Church and of these Rome the chief The eminency of Sees according to the greatness of the Cities wherein they were planted This gave precedency to the Church of Rome The three Sees of Rome Alexandria and Antioch ascribed to S. Peter Blasphemous things spoken of the Pope upon that account Primacy allow'd to the See of Rome No Supremacy belonging to it The Christian Church then knew of no such supereininent Power V. That the Rights of the Roman Metropolitan were not due by any Divine Constitution but by custom and the practice of the Church This plainly shew'd to be the sence of this and other following Councils VI. That the Ordination of Provincial Bishops was one of the prime Rights and Priviledges of every Metropolitan within his own Jurisdiction The fourth sixth and seventh Canons of this Council noted to that purpose The same shew'd to be the determination of other Synods What other Rights belong'd to Metropolitans VII That this way of Ecclesiastick Administration was not any late novel Institution but founded upon ancient custom and practice What this Antiquity implies The original of Metropolitans briefly enquir'd into Several instances of this way of Government noted in the second and third Centuries The word Metropolitan not met with 'till the Council of Nice But the thing long before The sum of the Observations upon this Canon Page 46 CHAP. III. The extent of the Bishop of Rome's Jurisdiction considered as a Metropolitan A search into the proper bounds of the Roman Bishop His Power fourfold Episcopal Metropolitical Patriarchal Apostolical The first not controverted the last discharg'd as extravagant and groundless and as frequently baffled both by the Reformed and Greek Church L. Allatius's jeer of his Country-men His Metropolitical Jurisdiction considered as concurrent with that of the Provost of Rome That how great and how far extending The Suburbicary Regions what Sicily no part of the Urbicary Regions The usual conformity between the extent of the Civil and Ecclesiastick Jurisdiction in those times The power of the Roman Metropolitan confin'd within an hundred Miles of Rome Rufinus his Exposition of the Suburbicary Churches Greatly quarrell'd at by the Romish Writers His authority in other cases allow'd sufficient and unquestionable His Book approv'd by Pope Gelasius and others No probability of his being mistaken in the sence of the Canon or the extent of the Roman Metropolitanship or the Suburbicary Churches His Explication confirm'd by most ancient Interpreters of this Canon The Bishops of Rome and Italy distinct The Bishop of Milan rank'd with him of Rome The objection of the Bishop of Rome's being confin'd to so narrow a compass consider'd and answer'd The Majores Dioeceses in the Epistle of the Synod of Arles what The bounds of the Roman Bishops shew'd to have been heretofore small from an ancient Notitia Episcopatuum The fraud in the first publication of that Notitia Morinus noted The greatness of Rome equivalent to a large extent Page 98 CHAP. IV. An Enquiry into the Rise and Original of Patriarchs in the Christian Church An Enquiry into the Rise and Original of Patriarchs in general None before the Council of Nice What that Council contributed to them Civil Dioceses when and by whom introduc'd These gave start to Primary Metropolitans Dioceses when first brought into the Church The title of Patriarch borrow'd from the Jews Who their Patriarchs and whence descended Exarchs what The word Patriarch when first us'd by Church-writers in a strict and proper sence The Patriarchs among the Montanists who A short Survey of the four great Patriarchates The extent of the Patriarchate of Alexandria The Dioecesis Aegyptiaca what The Patriarchal Jurisdiction in what sence larger than that of the Augustal Prefect Little gain'd to this Patriarchate more than a title of honour The Patriarchate of Antioch commensurate to the Eastern Diocess The contest about Cyprus how determin'd Palestine for some time under Antioch The Patriarchship of Constantinople By what degrees it arose What privilege conferr'd upon it by the second general Council The Bishops of it hence forwards exercising a kind of Patriarchal power over the Churches of the neighbouring Provinces The Power granted to that See by the Council of Chalcedon Its ninth seventeenth and eight and twentieth Canons considered to that purpose Jurisdiction over the three Dioceses of Asiana Pontica and Thrace This setled upon a full debate and discussion of the matter This Power own'd by the Synod to have been exercised of a long time before This Grant urg'd against the universal Supremacy of the See of Rome The extent of the Constantinopolitan Patriarchate in after times manifested from several ancient Notitiae The Patriarchate of Jerusalem The honour confirm'd to this Church by the Nicene Council It s subjection to the See of Caesarea When first attempting a Metropolitical Power The contest between this Bishop and the Bishop of Antioch how determin'd in the Council of Chalcedon When first styl'd Patriarch The extent of this Patriarchate Page 137 CHAP. V. The bounds of the Roman Patriarchate A return to the Roman Patriarchate The limits hereof not expresly set down by the Ancients Unjustly pretended to reach over the whole West This granted by them of the Greek Church and why The Pope's Patriarchal Power disown'd by the Churches of Milan Aquileia and Ravenna The independency and opposition of those Churches to the Roman See severally evinc'd by particular cases and instances The