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authority_n	bishop_n	church_n	world_n	2,827	5	4.9082	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A26737	The ancient liberty of the Britannick church, and the legitimate exemption thereof from the Roman patriarchate discoursed on four positions, and asserted / by Isaac Basier ... ; three chapters concerning the priviledges of the Britannick church, &c., selected out of a Latin manuscript, entituled, Catholico-romanus pacificus, written by F.I. Barnes ... ; translated, and published for vulgar instruction, by Ri. Watson.; De antiqua ecclesiae Britannicae libertate. English	Basier, Isaac, 1607-1676.; Barnes, John, d. 1661. Catholico-romanus pacificus. English. Selections.; Watson, Richard, 1612-1685.	1661 (1661)	Wing B1029; ESTC R9065	27,797	82

was Legate of Gregory the Roman Bishop The same also appears out of the constancy of the Britains in their rejection of the said Augustin whom although sent Express by the Roman Pontifie that hee might preside over the Britains yet saith Bede All the Britain Bishops refused to acknowledge him for their Arch-Bishop as who had an Arch-Bishop of their own whosoever hee then was whom it would not bee hard to know from the prerogatives of his Metropoly and priviledge of his seat in Councils As for the state of the Britannick Churches and their partition it will bee worth our pains to search it in the undoubted Records of the British Antiquity From the very time therefore of Constantine the Great and so of the Nicene Council all Britany was in times past canton'd into three onely Provinces over which were after the Romane manner in temporal affairs three Romane Proconsuls or Praesidents as likewise in spiritual there praesided as many Arch-Bishops commonly called Metropolitans from their Metropolies or principal Cities wherein were resident both the secular and sacred Provost or Metropolitane The first of these three Provinces was called Maxima Caesariensis the Greatest Caesarian or inverted if either way to be Englished the Metropolitan whereof was the Bishop of York The second was called Britannia primo the first Britain the Metropolitane of which was the Bishop of London The third was Britannia secunda the second Britain called the Legionary Metropoly and thereof the Is●ane Bishop or Bishop of Ca●ruske in the Tract or County of Monmouth That was the state of this Metropoly from Lucius unto King Arthur in whose time the Metropolitical dignity was transferred to the Bishop of St. Davids to whom were subject as Suffragans the Welch Bishops until in the time of Henry the first or as some will have it Henry the third the same Metropolitane was reduced under the obedience of the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury Now whatsoever either in the Provinces themselves or Churches was afterward irregularly parjeted from abroad that cannot prejudice the Imperial authority to which belongs as we have before shewed both to dispense the external Government of the Church and to establish the jurisdictions which it limits Much less can a Usurpation advanced by force or fraud derogate from the Oecumenick decrees of the Ancient Fathers or frustrate so many most grave Canons venerable for their age published thereupon such as is the premised 6th Canon of the Nicene Council for the Ancient Prerogatives and the second Canon of the Constantinopolitan by which is charged That no Bishop approach any Churches situate without his bounds which most grave Canon I wish the Bishop of Rome had religiously observed the Peace of the Church had been better assured the Council goes on commanding that all bee kept according to what was defined at Nice And that these may not seem too remote from our Britain the Canon concludes in a general Sanction That all things ought to be done according to that custome of the Fathers in force But that such had been the custome of the Britains as to have all weighty affairs Synodically disputed within themselves appears out of Bede Moreover to have been in use that the Bishops of that Nation were consecrated by one Bishop Baronius himself somewhere observes At that time truly so beautiful was the state of affairs in Britain until some ages after the Council of Nice Augustin the Monk was sent by Gregory who what hee could not by right first by fraud then by the armed assistance of Ethelbert and his new-converted Anglo-Saxons indeavoured to force the Catholick Bishops of Britain to acknowledge and receive him for their Arch-Bishop but they couragiously replied That they could not abandon their ancient Priviledges and subject themselves to the mandates of strangers That any other custome had been in the sacred Government of the British Church no man can ever evince out of genuine Antiquity And so much concerning the second Position The third Position bearing proportion to the second The Britannick Church was 1 with very good right 2 restored by her Soveraign to her Ancient Ecclesiastical Liberty 3 and that according to the Rule of the Ancient Catholick Canons by which was confirmed for the future the intire Liberty of the Churches TO the first whatsoever the Rebels at this day on either side falsely alledge to the contrary it appears out of very many Histories and the Authentick Chronicles that the Kingdome of England hath been an Empire and so accounted in the world which