Church of Rome depends upon the fantastick gloss of a Jesuit contradicting all Antiquity and inconsistent with it self And first it is against Antiquity because they cannot give one instance from ancient Interpreters Councils and Fathers giving this gloss upon those words of our Savior Upon this Rock I will build my Church neither was this gloss ever heard of or so much as dreamed of before the times of the Jesuits after the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome was openly assaulted Secondly this gloss is contradictory to it self By it Bellarmin intangles himself many ways and first he grants that all the Apostles were equally Rocks and Foundations with Peter if the word Foundation be taken in the first two senses But all the Fathers who expone the Apostles to be foundations and Peter among the rest did not so much as dream of any other way why Peter or they are called Foundations but only of the first two viz. in regard that they all alike founded Churches preaching that doctrine revealed unto them all alike immediatly from God and consequently foundation in Bellarmins third sense is a dream of his own by which he may well confirm his disciples he will never convert Proselytes but expose himself to the ludibrious taxings of his adversaries in making his own groundless fiction the main Basis of the supremacy of Peter consequently of the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome and consequently of the Religion of the Modern Church of Rome to which all must be conform under pain of damnation according to that new article coined by the Council of Trent adding to that Article of the Creed Catholick Church making it Catholick Roman Church Secondly we have shewed That this third way of Foundation is a fiction of Bellarmins not dreamed of by the Ancients which although it be sufficient to refute it yet it refutes it self by many contradictions And first of other Popish Doctors It gives unto all the Apostles plenitudinem potestatis plenitude of power in which it contradicts the Theologick Dictionary of Altenstaing approved by authority of the Church of Rome In which Dictionar Plenitudo potestatis is defined not only to be ordinis but also Jurisdictionis conferred by Christ only upon Peter and his Successors and that now formalitâ—â— subjective it is only in the Bishop of Rome which is expresly contradicted by Bellarmin who attributs it to all the Apostles pressed by the evident testimonies of those Fathers seeing the gloss of that Dictionar to be against all Antiquity Thirdly Though Bellarmin be more sound then the gloss of that Dictionar in attributing to all the Apostles that plenitâ—de of power yet he contradicts himself in giving to Peter a greater power then they had it fleeth the edge of the quickest reason to conceive any power greater then plenitude of power and therefore it is a flat contradiction to affirme that although all the Apostles have plenitude of power yet they depend upon Peter as their head which is as much to say as all the Apostles have that power then which none can have a greater and yet Peter hath a greater power then they Lastly Bellarmin affirms that Peter hath plenitude of power as ordinar Pastor the other Apostles as extraordinar and Legats to Peter in which he intangles himself in a twofold contradiction For to omit that distinction of ordinar and extraordinar Pastor amongst the Apostles is a fiction of his own the whole stream of Antiquity avowing all the Apostles to be extraordinar Pastors Peter as well as the rest First he makes the other Apostles above Peter since extraordinar Pastors are preferred to ordinar Pastors the Apostle Paul enumerating the hierarchy of the Church Ephes 4 puts extraordinar Pastors in the first place viz. Apostâ—es Prophets and Evangelists before Pastors and Doctors and so he contradicts himself in affirming that extraordinar Pastors depend upon Peter as their head whom he maketh ordinar Pastor Secondly He contradicts himself in making the other Apostles Legats to Peter and to omit he doth so without any ground having no authority but his own assertion he intangleth himself in his reason for he hath no other reason wherefore the other Apostles are Legats to Peter but only because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apostle in the original imports one who is sent in commission which is all one with a Legat. But Bellarmin will not deny that Peter in that sense is a Legat also because he is an Apostle and so Peter will be Legat to Peter which is perfect none-sense and contradiction Bellarmin borrowed this distinction of ordinar and extraordinar from Sanderus that famous English Jesuit who with his Country-man Stapleton invented more new distinctions to uphold the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome then all the Doctors of the Church beside Sanderus proves Peter to be ordinar and the other Apostles to be extraordinar lib. 6. cap. 9. of his Monarchy Thus Ordinar is called so from order but in order that is first which is most ancient since nothing can be first before that which is first but Peter was the first upon whom Christ promised to build his Church and to give him the power of the keys Ergo they were given to Peter alone For albeit afterwards they were given to all the Apostles yet Christ did not revock what he had given first to Peter and the fore Peter is ordinar Pastor and the other Apostles extraordinar But it is answered This argument of Sanderus presuppons many things as granted which are either uncertain or notoriously false Secondly albeit his suppositions were true they do not conclude his assertion that Peter is ordinar Pastor having Jurisdiction over the rest as extraordinar He who would see how that Sophistry of Sanderus is retexed at large let him read Chameir tom 2. lib. 11. cap. 6. num 27. to the end of the chapter the substance of which is this First He suppons that as Ordinar which is first that extraordinar which is last But ordinar is taken among Divines speaking of Church Officers for that Office which is perpetual extraordinar for that which is for a time So in in the Old Testament Priests and Levits were ordinar Prophets extraordinar Officers and under the New Testament Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and Doctors are ordinar Officers Apostles Evangelists extraordinar Secondly Though the distinction of Sanderus in that sense of ordinar and extraordinar were granted his assertion is uncertain yea rather notoriously false he suppons that Peter first obtained the power of binding loosing and feeding the Flock of Christ but that is uncertain for these words of Christ exhibit nothing to Peter for the present but only promise to give him that power of the Keys and to build his Church upon him neither was that promise made to Peter alone but to all the Apostles as partly hath been proved already but more fully shal be proved cap. 6. and 9. and therefore the supposition of Sanderus is uncertain and false
added to the Creed by the Council at Trent viz. That Communion with the Church of Rome in all her Tenets is absolutely necessary to salvation Let them study this one Controversie of the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome and it will resolve the question for if it be founded upon Scripture and Antiquity without all question Communion with the Church of Rome is necessar unto salvation and the Religion of Protestants is a new sprung up heresie since the Bishop of Rome in Cathedra and consequently in their opinion infallible pronounceth so On the contrary if the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome be a thing unknown to Scripture and Antiquity it is as certain that the Faith of the Modern Roman Church is a new devised cheat and idolatry That this followeth of necessity appears by the confession of Bellarmine himself in two expressions in the preface of those Books of his de pontifice Romano The first we now mentioned in which he calls that Controversie of the Popes supremacy a Debâ—te de summa rei Christianae That is whether the Christian Religion can subsist or not By Christian Religion no question he means the Faith of the modern Church of Rome and consequently he grants that they who call in question the Popes supremacy they question also the whole body of the Popish Religion And consequently still he must of necessity grant that if the Popes supremacy be destitute of Scripture and Antiquity the faith of the Modern Church of Rome falls with it and proves a new devised fiction His second expression is in those similitudes he useth to illustrat his assertion viz. He compares Religion without the Popes supremacy which in his opinion is that of the Modern Church of Rome to a House without a Foundation a Body without a Head Moon-shine without the Sun And since it is notorious that a house without a Foundation cannot stand that a Body without a Head cannot live that the Moon without light of the Sun must be obscured He must of necessity grant that the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome being refuted by Scripture and Antiquity the Faith and Religion of the Modern Church of Rome is warrantable by neither and consequently proves a new devised idolatrous cheat Thirdly it s a most pleasant contest what can be more pleasing then to consider the causes of any prodigious Monster how iâ— subsists and how it is destroyed how any illustrious cheat is contrived how it is maintained and how it is discovered But such a Monster such a Cheat as the Bishop of Rome none free of prejudice can behold without admiration The whole world sees a person now ignorant then flagitious not seldome both put by two or three Italians of the same mettal in the Chair of Rome which Preferment he obtains sometimes by blood sometimes by simonie sometimes by unlawful stipulations as to protect Heresie and to oppress the Catholick Faith not seldome by a paction with the Devil all which wayes of obtaining the Chair of Rome are confessed by Popish Writers such as Platina and Baronius as shall be proved in the following Dispute Which Homuncio is no sooner installed then he is metamorphosed to be direct Monarch of the whole World both in Spirituals and Temporals And first for Temporals it shall be proved in the following Dispute that he assumes to himself in his Bulls power of transferring Kingdoms at his pleasure of stirring up Subjects to Armes against their natural Princes under the pain of Excommunication It shall be proved that he makes Emperours and Kings lye prostrate till he trade upon their neck makes them stand bare-footed with their Wives and Children in frost and snow dancing attendants at his Gates and yet not not admitted entrance It shall be proved that he makes Laws in that Book entituled Sacred Ceremonies that Emperors and Kings should hold his Stirrup hold water to his Hands serve dishes at his Table carry him on their shoulders Yea it shall be proved that it is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome That all Kings are not only the Popes Vassals but which is more he is not oblieged by any mutual ontract to suffer them to possess their Kingdoms but during his pleasure that is he may lawfully depose them although they miscarry not in the least In which he doth tâ—em no wrong because they hold their Kingdoms â—f him not as Vassals but as depositars as when any gives to another his Cloak to keep when he re-demands it he doth him no wrong As for his power which he assumes to himself in Spirituals it cannot be repeated without horrour It shall be proved in the following Dispute that it is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome partly in the Canon Law partly in the Bulls of Popes themselves partly in Books printed by the Popes Authority and affirmed