flocke or superintendents Take heed saith he to your selues and to all the flocke ouer the which the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops or ouerseers Lo he tearmeth the Ministers of the citie Ephesus Bishops For of one onely citie there could bee but one onely Bishop or chiefe Minister But let vs heare what a great popish Doctor telleth vs. Nicholaus de Lyra hath these expresse wordes Vos spiritus sanctus posuit Episcopos id est ministros Sub nomine enim Episcoporum intelliguntur alii Ecclesiae ministri Vnde Episcopus Gracè superintendens est Latinè The holy Ghost hath placed you Bishops that is to say Ministers For vnder the name of Bishops the other Ministers of the church are vnderstoode Wherefore a Bishop in Greeke is Superintendent in Latin Thus writeth Lyra the great papist whom sir Thomas Moore a famous popish so supposed Martyr tearmed a great Clearke and he was so in deed but our late Romish papists cannot abide that their Bishops be called Superintendents Secondly because Christ himselfe spoke the same wordes to all his Apostles in generall which he said to Peter in the person of all Hee made them all Apostles as well as Peter they had all equall power not onely of order but of iurisdiction also as well as Peter had the same This their owne great learned schoole-doctor Victoria affirmeth to be so These are his expresse wordes Apostoli omnes habuerunt aequalem potestatem cum Petro quam sic intelligo quod quilibet Apostolorum habuit potestatem Ecclesiasticam in toto orbe ad omnes actus ad quos Petrus habuit All the Apostles had equal power with Peter which I thus vnderstand that euerie one of the Apostles had power ecclesiasticall in the whole worlde and to all those acts to which Peter had the same Saint Cyprian hath these expresse wordes Hoc erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consortio praediti honoris potestatis sed exordium ab vnitate proficiscitur vt Ecclesia vna monstretur The same were the rest of the Apostles doubtlesse that Peter was endued with equall felowship both of honour and of power But the beginning proceedeth from vnitie to shew the Church to be one The Papists would wrest these wordes to be restrained onely to the power of consecration But hearken I pray you how the the same doctor confuteth them Nec audienda est glossa dicens hoc debere intelligi in ordine dignitate consecrationis non in potestatis plenitudine vt patere potest ipsam epistolam diui Cypriani legenti Neither must wee hearken to the Glosse which sayth that this to be vnderstoode in the order and dignitie of consecration not in the fulnesse of power as it is euident to him that shall read the epistle of S. Cyprian Couarruuias the Popes famous Canonist albeit he would very gladly defende the Popes pretensed power make only Peters power ordinary and independent yet can he not deny that our Lord Iesus gaue equall power to all his Apostles These are his expresse words Etenim iuxta Catholicorum virorum authoritates communem omnium traditionem Apostoli parem ab ipso Domino Iesu cum Petro potestatem ordinis iurisdictionis acceperunt ita quidem vt quilibet Apostolorum aequalem cum Petro habuerit potestatem ab ipso Deo in totum orbem in omnes actus quos Petrus agere poterat For according to the authorities of catholike Writers and the common traditions of all men the Apostles receyued from our Lord Iesus himselfe equall power with Peter both of order and iurisdiction insomuch doubtlesse as euery Apostle had equall power with Peter from God himselfe and that both ouer all the world and to all actions that Peter could do Out of these graue testimonies I note first that all the Apostles had equall authoritie with Peter I note secondly that all the Apostles had power ouer all the world euen as Peter had I note thirdly that what art soeuer Peter could do euery other Apostle could do the same I note fourthly that the iurisdiction of euerie Apostle did extend as farre as Peters did I note fiftly that Christs speaches to Peter in the singular number did argue no superioritie of iurisdiction but did onely signifie the vnitie of his Church I note sixtly that the late Bishops of Rome do falsely and insolently arrogate to themselues plenitudinem potestatis the fulnesse of power I note seuenthly that all this is cōnfirmed by the opinion of Catholique Writers and by tradition of all generally For all these seuen points are expressely contained if they bee well marked in the authorities alreadie alledged The selfe same doctrine is confirmed by the testimonie of Saint Austen in sundrie places of his workes In one place hee hath these wordes Clauses non vnus homo Petrus sed vnitas accepit Ecclesiae Not one onely man Peter receyued the Keyes but the vnitie of the Church In an other place hee writeth thus Ecclesiae Cutholicae personam sustinet Petrus cum ei dicitur adomnes dicitur amas me pasce oues meas Peter representeth the person of the Catholique Church and when it is sayde to him it is sayde to all Louest thou mee Feed my sheepe This poynt is prooued more at large in my booke of motiues The third Paragraph Although Councels both may erre and de facto haue erred as is alreadie proued yet to auoyd dissention and to establish peace in the Church free and godly generall Councels are and euer haue beene the ordinarie way and meane to condemne heresies errours and superstitions crept into the visible Church and to decide controuersies in Religion at such times and in such places as they could safely and lawfully be assembled brought together I say first free and godly generall Councels such as were the Councell of Nice the Councell of Ephesus the Councell of Constantinople and the Councell of Chalcedon which Councels the Church of Englande doth highly reuerence and christianly admit as agreeable to the holy Scriptures wishing that Councels might this day bee assembled with like freedome and called or summoned by the like authoritie For the Nicene Councell was appoynted by the authoritie of Constantinus surnamed the great to condemne Arrius who denied the consubstantialitie of our Lord Iesus the sonne of God affirming him to bee pure man Theodosius the younger called the Councell of Ephesus to confound the cursed heretique Nestorius who affirmed Christ to haue two persons and the blessed Virgin to bee onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother of Christ but not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the mother of God The Councell of Constantinople was called by the authoritie of the Emperour Theodosius the elder to confounde Macedonius who denied the diuinitie of the holy Ghost And the Councell of Chalcedon was assembled at the commaunde of Martianus the Emperour to condemne Eutiches
who affirmed Christ to haue but one onely nature after the vnion hypostaticall albeit hee graunted him to haue had two natures before the sayde ineffable coniunction This to be so most renowmed Historiographers and Chronographers will testifie with me I say secondly at such times and in such places as they might safely and lawfully come togither because in these latter dayes neither can a plenarie and generall Councell meete togither with securitie neither will the late tyrannizing Bishops of Rome permit that freedome to be their vsed which hath beene graunted in former times Hereof none can stand in doubt that will seriously peruse my booke of Motiues The great pillar of Christs Church Saint Augustine confirmeth this whole discourse in these golden wordes Putemus illos Episcopos qui Romae iudicarunt non bonos iudices fuisse restabat adhuc plenarium Ecclesiae vuiuersale Concilium vbi etiam cum ipsis iudicibus causa possit agitari vt si malè iudicasse conuicti essent eorum sententiae soluerentur Let vs imagine that those Bishoppes which gaue sentence at Rome were not good Iudges there yet remained a plenarie vniuerfall Councell of the Church where both the cause might be examined and the Iudges also that there sentences might be disanulled if they were found to haue giuen euill iudgement The same Saint Austen sayeth againe in an other place that great Doctors of the Church thought diuersly of rebaptization and that without all preiudice of fayth vntill the question was decided in a plenarie generall Councell Loe a free and godly generall Councell was in Saint Austines time the ende of all controuersies in religion But now