world But your Church of Rome onely diuideth it selfe peremptorily from the Communion of all other such Christian Churches Ergo it is the most Schismaticall of all other Herein plainely like to Ismael whose hand was against euerie man and euery man 's against him Vntill you shall be able to answer this Argument you are bound to forbeare the obiecting to any Church Christian Schisme from the Catholike Church and consequently Separation from Saluation in Christ. When wee talke of a Schismaticall Church we may not let passe the recognition of the manifold ruptures and Schismes of the Romane Church in her owne wombe where wee haue seen not Iacob and Esau strugling for birth-right each with other onely but as it were a rough Esau sometimes of Two or rather a Cerberus and Hydra sometimes of Three heads striuing one against another for the prerogatiue of Popedome euen for the space of fortie or fiftie yeares together Sometimes the pretended Head the Pope fighting with his whole Body Representatiue in a Councell for the right of Supreame iudgement as you haue heard In a word shee hath almost at all times beene so presumptuous by Excommunicating Primitiue Successiue and Moderne Churches which were not subordinate vnto her and so often distracted in her selfe as if all the Waters of Marah for so we may call Schisme had exonerated and emptied themselues into the Romane See Thus much of the second Part by Comparing the Church of Rome with Remote Churches The Third Part of this DETERMINATION concerneth the Departure of Protestant Churches from Rome occasioned by MARTIN LVTHER SECT 13. HEre wee enter into the maine question of Luther his departure from Rome which hath occasioned your impetuous and clamorous out-cries against him as against an vnpardonable and damnable Schismatike and thereupon in all your Conferences and Disputes you exact of Protestants an Answer to your popular Octiections as of What Where was Then Your Church Who were Your Professours What were Their Names and What is become of Your Ancestors with the like Wee now desire you but to haue so much patience till we collect our diuerse Theses and in the end you will finde we hope that vpon a full Reckoning we shall be indebted vnto you iust nothing at all THESIS I. LVTHER was vniustly Excommunicated out of the Romane Church SECT 14. IF the odiousnesse of the very name of Luther among you haue not engendred so obstinate a preiudice in you as not willingly to heare or trie the iustice of his Cause then are we without all doubt perswaded that you your selues will iustifie his Departure out of the Church of Rome Not to spend time Luther his Excommunication by Pope Leo must haue beene either for Manners or Doctrine but it was not for any exorbitancy in his life Who as is testified of him was accounted a good man euen of his very Enemies Which kinde of Certificate is the most exact approbation of all others as Moses shewed when he made this kinde of Appeale saying Our Enemies being Iudges By which it may appeare what difference of Enemies the Church of Rome hath hatched whose Professors in the dayes of Luther himselfe were so ingenuous as to esteeme him a Godly man Since when haue risen vp spirits of a lying malignancie that haue blurred and bespotted his life with all the reproachfull Notes of monstrous infamy as if hee had had Familiarity with the Diuell and was a Wine-bibber But The Seruant is not better than his Master saith our Sauiour Christ to his owne Disciples If therefore the Irreligious haue called Christ himselfe familiar with Beelzebub and a Friend to Publicanes and Sinners were they Drunkards or the like what Christian must pleade exemption from the virulencie of venemous mouthes But why doe wee busie our selues with Impertinencie wee proceed to his Doctrine concerning which we are to enquire into the principall Cause of his Excommunication The First and principall Cause of Luther's Opposition against the Pope of Rome without which he had not beene Excommunicated was the point of Papall Indulgences wherein he condemned the iniquitie of the Popes practise and the falshood and impietie of his Doctrine herein as will be testified by a cloud of witnesses First is the Iniquity and iniurie done in the dayes of Luther by the craft of Papall Indulgences howbeit at the First hearing of this Accusation your Cardinall waxing somewhat cholericke steppeth forth desirous as a feed-man to be heard speake in the Pope his Masters behalfe and calleth it A Calumnie of Luther and such like Nouellists to say that the Popes heape vp riches by the art of Indulgences So hee Oh the forehead of some kinde of men to denie that which the Germane Nation at and before the dayes of Luther cried out vpon As being a burthen intollerable wherewith the Popes vnder the colour of pietie extract the very marrow of moneys out of mens purses Whereof your Fathers of the Councell of Trent tooke notice to wit that the Popes Officers in collecting money for Indulgences gaue a Scandall to all faithfull Christians which might seeme to be without all hope of Remedie And which your Venetian Doctor will haue you to obserue to haue beene the First Cause of Luther his Opposition It is now euident to all men saith hee and Histories on all sides write hereof that the Separation made an hundred yeares agoe by the Protestants in Germanie arose from the vnlawfull Exactions and the immoderate grants of Indulgences This then was the first point in the matter of Romish Indulgences which moued Luther to preach against them euen the Iniquitie of the practice thereof The Second point is the Falshood of the Doctrine of Indulgences whereof your Cardinall testifieth saying The first Cause of Luther's diuiding himselfe from Rome was the Popes pronouncing Him an Heretike for inueighing against Indulgences So hee And for that his gain-saying the Doctrine of Indulgences saith Polydore the Popes Proctors conueied the name of Luther to Rome where hee is accused and because hee appeared not at the day hee was declared an Heretike So hee Now then according to the stile of all Iudiciall Courts let vs first heare the Accusation and then allow vnto him to Answer for himselfe His Accusation is laid downe in Pope Leo's Bull against him This Luther maintaineth as a thing most certaine that it is not in the power of the Church to appoint new Articles of Faith This was his Crime now heare his answer I saith Luther haue plainly protested that if they would not haue constrained me to allow of their impious and blasphemous Articles I should haue defended a great part of their Episcopall Iurisdiction but needes would they compell vs to approue of their Satanicall lies and therefâ—re disdainfully despised mee for blowing away for indeede they were but bubbles the Popes Bulls and Indulgences So Luther What hath Luther said in all this which
to iudicious Professors To trie all things and retaine that which is good that is to say True For if Truth were not good no Goodnesse could be True Next is the Bond of your Profession who will be thought to be the onely Catholikes that is the Professors of the Catholike Faith and possessors of that Fold of Christ which in the Apostles Creed is called the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH the defence of which truly called Catholike Church without which there no Saluation is the Subiect of this whole Treatise Wherein you may finde that your Romane Church quà Romane is excluded from the Prerogatiue of The Catholike Mother Church as by the Iudgement of the Catholike Church it selfe so also by the same Catholike Theoreme which you so Commonly obiect and glorie in viz. HE HATH NOT GOD FOR HIS FATHER WHO HATH NOT THE CHVRCH FOR HIS MOTHER according to the plaine and euident Sence of that Catholike Father who was the first Author thereof A Third Obligation ariseth from your owne Practise who are so vrgent vehement and in a sort violent in defending a Necessarie Vnion with the Romane Church and in inueighing against our Separation from it as against a deadly and damnable Schisme Wherefore it were in you a perfidious Tergiuersation to heare as hath beene partly pointed at your Answers refuted and your Obiections retorted vpon you and not to make Triall whether you haue beene able to stand vnto your Defence and Defiance or no. Lastly in your asking HOVV this Assertion can be made good your owne Interrogatorie exacteth of you a Diligence to vnderstand the Answer to the same HOVV Whereunto for this Present I shall Answer but in a Generality to wit that I haue endeuored to Insist 1. Concerning the Antecedents vpon Grounds immoouable such as are the Common Rules of Faith and good Conscience 2. Vpon Consequences vndeniable such as are your owne Principles and Conclusions 3. For Testification of both the former vpon Witnesses least partiall to vs-ward such as are for the most part your owne Writers and 4. Concerning the Credit which you may require in alleaging your Authors vpon such an oculata fides as whereunto you will take no Exception and although some of them may happen to bee vrged Iudicio errante yet sure I am animo reluctante not One. But What needs more Prefacing These and the like Questions which may appertaine to the Article in hand may bee more particularly satisfied in the Discourse it selfe which I shall desire you to accept with the same Right-hand of Christian Affection wherewith it is offered vnto you and that if Any shall addresse an Answer thereunto that then he iudge and censure it vpon the same Caution and Condition wherewith it is written and tendred vnto him euen as for his Sayings or Gain-Sayings he will answer God at the day of Iudgement Fare-you well Yours still a Debter vnto you in Christ Iesus THO. COVEN LICHF A SVMMARIE OF THE seuerall CHAPTERS CHAP. I. THe Profession of the Romish Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church c. imposed by the Romane Popes confessed by their Councels Catechismes and Iesuites Sect. 1.2.3.4 c. CHAP. II. OVR FIRST CONSIDERATION is of the Generall Foundation of our Confutation of that Romane Article by prouing it to be a sacrilegious Deprauation of the Common Article of our Christian Creede THE CATHOLIKE CHVRCH Sect. 1.2.3 I. Argument Because the Word ROMANE excludeth that part of the Catholike Church which is called the Triumphant Confessed Sect. 4. II. In respect of the Essentiall Parts of the Church Militant by comprizing in it those that are but Excrements and no true Members thereof Confessed Sect. 5. III. In respect as the Church Catholike is Visible by Excluding the Essentiall Members thereof viz. faithfull Catechumenists and vniustly Excommunicated Persons Confessed Sect. 6. IV. Because the Article of Catholike Roman Church as ROMANE is voide of all Catholike foundation which is Diuine authoritie Confessed Sect. 7. V. In respect of the Time Past because the Catholike Church was long before there was so much as a Romane Church Confessed Sect. 8. VI. In respect of the Time to Come because the Church Romane as it is ROMANE may possibly be altered from the Catholike Church Confessed Sect. 9. VII In respect of any Time Present because alwayes vncertaine of her true Romane Head Confessed Sect. 10. VIII Because this Romane Article is to all that Beleeue it Necessarily a matter of Heresie and of Periurie to All that which all Romish Priests are compelled vnto sweare vnto it Sect. 11. CHAP. III. A SECOND CONSIDERATION of the Catholike Church is by obseruing a Second general Head of Confutation from the Iudgement of seuerall Councels Churches and Fathers in a Different Respect of Time Sect. 1. I. In Respect of the Time Before the foundation of the Church of Rome that Church is falsly called the Mother-Church of all Others Sect. 2. 1. Proofe from the rottennes of the foundation of her Mother-hood which is the false Pretence of Peter his Ordaining all other Apostles to be Pastors Confessed Sect. 3. 2. Proofe by Instancing in the Examples of Churches which were Mother-Churches before Rome and some also to Rome Sect. 4. As Hierusalem Sect. 5. Caesarea Sect. 6. Antioch Sect. 7. c. The Greeke Church in Generall Sect. 8. And the Church of Britaine Sect. 9. CHAP. IV. II. IN Respect of the Time about When the Church of Rome was first founded because 1. The Romane Article of the Catholike Romane Church is Contrarie to the faith of Saint Peter the pretended Founder of that Church Sect. 1. to Sect. 8. 2. Contrary to the Faith of Saint Paul the supposed Co-founder of the same Church with Saint Peter Sect. 8.9.10 His account of the Romane Church Sect. 11.12.13.14 3. Contrary to the Faith of Saint Iohn who taught that the Citie of Rome was to be the Seat of Antichrist before the second Comming of Christ. Sect. 15. And because he could not be accounted Subiect to the Pope § 16. CHAP V. III. IN Respect of the Time When the Church of Rome was first founded the same Article is found Contrary to the faith of the Church of Christ. Sect. 1. An Argument from the Tyrannous Domineering of the Church of Rome by Two Instances Sect. 2.3 CHAP. VI. IIII. IN Respest of the Time After the foundation of the Romane Church Sect. 1. First in the Primitiue age Prouing that the now Romane Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church c. is Contrarie to the Iudgement of Antiquity Sect. 2. I. Argument from the Contrarie ancient Sence of the Word Catholike Church Sect. 3. By the iudgement of Saint Augustine Sect. 4. of Saint Hierome Sect. 5. of S. Gregory Sect. 6 CHAP. VII II. ARgument is taken from the Comparisons betweene the other Churches and Bishops with the Church of Rome and her Bishops by the iudgement of Irenaeus Tertullian Athanasius Vinc. Lyrinensis Sect. 1. The same Comparisons proued by
of faith Now wee haue proued by your owne Witnesses as by your owne eyes that aboue 2280. Bishops in their VIII Generall Councels and euery Generall Councell you call the Catholike Church haue opposed your Article of pretended Subiection The first by proportioning aswell the limits of the Romane Dioces as of other Patriarks The second by iudging the Romane Primacie not to stand vpon any Diuine authoritie and setting vp a Patriarke of Constantinople contrary to the Popes will The third by inhibiting any Bishop whatsoeuer from Ordaining Bishops within the Isle of Cyprus The fourth by aduancing the Bishops of Constantinople and establishing them in equall Priuiledges with the Bishops of Rome notwitstanding the Popes earnest opposition against it The fift in Condemning the Sentence of Pope Vigilius albeit one extreamely vehement in that Cause The Sixt and Seauenth in condemning Pope Honorius of Heresie And the Eighth by imposing a Canon vpon the Church of Rome and challenging Obedience thereunto Any man therefore although destitute of good Conscience if but endued with common ingenuitie will iudge and confesse that this Article which thus Condemneth aboue 2280. Bishops of the first Eighth Generall Councels whereof most were as Catholike as they were ancient and learned together with all their Beleeuers for the space of aboue 540. yeares Professours of the Christian faith is iustly to be condemned as Scandalous Schismaticall Hereticall Blasphemous Respectiuely and euery way damnable CHAP. IX Our fourth Argument taken from the Examples of particular Churches Catholike which contemning the Excommunication of the Bishop of Rome were notwithstanding acknowledged to be in the state of Saluation SECT 1. THree things there are which your new Romane Article requireth as Necessary to Saluation of Christians throughout the World I. Is to haue Vnion with the Church of Rome and Head thereof II. Because there are two kindes of Vnions one in Equalitie as is betweene the Members of the same Body and another in an Inequalitie like as is betweene the Head and the Body your Article exacteth Vnion of subiection also The III. is the Necessitie of faith concerning both these as namely that euery Christian doe beleeue the truth of the Article in both to wit that they are indeede Necessary to Saluation Therefore haue wee singled out Examples of ancient Churches which you your selues note as Excommunicate by the Popo which notwithstanding all the Christian world haue held to haue beene in the state of Saluation Our first Instance is in the ancient Churches of Asia which notwithstanding the Excommunication of Pope Victor were in the state of Saluation SECT 2. YOur owne Authors boastingly relate that in the yeare 197. Pope Victor did excommunicate all the Easterne Churches for not obseruing the feast of Easter vpon the Lords day which Excommunication say they is not found to haue beene afterwards reuoked or retracted wherein notwithstanding those that were auerse continued a long time So they A storie certainly worthy your double consideration whereof you cannot be ignorant it being recorded by Eusebius at large that namely Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus in Asia pleaded the Cause of the Churches of Asia against the Excommunication of Victor in that his Epistle whereunto the other Bishops in Asia gaue their Consent Prouing that their Custome contrary to the Romane was receiued from Saint Iohn who leaned vpon our Lords brest that it was practised by Philip the Apostle who died in Asia that it was continued by Saint Polycarpus Martyr and Bishop of Smyrna by Thraseas Bishop and Martyr by Sagonius Bishop and Martyr and that then Polycrates being animated by these so worthy Examples and the vnanimous Consent of their Bishops in Asia stood in defiance with that Pope Victor and contemned his Excommunications saying I who haue now liued sixtie fiue yeares in the Lord and haue had communion in the faith with all the Brethren dispersed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout the world and nothing moued with these terrors meaning of Ezcommunication which are vrged against vs. Thus farre the Ecclesiasticall Storie wherein appeareth this Conclusion as manifest as if it had beene deliuered in expresse termes viz. That a Christian may haue Communion generally with the Catholike Church else-where throughout the world notwithstanding the Excommunication of the Pope and See of Rome and therefore cannot the Romane Church be called the Catholike Church as the Head whereunto all others ought to professe Vnion and yeeld Subiection Yea but your Question will be whether these Asian Churches being thus Excommunicate by the Pope of Rome and so without the Vnion of your Church could therefore be said to be without the state of Saluation This is the maine point for satisfaction whereunto first if you will respect the faith of those Churches it is plaine that they beleeued that the Excommunication of the Bishop of Rome had no further power than to seperate them from his owne Romane Societie and Communion but extended not to the Church Catholike and Separation from it And this will appeare to bee true by better testimonies from the same knowne Storie it selfe where you may read that This Act of Victor did not well please all other Bishops who did greatly reproue him for troubling the peace of the Church And among others Father Irenaeus in the person of his Brethren in France wrote Letters to Pope Victor Dehorting him from his purpose This is enough to proue that Pope Victor was the Schismatike that troubled the peace of the Church and not the Asian Bishops whom these other holy Bishops did so far iustifie as not to deserue Excommunication But to appeale to your owne Consciences shew vnto vs in all your reading if you can that Polycrates and other Asian Bishops so Excommunicate by Pope Victor were held by any other Catholike Bishops of those times to be thereby without the state of Saluation For this you know is the very soule of your Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no Saluation Nay but you full well know that Contrarily Saint Hierome in his Catalogue of Ecclesiasticall Writers numbred Polycrates among those who did aduance the Catholike faith And againe relating this his opposition against Victor This I therefore mention saith hee to make knowne what was his meaning Polycrates Authoritie And yet againe Reporting the behauiâ—ur of Irenaeus and other Bishops in the same Case These saith hee albeit they differed in opinion from the Asian Bishops yet did they not consent to Pope Victor in the act of Excommunication So hee Where Not Consenting to the Popes Excommunication doth plainly inferre their inward Communion with the Bishops of Asia CHALLENGE THis one Case if there were no other were enough to strangle your Romane faith in that Article viz. The Romane Church without vnion wherewith there is no Saluation Wherein we finde the Bishops and Churches of Asia Excommunicated by the Romane Bishop and so separated from the Communion of his See
and yet notwithstanding were reputed still in the Church of Christ Catholike Bishops and so farre in the Communion of the Church Catholike that many godly Bishops in the Latine Church would not seuer themselues from their Communion Yet Bishop Christopherson that you might beleeue the Excommunication of Pope Victor to be of an vniuersall power extent translateth the Greeke sentence of Eusebius thus Irenaeus exhorted Pope Victor not vtterly to cut off so many Churches from the body of the vniuersall Church of Christ. Which Interpretation if true might seeme to make the Church of Rome the Catholike Church But as it became a sworne Scribe for the Pope he peruerts the Text which is to be rendred thus Irenaeus exhorted Pope Victor not to cut off whole Churches of God without any mention of the Bodie of the Church Ergò it cannot import an Excommunication from the Vniuersall bodie of the Church but onely from the Church of Rome as from a particular member of that vniuersall as hath beene proued What then may be thought of your new Article but as of a barbarous and Antichristian Paradox which separateth from all hope of life all the Christians of the Easterly parts of Asia who In multitude exceeded the Christians of the Greeke and Latine Churches But God be thanked that by the doctrine of those Primitiue times the Excommunication of the Romane Church made no mortall wound for the Asian Bishops esteemed no better of it than of a Brutum Fulmen And if you will suffer vs to bee somewhat more equally minded to Victor Bishop of Rome than you your selues can be we may perswade our selues that hee did not by this his Excommunication intend to shew or arrogate any Iurisdiction ouer the Greeke Churches as Pastor ouer his flocke but onely to denie participation of brotherly Communion with them as they might if they had beene so forward haue dealt with him this being an Act of Diuision Inter Pares which likewise doth conclude the no-absolute Necessitie of Vnion with the Romane Church Our Second Instance is in the Churches of Africke Numidia and Mauritania in the dayes of Saint Cyprian by 87. Bishops in the Councell of Carthage Anno 256. Who notwithstanding the Excommunication of the Pope of Rome were euer held by the Catholike Church the Essentiall members thereof and in state of Saluation SECT 3. WHen the Case of Basilides and Martial was on foot concerning Appeales from the Church of Carthage to Rome and the Quaestion of Rebaptization of those persons that had renounced their Haeresies was in agitation betweene Stephen Bishop of Rome and Cyprian Bishop of Carthage The Church of Africke and others of that Primitiue age gaue so infallible testimonies of denying the Popes Catholike Iurisdiction ouer other Churches and of despising his now pretended Catholike power of Excommunication as may sâ—ffice for the full determination of this whole Cause in confutation of your new Article to wit The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no saluation This Case therefore being so pertinent and pregnant wee will proceede therein methodically I. The full Opposition of Saint Cyprian and other Bishops against Stephen then Bishop of Rome SECT 4. SVch was the Opposition of Saint Cyprian and others against Stephen Bishop of Rome that euen by your owne Confessions Cyprian gathered a Councell of 87. Bishops out of Africke Numidia and Mauritania which concluded contrary to the Pope and his Councell celebrated in Italy Secondly such that Cyprian iudged the same Pope to erre proudly ignorantly and blindly Thirdly such that he impugned the Popes pretended power of Appeales to Rome accompting the Appellants to wit Basilides and Martial Renegados and desperate Delinquents challenging his right of Iudicature for the proceeding against those notoriously wicked Companions who therefore ought to be sent backe againe saith he to be censured by their owne Bishop Fourthly such that this Councell of Carthage did deny to any whomsoeuer the Title of Bishop of Bishops Fiftly such that Cyprian would not acknowledge the name of POPE per Antonomasiam that is By way of Excellency to be proper to the Bishop of Rome as you teach Insomuch that at the instant when as Cyprian was to lay downe his life to Martyrdome for the profession of the holy Faith Being demanded of the Pro-Consull who then had charge to put him to death saying Art thou Hee who shewed thy selfe POPE among the Christians He answered I am Which may be enough to dash that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you appropriate vnto the Bishop of Rome by the name of Pope Great therefore was the Opposition of Cyprian against Stephen namely Bishop against Bishop Chaire against Chaire Councell against Councell as flat Diameter as possibly might be II. That Saint Cyprian and Others were Excommunicated by Pope Stephen SECT 5. IT were friuolous to stand vpon presumptions when we haue your owne Confessions You grant that at the same time when Saint Cyprian did contend with Stephen Bishop of Rome the same Pope Excommunicated the Easterne Bishops of Cappadocia Cilicia and Galatia for the same cause of Rebaptization Secondly that th' aforesaid Pope Stephen did also as much as lay in him cast off Cyprian insomuch that Hee would not admit vnto his speach them that were sent from Cyprian vnto him Nor this onely but also commanded them that were of his owne profession not to haue any peace or communion with them nor yet to allow them so much as house-roome or lodging Yea and Pope Stephen signified by writing that no Communion was to be held with them that did rebaptize Not to insist vpon the Popes lauish and reproachfull speach in calling Cyprian a Counterfait Christ and a deceitfull worker All which are prooued out of the Epistle of Firmilianus Bishop of Caesara in Cappadocea which almost in euery point doth manifest the Excommunication of Saint Cyprian CHALLENGE FOR what better proofe of the Excommunication of Saint Cyprian and other Bishops of his Fraternity than denying by writing All communion with them that were of the same Opinion with Cyprian and after in Act Forbidding all communion First by speach and conference Secondly by conuersation and company Thirdly by eating or hospitality Each one of these being according to your owne positiue Conclusions a proper Character of that which is called The Greater Excommunication and consequently in your sense a Separation from the Body of the Romane Church III. That Saint Cyprian held not the Excommunication of the Pope to be anâ— valid Separation from the Catholike Church or hazardous to the state of Saluation SECT 6. NOne euer was more Christianly affected to the Catholike Church than was Saint Cyprian nor more firmly belieued that the Vnion with the Catholike Church is necessary to saluation whose profession was this Although a man saith he were slaine for the name of Christ yet if he be without the Vnion of the Church he cannot
