The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 44
CHAP. 44. Whether the Univerſal Church muſt be called Roman.
ALthough the Roman Church be a particular Church, yet ſhe will be called Univerſal. Nowadayes to be a true Chriſtian, and to be Roman, are taken for one and the ſame thing; and the ſame man is called a Catholick Roman, that is, an Univeſal Particular. But the Word of God doth not oblige us to be Romans, or to be of the Roman Church or Religion to be ſaved: Nay the Apoſtle Rom. 11.22. threatens the Romans, that they ſhall be cut off, that is, that they ſhall fall off from Gods Covenant. For although that threatning be ſpoken generally to the Gentiles, grafted in the place of the Jews, yet it is not without cauſe, that it is particularly addreſt by the Spirit of God to the Roman Church. Saint Paul indeed commendeth the faith of the Romans, that is, of the Chriſtians of the City of Rome; but he giveth the like praiſe to the faith of the Theſſalonians, ſaying, that from them ſounded out the Word of the Lord, 1 Theſ. 1.8.and that in every place, their faith to Godward was ſpred abroad. And yet he obligeth not thereby all Chriſtians to call themſelves Theſſalonians, or belonging to the Church of Theſſalonica. It is very conſiderable, that Saint Paul having written ſuch a long Letter to the Roman Church, did not think of exhorting them to their duty, by the conſideration of the dignity of their Church, and of the ſuperiority of the Church of Rome. It is certain, that Chriſtian Religion was planted and ſpread over Judea, Syria, Egypt, Natolia, Grecia, &c. many years before there were Chriſtians at Rome. It would be a great error to think, that at that time the Univerſal Church ought to have been called Roman. Neither do we find, that in the firſt ages, the Chriſtians of Syria, or Perſia, or Armenia, or Egypt, did ſtile themſelves Romans, or of the Roman Religion. That Title is grown with the Papal domination, and is now one of the marks of his Empire. It is very probable, that this word Roman, is that mark of which it is ſpoken, Rev. 13.16, 17.
Cardinal Baronius in his Annals, on the year 45. §. 10. brings ſome Texts of the Antients, to prove that in old time to be a Roman, and to be a Catholick, was all one. He alledgeth Theodoſius the II. ſpeaking thus in an Epiſtle to Acacius, (a)Actis Concilii Epheſini. Vos probatos Romanae religionis Sacerdotes manifeſto argumento declarate.Shew us by an evident proof, that you are approved Prieſts of the Roman Religion. That paſſage is miſtaken by that Cardinal; for Theodoſius by the Roman Religion, underſtands not that of the Church or the Pope of Rome, but the Religion kept in the Roman Empire; as if one now called the Turkiſh Religion that which is eſtabliſht in the Turkiſh Empire.
Baronius brings another authority of Victor Ʋticenſis, in the firſt book of the perſecution of the Vandals, where an Arian diſſwadeth King Theodoricus from putting an Orthodox man to death. For (ſaith he) if thou killeſt him with the ſword, the Romans will begin to make a Martyr of him. But whoſoever hath read Victor, knoweth that under the raign of the Vandals in Africa, there was three ſorts of perſons; The Vandals which were Arians; The Moors which were Pagans; And the Romans which were Orthodox, who having been ſubject to the Roman Empire, were oppreſt by the victorious Vandals, and were called Romans, becauſe they had been conquered by the Vandals from the Roman Empire. The like to this may be ſeen in(b)Gregor. Hiſt. l. 2. §. 27. Syagrius Romanorum Rex Aegidii filius, ad civitatem Sueſſionis ſedem habuit, & l. 2. c. 33. Gundobaldus Burgundionibus leges mitiores inſtituit ne Romanos opprimerent. Et appendice c. 78. Harcardus ex genere Francorum, Raulinus ex genere Romano, Trillibaldus Patricius ex genere Burgundionum. Gregorius Turonenſis, that the Gauls ſubdued by the Franks and Burgundians, and conquered from the Roman Empire, were called Romans not with any regard to the Roman Religion, but in relation to the Roman Empire.