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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08326	An antidote or treatise of thirty controuersies vvith a large discourse of the Church. In which the soueraigne truth of Catholike doctrine, is faythfully deliuered: against the pestiferous writinges of all English sectaryes. And in particuler, against D. Whitaker, D. Fulke, D. Reynolds, D. Bilson, D. Robert Abbot, D. Sparkes, and D. Field, the chiefe vpholders, some of Protestancy, some of puritanisme, some of both. Deuided into three partes. By S.N. Doctour of Diuinity. The first part.; Antidote or soveraigne remedie against the pestiferous writings of all English sectaries	S. N. (Sylvester Norris), 1572-1630.	1622 (1622)	STC 18658; ESTC S113275	554,179	704

learned then he is of a contrary mind Let no man deceaue himselfe and say I do pennance secretly I do it in the sight of God God who Aug. 50. bom bom 49. pardoneth me knoweth I doe it in my hart Then without cause was it sayd Those things which you loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen Then without cause were the keyes giuen to the Church of God Do we frustrate the Ghospell Do we euacuate the word of Matth. 18. v. 18. c. 26. v. 19. Christ As though all these thinges were in vaine if by God alone without the help and ministery of the Priest our sinnes could be remitted For as the Commandment our Sauiour gaue to his Apostles to baptize saying Goe teach all Nations baptizing them c. had beene wholy in vaine if all men were not bound to receaue the Sacrament Matth. 28. ● 19. of Baptisme if any entrance to Christianity any badge or cognizance of a Christian could be obtained without this lauer and regeneration of water and the holy Ghost Againe as the authority he gaue them to preach were to little purpose if men not sufficiently instructed Marc. 16. v. 15. were not obliged thereby to giue eare to his word so idle and in vaine were the commission he granted to his Apostles to retaine and forgiue sinnes if all who offended after Baptisme be not tyed to submit and make knowne their offences vnto them which for two seuerall reasons they are bound to do 6. The first is mentioned by Boetius If thou desire the Boetius de Consola l. 1. prosa 4. help of thy Phisitian it is requisite thou discouer thy disease But as many as are swollen with the impostume of sinne ought to seeke remedy for the recouery of their soules Therefore it is necessary they lay open their soares to the spirituall Phisitians appointed for their cure The second reason is because Priests are made by the vertue of this Commission not only Phisitians but spirituall Iudges also to vnderstand the quality and haynousnes of our crymes to know what medicinable pēnance they should apply to discerne what sinnes are to be remitted and Arist 8. Polit. what retained Now seeing Aristotle teacheth and naturall reason approueth it to be true That it is impossible for them to iudge discreetly who haue no knowledge of the case all that are entangled with the snares of sin must giue notice of them to the Priests tribunall whome God hath placed in iudgment-seat to pronounce in his person sentence of absolution 7. And least any should gainesay with Caluin this Nazi ora ad Ciues timore perculsos Hier. epad Helio Aug. l. 20. de ciu Dei cap. 9. Apoc. 20. iudiciall power graunted to Priests besides the words of Christ which clearely conuince it the authority of the Fathers maketh it vndenyable S. Greg. Nazianzē auerreth That the law of Christ hath subiected Princes to his Throne and Empyre S. Hierome sayth That Priests hauing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen iudge as it were before the day of iudgment S. Augustine vpon these wordes of the Apocalips I saw seates and those that sate vpon them and iudgment was giuen vnto them writeth thus This may not be thought to be spoken of the last iudgment but by the seates are meant the Rulers thrones of the Church and the Persons themselues by whome they are gouerned And for the iudgment giuen them it cannot be better explained then in these words Whatsoeuer yee bind on earth shal be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer yee loose on earth shall be loosed in Heauen 8. Hence we inferre the exact enumeration of all Sparks p. 329. 330. 331. grieuous crimes the third point M. Sparkes impugneth For as they that haue many strifs in law to be determined by the examination and sentence of the Iudge ought to vnfold them al in particuler to receaue his iudgment and verdict of them so they that are burdened with sundry faults which be offences and iniuryes committed against God if they will come to an attonement with him they must make them all knowne to such as are ordained to reconcile them to his fauour to such as participate to vse S. Gregoryes words the principality of Diuine iudgment Greg. ho. 26. in E●ang who in place of God may detaine sinnes to some release them to others When a souldiour hath receaued many woundes in warre it is not inough to tell his Surgeon or Phisitian in generall manner that he is wounded but he must shew Aug. serm 66. de tem the seuerall woundes and dangers of them or els