Church and receded as Schismatics from the center of Ecclesiastical Communion What else can we conclude but that God was willing to shew the falshood of the Schismatical Church of Britain by the Miracle which he wrought upon Augustine's intercession Do not the Acts of the British Synod recorded in Bede testifie that Augustine did by so manifest a Miracle demonstrate the truth of those things which he proposed to the Britains that they were forc'd to confess it was the true way of Justice which Augustine Preach'd If these things cannot be denied as it is most certain they cannot what do the modern English Authors mean when they object against Catholics the answer of the Britains and the Monks of Banchor Will they not at length be convinc'd that they oppose nothing but their own Errors which are the vain Forgeries of Men against that Truth which hath been confirm'd by a Divine Testimony and that the rest of the Church hath just reason to condemn them for having lost both Truth and Modesty at the same time I am weary of vainly spending my time in matters so clear so manifest so perspicuous and of being again forc'd when Religion is the subject to bring a new Evidence of that Truth which all the English Writers of former Ages all men that have been eminent in Britain for Sanctity and Learning and lastly even the Bishops who have been present in the several Councils that have been held in England Scotland and Ireland have acknowledg'd and defended I will therefore conclude my Discourse with the following Exhortation AN EXHORTATION TO THE MINISTERS OF THE English Church WHen Philo the most Eloquent of the Hebrews address'd his Oration to Caius the Emperor Philo in Oratione pro Gente Hebraeorum ad Caium Caligulam and the Roman Senate How long saith he shall we old Men be Children as to the Body gray indeed through Age but as to the Mind through want of Knowledge very Infants whilst we believe Fortune the most inconstant thing in the World to be stable but Nature to be unstable whereas it is most constant Pardon me I beseech you most excellent Ministers of the English Church if I make my Address to you in the Words of Philo tho somewhat alter'd How long will you who are ancient in Body be Children in Minds and meer Infants for want of knowledg of Religion whilst you think the Catholic Church unstable which is yet most constant and your own which is rent from the Body of the Catholic Church will be stable You have chang'd the true Estimate of things attributing that to a part which is only the Property of the whole and imagining with your selves that the Catholic Church is defectible Matthaei 16 cap. 1. ad Timoth 3. which the eternal Truth hath promised shall never fail and which the Doctor of the Gentiles hath called the Pillar and Ground of Truth You thought that the true Faith was lost in the Catholic Church spread over the Face of the whole World but found again by you in England little considering how truly that Objection might be made against you which Henry the Eighth your King in the Age before this made against Luther that like the Donatists you reduce the Catholic Church to a very small number whispering of Christ in a Corner It was the Judgment of the great Augustine and of St. Optatus Milevitanus Optat. Melcvit Lib. 2. contra Parmenianum Quasi in carcerem latitudo Regnorum that the Church was not to be shut up in some Corner but to extend it self to the utmost Bounds of the World the latter of these Holy Fathers Lib. 2. reprehends Parmenianus the Chief of the Donatists for endeavouring to make void that Promise of God the Father of giving to the Son the uttermost parts of the Earth for his Possession whereas he had confined the large Extent of his Dominions as it were to a narrow Prison Then he asserts the Church that it may be Catholic ought to be extended to all parts of the World and that the first Mark to distinguish it by was Vnity which consists in the Communion it holds with St. Peter's See which is but one and this he believ'd so manifest that he thought Permenianus himself could not deny it Negare non potes inquit loco supracitato Stire te in Vrbe Roma Petro Primo Cathedram Episcopalem esse callatam in qua sederit emnium Apostolorum Caput Petrus undè Cephas appellatus est in qua una Cathedra uni as ab â—mâ—â—bus servaretur ne caeteri Apostoli singulas sibi quisque defenderent ut jam schismaticus peccater esset qui contra singularem Cathedram alteram collâ—caret Ergo Cathedra unica que est prima de dotibus sedit prior Petrus cui successit Linus enumerata longa Romanorum Pontificum serie usque ad Siricium sub quo scribebat Siriâ—â—us inquit hodie qui noster est Sociuâ— cum quo nobis totus Orbis commercio formatarum in una Communionis Societate concerdat You cannot deny saith he in the place above cited but that you know that the Episcopal See of the City of Rome was granted to Peter as the Chief in which Peter the Head of all the Apostles sate