an impietie which we doubt not thou wilt so deeply resent that thou wilt not be able to contayne thy selfe from correcting them c. Againe But we conceiue by the mercy of our Lord God Christ Iesus who daignes both to direct thy counsells and to heare thy prayers that they who hold those peruerse and pernicious tenets will easily yeeld to the authoritie of thy Holinesse which is drawne from the authoritie of the holy Scriptures And in the end of the same Epistle We addressed these writings to your Holinesse from the Councell of Numidia to witt from Mileui imitating our fellow-Bishops of the Prouince of Carthage who we perceiue haue written vpon this subiect to the sea Apostolike which sea Apostolike thou a blessed man dost illustrate or which your holinesse doth gouerne quam Beatus illustras Thus did the whole Councell deferre to the Sea Apostolike Heare now how this respect is receiued by Pope Innocentius With care saith he and congruitie did you exhibite respect to the Apostolicall honour to his honour I say who besides what was without had the solicitude of all the Churches in seeking what sentence you are to hold in points of great difficultie following therein the forme of the ancient rule which you know the whole world obserues with me Behold how Pope Innocentius ascribes the honour done to himselfe to S. Peter as to one who had the care of all the Churches and declares that in hauing recourse to him to know what they should hold in points of GREAT DIFFICVLTIE they doe but follow the ancient forme of proceeding which as he saith they knew all the world obserues Heare againe S. Augustine confirming the same What answer could that holy man returne to the Africane Councells but that which the Apostolicall Sea and Romane Church holds of old perseuerantly with the rest And what forme of proceeding did they amongst the rest expresse Marrie that they were to betake themselues to his Pastorall care in the great dangers of the infirme members of Christ as to condemne Heresie c. That they were to intimate such things to his Apostolicall heart to haue them corrected That the authoritie of his Holinesse is drawne out of the authoritie of holy Scripture Is this to misacknowledge or deny the supremacie of Rome No let onely this forme of proceeding be obserued this correction endured this authoritie be acknowledged and we shall thus farre most willingly ioyne hands and make the verie Councells which are alleadged against vs the modell of our practice So farre falls Mr. C. short in his proofes drawen from the Councell of Mileui Will you heare how much better he speeds in the 6. Councell of Carthage where it is pretended that appeales to Rome were prohibited yea euen in Maior persons too as in Bishops Metropolitans c Certes if that Councell be well looked into and with an indifferent eye it will be found so farre from concluding against the supremacie that it doth absolutely conuince the truth of it for First what was there said was said against the manner and frequencie not against the right of Appeales as manifestly appeares by the Epist of the Africane Bishops to Pope Celestine in these tearmes Conc. Aâ—â—riâ— c. 15. The office of a due salutation being premised we beseech you with our whole affection that you doe not easily admitt such as come from hence to your eares and that you would no more receiue to Communion such as we may haue excommunicated c. let not then those who were barred from Communion in their owne Prouinces appeare to be restored to Communion by your Holinesse with precipitation and otherwise then is meete Behold the companie of the Bishops of Afrike become humble suitors to the Bishop of Rome and consequently acknowledge his iurisdiction otherwise it were a most sillie part to sue to him in those tearmes not that he would not admitt any appeales at all but not easily admitt them c Not that he would restore none at all to Communion c. which yet they should haue done and haue denyed he had any such authoritie had they opposed the supremacie but onely that it should not appeare that they were reslored with preoipitation and otherwise then was meete alwayes presupposing such a power Secondly what was said was said in point of Minor causes as in ciuill pecuniarie scandalous and criminall matters c. such as was that of Apiarius an Africane Priest and that of Anthonie Bishop of Fussal both which appealed to Rome and their Appeales were there admitted to proue or disproue which productions of witnesses would often be necessarie to witt people of diuers sexes and ages litle fitt to vndergoe the difficulties of such a voyage to say nothing of the charges or other impediments as is expressed in the Epist 105. of the Africane Councell to the Pope of Rome Celestine Thirdly whatsoeuer was said nothing was done what euer was proposed nothing was enacted or decreed against the right of Maior persons to witt Bishops in their appeales to Rome who kept their priuileges according to that of S. Augustin speaking of Ceoilianus Archbishop of Carthage deposed by a Councell of seauentie Bishops saying He might haue contemned the conspiring multitude of his enemyes because he saw himselfe in communion with the Church of Rome by Communicatory letters wherin the Principality or soueraigntie of the Sea Apost did alwayes flourish where he was prepared to pleade his cause Nay what was euen proposed too was done dependently of what should be discouered in the Councell of Nice which they had sent for to the Patriarchall Churches in the East and that with all possible submission to the Church of Rome the while witnesse their owne words as they are put downe in the said 6. Councell In Ep. ab omni Concilio Africano ad Bonifacium Vrbis Romae Episcopum in answer to the propositions contayned in the Monitorie sent to them froÌ„ Pope Zozimus by Faustinus Bishop his Legate c. Wherein he recommended to them the obseruance of the 7. canon of the Councell of Sardis indeede Conc. Sardis cap. 7. but vnder the name of the Councell of Nice it being esteemed an appendix of this touching Appeales to Rome as followes But if he to witt a Bishop iudged and deposed by the Assemblie of Bishops of the same Countrie who demands to haue a new hearing of his cause haue by petition moued the Bishop of Rome to send a Priest è latere suo commonly called Legatus à latere it shall be in the Bishops power to doe what he will and what he iudges fitt And if he decree to send some endowed with his authoritie from whom they are sent who being present with the Bishops should iudge it is in his free disposition And if he beleeue the Bishops sufficient to put a period to the affaire he shall doe what in his owne most wise counsell he iudges behoofull Now the Africane Bishops not finding this in
the Almner A certaine man was lead captiue to the Persians and was shut vp in prison But some flying thence and coming in to Cyprus and being asked by his parents whether they had seene him there they made answer and said we buried him with our owne hands It was not indeed the man where of they were asked but another not vnlike to him and withall they signified the moneth and day of his death And they his parents as if he had bene deceased indeed made three Collects be made for him euery yeare But after three yeares making a scape from the Persians he returned into Cyprus whre upon his friends said to him truly brother we heard you were dead and we made à memorie of you thrice a yeare When he heard they had made memories of him thrice a yeare he asked them in what moneth they celebrated theÌ„ and they answering c. he said that in those three tymes a yeare there came one as bright as the sun and freed me from my iron chaynes and prison c. OBSERVATION The custome of praying for the dead in the beginning of the 7 â—h Age proued and approued from heauen by miracle Maximus The prayers of the iust doe onely profit those who are worthy of mercy whether they be aliue or dead c. From this place he begins to expound that prayers doe profit the dead and declares that this question had bene agitated before that tyme. S. Damascene And who is able to declare the multitude of restimonies touching these things in order as they are put in the liues and diuine reuelations of Saints wherby it is euidently showen that those prayers Masses and Almes which are offered for them doe greatly profit the dead euen after death This is the will of that mercifull Lord and it is acceptable to him that all of vs as well in our life tyme as after the end of our labours should one helpe another nor had he otherwise afforded vs this occasion that in the vnbloudie sacrifice memorie should be made of those that are departed this life Nor that we should celebrate Masse sacra in memorie of them in the third ninth and fortieth day or at the yeares end which yet the Catholike and Apostolike Church constantly obserues without all controuersie vnlesse it were aggreable in his sight OBSERVATION That it is an vndoubted custome in the Catholike and Apostolicall Church to make memorie of the dead in the vnbloudie sacrifice as a thing which doth greatly profit them No such memorie is made at all in the Protestant Church of England Theophylact. c. 12. vpon S. Luke The sinners which dye are not alwayes sent into Hell Gehennam but they are in Gods power to be dismissed and this I affirme in respect of the oblations and distributions which are made for the dead which doe not a little conduce euen to such as dyed in great sinnes He doth not therefore hauing killed alwayes send into Hell he hath power indeed to send yet makes not still vse of this power c. but remittes certaine sinnes c. Will you rather heare the sense of the later and present Greeke Church vpon this subiect to see if they contradict their ancient Fathers as you doe Heare it then speake first as it is put downe in the Councell of Florence in the 3. Decree in these tearmes Item we define that if persons truly penitent departed this life in the loue of God before they