have done being mov'd as I suppose at the indignity of the thing he desisted from writing and there was none afterwards found in France to maintain the Cause till of late the Author of the Book de Disciplina Ecclesiae started up who Dissertatione 1. Part. ultima says indeed that he defends Valesius's Cause against Launoy's whereas in reality he impugns and rejects it He understands the sixth Canon of the Council of Nice as referring to the Suburbicarian Churches only and restrains the bounds of the Roman Patriarchate within the limits of the Cities Vicariate thinking it most probable that only those Regions which were subject to the Vicariu Urbis were the Suburbicarian Churches to which the Patriarchal Right of the Bishop of Rome extended and to no others He denies Germany Spain France Britain Africa Illyricum and a great part of Italy to have been subject to the Jurisdiction of the Roman Patriarchate in former times and as if it had been but a small matter to shake off the Yoak of Patriarchal Authority he hath endeavour'd to destroy the Papal Power and to reduce the Primacy of Peter to a meer Dignity of Order amongst equals I am ashamed to think of those things which this Author deduces from such like Principles as these I shall treat of them in another place if I shall think it worth while In the mean time it will be enough to observe in brief that they are so absurd and disagreeable to the Doctrine of the Church Julius 1 Epist Synodica ad Orientales Antiochiae congregatos that they run the same Fortune as Julius the first tells us befell the Eusebian's Letters that all were so full of admiration that they could hardly be induced to believe such Writings should proceed from a man who desires to seem a Catholic The Eusebians contended that the Sentence of the whole Eastern Synod could no ways be retracted by the Bishop of Rome and when the Church was offended at that Error Julius the first wrote thus That it was better according to the Gospel that a Mill-stone were hanged about his neck and so he were drowned then that one of these little ones should be offended What then would that great Prelate say if he liv'd in our times and heard it maintain'd that not the Eastern Church only but the Bishops of one Diocess the Synod of one Province have Supream Authority and that their Sentence cannot be invalidated by any other Judge Dissert 2. ca. 1. Sect. 1 p. 97. What would he say if he should hear that not only the Causes of the Eastern but likewise of the Western Bishops were to be exempt from the Jurisdiction of the See Apostolic and that it is but a feign'd story that an Apostolical Authority was so given to Peter that it might descend to his Successors whereas it was granted to the rest of the Apostles only for their time This is fictitious Ibid. Sect. 2 p. 96. Seq says that Author because we have no reason nor testimony from Scripture or Tradition to prove that the Power of Peters Apostleship descended down to his Successors and that the rest of the Apostles did not seeing that the Bishops of the Apostolical Churches are equally said to be the Successors to those Apostles by whom their Churches were founded nay all Bishops are esteemed Successors of all the Apostles These are the consequences of this mans Principles which if they might take place farewell the sollicitude which in Obedience to the Divine Precept the Bishop of Rome has had over all Churches of the Catholic Communion throughout the whole World and which he still has as becomes the Primacy of his See although Quesnellio Dissert 1. p. 79. a late Author invents another story concerning the Churches of France supposing according to his Opinion that the Bishop of Rome hath not the Gallican Churches under his charge I am unwilling to insist any longer upon this expostulation but before I conclude this Preface two things are to be observ'd the former whereof hath relation to the favourable Reader whom I would not have to suspect that the Errors of this Book are to be ascribed either to the Sacred Faculty of Paris or to the most Illustrious Gallican Clergy For although the Author calls himself a Doctor of Paris and is a French-man yet it is not at all credible that this Work of his will either please the Sacred Faculty of Paris or the most Illustrious Gallican Clergy 'T is rather to be believed that all those of the French Nation that are eminent for Learning and Piety will judge it unfit that Book should ever have been publish'd The ancient Religion of the Gallican Church which never withdrew its subjection to the Apostolical Sea and hath often profess'd it never will obliges me to believe this It would be temerity therefore to censure the most Illustrious Gallican Church for the publishing of this Book Far be it from Men eminent for Learning far be it from Doctors educated in the Communion of the Apostolic See far be it from a Clergy and Bishops that maintain the Catholic Faith whilst they are earnestly endeavouring to root out one Heresie to consent to the Principles of another not remembring that saying which St. Avitus Bishop of Vienne St. Avitus Viennen Episcopus in Epist ad Faustum Symmachum Senaeores in the Name of the Gallican Church hath 1160 years since consecrated to the memory of Posterity If the Papacy be called in question not a Bishop but Episcopacy will seem to shake Si Papa Urbis vocatur in dubium Episcopatus jam videbitur non Episcopus vacillare The second thing concerns our English Author whom I would not have to boast that he hath found a Patron for his Cause amongst Catholics For since he is a Minister of the English Church and acknowledges a Metropolitical Authority he must necessarily own that the French Author is no less an Adversary to him than to us For since that Author not only denys Patriarchal Authority to be of Apostolical Institution but Metropolitical also that the Dean of St. Saul's may be able to defend the Hierarchy of the English Church to be of Apostolical Institution he ought to exclude out of it not only Patriarchs but Metropolitans also and first to constitute a Church consisting only of Bishops and their inferior Clergy This I say he ought to do if he follow the judgment of the late French Author which notwithstanding we will never subscribe to For we shall ever oppose those Opinions by which we see the Rights of Churches are destroyed the receiv'd Sanctions of Synods perverted the approv'd Writings of ancient Bishops ridicul'd the venerable Testimonies of the ancient Fathers despised and the solid foundations of Ecclesiastical Polity subverted And never admit Principles of Division and Schism to be Rules of Catholic Religion And so much concerning the Treatise of a late French Writer now I proceed to shew the Errors of
Head but also Autocephalic that is under its own proper Jurisdiction only and subject to no Patriarch from the time that the Faith first began to be planted there till the coming of Augustine the Monk. There are therefore two things which the Author hath undertaken to prove against me one that the Bounds of the Roman Patriarchate ought to be restrain'd so as not to extend to Britain the other that the Hierarchy of the English Church which acknowledges no Authority Superior to that of a Metropolitan is Ancient 'T is chiefly for the Proof of these things the Author hath made use of his utmost Endeavours Industry and Ability not treading in the Foot-steps of the Ancients but walking in new Paths which lead from the Truth as I shall endeavour briefly to shew in this Dissertation For whereas this Author hath brought those things for the Proof of his Opinions which have been lately invented partly by him and partly by Launoy I thought it might be profitable to lay them before you and to shew in the following Discourse how far different they are from the true Discipline of the Church from the Judgment of the Ancient Fathers from the Decrees of Councils and from the Sense of all Antiquity I shall therefore divide this Dissertation into six Chapters in the four first of which I shall alledg those things which relate to the Origin of the British Church and the Patriarchal Rights over it in the two last I shall examine those things that the Dean of St. Paul's hath written to prove that the Metropolitical Authority is Supreme and confute them by the Testimonies of those very Authors which he alledges He thought that the Patriarchal and Papal Authority was unknown to the British Church in the six first Ages and that this was manifestly prov'd from the Answer of Dinoth the Abbot and the Sayings of the Monks of Banchor I shall shew that there was no doubt at all made concerning the Supreme Authority of the Bishop of Rome but that Britain did venerate the Authority of the Apostolic See from the time that King Lucius First embraced the Catholic Religion till the breaking in of the Saxons and the coming of Augustine the Monk. And when I shall have made this appear from several Monuments of the British Church and by the Histories of that Nation I shall conclude with an Exhortation to the Ministers of the English Church in which I shall plainly shew them how far those Err from the Truth who think that the Church fail'd thoughout the whole World and was afterwards found by a few Persons in a narrow Corner of the Earth I shall bring the Testimony of Optatus Milevitanus wherein he reproves the Donatists for the like Error because they heretofore reduc'd the Catholic Church to a small number and confin'd the large Extent of Kingdoms as it were to a narrow Prison I shall bring other Testimonies of the Ancients by which it will appear that the true Church is to be found diffused throughout the whole World because it is Catholic and that it is one because it agrees in the Society of one Communion under One visible Head and that none can obtain Salvation who is either divided from that Head by Schism or separated by Heresie So that St. Jerom did not write by way of Exaggeration as a certain Person of late hath rashly given out but truly to Pope Damasus I saith he following none but Christ in the first place do consociate in Communion with your Beatitude that is the See of Peter I know the Church is built upou that Rock Whoever eats the Lamb out of this House is prophane If any one is not in the Ark of Noah he shall perish when the Deluge reigns CHAP. I. That the British Church was instituted either by St. Peter or his Successors 1. The Opinion of an English Author who contends that the British Church was instituted by Paul rather than Peter The Testimony of Gildas the wise is not alledged by him it may be because he foresaw that it proved the Institution of the British Church by Peter 2. The Testimony of Eusebius brought out of Metaphrastes by which it appears that the British Church owes its Institution to Peter The same thing is proved by Metaphrastes asserted by John V. and affirmed by Kenulphus King of the Mercians 3. The Testimonies of Eusebius Theodoret and S. Jerome are produced out of which the Author is confident he shall clearly prove that the Islands scituated in the Ocean were first instructed in the true Faith by Paul. 4. The foresaid Testimonies of Eusebius are weighed the two former of which make nothing for Paul's coming into Britain rather than Peter's and the third of Jerome intimates not that Paul