imprinted this title of prowd nomination Calling me Uniuersall Pope which I praie your most deare holynesse noe more to doe And a little after And certainely your holynesse knowes that this title was offered in the Councell of Chalcedon and since againe by the Fathers followinge to my Predecessors but none of them would euer vse this word because in preseruing in this world the honor of all Bishops they might maiutaine their owne toward God Almightie To this then to make an end wee answere that the word Oecumenicall or vniuersall hath two meaninges the one proper litterall and grammaticall whereby it signifies onelie Bishop And the other transferred and metaphoricall wherby it signifies superintendment ouer all Bishops And saint GREGORIE censered this title in the first sence forasmuch as it would haue ensued from the vse of this word grammaticallie taken and measured by the letter that there had bene but one Bishop onely be it in all the Empire or be it in the particular Empire of Constantinople and that all the rest had bene but his commissioners and deputies and not true Bishops in title and true offices of Christ. If there be one that is vniuersall Bishop saith saint GREGORIE all the rest are noe more Bishops Now saint GREGORIE maintained that all Bishops were true titularie Bishops and true ministers and officers of Christ although concerning iurisdiction they were subordinate one to an other as the inferior iudges of a Kingdom although concerning iurisdiction they be subalterne to the superior Iudges and that there be appeales from the one to the other yet are they not their commissioners or their deputies but are also themselues Iudges in title and ministers and officers to the Prince And therefore he opposed this title as a title full of sacriledge and arrogancie by which he that vsurpes it putts himself into the place of God makeing of Gods officers and euen in that by which they are Gods officers and exalting himfelfe for that which is of the Episcopoll order aboue his Bretheren that is to saie denying to his Bretheren the Essence and the proprietie of Bishops and holding them but for commissioners and substitutes in the Bishops Sea and not for true Bishops in title and true ministers and officers of Christ And in briefe reputing himselfe not as Seruant constituted ouer his fellowe seruants whereof the Ghospell speakes but as the Master and Lord of his fellowe seruants And it is not to be said that the Bishop of Constantinople pretēded not to the title of vniuersal Bishop in this first sence for when a title hath two sences whereof the one is euill and pernicious it is easie for him that is in possession of such a title to transferr it abusiuelie from one sence to the other And therefore saint GREGORIE reiected absolutelie the vse of the word Vniuersall for feare least vnder pretence of an acception in processe of time it might be captiouslie drawne to the other And for this cause he withstood it not according to the metaphoricall sence which was giuen it but according to the naturall and originall sence which it had For that it was in this sence that saint GREGORIE cried out That he that intituled himselfe Uniuersall Bishop exalted himselfe licke Lucifer aboue his Bretheren and was a fore-runner of Antichrist to wittin as much as the word Uniuersall Bishop tooke from others the qualitie of Bishops and the title of officers of Christ And not to deny in case of iurisdiction the prelature and superioritie of one Bishop ouer others he shewes it sufficiently when hee writes For as much as it is notorious that the Sea Apostolicke by Gods institution is preferred before all other Churches so much amongst manie cares we are most diligent in that which we must haue when for the consecration of a Bishop they attend our will And when he alleadges to distinguish betweene these words Principalitie and Vniuersalitie the example of S. PETER who was indeede Prince of the Apostles and head of the vniuersall Church and notwitstanding was not vniuersall Apostle The care of the Church said hee hath bene committed to the holie Apostle and Prince of all the Apostles Peter the care and principalitie of the vniuersall Church hath bene committed to him and yet he is not called vniuersall Apostle And when he adds that none of the Saints vnder the lawe was euer called vniuersall The Saints before the lawe said hee the Saints vnder the lawe and the Saints vnder grace compounding one Bodie of Christ haue all bene constituted amongst the members of the Church and none would euer be called Vniuersall Certaine proofes that by the vniuersalitie that S. GREGORIE opposed he intended not to exclude the principality and superintendence of one Bishop ouer others not to depriue himselfe of the qualitie of head of the Church noe more then in denying that saint PETER was vniuersall Apostle he denied him to be head of the Apostles that the principalitie superintendēcie of the vniuersall Church was committed to him he that contrarywise came from saying The principalitie of the vniuersall Church is committed to Peter nor in denying that any vnder the lawe was called vniuersall hee meanes not to denie that the highest Priest of the lawe was head of the Iewish Church had the superintendencie ouer all the other Priests Leuites And therefore what pretence is left to the Ministers of the excellent King to abuse this passage to calumniate the Sea Apostolicke They saie S. GREGORIE cries out That a Bishop that intitles himselfe Vniuersall Bishop exalts himself like Lucifer aboue his bretheren and is a forerunner of Antichrist it is true but besides this is so too that S. ATHANASIVS cries yet with a stronger voice That an Emperor that makes himself Prince of Bishops and presides in iudgments Ecclesiasticall is the abhomination foretolde by Daniel Who knowes not that there is great difference betweene Forerunner and Predecessor And that Antichrist should not sit in the Seate of his Forerunners for fo are all hereticks and schismaticks noe more then our Lord sate in the Seate of S. IOHN who was yet his Forerunner but not his Predecessor otherwise Antichrist must sit in the Episcopall Seate of Constantinople for it was the Bishop of Constantinople that S. GREGORIE pretended by this clause to qualifie the Forerunner of Antichrist And then what blindnes is it to strike vpon the refusall that S GREGORIE made of the title of Vniuersall and not to see that the same S. GREGORIE protests that by the refusall of this word hee intends not to refuse the qualitie of head of the Church nor superintendencie iurisdiction ouer all the other Bishops Archbishops and Patriarks for what age of S. GREGORYS epistles is not full of testimonies that the Roman Church is the head of all the Churches Heauen in her bosome not so manie Starrs embow'rs The Sea so manie sailes th' Earth so manie Flow'rs He writt
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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 because the Emperor and Empresse of the East against whose wills it could not be celebrated had declared themselues his 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 of Sardica vpon the matter of Appeales which is that that 〈◊〉 and Zozomene teache vs Pope INNOCENT followed in this case did it not cast two things vpon the Pope after the interiected 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 hauing condemned Iohn of Constantinople euen the sea Apostolicke alone 〈◊〉 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 〈◊〉 Patriarke of Constantinople and printed in Greeke in England with the greek wordes of saint CHRISOSTOME and followed by Cedrenus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Harmenopolus And other Greekes write
and roote of this vnitie and by relation and adherence whereto all the colledge of the Apostles and all the Bodie of the Church might be manitained in vnitie For the thinges which are plurall by themselues and are not one with locall vnitie cannot without loosing their vndiuided pluralitie be reduced to a visible vnitie vnlesse by relation to some thing which by it self may be visiblie one And secondlie to maintaine this vnitie it is necessarie further beside the internall authoritie essentiall to the Apostleship there should be an other externall authoritie and accessory to the Apostleship which might haue the superintendencie ouer the care of the preseruation of vnitie to cause the Apostles to exercise their Apostleship in vnitie And as the office of the cause is to rule his effect he that should be the beginning and originall of this vnitie should likewise haue the superintendencie ouer the rest for what concernes the preseruation of vnitie and by consequence that to him should belonge the supereminent iurisdiction ouer things necessarie to the maintenance of vnitie that is to saie ouer things necessarie to preuent schisme and hinder the disorder and confusion of the exercise of the ministrie as are the distinction and distribution either mediat or immediate ofiurisdiction the suspension limitation of the exercise of the ministrie and other such like Not that the Apostles for their maintenance in vnitie had neede that the effect of this Authoritie should be practised so euidently ouer them as ouer their sucessors because of the assistance that they had euery one in particular of the Spirit of God but to the end to propound to the Church a forme and a modell of the order that she should keepe after their decease 〈◊〉 as although there were noe neede of a Councell in the time of the Apostles to decide questions of Religion whereof euerie particular Apostle might be informed with all fullnes and certaintie neuerthelesse the holie Ghost would that they should vse this forme in the matter of legall things to leaue it for a patterne to the Church of the succeeding ages in like occurrences It was then the internall authoritie and essentiall to the Apostleship which consisted in the power of reuealing matters of faith with assurance of infallibilitie to make canonicall writings to institute the first mission of pastors remitt sinns to giue the holy Ghost and other the like that saint CYPRIAN spake of when he said that all the Apostles were indued