they teach that which they neuer learned And so examining all the Canons and Decrees alledged by the defendants he sheweth them That nothing hath bin done in prejudice of them setting before their eyes many examples of the same case of one Aegidius Archbishop of Reimes deposed in the citie of Metz by the Bishops of France and being confined to Strasbourge Romulph was made his successor because contrary to his faith giuen to king Childebert he had joyned in friendship with Chilperie And yet neuerthelesse saith he Gregorie the Great an earnest defender of the priuiledges of the Roman Church neuer spake word for or against these The same he affirmeth of Hebbo Archbishop of Reimes deposed for treason by the BB. of France at Thionuille c. What then saith he if our passage to Rome should by the swords of Barbarians be intercepted or that Rome it selfe seruing a Barbarian his couetousnesse and ambition mouing him thereunto in aliquod regnum efferatur note efferatur should be raised against any Realme shall there be in the meane time either no Councels or shall the Bishops of the whole world to the hurt or ouerthrow of their owne kings seeke for counsell and the calling of generall Councels at the hands of their enemies especially seeing the Nicene Canon which the Church of Rome acknowledgeth to be aboue all Councels and Decrees hath ordained That two Councels must be held euerie yeare and withall forbiddeth any respect to be had to the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome And to proue that the Churches were now in that state that they needed not any more to haue recourse to Rome To speake more plainely saith he and to confesse openly the truth After the fall of the Empire this citie hath vndone the Church of Alexandria and lost that of Antioch and to say nothing of Africa and Asia Europe it selfe is departed discedit For the Church of Constantinople is retired and the inward parts of Spaine know not her iudgements There is made therefore a departure as the Apostle speaketh not onely of nations but of Churches because the ministers of Antichrist who is now at hand haue alreadie possessed France and with all their force begin to presse vs too And as the same Apostle saith now the Mysterie of Iniquitie worketh onely that he that now holdeth may stil hold vntill he be taken away to the end that the sonne of perdition might be reuealed the man of sinne who opposeth himselfe and is exalted aboue the name of God and his seruice which now begins to be discouered in that the Roman powers are shaken religion ouerthrowne the name of God with oathes and blasphemies troden vnder foot and that without punishment and religion it selfe and the seruice of God contemned by the chiefe Priests themselues and that which is more Rome it selfe now almost left alone is departed from her selfe By this his speech giuing them plainly to vnderstand That then there was no respect had nor is now to be had of the Church of Rome but as it shall be seene to flourish with men of worth and learning at whose hands they were to seeke for counsell and if such be wanting then to seeke it elsewhere in Flanders Germanie or the vtmost parts of the world being tied to no particular place in the world A matter formerly concluded by many other Churches and therefore to be the rather executed by them because they felt more neerely the tyrannie of Rome now no more the seat of Peter whose memorie they did honour but of Antichrist himselfe Intreating them for a conclusion That since Rome had beene consulted by them but yet no forme of iudgement from thence had beene pronounced Cap. 29. 30. that they would aske counsell of the Canons By how many Bishops a Bishop conuicted of a crime may be heard and what sentence he is to receiue who refuseth to appeare to defend his owne cause Hereupon were read the tenth and seuenth Canons of the Councell of Carthage to which the defendants of the partie accused yeelding themselues the Bishop is sent for and commaunded by the Synod to take his place he presently either denying all or endeuouring to couer it Arnulph Bishop of Orleans made him presently to blush conuicteth him with his owne words confronted him with his owne domesticall seruants who were readie to go through fire water to make good their testimonie It was requested by some of the Abbots That he might haue libertie giuen him by the Synod to make choyce of whomsoeuer he liked best to be aduised by which was granted Whereupon he maketh choice of Siguin Bishop of Sens Arnulph of Orleans Cap. 30. 31.32.33.34.35.36.37.38.39.40.41.42.43.44.45.46.47.48.49 Bruno of Langres Godzman of Amiens in whose absence many Canons were read that concerned this question In the end being pressed after many tergiuersations partly by the force of such proofes as were brought against him partly by the pricke of his owne conscience Arnulph of Reimes breaketh out into an open confession of his sinnes with teares and gronings confessing much more than they knew and acknowledging himselfe vnworthie of his Priesthood Whereupon the Bishops of the Synod were sent for that being his owne witnesse and his owne judge he might before the multitude relate his owne cause Wherefore by his owne consent nay himselfe desiring it he was depriued of his Bishopricke Cap. 49. 50. onely there was a question of the forme for which they searched the auncient Councels And whilest diuers thought diuersly thereof some pitying him for his race some for his youth and the Bishops themselues moued with the ruine of their brother and that scandall that hereby fell vpon the Priestly dignitie in came the Kings and Peeres of France who putting themselues into that holy assemblie thanked the Bishops for their justice and that zeale and care they had shewed in this their Councell for the good and safetie of their Princes and withall desired to be further satisfied touching the whole course of their proceedings which presently was performed by Arnulph Bishop of Orleans And then the better to discharge the Synod of enuie and partialitie the partie accused was brought in to pronounce his owne condemnation with his owne mouth which he did in expresse words requiring neuerthelesse Arnulph of Orleans because shame stopped his owne mouth to relate the whole matter at large which hauing performed he asked him Whether he would confesse that which he had hitherto spoken of him which he affirming to be true the Bishop of Orleans willed him to cast himselfe downe before his Lords and Kings whom he had so hainously offended and confessing his fault to beg his life at their hands who being bent to mercie Let him liue say they for the loue of you and remaine vnder your custodie fearing neither yrons nor bands vpon condition that he offer not to saue himselfe by flight Whereupon that heigth of honours that by degrees he had attained vnto
persecution began to flame out more violently than before Baronius in the meane time hunteth on vpon the old sent and not able to contradict the veritie of these proceedings will yet persuade vs that the Bishops of Rome commaunded absolutely in all the Churches and so did they I confesse and we haue alreadie seene but too much of their ambition but as carelesly were they obeyed as hath alreadie beene declared and more plainely hereafter shal appeare First therefore saith he when as Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria Baron vol. 2. an 263. art 30. sequent in oppugning the heresie of Sabellius was accused by those of Pentapolis vnto Dionysius Bishop of Rome as hauing spoken some things not so properly concerning the sonne of God hee purged himselfe to the Bishop of Rome by letters And what I pray you could this good Bishop doe lesse in a slaunder of such importance especially to those to whom he had beene defamed But what of this forwardnesse of his must wee needs erect a Consistorie in the Church or doth Athanasius report it as a suit at law These fellowes saith he without euer asking him how he would be vnderstood 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 went to Rome and misreported of him He saith not That they accused him in forme of law but brandeth onely their pretended zeale with a marke of leuitie and rashnesse And as touching Dionysius Bishop of Rome he saith Athanas de Sententijs Dionysij That he sent him word what they had said of him and that thereupon the other wrot him backe presently his apologie And what I pray you is all this more than a brotherlie communication and entercourse of kindnesse betweene two good Bishops Secondly saith Baronius in the case of Samosatenus when he hatched his heresie in Antioch Baron an 265. art 10. sequent an 272. art 1. 2. Athanas lib. de Synod Euseb lib. 7. c. 29 30. Graec. c. 23. 24. Lat. they presently ran to the Bishop of Rome whereas yet Athanasius joyneth another with him in part of this praise and commendation Two Dionysius saith he the one of Rome the other of Alexandria ouerthrew Samosatenus What difference here betweene these two And Eusebius In a Synod saith he of verie many Bishops assembled in Antioch he was coÌ„demned of heresie cut off from all the Catholike Churches vnder heauen He saith not that these Bishops sent to Rome for a commission but wel he saith That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for this was the proper word i. assembled together with one accord they wrot a letter directed to Dionysius Bishop of Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to Maximus of Alexandria who lately had succeeded the other Dionysius in that See in particular and to the Bishops of all other Prouinces in generall to let them vnderstand what care they had taken in the quenching of this heresie And so goeth the verie inscription of this letter To Dionysius and to Maximus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to all other Bishops our fellow seruants throughout the world and to all the Vniuersall Church which is vnder heauen And what trace of that pretended Primacie find we in all this Thirdly Baron to 2. an 272. art 18. when as the heretike would not relinquish the Bishops house to Domnus elected in his roome by the Synod of the place he ran to Aurelian the Emperour not yet engaged in his persecutions against the Church And he saith Baronius as Eusebius reporteth Euseb li. 7 c. 24. Lat. c. 30 Graec. verie religiously ordained that liuerie of the house should be made and seisin giuen to whom the Bishops of this doctrine which were in Italie and in the citie of Rome should assigne it These are the words of Eusebius and thence concludeth he that Aurelian Pagan as he was yet acknowledged the power of the Bishop of Rome ouer all the world How so when as it appeareth that the other Bishops were joyned with him and consequently in this respect are made his equals this matter being referred by the Emperour to the Bishops that were neere adjoyning to Rome rather than to those of Alexandria because he answered this petition at Rome But the mysterie is this the Latine translation of Eusebius hath it thus To whom the Christians of Italie and the Bishops of Rome should assigne it Which Baronius to serue his purpose with this place hath voluntarily followed though knowing it to be corrupted because the originall in Greeke make the other Bishops of Italie to enter into concurrencie with him and in order of nomination to stand before them Fourthly what will you say if Baronius telleth vs That euen in those dayes it was the fashion to kisse the Popes feet for hee durst not say the pantofâ—e Baro. an 294. art 8. sequeÌ„t For proofe he telleth vs a tale out of a certaine old Legend of one Praepedigna wife vnto one Claudius who was conuerted to Christianitie by one Susanna his neece neere of kin to the Emperor Dioclesian and that Praepedigna for joy hereof because she her selfe was long since in heart a Christian ran to Caius Bishop of Rome cast her selfe at his feet and according as the custome was saith the Legend kissed them And hath Baronius no better authors than these which himselfe with others of like stuffe hath in so many places vtterly condemned Where can he shew vs that this Caius Bishop of Rome was nephew to the Emperour Dioclesian or that Susanna was his grand child a name not vsed among the Heathen But grant we all this to be true doth not he himselfe tell vs in that verie article That this same Claudius also kissed the feet of Gabinius the Priest If so what greater honour then hath the Pope than a simple Priest or if this be only an argument of zeale and affection in the one why should it be interpreted for adoration or fealtie in the other 4. PROGRESSION 1 That peace and plentie bred corruption in the Churches 2 Constantine his bountie and liberalitie to the Churches 3 Sundrie reasons summarily rehearsed to ouerthrow that pretended donation of Constantine vnto the Church of Rome 1 IT cannot be denied but that the Church whilest she had rest from persecution began euer to decline vnto corruption Cyprian obserued as much after the persecution of Decius Cyprian lib. de Lapsis and yeeldeth the reason namely Because euerie man stept in the couetous desires of his owne heart adding farther That it was high time for God to awake them with his rod speaking principally of the Pastors of the Church Non in Sacerdotibus deuota religio There was saith he no longer any deuotion left in the Priests no sincere faith in Ministers no mercie in their workes no gouernement in their manners c. The Bishops themselues who should haue serued for a spurre and patterne of well doing vnto others abandoning their holie functions dealt in matters of the world leauing their
chaires and forsaking their flockes to goe a gadding and roming into other countries haunting Marts and Faires for filthie lucres sake and little caring to feed and releeue their hungrie and staruing brethren so that themselues might haue money at their will getting lands by fraud and money by griping vsurie and what did we not An. 253. saith he deserue for these ill doings This was after the yeare 253. And as bad weeds grow apace in the Church if God from time to time crop them not so Eusebius imputeth that succeeding persecution of Dioclesian to the same causes as before An. 302. Euseb lib. 8. c. 1. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There was saith he among vs nought else but cursed speakings and continualliarres of Prelats falling out with Prelats and congregations with congregations They also which seemed to be Pastors casting off the law and rule of pietie kindled contentions betweene themselues seeking onely to encrease debates threats iealousies heart-burnings and reuenge with an immoderat desire to commaund and sway as in a Tyrannie And therefore lesse wonder is it if afterward taking their ease vnder Constantine the Great many of them became fit instruments some more some lesse to aduance the Mysterie whereof we speake An. 310. 