preach'd the Faith from the Spanish to the British Ocean as our Author believes but from the Arabic to the Spanish Ocean which is nothing at all to the purpose 5. The Testimony of Clemens Romanus is cited in which it is asserted that Paul came to the Borders of the West it is not said that he came to Britain 6. The Opinion of Launoy who questions the Authority of this Epistle of Clemens is disapproved of and the Testimony of Severus Sulpitius is brought wherein it is said that the Religion of God was received more lately beyond the Alpes and the distinction of our Author for avoiding the difficulty mov'd from the Testimony of Severus is rejected 7. Venerable Bede agrees with Severus Sulpitius whilst he puts us in mind that King Lucius was converted to the Faith about the time Sulpitius tell us that the Faith was receiv'd beyond the Alps with whom Tertullian seems to concur in Opinion who liv'd almost at the same time that Luclus King of Britain was converted under Pope Elcutherius 8. Other Testimonies of the Ancionts concerning the Conversion of King Lucius are brought likwise the Opinion of our Author concerning the Embassie that Lucius sent to Pope Eleutherius at Rome viz. That this Embassie was sent to Rome because it was the Imperial City as he asserts out of Irenaeus 9. The Testimony of Irenaeus is cited and it is shewed that our Author miss-interprets him Irenaeus asserts that all the Faithful ought to consent to the Roman Faith not because of the more powerful Principality of the Roman City but of the Roman Church The Emperor Honorius 's Testimony concerning the Principality of the Imperial Seat and the Principle of Priesthood's being establish'd at Rome the Authority of Augustin is added who tells us that the Principality of the Apostolic See ever prevail'd at Rome which when our Author denies he opposes a manifest Truth IN treating concerning the Antiquities of the British Church its Primitive Institution is to be enquired after which Modern Writers have attributed to divers Apostles and divers Disciples of Christ I have not leisure to recite all their Opinions in this Dissertation but shall only weigh that of our Author who to exclude the
Apostolic Authority over England and that not only the ancient Britains but also the Saxons as soon aâ— they were Converted to the Faith acknowledg'd this with due veneration 9. And so much of some ancient Monuments from whence we have deduced that the British Nation did acknowledge the Popes Authority in the first Ages It now only remains that we return an Answer to the Objections raised from the Manuscript set forth by Spelman and the Acts of the British Synod which our Author cites out of Venerable Bede And first as to the Manuscript set forth by Spelman it doth not seem to be so ancient but that it might have been written since the Schism But saith Spelman at what time this Manuscript was written Spelmans Tom. 1. Conciliorum dugliae or by what Author I cannot learn either from the Manuscript it self or by any other means but I believe the Book may be found in the Cottonian Library Spelman tells us that he had no certainty concerning the Author of this Manuscript But on the contrary plainly intimates that he was in great doubt concerning the matter moreover since he confesses he was ignorant of the time when this Manuscript was written we may easily gather from hence that it was not ancient Nay the Style manifestly discovers that it is modern and could never have been Penned in the time of Augustine the Monk and of Gregory the Great Lastly it is there affirmed that the Britans and Dinoth the Abbot answer'd Augustine that they would own no Subjection to him Monumertum Anglicanum supposititium because they were under the Jurisdiction of the Bishop of Caerleon upon Usk. Whereas it is manifest that there was no Archbishop of Caerleon upon Vsk at that time and that the Metropolitan Jurisdiction had for above a hundred years before been transferr'd to Menevia As to the acts of the Synod which the Author cites against us out of Venerable Bede others have heretofore made answer that there was no dispute between Augustine and the British Bishops concerning the Primacy of the Bishops of Rome but only about some Traditions of their Church concerning which Augustine argued in this manner with the Bishops Indeed saith he to them Venerab Bedâ—â— lib. 2. Hist cap. 2. Vid. num L. you do not only act contrary to our custom but likewise to that of the Vniversal Church in many things and yet if you will comply with us in these three things the observation of Easter at the right time the administring Baptism in which we are regenerated to God according to the Rite of the Holy Roman and of the Apostolic Church and in the joyning with us to preach the Gospel to the English we will bear with you in all other things wherein you act contrary to our custom But they made answer that they would not do any of these things nor accept of him as their Archbishop Thus far Bede from whose words it is apparent if I mistake not that the question was not concerning the Primacy of the Roman Bishop but about Augustines Metropolitical jurisdiction over them and that the British Bishops only contended that they ought not to pay subjection to Augustine as their Archbishop And although upon this account they refused to receive some other things that were of Ecclesiastical Tradition yet in this they did not oppose the Roman Church only but the Churches throughout the whole World where they were said to act many things inconsistent with Ecclesiastical Unity concerning which Venerable Bede in his Second Book above mentioned gives us this relation Ibid. Vid. num LI. When after a long disputation held they could not be brought either by the supplications perswasions or reprehensions of Augustine and his Companions to give their assent but rather chose to prefer their own Traditions before those of all the Churches which agree with one another in Christ throughout the whole world besides The Holy Father Augustine put an end to this long and troublesom contention by saying thus Let us beseech God who makes men to live in unanimity in their Fathers house that he would vouchsafe to discover to us by a sign from Heaven which Tradition is to be follow'd and which way we ought to take to arrive at his Kingdom let some Person that labours under an infirmity be brought and let his faith and works be believ'd to be devoted to God and be followed by all by whose prayers he shall be cured Which when his Adversaries although with reluctancy yielded to a certain blind man of English Race was brought who being offered to the British Priests for a cure and obtaining none by their Ministry at length Augustine as obliged upon so just an occasion bends his knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ beseeching him that he would restore the sight of the blind man which he had lost and by enlightning the body of one man irradiate the minds of many Believers with the light of spiritual grace The blind man forthwith had his sight restored and Augustine is by all proclaim'd a Preacher of Divine light Whereupon the Britains confess'd they had plainly found that way of Righteousness to be true which Augustine taught Thus far Venerable Bede who no where mention'd any Controversie about the Popes Supremacy but concerning Traditions viz. the observation of Easter and some certain Rites in the administration of Baptism as is above remark'd 10. But though these things are true and confirm'd to be so by the Testimony of Venerable Bede yet let us suppose that amongst other things the Bishop of Romes Primacy was also controverted who sees not that the acts reorded in Venerable Bede fully confute our Authors Plea The acts testifie that the Britains contended about Traditions which they prefer'd before all Churches which agree amongst themselves in Christ over the world so that if the question was concerning the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome it is manifest that all the Churches in the World did then ackowledge the Primacy of Peters Successor as Gregory the Great also testifies Gregorius Magnus lib. 4. Epist 32. Vid. num LII lib. 4. Epist 32. writing to Mauritius For 't is manifest saith he to all that knowthe Gospel that the care of the whole Church was by the word of our Lord committed to S. Peter the Prince of all the Apostles Therefore in the time of Gregory the Great all that were acquainted with the Gospel knew the Successor of Peter the Prince of the Apostles whom the faithful from the very first Ages of Christianity styled the Bishop of Bishops so that the Britains opposed his Primacy against the judgment of the whole Catholic World. Supposing therefore that the Britains amongst other Traditions rejected also that of the Primacy of the Roman Bishop what could be gather'd from hence but that as Baronius the Parent of Annals hath observed after the Saxons had broken in upon them they deserted the Doctrines and Rites of the Catholic
this p. 48 Which were the greater and which the lesser Dioceses p. 60 61 The name of Diocese was known in the time of the Nicene Council p. 62 E. The Bishop of Rome publisht Easter day after the time of the Nicene Council p. 69 71 The charge of computing Easter day was imposed upon the Patriarch of Alexandria by the Nicene Synod p. 71 Pope Eleutherius receiv'd an Epistle from King Lucius 13. Britain was Converted to the Faith under him p. 12 The Epistles of the Bishops of Rome concerning the Roman Patriarchal Power over Illyricum p. 40 41 42. The Testimony of Eusebius shewing where the Gospel was Preach'd by the Apostles p. 7 The Eusebians vainly attempted to draw Julius the first to their party 80. they were the first in the World that ever dreamt that the judgment of the Eastern Council was supreme p. 80 81 F. France vid. Gaul Frumentius Bishop of Aethiopia had his Mission from Athanasius p. 32 G. Gaul when converted to the Faith. p. 10 The Catholic Writers of Gaul defended the Roman Bishops Patriarchal Authority over the West against the Hereticks p. 21 Germanus Bishop of Auxerre came as Vicar of Pope Celestine into Britain p. 99 The Testimony of Gildas the Wise concerning the Preaching of the Gospel in the time of Tiberius 2 his Testimony concerning Peter See in Britain p. 4 The Schismatic Greeks acknowledge the Bishop of Rome to be Patriarch of the West p. 21 H. A very clear Testimony of Henry the Eighth concerning the Popes Primacy 111. he was the first King of England that fell into Schism p. 111 The Epistle of Honorius the Emperor to Theodosius concerning the preserving the priviledges of the Apostolic See. p. 51 I. What Iames King of England believ'd concerning the Institution of Patriarchs and concerning the Roman Patriarchate in particular p. 20 The testimony of Ierome concerning Paul's preaching the Gospel from Ocean to Ocean 8. his testimony concerning the Authority of the Patriarch of Antioch over the Metropolitan of Cesarea p. 86 Illyricum though converted to the Faith by Paul the Apostle was notwithstanding Subject to the Roman Patriarchate as appears from many Epistles of ancient P. P. p. 38 c. The testimony of Ireneus concerning the more powerfull Principality of the Roman Church p. 14 Iuiius the first reprehends the Eusebians for declining the judgment of the Apâ—stolic See. p. 81 Iustinian the Emperor acknowledges the Roman Bishops Patriarchate over the West p. 55 L. Launoy opposes the authority of Clements Epistle to the Romans without any ground 10. he gave occasion to the Ministers of the English Church to defend their Schism with the greater obstinacy See Preface Lucius was the first King of England that was Converted to the Faith. 