Catholique traditions. Or A treatise of the beliefe of the Christians of Asia, Europa, and Africa, in the principall controuersies of our time In fauour of the louers of the catholicke trueth, and the peace of the Church. Written in French by Th. A.I.C. and translated into English, by L.O.

ANNOTATION.

SAint Peter ought to be considered foure manner of wayes: first, in the quality of an Apostle, sent by God im∣mediately:

as such a one that had no successor. In the se∣cond, place as an Apostle simply, hauing charge to plant ma∣ny Churches: in such manner S. Marke and other Euange∣listes (their Substitutes, which also are called Apostles) were his Successors. In the third place, as a Bishoppe and Presi∣dent in euery Church, where he was: that is to say, in Anti∣och, Rome, Ierusalem: as Euodias did succeede him in An∣tioch, Clement in Rome, S. Iames the Apostle, and S. Sime∣on in Ierusalem. Fourthly, S. Peter is to be considered as Primate in the Catholike Church: in such manner S. Iohn the Apostle (entirely beloued of the Lord) succeeded him▪ hauing out-liued S. Peter fiue and twenty, or thirty yeares: Moreouer, that S. Iohn was preferred before all the Bishops of the world, is apparent by that, that he was taken for one of the three pillers of the Church, and was one of the twelue foundations, vpon which the ordinarie Bishoppes of cities were constituted. And withall, Tradition confirmeth this: for there is no Church in the world which nameth not the Apostles before the Bishops: yea the Church of Rome pre∣ferreth the Apostles before the Popes. It remaineth then for vs to search, who was the successor of S. Iohn in the Ca∣tholike Primacy, whether Polycarpus was his successor in Ephesus, or Simeon successor to S. Peter in Ierusalem, or Albinus of Alexandria successor of S. Marke, successor and chosen of S. Peter, or Ignatius successor of Euodias, and of S. Peter in Antioch: or Euaristus successor of Clement, and of Linus, and of S. Peter in Rome.

There are two Churches which haue contended herein, more then eight hundred yeeres, that is to say, that of Con∣stantinople, and that of Rome. The Romane Church saith, that S. Peter hath ordained, is from God, that Rome should

haue the Primacie and power to command, and that for euer. They of Constantinople say on the contrarie side, that our Lord neuer spoke any such words, much lesse Saint Peter himself, and if any such thing had been, some one of the Apo∣stles would haue written of it, this Article being the foun∣dation of all the doctrine, and gouernement of the Church. Moreouer Saint Peter himselfe would haue Preached the same, and Saint Iohn who succeeded and out-liued S. Peter, would not haue stayed in Ephesus. Well then, you see that all the Churches planted by the Apostles not excepting any one, doe testifie after many ages, that neither they, nor their fa∣thers neuer beleeued nor held, that the Primacie by diuine power, was due to the Church of Rome, but rather that it ap∣pertaineth to whosoeuer shall bee chosen and elected by the greater part of the Churches: and that the Bishop of Rome alone ought not to be q beleeued, much lesse in his owne pro∣per cause. In like maner many learned men of the Latine Church doe confesse, that the reason wherefore Rome is helde to haue the Primacie in diuine affaires, is an opinion of the vulgar sort. So that rather to Constantinople appertai∣neth the Primacie, seeing it was giuen her by the Aposto∣licke Churches, which they gaue not then to Rome, being one of the last seates of Saint Peter, but onely in regard of the Imperiall seate. Well then, to make this the more intelli∣gible, it is necessarie to know how it happeneth, that the Citie of Rome now a dayes, pretendeth that the Primacie is due to her by diuine right. The aboue mentioned Apostolicke Chur∣ches doe surmise, as followeth, and say.

First, that Saint Peter had the first place among the A∣postles, for he was oftentimes demanded many things by the Lord, and he answered in the name of his fellowes, ouer

whom neuerthelesse he had no iurisdiction nor authority: although that some doe thinke, that he resigned it to Saint Iames, when they were together at Hierusalem: after that S. Iames was instituted Bishoppe, that is to say, after that hee was staied, that hee should make his ordinarie residence there.

Secondly, that Saint Iohn during his life, after the time of S. Peter, had the first place amongst all the Euangelists and Bishoppes.

Thirdly, that he neuer taught that Rome by Diuine right, ought to be the Mistresse of the other Churches: if he had, S. Polycarpus his Disciple, and others his successors in E∣phesus had not debated so earnestly and obstinately against the Roman Church touching the feast of Easter.

Fourthly, that after S. Iohn, the Bishop of Rome obtained by iust title, the first place among the Bishops which were vn∣der the Romane Empire: for seeing that the Citizens of Rome then raigned ouer the Inhabitants of other Cities: hee had been both proud, audacious and vnreasonable, which would haue preferred himselfe before their Bishop, especially without any ordinance of a Councell.

Fiftly, that the churches of Italy, and other their neigh∣bours, through the laps of time gaue to the Bishop of Rome, not only the first place, but also the superintendancie ouer the Bishops neare them, in particular, for to giue his aduice in matters that happened, till a Synode might be had.

