Apostles The force of the argument consists in this that since they sent him or delegated him he had none and consequently he was not Oecumenick Bishop Secondly Herod did not delegate the wise men not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 between which two verbs there is great difference the first signifying a sending with authority the second many times a dimission only as appears in several Classick Authors having the same signification with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So Homier odyss 15. and other where Their third instance is from Joshua 22. Where the people sent Phine has the High-Priest to the Reubenites and Gadites Josephus also lib. 20. cap. 7. Antiquit. relats That Ishmael the High-Priest was sent to Nero by the people of the Jews But it is answered These instances are not to the purpose And first Phinehas was not High-Priest but only the Son of Eleazar the High-Priest it is great impudence in Stapleton to affirm he was High-Priest Bellarmin calls him not High-Priest but only Priest but he reasons from him as he were High Priest As for Ishmael Bellarmin takes no heed that he was sent as a Legat as Rufinus interprets but Bellarmin will not grant that Peter was sent as a Legat neither will he grant that Ishmael being a Legat was greater then these who sent him Bellarmin useth other instances of Paul and Barnabas sent Acts 15. from the Church of Antioch to Jerusalem who were the chief Doctors of the Church Whence saith he To be sent doth not import that these who sent them were greater then they But it is answered First The question is not whether the Apostles who sent Peter were greater then he But whether he was greater then they were We do not affirm The other Apostles were greater then Peter but only since they sent him as a Legat he was not greater then the other Apostles Secondly Acts 15. the Greek verbs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not used by Luke but the verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies a honorable deduction or dimission And so Cajetanus the Cardinal and Salmero the Jesuit interpret the place Fisher Bishop of Rochester affirms That Pius second the Cardinal thinking it fit had an intention to go against the Turks in person But it is answered He had no intention to go in commission from the Cardinals but only to follow their advice Stapleton instances So did Peter go to Samaria out of his own accord not necessitated by any authority But he is refuted by the Greek verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which evermore signifies a sending with authority as appears by John 1. where it is said That the Jewes sent Priests and Levites to Jerusalem And likewise 2 Timothy 4. Tychicus was sent to Ephesus And likewise Acts 11. Barnabas was sent in all which missions the great verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used but not so Acts 10. when Paul was sent from Antioch The best solution of all is given by Renatus a Sorbonist who grants that Peter was sent by the other Apostles as Legat and less in authority then they But saith he it doth not follow he was not Oecumenick Bishop because the authority of the whole Church is more then the authority of an Oecumenick Bishop It cannot be denyed that this answer of Renatus takes away the force of the Argument But it is much doubted that this answer is owned at Rome since the doctrine of the particular Church of Rome the infallibiliy of which is defended by Bellarmin and all the Italians is that the authority of the Bishop of Rome is above a General Council which after many debates and oppositions in the Council of Constance and Basil at last was concluded in the Council of Florence whence the argument is yet in force against the doctrine of the Church of Rome although not against Renatus and others of his opinion The second argument against the Supremacy of Peter from his carriage Acts 11. 3. where he was challenged by the brethren for going in to men uncircumcised The Argument is this An Oecumenick Bishop cannot be questioned for any thing he doth but Peter was questioned Ergo He was not an Oecumenick Bishop The first proposition is proved from the Canon Law in Gratianus Distinct 40. Canon Si Papa Where it is expresly affirmed and likewise Distinct 19. and Caus 17. quaest 4. And likewise in the same distinction 19. cap. in memoriam The words are Licet vix ferendum ab illa sancta sede imponatur jugum tamen feramus pia devotione toleremus But the Gloss in the Decretals cap quantò Personam de translatione Episcopi affirms That the Bishop of Rome hath coelesle arbitrium ideo naturam rerum mutare substantialia unius rei applicando alii de nullo posse aliquid facere sententiam quae nulla est facere aliquam necesse qui ei dicat Cur ita facis poâ—se enim suprajus dispensare de injustitia facere justitiam corrigendo jura mutando