A Reply to the Catholic Gentlemans Answer, Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. An Anſwer to the Exceptions made to the laſt Chapter.
Sect. I.
Of the preſent ſtate of the Church of England. The Catholicks promiſe for eternity to his Church. Roma aeterna. Particular Churches periſhable. Mr. Hooker's prediction of the Church The power of the ſecular Magiſtrate to remove Biſhops Sees, not to make Biſhops. The Councel of Florence concerning the Popes ſupremacy &c. Marcus's opinion of it. Joſeph: Methonenſ: his anſwer briefly examined.
Num. 1 THE laſt part of this Gentleman's indevour is to perſwade men that the Church of England is not onelyonly perſecuted but deſtroyed, and of that he means to make his advantage to fetch in Proſelytes, being out of his great charity very ſenſible of their eſtate, unwilling they ſhould ſit any longer in the vault or charnel houſe to communicate with ſhades, when they are invited to a fairer ſunſhine, in a vital and very flouriſhing ſociety. Thus then he begins his reply to the 11th Chapter,
Num. 2 In the laſt Chapter he complaineth of the Catholicks for reproaching them with the loſſe of their Church, and arguing with their diſciples in this ſort; Communion in ſome Church, even externally, is neceſſary, but you cannot now communicate with your late Church, for that hath no ſubſiſtence, therefore you ought to return to the Church from whence you went out▪ truly in this caſe I think they ought to pardon the Catholick who hath, or undoubtedly is perſwaded he hath a promiſe for eternity to his Church, and experience in the execution of that promiſe for 16 Ages, Hooker's Eccl: Pol:in which none other can compare with him, and ſees another Church judged by one of the learnedſt and moſt prudent perſons confeſſedly that ever was among them, to be a building likely to laſt but 80 years, and to be now torn up by the roots, and this done by the ſame means by which it was ſetled; I ſay if this Catholick believe his eyes, he is at leaſt to be excuſed; and though I know the Doctor will reply his Church is ſtill in being, preſerved in Biſhops and Preſbyters rightly ordained, yet let him remember how inconſequent this is, to what be hath ſaid before, for ask him how it doth remain in being, if there be no ſuch Biſhops or Preſbyters among them, for his defenſe againſt the Church of Rome is, that the ſecular authority hath power to make and change Biſhops and Presbyters: from whence it will follow, that as they were ſet up by a ſecular authority, ſo are they pulled down, and unbiſhoped by another ſecular authority; if it be ſaid the Parliament that pulled them down had not the three bodies requiſite to make a Parliament, no more had that which ſet them up, for the Lords Spiritual were wanting both in Parliament and Convocation, ſo that there was as much authority to pull them down as to ſet them up: but it will be replied that though they are pulled down, yet are they ſtill Biſhops, viz: the character remains upon them.
Alas what is their Character, if their miſſion of Preaching and Teaching be extinguiſhed, which follows their juriſdiction, which juriſdiction the Doctor makes ſubject to the ſecular authority, ſo that whatſoever characters their Biſhops and Preſbyters pretend to have, they have according to his principles no power over the laity, and ſo no character can be made of any Biſhop as head and Paſtor, and of the People as body and flock, and conſequently their Church is gone.
But we account our ſelves Biſhops and Prieſts not from an authority dependent upon Princes, or inherited from Auguſtus or Nero, but from Peter and Paul, and ſo ſhall ſtand and continue, whatſoever Princes or ſecular powers decree; when they according to their doctrines and arguments are not to wonder if they be thrown down by the ſame authority that ſet them up, and as the Synagogue was a Church to have an end, ſo is this with this difference, that the Synagogue was a true Church in reference to a better, but this is a counterfeit & tyranical one to puniſh a better. As concerning the Doctors prayer for Peace and Communion, all good people will joyne with him, if he produce Fructus dignos poenitentiae, especially i he acknowledge the infallibility of the Church, and ſupremacy of the Pope, the former is explicated ſufficiently in divers Books, the latter is expreſſed in the Councel of Florence in theſe words, viz. we define that the Holy Apoſtolical See, and the Biſhop of Rome have the primacy over all the world, and that the Biſhop of Rome is ſucceſſor to S. Peter, the Prince of the Apoſtles, and truly Chriſts Vicar, and head of the whole Church, and the Father and Teacher of all Chriſtians, and that there was given him in Saint Peter from Chriſt a full power to feed, direct and governe the Catholike Church: So farre the Councel. Without obeying this, the Doctor is a Schiſmatick, and without confeſſing the other, an Heretick, but let him joyne with us in theſe, all the reſt will follow.