Power of Metropolitans in France kept up independant from Rome The truth of this confess'd and clear'd by De Marca Other instances of preserving their Rights against the pretensions of Rome Hincmar of Rhemes and the Synod of Metz. Two other National Churches instanc'd in the African and the Britannick Churches The famous case of Appeals in the Church of Africk A clear account of that matter Their publick rejecting the power which the Pope challeng'd over those Churches The Letters of the Council of Carthage to Pope Boniface and Caelestine to that purpose Several useful and proper Corollaries deduc'd from this story for the evincing the vain pretensions of the Papal Power over those Churches The boldness of some in denying the truth of this whole story The state of the Britannick Church The progress of Religion and Church-Government here 'till the times of Pope Gregory The Church govern'd here by an Archbishop and Bishop at Austin's arrival Their Customs wholly different from and independant upon Rome Their absolute refusal to own the authority of Austin or the Pope The slaughter of the Bangor-Monks suspiciously charg'd upon Austin The Pope's proper Patriarchate most probably shew'd to be of equal extent with the Jurisdiction of the Vicarius Urbicus What Provinces under his Government The Roman Synod consisting of the Bishops of those Provinces A twofold Patriarchate of the Pope trifling and precarious The Bishops of Rome daily amplifying their Jurisdiction The means whereby they did this briefly intimated Page 198 CHAP. VI. The Encroachments of the See
another than he himself could judge others that in these matters they were to expect the Judgment of our Lord Jesus Christ who alone had power both of appointing Governours over his Church and of calling them to an account for their administration IV. BY these instances and many more no doubt which the History of those times would have set before us had the Churches Records come safe to us it appears how early the Bishops of Rome set out to usurp a Dominion over the Church and though they generally met with opposition yet they still went on and vigorously improv'd all advantages with what success the Christian world has now for many ages found to their cost And certainly never any stood fairer to start and carry on such a design For First Their Church was not only Apostolical but had been founded by two of the most eminent Apostles Peter and Paul which gave a mighty reputation to it in after Ages the Christian world bearing an extraordinary reverence to those great names which the Bishops of that See knew how to improve to their own advantage For this reason Irenaeus calls the Church of Rome the greatest and most eminent Church and most Universally known as being founded by the two most glorious Apostles Peter and Paul and S. Augustine says that in it there always flourished the principality of the Apostolick Chair and Origen took a journey on purpose to Rome to gratify his curiosity with the sight of so ancient and renowned a Church And upon this account must be discharged very many of those great things which several of the Fathers speak so liberally concerning the Church of Rome who thought they could never express a veneration big enough towards S. Peter and consequently towards the place which he had honoured with his Doctrine and Residence and watred with his Blood which however spoken by them out of a devout intent prov'd the first rounds of that Ladder by which the Roman Bishops mounted up to a Supremacy above the rest It happening in a few Ages that nothing was talkt of at Rome but of the Prince of the Apostles and the authority of the Apostolick See 'till almost every thing there became Apostolical and was covered with S. Peters name Secondly Their Church was planted in the Imperial City a place that seem'd born for Empire and Soveraignty that had long since Conquered and at that time Governed the greatest part of the World a City that was the Center of all Nations and the Seat of Majesty and Magnificence where all great affairs were transacted and all the Scenes of glory and greatness represented in a little compass Which could not but reflect a more than ordinary lustre upon those Bishops that sat at the upper end of the world and make them appear considerably bigger more conspicuous and useful than the rest of their Brethren and by reason of the general confluence of all Nations to Rome enable them in a little time to draw the cognizance of Ecclesiastick Causes from all parts thither 'T was this conveniency of Situation gave them opportunity to insinuate themselves into the favour of the Emperors and by their power to enlarge their own Borders yea and to succour and relieve their Clients and Dependants which made many to court their protection and assistance though often with the loss of their own freedom and liberty This was especially done after the Emperours became Christians the Roman Church being by them enrich'd with vast honours and priviledges accounting that the greatness of that Church would not a little contribute to the splendour and magnificence of the Empire And though the Imperial Seat was quickly translated to another place yet besides that the Emperours a long time retain'd their affection for Rome what the Pope lost in one sence he gain'd in another making use of the Emperours absence to enhance his own Power and Revenue 'till he was able not only to Lord it over his brethren but over Princes themselves Thirdly The Roman Church continued for several