2 Constantine therefore affecting the Christian religion about the yeare 310 set himselfe to bestow huge largesses vpon the Christian Churches especially vpon that of Rome as chiefe citie of the Empire and the place where his person most vsually resided largesses I say and heritages of great reuenewes with sumptuous ornaments all inuentaried in the life of Syluester Lib. 4. de Episc Cler. in Co. Theod. Damasus Anastas in Syluestro written by Damasus Bishop of Rome and by Anastasius surnamed Bibliothecarius and his greatest princes becomming conuerts after his example did the like both by deeds of gift and legacies which Constantine ratified and authorised by law expresse And the more to win credit and to inure his people to Christianitie about the yeare 330 as he pulled downe Idolatry so he applied the reuenewes of their temples to the maintenance of the Christian Churches so that in short time the Roman Church grew exceeding rich All which and euerie particular thereof appeareth in the said life of Syluester and by Cedrenus in his historie where he saith Cedrenus pag. 243. That in the 26 and 27 yeares of his Empire Constantine laboured to pull downe the Idols with their Temples and to conuey their rents and reuenewes to the Churches of God And herewithall went forward still and encreased that pretence of the Bishops of Rome vnto the Primacie whereof we find too many markes in their Epistles euen in those of Syluester himselfe but I make a conscience to alledge them because the more learned sort and Cardinall Casanus himselfe hold them all or the most part for counterfeit vntill the time of Pope Syricius which was the yere 400 as we haue elsewhere declared 3 Neither doe we here speake of that pretended donation of Constantine made vnto the Church of Rome in the person of Syluester as well of the citie of Rome as of a great part of Italie as being a thing contrarie and repugnant to the whole course of histories for that we find no fourth Consulship of Constantine the son and Gallicanus which yet is the date of that donation Because Damasus Bishop of Rome in the life of Syluester so particularly by him described maketh no such mention and Anastasius as little Because all Italie and Rome it selfe came afterwards in partage among the sonnes of Constantine as Eusebius Victor Zozimus Euseb lib. 4. c. 51 Idem de vita Constant lib. 4. c. 49. 50. 51. Zozimus lib. 2. Victor in Constantin Zonaras to 3. Agaâ—â—n Epist ad â—â—â—stant Pogâ—â—â—t in Actis 6. Synod and Zonaras report Because Isidore Burchard and Iuo judging it Apocryphal haue omitted it in their seuerall Collections of decrees Because Pope Agatho himselfe writing many yeares after to Constantine Pogonatus calleth Rome Vrbem Imperatoris seruilem i. The seruile towne or citie of the Emperour Because the most reputed men of the Roman Church haue refuted and reiected it namely a Anton. Archiep part 1. tit 8. c. 2. § sic inquit Antonine Archbishop of Florence b Volaterra in vita Constantin Raphael Volaterranus c Hieron Catalan in practica Cancella Apostol Hieronimus Catalanus Chamberlaine to Pope Alexander the sixt d Otho Frisingens in Annal. Otho Frisingensis e Cardin. Cusanus in concord Cathol lib. 3. Cardinall Casanus f Laurent Valla de ficta donatione Laurentius Valla Senator of Rome g Franciscus Guicciard in locis duobus de Papa Francis Guicciardine and others euerie one of them famous in their seuerall generations Aeneas Syluius himselfe afterward Pope Pius the second in a particular treatise cited by the foresaid Catalanus Because Platina the Popes Historian is ashamed to mention it to be short Because that in the pretended originall it selfe kept in the Vatican and written in letters of gold the scribe which wrot it hath added at the foot thereof in false Latine Quam fabulam longi temporis mendacia finxit i. Which fable a lye of long continuance hath forged And forged indeed with monstrous impudencie when it is there said That Constantine the fourth day after his baptisme gaue this priuiledge also to the Bishop of Rome That all the Priests throughout the Empire should acknowledge him for their head as Iudges acknowledge their King Surely it should seeme that this good Emperour was not well instructed by Syluester in the rights and priuiledges of the Bishops of Rome since it appeareth that he knew not that they came from heauen nor Syluester himselfe well learned in this point since he chose to hold them as from the Emperour rather than from Saint Peter And againe it is there said That Constantine gaue to Syluester and to his successors the Primacy ouer the Sees of Alexandria Antioch Hierusalem Constantinople and all other Churches of the world Doubtlesse Syluester had neuer gone to schoole with the Iesuites where he might haue learned That it belonged properly to him to haue giuen the Empire vnto Constantine as for himselfe that this Primacie and preheminence ouer all other Churches was giuen him in the Gospell And farther it is there said That of purpose to make roome for the Pope the Emperour built Constantinople It being vnfit as it is there said that where the Empire of Priests should be there the earthlie Emperour should intermeddle or haue any thing to doe Yet is it euident that afterward Constantine allotted Rome to one of his sonnes and that many Emperours after him made that their ordinarie dwelling And to conclude this priuiledge was to endure to the end of the world with Crowne and Mantle and other Imperiall robes and he by Constantine damned to the pit of hell without hope of remission that should offer
to impeach or oppose against it And who now can haue any good opinion of the decrees of Gratian reformed in our dayes since Gregorie the thirteenth which vndertooke to reforme them was not ashamed to let stand for good I will not say this Palea or chaffe but this vnsauorie and filthie ordure And wee haue just cause to wonder at the impudencie of Baronius who trippeth ouer this matter as one would doe ouer fire lightly for feare of burning leauing it as a judged case no longer to be questioned Baron to 3. an 324. art 117. We saith he say nothing hereof because we can say nothing but what hath beene often said alreadie and it were bootlesse and troublesome to repeat it Whereas poore soule how many matters of farre lesse importance handled by infinit numbers of Authors doth he there repeat And the whole volumes of his Annales what are they else but heapes of idle and needlesse repetitions Well I wot that things were not at this time come vnto that height neither could they climbe so high but by degrees which we purpose to deduce euerie one of them in their order in the meane time this is cleere that together with their plentie came in corruption not onely in life and manners but also in religion which then began to degenerate by admistion of Heathenish superstitions Baron an 44. to 1. art 86. sequent Idem passim and this is that which Baronius meaneth where he saith That men at that time hallowed Heathenish rites and ceremonies by bringing them into the Christian Churches OPPOSITION This great aboundance and plenty of wealth falling by heaps vpon the Church caused many deuout and well disposed persons to forecast cruell things The Legend of Syluester saith Legenda B. Syluest That there was at that time a voice heard from heauen saying Hodiè effusum est venenum in Ecclesiā i. This day is there a poison powred forth vpon the Church But what euer the wealth of the Roman Church was this one thing is cleere as touching their authoritie That when there was question about Donatus who stood an heretike condemned by the Churches of Afrike Constantine left him not to be judged by Miltiades Bishop of Rome but appointed Delegats for the hearing of his cause namely Maternus Rheticus Marinus Bishops of Collen Optat. cont Parmen li. 1. August Epist 162. 166. Authun and Arles as Optatus Augustine report with whom he joyned afterwards in commission for the same cause the said Miltiades And when Donatus refused to stand vnto their judgement he assigned him the Councel of Arles which himselfe had formerly assembled to judge of his appeale and at last gaue sentence vpon him himselfe in person at Milan so that the Bishops of Rome of Authun and the rest were all equall in this commission without any colour of prioritie Neither needed Constantine any great intreatie vpon the difference and controuersie of Arrius himselfe to call the Nicene Councell Theodor. lib. 1. Histor Eccles cap. 7. and there to preside in person witnesse Eusebius Socrates Theodoret Sozomene Gelasius and the whole companie of Fathers assembled in that Councell by their Synodall Epistles which Fathers tooke vpon them to order the Bishop of Rome and did order him by speciall Canon which Canon because it is cauilled and contradicted by some deserueth more narrowly to be scanned and more particularly to be considered The sixt Canon therefore of the first Nicene Councell about the yeare 325 An. 325. concerning the ranking and ordering of Bishops euerie one in his place Canones Graec. Concil Nicen. 1. can 6. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is read in these words Let the auncient customes be obserued which are in Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis so that the Bishop which is in Alexandria haue authoritie ouer all these because such also is the manner or custome of the Bishop of Rome where the Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a thing vsed by custome by which appeareth that it was a matter onely of custome not of law much lesse an ordinance or decree of God Likewise in Antioch and in other Prouinces let euerie Church retaine her due honour And in the seuenth Canon is like prouision made for the Church of Hierusalem and the same reason added Because such hath beene the custome and the ancient tradition to honour the Church of Aelia for so was Hierusalem called after that Adrian had rebuilt it in another place let her also haue her honour next after the other with reseruation alwayes of due honour to the Metropolitane Church And so is this Canon read in Gelasius Cyzicenus in the Acts of this Councell taken out of the Vatican Gelas Cyzicen in Act. Syno Nice 1. pag. 61. where we may obserue that this Councell foundeth them all alike vpon custome which it calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a manner wont or custome placing the Bishop of Rome betweene those of Alexandria and of Antioch vnto whom it assigneth their proper portions in euerie respect equall to him of Rome Of this custome we read in Epiphanius in expresse tearmes The custome sayth he is such Epiphan her 68. in princi that the Bishop of Alexandria hath ecclesiasticall cure and charge ouer all Aegypt Thebaida Mareotis Lybia Ammonia Mareotida and Pentapolis And Ruffinus Ruffin lib. 1. cap. 6. who liued in the same time with S. Ierome about 60. yeares after this Councell citeth the Canons thereof and among the rest this sixt Canon to the effect of the Canon before rehearsed In Alexandria sayth he and in the Citie of Rome let the ancient custome be obserued to wit that the one should take care of the Churches of Aegypt and the other suburbicariarum that is of the Churches neere vnto the Citie meaning Rome And the truth is that at this time doe he what he could he could not extend the limits of his jurisdiction so farre as vnto Milan or Rauenna whereof there is a type and figure remaining at this day at Rome which witnesseth as much wherein the Church of Lateran is expressed to be a Patriarchall Church vnto which there are seuen Bishops assigned to celebrate before the Pope vpon high daies or to assist the Pope if he pleased to celebrate himselfe Onuphri de Episcop titulis Diacon Cardinal to wit the Bishops as saith Onuphrius of the adioyning Cities namely Ostia Porto Sylua candida Sabini Praeneste Tusculum and Alba which Ruffin here seemeth to call Suburbicarias which yet perhaps comprised somewhat more as the countries of Marca and Tuscanie as we may collect out of the Theodosian Code True it is that Balsamon expounding the Greeke Canon extendeth the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome ouer all the West because that in his time which was about the yeare 800 he had stretched his wings a little farther Balsamon in Ca. Nice Synod cap. 6. 7. and Balsamon thought it ynough to exempt the
rate set downe in the Code of Theodosius But grant we that Regiones Suburbicariae and Vrbicariae were all one what getteth hee for Constantine in the third law de Annona Tributo sheweth plainely that by Regiones Suburbicariae were meant onely those which lay within Italie and were neere adjoyning vnto Rome where he speaketh in this manner Anatolius late Consul certified vs that he hath taken away the frauds of the a Tabulariorum Lib. 8. de Annon Tribut l. 3. 11. in Cod. Theodos Collectors per suburbicarias Regiones Which course saith he we commaund also to be held throughout all the other Regions of Italie so that the more remote regions of Italie it selfe are not comprised vnder this name of Suburbicariae Regiones but commaund giuen that these should be ordered after their example So likewise would Baronius faine comprise Sicilie and Afrike vnder the appellation of Vrbicariae Regiones Lib. 11. de Extraord sord muner But the words of Constantine and Constantius in the same Code giue him the lye where it is said That lands of inheritance and fee farme throughout Italie shall be free from all extraordinarie taxes paying only their customarie rates as the lands in Afrike doe The reason followeth For not onely in Italie but also in vrbicarijs Regionibus and in Sicilie lands of inheritance and lands held in fee farme must be rated according to their abilities Whereby it appeareth that Italie was to be eased after the example of Afrike and both Italie and Afrike and Sicilie it selfe distinguished from those which were properly called Vrbicariae Regiones So likewise in that law of Gratian Valentinian and Theodosius it is said by the Emperours vnto Probus Grand Master of the houshould in this manner Let thy sinceritie and vprightnesse obserue an equalitie throughout Italie Tit. Si per obreptioneÌ„ l. vnic Cod. Theodos as likewise in the Regions of Afrike and those which are called Vrbicariae and throughout all Illyria where again he distinguisheth them both from Italie and also from Afrike Now if he will aske what those Suburbe cities were that law of Gratian Theodosius teacheth vs L. 1. de Indulgent debit in Cod. Theodos We commaund say they that Picenum and Thuscia now called La Marca d'Ancona and Tuscanie and yet not all Tuscanie neither being the suburbe Regions shall beare the seuenth part of the tribute not comprising therein so much as Campania now a parcell of the kingdome of Naples nor other Regions of like distance And now let Baronius cast vp his reckonings and see what hee hath gotten by quarelling that place of Ruffinus But be this what he will can he denie that the Bishop of Rome was here ordered and confined as well as the rest As for that Canon which he would put vpon vs Art 57. sequent That from all Churches a man might appeale vnto Rome besides that there is no historie that reporteth it no not Gelasius Cyzicenus himselfe I would aske Whether this sixt Canon be not vtterly repugnant thereunto And farther let him say when men were long after this time sent of purpose to search the Archiues of the Churches of Constantinople Alexandria and Antioch to decide the controuersie betweene the Churches of Carthage and of Rome whether there were any such Canon there found or can he produce any one appeale made to Rome in all that time As for that goodlie Canon of the Councell of Rome which he would thrust vpon vs in these words The first See let no man iudge Baron to 3. an 324. art 130. because all other Sees seeke for equitie at her hands as of the chiefe neither may the Iudge be iudged by any Clergie Emperour or King or people whatsoeuer who is so ill aduised as to beleeue them in their owne cause or who seeth not that this is a meere tricke and gâ—llerie put vpon the reader For what kings could they meane if Pagans what can be more ridiculous if Christians where were any in those dayes and consequently what more vaine moreouer doe we not see the contrarie practised in the Nicene Councell immediatly ensuing And why is he not then ashamed to cousen the world with a false coyne so apparently discouered and bored thorough by all Historians and writers It is said in the acts of that Synod That there were 139 Bishops ex vrbe Roma aut non longè ab illa i. out of the citie of Rome or not farre from thence What were there more Bishops than one at Rome and where I pray you should a man find so many Bishops so neere to Rome It is also there said That Helena the mother of Constantine was there and subscribed to the acts And what had they so soone forgotten the saying of the Apostle That it is not permitted to a woman to speake in the Church Constantine also is there called Domnus which is meerely Gothish and joyned in Consulship with Priscus which was neuer heard of He should not for shame haue alledged this Synod seeing that the verie barbarousnesse of the stile is ynough to conuince it of open forgerie Last of all he saith That the Fathers of the Nicene Councell wrot to Syluester to craue his confirmation of their acts and decrees alledging for proofe hereof the acts of Pope Syluester and not remembring how oft himselfe in other places hath condemned them as false and counterfeit The truth is this that vpon any question arising about religion the Fathers assembled in Councel were wont to send their Synodal Epistle throughout all parts of Christendome Ruffin l. 1. c. 13. and some particulars among them to write their priuat letters to some chiefe and principal Bishops of other countries to acquaint them with the tenor of their acts and to request them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. to giue their suffrage and approbation thereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So also were they wont to addresse another Epistle to the Emperour to entreat him to confirme and ratifie their acts and to cause them to be receiued of both which sorts we haue examples in this very Synod of the one in that Synodall Epistle which they wrot to the Church of Alexandria and the rest in Aegypt in which manner they wrot also another Epistle to all Churches in generall without attending any leaue from the Bishop of Rome of the other among the patents of Constantine who was present at this Councell which Epistle we haue in Eusebius Socrates Gelasius Theodoret Euseb de vita Constant lib. 13. Socrat. lib. 1. and others whereby he ordained That Easter day should be kept vpon the day which they appointed and that the bookes of Arrius should bee burnt in all places Which decree was published onely to authorise and to put in execution the Canons agreed vpon and enacted in the Councell And those patents of the Emperour were directed sometimes to the Bishops and people and sometimes to the Churches
