to the Commission granted to Kings and Princes by expresse warrant from Gods owne mouth if I say contrary to Gods command after a continued succession in the right of Kings and Princes for 2400 yeeres he will vsurpe the right of calling Councells the Pope will not bee found Innocent nor his assemblies lawfull for the Towne-clerke of Ephesus could tell Dometrius and his fellowes If they enquire any thing Acts 19.39 concerning matters it must bee determined in a lawfull Assembly The promises of Christ no doubt are many and gracious to his Church but they are annexed to a condition if they come together in his Name the condition then being once broken the Obligation to the Church and Councell becommeth voyde of none effect It will not be amisse therefore to vnderstand what it is to assemble in Christs Name and then see whether the Church of Rome hath performed that second dutie in her assemblies It cannot be denied that they are said to assemble in Christs Name whom neither respect of priuate gaine induceth nor the ambitious desire of honour inuiteth nor the prick of hatred and enuie incite and driue forward but whom the inflamed loue of peace and the feruent affections of Christianitie impell and not the spirit of contention Surely these conditions are requisite to their right calling and these were anciently performed in the first foure Generall Councells to which our Church subscribeth but as their owne Cardinal Cusanus protested that the authority of Councels doth not depend vpon the Pope so likewise their owne learned Ferus professeth that In matters of Faith and things which concerne the conscience it is not sufficient for them to say Wee will and command but you must consider in what manner the Apostles dealt in their Assemblies they came together in simplicitie of heart seeking onely Gods glory and the saluation of others Nos aliter conuenimus nempe cum magnâ poÌ„pâ nosque ipsosquaerimê° atque nâ—bis â—ollicâ—â—ur nihil nobis non licere de plenitu dine potestatis quomodò spiritê° sanctê° eiusmodi conuentus probare possit Ferus super Acts 15. no maruell therefore if the Spirit of God was in that Councell but saith hee Nos aliter conuenimus Our meeting is in another manner namely with great pompe and seeking our selues and promising to our selues licence vpon fulnesse of power to doe any thing and this being so how is it possible for the Spirit of God to approue such assemblies Heere then wee haue our learned Aduersaries confessions that two principall conditions anciently in vse are both abrogated by the latter Councels the one is The Pope calls Councells that hath no right to call them the other is That they assemble in their owne name and for their owne end not for the Catholique peace and Christian Charitie And thus much briefely concerning the authoritie of Calling Councells Let vs take a short view of Councels in all ages and withall let vs adde to the Popes vnlawfull Calling the errors of Councels the vncertaintie of their Canons the manifest forgeries of ancient Decrees the palpable and grosse suggestions of new deuised Acts with their senselesse condemnation of true Decrees and Canons that make against their Romish Faith and Trent Doctrine and tell mee if these men haue any cause or reason to equall Councells with the Scriptures or to build vpon them in matters of Faith or to claime them all for theirs when by their owne ensuing testimonies they are doubtfull which are right which are false which are lawfull which are counterfet And lastly when they are not agreed amongst themselues whether Councels rightly called are infallible or stand subiect vnto errour SECT XV. Councels which our aduersaries pretend as a chiefe bulwarke of their faith giue no support at all to the Romish Religion as it is prooued by particular obiections made against seuerall Councells in all ages by the Romanists themselues CArdinall Bellarmine who formerly told vs the Church of God might safely subsist without Councels giues vs likewise to vnderstand by way of preuention Libri ConcilioruÌ„ negligenter conseruati sunt multis vitiis scatent Bel. de Concil l. 3 c. 2. that the Bookes of Councells being negligently kept doe abound with many errours and heereby we may guesse what is like to be the doctrine of those Councells that are guiltie of such errours and what will bee the issue of that doctrine that depends vpon such Councels Whether errors haue crept in by the negligence of the keepers I cannot tell but sure I am many generall and particular Councels haue erred many Decrees and Canons of Councells which are produced for the Romane Religion are acknowledged by themselues to bee spurious counterfet and many true Canons and Councels which make against their Trent faith are condemned by our aduersaries as fallible and erronious as shall appeare by their owne seuerall confessions in all ages from the time of Christ till the dayes of Luther The first Age to 100 yeeres In the first Age. The Councell at Hierusalem gathered vnder the High Priest wherein Caiphas was President Marke 14. sought testimonie