with equall authoritie and not of the externall authoritie and accidentall to the Apostleship which was instituted to cause it to bee exercised in vnitie THIS appeares first because he touches before and after the originall of vnitie The Lord saith he buildes the Church vpon him being one and commaunds him to feede his sheepe And although he conferr like power after his Resurrection vnto all his Apostles and said to them As my Father sent me so send I you c yet to manifest vnitie he constitutes the Chaire one and disposeth by his authoritie that the originall thereof shall take beginning from one That certainly that Peter was the other Apostles were also indued with a like share of authoritie and power but the originall takes his beginning from one that the Church the Chaire may appeare to be one And a little after according to the antient manuscripts and the citations of Iuon and Gratian He that abandons the Chaire of Peter vpon which the Church is built can he bee confident of being in the Church And elsewhere Peter vpon whom one God hath built the Church and from whom he hath instituted the originall of vnitie This appeares secondly because he calls the Roman Church the Chaire of Peter and the principall Church from whēce Sacerdotall vnitie proceedes This appeares thirdly because saint HIEROME after he had repeated the same sentence of S. CYPRIAN in these words Thou wilt tell me that the Church is built vpon Peter though the like be done in an other place vpon others and that the fortitude of the Church doe leane equallie vpon all Adds but amongst twelue one is chosen to the end that a head being appointed the occasion of Schisme might bee taken awaie To teach vs that in all other things the Apostles were equall to saint PETER except in those that had regard to the preuention of Schisme and the preseruation of vnitie for the consideration whereof he had bene constituted head of the Apostles And finallie because Optatus Mileuitanus countryman to the one to witt saint CYPRIAN and timefellowe to the other to witt saint HIEROME cries out Thou canst not denie but that at Rome the Episcopall Chaire hath bene placed by the Apostle Peter c. in which the vnitie was obserued by all to the end that all the Apostles should not attribute to themselues to each one his Chaire but that he should be a sinner and Schismaticke who against the onelie Chaire should erect an other And a little after from whence is it then that you would vsurpe to yourselues the keyes of the Kingdome you that by your presumptions and audacious sacriledges combat against the Chaire of Peter To the eleuenth obiection which is that Eusebius ill translated by Russinus reportes from Clemens Alexandrinus that Peter James and Iohn established Iames brother to our Lord Bishop of the Apostles Wee answere that it is from a faultie Grammar a faultie-diuinitie For the greeke text saith of Hierusalem and not of the Apostles Peter saith he James and John contested not for glorie or opinion for greeke word signifies either but vnanimouslie constituted Iames brother of our Lord Bishop of Hierusalem that is to saie James and John did noe more stand vpon it to dispute for honor with S. PETER as they had formely done but vnited themselues with him to consecrate Iames Bishop of Ierusalem whereto the words of CHRISOSTOME agree about the iealousie that James and John formerly had of the Primacie of S. PETER Harken said hee how this same Iohn that latelie demaunded these thinges afterward wholie yeelds the primacie to Peter TO the twelfth obiection which is that S. CHRYSOSTOME vpō the proposition made by S. PETER in the first of the Acts to substitute an other Apostle in steede of Iudas writes See the modestie of James he had bene made the greeke saith he hath bene made Bishop of Hierusalem yet he saith not a word vpon this occasion Consider also the singular modestie of the other disciples how they yeelded the Throne to him and debated not more among themselues Wee answere that this obiection is Andabates fence For this concession of a Throne hath reference not to S. IAMES but to S. PETER who whilst he spake S. JAMES was soe modest as although he were so excellent that he was after made Bishop of Hierusalem he opened not his mouth and the other Apostles as James and Iohn Sōns of Zebedeus which had formerly bene iealous of S.
Pastors but only in regard of internall and finall correspondencie to these externall conditions that is to saie in regarde of the conformitie of manners with the vocation and of the perseuerance in his conformitie of manners They are saith Saint Au so in the howse by the Communion of the Sacraments as they are out of it by the diuersitie of manners And Fulgent after him The good ought not to be seperated from the wicked in the Catholicke Church but by the dissimilitude of manners From whence it followes that when there is question of representing the perpetuitie of the Church for matter of Religion that is for matter of doctrine and Sacramente and of the Communion of Pastors it is an vnprofitable refuge to haue recourse to this distinction of 〈◊〉 and of people knowne in the eyes of God and in the eyes of men and of 〈◊〉 which are in the howse and are not of the howse since this distinction puts noe barre betweene the one and the other people for what concernes Religion but only for what concernes manners For although the list of the chosen is vnknowne to vs in respect of the secret 〈◊〉 and the certainty of election neuerthelesse for what concernes protestation of faith participation of Sacraments and adherence to lawfull Pastors it is alwaies visible if not distinctly yet at least ioyntly with the rest of the called with which in these three cases it constitutes alwaies one and the same Church it not being possible for the elect to be installed in the temporall effect of thiere election and in the estate of saluation vnlesse they make profession to communicate and to be 〈◊〉 vnited in all these things with the visible bodie of the Chnrch. For our Lord cryes out He that shall confesse me before men I will confesse him before God my father And Saint Paul Were beleeue in our hartes to iustice but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with our mouthes to Saluation And Saint August We cannot be saued vnlesse labouring also for the Saluation of others we protest with our mouthes the same faith we beare in oure harts by which meanes so farr is it of that the Church should be lesse visible in regard of Religion in the persons of the predestinate then in the persons of others as contrary wise 〈◊〉 it could be either by error or by infirmitie and feare of persecutiō that the externall and visible profession of the true faith the Syncere administration of the Sacramentes and the adherence to lawfull pastors should faile in the person of all others it would be conserued in those of the predestinat following Saint Pauls maxime There must be heresies that the approued may be made manifest And this testimonie of Saint AVGTSTIN The Church is sometimes obscured and as it were dimmed by the multitude of scandall that is to saie of persecutions but yet euen then she is eminent in her stedfast Champions Onely there is this difference that as the vocation which is the condition that settes men in the Church may be possessed in two sortes the one worthily when it is answered by conformitie of manners and inward deuotion from whence it is that Saint Paul praies for the Thessalonians that God would make them worthie of his holy wocation that is to saie make them answere and perseuer to answere by theire inward disposition the externall vocation wherewith he hath honored them The other vnworthily which is when it is not answered by conformitie of manners and life so there are two waies of being in the Church the one worthie and meritorious when theire manners answere theire vocation and the other vnworthie and without merit when they correspond not Which hath giuen ground to the schoole distintion of being in the Church in mumber and not in merit and therefore in the place where Saint AVGVSTIN introduceth more expressely the distinction of those that are in the howse but are not of the howse nor are the howse which is in the 7. booke of Baptisme against the Donatistes euen there to take awaie all occasion of suspicion that this house could be inuisible he addes the keyes and the power of binding and loosing are giuen to her that is the proprietie and practise of the ministrie and that all are commaunded to heare her and consequently to holde her visible vpon paine of beinge reputed heathens and publicans This howse said he hath receiued the keyes and the power to binde and loose and from thence when she censures or correctes if anie one despise her it is said that he should be to thee as a heathen or a publican And in the booke of the vnitie of the Church where he repeates in euery period the same distinction The Church saith he is not hidden because she is not vnder the bushell but vpon the candlesticke that she may giue light to all that are in the howse and of her it was said the Cittie sett on the Montaine cannot be hidd And in the booke of the waie to Cathecise We must said he instrust and incourage the infirmitie of man against temptations and scandall whether without or within the Church itselfe without against Gentiles or Iewes or heretickes and within against the chaffe of the barne of the Lord. And againe Let not the enemie seduce thee not onely by those that are out of the Church be they pagans Iewes or heretickes but also by those that thou shalt see in the Church euill liuers And in the Comentarie vpon the Epistle of Saint Iohn How can I call those other then blinde that see not so great a Mountaine and shutt theire eyes against the lampe sett vpon the Candlestick And not only in those places but in all his other workes he declares that the Church is perpetually visible yea he pronounces that it is an hereticall position or rather the common foundation of all heretickes to suppose that she is inuisible The Church of the Saints saith he is the Catholicke Church the Church of the Saintes is not the Church of heretickes the Church of the Saintes is that which God hath predesigned before she was seene and exhibited that she might be seene And in an other place It is a common condition of all heretickes not to see the thing in the world that is most cleere contituted in the light of all nations out of the vnitie whereof all that they doe can noe more warrant them from the wrath of God then the Spiders webb from the extremitie of colde And againe She hath this most certaine mark that she cannot be hid she is then knowne to all nations the sect of Donatus is vnknowne to manie nations then that cannot be she The third solution is that besides euen the vse of the finall definition of the Church is a forced vse and where with Saint AVG. was constrayned in the beginning to serue his turne to withstād the fraude of the Donatists but afterward he so
