had made of the Canons in vsurping the Sea of Constantinople that makes nothinge toward inferringe that the deposition that the Councell decreed against him should be the deposition of the Patriarkship of Constantinople forasmuch as the Councell reported the memory of this vsurpation not to depose him then from the Patriarkship of Constantinople from which the same Councell testifies that he had already bene entirely excluded but to aggrauate the crime for which it would depose him from the Archbishoprike of Trebizond to witt heresie by a commemoration of his fore goeing crimes as it appeares both from the disposition of the sentence of the same Councell and from that of the sentence of Menas who presided there and from the repetition which was made of it in the Councell of Ierusalem holden vnder Peter Patriarke of Ierusalem In all which places there is nothing spoken of but the deposition of Anthymus from the Archbishopricke of Trebizond and not from that of the Patriarkship of Constantinople And indeede how could the Councell of Constantinople where Menas presided touch the deposition of Anthymus from the Patriarkship of Constantinople and Menas vote there in qualitie of Patriarke of Constantinople since Menas had bene promoted to the Patriarkship of Constantinople by the deposition of Anthymus For of this all the ancient monuments are of agreement Agapet saie the Syrians to the Emperor hath iustly deposed Anthymus from the Episcopall Sea of the cittie of Constantinople and with the helpe of your Imperiall authoritie cooperatinge and lendinge a hand to the diuine canons haue proposed the holy Menas to the same Church And Marcellinus Comes of the same time with Menas Agapet beinge come from Rome to Constantinople draue awaie soone after his arriuall Anthymus from the Church sayinge that accordinge to the Ecclesiasticall rule he was an adulterer because he had left his Church and had packt for another and ordained the Priest Menas Bishop in his place And Liberatus of the same time with Marcellinus The Empresse promisinge in secrett great presents to the Pope if he would suffer Anthymus in his Sea and on the other side tempting him with threates the Pope persisted in not harkninge to her request and Anthymus seeinge hee was
aduauncinge towards the liuing God And in the volume vpon the psalmes all those who perferr earthlie felicitie before God all those which seeke themselues and not Iesus Christ belonge to that onlie Cittie which is mysticallie called Babylon and hath the diuell for her kinge And to this it is noe impediment that she is described to be clad in purple fore there purple signifies not the coulour of purple but temperall powers dignities and authoritie which are for the most parte in the hands of the wicked rather then of the good the white and shining linnen wherewith the bride is clothed signifieth not the stuffe and colour of linnen but the iustification of the saintes As little is it repugnant to this that she is described to be sett vpon 7. Mountaines for that which followes imediately after and those are 7. kinges shewes that the word Mountaines ought not in that place to bee literally taken but allegorically whether for the seuen sinnes that wee call mortall or for anie other septenary mumber ruling ouer the societie of the wicked The second interpretation celebrated by the Fathers is to expound the destruction of Babylon described in the Reuelation to be destruction of Paganisme and of the honor of the false Gods and the descent of heauenly Ierusalem to be the propagation of Christian Religion for as much as in the tyme of the prophetes from whose wordes this verse of the Reuelation goe out of Babylon my people is taken Babilon was as it were the head of Pagan superstition and also that the word Babylon signifyinge Confusion is more proper then anie other to designe the Religion of the Pagans which was a Confusion of Religions because Rome which in the age of the Apostles was become the head of Paganisme had receiued into her Common-wealth and Religion the worship and Religion of all the Prouinces that she had ouercome From whence it is that Saint AVGVSTINE attributes by a particular title the word confusion to the Religion of the Pagans when he saith We must seeke for Religion neither in the confusion of the pagans nor in the refuse of heretickes nor in the laÌguishing of Schismatickes nor in the blindenes of the Iewes And it is noe contradiction to this that the Angell cryes goe out of Babylon my people And a little after and recompence her double for what she hath done to you For this cry is addressed to the elect which were not yet the people of God in act and vocation but in power and in predestination whom God soe calls to drawe them from paganisme and to make them actually his people and Commands them to repay or returne what she hath done to them that is not what she hath done in theire persons for they could not be persecuted by her for the faith if they were not yet seperated from her in faith but in the persons of theire predecessors And therefore Saint AVGVSVINE saith Marke how the people of Babylon are put to death the double of what she hath done is rendred vnto her for soe it is written of her recompence her the double of what she hath done c. And how is the double recompenced vpon her when she might persecute the christians she slewe theire bodies but she brake not theire God Now she is recompenced double for we roote out the pagans and breake theire Idolls And how sayest thou are the pagans put to death how else but in beinge made Christians For if some ancient Fathers haue interpreted the word Babylon to be the Cittie of Rome because of this epithet drunck with the bloud of the Saints and the martires of Iesus whose sufferinges were soe frequent at Rome in the first ages of the Church that it hath bene iustlie said that Rome was not so much a cittie of men as a Church-yard of martires It was the pagan Rome that they intended as the Capitall Seate of the heathen Religion and of the Empire of the Gentiles and not of any Church neither particular nor vniuersall as it appeares by these wordes of Saint IEROME I addresse my speeche to thee ô most puissant towne which hast wiped out the blasphemies written in thy forehead by the confession of Christ Which shewes vs that whilst Rome was pagan she was the same to the Christians as Babylon was in the tyme of the old Testament to the Iewes but that becomeinge Christian she had ceased to be soe and was transformed from Babylon into Ierusalem If any replie that in his epistle to Marcella the same Saint IEROM hath gone soe farr as to applie the name of Babylon to Rome after she was Christian it was not to Rome as the Seate of Religion but to Rome as the seate of the Empire not to the Ecclesiasticall communion of Rome but to the politicke State of Rome not to the Church of Rome but to the Imperiall Court to the Senate to the Pallace and to the troupe of Courtiers Solicitors and Negotiators of Rome and not in matter of Faith but in matter of manners and not in regard of Secular Christians but in regarde of the monkes to whom Rome was a kinde of Babylon because of the diuersions that the noyse the confusion the tumult of men and affaires in soe great a Cittie brought to monasticall deuotion as it appeares by what he adds presently after It is true that in that Cittie there is the holie Church it is true that there are the trophies of the Apostles and of the martyres it is true there is the true confession of Christ it is true there is the faith celebrated by the Apostle and the Christian name euerie day exalted by the depression of paganisme troden vnder foote but the ambition the power and greatnesse of this Cittie to visitt and to be visited to salute and to be saluted to flatter and detract to heare and speake nay to see though vnwillingly so great a multitude of men are thinges farr from the purpose and quiet of those that would followe a monasticall life And againe notinge the same discomodities in the dwelling in Ierusalem If said hee the places of the Crosse and Resurrection were not in a famous towne where there is a Court where there is is a garrison of Souldiers where there are common woemen players ieasters and all thinges which vse to be in other Citties c. it would certainly be a dwellinge much to be desired by Monkes Now if some-times he haue chanced to make vse of this word in his writinges against certaine Priestes and Deacons of the Clergie of Rome who iealious of his fauour with Pope Damasus persecuted him with slanders reproching to him that he had translated the treaties of Didymus an hereticall author that he had conuersed too familiarly with the deuout ladies of Rome and perswaded them to quit theire countrie children and kindred that is the confusion and tumulte of the world to goe as recluses into the Monasteries of
Palestina These were all complaintes which still remain'd within the limites of theire manners and neither touched the faith of the Roman Church nor the succession of saint Peter nor the communion of the Apostolicall Sea nor the very person of the Pope And indeede how could saint IEROME applie these wordes of the Reuelation Goe out of Babylon to the Cittie of Rome for anie thinge concerninge faith and Religion He that cryes out in his apologie against RVFFINVS Which faith is it that he calls his that that the Roman Church holdes or that that is contained in Origens bookes if he answere that that the Roman Church holdes then we are Catholickes And in the Epistle to THEOPHILVS Patriarche of Alexandria Know that we haue nothinge in greater recommendation then to conserue the statutes of Christ and not to transgresse the bounds of our fathers and alwaies to remember the Roman faith praysed by the mouth of the Apostle whereof the Alexandrian Church doth glorie to partake And in the Epistle to DEMETRIAS When thou wert little and that the Bishop Anastasius of ãâã aud happie memorie gouuerned the Roman Church a cruell tempest of ãâã risen out of the Easterne partes attempted to pollute and corrupt the ãâã of that faith which had bene commended by the mouth of the Apostle but this ãâã Pope Anastasius riche in a most plentifull pouertie and iu an Apostolicall care brake the pestilent head and stopped the hissinge mouthes of ãâã Hydra And because I feare yea I haue heard saie that the budds of this venimous plante doe still liue and springe vp in some I thought it my ãâã to admonish thee in a deuout zeale of charitie that thou keepe fast the faith of Saint INNOCENT his sonne and Successor in the Apostolicall Chaire And in the Epistle to Pope DAMASVS I am chayned in communion with thy blessednesse that is with Peters Chaire I know the Church is built vpon that rocke if anie eate the lambe out of that howse he is prophane And a little after I know not Vitalis I reiect Meletius I am ignorant of Paulinus whosoeuer gathers not with thee scatters that is to saie whosoeuer is not of Christ is of Antichrist Far then was hee from holdinge the Church of Rome for Babylon and the Pope for Antichrist since he held whosoeuer did not communicate with the Pope for Antichrist The third exposition is of them who interpret the allegoricall Babylon to be the Monarchy of the Turkes who with its false Prophet Mahomet haue possessed all the citties and particularly those of the seuen Churches of Asia to which S. Iohn addressed his reuelatioÌ and which hath giuen vp her soule to the perished beast that is to saie hath againe takeÌ the office and ranke of the pagan Emperors blasphmers and persecutors of the name of Christ and hath vsurped the Seate whither theire succession had bene transferd to witt Constantinople and who is clothed with purple that is hath the Emperiall power and authority whose simbole in Saint Iohns tyme was purple and which is seated be it literally vpon seuen Mountaines for Constantinople hath seuen Mountaines as old Rome had for moderne Rome hath nyne Or be it accordinge to the allegoricall interpretation of Saint Iohn vpon seuen kings that is to say vpon the seuen Empires that followe the impietie of Mahomett And in briefe which hath soe many other affinities with the Babylon in the ReuelatioÌ as OECOLAMP and BVLLINGER are constrayned to giue her two seates and conââââuâe two Antichrists one in the weste and an other in the East Now which of these expositioÌs answeres the precise inteÌtion of the Author or whether the perfect accoÌplishment of these thinges be yet to come and should be vnderstood of a Societie which shall not arise till after the Ghospell haue bene actually preached to all the nations of the world as all ancient writers are agreed that the Monarchie of Antichrist which the ProtestaÌts esteene to be one thinge with the Babylon of the Reuelation shall not come till after that tyme it is not heere our purpose to examine But in summe that that Babylon where of the reuelation speaketh can be seriouslie taken for the cittie of Rome the antithesis that saint IOHN makes of Babylon and Ierusalem which teacheth vs that as the Ierusalem described by the same Reuelation is not a locall cittie soe Babylon described by the same Reuelation is not a locall and corporall cittie takes from vs all colour to belieue it And therefore ARETHAS who beinge a grecian and a schismaticke as he is held to bee had had more interest to interpret this passage of Rome resolues in the end that it cannot be vnderstood neither of Rome nor of Constantinople but of the state of this corruptible world It appeares saies he vndoubtlie by this place that the thinges which are heere foretolde should neither be vnderstood of Babylon nor of olde nor newe Rome that is Constantinople nor of any other cittie but of all this corruptible world And that she may be taken for a Church which in the beginninge was a true Church of Christ and since growne false and adulterate bearinge neuerthelesse still the title of a Church the figure of Babylon which was from the beginninge founded by Nimrod a pagan and infidell and after alwaies perseuered in paganisme and in the open profession of infidelitie till the fall of her Empire cannot beare it Contrarywise that which saint IOHN saith that all those whose names are not written in the booke of life haue worshipped the beast vpon which the harlott sitts seemes to insinuate that he speaks of the societie of all the reprobate of what soeuer Secte Religion and profession they haue bene as well Iewes Gentiles Heretickes Schismatickes as euill Catholickes and not of any determinate Communion Yet we avowe neuerthelesse that the Fathers haue some-tymes turned the wordes of Isay and Ieremy from whence those wordes of the Reuelation are takeÌ to make vse of them against the particular Sect of the Arrians As when OSIVS and after him S. ATHANAS say the Scripture cryes out depart depart goe out from her and touch not her vncleanesse Withdrawe you from the midst of them separate your-selues froÌ theÌ you that carrie the vessells of our Lord. But besides that they haue neuer preteÌded that this precept should be exteÌded to all the multitude of ChristiaÌs and that there might come a tyme wherein there were noe externall CoÌmunion visible and eminent out of which it should be vnlawfull to goe forth which is that which is in question There is great difference betweene the conceites allusions that the Fathers made vpon the allegoricall expositions of the passages of the Scripture and the proper and direct vnderstandinge of the same passages which is that onely from whence we may argue seriouslie And therefore when the Donatists in the conference of Carthage would haue made vse of the same wordes against the
Victor of Vtica answere him that he might not enter into those listes without the consent of other Churches and namely of the Roman Church which is the head of all Churches Let the King said Eugenius write to his friends and I will written my ãâã that our colleagues may come who with vs may shew you our common faith and principally the Roman Church which is the head of all Churches And why then when Fulgentius an African Bishop of the same tyme and the other Bishop of Africa assembled with him made their answere to Peter a deacon and deputy of the East did they say to him The Roman Church which is the topp of the world enlightned with two great lights Peter and Paule ãâã it is soe And why then when the Emperor Anast asius Zeno's successor solicited Macedonius Patriark of Constantinople to suppresse in the seruice of his Church the memorie of the Councell of Chalcedon did Macedonius answere him that he could not doe it without a generall CouÌcell presided by the Pope The Fmperor Anast asius saith Theodorus Anagnostes pressed Macedonius to abrogate the Councell of Chalcedon but Macedonius answered him he could not doe it without a generall Councell wherein the Bishop of Rome must be President And why theÌ when the Bishops of the Easterne Church banded themselues against the preuarication of their Patriark Acacius did they write to Pope Symachus Thou art euerie day taught by thy sacred Doctor Peter to feede the sheepe of Christ which are committed to thee throughout the habit able earth not constrained by force but willinglie thou that with the most learned Paule cryest out to all thy subiects we doe not rule ouer you in faith but cooperate with you in ioy And why then when Vitalianus a ScithiaÌ had rebelled against the Emperor Anastasius because he persecuted the Catholickes had borne armes at the gates of Constantinople did Victor of Tunes say He would neuer promise peace to the Emperor but vpon condition that he should restore to their Seates those that had bene banisht for defending the Councell of Chalcedon and should vnite all the Churches of the East with the Roman Church And why then when Justin a Catholicke Prince had succeeded the Emperor Anastasius did he cause Pope Felix sentence to be executed against Peter Patriark of AlexaÌdria and Acacius Patriark of Constantinople and made their names be razed euen after their deathes out of the records of their Churches and from the recitall in the misteries We anathematize saith John Patriark of Constantinople in an epistle to Pope Hormisdas Timothie the parricide surnamed Aelurus and we condemne likewise Peter of Alexandria his disciple and partaker in all things and we alsoe anathematize Acacius sometimes Bishop of this cittie of Constantinople c. and we promise heere after not to recite in the sacred misteries the names of those that are excluded from the coÌmunion of the Catholicke Church that is to saie that consent not fullie with the Sea Apostolicke And the Emperor Iustin in his epistle to the same Pope We haue giuen order that the reuerend Church of CoÌstantinople and manie others should accomplish your desire not only in other things but also in razing the names that you haue required to be takeÌ awaie froÌ the sacred recordes And a while after praying the Pope that he would be coÌtent that the names of those only which had bene coÌdemned by name by the Sea Apostolicke should be blotted out without exacting the racing of those that had coÌmunicated with theÌ for the difficulty that there would be in razing the names of soe many Bishops to be takeÌ away out of the recordes of their churches We aske noe grace said he for the names of Acacius nor for either the one Peter or the other that is to saie Peter Patriark of Antioch and Peter Patriark of AlexaÌdria nor for Dioscorus nor Timothie of whom your Holynesse letters addressed to vs made speciall mention but of those that the Episcopall reucrence hath celebrated in other citties And Victor of Tunes The Emperor Iustin saith he revnited those of the East vnder worthie satisfaction to the Prelates of the West except the euill Bishops for it must be read prauos and not paruos which died blinded with their ancient error to witt Acacius late Bishop of Constantinople Peter Bishop of Antioch and Peter Bishop of Alexandria and caused the decrees of the Councell of Chalcedon to be reuiued that had bene banisht by the Emperors Zeno and Anastasius And why then when the Emperor Justinian nephew and successor to Justine was come to the Empire neere eleuen hundred yeares agoe did he make profession to acknowledg the Pope for he head of all the Churches Wee preserue said hee in the lawe to Epiphanius Patriarke of Constantinople the Estate of the vnitie of the most holie Churches in all things with the moct holie Pope of the ancient Rome to whome we haue written the like because we will not suffer anie thing to passe concerning the affaires of the Church which shall not be alsoe referred to his Blessednesse for asmuch as he is the head of all the holy Prelates of God And in the lawe Inter claras where the Epistle of the same Emperor to the Pope and the expedition of Hipatius and Demetrius his Legates to the Pope against Cirus and Eulogius Legates for the Acaemites soe were certaine Religious men of Constantinople called because of their long watches is inserted We will not suffer said he that anie thing shall be treated of belonging to the state of the Churches though ãâã and manifest which shall not alsoe be referred to your Holynesse who are the head of all the Churches For as for the shiftes of those that not being able to auoid the lawe Inter claras striue to make it suspected for false I will not staie to confute them It sufficeth that the defence of those two great Oracles of Themis Alciat and Cuias haue made of this lawe and the authenticall copie which is to be found in the Greeke Basiliques beginning with these wordes ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And the history that Liberatus an African author of the same tyme reportes of it when he saith Hypatius Bishop of Ephesus and Demetrius Bishop of Philippi were sent by the Emperor Iustinian to Pope Iohn surnamed Mercury to consult with the Sea Apostolicke against Cyrus and Eulogius deputed by the Acaemites c. but Pope Iohn we being then present at Rome confirmed the Emperiall confession by an Epistle of his and addressed it to the Emperor And the testimonie that Iustinian himselfe giues it in the lawe to Epiphanius and in the Epistle to Pope Agapet and the old greeke paratitles translated and published by Leunclauius a protestant lawyer which reckon for the eight lawe of the Code the Emperor Justinians Epistle to the Pope and the Popes answere to him stopp
is mine Miletius Vitalis Paulinus soe were the 3. Patriarkes of Antioch called say that they communicate with thee if hut one of them had said soe I had belieued it but nowe either two or all three doe lye and therefore I couiure thy Blessednesse by the Crosse of our Lord by the necessarie ornament of our faith by the passion of Christ c. that thou signifie to me by thy letters with whom in Syria I ought to communicate This appeares by Optatus Bishop af Mileuis in Africa who saith At Rome hath bene setled for Peter first the Episcopall chaire in which the head of all the Apoctles Peter hath sate c. to the end that in that only chaire vnitie might be obserued by all least the other Apostles should attribute to themselues each one his seuer all chaire but that be might be a sinner and a schismatick that against that only chaire should erect an other And a little after To Peter then succeeded Linus to Linus Clement to Clement Anacletus to Anacletus Euaristus c. to Damasus Syricius who is at this day our Colleague by which meanes all the world communicates with vs by the commerce of formed letters This appeares by saint CHRYSOSTOME who writes to Pope Innocent Let vs enioy the continuance of your letters and of your charity and those of all the rest which we enioyed before This appeares by saint AVSTIN who saies Cecilianus might well dispise the conspiring multitude of his enemies seeing himself vnited by communicatorie letters with the Roman Church in which the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke hath alwaies sllorisht with other Countries from whence the Ghospell came into Asrica This appeares by Eulalius Bishop of Syracusa who a while after S. Austins death disswaded Fulgentius an Asrican afterward Bishop of Ruspa in Asrica froÌ goeing to inhabite with the monkes of Egipt in the desertes of Thebaidis because they were not in the communion of saint Peter The countrie said hee whither thou desirest to trauaile a perfidious dissention hath separated them from the coÌmunion of the blessed Peter All those Religious men whose admirable abstinence is celebrated shall not haue the Sacraments of the altar in common with thee This appeares by Iohn Patriark of Constantinople who writt to Pope ãâã in abiuration of Acacius memory Following said hee in all things the Apostolicke chaire wee declare all that hath bene thereby decreed and therefore hope to be in one communion with you declared by the Sea Apostolicke in which there is the integritie of Christian Religion and perfect soliditie promising heereafter not to ãâã amidst the sacred misteries their names that haue separated themselues from the communion of the Catholicke Church that is to say that consent not in all things with the Sea Apostolicke This appeares by the Emperor IustiniaÌ who writes in the lawe addressed to Epiphanius Patriark of Constantinople We preserue in all things the estate of the vnitie of the holy Churches with the holy Pope of old Rome And in the lawe addressed to the Pope We haue had care to vnite and submitt all the Bishops of the East to the Sea of your Holynesse ãâã who are the head of all the holy Churches This apperes by Menas Patriarke of Constantinople who said in the Councell of Constantinople Wee follow the Sea Apostolicke and obey it and communicate with those that communicate therewith and condemne those that it condemnes This appeares by the forme that saint GREGORIE left vs of the abiuration that the Bishopes returning from Schisme to the communion of the Church made into the handes of the Apostolicke Procurators which haue these wordes I Bishop of such a Cittie hauing discerned the trapp of diuision wherein I was caught after a longe and mature deliberation I am returned by Gods grace with my pure and free will to the vnitie of the Sea Apostolick and that I may not be esteemed to returne maliciously or sainedly I vowe and promise vnder paine of falling from myne Order and vnder obligation of ãâã to thee and by thee to the holy Prince of Apostles Peter and to his Vicar the most Blessed GREGORIE or to his Successors that by anie perswasion whatsoeuer or in anie other manner I will neuer returne to Schisme from whence by our Redeemers mercy I haue bene deliuered but that I will alwaies remaine in the vnity of the Catholique Church and in the Communion of the Bishop of Rome And this finally appeares by the extract of the Councell of ãâã which is to be read at the end of the latine edition of the Councell of Chalcedon vnder the name of the extract of the Councell of Nicea for the composition of formed letters made by Atticus Bishop of Constantinople but some manuscripts of the sixt Councell of Carthage testifie they were sent into the west by the same Atticus with the other decrees of the Councell of Nicea when the Asrican Bishops requested them of him For this extract ordained that they should take the number of the firste Greeke letters of the names Father Sonn and Holy Ghost the number of the first letter of the Apostle Peters name and of the author that writt and of him to whom he writt and of the bearer of the letter and of the place from whence it was written and the day of Paske and adding them to the number of the indiction which then was currant they should thereof make a summe whose cipher should be added to the Epistle to serue it for a forme and character By meanes whereof when there was noe more occasion to doubt who was either in communion with the Roman Church or saint Peters sea or out of it as the diligence of the Catholicke Emperors and Kings haue in the West left noe subiect of that doubt this many ages the necessity of these kind of letters hath ceased And therefore soe farr off is it that the vse of the letters formed or coÌmunicatory whereof antiquity made vse was a marke to shew that the Church was then more manifest then nowe as contrarywise it was a testimonie that she was much harder to be discerned then she is at this present For that which constrained them to vse this meanes was the multitude and confusion of heresies which were then in soe great number and soe mingled in aboade and habitation amidst the Catholicke Church as there was almost noe Towne where there was not to bee found besides the true Church a dozen Sects and heresies and the most of them agreeing in forme and outward worship with the Catholicke Church Arians Donatistes Pelagians Nouatians Macedonians Appolinaristes and other such like plagues Of the pretended excommunications attempted against the Pope CHAP. XXVII BVt against this thesis to witt that the Sea Apostolicke was the Center and beginning of all the formed and communicatory letters the Popes aduersaries obiect three instances first that Stephen Patriarke of Antioch in the false
no repugnaÌcy in that that the historie of the Acts following the custome of the Scripture which is often to recite immediatly things farr from that tyme placeth the voyage of saint PAVL to Ierusalem presently after the prophecie of Agalus for saint LVKE speaking of the famine foretould by Agabus adds which also happened vnder Claudius ãâã to shew that the prophecie had bene longe before the Empire of ãâã by meanes whereof betweene the prophecie of Agapus and the tyme of the famine which began but the second yeare of the Empire of ãâã there were past many yeares nether that the same historie notes that PAVL and BARNABAS conuersed a yeare at Antioch for that should not be taken from their arriuall vntill the voyage of the ãâã which was executed manie yeares after the prophecie of Agabus but it is meant that they staide a whole yeare at Antioch without departing from it and then came againe nor that it saith that Agabus came at the same tyme to Antioch for this note of tyme is refer'd in generall to the tyme before the Empire of Claudius and it is put to discerne the tyme of the pronunciation of the prophecie which was vnder the Empire of ãâã from the tyme wherein it was accomplished which was vnder the Empire of Claudius To the second obiection which is that Saint PETER assisted at the Councell of Ierusalem which was celebrated twenty yeare after the Death of Christ and consequentlie could not bee arriued at Rome the second yeare of the Empire of Claudius which was the eleauenth after the Death of Christ neither could then haue bene Bishop there twentie fiue yeare ãâã answere there is nothing incompatible betweene these two histories For Suetonius writes that Claudius draue the Iewes out of Rome which moued ãâã said hee at the instance of Christ. Now Orosius notes and that as he saith after Iosephus that this banishment happened the ninth yeare of the Empire of Claudius which was the eighteenth yeare after the Death of our Lord that is to saie as wee haue demonstrated in the solution last past the same yeare of the Councell of Ierusalem And saint LVKE consirmes who writes that saint PAVL being come to Corinth a little after the Councell of Jerusalem found Prisca and Aquila there who were said hee new returne'd out of Italie because Claudius had commaunded all the Iewes to goe forth of Rome And therefore what wonder is it that saint PETER beiug ariued at Rome the second yeare of the Empire of Claudius and hauing bene constrained to auoid Rome with the other Iewes seauen yeare after that is to saie the ninth yeare of the Raigne of Claudius because of the Edict publisht by him against the Iewes were in the East at the Councell of Jerusalem which was celebrated that same yeare and afterward the heate of the Edict being cooled returned to Rome To the third obiection which is that saint PAVL writing to the Romans saluted not saint PETER which he could not haue forgotten to doe if he had bene there wee answere that the Epistle to the Romans was written in the time of the Iewes exile from Rome and during saint PETERS being in the East to wit betweene the Councell of Ierusalem and the death of Claudius for it was written at Corinth when saint PAVL passed by there to make his last iourney to Jerusalem And therefore although ãâã and Aquila and some other lesse notable Iewes were alreadie returned to Rome neuerthelesse it followes not that saint PETER who was the principall author of the Iewes conuersion for which their nation was banisht should so soone returne Iointlie that if this argumeÌt were of weight we must withall conclude that Timothie was not Bishop of Ephesus for S. PAVL writing to the Ephesians makes no mention of him and that saint James was not Bishop of Ierusalem for in the Epistle to the Hebrewes written in saint Iames his life tyme as appeares by these ãâã know that the brother Timothie hath bene licenced with whom if he returne ãâã I will visit you there is no mention made of saint James And therefore so farr is Theodoret an author of the same tyme with the Councells of Ephesus and Chalcedon and one of the most famous writers of the Ecclesiasticall historie from takeing one argument from the Epistle to the Romans as the Popes aduersaries doe to call in question S. PETERS staie at Rome as contrariwise commenting the Epistle to the Romans he saith that saint PAVL there vseth the word to confirme for as much as S. Peter had alreadie founded the Ghospell amongst them Because saith Theodoret that the great Peter had alreadie declared to them the euangelicall doctrine therefore saint Paul necessarilie adds to confirme you To the fourth obiection which is that S. PAVL writing from Rome not onely toucheth no word of S. PETER but also in the epistle written to the Philippians from Rome saith that all sought that which was of themselues and none sought which was of Christ And in the second to Timothie written from the same place that all had forsaken him Wee answere that in the one he speakes of those that he might haue sent to the Philippians and that in the other he speakes either of his familiars as S. CHRYSOST saith and of those which were accustomed to follow him or of those that had power to defend him at the Emperiall Tribunall of which number S. PETER was like to be none And besides wee maintaine that S. PAVL speakes by Synecdoche saying all insteede of saying many as S. IEROM acknowledgeth in these words For as much as saint Paul had bene forsaken by manie hee therefore writes that all had forsaken him And Bullinger minister of Zurich In these I doubt not but the Apostle vsed a Synecdoche in this passage saying he had bene forsaken of all when as onely some had sorsaken him And finally wee will adde that if from the silence of S. PAVL it be permitted to inferre that saint PETER was not at Rome when saint PAVL writt these epistles wee must then also conclude by the same argument that saint PAVL was not there For in anie one of the epistles that S. PAVL hath written from Rome he neither makes mention of the cittie nor Church of Rome and wee onely know that he writt them from Rome because in the epistle to the Philippians hee speakes of Cesars howse and because in the epistle to the Ephesians and to the Colossians and in the second to Timothie he speakes of his prison To the sift obiection which is that when saint PAVL arriued at Rome the bretheren went to meete him amongst whom there is no mention of S. PETER Wee answere that all the Roman Church went not to meete S. PAVL but some particular Christians the Church then not being so free and quiet at Rome as they could make those publicke demonstratioÌs but contrarily so
Iudea but contrarily he plainely affirmes that he was crucified at Rome PETER said he held the Sacerdotall Chaire at Rome till the fourteenth yeare of Nero by whom he was crucified And againe He was buried at Rome in the Vatican neere the triumpball Streete where he is celebrated by the veneration of all the Cittie Onely after he hath reported the wordes of our Lord Behould I send you prophets and wise men and Scribes and you will kill them and crucifie them and whip them in your Synagogues hee adds ãâã ãâã that there are diuers Guifts in the disciples of Christ according to the Apostle to the Corinthians Some are Prophets who foretell things to come some are wise men who know when they should pronounce the word others Scribes well learned in the law whereof Steuen hath bene stoned Paule beheaded Peter crucified But that S. PETER was crucified in Iudea he hath no where said and if he had bene crucified by the Iewes hee had inteÌded it in the same sence wherein S. PAVL cryes that the Jewes crucified the Lord of Glorie that is to saie the lewes caused him to be crucified but not that hee had bene crucified in Iudea otherwise they must also haue concluded that S. PAVL was not beheaded at Rome but in Iudea for S. IEROM saith it equallie of the one and of the other whereof PAVLE hath bene heheaded and PETER Crucified To the third obiection which is that S. AVGVSTINE writ that the historie of the combatt of S. PETER and Simon the Magitian at Rome had taken ground from an opinion Wee answere that S. AVGVSTINE saith no such thing And indeede how should he saie it that had for suertie and forerunners in this historie not onely S. IVSTIN Martir an author of the next age after Simon Magus who writt thus to the Pagan Emperors from and in the name of all the Christians One Simon a Samaritan hauing by the Diuells art done workes by enchantment vnder the Emperor Claudius in your imperiall Cittie of Rome was accouÌted a God and honored by you with a Statue as a God And S. Ireneus and Tertullian which writ the like but also Arnobius Eusebius S. CYRILL of Ierusalem S. EPIPHANIVS ãâã S. JEROM Sulpitius seuerus who all affirme that Simon hauing vndertakeÌ by art magicke to flie at Rome was hindred from it and caused to fall by S. PETER he saith only that whereas some held that the particular custome obserued by the Roman Church to forbeare dinner on Saturdaies proceeded from a fast celebrated by S. PETER the Satturdaie before this act was an opinion Behold his words It is said hee the opinion of manie although manie Romans hould it to be false that the apostle Peter being on the Sundaie to combat against Simon the magitian for the perill of so great a temptation fasted the daie before both he and the Church of the same Cittie and that hauing obtained so prosperous and glorious a successe he continued the same custome and that some Churches of the west imitated him But that the historie of the conflict of S. PETER and Simon Magus at Rome was grounded vpon an opinion he saith nothing neere it coÌtrariwise he setts it downe for the first principle in his booke of heresies in these words Simon would haue made it belieued that he was Jupiter ad that a common woman whose names was Helen with whom he had ioyned himself for a complice of his crimes was Minerua and gaue the images of himself and his Copesmate to be adored to his desciples and had obtained that they might be constituted by publicke authoritie amongst the images of the Gods at Rome in which Cittie the blessed Apostle Peter extinguished him by the power of God Almightie Which it seemes the prophane authors themselues though curious to bury the memorie of all the miracles of Christianitie haue obliquely pointed at when ãâã saith that there was a spectacle exhibited in a full theater in Nero's time whereby they should haue made the ãâã flight appeare but the Icarus fell against Nero's chamber and watred it with blood and when Dion Chrisostome saith that Nero had a long time neere him in his pallace a certaine man who promised to flie To the fowrth obiection which is that amongst the Successors of S. PETER some place Linus and Cletus before Clement and some after wee answer that S. EPIPHANIVS hath preuented and solued it 1250. yeares agone in these worde At Rome were first Apostles and Bishops Peter and Paul and then Linus then Cletus and then Clement c. and lett none wonder that others receiued the Bishopricke before Clement And a little after whether that the Apostles being still aliue Clement had receiued the ordination of the Bishopricke from Peter and hauing resused it abstained from it for hee saith in one of his Epistles I goe my waies and withdraw myselfe till the people of God be erected c. or whether after the decease of the Apostles he haue bene instituted by Cletus wee doe not euidently know but it may be that hauing bene promoted to the Bishopricke hauing refused it c. he was againe coÌstrained after the death of Linus and of Cletus to accept of it For that which the obiectors add for the banquet and to make vp their mouthes that Eusebius saith that S. PETER was crucified and that the Legend where vpon wee ground the Papacie saith he was beheaded there are two ridiculous ingredients in this last Seruice the one to impute to vs that we ground the historie of S. PETERS seate at Rome which is testified by all the first ages of the Church vpon the Legend which is a booke written in the last ages by a Jacobin called Jacobus de voragine And the other not to discerne that that S. PETER that the LegeÌd said was beheaded is S. PETER the Iacobin Martir who was beheaded for the Catholick faith in the time of the Albigeses about 400. yeare agone and not S. PETER the Apostle whom it assirmes to haue bene crucified But now let vs leaue the obiections of the Popes aduersaries and let vs heare the testimonies of the Fathers S. DIONISIVS Bishop of Corinth writing to be Church of Rome in the next age after the Apostles you haue said hee mingled the plant of the Roman Corinthian Church made by PETER and PAVL And a little after for hauing taught together in Italie they were both martired at one and the same time And S. IRENEVS We represent the tradition apostolick of the greatest and most ancient Church founded at Rome by the two glorious Apostles PETER and PAVL And againe The blessed Apostles then founding and instructing the Church consigned the Episcopat of the administration of the Church to Linus And TERTVLLIAN Happie Church wherein the Apostles haue shed all their doctrin with their bloud in which PETER is equalled to the passion
