Anti-Mortonus or An apology in defence of the Church of Rome. Against the grand imposture of Doctor Thomas Morton, Bishop of Durham. Whereto is added in the chapter XXXIII. An answere to his late sermon printed, and preached before His Maiesty in the cathedrall church of the same citty..

SECT. III. Whether the name of Brother, Colleague, and fellow-Minister, which the Pope giueth to other Bishops, and they to him, argue them to be of equall authority, and iurisdiction with him?

YOu obiect(o), that the Fathers of this second Councell generall write not to the Pope alone, but to him with other Bishops of the Roman Synod, whome they acknowledge to be their Colleagues and fellow members, and therby cut the Roman Head into so many peeces, as there were Bishops, to whom they inscribed their Epistle.

It is a prime Argument of yours, which you often re∣peate, and strongly insist on(p), that because Bishops are ioyned in society with the Pope, or because they call him Brother, Colleague, and fellow-Minister, as also because he wri∣ting to them, calleth them, his Brethren & Colleagues, there is no inequality of power betweene the Pope and them, but that they are all equall with him. Whiles you giue to the Pope (say you)(q) an absolute iurisdiction, cum plenitudine potestatis, ouer all Bishops, how can you suffer him to be mated, or equaled with others Bishops, as Paul did Peter, by ioyning in society with him Iames and Iohn? 2. Here(r) you inferre, that because the Orientall Bishops that had bene present at the second Councell ge∣nerall, writing to Damasus Pope, and other Bishops as∣sembled at Rome, call both him, and them, their Brethren, and Colleagues, they acknowledge not any authority or iu∣risdiction in the Pope, more then in themselues, or in the other Bishops, to whom they write. 3. You frame the like Argument(s) out of the Councell of Ephesus, because it cal∣les Celestine B. of Rome, Fellow-Minister. 4. And out of S. E∣piphanius(t), who called Pope Hormisdas, Brother. 5. And out of S. Cyprian you tell vs(u), that he neuer calleth the Pope Bishop of Bishops, Father of Fathers, High Priest of Christ, and Mo∣narke of the vniuersall Church, as he would haue done, if he had be∣lieued his Monarchy: but contrariwise in all his Epistles, saluteth Pope Cornelius, with only Charissime frater, Most deare Brother, & taketh his Vale, with the same, Most deare brother, farewell. And when in his Epistles to others he falleth into mention of him, he exceedeth not these Epithets, Ourfellow brother Cornelius, Our Colleague, or fellow in office Cornelius: which if it be beheld in a secular glasse is, as if a Vassall should salute his King, with, All hayle brother Henry, & take his leaue with, Farewell brother Henry. Fy fye: What will you make of the Fathers? will you iudge them so witlesse, as not to haue vnder∣stood their Morals. This is your discourse: Graue (I warrant you) and very iudicious, but how farre from the purpose, haue but a litle patience, and you shall heare.

And first, to begin with your secular glasse; God in the holy Scripture sayth to his people(x): Thou shalt take a King whom our Lord thy God shall choose out of the number of thy

brethren. And againe(y): That the Kings hart be not lifted vp in∣to pride aboue his Brethren. Wherfore the subiects of a King, are his brethren: and yet because the manner of gouerment vsed by Kinges to keep their subiects in awe, and represse the Violence of Malefactors, is with a Lordly dominion, such as our Sauiour discribeth, saying(z) The Princes of na∣tions dominier ouer them, in the stile of the world he should be esteemed vnmannerly and saucy, that should presume to say to his Soueraigne. All haile Brother Henry, or farewell fel∣low Henry. And therfore S. Gregory speaking of the worldly greatnesse, and state of Kings, sayth(a): The things which are conteyned in the law, that concerneth Kings, are foretold, to the end they may be auoyded, rather then followed. And the same is taught vs by the example of our Blessed Sauiour(b) who, as he came into the world to serue, and not to be serued, so he would not haue the Ecclesiasticall Monarchy like to that of Secular Prin∣ces, but a gentle and brotherly Monarchy, as that of an El∣der brother, ouer his yonger brethren: for that is the title which the Apostle giues him, calling him(c). The first begot∣ten among many brethren. And therfore albe it (as he told his Apostles(d) he was their Lord, and Maister, yet proposing him∣selfe vnto them as an example of superiority, accompanied with humility, and teaching them in what manner they ought to gouerne their inferiors, he said vnto them(e): I am in the middest of you▪ as one that ministreth: the Princes of nations dominier ouer them, but you not so: but he that is the greater among you, let him become as the yonger; and he that is the leader, as the waiter.