no wise Surgeon will venter to apply his plaisters or vndertake to cure them euen so it is not sufficient for such as are wounded in Soule with diuers deadly sinnes to complaine in generall that they are grieuous sinners but they must particulerly specify the number quality and haynousnes of euery mortall crime that their spirituall Phisitian may thereby discerne what holsome salue whatsatisfactory pennance what good counsell and aduise he should minister vnto them And therfore S. Gregory Nyssen sayth That as in corporall infirmityes there are sundry kindes of Nyss epist ad Episco Mytil S. Tho. in Supplem ad 3. p. q. ● art 2. medicines according to the diuersity of diseases so whereas in the disease of the soule there is great variety of affections sundry sorts of medicinable cures ought to be adhibited The reason heereof S. Thomas alleadgeth because one disease is more dangerous by the contagion of another and that medicine which is holesome to that may be noyson to this kind of infirmity So that by the approued doctrin of both these learned writers euery penitent ought to make a particuler rehearsall of all haynous faults euen of such as be secret and hidden To which the same S. Gregory vehemently Nyss orat in mulierē peccatrie Audacter inquit ostēde illi quaesunt recondita animi arcana tāquam oeculta vulnera medico retege Hier. super Mat. cap. 16. exhorteth in another place that thereby the Priest may be perfectly acquainted with the whole state of their soules vnderstand the manifold varietyes of their spirituall diseases For as S. Hierome sayth Then the Bishop or Priest knoweth who is to be bound and who is to be loosed when he heareth the variety of sinnes 9. And this manner of confessing all particuler offences is that which Christ commanded which the figures of the old Testament betokned which the Apostles mētioned which in al succeeding ages hath byn deuoutly obserued in the Church of God Touching Christs commandment I haue already shewed that it is impossible for Priests to pronounce iudiciall sentence impossible to apply soueraigne medicines impossible to know what they should loose what retaine and consequently this Commission bootles vnles the Penitent were bound distinctly to name his sinnes vnto him Concerning the figures I let passe the confession God exacted of Adam of

In 6. Syn. gen act 4. 9. ●6 with Sergius with the Monothelites their wills and operations who for this cause are enrolled in the rancke of heretikes and aboue 1000. yeares ago condemned by Pope Agatho in the sixt generall Councell 23. Wherefore to draw to an end I intreate you all who peruse this Treatise if the filth sucked out these miry puddles haue not dammed vp the passage of truth if these dregges of heresyes haue not quenched in you all sparkes of grace renounce the Patrons of such iniquity beware the infection of their folly the fury of them who proclaime Christ a Priest Christ a Mediatour according to his Deity and acknowledge with vs how he dischargeth these dutyes only as man notwithstanding how his actions his Sacrifice his prayers and teares were all of infinite and incomparable merit through the excellency of his diuine person Which I would to God his Royall Maiesty would also vnderstand for whose worthy satisfaction I haue diligently laboured to decide this question THE TENTH CONTROVERSY DEMONSTRATETH The Primacy of S. Peter against D. Bilson and D. Reynoldes CHAP. I. ARISTOTLE the chiefe and Prince Arist ● 3. polit ● 5. 6. 7 of Philosophers assigneth three seuerall manners of gouerning a Common-Wealth For eyther many of the meaner sort beare sway or some few of the Nobility or only one as absolute Soueraigne If many it is called Democracy if few Aristocracy if one a Monarchy The first is often ruined with the tumults and garboyles of the vnconstant and diuersly-headed multitude The second commonly deuided with the strifes and factions of the ambitious Peeres The third as it is lesse subiect S. Thom. de regim principum l. 1. cap. 1. 23. ● to diuision so most conuenient as S. Thomas learnedly noteth to order guide and keepe many in peace and vnity the finall scope to which all gouernments should be directed and all rulers ayme 2. Whereupon Plato Aristotle Isocrates and diuers other affirme in peace in warre in managing al affaires Plato in polit Arist l. 3. polit c. 11. 12. l. 4. cap. 2. Isocrates oratione 3. this to be the most diuine forme of a Common-Wealth where one most singular man hath the supreme power and administration of things which both God and Nature confirmeth For in the mystery of the most holy Trinity there is the Father from whom the Sonne and the Holy Ghost who from the Father and the Sonne as from one only origen or beginning proceedeth They euery way equall in properties distinct in Persons three are only one in ouer-ruling and disposing all things Amongst the immortall spirits and quires of Angels there is one illuminated by God who giueth light to the rest In the Heauens there is one first moueable by which the inferiour orbes and planets are moued One Sunne from whence the light of the Stars is borrowed and influence of the signes in the Zodiacke determined In earthly thinges in this little world of man there is one hart from which the arteryes and vitall spirits one braine from whence the sinewes one lyuer from which the veines channels of bloud haue their head or of-spring in euery element there is one predominate quality Amongst the birdes the Eagle among the beasts the Lyon among the fishes the Whale doth also dominier In Trees Cyprian tract do Idolorum ●anitate Hearbes and Plants in Townes Villages Families priuate Houses the like head-ship or Monarchy might be shewed if it were not too long for my professed breuity in so much as S. Cyprian writeth The very Bees haue their guide and captaine whome they follow Apo. 2● 2. Cant. 6. 