to witt that to him because of the dignitie of his Sea appertaines the superintendencie of the Churches of the same Prouinces and that without him nothing should be decided in causes which concerne them For that the Patriarkes in their diuisions were as images and modells of the Popes authoritie and as Vicars borne from the Apostolicke Sea that is to saie were euery one in the extent of his Patriarkship that that the Pope was vniuersallie ouer the whole Church And then that as the Riuer Melas in Greece produced the same kindes of animals and plantes as Nilus in Egipt but lesser and proportionable to the quantitie of his course so the same authoritie that the Pope had ouer all the Church to wit that without him nothing might be decided in things which had regard to the vniuersall Church the Bishop of Alexandria had it proportionablie in his diuision to witt that without him nothing could be decided of the Ecclesiasticall causes of Egipt and of all the deuision of Alexandria it appeares by ten meanes besides many others It appeares first by the diuersitie of the conditions vnder which the Pope and the other Patriarkes participated to the succession of the Sea of Saint PETER who was the head and superintendent of Episcopall iurisdiction for the Pope onely bare the title of absolute successor and ordinary Vicar to saint PETER as being constituted in the Tribunall where saint PETER had established his finall and absolute Sea where he had planted the stocke of his direct Succession from whence it is that saint CYPRIAN calls the Roman Church the Chaire of Peter and the principall Church and the originall of the Sacer dot all vnitie and that the councell of Sardica exhortes the Bishops of all the prouinces to referr the causes to their head that is to saie to the Sea of the Apostle PETER and that ãâã saith that the Death of Pope Felix was the prouidence of God least the Sea of PETER might be dishonored being gouerned by two ãâã and that saint IEROM writes to Pope DAMASVS I am ioyned in communion with thy ãâã that is to saie with the Chaire of PETER and that Pope Innocent the first reported and approued by saint AVSTIN writt to the Bishops of Africa I conceaue that all our bretheren and colleagues can referre causes and principallie concerning faith to none but to PETER that is to ãâã to the author of their name and dignitie and that the Legates of Pope ãâã in the oration that they made to the Councell of Ephesus and which was confessed and registred by the ordinance of the Councell called the Pope the Successor and ordinarie Vicar of saint PETER And that the councell of Chalcedon intitled the Epistle of the Pope saint LEO the first The Sermon of saint PETERS Sea whereas the part that the other patriarkes had to the Successioin of saint PETER was an oblique and collaterall part and founded vpon subalterne and particular causes to witt that of the patriarke of Antioch vpon the passing and transitorie Sea of saint PETER at Antioch from whence it is that saint CHRYSOSTOME saith Peter the superintendet of the whole world he to whoÌ Christ had coÌsigned the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to whom he had committed the disposition of all things was a long time resident at Antioch And that the Pope Innocent the first tyme sellow to the same saint ãâã writt to Alexander the Patriarke of Antioch The Sea of Antioch had not giuen place to Rome had it not bene that what that ãâã but by the waie this hath obtained absolutely and finallie And that of the patriarke of Alexandria vpon the commission that saint PETER gaue to his second-selfe that is to saie to his deare and welbeloued disciple saint MARKE to goe found the Church of Alexandria the Metropolitan cittie of Egipt and of the prouinces adiacent from whence saint GREGORIE the great cries out The sea of Peter in three places is of one alone for he had exalted the Sea wherein hee vouchsafed to staie and finish his present life he hath adorned the Sea to which he hath ordained the Euaugelist his disciple hee hath established the Sea wherein he was resident seauen yeare though he were to depart from it By which meanes as the Pope represented the Stocke of the direct succession of saint PETER and the other Patriarkes represented the branches of the oblique and collaterall succession of saint PETER so what the Pope was in regard of the vniuersall Church the other Patriarkes were in the behalfe of their particular Patriarckships and reciprocally what the other Patriarkes were in the behalfe of their particular Patriarkships the Pope was in regard of the vniuersall Church It appeares secondly by the analogie of the ancient order of the Church which bare that the same priuiledges that the Patriarkes Primats and Metropolitans had to wit that without them nothing could be decided of the affaires of their deuisions and that the Prouinciall nationall or Patriarchall Councells which were held in their territories could not be esteemed perfect if they assisted not there the Popes had theÌ for the affaires which regarded the gouernment of the vniuersall Church and for the celebration of generall Councells and reciprocallie that the same priuiledges that the Popes had as that the care of all the Church pertained to them and that without them nothing could be decided of points concerning the vniuersall Church nor generall Councells bee celebrated the Patriarkes Primats and Metropolitans had them proportionablie in their limitts to witt that the care of all the affaires of their deuisions belonged to them and without them nothing could be decided in the affaires of their iurisdictions nor the Councells of their territories bee celebrated For as the Councell of Antioch which I alledge because it borrowes this decree not from the discipline of the Arrians but from the ancient forme of the Church saith that the care of all the Prouince belongs to the Metropolitan Soe Sozomen saith that the Bishop of Rome restored Athanasius Patriarke of Alexandria Paule Bishop of Const antinople Marcellus primate of Ancyra in Galatia for that to him because of the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things appertained And as the same Councell of Antioch saith speaking of particular Councells That Sinod is perfect at which the Metropolitan assists Soe Socrates witnesseth That Generall Councells and which were to prouide for the Generall lawes of the Church could not be celebrated without the Pope IVLIVS saith he had not assisted at the Councell of Antioch nor had sent anie in his place although the Canon of the Church forbids to make Ecclesiasticall lawes without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome or according to the translation of EPIPHANIVS followed by Cassiodorus to celebrate Councells without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And Sozomene There was an eccclesiastic all lawe which annulled all things
successor to Alexander Patriark of Alexandria in whose fauour and vpon whose particular the article had bene sett downe And how could Pope Julius haue reproched the Arrians that they had altered the decrees of the CouÌcell of Nicea if himself in restoring S. ATHANASIVS Patriark of Alexandria Paul Bishop of Constantinople Marcellus Primat of Ancyra in Galatia Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina Lucius Bishop of Andrinopolis in Thrace in disannulling the Councells of Tyre Antioch Constantinople which had bene holden against them had violated the canoÌ of the councell of Nicea And why did not the Arrians replie to him that it was himself that infringed the decrees of the Councell of Nicea if the intention of the Councell of Nicea had bene to restraine the Popes authoritie to the only limits of a particular Patriarkship as well as that of the other Patriarks And how had the Councell of Sardica wherein the Councell of Nicea was againe put to the triall which was holden twenty two yeares after the Councell of Nicea to defend the authoritie of the Councell of Nicea by many of the same Fathers that had assisted at the CouÌcell of Nicea reduced into a written lawe that Bishops deposed by the Councells of their prouinces might appeale from theÌ to the Pope declared that it was a very good fitt thing that froÌ all the prouinces the Bishops should referr the affaires to their head that is to saie to the Sea Apostlick of S. PETER if the intentioÌ of the CouÌcell of Nicea had bene to restraine the Popes authoritie into the onely limits of a particular Patriarkship as well as that of the other Patriarkes And how had the generall Councell of Ephesus reserued the cause of John Patriark of Antioch to the iudgmeÌt of the Pope And how had Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople after he had beeÌ deposed by Dioscorus Patriark of Alexandria by the second Councell of Ephesus appealed from them to the Pope and that saith the Emperor Valentinian the third according to the custome of the Councells And how finally had Theodoret one of the Bishops of the Patriarkship of Antioch hauing bene deposed in the same second Councell of Ephesus and hauing thence appealed to the Pope bene receiued into the Councell of Chalcedon because the Pope had restored him to his Bishopricke if the intention of the Councell of Nicea had bene not to propose the authoritie of the Pope in regard of the vniuersall Church for type and patterne of the authoritie of the other Patriarkes in regard of their Patriarkships but to restraine the Popes authority into the onely limits of a particular Patriarkship as well as that of the other Patriarkes It appeares in the fifth place by the title of vniuersall Patriarke and vniuersall Pope that the Churchmen of the other Patriarkships and particularly those of Alexandria who had more interest in the obseruation of the sixt Canon of the Councell of Nicea then anie other as hauing bene made in fauour of their Church yeilded to the Pope For when the Priests and deacons of the Patriarchall Church of Alexandria presented their requests to the Councell of Chalcedon from which the person of the Pope was as farre distant as it is betweene Rome and Asia they couched them in these termes To the most holie and most blessed vniuersall Patriark of great Rome ãâã and to the holie and vniuersall Councell And this they did all the Councell seeing and approuing it and ordayning that they should be inserted into the Acts and consequently not holding them for strange new and vnwonted things And when the Religious men of Antioch presented in Constantinople their requests to Pope Agapet they couched them and made them to be inserted into the Actes of the Councell of Constantinople holden against Anthymus and celebrated vnder the Emperor Iustinian in these wordes To our most holie and blessed Lord Agapet Archbishop of the ancient Rome and vniuersall Pairiark And when the great scourge of the Nouatians Eulogius Patriark of Alexandria and heire of the Rights conferred vpon the patriarkship of Alexandria by the Councell of Nicea sett hand to penn he did not onely saie disputing against the Nouaâians that PETER onely had receiued the keys that is to saie originally but also writing to the Pope S. GREGORIE he called him vniuersall Pope Now how is this anie other thing then to protest that what the other Patriarkes were euerie one in the behalfe of his owne Patriarkship the Pope was the same in the behalfe of the world For as for the part that the Bishop of Constantinople challenged in this title afterward it shall be heereafter shewed that it was by vertue of the right of the Bishop of Rome that he pretended it to be communicated to him by the erection of Constantinople into the title of the second Rome And as for the refusall that the Pope S. GREGORIE made of the vse thereof it shall be answered in the same chapter It appeares in the sixth place by the proceeding of Theodosius the second Emperor of the East who resoluing at the instance of Atticus Bishop of Constantinople to make the cittie of Constantinople enioy the title of Patriarkship which he pretended had bene attributed to him in the Councell of Constantinople published a law which hath alwaies as shall heereafter appeare remained without effect by which he alleadged that Constantinople had the priuiledges of the ancient Rome and ordained that she should exercise them not only in all the prouinces of Pontus Asia minor and Thracia but also in all the prouinces of Illiria The one of the heades of this lawe we learne from Socrates who said the Bishop of Cyzica being dead Sisinnius Archbishop of Constantinople ordained Proclus Bishop of Cyzica but the Cyzicenians that is to saie the Bishop of the diuision of Cyzica seeing he went about it preuented him and ordained a religious mancalled Dalmatius and this they executed despising the law which forbad to ordaine Bishops without the sentence of the Bishop of Constantinople alleadging it had bene made onely for the person of ãâã And the other we learne from the lawe omni ãâã ãâã which is a fragment of that where of Socrates makes mention which forbids that euen in all the prouinces of the Easterne Illyria any thing should ãâã but with the knowledg of the Bishop of Constantinople ãâã saith the lawe that all innouation ceasing so speakes the Emperor because ãâã abusing the simplicitie of his youth had ginen him to vnderstand falsely that the refusall that the Bishops of Illeria made to acknowledg him for Patriarke had begun but since the schisme of Arsacius his ãâã the antiquitie and the precedent Ecclesiasticall Canons which haue bene obserued hitherto he meanes the Canons of the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Nectarius which had attributed to the Sea of Constantinople euen in spirituall causes the title of the second Rome and
that exceeded Patriarchall authoritie either to equall him with the Pope or to exempt him froÌ the Popes iurisdiction Otherwise how could Pope ãâã the first in the view of the Fathers of the same couÌcell of Nicea who were still for the most part liuing breatihng haue re-established S. ATHANAS Patriarke of Alexandria Paul Bishop of Constantinople Marcellus Primat of Galatia and Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina Prelats who had all assisted at the Councell of Nicea could not bee ignorant of the Canons thereof since they helped to compose them for that saith Sozomene to him because of the dignitie of his Sea the care of all thinges appertained And how could S. ATHANASIVS haue alleadged for his ãâã these words of the same Iulius Are you ignorant that the custome is that you first write to vs and so from hence must proceede the iust decision of all things and therefore if there were anie suspition raised against the Bishop there that is to saie of Alexandria you must haue written of it to the Church heere that is to saie the Church of Rome And how could Peter Patriark of Alexandria and S. ATHANASIVS successor hauing bene driuen from his Sea haue bene restored vpon the letters that he brought from Pope DAMASVS which confirmed saith Socrates the saith of Moyses and the ordination of PETER And how when Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople hauing bene deposed in the false Councell of Ephesus by Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria could the Emperor Valentinian haue said Antiquitie hath yeilded to the most holie Bishop of Rome the Priesthood ouer all c. For this cause the Bishop of Constantinople according to the custome of the Councells hath appealed to him And how could Pope Leo the first haue written to Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople that if Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria and Iuuenall Bishop of Ierusalem should come to repentance and accompanie their conuersion with such satisfaction as it should seeme ought not to bee despised the thing should be reserued to the more mature deliberation of the Sea Apostolicke And how could the Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon addressing their relation to the Pope and speaking of Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria and of the false Councell of Ephesus haue said He hath extended his frensie euen against him to whom the guard of the vine was committed by our Sauiour that is to saie against thy Holynesse And when a little after the celebration of the same Councell Peter surnamed Mongus and Iohn surnamed Talaia hauing bene created by diuers factions Patriarkes of Alexandria how could the Pope haue committed the care of the prouinces of Egipt to Acasius Patriarke of Constantinople And how could Iohn hauing bene deposed from the Patriarkship of Alexandria by the Synod of Egipt and by the complot of the Emperor Zeno and appealed to the Pope and taken with him Synodicall letters of intercession from Calendion Patriarke of Antioch to fauour his appeale And the same Iohn Patriarke of Alexandria hauing appealed to the Pope how could the Pope haue deposed Peter his aduersary and with him Acacius Bishop of Constantinople who adhered to him that with such effect that euen after their death they were raced in Constantinople in Alexandria out of the Catalogue of the Patriarkes of Alexandria and Constantinople and their names blotted out of the records of their Churches and excluded from the recitall of the misteries Of the addition of the word Churches suburbicary made by Ruffinus in the latine translation of the Canons of the Councell of Nicea CHAP. VI. Against these thinges neuerthelesse the Popes aduersaries obiect the translation of Ruffinus priest of Aquilea who adds to the Epilogue that he hath made of the latine translation of the Canon of the Councell of Nicea the word Churches suburbicary which is neither in the Greeke text nor in the ancient compleate and formall latine editions turnes the article in these termes that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue the care of the Churches of Egipt and he of Rome of the Churches ãâã from whence they drawe this impertinent conclusion that the Pope had there no iurisdiction but ouer the Churches neighbouring to this ãâã and they triumph so vpon it as after a thousand writings which they haue published vpoÌ this subiect they haue euen this last yeare caused to be imprinted a topographicall mapp of the ancient ãâã of the Pope haue accompanied it with a discourse ãâã Of the ãâã suburbicarie where they haue assigned him for all iurisdictioÌ a ãâã thousand paces about the cittie of Rome that is to saie about as much Ground as is betweene Paris and Orleans But I hope soone to sett a Catastrophe to their Tragedie and to turne their triumph into obsequies Superbos Vertere funeribus triumphos For who sees not that it is a wilfull blindnesse hauing the greeke text and the ancient latine editions compleate and in forme of the Canon of the Councell of Nicea in their handes to tye themselues to the Epilogized translation of a man that S. IEROM auoucheth to haue bene a verie euill translator and whoe bsides for his errors had bene excommunicated and noted saith the same S. IEROM with the brand of heresie by Pope Anastasius and by the Roman Church There are three things which principallie make a Translator vnfitt to be credited passion ignorance and rashnes Now as for passion who hath euer better deserued to be reproched in this regard in matters that concerne the Roman Church then Ruffinus who had bene excommunicated for his errors in faith by Pope Anastasius and by the Roman Church and that before he writt his historie which was written after Alaricus comming into Italie that is to saie vnder the Popedome of Innocent successor of Anastasius Russinus saith Pope Anastasius is soe excluded from our ãâã as wee are not curious to knowe neither what he doth nor where he is let him looke to himselfe where he can be absolued And S. IEROM Pope Anastasius in the epistle he writt against thee to Iohn Bishop of Ierusalem hath taxed this desault iustifying me me that did it and condemning thee thee I saie that wouldest not doe it And againe speaking of the confession of Russinus faith which he salslie assirmed to haue bene approued by the Bishops of Italie How should Italie said hee haue approued that which Rome hath reiected how should the Bishops receiue that which the Sea Apostolicke hath condemned And a little after Thou doest soe auoid the iudgment of the cittie of Rome that thou chosest rather to support a siege of Barbarians this he spake because of the coming of Alaricus to Aquilea whither Ruffinus had retired himselfe then the sen tence of a peaceable cittie For whereas Gennadius placeth Ruffinus amongst the Orchodoxall Authors it was because Gennadius was of the Sect of one of the branches of Pelagius beresie whereof Ruffinus had cast the
the westerne prouinces of the Empire of the East that is to saie of the Easterne Illyria and of the naturall Greeke prouinces as of Macedonia of Hellada of Peloponesus of Thessalia and of the Isle of Creete who had assisted at the other actions were there omitted neither were the Popes Legates who represented all the Bishops of the Empire of the west there Anatolius hauing watched the time of their absence nor anie of the Bishops of the Patriarkship of Alexandria which were those that had the principall interest in the busines For as for this that Caluin saith that Proterius Patriarke of Alexandria was there it is an ignorance disproued by the signatures of the canon and by all the histories of antiquitie which teach vs that Proterius was not created Patriarke of Alexandria till after the councell of ãâã had bene finisht and till the Egiptian Bishops were returned from Chalcedon into Alexandria The fourth nullitie is that euen those that signed this canon signed it against their wills as the Popes Legates protested when they complayned that they had made the Bishops subscribe byforce or to vnwritten canons And it is no opposition to this that the next day when the Senators asked the Bishops of Pontus and of Asia whether they had signed this canon with their will or against it they answered that they had signed it without constraint For this interrogatory and this answere had bene procured by Anatolius and by the Clerkes of Constantinople abusing the fauor of the Emperor and the support of the Senat as it appeares by the protestation that the Bishops of Asia had made in the eleauenth Session of the Councell against the right that the Bishop of Constantinople would haue attributed to himself to ordaine the Archbishop of Ephesus Metropolitan of Asia Minor which was afterward one of the principall articles of this decree The Reuerend Bishops of Asia saith the eleauenth Action of the Councell of Chalcedon prostrated themselues before the Councell and cried out haue compassion vpon vs haue compassion vpon our children that is to saie either of their Ghostly children which were their Diocesans or of their chil dren borne by wiues married before their Priesthood least by our occasion and by our Sinnes they should dye c. for if a Bishop of ãâã be ordained here both our children will die and the cittie will be rooted out And againe The most glorious Senators said The most reuerend Bishops of Asia present in this ãâã protest that if there be here an other Bishop ordained there will be a ãâã in the cittie of Ephesus Let the Synod then declare where the canons will that the Bishop of Ephesus be ordained And a little after The most Reuerend Bishops ans wered In the Prouince And Diogenes the most reuerend Bishop of ãâã said such is the custome if the Bishop of Ephesus tooke his ordination from the Bishop of Constantinople these things would not happen c. And Leontius right Reuerend Bishop of Magnesia added Since S. Timothie vntill this present there haue bene twentie seauen Bishops created all haue bene ordained at Ephesus one onely ãâã hath bene violently ordained heere from whence there haue ensued manie murthers And in the end The Right Reuerend Bishops cryed out Let the canons stand c. And the Clerkes of Constantinople contrariwise Let the ordinance of the hundred and fiftie Fathers stand Let not the priuiledges of Constantinople perish Let the ordination acording to custome be made by our Archbishop From whence it appeares euidentlie that the Bishops of Asia and the Clerkes of Constantinople were directly contrary in this article And that what Diogenes Bishop of Cyzica and the other Asian Bishops said then when the canon was read ouer againe to witt that they had signed voluntarily was so farr from being true that contrariwise the same Diogenes Bishop of Cyzica and the other Asian Bishops had protested that if they should consent that the Bishop of Constantinople should ordaine the Metropolitans of Asia which was one of the principall clauses of the Canon their Diocesans would perish and their citties would be put to fire and sword The fifth nullitie is that the Clerkes of Constantinople saigning to re new by this decree the canon of the Councell of Constantinople which is called the canon of the hundred and fiftie Fathers did insert therein two manifest falshoods the one was that they added thereto the word equall which was not in the canon of the Councell of Constantinople For whereas the Councell of Constantinople had said simplie That the Bishop of Constantinople should haue the prerogatiues of honor after the Bishop of Rome those that renewed the canon supposed that it had said that the Bishop of Constantinople should haue the prerogatiues of honor equall after the Bishop of Rome And the other that they imputed to the Councell of Constantinople that it had adiudged the ordination of the Metropolitans of Pontus and Asia minor to the Bishop of Constantinople a thing whereof the Councell of Constantinople had not onely spoken nothing to that purpose but had pronounced cleane contrary that the Bishops of Asia should gouerne the affaires of Asia And the Bishop of Thracia that is to saie of Constantinople should onely ãâã the affaires of Thracia which Socrates repeates in these words ãâã obtained the great cittie and Thracia And Helladius successor to Basilius in the Bishopricke of Cesarea in Cappadocia obtained the diuision of Pontus c. And ãâã Bishop of Iconia and Optimus Bishop of Antioch in Pisidia that of Asia And is it not to be said that those that renewed the decree annexed therevnto the ordinatioÌ of the Bishops of Pontus Asia not as a thing decreed by the Councell but as a thing added by them For besides this that their text beares The hundred and fiftie religious Fathers ãâã with the same designe haue granted equall prerogatiues to the most holy Sea of ãâã Rome reasonably iudging that the Imperiall cittie which is adorned by the Senate and hath the same priuiledges with the ancient Rome should also be equally exalted in Ecclesiasticall affaires being the second after her and that she shall ordaine the Metropolitans in the Diocesses of Pontus Asia and Thracia words which haue manifest relation to the canon of the Councell of Constantinople when the Bishops of Asia protested they could not suffer that their Metropolitans should be ordained by the Bishop of Constantinople the Clerkes of Constantinople cryed out Let the canon of the hundred and fiftie Fathers stand let not the priuiledges of Constantinople perish let the ordination be made according to custome by our Bishop The sixth nullitie is that when this canon was againe put to the touch and propounded to bee reuiewed in the Councell the libertie of the assistants had already bene prepossessed by the teÌporall officers of the cittie of Constantinople For the Senators of the
canon as a canon of the Councell of Chalcedon for besides that in saying wee renewe the decree made by the hundred and fiftie Fathers assembled in this religious and royall cittie and by the six hundred and thirtie Fathers assembled at Chalcedon it shewes sufficientlie how this canon had bene till then disputed and called in question the Councell Trullian was aschismaticall ignorant and vnlawfull Councell as it shall heereafter appeare both by the testimony of BEDA an author of the same time who calls it an impious Councell and by the approbation which was made there of the Councell of Africa concerning the Anabaptisme of heretickes which had bene an erroneous and reprouable Councell as Saint AVGVSTINE and all antiquitie doe testifie and as the Popes aduersaries themselues doe acknowledge And this suffficeth for the first obiection Now let vs goe forward to the second To the second obiection then which is that the Bishop of Constantinople went about to participate in the title of Oecumenicall or vniuersall whereof the Pope had receiued the nomination in the Councell of Chalcedon wee bring fower Answeres The first answere is that it was not to possesse this title by the exclusion of the Pope but to possesse it by the association of the Pope and in regard of the other Patriarkes for not onely in the Councell of Chalcedon the title of vniuersall had bene offered the Pope before the Bishop of Constantinople had euer presumed to aspire to it but in the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Menas which is the first Councell where the name of Vniuersall had bene giuen to the Patriarke of Constantinople bee it directly or be it from the relation of a Councell holden a little before it there were read the requests of the Churchmen of Constantinople of Antioch and of Jerusalem presented in Constantinople it self to Pope Agapet and couched in these termes To our most holie and most blessed Lord Agapet Archbishop of the ancient Rome and vniuersall Patriarke And during the contention of saint GREGORIE and the Patriarks of Constantinople Eulogius patriarke of Alexandria writing to Pope GREGORIE calls him Uniuersall Pope And in the next age after saint GREGORIE the Emperor Constantine the bearded residing at Constantinople and assisting at the third generall Councell of Constantinople intituleth the pope Uniuersall Patriarke and Arch-Pastor You haue said hee in the epistle to the councell of the West seconded your captaine the vniuersall âier arch and Patriarke And againe You haue bene present by your Procurators you and the vniuersall Arch-Pastor at our councell And after when the Emperor Basilius the younger and Eustachius Patriarke of Constantinople would haue reconciled themselues to the Roman Church they capituled that it might be lawfull for them to obtaine with the consent of the Pope that the Church of Constantinople should be called Uniuersall in the compasse thereof as the Roman was in the compasse of the whole world And still after them Balsamon although puft vp with his imaginarie title of Patriarke of Antioch and a great enemy to the Latins which possessed his pretended patriarksip he fauoured the Pope as little as he could and attempted to proue all the patriarkes equall for that which concernes the ordinary administration of their patriarkships neuerthelesse he confessed that the custome of the Greekes was to attribute to the Pope the title of Vniuersall Pope and to the Bishop of Constantinople that of Vniuersall Patriarke I haue said hee a purpose to tell wherefore the Pope of Rome is called Vniuersall Pope and likewise the patriarke of Constantinople Vniuersall patriarke And a little after But because the Deuill of self-loue hath separated the Pope from the societie of the other most holy Patriarkes and hath restrained him onely into the West I omitt this discourse as vnprofitable The second Answere is that by the word Vniuersall the Bishop of Constantinople neuer pretended to exempt himself from the Popes iurisdiction but acknowledged himself subiect and inferior to the Pope as it appeares by those very peeces where the name of Vniuersall is attributed to the Bishop of Constantinople which doe all testifie that he was subiect and inferior to the Pope and that the instance that he made to be adioyned and associated to the Pope in the participation of the vniuersalitie was not to the end to possesse it in regard of the Pope but vnder the Pope and in regard of the other Patriarkes alwaies acknowledging the Pope for stocke and head of the vniuersalitie and protesting himselfe his subiect and his inferior For in the law of the Emperor Iustinian to Epiphanius Patriarke of Constantinople which is the first where the word vniuersall is offerred to the Patriarke of Constantinople doth not Justinian write to him Wee haue in all thinges preserued the Estate of the vnitie of the holy Churches with the most holy Pope of ancient Rome to whom wee haue written the like For wee suffer not that anie thinge should passe touching the Ecclesiasticall Estate which shall not be also referred to his Blessednesse for as much as he is the head of all the most holie Prelats of God And in the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Menas which is the first Councell in forme where we see the title of Vniuersall giuen to the Patriarke of Constantinople Is it not saith Anthimus Patriarke of Constantinople protested to doe all that the Soueraigne Pope of great Rome should decree And writt to all the most holy Patriarkes that hee would altogether followe the Sea Apostolicke And Menas Patriarke of Constantinople doth noe hee himself pronouncé these words Wee will in all things follow and obay the Sea Apostolicke And in the heate of the question of the word Vniuersall doth not saint GREGORIE reporte that Iohn Priest of Chalcedon a Cittie situate in Asia and at the gates of Constantinople hauing bene iudged at the Tribunall of Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople appealed from him to the Sea Apostolicke and was againe iudged at Rome and the Bishop of Constantinople giuing his helping hand to it euen then when he tooke vpon him the qualitie of vniuersall and sending the Acts of the first iudgement to Rome to be reuiewed by the Pope Knowest thou not Saith sainct GREGORIE that in the cause of John the Priest against our brother and fellow-Bishop Iohn of Constantinople he had recourse according to the Canons to the Sea Apostolicke and that it hath bene defined by our sentence And elsewhere John Bishop of Constantinople hath gone soe farr as vnder pretence of the cause of John the Priest he hath sent hither Acts wherein almost at the end of euerie line he calls himselfe vniuersall Patriarke And finally the Emperor and the Patriarke of Constantinople did they not themselues acknowledge in the strenght of this dispute that the Church of Constantinople was subiect to the Roman Church as saint GREGORIE reportes it in
in the epistle to Iohn Bishop of Syracusa Who doubts but the Church of Constantinople is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke which the most Religious Lord the Emperor and our brother the Bishop of the same cittie protest continuallie Hee writes in the Epistle following to the same Bishop If there be anie cryme found in Bishops I know noe Bishop but is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke but when crimes exact it not all according to the condition of humilitie are equall He writes in the Epistle to Iohn the defendant correcting the iudgement which had bene giuen against the Bishop Steuen If they answere he had neither Metropolitan nor Patriarke it must be replied that the cause should haue bene heard and determined by the Sea Apostolicke which is the head of all the Churches He writes in the Fpistle to Iohn Bishop of Panormus Wee admonish thee that the Reuerence of the Sea Apostolicke be not troubled by the presumption of anie For then the state of the members remaines intire when ãâã iniurie is done to the head of the faith He writes in the Epistle to Natalis Bishop of Salona If one of the fower Patriarks had committed such an act so great a disobedience could not haue passed without a grieuous scandall He annulled in his Epistles to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople the Iudgement of the Church of Constantinople against Iohn Priest of Chalcedon Reprouing said he the sentence of the foresaid Iudges we declare him by our definition to be Catholicke and free from all hereticall crime And elsewhere Knowst ãâã not that in the cause of Iohn the Priest against our brother and Colleague John of Constantinople He had recourse according to the Canons to the Sea Apostolicke and it hath bene defined by our sentence He abrogated in his Epistle to Athanasius ãâã Regular of Lycaonia the decree of Iohn Bishop of Constantinople against him and restored him to his place Wee decree thee said he to be exempted from all blott of hereticall frowardnes and doe grant thee free leaue to returne into thy Monasterie and to holde the same place and ranke as thou didst before He abrogated in the Epistle to Iohn Archbishop of Larissa in Thessalia the sentence of the same Archbishop of Larissa against Adrian Bishop of Thebes and one of the fuffragans of the Archbishopricke of Larissa and ecclipsed the Bishopricke of Thebes from the iurisdiction of the Archbishopricke of Larissa and ordained that if the Archbishop of Larissa should euer more vndertake to exercise iurisdiction ouer the Bishop of Thebes he should be depriued of the communion of the Body of Christ and that it might not be restored to him except at the point of death but by the leaue of the Bishop of Rome Wee ordaine said hee that thy brotherhood obtaine from the power thou hadst before ouer the Bishop of Thebes and ouer his Church and according to the letters of our Predecessor for if anie cause either of faith or of crime or of money be pretended against our said Colleague Adrian it may be iudged if it be a matter of meane importance by our Nuncios which are or shall be in the Royall Cittie that is to saie in Constantinople and if it be a matter of Weight that it should be reported bither to the Sea Apostolicke to be decided by the sentence of our audience And if at anie time or for what occasion ãâã thou doe attempt to contradict this our decree know that we declare thee ãâã from the sacred Communion soe as it maie not be restored to thee vnlesse in the article of death but with the leaue of the Bishop of Rome And finally he abrogated in his Epistle to John Patriarke of the first Iustinianea who had confirmed the sentence of the Archbishop of Larissa the iudgement of the said Iohn Primate of the first Iustinianea and condemnes him to remaine depriued of the communion of the Bodie of Christ for the space of thirtie daies Abrogating said hee and annulling the decrees of thy sentence Wee decree by the authoritie of the blessed Prince of the Apostles that thou shalt be depriued of the sacred communion for the space of thirtie daies Nowe what was this but to crye with a lowde voice that in refusinge the title of Vniuersall he refused not therefore the title of Head of the Church and the Iurisdiction and superintendency ouer all other Bishops Archbishops and Patriarks Of the Order of sitting in the Councell of Nicea CHAPT VIII BVT Caluin to fight against this doctrine and to proue that the Pope is not head of the Church nor Superior to the other Patriarkes vseth fower principall meanes first that the Popes legates haue not presided in the ancient Generall Councells The secoÌd that the Pope called them not The third that the appeales of Bishops were not to the Pope And the fourth that the Canons of Africa forbadd the Bishop of the first Sea by which Caluin impertinently ãâã the Pope to call himselfe Prince of Bishops and the first meanes he striues to proue by Seauen examples which wee had best confute all at a clapp for ãâã they will obiect them to vs in a second Answere He produceth then before all things the order of the Councell of Nicea which he ignorantly calls the Councell of Nice not knowing that the Councell of Nice was an hereticall Councell that the Arrians held at Nicé in Thrace to deceiue the Catholicks by the affinitie of the words Nice and Nicea ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã compounded almost of the same letters The Arrians saith the Epistle of the Asians to Liberius caused to be signed by fraude and periuries at Constantinople a faith contrarie to that of the holy Councell of Nicea which had bene brought from Nice in Thrace And Socrates They transported themselues into a cittie of Trace called Nice and after a longe st aie held there an other Councell c. to surprise the simple by the affinitie of the words For the simple people belieued that it was the faith of Nicea in Bithinia And Theodoret They brought manie Bishops against their wills into a Towne of Thrace whose name was Nice And Sozomene Passing through Thrace they came into a cittie of the Countrie called Nice ãâã there kept a Conuenticle c. And this they did expressely at Nice to the end to perswade the simple people to coÌsent to it ãâã by the neerenes of the words and belieuing it to be the decree which was made at Nicea For although Stephanus doe indeede put in a Cittie of Nicea in Thrace neuerthelesse besides that Ammianus Marcellinus saith that the ãâã of Thrace situate vpon the passage from Italie to Constantinople which was the same wherein the Arrians had held their false Councell was called Nice The GreciaÌ Ecclesiasticall historians very notablie marke this difference betweene the Councell of the Catholiques and that of the Annians vpon