This rule S. Peter Prince of the Apostles, and first B. of Rome obserued, according to our Sauiours command; and exhorted all Bishops, as his inferiors to obserue the same, saying(f): Feed the flock of God, which is among you, prouiding not with constraint, but willingly according to God; nor dominiering in the Clergy, but made examples of the flock from the hart.

And out of this paterne of sweet and brotherly gouer∣ment vsed by Christ, and prescribed by him to his Apo∣stles, and by S. Peter to his Successors in the Roman See, and to other Bishops, the Pope and all other Prelates haue

drawne theirs, and therfore call and salute ech other, by the name of Brethren: in so much that S. Gregory speaking of Bishops sayth(g): When crimes exact it not, all Bishops according to the condition of humility are equall. And yet to shew, that all Bishops are subiect to the Pope, he had said immediatly be∣fore, I know no Bishop, but is subiect to the See Apostolike. And a∣gaine(h): Who doubts, but that the Bishop of Constantinople is sub∣iect to the See Apostolike? which the most religious Lord the Emperor, and our brother Bishop of the same Citty, do continually Protest. In which words he calleth the B. of Constantinople, Brother, and yet declareth him subiect to the See Apostolike. And in like manner our Sauiour in the Ghospell often calleth the Apostles. His brethren(i): from whence you may inferre, that he was not Superior to them in authority, and it will be as good a consequence, as to inferre, that the Pope is not Su∣perior in power to other Bishops, because he calls them Brethren.

But for the more full declaration of this, it is to be no∣ted, that it was a thing familiar to ancient writers, to vse the word Brother, not to exclude the superiority of iurisdi∣ction, but to expresse the vnity of communion. For, 1. the Catholike Bishops of Africa answeated the Donatists in the Conference of Carthage, that Cecilianus who had bene Archbishop of that City, and consequently the Head and Superintendent of all the Bishops of Africa, was their Bro∣ther: He was (sayth S. Augustine)(k) our Brother because of the Communion of Sacraments. 2. In the same sense he called Au∣relius Archbishop of Carthage, his Brother(l), notwithstan∣ding that he was the spirituall subiect of Aurelius, & made B. of Hippo by meanes of the dispensation, which he had giuen to Valerius B. of that City, to take him for his Coad∣iutor (m); and he acknowledged himselfe bound to exe∣cute his commands: I haue (sayth he(m) obeyed your commands my holy Brother Aurelius. 3. Epigonius one of the Bishops of the third Councell of Carthage, calls the same Aurelius,(n) His Brother(o), whom yet he there acknowledgeth to haue iu∣risdiction ouer all the Bishops of Africa. 4. The Councell of Carthage writing to Innocentius Pope, to confirme the

sentence of condemnation, which both in that, and in the Councell of Mileuis, had bene pronounced against Pela∣gius, sayth(p): This, ô holy Lord and Brother, we conceaued we ought to represent to your Charity, that to the statuts of mediocrity might be added the authority of the See Apostolike. In which words they acknowledge Innocentius to be their Lord and Superior, and to haue authority to confirme their decrees, & yet notwithstanding, call him their Brother. 5. Iohn Pa∣triarke of Constantinople calls Hormisdas Pope, Brother,(q) and yet protests to obey the See Apostolike in all things. 6. Iustinian(r) writing to Pope Iohn surnamed Mercurius, calleth the Patriarke of Constantinople, his Bro∣ther: and yet both in the same Epistle and in another to the Patriarke himselfe(s), he professeth the Pope to be The Head of all the holy Prelates of God.