by his Vâ—sitors to contain nothing contrary to the Catholick Faith That the Pope has power to coyn Articles of Faith at his pleasure oblieging the whole Church under the pain of damnation although he command vice and forbid vertue Secondly although he should lead all the world to hell with him yet none should presume to disobey him Thirdly that he gives pardon for sin for money and not only of sins by-past but also of those to come that is for a little money he will give you pardon for a little time but for a round sum he will give you pardon so long as you please Fourthly it shall be proved that for money he permits men to sin that is permits Clergy-men to keep Whoores And if any keep not a Whoor he makes them pay for it in some places of Italy nevertheless because they have liberty to keep a Whoor if they please Cornelius Agrippa affirms he heard such expressions as these following in the Popes Court Habeat aut non habeat Meretricem Aureum solvat quia habet si velit That is Whether a Priest keep a Whoor or not let him pay the Tribute since he may keep one if he please for such a peece of money Fifthly he makes his decretal Epistles of equal authority with the Scripture Lastly as he intended a gigantomachy he is called in the Canon Law revised and authorised by Gregory 13. Our Lord God the Pope It is affirmed in the said Law that he has power to make injustice justice and contra that he has power to command the Angels to carry souls to Heaven at his pleasure that he has power to give liberty to men to place the departed Souls of their friends in paradise for money that by vertue of his succession to Peter he is assumed to the society of the individual Trinity he not only hears patiently but also rewards flatterers when their blasphemous Pamphlets prefer him to Christ as appears in Innocent 10. which passage shall be realated part 1. lib. 1. cap. 11 of this following Treatise My Lords and Gentlemen any would think these horrible passages incredible but have patience till
Thirdly Albeit his supposition were true it is inconsequent and proves nothing for albeit our Savior had exhibited first to Peter the performance of those promises or the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven it doth not follow that Peter was ordinar head and Pastor of the other Apostles having Jurisdiction over them and that they were extraordinar depending upon Peter as their head as is declared by this similitude a Colledge of Judges consisting of such a number have afterwards more added to their number it doth not follow that those who were first constituted are ordinar Judges and the others extraordinar much less that those who were first constituted have Jurisdiction over those who were last which is most evident in the common wealth of the Romans in which at first there were only four Pontifices but that number was after doubled at first only a hundreth Senators under the Kings but that number was tripled by Brutus and augmented almost infinitly by Emperors At first there was only one Praetor next two one for the City an other for Strangers Lastly every Province had a Praetor But none will deny that those Pontifices Senators Pretors had as much power as those who were first constitut And this much of those Fathers interpreting the Rock to be Peter CHAP. VII Tu es Petrus Disputed from the Testimonies of Popish Doctors and Pops themselves IN the former chapters we have disputed Tu es Petrus the principal foundation of the supremacy of Peter of the Bishop of Rome and Faith of the Modern Roman Church by reason antiquity of which our adversaries brag so much especially of antiquity Now we will examine the exposition of those words by the testimonies of Pops and Popish Doctors interpreting that promise of Christ Upon this Rock I will build my Church So that by Rock is not meaned Peter at all or at least Peter alone by which two things will appear that the exposition of those words super hanc Petram approved by the Modern Church of Rome as an article of Faith is against all Antiquity and a new devised cheat of late to establish the Supremacy of Peter the Bishop of Rome necessar communion with that Church by an implicit faith as articles of the Creed necessar unto Salvation The second thing that will appear is this they brag much of Unity and Concord among themselves but it will appear by this chapter that there is no greater discord in hell then is among those of the Church of Rome taxing one another of madness and heresie in the interpretation of those words Upon this Rock I will build my Church which words are the principal if not the only foundation of the Modern Roman Faith and it is to be observed that those who interpret the Rock to be Peter only and tax others of their own profession of her sie are but of yesterday in comparison of the others who deny it and since those others who deny it are also but of yesterday in comparison of Antiquity it is evident that this interpretation of Peters alone being the Rock is a new devised cheat to establish the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome not known to the Ancients We shewed in the former chapters that some of the Fathers interpreted the Rock to be Christ cap 4. Others the faith of Peter cap. 5. and those who interpreted the Rock to be Peter meaned nothing less then he was the only Rock and in these words ordained Oecumenick Bishop We will distinguish the testimonies of those following Pops and Popish Doctors in three Classes accordingly the first is of those intepreting the Rock to be Christ The second of those interpreting it the confession of Peter The third of those denying Peter to be the only Rock of which in order The testimonies of the first class are those following Gregorius Bishop of Rome in Job lib. 31. cap. 19. in sacro eloquio cum singulari numero Petra nominatur quis alius quà m Christus accipitur Paulo attestante qui ait Petra erat Christus This testimony of a Bishop of Rome and a Saint in the Roman Calendar is unanswerable proving that in his time the Rock was expounded not to be Peter but Christ alone which he not only affirms but proves by this reason viz. when ever Rock is mentioned in Scripture in the singular number none other is to be understood but Christ and whereas those Sophisters object that Gregorius is not speaking of those words of Christ Upon this Rock I will build my Church because he proves it by the words of Paul the Rock was Christ who is speaking of that Rock from which Moses made water issue It is answered Albeit that be true that Paul is only speaking of that Rock yet it is false that Gregory speaks only of that Rock his words are where ever in Scripture Rock is mentioned in the singular number it signifieth none but Christ But in these words of our Savior Upon this Rock I will build my Church Rock is mentioned in the singular number Ergo according to Gregorius the Rock in these words is only Christ and not Peter at all The second testimony is of Anselmus who lived in the 12. Century who writing upon these words speaks as followeth Super hanc Petram id est Super me aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Quasi dicat si◠es Petrus à me Petra ut tamen mihi reservetur fundamenti dignitas Sed tu cui ego amatori confessori me◠Participium mei nominis dedi Super me fundamentum mundos lapides ordinabis This testimony is also most evident in which Christ is expresly interpreted to be the Rock and Peter denyed to be the Rock All which is given to Peter is to build the faithful upon Christ as the Rock viz. by preaching and sealing the Gospel with his blood as was shewed before Lyranus upon the same words Et super hanc Petram quam consessus es id est super Christum In which words he expresly interprets the Rock to be Christ He lived anno 1320. whereby it appears it was no article of Faith in his dayes to interpret the Rock to be Peter The Interlinear Gloss upon Matthew 16. 18. Petram id est Christum in quem credis That is by Rock is meaned Christ in whom Peter believed but this Gloss was approved by the whole Church Ioannes Arboreus Theosoph lib. 5. cap. 5. Ecclesia fundata est super Petram non super Petrum The Church is built upon the Rock and not upon Peter Petrus de Alliaco Cardinalis in Recommend sacrae Scripturae he lived anno 1400. his testimony in the said place is this Non videtur quod in Petra Petrus sed in Petra Christus sit intelligendus de quo agit Apostolus Petra autem rrat Christus It is not like that the Church is founded upon the Rock Peter but upon the Rock Christ as the Rock is taken by the Apostle Paul when he affirmeth the
Colledge of Cardinals for election of the Pope which manner of election was utterly unknown to the Ancients the first Pope who ordained this Colledge of Cardinals was Nicolaus 2d who lived anno 1060. which manner of Election continueth unto this day The said Hildebrand becoming afterwards Pope took upon him to depose Emperors Anno 1074. he deposed Henry 4th Emperour and gave the Empire to Rodolphus because Henry would not renunce the investiture of Bishops this Hildebrand raised many broils and troubles and was believed by many learned men of the Church of Rome who lived about that time to be Antichrist his Successors especially after the times of the Jesuits still augmented that Doctrine of deposing Kings by the Pope and it is now defended not only in Books printed by the Popes Authority and by all the Canonists but also assumed by Popes unto themselves in their Bulls as appears by those Bulls of Gregory 7th against Henry 4th Emperor of Alexander 3d. against Frederick the Emperor of Boniface 8th against Philip King of France of Julius second against Lewis twelfth King of France and against the King of Navarre of Paul third against Henry 8th King of England of Pius 4th against Queen Elizabeth of Sixtus 5th against Henry 3d. and 4th Kings of France When Phocas by Edict made Bonifacius 3d. Bishop of Rome universal Bishop the thing he gave him was little better then a bare Title We have shewed two steps by which the Bishops of Rome advanced the first is his freeing himself from the election of the Emperor the second his assuming to himself power of deposing Kings and Emperors the third step after Phocas was assuming to himself authority of convocating General Councils of presiding in them of confirming and infirming them We do not read that any Pope assumed that power to himself the first nine hundered years after Christ It is evident by History that during the time of the first eight general Councils the Bishops of Rome had no such power since it appears they were all convocated by the Emperor that others beside the Bishop of Rome presided in many of them and the Emperor confirmed them all What Pope first assumed to himself that power we find not expresly before the time of Innocent 3d. in the Council of Lateran anno 1210. since which time the succeeding Popes constantly took upon them to convocat general Councils to preside in them and to confirm them The fourth step of the Bishop of Rome after Phocas is his Infallibity which was first conferred upon him by the Council of Florence anno 1439. and afterward confirmed and taught by the Jesuites and Canonists it being held as ane article of Faith in the Church of Rome that the Pope in Cathedra or teaching the whole Church cannot err yea some of them maintain as Albertus Pighius and others that the Pope cannot be an heretick which Bellarmine calls a pious opinion but your Lordships will find it proved part third lib. 2. that innumerable Popes have not only been hereticks and so declared by other Popes and general Councils but also that they have taught heresie and have been condemned by general Councils for teaching heresie as Pope Honorius was condemned by three successive