demum plenitudinem obtinere potestatis By which it appears expresly that none will question an Oecumenick Bishop And Since Peter was questioned by those men it is evident they did not acknowledge him Oecumenick Bishop Bellarmin lib. 1. cap. 16. mentions this Argument but doth not answer it but falls in a digression endeavoring to prove that Peter was not ignorant of that mystery of the calling of the Gentiles before that vision Acts 10. but he seems expresly to contradict Scripture as appears to any having the use of reason considering both that vision and also his speech meeting with Cornelius verse 34. Stapletonin Relect. Controvers 3. quaest 1. art 3. and in other places answers That it is the duty of a good Pastor to show himself ready to give an account of his actions to any who calls them in question But it is replyed Stapleton saith truth and Peter so in the same place but he takes not away the force of the Argument since in the sore-cited passages of the Canon Law it is forbidden by the Pope himself to call what he doth in question since he is bound to give an account of his actions to no power earthly either spiritual or temporal but only to God The third Argument is almost like the second but more puzling It is then from Galat. 2. 11. where the Apostle Paul affirms That in Antiochia he resisted Peter to his face for he was to be blamed which quite destroys the Supremacy of Peter in two particulars First that he was blamed and resisted Secondly That he was deservedly resisted This objection puts the Roman Doctors by the ears together how to answer it The most ingenuous among them confess that Paul in those words expresly thought himself equal to Peter otherwise he durst not have spoken them So Lombardus Cajetanus affirms That Paul in these words thought himself greater then
confirmed from onsets of the Devil or his instruments and since no visible Monarch of the Church is mentioned by the Apostle it is evident that there was no such Monarch ordained by Christ Bellarmin answers two wayes One way is that the Apostle in those words is not delineating the Hierarchy of the Church but only enumerating divers gifts of some of the Church and 1 Corinthians 12. he adds the gift of tongues But it is replyed It cannot be denyed but the Apostle is enumerating diversity of gifts since verse 7. He expresly affirms so much but it is to be added that he enumerats those gifts as they are in Officers of the Church only whence appears the dissimilitude of this place from 1 Corinth 12. In which gifts are enumerated which are not peculiar to Church Rulers but are also found in laiks Such as gifts of healing and tongues c. That this is the Apostles meaning appears by two reasons First â—he enumerats none verse 11. Who hath not a degree of ruling in the Church The second is because ver 12. 13 14 He doth not enumerat any utility redounding to the Church which is not wrought by the Ministry ver 11. He enumerats the Ministers of the Church ver 12. 13 14. He enumerats the ends wherefore these Ministers were ordained All which ends Oecumentus comprehends under one that is saith he Those degrees of Ministers enumerated verse 12. were for that end ordained that they might minister unto the Church as appears ver 12 13 14. It is to be observed that the Apostle enumerats here all Church Officers both extraordinar and ordinar The extraordinar are those who were ordained only to continue for a time Such as Apostles Evangelists Prophets Ordinar are those ordained to be of perpetual standing in the Church as Doctors and Pastors And since in all those Orders of Church Ministers there are many and not one only in each degree it is evident that one Oecumenick Bishop or a visible head of the Church is not comprehended under any of those Ministers Bellarmin puzled with this answers another way He grants that the enumeration of Church Ministers here is perfect but he denyes that an Oecumenick Bishop hath no place in that enumeration because saith he All the â—ierarchy of the Church and consequently an Oecumenick Bishop is confusâ—dly represented under the name of Pastors and Doctors But finding that Pastors and Doctors were only inferior Orders below Apostles Prophets and Evangelists He passeth from this and affirms next That an Oecumenick Bishop is comprehended under Apostles because not only here but also 1 Corinth 12. Apostles are put in the first place and therefore the chief Ecclesiastick Power was given to all the Apostles but to Peter as ordinar Pastor and therefore to have a Successor in it to the other Apostles as exraordinar and Delegats to Peter and therefore none should succeed them But it is answered we prolixly disputed this distinction of Bellarmins to be groundless contradictory and inconsistent with it self cap. 6. It is needless to repeat what we said there in this place It is sufficient here that never any ancient or Modern Interpreter before the times of the Jesuits did so much as dream that an Oecumenick Bishop was comprehended by the Apostle Ephes 4. 