the Martyr of Christ. You may not forget the Councell of Mileuis and the Threescore vniuersally reputed Orthodox Bishops therein denouncing Excommunication against all African Priests which should so much as hold it lawfull for them to Appeale to Rome They that were thus bold to Excommunicate them that should beleeue any such Roman Iurisdiction did plainly professe their contempt of the Papall Excommunication against themselues in such a case and consequently their no beliefe of necessary Subiection or Vnion to the Romane Chaire Except therefore all these so many so learned and Orthodox so godly and constant professors of Christ Iesus were damned this Article The Romane Catholike Church without subiection whereunto there is no Saluation is iustly to be condemned as most false and pernicious Our Fourth Instance is in the Ancient Church of Britaine SECT 14. MVch adoe haue you made about this your Article viz. The Catholike Roman Mother-Church as though the Church of Rome had this prerogatiue aboue and before all others which we haue proued to be a meere delusion by many Examples out of the Catholike and Apostolike Churches more ancient than Rome and among others we gaue Instance in this Isle of the Church of Britaine and now we proceed to the libertie of the Britane Churches That the Britaines and Scots although separated anciently from the Church of Rome were notwithstanding accounted truely Religious and holy men First of their Separation SECT 15. CArdinall Baronius commeth on roundly saying Both Britaines and Scots were schismatically and obstinately separated from the Church of Rome You say Schismatically not Haeretically for you cannot impute vnto them any errour in Faith who as One of your selues hath written Did not differ from the Church of Rome in those dayes but onely in matters of smaller importance For how could they be called Haeretikes for following the Iewish Rite in the obseruation of Easter without the Iewish opinion more than the Romanists themselues who together with vs obserue the Feast of Pentecost yet not Iewishly for as your Genebrard answereth Iudaei Pentecostam typicè nos mysticè verè celebramus How much more Orthodoxally the Britaine Church which followed the steps of Saint Iohns Disciples and kept the Pasche of the Easterne Churches whence it is as One saith that the name of our Easter is probably deriued rather vpon custome than vpon any conceit of Mysterie much lesse in an opinion of Iewish seruitude Yet as your Cardinall Baronius hath truely said they were separated from the Subiection of the Church of Rome the necessitie of which Subiection you haue since made an Article of faith The right Estimation that ought to be had of the aforesaid Britaine Scottish yea and Irish Churches notwithstanding their Separation from Rome SECT 16. BE it that these Scottish and Brittish Churches were Schismatikes as you call them because not subiect to the Romane Church will you therefore haue no better estimation of them than of soules separated from the Catholike and Vniuersall Church and consequently depriued of Saluation So charitable indeede is your Baronius in his censure against the Britanes But Galfridus giueth vs better hopes of them calling the Praelates then in Wales in the time of Augustine the Monke Most religious Bishops telling vs of Two thousand Monkes vnder the Abbot Dinoth who getting their liuing with their owne hands stood out with others and denied subiection to the Church of Rome of which number A thousand two hundred died vnder the bloudy hands of Pagans and were thereby saith he crowned with Martyrdome and made inhabitants of the kingdome of heauen As for the Scots your Baronius will plead for them because saith hee Although they did not celebrate the Feast of Easter at the time obserued by the Church of Rome yet did they not keepe that Feast at the time vsed by the Iewes and therefore were not separated from the communion of the Church of Rome With as good reason might hee haue iustified the Britaines who though they did celebrate Easter after the manner of the Iewes in respect of the day yet did they it not with the same minde and Faith of the Iewes as thinking it necessary But the Cardinall regardeth not what hee saith being herein contradicted by Beda who witnesseth that the Scots were in Opposition against Rome herein and also contradicting himselfe in that he hath already called the Scots Schismatikes As for Bede hee reckoneth among other Scots the Bishop Aidanus and although Condemning and detesting his Opposition against the Church of Rome in the point of Celebration of Easter yet notwithstanding he testifieth of him that Hee was a mercifull Bishop indued with the spirit of Prophecie and famous for his miracles done after his death So he You may read of the like Opposition of the Irish Bishops against the See of Rome about the same time in the very same Question of Easter in a late Treatise set out by a learned Seruant of God excellently verst and professed in the Mysteries of Antiquitie CHALLENGE IVstly therefore may we conclude that no Doctrin or Article can be more Scandalous than this to taxe so infinite soules truely professing the Faith of Christ nor more Schismaticall than to hold them Schismatikes who being vnited to the Church Catholike were onely not subiect to the Church of Rome nor more Damnable than to condemne them whom all Christians are to honour in their memories as the holy and blessed Saints of God CHAP. X. Our Fifth Argument is because that the Beliefe of this Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no Saluation damneth the soules of the most ancient and godly Emperours whom Christianitie hath alwaies honoured SECT 1. LET vs in the next place ioyne the First Generall Councels together with those ancient Christian Emperours by whose command the said Councels were gathered so shall we fight with Two weapons Spirituall and Temporall yet both Christian. These in respect of the Analogie of times are set downe by your selues For concerning the Approued Generall Councels you obserue that the First Generall Councell of Nice was vnder the Emperour Constantine The Second called the First Generall Constantinople Councell was vnder the Emperrur Theodosius the Elder The Third Generall Councell at Ephesus was vnder the Emperour Theodosius the Yonger The Fourth Generall Councell of Chalcedon was vnder the said Emperour Theodosius and Martianus The Fifth Generall Councell called the Second of Constantinople was vnder the Emperour Iustinian From these few wee shall easily vnderstand what value your Article can be of in all the rest after that we haue discussed these three points First what Subiection it is that you would hold due from Emperours to your Popes and Church Secondly whether the same godly Emperors haue held themselues bound to performe such dueties Thirdly whether notwithstanding their Opposition against your Tenure of Subiection they haue not deserued the estimation of Catholike Emperors
death of Theophilus inclineth to the other side and vnderstanding that Cyrill was chosen Patriarch of Alexandria in succession of Theophilus he writeth to Cyril an Epistle wherein he recompteth Theophilus in the number of Saints and seeketh to perswade Cyrill to the Restoring of Chrysostomes name into the publike Records But will you know by what Reasons euen by the Conference had with the Emperour Theodosius and signifying that he was Vrged vnto it by the necessity of the present distraction and tumultuousnesse of the people but not so much as in one syllable to haue any consideration of the Popes will and Command or of the danger of his Excommunication belike the stinch of that his Thunderbolt was not so rancke and noysome in his daies Nay contrarily as Baronius will haue vs to obserue Atticus euen at this time of his yeelding to the restoring of the name of Chrysostome being extremely displeased with the Church of Rome by which he himselfe had beene excommunicated called other two Easterne Bishops Schismatickes euen because they had ioyned in Communion with her What call men Schismatickes for ioyning Communion with the Church of Rome Then it is plaine that he yeeldeth not to the Restoring of Chrysostome's Name by compulsion of the Pope as hath beene fained And it is as cleare that Theophilus did not recant his former iudgement at the point of death else would Atticus haue vsed this as an Argument to perswade Cyrill in behalfe of Chrysostome especially making mention of Theophilus in the same Epistle and whether rather Atticus that liued in the same Time with Theophilus know better the manner thereof or a Relator that came many hundred yeeres after iudge you But which is most euident of all Atticus although hee did now That which was desired of the Pope of Rome concerning Chrysostome notwithstanding calling those Bishops Schismatickes who for their respect to Chrysostome ioyned Communion with that Excommunicating Church of Rome and yet naming Theophilus a Saint doth proue sufficiently that Theophilus whom the Pope had Excommunicated neuer sought to haue Vnion with him before his death Neuerthelesse this Atticus Eighteene yeeres after his death was acknowledged by Pope Celestinus to haue beene A most strong Champion for the Catholike Faith Now entereth Cyrill himselfe to act his owne part Hee after hee had professed his defence of the Canon of Nice against Chrysostome returneth this Answer to Atticus Since the time that you Atticus saith he haue beene Bishop in the Sea of Constantinople no man resisted your meetings or Synods in the Church or if any wilfully separated themselues yet by the grace of Christ they were recalled And who was there among the Magistrates that was not obedient vnto you Or what one man for this cause is now without the Church Surely none But you tell me that since your relenting much peace hath insued in the Churches be it so yet there being so many Churches with vs which stand out against the restoring of the name of Chrysostome we may not dissent from them Thus Saint Cyrill in his Epistle as your Cardinall hath related Where hee speaketh of the Churches of Constantinople and Antioch of Constantinople hee affirmeth that at all times therefore in the time when Atticus himselfe the Bishop of Constantinople was Excommunicated by the Church of Rome as hath beene confessed both Clergie Magistrates and people within those Churches did notwithstanding the Papall dis-vnion and Separation Communicate with Atticus And now concerning his owne Patriarchall Church of Alexandria Cyril himselfe professeth that hee must not dissent from it and many other Churches in Greece that yeelded not to the Decree of the Church of Rome which againe ouerthroweth your Article of absolute Necessity of Subiection to the Romane Church Cyrill proceedeth in his Answer to Atticus But wee condemne them saith he that obey not the power of God vsing that saying of the Prophet we haue cured Babylon and shee is not healed let vs forsake her For we may not because of the speaches of some if any such speaches be suffer the Canons of the Church to be abolished So he By which words he laboureth to perswade Atticus againe to gaine-say the Commemoration of Chrysostome which the Pope by all his meanes of threats of Excommunications and perswasions sought to effect But what of all this will you say What hearken to your Cardinall Reader I would haue thee Consider saith he that in this bitternesse of contention which Cyrill now had against the Restitution of the name of Chrysostome against whom he inueigheth in this Epistle yet for Reuerence sake hee durst not say any thing openly and expressely against Pope Innocentius who was the Author and chiefe cause of restoring Chrysostomes name into the Dyptickes and reuenged himselfe vpon those that withstood it as did Theophilus Predecessor to Cyril whom for that cause the Pope depriued of his Communion Thus farre reacheth your Cardinals Consideration From whence you may be pleased to consider with vs how slily and smoothly your Cardinall slydeth ouer this piece of ice for feare breaking it and of falling in Cyrill forsooth for Reuerence durst not say any thing openly against Pope Innocentius who authorized the restoring of Chrysostome c. As though it might not be said Quid verba audiam cùm facta videam words are but shadowes deeds are substantialls And Cyrill did more and that openly than your Cardinall saith he durst say For knowing that Theophilus had beene Excommunicate for Opposing the Decree of the Pope yet doth Cyrill persist in the same Opposition which may be a second Argument vnto vs that Theophilus had not recanted before his death Secondly knowing that Atticus Patriarch of Constantinople had beene likewise depriued of the Popes Communion notwithstanding doth Cyrill perswade Atticus by his letters to stand in the defence of the same Cause Thirdly knowing that Pope Innocentius did still vrge the aduancing of the Memory of Chrysostome neuerthelesse doth Cyrill actually resist it Can a man interpret it a point of Reuerence toward a Monarch to say nothing and yet openly to withstand his Monarchy So false in those daies was your Article of Necessity of Subiection to the Church of Rome in the iudgement of Saint Cyrill who indeed deserued of the Church of Christ the Title of a Saint and is so acknowledged by your selues Gladly would your Baronius if it might bee support your Cause by the Testimony of Nicephorus who sheweth that Cyrill reformed his iudgement before his death But if were it reasonable to beleeue a Tale of Nicephorus an Author often reprooued by your selues for his Fabulousnesse being made more than Eight hundred yeere after the party is dead yet can it not any whit serue your turne because hee telleth that Cyrill corrected his errour concerning his dis-estimation of Chrysostome moued thereunto by a Vision that hee had wherein He thought he saw Chrysostome expelling him
Pope that They had no license to treat of such matters Yea and their Emperour Palaeologus that was so earnest to piece them together was himselfe but hardly welcomed home to the Greeke Church which was now much more exasperated against the Romane Church insomuch that as you say They did now Pronounce their Patriarch of Constantinople the Supreme and Chiefe of all Bishops Thus farre therefore haue you confessed the no-Subiection of the Greeke Church from the first foure hundred yeeres vnto the yeere 1549 which make vp 1149 yeeres Yet are we not content with this short reckoning but rather hearken vnto your Iesuite Maldonate and Prateolus the first The Greekes saith he alwaies enuied and disliked the supreme dignity of the Pope The other thus And they were good words good friend so rebelliously aduerse to the Church of Rome that they neuer would obey his Decrees So they This is enough to shew the Vniuersall freedome they still challenged from the Dominion and Iurisdiction of Rome II. The Dis-vnion and Separation of the Latter Greeke Church from Rome SECT 3. THe No-Subiection doth not alwaies argue necessarily a Dis-vnion of Separation for the King of France and King of Spaine are vnited in league albeit neither of them subiect to other but then onely when-as Subiection is due as it is seene in all Cases of Rebellion Now this Dis-vnion in Churches is most commonly either in Faith or in Affection What kinde of Separation hath beene a long time between the Greek and Latine Church we neede not tell you your owne Complaints and cries are loud enough against them The Greekes say you hold the Pope of Rome and all Latines vnder him to be Excommunicate Yea and So farre forth doe they abhorre the Church of Rome as your Lateran Councell at Rome noteth that if the Priests of the Romane Church shall chance to celebrate vpon any of their Altars they themselues would not celebrate vpon the same Altars before they had washed them as thinking them polluted by the others sacrificing Nay and furthermore they Rebaptize them that had bin baptized in the Church of Rome Will you know one maine reason of this the Greeke Opposition Harken then to Nilus the Greeke Arch-Bishop of Thessalonica The Latines saith hee giue vs cause to dissent from them whiles that they take vpon them to be Masters of the Church and vse as if wee were but their Schollers Contrarie to the Decrees of ancient Fathers which are extant in their writings at this day And the Latines affirme that it is the office of their Popes to call Synods and to determine of all matters Ecclesiasticall which if it be true then to what end were the assemblies of holy Fathers in former Councels these were all but superfluous So he But yet shall wee thinke that there can be so great distance betweene the Greeke Church and Protestants as to Excommunicate them or to Rebaptize any of their Profession Certes no. For Anno 1584. Ieremias Patriarke of Constantinople in his Answer to the Protestants of Wittenberge did thus farre congratulate with them saying Wee giue thankes to God the giuer of grace and reioyce with many Others that your Doctrine is in many things so consonant vnto the Doctrine of our Church And it is not long since the most Reuerend Father in God GEORGE by the Diuine Prouidence Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterburie Primate and Metropolitan of all England receiued Letters from the Greeke Patriarke of Alexandria instiling himselfe Cyrill by the Mercie of God Pope and Patriarke of the great Citie Alexandria commending one of his Monkes called Metrophanes Chrysopulus vnto the said Lord Arch Bishop of Canterburie that vnder his Patronage he â—hough otherwise learned might be exercised in our Vniuersities of England and instituted in the Rudiments of our Profession Who purposely auoiding the Romish Sect did daily frequent the publike Seruice of our Church euen as other Graecians in their trauels through England willingly vse to doe Which may iustly confute the fabulous report of Baronius concerning a late Reconciliation of the Church of Alexandria to the See of Rome And you haue no doubt heard of the Epistle to the Patriarke of Constantinople vnto the Protestant Church at Prague in Bohemia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Wherefore louing Brethren and Children if it be so as wee heare and hope make haste that wee may ioyne together in Vnitie So then the Graecians seeme to be as accordant with Protestants in Communion as they are dissenting from you Romans III. The Estimation which is to be had of the Greeke Church in respest of their Religion SECT 4. OVr next Question will be whether in your owne Estimation the Greeke Ghurch be worthy of Christian Communion or no. The greatest exception that some of you haue taken against them is the deniall of the Article touching the Procession of the Holy Ghost from the Sonne But another Iesuite and Cardinall will free them from the crime of Haeresie in this point The vnderstanding Greekes saith hee saying that the Holy Ghost proceedeth by the Sonne signifie thereby nothing but that which wee our selues professe So hee And indeede Faith consisteth not in the outward Syllables but in the true meaning of an Article Another Iesuite saith The Graecians are properly called Schismatikes by being dis-united from the Church meaning of Rome albeit they also become Haeretikes by denying Vnion with the Head Others doe more fauourably say that The Graecians are to be iudged Schismatikes because they withdraw themselues from the Iurisdiction of the Pope of Rome but not Haeretikes because they agree in the aforesaid Articles of Faith IV. The Extent of the Greeke Church Opposite vnto Rome as well in respect of Time as of Place SECT 5. IF you enquire into the length of Time since the Greeks haue denyed Subiection to the Church of Rome this as you haue heard confessed hath bene Alwaies If how long they haue denyed Vnion also with the same Church this is as hath bene likewise confessed about 200. yeares agoe If lastly you seeke to know the Latitude of the Greeke Church whereby you may the better guesse at their number A faithfull Seruant of God and one excellently studied in this Argument of Diuersities of Religions hath deliuered vnto vs the iust extent thereof obseruing that the Grecians acknowledge Obedience vnto the Patriarch of Constantinople vnder whose Iurisdiction are in Asia the Churches of Greece Macedonia Epirus Thracia Bulgaria Podolia Moscouia Walachia Russia together with the Ilands of the Aegean Sea a good part of Polonia Dalmatia and Croatia Countries subiect to the Turke Grecians dispersed in all these Countries together with other Greeke Churches deny the Primacy of Rome Besides the same Author addeth that the Melchytes are of the same Religion of the Grecians and the greatest Sect of Christians in the East and after a iust view taken of the number
