and it is granted you that he did so but then you are to look on him as a mixt Person in whom both the Sacerdotal and Regal Power were combin'd So what he did herein was not purely by virtue of his Kingly but Priestly Power This is clear out of St. Austin's Testimony in his Questions on Leviticus Lib. 3. Quest 23. Si Moises Sacerdos non fuit quomodo per illum omnia gerebantur si fuit quomodo summum Sacerdotium ab ejus fratre incipit which he thus solves Ambo erant summi Sacerdotes Aaron propter vestem Pontificalem Moses propter excellentius ministerium Thus likewise Philo in his Life of Moses gives this account of him in his Third Book 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such was the Life and Death of Moses who was both King Legislator High-Priest and Prophet And accordingly Greg. Nazianzen in his Sixth Oration calls him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince of Princes and Priest of Priests Now the Secular and Ecclesiastick Power which was united in the Person of Moses was afterwards parted betwixt Eleazer and Joshua the one succeeding him in the Priestly and the other in the Princely Power as you may see in the 27th of Numbers where God commands Moses to give Joshua part of his Glory but in the same Chapt. you may see that he subjected Joshua to Eleazer at whose word both he and all the Children of Israel were to go in and out Your next Example is of Salomon whom I grant to have remov'd Abiathar from the Pontificate and to have subrogated Sadock in his place But first you are to understand that he was not depos'd for any matter of Faith or concerning Religion but for Treason and Rebellion For conspiring with Adonia whom he had Anointed King against Salomon Next you are to observe that Salomon exauctorated him not as King but as Prophet to whom God had committed some things after an extraordinary manner So what he acted herein was not by his own Royal Power but by Authority and Commission from God by Divine Inspiration as the Text evidences Vt impleretur Sermo Dei quem locutus est super domo Eli in Silo. This Action therefore of his do's not at all prove him to be superior to the High-Priest But only that God was pleas'd to make use of him as an Executer for the performance of a Sentence which he had formerly denounc'd And this will be easily understood if recourse be made to History Aaron had two Sons Eleazar and Ithamar Eleazar as eldest succeeded him in the Priesthood his Son Phinees succeeded him and his Posterity down to Heli continued in that Holy Function At which time the Posterity of Phinees incuriously administring the Priesthood God was pleas'd to punish their neglect by translating it from the Family of Eleazar to that of Ithamar to wit to Heli in which Family it continued about 120 Years to Salomons days who depos'd Abiathar the Abnepos of Heli for conspiring with his Corrival Adonias substituting Sadock in his place Now as the Pontificate was remov'd by God's order from the Family of the eldest Brother to that of the younger House so was it likewise transplanted from thence into the right Line by the Authority of the same God who was pleas'd in several things to order and direct those Kings of Israel governing as it were by them This made Josephus to affirm in his Second Book against Appio That God did not so much institute in Israel a Monarchy as a Theocracy or Deiarchy But now if this Action of Salomon's deposing Adonias be construed in favor of the Prince as if he thereby were Superior to the High-Priest The Clergy has as strong an Argument for their Superiority in Samuel's declaring King Saul dethron'd but I look on both these Examples as extraordinary and consequently not Presidential The next Example is David but he being likewise King and Prophet what can be alledg'd concerning him is answered in what is said of Salomon it is moreover mention'd of him that what he did in Church Matters was Juxta omnia quae scripta sunt in Lege Domini As for the Example of Ezechias tho' it be granted he constituted Levites in the House of God yet in the Second Book Paralip Cap. 29. you may perceive that what he did herein was Secundum dispositionem David Gad videntis Nathan Prophetae Siquidem Domini praeceptum fuit per manum Prophetarum ejus And herein you will likewise find that he was much ruled by Isaias as in Eccles 48. 25. Fecit Ezechias quod placuit Deo fortiter ivit in via David Patris sui quam mandavit illi Isaias Thus you may perceive that the Examples of these Kings are not at all apposit to your Point they not proving that Princes by their sole Royal Power may intermeddle in Church Affairs or reform Religion in its Substance enacting things by their own Authority contrary to the Assent of Gods High-Priest and Prophets Some Kings by extraordinary Command as Kings and Prophets did concern themselves in Church Affairs Others not without consent and assistance of the Priests did very laudably use their utmost power to destroy Idolatry and restore Discipline but which of them disown'd the Authority of the High-Priest abrogated his-Power and invested himself with it Now that the Kings of Israel were not Supreme in Church Matters seems evident by the word of God spoken to the High-Priest Eliakim in Isaias 22. where after he had promis'd to give him the Key of David he explains to him the Power of it Et aperiet non erit qui claudat claudet non erit qui aperiat by which he plainly makes him Supreme in Church Affairs no Person whatsoever being able to exclude whom he opened to Or to introduce whom he shut out And to Sinew this Argument with a stronger Nerve you will find that Jehosophat who was a Religious Prince would not handle Church Affairs knowing that they belong'd to the High-Priest as in Paralip 2. 19. Ananias autem Sacerdos Pontifex vester in his quae ad Deum pertinent praesidebit And on the contrary Osias who presum'd to usurp the Sacerdotal Function and offer Incense to God was by the incensed Deity struck with Leprosy By what I have mention'd it will clearly appear how irrational it is for you to produce the Jewish Kings as Examples to justifie your former Kings exorbitant tampering in Church Affairs there being no Parallel at all betwixt them They acting therein as Kings and Prophets Authoriz'd by Gods extraordinary Commission and in their Reformations joining with the High-Priest whereas yours was in opposition to him and warranted by nothing but Secular Might But now after all this if you could clearly prove that the Jewish Kings were superior to the High-Priest and Supreme Quatenùs Kings in Church Affairs it would not follow that that similitude should hold good amongst Christians The Priesthood in