to cause the ãâã of the westerne Church to be carried to the generall Councells celebrated in the East sent a legation compounded of two kinde of Legats the one internall and taken from the bodie of the particular Roman Church whom wee with the Councell of Sardica call Legats taken out of the Popes owne side and the other externall and taken out of the order of the Bishops And this legation was sometymes made by two distinct commissions as in the sixth generall Councell the Legats from the popes particular person and those from the Councell of Rome were deputed feuerally And sometymes by a ioynt deputation as in the Councell of Ephesus and Chalcedon Now were those Legats that we call internall that is to saie taken out of the particular Clergie of the Roman Church the principall Legats not in honor except when the Popes legations and those of the Councell of Rome were distinct but as for the instructions and in the report of the Popes intentions And therefore also when there was question of the particular voice of the Pope they were often named alone as in the historie of Sozomene and in the list of the signatures of the Councell of Sardica because they were onely Legats deputed both from the person of the Pope and from the bodie of his Church And of those examples we haue one remarkable in the commission that the Councell of Ephesus gaue to the Bishops that it sent to Constantinople for by this commission the Councell of Ephesus intituled Phillip Priest of the Roman Church Legate from the Pope in these words To Phillip Priest holding the place of the Bishop of Rome Celestine to Arcadius to ãâã c. And intituled not Arcadius Legat to the Pope though he were both Bishop and Legat to the Pope altogether because Phillip was Legat à latire from the Pope that is to saie a Legate taken out of the very bodie of the particular Roman Church and Arcadius was Legat from the Patriarchall Roman Church that is to saie Legat from the Pope and Councell of Rome by meanes whereof when Sozomene and Theodoret say there were two Legats from the Pope at the Councell of Nicea to witt Uito and Uincentius and that S. ATHANASIVS and Socrates put Osius Uito and Vincentius into one place they contradict not one an other for as much as the one speakes onely of the internall Legats that we call Legats a latere of which Osius was none and the other speakes of the Legats aswell internall as externall whereof Osius was one And in this the ancient Greeke and Latine Canonists agree with vs For not onely Hincmarus Archbishop of Rhemes who flourished in the time of Charles the Balde and was not suspected to fauour the Pope much writes At the Councell of Nicea in the place of Syluester Osius Bishop of Cordua and Vito and Vincentius Priests of the cittie of Rome presided But alsoe Dalmatius Bishop of Cyzica in Asia one of the Fathers of the Councell of Ephesus who liued neere a thousand two hundred yeares agoe and after him Gelasius Priest of Cyzica who liued vnder the Emperor Zeno a thousand one hundred and fortie yeares agoe that is to saie in the next age to the Councell of Nicea and from whose pen is come to vs the famous Canon of the Eucharist so much cited by Caluin and by all the Sacramentaries written in the extract of the same Councell of Nicea that Osius was the Popes Legat in the Councell of Nicea and that Vito and Vincentius were his Colleagues At this Councell saith ãâã of Cyzica speaking after Dalmatius of Cyzica of the Councell of Nicea assisted Osius Bishop of Cordua who held the place of the Bishop of great Rome Syluester with the Priests Uito and Vincentius And not onely Gelasius of Cyzica vseth these words but Photius Patriarke of Constantinople the greatestenemie to the Roman Church that euer was amongst the Greekes alleadgeth them neere eight hundred yeares agoe in these words I haue said he read a booke in forme of a historie intituled The Acts of the Councell of Nicea containing three tomes and bearing added he a little after the title of Gelasius of Cyzica in this booke saith he the Author writes that Osius Bishop of Cordua and Vito and Vincentius Roman Priests assisted at the Councell from the part of Syluester Bishop of Rome And not onely Photius alleadgeth them but himselfe in his treatie of the Synods dedicated to Michell King of the Bulgarians and reported by Euthymius writes with Vito and Uincentius was ioyned Osius Bishop of Cordua And indeede for what other cause should Osius simplie a Bishop of the patriarkship of the Roman Church and subiect in the first instance to the Metropolitan of Seuilla in Spaine and by appeale to the Patriarke of the West haue preceded all the Patriarks of the East yea in the East it selfe he that in the Councell of Eluira that we call Elibertin composed of ninteene Bishops of Spaine had held but the secoÌd or according to others the eleauenth place And in the Councell of Arles compounded of two hundred Bishops had had noe ranke amongst the principall Bishops of the Councell but for the same cause for which Uito Uincentius simple Priests of the Roman Church preceded them to witt for the order of his legation for to precede them by vertue of the particular conditions of his person neither age nor antiquitie of promotion nor learning nor desert hath euer giuen ranke in generall Councells to anie simple Bishops before Archbishops much lesse before the Patriarks otherwise the distinction of the Seas had bene introduced in vaine and the personall condition of Osius were good to make his person reuerent but not to make him preside in a generall Councell where the order of the Hierarchy saith Caluin ought to be singularly obserued Iointly that euen in all these qualities there were manie in the Councell that surpassed him For if wee speake of persecutions for the Faith ãâã Bishop of one of the citties of Thebaida who had lost a knee vnder the persecution of Maximinus and an eye whose skarre the Emperor Constantine was wont to kisse was not he there Potamon Bishop of Heraclea in Egipt whom S. EPIPHANIVS calls great Bishop and great ãâã and who in the same persecution had had an eye put out was not he there Paul Bishop of Neocesarea vpon Euphrates whose handes had bene maimed with a hott iron in the persecution of Licinius was not he there And if we speake of the guiftes of prophetie and working of miracles Spiridion Bishop of Trimithunta in Cyprus that Ruffinus calls a man of the order of the Prophets was not he there James that great Bishop of Antioch in Mygdonia otherwise called Nisibis that Theodoret saith had raised againe the dead and whom hee intitles the prince of
to call generall Councells without being moued thereto or seconded by the iust ecclesiasticall authoritie those Councells haue bene declared illegitimate not onely by the finall issue of their iudgements but by the originall vice of their forme if the Popes confirmation did not come in to correct the defect For the Councell of Arimini which was compounded of fower hundred Bishops and which had bene called by the Emperor Constantius was declared inualid not onely for the issue of the iudgement but for this cause amongst others saith the Councell of those of the West reported by Theodoret That it had bene holden without the consent of the Bishop of Rome whose sentence should first of all haue bene attended And in the Councell of Chalcedon the first complaint that was made against the false Councell of Ephesus that the Emperor Theodosius the second surprized by the fraude of the Eutychians had called without the Popes authoritie although with a request to the Pope to assist at it or to send to it was That Dioscorus presumed to hold a Councell without the Bishop of Romes permission which had neuer bene lawfull or before done By meanes whereof all the question of the spirituall and ecclesiasticall authoritie necessary from the part of the conuocation to make Councells lawfull in conscience and obligatory to the internall Tribunall of the Church is betweene the Pope and the other Patriarkes and consistes in this to witt to whom either to the Pope or to the other Patriarkes it belonged to call Councells spiritually Now who doubtes but it must be to him of the Patriarkes that ought to preside there and the defect of whose presence either mediare or immediate rendred the Councells inualid And who sees not that euen if the Pope had not bene the direct Successor of saint PETER if he had not bene his Vicar in whose name all Councells ought to be called if he had not bene the center of the ecclesiasticall vnity and Communion if he had not bene the Bishop as saint CYPRIAN saith of the chaire of Peter and of the principall Church from whence the Sacerdotall vnitie proceeded and in breefe had he not bene superior in authoritie to the other Patriarkes but onely the first of them in order it belonged to him to call them as it did anciently to the PresideÌt of the senate to call the Senate And therefore wheÌ Pope Gelasius saith The Sea Apostolicke onely decreed that the Councell of Chalcedon should be holden It is not to the exclusion of the Emperor that he makes this restriction but to the exclusion of the other Patriarkes And when Pope Pelagius S. GREGORIES predecessor writes The authority to call generall Councells hath bene attributed by a singular priuiledge to the Sea Apostolicke of holie Peter It is not to the exclusion of the Emperors that he makes this limitation but to the exclusion of the other Patriarkes and particularly of the Bishop of Constantinople for the Bishop of Constantinople pretending by the creation of his cittie into the title of the second Rome to haue bene made equall to the Pope not in regard of the Pope as hath bene aboue said but in regard of the other Patriarkes had dared to presume to participate in the East in the title of vniuersall Patriark which title the Pope had receiued at the Councell of Chalcedon and in continuance of this presumption had endeuored to call a generall Councell that is to saie a generall Councell of the Empire of the East in the East To the end then to represse his arrogance the Pope put him in mynde that the power to call generall councells that is to saie the generall councells aswell of all the Empire as of the particular Empire of Constantinople as a ease exceeding the simple patriarchall authoritie belonged to the onely direct and absolute successor of S. PETER It hath bene reported to the Sea Apostolicke saith the same Pelagius writing to the Bishops of the East that Iohn Bishop of Constantinople hath intituled himselfe vniuersall and by vertue of this his presumption hath called you to a generall Councell he meanes the generall Councell of the East whereof Euagrius speakes called for the cause of Gregorie Patriarke of Antioch notwithstanding that the authoritie of calling generall Councells hath bene attributed by a singular priuiledge to the Sea Apostolicke of the holy Peter And a little after And therefore all that you haue decreed in this your not Councell but conuenticle I ordaine by the authoritie of holy PETER Prince of the Apostles c. that it be disanulled abrogated Which S. GREGORIE the great also reportes in these words Our predecessor Pelagius of happie memorie hath abrogated by a sentence intirely valid all the actes of this Synod except what concerned the affaire of Gregorie Bishop of Antioch of happie memorie Now doth not this alone suffice to decide the whole question For if the Bishop of Constantinople vnder pretence of the equalitie that he challenged to haue obtained with the Pope in superioritie ouer the other Patriarkes presumed to call the generall Councells of the East why is it not manifest that the authoritie to call generall Councells forasmuch as concernes spirituall and Ecclesiasticall power belonged to the Pope And if it were soe when the Emperors possest almost all the Regions of the Empire and when the Catholicke Church was spread almost ouer all the other patriarkships how much more nowe when that the Emperors hold but the least part of the Estates of the ancient Empire and that the Catholicke Church is almost reduced into the prouinces of the patriarkship of the Pope or to those that by the conuersion of countries newlie discouered haue drawne their mission and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction from them But heere is enough of the calling of Councells lett vs goe forward to the other Articles CARD PERRONS REPLIE TO THE KING OF GREAT BRITAINE THE THIRD BOOKE Of Appeales CHAPT I. The continuance of the Kings Answere FOr ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã obseruation that is to saie of a contrary obseruation to ãâã his ãâã had said that those which vvere excommunicate by anie of the Churches vvere presently acknovvledged to be ãâã of through all the Catholicke Church it ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã THE REPLIE AND what doth this then signifie that Theodoret speaking of the ãâã that the ãâã made of saint ATHANASIVS Patriarke of Alexandria at the tribunall of Pope Julius writeth Julius following the lawe of the Church commaunded them to come to Rome and cited the deuine ãâã in iudgement And what doth this then signifie that ãâã faith that after the same ATHANASIVS ãâã of Alexandria Paul Bishop of ãâã ãâã Marcellus Primat of ãâã in ãâã Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in ãâã And Lucius Bishop of Andrinopolis in Thrace had bene deposed by diuers Councells of the ãâã of the East The Pope restored them euerie one to his Church because to him for the dignitie
Rome examining the affaire haue pronounced the definition And wherefore then when ãâã and Vrsacius the two principall aduersaries to saint ATHANASIVS would depart from their pursuite did they come to Rome to aske pardon of the Pope for the slaunders they had laied vpon saint ATHANASIVS They came in person said Sulpitius Seuerus to aske pardon of Julius Bishop of Rome And themselues in the acte of their pennance your Pietie in your naturall goodnesse hath daigned to pardon our error And wherefore then when the same Vrsacius and Valens had obtained the Popes pardon did they add this protestation at the end of their acte And besides this we promise that if vpon this occasion either those of the East or Athanasius himselfe will maliciouslie appeale vs in iudgement we will not depart from what you shall ordaine And the legates of the Asian Bishops to Pope Liberius in like manner If ante one after this profession of faith expounded by vs will attempt anie accusation against vs or against those that haue sent vs let him come with letters from your Holinesse before such orthodoxall Bishops as your Holynesse shall thinke fitt and contest with vs in iudgement And if a crime appeare let the author be punisht And wherefore when the Arrians constrained Pope Liberius to condemne saint ATHANASIVS did they insert these words into the false letter that they made him signe I haue ãâã the tradition of the Elders sent in my behalfe Lucius Paul and Aelianus priests of the Roman Church into Alexandria to Athanasius to cause him to come to Rome to the end I might appoint he being present vpon his person what the discipline of the Church exacts And for what cause doth S. BASILE testifie that when Pope Liberius had restored Eustathius Bishop of Sebaste in Armenia who had bene deposed by the Councell of Militina in Armenia an orthodox and Catholicke councell the councell of Tyana in Cappadocia receiued him without inquiring of the condition by meanes whereof he had bene restored The things saith hee which were propounded to him by the blessed Liberius and those whereto he submitted himselfe we know not sauing that he brought a letter which restored him which hauing bene shewed to the Councell of Iyana he was reestablished in his Bishopricke And wherefore then when S. IOHN CHRYSOSTOME had recourse by letters to Pope Innocent to procure the sentence to be abrogated that the mocke councell of Constantinople had pronounced against him did he write to him One thing I require of your vigilant soule which is that although those that haue troubled the world be sicke of an impenitent and incurable disease yet if they will remedie it they maie neither be punisht nor interdicted And wherefore then when the councell of Ephesus had excommunicated and deposed Iohn Patriarke of Antioch and his adherents did it reserue the definitiue iudgement to the Pope to correct or confirme the action and besought the Pope to conceiue a iust indignation against him that soe he might punish him for his rashnesse Wee haue saie the Fathers of the councell reserued him to the iudgement of thy pietie and the while we haue declared them excommunicate and depriued of all Saurdot all power And a while after May it then please thy Holynesse to conceiue a iust indignation against these things for if it be lawfull for euerie one to doe outrage to the greatest Seas so spake they because of the Sea of Alexandria which preceded that of Antioch and to pronounce sentences vnlawfull and not canonicall or rather contumelies against those ouer whom they haue noe power c. Ecclesiasticall affaires will fall into an excessiue confusion but if those that committ such enterprises may be punished according to their desert all ãâã will cease And wherefore then when the Emperor Valentinian the third would suppresse by one of his lawes Hilarie Bishop of Arles who had presumed to consecrate Bishops of the Gaules without the Popes licence doth he saie That the Popes clemencie alone permitted Hilarie still to beare the title of a Bishop And againe Wee ordaine that whatsoeuer the Sea Apostolicke shall decree shall be a lawe that is to saie shall be executed by the ministers of the Imperiall iustice and that euerie Bishop who being called to Rome by the Pope shall refuse to appeare shall be constrained by the Gouernor of the prouince And wherefore then when Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople had bene condemned by the false Councell of Ephesus did the same Valentinian the third write to the Emperor Theodosius his Father in lawe We ought in our daies to preserue to the blessed Apostle Peter the dignitie of the Reuerence proper to him inuiolate that the blessed Bishop of the cittie of Rome to whom antiquitie hath yeilded the Priesthood ouer all may haue waie to iudge of Bishops and of faith For for this reason Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople followiug the custome of Councells hath appealed to him by petition in the contention moued concerning faith And wherefore then when Theodoret had bene condemned in the same Councell of Ephesus did he write to the Pope I attend the sentence of your Apostolicke Throne and doe beseeche your Holynesse to succour me appealing to your right and iust iudgement and to commaund that I maie he transported to you and verifie that my doctrine sollowes the Apostolicall pathes And for what cause when the Pope had restored him did the Senators that assisted at the Councell of Chalcedon saie Let the most Reuerend Bishop Theodoret come in because the most holy Archbishop Leo hath restored him to his Bishops Sea And the Councell euen the same Theodoret is worthie of his Sea Long liue Archbishop Leo Leo hath iudged the iudgment of God And wherefore then when Pope Leo would sett his hand to the restitution of the Bishops that had inclined to the false Councell of Ephesus did he write to Anatolius Archbishop of Constantinople But as for those that haue more ãâã sinned in this cause if perchance they come to repentance and abandoning the defence of themselues being conuerted to condemne their owne error and that their satisfaction maie be such as it seemeth they ought not to be reiected let the matter be reserued to the more mature determination of the Sea Apostolicke And for what cause when Paschasianus the Popes Legate voted vpon the same subject did he pronounce in the presence of the Councell of Chalcedon that the Pope had pardoned all the Bishops and Archbishops of the East which had suffered themselues to be ãâã borne by the violence of Dioscorus The Sea Apostolicke saith hee hath graunted them pardon for what they haue against their ãâã committed for asmuch as they haue hither to remained adhering to the most holy Archbishop Leo and to the most holie and vniuersall Councell And wherefore then when Dioscorus and the false Councell of Ephesus had restored Eutyches
after the death of Siluerius after which the Clergie of Rome for the benefit of peace had accepted him had bene persecuted and vnworthily vsed at Constantinople by the Emperor with whom he was constrained to spend his life in exile because the Gothes vnder the conduct of their new King Totilas had againe taken Rome whereto would this turne but to the glorie of Uigilius and to the shame of the Emperor For saith not Nicephorus that the Emperor repented it and doe not the same actes shew that he sent the principall ministers of his Empire to Uigilius to praie him to returne And that Uigilius during this persecution remained so constant that he would neuer giue anie waie to the Emperors violences but deposed in Constantinople it self Theodorus Archbishop of Cesarea the principall Gouernor of the Emperor and excommunicated Menas Patriarke of Constantinople and all that adhered to him Did it not throughlie shew the confidence he had in the dignitie of his Sea Wee decree thee saith hee ô Theodorus late Bishop of Cesarea by the publication of this sentence depriued aswell of Sacerdot all honor and of the Catholicke communion as of all Episcopall power and function and wee ordaine that thou shalt heereafter applie thy-self to nothing but to the teares of pennance by which hauing obtained remission of thy crimes thou maist recouer if thou deseruest it the place of ãâã and of communion with me or after my death with my successor And thou Menas Bishop of the cittie of Constantinople which art inwrapt with the same crime with all the Bishops Metropolitans and Micropolitans c wee suspend you from the sacred communion till eache of you acknowledging the error os his preuarication haue blotted out before vs his proper fault with a competent satisfaction And this that he cries out numbring Theodorus his crimes Thou art come in despising the authoritie of the Sea Apostolicke which had pronounced interdiction by vs into the Church where there hung the Emperors Edicte ãâã there hast celebrated the solemnity of Masse And this that he adds Wee haue charged the Ministers of the most clement Emperor to signifie to him from vs that he ought not to communicate with those which haue by vs bene excommunicated least he thereby runne which God forbid into a grieuous sinne Doth it not shew that the Pope in excommunicating the other Bishops Archbishops and Patriarks did not onelie pretend to separate himselfe from their communion but to separate them and cutt them of from the communion of the Church And as for the persecution of the Empresse which happened long before and for an other cause to witt forasmuch as Vigilius after his predecessor Siluerius was dead and that he was become true Pope would not keepe the promise that he had made and secretlie accomplisht to her during his Antipapacy to admitt Anthymus and the other Eutychians into his communion What greater glorie could Uigilius receiue then that whereof S. GREGORIE speakes when he writes Pope Uigilius constituted in the Royall cittie that is to saie at Constantinople publisht a sentence of condemnation against Theodora then Empresse and against the Acephales And what more visible punishment could the Empresse receiue then that whereof Victor Tunonensis writes The ninth yeare after the Consulship of Basilius the Empresse Theodora enemie to the Councell of Chalcedon strucken her whole bodie ouer with the wound of an vniuersall canker that is to saie with leprosie prodigiouslie ended her life For whereas the same Uictor who was a Schismaticke and tooke part with Rusticus the Deacon and other Roman Clerkes reuolted against Pope Vigilius and against the fifth generall Councell writeth that the Bishops of Africa that is to saie the schismaticall Bishops of Africa for the Catholicke Bishops of Africa tooke the other part excommunicated Vigilius there hath alreadie bene two things spoken of concerning this the one that they held not Uigilius for true Pope but for an intrusiue Pope because he had vsurped the Papacie his predecessor Siluerius being yet aliue as it appeares by this that the same Victor placeth a little after amongst the nullities of the fifth generall Councell the vice of the creation of Uigilius who had said he ãâã ordained Bishop of Rome Siluerius being still aliue And the other that Pope Siluerius had alreadie long before excommunicated Uigilius for hauing intruded himselfe into the Papacie in these termes Doe thou then receiue and those that consent whith thee the sentence of paine of condemnation and know that being condemned by vs by the iudgement of the holy Ghost and by the Apostolicke authoritie that the name and office of Sacerdotall ministery is taken from thee And againe ãâã Siluerius Pope of the cittie of Rome giuing consent to all the statutes I haue signed this decree of Anathema against the vsurper Uigilius By meanes whereof the act of the Schismaticall Bishops of Asrica against Uigilius was rather a renouation and an application of the excommunication of Pope Silutrius then a primitiue and originall excommunication To the third example which is that Sigebert writes that Pope Innocent the first and the Bishops of the West suspended themselues from the communion of those of the East for the quarrell of Saint CHRYSOSTOME from whence the Protestants inferr that when the Pope excommunicated the other Bishops Archbishops or Patriarks he separated himselfe from their communion and did not separate them from the communion of the Church Wee haue three answeres the first that it is a ridiculous thing to alleadge for the testimonie of the historie of Pope Innocent and of S. CHRYSOSTOME Sigebert who writt seauen hundred yeares after them and who was an open enemie to the Sea Apostolicke and partaker with the Emperor Henry the fourth against Pope Gregorie the seauenth and his successors The second that Pope Innocent the first did not suspend himselfe from the communion of those of the East but suspended those of the East from the Ecclesiasticall communion the which although they still continued in fact with some of their Diocesans according to the custome of Schismatickes this hindred them not from being suspended by right and that they should send to demaund restitution of the Pope as it appeares by these words of the same Innocent in the epistle to Boniface Knowe saith he speaking of those of Antioch that we haue receiued them into our bowells least the members which had a long while required health should be excluded from the vnitie of the bodie And in the epistle to Maximianus What we haue done in the behalf of those of Antioch we will doe it in the behalfe of others if they will accomplish the same treaties and conditions and send as those did to beseeche by a solemne legation that the communion might be restored to them And in the Epistle to Alexander Patriarke of Antioch I haue diligentlie inquired whether the cause of the blessed
the first Protestants haue caused to bee published and republished manie tymes this sixth Councell of Carthage as a Storehowse reputed by them very powerfull to resist the authoritie of the Sea Apostolicke but also haue vomited disgorged with so much impudence the venome of their inuectiues against the Popes vnder the which this matter hath bene treated of as the heauens abhorre it calling Pope Boniface whom S AVGVS calls Reuerend Pope Boniface to whoÌ he dedicated one of his principall Bookes and whom Prosper qualifies Pope of holy memory insteed of Boniface Maleface And Pope Celestine whom the Generall Councell of Ephesus calls new S. Peter in the steede of Celestine Infernall And yet since these two last yeares their Successors dissembling the learned answers of the Illustrious Cardinalls Bellarmine and Barronius haue caused the same Councell to be twice new printed once in France an other time in Germanie as an insoluble piece against the Popes authotity And therefore since the affairedeserues to be treated with much diligence and read with much attention it belongs to me to contribute the one and to the readers to the lend the other To this instance then before I vndertake to search this history to the bottomb I will bring eight obseruations in forme of preseruatiues and antidotes The first obseruation shall be that whatsoeuer the aime and successe of this Councell were nothing could be inferred from it to trouble shake the Popes authoritie in regard of Appeales For in the CouÌcell of Chalcedon which was holden by six hundred thirtie six Bishops thirtie yeares after the sixth Councell of Carthage which was more famous authenticall then the sixth CouÌcell of Carthage as being a generall CouÌcell one of the first four Generall CouÌcells whereas the sixth CouÌcell of Carthage wat but a Nationall CouÌcell the Appeales of causes which coÌcerned either faith or the persons of Bishops coÌtinued to goe to the Pope according to the forme that had bene ordayned by the rule of the CouÌcell of Sardica The Epistle of the Emperor ValentiniaÌ the third annexed to the head of all the copies of the CouÌcell of Chalcedon as well Greeke as latine is a testimonie of this which saith Wee onght to preserue ãâã in our daies the dignitie of particular reuereÌce to the blessed Apoctle Péter ãâã that the holie Bishop of Rome to whoÌ antiquitie hath graÌted the priesthood ãâã all may haue place to iudge of faith and of Bishops c. For for this cause ãâã to the custome of the Councells Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople hath ãâã to him in the coÌtrouersie which is mooued concerning faith The law of the Emperor Marcian annexed to the end of the Acts of the same Councell is a testimonie of this which cryes out The Synod of Chalcedon by the authority of the blessed Bishop of the cittie eternall in glorie Rome examining matters of faith exactly and establishing the foundations of Religion giues to Flauianus the reward of his past life and the palme of a glorious death A testimonie of this is the petition of appeale sent to the Pope by Theodoret Bishop of ãâã a cittie confining vpon Persia and subiect to the Patriark of Antioch which saith I attend sentence of your Apostolicke Throne and beseeche your Holynesse to succour me appealing to your right and iust iudgement A testimonie of this is the ordinance of the directors of the policie of the Councell which was Let the most reuerend Bishop Theodoret come in that he may partake of the Councell because the most holy Archbishop Leo hath restored his Bishopricke to him and that the most sacred and religious Emperor hath ordained that he be present at the Councell And finallie the relation of the same Councell is a testimonie of this which writes to the Pope approuing the iudgement of appeale that he had giuen in the cause of Eutyches Abbot of Constantinople and condemning Dioscorus and the false Councell of Ephesus for presuming to meddle with it He hath restored to Eutyches the dignitie whereof he was depriued by your Holinesse c And after all this He hath ãâã his felony euen against him to whom the keeping of the vine had bene committed by our Sauiour that is to saie against your Apostolicke Holynesse The second obseruation shall be that the controuersie of appeales which was handled in the sixth Councell of Carthage was not of appeales in maior and Ecclesiasticall causes that is to saie in causes of Faith or of the Sacraments or of discipline or of the customes and ceremonies of the Church but of appeales in minor and personall causes that is to saie in the secular and temporall causes of persons constituted in orders as causes of adultery drunkenes battery theft debt and others causes as well morall as pecuniary and as well ciuill as criminall of Ecclesiasticall persons which the decrees of Councells and the lawes of Emperors submitted to the Tribunall of the Church This appeareth both by the qualitie of Apiarius his cause for which this question was moued which was a morall cause and wherein there were ãâã and infamous crimes handled and not an Ecclesiasticall cause And by the remonstrance which the Africans made to Pope ãâã That the beyond-sea iudgments could not be assured for the difficultie of causing witnesses to passe out of Africa into Europe which often because of the weakenes either of age or sexe could not indure sea voyages And by the Epistle of Pope Innocent the first which S. AVGVSTINE calls worthie of the Sea ãâã wherein these words were contained And principally whensoeuer ãâã of faith are handled I conceiue that all our brethren and colleagues ought not ãâã them but to Peter that is to saie to the authour of their name and dignitie And finally by the very proceedings of the Mileuitan Councell and of the Councell of Carthge holden vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius For not only the Fathers of the Mileuitan Councell where the prohibition was made to inferior Clerkes not to appeale beyond sea ãâã the finall iudgment of Celestius alreadie heard and iudged for a cause of Faith in Africa to Pope Innocent the first with this acknowledgment that the Popes authority was of diuine right or to vse their owne owne termes drawne from the authority of the holy Scriptures but euen Pope Innocent the first being dead before he could heare Celestius in person and hauing only condemned him in generall vpon the reporte of the Councells of Africa the African Bishops reassembled in the Councell of Carthage holden vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius wherein the question of Apiarius and the controuersie of Episcopall appeales began caused their acts concerning Celestius to be carried to Rome and procured them to be confirmed by Pope Zosimus successor to Innocent The reuerend Bope Zosimus saith S. AVGVSTINE pressed Celestius to condemne those things that the Deacon Paulinus
in their prouinces And neuerthelesse to manifest that he pretended not to touch vpon neither-the superioritie nor the euocations hee added Wee know all aswell young as old that our Churches are subiect to the Roman Church And a little after It is fit and iust that euerie Bishop that the Roman Bishop shall send for to come to him to Rome if sicknesse or anie other more grieuous necessitie or impossibilitie hinder him not as the sacred Canons prescribe shall doe his deuoyre to trauell thither And elsewhere ãâã yeelde obedience to the Sea Apostolicke from whence is deriued the streame of Religion Ecclesiasticall ordination and Canonicall iudicature And euen to this day in the Appeales of minor and personall causes neither the causes nor persons of the French Clergie goe to Rome to be iudged there neither doth the Pope send legats from Rome in to France but names commissaries taken out of the Prouince of France and dwelling in France to iudge them vpon the place to auoide the costs and other inconueniences that the length and difficultie of the waie would bring vpon the witnesses and parties which was that that principallie did hurt the Africans The fourth aduertisement shall be that it was not of sett purpose and of the first designe that the African Fathers moued the controuersie of the beyond-Sea Appeales of Bishops but by accident and in continuance of Apiarius his appeale For the Africans had alwaies till then obserued this difference betweene Bishops and Simple Priests that Bishops might Appeale beyond the Sea and Priests not as it appeares both by the declaration that saint AVGVSTINE made That Cecilianus might reserue the definition of his cause to the iudgments beyond Seas because he was not of the number of simple Priests or other inferior Clerkes but of the number of Bishops And by the testimonie he giues that manie African Bishops the Sea Apostolicke iudging them or confirming the iudgments of others had bene preserued to the title of their Bishoprick without retayning the exercise thereof And by the tacite exception of the order of Bishops that the Fathers of the Mileuitan Councell had sett into the decree of the Appeales when they had ordained that the Priests Deacons and other inferior Clerkes could not appeales to the Prouinces beyond the Sea And therefore when Apiarius Priest of the Church of Sicca in Africa came to appeale beyond Sea the African Bishops opposed themselues against it And from thence by occasion the question of Episcopall appeales tooke the originall as an incident sett on the backe of an other affaire For vpon this opposition the Pope sent the Rule of the Councell of Sardica concerning appeales into Africa which consisted in two articles whereof one treated of the Appeales of Bishops and the other of the appeales of Priests Now the Pope sent these two Canons in the qualitie of Canons of the Councell of Nicea for as much as the Councell of Sardica was an Appendix and a supplie of the Councell of Nicea The African Prelates then not finding the Canon of Bishops Appeales in the copies of the Councell of Nicea that they had with them no more then that of the Priests Appeales And besides being much vexed with the frequent Appeales of Bishops from their prouinces besought the Pope to be pleased that they might send into the East to see if this Rule were to be found in the copies of the Councell of Nicea which were kept in the Easterne Churches and putting in compromise the Title which was produced to them of that which they had till then obserued by custome in regard of Episcopall Appeales tooke occasion also to put the continuance of the custome to compromise that is to saie to contest not only the Priests Appeales but also to beeseeche the Pope to reiect or more rarelie to receiue the Appeales of Bishops The fifth aduertisement shal be that the allegation that Pope Zozimus made of the Canons of the Councell of Sardica vnder the title of Canons of the Councell of Nicea was not as shall heereafter appeare by fraude or to make an aduantage of seeing contrarywise it had bene more aduantageable to him for the matter then in question to haue alleadged them vnder the title of Canons of the Councell of Sardica then vnder the title of the Canons of the Councell of Nicea for as much as in the Councell of Nicea there was but one only Bishop of Africa to witt Cecilianus whereas in the Councell of Sardica there were thirtie six Bishops of Africa present that subscribed it but that it was because it was the custome of the Roman Church to cite the Canons of the Councell of Sardica vnder the title of the Canons of the Councell of Nicea because the Councell of Sardica had bene an Appendix of the Councell of Nicea as it is the custome of the Greekes to alleadge the Canons of the Councell Trullian vnder the title of Canons of the sixth Generall Councell because they pretend the Councell Trullian to be an Appendix to the sixth Generall Councell And as Gregorie of Tours alleadges and that with much lesse reason the Canons of the Councell of Gangres for Canons of the Councell of Nicea when he saith Then arriuing at the Monasterie I read ouer againe the decrees of the Canons of the Councell of Nicea wherein it is contayned because that if anie woeman leaue her husband and she dispise the bedd wherein he hath liued honestlie saying there is no part in the glorie of the Kingdome of heauen for him that hath bene ioyned in marriage lett her be Anathema For these words are the words of the Councell of Gangres and not those of the Councell of Nicea for as much as the Councell of Gangres was as a branche and a slipp of the Councell of Nicea and that the same Osius who had presided at the Councell of Nicea assisted there if we beleeue the ancient Latine inscriptions of the Councell of Gangres and the reporte of Eunodius ancient Bishop of Pauia The sixth aduertisement shal be that whereas the African Fathers did not perceiue that these Canons which they found not in the copies of the Councell of Nicea were in those of the Councell of Sardica happened from this that the Donatists had suppressed in Africa all the copies of the true Councell of Sardica which had bene holden by the Catholicke Bishops at Sardica and had substituted in their steede the copies of the false Councell of Sardica which had bene holden by the Arrians neere Sardica For in the same tyme when the three hundred Catholicke Bishops which represented all the Catholicke Church held their Councell at Sardica where they confirmed the faith of the CouÌcell of Nicea the absolution of S. ATHANASIVS the seauentie Arrian Bishops which had seperated themselues from theÌ held their hereticall mock-Councell which they falsely and impudently intituled the Councell of Sardica at Philippopolis a cittie neere Sardica where they