12 he sends Embassadors to Pope Eleutherius 13. Whether leaving his Kingdom he went into Germany and converted Bavaria to the Faith. p. 31 M. The English Manuscript set forth by Spelman is of no credit or authority p. 102 Meletius was Second in dignity to the Bishop of Alexandria in Aegypt 87. he was a Metropolitan under Alexander Patriarch of Alexandria p. 88 The Metropolitical Authority was instituted by the Apostles Preface It is not suprem p. 78 The Metropolitan of Cesarea was in ancient time subject to the Patriarch of Antioch 85. the Institution of Metropolitans in Britain in the time of Gregory the Great p. 34 It is necessary that those who plant Churches should have a true Mission p. 29 N. The 6. Canon of the Council of Nice 82. it doth not treat of the authority of Metropolitans as Supreme p. 86 O. The Testimony of Optatus Milevitanus concerning the Roman Church p. 110 How the Ordination of Metropolitans belonged to the Patriarchs p. 33 P. The Pall when first received and by whom p. 33 There were Patriarchs in the Primitive Church p. 20 They had their Original from Apostolical institution 53. there are three Patriarchal rights p. 18 The Patriarchal right over Illyricum p. 50 S. Patrick Legate to Celestine I. p. 100. Where Paul the Apostle preach't the Gospel 8. he was not the firft Planter of the Roman Church 25. whether he Preach't in Britain p. 6 It was most just that the cause of Paulus Samosatenus should be remov'd to the tribunal of the Bishop of Rome p. 80 Pelagius consented that his cause should be brought before Innocent the first after it had bin heard in the Eastern Synod 96. how his Heresy was condemn'd by Zosimus and the censure that Zosimus passed against it was approv'd by every Church under Heaven p. 98. Who determin'd in the cause of Perigenes and when p. 48 c. The cause of Perrevius different from that of Perigenes p. 47 Peter head of the Apostles 109 110. his memory to be honour'd 81. he instituted three Patriarchal Sees 30. he and his Successors instituted all the Churches in the West 24. he had instituted the Roman Church before Paul came to Rome 26. his See in Britain p. 4 c. R. The Roman Church hath the more powerful Principality for which cause it is necessary that every Church should have resort unto it 14 15. the whole World hath intercourse with it by communicatory Letters 110. the Principality of the Apostolic See always prevail'd in it 1â— as the imperial Seat had its Principality so likewise had Priesthood its Principle in it ibid. The Roman Bishop is Patriarch of the West 89. he had Metropolitans under him 89. he is the Head of the Institutions in the West 30. Britain appertains to his Patriarchate 38. the Roman Bishop had always the right of promulgating Easter day 72. his Authority is shew'd from those things which happened concerning Easter in the time of Victor 73 74. all Provinces are to refer their Causes to him as Head of the Church p. 95. S. The Testimonies of the Council of Sardica for the Primacy of the Bishop of Rome p. 95 The Authority of Severus Sulpitius for the preaching the Gospel in Gaul in the third Age. p. 12 Divers Errors of Stillingfleet Dean of St. Pauls set down Prolegom p. 7. 9. 11. 14. 19. 20. 27. 43. 45. 46. 48. 60. 61. 64. 68. 77. 78. 79. 82. 83. 84. 92. T. Theodosius junior being circumvented by the Bishop of Constantinople withdraws Illiricum from the Roman Patriarchate 48 49. he repeals the Law that he made concerning this matter p. 52 Thule an Island in Iceland p. 9 V. Pope Victor judg'd that the Question concerning the Feast of Easter was to be decided by him 72. he terrifies the Astatic Churches that withdrew their Obedience with the censure of Excommunication p. 73 FINIS Post-script SInce this Dissertation which the Author not being acquainted with the English Tongue was obliged to write in Latin is an Answer to what the Dean of Paul's hath Written in English 't was thought convenient it should be Translated that both Writers might appear in the same Language And it was the part of the Interpreter to render the true Sence of the Latin Treatise which he hath carefully endeavour'd to do Leaving it now to the Reader to Judge of the Works of these two Authors and Intreating him either to Excuse or Correct some Errata of this Impression in the manner following Some Errors Corrected REad Venantius pag. 9. Pausianus p. 36. Nectarius p. 48. ad Theodosium p. 5 in margine Anastasium p. 54 in marg Dieceses p. 60. Praefecti Pretorio p. 61. Chap. V. p. 89. Britain instead of Great Britain 112. c. BY HIS MAJESTY's Letters Patents under His Great Seal of England dated the tenth day of November in the 3d. Year of his Majesties Reign there is Granted to Matthew Turner of Holborn Bookseller and his Assigns only full and sole Power Licence Priviledge and Authority to Print and Reprint either in Latin or English and also to Vtter and Sell at any Place within His Majesties Kingdom of England Dominion of Wales and Town of Berwick upon Tweed the several Books Following viz. I. The Canons and Decrees of the Council of Trent II. The Works of Lewis de Granada III. The Works of S. Francis de Sales IV. The Devotional Treatises of St. Augustin V. The Works of Thomas of Kempis VI. The Devotional Treatises of St. Bonaventure VII Father Person 's Christian Directory or Book of Resolution VIII Father Person 's Treatises of the Three Conversions of England IX A Journal of Meditations for each day in the Year By N. B. X. Meditations used at Lisbon Colledge XI The Christians Daily Exercise by T.V. XII Paradisus Animae Christianae XIII The Key of Paradise XIV Stella's Contempt of the World. XV. The Works of Hieremias Drexelius XVI The Devotional Treatises of Cardinal Bona. XVII Beda's Ecclesiastical History of England XVIII Turbervil's Manual of Controversies XIX Vane's Lost Sheep Returned XX. The true Portraicture of the Church XXI The Catholic Scripturist XXII Historical Collections of the Reigns of Henry the Eighth Edward the Sixth Queen Mary Queen Elizabeth and King James XXIII The Devotional Treatises of Cardinal Bellarmin XXIV The Question of Questions XXV The Works of Lewis de Puente XXVI The Works of Alphonsus Roderiguez XXVII The Poor Man's Devotion As by the said Letters patents doth more fully appear
A DISSERTATION CONCERNING Patriarchal Metropolitical AUTHORITY In Answer to what Edw. Stillingfleet DEAN of St. PAVLS Hath written in his BOOK OF THE BRITISH ANTIQUITIES By Eman. Ã Schelstrate S.T.D.C.L. And Prefect of the Vatican Library Translated from the Latin. With Allowance LONDON Printed for Matthew Turner at the Lamb in Holbourn MDCLXXXVIII TO JAMES the II. OF Great Britain c. KING DEFENDER of the FAITH CONQUERER TRIUMPHANT PEACEMAKER THE Immortal God Supreme Governour of Kings and Ruler of the World hath by his Providence order'd it as auspicious to the Catholic Faith That in these times wherein other Christian Princes are restoring the Kingdoms of Hungary and Greece to the Church Your Majesty should ascend the British Throne and invite the renown'd English Nation to embrace the true Religion by your Royal Example It is by the conduct of Divine not Human Wisdom that Kings reign Prov 8.15 and Law-givers decree Justice Which being spoken of all Princes in this World cannot but be understood of Your Majesty who governing the British World in Justice reign so happily that You seem to have ravish'd the hearts of all your Subjects with Love and the Eyes of all Strangers with Admiration It is a Maxim of the Ancients and the Oracle of Wisdom it self that the Love of the People is the Princes chief Safeguard Which made Pliny the second say in his Panegyric to Trajan that the Kings Palace is no where better secured than where Love keeps the Court of Guard. And Themistius the fam'd Graecian Orator hath given this excellent Admonition that it is far better to allure Subjects by Love and Favour than to awe them with Fear and Terror By Love Mens minds are united and made to agree in one and by Agreement Empires cement as by Discord they fall asunder Which Your Majesty very well understanding presently quell'd the dissention that in the beginning of your Reign threatned destruction to all Britain and when you had cut off the Principal Conspirators Victorious and Triumphant You either intirely pacify'd or wholly restrain'd the minds of the rest by Sweetness and Love. Being excellently well read in the tempers of Men You knew that he is in vain arm'd with dread who is not fenc'd with love and affection Having therefore freed your Subjects from terror and fear You won their hearts by your serene Countenance and affable Conversation who the more freely acknowledg they owe the Public Safety to Your Majesty the more other Nations look upon it with admiration O thrice happy Prince who whilst you embrace your People with Kindness gain Veneration at home Renown abroad and are purchasing with God a blessed Eternity I will not speak here of that Frankness with which you receive all of that Clemency which makes you easie to be intreated of that Liberality wherewith you relieve the Needy and Miserable of the indefatigable Industry wherewith you manage the Affairs of your Kingdom of that firm Constancy which enables You to undertake the most difficult Enterprises For these and many other gracious Endowments wherewith the Great God of Heaven hath richly adorn'd your Royal Mind might here be highly extoll'd But since they would be too copious a Subject for a short Epistle I shall only intreat this Favour that not being mindful of Your Majesty but my meaness you would so far condescend as favourably to receive this small Treatise concerning Ecclesiastical Hierarchy which I have put forth in Answer to an English Author and to protect it with the Patronage of Your Great Name Nor can any one induce Your Majesty to believe That I seek to shelter Novelty under the Protection of Your Royal Name for in this small Book I do not undertake to defend an Error lately invented but a truth anciently receiv'd I treat concerning the Roman Patriarchate which the Catholic Kings Your Predecessors acknowledg'd for the space of Thirteen hundred years and which even since the Schism Your Grand-father King James of Illustrious Memory hath not obscurely asserted For in the Apology for the Oath of Allegiance which he sent to Rudolphus the Emperor to the Christian Monarchs and to both the Catholic and Protestant Princes * Jacobus Augliae Rex in apologia pro juramento fidelitatis Scio inquit Patriarchas in Ecclesia primitiva extitisse institutionem illam ordinis discriminis causa amplexor sed inter illos de Principatu magna contentione certatum est quod si in eo quaestio adhuc verteretur meo libens suffragio primum locum Episcopo Romano deferrem Ego Occidentalis Rex Occidentali Patritarchae adhaererem I know saith that Prince That there were Patriarchs in the Primitive Church and I embrace that Institution for Order and