conclude these my Motiues about their idle rules of faith the Christian Reader who is carefull of his owne saluation and giueth obedient eare to that propheticall light of Gods sacred Scriptures expounded by the ancient Church which Scriptures Saint Peter n 2. Pet. 1. preferreth aboue that vision which he and his brethren had of Christ in mount Thabor he cannot but easily obserue what consequences are likely to follow out of three such corrupt Rules of faith as are in request amongst the Pontificians to wit infallibility solely and onely in the Popes definitiue iudgement authority of Apophricall Scriptures and the vaine authority of their traditions pretended to be Apostolicall where as they are nothing lesse The aduersary will for the validitie of these rules stand vpon the authority of their present Romane Church which hath receiued them of which their defence conformably to all antiquitie and ancient Fathers who taught otherwise we must also conformably to their proceedings search out of Gods word whether the Church of which they bragge so much be the true Church Succession in Sees onely will not suffice as by their owne confession is manifest in the Churches of Antioch Alexandria Constantinople c. but there is required also successioÌ„ in doctrine according to Gods word by which triall must be made of all Churches and of all doctrines and all after-traditions to which if they be not agreeable without perill of damnation they must not be receiued and this is the most expresse doctrine and faith of Saint Austen in o August lib. 1. de doctrina Christiana cap. 37. lib. de unitate Ecclesi cap. 2. but cap. 16. so clearly that I do suppose no Pontifician Priest dare scarce read that Chapter to his family sundrie places yea of Bellarmine p Bellarm. lib. 2. de verbo doi cap. 2. Basil serm de fide himselfe though as it may be thought he not very willingly confesseth this truth Other means saith he may deceiue but nothing is more certaine then the Scripture and therefore by confession of all both ancient and moderne writers the triall by Gods word is most firme and assured The fourth Motiue THe fourth Motiue and that very effectuall The fourth Motiue with me is that transcendent power both in all temporals and spirituals which later Popes contrary to Christs institution and practise of holy Primitiue Popes challenge and which the Romane Canonists and Cardinals ouer-liberal of that wherwith they haue nothing to doe doe flatteringly thrust vpon their Romane Monarches In spirituals he challengeth and they grant vnto him to be the onely supreme and immediate Pastor ouer Christs flocke so that looke how ample and immediate Christs iurisdiction for saluation of soules was so is his he glorieth in that title and they giue it him which q Greg lib. 4. epist 38. S. Gregory so much detested as the very badge of Antichrist he will in the gouernment of Christs flocke haue no Peere nor Colleage He is content to be honoured with that title yea and aboue that ambitious title the which Constantius the Arian required for he was content with numen nostrum our power or diuinitie but the Pope can willingly acept of supremum in terris numen the supreme and highest diuinitie or power vpon earth O ye heauens be astonished and euerlasting gates be desolated the pretended only Vicar of Christ the successor in some sort of that poore fisher who r Act 3. gloried in that he had neither gold nor siluer must heare and that from renowned * Proesat ad Grego 13. in principia doctri Stapletons mouth the Spanish kings professor in Louane the English Pontificians chiefe champion thus thy supreme diuinity vpon earth iust God how more iustly may we lament with those words of Saint Gregory against Iohn of Constantinople for his extraordinary fasting surnamed Ieiunator the faster f Grego lib. 4. â—p 38. O alasse all things that haue beene forespoken are come to passe the King of pride is at hand and that which is a wickednesse to be spoken a whole Army of priests is prepared for him because those serue the proud necke of elation and pride who haue beene set to giue example of meekenesse and humility Thus that Father in those times when the mysterie of iniquity began to worke most apparantly in the Patriarke of Constantinople but appeared more clearly in one of his next Successors to wit Boniface 3 who emulating the Constantinopolitan Patriarks for their pride obteined of Phocas that hatefull and traiterous vsurper rather then Emperour to decree by constitution that the title of Vniuersall Bishop should for euer after belong and be giuen only to the Bishops of Rome this is a matter vndoubted of by auncient t Sabel Aenead â— lib. 6. Platin. in Bonifac. 