submission to the Emperours pleasure He prohibited all disputations against the Doctrine of the Council of Nice by his Authority Dioscorus was Condemned and Proterius Establisht in his place The Legates of the Bishop of Rome in that Synod intreated the Moderators of the Council that Dioscorus should be required to recede which themselves had enjoyned not requested had they presided In the Sixteenth Article of that Synod the Decree was opposite to the Sentiments of the Popes Legates In that Article Anatolius Patriarch of Constantinople first subscribed whom Pope Gelasius recited as the chiefest Author of the Twenty seven Canons set put in that Synod Anno Domini 500. H.T. The first Nicene Council defined against Arrius That the Son of God is consubstantial to his Father and true God W.T. This Testimony is impertinently produced The Church of England doth detest Arrianisme as much as the Church of Rome H. T. 2. That he who holds the See of Rome is the Head and Chief of all the Patriarks seeing he is the first as Peter to whom Power Ecclesiastical is given over all Christian Princes and all People c. and whosoever shall contradict this is Excommunicated by the Synod Can. 39. Arab. W.T. We own a great veneration for the Great the first General Council the first Nicene From which track St. Ambrose would not recede for the peril of Death nor for the terror of the Sword Which St. Basil propounded for the Test whereby judgment is to be made of Hereticks As with St. Athanasius we wonder at their audaciousness who start any question in points that have past the determination of that Nicene Council so we cannot without astonishment resent the disingenuous fraud in counterfeiting so Venerable a Record in obtruding a Fable for an Oracle The more famous the Authority is of the Nicene Council the more infamous is the Impiety in falsifying it The alledged Thirty Ninth Arabick Canon may be unmaskt and then appear a Romish Imposture That there were but Twenty Genuine Canons of the Nicene Câ—uncil is proved by the Authority of Rufinus Isidore Theodoret Testimonies acknowledged by Baronius by Pope Stephen attested by Gratian by Two Hundred and Seventeen Bishops Convened in the Sixth Council of Carthage by unanimous suffrages of uncorrupt Antiquity The Nicene Synod was held the Year 316 the tumor the amplifying of the Canons to the number of Thirty in the Notion and Style of Arabick Canons produced above Twelve Hundred years after When they first appeared to the World they were pretended to be brought by Baptista Romanus from the Patriark of Alexandria set out by Alphonsus Pizanus and Franciscus Turrianus both of the same Society both zealous Advocates not only for asserting but straining the Pâ—pal Preheminence per fasque nefasque First inserted in the Edition of the Councils at Venice by Dominicus Nicolinus in the Year 1585. not above Five years before printed apart the Plantine Impression by Turrianus It appears at the first blush as strange an incongruity in Geography as Chronology at so great a distance of time and place to vindicate the Canons of the Nicene Council in the Fourth Century by an Arabick remote Evidence in the Sixteenth Century How have they been obscured dormant for so many Ages Turrianus the most confident Stickler for these Arabick Canons acknowledged there is no Record as to any Translation of these out of Greek to Arabick no proof no evidence but conjecture The wily Jesuit pretending to wave infinite other Testimonies in the smooth Rhetorick the subtle fallacy of his Mention by way of Omission insists on the Africane Fathers as sufficient Witnesses alledging unless they had certainly and exactly known this they would not so have written to Pope Boniface Because they could find Canons in no Greek Books they earnestly desire they might be senâ—â—o them out of the Churches of the East by the endeavours of Pope Boniface They speak of the rest of the Canons for Twenty they had sent by Cyrill of Alexandria and Atticus of Constantinople and recited in the Sixth Council of Carthage I am amazed that there should be so little integrity in a Person of so much Literature as Turrianus of the profest Society of the Holy Jesus the Name of a Saint being the Guilt the Impeachment of a Miscreant according to Salvian so notoriously to juggle and prevaricate For the clearer discovery of his Collusion and the more warrantable