quibuscunque clausulis verbis quae de Morum Reformatione atque Ecclesiasticâ Disciplinâ tam sub fel. vec Paulo 3tio ac Julio 3tio quèm sub Beatissimo Pio 4to Pontificibus Maximis in hoc Sacro Concilio statuta sâ—nt declarat it a decreta fuisse ut in his Salva semper Auctorità s Sedis Apostolicae sit esse intelligatur cap. 21. Now if they had done any thing as to the Pope before this had undone it all And this with the Help of such a Construction as the Pope may put upon it may enable Him to do what he will He is now left to Carve for Himself and if he want any thing it is his own fault By what Surprize this Decree was obtained the Historian briefly tells us When a Councel was just Shutting up few Men gave their Minds to Heed or stick at any thing and therefore in the Close of the day this is passed as a thing granted though it had never been mentioned in any Congregation Hist C. T. lib. 8 pag. 812 Now what the Authority here deâ—â—gned is you may give a shrewd Guess by the Acclamation in the Shutting â—p of the Councel Beatissimo Pio Papae Domino nostro Sanctae Vniversaliâ— Ecclesiae Pontifici c. What can he desire more It seems the Dispute about Vniversalem Ecclesiam and Vniversas Ecclesias was out of their Heads now VIII As to the Authority of Bishops it was the Contrivance of the Councel all along by all Arts possible to bring it in a manner to nothing 'T is true some were sensible of the Mischief of this and amongst such the Spaniards deserved no mean Commendation especially Gramata then whom there was not a more brave and Magnanimous Prelate in all the Councel 〈◊〉 wanted not much once but that they had out-witted the early Legats bâ—t their honest Plot being discovered they were quickly over-born by the â—â—â—ians and Pensioners who never Consider what is Right but what will â—â—ive the Pope's Turn And to exalt him it was necessary to depress all other â—â—shops for if other Bishops be Christs Vicars as well as the Pope they will 〈◊〉 in danger to be his Fellows but if they be only Vicars or Delegates of Christs Vicar then they must submit to Him as their Head from whom they â—â—ive all their Authority And to bring it to this Pass they used many â—rts though none more effectual then this which shall be the only Instance I shall produce in this place In the Matter of Reformation it was necessary 〈◊〉 seem to do something though God knows their Reformation was much 〈◊〉 Boccaline's in Parnassus which after a mighty Bustle and vast Expectations Amounted to no more then the Moderating the Price of Cabbages and â—ayons Now though in things of greatest Concern the Reformation was lâ—ft to the Pope which was Magno conaâ—â— nihil agere yet all could not be so Referred and the Execution of such things had been always left to the Bishops Now to have Committed them to any other Hands would have been not only to bring themselves under Eternal Infamy but to put the World in a Mutiny On the other Hand to leave it to them would seem to infer a Right if not a Divine Right in prejudice of the Pope One would think here they had been taken in a Noose but they slip the Knot with ease And certainly never any thing was more Neatly taken away in the very giving For when Matters came under debate which did Require the Exercise of Jurisdiction upon the place they then Committed it to the Bishops but with this Restriction As Delegates of the Apostolick See Here indeed the Bishops Received a Power to Exercise some Authority but in the very Accepting it they gave up their Right and placed all Authority Originally in the Pope so that if he pleased at any time to undelegate them he did in effect unbishop them And yet the only Reason which moved the Cardinals St. Clemens and Alexandrinus to persevere in their Opinioe to the last against the Confirmation of the Councel was this That too much Authority had been Given to Bishops in that Councel Hist C. T. lib. 8. p 817. So Jealous is the Roman Court of the Authority of Bishops that they are not willing to Allow them the Shadow of it And indeed they have Reason for it for if every Bird had her own Feather those Jolly Cardinals now Princes Mates would Appear to be only a parcel of bald Cootes For this and some other Reasons the Councel of Trent might have Waited for a Confirmation had not Hugo Buonâ—cmpagno Bishop of Bestice not only clearly Convinced the Pope that he was no Loser by the Councel but also taught Him a Trick how He might make what he pleased of it and become no small Gainer by it Hist C. T. p. 816. To all this the Bigoted sort of Romanists will Return that it is the Pope's Right But if it be not his Right then both He and that Councel are guilty of a World of Wrong done to the Churches of God But that Dispute is not proper in this place but will be fully Handled in the Particular of Supremacy And if they be cast in that they must be so in this IX It hath ever been Held to be one necessary Qualification of a General Councel That it be free And therefore I may Reasonably put in this Exception against that at Trent That it was in manifest Slavery all the time If there were nothing more to be urged but the Decree Proponentibus Legatis that alone were sufficient For by this means the Bishops who best knew the state of their Churches could not offer any thing in Councel how needful soever they knew it to be And what should be debated was wholly left to their pleasure who either could not understand the state of the Churches Or if they did yet did not regard it but made it their whole Business to Advance the Interest of the Court of Rome And though it was Pleaded that this was a New Thing never before done in any Councel though at several times strong Reasons were brought to prove that it Infringed the Libâ—rty of the Councel And from time to time great Intercession was made to take off that Decree yet it could never be obtained And we may Reasonably believe that it was Resolved it never should whatsoever they might pretend For when this Decree with no small Art had passed the Pope was so well pleased with the News that he wrote privately to the Legats That they should Maintain it firmly and put it in Execution without Releâ—ting one jote Hist C. T. lib 6. p. 470. But though this was too much yet this did not satisfie them But they took still a greater Liberty to Enslave all the Rest For when they had proposed any Matter if the debate did not proceed to their Mind they took upon them to interrupt Men in their speaking and to Check
of the Councel or the Nature of the things determined If from the Nature of the things then they are binding before and without the Councel And so where the Councel of Trent iâ— in the Right we may receive it for its own sake not the Councels because it is true not because the Tridentine Fathers so determined And so the Plea of the Councel is laid aside to Examine the Nature of the thing But if those Acts must be supposed Binding by Vertue of the Authority of the Councel I would know how that Authority Reacheth us for Councels bind those Churches whose Bishops are present and Consenting to them And though the Pope hath Usurped the Privilege to be the onlâ— Confirmer of Councels yet Anciently his Confirmation Reached no further then to his own Church or Diocess at most And every Bishop had as much power to Confirm Councels as He and the Councel stood in as much need of their Confirmation as his in Respect of their particular Churches And their Common Stile in Subscribing was Ego A. B. Confirmavi Corroboravi or the like And if they did not do thus the Decreeâ— and Canons of the Councel were not Reputed to be Binding to their particular Churches If the Determinations of the Councel were thought to be of General Concern then they were sent to other Churches whose Bishops were not there and they might Receive or Reject either in whole or in part but what they received they bound themselves to but not but by their own Act. Now what Bishops of ours were at Trent or when did we receive it or approve it ex post facto Henry the 8th was so far from sending any Bishops to that Councel that he Protested against it Edward the 6th was less a Friend to it What Queen Mary would have done I know not But all the time of her Reign the Councel was under a Suspension and sate not And though it was Revived again in Queen Elizabeths time yet it is well known that she thought that neither the Pope had Right to Call a Councel nor equal that he should Preside in it Neither did any of the Bishops of her time either of those put out or those put in Appear there As for the Blind Irish-man he is nothing to us and as little I think to his own Nation It is indeed true that Cardinal Poolâ— an Englisb-man whom even Protestants Honour for his Moderation and Piety was in that Councel some small time under Paul the Third But he Sate there as the Pope's Legat not an English Bishop Nay at that time he was not a Bishop at least not of any English Church nor deputed by any Bishop of Ours And therefore