S T PETER's SUPREMACY FAITHFULLY DISCUSS'D According to Holy Scripture AND GREEK and LATIN FATHERS WITH A Detection and Confutation of the Errors of Protestant Writers on this Article Together with A Succinct Handling of several other Considerable Points The First Book Divided into Three Parts Romae nutriri mihi contigit atque doceri Scilicet ut possem Curvo dignoscere RECTVM 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost 67. Hom. John Permissu Superiorum LONDON Printed by Henry Hills Printer to the Kings Most Excellent Majesty for His Houshold and Chappel 1686. And are to be Sold by Matthew Turner at the Lamb in Holborn ALLA SERENISSIMA PRINCIPESSA Maria d'Esté REINA d' INGHILTERRA c. MADAMA ACcalorato dagli eccessi della sua paragonata benignità e bramoso ancora d'apportar luce alla oscurità della mia ignobil penna non poteua raffrenarmi di non consagrarle questo mio presente Libro il quale hora porgo a Vostra Maestà humilissimamente genuflesso a' suoi Serenissimi piedi accioche altretanto venga illustrato da ' scintillanti raggi dell'Augusto suo nome che porta in fronte quanto si troua ombreggiato frà la caligine degli inchiostri miei Sò ben che dauanti à cosi Grand Principessa dotata di purgatissimo giuditio e di lucidissimi talenti non dourebbono à comparir se non de' più rinomati ingegni l'opere scielte floridamente depinte e non i ruuidi abbozzamenti di scrittor dozzinale mà la Confidanza ch' io tengo nella sua degneuole bontà mi sublima à sperar che ella sia non solo per compatir alla rozzezza di questo mal organizzato parto ma che sia anco per accettarlo come ossequioso homaggio della mia veneratione con quella placidezza del uolto ch' è sua propria Riguardando non alla pouertà della uittima mà alla Deuotione del cuor che mi hà mosso à farle questa offerta inchineuolmente portandola all'Ara del vostro Nume Gli è vero che pecco in temerità e grandemente m' arrossisco della picciolezza dell'oblatione ma qual essa sia si ella si compiacerà di prenderla ingrado co'l solo suo compiacersene le darà quel merito e lustro del quale essa si troua bisogneuole adoperando à guisa del Rè de' Pianeti che non solo indora le cime di monti e le summità di torreggianti palaggi à spergendole della luce ma illustra ancor con li suoi raggi solari le cose più basse e vili Francamente confesso che a farle questa dedicatione da niun ' altra ragione sono stato indotto che dal solo merito del soggetto che in realtà è vaga e curiosa ed oltre di ciò di tanta altezza che m' è paruto non pur degno della sua pardonanza ma etiandio in qualche parte proportionata alla di lei grandezza Onde mi seruirebbe d'apologia per adombrar la colpa del souerchio ardir e per rendermi l'assonto perdonabile Ecco Signora Sourana il Beato Pietro diuien l'Argomento de' miei ragionamenti e non poteua meglio seruir alla di lui splendidezza che con procurargli per Tutrice una Principessa nella chiarezza della nascita nella sublimità della sorte e nella singolarità della virtù parimente Eccelsa Sarebbe indecente all'honor di colui chi s' addimanda il Prencipe degli Apostoli ad altri esser raccomandato che alla più eminente Principessa Ecco a qual segno sono guinte le sue glorie il San Pietro la Pietra Fundamentale della CHIESA L'USCIER CELESTE chi tien le chiaue del Regno stellato L' Uniuersale Pastore della greggia di Christo Il Maggiordomo il Luogotenente del N. S. Saluator l'Augustezza del vostro soglio riverisce ed al vostro Altiero Fato s' inchina rallegrandosi con essa lei in veder la cosi felicemente ascesa a tanta sublimità gli anco implora il suo ambito favor alla sua protettione quasi à sicura franchigia recorrendo Nel suo Real Palaggio chiede un cantoncino da involarsi a' colpi de' nemichi dalli quali vien bersagliato Ella si degni di gratiosamente raccoglierlo con raggio di luce benigna Chi sà forse vien apportator ò almeno precursor di qualche segnalata benedittione questo Grand Apostolo E bèn vero che è stato la sua disauventura che li convien rappresentar sele dauanti sotto habito vile abjetto il che lo confesso è stato cagionato dalla mendicità del mio pouero stile soprofatto dalla ricchezza della materia E forse à vestir suggetto si sublime con abbigliamenti confacevoli le dovitiose guardarobbe delle prime penne del secolo diverrebbono esauste e mancanti non che la mia Però la supplico à coprirlo col manto della sua gratia accio che senza rossore e senza tema si lasci veder publicamente nella luce del mondo In quanto al contenuto del Libro hò trattato di varie cose mà più diffusamente e con più essatto squittinio del Primato di S. Pietro Materia d'importantissimo rilievo concio sia cosa da questo articolo mal capito come da feconda Madre nasce una numerosa figlivolanza d'errori Et à grand ragion gli si può dir la radice e l'originario fonte dello scisma Aquilonare E però è stato il mio principale intendimento con ogni dilucidità rischiarar questa verità Fundamentale Impresa ardua e faticosa oue si trovano molti groppi