general Councils the sixth seventh and eight and of late Pope Engenius by the Councills of Basill By whence it appears that this Doctrine of the Popes infallibility is not only heresie but madness fighting against common sense reason and the light of all History Any would think that the Bishop of Rome could mount no higher since already he is Monarch of the whole World both in Sprituals and Temporals We have seen him hitherto taking upon him power of deposing Kings and Emperours of transferring Kingdomes at his pleasure of coyning Articles of Faith under the notion of infallibility oblieging the whole Church yet in the last place your Lordships will find him in the fourth part of this Disput sitting in the temple of God adorned with all the marks of Antichrist intending a gigantomachy as if the intended to pull God out of the Heavens taking upon him not only to equal his decretal Epistles to holy Scripture but also to prefer them unto it in several of them decerning against the Law of God openly avowing he has power so to do injoyning it to the whole Church to be believed under pain of heresie that he hath such power Your Lordships will find that in the Canon Law he is called Dominus Deus noster Papa our Lord God the Pope that he takes upon him not only to pardon sins for money both by-past and to come but also for a peice of money to suffer the Clergy to wallow in whoredome albeit against all pure Antiquity he expresly inhibits them marriage Your Lordships will find it proved that in the said Canon Law he affirms himself by reason of his succession to Peter to be assumed to the society of the individual Trinity that for money he will command the Angels to take souls out of purgatory and place them straight in Paradise And in a word your Lordships will find him that man of sin described by the Apostle sitting in the Temple of God exalting himself above all that are called God caling himself God teaching the doctrine of devils forbidding meats forbidding marriage making the Kings of the earth drunk with his abominations corrupting all the Articles of the Christian Faith taking from them adding to them at his pleasure and as he groweth in power depravation of Religion encreaseth with it following the increments of his authority as the motion of the Sea depends upon the Moon In purer Antiquity when there was no evidence of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome at all there was no corruption in Doctrine Religion was unspotted but when the Bishop of Rome enriched by the liberality of the Emperours became proud and aimed to usurp over the Church corruption in Doctrine encreased apace with their increments of power Consult History and your Lordships will find at every step of the Popes advancement in power a depravation in Doctrine accompanying it your Lordships will likewayes find it proved part fourth lib. 2. that the Doctrine of the modern Church of Rome is nothing else but a masse of depravations corruptions heresies brought in by Bishops of Rome as they advanced in authority the Doctrine of the first six Centuries being quite extinct Notwithstanding all the braggings of our adversaries of their Antiquity your Lordships will find in the first six hundred years after Christ that the Doctrine now professed by the modern Church of Rome was altogether unknown and had not a beeing or if any of their modern Tenets were mentioned by the Writers in those times it was with detestation under the notion of Heresie and opposed by the whole Church If your Lordships think this incredible ye will find it proved part 4. lib. 2. Of this treatise by an induction of all those Tenets which the Church
Church of Rome had not a beeing the first six hundred years after Christ that it had some notable beginning about that time when Bonifacius 3d. was made first universal Bishop and encreased afterwards as the power of the Bishop of Rome encreased the one following the other as the motion of the Sea follows the Moon that many of the most substantial points of the modern Roman Faith were never generally established before the cape-stone of the Popes power was laid at the Councils of Florence and Trent at which two Councils many Tenets were established with an anathema as Articles of Faith believed to be so many paradoxes by the most learned men in the Church of Rome who lived in those times who spared not to exclaim against the fraudulent proceeding of the Pope who carried all by plurality of voices in these two Councils 1. By multitude of Italian Bishops 2. By titular Bishops that is Bishops having imaginary Titles in the East as Jerusalem Antioch c. Which Bishops he created purposely that by the number of their voices and of the Italian Bishops he might bear down in these two Councils the voices of the Bishops of Germany Spain and France The third Cheat in that mark of succession is that they make ignorants believe that all those Bishops were lawfully elected but it shall be proved in the following Disput that some were elected by Blood others by Simony others by unlawful Stipulations and Pre-contracts to establish Heresie in the Church and to condemn the Oâ—thodox Doctrine as heretical others of them by a paction with the Devil yea it shall be proved by the most eminent Antiquaries of the Church of Rome it self that since Nicolaus secundus who lived in the eleventh Century there has not been one Bishop of Rome elected according to the Law of God and Constitutions of the primitive Church and that their manner of election at this day is so detestable that none can hear of it without horror The fouâ—th Cheat in that mark of succession is this we have redacted that succession to a number of persons of unequal power contrary Doctrine unlawfully elected now rests a bare personal succession in which there is a notable Cheat also because they obtrude for the true Successor persons that are not capable by their own principles of the Function as appears by three unanswerable reasons The first is a woman was Pope for several years together and whereas Bellarmine and Baronius affirms it was a fiction it is answered since those Historians who relate it for a truth lived in tâ—ose very times in which it fell out or at least very near them and since those who call it a fable lived long after and are but of yeaster-day in respect of those who affirm it to be of a truth no judicious Reader needs to be puzled much which party to believe since those who called it a truth professed themselves to be as obedient Sons to the Church of Rome as those who call it a fable The second reason against the continuity of that personal succession is this the Chair of Rome hath been for several years empty and without a Bishop and whereas they affirm that the power then of the Bishop is in the Cardinals it shall be proved by their own Learned Antiquaries that the modern power of those Cardinals was a thing unkown to the Ancients and to be nothing else but a new devised Cheat. The third reason against that personal succession is this it is known to all who are versed in History that many Popes have been at one time and the subtillest Wits amongst them could never yet decern which was the true Successor and which not one part of the Church adhering to the one another to the other another to the third Pope As happened in the time of the Council of Constance anno 1416. at which time there were three Popes It is certain one of them could be only the true Pope and yet all of them created Cardinals some of which not only created other Popes afterwards but also became Popes themselves but those Cardinals who received orders from the false Popes are by their own Principles incapable of electing Popes much more of being Popes themselves It must of necessity follow that many Popes have been at innumerable times Bishops of Rome not lawful which quite destroyes that personal succession They are pressed with the same difficulty in the case of Simony It is granted by themselves that many Bishops of Rome have obtained that Chair by Simony It is granted also by them that those are not lawful Popes that those ordained by them are incapable of Orders It is confessed by them also that several Popes obtaining the Chair by Simony have created Cardinals which elected other Popes and some of them also became Popes themselves which quite destroyeth that uninterrupted personal succession as they cannot deny And this much of that first mark of the true Church pretended by the Romanists to prove the Church of Rome to be the true Church viz. succession of Bishops The second mark is Antiquity of which they brag very much but have very little reason Cicero lib. 2. de Orator relates a passage between Crassus that famous Orator and one Silus who accused another person before the Senate for uttering some dangerous expressions Crassus defends him thus It may be saith he that he spake these words in passion Silus granted it might be Crassus urgeth the second time It may be you understood not what he said Silus seemed not averse to that neither Crassus goeth on the third time It may be saith he that ye affirm that ye heard him utter these speeches whereas ye heard no such thing at all at which Silus was confounded and replyed nothing at all then all the company fell a laughing Those instances of Crassus against Silus may fitly be urged against our Adversaries of the Church of Rome bragging of the testimonies of Antiquity that is of Councils and Fathers His first instance was that the person accused by Silus perhaps was in passion but it is known and shall be proved that those of the Church of Rome are seconded by no testimonies of Antiquity at all but either they are of Bishops of Rome themselves or else of their flatterers But Aeneas Silvius afterwards Pope himself under the name of Pâ—us 2d in his Commentaries upon the Council of Basile hath these following expressions against such testimonies his words are Nec considerant miseri quae tantopere jactant verba aut ipsorum summorum pontificum sunt fimbrias suas extendentâ—um aut eorum qui iis adulabantur that is Neither do these miserable men consider that those testimonies of which they brag are either of Bishops of Rome themselves enlarging their own Authority or else of those who are their flatterers Now to the application Crassus reasoned that a testimony spoken in passion should not be regarded but who will deny those testimonies of Bishops of
