DUTY OF WITHDRAWING FROM ERRONEOUS SUPERIORS. 359 from the catholic communion, according to the rule of that fore -con- demned heresy."' " Faith is universal, common toall, and belongs not only to clergy- men, but also to laics, and even to all Christians."' " Therefore, the sheep, which are committed to the cure of their pastor, ought not to reprehend him, unless he swerve and go astray from the right faith."' 15. That this was the current opinion common practice shows, there being so many instances of those who rejected their superiors, and withdrew from their communion, in case of their maintaining errors, or of their disorderly behaviour; such practice having been approved by general and great synods, as also by divers popes. When Nestorius, bishop of Constantinople, introduced new and strange doctrine, "divers of his presbyters rebuked him, and with- drew communion from him;"4 which proceeding is approved in the Ephesine synod. Particularly, Charisius asserted this proceeding in these remarkable words, presented to that same synod: "It is the wish and desire of all well-affected persons to give always all due honour and'reverence, especially to their spiritual fathers and teachers; but if it should so happen that they who ought to teach should instil into those who are set under them such things concerning the faith as are offensive to the ears and hearts of all men, then, of necessity, the order must be inverted, and they who teachwrong doctrine must be rebuked of those who are their inferiors."5 Pope Celestine I. in that case commended the people of Constan- tinople deserting their pastor. " Happy flock," said he, " to whom the Lord afforded to judge about its own pasture."' St Jerome presumed to write very briskly and smartly in reproof of John, bishop of Jerusalem, inwhose province he, a simple presby- ter, resided: " Who maketh a schism in the church? We, whose whole house Quod non solum prcesuli apostolico facere licet, sed cuicunque pontifici, ut quos- libet et quemlibet locum, secundum regulam hæreseos ipsius ante damnatse, a catholica communione discernant. P. Gelas. 1., Ep. iv. 2 Fides universalis est, omnium communis est, non solumad elericos, veram etiam ad laicos, et ad omnes omnino pertinet Christianos. P. Nic. L, Ep. viii. p. 506. 3 Oves ergo quse pastori suo commissefuerint, eumnet reprehendere, nisi a recta fide exorbitaverit, debent, &c. P. Jolt. L, Ep. i., apud Bin., tom. iii. p. 812. s 'Ev r, evva1piy mol.rlázrç 7tv4 7m -0 aúxaßae7á7mv rpaoßvviparo r",xeri,,, aú7áv, zai Srd vvv drs ialav aÚ7a!/ Ins afire x0 '','c a)1 5 fi Éßax,,, &c.Cone. Eph., part i. p. 220. 5 Eúxq pay ¿braer voie ei. Çpovoüor, v,U , oh) zai rpiravoav aiów orvautztvr ra:ç padxroTa ravpcior rai SrSacexáxors drovipcar it Si rov evpcßñ 7aús SISáezary o ,Xovvaç varavva joie úrnzóarç bonxaiv raps 74-2ç riooao,e, oia 7áç elrávvmv oézode xa,' xapSiaç xava Xtóvrvar, áváyxn 7ó7v vd,ry áv7axxáv7ae9ay zee) 7aúç zeexwç StSáezary iXopcívove ÚrÓ 7wv ñeoóvav SaXiyzureee . Charis. in Conc. Eph., Act. vi. p. 358. B Maza'ptos Si 4.4 ñ dy[xn h rapoxev ó Rúptoç zprvary rap) vñs ¡1ía5 vo¡.:gç. Celerf. 1. in Conc. Eph., p. 190.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=