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FRom all before alledged, 'tis easie to conclude, That there's an infinite dif∣ference between Episcopacy in the Pope, and Episcopacy in Bishops; because the Bi∣shops not holding their Jurisdiction but of
the Pope, he shares out to them no more thereof than he pleases, they being the In∣ferior Order,* 1.1 di cui egli fa parte à minori Prelati, as Father Diego Lainez said; but it is wholly in him as the Source, because he is the Soveraign Vicar of Jesus Christ, tutta come in suo fonte nel summo Vicario di Christo per cui descendesse negi' inferiori Pre∣lati;* 1.2 * 1.3 in effect, their Rank and their State is a State inferior, minore stato, Prelati mi∣nori, vescovi minori, quoth S. Charles, they be small Bishops, and small Prelates; for which reason,* 1.4 the name of Vicar of Jesus Christ hath not continued to them, non es∣sersi lasciato il nome di Vicario di Christo à vescovi minori; they are nothing but a great multitude of petty Bishops,* 1.5 una moltitudine immensa di piccioli vescovi; Now for a small Bishop, small Power, and small Business. Wherefore the Pope hath reserved to him∣self all the great Affairs of consequence, leaving to the Bishops only the small ones, as, to grant Licenses for ordinary Marriages, to issue out some forts of Monitories, to vi∣sit Nunneries, or the like; or many times, to avoid contest, he permits them to act as Delegates of the Holy See: For the Pope being distracted with the great affairs of the whole Universe, he cannot tend to muse on trifling petty matters,* 1.6 quella giu∣risdizione à particulari Prelati, la qual è pro∣fitevole che sia in loro per non costrigner i Christiani d'andare à Roma in ogni mediocre affare, e perche alcuni negozii meglio son ter∣minati
da chi gli vede con occhio occupato in que pochi soli, che da chi gli ode con orec∣chio distratto ad una immensità d'altre cure. The Bishops have not the power to dispense with plurality of Benefices, because it was not fit to trust their discretion with so im∣important a part of the Government of their Dioceses, as that was,* 1.7 al cui giudicio non era convenevole il permetter.
And as for the chusing of Parish-Priests, the Council hath not given the Bishops li∣berty to do that, for it obliges them to follow the judgment of certain Examiners appointed thereunto,* 1.8 sono obligati à seguir le sentence degli esaminatori; and the Coun∣cil enacts, That those Examiners be appro∣ved by the Clergy of the Diocese at a Sy∣nod, qui Synodo satisfaciant & ab ea appro∣bentur, Sess. 24. c. 18. Which makes it ap∣pear, that even those small affairs which the Bishops have left them, were by the Councils Order, not to be done but in a Synod, and with the Synod's advice.
So that no man which hath not a mind to feed himself with Fancies, will ever approve that opinion of an entire Episcopacy, being one and the same in all Bishops, but will look upon it as a Chimera impossible in pra∣ctice,* 1.9 ogni huomo capaci d'affari civili auvise∣ra per impossibile in prattica questa, per così dire, ideal Republica di Platone, dove tutta la giurisdizione fosse di ciascun' presidente.
Aristotle hath confuted this imaginary Government by Reasons very evident,* 1.10 e pure
una tal Republica con evidentissime raggioni vi∣en rifutata da Aristotele. Now that which is contrary to most evident Reasons of Ari∣stotle, cannot be conformable to the Institu∣tion of Jesus Christ,* 1.11 come si la chiesa di Christo predicasse ch' è contrario à l'insegna∣menti d'Aristotele, 'Tis a very Chimera, una chimera impossibile;* 1.12 a false and fraudulent invention,* 1.13 una invenzione bugiarda; a Chaos of confusion,* 1.14 un caos di confusioni; a right Babylon, con verità Babylonia.
l. 18. c. 13.
l. 24. c. 12.
l. 2. c. 27.
l. 19. c. 12.
l. 1. c. 21.
l. 5. c. 16.
l. 23. c. 11
l. 23. c 3.
l. 6. c. 3.
Ibid.
l. 9. c. 9.
l. 6. c. 3.
Ibid.
l. 1. c. 15.