there remayneth a great and most important question to wit what remedie must bee sought to appease controuersies when a free godly and lawfull generall Councell can not bee had To which question aunswere shall bee made in the Paragraph next following The fourth Paragraph I haue proued at large in my booke of Motiues that the decrees of generall Councels in these latter dayes are nothing else but a meere mockerie and sophisticall subtiltie to deceyue and delude the Worlde To which booke I referre the reader that shall expect a larger discourse in this behalfe I say now for the present that seeing generall Councels cannot be gathered togither in such maner and with such freedome as they haue beene in former times of antiquity and seeing withall that some iudges must be designed of meere necessity to appease end and decide doubts difficulties and controuersies in religion least the Church should be vexed turmoiled and swallowed vp with schismes heresies and variety of opinions euerie Emperour and Empresse euery King and Queen and euery other ciuill Magistrate independent by what title or name soeuer he be called must before all things haue a vigilant Christian and religious care to settle establish and plant within their kingdomes Realmes Precinctes common weales territories and dominions where they haue the chiefe and independent soueraignty immediately vnder God the pure and sincere religion of Iesus Christ and to abandon extirpate and vtterly abolish all schismes heresies errors and superstitions whatsoeuer This hath euer beene the religious care of all godly and zealous Princes aswell before Christ in time of the olde testament as since Christ in time of the new testament Holy Moses tooke the molten Calfe which Aaron the High Priest to please the people had made burnt it in the fire bet it to powder strowed it in the water and made the people to drinke thereof He reproued Aaron for his offence who calling him Lord laboured with humble obeysance to excuse himselfe Iosue commanded the Priestes and Leuits to do all their ecclesiasticall functions to beare the Arke to carry trumpets to circumcise to set vp Altars to offer sacrifice and to reade the booke of the law to all the people yea the same Iosue was appointed to go out and in before the people and to leade them out and in least the congregation of the Lord should be as sheepe without a Pastor King David ordered disposed and reformed the Priestes and Leuits in their offices and functions ecclesiasticall He appointed how the Arke shoulde be borne hee ordained Psalmes Singers Instrumentes Officers and all other things for the setting forth of Gods true religion and seruice King Salomon appointed the Priestes to bring the Arke into the temple hee instituted the dedication of the temple hee offered sacrifice hee directed the Priestes Leuites and other Church officers as his father had done afore him He deposed Abiathar the hie Priest and placed Sadocke in his roome King Iosaphat appointed in Ierusalem Priestes and Leuits and Princes of the Families of Israell that they might iudge the iudgement and cause of the Lord to the inhabitantes of the land And he vsed these expresse wordes vnto them Sic agetis in timore Domini fideliter corde perfecto Thus shal yee doe in the feare of the Lord faithfully with a perfect heart King Ezechias tooke away the hie places brake the images cut downe the Groues and brake in pieces the brasen serpent that Moses had set vppe He purged the Temple reformed the Priestes and commanded them to doe their duties in cleansing themselues and in offering their sacrifices Hee renued the Passeouer Hee appointed the courses of the Priestes and Leuites by their turnes both for the burnt offeringes and peace offeringes to minister and to praise God in the Temple He also commanded that sufficient maintenance should be giuen to the Priestes that they might be encouraged in the law of the Lord and not bee intangled with prouision of worldly thinges And which is to bee noted he called the Priestes and Leuites his sonnes in regard of his royall power and estate in which respect hee was the Father of all his people for otherwise hee was but a Child and for yeares might haue had many of thē to haue bin his father King Iosias brake the Altars of Baalim destroied the Groues burnt the bones of the idolatrous Priestes vpon their altars and purged Iuda and Ierusalem from idolatrie This religious care had the noble Emperour Constantine the Great who as reporteth Eusebius thought nothing to pertaine more to his royall charge then to plant true religion throughout his realmes and dominions S. Austen proueth the facts and examples of the Kinges of the old Testament to haue beene figures of the new Testament and consequently that it is the duty of all kinges in this time of grace to haue speciall regard to the seruice and true worship of God to abandon all false worshippe idolatrie errors heresies and superstition and to plant the Gospell of Christ Iesus in all the partes of their realmes and dominions The same S. Austen in an other place among many golden sentences which I now omit in regard of breuitie hath these expresse words In hoc ergo reges
THE GOLDEN BALLANCE OF TRYALL VVherein the Reader shall plainly and briefely behold as in a Glasse of Crystall aswell by what rule all controuersies in Religion are to be examined as also who is and of right ought to be the vpright Iudge in that behalfe Whereunto is also annexed a Counterblast against a masked Companion terming himselfe E.O. but supposed to be ROBERT PARSONS the trayterous Iesuite Vos Vnctionem habetis a sancto nostis omnia 1. Ioh. 2. v. 20. Determinatio solius Papae in his quae sunt fidei non obligat vt praecise est talis ad credendum alioquin staret in casu quod quis obligaretur ad contradictoria vel ad falsum contra fidem Gerson prim part de examinat doctrinarum consider secunda LONDON Imprinted by Iohn Windet for Richard Bankworth dwelling in Paules Churchyeard at the Signe of the Sunne 1603. THE GOLDEN Ballance of Tryall CAP. I. Of the Vncertainety of Iudgements of all Bishoppes seuerally in themselues THE Prophet Dauid sheweth plainely the vncertainty of Iudgement when he telleth vs That all men are lyers The Prophet Ieremie cryeth aloude that the Gentiles in the end of the world shall come to him and shall freely confesse that their fore-fathers inherited lyes and vanitie S. Paule confirmeth the same telling vs that onely God is true and euery man a lyer The Prophet Malachie sheweth the whole matter to haue been verified in the Priestes of the old Law His words are these The Priestes lips shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the law at his mouth for he is the messenger of the Lord of Hostes but ye are gone out of the way ye haue caused many to fall by the law yee haue broken the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of Hosts yea this is it that the Prophet Ezechiel saith Then shall they seeke a vision of the Prophet but the Law shall perish from the priest counsel from the Elders The prophet Esay sayth The priest and the prophet haue erred by strong drink they are swallowed vp with wine they haue gone astray through strong drinke they faile in vision they stumble in iudgement this is it that Michah saieth The Heades thereof iudge for rewardes and the priestes thereof teach for hire the prophets thereof prophesie for money This is it that the prophet Sophonie sayeth Her prophets are light and wicked persons her priestes haue polluted the Sanctuarie they haue wrested the law This vncertainety of iudgement cannot be denied For Tertullian erred Montanizinge Cyprian Rebaptizinge Origen Cerporizinge Nazianzen Angelizinge Eusebius Arrianizinge Lactantius Millenizinge and the like may bee verified of all the Residue The sentence of two learned papistes highlie renowned in the Church of Rome shall conclude my Theame Iohn Fisher the late Bishop of Rochester hath these expresse wordes Nec Augustini nec Hieronymi nec alterius cutuslibet auctoris doctrinae sic ecclesia subscripsit quin ipsi locis aliquot ab iis liceat dissentire nam in nonnullis ipsi locis se planè monstrarunt homines esse atque nonnunquam aberrasse The Church hath not so subscribed eyther to the doctrine of Austen or of Hierome or of any other Writer but that we may somtime dissent from their opinions for themselues haue plainely