The reply of the most illustrious Cardinall of Perron, to the ansvveare of the most excellent King of Great Britaine the first tome. Translated into English.

Of formed letters. CHAPT XXVI.

The continuance of the Kinges answere.

THEN were alsoe in frequent vse, formed letters: by the commerce and contexture where of, the communion was admirably exercised, amongst all the members of the Church, how farr soeuer they were distant one from an other in place.

THE REPLIE.

IT is true, but the center of this communion and of this Ecclesiasticall vnitie, which was exercised and entertained by the commerce of for∣med letters, was the Sea Apostolicke and the Roman Church. This appea∣res by S. Ireneus who cryes to the Romā Church because of a principality (that is to say, as it hath bene aboue manifested, because of the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke) it is necessary that euery Church should agree. This appeares by S. Cyprian, who calls the Roman Church, the chaire of PETER, and the

principall Church, and the originall of Sacerdotall vnitie. This appeares by the lawe of the Emperor Gratian, which ordained, that the Churches should be deliuered to those that were in the Popes communion: Hee or∣dained (saith Theodoret) that the sacred howses should be restored to those that cō∣municated with Damasus: And a while after; and this lawe was indefinitely exe∣cuted in all nations. This appeares by S. Ambrose, who writes, speaking of his Brothers comeing into one of the citties of the Isle of Sardinia: He as∣ked the Bishop of that place whether he agreed with the Catholicke Bishops, that is to saie, (added he) with the Roman Church. This appeares by S. IEROME, who writes to Pope Damasus; I am ioyned in communion with thy Blessednesse, that is to saie, with Peters chaire: I knowe the Church is built vpon that Rocke; whosoeuer is not in the Arke, he shall perish at the coming of the floud; he that eates the lambe out os this howse, is profane: And a while after, Whosoeuer gathers not with thee, scatters, that is to saie; whosoeuer is not of Christ, is of Antichrist: And againe; Send me word with whom I ought to communicate in Antioch, for the heretickes of Campes with those of Tharses haue noe other ambition but that they might vnder the authori∣tie of your communion, preache the three hypostosies according to the ancient vnder∣standing: And in an other place, The while I cry, if anie of you be ioyned to Peters chaire he is mine; Miletius, Vitalis, Paulinus, (soe were the 3. Patriarkes of An∣tioch called,) say that they communicate with thee; if hut one of them had said soe, I had belieued it, but nowe either two, or all three doe lye and therefore I couiure thy Blessednesse by the Crosse of our Lord, by the necessarie ornament of our faith, by the passion of Christ, &c. that thou signifie to me by thy letters with whom in Syria I ought to communicate. This appeares by Optatus Bishop af Mileuis in Africa, who saith; At Rome hath bene setled for Peter first the Episcopall chaire, in which the head of all the Apoctles Peter hath sate, &c. to the end that in that only chaire, vnitie might be obserued by all, least the other Apostles should attribute to themselues each one his seuer all chaire, but that be might be a sinner and a schismatick, that against that only chaire, should erect an other. And a little after; To Peter then succeeded Linus, to Linus Clement, to Clement Anacletus, to Anacletus Euaristus &c. to Damasus Syricius who is at this day our Colleague, by which meanes all the world communicates with vs by the commerce of formed letters. This appeares by saint CHRYSOSTOME who writes to Pope Innocent; Let vs enioy the con∣tinuance of your letters, and of your charity, and those of all the rest which we enioyed before. This appeares by saint AVSTIN who saies, Cecilianus might well dis∣pise the conspiring multitude of his enemies, seeing himself vnited by communicatorie letters with the Roman Church, in which the principalitie of the Sea Apostolicke hath alwaies sllorisht, & with other Countries from whence the Ghospell came into Asrica. This appeares by Eulalius Bishop of Syracusa who a while after S. Austins death disswaded Fulgentius an Asrican afterward Bishop of Ruspa in Asrica frō goeing to inhabite with the monkes of Egipt in the desertes of Thebai∣dis, because they were not in the communion of saint Peter: The countrie, (said hee) whither thou desirest to trauaile a perfidious dissention hath separated them from the cōmunion of the blessed Peter: All those Religious men whose admirable abstinence is celebrated, shall not haue the Sacraments of the altar in common with thee. This appeares by Iohn Patriark of Constantinople, who writt to Pope 〈◊〉〈◊〉, in abiuration of Acacius memory: Following (said hee) in all things the Apostolicke chaire; wee declare all that hath bene thereby decreed and therefore hope to be in one communion with you declared by the Sea Apostolicke, in which there is the integritie of Christian Religion and perfect soliditie, promising heereafter not to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 amidst the sacred misteries their names, that haue separated themselues from the communion of the Catholicke Church; that is to say, that consent not in all things with the Sea Apostolicke.