could not Carry with Him the Authority of any one of our Churches I wonder the Pope had not so much forecast as to Set up some Titulars to supply this defect But if He had we should have little Regarded such a Mock-Authority And as none of our Bishops were there so there is not the least Colour to say that we Received it since And therefore they may Keep their Councel for a Snare to themselves it doth not bind us And this Argument ought to be Held good even in the Opinion of the Councel of Trent it self for when in Order to Carrying a Matter under debate the Determination of the Councel of Florence was urged it was pressed as an Argument against the Spaniards not against the French And for this Reason that the one Nation had Received that Councel but not the other And thus I have done with the General Part and now we must come to a more close Fight insisting upon such Particulars as may both Justify our Separation and withal make manifest that whatever they pretend the tâ—ue Reason of their Adherence to those Matters is only a Selfish and Unchristian Interest FINIS BOOKS Sold by and Printed for RICHAKD NORTHCOTT Adjoyning to St. Peters Alley in Cornhil 1691. SPiritual Songs or Songs of Praise to Almighty God upon several Occasions together with the Song of Songs which is Solomons first Turn'd then Paraphras'd in English Verse the third Edition with an Addition of Dives and Lazarus A Sermon concerning the Excellency and Usefulness of the Common Prayer preached by William Beveridge D. D. Rector of St. Peters Cornhil London A Sermon preached before the Queen at Whitehall October the 12th 1690 by William Beveridge D. D. A Friendly Discourse between an English Dissenter and a French Protestant concerning the Liturgy and Ceremonies of the Church of England by Daniel La Fite M. A. Rector of East Dean in the County of Sussex Gnomoniques or the Art of drawing Sun-Dials on all sorts of Planes by different Methods with the Geomemetrical Demonstrations of all the Operations by John Leek Professor of the Mathematicks The Experienccd Farrier or Farring Compleated in Two Books Physical and Chyrurgical bringing pleasure to the Gentleman and Profit to the Countreyman in which you have the Whole Body Sum and Substance of it in one Entire Volume in so full and ample Manner that there is nothing more Material to be Added hereto
no Obedience which the Pope could lawfully Claim nor Cast off any Authority that he was possessâ—d of in Right For being there were then Churches in these Illes setled under their Bishops according to the primitive Forme and Usage and Owed no Subjection to the Bishop of Rome either as Metropolitan or Patriarch as hath been proved then whatever Pretences he can now make â—or any Authority over us are by the Councel determined to be void And what Usurpatiòns soever he hath made are Adjudged to be Restored So that if they have no better Arguments then the Bishop of Rome's Authority as Patriarch that will do them no service here but it will rather Appear That we have proceeded very Canonically in our Reformation XXIX Thus much will clearly Appear That as the Bishops of those populous and powerful Cities Rome Antioch and Alexandria were ever and Anon making Inroads upon other Mens Jurisdiction So the Three First General Councels were very careful to Fence the Liberties of the Church against their and all others Encroachments For as for the Second General Councel which I have Omitted any Man may be abundantly satisfied who will take the pains to Read The Account of the Government of the Christian Church written by the Learned Dr. Parker late Bishop of Oxford Yet either Tyred with endless strugling or over-born with power or out-witted by Cunning or rather wrought on by all these means theÌ„ Fourth General Councel did plainly Amplifie their Power For after the Translation of the Seat of the Empire to Constantinople the Bishop of that place by the favour of the Emperour by the Power of the City by the Assistance of Dependants and by a lucky Opportunity offered from the New Division of the Empire suddenly starts up from a mean Suffragan to be the Second and perhaps most powerful Bishop of the Empire And now a Councel Meeting at Chalcedon just under his Nose and Consisting mostly of Eastern Bishops and many of them his Dependants and where the Emperour some time Appeared in Person and his Ministers all along bore a great sway This he thought was the time if ever to get that done which no Councel before would hearken to And to obtain a Confirmation of that exorbitant Jurisdiction which that Ravenous See had seized in few yeares space But in doing this he is constrained to do Others Business that he might do his own And here first we find one set over the Head of the Metropolitan and an Appeal from Him Ratified by Canon And thus the Bishops of those great Cities Mounted into Exarchs afterwards called Patriarchs and the Bishop of Constantinople got the best Share There was doubtless no mean Artifice used in the Managery of this Matter for it seems to be rather Slurr'd upon the Councel then Acted by them And the Foxes themselves the Bishop of Rome's Legats were here caught and all they could do was afterwards to Protest against Proceedings in this Matter But when Leo heard of it at Rome he fell a Roaring at no Rate not that he had too little but taht the Bishop of Constantinople had too much He was in a bodily fear of such a dangerous Competitour who on a sudden had from almost Nothing Risen to such Greatness that he was able to Cope with Him And by the Grandeur of his City his Interest in the Clergy and favour of the Emperour might in a short time be able to over-top Him It is not unlikely that Leo might think that he could have scrambled well enough for Himself without the Help of any such Canon and might possibly look on it as a Confinement But whatever he thought his Plea is clear contrary and that he might depress the Rising Constantinopolitan he is Tooth and Nail for the Nicene Canons and the power of Metropolitans which by the Way is an Argument that it was not then thought that the Nicene Canons Erected Patriarchates as some since Maintain The Issue of this Quarrel I am not concerned to pursue But granting the Bishop of Rome to be here made Patriarch you see he doth not care to accept it But suppose him to be Nâ—lens Volâ—ns invested with it yet the Churches in these Isles were out of the Reach of it and lived long after in their former state and freedom and therefore may still Challenge the Benefit of the Ephesme Canon against Usurpations XXX But now let us for once suppose what can never be proved viz. That the Patriarchate of the Bishop of Rome was Legally and Canonically extended â—ver these Isles yet what Feats will this do for him even under Patriarchates for they did not obtain in all places of the Empire the power of Metropolitans was still Reserved they still Ordained the Bishops of their Provinces they did Convene and hold Provincial Synods and determined Matters as formerly Only whereas the Metropolitan was before Ordained in his Province by his Suffragans now he was to be Ordained by the Patriarch or at least with his Consent and there lay an Appeal from him and his Synod In short the Power of a Patriarch Consisted in certain known lastances but chiefly in Conjunction with the Bishops of his Diocess or Exarchate Now what a pitiful shrivel'd thing would the Pope think this if it were offered him How would he fret and storm if we should thus Admit Him and Tye his Hands behind Him And yet as Patriarch this is all he can Claim But to Claim that and ten times more where he hath not so much as a Patriarchal Right is such a Piece of Impudence as none would be guilty of but those who can blush at nothing And therefore it will be best not to trust him but hold our own as long as we can XXXI Upon the same Supposition we may still proceed further and Enquire whether a Patriarchal Power do Entitle a Man to all he can Grasp or lay his Hands on Are we so fast bound that there is no getting quit of Him though he Command such Matters as dishonour God disturb the Church mislead Christians out of the true Way and does Actually Tyranâ—ize over Mens Souls Bodies and Estates Patriaschal Autherity was first Instituted for the good of the Church that Order might be preserved Purity of Religion secured all Persons contained in and held to their Duties and Heresies and Schisms prevented But now if this Power be made use of against all these Ends must the good of the Church give way to 〈◊〉 of it to the good of the Church That it has been and is abused by the Bishop of Rome contrary to all these Ends might be fully proved by an Induction of Particulars but that would lead Me into too large a Field And I shall therefore Omit here because it will be done hereafter when I shall insist on those particular Heads which prove the Romanasts guilty of the Schism Besides a Patriarch is only a Bishop with an extended Jurisdiction The Bishop is the highest Order in Gods