De Facto in that which followeth in the nex Section III. The Church of Rome was often diuided into Many Heads SECT 15. SChisme as the Apostle teacheth is when the Body is diuided and depending vpon many Heads as if some held of Paul some of Cephas and but some of Christ. So hath it often hapned in your Church some depending of one and some of another and some of the Third Pope and among all these yet could but one sort hold of the True You your owne selues can reck on for vs Twentie yea Thirty Schismes and Diuisions among your Popes yet is this but a sparing Accompt But wee stand not vpon the number of their Diuisions but vpon their Duration Of which your Onuphrius hath Registred One for The most pernicious and pestilent betweene Vrban the 6. and Clement the 7. which continued and lasted for Fiftie yeares in the Church of Rome During which Schisme what Parts taking and factions there were on foot amongst the Members of that Church throughout the most Countries in Europe it is easie to imagine Your Cardinall telleth vs of Three Popes at one time euery one whereof would be accounted the Pope so that hardly could any discerne which was the true Pope So you What Resolution can your Church haue in such a Case your Iesuite would haue vs to note that The Councell of Constance put them All downe and this stood with good reason saith hee because when the true Pope was not certaine it was as much as if there had beene none at all So hee Moreouer Baronius hath found out another matter of wonderment how that When Sergius the Third an illegitimate Pope intruded himselfe into that Seat by monstrous sacriledge and most beastly filthinesse yet such was the Reuerence saith hee which all faithfull Professours especially the remote Northerne People had vnto the Church of Rome that whomsoeuer they heard to sit in that See although Pope onely in name without any further inquirie concerning his manner of entrance they reuerenced him as S. Peter himselfe So hee CHALLENGE LOoke againe to your Article of Beliefe concerning This One Romane Pope without which Faith none can be saued Now your Church of Rome being diuided into Two Factions one halfe adhering to One Pope and another halfe to a Second your Article requiring Beliefe of Hunc This onely One doth damne halfe the Romane Church for the space of aboue twice Fortie yeares And afterwards so long as it was diuided into Three Factions adhering vnto Three seuerall Heads your Article of Hunc This singular Pope damneth Two of the Three Parts of your Romane Church at that time At which time the Councell of Constance the Representatiue Body of the Romane Church in this distraction vsing no other remedie but abscission and cutting off euery Head by remouing All the Three and choosing a Fourth your Article challenging the acknowledgement of Hunc doth necessarily damne the whole Romane Church either in admitting any of the Three or else in preferring a Fourth As for our Northerne Professours of those dayes whose Faith your Baronius extolleth for their Beliefe of any Pope whomsoeuer they heard named Pope were hee neuer so illegitimate and indeede no Pope at all as for Example Sergius the Third wee are in a great straight which rather to admire to wit whether the Foolishnesse of those Northerne people in beleeuing an Ape to be a Man or the Faithlesnesse of your Cardinall who against the Article of his Faith requiring Hunc Verum that is the acknowledgement of This true Pope and none else notwithstanding commendeth men for entertaining and honouring a False one But alas what will they not beleeue that will needes follow such Guides as leade them by the nose and make them to beleeue not that which God prescribeth but what they please albeit herein also condemned by your owne Article And moreouer you your selues that are sworne to beleeue Infallibly Hunc when as it is possible for that which hath hapned may happen that your whole Church cannot discerne between Hunc and Hunc by the same Article stand you continually condemned in your owne Consciences IV. That the Church of Rome is oftentimes troubled with an Head repugnant sometime to the whole Body and sometimes to the Seuerall Members thereof SECT 16. THe First worke in a building is laying a right Foundation which in euery Dispute is the true state of the Question and then Dimidium facti qui bene cepit habet The Forme of your owne Oath will giue vs good light for this First point IN. doe beleeue the Catholike Romane Church to be the Mother and Mistresse ouer all other Churches and I sweare Obedience to the Pope as to the Vicar of Christ. You professe then in this to honour the Church of Rome as Mother and Mistresse ouer All Churches and the Bishop and Pope of Rome as Chiefe Pastor and Head of it It onely remaineth to know whether as you haue made all other Churches diuided from this Head to be Schismatikes out of the Church and destitute of spirituall life so also there may not be a Schisme betweene this Romane Head and Body so that the One being diuided from the other in some Cases either of them may become Schismaticall Your publike Professor and Iesuite Suarez is at hand to resolue you Schisme saith hee as it is distinguished from Haeresie is a separation either from the Head or from the Body so as the Body if it denie its Head This true Pope it is Schismaticall and the Pope the Head if hee denie due Communion with the Body as to Excommunicate the whole Church is also Schismaticall So he Whose ingenuitie we must commend in that hee confesseth it possible for the Pope in some Case to be a Schismatike It will be our part to giue some Instance hereof That your Church commonly is Doubtfully-Headed proued by an Instance made in the state of the great Question of the Supreame Iudge in your Church whether it must be the Romane Pope or Councell And First for the Pope SECT 17. IT is necessâ—ry that that Church which will needes be Iudge of all other Churches should first determine with it selfe who is the Supreme Iudge nor should she euer take vpon her to determine of other Controuersies in Faith against Protestants before shee haue satisfied Protestants in this whether Pope or Councell be indeede the Supreame Iudge In this Question Romane Doctors of all sorts haue bin distracted in their iudgements To leaue all other Disputes we desire to know how this hath bin determined by any Councell Bellarmine although the sworne Proctor for the Pope yet against such as laboured to deduce a Confirmation of the Popes Iudgement aboue a Councell from the Councels either of Florence or Lateran doth reiect both So that saith he the matter is still questionable vnto this day Is not this Acknowledgement worthy your thrice rumination to vnderstand that
the Church Catholike as commonly doe the Professed Protestants The words of your owne Authors amount to no lesse than a plaine Confession that The Arian Heresie trauelled almost ouer the whole Romane Orbe Euen From the rising of the Sun to the noone-point and after passing by the North at length it infected almost the whole Westerne part of Christendome That the same Heresie polluted almost all Christian Churches and the Patriarchall Seates of Antioch Alexandria and Hierusalem and at length passing into the Westerne parts meaning the Romane Iuâ—isdiction substituted Felix into the Romane Chaire instead of Liberius and so ran his Course through-out the whole world in a trice When the Church was brought to that lowe ebbe that the same Pope Liberius hearing the Arian Emperour to obiect the Paucity of Orthodoxe Fathers doubted not to make his Answer It mattereth not saith he whether the true Professors be moe or fewer for the Church of the Iewes was once reduced to the number of Three So accordingly Saint Hilaery bewailed the state of the Church saying that it had forsaken Temples and buildings and was more safe in Mountaines Lakes and Prisons And Greg. Nazianzene speaking of his own Church at that time It was proper to our Fold saith he that it could not be broken insomuch that we were often termed the Arke of Noah as those who onely escaped drowning in the flood So he Would it not pose you to tell what was the face and appearance of the Romane Church when onely the Church of Nazianzum was said to escape the Deluge of that Arrian Heresie But how much greater is the Cloude of Obscurity of the Church prophecied of in the daies of Antichrist Let your Rhemists shout as loud as they can that the Catholike Church is alwaies Notably visible in her visible Pastors Sacraments and names of her Professors yet at length as it were with shouting they waxing hoarse tell you of an Externall cessation of all outward Communion from the Catholike Church excepting the Communion in the hearts of her Professors And falling into a Meditation of these words of the Apoc. Chap. 12. ver 6. The Woman fledd into the Wildernesse whereby is ment the Church Catholike seeking resuge from the violance of Antichrist They giue you this Note At which time for all that say they the Church shall not want our Lord's protection nor Pastors nor be so secret but that all faithfull men shall know and follow her much lesse shall she decay and erre from the Faith as Heretikes wickedly feine but be as the Catholike Church now in England in the time of Persecution because it hath no publike Seate of Regiment nor open free exercise of holy function And although it may be said to be fledd into the Desert yet is it neither Vnknowne vnto the Faithfull that followe it nor to the Enemies that persecute it So They. In which one testimonie we haue an hotch-potch of Truth Folly and Falshood together Truth in acknowledging such an Obscurity of the Church as that whereby shee is depriued of publike gouernement and free exercise of Ecclesiasticall Function Falshood in obiecting vnto Protestants whom they as falsly call Heretikes an opinion of Decay and errour from Faith in the whole Catholike Church which vnto your own Bellarmine seemed in effect to be a lewd Slander And thirdly what greater Folly and absurdity can there bee than to dreame as Master Fisher likewise hath done of a Church Flying into the Desert vnder God's protection that it should not be knowne and yet in his opinion not vnknowne to her Persecutors With like reason might they assure you that the Hare is still knowne to the Hunter when shee flieth into a thicket and place by God's prouidence of such safety that neither man nor dogg can hunt her out We had rather you should heare the more iudicious and ingenuous Acknowledgements of your other Iesuites Ribera Pererius Acosta Viegaâ— from whom you may heare of the Church flying into the Wildernesse to a place prepared for her of God So that Shee can either not be enquired of where shee is by the Ministers of Antichrist or at least not be found out When the Churches seruice and worship shall be in secret the Sacrifice of the Masse shall cease the Liturgie and forme of prayer shall be abolished and all shall adore Antichrist except the Predestinate whose names are written in the Booke of Life So they Did you euer heare from any Protestant a signification of any greater Obscurity of the Church than this is Which differeth not from the iudgement of ancient Fathers who speaking of the Catholike Church say that This Sunne shall be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light Not appearing to her Persecutors And this Mother shall be vnable to bring forth the Children of her wombe Of Departure from some particular Churches THESIS V. All particular Churches are not to bee forsaken for euery Vnsoundnesse in either Manners Worship or Doctrine SECT 6. WEe haue Christ his Warrant in the Case of Vnsoundnesse in Manners Mat. 23.3 Whatsoeuer they bid you doe that obserue and doe but after their workes doe not Shall the Iniquity of the Minister make the promises of God of none effect God forbid Or because they haue foule hands must I haue deafe yeeres Abel and Cain might offer Sacrifice at one Altar Peter and Iudas present themselues together at one sacred Supper The Publican and Pharisee pray in one Temple Peruse but the Booke of God the holy Scripture from the beginning of Genesis vnto the end of the Apocalypse and you shall scarce finde one example of any particular Church consisting onely of sanctified Professors without mixture as in the barne of both Chaffe and Wheate or without as the net good and badd fishes or without as the fold sheepe and goats still diuers in dissimilitude of manners not in diuision of Sacraments no not in the family of Noah within the Arke Which we speake to the iust Condemnation of all such Separatists who as of old the Donatists for onely scandall taken at the wicked liues of the Professors doe breake the barne burst the net ouerthrowe the fold and rend the vn-seamed Coat of Christ by diuiding themselues from the Church of their owne Profession Next euery corrupt Custome in the publike Worship of God is no sufficient Warrant or cause of Separation from the particular Church wherein we haue beene baptized or haue made profession of our Faith except the forme thereof bee some-way Idolatrous For we reade how the High places and Groues were forbidden of God Deut. 12. yet in the time of their Iudges God suffred their Sacrifice Iud. 6. and as Saint Augustine you know saith God accepted their Offerings As for errour in Doctrine your Cardinall will haue you vnderstand that Particular Churches may erre in some points of Faith and yet be accounted true Churches and hee
giueth instance in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia both which Saint Paul stileth Churches of the Saints albeit the one is reprehended by the Apostle for denying the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. the other for teaching a necessary Obseruation of the Law of Moses with the Gospell of Christ. Gal. 1. So he Yet lest you may erre in terming that a True Church which is wilfuliy intangled in any Heresie he giueth this Condition that The same that erre be ready to be reformed and to obey the truth as were the Corinthians and Galatians Otherwise to bee vnwilling either to learne or to yeeld vnto a manifest truth is proper saith your Author vnto a Satanicall Synagogue and to the Churches of the Malignant So your Cardinall and that most truely THESIS VI. Some Vnsound Churches are necessarily to bee auoided and the iust Causes why SECT 7. AS Leprousie Plague and whatsoeuer contagious Diseases are necessarie causes of separation from vnsound houses so Obstinacie of error in Teachers affected Ignorance and obduration of people Idolatry in Gods Worship Tyrannie and Persecution against the true and sincere Professors may be iudged necessary Causes of Separation from any particular Churches Against a generall Obstinacie of false-Teachers opposing to the wholesome doctrine We haue a Caueat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depart from such 1 Tim. 6.5 Against the generall Obdurancie of hearts our Caueat is both Christ's Shake off the dust of your feet in departing and Saint Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When certaine obstinate persons speake euill of the Word of God before the people he departed from them and separated the Disciples Act. 19.9 because else they should heare nothing but blasphemies against the truth of God Against the Corruption of Gods Worship Idolatrously the Command is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flie from Idolatry 1 Cor. 10.4 euen as vnto the people vnder the Law when Bethel that is the House of God was turned into Bethauen that is the House of Vanity the Epithet of Idolatry then the Watch-word to the Faithfull was Separate your selues from among them Hos. 10. Against Tyrannie in Persecuting of Preachers or Professors in any one City the warning is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likewise Flie vnto another Mat. 10.23 And lastly in the time of Antichristian Tyrannie and Idolatry in Romish Babylon the Spiâ—it saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come out of her my people Apoc. 18.4 THESIS VII No vniust Excommunication out of a true Church can preiudice the Saluation of the Excommunicate SECT 8. YOur Romance Glosse authorized by Pope Gregory the XIII will speake as much as need be said to wit The Keyes of the Church erring in her binding and loosing the partie so bound is not then bound with God for it happeneth many times that he who is excommunicated out of the Church Militant is notwithstandeng in the Church Triumphant So your owne Glosse According as it hath beene obserued by you in the Blinde-man cured by Christ and professing the power of Christ whom therefore the Church of the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cast out of their Synagogues Ioh. 9.34 That is saith your Cardinall they excommunicated and separated him from the communion of Them who at that time were accounted faithful but yet happie was that Blinde-man who was Excommunicated for the name of Christ. So he And so may we say of Luther who was as one borne Blinde whilst hee continued in your Church according to your Assumption true vntill that Christ opened his eyes and he for acknowledging the diuine light was Excommunicate by your High Priest Yet happie man he who was taken into the protection of Christ whom he professed and worshipped Something more of Excommunication you may reade in the XV. Section Following The Second Part is concerning Departure from Rome more particularly comparing the Church of Rome with other Churches We are approached to the Walls of Rome and behold wee discouer in her iust iust Causes of Separation from her which we shall represent vnto you in that due place whereunto we now proceed by certaine Theses as it were by iust pases Comparing her first with other Remote Christian Churâ—hes THESIS I. The Church of Rome is as subiect to Errors as any other Church SECT 9. WHat Prerogatiue had the Church-of your Romanes aboue the Church of the Ephesians or Thessalonians in respect of any possibilitie of not Erring or of Contemning other Churches in respect of her selfe to which that may be obiected which the Apostle writ to the Corinthians to wit Came the Word of God first from you nay came it not First from Hierusalem to Antioch and many other places before Rome and at length from Greece to Rome And after that Rome is established a Church was it freed from Erring more than other through the Primacie which it challengeth ouer Others By what Law Humane that could not Diuine that did not authorize any such Primacy Which you are compellable to Confesse except you will say that the Catholike Church hath erred in the Generall Councell of Chalcedon which as hath beene confessed denied that Rome had her Primacie from diuine Ordinance except you will also Grant that the Church of Rome it selfe hath erred in her Councell of Constance which maintained the same Axiome to wit that the Church of Rome held not her Primacie from diuine authority Lastly except you will impeach the Apostle Saint Paul of error who by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught an indifferencie of all spirituall respect to Rome with other Churches as hath beene proued Take vnto you one infallible Argument that the Church of Rome may erre in matter of Faith It hath erred Ergo It may possibly erre That it hath one confessed instance may sufficiently resolue you if it bee pregnant Such is the doctrine of the Administration of the Eucharist vnto Infants vpâ—n Necessity of Saluation A doctrine by your owne Confession at this day false and yet at that day as is likewise Confessed taugh and continued in the Church of Rome for the space of 600 yeeres together THESIS II. That the Church of Rome is more subiect to Erring than any other Church Christian. SECT 10. WHy is it that Christ said The whole need not the Physitian but those that be sicke but onely to shew that the state of one in an health falsly-conceited is farre more desperate than the state of the most extreme disease sensibly â—elt in as much as that man is more incapable of remedie that feeleth not his owne maladie than hee that is sensible of his griefe Such is the Case of the Romane Church which is so much more obnoxious to Error as shee is flalsly perswaded shee cannot possibly erre and that vpon two notoriously-erroneous Articles which are fancied and fained onely by her selfe One is that shee beleeueth as an Article of her Faith that shee the Romane Church is that The Catholike Church which cannot erre Which
be called Vnio Leonina as when beasts for awe of the Lion goe in troopes and follow at his becke The Second is Vulpina a craftie combination made and maintained by Foxes The Third is Asinina the heard of seely Ignorants Loud and frequent are the boasts of your Catholike Vnion neuer regarding whether it haue the Characters of these kindes of Vnions now spoken of although that none can bee more Tyrannous than that which as you haue beene instructed by Pope Paul the IV. vseth the extent of the Inquisition as the onely Fortresse and support thereof None more craftie than that Church which is fed at home as with naturall sustenance with false Legends and fained Miracles and preserued abroad with Aequiuocations and Mentall Reseruations and specially by Politike Maximes for alterations of States Lastly there can be no greater blockishnesse than to be wholly guided by an Implicit faith of beleeuing you know not what according to your COLIERS FAITH which because it seemeth so commendable vnto your Cardinall Hosius I will deliuer it in his owne words It will be most safe saith he to follow the Example of a certaine Colier of whom when a learned man asked him for his soules behoofe what he beleeued hee repeated the Apostles Creed and being asked what hee beleeued more said that which the Catholike Church beleeueth But what quoth the other doth the Catholike Church beleeue that which I beleeue quoth the Colier The other being still vrgent the Colier vsed the same Circle and made no other Answer than that hee beleeued as the Church beleeued and the Church the same that hee beleeued Some while after it happened that the same learned man was by sickenesse in danger of death at what time Sathan tempted him vrging him what was his beliefe insomuch that he poore wretch was not able sufficiently to expresse himselfe but calling to minde the Coliers Answer hee himselfe made no other Answer to the Diuell than this AS THE COLIER Confessing afterwards that hee had bin dangerously assaulted had not this example of the Colier holpen him Thus farre your Cardinall of your Colier like an Horse in a Milne going all in a round as if he would teach you that this Implicit Faith were the onely safe Circle God blesse you to keepe out the Diuell Wherein you are little inferior to the Iewish Rabbines who taught their Disciples To haue rather regard to the words of the Scribes than to the Law of Moses the word of God Whom also they instructed that in case the Iudge once passed sentence hee must be absolutely beleeued Though he say that the right hand is the left or the lest the right In all this you crye Pax Pax when as indeede it is nothing else but a paction and accordance in Error and Idolatrie The whole Colledge of Priests were against Ieremie All the Priesthood with the Scribes and other Sects conspired against Christ So little cause haue you to glorie in the nature of your Vnion As for Vnion with the Church Catholike there is no other difference than this Protestants as you haue heard stand in Christian Vnion with Graecians Aegyptians Asians Assyrians Aethiopians and all Churches Christian that haue not ouerthrowne the fundamentall Articles of faith Whereas the Romane Church by Excommunicating all other Christian Churches from her hath Excommunicated her selfe and made a Separation from all other Christian Churches And therefore being alone is nothing lesse than Catholike Vae Soli THESIS V. The Protestants granting it possible for Some to be saued within the Church of Rome and the Papists denying that any can be saued in the Churches of the Protestants is but a Sophisticall proofe that there is more Safetie in the Romane Church SECT 27. MAny Protestants grant say you that some may be possibly saued within the Church of Rome whereas the Papists absolutely deny that Any adhering to the Churches of Protestants can be saued This Argument to the Ignorant may be an efficacious inchantment to perswade to Poperie which to the iudicious and Discreete Reader will appeare to bee but Childish and ridiculous whether we consider your Deniall or our Grant The first because your Deniall proceedeth not either from Truth or Conscience Not from Truth because first our Separation from you as hath bene prooued out of your owne Authors was for Truth and equitie-sake And secondly what Conscience can it be in such Obiectors which the more Ingenuous among you will gain-say acknowledging it possible that such as are diuided from the outward Communion of your Church if yet they ruine not the Foundations of Faith May by their inward will otherwise be ioyned vnto her Such as was saith he the case of Cyprian from the Church of Rome Now what Christian is there opposite to the Church of Rome but he hath a desire and will that she were as Orthodoxe in faith and as sincere in worship as euer she was that so he might be vnited vnto her Nay we dare herein appeale to many of your owne Consciences nothing doubting but that many of you conceiue Saluation towards all Protestants that in faith and repentance finish this their earthly pilgrimage accordingly as Some we speake from knowledge euen of the Society of the Iesuites haue done in desiring the prayers of Some Protestant yea and to vse their owne words Ex animo desiring the same And yet did these also as bitterly inueigh against Protestants as did other of their Sect which sheweth that your Authors tongues and pens are not directed by the same spirit Howsoeuer you your selues will condemne your Obiector of follie after that you haue heard some Instances First then in the Donatists They held all men damned that were not of their Church Whereas Saint Augustine their principall Aduersarie did thinke that Some of them were in the state of life Would you suffer your Obiector hereupon if he had liued in those daies to haue perswaded Saint Augustine by reason of this odds of opinion to leaue the Catholike Church and turne Donatist Secondly in the Grecians They you know at this day condemne the Church of Rome for consecrating the Sacrament in vnleauened bread for which cause they call them Azymites and Heretikes as impugners of the Gospell But yet you excuse Them in their Consecrating with leauened bread saying They may lawfully do it Here is then great odds also in these Censures Would you thereupon aduise your Fathers of the Councell of Trent necessarily to confesse that the Church of Rome hath for a long time bene Hereticall in that point and therefore ought to forbeare to Consecrate in Azymes any more A third Instance you may receiue from Pagans The Indian Priests called Bramenes beleeued and taught that to take bread from the hand of a Christian is Sacriledge whereas Christian Doctrine saith to the Christian If an Infidel bid thee to a feast whatsoeuer is set before thee eate c.
