Additions Dr. Burnet's History of the Reformation of the Church of England in 2. Vol. Dr. Burnet's Account of the Confessions and Prayers of the Murtherers of Esquire Thynn Burlace's History of the Irish Rebellion Herodoti Historia Gr. Lat. cum variis Lect. Rushworth's Historical Collections the 2d Part in 2. vol. Rushworth's Large account of the Tryal of the Earl of Strafford with all the circumstances relating thereunto Bishop Sanderson's Sermons with his Life Fowlis's History of Romish Conspir Treas and Usurpat Dalton's Office of Sheriffs with Additions Dalton's Office of a Justice of Peace with additions Keeble's Collection of Statutes Lord Cook 's Reports in English Sir Walter Raleigh's History of the World Edmunds on Caesars Commentaries Sir John Davis's Reports Judge Yelverton's Reports The Laws of this Realm concerning Jesuites Seminary Priests Recusants the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance explained by divers Judgments and resolutions of the Judges with other Observations thereupon by Will. Cawley Esq William's impartial consideration of the Speeches of the five Jesuits executed for Treason 1680. Josephus's Antiquities and Wars of the Jews with Fig. QVARTO DR Littleton's Dictionary Latine and English Bishop Nicholson on the Church Catechism The Compleat Clerk Precedents of all sorts History of the late Wars of New England Dr. Outram de Sacrificiis Bishop Taylor 's Disswasive from Popery Spanhemii Dubia Evangelica 2 Vol. Dr. Gibbs's Sermons Parkeri Disputationes de Deo History of the future state of Europe Dr. Fowler 's Defence of the Design of Christianity against John Bunnyan Dr. Sherlock's Visitation Sermon at Warrington Dr. West's Assize Sermon at Dorchester 1671. Lord Hollis's Relation of the Unjust Accusation of certain French Gentlemen charged with a Robbery 167â— The Magistrates Authority asserted in a Sermon By James Paston Cole's Latine and English Dictionary Mr. James Brome's two Fast-Sermons Dr. Jane's Fast Sermon before the Commons 1679. Mr. John Jame's Visitation Sermon April 9. 1671. Mr. John Cave's Fast-Sermon on 30. of Jan. 1679. Mr. John Cave's Assize Sermon at Leicester July 31. 1679. Dr. Parker's Demonstration of the Divine Authority of the Law of Nature and the Christian Religion Mr. William's Sermon before the Lord Mayor 1679. Mr. William's History of the Powder Treason with a vindication of the proceedings relating thereunto from the Exceptions made against it by the Catholick Apologist and others and a Parallel betwixt that and the present Popish Plot. Speculum Baxterianum or Baxter against Baxter Mr. Hook's new Philosophical Collections Dr. Burnet's Relation of the Massacre of the Protestants in France Dr. Burnet's Conversion and Persecutions of Eve Cohan a Jewess of Quality lately Baptized Christian Dr. Burnet's Letter written upon Discov of the late Popish Plot. Dr. Burnet's Impiety of Popery being a second Letter written on the same occasion Dr. Burnet's Sermon before the Lord Mayor upon the Fast for the Fire 1680. Dr. Burnet's Fast Serm. before the House of Com. Dec. 22. 80. Dr. Burnet's Sermon on the 30. of January 1681. Dr. Burnet's Sermon at the Election of the L. Mayor 1681. Dr. Burnet's Sermon at the Funeral of Mr. Houblon 1682. Dr. Burnet's Answer to the Animadversions on his History of the Rights of Princes 1682. Dr. Burnet's Decree made at Rome 1679. condemning some Opinions of the Jesuites and other Casuists Published by Dr. Burnet with a Preface Dr. Burnet's A Letter giving a Relation of the present state of the difference between the French King and the Court of Rome Bibliotheca Norfolciana sive Catalogus Lib. Manuscript impress in omni Arte Lingua quos Hen. Dux Norfolciae Regiae Societati Londinensi pro scientia naturali promovenda donavit OCTAVO ELborow's Rationale upon the English Service Bishop Wilkin's Natural Religion Hardcastle's Christian Geography and Arithmetick Dr. Ashton's Apology for the Honours and Revenues of the Clergy Lord Hollis's Vindication of the Judicature of the House of Peers in the case of Skinner Lord Hollis's Jurisdiction of the H. of Peers in case of Appeals Lord Hollis's Jurisdiction of the H. of Peers in case of Impositions Lord Hollis's Letters about the Bishops Votes in Capital Cases Duporti Versio Psalmorum Graeca Dr. Grew's Idea of Philological History continued on Roots Spaniara's Conspiracy against the State of Venice Dr. Brown's Religio Medici with Digbies Observations Dr. Salmon upon the London Dispensatory Brinsley's Posing of the Accidence Several Tracts of Mr. Hales of Eaton Bishop Sanderson's Life Dr. Tilloâ—son's Rule of Faith Dr. Simpson's Chymical Anatomy of the York-shire Spaws with a Discourse of the Original of Hot Springs and other Fountains Dr. Simpson's Hydrological Essays with an Account of the Allum works at Whitby and some Observations about the Jaundice 1s 6d Dr. Cox's Discourse of the Interest of the Patient in reference to Physick and Physicians Organon Salutis or an Instrument to cleanse the Stomach With divers new Experiments of the Vertue of Tabaco and Coffee with a Preface of Sir Hen. Blunt Dr. Cave's Primitive Christianity in three Parts A Discourse of the Nature Ends and difference of the two Covenants 1672. 