3. Mat. 13. v. 38. 41. Ioan. 10. 16. Luc. 10. 34. 1. Tim. 3. ●● 3. Now sith the Church of Christ militant vpon earth is a perfect yet spirituall Common-wealth sith it is An holy Citty A campe well ordered and established by the wisest Captaine Gouernour and Law-maker that euer was Who doubteth but that he placed in it the most worthy Regiment of all others that Monarchicall preheminence which in all his other creatures so perfectly raigneth especially for that he resembleth it to A kingdome to A sheepefold to An Inne to An House in which one King one Pastour one Host one Maister beareth sway For that it ought to be correspondent to the ancient Mat. 16. 18. 19. Synagogue in which one High-priest answerable to the celestiall hierarchies and orders of Angels among whom one Seraphim is chief And who was this visible Monarch this Ministeriall head of the Church vnder Christ but S. Peter To whom our Sauiour said Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it And I will giue to thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth it shall be bound also in the Heauens and whatsoeuer thou shall loose in Earth it shall be loosed also in the Heauens In which sētence foure rare prerogatiues are promised vnto Peter and by euery one of them his supereminent dignity aboue the rest of the Apostles manifestly declared 4. For first he calleth him Rocke by which Metaphore he doth insinuate that he as a Rocke or Stone vnmoueable Amb. ser 47. Orig. hom 5. in Exod. saith S. Ambrose vpholdeth the whole weight and fabrike of Christian worke That he saith Origen is the great foundation or most solide stone vpon which Christ builded his Church Secondly he addeth To thee I will giue the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen by which words is signified all power to enact or repeale Lawes sommon or confirme Councels appoint or displace offices consecrate or degrade Bishops all power and authority which is requisite for the rule gouernment or instruction of the Church For euen as when the keyes of a Citty are giuen vp to the Magistrate the administration and rule of the State is surrendred into Greg. l. 4. epi. 32. Luc. 11. 52. Apoc. 1. v. 18. his hands so now when the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen are imparted to Peter The whole charge and principality of the Church as S. Gregory writeth is committed vnto him And whereas there be two sorts of Keyes the Key of knowledge to teach and instruct of which S. Luke You haue taken away the Key of knowledge and the Key of authority and iurisdiction to guide and gouerne whereof S. Iohn speaketh I haue the Keyes of death and of Hell and Esay I will giue the Key of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder Both these Keyes were here delegated vnto Peter by Isa 21. v. 22. It was vsuall amongst the Hebrewes to giue power and authority by the Keyes vid. Azor. Insti mor. p. 2. c. 9. the one he had the Chaire of infallible doctrine to decide all controuersies and define all matters of faith by the other the scepter of Ecclesiasticall gouernment to rule order correct and

Zuarez teach as well by preseruing her from sinne by his preuenting grace before she were touched with any infection as by cleansing her after she was once defiled As a man may be saued out of a dangerous pit eyther by warning giuen before or succour yielded after his fall 6. Our Blessed Lady reioyced in God her Sauiour she was the Queene of his chosen flocke redeemed by him by speciall preuention that she might not sinne not by subuention after her ruine Some peraduenture more curious in reading then iudicious or cunning in expounding the Fathers will vrge out of S. Augustine Nullus redimitur nisi is qui verè per peccatum fuerit antea captiuus No man is redeemed but he that hath serued vnder the yoke of sinne Which because the good Angells neuer did our Sauiour Christ who merited grace glory to them is not properly sayd to haue redeemed them No more can he be sayd to ēsranchise our Blessed Lady if she were neuer subiect to the bondage of sinne I answere it is true that he who is redeemed must haue beene first captiued either in himselfe or in the roote and origen from whence he springeth The good Angells were neither of these wayes euer inwrapped ad Rom. 3. v. 23. in the bandes of iniquity but the Virgin Mary howbeit she neuer sinned neither actually or originally in her selfe yet she truely proceeded from that roote or Hest. c. 15. vers 13. In Lege princeps §. de legibus Gen. 