had yet done satisfaction for commissions and omissions by worthy fruites of repentance their soules shall be purged with purging paynes And that they are helped to be freed from such paynes by the suffrages of the faithfull yet liuing to witt by the Sacrifices of Masses prayers Almes and other offices of pietie which are wont to be performed by the faithfull for the faithfull according to the Churches institutions OBSERVATION Behold a generall Councell aboue 200. yeares agoe consisting of 141. Bishops as well of the Greeke as Latine Church called by Pope Eugenius the 4. at the instance of the Emperour of the East who presided in person the Patriarke of Constantinople being also present Defines that soules departing this life without doing full satisfaction for their sinnes suffer purging paynes and are thence released by Masses c. according to the custome and Institution of the Church Secondly as it is deliuered by Hieremi Patriarke of Constantinople in his answers to the Diuines of Wirtemberg about the yeare 1578. as followes It is not in vaine established by the Apostles Taken out of Chrysost hom 69. ad pop Ant. 3. vpon the Philip. that in the dreadfull mysteries mention should be made of the Dead They know that heÌ„ce great prosit and great vtilitie doth accrue vnto them for when all the people doth stand with hands lifted vp and all the companie of the Priests and the dreadfull Sacrifice is proposed how is it possible that we should not worke their Lord to take pittie on them or be mercifull vnto them by praying for theÌ„ OBSERVATION Loe mention or commemoration made of the dead in the dreadfull mysteries or Masse and that with much profit as being the meanes whereby God is moued to mercy And marke that we haue not this from a priuate man or a man of small note or vpon some light and slight accompt but euen from the great Patriarke of Constantinople the second or new Rome vpon an occasion most pregnant to produce a precise profession of the faith of the Greeke Church since it was sent to another part of the world where it was not like to passe in priuate but was lyable and likely to be discussed to the full by a people to witt the Diuines of Wittemberg who in lieu of being admitted into their communion found their expectatioÌ„s foâ—â—lely frustrated their profession of faith which they sent to be approued opposed and affronted and their Doctrine reiected as not aggreeing with the Greeke Church Thirdly as it is expressed in the Synodicall Decree of Parthenius present Patriarke of CoÌ„stantinople vpon the renets of Caluin printed in Paris 1643 Lastly saith he to find a pretext to reiect the fire of Purgatorie he Caluin goes about to repudiate or reproue our ordinarie and lawfull CoÌ„memorations for the dead whereby we hope that God will grant rest to them and a refreshing or tyme of breathing from the vexations or torments acerbitates which doe afflict them The same is deliuered by the Liturgies or Masses of S. Basile the great and S. Iohn Chrysostome The first in these tearmes The Priest with a loude voyce beseeches God to be myndfull of all who haue departed this life Let him recreate them in his Tabernacle let him lead them through horrid Mansions and place them in lightsome Tabernacles Let him deliuer them out of most thicke darknesses tribulatioÌ„ and dolour least he should enter into iudgement with them Let him pardon them what euer as men they may haue offended while they
celebrate together the Memories of Martyrs with a religious solemnitie Religious worship both to excite imitation Sacrifice to be made fellow partners in their merits and to be helped by their prayers yet so as we offer sacrifice to none of the Martyrs but to the verie God of Martyrs Altars though we erect Altars in the Memories of Martyrs c. If then saint Augustins mynde be made good by so many and so manifest places To what end should the D. come yet coldly dropping another seeming place out of the said saint or to what purpose should I answere it Howbeit lets yet heare him speake for euery ones full satisfaction S. Augustin l. 2. contra Ep. Parm. chap. 8. Cos. IF the Apostle had said you shall haue one for your Aduocate and I will pray the Father for your sinnes what good or faithfull Christian would haue endured it or accompted him one of Christs Apostles and not rather haue looked vpon him as vpon an Antichrist Car. I answer first that by Aduocate which is indeed in the text Mediatour the D. will either haue S. Augustine after the Apostle to meane the Principall and immediate Mediatour Mediatour which if the Apostle had assumed to himselfe he had iustly bene looked vpon by all good Christians not as an Apostle of Christ but rather as an Antichrist or els the mediate lesse principall and impropre Mediatour which he must meane if he would haue the place to make any thing against a Catholike and to his purpose And such certainly the Apostle both might be and was and yet is farre from incurring the censure of an Antichrist sith S. Iohn was doubtlessy a Bishop and euery Bishop if we beleeue S. Paul Heb. 5. is taken from among men and is ordayned for men in things pertayning to God that he may offer both guifts and sacrifices for sinne which is to be some kind of Mediatour or Aduocate representing their miseries pleading their cause and mediating their reconcilement to God by Christ the onely properly true Mediatour of Redemptiō In this kind of Mediation are the Priests employed saith Ioel c. 2. Betweene the porch and the Altar shall the Priests the Ministers of our Lord weepe and shall say spare ô Lord spare thy people and giue not thyne inheritance into reproach that the heathens should rule ouer them and thus finally concludes S. Aug. in this place doe all Christiā men commend themselues mutually to one anothers prayers So farre is he from speaking against mediating in this second sense or consequently from apprehending that derogatorie to Christ our prime Mediatour I answere secondly that here againe is a whole clause left out whence the clearing of the difficultie was to be demanded to witt As Parmenianus in a certaine place put a Bishop Mediatour betwixt the people and God And how did Parmenianus put Bishops Mediatours c marrie as purifiers and iustifiers of men by their owne vertue and iustice since they the Donatists allowed vertue and effect to the Sacraments and Sacrifice onely according to the qualitie of the Minister or offerer which was indeed to assume to themselues the proper Mediation of Christ Iesus who onely of himselfe is able to appease Gods wrath against sinne as being our principal immediate primarie Mediatour and indeed our onely Mediatour of Redemption who by the right of his owne merits obtaynes grace forvs the others onely by him and by his merits Such a Mediatour it is manifest S. Aug. spake of in this place and such we admitt none but Christ alone who spake against the pride of the Donatists which forsoothe would haue no spott or vice to be amongst them or their fellowes as saith S. Augustine in the chap. immediately before which was a prerogatiue due to Christ alone who was that one and true Mediatour for whō none prayed he prayed for all as saith the said St. in this 8. chap. In fine one of S. Augustines principall designes in this place was to proue against the Donatists that they iniustly separated themselues from the Catholike Church vpon pretence of the wickednes of the Bishops and priests in the Church for dato that it were so indeed yet were that no iust cause of a diuision or schisme since be the Bishops and priests what they will we ought alwayes to be secure of one Mediatour Iesus Christ the iust whom we haue an Aduocate with the Father and he is the propitiation for our sinnes Hence I beleeue the weakest may obserue that it is not fairely done of Mr. Cos. to make vse of the mistaken sense of an obscure passage in an Authour to stagger the vnlettered who are not able to examine him while being examined he beares no shew of difficultie along with him COSENS S Irenaeus against Heresies 2. booke chap. 57. THe Church Catholike doth not inuocate Angels bnt purely calleth vpon God and Christ CARRE Still something is left out most important to the clearing of the difficultie S. Irenaeus his words are these Neither doth it to witt the vniuersall Church doc any thing by Angelicall inuocations nor by incantations nor by any other wicked curiositie these words by incantations nor by any other wicked curiositie are omitted but cleanely purely and manifestly directing prayers to God c. Now what doe these words incantations and wicked curiosities lead vs to but the old heretiques to witt the Symonians the Marcites Meandriās and Carpocratiās against whom he had spoken shewing here that the Catholike Church in working her true miracles did not vse their proceeding in working false ones which they did by the inuocation and superstitious naming of Angels to whom they ascribed the creation of the world by incantations and spells whereby they deluded many especially poore women robbing them of fortunes and honour with the exercise of innumerable villanies as is to be seene in the 9. 20. 22. and and 24. chapters of his first booke but by fasting and prayer performed chastely purely openly and without hope of lucre His words are That vniuerfall Church which is in euery place demanding by fasting and much prayer the spirit os life returned to the dead man who was giuen to the Saints prayers What is here yet I pray against the inuocation of Saints Cos. Origene against Celsus l. 5. ALl prayers are to be sent and offered vp vnto God by our Angel and high Priest who is the Prince and Lord of all Angels Nor will our Religion permitt vs to supplicate or pray to any other whom so euer Car. Answer First your choyce herein is not verie happie if you should make him stand vp alone against all antiquitie ingenous men would not esteeme his word were sufficient caution after his so many errours yea euen in this place where he destroyes Christs Diuinitie making him inferiour to his heauenly Father Howbeit if you admitt his authoritie vpon this matter so doe I and thus I produce him speaking of the Angels in the same place O