2s Ignatius Fuller's Sermons of Peace and Holiness 1s 6d A free Conference touching the present State of England at home and abroad in order to the designs of France 1s Mystery of Jesuitism Third and Fourth Parts Doctor Sanway's Unreasonableness of the Romanists Record of Urines Doctor Ashton's Cases of Scandal and Persecution Cole's Latin and English Dictionary The Tryals of the Regicides in 1660. Certain genuine Remains of the Lord Bacon in Arguments Civil Moral Natural c. with a large account of all his Works by Dr. Tho. Tennison Dr. Puller's Discourse of the Moderation of the Church of England Dr. Saywel's Original of all the Plots in Christendom Sir John Munsons Discourse of Supream Power and Common Right Dr. Henry Bagshaw's Discourses on select Texts Mr. Seller's Remarks relating to the State of the Church in the three first Centuries The Country mans Physician for the use of such as live far from Cities or Market Towns Dr. Burnet's account of the Life and Death of the Earl of Rochester Dr. Burnet's Vindic. of the Ordinations of the Church of Engl. Dr. Burnet's History of the Rights of Princes in the Disposing of Ecclesiastical Benefices and Church Lands Life of God in the Soul of man Markam's Perfect Horseman Dr. Sherlock's Practical Disc of Religious Assemblies Dr. Sherlock's Defence of Dr. Stillingfleet's Unreasonableness of Separation Dr. Sherlock's Vindication of the defence of Dr. Stillingfleet in Answer to Mr. Baxter and Mr. Lob about Catholick Communion The History of the House of Estee the Family of the Dutchess of York Octavo Sir Rob. Filmer's Patriarcha or Natural Power of Kings Mr. John Cave's Gospel to the Romans Dr. Outram's 20. Serm. preached on several occasions Dr. Salmon's new London Dispensatory Lawrence's interest of Ireland in its trade and wealth stated DVODECIMO HOdder's Arithmetick Groâ—ius de Veritate Religionis Christianae Bishop Hacket's Christian Consolations The Mothers Blessing
A DISSERTATION Concerning the Government of the Ancient Church BY BISHOPS METROPOLITANS and PATRIARCHS More particularly Concerning the ancient Power and Jurisdiction of the Bishops of Rome and the Encroachments of that upon other Sees especially the See of Constantinople By WILLIAM CAVE D. D. One of His Majesties Chaplains in Ordinary Omne genus ad Originem suam censeatur necesse est Tert. de praescript c. 20. p. 208. LONDON Printed for R. Chiswel at the Rose and Crown in S. Paul's Church-yard MDCLXXXIII TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD HENRY Lord Bishop of LONDON One of the Lords of His Majesties most Honourable PRIVY-COUNCIL My Lord IN compliance with the good old Rule of S. Ignatius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Do nothing without leave from the Bishop I have taken the confidence to lay these Papers at Your Lordships feet being well content they should receive from You a sentence of Life or Death either to come abroad into open light or be condemn'd to be thrown aside if you shall judge them useless and unprofitable For I am not so fond of my own Undertakings as to flatter my self that any thing that I can do will work much upon the obstinate humour of a perverse and contentious Age. My Lord The Church of England is usually assaulted by two sorts of Adversaries The one declar'd Enemies to the Episcopal Government or if at any time in a good humour they allow the name they deny the thing making the Bishop of the Primitive times no more in effect than a meer Parish-Priest The other are great pretenders to Antiquity and strongly enough assert the Episcopal Order but withall would obtrude upon us a Supreme and Universal Bishop to whom all others are to be subject and accountable and he we may be sure is the Bishop of Rome As for the first of these I have not directly enter'd the Lists with them though what is here said concerning the Ancient Church-Government might be enough to satisfie Men modest and unprejudic'd and more I did not think fit to add They have been so often baffled upon that Argument that nothing but a resolv'd obstinacy could make them keep a post so utterly indefensable But the Men of that way seem generally too over-weaning and opiniative and I have no hopes of doing good upon that Man that 's wiser in his own Conceit than seven Men that can render a Reason Indeed the nature of my design led me more immediately to encounter with the other Party whose cause so far as it relates to the Subject under debate I have examin'd and brought to be tried by the Standard of Antiquity the truest Rule to proceed by in this matter and this managed without any needless Exasperations For I never could think it a reasonable method of Conviction to rail at Popery or to load the Bishop of Rome with ill Names and spiteful Characters The best way sure in such cases is to appeal to the judgment of the Ancients and to enquire what power and authority was allow'd him in the wiser and better Ages of Christianity Which I hope I have done with all truth and fairness in the following Discourse My Lord Your Lordships known Zeal for the Protestant Cause and what next the goodness