stand seized of as good Authority to interpret Scripture as any they can justly pretend to And that we use it more duely and rightlâ— may appear hence That we not only diligently use all lawful Means to come to the Knowledge of Truth but Condemn all those ill Arts which obscure or corrupt it We have no Index Expurgatorius to Expunge or Alter any Passages in the primitive Fathers or any other honest Authors if they do not please us yet by this one base unpaidonable Aâ—tifice the Romanists whilst they have been undermining the sufficiency of the Scriptures have shaken the Authority and weakned the Evidence of Tradition and so difarmed the Church of her best Weapons of Defence for certainly a Tradition is best proved by those who lived in or near those times when it was delivered But how shall we believe their Testimony when their Writings are daily Curtail'd Changed and Falsified at pleasure And had not that God who takes Care of his Church caused the Chear to be discovered it would have done more Mischief then all the diligence and pains of all the Romanists in the World could ever have made a just satisfaction for But this it is for a particular Church to set up for Infallibility which is a point that can never be gained without putting out the Eyes of all at present living and stopping the Mouths of all that went before them For though I beleeve that God will never deâ—ert his Church in all parts of it in Matters necessary to Salvation yet he has not given her any Power over the Faith but She is Tied to that and that alone which was at first delivered to the Saints And if the Roman or any other Church or an Angel from Heaven should teach any other doctrine then what we have received they ought to be so far from being regarded that if we follow St. Paul they ought to be Accursed That we Adhere to the Scriptures thâ— Romanists cannot justly blame us because they themselves Acknowledge their divine Authority For see the Council of Trent doth Sess 4. decret de Can ' Script ' but they accuse us as too strict Scripturists upon two Accounts First because we Admit not Tradition to be of equal Authority with the Holy Scriptures Secondly because we receive not several Books as Canonical or of unquestionable divine Authority which they have thrust into the Canon As for Tradition and its Authority I shall Treat of it more distinctly in the next Paragraph and there answer this Accusation As for the Canon of Scripture we own the very same and no other which the Church of God hath Handed down to us after the Canon of Scripture was Compleated As for those Books Called Apocrypha which the Council of Tâ—ent first made Canonical it is Apparent That we do not by that Title utterly Condemn them but rather Repute them of an Inferiour or Ecclesiastical Authority because we Read them in our Churches for Instruction of Manners and inciting to good Living And sometimes use them for the Illustration of Doctrine but never to Introduce or Found any Doctrine upon and this is as much as the Ancients allowed them The Jewish Church was the Keeper and Preserver of the Canon of the Old Testament as much as the Christian is of the Old and New now But they had none of those Books in their Canon And therefore if any Assert that those Books do belong to the Canon the Consequence will be That the Jewish Church did not preserve the Canon of Scripture entire and true and for the same Reason any one may suspect the Christian and so render the Authority of the whose dubious So injurious are the Romanists to the Faith it self whilâ—st they set up their own Authority against the whole Church of God Besides if they will not own that we received the entire Canon of the Old Testament from the Jewish Church they ought to tell us from whom â—e did receive it and to whose Custody it was Committed till the time of Christ and his Apostles But whoever will be at the pains to read the Scholastical History of the Canon of Scripture Written by our Learned Dr. Cosins Bishop of Duresâ—ne will be abundantly satisfied that the Tridentines under pretence of Tradition have Enlarged the Canon of Scripture contrary to the Tradition of the Church of God in all Ages even to their own time Thus when Modern Mens bare word must be allowed a sufficient Authority to Vouch a Tradition a Pretence of Tradition is set up against the truth of it and so Tradition it self rendred doubtful or useless And therefore I shall not trouble my self to pursue those many particular sâ—uffling pleas which they use to Justify themselves in offering violence to the Sacred Canon But if you would know the true Reason which it was their Business to Conceal I believe Spalato hath Hit on it Suas non poterant Nâ—nias ex Sacrâ Scripturâ verè Canonicâ probare ideoque noluerunt permittaere us 〈◊〉 aliae Scripturae etiam non Canonicae eriperentur quo suas qualescunque â—aberent â—â—â—retras unde spicula desumerent ac praeterea viderent ac praeterea ne viderentur â—ein aliquâ Protestantibus cedere aâ—t consentire maluerunt etiam falsa tueri 〈◊〉 de Repub. Ecc. lib. 7. cap. 1 Num. 28. XLIV He that doth believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God must of course believe their Sufficiency or that they contain all Matters necessary to Salvation for they give this Testimony to themselves And he that believes them to be the Word of God must believe the Testimony they give either of themselves or others St. Paul saith They are able to make Man wise to Salvaâ—ion 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. But that cannot be so unIess they contain at least all things necessary thereto But though the Scriptures be thus sufficient and contain a certain Sense in themselves yet by reason of the distance of time when they were Wrote through Unskilfulness in Oriental Customes and Phrases where they were Wrote through Ignorance of some particular Tenets which some Argumentative part of Scripture is Levelled against and â—uch like Causes But above all through the Perverseness of evil Men and Seducers it so falls out That those Scriptures which are of a certain Sense yea plain in themselves are made obscure to us and we either become doubtful of their Meaning or follow a wrong Meaning For what is or can there be so plain and easie which some wiâ—ked Men have not or cannot render intricate and perplexed especially to weak Judgements and faciIe Tempers Now for the Discovery of the true Sense of Scripture in this Case true and genuine Tradition is possibly the best Help and surest Refuge and to Wrest the Scriptures out of the Hands of Hereticks and Restore the Rule to its true Force right Use and proper Meaning perhaps there is not a surer nor more effectual way for our Blessed Saviour Himself Wrote
in Order to its being a Representative it be necessary that the Persons Appearing be Elected from the Church-Members of particular Churches the Consequence will be That the first four Famous General Councels were not lawful Councels for they Met by the Emperours Summons not by Election from the People And therefore upon this Supposition could not be duely Convocated Besides if a Deputation of the People or Church-Members be necessary let the Honour or Orders of the Persons deputed be what it will they must Represent mostly as Laymen for such are Incomparably the sar greater Number But we read not of any Bishops Sitting in Councel but as Bishops and subscribing as Bishops and taking place there by vertue of their own Authority as Bishops not by any Deputation unless perhaps some Person Appeared for some absent Bishop as well as himself or as the Legate of some Bishop But then a Commission or Deputation from that absent Bishop was sufficient without so much as Consulting any Church-Members I do not say but that some Persons were Chosen on purpose to be sent to Councels but then they were either such Priests or Deacons as the Bishops thought Fit to take along with them or were pitch'd on by the Advice of their Clergy And we have a Custom amongst our selves that Two out of every Diocess be Chosen and sent to the Provincial Synod or Convocation And thought it is Reasonable that some should be there who by daily Inspection and Experience understand the Countreys Affairs and the Circumstances of the Rural Clergy upon whom not the least part of the Burthen lies yet the great Reason is this That the Determinations of the Convocation may pass into the Law of the Land which they cannot do unless the Convocation consists of such Persons as the Law requires whose Acts must be Ratified by the King also to that purpose But then those Persons so Chosen are only the Proctors of the Clergy not Deputies of the People And Canons for the Church might be made without them though not Laws of the Land And indeed the Romanists themselves though they talk loud of a Councels being the Churches Representative yet sometimes they are as dumb again and willing to let it sleep or to shift it off When they