of Rome in power encreased not only corruption in Doctrine but also in manners encreased with it And after the Bishop of Rome was made universal Bishop nothing could be added to the wickedness of the Clergy The complaints of Bernardus Picus Merandula are notorious and innumerable others The corruptions of the Clergy moved them not onely to call Rome Babylon but also consequently and not obscurely the Bishop of Rome Antichrist and yet both of them professed themselves obedient Sons to the Church of Rome In a word since the times of Cyprian no brave man lived in any Age unto this day who did not complain of the corruption of the Roman Clergy and so heir Clergy cannot be their Saints Secondly if they have little reason to brag of their Clergy they have far lesse reason to brag of the sanctity of their Popes Baronius Platina and Onuphrius ingenuously confesse that the World never produced such Monsters for murtherers Impoysoners Adulterers Symoniacks Witches yea and Hereticks who but a mad man will affirm that such persons cannot erre teaching the Church Surely Pighius was out of his witts teaching that a Pope could not be an Heretick and Bellarmine no less for calling that opinion of Pighius a pious opinion their feaver now is turned to a Phrensie the Author of that Book entituled Cardinalismo conscious to all the Caball of the Roman Clergy affirms that now they begin to teach at Rome that a Pope cannot be a reprobat which at last will turn to an Article of Faith as well as infallibility But because corruption of lives of the Clergy doth not of necessity infer a false Church We do not affirm that the wickedness of their Clergy or their Popes proves them Idolaters in Doctrine we only affirm that they have no reason to brag of either of them as Saints to prove the Church of Rome to be the true Church And although they were so it is no infallible mark for it may be affirmed that the holyest of them all comes short of Novatus Donatus and other ancient Hereticks or of Tertullian when he was a Montanist We only ask of them where those Saints are to be found of which they brag so much if they be neither their Clergy nor their Popes They will answer they mean those persons canonized by the Pope and placed in their Calander But we reply they cheat egregiously first it is reported of a certain mad-man in Athens who imagined that all the Ships which came into the Harbour were his own so they when they hear of any promises made to the Church they imagine they are all made to the modern Church of Rome and when they hear of any Saints and Martyrs they believe they all professed the Doctrine of the Church of Rome In reason they can brag of no Saints but those who lived after the beginning of the seventh Century the Saints of the first six Centuries were not of their Church at all for it shall be proved part 4. lib. 2. that the Saints Fathers and Martyrs of the first six Centuries condemn all the Tenets of the Church of Rome of any moment which they hold contrary to Protestants as heretical and are in right down terms Protestants yea it shall be proved by testimonies of their own Doctors that many of these most eminent Saints died excommunicated by the Church of Rome for resisting the pride of that Church as Saint Polycarpus and all the Bishops of Asia in the time of Victor anno 195. Saint Cyprian and all the Churches of Africk in the time of Stephanus Bishop of Rome about anno 256. Saint Aurelius and Saint Augustine and all the Bishops of Africk in the times of Sozimus Bonifacius and Celestinus Bishops of Rome in the beginning of the fifth Age. Secondly as for those Saints since the beginning of the seventh Century it is answered first that albeit the Clergy of Rome call them Saints yet they thought the said Clergy no Saints such as Saint Bernard and others who most bitterly inveigh against the corruption of the Roman Church Saint Bernard expresly calls Rome a den of theeves and Babylon mentioned by John in the Apocalyps 2. How many of these modern Saints have been proved cheats It shall be proved by testimonies of their own Doctors part 3. lib. 2. that the Pope hath no power to canonize Saints and that the most part of their Saints are vile Impostors devised by Priests to cheat the ignorant people of their money and to make them offer oblations at their shrines It were prolix in this Preface to insert the particulars but that Impostur of Saints in many examples shall be made unanswerably appear part 4. lib. 2. And this much of Saints the seventh mark of the Roman Church The last mark is Miracles the Scripture informs us that Antichrist shall deceive all the world by false miracles It shall be proved likewayes part 4. lib. 2. by the testimony of the most learned Popish Doctors that Miracles are no true marks of the true Church in these last times but rather marks of the Antichristian Church 2. It shall be proved by the testimonies of the same men that most of the late miracles pretended by the Church of Rome and the most notable ones are meet Imposturs which we shall instance in the forementioned place And whereas they object we have no miracles in our Church it is false our Doctrine was confirmed by the miracles performed by Christ and his Apostles neither need we any other miracles since we profess the same Doctrine And this much of those marks of the true Church pretended by the Mannual of Controversies to prove that the Church of Rome was such to refute which is my first scope and intention in this following Disput The second scope of the said Manual of Controversies was to perswade the Proselyts of this Nation that it was not the Doctrine of the Church of Rome that the Pope had power to depose Kings either Popish or Protestant but only of some particular persons whom they called the Popes flatterers and therefore my second intention is to prove that the said Author is either ignorant in the Principles of his own Religion or else he is like Father Cotton the Jesuit who being demanded if he believed the Pope had power to depose Kings answered He did not believe it in France but if he were at Rome he would That this King-deposing doctrine is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is proved by three reasons which will puzle the said Author very sore to answer The first is this innumerable Books are printed asserting so much the names of the Authors shall be cited afterwards some of which Books are dedicated to Cardinals some to the Pope himself but those Books are authorized by those who have authority from the Pope to peruse Books before they go to the Press with an Imprimatur and a Declaration that they contain nothing contrary to the Catholick Doctrine But who but a
article of Faith as appears by those eight general Councils that Peter was ordained Monarch of the Church in those words Tu es Petrus The truth is it was invented First by Leo after the Council of Chalcedon when the contention arose between the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople for the Primacy it was still made use of by the Bishops of Rome after that pleading for the Primacy but it appears by the 3â— Epistle of Gregory that he made use of it only for cuâ—a universalis Ecclesiae and not for Jurisdiction for he expresly thunders against one visible head of of the Church amongst other reasons he hath this for one Although Peter had the care of the whole Church committed into him yet was he not universal Apostle And thus we have reasoned Tu es Petrus from Scripture Reason and General Councils Now let us hear the opinion of the Fathers CHAP. IV. Of the Fathâ—rs interpreting the Rock to be CHRIST THeir impudence in objecting the Fathers is yet greater All the Fathers say they interpret the Rock to be Peter Augustinus only excepted deceived by his ignorance in the Syriack tongue So objects â—ansenius Gregorious de Valentia Agricola Stapleton but most of all Bozius de signis lib. 18. cap. 1. But it is answered It is notoriously false that all the Fathers call Peter the Rock upon which the Church is built because many of the Fathers call Christ the Rock as shal be proved in this 4. chapter Others of them interpret the Rock to be the confession of Peter thou art the Son of the living God as shal be proved chap. 5. Others of them again who interpret the Rock to be Peter means nothing less then that Peter was was ordained Oecumenick Bishop by Christ in those words Tu es Petrus as shal be proved chap. 6. And first of those Fathers interpreting the Rock to be Christ Tertullianus against Martian lib. 4. cap. 13. Where telling a reason wherefore the name of Peter was changed from Simon to Peter gives this reason Quia Petra lapis erat Christus because the Rock was Christ Hilarius de Trinitate lib. 2. Unum igitur hoc est immobile fundamentum una haec est felix fidei Petra Petri ore confessa Filius Dei vivi The sum is Christ confessed by the mouth of Peter is the only Rock Ambrosius Sermon 84. Discoursing of the change of Peters name Rectè igitur qui à Petra Christo Simon nuncupatus est Petrus ut qui cum Domino fidei soeietatem habebat cum Domino haberet nominis Dominici unitatem ut sicut à Christo Christianus dicitur Ita à Petra Christo Petrus Apostolus vocaretur This testimony is very evident and jumps in every thing with the exposition of Protestants shewing that Peter is not the Rock but only Christ Peter is called Petrus Rocky from Christ Petra or the Rock Gregorius Nyssenus in the last chapter of his testimonies against the Jews Dominus est Petra fidei tanquam fundamentum ut ipse Dominus ait ad Principem Apostolorum Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam In which words Christ is expresly called the Rock upon which the Church is built Theodoretus upon Psalm 47. Petra angularis est Christus ipse Dominus beato Petro inquit Et super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam portae inferi non prevalebunt adversus eam The Rock is Christ upon which the Church is built c. And the same Author on 1. Cor. cap. 3. Christus est fundamentum Christ is the Rock Gregory Bishop of Rome himself in Job lib. 13. cap. 19. in Sacro eloquio Cum singulard numero Petra nominatur quis alius quam Christus accipitur Paulo attestante qui ait Petra erat Christâ—s This testimony is evident of a Bishop of Rome himself cannonized as a Saint in the Roman Church giving a general rule of interpreting the word Rock viz. When Petra or Rock or foundation is mentioned in Scripture in the singular number none but Christ is understood Hieronymus on Matthew 7. Super hanc Petram Dominus fundavit Ecclesiam ab hac Petra Apostolus Petrus sortitus est nomen By which words it appears that Christ is the Rock from whom Peter had his name and not Peter himself which will be further cleared by the next testimony Augustinus Sermo 13. de verbis Domini secundum Mattheum Simon quippe ante vocabatur hoc autem nomen ei ut Petrus vocetur à Domino impositum est hoc ut ea figura significareâ— Ecclesiam quia enim Christus Petra Petrus populus Christianus Petra enim principale nomen est ideo Petrus à Petra non Petra à Petro quomodo non à Christiano Christus sed à Christo Christianus vocatur Who before was called Simon was after called Peter Our Savior calls him so to signifie the Church by that figure Because Christ is the Rock Peter is the Christian People c. Other testimonies might be alledged out of Augustinus but it is needless to mention them since it is confessed by our adversaries that Augustinus interprets the Rock to be Christ because he was ignorant of the Syriack tongue As if those other Fathers especially Hieronymus most skilful of the Oriental Languages were ignorant also of the Syriack tongue And thus much of those Fathers interpreting the Rock to be Christ by which it appears how impudent an assertion it was of Bozius Ianseuius De Valentie Agricola Stapleton and others affirming all the Fathers Augustinus only excepted unanimously interprets the Rock to be Peter The falshood of their assertion being discovered they fall next to Sophistry to defend their lying And first they fall upon Augustinus taxing him of ignorance of the Syriack tongue for interpreting the Rock to be Christ But it is answered First the testimonies of those other Fathers denying Peter to be the Rock especially of Hieronymus are no lesse evident then the testimonies of Augustinus But it were impudence in them to object ignorance of the Syriack tongue to Hieronymus who was known to be most skilful in it Secondly their Sophistry is very great they object ignorance to Augustinus of the Syrian tongue for denying the Rock to be Peter following the penner of Matthew in Greek whose version was followed by the whole Church as authentick defends the ignorance of supposititious Authors such as Anacletus Optatus Melevitanus Isidorus such like who interpret Cephas which signifyeth a great stone in the Syrian tongue a head to prove the supremacy of Peter because of the affinity it hath in its initial Letters with the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cephale or head So Turrianus and Baronius Anno 31. defends those ignorants viz. Because it makes for the Popes supremacy and blames Augustinus as ignorant for no other reason then because his interpretation crosseth it As for those other Fathers beside Augustinus some of them taxeth them also