but rather repugnant to the word of God In fine S. Damascene Deliuers it for an vndoubted custome in the Catholike and Apostolike Church to make memorie of the Dead in the vndloudie Sacrifice But the Prot. Church of England will haue it to be a fond thing vainely inuented and the Sacrifice of the Masse ablasphemous fable a dāgerous deceipt rather repugnant to the word of God See what a goodly accord there is betweene the ancient Greeke Fathers and our new Reformers or rather behold their apparently iarring and irreconcileable discord which the smoothest witt is not able euen speciously to appease or to tune it vp to any their least aduantage Their stale and cold replies drawen from the diuersitie which they pretend to be amongst Catholikes themselues vpon this subiect gaine no credit nor are of any moment with rationall men As That they agree not about the place where Purgatorie should be Nor about the Tormentors whether Angels or Deuills Nor about the torments whether by fire or water or neither Nor about the causes of the torments of Purgatorie whether veniall sinnes onely or mortall sinnes also for which full satisfaction hath not bene made in this life Nor about the tyme which the soules tormented may remayne in Purgatorie c. Nor about their state c. For all these things swarue from the purpose as not coming home to the state of the question betwixt vs and the English Protestants which is Whether there be a Purgatorie not where the place of Purgatorie is who are the Tormenters what torments there be whether pure and true fire or some other thing equiualent c. of all which we pronounce with S. Basile Superuacua in Ecclesia sileant Let not superfluous and vnnecessarie questions be heard of in the Church especially so farre as to confound matter of Faith with matter of opinion Now these things touching the place of Purgatorie c. passe among Catholikes for matters of opinion not of Faith and are with amitie humilitie and submission disputed in our schooles but haue not yet bene defined in our Councells whence the beleife or not beleife of them are of free choyce amongst vs we being neither made of the number of the faithfull by that nor miscreants by this We are not of those presumptuous soules who thinke to haue accesse to all the diuine secrets while we know by Saint Paul that we are none of his Counsellours We are willingly persuaded by S. Basile to prayse what we haue receiued vpon the accompt of faith and what hath bene deliuered ouer in trust to vs but doe not curiously sound hidden mysteries We finally receiue of the Catholique Romane Church that there is A Purgatorie and of that we dare not doubt but where and what it is c. she hauing of that deliuered no Decree in all humilitie we dispute nor doe our doubts therin violate touch or call in question the beleife of Purgatorie that stands still vndoubted and inuiolable Since therefore all the Easterne Bishops and Fathers as we haue seene deliuer the same doctrine with one heart one mouth one faith touching purging fire c. Prayer Almes Sacrifice for the dead c. wherby great rest is procured to their soules may not I iustly admire to heare one man stand vp and affirme the cōtrarie and that with so much confidence as that he feared not to passe his word to yeald himselfe à Catholike vpon the proof of it Contra Iulianum l. 2. s. 2. and may I not with iust offence speake to him in S. Aug. words saying To what purpose doc these your words serue but to make euident to the world either how negligent you haue bene to acquaint your selfe with the words and sence of Catholike Doctors in this behalfe or hauing vsed diligence to know them with what fraude you goe about to circumuent the ignorant c. Si nesciens hoc fecisti cur non miseram respuis imperitiam si sciens cur non sacrilegam deponis audaciam si cernis cerne tandem tace Pelagianam Lutheranam linguam tot linguis Catholicis deprime tot venerandis oribus proterua ora submitte Hitherto I haue insisted vpon the productions of the Greeke Fathers authoritie onely because the challenge called thither alone though I could haue vsed a more sure and satisfactorie way the Scriptures as they are vnderstood both by the Greeke and Latine Fathers together with the practice of the whole Church of God and haue said with S. Augustine Vbisupra I conceiue that part of the world ought to suffice you in which it pleased our Lord to crowne the first of his Apostles with a most glorious Martyrdome if you would haue giuen care to Blessed Innocentius presiding ouer that Church you had forthwith freed your perilous youth from the Pelagian Lutheran snares For what could that holy man haue answered to the African Councells Anglicanis conuicijs but what the Apostolicall and Romane sea holds with the rest of the Churches c. There is no reason therefore to prouoke to the Bishops of the East because they two are Christians and that faith of both the parts of the world is one and the same because faith it selfe is Christian and certes the Westerne part brought you out the westerne Church did regenerate you c. It rest that I make the great Saint Augustine alone speake for the practice of the Latine Church and himselfe because I perceiued by a paper which M◠Cosens himselfe presented me with that he had vsed some endeauour to drawe him to his side or at least if he could preuayle no further to render his testimonie doubtfull to the end that he or others might build wood hay stubble or worse vpon that mistaken foundation which he doth most clearely in these ensuing passages S. AVGVSTIN CONF. lib. 9. cap. 12. The Sacrifice of our price is offered for her Sacrifice offered for her soule And. c. 13. booke the same Now I beseech thee heare me for the sinnes of my Mother He prayes for her sinnes Againe a little after She desired onlie that à Memorie should be made of her at thy Altar She desired to be remembred at the Altar at which she serued without intermitting any day where she knew the holie victime was dispensed wherby the hand-writing was blotted out which was contrarie to vs. To these passages some haue made answer that they doe admitt prayer for the Dead a Commemoration to be made for them at the Altar yea and Sacrifice to be offered also Howbeit not as we meane to deliuer them from their paines but for diuers other effects And that thereby we cannot enforce a Purgatorie nor did S. Augustine speake of purging fire Let the holy Father therefore answere for himselfe S. Augustine li. 2. c. 20. de Genesi against the Manichees After this life he shall haue either purging fire Purging fire or eternall punishment So farre are anie from escaping this sentence
pardonable in other questions which are not yet maturely digested De verbis Apost Serm. 14. nor confirmed by the full authoritie of the Church their errour is to be borne with but it must not aduance so farre as to endeauour to shake the verie foundation of the Church Of the Popes supremacie Against the Popes supremacie Mr Cosen 's vsed 4. or fiue arguments which I will put downe as they past The first Cos S. Gregorie being demanded certaine questiōs of Augustine Achb. of Canterburie answered him that he was to learne of neighbour Churches how he was to behaue himselfe seeming thereby to say in effect why doest thou aske me who haue noe such authoritie learne of the neerest Churches c. Carre To this it was answered that this obiection was nothing to the purpose because S. Augustins demaund was in matter of ceremonie not of Faith of particular obseruance of a small part of the Church not of the generall gouernment of the whole wherein the Popes supreme power is especially and properly exercised and knowne For these are the words of his third demaund Why there being but one faith are the customes of Churches so diuers And there is one custome of Masses in the Romane Church and another is obserued in the Churches of France So that it appeares euidently that saint Augustins demand to saint Gregorie was onely about the diuers customes of saying Masse the verie word will hardly now be welcome and was indeed like to that of Ianuarius to the great saint Augustine Doctor of the Church Epist 209. and saint Gregories answer againe entirely consonant to the great S. Augustines speaking of an indifferent no necessarie obseruation Le ts heare them both Saint Gregory Your brotherhood is acquainted with the custome of the Church wherein you will remember you were bred But it pleaseth me that if you haue found any thing either in the holy Romane Church that of France or in what other soeuer which may be more agreeable to Almightie God you carefully make choyce of it and powre out by speciall institution in the English Church which is as yet young in faith the choycest things which you can cull out of diuers Churches for the things ought not to be loued in respect of the places but the places by reason of good things Cull therfore what is religious pious and right out of what Church soeuer and hauing gathered them as it were into a bundle settle them as a custome in the heart of the English Saint Augustine vpon the like occasion But other things which are diuersified in diuers places and regions as is that that some fast saturday some not some dayly communicate the body and bloud of our Lord others receiue certaine dayes onely in some place no day is omitted wherein it is not offered in others on saturday and sunday onely in others againe on sunday alone or what euer may be obserued of this nature the whole kind of them haue free obseruances nor can a graue and prudent Christian obserue any better rule or discipline herein then to behaue himselfe according to the Church where he chanceth for the time to light for what is neither enioyned against faith nor good manners may be indifferently obserued and may be kept for their