11. Which could be made out by an Induction of all the Commentaries of ancient and Modern Writers upon that place By which it appears that all those testimonies by which those Jesuits prove the Supremacy of Peter and consequently the verity of the Roman Faith are either in Scripture or Fathers depraved by new devised Glosses unknown to the Ancients and also their answers are of the same stuff by which they elude passages of Scripture and Antiquity destroying the Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome and in it the whole edifice of the Roman Church Both their offensive and defensive arms are but devised of late since the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome was established That any may see that this Gloss of Bellarmins is a fiction of his own devising we will prove by three Arguments of three several Interpreters By which it will appear what was the opinion of the Church concerning the meaning of this passage Ephes 4. 11. since the times of the Apostles unto those dayes The first Interval is of the Primitive Church before the Council of Nice what was the opinion of that Church in that Interval appears by the testimony of the ancient Author by some believed to be Dionysius Areopagita the disciple of Paul his words epistle 8. are those Tu ergo cupiditati iracundiae rationi modum statue pro dignitate tibi verò divini Ministri his Sacerdotes Pontifices Sacerdotibus Pontificibus Apostali stoli Apostolorúmque successores Quod si quâ—s etiam in istis ab officio discedat à sanctis qui sunt ejusdem ordinis corrigetur atque ita non insultabit ordo in ordinem sed unusquisque in suo ordine ac Ministerio premanebit In which words ye have two things The first is That the chief place in the Hierarchy in the times of the Apostles was held not by one but by many viz. by all the Apostles alike neither makes he mention of Peter his having that chief power as ordinar Pastor and of the other Apostles as having it aâ— Delegats to Peter which will be further confirmed by the second thing observable in these words which is this After the Apostles were removed the chief place in the Hierarchy consisted also not in one person but in many alike viz. in Bishops who succeeded to the Apostles in the first place of the Hierarchie which also he expresly affirms to be of equal Order and Jurisdiction many and not one having Jurisdiction over all as a visible head which quite destroyes the Gloss of Bellarmin for if others succeeding to the other Apostles were in the first place of the Hierarchie which this Author flatly affirms it is false which Bellarmin affirms that all the Apostles had the chief power only during their own time not communicable to their Successors And likewise if those successors of the other Apostles were in the first place of the Hierarchy equally and alike as this Author also affirms It is false which Bellarmin affirms That the Successors of Peter the Apostle had â—he chief authority in their single persons as visible Monarchs of the Church It may be proved by the Glosses of Maximus and others that this Dionysius was not the Disciple of the Apostle Paul mentioned in the Acts because he seems to make mention of the Metropolitants above Bishops But it shal be proved lib. 2. by unanswerable testimonies That there was no Office above that of a Bishop in the Church before the latter end of the third age However albeit he be not the Disciple of Paul as some affirm he is yet he is an ancient Author and delineats the Hierarchie of the Church not to have been monarchical in his days
Paul do not conclude him Oecunick Bishop how can those Prerogatives of Peter conclude him to be so And lest any should think that the reason is because the Prerogatives of Peter were greater then these of Paul hear Ambrosius or if ye please Maximus Sermon 66. who having declaimed on the Prerogatives of Peter and Paul concludes in those words Ergo beati Petrus Paulus eminent inter universos Apostolos peculiari quadam praerogativa praecellunt verum interipsos quis cui proponatur incertum est The sum of which is That the prerogatives of both are so great that none can tell which of them is to be preferred viz. Peter or Paul If this doth not satisfie the Reader that the Prerogatives of Paul were as great as these of Peter let him hear Chrysostom Hom. 66. where he affirms expresly That none doubted of this viz. that none of the Apostles went before Paul and also on Galat. 