3. Otho lib. 5. Paulus de gostis Longobard Marianus anno Dom. 608. Duerenus de sacris Ecclesioe ministris lib. 1. cap 10 Abbas in Phoca poene emnis aly Sigebert Regino Luitpran Anasta Baron annal ad annum 606. Historians and yet perchance this Boniface did not assume by that title so much vnto him as these latter Popes doe to wit to be immediate pastors of all the whole Church comprehending all Partriarkes Bishops c or that there is no power nor iurisdiction in any Prelate or Pastor of the Church whatsoeuer which is not dependantly from them and of them so that they can and may peremptorily call to their court all causes greater or smaller and according to course of law or otherwise finally and * Iudicare c. to iudge and decree whether it be necessary to depose a Prince belongeth to the Pope of whose iudgement whether it be right or not no man may iudge Bellar. contra Barck ca. 12. vnappellably ende and determine them and if any either Emperour Prince Prelate or Vniuersity would offer to appeale from any of their sentences though most exorbitant and tirannicall they should thereby deserue to bee cursed with Bell Booke and Candle I cannot thinke that in Bonifaces time the Romane Bishops were growne to that height of Antichristian pride that was left for later times when the Diuell was to be let loose after the thousand yeeres of his binding Notwithstanding he challenged by Phocas his constitution to be only called vniuersall Bishop of the Church against which title Saint Gregory so vehemently and Christianly exclaimeth in u Greg lib 4. ep 32. 34. 38. 39. diuers Epistles testifying and demonstrating most plainly that that Antichristian title robbeth all Bishops of their honour and maketh that the Assumer thereof should bee reputed Antichrist This being so in this Auncient Father how durst D. Stapleton x Staple principi doctr lib. 6. cap. 7. that renowned Professour of diuinity endeuour to make Saint Gregory speake against himselfe in this very epistle and out of him labour to proue the present Romane supremacy and Monarchy which that Father so much
editions of the Septuaginta reading otherwise then these Popes do must be corrupt all the ancient Fathers Greeke and Latine two or three only excepted misexpound and misinterpret rather then e Sixtus and ClemeÌ„t in their editions Sixtus and Clement who haue some 1000. of other irreconciliable â—arres although they agree in this must be thought to haue done amisse And I demaund of the Romanists * Genes 3. why might not the Manuscribers in some of the copies change e into a and thereby make shee of hee as well as some late Romanists either wilfully or through the fault of Manuscribers haue changed in f Li. 4. Epist 38. S. Gregorie exercitus Sacerdotum an armie of Priests into exitus Sacerdotum the destructions or ends of Priests a manifest corruption it is and I hope Saint Boromeus would not with his coadiutours wilfully doe it because it most clearly sheweth that an armie of Priests was to serue and set vp the King of Pride some Bishop a great step indeede to shew that Bishop who now is serued with the whole armie of all the Priests of the Romane Church and who calleth himselfe the only vniuersall Bishop which is the ambitious and Antichristian title of the King of Pride against whom that Father inueigheth to be the very King of Pride prophetically delineated by that ancient Father and Pope Reade the Epistle courteous reader and passe thy iudgement as thou shalt see cause The second place of their corruption is in the g 2. Mach. 12. Machabees where to establish the Chymera of their Purgatorie fire both in their h Biblia Missalia edita Iussa Clement 8. Bibles and Missals they reade pro peccatis mortuorum for sinnes of the dead whereas they should reade thus only pro peccato for sinne and yet this in their owne knowledge is against i Edition Grec Venet. German Complut all the Editions in the Greeke yea and against an ancient Latin Vatican edition set out by Sixtus and also against some other ancient Latine Manuscripts and yet forsooth for Purgatory sake al those readings must be corrupt and Iudas Machabeus with the whole true Church of God with him be made so ignorant and superstitious as to make sinne-offerings for the dead whereas they full well knew that there was no such sacrifice appointed by God neither in the law of Nature nor in the law of Moses not no ceremonies nor rites ordained for the same neither doe the Iewes at this day practise or beleeue any such sinne sacrifice for the dead This their corruption in the wordes of sacred Scripture is by addition but by the patience of the courteous reader I will in this place somewhat fit for the purpose mention one of their corruptions by the figure of Subtraction In their k Breuiar edit Iussu Clement 8. last Editions of their Breuiâ—ries they haue pared out of the Praier of the Feast of St. Peters chaire at Antioch at Antioch I say for the feast of Peters chaire at Rome is a