a

considered as under the limitations and decisions of a general council. (3.) Soon after this time the Arian controversy spread over the East to such an extent, that those who adhered to the Nicene faith were not safe in consequence of the great numbers of their adversaries, while the Latin Churches were preserved free from that contagion; (though St. Basil laments that they neither understood, nor were much concerned about their duties, but were swelled up with pride.) This induced Athanasius and other oppressed bishops to fly to the bishops of Rome, and of other places in the West, and thus appeals were begun, which were authorized by the council of Sardica. The evil effects, however, of such a precedent were apprehended by the second general council, which decreed that every province should be governed by its own synod, and that all bishops should at first be judged by the bishops of their own province, from whom an appeal was allowed to the bishops of the diocese. And though in authorizing this appeal they departed from the decisions of the council of Nice, still there is an express prohibition of any farther appeal, which is an evident repealing of the canon of Sardica. (4.) It appears also from this

b

See Ep. 10. ad Greg.

с

b See Conc. Sard. can. 3 and 7. This council was summoned by the emperors Constantius and Constans, A. D. 347.

See Conc. Constant. cap. 3.

council upon what ground the dignity of the see of Rome was admitted; for Constantinople being made the seat of the empire, and called New Rome, the bishops of that city had the same privileges conferred upon them that were possessed by the bishops of Old Rome, with the exception of the point of rank, which was preserved to the latter. This decree was confirmed by the council of Chalcedon. Now these facts prove that the authority of the bishops of Rome arose merely from the dignity of their city, and that their privileges were subject to the decisions of a general council. (5.) The African Churches at this time disclaimed any superiority in the See of Rome, and decreed that any persons that made appeals to it should be excommunicated. In opposition to this decree the Popes made no claim to an universal jurisdiction founded upon divine right; they merely pleaded a canon of the council of Nice, which was, upon examination, proved to be forged. (6.) In the sixth century, when the Emperor Mauritius gave the bishop of Constantinople the title of Universal Bishop, Pelagius, and particularly Gregory the Great, expressed the highest indignation against the

See Conc. Chalced. can. 28.

b See Conc. Afric. cap. 101 and 105 and Epist. ad Bonif. et Celest.

See Art. xix. p. 293, note.

3

assumption of the name. The latter compared it to the pride of Lucifer, and said that " he "who assumed it was the forerunner of Anti"christ;" and as he renounced all claim to it, so he affirmed that none of his predecessors had ever aspired to such a power. This circumstance is the more remarkable, because the Saxons being converted under this Pope's direction, we have reason to believe that the doctrine was at the same time declared to the British Churches. (7.) Notwithstanding this declaration, the succeeding Pope had no hesitation in assuming the title against which his predecessor had declaimed so violently. Several circumstances concurred at that time to enlarge their privileges. The convulsions which took place in Italy had this effect, since it was a great accession of strength to any party to have them on their side.

See Greg. Ep. 1. 4. Ep. 32. 34. 36. 38. 39. 1. 6. Ep. 24. 28. 30. 31. 1. 7. Ep. 70.

It is generally supposed that Christianity was introduced among the English Saxons by a number of monks sent over for that purpose by Gregory the Great.-See Mosheim's Hist. cent. vi. p. i. c. i. and Collier's Eccl. Hist. cent. vi. B. ii. p. 64. It is however certain, that some time (perhaps thirty years) before their arrival, the Gospel had been professed by Queen Bertha, daughter of Cherebert, king of Paris, and preached by her bishop, who attended her from France, and whose name was Liudhardus.-See Stillingfleet's Works, v. iii. p. 673.

This title was assumed by Pope Boniface III.-See Mosheim's Hist, cent. vii. par. ii. c. ii. and Stillingfleet's Works, v. iv. p. 405.

The kings of the Lombards, however, restrained them, and in opposition to them they procured the aid of the family of Charlemagne, who having subsequently obtained the nomination of the Popes, naturally advanced the greatness of those who were to be their creatures. About this time the decretal epistles of the early Popes made their appearance, by which they were represented as governing the world with an universal authority. At first this forgery was disputed, but being received after a little time, the Popes made use of it to advance new pretensions. They claimed a power over princes and their dominions, which was at first confined to spiritual matters, and deposed them for heresy. From deposing, they advanced to transferring their dominions to others, and at last Boniface VIII. completed their claim, for he decreed that" it

was necessary for every man to be subject to the "Pope's authority," and declared that all princes held their dominions under him, and at his courtesy. The jurisdiction which they claimed over the spiritualty was conducted with equal violence, and thus were men led to inquire into the grounds of that authority which was managed with so much tyranny and corruption.

3rdly. The jurisdiction of the See of Rome in England cannot be derived from the latter receiving the faith by her ministry. For, (1.) if it were true, that a nation's receiving the faith by the

ministry of men sent from any see, subjected them to that see, then all must be subject to Jerusalem, since the Gospel came to all the Churches from thence. (2.) The Cypriotic Churches a declared before the third general council that they had always been independent Churches, and on this grounded a claim not to be subject to any Patriarchal See. The council decided in their favour. In like manner, since the Britannic Churches were converted long before they had any commerce with Rome, they were originally independent; which could not be lost by any

b

The bishop of Antioch had pretended to a right to consecrate the metropolitan of the Churches of Cyprus, of which the latter complained as a violation of the canons of the Nicene council. The council, therefore, not only decided in their favour, but made a general rule, which "forbad any bishops from presuming to invade another's province."-See Conc. Eph. can. S.

The conversion of the Britons is supposed to have been effected in consequence of an embassy sent from King Lucius to Pope Eleutherius for that purpose, A. D. 176. This account, however, is given only by Bede, and is generally admitted to be fabulous. Bishop Stilling fleet thinks it not improbable that they were converted by the ministry of St. Paul.-See his Antiquities of the British Churches, in his Works, v. iii. p. 24. See also Bower's Lives of the Popes, v. 1. p. 33. and Mason's Vindic. B. iv. c. 16.

The independency of the British Churches on the See of Rome is evident from the fact, that when St. Augustine, who had been sent by Gregory to introduce Christianity into England, and who had been furnished by him with full authority over the bishops, summoned a meeting for the purpose of forcing them to submit to the Pope, they peremptorily refused submission to the Church of Rome. See Bede's Hist. 1. 2. c. 9.