2. he affirms Paulus non egebat voce Petri nec eo opus habebat sed honore par erat illi nihil hic dicam amplius By these last words it is evident to any intelligent Reader that in his opinion Paul was to be preferred to Peter We have spoken already of personal Prerogatives that they can be no argument to prove the Supremacy of Peter since in the opinion of the Ancients the Prerogatives of Paul were equal to those of Peter as expresly is affirmed by them and also Superior to those of Peter as may be gathered not obscurely from their words albeit out of modesty they affirm it not expresly Prerogatives then concluding Peter to be Oecumenick Bishop must of necessity be prerogatives inseparable from that function And in that case the pretended successors of Peter or the Bishops of Rome must also have those Prerogatives that they have none but a mad man will affirm since among these Prerogatives are numbred walking upon the water and such like which would puzle the Bishops of Rome now to do In a word among all those prerogatives of Peter there is not one that concludes him more Oecumenick Bishop then they do him Emperor of Rome which none but a Sophister will deny There is not one of them which is not either notoriously false or notoriously impertinent or else refuted already For ye must understand amongst the Prerogatives of Peter they not only reckon up what they have said already as Tu es Petrus sibi dabo claves pasce oves meas but also those very things which they disput after they have disputed his Prerogatives tempting the Readers patience with repetitions of the same things Any who will take the pains to anatomize those Volumns of Controversies set forth by Bellarmin they will find them to be nothing else but a Rible Rable of contradictory Sophistry impertinent Rhetorications and oratorial digressions tedious repetitions of the same things ad nauseam usque wrested mutilated falsly interpreted and forged Testimonies of the Ancients to deceive his Reader confirm ignorants in the Romish idolatry thinking to deterr his learned Adversaries from discovering his weakness by his prolixity In which Artifices Baronius is nothing inferior to him being the most shameless corrupter of Antiquity which the world hath hitherto produced as appears by those exercitations of Causabon others upon him One thing is to be observed in him Bellarmin Pâ—tavius and some others that when they are most destitute of reason they brag most and when they cannot answer an Argument in reason they fall a scolding taxing learned men yea of their own side of ignorance madness and heresie for refusing to acknowledge fantastick fictions devised by themselves as irrefragable principles Their Sophistry is very great in this following disput of the Prerogatives of Peter in which Bellarmin and Baronius clash together in things of greatest importance The truth is there is not any thing worth the answering in all this prolix disput of prerogatives Nevertheless lest any should think I omitted their arguments because they are unanswerable I will trace the method of Bellarmin answering his arguments so that any indifferent man may be convinced of the truth And if any be not satisfied let him read Chamier Whitaker and others who prosecute that dispute to the full The Popish Authors enumerate not the prerogatives after the same manner some reckoning fewer then others Bellarmin enumerats all these which any of them mentions in number 28. the first 20. they endeavor to prove by Scripture the other 8. by Tradition We will dispute the first 20. in the following 16. chapter and the other 8. chapter 17. Of which in order CHAP XVI Of the Scriptural Prerogatives of Peter THe Scriptural Prerogatives of Peter as we said are twenty the truth is they are not worth the refuting but lest our Adversaries brag that we omitted them because they could not be answered I intreat the Reader to have patience till I pass through that Augiae Stabulum viz. that disput of Bellarmin concerning the prerogatives of Peter Where ye shal find First That though they were all true and proved yet those fore-mentioned prerogatives of Paul are nothing inferior to them Secondly It will appear that there is not one of them but it is either impertinent and nothing to the purpose or else notoriously false But now have at them The first prerogative is That our Savior changed the name of Peter from Simon to Peter John 1. Tu es Simon filius Jonae tu vocaberis Cephas Thou art Simon the son of Jonas thou shalt be called Cephas But it is answered it proves nothing First many had new names given them and yet were not Oecumenick Bishops Yea other Apostles also as Paul was once called Saul also the sons of Zebedeus James and John had the names of Boanerges given unto them Bellarmin instanceth many ways vexing himself and his Reader so do Stapleton Toletus but nothing to the purpose wearying both themselves and their Readers with extravagant phantasies falling again upon Tu es Petrus which we disputed to the full before The second prerogative is this When the names of the Apostles are enumerated Peter is still named first as Matthew 10. Mark 3. Luke 6. Acts 1 Mark 5. and other places But it is answered It is notoriously false as appears by 1. Corinth 3. and 9. Galat. 2. Mark 16. John 1. In all which places other Apostles are named before Peter And although it were true that Peter was ever named first it concludes no primacy of Jurisdiction but only of order which may be among those of equal authority As in a Colledge of Judges the name of the eldest Judge or President is the first in the Nomenclature or Catalogue The third prerogative is from Matthew 14. 29. That Peter only walked upon the waters with our Savior As also that John 21. 7. That Peter did leap in the Sea for haste to be at Christ But it is answered This is a great prerogative in Peter indeed shewing only the