deuise of later Popes deuised by Paul the 4. as l Angelus Rocca Schol. in SacrameÌ„t Greg. prim Rocca affirmeth the word animas Soules least the same word should according to the faith of the ancient Church restraine the Popes omnipotency so called in late Neapolitane Theses to the spirituall bands and chaines of the soule only but that word and doctrine cannot agree with the Spirits of those men who challenge power to command and dispose of Kings and Kingdomes m Bellarm. against a certaine Venet. Doct. Bellarmine busily endeuoureth to defend this change the worke of his owne fingers But n Rocca annot in Sacrament Greg. 1. Rocca will tell him that the most principall and ancientest Manuscript in the Vatican had the word animas Soules and I must tell him that all the best readings haue it so and with iust cause I aske him why they haue not rather substracted the fabulous tale of Siluester consecrating Altar stones and the fabulous Legende of S. Catherine the Martyrs dispuâ—ing with 50. Philosophers and conuerting of the Empresse His brother o Baron in annot in Martyr Baronius turnes and windes himselfe not knowing how to defend the Historie p Brouiar reformata edita Iussu Pij Quint. some of their Breuiaries haue this Title ouer the Legend of Catherine Ex historia Ecclesiastica out of the Ecclesiasticall historie others haue Ex Eusebio lib. 7. cap. 26. out of Eusebius the 7. Booke and 26. Chapter and yet I suppose hee that shall finde this fable in any authenticall historie or in Eusebius himselfe shall bee a greater Historian then Baronius himselfe Fourthly against the infallibility of this their rule thus I argue That which maketh the Pope and all his followers therein heretikes cannot be the rule of Christian faith But the Popes proper and peculiar iudgement doth this Therefore The first Proposition I suppose the second or the assumption thus I proue Proper and peculiar choise and election to define in matter of faith in whomsoeuer it be is forbidden and q Ad Titum 3. 2. Pet. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haeresis heresie and apparent it is that choise and election to define and beleeue is alwaies taken for heresie when it is singular and alone in any one person vnlesse it be grounded vpon some speciall and immediate reuelation now that it is single Obis vera niex nostro arbitrio licet inducere sed nec eligere quod aliquis de arbitrio suo induxerit It is not lawfull for vs in matter of faith to bring in any thing out of our own choise neither to choose any thing which another by his choise shall bring in Tertul. lib. de Praeser and alone in the Pope I suppose it as the very proper and speciall position of the Aduersarie maintained by all Pontificians but impugned by all true Catholikes That the Pope ordinarily hath no new immediate reuelations from God I suppose as truth till any one shall be so impudent as to affirme the contrary The Pope then being an heretike because the rule of his faith to wit priuate choise and election in matters of faith is heresie r Ad Tit. 3. 2. Pet. 2. Heresies are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 electiones choises which taketh place in Popes also What meruaile if the Ignatians giue infallibility of not erring in faith to the Pope when they chalâ—enge the same to euery one of their owne Order as learned Caussabon proueth in his booke to Frontoduc pag 52. citing out of the Apologist for the Ignatians these wordes It night and day may be ioyned together in one and darknesse with light heat with cold health with sicknesse life with death then there may be some hope that heresie can fall into the head of a Iesuit thus he According to this if Clement with the two or three hundred Ignatians assembled in Rome had ioyned in Councell there
of Heads or cheefe Gouernors yea made so plaine that p Parsons in his Catholike letter against our Kings Apology Iobn Hart also acknowledged the same to Doctor Reinolds Conference cap. 10. in the end Parsons himselfe acknowledgeth that as our o Our King in his Apology Soueraign doth declare and explane his Title of headship and Supremacy it is sound and in some sort allowable they haue left that saying but yet thereby it is cleare that Antichrist in their owne estimation when he shall come shall be a kind of tyrannicall and vsurping Churchman The prouerbiall prophecy of of Saint Hildegard spoken of by many hath the same meaning vnum vos monco Cauete Antichristum c. One thing I admonish you beware of Antichrist you are ill carryed away with the loue of walls naughtily doe you worship the Church as if it were within couers and edifices badly vnder these doe you offer the name of peace what can it be doubted that Antichrist shall sit in these Mountaines Woods Lakes Prisons Whirlepooles shall bee more secure to me for Prophets either staying in