against Iesus and excommunicated those who confessed Iesus to be Christ Errauit in fide perniciosissime Caiphas cum vâ—iuerso CoÌ„cilio cuÌ„ iudicauit Iesum blasphemasse Bellar. de Conc. auth lib. 2. c. 8. Bellarmine tells vs Before the comming of Christ the Councels of the Iewes could not erre but saith hee Caiphas with the whole Councell did erre most pernitiously when they adiudged Christ a blasphemer And this may serue for a leading case to shew that Councels may erre as they haue erred in the first Age. In the second Age. The 2 Age Ann. 100. to 200. In the yeere 102 the Councel of Antioch is cited by Gretzerus by Turrian by Baronius for the Worship of Images yet neither Merlin nor Crabbe nor Surius nor Nicholinus Coâ—e censura PatruÌ„ pag. 237. publishers of the Councells euer mention it and Binius who produceth it doeth acknowledge to haue receiued it from Baronius and Baronius returnes his Author for the Iesuite Turrian and Turrian professeth that Pamphilus found it in Origens Librarie And this may serue to shew that some Councels are deuised to proue the Trent doctrine and the raâ—her because worship of Images requires Antiquitie and Consent of Bishops to proue it an Article of Faith The 3 Age. Ann. 200. to 300. In the third Age In the yeere 258 the third Councell of Carthage had fourescore and seuen Bishops but saith Binius Huius Prouincialis The Catholique Church doeth not receiue the Decrees of this Councell Concilii decreta non recipit Catholica Ecclesia Bin. in marg Concil p. 149. And the reason is pregnant This Synod toucheth the Popes Supremacie for when as Stephanus Bishop of Rome called himselfe Episcopus Episcoporum The Bishop of Bishops Saint Cyprian and the whole Councell opposed that new Title And this may serue to prooue
22. Aliud est secundum opera aliud propter opera reddere IdeÌ„ 7. Psal Poenit. Gregorie There are some which glory that they are saued by their owne strength and brag that they are redeemed by their own precedent merits but herein they contradict themselues for whilst they affirm that they are innocent and yet redeemed they frustrate the name of Redemption in themselues Againe If the blessednesse of the Saints bee acquired by mercy not by merits how is it said He will render to euery man according to his workes If it bee according to his workes how is it giuen of mercie It is one thing saith hee to giue according to their workes another thing to giue for their workes sake And from this ground hee makes this his confession I pray to bee saued Idem in 1. Psal Paenit not trusting to my merits but presuming to obtaine that by thy mercie alone which I hope not for by merit Church of England We are accounted righteous before God onely Art 11. by the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by Faith and not our owne workes For to haue affiance in our workes Homily of goodworks as by merit of them to purchase to our selues remission of sinnes and eternall life is blasphemy Church of Rome Good workes are meritorious Rhem. Annot in Heb. 6. ver 10. and the very cause of saluation so farre that God should be vniust if he rendered not Heauen for the same Againe All good works done by Gods grace after the first justification Idem in 2. Tim. 4.8 bee truely and properly meritorious and fully worthy of euerlasting life and that thereupon Heauen is the due and iust stipend crowne or recompense which God by his Iustice oweth to the persons so working by his grace for hee rendreth or repayeth heauen as a iust Iudge and not onely as a mercifull Giuer and the Crowne which hee payeth is not onely of mercie or fauour or grace but also of justice Worship of Images Gregorie In his Epistle to Serenus Bishop of Masilia saith Greg. lib. 7. Epist 109. Your Brotherhood seeing certaine worshippers of Images broke the said Images and cast them out of the Church the zeale which you had that nothing made with hands should be worshipped we praise but wee thinke you should not haue broken them downe For Painting is therefore vsed in Churches that they which are vnlearned may by sight reade that on the walles which in bookes they cannot Your brotherhood should therefore haue spared the breaking of them and yet restrained the people from worshipping them AdorationeÌ„ omnibê° modis deuita Lib. 9. Ep. 5. that the rude might haue had how to come by the knowledge of the Story and yet the people not sinne in worshipping the picture Church of England The Romish doctrine concerning the worshipping and adoration Art 22. as well of Images as of Reliques is a fond thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no Warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the VVord of God Church of Rome Wee teach Conc. Trid. Sess 25. that the Images of Christ the Virgin Mother of God and other Saints are chiefely in Churches to bee had and retained and that due honor worship is to be giuen vnto them The Popes Supremacie Gregorie Ego fidenter dico Lib. 6. ep 30 Mauricio Augusto Idem lib. 6. ep 24. lib. 4. ep 32. 34. 36 38. 