Presbyter are borrowed by a metaphor from the civil administration they who ruled Cities of old among the Jews and Grecians were called Presbyters and rulers of Provinces were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bishops Overseers as appears by 1 Maccab. 1. All other Church Ministers were called Deacons or Ministers simply In the times of the Apostles Bishops were called Presbyters and Presbyters Bishops so Tit. 1. those who are called Presbyters verse 5. are called Bishops verse 7. It appears also by Philip. 1. and 1 Tim. 3. and Acts 20. that the Rulers of Churches in one City are called Bishops in the plural number which could not be if Presbyters were not called Bishops since there could be but one Bishop in one City as all know Those also who lived at the same time with the Apostles speak after the same manner Clement Bishop of Rome mentioned by Paul and familiar with him in his Epistles directed to the Corinthians which Epistle is mentioned by Hieronymus but never seen till of late Cyrillus Patriarch of Constantinople sent it from the Bibliothick of Alexandria to King James as a precious monument of Antiquity calls the Rulers of the Church of Corinth Bishops in the plural number directing his Epistle to the Bishops and Deacons of Corinth and likewayes in the body of his Epistle he calls those very persons Bishops in one place whom he calls Presbyters in another Polycarpus also directs an Epistle to the Presbyters and Deacons of Philippi and in the body of his Epistle he calls these very persons Bishops this oâ—yearpus was the disciple of John This manner of speaking continued unto the latter end of the second Age Irenaeus who lived about that time in an Epistle to Victor Bishop of Rome calls the predecessors of the said Victor Presbyters ruling the Chuâ—ch of Rome Likewayes whom he calls Presbyters lib. 3. cap. 2. in the very next Chapter he calls Bishops and again lib. 4. cap. 43. he calls them Presbyters Pius also Bishop of Rome in an Epistle to Justus Bishop of Vienna speaking of the succession of Bishops in several Places calls it a succession of Presbyters Other Testimonies might be multiplied to this purpose but it is needlesse since it is confessed by Bellarmine and Petavius that in those primitive times Presbyters were called Bishops and Bishops Presbyters promiscuously Aerius who lived about the midle of the fourth Age believed for that reason that the Office of a Bishop and a Presbyter in those times was one and the same and that no Bishop was Jure Divino above a Presbyter which opinion Epiphanius Hereste 75. calls Furiosum dogma and for that reason ranks Aerius among Hereticks but he answers the Arguments of Aerius vere childishly in the opinion of Bellarmine himself for when Aerius objected those formentioed passages of Scripture naming many Bishops in one City Epiphanius answers the reason is Because in these times there was such penury of Presbyters that many Bishops were in one City then which answer nothing is more ridiculous However the authority of Epiphanias is of no more weight to make any Opinion Heresie then the authority of some other Fathers who declared them Hereticks who maintained the Antipodes Avertinus lib. 3. Anal. Augustinus also seems to call Aerius an Heretick but it s very like that he calls him so for some other reason then denying the divine right of Bishops other things were laid to the charge of Aerius how justly is doubted it may be also that Augustinus takes Heresie in a large sense as it comprehends Schisme for he professeth himself in that place he knoweth not what is the regular distinction of Heresie That Schismaticks were sometimes called Hereticks appears by the sixth Canon of the first Council of Constantinople which In codice canonum is 169. That Augustine called not Aerius an Heretick for denying the divine right of Bishops but only for making a separation upon that account or else for some other reason is evident because not only Augustinus himself but also many others of the most eminent Fathers seem to be of the same opinion with Aerius as Medina confesseth and although Bellarmine and Petavius reprehend Medina for so