in the Monarchie of the Church the Mountains have brought forth a Mouse viz. he brings nothing but perverted Testimonies of the Ancients falsly translated and many of them forged others mutilated as shall appear in this and the next two following Books where also it shall be proved by the Testimonies of those same Councells and Fathers pretended by him that the succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter in the Monarchie of the Church is a meer fiction not known to the Ancients of the first six Centuries It s true indeed that some ambitious Bishops of Rome contending with the Bishops of Constantinople for the Primacy which contention did begin after the Council of Chalcedon Anno 453. invented this fiction of the succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter But that it was a new invented fiction appears by two reasons The first is because the Council of Chalcedon Canon 28 made the Bishop of Constantinople equal in Jurisdiction to the Bishop of Rome It s true indeed the said Council gave the first place in dignity to the Bishop to Rome but it appears expresly by the words of the Canon that it was not by any reason of succession to Peter but only because Rome was the chief imperial City the words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because Rome was the imperial City where it is to be observed that Aetius for the Bishop of Constantinople and Paschasinus for the Bishop of Rome had pleaded with great animosity for the Primacy before the said Council both alledging the sixth Canon of the Council of Neice Paschasinus not mentioning Tu es Petrus at all in the end the Council having heard them both at length pronounced in favour of the Bishop of Constantinople interpreting the sixth Canon of the Council of Neice as making all the Patriarchs equal in Jurisdiction with the Bishop of Rome after which Decree of the Council the following Bishops of Rome devised Tu es Petrus pleading for the Primacy The second reason is that in the latter end of the sixth Century Pelagius Secundus and Gregorius Primus Bishops of Rome pleaded with great animosity against a visible Head of the Church as Derogatory to Christ and Gregorius amongst other reasons useth this for one that Peter was not universal Apostle or visible head of the Church Epistola 32. but more of that hereafter Since then before the latter end of the fifth Age never any Bishop of Rome pleaded the succession by Peter unto the Monarchie of the Church and since Gregorius in the beginning of the seventh Age expresly disputed against it it is evident that the succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter is a new devised fiction yea it shall be proved lib. 5. that the said succession to Peter was held no article of Faith in the Church of Rome before the eleventh Age and not then neither without great contention Bellarmin's fourth observation is this That the universal Bishoprick and the Bishoprick of Rome are not two Bishopricks nisi potentia and therefore they are but one Bishoprick wherein he expresly contradicts himself he said before that the succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter in the Monarchie of the Church was Jure divino but as he was Bishop of Rome it was not Jure divino now he makes them one Bishoprick but how can that consist since he had made them before two whereof the one was Jure divino and the other not Secondly Bellarmine may be asked Whether the Pope be Bishop of Rome because he is universal Bishop or if he be universal Bishop because he is Bishop of Rome one of the two must of necessity follow since they are on Bishoprick in effect and distinct only potentia if he affirm he is Bishop of Rome because he is universal Bishop then it followeth that Peter had been Bishop of Rome although he had never been at Rome and consequently he was Bishop of Rome when he was Bishop of Antioch If he affirm he is universal Bishop because he is Bishop of Rome it follows he is universal Bishop because he is a particular Bishop which is against nature and reason And this much of the stating of the question Bellarmine having stated the question falls a disputing and it appears by his first Argument more distinctly what he means which Oedipus himself could not gather from his stating of the question his Argument is this One or other of necessity beloved to succeed to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church Jure divino but no other but the Bishop of Rome could succeed to him Ergo the Bishop of Rome succeeded to him That one or other behoved to succeed to Peter he proves by six reasons which in effect is the sum and repetition of all those two prolix disputs of his that the Government of the Church is Jure divino Monarchicall and that Peter was the said Monarch His first reason â—s Because the Church is the end of a Bishoprick since the Church is one therefore there must be one Bishop in the Church But it is answered Christ is that one Bishop that the Church should have any other Bishop under Christ as a visible head Bellarmine suppones falsly it s a sort of disputing called Petitio principii where the thing is taken as granted which is the state of the question His second reason is That in the times of the Apostles the Church had a visible head under Christ But the Government of the Church is ever the same But it s answered it is false that in the times of the Apostles the Church had a visible head as was prolixly proved lib. 1. His third reason is of the same mettal Joh. 21. 15. Christ saith to Peter Pasce oves meas Feed my Sheep But it is answered that passage was prolixly answered before His fourth reason is by feeding of the sheep of Christ is meaned feeding of all the Sheep of Christ which none but one visible Head could do But that objection was also answered before lib. 1. His fifth reason is from 1 Cor. 12. â—1 The head cannot say unto the feet I have no need of you From which place he reasons thus The Church saith he is compared to a humane Body with a Head here the Head is brought in speaking to the Members that it cannot say I have no need oâ— you Or which is all one this Head of the Church hath need of the Members but this must be another Head then Christ because Christ hath no need of the Members But it is answered this is a flat abusing of Scripture the scope of the Apostle in that place is to show that although some in the Church have more excellent Gifts then others yet the fellowship and endeavours of those of mean Gifts is necessar for the edification of the Church which he proves by a similitude taken from a humane Body where some Members are more noble as the Head some less as the Feet And saith he as
lived is uncertain Ignatius in his Epâ—stle to the Trallians hath these words What is a Bishop but he who goeth beyond all command and power who commands all as far as a man can command In which words he expresly affirms that there is no Office of the Church above that of a Bishop for if a Bishop have supream command as he expresly affirms he can be commanded by no superior Church-ruler as Metropolitan Patriarch or oecumenick Bishop The Testimony of Dionysius is taken from his 8. Epistle his words are these in substance Every man should strive to live blamelesly if he do not the Priest should take a course with him if the Priest deborde he should be judged by his Bishop if the Bishop do amiss he should be judged by the successors of the Apostles if those again do amiss they should be judged by those of the same order and degree In which words he quite excludes one visible Head over all and consequently it appears that in his dayes the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome was not believed as an article of Faith in the Church since he affirms that many hold the chief place of the Hierarchy whereof any should be judged by the rest and not all by one visible Head or by the Bishop of Rome What he means by Successors to the Apostles whom he places above Bishops none can tell except he mean Metropolitans and Patriarchs if he do its evident he lived after the times of Cyprian because in the dayes of Cyprian and before there was no Office in the Church above that of a Bishop as appears first by that passage of Ignatius in his Epistle to the Trallians now cited Secondly it appears by the Epistle of the said Ignatius written to the Magnesians in the which Epistle he comprehends all Church-rulers under Bishops and Presbyters where he affirms that Bishops have the cheif place loco Dei in place of God Presbyters have the next place concessus Apostolici loco that is they represent the Council of the Apostles the last place he gives the Deacons to whom the Ministery of Christ is committed Thirdly that no Office was in the Church above that of a Bishop before the times of Cyprian nor in his time appears by those two following most notable passages of Cyprian the one in his Books de unitate Ecclesiae lib. 4. Epist 9. the other from his Oration to the Council of Carthage of which two passages in order CHAP. VII Explication of that place of Cyprian De unitate Ecclesiae THe words of Cyprian are Unus Episcopatus est cujus à singulis pars in solidum tenetur that is There is one Bishoprick of which every Bishop hath alike full share by which passage of Cyprian it not only appears that the Bishop of Rome in his dayes was not believed to be visible Head of the Church but also that there was no Office in the Church above that of a Bishop since every Bishop had alike full share of that one Bishoprick which could not be if in those dayes Metropolitans had been above Bishops Patriarchs above Metropolitans and an oecumenick Bishop above all This notable passage of Cyprian puzles the Learned of the Church of Rome very sore they vary very much in their glosses upon this place of Cyprian as Rufus contra Molinaeum Fran. Agricula cap. 18. varies from him Hayus disput lib. 1. cap. 11. and Turrianus contra Zadeel lib. 1. cap. 17. 26. agree almost in one Exposition but they differ from the other two Sanderus de visib Monarch lib. 7. num 45. differs from all the former Bellarmine lib. 2. de pont Rom. cap. 16. varies from them all We will examine the exposition of Bellarmine for since they vary in their opinion about the meaning of Cyprian and since the meaning of Cyprian can be but one of necessity all their glosses must be false except one and since the gloss of Bellarmine is most approved by the Church of Rome we will examine it Bellarmine in the forecited place expones the words of Cyprian thus There is one Bishoprick saith he in the same way that the Church is one But the Church is one as many branches of the same Tree are one Tree many rivolets are one Water many beams one Light as then in branches there is an unity by reason of one Root in rivolets by reason of one Fountain c. So is the Church one and consequently the Bishoprick one in its Head and Root the Church and Bishoprick of Rome And whereas Cyprian affirms that every Bishop hath a full share of that one Bishoprick Bellarmine grants its true but by a distinction that is Though every Bishop have a full share yet he hath not an equal share nor in the same manner for Peter and his Successors the Bishops of Rome have that share which answers to the Head Root and Fountain but other Bishops have that share answering to the Branches Rivolets c. This gloss of Bellarmines quite destroyes the Text for Cyprian compares particular Churches to Branches Rivolets Beams that one Bishoprick he compares to an Oak to Light to a Fountain whereby it evidently appears that by that one Bishoprick he means not the Bishoprick of Rome which is a particular Bishoprick as well as the rest and not that great Bishoprick or one Bishoprick whereof every one hath a full share Secondly that by unus Episcopatus he means not the Bishoprick of Peter having authority over other Bishops is proved by his words in the same Book de unitate Ecclesiae where he affirms Whatever the other Apostles were Peter was the same that all the Apostles were equal to Peter in dignity and power whereby it appears whatever the Bishoprick of Peter was the Bishopricks of the other Apostles were equal to it and since the Bishopricks of the other Apostles were particular Bishopricks each having a full share of that one Bishoprick mentioned by Cyprian the Bishoprick of Peter was only a particular Bishoprick and not that one Bishoprick mentioned by Cyprian Thirdly That the Bishoprick of Rome is not that one Bishoprick appears by the express words of Cyprian in his Oration to the Council of Carthage in which as we shall prove in the next Chapter he makes any other Bishop equal in jurisdiction to the Bishop of Rome Fourthly Bellarmine and Sanderus in making that one Bishoprick the Bishoprick of Peter must of necessity grant that Peter only had his Bishoprick immediatly from Christ and the other Apostles their Bishopricks from Peter since Sanderus expresly affirms that all other Bishopricks flow from the Bishoprick of Peter as all mankind had their Original from Adam But in averring the Apostles to have their Bishopricks from Peter Bellarmine contradicts first Fran. de victoria who relect 2. quaest 2. conclus 3. and 4. expresly affirms That the other Apostles received all their power both of order and jurisdiction immediatly from Christ In which words he is glossing upon that passage