societie amongst whom we liue Now how out of these premises of Saint Gregorie this conclusion which was in question Ergo saint Gregorie did not acknowledge himselfe the Head of the Church can be inferred I confesse I am not able to diuine It will belong to him who made vse of it to make it appeare or els to cease with his to bragge of a victorie when the weakest may discouer he falls so farre short of all shew of a proofe and consequenly as was replyed in his presence that passage alleadged made nothing at all to the purpose pretended which was to conclude against the Popes supremacie For the rest how truly saint Gregorie did acknowledge vindicate and exercise the supreme authoritie of the Church of Rome shall be made manifestly and plentifully appeare vpon occasions of answer to Mr Doctors other obiections as they occurre Though the same might be partly obserued too euen out of his said replyes to saint Augustins questions as when he saith to the 9th quest We giue thee no authoritie ouer the Bishops of France because the Bishop of Arles receiued the Pall from ancient tymes of my predecessours whom we ought not to depriue of the authoritie receiued Againe in the same place But we committ the care of all the Brittain Bishops to thy brotherhood that the vnlearned may be taught the infirme strengthened by persuasion the peruerse corrected by authoritie Againe in the answer to the 8. quest We will haue thy Brotherhood so to order Bishops in England c. OBSERVATION Marke how he giues him authoritie ouer the Bishops of Britanie denyes him authoritie ouer the Bishops of France as hauing formerly receiued authoritie from the same sea by the gift of a pall which is practised by the Romane Church till this day finally how he expresses himselfe by Volumus we will c. all which are the words of a master and speake his power to the life at least if we make him the iudge of the Controuersie as Mr Cosens his argument will haue it Cos Againe the same saint Gregorie cryed out against Iohn Patriar of Constantinople for proudly assuming to himselfe the pompous name of vniuersall Bishop c. ergo he did not allow the supremacie of Rome Carre This was his seconde medium and I confesse it were specious enough had it neuer before bene heard of but being too obuious and euen worne thread-bare with euery ones frequent handling it is transparent to vulgar eyes and he walkes but in a nett who makes vse of it for a cloke To this my answer was that therfore saint Gregorie exclaimed against the proud and pompous title of VNIVERSALL BISHOP vhich Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople assumed to himselfe because he apprchended that thereby all the office or dignitie of Bishop was absorpt or exhausted so as none should be Bishop but himselfe Now whether this apprehension was true we labour not it is sufficiēt to shew that saint Gregorie at least made such a conceipt or feared so much Which is euident by these passages drawen out of his owne Epistles 1. l. 4. Epist 32. If therfore saith he that name of vniuersall Bishop be assumed by any to himselfe in that Church c. the vniuersall Church therfore which God forbid doth fall from its state when he falls which is called vniuersall But may that name of blasphemy be farre from the hearts of Christians wherein the honour of all priests is taken away while one doth madly arrogate it wholly to himselfe 2. And it is very hard to be patiently endured in so much as despising all Epist 34. l. 4. Indict 13. my said Brother fellow Bishop should only endeauour to be called The Bishop
3 Because if one be called an vniuersall Patriarch Epist 36. ibid. the name of Patriarch is taken from the rest 4. Least some priuate thing being giuen to one l. 4. Epist 32. all the priests might be depriued of their due honour Hence it is manifest that sainct Gregorie vnderstood Iohn the Patriarch of Constantinople so to arrogate the name of vniuersall Bishop as that he did derogate thereby frō all other Bishops that he did madly arrogate that power wholly to himselfe that with the contempt of his brethren he alone would be called Bishop that the name of Patriarch would be taken from the rest c. As though forsooth he alone were properly the only true Bishop all the rest being but as his Deputyes or Delegates Which were indeed an intolerable sacrilegious abominable attempt altogether repugnant to the sense practice of the Catholike Apostolike Roman Church which holds the least lowest of Bishops to be as absolute proper perfect in genere Episcopi as the greatest in place dignitie For the rest it is so euident that vniuersall Bishop or vniuersall Patriarch may be taken in some other tolerable though not in this pompous odious sense that none cā with any apparāce of reason deny it For reade we not in the 1. Act. of the Councell of Constantinople vnder Menas an addresse to Pope Agapetus in these words To our most holy most blessed Lord Archbishop of the Ancient Rome Oecumenicall or vniuersall Bishop Agapetus Yea doth not euen saint Gregorie himselfe often deliuer In his Epist 32 34. of his 4. book 30. of his 7. that the same Title of vniuersall Bishop was giuen to his Predecessours howeuer out of humility or feare of scandall they refused it in the Councell of Chalcedon one of those 4. Generall Councells which he professed to receiue honour as the 4. Gospells affirming in particular of that of Chalcedon that he embraced it with his whole heart obserued it with a most entire approbation and therfore could not conceiue that any thing was there attributed to the Sea Apostolike which had no good sense at all So farre must he needes be from crying against it in all senses But to loose no more time about a Title or in a question de nomine the worst of questions which I discouer not to be so important to the Catholique cause that it should stand or fall by the Presence or Absence of it Seruus Seruorum Dei being without controuersy the most Christian most vsuall with all our Popes hauing been left them by the same saint Gregorie l. 12. Ep. 32. I thus answer M Cosens his Argument in forme Saint Gregorie cryed out against the proud title of vniuersal Bishop c. In that odious sense whereby he conceiued or feared that Iohn of Constantinople so pretended to be Bishop as that he would not be content to be vnus è multis one amongst many but vnus solus the onely one vt despectis fratribus Episcopus appetas solus vocari excluding all others from that dignitie which out of his words I haue shewed to be his doubt aboue Page 123. I graunt it most willingly as he did it most worthily He cryed out against it in all senses imaginable in particular as it signifies Bishop Head of the vniuersall Church or imports the Supremacy which is the only thing now in question I deny it vndertake to conuince the said Denyall to be rationall good out of the same Saint by many euident titles omitting for breuities sake the multitude of authorities out of others which with ease I could produce THE FIRST TITLE BY WHICH Saint Gregorie makes good the Supremacie is his owne words FIRST l. 11.6.54 by his owne formall words in many places of his workes As in the 11th booke 54. Chapt. where he saith If answer be made that there was neither Metropolitane nor Patriarch one must reply that the cause ought to be heard and iudged by the Sea Apostolike which is the head of all the Churches 2. l. 7. Ep. 63. Whereas he to witt the Primate of Bizacium in Afrique saith he is subiect to the Sea Apostolique if any fault be found in a Bishop I know not what Bishop is not subiect to it Marry when faults exact it not all are equall in the way of humility 3. Hom. 21. vpon the Gospell Why God all mighty permitted him Peter whom he had appointed to be ouer all the Church to be affrayd at the word of à maide to deny himselfe 4. 5. Pauit Psalm v. 9. And the temerity of his madnesse he speakes of a certain Heretique goes so farre that he does challenge to himselfe the Roman Church the head of all the Churches 5. l. 6. Ep. 48. When I knew that Maximus was made Bishop against reason custome I dispatched away letters that he should not presume to celebrate the solemnity of Masses Which letters of mine being published in the Citty c. he caused publikely to be torne did publikely insult in contempt of the Sea Apostolike which how I endure you know who am readyer to dye then that the Church of Blessed Peter the Apostle should degenerate in my dayes 6. l. 6. Ep. 48. I earnestly beseech exhort you with the affection of a Father that euery one would suspend himselfe from an vnlawfull communion and that he would vtterly auoid such as the Sea Apostolique admitts not into the fellowship of her Communion least that he thence stand guiltie in the sight of the eternall iudge whence he might haue been saued 7. l. 4. Ep. 34. Though Gregory's sinnes saith he himselfe to Constantina Augusta be so great as to deserue to suffer such things yet the sinnes of Peter the Apostle are none that he should merit to endure them in your reigne Therfore I beseech you again again for God Allmighty's sake that as the precedent Princes your Parents sought for the fauour of saint Peter the Apostle so also you would endeauour to seeke conserue the same not permitting that his honour may in any sort be diminished with you by reason of our Sinnes who serue him vnworthily who may both now be a helper to you in all things hereafter may be able to absolue your sinnes 8. l 7. Ep. 64 Whence haue they the Grecians till this day that the subdeacons goe in Linnen-Coates tunicis but that they receiued it from their mother the Roman Church 9. Ibid. As for that which they say of the Church of Constantinople who doubts but it is subiect to the Sea Apostolique 10. l. 7 Ep 54 Peruerse men c. will not be subiect to the precepts of the Sea Apostolique they reprehend vs as it were in point of faith l. 4. Ep. 32. which they know not Lastly in his Epistle to Mauritius the Emperour being the very place which is worthy to be
