office which were composed to impugne certaine Religious persons slothfull and long heared that saint AVSTIN combats in the worke of the trauaile of Religious persons who held it for an oprobry that Religious men should labour with their handes or shaue their heades The other reason is that the decrees of this councell are acknowledged and cited not onely by all the canonists that haue written since six hundred yeares as Burchard Iuon and Gratian but also by Isidorus Bishop of Hispalis now called Seuill a cittie neighbouring vpon Africa who liued a thousand yeares agone who reported the canon of the ordination of Exorcists in these wordes When the Exorcists are ordained they take as saith the canon from the Bishops hand the little Booke where the exorcismes are written receiuing the power to impose hands vpon the Energumenes whether they be baptized or Catechumens Which are the very words of the seauenth Canon of the fowrth Councell of Carthage And by Hincmarus ancient Archbishop of Rheims who cites the Canon where it is forbidden to the Bishop to iudge the cause of anie without his clergie in these termes Let the Bishop heare noe mans cause without the presence of his Clergie which are the very wordes of the twentie third canon of the fowrth Councell of Carthage The fowrth difference is vpon the order of the fifth Councell of Carthage that the Illustrious cardinall Baronius pretends to haue bene transferred from the degree and that it ought to be placed againe in the third place that is to saie betweene the Councell of Carthage holden vnder the consulship of Cesarius and Atticus that he places in the second ranke and the fowrth The reasons of the Illustrious Cardinall Baronius are the one that the date of this Councell which is not filled vp in the printed editions but onelie beares The sixth of the calends of June after the Consulship without specifying the consulls names is found in some manuscripts filled vp with these wordes Cesarius and Atticus by which meanes this councell must haue bene holden the next yeare after the celebration of the Councell that we call the third of Carthage and he the second which was holden vnder the consulship of Cesarius and Atticus and the other that there is a canon in the fifth Councell of Carthage which ordaines that the Emperor may be besought to roote out the relickes of Idolatry From whence it followes that this Councell hath preceded the commaundement that the Emperors gaue to abolish the remainder of Idolatrie Now this Commaundement was giuen vnder the consulship of Theodosius the yeare of our Lord according to our computation three hundred nintie nine by two edicts the one addressed to Apollodorus vicar of Africa where the Emperors commaund that the pagans Idolls should be taken out of their temples and their sacrifices abolisht And the other addressed to Eutychianus prouost of the Easterne Pretory where they commaunded that the temples of the pagans that were in the fieldes should be demolished without trouble or tumult And consequently saith he the Councell had bene holden the yeare before which was the yeare after the Consulship of Cesarius Atticus To the first then of these reasons we answere that the manuscript which saith after the Consulship of Cesarius and Atticus is not confirmed by the vniuersall consent of the other manuscriptes for there are collections in manuscripts of Mercator as the new publishers of the Councells of Africa haue noted which saie after the Consulship of Flauius Stelicon And to the secōd we saie that the Canō that ordaines the request for the abolishmēt of the remainders of Idolatrie hath nothing in it common with the Edicts of the Emperors of the yeare three hūdred nintie nine Forasmuch as the Emperors had onely ordained by one of the Edicts that the Sacrifices should be taken out of the Temples and the Idolls deposited into the handes of the Ministers of the Empire but that the buildings should still be kept intire and by the other that the Temples of the pagans which were in the fieldes should be demolished And the fifth Councell of Carthage demaun des that the remainder of Idolatrie should be abolished not onely in the Idolls but also in the woods and in the trees For the pagans adored not onely the similitudes of the false Gods but also adored certaine 〈◊〉 thicketts and certaine ancient Trees that they belieued to be the dwellinges and mansions of the presence of their Gods From whence it is that Quintilian speaking of Ennius said Wee adore Ennius as we doe thicketts that are become sacred through age These trees then and these groues polluted by the worship that the Pagans yielded to thē the canon demaunded to be rooted out as well as the Idolls and similitudes From whence may be drawne that it is soe farr from following thence that this canon was before the Emperors Edictes as contrarywise it appeares hereby that it was after them For as for the decree where was required the distruction of the temples built in fieldes which gaue noe ornament to citties which seemes to haue preceded the Edict of the Emperors addressed to the prouost of the East it is not in the fifth Councell of Carthage in cheefe but in the onely Rapsody of the councell of Africa which hath transferred this canon and manie others from the Councell holden after the consulship of Honorius and Eutychianus where the first legation to the Emperors was decreed to the Councell holden after the consulship of Stelicon where the second was decreed By meanes whereof the obseruation of the Illustrious Cardinall Baronius is good to ouerthrow the order of the African Rapsody and to shew that it was made by some grosse and ignorant Rapsodist and not to remoue the chronologie of the fifth Councell of Carthage But we haue said enough of these reasons it is tyme to propound ours The motiue then that incites vs to belieue that the Councell that we call the fifth of Carthage hath bene holden in the tyme wherein we place it that is to saie betweene the fowrth Councell of Carthage and the sixth consists besides the common consent of copies and the vniuersall voice of Canonists in two reasons the one is that S. AVGVSTIN in his Epistle to Quintianus after he hath spoken of the Councell where there were ioyntly publisht the Canon of the canonicall Bookes and that of the prohibition to Bishops to vsurpe one an others Clerkes which was the third Councell of Carthage saith And after in a fresh Councell it hath bene ordained that those who retire from a monastery or are driuen from it shall not be receiued elsewhere to be clerkes or to be superintendents in an other Monastery which are the wordes of the thirteenth Canō of the fifth Councell of Carthage from whence it is gathered that the fifth Councell of Carthage that saint AVGVSTIN calls freshe in regard of the third Councell of
of our Lord. And CAIVS of one tyme with Tertulian If thou wilt gue to the Vaticane or to the waie of Hostia thou shalt finde the trophies that is the Sepulchers of those which haue founded this Church And CLEMENT Alexandrius before him Papias the hearer of S. IOHN Marke being intreated at Roman by the bretheren writt a briefe Ghospell which PETER haueing read approued And ORIGEN PETER was crucified at Rome with his head downewards And saint CYPRIAN The Rome ā Church is the Chaire of PETER and the principall Church from whence proceeded the Sacerdotall vnitie And EVSEBIVS Vnder the Empire of Claudius the prouidence of God brought the great Apostle Saint PETER to Rome And againe the histories beare that PAVL was beheaded and PETER crucified at Rome vnder Nero and the titles of PETER and PAVL preserued to this daie in their sepulchers confirme it And LACTANTIVS PETER and PAVL preached at Rome and their 〈◊〉 remained written for memorie And S. ATHANASIVS though it were declared to PETER and PAVL that they should suffer 〈◊〉 dome at Rome yet they 〈◊〉 not to trauell thither And S. CYRILL of Ierusalem PETER and PAVL presidents of the Church came to Rome And saint EPIPHANIVS At Rome were first Apostles and Bishops PETER and ` PAVL and then Linus and then Cletus and then Clement And saint AMBROSE PETER is our warrant for this custome who hath bene Bishop of the Roman Church And againe Christ haueing answered PETER I goe to Rome to be crucified againe PETER vnderstood that this answere belonged to his Crosse And the Emperors GRATIAN and VALENTINIAN and THEODOSIVS Wee will that all the people ruled by the Empire of our clemencie liue in such Religion as the Religion insinuated hither-to by the diuiue Apostle PETER declareth that he gaue to the Romans And OPTATVS Mileuitanus Thou canst not denie but that thou knowest that in the Cittie of Rome the Episcopall Chaire was first conferred to Peter wherein Peter head of the Apostles sate And saint IEROM Simon PETER Sonne of Jona of the Prouince of Galilee of the Borough of Bethsaida brother to the Apostle Andrew and Prince of the Apostles after the Episcopat of the Church of Antioch and the preaching of the dispersion of those of the Circumcision which had belieued in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and 〈◊〉 came to Rome the second yeare of the Empire of Claudius to ouerthrow Simon Magus and held the Sacerdotall Chaire twentie fiue yeares there And againe Hegesippus affirmes That he came to Rome vnder Anicetus who was tenth Bishop of Rome after PETER And else where Cyprian addressed the Councell of affrica to Steuen Bishop of the Roman Church who was the twentie sixth after the Blessed Peter And RVFFINVS Peter ruled the Roman Church for the space of twentie fower yeares And SVLPITIVS Seuerus The Christiā Religion had then taken roote in the Cittie of Rome Peter being Bishop there And S. CHRISOSTOME What spectacle shall Rome see in the daie of Iudgemeut Paul comeing forth of his graue risen againe with PETER And OROSIVS Nero 〈◊〉 PETER to death by the Crosse and PAVL by the sword And saint AVGVSTIN Wee see the most eminent height of the thrice noble Empire submitting his diadem bend his knee to the supulcher of the fisherman PETER And in an other place I thinke this part of the world ought to suffice thee wherein our Lord would crowne with a most glorious martir dome the first of his Apostles And else where What hath the chaire of the Roman Church done to thee wherein PETER hath bene set and wherein now Anastasius sitts And againe To PETER hath succeeded Linus to Linus Clemēt to Clemēt Anacletus to Anacletus Euaristus Of the Canon of the Councell of Nicea touching the gouernment of the Patriarches CHAPT V. HAuing dispatched the difficulties of the Scripture and of the Fathers cōcerning S. PETERS staie at Antioch Rome there remaines to solue the obiections that the aduersaries of the Church make against what wee haue said of the Popes superioritle ouer the other patriarkes whereof the principall is taken frō one of the Canōs of the coūcell of Nicea which ordaines that the anciēt customes obserued in Egipt Lybia and Pentapolis should goe on to witt that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue the power of all those things because it was also so accustomed to the Bishop of Rome Now the aduersaries of the Church doe more willing lie make vse of the Councell of Nicea in such like cases then of anie other because the actes of the Councell of Nicea which if wee had them might cleere the sence of the Canons of the same Councell are loste that there remaine to vs of the acts of the first fowre generall Councells no more but those of Ephesus and of Chalcedon And therefore wee must supplie what wants in the breuitie and omission of this Canon by conferring it with the acts of the other councells or by the examination of the histories of their ages To this obiection then wee bring two Answeres the first is that it hath alreadie bene aboue shewed in the Chapter of the patriarkes that the pope had two distinct qualities the one of patriarke of the West the other of head of the Church vniuersall as the Prefect of the Cittie Presecture by which the aduersaries of the Church would measure the spirituall Iurisdictiō of the Pope who had 2. distinct qualities the one of pre fect of the Cittie Prefecture in which he was equall to the prefect of the other prouinces the other of head of the senate Vicar of the Emperor in which he was superiour to the prefects of prouinces and iudged by appeale of the cause of all their Iurisdictiōs By meanes whereof although in things that concerned but the patriarchall Iurisdictiō as were the celebratiō of prouinciall or nationall coūcells the correctiōs of māners of the simple priests or deacōs the confirmatiōs either mediate or immediate of the Bishops of the Patriarkship and the subalterne iudgements of the causes euen of Bishops All the other Patriarkes were squared out by the modell and paterne of that of Rome neuerthelesse when there question of things that went beyond the limitts of Patriarchall iurisdiction that is to 〈◊〉 of Maior causes and which conuerned the vniuersall Church as were causes of Faith or generall customes of the Church or those of the finall depositions of Bishops or that of the iudgements euē of the persons of the Patriarkes the Bishop of Rome as head of the Church and superintendent of the other Patriarkes exercised Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction ouer thē and iudged of their iudgements and persons And therefore when the coūcell of Nicea ordained that in Egipt Lybia and Pentapolis the Bishop of Alexandria should remaine in possessiō of the authority he had for all the causes whereof the councell thē spake that is
in the epistle to Iohn Bishop of Syracusa Who doubts but the Church of Constantinople is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke which the most Religious Lord the Emperor and our brother the Bishop of the same cittie protest continuallie Hee writes in the Epistle following to the same Bishop If there be anie cryme found in Bishops I know noe Bishop but is subiect to the Sea Apostolicke but when crimes exact it not all according to the condition of humilitie are equall He writes in the Epistle to Iohn the defendant correcting the iudgement which had bene giuen against the Bishop Steuen If they answere he had neither Metropolitan nor Patriarke it must be replied that the cause should haue bene heard and determined by the Sea Apostolicke which is the head of all the Churches He writes in the Fpistle to Iohn Bishop of Panormus Wee admonish thee that the Reuerence of the Sea Apostolicke be not troubled by the presumption of anie For then the state of the members remaines intire when 〈◊〉 iniurie is done to the head of the faith He writes in the Epistle to Natalis Bishop of Salona If one of the fower Patriarks had committed such an act so great a disobedience could not haue passed without a grieuous scandall He annulled in his Epistles to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople the Iudgement of the Church of Constantinople against Iohn Priest of Chalcedon Reprouing said he the sentence of the foresaid Iudges we declare him by our definition to be Catholicke and free from all hereticall crime And elsewhere Knowst 〈◊〉 not that in the cause of Iohn the Priest against our brother and Colleague John of Constantinople He had recourse according to the Canons to the Sea Apostolicke and it hath bene defined by our sentence He abrogated in his Epistle to Athanasius 〈◊〉 Regular of Lycaonia the decree of Iohn Bishop of Constantinople against him and restored him to his place Wee decree thee said he to be exempted from all blott of hereticall frowardnes and doe grant thee free leaue to returne into thy Monasterie and to holde the same place and ranke as thou didst before He abrogated in the Epistle to Iohn Archbishop of Larissa in Thessalia the sentence of the same Archbishop of Larissa against Adrian Bishop of Thebes and one of the fuffragans of the Archbishopricke of Larissa and ecclipsed the Bishopricke of Thebes from the iurisdiction of the Archbishopricke of Larissa and ordained that if the Archbishop of Larissa should euer more vndertake to exercise iurisdiction ouer the Bishop of Thebes he should be depriued of the communion of the Body of Christ and that it might not be restored to him except at the point of death but by the leaue of the Bishop of Rome Wee ordaine said hee that thy brotherhood obtaine from the power thou hadst before ouer the Bishop of Thebes and ouer his Church and according to the letters of our Predecessor for if anie cause either of faith or of crime or of money be pretended against our said Colleague Adrian it may be iudged if it be a matter of meane importance by our Nuncios which are or shall be in the Royall Cittie that is to saie in Constantinople and if it be a matter of Weight that it should be reported bither to the Sea Apostolicke to be decided by the sentence of our audience And if at anie time or for what occasion 〈◊〉 thou doe attempt to contradict this our decree know that we declare thee 〈◊〉 from the sacred Communion soe as it maie not be restored to thee vnlesse in the article of death but with the leaue of the Bishop of Rome And finally he abrogated in his Epistle to John Patriarke of the first Iustinianea who had confirmed the sentence of the Archbishop of Larissa the iudgement of the said Iohn Primate of the first Iustinianea and condemnes him to remaine depriued of the communion of the Bodie of Christ for the space of thirtie daies Abrogating said hee and annulling the decrees of thy sentence Wee decree by the authoritie of the blessed Prince of the Apostles that thou shalt be depriued of the sacred communion for the space of thirtie daies Nowe what was this but to crye with a lowde voice that in refusinge the title of Vniuersall he refused not therefore the title of Head of the Church and the Iurisdiction and superintendency ouer all other Bishops Archbishops and Patriarks Of the Order of sitting in the Councell of Nicea CHAPT VIII BVT Caluin to fight against this doctrine and to proue that the Pope is not head of the Church nor Superior to the other Patriarkes vseth fower principall meanes first that the Popes legates haue not presided in the ancient Generall Councells The secōd that the Pope called them not The third that the appeales of Bishops were not to the Pope And the fourth that the Canons of Africa forbadd the Bishop of the first Sea by which Caluin impertinently 〈◊〉 the Pope to call himselfe Prince of Bishops and the first meanes he striues to proue by Seauen examples which wee had best confute all at a clapp for 〈◊〉 they will obiect them to vs in a second Answere He produceth then before all things the order of the Councell of Nicea which he ignorantly calls the Councell of Nice not knowing that the Councell of Nice was an hereticall Councell that the Arrians held at Nicé in Thrace to deceiue the Catholicks by the affinitie of the words Nice and Nicea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compounded almost of the same letters The Arrians saith the Epistle of the Asians to Liberius caused to be signed by fraude and periuries at Constantinople a faith contrarie to that of the holy Councell of Nicea which had bene brought from Nice in Thrace And Socrates They transported themselues into a cittie of Trace called Nice and after a longe st aie held there an other Councell c. to surprise the simple by the affinitie of the words For the simple people belieued that it was the faith of Nicea in Bithinia And Theodoret They brought manie Bishops against their wills into a Towne of Thrace whose name was Nice And Sozomene Passing through Thrace they came into a cittie of the Countrie called Nice 〈◊〉 there kept a Conuenticle c. And this they did expressely at Nice to the end to perswade the simple people to cōsent to it 〈◊〉 by the neerenes of the words and belieuing it to be the decree which was made at Nicea For although Stephanus doe indeede put in a Cittie of Nicea in Thrace neuerthelesse besides that Ammianus Marcellinus saith that the 〈◊〉 of Thrace situate vpon the passage from Italie to Constantinople which was the same wherein the Arrians had held their false Councell was called Nice The Greciā Ecclesiasticall historians very notablie marke this difference betweene the Councell of the Catholiques and that of the Annians vpon