rejection of the additional Arabick Canons I shall offer a true summary Narrative of the transactions of the Africane Fathers falsly presented by Turrianus Apiarius being justly deliberately sentenced in Africa Synodically Excommunicated was unjustly unconsiderately Countenanced Acquitted at Rome one Party only being heard To promote his Restitution in the Sixth Carthage Council Pope Zozymus sent thither Three Legates who prest a Canon of the Nicene Council to justifie Appeals to Rome The African Fathers were startled at a Novel Claim abetted by an unheard of Canon wherein they first examined the Copy brought from Nice by Concilianus Arch-Bishop of Carthage in which they found no such Canon alledged However they were not prone to suspect any fraud in the Bishop of Rome where there is the greatest Truth there being also the greatest Charity but proceeded with an equal mixture of Prudence and Candour They resolved to transmit Mercuries to Constantinople Alexandria Antioch to procure Genuine Transcripts of the Nicene Canons and whilst the matter was in suspence they condescended to admit Appeals to Rome They imparted their design to the Legates implored their joint Assistance made several Addresses in this sincere pursuit of Truth to Three Popes in their Successions Zozymus Bonifacius Celestine After the concurrent Testimonies the Exact Copies sent from the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Alexandria after the discussion of 6 Years there being no contrary Evidence produced by either of the Popes recited or their Legates the African Bishops unanimously rejected the obtruded Canons as spurious and prohibited all Appeals from the African Churches to Rome There never was a more calm accurate mature ventilation of any Claim Never clearer Evidence Twenty Canons only found in the Archives of Constantinople Alexandria Antioch being searcht with great diligence as Baronius confesses Attious profest in his Rescript that Copy to be unmaimed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 St. Cyrill as confidently avouches the fidelity of his also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Never a more manifest Conviction of a Notorious Fraud whereto the Roman Legates being most probably too conscious would not close with the African Fathers in an unbyast untainted Scrutiny but reiterated their importunate Motion that the Examination and Decision might be referred entirely to the Bishop of Rome that the Criminal Party might be the sole Judge To palliate the Deformity of this Imposture other Adulterate Testimonies are vaunted of the Letter of Athanasius to Pope Marcus and the Rescript of Marcus which are not only by the Centurists and other Reformed Divines
trained up in the Corrupt Modern Romish Divinity stating it lawful to resist Princes in case of Infidelity Heresie or Tyranny which Bellarmine did not blush to aver to be the common sentiment of Divines H.T. Catholick Professors to the year 400. Domnus with 2000 Martyrs Lucianus Theodorus Paulus the first Eremite Jacobus Nissibitanus Spiridion Macharius Nicolaus Helena the Mother of Constantine the Great Constantine the first Christian Emperour Marcus Arethusius Nicetus Theodorus Antonius Hilarion Athanasius Paulus Constantinopolitanus Hilarius Martianus Basilius Hieronimus Epiphanius Patianus Ambrose Cyril of Jerusalem c. Nations converted Dacians Gebes Bessites Scythians Morines Armenians Hunnes Indians Aethiopians c. W.T. This is to bandy with and to rout your own shadow We most willingly refer our differences next to the Sacred Scripture to the Test of these and the precedent Primitive Worthies of the Church H.T. From the year of Christ 300. Chief Pastors General Councils 304 Marcellus The first Nicene Council Fathers 328 approved by Pope Sylvester An. Dom. 325. against Arrius 309 Eusebius  312 Melchiades  314 Sylvester Authors Cedrenus Photius Socrates Eusebius 336 Malchus  339 Julius The First Constantinopolitane Council Fathers 150 Pope Damasus presiding An. Dom. 381. against Macedonius 352 Liberius  358 Foelix 2.  