This appeares by the Emperor Iustiniā, who writes in the lawe addressed

to Epiphanius Patriark of Constantinople; We preserue in all things the estate of the vnitie of the holy Churches, with the holy Pope of old Rome. And in the lawe ad∣dressed to the Pope; We haue had care to vnite and submitt all the Bishops of the East to the Sea of your Holynesse, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 who are the head of all the holy Churches. This apperes by Menas Patriarke of Constantinople, who said in the Coun∣cell of Constantinople; Wee follow the Sea Apostolicke and obey it, and communi∣cate with those that communicate therewith, and condemne those that it condemnes. This appeares by the forme that saint GREGORIE left vs of the abiura∣tion, that the Bishopes returning from Schisme, to the communion of the Church, made into the handes of the Apostolicke Procurators, which haue these wordes: I Bishop of such a Cittie, hauing discerned the trapp of diuision wherein I was caught, after a longe and mature deliberation, I am returned by Gods grace with my pure and free will, to the vnitie of the Sea Apostolick, and that I may not be esteemed to returne maliciously or sainedly, I vowe and promise vnder paine of falling from myne Order, and vnder obligation of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to thee, and by thee, to the holy Prince of Apostles, Peter, and to his Vicar the most Blessed GREGORIE, or to his Successors, that by anie perswasion whatsoeuer, or in anie other manner, I will neuer returne to Schisme, from whence by our Redeemers mercy I haue bene deliuered, but that I will alwaies remaine in the vnity of the Ca∣tholique Church, and in the Communion of the Bishop of Rome:

And this finally appeares by the extract of the Councell of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 which is to be read at the end of the latine edition of the Councell of Chalcedon vnder the name of the extract of the Councell of Nicea for the composi∣tion of formed letters made by Atticus Bishop of Constantinople; but some manuscripts of the sixt Councell of Carthage testifie they were sent into the west by the same Atticus, with the other decrees of the Councell of Nicea, when the Asrican Bishops requested them of him. For this extract ordained, that they should take the number of the firste Greeke letters of the names Father, Sonn, and Holy Ghost, the number of the first letter of the Apostle Peters name, and of the author that writt, and of him to whom he writt, and of the bearer of the letter, and of the place from whence it was written, and the day of Paske, and adding them to the number of the indi∣ction which then was currant, they should thereof make a summe, whose cipher should be added to the Epistle, to serue it for a forme and chara∣cter. By meanes whereof when there was noe more occasion to doubt, who was either in communion with the Roman Church or saint Peters sea, or out of it, as the diligence of the Catholicke Emperors, and Kings haue in the West left noe subiect of that doubt this many ages, the necessity of these kind of letters hath ceased. And therefore soe farr off is it, that the vse of the letters formed or cōmunicatory whereof antiquity made vse, was a marke to shew, that the Church was then more manifest then nowe, as contrarywise it was a testimonie, that she was much harder to be discerned then she is at this present. For that which constrained them to vse this meanes, was the multitude, and confusion of heresies which were then in soe great number and soe mingled in aboade, and habitation amidst the Catholicke Church, as there was almost noe Towne, where there was not to bee found, besides the true Church, a dozen Sects, and he∣resies, and the most of them agreeing in forme, and outward worship with the Catholicke Church; Arians, Donatistes, Pelagians Nouatians Macedo∣nians, Appolinaristes, and other such like plagues.

Notes

• Iren. cout. Valent. l. 3. c. 3.
• Cypr. ad Corn. ep. 55.
• Theod. lust. eccl. l. 5. c. 2. Ibid. c. 3. Amb. de ob. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Dam ep 57.
• Ierom. ad Dam. ep. 58.
• Opt. Mileu. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. lib. 2.
• Chrysost. ad Innocēt. cp. 1.
• Aug. ep. 162
• Auth. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Const. ep ad 〈◊〉〈◊〉. com. 2. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Cod. Paris Antwerp. & Geneu. tit. 1. l. 7.
• Cod tit. 1. l. 8. see aboue. Con. Cōst. sub. Men. act 4.
• Greg. ep. l. 10. ep. 31.
• Manuse.
• Conc.
• Carth. 6. D. Praesidis de Cham∣pigny.
• Attic. episc. qnaliter formata epistola∣fiat. In fin. editionis la∣tine Conc. Chalc.