In fide enim resurrectionis, sacramentum panis calestis accipitur, et quisquis sine Christo est, in vitæ cibi jejunio relinquetur-P. 531. (Parisiis, 1652.)

Terret exiliis et carceribus ecclesia, credique sibi cogit, quæ exiliis, et carceribus est credita: pendet a dignatione communicantium, quæ persequentium est consecrata terrore; fugat sacerdotes, quæ fugatis est sacerdotibus propagata; diligit se, gloriatur a mundo, quæ Christi esse non potuit, nisi eam mundus odisset; hæc de comparatione traditæ nobis olim ecclesiæ, nunc quam deperditæ, res ipsa, quæ in oculis omnium est, et in ore clamavit.-Con. Arianos, p. 346. (Parisiis, 1652.)

Verum enim, nemo potest dimittere peccata, nisi solus Deus. Ergo qui remittit Deus est, quia nemo remittit nisi Deus.-Hil. in Matt. can. 8. (Edit. ut supra.)

Quæ scripta sunt legamus, et quæ legerimus intelligemus, et tunc perfectæ fidei officio fungemur.-De Trin. lib. 8. (Edit. ut supra.)

LACTANTIUS.

Quare non est dubium, quin religio nulla est, ubicumque simulachrum est. Nam si religio ex divinis rebus est, divini autem nihil est, nisi in cælestibus rebus, carent ergo religione simulachra, quia nihil potest esse cæleste in eâ re, quæ fit ex terrâ.-Lact. lib. 2, de Orig. Erroris. tom. 1, p. 185. (Parisiis, 1748.)

Against Purgatory.

Let not any one imagine that a soul is judged immediately after death. For all are detained in one common custody, till the time arrives when the supreme Judge examines their merits. Then they, whose righteousness is approved, shall receive the reward of immortality; but they whose sins and wickedness shall be detected shall not rise again, but shall be hidden with the wicked in the same darkness, reserved for certain punishment.—On a Happy Life, book 7, tom. 1, p. 574. (Edit. as above.)

The true Sacrifice to God is a Clean Heart and Praise.

There are two things which ought to be offered to God, a gift and a sacrifice. The offering of the gift should be everlasting, the offering of the sacrifice should be temporal. But with those who understand nothing of the divine essence, the gift is whatsoever is made of gold and silver, or is woven in purple and silk; and the sacrifice is a victim, and whatsoever is burnt upon the altar. But God makes use of neither of these, because he is incorrupt and wholly incorruptible. Therefore to God is to be offered the incorporeal offering which he makes use of. The gift is integrity of mind, the sacrifice is praise and a hymn.—On true Worship, book 6, tom. 1, p. 509. (Edit. as above.)

The following tradition is opposed to Jerome's tradition that Peter resided 25 years at Rome. Lactantius's tradition accords with Scripture, Jerome's is repugnant to it.

After this the disciples, who were then eleven in number, having taken Matthias and Paul in the place of the traitor, were dispersed over the whole earth, as the Lord their master had, taught them. And during 25 years, until the beginning of the reign of Nero, they laid the foundation of the church throughout all provinces and cities. And when Nero reigned, Peter came to Rome, and having performed certain miracles, which he wrought by the virtue of God, who gave this power to him, he converted many to righteousness, and established a faithful and stable temple to God. Which thing being reported to Nero, when he perceived that not only at Rome, but every-where daily, a great multitude departed from the worship of idols, and passed over to the true religion, as he was an execrable and pernicious tyrant, he proceeded to cut off the heavenly temple, and to destroy righteousness. And first of all persecuting the servants of God, he affixed Peter to a cross, and slew Paul.-Concerning the Deaths of the Persecuted, vol. 2, p. 184. (Paris, 1748.)

Nec tamen quisquam putet animas post mortem protinus judicari. Nam omnes in una communique custodiâ detinentur; donec tempus adveniat, quo maximus judex meritorum faciat examen. Tum quorum fuerit probata justitia, ii præmium immortalitatis accipient: quorum autem peccata et scelera detecta fuerint, non resurgent, sed cum impiis in eas tenebras recondentur, ad certa supplicia destinati.-De Vita Beata, lib. 7, tom. 1, p. 574. (Edit. ut supra.)

Duo sunt quæ offerri debeant, donum et sacrificium. Donum in perpetuum, sacrificium in tempus. Verum apud istos qui nullo modo rationem divinitatis intelligunt, donum est quidquid auro argentoque fabricatur, item quidquid purpura et serico texitur. Sacrificium est victima, et quæcumque in ara cremantur. Sed utroque non utitur Deus, quia et ipse incorruptus est, et illud totum corruptibile. Itaque Deo utrumque incorporale offerendum est, quo utitur. Donum est integritas animi, sacrificium laus et hymnus. * De vero Cultu, lib. 6, tom. 1, p. 509. (Parisiis, 1748.)