367 Damasus  385 Siricius Authors Socrates Photius Baronius 398 Anastasius  W.T. These Authorities are Impertinencies as to the present dispute We reject not any Testimonies of the venerable Popes nominated that are not spurious If any of those be not ours 't is because they are not their own They may be espoused by such by whom they are corrupted Male dum recitas incipit esse tuus We adhere to the first Nicene Council and the first Constantinopolitan cited we explode the Heresie of Arrius condemned in the one and of Macedonius in the other That the Nicene Council was approved by Pope Sylvester was not singular it was allowed subscribed by all the other Bishops It was Sylvesters Suffrage his Consent not his Edict his Bull to ratifie it if Sylvester were then Living That it was in the time of his Successor Pope Julius Dr. Whitaker proves by the Testimonies of Sozomen l. 1. c. 17. Athanas. Apol. 2. Nicephor l. 7. c. 14. Beda in Chron. However that Council was convened governed confirmed it was by the Authority of Constantine the Great It is alledged by H. T. That Pope Damasus presided in the First Constantinopolitane Council Whereas Damasus was so far from being President of that he was not present in that Council not personally nor representatively by a Proxy by any Legate but Nectarius Arch-Bishop of Constantinople of Noble Extraction presided Bellarmines plea is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a subterfuge to evade not a proof to demonstrate That if Damasus had not been absent he had presided An Inference of no validity Vigilius Bishop of Rome sat in the Fifth Oecumenical but did not preside in it This Dignity was not fixt entail'd to the Papacy of Rome The Popes were Presidents in some Ancient Councils but not in all Not in the first Nicene not in the first or second Constantinopolitane not in the first or second Ephesine not in the Sardique not in the Carthaginian Council Had Damasus been President in the First Constantinopolitane Council Yet they would not have vindicated the transcendent Papal Prerogative in and over Councils challenged in later times not attempted aspired to in the Primitive Church Since Soveraigns began to be Christians Ecclesiastical Affairs depended upon them The greatest Synods have been and are convened by them This is solemnly attested by Socrates about the midst of the Fifth Century The Instanced first Constantinopolitane Council was summon'd establisht dismist by Theodosius the Emperour the Senior H.T. From the Year 400. 402 Innocentius I. The First Ephesine Council Fathers 200 Pope Celestine presiding Anno Dom. 431. against Nestor 417 Sozimus  419 Bonifacius I.  424 Calixtus I.  432 Sixtus III. Authors Nicephorus Baronius 440 Leo Magnus  461 Hilarius The Chalcedon Council Fathers 600 Pope Leo presiding Anno Dom. 451. against Eutyches 468 Simplicius  483 Felix  492 Gelasius I.  497 Anastasius Authors Leo Ep. 50. Baronius c. 499 Symmachus  W.T. I shall not contend touching the formal Musters of your Popes in point of Divinity or Chronology Pope Celestines presiding in the first Ephesine Council is easier asserted than proved Celestine was at that time personally engaged in an Italian Council which was not esteemed Oecumenical but its Contemporary the Ephesine consisting of the Eastern Bishops The Romish Champions plead that Pope Celestine did constitute St. Cyril of Alexandria to be his Proxy If I grant he did delegate his suffrage there being a singular Correspondence betwixt these two Orthodox Prelates yet not a Prerogative of presiding in the Council which though arbitrarily sometimes indulged to the Pope in person yet was not so necessarily annext to the Papal Dignity as to be challenged by his Legates as not in the Fifth Carthag Conc. It is testified by Sozomen that Vitus and Vincentius the Popes Legates in the Council of Nice â—ate in the Fourth place St. Cyril Patriarch of Alexandria had been active in confuting Nestorius in exciting the Emperour to summon the Council He was the most Eminent Prelate present the Patriarch of Constantinople being in umbrage under the Eclipse of a charge of Heresie so that it is most probable that he did preside not as substitute from Rome but as Patriarch of Alexandria even before any Declaration Pope Leo recites him as President of the first Ephesine Council without the least mention of any derivation or lustre from his Predecessor Pope Celestine This is expresly solemnly attested in the Code who ever was in the Nature of Moderator he was inferior to the Emperour in the transactions of that Council to Theodâ—sius who not only summoned establisht authothorised it but had a singular over ruling influence in regulating it in