was governed by one supream Head or King both in Spirituals and Temporals and that wholly independent of any forein Prince or Supremacy whatsoever on earth This is the very marrow expressed from the formal words of a statute at large set out to this purpose by the Assembly of Parliament that is of the whole Kingdome in the 24th year of King Henry the eighth chap. 12. At which time the three Estates of England to wit the Clergy Nobility and Commons willing to recall the Ancient Rights of the Kingdome taken away rather by force and power than any Rule of the Canons decreed to have controversies ended within the bounds of the Kingdome without any appeal to foreiners which indeed is one principal prerogative of a Patriarchal Jurisdiction But upon this whole Britannick affair the thing most worthy our observation is That this decree for the liberty of the Britannick Churches was not introductive of a new Law as in spight to the Kings of Britain new upstarts calumniate who are either ignorant of or opposite to the Britannick priviledge but the said decree was onely declarative of an Ancient Custome which had constantly prevailed in England eight hundred years since and so many ages before yea and was intirely renewed as often as occasion required Concerning this most just assertion wee attest the ample Margin filled with a long train of the Ancient Britannick Statutes which the ingenuous Reader may be pleased at leisure to view and consider Whence by induction of parts will appear that this was no new enterprize nor a single irregular act of Henry the eighth alone but that long before the time of Henry the eighth this had been the ancient Supremacy of all the Kings of England over all persons and in all causes whatsoever so well Ecclesiastick as Temporal Wee proceed to the second and prove the Ancient state of the Church to have been such out of the undoubted Monuments of the Britannick Church where first wee may collect out of the fore-cited Venerable Bede as also Henry of Huntington no less than the rest That Augustine the Monk stirred up Ethelbert King of Kent against the Bishops of the Britains because they in behalf of the Ancient Britannick Liberty denied to subject themselves and their Churches unto the Roman Legate Yet further Huntington adds that neither the Britains nor Scots that is the Irish would therefore communicate with the English and

matter of fact whereto the Roman Bishop himself that I may speak the truth as gently as may be was at least accessory and therefore can be no competent Judge of the cause but rather if the business would bear a controversie it were to be presented to a truly Oecumenical or general free Council rightly and legitimately called Now so far is it from that the Britannick Church even refused to present her self or her cause before the Tribunal of such a Council that the Britannick Church rather holds a general Council to be above any Patriarch even the Roman himself according to that pair of Councils held at Basil and Constance This the Britannick holds together with the Gallican Church a renewing of the ancient concord with which Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so far as conscience permits were even at this time much to be wished it being manifest that above a thousand years since much friendship passed between the Gallican and the Britannick Church even at that time when the Britannick Church did not communicate with the Roman and certainly if both parties would mutually understand one the other without prejudice and that of the two which is in the extream would remit of its rigour that consent of the Britannick Church with the Gallican would not be so improbable as it seems at the first aspect to them that are ignorant of both or either But this onely by the way To our purpose again Wee say the Britannick Church doth so reverence the General Councils that she hath provided by a special Statute That not any one endued with spiritual jurisdiction shall declare or administer his Ecclesiastical censures or adjudge any matter or cause to be heresie but onely such as before had been determined ordered or adjudged to be heresie by the authority of the Canonical Scriptures or by the first four General Councils or any of them or by any other General Council This was in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth the very Catholick sense of the Britannick Church and her due esteem of General Councils which the old Parliament openly testified in the solemn Assembly of that whole Kingdome for we disdain to make mention in this place of the Cabals or Conventicles now adayes which reign in the turbulent rebellious State of that Church and Republick for those swarms of Sects are onely the Cancers and Impostemes of that lately famous Church which no more belong to the sacred body of the Britannick Church than a wenn doth to the body natural And truly if heretofore the great Mother of us all the Catholick Church seemed almost universally to be utterly swallowed by a sudden deluge of Arrianism what wonder is it if the Britannick Church but one of her daughters lye under the same fate for a time This for the first point Concerning the second it is to be very much observed That the Britannick Church at the time of her withdrawing was not truly in fact much less by right subject to the Bishop of Rome having been years before her reformation