Num. 3 I ſhall not here repeat my complaint (if it were indeed ſuch, and not rather a bare propoſing of a laſt foreſeen objection againſt us) knowing how little compaſſion any ſufferings of ours may expect to receive from this Gentleman, I ſhall onelyonly joyne iſſue with his tenders of proof, that our Church hath now no ſubſiſtence; but yet before I doe ſo, take notice of one part of his arguing, viz. that the Catholike hath, or is undoubtedly perſwaded he hath a promiſe for eternity to his Church. Where certainly the fallacie is very viſible, and ſufficient to ſuperſede (if he ſhall advert to it) his undoubted perſwaſion. For what promiſe of eternity can this Gentleman here reflect on? undoubtedly that of the Church of Chriſt indefinitely, that the Gates of Hell ſhall not prevaile againſt it, Mat. 16. 18.
Num. 4 What is the full importance of that phraſe is*Annot. on the place. elſewhere largely ſhewed, and need not be here any farther repeated, than that the promiſe infallibly belongs not to any particular Church, of any one denomination, but to the whole body, Chriſt will preſerve to himſelfe a Church in this world, as long as this world laſteth, in deſpight of all the malice, cunning, or force of men, and devills.
Num. 5 Now that this is no ſecurity, or promiſe of eternity to any particular Church, whether of Rome or England, any more than of Thyatira or Laodicea (which contrary to any ſuch promiſe, is threatned to be Spued out, Rev. 3. 16.) is in it ſelf moſt evident, becauſe the deſtroying any one particular Church is reconcileable with Chriſts preſerving ſome other, as the Species of mankinde is preſerved, though the Gentleman and I ſhould be ſuppoſed to periſh, and becauſe the foreign my Church, which is there the ſubject of the diſcourſe, is not the Romaniſt (or in that ſenſe the Catholike) his Church, as is here ſuggeſted, but the Church of Chriſt built upon the foundation of the Apoſtles, of which Simon is there ſaid to be one foreign, i. e ſtone or foundation-ſtone, ſo as he was of other Churches, beſide that of Rome, and ſo as others were of other Churches, which he never came neere, and even of this of Rome, Saint Paul as well as he.
Num. 6 From hence therefore, by force of this promiſe (which as truly belongs to every Church, as it doth to Rome, but indeed belongs to no particular, but to the Chriſtian Church, to conclude that the Church of Rome is eternall, is a firſt ungrounded perſwaſion in this Gentleman, the very ſame, as to conclude a particular is an univerſal, or that the deſtruction of one part is the utter diſſolution of the whole; and the proof from experience of 16. ages, which is here added, is a ſtrange way of argumentation, ſuch as that Methuſalem might have uſed the very day before his death, to prove that he ſhould never dye, and the very ſame that Heathen Rome did uſe, at the time of their approaching deſtruction, calling her ſelfe*Hieron. qu. 11. ad Alga…. Vrbem aeternam, the eternali City, and†Atheneus, l. 1. foreign, Rome the Heaven-City, and*Golizius in Theſau: Dio in Adriano Prudentius. foreign, Rome a Goddeſſe, which accordingly had by Adrian a Temple erected to it, and the Emperors thereof, and the very name of the place worſhipt as a deity (More Deae, nomenque loci ſeu numen adorant) and all this upon this one ſcore, that it had ſtood and proſpered ſo long.