composing differences in it The Fathers convened in that Synod solemnly implored the Emperors Ratification True it is the first Ephesine Council in an Epistle to Pope Celestine gave him an account of their Proceedings against Nestorius but it was out of Amity not Duty a Conformity in point of Faith not a Submission in point of Power The Epistle is directed in a style of parity As touching the Council of Chalcedon If I grant the Popes Legates had a precedence by the favour of the Prince or the respect of the Fathers convened to the personal Eminence or Patriarchal Lustre of Leo the First Yet the Emperour Martianus did seem to preside as the grand Moderator in that Council at first personally immediately afterwards mediately by his Commissioners who are solemnly recited before the Fathers assembled However the Authoritative influence for the Convention Ratification of that Oecumenical Synod is clearly ascribed to the Emperour How solemn is the
Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in France the Scholar of St. Polycarp though he owned the Tenour of Pope Victor yet in his own and the concurrent Judgment of the Gallicane Divines he reprehended Victor with a Holy Acrimony When several points were warmly Controverted in the Africane Church within the Compass of the Third Century the present consideration St. Cyprian the Martyr Bishop of Carthage did not wait for a decision from Rome but did refer the Questions to be discust and determined by Africane Councils When St. Cornelius his Contemporary Bishop of Rome did intermeddle in the Ecclesiastical Affairs of his Province of Carthage St. Cyprian did hotly Resent and Expostulate the Encroachment In his Epistle he terms the Bishop of Rome a Colleague a Brother I deny not but the See of Rome was in the purest Antiquity consulted with from other Churches but it was Arbitrary of Choice not necessary of Duty it was prompted by a veneration had not to the power the Authority of the Roman See but to the Piety and Literature of the Roman Prelates for the first Three Centuries most of them died Martyrs Upon this account the Patriarlts and Bishops of other Churches were frequently consulted with out of the verge of their own Jurisdictions From the See of Rome the Judgment of St. Ambrose was implored from Millaine Sometimes Convicted Condemned Delinquents in other Churches repaired to the See of Rome as Fugitives to skulk as Sophisters to delude Such were Fortunatus and Felicissimus doomed in Africa Thus when Basilides was justly Excommunicated Deposed in Spain he fled to Rome and fraudulently wrought upon the facility of Pope Stephen not reputed Infallible this being not the Divinity of that Age to bustle in the behalf of himself and Martialis alike Criminal and alike Sentenced for their re-admission This precipitate unjustifiable attempt gave great offence to the Spanish Bishops who passionately complained of it to St. Cyprian and the other Bishops of Carthage requesting their Advice who unanimously animated them to persist in their Sentence of Excommunication not to submit to Stephanus not to re-admit such Malefactors Sabinus being rightly the Successor of Basilides ejected St. Cyprian confidently determin That it could not be rescinded by Pope Stephen Sometimes Innocent persecuted Persons in other Churches made their applications to the See of Româ— But it was as to a Sanctuary for refuge not as to a Tribunal for Judicature an address to the Pope not an Appeal This was the case of St. Athanasius his Successor St. Peter of St. Chrysostome St. Flavianus and others it was a resort as to an Orthodox Prelate because of the Communion of the same Faith not as to a Supreme Judge upon a Prerogative of Power it was for advice for solace not in expectation of a final Sentence of an irrevocable Decree Aeneas Sylvius afterwards Pope Pius the Second had so much Ingenuity as to acknowledge that before the Nicene Council every Bishop lived to himself and that there was small regard had to the Church of Rome Even after the Nicene Council the Primitive Bishops of Rome for a time would not assume to themselves Would not usurp that Power of deciding important difficulties beyond the limits of their own Patriarchal Jurisdiction I shall cull out two Instances in the Causes of two Learned Renowned but Persecuted Patriarks the one of Alexandria the other of Constantinople of St. Athanasius