da scioglier che a prima uista paiono indissolubili Hò etiandio attentato di purgar molti altri dogmi Catolici delle macchie apposteli da ' nemichi della verità disuelando di quegli astuti truffatori l'arte prestigiosa Smascherando le loro fallaci sofismi inorpellate menzogne e colorite ragioni Mi sono anco affaticato in rintuzzar loro l'orgoglio in otturar la loro lingua defamatoria con la quale ad ogni potere s' adoprano d'annerar ci la riputatione calunniandoci con imputationi maligne con accuse intessute di falsità per renderci odiati al popolazzo Ma quello che più importa questi Maestri d'errori imbrogliando il senso Germano alla S. Scrittura annebbiano la luce alla verità bugiardi predicatori con oratorii incantessimi s'impossessando degli affetti tradiscono l'intelletto Con si fatte frodi uccellando la plebe illeterata instillano massime nociue à tutto ingegno attendendo alla dannosa agricoltura di seminar zizzanie Quinci nasce che questa fiorita Isola un tempo beata e gradita al cielo
His first call was for a fresh Bedfellow that was Carnal then he call'd for innocent Blood that was Tyrannical his other call was for Church-Goods and Lands that was a Sacrilegious call he had no scruples concerning the truth of his Religion neither alter'd he any thing of it but to gratifie his Lust and Covetousness Nullâ fere in re a fide Catholica discessit praeterquam libidinis luxuriae causâ as Sanders affirms of him And accordingly he ordered his Son to be brought up in the Catholick Religion excepting the Title of Head of the Church Edward the Sixth was too young to call for Truth he had most reason to call for it being early infected with the Zuinglian Heresie contrary to his Fathers Will by the Sacrilegious Protector who did call indeed but it was for the remains of the Goods of the Impoverish'd Church he likewise call'd for false Teachers to dilate the Gangren Martin Bucer a Dominican Peter Martyr a Canon-Regular Ochinus a Capuchin Apostate Monks and Sacerdotes Vxorati from such we were not like to have Truth who not only fell from the Catholick Church but flagitiously violated their Oath of Continency for which by the then establish'd Law they lay obnoxious to an infamous Death I shall say nothing of Queen Elizabeth she being a Woman and wholly unqualified to meddle with Church Affairs and to tamper in Articles of Faith neither shall I say any thing of the succeeding Princes who found the Schism begun and Religion alter'd to their Hands I know very well that in this case Truth is the Pretext but that is no more than what is in the Mouth of every Sectary This is the usual Mask to hide the ugly Face of a foul Action which without so fine a cover would affright those deluded Souls that are cheated with its beatiful Paint 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must be a plausible glittering Title a winning Frontispiece to a bad Enterprize but if the Origine of this unhappy Schism be examin'd we shall find that Revenge Haughtiness impure Flames and desire of Plunder were the Springs that mov'd the first Machin and nothing at all of Truth I do not find that Henry the Eighth did ever recant the Book he writ in defence of the Roman Church he hated both Lutheranism and Zuinglianism and fell out with the Church rather for its Booty and Prey than for its Doctrine and this was Tyndals Sense of it in his Letter to Frith where writing of King Henry the Eighth's intention against the Pope and Clergy saith thus Fox pag. 987. I smell a Council to be taken little for the Clergies profit in time to come but you must understand that it is not out of pure Heart and for love of Truth but to avenge himself and to eat the Whores Flesh and drink the Marrow of her Bones which because 't is somewhat enigmatically express'd Fox is pleas'd in the Margent thus to expound eating the Whores Flesh is to spoyl the Popes Church only for the Prey and Spoyl thereof not Religion Bishop Bramhall is very honest herein As for the suppression of Monasteries says he we fear that covetousness had a great Oar in the Boat and that sundry of the Principal Actors had a greater aim at the Goods of the Church than at the good of it Having premis'd thus much I shall now take notice how you acquit your Church of Schism even according to your own Distinction and Division of it You say she is not guilty of that Crime because she owns and performs Obedience to Christ and his Apostles Then because she pays Reverence to the Antient Fathers of the Church Thirdly Because she owns the first four General Councils c. This you think enough to clear her of Schism whereas 't is nothing at all to the purpose being a meer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and besides the Cushion you define Paternal Schism to be a renuntiation of Obedience and Communion to and with our Ecclesiastick Governours so how do any of these Reasons clear you of it You are accus'd by Catholicks of a voluntary departure out of the Catholick Church of a defection from the Government of your Occidental Patriarch under whose Spiritual Prefecture this Nation was for several hundred Years From this your Spiritual Governor you have revolted renouncing his Authority look'd on as of Divine Institution this being your Accusation the Reasons alledg'd for your acquittance are too weak and dilute for such a purpose Now tho' you come off with a scratch'd Face concerning your Paternal I must needs say you come off very fairly with your Fraternal Schism because you so courteously give the Right-hand of Fellowship to so many Churches and herein your obliging carriage is highly to be commended you extending your kindness to Lutheran Calvenist or Hugonot and indeed to any Church that will but joyn with you in separating from and defaming the Catholick The next thing I have to do is to see how you prove