saying yet in end both are forced to acknowledge that some of those Fathers were of that opinion Likewayes many Popish Doctors came very near the opinion of Aerius all the Protestant Divines abroad for the most part are of that opinion and many learned Protestants at home as Whitaker Reynolds c. although some eminent English Divines be against it as Andrews Hall and other learned men However it is certain that none were more submissive to Episcopal Government amongst the ancient Fathers and some of the modern Doctors then those who dispute expresly against the divine right of Bishops as Augustinus quaest 101. upon 1 Tim. 3. Hilarius upon the same place and likewayes upon Ephes 4. Hieronymus in his Epistle to Euagrius and likewayes upon Tit. 1. Ambrosius as he is cited by Amalarius upon Tim. 3. Chrysostomus and his admirer Theophylactus Primasius oecumenius Sedulius upon Tit. 1. and among the late Fathers Amalarius Isidorus Rabanus Maurus amongst the Popish Divines Cusanus lib. 2. de concordia Catholica cap. 13. Contarenus and Dionysius Carthusianus on Philip. 1. Durandus in Rationali lib. 2. cap. de Sacerdotibus and likewayes upon the sentences lib. 4. dist 34. q. 5. Marsilius Patavinus dict cap. 15. Haymo on Philip. 1. Asorius the Jesute P. 2. Q. 2. cap. 16. All which Popish Doctors came very near the opinion of Aerius and yet were very submissive to Episcopal Government Whitaker a most stout defender of Aerius yet was most submissive to the Episcopal Government and many of the most eminent Divines abroad who defended the opinion of Aerius yet in their Epistles to several English Divines they exhort dissatisfied persons to submit to the Government of the Church of England which in effect is the same with that Church Government which was established by the first general Council of Neice Those who follow the opinion of Aerius affirm that the Bishop of Rome in the beginning was nothing else but the first Presbyter or first ordained Presbyter amongst the Presbyters of the Church of Rome Hilarius by many cited by the name of Ambrosius upon Eph. 4. affirms that in those primitive times a Bishop was nothing else but primus Presbyter that is Presbyter of oldest ordination and he dying the next in order coming to be first Presbyter became hoc ipso Bishop without any new ordination as appears by the the same Author 1 Tim. 3. where he expresly affirms when any is ordained Sacerdos he is ordained both Bishop and Presbyter for saith he Una est ordinatio Presbyteri Episcopi quia uterque est Sacerdos That is The ordination of a Bishop and Presbyter in one because both are Priests Whence it appears that Bellarmine is mistaken who affirms that a first Presbyter behoved to be ordained of new when he became
difference with the Bishops of Asia about the observation of Easter or Pasch the Churches of Asia pretending a tradition from the Apostle of St. John observed Easter according to the manner of the Jews eating their Passover and for that reason were called quartadecemani The Churches of the West observed it as it is now in the Church of Rome they object here that Victor excommunicated the Bishops of the East for not observing Easter after the Roman and western fashion Ergo say they the Bishop of Rome in those dayes was oecumenick Bishop otherwayes he would not have taken upon him to exercise Jurisdiction in so remote parts as in Asia But it is answered usurpation is no title of authority and by this very action of Victor it appears that the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome or necessar communion with the Church of Rome was not believed in those dayes as appears by two reasons The first is the opposition made by the Churches of Asia to that excommunication of Victor but it is altogether impossible that they would have mis-regarded it if the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome or necessar communion with the particular Church of Rome under the pain of damnation had been an Article of Faith in those dayes as it is now That those Bishops in the East slighted the excommunication of Victor appears by Eusebius hist Eccles lib. 5. cap. 23. and 24. who relates and brings in Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus in Asia pleading their Cause in an Epistle written by the consent of them all that they had the same tradition of observing Easter from the Apostle John that it was practised by Philip the Apostle Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and Martyr disciple of John the Apostle and by the other Bishops and Martyrs as Thraseas and Sagonius that they had confirmed their own way of observing Easter in the council of all the Bishops of Asia and for those reasons they were not moved with the terrors of that excommunication pronunced against them by Victor but it is very unlike they would have so contemned it if they had believed