others all which were found in the Popes Librarie Now therefore let vs see what answere the Bishops of the East made to those letters of Pope Iulius They tooke sayth Socrates his reproofes in scorne Socrat. lib. 2. c. 11. edit lat Greca cap. 13. and calling a Synod at Antioch by common aduise and consent they returned his imputations backe vpon himselfe with all bitternesse telling him That he was no more to controll them if they thought fit to depriue anie man in their Churches than they intermedled at what time Nouatus was cast out of the Church at Rome Sozomene addeth Sozom. edit lat l. 3. c. 7. Graec. c. 8. That their answere was full of scoffes and threats For sayth he they attributed indeed verie much to the Church of Rome as the mother Citie and schole of pietie and of religion though so it were that their first instructors in Christian religion came vnto them out of the East yet for all this disdained they to be reckoned their inferiors as they who made it not their glorie to excell in pompe and riches but in vertue pietie Socrat. l. 2. edit lat c. 13. Graec. c. 17. and Christian resolution c. offering peace and communion vnto Iulius but still vpon condition that he should put out of his protection those Bishops of theirs which were fled vnto him This answere sayth Socrates much offended Iulius and it seemeth that it wrought vpon him for in his next letter he complaineth onely That they called him not to their Synod whereas before he pretended that they might not call a Councell without his authoritie he alledgeth now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Canon of the Church forbad to impose anie Law vpon the Churches without the aduise of the Bishop of Rome whereas before he pretended a right absolutely to dispose of all which was the thing which moued them to replie that they would not be ordered nor concluded by him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which it appeareth that that answere of Iulius to the Easterne Bishops which we find in the Councels is meerely counterfeit seeing he is there made to speake worse than in the former euen to alledge That in the Councell of Nice there is a Canon which forbiddeth to call a Councell or to condemne anie man without the aduice of the Bishop of Rome though there be there no such word to be found witnesse the Glosse vpon that verie Epistle where he confesseth that there is no such thing there said apertè sed reducibilitèr i. not in plaine tearmes but onely by collection And thus we see how vnder colour of protecting Athanasius the Pope made way to his owne ambition Neither is Baronius his cause anie jot furthered and aduanced all this while He brought in Syluester who good man as he was neuer dreamt of anie such gay clothes attyred like an Emperour as we saw before and now he telleth vs that his successor Marcus began first to giue the Pall to other Bishops Pallium We read sayth he in the life of Marcus Baron an 336. art 62. to 3. that he ordained that the Bishop of Ostia whose office it was to consecrate the Bishop of Rome should at the time of consecration vse a Pall whereupon sayth he non inficias imus we denie not that he gaue him the Pall. Had Baronius beleeued it himselfe he would no doubt haue spoken it more roundly But let that passe this I aske when he sayth That this is the first place where the Pall is mentioned doth he not thereby acknowledge it to be a noueltie When he giueth it to the Bishop of Ostia at Rome gates is it not an argument that he sent it not at that time to the Metropolitans and Archbishops of farther countries Neither indeed is there anie mention made of this weed in all this age nor in manie succeeding ages after neither in the East neither in the West nor yet in Italie it selfe and must we then stand vnto a Legend as to a sufficient proofe For whereas he would proue it out of Isidore Pelusiota Baron an 216. vol. 2. art 15. 16. Isidor Pelusio l. 1. ep 136. a scholer of Chrysostomes it maketh cleane against him for it is there said that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Baronius interpreteth to be Pallium was worne by euerie Bishop in time of celebration and consequently no priuiledge of Metropolitanes or prerogatiue of certaine Bishops much lesse a present to be receiued or a commoditie to be bought for readie money at the Bishop of Rome his warehouse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his words are these The garment which the Bishop weareth vpon his shoulders made of wooll and not of linnen signifieth vnto vs the skin of the lost sheepe which the Lord sought and hauing found him layed him vpon his shoulders For the Bishop bearing a type and figure of Christ must also performe his office So farre is he from deriuing it from the High Priests of the Iewes to appropriat it to the Pope and to such as he for a fauour is pleased to impart it We haue alreadie shewed what maine opposition was made against the attempts of Pope Iulius yet doth Baronius vpon that attempt onely without effect ground an absolute and soueraigne power of the Bishops of Rome in generall He called saith he a Councell at Rome Baron an 340. art 1. sequ requested thereunto by the Arrians themselues who being cast out of the East hoped to find reliefe and succour in the West For answer we say that this was no Generall but a Nationall Councell such as euery Metropolitan might and the Bishops of Alexandria Antioch Hierusalem and Constantinople often did call in their seuerall dioces such as did Athanasius himselfe in this verie cause of Arrius Athanas Apologes 2. But this we affirme that no one of the generall Councels was euer called by other than the Emperour himselfe though at the request of Bishops so oft as cause required An euident argument that there was not at that time anie one Bishop acknowledged as soueraigne ouer all the rest by occasion whereof they were forced to haue recourse to a supreme secular power whensoeuer there was cause for Metropolitans and Patriarchs for the Clergie of sundrie Prouinces for the Bishops of the East and West Churches to assemble and meet together for the ordering of matters in the Church whence also it came to passe that during the space of three hundred yeares vntill the reigne of Constantine we neuer read of any Generall Councell and but of few Nationall yet were there in all that time Bishops of Rome neither during that eclipse of Christian Emperours in the reigne of Iulian could anie Councell be assembled how great soeuer the necessitie of the Church at that time was and yet the Bishops of Rome were at that time growne to some jolitie and began to looke somewhat big vpon the matter and
last Will and Testament Which Law Ambrose caused shortly after to bee somewhat mitigated Such a doe they had euen in those dayes to intrench and fortifie themselues against their greedie auarice 7. PROGRESSION Of the vsurpations of Pope Damasus vpon seuerall Churches DAmasus if we will stand to the Epistles which goe vnder his name though a man commended for some good parts and qualities which were in him yet treading the path of his predecessors sought to establish a Primacie in his owne person especially in that Epistle which hee wrot to Stephanus Archbishop of Mauritania wherein he pretendeth that all the greater sort of causes ought to be referred vnto his hearing and that they could not be decided but by his authoritie as also that the prouision of Bishops belonged to him And Isidorus Mercator would yet farther persuade vs that Aurelius Bishop of Carthage sent to entreat of him the decrees of the Roman Church to gouerne his owne thereby Baron vol. 4. an 314. art 10. But Baronius himselfe blusheth at this for that in all the time of Damasus this Aurelius was onely a simple Deacon OPPOSITION But the practise of the Church was cleere against the vsurpation of Damasus seeing that all the greater offices and dignities of the Church haue in all times and places beene bestowed by those which were of the same place without asking the Popes aduise or leaue therein And seeing that the Fathers assembled at Constantinople openly declared vnto him Theodor. l. 5. c. 9 That there was an ancient law and decision of the Nicene Councell that the Bishops of euerie Prouince with those which dwelt neere vnto them should ordaine their owne ministers That by vertue of this decision Nectarius was ordained at Constantinople Flauianus at Antioch and Cyril at Ierusalem which they there tearme the mother of all other Churches Requesting him to reioyce for companie as for a thing rightly and canonically done And that he would not suffer any humane affection to carrie him beyond the bounds of reason Neither doe they addresse their letters to him alone but also to Ambrose to Britto to Valerian to Acholius and others assembled in the Synod of Rome And seeing also that Ambrose himselfe was elected Bishop of Milan by the suffrages of the people and that the Emperour Valentinian immediatly vpon the newes receiued Ruffin l. 2. c. 11. gaue order for his installation without sending to Rome And which is more about the yeare 381 Damasus then sitting Pope An. 381. Socrat. lib. 4. c. 24. 25. this second generall Councell of Constantinople was held and two yeares after was receiued and acknowledged by the Synod of Rome which Councell Theodosius the elder called and Nectarius Bishop of Constantinople ordered Onuphr in Fast without any Legat from the Bishop of Rome and there also these Fathers trod the path of the Nicene Councell diuiding the Prouinces for the auoidance of confusion in such sort That the Bishops of one Diocesse should not offer to goe vnrequested into the Diocesse of another there to giue orders vnto any which yet saith Socrates was in former times tolerated in the Church because of persecutions Concil Constant can 5. 7. can Graec. 3. And that if in anie Prouince a matter of difference happened to arise it should be decided by the Synod of the same Prouince As for the Bishop of Constantinople it was ordained that he should haue his prerogatiue of Precedencie next to the Bishop of Rome all which to stand for good if the Emperor were so pleased without anie reference at all vnto the Pope And both Socrates and Sozomen giue the reason of this equallising of them Socrat. Histor Eccles l. 5. c. 8. Sozom. l. 7. c. 9. because that Constantinople had not onely the name of Rome with like Senat and other magistrats but bare also the same Armes and held all other Rights and Honors which belonged to old Rome which reason is apparantly grounded vpon a ciuile respect and policie not vpon any precept of the Gospell Bellarm. in Recognit p. 46. Yet must Bellarmine needs tell vs that these Fathers writing to Damasus acknowledged that they were assembled by his appointment intimated to them by the Emperor and he citeth to this purpose Theodoret lib. 5. cap. 9. where the words themselues make cleane against him shewing That they had bin formerly inuited to come to Rome by the Emperor and were after that called to Constantinople by letters which the Synod of Rome after that of Aquileia sent to Theodosius not that Damasus gaue forth anie summons for their assembling And Bellarmine himselfe in his Recognitions acknowledgeth That this Epistle was neuer written by the Fathers of Constantinople and so it maketh not to the question now in hand But yet he addeth farther Bellarm. de Roman Pontif. l. 2. c. 13. That they acknowledged the Pope for their Head and themselues as members of that Head Here againe is a bundle of manifest vntruths for first the letter was not directed to Damasus neither yet to the Church of Rome but to the Synod of the Bishops of the West assembled that time at Rome to whom they vse indeed these words following You haue inuited vs thither as members of your Bodie shewing thereby your brotherlie affection whereby they acknowledge not anie Head but onely declare that all Christian Congregations are each others members and therefore hauing signified vnto them That according to the ancient Canons especially that of the Nicene Councell they had prouided their own Churches they conclude in maner following Wherefore we thus agreeing and being established in one faith and mutuall loue will now no longer vse that saying condemned by the Apostle I am of Paule I am of Apollo and I am of Peter but knowing that we are all of Christ who is not diuided in vs will by the grace of God keepe that Bodie of the Church vnrent and so appeare with confidence before the Iudgement seat of Christ not to say that it is found written in some copies at the foot of this Epistle Reuerend sonnes we pray God to preserue you In these dayes who durst speake so vnto the Pope In the meane time Pope Leo the Great Leo. ep 55. Theodor. l. 5. c. 10. a strong maintainer of this Primacie quarrelleth the authoritie of this Councell making the world to beleeue that he would hold himselfe wholly to the Councell of Nice which as we haue alreadie proued maketh as little for his purpose as the other But he cannot denie that his predecessor Damasus rested satisfied therewith and wrot backe vnto the Fathers in that Councell his kind and louing letters without euer calling the authoritie thereof into question though yet to retaine a respect and reuerence to his owne person or happily to crie quittance with them he also calleth them in his letter His much honored sonnes and telleth them in the verie beginning of his letters that indeed they had