found the rule which was in question in the Canons of the Councell of Nycea they required tyme to send into the East to take Copies out of the originall but with what humilitie and with what respect Alwaies praying alwaies beseeching alwaies protesting to obserue in attending the comming of the copies of the Councell of Nicea that which was contained in the instruction of the Popes legats and in case that this Rule were not found in the Canons of the Councell of Nicea requesting his Holynesse to cause them to obserue that which had bene decreed by the Canons of the Councell of Nicea Because said they it hath pleased God that of the things that our holy Bretheren Faustinus our Colleague and Phillip and Asellus our fellowe Priests haue treated with vs our Humilitie gaue answere not to the Bishop of Blessed memorie Zosimus from whom they brought vs commaundement and letters but to thy Reuerence that haue bene diuinely instituted in his steed we ought heere breefly to insinuate those thinges which haue bene determined by the reciprocall agreement of both parties And againe We request your Holynesse that as these things haue bene done or decreed by the Fathers of the Councell of Nicea so you will cause them to be obserued by vs and that you will cause to be prastised amongst you that is on ãâã side the sea the points contained in the instructions And againe These things haue bene registred in the acts vntill the coming of the more certaine copies of the Councell of Nicea within the which if they be sett downe in the same sort as they are contained in the instruction that hath bene shewed vs by our bretheren sent by the sea Apostolike and obserued amongst you in Italie wee wil no more make mention thereof For soe is the reading in the greeke text and so wee haue proued heeretofore that it must be read nor further contest of the not induring it And presently after speaking of the Article of the Priestes appeales which was the last article that they came from reporting and that which most troubled them by reason of the insolence of the African Priests who vnder pretence of these Appeales dispised and shooke of all their Bishops iurisdiction But we beleiue with the helpe of Gods mercie that your Holynesse presiding in the Roman Sea wee shall no longer suffer this typhe that is to saie this meteor or this vexation or this insolence of Priests despising and shaking of the yoake of Episcopall discipline but that those things that brotherly charitie yea though ourselues were silent requires to be obserued towards vs and which your selues according to the wisedome and Iustice that the most high hath bestowed vpon you doe know ought to be obserued shall be obserued to vs ward if at least the copies of the Councell of Nicea speake otherwise then your Legats instruction For that is intended by the word typhe which being taken in his proper and naturall sence signifies globe of smoke or meteor from whence it is that the greeke Marriners call the meteors and whirlewindes short from the clowdes in the forme of Globes and rolls of smoke Typhons and being taken in the figuratiue sence signifies sometymes vexation by allusion to the smoke with which bees are driuen sometymes pride sometymes insolence and sometymes fury and madnes termes all agreable to the persecution that the Bishops of Africa receiued from the insolent appeales of their priests whereof they had newly said in Apiarius his case For as much as manie such examples haue caution must be vsed that heereafter there may happen none such or yet ãâã And the while to obey the present commandement of the Pope they restored Apyarius to the Communion and to his Priesthood as they testfie by these words of their Epistle to Boniface Apiarius crauing pardon ãâã his faults hath bene restored to the communion And againe It hath pleased ãâã that Apiarius should retire from the Church of Sicca retayning the honor of his degree And by these in their Epistle to Celestine Apiarius had bene formerlie restored to Priestood by the intercession of Faustinus And not only that but also protested in expecting the coming of the copies out of the East to obserue from point to point what was contained in the instructions of the Popes legates We protest said Alipius vpon the reading of the first article to obscrue these thinges vntill the coming of the perfest copies And S. AVGVSTINE vpon the reading of the second We protest also to obserue this article sauing a more diligent inquirie of the Councell of Nicea And the Fathers of the councell in the Epistle to Boniface Wee protest to obserue these things vntill the proofe of the Canons of the Councell of Nicea and wee trust in the will of God that your Holynesse also will helpe vs in it By meanes whereof the appeales remayned in the estate contayned in the instruction of the Popes legates vntill the coming of the copies from the East When the copies of the councell of Nicea had bene brought out of the East wherein these Canons which also were of the Councell of Sardica and not of the Councell of Nicea were not to be found the African Bishops seÌt a Duplicat thereof to Pope Boniface neuerthelesse without innouating anie thinge in matter of appeales WheÌ Pope Boniface was dead who deceased a few yeares after and Celestine created Pope in his place Apiarius who had retired himself froÌ Sicca to Tabraca a Cittie of the same Prouince to witt of Numidia to exercise his priesthood there fell in to other crimes for which at the instance of the Tabracians he was condemned and deposed by the Councell of the Prouince from this Councell Appealed or fayned to haue Appealed to Rome to Pope Celestin vpoÌ this preteÌce of appeale seÌt Faustin ' againe who had assisted at Apiari his iudgmeÌt of appeale against those of Sicca to cause a new CouÌcell to be holden in Africa where the cause of Apiarius against those of Tabraca was in the presence of the same Faustinus againe put to triall the while restored and reintegrated Apiarius by forme of prouision to the CoÌmunion The Africans to obey the Popes commandement assembled a last Councell where they remitted Apiarius his cause to examination in the presence of the Popes Legates and found themselues so troubled to cleere the crimes for which they had deposed him which he affrontedly and impudently denied as if he had not conuinced himselfe they despaired of euer compassing it God so pressed the impostume of Apiarius his hart as he broke it and constrayned him to vomitt vp by an vnexpected confession all the filth rottennes and infamyes whereof hee was accused and which he had denied with so much fraude and impudence The Africans then pricked and stung with these infamous and insolent proceedings of Apiarius and moued with this that the Canons
PETER debated the Primacie with him noe longer but yeelded him Presidencie This appeares as well by the text of the history where there is noe tracke of respect giueÌ to S IAMES but to S. PETER onlie as by the time wherein S. IAMES was created Bishop of Hierusalem For the first act that the Apostles did after the Ascension of our Lord was the substitution of MATHIAS insteede of ãâã in the historie whereof sainct CHRYSOSTOME saith these words And Clemens Alexandrinus and Eusebius testifie that the promotion of saint Iames to the Bishopricke of Hierusalem happened afterward By meanes whereof the Apostles could not in that action that is to saie in the election of MATHIAS yeeld PresideÌcie to saint IAMES because of the Bishoprick of Hierusalem And the same is confirmed both by this that saint CHRISOSTOME had written vpon the twentith chapter of saint MATTHEW Marke said hee how this same Iohn that latelie made such demaunds after wholie yeeldes the Primacie to saint Peter And by this that he adds presently after the place obiected This maÌ saith hee speaking of saint PETER first constitutes a doctor and saith not wee are enough to teach far was he from vaine glory And a little after he takes the first authoritie of the affaire as he that had all other put into his hands for to him Christ had said And thou being once conuerted confirme thy bretheren And by this that he protests in the beginning of his discourse Peter saith hee both as full of ãâã as hauing receaued from Christ the flocke into his keeping and as the first of the Colledge alwaies first beginns to speake To the thirteenth obiection which is that saint CHRISOSTOME writes vpon the fifteenth of the Acts that the principalitie was committed to Iames It is true but he speakes there onlie of the Principalitie of the Hierosolomitan Church if indeede the greeke word doe in that place inteÌd principalitie and not beginning and that the sence be not that IAMES had bene establisht from the beginning that is to saie that he was of the ancient Apostles and not of the new as saint PAVL and neuerthelesse that he tooke noe exceptioÌs to S. PAVL for speaking betweene S. PETER and him For what soeuer that Greeke word signifies it is certaine it can signifie nothing but the principalitie of the particular Church of Hierusalem and not the principalitie of the vniuersall Church which S. CHRISOSTOME himself testifies elswhere to haue bene graÌted to saint PETER in these words For if anie one aske me said hee how did Iames obtaine the Sea of Hierusalem I will answere that Christ hath constituted Peter Master not of that Sea but of all the world And againe Christ had foretold Peter great things and had put the whole world into his hands and had pronounced martirdome to him and she wed him greater loue then to the rest And indeede S. CHRISOSTOME alleadgeth not this principalitie to shew the modestie of saint Iames in this that he was not offended that saint PETER had spoken before him but to shew the modestie of saint IAMES in this that he was not offended that saint PAVL spake betweene saint PETER and him A manifest proofe that he treates not of the vniuersall principalitie but of the principalitie of the particular Church of Hierusalem of which he makes mention in this place because those that had moued the trouble for which the CouÌcell was holden were the Iewes and Pharisees of Hierusalem conuerted to Christianitie who were iealous to see that the Gentiles were receaued into the Church without obliging themselues to the obseruation of the lawe And because saint IAMES had more especiall credit in their behalfe because he was not only their Bishop but Bishop of the Cittie which but a while before was Metropolitan of the lawe and consequently it seemed he should be touched with a more strict interest to the obseruation of the lawe then anie other and also that he had not gone about with sainct PETER and sainct PAVL to receiue the Gentiles into the Church and by this meanes had not lost his ãâã in the behalfe of the legalists It was saith sainct CHRYSOSTOME a profitable prouidence that those thinges were done by those that were not to reside in Hierusalem and that he that taught the Hierosolomitans was not refusable and that his opinion might not be departed from For these causes then sainct IAMES had by accident a greater authoritie in the behalfe of the authors of this Scandall then the other Apostles to preserue the which he did saith saint CHRISOSTOME that which those ought to doe that are constituted in great authoritie that is to saie he suffered saint PETER to speake more seuerelie and himself spake more gentlie But that compared simplie with saint PETER hee was either equall or superior in iurisdiction saint CHRISOSTOME is so farr from hauing euer thought it that contrariwise he cries out a lowde Peter was the Prince of the Apostles and the mouth of the disciples and the head of the Colledge and for this occasion Paule went vp to visitt him letting the rest alone And a little after Christ put into his hands the Prouostship of his bretheren and vpbraids him not with his deniall of him nor reprocheth him with what was past but saith to him if thou louest me be president of they bretheren and the same loue that thou hast in all things shewed to me and whereof thou hast boasted shew it now and that life that thou hast said thou wouldst laie downe for me laie it downe for my sheepe And in the homilie thirtith three vpon saint MATHEW The first and the Corypheos of the Apostles was a man ignorant and without learning And in the homily fiftie fift Not onely the Apostles were Scandalized but also the Corypheos that is to saie Soueraigne of them all Peter And in the second booke of the Priesthood Christ committed the care of his sheepe to Peter and Peters Successors And in this doe all the rest of the Fathers agree aswell Greeke as latine Thou seest saith saint GREGORIE Nazianzene amongst the disciples of Christ all sublime and worthie of election that one of them is called the Rock and that the foundations of the Church are committed to him and the other is more beloued and leanes vpon the bosom of Iesus and the rest suffer the difference And saint AMBROSE The Lord said hee by these words louest thou me more then these asked the question not to learne but to teach being readie to be himself exalted into Heauen which was he whom he would leaue to vs for the Vicar of his loue And a little after And because that of them all he onlie protests he is preferrd before them all And elsewhere With a full floud of teares the Churches Rocke Did cleanse his Crime at crowinge of the Cocke And S. EPIPHANIVS Christ hath appointed Peter to be the guide and leader of his
alone and from belonging to her alone noe more then when in a common weale the factious part and which separated it-selfe from the state and reuoltes against the true preseruers of the Estate come to be deuided from that which remaines in the lawfull administration of the Estate this diuision hinders not the part which restes vnited with the Estate from preseruing the right and title of the vniuersallitie of the coÌmon-wealth and those thinges which are done by it alone from being accounted to be done by the whole Bodie of the common-wealth Whose whole being is preserued in this part alone the other by the desertion thereof hauing lost all the part it had in the name and effect of the common-wealth Of the sence wherein the Roman Church is called Catholicke CHAP. IX The continuance of the Kinges answere TO attribute to themselues the title of Catholicke as proper to themselues alone THE REPLIE WHEN wee vse this traine of Epithetes the Catholicke Apostolicke Roman Church we intend not by the word Roman the particular Church of Rome but all the Churches which adhere and are ioyned in communion with the Roman Church euen as by the Iewish Church wee intended not the tribe of Iuda only but the lines of Leui and Beniamin and manie relikes of the lines which were ioyned therewith For S IOHN BAPTIST was of the tribe of Leuy and sainct PAVL of that of Beniamin Anna of the tribe of Aser and neuerthelesse they were all of the people of the Iewes and of the Iewish Church but they were called Iewes and Iewish people because of the adherence and communion that they had with the principall Tribe which was that of Iuda Soe all the other Churches which communicate with the Roman in what soeuer part they are constituted are comprehended vnder the common word of the Roman Church when wee saie the Catholicke Apostolicke and Roman Church because they hold the Roman Church for the center and originall of their communion And in this sence saint AMBROSE saith that his brother inquired if the Bishop of one of the citties of Sardica where he desired to be baptised consented with the Catholicke Bishops that is to saie added hee with the Roman Church And in this sence saint HIEROME saith that the Church of Alexandria glorifies her selfe that she participates with the Roman Faith And in this sence Iohn Patriarke of ConstaÌtinople writes to Pope Hormisdas Wee promise not to recite amongst the sacred mistiries the names of those which are separate from the communion of the Cathoick Church that is to saie that consent not in all thinges with the Sea Apostolick And in this sence Beda vseth these words Our mother the Roman Church In this same sence they comprehend vnder the Greeke Church not only the natuaall Greekes but the Russians and Muscouites although they be distinct in nation and in language from the Greekes yea euen haue their Seruice in a tongue quite different for asmuch as they adhere to the Creeke Church Not that the particular Roman Church may not also in a certaine regard be called Catholicke For the word Catholicke is taken in three sortes to witt either formallie or causallie or participatiuelie Formally the only vniuersall Church that is to saie the Societie of all the true particular churches vnited in one selfe same communioÌ is called catholicke Causallie the Roman church is called Catholicke for as much as she infuseth vniuersalitie into all the whole bodie of the Catholicke church That it is soe to coÌstitute vniuersalitie there must be two thinges one that may analogicallie be insteede of matter thereto to witt the multitude for where there is no multitude there can be noe vniuersalitie And the other to be in-steede of forme thereto to witt vnitie for a multitude without vnitie makes noe vniuersalitie Take awaie saith sainct AVGVSTINE the vnitie from the multitude and it is a tumult but bring in vnitie and it is the people And therefore the Roman Church which as center and beginning of the ecclesiasticall communion infuseth vnitie which is the forme of vniuersalitie into the Catholicke Church and by consequent causeth vniuersalitie in her may be called catholicke causallie though in her owne being she be particular noe more nor lesse then the Galley to which all the other Gallies of a Fleete haue relation of dependancie and correspondencie is called the Generall although she bee but one particular Galley because it is she that by the relation that all others haue to her giues vnitie to the totall and generall bodie of the Fleete And finallie particular Churches are called Catholicke participatiuely because they agree and participate in doctrine and communion with the catholicke Church And in this sence the Church of Smyrna addresseth her Epistle To the Catholick Church of Philomilion and to all the Catholick Churches which are throughout the world Of the causes wherefore the Roman Church hath cutt of the rest from her communion CHAP. X. The continuance of the Kings answere AND to exclude from their communion all the rest which dissent from them in anie thinge or refuse the yoake of slauerie THE REPLIE THE most excellent King may be pleased to remember two things one that antient authors haue written that oftentimes for one only word contrarie to Faith manie heresies haue bene cast out of the bodie of the Church And the other that the societies of the Egiptians and Ethiopians haue not bene excluded out of the Church for refusinge that which his maiestie call the yoake of slauerie that is to saie the Superintendencie of the Roman Church but for hauing imbraced the Sect of Eutyches who with all his partakers was cutt off from the Church by the Councell of Chalcedon and that euen to this daie they are all readie and haue often offerred to acknowledge the Pope whom they confesse to bee the Successor of the Prince of the Apostles if they might be receiued into the communion of the Roman Church without obliging them to anathematize Eutiches and Dioscorus And as for the diuision of the Greeke Church the true cause thereof hath bene the Schisme fallen out betweene Ignatius lawfull Patriarke of Constantinople whom the Pope preserued in his communion and Photius intruded into the Patriarkship by the fauour of the Emperor to which Schisme the Greekes added for an obstacle of reunioÌ as the crabb cast the stone into the oyster to hinder it from shutting itselfe againe the difference of the procession of the holy Ghost and of Schismatickes became flatt heretickes This was the true cause of the seperation of the Greekes and not the yoake of slaueries of the Roman Church of the which neither Jgnatius nor anie of his Catholicke Predcessors had euer complayned Of the sence wherein the hereticks belonge not to the Catholick Church CHAP. XI The Continuance of the Kings Answere AND so on the suddaine to pronounce presumptuouslie that they belonged not in anie thing to the Catholicke Church THE REPLIE This deniall is
in as high fame As was the first inuentour of the same Nor can your worke bee any whit disgrac't By those who think it done with too much ãâã For had it beene in Michaell Angells power To perfect his great iudgment in one hower Hee who for that should valew it the lesse His owne weake iudgment would therein expresse And though wee in a common Prouerb fay That Rome was not built all vp in one day Yet could wee see a Citty great as Rome In all her ãâã in one minute come To such perfection wee might more expresse Our wonders and not make the glory lesse So I conclude with modest truth and dare All their free Censures who can but compare And whosoere shall try may spend his Age Ere in your whole work hee shall mend one Page A TABLE OF THE TITLES AND SVMMARIES OF THE CHAPTERS CONTAYNED IN THESE FOWER FIRST BOOKES OF THE REPLIE TO THE MOST EXCELLENT KING OF GREAT BRITAINE THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. OF the vse of the word Cathòlicke fol. 13. II. Of the conditions of the Catholicke Church 17 III. Of the proceeding of the fathers for the preseruation of the vnitie of the Church 21 IV. Of the necessitie of communicating with the Catholicke Church 23 V. Of the markes of the Church 25 VI From what places of the voyce of the Shepheard the markes of the Church ought to be taken 32 VII Of the examples which we haue from the practise of the Apostles 35 VIII Of the definition of the Church and in what vnion it consists 36 IX Of the vnion of the predestinate and by way of adiunction of the visibilitie or inuisibilitie of the Church 39 X. Of the vnitie of eternall faith 48 XI Of other inuisible vnions 51 XII Of the knowledge that the Predestinate haue of their predestination 52 XIII Of the inequalitie of these two phrases to communicate with the Catholick Church and to communicate with some member of the Church departing from the rule of faith 55 XIV How to vnderstand the words of S. Gregory NazianZene there is a sacred warre 57 XV. Of the pretended precepts to goe forth from the visible communion of the Church 58 XVI Of the consequence of the places alledged by the Fathers for the authoritie of the Catholick Church 68 XUII. Of the distinction of the heretickes and schismatickes 69 XVIII Of the agreement of the auncient Catholicke Church with the moderne 70 XIX Of the conformitie or inconformitie of the sence wherein the word Catholick hath been common to the auncient Catholick Church and to the moderne 74 XX Of the comparison of the Church with the citie built vpon a mountaine 76 XXI Of the conformitie or inconformitie of the Donatists and Protestants in the question of the Church 77 XXII Of the extent of the ancient Catholick Church and the moderne 78 78 XXIII Of the communion that the Bishops of the East had by letters with those of the west 79 XXIV Of these words of the constitution of S. Clement the vniuersall Episcopate is committed to Bishops 80 XXV Of the comparison of the Pope with other Bishops 81 XXVI Of formed letters 113 XXVII Of pretended excommunications attempted against the Pope 116 THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. OF Councells 125 II. Of the effect of Councells for the visibilitie of the Church 127 III. Of the comparison of the Pope with the other Patriarkes 128 IV. Of the difficulties of Scripture concerning the time of S. Peters ãâã at Antioch and at Rome 137 V. Of the Canon of the Councell of Nicea touching the gouernment of the Patriarches 147 VI. Of the addition of the word Churches suburbicarie made by Ruffinus in the Latine translation of the Councell of Nicea 161 VII Of the claime of the Bishops of Constantinople 178 VIII Of the order of sitting in the Councell of Nicea 204 IX Of the order of the sittings in the first Councell of Ephesus 217 X. Of the order of the sittings in the second Councell of Ephesus 219 XI Of the order of sittings in the Councell of Calcedon 220 XII Of the order of the sittings of the fifth Councell of Constantinople 222 XIII Of the order of sitting in the sixt Councell of Carthage 229 XIV Of the order of the sittings in the Councell of Aquilea 231 XV. Of the calling of Councells 232 THE THIRD BOOKE CHAP. I. OF Appeales 244 II. Of the opposition of sainct Ireneus to Pope Uictor 249 III. Of the opposition of S. Cyprian 251 IV. Of the commission of the Emperor Constantine the great for the iudgment of Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage 264 V. Of the decree of the Mileuitan Councell concerning the beyond-sea Appeales 273 VI. Of the order and distinction of the Councell of Carthage 281 VII Of the African Councell 309 VIII Whether the Latine edition of the African Canons be more faithfull then the Greeke rapsodie 315 IX Of the difficultie touching the Epistles that are at the end of the African Councell 326 X. Of the question of Appeales treated off in the sixt Councell of Carthage 329 XI Of the Councell of Sardica 348 THE FOVRTH BOOKE CHAP. I. THE Estate of the Easterne Church 376 II. What the deuision of the Empire hath wrought to the diuision of the Church 378 III. Of the interpretation of those words Thou art Peter and vppon this Rock I will build my Church 379 IV. Of the indiuisibilitie of the Church 398 U. Of the effect that diuision brings to the Church 399 VI. Of the pretended corruption of the Church 400 VII Of the exclusioÌ of hereticks froÌ the bodie of the Catholick Church 402 VIII Of the qualitie wherein the Catholicke Church attributes to herself the name of whole 410 IX Of the sence where in the Roman Church is called Catholick 411 X. Of the causes wherefore the Roman Church hath cutt off the rest from her communion 413 XI Of the sence wherein the Hereticks belong not to the Catholick Church ibid. XII Of the proceeding of other sects 414 XIII Of the perswasion that other sects pretend to haue of the truth of their Church by scriptures ibid. XIV Of the sence wherein Hereticks haue disputed the word Catholicke 415 XV. Of the cases wherein the communion in vow with the Catholick Church may be imputed as actuall 417 XVI Of the equiuocation of termes diminutiues imployed for negatiues 419 XVII Of the authoritie of the worke iutituled imperfect 422 XVIII Of the vnderstanding of these words of sainct Augustine To seeke the Church in the words of Christ. 423 XIX Of the vnderstanding of the words of sainct Chrisostome in the thirtie third Homelie vpon the Acts. 427 XX. Of the rules to iudge admitted by sainct Chrysostome and sainct Augustine 429 XXI Of the application of the Thesis of this obseruation to his Hipothesis 430 XXII Of the personall succession of the Bishops 431 XXIII Of the succession of doctrine 434 XXIV Of the holding of a Councell 436 XXV Of the reduction of the disputation to
that these letters hauing bene written by hereticall authors to witt the Arrians and reported by an hereticall historian from whom Socrates and Sozoment tooke them to witt by Sabinus a macedonian hereticke who tooke part with the Councell of Antioch against the Pope and against the Counceil of Nicea and was a sworne Enemie to the Trinitie to saint Athanasius and to the Councell of Nicea they carryed their confutation on their foreheade and are of as little weight as those that the Lutherans or other Protestantes should nowe write against the Pope For who knowes not that the Pope hath alwaies proued that concerning Religion that Cicero said of himselfe concerning the common wealth to witt that none euer declared himselfe Enemie to the Church but he tooke him the Pope for his aduerse ãâã at the same tyme And the other that notwithstanding the boldnes or to speake with Sozomene the impudencie of these hereticall and Arrian letters the restitution that the Pope had made of these great persons and amongst others Athanasius Patriarcke of Alexandria and of Paule Archbishop of Constantinople was neuerthelesse executed and imbraced as iust both in forme and matter by the vniuersall consent of all the Catholickes in the world Athanasius and Paule saith Sozomene recouered each one his seate And in an other place speaking of the 300. Orthodoxall Bishops of the Councell of Sardica who represented all the Catholicke Bishops vpon the Earth They answered said he that they could not separate themselues from the communion of Athanasius and Paule and principally for as much as Iulius Bishop of Rome hauing examined their cause had not condemned them And why then when the same Councell of Sardica where assisted according to the calculation of saint Athanasius Socrates and Sozomene more then 300. Bishops and which IVSTINIAN calls an Oecumenicall Councell And which Vigilius the ancient Bishop of Trent saith to haue bene assembled from all the prouinces of the Earth And where saint Athanasius and the greater parte of the same Fathers that had bene at the Councell of Nicea assisted proceeded not to institute the appeales as it shall appeare hereafter but to rule or to reduce into writinge the customes of the appeales did they ordaine that when a Bishop should appeale to the Pope it should be in the Popes choyse either to giue him iudges out of the neighbour prouinces or to graunt him legates which should be transported into those places If a Bishop said the Councell hauing bene deposed by the assemblie of Bishops of his prouince hath recourse in forme of an appeale to the most blessed Bishop of Rome and desires to be heard a new and that the Bishop of Rome holdes it iust that his cause should be re-examined lett him vouchsafe to write to the Bishops neighbbours to that prouince And a little after and if ãâã thinke it fitt to send priests from about his person which may together with the Bishops decide the businesse hauinge his authoritie from whom they are sent that alsoe ought to be allowed For as for what past afterward in Africa about the matter of Appeales in lesser causes that shall be spoken of hereafter in a chapter by it selfe And why then when the Fathérs of the same councell of Sardica yeilded an accompt of their Actes to the Pope did they write to him according to the copy which is inserted in the fragment of saint HILARIE and cited tacitly by Pope INNOCENT the first and expressely by Pope NICHOLAS the first It were very Good ad conuenient if from all the princes the Prelates of God would send relations to their Head that is to saie to the Sea of the Apostle Peter And why then when Valens Bishop of Murses in Mysia and Vrsatius Bishop of Singidon in Hungaria two of the chiese Whirle-windes in the Arrian tempest would departe from the heresy of Arius and from the slaunders that they had inuented against saint ATHANASIVS did they come to Rome to aske the Popes pardon and to protest obedience to him To the absolution of Athanasius said Sulpitius Seuerns there was yet added that Vrsatius and Valens chiefe of the Arrians after the councell of sardica seeing themselues excluded from the communion came in person to craue pardon of Iulius Bishop of Rome for haueing condemned an innocent And saint ATHANASIVS Vrsatius and Valens seeing these things were touched with remorse and goeing vp to Rome confest their fault and repenting craued pardon And themselues in the acte of their penaÌce giueÌ by writing to the Pope and inserted in the Relations of saint ATHANASIVS and Sozomene Wee confesse said they to your blessednesse in presence of all your priests our bretheren that all those things that are come hither to your eares against ATHANASIVS are false and fained and farr from being his actions and for this cause we earnestly desire to haue communion with him and principallie because your pictie out of your naturall goodnes hath vouchsaffed to pardon our Error And we farther promise that if for this occasion either those of the East or Athanasius himselfe doe maliciouslie call vs to iudgement wee will not departe from what you shall ordaine And why then when the Emperor constantius would set the last hand to the persecutioÌ of saint Athanasius did Amianus Marcellinus though a Pagan author reporte that he solicited Pope Liberius to condemne him not contenting himself that he had bene deposed by a councell cmpounded of 300. Bishops of the East and West vnlesse the Pope himselfe confirmed this deposition Although said hee that the Emperor know this was done neuerthelesse he procured with an earnest desire that it might be comfirmed by the authoritie where of the Bishops of the eternall Cittie are superiors For whereas afterward Pope LIBERIVS ouercome by the persecutions of Constantius the Arrian Emperor gaue himselfe vp to signe the condemnation of saint Athanasius it was after he had bene cast out of his seate by the Emperor at the instance of the Arrians and confined into Thracia And after he had suffered an exile of two yeares and a longe continuance of imprisonments threates of death and corporall afflictions and vexatioÌs Nowe we make a great differeÌce betwene those senteÌces that Popes pronounce de Cathedra that is to saie sett in their Ecclesiasticall Tribunall in the forme of publicke and iudiciary actes and with solemne and canonicall preparation and those things that they doe in the forme of particular and personall actes and not as constituted in the state and liberty of ludges but as reduced into the condition of captiues and prisoners and constrayned by the violence of humane feare such as may Be in a spirit morally constant And yet heere meete three miraculous circumstances and worthy of Gods prouidence toward the Apostolicks Sea in this historie The first that as in the solemnitie of the Pythian games wherein the Grecians celebrated the Feast of Apollo when one
of Alexandria did saint AMBROSE write to him that hee should after he had iudged it procure his iudgement to be confirmed by the Pope Certainly said hee wee conceaue that you should relate the affaire to our holie brother the Bishop of the Roman Church for we presume that you will make noe iudgement that can displease him And a litle after To the end that we hauing receaued the tenor of your acts when we shall see that you haue iudged soe as the Roman Church will vndoutedly approue it we may reape with ioy the fruite of your examination And why then when it appeared that EVAGRIVS Successor to PAVLINVS had bene euill ordained for as much as Paulinus only had imposed his handes vpon him and that Flauianus by this occasion remained without a competitor did Theophilus send a legation to Rome to put Flauianus againe into the Popes grace and Flauianus an other to obtaine the restitution of communion with the Pope THEOPHILVS saith Socrates hauing sent the priest I sidorus appeased Damasus you must reade Anastasius that was offended and represented to him that it was profitable for the concord of the people to forgett the fault of Flauianus and soe the communion being restored to Flauianus the factions of the people of Antioch a while after that is to saie vnder Pope Innocent the first were reconciled And Sozomene speakinge of saint IOHN CHSOSTOME Archbishop of Constantinople who had a little before bene a priest of Flauianus and for that cause affected him IOHN saith he praied Theophilus to labour with him and to helpe him to make the Bishop os of Rome to be propitious to Flauianus and to this end there were deputed Acacius Bishop of Beroe and Isidorus And THEODORET although for his partiality he be not altogether to be credited in this cause speaking of the Emperor THEODOSIVS his voyage to Rome The Emperor said he exhorted them to extinguish this vnprofitable contention for you must reade ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and not ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and represented to them that Paulinus was alreadie dead and that Euagrius came not by lawfull meanes to the Prelacye And a little after Then vpon the exhortation of the Emperor those of the west promised to lay aside all bitternesse and to receaue the Ambassadors that Flauianus should send which the diuine Flauianus hauing learnt he sent to Rome a legation of most famous Bishops and priests and Deacons of Antioch for all which the chiefe was Acacius Bishop of ãâã in Syria renowned through all parts of Sea and land But here is too much of this historie lett vs passe on to the rest And why then when Saint AMBROSE Archbishop of Milan a cittie where the Emperors of the west made their residence speakes of his brother Satyrus doth he saie that when he had escaped Shipwracke and was cast vpon the Isle of Sardinia he inquired of the Bishop of that place whether he agreed with the Catholicke Bishops that is to saie as himselfe adds with the Roman Church And why then when he excuseth the custome of washing of feet which was practised in the Church of Milan although it was not vsed in the Church of Rome doth he crye We follow in all things the type and the forme of the Roman Church And againe The same Peter is our warrant for this obseruation who hath bene Bishop of the Roman Church And why then when he or the author that was of his tyme of the comeÌtary that is attributed to him vpon the first Fpistle to Timothie explaines these wordes of the Apostle to conuerse in the howse of God Doth he write that Pope DAMASVS was the Rector of the Church Although saith he the whole world belonges to God neuerthelesse the Church is called the howse of God of which at this day Damasus is the Tector And why then when OPTATVS Mileuitanus that is Bishop of ãâã in Africa whom saint AVSTIN calls a Bishop of reuerend memory and whom Fulgentius honors with the title of a Saint disputes Thou against the Donatists doth he saie to Parmenian a Donatist Bishop canst not denie but that thou knowest that the Episcopall chaire was first sett vp in Rome for Peter in which seate wassett the head of all the Apostles Peter whereof also he hath bene called Cephas soe saith he to allude to the greeke word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifies he head ressembles the Hebrow Cephas that is to saie a stone from whence this Apostle was named to the end that in this onely chaire vnitie should be preserued to all least the other Apostles might attribute to themselues each one his particular chaire but that he should be a Schismaticke and a Sinner that would against the onely chaire set vp an other And for what cause after he had cited the catalogue of Popes from saint PETER euen to his tyme doth he inferr from thence the Donatists could haue noe chaire and consequently noe Church since they had noe communion with the Bishop of Rome Giue vs said he an accompt of the originall of your chaire you that will attribute to your selues the holy Church But you ãâã quoth hee that you haue alsoe some parte at Rome but this is a braunch of your Error sprunge out of a lye and not from the roote of truth for in the end if Macrobius be inquired of soe was the name of the false Bishop that the Donatists kept at Rome where he sitts there can he answere in the chaire of Peter which ãâã he knowes not soe much as by sight And a while after From whence is it then that you attempt to vsurpe to yourselues the keyes of the Kingdome you that fight against the chaire of Peter by your bould and sacrilegious presumptions And why then when saint AVSTIN an African as well as he pressed the same Donatistes did he saie to them In the Roman Church there hath alwaies flourished the principalitie of the Apostolique Sea And againe Reckon the ãâã euen since the seate of Peter and in this order of the Fathers see who hath succeeded one an other this is the Rocke that the prowde gates of Hell shall neuer ouercome And in an other place considering the Popes as successors of saint PETER according to the other interpretation to witt according to that of the figure of the Church In this order of Fathers said he that is to saie from Saint Peter to Pope Athanasius there is not one Donatist And in his disputations against the Manichees In the Catholicke Church I am detained by the Successiion of Prelates from the Seate of Peter to whom our Lord gaue his sheepe to feede after his resurrection vnto the present Bishops seate And why then when the Empresse Eudoxia wife to Arcadius Emperor of the East seeing her husband would cause Theophilus to be degraded from the Patriarkship of Alexandria but delaied because saith the Emperor