shewed themselues to bee men and that they wanted not their errours the Iesuite Ballarmine hath these wordes Sine dubio singuli Episcopi errare possunt aliquando errant inter se quandoque dissentiunt vt nesciamus quisnam eorum sequendus sit Without doubt all Bishoppes seuerally may erre and doe sometime erre indeed and doe also sometime so dissent one from another that we cannot tell in the world which of them we may safely follow Out of the wordes of these Writers whereof the one was a learned Bishoppe and a popish canonized Martyr and the other a Iesuite and Popish Fryer who did dedicate his Booke to the Pope himselfe I gather these singular documents First that the Church of Rome giueth euery one liberty to dissent from Augustine Hieromie and other Writers whosoeuer Secondly that the Fathers haue plainely shewed themselues to be men and to haue had their imperfections accordingly Thirdly that many errours are to be found in the writinges of the Fathers Fourthly that the Fathers doe so dissent one from another that wee cannot tell whome we may safely follow These Fathers therefore seuerally may not be iudges in all matters of faith and religion CAP. II. Of the uncertainety of iudgement of many Bishops euen when they employ their wits and learning to teach one and the selfe same doctrine WE finde in holy Writte that the chiefest of the Priestes and people trespassed wonderfully according to all the abhominations of the Heathen and polluted the house of the Lord which he had sanctified in Ierusalem The Watchmen of Ephraim sayth Hoseah should bee with my God but the prophet is the snare of a fowler in all his wayes and hatred in the house of his God The Prophets saith Ieremie prophesie lies in my name I haue not sent them neither did I commaund them but they prophesie vnto you a false vision and diuination vanitie and deceitfulnes of their own heart The same Prophet sayth againe in an other place after this manner From the least of them to the greatest euery one is giuen to couetousnes and from the Prophet to the Priest they all deale falsly Their Watchmen saith Esay are all blind they haue no knowledge they are all dumbe dogs they cannot barke Many of the olde writers taught with vniforme consent that the soules of the faithful departed doe not see God vntill the day of generall doome To recite the wordes of a few may suffice for this time Lactantius hath these wordes Nec tamen quisquam putet animas post mortem protinus iudicari omnes in vna communique custodia detinentur donec tempus adueniat quo maximus iudex meritorum facit examen Yet may not any man thinke that the soules of the iust shal forth with after death haue their iudgement for they are all kept in one common prison vntill the time come when the great Iudge shall discusse euerie mans deserts Iustinus Martyr hath these wordes Neque enim ante resurrectionem vitae cuique peractae retributio contingit Iterum vtilitas latroni quod Paradisum sit ingressus haec finit quod fidei commodum re ipsa percepit per quod dignus reputatus est qui sanctorū caetui adiungeretur in quo vsque ad diem resurrectionis remunerationis reseruatur No man hath his rewarde before the day of resurrection The Theefe by going to Paradise had this benefite that he receiued in verie deed the fruit of his faith by which he was reported worthy of the Fellowship of Saintes where hee is reserued vntill the day of resurrection and remuneration Victorinus hath these
wordes Sed quia in Nouissimo tempore sanctorum remuneratio perpetua impiorum ventura est damnatio dictum est eis expectate But because in the last time Saints must receiue their rewardes and the wicked their damnation it is said vnto them Expectate ye must expect or doe ye expect a while I could alleadge the wordes of Ireneus of Euthymius of Oxigenes and others to the same effect and yet the doctrine taught by these Fathers is this day holden for a flat heresie euen of the Papistes themselues Caietanus a learned Papist and sometime Cardinall of Rome for which respect hee must perforce be of great credite among them doth grauely aduise the Reader in his commentaries vpon the Pentateuch of Moyses willing him to contemne nothing rashlie but to examine all thinges by the holy scripture and to embrace that which is agreeable thereunto although it swerue from the opinion of neuer so many Fathers His words are set downe at large in my booke of Motiues The great Schooleman and renowned popish Bishoppe Melchior Canus confesseth verie plainely that the consent of many Bishops and learned men doth not yeeld a sound argument for mans conscience to rest thereupon The same Canus in an other place auoucheth boldly that though al the Thomists with the Scotists late writers with the olde take part against him yet must he perforce haue the victorie because reason is on his side his wordes are set downe at large in my Booke of Motiues What neede long periods Austen Ambrose Bede Chrysostome Remigius Eusebius Bernardus Bonauentura Maximus Erardus Bernardinus Aquinas Hugo and almost all the rest affirme with one consent alledging expresse textes of Scripture for their opinion that the blessed Virgin Mary was conceiued in originall sinne and yet doth the late hatched nest of Iesuites with other Papistes this day auouch the contrarie for a truth if any man be desirous to know more of this point hee may find it at large in my books of Motiues and Suruay loe these cannot always be iudges in al matters of faith and religion CAP. III. Of the vncertainety of the Popes Iudgement whose faith say the Papistes can not faile ALbeit the Popes Canons and popish glosses thereupon tell vs that it is sacriledge to reason of the Popes power yet by his holines fauour I hope I may set downe without offence to any godly mā what I find in his own popish decrees and that I may proceede sincerely and plainly for the better satisfaction of the Reader I will distribute this Chapter into seuerall sections The First Section Of the manners liues and conuersation of the late Bishops of Rome ALthough the Bishops of Rome bee now a dayes termed by the name of Holinesse yet haue the liues and manners of manie Popes been most wicked most notorious and most scandalous to the Christian world I will passe ouer Pope Stephanus who disanulled all the Actes of Pope Formosus degrading those whome hee had made Bishops and priestes a rare and strange Metamorphosis in the Church of God Pope Romanus did reproue and abrogate all the Actes of Pope Stephanus and Pope Sergius the third did so hate the name of Formosus that he caused his bodie to be beheaded after it was buried and laide in the ground yea hee commaunded his dead corps to be cast into the riuer Tyber as vnworthy to bee interred in Christian sort Pope Bonifacius the eight entered into his popedome as a Foxe raigned in it as a Wolfe and died in the end as a dogge Pope Christopher was depriued of his pontificall dignitie and enforced to be a Monke Pope Bonifacius the seuenth and Syluester the second aspired to their popedomes by Necromancy and Diabolicall meanes Syluester the third obtayned his popedome by sedition and Damasus the second was made pope by violent meanes without consent either of the Clergie or of the people pope Gregorie the fift was by sedition thrust out of his throne and pope Iohn the 18 by tyranny occupied the popedome But I may not let passe to speake at large of Pope Syluester the second of that name the storie is most memorable well worthy for edification sake to bee engrauen in golden letters of the truth thereof no man can stand in doubt For Martinus Polonus the popish Archbishop of Consentina and high Penitentiarie as also the chiefe Chaplain to the Popes Holines hath published the same in writing to the view of all the world Which thing doubtles hee world neuer haue done if he had not thought it a thing necessary to be known Thus therefore doth he write Pope Syluester the 2. was first a Monke a Frenchman borne Gilbertus by name he promised homage to the Deuill so long as he did accomplish his desires which his request the Deuil vndertooke to bring to passe he being very ambitious did so often expresse his desire to the deuill as hee made homage vnto him the Deuill procured him to be made Archbishop first at Rhemes then at Rauennas and at the last to be Pope of Rome for the Deuill knowing his ambitious mind brought him to honour by