which the Author himselfe attributeth vnto all The like care sayth he did Alexander the Bishop take in Antioch being the first which caused his name to be registred in the writings of the Church which is true But Baronius addeth that he did it at the instance and request of Innocentius hauing no other argument for this assertion but this that Innocent wrote a letter to him for as touching anie such matter Theodoret speaketh not a word 8. PROGRESSION Of the attempts of Innocentius and Syricius vpon the Churches of Spaine and Afrike THe Bishops of Rome finding no passage open to their intended Supremacie through the constancie of the Easterne Church bent their course backe vpon the West especially vpon Africke where they thought to meet with lesse opposition To. 1. Concil Damasus had alreadie broken the ice vnto them as appeareth by that Epistle of his written to Stephanus Bishop of Mauritania wherein hee qualifieth the Church of Rome with the title of the Firmament of all Bishops and Top of all other Churches emboldened no doubt thereunto by letters sent before that time vnto him from the said Stephanus who complained that certaine Bishops had bin deposed in Africke adding that this was so done notwithstanding they all knew well ynough Ibid. That censures of Bishops and all other Church causes of moment ought to be reserued to the audience of the Bishop of Rome whom he there tearmeth The Father of Fathers being of the verie brood and ofspring of those rebell Bishop of Africke of whom Saint Cyprian complained in his dayes who being reproued and censured for their faults would presently crosse the seas and run to Rome for Sanctuarie All which to be vnderstood with this condition If those decretall Epistles inserted among the Councels ought to haue any credit which as wee haue alreadie said the more learned sort reiect as counterfeit vntill the time of Pope Syricius who now entreth vpon the stage And indeed the old Roman Code leaueth them all out vntill the time of this Syricius This Syricius about the yeare 386 An. 386. in his first Epistle to Himerius Bishop of Arragon is verie quicke and saith That it is not lawfull for any Priest of the Lord to be ignorant of the decrees and statutes of the See Apostolike and therefore requesteth him to make knowne such ordinances and decrees as he shall send vnto him not onely to those of his owne Diocesse but also to those of Carthagena Andalusia Portugall Galeace and others that is in effect to all the Prouinces of Spaine Which could not saith he but hee glorious vnto him which was a Priest of so long continuance Pro antiquitate sacerdotij sui purposing to vse the ambitious humor of this Prelat onely to make himselfe and the authoritie of his See great in Spaine And in his fourth Epistle to the Bishops of Africke he goeth a step farther and telleth them That without the priuitie of the See Apostolike that is to say of the Primat none might presume to ordaine a Bishop And this word Primat some interpret for the Bishop of Rome in regard of the claime which was made vnto the Primacie not long before by Damasus and these late presumptions of Syricius himselfe in his first Epistle the rather because it is improbable that hee would impart this title of The See Apostolike to any saue onely to the See of Rome OPPOSITION Concil Carth. 2. ca. 12. The Africanes therefore assembled vpon this occasion a second Councell at Carthage in the time of this Syricius where they decreed in this manner It seemed good vnto all that without the leaue of the Primat of euerie Prouince no man hereafter presume in what place soeuer to ordaine any Bishop without any reference at all to the Bishop of Rome But say they if necessitie so require any three Bishops by order from the Primat may consecrate a Bishop And it is to be noted That in this verie Canon they call the chaire of the Metropolitan the First Chaire or Chiefe See and that Gratian inserting this Canon in his booke of Decrees Distinct 64. C. extra conscientiam 5. followed the intent of this Councell of Carthage and not of Syricius referring it to the Metropolitan Bishop not to the Apostolike See though he falsely report it vnder the name of Innocent And in the yeare 397 An. 397. the third Councell of Carthage went a little farther Syricius at that time also sitting Pope and decreed That the Bishop of the first See should not be called the Prince or Chiefe of Priests Concil Carthag 3. ca. 26. or High Priest or by any other such name but onely The Bishop of the first See As for the name of Vniuersall Bishop that the Bishop of Rome it selfe should not bee called by that name Which last words are also in Gratian though now Distinct 99. ca. primae sedis 3. through the good order which of later times hath beene taken in these matters they are no longer to be found in the Councell it selfe A thing not to be forgotten for it was fit that all these things should meet and march together Corruption of doctrine as well as of discipline and that Syricius should be the man who should first establish the forbiddance of Priests mariages though by generall consent reiected in the Councell of Nice and not receiued for six hundred yeares after in the West doe what his successors could doe Bringing in also the the commemoration of Saints into the Liturgie and daily seruice of the Church in imitation perhaps of that Carmen Saliare vsed heretofore among the Romans wherein the names of all their gods werewith much solemnitie rehearsed For that was the disease of that age to fashion themselues in all points after the rites and ceremonies of the Heathen 9. PROGRESSION Of the decree of Pope Innocent concerning Appeales to Rome IN the yeare 401 came Innocent who would not be so put backe he An. 401. Innocent Epist 2. ad Victric Rothomagens c. 3. in his second Epistle to Victricius Bishop of Roan published this generall decree That the greater causes after that they had beene censured by the Bishop should be referred to the See of Rome as the Synod saith he hath ordained and the laudable vse and custome of the Church requireth Yet haue we hitherto seene the contrarie both in the one and also in the other But he goeth on seeking to practise what he proiected Epist 7. ad Episc Maced vpon the Macedonians and persuading them that he did the like in all other places Let vs therefore now see whether he found any better successe in this his attempt than his predecessors had before him OPPOSITION The question then is as you see about great causes An. 402. In the yeare 402 was held the Mileuitan Councell and after that in the yere 413 another at Carthage An. 413. where no petie causes were in handling but the maine doctrine
when Caelestins letters were read the Synod cried out To Caelestin a second Paule I confesse and did they not the like of Cyrill crying out To Cyrill a second Paule there is but one Caelestin but one Cyrill And what other demaund I pray you did those Legats make but onely that they might haue the Acts to subscribe vnto them a thing not to haue beene denied to anie ordinarie Bishop which had come late as they did And yet Baronius would faine haue it Iterata damnatio that this subscription of theirs was a second sentence confirmatorie of that which had beene giuen by the Councell whereas they themselues writing to the Emperours signifie only this that they are of the same beleefe and opinion with the Synod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Now if Cyrill had beene Legat what need of this Or if this were needfull then it followeth that Cyrill was not Legat for the Pope but was onely requested to passe his word vnto the Councell for the Orthodox beleefe of Caelestin Fourthly Philippicus a Priest of Rome and one of the Legats in his speech said that he rejoyced to see that the members did so well agree with their holie Head 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pag. 195. And hereupon Baronius maketh a flourish and because these Fathers had the patience to heare him Doest thou see Reader saith he how all these Fathers were content to heare him without repining For my owne part I know not what he would haue had them to doe in this case vnlesse it be that they should haue made an vprore in the Synod and haue fallen by the eares about it He should rather haue considered how at the ouerture of this Councell they placed Christ in his Gospell for Head of this Councell or if the doubt be of the ministeriall Head that then in their Synodal Epistle they call Cyril the Head of the Congregation of Bishops but of euerie such insolent pranke which the Popes or their Legats play Baronius is euer readie to make a Title But will you now know who was Soueraigne in this Councel The Synod by their letters to the Emperours in all humilitie aske leaue to depart euerie man to his owne home seeing that all controuersies were now decided And the Emperour vpon relation of what they had done gaue his confirmation in this manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pa. 273. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Emperour a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 duely informed hath pronounced That the holie Oecumenicall Councell hath done all things according to the Canons and therefore hath displaced and banished Nestorius commaunding the Bishops of the Synod to enter vpon the Church and to elect and consecrate a Bishop of Constantinople and thereupon the Fathers ordained Maximinus And farther the Emperor commaunded them to returne euerie man to his owne home Consider we also that the Fathers of those times speak of this Primacie by vertue of Saint Peters chaire in farre other tearmes than now men vse to doe Saint Ambrose expounding those words of Saint Paul to the Galathians Ambros ad Gala ca. 2. where hee compareth himselfe to Peter He nameth saith he onely Peter and compareth himselfe to him because he had receiued the Primacie to lay the foundation of the Church among the Gentiles Now I would know whether Rome were not of the Gentiles if so to what purpose then serueth the Primacie of Saint Peter But hee addeth yet farther Yet we see ful and absolute authoritie giuen to Saint Peter for the preaching to the Iewes and so likewise full and absolute authoritie was giuen to Paul to preach vnto the Gentiles For which cause also hee tearmeth himselfe the Teacher of the Gentiles in truth and veritie and yet was he neuer Bishop of Rome For saith he euerie man according to his abilitie tooke vnto him as by lot the dispensation And a harder matter it was to draw those vnto the faith which were a farre off than those which were neere at hand as if he meant to preferre Paul before Peter as one which vndertooke the harder taske August in Iohan Tract 124. in Epist Iohan Tract 10. And Saint Augustine The Church saith he is founded vpon the rocke from which rocke Saint Peter tooke his name vpon this stone saith our Sauiour that is vpon this stone which thou hast confessed will I build my Church meaning vpon this faith Those which would build vpon men said I am of Cephas i. of Peter but those who would not build vpon Peter but vpon that stone said I am of Christ. Saint Basil doubtlesse neuer dreamed of this Primacie he saw indeed and grieued to see the pride and hautinesse of the Bishop of Rome for with what indignation speaketh he of him in his tenth Epistle Yea but say they in his 52 Epistle to Athanasius speaking of the combustions in the East he saith That hee purposed to write to the Bishop of Rome I confesse but to what purpose would hee write onely for this Basil Epist 10.50.52 To request him to giue them his aduise and that hee would admonish such as were peruerse How much more gloriously doth he speake of Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria saying That it was he which vnderwent the care of all the Churches and calling him the shelter and refuge of them all And speaking of the Church of Antioch Miletius saith he presideth there as ouer the bodie of the Catholike Church Chrysost in Math. c. 16. in serm de Pentecost Euseb Emiss in serm de Natiui Chrysost Homil. 43. in Math. and of which all other Churches are but as parcels And Chrysostome Vpon this stone he saith not vpon Peter for he hath not built his Church vpon a man but vpon that faith and confession and words of pietie And in like manner speaketh Eusebius Emissenus And Chrysostome hauing laid this doctrine for a ground goeth on and speaketh plainely Whosoeuer saith he among the Bishops he excepteth none shall desire this Primacie here on earth shall vndoubtedly find confusion in heauen and be which affecteth to be the first shall not be numbred among the seruants of Christ And vpon the Epistle to the Galathians speaking of Saint Paul He had saith he Idem in Epist ad Galat. c. 2. before declared that he was equall to the rest in honour but now he compareth himselfe to the greatest that is to Saint Peter shewing that euerie of them had receiued equall dignitie Now if the Apostles themselues were equall how commeth there one superiour among their successors And yet this was spoken at what time the Pope began apparently to exalt himselfe aboue his fellowes for of this verie age it was that Socrates speaking of Innocentius Zozimus Boniface and Caelestin Socrat. li. 7. c. 10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops of Rome vnder the Emperor Theodosius the yonger testifieth That the See of Rome like vnto that of Alexandria passing the bounds and borders of the Priesthood
had long since aspired vnto a secular kind of soueraigntie and power where the Latine interpreter hath put in Quasi which word is not in the Greeke it selfe Adde hereunto That in those dayes all the Patriarchall Churches were equally called Apostolicall and not the Church of Rome alone Sozom. l. 1. c. 16. edit Graec. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For Sozomene speaking of the first generall Councell of Nice In this Synod saith he were present for Apostolicall Sees Macarius Bishop of Ierusalem Eustachius of Antioch Alexander of Alexandria but Iulius Bishop of Rome was absent by reason of his age ranking Iulius in the same order and degree with the rest In which sence the Bishops of the East as Theodoret reporteth writing to Pope Damasus Theodoret. li. 5. ca. 9. call Antioch the most ancient and truely Apostolicall Church and that of Ierusalem they tearme the Mother of all Churches So likewise Ruffine Ruffin li. 2. c. 1. though himselfe a member of the Westerne Church as being a Priest in Aquileia In the citie of Rome saith he Syricius succeeding vnto Damasus and Timotheus in Alexandria vnto Peter and after Timotheus came Theophilus and Iohn in Ierusalem after Cyril restored the Apostolicall Churches And therefore this vsurpation of the Bishop of Rome proceedeth from the diuell and from none other Neither doe wee in all this age find any trace of that pretended donation of Constantine but rather we light vpon many arguments to proue the contrarie witnesse the verie production of the Instrument and the Vatican it selfe And for further proofe when by reason of the schisme between Boniface the first and Eulalius contending together for the Popedome Symmachus gouernour of the citie wrot vnto the Emperour Honorius he saith in this manner Baron vol. 5. an 418. art 81. sequent Absoluta iussione Idem an 419. art 2. 