Num. 7 The like may be affirmed of the Church of the Jewes, built upon a promiſe, which had more of peculiarity to the ſeed of Abraham, than this of Mat. 16. can be imagined to have to the Church of Rome, and yet that Church was deſtroyed, and nothing more contributed to the provocation, and merit of that deſtruction, than their owne confidence of being unperiſhable. The beſt admonition in this reſpect, is that of the Apoſtle, Be ye not high minded but feare, and if God spared not the Natural branches, take heed alſo leſt he spare not you; and this Gentleman cannot be ignorant what *Rom. 11. 2.Church it was, that was then capable of this exhortation. And the very making this matter of argument, and in this reſpect (not of purity, but of duration) exalting the Romaniſt's Church, above all other Churches in theſe words [none other can compare with him,] as it is one character which determines the ſpeech to the particular Church of Rome, (for elſe how can he ſpeak of others and affirme that they cannot compare) ſo it is no very humble, or conſequently Chriſtian expreſſion in this Gentleman.
Num. 8 What he addes out of Maſter Hooker, and applies as the judgement of that learned man concerning the Church of England, yeilds us theſe farther obſervations, 1. That in all reaſon this Gentleman muſt in his former words ſpeak of his Church of Rome, as that is a particular Church, for elſe how can he after his Church, name another Church, meaning this of England, of which ſaith he, Mr. Hooker ſpeaks? and that will conclude the evident falſity of his aſſumption, that by Christ's promiſe eternity belonged to it, for that it cannot doe to any particular Church, becauſe the Vniverſal may be preſerved, when that is deſtroyed, and the promiſe being made indefinitely to the Church, may be performed in any part of it.
Num. 9 Secondly, That a very ſmall matter will ſerve turne with this Gentleman, to ſupport a con luſion, which he hath a mind to inferre, otherwiſe Maſter Hookers Teſtimony had never been produced to this matter. The words of that (truly) moſt learned and prudent perſon, are to be found in his fifth Book, Num. 79. in the Concluſion. The ſubject of that whole Paragraph, beginning pag. 424. is of Oblations, Foundations, Endowments, Tithes, all intended for the perpetuity of Religion, which was in his opinion ſure to be fruſtrated, by alienation of Church livings, and this being largely handled by him throughout that Paragraph, at length he obſerves, 1. what waſte Covetouſneſſe had made in the Church by ſuch Commutations, as were proportionable to Glaucus's change, giving the Church flanel for Gold: and 2. how Religion it ſelf was made a Sollicitor and perſwader of Sacrilege, ſignifying, that to give to God, is error, and to take it away againe Reformation of error, concluding in theſe words, By theſe or the like ſuggeſtions received with all joy, and with like ſedulity practiſed in certain parts of the Chriſtian world, they have brought to paſſe, that as David doth ſay of Man, ſo it is in danger to be verified concerning the whole Religion and ſervice of God, the time thereof may peradventure fall out to be threeſcore and ten yeers, or if ſtrength doe ſerve unto foureſcore, what followeth, is likely to be ſmall joy for them, whoſoever they be that behold it. Thus have the beſt things been overthrowne, not ſo much by puiſſance and might of a verſaries, as through defect of Councel in them that ſhould have upheld and defended the ſame.
Num. 10 This is the firſt importance of that place which the Gentleman hath ſo diſguiſed in his abbreviation. Mr. Hooker foretells what a deſtructive influence, Sacrilege may have on the whole Religion and Service of God, obſerves in certain parts of the Chriſtian world (without naming any) that ſacrilegious ſuggeſtions are received with all joy, and putting theſe two together, preſageth ſad events to the whole Religion, and ſervice of God, within threeſcore and ten, or foureſcore yeares, and from hence this Gentleman concludes it Maſter Hooker's judgement, that the Church of England was a building likely to laſt but foureſcore yeares.