execute the iudgements of the Sea Apostolike Secular typhe for this is that which the marriage of these two words Typhe of the age signifies to witt the furious and violent manner with which the worldly and secular powers were accustomed to cause themselues to be obeyed as when the author of the life of Fulgentius saith That Fulgentius commaunded nothing with the Typhe of secular dominion And as when the Councell of Ephesus calls the vse that Iohn Patriarke of Antioche had made of the letters of Dionisius Gouernor of Syria to the Captaine of the Garrison and of the souldiers of Cyprus to hinder the Bishops of Cyprus from electing to themselues an Archbishop without the permission of the Patriarke of Antioch Secular Typhse and drawing from this particular case a generall lawe ordaines That noe Bishop vsurpe the Prouinces which haue not bene from all antiquitie vnder his predecessors c And vnder pretence of the execution of sacred thinges introduce not the Typhe of secular power And a little after And that all letters obtained to the contrarie may remaine disannulled and of no effect And finallie the third and last request but expressed in termes of Confidence and assurance is that the Pope will not suffer that Apiarius to whom by the first Iudgement it had bene permitted to remaine in Africa and exercise his Priesthood where he would prouided it were not at Sicca should remaine anie longer in Africa and that he would not cause him to be assisted with Secular authoritie to this effect Behold the words of the clause which containe also the end and conclusion of the Epistle which I haue translated from the Greeke text because the Greek edition of the Epistles as hath bene aboue shewed is more correct then the latine For as for the wretched Apiarius hauing alreadie bene condemned for his infamous crimes by our Brother Faustinus wee are no more in care for it as much as by the meanes of the approbation and moderation of your Holynesse for the preseruation of brotherly charitie Africa will no longer indure him Now vpon this what answere the Pope made them wee haue it not but that it is easie to be iudged by the successe that he satisfied them of the mistaking of the Councell of Nicea for that of Sardica and made it appeare to them that what they found not in the Councell of Nicea had bene ordained yea euen by their predecessors in the Councell of Sardica For the Appeales of the African Bishops to the Pope continued as before as it appeares both by the Rule that Pope LEO onely eight yeare later then CELESTINE made vpon the appeale that Lucifrinus a Bishop of Africa had cast into the Sea Apostolike and by the care that the Africans had afterward to insert into their Canon law the Canons of the Councell of Sardica vpon the matter of Appeales to the Pope For Fulgentius Ferandus deacō of Carthage a little later then S. AVGVSTINE and tyme-fellow with S. FVLGENTIVS registers into the collection that he made of the Canons these decrees vnder the title of the fixth and sifth Canon of the Councell of Sardica That a condemned Bishop may appeale if he will to the sea Apostolike and that during the appeals an other cannot be ordained in his Chaire By meanes whereof this question brought no interruption to the possession wherein the Pope was of appeales euen in minor causes and by consequent much lesse in maior causes as those of Faith were for which Theodoret Bishop of Cyre a Cittie neere vpon Persia appealed in the same tyme to pope 〈◊〉 and was iudged and restored by him all the Generall Coūcell of Chalcedon holden a while after the Councell of Carthage approuing and confirming it For I will not alleadge the Epistle of S. AVGVSTINE to Celestine which is in the supplie of S. AVGVSTINS Epistles imprinted by Plantine where the same S. AVGVSTINE pursues in the behalfe of Celestine the iudgment of the appeale made by Anthony Bishop of 〈◊〉 to Pope Boniface and represents to him to iustifie the sentence of the bishops of Africa who had left him his title and depriued him of this Bishops Sea That there had bene manie like 〈◊〉 in Africa euē the Sea 〈◊〉 iudgeing it or confirming the iudgement of others as particularly of 〈◊〉 Uictor and Laurence Bishop of the Cesarian 〈◊〉 because it seemes that this Epistle was written before that of the Councell of Africa to Celestine It sufficeth that neither the possession of the appeales from Africa to Rome were interrupted by this question neither did the Bishops of Africa cease to remaine in the same Communion and reuerence of the Sea Apostolike as they were before as the words of S AVGVSTINE to Pope Boniface written in the current of the difference testifies Thou disdainest not thou which presumest not 〈◊〉 though thou presidest highlie to be a friend to the 〈◊〉 And these of Pope Celestine after the death of S. AVGVSTINE Wee haue alwaies had Augustine of holie 〈◊〉 in our cōmunion which Prosper citeth to iustifie to the Bishops of the Gaules S. Augustins doctrine against the Pelagiās And these of Capreolus Archbishop of Carthage immediate successor to Aurelius vnder whom the sixth Councell of Carthage was holden writing to the fathers of the Councell of Ephesus 〈◊〉 praie you to resist 〈◊〉 with such constancie at the authoritie of the sea Apostolicke and the seuerltie of the Prelates assembled in 〈◊〉 seeme not to permitt that the doctrine of those that the Church hath long since 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come to be borne againe And these of Eugenius one of the other successors to the same Aurelius to the Lieutenant of Hunnericus Lord of Africa The Roman Church is the head of all the Churches And these of Fulgentius and of the Bishops of Africas the Roman Church which is the head of the world Of the Councell of Sardica CHAPT XI I Remember that I promised in the former chapter to handle in this the truth and authoritie of the Canons of the Councell of Sardica the time summons me now to performe my promise and with so much the more neede because the Popes aduersaries haue a while agoe caused a Greeke Code of Canōs to be imprinted which they haue intituled A Code of the 〈◊〉 of the Vniuersall Church from whence they haue ecclipsed and cutt off the Canons of the Councell of Sardica against the credit of all the Greeke Canonists Photius Zonara Balsamon Harmonopolus and against the Greeke impressions euen of Basle Wittenbourg and other Protestant Citties and in summe against the truth of all the Greeke codes as well printed as manuscript of all the westerne and Easterne libraries Then to compasse this designe with some method I will aduertise the readers that there past two things in the Councell of Nicea which gaue an occasion soone after for the holding of the Councell of Sardica the one was
of Christ cannot be saued And that which the Fathers haue done to hinder the breache of peace and of mutuall communion hath passed noe further then either to tolerate some locall and particular customes which brought more burden then profit as the custome some Africans had not to touch the ground with theire naked feete in the Octaues of theire Baptisme or to endure the manners and conuersation of some vitious men without applyinge the iron corrosiue of excommunication for feare of diuidinge the Church insteede of purginge it from wicked persons From whence proceeded that famous sentence of sainct AVGVSTINE They tolerate for the good of vnitie that which they hate for the good of equitie As for that which they haue done for the reestablishmēt of peace it hath beē extēded to the yeeldinge somethinge in the seuerity of discipline For when Arrian or Donatist Bishops came backe to the Church the Church in fauour of the people which followed them receaued them by a forme of generall rehabilitatiō with facultie to exercise theire Episcopall power Now this was against the ordinary rigor of the Canons And therefore sainct AVGVSTINE hath from thence taken occasion to say Thas as the trees that are inoculated receiue a wound in their barke to giue waie to those branches that should be graffed in soe the Church receiues a wound in her discipline to the end to take in and reincorporate hereticall people which were conuerted and returne together with theire Bishops but not that the loue of peace hath euer transported the Fathers so farr as to yield neuer so little in matters of Faith Contrarywise sainct BASILE witnesseth a That they haue alwaies rather chosen to suffer a thousand deathes then to b betraie one sillable thereof And sainct EPIPHANIVS recited by sainct IEROM saith c That for one word or two contrary to faith manie heresies haue bene cast forth of the Church And S. AVGVSTINE That the thinges contrary vnto faith and good manners the Church doth neither approue them conceale them nor doe them Therefore his Maiestie ought not to haue feared to imitate wholy the zeale of the Fathers for the good of peace and to doe for the restoringe the vnitie of the Church all things that the ancient Catholicke church hath approued practised taught Neither ought he to haue added to his offer the exception of that prouerbe euen to the Altars since our of the true Church such as was that of the Fathers to whose only Conditions wee exact his Maiesties communion with ours there are noe true Altars but only Altars agaiust Altars that is to saie prophane and Schismaticall Altars as those of Ieroboam were and the high places in the time of the law Nor finally should he limit the desire he hath to communicate with all the true members of the misticall bodie of Christ within this Condition if it were possible for it is so possible to communicate with all the actuall members of the misticall bodie of Christ that con trariwise it is impossible except in case of error of fact to communicate with anie one of them but you must communicate either immediately or mediatly with all the rest for the Church is that Societie whereof DAVID said Ierusalem which is built as a Cittie whose participation is in vnitie And sainct CYPRIAN The Catholicke Church which is one is not dismembred nor diuided but keepes herselfe vnited and is glewed together by the cement of the Prelates adheringe the one to the other And sainct AVGVSTINE Those whose Communion is not with all or that doe spread themselues but yet find themselues in some parte diuided it is manifest they are not in the Catholicke Church And againe Whosoeuer defendeth one parte separate from the rest let him not vsurpe the title of Catholicke And in an other place It may be will some one saie that there are other 〈◊〉 of God I knowe not where whereof God hath care but I knowe them not But he is too absurd euen in Common sense that imagins such thinges Of the necessitie of communicatinge with the Catholicke Church CHAP. IV. The pursute of the kinges Answere THese thinges beinge soe the kinge neuerthelesse esteemes that he hath very iust cause to dissent from them who without anie distinction and exception 〈◊〉 presse this Communion THE REPLIE THere is saith sainct AVGVSTINE noe iust necessitie to diuide vnitie and there is saith againe the same Doctor noe assurance of vnitie but in the Church which built according to Gods promise vpon the mountaine cannot be hidden For besides that the examination of the Church is soe easie and soe certaine as sainct AVSTIN saith I haue the most manifest voice of my pastor who expresses to me and pointes me out the Church without anie ambiguitie And againe this is noe obscure question wherein they may deceiue you of whom the lord hath foretolde that they shall come and saie heere is Christ And that the particular examination of Faith contrariwise is soe dangerous and difficult as yet most learned haue deceaued themselues in it And as sainct Ierom cryeth out There is great danger in speakinge in the Church for feare least by a wronge interpretation the Ghospell of Christ may be made the Ghospell of a man or which is worse the Ghospell of the diuell There is further this difference which is that he who hath the Church is sure to adhere to the true Faith though he know not distinctly all the articles thereof and that he is in the waie of Saluation where he that hath Faith and is not in the Church hath noe hope of Saluation If I haue all Faith saith Sainct PAVLE and 〈◊〉 not Charity I am nothinge And Sainct AVGVSTIN He that hath Charitie is secure and none can transporte charity out of the Catholique Church And elswhere If Schismatickes had Charitie they would not rend the bodie of Christ which is the Church By meanes whereof as much as Charitie is more excellent then Faith followinge that oracle of the Apostle but the greater of the three is Charitie soe much the instance of the Church is more necessary then that of Faith Aboue all these thinges saith sainct PAVLE holde Charitie which is the bond of perfection and lett the peace of Christ whereby you haue bene called into one bodie holde the principall place in your hartes And againe lett vs not for sake our Congregation as some haue accustomed to doe And sainct Iude Woe be to those that perish in the Contradiction of Core And a while after people that separate themselues sensuall men not hauinge the Spirit And it is a thinge so acknowledged by the Fathers that they affirme that faith it selfe turnes to increase of damnation to those that possesse it out of the Church yea they holde the cryme of Schisme to be worse then that of infidelitie and Idolatrie Those saith Saint AVSTIN whom
Schismatickes but alsoe heretickes Thou art said he to Gaudentius both a Schismaticke by sacriligious dissention and an hereticke by sacriligious doctrine But the principall difference that wee obserue is that all call those that haue begunne with dissention in faith and to whom Schisme hath but the place of an accessory heretickes and those that haue begunne with schisme and to whom heresie is come accessorily after the schisme as the feuer after the wound Schismatickes Of the agreement of the ancient Catholicke Church with the moderne CHAP. XVIII The continuance of the Kinges answere ANd heere most Illustrious Cardinall his Maiestie requires from you that you will represent to your selfe how great Difference there is betweene Saint AVGVSTINS tyme and this of ours how the sace and all the exterior forme of the Church to saie nothinge of the interior is changed THE REPLIE THis is the request that I would myselfe most humblie make to his Maiestie to witt to sett before his eyes the estate of the Catholicke Church in the tyme of Saint AVGVSTINE and of the fower first Councells A Church that belieued a the true and reall presence and the orall manducation of the Bodie of Christ in the Sacrament vnder the kindes and within the Sacramentall kindes as Zuinglius the principall Patriarch of the Sacramentaries acknowledgeth himselfe in these wordes From the tyme of Saint AVGVSTINE that is 1200. yeares agoe the opinion of corporall flesh had alreadie gotten the masterie A church that in this qualitie adored the Eucharist not onely with thought and inward deuotions but with outward gestures and adorations actually reallie and substantiallie the true and proper bodie of Christ. For I will not speake now of Transubstantiation for which I reserue a treatise apart A Church that belieued the bodie of Christ to be in the Sacramēt euen besides the vse and for this cause kept it after Consecration for domesticall communions to giue to sicke persons to carry vpon the Sea to send into farr prouinces A Church that belieued that the communion vnder both kindes was not necessary for the integritie of participation but that all the Body and all the blood was taken in either kinde and for this cause in domesticall communions in communions for Children in communions for sicke persons in communions by Sea in communions of penitentes at the hower of Death in communions sent into farr prouinces they distributed it vnder one kinde A Church that belieued that the Eucharist was a true full and intire Sacrifice it alone succeedinge all the Sacrifice of the lawe the newe Oblation of the newe Testament the externall worshipp of latria of the Christians and not onely an Eucharistiall Sacrifice but alsoe a Sacrifice propitiatory by application of that of the Crosse and in this qualitie offered it as well for the absent as for the present aswell for the communicantes as for the non-communicantes as well for the liuinge as for the dead A Church that for the oblation of this sacrifice vsed Altars both of wood and stone erected and Dedicated to God in memory of the martyrs and consecrated them by certaine formes of wordes and ceremonies and amōgst others by the in shriuinge theire relickes A church wherein the faithfull made voyages and pilgrimages to the bodies of the said Martirs to be associated to theire merites and helped by theire intercessions prayed the holy martyrs to pray to God for them celebrated theire Feastes reuerenced theire relickes made vse of them to exorcise euill spirites kissed them caused them to be touched with flowers carried them in clothes of silke and in vessells of gold prostrated themselues before theire shrines offered sacrifices to God vpon theire tombes touched the grates of the places where theire relickes were kept tooke and esteemed the dust from vnder theire relickaryes