begrees being made Pope he would needes know of the Deuil how long he should liue in his Pontificall glorie the Deuill aunswered him that he should liue so long as he did not say Masse in Ierusalem the Pope receyuing that aunswere was very ioyfull within himselfe thinking that hee was as farre from death and from the ende of his worldly pompe as hee was farre of in his minde from going on pilgrimage to Ierusalem beyond the Sea But what will yee more The Pope in Lent said Masse in the Church Sanctae crucis which they call in Ierusalem my self know the place Yet the Pope as it seemeth infatuated with pride and excessiue desire of honor had quite forgot the name While he was at Masse O holy sacrifice he heard a great noyse of Deuils and so remembred not the place onely but also his death to bee at hand Hee therefore wept though hee were afore most wicked disclosing his offence to all the companie nothing doubting of Gods mercie withall he cōmaunded to cut away from his bodie all the members with which hee had done sacrifice to the Deuill This hystorie I haue truly set down as I find it recorded by the said Martinus Polonus Archbishop of Consentina a man most deare vnto the Pope so as no Papist can without blushing denie the truth therof me thinks it is an vnfit thing that the faith of all the Christian world should depend vpon the resolution of such wicked Popes Benedictus the ninth as writeth the said Polonus appeared to a man going by a Mill in the likenes of a monstrous beast who had a head and tayle like an Asse and the rest of the bodie was like a Beare And when the man that saw the Monster fled away for feare the monster cryed after him
in these words Feare me not for I am a man as thou art but I shew my selfe in this likenes because I liued like a beast when I was a wicked Pope Much like stuffe I could recite but I studie to be briefe He that desireth to know more hereof may satisfie himselfe by reading my Suruay In these holy disholy Fathers no sound iudgement can be found Sect. II. Of the Schismes and conflictes which haue beene among the Popes or Bishops of Rome POpe Benedict the ninth was depriued of his popedome and the Bishop of Sabina who after that was called Syluester became Pope in his roome This Syluester was afterward expulst Benedict restored to the popedome again After that the same Benedict was yet againe expulst and the popedome was giuen to Iohn Archdeacon of S. Iohn ante portam Latinam who was after that called Gregorie the sixt This pope being altogether vnlearned caused an other Pope to be made iointly with him that he might execute the Ecclesiastical function which himselfe was not able to do Which thing displeased many and therefore the third Pope was appointed who alone should supply the places of the other two One therefore contending against two and two against one for the Popedome and Gregory being dead Henry the Emperour came to Rome against the two and deposed them by canonicall and imperiall censure and placed Sindegerus the Bishop of Babemberge in the popedome At which time the Romanes promised by solemne oathes that they woulde neuer elect the Bishoppe of Rome without the consent of the Emperour of Rome Many Schismes haue been in the church of Rome and amongst our Romish Bishoppes euen for many years together And thereupon it followeth euidently that the succession of the latter Popes can neuer bee proued constantlie to haue descended without interruption from the former The great Papist Onuphrius Panuinius maketh mētion of no lesse then thirtie Schismes which were all in the Church of Rome Bartholomeus Carranza a lerned Writer popish Fryer reckoneth vp two most notable Schismes in the Church of Rome The former Schisme saith he endured for the space of 64 years during al which time their godly Popedome was at Auinion in France and not one day at Rome though at Rome as they prate God placed their holy seat In the latter schisme three of their holy Bishops were Popes at one and the selfe same time to write Iohannes 24. of that name Benedict 13. Gregorie the 12. From which three striuing and contending like Dogges fighting for a bone I would gladly learne how they cā deriue their holy so supposed successiō of which succession I haue spoken more at large in my book of Suruey Of this Romish Schisme speaketh their own dear Abbot Bernarde egregiously these are his words Tempus faciendi c. It is now high time to do good for they haue trodē vnderfoot Gods law The beast mentioned in the Reuelation to whome was giuē a mouth speaking blasphemies and to make wars with the Saints sitteth in Peters chaire like a Lion ready to take his pray Now I weene that all wise men well obseruing and pondering with themselues these manifolde and notorious Schismes in the Church of Rome which haue continued aboue fiftie yeares togither and in which sundry Popes cōtending who should be the Pope no one could truly be discerned to bee Pope will be fully perswaded therwith that if Gods holy pleasure had bin to haue tied all people in the worlde to hang depend wholy vpon the Bishops of Rome from time to time in matters touching faith and their euerlasting saluation as vpon those persons whose faith should neuer faile that God I say would haue prouided for the securitie and common good of his people that the same Bishops should haue beene more honest and godly in their liues more peaceable among themselues more free from doing homage to the diuell more constant in their seates and not so doubtfull and vncertaine in their succession that Gods people were many times at their wits end which Pope they should take for Peters successor These men therefore can not bee iudges in Religion Sect. 3. Of the priuiledges falsely supposed to be granted from heauen to the Bishops of Rome AVgustinus de Ancona a religious Frier hath these wordes Papa Vicarius Iesu Christi vice Dei viuentis in toto orbe terrarū spiritualium temporaliium habet vniuer salem iurisdictionem The Pope being the Vicar of Iesus Christ hath in steede of the liuing God vniuersall iurisdiction of all things spirituall and temporall throughout the whole world Bartholomaeus Fumus a famous popish Frier and renowmed Canonist hath these wordes Omnis potestas iurat fidelitatē Papae obedientiam recognoscens ab eo omne quod habet Et si aliquando aliquid imperator douauit Ecclesiae vt de Constantino dicitur non fuit donatio sed restitutio Euery power sweareth fidelitie and obedience to the Pope acknowledging themselues to haue from him all that they haue and if any Emperor as Constantine gaue any thing to the Church it was no gift but restitution Iohn Gerson sometime the Chancellor of Paris singeth the same song in these wordes Consurgit ex aduerso c. There starteth vp on the contrarie side faire spoken and craftie adulation whispering in the eares of Cleargy-men specially of the Pope Oh how great how great is the maiestie of thine Ecclesiastiall power For as all power was giuen to Christ in heauen and on earth so Christ left al the same power to Peter and to his successors Wherefore the Emperour Constantine gaue nothing to Pope Syluester which was not his owne before but onely restored that which was vniustly detained from him Further as there is no power but of God so is there neither any temporal or Ecclesiasticall Emperiall or Regall but of the Pope in whose thigh Christ hath written the King of kings the Lord of lords The Popes owne decrees tell vs plainly that though the Pope be neuer so wicked and carry to hell with himselfe neuer so many people yet may no mortall man reproue him for the same And the reason thereof is this because forsooth hee may iudge all but none may iudge him neither great nor small The Popish parasites the interpreters of the Canons doe ascribe titles yet more magnificall to the Pope yea titles plaine diuine and proper to God alone These are the expresse wordes in the popish Glosse vpon the Decretals Sic Papa dicitur habere coeleste arbitrium ideo etiam naturam rerū immutat substantialia vnius rei applicando alii de nihilo potest aliquid facere So the Pope is said to haue celestiall arbitrement and therefore doth he alter the nature of things by application of the substantiall parts of one thing to another and hee can make of nothing something To haue recited these absurd and prophane assertions
