less on his Successours and that at Rome rather than Antioch Saint Austin agreeth Quid est super hanc petram c. What is it On this Rock will I build my Church super hanc fidem on this Faith Thou art Christ the Son of God. But sparing at present particular testimonies I shall shew that all the four first General Councils These P. Gregory the Great received as the four Gospels Lib. 1. Epist 24. all Popes are sworn to them Ad apicem observaturos Can. sicut Dist 16. Hist lib. 60. c 23. l. 1. c. 6. Roma Metropolis Romanae ditionis Athanas ad solitar vit agentes either expresly or by consequence and implicitly have refuted and overthrown the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome I begin with the first Nicene Council Can. 6. where we read Let the Antient Customs remain The Bishop of Alexandria shall have the Government of the Churches of Egypt Libya and Pentapolis Quoniam Episcopo Romano parilis mos est Because the Bishop of Rome hath the like Custom i. e. to govern Rome and the suburbicarian Region as Ruffinus as Roman Presbyter understood it and the precedent words plainly enough intimate The Bishop of Alexandria is to govern his Diocess as the Bishop of Rome doth the Churches belonging to him of antient Custom Here is a manifest limitation or rather exclusion of the Bishop of Romes Universal Jurisdiction Baronius Bellarmin and Coriolanus answer that those words because the Bishop of Rome hath the like Custome means no more but this because the Bishop of Rome consuevit perinittere hath used of old Custom to permit the Bishop of Alexandria to govern those Churches of Egypt c. A strange gloss and a mere begging of the Point in question As if the right of governing all Churches belonged to the Bishop of Rome when the Council as of antient Custome inviolable and equal to that of Rome parilis mos commit the government of those Churches to the Bishop of Alexandria as his antient Right might not we say as well that the Patriarch of Alexandria permitted the Pope to govern the Church of Rome It is evident enough from this Canon that the Nicene Fathers did not imagine that the Supreme Government of all Churches did belong to the Bishop of Rome or that the Patriarch of Alexandria needed to supplicate him for a Pall. The first Council of Constantinople Can. 2. forbids all Bishops to encroach on the Diocesses of others lest they confound the Churches And Can. 5. they decree that the Bishop of Constantinople ought to have the honour of Primacy next to the Bishop of Rome in regard it was new Rome to wit made the Imperial City by Constantine who called it after his own name Constantinople Here we see the Bishop of Rome is forbid as well as others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to play the Bishop in other mens Dioceses and that the Council out of Reverence to antient custome grants him a priority of Place or Order not a superiority of Power and Jurisdiction The general Council of Chalcedon expounds and confirms this 5th Canon of Constantinople who Can. 27. decree in these words Following in all things the Decree of the 150 Fathers to wit in the Council of Constantinople before mentioned we decree the same concerning the Priviledges of the most holy Church of Constantinople which is new Rome Their Reason is for the Fathers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not God the Father nor Christ his Son Matth. 16 16. but the Fathers the Bishops did of right give Priviledges to the Throne Ecclesiastical of old Rome because it was the Imperial City and upon the same consideration the 150 Bishops before mentioned have granted to the Throne of new Rome i.e. Constantinople 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal Priviledges rightly judging that the City which is honoured with the Empire and Senate and enjoyeth equal Priviledges i.e. Civil with old Rome the Imperial City should also in matters Ecclesiastical be equally with her magnified and extolled being the second in order after her Here we see plainly First That the Church of Constantinople is in all Ecclesiastical matters and Priviledges equally extolled and magnified with old Rome Gratians corruption of this Canon is abominable for he translates it thus We Decree that the Seat of Constantinople may have not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equal but similia like Priviledges with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not Semor old but Superiour superior Rome non tamen in Ecclesiastic is magnificatur ut illa but is not in Ecclesiastical matters magnified as she is whereas in the Greek it's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Ecclesiastical matters shall be equally extolled An ignorant or shameless man. Secondly Observe the reason why the Fathers in both Councils being near eight hundred Bishops granted Priviledges and Preeminences to the Bishop of old Rome was because it was the Imperial City and upon the very same ground the Fathers in the Council of Chalcedo judged it right and fit to grant