obserued where he exclaimes against that pompous title of vniuersall saying It is euident to all who know the Gospell that the care of the whole Church is committed by our Lords voyce to S. Peter the Apostle the Prince of all the Apostles for to him it was said Peter doest thou loue me feede my sheepe c. beholde he receiues the keyes of the kingdome of heauen the power of binding ad loosing is giuen to him the care and principalitie principatus soueraigntie or dominion of the whole Church is committed to him and yet he is not called vniuersall Apostle OBSERVATION Receiue from saint Gregories owne mouth then that the Sea Apostolique is the head of all the Churches That all Bishops found in fault are subiect to it That Peter was placed ouer all the Churches That the Roman Church is the head of all the Churches That it is knowne to all that know the Gospell that the Care of the whole Church is committed by our Lord himselfe to Peter the Prince of all the Apostles and that yet he is not called vniuersall Apostle What other thing is this I pray then to crye out with a lowde voyce and to make open demonstration to all the world that while he exclaymes against the title of vniuersall Bishop he refuses not the headship of all the Churches but professeth to haue iurisdiction and superintendencie ouer all the other Bishops Archbishops and Patriarkes as doth partly appeare by what I haue alreadie cited out of him and more fully shall yet appeare in my ensuing discourse THE II. TITLE WHEREBY saint Gregorie makes good the supremacie is The exercice of such power all ouer the Christian world FIRST ouer the Bishops of Europe l. 12. Ep. 15. to s. Aug. in particular ouer the Bishops of England Let the Bishop of Yorke order 12. Bishops and enioy the honour of a Metropolitane but let all the Bishops of England be subiect to thy brotherhood Secondly l. 7. Ep. 112. ouer the Bishops of France Granting the vse of the Pall to the Bishop of Auston he saith And withall we perceiued we were to grant that the Church of the cittie of Auston should be after the Church of Lions and to challenge to it selfe this place and rancke by the fauour indulgentia of our Authoritie Thirdly ouer the Bishops of Spayne saying Let him who presumed while the innocent Bishop was yet aliue to be ordered in his Church against the Canons being depriued of priesthood be cast out of all Church-ministerie and withall let him be kept in safe custodie or els be sent vnto vs. Let the Bishops who ordered him being depriued of the Communion of the body and bloud of our Lord for the space of six monthes be appointed to doe pennance in a Monasterie Fourthly l. 7. Ep. 32. Ouer the Bishops of Africa In particular thus to the Bishop of Carthage By louing the Sea Apostolique you baue recourse to the source of your office or dignitie knowing whence priestly ordination had its beginning in Africa Againe l. 10. Ep. 2. Writing to Columbus a Bishop of Numidie c. he saith You are diligently to examine all the contents of his Petition to witt Donadeus Deacon degraded by Victor a Bishop of Numidie and if his complaint be accompanied with truth let canonicall rigour be vsed against his Bishop Victor Fiftly l. 2. Ep. 6. Ouer the Bishops of Greece In particular ouer Iohn Bishop of Iustiniana prima in these words As for the present hauing first disannulled and made of no effect the Decrees of thy sentence we decree by the authoritie of Blessed Peter Prince of the Apostles that for thirtie dayes space thou shalt be depriued of the holy Communion that with verie great pennance and teares thou mayst preuayle with Almightie God to pardon thy so great an excesse And if we shall come to perceiue that thou doest coldly performe our sentence know that then not barely thy iniustice but the contumacie also of thy brotherhood shall be more seuerely punished Againe l. 5. Ep. 7. Writing to the Bishops of Epirus he saith Know that we haue sent a Pall to Andrew our brother and fellow-Bishop and haue graunted or confirmed him all the priuiledges which our predecessours conferred vpon his Againe Writing to Iohn Bishop of Corinth l. 4. Ep. 51. touching Secūdinus a Bishop whom he had deputed to examine and depose one Anastasius Bishop quam causam ei examinandam iniunximus he saith And because in that sentence whereby it is euident that the fore named Anastasius was iustly condemned and deposed our fore-mentioned brother and fellow Bishop so punished certaine persons that he reserued them to our arbitrimēet And a litle after speaking of another we pardō him this fault and we appoint that he should be receiued in his rancke and place Againe We will haue them to witt Euphemius and Thomas to remayne deposed as they are and we decree that they shall neuer more be receiued into holy orders vnder what pretext of excuse soeuer Sixtly l. 5. Ep. 14. Writing to Marinianus Bishop of Rauenna vpō the difference which was betweene his Church and Claudius the Abbot he saith And doe not you your selfe know that in the cause which was agitated by Iohn Priest against Iohn of Constantinople our brother and fellow Bishop recourse was made to the Sea Apostolique following the Canons and the cause was ended definita by our Sentence And thence saint Gregorie frames an argument a fortiori in these words which immediatly follow If therfore the cause be deuolued to our knowledge euen from the Cittie where the Prince to witt the Emperour resides how much more is the busines which is against you to be determined or iudged here the trueth being knowne The like speeches bearing a face of authoritie with them are all his Epistles so full of as may with ease be seene in Dr. Sander's visible Monarchie that who would take the paines could hardly light vpon an Epistle where he should not meete with thē If he should looke vpon the 11. booke and 10. Epistle he would finde him instile the kings his sonnes saying according to the writing of our sonnes the most excellent kings c. And in the end of the same Ep. And we command that all these things shall be obserued for euer which are contayned in this our Decree as well by thy selfe he speakes to a certaine Abbot as by all those who shall succeede in thy place and rancke or whom it may otherwise concerne And if any king Priest Iudge or secular person hauing knowledge of this our Constitution shall offer to oppose it let him be depriued of his honour and dignitie and acknowledge that he stands guiltie of the iniquitie committed in the sight of the diuine iudgement And vnlesse he doe either restore the things which he wickedly tooke away or expiate his iniquitie with the teares of worthy repentance let him be kept from the most sacred body
and bloud of our Lord God Iesus Christ our Redeemer and be lyable to a strict punishment at the day of Doome If vpon the 4. booke 34. Chap. there he excommunicates or suspends from Masse the Bishop of Salonitane who was made without his knowledge against custome as he complaynes The Bishop of the Cittie of Salonitane was ordered without my owne or my Nuncius his knowledge wherein a thing was done which neuer happened vnder the reigne of any the preceeding Princes And concludes with a couered reflection or reprehension against the Emperours themselues And saith he if the causes of Bishops who are committed to me are carried with my most pious Lords by syding and the supportation of others what doe I vnhappie man in this Church But I giue thankes to God and impute it to myne owne sinnes that my Bishops should contemne me and flie to secular Iudges for refuge against me In conclusion fearing to trespasse vpon the patience of my gentle Reader I omitt a number of other cleare passages and appeale to euery Christian heart whether it be not euen industriously to endeauour ones owne losse to dwell vpon the words of an Authour which manifestly contayne some doubtfull and odious sense and thence force the conclusion to what our passion aymes at without going on with the same Authour to heare him out and to take along with vs what he plainely positiuely and frequently deliuers vpon the same subiect It is true sainct Gregorie cryes out against the proud title of vniuersall Bishop yet speakes he not in a limited sense and points he not particularly at what he feares in it saying Least all priests should be thereby depriued of due honour Least he should endeauour to be called Bishop alone c. as I haue intimated from himselfe aboue pag. 123. But is it not also true that he more then any such is God's prouidence preaches proclaimes practises the power of supreme Head of the vniuersall Church Tearming the Sea of Rome THE HEAD OF ALL THE CHVRCHES NOT KNOWING WHAT BISHOP IS NOT SVBIECT TO IT WHERE PETER WAS APPOINTED BY ALMIGHTY GOD TO BE OVER ALL THE CHVRCH THAT NO COMMVNION IS LAWFVLL WHICH THAT CHVRCH ADMITTS NOT. THAT IT IS THE MOTHER CHVRCH THAT THEY ARE PERVERSE MEN WHO WILL NOT BE SVBIECT TO IT Will you heare these propositions secōded and confirmed by his publique practices which suffer no glosse Is it not he who gouernes and giues lawes to Europe Afrique and Asia Doth he not order all the Bishops of England to be vnder saint Augustine Doth he not sende the Pall to Auston in France and by the fauour of his authoritie rancke it next to Lions Doth he not in Spayne depriue a Bishop ordered against the Canons of Priesthoode and all Ecclesiasticall ministerie depriuing the Bishops too who consecrated him of the body and blood of Christ c. Doth he not in Afrique command Columbus to vse canonicall rigour against Bishop Victor if Donadeus Deacon whom he Victor had degraded had right on his side Doth he not in Greece by the authoritie of Blessed Peter prince of the Apostles disannulle what the Bishop of Iustiniana Prima had done and depriue him of the holy Communion for thirtie dayes Doth he not professe openly that the cause of the Patriarch of Constantinople though the Emperour resided there was according to the Canons deuolued to the Sea of Rome and was ended by his SENTENCE If we will then