Num. 11 In what mode and figure this concluſion is thus made from the premiſſes, he leaves us to divine, who have not ſagacity enough to diſcern it; The concluſion to all mens underſtanding will moſt regularly follow thus, that the Church of England was ſo conſtituted, that all the enemies thereof on either ſide were never likely to deſtroy it by arguments, and conſequent'y that the moſt probable way remaining to Satan to accompliſh his deſigne was, by ſacrilegious violations to impoveriſh and ſubdue the maintainers of it, which as he foreſaw very likely to come to paſſe within the age of a man, ſo it would be no joyfull ſight when it ſhould come, he was not ſo unkinde to any part of the Church of God, as to be willing to live to ſee it.
Num. 12 And if this Gentleman's inclinations have qualified him for the receiving pleaſure or joy in ſuch a ſpectacle, I ſhall as little envy him the prosperity which hath thus petrified his bowels, as he ſhall think fit to envy me the honour of being a member of the pureſt (being withall the moſt perſecuted) Church.
Num. 13 Thirdly, That theſe words of Mr. Hooker thus pitifully diſtorted are the onelyonly proof he hath for his aſſertion, that this Church of ours hath now no ſubſiſtence, and that it is now torn up by the roots, A way of arguing very conformable to his characters of a true Church, of which external glory and proſperity muſt never miſſe to be one, but very unlike the image of Chriſt the head, to which his Church the body may be allowed to hold ſome proportion of conformity, for of him we can give no livelier pourtraiture, than as we finde him crucified between two thieves, whilſt the ſouldiers divide his garments, though they were not over-ſumptuous, and caſt lots who ſhall have his veſture.
Num. 14 What next follows is an anſwer to a ſuppoſed objection of ours (and that is a farther evidence of what I ſaid, that Mr. Hooker's distorted ſpeech is the onelyonly proof of his propoſition) The objection is, that our Church is ſtill in being preſerved in Biſhops and Preſbyters rightly ordained; and to this objection he will make ſome anſwer from our own principles, of which he ſuppoſeth this to be one, that the ſecular authority hath power to make and change Biſhops and Preſbyters, and ſaith without any regrets, that this is my defence against the Biſhop of Rome.
Num. 15 Many replies might be made to take off all appearance of force from this anſwer. As 1. that this, to which the anſwer is accommodated, is not my objection. The truth is, I took not on me the objectors part in that place, but evidenced it by clear demonſtration, that if twenty years agoe the Church of England was a Church, it muſt needs be ſo now, being the very ſame that then it was, except theſe bands, as the Apoſtle once ſaid, who I hope did not ceaſe to be an Apoſtle by being impriſoned. And when I mentioned the Church of Englands being preſerved in Biſhops and Preſbyters rightly ordained, together with multitudes rightly baptized (which ſure are all the neceſſary ingredients in conſtituting a viſible Church) I added, none of which have fallen off from their profeſſion, and then foreſeeing the onelyonly poſſible objection to inferre the Church guilty of ſchiſme, I anſwered that by remembring the Primitive perſecutions and night-meetings, and the very manner of the Romaniſts ſerving God in this Kingdome for theſe many years.
Num. 16 And all this is pulled off from the clue, and fumbled together into an objection of mine, ſuppoſed to be made againſt that which the Romaniſt, without either tender of proof, or reaſon, had crudely affirmed. But truly I may be believed, that I meant not that affirmation ſo much reſpect, as to offer objection againſt it: And then that is one ſpeedy way of concluding this matter.
Num. 17 But then ſecondly, for that ſaying of mine, on which he will form his anſwer to this imaginary objection, 'tis certain I never ſaid any ſuch thing, as is here ſuggeſted: That the ſupreme Magiſtrate hath power to erect and tranſlate Patriarchates, and the like, I had affirmed indeed, i. e. to make that a Patriarchal See, which had not formerly been ſuch, ſo to ennoble a town or city, that according to the Canons of the Church it ſhould become an Epiſcopal, or Archiepiſcopal, or Chief, or Patriarchal See, and my meaning is evident, and not poſſible to be miſtaken by any that underſtands the Language, and adverts to what he reads.