34. v. 16. v. 19. Aug. l. de natura gratia cap. 36. Cyp. ser de natiuitat Christi Amb. ser 22. in Psal 118. virgo per gratiā ab onmi integra labe peccati Nissen ho. 13. in Cātic. Ansel l. de concep virg l. de ex●ellen virg c. 3. Bonauent in 3. sent d. 3. Richard Victor ●an 39. Cant. 4. Iob. c. 6. v. 2. of spring in her parents from whence she should haue drawn by naturall propagation the corruption of sin had she not beene miraculously preserued and after this manner most perfectly redeemed had she not been by a singular prerogatiue exempted from that generall sentēce of S. Paul All haue sinned and need the glory of God Had she not beene priuiledged by God as Hester was by Assuerus when he spake vnto her Non pro te sed pro omnibus haec Lex constituta est Not for thee but for all this Law was enacted To which purpose Vlpianus sayth The Prince is not subiect to his owne Lawes and the Empresse although she be subiect yet the Prince graunteth her the same priuiledges himself enioyeth The Mother of God was the Queen the Lady the Empresse of the world to whome as her Sonne imparted that vnmatchable fauour to be free from the common malediction imposed vpon women In dolo reparies In dolour and griefe shalt thou bring forth thy children to be free from the vniuersall decree inflicted vpon all both men women In puluerem reuerteris Thou shalt returne into dust so likewise from the generall and absolute sentence of the Apostle All haue sinned c. 7. Therefore S. Augustine reckoning vp all the Patriarkes Prophets and iust persons to haue beene stayned with the blemish of some venial fault excepteth alwayes our Blessed Lady Of whome sayth he for the honour of our Lord when we talke of sinnes I will haue no question With whome S. Cyprian S. Ambrose Gregory Nissen S. Anselme S. Bonauenture and Richardus Victorinus agree who attribute vnto her that saying of the Canticles Thou art wholy beautifyed my beloued and there is no spot or blemish in thee No spot no blemish of sinne suffering notwithstanding many dolorous griefes she abounded with great satisfaction treasured vp in the store-house of the Church 8. Iob abounded with the like affirming of himself I would to God my sinnes by which I haue prouoked the wrath of God and the calamity which I suffer were waighed in a ballance like the sand of the sea this would seeme more heauy S. Mary Magdalen Colos 1. v. 24. the Apostles sundry Martyrs and other holy persons haue abounded with the like Especially S. Paul who writeth thus I accomplish those thinges that want of the Passions of Christ in my flesh for his body which is the Church Fulke in c. ● ad Colos sect 4. And what was this which was wanting to the sufferings of Christ Was there any defect in his Passiō No. Was this suffering then of the Apostle only as M. Fulke answereth for the glory of God and confirmation of the Church in fayth of the Ghospell No. It was also as th wordes enforce to fullfill the plenitude of Christs and his members passions for the benefit of the Church and behoofe of others to Aug. in Psal 6● whome they be communicated For as Christ our head withall his elect make one mysticall common and publicke body so his sufferings with the afflictions of his members concurre to make vp as S. Augustine sayth one common and publique weale one generall and publicke treasure To which when we add we accomplish with S. Paul Aug. ibid. Orig hom 10. 24. in Num. that which is wanting to the Passions of Christ and for the debt of sinne according to our meane ability to speake with the same S. Augustine we pay that we owe. Which Origen also taught long before him and strengthned with some testimonyes of holy Writ 9. Touching the second point that this common treasure of penall afflictions is dispensable vnto others by them to whome God hath committed the gouernement Matth. 18. of his Church is likewise plaine by those wordes of Christ Whatsoeuer yee shall loose vpon earth shall be loosed in heauen And principally by those he vsed to S. Peter Matth. 16. Whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shal be loosed also in the heauens which being generally spoken without restriction are not only to be expounded of all spirituall power to forgiue sinnes in the holy Sacraments by application of Christs merits but also to release punishment out of the Sacrament by dispensing his owne and his Saints satisfactions 1. Cor. 2. Theodoret vpon this place Cyp. ep 13. 14. 15. Tertul. l. ad Martyr Concil 1. Nicaen can ●1 Thus S. Paul graunted Indulgence to the incestuous Corinthian of his deserued punishment whome at the intercession as Theodoret writeth of Timothy and Titus he pardoned in the person of Christ Thus the Bishops of the Primitiue Church gaue many pardons and Iudulgences to sundry Penitents by the mediation of Confessours or designed Mattyrs of which S. Cyprian and Tertullian make mention Thus the first Councell of Nice appointed mercy and Indulgence to be vsed to such as perfectly repented wheras others should performe and expect their whole tyme of pennance All these pardons and many mor● which S. Gregory the a Tho. in 4. sent dis 20. q. 1 art 3. Great b Abbas Vrspergen in chron Fulke in c.