and went to pray to the martires not onely for spirituall health but for the health and temporall prosperity of theire families carried theire Children yea theire sicke cattell to be healed And when they had receiued some helpe from God by the intercession of the said martyrs hunge vp in the temples and vpon the Altars erected to theire memory for tribute and memoriall of the obtayninge of theire vowe images of golde and siluer of those partes of theire bodie that had bene healed And when the godly and learned Bishops of the ancient tyme reporte these thinges they celebrate and exalt them as soe many beames flashes and triumphes of the glory of Christ. A Church which held the apostolicall traditions not written but cōsigned viua voce and by the visible and ocular practise of the Apostles to theire successors to be equall to the Apostolicall writinges and held for apostolicall tradions all the selfe same thinges that we acknowledge and embrace in the qualitie of apostolicall traditions A Church that offered prayers both priuate and publicke for the Dead to the end to game ease and rest for them and to obtaine that God would vse them more mercifullie then theire sinnes deserued and held this custome for a thinge necessary for the refreshinge of theire soules and for a doctrine of apostolicall tradition and placed those that obserued it not in the Cataloge of heretickes A Church that held the fast of the 40. daies of Lent for a Custome not free and voluntary but necessary and of Apostolicall tradition and reckoned amongst heretickes those that obserued it not and duringe the tyme of Lent as in a generall mourninge of Christians forbadd the Celebration of weddinges and the solemnisations of marriages A Church that out of Pentecost held the fast of all the Fridaies in the yeares in memory of the Death of Christ except Christmasse day fell vpon one which she excepted namely as an apostolicall tradition For I speake not of wednesdaies supplyed in the west by satturdaies A Church that held the interdiction made to Bishops Priestes and Deacons to marry after theire promotion for a thinge necessary and of apostolicall tradition A Church that held marriage after the vowe of virginitie a sinne and that by apostolicall tradition and reputed religious men and religious weemen that married after the solēne vowe of single life not onely for adulterers but for incestuous persons A Church that held the l minglinge of water with wine in the Sacrifice of the Eucharist for a thinge necessary and of diuine and Apostolicall tradition A Church that held the exorcismes exsufflations and renunciations which are made in baptisme for sacred Ceremonies and of Apostolicall tradition A Church that besides baptisme and the Eucharist which were the two initiatinge-Sacramentes of Christian Religion held Confirmation made with the Chrisme and the signe of the Crosse and allowed onely to Bishops the power
in the East will frame such a iudgement where at we shall all reioyce in the 〈◊〉 of God And why doth the Mileuitan Councell to which S. AVSTIN was secretary write these wordes to Pope INNOCENT For as much as God by the guift of his principall grace hath placed you in the Apostolicke Sea and hath graunted you to be such in our daies as wee ought rather to feare that it should be imputed to vs for a crime of negligence if we should conceale from your Reuerence those things which for the Church ought to be represented to you then to imagine that you can receiue them disdainefully or negligentlie we beseeche you to applie your pastorall diligence to the great perills of the weake members of Christ And towardes the end But we belieue with the helpe of the mercie of our God JESVS CHRIST who vouchsafe to direct you consulting with him and to heart you praying to him that those that holde these opinions soe peruerse and pernicious will more casilie yeilde to the authoritie of your Holynesse drawne from the authoritie of the holie Scriptures And why then when the same Pope INNOCENT answered both the Councells did he testifie to them that they had behaued themselues toward him in the same manner as all the other prouinces had done to his predecessors It was not by human sentence but diuine said that great Pope in the answere to the Mileuitans Councell inserted amongst saint Austins Epistles and cited by saint Austine himselfe in his writinges against the Pelagians that the Fathers haue ordained that all things that are treated in prouinces distant and farr of should not be determined till first they were come to the knowledge of the Apostolicke Sea to the end that the sentence that should be found to be iust might the confirmed by the intire authority of the same Sea and that from thence the other Churches as Springes all proceeding from their mother source and running with the purity of their originall through the diuers Regions of the whole world might take what they ought to ordaine And in the answere to the Mileuitan Councell which is alsoe inserted amongst saint AVSTINS Epistles You prouide said he diligently and worthilie for the Apostolick honor for the honor I saie of him that besides assaultes from without sustaines the care of all the Churches following in the consultation of difficult things the forme of the ancient rule which you know hath alwaies bene practised by all the world with me And a while after princippally as often as there is question in pointes of faith I conceaue all our bretheren and Colleagues in the Bishops Sea ought not to referr what may profitt in common to all the Churches to anie but to Peter that is to saie to the author of their name and dignitie And why then to take away all occasion from replying that he spake in his owne cause doth saint AVSTIN soe highlie praise both these answeres Vpon this affaire saith saint AVSTINE were sent the relations of the two Councells of Carthage and Mileuis to the Apostobick Sea c. to all these things Pope INNOCENT answered vs as was conuenient and as the Prelate of the Apostolick Sea should answere vs. And in the epistle to Optatus Of this new heresie Pelagius and Celestius hauing bene authors or most violent and famous promoters they alsoe by the meanes of the vigilancie of two Episcopall Councells with the helpe of God who vndertakes the protection of his Church haue also bene condemned in the extent of the whole Christian world by the Reuerend Prelates of the Catholicke Sea yea euen by the number of two of them Pope INNOCENT and Pope ZOZIMVS if they correct not themselues and besides doe not penance And why then when the Africans had held their last Councell against Celestius did Prosper write vnder the twelfth cōsulship of Honorius Theodosius The decrees of the Councell of Carthage of 214-214-Bishops were carried to Pope ZOZIMVS which hauing bene approued the Pelagian heresie was condemned throughout the world And againe Pope ZOZIMVS of happie memory added the power of his sentence to the decrees of the African Councells and to cut of the wicked armed the right handes of all the Bishops with Peters sword And in an other place speaking of the Roman Church in generall The principallitie of the Apostolicall priesthood hath made Rome greater by the tribunall of Religion then by that of the Empire And why then when the Bishops of Africa were assembled at Cesarea in Mauritania doth saint AVSTIN saie The necessities of the Church enioyned to vs by the Reuerend Pope ZOZIMVS Bishop of the Apostolicke Sea had drawne vs to 〈◊〉 And why then when BRIXIVS Bishop of Tours had bene cast out of his Seat and IVSTINIAN created Bishop in his steede and Armenius after him had BRIXIVS recourse to Rome to the same Pope Zozimus that gaue him letters of re-establishment vpon which he was receiued and restored BRIXIVS saith saint GCEGORIE of Tours transporting himselfe to Rome related to the Pope all his sufferinges And a little after Returning then from Rome the seauenth 〈◊〉 with the authority of the Pope of the cittis he disposed his way to Tours And why then when Socrates a Greeke author of the same age with Zozimus produced examples of the translations of Bishops did he alleage in the head of all the other examples the translation of Perigenes Bishop of Patras one of the citties of Peloponesus that the Pope cōmaunded to be made Archbishop of Corinth And who alsoe in his qualitie assisted at the Councell of Ephesus Perigenes saith Socrates had bene ordained Bishop of Patras but because the cittizens of Patras had not receiued him the Bishop of Rome commaunded that he should be Bishop of the Metropolitā Church of Corinth the Bishop of that place being dead in which Church also he gouerned all the daies of his life And why then when Pope Boniface successor to Zozimus was raised to the Popedome did S. AVSTIN write to him Thou disdainest not to be a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the humble though thou rulest more highlie And againe The pastorall watch is common to vs all that exercise the office of Bishops although thou art 〈◊〉 in a more high degree And why then when Pope CELESTINE had succeeded in the Pontificall dignitie to Pope BONIFACE did Prosper reporte that he sent GERMAN the Bishop of Auxerra into Great Brittanie and made him his legate there and instituted Palladius first Bishop of Scotland Pope Celestine said Prosper at the instance of Palladius sent German Bishop of Auxerra in his 〈◊〉 that casting out the heretickes he might addresse the Brittaines to the 〈◊〉 saith And againe Palladius was ordered and sent first Bishop by Pope Celestine to the Scotts belieuing in Christ. And why then when Nestorius Archbishop of Constantinople begā to trouble the Faith of the Easterne Church did the same Pope
doth to the members contributing your good pleasure by those that 〈◊〉 your place and the faithfull Emperor presided to cause order to be obserued striuing ioyntly with you as Zorobabel with Iesus to renew in the doctrine the building of the Ecclesiasticall Jerusalem And why then when they came to touch in their relation the fact of Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria did they call the Presidencie which he had vsurped in the false Councell of Ephesus without the Popes commission TYRANNY and accused him to haue attempted euen against him to whom the guard of the vine had bene committed that is against the Pope By the decrees of his tyranny saith the relation of the Councell to the Pope he hath declared Eutiches innocent and that dignity which had bene taken from him by your Holynesse as from a man vnworthy of such grace he hath restored it to him And againe And after all these things he hath extended his felonie euen against him to whom the guard of the vine hath bene committed by our Sauiour to witt against your Holynesse And why then when they prayed the Pope to approue the decree by which they gaue the second ranke to the Archbishop of Constantinople did they beseech him that as they had corresponded with him that was their head when there was question of Faith soe his soueraigntie would gratifie them in what concerned discipline vsing to expresse the spirituall soueraignty of the Pope by the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which had bene vsed to expresse the temporall soueraignty of the Emperors Wee haue alsoe said they confirmed the canon of the 150. Fathers assembled at Constantinople vnder the great Theodosius of Religious memorie which ordaines that after your most holy and Apostolicall Throne that of Constantinople should haue the order of honor moued with this that the Apostolicke beame raigning amongst you you according to your ordinarie gouernment doe often spread it toward the Church of Constantinople because you haue accustomed to inrich without enuie your posteritie that is to saie the Church of Constantinople which was extracted from the blood and linage of that of Rome with the participation of your goods And againe Wee beseeche you then to honor our iudgement with your decrees and that as in what concernes the weale we haue brought correspondencie to our head soe your Soueraignty will performe in the behalfe of your children that which concerneth comelinesse And why then when Pope Leo refused to approue this decree were the Emperor Marcian and Anatolius Patriarke Constantinople in whose fauour it had bene propounded constrained to forbeare it and to leaue the businesse then without effect as it appeares by these words of Pope Leo to Anatolius This thy fault which to augment thy power thou hast committed as thou saist by the exhortation of others thy charitie had blotted out better and more sincerely if thou 〈◊〉 not imputed to the only Councell of thy Clergie that which could not be attempted without thy goodwill c. But I am gladd deare brother that thy charitie protesteth thou art now displeased with that which euen then ought not to haue pleased thee It sufficeth to re-enter into common grace the profession of thy loue and the testimonie of the Christian Prince and lett not his correctiō seeme slowe that hath gotten soe reuerent a suretie And why then when Anastasius Bishop of Thessalonica and the Popes Vicar in Macedanico Achaia and other Greeke Prouinces neere Constantinople had abused the authority of his Vicarship against Atticus Bishop of Nicopolis and Metropolitan of the aunciét Fpirus did Pope Leo write to him Wee haue in such sort committed our vicarship to thy charitie as thou art called to a parte of the care and not to the fulnesse of the power And toward the end It hath bene `prouided by a grand Order that all should not attribute to themselues all things but that in euery prouince there should be some whose sentence might hold first ranke and againe that some others constituted in the greater Cities might vse the more diligence that by them the care of the vniuersall Church might flowe to the onely seate of Peter And why then when Ceretius and the other French-Bishops congratulated Pope Leo for the instruction of the Faith that he had sent into the East did they write to him By good right the principalitie of the sea Apostolicke hath bene constituted in the place from whence there springe forth still the oracles of the Apostolicall Spiritt And why then when the Emperors Leo and Maioranus had succeeded the Emperor Marcian vnder whom the Councell of Chalcedon was kept did the Emperor Maioranus residing amongst the Gaules decree by an expresse lawe that euery Bishop that should ordaine a clerke against his will should be called before the Pope If anie Bishop saith the lawe 〈◊〉 dispence with himselfe in this respect let him be called before the Prelate of the Sea Apostolicke that in that reuerent Seate he may incurre the note of his lawlesse presumption And why then when the Emperor Zeno Leo's successor had caused Iohn surnamed Talaia to be cast out from the Alexandrian Sea and set Peter surnamed Mongus in his place did Iohn appeale to the Pope who deposed Peter his aduersary and Acacius Patriarke of Cōstantinople that adhered to him Iohn saith Liberatus an Affrican author and of neere eleuen hundred yeares antiquity addressed bimselfe to Calandion Patriarke of Antioch and hauing taken from him Synodicall letters of intercession appealed to the Pope of Rome Simplicius And Victor of Tunes an author of the same tyme and Country after the consulship of the moste noble Longinus 〈◊〉 Bishop of Constantinople Peter Bishop of Alexandria and Peter Bishop of Antioch enemies to the Councell of Chalcedon were condemned by Felix Prelate of the Roman Church and by a Synod held in Italie and the condemnation sent to Constantinople to Acacius And Euagrius a greeke author somewhat later Iohn hauing taken his flight and being come to Rome represented to Felix the successor of Simplicius the things that Peter had done and perswaded Felix to send a sentence of deposition to Acacius for the Communion he had with Peter For though Zacharie an Eutychian author write that Acacius who was supported by the Emperor Zeno a complice of his heresie despised this deposition From whence it is that Victor of Tunes saith that Peter and Acacius died in condemnation neuerthelesse the Popes Sentence had in the end such effect as both their names to wit Peter Patriark of Alexandria and Acacius Bishop of Constantinople they being alreadie dead were raced out of the Recordes of their Churches and out of the catalogue of the Patriarkes of Alexandria and Constantinople and excluded from recitall in the misteries And why then when Hunericus King of the Vandalls would needes presse Eugenius Archbishop of Carthage to enter into conference with the Arrians did Eugenius reported by
