tolike Traditions have Antiquitie, Universalitie, and Succession in all ages.

Matthias Illiricus, being borne in Dalmatia, not farre from the confines of Græcia, and therefore may be thought to be well acquainted with their orders, tells us: The Churches of Grecia, the Churches of Asia, Macedonia, Misia, Valachia, Russia, Muscovia, and Africa joyned thereunto, that is to say, in a manner the whole world, or at least the greater part thereof, never granted the Pope's Supremacie, never allowed either Purgatorie, or Private Masses, or the Communion under one kind: wee may adde to these, Transubstantiation, Prayer in an unknowne tongue, Forbidding of marriage to Priests, and Popish Invocation of Saints, (as it is now beleeved) were utterly unknown to the Greeke Church, and consequently want Antiquitie, Universalitie and Succession, the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church. To examine them in order.

The Pope's Supremacie is a Tradition Apostolicall, and declared for an Article of Faith in the Romane Church; yet this Tradition wants Antiquitie, Universalitie and Succession.

Touching Antiquitie, Pope Gregorie 600 yeeres after Christ, professeth publiquely, That none of his predecessors did ever assume that profane (Universall) title*.

* Nemo decessorum meorum hoc tam prophano vocabulo utí consuevit. Nullus Romanorum Pontificum hoc singula ritatis nomen assumpsit. Greg. lib. 4. cap. 76. & 80. 11.

Touching Universalitie, Alvarez tells us, that Prester John sent unto him, to know why the Pope divided the Churches of Antioch and Rome, seeing the Church of Antioch was in a manner the chiefe, and head of all Churches,. wherein St. Peter governed and dwelt 5 yeeres *. Whereunto when hee answered, they were obliged by an Article of their faith; hee replied; If the Pope would usurpe so great a prerogative, as to command things unlawfull, they would make no reckoning of it and if by such meanes their Abuna, (their Primate) would presume so far, they would burne the copie of such a command. In like manner Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica, tells us, The Greeke Church, though it never denyed the primacy of Order to the Pope of Rome, yet their assumed predominance of authoritie is alwayes resisted.

Touching Succession, Bellarmine himselfe confesseth, The first who most earnestly withstood the Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome, seeme to bec the Grecian Fathers: for since the yeere 381, they laboured to preferre the Bishop of Constantinople, the three Patriarkes of the East, in the second place next to the Bishop of Rome; and this (saith hee) may bee understood by the second Generall Councell. And as in this Councell of Constantinople, there was a resistance made against the power and jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome; so likewise *Cathol. Trad. pag.

+Nilus lib. 1. de Primat. Papæ.
Bell. in Præfat. de Rom. Pontif.

hee

hee telleth us further, that in the yeere 451, the Greeke Fathers not being content with their determination, laboured to make the Bishop of Constan tinople equall with the Bishop of Rome: for in the Councell of Chalcedon, the Greeke Fathers decreed it, (but deceitfully) in the absence of the Pope's Legate, that the Bishop of Constantinople should have the second place after the Bishop of Rome : notwithstanding hee should have equall priviledges with the other*. Thus two generall Councells, the one consisting of 150 Bishops, the other of 630, by the testimonies of the Pope's Cardinall, opposed the Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome, the which Supremacie (if in those dayes) it had been received for an Article of Faith, or a Tradition Apostolique, without doubt these two famous Councells would have subscribed to it, without any resistance or opposition to the universall Head of the Church. And that you may yet further know the Churches of Asia, and Grecia, continued their Resolution in this poynt, looke upon the late Councell of Florencet, and there you shall observe, that Michael Palæologus ‡, by reason hee submitted himselfe to the Pope in that Councell, was hated of all the people while hee lived, and being dead, was forbidden Christian buriall. And Isidorus, the Archbishop of Kiovia in Russia, for that hee began for Unities sake, to move the

people to the like submission, was therefore deposed of his Bishoprick and put to death.

Thus the Pope's Supremacie wants Antiquitie, Universalitie, and Succession, the proper markes of Romane Traditions, and consequently can bee no Article of Faith, no Apostolique Tradition, as is pretended in this first poynt.

Purgatorie is reputed a Tradition Apostolicall, and received in the Romane Church for an Article of Faith; yet this doctrine wants Antiquitie, Universality, and Succession.

Touching Antiquitie, Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica, professeth in the name of the Greeke Church, that it could bee no Tradition Apostolicall: for (saith hee) Wee have not received by Tradition from our Fathers, that there is any fire of Purgatory, or any temporall punishment; and we know that the Easterne Church doth not beleeve it. And amongst other reasons why Purgatory was not received by them, they render this for one that whereas their Fathers had delivered unto them many visions and dreames, and other wonders concerning the everlasting punishment (in hell) yet none of them had declared any thing concerning the temporary fire of Purgatory.

Touching Universalitie, it is the confession of Fisher, their owne Bishop of Rochester: Whosoever

* Math. à Michonia in Novo Orbe. Jewel. p. 421.

+ Nil. de Purgat. igne. Cath. Trad. q. 16.

1 Marcus Ephes. in Græcorum Apolog. de igne Purgatorio ad Concil. Florentinum.

will

will reade the Commentaries of the ancient Greekes, so farre as I see, he shall finde very seldome mention of Purgatory, or none at all: and the Latins (in the Westerne Church) did not receive the truth of this matter altogether, but by little and little; neither indeed was the faith, either of Purgatorie, or Indulgences so needfull in the Primitive Church, as now it is. A strange confession of a learned Bishop, that two principal! Articles of Faith (viz.) Purgatorie, and Indulgences, were scarce knowne in the ancient Church, nor yet very necessary to bee received at all times, and of all persons. Let it suffice, many poynts of the now Romane Religion were utterly unknowne to the Greeke Church, (which in the first ages did wholly communicate with the ancient Romane Faith :) and therefore their Alphonsus à Castro, thinkes it the best way to solve the poynt in question with this answere: It is one of the most knowne errours of the Grecians, and Armenians, whereby they teach there is no place for Purgatorie, where soules after this life are purged from their offences t.

* Legat qui velit Græcorum veterum Commentarios et nullum quantum opinor aut quam rarissimè de Purgatorio sermonem inveniet. Sed neque Latini simul omnes at sensim hujus rei veritatem conceperunt neque tam necessaria fuit, sine Purgatorii, sive Indulgentiarum fides in Primitivâ Ecclesia atque nunc est. Roffen. Att. 18. p. 496.

+ Unus ex notissimis erroribus Græcorum et Armenorum est, quo docent nullum esse purgatorium locum quo animæ ab hac luce migrantes purgentur à sordibus. Alph. à Cas. advers.

hæres, lib. 12.

Touching