under Edward 6. altogether exempt from the Roman Patriarchate to wit by the Imperial Authority and by that of Prince Henry the eighth whom to have been impowred to do it by right appears before in the first Position But what occasion soever of the withdrawing at that time shall bee pretended it cannot prejudice the Royal Right or any way derogate from the ancient Custome of the Britannick Church Nay the British Nation could not have opposed either of the two without being hainously guilty both of Rebellion and Schism especially since that whole business of the Church's restitution was transacted with the express consent of the Britannick Clergy then Romane a Provincial Council of which alone in defect of a General was at that time the supream meerly Ecclesiastick tribunal of the Britannick Nation whereunto onely the Britannick Church ought to be or indeed could be subject because in that article of time no Council truly general sate As for that of Trent which afterward followed it was at highest onely Patriarchal to which consequently the Britannick Church before exempt by lawful authority from the Romane Patriarchate was no way subject Whereas therefore the Britannick Church can be said to have opposed it self to no lawful Ecclesiastick Authority at all which notwithstanding inseparably is of the essence of Schism certain it is that Church is no way Schismatical but on the contrary side the Britannick Church according to the singular moderation and Christian love she perpetually sheweth toward all Christians as she keeps off from her external Communion no Christian of what ever communion he be so that he hold the foundation intire but unless a most just excommunication put a bar opens her Catholick bosome and draws forth her holy breasts to any genuine Nursling of the Catholick Church so as well in Faith as the internal Communion of Charity as likewise in the external Communion of the Catholick Hierarchy and Liturgy yea and Ceremonies also she yet cherisheth and professeth an undivided peace and consent with the Catholick Church from which the Britannick Church never did nor ever will separate her self as being alwaies most tenacious of the whole truly Catholick foundation For one thing it is on the hinge of which just distinction is the whole state of this great controversie turned one thing I say it is to separate her self from the Catholick or Universal Church and to form to her self a Congregation or Religion apart different from the Catholick Church as in times past the Donatists did another not to communicate in all with some one particular Church as for instance the Latine or rather to abstain from the external worship which is used by some persons in some places under an express Protestation for thence is sprung the modest and innocent title of Protestants under Protestation I say so soon as the occasion of scandal should be taken away of reconciliation and under a vow not so much out of any absolute necessity as for publick peace and Catholick unity's sake of returning to the Communion of that particular Church from which that the Protestants were estranged yea in the latter age violently driven away by thunder and sword and fire is better known out of history than to want any proof or further amplification It appears therefore out of the Premises that the Britannick Church constituted in this as I may say her passive state of separation from the communion of the Bishop of Rome is wholly free from all blemish of Schism by reason that the Bishop of Rome himself first of all interrupted Christian communion with the Britannick Church and yet further inderdicteth the Britannick Church his communion and in that again the Pope extolleth himself above a General Council lawfully called unto which the Britannick Church hath ever attributed the decisive judgement while in his Bull of the Lords Supper he forbids an appeal from himself to a general Council To

breath rather than consent to the Schismaticks in the extermination of Catholick Episcopacy which under a most false pretence of Religion stubborn traiterous persons sworn enemies of the whole Catholick Church of Religion it self and Christian Truth as also of all Empire and Monarchy attempt by force of arms abandoning the whole Royal Authority Whom the Best and Greatest God the severe assertour of Catholick Unity vouchsafe to disperse in his own time and recollect at length the Britannick Church heretofore a very illustrious part of the Christian world yea the whole Christian Universe it self as one flock under one Shepheard Amen S. D. G. Can. VI. Concil Nicaen I. