The safe religion, or, Three disputations for the reformed catholic religion against popery proving…The safe religion, or, Three disputations for the reformed catholike religion against popery proving…

And whereas the Bishop of Rome would have sent his Legates into those parts, to take cognisance of their affairs, they answered [Ut aliqui tanquam atuae sanctitatis latere ad nos mittantur, nulla invenimus Patrum Synodo constitutum] That is [That any should be sent against as Legates from your sanctity, to us, is a thing which we find not constituted by any Synod of the Fathers] But here Gratian hath falsified the Canon, by the addition of a [Save to the See of Rome] where the Milevit•n Canon is repeated: In which manner they have used too much of the Churches records.

And whereas the Bishop of Rome would have sent his Legates into those parts, to take cognisance of their affairs, they answered [Ʋt aliqui tanquam atuae sanctitatis latere ad nos mittantur, nulla invenimus Patrum Synodo constitutum] That is [That any should be sent against as Legates from your sanctity, to us, is a thing which we find not constituted by any Synod of the Fathers] But here Gratian hath falsified the Canon, by the addition of a [Save to the See of Rome] where the Milevit•n Canon is repeated: In which manner they have used too much of the Churches records.

Can we think that Augustine and the rest of the Bishops in these Councils did not understand what they did, and purposely restrain the Roman ambition?

Can we think that Augustine and the rest of the Bishops in these Councils did not understand what they did, and purposly restrain the Romane ambition?

The case also which is related in Augustine between the Catholics and the Donatists shows how far they were in those days from dreaming of the Roman decisive judgement. The great controversy was, who had the true Church the Donatists, or the Catholics? And the Donatists great Arguments were, that Caecilian had been ordained by Traditors, and therefore his party and those that communicated with them were not the Church nor to be communicated with. Mark now how the Catholics plead this cause. 1. They procure it heard by the Emperors Cognitor, Marcellinus; and not by the Pope. 2. They never once fetch their proof that the Catholic Church was theirs from their agreement with Rome, or subjection to the Pope, nor once in all their mention of the Catholic Church do give the Popish description of it, or fetch it from the Roman Bishop as the head; but over & over again they prove that their Church is the Catholic Church because it is [That which beginning at Jerusalem, is transfused over all the world.] and frequently they give this same description of it, and hence prove it out of Scripture, as is apparent in Austins writings at large. They never say, the Catholic Church is the Roman or that which submitteth to the Pope. 3. Note (which is the chief thing that here I do intend) that it was publicly proved in the conference that first Melchiades Bishop of Rome, with other Bishops were appointed to hear the business between Donatus a nigris Casis, and Caecilianus, and that they absolved