laudable Practice

On this Saint Peter's Day, words from William Laud - in debate with his papalist opponent - on how the claims of the papal supremacy overthrow the apostolic order: For he tells us the Bishop of Rome is S. Peter's Successor, and therefore to him we must have recourse. The Fathers, I deny not, ascribe very much to S. Peter: But 'tis to S. Peter in his own person. And among them, Epiphanius is as free, and as frequent in extolling S. Peter, as any of them: And yet did he never intend to give an Absolute Principality to Rome in S. Peter's right ... But that S. Peter was any Rock, or Foundation of the Church, so as that he and his Successors must be relied on in all matters of Faith, and govern the Church like Princes, or Monarchs, that Epiphanius never thought of. And that he did never think so, I prove it thus. For beside this apparent meaning of his Context (as is here expressed) how could he possibly think of a Supremacy due to S. Peter's Successor, that in most expr...

On this eve of Saint Peter's Day, words from Jeremy Taylor on how the papal supremacy undermines and subverts the apostolic episcopal constitution of the Church catholic: When Christ founded his Church, he left it in the hands of his Apostles, without any prerogative given to one, or eminency above the rest, save only of priority and orderly precedency, which of itself was natural, necessary and incident. The Apostles govern'd all; their Authority was the sanction, and their Decrees and Writings were the Laws of the Church. They exercis'd a common jurisdiction, and divided it according to the needs and emergencies, and circumstances of the Church. In the Council of Jerusalem, S. Peter gave not the decisive sentence, but S. James, who was the Bishop of that See. Christ sent all his Apostles as his Father sent him; and therefore he gave to every one of them the whole power which he left behind; and to the Bishops congregated at Miletum, S. Paul  gave them caution to take ...