affirms None of us makes himself Bishop of Bishops or takes upon him to compell his Colleagues by tyrannical terrors to necessity of obedience which words as Binius observes were directed against Stephanus Bishop of Rome because he had threatned the Bishops of Africa with Excommunication if they did not alter their Judgement Sanderus answers thirdly that albeit Cyprian did assert the equality of Bishops in those words yet it was only an equality according to their Order of Priesthood not according to their Jurisdiction albeit the Bishop of Rome be equal to other Bishops as he is Bishop yet he is above them in jurisdiction he gives this answer lib. 7. cap. But it is replyed this distinction is frivolous and quite contrary to the meaning of Cyprian whose intention in those words is expresly to assert the equality of Jurisdiction and since he aims at the Bishop of Rome it is evident in his opinion that any Bishop is of equal jurisdiction to the Bishop of Rome How can any be so impudent to deny that Cyprian asserts equality of Jurisdiction since he expresly affirms No Bishop can judge another Bishop nor be judged by him Christ is the only judge of Bishops which in right down terms is that all Eishops are equal in Jurisdiction which none but a Sophister will deny It is needless to mention the answers of other Romanists as of Alanus Copus lib. 1. cap. 19. and Dormanus in his English Treatise against Bishop Jewel cap. 10. since they are not worth the refuting The most ingenuous answer of them all is that of Stapleton lib. 11. cap. 7. de princip fid doctrin where he affirms that Cyprian in those words to patronize his error Utitur verbis errantium and that he seems wonderfully to protect Hereticks he means Protestants against the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome he calls those expressions O Cyprian pernicious if they be not defended by a commodious Exposition But it is answered the authority of St. Augustine is of more moment then the authority of Stapleton who not only commends those expressions of Cyprian but also recommends them to the whole Church to be taken notice of as so many Oracles and that in moe places then one as lib. 2. cap. 2. lib. 3. cap. 3. lib. 6. cap. 7. against the Donatists Further that Stephanus Bishop of Rome himself understood those words of Cyprian as the Protestants do against the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome appears by his excommunicating Cyprian as Cassander relates consult art 7. neither read we ever of his reconciliation as is confessed by Bellarmine lib. 2. de con cap. 5. Neither is it of any moment what they object that in that question of re-baptizing those who were baptized by Hereticks the affirmative maintained by Cyprian was wrong and the negative maintained by Stephanus was right for the state of the question with the Church of Rome in this particular is Whether Cyprian was for or against the Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome or whether he did right in opposing the usurpation of Stephanus It seems he did for two reasons first because those expressions of his were recommended by St. Augustine to the whole Church next because notwithstanding of his dying excommunicate by Stephanus he was held ever since those times to be a Saint and a Martyr by the Church of Rome it self as he is at this day whereby it appears that the ancient Church of Rome immediatly after the times of Cyprian had not much regard to the authority of Stephanus his excommunicating Cyprian The truth is Cyprian in that conflict with Stephanus was a good Patron of an evil cause and Stephanus was a bad Patron of an good Cause Cyprian was wrong in maintaining re-baptization of those who were baptized by Hereticks but he defended it rightly Stephanus who maintained the contrary opinion was right but maintained it badly that is by usurpation arrogancy and presumption CHAP. IX Of the contest between Victor Bishop of Rome and the Bishops of the East WE have in the former Chapters proved by the testimonies of the Ancients that the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome was not believed as an Article of Faith in the dayes of Cyprian nor any time before unto the dayes of the Apostles We have also shewed with what perplexed sophistry our Adversaries endeavour to elude the force of those testimonies In the following Chapters we will examine what is objected by our Adversaries to prove the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome in that interval If it had been an Article of Faith in the Church that the Bishop of Rome was ordained by Peter to succeed to himself in that Function of oecumenick Bishop or that the Bishop of Rome did succeed to Peter in that Function the evidence of that succession had been greater in these primitive times then it was afterwards but contrarily we find the nearer we come to the Apostles times the less evidence we find for the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome whereby it appears that the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome by reason of his succession to Peter is but a fiction neither was it ever urged as to jurisdiction till after the Council of Chalcedon as shall appear in the following Books and the more the times were remote that opinion of the succession to Peter increased the more That there was no great evidence before the Council of Neice of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome is acknowledged by Aeneas Silvius Pope himself in his 288. Epistle and yet he was the greatest Antiquary of his time the truth of his assertion will appear by our Answers to that which they object which are so many testimonies against themselves To prove the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome in that interval they object nothing beside what we shall prove forged by testimony of their own Doctors before the latter end of the second Age or beginning of the third and then their objections are of two sorts first actions of Popes secondly tectimonies of Popes and Fathers What regaird should be had to the actions and testimonies of Popes appears by the Commentaries which Pope Aeneas Silvius or Pius second wrote upon the Councel of Basile his words are these Neâ— considerant miseri quia quae praedicant tantopere verba aut ipsorum sumorum pontificum sunt simbrias suas extendentium aut illorum quiâ—eis adulabantur that is neither do those miserable men consider these testimonies they magnifie so much are either of Popes themselves inlarging their own interests or of their Fathers We will first treat of the actions of Popes and next examine their testimonies Before the time of Victor Bishop of Rome there is no Monument of antiquity for the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome besides some forgeries acknowledged by the most eminent Doctors of that Church and proved to be forgeries by unanswerable reasons as shall appear afterwards in the last Chapters of this Book The said Victor about anno 195. had a
difference with the Bishops of Asia about the observation of Easter or Pasch the Churches of Asia pretending a tradition from the Apostle of St. John observed Easter according to the manner of the Jews eating their Passover and for that reason were called quartadecemani The Churches of the West observed it as it is now in the Church of Rome they object here that Victor excommunicated the Bishops of the East for not observing Easter after the Roman and western fashion Ergo say they the Bishop of Rome in those dayes was oecumenick Bishop otherwayes he would not have taken upon him to exercise Jurisdiction in so remote parts as in Asia But it is answered usurpation is no title of authority and by this very action of Victor it appears that the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome or necessar communion with the Church of Rome was not believed in those dayes as appears by two reasons The first is the opposition made by the Churches of Asia to that excommunication of Victor but it is altogether impossible that they would have mis-regarded it if the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome or necessar communion with the particular Church of Rome under the pain of damnation had been an Article of Faith in those dayes as it is now That those Bishops in the East slighted the excommunication of Victor appears by Eusebius hist Eccles lib. 5. cap. 23. and 24. who relates and brings in Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus in Asia pleading their Cause in an Epistle written by the consent of them all that they had the same tradition of observing Easter from the Apostle John that it was practised by Philip the Apostle Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna and Martyr disciple of John the Apostle and by the other Bishops and Martyrs as Thraseas and Sagonius that they had confirmed their own way of observing Easter in the council of all the Bishops of Asia and for those reasons they were not moved with the terrors of that excommunication pronunced against them by Victor but it is very unlike they would have so contemned it if they had believed the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome If there was any such thing as the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome their opposition demonstrats that either they were ignorant of it or els wilfully opposed it they could not be ignorant for who dare affirm that the Apostles John and Philip and Polycarpus the Disciple of John could be ignorant of so necessar a point of Salvation if there had been any such thing Neither can it be affirmed that they wilfully opposed it for it is a thing incredible that so many holy men Saints and Martyrs confessed to be such by the modern Church of Rome it self would die out of the communion of the Church of Rome and in so doing condemn themselves eternally for Bellarmine himself de pont Rom. lib. 2. cap. 19. affirms that it is not found that ever Victor recalled his excommunication And since these holy