Rome guilty of Schism and the Method you take herein I found to be as improper as that by which you would clear your own Church of it For instead of proving Rome separating it self from any visible Society of Christians with whom she formerly held Communion which is properly Schism you accuse her of false Doctrine which Accusation could you be able to make good it would prove her to be rather Erroneous than Schismatical But I shall now descend to the Examination of those three Particulars by which you would prove your self not guilty of Schism The first is because you own and perform Obedience unto Christ and his Apostles and observe all the Rules and Ordinances they have left you in the Scriptures But how you can pretend to pay full Obedience to Christ and disobey his Spouse whom he enjoyns you to hear under penalty of being reputed an Ethnick or how you can fancy to be united to him when you fall off from his Mystical Body the Church of which he is the Head I know not or how you can be said to follow all the Rules of the Apostles when they recommend Tradition and you reject it when they tell you that the Church is the Pillar and Firmament of Truth and you make her Apostatical I could instance in many particulars how counter you run to the Scripture you so much pretend to but I shall wave them and only tell you that it is an unwarrantable way to fall off from the Church and then appeal to that Scripture which commands you to obey the Church yet this is your practice when you dispute with Catholicks but when you have to do with Sectaries who plead Scripture against you then you have recourse to Fathers and Tradition using the same Arguments against them as we do against you It was long ago observ'd by the Fathers That Hereticks were great pretenders to the Scriptures backing their false Opinions with it Omnes Haeretici ex sacris Scripturis falsas atque
the Old Testament being Imperfect Carnal Umbratick and Prefigurative of one that was Compleat Sublime and Spiritual Hence St. Chrysost Lib. de Sacerd. comparing the Priests of the Old Testament with those of the New ascribes to them the cure of the Leprosie of the Body but to these the Power to cleanse the filth and impurity of the Soul they bring Fire but these the Holy Ghost And in his Orat. 5. adver Judaeos speaking of the Pontificate of Melchisedeck he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For if such a Type were more splendid than the Jewish how much more glorious is the true one Your last Reason for the Jewish Kings Supremacy in Church Affairs is Because by Divine appointment they were Custodes utriusque Tabulae This Argument seems to me very insufficient for such a Proof For tho' the Book of the Law was by Gods Command given to the King it was not that he should expound the Sense of it upon any emergent Controversie but it was given him to govern himself and his Subjects by it That by the frequent reading of it he might learn to fear God and keep his Statutes and that by his Laws and Temporal Sword he should defend the true Religion therein concontain'd As for the Interpretation of the Law that belong'd to the High-Priest according to the inviolable Decree in Malachy 2. Labia Sacerdotis custodient scientiam Legem requirent ex ore ejus They were as Josephus affirms in his Second Book against Appio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Judges of Controversies And in Deut. 17. Princes were by Gods institution to take the Copy of it from the High-Priest And in the same Chapter in doubtful Cases the Jews were oblig'd to recurr to him with severe injunctions to acquiesce in his determinations Now whether the Jewish High-Priest were liable to Error as you assert is not worth my present Discussion no Catholick being bound to believe the Popes Infallibility but in Conjunction with a Council But this is clear the Jews were absolutely oblig'd to submit to his determinations under penalty of Death he having written on his Rationali DOCTRINA ET VERITAS By this you may imagin how dangerous it would have been for any one in those days to have affirm'd him Fallible and upon that pretence to have opposed his Definitions You see our Savior put no such fancies into their Heads but paid much respect to Moses's Chair and tho' he knew that those who sat in it were bad Men yet he says Quaecunque vobis dixerint facite And St. Paul stiles the High-Priest tho' a Persecutor of the Christians Princeps Populi CHAP. II. Concerning the Sacerdotal and Regal Head Of Christian Emperors intermedling with Church Matters The Fathers Opinion of it Particular Emperors who are falsly affirm'd by Protestants to Act as Heads of the Church Of our English Kings Of Henry VIII Of this our present King James II. YOur next Discourse is about Christian Princes these you assert to be Heads of the Church and your Reason for this Assertion is this That if a King be Head of his Kingdom he is Head of the Church because that is in his Kingdom This I must acknowledge to be a very strong Argument to prove a Nero Head of the Church because in its Infancy it was in his Dominions But Card. Bellarmin will give you good information herein and acquaint you how Christian Kings are Heads of the Kingdom and how they may be Supreme Praesunt Reges Christiani hominibus non ut Christiani sed ut homines sunt Reges non ut Christiani praesunt sed ut homines politici c. And again Reges habent primum locum inter Christianos ut Christiani sunt homines id est Cives terrenae Civitatis Non ut sunt Cives Sanctorum Domestici Dei Ecclesiae membra Hence you may see that a King may be absolute in his Kingdom and yet not be Head of the Church those two Estates residing in two several Persons as being of distinct and different Natures The ones Dominion extending to Mundan Temporal Corruptible things the Body and Goods of Fortune