THE GRAND IMPOSTVRE OF THE now CHVRCH OF ROME Manifested in this one Article of the new Romane Creede viz The Holy Catholike and Apostolike Romane Church Mother and Mistresse of all other Churches without which there is no Saluation Proued to be a New False Sacrilegious Scandalous Schismaticall Hereticall and Blasphemous Article respectiuely and euerie way Damnable The Last Chapter containeth a Determination of the whole Question concerning the Separation of Protestants from the present Church of Rome whereby may be discerned whether Side is to be accounted Schismaticall or may more iustly pleade SOVLES SALVATION By the B. of Couentrie Lichfield LONDON Printed by George Miller for ROBERT MYLBOVRNE TO THE HIGH And Mighty PRINCE CHARLES By the Grace of God King of Great Britaine France and Ireland Defender of the FAITH c. YOur Maiesty may bee pleased most gratious Soueraigne to call to minde the Dedicatory Preface of Saint Luke by him prefixed before the Gospell of Christ and directed to a Lay-Magistrate in these words I thought good to write vnto thee most excellent Theophilus Where the name THEOPHILVS signifying a Louer of God manifesteth the interest that euery Deuout Christian as well Laick as Ecclesiastick hath in the Gospell of Christ to reade and enioy the comfort therof as the foundation of his Faith and diuine Charter of his Saluation And the Attribute of MOST EXCELLENT being ascribed to Temporall Gouernors pointeth out his Magistracie to note the Obligation that bindeth euery Christian Gouernor to professe the same Gospel and according to his power to promote and protect it As soone therefore as I thought to finde a Parallell to this so honourable an Example no-one appeared in this age of Christianity either more Worthie for religious Deuotion of the name of THEOPILVS or for Protecting the Gospell of Christ more deseruing the Attribute of MOST EXCELLENT than your Sacred Maiesty For I could not conceiue where to finde a more faithfull Professor among I say not onely Princes but euen Persons Christians than Him who in a time of Iealouzie and greatest extremity resolued to resigne his dearest Choice his inheritance of a Regall Scepter yea and life it selfe rather than to inthrall his precious Soule to Romish Superstition And as for the protection of the same Gospell of Faith to none can this be more proper than to Him who not to question the first beginning thereof most iustly possesseth the Royall Title of DEFENDER OF THE FAITH Now hauing said thus much of this Right I beseech your Maiestie gratiously to vouchsafe a briefe yet cleare Representation thereof The same THE FAITH so called by the Apostle is taken by way of Excellencie to signifie onely that Profession of Christianity which containeth all things Necessary to Saluation euen as he calleth it The Gospell of Faith And this Faith which is called but One Saint Iude in his Catholike Epistle will haue knowne to be onely that which was when he writ but Once deliuered vnto the Saints Which one particle Once must necessarily condemne euery diuers After Faith for euer For Saint Paul against all other Gospels Besides that which then had been Preached is peremptory pronouncing Euery one be he Man or Angel that should suggest or teach it Anathema and Accursed To which Apostolicall Censure Antient Fathers against the Heretikes of their times haue All subscribed according to that Comment made by one of them vpon the same words of the Apostle thus To deliuer any thing among Christians BESIDES that which was once receiued neither was nor is lawfull nor yet euer wil be This one speculation may be as good as a thousand to discerne which kinde of Professors at this day may most properly be said to professe THE FAITH The now Church of Rome hath composed a new Romane Creed Faith consisting by exact disquisition of moe than twenty Articles each one of which is prescribed to be beeleeued vpon Necessity of Saluation Among which are mentioned Transubstantiation Worship of Images Indulgences the like notwithstanding they be as newly-old as were the Gibeonites pretences of torne-shooes and mouldy-bread by which they feined themselues to haue come from farre For Some of these doctrines were not Deliuered vntill fiue or sixe hundred and some not till more than a Thousand yeeres after that Once-prescribed Time of the holy Apostles as diuers Doctors of the same Church are ready to confesse from point to point And although Some few of Them had obtained an opinion of Probability in the daies of antiquity yet can it not be shewed that any one of them had stamped on it the opinion of Necessity of Beleefe vpon losse of Saluation Which is a Character as proper to the Gospell of Christ as was to Caesar's coyne the Image of Caesar. Wherfore euery new Article of Faith by S. Pauls Anathema being no better than a new Heresie although the Romish Opposites dart against our Professors as they did in the Councel of Trent their many Anathema's and Curses yet stand we secure knowing that as the Serpent of Aaron deuoured the Serpents of the Magitians in Aegypt euen so That one Anathema of S. Paul must needs cōdemne all the Anathema's which they denounce in Defence of That which is not THE FAITH once deliuered to the Saints in the dayes of the Apostles But because as the first mooueable Sphere aboue turneth by it's rapture all the inferior Orbes daily about the world so one Romish Article to wit The Catholike ROMANE Mother and Mistresse Church without which there is no Saluation carrieth and maketh current by the violence thereof all other Romish Articles albeit otherwise neuer so New False Idolatrous or Pernicious and for that this One is found by Experience to bee in that Profession their strongest Enchantment This this ARTICLE therefore haue I selected to be the Subiect of this Treatise Proouing her Addition of the word ROMANE to the CATHOLIKE or Vniuersall CHVRCH to be by many confessed Propositions the Deprauation of that our Christian Article in the Apostles Creed viz. THE CATHOLIKE CHVRCH Her pretence of an Vniuersall Motherhood to all Catholike Churches to be a manifest Derogation to diuerse ancient Churches among others the Church of Britaine which are confessed to haue bene before that euer Rome had so much as any face or name of a Church and her Challenge of Vniuersall Mistris-ship and Dominion thorow-out all Christendome to bee in effect a blasphemous Condemnation of most godly Generall Councels Churches and Bishops of Primitiue ages diuers whereof are by name Registred for Saints and Martyrs in the Calendar of the now Church of Rome it selfe who as is Confessed haue consented Some to impose Lawes vpon the Romane Church Some to contemne her Excommunications and All to haue denyed absolute Subiection vnto Her euen in the times of her purest Integrity And because all Temporall Estates at this day are included in the same Romish Article of Vniuersall
Dominion therefore both Regall Supremacie ouer Ecclesiastiques is in this Treatise defended by the confessed Examples of the first and best Christian Emperours and also the Ciuill Subiection of the Clergie vnto Them is iustified by the Confessed Obedience performed by the first and best Popes of the same Times After this Suruey thus taken of the Churches Christian in the Primitiue ages followeth a Contemplation of the State of Christendome as it is at this present wherein appeareth a world of Christian Churches of remote Nations reduced to these Generall appellations to wit Grecians Assyrians Aethiopians Aegyptians Armenians Russians with diuers other particular Churches for Time as ancient for Faith as fundamentall for Succession as Continuall and for the Profession thereof because daily suffering grieuous pressures and afflictions for the name of Christ as much or rather in that respect more constant than the Romanists haue bene for many ages All which notwithstanding the Romane Article of The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no Saluation stand as opposite to the Church of Rome contemning her Excommunications and abhorring Subiection vnto her as they euer did A perfect Argument of the Falsity Nullity and Impiety of that Romish Article which wee now impugne In the last place is presented the Separation of all Protestant Churches from the Church of Rome proouing from the Testimonies of diuerse Romish Writers the Beginning thereof to haue bene Iust and the Continuance Necessary Nor can they say that their Arguments for defence of that Romane Article although most specious are not answered which herein are iustly retorted vpon them As to call for the Names of any Protestants before LVTHER whose names they themselues could relate in Martyring of them As to Challenge those to haue broken their Vow in Departing from that Church namely a superstitious Vow which they did to preserue their Christian Vow ìn Baptisme which requireth sinceritie in the Faith· As to obiect Schisme vpon that Article of Necessary Subiection to the Romane Sea by which she her selfe diuiding her selfe from all Christian Churches in the world and all others from her selfe is prooued to be of all other the most Schismaticall As to impute vnto vs the guilt of Damning all our fore-Fathers by reason of that her former Article whereby are necessarily Damned most of the Christian Fathers Confessors and Martyrs of Primitiue Times besides the Innumerable professed Christians of Remote Nations as hath bene said yea and many Thousands moe who though otherwise Romish yet do not belieue all her Tridentine faith Not to speake of infinite numbers of PROTESTANTS farre more sincerely Professed in the Christian Faith than They Finally as to assume a Priuilege to her Romane See of not Erring albeit that Church is prooued to be of all Others most subiect to Errour and her Seate which is ROME to be the onely Citie prophesied off by the Spirit of God in Scripture accordingly as her owne Iesuites from the testimonies of Antiquity and the light of Gods word acknowledge themselues bound to belieue and professe is to become the Seate of ANTICHRIST The Manifestation of all which Points Most Renoumed Soueraigne I do subiect to your gratious Patronage not in any spirit of Malignancie to make the Schisme and breach which is now betweene Rome and Vs bigger which I intend to perswade against thorrow-out this Treatise by reueiling and remoouing the onely Bar and Partition-wall which is her Doctrine of Necessary Beliefe of the now Tridentine Creed and Article of Necessary Subiection to the Romane See the onely Hinderance of a free Generall Councell An Impiety and Perniciousnesse which was the very Cordolium of the most Iudicious of Kings your Maiesties late Father and our Soueraigne Lord and King IAMES of euer blessed and suruiuing Memorie in whose heart God had first imprinted that Blessed Motto of Christ BEATI PACIFICI before it was stamped in his Coine being euer desirous to keepe Ciuill Vnion Commerce and Contracts with Them with whom naythelesse the Case so standing He held it Impossible to haue any Spirituall Reconciliation Thus not doubting but that the Father's religious heart dwelleth in the Sonnes brest I pray GOD so still to protect your Maiestie in the Defence of that THE FAITH whereby your Throne may be established vpon earth and your Soule euerlastingly blessed in heauen Your Maiesties most Humble Subiect and Chaplaine THO. COVEN LICHâ— TO ALL ROMISH PRIESTS WHETHER Iesuites or Others of the English Seminaries where-soeuer Mercy Truth and Peace in CHRIST IESVS AS some of weake and queazie stomackes abhorre to receiue any Wholsome Potion because the very name of Physick is loathsome vnto them so might I doubt that this Salutation wishing you Mercie Truth and Peace in Christ whereby I doe inuite you to the Reading of this ensewing Treatise may be reiected by you because the Title therof may seeme odious vnto you but that I haue Considered that I write not vnto your Laicks men commonly of weake Apprehension and voide of the Infusion of so much as necessary knowledge of Christianity but vnto your selues called to the Order of Priest-hood and professed Aduocates for defence of the Romane Church quà ROMANE And now hauing said but thus much I seeme to heare Some of you inueighing against me and saying This is a bold Assumption or rather an impudent and impious Presumption of this Heretike so to charge our Romane Church with an Imposture in this Arch-Article of her Romane Faith which Church all the world knoweth to be as the Fathers of the Councell of Trent not long since defined for birth and breeding the Mother and for Direction and Dominion the Mistresse of all other Churches Christian. Neuerthelesse dares this busie Vndertaker attempt to perswade vs that the Church of Rome is Schismaticall and her Article concerning the Vniuersality of the same Church Imposterous neuer considering that ancient and Catholike Theoreme Hee hath not God for his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother How then can this Perswader make good his Assertion I were certainely Witlesse if after I had professed so much I should not expect such broad language from Some of you which I haue formerly receiued And as faithlesse should I be both to God and you if endeuouring as I am Commanded To haue compassion of some pulling them out of the fire I should not patiently suffer words of disgust and disaffection from you which I ought willingly to suffer for you and your â—pirituall good Or else if because some are fierce I had almost said furious in oppugning the Truth I should therefore bee more remisse to defend it especially seeing that which was the saying of an Antient and holy Pope Qui alterum ab errore non reuocat Seipsum errare demonstrat Neither yet can I conceiue how you can iustly decline the Reading of this Tractate by reason of a fowerfold Obligation that lyeth vpon you The first is that diuine Direction giuen especially
ancient Councels Churches Sect. 2. CHAP. VIII III. ARgument is taken from the Iudgement of the Catholike Church it selfe in her Generall Councels Sect. 1. Proouing that the now Romane Article falsly damneth the Fathers of the Councell of Nice Sect. 2. The Fathers of the first Councell of Constantinople Sect. 3. The Fathers of the Councell of Ephesus Sect. 4. The Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon Sect. 5. The Fathers of the second Councell of Constantinople Sect. 6. The Fathers of the Sixt and Seauenth Generall Councels which condemned Pope Honorius for an Heretike Sect. 7. The Fathers of the Eighth Generall Councell Sect. 8. CHAP. IX IV. ARgument is taken from the iudgement of Particular ancient and godly Churches which were opposite to the pretended Iurisdiction of Rome and concerning her Excommunication by diuerse Instances § 1. 1. Instance Proouing that shee by her now Romane Article falsly damneth the Churches of Asia and their Catholike Bishops in the daies of Pope Victor Sect. 2. 2. Falsly damneth the Catholike Churches of Africke Numidia Mauritania in the dayes of Saint Cyprian Sect. 3. Yea and Saint Cyprian himselfe Sect. 4.5.6.7 3. Falsly damneth the Churches of Africke in the dayes of S. Augustine yea and Saint Augustine himselfe Sect. 8.9.10.11.12 4. Falsly damneth the Catholike Church of Britaine with the Scottish Irish c. in the dayes of S. Gregory Sect. 15.16 CHAP. X. V. A Argument is because by this now Romane Article are falsly Damned the most Catholike Emperours who anciently opposed the now pretended Papall Dominion Confessed Sect. 1. Instances in the Confessed Oppositions of Constantine the Great Theodosius the elder Theodosius the younger and Iustinian Sect. 2.3 c. The due estimation of these Emperours Sect. 4. CHAP. XI VI. ARgument because the same Romane Article falsly damneth the First and Best and indeed most Catholike Popes of Rome who acknowledged Subiection to the Emperours of their Times as well Ethnikes as Christian. Sect. 1.2.3.4.5 CHAP. XII VII ARgument because the same Romane Article falsly Damneth the most worthie Seruants of God whose names are Registred for Martyrs and Saints in the now Calendar of the Church of Rome or in the Romane Martyrologe viz. S. Polycarpus Sect. 1. S. Cyprian Sect. 2. S. Athanasius Sect. 3. S. Basil. Sect. 4. S. Hilary of Poictou Sect. 5. Saint Hierome Sect. 6. S. Ambrose Sect. 7. S. August § 8. S. Hilary of Arles § 9. CHAP. XIII VIII ARgument because of the Vanity of the Romane Defence in the behalfe of their Romane Article of Catholike Iurisdiction Discouered by Parallels 1. The Romish Pretence froÌ„ Titles anciently attributed to the Romane Chaire by Councels Confuted by Equiualences Sect. 1. 2. From the Titles attributed by ancient Fathers Confuted first by Equiualences Sect. 2.3 Next by their owne Contradictions Sect. 4. Thirdly by the Blasphemousnesse of sundry Titles attributed to the Pope Sect. 5. 3. The Romish PreteÌ„ce of Supreme Iurisdiction from the Sentences of ancient Greeke Fathers Sect. 6. Among Others are the memorable Examples of Theophilus and S. Cyril Patriarks of Alexandria Atticus and Acatius Patriarkes of Constantinople All neglecting the Popes Excommunieation Sect. 7. The same from the Latine Fathers Confuted Sect. 8.9 A Generall Confutation of the former Falshood Sect. 10. 4. The same Romish Pretence of supreme Iurisdiction from the Authoritie of ancient Popes Confuted Sect. 11.12.13 As also from their Acts. Sect. 14. The same Pretence first taken from the Councell of Sardis for Right of Appeales to Rome Confuted Sect. 15. The same opposed by Examples of Antiquity And secondly confuted by an Argument taken from the Councell of Chalcedon Sect. 16. Thirdly from S. Cyprian Sect. 17. Fourthly from Pope Damasus Sect. 18. Fiftly from the Councell of Mileuis Sect. 19. Sixtly from S. Augustine Sect. 20. CHAP. XIV THE THIRD CONSIDERATION of the Church Catholike is in respect of the latter ages of the world Confuting the now Romane Article of the Catholike Church by Instances of three kinds First of Remote Nations 1. Because it falsly damneth the Greeke Church from age to age Sect. 1. Notwithstanding that it continued still a true Christian Church Sect. 2.3.4 And be now in extent wonderfull spatious and for multitudes innumerable Sect. 5 The extremitie of the Romish Article Sect. 6. A Particular Instance in Ignatius Patriarke of Constantinople neglecting the Popes Excommunication Sect. 7. 2. Because it falsly damneth the Churches of the Assyrians Sect. 8. 3. Because it falsly damneth the Churches of other remote Nations Aegyptians Aethiopians Armenians c. Sect. 9. Secondly in Churches more neare Because it as falsly damneth all Protestant Churches although more Orthodox than Rome it selfe and for number infinite Sect. 10. Third Instance in the Church of Rome it selfe Because it condemneth the Church of Rome it selfe in the latter ages thereof proouing either Pope or Church of Rome Schismaticall in themselues Sect. 11.12 Prooued by manifold and ineuitable Necessities as hauing sometimes bene a Church Head-les Sect. 13. Sometimes with a false Head Sect. 14. Sometimes with many Heads Sect. 15. Sometimes Counter-Headed Sect. 16. Sometimes doubtfully Headed Sect. 17 18 19 20. CHAP. XV. THe Determination of the whole Question concerning the Separation of Protestants from the Romane Church to discerne whether Side is to be accounted Schismaticall or may more iustly pleade Soules Saluation Discussed by certaine Theses consisting of foure Parts Sect. 1. The first Part consisting of VII Theses I. Thesis An absolute decay of the whole Catholike Church was neuer defended by any Protestant Sect. 2. II. Thesis The Church Symbolical properly called Catholike cannot erre in Faith Sect. 3. III. Thesis How the Church Representatiue improperly called Catholike may be said to be subiect to error Sect. 4. IV. Protestants hold not any greater Inuisibility or rather Obscuritie of the Church Catholike than that which the Romanists themselues aâ—e forced to confesse Sect. 5. V. Thesis All Particular Churches are not to be forsaken for euery vnsoundnesse either in manners worship or doctrine Sect. 6. VI. Thesis Some vnsound Churches are necessarily to bee auoided and iust Causes why Sect. 7. VII No vniust Excommunication out of a true Church can preiudice the Saluation of the Excommunicate Sect. 8. The second Part is concerning Departure from the Church of Rome comparing the Church of Rome with other Churches I. Thesis The Cburch of Rome is as subiect to error as any other Church Sect. 9. II. Thesis The Church of Rome is more subiect to Error then any other Church Christian. Sect. 10. III. Thesis There is not in all Scripture any Prophecie of the fall of any Christian Church but onely of the Church of Rome from which it may sometime be necessary to depart Sect. 11. IV. Thesis The Church of Rome hath long bene and still is the most Schismaticall Church of all other Christian Churches that carrie in them a Visible face of a Church § 12. The third Part of this Determination concerneth the