Distinction Sake there was also great Contention amongst them who should be Chief but if that were still the question I would freely give my suffrage that the Bishop of Rome should have the first place I being a Western King would adhere to the Western Patriarch That which King James the First a Prince of the same name with Your Majesty here asserts I explain more clearly in this Dissertation and prove from the Testimonies of the Antients and the Decrees of Synods that the Authority of the Roman Patriarchate extends it self over all the West So that I may use almost the same words which Honorius did when he exhorted the Emperor Theodosius to preserve the Priviledges long before granted to the Roman See that the Roman Church may not lose under a Catholic Prince what she ought not to have lost under other KIngs who fell into Schism Honorius Epistâ—ad Theod. Suffer therefore Most Gracious Prince that this small Treatise may come forth under your Protection in which the only thing I earnestly contend for is that the Roman Church which is the special Head of all the Western Churches and the Principal Head of all the Churches in the World may not be disturbed because from thence the Rights of admonishing others issue forth all over the West as well as over the whole World. Written from Rome by Your Majesties Most humble and most obedient Servant Emanuel of Antwerp in the Low Countries THE PREFACE TO THE READER I Know not Courteous Reader how it came to be my Lot in one years time this proves my second Contest with Adversaries that write in the Language of their own Countries At the beginning of this year I had to deal with Maimbourg who set forth a Treatise in French concerning the Roman Bishops Supremacy over the Vniversal Church Now towards the end of the year I must fall to work with the Dean of St. Paul's who hath publish'd a Book in English wherein he calls in question the Bishop of Romes Patriarchal Power over all the West The former Authors Work though it ought not to have been written in French did not create me any difficulty because I understood that Language But the second in English although the Idiom in
General Synod had given the Second place of Dignity to the Constantinopolitan See least the Bishop of Constantinople should encroach upon these Illyrican Provinces Chap. 3. p. 114. c. TRUTHS 10. The Metropolitical Authority of the Roman Bishop was limited to the Suburbicarian Provinces as the Author Terms them his Patriarchal Authority extended to the Greater Dioceses of the West after the Constantinopolitan Council Damasius first constituted the Archbishop of Thessalonica Vicar of the Patriarchal See of Rome in the Provinces of Illyricum that the Bishop of Constantinople might not encroach upon them Before the time of Damasius the Roman See had a right to exercise Patriarchal Power by it self or by its Legates as appears in that Legates were sent by Clements the First to Corinth at the end of the First Age wherefore Honorius the Emperor did require that the priviledge of the Roman See which was long since established by the Fathers and confirm'd by the Canons should be preserv'd in Illyricum and Theodosius the Emperor commanded the Ancient Apostolical Discipline and Order by which the Roman Bishop presided over Illyricum to be kept up Chap. 3. ERRORS 11. When Perigenes the Bishop Elect was rejected at Patrae and put into the See of Corinth by the Bishop of Rome without the consent of the Provincial Synod the Bishops of Thessaly amongst whom the Chief were Pausianus Cyriacus and Calliopus look upon this as a notorious invasion of their Rights and therefore in a Provincial Synod they appoint another person to succeed there Chap. 3. p. 116. TRUTHS 11. Perigenes the Metropolitan of Corinth in the Province of Achaia was one Person Perrevius Bishop of a See in the Province of Thessaly not well known to us another Pausianus Cyriacus and Calliopus Bishops of the Province of Thessaly had no Jurisdiction ever Perigenes the Metropolitan of another Province neither doth Bonifacius the first testifie that they acted against him but against Perrevius that was lawfully ordained who appeal'd from their Sentence to Rome and was restored to his See by the Sentence of the Roman Bishop Chap. 3. ERRORS 12. The British Church did not acknowledge any Authority Superior to that of a Metropolitan during the Six First Ages so that when Augustine the Monk was sent to them at the beginning of the Seventh Age Seven British Bishops who were found there and many other learned Men of the Monastery of Banchor refused to be Subject to the Apostolic See or to acknowledge Augustine but remain'd under their own Metropolitan So it appears from Bede and some Monuments set forth by Spehnan which last although the Author doth not think them necessary for the proof of what is above mention'd yet he declares that he approves of them Chap. 5. p. 357. c. TRUTHS 12. The British Church acknowledg'd an Authority Superior to that of a Motropolitan in the Six First Ages and this is so manifest that the Pests of the World Pelagius and Caelestius who were born in Britain confess'd this very thing whilst they either permitted their causes which had been decided in the Provincial Synods to be referr'd to the tribunal of the Apostolic See or did by their own proper Appeal refer them thither What Spelman cites out of the English Monument concerning the Monks of Banchor is Supposititious What Bede Relates does not shew that the British Bishops acknowledged the Metropolitical Authority as Supreme and if it did shew this it discovers that their Error was reprov'd by Miracle from Heaven so that those who persist obstinately to defend this Error are guilty of a double fault of resisting the Truth and being shameless Chap. 6. THE HEADS OF THE CHAPTERS OF THIS DISSERTATION CHAP. I. THat the British Church was instituted either by St. Peter or his Successors Pag. 1 CHAP. II. That the Bishop of Rome is Patriarch of the West and therein even of England and that this follows from the British Church's having receiv'd her Institution either from him or from his Priests as is prov'd by the Testimony of Innocent p. 16 CHAP. III. Although the British Church had not received its Institution from the Roman yet it is shew'd from the Example of the Illyrican Church that by ancient Custom time out of mind it might be subject to it and moreover that it ought to be so p. 36 CHAP. IV. Concerning the Greater Diocesses attributed to Pope Sylvester by the Council of Arles p. 57 CHAP. V. Whether the Nicene Canons establish the Metropolitan Dignity as Supreme and what is decreed in the Sixth of these Canons concerning the Patriarchal Authority p. 76 CHAP. VI. That the British Church acknowledged an Authority Superior to that of a Metropolitan from the time that the Christian Religion was first planted there till such time as it was again restored by Augustine the Monk under Gregory the Great p. 91 Imprimatur si videbitur Reverendissimo Patri Magistro Sacri Palatii Apostolici 19. Octobris 1686. Pro Eminentissimo Cardinali CARPINEO Vicario H. Cardinalis CASANATE Imprimatur Fr. Dominicus M. Puteobonellus Sacri Apostolici Palatii Magister Ordinis Praedicatorum A DISSERTATION Concerning the AUTHORITY OF Patriarchs and Metropolitans ALthough there is something spoken in the Preface to the Reader concerning the Occasion and Design of this Dissertation yet it is so little that I think it will not be amiss if at the entring upon it I give you a more full Account of the Occasion of it and add something for the more clear Understanding of its Design This Dissertation hath its Origin from what I had written in the first Part of Antiquitas Illustrata Dissertation the Second For when I had there shew'd from many Monuments of the Ancients that was true of the whole West which Theodosius Bishop of Echinus in Thessaly said above eleven hundred and fifty years since before Boniface the Second in the Roman Synod concerning the Churches of Illyricum viz. that the Roman Bishops besides their Principality over the Churches of the whole World more especially claim'd to themselves the Government of the Western Churches this special Authority of the Roman Bishop over the West did not please a Modern English Writer that styles himself Dean of St. Paul's and Chaplain in Ordinary to His Majesty and he took it ill that the English Church which is rent from the Communion of the Apostolic See should be concluded by me within the Bounds of the Western Patriarchate He explains his Sense of the thing in a Book intituled Origines Britannicae or The Antiquities of the British Churches which he set forth at London Anno 1685. wherein as a Minister of the English Church he takes upon him its Defence and contends that the Hierarchy of the English Church which since the Schism hath own'd Subjection only to Bishops and Metropolitans as the Superior Clergy is conformable in this to the Ancient Church Therefore he endeavours not only to shew that the English Church was Acephalic that is without a
Opinion of Baronius That the British Church was instituted by Peter ascribes it to Paul the Apostle and is confident he can prove it clearly But before he sets upon the Question he rejects the Opinions of some Authors who thought that other Disciples of Christ pass'd over the British Sea Gildas in Ep. de Excidio Britanniae Sect. 6. vide num I in fine and contends that Gildas the wise doth not make for their purpose who in his Epistle De Excidio Britanniae thus writes In the mean time Christ the true Sun first indulg'd his Rays that is the knowledg of his Precepts to this Island shivering with Icy-cold and separate at a great distance from the visible Sun not from the visible Firmament but from the supream everlasting Power of Heaven For we know that in the latter end of the Reign of Tiberius that Sun appeared to the whole World with his glorious Beams in which time his Religion was propagated without any impediment that Prince against the will of the Senate threatning Death to all that should inform against the Soldiers of Christ Which Precepts although they were coldly entertained by the Inhabitaâ—â—â— yet some received them entirely others more imperfectly till the time of the nine years persecution of Dioclesian the Tyrant in which the Churches throughout the whole World were subverted There are some who gather from this Testimony of Gildas that the Gospel was preached in Britain about the last year of Tiberius which our Author deservedly rejects and shews that they did not understand the Testimony of Gildas For he says that Gildas makes a distinction between the Preaching of the Faith through the whole World and the promulgating the Gospel in Britain He acknowledges the first to have happen'd at the end of the Reign of Tiberius at which time as Eusebius in his Chronicle testifies Pilate made a Report to Tiberius of the Divinity of Christ and the Persecution of the Christians in Palestine and Tiberius as Tertullian in his Apologetic testifies referr'd it to the Senate who denying their Suffrage for giving Christ place amongst their Gods Tiberius notwithstanding continued his former Opinion threatning Death to those who should persecute the Christians For then the Gospel might have been every where freely Preach'd as Gildas in