the same and equal Priviledges to the Bishop of Constantinople in regard it being made the Seat or Head of the Empire by the Emperour Constantine it was new Rome or the Imperial City Here is no mention made of any Divine Right granted by Christ to Peter or his Successours at Rome This Canon is of more weight than all the Decrees of Popes and the Writings of all the Schoolmen and Jesuits put together It was confirmed in the sixth General Council in Trullo Can. 36. as also by the Emperours Marcian Justinian Novel 115. cap. 3 c. Our Adversaries alledg In Edicto de Confir Syn. Chalced. apud Binium Tom. 3. p. 471. Caranza p. 369. that this Canon was surreptitiously obtained by the Bishop of Constantinople Anatolius when the Bishop of Romes Legates with others were gone out of the Council But Caranza a Popish Collector of the Councils informs us that upon this complaint made by the Legates the Canon was debated the second time and confirmed by the Bishops in Council so much doth Binius Concil Tom. 3. p. 404. 463. acknowledgeth also yea the Bishop of Rome is desired by the Council to consent to it as Baronius himself confesseth I hasten to the General Council of Ephesus where upon complaint of the Bishops of Cyprus that the Patriarch of Antioch claimed a Power to ordain their Bishops contrary to antient custome the Fathers decree that they should enjoy their antient right adding a Canon whereby they forbid any Bishop not excepting the Roman to invade the Diocâ—â—ses of others lest the Statutes of the Fathers be broken and under pretence of the sacred function the tumour of secular power should creep in and so unadvisedly by little and little we lose our liberty which Christ hath purchased by his own bloud Thus those Reverend Bishops decreed V. Bernard ad Eugenium de Consid lib. 3. as if by a Prophetical Spirit they had foreseen the future Captivity of the Church
under the subtle Usurpation and tyranny of Popery The answer given by the Proctors of the Romish Court to this Canon as that of Chalcedon Hunc Canonem Ecclesia Romana non recipit Coriolanus p. 285. Ad An. 381. l. 38. or any other that opposeth their Dominion is The most holy Church of Rome approveth or receiveth not that Council or Canon for all Councils saith their great Cardinal Baronius have more or less Authority as they are approved or not allowed by the Roman Church or Pope An Answer which scarcely deserves a reply and sheweth what esteem our Romanists have of even General Councils if they cross their ambitious designs I cannot omit that famous Synodical Epistle sent by the Bishops of Africa of whom St. Austin was one to the Bishop of Rome Pope Celestine which is an invincible Bulwark or Sea-wall against the inundation of Papal Supremacy It would be tedious to transcribe the whole Letter which is still extant and written directly against this new Article of Codic Canon Ecclesiae Africanae in fine not Catholick but Roman Faith. They first desire the Pope not easily to give Audience to such as appealed from them to him Ab aliis excommunicati ab aliis ad commumonem ne recipiantur sine synodo provinciali Concil Nicaen Can. 5. or to receive into his Communion such as they had as Apiarius a most scandalous Presbyter amongst others deservedly excommunicated Which was say they contrary to the Nicene Canons which respect Bishops as well as inferiour Clericks They tell him that the Canons of the Church had prudently provided that all Controversies should be determined in the places where they arose where the Grace of the Holy Ghost would not be wanting to direct unless any one can believe that God will inspire any one man the Pope with Justice i. e. just or right judgment and deny it to multitudes of Priests met in Council The African Bishops thought no Christian man could believe this but there are Roman Catholicks who have made it an unquestionable truth that though all Councils may err yet the Pope being infallibly assisted by the Holy Ghost cannot The Afriâ—â—n Fathers go on How can a transmarine Sentence at Rome be firm and good V. Cyprian Epist 55. to which the necessary presence of Witnesses either in regard of Sex or infirmity of Age and many other impediments cannot be had That any should be sent from your side as Legates suppose à Latere we do not find in any Council of Fathers nor in the authentick Canons of the Nicene Do not send upon any ones request your Clericks as inforcers to wit of your Sentence upon Appeals lest we seem to bring the smoaky Pride of the World into the Church So these holy Bishops I had almost said Prophets without fear or flattery wrote of old to Christ's Universal Vicar at Rome As for the condemning Appeals to the Pope therein they trod in their steps and use almost the very words of Saint Cyprian Bishop of Carthage and his Colleagues to Cornelius Bishop of Rome â— Epist 55. vel â—ab 10. Epist 3. ad â—ornelium to whom he wrote in this manner Cum statutum sit ab omnibus nobis c. Whereas it is decreed by all of us in some National Council of