men neither could be ignorant that the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome was an article of Faith if it had been in these dayes neither would they have opposed it and contemned Victors excommunication if they had known it it is evinced that in these dayes there was no such article of Faith as the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome or necessar communion with the Church of Rome yea notwithstanding of the excommunication of Victor the whole Churches of the East before the Council of Neice observed Easter in their own fashion but it were too hard to affirm that they were all damned which must of necessity be affirmed if the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome had been an article of Faith in those dayes and this much of opposition from the East to that decree of Victor The second Argument taken from the action of Victor against the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome is the opposition that it had from the West although the whole Bishops of the West were of the same opinion with Victor anent the observation of Easter yet they absolutely condemned his way of proceeding For as Eusebius relates Hist Eccles lib. 5. cap. 24. Irenaeus Bishop of Lyons in the name of the whole Churches of France in an Epistle to the said Victor recorded by Eusâ—ebius ibid. expostulates most bitterly with Victor not obscurely taxing him of ignorance and arrogance for his precipitated proceeding objecting to him the example of his predecessors Bishops of Rome as Pius Telesphorus Anicetus c. who all of them keeped communion with the Bishops of the East notwithstanding their observation of Easter otherwayes then it was observed at Rome yea the same Bishops of the West still keeped communion with the Bishops of the East notwithstanding their excommunication by Victor but they would never have done so if the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome had been believed in those dayes or if necessar communion with the Church of Rome had in those times been an article of Faith Sanderus lib. 7. of his visib Monarch and with him Bellarmine prove the supremacy of Victor in this action by a notable cheat the more opposition it had saith Sanderus the authority of Victor was the more conspicuous because the Council of Neice declared in favour of Victor against all his opposers in decerning that Easter should be observed according to the decree of Victor But it is answered that the Council did so not for the authority of Victor but only because they thought that opinion to be right it was professed by all the Churches of the West and by Irenaeus but Sanderus will not affirm that the Council of Neice followed the authority of Irenaeus Secondly albeit the Council had followed the authority of Victor or perswaded by his authority had made that decree it doth not follow that Victor had any jurisdiction over the Council or the whole Church Paphnutius made a motion in the Council of Neice in the defence of married Priests the Council all followed his opinion as Socrates relates lib. 1. cap. 8. of his history of the Church and yet the said Paphnutius had no supremacy over the Council Sanderus instances that the Council of Neice in a Letter to the Church of Alexandria mentioned by Theodoretus affirms that all the Brethren of the East are resolved to follow the Church of Rome us the Council and you of Alexandria in the observation of Easter where Sanderus and Bellarmine espy out two things for their advantage the first is follow the second is that Romans is put in the first place before us the Council whereby they prove the authority of the Bishop of Rome above the Council because Romans is put before the Council or us and also because the Brethren of the East are said to follow the Romans But it is answered albeit Romans were put before us or the Council it doth not follow that the Church of Rome hath any authority over the Council being first mentioned in an Epistle doth not
not now found in the Editions of Rhenanus printed since in those places where the Pope hath jurisdiction They had reason to purge out those words from Rhenanus because the testimony of his was as a Poyniard sticking in the very bowels of that article of the Catechise of the Council of Trent viz. that there is no salvation without communion with the Church of Rome CHAP. XII Several passages objected out of Cyprian to prove the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome in that interval vindicated from Sophistry THe last Father they make use of to prove the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome in that interval between the times of the Apostles and the death of Cyprian is Cyprian himself There is not a Father of them all more urged to prove the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome then Cyprian and yet it is most certain that it never had a greater enemy then he what Cyprians opinion was anent that contest appeared in the former Chapters both by his testimonies and his actions Our adversaries dispute two wayes for the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome out of Cyprian first by sophistry next by forgery we will refute the first in this Chapter and prove the second in the Chapters following and that by the testimonies of the greatest Antiquaries that ever the Church of Rome produced The first testimony of Cyprian they bring is from his 42. Epistle where writing to Cornelius Bishop of Rome he hath these words Some while ago we sent some of our Colleagues to compose some differences or to reduce some schismaticks to the unity of the Chatholick Church c. and a little after But those Schismaticks set up to themselves an adulterous head against the Church from which place Bellarmine reasons thus as those Novatians set up one to be heaa of their Church or of the whole Church of the Novatians so Cornelius was head of the Catholick Church But it is answered this reasoning is very unbeseeming such a learned man as Bellarmine for the meaning of Cyprian is no other then that the Novatians set up to themselves a Bishop at Rome in opposition to Cornelius so he calls the Novatian Bishop an adulterous head contrary to Cornelius who was the true head of the particular Church at Rome because he was the true Bishop thereof and so Cyprian doth not mean any head of the whole Church but only by Head he means Bishop of the particular Church of Rome Bellarmine instances that Cyprian affirms his intention was to reconcile those Shismaticks to the Catholick Church by which he means the Church of Rome and since the Church of Rome is the Catholick Church and the Bishop of Rome head of the Church of Rome Ergo he is head of the Catholick Church But it is answered when Cyprian calls the Church of Rome the Catholick Church his meaning is a particular Church professing the Doctrine of the Catholick Church and therefore they who were reconciled to the Church of Rome were reconciled to the Catholick Church also so any reconciled to a particular Church professing the Doctrine of the Catholick Church is reconciled also to the Catholick Church and yet that particular Church is not the Catholick Church That this is the meaning of Cyprian appears by the preceeding Epistle or epist 41. where speaking of some Schismaticks in the Church of Carthage he affirms they opposed themselves to the Catholick Church he means they opposed themselves to the Church of Cathage inwhich doing they opposed themselves to the Catholick Church because the Church of Cathage professed the same Doctrine with the Catholick Church in opposing or renting the Church of Carthage they rent and opposed the Catholick Church Pamelius urgeth that Cyprian affirms that those Schismaticks refused the bosome of the root and mother Church where observe saith he that Cyprian calls the Church of Rome the root and the mother of all Churches or of the Catholick Church which Epithet is given by Cyprian to the Church of Rome not only in this epistle but also in his 45. epist to Cornelius in which he gives injunctions to those he was sending to Rome to be informed concerning that schism of the Novatians that they should acknowledge and adhere to the Root and Mother of the Catholick Church But it is answered that Cyprian by Root and Mother of the Catholick Church means no other thing but the Catholick-Church it self as appears by the said 45. Epistle in which he affirms to Cornelius that hearing that there was a schism in the Church of Rome he sent Caldonius and Fornatus to be informed of the truth of the business and to adhere to neither party till they were informed which of the factions was in the right and which in the wrong and for that reason he did not direct his Letters either to Cornelius or to that Novatian Bishop but only to the Presbyters and Deacons of Rome that being informed by them they might adhere to those who held and acknowledged the Root and Mother of the Catholick Church whereby it is evident that Cyprian did not believe that Cornelius Bishop of Rome or those who adhered to him were the root and mother of the Catholick Church since he gave his messengers injunction to suspend their Judgments till they were informed who adhered to the root and mother of the Catholick Church that is who maintained the true Faith or who were members of the Catholick Church for if Cyprian had believed that Cornelius and his faction had been the root and mother of the Catholick Church he would not have injoyned his messengers to suspend their judgment till they were informed by the Presbyters and Deacons so it is evident that Cyprian by Root and Mother of the Catholick Church means the Catholick Church it self both in his 45. and 42. Epistle and in the same sense epist 43. and 44. he exhorts them to return to their mother that is to the unity of the Catholick Church The second passage of Cyprian is found in his 55. Epistle where he hath these words That the occasion of Heresies and Schismes in the Church is only this that the Priest of God is not obeyed and that it is not believed that one Priest as Judge in place of Christ for a time is in the Church This place is much urged by Pamelius in his Annotations upon the said Epistle to prove an oecumenick Bishop But it is answered Cyprian in this Letter or Epistle is inveighing against those who had set up one Fortunatus as we shewed before Bishop of Carthage in opposition to himself and his meaning is not that there should be one Bishop in the Catholick Church but only one Bishop in a particular Church or the Church of Carthage because two Bishops in one place occasions Schismes and Heresies saith Cyprian so its evident that Cyprian is pleading his own cause disputing against those who had set up a Schismatick Bishop in the Church of Carthage in opposition to himself and