the beginning of the fore-cited Testimony most clearly says it was The other concerning the Preaching of the Faith in Britain Gildas asserts to have happened almost at the same time which Testimony our Author might have urg'd above the rest for the Apostles Preaching of the Gospel in Britain had not he perhaps foreseen that Gildas might be cited rather for Peter's coming into Britain than for Paul's Indeed in one place of that Epistle Gildas reprehends the Manners of the British Clergy saying That they usurp'd the See of Peter the Apostle with unclean Feet Sedem Petri Apostoli immundis pedibus usurpare Gildas Sapiens Which Place when our Author towards the End of his Treatise had objected against himself he answers That the See of Peter mention'd by Gildas makes nothing to the purpose of which if you ask him the Reason you shall obtain no other but this That the See of Peter the Apostle which Gildas placeth in Britain when he saith it was usurp'd by the British Clergy with unclean Feet doth not please our Author Gildas Sapiens The Testimony of Gildas admits of a twofold Sense the first is that Peter was in England that he there instituted an Episcopal See and that he ordain'd Deacons and Priests which is historical and prov'd by more than Gildas The second that the British Clergy owe their Institution to Peters See which sense is admitted by others Neither of these Senses pleases our Author and therefore he thinks that Gildas is not to be thus urged amongst those who have treated of the Institution of the British Church 2. Eusebius apud Metaphrastem Simonem Petrum duodâ—â—m quidem annos esse versatum in Oriente viginti autem tres annos transegâ—sse Romae in Britannia in Civitatibus quae sunt in occidente But Eusebius in Metaphrastes confirms the former Historical Sense of the English Church being instituted by Peter in these Words Simon Peter was conversant in the East twelve years he spent twenty three years at Rome and in Britain and in the Cities which are in the West Armagh relates this Testimony out of * Metaphrastes ad diem 29. Cumque Ecclesias constituisset Episcopos Presbyteros Diaconos ordinasset duodecimo anno Caesaris Neronis rursus Romam reversum esse Metaphrastes who in his Commentary concerning Peter and Paul at the 29th Day of June affirms also of Peter that he tarried a long time in Britain and converted many Nations not named to the Faith and when he had constituted the Churches and ordained Bishops Priests and Deacons in the twelfth year of Nero Caesar he again return'd to Rome To these may be added John V. who 900. years since in his Epistle to Ethelred and Alfred English Saxon Kings in Malbur Lib 3. tells us that he rejoyc'd to see the Fervor of Faith in them * Joannes V. Quam ex praedicatione Principis Apostolorum Deo vestros animos illuminante accepistis efficacitèr tenetis which saith he you receiv'd by the preaching of the Prince of the Apostles God enlightning your minds and still efficaciously retain And 850. years since †Kenulphus Merciorum Rex Vnde tibi Apostolica dignitas inde nobis fidei veritas innotuit Kenulphus the King of the Mercians in his Epistle to Leo III. had these Words From whence your Apostolical Dignity was derived from thence the verity of Faith was made known to us 3. Now the Testimonies are to be produced by which the Author endeavours to vindicate the Right of Paul rather than of Peter to this Province And the first Testimony which he brings is that of Eusebius Caesariensis whom he cites as having writ in the Third Book De Demonstratione Evangelica Chap. 7. That after the Conversion of the Romans Persians Armenians Parthians Indians and Scythians the Apostles past over the Ocean * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theodoretus in Fsal 116. to those which are called the Eritish Islands The second is that of Theodoret who in the first Tome upon Psalm 116. asserts that the Faith was preached by Paul not only to Spain but also to the Islands that lie in the Ocean Therefore saith the Author in all probability the British Islands are understood by him Concerning which the same Theodoret Tome 4. Serm. 9. writ That our Fish rmen and Publicans brought the Evangelical Laws amongst them To Theodoret he adjoyns Jerome who upon the fifth Chapter of Amos writes concerning Paul That he bent his Course to Spain and went from the Red-Sea and from one Ocean to another imitating his Lord the Son of Righteousness of whom we read that his going forth is from
having been written many years since by a King of famous memory in that work of his which he set forth on behalf of the English Church could I foresee that the Dean of London a Minister of the same English Church when the Question was about Patriarchs would deny the Western Patriarchate It may be he will say that all Catholies do not agree in the thing as appears from the Book of a late Author de Disciplinâ Ecclesiae But I ask again could I foresee that on the fourteenth day of November in this Year 1686 at which time I had not only finish'd this Discourse but had likewise printed the first sheet of it a Book lately publish'd would come to my hands in which the Author being tainted with the itch of novelty should deny the Roman Bishops Patriarchate over the West which all France even till that time had undertaken to defend against Schismatics and Heretics which Perron Sirmondus de Marca and other Writers of the Gallican Church had defended against the Heretic Salmasius and against his ringleaders or followers besides whom no body in those times denied the Popes Patriarchate over the West Against these therefore I employ'd my Pen not using the former but another way of Proof and demonstrated the Roman Patriarchate to extend it self over all the West For besides the Question against Catholics concerning the exercise of Patriarchal Jurisdiction I stated another against Heretics concerning the Patriarchal Right it self which belongs to the Bishop of Rome over all the West and that I prov'd by the perpetual Tradition of the Ancients which was so well known to the whole Christian Church before the rise of modern Heresy that the Schismatic Greeks themselves maintain'd this truth insomuch that not only Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica hath written Nilus Thessalonicensis Romano Episcopo hoc datum esse ut Occidentalibus praesit Barlaam Monachus Occidentales Eâ—clesias Papae Gabernationi à Sauctis Patribus fuisse commendatas That it was granted to the Roman Bishop to Preside over the West but also Barlaam the Monk cap. 2. libri de Primatu Papae hath openly profest that the Western Churches were by the Holy Fathers commended to the Government of the Pope I have alledged many of those Authorities in Dissert 2. Antiq. Illustratae which Barlaam commends without the recital of the Names of those Holy men that wrote them I am not at leasure now to repeat them all I shall only cite two of them at present one of Augustine the other of Pope Innocent who at the same time though in different Regions adorn'd the Church with their Sanctity and Learning 4. Augustines Testimony is lib. 1. contra Julianum cap. 2. where having cited the Testimony of some of the Fathers viz Cyprians of Africa those of Ireneus Hilarius and others of France and St. Ambrose's of Italy he thus expostulates with Julian the Disciple of Pelagius the Britain D. Augustinus An ideo contemnendos putaes quia Occidentaiis Ecclesie sâ—mt â—nnes nec nâ—â—ut in eis oft commemoratus Ortentis Episcopus Quid ergo faciemus cum the Greâ—â— sint nes Latini puto tihi cam partem Orbis sufficeâ—â— dehere in qua primâ—m Apâ—â—oloâ—um sâ—orum vâ—â—uit Dâ—minus glâ—riâ—sissimo Marâ—â—rio câ—â—nari chi Eâ—â—â—â—â—a prâ—â—sidenteâ—â— B. Luâ—ceâ—â—ium si â—â—dire volâ—â—â—es sam ture poâ—â—â—uiâ—â—am â—â—ventutern tuam Pelagianis laqueis exâ—â—â—â—es do you therefore think that they are to be contemn'd because they are all of the Wesiern Church and no Eastern Bishop is mention'd amongst them What therefore shall we do saith Augustine since they are Greeks and we Latines I think that part of the World ought to suffice you in which our Lord was pleas'd to have the chief of his Apostles crown'd with a most glorious Martyrdom if you would have heard St. Innocent the President of this Church even then your dangerous Youth might have avoided the Snares of Pelagius Thus speaks Augustine of Innocent the first whose Presidence as special Head of the Western Church could not have been exprest in more clear words For although our Author would have it Author p. 131. That Augustine only thereby shews the Order and Dignity of the Roman See but doth not own any Subjection of the Western Churches to his Power since no Church did more vehemently withstand the Bishop of Romes Incroachments than the Churches of Africa did in St. Augustine's time Yet there is no body but may see that this subterfuge was invented meerly to elude the force of this Testimony for it is false that the African Church was exempted from Subjection to the Roman neither do the contests of the African Church for a short time about the exercise of some particular Jurisdictions which were ended after they had own'd the Canons of the Council of Sardica evince this St. Augustine gives his Testimony for the Patriarchal Right by which the Roman Bishop especially presides over the Western Church neither can it be said that Africa was not reckon'd by him amongst the Western Churches For Cyprian accounts the Primate of all Africa to be of the number of those Bishops which he affirms to be Western Bishops and discinguishes them from the Eastern Therefore Africa appertaind to the Western Church over which Churches Innocent Presided and that the President of it when he not by virtue of his Order and Dignity but by his Authority condemn'd the Pelagian Heresy ought to have been heard by Julian is here signified by Augustine as also the whole African Church had heard him after they had referred the matter of that Heresy to him as their Head. For when aster the referring of the cause they had received Rescripts back from the Apostolic See Now concerning this matter saith Augustine de verbis Apostoli Serm. D. Augustinus Jam de hac causa due Concilia miâ—sa sunt ad sedem Apostolicam inde etram rescripta venerunt causa si nita est error utinam finiatur 2. two Councils have been sent to the Apostolic See from thence also Rescripts have been sent back the Cause is determin'd would to God the Error were extinguished Thus Augustine shews that to be false and erroneous which a late Author de Disciplina Ecclesiae hath rashly utter'd viz. that the Africans did acknowledge no Patriarchal Jurisdiction of the Roman Bishop over their Province and that nothing further could be collected from Augustine then that the Roman Bishop had a Primacy amongst the Western Bishops 5. We have heard Augustin now let us hear Innocent himself whom Augustine extols For that most holy Man doth not only claim to himself as Bishop of the Universal Church a Power to determine in the Cause of the Pelagians but also challenges this as of special Right too belonging to him as he was the Head of the African and the other Occidental Churches in his Epistle ad Decentium Eugubinum Episcopum in these Words Inoncentius I. vid. in p. 24. Vidnum VIII For