to saie for the celebration of Prouinciall and nationall Synods for the correctiō of minor and particular causes for the confirmation either mediate or immediate of the Bishops of the same prouinces addeth for as much as this also is accustomed to the Bishop of Rome it is certaine that the intention of the coūcell was not by that to square the Bishop of Alexandria by him of Rome in things that wét beyond the limitts and authoritie of Patriarchall iurisdictiō and concerned the iurisdictiō of the head of the Church and the gouernment of the vniuersall societie but in those things onely that were withim the boūdes and within the facultie of Patriarchall iurisdiction No more then when they measured the power that the other Prefects of the Empire had within the cōpasse of their prouinces by the power that the prefects of the cittie of Rome had within the prouinces of his Prefecture they pretēded not by that that in matters that wen forth by appeale from the other prouinces the cittie Prefecte as head of the Senate and Vicar to the Prince was not Superior to all the others nor that whē in a nationall Councell they square out the power that the Archbishops haue ouer the Bishops of their prouinces to the modell of that which the Primate of the natiōs hath as particular Archbishop ouer the Bishops of his quarter they pretēd not by that that in things which goe beyōd the iurisdictiō of the prouinces regard the generall interest of the natiō the Primat should not be superior to the other Archbishops nor finallie whē in a regiment of men of warre they measure the power that euery particular Captaine hath to commaund his company by the paterne and modell that the Campe-Master of the Regimēt hath ouer his they intend not by that in things which are not in the particular comaund of euerie companie but haue regard to the order the disposition and gouernemēt of the Regiment in generall the Campe-Master should not be superiour to all the other captaines For both before the Councell of Nicea when the Church-men of Alexandria would accuse Dionisius the Patriarke of Alexandria their Bishop who was the first Patriarke of the Church after the Pope they transported themselues saith Athanasius to Rome accused him before Dionisius Bishop of Rome presently after the Councell of Nicea when the councell of Antioch Sea of the third Patriarkeship had bene celebrated it was argued of nullitie because saith SOCRATES the Ecclesiasticall law forbad to rule the Churches whithout the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And when the same Councell of Antioch the other councells of the East had deposed S. ATHANAS Patriarke of Alexandria and Marcellus Primate of Ancyra in Galatia and Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in Palestina a cittie of the Patriarkeship of Antioch The Bishop of Rome saith Sozomene restored them euerie one to his Church because to him for the dignitie of his Sea appertained the care of all things And when the Councell of Sardica within twentie yeare of that of Nicea and holden for the Confirmation of that of Nicea and composed of the like or a greater number of Bishops thē that of Nicea and at which assisted the same Osius Bishop of Corduba the same saint A THANASIVS then Patriarke of Alexandria the same Protogenes Bishop of Sardica which had assisted at that of Nicea proceeded to the direction of ecclesiasticall causes it did not onely authorize the appeales from the Bishops of all the Earth to the Pope but also declared that it was a very good and conuenient thing that from all the Prouinces the Bishops should referre the affaires to their head that is to saie to the Sea of the Apostle PETER And whē the Councell of Capua which the third Councell of Carthage calls a generall councell deputed Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria because of the neighbourhood of his Patriarkship to examine the cause of Flauianus Patriarke of Antioch saint AMBROSE writ to him that after he had iudged it he must get the Pope to confirme his iudgement And when the generall councell of Ephesus passed to the cause of Iohn Patriarke of Antioch Iuuenall Bishop of Ierusalē said that the ancient custome bare that the Church of Antioch was alwaies gouerned by the Roman and the councell in the Bodie of it remitted the iudgement of the Patriarke of Antioch to the Pope And when Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria had in the false Councell of Ephesus condemned and deposed Flauianus Bishop of Constantinople Flauianus appealed frō him to the Pope and that saith the Emperor Valentinian following the custome of the Councells And when the Councell of Chalcedon disanulled the false Councell of Ephesus it was voted by Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople that of all the acts of that councell none should remaine in force except the creation of Maximus Patriarke of Antioch because the Pope hauing receiued him into his cōmunion had iudged that he should gouerne the Church of Antioch whē Theodoret Bishop of Cyre neighbour to Persia and one of the Subiects of the Patriarkship of Antioch who had bene deposed by the same coūcell of Ephesus had frō it appealed to the Pope presented himselfe at the coūcell of Chalcedon the senators to cause order to be obserued there commaunded he should come in for as much as the Pope had restored him to his Bishopricke And when the Popes Legates bare the first word in the Councell not onely they intitled the Pope the head of all the Churches but also when the Fathers of the councell in their Bodie sent their Relation to the Pope they intreated him as the head of the vniuersall Church Thou hast guided vs said they by the legats as the head doth the members And againe As in this which is for the 〈◊〉 we haue brought correspondencie to our head so thy Soueraigntie may fulfill in the behalfe of thie Children that which concernes decencie and they treated Dioscorus Patriarke of Alexandria as ghostly vassall to the Pope 〈◊〉 said they hath extended his felonie euen against him to whom the 〈◊〉 of the Vine hath by our Sauiour bene committed that is to saie against thy Holynesse Euident and manifest arguments that the Pope had two qualities distinct the one of Patriarke of the West and the other of Soueraigne Vicar of Christ and head of the vniuersall Church and that when the other Patriarkes were compared to him it was in qualitie of Patriarke of the West and not in the quality of Soueraigne Vicar of Christ and head of the vniuersall Church The second Solution is that the Councell of Nicea speakes of the Bishop of Alexandria with restriction and of the Pope without restriction from whence it is that the Senators assisting at the Councell of Chalcedon to cause order to be obserued there after they had heard the lecture of the sixth Canon of the Councell of
Nicea and of the third Canon of the Councell of Constantinople inferred thereupon thus it appeares from hence that all primacie and principall honor hath alwaies bene 〈◊〉 to the Bishop of Rome a thing that amazes me that the Greeke Schismatickes and 〈◊〉 amongst the rest did not perceiue it For Nilus Archbishop of Thesalonica disputing against the Pope saith If the Canon of the Councell of Nicea had distributed the Climates of the earth to euerie one of the Bishops-Generall so he calls the Patriarkes and had determinately setled nothing vpon the Sea of the Pope but had contented itself with saying that he had receiued the primacie there had bene some reason to esteeme that all the earth had bene vnder him And neuerthelesse not onely the Councell of Constantinople ordaines that the Bishops should not exceede their limitts but that according to the Canons of the Councell of Nicea the Bishop of Alexandria gouerned onely the affaires of Egipt And the Bishops of the East that is of the Patriarkship of Antioch onely the affaires of the East And the Councell of Chalcedon ordaines to the Bishop of Ierusalem the three Palestina's And to him of Constantinople Asia minor Pontus and Thrasia and the Barbarous prouinces that is to say Russia and Muscouia without euer goeing about either that or anie other Councell to sett out a part to the Bishop of Rome nor prescribe limitts out of which he might not exercise his authoritie But euen the Councell of Nicea speakes of the Bishop of Alexandria with restriction assigning him the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis and of the Pope without restriction leauing him the waie free and assigning him noe limitts nor anie determinate number of prouinces The customes said the Canon obserued from antiquitie in Egipt Libia and Pentapolis are to be maintained to wit that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the power of all those things for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishop of Rome By meanes whereof it remaines in the libertie of the Reader to supplie the word ouer all the Church and to expresse the Canon in this sence that the customes obserued from antiquitie in Egipt Libia and Pentapolis should be maintained to wit that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the power of all those things for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishop of Rome ouer all the Church For what was this custome practized by the Bishop of Rome but that whereof saint IRENEVS speakes when he saith to the Roman Church because of a more mightie Principalitie it is necessarie that all the Church should agree And saint AVSTIN when he writes In the Roman Church hath alwaies flourisht the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke And Socrates when he affirmes that the Ecclesiasticall lawe bare that uo decrees might be made in the Church without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome And Sozomene when he notes that to the Bishop of Rome because of the dignitie of his Seate the care of all things apportained And so who sees not that the intention of the Councell was net to compare the Bishop of Alexandria with the Pope formallie but anologically that is to saie that the intention of the Councell was not to compare the authoritie of the Bishop of Alexandria ouer the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis with the authority of the Pope ouer anie determinate territorie but to compare the authoritie of the Bishop of Alexandria ouer the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis with the authority of the Pope ouer the whole Church It is certaine that in this clause for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishopof Rome there is an omission which should be supplied either by the extent of an vniuersall word of particular restriction Now that the designe of the Councell was not to compare the Sea of Alexandria as head of the particular Prefecture of Egipt with the sea of Rome as head of an other particular prefecture but to compare the Sea of Alexandria as head of the particular prefecture of Egipt with the Sea of Rome as head of all the Empire the decree of the Councell of Chalcedon which shall be spoken of hereafter shewes it when it saies designing the temporall cause of the priuiledges of the Church of Rome The fathers yeilded the priuiledges to the Sea of the ancient Rome for as much as that Cittie helde the Empire And the Confronting of these wordes of Socrates The Ecclesiasticall rule bare that no lawes should be introduced into the Church without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome with these of the Bishops of Egipt to the Councell of Chalcedon Permitt vs to attend the ordination of our Archbishop to the end that according to the ancient customes we may follow his sentence And againe It is the custome in the prouinces of the prefecture of Egipt to doe noe such ting without the sentence and ordinance of the Archbishop of Alexandria confirmeth it For to saie that there could be nothing established in the vniuersall Church without the sentence of the Bishop of Rome and to saie there could be nothing established in the prouinces of the Prefecture of Egipt without the sentence of the Bishop of Alexandria was it not to make the Bishop of Alexandria that in the prefecture of Egipt that the Bishop of Rome was ouer the whole Church And therefore the Councell saying simplie for as much as this is also accustomed to the Bishop of Rome and not specifying where nor bringing in 〈◊〉 restriction what should hinder vs from supplying ouer all the Church and from answering that the intention of the Councell was to ordaine that the Bishop of Alexandria who in Egipt Libia and Pentapolis was as Vicar bred from the Sea of saint PETER who had there established his second selfe that is to saie his sonne and welbeloued disciple the Euangelist saint MARKE should haue the superintendencie of the Ecclesiasticall affaires in all these prouinces for as much as the Bishop of Rome to whom as Sozomene saith because of the dignitie of his Seate the care of all things appertained had it generally ouer all the Church or if they will presse vs to reduce the enthymeme of the Councell into the forme of a complete sillogisme what can hinder vs from reducing it into this The same priuiledges that the Bishop of Rome hath in regard of the whole Church the other Patriarkes haue proportionablie euery one in reregard of his Patriarkship Now the Bishop of Rome hath this priuiledge that to him because of the dignitie of his Sea the care of all things pertaines and that without him nothing can be decided of things which concerne the gouernment of the vniuersall Church the Bishop of Alexādria then ought to enioy by proportion the same priuiledges in the prouinces of his Patriarkship that is to say in the prouinces of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis
it to be renewed in the Councell of Chalcedon the Popes Legates answered that is was not to bee found in the Code of the Synodicall Canons of the vniuersall Church and added that is was neuer put in practise If the Bishops of Constantinople said they haue enioyed it what would they haue more and if they haue not enioyed it why doe they demaund it and for this very cause Pope Leo writt backe to Anatolius The signatures of certaine Bishops made as thou pretendest more then threescore yeares agone cannot vphold thy intention to which being tardie and longe agoe fallen thou hast sought weake and feeble proppes for neuer hauing bene transmitted to the knowledge of the Sea Apostolicke it could obtaine noe force And saint GREGORIE to the Patriarkes of Alexandria and Antioch The Roman Church hath neuer hitherto neither now doth receiue the Canons or acts of the Councell of Constantinople but she hath admitted that Synod in what it hath defined against Macedonius Anatolius then seeing this Canon had remained without effect for want of hauing bene confirmed by the Pope and by the westerne Church resolued to take the occasion of the Councell of Chalcedon celebrated at the gates of Constantinople and of the deposition of ` Dioscorus Bishop of Alexandria and second Patriarke of the Church which ranke he desired to possesse to attempt to cause it to be renewed And therefore spying out at the Euening of the twelfth daie the time that the assemblie of the Councell was seperated and that the legates of the Pope and the Senate were retired and that there were none remayning but the Bishops that he thought he could easily bring to his Bowe makeing vse of the absence of the Prelates of Egipt and of Libia who assisted not at the last Sessions of the Councell for as muche as there was yet noe 〈◊〉 of Alexandria established in Dioscorus his steede and preuailing with the fearefulnes of Maximus Bishop of Antioch created in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Ephesus who for the sence he had of the vice of his 〈◊〉 durst not open his mouth against Anatolius who had ordained 〈◊〉 he 〈◊〉 a decree be particulariz'd which renewed the pretended Canon of the Councell of Constantinople and made it be signed by certaine Bishops of the prouinces neere Constantinople There was that 〈◊〉 saith 〈◊〉 an other Session when after the departure of the Iudges and the 〈◊〉 and the Legates of the Sea Apostolicke certaine priuiledges were 〈◊〉 to the Church of Constantinople by Anatolius his vsurpation takeing aduantage of 〈◊〉 condemnation The next day the Popes Legates stood vpon the forme of this surprise to the Councell and represented that the Bishops themselues that had signed this decree had signed it by constraint But the plott was so well laid for Anatolius borne out by the Emperor and by the Senat of Constantinople and by the Prelats of his diuision that their resistance was in vaine For part of the Bishops being absent as those of the Patriarkship of Alexandria who had the principall interest in it and part dissembling their opposition as Maximus Patriarke of 〈◊〉 who afterward complained to the Pope of the preiudices that the priuiledgs of his Church had receiued in the Councell of 〈◊〉 and part confessing against their will that they had signed it with their will as the Bishops of Asia minor who had already protested in the sowrth action that they had as lieue dye as permitt that the Bishop of Constantinople should ordaine their metropolitans And besides that Eusebius Bishop of Dorylaus one of the Bishops of the diuision of Constantinople assuring falsely that the Pope was of agreement with the Article the Councell passed forward to the approbation of the Canon and when the legates of the Pope opposed it they writt to the Pope to pray him to confirme it in these termes We praie thee to honor our decree with thy iudgement and as wee haue brought correspondence to our head for matters of weale so thy souer aigntie may fulfill to thy children in matters of decencie for in so doeing the religious Emperors shall be gratified Now the Pope had bene allreadie desired not to giue consent to such enterprizes for vpon this that in the Councell of Ephesus Juuenall Bishop of Jerusalem abusing the absence and contumacie of Iohn Patriarke of Antioch and assaying to vsurpe the iurisdiction of Palestina against the Canon of the Councell of Nicea which attributed the superintendencie of Palestina and of the Bishop of Ierusalem himselfe to the Archbishop of Cesarea one of the metropolitans of the Patriarkship of Antioch saint CYRILL Patriarke of Alexandria praied the Pope to consent that such attempts should take place In the Councell of Ephesus saith Pope LEO the first in his Epistle to Maximus Patriarke of Antioch Iuuenall Bishop thought to haue found out a sufficient occasion to obtaine the principalitie of Palestina and to cause his audacious insolence to be confirmed by surreptitious writings which saint Cyrill of holy memorie iustly haueing in honor represented to me and declared to me by his letters what Iuuenalls ambition had attempted and requested me with great 〈◊〉 and care that no consent might be giuen to such vnlawfull attempts For those causes then and allso that Maximus Patriarke of Antioch had renewed the same request vnto him the Pope insteede of confirming the decree of the Councell of Chalcedon seeing it inviolated the order of the Councell of Nicea which had giuen the second place to the Bishop of Alexandria and the third place to the Patriarke of Antioch annulled and abrogated it by these words addressed to the Empresse Pulcheria The pietie of your Faith ioyned with vs wee annull the plotts of the Bishops repugnant to the rules of the holy canons established at Nicea and by vertue of the authority of the blessed Apostle PETER wee wholy abrogate them by a generall sentence And that with such effect as the Emperor and the Bishop of Constantinople were constrained for the tyme to depart from their pursuite as it appeares by these words of the same Pope to Anatolius This thy fault which thou hast committed to augment thy power as thou saist by the exhortations of others thy tharitie had better and more sincerely blotted out if that which could not be attempted against thy will thou hadst not imputed it onely to the Councell of thy Clergie c. but it is an agreable thing to me most deare brother that thou dost now protest to be displeased with what should not euen then haue pleased thee but the profession of thy loue and the testimonie of the Christian Prince shall suffice to cause thee to re-enter into common grace and let not his correction seeme tardie that hath gotten so reuerent a suertie And from hence it comes that in manie greeke and latine copies this canon is onely in the historie of the acts but not in the Catalogue of the Canons noe