the other reaching to things Spiritual Eternal Celestial to things appertaining to another World and Salvation of the Soul And 't is necessary to have two such distinct Governors The Civil Power to maintain Peace to protect and secure us in our Temporals The Ecclesiastick to teach us the true Worship of God to feed us with Food that perisheth not to direct us in Spirituals to the attainment of Eternal Bliss These two Kingdoms consisting of things so widely distant one from the other cannot be injurious or prejudicial to one another or any way interfere but by way of abuse but rather assistant to one another being in themselves Friendly and Amicable Hence Samuel having anointed David King kissed him the Kiss being a Symbol of Peace and Amity This was a Signature of the mutual Agreement and Accord betwixt these two Governments they are both Independent so as one might not usurp on the other or hinder the other in the due Execution of their Charge The Prince is absolute in Administration of all Civil Matters in which all Persons in his Dominions are subject and herein the King may be called Homo a Deo secundus solo Deo minor as Tertull. has it ad Scapul or as Chrysost says in Hom. 2. Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King is Chief and Head of all Men upon Earth The Priest on the other side presides in Church Government in Spiritual Affairs in Resolutions of Controversies in Faith in Explications of Articles of Belief in Interpretation of Scripture c. Thus the Prince is Caput Regale and the Priest is Caput Sacerdotale They are both of Divine Institution The Kingly Power communicated to Princes from Heaven their Charter being deriv'd from God by whom Kings Reign The Priestly Jurisdiction originated from Christ subsisting in its own Nature without Subordination or dependency on the Temporal Power Now to admit and submit to the Sacerdotal Power as Supreme in things meerly and purely Spiritual do's not at all dislustre the Regal Sway nor defringe the least Particle from his Sovereign Jurisdiction the former properly insinuating it self to the secret Closets of Spiritual Recesses where the Scepter of the Temporal Prince has no Dominion Having premis'd thus much concerning the Kingly and Priestly Power I shall make a short Reply unto you about Christian Princes whom you affirm to have govern'd Church Affairs both de facto de jure Now that some of them did intermeddle with Church Affairs is not deny'd several of them being Arians but that they did it de jure will not be yielded you neither could I ever learn how they should come by this Right for 't is evident that Christ committed the Care and Government of the Church and Church Affairs to his Apostles Now if you can produce his Commission for the transferring this Power from their
Successors into the Hands of Secular Princes I shall herein be satisfied This I am sure of that it continued in their Hands above 300 Years Constantine being the first Christian King and 't is evident enough that he never attempted to rob them of it and assume it to himself and the other good Emperours would not intermeddle with Church-Affairs but by assent of the Church and to assist it Some other Emperors that were busie herein ruin'd themselves thereby and some repented of it as Constantius by name who upon his Death-bed declar'd this to be one of the three things that most disquieted him which Nazianz. mentions to be these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The murder of his Relations his proclaiming the Apostate Julian Emperor his Innovation in matters of Faith But that which gives me greatest satisfaction herein is because I find the Fathers to check the Emperors when they put their Fingers into Church Matters which had been very unproper had they look'd on them as Heads of the Church Thus Athanasius Ad solit vit agentes speaking of Constantius the Emperor's usurping Power in the Church says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For who is he that seeing him ruling over the lawful Bishops and presiding in Ecclesiastick Judgments will not consequently say this is the abomination of desolation spoken of by the Prophet Daniel And in the same Epistle he tells the Emperor wherein his Power properly consists 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God has committed the Kingdom to you but he has intrusted the Affairs of the Church with us And accordingly St. Ambrose tells the Emperor upon the like occasion Publicorum tibi moenium jus commissum non sacrorum ad Imperatorem Palatia pertinent ad Sacerdotem Ecclesia In his Epist 33. ad Imperat. and in his Epist 32. he tells him In causâ fidei Episcopos solere de Imperatoribus non Imperatores de Episcopis judicare This Power of the Clergy in Ecclesiasticks is acknowledg'd by Ignatius ad Smyrn where he expresly says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Bishop Vsher thus translates Nemo praeter Episcopum aliquid agat eorum quae ad Ecclesiam pertinent the words may be translated either praeter Episcopum or sine Episcopo This Priestly Power is acknowledged by the Fathers Hence 't is that Nazianz. in his Orat. 17. ascribes to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Dominion Tribunal and Principacy And in the same Orat. he affirms their Power nobler than the Secular where speaking of the Governour he says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For we our selves rule I will add that our Principacy is greater and more perfect And accordingly he tells the Governor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That the Law of Christ had subjected him to his Dominion and Tribunal St. Chrysoft seems to be of the same Opinion Hom. 5. de verbis Isaiae Vidi Dominum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Priesthood is a more venerable and greater Principacy than