have to do with private Persons or such whom they Call Hereticks then they talk big of their pack'd Councels and what a Madness it is to withstand the Representative of the whole Church of God This looks great and seems to carry no small Authority with it But if Discourse happen of a Councel in Relation to the Pope then they are as Mute as Fishes or Mince the Matter and will by no means be induced to speak out as to any such Authority in Councels of themselves And it is well known That the Tridentines were never suffered to use the Phrase Repraesentans universalem Ecclefiam though many stickled hard for it the Pope being in no small fear that an Inference would be thence drawn That any Member how great soever was Inferiour to the Representative of the whole Body of Gods Church the Consequence of which might have been fatal to Himself But the Question concerning the Right to or Exercise of Authority in any diffusive Body of Men whether Ecclesiastical or Civil perhaps deserves a more thorough Examination then it hath ever yet undergone And consequently whether any can And if any then who and how far they can make a Representative I may perhaps have Occasion to discourse of it hereafter but shall not in this place IV. He that proceeds only in a destructive way gives too much Advantage to Loose Wits and in stead of Instructing unsettles weak Heads It is therefore but just that he who opposeth what he thinks a Mistake should set down what he thinks right lest he do more hurt by leaving nothing to build upon then he doth good by discovering an Errour which perhaps might be harmless if Consequences of too great moment were not Wire-drawn from it If therefore we should say That a Councel ie as far as Relates to such Churches whose Bishops Appear in Councel is the Church Authoritative and in Consequence the Representative as bringing â—ith it all that Authority Christ left in his Church and which he Lodg'd in his Church-Officers by Vertue of which Authority they Represent and not by any Deputation from the People or Church Members I think that with submission to better Judgements it would be much more plain in the Explication and facile in the Reasons of it And thence would Evidentâ—y Appear the true Grounds of the different force of their Decrees and Canons For in what Relates to Discipline and external Government every Bishop hath Power to make Orders in his own Church And when they are Met in Councel together for the Agreement and Harmony of Churches and better upholding Communion they may make Rules binding all those Churches and in all things lawful and honest they are to be obeyed For in their Hands God left the Government of his Church as a Church And it is no less then an Apostoâ—ical Command in reference to Church-Governours Obey them thâ—e have the Rule over you and submit your selves c Heb 13. 17. And this is so clear from the Practice of the Pâ—imitire Church that to bâ—ing a few Instances were only to light a Candle to the â—un But then those â—egimental Rules or Orders were not binding to those Churches whose Bâ—shops were not there either by themselves or their Delegates and Consenting to them though they were bound to observe them whenever upon any Occasion they came to any of those Churches on whom they were laid And also had a Power to Receive and Confirm them if they found them convenient for their Churches and so to make them Obligatory ex post facto though they themselves were not at the Councel And it is further Observable That Constitutions of this Nature were never thought to be so unalterable and binding But that not only following General Councels might alter them but even Provincial Councels in some Cases might Rescind what more General Councels had Appointed For no Laws are binding contrary to their own End and Design Now the End and Design of their Constitutions being the Peace and Benefit of the Churches and for the most part in Matters of themselves by Nature indifferent or mutable It can hardly be that in all things their General Sanctions should Hit the Condition of all Churches for Climates alter Men much And the Humours Inclinations and Customes oâ— People much vary in different places yea not seldom in the same place in different Ages So that what is convenient easie and useful in one place may be inconvenient uneasie and unprofitable in another If therefore by Reason of the Condition of some particular Church or Churches which was not well made known to the General Councel some of their Constitutions should prove to be really and truly Burthensom and Offensive to
not speak but with Leave and Licence so what they did was insignificant if it Chanc'd afterwards not to please the Pope For the Councel having taken Care for Correcting the Vulgar Edition and for procuring an exact Impression and having Employed Deputies on the Work When this News came to Rome the Pope undoeth it all by his own Authority and the Legats in pursuance of his Order cause the Deputies to desist from the Work and to bring all they had done to them and this without any Respect to the Councel or so much as making them privy to it It seems somewhat strange that they should have no more at least seeming liberty but be used so scornfully For the Pope had ever the Major Party in the Councel It began if not altogether yet for the most part with his own Creatures And they when but a contemptible Number and as the Historian saith for the greater part a very ignoâ—ant Parcel of Men defined Matters of the greatest Concern which were never before defined And too soon then But when Cardinal Pacceco gave Information that the Spanish Bishops Men of exemplary Piâ—ty and great Learning were coming to the Councel the Legats thought as they truly fouâ—d that their Task would be harder And therefore they begin timely to look about them and sollicit the Pope to send them trusty Bishops to out-Vote the Vltraniontans as they called thâ—m Hist C T. lib. 2. p. 142. This did well enough all the time of Paul and Jâ—liuâ— But when the Fâ—ench were prâ—paring to come to the Councel in the time of Piâ—s 4â—us the Rumour of such Mens coming who were naturally of a daring temper and free Speech and in no great danger of incurâ—ing the displeasure of their King for either so Alarm'd the Pope that he openly and with little less then a professed Design for out Voting them sent such a strength of Confidents and Titulars that the Papalins in Councel were themselves ashamed of it for by that it was manifest that nothing could be done in that Councel but what was Carried by his Creatures and consequently by himself This will still be more plain if we Consider the Nuâ—ber of Prelates in Trent The Catalogue at the End of the Councel tells us that they came from fourteen Nations but if it were well Examined it would Appear that many of the Prelates of those several Nations were only Titulars or the Pope's Pensioners But the Number of all together and yet they never were all together Amounts to 281. Now all of this Number take Procurators and all which Appâ—ared at various times from thirteen Nations were only 91 the Rest were all Italians the Pope's Devotees who either for fear durst not or for Interest would not in the least oppose him and they Amounted to 189 which makes somewhat above two Thirds of the Councel Now when all the Complaints were against the Court of Rome let any Man judge what could be Carâ—ied in a Councel wherein the Pope had so much the Major Party and Voices were Numbred and not weighed And when the Councel is Called by Him and Consists chiefly of Persons whose depâ—ndance is on Him and all Sworn to Him and when they are Met must Treat of nothing but what is Proposed by his Order nor then any further or in any other Manner theu makes for his Interest And if any thing displeases are liable to be sent packing away when he pleases And their Orders may be discharged without their Consent and are in all things under his Government who will never suffer them to follow their own Judgement I Humbly desire to know by what Figure such a Councel is called Free for in proper speaking it cannot be so X. Another small Objection which I have against this Councel is this That the Decrees and Canons set forth in that Councels Name were really not the Decrees and Canons of the Councel for the Truth is it was a meer Sham and only a Skreen or Curtain drawn between the World and the Pope that he might play his Game more safely out of Sight For what do they tell us of Trent If there was any Councel it was at Rome for there all was really Transacted and Concluded In Trent they did only Act the Play which Others made and therefore it is unjuâ—t that they should be Accounted the Authors of it and Rob Others of their Glory for though they carry the Name yet in Truth the Tridentine Fathers were neither Fathers nor Mothers of those Decrees and Canons but were only the Midwives to deliver the Pope and Conclave of a Brat which they had long been big with though