chastise all the members of Christs mysticall body Thirdly he subioyneth Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth it shall be bound also in the heauens Fourthly whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth it shall be loosed also in the heauens that is whatsoeuer punishment thou shalt inflict either of excōmunication suspension interdiction or degradation or whatsoeuer other spirituall Censure for he speaketh without restriction the same shall be ratified by Almighty God whatsoeuer of these thou shalt release the same shall be released in the heauens aboue Vpon which words Origen obserueth no small Orig. tract 6. in Math. difference betweene Peter and the rest of the Apostles because to them the Keyes of one heauen were giuen to Peter of many Whereupon he inferreth they had not authority in such perfection as Peter to bind and loose in all the heauens 5. Our Aduersaryes not doubting of the highest soueraignty M. Reyn-in his Cōference with M. Hart c. 2. diuis 1. M. Bils in his booke of Christian subiection par 1. fol. 62. 63. Reyn. ibi diuis 2. which by these singular priuiledges are betokened apply some to Christ some to all the Apostles but none peculiar to Peter alone For the first prerogatiue both M. Reynoldes and M. Bilson attribute vnto Christ affirming either him to be the Rocke vpon which the Church is built or the fayth which Peter pronounced of him and not Peter pronouncing the same The second the third and fourth Reynolds extendeth to all the Apostles because to them all the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen were giuen the power of binding and loosing and not only to Peter Silly men who see not how they crosse themselues in their owne answeres For our Sauiour speaking of one matter to one person in one and the same sentence to whomesoeuer he made the first promise to him he made the rest Therefore if he promised the Keyes to all the Apostles vpon them all he promised to build his Church and not vpon Christ Or if he promised to build his Church vpon himselfe to himselfe he promised the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen to himselfe he promised all power of binding loosing which had beene as impertinent to our Sauiours discourse as dissonant from truth For Christ had all that power before euen from the first houre he began to plante his Church he already enioyed those priuiledges not giuen by himselfe as the iurisdiction heere mentioned but imparted by his Father from whome he was sent 6. Againe as those answeres encounter one another The words of Christ import some extraordinary fauour to S Peter alone so they offer violence to the Text ech of them depriuing Peter of that soueraigne dignity which the whole passage of the place conueyeth vnto him For the wordes of Christ are purposly addressed to the person of Peter his name is only changed at this tyme and not any of the other Apostles he is called Rocke and none of the rest he only speaketh and professeth Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God our Sauiour only nameth him and continually vseth the singular number yea he addeth the name of his Father to distinguish him not only from the Apostles in generall but also from the other Simon And shall not all these particiculer descriptions denote something in Peter more then in the rest If we appeale to the Greeke to the Hebrew especially to the Syriacke text in which Fabri in diction Syro-caldaicolero in c. 2. ad Gala ● language our Sauiour vttered this whole discourse it so euidently sheweth the very first promise to haue beene made to Peter and not to Christ as nothing can be more cleere For he speaking in Syriacke sayd vnto Peter Thou art Cephas and vpon this Cephas will I build my Church where the same word Cephas signifying as Guido Fabritius and S. Hierome testify a Rocke or Stone is vsed in both places And the Greeke wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though different in termination signify the same Wherefore as if Christ speaking in English had imposed vnto Simon the name of a Rocke therupon had sayd Thou art a Rocke and vpon this Rocke will I build my church there would haue beene no doubt but that he had builded his Church vpon Simon the Rocke so neither in this present speaking the same in Syrtacke 7. M. Reynolds not able to resist confesseth at length Rain c. 2. diuis 1. pag. 24. that Fabritius translateth Cephas a Rocke But Fabritius sayth he sheweth further that Cephas signifyeth a Stone also And in the page immediatly following he addeth Cephas in Greeke is expounded 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in English signifyeth a Stone Whereupon he counteth this a fit trāslation of the former Syriacke wordes Thou art a Stone and vpon this Stone will I build my Church And what is this but to graunt the substance of the thing and wrangle about wordes For whether Peter were tearmed Rocke or Stone as long as he was that stone that singular stone which