heare Gregorie le ts heare him throughly If we fly to his authoritie let vs stand to his verdict Let not his word be taken where it pleases you and reiected where it displeases you for so I shall haue cause to make vse of a passage of saint Augustine against the Manichees in in Ep. Fundam and say Doe you conceiue me a foole in such a measure that without giuing any reason at all I should beleeue what you please and what you please not I should not beleeue Noe that were not to deale fairely and ingenuously If Gregorie must be our vmpire LET ROME BE TEARMED THE HEAD OF ALL THE CHVRCHES as he stiles it and exercise iurisdiction ouer all the Churches as we haue seene him practise and let not VNIVERSALL BISHOP which we cannot or will not vnderstand aright stand betwixt vs as a wall of diuision a seed-plott of irreconcileable discorde The fortunes of Greece depend not vpon it nor Christian Beatitude If it signifie head or chiefe-chiefe-bishop of the VNIVERSALL CHVRCH it is but ROMES DVE if it would entayle the whole right power and dignitie of Bishop vpon Rome alone Rome reiects it as sacrilegious and blasphemous and so doe we Mr Cosens his third Mediū or argument was that appeales to Rome were prohibited in the Mileuitane and 6th Carthaginean Councell and that vnder paine of excommunication Ergo the Africans did not acknowledge the Supremacie of Rome Carre My answer was that for minor or lesser persons or minor and lesser causes appeales were prohibited I granted it That Appeales were forbidden for Maior or greater persons at least in maior or greater Causes I denyed it And consequently I denyed the Conclusion intended to witt Ergo the Africans did not acknowledge the Supremacie of Rome And the reason is because the Supremacie of Rome is discerned and exercised in greater causes as in matter of faith or the generall gouernment of the vniuersall Church For such they precisely are which Rome did alwayes challenge as properly belonging to her owne iurisdiction Heare in confirmation of this what saint Gregorie writes to the Bishop of Iustiniana prima l. 2. ep 46. If any cause of faith or crime or Money-matter be commenced against our fellow-Bishop Adrian Bishop of Thebes if it be a thing of little importance let it be iudged by our Nuncio'es Responsales who are or shall be in the Royall Cittie Constantinople but if it be a matter of weight let it be referred hither to the Sea Apostolique And such Africa neuer denyed to Rome to witt aknowledgment of iurisdiction and subiection in GREATER CAVSES but contrarily had frequent recourse to the Popes of Rome with due submission and aknowledgment Yea the verie Fathers to the nūber of 61. of the Mileuitane Councell wrote to Pope Innocētius in these tearmes Wheras God by his speciall grace hath placed thee in the Sea Apostolique and hath giuen vs thee such an one talē one so qualified or so good in our dayes that it would rather be imputed to our negligence if we should conceale from thy veneration what we iudge ought to be represented for the Churches aduantage then that we neede to apprehend that thou wouldst esteeme it importune or otherwise slight the same we beseech thee daigne to employe thy pastorall care in the great dangers of the infirme members of Christ for a new and most pernicious heresie c. Againe in the same place while we intimate these things to thy Apostolicall heart we neede not vse many words to exaggerate so great
the Councell of Nice and not otherwise being acquainted with the Councell of Sardis saue onely whith a spurious one made neere Sardis by the Arrians as S. Aug. giues testimonie and fauoured by the Donatists And on the other side being wearied out with frequent costly and disorderly appeales as in the present with that of Apiarius a simple priest for the second tyme were willing doubtlesse to haue lighted vpon some lawfull redresse in that behalfe yet marke I beseech you with what humilitie and respect to the Sea of Rome it is sought for They sue they supplicate they protest in the interim to obserue what was enjoyned them by the Popes Legates which certainly they had had no reason to doe had they apprehended no authoritie in the Pope to command We professe saith Alypius Bishop of Tagaste that we are willing to obserue what is established in the Councell of Nice In the 6. Councell of Carthage and a little after but we finde it not as our brother Faustinus brought it And therevpon he applyes himselfe to Aurelius Bishop of Carthage that the Acts of the Councell of Nice should be sent for into Greece that all ambiguitie might be remoued saith he and concludes Howbeit We professe as I said before that in the meane while we will obserue these things till the entire Coppies exemplaria concilij Niceni shall come With which the Popes Legate Faustinus was so fully satisfied that he pronounced vpoÌ„ it Nor doth your sanctitie fore-iudge or doe a preiudice to the Church of Rome c. in that our brother and fellow-Bishop Alypius daigned to say the Canons were doubtfull but onely please to write these verie things to our holy and most Blessed Pope c. To which Aurelius Archb. of Carth. replyed Besides these things which we haue promised in the Acts we must of necessitie withall most fully intimate by the letters of our Townes euery thing we treate of to our holy brother and fellow Priest Boniface Which the whole Councell seconded with Placet And we professe adds Aug. Bishop of Hippon we will obserue this sauing a more diligent inquisition about the Councell of Nice Finally the whole Councell resolues to expect the Actes of the Councell of Nice authenticated vnder the three Patriarches hands whereby say they the chapters which are contayned in the present instructions commonitorio of Faustinus c. being there found shall be strengthened by vs or not being found shall be more fully handled in a subsequent Synode collected to that effect Let now indifferent persons iudge what could euer be spoken with more submission and indifferencie and lesse entrench vpon the Popes knowen authoritie which euen by this their proceeding clearely discouers it selfe and shines as it were through this seeming miste of the Africane opposition Otherwise 1. In Ep ad Celâ—st Gone Afric c. 15. Why is a Councell expressely called in obedience to Pope Celestine 2. And why doth the same Pope giue this honorable testimonie of S. Aug. who was one of the cheife supposed Antiappellants that for his life and merits they alwayes had him in their communion and that he was neuer touhed with so much as a rumour of any sinister suspition 3. Why did the same S. August in cause of an Appeale made by Bishop Anthonie of Fussal to Pope Celestine haue free recourse to him as to caompetent Iudge instructing and commending the cause vnto him acknowledging that some for certaine faults the verie Sea Apostolike as he saith ep 261. iudging or confirming the iudgements or sentences of others were neither depriued of Episcopall dignitie nor yet left altogether vnpunished desiring him to command all the things directed to him to wit the Processe to be read before c. It was neither for want of witt vertue nor learning sure for in that qualitie what Pope might not rather haue had recourse to him 4. Why is Faustinus admitted into their Councell and permitted to propose the Popes pleasure which they promise to obserue till farther inquirie be made in a matter ministring iust cause of doubt 5. Why is Apiarius a turbulent and wicked priest in vertue of the Popes release by prouision as it is called and by his order admitted to a second hearing in Afrike after he had bene twice cast out by the votes of the Bishops there 6. Why doth Faustinus himselfe pronounce in the full assembly that by this their proceeding no preiudice was done to the Sea of Rome 7. Why did Aurelius esteeme it a point of necessitie to impart all the particulars of their treatie to Pope Boniface 8. Finally why is it concluded by the vnanimous consent of the whole Councell that if the things which Faustinus had in his instructions be found in the Actes of Nice they will confirme it If not they doe not say they will forthwith cast of obedience to the Church of Rome they will call another Councell and treate the busines more fully But I will yet goe on and say Fourthly put case I would giue what can neuer be proued nay what is contrarie to the knowen truth of the Fact That the Africans opposition had bene against the right of Appeales to Rome not against the maÌ„ner onely and that in maior persons and causes too in a word that what they proposed onely had bene decreed also and that conciliariter too yet how would this conclusion be made good by Mr. C. Ergo the Pope of Rome is not supreame head of the Church Certainely in a Protestant sense it could not sith they affirme that euen Generall Councells c. both may erre and haue somtymes erred in the 21. article of the 39. Ergo a fortiori this of Africa which was but a Prouinciall Councell may haue erred and consequently one should be conuinced of rashnes to conclude any thing out of it especially in matter of faith till mens consciences were assured that though it might yet indeede it did not erre here in which how it should he made good I am not wise enough to guesse Nor yet can it be made an argument ad hominem and conclude against a Catholike for he doth not place the infallibilitie of the Church in the decree of a prouinciall but in the Definition of a Generall Councell Ergo nothing followes hence neither Ergo to be short I will conclude this part with these fewe testimonies of the African Fathers as well before as after this 6. Councell of Carth. in point of the Popes Supremacie omitting a number of most pregnant places out of other Fathers partly for breuities sake and pratly because the Africans are most concerned herein Tertull. l. de Pudicitia c. 1. n. 5. He styles the Pope of Rome the High priest and Bishop of Bishops and tearmes the Church of Rome In Praesc â— 36. n. 212. Happie Church to whom the Apostles powred out all their doctrine together with their bloud S. Cyprian The Primacie or chiefe place rule and authoritie In l de vnitate