Departure of Protestants from the Church of Rome occasioned by M. Luther I. Thesis Luther was vniustly Excommunicated out of the Romane Church Sect. 15. II. Thesis Luther had necessary Cause to depart from the Church of Rome Sect. 15. III. Thesis Luther and his Followers are farre more safe for their Soules state in that Separation from the Church of Rome and lesse Schismatikes than They whom they forsooke Sect. 16. IV. Thesis The Romish Obiections vrged against the Separation of Luther are notably friuolous Sect. 17. V. Thesis Their first Oiection in respect of Luthers former Vow to the Pope or Church of Rome is vaine and idle Sect. 18. VI. Thesis The second and most Popular Obiection against Luther in his Opposition to the Romane Church vrging him to prooue his Doctrine by immediate Succession and by naming his Teachers before him is as fond as the other Sect. 19. VII Thesis The Obiection That all Changes of Doctrines haue bene notorious in the Persons and Places of their Beginnings is false Sect. 20. VIII Thesis The last Obiection Of Cōtinuall and personall Succession in all ages is frustrate Sect. 21. The fourth and last Part of this Determination concerneth the state of the Churches of Protestants after the daies of Luther and their more iust Cause of continuing this Separation from the Church of Rome Sect. 22. I. Thesis Protestants are Generally Excommunicated by the Church of Rome Sect. 23. II. Thesis Protestants are vniustly Excommunicated Sect. 24. III. Thesis In the Continuance of this Separation Papists are rather Schismatikes than Protestants and consequently in the Heresie of the Donatists Sect. 25. IV. Thesis In the Continuance of this Separation the Vnion of the Protestants with the Catholike Church is both more true and more Vniuersall thā is the Vnion of the Romanists § 26 V. Thesis The Protestants granting it possible for some to be saued within the Church of Rome and the Papists denying that any can be saued in the Churches of the Protestants is but a Sophisticall proofe that there is more safety in the Romane Church Sect. 27 VI. Your common Obiection what is then become of the soules of our fore-Fathers more iustifieth the Protestants Separation from Papists than it can the Separation of Papists from Protestants Sect. 28. VII The Protestants at this day stand more Iustifiable in their Separation from Rome than did either the ancient Primitiue Churches in her Excommunicating of Them or yet Luther and his Followers in their Departure from Her Sect. 29. THE GRAND IMPOSTVRE Of the now Church of Rome Manifested in this ARTICLE of the new Romane Creed Viz. The Catholike Romane Church c. Without which there is no SALVATION THat this is the fundamentall ARTICLE of your Romane Church as it is called Romane We cannot bee better enformed than by the Bishops of Rome Heads of the same Church than by the Bodie thereof which is the Church of Rome it selfe in her Councell of Trent together with the Confirmation of the same by Pope Pius the IV than by your publike Catechisme ratified by the like authority Lastly than by her principall Doctors and Diuines in their most approoued and priuileged Books written vpon this Argument of THE CATHOLIKE CHVRCH All which you may read in their owne expresse words CHAP. I. The expresse Profession of the now Church of Rome concerning this her Article vz. The Catholike Romane Church c. without Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation is absolutely and peremptorily proclaimed by the Authority of the Popes SECT 1. IT wil be a good Decorum that in this case we begin to consult with the Heads of your Church the Popes of Rome themselues Gregory the VII in the yeere 1073 decreed thus The Church of Rome saith he was founded only by God and the Pope thereof is rightly stiled The vniuersall Bishop insomuch that whosoeuer consenteth not with the Church of Rome cannot be a Catholike After him in the yeere 1192. Pope Innocēt the 3. distinguishing of the Word Catholike or Vniuersall decreed as followeth If the Church saith he be called Catholike as a cōpany consisting of al Christian Churches so the Church of Rome is not to be termed The Catholike Church but a part therof but take the word Catholike a◠God is called vniuersall Lord because al things are vnder his dominiō so we say that the Church of Rome only hath al other Churches vniuersally subiect vnto it So he More than an hundred yeeres after him Boniface the 8. would needs be heard not speake but roare thunder by peremptory decree in this tenor viz. We declare define pronounce that it is Necessary for euery one that is to be saued to be subiect to the Pope of Rome Thus much for the testimonies of the Popes The iudgement of the late Romane Church SECT 2. SInce those times the Church of Rome her selfe in her Councell of Trent and by the Bull of Pope Pius the IV. set forth for the Confirmation of the same Councell in the yeere 1556. did impose vpon her Professors a new CREED consisting of more than twentie Articles of the now Romane Faith which shee hath prescribed vnto you and all other Ecclesiasticall persons of what denomination or Title soeuer to be professed vnder the tenor and forme of an Oath to wit I N. doe firmely beleeue sweare and professe that the Catholike and Apostolique Romane Church is the Mother and Mistresse of all Churches and I doe vowe promise and sweare true obedience to the Pope of Rome the Vicar of Christ Successour of S. Peter c. And this I hold to be the true Catholike Faith which whosoeuer beleeueth not cannot bee saued So your new Creed The now Romane Catechisme SECT 3. VPon this ground was founded that which you call the Romane Catechisme and published by the authoritie of the same Pope Pius and his Councell of Trent whereby yours as well as other Catechumenists are instructed to beleeue that The Catholike Church is One both because of one Faith also for that it is subiect to one inuisible Gouernour which is Christ and to one visible Head the Pope So your Catechisme The iudgement of Romane Doctors of singular Note SECT 4. IN the last place we are to consult with your publicke Readers in Schooles where by the testimonies of Three you may iudge of the faith of the rest especially these being as fully accomplished with all furniture of learning as any other The first thus The Church of Rome is the vniuersall Catholike Church not as it is a particular Bishopprick but as it comprehendeth all Beleeuers vnder the subiection of the Bishop of Rome And againe Wee must saith he hold it as a point of our Catholike Faith that this indiuiduall Congregation which professeth the Romane Faith and is vnited to the Pope of Rome is the true Catholike Church which I proue first by the Apostles Creed c. The Second thus We define saith
so seeming members of the Catholike Church yet are they no true and proper but onely equiuocall and titularie members of Christs Church like as spittle flegme and other excrementall humours are said to be in the body of a man whereof notwithstanding they are no essentiall parts All this agreeth with the Doctrine of ancient Fathers among whom Saint Ambrose All that are in the Church saith he fight for Christ intimating that the wicked fight against Christ. Likewise Saint Augustine The Catholike Church saith he is so called because it is in euery part perfect And againe Onely the Predestinate cannot be diuided from this body Whereunto the aboue-cited testimonies of Hierome and Chrysostome doe consent And in this Harmonie Clemens Alexandrinus will be knowne to beare a part calling the Catholike Church a Catalogue of iust men according to the purpose of God and a Congregation of the Predestinate Of which Church of Christ as his Spouse S. Bernard arguing from the Apostle inferreth as a thing without doubt that the Elect are the Church of Christ. Lastly lest that we may seeme to neglect the iudgement of the Fathers of the Romane Church and the Bishops of Rome Pope Gregorie for his singular wisedome and deuotion calâ—ed The Great obseruing a proportion betwixt Christ the Head and his Mysticall Body called the Catholike Church As Christ saith he was coÌ„ceiued by the holy Ghost so is his Church which is his body replenished with the same spirit and addeth that All the Elect are within the compasse of this Church and all Reprobates without it The very same doctrine for which Iohn Husse was condemned in the Councell of Constance So that Augustine Chrysostome Ambrose Bernard yea and Pope Gregorie himselfe may seeme to haue beene condemned and burned with him Thus much be said in Thesi to prooue that the Catholike Church as it is considered in the essence thereof is an inuisible Obiect of Faith and not a visible Obiect of Sence CHALLENGE AN Addition which hath no other consideration of the Church than as it is Visible cannot be a Declaration of a Church which is in the essence thereof considered as Inuisible But the Addition of the word ROMANE is vsed only in consideration of the Church as it is Visible that is consisting of a number of persons visibly knowne and discerned to professe the Christian Faith and subiect to a Visible Romane Pope as the visible and essentiall Head of the same Church So as to vse the words of your Cardinall Bellarmine If wicked and carnall Professors are not to be esteemed properly but equiuocally and onely in name the members of the Catholike Church then must it follow What Heare I beseech you the Consequence of your Cardinall that a wicked Pope cannot be the Head of the Church So he But that all carnall Professors of the Catholike Faith are no essentiall members of the Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed you haue heard it already prooued by plaine places of Scriptures by the expresse iudgement of ancient Fathers by your owne Confessions by the nature of Faith which beleeueth that which it seeth not yea and by the tenure of the Apostles Creed which teacheth vs to beleeue with a diuine Faith onely Them to be infallibly the members of this Church who as it is in the Creed can Beleeue according to the Article to obtaine Remission of sinnes in this life and after death Life euerlasting Whilest that therefore you doe discerne the Catholike Church by the eye so farre onely as it is visible Subiect to one visible Head the Pope who may happen to be as All of you will confesse as wicked and monstrous in his life as any in the line of Caiphas as desperate in his death as Iudas and after as damned in hell as that Glutton in the Gospel who cried out I am tormented in this flame and seeing that the profession of the Church as it is onely Visible and an obiect of sence can be no true Declaration or Exposition of an Article signifying the Church of Christ as it is also and that more principally Inuisible it plainely appeareth from these Premises that your word ROMANE depraueth the Article of the Apostles Creed by incorporating the limbes of Sathan together with the vitall members of Christ in that one mysticall body which is his Catholike Church and consequently that you haue forfeited your Head of the Romane Church in euery damned Pope that hath at any time professed that Romane Chaire The third Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be any Declaration of the Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed is in respect of the visible parts of the same SECT 6. TWo sorts of persons there are within your Romane Church which you your selues denie to bee any visible members thereof one is of them you call Catechumenists who as it falleth out in the Conuersion of Heathen and Iewes before they can be baptized are exercised in learning the principles and rudiments of Faith The other are Excommunicates who by the publike censure of your Church happen to bee vniustly Anathematized and disioyned from all Communion therewith Of the Catechumenists who are instructed in the Catholike Faith and bring forth the fruits of Repentance and yet depart this life without Baptisme you pronounce saying that They are saued albeit they are not in the Church In like manner haue you resolued concerning such kinde of Excommunicates who may happen to be vniustly Excommunicated saying that Because the Church cannot iudge of things that are secret it may happen that some are vniustly Excommunicated and excluded out of the visible Church and neuerthelesse receiued of God and certainely saued So you We cannot but approue of both your Positions as hauing Instances in both for in the number of Catechumenists is reckoned that Christian Emperour Valentinian a zealous Professor and Patrone of the Catholike Faith who died vnexpectedly before he was baptized whose Exequies and funeralls notwithstanding Saint Ambrose did solemnize and in his Sermon did honour the memory of that renoumed Emperour as one who had beene as the same Father speaketh Indewed with the spirit of God in his life-time and now after his death aduanced vnto ioyes eternall Touching Excommunicates we reade in the Gospell of the Blind man healed by Christ and by the malice of the Priests against Christ Cast out of their Synagogue whom neuerthelesse Christ did visit and take into his grace protection and Saluation Tell vs now if your Romane Church be that Catholike Church without which as you beleeue none can be saued how then it commeth to passe that these two sorts of Christians are saued albeit they be without the said Romane Church Your Iesuites doe answer that Such Excommunicates although they are not of the Communion which maketh a man to be properly of the Visible Church yet neuerthelesse they are saued by their
respect of other Churches as by seuerall Instances will clearely appeare The first Instance of Mother-hood before Rome is in the most ancient Church of Hierusalem SECT 5. EVe was not more truely named the Mother of all liuing than the Church of Hierusalem may be said to haue beene the Mother of all Churches beleeuing In which respect the whole Christian world hath giuen vnto her the due and honourable Title of Mother-hood For almost a thousand and 300 yeeres agoe an hundred and fiftie Orthodoxe Fathers assembled in a Councell at Constantinople acknowledged as you know that Hierusalem was the first Church which to vse the words of Saint Hierome engendred all the Churches of the world After in the daies of Saint Augustine when certaine Heretikes refused to haue Communion with Hierusalem because our Lord Christ was Crucified in that Citie that learned Father did both wisely and wittily confute them No maruell saith he if you are cut off from the Church who hate that roote Hierusalem where the Church had her originall and whither the holy Ghost was first sent Another time the same Father being opposed by Petilian a Donatist and asked Whence first he had his Communion Answereth that he had it originally from Hierusalem Could Saint Augustine in this Question about the mother-Mother-Church against an Heretike haue so negligently passed by Rome without sacrilege if the Faith of the Church of Christ in his daies had beene to beleeue that Romane Church to haue beene then the sole Soueraigne Mother-Church ouer all Churches in the world as your Councell of Trent hath so often decreed The second Instance of Mother-hood is in the Church of Caesarea SECT 6. THe Church of Hierusalem did beare as her first daughter the Church of Caesarea the Metropolis of Palestina which afterwards was made the Patriarchall Seate within that Prouince The Motherhood of which Church S. Basil and S. Nazianzene did both proclaime and preferre before Rome as by their owne testimonies may appeare We must haue ample estimation say They of euery Church as the body of Christ but especially of this our Church of Caesarea which the Christian Common-Weale doth obserue as the Circumference doth a center From which place meaning after Hierusalem the Gospell first arose and passed through the World So they What greater Encomium would you if you could passe vpon your Church of Rome than by instiling her the Mother-Church to account her as the Center and call all other Churches as her Circumferences Which Attributes those Orthodoxe Fathers would not haue ascribed to Caesarea if in their Faith the Church of Rome had in their daies had the Prerogatiue of the Mother-Church ouer all other Churches in the world The third Instance of Mother-hood before Rome is in the Church of Antioch SECT 7. ANtioch was a Church by your owne Confessions diuers yeeres when as yet the Church of Rome was without note or name a meere non-ens in Christianity Of which Church of Antioch Saint Chrysostome out of the Acts This our Citie of Antioch saith he is most deare to Christ for its ' Progenitors where Saint Peter did first preach which first receiued as an admirable Crowne the name of CHISTIANS So he Whether therefore you shall be pleased to call the Church of Antioch Mother or because the name of Christians was first deriued from her God-Mother to all other Churches after her sure it is that shee may iustly claime the Birth-right before Rome Which Saint Chrysostome defended now euen when the Church of Rome and that worthily was famous and renouned in the world The fourth Instance of Mother-hood before Rome is in the Greeke Church in Generall SECT 8. THe Easterne Greeke Churches themselues challenged this Prerogatiue in their Letters to Pope Iulius to wit that They came from the East that first brought Christian Religion to Rome But none neede require a more prompt or large acknowledgement of the antiquity of the Greeke Church in respect of the Latine than that which was publikely pronounced by your owne Byshop of Bitontum in a solemne assembly of Byshops euen in your Councell of Trent briefly thus O Greece our Mother saith he to whom the Latine Church oweth all that shee hath So he We reade of the Crosse of Christ that it had an Inscription written on it in Hebrew Greeke and Latine The same order may we obserue in the principall propagation of Churches in the Christian world the Hebrew Church before the Greeke and the Greeke Church constituted before the Latine Hierusalem before Antioch and Antioch with others before Rome Wherefore that you should make Rome the Mother-Church ouer all others which oweth to the Greeke Church no lesse than All that shee hath is in true apprehension a wonderfull Imposture The fift Instance of Mother-hood before Rome is in the Britaine Church SECT 9. YOur Church is in the next place to be prouoked and conuinced by a remote Nation of Brittaine which by your owne accompts receiued the Gospell Cardinall Baronius and your Iesuite Suarez acknowledging thus much out of most ancient Records By the preaching of Ioseph of Arimathea in the 35 yeere of Christ two yeeres before Peter did found the Church of Antioch where hee was seated seuen yeeres before he founded the Church of Rome That is to say in Brittaine was planted a Church nine yeeres before Rome and is hereby so much her elder Sister CHALLENGE THus much being granted by the most zealous Aduocates for your Romane Church giue vs leaue to reason the matter with you in few words You still defend that the Church of Rome is the Mother-Church of all other Churches of Christ and that not as a Case of probability but as an Article of Faith nor this in any implicit beleefe but such without which none can be saued nor yet in the ordinarie manner of Profession but by your Priests and Ecclesiastikes vnder the Forme of an oath Ought you not therefore to haue stood vpon infallible principles for the making good of this Conclusion than which you haue not any one more vulgar pressing and binding among all the Tenents in your Romane Church And yet behold an opinion of Peter's Ordaining the other Apostles Bishops impugned by your owne most iudicious Diuines and this grounded vpon a bastard Epistle of Anacletus Next that the inference from the same opinion is a Consequence which must prooue the Sister Rome to haue begotten her Sisters or rather indeed her Mothers and Aunts namely the Churches of Hierusalem Caesarea Antioch whole Greece together with our Isle of Brittaine And all this against the confessed euidence of Scripture and the expresse testimonie of Reuerend Antiquity which attributed that Mother-hood to the forenamed Churches before Rome Wherefore we can doe no lesse than hisse at your illogicall Consequences blush at the impudence of your Aduocates abhorre the periurie of your Priests Iesuites and all Ecclesiastikes and pittie the miserable thraldome of your
Church of Rome saith he not as a particular Dioces or Bishopricke is called the Catholike Church but as it comprehendeth and containeth all Beleeuers in Christ vnder the obedience of the Pope of Rome So they This counterfeit Glosse vpon these termes The Catholike Church as vnder the Obedience of the Pope as Catholike and Vniuersall Head wee shall bring to the Test of the Antient Faith by the witnesse of more than three Fathers I. The iudgement of Saint Augustine SECT 8. WHat was meant by the Catholike Church in the Sence of Antiquity Saint Augustine may be vnto vs herein as the mouth of the whole Church seeing that he had more occasions to discusse this Article than any Other especially because in his time the Donatists did no lesse falsly than arrogantly appropriate the name of the Whole Church vnto their Church in Africke euen as you although in a different Sence hold it proper to the Church of Rome at this day But Saint Augustine The word in Greeke saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Totum aut Vniuersale that is whole or vniuersall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not one but the whole whence the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Catholike is deriued Thus by distinguishing Whole Church from One Church he sheweth that it is as vnconceiuable that the Catholike Vniuersall or Whole should bee but one One part as it is impossible for one part to be the Whole Which is your Paradoxe to call the Head the whole Body whilest as in your Article you make ROMANE as the Head The Catholike and Vniuersall Church it selfe Thus haue we heard Saint Augustine will you now see him Then behold Rem gestam For when by that busie fellow Petilian the Donatist a publike Conference was held at Carthage betweene seuen Orthodoxe Bishops on the one part and seuen Donatists on the other concerning the Catholike Church Saint Augustine was singled out by the Disputer and posed in these words Whence art thou Who is thy Father Is the Bishop Caecilian he This was the Obiection challenging Augustine to answer whence hee receiued his Religion and vpon whom he depended Heare now his answer My communion saith he began first at Hierusalem and from remote places came nearer vntill it entred into Africke and so disperst it selfe through-out all the World From this my Father God and my mother-Mother-Church will I neuer be separated for the calumnies of any man CHALLENGE SAy now if either Petilian the Heretike could haue questioned Saint Augustine professing himselfe a Catholike whether hee had his dependance vpon CAECILIAN Bishop of Carthage as his spirituall Father if it had beene a currant profession among the Churches of those times to haue held the Bishop of Rome The Catholike Father or the Church of Rome The Catholike Mother-Church without which there is no saluation Or whether it could haue stood with the Conscience of Saint Augustine if he had beene of your now Romish Faith in a question about the Father-hood What Bishop and Mother-hood what Church he professed fo◠to passing by all mention of the B. of Rome acknowledge no Head but Christ and neglecting the Romane Church adhere to the Whole Church dispersed throughout the whole Christian World as indeed the properly called Mother-Church How should not Saint Augustine although neuer so admirable a Saint haue beene held a Schismatike and Heretike if he had liued in these daies either for his ignorance or Contempt of the now Romish resolution of Faith in all such Questions to wit that the Spirituall Father of the Church is the Pope of Rome and the Church of Rome is the Catholike Church is selfe because Head of all the rest As for the prime Mother-Church by spirituall procreation wee see that Saint Augustine acknowledgeth no other than Hierusalem which verefieth that which hath been largely prooued to wit that although the ancient Romane Church might in many respects be called A Mother Church of many other Churches in Christendome especially in respect of her admirable care for the preseruation of diuine truth and peace in the Christian world Yet now since first by vsurping an Originall Prerogatiue of the Vniuersall Mother she is become the Mother of Arrogance and Falsehood 2. By preiudicing the Birth-right of other Churches more ancient than her selfe She may be called the Mother of Schisme 3. By excluding All from hope of Saluation that beleeue her not to bee the Mother-Church shee may iustly bee iudged the Mother of damnable Heresie Of Saint Augustines iudgement more hereafter II. The Iudgement of Saint Hierome concerning the Church Catholike SECT 5. SAint Hierome was a professed and deuoute Childe of the Church of Rome when Rome was yet a true and naturall Mother and no Step-dame who notwithstanding when the Custome of Rome was obiected against him in a Case of difference betweene Deacon and Priest calling the Aduerse part An arrogant paucity he maketh an answer full of indignity As though sayth he there were more authority in Vrbe quà m in Orbe that is in one Citie the Seate of the Bishop of Rome than in the whole Catholike Church besides This is the Testimonie of Saint Hierome wherein the Fathers of the Councell of Basil did in a manner triumph in opposition to the Papall Claime saying O Hierome what meane you Is there therefore greatnes in the Pope because he gouerneth the Church His authority is great indeed but not so great as the authority of the Catholike Church which is not conteined in one Citie but comprehendeth in it selfe the whole World CHALLENGE APply you to this former sentence of Saint Hierome if you can your former distinction namely that the Church of Rome is a Particular Church in it selfe but Catholike as the Head hauing Vniuersal Dominion ouer the whole Church and see whether it will abide the test of Saint Hierome who speaking of the Customes of the Church of Rome calleth the Custome of that Church Vrbem meaning the custome but of one Particular Church whose seate is at Rome and opposeth vnto it the Custome of the Catholike Church which hee calleth Orbem the whole world Shewing thereby with whom also doth accord the iudgement of the Fathers of the Councell of Basil that the Authority of the Church Catholike and of the Church of Rome are not equiualent much lesse the same for in Identity there can be no opposition or comparison None can compare a mans head with it selfe And what furthermore Saint Hierome did conceiue heereof will afterwards appeare in due Place III. The Iudgement of Saint Gregory Bishop of Rome Concerning the Head Catholike In denying the Title of Vniuersall Bishop as did likewise Pelagius and Leo both Bishops of the same See SECT 6. ALthough it can be no sufficient Argument for concluding a Papall authority to obiect vnto vs the testimonies of Popes which is your ordinarie guize in their owne Cause yet will it be vnto vs Armour of Proofe to oppose