Hereby it appeareth, how ignorantly and falsly you in∣ferre, that S. Cyprian equalleth himselfe in authority with Cornelius Pope, because he styleth himselfe his Brothrer, or that Cornelius acknowledgeth in himselfe no authority ouer Cyprian, because he giueth him the same title. For be∣sides what hath bene said, Erasmus a man highly esteemed by you hath taught you(t) that the word Brother there sig∣nifieth not equality, but society of religion.

And nothing els is signified by the words, Colleague, and Fellow-minister, when other Bishops are so instiled by the Pope, or the Pope by them. For that ancient Father Vin∣centius Lyrinensis speaking of Pope Stephen, and other Bishops opposing the doctrine of rebaptization defended by Firmilianus, and Cyprian, sayth(u): Then the blessed Ste∣phen made resistance together with, but yet before, his Colleagues, iudging it (as I conceaue) a thing worthy of him to excell them in fayth, so much, as he did in the authority of his place. And Inno∣centius the first in answere to the Councells of Carthage and Mileuis(x): I conceaue, that all our Brethren and fellow-Bi∣shops ought not to referre what may be profitable in common to all Churches, to any but to Peter, that is to say, to the author of their name and dignity. And the Bishops of Aegypt in the Synod of Alexandria call S. Athanasius, their Colleague(y), who yet

was their Head, and had iurisdiction ouer them, as the Coūcell of Nice declareth(z). And lastly the Bishops of the Councell of Ephesus, call Celestine Pope, their fellow-mini∣ster(a); and yet in the same place stile him their most holy Father. and make themselues executors of his decrees: Con∣strained necessarily (say they) by the force of the Canons, and by the letters of our most holy Father, and Fellow-minister Celestine, we are come not without teares, to pronounce this heauy sentence against Nestorius.

I conclude therfore, that these words, Brother, Colleague, and fellow-minister, when they are vsed by the Pope to other Bishops, or by other Bishops to the Pope, signify nothing els, but society of religion and vnity of communion: from whence to inferre (as you do) that other Bishops are of e∣quall authority with the Pope, is a peece of ignorance, no way suiting with a man of your reading, and altogeather vnbeseeming him that holds the place of so great a Bishop.

Notes

• (o)

  Pag 110.111.
• (p)

  Pag 63. fin. 64.83.84.110.111.116.141.268.
• (q)

  Pag. 63. fin. 64.
• (r)

  Pag. 110.111.
• (s)

  Pag. 116.
• (t)

  Pag. 241.
• (u)

  Pag. 268.
• (x)

  Deutero. 17.15.
• (y)

  Ibid. vers. 20.
• (z)

  Luc. 22.25.
• (a)

  In 1. Reg. l. 4. c. 2.
• (b)

  Marc. 10.45. & Luc. 2.27.
• (c)

  Rom. 8.29.
• (d)

  Ioan. 13.23.
• (e)

  Luc. 22.27. & vers. 25.2••.
• (f)

  1. Pet. 5.2. & 3.
• (g)

  L. 7. ep. 65.
• (h)

  L. 7. op. 64.
• (i)

  Luc. 25.40 & cap. 28.10. & Ioan. 20.17.
• (k)

  Collect. Carthag. Act. 3.
• (l)

  De oper. Monach. c. 1.
• (m)

  Possid in vita Aug. c. 8.
• (n)

  De opere Monach. c. 1.
• (o)

  Conc. Car∣thag. c. 45.
• (p)

  Aug. ep. 90.
• (q)

  Ep. ad Hormisd.
• (r)

  Cod. tit. 1. l 8.
• (s)

  Cod. tit. 1. l. 7.
• (t)

  Not. in ep. Cyp. ad Cor∣nel.
• (u)

  Cont. haer. cap. 9.
• (x)

  Inter ep. Aug. ep. 93.
• (y)

  Athan. Apol. de fuga sua.
• (z)

  Can. 6.
• (a)

  Par. 2. Act. 1.