3. That since the knowledge of these matters belonged to him he thought fit to consult his Maiestie out of hand who thereupon rightly informed or not I will not say by his absolute command gaue order That Boniface should presently voyd the place and if hee obeyed not that forthwith he should be cast forth by force And when a little after for his more due information he had assembled a Synod out of diuers Prouinces To the end saith he that the cause being debated to the full in our presence Ib. art 10. sequent may receiue a finall and absolute decision And thereupon he sent for Paulinus Bishop of Nola a man at that time much respected for his sanctitie of life and wrot to Aurelius Bishop of Carthage and sent for Italians French Africans and others Ib. art 15. and in the meane time prouided the Church of Rome of a Bishop namely Achillaeus Bishop of Spoleto to the end the people of Rome might not be vnprouided of a Bishop at the feast of Easter Commanding the Church of Lateran to be set open to him and to none other And when Eulalius offered contrary to the Emperors command to intrude himselfe into the citie the Emperour by the aduise of the Bishops there assembled gaue sentence in fauour of Boniface commanding Symmachus the Gouernor to receiue him into the citie which he did accordingly with these words Your Maiestie hath confirmed his Priesthood Statutis coelestibus per me publicatis edictis de more positis c. And when I published your Edict euerie man reioyced thereat And to conclude Boniface falling sicke to preuent the like inconuenience against hereafter wrot to Honorius to prouide by his authoritie that the Popedome might no more be carried by plots and canuasses The Epistle it selfe in the Councels bearing this Title Supplicatio Papae Bonifacij and being ful of these and the like clauses God hath giuen you the regiment of worldlie things and the Priesthood vnto me You haue the gouernment of worldlie matters and therefore wee were worthie to be blamed if what was heretofore obserued vnder Heathen Princes should not now be obserued vnder your glorie c. Vnder your raigne my people hath beene much encreased which now is yours Neither doth the Emperour put this from him as a thing not properly belonging to him But let the Clergie saith he know that if God shall otherwise dispose of you they must refraine all secret plots and practises and if it fall out through their factions that two be named let them likewise know that neither of them shall sit Bishop but he which in a new election shall be by generall consent chosen If therefore the Bishop of Rome had beene at that time Temporall Lord of that citie and territorie thereunto adioining would he haue vsed these kinds of language Neither was it farre from this time that Synesius Bishop of Ptolemais in his 57 Epistle Synes li. 57. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To couple the ciuile power saith he with the Priesthood is to ioyne those things which will not hold together they busie themselues in worldlie causes whereas we were appointed onely for our prayers 11. PROGRESSION Of the Pretence which Pope Leo the first made vnto the Primacie An. 450. Leo. 1. in Anniuersar de Assumpt Serm. 2. 3. ABout the yeare 450 Leo the first would not giue ouer his pretence vnto the Primacie and therefore tooke for a ground those words of our Sauiour Tu es Petrus For saith he Peter is here called a stone or foundation c. and all his power was in his See there his authoritie was principally seene c. He is the Primat of all Bishops c. Whatsoeuer Christ bestowed on the rest he bestowed it by his meanes c. all which we read in those his sermons which he preached among the townesmen of Rome Idem Epist 8. ad Flauia Constantinop And farther he challengeth Flauian Bishop of Constantinople for that he had not first aduertised him of the state of Eutiches cause taking occasion therevpon to doubt of the lawfulnesse of his excommunication and would faine haue persuaded Flauian that he had done much wrong to him and to Eutyches both in not giuing way to the appeale which Eutyches had put in to the See of Rome Idem Epist 89. ad Episc per Viennens prouinc constitut This same Leo also complaineth to the Bishops of Viennois in France That one Hilarie Bishop of Arles tooke vpon him to install and to depose Bishops without his priuitie which he tearmeth to be no lesse than à Petri soliditate deficere to fall away from the soliditie of Peter whom saith he our Lord associated to himself in the indiuiduall vnitie and commaunded him to be called as himselfe was called And yet in the end he flattereth our Bishops of France willing them to remember that their auncestors oftentimes were pleased to consult the Seo Apostolike seeking by these sugred words to make them swallow the bitter pill of his tyrannous Supremacie and branding Hilarie with the name of a
letters at the suit of Leo they request Theodosius That vpon this Appeale in writing he would be pleased that Leo in a Synod of Bishops assembled out of all quarters of the world in some place within Italie might take knowledge of this matter And Galla in her letters plainely sheweth that this was the drift and purpose of Flauian Who saith she hath alreadie sent his libell to the See Apostolike and to all the Bishops of these quarters by them whom the Bishop of Rome had sent to the Councell at Ephesus This Appeale therefore was put in as well to them as to the Bishop of Rome saue onely that he was the more eminent person and was to be heard and determined by them all in the Councell which was to be assembled as Galla in her Epistle concludeth That the matter saith she may be ended in a Councell and by the See Apostolike So that all this was no legall and formall Appeale nor made vnto the Pope otherwise than as to a promoter and furtherer of the calling of this Councell And it is worth the remembrance that in these verie Epistles which Baronius maketh so much account of Valentinian speaking of the Bishop of Rome saith as hath beene alreadie alledged That Antiquitie was it which gaue him the Primacie or chiefe place among the Priests And Galla in her Epistle It is fit saith she that we reserue in all poynts that respect which is due vnto this citie as to the Ladie of all other cities And like tearmes vseth she vnto Pulcheria whence it followeth An. 451. that this Primacie was taken as founded vpon the positiue law of man and that the claime from S. Peter commeth but as accessarie to the principall And that Flauian had no other purpose appeareth by the proceeding of this cause for the yeare following at the suit of Leo Martian the Emperour appointed a generall Councell to be held at Chalcedon wherein are to bee seene the traces of the former Synod and the whole cause opened in a second hearing to the confusion of Eutyches and shame of all his partakers and abettors and to the iustifying of Flauian and of his memoriall after him in the presence of the Popes Legats who there saw the Church of Constantinople before their face equalled with that of Rome by an expresse Canon made in confirmation of that other of Constantinople And let our aduersaries now shew vs any one Appeale after this made from Constantinople to Rome Eightly Baronius is faine to make the best of a bad cause He now telleth vs Baron vol. 6. an 451. art 149. that this Canon was made vnder the correction and good leaue of Leo Grant it were so and that the Synod in their Epistle required his confirmation and thereupon after his manner maketh a great flourish Seest thou O Reader saith he how these six hundred Fathers thought this Canon though resolued on in two general Councels yet to be of no force and vertue without the authoritie of Leo and indeed a man not acquainted with his trickes might haply suffer himselfe to be lead away with his discourses but the Canon it selfe is too plaine and the continuall practise of the Church sheweth that the validitie of that Canon neuer depended of his confirmation True it is that they were willing to draw Leo to some reason by faire words and remonstrances which they made vnto him and this was the drift and purpose of that Epistle But as we haue often said tearmes of courtesie and of honour vsed to the Pope were euer by them drawne to some farther tye of seruice And yet this verie Epistle determineth and decideth the question in many places though Baronius who commonly spareth for no paper to set downe things in the largest size concealeth one part thereof but thus run the words of the inscription The holie Oecumenicall Synod assembled by the grace of God and by the commaundement of the most religious Emperours at Chalcedon to Leo Archbishop of the Romans Whence it appeareth that this Synod was not called by his authoritie neither was he accompted for Vniuersall Bishop by that Synod as Baronius would make the world to beleeue Baron ib. Confirmauimus and as for the prerogatiue of the Church of Constantinople the words vsed in that Canon are precise and formall We haue say they confirmed the Canon of 150 Bishops meaning of the second generall Councell and therefore after this confirmation of 600 Bishops Baronius should a little blush to bring such cold coniectures And againe We haue so defined say they thereby to cut off all confusion and to establish the order of the Church And in the end they vse these tearmes Vouchsafe holie Father to imbrace this our decree as is fit and seemly for the loue that ought to be between vs. And what reason then hath Baronius of a sentence definitiue to make an interlocutorie especially seeing that they so often repeat the same thing We beleeue say they that the honour of the See of Constantinople was confirmed in a generall Councell we now intreat you to honour our iudgement by your Decree to giue your consent and to hold your selfe content with that which we haue done And the cause why they sent him the Acts was this That he might thereby perceiue that they were led in all their consultations by diuine instinct which they neuer expected to be sent from Rome neither did they looke to haue their doings reformed there Martianus apud Palladium We read indeed that the Emperor by whose commaundement they were there assembled confirmed their Acts The things saith he Per nostra precepta stabilita sunt agreed vpon in the Councell of Chalcedon are established by our authoritie neither shall they goe vnpunished who shall in any point contemne this law And indeed after this time matters passed according to the tenor of this decree doe Leo what hee could to the contrarie who yet did openly beare out the Bishops of Antioch and Alexandria but in the Church men gouerne themselues by law not by example measuring their actions not after the long elne of one Bishops insolencie and pride but according to the true rule of order and discipline established in a lawful Synod Vol. 6. an 457. art 23. Ninthly and lastly Baronius saith That in the Epistle which the Clergie of Alexandria oppressed by Timotheus wrot to the Emperour Leo they request that his impieties might be made knowne to the Roman Pontife and to others But why doth he not speake plainely and say as indeed it is As to others for they make no distinction betweene him and others The words are these Vouchsafe we pray you to write to the Bishop of Rome also to the Bishops of Antioch of Ierusalem of Thessalonica of Ephesus and others as your Mightinesse shall thinke fit and they adde For our cause hath beene alreadie manifested to Anatolius Archbishop of this royall citie meaning Constantinople which they
no farther and what they should say for feare least happily they might mistake in the circumstances of his pretended authoritie together with the relations which they make vnto him at their returne concerning their voyage and of the complements which were vsed to them how carefull they are to set downe and to record euerie cap and knee which was made vnto them as purposing to make vse thereof in time to come But although the Emperors were content to gratifie them the most they could to retaine by their meanes some small credit and reputation in the West yet we find that all matters succeeded not according to their hope and expectation OPPOSITION These Legats therefore comming to Constantinople were verie honourably receiued by the Emperour Anastasius but because they came as minding to commaund rather than to conferre about matters of Religion therefore Iohn the second Patriarch of Constantinople as Basilides reporteth made head against them I know saith he that it is fit for an Emperour to commaund not for a Bishop But if there be cause why and if he which hath charge of spirituall things must needs commaund it is fitter a great deale that in this place I should commaund rather than be commaunded The Pontificall Booke here addeth That the Emperour no doubt offended with both their behauiors sent them out at abâ—cke dore and shipped them in a rotten vessell commaunding the Master of the Ship not to land them at anie Citie And so in this businesse we find ill dealing on all bands After Anastasius succeeded Iustin in the Empire an vndoubted Orthodox who called a Synod at Constantinople vpon the same occasion as before in the Acts whereof we may obserue that notwithstanding the friuolous conjectures of Baronius the Bishop of Constantinople as it were in despight of the Pope is euer qualified by the name of Vniuersall Patriarch so farre were the Bishops of the East from yeelding this authoritie to the See of Rome And yet in the reigne of this 〈◊〉 Iustine Baron an 518. art 70. vol. 7. Baronius fisheth for some thing which he may make to seâ—â—e for his owne aduantage he saith therefore That the Bishops of the East saw that they laboured to no end without the Bishop of Rome and that therefore they treated with him That the Emperour Iustin sent an â—mbassage vnto him that the Synod and the Patriarch wrote vnto him to send some thither in his behalfe for the maintenance of the common peace That they gaue him to vnderstand of their Orthodox beleefe to the end that hereafter they might haue Communion each withother And what of all this For is this a doing of homage or is it not rather a preuention of brotherlie loue and kindnesse Or doth this proue the Popes superioritie when they inuite him to come vnto their Synod when the Patriarch writeth vnto him in this manner To Hormisda my religious brother and companion in seruice when Hormisda himselfe vseth no other stile but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Bishop Hormisda to Iohn Bishop of Constantinople Secondly he saith That the Emperor sent forth the chiefe of his Court to meet them a great way off true but is it fit that they should interpret the reuerend respect which this Prince vsed to them for an argument of his subiection But he addeth farther That a poore snake Bishop of Lignida wrot to Hormisda in this manner Baron an 519. vol. 7. Adorando Apostolico Patri and another of Preuasi and Epirus To the Father of Fathers of equall merit with the Angels And by this saith he you may perceiue what respect the Bishops of the East bore vnto the Pope of Rome And tell me I pray you is it reason that of these fooleries or rather impieties Baronius should make a rule of law or should he not rather looke vnto the proceedings of the Councels It is certaine that Hormisda had deliuered his Legats their lesson in a booke to which the Bishops of the East must first subscribe before they might joyne in communion with them And the good Emperour Iustin because he much affected the peace of the Church and therefore feared to offend him by any contradiction seeing nothing in their articles repugnant to the Orthodox religion did what he could to make his Bishops subscribe vnto them which yet caried the marke of ambition in their verie front beginning with their Tues Petrus together with that which they inferre in consequence of that text and hauing this for a close Following in all things the Apostolike See and preaching as it ordaineth Which clauses the Bishop of Constantinople shunned as so many rockes and refused to subscribe vnto them requesting them to content themselues with this That he was readie to testifie his faith by his letter which himselfe would write to that purpose In the end it came to this That he should begin with a preamble vnto the articles directed to Hormisda in forme of a letter Which he did and in such sort as that it might for euer after well serue him for an Antidote The inscription was according to the vsuall manner To our most blessed brother and companion of seruice which suteth but ill with the Popes Tu es Petrus And whereas the Pope magnified the See of Rome he taketh occasion to say I hold these two holie Churches of the old Rome and of the new to be but one and the selfe same Church where instead of Senior is Romae they make vs to read Superioris Romae by an abreuiation of set purpose and wittingly corrupted For who euer heard speake of a superior Rome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or what is more vsuall than to say the elder and the new Rome And then follow the articles of Hormisda Thirdly when this was done both the Emperour himselfe and the Patriarch Iohn wrot vnto Hormisda the one in this maner The Emperour to Hormisda Archbishop and Patriarch c. And perhaps vpon this ground it is that Isidore in his Chronicle saith That the Pope receiued this Title first of all from Iustiâ—e the Emperour The other with the vsuall tearmes of Brother and fellow Minister Wherein he letteth him to vnderstand That this generall peace proceeded from the pietie and vertuous disposition of the Emperor to the end that he should not offer to arrogat the praise thereof to himselfe and putteth him oft in mind that their two Churches were indeed but one the same Church and is farre ynough from making the one subordinat to the other Vnderstanding alwayes saith he That the sed 〈◊〉 Churches Senior is noua Roma and so by this place we may correct the former of the old and the new Rome are but one and resolving that there is but one See of both I now acknowledge with all sinceritie of mind Indiuisibilem adunationem out indiuisible vnion and equall confirmation of both Churches By which words I wold know whether he intended to subiect his