Africa and is both just and fit that every cause Ecclesiastical should be there heard where the fault was committed and to all Pastors a part portio gregis of the flock of Christ not all the flock to one is entrusted which every one ought to rule as he that must give an account to God not the Bishop of Rome Cornelius it becometh not those whom we are over to run about to other Churches aiming particularly at the Roman and by their subtle and fallacious rashness to divide the Concord of Bishops and dissolve the Unity of the Church but there to plead their cause where Witnesses and Accusers may be produced against them Epist 68. The same St. Cyprian in another Epistle adviseth and encourageth the People of Spain not to receive Basilides again as their Bishop although he had been at Rome with Pope Stephen by whom he was he saith unjustly and as he supposed in a surreptitious manner restored for he had been deposed to his Bishoprick Can any one now believe that Saint Cyprian held the supreme Authority of the Bishop of Rome over all Bishops and Churches to be his lawful right or which is more incredible an Article of the antient Primitive and Apostolick Faith as Pope Pius hath declared it Surely he must then be a Person of very Catholick i. e. Universal Faith to believe any thing Hen. 1. Hen. 2. apud Matth. Parisien And what did Henry VIII as other Kings of England before him worse than Saint Austin and the whole African Church in forbidding Appeals and forbidding his Legates in their own Kingdom Why might not England do this as well as Africa Well however our Adversaries will relish it Can. 22. the Council of Milevis another African Council forbad all Appeals to transmarine Churches aiming no doubt especially at Rome under pain of Excommunication out of all the Churches of Africa and another at Carthage Concil Carthag 3. Can. 26. decreed that no Bishop whosoever no not the Roman should be called the Prince of Bishops but onely the Bishop of the first Seat or See. Gratian the Roman Canonist according to his excellent faculty of translating giveth us the meaning of the Canon thus That no Bishop is to be called the Prince of Bishops but the Bishop of the first Seat i. e. the Pope Glossa quae corrumpit textum I will onely add the Testimonies of two Bishops of Rome The former is Pelagius the 2d Gregor lib. 4. Epist 36. 38. who writing to his Rival for the Supremacy the Bishop of Constantinople saith Nullus Patriarcharum c. none of the Patriarchs and so neither the Roman may use or assume the Title of Universal Bishop for hereby the name of Patriarch is indeed taken from all the rest which saith he far be it from the thought of any faithful Christian This is upon Record in the Popes Canon Law. But his Successor Pope Gregory the Great Dist 99. Cap. Nullus Patriarcharum Lib. 4. Epist 34. speaketh out more plainly who writing to the Empress against John Bishop of Constantinople his Rival saith In this his Pride in affecting the Title of Universal Bishop appeareth the approach of Antichrist Wherefore I beseech you by the Almighty God give not any consent to this perverse Title In like manner Epist 32. to the Emperor Peter himself is not called the Universal Apostle Feed my sheep it seems proveth it not None of the Roman Bishops ever assumed though offer'd to them Lib. 4. Epist 38. ad Joann Constantin In isto scelesto vocabulo consentire nihil est aliud quam fidem perdere Greg. M. ad Sabinian lib. 4. Indict
Panegyricè dicantur The Fathers in their Panegyrical Orations and popular Sermons as Sixtus Senensis a Papist acknowledgeth spake often affectuum impetu orationis cursu rapti Biblioth lib. 6. Annotat 152. such things as taken according to the literal and strict sense cannot be justified To give one instance amongst many Nazianzen in his Funeral Oration on St. Basil saith of him Now in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I suppose for he was not certain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he offereth up Sacrifices for us Yet no Papist will say that he celebrated Mass or as we speak the Holy Encharist or consecrated it in Heaven as that phrase of Offering Sacrifice is sometimes used by the Fathers In like manner he saith of his Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he did in Heaven 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fight for his Flock on Earth Thirdly Many of their expressions are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayers but rather 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wishes So Nazianzen in his Oration on Basil Thou Mountague of Invocation of the Saints O sacred and divine Head respice nos quaeso de caelo look on us from Heaven So Billius a Papist falsly translates it In the Greek the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O si or utinam nos de caelo respiceres O that or I wish thou mightest look down from Heaven on us So that it is rather a Wish than a true Prayer This is certain Nazianzen in the Oration above-mentioned no where