these or thrown into these haue prophecied with the spirit of God thus she who hath not heard of the Prophecy of Ioakim Abbot which ought to bee of credit with the Pontificians considering how eager Stapleton q Stapleton in promptu is against the very haire to make him prophecie of the Order of the Ignatians as of a speciall Order to be raised vp by God for defence and propagation of the Romane Church But for prophecies the like might bee produced out of r Lib. reuelat 4. Ciril lib. reuelat related by Aytmger in Method Briget and Ciril and others these may suffice But heare a more forcible testimony out of our English Pontificians the Å¿ Annotat. in 2. ad thessalo 2. annot 5. Rhemists themselues who graunt that both Saint Austin and Saint Hierome doe interpret the sitting of Antichrist in the Temple of God for his sitting in Christs Church but not say they as though hee should be cheefe member of the Church of Christ or a speciall part of his mysticall body if they meane that in truth and verity Antichrist should not so be they neuer wrote truer Doctrine but if they meane that in the sense of the Fathers he should not as a pretended ruler and cheefe of the Church or as a pretended mysticall head of his body sit in the same it is most vaine and against the very haire for what doe they or can they else vnderstand by sitting in the Church but to rule and gouerne in the Church and therefore he alone is said to sitte in the Temple because he alone challengeth independently monarchically and Soueraignely according to the doctrin of Bellarmine t Bellar. lib. 1. de conci cap. 17. Baron in Annal. sepissime Allen. his defeÌ„ce of english Catholicks cap. 5. Baron Sanders Allen and all other who make the Church-Gouernment a Monarchy to Gouerne the whole Temple All other Bishops and prelates whatsoeuer being but his substitutes according u Bellar. lib. 1. de Romano pontific cap. 9. paragr proinde Turrecremat in sama lib. 3. cap. 44. to Bellarmines Doctrine as Viceroyes are substitutes vnder absolute Monarchs Yea these Rhemists forgetfull of what they said some few lines before by force of truth constrained thus they adde that Antichrist if hee euer were of or in the Church hee should bee an Apostata and a runnagate out of the Church and shall vsurpe vppon it by tyranny and by challenging worship religion and gouernement thereof so that himselfe shall bee adored in all Churches of the World which he list to leaue standing for his honour and this is to sit in the Temple or * Obserue Christian reader these gramarians they would make the prepositioÌ„ in with an ablatiue case to stand for against against the Temple of God as some what some are these interpret if any Pope did euer this or shall doe then let the aduersaries call him Antichrist Thus they Obserue ChristiaÌ„ Reader by their owne confession they acknowledge that the Bishop of Rome may be iustly called Antichrist if these things can be proued of him These Doctours neuer wrote truer line That hee is adored in all the Churches and congregations which he would haue to stand or hath reared vpon the ruines of such Churches as hee hath destroyed who can deny it it is as manifest as the sunne he is not named in the Masse or Letanies but with reuerence and as for the outward externall adoration and worship which is giuen him wheresoeuer hee personally sitteth it doth not onely surpasse all adoration and Honour giuen to any earthly Prince or Potentate but it farre passeth that which is giuen to their Sacrament it selfe which to them is not onely called as God or worshipped as a God but is beleeued to be very Christ himselfe yea and that the most blessed Trinity is to be worshipped as specially present in that Sacrament for to this Sacrament and God in it one adoration and genuflexion will serue when you come to pray but come to sue or supplicate to him that sitteth in the Temple one wil not serue but you must haue two or three adorations and genuflexions and as many at your departing whether you obteine your suite or not and almost prostrate also you must kisse his feete before you depart if you may be admitted to that Fauour For I assure you in Rome it is esteemed a fauour to kisse the Popes foote greater then in Aethiopia to see the great Presbyters great toe for which Purpose he hath caused the signe of our redemption to be drawne vpon his slippers where doubtlesse sometimes it hath homely droppes fall vpon it but it little mattereth for Christians mouthes saue the Popes groomes of their labour which adoration sweete licking if you please to beleeue the Cretian x Eudaemon paralell cap. 8. pag. 403. Ignatian Eudaemon was prophecied by King Dauid Pii Principes c. Let Godly Princes knowing what they owe to God in his Members and in his Ministers adore them with demisse countenance and lick the dust of