Num. 18 But ſure I never ſaid that the ſecular authority hath power to make Biſhops and Preſbyters, and there is no queſtion but this Gentleman knows, if he hath read what he anſwers, that in the Tract of Schiſme I never ſaid it.
Num. 19 So again it is of daily practice in this Church, as in all others, for the ſupreme power to change, as that ſignifies to remove Biſhops from one See to another, and ſo for every lay-Patron in the ſame ſenſe to change Preſbyters: But what is that to the making of Biſhops or Preſbyters, did ever King or lay-Patron pretend to that? This is too viſible to need inſiſting on.
Num. 20 Thirdly, when he ſaith there was as much authority to pull down Biſhops and Preſbyters in this nation as to ſet them up, I might demand, 1. Whether he hath any reaſon to pretend that Preſbyters are now pulled down in this nation, for this is by him ſuppoſed, who inquires by what authority they are pulled down: 2. Whether he can, either upon mine or his own principles, aſſume with any colour of truth, that none had any hand in ſetting up the Biſhops in this Kingdome, but thoſe whom here he affirms to have conſented to the pulling them down, and conſequently affirm, that there was as much authority to pull them down, as to ſet them up? 3. Whether it have any truth in it, (whether he ſpeak of what was done in Parliament in King Henry's, or King Edward's, or Queen Elizabeth's daies) that the Lords Spiritual were wanting both in Parliament and Convocation? 4. What he hath ſaid to make it in the leaſt degree probable, that the Biſhops and Preſbyters miſſion of preaching and teaching is extinguiſhed among us, any more than it was in the Primitive Church, when the Emperour was not favourable to the profeſſion, and when the Jewes called it hereſie: And laſtly, whether, if no one of theſe can with any degree of verity be anſwered in the affirmative, this be not very immoderate liberty, which this Gentleman hath given himſelf in affirming or ſuppoſing all theſe, and then adding, that our portion is to be lookt for with the Jewiſh Synagogue, as one, ſo the other, to have an end; not conſidering that he hath as little skill in revealing ſecrets, as even now in interpreting Mr. Hooker's prophecy, that he cannot yet tell, what God hath within his veil decreed concerning our Church, and which may yet make the greateſt ſpeed to follow the Synagogue's fate, they which are caſt down, but not deſtroyed, or they which (to ſay no worſe) ſtand by, and rejoice at it.
Num. 21 The Treatiſe of Schiſme concludes with a Prayer for Peace and Communion, and for the matter of it, we have his ſeeming confeſſion that all good people will joyne in it. But even in ſuch a Prayer, wherein all good people will joyne, this Gentleman will not joyne with me, but upon ſuch termes, which I ſhall not undertake, to qualifie me for his favour, I meane not the fructus dignos poenitentiae, ſuch as John Baptiſt would preſcribe, but the penances of this ſeverer confeſſor, to acknowledge the Infallibility of the Church in his notion of the Church, Supremacy of the Pope, &c.
Num. 22 And all that I ſhall need to reply is, to beſeech him that he will then, without joyning with me, pray in ſecret, what I began to him, and endeavour ſo to qualifie himſelfe with charity and other graces, which may wing his prayers unto that holy place, where all humble Chriſtians ſupplications daily meet, and then I ſhall againe pray God, that I may be found in the number of thoſe, that ſo I may be ſecured to meet and joyne with him, at that common throne of grace.
Num. 23 He is pleaſed to ſhut up all with an expreſſion of the Councel of Florence, to the buſineſſe of the Popes ſupremacy. To this I might reply that this definition is there viſibly ſubſcribed, as the act of the Biſhop of Rome, Eugeni Pp. IV. (who was a liberall carver and definer for himſelfe) as may be ſeen in that very*Conc p. 858 Pariſ: page, where the words cited will be found, both by the Seale of his Pontificate there impreſt, Saint Peter on the left hand, Saint Paul on the right, and Eugenius Pp. IV. under it: and by the laſt part of the date in theſe words, foreign, in the ninth year of our Pontificate; which though I ſhall ſuppoſe to be the mode, the Pope to pronounce the definition of the Councel, yet this was much varied from the old form, and the Councel being dated at Florence, in the year of our Lord 1439. ſo near Rome, and ſo farre from the firſt times, where more ſimplicity and juſt diſtribution of rights might be expected, this might be a competent anſwer to this teſtimony, and a vindicating my ſelf from all ſchiſme or hereſie, that my want of the obedience or confeſſion, which he requires, might fix on me.