of the Divine Providence is the strongest Bulwark and Defence of it the honour and interest of the Church of ENGLAND might give you a just Title to this Discourse though there were no other inducement to it But we that are the Clergy of Your Diocess think our selves oblig'd to take all occasions of letting the World know how much we rejoyce under the happy Influences of Your Care and Conduct how much we are beholden to that great Example of Pastoral Industry and Diligence you daily set before us that we have to deal with a temper so incomparably sweet and obliging and that not only in private Converses but in all public Cases that concern the Church under your Charge you are pleased so freely and familiarly to consult and advise with us 'T is this to mention no more that creates in us so just a regard and veneration for Your Lordship And I verily believe since the Primitive Times there never was a more mutual Endearment and Correspondence Never Bishop that treated his Clergy with a more Paternal kindness and Condiscention never Clergy that paid a greater Reverence and a more chearful Obedience to their Bishop That this Concord and Agreement may not only continue but encrease and the happy effects of it visibly spread over your whole Diocess and especially this great CITY is the earnest Prayer of MY LORD Your Lordships faithful and sincerely devoted Servant WILLIAM CAVE TO THE READER AMong the several Virtues wherewith the Religion of our Lord does at once refine and adorn Humane Nature there are none conduce more both to the peace of the World and the quiet of private and particular persons than Humility and Contentment the laying aside the vain and fond opinion of our selves a lowliness of Mind to esteem others better than our selves in honour preferring one another an easiness and satisfaction under that place and portion which the Wisdom of the Divine Providence has thought fit to allot us and a generous Contempt of those little and sordid Arts by which Men hunt after Power and Greatness and impatiently affect Dominion and superiority over others A noble and divine temper of Mind which our Lord has effectually recommended both by his Doctrine and the example of his Life He has taught us that we should not after the proud and hypocritical manner of the Pharisees do our works to be seen of Men make broad our Phylacteries and enlarge the borders of our Garments love the uppermost Rooms at Feasts and the chief Seats in the Synagogue and greetings in the Markets that we should not affect proud Titles and the honour of a Name to be call'd of Men Rabbi Rabbi for that one is our Master even Christ and all we are Brethren not that our Lord here absolutely forbids all Honour and Precedence no more than he does all Mastership and Superiority in what follows but only an inordinate desire a vicious and irregular inclination toward these things and an undue and tyrannical exercise of them that we should call no man our Father upon Earth that is in the same sence and with the same respect wherewith we do God for that one is our Father which is in Heaven neither that we be called Masters for that one is our Master even Christ For that whosoever should exalt himself shall be abased and he that should humble himself shall be exalted And then for his own practice how openly did he protest against seeking his own glory or receiving honour from Men how studiously did he stifle the fame of his own Miracles and whatever might raise him in the esteem and value of the World When an Appeal was made to him to judge a Cause he rebuk'd the
motion with a who made me a Judge and a Ruler over you When the Jews were resolv'd to have made him King he fled from the very shadow of a Crown When there was a strife amongst his own Apostles which of them should be accounted the greatest like the Kings of the Gentiles which exercis'd Lordship and Authority over their Subjects he ended the Controversy with a short decision but ye shall not be so This Charge S. Peter particularly applies to the Bishops and Rulers of the Church that they should not be Lords over God's Heritage that the younger should submit themselves to the elder yea all of them be subject one to another and be cloathed with Humility for that God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Had the excellent Rules here laid down by S. Peter been observ'd by those who pretend to be his Successors the Christian World had been free from those infinite disturbances and distractions which the pride and ambition of the Roman Bishops have brought upon it For certainly among all the corruptions and innovations of that Church nothing is more palpable and notorious than an intolerable usurpation over the Rights of their Brethren nothing more wild and extravagant than the challenging a Supremacy over the Christian Church as affix'd to the See of Rome expresly contrary not only to the Scripture the great Canon of our Faith but to the Laws of all ancient Councils and the practice of the Church which however it allow'd a primary honour and respect to the Roman Prelate yet still set him out as it did to all other Bishops the particular extent of his Jurisdiction