their feet thus that lying parazite pardon me Christian reader for calling him so y He that shall reade his caluÌ„nious booke written aga nst the temperate and iudlcious book of the L. Bishop of Elye will easily perceiue how desperate that cause of the Pope is which hath such desperate Raylers set a worke to maintaine it what haue the Ignatians no better EudaemoÌ„ then this Cacodaemon Pardon me courteous Reader the foule mourhed Daemon who in euery page almost giueth either the lye or exprobrateth auaâ—ice to that worthy learned Prelate deserueth no lesse he is doubtlesse the most impudent lyer and most shamelesse calumniator and vainest parazite that euer put pen to paper and for his comfort some may tell him hee is so esteemed by almost all indifferent and iudicious Pontifician
indeede some doubtfull speeches in Caluines Institutions but if it would please them but to interpret fauourably his speeches in like for as they interpret the speeches of many later Dinines yea and sentences of the very scripture it selfe which in some places seemeth more directlie to make God the Author of sinne then euer Caluine did their calumniating spirit would bee satisfied and know that hee teacheth nothing else then what their own Christian Philosophers do teach therein of Gods immediate and positiue concurring to the entitie and nature of euery sinne and to the entitie and nature of euerie morall or naturall occasion of sinne and if hee should say that God as a vniuersall Cause doth not onely immediately concurre and intrinsecally coworke with morall second Causes in their morall euill actions as you all teach or must teach vnlesse you bee Heretikes but also that God as the Prime vniuersall and supreame independent Cause of all things doth in a kind of priority of nature also preuent and moue such morall second causes in their free morall actions beeing either of vice or of vertue tell mee is there none of your Pontifician Doctours Friars or Monks who teach the same if not farre worse who can be ignorant of this who hath vnderstood of the great * I my selfe when I was some yeere ago in Doway saw this doctrine that God doth moue with a priority of nature of causality and effectually all morall agents in all their actions printed in certaine Theses which were to be defended publikely vnder the moderation of one D. Estius who obstinately as I was there informed defended the same position controuersie betwixt the Ignatians at Doway and some other Professours of that Vniuersity the noise of which scandalous controuersie soundeth euen vp to Rome it selfe there to be determined c. The English Liturgy is most egregiously calumniated to be vaine irreligious a most slanderous imputation for the forme thereof is conformable to all antiquity is very religious and if some priuate disorderly persons sometimes minister not the Sacrament according to the forme there prescribed what of that But I haue often wondered why the speciall absurdities and abuses if there be so many in the Booke of English Common Praier as they pretend haue not been by any of the aduersaries in some special sort largely discouered and confuted considering how often and in how speciall sort the many turpitudes abuses cōtradictions fooleries of their Roman Masses haue been learnedly deciphered Commonly and daily is the Church of England calumniated for giuing vnto the Prince the Title of Supreame head or gouernor of the Church of England which yet is giuen in no other sense then to shew that very power and Supreame Iurisdiction which all Ancient Christian Emperours and Kings in the q 1. Paralipom 28. 2. Paralip cap. 17. 19. Reg. 4. cap. 18. 3. Reg. 2. old Testament and since haue euer more or lesse had in their Kingdomes to wit that for the publike setling establishing execution and administration of all manner of iustice whether in matters of Religion or other Temporall causes the Prince hath Supreame authority and that without his command or permission no man may so much as beare or wagge any rodde of any publike Iustice or gouernment But touching the ministration of Sacraments giuing of Orders giuing the power of the Keies and in or touching defining of faith it is a meere foppery to say the Prince challengeth any such matter in this Kingdome or that any such is giuen him But in al such respects he doth most religiously acknowledge himselfe to be one of the sacred sheepe of Christs sacred flocke vnder Christ his ministeriall Shepheards of the English Churche Remember I pray you how r Parsons his Catholike letter and answer to our Kings Apology Parsons admitteth that the Kings supreamacy as his most excellent and pious Maiesty most religiously and excellently explaneth the same in his Apology for the Oath of Allegeance is allowable and such as may be receiued The truth is you care not so much