being perceived It is far more like that the Monks of Cambron and Bavaria corrupted those two copies If the Jesuits have not forged those two copies also since there are innumerable proofs and testimonies as shall be proved in the following Books Yea and of Barronius himself that the Monks of several Monastries have corrupted and forged innumerable passages of Antiquity especially in the seventh Age when the contest was hot with the Grecians about the Supremacy The truth is it is believed that there are no such Copies at all as that of Cambron and Bavaria and that those Cardinals appointed by Pius fourth to oversee the Edition of Manutius added those words of themselves which is very like for two reasons First because it is known that the Indices expurgatorii have added sentences and razed out sentences at their pleasure in many Antient Copies without the pretext of any other Copy Secondly their impudence was as great in razing out of those twelve Epistles of Cyprian as if they had added those four passages And since they openly did the first it is very probable yea more then probable they did the last We have shewed how Gretserus defends the first three additions The Fourth is he that forsaketh Peters Chair upon which the Church is built it seems that either those three Copies of Gretserus hath not these words or else if they have Pamelius doth not much regard their Authority who in his Edition of Cyprian hath left them out It is to be observed that the second and third Addition are of no such moment as the first and this fourth and the razing out of these twelve Epistles of Cyprian Gretserus defends only the second and the third the First he meddleth not with at all to the Fourth he answereth that Pamelius hath left it out and therefore it was not added fraudently But we answer as we did before that Pamelius in leaving out those words declares those four Cardinal Impostors who were appointed by Pius the fourth to oversee the Edition of Manutius whose Copy is followed in the reprinted works of Cyprian at Rome Paris Antwerp c. And thus we have minuted all which is of any moment alledged pro and con for the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome before the death of Cyprian where we have proved by the testimonies of Ignatius Dionysius and Cyprian himself that there was no Office in the Church above that of a Bishop in that whole Interval Bellarmine braggs much that the succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church was an article of Faith in all Ages since the dayes of the Apostles But since we find no monuments in that interval next the Ages of the Apostles that there was any such Article of Faith but on the contrary since we have produced testimonies and invincible ones that there was no such Article of Faith it is evident that the said succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church is a meer cheat For if there had been any such thing the Churches of the East and West in the times of Victor and the Churches of Africa in the times of Stephanus would never have neglected the excommunication of Victor and Stephanus and died unreconciled to the Church of Rome Neither would the middle Church of Rome have placed them in the Catalogue of Saints and Martyres if it had been believed as an Article of Faith that the Bishop of Rome succeeded to Peter Jure divino in the Monarchy of the Church as is believed now in the Modern Roman Church as an article of Faith necessar to Salvation And thus we have concluded the first Part of the grand Impostor and have proved by Testimonies of Antiquity notwithstanding all the bragging of our Adversaries that all Antiquity is for them That the Antients Councills and Fathers believed neither the Supremacy of Peter nor that Peter was Bishop of Rome nor that the Bishop of Rome succeded to him in the Monarchy of the Church and consequently did not believe any necessar communion with the Church of Rome To prove which they bring nothing from Antiquity of the first three Centuries which is not perverted mutilated falsly translated or forged In the Second Part shall be proved they have as little shelter for their Tenets from the death of Cyprian 260. to 604. when Bonifacius the third was made oecumenick Bishop by Phocas FINIS Partis primae Errata of the PREFACE Page 9. line 17. for given Phocas read given by Phocas p. 10 l. 3. for hom r. whom p. 10. l. 29. for add there reasons r. add other reasons p. 13. l. 27. for Stephanus r. Adrianus p. 23. l. 32. for Du plesis r. Du plessis p. 28r l. 20. for lib. 2. r. lib. r. p. 29. l. 27. for suppositious r. supposititious p. 36. l. 3. for related r. resuted p. 34. l. 7. for Testimonies of antiquity at all r. Testimonies of antiquity of any moment Errata lib. 1. Page 17. line 28. for antiquitated r. antiquated p. 22. l. 23. for lib. 4. r. part 2. lib. 2. p. 23. l. 32. for lib. 5. r. part 3. lib. 2. p. 23. l. 32. for Hom 55. 5. r. Hom 5. 5. p. 36. l. 13. for lib. 3. r. part 2. lib. 1. p. 36. l. 15. for lib 4. r. part 2. lib. 2. p. 36. l. 16 for lib. 5. r. part 3. lib. 2. p. 39. l. 17. for of Peter r. to Peter p. 40. l. 22. for confidence r. confidents p. 49. l. 7. for mundos r. multos p. 55 l. 30. for colunas r. columnas p. 56. l. 17. for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 70. l. â—5 for but to whom also r. but to whom also p. 77. l. 4. for Hilarius de viâ—ctad r. Hilarius de trinitat p. 101. l. 21. for Paul 5. r. Paul 4. Page 189. line 22. for were proved to be head r. be called head p. 19â— l. 16. for Cyrullus r. Cyrillus p. 199. l. 8. for our adversaries r. whereas our adversaries p. 200. l. 16. for Apostolus r. Apostolis after page 171 Immediatly followeth 187. which is a mistake in the Press nothing is wanting Errata lib. 2. Page 8. l. 12. for lib 5. r. part 3. lib 1. p. 16. l. 5. for distinction r. definition p. 86. l. 2. for constitute one Chair r. constitute one Chair p. 87. l. 22. for causum r. causam
THE GRAND IMPOSTOR DISCOVERED OR AN Historical DISPUTE of the Papacy and Popish Religion 1. Demonstrating the newness of both 2. By what artifices they are maintained 3. The contradictions of the Roman Doctors in defending them Divided in four Parts 1. Of Bishops 2. Of Arch-bishops 3. Of an oecumenick Bishop 4. Of Antichrist PART I. Divided in two Books In the first is examined 1. if Peter by divine Institution was Monarch of the Church 2. If at the command of Christ he was Bishop of Rome In the second is examined if the Bishop of Rome was acknowledged Successor to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church before the death of Cyprim or anno 260 The Negatives of which three Questions are made out by unanswerable monuments of Antiquity and all what is pretended for their affirmatives is proved to be either wrested falsly translated mutilated or forged Cicero lib. 2. de Orator Fieri potest ut quod dixit iratus dixerit Silus annuit tum Crassus fieri potest ut quod dixit non intelligeres hic quoque Silus fassus est tum Crassus fieri potest ut non omnino audieâ—is quod te audisse dicis Silus tacuit omnes riserunt By S. C. Edinburgh Printed by His Majesties Printers for the Author Anno Dom. 1673. TO HIS GRACE The DUKE of LAUDERDALE Marquess of Marche Earl of Lauderdail Viscount Maitland Lord Thirlestane Musselburgh and Bolton Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter His Majesties High Commissioner President of His Council and Sole Secretary of State in His Kingdom of Scotland May it please your Grace THat the Christian Faith as it was taught by Christ and his Apostles and confirmed by the four first General Councils is established by His Majesties authority all have reason to be thankful both to God and to His Majesty While we are contending for things of lesser moment at home Religion is dangerously assaulted from abroad their artifices are subtile their success is lamented By what perswasions they endeavour to gain Proselyts and how they are refuted Your Grace will find affirmed in the Preface and proved in the Disput following The first part whereof I present to your Grace it being difficult for me to publish it all at once My Lord some perhaps as their motive of such an address as this would fall a painting out the praises of your Grace and your Ancestors in your Face as that one or other of your Race could be no more spared from the State in every age then one of the Aeacides from the warrs of Greece which although most true yet I forbear lest I should offer violence vim facere to your Graces Modesty by unseasonable mentioning things which all know to be undenyable Nevertheless I hope your Grace will pardon me if I affirm that it is a main encouragement of my troubling you that your Grace is a Gentle-man of Spirit versed in Antiquity and able to discern if I perform any thing to the purpose in this great subject or process of greatest importance that ever depended before the Tribunal of Heaven My Lord I have likewise privat obligations to your Grace I had the honour to be your Condisciple at which time it did not obscurely appear what your Grace would prove afterwards Also having presented several Trifles to your Grace at your two times being in Scotland you seemed to accept of them with a favourable countenance which encouraged me to trouble your Grace afresh A Spaniel the more he is taken notice of the more he troubles his Benefactors with importunat kindness Taking all for good coyn whether they be in jest or in earnest If I perform any thing in this great subject worthy of your Graces perusal I would be infinitly proud of it otherwise the greatest censure I expect from your Grace is that either your Grace would smile at my folly or else put me back with a gentle frown hoping your Grace will pardon presumption proceeding from simplicity and good-will I will trouble your Grace no more but being sorry that I can give no greater evidence of my propension to your Graces service I rest as I am able most addicted to it Samuel Colvill THE PREFACE DIRECTED TO The Nobility Gentry and Burroughs of the Kingdom of Scotland My Lords and Gentlemen SInce I have contrived the following Discourse chiefly for your use not presuming to inform those of the Clergy it being their Profession and therefore having opportunity at will to go to the woods to gather Strawberries themselves whereas your Lordships leisure by reason of your other weighty Employments requires rather to have them presented in a dish Curiosity perhaps will move one or other of â—ou to peruse it Which that you may do the more commodiously it is requisite that your minds be prepared by considering 1. What the Subject is I present unto your protection 2. What I perform in it 3. What is my scope and intention 4. How I answer as I can to all which is objected against me I am not very eloquent especially in the English Tongue not being much accustomed to read Books in that Language The Diâ—course for the most art is dogmatick and therefore Rhetorick is more hurtful thâ—n pâ—ofiâ—able If I bâ— understood it is sufficient in representing shortly what others have done prolixly perspicuously what others have obscurely And yet fully that is omitting nothing of moment which is pretended by either Party in that greaâ— Controversie of the Sâ—premacy of the Bishop of Rome And first for the Subject Nâ—ne are ignorant in what high estimation searching of Antiquity is amongst those whose mindes are erected above the ordinar of men That religious enquiries of that kind ought to be preferred to any others who believe the immortality of the soul none will deny Among those again that one Controversie of the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome deservedly challengeth the first place I presenting to your Lordships in it the minute of a Process if not marred by me the most noble the most profitable and the most pleasant which hath hitherto depended before the Tribunal of Heaven That I affirm no Paradoxes appears by what followeth The Nobility of this question is celebrated by the Learned of both sides Est Nobilis inter primas Disputatio the noblest of Disputes saith Chamier Est quaestio Prima familiam ducens A prime and leading question saith Salmasius That is upon it depends all the Controversies we have with the Church of Rome Bellarmine goeth higher calling it a debate de summa rei Christianae That is Whether the Christian Religion can subsist or not For in his opinion Who calls in question the Supremacy of the Bâ—shop of Rome he questions the truth of the Christian Religion it self By which expression of this Jesuit appears the immense utility of that Controversie If any want ability if they have not leisure to wade thorow that profound Ocean of Antiquity to be informed of the truth of that Article