after Christ vpholdeth the frame of the militant Church of which the Apostles were part he was the fundamentall Cyr. l. 2. in Ioan c. 2. Cy● ep ad Quintum Tertul. l. de praescript Epipha in Ancorato Amb ser 47. Nazianz orat de moder ser Basil l. 2. in Eunomium Aug. in Psal con● partem Donati Bils part 1. pag. 62. Stone vpon which both they and all others were built And seeing the foundation is the same to a house which a head to a body he was the head of the whole body of the Church 8. The Fathers generally fortify the same S. Cyril writeth that Christ called Peter by the name of Rocke because on him as on a stedfast rocke or stone immoueable he was to build his Church S. Cyprian sayth Christ chose Peter vpon whome he builded his Church Tertullian tearmeth him Ecclesiae Petram The Rocke or foundation of the Church Reade the like in Epiphanius S. Ambrose S. Gregory Nazianzen S. Basil and S. Augustine of whome M. Bilson most wrongfully and slaunderously writeth That Peter is the Rocke on which the Church is built S. Augustine and others do plainely deny But what if S. Augustine deny it not plainely What if he deny it not at all What if he plainely auouch it and that in diuers places Will you euer giue credit againe to M. Bilsons writings Therfore he vpon the Psalmes sayth O Church that is O Peter because vpon this Rocke w●ll I build my Church Read the like vpon the 69. Psalme in his Sermons Our Lord named Peter the foundation of his Church therfore the Church rightly honoured this foundation vpon which the height of the Ecclesiasticall edifice is raysed Againe Only Peter August conc 2. in Psal 30. in Psal 69. Et ser 15. de Sanct. ser 29. qui est 5. de S. Petro Paulo Aug. l. 1. Retract cap. 21. Bils ●

to your iust and vpright iudgement command me to come before you And in his Epistle to Renatius the Priest Idem in Epist ad Renatū praesbit In rela S. Synod Chal●ed ad B. Papam Leonem I beseech thee sayth he to perswade the most holy Archbishop Leo that he vse his Apostolicall authority and command our appearance before his Councell For that holy Seat holdeth the sterne of gouernement ouer all Churches of the world 14. The Embassage of the Fathers of the Chalcedon Councell was To haue their decrees confirmed by Leo Saying we are suppliants vnto you and doe you honour our iudgement with your decrees as we haue ioyned to our head conformity in things that be good so let your Highnesse performe that which beseemeth to your children To the same purpose Marcianus the Emperour Osiand in Epist Cēt. ● p. 182. prayed him to confirme the fayth which there was defined The petition of the first Councell held at Arles to Pope Siluester in the tyme of Constantine the Great was this That for the Rog●●nus igitur tuis decretis nostrū bonora iudicium sicut nos capiti in bonis adiccimus consonantiā sic summitas tua filiis quod decet adimpleat ex Epist 59. Leo. 60. eiusdē Habetur inter Ep. Hormisdae Tom. 1. Epist Rom. Pont. Extat in decret Agapeti to 2. Concil 553. or 45● according to the later Edition Sozon l. 8. c. 3. Socrates lib. 5. c. 15. Theod. Eccl. Hist lib. 5. cap. 23. Theod. ibid. vniforme obseruation of Easter day throughout the world he according to the custome should direct his letters to all Iustinus the Emperour referred the questions of fayth presented him by the Bishop to Hormisda the Pope requesting his resolution And the Emperour Iustinian after he had humbled himselfe to Pope Agapetus adored his Holynesse he beseeched him to adnance Me●●as a Catholike to the Catholike to the Patriarchall seat of Cōstantinople insteed of Anthimus the Heretike S. Iohn Chrysostome the Patriarch of Constantinople and Theophilus the Bishop of Alexandria intreated Damasus the Pope of Rome that Flauianus long vsurping the seat of Antioch might at length after the death of Paulinus be installed in his Bishoprike and pardoned his former fault And although he were much fauoured by all the East who cleaued vnto him and by Theodosius the Emperour who allowed him as farre as he could yet he twise commaūded him to repayre to Rome and neuer could he be canonically or peaceably enthroned vntill he sent Acatius the famous Bishop of Beroea with other illustrious Prelates to the sea Apostolike by whom he obteined the consent and approbation of the Pope 15. Not the suites of Emperous only not the supplication or intreaty of forren Bishops but the iurisdiction also and authority which the Pope hath alwayes practised witnesse his soueraignty ouer the whole flocke of Christ. For he made lawes which did bind the whole Church he called Councells censured Princes excommunicated Bishops deposed Patriarches restored them to their seats who were vniustly depriued of their dignityes For example a Leo. Epist 1. ad Episcop Camp c. Leo writeth to the Bishops of Campania of Picenum and of Tuscia how he and his Predecessours constitutions obliged them all The same b Leo ep 87. Ep. 93. ad Turb Leo summoned to a generall Councell the Bishops