and St. Chrysostome In the former Constantius the Arrian Emperour being exasperated against St. Athanasius Liberius Bishop of Rome cajoled him supplicated him that a Council might be assembled at Alexandria he offered in effect the same reason for appointing Alexandria in the Cause of St. Athanasius that St Cyprian did in excepting against Rome in the African concerns Where the Party impeacht the Accusers Advocates and others interested may most fitly be convened This is recited in the admirable Colloquy as the Centurist of Magdeburg stile it betwixt Constantius and Liberius Liberius alledged no decisive Jurisdiction in himself in the See of Rome The later instance is the cause of St. Chrysostome wherein Pope Innocentius the first declared a necessity of a Synodal Convention to asswage the Tempest in the Church He asserted no Papal Oecumenical Power to determine Controversies He approved the Milevitan Council which prohibited Appeals in the African Churches unless to African Councils or Primates Excommunicates Appellants to transmarine Jurisdictions About Sixteen years after the Sixth Carthaginian Council which lasted six years having regularly chalked out the gradations of Appeals in the African Church absolutely debarred any to the See of Rome I have dilated this point because the Roman Champions lay so much stress upon it and that I may not need to ventilate to sift it any more in this Tract I have not yet examined the Proofs in the supposititious Decretal Epistles of Anacletus and Zepherinus The latter derives the Power of the Apostolick See from the Apostles and their Successors The former from the Apostles by the Commandment of our Lord. Fallacies are enwrapped shrowded in generalities No injunction of Christ or any of his Apostles is recited for the Papal final deciding of difficult Controversies De non existentibus de non apparentibus eadem est ratio What is not apparent may rationally be rejected as not existent After these false varnishes of Antiquity H. T. having marshalled the specious Pictures of a Gallery rather than the vigorous Forces of a Camp or the Arguments of the School he insults before he vanquishes or indeed encounters marches in Triumph like the Roman Emperour with his Army having collected Cockleshels not conquered any Enemies He quits the Field in this quarrel with a flaunting Trophee of Victory These were all Popes of Rome but no true Protestants I hope This Sarcasme is more imbitter'd with Gall than seasoned with Salt The Name of Protestants took its Rise in the year 1529 from the protestation of Six Princes and 14 Principal Cities of Germany an appeal from the Decree of the Diet to Caesar and to a future General Council or National of Germany and to all Judges not suspected These Protestants did and those who are so called do still own the Tenets in Religion of the Popes recited in this Third Century H.T. Catholick Professors to the year 300. Simplicius Callepodius Abdon Sennen Pammachius Tyburtius Valerianus Marcellinus Dorotheus Gordianus Pudentiana Triphon Elaesius Maximianus Clemens Barbara Agatha Apollonia Cyprianus Hippolytus Gregorius Thaumauturgus Laurentius Tharsus Cecilia Victorius Nemesius Olympius Adrianus Georgius Pantaleon Agens Barlain Jereon with his Companions Cosmas Damianus Mauritius with the Theban Legion c. W.T. This Muster of Names is no Hostile Battalia unless against your selves We assert a real affinity Doctrinal and Practical with these Saints and Martyrs whereas you degenerate from the Purity the Loyalty of their Principles The Theban Legion that brings up the Rear was not
this account St. Austin called the Jews a Scriniary Nation carrying the Law and the Prophets and the Library-keeper for Christians A Trust which they performed with singular fidelity which I shall not need assert by the Authority of Philo cited by Eusebius not of Origen and St. Jerom both confest Compurgators of the Jews Integrity by Learned Romanists I shall not need to add St Austins clear Evidences nor to muster up other Witnesses Ancient or Modern since Bellarmine himself was their solemn Advocate to acquit them from any aspersion of Corruption in the preservation of the Records of Sacred Scripture They would rather die a Hundred times saith Bellarmine a Thousand times saith Philo. To add more Force and Lustre to the solemn Authentick Suffrages of the Jews it is observed