This is that which I have endeavoured to evince in the following Discourse wherein I have trac'd the Papal Authority to those proper bounds and limits within which it was confin'd of old And upon that occasion have briefly survey'd the frame and constitution of the ancient Church and that Policy and Government whereby it was manag'd in its purer and better times That which gave birth to the whole Discourse was this I had elsewhere in relating the Acts of the second general Council represented the third Canon of that Council which decreed that the Bishop of Constantinople upon the account of its being New Rome or the Imperial City should have the priviledge of honour next to the Bishop of Rome A Canon which they of Rome could never pardon as which limits the power of the Roman Prelate and declares the foundation upon which it stands For the illustration of this Canon I intended im that place to have added a digression concerning the ancient Power and Precedence of the Bishops of Rome but upon second thoughts referr'd it to an Appendix at the end of the Book But that Book swelling into too great a bulk and this Discourse being grown beyond the proportion that was at first design'd I was over-perswaded by some Friends to venture it abroad alone A thing which had I intended from the beginning it had come forth at least in some parts more perfect than it is and with some advantages which now it is forc'd to go without I have wholly wav'd all Debates concerning the Jus Divinum of Episcopacy and the Controversies that depend upon it enough has been said upon that Argument and have chiefly insisted upon those branches of the Ecclesiastic Government which have been less canvassed amongst us For the same reason I have more lightly touch'd upon the Pope's Universal Supremacy 't was his Metropolitical and Patriarchal Power I principally design'd to enquire into I know Volumes have been written De primatu Papae de Ecclesiis Suburbicariis c. and therefore I have reduc'd what concerns those matters into as narrow a compass as I could and have said no more than what is necessary to clear the Argument and express my own sense about it If what is here said shall administer any light to this part of Church-antiquity I shall be very glad if not I am content it should follow the fate of many much better Books to be thrown aside 'T was never design'd to instruct the Learned but only to form a short Scheme of the true state of things for the benefit of those who have not been much conversant in the Antiquities of the Church at least to give some aid and direction to the younger sort who first apply themselves to the study of those ancient Times And if it may but attain this end I shall think my Time and Pains have been well bestow'd THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. The State of the Church-Government and Power of the Roman Bishops 'till the Council of Nice An Equality among the Apostles as Church Governours appointed by Christ Peter's pretended Supremacy over the rest shewed to be vain and groundless If any such had been granted it belong'd not to the Roman Bishops Early appearances of the Pride and Usurpation of the Bishops of that Church Special advantages of that See to set up for Tyranny and Usurpation The foundation of that Church by two great Apostles Peter and Paul Rome the Seat of the Empire The honour and advantages of that Church thereby The Catholick Faith long time preserv'd entire in the Church of Rome It s large Revenues affording liberal Hospitality It s sending forth Emissaries to plant Christianity in other Countries and thereby claiming superiority over them The pride of that Church severely censur'd by S. Basil A general Scheme of the subordination in the Government of the Primitive Church by Bishops Archbishops and Patriarchs and the Conformity herein to the Civil State Episcopal Government how it spread it self at first Metropolitans introduc'd and why A brief account of the ancient way of Ecclesiastical Administration out of Cyprian and others by the Bishop and his Clergy by Provincial Synods What things usually manag'd there Foreign Churches how mutually transacting with one another The Bishops of Rome had no more authority in this Period than the Bishops of other greater Sees Pope Melchiades appointed Commissioner by Constantine Donatus appeals from his Judgment His sentence brought under Examinations in the Synod of Arles Page 1 CHAP. II. The Government of the Church and Power of the Bishops of Rome as 't is represented in the Canons of the Nicene Council The sixth Canon of the Synod of Nice set down with the occasion of it Seven Observations drawn from that Canon I. That the larger bounds of Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction were the Roman Provinces A. Province what Whether the Countries in Italy so called II. That the chief Church-Governour in every Province was the Metropolitan The prudence and convenience of that way of Government Patriarchs prov'd not to be intended in the Nicene Canon III. That the Bishop of Rome no less than the rest had his proper and limited Metropolitical power This own'd by some of the greatest Champions of Rome IV. That the Metropolitick Sees of Rome Alexandria and Antioch were ever of the greatest note in the Christian