Inde discipuli, qui tunc erant undecim, adsumptis in locum proditoris Matthia et Paulo, dispersi sunt per omnem terram, ad evangelium prædicandum, sicut illis magister Dominus imperaverat, et per annos 25, usque ad principium Neroniani imperii, per omnes provincias et civitates ecclesiæ fundamenta miserunt. Cùmque jam Nero imperaret, Petrus Roma.n advenit, et editis quibusdam miraculis, quæ virtute ipsius Dei, data sibi ab eo potestate faciebat, convertit multos ad justitiam, Deoque templum fidele et stabile collocavit. Quâ re ad Neronem delatâ, cùm animadverteret non modo Romæ, sed ubique quotidiè magnam multitudinem deficere a cultu idolorum, et ad religionem novam, damnatâ vetustate, transire; ut erat execrabilis ac nocens tyrannus, prosilivit ad excidendum cæleste templum, delendam justitiam, et primus omnium persecutus Dei servos, Petrum cruci adfixit, et Paulum interfecit.-De Mortibus Persecutorum, tom. 2, p. 184. (Parisiis, 1748.)

CLEMENS ROMANUS.

Justification by Faith.

All therefore have been glorified and magnified, not by their own works, or the just actions which they have performed, but by his will. And we therefore being called according to his will in Christ Jesus, are not justified by ourselves, nor by our wisdom, or knowledge, or piety, nor by the works which we have wrought in holiness of heart, but by faith, by which the Omnipotent God has justified all from eternity: and to him be glory for ever and ever. Amen.1st Epist. to the Corinthians, ch. 32. (Cambridge, 1718.)

POPE GREGORY THE FIRST.

Consecrated Bishop of Rome An. Dom. 590.

Peter, although the first of the Apostles, a Member and not the
Head of the Church.

Certainly, Peter the first of the apostles, was a member of the holy and universal church: Paul, Andrew and John, what were they but the heads of particular people? And yet all were members under one head. And that I may comprise all things in a short sentence, the saints before the law, the saints under the law, and the saints under grace, all forming the body of the Lord, are constituted among the members of the church, and no one ever desired to call himself universal.-Register of Letters, index 13, book 5, tom. 2, p. 743. (Bened. edit. printed at Paris, 1705.)

But I confidently say, that whosoever calls himself universal bishop, or desires to be called so, in his pride is the forerunner of antichrist, because in his pride he prefers himself to the rest. And he is conducted to error with a similar pride; for as that wicked one wishes to appear a God above all men, so whosoever he is who alone desires to be called a bishop, extols himself above all other bishops.-Book 7, indiction 15, epist. SS. To Mauricius Augustus. (Edit. as above.)

St. Peter's Primacy descended to three Bishopricks,
Alexandria, Antioch, and Rome.

Whereas there were many apostles, yet for the principality itself, one only see of the apostles prevailed in authority, which is of one, but in

CLEMENS ROMANUS.

Παντες ουν εδοξάσθησαν και εμεγαλυνθησαν ου δι' αυτών η των έργων αυτών, η της δικαιοπραγίας ης κατειργασαντο, αλλα δια θελήματος αυτό. Και ημείς ουν δια θελήματος αυτου εν Χρισω Ιησου κληθεντες ου δι' εαυτων δικαιωμεθα, ουδε δια της ημετέρας σοφίας, η συνέσεως, η ευσέβειας, η εργων ων κατειργασάμεθα εν οσιότητι καρδιας, αλλα δια της πίςεως, δι' ης παντας τους απ' αιώνος ο παντοκρατωρ Θεος εδικαίωσεν. Ω εσω η δόξη εις τους αιώνας των αιώνων. Αμην.-Ad Corinth. epist. 1, ch. 32. (Cantab. 1718.)

GREGORY I.

Certè Petrus apostolorum primus, membrum sanctæ et universalis ecclesiæ; Paulus, Andreas, Johannes quid aliud quam singularium sunt plebium capita? et tamen sub uno capite omnes membra. Atque ut cuncta brevi cingulo locutionis astringam, Sancti ante legem, Sancti sub lege, Sancti sub gratiâ, omnes hi perficientes corpus Domini, in membris sunt ecclesiæ constituti, et nemo se unquam universalem vocari voluit.-Registri Epist. lib. 5, indice 13, p. 743, tom. 2. (Bened. edit. Parisiis, 1705.)

Ego autem fidenter dico, quia quisquis se universalem sacerdotem vocat, vel vocari desiderat, in elatione suâ antichristum præcurrit, quia superbiendo se cæteris præponit. Nec dispari superbiâ ad errorem ducitur, quia sicut perversus ille, Deus videri vult super omnes homines, ita quisquis iste est, qui solus sacerdos appellari appetit, super reliquos sacerdotes se extollit.-Lib. 7, indict. 15, epist. 33. Ad Maur. Augustum. (Edit. ut supra.)

Cum multi sint apostoli, pro ipso tamen principatu sola apostolorum sedes in auctoritate convaluit, quæ in tribus locis unius est.