they were partly forced and partly Hired to take it upon themselves left the World should have judged it a Bastard-Child By the Orders of Paul the 3d. to the Legats they were to receive from him what they should propose deliberate and conclude and not to publish any Decree in Session before they had Communicated it at Rome Hist C. T. lib. 2. p. 164 And all along there were Deputies in Rome kept over the Councel that nothing could be dispatched in Trent till they had first Considered Corrected and Concluded the Matter and satisfied the Pope in it And then he sent iâ— to Trent that it might pass for their Decree And to this purpose Dispatches came from Rome every Week at least once and sometimes twice unless the Waters were up as they often were there and then the Pope could not inspire them but the Legats were forced to make delays and Buâ—â—e the Councel in By-matters of all which a very pleasant Account is given in the letter of the Bishop of Five-Churches to the Emperour And sometimes it hapned that the Deputies in Rome did not understand the Affair so well as the Legats who were upon the place And so the Pope sometimes put things upon them that were uneasie or unsafe And then they were at a â—tâ—nd whether they should follow his Orders or his Interest But the Common Resolution was to Employ the Councel in something else till they could give the Deputies more full Information and Satisfaction that the Orders night be Corrected but still nothing could be Concluded in the Councel till it was first Agreed on and determined at Rome And from that they were not to depart Now I cannot understand but that those who made the Decrees and Canons were more effectually the Councel then those who published them And being Romanists are apt to Ask what Objection can be made against the Councel of Trent which may not also be made against the Councel of Nice I desire to know of them whether they will say that these things can be truly Objected against the Councel of Nice If not then they must Acknowledge a wide difference XI But suppose these and other Objections did not Lye against it yet what is the Councel of Trent to us If the Acts of that Councel bind us it must either be from the Authority
i. e. To have done it by honour and dishonoâ—r by evil report and good report as a deceiver and yet true 2 Cor. 6. 8. I never thought that Contreversies were to be written for Controversies sake but rather what in us lay to put an End to them And I should not think my self unfortunate under all the Caluinnies and Sufferings in the World if I could be in the least Instrumental to Advance the Sincerity of Religion and Promote the Peace of Gods Church But if I may not be Capable of Endeavouring it to any purpose I will never cease to pray for it And therein I doubt not to have the Concurrence of all good Men whatsoever otherwise may be their Perswasions And thus Protesting my Integrity before God and freely leaving my self to the Censure of all Men. I am Yours in all Christian Offices S. G. THE CONTENTS CHAP. I. Of Obligations to Unity among Christians 1. REasons of the Enquirie 2. Obligations from the Nature of the Christian Religion 3. From Christians Considered as a Body with Remarks thereon 4. An Objection Answered 5. From the Honour of the Christian Religion 6. From express Precepts of the Gospel 7. From the Rewards of Preserving and Punishments of the Breach of Vnity 8 From the Encouragements Helps and Succours to Attain it CHAP. II. Wherein this Unity Consists 1. Mistakes concerning Vnity and the Reason thereof 2. A Caveat against the Plea of extraordinary Cases 3. The first Step towards or the Foundation of this Vnity 4. That our Vnity must be suitable to our state what that is and that it must be in the visible Church 5. An Inference thence 6. In Respect of our State-Vnion with the invisible Catholick Church by Vnion with the visible Catholick Church and Vnion with the visible Catholick Church by Vnion with some true Part of it i. e. a particular Church 7. That Admission into all Societies is by some known Ceremony or formal Way of Proceedings this in the Christian Society is Baptism Reflections on the Anabaptists 8. That Admission into a Sociâ—ty implies Submission to the Rules of the Society and an Obligation to the Duties thereof and to whom these have Regard in the Christian Society 9 Duties of particular Christians towards each other 10. That Duties of particular Christians must be Practised in Conjunction with Duties Relating to Worship and Communion 11. Communion though of necessity it be in particular Churches yet thereby it is in and with the Catholick Church 12. Communion in Worship supposeth a Necessity of Communion with lawful Pastors which is further Proved by several Arguments and Instances 13. That the Pastors ought also to maintain Communion with each other and the Nature thereof or by what means it is maintained briefly Examined 14. An Objection Answered and what is the Duty of particular Persons in such Case declared CHAP. III. Of the Nature of Schism 1. What hath inclined Men to maintain ill Principles and particularly Schism 2. The General Notion of Schism 3. 4. 5. Several Separations which are not Schism 6. The distinguishing Note of Schism and an Inference thence 7. 8 9. Several Ways whence Schism Ariseth 10. What Schism is sinful with a Defiâ—ition thereof 11. The Authors Aâ—knowledgment and the Assertion in Relation to the Controversie which he undertakes to prove and his Request CHAP. IV. Of the Liberties and Priviledges of the Britannick Churches and of the Actual Separation 1. Two General Objections against our whole 〈◊〉 and a General Exception against both 2. The first Objection Consists of two Branches whereof the first at present put off the latter Proposed to be Examined 3. The Title of Patriarch at this time set up as a Sham Device 4. Granting a Patriarchate to the Pope it is denied to Extend to the Britannick Churches 5. How Patriarchates came in and that they possessed no all Places 6. 7. The Bisbop of Rome not possessed of anâ— such jurisdiction in these Isles but aâ—ter Patriarchâ—tes were set up 8. Britain a Church before Rome and Reasons of the different Observation of Easter both in them and other Churches 9. The Reasons of the Britons mistake at to Easter such as ought not to have made a Breach and that they were not Quartodecimani 10. Augustines Mission and Helps for the Work That the Kâ—ntish Saxons were beâ—ore Prepared for Embracing the Gospel how He and the Brittish Bisâ—ops Meet in Councel to no Effect 11. The Reasons of the Brittons for not Relinquishing their old Vsages and for Refusing to Admit Augustine their Archbishop their Perseverance therein and the unhappy Effects of their second Meeting him 12. Both Britons and Irish Agree against Laurentius Augustines Successor 13. The Agreement of the English Irish and Scots in Religious Rites 14. The Irish prevailed with to Assist Laurentius and his Successâ—rs in Converting the Saxons but Adhere still to the Brittish Customes which in the End makes a Breach An Account of the Disputation between Coleman and Wilfrid 15. A doubt whether any Missionariâ—s from Rome into this Island before Augustine the Monck 16. Particular Friendship between the Gallican and Brittish Churches and an Inference thence 17. Continuance of the Brittish Liberties 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. Sir Francis Hastings John Fox c. Vindicated against the Cavils of F. Parsons 25. Expiration of the Brittish Liberty 26. An Answer to the Plea of Jurisdiction from the Conversion of the Saxons 27. That no Plea of Prescription Lies against these Isles in this Case 28. This further proved from the Eighth Canon of the Councel of Ephesus 29. The Erection of Patriarchates when by what means and how Received 30. Patriarchal Authority 〈◊〉 â—erviceable to the Pope 31. Whether a Patriaâ—chate be Forfeitable And whether the Pope have not Actually Forfeited his 32. That supposing the Bâ—sâ—op of Rome's Patriarchate had taken in these Isles yet it is now ceased and become void and null even by the Laws oâ— the Ancient Church 33. The Churches of these Iâ—â—es free aâ—d Invested with Power to Reform themselves and how that Power hath been â—sed Proposed to Consideration 34. The Condition of great Actions with an Answer â—o the Plea of Sacrilege 35. They themselves the Authors of many things whereof they Accuse us 36. Notwithstâ—nding the Reformation no Schism â—ill the Pope made it 37. Queen Elizabeth a Legitimate and Lawful Soverâ—ign 38 The present Church defended 39. What things must be Considered to Justifie our Church particularly our Ordination defended 40. The Way of Trying Doctrine and the Insufficiency of the Roman Way 41. The Reason of Negative Doctrines 42. Soundness of our Doctrine proved from the Concessions of our Adversaries 43. Sufficiency of the Scriptures and our Canon defended against the Roman 44. The Vse of Traditâ—on with several Cautions and Distinctions whereby to judge of it 45. Answer to an Objection CHAP. V. Of the Councel of Trent 1. The Power Vse and Rise of General Councels 2. Difference between the First