LEO the Learned that the legates of Rome and of the westerne Church staied longe ere they came had cast vpon saint Chrisostom Archbishop of Constantinople the tragedie that was begun for Theophilus and had caused him to be deposed by a councell of Bishops assembled at Constantinople vnder Theophilus Patriark of Alexandria did this deuine Prelate haue recourse by letters of Appeale to the Pope Vouchsafe saith this sacred goulden pen writing to Pope Innocent the first to commaund that these things so wickedly done and we absent and not refusing iudgement may be of noe value as in truth they are not and that they that haue carried themselues so ãâã may be submitted to the punishment of the Ecclesiasticall lawes For to thinke to auoide these wordes by saying faint Chrisostome speakes in plurall termes in his letter as writing to manie Who knowes not that it was a common custome with the Easterne authors and communicated by deriuation to those of the west when they would honor or gratifie him to whom they write to speake in the plurall number to signifie that they consider him as hauing in him the authority of many And this in imitation of the Syrians who to expresse master or Lord called it Rabbi which signifies many that is to saie contayning in him the authoritie of manie God saith EVSEBIVS Archbishop of Milan in his Epistle addressed only to Pope LEO hath constituted yee Prelates of the Apostolicke sea worthie protectors of his worship And the Bishops of Siria writing only to the Emperor Iustinian The Lord preserue yee deuout zealous and guardians of the faith And the bishops of the councell of Mopsuestia a cittie of Asia in an Epistle to Pope Vigilius alone It was verie reasonable ô yee most holie since yee holde the first dignitie of priesthood that those things which concerne the state of the holie Curches should be represented to your deuinely honored Blessednesse And the Pope saint GREGORIE in the Epistle addressed to Cyriacus Patriarke of Constantinople alone to congratulate with him for his promotion In this most blessed Brethren yee are stronge that mistrusting your owne strength yee trust in the power of God Iointly that although the actes of the Popes were often dispatched in their name alone neuerthelesse they were framed with the consent of the neighbour Bishops which were at their Synodes and consistories As Pope Julius testifies to the Arrians in these wordes Although it be I alone that haue written yet I haue not onely written myne owne opinion but that of all the Bishops of Italie and of these partes And therefore not onely the inscription of saint Chrysostomes Epistle is singular and directed to the Pope alone but also Palladius and Photius cite it as addressed to the Pope alone And to hope also to auoide these wordes by saying that in the end not of the copie which is in saint Chrisostomes workes but in that which is recited by Palladius saint Chrisostome adds that he hath written the same things to Venerius Bishop of Milan and to Chromatius Bishop of Aquilea it is a vaine and friuolous hope For he intendes the same things in regarde of the reporte of the historie but not that in anie of his other letters he vseth anie of those formes of Appeale Vouchsafe to commaund that these things done against vs may be inualid and that those which haue done them may be submitted to the punishment of the Ecclesiasticall Canons And againe Of one thing I beseeche your watchfull minde that although those that haue filled all with trouhles be sicke of an impenitent and incurable disease if yet they will remedie these things that then they may not be punisht nor interdicted More vaine were it to hope to auoide them by saying that saint CHRISOSTOM before he was condemned had appealed to a generall councell and that then after his condemnation he could not appeale to the Pope For what inconuenience were it that saint ãâã before his condemnation to staie the furie of those that were to be his Iudges and his aduersaries together appealed to a generall councell which he knew could not be held without the assistance of the Pope or his Legates and that after his condemnation seeing this refuge had failed him and that all hope of a generall councell was taken ãâã because the Emperor and Empresse of the East against whose wills it could not be celebrated had declared themselues his ãâã he appealed to the Pope And to add that the Pope also stroue to cause a generall councell to be held and then the appeale had not ãâã to him wat incompatibilitie was there that the appeale should deuolue to the Pope and that the Pope should iudge of the validitie of the appeale and should ordaine that the first iudgement should be disannulled and things by prouision sett in the same estate they were before and that to search it to the bottom to cleere it with the satisfaction of all the Prouinces and to hinder a schisme betweene the two Empires he desired it night be iudged definitiuely in a generall councell The rule of the ãâã of Sardica vpon the matter of Appeales which is that that ãâã and Zozomene teache vs Pope INNOCENT followed in this case did it not cast two things vpon the Pope after the interiected ãâã the one to iudge whether the reason of the appeale seemed to him lawfull and in case he found it lawfull to annull the sentence and to remitt by way of intire restitution the parties in such estate as they were before The other after he had ãâã the first sentence to ordaine a new iudgement should be proceeded to and to name iudges to that effect either taken from the neighbouring Prouinces or sent from Rome to iudge the cause with the Bishops of the neighbour-prouinces Now doth not Palladius that Photius calls a worthie and a diligent writer of the history of saint CHRISOSEOME witnesse that the Pope did when he saith INNOCENT haueing receiued both parties to his communion determined that the iudgement of Theophilus should be abrogated and annulled saying they should hold another Synod vnreprouable of the Prelates of the west and east And doth not the successe of the history teach vs that saint CHRISOSTOM remained absolued vpon the Popes single sentence without anie ãâã councell to followe it And Pope GELASIVS an author of the same age doth not he confirme this when he writes a Synod of prelates yea ãâã hauing condemned Iohn of Constantinople euen the sea Apostolicke alone ãâã it consented not to it absolued him And why then when saint CHRISOSTOME was dead did George Patriarke of Alexandria an author of one thousand yeares antiquity and cited by saint DAMASCENE and ãâã Patriarke of Constantinople and printed in Greeke in England with the greek wordes of saint CHRISOSTOME and followed by Cedrenus ãâã ãâã Harmenopolus And other Greekes write
Towne without a horse or anie beast of carriage and presented himselfe to Pope Leo reuerentlie offering him obedience and requiring with humilitie that he might ordaine of the estate of the ãâã after the accustomed manner c. neuerthelesse if it were not his will he would not importune him And againe He applied himselfe wholie to appease the spiritt of Leo with a prostrate humilitie And why then when Eutyches who liued in the tyme of the same Emperors pretended that he had appealed from Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople to Pope Leo did not Flauianus dispute that he could not appeale but that he had not appealed Eutyches saith Pope Leo writing to ãâã affirmes that in full iudgement he pretended you a request of appeale and it was not receiued by which meanes he was constrained to make acts of protestation in the cittie of Constantinople And Flauianus answering Leo Eutyches said he hath informed you that in the time of iudgement he pretended to vs and to the holy Councell heere assembled libells of appeale and that he appealed to your ãâã which was neuer done by him And againe Moued then most holie Father with all these attempts of his and with those which haue bene done and are done against vs and against the holy Church doe you worke confidently according to your wonted courage as it belongs to the priesthood and making the common cause and the discipline of the holy Churches your owne vouchsafe to confirme by your writings the condemnation which hath bene regularlie made against him And for what cause did the Councell of Chalcedon embrace the iudgement that the Pope had giuen against Eutyches after the sentence of Flauianus his owne Bishop as giuen by a competent iudge and attributed the finall deposition of Eutyches to the Popes iudgement By the decrees of his tyranny saied the Councell of Chalcedon writing to the Pope and speaking pf the attemptes that Dioscorus had made in the false Councell of Ephesus he hath ãâã ãâã innocent and bath restored to him the dignitie whereof he was depriued by your Holynesse And why then when Peter Chrissologus Bishop of ãâã writt to the same Eutyches the Epistle which is annext to the front of all the Greeke and Latine actes of the Councell of Chalcedon did he saie We exhort thee in these things Reuerend Brother to lend an obedient attention to the letters of the most holy Pope of the cittie of Rome for asmuch as the blessed Peter who liues and rules in his owne Seate exhibits the true faith to those that seeke it for we for the desire we haue of peace and faith cannot heare matters of faith without the consent of the Bishop of Rome And why then when Theodoret Bishop of Tire a towne neere Persia and subiect to the Patriark of Antioch had bene deposed in the false Councell of Ephesus did he appeale to the Pope I attend said Theodoret in his letter to Pope Leo the sentence of your Apostolicke Throne and beseeche your Holynesse to succor me appealing to your right and iust iudgement and commaund that I transport myselfe to you and verifie that my doctrine followes the Apostolicke stepps And for what cause did Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople hauing bene deposed by the same Councell appeale to the same Pope We ought said the Emperor Valentinian the third writing to Theodosius the second Emperor of the East to preserue inuiolable in our daies the dignitie of particular Reuerence to the blessed Apostle Peter that the holy Bishop of Rome to whom antiquitie hath attributed the priesthood aboue all may haue place to iudge in matters of saith and of the Bishops c. for therefore according to the custome of Councells the Bishop of Constantinople had appealed to him in the contention which is risers about points of Faith and Liberatus Archdeacon of Carthage Flauianus saith he the sentence hauing bene pronounced against him appealed to the Apostolicke Sea by petition presented to his Legates For to saie as the Popes aduersaries doe that the actes of the falfe Councell of Ephesus which were read againe in the Councell of Chalcedon onely bare that Flauianus said to Dioscorus I appeale from thee without saying I appeale from thee to the Pope Who knowes not that those actes as it was represented to the Councell of Chalcedon had bene all falsified by Dioscorus who had put in and put out what he listed making the Bishops signe by force to blanckes They haue ãâã vs violence with woundes said the Bishops of the East to the Councell of Chalcedon we haue signed blanckes And Eusebius Bishop of Dorilaus reporting the same history to the councell of Cbalcedon Dioscorus said hee inserted in the actes things that were neuer spoken and constrained the Bishops to signe to blanckes And besides the exhibition that Flauianus made of his Petition of apppeale to the Popes Legates and the opposition that the Popes Legates made for him against Dioscorus and againste all the Councell as soone as he had appealed and the appeale that Theodoret the neighboring bishop to Persia and companion in Flauianus condemnation putin from the same councell to the Pope resisting and makeing his appeale be iudged of before the Pope doth it not sufficiently manifest that it was to the Pope that Flauianus appealed Moreoner how had Flauianus in saying simplie I appeale from thee made it vnderstood that it was to an oecumenicall councell that he apealed since the councell wherein Dioscorus condemned him tooke alsoe in condemning him the litle of oecumenicall and had bene assembled by the Emperor THEODOSIVS the second in the qualitie of oecumenicall and after confirmed as oecumenicall and that to be truly oecumenicall there wanted nothing of the number and plenitude of Bishops but the only authority of the Pope which was distracted from it by the seperation of his Legats whereof some were fledd and the rest remayned out of their ranke and amongst the presse Contrarywise that all the Patriarkes of the earth and all the principall metropolitans and Bishops of their Patriarkshipps were there and that there wanted of the Patriarkes none but the Pope alone is it not a sufficient proofe that Flauianus saying I appeale and presenting his libell of appeale to the Popes Legates and the Popes Legates protesting at the same tymt an opposition against the sentence from which he appealed that it was to the Pope that he appealed though the Emperor VALENTINIAN had not also said these expresse wordes The Bishop of Constantinople according to the custome of councells hath appealed to the Pope and Liberatus these Flauianus sentence hauing bene pronounced against him appealed to the Sea Apostolick For to obiect that the Pope did not retaine the iudgement of the cause intirely but desired it might be iudged in a generall councell haue wee not already said that the Popes custome after appeales was to doe two things one to iudge of
as when the Councell of Nicea pronounced anathema against the Arrians in these wordes they that saie there was a time wherein the sonn was not the Catholick Church anathematizeth them that is to saie decideth that their CommunioÌ ought to be renounced and abhorred and held sor anathema The anathema's executory applicatory and abiuratory are those by which euery particular person doth protest and declare that hee will practise the sentence of the Church decreed against those persons or doctrines which haue bene by her iudiciarily anathematized and to abiute and hold them for anathema And for this cause iudiciary anathema's cannot be pronounced but by persons grounded vpon iurisdictioÌ but executory and abiuratory Anathema's may be made not only by persons destitute of iurisdiction but by meere laie men As in the Councell of Ephesus when Cordanepius a lay man returned from the Sect of the ãâã to the Church he anathematized all those that followed the Sect of the ãâã I anathematize saith hee all heresie and namely that of the quartodecumans And to this day when anie one returnes from ãâã heresie into the Catholicke Church he is caused to anathematize that heresy from whence he departs But these anathema's are but simple abiuratory anathema's that is to saie they are but bare executions and applications of iudiciary anathema's and the word to Anathematize in such a case signifies noe other thing but to abiure abhorr and hold them for anathematized Now it was in this second sorte that saint HILLARIE anathematized Liberius for hauing signed and subscribed the communion of the ãâã to wit not with a iudiciary but with an abiuratory anathema For the iudiciarie anathema had bene already pronounced by the councells of Nicea and of Sardica against the Arrians into whose coummunion Liberius was entered soe as there was noe more question to decree the sentence of anathema against him but to execute it in abiuring and abhorring him as fallen into the sentence of anathema pronounced against the Arrians in the Councells of Nicea and Sardica and therefore saint HILLARY adds to his anathema this word for my parte and saith for my parte anathema to thee ô Liberius to shewe that he spake not with a iudiciary anathema but with an anathema abiuratory and abnegatory whereby hee did not seperate Liberius from the communion of the Church who had alreadie seperated himselfe in departing from her to the ãâã but whereby he seperated himselfe from the communion of Liberius The third answere containes two branches the one is that this anathema was not pronounced by saint HILLARIVS in the tyme of vnitie and agreement of Popes but in tyme of Schisme and duplicitie of Popes to witt when Liberius and Felix sate concurrently in the Pontificall chaire of Rome Now there is great differeÌce between pronouncing anathema against a doubtfull Pope and sitting in Schisme with another Pope and pronouncing anathema against one only certaine and peaceble Pope for in the first case to witt in case of Schisme betweene two Popes it is an ordinary thing that those that take parte with the one doe pronounce abiuration and anathema against the other as during the Schisme of John 23 th and of Gregorie the twelfth and of Bennet the 13 th for whose extinction the Councell of Constance was kept those that tooke parte with any one of these three Popes pronounced abiuration and anathema against the other two without pretending notwithstanding to departe from the reuerence and obedience due to the Sea Apostolicke And therefore during the Schisme of Liberius and Felix saint HILLARY might pronouÌce anathema against Liberius and seperate himselfe from his communion and enter into the communion of the other Pope without seperating himselfe euer the more from the communion of the Sea Apostolicke The other is that this anathema was not pronounced by S. HILLARY in the tyme that the Roman Church acknowledged him for Pope but in the tyme that Liberius was fallen from the Papacie and that euen the Roman Church abiured renounced and disauowed him for Pope and had withdrawne herselfe from his communion and from his obedience and had ranged herselfe with Felix his competitor For the vnderstanding whereof we must distinguish the tyme of Pope Liberius Popedome into thee partes the first before his falle the second during his fall the third after his fall Now during the first parte to witt before his falle he was so firme a defender of the Faith of the Councell of Nicea and of saint ATHANASIVS innocencie and soe great an enemy to the heresie and communion of the Arrians as the Emperor Constantius for that cause made him be tiranòusly carried away and transported by way of banishment into the cittie of Beroe in the borders of Thrace and at the instance of the Arrians caused Felix the deacon of Rome to be ordained in his steede During the second parte which began at his banishmeÌt he ouercome with the length of two yeares exile and other corporall vexations and persecutions he suffered himselfe to be drawne to signe the condemnation of S. Athanasius and to admitt the coÌmunion of the Arrians and entered into Rome with a promise to continue in that resolutioÌ then the Roman Church ceased to acknowledge him for Pope For Popes that falle visiblie and by their owne coufession or not contested signature into an heresie notorious coÌdemned by a precedent sentence of the Church or into coÌmunion with an hereticall societie as was that of the Arrians falle from the Papacie from that tyme cease from their right of being Popes And Felix on the other side who was entred by the packe of the Arrians into his place made himselfe so firme a protector of the Catholicke Faith and Communion and so constant an aduersary of the Arrians as the Roman Church if wee beleiue the ancient inscriptions and the ancient martirologes where Felix is intitled Pope and Martyr and the ancient Catalogues of the Popes where he is put into the ranke of the Popes by the name of Felix the second making valid by a new election or an acceptation equiualent to a new election the ordination of Felix receaued him for Pope in Liberius steede I haue said if we beleiue the ancient inscriptions and martyrologes and the ancient Catalogues of the Popes For many moderne authors and Onuphrius amongst the rest hold that Felix was neuer true Pope and that Liberius neuer fell from the Papacie nor euer receiued the Arrians into his communion And they beleiue that all that saint ATHANASIVS saint HILARY and other ancient writers haue written was grounded vpon a false rumor that the Arrians had spread And they alleadge for this purpose Ruffinus that saith he could neuer discouer the truth of it I cannot discouer saith Ruffinus certainly whether the Emperor Constantius sent backe Liberius to Rome because he had yeilded to his will or because he was pressed to it by the Romans And Sozomene who reportes
that the Arrians spread the rumor that Liberius had condemned Consubstantialitie The Arrians said he spread the rumor that Liberius had condemned the word consubstantiall Neuerthelesse for as much as saint IEROM speakeing of Liberius his exile writeth Liberius Bishop of the Roman Church hauing bene sent into exile for the Faith all the Clerkes swore they would receiue noe other but Felix hauing bene substituted in the priest hood by the Arrians manie periured themselues and at the end of the yeare were cast forth because Liberius ouercome with the wearynesse of his banishement and signing the hereticall impictie entred into Rome in the forme of a Conqueror And in an other place Fortunatianus Bishop of Aquilea is in this reputed detestable that he first solicited Liberius who was gone into banishment for the faith and inclined him and induced him to signe the heresie We followe the opinion of those that hold that during the tyme interposed betweene the returne of Liberius and the death of Felix Liberius remained fallen from the Popedome and that Felix was then true Pope For there is noe doubte but that the Clerkes which were cast forth with Felix because saith saint IEROM Liberius hauing signed the hereticall impietie was ãâã into Rome like a Conqueror were the orthodoxall and Catholicke Clerkes of the Roman Church who did materially periure themselues because they abandoned Liberius but not formally because Liberius first abandoned himselfe And in the third tyme which began after the death of Felix which if we beleeue Sozomene followed soone after the returne of Liberius Liberius not onely abiured that which the Arrians had constrained him to doe but made himselfe so constant a protector of the Catholicke Faith and cause and so despised all the persecutions of the Emperor as the Roman Church after the death of Felix and all the other Churches of the Catholicke communion with her did receiue and acknowledge him with an acknowledgement equiualent to rehabilitation for Pope In which appeared two actes of the prouidence of God with had appeared in saint Peters fall One that as saint Peter in the rising from his fall confirmed his Bretheren so Liberius in rising from his confirmed all the Bishops of the Catholicke Church shewing them the way rather to suffer a thousand persecutions then to signe the Councell of Arimini And the other that as the Fathers noted that God permitted saint Peter to fall that he might learne by his owne example to vse mercie to those that should fall and not to vse that rigor to them that the Nouatians would afterward haue introduced so God permitted that Liberius should fall into the communion of heretickes to the end that being restored he might learne by his owne example and serue himselfe for an example to others not to shutt the gates of Episcopall coÌmunion from those Bishops that should fall into the same faulte when they should come to repentance and not to vse that rigor toward them that afterward the Luciferians would haue introduced Now it was in this meane while to witt when the Roman Church abiured Liberius because he had receiued the Arrians into his communion and ceased to acknowledge him for Pope and had reduced themselues into the obedience of Felix that saint ãâã ãâã as is abouesaid these parenthesis be his adhering to the Roman Church abiured him also and anathematized him not with a iudiciary but with an applicatory and abiuratory anathema and by consequence the obiection which is drawne from it is not onely vnprofitable but impertinent For what meruaile is it if in this meane while to witt when the Roman Church herselfe abiured Liberius and withdrew herselfe from his obedience and ceased to acknowledge him for Pope and tooke Felix his part saint HILARY adhering to the Roman Church did abiure him and anathematize him also not with a iudiciary anathema but with an executory and abnegatory ãâã and tooke likewise the parte of Felix to whom the orthodoxall Clerkes and inhabitantes of the cittie of Rome had ranged themselues The great and admirable DAMASVS who was after successor to Liberius in the Popedome and whom the Greekes called the diamond of Faith had not he bene one of those that had withdrawen themselues from the communion of Liberius and had transferred themselues to that of Felix and so what wonder is it if Liberius owne successor and all the true Roman Church with him hauing ceased to acknowledge Liberius for Pope and hauing abandoned and anathematized him that is to saie with an executory and abiuratory anathema and hauing acknowledged Felix his Competitor for true and law full Pope S. HILARY also in their imitation ceased to account Liberius for Pope and anathematized him not with a iudiciary but with an executory and abiuratory anathema in withdrawing himselfe from his communion and passing to that of Felix And finally the fowrth and last answere is that as in tyme offchisme and duplicity of Popes S. HILARY following the orthodoxall and Catholicke part of the Clergie of Rome adhered to Felix and anathematized Liberius so in the tyme of the vnitie of Popes the same S. HILARY testifies that all Catholickes acknowledged the Pope for head of the Church For he reportes the epistle of the Councell of Sardica wherein the Bishops of the Councell writt these wordes to Pope Iulius Liberius predecessor It shall be esteemed verie good and conuenient if from all prouinces the Bishops should referr the affaires to their head that is to saie to the Sea Apostolicke of Peter And thus much of the second obiection there remaines third To the third obiection then which is that Dioscorus in the false Councell of Ephesus did not content himselfe to excommunicate ãâã the Archbishop of Constantinople but went so farr as to excommunicate Pope Leo who vpeld him Wee answere three things first that it was not vnder his owne name that Dioscorus Patriark of Alexandria decreed this excommunication but vnder the name of all the false Councell of Ephesus which had bene called in the qualitie of an Oecumenicall Councell and which intitled it selfe an Oecumenicall Councell By meanes whereof this instance toucheth not the question whether another Bishop Archbishop or Patriark may excommunicate the Pope but whether a Councell Oecumenicall preteÌding that the Pope is fallen into heresy may excoÌmunicate him The second that Dioscorus was deposed for this presumption in the Councell of Chalcedon and depriued for all eternity not onely of the title of Patriark but also of the title of Christian and Catbolicke in such sort as this example is so farr from making against the Pope as it falls vpon their heades that alleadge it And the third that there was so great difference betweene the enterprise of excoÌmunicating the other Bishops Archbishops Patriarkes and presumption of excommunicating the Pope as although Dioscorus Patriark of Alexandria was an Arch-hereticke and that he had approued in a full Councell the heresy of Eutiches and
the East that is to saie of the Asian East after conuerted into the gouermnent of Siria and other Easterne prouinces and that of Rome which was the head of the westerne Empire from whence the ancient Iewes called Rome the Empire of Edom that is the Empire of the West by allusion to Idumea which was situate toward the West from the Southerne Judea And they called Titus who sackt Ierusalem Titus the Idumean a thing which gaue occasion to the latter Rabbies to deriue the race of Titus from Idumea and that the ãâã Paraphrast turnes these wordes of Jeremias He will visit thee daughter of Edom into these I will visit thee impious Rome For the diuision of Alexanders Empire hauing been finallie reduced to two principall Empires the one the Empire of Egipt holden by the posteritie of Ptolomeus sonne of Lagus whereof Alexandria was the head the other the Empire of Asia possessed by the Successors of Seleucus who after he had conquered Demetrius king of Asia made saie Eusebius and saint IEROM of the two Kingdomes of Syria and Asia one Empire whose capitall cittie was Antioch Then when those two Empires came to be vnited with that of the common wealth of Rome which before held the Empire of the West there where three principall Citties MetropolitaÌ and capitall in the Empire two subalterne to witt Alexandria which was head of the Empire of the South that is the Empire of Egipt and Antioch which was the head of the Empire of the East that is the Empire of Asia And one ãâã to witt Rome which was particularly head of the Empire of the West and besides had the superintendencie ouer the heades of the other two Empires For I doe not reckon Carthage for so much as she was long before made a member of the Westerne Empire For these causes then as the Church cast her first roote in Asia saint PETER also first planted his Episcopall Sea at Antioch the capitall cittie of the East where he was resident comprehending his voyages into the neighbour prouinces seauen yeare and there fouÌded a successor or rather a succession which was after the death of the Apostles head of all the Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction of the Easterne Asia from whence it is that in the Councell of Chalcedon the Patriark of Antioch intitleth his Sea the Sea of S. PETER of the great cittie of the Antiochians that S. CHRYSOST citizen of Antioch cryes God shewed by the effect that he had great care of the cittie of Antioch for hee ordained that Peter the superintendent of the whole world hee to whom he had consigned the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen hee to whom he had committed the dispositioÌ of all things should be a long tyme resident there that S. INNOCENT the first of the same tyme with S. CHRYSOSTOME writes to Alexander Patriark of Antioch The Sea of Antioch had not giuen place to the Sea of Rome but what that obtained onlie by the waie this obtained absolutelie and finallie From whence the same saint PETER seeing that the Church began to growe further and to spread her rootes through all the world he traÌsported himselfe to Rome which was both in particular head of the West in generall head of the world held there the Episcopall Chaire coÌprehending manie voyages 25. yeares Simon Peter saith saint IEROM sonne of Jona of the prouince of Galilee of the borough of Bethsaida brother to Andrew the Apostle and prince of the Apostles after the Episcopate of the Church of Antioch and the preaching of the dispersion of those of the CircumcisioÌ who had belieued in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia came to Rome the second yeare of the Empire of Claudius to ouerthrow Simon the Magician and there held 25. yeares the Episcopall Chaire And S. LEO the first addressing his speech in the forme of Apostrophe to the same S. PETER Thou hadst said hee alreadie founded the Church of Antioch in which the word Christian first receiued birth thou hadst alreadie replenished Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia with the lawes of the Euangelicall preaching Then finallie hauing established the superintendeÌcie of the Easterne Church at Antioch and of that of the West at Rome and considering he had still one of the three capitall citties of the Empire to prouide for to witt that of Alexandria which was the head of the Empire of Egipt he appointed placed there his second selfe that is to saie his Ghostlie childe and welbeloued disciple S. Marke the Euangelist From whence it is that Julius the first reported by S. ATHANASIVS writes of Alexandria it was not a common Church but of the number of those that the Apostles themselues had instituted And S. IEROM The Church of Alexandria doth glorie that she pertakes in the faith of the Roman And againe that the Chaire of the Apostle Peter confirmeth by his preaching the preaching of the Chaire of Marke the Euangelist And saint LEO the first writing to Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria Since that the most blessed Apostle Peter hath receiued from our Lord the principalitie of the Apostleship and that the Roman Church remaines in his institution it is vnlawfull to beleiue that his holie disciple Marke who first gouerned the Church of Alexandria hath formed his decrees vpon anie other rules of tradition And froÌ thence tooke beginning these three Patriarchall Seas correspondent to the three Imperiall Seates vnder which the generall vnion of the Empire was made but not so yet equall but that amongst these three first Churches that is to saie first in regard of the Churches of their diuisions there was one first of the first exalted superintendent ouer both the others to witt the Roman From whence it is that the Councell os Sardica the Councell of Chalcedon and the Emperor Iustinian S GREGORIE the Great call her the head of all the Churches that the Emperor Valentinian intitles the Pope The Rector of the vniuer salitie of Churches And that the Councell of Chalcedon qualifies him him to whom the guarde of the vine is committed by our Sauiour And that the Emperor Constantine Pogonat and the sixth Councell of Constantinople call him the Protothrone of the vniuersall Church the PresideÌt of the Apostolicall height the Soucraigne Pope the Capitaine of the sacred warfare and the vniuersall Patriark and Arch-pastor and call the other Patriarkes Sinthrones of the Pope aster the Pope For I will not add that which some Catholickes vse to alleadge of Cassiodorus to witt that he attributed to the Pope the title of Bishop of the Patriarkes as well because Cassiodorus there speakes not of Patriarkes properlie taken but extends the word to Primates and Metropolitans as because I doubt it must be read disiunctiuelie Papam vel Patriarchalem Episcopum and not explicatiuely Papam vel Patriarcharum Episcopum It sufficeth me to saie that as
to the blessednesse of the most holy Pope for as much as he is the head of all the most holy Ministers of God And by the places aboue cited of saint GREGORIE the great which witnesse that the Pope confirmed euen then that is to saie fiftie yeare after Iulian the former the election of the Bishop of the first Iustinianea and sent him the Archiepiscopall mantle and the reuocation of the Vicarship of the Sea Apostolicke and iudged by appeale of the causes of his Bishops chasticed him himselfe when he had misiudged But in summe whatsoeuer the sence of this addition of Russinus bee it imports little to knowe it For hauing bene excommunicated for his errors in saith by the Pope and the Roman Church who doubtes but if he could insert into his translation anie thing to the Popes preiudice he hath done it It ãâã before the Councell of Nicea which wills that to euery Church the prerogatiues thereof be preserued the Roman Church was she whereof S. IRENEVS cryes out to this Church because of a more mightie principalitie that is to saie because of a principalitie more mightie then the temporall it is necessary that all the Churches should agree It was she that S. CYPRIAN called the Chaire of Peter and the principall Church from whence the ãâã all vnitie proceeded It was she of whom S. IEROM writt I know the Church is built vpon this stone whosoeuer eates the lambe out of this howse is prophane It was she of whom S. AVSTIN said In the Roman Church hath alwaies ãâã the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke It sufficeth that before the Councell of Nicea which ordaineth that the ancient customes should remaine entire the law Ecclesiasticall sorbad to canonize Churches that is to ãâã to make canons touching the generalitie of Churches without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome that the Ecclesiasticall custome bare that the finall depositions of Bishops could not be proceeded to without attending the decision from Rome and that from the tyme of the Emperor Gallienus that is to saie more then sixtie yeares before the Councell of Nicea the Churchmen of Egipt desiring to accuse Dionisius Bishop of Alexandria their Patriarke went vp saith saint ATHANASIVS Patriarke of the same Sea of Alexandria to Rome and accused him before ãâã Bishop of Rome It sufficeth that presently after the same Councell of Nicea when S. ATHANASIVS Patriarke of Alexandria Paul Bishop of Constantiuople Marcellus Primate of Galatia Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina had bene deposed by diuers Councells of the East Iulius Bishop of Rome restored to euery one his Church because to him saith Sozomene for the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things appertayned It sufficeth that after the death of ATHANASIVS Pope Damasus confirmed the ordination of Peter Patriarke of Alexandria successor to the same saint ATHANASIVS and restored him to his Sea of Alexandria It sufficeth that in the Councell of Sardica holden for the defence of the Councell of ãâã whereat assisted besides more then three hundred other Bishops the same Osius that was President at the Councell of Nicea the same saint ATHANASIVS which had helped to frame the acts of the Councell of Nicea the same Protogenes Bishop of Sardica which was at the Councell of Nicea the Episcopall appeales to the Pope were authorized by a written lawe and the Bishops of all the prouinces exhorted to referr the affaires to their head that is to saie to the Sea of the Apostle PETER It sufficeth that in the Councell of Lampsacus in Asia the Macedonians purposing to returne to the Catholicke Church sent their Legats from Asia to Rome to protest obedience to the Pope to oblige themselues to come vp to his Tribunall or to the iudges delegated by him in all causes that should be attempted against them It sufficeth that in the Councell of Tyana in Cappadocia Eustachius Bishop of Sebastia in Armenia who had bene deposed by the Councell of Melitina the Metropolitan cittie of Armenia bringing letters of restitution from Pope Liberius was receiued without forme of processe and had place as a Bishop in the Councell It ãâã that when the Emperor Constantius had caused S. ATHANAS Patriarke of Alexandria to be deposed in a Councell of more then three hundred Bishops of the East and West he thought he had not satisfied his desire if the thing saith Amianus Marcellinus were not confirmed by the authority whereof the Bishops of the eternall cittie are superiors It sufficeth that when the same Canon of the Councell of Nicea which is now in question was renewed in the Councell of Constantinople the other Patriarkes and Primats were forbidden to meddle beyond their diuisions Let the Bishop of Alexandria said the Synod gouerne onely what belongs to Egipt and let the Bishops of the East that is to saie of the patriarkship of Antioch admister onely to the East where neuer CouÌcell interdicted the Pope from medling in matters which were out of his patriarkship CoÌtrariwise the Pope in importaÌt occasioÌs hath alwaies takeÌ notice of the ecclesiasticall affaires of the Empire of the East iudged by appeale the causes of other patriarkships the Catholicke Councells of the East theÌselues yeilding to be solicitors executors of his sentences oppositely neuer anie of the other Patriarks once attempted to examine the Ecclesiasticall causes of the Empire of the West and of the patriarchall diuision of the Pope It sufficeth that in the Mileuitan Councell holden by the Bishops of Asrica and by S. AVSTIN amongst others it was affirmed that the Popes authoritie was of diuine right and drawne from the authoritie of the holy Scriptures and then not to be restrained to the simple patriarkship of Rome but vniuersall and such as the law of the Emperor Valentinian the third describes it when it calls the Pope the Rector of the vniuersalitie of Churches And the Emperor Iustinian when he writes that the Pope is the head of all the most holy ministers of God And the Bishop of Patara in Lycia one of the prouinces in Asia when he saith to the same Emperor Iustinian that there were many kings and princes in the world but there was noe one of them that was ouer all the earth as the Pope was ouer the Church of all the world It sufficeth that in the generall Councell of Ephesus when the Fathers had executed the sentence of deposition that the Pope had pronounced at Rome against Nestorius when they should haue passed to the cause of Iohn Patriark of Antioch the Councell reserued the iudgement thereof to the Pope and that according to the ancient custome and tradition Apostolicall It sufficeth that in the false Councell of Ephesus after Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria and his pretended generall Councell had deposed Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople and Theodoret Bishop of Syre Flauianus saith the Emperor Valentinian