a Temporal Kingdom affirming that God subjected the Kings Head to the High-Priests Hands instructing us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That he was the greatest Prince of the two And accordingly Cyril in his 17th Catech. says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To this very day we see Earthly Princes govern'd by Ecclesiasticks I have not quoted any of these Authorities with an intent to decide which of these two Powers be the greatest but to prove that the Fathers did acknowledge them both as distinct and as I have declar'd both of them Absolute and Independent in their kind so I shall conclude this Point with the saying of Ignatius to that purpose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You are now pleas'd to descend to particulars mentioning the Christian Emperors by name who de facto jure govern'd the Church The first you pick out is Constantine whom you have most falsly traduc'd by making him a Head or Governor of the Church as assuming to himself Ecclesiastick Supremacy A Crime he both abhorr'd and was wholly untainted with 'T is well known he was a great Honourer of Sylvester Pope in his days looking on him as Peters Successor Supreme Head of the Church and he was besides a great enricher no Sacrilegious Robber of it He attempted not to alter any of its Articles but embrac'd its Doctrin and ratified its Conciliary Definitions as Athanasius affirms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strengthening them by his Imperial Law And he was so far from acting as Head of the Church as he dar'd not to judge a Bishop as Augustin affirms in his 166 Epist Sed quia Constantinus non est ausus de causâ Episcopi judicare eam discutiendam atque finiendam Episcopis delegavit And Ruffin likewise Lib. 10. Hist Cap. 2. mentions this Answer of his to the Bishops Deus vos constituit Sacerdotes potestatem vobis dedit de nobis quoque judicandi ideo nos a vobis recte judicamus As for the Objection of Caecilianus I find it fully solved by Card. Perròn in his Third Book to King James Cap. 4. Besides whoever considers his behavior in the Council will not think he acted as Head of the Church For first he would not sit down till he had desired permission of the Bishops which Theodoret expresses thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having ask'd leave of the Bishops to grant it Eusebius thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Valesius thus translates Nec prius sedere sustinuit quam Episcopi id nutu significâssent Theodoret after he had mention'd the Speech he made adds this Haec similia tanquam filius amator pacis Sacerdotibus veluti Patribus offerebat Here he acted as a Son of the Church not as a Head neither did he any thing in the Council by way of defining but by assenting to its Dicisions being present there rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for Decency and Order than for any thing else As for the Emperors Justinian Theodosius and Charlemain whom you likewise particularize upon the same account as you did Constantine I must acknowledge that they did make Laws concerning the Affairs of the Church but none of them made any in opposition to it or the Definitions thereof but rather agreeable to them reducing the Churches Faith and Canons for Discipline into Imperial Laws to the intent they might be more obey'd by their Subjects This is no more than what was practis'd by Jovinian who in those great differences of Opinions which were in his days desir'd of the Orthodox Bishops a Platform of the True Faith which Athanasius gave him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Nazianz. calls it A Royal Gift indeed which he confirm'd by his Imperial Power But to return to the above mention'd Emperors and to see how their Examples will jump with your Case First They made Laws that the Catholick Religion should be observ'd in all their Dominions You make Laws for its subversion altering its Articles and foisting in their room new Negatives in opposition to them They made Laws in defence of the
World c. But instead of accusing her for this had you not been of an ungrateful temper you might have taken a fair opportunity of thanking her for sending her Apostles to convert this Nation to Christianity when we lay in the impure Arms of Heathenism But why should you take offence at her sending persons to propagate the Gospel even to the Remotest and most Barbarous Countreys as long as you whilst they are in the midst of Persecutions and Martyrdoms enjoy the soft Embraces of a Wife and the affluence of United Livings CHAP. VII Concerning Protestants objecting Errors to the Church of Rome The Authors Apologie for himself His Advice to the Protestant Parson with some other Particulars HAving hitherto followed you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tracing the print of your Footsteps and in as succinct a manner as I could examin'd your Reasons to clear your Church of Schism and to derive that crime on Rome they have appear'd to me too infirm either to justifie the one or to cast the other As for your accusing her of Errors that being but suppos'd and not prov'd it imports nothing Your Proofs to evince her Doctrines erroneous must be as manifest as your Actual Schism and your Arguments to justify your Schism must not be conjectural or Probable but they must be as Ostensive and as Irresistable as that you made it Nay you must prove her guilty of Damnable Doctrines and that Salvation was not attainable in her Communion or else you can expect none out of it For to accuse the Church of Error and upon that account to depart from her is Inevitable Perdition without a return I know it was always customary with her Enemies to object unto her the want of Truth but this was done by Schismaticks as St. Austin well observ'd Hoc dicunt qui in