prayeth to his own Father 4. They speak doubtfully and uncertainly so Nazianzen making an Apostrophe to the Soul of Constantius puts in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if thou hast any sense or knowledge of our affairs I am compelled to speak to him as present More plainly in his Oration on his Sister Gorgonia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If there be such a reward bestowed on pious Souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thou hast any knowledge or regard of our affairs receive 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not orationem my prayer for he no where prays to her or Saint Basil or his Father but my speech sermonem which certainly he would have done had he been a right Roman Catholick But who can imagine or believe that Nazianzen Basil and other of the antient Fathers would have spoken concerning the Saints departed their knowledge of humane affairs so doubtfully and uncertainly if they had in the least believed that Invocation of Saints in Heaven was an Article of Catholick Faith necessary to be believed under peril of Heresie and Damnation Credat Judaeus Apella non ego But before I go on I will take particular notice of a place quoted by Bellarmine out of Saint Basil's Oration on the 40 Martyrs in these words Qui aliquâ premitur angustiâ ad hos confugiat c. He that is in any affliction or strait let him fly to these i. e. these Martyrs To this I answer First That Bellarmine abuseth his Reader with a false Latin Translation which is not unusual with him In the Greek it is onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not let him but he doth fly to them Here is matter of fact or practice they did so But here is no approbation advice or counsel of Saint Basil that they should do so Secondly He exhorts them to join their Prayers unto and with the supplications of the Martyrs Here then we find Intercession by them not Prayer to them Thirdly It is to be considered that these 40 Martyrs were all Cappadocians of that Country Montague of Invocation of Saints and so being as I suppose not long since deceased might retain some particular remembrance of the place of their Nativity and near Relations There is not the same reason of praying to Saints who never knew us nor we them Fourthly In that very place Saint Basil affirmeth that these 40 Martyrs not severally but all together were at the same time with divers persons in distant places which whether it be a truth or no I appeal to the judgment of any learned Papist They in some things reject the sayings of the Fathers as well as we Lastly He speaketh only of the place and time of their annual Festivity which will not amount to a sufficient ground of Invocation in any place and at any time of need of any Saint I now pass on to St. Chrysostome who Hom. 44. in Gen. Hom. 5. in Matth. Hom. de Profectu Evang. and elsewhere exhorteth his Hearers not to rely on the Intercession of others but to go immediately to God themselves propounding to them the Example of the Woman of Canaan Hom. 12. in Matth. who was never the better for the Apostles Intercession who intreated not Peter or James to beg for her but went directly to Christ herself and received a better answer from him Then he addeth V. Ambrose infra There is no need of Intercessors with God. I come to Theodoret who in his Comment Coloss 2. hath these words which give a deadly blow to this new point of Faith to wit worshipping Angels mentioned and condemned by Saint Paul in that Chapter v. 18. They saith he who defended the Law persuaded the Colossians to worship Angels saying that the Law was given by them Observe their reason is not because they were Gods or Creators of the World but deliverers of the Law as Saint Stephen noteth Acts 7. This Errour saith he remained a long time in Phrygia and Pisidia wherefore the Synod of Laodicea not far distant from Colosse forbid by a Law or Canon praying to Angels and to this day adds he are to be seen the Oratories not of any Heathenish Idol but of Saint Michael the Arch-Angel This they advised pretending or under a shew of voluntary humility for they said God himself could not be seen or comprehended neither could be approached unto and we must gain his favour through the Angels Thus Theodoret. Here we have the Original of the worshipping of Angels to wit certain Hereticks condemn'd by Saint Paul by the Council of Laodicea and Theodoret. We may note also that the Argument used by the Romanists to establish this pretended Article of Faith is borrowed from Hereticks to wit that God being infinite and incomprehensible it becometh not the humility of sinful Creatures to make immediate addresses to him but to use the Intercession of Angels the favourites of God. Cardinal Baronius is so netled with this testimony of Theodoret that notwithstanding his pretended reverence of the Fathers he saith plainly Theodoreti pace dictum sit non assequitur mentem Pauli Ad Ann. Christi 60. sect 17 22. Let it be spoken by the good leave of Theodoret that he understandeth not St. Paul 's meaning But by Baronius his leave I think Theodoret though no Cardinal understood St. Paul's meaning as well yea far better than he The Canon of the Council of Laodicea related to by Theodoret we find expressed in these words It becometh