France Spain or the interjacent Islands but Peter the Apostle or those which he or his Successors have ordain'd Priests so that 't is in vain for our Author to presume that England after so many Ages teaches otherwise and to affirm that this Testimony of Innocent doth not comprehend the British Churches De Marca understood Innocent quite in a different sense supposing that the British Islands were understood by the Islands mention'd by Innocent the Reason is because Innocent did not mention by name those Islands of the Mediterranean Sea which lye between Italy France and Africa but only mentions the interjacent Islands in general under which the British Islands adjacent to France and partly interjacent might and if we will believe antient Writers ought to be comprehended For from them it appears as is before prov'd that the Churches in the British Islands were instituted if not by Peter the Apostle or by Preachers sent by him yet at least by the Priests which his Successor Eleutherius constituted 9. Thus have I answer'd the Objection concerning Matter of Fact and now proceed to the Second which the Author urges against the Reason drawn from the Matter of Fact. Innocent so manifestly concludes from the Institution of the Western Churches that they ought to be subject to the Roman Patriarch that our Author confesses it cannot be denied Yet saith he let that be granted what connexion is there between receiving the Doctrine at first by those who came from thence and an Obligation to be subject to the Bishops of Rome in all their Orders and Traditions He asks the Reason of this Connexion let him hear it from Christ who would not have his Apostles to preach through the World unless they were sent for being about to ascend into Heaven he spake to them in these Words as we find in the last Chapter of Mark Go ye into all the World Mark. Chap. Last and preach the Gospel to every Creature And let him answer the Apostle Paul thus asking in his Epistle to the Romans For how shall they preach unless they are sent Epist to the Romans Doth not the Apostle here affirm that Mission is necessary in order to preaching of the Gospel Ought not all to acknowledg that there ought to be a special Authority when Churches are to be instituted by preaching and Priests and Bishops to be ordain'd So the Apostles having receiv'd Power from Heaven undertook to instruct the World by their preaching and dividing amongst themselves the Regions of the whole Earth instituted Churches of which those only obtain'd Patriarchal Dignity in which Peter either by himself or by Mark his Disciple had placed Sees He himself presided at Antioch where he erected a See which govern'd the Eastern Patriarchate He sent Mark the Evangelist his Disciple to Alexandria whose See there erected constituted a Patriarchate which in St. Athanasius's time extended its Borders as far as India interior Carolus à S. Paulo in Geographia Sacra For as Carolus à S. Paulo in his Geographia Sacra truly observes This Custom prevail'd amongst the Ancients that the Provinces which were converted to Christianity should remain subject to that Patriarch by whose Industry and Vigilance they were first converted and so Aethiopia and India interior appertain'd to the See of Alexandria because Frumentius being sent thither by St. Athanasius preach'd the Gospel instructed the People in the Faith and ordain'd their Bishops as Ruffinus testifies he had learned from Aedesius So that it ought not to seem strange to us that the See of Rome should have obtain'd the Patriarchate of the West since the Prince of the Apostles chose that City for himself and instituted Churches throughout the West and no other Apostle ordained Bishops or Priests there but he reserved this Power to himself and his Successors This therefore is the Connexion between the receiving of their Doctrine from those which were sent from Rome and the Subjection of such who were converted by them which had their Mission from the Apostolic See because those Churches owe their Institution to the special Authority of the Roman Bishop so that Innocent the First rightly said that the Churches which had their Institution from the Apostolic See ought not to attend to the Instruction of Strangers but to consult the Roman Bishop * Ne caput Institutionum videantar omittere least they might seem to omit a chief point of their Institutions 10. The Author obviates this argument p. 68 by asserting from antient Tradition out of Notkerus Notkerus Balbulus 8 Calend. Junii Author p. 59. that Lucius after he was converted leaving his Kingdom converted all Rhetia and part of Bavaria to the Christian Faith by his Preaching and Miracles If so saith our Author the British Church on the account of King Lucius his converting their Country hath as much Right to challenge Superiority over Bavaria and Rhetia as the Church of Rome hath over the British Church on the account of the Conversion of Lucius by Eleutherius The first words of the Author here are to be observed If so saith he so that he seems very much to doubt of the truth of the thing Neither can it be said that the matter of fact is evident for whether we consult Regino Abbas Prumiensis Hermannus Contractus Sigebertus Gemblacensis or other German Historians Or Galfridus Monemuthensis Mattheus Westmonasteriensis and other English Writers these latter write that Lucius died in Britain the former do not tell us that he Preach'd the Gospel in Germany and there suffer'd Martyrdom And if we look into the more ancient Martyrologies we shall not find one word in them of Lucius his dying in Germany Venerable Bede may be consulted who hath nothing either at the Third of November or any other day concerning this matter Also a more ancient Martyrology of the Western Church attributed to St. Jerom lately Printed at Lucca makes no mention of Lucius his being buried in Germany An old Martyrology set forth by Rosweidus since Baronius died no where makes mention of Lucius King of England his being the Apostle of Bavaria and Rhetia Nor is he remembred in the Martyrologies of Rhabanas Maurus Vsuardus and Ado Viennensis And Notkerus is the first of all men who hath made mention of the Apostleship of Lucius in a Martyrology who notwithstanding doubted whether Lucius King of England were the Apostle of Bavaria and Rhetia or some other Holy man named Lucius Whether saith he ad 5. Kal. Jun. it was he that was heretofore King or whatsoever servant of God it was So that the thing was doubted of in Germany it self where Notkerus wrote Notkerius in Martyrologio Sive Rex quondam ille sive quicunque servus Dei fuerit even in Notkerus his time And if it were another Lucius and not the King of England who was Apostle of Bavaria if I mistake not our Authors argument for Englands Authority over Bavaria falls to the ground which
Bulgarians called Bulgaria Nicholaus the First gives us the Names of those Roman Bishops which the Lagates sent by Adrian the Second to Constantinople makes mention of without reciting their Names Epist 2 Nicholaus primus Epist ad Michaclem Imperatâ—râ—m Vid. â—um XIV when he wrote to Michael the Emperor concerning the Illyrican Diocess Which was in the time of our Ancestors enlarged by the Sacred Dispositions of the Holy Popes Damasus Siriciuâ— Innocentius Bonifacius Coelestinus Sixtus Leo Hilarius Simplicius Faelix Hormisda Whose Institutions sign'd by them in those Parts we have taken care to direct to your Imperial Majesty by our Legates to the intent that you may know the truth of this Matter And the Decretal Epistles of these Popes which were extant in the times of Adrian the Second and Nicholaus the First are those which De Marca never saw and which the learned Men of his Time lamented the loss of as a great Damage to Ecclesiastical Learning the Apostolic See it self not being able to produce them Because it had lost those Decretals formerly kept in its Registry as either burnt or torn upon the Incursion of Enemies or spoil'd by the Injury of Time. Wherefore they were to be fetch'd from some other place were they any where to be found as Lucas Holstenius really did near thirty years since who having made search amongst the Manuscripts of divers Countries found the Acts of the Roman Synod under Boniface the Second in which it is related that Theodosius Bishop of Ecchinus cited many of the Epistles of the foresaid Popes which manifestly demonstrated the Roman Patriarchal Power over Illyricum 3. I omit the Epistles of Damasus and Siricius and begin with those of Innocent the First whom I before mention'd in that which is fourth in order according to Holstenius he makes mention of his Predecessors in these Words To you saith he speaking to Anysius Bishop of Thessalonica Innocentius primus Epistola inter Holstenianas 4. Vid. num XV. Vicar of the Apostolic See in Illyricum Such and so great Men my Predecessors heretofore in this See that is to say Damasus Siricius and the above mention'd viz. Anastasius of blessed Memory have shew'd so much deference that they have given your Holiness who are most just a Power to take cognisance of all things that were done in those Parts I give you again to understand that I the least of them am of the same Judgment and desire the same thing Which is also confirm'd by Innocent in his Epistle to Rufus Successor to Anysius and by Caelestinus who writing to Perigenes Reynatus Basilius and other Illyrican Bishops told them that he did not appoint any new thing Neither saith he Coâ—leâ—â—inus primus Epistola 13. meer Holsten Vid. num XVI is this Care new which the Apostolic See takes of you this Experiment we make use of has been often order'd by our Ancestors the watchful Superintendence over you was ever given in charge to the Church of Thessalonica And afterwards there are some Faults not of a light nature which being innate to those Provinces cannot come to us who are at so great a distance or all being now so remote they are not related unto us after some space of time as they were first acted All which by the Intercession of our Brother and Fellow-bishop Rufus whose Experience 't is clear has been approv'd in all Causes and Acts of his Life our Will is be rescinded To whom we have delegated our Authority over your Province that to him most dear Brethren all your Causes may be refer'd let none be ordain'd without his Advice let none enter upon his Province without consulting him let them not presume to call an Assembly of Bishops without his Consent if there be any thing to be refer'd to us let it be done by him Sixtus the Third in his Epistle to Perigenes confirms the same to Anastasius Successor to Rufus testifying that he knew of no new thing that was granted to him but that saith he Sixtus III. Epist ad Perigenem inter Holsten Vid. num XVII Ejusdem ad Episcopes Illyrici inter Holsten Epistola 17. Vid. ibid. which our Predecessors delegated to his Predecessors having regard to Ecclesiastical Discipline is now again constituted He confirms the same things in his Epistle to the Synod of Thessalonica as also in his Epistle to all the Bishops of Illyricum where he saith thus All the Illyrican Churches as we have receiv'd from our Ancestors and we our selves have confirm'd are now under the charge of the Archbishop of Thessalonica that by his care he may determine those Controversies