the Occasion of the 6th Canon of that truly Venerable and so much Celebrated Councel of Nice where in Relation to the Right of Menopolitans it is thus determined 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And though the latter part of the Canon seems to Confirm to them something extraordinary i. e. all that Custom couâ—d then fairly and clearly entitle them to yet notwithstanding this Complement to Men then great and pious it seems to have been made on set purpose that it might be a Barr to their future Usurpations XXVIII This will more plainly Appear if we Consider the Eighth Canon of the General Councel at Ephesus which was Composed with a Deâ—â—gn both to Explain and Strengthen the Nicene Canon For overmuch Greatness is hardly to be Confined within Rules And their Topping Biâ—â—ops had been at Work again The Bishop of Antioch had made fair Attempts to Seize the Isle of Cyprus and the Bishop of Rome not only took his part but by his Letters Condemned the Cyprian Bishops as not wise in the Faith for opposing and plainly gave the Cause on his Side which had been â—nough in all Conscience if he had been near so infallible or powerful then as he is now But when the Matter came before the Councel the Fathers without any Regard to the Authority of the Roman See are quite of another Mind This Act of the Bishop of Antioch which was the Ordaining Bishops in Cyprus they stile 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An Innovation contrary to the lawes of the Church and the Canons of the Holy Fathers And though the Complaint was particular as to the Province of Cyprus yet they make it a Common Cause saying that it was a Matter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which concerned the Liberties of all Churches They Compare it to a Common Disease which needs a stronger Medicine or Cure And then haâ—ing Restored the Cyprianâ— to their Rights lest they should seem negligent of other Churches and leave them open to Usurpers they make their 〈◊〉 General against all other Persons who should invade the Rights of any â—ther Church whatsoever and that twice in the same Canon so jealous 〈◊〉 tender were they in this point First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. That the same thing should 〈◊〉 Observed in all other Diocesses and Provinces whatsoever that none of the most Holy Bishops should invade any other Province which of old time and from the beginning had not been under the Government of him or his Predecessors But lest this should not be enough they Back it again with another Sanction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. It hath seemed good to the Holy and Universal Synâ—d that the Rights of every Province which Confirmed by old Custom have been Held formerly even from the Beginning shall be preserved pure and inviolable and that every Metropolitan have free Liberty to take a Copy of their Transactions for his own Security And here we have the Nicene Canon not only Confirmed but we are informed what are those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those Ancient Customes which they would have take place They were such which were not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not only of some time backward but from the Beginning And if these be they which must carry the Cause I think the Churches of these Isles are or ought to be as safe as ever were the Cyprian For these had not then so much as been Attempted when the other were but a small Matter from being quite Ravished and had undoubtedly been swallowed up had a General Councel been kept off but some few yeares longer But that they might more effectually prevent the Mischiefs which Attend such Encroachments and the Detriment and Dishonour done to Religion by them the Holy Fathers give no less then three Reasons for this their Constitution First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Canons of the Fathers may not be transgressed it seems the Laws of the Church had been all along against it But what of that What are Canons to the Pope who is subject to none 'T is pity he was not excepted But the true Reason is because the Fathers thought he ought not The Plenitudo Potestatis now so much boasted of was not then thought of Or if it was durst not appear abroad lest it should have been Knock'd o' th' Head for a Monster Popes themselves in those days pleaded the Canons and were iudged by them And this Canon hath a peculiar evil Aspect upon him for it is directly contrary to his declared Opinion and Determination in behalf of the Bishop of Antioch So that if the Popes now do not regard the Canons it seems heretofore they as little regarded him The second Reason of the Canon is expressed thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Pride and Vanity of Secular Power may not enter the Church under a pretence of Discharging the Ministerial Function which seems directly to point to that Saying of our Saviour to his Disciples Matth. 20 25. I Cite the Original because there is something peculiar in the words which our English Translation could not easily reach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Surely if these Fathers had not a Grudge at the Bishop of Rome they had a foresight of his Progress For put together what the Bishop of Rome now Acts and what he Claims And if that Typhus Seculi which the Antients all along so feared and bitterly inveighed against be not brought into the Church by him I will be bold to say that all their Feares were Follies and that it neither it nor ever can be brought in whilest the World stands The third Reason ought to Affect any Man who calls Himself a Christian It is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lest by degrees we lose that Liberty which our Lord Jesus Christ the Redeemer of all Men hath purchased for us or bestowed on us with his Blood If so our Churches in stead of being blamed ought to be highly Commended for defending this Liberty And as he who shall invade it ought at present to be discountenanced by all others so it is to be feared that he will have asad Account to make up in the day of the Lord Jesus though he pretend to be his Vicar Now if Reason could prevail here is sufficient But because oftentimes Men will not be Ruled by Reason therefore the Fathers yet take a further Care to Compel them by Law and determine in the same Canon That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If any Man do Seize anothers Province and subject it to Him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That He shall Restore it And that they might take away all Pretences they Conclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That if any Man should produce a Constitution contrary to what is now determined it shall be void or of no Authority Now if there be any Reverence for or force in a Canon so carefully penn'd by so Venerable a Councel then it is plain That we have withdrawn
they who best might do not Magisterially give us their Naked Decrees and Definitions for though they had the Holy Ghost and in their Decree did say It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us yet they do not say this before they had undeniably proved that it did seem good to the Holy Ghost and therefore ought to them For St. Peter clearly proves that God Himself had already determined the Matter in the Case of Cornelius And then Barrabas and Paul as clearly proved Gods further Confirmation of it by Miracles and Wonders wrought amongst the Gentiles whilest they Preached the Gospel to them So that here was nothing left for Men to say against the Decrees of the Councel unless they would Argue against God And though the same degree of Evidence and fulness of Authority do not Attend after Councels yet it would be a great means to procure submission to them when their Imitation of the Apostles and Care of the Churches did Appear by their Accompanying their Determinations with the clearest Evidence that might be II. Some Romanists will needs have every General Councel i. e. such as they Call Lawful to be as infallible as that of the Apostles but methinks they should allow some difference if it were only for this Reason That the Arostles did infallibly and fully discover to us the whole Truth of God in order to the Salvation of Man All that come after them have nothing more to do then to enquire after that Truth which they taught and which Rests upon their Authority as Inspired by the Holy Ghost And therefore certainly there is a great difference between them and those who follow them and are bound to build upon them and are certainly in the wrong whenever they depart from them Infallibility is a word that sounds high and promiseth all that Man can deâ—ire And therefore the Romanists themselves would have it upon no other termes but so that they