of Tarracone Lusitania France and Carthage c Nicep l. 13. c. 34. Innocentius the first thundred the sentence of Excommunication against Arcadius the Emperour and Eudoxia the Empresse Agaynst d The Centurist● Cent. 5. Col. ●●● Theophilus also Bishop of Alexandria e Liberatus c. 18. Felix excommunicated Acatius the Patriarch of Constantinople f Euseb l. 5. ca. 24. Victor the 15. Pope after S. Peter not somewhat Popelike as g Sparks in his answere to M. Iohn Albins preface M. Sparkes scoffeth at him exceeding his bounds but by the priuiledge of his supreme transcendent authority censured in like manner all the Bishops of Asiae for dissenting from the Roman Church in celebrating the feast of Easter h Zona in vita Iustin. Agapetus the Pope deposed Anthimus i Galas Ep. ad epis Darda Leo Dioscorus k Theod. l. 5 histo c. 23. Damasus Flauianus three Patriarches one of Constantinople another of Alexandria the third of Antioch And on the other side l Conc. Chal. act 1. Leo restored Theodoret the famous Bishop of Cyrus to his sea deposed by the 2. Councell of Ephesus m Cyp. l. 3. ep 13. S. Cyprian wrote to Pope Stephen to depose Marcian the Bishop of Orleance and install another in his roome n ●elas ep ad Epis Dardaniae Socrat. l. 2. c. 15. Cent. 4. col 550. Iulius the first of that name restored to their Bishoprikes Athanasius of Alexandria Paulus of Constantinople and other Catholike Bishops of the East expelled by the Arians And this he did as the Centurists cōfesse out of Socrates fraetus Romanae Ecclesiae prerogatiua By the prerogatiue of the Roman Church And Sozomenus sayth of the same Iulius When for the dignity of his Sea the care of all appertayned vnto him he restored euery one to his Church Zozom l. 3. c. 7. Euag. l. 1. c. 4. Phot. l. de 7. Syn. Leo ep 47. Leo ep 84. idem ep 87. Gela. ep ad Epi. Dard. Galf. l. 9. cap. 11. Leo ep 84. Greg. l. 4 ep 52. Innocent 1. ep 26. ad Con. Mile extat inter epi. Aug. Conc. Cbal act 1. Patet ex Leo. ep 55. ad Pulch. Basil epist 52. ad Athanasiū Conc. Nicenum 1. c. 6. ex Nicolao 1. ep ad Mich. Imp. vide S. Greg in Regist epi passim Idem S. Greg. in Regis l. 12. c. 15. vsum tibi pallij ad sola missarum solemnia agenda concedimus Bedel ● hist c. 19. 2. hist c. 8. God win in the Catal of Bishops Beda l. 2. c. 17. Fox act p. 185. 16. In fine the Pope of Rome hath alwayes had his legates presidents and chiefe in all Oecumenicall Councells as Hosius Vitus and Vincentius in the first Councell of Nice S. Cyril in the Councell of Ephesus Paschasius and Lucentius in the Councell of Chalcedon He hath had his Vicars generall in all forrayne and remote Countreyes Anastasius Bishop of Thessalonica in Grece Potentius in Afrike Acatius Patriarch of Constantinople in Egypt Dubritius Arch-bishop of Wales primate of Britany in England To him as to the highest Iudge the weightyest causes from all partes of the world haue been still directed Without him no generall Councell can be kept or assembled By him tumultuous Synods haue been euer disanulled From him most ample priuiledges dignityes and prerogatiues haue byn granted to Bishops Pathiarches Kings and Princes To mention some particulars From him the Patriarch of Constantinople had the preeminence of the highest Sea after Rome iurisdiction ouer Egypt

life can euer atcheiue so his vnspeakable mercy degenerateth into tyranny exacting a tribute which we cannot pay condemning vs for a fault which we cannot possibly eschew or he commandeth vs to discharge our dutyes according to our weake and limping manner and then our vttermost endeauours satisfy his law although they be lame and imperfect If not If our best endeauours transgresse his will if they be wanting of the duty we ought to performe and he command that defectuous duty thus he himselfe commandeth a transgression commandeth a sinne and man by doing Gods will is bound to sinne From which M. Abbot cannot Abbo● cap. 4. sect 46. fol. ●88 excuse him by saying It is the duty only he is bound to and not to the sinne For if the duety be vnauoydably linked with the sinful transgression whosoeuer commandeth the duty commandeth the transgression and whosoeuer is obliged to accomplish the one is necessarily obliged to incurre the other Neither is this fallacia accidentis or any sophisticall cauillation as he would bleare the eyes of the simple producing to that effect these two examples against Doctour Abbot ibi Bishop A lame man is bound by law to come to the Church he cannot come to the Church but he must halt therefore he is bound by law to halt M. Bishop is bound to pay a man twenty poundes but he cannot tell the money without soyling his fingers therefore he is bound to soyle his fingers So he writing at randome for i● there were no other pace amongst men nor other meanes to repaire to Church but only by halting all those who were bound by law to go to the Church should be boūd by law to halt to the Church and whosoeuer was willed to go should in this case be willed to