light more splendid then the Sunn whose rayes From the ethereall desert first doe springe And that the rest of the seede of the woman were those of whom our Lord said shewing his disciples See heere my mother and my bretheren For though Saint Iohn make mention of the paines of childbirth neuerthelesse those wordes may be vnderstood to be spoken accordinge to the ordinarie custome of the childbirth of wemen as it is written that the daies of the purification of the childbirth of the virgin were accomplished and that she presented our Lord in the temple to obserue the lawe that commaunded that euery male that opens the wombe shall be holy to the Lord. Now if the mention of the paines of childbirth keepe vs from expoundinge this passage of the virgin and obligeth vs to transferr it to the Church what shall hinder vs from interpretinge still the wildernesse to be heauen and from sayinge that the wildernesse whither the woman fled was heauen into which the first of the faithfull persecuted and martyred fled euery day by theire death and the Church in theire persons from before the face of the serpent and were deliuered from his Snares persecutions and temptations followeinge this exclamation of Saint IOHN Blessed are those that dye for the cause for the Lord for they shall rest from thence forward from theire labors Or if wee will not by the word Wildernesse vnderstand heauen who shall hinder vs frō sayinge that this woman was the Church who haueinge bene once amongst the Iewes after she had brought forth Christ by the preachinge of the Ghospell was persecuted by the Iewes that is to saie the people of the Gentiles which is often vnderstood by the wildernesse from whence it is that S. AVG. interpretinge these wordes of the Psalmist Whē I passed through the wildernesse the earth trēbled writes the wildernesse were the natiōs that 〈◊〉 ignorant of God the wildernesse was there where there was noe lawe giuen from God where noe Prophetes had dwelt which had foretolde that the Lord should come And who can hinder vs from Supposeinge that the relicks of the seede of the woman were the Iewes who were conuerred to the Christian Religion and whose generall reunion with the Church shall be made before the end of the world or who can forbidd vs to interpret this wildernesse to be the exclusion from ciuill and politicke charges from which the Church was soe banished vnder the pagan Emperors that the Christians were not admitted to anie parte of the administration of the Common wealth For our aduersaries will not haue that the number of three yeares and a halfe to which this flight is limitted should be taken accordinge to the ordinary and literall accompt Or finally if it permitted to the last commers to hope to finde the diuination of the passages of the Reuelation in theire coniectures as the cupp of prophecie in Beniamins Sacke Who shall hinder vs from applyinge this allegory to the Conuersion of the Countries newly discouered and to in terpret the wildernesse to be the Indias and the other hemispheare which had bene soe longe tyme left waste and desert from the knowledge of the true God and from saying that the two wings are the two nauigation of the East and west by which the Church that the diuell vnder the ensignes of Mahomet striues to driue from our hemispheare is gone to visite those regions conformable to the stile of the Grecians which call the sailes of shipps wings and say winge a shippe in steede of settinge to the sailes and who shall hinder vs from interpretinge the Eagle from whence these two winges preceede to be the westerne part of the Roman Empire whereof these two nauigations are partes and from expoundinge the relickes of the woman to be the Catholickes that remaine vnder the tiranny of Mahomet For to expound the woman to be the secret mumber of the predestinate and the wildernesse to be inuisibilitie and obscurity how can it agree with that that our Lord Cryes If they tell you heere is Christ beholde him in the desart goe not forth beholde him in the secret places belieue them not And S. AVGVSTINE after him It is not an obscure question and wherein they can deceiue you of whom our Lord foretolde that they should come and saie see heere is Christ beholde he is there see heere hee is in the wildernesse that is out of the frequency of the multitude And a while after that is then the Church that is not in anie one parte of the earth but which is well knowne ouer all And how can it be that the woman beinge retired into the wildernesse that is to saie the Societie of the predestinate beinge shadowed hidden and obscured from before the face of the Dragon shall quit the pursuite of the woman to goe make warr with the relickes of the seede of the woman for if the woman be inuisible how can the relickes of the woman be visible And if from that that is said that the woman flied into the desert it be permitted to conclude that the Church shall be inuisible wherefore shall we not by the same reason conclude that the Babylon of the Reuelation shall be inuisible seeinge Saint IOHN writes And he carried me in the spirit into the desert and I saw the woman sitt vpon the beast And this wee saie not that we pretend to warrant this interpretation more then the rest but to shew how weake foundation such allegoricall allegations are to builde a reuolt and an alteration of Religion vpon and to ouerthrowe soe manie euident and literall promises of perpetuall beinge visibilitie eminencie and purity as God hath made to his Church Of the consequence of the places alleadged by the fathers for the aucthoritie of the Catholicke Church CHAPT XVI The continuance of the Kinges answere NOw to come neerer the point the kinge denies that this exact collection of places out of Saint AVGVSTINE doth in anie sorte touch him THE REPLIE IN truth if the most excellent Kinge can proue that the Church to which he adheares hath bene perpetually visible and eminent aboue all other Christian Societies as Saint AVGVSTINE puts this condition for one of the necessary markes of the Church when he saith she hath this most certaine marke that she cannot be hidden she is then knowne to all nations the sect of Donatus is vnknowne to manie nation then that cannot be she And if he can shew that she hath bene not onely perpetuallie visible and eminent but also perpetuallie pure from all contagion of Schisme and heresie as Saint AVGVSTINE protestes that to be of the essence of the Catholicke Church when he writes noe hereticke belonges to the Catholicke Church because she loues God nor noe Schismaticke because she loues her neighbour And againe The Church of the Saintes is the Catholicke Church the Church of the Saintes is not the Church of the hereticke she was
condemned the orthodoxall doctrine and had excommunicated and not onely excommunicated but put to death Flauianus Archbishop of Cōstantinople who maintayned the true faith Neuerthelesse these things were not set amongst the principall causes of his deposition but the presumption that he had committed in vndertaking He and his false Councell to excommunicate the Pope and the contempt that he had added to it in not comeing to yeild reason for this presumption to the Councell of 〈◊〉 Dioscorus saith Anatolius Arch-bishop of Constantinople speaking to the Councell of Chalcedon hath not bene deposed for the faith but because he had excommunicated my Lord the Arch-bishop Leo and that hauing bene thrice cited he would not appeare And the Councell of Chalcedon in the epistle to Pope Leo saith After all these things he hath extended his 〈◊〉 euen against him to whom the guarde of the Vine is committed by your Sauiour that is to saie against thy Holynesse and hath mediated an excommunication against him that striues to vnite the bodie of the Church or according to the other 〈◊〉 against thee who makest haste to vnite the bodie of the Church that is to saie against thee that holdest the bodie of the Church in vnitie For with the Greeks it is a common phrase to saie to haste themselues to doe some thing in steede of saying to doe some thinge As when the Emperor IVSTINIAN writt to Pope Iohn surnamed Mercury We haue made haste to submitt and 〈◊〉 all the Prelates of the east countries to your Sea insteede of saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all the Prelates of the East to your Sea And as when the Councell of 〈◊〉 said Anthymus made haste to cast vs into a worse tempest insteede of saying Anthymus hath cast vs into a worse tempest CARD PERRONS REPLIE TO THE KING OF GREAT BRITANIE THE SECOND BOOKE CHAP. I. Of Councells The continuance of the Kinges answere TO this were added alwaies and as often as they were needefull Councells truly Oecumenicall and not as vve see they haue bene often since Oecumenicall by name but indeede assembled onely out of some prouinces of Europe THE REPLIE AND euen this also very often when there was noe neede of thē as the Councell of Arimini compounded of more then 400. Bishops the second Councell of Ephefus called from all the Regions of the world but assembled by hereticall Emperors or gouerned by the abettors of heretickes and from the vnlawfull celebration whereof the one held without the Popes authority and the other against it the successe teacheth vs that as much as Councells are profitable whē the temporall authority seconds the Ecclesiasticall as much are they pernicious when temporall authority vndertakes to