equal; and () condemn'd Prayers and Goodworks for the relief of the Dead. In the Fifth Century (befides Catholicks, and most of the Sects now mention'd) it was divided into Pelagians, Neftorians and Eutychians, of which the two laft are not yet Extinguifh'd. It is not then requifite, that the Catholick Church be the half of Christendom. But it has always been more Numerous, than any particular Sect of Chriftians. And it is fo ftill. Secondly, I would gladly know, what Society of Christians was as Numerous, as the Church in Communion with the See of Rome, in the Time of Boniface III, or his Succeffors Boniface IV. Deus-dedit, Boniface V.

c. whilft the Oriental Patriarchs and Rome were in the fame Communion? Or, even in the Time of Leo X. anno 1516, before Proteftants begun? Mr. L. would have his Reader believe, p. 25, there are not fo many of our Communion, as there are Jews in the World. This, if true. (of which there is no appearance) would do him but little Services

M

R. St.

§. V.

The Greek Schifm.

in his Obfervations upon an Effay for Catholick Communion, fays very obligingly, that the Papal Faction, or the Church of Rome, may be very properly call'd the Great Whore. which is only a Civil way of calling himself (or his Party) the Son of a Wre. re. For it is

() S. Epiphan. Hær. 75. §. 3: Tom, 1. f. 907, Par, anno

1622.

an

an undeniable Fact, that the Church in Communion with the See of Rome, is the MotherChurch in refpect of Proteftants: And Mr. St might have remember'd whofe Commandment that is, Honour thy Father and thy Mother. Mr. L would have ns believe, p. 19. that the Greeks are theMother Church,in respect of us. And the other Gentleman now mention'd, thinks, or fays at least, that that of the Greeks is the only true Catholick Communion in the World.

First, BUT this Account, if true, will only make the Greek Church, to be the Protestants Grand-Mother.

Secondly, THEY will never obtain her Bleffing unless they renounce the Fifth of their 39 Articles, concerning the Proceflion of the Holy Ghost, and Part of their Creed. Befides they must allow the Invocation of Saints, Veneration of Images and Reliques, Praying for the Relief of the Dead, Seven Sacraments, Monaftical Vows, Adoration of the Eucharift, Mafs for the Living and the Dead, &c. that is, all the Articles in a manner of Pius IV's Creed, and fome Errors befides.

Thirdly, WHEN Mr. L. tells us, we broke off from the Greeks, I fuppofe he forgot, that in St. Paul's time, there was a Church at Rome, whofe Faith was Spoken of throughout the whole World, Rom. 1. ver.8. or, was the Greek Church before the Apostles?

Fourthly, A Breaking off, is a Separation of a Part from the whole; and a Rebellion or Revolt from the Lawful Superior. Thus, all the World knows, the Reformation begun anno 1517, when Luther, as he confeffes, was alone Primò folus eram; and Revolted from his Ecclefiaftical Superiors: or, if this be too harfh a word, chofe rather to be cut off from them,

than

than to renounce his Opinions; which were fo very agreeable to Flesh and Blood, that whole Nations were easy drawn in. But setting this apart, we are as fure that the Roman Church was never fubject to the Greeks; as we are, that England was Subject to the Pope above 900 Years. And, if he be the Head of the Church, as he was publickly declared in the Oriental Councils feveral hundred Years before the Greek Schifm, we must neceffarily conclude. 1.That the Greeks broke off from the Latins. 2. That his fetting up a Supremacy was not the Caufe of their Schifm.