Ages the Seat of true Apostolick Doctrine maintaining that character that S Paul had given them that their Faith was spoken of throughout the whole world it being here preserv'd pure and uncorrupt while a great part of the Christian world besides was over run with Error and Heresie and torn in pieces by Schisms and Factions This made Rome in those days while it remain'd sound and Orthodox in a manner the Standard of Catholick Communion most other Churches veering in point of Communion as they found the Wind blow from that Quarter and saw how the business far'd at Rome Accordingly Theodosius in the beginning of his Reign resolving to reform the Doctrine of the Church then miserably degenerated in the Eastern parts commanded that that Faith only should take place that was profess'd by Pope Damasus and Peter of Alexandria that Faith and Religion which S. Peter had delivered to the Church of Rome and which had all along 'till that time flourisht there This made way for Appeals every party being desirous to gain the good will of that Church and to have its Bishop pronounce for their cause 'till from an honourary arbitration it came to be claim'd as a right and due And persons especially those who were persecuted in their own Countries for their adherence to the Catholick Faith were the more encourag'd to repair hither because here they were kindly treated and hospitably entertain'd a piece of charity which the Bishops of that Church by reason of their ample possessions and large endowments were very capable to afford For besides their standing Rents and Revenues their gains by collections and oblations was so great that by them alone in the time of Pope Damasus they were enabled to live in a state and grandeur like that of Temporal Princes if we may believe the account given by Ammianus Marcellinus and the story is known of Praetextatus a zealous Gentile design'd to be Consul who reflecting upon the plenty of that See was wont pleasanly to tell Pope Damasus make me but Bishop of Rome and I will immediately become a Christian 'T is certain that Church could never want plentiful Incomes flowing in upon it and as charitable it was in those days as it was wealthy and was not only very kind to strangers when they came thither but was wont to transmit very liberal distributions of its charity to forreign Churches to relieve the necessities of the Brethren that were under Persecution and were condemned to the Mines as Dionysius Bishop of Corinth tells us in his Letter to Soter Bishop of Rome written about the Year CLXXIV and that this had been the custome of that Church from the very Infancy of Christianity Fourthly The Church of Rome by the advantage of the Imperial City was capable of propagating the Christian Doctrine into several parts of the West to send out Disciples receive Dispatches transmit Directions and supply all
place among the Patriarchs assign'd to him as appears from the constitution of the sixth general Council And because Jerusalem lay in the borders both of the Antiochain and Alexandrian Patriarchates therefore to make up its jurisdiction we are told that something was taken out of each the Metropolitick Sees of Rabba and Berytus from him of Alexandria as Caesarea and Scythopolis from him of Antioch And that as a badge of his ancient subjection the Metropolitan of Caesarea still had the honour to Ordain the Patriarch of Jerusalem as upon the fame account he of Heraclea had to Consecrate the Patriarch of Constantinople And in this Patriarchal capacity we find the Bishop of Jerusalem subscribing in all Councils and upon occasions summoning the Bishops of his Patriarchate Thus Ann. DXVIII we find John Bishop of Jerusalem with his Synod of the Bishops of the three Palaestines sending a Letter to John Patriarch of Constantinople And when the Council at Constantinople under Mennas had condemn'd Anthimus Severus and the rest of the Acephali Ann. DXXXVI Peter Patriarch of Jerusalem as he is all along call'd in the Acts of his Council summon'd a Patriarchal Synod of all the Bishops of the three Palaestine Provinces who confirm'd what had been done in the Council at Constantinople And thenceforwards the Patriarchate of Jerusalem runs smooth and currant through the History of the Church As to what Bishops and Metropolitans he had under him the old Notitiae give us this account The Patriarch himself had immediately under him XXV Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nilus Doxopatrius calls them Independent Bishopricks because subject to no other Metropolitan besides which he had four Metropolitans The Metropolitan of Caesarea who had twenty Bishops under him he of Scythopolis or Basan who had nine Rabba Moabitis or as Doxopatrius has it Petra who had twelve and Berytus who had XXXV which by the Authors we have cited are particularly reckon'd up CHAP. V. The bounds of the Roman Patriarchate A return to the Roman Patriarchate The limits hereof not expresly set down by the ancients Unjustly pretended to reach over the whole West This granted by them of the Greek Church and why The Popes Patriarchal Power disown'd by the Churches of Milan Aquileia and Ravenna The independency and opposition of those Churches to the Roman See severally evinc't by particular cases and instances The Power of Metropolitans in France kept up independant from Rome The truth of this consess'd and clear'd by De Marca Other instances of preserving their Rights against the pretensions of Rome Hincmar of Rhemes and the Synod of Metz. Two other National