That neither Christ nor any of his Apostles in the New Testament did cite any passage out of those Books which are in the Old Testament Exploded from being Canonical Scripture by Reformed Churches called Ecclesiastical Books by St. Cyprian Apocryphal by others The Primitive Church never Exposed them for Canonical in the strictest sense viz. as stampt with Divine Inspiration as embraced with a true not equivocal Catholick Allowance for a Doctrinal Infallible Test. The grand proofs of Antiquity besides the Third distrusted Council of Carthage are the sentiments of two Popes Innocentius the First and Gelasius Both which may rationally be suspected for counterfeit Authorities there being no such extant till Three Hundred years after the dissolution of each As for the former the more clear and Venerable Testimony that of Innocentius the First if there were a reality of his Decree alledged there needed no probationary reference of the Forty-Seventh Canon in the Third Council of Carthage so much insisted on to the Judgment of Bonifacius inferiour to Innocentius the First for Age for Repute and Lustre To manifest the Romish Catalogue of Canonical Books of Scripture to be Novel and Unwarrantable I shall conclude this point with the summary Recapitulation of Dr. Cosin late Bishop of Durham after a copious distinct examination of particulars Thus have we hitherto taken an exact and perfect view of what the Catholick Church of God hath delivered concerning the Canon of Divine Scripture in all times and in all places In Judea by the Ancient Hebrews by Christ himself and by his Holy Apostles In Palestine and Syria by Justin Martyr Eusebius St. Jerome and Damascon In the Apostolical Churches of Asia by Melito Polycrates and Onesims In Phrygia Cappadocia Lycaonia and Cyprus by the Council of Laodicea St. Basil Amphilochius Epiphanius In Egypt by Clemens of Alexandria Origen and Athanasius In the Churches of Africa by Julius Tertulian St. Cyprian and St. Austin the Council of Carthage Junitius and Primasius In all the Five Patriarchates by St. Cyril St. John Chrysostome Anastasius St. Gregory Nicephorus and Balsamon In Greece by Dionisius Antiochus Adrianus Lentius Zonaras Philippus and Callistus In Italy by Philastrius Rusinus Cassiodore Commestor Balbus Antoninus Mirandula Cajetine and Pagnine In Spain by Isidore Hugo Cardinalis Paulus Burgensis Tostatus and Ximenius In France by St. Hilary the Divines of Marseils Victorinus of Poicâ—iers Charle Magnes Bishops Agobard Radulphus Honorius Petrus Cluniac Hugo and Richardus of St. Victors at Paris Beleth Petrus Collegn Hervaeus Natalis Faber and Chlictoveus In Germany and the Low Countreys by Rabanus Strabus Hermanus Contract Ado. Râ—pertus the Ordinary and Interlineary gloss upon the Bible the Gloss upon the Canon-Law Lyranus Dionysius Carthusianus Driedo and Ferus And in the Church of England by Venerable Bede Alcuin Giselbent Joh. Sarisburiensis Brito Ocham Thomas Anglicus and Thomas Waldon besides divers others that are not here numbred Thus far Doctor Cosin abbreviates his ample accurate History which as far as my Intelligence extends hath not been assayed to be answered by any Romanist It may with much more facility be reviled menaced than confuted Invectives Anathema's are the proper frequent Apologies for Convicted Errors With what Truth or Candor with what strength of Religion or Reason with what warrant of Piety or Antiquity the Canon of Scripture being there solemnly asserted universally establisht in all Climates in all Ages may in the Sixteenth Century of Christianity be contradicted controuled condemned by an inconsiderable number of Prelates assembled at Trent some thereof being Titular only all Homagers of the Papacy entirely swayed irresistibly influenced from the Conclave at Rome I refer it to all unbyast Intellectuals to all uncorrupt Judgments to determine H.T. In this Agâ— the Milevitane Council defined That whoever denyed Children newly born to be Baptized or says They contract nothing of Original Sin from Adam which may be cleansed by the lavoer of Regeneration c. Anathema W.T. I shall not insist upon the inadvertency in point of Chronology so precisely expressed in this Age. Whereas it is recorded in the several Editions of the Councils and generally by Annalists and Antiquaries Baronius not excepted that this Milevitan Council was held in the