28 INTRODUCTION, serious dispute, having nothing but impudence and sophistry tocoun- tenance it; seeing so many in the Roman communion reject it, and have substantially confuted it ; seeing now most are ashamed of it, and very few, even among those sects which have been its chief patrons, will own it; seeing Bellarmine himself acknowledges it a novelty, devised about fivehundred years ago, in St Bernard's time;' seeing the popes themselves, whatever they think, dare now scarce speak out, and forbear upon sufficient provocation to practise accord- ing to it, I shall spare the trouble of meddling with it, confining my discourse to the pope's authority in ecclesiastical affairs, the pre- tence whereto I am persuaded to be no less groundless and no less noxious than the other to Christendom; the which being overthrown, the other, as superstructed on it, must also necessarily fall § XIII. And here the doctrine which I shall contest against is that in which the cordial partisans ofthat see seem to consent, which is most common and current, most applauded and countenanced, in their theological schools; which the popes themselves have solemnly defined, and declared for standing law or rule ofjurisdiction; which their most authentic synods (whereby their religion is declared and distinguished from others) have asserted or supposed; which the tenor of their discipline and practice holds forth; which their clergy, bymost solemnprofessions and engagements, are tied toavow; which all the clients and confidants of Rome zealously stand for, more than for anyother point of doctrine; andwhich no man can disclaim without being deemed an enemy or a prevaricator toward the apos- tolic see. § XIV. Which doctrine is this, That, in the words of the Flo- rentine synod's definition, " the apostolical chair and the Roman high priest holds a primacy over the universal church; and that the Roman high priest is the successor of St Peter, the prince of the apostles, and the true lieutenant of Christ, and the head of the church ; and that he is the father and doctor of all Christians; and that unto him, in St Peter, full power is committed to feed, and direct, and govern the catholic church under Christ; according as is contained in the acts of general councils and in the holy canons."3 That, in the words of Pope Leo X., approved by the Lateran synod, " Christ, before his departure from the world, did, in solidity of the rock, institute Peter and his successors to be his lieutenants; to whom it is so necessary to obey, that who does not obey must die the death."3 ' Primi qui temporalem potestatem summo pontifici ex Christi institutione tribuunt, videnturesse Hugo de S. Victore, Bernardus, &c.Bell., v. 5. "The first that yielded the pope temporal power by Christ's institution seem to be Hugo," &c. 2 "Eri ógoy<[v To áviav krovroAmAv xaAíapav, &C.Concil. Flor. defin., p. 854. 8 Christus, migraturus ex mundo ad Patrem, in soliditate petite, Petrum ejusque
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