performe the office of Ecclesiasticall authority Iointlie that as in human bodies the multitude of medicines is not a signe of health soe in the Ecclesiasticall bodie the multitude of Councells is not a signe of well being witnesse the complaintes of S. Gregorie Nazianz. vpon the multitude of Councells holden after that of Nicea of which he saith that he neuer sawe good come of them that is to witt as much because when the hereticall Emperors medled with the affaires of the Church the ambition to please them which was crept in among the Bishops thwarted the iudgments of the Synod as because the holding subsequent Councells vpon the same matter of those preceding them was to wound and to weaken the authority of the preceding Councells And then howe could the celebration of Councells haue bene a meanes to make men assured of the communion of the true Church if generall Coūcells lawfully assembled that is according to the externall solemne and vsuall waies might erre in faith as the Protestants pretend and had not the infallible assistance of the holy Ghost but that a particular man esteeming his opinion agreeable to the sense of Scripture and that of the Councell differing from it might yea ought to preferr his iudgement before that of the Councell For whereas his Maiestie saith that the Councells holden in the last ages haue bene Oecumenicall in name but in effect assembled onely from some prouinces of Europe he may obserue if he please that there are two sortes of Oecumenicall Councells the one Oecumenicall indeede the other Oecumenicall in right I call those Councells Oecumenicall in deede which haue bene assembled from all partes wherein the succession of the Episcopall character is preserued whether those parts haue remayned within the Body of the Church or whether they haue bene cutt of from it I call those Councells Oecumenicall in right which are compounded onely of those partes which haue remayned within the body and Societie of the Church and to whom onely as such belongs the right to iudge in matters of Faith as the Councell of Sardica at the which there assisted not the Bishops of the Patriarkeshipp of Antioch because they were Arrians And the second Councell of Nicea at which the Cophtes that is the naturall Egiptians and Ethiopians assisted not because they were Eutychians Now both these kindes of Councells are of equall authority as concerning certainty in decisions of Religion for all the bodie of the true Church being there representatively both in the one and the other the assistance of the holy Ghost is there equally infallible But in regarde of euidence the authoritie of Oecumenicall Councells in deede is more powerfull and eminent in the behalfe of those men which are deuided from the Church then that of Oecumenicall Councells in right For in Councells Oecumenicall in right there are none but Catholicks that are assured that all the body of the Church is there assembled whereas in Councells Oecumenicall in deede each of the parties cōtesting is of agreemēt that all the Body of the Church is there represented And the medley of hereticall or Schismaticall Bishops that is prouided with the onely succession of the Episcopall character but cut of from the communion of the Bodie of the Church hinders not but that in such councells the holy Ghost may worke by the common note of the Assemblie because the true Church receiuing those Bishops there for the effect then present into her charitie and into her communion while they are ioyned with her to the end to seeke meanes to assemblish vnitie she re-enables and restores to them for the tyme of the assemblie the authoritie of the exercise and of the Iurisdiction of their order whereof before there remayned to them nothing but the character To say then that some of the Councells of the latter age haue not bene Oecumenicall because the Greekes or Ethiopians did not assist there is not a valuable exception vnlesse it first appeare that the Greekes or Ethiopians are true and lawfull partes of the Church and haue not bene iustly cutt off and deuided from the Catholicke communion For it sufficeth to make a Coūcell generall and vniuersall in right that all the partes that remaine actuall within the Body
oppressed inclosed as the most part of the faithfull were constrained to hide themselues in caues and places vnder ground to auoid the persecutions tyrannies of the infidells Iointlie that wee say not that S. PETER remained alwaies fixed and tied to Rome while he was Bishop thereof but that he went from tyme to tyme planting the Ghospell in the lesser citties and placing Bishops ouer them and that during these voyages he administred the Roman Church by the ministrie of Linus and Cletus whom he had there establisheth for his Coadiutors which is the cause for which if wee belieue Russinus they are sometimes reckoned in the order of the Bishops of Rome before S. CLEMENT and sometymes after him And whereas the Iewes prayed S. PAVL when he came to Rome to informe them of the sect of the Christians which they obiect to vs they would not haue done if saint PETER had already bene Bishop there Wee answere that they prayed S. PAVL to informe them not of the sect of the Christiās but of the opiniō that he whom they reputed to be greatly versed in the Iewish doctrine had of them Otherwise how could S. PAVL say in his epistle to the Romans aboue fower yeare before his arriuall at Rome your faith is declared through the whole world To the sixt obiection which is that S. LVKE who hath written the historie of the Apostles speaketh not of the voyage of S. PETER to Rome we answere S. LVKE purposed to write particularlie the actes of saint PAVL his master and not these of the other Apostles For except that which past betweene the death of our Lord and the conuersion of saint PAVL where he treates the historie of the Apostles in cōmon to make it serue for a foundation to the particular relation of the actes of S. PAVL and except the discourse of the conuersion of Cornelius which hee adds there for as much as this conuersion was the ouerture of the Ghospell to the Gentiles for whose vocatiō S. PAVL had bene called S. LVKE doth not after that to the end of his booke make mention of anie other Apostle vnlesse in as much as hee was in the place where S. PAVL was and yet he omitts the voyage of S PAVL to Ierusalem to visit S. PETER S. PETER S. PAVLES meeting at Antioch and the right hand of association giuen by S. PETER S. IAMES S. IOHN to S. PAVL the voyage of the same S PAVL into Galatia which caused Beza to saie Luke hath omitted manie thinges and principallie S. PAVLES voyage to the Galathians And therefore so farr is S. IEROM from making vse of S. LVKES silence to weaken the credit of S. PETERS staie at Rome as contrariwise he argues the staie of S. PETER at Antioch and at Rome to shew how S. LVKE hath passed manie thinges vnder silence and takes this foundation for a certaine and vndoubted principle of historie Finallie saith S. IEROM we haue learnt that Peter was the first Bishop of the Church of Antioch and that from thence be was transferred to Tome which Luke hath vtterly omitted To the seauenth obiection which is that S. PAVL speakes of the enterview betweene S. PETER and himselfe both at Ierusalem and Antioch but speaks of no meeting betweene S. PETER and him at Rome which was the famousest cittie of the world wee answere that the epistle to the Galatiās which is the onely place where S. PAVL speaks of the enterviews betweene S. PETER and him to dissipate the reproaches that they that would seduce the 〈◊〉 laid vpon him that he had not bene instituted Apostle by Christ but by S. PETER by the other Apostles who gaue him their right hands for associatiō was written if wee belieue S. CHRYSOSTOME before the epistle to the Romans and then we must not thinke it strange that S. PAVL touched nothing there of the enterview of S. PETER him at Rome since it was written before the voyage of S. PAVL to Rome To the eighth obiection which is that S. IOHN makes mention of the kinde of death of S. PETER but makes noe mention of the place of his death we answere two things the one that S. IOHN makes mentiō of the kinde of S. PETERS death not of of the place where because the kinde and not the place of the death of S. PETER belonges to the explication of this prophecie of our Lord When thou shall be olde thou shalt stretch forth thy hands And the other that so farre is this clause of S. IOHN from weakning the beliefe of S. PETERS death at Rome that it fullie confirmes and authoriseth it For S. IOHN hauing writt his Ghospell manie yeares after the martyrdome of S. PEEER and hauing explained and proued this 〈◊〉 os our Lord thou shalt stretch forth thy hāds by the kinde of S. PETERS death without specifying it particularly it must be that when S. IOHN 〈◊〉 his Ghospell the kinde of S. PETERS death was knowne and euidēt to all partes of the Church Now the kinde of S. PETERS death could not be knowne to all partes of the Church but the place of his death must likewise be knowne to them nor could the place of S. PETERS death be knowne to all the Church bee anie other then Rome For how could it háppen that not onely all the ancient authors yea those that writt in the next age after S. IOHN as S. DIONISIVS of Corinth S. IRENEVS Caius Tertullian infinite others but the very stones also the inscriptions of the sepulchres of S. PETER S. PAVL which were yet preserued and publickly shewed at Rome in the tyme of Caius should witnesse with a cōmon voice that S PETER had bene martired at Rome that noe other Church but the Roman did euer glorie in his Relicks and his martirdome if frō the time wherein S. Iohn writt his Ghospell the place of S. PFTERS death had bene knowne to all the partes of the Church had bene anie other then Rome And therefore what remaines in all the texts obiected to vs from scripture which agrees not perfectly with the Chronology of the Church concerning the history of S. PETER Saint PAVL affirmes that three yeare after his conuersion he trauelled to Ieru salem to visit S. PETER consents not that exactly with our computatiō which reckons the conuersion of S. PAVL the first yeare after the death of our Lord the voyage of S. PETER to Antioch the fifth S. LVKE reportes that S. PAVL being come to Ierusalem for the distributiō of the almes during the famine which began the eleauenth yeare after the death of Christ found S. PETER there prisoner doth not that wholie agree with our Chronologie which supposes that the Episcopall Seate of saint PETER at Antioch was seauen yeare fiue compleate two imperfect The same S. LVKE writes that S. PETER withdrawing himselfe
