arriving at the Imperial City he resolved to keep up his Port entred with great state and being invited to sit upon a Seat even with that of Epiphanius Bishop of that Church he refus'd telling them he would maintain the Prerogative of the Apostolick See not giving over 'till a more eminent Throne was purposely plac'd for him above that of the Bishop of Constantinople As if it had not been enough to reproach and vilify him at a distance unless contrary to all Laws and Canons and to the Rules of modesty civility and reason he also trampled upon him in his own Church Nay Anastasius adds that the Emperour in honour to God came before him and prostrated himself upon the ground to adore and worship him Pope John the second about ten years after writing to Justinian though there want not very learned men who question the credit of that Epistle talks stylo Romano just after the rate of his Predecessours he tells the Emperour 't was his singular honour and commendation that he preserv'd a reverence for the Roman See that he submitted all things to it and reduc'd them to the unity of it a Right justified by S. Peter's authority conveyed to him by that authentick deed of gift Feed my sheep that both the Canons of the Fathers and the Edicts of Princes and his Majesties own professions declar'd it to be truly the head of all Churches Where yet as in infinite other expressions of that nature in the Pontifical Epistles he warily keeps himself within general terms capable of a gentler or a brisker interpretation as it stood with their interest to improve VIII WEARIED out with continual provocations oppositions and affronts from Rome the Patriarchs of Constantinople began to think upon some way by which they might be better enabled to bear up against them To this end John who from his extraordinary abstinence was Sir-nam'd Nesteutes or the Faster being then Bishop of that See in a Synod conven'd there Ann. DLXXXIX about the Cause of Gregory Bishop of Antioch procur'd the Title of Oecumenical or Universal Bishop to be conferr'd upon him with respect probably to that Cities being the head Seat of the Empire which was usually styl'd Orbis Romanus and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Universe or whole World and it could not be therefore thought extravagant if the Bishop of it did assume a proportionable Title of honour nothing appearing that hereby he laid claim to any extraordinary Jurisdiction Nor indeed is it reasonable to conceive that the Eastern Patriarchs who as Evagrius who was advocate for Gregory in that Synod tells us were all either by themselves or their Legates present in this Council together with very many Metropolitans should at one cast throw up their own power and authority and give John an absolute Empire and Dominion over them and therefore can be suppos'd to grant no more than that he being the Imperial Patriarch should alone enjoy that honorable Title above the rest Besides that every Bishop as such is in a sence intrusted with the care and sollicitude of the Universal Church and though for conveniency limited to a particular charge may yet act for the good of the whole Upon this ground it was that in the ancient Church so long as Order and Regular Discipline was observ'd Bishops were wont upon occasion not only to communicate their Councils but to exercise their power and functions beyond the bounds of their particular Diocess and we frequently find Titles and Characters given to particular Bishops especially those of Patriarchal Sees equivalent to that of Universal Bishop I cannot but mention that passage of Theodorit who speaking of Nestorius his being made Bishop of Constantinople says that he was intrusted with the Presidency of the Catholick Church of the Orthodox there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was nothing less then that of the whole World A passage which perhaps might the more incourage and invite John at this time to assume the Title IX BUT in what sence soever intended it sounded high but especially made a loud noise at Rome where they were strangely surpris'd to find themselves outshot in their own Bow for though they had all along driven on the design with might and main yet they had hitherto abstain'd from the Title Pelagius who at this time sat in that Chair was extreamly netled at it and immediately dispatch'd Letters to John and the Bishops of his Synod wherein he rants against this pride and folly talks high of the invalidity of all Conciliary Acts without his consent and approbation charges them though summon'd by their Patriarch not to appear at any Synod without authority first had from the Apostolick See threatens John with excommunication if he did not presently recant his error and lay aside his unjustly usurpt Title of Universal Bishop affirming that none of the Patriarchs might use that Profane Title and that if any one of them were styl'd Oecumenical the Title of Patriarch would be taken from the rest a piece of insolence which ought to be far from all true Christians with a great deal more to the same effect I know the last publishers of the Councils make this Epistle to be spurious a false piece of Ware patch'd up in Insidore Mercators shop But however that be plain it is from S. Gregory who sent Copies of them to the Bishops of Antioch and Alexandria that Pelagius did write such Letters wherein by the authority of S. Peter he rescinded the Acts of that Synod propter nephandum elationis vocabulum for the sake of that proud and ungodly Title prohibiting his Arch-Deacon then at Constantinople so much as to be present at prayers with the Patriarch of that place X. GREGORY the Great succeeded Pelagius whose Apocrisiarius or Agent he had been at Constantinople when the thing was done A man of good learning and greater piety and of somewhat a more meek and peaceable temper then most of those that had gone before him which perhaps he owed in a great measure to those sad calamitous times he so oft complains of wherein he liv'd And yet as tender in this point as his Predecessours John of Constantinople had lately sent him an account of the proceedings in the case of John Presbyter of Chalcedon wherein he took occasion to style himself Oecumenical Patriarch almost in every sentence This touch'd Pope Gregory to the quick and as he had an excellent talent at writing Letters he presently sends to Mauritius the Emperour to the Empress Constantina to the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch to John himself and to Sabinian his own Deacon then residing at Constantinople In all which he strains all the Nerves of his Rhetoric to load the case with the heaviest Aggravations complaining that by the contrivance of this proud and pompous Title the peace of the Church the holy Laws and venerable Synods yea and the commands of our Lord Jesus himself who by that
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