beginning of a former Century in the time of Pope Innocentius the First betwixt whom and the Fathers of that Synod there was a Mutual Correspondence of Letters Were the Date exact for the time yet was not the Citation apposite for the matter the Church of England solemnly declares what the Milevitan Council desines H.T. In this Age the Caesar Augustan Council decreed That Virgins who had vowed themselves to God should not be vailed till after 40 years probation W.T. I acknowledge this to be the last Decree of that Council and that it was approved by the suffrages of all the Bishops present all which being computed were but Twelve The Inscription of it is The Caesar Augustan Council of Twelve Bishops So it is set out in the large Editions of the Councils and in the summary Caranza If this Decree be of any grand Estimate and Validity why is it receded from in effect repealed in the Council of Trent that allows Virgins to be Votaries in Vails after Twelve years of Age Only Abbatisses and Prioresses are limited to the Age of Forty years If this be an uncancelled unvoided Decree alledged why is it not observed by the Romanists If it be cancelled and voided by them why is it objected to the Reformed This is no probate of a Succession but a Collusion H.T. In this Age Pope John the First decreed That Mass ought not to be celebrated but in places consecrated to our Lord unless great necessity should enforce it In his Epistle to the Bishops of divers plaâ—es giving this reason because it is written See thou offer not thy Holocausts in every place but in the place which the Lord thy God hath chosen Deut. 12. Anno 522. For as no other but Priests consecrated to our Lord ought to sing Masse and to offer Sacrifices upon our Lerd to our Lord upon the Altar so in no other but consecrated places
De consecrat dist 1. C. Sicut non alii W.T. To wave Exceptions as to the Authority of Pope John the First not obligatory because out of the Verge of his own Jurisdiction and as to the validity of the proof by a Mosaical Ritual Ceremonial Institution I shall only observe That this is no point contended for We allow distinct consecrated places and persons As to the numerous specious Testimonies the Instances and Arguments of H. T. for this Sixth Century there is but one and that ministerpreted out of the 3d Council of Carthage that hath any affinity to any Controversie betwixt the Romish and the Reformed Established Churches which with the rest are of no weight to demonstrate the Succession of the one or to evince that of the other They may conduce to amuze to delude an ignorant implicitly devoted Disciple but cannot convince and satisfie any unprejudiced circumspect Reader H. T. Catholick Professors to the Year 600. Gerardus Genovesa Columbus Oportuna Germanus Parisiensis Maria of Egypt Brigitta Simeon Salus Leander St. Benedict Institutor of the Holy Order of the Benedictine Monks Rupertus Maurus Placidus Arnulphus Radegundis Leonard Columbanus John Climacus Isaac Herminigildus Fortunatus Agricola Bonifacious Victor Eleutherius Gregorius Turonensis c. W.T. Though the purity of Christian Religion somewhat declined in this Century which did not shine with such bright Stars of the Church as the two former yet neither of the Professors recounted by H. T. nor other more Illustrious commemorated by the Centurists of Magdeburg and by Baronius in his Annals did assert the Religion of the present Church of Rome according to the Trentine Standard in those Tenents in which it is opposite to the Reformed Some of the Professors recited were Catholicks not Romanists as Mary of Egypt Brigitta of Scotland Neither the Egyptian nor Scottish Churches did in this Age own any Homage to the Papal Jurisdiction As for St. Benedict who is so distinctly signalized as being the Institutor of the Holy Order of the Benedictines I shall not question his Sanctity it being related by St. Gregory That it was the obloquy of Satan to asperse him with the brand of an opposite Title Maledictus I shall grant to St. Benedict the due Elogy the Historian applyes to Probus Vir sui nominis he did not recede from his own Name but the present Romanists recede from his Doctrine and Practice He did impose upon himself and others Religious Austerities no Superstitious Cruelties no Stripes or Manacles However Sacred and Refined this Order might be in itâ— Primitive Regularity whilst