the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome If there was any such thing as the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome their opposition demonstrats that either they were ignorant of it or els wilfully opposed it they could not be ignorant for who dare affirm that the Apostles John and Philip and Polycarpus the Disciple of John could be ignorant of so necessar a point of Salvation if there had been any such thing Neither can it be affirmed that they wilfully opposed it for it is a thing incredible that so many holy men Saints and Martyrs confessed to be such by the modern Church of Rome it self would die out of the communion of the Church of Rome and in so doing condemn themselves eternally for Bellarmine himself de pont Rom. lib. 2. cap. 19. affirms that it is not found that ever Victor recalled his excommunication And since these holy men neither could be ignorant that the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome was an article of Faith if it had been in these dayes neither would they have opposed it and contemned Victors excommunication if they had known it it is evinced that in these dayes there was no such article of Faith as the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome or necessar communion with the Church of Rome yea notwithstanding of the excommunication of Victor the whole Churches of the East before the Council of Neice observed Easter in their own fashion but it were too hard to affirm that they were all damned which must of necessity be affirmed if the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome had been an article of Faith in those dayes and this much of opposition from the East to that decree of Victor The second Argument taken from the action of Victor against the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome is the opposition that it had from the West although the whole Bishops of the West were of the same opinion with Victor anent the observation of Easter yet they absolutely condemned his way of proceeding For as Eusebius relates Hist Eccles lib. 5. cap. 24. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in the name of the whole Churches of France in an Epistle to the said Victor recorded by Eusâ—ebius ibid. expostulates most bitterly with Victor not obscurely taxing him of ignorance and arrogance for his precipitated proceeding objecting to him the example of his predecessors Bishops of Rome as Pius Telesphorus Anicetus c. who all of them keeped communion with the Bishops of the East notwithstanding their observation of Easter otherwayes then it was observed at Rome yea the same Bishops of the West still keeped communion with the Bishops of the East notwithstanding their excommunication by Victor but they would never have done so if the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome had been believed in those dayes or if necessar communion with the Church of Rome had in those times been an article of Faith Sanderus lib. 7. of his visib Monarch and with him Bellarmine prove the supremacy of Victor in this action by a notable cheat the more opposition it had saith Sanderus the authority of Victor was the more conspicuous because the Council of Neice declared in favour of Victor against all his opposers in decerning that Easter should be observed according to the decree of Victor But it is answered that the Council did so not for the authority of Victor but only because they thought that opinion to be right it was professed by all the Churches of the West and by Irenaeus but Sanderus will not affirm that the Council of Neice followed the authority of Irenaeus Secondly albeit the Council had followed the authority of Victor or perswaded by his authority had made that decree it doth not follow that Victor had any jurisdiction over the Council or the whole Church Paphnutius made a motion in the Council of Neice in the defence of married Priests the Council all followed his opinion as Socrates relates lib. 1. cap. 8. of his history of the Church and yet the said Paphnutius had no supremacy over the Council Sanderus instances that the Council of Neice in a Letter to the Church of Alexandria mentioned by Theodoretus affirms that all the Brethren of the East are resolved to follow the Church of Rome us the Council and you of Alexandria in the observation of Easter where Sanderus and Bellarmine espy out two things for their advantage the first is follow the second is that Romans is put in the first place before us the Council whereby they prove the authority of the Bishop of Rome above the Council because Romans is put before the Council or us and also because the Brethren of the East are said to follow the Romans But it is answered albeit Romans were put before us or the Council it doth not follow that the Church of Rome hath any authority over the Council being first mentioned in an Epistle doth not