mention'd by you ever aknowledg'd the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome. And 3. that the Church in Communion with the See of Rome never was one, Half of the great Body of Chriftians, whence all went forth. As to what you add concerning our prefent Numbers, which is a fourth Falfehood of lefs ConLequence, I shall have Occafion to speak of it hereafter.

But before I undertake to shew the Falfehood of the three Facts, you have afferted, I fairly chalenge you to mark me out any one Separate Society of Chriftians upon Earth, but what either went out immediately from us, or spawn'd from those that did, or, what is equivalent, received their Religion from them; as the Mufcovits did from the Greeks: who, as I shall now prove, went out immediately from us. For, if you cannot shew me any fuch Society of Christians, then 'tis an uncontestable Truth what I have faid, viz. That the Church in Communion with the See of Rome is the great and standing Body of Chriftians, whence all went forth. I shall begin with Examining your firft Affertion, and put it to the Teft of a plain Narrative of the Fact, whereof I am fure you cannot difprove the leaft Tittle.

§. 15.

The Greek Church broke off from the Church of Rome;

IN

N the Year 841 Michael the 3d being very Young fucceeded his Father Theophilus in the Oriental Empire, under the Guardianship of his Mother Theodora. But Bardas the Emperor's Uncle had a Share in the Government. This Man was defperately in Love with his Daughter in Law, with whom he held a fecret Commerce. St Ignatius then Patriarch of

Conftantinople check'd him for it, and finding his Admonitions ineffectual refused to give him the Sacrament on the Feast of the Epiphany.

Bardas, who was of a furious and cruel Temper, incenfed at this perfuades the Young Emperor to fend away his Mother and Sifter into a Monaftery, and commit the Execution of it to the Patriarch: who refufing to obey so unjust a Command was loaded with Calumnies, and banish'd to the Ifle of Terebinthus.

Photius principal Secretary of State, and Captain of the Guards, was put into his Place. He was made a Monk the first Day, Reader the next, and the following Days Subdeacon, Deacon, and Priest. So that in fix Days Time (the true Patriarch being yet alive) he invaded the Patriarchal Throne on Chriftmaß-day An. 858. The Bishop, by whom he was ordain'd was excommunicated upon it by St Ignatius, who also accused him to the Pope. Whereupon the Pope required of Ignatius, that he should fend Some Perfon to Rome to give him a full Information of that Affair. Which he did accordingly, fending one Lazarus. And the Point being duly examined by Pope Benedict, the next Succeffor to Leo, Ignatius his Sen. tence was approved by the holy See. [Du Pin, Cent. 9. pag. 86.]

Nicholas I. fucceeded Benedict: to whom Photius, that his Election might be confirm'd at Rome, fent an Embaffy with a falfe Account of St Ignatius. viz. that by Reason of his Age he had voluntarily quitted the Patriarchal See, had retired into a Monastery of a certain Island, and was in great Efteem both of the Prince and People. Soon after he procured his Condemnation in a pack'd Council of Oriental Bilhops; when the injured Patriarch drew up a Petition by way of Appeal to the Popes Begging his Affistance

in Imitation of his Predeceffors Fabian, Julius, InnoLeo. The Pope undertook the Defence of perfecuted Innocence: And Photius, because he could not prevail upon him to be an Abetter of his Crime, forfook his Communion.

This is the Fact as far as is to our Purpose fairly related: and let any impartial Man Judge from it, whether the Pope broke off from Photius rather than Photius from the Pope. We have here a wicked Courtier fupported by the Authority of a Prince as bad as himself, invading the Patriarchal Throne by the violent Deposition of the legal Poffeffor. He applies himself to the Pope to approve his Intrusion; but finding his Virtue proof against Flattery and Threats, he difowns that very Authority, to which at firft he thought it neceffary to have Recourfe; withdraws himfelf from the Pope's Communion, and by Degrees engages a great Part of the Greek Church in his Quarrel. If this Man, and his Adherents were not guilty of Schifm, there never was fuch a Thing in the World. But 'tis an eafy Matter to guefs, what makes you so zealous for the Greeks. Henry the 8th, and Bishop Cranmer only copied after the Pattern fet them by the wicked Emperor and Patriarch of Conftantinople, and they cannot poffibly be acquitted of the Guilt of Schifm, unlefs Photius be first clear'd, or at least a Fact call'd in Question, which never admitted of any Difpute.