Apostolike rule that they must rather obey God then man I say secondly that though the Priestes be appointed to teach and the people to heare the Priestes in Gods name to commaund and the people to obey yet must all this be done Iuxta legem Dei according to Gods law Neither shall the people for all that contemne the authority of the Priestes but with humility admonish the priestes and tell them why they cannot so doe This lesson if the Papistes cannot be content to learne of me yet I hope they will not disdayne to learne it of S. Hierome seeing their Pope in their Collect vpon his festiuity termeth him Doctorem maximum their greatest Doctor His wordes are these Si Sacerdos est sciat legem Domini si ignorat legem ipse se arguit non esse Domini sacerdotem Sacerdotis enim est scire legem ad interrogationem respondere de lege Sequitur discant legem Dei vt possint docere quod didicerint augeant scientiam magis quam opes non erubescant a laicis discere qui nouerint ea quae ad officium pertinent sacerdotum If he be a Priest let him know the law of God if he be ignorant of the Law hee accuseth himselfe that hee is not the Priest of God For the Priestes office is to know the law and to aunswere to questions of the Law Let the Priestes learne Gods law that they may teach that which they haue learned and let them encrease knowledge rather then riches and let them not be ashamed to learne of the Lay people which know those things that pertaine to the Priestes office Out of these wordes of S. Hierome I note first that many Popes are no Priestes and consequently no Popes indeede though falsely supposed so to be S. Ieromes reason is plaine to euery child because many Popes are very vnlearned and know not the law of God neither preach his word which is the chiefest office of a Priest And who wil or can think that Christ Iesus if he had appointed the Bishops of Rome to rule his whole Church throughout the world and all nations to hang their Faith vpon the popes faith woulde in these dangerous times suffer them to liue dissolutely to be as dumbe dogs that barke not and neuer to preach and teach his word none doubtles that haue any wit sense or reason I note secondly that Priests must know the law of God to this end that they may teach the same And consequently that the Bishops of Rome who neuer preach the word of God cannot be the true Priests of God I note thirdly that the Bishops of Rome if they were true Priests indeed both shold and would encrease their knowledge in the law of God rather then their wealth and possessions I note fourthly that the true Priestes of God must not disdayne to learne of the Laicall sorte which are better learned then themselues I note fiftly that sheepe so called Metaphorically such as Christian people are who haue sence reason and learning and know the voyce of the great shephearde Christ Iesus as himselfe telleth vs may with all humility forsake those shepheardes who eyther for their ignorance cannot or for malice will not feed them with the pure word of God as they ought to doe For wise sheepe will not eate that meat which they know to be deadly poison to them For this cause doe the Popes owne Canons graunt libertie to the sheepe to reproue and accuse their Pastor yea though he be the Pope himselfe The expresse wordes of the Canon are these Oues quae suo Pastori commissae sunt eum nec reprehendere nisi a fide exorbitauerit nec vllatenus accusare possunt The sheepe which are committed to their Pastor may neyther rebuke him nor in any wise accuse him vnlesse hee forsake the faith Loe this Canon made of Pope Eusebius himselfe telleth vs two thinges First that the Pope may erre and forsake the Christian faith Secondly that when he doth so erre the sheepe may then reproue him and also accuse him And I am well assured that if the sheep may reproue and accuse the Pope as the Pope himselfe alloweth to bee done much more may the sheepe reproue and accuse other Bishops priests which are farre inferiour to the Pope See the answere to the second obiection The fift Obiection If the Pope had not authority from God himself to rule the vniuersall Church and to decide all controuersies in the same all the Christian worlde would neuer haue yeelded themselues unto him in matters of Faith and euerlasting saluation The Aunswere I say first that when Constantinus the Emperour departed from Rome to Constantinople the Pope then beganne to put out his Hornes and to chalenge the Emperiall authority in the west partes of the world And his flattering Parasites and greedy Sicophantes by false Pamphlets and glosses laboured to confirme his Lordly Titles These are the wordes of the Canon Constantinus Imperator coronam omnem regiam dignitatem in vrbe Romana in Italia in partibus occidentalibus Apostolico concessit The Emperour Constantine graunted to the Apostolicall man the Bishoppe of Rome his crowne and all royall dignitie aswell in the Citty of Rome and in Italie in all the west partes of the world Loe this was the first steppe to that Lordly Primacy and Antichristian tyranny which the Bishoppes of Rome this day chalenge in the Christian world This I say was the originall of Poperie though it bee a very fable and voide of all credite For Eusebius Theodoritus Socrates Sozomenus Eutropius Ruffinus Victor and other approued Writers who all haue writen the Actes of Constantine most diligently do not only make no mentiō of that gift but withal say plainely that the whole Empire was diuided among the three Sonnes of Constantine and that one of them had all Italie for his parte And Ammianus Marcellinus writeth that Constantius had the dominion of the Citty of Rome and that Leontius was his Lieutenant there Laurentius Valla hath written both learnedly largely against the false Donation of Constantine wherewith a great part of the world hath beene seduced To this I could adde many argumentes but that the Reader may find them in my motiues and Booke of Suruey I say secondly that the Maiestie of the Romane Empire and that liberality which the Romanes exhibited to the Martyres in Exile and otherwise afflicted gaue no small honour to the Cittie and church of Rome For the Councels had euer great respect to the dignity and excellency of Cities in the distribution of Episcopall and Patriarkall seates I say thirdly that the church of Rome kept defended a long time the pure and sincere doctrine of Christ Iesus For Saint Paule was beheaded there Saint Peter crucified there and many Bishops of Rome there put to death for confessing defending the Christian faith And hereupon it partly
came I will it not deny that the West and Occidentall Churches did so greatly reuerence the Church of Rome and many times to appease controuersies and dissentions had recourse to it as to the Mother Churche and auncient Nurse of the Faith But for all this they neuer ascribed this prerogatiue to the Bishoppe of Rome that hee could not erre neyther euer did they acknowledge him to be the sole and onely iudge in questions and controuersies of religion This to bee so one onely testimonie will suffice For S. Cyprian an auncient Father a very learned Bishoppe and blessed Martyr although hee greatly honoured the Church of Rome and the Bishoppes therof for respectes aboue mentioned yet was he so farre from acknowledging the supposed prerogatiue of the Bishoppe of Rome that his faith could not faile or that hee was the sole and only iudge in questions and controuersies of religion that hee flatly reiected his opinion contemned his definitiue sentence and derided his iudiciall decree calling him blinde bussarde and arrogant Prelate The controuersie was this whether they which were baptized of Heretiques ought to bee rebaptized or not The mater and Saint Cyprians words are set downe at large in my Booke of Motiues And the matter it selfe is partly already proued in the Chapters afore going and shall bee more fully confirmed in the Chapters following CAP. V. Shewing that Prouinciall Councels may erre THAT Prouinciall Councels may erre euen in matters of Faith it is so cleare and manifest that famous and verie learned Papistes affirme the same to witte Adrianus who was sometime Pope himselfe Iohannes-Gerson sometime Chauncellor of Paris Almainus and Alphonsus both of them renowmed Papistes For they all hold as the Iesuite Bellarmine graunteth that the infallibility of iudgement touching matters of faith resteth solely in the church and generall Councels this