Sixtly, that the councell of Nice approued the same, and ordained that Alexandrias 1.1 should in like manner, haue the ouer-sight of the Churches of Egipt and of Affrica, and that the church oft 1.2 Antioch should ouer-see those of the east. And after a certaine time, because the Emperiall seate was trans∣ported

vnto Constantinople, it was ordained that that Bishop should be ouer-seer of the Greeke Churches, and the Bishop of Ierusalem should be admitted to be one of the fiue, for Pa∣lestina: and those fiue were called Patriarches.

Seuenthly, that the Bishop of Rome all this while had the first seat, but yet without any vniuersall iurisdiction▪ but rather euery one of the foresaid fiue Patriarches, iudged or rather gaue his aduise and opinion, till a Councell might be had, as euen to this day they of Constantinople (although that they call themselues Oecumenicke) are subiect to Sy∣nodes, but yet of Greece onely.

Eightly, that Maurice Emperour of Constantinople, would haue taken away the primacie fromu 1.3 Gregorie Bi∣shoppe of Rome, andx 1.4 giuen it to Iohn Bishop of Con∣stantinople, who for a Marke of his place, desired to haue the Title of a generally 1.5 Bishoppe: and that Gregorie did op∣pose himselfe against him, least he should loose his place, vr∣ging, how insolent that Title was, and saying, that Iohn would vsurpe Dominion ouer the other Bishops, (which per∣aduenture was not the intention of Iohn:) but he on the contrary side, to shew that he was contented with the ranke or place of his predecessors, called himselfe Seruus seruorum Dei. The seruant of the seruants of God.

Ninthly, that Phocas hauing slaine Maurice gaue to the Bishop of Rome (which was then Boniface) the first seate and Title of Generall or Vniuersall Bishop, and yet without any iurisdiction or Dominion ouer the other patri∣arches: which notwithstanding, the churches acknowledged him not in that quality.

Tenthly, that Charles the great, King of France, hauing subdued with armes a great part of Europe: The citie of

Rome craued his ayde against the Lombards, who being ouer come by the same King, the Romanes proclaimed him their Emperour.

11 That then the Emperors of the East with the consent of the Patriarchall and Apostolicke Churches tooke from Rome the primacy, and gaue it to the said Church of Con∣stantinople.

12 That then the Romanes seeing that by the Ecclesia∣sticall law they should loose the primacie, began to say that the primacy belonged as of Diuine right to them, and to their Bishop: and consequently, that the whole Church together could not take away from them the first ranke, because that Rome is the Sea of S. Peter.

13 That after that they of the East had rightly said, that hee is successor of S. Peter, which is elected, confir∣med, and approued by the greatest part of the Churches, in what place soeuer he maketh his residence, and that imitateth S. Peter in doctrine and humilitie. That the Bishoppes of Rome haue brought into their church many errours, and haue innouated many things without and against the decrees of the councels, withall they haue added to the Symbole of Nice of their priuate authority, that the holy Ghost pro∣ceedeth from the Sonne, euen as from the Father. That al∣though that the vniuersall councell hath giuen the first seate to the bishoppe of Rome: yet did not they beleeue that the church in future time could not take from him this place: especially if the church of Rome should fall into any errour, as they say she is already fallen.

14 That in the meane while the prouinces of the Empire of Charles the great, to wit, Fraunce, Italy, Germanie and Spaine remained vnder the bishoppe of Rome, as being

their nearest Patriark, which is the reason that they now go a∣bout to perswade men, that the Primacie appertaineth vnto him by Gods Law, but this should bee no preiudice to other Churches, nor to the trueth.

15. That the Bishops of Rome enriched with the gifts and Donations of the Kings of France, and per aduenture beleeuing themselues to be that which was repated of them, haue ouerthrowne both Spirituall and Temporall Monarkes, and haue caused to bee receiued, in places vnder obedience to them, as well the Lawes of their predecessors the Popes, made by the Church of Rome, as also those Lawes which they themselues from time to time doe adde thereunto, in somuch that the Churches of the East, South, and North, with good reason haue opposed themselues against these enterprises. The confession and beliefe of the Apostolicke Churches about this Question here in controuersie, is this.

That the first seate (which is by diuine Law, so farr as is necessarie for the order of Councels, and is meete to shewz 1.6 vnitie) is by the Ecclesiasticall Law, as also the Sea that appertaineth to any such Bishop, whome the Catholicke Church shall iudge to be fit and capable of such a charge.

Notes

• s 1.1

  Alexan∣dria was the greatest Ci∣tie of the Empire af∣ter Rome. Ioseph. l. 4. c. 42.
• t 1.2

  Antioch was the third Citie Josep. bello Iud. lib. 3. there was in this Ci∣tie 360. Churches of Christi∣ans.
• u 1.3

  The Gre∣cians doe call him Gregorie Dialoger.
• x 1.4

  John nest∣entes. That is to say, the younger.
• y 1.5

  Oecumeni∣cos.
• z 1.6

  S. Cypr. de simpl. cl.