passage of Socrates I mention'd concerning Patriarchs in a proper sence IV. INDEED the Montanists or Cataphrygians who started up under the Reign of the Emperour Antoninus had their Patriarchs They had three Orders of Church-Officers Patriarchs Cenones and Bishops But besides that they were an odd and absurd Sect whom the Catholick Church alwas disown'd 't is not easie to guess what they meant by Patriarchs whom they plainly make distinct from Bishops They were it seems their prime Ecclesiastick Governours the chief whereof resided probably at Pepuza in Phrygia which they Fantastically call'd Jerusalem affirming it to be the New Jerusalem that came down out of Heaven and this 't is like in imitation of the Jewish High-Priest for from the Judaical constitution they borrowed many of their Devices and perhaps might borrow the very name as well as thing from them the prime Church-Officer among the Jews after the Destruction of the Temple and the Abrogation of that Polity being styl'd Patriarch as we noted before But it may be doubted whether the Montanists had those three Orders from the beginning of their Sect it being taken notice of by none Elder than S. Jerome nor that I know of mention'd by any other ancient Writer after him However 't is certain that in the common use of the word it occurrs not till the time of Pope Leo and the Ephesine and Chalcedon Councils After that the Title became fixt and nothing more common than the word Patriarch and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patriarchal Sees in the writings of the Church What and how many these particular Sees were we are told by the sixt Council in Trullo where they are particularly enumerated and their order and precedency adjusted in this manner Rome Constantinople Alexandria Antioch Jerusalem From hence then we descend to survey these particular Patriarchates not designing to meddle with Secondary and later Patriarchates such as that of Aquileia Grado Russia the Patriarchs of the Maronites Jacobites Armenians the Catholick or Patriarch of Bagdad or Mauzel and the like Our business now is with the five ancient and eminent Patriarchships and though first in order we shall reserve that of Rome to be treated of in the last place intending to discourse more fully concerning it V. WE begin with the Patriarch of Alexandria for I shall take them in order as I conceive they grew up in time who seems to have gain'd little by his new Patriarchship besides the honour of the Title whether we consider him in point of precedency in point of power or in the extent of his Jurisdiction nay in some respects he was a loser rather than a gainer by it In point of precedency he was before the second Metropolitan in the whole Christian World whereas now he was thrust down into the third place In point of power he was before this change sole Metropolitan of those parts and the Ordination of his suffragan Bishops intirely belong'd to him or depended upon his consent and confirmation which now according to the constitution of Church-Policy must be devolv'd upon the several Metropolitans under him Nor was he much advanc't in the extent of his Jurisdiction 'T is true the Dioecesis Aegyptiaca consisted of six large Provinces all under the Government of the Augustal Praefect who constantly resided at Alexandria and consequently in Spirituals belong'd to the Patriarch of that place These in the Notitia Imperii we find thus reckon'd up Libya Superior Libya Inferior Thebais Aegyptus Arcadia Augustanica Whereas in the Nicene Canon the Alexandrian Metropolitanship is said to extend but over three Egypt Libya and Pentapolis But when it is considered that Thebais Arcadia and Augustanica were of old parts of and lay hid under the more general name of Egypt and that Pentapolis was the same with the Upper Libya the account will be much the same We find in the Council of Nice that the Bishop of Alexandria was appointed to give an account of those Synodal transactions to the Churches throughout all Egypt Libya and Pentapolis and the neighbouring Countries as far as the Provinces of India Where the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or whole Egypt in opposition to the other two which were but single Provinces takes in Egypt strictly so call'd Thebais Arcadia and Augustanica and by the neighboring Regions that lay as far as India are doubtless meant the Frontier Countries that bordered upon the Roman Provinces and were perhaps confederate with the Empire and wherein 't is like the Bishops of Alexandria had propagated Christianity as we know Athanasius did in India whose Churches therefore own'd a dependance upon the See of Alexandria And in this respect I grant the Bishop had somewhat a larger Jurisdiction than the Augustal Praefect tho otherwise they were the same Upon the erection of this See into a Patriarchate several Metropolitans start up Ten of the Metropolitans of his Diocess the Emperour Theodosius commanded Dioscorus to bring along with him to the Council of Ephesus How many more he had is not certain Nilus Doxopatrius in his Notitia says there were thirteen the old Greek Notitia we mention'd before reckons ten Provinces and in them ninety nine Bishopricks which surely argues that a miserable desolation had laid waste those Countries and reduc't the number of Episcopal Sees Seeing before the time of the Nicene Council there met in Synod near an Hundred Bishops out of Egypt and Libya whom Alexander had summon'd to the condemnation of Arius And that so many there were Athanasius expresly tells us more than once And how greatly Bishopricks were multiplied afterwards the Reader who is vers'd in these matters needs not be told VI. THE See of Antioch always took place next that of Alexandria being ever accounted the prime City of the East Like the rest it arose by degrees into a Patriarchate First getting an honourary then an authoritative Superiority over that Diocess During the Session of the Second general Council the Bishops not only of that Province but of the Eastern Diocess met together to Ordain Flavianus Bishop of Antioch whose Act herein was ratified by the Vote of that Council as the remaining part of the Synod meeting again the next year tell Pope Damasus in their Letter to him About this time or rather sometime before I guess the Bishop of Antioch had set up for a Patriarchal power and had begun to enlarge his Jurisdiction from a Province to a Diocess Now the Eastern Diocess under the care of the Comes Orientis contain'd fifteen Provinces the Three Palestine's Phoenice Syria Cyprus Phoenice Libani Euphratensis Syria Salutaris Osrhoëna Mesopotamia Cilicia Secunda Isauria and Arabia Cyprus indeed stood out and would not submit to the See of Antioch and though the Bishop stickled hard to bring them under yet the Cyprian Bishops stoutly maintain'd their ancient rights The case was canvass'd and debated at large in the Council of Ephesus and upon hearing the
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
of Rome upon other Sees especially the See of Constantinople The Roman Bishops breaking the bounds of all Laws and Canons Their taking hold of all occasions of magnifying their own power Instances of Julius Damasus Innocent Zosimus to this purpose The briskness and activity of Pope Leo. His many Letters written to advance the reputation of his authority His jealous eye upon the growing greatness of the See of Constantinople The attempts and actings of his Legates in the Council of Chalcedon Their mighty opposition against the passing the XXVIII Canon of that Synod The fraud of Paschasinus in citing the sixth Canon of Nice Their protestation against the power granted to the Bishop of Constantinople Pope Leo's zeal and rage against these Synodal Proceedings Faelix his Excommunicating Acacius of Constantinople The pretended occasion of that Sentence The same spleen continued and carried on by Pope Gelasius A reconciliation procur'd by the Emperour Justin between the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople Pope John's insulting over Epiphanius in his own Church at Constantinople John the Second's ranting Letter to Justinian The Bishop of Constantinople assumes the title of Oecumenical Patriarch This in what sence probably meant The passionate