not Christians leaving the Church to run to Angels their Oratories and to hold meetings of abominable Idolatry Where you see running to i. e. as Theodoret understood it praying to and so worshiping Angels at their Oratories is condemned by the Council as no less Crime tho Papists cannot endure to hear it than abominable Idolatry Caranza a Popish Translator of the old Trade ignorantly or wickedly turns 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Angelos Angels Can. 35. into angulos Corners But according to the old saying Veritas non quaerit angulos Truth seeketh not these Corners I had almost forgot the good old Father Epiphanius in all whose Writings Bellarmine it seemeth could find nothing for Invocation of Saints but we can produce what is directly against it Haeres 74. contra Collyrid he condemneth certain fond Women of more zeal than knowledge who like those in Jeremy Jer. 7.18 offer'd up Cakes to the Virgin Mary as the Queen of Heaven a Title the Roman Catholicks have little to her honour put upon her saying If God will not have Angels worshipped how much less the Daughter of Ann born as other Women ergo in Original Sin. What then do we as Romanists calumniate us or Epiphanius deny Mary her due honour No. We say with Epiphanius Let her be in honour but let God alone be adored Let none worship Mary she is to be honoured as we really grant but she is not given us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be bowed to or worshipped So that no religious worship is to be given to her Certainly these foolish Women were not so filly as to take the Holy Virgin for a Goddess or Deity but adored her as the Mother of Christ for then they had been plain Heathens rather than as Epiphanius esteemed them Hereticks Surely if offering up to the Virgin Mary a few Cakes was heretical and unlawful is it not much worse to offer up to her the Evangelical Sacrifices of to say nothing now of their Masses in honour of her Prayers Vows and Thanksgivings which themselves acknowledge to be acts of Latria or Divine Worship Aquin. 2.2 quaest 88. art 5. V. Chemnit Exam. p. 609 610. 580 581. Biel in Can. Missae lect 8. Chemnit supra p. 585.595 See B. Andrews's Answer to Cardinal Perron O faelix Puerpera nostra pians scelera Jure matris impera Redemptori of which their Offices of the Virgin Mary and Books of Devotion are brimful In them they beg of her Grace and Glory Affirm which is sacrilegious blasphemy that God hath made over the Kingdom of his mercy to her They term her the Mother of mercy and fountain of Grace the Queen of Heaven their Life and onely hope In a word they stile her as Cardinal Bembus Deam a Goddess Is not this far to exceed the Collyridian Hereticks Is not this adoring of her gross Idolatry I come now to the learned Cyril Patriarch of Alexandria in his sixth Book against Julian the Apostate who objected that the Christians instead of many Gods worshiped many miserable Men to wit Christ and the Martyrs To which he answereth We worship Christ a man but God as well as man. Where we may observe that the grounds of worshipping the man Christ Jesus is because he was God as well as man not a religious man or Saint only As for the Martyrs we saith Cyril worship them not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with latria or divine Worship but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 relatively and honourably that is with honourable respect such saith St. Austin as we yield to Holy men in this life in respect of their piety and godliness Then he sheweth wherein the honour given to Martyrs did consist to wit in a reverend regard to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tombs or Monuments in crowning them with Praises as Conquerors and concludes we bestow on them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an immortal or never withering memory But no mention at all of any Religious tho the grounds of honouring Martyrs is their Piety and Religion Worship Invocation or Adoration The same Cyril on the 16. Chapter of St. John hath these words No man cometh to the Father but by the Son. Hence he termeth himself the Door and Way who as he is the Son and God bestoweth with the Father all good things on us As our Mediator and High Priest presenteth our Prayers to God and hence concludeth We must therefore pray in the name of our Saviour if we would be heard of God. Saint Ambrose de obitu Theodosii speaketh to the same purpose Thou O Lord art alone to be invocated solus rogandus es art onely to be prayed unto On the Epistle to the Romans c. 1. he hath these remarkable words spoken I confess of Heathens but too justly applicable to Papists who use the very same excuses Being saith he ashamed of their neglect