A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

but all of them particular, never calling it Catholic, but upon the account of its holding the Catholic faith, as they called ⟨p. 196⟩all other Churches that did so, in opposition to the Errors, Heresies, and Schisms of any in their days. We desire then to know when it became the only or absolutely Catholic Church of Christ: As also (secondly) by what means it became so to be? It did not do so by virtue of any Institution, Warrant, or Command of Christ: You were never able to produce the least intimation of any such Warrant out of any Writing of Divine Inspiration, nor approved Catholic Writer of the first Ages after Christ, though it hugely concern you so to do, if it were possible to be done; but they all expressly teach that which is inconsistent with such pretences. It did not do so, by any Decree of the first General Councils, which are all of them silent as to any such thing, and some of them, as those of Nice, Ephesus, and Chalc•don, expressly declare and determine the contrary, at least that which is contrary thereunto. We can find no other way or means whereby it can pretend unto this vast Privilege, unless it be the grant of Phocas unto Boniface, that he should be called the Universal Bishop, who to serve his own ends was very liberal of that which was not at all in his power to bestow: And yet neither is this, though it be a means that you have more reason to be ashamed than to boast of, sufficient to found your present Claim, considering how that name was in those days no more than a name, a mere a•ry ambitions Title, that carried along with it no real power; and, stet magni nominis umbra.

but all of them particular, never calling it Catholick, but upon the account of its holding the Catholick faith, as they called ⟨p. 196⟩all other Churches that did so, in opposition to the Errours, Heresies, and Schilms of any in their dayes. We desire then to know when it became the only or absolutely Catholick Church of Christ: As also (secondly) by what means it became so to be? It did not do so by virtue of any Institution, Warrant, or Command of Christ: You were never able to produce the least intimation of any such Warrant out of any Writing of Divine Inspiration, nor approved Catholick Writer of the first Ages after Christ, though it hugely concern you so to do, if it were possible to be done; but they all expresly teach that which is inconsistent with such pretences. It did not do so, by any Decree of the first Generall Councels, which are all of them silent as to any such thing, and some of them, as those of Nice, Ephesus, and Chalcdon, expresly declare and determine the contrary, at least that which is contrary thereunto. We can find no other way or means whereby it can pretend unto this vast Priviledge, unless it be the grant of Phocas unto Boniface, that he should be called the Vniversal Bishop, who to serve his own ends was very liberal of that which was not at all in his power to bestow: And yet neither is this, though it be a means that you have more reason to be ashamed than to boast of, sufficient to found your present Claim, considering how that name was in those dayes no more than a name, a meer ary ambitions Title, that carried along with it no reall power; and, stet magni nominis umbra.