for what the Prince hath as for that the Pope is excluded from his gainful Supremacy ouer this Kingdom who was accustomed with his Annats Reseruations Vnions Comendaes Expectatiue graces Prouisions Presentations Nominatiōs and with infinite such like ſ 1 ad Tim. 6. nouelties of names and prophanations to corrupt all Church discipline and Religion of this Kingdome as the t Lincoln Epise apud Matth. Paris in Henrico 3. famous and holy Robert Bishop of Lincolne long agoe obiected to your holy Pope Innocent the 4. And heere to note by the way your vanities you thinke it to be eternall blemish to the Church of England for that King Henrie for loue of Queene Anne Bolleyne as you say and to be diuorced from Queene Katharine did exclude the Popes authority out of England meerely vpon fancy and passion But alas your deuise is vaine for it was first giuen vnto him by the learned Vniuersity of Oxford then Pontifician vpon this occasion which I desire you to marke There was earnest suite made by some certaine Pontificians to the Kings Maiesty to condemne Martin Luthers opinions as being the very same in many points with those of Iohn Wicleff who had beene long before often condemned in that famous Vniuersity of Oxford and by many of his former predecessors whereupon the King being desirous to see a copy of Wicleffs Articles one was brought vnto him the which hee seriously perusing found one of them to be thus to wit that the Bishop of Rome had no power nor iurisdiction by right ouer the Church of England Which when the King saw hauing at that time the weighty controuersie about his diuorce with the Bishop of Rome he seemed to like thereof but willing to doe nothing rashlie or against Faith u This standeth recorded in Oxford as M. Thomas James hath affirmed vnto me very lately hee presently dispatched the same Article to the Vniuersity of Oxford to haue it by the learned anew examined and their iudgements freely to bee giuen vpon it the which was accordingly done and the Article approued whereupon that Prince resolued by Consent and Authority of Parliament to exclude the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome ouer the Church of England which vnder his most tyrannicall oppressions had a long time groned but by this meanes came to be deliuered from the Egyptian seruitude as the holy Bishop of Lincolne long agoe Prophesied it would And if King Henry the 8. vpon your supposed motiues did impugne the Papacy yet I pray you what greater disgrace is it to the Church of England that King Henry should exclude the Popes supremacy then it is to the Church of Rome that he should establish the Statute of sixe Articles for your Masse auricular confession c and what disgrace to your doctrine of adoration of Images because the vsurping and auaricious Empresse x Baron in
who would relie for his saluation vpon the publike and most conspicuous Church professing Christ what should hee haue done in the time of Constantius the Arrian Emperour when the whole visible conspicuous Church ouerwhelmed with Arrianisme decreed in councels so greatly and so dangerously that as u Hierom. aduers Lucâ—feria Saint Hierome reporteth the whole world maruailed how it was become an Arian yea and most lamentable was the face of the visible Church especially in Rome it selfe when Liberius returning out of banishment * Hieron lib. de scriptoribus in fortunat in Châ—on Libertus ipse in Epist ad Episc Orient apud Bellar lib. 4. cap. 9. de Pont. Bellar. ibidâ—m Athanas in Epâ—st ad Soâ—â—t vitam agentes Damasus Pope in Liberio Hilar. lib. contra Constant â—ozom lib. â— cap. 14. Nicepb lib. 9 cap. 37. alij subscribed to the Arian faith which had beene before decreed in diuers publike almost vniuersall Councels of the whole Church as at Millaine at Ariminum c. and by the same subscription confirmed and decreed as a point of Catholike faith what the Bishops before had resolued vpon and subscribed vnto for in the subscription of Bishops and confirmation of Popes consisteth the robour and strength of Romane Articles of faith so infallibly that the whole Romane Church is bound to receiue them to professe them after such decrees and subscriptions And truly the answer which Liberius made before his banishment and whilest hee was constant in the Catholike faith vnto Constantius the Emperor is for the same purpose very worthy reading for whereas the Emperour thus obiected vnto him what was hee and what thought hee of himselfe who would oppose himselfe against all Bishops of the world hee answered not thinking as our men now doe of the Popes sole inerrablenesse neither as daunted with the whole visible multitude against him most resolutely y Theodoret. lib 2. hist cap 16. thus that although hee and Athanasius were z Vbi suut tandem c. Where are they now who exprobrate vnto vs pouerty and do