of God the Creator by worshipping Creatures rather than him they use a miserable shift saying by them Rom. 1.25 i. e. Angels and dead Heroes men may go to God as by Counts or Earls or Courtiers we use to go to the King. It is our Adversaries ordinary Similitude What saith St. Ambrose to it Tertul. de Praescr c. 8. saith the same Rev. 22.9 See Chrysost de Paenit Hom. 4. de profectu Evangel Is any man so mad and unmindful of his own safety it being laesa Majestas Treason as to give the honour of the King to a Count and not judge themselves guilty who yield the honour of God to a Creature and adore leaving the Lord their Fellow-servants as if there were any thing more to be given to God. For therefore we go to the King by Lords and Captains because he is a man but to God to whom nothing is hid and who knoweth all mens deserts there is no need of an Intercessour but a devout mind This is plain I go on to Saint Hierom who in his Epitaph on Nepotian acknowledgeth that although the Saints departed possibly pray for us yet do not hear our prayers or Apostrophes to them Ille non audit Examen Concilii Trident Whatsoever I shall say is as if I said nothing for he Nepotian heareth me not It 's also not unworthy of our observation as Chemnitius hath noted that Saint Hierom in his Book against Vigilantius who condemn'd Invocation of Saints censures him not as an Heretick for so doing If it had been then a point of Faith no doubt St. Hierom would not have spared him Yea in his Epistle to Riparius he saith of Angels and dead Saints or Martyrs nec colimus nec adoramus We neither adore them with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor worship them with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an inferiour religious worship although as we Protestants do honoramus we honour them I will end with Saint Austin Nominantur non invocantur in his 22. Book de Civitate Dei Cap. 10. he saith The Saints are at the Communion
have Rome Where first observe that he with Irenaeus ascribeth the same Authority to Corinth Philippi c. which he doth to Rome Secondly He speaketh not of Jurisdiction but matter of Faith and Apostolick Doctrine Thirdly It 's conditional if you be near Italy you have Rome Tertullian never thought that all Christian Churches were subject to Rome either as to Doctrine or Government or were bound to appeal and sub mit unto her Again Chap. 20. The Apostles having first preached the Gospel in Judea promulged the same doctrine of Faith to the Nations In regard of this doctrine they are accounted Apostolical Wherefore so many and great Churches are that one first Church from the Apostles of which all are So all are first omnes primae and all Apostolical whilst all prove one Unity Now if all are first all Apostolical how can the Roman Church claim any Primacy or Principality over all even Apostolical Churches Origen in Matth. Petra est omnis Christi imitator 16. Every Disciple of Christ is that Rock If you think the Church to be built on Peter onely what will become of John and the rest of the Apostles What was spoken to Peter was spoken to all the Apostles and Christians All are Peter and the Rock The Keys were not onely given to Peter This now at Rome is no less than Heresie Epist 45.47.49 Let us hearken to Saint Cyprian who usually wrote to Pope Cornelius as to his Brother Colleague and Fellow-Bishop not as his Prince and Sovereign or Universal Bishop especially in his 72. Epistle directed to him ' In which matter we force no man we give Law to no man seeing every Bishop hath the free liberty of his own will in the administration or Government of his Church being to give account of his actions not to the Bishop of Rome but to God. In his Preface before the Council of Carthage he hath these words None of us maketh himself Bishop of Bishops i. e. Supreme Universal Bishop or compelleth his Colleagues by tyrannical terrour to obedience c. where he seemeth to reflect on Pope Stephen Compare those words of Tertullian de Pudicit c. 10. The High Priest the Bishop of Bishops meaning the Bishop of Rome saith I absolve Adulterers Ejus errorem denotabis qui Haereticorum causam defendit Baronius ad Ann. 258. N. 47. A Canonized Saint Menolog Graec. in Octob. 28. ☞ Epist 75. which no doubt he spake ironically and by way of irrision In his Epistle 74. he writeth against Pope Stephen charging him with Errour and pleading the cause of Hereticks against the Church of God. Can any man believe Cyprian took Pope Stephen for his Supream Governour and infallible Head of all Churches But Firmilian the famous Bishop of Cappadocia highly commended by Baronius ad ann 258. num 45. was not afraid to accuse the same Pope Stephen of open and manifest folly who saith he glorying de Episcopatûs sui loco of his Episcopal Seat or Sea and that he is Successour of Saint Peter on whom the foundations of the Church were laid maketh many Rocks and buildeth new Churches He addeth also Eos qui Romae sunt non ea in omnibus abservare quae sunt ab origine tradita