be crowned with Martyrdome after his death Againe this was that Father of Saint Cyprian who first vttered that excellent saying No man hath God for his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother a speech twice vsed and that worthily by the same Father Saint Cyprian Hardly can a Protestant change three words with any of you in Conference concerning the Church of Rome but you are ready to vsurpe vrge and inculcate this Sentence of Saint Cyprian as a full Conuiction in it selfe thereby to proue and conclude all Protestants to be therefore without God because they acknowledge not the Church of Rome to be according to your now Romane Article The Catholike Mother Church Which Obiection hath bene already prooued from the generall voyce of Antiquity and many Examples from thence to be as farre from Truth as Antiquity is from Noueltie and plaine dealing from meere Sophistication and iugling But now are we to try what is the sense of this Sentence from Saint Cyprian himselfe the first Author thereof The question then will be whether by MOTHER Church without which none can haue God for a Father he meant the Church of Rome or not or rather whether he spake it not then in Opposition to the Church of Rome The due examination hereof may be vnto vs an absolute decision of this whole Cause concerning the pretended Motherhood of the Church of Rome Saint Cyprian then at the second time when hee made vse of this speech He hath not God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother wrote to Pompeius in reprehension of Pope Stephen for endeuouring as he saith to defend the cause of Heretikes wherein the same Stephen threatened Excommunication against Cyprian which occasioned him to say What meaneth our Stephen to breake out into so vengible an obstinacy As for the Excommunication threatened by Pope Stephen against Cyprian and Others that were of a contrary opinion he doth contemne it yea and condemne it too when Alluding as your selues confesse vnto the same Decree of the Pope he said None of all vs Bishops in Africke doth compell any of his fellowes that are contrary minded with any tyrannicall terror Often was the Opposition of Saint Cyprian against Stephen obiected against Sainst Augustine by the Donatists for patronage of their owne opinion who taught that the Catholike Church as it is Visible consisteth onely of perfit and sanctified men Saint Augustine so argueth with the those Donatists as if Hee Cyprian and Pope Stephen had bene vnited together but this hee did in such manner that we may say with your Baronius speaking of the same contention betweene Cyprian and Stephen Hee vsed a kind of laudable euasion or escape being willing to conceale their iarres For indeed Saint Augustine elsewhere albeit enclinable enough to suppose that Cyprian did recant his error of Rebaptization before his death confesseth in direct termes that It is no where found that Cyprian did euer change his opinion For our better satisfaction herein we should aduise in this case rather with Firmilianus a Bishop liuing in the dayes of Saint Cyprian than with Saint Augustine who came some hundred and fifty yeares after This ancient Father Firmilianus being of the same iudgement with Saint Cyprian speaking of the aboue named Excommunication giuen out by Pope Stephen concludeth not Cyprian but Pope Stephen to be the Schismatike in this contention because The Pope hereby saith he cutteth himselfe off from the flocke of Christ. As for Saint Cyprian although he notwithstanding the Excommunication held for his part a Christian and brotherly affection to the Church of Rome yet did he still persist in his contrary opinion neuerthelesse so as holding it vnlawfull for either side to Excommunicate the other for this question I passe ouer your other Obiections as a vaine presumption and so it is proued to be CHALLENGE HEre againe we appeale to your owne consciences to iudge whether Saint Cyprian when he contended against Pope Stephen and in a Councell both renounced his Decree and contemned his Excommunication and at the same time held it impossible for any to haue God to his Father for Saluation who had not the Church to his Mother for Direction could possibly by mother-Mother-Church vnderstand the Church of Rome by which all of his opinion were Excommunicated except you would make Cyprian so vtterly forlorne of grace as wilfully to damne himselfe by an obstinate Separation from the Church of Rome So infallible it is that the Church of Rome in those times was held to be onely a Member of the Catholike Church and not The Catholike Mother-Church it selfe IV. That Saint Cyprian hath bene euer since his death esteemed a blessed Saint and Martyr notwithstanding his continuall Opposition to the Pope of Rome SECT 7. ALthough it could be supposed that Cyprian did recant his opinion before his death yet would not this any way prop or support that your Romane Claime except it might further appeare that he sought the Absolution of the Church of Rome for his error Neither yet would this suffice vnlesse you could proue it an Absolution of Iurisdiction and not of Charity euen as contrarily the Excommunication was held by Firmilianus and Cyprian to be an Excommunication proceeding rather from Pride than good discretion Nor were this enough for if you will make Cyprian a Saint you are further to prooue that he acknowledged Subiection of his Church of Carthage to the Church or Pope of Rome in case of Appeales in which cause Saint Augustine did take part with Saint Cyprian against your Romane Church We conclude therefore from your Confessions that Cyprian was alwaies reckoned in the number of Catholikes as also that he is still instiled A most glorious Martyr yea and registred in your Romane Calendar by the Title of Cyprian Saint and Martyr notwithstanding his continuall Opposition against the Romane Church CHALLENGE THis blessed man of God Saint Cyprian who for his exceeding learning care diligence and power in preseruing the Faith of Christ and peace of his Church Did say you as witnesseth Saint Nazianzene gouerne not onely Africke but also the East yea and West Churches of Christendome himselfe who was so happy at his death as that he was crowned with the glorious Diadem of Martyrdome for his Testimony of our Lord Iesus who was so honourable in his memory as to be accompted throughout the Christian world an excellent Saint of God may be lawfully yea laudably produced for an excellent Patron against the titular tyrannie of Popedome Whose example in his Opposition against the Pope of Rome may be vnto vs as a sharpe axe to cut off by the very necke the now vsurped Fatherhood or Headship and Motherhood of the Pope and Church of Rome because if you shall remember the Premisses you may perceiue that 〈…〉 Opposition of Cyprian and other Churches of Christ the Bishop of Rome in
those dayes was not esteemed to be The Catholike or Vniuersall Pope not The Catholike Bishop of Bishops his Iurisdiction not to haue any Catholike or Vniuersall Right for Appeales his Iudgement not to be a Catholike Rule of Faith his Church not to be The Catholike mother-Mother-Church his Excommunication not to be a Separation from the properly called Catholike Church and much lesse a Catholike and Vniuersall Separation from the state of life So damnable is your Article of The Catholike Roman Mother-Church without subiection whereunto as you say there is no Saluation whereby with one breath you damne not onely Cyprian that glorious Saint of Christ but also all other his Associates and Colleagues Bishops in Africa Numidia and Mauritania of whom some were Martyrs some Confessors all Professors of the true Faith of Christ against the persecuting Infidels of those times It would nothing now auaile you to obiect that Cyprian in his Contention against Pope Stephen was in an Error in the Question of Rebaptization because euery error is not eradicant to roote out or cut off a Member from the Bodie of the Church Catholike else what shall we think of Pope Stephen himselfe who was in an error in the other Question concerning the vsurpation of the Right of Appeales to Rome which not onely Cyprian in his Councell of Carthage but Augustine also in the Councell of Africke resolutely withstood But what need many words Cyprian say you was alwaies held a Catholike Wee adde that if this Obiection were of force it would much more fortifie the Cause of Protestants For if Cyprian being Excommunicated by the Pope for an error was notwithstanding still held for a Catholike as hath beene confessed and hath euer since bene Registred for a Saint then doubtlesse Protestants stand much more secure who are excommunicate for withstanding not onely the grosse Idolatry but also as many Heresies of that Church of Rome as she hath new Articles of Faith among which this to wit The Catholike Roman Church without Vnion whereunto there is no Saluation 〈◊〉 not be held the least being as you see so Imposterous Schismaticall and Execrable as euery Instance yet giuen doth manifestly conuince Our third Instance in the Churches of Africke in the dayes of Saint Augustine in two Councels fully preiudiciall to this now Article viz. The Romane Catholike Church without which there is no Saluation SECT 8. THE first Councell was that of Mileuis Anno 402. concluding against the pretended Prerogatiue of Appeales to Rome This Case is handled at large afterwards The summe of all is This Councell wherein Saint Augustine was present consisted of threescore Bishops which had beene esteemed alwaies Orthodoxe in the Catholike Church albeit that their conclusion of denying any Right of Appeales from Africke to the Church of Rome which Iurisdiction of Appeales is held to be a principall part of the Article viz. The Romane Catholike Church in the Church of Rome at this day Which one Article consisting of foure points of Necessitie first Necessity of Vnion with the Church of Rome secondly Necessity of Subiection vnto it thirdly Necessity of Beleefe of both the former fourthly Necessitie of Saluation in them All is now rent in pieces by that one Prohibition of that Councell which denying any Right of Appeales from Africke to Rome did thereby deny the pretended Catholike Subiection to the Romane Chaire Secondly decreeing Excommunication against those African Priests that should dare to Appeale to Rome thereby they deny an absolute Necessity of Vnion with Rome Thirdly this Excommunication being to be extended against them that should Thinke it necessary to Appeale to Rome they thereby deny Necessity of Beliefe of the Prerogatiue of Rome And lastly condemning this Beliefe among themselues they thereby deny it to be an Vniuersall Right necessary to be belieued of all Others All this is euidently prooued in the place alleaged The second Instance in the Churches of Africke in the daies of Saint Augustine was the African Councell by name against the Church of Rome in the Case of Appeales concerning which for methods sake we are to lay open first the Occasion of Opposition betweene the Churches of Africke and Rome secondly the Discussion thereof thirdly the Separation of the Church of Afrike from Rome fourthly the honorable estimation had of the African Bishops as of the Saints of God notwithstanding their not acknowledging of Subiection to the Romane Church I. The Occasion of the Opposition by Saint Augustine and the Africans against the Iurisdiction of the Church of Rome in the supreme Case of Appeales SECT 9. COnsult you with your owne Chronologers in the body of the Councels of old and you shall find that the Case standeth thus One Apiarius a leud Priest and as you know of a scandalous flagitious and abhominable life being Excommunicated by the Bishops of Africke fleeth to Rome and as it were taketh Sanctuary there by Appealing to Pope Boniface then Bishop of that Sea The Pope sought by his owne Authority to haue this infamous Priest restored againe auouching for the ground of his Authority the Canon of the Councell of Nice which as he pretended declared the power due to the Bishop of Rome to take hold of all Appeales made vnto the Pope from all other Christian Churches and Prouinces and to order matters according to his owne wisedome II. The Discussion of the Cause SECT 10. THE Bishops of Africke and among them Saint Augustine hauing read the Popes Claime of Appeale by virtue as was alleaged of a Canon of the Councell of Nice fell first to demurre with themselues suspecting that the Pope had suggested a false pretence and therefore sought first to satisfie themselues by sight of the Copies of the Councell of Nice before they would returne the Pope any full answer and after diligent search into all the ancient Copies which they could finde they yeelded this Answer to the Bishop of Rome We haue read say they manie Copies of the Canons of Nice both Greeke and Latine and yet finde we among them no such Canon for Appeales to Rome as you alleage In this case of doubt it was agreed on both sides that messengers should be sent vnto Cyrill Patriarch of Alexandria and vnto Atticus Patriarch of Constantinople to the end that vpon search of their Records they might bee certified of the Truth of this matter These two Patriarchs send them faithfull Transcripts which they themselues did auouch to be The most true and authenticall Copies wherein that Canon which Three Popes to wit Boniface Zozimus and Caelestinus successiuely had alleaged as their onely euidence for their right of Appeales could not be found nor any syllable therof Vpon this Answer of those graue Patriarchs these Africane Bishops in number 217 perceiuing the falshood of the Popes Allegation and finding that no such Canon appeared in those ancient Copies of the Councell of Nice which could aduantage that their pretence of Appeales to
Rome from Carthage but rather that there was a Canon to controll it they descended in the end to a flat and peremptory resolution Yet before wee set downe their Conclusion faine would we know how your Aduocates can quit and free your three Popes from forgery of a Canon of Nice They tell vs first that the Two Greeke Patriarchs were deceiued by giuing credit vnto their Greeke Copies which were Corrupted by Heretikes Next that the Popes themselues were deceiued in alleaging the Councell of Nice instead of the Councell of Sardis wherein saith your Cardinall The Canon was extant And lastly that the Bishops of Africke were deceiued in not acknowleging any Generall and Catholike Councell of Sardis by name S. Augustine affirming that He knew no Sardican Councell which was not Hereticall I. CHALLENGE WHich Answer of your Cardinalls importeth thus much to wit that we are to belieue that two hundred and seuenteene Bishops two Reuerend Patriarchs and three ancient Popes erred in their ignorance of a Generall Councell of Sardis in those daies wherein the matter was aduisedly and exactly discussed rather than these Two Cardinals which are but of yesterdaies birth in their coniecturall presumptions which is in effect as much as to tell vs that those Archers canot discerne so well of a true aime who are an hundred and fifty paces distant from the marke as they who are of a thousand and two hundred for such was the difference betwâ—ene the yeeres of those ancient Fathers and of these Cardinalls from the time of the Councell of Nice Which Answer wee haue else-where proued to be no solution but a fiction rather and meere Illusion Yet that we may deale liberally with you so as not onely to suppose but if you will to confesse also that there was a Generall Councell called Sardican as such your Testimonies delare and therefore to yeeld so farre to Baronius and Binius as to thinke that Augustine and the Africane Bishops could not be ignorant of the Sardican Councell which Saint Augustine himselfe calleth Plenarium vniuersae Ecclesiae Concilium An Vniuersall Councell Neuerthelesse heereupon must we likewise make bold to tell you that the Canons which you cite for your Appeales must bee iudged fictions because else the African Bishops with Saint Augustine could not haue answered your Pope that No Synod had ordained that any might come from his Holinesse to order these matters Nor could those Popes haue omitted the mention of such a Canon if any such had been when now it so much stood them vpon both for keeping themselues free from crime of forging a false Canon of the Councell of Nice and also for aduantaging their pretended Claime of Appeales by virtue of a Canon of Sardis Howsoeuer let vs proceed to that which followeth III. The decision and peremptory resolution of the Africans in Opposition against the Papall Claime of Appeales SECT II. FIrst 217 Bishops Saint Augustine being a principall one doe addresse their letters to the Pope of Rome shewing the false-hood of the Claime of Appeales made by your Three Popes Zozimus Boniface and Celestinus that it had no Patronage from the Councell of Nice but rather that there was in that Councell another Canon making much against such Appeales by determining that Popes being so farre remote from Africk could not be so competent Iudges in such Causes l Except say the Africans Some will thinke that God will inspire some One singular man with Iustice and denie that grace to innumerable persons assembled together in one Synod And therefore in plaine termes they desire the Pope not to admit heereafter of any such Appeale and in conclusion they call that Papall presumption a Smoakie secular arrogancy which say they we will not indure Furthermore the same Councell of Africk made Two Canons by the one as it were taking the Crowne of Pope-dome from the Head of your Bishop of Rome by the other piercing and wounding the Papall Primacie to the very heart For what fairer Crowne can you put vpon that Head than the Supreme title of Monarch ouer the whole Church or of Chiefe Priest and Bishop of Bishops wherewith you professedly adorne and in a manner adore your Romane Pope But these African Fathers vpon occasion of this contention with your Popes decreed That the Bishop of the Primary Sea should not bee called the Head of Bishops or chiefe Priest but onely the Bishop of the Primary Sea Secondly what greater Prerogatiue or higher token of Monarchie could your Popes couet than that which you challeng as A matter knowne to the Catholike Church which is that Appeales are to bee made to Rome from all the coasts of the world against which the same holy Bishops made this peremptory decree viz. If any Priest shall thinke that hee ought to Appeale beyond the Sea meaning to Rome let him not bee receiued any longer into the Communion of the Church of Africk So they All that your Cardinals can say to helpe your Popes at a dead lift is that the former pretended Canon of Nice insisted vpon was to be found in the Councell of Sardis which Antiquity hath denied And yet if that were granted your Monarchy standeth still vpon humane Authority For that Synod of Sardis sheweth plainely that their grant of Appeales to Iulius Pope of Rome was but vpon fauour and not vpon duty being not an old Custome but a new Constitution If it please you say they so much to honour the memory of Peter let vs write to Iulius Bishop of Rome c. And againe If you all bee pleased whence nothing can be gathered but that the same pretended Grant was no more than Ad placitum and might by the same Authority be as easily repealed We add that albeit you challenge a right that All causes of great moment among which these of Appeales is a principall one should bee Reserued to the Bishop of Rome you notwithstanding confesse that In the dayes of Saint Cyprian there was no Reseruation of any such Cases in vse II. CHALLENGE HEre haue we a faire and cleare glasse wherein any one that doth not wilfully close his eyes may see the full face of the vsurped and conunterfeit Monarchie of the Church of Rome For in your Romane profession your latter Popes proclaimed the Papall Monarchie to bee founded vpon Diuine Authority Whereas your ancient Romane Popes at the time of the African Councell when if euer they were to make good Appeales from all the parts of Christendome to Rome their principall part of Supreme power they themselues notwithstanding argued not from any diuine Law but onely from the humane decree of the Canon of Nice which the Fathers of that Councell discouered to be notoriously false For if the then Popes had thought that they could for this Papall pretension draw a sharpe two-edged sword ex iure diuino what needed they to haue fought with this wooden