them which of them should be greatest in his Kingdom our Lord on purpose to silence all such ambitious attempts for the future plainly told them that though the Kings of the Gentiles exercised Dominion over their Subjects and they that are great exercised authority upon them Yet ye shall not be so but whosoever will be great among you let him be your Minister and whosoever will be chief among you let him be your Servant II. AND yet after all should it be granted that our Lord gave S. Peter some kind of superiour power over the rest yet what is this to the Bishops of Rome unless it could be prov'd that those priviledges were to be Haereditary and were not to determine and expire with S. Peter's person Bellarmine pleads that it is founded in a Right of Succession and this Right settled jure divino and by our Lords own Institution who expresly commanded S. Peter to fix the Apostolical Seat at Rome The proofs he brings to make good this command are a passage out of an Apocryphal Epistle of Pope Marcellus long since discarded together with the rest as the most notorious cheat and imposture that ever was put upon the Christian Church and at best an uncertain story of our Lords appearing to Peter and that too nothing to his purpose And therefore not daring to trust to them he fairly quits the jus divinum and confesses that the Pontifical Succession has no foundation in Scripture However that 't is not improbable and that 't is a thing piously to be believed that is perhaps it may be so and perhaps not we may do well to believe it but there 's no certain ground for it An admirable foundation to build so important a claim upon and for the sake whereof they have now for many ages created so much trouble and disturbance to the Christian World And besides there 's a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this case lies at the bottom it being generally taken for granted that S. Peter was in a proper sence Bishop of Rome which yet I believe can never be made good That he constituted that Church and laid down his life there for the Confirmation of it I easily grant but this makes him not properly Bishop of it and consequently the Popes cannot properly be his Successours Dye he might there but how comes this to entitle the Bishops of Rome to the Succession If so then as a Learned Man of the Greek Church long since urged in this case because our Lord died at Jerusalem therefore the Bishop of Jerusalem as possessing the Seat of our great High-Priest may claim an Universal superiority and challenge to be as much greater than the Bishop of Rome as Christ is than Peter Once more let it be suppos'd that this Supremacy was entail'd not only upon S. Peter but upon his Successors how comes it to pass that it was not lodg'd in the See of Antioch where they grant S. Peter resided as Bishop several years before he went to Rome and which therefore in all reason ought to challenge a Primary title An Objection which Bellarmin with all the subtilties of his Wit and Learning is not able to claw off So many insuperable barrs are there lying in the way to this soveraign and unaccountable authority of their Church III. BUT what Power soever the Bishops of Rome may pretend to derive from S. Peter sure I am they thus far inherit too much of his spirit and temper that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I mean that rash and busie fervour and eagerness so frequently noted in him by the Ancients Forward like him to speak run and interpose at every turn and forward like him too to smite with the Sword when meeting with the least opposition No sooner were the heats of the fifth persecution somewhat cooled and the Church entred a little upon more calm and prosperous days but we find Pope Victor An. 196. picking a quarrel with some of the Eastern Churches about the time of Celebrating Easter and though they justified themselves to the Christian World by Apostolical practice and a constant uninterrupted observation ever since yet because refusing to comply with the custome of the Church of Rome he hastily threw them under Excommunication to the great disturbance and amazement of the Christian World for which he was severely rebuked by the wise and good men of that time especially the mild and peaceable Irenaeus It was not much above half an Age after this when the practice of Baptizing a new those who had been Baptized by Hereticks begun mightily to prevail in some parts of the East but especially in the African Churches Stephen who was then Bishop of Rome storm'd hereat and in a great rage publickly declared that he would hold no Communion with them and when according to the custome whereby Churches mutually acted in those days they sent some Bishops to give him an account of their opinion and practice he proudly refused either to see them or speak with them and not content to deprive them of the Peace and Communion of the Church he denied them the common offices of humanity and charity forbidding the Christians at Rome so much as to entertain them To Cyprian he gave very hard