Churches instanc't in the African and the Britannick Churches The famous case of Appeals in the Church of Africk A clear account of that matter Their publick rejecting the power which the Pope challeng'd over those Churches The Letters of the Council of Carthage to Pope Boniface and Caelestine to that purpose Several useful and proper Corollaries deduc't from this story for the evincing the vain pretensions of the Papal Power over those Churches The boldness of some in denying the truth of this whole story The state of the Britannick Church The Progress of Religion and Church-Government here 'till the times of Pope Gregory The Church Govern'd by an Arch-bishop and Bishop at Austin's arrival Their customs wholly different from and independant upon Rome Their absolute refusal to own the authority of Austin or the Pope The slaughter of the Bangor-Monks suspiciously charg'd upon Austin The Popes proper Patriarchate most probably shew'd to be of equal extent with the Jurisdiction of the Vicarius Urbicus What Provinces under his Government The Roman Synod consisting of the Bishops of those Provinces A two-fold Patriarchate of the Pope trifling and precarious The Bishops of Rome daily amplyfying their Jurisdiction The means whereby they did this briefly intimated I. HAVING thus dispatcht the other Patriarchs we return to him of Rome ever allow'd to be the first and most honourable of the number What his Patriarchal bounds were the Records of the Church have not so particularly set out as they have done the rest And here the Champions of that Church when they find themselves prest upon and that rhe Popes Universal and Apostolical Power is a Post not to be defended presently retreat to his Patriarchate which with great confidence they extend over the whole Western World being content with half when they cannot have all And to this prodigious Latitude some of them stretch the Suburbicary Churches as if the whole Western Empire had been nothing but the Suburbs of Rome and in this sence they tell us Rufinus meant the Canon of Nice and this upon no wiser reason than what is as trifling and precarious as the other that the whole West was the Special Diocess of the Bishop of Rome But this looks rather like Fancy and Romance than that grave and sober arguing that becomes those great Names that use it Omitting therefore this extravagant notion of Suburbicary Churches come we to the thing it self And herein it must be granted they have the later Greeks Zonaras Balsamon Barlaam Nilus c. on their side who very liberally give him all the Western Provinces and that too by vertue of the sixth Canon of Nice A concession which they make not so much out of any kindness to the Church of Rome as partly out of a design to magnifie the power and greatness of their own Patriarch of Constantinople who was to share equal priviledges with him of Rome partly because they were willing to keep the Pope within any bounds whose restless ambition they saw carrying all before it and therefore car'd not to throw him the West for his portion for which they had no care or concernment what became of it being mainly intent upon preserving their Jurisdiction at home And here I cannot but by the way remark the indiscreet and injudicious Zeal of a very Learned man who confidently asserts that in the expedition of the Franks for the recovery of the Holy Land God by a peculiar providence let the Eastern Parts be subdued by the Western Armies that so those famous Patriarchal Sees might learn to strike Sail to the See of Rome and own the greatness and dignity of that Church Besides 't is to be considered that in this concession the Greeks took their measures of things from the state of the Church as it was in their time when the Pope had in a manner intirely subdued the Western Provinces to the See of Rome But in the better and more early Ages the case was otherwise And indeed that the Popes Patriarchal Jurisdiction was far enough from extending over the whole West there can be no better evidence than that there was scarce any Western Church in those days that did not upon occasion oppose the power and remonstrate against the Usurpations of the See of Rome In Italy we need go no further than
the determination made by the Sardican Synod Adelfius de civitate Coloniae Londinensium with Sacerdos a Priest and Arminius a Deacon After the Empire had submitted to Christianity we cannot question but that Religion prospered greatly in this Island and that Constantine who made it his business to advance it in all places would much more give it the highest encouragement in that place to which he owed both his first breath and Empire What progress it made afterwards I may not stand nicely to enquire 't is certain it flourish'd here under the Roman Government 'till the Declension of the Empire when that guard and protection being withdrawn the Country became a prey to the neighbour Picts and Scots as not long after to the Saxons a War-like but Pagan Nation whom the Britains had call'd in to their Assistance who drove the remainder of the Britains and with them Religion into the Mountains where yet it throve under the greatest hardships Things continued thus when Ann. DXCVI. Pope Gregory the Great sent Austine the Monk to convert these Saxons who after his first expedition being at Arles consecrated Arch-bishop of Canterbury applied himself more closely to this errand than he had done before He found Paganisme covering the greatest parts of the Island but withal a considerable Church among the