halt if I say there were no other gate at all then halting now in the opinion of Protestants there is no meanes of fulfilling the law of God heer vpon earth but defectuous lame and sinneful therfore whosoeuer is tyed to that sinnefull fufilling 〈◊〉 also tyed and obliged to sin and whosoeuer commandeth it commandeth sinne 3. His second example is more extrauagant for no Caluin in Antido Conc. Trisess ● c. 12 precept of the Decalogue can be obserued The least saith Caluin is a burden more heauy then Aetna No action of keeping can be done without breach yet some money may be counted without soyling of fingers I verily thinke many poore Artizans many studēts also may receaue their rents without much soyling howbeit the ample reuenues of great Lordships may stayne thē somewhat more yet these staynes defilements arise not immediatly from the action of counting or locall motion of the fingers but from the money defilant coyne which is soyled cleanse that and your fingers will be cleane But dare you say in like manner that the impurity of our dueties the spots of our actions are drawn from the things prescribed and commanded by God from his spotted laws defiled constitutions I cannnot iudge you guilty of so wicked a saying 4. Secondly eyther English Protestants hold with Caluin that all and euery commandment is impossible to be kept or some particuler only Not euer one for I Caluin loc citato consulte the consciences of your own Sectaries whether some of your Iudges haue not beene free from murder bearing false witnes against their neighbours whether some of your graue Matrons haue not beene faythfull to their husbands not defiled neyther in thought nor deed with the cryme of adultery whether some Protestants children haue not beene obedient to their parents some Protestants subiects loyall to their Prince I for my part what soeuer the Caluinists libell to the contrary vnfeignedly iudge that diuers among them haue fully obserued at least for a tyme some of these precepts then euery commandment is not impossible for some space to be kept The precept of not coueting may be kept But some perchance be Which are they The two hardest in your opinion are thou shalt not couet and thou shalt loue God withall thy hart c. Of the former it hath beene already proued that it forbiddeth not the vnuoluntary motions but the free consent which we may refrayne as some Protestants no doubt at some tyme or other checke and subdue their desires of adultery of reuenge of coueting their neighbours goods their liues c. For it is an infamy too reproachfull that all their women should be adultresses all their men aged children reuengers of their wrongs spillers of bloud purloyners of the goods of others eyther Protestāts themselues obserue some of the commandmēts in hart or deed as often as any such euill motion ariseth or tentation is suggested vnto them Agayne to affirme the first motions which inuade vs against our will to be breaches of the precept daunteth the courage of Christs valiant souldiers it frustrateth the intent of Gods commaundement For why doth he command vs not to couet but that we may fulfill his will in not coueting Why do we fight against the motions of Concupiscence but that we may not transgresse his law yeilding to them Which suppose it be will we nill we by their assaultes transgressed we striue in vaine to keep of the receaued foyles or preuent the woundes already inflicted This precept then we may keep as often as we bridle our in ordinate suggestions and suppresse the inticements which prouoke vs to euill The Cōmaundment of louing God may be also obserued 5. The other also whereby we are commanded to loue God withal our hartes with al our forces c. may be fulfilled if we vnderstand it aright of the appretiatiue loue of true frendship therein exacted not of intensiue or affectionate loue as the Deuines speake that is we ought to esteeme and prize God for his owne infinite goodnes before all thinges in the world abandon al earthly riches profits and emolumentes when occasion is offered rather then him we ought to make him the only scope and finall end of all our desires yet we are not charged to loue him with all the degrees of intention which may be for that can neuer be shewed nor to loue him with such perfection as to imbrace voluntary pouerty or perpetuall chastity for his sake these are only counsayled not commaunded by the force of that precept neyther are we tied so to settle our hartes vpon him as not to affect any other thing conducible to our estate or profitable for the maintenance of our liues but only not to affect any thinge contrary and repugnant to his seruice which wee may easily do by the help of his grace and wholy thereby discharge our bond in fullfilling that sweet and comfortable Psal 118. v. to v 58. v. 145. v. 68 law as king Dauid discharged it when he testified of himselfe With my whole hart haue I sought after thee I besought thy face with all my hart I haue cried in