words calling him false Christ false Apostle deceitful Worker and no better did he treat Firmilian Bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia and the Churches of Iconium But Cyprian though a man otherwise of great gentleness and moderation plainly told him that this was nothing but the effect of a proud impertinent imprudent self-contradicting humour that it proceeded from blindness and perverseness from obstinacy and presumption and directly tended to the Patronage and encouragement of error and Heresie Firmilian charg'd him with inhumanity audaciousness and insolence with doing very unjust and unwarrantable things that they at Rome however vainly pretending Apostolical authority did not themselves exactly observe primitive tradition that he could not but disdain Stephens open and manifest folly who while he boasted so much of the eminency of his Episcopal place and contended that he had the Succession of Peter upon whom the foundations of the Church were laid did yet hereby introduce several other rocks and build new Churches upon them And when not long after the controversie came to be canvass'd in a Synod of Eighty seven African Bishops whom Cyprian had assembled at Carthage for that purpose in the speech that he made at the opening of the Council Cyprian tax'd the Pride and ambition of the Bishop of Rome telling them that they should all freely speak their minds without judging or Excommunicating any that were of another opinion that none of them took upon himself to make himself Bishop of Bishops or by a tyrannical threatning to force his Colleagues into a necessity of compliance since every Bishop according to the power and liberty granted to him had his proper rule and jurisdiction and could no more be judg'd by
way of Argument by some otherwise learned enough 't is no wonder that nothing should be stuck at true or false that may serve their cause But I spare any farther censure of this Authour finding by his life publisht since the Writing of these Papers that he repented afterwards of so hasty and inconsiderate an undertaking and oft intended to have brought that work under a review and castigation And indeed any Man may at first sight discern 't was the issue of a Juvenile heat and wanted the corrections of calmer and maturer thoughts But perhaps it might prove no such easie task to make it out that S. Peter founded those three Sees and if he did that any such authority as is claim'd is thence deriv'd to the See of Rome Antioch and Alexandria did always maintain their Jurisdiction Independent though the Popes frequently inculcated their being originally Instituted by S. Peter as a kind of obligation to Rome and that which reflected the greatest honour upon those Churches And the Fathers we see found their preheminence upon the Glory and Majesty of their Cities and none more expresly than that of Rome the Bishop whereof was therefore honoured caress'd and add rest unto because Bishop of Rome And had he contented himself with that place and deference which the Fathers gave him and not broken down Inclosures and trampled over the Heads of his Brethren we should neither have envied nor denied it And though perhaps it might admit some dispute whether Rome having for so many Ages lost the honor of being the Imperial City the Privileges conferr'd upon that Church upon that account ought not in reason to abate proportionably yet we are willing to grant what genuine Antiquity did allow that the Bishop of that place containing himself within Primitive Rules and Orders should be esteemed the most honourable among all Christian Bishops that he should be first but not Lord much less Tyrant over his Brethren The Priviledges assign'd him by the ancient Canons were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 says a late learned Patriarch of Alexandria Priviledges of honour not conveyances of a Tyrannical power to make or abrogate Laws as he pleases And therefore suppose the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Primacy of the Church of Rome mention'd in the beginning of this sixt Nicene Canon as 't is quoted by Paschasinus the Popes Legate in the Council of Chalcedon were granted yet who knows not that there is a Primacy of Order as well as Power a Primacy amongst equals and such 't is plain was that which the ancient Councils did assign him not an Universal Monarchical uncontroulable Power and Supremacy over the whole Christian Church which would have fundamentally destroy'd the very design of this Nicene Canon which makes the Bishops of Alexandria Antioch the other Provinces independent and as supream within their own limits as the Pope is in his Is there no difference between Precedency and Supremacy between Dignity and Dominion Let the Roman Church be the Head of all Churches as 't is sometimes styl'd by the Ancients and frequently challeng'd by the Popes 't is so only in an honourary sence and in that respect other Churches especially that of Constantinople have the same title given to them Where then shall we find the Soveraign Arbitrary and unbounded Power of the Bishop of Rome and where but in the pride ambition and Usurpation of that See