assertion being confessed by great learned Papistes were enough to satisfie the indifferent Reader if more could not be said Saint Cyprian assembled in councell togither with fourescore learned bishops defined against the truth that such as were baptized of Heretiques ought to be baptized againe This decree is extant in the first tome of Councels and is this day reputed for a grosse errour throughout the christian worlde The Prouinciall Councell holden at Iconium decreed with Saint Cyprian and his fellow Bishops that rebaptization was lawfully ministred to those that were baptized of Heretiques The Councell of Sardis erred grossely condemning two Catholike Bishops Iulius the Bishop of Rome and Athanasius the Bishop of Alexandria The third Councell of Carthage decreed the Apocryphall bookes of Tobias Iudith Baruch Wisdome Ecclesiasticus and the Machabees to be Canonicall But the Councell of Laodicea which was confirmed in the sixt generall Councell condemned that decree long before it was made and denied the said bookes to be Canonicall The Councell of Varmes decreed that secret theft should be knowne and tried by the deliuerie and receyuing of the holy Eucharist Which is a notorious error and a wicked decree as the great papist Aquinas witnesseth in his Theologicall summe The Councell of Rome celebrated by Pope Stephanus disanulled all orders giuen by Pope Formosus and the Councell of Rauennas called by Pope Iohn disanulled the Actes of the Councell vnder Pope Stephanus In fine a Councell holden at Rome vnder Pope Nicholas decreed and enforced Berengarius to confesse the same that the true body of Christ was broken with the Priests hands and consumed with the teeth of the faithfull And yet is this a notorious error manifest to all the worlde Wherefore the Popish Glosse to saue the credite of the decree of the Pope and Councell if it would bee addeth these wordes for explication sake Nisi sanè intelligas verba Berengarii in maiorem incideshaeresim quam ipse habuit ideo omnia referas ad species ipsas Nam de Christi corpore partes non facimus Vnlesse thou vnderstande soundly the wordes of Berengarius thou wilt fall into a greater heresie then hee had and therefore thou must referre all things to the formes For of Christ bodie no partes are made Loe the Popish glosse saith plainly which is the truth in deed that Christ bodie cannot bee broken or diuided into partes And for all that the Pope with his popish Councell enforced Berengarius to beleeue the contrarie and to cōfesse the same The Apostles words are these Christ being raysed from the dead dieth no more death hath no more dominion ouer him But certes if the true bodie of Christ Iesus be broken in deede and torne in peeces with mans teeth then doubtlesse must it bee corrupted and Christ himselfe must die againe This veritie doth so gall the Papists that the Iesuite Bellarmine who is the mouth of all the Papists is inforced will he nill he to confesse the truth vnawares These are his owne wordes which I wish the Reader to marke attentiuely Certum est semper fuit Christi corpus incorruptibile nunc existens non posse frangi teri nisi in signo siue sacramento ita vt dicatur frangi ac teri cum signum eius id est species panis frangitur teritur Sequitur verum Christi corpus ibi praesens existens frangitur teritur non tamen inse sedin signo It is and euer was certaine and without doubt that Christs bodie now being incorruptible cannot bee broken and torne but in the signe or Sacrament So that it may be said to be broken and torne when the signe thereof that is to say the forme of bread is broken and torne The true bodie of Christ there present is broken and torne yet not in the bodie it selfe but in the signe thereof Thus writeth our Iesuite most Christanly but vnawares agaynst himselfe if his words be well obserued I therefore note first that by Bellarmines owne confession Christs bodie is now immortall and incorruptible I note secondly that Christs bodie can not now bee broken in deed but onely in the signe or Sacrament thereof I note thirdly that Christes bodie is truly said to be broken as our Iesuite affirmeth because the signe of his bodie is truly broken Out of whose wordes and graunt this proposition is inferred of necessity to wit that Christ bodie is truly said to be present to the faithfull and to be truly eaten of them when the signe of Christes bodie is truly present and truly eaten of them Againe it must needs follow vpon the Iesuites grant and exposition of the Romish faith which is a wōder to bee heard that when Christ vttered these wordes to his Apostles this is my bodie his meaning and the true sense of the wordes was this This is my bodie that is to say this is the signe and Sacrament of my bodie The reason hereof is euident because Christes naturall and true body can no more be truely eaten then it can be truely broken And
Chapter hoping by Gods grace to vse such perspicuitie in handling this difficult question as shal bee to the contentment of all indifferent Readers CAP. VIII Shewing who is the right Iudge of the holy Scripture and word of God ALbeit the holy Scripture be the infallible rule of Faith and the true Touchstone by which all doctrines are bee examined and tryed as is already proued yet will controuersies neuer haue a peaceable end vnles some speciall iudges bee appointed to decide and determine the same For as the old Prouerbe saith So many heads so many wittes Out of one and the selfe same Scripture one man gathereth one sense an other man an other sense For the perspicuous vnderstanding wherof I put downe these Paragraffes The first Paragraffe The examination of doctrine is of two sortes the one is priuate the other is publike Priuate examination is that vpon which euery man doth build and stablish his owne faith For as the Prophet sayeth The iust man shall liue by his faith And as the great Popish Doctor Aquinas writeth the former obiect of our faith or that which wee formally belieue is God himselfe or that which God hath reuealed to vs and not that which man telleth vs. For sayeth hee faith doth not yeelde assent to any thing but because it is reuealed of God The publike examination of doctrine pertayneth to the common consent of the Church for the peaceable gouernance thereof For GOD is not the Author of confusion but of peace The Second Paragraffe As the examination of doctrine is of two sorts so are the examiners and the iudges of two sortes also that is to say publike and priuate The Publike iudges are all the Ministers of the Church by what name or title soeuer they bee called The priuate Iudges are all the faithfull seuerally by themselues in all matters pertayning to Faith and the saluation of their owne soules That all the faithfull are priuate Iudges it may be easily proued by many textes of holy writte First by this text of S. Iohn beleeue not euery spirit but trie the spirits if they bee of God Secondly by this text of S. Paule trie all thinges and keepe that which is good Thirdly by this text of the same Apostle the spirituall man iudgeth all thinges These texts the two famous Papistes Nicholaus de Lyra and Dionysius Carthusianns expounde of thinges pertayning to saluation which say they all the faithfull are able to trie And which is to bee wondred at the Iesuite Bellarmine vnawares confesseth the same These are his expresse wordes Duo vel tres congregati in nomine Christi obtinent semper quod petunt a Deo nimirum sapientiam lumen quod sufficit eis ad cognoscenda ea quae ipsis necessaria sunt Sequitur itaque siue pauci siue multi siue priuati siue Episcopi congregentur in nomine Christi omnes habent Christum praesentem adiuuantem obtinent quod eis conuenit obtinere Two or three gathered together in the name of Christ do at all times obtaine that of God which they desire at his handes to witte Wisedome and vnderstanding which is sufficient for them to know those thinges which are necessarie for them Therefore whether fewe or many whether Priuate persons or Bishoppes bee gathered in the name of Christ they all haue Christes presence they all haue Christes helpe they all obtayne that which is meete and conuenient for them Thus sayeth our Iesuite And doubtlesse it is meete for euery one to know all thinges necessary for his saluation it can not be denied Out of these wordes I note first that whosoeuer are gathered together in Christes name they