Response aux cinq premieres et principales demandes de F. Jean Hay, moine jesuite, aux ministres escossois

degrees of Patriarchs, Archbishops, Metropolitans, Bishops, and Archdeacons—even if this is ancient—it is the case, as St. Jerome expressly testifies, that this is not by divine right but by human disposition. Just as in the Council of Nicaea, when speaking of these Patriarchs, and notably of the one from Rome, who at that time had just emerged, it is not said that the Apostles had established these degrees, as that would also be contrary to what is clearly shown by the Apostolic writings; rather, mention is made only of an ancient custom. How then, and by what title, will you name these degrees of your hierarchy with the name of Apostolic? How will you found it upon the succession of your degrees, and call it ordinary and perpetual, since they took their beginning outside of and after the time of the Apostles? I do not debate here whether these degrees have been lawfully or wisely introduced into the Christian Church, nor if there is more occasion today to abolish them than there ever was to establish them, since they are matters of positive law original: "droict positif". I do not mean to speak of the order by which every company must be conducted, and consequently that one should be first and the other second, and so on; but I speak of this