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A LETTER TO THE Right Honourable THE Lord Hopton Importing the Occasion of writing the fore-going TREATISE TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE LORD HOPTON Baron of Straton c. My Lord THe inclosed from Dr. Basier was left with mee when he took his journey toward Italy Hee acquainted mee with part of the Contents which may put your Lordship in present expectation of two Manuscripts one of which is intended to Sir George Radcliffe I shall avoid all occasions I can of detaining them being loath to deprive your Lordship for an hour of the benefit which may be assuredly reaped by two Tracts so good in their several natures but the Doctors commands imposed upon another Gentleman and my self to search secure divers quotations in his own and the liberty hee granted of the other to be communicated for a time necessitate mee to crave your Lordships pardon and forbearance a little while one of the Books cited by him being not yet to be met with and the transcription not to be done in haste The occasion of the Doctors setting pen to Paper was taken from a Work which Mr. Chr. Iustell he who put out the Greek and Latine Councils your Lordship hath is about which he means to entitle Geographia Sacro-Politica making clear the distinctions of several Dioceses c. and asserting the priviledges of some Churches exempted from the Supremacy of the Roman The Doctor hath importuned him to enlarge somewhat about our Church and I think in my hearing prevailed with him for a promise This Diatribe hath prepared the way a little for him given him a sight of what he did not so particularly understand in reference to us The main businesse is the parallel of our with the Cyprian priviledge which I wish they may sufficiently prove to the satisfaction of the World I shall be very glad to hear your Lordships approbation of what the learned Doctor hath done toward it in the reading whose Book if any scruple retard you I may chance to remove it knowing the Authors meaning by the daily conversation and conference I had with him If I thought your Lordship had not the Lord Montrosse's History and Sr. Balthazar Iarbiers Vindication of the King as hee pretends already dispatched to you by another hand I would use all diligence to procure and send you them by the first being very ready wherein I may to express my self My Lord Your Lordships very faithful and most obsequious servant RI. WATSON Paris March 17. 1648. * Lord Hopton * Mr. Thomas Coventry * Paris * Dr. Basier Dr. Duncon a This very 28th Canon appears in all Greek Copies and although controverted by Pope Leo whom it seemed to concern yet we have seen and read the very same Canon likewise in an excellent Latine Copy the quadrate Characters whereof and other marks of Antiquity argue the Book to bee about one thousand years old This Copy is in the rich Library of the famous ●ustell who heretofore gave mee the liberty of seeing it There is also another ancient Latine Copy in the famous Library of the Noble Th●●●nus wherein yet the same Canon is to bee read so that wee may justly question the fidelity of the later Roman Copies which have it expunged * Acta inter Philip Pulch. Bonifac 8. * Deuter. 3● 5 † Numb 10.1 Rom. 13.6 s You are Bishops as to the interiour I as to the exteriour Isa. 49.23 † Lett. 23 24 25. Achrida now Ochrida Novel 131. c. 3. * Nicene Can. 6. Constantinop can 2. Ephesin can ult Hierocl Notit Provinciar Occidental in Append. Geogr. Sacr. Carol. à S. Paul edit Paris 1641. a The ordinary jurisdiction of the Praefecture over the City was concluded within the hundredth mile from the City b This difference seems to be between Patriarchs and Primates They that is the Patriarchs had ever the preference and precedence in Councils when as out of the Councils was little other than an identity of their Offices There are they who in a strict way of speaking will haw rather the rights of Metropolitans fixed in the Council of Nice but those of the Patriarchs after the Dioceses designed in the following Councils and namely in the Council of Chalcedon However that be it nothing retards our opinion concerning the ancient exemtion of the Britannick whether Metropolitane or Patriarch e The Exarchs of Dioceses are Patriarchs to whom intire Dioceses were attributed That Zonaras testifies upon this Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Further the definition of this Canon concerning the order of Judgements Iustinian confirms l. 46. C. De Episc. Et Cler. Et l. 2. C. de Episc. Audi Et Novel 123. cap. 22. These things Chr. Iustell the most famous searcher of Ecclesiastick Antiquities learnedly observes ad Can. 187. Concil Chalcedon d An Ancient Translation of these Canons hath mentioned those Suburbicaries expresly in a Latine Copy about eight hundred years old which is also extant in the Library of the famous Iustell The words of the Translation are Ut Episcopus Romanus Suburbicaria loca gubernet e That the British Nation had been converted to Christian Religion many ages before Augustin the Monk was sent into Britain by Gregory the Great appears out of the Holy Fathers as well Greek as Latine the chief of whom are Athanasius in secunda Epist. contra Arian Tertul. advers Iudaeos num 43. apud Pamel It appears likewise out of the ancient Gildas de Exidio Britanniae for hee refers the birth of Christianism in Britain to the highest time of Tiberius that is about the year 135. according to the computation of Baronius who confesseth that Britain was nine years elder than Rome in her Christianism Vid. Euseb. Pamphil. in Chronico Moreover Augustin the Monk himself acknowledgeth the Bishops of the Britains for truly Catholick notwithstanding their difference in Rites from the Romans yea and that when they refused to subject themselves to the Roman Bishop Beda lib. secundo Hist. cap. secundo * Beda Antiq. Britan p. 11. passim † Bed Hist. l. 2. c. 2. f There are not wanting very ancient Historians who impute the slaughter of the Britains to Augustine by whose instigation they say Ethelbert slew one thousand two hundred of them because they would not obey Augustine