all obtayne of GOD so much vnderstanding and knowledge as is necessarie for Saluation I note secondly that God is as well present in the assemblie of priuate men as in the Synode of Bishoppes I note thirdly that God helpeth priuate men and is present with them at all times euen as hee is with Bishops Whereupon I must needes inferre that the thinges concluded by secular persons in their assemblies for matters pertayning to their soules health doe no lesse proceed from GOD then doe the Decrees of Bishoppes And consequently the Iesuite will hee nill hee must perforce confesse that priuate secular and meere Lay-men can and may iudge in matters of Religion in matters of Faith in matters concerning their own soules health And all this is nothing else in deed but euen that which Christ himselfe hath plainly taught vs. Where two or three sayth Christ are gathered togither in my name there am I'in the midst of them I proue the same doctrine because Christs sheepe as Christ the great sheepheard telleth vs know his voyce and follow him but will not follow a straunger This place doubtlesse doth conuince For if the sheepe know the voice of the sheepheard as Christ saith they do then must the sheepe perforce iudge of the voice of the sheepheard For otherwise it will follow that a man cannot discerne that which hee knoweth Melchior Canus faith plainly that the holy Ghost teacheth euery one all things necessarie to saluation This veritie is confirmed by an other testimonie of our Lord Iesus if any man sayth he will do his will the will of God hee shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speake of my selfe Loe the knowledge of Gods word proceedeth from the doing of his will But the doing of Gods will pertaineth to all both great and small as well to priuate lay-men as to ecclesiastical persons though they be the Bishops of Rome And for this cause sayth the great Papist Panormitan his words you may reade in the sixt chapter of this discourse that the iudgement of a meere lay-man must be preferred before the iudgement of the Pope if that priuate lay-man haue better reasons gathered out of the old and new Testament then are the reasons of the Pope See the aunswere to the Obiection in the fourth Paragraffe and note it will To conclude holy Writ telleth vs that the Bereans did search the Scriptures to see if they were according to Saint Paules doctrine And let this suffice for the iudgement of priuat persons and meerlay-men Now that all ministers Archbishops Bishops and other pastors of the Church may iudge of the sense of the holy Scripture it is a thing so cleare and manifest as little or nothing need be said thereof For Saint Paule saith that Bishops by which worde he vnderstandeth all the Ministers of the Church must haue great care that false doctrine be not taught This the Papists freely graunt of Bishops denying the same in other inferior ministers of the Church But I will proue the assertion to be verified of all ministers in generall First because Saint Paul committeth the gouernment of the church to al the ministers in differently calling them Bishops that is ouerseers of the
seruiunt Domino in quantum reges sunt cum ea faciunt ad seruiendum illi quae non possunt facere nisi reges In this therefore do kinges serue God as they are kings when they do hold those things which none can doe but onelie kinges Where me must seriously obserue this reduplication of S. Austen kings as kings as a point of great importance For kinges as the same father teleth vs serue God two waies as they be men and as they be kings As men they serue God in liuing a Christian and godly life but as king they serue God in making godly lawes for the punishment of blasphemers idolaters heretiks and all kind of malefactors And this is that which S. Austen saith none can doe but kinges as rhey are kinges Yea this is that which the Prophet Esay telleth vs when he saith That kinges shall bee the nurcing Fathers of the Church and Queenes her nurces For albeit the Ministery of feeding of preaching the worde and administration of the Sacramēts pertaine onely to the ministers neyther may the meere ciuill Magistrate in any wise meddle therewith yet for all that it is most true that the prouision for the foode the ouersight that the children of God bee duely fed and that the Ministers doe exercise their functions in vigilant dutifull manner belongeth to the ciuill independent and absolute Princes For this respect is it that kinges and Queenes haue the name of Nurses not to nourish their children in ciuill matters and corporall foode onely but as in ciuill so also in spirituall that is In lacte verbi Dei in the milke of the worde of God For though the execution pertain to the ministers yet the prouision direction appointment care and ouersight which is the sepreme gouernment belongeth onely soly and wholy to the Prince as is already proued Now to the question proposed in the former Paragraffe vz. What remedie is to be had when a free and lawfull general Councell cannot be had To this question I answere that when any controuersies shall arise to the disturbance of the Peace of the church then euery absolute and independent ciuill Magistrate must commaund his Archbishop Bishoppe and other learned Ministers within his territories and dominions to come together and to celebrate a Nationall Councell or Synode and then and there to debate discusse and decide the controuersie in religion And he must charge them as did the religious kinges Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias and the rest of whom mention is already made to haue the fear of God before their eyes and carefully to examine all doubts difficulties contentions and controuersies in religion according to the infallible rule of the holy scripture This done the same ciuill independent magistrate must call together his wife and graue Counsellers and after mature deliberation had with thē confirme whatsoeuer shal tend to the aduancement of Gods glory and the peace of his church And withall he must publish sharpe penall statutes against all such as shal with disloyall contumacy violate and transgresse the same Thus did the good kings Reccaredus and Constantinus and this is this day most prudently and christianly obserued in the church of England God be thanked for it For first the Archbishops Byshops and other learned Ministers come all together in the Conuocation-house and there dispute discusse determine set down what they finde conuenient for the Peace of the Church and correspondent to the infallible rule of Gods word Secondly this done they present the same to her most excellent Maiesty most humbly crauing her royall assent for the confirmation therof Thirdly her Maiesty after consultation had with her graue Counsellers doth confirme and authorise by vertue of her royall and princely prerogatiue whatsoeuer seemeth expedient for the godly gouernment of her louing subiectes and withall enacteth necessary penall lawes against the insolent contumacy of seditious and disloyall people This godly and most christian maner of proceeding in religious causes is so liuely set downe before our eyes in the honourable fact of the Noble Spanish king Reccaredus as it is able to penetrate the very heart and throughly to perswade euery one that shall ponder the same seriously and in the feare of God This religious king Reccaredus in the year of our Lord 585. cōmāded al the Bishops with in his dominions of Spaine and Galicia to come together in his royall Citie of Toledo to confute and condemne the Arrian heresie When they were come thether the king sate downe in the middest of them and declared the cause that moued him to call them together After that hee enacted a publike Edict for the inuiolable obseruation of all the decrees of the counsell straitely charging aswell the Clergie as the Laitie to obeye and keepe the same Lastly hee subscribed his owne name and that before all the Bishoppes who in their due places subscribed after the king These are the expresse wordes of the king set down in the end of the said Edict Flauius Reccaredus rex hanc deliberationem quam cum sancta definiuimus Synodo confirmans subscripsi I Flauius Reccaredus the king confirming this consultation which wee haue defined with the holy Synode haue subscribed thereunto The next that subscribed after the king was Mausona the Metropolitane Bishoppe