the Bishops of Constantinople which haue bene from the first contention to the second that is to saie since Anatolius vntill Cyriacus ouer all which the Pope hath exercised a perpetuall iurisdiction and iudged continually both of their iudgements and of their persons For not to speake of Paul Bishop of Constantinople that Pope Iulius restored to his Seat for as much as to him saith ãâã for the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things appertained Not to speake of saint CHRISOSTOME who hauing bene deposed from the Sea of Constantinople appealed by writing to the Pope that he might cause the iudgement of his deposition to be made void Not to speake of Eutiches who hauing bene iudged by Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople and hauing alledged that he had appealed to the Pope was againe iudged by the Pope Flauianus and the Councell of Chalcedon consenting to it where Anatolius himself was in person approuing the iudgement Not to speake of Flauianus who hauing bene deposed in the false Councell of Ephesus appealed from it to the Pope and that saith the Emperor Valentinian following the custome of Councells Not to speake of Anatolius who hauing bene chosen Bishop of Constantinople in the false Councell of Ephesus and consequently his election being void was made valid by the Pope as Pope Leo testifies to the Emperor in these words It ought to haue sufficed him that by the helpe of your pietie and the consent of my fauour he hath obtained the Bishopricke of so great a Cittie And in briefe not to speake of all the former examples but to restraine myselfe to the onely tyme betweene Anatolius and Cyriacus when Acacius who was created Patriarke of Constantinople thirteen yeare after the death of Anatolius fell into the faction of heretickes had not the Churches of the Patriarkship of Constantinople recourse to Pope Symmachus as to the superior both of them and their Patriarke Seeinge thy Children to perish said they in the preuarication of our father Acacius delay not or rather to speake with the prophet slumber not but make hast to deliuer vs And againe Thou art taught daily by thy sacred doctor Peter to feede the flock of Christ which is committed to thee through the whole world not constrayned by force but willinglie thou that cryest with the blessed Paul to vs thy subiects wee will not haue dominion ouer you in the saith but will cooperate with you in ioy And did not Pope Felix depose the same Acacius from the Patriarkship of Constantinople yea with such effect that although Acacius borne out as longe as he liued by the hereticks despised the Popes Sentence neuerthelesse after his death his name euen in Constantiuople it-self was raced out from the records of his Church and excluded from the recitall of the mysteries And when Macedonius Patriarke of Constantinople was solicited by the Emperor Anastasius to take out of the seruice of his Church the memory of the Councell of Chalcedon did not he answere him that ãâã ãâã not doe it without a generall Councell wherein the Bishop of great ãâã ãâã be President And when Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople executed the sentence of the Sea Apostolicke against the memorie of ãâã his Predecessor did he not write to Pope Hormisdas I promise in time to come no more to recite amongst the sacred Mysteries those who are seperated from the Communion of the Catholique Church that is to saie that ãâã not wholie consent with the Sea Apostolicke that if in anie thing I attempt to depart from this my profession I protest my-self to be comprehended by mine owne condemnation in the number of those whom I haue condemned And when Anthymus was installed in the Patriarkship of ãâã did hee nor oblige himselfe to doe all that the ãâã Pope of Great Rome should decree And did he not write to all the Patriarkes that he wholy followed the Sea Apostolike And when Pope Agapet was arriued at Constantinople did he not depose the same Anthymus from the Patriarkship of Constantinople and did he not excommunicate the Empresse Theodora who sustained him And when Menas Patriarke of Constantinople gaue his voice in the Councell of Constantinople did he not saie We follow in all things the Sea Apostolicke and obaie it And when the Emperor Iustinian pressed by the Empresse who was an Eutychian would persecute Pope Siluerius did not the Bishop of Patara in Lycia one of the subiects to the Pattriarkship of Constantinople represent to him that there was no king in the world that was ouer all the world as the Pope was ouer all the earth And euen in the tyme of saint GREGORIE vntill whose Popedome the temporall dignitie of the Citty of Rome grew into such a diminution and that of Constantinople contrarywise to such a height that Constantinople then exceeded Rome and all the other Citties of the world As the high Cypres sharpe-head doth outgrowl The crooked wreathes of Shrubbs that spread below The Churchmen of the deuision of Constantinople after they had bene iudged at the Tribunall of the Patriarke of Constantinople did they not goe by appeale to that of the Pope And did not the Emperor and the Patriarke of Constantinople themselues Confesse that the Church of Constantinople was subiect to the Sea Apostolicke The second answere is so farr of is it that from this Canon there may bee drawne anie arguments to oppose the primacie of the Pope as contrarywise there may from hence be drawne strong reasons to defend it For from this that the first Councell of Constantinople and the Councell of Chalcedon ordained that the Bishops of Constantinople should hold the second place after the Bishop of Rome and should enioy after him the same priuiledges because Constantinople was a second Rome doth it not appeare that before the Councell of Constantinople and Chalcedon the Pope was the first of all the Patriarkes and the first not in simple primacie of order but in primacie of iurisdiction since the equalitie that these Canons gaue to the Bishop of Constantinople with the Pope was excepting the primacie of order which they reserued to the Pope And since by vertue of this equalitie in the second degree the Bishops of Constantinople attributed to themselues the right of receiuing appeales from the Patriarkships of the East and to ordaine in extraordinary occurrences the persons of their Patriarkes and to participate in the title of vniuersall Bishop and to call the generall Councells of the Empire of the East and to iudge the Patriarkes of the East For was it not vnder this pretence that Anatolius before the Councell of Chalcedon ordained Maximus Patriarke of Antioch Anatolius saith Pope Leo the first without anie example and against the Constitutions of the Canons hath presumed to ordaine the Bishop of Antioch which we would not reuoke for the desire of repairing faith and for the zeale of peace And was it not vnder this pretence
cittie of Constantinople that the Emperor had deputed to maintaine order in the Councell considered so much their owne interest in the challenge of Anatolius esteemeing they might by this meanes still augment the dignitie of their cittie and in such sort imprinted into the spirits of the assistants that it was the desire and passion of the Emperor that the Bishops of the Councell belieued they could not resiste this decree without offending the Emperor and the Senat of Constantinople and all the Imperiall Court of the East as it appeares by the relation of the Bishops of the Councell to the Pope in these words Wee gratifieing the most religious and Christian Emperors who take pleasure in this decree and all the illustrious Senat and in a word all the royall citty haue esteemed it to purpose that this honor should be confirmed by the generall Councell And a little after Wee pray you then to honor our iudgement with your decrees and that as in what concerned the weale we haue brought ãâã to our head so your soueraigntie may accomplish toward your children what concernes decency for in so doeing the religious Emperors shall be gratified The seauenth nullitie is that Eusebius Bishop of Dorylaus and abettor to Anatolius his Claime vsed a manifest surprise to cause this decree to be approued by the Councell which was to testifie to the Councell that it was agreable to the Pope I haue said Eusebius of Dorylaus voluntarily signed this canon because I haue read it at Rome to the most holie Pope in the presence of the clerkes of Constantinople and he approued it From whence it is that the Bishops of the Councell writt to the Pope in the relation that they addressed to him that it was vpon this foundation that they had proceeded to the confirmation of the decree Wee haue said they taken the ãâã to confirme it as a thing begun by your Holynesse in fauour of those that you ãâã alwaies desired to cherish knowing that in whasoeuer children doe well it is referred to their Fathers And neuerthelesse this testimony was a testimonie sull of falsehood and imposture as it appeares both by the instruction that the Pope had consigned to the Legates which bare Suffer not the canon of the holie Fathers to be violated by anie rashnes And a little after And if anie perchance trusting in the power of their owne citties shall attempt to vsurpe anie thinge represse them as agreeth with ãâã And by the words of the same Leo who writt in the epistle to Maximus If they saie that the bretheren which I haue sent in my steede to the Synod haue done anie thing ãâã what concernes Faith it shall be no force for as much as they haue bene sent by the Sea Apostolicke to this end onely to roote out heresies and to defend ãâã And in his epistle to Anatolius Neuer maie my conscience consent that so ãâã a couetousnesse shall be helped by my fauor but rather that it be suppressed by me and by those that allow not the prowde but consent with the humble The eight nullitie is that when they would proceede to the approbation of the canon the Popes Legates protested a nullitie against it and made their protestation to be registred within the acts of the Councell This appeares first by the verball processe of the Councell where their opposition is couched in these words Wee require your excellence to commaund that the things which were yesterdaie done against the canons in our absence may be cutt of or if not that our contradiction may be inserted into the acts that we may know what wee haue to reporte to the Apostolicke Bishop and to the President of the whole Churches that hee may pronounce the iniurie done to his Sea and to the subuersion of the canons This they added not that this decree gaue anie authority to the Patriarke of Constantinople but after the Pope and in regard of the other Patriarkes but forasmuch as to propound it without the Popes consente who was the protector of the rightes of the other Patriarkes and preseruer of the canons and to make it passe against the opposition of his Legates it was to wound the dignitie of the Sea Apostolicke and to infringe the ancient discipline which annulled the rules of the Church made without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And secondly it appeares by these words of the Pope to Anatolius Our bretheren sent in behalfe of the Sea Apostolicke which presided in my steede at the Councell resisted pertinently and constantlie to those vnlawfull attempts crying out with a lowd voice that the presumption of a pernicious noueltie might not be exalted against the canons of the Councell of Nicea And their contradiction cannot be doubted since thou thy-self complainest in thy letters that they haue desired to crosse thy enterprise wherein thou dost greatelie recommend them to me but thou accusest thy-selfe for not obeying them And thirdly it appeares by the relation of the Councell itselfe to the Pope which containes these words Daigne most holy and blessed Father to embrace these things for the most holy Bishops Paschasinus and ãâã and the most religious Priest Boniface holding the place of your Holynesse haue greatlie striued to contradict this rule desiring that such a good might take the intire originall from your prouidence to the end that as the rule of Faith so that of good order might be attributed to you The ninth nullitie is that the Pope insteede of consenting to the request that the Councell solicited by Anatolius and by the Emperor and the Senate had made to him to confirme this canon disannulled abolished it Ioyninge with vs said the Pope in his epistle to the Empresse ãâã the pietie of your faith wee annull the plotts of the Bishops repugnant to the rules of the holy canons establisht at Nicea and by vertue of the authoritie of the blessed Apostle Peter doe wholie abrogate them by a generall sentence And Pope Gelasius fortie yeares after repeating the same historie That which the authoritie of the Sea Apostolicke hath confirmed in the Councell of Chalcedon hath remained in force and what she hath refused could obtaine noe stedfastnesse And onely she hath disannulled that which the Synodicall congregation had adiudged against order should be vsurped And it is not to be said that the Pope abrogated this canon for passion or out of desire to contradict and not in zeale to preserue the right of the other Seas and to maintaine the canons of the Councell of Nicea for the Pope did not abrogate it of his owne motion but hauing bene already prayed before by saint CYRILL Patriarke of Alexandria and since by Maximus Patriarke of Antioch not to permitt that such attempts should take place and that the rights of the Churches setled by the Councell of Nicea should be violated Thy charitie saith Pope Leo in his epistle to Maximus Patriarke
execute at Constantinople the rudgement pronounced at Rome against Nestorius Archbishop of Constantinople Adding to thee said Pope Celestine in his Epistle to saint CYRILL the authoritie of our Sea and vsing with power the representation of our place thou shalt execute exactlie and constantly this Sentence to witt that if within ten daies reckoned since the day of this monitory Nestorius doe not anathematise by writing his wicked doctrines c. thy holynes should prouide for that Church without delaie and declare him to be wholie cutt of from our Bodie And in the Epistle to Nestorius read and inserted into the Acts of the Councell Wee haue sent the forme of this iudgement with all the verball processe to our holy fellow-Bishop of Alexandria to the end that he being made our Uicar may execute these things And in the Epistle to the Clergie of Constantinople Wee haue conferred our Uicarship because of the farr distance of places to our holie brother Cyrillus And the Councell of Ephesus in the relation to the Emperor The sentence of him and his before there was anie Synod assembled at Ephesus the most holy Celestine Bishop of great ãâã had testified by his letters and had committed to the most holy and most beloued of God Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria to be his Uicar And saint CYRILL himselfe in the Epistle against Nestorius addressed to the Constantinopolitans Wee are constrained said hee to signifie to him by Synodicall letters that if ãâã speedilie that is to saie within the time defined by the most holy Bishop of the Roman Church hee renounce not the nouelties of his doctrine he shall haue noe more communion with vs nor place amongst the Ministers of God And secondly Celestine making saint CYRILL his vicar it was by forme of commission and not by forme of intreaty Hee committed to him saith the Councell of Ephésus to be his Uicar And Marcellinus Comes of the same tyme with Iustinian Nestorius was condemned at Ephesus in a Synod of two hundred holie Fathers Celestine declaring to the Councell Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria his Uicar for the time And Liberatus the African author of the same age Celestine signified to Nestorius that he had giuen his Uicarship to CYRILLVS And Theophanes the Greeke-historian Celestine of Rome writt to Cyrill of Alexandria to holde his place in the Synod And Balsamon not onely a Grecian but a Scismaticke Celestine when he could not assist at Ephesus and iudge Nestorius in person thought good to permitt saint CYRILL to preside in his place at this Councell And Nicephorus Celestine Bishop of Rome refused to assist at the Councell of Ephesus for the perill of the nauigation but he writt to CYRILL to holde his place there and after that time the fame goes that Cyrill receaued the Tyara and the name of Pope of iudge of the whole world And thirdly who reuealed to Caluin that it was not in the qualitie of the Popes Legats but in his owne name that saint CYRILL presided in the Councell For did not Prosper an author of the same tyme say To the heresie of Nestorius CYRILLS industrie and Celestines authoritie principallie resisted And againe Celestine cutt of the Nestorian impietie aided CYRILL with the Apostolicke sword And the letters of the Bishops writing from Constantinople to the Councell Doe they not beare this superscription To the most holie and beloued of God Bishops and Fathers who by Gods grace are assembled in the Metropolitan Cittie of Ephesus Celestine Cyrillus Iuuenall and others to shew that the Pope though absent preceded saint CYRILL euen in the person of saint CYRILL And did not the Popes legates thanke the Fathers of the Synod because they had shewed themselues holie members to their holie head that is to saie to the Pope And saint CYCILL writing to Pope Celestine Doth he not call him his Father though himselfe were an ancienter Patriark by tenn yeare then Celestine And did not the Councell in the Bodie of it make themselues executioners of the Popes Indgements against the same Nestorius when they said Wee are come not without teares to pronounce this sadd sentence constrained by the force of the Canons and by the letters of our holy Father and fellow-Minister Celestine And then if Alexander Bishop of Alexandria had not presided at the Councell of Nicea but was there preceeded by two simple priests of the Roman Church Vito and Vincentius why should saint CYRILL one of his successors and Patriarke of Alexandria as he was and noe lesse enemie to Nestorius then Alexander was to Arrius haue presided at that of Ephesus a cittie that was in Asia and out of the Patriarkship of Alexandria as well as Nicea was And if that appertained by right to saint CYRILL for what cause did Dioscorus his Successor obtaine surteptitious letters from the Emperor vnder pretence of the refusall that Eutyches made of the Popes legates forasmuch as they had bene intertained feasted and gratified with presents by his aduersarie that is to saie by Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople to preside at the false Councell of Ephesus And for what cause notwithstanding the said letter was hee accused for this attempt at the Councell of Chalcedon as for a newe and vnheard of enterprize He must said Lucentius Bishop of Ascoli giue vp an ãâã of his iudgement for asmuch as hauing noe right to doe the Office of a Iudge he hath vsurped it and hath presumed to hold a Synod without the authoritie of the Sea Apostolicke which hath neuer bene lawfull neither was euer done And for what cause did the Councell of Chalcedon call his presidencie Tyrannie and Uictor of Tunes author of the following age vsurped principalitie for whereas Caluin adds that at the Councell of Ephesus the other legates of the Pope sate after saint CYRILL that was because saint CYRILL had bene first deputed and before the Councell and that the others came thither but at the end thereof and besides that amongst colleagues of one same legation he that of himselfe was alreadie in greatest dignitie was to precede Of the order of the sittings of the second Councell of Ephesus CHAPT X. THE third obiection of Caluin is That in the second Councell of Ephesus Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria presided and that although the issue of this Councell was vnlawfull neuerthelesse at the beginning when order was yet obserued the Popes deputies did not question him ãâã the first place An obiection that containes as manie falshoods as wordes For first the second Councell of Ephesus that the Greekes call the Councell of robbery was all disordered from the beginning to the ending Those things shall cease said the lawe which haue taken their originall from iniustice And indeede how could it be otherwise hauing begunn by practises by Steele and weapons for Chrysaphius Master of the imperiall pallace who was an Eutychian and Eutyches his
Bishops and councells that supposed that it was to gaine the crowne of martirdome to dye for resisting it some belieuing Pope Vigilius neuer confirmed it and others belieuing that Pope Vigilius who was said to confirme it was not true Pope forasmuch as he had intruded into the Papacy his predecessor being yet liuing that whatsoeuer threatnings banishments and punishment the Emperor Iustinian employed vpon it hee could neuer compasse it neither hee nor his next successors but this is enough for this obiection of Caluin let vs goe on to the rest Of the order of the sittings in the sixth Councell of Carthage CHAPT XIII CAluins sixt obiection is taken from thé sixth Councell of Carthage In the sixth Councell of Carthage saith Caluin Aurelius Archbishop of the cittie presided and not the Ambassadors of the Sea of Rome Now wee might send him to dispute this matter with Hincmarus Archbishop of Rheims of almost eight hundred yeares antiquitie who said contrarywise speaking of the sixth Councell of Carthage The Councell of Carthage where the Sea Apostolicke presided by his Uicars Neuerthelesse least it should seeme to be a delaie the best will be to trie it out in the field To this obiection then wee will bring three answeres the first that there is nothing more vncertaine then the Rolles of the sittings and signatures of Councells where the copies varie and mistake at euery turne sometymes following the order of the persons sending somtymes the order of the persons sent somtymes the order of the tyme of their arriuall somtymes the errors in the writing which slipp in in the transcription of listes and Catalogues as it appeares besides an hundred other proofes by the repetition of one of the Sessions of the first Councell of Ephesus inserted into the latine copie of the Councell of Chalcedon in which Arcadius Proiectus and Phillippus the Popes legates are named not onely after all the Bishops but euen after Bessula Deacon and legate of Carthage which was the order of the tyme of their arriuall and neuerthelesse the greeke originall of the same Councell of Ephesus placeth them in all the Sessions whereat they assisted immediately after saint CYRILL first legate of the Pope and as it appeares by the thing itselfe which is presented by the testimony of Hincmarus for Hincmarns affirmes particularly that the Sea Apostolicke presided by legates at the Councell of Carthage in these words The Councell of Carthage where the Sea ãâã presided by Uicars The second that there where diuers kindes of legates some which represented the negotiating person of the Pope as ãâã Agents Nuntios Apocrisaries and Ambassadors and others which represented the iudiciary person of the Pope as Cathedraticall Vicars and legates a kinde onely necessary for generall Councells where the Bodie of the Church speakes with her head and not for particular Councells as this of Carthage was Now amongst these deputies some held the ranke of those that sent them and others not for in the Councell of Chalcedon Iustinian Bishop of Cos legat or rather Nuntio and Ambassador from the Pope to Constantinople although he bore the ãâã of the Pope legate at the Councell neuerthelesse sate not with the other legates of the Pope but after the Patriarkes and among the ãâã and at the Councell of Constantinople holden vnder Menas the Ambassadors of the Patriarkes of Antioch and Ierusalem were not sett in the ranke of their Patriarkes but in the ranke of their simple personall dignitie and after the Archbishops and Bishops And the third Answere finally is that in the sixth Councell of Carthage the legation of the Popes deputies was finished by the death of Sozimus who had sent them the yeare before and had not bene renewed by Boniface his Successor whose creation they knewe well for they procured and charged themselues to carry him the Councells letters but they had not yet receiued anie commission from him and treated onely vpon the memories that they had brought from his predecessor By meanes whereof they were noe more the Popes legates but Exlegates continuing neuertheles in office to solicite for the rights of the Roman Church that they had begun in the former Councell and for this cause bearing for honor sake in the signatures the title of the Legates of the Roman Church but not the title of legates or Vicars of Pope Boniface then sitting And indeede if they had bene then in the actuall qualitie of the Popes Vicars and Cathedraticall Vicars that is to saie representing the iudiciary person of the Pope they had bene sett one with an other and had all signed in the ranke of Bishops Now this was not soe for Faustinus Archbishop of Potentia assisted but in his simple ranke of Archbishop belowe Aurelius Archbishop of Carthage and Ualentine Archbishop of Numidia and Phillippus and Asellus were not there in the ranke of Bishops but sate and signed as simple priests after all the Bishops where as in the Councell of Ephesus which was generall the same Phillip priest as Vicar deputed to represent the iudiciarie person of the Pope was set with saint CYRILL and Arcadius likewise the Popes legates before all the other Primates Archbishop s and Bishops It it true that Faustinus Phillippus and Asellus had bene either nuntios or legates to Pope Sozimus in a Councell holden the yeare before at Carthage vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius and the eigth of Theodosius as it appeares from the discourse and from the Epistle of the sixth Councell of Carthage but of this Councell for that which is inserted vnder the date of the same consulls in the Rapsodie of the Councells of Africa speakes not of the Popes legates there remaines to vs noe piece whereby wee may iudge whether the Popes agents presided or presided not onely it appeares that the authority of the Pope was very eminent there for it was sent to Rome and confirmed by the Pope as Prosper an author of the same age testifies in these words Under the 12 th Consulship of Honorius and the eigth of Theodosius a Councell of two hundred and fourteen Bishops hauing bene holden at Carthage the Synodicall decrees were carried to Pope Sozimus Which hauing bene approued by him the heresie of Pelagius was condemned throughout the world And againe Pope Zosimus annexed to the decrees of the African Councells the force of his sentence and for the extirpation of the wicked armed the right hand of all the Prelates with the sworde of Peter Of the order of the sittings in the Councell of Aquilea CHAPT XIV THE seauenth obiection of Caluin is That there was a generall Councell kept euen in Italie to witt adds hee the Councell of Aquilea wherein saint AMBROSE presided for the credit that he had with the Emperor Now this obiection is the crowne master-piece of all Caluins obiections for matter of impertinency For first S. AMBROSE did not preside there but Valerianus Bishop of Aquilea
the Bishop of Milan and the Bishop of Aquilea hauing bene in such sorte equalls paralells vntill the tyme of ãâã as when the Bishopricke of Milan was vacant as Pope Pelagius the first tyme-fellowe to Iustinian notes it the Bishop of Aquilea ordained him of Milan And when the Bishopricke of Aquilea was vacant the Bishop of Milan ordained him of Aquilea by meanes whereof each of them in his Diocesse had his ranke before the other and in anie third place the ancienter of the two preceded as at the Councell of Rome S. AMBROSE preceded Valerian and at the Councell of Aquilea Ualerian preceded S. AMBROSE It is true S. AMBROSE disputed there more then the rest because of his learning And Aurelius Bishop of Bologna after him which deceiued the author of Synodica publisht by the Minister Pappus a greeke author meanely instructed in latine affaires many others with him But he presided not there if we giue credit to the actes of the Councell which are couched in these termes Under the consulship of Eucherius and Euagrius in the nones of September there were sett in the Church of Aquilea Ualerian Ambrose Eusebius Limenius and others And then if he had presided there to what purpose was it to interpret that it was for the fauour the Emperor bore him Was not S. AMBROSE an Archbishop Archbishop of Milan a cittie saith S. ATHANASIVS metropolitan of Italie that is to saie not of all Italie but of that part of Italie which was subiect to the pretoriall Prefect of Italie and which was particularly called Italie to distinguish it froÌ the prouinces subiect to the Prouost or Vicar of Rome and therefore what meruaile had it bene that the Councell of Aquilea being celebrated in the metropolitan cittie of Istria which was one of the prouinces of Italie and subiect to the Vicar of Italie that is to saie to the Vicar of the Prouost of the Pretory of Italie in Italie and the Pope not being there neither by himselfe nor his Legates if S. AMBROSE who was both the most ancient Archbishop the Archbishop of Milan metropolitaÌ of Italie had presided there And secondly the councell of Aquilea which lasted but halfe a day was not a generall councell but a particular Councell compounded onely of the Bishops of Lombardie of Prouence of one Bishop of Illiria and of some deputies of Africa of the Gaules for there were in all but thirtie Bishops amongst which there was but one onely Legat neither of the Pope nor of the other Patriarks Now how could it be generall if there were noe Bishop of the East nor any Patriark nor Patriarkes Legat Nay how could it be generall since the onely reason that Palladius the hereticke made that he would not answere there was that it was not a generall Councell Wee haue promised said hee that wee will proue that we are Christians but in a generall Councell wee answere you not least wee should preiudice a future Councell Nay how could it haue bene vniuersall since the Fathers of the Councell themselues confessed in their Epistle to the Emperor That is was not reasonable that for two wretched hereticks the Churches of the whole world should be abandoned by their Bishops Nay how could it haue bene generall since the same yeare the generall Councell of Constantinople was celebrated for the Councel of Aquilea was held in September vnder the consulship of Euagrius and Eucherius and the Councell of Constantinople was assembled the same yeare not in the month of May as Socrates and those that haue followed him haue conceiued but vpon the end of Autumne as it appeares by the words lately cited from ãâã and by the verie epistle of the Councell of Constantinople to the Pope where the Fathers testified that the Councell of Constantinople had bene called after the holding of that of Aquilea It is true it had bene proiected at the beginning to haue holden a larger Councell at Aquilea but because the aduersaries were not iudged worthie that for them there should be called a quantitie of Bishops necessarie neither for a generall Councell not for a Patriarchall Councell the Pope not onely abstained from sending but also presently after the celebration of the Councell of Aquilea as being nothing lesse then vniuersall set himselfe to cause a generall Councell to be celebrated and to this effect called by his letters addressed to the Emperor Theodosius the Bishops of the East to the Councell of Constantinople Witnesse these wordes of the same Bishops to Pope Damasus Wee were come to Constantinople at the arriuall of the letters from your Reuerence sent after the Councell of Aquilea to the most religious Emperor And held himselfe a Councell of the Bishops of the West at Rome where assisted the chiefe of those that had bene at Aquilea And amongst others saint AMBROSE Archbishop of Milan and Valerianus Archbishop of Aquilea and in the which presiding he approued what had bene done at Constantinople and by this approbatron made the Councell of Constantinople ãâã For whereas it is ãâã that in this concourse of Councells it was not the Councell of Rome whereat the Pope was present that obteyned the title of a Generall Councell but the Councell of Constantinople It sufficeth to saie that it was because the Simbole of faith which was published there against Macedonius was composed in the Councell of Constantinople whereat there assisted the Bishops of the Prouinces where the question was disputed and was but confirmed and not composed at the Councell of Rome and that the Councells oecumenicall by concourse tooke their name from the place where the Simbole of the Faith was composed and not from the place where it was onely confirmed Of the calling of Councells CHAPT XV. THere followeth the calling of Councells that Caluin affirmes to haue bene onely done by the Emperors The Generall Councell saith Caluin was neuer declared but by the Emperor and the Bishops were called by his authoritie Now from whence doth he inferre this Vpon this that the Councells bare on their brow the conuocations of the Emperors Fine and subtile logiquel as if it had bene an incompatible thinge that the Emperors should call the councells in regard of temporall authoritie to make them obligatorie to the secular Tribunall and executory by the ministrie of the officers of the Emperor and to take away the crime of treason and the hinderance of politicke lawes which forbad them to make anie assemblies but with permission of the Emperors And that the Popes without whom said Socrates the Churches cannot be ruled or according to the translation of Epiphanius followed by Cassiodorus the councells cannot be celebrated should call them in regard of spirituall and Ecclesiasticall authority But rather as if it had not bene a thing perpetually vsed and practised that the spirituall authoritie of the Popes should be required with the temporall authoritie of the Emperors that
is to saie that there were two conuocations of Councells the one Ecclesiasticall to make them obligatorie in conscience and spirituallie and the other Politicke to make them executory by the secular arme and temporally For first as for the ensigne bearer and forerunner of all the generall Councells which is that of Nicea the Fathers of the third generall Councell of Constantinople otherwise called the sixth generall Councell Greeke Fathers as hath bene alreadie often noted of neere a thousand yeares antiquitie and inlightned by manie histories that tyme hath subtracted from vs did they not saie The most sacred Constantine and the praise worthie Siluester called the famous councell of Nicea And as for the Councell of Sardica which was the appendix and supplie of that of Nicea the demaund that Eusebius of Nicomedia head of the Arrian faction made after the Councell of Antioch to Pope Julius of a Councell which since it could not be generall at Rome was afterward appointed at Sardica and the complaint of those that blamed the same Julius for the little tyme that was giuen them to assemble at Sardica doth it not teach vs that the Pope had cooperated with the Emperors in the calling the Councell of Sardica Eusebius saith S. ATHANA SIVS and his writt to Iulius and to amaze vs required that he would calle a Councell For you must reade there with the greeke text that he would call a Councell and not with the latine translation that a Councell might be called And againe Iulius writt backe that there should be a councell held where we would And the same Iulius reported by S. ATHANASIVS Your deputies said he answering the Eusebians haue solicited me to call a Councell and to write to Athanasius into Alexandria and to those of the Eusebian partie to the end that in the presence of all the cause might be defined in iust iudgement And Socrates There was a generall Councell published at Sardica a cittie of Illyria by the ordinance of the two Emperors And a little after Others complained of the breuitie of the tyme and laide the blame vpon Iulius Bishop of Rome Which Harmenopolus himselfe though a late greeke and a schismaticke acknowledgeth in these words By the aduise of the Emperors and of the Bishops of Rome there assembled a Councell of three hundred forty one holy Fathers at Sardica which confirmed the Councell of Nicea For that he accounts not the Councell of Sardica for vniuersall because the Arrians separated themselues from it makes nothing to the purpose of the conuocation which at least was vniuersall There was said Socrates a generall Councell published And as for the Councell of Constantinople these words of the epistle of the Bishops of Constantinople to Pope Damasus and to the Synod of Rome celebrating by the will of God the Synod of Rome You haue called vs with a brotherlie Charitie as your owne members by the letters of the most Religious Emperor And a little after But the execution of this desire was impossible to manie for we were gone to Constantinople vpon your Dignities letters sent the yeare last past after the councell of Aquilea to the most religious Emperor Theodosius Doe they not sufficiently demonstrate that Pope Damasus by his letters written the yeare before that is to saie before the Synod of Rome and when he was yet alone had concurred with the Emperor or rather the Emperor with him for the calling the Councell of Constantinople and for the first councell of Ephesus which onely of the name deserues the title of councell for the second was excluded from the ranke of councells Doe not those wordes of Liberatus Archdeacon of Carthage an African Author and of neere a thosand one hundred yeares antiquitie Cyrill with his prouided with the Uicarship of the Sea Apostolicke hauing called a Councell of two hundred Bishops cited Nestorius Doe they not testifie that it had bene called at the instance and with the cooperation of S. CYRILL Patriarke of Alexandria alreadie before made Vicar and executor of the Popes authoritie in the East And as for the councell of Chalcedon these declarations of the Emperor Martian to Pope LEO whén there was a question of holding the councell afterward transferred to Chalcedon Our desire is that all impietie being banisht by this councell celebrated vnder your authoritie an entire peace may be restored to the Bishops of the Catholicke faith And againe There rests if it please your Holynesse that you come into these partes and heere celebrate the Synod that you will daigne to doe it for the zeale of Religion And a little after Or if it be burdensome to you to come hither that you will signifie it to vs by your letters that we maie dispatch our sacred Patents into the East and into Thracia and Illiria that all the most holie Bishops may assemble in some such place as shall seeme good to vs and decree by their sentences things profitable to Christian Religion and Catholicke faith as your Holinesse according to Ecclesiasticall rules hath defined it And these of the same LEO It hath pleased both to the ordinance of the most Religious Emperors and to the consent of the Sea Apostolicke that the generall councell of Chalcedon should be called And these of the Bishops of the second Moesia to the Emperor Leo translated from greeke into latine by Epiphanius at the instance of Cassiodorus The faith of the incarnation of our Sauiour hath bene confirmed by manie Bishops assembled by the commaundement of the Roman Pope Leo who is trulie head of Bishops and of Anatolius Patriarke of Constantinople in a councell celebrated vnder the two Emperors Doe they not euidentlie proue that Pope LEO cooperated with the Emperors for the calling of the councell of Chalcedon And for the second generall councell of Constantinople which we call the fifth generall councell this answere of the Pope Vigilius to the letters of the Patriarke of Constantinople Hauing knowne your desire by your demaunds wee agree that for the three chapters in question there shall be made a regular councell where preseruing equitie the holie Ghospell being set in the middest wee vnited with our bretheren may conferr Doth it not make plaine that the holding this Councell had bene preceded by the Popes consent and permission For the Councell was assembled in the month of May the twelfth yeare after the Consulship of Basilius and the Popes answere had bene made in the moneth of Ianuary before And these words of the sixth Councell Vigilius consented to Iustinian and the fifth Councell was established Doe they not conuince either that the conuocation or the confirmation of the Councell was taken from the Pope And that a while after Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople hauing gone about as Bishop of the second Rome to participate with the Pope in the title of Uniuersall Bishop would attribute to himselfe the authority of calling