which sometimes arise amongst his Brethren and that all things which are done by any particular Priests may be refer'd to him Let there be a Council call'd when it is needful and as often as he having regard to emergent necessities shall order it that the Apostolic See being inform'd by his Relation as in good reason it ought to be may confirm its Acts. And these things if I am not deceiv'd do plainly shew that Theodosius Bishop of Ecchinus did speak truth Synodus Romanus sub Bonifacio Vid. num XVIII when in the Roman Synod before Pope Boniface he said it was manifest that although the Apostolic See justly claims the principality over all Churches in the whole World it was necessary that to it alone Appeals should be made in Ecclesiastical Causes yet that the Venerable Bishops of the Roman See did in a more especial manner claim a Jurisdiction over the Illyrican Churches 4. That Illyricum was subject to the Roman Patriarchate is so manifest from the above cited Testimonies that no body can deny it seeing therefore that the Illyrican Churches had not their first institution from Peter or his Successors some may deduce from thence that it is not at all necessary for the asserting of the British Church's Subjection to the Roman Patriarchate that it should have been instituted by Peter or his Successors Our Author therefore foreseeing this since he could not deny the Testimonies of the Decretals above mentioned resolv'd to oppose them asserting that the Roman Bishops who wrote those Decretal Epistles were guilty of Innovation and Usurpation over the Rites of Metropolitans Let us hear his feigned Stories which since they abound with Errors are to be exposed to the end that they may be confuted Writing therefore concerning the Power of the Roman Patriarch over Illyricum as delegated to the Bishop of Thessalonica by the Decretal Epistles above mention'd He saith that Leo himself in his Epistle to Anastasius Author p. 115. derives this Authority no higher than from Siricius who gave it to Anysius Bishop of Thessalonica certa tum primum ratione commisit ut per illam Provinciam positis quas ad disciplinam teneri voluit Ecclesiis subveniret Siricius immediately succeeded Damasus who died according to Holstenius 11. Dec. 384. three years after the Council of Constantinople had advanced
the foremention'd Epistle of Agatho and inserting it into their Synodical Acts. The Western Bishops sent this Epistle to those of the East and which is chiefly to be here considered the British Bishops made it their own by subscribing to it And all the Eastern Bishops gave their Approbation to it by inserting it into their Acts. So that all who contradict this Epistle may be said to oppose the Judgment both of the Eastern and Western Bishops and that the English whilst they deny its Authority recede from the Judgment of their Ancestors and affect to be wiser than their Fore-fathers Neither is the Authority of Agatho's Epistle of the less force because it was written after Augustin's coming into England for there is no Innovation in that Epistle but the ancient Custom of the Church is kept up according to which Justinian the Emperor declar'd before Agatho's time that the Roman Patriarch had presided over the whole West and so consequently over Britain as appears from his 109th Novel in which he mentions five Patriarchates and the Roman as the only Western Patriarchate the rest as Eastern Justinianus Imperator Totius Oâ—bis terrarum Patriarchae seilicet Hesperiae Romae hujus Regiae civitatis Alexandriae Theopoleâ—â— Hierosolymorum omnes qui sub eis constituti sum Sanctissimi Episâ—â—pi Aposcolicam praedicant fidem atque traditionem The Patriarchs saith he of the whole World viz. of Hesperia and Rome and of this Imperial City and of Alexandria and Theopolis and Jerusalem and all the most Holy Bishops that are constituted under these preach the Apostolic Faith and Tradition The whole World is here by Justinian divided into five Patriarchates four of which were said to preside over the various Eastern Diocesses only the Roman over Hesperia that is the Western Diocesses and their most Holy Bishops so that the British Bishops which are contain'd here as being in one of the Western Diocesses did belong to the Hesperian or Western Patriarchate as the first Synod of Arles long before Justinian hath consecrated to Posterity which we shall see in the next Chapter CHAP. IV. Concerning the Greater Dioceses attributed to Pope Sylvester by the Council of Arles 1. The Fathers of the Council of Arles in the year 314. did not only refer the first Canon concerning the observation of Easter but also all the rest to Sylvester whom they have affirmed to hold the Greater Dioceses not the Greater Diocese as our Author would have it 2. A Diocese of old signified a Tract of several Provinces under the administration of one as is shewn from the Notitia Imperii which was written before the time of Honorius and Arcadius so that when the Fathers of the Council of Arles wrote that Sylvester held the Greater Dioceses they signified thereby that he presided over the Dioceses of the West to avoid the admission of which the Author Substitutes the the word Diocese in the place of Dioceses 3. Our Author shews the reasons which mov'd him to do this and this among the rest because the Empire was not only not divided into Dioceses by Constantine at the time of the Council of Arles but also because the name of Diocese doth not seem to have been known at the time of the Council of Nice In the latter of which his great mistake is prov'd from the Epistle which Constantine sent to all the Churches in the time of the Nicene Council since in that Epistle there is mention made of the Pontic and Asian Dioceses 4. Although it might so fall out that in the time of the Council of Arles the Empire was not as yet divided into thirteen Dioceses under four Praefecti Praetorio by Constantine yet it doth not follow from thence that the name of Dioceses was not known before Onuphrius Panuinus affirms that the Provinces were known by the name of lesser Dioceses from the time of Adrian the Emperor so that there is no reason why those might not have been called Greater Dioceses which Sextus Rufus and the Fathers of the Council of Arles contradistinguished from the lesser Dioceses 5. Although our Authors seem in words to deny that the Fathers of the first Council of Arles had any knowledge of the Greater Dioceses yet he in effect proves the thing whilst he affirms that the words Greater Diocese should be inserted in the place of Greater Dioceses 6. The Fathers of Italy France Africa Spain and Britain being assembled at Arles in the first Canon refer the Decree for the observing of one and the same day for Easter throughout the whole World or according as others read it throughout every City to Sylvester that he might Send Letters to them all by which Decree they acknowledge him to be their Superior 7. Our Author is of opinion that the Authority of declaring when Easter day should be observ'd was taken from Sylvester by the Nicene Synod and given to the Patriarch of Alexandria But the grossness of his Errors is discover'd from the Testimony of Leo the Great and Innocent the Third 8. Although it be granted that the first Canon of the Council of Arles saith that Sylvester ought to have given notice throughout the whole World on what day Easter should be observ'd yet it is made good from the Testimony of Cyril Patriarch of Alexandria that the Popes Power was not at all diminished in the Council of Nice since from that Testimony it appears that the computation of the Paschal Solemnity was committed to the Bishop of Alexandria but the publication of it was left to the Bishop of Rome 9. It is therefore false to say that the Nicene Synod did at all detract from the Pontifical Authority which Victor long before exercised upon the occasion of the celebration of Easter as appears from that part of the Synod of Palestine which is left us and by the Testimony of Polycrates the Ephesian 10. Victor either endeavour'd to Excommunicate or did indeed Excommunicate those of Asia who refused to obey his command concerning the observation of Easter-day from whence his Pontifical Authority is evinced which that it extends it self over the whole World as likewise his Patriarchal doth over the whole West our Author even against his will is forced to acknowledg from the first Canon of the Synod of Arles AMongst the various Monuments of Antitiquity which make proof of the Patriarchal Authority of the Roman Bishop over all the West that is not of small moment which the Fathers of the first Council of Arles have consecrated to the memory of Posterity For when they were Assembled together from France Spain Britainy Africa and Italy at the very beginning of the flourishing state of the Church they made twenty two Canons in the first of which they treat concerning the observation of the Feast of Easter upon one and the same day in all parts of the World and adds that Pope Sylvester ought according to Custom to direct his Letters to all
in that of the Vatican which is eight hundred years old with which the Synodical Epistle agrees Censemus ergo Epistola Synodica Patrum Arelatonâ—â—â— Pascha Domini per Orbem totum una die observari We therefore think fit that Easter be observ'd on the same day throughout the whole World. But what will our Author deduce from this way of reading the Words in favour of his Opinion Perhaps that in the time of the Council of Arles it belong'd of right to Sylvester to publish Easter-day throughout the whole World and that at the time of the Council of Nice this Prerogative of Papal Jurisdiction was taken from him But the Nicene Fathers were so far from correcting any thing in reference to this Publication that the same Authority which the first Canon of the Council of Arles shews the Roman Bishop to have used about the Publication the same he continued still to use according to the Canons of the Council of Nice as St. Cyril Patriarch of Alexandria testifies in the Preface to his Paschal Cycle which Bucherius in Appendice ad Doctrinam temporum first published from the Manuscripts It is decreed saith Cyril Cyrillus Alexandrinus praefat ad Cyclum Vid. num XXVIII by the consent of the Synod of the Holy Fathers throughout the whole World that because there was such a Church found to be at Alexandria which was eminent for their Skill in finding out on what Day of the Kalends or Ides and in what Moon Easter ought to be celebrated this Church should every Year by their Letters intimate this to the Roman Church from whence by Apostolick Authority the universal Church might know without any further dispute the determin'd day of Easter throughout the whole World. Which rule being they had observ'd for many Ages and no one believed any writing concerning it c. so saith Cyril who having been Patriarch of Alexandria from the Year 412. could by no means be ignorant of what the Nicene Council had eighty seven Years before determin'd and enjoyn'd to his Predecessors in the said Patriarchate concerning the observation of Easter He testifies therefore that the computation of Easter was by the Nicene Council committed to the care of the Bishop of Alexandria and that he did yearly intimate the day to the Roman Church