of the Councell intitled the 8 th Occumenicall the Bishop of Rome and him of Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and homothronall that is to saie vnited in one selfe-same 〈◊〉 and set in one selfe-same Sea And therefore the Fathers of the Coūcell of Chalcedon did noly alleage in their Canō that it was reasonable that Constātinople being adorned by the Empire and the Senate should enioyalsoin the secōd place after the Cittie of Rome the same priuiledges in Ecclesiasticall causes but addeth thereto in their relation two other reasons taken frō the spirituall affinitie of the Church of Constantinople with that of Rome The one the facilitie of the influence of the gouernment of the Church of Rome into that of Constātinople for as much as the beames of the Sea Apostolicke might spread more commodiouslie from Rome to Constantinople then to the other Patriarchall Seas because of the communication that those two cities which made one selfe same head of the Empire had together By meanes whereof it was more conuenient that the rules which the other Patriarkships should take from the Roman Church the Church of Cāstantinople where resided in ordinary the Nuncios of the Sea Apostolicke and which was neerer the Patriarkship of Rome should receiue them first and immediatly from the Roman Church and then communicate them to the other Seas which were farther off The other that the Church of Constantinople was daughter and extract frō the Roman Church wee haue said they bene incouraged to doe this for that the Beame Apostolicke raigning amidst you and you by your ordinary gouernment 〈◊〉 it to the Church of Constantinople you may cause it to shine the 〈◊〉 into these partes because you are wonted without enuie to inriche those of your linage with the participation of your Goods And therefore Pope Leo with a purpose to cutt off in a word all their hope of this pretence writt to the Emperor that Constantinople what soeuer Anatotius might attempt could neuer be made a Sea Apostolick Let Anatolius said he not disdaine the imperiall 〈◊〉 which he cannot make a Sea Apostolicke which moued the latter Greekes to add another deuise For considering that the pretence of the vnitie of their Sea with that of saint PETER could not serue for a good Colour of a Spirituall title to perserue thereto the second place in the Church they haue had recourse to deriue by a fabulous list and which hath noe testimonie in antiquity the Succession of the Bishops of Bizantium from saint ANDREW brother to saint PETER to maintaine to the Church of Constantinople built vpon the foundation of Byzantium the second Sea after that of saint PETER The third Answere is what soeuer the ayme and sence of this Canon may be there can noething be inferred from it either lawfull or Canonicall forasmuch as it was a surreptitious Canon and obtained by fraude and by surprize and against which there were thirteen nullities whereof the least is sufficient to impose a perpetuall silence to all those that alleadge it The first nullitie is that they were neither the presidents of the Councell nor the Bishops of the Councell which propounded and particularized this Canon but the Clerkes of the Church of Constantinople and particularly Aetius Archdeacon of Constantinople as it appeares both from the eleuenth action in which one of the clauses which was after entered into this Canon to witt that the Metropolitans of Asia minor should receiue their ordination from the Bishop of Constantinople hauing bene contested by the Bishops of Asia the onely Clerkes of the Church of Constantinople with lowde voices cried out Lett the ordinance of the hundred and fiftie fathers so called they the Canon of the Councell of Constautinople falsely alleadged to that purpose stand let not the priuiledges of Constantinople perish lett the ordinations be made according to the custome by our Bishop And from the words of Aetius Archdeacon of Constantinople when he would haue excused the obreption of this Canon which were It is a thing accustomed in Synods after principall matters haue bene defined to questiō and decide some other necessary things Now we haue to witt the holy Church of Constantinople some articles to propound And from the excuse that Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople made when he departed from this canon which was that he had bene set on to solicit it by the importunitie of his clergie This thy fault saith Pope Leo answering Anatolius which to augment thy power thou hadst committed as thou saist by the exhortation of others thou hadst better and more sincerelie blotted out if thou hadst not imputed to the onely councell of thy clergie that which could not be attempted without thy consent The second nullitie is that this decree was made at an vndue hower and after the assemblie of the Councell had bene separated and when the Popes Legates and the Senators which assisted there on the Emperors part were retired as it appeares both by the complaint that the Popes 〈◊〉 made thereof the morrowe after to the Emperors officers 〈◊〉 to keepe order in the Councell which contained these words 〈◊〉 after the departure of your excellencie and of our humilitie they saie there were made certaine articles that we pretend to be contrarie to the canons and to 〈◊〉 discipline And by the answere of the Emperors officers which was If there were anie articles framed after our departure let them be read And by these words of Liberatus There was that daie another session wherein after the departure of the Judges and the Senat and the Legats of the Sea Apostolicke certaine priuiledges were adiudged to the Church of Constantinople taking aduantage of the condemnation of Dioscorus And to that is not 〈◊〉 the excuse that Actius Archdeacon of Constantinople alleadged to the Emperors officers in these words Wee requested my Lords the Bishops of Rome to assist to it they refused saying they had noe commaundement to that effect Weereported it also to your magnificence you commaunded the Synod should examine it when your excellencie was gone forth the holie Bishops which are heere risinge as for a common businesse required that the action should be made now it is in our hands nothing hath bene done in a corner or by stealth but the action hath bene competent and canonicall For either the clerks of Constantinople had made no such request to the Popes Legates the Emperors officers or it was not that daie nor vpon the point of the action otherwise the Emperors officers would not haue answered the Popes Legats as being ignorant of the historie If there be anie article framed since our departure let it le read The third nullitie is that this canon was made the Bishops of all the other Patriarkships being absent in the onely presence of the Bishops of the Patriarkship of Antioch and of the prouinces neere Constantinople That it was so besides that the Bishops of
of Antioch hauing esteemed that some what ought to be done for the priuiledges of your Church let it take care to explaine it by letters that wee may answere absolutelie and fitlie to thy consultation for the present it shall suffice to pronounce in generall that if anie thing seeme to haue bene attempted or euen for a time exhorted by anie one in what Synod soeuer it be against the canons of the Councell of Nicea it cannot doe preiudice to the inuiolable decrees And a little after In the Councell of Ephesus Juuenall the Bishop thought to haue found a sufficient aduantage to witt that of the schisme of Iohn Patriarke of Antioch to obtaine the principalitie of Palestina and to cause his insolent boldenes to be confirmed with surreptitious writinges which Cyrillus of holy memorie iustly abhorring represented to me and intreated me with great instance and care that noe consent should be giuen to such lawlesse attempts The tenth nullitie is that Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople seeing this canon could not subsist if it were discouered that it had bene annulled by the Pope concealed from the Bishops of the Councell of Chalcedon the abrogation that the Pope had made of this decree and kept backe the Popes letters whereby he had annulled and abolished it a fraude so perillous as it had like to haue turned vpsidowne all the Church of the Empire of the East For the Pope hauing ioyned in one letter the abrogation of this decree with the confirmation that hee made of the other acts of the Councell Anatolius because he would not shewe the censure of his ambition concealed the Popes letters where the one and the other clause was contained which was the clause that the Easterne Churches remained in such doubt whether or not the Pope had confirmed the Councell of Chalcedon as infinite people for this cause making difficultie to receiue it the Emperor was faine to request the Pope to dispatch new letters confirmatiue of the Faith of the Councell of Chalcedon to all the Bishops who had assisted there and to send them to each one of them in their Churches This said Pope Leo in his answere to the Emperor Martian your clemencie thinks will be more easilie fufilled if throughout all the Churches we signifie that the definitions of the Councell of Chalcedon haue pleased the Sea Apostolicke a thing whereof there was noe occasion of doubt c. seeing I haue written to your Glorie and to the Bishop of Constantinople letters which euidentlie 〈◊〉 that I approued those thinges which had bene there defined concerning Catholicke Faith but because by the same letters I had reproued those things which vnder the occasion of the Synod had bene euilly attempted he rather chose to conceale my applause then to publish his ambition And in his epistle to the Empresse Pulcheria whereas the most Religious Emperor hath willed that I should write letters to all the Bishops which assisted at the Councell of Chalcedon whereby I should confirme what was then defined concerning Faith I haue willinglie accomplished it least the deceiptfull dissimulation of some should pretend to put people in doubt of my sentence although by the meanes of the Bishop of Constantinople to whom I had largelie testified my ioy that which I had written might haue come to the knowledge of all if he had not rather chosen to conceale my contentment then to publish the rebuke of his ambition The eleauenth nullitie is that Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople euen he that had packed this Canon he himself in whose fauour it had bene particularized departed from it as is seene by the text of the epistle that Pope Leo the first writt him which is such This thy fault which to increase thy power thou hast committed as thou saist by the exhortation of others thy charitie had better and more sincerelie blotted out if that which could not be attempted without thy consent thou hadst not imputed it to the onely Councells of thy Clergie c. But it contents me much deare brother that thy dilection protests to bee agreeued with that which euen then ought not to haue pleased thee it 〈◊〉 to re-enter into common grace the profession of thy charitie together with the attestation of the most Christian Prince and let not his correction seeme tardie that hath gotten so reuerent a suretie And by these words of Pope Gelasius written fortie yeares after against Acacius That which the Sea Apostolicke consented not to nor did the Emperor impose it nor Anatolius vsurpe it and all was put into the power of the Sea Apostolicke and therefore what the Sea Apostolicke confirmed in the Councell of Chalcedon hath bene in force what it refused could not be stedfast The twelfth nullitie is that this Canon hath bene falselie inserted into the catalogue of the Canons of the Councell of Chalcedon by the latter Greekes which perchance made Sainct GREGORIE to saie The Councell of Chalcedon hath in one place bene 〈◊〉 by the Church of Constantinople for during all the age of the Councell of Chalcedon this Canon which had bene but proiected and not confirmed remained in the onely historie of the Acts and was not inserted into the catalogue of the Canons till a long time after as it appeares both by the testimonie of the most ancient Greeke and latine copies in all which the Rolle of the Canons containes but twentie seauen Canons And by the collection of Theodoret an author of the same age in which the list of the Canons of the Councell of Chalcedon is but of twentie seauen Canons And by the Edition of Dionisius Exiguus time-fellow with the Emperor Iustinian whose catalogue of the Canons of the Councell comprehend but twentie seauen Canons And by the acknowledgement that Theodoret Anagnestes a Greeke author makes thereof in these words The Councell of Chalcedon published twentie seauen Canons And the thirteenth nullitie is finally that the number of thirtie Canons which the Greekes of following ages haue attributed to the councell of Chalcedon to comprehend this and to make it come in vnder the title of the twentie eight is a supposed number For it is euident that the two last canons to witt the twentie ninth and the thirtith are noe canons but are the one of them an interlocution betweene Paschasinus the Popes Legate and Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople and the other a prohibition prouisorie to anie of the Bishops of Egipt which had excused themselues from signing the epistle of Pope Leo because they remained without a Patriarke not to depart from Constantinople before the arriuall of the newes of the creation of a new Patriarke of Alexandria which haue bene taken out of the historie of the Acts of the Councell and transferred into the catalogue of the Canons Whereunto it serues not to alledge for counterbattery that the councell Trullian which was holden two hundred and fortie yeares after the councell of Chalcedon citeth this
God-sonne sent thither from the beginning regiments of Souldiers to authorise by force 〈◊〉 the abbettor of the Eutychian heresy and to exclude from iudgement all those that were suspected by Eutyches Now Eutyches refused the Popes legats amongst others aswell because the Pope had confirmed the sentence of Flauiauus Bishop of Constantinople against him as in their owne interest because that being arriued at Constantinople Flauianus that 〈◊〉 held for his aduersarie had entertained and feasted them The legates saith Eutyches sent by the most holie and most beloued of God the Archbishop 〈◊〉 Rome Leo are suspected by me for they haue bene entertained and feasted 〈◊〉 gratified with presents by the most beloued of God the Bishop Flauianus 〈◊〉 these causes then Chrysaphius desirous to exclude them from the iudgment of the Councell obteyned by surprise letters from the Emperor Theodosius the second a man that signed dispatches without reading them wherefore his sister to reproach him for his simplicitie once made him signe the bondage of his wife by which vnder 〈◊〉 of refusing those that had alreadie iudged Eutyches he ordained 〈◊〉 to preside there and accompained them with men of warr to haue the sway there Now how vnlawfull this beginning was 〈◊〉 needes noe other iudge but the same Emperor who afterward informed of the deceipt that Chrysaphius had made vse of to him-ward 〈◊〉 him by exile and confiscation of goods and offices And secondly where Caluin saith that the Popes Legates did not dispute for the first place there is manifestly false For Liberatus an author of the next insuing age writes exppressely The Popes deputies would not indure to sitt there because the precedence had not bene giuen to their sacred Sea And when the Acts of the same Councell all which Dioscorus had falsified were read ouer in the Councell of Chalcedon when they came to name Julian legate to Pope Leo it was said that the Act was false and that the name of Leo had not bene there receiued And thirdly the first complaint that the Popes Legates propounded to the Councell of Chalcedon against Dioscorus was That he had presumed to hold an Oecumenicall Councell without commission from the Sea Apostolicke which had neuer bene either done or lawfull to be done And finally the primacie that Dioscorus had vsurped in the false Councell of Ephesus though by surreptitious letters from the Emperor and vpon the refusall of the Popes Legates was declared Tyrannie and himselfe deposed amongst other causes for hauing sett vpon the Pope By the decrees of his tyrannie said the Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon writing to Pope Leo he hath absolued Eutyches who for his impietie had bene condemned and hath restored to him the dignitie whereof he was depriued by your Holynesse And a little after And to make vp all this he hath extended his felonie 〈◊〉 against him to whom the guarde of the Vine hath bene commited by our Lord that is to saie against your Holynesse Is not this a goodly example for 〈◊〉 against the Pope Of the order of the sittings of the Councell of Chalcedon CHAPT XI CAluins fowrth obiection is taken from the Councell of Chalcedon In the Councell of Chalcedon saith he Pope Leo 〈◊〉 it of Grace of the Emperor that his Ambassadors might preside there because the Bishops of the East who had presided in the second 〈◊〉 of Ephesus had misbehaued themselues there and had abused their power And I for my part must needes aske him how longe hee will abuse our patience For Leo did nothing lesse then to pray the Emperor that his deputies might preside at the Councell of Chalcedon but hauing sent in the first month of the same yeare a legation to Constantinople 〈◊〉 Lucentius a Bishop and 〈◊〉 a priest and after haueing added to them vpon the occurrence of the celebration of the Councell 〈◊〉 Bishop of Lylibea in Sicilia and hauing associated with him Iulian a latine Bishop of the Isle of Cos in the Grecian Sea who was alreadie in those partes and resided as Nuntio at Constantinople with the Emperor he declared to the Emperor not in forme of a request but in forme 〈◊〉 a resolution that it must be this Paschasinus Bishop of Lylibea of whose sufficiencie and constancie to maintaine the truth he had more assurance then of the rest that should preside in his name at the Councell as also 〈◊〉 was there the head of the legation and carried the vote in the conclusion of the Coūcell though he had bene last sent Now who seeth not that this was not to demaund that his legates might preside there but to appoint which of his legates should preside there I haue said he sent my Brother and fellow-Bishop Paschasinus of the Prouince which seemes to me most secure that he may sulfill my place and haue associated with him our brother and fellowe-Priest Boniface comprehending with them those that we had alreadie formerly sent to whom I haue added for a Colleague the Bishop Iulian. And a litle after Because some of our bretheren a thing which we can not speake of without griefe could not keepe their Catholicke Constancie against the whirlewindes of falsehood it is Conuenient that my said brother and fellowe-Bishop Paschasinus should preside in my place in the Synod For whereas Caluin saith That by those bretheren that could not maintaine their Cōstancie against the whirlwindes of falsehood he intended not the legates of the Pope which had withdrawne themselues but the Bishops of the East who had presided at the false Councell of Ephesus to witt Dioscorus it is an ignorance that deserues the Ferula since Dioscorus and his complices were themselues the whirlewindes of falshood And indeede why should Pope Leo in the Epistle that Caluin citeth of him which was written vnder the Consulship of Adelphius haue prayed the Emperor that he might preside by himself or by his legates at the Councell of Chalcedon since from the precedent yeare that is to saie vnder the consulship of Valentinian and Abienus and before it was knowne there should be anie Councell holden at Chalcedon the Emperor had written to him Our desire is that all impietie being banisht by a Councell assembled vnder your authoritie an intire peace may be restored to all the Bishops of the Catholicke faith And againe It remaines if it pleasse your Holynesse that you trauell into these partes and celebrate a Synod heere c. or if it be troublesome to come hither your Holynesse may please to signifie it by your letters Which Theodorus Anagnostes citing the same letters repeates in these termes Marcian and Pulcheria writt to Leo Pope of Rome yeilding to him all authoritie And how could he haue prayed the Emperor since without attending the Emperors answere and the next day after he had sent him the letter he writt to the Councell The Emperor hath inuited vs by his letters to