Ecclesiâ non sunt Upon this false surmise they audaciously attempt the reforming of her Doctrines broaching new ones in opposition to them which is done to authenticate and justify their Secession This was antiently observ'd by St. Hierom. Nullum Schisma non sibi aliquam fingit Haeresim ut recte ab Ecclesiâ recessisse videatur First they separate and so become Schismaticks then they mint new Articles of Belief and so turn Hereticks one follows upon the Neck of the other for they never continue long disjoin'd Schism being a very fair step to Heresie and Generally a Harbinger to it Quis unquam Haereses instituit nisi qui se prius ab Ecclesiae Catholicae universitate antiquitatis consensione discreverit says Vinc. Lyrinensis I know that in this case Truth is the pretence tho' indeed it is Pride and Arrogance which makes Men give the preference to their own Private Opinions and which keeps them from submitting to the Decisions of the Church for had they really with a pure ardour affected Truth they had never gone out of her who is the Pillar of Truth out of which when once departed they must not expect a Pillar of Fire to Pilote them but foolish Fires and Spirits of Delusion to misguide them through all the Serpentine windings and Mazes of falsehood In ventre Ecclesiae veritas manet quisquis ab hoc ventre Ecclesiae fuerit separatus necesse est ut falso loquatur says St. August on Psalm 57. I am apt to believe that if you would but once disenchant your self from the Spells of your unhappy Education and with an Impartial Judgment take a serious view of the Doctrines of the Church as propos'd and explicated by her not as wrongfully represented by her Adversaries that all those little Mormo's and Spectres rais'd by an injurious description of her Articles which have hitherto frighted you would disappear and that you then would be so captivated as not to be able to resist the charms of her naked Truths The force of Education is certainly great and lays violent anticipations on the Judgment which misleads us in our Elections disposing us to reject or embrace things rather as they suit or jar with our first receptions and prepossessions than by their conformity to Truth Till these false Ideas be dislodg'd Truth can expect no Introduction but must stand excluded by Preconceptions When this difficulty is conquer'd you would do well to question the Integrity of those Authors who have wrote in defence of your New Religion who first imbued your undiscerning Minority with adulterate Tinctures and then you are to apply your self with an unprejudicate Mind to those Authors who have oppos'd them After this you must lay aside all thoughts of Secular Advantage No Sophister can be more fallacious than Interest This imposes on our yielding Temper bribes our Judgments and by secret Attractions draws us to the wrong This made Alexander so violently stand up for his Ephesian Goddess tho' a false Deity and accordingly the Pythonissa was a long time maintain'd tho' possess'd with an impure Spirit for the lucre that she acquir'd for her owners In the last place you are to divest your self of your Conceitedness and high Opinion of your self assuming Humble Thoughts Fancy not your self unfallible in your Explications of Scripture look on it as unbecoming and arrogant in you to censure the Doctrines of the Church and to oppose the Definitions of General Councils When you shall have conquered all these Impedimental Obstacles you will soon descry those Mists which have hitherto benighted your Understanding to retire then through a serene and disclouded Medium you will clearly see the verity of Catholick Doctrines and by Gods assistance implor'd embrace them Nullus pudor ad meliora transire Amb. Epist 31. But now finding you to plant your Artillery to play on me I must take some care to defend my self which I do not at all despond of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Both Shields and Spears are in my Armory To guard my self and gall my Enemy First You profess your self heartily sorry that I own my self revolted from my Mother Church But your sorrow being grounded upon a mistake I beg of you to supersede it Quam pro me curam geris hanc precor optime pro me deponas for I have not forsaken the Mother Church but the Schismatical Daughter But pray how can your Church be the Mother Church which began but in Luthers days and consequently so young that she resembles an Infant rather than a grave Matron I must confess I cannot see her reckon'd either by Irenaeus amongst those Churches which he calls Maximae Antiquissimae or by Tertullian amongst those which he terms Matrices Originales whereas the Roman Church is of that Antiquity and Renown that the very Holy Ghost by the Pen of St. Paul celebrates her Faith and Fame Henry the Eighth before he had violated the pure Faith he first imbib'd in his Book against Luther will tell you which the World acknowledged for the Mother Church Negare non potest Lutherus quin omnis Ecclesia fidelium sacrosanctam sedem Romanam velut