but that the Catholic Church throughout the whole World was to know the day not by the Authority of the Bishop of Alexandria but of the Apostolic See. 9. It is false therefore that the Nicene Council did any ways detract from the Roman Bishops Authority of publishing the Feast of Easter to be celebrated by all upon one and the same day The Council of Nice even after the computation was committed to the care of the Bishop of Alexandria left this Prerogative intire to the Apostolic See and that the Roman Bishops did for many ages make use of it is affirm'd by Cyril and taught by the Synod of Arles and Victor Pope and Martyr about the end of the second Age shews this in several Epistles in which he owns that the care of celebrating the Feast of Easter on the same day in all places belong'd to him 'T is to be lamented indeed that those Letters are lost but I cannot but think it a special Providence of God that an abstract of some of them has been preserv'd for us by a Priest of the Church of England who liv'd long since viz. Venerable Bede Fragmentum Synodi Palestinae apud Bedam Vid. num XXIX who Tomo 2. libro de Paschatis celebratione gives us a certain fragment of the Synod of Palestine in which are these words Then Victor Pope and Bishop of the City of Rome directed his Authority to Theophilus Bishop of Caesarea and Palestine that in that place wherein our Lord the Saviour of the World conversed when he was in the flesh there might be an useful order made for the Churches how Easter should be rightly celebrated by all Catholics The foresaid Bishop therefore having received this Authority assembled all the Bishops not only of his own Province but also from divers other Regions Where when that multitude of Prelates were convened Theophilus the Bishop produc'd the Authority that was delegated to him by Victor the Pope and shew'd them what was given him in charge to do So that here we have an evidence from one of the Epistles of Victor wherein he enjoyn'd Theophilus Metropolitan of Caesarea in Palestine to call a Council in which the Question concerning Easter should be discuss'd and that Polycrates Bishop of Ephesis obeyed the Authority of Victor appears by his writing back to him in this manner Polycrates Ephesinus Epist ad victorem I could likewise make mention of the Bishops who are with me whom you required me to assemble together as I have also done This Testimony of Polycrattes is extant in Eusebius Caesariensis who lib. 5. cap. 24. saith that Victor after Councils had been celebrated in several parts of the World set forth a Decree for the observation of Easter upon the same day every where and that he would have Excomunicated the Asiatics who refused to obey this Decree 10. Things being thus carried saith Eusebius Eusebius lib. 5. histor cap. Vid. num XXX Victor Bishop of Rome forthwith endeavours to cut off from the Catholic Communion all the Churches of Asia and the neighbouring Provinces as dissenters from the right Faith and by the Letters which he sent interdicts all the Brethren which were there and pronounces them to be wholly aliens from the unity of the Church The Letters which Eusebius hath here mention'd are lost to the great detriment of Ecclesiastical Learning For if they were extant it is probable it might be Collected from the very words of Victor how by vertue of his Supreme Pontifical Authority he Excommunicated Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus and other Asian Bishops or at least terrified them with the Sentence of Excommunication But whethersoever of these is ascribed to Victor it is certain that he exercised the Authority of his See concerning which no Catholic Bishop did then contend with him For Irenaeus and other Western Bishops did only exhort him that he would abstain from denouncing the Sentence of Excomunication or at least revoke it after it was denounc'd as I have shew'd elsewhere from Eusebius And let it suffice to have said thus much concerning the first Canon of the Council of Arles which is read two several ways in the Manuscripts in some thus that the Fathers of the Council of Arles refer the Decree to Sylvester for the celebration of the Feast of Easter upon one and the same day per omnem Vrbem through every City in others per omnem Orbem through the whole World. Our Author may make choice of which of these Readings he shall think fit for he cannot reasonably deny but that the Patriarchal or Papal Authority is proved from hence nay if he be wise he will admit of
Age the British Bishops who as St. Athanasius testifies were present at the Council of Sardica opposed the Eusebians and contended that Athanasius was rightly absolved by Julius the First that they permitted Appeals to be made to the Apostolic See from all Provinces of the Christian World and that they declared the Memory of Peter the Apostle was to be honour'd in the Roman Bishop For so the British Prelates who together with the three hundred Bishops assembled at the Council of Sardica Canon 3. have decreed Let us honour the Memory of St. Peter the Apostle Canon 3. Sardicensis Vid. num XL. that those who have examin'd the Cause may write to Julius the Bishop of Rome and if he judges it should be heard again let it be again heard and let him assign the Judges but if he upon trial find the cause to be such that it ought not to have a second hearing what he decrees in this kind shall stand firm Whereupon the same British Bishops after the Canons were established in their Synodical Epistles ex Cresconii collectione Hilarii fragmentis Tom. 2. Conciliorum apud Labbeum edita wrote to Julius the First Epistola Synodica Sardicensis Vid. num XLI that it seem'd best and most congruous that the Chief Priests out of every Province should refer their Causes to the Head that is to the See of Peter the Apostle What could the British Bishops have written more plainly than this that the Roman See was the Seat of Peter and the Head of the whole Church to which the Bishops throughout the whole World ought to refer Matters as in the Council of Sardica they refer'd the Condemnation of the Eusebians concerning whom they thus wrote to Pope Julius Vouchsafe to admonish all our Brethren Ibid. and Fellow-Bishops by your Letters that they do not receive their Epistles that is their Communicatory Letters In which thing the British Bishops agreed with St. Ambrose and the Italian Bishops who in the Synodical Epistle of the Council of Aquileia in this very same fourth Age Concilium Aquileiense Epist ad Gratianum Imperatorem Vid. num XLII wrote to Gratian the Emperor that the Roman Church was the Head of the whole Roman World from whence the Rights of venerable Admonition flow to all 4. There is an eminent Testimony of the Popes Primacy which is taken from the very Enemies of the Roman Faith born in Britain Pelagius a Britain being first accused of Heresie by Osorius a Spanish Priest at the Synod of Diospolis and afterwards by those of the West in an Eastern Synod under Theodotus Bishop of Antioch did not only suffer his Cause to be refer'd to Pope Innocent but he also directs Letters missive to to him wherein he gave an account of his Faith. Osorius gives Testimony of the Act of the former Synod in Apologia pro libertate arbitrii contra Pelagium telling us that John Bishop of Jerusalem did at least pronounce this Sentence in the Diospolitan Synod that the Brethren and their Epistles should be sent to St. Innocent the Pope of Rome Osorius Apologia prolibertate arbitrii Vid. num XLIII and that all were to stand to his Determination St. Augustine makes mention of the second Synod affirming Lib. 1. Contra Julianum Cap. 3. that Theodotus Bishop of Antioch presided in it and that he had the Letters by him which that Bishop and Praylus Bishop of Jerusalem sent to Innocent concerning this Matter D. Augustinus Lib. 2. de gratâ—a Christi Cap. 2.1 De Libro fidei quem Romanâ— ipsis litteris misit ad eundem Innocentium Lastly that Pelagius presented a Treatise containing his Faith to Innocent the First St. Augustine Lib. 2. de Gratia Christi Cap. 21. informs us in these Wâ—rds concerning the Treatise of his Faith which he sent to Rome together with Letters to the same Innocent Would â—elagius have suffered that his Cause should have been remov'd from the Synod of Eastern Bishops to the Tribunal of the Bishop of Rome and have been Solicitous to clear himself before Innocent in the Treatise of his Faith which he sent him if Innocent's Authority had not been at all valued in Britain the Place wherein Pelagius had his Birth and Education Would not he rather have declin'd the Sentence of the Apostolic See and rejected the Judgment of the Roman Church in this Point 5. It was so far from this that Celestius the Disciple of Pelagius and a Scotch-man being accused of the same Heresie in another part of the World by Paulinus Deacon to St. Ambrose and condemn'd in the Synod of Carthage in Africa thought fit to appeal to the Bishop of Rome for his Tryal This we find to be written by Marius Mercator in Commonitorio Marius Mercator in Commonitorio from which Sentence he thought fit to appeal to the Examen of the Bishop of Rome Could he judge him to be appeal'd to whom he thought to have no Authority to Judge Paulinus declar'd himself of another Opinion in the Libel he offer'd to Pope Zosimus speaking in this manner concerning Celestius he Paulinus in libello Zosimo Papae oblato that had made his Appeal to the Apostolic See was absent who ought to have maintained the Merits of his Appeal St. Ambrose's Deacon could not more evidently have asserted that the See Apostolic had a Right to receive Appeals and that Celestius ought to have pleaded the Points of his Appeal before the Roman Bishop as his Superior But although Celestius neglecting his first Appeal fled into Bsia and Thrace yet being driven thence Marius Mercator in Commonit he made all the hast he could to the City of Rome in the time of Pope Zosimus of blessed Memory as Mercator testifies and there after his Tergiversations and Errors were detected he and Pelagius were condemned by Pope Zosimus of blessed Memory concerning which Epistle of Zosimus sent throughout the whole World was confirm'd by the Subscriptions of the Holy Fathers as we are told in Commonitorio above mention'd with which St. Prosper agrees asserting that the Decrees which were made against â—elagius and Celestius were brought out of Africa to Pope Zosimus S. Prosper in Chronico which being approv'd of the Pelagian Heresie was condemn'd throughout the whole World. As far therefore as we can collect from the management of the whole Cause of Celestius and Pelagius it was so certain in the time of Innocent the First that it belong'd to the Tribunal of the Roman Bishop as Superior that not only the Eastern and African Councils freely acknowledge this but Pelagius and Celestius the very Pests of Mankind durst not deny it Moreover when the Epistle of Zosimus which condemn'd the Pelagian Heresie being transmitted through every Church under Heaven came at last to Britain there is no doubt to be made but that Heresie was condemned by the Subscriptions of the British Fathers Whence Venerable Bede observes that the Pelagian
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.
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