cast out of his Sea gaue vp the mantle that he had to the Emperors and retired himself to a place where the Empresse tooke him into her protection And then the Pope infauour of the Emperor ordained Menas Bishop in his steede consecrating him with his owne hand And Victor of Tunes of the same time with Liberatus Agapet Archbishop of Rome came to Constantinople and deposed Anthymus Bishop of Constantinople vsurper of the Church and enemie to the Councell of Chalcedon and excommunicated the Empresse and made Menas Bishop of the Church of Constantinople An admirable effect of the power of S. PETERS Successor in the time that the Church of Constantinople was most flourishing and triumphant the Church of Rome contrariwise most abated afflicted when Constantinople was the Seate of the Empire the mansion of Iustinian the Emperor conquering and victorious and that Rome on the other side was noe more a cittie but a tombe and carkasse of a cittie a seruant and slaue of the Gothes a barbarous and Arrian people a poore Pope that the tyrannie of Theodat king of the Gothes who otherwise threatned him to roote out the Roman Church had forced to transport himself into the East to solicite the Emperor Iustinian to withdrawe his armes out of Italie and so poore as he was faine to sell the sacred Vessells of his Church to performe his voyage beeing in Constantinople a stranger and without support yea euill receiued and entertained by the Emperor neuerthelesse deposeth and casts out of his Sea Anthymus Patriarke of Constantinople powerfull in meanes and fauour about the Emperor and whom the Emperor and the Empresse had exalted from the Bishopricke of Trebizond to the Patriarkship of Constantinople and pardons the Bishops of the East who had communicated with him and excommunicates the Empresse who obstinately defended him and established Menas in his place And Caluin will haue it that Menas who was Agapets creature preceded Agapet in the Councell of Constantinople in whose time Agapet was already dead and wherein there is neuer mention made of him but with this title of Agapet of holy memory What an Argus is he in antiquitie But at the least will Caluin replie the Bishops of Italie that assisted with Menas at the Councell of Constantinople after the death of Agapet did not preside there It is true But what will this replie serue him for but to increase his shame for these Bishops were noe more the Popes deputies when the Councell was holden and had noe commission to be there but were Bishops Priests and Deacons which were long before come out of Italie for other businesses and whose legation was finisht both by the arriuall and by the death of Agapet and who assisted not at the Synod which was noe generall Councell but a simple councell of the Patriarkship of Constantinople and of some strange Bishops resident at Constantinople but for honor sake and by vertue of the Emperors commaundement as exlegates and not as Legates Neither must he hope to escape by this excuse that he pretended to speake of Uigilius and not of Agapet for Vigilius was neither Pope nor present at Constantinople when the councell of Constantinople holden vnder Menas was celebrated Lesse yet can Caluin saue himselfe by sayinge that his intention was to speake of the councell holden vnder Eutychius for Uigilius who was then Pope was neither present by himselfe nor by his Legates and consequently had not occasion to hold the second place but confirmed it by writing Vigilius saith Euagrius consented by letters with the Councell And Photius Vigilius approued by writing the faith of the Fathers And that he refused to assist there it was not as Nicephorus a Schismaticall author and later by manie ages pretends because hee disdayned to receiue the Bishop of Constantinople into one Seate with him that is to saie that he would haue sate in a seate more exalted For how should that haue bene put in dispute since the same Nicephorus saith it had bene practised twentie eight yeares before by Pope Iohn who had sate within Constantinople in a throne exalted aboue Epiphanius Patriarke of the place and that adds he not to abandon the prerogatiue of the Sea Apostolicke But forasmuch as he sawe the Emperor resolute to cause the three chapters to be condemned so were called certaine writinges of Theodorus of Mopsuestia of Ibas and of Theodoret which had bene read in the councell of Chalcedon and feared that if this condemnation should be made the Bishops of the Prouinces of the West not being present it might begett a schisme betweene those of the West and those of the East For those of the West held that to condemne those three chapters it was to giue aduantage to the Entychians and to make a breach in the Councell of Chalcedon who had receiued into their communion Ibas and Theodoret authors of those writinges and defendor of Theodorus of Mopsuestia and those of the East contrarywise held that to maintaine them was to giue aduantage to the Nestorians and to oppose the Councell of Ephesus which had condemned the doctrine therein contained and denied that to censure them was to doe wronge to the Councell of Chalcedon who had indeede receiued Theodoret and Ibas into their communion but after they had made them detest the doctrine of Nestorius For this occasion though Pope Uigilius in his particuler condemned these three chapters yet he would not assist at a Councell wherein they should goe about to condemne them publicklie vnlesse it had bene a generall Councell and wherein the Bishops of the West had bene present aswell as those of the East And he admitted not the reason alleadged by the Legates of the Councell that in the other generall Councells there had bene fewe Bishops of the West forasmuch as those fewe Bishops of the West which had bene in other generall Councells went thither after Councells holden vpon the same matter in the West whose resolution they bearing with them they carried the voice of all the westerne Church into the East To this feare there concurred also that that Vigilius had to renew the opinion that was held of him during his Antipapacie I saie during his Antipapacie because in the beginning Uigilius was intruded into the Papacie by the priuate sute of the Empresse who was an Eutychian his predecessor Siluerius a true and lawfull Pope still liuing with this simoniacall and hereticall couenant not onely to condemne the three chapters but to approue the faith of Anthymus which he did and therefore sometymes as false Pope and sometymes as an abettor of heretickes he was excommunicated by the true Pope Siluerius and by the Bishops that adhered to him and amongst others by the Prelates of Africa For those that suspect that Liberatus the most exact monument that we haue of antiquity hath bene depraued in the fall of Uigilius are mistaken seeing Victor
called by him or at his instance but for 〈◊〉 much as that Councell which was a particular Councell had vndertaken as compounded of Arrian Bishops who violated all order and discipline to decide things that concerned the vniuersall Church ordayning in hate to saint ATHANASIVS That euery Bishop that after he had bene deposed by a Synod should continue still to performe episcopall functions without hauing bene first reestablisht by an other greater Synod should be incapable of restitution and that the lawes of the Church bore that there could noe decrees be made in the Churches that is to saie as Caluin himself interprets it for things regarding the vniuersall Church without the Sentence of the Bishop of Rome he reproacheth it to them that they had exceeded the power of a particular Councell That is to saie had decided the affaires which concerned the generall gouernement of the Church without hauing inuited him to assiste at it either by himself or by his Legats A thing that if we were stript of all other argumentes would sufficiently shewe the Popes authoritie for if the absence of the Pope alone and not of anie other Patriarke or Metropolitan were an impediment to the makeing of decrees to oblige the vniuersall Church how can it bee but the Pope must be head of the Church and Superior of the other Patriarkes To the third obiection which is that saint IEROM speaking of a certaine Councell holden amongst the Gaules cryes What Emperor hath commaunded this Synod to he assembled From whence they inferre that the Emperors onely called the generall Councells Wee answere it is a very Sophisme for the Councell whereof saint IEROM spake was not a generall Councell but a particular that Ruffinus pretends to haue bene holden in Gaule against saint HILLARY Nowe wee agree of all sides and Caluin himselfe confesses it that the Metropolitans Primates and Patriarkes called particular Councells And the Councells of the westerne Church holden at Rome by Pope DAMASVS in the tyme of the heresie of the Macedonians by Pope Celestine against the heresie of the Nestorians by Pope LEO against the heresie of the Eutychians by Pope Agatho against the heresie of the Monothelites inforced the most obstinate to confesse that the Pope if not as head of the vniuersall Church yet at least as Patriarke of the West called the Patriarchall Councells of the westerne Church and not onely called the Patriarchall Councells of the Westerne Church but alsoe when there was neede caused to be called extraordinarily the nationall or prouinciall Coūcells of such a Natiō or Prouince of the West as he thought to be necessarie as it appeares for Africa frō these wordos S. AVGVSTINE The Ecclesiasticall necessitie enioyned vs by the Reuerēd Pope Zosime Bishop of the Sea Apostolicke had drawne vs to Caesaria And for Macedonia Achaia and Thessalia from these of Pope LEO to Anastasius Bishop of Thessalonica his Legat in those prouinces If There be anie maior cause moued for which it shal be necessarie to cause an Episcopall assemblie to be called let it suffice thee to call two Bishops of euery Prouince such as the Metropolitans shall choose And for Spaine from these of the same LEO Wee haue sent letters to our bretheren and fellow Bishops of Arragon of Carthagena of Portugall and of Galitia and baue declared to them the assemblie of a generall Councell that is to saie generall for Spaine In which place they must not cauill vpon the word Councell and conuert it into Counsell For the first Councell of Bracara reporting the same historie saith By the commaundement of Leo the Bishops of Arragon Carthagena Portugall and Andaluzia held a Councell amongst them But besides the spirituall authoritie were it of Metropolitans Primates and Patriarkes for the calling of particular Councells be it of the Popes as wee pretend for the calling of generall Councells the temporall authoritie of the Emperors was alsoe requisite aswell to auoid state iealousies and hinder suspitions of conspiracies against the Empire as to take order for the Charge of transportations Staples and prouisions and to furnish the costes of the voyages which the Churches then newlie out of the persecution of the Pagans could yet hardlie beare And therefore when there was question of calling not onely generall Councells of all the Earth but alsoe the generall Councell of the Westerne Church the temporall authoritie of the Emperors concurred with the Spirituall authoritie of Popes for the execution of the conuocation The Emperor Valentinian saith Pope Sixtus the third tymefellowe to saint CYRILL hath commaunded by our authority that the Synod should be called And when there was question of calling Nationall Synods if it were within the countries of the Empire the authoritie of Emperors or of their lieuetenans was allso required and if it were within the ecclipsed countries or not depending from the Empire that of the Kings of the nations where it was to be celebrated must be ioyned thereto as when the first Councell of Bracara in Spaine was called it is said it was called by the commaundement of the glorious King Ariamira or according to others Theodomina And when the second Councell of Tours speakes of the first Councell of Orleans holden vnder Clouis it is said it was done at the request of the most inuincible king Clouis And when the second Councell of Mascon was holden vnder King Gontran it was ordained that the ordinarie Nationall Councells should be celebrated from three yeare to three yeare and that the care to cause them to be assembled appertained to the Bishop of Lion and the disposition to the most magnificent Prince Now if the temporall conuocation of Nationall Councells made by the Emperors or by the Princes of the Nations were 〈◊〉 impediment but that the spirituall conuocation of the same Councells might be due to the Primats of the Nations Why should the temporall conuocation of generall Councells made by the Emperor be an impediment why the authoritie to call them spiritually that is to saie in behalfe of spirituall and ecclesiasticall power might not belong to the Pope For that then as we haue newlie said the authoritie of Emperors was necessary and 〈◊〉 to make the decisions of Councells executorie by the Secular arme and by the ministers and officers of temporall iustice who otherwise would not haue labored to punish corporallie those that should contradict And that is the cause wherefore the Fathers of the Councells were soe carefull to sett this title in the forefront of their acts The most holie and generall Councell called by the authoritie of the most religious Emperor to the end to make their decrees executorie temporallie and by the ministrie of the Secular Tribunall but not to make them obligatorie in conscience and spirituallie For when was it saith saint ATHANASIVS that the iudgement of the Church hath euer taken authoritie from the Emperor And indeede who can doubt but that
to call generall Councells without being moued thereto or seconded by the iust ecclesiasticall authoritie those Councells haue bene declared illegitimate not onely by the finall issue of their iudgements but by the originall vice of their forme if the Popes confirmation did not come in to correct the defect For the Councell of Arimini which was compounded of fower hundred Bishops and which had bene called by the Emperor Constantius was declared inualid not onely for the issue of the iudgement but for this cause amongst others saith the Councell of those of the West reported by Theodoret That it had bene holden without the consent of the Bishop of Rome whose sentence should first of all haue bene attended And in the Councell of Chalcedon the first complaint that was made against the false Councell of Ephesus that the Emperor Theodosius the second surprized by the fraude of the Eutychians had called without the Popes authoritie although with a request to the Pope to assist at it or to send to it was That Dioscorus presumed to hold a Councell without the Bishop of Romes permission which had neuer bene lawfull or before done By meanes whereof all the question of the spirituall and ecclesiasticall authoritie necessary from the part of the conuocation to make Councells lawfull in conscience and obligatory to the internall Tribunall of the Church is betweene the Pope and the other Patriarkes and consistes in this to witt to whom either to the Pope or to the other Patriarkes it belonged to call Councells spiritually Now who doubtes but it must be to him of the Patriarkes that ought to preside there and the defect of whose presence either mediare or immediate rendred the Councells inualid And who sees not that euen if the Pope had not bene the direct Successor of saint PETER if he had not bene his Vicar in whose name all Councells ought to be called if he had not bene the center of the ecclesiasticall vnity and Communion if he had not bene the Bishop as saint CYPRIAN saith of the chaire of Peter and of the principall Church from whence the Sacerdotall vnitie proceeded and in breefe had he not bene superior in authoritie to the other Patriarkes but onely the first of them in order it belonged to him to call them as it did anciently to the Presidēt of the senate to call the Senate And therefore whē Pope Gelasius saith The Sea Apostolicke onely decreed that the Councell of Chalcedon should be holden It is not to the exclusion of the Emperor that he makes this restriction but to the exclusion of the other Patriarkes And when Pope Pelagius S. GREGORIES predecessor writes The authority to call generall Councells hath bene attributed by a singular priuiledge to the Sea Apostolicke of holie Peter It is not to the exclusion of the Emperors that he makes this limitation but to the exclusion of the other Patriarkes and particularly of the Bishop of Constantinople for the Bishop of Constantinople pretending by the creation of his cittie into the title of the second Rome to haue bene made equall to the Pope not in regard of the Pope as hath bene aboue said but in regard of the other Patriarkes had dared to presume to participate in the East in the title of vniuersall Patriark which title the Pope had receiued at the Councell of Chalcedon and in continuance of this presumption had endeuored to call a generall Councell that is to saie a generall Councell of the Empire of the East in the East To the end then to represse his arrogance the Pope put him in mynde that the power to call generall councells that is to saie the generall councells aswell of