Matrem Primatemque recognoscat veneretur King James the First was not ignorant of this Truth when in his Speech to the Parliament he acknowledged the Church of Rome to be our Mother And well she may be call'd our Mother not only in point of Dignity but Kindness having twice planted the Gospel in this ungrateful Nation Next you seem dissatisfied that I should take so much pains to answer those Papers you sent my Brother hazarding the Shipwrack of his Faith in my Paper-boat under the notion of St. Peters Bark As to the first part you could not possibly imagine that a Person of his green and verdant Years should be qualified to answer your Composures But this I must needs say of him That having perused them he did much question their Truth and your Honesty in framing them looking on them as beset with Adulterous Gems The truth on 't is you had made them very plausible and winning their Superficies being sprinkled with Scripture and Fathers but Deceit and Cosenage lay at the bottom and they may well be compared to those Vessels with which Hannibal cheated the Gortynians Amphoras complures complet plumbo Summas operit auro argentoque this made me endeavour to rescue my Brother from being a Prey to these Nets you had spread for him and to answer your Papers as Nodus vindice dignus not intending hastily to cut it as Alexander did the Gordian knot but leisurably to unty it As for my being accus'd by you for hazarding the Shipwrack of his Faith in my Paper-boat under the notion of St. Peters Bark I must tell you that by my keeping him in St. Peters Ship I preserv'd him unspotted of two dangerous Sins Heresie and Schism and I question not but whatever your Opinion be through the Infinite Mercies of his Redeemer he is safely arriv'd at the Haven of Eternal Bliss for as St. Ambrose Serm. 11. affirms Hanc solam Ecclesiae Navim adscendit Dominus in quâ Petrus Magister est constitutus dicente Domino super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Sicut enim Arca Noe mundo naufragante cunctos quos susceperat illaesos reservavit ita Petri Ecclesia conflagrante saeculo omnes quos amplectitur repraesentabit illaesos 'T is usual with the Fathers to assimulate the true Church to a Ship Epiphanius in his Second Heresie says 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Church of God is like to a Ship And St. Ambrose Lib. 3. de Virg. Navis Ecclesia est quae pleno Dominicae crucis velo Spiritus Sancti flatu in hoc bene navigat Mundo And again Hi igitur de Synagogâ ad Navim Petri hoc est ad Ecclesiam convenerunt But in Serm. 15. he may be said to come nigh your Fancy styling it a Bark Nautellam istam fratres cogitate Ecclesiam turbulentum mare hoc saeculum This Bark I question not will ride Admiral in spight of any Fleet you shall be able to set out against her and if you dare to embarque your self in such an Enterprize as to board her I question not but that she is strongly enough Mann'd to defend her self Your following Accusation rear'd against me is of rashness and you tell me That a Matter of this Nature ought to have been deliberately manag'd But how you should know what Authors I have perus'd or what time I have impended in Matters of Religion I cannot conjecture This I am sure of that I have not credulously surrendred my self into the Hands of any Opinion neither have I omitted a competent ventilation of my Religion otherwise I had never been able to throw off the prejudice I once had against it by a contrary Education but have fully satisfied my Curiosity Judgment and Conscience and do no more foster any doubts concerning the truth of Catholick Doctrines than I question the certitude of Christianity After all this you seem to take it amiss that I did not consult with your Oracular Tripus But if you will promise me not to be offended at my open and free discovery I will acquaint you why I look'd on you as an unfit Person to advise with in this case 'T is too evident to all that know you that you have all along been appassion'd prejudic'd and scurrilous against Catholicks endeavouring to blast their Repute by defamatory Aspersions and slanderous Obloquy taking all occasions to injure them in the Pulpit and out of it both in their Morals and Religion both in reference to their God and King continually reviling and barking at them as if you had been related to those sorts of Indians which Pliny mentions in his Seventh Book to be Genus hominum capitibus caninis pro voce latratum edere And how peccant you have been in your perverse disfiguring of Catholick Doctrine and what purulent stuff you have rais'd from your exulcerated Lungs against the Bishop and See of Rome can be attested by multitudes So I could not but look on you as an unfit Oracle to give Responsals herein Had you not been so much tinctur'd with prejudice and so strongly overbiass'd 't is likely I might have resorted to your Infallible Cortina You may be so good an Oculist as to know that the Christalline Humor wherein the visive Power sways is not colour'd I leave the Application to you whose Function renders you most qualified for it I would not have you fancy that I rip up these past things with a design to accuse you my only intent herein is if possible to stir you up to consult with your Second Thoughts and to make Sedate and Calm Reflections on what you have passionately and unadvisedly committed By this Method you may be induc'd to repent of them and for the future to suppress such Ebullitions of Gall and Rancorous Defluxions which tho' like a pleasant Potion may be imbib'd by the uninquisitive and prophane Herd Densum humeris bibit aure vulgus yet to the Politer sort they must needs be nauseous and like the drops that fall nigh the Line leave a putrid and corrupt steam behind them I am the more free and affectionate to you herein because you were so kind as to afford me your wholsome Advice I fancied I could not better correspond with your favours than to prompt your Memory to ruminate on your past transactions and to shew you how grateful I am for your good Counsel I return you mine in its lieu that if ever you hope to obtain pardon for your miscarriages against the Catholick Church you would endeavour Ad Ecclesiae Catholicae unitatem scissi Corporis membra componere Christianae Charitatis vinculo copulare and effect as much as in you lies a Redintegration of the Primary Union a Re-piecing the unwoven Garment of Christ miserably torn asunder by your Schism Consider what a generous Action it would be to leap into this Gulph and thereby close the unhappy Clefts and Breaches of Separation Perpend how much more Christian-like it would be to moderate