urch for a thousand years, and the English Church for
three hundred, have contended against the Church of Rome. I know not
whether what St. Augustin says or what he does not say is strongest against
the present Roman claim; but I think his _silence_ in his book "De Unitate
Ecclesiae" absolutely convincing to any candid mind. Let us hold for an
infallible truth his dogma, "Securus judicat orbis terrarum;" but the Latin
communion is not the "orbis terrarum." In truth, the papal supremacy at
once cut the Church in half; the West, where the Pope's was the only
apostolical see, unanimously held with him; the East, with its four
patriarchs, as unanimously refused his claim, as a new thing which they had
never received. Even De Maistre observes, (Liv. 4. ch. 4,) "It is very
essential to observe that never was there a question about dogmas between
us at the beginning of the great and fatal division."

Again, St. Augustin has five sermons on the day of the Apostles Peter and
Paul; he enlarges, as we might expect, on their labours and martyrdom; on
the wonderful change of life which grace produced in them, the one thrice
denying, and then thrice loving; the other, a blasphemer and persecutor,
and then in labours more abundant than all. He speaks of their being joined
in their death, the first apostle and the last, in the service and witness
of Him, who is the First and the Last; of their bodies, with those of other
martyrs, lying at Rome. But not one allusion is there in all these to the
Roman Pontiff; not a word as to his being the heir of a power not committed
to the other Apostles. On the contrary, on the very occasion of St. Peter's
festival, he does say, "What was commended to Peter,--what was enjoined to
Peter, not Peter alone, but also the other Apostles heard, held, preserved,
and most of all the partner of his death and of his day, the Apostle Paul.
They heard that, and transmitted it for our hearing: we feed you, we are
fed together with you." "Therefore hath the Lord commended his sheep to us,
because he commended them to Peter."[51] Thus Peter's commission is viewed
not as excluding, but including that of all the rest; not as distinguished
from, but typical of, theirs. Yet at this very time Roman Catholics would
have us believe that the successor of Peter communicated to all Bishops
their power to feed the Lord's flock; and that such a wonderful power and
commission is passed _sub silentio_ by the Fathers.

The very sa