of our Lord. And CAIVS of one tyme with Tertulian If thou wilt gue to the Vaticane or to the waie of Hostia thou shalt finde the trophies that is the Sepulchers of those which haue founded this Church And CLEMENT Alexandrius before him Papias the hearer of S. IOHN Marke being intreated at Roman by the bretheren writt a briefe Ghospell which PETER haueing read approued And ORIGEN PETER was crucified at Rome with his head downewards And saint CYPRIAN The Rome ā Church is the Chaire of PETER and the principall Church from whence proceeded the Sacerdotall vnitie And EVSEBIVS Vnder the Empire of Claudius the prouidence of God brought the great Apostle Saint PETER to Rome And againe the histories beare that PAVL was beheaded and PETER crucified at Rome vnder Nero and the titles of PETER and PAVL preserued to this daie in their sepulchers confirme it And LACTANTIVS PETER and PAVL preached at Rome and their 〈◊〉 remained written for memorie And S. ATHANASIVS though it were declared to PETER and PAVL that they should suffer 〈◊〉 dome at Rome yet they 〈◊〉 not to trauell thither And S. CYRILL of Ierusalem PETER and PAVL presidents of the Church came to Rome And saint EPIPHANIVS At Rome were first Apostles and Bishops PETER and ` PAVL and then Linus and then Cletus and then Clement And saint AMBROSE PETER is our warrant for this custome who hath bene Bishop of the Roman Church And againe Christ haueing answered PETER I goe to Rome to be crucified againe PETER vnderstood that this answere belonged to his Crosse And the Emperors GRATIAN and VALENTINIAN and THEODOSIVS Wee will that all the people ruled by the Empire of our clemencie liue in such Religion as the Religion insinuated hither-to by the diuiue Apostle PETER declareth that he gaue to the Romans And OPTATVS Mileuitanus Thou canst not denie but that thou knowest that in the Cittie of Rome the Episcopall Chaire was first conferred to Peter wherein Peter head of the Apostles sate And saint IEROM Simon PETER Sonne of Jona of the Prouince of Galilee of the Borough of Bethsaida brother to the Apostle Andrew and Prince of the Apostles after the Episcopat of the Church of Antioch and the preaching of the dispersion of those of the Circumcision which had belieued in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and 〈◊〉 came to Rome the second yeare of the Empire of Claudius to ouerthrow Simon Magus and held the Sacerdotall Chaire twentie fiue yeares there And againe Hegesippus affirmes That he came to Rome vnder Anicetus who was tenth Bishop of Rome after PETER And else where Cyprian addressed the Councell of affrica to Steuen Bishop of the Roman Church who was the twentie sixth after the Blessed Peter And RVFFINVS Peter ruled the Roman Church for the space of twentie fower yeares And SVLPITIVS Seuerus The Christiā Religion had then taken roote in the Cittie of Rome Peter being Bishop there And S. CHRISOSTOME What spectacle shall Rome see in the daie of Iudgemeut Paul comeing forth of his graue risen againe with PETER And OROSIVS Nero 〈◊〉 PETER to death by the Crosse and PAVL by the sword And saint AVGVSTIN Wee see the most eminent height of the thrice noble Empire submitting his diadem bend his knee to the supulcher of the fisherman PETER And in an other place I thinke this part of the world ought to suffice thee wherein our Lord would crowne with a most glorious martir dome the first of his Apostles And else where What hath the chaire of the Roman Church done to thee wherein PETER hath bene set and wherein now Anastasius sitts And againe To PETER hath succeeded Linus to Linus Clemēt to Clemēt Anacletus to Anacletus Euaristus Of the Canon of the Councell of Nicea touching the gouernment of the Patriarches CHAPT V. HAuing dispatched the difficulties of the Scripture and of the Fathers cōcerning S. PETERS staie at Antioch Rome there remaines to solue the obiections that the aduersaries of the Church make against what wee haue said of the Popes superioritle ouer the other patriarkes whereof the principall is taken frō one of the Canōs of the coūcell of Nicea which ordaines that the anciēt customes obserued in Egipt Lybia and Pentapolis should goe on to witt that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue the power of all those things because it was also so accustomed to the Bishop of Rome Now the aduersaries of the Church doe more willing lie make vse of the Councell of Nicea in such like cases then of anie other because the actes of the Councell of Nicea which if wee had them might cleere the sence of the Canons of the same Councell are loste that there remaine to vs of the acts of the first fowre generall Councells no more but those of Ephesus and of Chalcedon And therefore wee must supplie what wants in the breuitie and omission of this Canon by conferring it with the acts of the other councells or by the examination of the histories of their ages To this obiection then wee bring two Answeres the first is that it hath alreadie bene aboue shewed in the Chapter of the patriarkes that the pope had two distinct qualities the one of patriarke of the West the other of head of the Church vniuersall as the Prefect of the Cittie Presecture by which the aduersaries of the Church would measure the spirituall Iurisdictiō of the Pope who had 2. distinct qualities the one of pre fect of the Cittie Prefecture in which he was equall to the prefect of the other prouinces the other of head of the senate Vicar of the Emperor in which he was superiour to the prefects of prouinces and iudged by appeale of the cause of all their Iurisdictiōs By meanes whereof although in things that concerned but the patriarchall Iurisdictiō as were the celebratiō of prouinciall or nationall coūcells the correctiōs of māners of the simple priests or deacōs the confirmatiōs either mediate or immediate of the Bishops of the Patriarkship and the subalterne iudgements of the causes euen of Bishops All the other Patriarkes were squared out by the modell and paterne of that of Rome neuerthelesse when there question of things that went beyond the limitts of Patriarchall iurisdiction that is to 〈◊〉 of Maior causes and which conuerned the vniuersall Church as were causes of Faith or generall customes of the Church or those of the finall depositions of Bishops or that of the iudgements euē of the persons of the Patriarkes the Bishop of Rome as head of the Church and superintendent of the other Patriarkes exercised Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction ouer thē and iudged of their iudgements and persons And therefore when the coūcell of Nicea ordained that in Egipt Lybia and Pentapolis the Bishop of Alexandria should remaine in possessiō of the authority he had for all the causes whereof the councell thē spake that is
in the epistle to Iohn Bishop of Syracusa Who doubts but the Church of Constantinople is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke which the most Religious Lord the Emperor and our brother the Bishop of the same cittie protest continuallie Hee writes in the Epistle following to the same Bishop If there be anie cryme found in Bishops I know noe Bishop but is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke but when crimes exact it not all according to the condition of humilitie are equall He writes in the Epistle to Iohn the defendant correcting the iudgement which had bene giuen against the Bishop Steuen If they answere he had neither Metropolitan nor Patriarke it must be replied that the cause should haue bene heard and determined by the Sea Apostolicke which is the head of all the Churches He writes in the Fpistle to Iohn Bishop of Panormus Wee admonish thee that the Reuerence of the Sea Apostolicke be not troubled by the presumption of anie For then the state of the members remaines intire when 〈◊〉 iniurie is done to the head of the faith He writes in the Epistle to Natalis Bishop of Salona If one of the fower Patriarks had committed such an act so great a disobedience could not haue passed without a grieuous scandall He annulled in his Epistles to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople the Iudgement of the Church of Constantinople against Iohn Priest of Chalcedon Reprouing said he the sentence of the foresaid Iudges we declare him by our definition to be Catholicke and free from all hereticall crime And elsewhere Knowst 〈◊〉 not that in the cause of Iohn the Priest against our brother and Colleague John of Constantinople He had recourse according to the Canons to the Sea Apostolicke and it hath bene defined by our sentence He abrogated in his Epistle to Athanasius 〈◊〉 Regular of Lycaonia the decree of Iohn Bishop of Constantinople against him and restored him to his place Wee decree thee said he to be exempted from all blott of hereticall frowardnes and doe grant thee free leaue to returne into thy Monasterie and to holde the same place and ranke as thou didst before He abrogated in the Epistle to Iohn Archbishop of Larissa in Thessalia the sentence of the same Archbishop of Larissa against Adrian Bishop of Thebes and one of the fuffragans of the Archbishopricke of Larissa and ecclipsed the Bishopricke of Thebes from the iurisdiction of the Archbishopricke of Larissa and ordained that if the Archbishop of Larissa should euer more vndertake to exercise iurisdiction ouer the Bishop of Thebes he should be depriued of the communion of the Body of Christ and that it might not be restored to him except at the point of death but by the leaue of the Bishop of Rome Wee ordaine said hee that thy brotherhood obtaine from the power thou hadst before ouer the Bishop of Thebes and ouer his Church and according to the letters of our Predecessor for if anie cause either of faith or of crime or of money be pretended