Britains seven Bishops they had as Bede informs us A number says Bale conform'd to the seven Churches of Asia their Sees were Hereford Tavensis or Landaff Lhan-Padern-Vaur Bangor Elviensis or S. Asaph Worcester and Morganensis suppos'd by many to be Glamorgan but that being the same with Landaff R. Hoveden reckons Chester in the room of it or as Bishop Usher thinks not improbable it might be Caer-Guby or Holy-head in the Isle of Anglesey These seven were under the superintendency of a Metropolitan whose Archiepiscopal See had been formerly at Caer-leon upon Uske the famous River Isca in Monmouthshire but some years before Austins arival had been translated to Menevia or S. Davids so call'd from the Bishop that translated it in Pembrook-shire though for some time after retaining the Title of Arch-bishop of Caer-Leon And to him were the Welsh Bishops subject and by him Ordain'd as he by them until the time of King Henry the First Besides these Episcopal Sees the Britains had Colledges or Seminaries and in them vast numbers of Christian Monks who dwelt especially at Bangor under the care and superintendency of Abbot Dinooth But that which spoil'd all was that this Church had Rites and Usages vastly different from them of Rome both in the Observation of Easter the Administration of Baptism and many other Customes A most infallible Argument that the Britannick Church had no dependance upon had held no communication with the Church of Rome Their celebration of Easter after the manner of the ancient Asiatick Churches clearly shewing that they had originally deriv'd their Religion from those Eastern parts To reduce therefore this Church into subjection to Rome was a great part of Austins work In order whereunto by the help of King Ethelbert he procur'd a conference with them at a place upon the Borders of Worcester-shire call'd from this occasion Augustins Oke Austin us'd all his arts to prevail upon them perswaded intreated threatned but in vain After a long disputation they declar'd they preferr'd their own ancient Traditions and Customs from which they might not depart without leave and liberty from their own Church Nay if the British fragment produc'd by one of our great Antiquaries be of any credit Abbot Dinoth plainly told him with a Be it known to you and without doubt That they ow'd no more to the Pope of Rome than to every godly Christian vzi. the obedience of Love and Brotherly assistance other than this he knew none due to him whom they call'd Pope and who claim'd to be own'd and styl'd Father of Fathers that for themselves they were under the Government of the Bishop of Caer-Leon upon Uske who under God was to oversee and guide them Austin saw 't was to no purpose at present to treat further and so reserv'd himself for another conference A second therefore and a more general meeting is propounded and agreed to whereto came the seven British Bishops and many other persons of Learning especially of the College of Bangor Austin as before press'd them to a compliance with the Roman and Apostolick Church But they offended with his proud and contemptuous treatment of them never so much as rising out of his Chair at their coming to salute him told him plainly they would do nothing of what he demanded nor would they own him for Archbishop prudently arguing among themselves If he would not now vouchsafe so much as to rise up to us how much more when we have submitted to him will he despise and scorn us Austin finding no good was to be done upon them parted from them with this passionate farewel That since they would not have peace with their Brethren they should have war from their Enemies and for as much as they refus'd to preach the way of life to the English they should be punisht with death by their hands And his word it seems was made good For soon after Ethelfrid King of Northumberland at the instigation as is said of Ethelbert King of Kent march'd with a powerful Army to Caer-Leon and made great havock and destruction and among the rest slew Twelve hundred of the innocent Monks of Bangor who were come along with their Army by fasting and prayer to intercede with Heaven for its prosperous success That Austin was the first spring of this fatal Tragedy moving Ethelbert as he did Ethelfrid there are not only strong suspicions but the thing is expresly affirm'd by several Historians of no inconsiderable credit and antiquity 'T is true Bede says this happened not till after Austins Death But besides the inconsistency in point of Chronology 't is suspicious that passage was foisted into Bede it being wanting in the ancient Saxon Translation of King Alfred done within CL. years after Bedes Death Nay though we should grant the slaughter to have happened after the death of Austin yet who knows not but he might easily lay the design with Ethelbert though himself liv'd not to see the Execution And the proud and haughty spirit of the man gives but too much encouragement to the suspicion What became of the British Churches after this I am not concern'd to relate 'T is enough to my purpose that from the very originals of this Church it was independant upon Rome and that for Six hundred years together nor could be brought to strike Sail 'till Fire and Sword the most powerful Arguments of the Papal cause had converted that is in effect ruin'd and destroy'd it X. FROM the whole of what has been said laid together the impartial Reader will easily make this conclusion how vain and frivolous the pretences are to the Popes Patriarchal Authority over