may have both the possession and the use of it But when we come to look for this Salve for all Sores we know not wheâ—e to find it for they themselves are so miserably divided that they know not where to place it And then how can we or indeed they themselves be any thing the better for it Some say it is in the Church some say in Tradition some say in a General Councel some in a Councel together with the Pope some in a Councâ—l Confirmed by the Pope though these two last are often odly Jumbled together and some say in the Pope alone when he defines pro Cathedrâ— and that is a Mystery too Now in all and each of these they entangle themselves in some palpable Contradictions and woful Absurdities that a Man might wonder that ever such Learned Men should Appear in their Defence did we not see by Experience that extravagant interest as well as great Oppressions often makes wise Men mad The truth is all these are set up as a blind as shall appear in its proper place And if their General Reasons to prove that there must be some sort of personal Infallibility be good there must be another sort of Infallibility set up then any of these and such as they themselves will by no means approve and which none have pretended to but the worst of Enthusiasts And yet their Reasons must prove this if any Such lewd Opinions do Men Run into when they will take upon them to prescribe to God rather then obey him And indeed it hath sometimes struck Me with horrour to see how boldly they tell us what God must do and how presumptuously they charge him with breach of Promise as Neglect of his people if he do not make good all their Contrivances As if God were bound to do whatsoever their working Brains can think fit to Advance their unworthy and unchristian Interests No doubt but God will not fail on his put if we neglect not our own But to Tye Him to serve our humours or baseness is to provoke Him to desert us in those things which are really most needful for us But these things I must not here particularly pursue nor shall I engage in the Dispute concerning the Infallibility of General Councels both because whatever they pretend it is not that which they would have as also because they have Received such Answers already in that Matter from Spalato the most Reverend A. B. Laud the Learned Dean of St. Pauls and others that it is now altogether a Needless Labour III. He that takes his Aim though never so carefully yet may sometimes miss his Mark And if that should be my Misfortune in what I write in this place I may in Equity expect the more favourable Usage For though in a good Sense a Councel may be said to be the Church Representative as I shall shew anon Yet I have Considered and Considered again and can by no means Reconcile to Reason that Notion or Proposition in the sense which some Men take and Explain it That a General Councel is Representative of the diffusive Body of the Church For if it be so it must either be by Institution from God or Delegation from Men. But that God in any Case hath Appointed the whole Body of Christians to choose certain Persons as their Representatives whose Acts by vertue of such Election shall be as â—inding as if it had been done by all and every Man I think can no where be found for my own part I could never see any Footsteps of it or any thing like it If on the other Hand it be by an unprescribed spontaneous Delegation from Men it must either be by the whole Body of Christians Met together for that purpose or by Parts Assembled in particular Churches The First I think if it be not impossible is altogether impracticable as the state of the Church now is Nor was it ever put in Practice when the Church being less closer and better united did not labour under those difficulties which now it doth As for the second it hath neither Scripture nor Antiquity on its side and for that Little which some may wrest to look that way it is so very little that it may thence Appear that the Churches of God never thought it necessary For though Paul and Barnabas and certain others were sent up to Jerusalem about the Controversie between the Jews and Gentiles Acts 15. 2. Yet there is not any Circumstance to lead us to think otherwise but that they went by Order or Agreement of these Governours of the Churches among whom that Controversie had been debated but could not be finally decided by reason of the turbulency of the Jews and not by Election of the People And when the Councel Met at Jerusalem though all Christians had freedom to Appear in it yet when the Apostles and Elders are said to come together to Consider of the Matter verse 6. they Met by their own Authority And further if a Councel be so the Church Representative that
such Churches If there be no Prospect of another General Councel near at Hand a Provincial Councel of their own who understand their state and necessities may Relieve them by making other Orders more Fit and Practicable sor them but always with Honour and Observance of those Constitutions where they do take place and without any Contempt or disrespect where they are laid aside To this Effect is that Answer of our Learned Dr. Beveridge to his fâ—oward Observator Nemo nescit Synodos Posteriores saepe alia nonnunquam contraria câ—nstituisse ac quae prioribus constituta fuerant idque licèt Priores illae aecuenenicae siâ—e Vniversales Posteriores singularium tantummodò Provinciarum Synodi â—ssent quod sexcentis sinecâ—sse esset exemplis demonstrare licet Cod. Can. Ecc. â—â—i lib. 1. cap. 3. In these things if I mistake not consists the greatest anâ— most direct Power of Councels for these things are to be received and observed by vertue of their own Authority And hence it is Observable That in most ancient Councels the greatest Part of their Canons relate to Discipline and Government And they never Cared to meddle with Matter of Doctrine â—â—less the Troubles of the Church and unquietness of Hereticks constrained them to it And though in this Case not only Men in inferiour Orders but even prudent Laymen may be Consulted with and have liberty â—o Advise and freely spâ—ak their Thoughts that the state of the Church may be the better known yet the decisive Voice is in the Bishop And that the Contrary Asserted by Spalato is a great Mistake I shall happily have Occasion to prove when I come to speak of the Nature Power and Rights of Episcopacy in opposition to the Roman See whose Usurpations have not only diminished but in a manner destroyed that Order to the irreparable damage of Gods Church and without the Restoration of which to its just Rights I see not how the Church can hope for either Unity or Peace V. But though in Relation to Government and Discipline the Power of Bishops in Councel is very great yet in Matters of Doctrine it is by no means the same For he that Committed to their Trust the Government of his Church gave them no Power over the Faith Rules for Discipline may alter as Cases alter But the Gospel of Christ Jesus must be yesterday and to day and the same for ever No Monckish Evangelium aeternum nor Fanatick Evangelium armatum must be suffered to thrust this out of doors What Christ and his Apostles delivered to the Saints at first must be the Rule to the last And therefore here the Business of Councels is not to Appoint but Enquire Not to Constitute but declare They have no Authority to make us a New Gospel or any New Article of Faith but to discover the Old And therefore here their Authority goes equal pace with their Sincerity Diligence and Skill And if these Qualifications be truly in them and duely used It is all the Reason in the World that we should Acquiesce in their Determinations and that not only because we cannot have any better or more able Body of Men to decide the Controversie But also because we have good Grounds to believe that God will Afford them his Assistance sor the Promise made to the Disciples of being with them always to the End of the World is not capable of any other Construction but of his Affording not only to them but to their Successors sufficient Aid and Assistance to preserve discover teach and declare that Truth and Doctrine which our Blessed Saviour and his Apostles taught and left with them to be taught to the End of the World for the Salvation of Souls And though even Laymen as being all Concerned in the Common Salvation may Challenge a Right to Appear in Councel in oâ—deâ—ly Manner and Number yet certainly the greatest Authority lies in them to whom God hath Committed the Care of all the Churches and who must Answer sor others Soâ—â—s as well as their own Where therefore the Pastors of the Church are Met together about Matters relating to the Necessâ—ties of the Church and are Honest Industrious and able I doubt not but that in Matters of Religion their Authority is the greatest of any Men on Earth God I think would not suffer such Men so qualified to decâ—ive us in any thing of necessity to Salvation and therefore they are not lightly to be regarded