against our said Colleague Adrian it may be iudged if it be a matter of meane importance by our Nuncios which are or shall be in the Royall Cittie that is to saie in Constantinople and if it be a matter of Weight that it should be reported bither to the Sea Apostolicke to be decided by the sentence of our audience And if at anie time or for what occasion 〈◊〉 thou doe attempt to contradict this our decree know that we declare thee 〈◊〉 from the sacred Communion soe as it maie not be restored to thee vnlesse in the article of death but with the leaue of the Bishop of Rome And finally he abrogated in his Epistle to John Patriarke of the first Iustinianea who had confirmed the sentence of the Archbishop of Larissa the iudgement of the said Iohn Primate of the first Iustinianea and condemnes him to remaine depriued of the communion of the Bodie of Christ for the space of thirtie daies Abrogating said hee and annulling the decrees of thy sentence Wee decree by the authoritie of the blessed Prince of the Apostles that thou shalt be depriued of the sacred communion for the space of thirtie daies Nowe what was this but to crye with a lowde voice that in refusinge the title of Vniuersall he refused not therefore the title of Head of the Church and the Iurisdiction and superintendency ouer all other Bishops Archbishops and Patriarks Of the Order of sitting in the Councell of Nicea CHAPT VIII BVT Caluin to fight against this doctrine and to proue that the Pope is not head of the Church nor Superior to the other Patriarkes vseth fower principall meanes first that the Popes legates haue not presided in the ancient Generall Councells The secōd that the Pope called them not The third that the appeales of Bishops were not to the Pope And the fourth that the Canons of Africa forbadd the Bishop of the first Sea by which Caluin impertinently 〈◊〉 the Pope to call himselfe Prince of Bishops and the first meanes he striues to proue by Seauen examples which wee had best confute all at a clapp for 〈◊〉 they will obiect them to vs in a second Answere He produceth then before all things the order of the Councell of Nicea which he ignorantly calls the Councell of Nice not knowing that the Councell of Nice was an hereticall Councell that the Arrians held at Nicé in Thrace to deceiue the Catholicks by the affinitie of the words Nice and Nicea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compounded almost of the same letters The Arrians saith the Epistle of the Asians to Liberius caused to be signed by fraude and periuries at Constantinople a faith contrarie to that of the holy Councell of Nicea which had bene brought from Nice in Thrace And Socrates They transported themselues into a cittie of Trace called Nice and after a longe st aie held there an other Councell c. to surprise the simple by the affinitie of the words For the simple people belieued that it was the faith of Nicea in Bithinia And Theodoret They brought manie Bishops against their wills into a Towne of Thrace whose name was Nice And Sozomene Passing through Thrace they came into a cittie of the Countrie called Nice 〈◊〉 there kept a Conuenticle c. And this they did expressely at Nice to the end to perswade the simple people to cōsent to it 〈◊〉 by the neerenes of the words and belieuing it to be the decree which was made at Nicea For although Stephanus doe indeede put in a Cittie of Nicea in Thrace neuerthelesse besides that Ammianus Marcellinus saith that the 〈◊〉 of Thrace situate vpon the passage from Italie to Constantinople which was the same wherein the Arrians had held their false Councell was called Nice The Greciā Ecclesiasticall historians very notablie marke this difference betweene the Councell of the Catholiques and that of the Annians vpon
Archbishops or Bishops for what cause was it that when the Pope excommunicated anie other Patriarkes as when he excommunicated Flauianus 〈◊〉 and Peter Patriarkes of Antioch or as when he excommunicated Nestorius Accacius Anthimus Archbishops of Constantinople or as whē he excōmunicated Theophilus Peter and other Patriarkes of Alexandria hee did for all this incurr noe censure from the Bishops or Catholicke Councells but was reputed to doe what he might doe Whereas when anie other Patriarke yea vnder the pretence of a generall Councell did 〈◊〉 the Pope he was punished and deposed for this presumption as for an enormious and extraordinary Sacrilege For what had not Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria done in his false Councell of Ephesus he had embraced the heresie of Eutyches he had condemned the Catholicke doctrine he had excommunicated Flauianus Archbishop of Constantinople who maintained it and had not only excommunicated him but alsoe slaine him And neuertelesse ô eminent dignitie of the 〈◊〉 Apostolicke these Sacrileges were not the principall causes of his deposition but that he and his pretended Councell had dared to excommunicate the Pope Dioscorus saith Anatolius Archbishop of Constantinople bath not hene deposed for the faith but because he excommunicated my Lord the Archbishop Leo and that hauing bene cited thrice before the Councell he appeared not And the Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon in their relation to the Pope After all these things said they he hath extended his frensie euen against him to whom the guard of the Vine hath bene committed by our Sauiour that is to saie against thy Holynesses and hath me ditated an excommunication against him who laboreth to vnite the bodie of the Church But why should wee haue recourse to particular examples since the common voice of antiquitie teacheth vs that in all the tumults and in all the confusions of the Schismes and heresies which haue perturbed the Christian Religion the Roman Church hath alwaies bene as the center the principle and originall of the ecclesiasticall communion and as the Ensigne colonell of the armie of Iesus Christ vpon whom all the other Catholick 〈◊〉 haue cast their eyes and to whom they haue gathered 〈◊〉 separating themselues from the communion of those that communicated not with her and embracing the communion of those who communicated with her For what meane these wordes of saint IRENEVS With the Roman Church because of a more powerfull principalitie it is necessarie that euerie Church should complie And these of saint CYPRIAN The Roman Church is the Chaire of Peter and the principall Church from whence the Sacerdot all vnitie hath proceeded And these of saint AMBROSE Hee asked whether the Bishop of that place consented with the Catholick Bishops that is to saie with the Roman Church And these of Theodoret The Emperor Gratian commaunded that the Churches should he deliuered to those that held communion with Damasus which was added hee executed throughout the world but that the Roman Church was the center the beginning and the roote of ecclesiasticall communion and that whosoeuer was admitted to her communion was likewise admitted to the communion of the whole Bodie of the Catholicke Church and that those who were excluded out of her communion were excluded out of the communion of the whole Bodie of the Catholicke Church And what meane these wordes of saint HIEROM I am ioyned in communion with thy Blessednes that is to saie with the Sea of Peter I know the Church is founded vpon that Rock c. whosoeuer eateth the lambe out of this howse he is prophane And a little after I know not Vitalis I am iguorant of Paulinus I reiect Meletius whosoeuer gathers not with the scatters And againe In the meane time I crie If anie one be ioyned to Peters Chaire he is mine And these of Optatus Mileuitanus At Rome there hath bene setled to Peter the Episcopall Chaire in which there was sett the first of all the Apostles Peter c. to the end that in this onlie Chaire the vnitie of all might be preserued And a litle after In the person of Cyricius all the world cōmunicates with vs by the commerce of formed letters And againe From whence is it that you pretend to vsurpe to your selues the keyes of the Kingdome you that combate against Peters Chaire by your presumptions and bold Sacriledges But that the Roman Church was the center the principle and the roote of Ecclesiasticall communion and that those that were admitted into her communion were admitted into the communion of the whole Catholicke Church and that those that were excluded from her communion were excluded from the communion of the whole Bodie of the Catholicke Church And what meane these words of saint AVSTIN In the Roman Church hath alwaies flourisht the principalitie of the Apostolick Sea And those of Eulalius Bishop of Syracusa to saint FVLGENTIV Se to turne him from goeing to the Monasteries of Egipt The Countries whither thou desirest to trauell a perfidious dissention hath separated them from the communion of the blessed Peter all those Religious persons whose admirable abstinence is celebrated should not haue the Sacraments of the Altar common with thee◠And these of Victor of Tunes speaking of the rebellion of Vitalian against the Emperor Anastasius the hereticke Hee would neuer promise peace to the Emperor till first he had restored the defendors of the Councell of Chalcedon who had bene banisht into their owne Seas and till he had vnited all the Churches of the East to the Roman But that the Roman Church was the center principle and the roote of the Ecclesiasticall communion and that those who were admitted to her communion were admitted to the communion of the whole Catholicke Church that those who were excluded from the communion of the whole Bodie of the Catholicke Church And what doe these wordes of John Patriarke of Constantinople intend We promise not to recite amidst the sacred misteries the names of those who are seperated from the communion of the Catholick Church that is to saie who doe not fullie consent with the Sea Apostolicke And those of the Emperor IVSTINIAN Wee preserue in all things the vnitie of the most holie Churches with the most holie Pope of old Rome And these of Menas Patriarke of Constantinople Wee follow the Sea Apostolick and obeie it and communicate with those that communicate therewith and condemne those that it condemneth And these of the Bishops returning from the Schisme to the Church in the time of saint GREGORIE the Great I promise I will neuer returne to the Schisme from whence by the mercie of our Redeemer I haue bene deliuered but that I will remaine alwaies in the vnitie of the Catholick Church and in the communion of the Bishop of Rome but that the Roman Church was the center the principle and the Roote of the ecclesiasticall communion and that those