certain I am it has not the least footing in this or any other ancient Council Nor can it be suppos'd that had the Fathers of this venerable Synod known of any such supereminent Power of the Roman Bishop as is now pretended to and know it they must if there had been any meeting from all parts of the World we cannot suppose I say they would have given the Bishops of Alexandria Antioch c. equal Power within their respective Provinces without inserting into the Canon a Salvo to the Supreme Rights and Prerogatives of the See of Rome especially when we find them in the very next Canon giving the Bishop of Jerusalem an honourable Session but still with a Proviso to preserve the Rights of the Metropolitan of that Province V. THAT the Rights of the Roman Metropolitan were not due by any Divine Constitution but flow'd only from Custome and the practice of the Church This is here laid down as one of the main foundations upon which the whole Body of the Canon is built the Right here convey'd not being Divine Institutions but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ancient Customs introduc'd by time and use and a wise contrivance Which is not only the case of Metropolitans in general but is particularly applied to him of Rome it being says the Canon the custome for the Bishop of Rome to have such Metropolitick Power Had these good Fathers known of any peculiar Commission given by Christ to Peter and in him to the Bishop of Rome to be his Supream and Universal Bishop upon Earth to Govern his Church by a despotical unaccountable power or that our Lord had but so much as authorized and appointed him to be Superiour to all the Bishops within the Roman Province it had been hard not to say unjust and unreasonable in them to conceal it and an irreparable injury to that Church to derive its authority from any meaner original An injury which we cannot conceive but that the Popes Legates who were then in Council must have immediately entred their Protest against But the Christian World was as yet unacquainted with such Notions and the Popes then either did not claim any such power or to be sure durst not challenge it in that Assembly where they knew it must be shamefully baffled and rejected What Power soever our Lord or his Apostles convey'd to Bishops this is certain that all Bishops as such stand upon a common level and that Superiority and Subordination among them is meerly from humane positive Institution borrowed from the Forms in the civil state and with great reason brought in to comply with the conveniencies and necessities of the Church And to this the Fathers usually refer it Thus we see they here determined the case of Metropolitans And in the following Canon the Bishop of Jerusalem's taking place next to his Metropolitan before all the other Bishops of that Province is ascrib'd to custome and ancient tradition In the Council of Ephesus the Bishop of Antioch was complain'd of for invading the Rights of the Metropolitan of Cyprus in deciding whereof the Fathers affirm it would be sufficient prejudice to his cause if he had not ancient custome on his side And having determin'd the case against him decree That every Province should enjoy those original Rights pure and inviolable which had been deriv'd to them by long continuance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according as the power of ancient custome had prevail'd And when some years after by reason of the Incursions of the barbarous people the Metropolitan of Cyprus was forc't to
another than he himself could judge others that in these matters they were to expect the Judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ who alone had power both of appointing Governours over his Church and of calling them to an account for their administration IV. BY these instances and many more no doubt which the History of those times would have set before us had the Churches Records come safe to us it appears how early the Bishops of Rome set out to usurp a Dominion over the Church and though they generally met with opposition yet they still went on and vigorously improv'd all advantages with what success the Christian world has now for many ages found to their cost And certainly never any stood fairer to start and carry on such a design For First Their Church was not only Apostolical but had been founded by two of the most eminent Apostles Peter and Paul which gave a mighty reputation to it in after Ages the Christian world bearing an extraordinary reverence to those great names which the Bishops of that See knew how to improve to their own advantage For this reason Irenaeus calls the Church of Rome the greatest and most eminent Church and most Universally known as being founded by the two most glorious Apostles Peter and Paul and S. Augustine says that in it there always flourished the principality of the Apostolick Chair and Origen took a journey on purpose to Rome to gratify his curiosity with the sight of so ancient and renowned a Church And upon this account must be discharged very many of those great things which several of the Fathers speak so liberally concerning the Church of Rome who thought they could never