The establish'd church, or, A subversion of all the Romanist's pleas for the Pope's supremacy in England together with a vindication of the present government of the Church of England, as allow'd by the laws of the land, against all fanatical exceptions, particularly of Mr. Hickeringill, in his scandalous pamphlet, stiled Naked truth, the 2d. part : in two books / by Fran. Fullwood ...

SECT. III.

2. Gen. Council. Objections touching the Council of Constantinople, Answered.

NExt, to the Council of Constantinople, being the second General; let us hear what is ob∣jected.

They say themselves, saith Bellarmine, that [Obj. 1] they were gathered by the mandate of Pope Da∣masus.

1. What then? suppose we should give the [Ans.] Pope as the Head of Ʋnity and order, the ho∣nour of convening General Councils; and of sitting as President in them? What's this to the Supre∣macy of Government? or what more than might be contained in the Primacy, that is not now disputed.

2. But Bellarmine himself confesseth, that those words are not in the Epistle of the Council as all Mandates use to be; but of certain Bishops that had been at the Council.

3. 'Tis recorded, that the Mandate from the Emperor gathered them together: the Testimony will have credit before the Cardinal.

4. Indeed the Pope sent Letters, in order to the calling this Conncil, but far from Mandatory; neither were they sent to the Eastern Bishops, to require, but to the Emperor Theodosius by way of Request, for the obtaining Liberty to assemble a Synod. Did he command the Emperor? why did not Pope Leo afterwards command a gene∣ral Council in Italy nearer home, when he had in∣treated

Theodosius for it with much importunity; and could not obtain? the time was not ripe for the Pope's Commands, either of Emperors or Synods.

It is also said, that the Council acknowledged [Obj. 2] that the Church of Rome was the Head, and they the Members, in their very Epistle to Pope Da∣masus.

Bellarmine confesseth, this is not in their Epi∣stle, [Ans.] but the Epistles of the Bishops as before.

2. If they had thus complemented the Pope, it could not be interpreted beyond the Head of a Primate and their union with him in the same Faith: 'Tis evident enough they intended no∣thing less than a Supremacy of Power in that Head, or subjection of Obedience in themselves as Members.

3. This is evident in the very inscription of the Epistle, which was not to Damasus only, but joyntly to others, thus. Most Honourable and Reverend Brethren and Colleagues: And the Epi∣stle it self is answerable; We declare our selves to be your proper Members: but how? That you Reigning, we may Reign with you.

4. The Sum is, there were at this time two Councils, convened by the same Emperor Theodo∣sius both to one purpose; this at Constantinople, the other at Rome: That at Rome was but a par∣ticular, the other at Constantinople was ever e∣steemed a general Council. Who now can ima∣gine, that the General was subject to the Parti∣cular; and in that sence, Members? No, the particular Church of Rome then, was not the Ca∣tholick; they humbly express their Communion: We are all Christs, who is not divided by us; by

whose grace we will preserve entire the body of the Church. They did 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (as their word was) their fellow Members, which they stiled 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 their fellow Workers.

This second Canon against the Pope, was ne∣ver [Obj. 3] received by the Church of Rome; because Furtive, as Baronius, inter Acta relatus.

This is beyond all colour; for the Bishops of [Ans.] Rome opposed it as unfit, yet never said it was forged. Leo, Gelasius, Gregory, all took it very ill, but no one said it was false: The Popes Le∣gates also in the Council of Calcedon made men∣tion of this Canon by way of Opposition, but yet never offered at its being surreptitious: But that which is, instar omnium, in this Evidence, is this; the Fathers of the Council of Calcedon, in their Letters to Pope Leo, say, that with mutual consent, they confirmed the Canon of 150 Bishops at Const. notwithstanding that his Bishops and Legates—did dissent therefrom. Now what if a few Histories do not mention this Canon, which is all that remains to be said? Socrates and Zozomon do, and two positive Witnesses are bet∣ter than twenty Negative. Besides, though its much against the Hair of Rome, yet it's so evi∣dent, that Gratian himself reports that Canon verbatim, as Acted in that Council.

Notes

• 2. General.
• Vid. Theod. l. 5. c. 7. Zoz. l. 7. c. 7. Ne∣eeph. l. 12.
• 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
• Baron. Bini∣us.