39. I say confidently Whosoeuer calls himselfe or desires to be called the Vniuersall Bishop in the pride of his heart is the forerunner of Antichrist For the title of vniuersall Bishop is the puffe of arrogancie the word of pride a new pompous a peruerse foolish a rash a superstitious a profane an vngodly and wicked name a name of singularitie a name of errour a name of hypocrisie a name of vanitie and a name of blasphemie And writing to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria hee makes this profession For mine owne part Greg. lib. 7. ep 30. I seeke to increase in vertues and not in words for if you call me Vniuersall Bishop you denie your selues to be that which you confesse to be wholly in me but God forbid let vs rather put farre from vs these words which puffe vp pride and vanitie and wound Charitie to the death Church of England It is plaine that the Bishop of Rome challengeth this day a title that St. Peter neuer had Iewel Art 4 Diuis 4. that no holy nor godly man would euer take vpon him that St. Gregorie vtterly refused and detested and called blasphemy Church of Rome The Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome may bee prooued by fifteene seuerall Names or Titles Bell. de PoÌ„t lib. 2. c. 31. as namely the Prince of Priests the High Priest the Vicar of Christ the vniuersall Bishop and the like and from those high and mightie Titles they haue created this Article of faith Wee declare Subesse Romano Pont. omni humanae creaturae declaramê° dicimus definimus pronunciamus omninò esse de necessitate salutis Bonif. 8. in extran de Maior Obed. Cap. Vnam SanctaÌ„ c. we pronounce wee define that euery creature vpon necessitie of saluation must be subiect to the Bishop of Rome Thus briefly I haue giuen you the principall poynts of doctrine deliuered by Gregorie and from these his seuerall confessions I hope the Romanists will giue me leaue to returne them their owne assertion If an Angel from heauen teach other doctrine Touching the books of Maccabees the All-sufficiencie and reading of the Scriptures the Reall presence Priuate Masse Communion in both kinds Merit of workes Worship of Images and the Popes Supremacy I say with our aduersaries If an Angel froÌ„ heauen teach other doctrine then in these particulars we haue receiued from Gregorie we are not to heare him I proceed from Fathers to Councels and vpon a reviewe of the Fathers Doctrine I will here conclude Since the ancient Doctors are no Rules of our Faith nor haue any power to bind as Bellarmine confesseth since their bookes are sometimes purged their authorities sometimes condemned as spurious and counterfet as their Inquisitors confesse since their Expositions with an vniforme consent are sometimes decreed for an Article of Faith Bulla Pij 4. Artic. 2. sometimes declined by their best learned Romanists as namely Card. Bellarmine Andradius Card. Cajetan and Card. Baronius professe And lastly since the Scripture is the most certaine and most safe Rule of faith Scriptura regula credendi certissima tutissimaque Bellar. as it is acknowledged on both sides I say to leaue this certaine and safe rule and to follow the Fathers in all and tread in their steps as children doe in sport it is Via Dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via Devia a wandring and By-way SECT XIIII Councells which are so highly extold and opposed against vs were neither called by lawfull authoritie or to the right ends as
lusts hasten to Trent hyred and procured by the Pope to speake as hee would haue them vnlearned men they were and simple but for their impudencie and audacitie of much vse assoone as these had accesse to the Popes flatterers then did iniquitie reioyce to haue the vpper hand neither might any thing bee decreed but what made for them who made it their onely Religion to maintaine their Popes power and ryot One graue and learned man there was Bishop of Granado which could not away with such basenesse he as no sound Catholike what with feare and threatnings and what with intreatie was brought by the Councel to allow that which in heart hee disavowed In briefe it came to that issue by the dishonestie of them that were made and ordained for that purpose that the Councell seemed to consist not of Bishops but of shadowes not of men but of Images which like the statues of Daedalus had no motion from themselues but were carried vpon other mens shoulders The Bishops for the most part were hyrelings who like a paire of countrey bag-pipes vnlesse they were still blowne could make no musicke The holy Ghost had not to doe with that Councell wherein was nothing but worldly wisedome and that was wholly spent in propagating the Popes immoderate and shamefull Lordlinesse from whom as from an other Delphos they did wait for Oracles and from him in a Carriers clokebag was the holy Ghost sent of which they so much brag to sit at the sterne of their Councells and quod admodum ridiculum est which is most ridiculous when there fell good store of raine the holy Ghost could not come vnto theÌ„ before the floods were abated so it fell out that the spirit was not carried vpon the waters