express a veneration big enough towards S. Peter and consequently towards the place which he had honoured with his Doctrine and Residence and watred with his Blood which however spoken by them out of a devout intent prov'd the first rounds of that Ladder by which the Roman Bishops mounted up to a Supremacy above the rest It happening in a few Ages that nothing was talkt of at Rome but of the Prince of the Apostles and the authority of the Apostolick See 'till almost every thing there became Apostolical and was covered with S. Peters name Secondly Their Church was planted in the Imperial City a place that seem'd born for Empire and Soveraignty that had long since Conquered and at that time Governed the greatest part of the World a City that was the Center of all Nations and the Seat of Majesty and Magnificence where all great affairs were transacted and all the Scenes of glory and greatness represented in a little compass Which could not but reflect a more than ordinary lustre upon those Bishops that sat at the upper end of the world and make them appear considerably bigger more conspicuous and useful than the rest of their Brethren and by reason of the general confluence of all Nations to Rome enable them in a little time to draw the cognizance of Ecclesiastick Causes from all parts thither 'T was this conveniency of Situation gave them opportunity to insinuate themselves into the favour of the Emperors and by their power to enlarge their own Borders yea and to succour and relieve their Clients and Dependants which made many to court their protection and assistance though often with the loss of their own freedom and liberty This was especially done after the Emperours became Christians the Roman Church being by them enrich'd with vast honours and priviledges accounting that the greatness of that Church would not a little contribute to the splendour and magnificence of the Empire And though the Imperial Seat was quickly translated to another place yet besides that the Emperours a long time retain'd their affection for Rome what the Pope lost in one sence he gain'd in another making use of the Emperours absence to enhance his own Power and Revenue 'till he was able not only to Lord it over his brethren but over Princes themselves Thirdly The Roman Church continued for several Ages the Seat of true Apostolick Doctrine maintaining that character that S Paul had given them that their Faith was spoken of throughout the whole world it being here preserv'd pure and uncorrupt while a great part of the Christian world besides was over run with Error and Heresie and torn in pieces by Schisms and Factions This made Rome in those days while it remain'd sound and Orthodox in a manner the Standard of Catholick Communion most other Churches veering in point of Communion as they found the Wind blow from that Quarter and saw how the business far'd at Rome Accordingly Theodosius in the beginning of his Reign resolving to reform the Doctrine of the Church then miserably degenerated in the Eastern parts commanded that that Faith only should take place that was profess'd by Pope Damasus and Peter of Alexandria that Faith and Religion which S. Peter had delivered to the Church of Rome and which had all along 'till that time flourisht there This made way for Appeals every party being desirous to gain the good will of that Church and to have its Bishop pronounce for their cause 'till from an honourary arbitration it came to be claim'd as a right and due And persons especially those who were persecuted in their own Countries for their adherence to the Catholick Faith were the more encourag'd to repair hither because here they were kindly treated and hospitably entertain'd a piece of charity which the Bishops of that Church by reason of their ample possessions and large endowments were very capable to afford For besides their standing Rents and Revenues their gains by collections and oblations was so great that by them alone in the time of Pope Damasus they were enabled to live in a state and grandeur like that of Temporal Princes if we may believe the account given by Ammianus Marcellinus and the story is known of Praetextatus a zealous Gentile design'd to be Consul who reflecting upon the plenty of that See was wont pleasanly to tell Pope Damasus make me but Bishop of Rome and I will immediately become a Christian 'T is certain that Church could never want plentiful Incomes flowing in upon it and as charitable it was in those days as it was wealthy and was not only very kind to strangers when they came thither but was wont to transmit very liberal distributions of its charity to forreign Churches to relieve the necessities of the Brethren that were under Persecution and were condemned to the Mines as Dionysius Bishop of Corinth tells us in his Letter to Soter Bishop of Rome written about the Year CLXXIV and that this had been the custome of that Church from the very Infancy of Christianity Fourthly The Church of Rome by the advantage of the Imperial City was capable of propagating the Christian Doctrine into several parts of the West to send out Disciples receive Dispatches transmit Directions and supply all