from whence he was called Cephas in which one See Unity was to be preserved by all least the rest of the Apostles should claim a Superiority to any of their Sees So that now he would be a Schismatic and a Sinner who should set up another See in opposition to this peculiar See. Therefore in this one See only which is its chief Dowry Peter first sate to whom Linus succeeded and so reckoning up a long Series of Roman Bishops till he came to Siricius in whose time he wrote who saith he is our Fellow-Bishop with whom the whole World agrees as we do in one Society of Communion by intercourse of Communicatory Letters There was then a true Church in time past which diffused throughout the whole World made Peter's one See the Center of its Vnity and communicated with the Roman Church as a Sign of one Faith and Religion by Communicatory Letters This was the Sentence of Optatus Milevitanus and the rest of the Fathers which because the Donatists durst not deny they had constituted a Bishop of their own in the City of Rome who as St. Augustine tells us was called Rupensis and Montensis a Rupe vel Monte from the Rock or Hill wherein he conceal'd himself If therefore the Popes Authority was so manifest in former Ages that the Schismatical Affricans themselves could neither be ignorant of it nor deny it how comes it to pass that you in England now do not at all acknowledg it was perhaps the Knowledge of it so obliterated in the latter Ages that it could not be discovered by your Ancestors when they separated from the Communion of the Apostolic See Henricus Octavus libro de 7.
Diocess What is more clear What is more express than this How could Constantine have writ more plainly in this case It is certain therefore that there were Diocesses in the Empire at the time of the Nicene Council which betrays our Authors Ignorance and discovers his great Error about this Matter 4. Secondly He saith that it is doubtful when Constantine distributed the Empire into Diocesses which relates nothing to the Question in hand since there were Diocesses in the Empire before its being distributed under four Praefecti Praetorio so that the Fathers of the Council of Arles might have used the Word Diocesses in their time as no body yet has made any doubt but they did They attribute Diocesses to Sylvester therefore there were then Diocesses in the Empire under the Name of which the Fathers expressed the Amplitude of Patriarchal Jurisdiction Onuphrius Panuinus giving an Account of the Division of the Provinces as it stood in the time of Hadrian the Emperor amongst other Titles presixes one to the Provinces of Italy by which he asserts Onuphrâ—â— de Imperâ—â— Romanâ— that there were seventeen Provinces or Diocesses in Italy and in the Islands which belong to it Now although it doth not appear to me by what means he knew that the Provinces were then called Diocesses yet I can make no doubt but that he found this as also all the other particulars which he there relates in ancient Monuments let us therefore lay it down for a certain Truth that the Name of Diocess was attributed even to the Provinces from the time of Hadrian himself and then no body can deny but that the Provinces were lesser Diocesses in respect to the greater of which Sextus Rufus hath made mention in his Breviary Sextus Rufus in Breviario Constantinus M. Epist ad omnes Ecclesias where we read that in the Diocess of Macedonia there were seven Provinces constituted and of which Constantine the Great hath made mention in his Epistle to the Churches calling to mind the Pontic and Asian Diocess at the time of the Nicene Council Therefore that the Fathers of the Council of Arles might give us to understand that they meant such sort of Diocesses they opposed the greater Diocesses to the lesser Patres Arelatenses in Epist Synod and told us that the greater Diocesses were held by St. Sylvester Sylvester therefore held Diocesses at the time of the Celebration of the Council of Arles and so he did not preside over a few Provinces only which constituted the lesser Diocesses but over many Tracts of the World which made the greater Diocesses and in these he obtain'd a Patriarchal Authority 5. Thirdly Our Author says that since the Nicene Council doth not mention Diocesses but Provinces it follows that this place must be corrupt but allowing the Expression genuine it implies no more than that the Bishop of Rome had then more extensive Diocesses than other Western Bishops which is not denied But before I answer to this last particular I shall with the Author 's good leave make some few Observations concerning the acception of the Word Diocesses at the time of the Council of Nice He says that the Name of Dioecesis was unknown to the Nicene Fathers and so as we have heard before that the Fathers of the Council of Arles could not have made mention of more Diocesses therefore that the place is corrupt and that instead of Majores Dioeceses greater