Num. 24 But I ſhall for this once, chooſe ſomewhat the longer way, and tranſcribe part of Marcus the Metropolitan of Epheſus his anſwer, wherein he expreſſeth his opinion, and others, of that definition of the Councel, as it lies in the*Joſe, thon: p cil: F… p. 102 Apologie of Joſeph Methonenſis for that Councel, foreign, We alſo account the Pope as one of the Patriarchs, But theſe doe with great gravity pronounce him Vicar of Chriſt, and Father and Teacher of all Chriſtians: and this both to them and us is matter of ſome wonder, how (foreign) with ſo much gravity, they could thus pronounce, what had ſo little of truth in it.
Num. 25 And it is worth recounting here, what for the juſtifying of that definition Joſeph Methonenſis was able to reply there to that Biſhop (and that reply thought worthy to be inſerted into the Acts of the Councel) 1. That he doth not ſay that the Pope is two or three, but onelyonly one of the Patriarchs, foreign, having praeeminence among thoſe of the ſame Order with him.
Num. 26 For this he hath, 1. Chryſoſtome's authority in his 17 Homilie on the Acts, where, he ſaith, that among the ſeven there was one, foreign, one above the reſt (and the ſeven there, were the ſeven Deacons, and the ſame praeeminence that Stephen then had over them, and all the reſt of the world, we ſhall not deny the Biſhop of Rome, eſpecially if, as it follows there, he have the foreign more grace than all the other Biſhops, and will acknowledge, as it is there alſo, the foreign, the ſame ordination of him and all other Biſhops.)
Num. 27 Secondly, the ſaying of Chriſt, that, He that heareth you, heareth me, and the common maxime foreign, that every Biſhop is the ſucceſſor of Chriſt (But then how came the Biſhop of Rome to impropriate that title, to be the onelyonly one that all are obliged to hear, when, as he confeſſes there, foreign, This was ſaid in common to them all.)
Num. 28 Thirdly, the words of Theodorus Studita (one, by the way, that had been impriſoned for oppoſing the Biſhop of Conſtantinople, and who did not communicate with that Church, ſee Zonaras tom: 3. p. 9. & 102.) to the Emperor Michael, that if he doubted of, or diſbelieved any thing that had been there reſolved, he ſhould command a foreign declaration or explication to be ſent him from old Rome, foreign, how from of old, and from the beginning it had been delivered by tradition of Fathers, adding that that was foreign the uppermoſt of the Churches of God, of which Peter was foreign, the firſt that ſate Biſhop there, unto whom Chriſt ſaid, Thou art Peter, &c. (But all this ſtill amounts to no more, but that Rome was the prime Apoſtolick See, that might very probably explicate a difficulty to the Emperour, by telling what had been from time to time delivered, and believed in that Church.)
Num. 29 Fourthly, the words of the ſame Theodorus Studita again, in his Epiſtle to Naucraticus, which ſpeaks of ſome that had broken off themſelves from the body of Chriſt, from the chief See, in which Chriſt placed the Keyes of that faith, againſt which the gates of hell, the mouthes of hereticks had not, ſhould not prevail, (But then ſtill, ſuppoſing his teſtimonie were authentick, this is no more, but that, they which divided from the true doctrine, which he ſuppoſed to be at Rome, did in his opinion break off themſelves from the body of Chriſt, that Rome again was the prime See, that it had the Keyes of knowledge and faith intruſted to it by Chriſt, at the Apoſtles founding a Church there, but this not excluſively to other Churches, which doubtleſſe had thoſe Keyes, as well as ſhe, & that the faith of Chriſt ſhould never be utterly deſtroyed by hereticks.)