De Vnitate Eccles Paci consoretio praedicti honoris potestatis Although he said before of Peter tibi dabo c. super illum unum aedificat Ecclesiam suam illi pascendas mandat oves suas that the Roman Church was guilty of violating the Antient Canons and that Pope Stephen by Excommunicating so many Christian Churches Excommunicated himself I will add that noted passage of St. Cyprian Idem caeteri quod Petrus c. The rest of the Apostles were the same with Peter endowed with an equal fellowship or copartnership of Honour and Power They are all Pastors but the Flock is but one which is to be fed by all not Peter onely or his Successours by vertue of feed my sheep by unanimous consent not by deputation by or subjection to Peter and such as succeed him at Rome A little before he saith Although Christ granted to all the Apostles after his Resurrection parem potestatem equal power breathing on them the Holy Ghost and saying whose sins ye remit c. Yet to manifest Unity he appointed one Chair He speaketh to Peter and to thee will I give c. singularly Why not that Peter had a greater Power or Authority which he expresly denied before than the rest of the Apostles but saith Saint Cyprian to commend to us Unity that the Church ought to be one without Schism to the end of the World which is the intent of all that Discourse Now if Saint Peter had no Supremacy over all the Apostles and Churches the Pope as deriving it from him can have just right to none Let me add Saint Cyprian's 67. Epistle where he adviseth them what to do concerning the Heretical French Bishop whom he would not have the People to own though he had surreptitiously obtained Pope Stephens confirmation He addeth as a reason V. Epist 68. We are many Pastors but we feed one Flock and we ought to gather and succour all the Sheep yea if any of our Society è collegio nostro i. e. any Bishop Si haeresin facere gregem Christi lacerare vastare tentaverit subveniant caeteri Epist 67. should fall into Heresie and rent the Church the rest ought to help where he exempteth not any Bishop no not the Pope from possibility of erring even Heretically as to be sure Pope Liberius and Honorius did In Arnobius and Lactantius I find nothing to our present purpose I pass to Saint Hilary De Trinit l 2. Lib. 6. n. 674. Haec fides est Ecclesiae fundamentum pag. 174. This is the one immoveable foundation this is the Rock of Faith confessed by Saint Peter Thou art Christ the Son of God. Again On this Rock of Confession the Church is built This Faith is the foundation of the Church In the same manner Saint Chrysostome often expounds the Rock In locum Hom. 55. Christus ipse est Petra Greg. M. in Psalm Poenitent 5. Augustin in Joann Epist 1. Tract 10. Matth. 16. of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confession of the Deity of Christ made by Peter in the name of the rest of the Apostles Add Theophylact See Liberius his Epistle to Achanasius Opera Athan. Tom. 1. lib. 1. in Jovinian c. 14. Saint Basil of Seleucia with others Basil the Great Epist 8◠ad Athanasium termeth Athanasius in the name of the Greeks their Head the leader and Prince of Ecclesiastical affairs to whom they did fly for advice Surely Saint Athanasius rather than the Arian Heretick Pope Liberius was like a Rock unshaken in those days Saint Hierome saith the Church is built on the Apostles ex aequo In 1. Epist Joan. Tract 10. equally not on Peter principally or onely much
c. Fulber Epist ad Adeodatum Epist ad Heribaldum To these may be added Bertram de corpore sanguine Domini to Charles the Great who about seven hundred years ago in a just Treatise impugneth the Doctrine of Transubstantiation to whom you may add Fulbertus Carnoton Berengarius Hincmarus in vita Remigii Rabanus Maurus Purgatory As for Purgatory and its Appendix Indulgences whose most gross abuse defended by the Pope first opened Luther's mouth against him much need not be said in regard as we have seen above Roffensis the Popes Martyr and Alphonsus de Castro to whom I may now add Polydore Virgil confess they are late Novelties of which in the antient Greek Fathers there is little or no mention The modern Greek Church as appeareth peareth from their Confession offer'd to the Council of Basil and since that of Cyril late Patriarch of Constantinople denieth any Purgation of sins after death by Fire Lumbard and Gratian take no notice of Indulgences The later Schoolmen Albertus Al. Halensis Durand Cajetan quoted by Bishop Usher and Dr. Field in his Appendix say that Finalis Gratia c. final Grace abolisheth all remains of sin in Gods Children Answer to the Challenge p. 179. Part. prima summae Tit. 10. c. 3. Opusc 15. c. 1. De Indulg lib. 4. dist 20. qu. 3. Primus in Purgatorium extendit Indulgentias V. Chemnit Exam. de Indulg 742. 