And if these things could be truly said for the Councel of Tâ—â—nt I should have a better esteem â—or it then I am like to have in haste But on the other Hand if any Pastors of the Church how many soever though never so able and industrious Meet together and be not Honest and Sincere but at least by the prevailing Number for base Interest labour by subtile and unworthy Arts not to Amend but Establish gross Errours Abuses and Corruptions These Men not only Offer the greatest Affront to God and his Christ but Attempt to put the most pernicious Cheat upon the Christian World And in stead of Assistance from God they may rather expect that in Judgement he should give them over to strong delusions to believe a Lye And these are to be Abominated and with as great indignation Rejected as good and lawful Councels are with Reverence to be received and followed And in which of these Rancks the Councel of Trent ought to stand I shâ—ll now Enquire VI. And in the first place it may not be Amiss to Consider what time was taken to Frame and Mould this Councel to the Popes Mind The Councels of Constance and Basil having Eclipsed the Roman See in the very Height of its Greatness and Glory the Popes ever since have looked with a malignâ— Aspect upon General Councels and the very Naming one was enough to put any of them into a Fit of a Feavour And indeed this made following Councels not only useless but noxious For if the Necessities of the Church seemed at any time to Require a General Councel the Pope would never suffer it to be but in such place that he could Command And always took care that it should Consist of such Persons who at least for the greater Number were at his devotion And yet even then was wofully uneasie till it was Finished so unwilling are Popes to trust themselves with a Councel though themselves have the packing of it But that Spark which first fell through the Clashing of Luther and the Pardonmongers being blown to such a Flame that no Common Help could quench it a General Councel seemed necessary But to Manage it for the Advantage of the Roman See and to hold it in convenient place was a Matter of no small difficulty in such times of Confusion so that it seemed to be as dangerous to the Pope as it was necessary for the Church It was well for the Court of Rome that the greatest Princes of those times were perswaded that it was
Reproach or Threaten Others so that feveral died of Grief or Indignation for the Disgrace and Abuse Received â—â—nd some pretended Necessity of Business or want of Health and Asked leave to depart and were not a little glad they were got away If this did not do then by Proregations and Delays they wearied Men out and would do nothing till an Opportunity Presented for their purpose Neither was the Councel under less Restraint as to time then Matter they were so far from having any Power to Sit till they had dispatched the weighty Affairs they came about that they could not Sit an Hour longer then they pleased their Masters the Legats For they had a Bull by them empowering them to prorogue transfer or dissolve the Councel as they should thin Fit So that let the Necessities of Christendom be what they will if the Designes of the Legats were not carried on all the Bishops in Councel must either Sir still and cool their Heels or March off and be gone And that they were Resolved to take this Course if they could not Compass their Ends is manifest from that rude Translation of it to Bologna And yet one would think there should be little need of all this Caution For the Councel consisted wholly of Persons sworn to the Pope in as full and ample Manner as any Oath of Allegiance can be made by a Subject to his Lawful Prince as is plain from the Form of the Oath set down by our Learned D. of St. P. Vind. A. B. L. cap. 8. p. 491. so that they couid Practice nothing contrary to the Pope's Will without being guilty of Perjury And the Legates upon Occasion did not fail to put them in Mind of it Indeed it may more properly be called a Faction then a Councel for there were none Admitted but the Pope's Party And was it likely that they should do right who were Complained of for doing all the wrong The Protestants are not suffered to Come and Sit as a Part of the Councel but to be heard as Criminals And they had great Encouragement to come who were Condemned before hand Three Safe Conducts were Granted to the Protestants Two under Julius â—tiuâ— and one under Pius 4tâ—s but not one of them will Admit them as Members of the Councel but supposeth them to come as Offenders with a Liberty to make the best of their Cause they can But he who shall Heedfully read the first Safe-Conduct will see that it was rather intended for a Snare to Trepan them then an Instrument to Secure them That Phrase Quantum ad ipsam Sanctam Synodum spectat looks suspitiously as if they intended it as a Reserve for another to do that which they were ashamed of themselves and there is the greater Reason to think this because the very last words of the Safe-Conduct shew that they did intend to proceed against such whom they should judge Hereticks Only they promise that they shall have Judices sibi benevolos i. e. They shall be Hanged with Silken Halters And what kind of Entertainment they were like to find we may hence Guess that it is sometimes plainly said by some in Councel That their Coming thither was to Condemn the Lutherans And when Vega spake of a Lutheran Opinion as Reconcileable with what they called Catholick the Councel was highly Offended as thinking it a prejudice that any of the Differences might be thought Reconcileable Hist C. T. p. 208. yet they had the best Knack at Reconciling when they had a Mind to it that I ever knew for they could Reconcile differences amongst themselves that were as opposite as Light and Darkness without Condemning either of the Contraries Witness among others the Controversie between the Dominicans and Franciscans about the immaculate Conception They were so bent on this design that they would Admit none into the Councel who were thought in the least to favour the Reformers When Vergerius Fled to the Councel though as a Bishop he had Right to a place there yet the Legats would not suffer him to be there but send him to the Pope to clear himself from the Imputation of Lutheranism And he was glad to be gone and at last to get out of Italy though he did in some Measure Requite the Kindness afterwards For in Revenge he wrote a Book to prove that all Liberty was taken away from the Councel and that it was Called by the Pope not to Estabish the Doctâ—ine of Christ but the Servitude and Oppression of poor Souls Hist C. T. p. 436. And though he had been foully abused and was an angry Man yet in this he was too much in the Right But as some were not Admitted so such as did Sit there were upon their good Behaviour and might by one Device or another be Fetcht out of the Councel at pleasure Even one of their greatest Creatures the Bishop of Bitontâ— was Cited from the Councel to Appear before the Auditor of the Rota at Rome such a piece of Impudence as was never before Practised and enough to have made the Councel Assert its Authority against the Pope if there had been any Considerable Number of â—ny Courage or Honesty But though upon the Bishops modest Complaint he Legats were ashamed of it and the poorer Bishops began to be Muâ—inous yet the Pope made his Advantage of all For laying hold on this Opportunity as it were in Compassion to succour the meaner Bishops he â—ade Pensioners and fast Friends of those who were in danger to be his Enemies and gained a clear Instance of the Pope's Exercising Jurisdiction over a Councel And though this shews Him to have been a dextâ—ous Artist who could so easily turn his danger to his gain and Kill two Birds thus with one Stone yet it speaks little in Commendation of those who what in them lay sold the Liberties of all Christians so Dog-cheap And though the Pope was thus secured oâ— them yet they were not trusted But when the Legats had prepared any thing if it was not treated of in all Points to their liking it was either utterly quashed or laid aside at pleasure When as Matter of Reformation it was proposed to set down the Qualities requisite in the Promotion of the greater Prelates and Ministers of the Church which certainly might have been of great use and profit to so disordered and corrupt 〈◊〉 state as the Churches Affairs were then in It was all presently turned out of doors and that chiefly for this Reason Because more then two Thirds of the â—enâ—fices are Reserved to the Apostolick See unto which it is not Fit to Prescribe a Law Hist C. T. lib. 2. p. 216. When the Matter of Residence was treated of with some little Heat they were all presently cooled and the Matter put off Cardinal Monte after some specious Pretences plainly telling them That the Pope's Wiâ— was Resolutely so Hist C. T. lib. 2. p. 232. And with this they are all struck dumb And as they might