Ecclesiae the word Primatus being so Englished by the best Grammarians is giuen to Peter c. They dare sayle to the Chaire of Peter and to the Principall or chiefe Church Epis 55. ad Cornelium Papam And writing to Stephen Pope of Rome he saith Let thy letters be dispatched into the Prouince of Arles and to the people there residing whereby Marciane who being Bishop of Arles fauoured the Nouatian heresie being excommunicated another may be substituted in his place and the flocke of Christ may be gathered together which to this day is contemned being dispersed and wounded by him Optatus Mileuitanus A Bishops chaire was first conferred vpon Peter in the Cittie of Rome In l. 2. cont Parmenianum wherein the HEAD of all the Apostles Peter sate c. Victor Vticensis And especially the Romane Church which is the HEAD of all the Churches In l. 2. de Persec Van. S. Augustine l. 2. de Bap. contra Donat. Peter the Apostle in whom the Primacie of the Apostles had the preeminencie with so exceellent a grace or aduantage Againe Like as all the causes of Mastership were in our Sauiour In quaest Noui Test q. 75. so after our Sauiour they are all conteyned in Peter for he constituted him to be the HEAD of them the Apostles that he might be the Pastor of our Lords flocke Eugenius who was one of Aurelius his Successours in the Archbishopricke of Carthage The Roman Church is the HEAD of all the Churches Fulgentius de Incarn Gratia c. 11. That which the Roman Church which is the HEAD or toppe of the world holds and teaches and which the whole Christian world together with it both beleeues without hesitation to Iustice and doubts not to confesse to faluation I conclude then that since it is most euident that the Africans were for vs Catholikes both in their words and practices as well before and in the fore said Councells as after the same it is altogether in vaine for the Protestants thence to hope for any helpe or support to their Cause Now Mr. C. hauing returned you a faire full and satisfactorie answer to each of your obiectioÌ„s permit me the fauour of one of your setled answers to that one onely demand which I then made and often iterated and still iterate as being the verie summe and abridgement of all controuersies to witt where was your Church in the yeare 1500. c. till the yeare 1517. when Luther began to storme This is the rule I haue bene taught by the ancient Fathers First by Irenaeus who had the happinesse to haue seene Policarpe S Iohns scholler We saith he can number those who were instituted Bishops in the Churches by the Apostles and their successâ—urs euen vnto vs who taught or knew noe such thing as these doe madly fancie to themselues And a little after But whereas it is too long to nuÌ„ber the successions of all the Churches in such a volume as this we coÌ„found all those who by any meanes gather more then they ought either by their wicked self-complacencie or vaine glorie or els by their owne blindnes and erroneous sense by pointing out that tradition which that greatest most ancient and most knowne Church to all men founded and established at Rome by the two most glorious Apostles Peter and Paul and by faith announced to men brought downe euen vnto vs by the successions of Bishops for vnto this Church by reason of its more powerfull principalitie euery Church ought to resort that is all the faithfull all ouer the world wherein that TraditioÌ„ which is from the Apostles is conserued by those which are all ouer vndique And so names the Popes from Linus who succeeded S. Peter c. till Eleutherius who was in his tyme of whome he saith Now Eleutherius in the twelueth place hath the Bishopricke from the Apostles and he adds By this ordination and succession the TRADITION which is in the Church from the Apostles and the proclamation of Truth is brought downe vnto vs And this is a most absolute demonstration plenissima ostensio that it is conserued in the Church from the Apostles till this day and is deliuered ouer in truth Behold the succession of Bishops is esteemed by him and deliuered vnto vs for a certaine demonstration that those who haue it on their side haue the same liuely faith conserued euen from the Apostles tyme till this day Secondly by the learned Tertullian in the same age saying In Praescri p. c. 32. Let them produce the origin's of their Churches let them declare the row or processe of their Bishops so running downe from the beginning by successioÌ„s that that first Bishop may haue had some one of the Apostles or Apostolicall men which yet perseuered with the Apostles for his Authour and Predecessour Let the Heretikes saith he a little after euen forge any such thing if they can And he counts Peter Linus Cletus Clemens Anacetus Auarestus Alexander Sixtus c. Thirdly Optatus Mileuitanus In 4 Tom. carm contra Marcion saying In that singular vnica Chaire Peter first sate to whom Linus did succeede c. to Iulius Liberius to Liberius Damasus to Damasus Siricius at this day who is our fellow with whom or in whom all the world agrees with vs in one societie of Communion by the commerce of letters formed to witt a kind of circular or communicatorie letters vsed in those tymes to discouer them to be of the same coÌ„manion Produce the origine of your chaire you who will needs challenge the Holy Church to your selues Fourthly S. Augustine In his Ep. 165. thus If the order or processe of Bishops who succeede one another be considerable how much more certainly and indeed sauingly doe we count from Peter himselfe c. For Linus succeeded Peter c. and so counting downe to Anastasius who then was Pope he coÌ„cludes in these words in this ranke or lyne of succession no Donatist Protestant Bishop is found c. Now to know of what consideration and weight the succession is with the same S. Augustine le ts take it from himselfe in his Ep. Fundamenti cap 4. where he professeth that the succession of priests from the verie Sea of Peter the Apostle till this present Bishop-pricke most iustly retaynes him in the bosome of the Catholike Church That this is a reasonable demand in it selfe I am most confident because Fathers so learned and able prouoked to it in their tymes with so much confidence and taught others to doe the same It is necessarie saith Tertullian Praescrip c. 20. that euery familie should be brought backe and reduced to its origine And that it is reasonable in particular from vs it seemes no lesse euident because what we demand we are readie to exhibite to discerne whether you or we are true successours to S. Peter we name our men immediatly from him who haue succeeded one another till this day till this present
Popedome of Innocentius and we desire you fairely to produce the like euidence or els cease vniustly to pretende the succession which you can shew no right to Finally that it is the onely short and sure way to discerne trueth from falshood which is the onely thing we ought to ayme at the great Tertull. testifies and makes manifest What the Apostles preached saith he that is what Iesus Christ reuealed vnto them ought not to be tryed Praescrip c. 21. nor proued saue onely by the same Churches which the Apostles founded by preaching vnto them by word of mouth or afterwards by their Epistles Which things being so it is euident thence that all doctrine which doth conspire or agree with those Apostolicall Churches which are the Mothers matrices and sources of faith is to be esteemed true as holding without all controuersie what the Churches receiued of the Apostles the Apostles of Christ Christ of God Marrie all other doctrine ought to be preiudged of falsitie which sauours against the Truth of the Churches Apostles Christ and God c. But we Catholikes miscalled Papists communicate for the present and did communicate with the Apostolicall Church of Rome in her Pastour Alexander the VI. in the yeere 1500. as holding no doctrine contrarie to it but conspiring with it therefore our Doctrine is to be iudged true the contrarie to be preiudged false This concludes Tertullian is an EVIDENCE of Truth or accordin to Irenaeus plenissima ostensio a most full DEMONSTRATION Such a Demonstration it is which we demand of you in the hehalfe of your Protestant Church from the yeere 1500. downeward of your Church I say whether you define it as in the 39. Art The visible Church of Christ is a congregation of faithfull men Art 19. in which the pure word of God is preached and the Sacraments be duely ministred c. Or as you describe it by oppositiō to ours tearming it a Congregation of men c. which opposeth Masses vnbloudie Sacrifice adoration of the consecrated hoste worship of Angels and Saints and prayer to them Purgatorie the Supremacie the infallibilitie of the Church c. Assigne the place where this Congregation appeared giue vp the names at least of some of their chiefe Bishops or Pastours or Doctors or Elders Verifie that they preached against the Masse vnbloudie Sacrifice c. Rationall and modest men will iudge I am spareing enough in these my demands sith it is to goe no further then a Definitione ad definitum to know where this Cōgregation c. then was yea euen your owne men confesse it For will not a Fulke against Fulke say that Pastors and Doctors haue alwayes bene in the Church Heskins and Sanders p. 69 and that they haue continually from Christ to Luthers tyme resisted false doctrine will not others maintaine b Bācroft in Recognitione pag. 441. That the administration of the word and Sacraments is absolutely necessarie to saluation c Willet in his synopsis pag. 71. That the Church continues no longer then it hath these markes d Hiper in his common places l 3. p. 548. That these markes ought to be externall and visible to the end men may know where the Church is and to what societie euery one of the faithfull ought to ioyne himselfe Finally e Whitgift in Def. p. 465. that the Church of God is not