all the Empire as of the particular Empire of Constantinople as a ease exceeding the simple patriarchall authoritie belonged to the onely direct and absolute successor of S. PETER It hath bene reported to the Sea Apostolicke saith the same Pelagius writing to the Bishops of the East that Iohn Bishop of Constantinople hath intituled himselfe vniuersall and by vertue of this his presumption hath called you to a generall Councell he meanes the generall Councell of the East whereof Euagrius speakes called for the cause of Gregorie Patriarke of Antioch notwithstanding that the authoritie of calling generall Councells hath bene attributed by a singular priuiledge to the Sea Apostolicke of the holy Peter And a little after And therefore all that you haue decreed in this your not Councell but conuenticle I ordaine by the authoritie of holy PETER Prince of the Apostles c. that it be disanulled abrogated Which S. GREGORIE the great also reportes in these words Our predecessor Pelagius of happie memorie hath abrogated by a sentence intirely valid all the actes of this Synod except what concerned the affaire of Gregorie Bishop of Antioch of happie memorie Now doth not this alone suffice to decide the whole question For if the Bishop of Constantinople vnder pretence of the equalitie that he challenged to haue obtained with the Pope in superioritie ouer the other Patriarkes presumed to call the generall Councells of the East why is it not manifest that the authoritie to call generall Councells forasmuch as concernes spirituall and Ecclesiasticall power belonged to the Pope And if it were soe when the Emperors possest almost all the Regions of the Empire and when the Catholicke Church was spread almost ouer all the other patriarkships how much more nowe when that the Emperors hold but the least part of the Estates of the ancient Empire and that the Catholicke Church is almost reduced into the prouinces of the patriarkship of the Pope or to those that by the conuersion of countries newlie discouered haue drawne their mission and Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction from them But heere is enough of the calling of Councells lett vs goe forward to the other Articles CARD PERRONS REPLIE TO THE KING OF GREAT BRITAINE THE THIRD BOOKE Of Appeales CHAPT I. The continuance of the Kings Answere FOr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obseruation that is to saie of a contrary obseruation to 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 had said that those which vvere excommunicate by anie of the Churches vvere presently acknovvledged to be 〈◊〉 of through all the Catholicke Church it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE REPLIE AND what doth this then signifie that Theodoret speaking of the 〈◊〉 that the 〈◊〉 made of saint ATHANASIVS Patriarke of Alexandria at the tribunall of Pope Julius writeth Julius following the lawe of the Church commaunded them to come to Rome and cited the deuine 〈◊〉 in iudgement And what doth this then signifie that 〈◊〉 faith that after the same ATHANASIVS 〈◊〉 of Alexandria Paul Bishop of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marcellus Primat of 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 Asclepas Bishop of Gaza in 〈◊〉 And Lucius Bishop of Andrinopolis in Thrace had bene deposed by diuers Councells of the 〈◊〉 of the East The Pope restored them euerie one to his Church because to him for the dignitie
after the death of Siluerius after which the Clergie of Rome for the benefit of peace had accepted him had bene persecuted and vnworthily vsed at Constantinople by the Emperor with whom he was constrained to spend his life in exile because the Gothes vnder the conduct of their new King Totilas had againe taken Rome whereto would this turne but to the glorie of Uigilius and to the shame of the Emperor For saith not Nicephorus that the Emperor repented it and doe not the same actes shew that he sent the principall ministers of his Empire to Uigilius to praie him to returne And that Uigilius during this persecution remained so constant that he would neuer giue anie waie to the Emperors violences but deposed in Constantinople it self Theodorus Archbishop of Cesarea the principall Gouernor of the Emperor and excommunicated Menas Patriarke of Constantinople and all that adhered to him Did it not throughlie shew the confidence he had in the dignitie of his Sea Wee decree thee saith hee ô Theodorus late Bishop of Cesarea by the publication of this sentence depriued aswell of Sacerdot all honor and of the Catholicke communion as of all Episcopall power and function and wee ordaine that thou shalt heereafter applie thy-self to nothing but to the teares of pennance by which hauing obtained remission of thy crimes thou maist recouer if thou deseruest it the place of 〈◊〉 and of communion with me or after my death with my successor And thou Menas Bishop of the cittie of Constantinople which art inwrapt with the same crime with all the Bishops Metropolitans and Micropolitans c wee suspend you from the sacred communion till eache of you acknowledging the error os his preuarication haue blotted out before vs his proper fault with a competent satisfaction And this that he cries out numbring Theodorus his crimes Thou art come in despising the authoritie of the Sea Apostolicke which had pronounced interdiction by vs into the Church where there hung the Emperors Edicte 〈◊〉 there hast celebrated the solemnity of Masse And this that he adds Wee haue charged the Ministers of the most clement Emperor to signifie to him from vs that he ought not to communicate with those which haue by vs bene excommunicated least he thereby runne which God forbid into a grieuous sinne Doth it not shew that the Pope in excommunicating the other Bishops Archbishops and Patriarks did not onelie pretend to separate himselfe from their communion but to separate them and cutt them of from the communion of the Church And as for the persecution of the Empresse which happened long before and for an other cause to witt forasmuch as Vigilius after his predecessor Siluerius was dead and that he was become true Pope would not keepe the promise that he had made and secretlie accomplisht to her during his Antipapacy to admitt Anthymus and the other Eutychians into his communion What greater glorie could Uigilius receiue then that whereof S. GREGORIE speakes when he writes Pope Uigilius constituted in the Royall cittie that is to saie at Constantinople publisht a sentence of condemnation against Theodora then Empresse and against the Acephales And what more visible punishment could the Empresse receiue then that whereof Victor Tunonensis writes The ninth yeare after the Consulship of Basilius the Empresse Theodora enemie to the Councell of Chalcedon strucken her whole bodie ouer with the wound of an vniuersall canker that is to saie with leprosie prodigiouslie ended her life For whereas the same Uictor who was a Schismaticke and tooke part with Rusticus the Deacon and other Roman Clerkes reuolted against Pope Vigilius and against the fifth generall Councell writeth that the Bishops of Africa that is to saie the schismaticall Bishops of Africa for the Catholicke Bishops of Africa tooke the other part excommunicated Vigilius there hath alreadie bene two things spoken of concerning this the one that they held not Uigilius for true Pope but for an intrusiue Pope because he had vsurped the Papacie his predecessor Siluerius being yet aliue as it appeares by this that the same Victor placeth a little after amongst the nullities of the fifth generall Councell the vice of the creation of Uigilius who had said he 〈◊〉 ordained Bishop of Rome Siluerius being still aliue And the other that Pope Siluerius had alreadie long before excommunicated Uigilius for hauing intruded himselfe into the Papacie in these termes Doe thou then receiue and those that consent whith thee the sentence of paine of condemnation and know that being condemned by vs by the iudgement of the holy Ghost and by the Apostolicke authoritie that the name and office of Sacerdotall ministery is taken from thee And againe 〈◊〉 Siluerius Pope of the cittie of Rome giuing consent to all the statutes I haue signed this decree of Anathema against the vsurper Uigilius By meanes whereof the act of the Schismaticall Bishops of Asrica against Uigilius was rather a renouation and an application of the excommunication of Pope Silutrius then a primitiue and originall excommunication To the third example which is that Sigebert writes that Pope Innocent the first and the Bishops of the West suspended themselues from the communion of those of the East for the quarrell of Saint CHRYSOSTOME from whence the Protestants inferr that when the Pope excommunicated the other Bishops Archbishops or Patriarks he separated himselfe from their communion and did not separate them from the communion of the Church Wee haue three answeres the first that it is a ridiculous thing to alleadge for the testimonie of the historie of Pope Innocent and of S. CHRYSOSTOME Sigebert who writt seauen hundred yeares after them and who was an open enemie to the Sea Apostolicke and partaker with the Emperor Henry the fourth against Pope Gregorie the seauenth and his successors The second that Pope Innocent the first did not suspend himselfe from the communion of those of the East but suspended those of the East from the Ecclesiasticall communion the which although they still continued in fact with some of their Diocesans according to the custome of Schismatickes this hindred them not from being suspended by right and that they should send to demaund restitution of the Pope as it appeares by these words of the same Innocent in the epistle to Boniface Knowe saith he speaking of those of Antioch that we haue receiued them into our bowells least the members which had a long while required health should be excluded from the vnitie of the bodie And in the epistle to Maximianus What we haue done in the behalf of those of Antioch we will doe it in the behalfe of others if they will accomplish the same treaties and conditions and send as those did to beseeche by a solemne legation that the communion might be restored to them And in the Epistle to Alexander Patriarke of Antioch I haue diligentlie inquired whether the cause of the blessed
that were admitted into her communion were admitted into the Communion of the whole Catholicke Church and that those that were seperated from her communion were seperated from the communion of the whole Bodie of the Catholick Church Of the oppositions of saint Cyprian CHAPT III. THE second instance of Caluin is taken from saint CYPRIAN and consistes in seauen heades produced by him or by his disciples The first that saint CYPRIAN calls Pope Steuen Brother The second that he complaines because Basilides a Bishop of Spaine hauing bene deposed by a Synod of his Prouince for hauing bowed vnder persecution and an other hauing bene ordained in his place Pope Steuen restored him The third that he saith there were but a small number of lost and desperate persons who beleeued that the authoritie of the Bishops of Africa was lesser The fowrth that he saith that the ecclesiasticall causes ought to be determined where they were bredd The fift that hee affirmes that the Episcopall power is one thing whereof euerie one holdes his portion vndiuidedly The sixth that hee cries none of vs constitutes himselfe Bishopp of Bishopps And the seauenth finallie that he vseth rude wordes against Pope Steuen and accuses him of ignorance and of presumption To the first then of these heades which is that saint CYPRIAN calls Pope Cornelius brother Wee answere he calls him Brother not to denie to him the superintendencie of the Ecclesiasticall gouernement but for two other causes The one to insinuate that the Popes superintendencie ouer other Bishops was not a Lordly Monarchie as that of temporall princes ouer their subiects but a gentle and brotherly Monarchie as that of an elder brother ouer his younger Bretheren which is the title that our Lord himselfe would beare when he made himselfe be called the first borne amongst manie bretheren and which is the memoriall of humilitie that God had giuen to the Kings of his people when he had pronounced Thou shalt take a king from amongst thy bretheren And againe that the kings heart may not be exalted aboue his bretheren From whence it is that the Scripture to represent this brotherly Monarchie as well in the Sacerdotall as in the politicke order saith in the first booke of Esdras And Iosua sonne of Iosedeck 〈◊〉 vp and the priests his bretheren and built vp the Altar of God And the other to signifie the vnitie of the communion that Tertullian calls the nomination of brotherhood and to shew that he spake not of the Antipope Nouatianus to whom the Schismatickes adhered but of the true Pope Cornelius and of Steuen his successor with whom the Catholicke Bishops communicated as Erasmus hath acknowledged vpon the same place of saint CYPRIAN in these termes The word BROTHER doth not there signifie equalitie but societie of Religion For that it was a familiar thing for ancient authors to vse the word Brother not to exclude the superioritie 〈◊〉 but to expresse the vnitie of communion it appeares by a thousand testimonies It appeares first by the testimonie of saint AMBROSE who calls the Bishop of Rome his holy Brother and neuerthelesse ' in the same place aduertiseth Theophilus Patriarke of Alexandria who was a committee from the Councell of Capua to iudge the cause of Flauianus Patriarke of Antioch to procure his iudgement to be confirmed by the Pope Wee conceaue said hee that you ought to reserr the affaire to our holy brother Bishop of the Roman Church for wee presume you will iudge soe as can not displease him And a little after that Wee hauing receaued the tenor of your acts when wee shall see that you haue iudged things soe as the Roman Church shall vndoubtedlie approue we will receiue with ioy the fruite of your examination It appeares secondly by the testimonie of the Catholicke Bishops of Africa who answered the Donatists in the conference of Carthage that Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage had bene their brother Hee was saith saint AVSTIN our brother because of the communion of the Sacraments And neuertheles the Archbishop of Carthage was head and Superintendent of all the Bishops of Africa It appeares thirdly by the testimonie of saint AVGVSTINE who calls Aurelius Archbishop of Carthage his brother and neuerthesse saint AVGVSTINE was the spirituall subiect to Aurtlius and had bene made Bishop of Hippo by meanes of the dispensation that Aurelius had giuen to Ualerius to take him for coadiutor and himselfe acknowledged that he was obliged to execute his commaundemēts I haue said hee obeied thy commaundements my holie brother 〈◊〉 It appeares fowrthlie by the testimonie of Epigonius one of the Bishops of the third Councell of Carthage who calls the same Aurelius his brother and neuerthelesse acknowledgeth in the same place that Aurelius had superintendencie ouer all Africa It appeares in the fifth place by the testimonie of John Patriarke of Constantinople who writing to Pope Hormisdas intituleth him his Brother and neuertheles protests wee doe in all things followe the Sea Apostolicke and preach all that hath bene thereby decided And promise in the tyme to come not to recite amidst the sacred misteries the names of those that are seperated from the communion of the Catholicke Church that is to saie addeth hee that doe not altogether agree with the Sea Apostolicke And finallie it appeares by the testimonie of the Emperor Justinian who 〈◊〉 to Pope John surnamed Mercurius Wee demaund that your Fatherlie 〈◊〉 may declare to vs your intention by your letters directed to vs and to the most holie Bishop and Patriarke of this famous cittie your brother And neuertheles in the same Epistle and in the Epistle to the Patriarke of Constantinople he affirmeth that the Pope is the head of all the holie Prelates of God And the same may be said of the words Colleague or Fellow-Minister that the ancient Catholique Bishops sometimes attribute to the Pope not to weaken the Superioritie of the Gouernment but to designe the societie of the Ministrie and to shew that the faithfull and wise seruant that the Master hath substituted ouer the companie of his seruants to giue them their nourishment in due season is not Lord but fellowe Seruant to his fellowe Seruants For that the Fathers doe so vnderstand it it appeares by manie Examples It appeares first by the Epistle of the Synod of Alexandria where the Bishops of Egipt call saint ATHANASIVS Patriarke of Alexandria their Colleague who neuerthelesse was their head and had iurisdiction ouer all the Bishops of Egipt and Libia as it appeares both from the sixth Canon of the Councell which giues perfect authoritie to the Bishop of Alexandria ouer all the Bishops of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis And from the Remonstrance that the Metropolitans of Egipt made to the Councell of Chalcedon that they could enterprise nothing without the authoritie of the Bishop of Alexandria It appeareth secondlie by the Epistle of Proclus Archbishop