Generall Councells in the East is it not a manifest proofe that the authoritie of the spirituall calling of Councells appertained to the Popes It hath bene saith Pope Pelagius the second in his Epistle to those of the East cited by saint GREGORIE reported to the Sea Apostolicke that Iohn Bishop of Constantinople hath intitled himselfe Uniuersall Bishop and by vertue of this his presumption hath called you to agenerall Councell although the authoritie of calling Generall Councells be attributed by a singular priuiledge to the Sea Apostolitk of saint PETER And for the sixth generall Councell which was holden vnder the Emperor Constantine Pogonat and in the same cittie of Constantinople that the Emperor would not call the Bishops of the Easterne part of the Empire which was seperated for the Monothelite heresie from the obedience of the Sea Apostolicke till first the Pope had called the Bishops of the westerne part to Rome and till the legates from the Pope and from the Councell of Rome were come to him doth it not presuppose that the spirituall authoritie of the Pope did flowe together with the temporall authoritie of the Emperor or rather preceded it for the celebration of Councells And that the same Councell speaking to the Emperor alleadgeth to him for the image and paralell of his Actes as well as of his name the example of the great Constantine in these wordes Constantine Augustus and Pope Siluester of Reuerend memorie called the famous Councell of Nicea Doth it not confirme it And for the second Councell of Nicea which is the seauenth generall Councell what Pope Gregory the second had answered a while before to the Emperor Leo the Iconolast who desired to cause a Councell to be holden for the busines Thou hast written that a generall Councell might be holden but it seemeth not fitt to vs. And againe Put case we had harkened to thee and the Prelates had bene gathered from all the earth and that the Senat and the Councell had bene sett where had the religious Emperor the louer of Christ bene to sitt there according to custome And that which the Fathers of the Councell alleadge amongst the nullities of the Synod of the Iconoclasts It had not for cooperator as that ãâã which now is celebrated the Pope of Rome nor his Prelates neither by his Legates nor by circular letters that is to saie addressed to all the prouinces as is the lawe of Councells doth it not insinuate that the Popes authoritie was required with that of the Emperors for the lawfull celebration of Councells Now these are all the generall Councells which haue bene celebrated from the age of the Apostles till the seperation that Photius made of the Greeke church from the latine For as for the Councell of Constantinople surnamed Trullian that the Greekes call the supplie of the sixth Couucell For asmuch as the sixth Councell which was holden vnder Constantine Pogonat hauing made noe canons some of those Bishops that had bene present reassembled themselues ten yeares after vnder Iustinian the second his Sonne and made some certaine canons which they published with the title of canons of the sixth Councell I meddle not with it because none of the Bishops of the West assisted there and consequently it was not generall It is true that Balsamon and after him Nilus Archbishop of ãâã saith that he had seene in one of the copies of the same Councell Trullian a catalogue of signatures which also is at Rome and which hath bene printed with the Greeke Texts of the Councell from whence it is collected that Basilius Bishop of Gortina Metropolitan of the Isle of Creete and legate of the Councell of Rome and a certaine Bishop of Rauenna assisted there But he forgetts like a Greeke Schismaticke as he is to tell two other things the one that the title of legate of the Councell of Rome that this Basilius bore had noe reference to what he was then for there was noe Councell holden in the west for the preparation of the Councell surnamed Trullan but to what hee had bene in the sixth Councell whereto he had signed with this title Basilius vnworthie Bishop of Gortina Metropolitan of the Isle of Creete and Legate of all the holie Synod of the Sea Apostolicke of olde Rome And the other that euen in the sixth Councell he bore this title but as a title of honor and not as actuall Legate either of the Pope or of the Councell of Rome I said neither of the Pope nor of the Councell of Rome because the Pope and the Councell of Rome at the expresse request of the Emperor sent two distinct legations a thinge neuer before heard of to the sixt Councell whereof the one to witt that of the Pope was of two Priests a Deacon and a subdeacon who sate before all the Patriarkes of the sixth Councell And the other to witt that of the Councell of Rome was of three Bishops who sate after the Patriarkes to shew that they were two distinct legations Nowe neither in the one nor other of these two legations had Basilius Bishop of Gortyna who was neither of the Bodie of the Clergie of Rome nor of the bodie of the Councell holden at Rome bene named as it appeares aswell by the Popes letters as by those of the Councell of Rome Onelie it happened that this Basilius being the Popes ordinary legate in the Isle of Creete for those things which concerned the iurisdiction of the Sea Apostolicke in his Prouince as he of Thessalonica in the prouince of Macedonia and he of Corinth in the Prouince of Achaia The legates of the Councell of Rome finding him in those partes for honors sake associated him and him of Corinth not with the legates of the Pope but with them For he subscribes with the legates of the Councell of Rome who signed after all the Patriarkes and not with the Popes Legates who signed before all the Patriarkes But this association was onely for the sixth generall Councell And that afterward in the Councell surnamed Trullian he continued to attribute to himselfe the name of legate of the Councell of Rome it was as a memoriall of the honor he had receiued in the sixth Councell following the custome of the Greekes who when they haue borne a title in anie solemne action preserue it many yeares after in memory of the honor they haue once receiued And it will nothing auaile to saie that at least he was the Popes legate in the Isle of Creete when he assisted at the Councell surnamed Trullian for there was greate difference betweene the Metropolitans honored with the Title of the Popes legates in their Prouinces and whose legation was attributed to their Seas As the Archbishop of Arles amongst the Gaules The Archbishop of Thessalonica in Macedonia The Archbishop of Corinth in Peloponesus And the Synodicall Legates deputed from the Pope or the westerne Church to the generall Councells
forasmuch as the one contributed to the vniuersalitie of the Councells the authoritie of those that sent them and the others conferred noe more but that of their owne persons or their particular Prouinces And therefore the assistance of Basilius Bishop of Gortyna at the Councell surnamed Trullian wherein he held not the place of the Pope but signed after all the other Patriarkes yea after some Metropolitans did nothing auaile to make it generall And as for the Archbishop of Rauenna he signed not from whence it is that Balsamon could not tell his name but because his predecessor had assisted by Atturney at the sixth Councell whereof the Councell Trullian pretended ro be a supplie a place to signe in was reserued for him as one absent in these words The place of the Bishop of Heraclea of him of Rauenna and of him of Corinth Therefore euen from that from whence Balsamon inferrs that the Bishop of Rauenna assisted at the Councell surnamed Trullian to witt from the Rolle of the subscriptions wee collect the contrarie that hee assisted not there at all And indeede if the Bishop of Rauenna or anie other Westerne Bishop had assisted there how could that Councell haue commtited the error it did committ besides ãâã others in approueing the Councell of Carthage holden vnder saint CYPRIAN for the rebaptisation of Heretickes For there was not a Bishop in the West soe ignorant as not to knowe that the Councell holden vnder saint CYPRIAN was an erroneous Councell whose doctrine was condemned by the Roman Church and had bene the seede and originall of the Donatists here sies For if they obiect with Balsamon and ãâã that the Councell surnamed Trullian that would be taken for a supplie of the sixth generall Councell and passe the Canons thereof for canons of the sixth Generall Councell attributes to it selfe in the forefroÌt of their decrees the title of Generall CouÌcell we answere that it was not because it was soe but because it expected to be soe by the addition of the Westerne Church and of the Pope for whom there was a blanke left to signe in aboue all the Patriarkes in these wordes A place for the most bolie Pope of Rome A thing that plainlie shewes that the Pope had noe deputies there Now soe farr was the Pope and the Westerne Church from signing to it as contrarywise they prepared themselues rather to indure Martyrdome For the Emperor hauing sent the copie of the Councell ãâã to Rome to praie the Pope to sett to his subscription the Pope rather chose to incurre all the Emperors hatred and persecution then to coÌsent to it as BEDA an author of the same age testifies in these wordes The Emperor Iustinian the second saith he hauing sent Zacharie his Constable commaunded him to confine Pope Sergius to Constantinople because he would not fauour the ãâã Councell that he had made at Constantinople and had refused to signe it But the Garrison of Rauenna and of the neighboring place preuented the impious commaunds of the Emperor and repulsed ãâã with outrages and iniuries from the Cittie of Rome And it is not to be said either that Pope Adrian praised the allegation that Tarhasius Patriarke of Constantinople had made in his synodicall Epistle of the eightith two canon of that CouÌcell against the Iconoclasts Or that the legates of the same Pope Adrian did not oppose themselues against the apologie that Tarhasius Patriarke of Constan tinople made for the canons of that Councell at the second Councell of Nicea For that Pope Adrian praised the allegation of Tarhasius it was not because of the authoritie of this Councell that Tarhasius had cited vnder the title of the sixth Councell but because of the doctrine of the canon which was sound and orthodoxall and that not onely the Popes legates did not oppose themselues against it but alsoe some Popes haue alleadged it against the Iconoclasts it was because the arguments taken from those canons were good in regard of the Greekes that had receiued them And besides that if the authoritie of the Sea Apostolicke had bene wounded in the Councell Trullian by the proceedings of the Emperor Iustinian Rhinotmete this wound had bene in some measure repaired by the same Emperor with his other crymes when at Pope Constantines arriuall in the East He prostrated himselfe saith BEDA on the Earth before him and praying him to intercede for his Sinnes renewed to him all the priuiledges of his Church But against this prescription the aduersaries to the Sea Apostolicke frame three principall obiections The first that Ruffinus speakeing of the Councell of Nicea saith that the Emperor by aduise of the Churchmen called a ãâã at Nicea and maketh noe particular mention of the Pope The second that Iulius reproached the Bishops of the Councell of Antioch That they had not called him to their Councell And the third that saint IEROM treating of a Councell holden amongst the Gaules cries What Emperor commaunded this Synod to be called To the first then of these obiections which is that Ruffinus saith That the Emperor by the aduise of the Clergie called a Councell at Nicea Wee answere that although Ruffinus because of the hate he bore to the Roman Church from whence he had bene excommunicated for his errors whould not expresse the historie but in generall termes and by these words by the aduise of the Church-men Neuerthelesse he alwaies giues it to be inferred from thence that the ecclesiasticall authoritie preceded the Emperiall conuocation and that the Emperiall conuocation was but an execution of the Ecclesiasticall aduise For whereas saint EPIPHANIVS saith That the care of Alexander Bishop of Alexandria moued Constantine to assemble the Councell this word moued excludeth not the meanes and interuention of the Pope to whom Alexander had written of it by especiall letters as Liberius testifies to the Emperor Constantius in these termes Wee haue the letters of the Bishop Alexander to Siluester of holie memorie by consequent is not incompatible with these words of the third generall Councell of Constantinople Constantine Augustus and Pope Siluester of Reuerend memorie called the famous Councell of Nicea To the second opposition which is that Iulius reproached it to the Bishops of the Synod of Antioch that they had not called him to their Councell from whence the Aduersaries of the Sea Apostolicke inferre that it did not belong to the Pope to call Councells Wee answere that the obiection is not valide and the reason of the nullitie is that this was not a generall Councell to which the conuocation of the Pope either mediate or immediate was necessary but a particular Councell of the Bishops of the Patriarkship of Antioch which the Patriarke of Antioch might call alone and at which the other Bishops who were but in small number assisted but by aggregation And therefore the Pope doth not reproach it to them that their Councell was not
that were admitted into her communion were admitted into the Communion of the whole Catholicke Church and that those that were seperated from her communion were seperated from the communion of the whole Bodie of the Catholick Church Of the oppositions of saint Cyprian CHAPT III. THE second instance of Caluin is taken from saint CYPRIAN and consistes in seauen heades produced by him or by his disciples The first that saint CYPRIAN calls Pope Steuen Brother The second that he complaines because Basilides a Bishop of Spaine hauing bene deposed by a Synod of his Prouince for hauing bowed vnder persecution and an other hauing bene ordained in his place Pope Steuen restored him The third that he saith there were but a small number of lost and desperate persons who beleeued that the authoritie of the Bishops of Africa was lesser The fowrth that he saith that the ecclesiasticall causes ought to be determined where they were bredd The fift that hee affirmes that the Episcopall power is one thing whereof euerie one holdes his portion vndiuidedly The sixth that hee cries none of vs constitutes himselfe Bishopp of Bishopps And the seauenth finallie that he vseth rude wordes against Pope Steuen and accuses him of ignorance and of presumption To the first then of these heades which is that saint CYPRIAN calls Pope Cornelius brother Wee answere he calls him Brother not to denie to him the superintendencie of the Ecclesiasticall gouernement but for two other causes The one to insinuate that the Popes superintendencie ouer other Bishops was not a Lordly Monarchie as that of temporall princes ouer their subiects but a gentle and brotherly Monarchie as that of an elder brother ouer his younger Bretheren which is the title that our Lord himselfe would beare when he made himselfe be called the first borne amongst manie bretheren and which is the memoriall of humilitie that God had giuen to the Kings of his people when he had pronounced Thou shalt take a king from amongst thy bretheren And againe that the kings heart may not be exalted aboue his bretheren From whence it is that the Scripture to represent this brotherly Monarchie as well in the Sacerdotall as in the politicke order saith in the first booke of Esdras And Iosua sonne of Iosedeck ãâã vp and the priests his bretheren and built vp the Altar of God And the other to signifie the vnitie of the communion that Tertullian calls the nomination of brotherhood and to shew that he spake not of the Antipope Nouatianus to whom the Schismatickes adhered but of the true Pope Cornelius and of Steuen his successor with whom the Catholicke Bishops communicated as Erasmus hath acknowledged vpon the same place of saint CYPRIAN in these termes The word BROTHER doth not there signifie equalitie but societie of Religion For that it was a familiar thing for ancient authors to vse the word Brother not to exclude the superioritie ãâã but to expresse the vnitie of communion it appeares by a thousand testimonies It appeares first by the testimonie of saint AMBROSE who calls the Bishop of Rome his holy Brother and neuerthelesse ' in the same place aduertiseth Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria who was a committee from the Councell of Capua to iudge the cause of Flauianus Patriarke of Antioch to procure his iudgement to be confirmed by the Pope Wee conceaue said hee that you ought to reserr the affaire to our holy brother Bishop of the Roman Church for wee presume you will iudge soe as can not displease him And a little after that Wee hauing receaued the tenor of your acts when wee shall see that you haue iudged things soe as the Roman Church shall vndoubtedlie approue we will receiue with ioy the fruite of your examination It appeares secondly by the testimonie of the Catholicke Bishops of Africa who answered the Donatists in the conference of Carthage that Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage had bene their brother Hee was saith saint AVSTIN our brother because of the communion of the Sacraments And neuertheles the Archbishop of Carthage was head and Superintendent of all the Bishops of Africa It appeares thirdly by the testimonie of saint AVGVSTINE who calls Aurelius Archbishop of Carthage his brother and neuerthesse saint AVGVSTINE was the spirituall subiect to Aurtlius and had bene made Bishop of Hippo by meanes of the dispensation that Aurelius had giuen to Ualerius to take him for coadiutor and himselfe acknowledged that he was obliged to execute his commaundemeÌts I haue said hee obeied thy commaundements my holie brother ãâã It appeares fowrthlie by the testimonie of Epigonius one of the Bishops of the third Councell of Carthage who calls the same Aurelius his brother and neuerthelesse acknowledgeth in the same place that Aurelius had superintendencie ouer all Africa It appeares in the fifth place by the testimonie of John Patriarke of Constantinople who writing to Pope Hormisdas intituleth him his Brother and neuertheles protests wee doe in all things followe the Sea Apostolicke and preach all that hath bene thereby decided And promise in the tyme to come not to recite amidst the sacred misteries the names of those that are seperated from the communion of the Catholicke Church that is to saie addeth hee that doe not altogether agree with the Sea Apostolicke And finallie it appeares by the testimonie of the Emperor Justinian who ãâã to Pope John surnamed Mercurius Wee demaund that your Fatherlie ãâã may declare to vs your intention by your letters directed to vs and to the most holie Bishop and Patriarke of this famous cittie your brother And neuertheles in the same Epistle and in the Epistle to the Patriarke of Constantinople he affirmeth that the Pope is the head of all the holie Prelates of God And the same may be said of the words Colleague or Fellow-Minister that the ancient Catholique Bishops sometimes attribute to the Pope not to weaken the Superioritie of the Gouernment but to designe the societie of the Ministrie and to shew that the faithfull and wise seruant that the Master hath substituted ouer the companie of his seruants to giue them their nourishment in due season is not Lord but fellowe Seruant to his fellowe Seruants For that the Fathers doe so vnderstand it it appeares by manie Examples It appeares first by the Epistle of the Synod of Alexandria where the Bishops of Egipt call saint ATHANASIVS Patriarke of Alexandria their Colleague who neuerthelesse was their head and had iurisdiction ouer all the Bishops of Egipt and Libia as it appeares both from the sixth Canon of the Councell which giues perfect authoritie to the Bishop of Alexandria ouer all the Bishops of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis And from the Remonstrance that the Metropolitans of Egipt made to the Councell of Chalcedon that they could enterprise nothing without the authoritie of the Bishop of Alexandria It appeareth secondlie by the Epistle of Proclus Archbishop
of Africa forbad the clerkes of their Prouinces the appeales beyond Seas In the Mileuitan Couueell saith Caluin where saint AVGVSTINE assisted those that should appeale beyond Sea were excommunicated It is true but to this instance we bring two sharpe and decisiue answeres the first that the canon is meant but of appeales in minor and personall causes as were causes as well pecuniarie as morall that is to saie as well ciuill as criminall of clerkes and not in maior causes that is to saie in common and Eclesiasticall causes as were causes of Faith and Sacraments or of the vniuersall customes of the church And the second that he speakes but of the Appeales of Priests deacons and other clerkes of the inferior order and not of the Appeales of the Clerkes of Superior orders that is to sale of Bishops For the cleering then of the first of these doubtes which is that the Canon is meant but of Appeales in minor causes it must be knowne that the ecelesiasticall Tribunalls did then examine not onely the spirituall and religious causes of the Church but also all the temporall and secular causes of ecclesiasticall persons as well ciuill as criminall This appeares both by the first Councell of Constantinople which ordaines That if anie one doe begin a particular processe against a Bishop as hauing receiued losse or iniurie from him the person and Religion of the accuser shall not be examined but if it be an ecclesiasticall crime the accusers person shall be examined and first it shall not be lawfull for heretickes to accuse orthodox Bishops for ecclesiasticall causes And by the third Councell of Carthage celebrated ninteen yeares before the Mileuitan Councell which decrees That ãâã Clerke that leauing the Ecclesiasticall gouernment would purge himselfe in the publicke iudgements although the sentence be to his aduantage if it be in a criminall iudgement he shall loose his degree and if it be in ciuill iudgement he shall loose that which hath bene adiudged to him And by the Epistle to the Emperor Theodosius the second who to aduance the iudgement of the controuersie of Nestorius imposed truce to the Councell of Ephesus of all pecuniarie and criminall causes and ordained that they should handle noe cause neyther ecclesiasticall nor other till that of Faith were determined Now these different sortes of causes were not reputed to be all of a weight but the one to witt those that regard Faith or the generall customes of the Church were called maior causes maior businesses maior affaires And the others to witt those that regard the particular persons of clergy men and consisted in accusation of manners or pursuite of pecuniarie interests were called minor causes minor businesses and minor affaires And that by a distinction taken from the analogie of the Scripture which ãâã that Iethro aduised Moyses to suffer the minor causes of the Israelites to be iudged by the inferior iudges and to reserue to himselfe onely the maior causes Those that shall be maior causes said hee lett them bring to thee but let themselues iudge the minor causes The vse of this distinction may be seene in a thousand places of antiquities It appeares in these wordes of the Epistle of the same Pope Innocent vnder whom the Mileuitan Councell was holden to Uictricius If they be maior causes that are in question after the Episcopall iudgement lett them be referred to the Sea Apostolicke as the Synod and ancient customes vetus and not beata ordaine Which Epistle I the rather alleage because it was cited by the Bishops of France in the second Councell of Tours a thousand and seauen hundred yeares agone It appeares in these wordes of the Epistle of the Pope saint LEO the first to ãâã Bishop of Thesalonica his Vicar in Macedonia and other prouinces ãâã Constantinople If anie maior cause be moued for which it maie be reasonable and necessarie to call an Episcopall assemblie lett it suffice thee to cause two Bishops to come to thee out of euerie prouince such as the Metropolitans would choose And a litle after And if their iudgement be found differing from thy opinion let the acts be sent to vs with authenticall testimonie that all dissentions taken awaie a sentence pleasing to God may be decreed It appeares in these wordes of the Epistle of saint GREGORIE the Great to Iohn Bishop of the first Iustinianea If anie cause of faith or of crime or of pecuniary matter be obiected against our Colleague Adrian Bishop of Thebes lett it be iudged if it be a matter of light importance by our Nuncios which are or shall be in the royall Cittie that is to saie at Constantinople and if it be a matter of weight let it be referred hither to the Sea Apostolicke And finally it appeares in the capitularie of our great Emperor Charlemaine where the wordes of Pope Innocent the first are repeated by forme of lawe in these wordes If they be maior the Sea Apostolicke as the Synod and the blessed or to reade better the ancient custome ordaines And from thence it is that Hincmarus Archbishop of Rheims writing a little after that is to saie vnder Charles the Balde to Pope Nicholas the first maketh him this protestation Let it not please God that we should soe despise the priuiledge of the first and soueraigne sea of the Pope of the holie Roman Church as to wearie your soueraigne aucthoritie with all the Controuersies and with all the quarrells of the Clergie as well of the Superior as inferior order which the canons of the Councell of Nicea and the decrees of Innocent and of the other Popes of the holy sea of Rome commaund to be determined in their prouinces And againe Wee Metropolitans trauailinge in our prouinciall Councells decide carnall controuersies and haue care after iudgement to referr the maior causes and of maior persons to the examination of the Pope of the Soueraigne Sea And from hence it is alsoe that Gerson declaming longe tyme after against the disorders in the court of Rome during the schisme of Iohn the twentie three cryes out If the iudgement of minor causes be reproued in Moyses by Iethro how would it be in the Pope and in his Court of soe manie continuall and importune imployments of most prophane and vnworthie processes The first solution then that wee bring to the prohibition that the Bishops of the Mileuitan Councell made to their clerkes from appealing beyond Sea is that the wordes of the Councell were intended not of appeales in maior causes that is to saie in causes that concerne faith or the vniuersall customes of the church but of appeales in minor causes that is to saie in causes morall or pecuniarie of Ecclesiasticall persons And this solution besides the places alreadie alleadged wee drawe first from the text of the canon which saith preciselie In the cause that they shall haue to shewe that he speakes of their particular causes
hundred and fortie seauenth yeare and the death of Aurelius who still liued according to the computation of the Illustrious Cardinall Baronius the yeare fower hundred twentie fiue there was so long a space as there must necessarily be one or more Bishops betweene both The fifth proofe is that Fulgentius Ferrandus an African author of more then a thousand one hundred yeares antiquitie not onely placeth Genetlius betweene Gratus and Aurelius but also placeth the Councell of Carthage holden vnder Genetlius before the third Councell of Carthage and other Councells of Carthage assembled vnder Aurelius For in the fourth article of his Epitomy speaking of the ordination of Bishops which ought to be done by three Bishops with the Metropolitans consent he alleadgeth for the credit of this decree the Councell of Carthage holden vuder the Prelate Genetlius the tenth title and the generall Councell of Carthage title fortie seauenth and the Councell of zelles which generall Councell of Carthage was the third Councell of Carthage as it appeares both by the words of the decree alleadged which are there and because it is placed before the Councell of Zelles which was holden vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius that is to saie the yeare before the sixth Councell of Carthage And in the twentie fowrth article speaking of the decree which forbids Bishops to vsurpe one an others people he alleadgeth for warraÌt to that lawe the Councell of Carthage vnder S. GRATVS title the ninth and the Councell of Carthage vnder the Prelate Genetlius title the ninth And the Councell of Carthage title the fifth putting the CouÌcell of Carthage celebrated vnder S. GRATVS which was the first Councell of Carthage in the first place the Councell of Carthage celebrated vnder Genetlius in the second place and the other Councell of Carthage in the third place The sixth proofe is that in the third Councell of Carthage holden vnder the consulship of Cesarius and Atticus whereof the preface is reported in the Rapsody of the Councell of Africa Uictor Bishop of Pupputa is nominated amongst the Bishops of the Councell with the Epithere of old man whereas in the Councell of Carthage holden vnder Genetlius he is named without anie mention of age a thing which shewes that the Councell holden vnder Genetlius had preceded the third Councell of Carthage For there is noe appearance that in the third Councell of Carthage Uictor of Pupputa should haue bene called old man and that in the Councell holden vnder Genetlius if this Councell had bene celebrated as the Illustrious Cardinall Baronius would haue it twentie seauen yeares after the third Councell of Carthage the mention of his age should haue bene omitted The seauenth proofe is that in the third Councell of Carthage Epigonius calls the same Uictor of Pupputa the father of the African Bishops and the most ancient in promotion And neuerthelesse in the Councell of Carthage holden vnder ãâã he is mentioned after Victor Bishop of Abdera a cittie of Africa soe called otherwise called Gemanicia that S. CYPRIAN calls Abbir of ãâã and Uictor of Vtica Abdir and Ptolomy Abdeira A thing that euidently shewes that the Councell of Carthage holden vnder Genetlius preceded the third Councell of Carthage For the Africans were so curious to obserue the orders of promotion in the Catalogues of their CouÌcells that they neuer inuerted it as appeares by the coÌplaint that S. AVGVS made to Victorinus that in his tractatorie or according to Erasmus EditioÌ tractorie he had named him before some Bishops in promotion more ancient then himselfe The eigth proofe is that Victor Bishop of Abdera who assisted at the Councell holdeÌ vnder Genetlius that we call the secoÌd Councell of Carthage was dead before the tyme of the Emperor Valentinian the third consequentlie that the Emperor mentioned in the Date of the same couÌcell could be noe other then Ualentinian the second for from the tyme of the seauenth CouÌcell of Carthage which was holden six yeares before the Empire of UalentiniaÌ the third it was noe more Uictor but Candidus that was Bishop of Abdera The ninth proofe is that Uictor Bishop of Pupputa Epigonius Bishop of Bulla regalis who were present in the second and third councell of Carthage were deceased long before the Empire of Ualentinian the third which began the yeare foure hundred twentie fiue For in the coÌference of Carthage which was holdeÌ the yeare foure huÌdred and eleauen is was noe more Uictor but PaÌnonius that was Bishop of Pupputa nor Epigonius but Dominick that was Bishop of Bulla regalis The tenth proofe is that in the second Councell of Carthage there is mention made of the CouÌcell celebrated the yeares before in the pretory which could not agree with the tyme of Aurelius vnder whose Pontificate all the Councells of Africa were celebrated within the diuisions of the Basilickes The 11 th proofe is that in the same 2d. councell of Carthage it is said that the decree of clergy continence had bene made that is to saie reduced into a written lawe in the former councell which could not agree with the tyme of the Emperor Ualentinian the third since more theÌ twelue yeare before he came to the Empire the fifth Councell of Carthage had cited the decrees of the clergies continence as made in former councells but in the tyme of the Emperor Ualentinian the second vnder whom the letter of Siricius to the African Bishops concerning the clergies continence was carried into Africa For whereas the councell of Zelles holden onelie seauen yeares before the Empire of Ualentinian the third caused to be read and inserted into the acts thereof two letters of Pope Siricius that was not particularly for the Statute of clergie continence which had bene published long before in Africa but for the other articles which were therein contained And the twelfth proofe finallie is that the twelfth councell of Toledo a generall councell for all Spaine a prouince neere to Africa holden vnder the King Flauius Eruigius and in the age of the Emperor Constantine Pogonat and of the third generall councell of Constantinople that is to saie neere a thousand yeares agone citeth the councell of Carthage holden vnder Genetlius which we call the second councell of Carthage with thetitle of the second couÌcell of Africa in these wordes In the second councell of Africa the fifth canon Felix the Bishop of Selempsela said I insinuate also if you please to your holynes that the dioceses that neuer had Bishops may haue none And a little after Genetlius Bishop saith If the motion made by our brother and fellow Bishop Felix please you let it be confirmed by vs all and cites the councell celebrated vnder the cnsulship of Cesarius and Atticus that we call the third councell of Carthage with the title of the third Councell of Africa in these wordes In the third
office which were composed to impugne certaine Religious persons slothfull and long heared that saint AVSTIN combats in the worke of the trauaile of Religious persons who held it for an oprobry that Religious men should labour with their handes or shaue their heades The other reason is that the decrees of this councell are acknowledged and cited not onely by all the canonists that haue written since six hundred yeares as Burchard Iuon and Gratian but also by Isidorus Bishop of Hispalis now called Seuill a cittie neighbouring vpon Africa who liued a thousand yeares agone who reported the canon of the ordination of Exorcists in these wordes When the Exorcists are ordained they take as saith the canon from the Bishops hand the little Booke where the exorcismes are written receiuing the power to impose hands vpon the Energumenes whether they be baptized or Catechumens Which are the very words of the seauenth Canon of the fowrth Councell of Carthage And by Hincmarus ancient Archbishop of Rheims who cites the Canon where it is forbidden to the Bishop to iudge the cause of anie without his clergie in these termes Let the Bishop heare noe mans cause without the presence of his Clergie which are the very wordes of the twentie third canon of the fowrth Councell of Carthage The fowrth difference is vpon the order of the fifth Councell of Carthage that the Illustrious cardinall Baronius pretends to haue bene transferred from the degree and that it ought to be placed againe in the third place that is to saie betweene the Councell of Carthage holden vnder the consulship of Cesarius and Atticus that he places in the second ranke and the fowrth The reasons of the Illustrious Cardinall Baronius are the one that the date of this Councell which is not filled vp in the printed editions but onelie beares The sixth of the calends of June after the Consulship without specifying the consulls names is found in some manuscripts filled vp with these wordes Cesarius and Atticus by which meanes this councell must haue bene holden the next yeare after the celebration of the Councell that we call the third of Carthage and he the second which was holden vnder the consulship of Cesarius and Atticus and the other that there is a canon in the fifth Councell of Carthage which ordaines that the Emperor may be besought to roote out the relickes of Idolatry From whence it followes that this Councell hath preceded the commaundement that the Emperors gaue to abolish the remainder of Idolatrie Now this Commaundement was giuen vnder the consulship of Theodosius the yeare of our Lord according to our computation three hundred nintie nine by two edicts the one addressed to Apollodorus vicar of Africa where the Emperors commaund that the pagans Idolls should be taken out of their temples and their sacrifices abolisht And the other addressed to Eutychianus prouost of the Easterne Pretory where they commaunded that the temples of the pagans that were in the fieldes should be demolished without trouble or tumult And consequently saith he the Councell had bene holden the yeare before which was the yeare after the Consulship of Cesarius Atticus To the first then of these reasons we answere that the manuscript which saith after the Consulship of Cesarius and Atticus is not confirmed by the vniuersall consent of the other manuscriptes for there are collections in manuscripts of Mercator as the new publishers of the Councells of Africa haue noted which saie after the Consulship of Flauius Stelicon And to the secoÌd we saie that the CanoÌ that ordaines the request for the abolishmeÌt of the remainders of Idolatrie hath nothing in it common with the Edicts of the Emperors of the yeare three huÌdred nintie nine Forasmuch as the Emperors had onely ordained by one of the Edicts that the Sacrifices should be taken out of the Temples and the Idolls deposited into the handes of the Ministers of the Empire but that the buildings should still be kept intire and by the other that the Temples of the pagans which were in the fieldes should be demolished And the fifth Councell of Carthage demaun des that the remainder of Idolatrie should be abolished not onely in the Idolls but also in the woods and in the trees For the pagans adored not onely the similitudes of the false Gods but also adored certaine ãâã thicketts and certaine ancient Trees that they belieued to be the dwellinges and mansions of the presence of their Gods From whence it is that Quintilian speaking of Ennius said Wee adore Ennius as we doe thicketts that are become sacred through age These trees then and these groues polluted by the worship that the Pagans yielded to theÌ the canon demaunded to be rooted out as well as the Idolls and similitudes From whence may be drawne that it is soe farr from following thence that this canon was before the Emperors Edictes as contrarywise it appeares hereby that it was after them For as for the decree where was required the distruction of the temples built in fieldes which gaue noe ornament to citties which seemes to haue preceded the Edict of the Emperors addressed to the prouost of the East it is not in the fifth Councell of Carthage in cheefe but in the onely Rapsody of the councell of Africa which hath transferred this canon and manie others from the Councell holden after the consulship of Honorius and Eutychianus where the first legation to the Emperors was decreed to the Councell holden after the consulship of Stelicon where the second was decreed By meanes whereof the obseruation of the Illustrious Cardinall Baronius is good to ouerthrow the order of the African Rapsody and to shew that it was made by some grosse and ignorant Rapsodist and not to remoue the chronologie of the fifth Councell of Carthage But we haue said enough of these reasons it is tyme to propound ours The motiue then that incites vs to belieue that the Councell that we call the fifth of Carthage hath bene holden in the tyme wherein we place it that is to saie betweene the fowrth Councell of Carthage and the sixth consists besides the common consent of copies and the vniuersall voice of Canonists in two reasons the one is that S. AVGVSTIN in his Epistle to Quintianus after he hath spoken of the Councell where there were ioyntly publisht the Canon of the canonicall Bookes and that of the prohibition to Bishops to vsurpe one an others Clerkes which was the third Councell of Carthage saith And after in a fresh Councell it hath bene ordained that those who retire from a monastery or are driuen from it shall not be receiued elsewhere to be clerkes or to be superintendents in an other Monastery which are the wordes of the thirteenth CanoÌ of the fifth Councell of Carthage from whence it is gathered that the fifth Councell of Carthage that saint AVGVSTIN calls freshe in regard of the third Councell of