Platina the Chronologicall Compilation Otto Frisinghens l. 5. c. 8. Chron. Otho Frisinghensis and others All which affirme That Boniface requested and obtained of Phocas that the Church of Rome should be called the Head of all other Churches Ipsius authoritate and that as some doe adde By his authoritie As for Sigonius he denieth not but that Boniface sent an embassadour to Phocas by whose negotiation he purchased a Decree That the Church of Rome should be the first of all other Churches Where also he addeth According as it was decreed by the auncient Canons Now if Sigonius meane onely for the Preseancie we denie not but if of superioritie and jurisdiction there we differ and we haue alreadie proued the contrarie Bellarmine for his purpose objecteth an Epistle of Saint Gregorie to the Bishop of Syracusa where it is said Who doubteth but that the Church of Constantinople is subiect to this Apostolike See as our most religious Emperour and our brother Eusebius Bishop of that Citie daily doe acknowledge And this Epistle saith Bellarmine was written fiue yeares before Phocas his reigne began But how should Gregorie father this Epistle seeing that he himselfe so often complaineth that Maurice did beare the other out in his vnjust demaunds Or where will he find an Eusebius who was Bishop of Constantinople at that time Or where will he place him when he hath found him seeing that Onuphrius himselfe nameth for Bishops in all this time onely Iohn surnamed the Faster Cyriacus and Thomas Sacellarius And Gregorie who runneth them ouer so often as he doth had he euer lost either his wits or his memorie when he should haue thought and spoken of Eusebius Who seeth not therefore that this is an Epistle written long after and hammered vpon the same anuill on which manie others are Bellarmine argueth yet farther and saith That long before that time Justin l. in ep ad Johan 2. Iustinian called the Church of Rome The Head of all the Churches True but still in that sence in which he calleth also that other of Constantinople by the same name Jdem Co. de sacros eccles l. 24. saying that she is The Head of all other Churches Neither of these sayings being true in strict construction but onely in a large signification and as they were Patriarchall Sees and consequently Head and Chiefe of those Churches which were vnder them The other creepehole of Bellarmine is this That Gregorie indeed condemneth this title of Vniuersall as Iohn meant it that is that by vertue thereof all other Bishops should be nothing but his Vicars Whence it followeth say we that he pronounced Anathema against the Councell of Trent which so manie yeares after made all Bishops nothing but his Commissaries or Officials But not saith he if this word Vniuersall be vnderstood onely to signifie a generall care of the Church by meanes whereof the other Bishops haue neuerthelesse a particular care euerie of them in his peculiar Church But for answere hereunto I would entreat the Reader onely to peruse the places themselues of Gregorie and then say whether they can admit of anie such interpretation Well saith Bellarmine I am sure that the Pope was called Vniuersall Bishop before Phocas his time and that therefore it cannot be said that this title dependeth of his Constitution And we say againe That so were the other Patriarchs as well as he being according to the fashion of those times appointed as so manie fellow or joint Curators of the Vniuersall Church but that Phocas was he who appropriated that title to the Bishop of Rome neither can he deriue this title from anie higher Justin Co. de summa Trinit l. 7. Co. de episcop audientia L. Certissimè Nouel 3 5 7. Jdem Nouel 2. seq Concil Chalced. act 1. passim Concil Nice 2. Act. 2. for so Instiman called Epiphanius Bishop of Constantinople sometimes Oecumenicall and sometimes which is all one Vniuersall Patriarch so doth he Anthemius and Menna in his Nouels So likewise doth the Emperour Leo call Stephen And the Chalcedon Councell it selfe in sundrie places calleth Menna by the name of Oecumenicall Patriarch So Adrian the first Bishop of Rome in the second Councell of Nice calleth Tharasius the Generall Patriarch Lastly so are the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch often called being indeed all and euerie of them an Vniuersall Bishop in as much as the whole charge of the Vniuersall Church was jointly committed vnto them and a particular in regard of the seuerall Churches committed to their tuitions Wherefore as it hath beene alreadie said the appropriating of this title to the Bishop of Rome was from Phocas and from thence came that seperation and rent betweene the Churches of the East and West which dureth vnto this day and serueth for a remarkable period in the Church for that S. Gregorie so often doth inculcate it in his writings That this was the time when Antichrist began to set foot into the world And it is farther to be obserued that in this meane while sundrie abuses crept into the Church as prayer for the dead vsed in the publike Liturgie or Seruice of the Church brought in by the Decree of Pelugiase the inuocation of Saints inserted in the common Letanies by Gregorie and by him the whole Bodie of the Liturgie altered by borrowing part from the Heathenish and part from the Iewish ceremonies and the language it selfe by reason of that medley of the Northerne nations came by little and little to be cleane altered so that no man now vnderstood what was said or done in the Seruice of the Church all which we haue elsewhere declared more at large But now come we to Baronius to see what he saith to all this First therefore he extenuateth that wicked parricide and those other butcheries of Phocas the more to defame the Emperour Maurice But what may not be said of a Prince in so tickle a State as he liued in or what on the contrarie can be added to those praises and commendations which Historians haue giuen of him Or who can but tremble when he readeth what S. Gregorie in cold bloud writeth of that murther Phocas saith he and Leontia his wife were crowned in the Palace called Secundianas Gregor epist 7. indict 6. and the Emperor Maurice murthered with all his make children daâ—â—ely Theodosius who was alreadie crowned and Theodosius Tiberius Paulus and Iustinian also Peter who was brother vnto Maurice with other great personages which â—left vnto him as Constantine a chiefe Senator and Placidius and George who was 〈◊〉 him and all this done in pure treason as could be deuised Secondly he relleth vs that Phocas was a good Catholike Baron vol. 8. an 603. art 3. for saith he it is verie likely that he sent his confession to Gregorie out of hand But if that be not this is certaine that he sent his owne and his wiues Images vnto him which he caused presently to be
especially out of the letters of the Emperour to Domnus and Agatho Bishops of Rome as also to George Bishop of Constantinople to whom he wrot to the same effect with the like respect honour and Title as to the other saue onely that he called the one Vniuersall Patriarch and the other Vniuersall Pope Likewise out of the Synodicall Suggestion for so is it called which Pope Agatho sent vnto the Emperours where we find this superscription Agatho Bishop Seruant of the Seruants of God with all the Synods which are vnder the Councell of the See Apostolike as also out of that Epistle which he wrot to the Emperors vpon the receit of their Patent where he repeateth againe the Mandat of the Emperour vnto him De familiari Cler◠for the sending of deputies to the Synod assigned as well of the Synod which was held not far off from the Apostolike See as of his own particular Clergie And yet we find none subscribed but Italians and Agatho himselfe signeth in these tearmes Act. 4. With the generalitie of the Councell of all the Apostolike See that is of all his jurisdiction Act. 17. And in the subscription of the seuenteenth Action the Legats of Pope Agatho and of the Bishops of Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem stile themselues Lieutenants of the Apostolike See meaning euery one of his own Church And Abundantius and Iohn both Bishops subscribe in particular by the name of Legats of the whole Councel of the holie Apostolike See of Rome This Councel therefore represented his See and his See was according to his owne definition bounded within the precincts of Italie And in like tearms doth the Emperor Constantine make answer to Agatho and to his Synod in the 18 Action Thirdly Act. 18. in all the Actions of this Synod things are generally noted to haue beene done Praesidente Constantino c. where also all the Nobilitie and Senators who assisted are euer named before the Popes Legats who are there said sometimes to Reside and sometimes to Preside as in the sixt and seuenth Actions And in the Emperours absence those said Senators Presided in the Councell gathered the voyces and gaue direction concerning the Action then in hand as may appeare by those words which we find in the 12 13 15 16 and 17 Actions Proposito venerando sessu pijssimi Imperatoris c. Ex persona ipsius secundum iussionem eius praesidentibus audientibus Wherby we see Lib. Pontif. in Agatho that the Pontificall went about to abuse the Reader through the likenesse of the word when he saith in the life of Pope Agatho That his Legats were receiued Rsidente sub Regali cultu Imperatori not daring to say Praesidente with like honestie as before where he maketh the Bishop of Constantinople writing to Vigilius in stead of Residente nobiscum to say Praesidente nobis vestra Beatitudine thereby to get an authoritie for the Presidencie of the Pope the word Residere being frequently vsed in this sence and to this purpose as we may find more than once in one leafe of the life of Pope Agatho Residere praecepti vna cum nostris c. Residente Synodo cum eius pietate Residente vna cum principe and so throughout in this whole Councell By which we may perceiue with what face Bellarmine affirmeth That Agatho his Legats presided alledging for proofe Zonaras whereas yet he saith in expresse tearmes That the Legats of Agatho 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Gregorie of Constantinople and Theophilus of Antioch were chiefe Leaders in this Councell where as you see he joyneth them all together Fourthly the Synod contrarie to that which Agatho had formerly boasted of concerning the infallabilitie of his See condemned Honorius one of his predecessors of Heresie and that in the face and presence of his Legats hauing first seene and compared the copies of his letters with the originall it selfe and declared him to haue beene Fautorem concursorem Action 12. 13. 17. 18. confirmatorem A fauourer a concurrent and an abettor of the Heresie and impietie of the Monothelites and consequently an instrument of Satan to whom with sundrie others they deliuer him ouer and damne the memoriall of him for euer Which sentence was first published in full Councell and afterwards ratified by expresse letters sent from Leo the second his successor Epist Leo. in 6. Synod vniuers D. 19. c. Sicut omnes Which ouerthroweth that goodlie Canon of Pope Agatho Sicut omnes which saith That all the Decrees of the Bishops of Rome ought to be kept and obeyed as the voyce of Saint Peter himselfe And as for the ranke and place of the Pope they bring him backe againe to the ancient Canons of the second Councell of Constantinople and of Chalcedon ordaining 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concil Constant vniuers 6. in Trullo Can. 56. C. Habeo librum C. Placuit D. 16. Concil Nicae 2. vniuers 7. Action 2. 4. That the See of Constantinople should haue equall priuiledges with that of Rome and in all Church matters should be honoured as much as the other as being next in order after her Neither is it ynough to replie That this Councell made no Canons and that therefore this is false for it hath beene elsewhere sufficiently declared and Gratian himselfe affirmeth as much That this Synod was assembled at two seuerall times and that at the second assembling they enacted an hundred and three Canons as Onuphrius himselfe acknowledgeth which were afterwards authorised by the second Councell of Nice being the seuenth Vniuersall Synod Act. 14. in the presence of Pope Adrian his Legats the said Canons being by the Fathers at their second meeting vnder Iustinian the second after that he had quieted the troubles of the Empire taken out of the Records of the first meeting As for the temporall Estate Agatho before acknowledged That Rome was the seruile Citie of the Emperour Lib. Pontifical in Agatho and as a great and high fauour obtained of him a Release or discharge of a certaine summe of money which the Bishop of Rome was wont to pay into the Emperours coffers for his ordination yet with condition still D. 63. c. Agath 21. That his election should neuer passe vnto ordination without the Emperours priuitie and expresse commaund as the auncient manner was And this Law hath Gratian himselfe inserted in the Decrete So that it is no great wonder if their power reached not altogether so farre as their desire in the ordination of others which we haue heretofore obserued in the Councell of Chaalons held here in France and in the 7 8 9 and 10 Councels of Toledo as also we may now obserue in the 12 of Toledo Concil Tolet. 12. Ca. 6. which was held in the time of this Agatho of whom we speake where we find that the Prince appointed those for Bishops which were elected by the Prouince and if they happened to let the