Diocesses we ought to read Majorem Dioecesim greater Diocess But in what ancient Book I pray doth he find this manner of reading Out of what old Author hath he discover'd this If he hath learn'd this from no Manuscript no Author it must necessarily follow he has feign'd it and was the first that ever dream'd of such a thing Again if we are to substitute the Words greater Diocess and our Author believes the place is to be thus read then the Word Dioecesis was not unknown to the Council of Arles as he contradicting himself says it was He supposes indeed that admitting this Authority not to have been corrupted it follows that the Roman Bishop hath a Diocess of a greater extension than those of other Bishops whereas it really follows from hence that he hath not one Diocess only but many for so the Fathers write to St. Sylvester Qui majores Dioeceses tenes who holdest the greater Diocesses If therefore the place be sincere as it is testified to be as to these Words by those Manuscripts out of which first Pittheus afterwards Sirmondus published the Epistle in France before our time from thence it is deduced that Sylvester held many of the greater Diocesses and that the late Author de Disciplina Ecclesiae is greatly mistaken when commenting on the Words of the Council of Arles upon his own Authority without any Testimony from Antiquity he says Author de Diserâ—â—ina Eâ—clesiae Dissert 1. §. 11. Pag. 41. The word Dioeceses is not to be taken strictly here for the Diocesses of the Empire but rather for those several Provinces which the Roman Bishop govern'd so that the sense is you who preside over the greater Churches of the West shall by your Letters signifie to others on what day Easter is to be observ'd Thus saith that Author being plainly ignorant of what he writes For where will he find those greater Churches of the West within his Suburbicarian Bounds Indeed he will find the Roman Church but this is but one and not more Churches Moreover the Council doth not say greater Churches but greater Diocesses which if you inquire after the Fathers themselves plainly point them out to you since being assembled together out of the Diocesses of Italy France Africa Britain and Spain they refer their Decrees to Pope Sylvester and affirm not only in their Synodical Epistle but also in their first Canon that he ought to promulgate them 6. Canon I. Concilii Arelatensis 1. Vidmum XXV I shall cite the Canon which Sirmondus hath set forth in these Words Concerning the Observation of Easter and the Lord's Day that it may be observ'd the same Day and Time throughout the whole World and that you may direct Letters to all according to the Custom So Sirmondus delivers it to whose reading of the Words all the ancient Manuscripts do not agree for that which is kept in the Library of the Queen of Sweden Codex MS. Bibl. Râ—ginae â—ucciae being six hundred years old instead of per omnem Orbem observetur that it may be observ'd throughout the whole World runs thus Per omnem Vrbem à nobis observaretur that it may be observ'd by us throughout every City The Manuscript in the Vatican Library which is nine hundred years old and of the greatest Authority hath it thus Codex MS. Bibl. Paâ—aâ—â—â— Per Vrbem omnem à nobis observetur that it may be observ'd by us in every City From which Books it may be gather'd that the Fathers of the Council
Sacramentis contra Lutherum But it cannot be denied said Henry the Eighth at that time but every Church of the Faithful owns and reverences the Holy See of Rome as their Mother and Primate If every Church did allow of this in the time of Henry the Eighth if they all recognized this one See of St. Peter what Reason what Right what Equity could this very Henry the First of all the Kings of England have to set up another See against this peculiar See and offer to restrain the Bounds of its Primacy I know indeed that your Author against whom I have hitherto written hath made the same Answer to this that Luther did in the time of Henry the Eighth that the Pope had not obtained a Power so great and of so large an Extent as this by the Command of God or by the Consent of Men but had usurped it to himself But because he agrees with Luther in opposing the Popes Power it is but reasonable he should hear what Answer Henry the Eighth hath made to him in the Person of Luther I would have him to tell me when it was that he enter'd forcibly upon this large Possession The first beginnings of so immense a Power could not have been unknown to us especially if they had happened within the Memory of Man. But if he shall say that it is an Age or two since the thing was done let him give us an account of it from History Or else if it be so ancient that the Original of it although it be so considerable a Matter is obliterated he knows it is the wise Provision of all Laws that when the Right to any thing is so far beyond the Memory of Man that it cannot be known what a beginning it had