Calvin's Institutes.4.7.9: "The Use of Forged Documents"

Calvin’s Institutes, 4.7.9. “The use of forged documents.”
Observations:

1. The subject under review in 4.7.5-4.7.10: We’ve reviewed the origin and growth of Romanism until it raised itself to a height that the freedom of Christ’s True Churches were oppressed and doctrinal restraints were removed. We’ve seen the modest position of Rome in the Councils of Nicaea, Ephesus, Council of Chalcedon and the Fifth Council of Constantinople. We’ve seen that the pompous and arrogant titles for the bishop of Rome were not embraced, but were repudiated as late as the 7th century. We’ve seen, thus far, the limits of the Roman jurisdiction in relation to emperors and metropolitans. We’ve seen the authority of convening synods did not reside with Rome.

2. The case of appeals. The Roman bishops often exceeded their limits in hearing appeals. The Easterners and the Bishop of Gaul stoutly resisted. In a moment, we'll see that the Africans resisted efforts at oversight. Last time we also saw that with Irenaeus of Lyons, France.

3. The matter of appealing from North Africa to Rome was long debated.

4. The Council of Milevis, at which Augustine was present, denied the right of Rome to interere with their independent, autonomous, and autocephalous decisions. Second Synod of Milevis, canon xxii. Cf. Letter of the African Council (419) to Boniface 1.

5. Rome sent legates to the African Synod with an archived record from the Council of Nicaea allegedly claiming this appellate jurisdiction. The Africans denied the claim, so they wrote to Constantinople and other cities re: a possible forgery. What did they find? No such claim to Roman jurisdiction or right of interferrenced existed in ancient jurisdictions outside Rome. Thereby, Rome was cut off from its impulse for dominion. Rome was caught “red-handed.