resentment of Pope Pelagius hereat The same zeal shew'd by his Successor Gregory the Great His Letters written upon that occasion The hard words he every where bestows upon that title His mistake about the offer of that title to the Pope in the Chalcedon Council The true state of that case This title frequently given to the Constantinopolitan Bishops in the Council under Mennas before John assumed it Baronius's poor evasion of that matter Gregory still continues to thunder out Anathema's against this Title All this suspected to be but noise and the quarrel only because themselves had not the title Phocas his Usupation of the Empire The monstrous villany and wickedness of that man Pope Gregory's scandalously flattering Caresses to him and his Empress Boniface the Third makes suit to Phocas and procures the title of Oecumenical to be affixt to the See of Rome The Pope's daily enlargement of their Power and Tyranny and their advantages for so doing The whole concluded with the Canons or DICTATES of Pope Hildebrand Page 267 ERRATA PAge 5. line 8. read whosoever p. 52. l. 21. r. Administration p. 73. marg r. iii. p. 75. l. 12. r. head p. 110. l. 19. r. Crustuminum p. 133. l. 15. r. larger p. 136. l. 3. r. desire p. 152. l. 12. after who add are p. 173. l. 4. r. this p. 187. l. 22. r. them p. 300. l. 4. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 304. l. 13. r. Isidore A DISSERTATION Concerning the GOVERNMENT OF THE ANCIENT CHURCH BY Bishops Metroplitans and Patriarchs c. 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 Peters 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 intire 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 St. Basil A general Scheme of the subordination in the Government of the Primitive Church by Bishops Arch-bishops and Patriarchs and the Conformity herein to the Civil State Episcopal Government how it spreads 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 I. ORDER and Government are so essentially necessary to the peace and welfare of Mankind that no Society whether civil or sacred can subsist without it Where there is none to command there will be none to obey and where every one is left to do what he please there must be confusion and every evil work No sooner therefore had our Blessed Saviour laid the foundation of the Christian Church but he chose twelve whom he named Apostles to whose care and conduct he committed the administration of it These he invested with equal powers upon these he deriv'd the same mission which he himself had receiv'd from God As my father sent me so send I you All had the same authority to Preach Plant and propagate the Church to feed and rule the flock of Christ to go teach and baptize all Nations the same Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven committed to one as well as another that whatsoever sins they should remit they should be remitted and whosoever sins they retain they should be retained The same Holy Spirit breathed upon all with a receive ye the Holy Ghost Notwithstanding all which it is confidently pretended on the behalf of S. Peter that a paramount authority was conferr'd upon him and that not only above but over the rest that he was constituted by our Lord Prince and Head of the Colledge the other Apostles were indeed Shepherds of the Flock but were themselves Christs Sheep and St. Peter appointed Pastor over them with a great deal more boldly asserted at a venture and attempted to be made good by such warrant from Scripture as any thing but the necessity of maintaining a desperate cause would be ashamed to produce And as no such charter can be produc'd sign'd by our Saviour so neither do we find S. Peter challenging much less exercising any such superiority He submitted to the Orders of the Apostolical Colledge and rendered himself accountable to them for his actions styles himself no more than their Fellow-Presbyter and cautions against Lording over God's Heritage How openly did S. Paul assert that he came not a whit behind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very chiefest Apostles and that the Gospel of the Uncircumcision was committed unto him as well as that of the Circumcision was to Peter James and John are said to be Pillars as well as he nay the whole twelve Apostles are equally styl'd the twelve foundations of the new Jerusalem that descended out of Heaven and it was indifferently promised to all that they should sit upon twelve Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Nay when a strife arose amongst
Emergencies that might arise Accordingly upon this foundation the Popes built and advanc't a claim to Superiority and Dominion Thus Damasus writing to the Bishops of Africk tells them that in all doubtful cases they ought to have recourse to him as to the head and thence to take their determination from whence they had received their institution and instruction in the Christian Faith And Pope Innocent tells Decentius Bishop of Eugubium that all the Churches in those parts ought to take their measures from Rome and nothing to be valid but what 's received from thence it being evident that no Churches had been planted in Italy France Spain Africk Sicily and the interjacent Islands by any but such as had been Ordain'd by S. Peter or his Successors And this is the Plea we are so often urg'd with whereby the Roman See challenges jurisdiction over England its commissionating Augustine the Monk to convert the Saxons and settle Religion in these parts But were there no more to be offered in answer to it this were enough that Christianity had for several ages been planted here before ever Austin set his foot on English ground as perhaps we may have occasion to shew afterwards In short though it became Churches thus planted to bear a very grateful respect to that Mother Church that was the instrument to convey to them the Christian faith yet did it lay them under no obligation to subjection and servitude however the Church of Rome has handled the matter to its own advantage and from the lenity and tenderness of a Parent had degenerated into the pride and cruelty of a Stepmother and not content to exercise authority over its own Colonies began to advance its banners over all the rest proudly proclaiming it self the Mother and Mistres of all Churches I observe no more then that pride seems to be a vice more peculiar to Rome than other places 't was this put the old Romans upon subduing the world and by this the Emperors tyrannized over it for some ages and when Rome shifted its Lords it did not change its Task-masters the ambition which the Emperors laid down the Popes took up and prosecuted it by far worse arts and methods than ever the Romans did of old S. Basil more than once complains of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the pride of the West and how little help was to be expected from them that neither understood the truth nor would be content to learn it that he was resolved to write to the Pope to let him know that it did not become him to insult over and add to the miseries of the afflicted nor to think pride to be honourable a thing alone sufficient to render a man odious in the sight of God and elsewhere he expresses a very passionate resentment that he hated the pride of that Church V. FURNISHED with these advantages the Roman Prelates set up for themselves and gave not over till they had by right and wrong spread such an Ecclesiastic Empire over the world as would admit neither superior nor equal In order to the discovery whereof it will be necessary to enquire what was of old the