whose sinns yee forgiue shall be forgiuen Which hath moued saint CYPRIAN to saie that Christ hath instituted saint PETER the originall of vnitie PETER saith he vpon whom Christ hath built his Church and instituted him the originall of vnitie And againe One chaire built vpon Peter by the voyce of our Lord. And for this occasion as although in a tree there be but the stocke and the bodie of the tree only that succeedes and is tied by direct continuance with the roote neuerthelesse the other branches are tied to it by oblique and collaterall succession and continuance Soe though there bee but only the Bishop of Rome that is saint PETERS successor in direct succession neuerthelesse all the Bishops are esteemed in some sort to be sett in saint PETERS Chaire and to be in a manner saint PETERS successors to witt by oblique and indirect succession because of the communication that they haue with the Chaire of S PETER But the Bishops are neuer said neither in their whole bodie nor separately to be successor to anie other particular Apostle but are said either in generall to bee the Apostles successors or in particular successors to S. PETER as to him that for being the head of the Apostleship containes in vertue all the Apostolicke Bodie so as neuer anie one Bishop hath called himself successor to anie other Apostle except those that haue succeded locallie to anie one of the other Apostles as the Bishops of Hierusalem are in title successors to saint IAMES BVT against this exposition the aduersaries to the Primacie forme thriteen oppositions the first that our Lord adds presently after speaking to Peter Got behind me Sathan The seconde that he cries out If anie one amongst you desire to bee greatest he shall be the least The third that S. PETER forbids from domineering ouer the flockes The fourth that the Apostles sent PETER and IOHN into Samaria The fifth that S. IAMES voted last in the Councell of Hierusalem The sixth that S. PAVLE names S. IAMES before S. PETER The seauenth that the same S. PAVL saith that the Ghospell of the Gentiles was committed to him as that of the circumcision to PETER The eighth that he saith S PETER walked not right in the Ghospell The ninth that he saith he resisted him to his face because he was reproueable The tenth that S. CYPRIAN writes that the other Apostles were the same that Peter was The eleauenth that EVSEBIVS reportes out of S. CLEMENT Alexandrinus that PETER IAMES and IOHN contested not amongst themselues for the honor but made IAMES Bishop of the Apostles The twelfth that Sainct CHRISOSTOME writeth that the other Apostles yeelded the Throne to IAMES And the thirteenth That the same S. CHRISOSTOME writes that the Principalitie was committed to IAMES To the first then of these obiections which is that our Lord said a while after to S. PETER Goe behind me Satan Wee answere S. HIEROME hath solued it in these words This blessing beatitude and edification of the Church vpon Peter is promised to Peter in future times and not giuen to him in time present I will build said he my Church vpon thee To the seconde which is that our Lord cryes elsewhere If anie one amongst you desire to be greatest let him be the least Wee answere he doth there forbidd the desire and not the effect of the Primacie the Ambition and not the thing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 witnes this traine that followes as the Sonn of man is come into the world not to be serued but to serue By which he pro pounds himself to his disciples for an example not of an Anarchy but of Superioritie accompanied with humilitie To the third Which is that S. PETER writes not domineering ouer the flocks Wee answere that the Greeke word signifieth a violent Dominion such as that whereof our Lord said The kings of the nations domineere ouer them And such as S. HIEROME representeth it in these words The Princes of the Churches are wont to oppresse the People with arrogance of whom it is written they haue constituted thee Prince be not puft vp but be amongst them as one of them And not a presidencie and fatherlie direction such as was that of Samuell ouer the people of Israell who after he had exercised the Gouernment of Israell and iudged the people many yeares iustified himself in the end saying I haue conuersed with you from my youth to this 〈◊〉 answere me in the presence of God and of his annoynted if I haue taken anie mans bullock or his Asse or if I haue commaunded by force and oppressed any one of you And such as that whereof sainct PAVL said Obey your prelats and be subiect to them And elsewhere Let him that presides preside in all diligence And our Lord himself which is the wise and faithfull seruant that our Lord hath constituted ouer his familie It is Peter saith sainct AMBROSE chosen by the iudgement of our Lord to feede his flocke who hath merited to heare feede my lambes feede my sheepe To the fourth which is that the historie of the Actes testifies that the Apostles when it was in agitation to forme the Church of Samaria sent thither PETER and IOHN wee answere it was a mission of request as that when the Israelites sent Phinees their high priest and the princes of the tribes and not a mission of authority To the fifth which is that S. IAMES voted last in the Councell of 〈◊〉 Wee answere that in Councells contrary to the order of secular companies those that preside vote first And namely saint HIEROME saith that saint PETER from whose words S. IAMES tooke his Rule was the Prince of this decree To the sixth which is that S. Paule writes that Iames Cephas and Iohn seeing the grace that God had conferred vpon him gaue to him and to Barnabas the right hands of fellowshipp Wee answere that the greeke edition of Complutum and manie seuerall Readings Greeke and Latine haue it Cephas Iames and Iohn Witnesse S. CHRISOSTOME who in his comentarie vpon the Epistle to the Galatians reades Cephas Iames and Iohn and Theodoret who in his comentarie vpon the fifteenth chapter of the Epistle to the Romans alleadging this passage reports it in these words The Apostle teacheth this manifestly in the Epistle to the Galatians for he saith Peter Iames and Iohn who seeme to be the pillars gaue the right hands of fellowship to me and to Barnabas And saint AVGVSTINE who as well in the text as in the comentarie reades Cephas Iames and Iohn And saint HIEROME who not only both in the text and the comentarie reades Cephas Iames and Iohn but euen in his writings against Heluidius citeth the text of saint PAVLE in these words Cephas Iames and Ishn. And moreouer elswhere speaking of saint PAVLS Ordination to the Apostleship saith Paule was ordained Apostle of
person he foretold him he should noe more 〈◊〉 calld Symon but 〈◊〉 signifiing most aptlie by that word that vpon him as vpon a 〈◊〉 and a stedfast stone he should build his Church And this may be said of the first point of this Article which is of building of the Church vpon the faith or vpon the person of PETER Let vs passe forward to the secōd which is of that of the other Apostles The Church saith his maiestie is founded vpon the Confessiō of PETER the other Apostles Here it is needefull to distinguish the diuers vses that this word foundation of the Church receaues in the Scripture for it is one thing to be the foundation of the faith of the Church and an other thing to be the foundatiō of the Ministrie of the Church And againe the foundation of the faith of the Church is of two sortes for there is an obiectiue foundation of the faith of the Church and a suggestiue foundation of the faith of the Church I call that an obiectiue foundation of the faith of the Church which is the first obiect that the Church is obliged to knowe and embrace for doctrine of faith and that is Christ of whom S. PAVLE saith None can 〈◊〉 anie other foundation besides that which is alreadie laid that is Chrict For the first thing that enters into the obiect of the Christian faith as it is Christian is Christ God and Man crucified for our Sinns And all the other doctrins of Faith haue noe other place then as superedifications and accessories to that I call that a suggestiue foundation of faith of the Church vpō which the Church grounds and assures the beleefe of those things which she holdes for doctrines of faith and this againe is double the one principall and originall to wit the holy Ghost of whom our Lord saith Hee shall suggest to you all thinges that I haue told you and the other instrumentall and organicall to wit the voice and pen of those that he hath chosen to declare vnto vs the misteries of faith with certaine and infallible authoritie And in this sence not only all the Apostles and Euangelists but also all the prophets are foundations of the faith of the Church according to this Apostolicall sentence Wee are edified vpon the foundation of the Prophets and of the Apostles And in this same sence sainct PAVL said in the second to the Corinthians That he had bene nothing inferior to the most excellently great of the Apostles And in the Epistle to the Galatians That he had not receiued his Ghospell from men but from God And that those that seemed to be something that is to saie those that for the more particular familiaritie that they had with our Lord it seemed they should bee more eminent in the doctrine of Faith and should bee the Pillars of Faith had taught him nothing For to be something according to the stile of those 〈◊〉 the east is a word not of contempt but of great and extraordinarie estimation I call him foundatiō of the ministrie of the Church that hath the supereminēce and superintendencie of the gouernment and ministrie of the Church which I haue distinguisht frō the foūdatiō of the Faith not but that the primitiue and originall Ministrie of the Church comprehends the Office of reuealing