Church-history of the government of bishops and their councils abbreviated including the chief part…

§ 26. CLXXV. The same year 553. the Western Bishops held a Council at Aquileia, ¹out of the Emperor's power, where, as Defenders of the Council of Calcedon, they condemned the fifth Constantine Council aforesaid, and (so saith Binnius) separated themselves from the Unity of the Catholic Church, and so continued for near an Hundred years, till the time of Pope Sergius, who reduced them.² Were not these great Councils and Bishops great Healers of the Church, that about condemning some written Sentences of three dead men, thus raise a War among the Churches? Were Heretics or Hereticaters the great Dividers?

§ 26. CLXXV. The same year 553. the Western Bishops held a Council at Aquileia, ¹out of the Emperor's power, where, as Defenders of the Council of Calcedon, they condemned the fifth Constantine Council aforesaid, and (so saith Binnius) separated themselves from the Unity of the Catholick Church, and so continued for near an Hundred years, till the time of Pope Sergius, who reduced them.² Were not these great Councils and Bishops great Healers of the Church, that about condemning some written Sentences of three dead men, thus raise a War among the Churches? Were Hereticks or Hereticaters the great Dividers?

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§ 27. But here followeth a Case that raiseth a great doubt before us, Whether the Pope alone, or all his Western Bishops, when they differ from him, are the Church? After the death of Vigilius, the Secular Power procured Pelagius the Archdeacon to be made Pope; the Western Bishops disclaiming Justinian's Council, and Pelagius obediently receiving it (and the Popedom,) there could not be three Bishops got that would ordain him, as the Canons required, so that a Presbyter Ostiensis was fain to do it.