proper jurisdiction of the Bishops of Rome before they removed those antient Land-marks which the Fathers had set We have elsewhere observ'd what has been remarkt by many and indeed is evident to any one vers'd in Church-antiquity that in the primitive times the external Polity of the Church was conform'd as near as might be to the Mode that obtain'd in the civil State Now the whole Roman Empire consisted of thirteen Dioceses for so they began to style those large Divisions about the time of Constantine whereof seven in the Eastern parts Egypt the Orient or East properly so call'd Asiana Pontica Thrace Macedonia and Dacia and six in the West Italy Afric Illyricum France Spain and Britain besides the Roman Praefecture extending to the Provinces round about the City which had anciently been a peculiar government equal yea superior in dignity to any Diocess whereof hereafter In each of these Diocesses were several Provinces 118 in all the chief City whereof in every Province was the Metropolis that had a kind of jurisdiction over all the rest both title and dignity being peculiarly settled by imperial constitution Now the civil and Ecclesiastical jurisdiction were concurrent after this manner in every City there was a civil Judge who presided over it and the Towns about it and to him answered the Bishop of that City in every Province a Proconsul or President resided at the Metropolis govern'd that whole division received appeals and determined all important cases brought before him from the inferior Cities Correspondent to him was the Metropolitan or as they after call'd him the Archbishop whose See was in the same City who superintended the several Churches and ordained the several Bishops within his Province And then in every Diocess there was a Vicarius or Lieutenant who kept his residence in the principal City thence dispatcht the Imperial Edicts and there heard and decided those causes that were not finally determin'd by inferiour Courts And concurrent with him in Ecclesiastical matters was the Primate or as some of them were more eminently stiled the Patriarch who presided over the several Metropolitans within that Diocess appointed the conventions of his Clergy Umpir'd the differences that arose between the several Bishops and gave the last determination to all Appeals brought before him And thus by an orderly Subordination of Deacons and Presbyters to their Bishops of Bishops to their immediate Metropolitans of Metropolitans to their respective Primates or Patriarchs and by a mutual correspondence between the several Primates of every Diocess the affairs of the Christian Church were carried on with great decorum and regularity VI. THIS excellent Platform was not fram'd and set up all at once In the more early Ages Christianity being generally first Preacht and planted in the greater Cities and the Ecclesiastical Government settled there thence spread it self into the neighbouring Country and persons were thence dispatcht to Preach and attend the Ministeries of Religion in those rural Plantations who yet were in all things steer'd and directed by the Bishop and his Ecclesiastick Senate residing in the City As Churches multiplied and Christianity extended it self into wider circles it was found necessary to fix a particular Bishop almost in every City to whom was committed the care and superintendency over all the Clergy and people there and in all the Towns and Villages belonging to the jurisdiction of that place But because controversies began to arise between the several Bishops and sometimes between them and the inferiour Clergy which could not easily be determin'd where every ones authority was independant it was necessary that some one should preside over all the other Bishops of that Province as the Proconsul did in the civil state who might convene Synodical Assemblies adjust the differences and manage the Ordinations
two things are plain beyond all just exception First that the Jurisdiction of the City-Praefect reacht an Hundred miles about Rome Secondly that the Urbicary and Suburbicary Regions lay chiefly and in all likelyhood intirely within that compass and deriv'd that title from their vicinity to the City and their immediate dependance upon the Government of its Provost And I cannot but a little wonder that Sirmond who more than once grants the Praefect of Rome to have had jurisdiction within an Hundred miles should yet as often deny that he had any Provinces under his Government as if there had been no Provinces within that compass when they are expresly call'd the Suburbanae Provinciae in the Theodosian Code and the ordinary Judges in those parts commanded to return all greater causes to the Tribunal of the City-Praefect and this in contradistinction to the course of other Provinces which were to be accountable to the Praetorian Praefect IV. HAVING thus found out the Jurisdiction of the Roman Praefect it should one would think be no hard matter to discover that of the Bishop of Rome there being so known a correspondence between the Civil and Ecclesiastical Government of those days And though this did not always nor Universally take place and how should it when time and the Will of Princes made such alterations in the bounds of places and Provinces yet did it generally obtain A thing introduc'd at first for greater conveniency founded upon long custome and settled by several Laws and Canons of the Church insomuch that if a change or alteration had been or should hereafter be made by imperial authority in any City that then the Order of Episcopal Sees should follow the civil and Political forms as is expresly provided by two general Councils the one of Chalcedon the other of Constantinople Nor can any reason be given why the Bishop of Alexandria should exercise a Pastoral Authority over Three such large Provinces as Egypt Libya and Pentapolis but only because they were under the civil Government of the Praefectus Augustalis the Imperial Vice-roy who kept his residence in that City The Jurisdiction then of the Bishop of Rome being of equal circumference with that of the Roman Provost must extend to all the City-Provinces that lay within an Hundred miles round about it Accordingly we find that when great disturbances were made in the Church of Rome by the Manichees and other Hereticks and Schismaticks Valentinian the Third writes to Faustus Praefect of Rome to expel them all out of the City but especially to proceed against those who separated themselves from the Communion of the venerable Pope and whose Schism did infect the people commanding him that if upon warning given they should not within Twenty days reconcile themselves he should banish them One hundred miles out of the City that so they might be punisht with their self-chosen solitude and separation The Emperour thinking it but just that they who had voluntarily rejected should be themselves cast out of the bounds of his Jurisdiction that they who had perverted many in the Capital City should not be left within any part of his Diocess to infect the people And this was done in compliance with the course observ'd in civil cases where notorious malefactours were so us'd Thus Symmachus the Gentile was for his insolence banish'd an Hundred miles out of Rome And some Ages before that Severus having cashiered the Souldiers that murdered the Emperour Pertinax banisht them and charg'd them at the peril of their Heads not to come within an Hundred miles of Rome that is within the limits of the City-Praefecture And more plainly yet in the case of Ursicinus who had rais'd infinite stirs