the Faith and that the perpetuall and ordinarie ministrie of the Church comprehends the office of preseruiug and propagating the Faith from whence it is that sainct PAVL calleth the Church The pillar and foundation of faith But because the foundation of the Ministrie extends further and manie as sainct LVKE amongst others haue bene foundations of the Faith of the Church who neuerthelesse haue not bene foundations of the Ministrie of the Church Now it is of this kinde of Foundation to witt of the Foundation of the ministrie of the Church that is treated off in these words of our Lord Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock I will build my Church as it appeares by what followes of the keyes and of the power to binde and loose This qualitie then of foundation of the gouernment and ministrie of the Church to dispute whether since it haue bene extended and communicated to the whole Bodie of the Apostles it is an other point For what S. PAVL saith If they be ministers of Christ I am so more then they is to be vnderstood of the excesse in the labour of the Ministrie and not in the authoritie But at the least when our Lord pronounced these wordes Thou art Peter and vpon this Rock I will build my Church It is certaine that in that instant and in those wordes it was conferred to none but to sainct PETER for the wordes are all pronounced in singular termes and excluding pluralitie Blessed art thou Symon Sonn of 〈◊〉 and I saie vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this Rock I will build my Church and I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Which sainct AMBROSE declares who after he had said This man to wit PETER when he had heard but 〈◊〉 what saie yee that I am presently not forgetfull of his place he made the primacie adds to it It is then this Peter that answered before the rest but for the rest and therefore he is called Foundation Which sainct CYPRIAN likewise acknowledges in these wordes Vpon him beinge one he built the Church And it is not to be said that the Condition of Foundation of the Church hauing bene giuen to sainct PETER in fauour and for recompence of his Coafession all the other Apostles that had part in his Confession ought also to haue their part therein For the qualitie of foundation of the Church was not giuen to sainct PETER in fauour of his Confession simplie for then it should be common to all the faithfull but in fauour of the primacie of his Confession wherein the other Apostles had noe actual part but only by consent and non repugnancie for as much as sainct PETER only answered as illuminated immediately from God the others being silent and not knowing what to saie and learning it but my the means of sainct PETERS Answere Hee was saith sainct 〈◊〉 made worthie of first knowing what there was of God in Christ. And 〈◊〉 CYRILL of Hierusalem All the other Apostles being silent for this doctrine was aboue their reach Peter the Prince of the Apostles and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Church not of his owne inuention neither perswaded by human reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his soule by God the Father said to him thou art Christ the Sonn of the liuing God And sainct ATHANASIVS manie yeares before them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father reuealed to Peter those thinges whereof our Lord demaunded him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not doubt but the same Lord who inquired as if he had first reuealed to 〈◊〉 those things that he had knowne from the Father he askes him humanly to 〈◊〉 in inquiring
carnally that Peter that should tell them knew them 〈◊〉 FOR that in the sixth of S. IOHN S. PETER answeres in common for all the Apostles Wee beleeue and knowe thou art Christ the Sonn of the liuing God besides that the Latine editions haue not the word liuing Wee saie it was a later thing for as much as when sainct PETER answered Wee beleeue and know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God hee had bene alreadie constituted head and Prince of the other Apostles and in this qualitie he answered alone for all the rest as sainct CYRILL testifies in these wordes By one that presided or that was preeminent all answered and had alreadie receiued the promisses of our Lord that vpon him he would build his Church As S. CYPRIAN declares in these wordes Peter speakes heere vpon whom the Church had bene built And therefore as the Apostles had part in the primacie of this confession only by adherence and non-repugnancie so our Lord gaue them part in the authotitie he had giuen to S Peter by adherence and communication with S. PETER that is to saie vnder condition of cōmunicating and adhearing and remayning in vnitie with saint PETER And yet this part that he promised and gaue them in the rule and ministrie of the Church was afterward to witt as in right in the eighteenth of saint MATHEW What yee bind on earth shall be bound in heauen And as the installment into the possession in the twentith of saint IOHN Receiue the holie Ghost whose sinns yee forgiue shall be forgiuen to the end to shewthat to sainct PETER ōly the cōditiō of being a Rock that is to sa rule and foundation of the building of the Church had bene principallie and originally giuen and that afterwards it was extended to the other Apostles it was by aggregation and association and by communicating and adhering with him and as hauing relation and correspondence to him as to the Center and middle forme of the veritie of the Church For as God gaue first his spiritt to Moyses and after tooke of the Spiritt that he had giuen to Moyses and gaue thereof to the seauen tie two Elders not that God tooke awaie from Moyses anie portion of the spiritt that he had giuen him not that the spirit of God was diuisible but to the end to establish and shew a relation of vnitie dependencie and adherencie of the seauentie two Elders to Moyses Soe in some sort for I compare not the two histories wholie our Lord gaue first the whole authoritie of the ministrie and the Chaire Apostolicke to saint PETER alone I intend as in right and not in actuall possession which he receaued not till after the Resurrection and after 〈◊〉 it to all the twelue Apostles in common to the end to shew the relation of dependencie vnitié and adherence that they ought to haue with saint PETER whom vpon this occasion Macharius an antient Egiptian diuine calls the successor of Moyses Afterward said hee to Moyses succeeded Peter to whom the new Church of Christ and the true priesthood hath bene committed Which hath caused the Fathers to saie that there was but one Chaire which was the Chaire of PETER but that in this Chaire all the Apostles were placed to witt by the adherence communion and vnitie that they had with S. PETER In the Episcopall Chaire saith saint OPTATVS Mileuitanus there is sett the head of all the Apostles Peter from whence he also hath bene called Cephas to the end that in this only Chaire vnitie might be preserued in all least the other Apostles should attribute to themselues euery one his Chaire a parte but that he might be a Schismaticke 〈◊〉 that against this onelie Chaire should erect an other And therefore also the surname of PETER by which this Condition of being the foundation of the rule of the Church is designed hath bene giuen to him only to beare it in the title of a proper name and not to anie other Apostle to show that to him by excellencie and eminencie ouer all the rest appertained the thing whereof he alone bore the name For since our Lord should by the word PETER designe the condition of being the ministeriall foūdation of the Church for what cause should he affect it to Peter alone to beare it in the title of a proper and ordinarie name and not giue it to anie other if he were not to bea foundation of the Church in an other manner then the rest Which S. BASILL hath in such sort acknowledged as desiring to shew the difference which is betweene the substance and the hipostaticall proprieties of anie subiect he alleadgeth for example of the substance the substāce of humanitie which is commō to PETER PAVL although said he the appellations be different yet the substance of Peter and Paule and of all men is one and alleadgeth amongst the examples of the hypostaticall indiuiduall and incommunicable conditions of PETER that is to saie which are particular to him onely and are not common to him with saint PAVL nor with anie other the condition of being the foundation of the Church Because said he the names of men signifie not their substances but the proprieties whereby each of them is designed in particular From thence it is that when wee heare the name of Peter we vnderstand not his substance c. but conceiue the sence of the proprieties which are perticular to him For as soone as wee heare this word wee vnderstand Peter the Sonne of Ionas he that was of Bethsaida he that was Brother to Andrew he that of a Fisherman was made an Apostle he that 〈◊〉 reason of the supereminencie of his Faith receiued vpon him the edification of the Church AND for this same cause to saint PETER onely there hath bene conferred singularlie separately and apart the authoritie of the rule of the Church and to all the rest onely in common and ioyntlie with him to the end to shew that he was the originall the source the center and the beginning of the vnitie of the Church and that no other out of his Communion could exercise the rule and ministrie thereof but that the rest had right to exercise it it is onely as associated and aggregated with him and as grafted and inserted vpon him For our Lord neuer said singularly to anie of the Eleuen Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church and I will giue thee the keies of the Kingdome of heauen nor I haue praied for thee that thy faith shall not faile And finallie Thou being conuerted confirme thy Bretheren nor louest thou me more then these feede my sheepe But only hath said in generall to all the Bodie of the Apostles sainct PETER being Colleague present and comprehended therein that which he had said before to saint PETER alone as to the head That which yee shall binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and they