Num. 30 Fifthly, the words of Arcadius a Biſhop in the third Councel, that of Epheſus, propoſing that the words of Coeleſtine the Pope, who was to be named with all reverence, Biſhop of the Apoſtolicall See, ſhould be read, that they might ſee what care he had of all Churches (and why might not the like be ſaid of any other truly Chriſtian Biſhop?) And ſo the like ſpeech again of Cyrill of Alexandria, that the letter of Coeleſtine, the moſt holy Biſhop of the holy Apoſtolick Church (a title which belonged, and was ordinarily given to other Sees, beſide that of Rome) foreign might be read with due honour or respect (but ſure that doth not prove his ſupreme power over all the Churches of God.)
Num. 31 Laſtly, the words of the Emperor's letter (called foreign a divine letter) in the Councel of Chalcedon, that the moſt bleſſed Biſhop of the city of Rome, to whom antiquity hath given foreign, prieſthood over all, foreign may have a place and power to judge of faith and of Prieſts, from whence he roundly concludes, foreign, &c. Seeing then he hath power to judge of Faith and Prieſts, he is juſtly defined by the Councel of Florence foreign, the teacher of all Chriſtians.
Num. 32 This being the laſt and moſt probable, and indeed onelyonly Teſtimonie, to juſtifie with any colour of reaſon the definition of that Councel, it is not amiſſe to conſider it a little, and with that to conclude alſo the debate with this Gentleman, as Joſeph Methonenſis there did with the Biſhop of Epheſus. And if we turn to the Acts of the Councel of Chalcedon, we ſhall ſoon diſcern the full weight of it.
Num. 33 There in the*Concil: tom: 3. p. 25. firſt part, num: 25. we ſhall finde this Letter, ſtyled foreign, ſent by Valentinian the Emperour to Theodoſius, foreign, that he would command a Synod to be called in the parts of Italy. This then was the ſubject of the Letter, and this the occaſion; A ſecond Synod had lately been held at Epheſus, in which the hereſie of Eutyches had received ſome aſſiſtance, Upon this Pope Leo, and his Synod of Biſhops met at Rome, *Ibid: n. 19. p. 19.writes earneſtly to the Emperor Valentinian, that he will foreign command foreign a General Councel to be called in the parts of Italy, that may remove and mollifie all offences. The ſame he*Ibid: n. 20. p. 20. again propoſes to the Emperour Theodoſius there, deſiring foreign a ſpecial Councel to be convened in the parts of Italy. Hereupon ſoon follows a letter of Valentinian to Theodoſius to the ſame purpoſe, in condeſcenſion to Leo's requeſt, and in it thoſe very words (recited by Joſeph Methonenſis in defence of the Councel of Florence) to no other ſenſe but this, that ſuch a Councel might be convened in Italy, to review and reform what had been done amiſſe in that ſecond Councel of Epheſus.
Num. 34 This therefore is the meaning of the foreign, that he may have a place and power] that ſome place may be aſſigned him and the Biſhops, to meet in Councel, that he may have power, or faculty, or Commiſſion to ſit (not he by himſelf, but he and the Biſhops in Councel) and when they ſit, foreign, to judge of faith and Prieſts, as in all Councels it is done, to define what is the true faith, oppoſed by hereticks, and what perſons, Biſhops or others are fit to be cenſured for any thing done or taught by them.
Num. 35 This is the plain and onelyonly importance of the place, to which all the reſt of the Epiſtle accords, that an Vniverſal Councel ſhould be called in Italy, wherein the Pope was doubtleſſe to preſide, and he foreign, all other Biſhops alſo being convened from the whole world, ſhould conſider and define, what the true faith required. And ſo this is a faire teſtimonie to prove that the Pope is the Vicar of Chriſt, the Father and teacher of all Chriſtians.