at Rome about the choice of Pope Damasus and had set up himself as Competitor in that Election for which he had been banish'd into France Valentinian the Elder afterwards as appears by his Rescript directed to Ampelius the City-Provost gave him and his companions leave to return into Italy provided they came not to Rome nor any place within the Suburbicary Regions that is within the Jurisdiction of the Roman Bishop But Rufinus has put the case beyond all question who in his short paraphrase for for a translation we may be sure he never intended it of the Sixt Nicene Canon tells us that according to ancient custome as he of Alexandria had in Egypt so the Bishop of Rome had the care and charge of the Suburbicary Churches The Champions of the Roman Church finding themselves sorely pinch'd with this authority have no other way to relieve themselves but to throw it quite off their Necks and to fall foul upon Rufinus loading him with all the hard Names and Characters of reproach charging him with malice falshood ignorance want of learning and indeed what not But the World is not now to be taught that Rufinus was a Man of parts and learning witness the reputation which his Works had of old and still have to this day Pope Gelasius with his Synod of seventy Bishops allow'd them the case only of free-will excepted And among the rest his Ecclesiastical History wherein this very Nicene Canon is extant and gives him too the title of a Religious Man into the bargain So that Rufinus his Exposition has the Popes own approbation on its side And surely if ever his judgment be infallible it is when he has his Council about him to advise and assist him And though perhaps that Gelasian Synod if searcht into may not be of that authentick credit as to lay any considerable stress upon it yet however it stands good against them that own its authority and thereby approve its determination And though it had not given this testimony to Rufinus yet there wants not other evidence that the thing was so Accordingly Hincmar of Rhemes speaking of this very Book of Rufinus whence this passage is taken assures us it was one of those that were receiv'd in the Catalogue of the Apostolick See Nay his Ecclesiastical History obtain'd such credit that it was wont solemnly to be appeal'd to by Fathers and Councils in some of the most weighty and important cases of the Church V. NOR is there any shadow of probability that he should be mistaken either in the sence of the Nicene Canon or in the Province of the Bishop of Rome He was himself an Italian born not above Twenty years after the Synod of Nice Baptiz'd and perhaps born at Aquileia a famous City of Friuli honoured heretofore with the residence of Augustus and some other Emperours and made afterwards a Metropolis and the Seat of the Praetorian Prefect and himself a Presbyter of that Church He had been frequently conversant at Rome had travell'd over most parts of the Christian World and had convers'd with persons of the greatest note and eminency in every place In all which respects he could no more mistake the jurisdiction of the See of
City which take not in half the Suburbs is yet a more honourable authority than that of a Sheriff of the largest County in England In this regard the Bishop of Rome had though a shorter cut a better and more noble Jurisdiction than any other Prelate in the World besides Rome being the Seat of Majesty and Power the residence of the Emperours the highest Court of Justice the place to which all parts paid either homage or at least respect and veneration honoured with the Title of ROME THE GREAT the Provost whereof was reckoned next in honour to the Emperour and upon all occasions went equal in dignity to the Praetorian Prefect who yet commanded ten times as many Provinces He had the precedence of all the great Officers of Rome and to him belong'd Civilium rerum summa the management of all civil affairs Hence the Title given to Sylvester is that of Bishop of the Imperial City and the Council of Chalcedon tells us that the Fathers therefore gave a Prerogative to the See of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because that was the Governing and Imperial City and Constantius the Emperour though he had already condemn'd and depos'd Athanasius did yet to put the better colour upon it desires to have it ratified by the authority enjoy'd by the Bishops of the eternal City as the Heathen Historian has remark'd And thus much may serve for the Metropolitical bounds of the Roman Prelate CHAP. IV. An Enquiry into the Rise and Original of Patriarchs in the Christian Church An Enquiry into the Rise and Original of Patriarchs in general None before the Council of Nice What that Council contributed to them Civil Dioceses when and by whom introduc'd These gave start to Primary Metropolitans Dioceses when first brought into the Church The title of Patriarch borrowed from the Jews Who their Patriarchs and whence descended Exarchs what The word Patriarch when first us'd by Church-writers in a strict and proper sence The Patriarchs among the Montanists who A short Survey of the four great Patriarchates The extent of the Patriarchate of Alexandria The Dioecesis Aegyptiaca what The Patriarchal Jurisdiction in what sence larger than that of the Augustal Prefect Little gain'd to this Patriarchate more than a title of honour The Patriarchate of Antioch commensurate to the Eastern Diocess The contest about Cyprus how determin'd Palestine for some time under Antioch The Patriarchship of Constantinople By what degrees it rose What priviledge conferr'd upon it by the second general Council The Bishops henceforwards exercising a kind of Patriarchal power over the Churches of the neighbouring Provinces The Power granted to that See by the Council of Chalcedon It 's ninth seventeenth and eight and twentyeth Canons considered to that purpose Jurisdiction over the three Dioceses of Asiana Pontica and Thrace This settled upon a full debate and discussion of the matter This Power own'd by the Synod to have been exercised of a long time before This grant urg'd against the universal Supremacy of the See of Rome The extent of the Constantinopolitan Patriarchate in after times manifested from several ancient Notitiae The Patriarchate of Jerusalem The honour confirm'd to this Church by the Nicene Council It s subjection to the See of Caesarea When first attempting a Metropolitical Power The contest between this Bishop and the Bishop of Antioch How determin'd in the Council of Chalcedon When first styl'd Patriarch The extent of this Patriarchate I. PROCEED we in the second place to consider him as a Patriarch the highest Degree of Ecclesiastick Government which the Church ever owned And in order to the better clearing the whole matter it will be of some advantage and perhaps not unpleasant to the Reader to enquire briefly into the rise and original of Patriarchs in general and then survey each particular Patriarchate The rise of Patriarchs is but obscurely delivered in the Records of the Church the thing not being particularly and by name taken notice of 'till like a River that has run a great way and gathered many tributary rivulets it had swell'd it self into a considerable stream That there were none at the time of the Nicene Council we shew'd before the chief Church-Governours then being the Metropolitans some of which soon after set up for more room and began to enlarge the bounds of their Jurisdiction And two things there were greatly contributed to that attempt First The mighty reputation which the Synod of Nice had given to