insolently brag of their wealth where are they who define the Church by a multitude and despile the little flocke Gregor Nazianz in Arianos Orat. 11. alone yet the cause of faith was nothing the worse for long ago said hee there were onely three who withstood the Kings hee meaneth Nabuchodonozor commandement but doubtlesse these men who stood so much vpon the visibility of succession and vpon the greatest multitude would vpon the returne of Liberius backe to Rome his sitting in that chaire also some good time before hee againe renounced the communion with the Arrians and their faith to which hee had subscribed before they would surely haue communicated with Liberius and haue despised the contemptible and persecuted Church of Athanasius and Felix with some few Romanes who then rightly beleeued and professed Christ Besides if it bee necessary to ioyne with the greatest multitude professing Christ after the Romane fashion doubtlesse haue was the case of their Romanists in times of their very many very great and grieuous a Certaine Decades of most horrible schismes haue beene in the Romane Church Platina Baron per Anal. schismes when their whole Church hath beene ouerwhelmed with the power of some Anti-Popes besides to argue ad hominem in the time of the Councell of Franck ford when the Bishops of France Germany and England with diuers of Italy decreed against your second Nicene Councell commanding adoration and worshipping of Images what might a faithfull Christian of the West haue done was hee to obey the decree of Franck ford or not if you say yea then your Nicene Councell is condemned if not then alwaies the greatest multitude and the publike visible Pastors though assembled in Councell are not to be obeied which was then very great and conspicuous especially if you had adioyned their authorities with all those Prelates of the East Church who in diuers and suÌ„dry councels vnder Constantine the two Leos who had before condemned the adoration of Images you should haue found the same farre to haue surpassed that of your Tridentine Councell in Germany consisting for most part of your Titulary Italian Bishops In time of the b Coâ—cil Baâ—â— Sess 34. See the Epistle of the Fathers of the Councell of Basile to the Electors of the Empire Tom. 3. Constitutio Imperial pag. 456. Councell of Basile when Eugenius the 4. Pope was deposed and accused by that Councell and Felix elected in his roome by the Bishoppes of France Germany and England with diuers also of Italy and some also of Spaine tell mee were the secret Eugenians in those Kingdomes if there were any bound to follow the greatest multitude of Prelates beware you graunt it for it will not stand with the credite of your visible succession Doubtlesse the state of the Christian Church was such at that time that a Chrrstian was bound onely to adhere to the euerlasting and indeffectible head of his Church Christ Iesus and was no more bound to follow Felix then Eugenius with his councell at Florence the which Schismaticall councell to note by the way was the first that publikely decreed the number of seuen Sacraments and Purgatory fire as soundly and as catholikly as some few yeers after the Tridentine fathers assembled of a few French or Spanish but most Italian Bishops whereof also many were Titular onely and were made to fill vp the number decreed many heretical and most pernicious positions against the ancient and apostolike faith and it is no maruaile they did so egregiously erre for they were not to determine any thing which might displease Rome therefore so soone as some of them beganne to consult about reformation of the Court and Church of Rome with the Bishoppes thereof presently by a peremptory Placet of Pius the fourth the whole Councell was dissolued and their good intentions wholy frustrated they onely leauing behind them their subscriptions to their corrupt decrees which subscriptions notwithstaÌ„ding were neuer made so ful and perfect that the number of the Prelates subscribing hapned to bee one whole hundreth at c Concilium Trident editum a â—innio anie one of their sessions and generall subscriptions But to returne to my purpose if Saint Iohn in his Reuelation doe so clearely pronounce that the woman by whom the Church of Christ is described according to the exposition almost of all is to flee into the desert there to be nourished fauoured and protected by God per tempora tempus dimidium temporis for times for a time and for halfe a time by Apoc. 12. which flight is vnderstood the secretnesse hiddennesse and inuisibility of the true Church not only for three yeers and a halfe as all the Pontificians for most part eagerly doe contend but for some longer time sufficient for the accomplishment of all such things which haue beene foretold by the Prophets but because I would incline