360 POPES NOT EXEMPTED FROM THIS RULE. in Bethlehem communicate with the church, or thou, who either believest aright, and proudly concealest the truth, or art of a wrong belief, and really makest a breach in the church? Art thou only the church? and is he who offendeth thee excluded from Christ ? "' Malchion, presbyter of Antioch, disputed against Paulus Samosa- tenus, his bishop.' Beatus, presbyter, confuted his bishop, Elipandus of Toledo. " But if the rector swerve from the faith, he is to be reproved by those who are under him."' 16. The case is the same of the pope; for if other bishops, who are reckoned successors of the apostles, and vicars of Christ within their precinct, if other patriarchs, who sit inapostolical sees, and par- take of a like extensive jurisdiction, by incurring heresy or schism, or committing notorious disorder and injustice, may be deprived of their authority, so that their subjects may be obliged to forsake them, then may the pope lose his, for truth and piety are not affixed to the chair of Rome more than to any other. There is no ground of asserting any such privilege either in holy Scripture or in old tradi- tion; there can no promise he alleged for it having any probable show, that of Oravi pro to PI have prayed for thee," &c.] being a ridiculous pretence; it cannot stand without a perpetual miracle; there is, in fact, no appearance of any such miracle. From the ordi- nary causes of great error and impiety, that is, ambition, avarice, sloth, luxury, the papal state is not exempt, yea, apparently, it is more subject to them than any other; all ages have testified and complained thereof. 17. Most eminent persons have in such cases withdrawn com- munion from the pope; as otherwhere we have showed by divers instances. 18. The canon law itself admits the pope may be judged if he be a heretic: " Because he that is to judge all persons is to be judged of none, except he be found to be gone astray from the faith."' The supposition implies the possibility; and therefore the case may be put that he is such, and then he (according to the more cur- rent doctrine, ancient and modern) ceases to be a bishop, yea, a ' Quis scindit ecclesiam ? Nos quorum omnis domus in Bethlehem in ecclesia corn. municat; an tu qui aut bene credis, et superbe de fide taces, aut male et vere scindis ecclesiam ? .... An tu solos ecclesia es? et qui te offenderit a Christo excluditur ? Icier., Pp. lxi. cap. 16, Bp. lxii. 2 Malchion disertissimus Antiochenx ecclesiæ presbyter, adversus Paulum Samosa- tenum, qui Antiochenoe ecclesiæ episcopus dogma Artemonis instaurârat, disputavit. Hieron. in Ceded. 3 Quod si a fide exorbitaverit rector. tune arguendus erit a subditis.Isid. Hisp. de Offic. iii. 39; Vid. Thomam A q. in 4 Dist. xix., Art. 2. 4 Quia cunctos ipso judicaturus a nemine est judicandus, nisi deprehendatur a fide devins. Grat. Dist. xl. cap. 6; Vid. P. Innoc. III., apud Laun. contra Baron., &c.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=