Metropolitans and especially to the particular Sees of Rome Alexandria and Antioch This inspir'd them with an ambitious affectation of extending their Superiority and Jurisdiction and prepar'd the way among their Brethren for the easier reception of it Socrates observ'd that long before his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which must reach as far as the Council of Nice at least the Bishop of Rome as he also of Alexandria had gone beyond the bounds of his place and had aspir'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a Power and Dominion over his Brethren A remark so very clear and plain especially as to the Bishop of Rome that nothing is more obvious in the whole History of the Church The Synod of Nice was beholden by all with a just regard and veneration and its Decrees receiv'd as Oracles from Heaven and the Christian World finding what particular care it had taken of those three great Sees were the more ready to submit and strike Sail to their Usurpations Hence the following Popes but especially Leo the First do upon all occasions magnifie the Nicene Canons and amplify their meaning beyond what was at first intended by them Secondly The late division of the Empire and the alteration of it from that form whereinto it had been cast first by Augustus and afterwards by the Emperour Hadrian new modell'd by Constantine the Great much about the time of the Nicene Council gave a singular advantage and opportunity to promote and further this design II. FOR Constantine introduc't four Praetorian Praefectures each Praefecture containing several Dioceses XIII in all and each Diocess comprehending several Provinces the Vicar or civil Lieutenant residing in the Metropolis of every Diocess and presiding over all the Provinces within that division And how easie was it the World being so prepar'd and dispos'd and the Church so readily embraceing the forms of the civil state for the chief Metropolitan of every Diocess to set up for himself The dignity of the City where he resided and the resort of people thither for the dispatch of business made him at first be esteem'd and honored as the First Bishop of the Diocess and this in a little time brought on the priviledge of Ordaining the Metropolitans of the several Provinces and to be intrusted with almost the same powers over Metropolitans which they had over Provincial Bishops And no doubt it made persons more willing to comply with such a Model that haveing frequent occasion of repairing to the
the determination made by the Sardican Synod Adelfius de civitate Coloniae Londinensium with Sacerdos a Priest and Arminius a Deacon After the Empire had submitted to Christianity we cannot question but that Religion prospered greatly in this Island and that Constantine who made it his business to advance it in all places would much more give it the highest encouragement in that place to which he owed both his first breath and Empire What progress it made afterwards I may not stand nicely to enquire 't is certain it flourish'd here under the Roman Government 'till the Declension of the Empire when that guard and protection being withdrawn the Country became a prey to the neighbour Picts and Scots as not long after to the Saxons a War-like but Pagan Nation whom the Britains had call'd in to their Assistance who drove the remainder of the Britains and with them Religion into the Mountains where yet it throve under the greatest hardships Things continued thus when Ann. DXCVI. Pope Gregory the Great sent Austine the Monk to convert these Saxons who after his first expedition being at Arles consecrated Arch-bishop of Canterbury applied himself more closely to this errand than he had done before He found Paganisme covering the greatest parts of the Island but withal a considerable Church among the Britains seven Bishops they had as Bede informs us A number says Bale conform'd to the seven Churches of Asia their Sees were Hereford Tavensis or Landaff Lhan-Padern-Vaur Bangor Elviensis or S. Asaph Worcester and Morganensis suppos'd by many to be Glamorgan but that being the same with Landaff R. Hoveden reckons Chester in the room of it or as Bishop Usher thinks not improbable it might be Caer-Guby or Holy-head in the Isle of Anglesey These seven were under the superintendency of a Metropolitan whose Archiepiscopal See had been formerly at Caer-leon upon Uske the famous River Isca in Monmouthshire but some years before Austins arival had been translated to Menevia or S. Davids so call'd from the Bishop that translated it in Pembrook-shire though for some time after retaining the Title of Arch-bishop of Caer-Leon And to him were the Welsh Bishops subject and by him Ordain'd as he by them until the time of King Henry the First Besides these Episcopal Sees the Britains had Colledges or Seminaries and in them vast numbers of Christian Monks who dwelt especially at Bangor under the care and superintendency of Abbot Dinooth But that which spoil'd all was that this Church had Rites and Usages vastly different from them of Rome both in the Observation of Easter the Administration of Baptism and many other Customes A most infallible Argument that the Britannick Church had no dependance upon had held no communication with the Church of Rome Their celebration of Easter after the manner of the ancient Asiatick Churches clearly shewing that they had originally deriv'd their Religion from those Eastern parts To reduce therefore this Church into subjection to Rome was a great part of Austins work In order whereunto by the help of King Ethelbert he procur'd a conference with them at a place upon the Borders of Worcester-shire call'd from this occasion Augustins Oke Austin us'd all his arts to prevail upon them perswaded intreated threatned but in vain After a long disputation they declar'd they preferr'd their own ancient Traditions and Customs from which they might not depart without leave and liberty from their own Church Nay if the British fragment produc'd by one of our great Antiquaries be of any credit Abbot Dinoth plainly told him with a Be it known to you and without doubt That they ow'd no more to the Pope of Rome than to every godly Christian vzi. the obedience of Love and Brotherly assistance other than this he knew none due to him whom they call'd Pope and who claim'd to be own'd and styl'd Father of Fathers that for themselves they were under the Government of the Bishop of Caer-Leon upon Uske who under God was to oversee and guide them Austin saw 't was to no purpose at present to treat further and so reserv'd himself for another conference A second therefore and a more general meeting is propounded and agreed to whereto came the seven British Bishops and many other persons of Learning especially of the College of Bangor Austin as before press'd them to a compliance with the Roman and Apostolick Church But they offended with his proud and contemptuous treatment of them never so much as rising out of his Chair at their coming to salute him told him plainly they would do nothing of what he demanded nor would they own him for Archbishop prudently arguing among themselves If he would not now vouchsafe so much as to rise up to us how much more when we have submitted to him will he despise and scorn us Austin finding no good was to be done upon them parted from them with this passionate farewel That since they would not have peace with their Brethren they should have war from their Enemies and for as much as they refus'd to preach the way of life to the English they should be punisht with death by their hands And