2. THE Greek Schifin was begun by Photius, in the Ninth Century, anno 864. His true Character is this (1) He had a happy Genius and fublime Qualifications: And had he made use of em for the Good of the Church, and not Corrupted them by his unjuft Attempts, by unheard of Violences, by Tricks and Artifices unworthy of an Honest Man; be might have been Happy. But his Exceffive Love of Glory, and his Unbounded Ambition, promp-" ted him to thofe Exceffes, which have Blafted all his Endowments. Anno 841. Michael III. being very Young, Succeeded his Father Theophilus in the Oriental Empire, under the Guardianship of his Mother Theodora: But Bardas the Emperor's Uncle, had a fhare of the Government. This Man was defperately in Love with his Daughterin-Law, with whom he held a Secret Commerce. St. Ignatius (Son of Michael I) then Bishop of Conftantinople, Checked him for it, with a Freedom fuitable to his Character: And finding his Charity ineffectual, he refused to give him the Sacrament on the Feast of the

() Monfieur Du Pin. Cent. 9. p. 110.

Epi

Epiphany. Bardas, who was of a Furious and Cruel Temper, Incensed at this, perfwades the Young Emperor to fend away his Mother and Sifter into a Monastery, and to charge the Patriarch to fee this Executed. St. Ignatius refufes to Obey fo unjust a Command; and, loaded with Calumnies, is Banifh'd to the Isle of Terebinthus. Photius, Principal Secretary of State, and Captain of the Guards, was put in his Place, was made a Monk, the first Day; Reader, the next; and the following Days, Subdeacon, Deacon and Priest; fo that in fix Days time (the true Patriarch being yet living) he invaded his Throne on Christmas-day, anno 858. The Bishop by whom he was Ordain'd, had been Excommunicated by St. Ignatius, and had therefore accufed him alfo to the Pope : who (1) required of Ignatius, that he would fend Some Perfon to Rome, to give him a full Information of that Affair. Ignatius did accordingly fend one Lazarus; and the Point being duly Examin'd by the Direction of Pope Benedictus, the next Succeffor to Leo; Ignatius his Sentence was approved by the Holy See. Nicholas I. fucceeded Benedictus; to whom Photius, that his Election might be Confirm'd at Rome, fent an Embally with a false Account of St. Ignatius: That by Reason of his Age he had Voluntarily quitted the Patriarchal See, had withdrawn into a Monaftery of a certain Island (he was then, by Photius's Cruelty, at Mytilene, being carried from Terebinthus to another Island call'd Hiera, from thence to Berneta, and afterwards to Numeta, where he was very ill used, Bound with Chains and cast into a Prison) and

(1) Du Pin.p. 86:

that

that he was in great Efteem both with the Princes and People. Soon after he procur'd his Condemnation in a Numerous Council of Oriental Bishops; when the injured Patriarch (1) drew a Petition by way of Appeal to the Pope; Begging his Afliftance, in Imitation of his Predeceffors Fabian, Julius, Innocent, Leo. The Pope undertook the Defence of Perfecuted Innocence And Photius, because he could not draw him into his Villany, forfook his Communion. This was the true Caufe of his Schifm. And, tho' the Paffions were not the fame, we have a Piece nearer home, which bears fuch a Refemblance in Features, that either of them, to a Man that knows not their Epochs, might país for the Original.

3. Anno 862. THE Western Bishops in a Council at Rome Declared Photins's Ordination void; and condemn'd the Perfidioufnefs of the Pope's Legates Zachary and Radoaldus, who the Year before had bafely exceeded their Powers in Photius's Synod, and confirm'd an unjust Sentence against St. Ignatius. Anno 866, Photius writ a Circular Letter to the Oriental Patriarchs, wherein he accufed the Latins(2)of Five Errors. Firft, That they had made the Bulgarians Faft on Saturdays. Secondly, That they permitted them to Eat Milk, Butter and Cheefe in the first Week of Lent. Thirdly, That they De

() Du Pin. p. 89. In Concilio Photiano, an. 861. dixerat Ignatius, Ad Papam provoco: Lubens Fudicium illius fubzbo. Ac libellum fupplicem, Romam per Theognoftum Archimandritam miffum, infcripfit, Cunctarum Sedium Pa triarcha, Sancti Petri Principis Apoftolorum Succeffori; Oecu menico Papa Nicolao. Nat. Alex. tom. 6. p. 239. 241. (1) Du Pin. Cent. 9. p. 106. Nat Alex, tom. 6, p. 245.

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