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.

THE REPLIE:

THE diuision of the Empire, hath not caused the diuision of the Church, especiallie in the West; for whatsoeuer multitude of go∣uernments haue had place there, vnder the title of Empire, Kin∣dome, Principalitie, and Common wealth, and whatsoeuer diffe∣rence of manners, languages, lawes, and institutions, that haue raigned there, the Church hath bene no more visible in the tyme when the Em∣pire was one and ruled ouer all the East and west, then it hath bene vnder this diuersitie of Princes and gouernments. Also the vnitie of the Church was not foretold by the Prophets, only for the time wherein there should be but one tēporall monarcke in the world, if euer that title could haue belonged to anie Prince, but also for that tyme wherein there should bee seuerall kinges and Administrators of Estates, according to this Prophe∣cie of the Psalmist: The Kings and Kingdomes shall agree in one to serue our Lord. Which caused S. AVGVSTINE to saie, vnder colour that in the whole world, Kingdomes are often deuided; yet for all that, Christian v∣nitie is not 〈◊〉〈◊〉, for as much as the Catholicke Church remaines on either part. And indeede, that the vnitie of the Church depends not from the vnitie of the Empire but from the relation to a visible center of the Ecclesiasticall communion, it appeared sufficiently euen in the time of the greatest vnitie and extent of the Empire, when the Christians which were vnder Firmus King of the Barbarians in Africa, vnder Mania Queene of the Sarazins; vnder Cosroes King of Persia, states all distinct, yea the most part of the time, enemies to the Romane Empire: And after in Damascus and other neighbouring Prouinces vnder the Kings, of the A∣garenians, did all agree in the vnion and communion of the Catholicke Church. For as for the deuisions which are at this daie in the East, euery one knowes, that that of Egypt and Ethiopia, hath begun from the time of the vnitie of the Empire; And that of the Armenians likewise; as appeares by the decisiōs made against them in the Canōs of the Coūcell holden vnder Iustinian 〈◊〉〈◊〉: And that of the Nestorians, and Iacobi∣tes which haue yet to this day their sect in Mesopotamia & other partes of Asia likewise. And as for the Greeke Church, it is certaine, that although it began to be diuided since the separation of the Empi∣re, neuerthelesse the cause of the diuision, was not the diuision of the

Empire vnder which it perseuered yet manie yeares in vnitie with the Latine, but the Schisme betweene the two competitors of the Patriark∣ship of Constantinople, Ignatius and Photius, to which to make it the more lasting, heresie was added, and which the Emperors, (according as they haue bene good or euill) haue indeuoured themselues to fomēt or stopp, and there haue not wanted generall Councells, euen of the two seuerall Churches, to extinguish this diuision when they haue desired it. For histories are full of these examples, witnes that which was holden at Con∣stantinople vnder the Emperor Basilius for the restitution of Ignatius, that which was holden vnder Pope Innocent the third which wee call the great Councell of Lateran, to reunite the Greeke church with the Latine; and that which was holden for the same effect at Florence vnder Eugenius the fourth at which the Emperor and the Patriarke of Greece assisted in per∣son. As also the diuision of the Empire, and the rule of the Greeke Em∣perors, & after, of the Mahometan Princes, did not hinder the Churches that acknowledged the Patriarke of the Syrian tongue, whom we call Maronites, from perseuering in the communion of the Roman Church. In such sort, as this varietie and diuision of sects in the East, can not be at∣tributed to the defect of the vnitie of the Empire, since in the time that the Empyre was most vnited, these troubles and innouations had such place therein, as Socrates and Sozomene doe in the tyme of the Emperor Constantius, set the mount Tuscis in Illiria, for a bound betweene the qui∣et peace of the Church, and the tempest and turbulencie of hereticks. But it ought to be attributed to the want of constancie of the Easterne people, or rather to the blessing of God vpon the Roman church, which would shew that this prophecie, Thou art Peter, and vpon this Rock, I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it, hath had some more speciall effect for the Sea of S. PETER, then for those of the other Patriarkes, according to that oracle of the great Leo: Besides the stone that our Lord hatt sett for a foundation, noe other building shall be stedfast.

Notes

• Psalm. 101.
• Aug. l. de vnit. Eccl. c. 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• Matth. 16
• Leo ep. 52.