100 Gravamina what need then of any Purgatorian fire Antoninus acknowledgeth that concerning Indulgences nihil habemus expressè c. We have nothing expresly or clearly delivered either in Scripture or the antient Fathers This same is affirmed by Cajetan and Durand Agrippa de Vanitate Scient cap. 61. saith that Pope Boniface VIII first extended Indulgences to Purgatory they were opposed before Luther by the University of Paris Wesselus Wickliffe Hus Jerome of Prague Savanorola yea the States of Germany complain to the Pope of them as intolerable burdens cheats and incentives to all manner of wickedness Add Platina in Boniface 9. Urspergensis Chron. p. 322. Art. 4 Image-worship Worshipping of Image was V. Polyd. Virgil. de Invent rerum lib. 6. V. Cassand infra See Vspergensis Rhegino ad Ann. 794. and Matth. Westminst ad Ann. 794. Cassand Consult art de Imagin The work of Mens Hands may not be adored no not in honour of their Prototypes p. 213. De Trad. Part 3. De Imagin as is notorious first Decreed though not with Latria in the second Nicene Council about the year 794 but was opposed and condemned by the General Councils of Constantinople and Frankfort in which last were three hundred Bishops called by the Emperour and Pope whose Legates were there present as the Bishop of Rhemes reports apud Alanum Copum Dial. 4. and Suarez grants it in 3. Part. Thomae qu. 25. disp 54. This worship of Images was confuted also by Albinus or Alcuinus out of the Scriptures as Hoveden relates in continuat Bedae ad ann 794. Moreover by the Book of Charles the Great if it be not the same with the former which is still extant in the Vatican and acknowledged to be genuine by some learned Papists Agobardus Bishop of Lyons wrote against worshipping Pictures or Images So did also Jonas Bishop of Orleans in his Book de Cultu Imaginum cap. 5. allowing them onely for Ornament in Churches but detests the giving them any part of divine Honour as accursed wickedness Peresius saith as much Gerson de defect viror Eccles Holcot de Sapientia Lect. 158. Miraudula Apol. qu. 3. condemn bowing before them Durand de ritib. Eccl. Catharinus de cult Imagin grant that their use is dangerous in regard of the peril of Idolatry See our Churches Homily on the Peril of Idolatry Polydore Virgil saith De Invent. rerum lib. 6. c. 13. De Imag. l. 2. c. 22. all the Fathers condemn'd worshipping Images Bellarmine himself granteth that the worship of Images as defended and practised by the Roman Church i.e. with Latria or the same worship we give to the Prototypes cannot be maintained without such nice distinctions of absolutely and relatively or accidentally univocally or analogically properly or improperly as scarce themselves much less the weak common people can understand or if they do can hardly avoid Error in practising them Peresius more plainly They are a scandal to the weak who cannot understand them but by erring Hence the Cardinal accounteth it not safe to teach their Votaries publickly to give Divine Honour or Latria to the Image of Christ for his sake De Trad. p. 226. V. Biel. in Canon Missae Sect. 49. Part 3. qu. 28. Art. 3. Instit Mor. Tom. 1. l. 9. Suarez Tom. 1. Disp 54. Sect. 4. Vasq in qu. 25. disp 110. c. 2. See Orig. in Cels l. 6. 8. Arnob. lib. 6. Apud Bellar. de Imag. l. 2. c. 8. V. Aug. de fide symb cap. 7. Biblioth Patrtom Tom. 5. pag. 609. Concil Trident. Compare Origen Lib. 7. in Celsum Nevertheless it 's undeniable that this is the professed Doctrine of the Church of Rome declared by their Oracle Aquinas and constans opinio as Azorius speaks the constant Opinion of their Divines defended by Valentia Suarez and that as the sense of the Council of Trent Vasquez the Jesuit to defend this Adoration blushed not to write that it is lawful to worship the Sun yea God bless us the Devil himself so the worship be directed ultimately to God and his Honour whereas it 's notorious that the Heathens might and did in this very manner defend their gross Idolatry The very making of the Images of the Trinity is condemn'd by Abulensis Durand Peresius and others yet defended and practised by the Roman Church Walafridus Strabo called it Superstition and blockishness hebitudinem to worship Images I will end that I be not too tedious with the words of Jonas Bishop of Orleans as an Answer to our Adversaries Reply That they place no Divinity in their Images but worship them onely in honour of God and of him whose Image it is seeing they know there is no Divinity in Images they are the more to be condemned for giving to an infirm and beggerly Image the honour that is due to the Divinity I cannot omit what I find in Agobardus it being so consonant with Jonas as making one sentence De Pict Imag. p. 237. They which answer as our Roman Catholicks now do they think no Divinity to be in the Image they worship but that they worship it in honour of him whose image it is are easily answered because if the Image they worship be not God neither is it to be worshipped in honour of the Saints who use not to arrogate to themselves Divine Honour He adds That the Images of Christ and the Apostles were expressed by the Antients after the custom of the Gentiles V. Euseb supra rather for love and memory than for any religious honour or