as wee reade in Genesis but besides them O strange and monstrous madnesse the Bishop like the people No act or Decree of theirs could be established vnles the Pope were made the first Author of that Decree How truely this learned Bishop hath deciphered the state and condition of that Councell I leaue to euery mans iudgement sure I am whilest many there carried the businesse with craft and ambition in those things which appertaine to Gods glory there was more attributed to the Councell of man then to the grace of God Adde to these testimonies the protestation of Francis the French King who was so farre from approuing the Decrees of the Councell Rex pubicè in co conueÌ„tu protestatus se illud neque pro â—ecumenico neque pro legitimo habere sed pro priuato coÌ„uentu c. Innoc Gent Trid. Sess 12. Hist of Trent lib. 4. p 319. Engl. that hee openly proclaimed that for his part he neither held it for a Generall nor yet for a lawfull Councell but for a priuate Conuenticle assembled for the ends of some priuate men and that neither hee nor his subiects were bound to obey it and that hee would haue this his Protestation inrolled amongst the Decrees of that Councell Adde to this the Protestation of all the Reformed Churches and diuers Christian Nations who at this day vtterly disavow the Trent doctrine Adde to this the protestation of the Ambassador to Charles the fifth Illyr in Protest cont Conc. Trident. who made his declaration in like manner I Iames Hurtado Mendoza in the name of the most mighty prince my lord Charles the Romane Emperour by his especiall commission and in the name of the Empire all other his Realmes and Dominions doe protest that the Legats and Bishops which are at Bonenia for the most part bound to your Holinesse wholly hanging vpon your beck haue no authoritie to make Lawes in cause of Reformation of Religion and maners I forbeare to speake more largely of the politike proceedings and the doctrine of Faith created and declared in this Councell The History of Trent published An. 1629. the former is accurately handled by the Historie of Trent and the later is fully confuted by our learned Chemnitius Chemnitij examen Conc. Trid. and as touching CouÌ„cels in generall let it suffice wee haue the testimonie of Cardinal Cusanus Multu Concilia ritè conuocatu errasse legimus Cusan Concord Cath. lib. 2 c. 3. In fidei definitionibus errasse etiaÌ„ vniuersalia sanctouÌ„ Patrum Concilia comperimus Pig Hier. Eccle. lib. 6. c. 13. Many plenarie Councells rightly called haue erred as we know by experience Let it suffice their own Albertus Pigghius giues his assent with vs that In matters of Faith Generall Councels haue erred as namely the Councell of Ariminum the second Councell of Ephesus both were generall and both doe witnesse that Generall Councells lawfully called may erre Let it suffice Panormitan their chiefest Canonist and Proctor for Pope Eugenius affirmeth plainly A Councell may erre as otherwise a Councell hath erred Panorm de Elect Electi potestate §. significasti about marriage to be contracted betwixt the rauisher and the rauished and the saying of Hierom as being of the sounder opinion was afterwards preferred before the Decree of the Councell And to preuent that common obiection of the Romanists that the Church would faile in faith if Councels should erre hee giues this full solution to the question Non obstat Idem Ibid. It hindreth vs little if it bee said a Councell cannot erre because Christ prayed for his Church that it should not faile For though a Generall Councell represent the whole vniuersall Church yet to speake trueth the vniuersall is not there precisely but by representation because the vniuersall Church consisteth of all the faithfull and this is the Church which cannot erre whereby it is not impossible but the true faith of Christ may continue in onely one person Therefore the Church is not said to faile nor to erre if the true faith remaine in any one And that no man might presume to relie in matters of faith either vpon Fathers or Councels St. Austen deliuers it for a safe and sure rule Aug lib. 2. de Baptist contr Donat c. 3. Whatsoeuer is found written in Scriptures may neither be doubted nor disputed whether it be true or right but the writings of Bishops may not onely bee disputed but corrected by Bishops that are more learned then themselues or by Councels and Nationall Councels by Plenary or Generall and euen Generall Councels may bee amended by the later My conclusion therefore shall be this Since the true Acts and Canons of Councels which make against the Supremacie against Inuocation of Saint against Images and the like are adiudged spurious and counterfet On the contrary since diuers Canons and Decrees are deuised for aduantage of their cause and namely to prooue their Reall Presence their Sacrament of Confirmation their Sacrament of Extreame Vnction the Popes Supremacie and the like which authorities are meerely forged and counterfet since the Bookes of Councells being negligently kept doe abound with many errours by the testimonies of our learned