there the word although which hath noe relation either to the wordes before or after But this will best appeare by confronting the Texts The first clause then of this centon is taken from the tenth Canon of the first Councell of Carthage where the text saith Gratus Bishop said that none doubts but that the greedines of auarice is the roote of all euills and therefore it must be forbidden that anie man should vsurpe the ends of nother or trench vpon an other Bishop his colleague And the second is taken from the thirteenth CanoÌ of the same CouÌcell whereof the wordes are these Abundantius Bishop of adrumeta said It hath bene ordained in our Councell that it is not lawfull for clerkes to lend vpon vsurie and if it seeme to your Holynesse and to this Councell to be to purpose let it be appointed by this present decree Gratus the Bishop said new propositions which are either obscure or hidden ãâã the ambiguitie of anie generall wordes wee deliberate of before we sett downe a Rule concerning them but those wherein the ordinance of the diuine Scriptures is cleere it is not needefull to delay the iudgement but rather to execute it And soe that which is reproued euen in the laitie ought by a much stronger reason to be condemned in ecclesiasticall persons before all others All the Bishops said None can doe anie thing contrary to the prophets nor contrary to the Ghospell without perill And out of these two Canons of the first Councell of Carthage seperated by the interposition of two other Canons and distant by more then twelue periods one from an other the gatherer of the collection intituled the sixth Councell of Carthage hath made this continued text vnder the title of the fifth Canon of the sixth Councell of Carthage Aurelius the Bishop said none can doubt but that the greedines of Auarice is the mother of all euill and therefore it must be forbidden that anie man should vsurpe the ends of an other or for hope of profitt trench beyond the lymittes prescribed by the Fathers and that that also it shall not be lawfull for anie clergie man to lend vpon vsurie although new propositions which are either obscure or hidden vnder the generalitie of wordes should be considered by vs before wee sett downe a rule concerning them yet those where the ordinance of the diuine Scripture is cleere must not be delayed but rather proceeded in to Iudgement and so that which is reproued euen in laymen ought to be by stronger reason much more condemned in Clergy-men All the Councell said none can act anie thing without perill contrary to the lawe or the prophets In which place yet to accommodate this confusion to the tyme of the sixth Councell of Carthage he hath changed either he or the exemplifiers which came after him the word Gratus into Aurelius against the credit of all antiquitie which teacheth vs that the first Councell of Carthage was holden vnder Gratus and not vnder Aurelius and contrary to the copies of the first Councell of Carthage in the truth whereof wee all agree on both sides which saith Gratus and not Aurelius and against the testimonie of Fulgentius Ferandus who cites the two Canons whereof this centon is compounded with the title of canons of the Councell holden vnder saint Gratus The second example shall be drawne from the thirteenth Canon of the same collection which consists in these wordes Aurelius the Bishop said that we ought ãâã obserue the decrees of the ancient Fathers as also that without consulting with ãâã Primat of euery Prouince many Bishops assembled presume not so easily ãâã ordaine a Bishop vnlesse in case of necessitie three Bishops in what place ãâã they should bee ought by his commaundement to ordaine a Bishop and ãâã anie one doe in anie thing contradict his profession or signature he depriues ãâã of this Societie Now this gallymaufery is a medley stitched and patched together from the three different clauses of the second Councell of Carthage where they are couched with their reasons relations and dependancies whereas in this centon they are inserted without anie relation or connexion one to an other The first clause is taken from the tenth Canon of the second councell of Carthage where after Felix Bishop of a cittie of Africa called Selemsela or according to the collation of Carthage Silemsila shewed that the ancient Councells decreed that a Bishop should be iudged by twelue Bishops a Priest by six and a deacon by three there follow these wordes Genetlius Bishop said what saith your Holynesse to this All the Bishops said that the decrees of the ancient Fathers ought to be obserued The second clause is taken from the twelfth Canon of the same second Councell of Carthage wherein after the complaint that Numidius Bishop of Massilia or according to the collation of Carthage Maxulia for Masculia whereof the Bishop Uictorianus was at one of the actes of the third Councell of Carthage was an other Bishoprike had made to Genetlius that some Bishops dispising the Primats of their prouinces ordained Bishops without receiuing letters froÌ theÌ the answere that Genetlius gaue him that this was a thing that concerned their common honor and they must all giue their votes there followe these wordes It was said by all the Bishops It pleaseth vs all that the Primate of the Prouince not hauing bene consulted with none should presume soe easilie though with manie Bishops to ordaine a Bishop c. but in a case of necessitie three Bishops in what place soeuer they shall bee with the commaundement of the Primat may ordaine a Bishop The third is taken out of the last Canon of the same Councell where after Genetlius had demaunded will it please you then that all things that haue bene decreed in your most glorious assemblie shall be obserued by all and that all the Bishops had answered It pleaseth vs it pleaseth vs that they should be obserued by all these wordes follow Genetlius Bishop said and if against our expectation it happen that they should be violated in anie point what doe you ordaine ought to be done It was said by all the Bishops Whosoeuer shall contradict his protestation or his signature shall make himselfe incapable of this Societie And of these three diuers clauses repeated in three seuerall canons and which haue noe relation one to an other he that gathered the collection intituled the sixth Councell of Carthage had made this centon as a continned Canon Aurelius the Bishop said what say your Holynesse to this All the Bishops answered that we ought to obserue the Canons of antiquitie as alsoe that without consulting with the Primate of euery Prouince manie Bishops assembled ought not to presume so easily to ordaine a Bishop vnlesse in case of necessitie three Bishops in what place soeuer they be with his commaundement ought to ordaine a
Bishop and if anie man happen in anie thing to contradict his profession or his signature he shall thereby make himself incapable of this Societie And to the end to fitt it to the tyme of the sixth Councell of Carthage either he or the Exemplifiers which haue come after him haue changed the name of Genetlius into that of Aurelius against the credit of the copies of the second Councell of Carthage which say Genetlius and of Fulgentius Ferrandus who citeth these Canons with the title of the Councell holden vnder Genetlius The seaueÌth reason but one that coÌprehendes vnder it a legioÌ of others is that almost all the canoÌs that are inserted into this collection are there inserted with precise notes of Canons coÌposed pronouÌced in the sixth Councell of Carthage neuerthelesse there is scarce one of them where there are not some clauses that cannot agree neither with the tyme nor with the persons nor yet with the discipline of the Fathers of the sixth coucell of Carthage As for example in the third canoÌ it is said when in the Councell past the continence of the clergie was treated of these three degrees were restrained by the consecrations as to one kind of conscription of Chastitie to witt Bishops Priests and deacons Now it hath alreadie bene shewed that these wordes cannot be of the sixth Councell of Carthage as well because they are word by word in the second Councell of Carthage which had bene celebrated thirtie yeare before with this same remitment to the past Councell as because in the Councell of Carthage holden vnder the twelfth consulship of Honorius which had immediately preceded the sixth councell of Carthage there had bene nothing ordained concerning the continence of the clergie And it cannot be said that by this phrase in the councell past they intended to speake of the Councell asseÌbled vnder the consulship of Vincentius Flauitas which had bene celebrated eighteen yeares before the sixth councell of Carthage For besides that this note of tyme in Concilio praeterito determinately taken to saie in the past councell hath reference to the councell last past and indeterminately taken to saie in a councell past it caÌnot haue bene vsed by the sixth councell of Carthage in the tyme whereof the decree of clergie contineÌce had bene published not in one but in manie and seuerall Councells as the twentie fifth canon of the same collection declares when it saith That hath pleased vs which hath also bene confirmed in seuerall Councells that the subdeacons which handle the Sacraments and the Deacons Priests and Bishops according to the former decrees shall abstaine euen from their wiues The word in Concilio praeterito cannot be expounded of the Councell holden vnder the Consulship of Uincentius and Flauitas for as much as the canon of the celibat published vnder the consulship of Uincentius and Flauitas is wholie reported in the same collection more then twentie chapters after In the fifth Canon the text sayth Faustinus Bishop of Potentia of the Prouince of Urbin Legat of the Roman Church saith It pleases that Bishops Priects and Deacons or those that handle the Sacraments keeping chastitie shall abstaine euen from their owne wiues Now this Canon is not a Canon by itselfe but the trayne of a former Canon that is to saie of the second canon of the second Councell of Carthage in the which the compiler of the collection or his exemplifiers in steede of these wordes It was said by all the Bishops it pleaseth all that the Bishops Priests and Deacons or those that handle the Sacraments keeping chastitie shall abstaine euen from their owne wiues hath put to fitt the decree to the tyme of the sixth Councell of Carthage Faustinus Bishop of Potentia of the Prouince of Vrbin Legat of the Roman Church saith It pleases that Bishops Priests deacons or those that shall handle the Sacraments keeping chastitie shall abstaine euen from their owne wiues A thing that can noe waie subsist For besides that if it had bene the Popes legat that had spoken this language he would neuer haue forgotten to mention the decrees of the celibate sent to the Bishops of Africa by Pope Syricius It is euident that this clause is not a Canon a parte but it is the approbation and conclusion of the proposition of the Canon and therefore alsoe in the second CouÌcell of Carthage it is ioyned in one and the same canoÌ with the preceding article And neuerthelesse the author of the collection intitled the sixth Councell of Carthage not onely hath thereof made two canons in chiefe but the better to distinguish and make manifest his impertineÌcie hath intituled theÌ with two differing titles and hath placed before the one of them this inscription Of continence chapter the third And before the other Of the diuers orders that ought to abstaine from their wiues chapter fourth And the Greeke Interpreter the very same In the ninth canon the text of the collection is Augustin Bishop Legat of the prouince of Numidia said Uouchsafe to ordaine that if anie in respest of their crimes be cast out of the Church and that anie Bishop or Priest receiue them into communion he may be held to be inuolued in the like crime as those that shunne the regular iudgement of their Bishop Now these are the wordes of the second Councell of Carthage where after Felix Bishop of Selemsela and Epigonius Bishop of Bulla Regia for it must be read Bullensium regiorum and not Bullensium regionum as it appeares both by the acts of the conference of Carthage which saie Bullensium regiorum and by the Geograficall tables of Ptolomy where there is a cittie of Africa called Bullaria which is a corrupt abridgement of the word Bulla regia had made the proposition of the article Genetlius Bishop of Carthage replied With good cause then doe our Bretheren and fellowe Bishops propound that those that in respect of their crimes are cast out of the Church if auoyding the regular iudgment of their Bishop they be receiued to the communion by anie Bishop or Priest he shall be held to be inuolued in the like crime Onely there is this difference that whereas the second Conncell of Carthage saith Genetlius Bishop saith the compiler or his exemplifers to accommodate the Canon to the time of the sixth Councell of Carthage haue sett Augustin Bishop Legat of the prouince of Numidia saith which is a metamophosis that cannot take place as well because Epigonius was dead as it hath bene aboue shewed a long tyme before the sixth Councell of Carthage as because saint AVGVSTIN would not haue said in the sixth Councell of Carthage Vouchsafe to ordaine of a thing alreadie ordained and in the same termes thirtie yeare before In the fourteenth canon the collection saith Item it hath pleased that from the prouince of Tripolis in regard of the
execute the iudgements of the Sea Apostolike Secular typhe for this is that which the marriage of these two words Typhe of the age signifies to witt the furious and violent manner with which the worldly and secular powers were accustomed to cause themselues to be obeyed as when the author of the life of Fulgentius saith That Fulgentius commaunded nothing with the Typhe of secular dominion And as when the Councell of Ephesus calls the vse that Iohn Patriarke of Antioche had made of the letters of Dionisius Gouernor of Syria to the Captaine of the Garrison and of the souldiers of Cyprus to hinder the Bishops of Cyprus from electing to themselues an Archbishop without the permission of the Patriarke of Antioch Secular Typhse and drawing from this particular case a generall lawe ordaines That noe Bishop vsurpe the Prouinces which haue not bene from all antiquitie vnder his predecessors c And vnder pretence of the execution of sacred thinges introduce not the Typhe of secular power And a little after And that all letters obtained to the contrarie may remaine disannulled and of no effect And finallie the third and last request but expressed in termes of Confidence and assurance is that the Pope will not suffer that Apiarius to whom by the first Iudgement it had bene permitted to remaine in Africa and exercise his Priesthood where he would prouided it were not at Sicca should remaine anie longer in Africa and that he would not cause him to be assisted with Secular authoritie to this effect Behold the words of the clause which containe also the end and conclusion of the Epistle which I haue translated from the Greeke text because the Greek edition of the Epistles as hath bene aboue shewed is more correct then the latine For as for the wretched Apiarius hauing alreadie bene condemned for his infamous crimes by our Brother Faustinus wee are no more in care for it as much as by the meanes of the approbation and moderation of your Holynesse for the preseruation of brotherly charitie Africa will no longer indure him Now vpon this what answere the Pope made them wee haue it not but that it is easie to be iudged by the successe that he satisfied them of the mistaking of the Councell of Nicea for that of Sardica and made it appeare to them that what they found not in the Councell of Nicea had bene ordained yea euen by their predecessors in the Councell of Sardica For the Appeales of the African Bishops to the Pope continued as before as it appeares both by the Rule that Pope LEO onely eight yeare later then CELESTINE made vpon the appeale that Lucifrinus a Bishop of Africa had cast into the Sea Apostolike and by the care that the Africans had afterward to insert into their Canon law the Canons of the Councell of Sardica vpon the matter of Appeales to the Pope For Fulgentius Ferandus deacoÌ of Carthage a little later then S. AVGVSTINE and tyme-fellow with S. FVLGENTIVS registers into the collection that he made of the Canons these decrees vnder the title of the fixth and sifth Canon of the Councell of Sardica That a condemned Bishop may appeale if he will to the sea Apostolike and that during the appeals an other cannot be ordained in his Chaire By meanes whereof this question brought no interruption to the possession wherein the Pope was of appeales euen in minor causes and by consequent much lesse in maior causes as those of Faith were for which Theodoret Bishop of Cyre a Cittie neere vpon Persia appealed in the same tyme to pope ãâã and was iudged and restored by him all the Generall CouÌcell of Chalcedon holden a while after the Councell of Carthage approuing and confirming it For I will not alleadge the Epistle of S. AVGVSTINE to Celestine which is in the supplie of S. AVGVSTINS Epistles imprinted by Plantine where the same S. AVGVSTINE pursues in the behalfe of Celestine the iudgment of the appeale made by Anthony Bishop of ãâã to Pope Boniface and represents to him to iustifie the sentence of the bishops of Africa who had left him his title and depriued him of this Bishops Sea That there had bene manie like ãâã in Africa eueÌ the Sea ãâã iudgeing it or confirming the iudgement of others as particularly of ãâã Uictor and Laurence Bishop of the Cesarian ãâã because it seemes that this Epistle was written before that of the Councell of Africa to Celestine It sufficeth that neither the possession of the appeales from Africa to Rome were interrupted by this question neither did the Bishops of Africa cease to remaine in the same Communion and reuerence of the Sea Apostolike as they were before as the words of S AVGVSTINE to Pope Boniface written in the current of the difference testifies Thou disdainest not thou which presumest not ãâã though thou presidest highlie to be a friend to the ãâã And these of Pope Celestine after the death of S. AVGVSTINE Wee haue alwaies had Augustine of holie ãâã in our coÌmunion which Prosper citeth to iustifie to the Bishops of the Gaules S. Augustins doctrine against the PelagiaÌs And these of Capreolus Archbishop of Carthage immediate successor to Aurelius vnder whom the sixth Councell of Carthage was holden writing to the fathers of the Councell of Ephesus ãâã praie you to resist ãâã with such constancie at the authoritie of the sea Apostolicke and the seuerltie of the Prelates assembled in ãâã seeme not to permitt that the doctrine of those that the Church hath long since ãâã ãâã come to be borne againe And these of Eugenius one of the other successors to the same Aurelius to the Lieutenant of Hunnericus Lord of Africa The Roman Church is the head of all the Churches And these of Fulgentius and of the Bishops of Africas the Roman Church which is the head of the world Of the Councell of Sardica CHAPT XI I Remember that I promised in the former chapter to handle in this the truth and authoritie of the Canons of the Councell of Sardica the time summons me now to performe my promise and with so much the more neede because the Popes aduersaries haue a while agoe caused a Greeke Code of CanoÌs to be imprinted which they haue intituled A Code of the ãâã of the Vniuersall Church from whence they haue ecclipsed and cutt off the Canons of the Councell of Sardica against the credit of all the Greeke Canonists Photius Zonara Balsamon Harmonopolus and against the Greeke impressions euen of Basle Wittenbourg and other Protestant Citties and in summe against the truth of all the Greeke codes as well printed as manuscript of all the westerne and Easterne libraries Then to compasse this designe with some method I will aduertise the readers that there past two things in the Councell of Nicea which gaue an occasion soone after for the holding of the Councell of Sardica the one was
desire of honoring of saint Peters memory from whence they inferr that the attributioÌ of the Episcopall appeales to the Pope is not by diuine Right but who sees not that eueÌ this is to ground it vpon diuine Right for tosaie that to honor the memory of S. PETER it was to purpose to yield Episcopall Appeales to the Pope what is it but to saie that the Pope was S. PETERS successor and that in this qualitie Appeales ought to be yielded to him as to him that had the succession of head of the church and by this succession was himfelse made head thereof And in truth what the Fathers of the councell of Sardica expresse in their Canon by these words That we may houor the memorie of Peter lett it be written to Julius the Bishop of Rome do they not expresse in their Epistle to the same Iulius by these It is verie good and fitt that from all the prouinces the Bishops haue reference to their head that is to saie to the sea of the Apostle Peter And doth it not from thence appeare that to honor in the persons of the Bishops of Rome the memory of Peter and to ackdowledge the sea of Peter in the persons of the Bishops of Rome for head of the Church is according to the Councell of Sardica one and the same thinge and by consequent that the right of Appeales which was implicitly contained in the title of Head of the Church had belonged to the Pope by diuine right from all antiquitie although the custome had bene first reduced into an expresse lawe but in the Councell of Sardica For who knowes not that all the prerogatiues that are implicitly contained in anie Title belong to him to whom the Title is giuen from the verie tyme it is giuen him though the lawes ãâã are made for the explicit declaration of anie of those prerogatiues ãâã later The third obiection is that saint HILARIE and saint EPIPHANIVS and the second Councell of Constautinople call the Councell of Sardica the Councell of those of the west From whence Zonara Hormenopolus and some other later Greekes and Schismaticks and the Protestants who ioyne with them conclude that the Councell of ãâã was not Generall To this obiection then we answere two thinges the one that the word of the west did then extend much farther then it doth now for by the word of the West the fathers intended not onely all the Prouinces of Africa of Italie of Spaine of the Gaules of England of Germanie of Hungaria of Dalmatia but also all the Prouinces of Greece as Achaia Peloponesus Macedonia the Isle of Creete and left nothing for the East but Thrace Egipt and Asia And the other that their calling the Councell of Sardica the Councell of the west is not to distinguish it from the Generall Councells as some late Greekes haue supposed but to distinguish it from the false Councell of Sardica which was called the Councell of those of the East For after the whole Councell composed of three hundred Cotholicke Bishops and of seauentie six Arrian Bishops was arriued at Sardica the seaueÌtie six Arrians seperated themselues from the Bodie of the Councell and retired them selues to Philopopolis a cittie neere Sardica where they kept an Anti-councell which was called the Councell of those of the East Not that all the Bishops of the East assisted there but for two other causes the one for as much as the principall Bishops of this mock-councell were Steuen Patriarke of Antioch and the other Bishops of his Patriarkship which was called the Patriarkship of the East And the other because of the two citties whereinto this Councell was diuided situate on the two sides of the mountaine of Thuscis which was the bound of the two Empires of the East of the west the cittie of Sardica wherein the catholicks remayned was situat in the westerne side of the mountaine and the cittie of Philopopolis into which the Arians retired themselues was situate on the Easterne side For so farr of were all the Bishops of the East from assisting at this Anti-synod as the Arrians themselues confest that held it that there were but eightie of them there and auowed that the Bishops of the Empire of the East which were present at the true Councell of Sardica were an immense number There came saie they to Sardica an immense number of wicked and lost Bishops flowing from Constantinople and from Alexandria whom Osius and Protogenes held assembled with them in their Conuenticle And yet euen to take the East particularly for the Patriarkship of Antioch many of the Bishops of the East though taken in this sence assisted not at the false Councell of Sardica Contrarywise all the Catholick Bishops as well of the Patriarkship of Antioch as of the neighbouring Prouinces as Diodorus Bishop of Asia minors Asterius Bishop of ãâã in Arabia Maximus Bishop of Hierusalem ãâã Bishop of Lydda Arius Bishop of Petra in Judea Theodosius Germanus Siluanus Paul Claudius Patrick Elpidus Germanus ãâã Zenobius Paule and Peter Bishop of Palestina assisted and subscribed with the body of the catholicke Bishops at the true Councell of Sardica By meanes whereof this distraction consisting in so small a number of Bishops and being made by the Arrians only could not hinder the true Councell of Sardica which represented all that were catholicke Bishops in the world from preseruing the title of Generall which had bene imposed vpon it at the calling it no more then the distraction of those of the East that is to saie the Bishops of the Patriarkship of Antioch which maintained Nestorius and held an Antisynod in his fauour at Ephesus hindred the true Councell of Ephesus from being perfectlie and absolutely generall and from taking this qualitie euen then when those of the East that is to saie the Bishops of the patriar kship of Antioch held their mockcouncell a part And therfore saint ATHANASIVS not only calls it the Great Councell of Sardica and Socrates and Iustinian a Generall Councell but also saint ATHANASIVS and after him Sulpitius ãâã Theodoret and Vigilius ancient Bishop of Trent affirme that it was composed from all the christian Prouinces of the Earth The holie Councell of Sardica saith saint ATHANASIUS assembled from more then thirtie fiue Prouinces knowing the malice of the Arrians receaued vs in our iustifiable acts And elsewhere explicating the list of the same Prouinces In the Great Councell of sardica called by the commaundement of the Religious Emperors Constantius and Constans There subscribed for vs more then three hundred Bishops of the Prouinces of Egipt of Libia of Pentapolis of Palestina of Isauria of Ciprus of Phamphilia of Licia of Galatia of Dacia of Misia of Thracia of Dardaniae of Micedonia of the ãâã of Thessalia of Achaya of Creete of Dalmatia of Siccia of Pannonia of Horica of Italie so they called the Prouostship
not be lawfull for a Bishop accused to appeale froÌ the Patriarkall Synod to theÌ Generall Councell or to the Pope who was the head thereof and represented it but that it should not be lawfull for the accuser after the Cause had bene adiuged in the first instance by the prouinciall Councell and in the second by the Patriarchall Coucel to pursue it elsewhere no not before a Generall Councell as appeares by the Conclusion of the Canon which is If anie one despising the thinges aforesaid shall dare to importune the eares of the Emperor or the iudgement of the secular magistrates or disunite the Generall Councell c let him be no more ãâã waie receaued in his accusation Otherwise how could saint CHRYSOSTOME being deposed a while after this Councell by a Councell holden at the instance of the Emperor and the Empresse in thè Suburbs of Constantinople haue appealed to a Generall Councell And how a little after seeing himself depriued of the Pope of a Generall Councell because of the obstacle that the Emperor of the East and the Empresse his wife without whom a Generall Councell could not be celebrated gaue to it could he haue appealed to the Pope And how could the Emporor Ualentinian haue said that Flauianus Bisho of Constantinople had appealed to the Pope according to the custome of Councells And how could the Councell of Chalcedon holden at the gates of Constantinople haue approued of the appeale of Theodoret Bishop of Cyre a cittie of the Patriarkship of Antioch to the Pope and the iudgment of restitution be giuen by the Pope vpon his Appeale To the third Instance which is that the Emperor Justin ordaines that clerkes should be first iudged by their Bishop and then by their metropolitans and then by the Patriarkes of the Nation and should obey the things decided by him as if from the beginning he had bene the iudge for as much as against the sentence of such Bishops the former Emperors had ordained that there should be noe appeale Wee answere that he speakes of the causes of inferior clerkes who in the first instance ought to be iudged by their Bishops in the second by the metropolitans and in the third by the Patriarke and not of the causes of Bishops And where as he saith that against the sentence of such Bishops the former Emperors haue ordained that there should be noe appeale wee say with Balsamon that the place is corrupted and thus it must bee reads against such sentence of Bishops to witt against the sentences of Bishop giuen in lay matters and it must bee interpreted of the appeale to the secular Tribunall as appeares by the same lawe of the Emperors Arcadius Honorius and Theodosius to which that of Justin remitts the Readers which ordaines that the sentences of Bishops should be as those of the Prouostes of the Pretory from whence it is not lawfull to appeale Wee ordaine said the Emperors writing to Theodorus Prouost of the Pretorie that the Episcopall sentence shall remaine firme in the behalse of those which haue desired to be iudged by the Bishops add that like reuerence be giuen to their iudgements as to yours from whence it is not lawfull to appeale And by the report that Photius made of the same law in these wordes The ninth constitution of the fourth title of the first booke of the code saith That the Sentences of Bishops should bee as those of the prouostes of the ãâã from whence it is not lawfull to appeale that is to saie that it is noe more lawfull to appeale from the sentences of Bishops to the imperiall Tribunall then from those of the Prouost of the Pretory for the Emperors might well ordaine that for things temporall there should be noe appeale from the Bishops to them but not that for things sperituall there should be noe appeale froÌ Bishops to the superior ecclesiasticall Tribunalls To the fourth instance which is that the Emperor Iustinian ordaines that if anie clerke or layman attempt an action against a Bishop for what cause soeuer the cause should be iudged before the metropolitan and that if any one contradict the things iudged the cause should be referred to the Blessed Archbishop and Patriarke of the diocesse and there according to the lawes and canons he must end it And a little before that if two Bishops of one selfe Sinod haue a contestatioÌ one against the other the Metropolitan with two of the Bishops of the Synod that is to saie of the Episcopall societies of the Prouinces shall iudge thereof and that if one of the parties contradict it the blessed Patriarke of the nation shall decide it without that either of the parties can contradict it Wee answere that he speakes of the causes of Bishops where there interuenes noe deposition the finall deposition of Bishops hauing bene aliwaies subiect to appeales be it to the Pope or to a Generall Councell as appeares by the historie of ãâã time-fellowe with Iustinian who saith that John Patriarke of Alexandria hauing bene deposed at the instance of the Emperor Zeno by the Synod of the Prouince appealed to the Pope And by saint ATHANASIVS who reports these words out of the Epistle of Pope Iulius They must write to all of vs that by all of vs that may be iudged which is iust For those that were disquieted were Bishops And againe Are you ignorant that it is the custome to write first to vs and that from hence should proceede the decision of things And therefore yf there were anie suspition conceaued against the bishop there it must haue bene written off to the Church here And besides wee saie thas whereas he ordaines that the Patriarke should end causes he incends he should end them in regard of secular indgements that is to saie that after the Patriarke no secular iudge should dare to examine it nor should anie of the partles contradict before anie Secular Iudge as when he saith in the former Paragraphe that if it be an Ecclesiasticall cause which is attempted against anie clearke the secular Iudges should not intermeddle in it but the Blessed Bishop must end it For he intends not heereby to saie that there can be noe appeale from the Bishop to superior ecclesiasticall Iudges but that there should be noe appeale from the Bishop to the Prince and the secular Magistrat And it is not to be said that the Pope saint GREGORIE the first cites the constitution of Iustinian whereof there hath bene aboue mention in the cause of the Bishop Steuen who seemed to be accused of a crime meriting deposition to witt of the crime of treason for besides that those that make this allegation forget to add to it the traine of saint GREGORIES text which is That if they saie contrariwise that there is noe Metropolitan nor Patriarke it must be answered that the cause ought to be iudged and decided by the Sea Apostolicke which is the head of all the Churches That
the validity or inualidity of the appeale and in case of validity to annull the first iudgement and restore by prouision the Appellant to his former Estate The other after he had annulled the first sentence to ordaine to proceede to a second iudgement and in case that the Pope would not take the paines to examin it himselfe then not to vexe parties to giue them iudges either sent from Rome or taken by commission from Rome out of those partes or in case of danger of schisme betwene the two Empires to decree that the cause should be iudged his legates being present in an oecumenicall councell Now did not Pope Leo doe this in the cause of Flauianus for first did he not declare the appeale to be lawfull abrogating and annulling the iudgement of Dioscorus and the false councell of Ephesus against Flauianus and setting things in the same estate they where before that is to saie restoring Flauianus euen after his title of Bishop of Constantinople and excommunicating all those that did not communicate to his memory and that without staying till the Councell of Chalcedon was holden And secondly did he not ordaine that to passe to a newe iudgement where all the proceedings of Dioscorus and of the false councell of Ephesus against Flauianus might againe be put to the triall and when Dioscorus if he persisted in his contumacy might be vsed according to his deserte the holding a generall councell should be procured that the matter might be iudged vnder the eye of the Legates with the knowledge and satisfaction of all the world for that the Pope and the Councell of Rome prayed the Emperor of the East to commaund that all things might be sett in the same state wherein they were before iudgement till a greater number of Bishops might be called together from all partes of the world was in regard of the temporall lawes for as much as a little while before the Emperor of the East a Prince that signed as shall appeare heereafter Dispatches without reading them and whose fauour Chrisaphius the Eutychian abused had made a lawe in his Empire by which he confirmed the false councell of Ephesus which he belieued to be oecumenicke and the deposition of Flauianus and ordained that all those that in the Easte should holde the doctrine of Flauianus that is to say doctrine contrary to Eutyches heresie should be either excluded or dispossessed from their Bishoprickes and their bookes publickly burnt and their adherents punisht with confiscation of goods and perpetuall banishment For these causes then the Pope and the councell of Rome prayed the Emperor of the East to reuoke this lawe and to commaund that all things in regard of temporall iurisdiction might be set in the same state as they were before but not that in regarde of spirituall and Ecclesiasticall authority the false councell of Ephesus was alreadie disannulled by the decree of the Councell of Rome and soe disannulled as Anatolius that had bene made Bishop of Constantinople in the false Councell of Ephesus was faine to renounce the Doctrine of Eutyches and of the same Councell of Ephesus and the communion of Dioscorus and to restore the memory of Flauiannus into the recordes of his Church and the rest of the East that would returne to the communion of the Pope were faine to doe the same and this before the Councell of Chalcedon Anatolius saith the Emperesse Pulcheria writing to Pope Leo longe before the Councell of Chalcedon hath embraced the Apostolicke confession of your letters reiecting the error that was lately aduanced by some as your Holynesse may see by his answere And Pope LEO himselfe in the first Epistle to Anatholius Bishop of Constantinople written six monthes before the Councell of Chalcedon Your charitie must said he obserue in regard of silencing the names of Dioscorus Iuuenall and ââââathius at the holie altar that which our Legates in those places tould you ought to be done and which shall not be repugnant to the honorable memorie of saint Flauianus And in the second Epistle to the same Anatolius written fower monthes before the Councell of Chalcedon Remember said he to keepe this rule that all those that in the Synod of Ephesus which neither could obtaine nor deserue the name of a Synod and wherein Dioscorus shewed his corrupted will and Iuuânall his ignorance c are grieued for hauing bene ouercome with feare and for suffering themselues to be forced to consent to that most abhominable iudgement and desire to be receiued to the Catholique communion let brotherly peace be restored to them after competent satisfaction prouided that they condemne and anathematize by an vndoubted able Eutiches with his doctrine and his Sect. But as for those that haue more grieuously offended in this case c. he meanes Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria and Juuenall Bishop of Jerusalem and their complices if they perchance come to an acknowledgment and abandonning their owne defence conuert themselues to condemne theire owne error and that their satisfaction shal be such as it shall not seeme fitt to be reiected let that be reserued to the more mature deliberation of the ãâã Apostolicke And indeed that it was not by vertue of any appeale of Flauianus to the Councell that the Councell of Chalcedon which likewise had neuer bene held but for the Pope iudged of Flauianus cause but in vertue of Flauianus appeale to the Pope and the Popes commission to the councell for the compleate reuiew of the cause three things shewe it First the Canon vpon which Pope Leo grounded his procuring a Councell after an appeale was a Canon of the Councell of Sardica concerning appeales to the Pope The decrees said he writing to the Emperor Theodosius of the canons made at Nicea which haue bene decreed by the Prolates of the vniuersall world and whose copies are heereunto annexed witnesse that after the putting in of an appeale the seeking a Synod is necessarie For the Canon annexed to that letter in the greeke actes of the Councell of Chalcedon is a Canon of the Councell of Sardica though incorrectly transcribed by those that copied it which Canon Pope Leo calls a Canon of the CouÌcell of Nicea for asmuch as the Councell of Sardica had bene as a Seale and an Appendix to the Councell of Nicea The second that when the Popes legates in the Councell of Chalcedon pronounced their iudgement vpon the punishement that Dioscorus should incurr they pronounced it in these wordes And therefore the most holy and blessed Archbishop of the great and ancient Rome Leo hath by vs and by this present synod together with the thrice blessed and worthie of all praise the Apostle Peter who is the rocke and pillar of the Catholicke Church and the foundation of the right faith deposed Dioscorus from all dignitie as well Episcopall as Sacerdotall And the third that when the Emperors confirmed in the secular tribunall the same Councell of Chalcedon to make