of the Prouince of Lusitania After him subscribed Euphemius the Archbishoppe of Toledo The residue followed in order as in the Councell is to be seen These particular subscriptions I note as a matter of great moment against the Papistes who will grant no prerogatiue or royall place to kinges in time of ecclesiastical Synodes Out of these wordes contayned in the kinges subscription I note first that the king confirmed the councell Secondly that the king subscribed to the Decrees of the Councel Thirdly that the king subscribed before all the Bishops Fourthly that the king decreed and defined the controuersies together with the Bishops To which I adde for the complement in the fift place that the councell was called and the Bishoppes assembled at the kinges commaundement For so saith the Councell Cum pro fidei suae synceritate idem gloriosissimus princeps omnes regiminis sui Pontifices in vnum conuenire mandasset c. When the same most glorious prince for the sincerity of his faith had commaunded all the Bishops within his dominions do come together to Toledo c. This was the practise of godly Princes aboue a thousand yeares ago when royall Prerogatiues were not brought into thraldome by popish tyranny An Obiection The councels which the Emperour called together were plenary and generall but those which you speake of are but Prouinciall or National The latter may erre the former are euer directed by the holy Ghost The Aunswere I say first that generall councels both may erre and de facto haue erred as is already proued I say secondly that the holy Ghost doth direct two or three gathered together in his
name aswell as he doth a generall councell which thing I haue already proued I say thirdly that the great popish Archbishops Panormitanus telleth vs as is alreadie proued that a priuate mans iudgement is better then the Popes To which I must needes add the wordes of doctor Gerson the Chancellor of Paris and a renowmed popish writer which are these Quilibet homo doctus potest debet toti concilio risistere si videat illud ex malitia vel ignorantia errare Euerie one that is learned may and ought to resist and stand against a whole Councell if hee perceiue that the Councell erreth either of ignorance or of malice Lo all that I say is true euen by the popish doctrine And so no Papist can with reason denie or gain-say the same For first you see by Gersons doctrine that a generall Councell may erre Secondly that a priuate man both may and ought to withstand the Councell when the generall Councell would decree agaynst the truth Thirdly that lay-men haue euer beene present in Councels and there deliuered freely their opinions Which freedome by late popish tyrannie is this day banished out of the Church I say fourthly that Melchior Canus a famous Schoole-doctor and popish Bishop shall conclude and knit vp this discourse These are his expresse words Praestanti quod in se est Deus fidem ad salutem necessariam non negat Sequitur nō n. vnctio quemcunque simpliciter docet de omnibus sed quemque de his quae sunt ei propria necessaria Sequitur concedimus liberaliter doctrinam cuique in sua vita statu necessariam illi fore prospectam cognitam qui fecerit voluntatem dei Sicut n. gustus bene affectus differentias saporum facile discernit sic animi optima affectio facit vt homo doctrinam Dei ad salutem necessariam discernat ab errore contrario qui ex Deo non est To the man that doeth what in him lieth God neuer denieth faith necessarie to saluation For the vnction doth not simply teach euerie one euerie thing but it teacheth euerie one so much as is proper and necessarie for him And we grant freely that doctrine necessarie for euery mans life and state is sufficiently knowne to him that doth the will of God For like as the well affected taste doth easily discerne the differences of sauours or tastes so doth the good affection of the minde bring to passe that a man may discerne the doctrine of God necessarie to saluation from contrarie error which is not of God Thus writeth the grauest and rarest Papist for learning in the vniuersall worlde and consequently it is and must be of great force against the Papist whatsoeuer hath passed from his penne And I protest vnto thee gentle Reader that nothing hath more estraunged me from poperie and set me at defiance with it then the cleare and perspicuous doctrine of the best learned and most renowmed Papists For whosoeuer will seriously peruse the bookes that I haue published to the view of the world shall therein find confirmed by the doctrine of the best approued Papists euery poynt of setled doctrine in the Church of England Out of these wordes of this learned Papist I note first that when S. Iohn saith the vnction teacheth vs all things he meaneth not the difficult questions in Religion but all such poyntes as are necessarie for euerie mans saluation In note secondly that no man wanteth this knowledge and iudgement of doctrine but he that is willingly ignorant and will not applie himselfe to attaine the said knowledge I note thirdly that euerie priuate man is able to-iudge and discerne true doctrine from falsehoode and error so farre forth as is requisite for his saluation as well as a sound and good taste is able to discerne the differences of tastes Hereupon I inferre this necessarie cōsequent of popish doctrine against the Pope himselfe vz. that many wise godly and learned Bishops with other ministers of the church assembled in a nationall Synode at the command of their naturall Soueraigne are able to discerne so much truth from falshoode and error as is necessarie ether for their owne soules health or for the publique peace of the Church God graunt that this doctrine may take deepe roote in the hearts of the readers to his glorie the good of their soules and the peace of the Church Amen FINIS A COVNTERBLAST AGAINST THE VAINE BLAST OF A MASKED Companion who termeth himselfe E. O. but thought to be ROBERT PARSONS that trayterous Iesuite LONDON Printed by Iohn VVindet for Richard Bankworth dwelling in Paules Churchyard at the signe of the Sunne 1603. To the right worshipfull my approued good friend Maister John Bennet Doctor of the Ciuill law and one of her Maiesties Councell in the North partes of England IF I shoulde take vppon mee right worshipfull to discourse at large of the plots practises dealings and proceedings of our Iesuites and Iesuited persons time doubtles would sooner faile me then matter whereof to speake I haue verie lately published a discourse of this argument intituled The Anatomie of Popish tyrannie In it the Reader may view at large the doctrine the Religion the manners the natures the conuersation the practises and the whole proceedings of the English traiterous hispanized Iesuites So that now to recount the same were actum agere and a thing altogither needlesse One of these Iesuites hath lately published a most scandalous and rayling Libell against the reuerend and learned man of God master Doctor Sutcliffe as also agaynst master Willet In which Libell the said masked companion terming himselfe E. O. hath obiter disgorged some part of his bitter gall agaynst my selfe For the confirmation whereof that all the world may see his follie and consequently the follie of all the Iesuites who combine and conioyne in this affaire I haue addressed this Counterblast in which the indifferent Reader may plainly behold that the Iesuites and Seminaries can say nothing in deed to the doctrine contained in my Bookes howbeit they bestirre themselues with might and maine to dazell the eyes of the simple and sillie Papists that they shall not see the Sunne shining at noone tide The worke such as it is I dedicate vnto your worship in token of that gratitude which is due vnto you for your worships manifold kinde curtesies towardes mee Accept I pray you the present in good part not respecting so much the gift as the minde of the giuer The Almightie blesse your worship with manie happie yeares to his glorie the good of his Church and the benefite of your owne soule From my studie this 14. of Februarie 1602. Your worships most bounden THOMAS BELL. A COVNTERBLAST against the vaine blast of a masked Companion who termeth himselfe E. O. but thought to be Robert Parsons that trayterous Iesuite CAP. I. Of the manner of Iesuiticall Proceeding in all their seditious and scandalous libels THE Iesuites as the secular Priestes