to be shut vp in one kingdome c. My demand is sparing enough then I say for I might well require further according to the Ancient Fathers Rules aboue to haue it euidently proued that such a Church or Congregation had alwayes bene in all tymes and places one and the same and that too made good by continuall and vninterrupted succession that so it might appeare to haue descended from some of the Apostles and consequētly be indeed as the true Church is defined in the Nicene Creede one holy Catholike Apostolique Howbeit knowing well that neuer yet any Protestant hath returned a faire answer euen to these few demands I will presume you will find it worke enough for the present to point vs out within the tyme prefixed The place where the Congregation was assembled The names of the Preachers or Preacher at least with euidence that he preached or held the Doctrine of the thirtienyne Art or what els may be meant by the pure word of God or opposed that which is contayned in the Councell of Trent And that they or he duely administred the Sacraments and that but two onely according to Christs ordinance c. Doe not I beseech you as you sometymes did name S. Ignatius That is too prodigious a leape at once to skippe aboue 1400. yeares backwards and yet not proue your affirmation neither to which euery disputant is lyable I could with like facilitie name him too and yet you would not admitt that for good payment You will please to remember the thing I demand is that you would acquaint vs with the names of some of your Bishops or Pastours c. in the beginning of the 16. Age not in the end of the first As S. Ignatius passed too tymely for our present purpose so Bishop Tunstall and B. Gardner came too sate though you made no bones to name them too but sure you were not serious with your friends in a subiect which exacted it or els your poore answer is a plaine conuiction how desperate your cause is They haue both left learned workes behind them which will euer speake them Roman Catholikes a Tunstall pag 47. de verit Corp. Christi Ed. Parisianae 1554. The Transubstantiation and the b Idem in codem lib. pag. 93. Sacrifice of the Masse are not tenets of the Protestant Church to name no more a Et Gard. in Confutatione c. pag. 73. Nor did Bishop Tunstall sure dye a Prisoner in Lambeth in Queene Elisabeths tyme for being a Protestant b Idem in codem lib. p. 5. If this assertion then to witt that Bishop Tunstall and Bishop Gardner helped to continue the succession of the Protestant Church which came accompanied with noe countenance or apparence of Truth were tearmed impudent what wrong were done to it since it could not fall from a man as hauing any thing of satisfaction any face of reason but as a Mercurie of euery wood to stand in the light and to stoppe the course of Truth which S. Augustine might haue haply tearmed inanissimam vocem temeritatisque plenissimam l. de moribus Ecclesiae Cath. c. 29. For was it euer written euer affirmed euer called in question by any By any I doe not say by Catholikes but euen by Protestants themselues Nay doe not euen a In l. de Praesulibus Anglia in vita Tunstalli Good man and b In Elisabetha pag. 37. Camden deliuer the contrarie and put it out of all doubt Doe not flie to the Catholike Romane Church neither that were too poore a shift to begge a succession
betrayeth it selfe not to be genuine and taken out of any authentique coppy Which deepe charge of yours against this Councell will recoyle vpon your selfe and by the ill fauoured forme therof betray it selfe not to be schollerly nor taken out of any authentique coppy either of reason or authority C. For secondly who will belieue who can persuade himselfe that this Councell of Lateran should cite the Councell of Lateran in the Decrees and Canons which were there compiled that is that it should cite it selfe as à Councell not now sitting but passed and held a long time or some time at least before it The stile of other Councells vseth to be Haec sancta Synodus decernit or placuit huic Sanctae Synodo as asession now in being when they make their Decree But this Councell of Lateran speakes of it selfe as of some other Lateran Councell then was at that time sitting Fuit noscitur fuisse as of some decrees made before six seuerall times together once in the 11. chapt twice in the 29. three times more in the 33.46 and 61. Chapters In Lateranensi Cōcilio pia fuit institutione prouisum De multa prouidētia fuit in Lateranēsi Cōcilio prohibitū Deuolatur collatio secundum statutum Lateranensis Concilii Et in Lateranensi Concilio noscitur fuisse prohibitum Will any man thinke these be the words of the Councell of Lateran itselfe ANSWER Will any man thinke these be the words of a man that considers what hee sayes who will belieue who can persuade himselfe that a pillar of his sect should frame an accusation against a Councell which to phrase it most gently is I belieue the greatest ouersight that euer was yet committed in this kinde You say that this Councell while it was sitting doeth cite it selfe as a Councell that had sitten some while before and to proue it you alleadge six places wherein there is mentiō of the Councell of Lateran and you most weakly imagine that the Councell of Lateran there spoken of is this Councell of Lateran that speaketh Know then and a great shame it is that you should be guilty of such an ignorance as not to know it before you framed this terrible obiection that there were foure Councells of Lateran according to the most receiued opinion concerning the place of which three were before this and the Councell of Lateran cited in this was that which was celebrated next before this vnder Pope Alexander the third in the yeare 1180 wherein all those places you more punctually than any other doe alleadge are to be found And is it possible that you who talke sometimes as if you had beene Secretary to all the Councells could be so ignorant as neuer to haue read or heard of any Councell of Laterā but this so that finding in this the Councell of Lateran cited you should thinke this Councell cited it selfe for if you had but read this Councell in Binius you should haue found all these places by you cited referred in the margēt to their particular chapters in the former Councell of Lateran vnder Alexander the third Or if any man had forged this Councell as you iniuriously to vs imagine could you thinke him so silly a fellow as to conceiue such a grosse absurdity as this should steale away vnobserued And if hee did not belieue hee should alwayes escape vndiscouered as to his eternall vnhappinesse by your seuerer inquisition hee hath not could you thinke him so foolish asto doe a thing in it selfe most absurd and impertinent which had no end in it for it was all one whether this Councell cited the Councell of Lateran or no and which could arriue at no other end but the ruine of that which was his maine designe namely the begetting of the worlds beliefe to this his edition of this Councell to which he must needs foresee that this would be the vndoubted ouerthrow But howeuer you make bold to slight and traduce some particular Catholiques though most learned and vertuous yet to vse a frequent word of your owne but much more seasonably I wonder how you dare so easily to condemne all Catholiques in generall as to suppose that all the Popes Catholique Bishops Diuines Canonists and other learned men innumerable of the Catholique Church yea those whose interest is mightily concerned in this Councell euen all temporall Princes whose Lay-dependants are not few in number nor faint in courage nor all defectiue in learning but some of them very eminent therein were all so blind to this grand absurdity as not to see it if they were Clergy not one amongst so many millions not to haue so much feare of the God of heauen nor honesty as to discouer it if they were of the Laity not to haue so much regard to the God of this world proper interest and to humane prudence as to publish this prodigious forgery but to suffer these Canons to be blanched ouer with the title of a great Generall Councell and by that meanes currant through the world vntill you with much industry and art come and discouer this long hidden secret and mystery of iniquity to Catholiques eternall shame as you surely thinke and your owne eternall honour But now you may see that when men with pride and obstinacy fight against the truth they fall into that pit of shame and folly that they prepar'd for others Yea you goe on with more courage than foresight thus C. Therfore thirdly Cochlaeus is faine to excuse the matter by a coniecture in his preface to this Councell set forth by Crab that these decrees were collected and brought into this forme wherein hee presents them by Pope Innocentius himselfe some while after the Councell was done He cites three chap. of the Councell to that purpose three of those six that are named afore and sayes the Reader will easily deprehend asmuch But what reader will like it well that the decrees of a Councell should be written some while after the Coūcell is ended It was alwayes the vse of Councells to write their owne decrees and to signe them too before they went away And Innocent the Pope was not so weake a Scribe as to make the Synode it selfe speake after such a manner In Lateranēsi Concilio noscitur fuisse prohibitum or fiat hoc secundum quod prouisum est in Lateranensi Concilio c. which certainly is not the stile of the same Councell concerning it selfe Innocent the third knew well enough what belonged to it ANSWER First you made Cochlaeus guilty of a fowle fault and now you bring him in making an excuse and both falsely First I can finde no such coniecture as you speake of and secondly if it were to be found it is no excuse You say it is to be found in his preface to this Councell set forth by Crab but wee may sooner gather the Sibylls leaues than finde it for there is no such thing There is indeed an epistle of Bartholomaeus Laurens which I haue mentioned before by