PIETRO GIANNONE. 40$ 



IX. I confefs, that I was in an error, when I be- 

 lieved that the pope of Rome was the fhepherd of a 

 flock that belonged to Chrift, and that he was the fole 

 bridegroom and lord of his church ; and if Paul and 

 the antient fathers have taught this, I fay it better, by 

 maintaining not only that the pope is the bridegroom 

 of the church, wherein I agree * with Boniface VIII. 

 but likewife that the church is his maid. Bellarmine, 

 whofe oracular decree I have quoted, and theDecretum 

 of Gratianus demonftrate this tenet. The pope, fay 

 they, is he whom the whole church muft obey *f-, be- 

 caufe he is a god of the earth, for when he diffolves a 

 marriage, it feems as if God alone difTolved it, fince 

 a lawfully elected pope is God on earth J ; and Felinus 

 faith ; The pope on the earth fills not the place of a 

 mere man, but of the true God §. Now that I am 

 once in the way of truth that leads me directly to ever-, 

 lafting life, I difpute no longer, whether the pope can 

 err or not ? Whether he has the right to command in 

 a general afTembly of the representatives of the church ? 

 Whether he has the exclufive right to call a general 

 council ? Whether he has an unbounded authority 

 over all bifhops, archbifhops, and patriarchs, fo that 

 thefe are no other than his officers and minifters 5 to 

 whom he delegates the authority which they exercife 

 each in his feveral diocefe ? and whether archbifhops 

 can execute their office without the papal pallium, an$. 



* Cap. Qiioniam de Immimit, in 6. 

 f Cap. i. diilinft- 93. 

 | Cap. Inter Corporalia de tranfl. epifc. 

 § Cap, dejurejur. 



D d 3 with- 