Saint Saint Athanasius was Excommunicated by Pope Liberius and notwithstanding remained a Saint The very names of Baronius and Bellarmine we know carry such Authority with you that they will preponderate whatsoeuer can be said against them who ioyntly consent in this that followeth Pope Liberius say they through the faction of Arian Heretikes is by the Authority of Constantius the Emperour sent into banishment By the same Hereticall Arian Bishops is Felix made Bishop and placed in the Romane Sea When Liberius perceiued Felix to be intruded into his Chaire he after two yeares Banishment enuying and grieuing hereat doth ioyne communion with those Heretikes and gaue consent to the condemnation of Athanasius So they Our Assumption will be this that Athanasius neither before nor after the death of Felix did regard this Excommunication of Liberius Immediatly after this you esteeme Felix to be the Legitimate Pope but pronounce Liberius a Schismatike and one remooued from the societie of Catholikes and from his Papall function Which your Conclusions do notably fight against your owne Principles First this that There cannot be two Popes together in one Sea because this were as horrible a monster as a body with two heads One Pope then must be acknowledged Your next Principle is that No Pope can be deposed except he appeare to be a manifest Heretike whereby he ceasseth ipso facto to be a Pope without any other iudgement at all Yet grant you concerning Liberius that He was a Catholike in his inward iudgement notwithstanding his outward communion with Heretikes Your last Principle is that The Pope cannot be iudged of any on earth because he is Prince and therefore superior vnto the whole Church Catholike throughout the earth All these Premises being reduced into a Logicall forme will make vp our Conclusion thus No Catholike Bishop of Rome can be iudged or deposed But Liberius notwithstanding his consenting to the Condemnation of Athanasius and Communicating with Heretikes was a Catholike Bishop Ergo He could not be iudged or deposed from his Popedome If therefore Athanasius being Excommunicated by Liberius neuer sought as you all know any Vnion either with him or yet with Felix in his stead it must follow that he all that time contemned his Excommunication After the death of Felix who was Pope one yeare and some few moneths Liberius obtaineth againe your good reputation for presenly he was accompted the Legitimate Pope Why It is euident saith your Cardinall that Felix being dead Liberius vnited the Church of Rome which was then rent and diuided into a Schisme and became one Sheapheard of one sheepefold So they Where it will be as euident that during the time of Felix Athanasius if hee would haue sought Vnion with the Church of Rome could not know where to find it because the Catholike Church being but One Body One Spouse One Sheepfold how could now the Romane Church be called the Catholike which was as is confessed rent by a Schisme from it selfe But why stand wee wrestling with you for that which of your owne accord you are ready to grant willingly vnto vs It is a matter worthy consideration saith your Cardinall and so indeed it is to know what Liberius did after the death of Felix about the time of the Councell of Arimine which happened to be some two yeares after the departure of Felix And what this is he will haue vs vnderstand from the Epistle of Liberius vnto Athanasius principally thus This is our Confession most wished Athanasius wherein if you consent with me I pray you euen before our Iudge God and Christ to subscribe thereunto that I may be made the more secure thereby and readily performe your Command So the Pope to Athanasius Which Profession of Liberius saith your Cardinall was a solliciter for the repayring of the rent of that Communion which had bene formerly betweene them So he CHALLENGE IF therefore you will not regard our Inferences yet Liberius his owne Epistle and your Cardinall his Comment must giue light to any that shall not wilfully stupifie and blindfold himselfe namely to discerne That there was a breach of Communion betweene Pope Liberius and Athanasius That this continued two yeares for so long it was betweene the death of Felix and that Councell of Arimine whilest that Liberius was throughout the Church of Rome vniuersally acknowledged the Ligitimate Pope That the Seeker for this Communion was not Athanasius who had bene Excommunicate but Liberius who was the Excommunicator euen now being the true Pope That the tenor of the same Epistle is written in all submission both of his vnderstanding to the iudgment of Athanasius if he should happily consent also in the same behalfe to his will whatsoeuer he should Command If the like Epistle had bene written by Athanasius to Liberius we know how diligently and exactly and with what boldnesse you would haue pressed euery syllable thereof scarce could you examine any one word which should not haue seemed to weigh the weight of a Pope We conclude Athanasius being diuided from the Communion of the Pope so long time and not seeking to be reconciled before he was sought vnto by the Pope himselfe doth euidently shew that he belieued not at all your Article of Vnion with the Pope of Rome as with the Head of the Catholike Church vpon Necessity of Saluation Must we therefore iudge Athanasius therein damned nay rather damned be this your Article as Imposterous Scandalous Schismaticall and Hereticall whereby such a Saint should be damned who as your Author confesseth was so excellent an Organ of Truth that If all the commendations of ancient Fathers should be gathered together yet were they not sufficient to set forth the conflicts which this one hath had for defence of the Faith because no one I speake confidently sayth your Lippelous hath after the Apostles vndergone more continuall and grieuous conflicts for the patronage of Truth than he whom Gregory Nazianzene therefore calleth the Eie of the world the chiefe Captaine and Master of Priests and the stay and pillar of Faith So he So admirable was his Faith and Constancy in impugning their Obiections and induring their infinite Calumniations and persecutions IV. Saint Basil Bishop of Caesarea belieued not the Article of necessary Subiection to Rome SECT 4. LOoke againe into your Romane Calendar and you shall reade thus Saint Basil Bishop and Confessor A Saint then he was without exception in whom you will seeme to haue some Interest as though he would beare witnesse to the Antiquity of your Article of Vniuersall Romish Iurisdiction ouer all other Churches of Christ. Your Obiection SAint Basil writ an Epistle to Saint Athanasius whence if we belieue your Cardinall you may conclude that Saint Basil attributed vnto the Bishop of Rome authority of visiting the Churches in the East by whom he pleased and of making Decrees by his Authority and disanulling Generall Councels such as
vnto Their Chiefe meaning the Pope of Rome and addeth saying I hate the Pride of That Church meaning the Church of Rome Marke wee pray you Their Chiefe and That Church are these notes of his Subiection to the Pope or Church of Rome Nay are they not direct demonstrations of his no Subiection or Subordination to either of both can you conceiue any to bee a true and loyall Subiect who writing to others concerning his owne King and Soueraigne and his Soueraignty should say I writ to their King and I hate the pride of that Kingdome Yet you heare what Saint Basil writ concerning the Pope and his Church and notwithstanding was he â—hen a reall Member of the Catholike Church Nor is this all but he hath furthermore imputed besides the vice of Pride Ignorance vnto them Notwithstanding all which Saint Basil was euen then a Saint Militant and hath beene euer since held in God's Church a Saint Triumphant who for his excellent learning iudgement piety and industrie in protecting and propagating the Catholike Truth obtained in the Church of Christ the attribute of THE GREAT and in the Elegie of Ephrem to be called Chiefe Priest of the Lord. Which may serue as an instrument to launce the Papall Impostume of your Romane Pope who neuer heareth of any such Adiunct ascribed vnto himselfe but he presently swelleth with Pride and taketh it as Appropriate to his person as he is Successor to Saint Peter Although therefore we denie not but that notwithstanding this Opposition made by Saint Basil against the Romane Church hee held Communion with the Church of Rome both in Faith and Charity because at that time Rome was in her integrity Yet that Necessity of Subiection and the Beleefe thereof which your Article requireth of All that shall be saued is a doctrine as you see abandoned by Saint Basil. We therefore choose rather to abhorre your new Article as Imposterous and Impious than to suffer that blessed Father to be razed out of the number of Saints V. Saint Hilary of Poictou did not beleeue the Romane Article of Necessity of Vnion with the Pope of Rome SECT 5. WHat and how great a Saint this Hilary Bishop of Poictou was your Romane Church doth shew in her Kalendar as it were in her Church-Booke wherein is Registred his name as a Prime Saint and that worthily For as your Lippelous truely saith he for his learning and Sanctity was Admirable both in the Greeke and Latine Churches liuing in the yeere 356 in the daies of the Emperour Constantius and of Pope Liberius So he Well then wee are to enquire what was his iudgement concerning this Pope Liberius and the necessity of Communion with him This being a part of that your Article concerning The Catholike Romane Church to beleeue that In matters of Faith the iudgement of the Pope is infallible Saint Hilary no sooner vnderstood that Pope Liberius as your Cardinall hath confessed had subscribed to haue communion with the Arian Heretikes but hee made bold to Excommunicate the Pope out of his Communion and fellowship saying I Anathematize thee Liberius and thy fellowes This you will thinke was too liberally spoken and will iudge it rather not spoken at all But why I pray you was it not alwaies lawfull for any Catholike Bishop to Excommunicate any Hereticall Bishop that is abandon his fellowship and Communion or had not Hilarius iust cause so to vse Liberius at this time This is that Liberius who two yeeres after Banishment for his Catholike Faith became an Heretike Interpretatiuè saith your Cardinall that is in the vnderstanding of men iudging of him by his outward Act of Subscribing to the Condemnation of Saint Athanasius and communicating with knowne Heretikes nor so onely but euen expressely an Heretike If to bee of opinion with Heretikes If to bee made an Heretike If to be ouercome and to consent vnto Arian Heresie may be Testimonies of an expresse Heretike as your owne Platina Alphonsus de Castro Cardinall Turrecremata and out of the words of Saint Hierome Cardinall Cusanus haue confessed Which was the very cause that moued Saint Hilary also to bid the same Pope Auant else could hee not haue complained of the Hereticall Emperour Constantius for releasing of the same Liberius out of Banishment namely vpon such conditions as that Emperour inioyned the said Pope saying I know not O Emperour whether thou hast shewed more impiety in Banishing of Liberius or in releasing him from his Banishment What other sense could this haue than that Liberius was now as full an Heretike in his Releasement as he had beene before a Catholike in his Banishment CHALLENGE SCanne you this matter a right and then you must confesse that the Faith of Saint Hilary was to beleeue that a Pope might become an Heretike in his Publike person as for example Pope Liberius did by his publike Subscribing vnto Heresie and that therefore no Christian is bound to haue further Vnion of Faith with any Pope than a Pope doth stand in the Vnion of the true and Catholike Faith Which beeing the beleefe of all Protestants and the Cause of dis Vnion from the Pope of Rome at this day is therefore censured by you as a note of Heresie in it selfe and as you thinke a sufficient cause of Separation from all hope of Saluation As though Saint Hilary a Father of the same profession were no more to be esteemed a Saint But a Saint you acknowledge him to be know then that he who abandoned the Popes Vnion would neuer haue submitted to his Dominion VI. Saint Hierome beleeued not the now Romane Article concerning the Necessity of Subiection to the Romane Church and Bishop thereof SECT 6. SAint Hierom whom the Church of Rome hath dignified and honoured with the place of a Saint in her Calendar vnder the Title of Confessor and Doctor of the Church liued about the yeere of our Lord 390 and was aboue all the Fathers that we can name of those times the most deuout childe of the Church of Rome Neuerthelesse dare we in the examination of this Fundamentall Article of the same or rather the foundation it selfe referre our selues vnto the iudgement of this Saint And we proceed in this disquisition according to our former Method of your Obiections and our Answer and Reply from the same Father Your Obiection SAint Hierom writing vnto the Pope Damasus acknowledgeth himselfe his Sheepe although hee was vnder the Patriarch of Antioch nameth the same Pope Successor of Peter professeth himselfe to haue Communion with the Chaire of Peter mentioneth as a reason the Rocke whereupon the Church of Christ is built the House without which none may eate the Lambe that is Offer Sacrifice and the Arke of Noah without which whosoeuer is must needs perish So Saint Hierom. Vpon this Foundation some of your Master-Builders would erect an Infallibility of the Popes Iudgement an Vniuersality of his
yet hee might allow that power vnto other Patriarkes and Primates as it seemeth hee did some-where Marke Hee might that is to say peraduenture hee did and As it seemeth which is as if hee had said It is but probable Doe you not see with what rotten Timber this your Master-builder frameth the Arch-pillar of your Romane Faith and with what vntempered morter hee daubeth it when hee hath done Notwithstanding it be without all Peraduenture that if wee must beleeue Pope Agapet There was not from the Ascention of Christ vntill the yeare 535. any one Bishop in all the East ordained by the hands of any Bishop of Rome before Mennas who was now so ordained by Agapetus Secondly know that your Cardinall to proue that the Bishop of Rome exercised his Authoritie of Instituting Deposing and Restoring of Bishops within the Bishopricks of other Patriarkes giueth instance in some Bishops which the Popes themselues haue challenged to be within their owne Romane Dioces as namely the Bishops of Thessaly of France of Spaine of Africke of Salonia and some others If any should take vpon him to proue the Bishop of Durham to be Primate of the Prouince of Yorke and to haue authoritie ouer the Bishop of Chester because he exerciseth his Episcopall Iurisdiction of Instituting Admonishing Suspending and Restoring Ministers within his owne Bishopricke of Durham were this tolerable arguing trow you Thirdly there is not a greater degree of futilitie saith Tullie than for any man to obiect that to which when it shall be retorted vpon himselfe he shall not tell what to say We shall therefore deale with you herein by the Art of Retorsion Cyprian as Primate of the Primates within Africke did as Pamelius witnesseth of him Institute whom he would within the Prouinces of the other Primates The same Cyprian Constituted Sabinus Bishop instead of Basilides whom hee had deposed without the consent of Stephen the Pope of Rome and after professed to hold the same Sabinus in his Bishopricke notwithstanding the dislike and as it were in despight of the same Pope Nor thus onely but Cyprian againe will bee knowne to haue Confirmed the Election of Pope Cornelius whose Communion both hee as himselfe speaketh and his Collegues and Fellow-Bishops gaue approbation vnto Besides Pope Gregorie the First vpon his Election sent his Synodicall and Communicatorie Letters vnto the Foure Patriarks viz. Iohn of Constantinople Eulogius of Alexandria Gregorie of Antioch and Iohn of Hierusalem with testification of his Orthodox Faith in beleeuing the Foure First Generall Councels And lest that you may thinke hee was the First Pope that sought this kinde of Approbation by such Synodicall and Circular Epistles you are to obserue with your Baronious how hee in expresse words confesseth that hee did this According to the ancient Custome of his Predecessours as was also obserued by the Bishop of Segouia in the Councell of Trent As for Excommunicating of Others this being but a denying to haue Communion with them other Patriarks and Churches thought it as proper to themselues to denie their Communion to the Pope as the Pope could by dis-uniting himselfe from them Else could not the Easterne Bishops among whom there were many Orthodoxe Capitulate with Pope Iulius to haue Communion with him but vpon this Condition that he should haue Communion with those Bishops whom they had ordeined otherwise they professed Contrarily to haue no Communion with him Not to tell you that Dioscorus did Excommunicate Pope Leo. Yea will you say an Heretike an Orâ—hodoxe It is true yet did hee this vpon the knowne iudgement of the east-East-Church vpon a Common right and abilitie in all Churches to denie their Communion to what other Churches soeuer that they were perswaded to deserue their dis-union Vpon which ground Mennas Patriarch of Constantinople Excommunicated Vigilius Bishop of Rome which though it were in an vniust Cause such as in the Papall Excommunications often happen to be yet doth it inferre this Truth that vpon a iust cause it was lawfull so to doe We leaue other Examples of Retorsion and come to the last Answer by Opposition of your owne Popes against you and such as were most zealous Exactors of all Rights belonging to the Papall Sea The matter standeth thus After the period of iust Antiquitie which we prefix about the yeare Six hundred after Christ Pope Hadrian the First about the yeare 777. writing to the Emperour Constantine and to his Empresse Irene layeth Claime to Two things First to the Temporall Patrimonie of Saint Peter Secondly to an Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction within some part of the Patriarkship of Constantinople which hee desireth them to restore to the See of Rome and he expresseth in his Petition the Consecration of Bishops Archbishops Fourescore yeeres after him succeedeth Pope Nicolas the First who reneweth the same Claime in his Epistle vnto Michael the Emperour propounding vnto him the Challenge formerly made by his Predecessour Hadrian and specially and by name hee setteth downe the particular Prouinces and Dioces which were with-held or as your Iesuite out of Leo Sapiens saith had bin pulled away from the Bishopricke of Rome to wit the Bishopricke of Thessalonica the Bishop whereof had bin but the Popes Vicar therein together with the Regions of Achaia Mysia Dardania c. wherein were the Metropolitanes of Thessalie Corinth Athens Nicopolis and Patarae But to what end maketh all this his Plea namely that hee might exercise therein as from his owne Authoritie the Consecration of Bishops and Arch-Bishops and to vse the words of your Iesuite moderate all things throughout all those Regions according to his owne Institutions and Ordinances And for further Confirmation of his Right hee pleadeth the Ancient possession which his Ancestours had held from the time of Pope Damasus vnto Pope Hormisda that is to say for the tearme of 154. yeares so that now they had bin aboue Three hundred yeares depriued of these Bishopricks Wee now hereupon demand Doe your Popes after so long processe of time require a Restitution of Right and power of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction in certaine Prouinces Christian then doubtlesse all this time was not their power Vniuersall in All others wheresoeuer And furthermore the Patriarcke of Constantinople hauing Iurisdiction ouer the Metropolitanes of Pontus Asia and Thracia consisting of 28. Prouinces and your Popes making claime onely vnto Eight of those for the execution of their Ecclesiasticall and Papall power is it not euident that they outted themselues from all such Iurisdiction in any of the rest And what shall be further said of the other Patriarkships of Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem Some of them hauing Seauen and some Ten Metropolitanes vnder them and were as exempt from the Iurisdiction of the Pope of Rome as any within the Patriarkship of Constantinople could be CHALLENGE NOW from your former Argument according to the lawes of a Syllogisme It must be thus
of the Countries wherein the Greeke Religion is professed he concludeth that If the Greeke Church be compared with the now Romane excepting the new Addition of the Indians the Greeke Church would farre exceed V. Our Discouery of the extreme Impiety of your Article by way of Challenge SECT 6. YOur Article requireth a Necessity both of Subiection and of Vnion vnto the Church of Rome vpon infallible danger of Damnation In the Premises you haue before you the same Necessity of Subiection to Rome denyed by the Ancient Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon about the yeare 450. after Christ and so continuing in the Greeke Church vnto this day and the Necessity of Vnion denyed by the same Greeke Church 200. yeares together and all this by Professors in your owne iudgement excepting for the denying of this Romish Article no Heretikes and in number Exceeding the Multitudes of them the Indians excepted and yet the Indian Conuerts if you examine their Faith are but poore Catholikes God wot who call themselues the Romane Catholikes How then shall we not accompt it a Luciferian pride in your Romane Pope to take vpon him to ascend vnto the Throne of God and to pronounce Sentence of Damnation vpon so infinite Christian soules who while your Bishops excepting their raysing of Persecutions against Protestants liue in peace and fare deliciously euery day do suffer daily grieuous and lamentable Persecutions and Oppressions vnder the Turkish tyrannie for the Gospell of Christ. What man is there in whom there are any bowells of Christianity who will not rather condemne your Article as a Praesumptuous Pernicious Sacrilegious Schismaticall Delusion and execrable Fascination of mens soules by the which they are held fast vnder that Romane thraldome A particular Instance for the Corroboration of the former Argument in Ignatius Patriarch of Constantinople SECT 7. BAronius doth present before you Ignatius the Patriarch of Constantinople who liued about the yeare of our Lord 869. in your owne iudgement An excellent man Whom notwithstanding Iohn the then Pope pronounced Excommunicate except within 30. dayes the said Ignatius should Excommunicate certaine Bishops in Bulgaria for that the Pope then made claime to that Prouince as belonging to the Romaine Church But the Popes Excommunication against Ignatius was contradicted by the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch and as for Ignatius himselfe Hee is not found saith your said Cardinall to haue obeyed the Popes command Neuerthelesse God graced this Ignatius with Miracles after his death All this you haue in Baronius CHALLENGE HEre you haue to omit the Opposition of the Two other Patriarches Ignatius the Patriarch of Constantinople for ought that can be prooued to the contrary liuing and dying a person Excommunicate from the Church of Rome and notwithstanding acknowledged by you to be one worthy whose life should be Registred in the Body of your publike volume of Councells and after his death hauing the witnesse of God by his Seale of Miracles that he was his owne seruant and Saint As if you would teach vs this Syllogisme Euery one that dyeth Excommunicate out of the Church of Rome dyeth out of the Catholike Church and is consequently Damned But Ignatius a godly man in his life and blessed after his death dyed Excommunicate out of the Church of Rome Ergo the same man godly in his life time and Blessed after his death is immortally Damned Either must you thus conclude or else condemne your Article of Necessity of Subiection and Vnion to the Romane Church without which None can be saued to be iustly damnable For as for the Comment of Baronius who acknowledging him thus Excommunicate and so dying yet notwithstanding saith that he departed this life in the Popes Communion we haue nothing to say but onely Ridle me this Ridle because we are to yeeld to the truth of the Story and not vnto the figment and fancy of a Papall Commentator Our second Instance is in the Churches Christian in Assyria dis-united from Rome SECT 8. YOu haue a Narration commended by Pope Pius the 4. vnto the Councell of Trent concerning Abdisu Patriarch of the Assyrians and all Churches vnder him subiecting themselues to the Church and Pope of Rome Our intended Breuity will not permit the Repetition of so large a Narration Take vnto you summarily those Aduertisements which are proper to this Cause in hand It giueth vs to know 1. That the Nation of the Assyrians was so farre remote from Rome that At Rome it was scarce knowne that there was any Church there 2. That there was Two hundred thousand Christian Professors within the Patriarchship of Abdisu 3. That their Faith was sound and forme of worship pure and so had continued as they had receiued it in the beginning from Saint Thomas the Apostle And 4. that many of them oftentimes had suffered Martyrdome by the malice of Infidels for the profession of our Lord Christ. This and much more in the Narration made in the Councell of Trent by your Cardinall CHALLENGE THis Story is noted by our Gentillettus to be meerely Fabulous Not that there are not Christian Churches in Assyria professing the Catholike Faith and to haue so continued from the Apostolike times but that there was no such Submission of the said Churches made by Abdisu to the Pope of Rome Notwithstanding supposing the Tale of Robin-Hood to be true and granting vnto you that the said Churches of Assyria had subiected themselues to the Pope according to the Tenure of the Narration it selfe then may we lawfully dispute as Saint Paul often did though not from the truth of the thing belieued yâ—t from the Faith and credulity of the Beleeuer You therefore that belieue as the Story teacheth this Narration of a Nation of Christians continuing in the syncere Faith and holy Worship as they had receiued it from the Apostles for the space of 1500. yeares down-wards yea many of them with Constancy euen vnto death Tell vs do you beleeue that so many thousand thousands which had bene within the compasse of those times are notwithstanding Damned because they did not formally professe Subiection to the Church of Rome or not If you say they are Damned This were impiously calumnious against the Apostle Saint Thomas that taught them not your Article of the now Romane Faith If you say they are not Damned then are you damned in that your Romane Article which denounceth Damnation against all them that do not belieue that without Subiection to the Romane Catholike Church there can be no Saluation Howsoeuer you yet farre be it from vs who are Ministers of His Gospell that pronounced Saluation to them of little Faith that we should open where he shutteth by setting broad-wide the Gates of Hell to swallow vp in despaire such as hee hath called to the Profession of the Gospell of Life Our third Instance concerning Remote Nations is in other Churches Christian viz. Aegyptians Aethiopians Armenians Russians and the like