no more receiue those to the Communion that haue bene excommunicated by vs And a while after That so those that in their owne Prouince haue bene depriued of the Communion may not seeme to be rashlie and vnfitly restored to the Communion by your Holynesse And this request they propt vp with fiue reasons The first that the Councell of Nicea had forbidden that those which had bene excommunicated in one Prouince should be receaued to Communion in an 〈◊〉 Your Reuerence said they will easilie acknowledge that this hath bene so defined by the Councell of Nicea for although it seemes to restraine the caution to inferior Clerks and to lay men by how much strōger reason did they intend it allso to Bishops A thing that the heate of contention drew from their mouthes and which is directlie against S. AVGVSTINE who saith speaking of Cecilianus Archishop of Carthage who had bene deposed by a Councell of seauentie African Bishops assembled at Carthage Hee might contemme the conspiring multitude of his Enemies because he knew himselfe to be vnited by communicatorie letters to the Roman Church in which hath alwaies flourisht the principalitie of the sea Apostolick and from the other Countries from whence the Ghospell first came into Africa And against the Councell of Nicea it selfe which precisely limitts the words to Priests and Laymē which hauing bene excommunicated by their Bishop could not be receiued to Communion by anie of the other Bishops of the same Prouince For whereas the African Fathers inferr that if the Councell of Nicea spake these words of Priests and Laymen they must be much more intended of Bishops this is formally opposite to saint AVGVSTINES foundatiō who saith that Cecilianus tyme-fellowe with the Councell of Nicea might haue appealed beyond Sea because hee was not of the number of Priests and other inferior Clerkes but of the number of Bishops They did not handle the cause saith hee of Priests Deacons or other inferior Clerkes but of Bishops which might reserue their causes to the iudgement of the churches beyond Sea The second that the Councell of Nicea committs the causes as well of Bishops as of Priests to the Metropolitan which is true for the iudgement of Priests in the second instance and of Bishops in the first But not for the iudgment of Bishops in the last instance as appeares by the testimonie of saint ATHANASIVS who had assisted in person at the Councell of Nicea which alleadges for his defence an Epistle where Pope Julius writes that the Councell of Antioch and other Councells of the East could not depose ATHANASIVS from the Bishopricke of Alexandria without expecting the decision of the church of Rome Are you ignorant saith hee that the custome is that they should first write to vs and so from hence should proceede the iust decision of causes and therefore if there were anie suspition conceiued against the Bishop there that is to saie of Alexandria they must write to the Church heere that is to saie to the Church of Rome The third that the grace of the holy Ghost shall not be wanting to euery prouision or to euery Prouince to discerne the equitie of causes and that it is not credible that God should inspire the Justice of the triall to one only man what soeuer he be and denie it to an infinite number in a Councell A certaine proofe that they spake of the causes of equitie and iustice as well ciuill as criminall and not of causes of faith of which contrarywise they had written a yeare or two before to Pope Innocent vpon the subiect of Pelagius and Celestius his cause which was a cause of Faith Wee doubt not with the helpe of Gods mercie who will vouchsafe to heare thee praying and to guide thee consulting but those that hold these peruerse thinges will more easily yield to the authoritie of thy Holynesse deriued from the authoritie of holy Scriptures And Pope Innocent to themselues Alwaies and as often as matters of faith are handled I conceiue that all our Bretheren and colleagues can haue no reference but to Peter that is to saie to the author of their name and dignitie The fourth That it was very hard to assure beyond Sea iudgements because of the difficultie of causing witnesses to passe the seas How can said they the Iudgements beyond Sea be certaine wherein the necessarie persons of witnesses for the debilitie of sexe of age or manie other hindrances interuening cannot appeare An euident Argument that they spake of particular and personall causes And the fifth that it had neuer bene taken from the African Church by any decree of a Councell that Appeales should goe out of Africa and that to send Legats from Rome into Africa to iudge them vpon the place it was not constituted by any Councell A thing the ignorance whereof they might well excuse forasmuch as they had no more then in Africa the true copies of the Councell of Sardica but only as had bene aboue shewed those of the false Councell of Sardica composed by the Arrians and publisht by the Donatists which gaue ground to all this question The second request was that the Pope should no more grante them clerkes executioners so were certaine clerkes of the Roman Church called committees to cause to be executed with the helpe of secular power and of the imperiall forces that is to saie by the strength of Vshers Sergeants and Souldiers the iudgements of the Pope or of his Legats a thing which prouoked much murmure in Africa For although the malice of the African Poeple who after they were fastned in the hate of anie Ecclesiasticall person would hardlie lett goe their hold did sometymes make this remedie necessarie Neuerthelesse the abuse of those which did too violently applie it did often conuert it into a pretence and occasion of complaint as S. AVGVSINE testifies in an Epistle to the same pope Celestine when he saith speaking of Anthony Bishop of Fussala in Numidia who had appealed to the Pope from the iudgemēt which the inhabitantes of Fussala had caused to be giuen against him He threatens them saith hee with secular power and with the furie of souldiers as if they should come to execute the iudgements of the Sea apostolike in such sort as the miserable inhabitants being Christians and Catholiks feared more grieuous vsage from a Catholike Bishop then they did when they were hereticks from the lawes of the Emperors For these causes then the African Bishops besought the Pope to grant no more Clerkes executors to those which demanded them That you will not also said they send your clerks for executors to all those wich demaund them nor permitt that wee should seeme to introduce the typhe or smoky meteor of the age into the Church of Christ which propounds the light of simplicitie and the daie of humility to those that desire to see God Calling the force and military violence with which those executors did
please your charitie that we should honor the memorie of the Apostle Peter lett it be written to Iulius Bishop of Rome by the same Bishops that haue giuen the iudgemēt to the end that if it be needefull it may be renewed by the next Bishops and lett the Bishop of Rome giue the Judges but if the affaire be such as there is no neede of a new iudgement lett not the things once iudged be disabled but remaine firme The second was propounded by Gaudentius and authorized by all the Councell in these wordes If it seeme to you necessarie to add to this sentence full of sincere charitie that you haue propounded That if anie Bishop be deposed by the next Bishops and saie that his affaire ought to be iudged a new lett no other be installed in his sea till the Bishop of Rome haue pronounced vpon it with examinatiōs of the cause Which Canō was made as Balsamon notes to disanull the Canō that the Arriās had published in the Councell of Antioch against S. ATHAN which ordained that it should not be lawfull for a Bishop after he had bene deposed by all the votes of a Synod to exercise anie Episcopall functiō nor to hope for restitutiō and to condēne the intrusiō the Arians had made of Gregorie in steede of S. ATHAN without attending the reuiew of the processe And the third was againe propounded by Osius and confirmed by all the councell in these words It hath pleased that if a Bishop haue bene accused and that he haue recourse by waie of Appeale to the Blessed Bishop of the Roman Church and that he will heare him and doē esteeme it iust that the examinatiō of the affaire should be renewed let him vouchsafe to write to the Bishops neighbouring that prouince that they should carefullie and with diligence examine all things and iudge the affaire according to the creditt of the truth and if anie one demaund that his cause should be heard againe and seeme to moue the Bishop of Rome by his prayer that he should send Priests from his owne side it shall be in the power of the Bishops of Rome to doe what he shall think fit and if he conceiue that he should send to iudge with the Bishops persons hauing the authoritie of him that sends them lett it be so done and if he thinke it will suffice that those that are alreadie vpon the place should examine the affaire and the iudgment of the Bishop lett him doe what shall seeme best in his most wise iudgment Now these words do so dazle the eyes of the Popes aduersaries as they cannot supporte their light and therefore they attempt to resist and weaken them with seauen obiections The first that the Councell of Sardica propounds the ouerture of Appeales to the Pope not as a thing before practised but as put to deliberation and instituted at that present tyme and in words of the future tense from whence they inferr that the Right of Episcopall appeales was not from all Antiquitie yielded to the Pope but only since the Councell of Sardica and add that the Councell specifying the name of Pope Julius and say ing let it be written to Iulius Bishop of Rome shewes that this institūtion began only in the Papacie of Julius and had no place in his predecessors tymes To this obiection then wee saie that it is ordinary to antient Councells when they renew vnwritten customes yea euen the verie written lawes of the Church to propound them as if they did new institute them and to take the notes of the assistants to conclude them and to declare them by words of the future tense As in the same Councell of Sardica the prohibition to passe from one Cittie to an other renewed because of Eusebius of Nicomedia head of the Arrian faction who was past from the Bishoprik of Nicomedia to that of Constantinople and the prohibition to a Bishop to receaiue a Clerke from an other Bishop excommunicated by him and others the like were propounded in future words and with receauing the votes of the assistants although the custome were tyme out of mynde in the Church and that they had bene euen sett downe in writinge in the Councell of Nicea And Pope Julius after he had cited the Canon of the Councell of Nicea for the reuiew of the iudgements of Synods adds that this Canon had bene formerly practised by custome in the Church and after reduced into writing at the Councell of Nicea And the Councell of Constantinople writing to Pope Damasus Doth it not saie of the ordination of Bishops by the metropolitans It is as you know both 〈◊〉 grounded vpon ancient custome and decision of the Councell of Nicea For as for the name of Pope Iulius which is specified in the first of the three canons of the Councell of Sardica besides that it is not found in the ancient latine Editions which were produced in the Councell of Africa in saint AVGVSTINES tyme where the text saith simplie as in the other following canons The Bishop of Rome and not Iulius Bishop of Rome By meanes whereof there is a Ground for suspition that it is a quotation of the exemplifiers which is slipt out of the margent into the Text there can be nothing inferred from it but this that the Fathers of the Councell of Sardica inserted the name of Iulius there to shew that the Councell by this canon ratified not only in generall Appeales to the Pope but iustified and ratified in particular the restitution that Pope Iulius had made of saint ATHANASIVS Paule of Constantinople Marcellus of 〈◊〉 Asclepas of Gaza and other Bishops that the Arrians had deposed in their false Councells agreeably to the Answere that they had made to the Arrians that they could not reiect the comunion of Athanasius and the other Bishops deposed by the Councells of Tyre Antioch and Constantinople because Iulius Bishop of Rome hauing examined their cause had not condemned them And indeede if the Councell of Sardica had giuen beginning to the Right of Appeales how could Pope Iulius manie yeares before haue written to the Arrians Are you ignorant that it is the custome that wee be first written to that from hence may proceede the iust decision of things and therefore if there were anie suspition conceiued against the Bishop there that is to saie against the Bishop of Alexādria you should haue written to the church heere that is to saie to the church of Rome how could Socrates Sozomene haue said that Pope Iulius many yeares before the Coūcell of Sardica restored 〈◊〉 Patriarke of Alexandria Paule Bishop of Constantinople Marcellus Primat of Galatia and other Bishops deposed by the Councells of the East because to him for the diginty of his Sea the care of all things belonged The second obiectiō is that the Councell of Sardica grounds the canon of appeales to the Pope not vpō diuine right but vpon the
Constantinople calls a most diligent Writer of the life of S. CHRISOSTOME And George Patriarke of Alexandria who liued a thousand yeare agoe witnesse not only as hath aboue appeared that the Canon of the Councell of Antioch that the Schismatickes of the East produced against S. CHRISOSTOME had proceeded from the Shopp of the Arrians but also that it had bene abrogated with the common voice of the Greeke and Latine Bishops by the Canons of the Councell of Sardica This Canon saith Palladius and after Palladius George Patriark of Alexandria and after George Patriarke of Alexandria Photius Patriarke of Constantinople was as impious and the worke of impious men abrogated in the Councell of Sardica by the Romans Italians Illyrians Macedonians and Greekes The second that Sozomene an antient Greeke historian and who liued neere an hundred yeares before Iustinian reportes for the defence of the same S. CHRISOSTOME an Epistle of Pope Innocent the first to the Constantinopolitans where hee writes speaking of the canons of the Councell of Antioch We saie not onlie that they are not to be followed but also that they must bee condemned with heretic all and Schismaticall doctrins as was done in the councell of Sardica by the Bishops that haue bene before vs. The third that Balsamon Patriarke of Antioch and guardian of the charters of the Church of Constantinople notes after all them that the 〈◊〉 canon of the Coūcell of Antioch was abolished by the fowrth canon of the Councell of Sardica Note saith Balsamon commenting the fourth Canon of the councell of Sardica that by this Canon the fifteenth Canon of the coūcell of Antioch was abrogated And comenting the fifteēth Canon of the councell of Antioch This Canon saith hee was disannulled by the fourth canon of the councell of Sardica The fowrth counterbattery is that the greeke edition of the Canons of the coūcell of Sardica is not a translation of the antient latine edition which was currēt whether in the time of Pope Zosimus or whether since in the time of Dionisius Exiguus but that it is a greeke edition primitiue and originall which was made in the councell itself whereof as holden vpon the confines betweene both empires the Canons were publisht from the beginning in both tongues This appeares by manie differences which are betweene the old latine edition and the greeke edition nor in substance but in the order in the phrases formes and circumstances and amongst others in the seauenth Canon of the latine edition which is the fourteenth in the greeke for the latine edition produced by Pope Zosimus his legates in the sixth councell of Carthage and inserted into the collection of Dionisius Exiguus and into that of Isidorus Mercator hath Osius saith If a Bishop moued with choler against a priest or deacon of his would cast him forth of the church it must be prouided that being innocent he be not condemned or excommunicated and therefore the excommunicated person shall haue power to interpeale the Bishops of the next Prouince and procure his cause to be heard by them And the greeke edition besides manie other differences hath it thus The excommunicated person shall haue power to haue recourse to the Bishop Metropolitan of the same Prouince and if the Bishop Metropolitan be absent to addresse himselfe to the Metropolitan of the next prouince and to require that his cause may be diligentlie examined A thing which euidently sheweth that the Greeke editiō was not taken from the latine edition which was curret be it in the time of Pope Zosimus be it in the time of Dionisius Exiguus but it is the antient originall greeke edition of the councell of which some clauses were lost in the latine edition from the time of Pope Zozimus and Dionisius Exiguus The fifth counter-batterie is that not only all the greeke editions as that of Photius Simon Logotheta Zonara Balsamō Alexius and other greeke canonists containe the same canons of the councell of Sardica but also all the other Easterne editions aswell Russian as Syrian Armenian Egiptian and Ethiopian as it appeares for the Syrian editions by the Syriack collections of the canons which is at Rome in the Bibliotheque of the great Duke Cosmo yet liuing whither the great Duke Ferdinand his Father made to be brought all the Syrian bookes that he could recouer in the East And in regard of the Ethiopian Edition by the Code of the Ethiopian canons which is at Rome in the howse of the Ethiopians and for the rest by the copies which are to be found in all the prouinces of the East by meanes whereof the canons of the Councell of Sardica must haue bene currant in the East longe before Justinians tyme the naturall Egiptian Churches which wee call Cophtichs and Ethiopians hauing seperated themselues from the greeke and latine churches from the time of the councell of Chalcedon and haue had since the time noe communion with them And finallie the sixth counterbatterie is that Theodoret who liued neere one hundred yeare before Justinian and that Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople who liued in the same age with Iustinian inserted into the collection of the Greeke Councells the canons of the Councells of Sardica with the other canons of the Greeke church for in the greeke Librarie of Queene Catherine of Medicis which was brought from Constantinople to Florēce by Demetrius Gara Lascaris other greekes 〈◊〉 frō the sack of Conctātinople and which is now vnited with the librarie of the most Christian kinge there is found an old Synagogue a manuscript of the canons reduced into fiftie titles by Theodoret Bishop of Cyre vnder which there is annexed a concordance of the imperiall lawes of Iustinian with the canons contained in these fistie titles made by Iohn Scolasticus Patriarke of Constantinople in both which workes the canons of the couūcell of Sardica are quoted and inserted equallie with the other canons of the Greeke church Now that this Synagogue which was the name that they gaue to the antient collections of councells as it appeares by the report of Socrates who cites the collections of Councells made by Sabinus vnder the title of a Synagogue of the councells is truly antient and certainly Theodorets is not to be doubted For besides this that the manuscript which is verie antient beares this title Synagogue of the Canons reduced into fiftie titles by Theodoret Bishop of Cyre And besides that the stile of the author is wholie agreeable to the stile of Theodoret there are manie thinges to shewe that this collection could not but bee made in Theodorets time that it is so first the author testifies in his exordium that there were but ten Synods celebrated since the Apostles to his time There haue bene said hee ten great Synods of the Fathers since the Apostles And propounding a while after in the forme of a table the canons of the same ten councells whereof his worke is compiled he placeth that of