it was a Seminary of Piety and Literature of Virtues and Sciences as Trithemius sets it out who was himself a Benedictine who passionately complained of the degenerate Corruption in later times for Instance in the Thirteenth Century He acknowledges that there was no track of the Pristine Institution in the Monasteries of Germany Monks and Abbots rusht to a precipice of Vices The Learned moderate Cassander pathetically resents deplores the scandalous Monastical Depravations in his Age notoriously warping from the Original Rectitude confessing that there is no footstep no impression of a common Canonical Life Extant but in Fabricks and Names The prophaneness of the Monks did render the dissolution of the Monasteries in this Nation more practicable and feasible than otherwise it could possibly have proved H.T. Nations converted St. Augustine the Monk sent by Pope Gregory converted England The Northern Picts Goths Bavarians and Burgundians were also converted in this Age. W.T. I confess the memory of St. Austin the Monk ought to be precious and celebrated with a grateful respect but H. T. amplifies too much the Orb of this Luminary in ascribing to this Monk the Conversion of England Christian Religion being publickly profest in this Island before any other Climate or Countrey in the World the Gospel being planted here by Joseph of Arimathea in the Reign of Tiberius as 't is recorded by famous Antiquaries and even by Baronius How it fructified in succeeding Centuries before the Birth of Austin the Monk is evidenced by the solemn Recitals of Tertullian Origen Hilary and Chrysostome in their several Generations by the Episcopal Archi-Episcopal Dignities erected continued by the Repute and Lustre of those Prelates in Forreign Councils at Arles at Sardis at Arimine nay at Nice it self the British Bishops being Zealous Orthodox Sticklers at home and abroad in the Confutation the Extirpation of Arrianisme When St. Austin the Monk repaired to England his Pious heroique design was prepared and facilitated by the British Christians intermingled with Pagan Saxons tho' the most eminent Britains took Wales for their refuge together with their retinues yet multitudes of the Conquered remained in England disperst among the Conquerors The Influence of St. Austin the Monk was in a manner confined to Kent it extended little farther Even in Kent Austines Task wasless difficult being promoted by Queen Berta who made profession of Christian Religion before the Arrival of Austine had a Church in Canterbury for the Solemnity of Divine Service had a Bishop Luidhard to preside in it a Praecursor a Porter to St. Austin in Capgraves Expression Even Aidan and Finan whose Names are observed in Histories not flourisht in the Romish Calendars had more numerous Converts in England than Austin himself the Province of their successful Doctrines more enlarged As for the specious Relation of the Northern Picts Gothes Bavarians Burgundians rallied as converted in this Age they were Disciples of Antioch not of Rome they embraced the Evangelical unblemisht Doctrine they acknowledged no Papal unlimited Jurisdiction not challenged in this Age not by Austin the Monk in his Conference with the British Bishops and Monks he cajoled intreated a Conformity to the Rituals of the Roman Church in the Celebration of Baptism in the Observation of Easter he exacted no submission to the Authority Universal Supremacy of that Church This was reprehended branded by Pope Gregory whose Emissary he was by Pelagius before him in the same See of Rome nay by all Predecessors as Gregory himself attests Caetera desiderantur Greg. Naz. Cl. Al. Non colligi necessario esse ecclesiam ubi est successio Bellarm. l. 4. de Eccl. c. 8. Linus Clerus suerunt quidem ante Clementem Episcopl in urbe Roma Sed superstite Petro videlicet ut illi Episcopatus curam gererent ipse vero Apostolatus officium imp'eret Rusinus Praefat. ad libros recognitionum Epiphanius Haeres 27. A gloriosissimis Apostolis Petro Paulo Romae fâ—ndatur conslituitur Ecclesia Tertul. adv Mani l. 4. Fundantes instruentes Ecclesiam Lino Episcopatum tradiderunt Iraen l. 3. c. 8. Clem. in Epist. 1. ad Jacobum * Tertull. in l. de prescript cip 32. Iren. l. 3. c. 3. †Euseb. 〈◊〉 Eccl. l. 3. c. 13. * Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Ign. in Epist. ad Mar. Castobol †Bar. ad Ann. inslit 69. Sect. 39. ‖ Opt.