in so much that to assuage his anger the Emperor was content to send certaine of his followers to persuade him About this time Salerne yeelded to the gouernement of Lotharius whereupon grew a new contention betweene the Pope and the Emperor for the right thereof for they creeping as it were into his bosome and seeking to bee protected and defended by Lotharius did the more inwardly fret him euen to the heart Likewise An. 1137. Abbas Vrsperg de Lotharia Petrus Diaconus in Chron. Cassin l. c. 21. sequent Sigon ex eodem regno Ital. l. 10. as it was a question to inuest Ranulph Duke of Apulia into the place of Roger being a fauourer of Anaclet and that the Pope and Emperour together were to giue him the Ensigne and Standerd of a Duke it was no maruell if Lotharius wearied with so many troubles was resolued being come to Rome to returne into Lombardie in whose absence Roger lost no time recouering by the farre distance of Lotharius that which he lost by his presence In the meane time died Lotharius in the yeare 1137 neere to Trident as he past into Germanie a Prince commended by all histories for his great pietie justice and vertue and of such patience and moderation as he could without any passion support the hereditarie insolencie of this Pope After him succeeded Conradus the second duke of Sueuia who before had contested with him for the Empire through whose oppositions Henrie Duke of Bauier Lotharius sonne in law could not so readily order the affaires of Italie At this time Anaclet died S. Bernard being at Rome through whose authoritie the See remained peaceable to Innocent And now to consolidat the former wounds Otho Frisingens l. 7. c. 23. Abbas Vrsperg an 1139. he held a Councell at Lateran in the yeare 1139 where assembled all nations of the West neere to a thousand Bishops and Abbots and in this mightie multitude notwithstanding we read of nothing that was there propounded or decided touching the reformation of the Church either in doctrine or discipline though it was manifestly most corrupt both before and at this present which many bewailed with the hope of a better state This Councell therefore had no other end but to establish Innocent and condemne the fauourers of Anaclet vnlesse they would performe the penance they were appointed to weaken the ordinances made by him or by those whom he had ordained And here let the Reader judge what scruples they left in the consciences of so many and diuers nations when both Anaclet and the ordinances made by him almost for the space of eight yeres were farre the better Roger remaining Duke of Apulia and Calabria and naming himselfe King of Sicilia these good Fathers resolued also to suppresse and bring into order Innocent therefore hauing prepared an armie of the Romans he in his owne person intended to lead them against him yet had hee the same successe as sometimes had Leo the ninth for Roger retiring himselfe to the castle of Gallutz he verie sharpely besieged it but William the sonne of Roger Prince of Tarent comming with a valiant companie of souldiers put the Popes armie to flight tooke him with all his Cardinals and carried him to Naples But he was set at libertie not long after vpon two conditions that is To absolue Roger of the Excommunication and to declare him King of Sicilia Duke of Apulia and Calabria and Prince of Capua and a liege man of the Church which Anaclet before had done And in this manner the Popes naturally regard not any but themselues thinking all others how great soeuer to be borne to doe them seruice In the meane time Ranulph and Robert were robbed of their right whom Lotharius and he for their good seruice some few yeares before had inuested in these domininions Now as he thought he had ended all his affaires the Romans themselues vexed with the pride of the Popes An. 1143. and their Clergie in the yeare 1143 earnestly studied to recouer their libertie and restore the auncient customes of the Clergie whom when he could neither represse by feare of excommunication nor by taking away the libertie of Suffrages in the election of the Popes and bring it onely to the Cardinals a notable augmentation of their greatnesse and honour being spent and ouercome with griefe sorrow ended his life But because this motion had his progressions it were fit we should further discourse thereon neither is it in the mean time to be forgotten that we make it appeare how by diuers degrees their pride rose alwayes against God and not onely against men For this Innocent in the yere 1131 holding a Councell at Rheimes An. 1131. a certaine Monke speaking in fauour of him thus began Great and weightie is the charge that is imposed vpon me that is to teach the Doctors to instruct the Fathers seeing it is written Aske the Fathers and they will shew thee But this Moses Innocent that was present commaundeth me whose hands are heauie who is to be obeyed not onely of me but of euerie one and is here greater than Moses To Moses was committed the people of Israell but to him the Vniuersall Church Behold he is here of greater power than any Angell for to whom of the Angels did God euer say Whatsoeuer thou bindest vpon earth c. alluding to that which the Lord said of himselfe And he hath more here than Salomon he followeth on I say according to his office not according to merit Except God there is none like vnto him mark like either in heauen or in earth This is that Peter who cast himselfe into the sea when the other Disciples sayled vnto Iesus Euerie one of you Bishops is content with his barke that is his Archbishopricke his Abbie his Priorie but this man hath authoritie in all Archbishoprickes Abbies Priories c. He saith Misit se And truely he casts he puts nay he intrudes sent of himselfe not of God without mission without commission This Sermon in the meane time to deceiue the world Baron an 1131. art 4. vol. 12. is inserted into the workes of Saint Bernard but Baronius himselfe denyeth Bernard to be the author thereof Furthermore this Innocent was the first who ordained That the Pope shold celebrate the Masse sitting If this then were to be done before God if holding him really in his hand did he thinke he should yeeld him too great reuerence Neither is it to be forgotten that vnder Innocent succeeded to the Archbishopricke of Tire William the author of the holie warre who according to the imitation of his predecessors after he had beene consecrated by the Patriarch of Ierusalem went to Rome to receiue the Pall. He himselfe sayes that the Patriarch hindred him by all the meanes he could and that Innocent abusing the necessitie of the East handled him hardly by his letters Moreouer Radulph Patriarch of Antioch compared his Church to the Roman as being no
be the better aided of the Pope for the strengthening of his new Empire and there rested onely to agree the controuersies of religion Therefore Germane Patriarch of Constantinople writeth vnto Gregorie That he desired nothing more than to enter into conference about them being readie old as hee was to resort to any place where need should be to that effect But saith he because no man euer can see the spots of his owne face vnlesse hee looke himselfe in a glasse or be certified by some other whether his face be spotted or not so we haue many great and shining myrrors namely the Gospell of Christ the Epistles of the Apostles and the bookes of the Fathers let vs looke into them they will shew vs how euerie man beleeueth siue nothè siue legitimè falsely or truely The same also to the Cardinals but that he passeth further There is a scruple of offence bred in our minds that gaping onely after earthlie possessions yee gather together the gold and the siluer that yee can from any place extort yet say yee are the disciples of him to wit Peter that said Siluer and gold haue I none Yee make kingdomes tributarie vnto you yee multiplie moneyes by negotiations yee vnteach by your actions that which yee teach with your mouth Let temperance moderat you that yee may be to vs and to all the world an example and paterne c. But Gregorie answereth him with his Tu es Petrus thinking to put him downe with the onely name of Primacie And indeed Germane said vnto them The diuision of our vnitie proceeded from the tyrannie of your oppression and of the exactions of the Church of Rome which of a mother is become a stepdame To this Gregorie answereth That to him alone belongeth the decision of the questions of faith moreouer that to the Pope of Rome belongeth both the swords materiall and spirituall by the testimonie of the Gospell where it is said Ecce duo gladij behold two swords consider I pray you what a goodly course he taketh to conuert the Greeks These admonitions being heard but not yeelded to the Grecians submitted not themselues to the Church of Rome Fortè saith the Author tyrannidem auaritiam ejus pertimescentes Fearing perhaps the tyrannie and couetousnesse thereof the Pope and Cardinalls hauing a diligent treatie thereupon they resolue to turne the whole armie of crossed souldiers against them And a publication thereof being made many are crossed to goe against the Greekes and chiefely them of Constantinople He addeth This was the seed of schisme betweene the Roman and the Greeke Church A certaine Archbishop canonically chosen to a noble Archbishopricke in Greece went to Rome to be confirmed but could not obtaine it vnlesse he would promise infinitum aurum aboundance of money for the same But hee without doing any thing returned detesting the simonie of the Court and told it to all the Nobilitie of Greece And others that had beene at Rome witnessed the like and worse actions and so all in that Gregories time departed from the subiection of the Church of Rome Hereupon the Authour giueth his judgement The Greeke Church hauing seene so much malice and oppression rise vp against the Roman and expelling their Emperour obeyed onely their Archbishop Germane of Constantinople Not long after the Patriarch of Antioch also followed the same steps and proceeded so farre as to excommunicat Gregorie Solemnely preaching That he and his Church in time and dignitie was to be preferred before the Pope and the Church of Rome and that it was more excellent than the Roman Church because the Apostle Peter had first gouerned with great honour the Church of Antioch the space of seuen yeeres and there was receiued with all due reuerence and likewise established in the Chaire whereas at Rome he was manifoldly vexed with many iniuries and reproaches and at length suffered vnder the Emperour Nero a cruell death with his fellow Apostle S. Paul the speciall Doctor of the Gentiles The power of binding and loossing he rather bestowed on the Greeke than on the Roman Church which is now manifestly defamed with the spots of simonie vsurie couetousnesse and other enormities And these things passed in the East What shall we say then if the Romans themselues haue not been able to hold their peace When Gregorie went about to excommunicat them they spake against him maintaining That for no cause the citie ought to be subiect to his interdict And the Pope replied That he was lesse than God but greater than any man whatsoeuer therefore greater than any citizen yea than any King or Emperour Secondly the Magistrats and Senators exacted a yearely tribute of the Roman Church which they of new and auncient right were euer in perpetuall possession of vntill Gregories time He answered That this was a free gift which the Church vnder persecution was woont to giue for to redeeme their peace which ought not grow into a custome seeing for so many ages there had beene no persecution at Rome but that which the Popes themselues vsed against others If this right had had none other foundation who can doubt but that many ages afore that they would haue exclaimed against it and abolished it Thirdly the Romans extended their countie or bounds of their jurisdiction so that they included therin Viterbe Montalto and other towns castles which were pretended to belong to the Church He answered That this was to vsurpe another mans right and that Christ on the crosse by his bloud had made the citie of Rome so free that the gates of hell could nothing preuaile against it Note gentle Reader the pleasant diuinitie of this Pope For these causes therefore contentions being debated betweene the Pope and the Romans he with his Cardinals depart the citie and withdraw themselues to Perousa thence he thundereth forth an excommunication against them whence came as the same Author saith warres and many conflicts and great effusion of Christian bloud for many yeares And for this cause Innocent his successor set no firme footing at Rome but assigned a Councell at Lyons and also by his Embassadors requested Henrie the third king of England That he might with his good leaue soiourne at Bourdeaux because the brethren of king S. Lewis being prisoner among the Infidels did vehemently presse him to make peace with Frederick But the wisest men of England saith Mathew feared such a guest Because from thence he might soone passe by ship into England and by his presence make it worse and defile it And this is that which Cardinall Iohn the Cistertian Monke said in his admonition to Innocent aboue recited We are in exile chased from the Papall seat from Rome it selfe yea and from Italie But as in Germanie their venome did chiefly spread it selfe so it is worthie our obseruation to see what strong resistance the force of nature made against that strange force And Gregorie the ninth as we haue seene had taken vpon him to
his subiects but of his owne Such are those shepheards that feed not the Lords flocke but themselues to whom it is sayd in Ezechiel 24 Mich. 3 You hate good and loue euill You violently flea the skin ouer their eares and teare the flesh from their bones and so they haue eaten the flesh of my people and flead the skins from off their backes The same saith Ezechiel cap. 34 I will cause them to cease from feeding any more my flocke for I will deliuer them from their mouthes and they shall be no longer their bait and food The sixt signe was The promotion of men vnworthie and contempt of the better sort According to Aristotle these things are the speciallest cause of the dissolution of any politicall gouernement and oftentimes in a secular welfare it happens that the dishonour of men famous and meritorious and the exaltation of the base and inferiour sort breeds great mutine and sedition For both in this respect and because of some of the premised reasons wee doe not onely read in Bookes but further haue seene with our eyes diuers kingdomes to haue beene almost ruined and defaced c. But this hath alwayes beene the incredulitie of humane obstinacie that though they doe not onely heare but also see it with their eyes yet will they not beleeue others perished through such and such vyces except they feele it by experience in the destruction of themselues The 7 signe was The tribulation affliction of temporall policie with the commotion and rebellions of people which is alreadie come to passe in diuers parts And because as Seneca saith euils skorn to come vnaccompanied or alone it is to be feared that after this the Ecclesiasticall policie also will not onely suffer and be replenished with these perturbations outwardly but also inwardly within the verie bowels of the Church which is prefigured in the 3 of Ieremie Desolation shall suddenly come in vpon desolation my Tabernacles are wasted and ruined In the 7 of Ezechiel Tumult vpon tumult terrour vpon terrour and the Law shall faile in the Priest and counsell in the Elders The eighth signe was The refusall of correction and amendment when that comes to passe in the principall Prelats of the Church which was writen by Ieremie cap. 7 They would not attend nor harken but made their hearts of Adamant least they should heare the words which the Lord in the spirit vttered vnto them by the mouthes of his Prophets As also by Esayas Lying children children that would not heare the Law who say stop your eares to the words of truth speake vnto vs things pleasing and acceptable And this shall then be fulfilled when the Prelats do maligne learned men and reuealers of truth euen as it is written of them in the 5 of Amos They hated him who reprehended them at the gates and abhorred him that spake truly and therefore to the Church of Hierusalem the Lord speakes in the 4 of Osee Because thou hast reiected knowledge I will reiect thee so as thou shalt not execute thy Priesthood to me for thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God therefore I will change the glorie of thy sonnes into reproach and ignominie and euen as the people are so shall the Priest be And so obseruing well the forementioned signes you may easily iudge whether the present times be secure and whether those doe not now take place which the Lord deliuereth in the Text Iuxta est justicia mea vt reueletur He could not in more plaine and expresse notes haue described the Congregation that was to entertaine Antichrist It then remayned onely for him to aunswer certayne objections which he omits not There are a sort of men saith he too confident and affirming that the Prelats are the Church which the Lord will alwayes keepe and preserue not leauing the same euen as he promised them in the persons of his Apostles he saying in the 28 of Matth. I remaine with you euen vnto the end of the world But this is to be vnderstood in respect of faith which shall remaine for euer continuing alwayes in some few though charitie and zeale wax cold amidst all worldlie disturbances the which the same our Sauiour oftentimes presaged and foretold And because none may suppose themselues secure from tribulation by being of the Church the Lord refells this opinion when he sayth in Ierem. 