his word it seems was made good For soon after Ethelfrid King of Northumberland at the instigation as is said of Ethelbert King of Kent march'd with a powerful Army to Caer-Leon and made great havock and destruction and among the rest slew Twelve hundred of the innocent Monks of Bangor who were come along with their Army by fasting and prayer to intercede with Heaven for its prosperous success That Austin was the first spring of this fatal Tragedy moving Ethelbert as he did Ethelfrid there are not only strong suspicions but the thing is expresly affirm'd by several Historians of no inconsiderable credit and antiquity 'T is true Bede says this happened not till after Austins Death But besides the inconsistency in point of Chronology 't is suspicious that passage was foisted into Bede it being wanting in the ancient Saxon Translation of King Alfred done within CL. years after Bedes Death Nay though we should grant the slaughter to have happened after the death of Austin yet who knows not but he might easily lay the design with Ethelbert though himself liv'd not to see the Execution And the proud and haughty spirit of the man gives but too much encouragement to the suspicion What became of the British Churches after this I am not concern'd to relate 'T is enough to my purpose that from the very originals of this Church it was independant upon Rome and that for Six hundred years together nor could be brought to strike Sail 'till Fire and Sword the most powerful Arguments of the Papal cause had converted that is in effect ruin'd and destroy'd it X. FROM the whole of what has been said laid together the impartial Reader will easily make this conclusion how vain and frivolous the pretences are to the Popes Patriarchal Authority over
Bishops and Metropolitans were therefore constituted that by them the care of the Universal Church might be brought to the one See of S. Peter and that there might be no disagreement between the Head and the Members And in a Sermon upon the Martyrdom of Peter and Paul in a profound admiration he breaks out into this Rhetorical Address These says he are the Men that have advanced thee to this honour that thou art become a holy Nation a peculiar People a Royal and Priestly City that being by the Holy See of S. Peter made Head of the World thou mightest govern farther by means of a Divine Religion than by worldly power For although enlarg'd by many victories thou hast extended the Bounds of thy Empire both by Sea and Land yet is it far less which thou hast conquer'd by force of Arms than that which thou hast gain'd by the peace of the Church IV. BUT Leo was a Man not only for speaking but for action He saw the Emperours and the Eastern Bishops were resolv'd to advance the See of Constantinople that it might bear some proportion to the Imperial Court and that the Synod of Constantinople had already adjudg'd it the place of honour next to Rome that therefore it concern'd him to bestir himself to stifle all attempts that way well knowing that the glory of that would eclipse his lustre and cramp those designs of superiority and dominion which the Bishops of Rome were continually driving on over the Church of Christ A general Council was now call'd to meet at Chalcedon Ann. CCCCLI wherein were present no less than Six hundred and thirty Bishops Hither Pope Leo sent his Legates furnished with peremptory instructions which they afterwards read openly in the Synod to keep a quick eye upon all motions that way and with all possible resolution to suppress them At the opening of the Council the Legates cunningly slipt in a clause telling the Fathers that they had such and such things in command from the most Blessed and Apostolical Bishop of the City of Rome which was the Head of all Churches Which either was not heeded by that Synod or pass'd by in the sence before declar'd as allowing it an honourary preheminence above the rest In the fifth Session of that Council the Papal Legates mov'd that the Epistle of Leo about the condemnation of Nestorius might be inserted into the very definition of the Council against that Heresie Craftily foreseeing what a mighty reputation it would give the Pope in the eye of the World and to what vast advantage it might be stretch'd afterwards But the Council stiffly oppos'd the motion and said they freely own'd the Letter and were ready to subscribe it but would not make it part of the definition The Legates were angry demanded the Letter back again and threatned to be gone and to have a Synod at Rome And when the Emperour intimated some such thing the Bishops cried out they were for the definition as it was and they that did not like it nor would subscribe it might if they please get them gone to Rome After this all things went on smoothly 'till they came to frame the Canons among which one was that the Bishop of Constantinople should enjoy equal Priviledges with the Bishop of Rome and then the Legates could hold no longer plainly telling them that this was a violation of the constitution of the great Synod of Nice and that their Commission oblig'd them by all ways to preserve the Papal dignity and to reject the designs of any who relying upon the greatness of their Cities should attempt any thing to the contrary To prove that this was contrary to the Nicene Decrees they produc'd the Sixth and Seventh Canons of that Council beginning thus as Paschasinus repeated them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The Church of Rome ever had the Primacy Let Egypt therefore have this priviledge that the Bishop of Alexandria have power c. where instead of the first words of that Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let ancient Customs still take place the Legate shuffled in this sentence as more to his purpose the Church of Rome ever had the Primacy And admitting here that this was only the Title to that Canon in the Roman Copy yet 't is somewhat more than suspicious that Paschasinus intended it should be understood as part of the Canon it self Which if so there could not be a bolder piece of forgery and imposture But the Fathers were not to be so impos'd upon Aetius Arch-deacon of Constantinople produc'd a Copy from among the Records of that Church which he delivered to Constantine the Secretary who read it according to the genuine words of the Canon without any such addition Let ancient Customs still take place c. and in confirmation of that were next read the second and third Canons of the second general Council at Constantinople And because the Legate had objected that the Canon had been procur'd by fraud the Judges requir'd the Bishops concern'd to declare their minds who all readily declar'd the contrary The case having been thus fully debated and nothing material being alledg'd against it the Canon pass'd by the unanimous suffrage of the Fathers the Roman Legates only entring their protestation and resolving to acquaint the Pope with what was done that so he might judge both of the injury done to his own See and the violence offered to the Canons V. NO sooner did the news of what had pass'd in the Synod arrive at Rome but Pope Leo storm'd to purpose wrote to Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople charging him with pride and ambition with invasion of the Rights of others with irreverence towards the Nicene Canons contrary to which he had exalted himself above the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch He dispatch'd Letters also to the Emperour Marcianus to his Lady the Empress Pulcheria and to Juvenal Bishop of Jerusalem and the rest of the Fathers of the Synod all to the same effect complaining of the pride of Anatolius and the irregular proceedings of the Council that the priviledges of Churches were destroy'd the bounds of Metropolitans invaded many depressed to make way for one venerable Decrees made void and ancient Orders trodden in the dirt That whatever Rules were made contrary to the Canons of Nice were null that the care and inspection of these things was committed to him a duty which he could not neglect without being guilty of unfaithfulness to his trust that therefore by the authority of S. Peter he repeal'd and made void what ever any Council had agreed upon repugnant to the Nicene Canons yea though done by many more in number than were in that venerable Synod declaring that no regard or reverence was to be paid to their constitutions In all which though nothing appear above ground but a mighty zeal for the honour of the Nicene Canons yet 't is plain enough 't was his own ambition his envy and emulation that
