when Barnabas, with the assistance of Paul, was organizing the Church of Antioch×? when these partners in the conversion of the Gentiles were at Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch," ordaining elders in every "Churchy ?" when Paul was for two whole years employed in constituting the Church of Ephesus? when Peter and John were laying their hands on the Samaritans a, or when James was presiding over the Church of Jerusalemb? The Church of Rome, although it had received an apostolical letter, in which reference is made to a form of Church-government, in nothing different from that which was common to the Corinthians and the Ephesians, was nevertheless in such a state of obscurity, and infantine imbecility, that the Jewish inhabitants of the city knew nothing of the Apostle of the Gentiles, and had heard no more of the sect of the Nazarenes, than that it was every where spoken against.

* Acts xi. 26. y Acts xiv. 21. 23. z Acts xix. 10. xx. 31. a Acts viii. 14, 15. 17. b Acts xv. 13. c Compare Romans xii. 6-8. 1 Cor. xii. 28-30. Ephes. iv. 11, 12. d Acts xxviii. 21, 22.

4. The Roman Pontiff, as successor of Peter in his episcopal see, justly claims to himself, by a divine right, the primacy of honour and jurisdiction in the Universal Church which was granted to Petere. It is admitted, that "no authority has yet "determined, and it seems indeed very "difficult to fix the precise rights and prerogatives which are conferred by this primacy, and are so inseparably annexed "to it, that to oppose their exercise, or

66

66

66

deny their existence, would be either "schism or heresy." The titles which are used to designate this primacy are, "Lord "Primate of the Episcopal Order";" "the "first Bishop of the Christian Church h; "Chief Pastor of the Catholic Church ;

66

66

Metropolitan and Primate of Italy, of

Sicily, and of Macedonia, &c. and Pa"triarch of the West k;" "the true Vi"car of Christ';" "Head of the whole

e Delahogue, p. 349.

Eustace's Classical Tour through Italy, vol. iv. p. 376. 8 Gandolphy, vol. i. p.

399.

h Eustace, vol. ii. p. 172. Delahogue, p. 382. i Eustace, vol. iv. p. 373. k Ibid. vol. iv. p. 375.

lahogue, p. 382. Eustace, vol. iv. p. 376.

De

66

Superiorn;

"Church, and Father and Teacher of all "Christians m; "a divinely appointed " "Successor of Saint Pe"ter°; "" "the common Father of Chris“tians," and "of Christendom, and the example and the oracle of the Catholic "hierarchy... styled Holiness, the Holy Father, and sometimes, in history, the "Sovereign Pontiff." He is head of the Church by divine right, and the centre of communion, both for doctrine and for binding together the several members of the Church with each other'; ministerial and visible Head of the Church; the foundation of the true Church, and the centre of mutual charityt.

Such titles are "elevated enough to sa

tisfy the wishes of the most ambitious "Prelate "," nor are they unworthy of the actual power and authority which they convey. "The divine and unlimited juris

m Eustace, vol. iv. p. 376. n Ibid. vol. iv. p. 377. • Ibid. vol. iv. p. 378. Delahogue, passim. P Eustace, vol. ii. p. 43. 9 Ibid. vol. iv. p. 383. r Delahogue, p. 152. 46. 372. 158. s Ibid. p. 329. Berington, p. 155. u Eustace, vol. iv. p. 373.

* Delahogue, p. 372.

"diction with which Saint Peter was in"vested, necessarily descended to his suc

66

66

cessors, and still exists in the present

Bishop of Rome." The Pope is authorized to issue decrees addressed to the Universal Church, which, after due publication, and without remonstrance on the part of the Bishops, are to be esteemed an irreversible judgment of the Churchy: and as he possesses the preeminence in questions of faith, it is his office to propose them to the Church. To his primacy it belongs, by ordinary right, to convene general councils, to preside in them in person, or by his Legates, and to confirm thema, and give them authority. The appeal of other Bishops lies before the Pope, and he is superior in jurisdiction to all ecclesiastical powers, except that of a general council". On proper occasions he has power of dispensing even with their rules, and without his concurrence their

x Gandolphy, vol. i. p. 406. y Delahogue, p. 152. 157. 158. z Ibid. 152. P. a Ibid. p. 380. b Ibid. p. 382. 385. 394. c Ibid. p. 378.

decisions are void, their acts are irregular, and they are not oecumenical. He has power of checking by his decrees the progress of error, and of issuing rules of discipline which, as far as they are practicable, are imperative on the Catholic Church', although they "oblige none, under pain of 66 heresy, to an interior assents." He also pronounces absolutely on the schismatical ❝ and heretical characters of persons, books, " and writings,and places obstinate members "out of the communion of the Church":" and it is his office" to exercise the just pre"rogatives of his indulging authority, by dispensing with penitential observances, "when a good cause requires such indul

66

66

66

k "

gence." In "the temporal concerns of "states, or the jurisdiction of princes*, his authority is now denied; and his infallibility, except when he speaks in the capacity of head of the Church', or in concurrence with "a general council, or accept

d Delahogue, p. 440.380. 381. e Ibid. p. 377. f Ibid. Berington, p. 177. h Gandolphy, vol. i. note in p. 409 to 416. inclusive. Gandolphy. k Berington, p.

i