7. Trust not to the words of lying and vntruth saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. which shall no wayes profit you There is another opinion of those that prorogue and protract Gods iudgements for they grant That the Church indeed shall be disquieted and molested but not so quickly because many reasons haue beene heretofore touched and other signes were made manifest seeing not long since the Prelats were reprehended by the Doctors Gregorie and Bernard for receiuing of bribes for their pompe for promoting the vnworthie and for sundrie other vices which then raigned in the Church nay more than now and yet by Gods grace it still remained in prosperous estate God most fitly preuents all these debatements in an example in Ezech. cap. 12. saying Sonne of man behold the house of Israel who sayd The vision that this man saw he hath prophesied of long time agoe Thou shalt therefore tell them saith the Lord My word shall no longer be protracted but I will performe it in your dayes And in Esay 3. We haue seene things come to passe in our dayes which before seemed incredible and the like hath otherwise happened Others say Come what come will we will conforme our selues to this age we will temporize like those which said in Wisdome 2. Let vs enioy those good things that are and replenish our selues Such are very preiudiciall especially to good men in the Church of God And if Ecclesiasticall Prelats were so base as to retaine these bad cogitations they could not be too deepely plunged in hel c. for herein they incurre the temporall danger which they most feare the Lord speaking thus vnto them in the first of the Prouerbs You haue neglected all my aduertisements and counsels and therefore I will returne to your destruction when tribulation and anguish shall euen violently rush in vpon you Some distrust altogether and it seemes that no due remedie in this case can be applied but euen as other things and former kingdoms haue had their periods according to that of Mathew they haue a time in the irreuocable reuolution of ages and so this gouernement of the Church must likewise haue an end the gouernours iust deserts and obstinacies requiring the same as it is in the eighth of Ieremie There is none that repents euerie one returnes to his owne course like an horse that violently presseth into the battell If an Aethiope can change his skinne or a Leopard his spots then you may doe good hauing learned nothing but euill and in the seuenteenth chapter of Iuda which implies the Church The sinne
Pope the people refused to communicat with them and the other Bishops would not receiue them 21. PROGRESSION That Iohn the fourth Bishop of Constantinople made meanes to be called the Vniuersall Bishop AFter Pelagius the second succeeded Gregorie surnamed the Great An. 590. about the yeare 590 at which time Iohn the fourth Bishop of Constantinople stood stiffely in the maintenance of his vsurped title God in his wonderfull prouidence hauing so ordained that this question should be now argued and debated to the full to the end that the Popes of ensuing ages might be condemned out of the mouth of their predecessors and especially of this Gregorie so eminent and renowmed a man among them Now this Iohn was borne out by the Emperour Maurice who made Constantinople the ordinarie place of his abiding and sought by this meanes to win the greater credit and authoritie to that Citie and therefore wrot his letters to Gregorie commaunding him to maintaine peace and to joyne in Communion with Iohn but Gregorie vnder a colour of humilitie sought to enlarge the bounds of his owne jurisdiction the most that possibly he could as we shall see hereafter OPPOSITION Gregor li. 4. ep â—4 Gregorie much offended with those letters wrote presently both to the Emperour Maurice himselfe and to Constantia the Empresse To the Empresse that Maurice indeed had done like a godlie and religious Prince in commaunding the obseruance of such Christian duties to men of the Church But farre be it saith he that your time should be thus defiled by the exaltation of one man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alluding manifestly to him which is said to be exalted or lifted vp in the second Epistle to the Thessalonians cap. 2. neither may it euer be said that you gaue way to this crooked name of Vniuersall And againe It is an insufferable thing that he should seeke to be called the Sole Bishop By which it appeareth that to be called Vniuersall Bishop and Sole Bishop was all one in his construction And he addeth farther By this arrogancie and pride saith he what else is portended but that the time of Antichrist is now at hand in that he imitateth him Lucifer who making light of that happinesse which he possessed in common with the whole Armie of the Angels would needs aspire to a singularitie aboue all the rest saying as it is in the 14 chapter of Esay I will exalt my Throne aboue the starres of heauen c. and will be like to the Almightie And to the Emperor he wrote much after the same manner Epist 32. All those saith he which haue read the Gospell know well what the Lord said vnto Peter c. The Care and Primacie of the whole Church is committed vnto him yet is he not called the Vniuersall Apostle and yet behold my fellow Priest Iohn seeketh to be called the Vniuersall Bishop Consacerdos meus Iohannes I am now forced to crie out O the times and O the manners of men Europe is now exposed for a prey to the Barbarian and yet the Priests who should lie along in the dost vpon the pauement weeping and rolling themselues in ashes seeke after names of vanitie and boast themselues of their newfound prophane titles By which words he plainely condemneth this title of Vniuersall as well in all others as in Iohn and thereupon in opposition to him he tooke vnto himselfe first of all the Appellation of the Seruant of Seruants which title his successors after him haue vsed vntill this day But Gregorie proceeded yet farther and joyned to him Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria and Anastasius of Antioch as in a common cause requiring them to helpe stop this breach against the torrent of this his pride and eleuation And he would faine haue persuaded them that the Councell of Chalcedon did offer that title to the Bishop of Rome Epist 36. which yet we haue formerly shewed out of the whole proceedings of that Councell to be notoriously false but that none of his predecessors would accept of so prophane a title And God forbid saith he that this should euer enter into the heart of a Christian requesting them neuer hereafter to call anie man by that name in their Epistles and repeateth that saying of Pelagius That he of whom it is written This is he which is King ouer all the children of pride is neere at hand And that Iohn by thus exalting himselfe maketh himselfe his forerunner and assumeth to himselfe that which belongeth onely to the Lord Iesus And vsing no lesse libertie of stile he wrot vnto Iohn himselfe When thou wert called saith he to the office of a Bishop thou saidst that thou wert not worthie to be called a Bishop and now thou wouldest haue none a Bishop but thy selfe c. What wilt thou answer vnto Christ who is the true Head of the Vniuersall Church in that day of iudgement seeing that by this name of Vniuersall thou seekest to enthrall all the members of his Bodie vnto thy selfe whom doest thou imitate herein saue onely him who in contempt of those Legions of Angels which were his fellowes sought to mount aloft to the top of singularitie where he might be subiect to none and all others subiect vnto him that is to say Lucifer And he doubteth not to applie vnto him that which is said in the 14 of Esay Verily saith he the Apostle Peter was the principall member of the Vniuersall Church as for Paule Andrew Iohn and the rest what were they but onely the chiefe of their particular assemblies and yet all they members of the Church vnder one Head c. yet would none of those presume to call himselfe Vniuersall neither doth anie other assume that name vnto himselfe who is truly holie c. and consequently neither S. Peter himselfe nor the Bishop of Rome who claimeth from him But heare what followeth My little children saith he this is the later time which Christ himselfe foretold the pestilence and the sword now deuoure the earth c. all prophesies are now fulfilled the King of Pride is at the gates and which I dread to speake Sacerdotum an armie of Priests or Bishops standeth readie to receiue him for they who were appointed to chalke out the way of meekenesse and of humilitie are now in pay vnder that necke of Pride which lifteth it selfe vp Ceruici militant elationis meaning by the King of Pride Antichrist who relieth vpon the strength of his gard which are the Clergie of whose eleuation S. Paule had spoken in the second to the Thessalonians cap. 2. and Gregorie in this and sundrie other places speaketh after him and by warrant from him And we must here note that he charged his Deacon Sabinian not to communicate with Iohn if he renounced not this pretended title of Vniuersall Bishop And when Cyriacus who succeeded vnto Iohn persisted in the waies of his predecessor he wrote againe to Anastasius Bishop of Antioch in this manner I
haue receiued saith he his Synodall Epistle Epist 34. wherein he requireth vs not to trouble the peace of the Church and I haue likewise aduertised him of that superstitious and haughtie name of Vniuersall Bishop that he could haue no peace with vs vnlesse he did reforme the haughtinesse of this word c. otherwise saith he we corrupt the faith of the Vniuersall Church c. and not to speake of the wrong which he doth vnto vs Eleuationem if there be one called Vniuersall Bishop then must the Vniuersall Church goe to the ground if he which is Vniuersall happen to fall but neuer may such foolerie befall vs neuer may this weaknesse come vnto my eares But to Cyriacus himselfe he wrot requesting him at his first entrie to abolish that word of pride by which there was so great scandale giuen in the Church for whosoeuer saith he is desirous of honour contrarie to the honour of God shall neuer be accounted honourable by me tearming this title of Vniuersalitie a thing contrarie to God and to his honour And because Antichrist that enemie of the Almightie Epist 28. is now at hand my earnest desire saith he is that he may find nothing of his owne or anie waies appertaining to him either in the manners or in the names of the Priests And when the Emperour Maurice commanded that for a friuolous name there should no such scandale arise betweene them Consider saith he vnto the Emperour that when Antichrist shall call himselfe God the matter it selfe is but small and friuolous yet most pernitious if you looke to the qualitie of the word it consisteth only of two sillables but if you regard the weight of iniquitie which dependeth thereon you shall see an vniuersall enemie Wherefore I speake it boldly that whosoeuer calleth himselfe or desireth to be called by others the Vniuersall Priest or Bishop is in his elation of mind the forerunner of Antichrist because that in like pride he preferreth himselfe before others like I say for that as that wicked one would seeme as God aboue all men so will this man exalt himselfe aboue all Bishops And in like manner writeth he to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria Epist 30. And that no man may say That Gregorie went to take away that from another which he yet reserued as due vnto himselfe in his Epistle to the same Eulogius he thus writeth You haue beene carefull saith he to aduertise me That you forbeare now to write vnto any by those proud names which spring meerely from the root of vanitie and yet speaking to me you say Sicut iussistis i. As you commaunded Let me I pray you heare no more of this word Commaund for I know well ynough both what I am and what you are In degree you are my Brethren and in maners you are my Fathers Wherefore I commaunded you nothing onely I aduised you what I thought fittest to be done And yet I do not find that you haue perfectly obserued that which I desired to leaue deepest grauen in your best remembrance for I told you That you should not write in any such manner either to me or to any other and yet in the verie Preface of your Epistle you call me by that name of pride and vanitie Vniuersall Pope which I would intreat you to forbeare hereafter seeing that your selues lose whatsoeuer you giue vnduely to another For my owne part I seeke to encrease in vertue and not in vanitie of Titles That addeth nothing to my honour which I see taken from my brethren my honour is the honour of the Vniuersall Church and the sound vigour of my brethren Then am I truely honoured when my brethren haue euerie man his due For if you call me Vniuersall Pope you denie your selues to bee that which indeed you are in that you call me Vniuersall but God forbid let vs rather put farre from vs these words which puffe vs vp to pride and vanitie and woundeth charitie to the death Distinct 99. c. Ecce in praefatio 5. All which part of his Epistle is inserted in the Decret which Gregorie the thirteenth in his Reformation of the Canon Law knew not how to redresse but onely by giuing S. Gregorie the flat lye Now we may not for all this thinke that Gregorie would lose any thing of his owne or was carelesse to set foot and to encroach vpon another mans for it appeareth by his Epistles that he spread his wings as farre and farther than his neast would giue him leaue taking all occasions to gaine credit and to be dealing not onely in Italie but also in other more remote Prouinces of the West making himselfe sometimes arbitrator betweene parties and sometimes Iudge of controuersies betweene Church and Church and eftsoones a sanctuarie and refuge for those who had beene censured and cast out by their own Metropolitans whereof we haue but too many examples in his Epistles And if we will ground our opinion vpon certaine Epistles which goe commonly vnder his name he was the first which brought in the Pall of the Archbishops which was a certaine Mantle or Cloake which he sent vnto them in honour thereby to oblige them to the subiection of his See namely to Virgilius Bishop of Arles and by vertue thereof conferred vpon him his Vicarship ouer the Churches of king Childebert with power to watch ouer their doctrine and behauiours But it hath beene right well obserued that those Epistles are of another growth because the whole course of the Historie of Gregorie of Tours who liued in the same time with Gregorie the Great sufficiently teacheth vs That the authoritie of our Prelats and Archbishops depended not of the Popes neither did they euer heare talke of that Pall which is more than probable Greg. li. 4. Epist 51. 52. because that in so many changes of Bishops and Metropolitans as we read of we find no mention at all made thereof Wherefore those words Idem ad Interroga Augustin ca. 9. Quod iuxta antiquum morem Pallij vsum ac vices Apostolicae sedis postulasti And Cum priscam consuetudinem Fraternitas vestra repetat by which they say That Virgilius requested of Gregorie the vse of the Pall and the Vicarship of the Roman See according to the ancient custome were ill deuised And how vnlikely a thing is it that Childebert should intreat the Pope to commit the ouersight and charge of the Churches of his kingdome to the Bishop of Arles who was at that time subiect to king Gontran with whom hee might in time vpon occasion haue open warre Adde we hereunto That notwithstanding this pretended Pall Gregorie expresly forbad Augustine his Legat to exercise any jurisdiction ouer the Churches of France We saith he giue you no authoritie in the Churches of France c. Thou mayest not presume to iudge them by thine authoritie but onely by warning and speaking them faire and by making thy vertues to shine before them To