it should be presumed to have had legitimate one and it is plainly forbidden by the consent of all Nations that those things should be unsetled which have for a long time continued in a setled State I very much admire how he could ever hope to find Readers either so credulous or so stupid as to believe an unarmed Priest all alone having no Guard to attend him no just Right to support him nor Title to rely upon could so much as hope ever to obtain so great a Dominion over so many Bishops that were his Equals in so many different and far distant Countries Much less can any one believe that all People Cities Kingdoms and Provinces were so prodigal of their Concerns Rights and Liberties as to give a Priest that was a Stranger to them and to whom they owed nothing so great a Power over them as he could scarce dare to wish for These things are manifest and the more remarkable because written by that King of Great Britain under whom your English Church separated from the Roman for a Reason which I am ashamed to relate neither is it fitting for you to hear it and contrary to the perpetual Tradition of the Ancients contrary to the Faith of your Ancestors contrary to the Consent of all Catholics broke into open Schism and fell from Schism into Heresie and from Heresie into the Abyss of those Errors which are now fresh in the Memory of Men and which Posterity will ever have cause to lament Of these Errors I need not make a Catalogue or produce any Testimony since you are too well acquainted with them only I should indeed think my Pains very well bestowed if I could by any means recal you from Heresie and Schism which are the Sourses of so many Evils to a sound Mind and move you to repent whilst you have time After the Darkness of Schism the Light of Truth shone forth to you under the Reign of Mary your Queen which Britain calling to mind its ancient Faith receiv'd with due Veneration After the Night of Heresies into which Britain fell back under the Reign of Elizabeth Faith like the Morning seems to rise again under the Government of a Catholic Prince whence we may hope the Light of Truth which your Ancestors enjoyed for so many Ages will break forth among you into open Day and again recover that Place from whence a hundred Years since it was forced into Banishment This is what all those Churches with whom you have formerly held Communion earnestly desire This is what Spain Portugal France Germany Bohemia Poland Dalmatia Italy Sicily and the other Western Regions in which the ancient Religion now flourishes with so much Splendor continually pray for This is what the Churches still remaining in Grece Asia Palestine Mesopotamia Persia Armenia and all the East will joyfully entertain This the vast Provinces of the new World inhabited by so many People so many Nations so many Families This the far distant Inhabitants of China many of which have in the former and in this present Age embraced the Christian Faith This innumerable Islands scattered every where up and down in that Sea we call the ocean will receive with joyful Acclamations This will be most acceptable to Rome the Mother Church which first brought you forth to God and Religion neither could any thing be more delightful to Her than to receive You as a kind Parent amongst so many others which at this time are returning to Her from Heresie and Schism and cherish you in her Bosom All the other above mention'd Churches throughout the World are subject to this Roman See and all these joyn'd together constitute the Catholic Church from which none can be separated who desires to be one of the Faithful and would attain Salvation Would to God therefore that you would look after the Salvation of your own Souls whilst the Catholic Church spread over the Face of the whole Earth waits earnesily for your Conversion that you would return to the Communion of that Church out of which there is no Salvation Epist ad Ephes c. 5. There is one Lord and one Faith saith Paul. That Faith is found in the Church which is but one D. Ambrosius in cap. 4. Lucae as the Apostles in their Creed have taught us This Church is the House that I may use St. Ambrose's Words of which as Damasus was at that time Rector so Innocentius is now D. Hieronymus Eâ—â—stâ—ad Damasum Whosoever eats the Lamb out of this House saith Jerome is Prophane and since he is not in the Ark of Noah he shall perish when the Deluge reigns Julianus Cardinalis apud Pium 2. in Bulla ad Vniversitatem Colomensem Latinerum Graecorum Doctorum una vox est salvari non posse qui Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae non â—enet unitatem Nor is this the Sense of Jerome only but of the rest of the Fathers for as Julianus President of the Synod at Basil rightly observ'd The Latin and Greek Doctors say all with one Voice that he cannot be saved who lives not in Unity with the Holy Roman Church Testimonia in Idiomate quo ex Authoribus in hoc Libro citantur hic conscripta