The History of the Popes: From the Foundation of the See of Rome, to the Present Time, 3rd Ed. Vol. 1Bower, Archibald
History
The History of the Popes: From the Foundation of the See of Rome, to the Present Time, 3rd Ed. Vol. 1
Bower, Archibald
Catholic Church -- History; Papacy -- History; Popes -- Biography
Here _Baronius_ exults. Behold, says he, one of
the most eminent Prelates of the Church, upon Suspicion of Heresy,
arraigned at _Rome_, judged at _Rome_. [Sidenote: _That argues
no Jurisdiction in the Bishop of_ Rome.] Who does not see a supreme
Tribunal erected there, to which all Causes must be brought; a sovereign
Judge residing there, by whom all Persons must be absolved or condemned;
is either blind and cannot see, or shuts his Eyes and will not see[473].
And does not the sharp-sighted Annalist himself see what every one the
least conversant in Ecclesiastical History must see, if he is not either
blind and cannot, or shuts his Eyes and will not see, _viz._ Bishops,
when guilty, or only suspected of Heresy, accused to some of their
Collegues, who neither had nor claimed any Jurisdiction over them? Thus
was the famous _Paul_ of _Samosata_, Bishop of _Antioch_, at this very
Time, accused by his whole Church, first to _Dionysius_ Bishop of
_Alexandria_, and soon after to _Firmilian_ Bishop of _Cæsarea_[474].
That such an Accusation argued any Jurisdiction in those Bishops over
the Bishop of _Antioch_, is what _Baronius_ himself dares not affirm;
and yet a like Accusation brought to _Rome_ is enough for him to
transform that See into a supreme Tribunal; that Bishop, though far from
such ambitious Thoughts, into a sovereign Judge. But the Bishop of
_Rome_, says _Baronius_, required of _Dionysius_ a Confession or
Declaration of his Faith: And does not that argue Superiority and
Jurisdiction? _Baronius_ himself knew it does not: for it is impossible
he should not know, that when a Bishop was suspected of Heresy, all his
Collegues had a Right to require of him Confession of his Faith, and not
to communicate with him till they had received it.
[Sidenote: Paul _Bishop of_ Antioch _condemned and deposed_,]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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