were but Magna ex parte recepta in a great measure receiv'd by the Church of Rome And who knows whether this Title might not be some part of what was rejected But if not perhaps the Popes might slight it as a Title only accidentally given not claim'd as due Whereas Pelagius and Gregory rant so much against the other John because he assum'd it in opposition to Rome and had it by a solemn Synodical Act conferr'd upon him I observe no more concerning this than that Leo Allatius who is not wont to neglect the least hint that may serve his cause speaking of this passage barely takes notice of Baronius's inference without the least sign of his approving it But to return XII WHILE Gregory was venting these passionate Resentments John the Patriarch dies But the quarrel died not with him Cyriacus who came after him keeping up the Title This put the Popes passion into a fresh ferment and now all the hard things are said over again and Cyriacus is warn'd to lay aside the scandal of that ungodly Title that had given so much offence and that he would hold no communion with him 'till he had renounc'd that proud and superstitious word which was the invention of the Devil and laid a foundation for Antichrist to take possession nay peremptorily affirms with an Ego autem fidenter dico that whoever either styles himself or desires to be styl'd by others Universal Bishop is by that very Pride of his a fore-runner of Antichrist And when he understood that John Bishop of Thessalonica Urbicius of Dyrrachium John of Corinth and several others were summoned to a Synod at Constantinople not knowing whether a Snake might not lye hid in the Grass he writes to them giving them an account of the rise and progress of that proud and pestiferous Title as he calls it cautioning them not only not to use it themselves but not to consent to it in others nor by any overt Act to approve or own it and if any thing should be craftily started in the Synod in favour of it he adjures them by all that is sacred that none of them would suffer themselves to be wrought upon by any Arts of Flattery and Insinuation of Rewards or Punishments to assent to it but stoutly oppose themselves against it and couragiously drive out the Wolf that was breaking into the Fold XIII HE that shall view these passages and look no farther than the outside of things will be apt to think surely S. Gregory was the most self-denying man in the World and that he and his Successors would sooner burn at a Stake than touch this Title And yet notwithstanding all these passionate outcries 't is shrewdly suspicious that they were levell'd not so much against the Title it self as the person that bore it We have taken notice all along what an inveterate Pique the Bishops of Rome had against those of Constantinople ever since the Emperours and Councils had made them equal to them and this now added to all the rest seem'd to exalt Constantinople infinitely above S. Peter's See Had this Title been Synodically conferr'd upon the Pope we had heard none of this noise and clamour but for him to be pass'd by and his Enemy the Patriarch of Constantinople to be crown'd with this Title of Honour 't was this dropt the Gall into his Ink. And therefore in the midst of all this Humility he ceas'd not to challenge a kind of Supremacy over that Bishop Who doubts says he but that the Church of Constantinople is subject to the Apostolic See a thing which both the Emperour and Eusebius the Bishop of it daily own But this 't is plain is there spoken in the case of Rites and Ceremonies wherein it seems all Churches must take their Measures from Rome unless with Spalato we understand it of a subjection in point of Order and Dignity that Rome was the first See and Constantinople the second The truth is to me the passage seems suspected and that Constantinople is there thrust in for some other place and the rather because there was no Eusebius at that time Bishop of that See nor for a long time either before or after However Gregory had all his Eyes about him that no disadvantage might surprise him and therefore in his Letter to the Bishops of Greece mentioned before that were going to the Synod at Constantinople he tells them that although nothing should be attempted for the confirmation of the Universal Title yet they should be infinitely careful that nothing should be done there to the prejudice of any place or person which though coucht in general terms yet whoever understands the state of those Times and the Pope's admirable tenderness in those Matters will easily see that he means himself And indeed that the Bishops of Rome look'd upon the Title of Oecumenical Bishop to be foul and abominable only 'till they could get it into their own hands is evident in that Gregory had scarce been 12 Months cold in his Grave when Pope Boniface the Third got that Title taken from Constantinople and affix'd to the See of Rome the manner whereof we shall a little more particularly relate XIV MAURICIUS the Emperour had in his Army a Centurion call'd Phocas one whose deformed looks were the Index of a more brutish and mishapen Mind He was angry fierce bloody ill-natur'd debauch'd and unmeasurably given to Wine and Women so bad that when a devout Monk of that time oft expostulated with God in Prayer why he had made him Emperour he was answer'd by a voice from Heaven Because I could not find a worse This Man taking the opportunity of the Soldiers mutinying murder'd the Emperour and possess'd his Throne which he fill'd with Blood and the most savage Barbarities Ten of the Imperial Family he put to death and so far let loose the Reins to fierceness and cruelty that he had it in design to cut off all those whom Nobility or Wisdom or any generous or honourable Actions had advanc'd above the common Rank And yet as bad as this lewd Villain was scarce was he warm in the Throne when he receiv'd Addresses from Pope Gregory who complemented the Tyrant and that too in Scripture-phrase at such a rate that I know not how to reconcile it with the honesty of a good Man His Letter begins with a Glory be to God on high who according as it is written changes Times and transfers Kingdoms who gives every one to understand so much when he says by his Prophet the most High ruleth in the Kingdom of Men and giveth it to whomsoever he will The whole Letter is much of the same strain representing the happy advantages the World would reap under the benign influences of his Government And in another written not long after he tells him what infinite Praise and Thanks they ow'd to Almighty God who had taken off the sad and heavy