G. But is not the Greek Church Elder than the Church of Rome? And if it be fo, do's it not follow that the Church of Rome rather broke off from her?

L. A ftout Argument indeed! But it will do no Execution unless you make it appear, that Age and Jurifdiction always go together. Sr, there are feveral Bishopricks in Great Britain more ancient than Can terbury; yet the Bishop of that See is their Primate,

L

And if they should pretend to withdraw their Subjection, he would not be fatisfy'd with their Telling him, that fince their Churches are Elder than his, he rather breaks off from them, than they from him.

I shall conclude this Matter with a Dilemma, which is decifive against you. The principal Article, which the Greeks objected against the Latins was, their having inferted into the Nicene Creed, that the Holy Ghoft proceeds from the Father and the Son. And this is likewife profefs'd in your th Article of Religion. The reft were all trifling Things relating to Difcipline.

Now then after the Breach between the two Churches either the Church of Rome adhered to the Ancient Faith, or not. If not, you must renounce the sth Article of Religion, and the Nicene Creed into the Bargain. If she did, then the Church of Rome remain'd where she was before, and by Confequence the Greek Church broke off from her.

I

§. 16.

The Greek Church formerly own'd the Pope's Supremacy.

Come now to the 2d notorions Falsehood afferted by you, viz, that neither the Greek Church, nor the Churches of Afia, nor Africa, nor Ruffia ever acknowledg'd the Pope's Supremacy. I wonder America was not put in to make up the Number. For when a Man's Hand is in, he ought to go thoroughftitch.

However you have managed the Matter craftily enough in Setting the Churches of Afia, Africa, and Ruffia upon feparate Bottoms as if none of them

were a Part of the Greek Church whereas by that Church is properly meant the whole Collection of Churches under the Furifdiction of the 4 Eastern Patriarchats: the first whereof, viz. Conftantinople is in Europe, and the Primate as well as other Bishops of Ruffia are under it's Jurifdiction. The 2d, namely that of Alexandria is in Africa; and the two others of Antioch and Jerufalem are in Afia. So that your Saying that neither the Greek Church, nor the numerous Churches of Afia, nor the famous Churches of Africa, nor the Great Church of Ruffia ever own'd the Supremacy of Rome is the fame ridiculous Gafconade, as if any one should fay, that neither the Church of Great Britain, nor the numerous Churches of England, nor the Church of Scotland, nor the famous Churches of Wales own the Pope's Supremacy.

But this little Politick Stratagem was needful to fet off the Number of our Enemies, by a Shew of Bringing all Afia, Africa, and Ruffia befides the Greek Church into the Field againft us: tho in Reality a great Part of the Churches of Africa, when they were Chriftian Churches, were under the Jurifdiction of the Patriarch of the West. And thus the true English of this pompous Catalogue of Churches is little more than Saying; that the Greek Church never own'd the Pope's Supremacy. The manifeft Falfehood whereof I shall now demonftrate from feveral unqueftionable Historical Facts.

op

First, in the famous Cause of St Athanafius Bishof Alexandria, the second Patriarchal See of the Greek Church; concerning which Theodoret gives this Account. The Eufebians wrote the Calumnies they had forged against Athanafius to Julius Bishop of Rome. But be according to the Canons both commanded the Eufebians to come to Rome, and apointed Athanafius a Day to have his Caufe tried. Theod. L. 2. Hift, C. 3. Tom. 3. p. 586.