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In déede it is a shame to belie any creature: for that lieinge is shameful of it selfe. And therefore, M. Hardinge, ye mighte doo mutche better, to vse it lesse. You haue brought vs here an Exposition of the Councel of Nice, sutche, as I thinke, from that time vntil this time hath seldome benne hearde of. You saie, The
Bishop of Romes Custome was,* 1.1 to geue Iurisdiction to the Patriarkes of Alexan∣dria, of Antioche, and of Hierusalem: and that thei had none Authoritie of Gouern∣mente, but onely so mutche, as was limited, and allowed by him. And this, you saye, was the onely, and vndoubted meaninge of that Councel. This fantasie is not here auouched by any Auncient Doctour, or Learned Father. Therefore wée muste thinke, what so euer it be, it is your owne. And weighinge the strangenesse of the same, I muste needes saie of yow, as S. Hierome saide sometime of one Rhe∣ticius in the like case,* 1.2 Rheticius eloquens quidem est, sed ineptus Interpres: Rheti∣cius is an eloquente man in deede: and yet but a fonde Interpreter. For it is certaine, and knowen euen vnto Children, that the Bishop of Rome, before the Councel of Nice, had neither sutche Custome of Superioritie, nor sutche dealinge of Iurisdi∣ctions. Pope Pius Secundus saithe,* 1.3 Ante Nicenam Synodum vnusquisque sibi vi∣xit: & paruus respectus ad Romanā Ecclesiam halebatur: Before the Councel of Nice, e∣uery Bishop liued to him selfe: and there was then smal regarde had to the Churche of Rome.
As for our sortishe Argumentes, sutche as by your iudgemente any sorte would be ashamed to make, I maye leaue them wel to you, M. Hardinge; not for that ye lacke them greately, but for that, as it appeare the by your Bookes, ye knowe beste howe to vse them.
Touchinge the sixthe Canon of this Councel, whiche, you imagine, is so darke, and doubteful, I truste, it shalbe plainely, and clearely opened, by them that were neuer hitherto accounted sottishe.
The woordes thereof are plaine yenough. The sense is this. The whole Body of Christendome was diuided into foure Patriarkshippes: wherof the First was Rome: the Seconde Alexandria: the Thirde Antioche: the Fourthe Hierusa∣lem. And eche of these was limited, and bounded within it selfe: Alexandria, to haue the ouersight ouer Egypte, & Pentapolis: Antioche, ouer Syria: Hierusalem, ouer Iurie: Rome,* 1.4 ouer Italie, and other Churches of the Weaste. And herein wée haue the Exposition of Theodorus Balsamon, that liued fiue hundred yeeres agoe, and was Patriarke of Antioche, and, as somme of M. Hardinges trendes haue thought, a man of greate Learninge. Yet for as mutche as M. Hardinge here vt∣terly refuseth him, not onely as a Schismatique, but also as a man bothe of Lear∣ninge, and Reason, let vs therefore sée somme others.
Nilus, a Gréeke Authour, hereof writeth thus: Sed vt etiam liquidiùs appareat,* 1.5 Papam non imperare alijs omnibus Episcopis, legatur Sextus Canon Synodi Nicenae: quo Disertè praecipitur, vt alijs Ecclesijs alexandrinus, alijs Romanus, alijs Antiochenus praesit: vt non liceat alteri alterius prouinciam inuadere: That it maie the more plainely ap∣peare, that the Pope hathe no Gouernment ouer al other Bishoppes, reade the Six the Canon of the Councel of Nice. There it is expressely Commaunded, that the Bishop of Alexandria shal haue the rule ouer certaine Churches: and the Bishop of Rome ouer certaine: and the Bishop of Antioche likewise ouer certaine: and that it be not lawful for any one of them to inuade an others Iurisdiction. Farther he saithe, Quòd si quis suis non contentus, aliena appetit, ille san•• meritò & Consuetudinis, & Sanctorum Canonum violator haberi debet: Yf any one (of these Patriarkes) not contented with his owne, craue Dominion ouer others, (as doothe the Pope) he ought of right to be called a breaker bothe of the Custome, and also of the Holy Canons.
If M. Hardinge wil yet saie,* 1.6 this Exposition is sottishe, let vs sée, in what sorte Others haue expounded the same. Rufinus openinge the same Canon saithe thus: Statutum est in Concilio Niceno, vt apud Alexandriam, & in V••be Roma Vetusta Cōsue••udo seruetur:* 1.7 vt vel ille Aegypti, vel hic Suburbicarum Ecclesiarum solicitudinem gerat: It was decreed in the Councel of Nice, that in Alexandria, and in Rome the Olde Custome should be kepte: that the Bishop of Alexandria should rule ouer Egypte: and the Bi∣shop
of Rome (not ouer al the world, but) ouer the Churches of his Suburbs.
Likewise it was afterwarde ordred in the Councel holden at Constantinople: Definimus Sedi Cōstantinopolitanae Paria Iura,* 1.8 & Priuilegia cum Sede Veteris Romae: Wee Decree, that the See of Constantinople shal haue Rightes, and Priuiseges Equal (and one) with the See of Olde Rome.
Therefore Nicephorus saithe, Romano, & Constantinopolitano Episcopo Ex Aequo Paria sunt, & Dignitatis praemia, & Honorum iura: The Titles of Dignities, and rightes of Honour, geuen to the Bishop of Rome, and to the Bishop of constantinople, are One, and Equal.
For this cause Athanasius saithe,* 1.9 Roma erat Meeopolis Romanae Ditionis: Rome was the Moother Churche (not of the Whole Worlde, but) of the Romaine Iuris∣diction. In like sorte the Emporour Iustinian saithe, Ecclesia Vrbis Constantino∣politanae Romae Veteris Praerogatiua laetatur: The Churche of Constantinople enioieth the Prerogatiue, or Priuilege of the Churche of Olde Rome. So likewise S. Augustine, and other Learned, and Godly Bishoppes in the Councel of Aphrica, vnderstoode the same Canon. And therefore they called the Popes Presumption, crauinge Vniuersal Iurisdiction ouer al the Worlde, Fumosum saeculi Typhum, The smoky Pride of the world. To conclude, Nilus saithe thus, Nunc, cùm aliae Regiones as∣signa••ae sint Romano, aliae Alexandrino, aliae Constantinopolitano, non magis hi sub illo sunt, quàm ille sub hisce: Seeinge there be certaine Countries appointed out for the Bishop of Rome, certaine for the Bishop of Alexandria, and certaine for the Bishop of Constantinople, they are nowe nomore subiecte vnto him, then he vnto them.
But al these perhaps were Sottes, and theire saieinges S••ttishe: and noman is hable rightly to vnderstande these maters, but he that can saie, Consuetudo, is Latine for a Commission: or, Mos parilis, for Vniuersal Iurisdiction.
TheConn cel of Nice
Hieronym. ad Marcellam.
Aeneas Syluius. Epist. 288.
Lipomanus in Praefatione. Copus Dial. 1. 16•• Balsamonem Vi∣rum cerie doctē
Nilus, De Pri∣matu Romani Pontificis. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
Ruffinus Eccle. Historiae Lib. 1. Cap. 6.
Suburbicaru Ecclesiarum
Concil. Constan∣tinopo. 2. Cap. 36. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Nicepho. Lib. 12. Cap. 13.
Athanas. ad So∣litariam Vitam agentes. Cod. De Sacro∣sanctis Ecclesijs: Omni innoua∣tione. Concil. Aphrica. Cap. 105. Nilus, De Pri∣matii Papa.