the Romane Church which boasteth her selfe to be the Mistresse of all Churches and Iudge of all matters of Faith is not after a Thousand Six hundred yeares fully assured whether Comparison being made betweene her Pope and her selfe Hic or Haec Hee or Shee be the Supreme Iudge When then and how will you resolue in this so principall a Case must the Scales still stand euen that neither of them shall ouer-poise Not so for you teach if One as your fore-man may speake for you all that Although this case haue not beene decided by any absolute Decree yet it is defined saith hee by the tacit and secret censent of the Doctors of the Church scarce any one Diuine holding any other opinion herein than that which before that of late this Controuersie was moued was anciently in force namely that the Pope is aboue a Councell as the Head is aboue the Body As if he should say Sirs if the Question be whether Iohn an Oake or Iohn a Stile be heire to that Land because the Witnesses conceale their meaning without question they by a tacit Consent are for the Complainant that Iohn an Oake must carry the Land O Quacksaluer Consider you not now that the Subiect of all this Dispute is The Catholike Visible Church whose Consent likewise is to be discerned onely by Visible Characters whether it be by word or by writing And are you now come to this passe as that in a Cause of so great moment you must depend vpon the iudgement of the Tacit Consent of your Doctors Wee doe not therefore maruell why they must needes be blinde Guides who themselues haue no better Direction than dumbe Iudges All other Christian Churches in the world stand for the Authoritie of a Generall Councell against whatsoeuer Pope which the Cause of your Pope hauing now bin heard we are to proue from the Romane Church it selfe That the Romane Church is rather Iudge than the Romane Pope in all Causes of that Church by the publike Decree of the same Church in it selfe First in the Councell of Constance SECT 18. IN the yeare of Christ our Lord 1415. was celebrated the Councell of Constance in Germanie a place then most fit consisting as you know of almost a Thousand Fathers whereof more then Three hundred were Bishops This Synod with an Inprimis beginneth with this Article The Holy Synod inspired with the Holy Ghost being lawfully assembled making vp a Generall Councell which representeth the whole Catholike Church hath immediate power from Christ whereunto euery state and condition be it the Papall or whatsoeuer is bound to obey in all things which concerne either Faith or Generall reformation of the Church whether in the Head or Members thereof Thus farre that Councell which was expresly confirmed by Pope Martin to be held Inuiolable in matter of Faith CHALLENGE TEll vs now whether euer the Church of Rome had a Councell more ample for multitude of Fathers being almost a Thousand whether euer any Councell could assume more Infallibilitie to it selfe than to be congregated by the Holy Ghost thereby making her Degrees Authenticall or whether euer any Councell could Derogate more from the Papall Power as it is now beleeued and Attributed to your Popes than to subiect him to the Determination of a Councell in matters both of Direction in Faith and Reformation of manners or can any of you require a more fundamentall reason thereof than that which is intimated in the Decree it selfe saying that The Councell hath its Authoritie immediately from Christ The meaning whereof is as you are taught that the Popes Authoritie is not of Diuine but onely of Humane Institution or Lastly can you expect a stronger confirmation of all this than is the Ratification thereof by the then Lawfull Pope Now then for now wee are come to our conflict by Comparison If as your Cardinall and others answer The Pope confirmed other matters of Faith decreed in that Councell but would not ratifie this Decree as being so derogatiue to his Headship and supreme Iudicature then behold that which wee assumed to proue as great a Difference betweene that Assembly of Fathers which was as much the Representatiue Body of the Romane Church as any can be named Whence it must as well follow that your Pope if hee had hereupon Excommunicated the Fathers of that Councell had bin a Schismatike as it doth follow that diuiding himselfe from their Decree hee could by your Romane Principles be no lesse than an Haeretike For the Decree is peremptorie as a matter of Faith the Reason they gaue was concluded against the Pope namely that the Pope of Rome is not Head of the Church by any Diuine Ordinance euen as a Thousand yeares before this the Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon anciently beleeued Another like Example in the Councell of Basil. SECT 19. IN the yeare 1431. there was a Councell gathered at Basil by the Authoritie of Pope Martin the Fift and after confirmed by Eugenius wherein were 90. Fathers who hauing confirmed the Decrees of the Councell of Constance whereby the Pope is made subiect vnto a Councell and the Censure thereof now at the length Pope Eugenius perceiuing they held this course will needes dissolue the Councell and translate it to Florence The Councell it selfe withstandeth this and Commandeth the contrary shewing thereby that The Pope sought nothing but by abrogating of Councels the destruction of the Church Therefore they fairely suspend the Pope and in the end according to the iudgement of the Councell of Constance they Decree as an Vniuersall Truth that the Pope hath no Authoritie aboue a Councell nor power of himselfe to dissolue it which truth whosoeuer say they shall obstinately contradict is to be iudged an Heretike So They. Will you now see the Pope and the Councell grapple together The Councell hath suspended the Pope and iudgeth him no better than a Schismatike The Pope pronounceth the Fathers of the Councell Schismatikes Separated from the Mother Church of Rome meaning the Conclaue of some Cardinals at Rome and the Head thereof for the space of seauen yeares last past The Councell answereth saying What will the Pope then damne for Schismatikes all the Cardinals Bishops and the Emperour himselfe with Kings and Princes there present yea and the whole Church which doth approue of this Councell In the end to end the fray The Pope saith the Councell did yeeld to the Admonition made vnto him of not dissoluing the Councell Here is presented before you the Romane Head and in the Opinion of the Fathers of that Councell the Catholike Bodie of the Romane Church in a Distraction and Separation either from the other for Seauen yeares space As for the Popes Pretence of his Romane Church which were but a few Domesticall Cardinals the Councell did not accompt them worthy the name of the Members of the Church This being
hath beene prooued by the Testimonies of Catholike and General Councels Fathers and Martyrs to be an Errour in it selfe The other Principle is that whereon the former dependeth to wit that the Bishop or Pope of Rome is the Vniuersall Head of the Catholike Church which in the iudgement of a most ancient and holy Pope is not onely a Prophane and Antichristian errour in it selfe but also the high-way of erring vniuersally Because saith hee if that One Vniuersall Bishop erre then must the whole and Vniuersall Church erre with him Where the same Saint Gregorie vpon a particular occasion taken at Iohn the Patriarke of Constantinople who ambitiously sought the Title of Vniuersall Bishop gaue this his foresaid generall Doctrine concerning any Bishop whatsouer whether in the See of Constantinople or Rome or wheresoeuer Euen as the Apostle vpon occasion of confuting of one new error among the Galatians giueth them a generall lesson against all other the like Nouelties of Doctrin If we or an Angel from heauen preach otherwise than hath been preached vnto you let him be Anathema or Accursed And that diuerse Popes haue beene Heretikes your owne Histories doe sufficiently proclaime especially in the example of Pope Honorius whom two Generall Councels three Romane Popes his Successours and diuers others your owne zealous Popish Writers haue reckoned among the Monothelites But you will say albeit that Pope were a Monothelite yet did not the whole Catholike Church fall into that Heresie with him True which manifesteth the falshood of your now Romane Article in as much as in those ancient times neither did the Church truely called Catholike hold the Pope to be the Catholike or Vniuersall Head of the Church neither yet did that which you abusiuely absurdly and falsely call the Catholike Church to wit the Church of Rome it selfe beleeue your Article of Infallibilitie of iudgement in your Popes A memorable example wee haue in your Pope Liberius who professing himselfe an Arian and seeking by his Arian faction to returne to his See found a bloudy resistance by both the Clergie and people of the Church of Rome as your selues well know But now when as the falsly-vsurped Title of Vniuersall Head carrieth in the beliefe of the new Church of Rome a confidence of an Vniuersall truth in whatsoeuer new Doctrine of faith in this Case that saying of Christ is verified If the blinde such is hee that in the opinion of his Vniversall Headship presumeth vpon an Infallibilitie of iudgement leade the blinde such are all they who by an Implicit and blind beliefe adhere vnto him as to an Oracle of Diuine truth Both shall fall into the ditch THESIS III. There is not in all Scripture any Prophecie of the fall of any Church Christian from the faith but onely of the Church of Rome from which it may sometime be Necessary to depart SECT 11. FOr where can you finde in all Scripture tell vs that the Spirit of God brandeth any Citie Christian with the note of certaine Apostasie from the truth but onely the Citie of Rome Your owne Iesuites haue confessed Themselues being compelled thereunto by the light of the Reuelation of the holy Ghost in the booke of Reuelation Apoc. 12. to acknowledge saying The Citie of Rome is Babylon there prophesied of to become before the end of the world The Seat of Antichrist and after to be suddenly and visibly Destroyed by the vengeance of God And although they are not more ingenuous in this Confession concerning the Citie of Rome in the dayes of Antichrist to come than they are not to dissemble with you zealous and indeede obstinate in denying that it can be ment of the Church of Rome yet would we faine know what you would thinke of the Church of England if the like Prophecie were extant in God's booke pointing out the Citie of London to be in times to come The Seat of Antichrist Would you desire a more Popular argument especially in these times wherein the ends of the world are come vpon vs to perswade your people to abhorre and detest the Church of England euen for that Citie sake But you are further to remember that which hath beene already prooued that your Church cannot be called The Church of Rome but by reason of the Seate thereof which is in the Citie of Rome Which wee now moreouer Confirme by the Apostle Saint Paul who writing to the Romanes maketh this the Inscription of his Epistle Chap. 1.7 To all you that are at Rome And againe ver 15. I am ready to preach vnto you that are at Rome Signifying that it cannot hereby be called the Church of Rome without relation to a company of Professours in the Citie of Rome Whensoeuer therefore Rome as is confessed shall become that Babylon and Seate of Antichrist whereof the Spirit saith to the faithfull Come out of Babylon my people Apoc. 18.4 then the necessitie of Departure must needes follow THESIS IV. The Church of Rome hath long beene and still is the most Schismaticall Church of all other Churches Christian that carry in them a Visible face of a Church SECT 12. OH that this could be iustly doubted of your owne supreame Article doth abundantly proue it to wit The Catholike Romane Church without Vnion and Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation By which one Article as you haue heard doe stand Excommunicate as much as lyeth in your Romane Church and depriued of all hope of Saluation the most renoumed godly Emperors the most ancient and Reuerend Popes the most graue and Orthodoxe Patriarkes and Fathers of the first Eight in your owne estimation Generall Councels the most famous Christian Churches the most constant Martyrs Confessours and Saints of God that the primitiue times of Christ his Church haue knowne and recorded to posteritie many whereof are at this day registred in the Romane Martyrologe and Calendar of Saints All which hath beene fully proued than which what Doctrine of Schismatikes can be more Schismaticall And what shall wee say of the After-ages of the Church wherein wee haue obserued the Church of the Graecians Aethiopians Aegyptians Assyrians not to mention as yet the Churches of Protestants Armenians Russians and others for extent more large than Rome for worship more pure for faith more sound and for profession thereof more constant by sustaining daily iniuries and thraldomes vnder the Mahumetans and other Pagan Enemies all which Churches amount to innumerable numbers of Christian soules who being by your Article of The Catholike Romane Church excluded from your Communion must accordingly be held to perish euerlastingly But pardon vs if wee from the Example of these so many Churches Christian of so large extent and long Continuance make bold to vse a little Logicke with you in this manner That Church which onely diuideth it selfe from the Communion of all other truely professed Christian Churches in the world the same is the most Schismaticall Church in the Christian
bodie of your Church how then to speake onely from your owne Confessions hath growne the opinion of the foresaid Necessity of the Administration of the of the Eucharist vnto Infants not onely with no Opposition but euen with the great approbation of your Popes how your Custome of Communicating but in one kinde whereof you your selues grant a Non constat or Ignoramus when it first began Whereas for a Thousand yeeres cantinuance the Contrarie was held as you know in the Catholike Church yea and in the Romane Church it selfe Or how will you answer for the Corruption of your Romane Worship whereof wee haue your Fathers in the Councell of Trent decreeing that Because many Corruptions haue crept into the celebration of the Romane Masse either by the errour of the time or negligence and improbity of men therefore an order must bee taken to purge them So They. Are not diseases diseases because we can but coniecture the first Cause or time of their being The former Confession of your Professor and Iesuite before pointed at now set downe at large wil giue vs the vpshot Some Traditions saith he are perpetual in time euen from the beginning of the Church Others are onely temporall the beginning whereof may be knowne somtimes positiuely what time they began and sometimes onely negatiuely by being able to shew what time neere the beginning of the Church such a custome or doctrine had no being though afterwards it was inuented Whereby it may be iustly collected that such a Tradition had it's beginning after the Apostles albeit the certaine and determinate time in which it began be not knowne Which Tradition because it is not vniuersall in time it cannot beget any Catholike beleefe So he euen such an He whom your Romane Church esteemeth for the most eminent general both Doctor and Proctor of her Cause at this day By which Sentence are auoided both your former Obiections of the Necessity of giuing of Names of Authors before Luther and of demonstrating the Time Persons and Place of the beginning of Errors in the Church As also there is reached vnto Protestants a strong engine to the vtter ouerthrowe of your now Romane Creed consisting of more then 12. new Articles concerning Worshipping of Images Purgatory Indulgences and the like which can neuer be shewed to haue sprung in the ages af Antiquity bordering on the Apostles time and therfore according to this former true and necessary Rule set downe by your Iesuite can beget no Catholike Beleefe THESIS VIII Your last Obiection of Continuall and Personall Succession in all Ages is frustrate SECT 21. LEst that Succession and not Succession may seeme to alter the Case because the Romane Church is by Personall Succession of Catholike Pastors the Protestant Church is by Secession and Departure whereas true Succession doth manifest a true Church euen as no true Succession doth notifie a false Church as you vse to say you need doe no more but cast your eyes vpon your owne Historians who reporting the great deluge of that horrible Heresie of the Arrians declare that in the most Churches Christian â—he true and Orthodoxe Bishops were remoued out of their Bishopricks and cast into Banishment As for example the Chiefe Patriarks Liberius out of Rome Athanasius out of Alexandria Paulus out of Constantinople c. Againe the Wheele of God's prouidence turning backwards the Arian Heretikes lost their Bishopricks and Patriarkships the Orthodoxe and Catholike Professors succeeding in their places We demand will you then indeed say that Succession in place is absolutely an affirmatiue Note of a true Church How then shall those Churches bee iudged Hereticall wherein Arians immediately succeeded Catholikes Or is not Succession negatiuely a Note of no true Church How then were not the Churches false wherein Catholikes immediately succeeded Heretikes So then if you pronounce any Church true by the Succession of Persons onely you doe but waste your winde if by the Succession of Doctrine then Luther's doctrine being truly Apostolicall his Church cannot be but truly Catholike The Fourth and last part of this DETERMINATION concerneth the state of the Churches of Protestants after the daies of Luther and their more iust Cause of Continuing this Separation from Rome SECT 22. WHy should we not thinke that after our iustification of the first Departure of Protestants from the Church of Rome you should expect some Addition for the Defence of our Continuance of that Separation lest otherwise some might surmize that now sure the Councell of Trent pretending a Generall reformation of all Abuses the Protestants might haue iuster Cause to re-unite themselues to the Church of Rome THESIS I. Protestants are Generally Excommunicated by the Church of Rome SECT 23. YOur Pope of Rome doth by his Bulls yearely bellow out his Excommumications Anathematismes or Curses by name against all Lutherans Caluinists Hugonots and all Protestants together with all their Defenders Fauourers Receiuers Readers of their Bookes without speceall Licence whosoeuer they be THESIS II. Protestants are Vniustly Excommunicated SECT 24. ALl the Causes for which Scripture hath authorized a Departure from any visible Church do accordingly iustifie our Separation from the Church of Rome I. Falshood by Creation of a new Creede consisting of so many Articles II. To a false Faith is ioyned false Worship by Idolatrie not onely by the vulgar in Worshipping of Relikes Images and Saints Idolatrously as is witnessed by your selues but also generally by the Adoration of your Romish Moloch in the Masse Wherein that which after Consecration you adore take it at the best is but a Christ as you teach voide of all sence naturall power of motion and facultie of vnderstanding Which Doctrine touching the glorified body of Christ Wee thinke to be Blasphemous Take it as it may possibly be and then by your owne generall Confession in all probabilitie Fiue hundred to one after Consecration the thing you adore is but Bread still which is a possible yea and as you your selues tearme it a materiall Idolatrie And take it as we are ready to proue to wit that it is infallibly still euen after Consecration the substance of Bread and consequently your Adoration is really necessarily and formally Idolatrous All these points are to be fully prooued in a Treatise to be intituled CHRIST HIS MASSE which in due time may salute you in like manner as this doth if God permit III. To Heresie and Idolatrie your Church ioyneth Obstinacie not that wee can denie but that the Fathers of the Councell of Trent decreed A safe Conduct and full securitie to all Protestants in Germanie to come to that Councell and according to the tenure of that same Decree To propound whether by word or writing what Articles they would and with free libertie to dispute thereof So they And was not this a Fatherly Consideration shall Wee thinke but your Thuanus will tell you of diuerse Protestants that came to
the Councell desiring of the Popes Legates to haue liberty to dispute according to the former Decree When One of them Exhibiting their ioynt Confession to the whole Councell assembled published the same whereat saith your Historian the Fathers of the Councell were greatly offended then after it was made knowne that the Protestants were ready to defend their Confession But they could haue no answer to it and therefore desired leaue to be gone which assuredly obtained they commended their Cause to the Emperours Oratour and departed from the Councell Where are now our great Disputers of Rome who can teach Protestants Logicke and all manner learning as you vse to boast if euer they ought to appeare then doubtlesse in their generall Synod when the most selected Schollers were assembled for the discussion of al Questions Iohn Husse in the Councell of Constance had safe-Conduct to come and Dispute for himselfe but that was all for that Conduct was but a trap to catch him in and so to burne him as they did In the Councell of Trent the Protestants are promised with their safe-Conduct a libertie of Disputation but are not allowed it when they offer themselues yet no sooner almost are they come but they are saluted by your Tridentines as Christ was by the Gadarenes when they wished him to depart out of their coasts What greater argument can there be of a perfidious promise then to grant a Disputation vnder a solemne Instrument in the name of the Pope and the whole Councell in pretence of Satisfaction to all Consciences and not to performe it or of Impotencie in your Cause than not to indure to haue it discussed or yet of Obstinacy in your Errours than to reiect the ordinary meanes of Detecting them allowed vnto all Aduersaries in all ancient Councels This directly confirmeth the Censure which that Phoenix of learning Master Isaac Casaubon gaue of your Church Hee is fouly deceiued saith hee whosoeuer hee be that will be a Medijst thinking that there can be any Reconciliation with the Church of Rome a thing to be vtterly despaired of To all the former Crimes your Church addeth Tyrannie your Positions are Excommunications to all that denie Subiection to the man of Rome After Excommunications come Eradications against States Lawes and Kingdomes by Conspiracies Rebellions and all hostile Machinations yea and against whatsoeuer inferiour Persons whensoeuer there is abilitie either by generall Massacres or by particular torments Nor are your hands shorter than your tongues for As wee haue heard so haue wee seene KINGS wallowing in their gore-blood shed by your desperate Assassines Rebellions Seditions and Combustions in all Christian Kingdomes haue beene raysed by the fierie spirits of the Disloyall Ignatians a Massacre in France for Crueltie as witnesseth your owne Historian not to be parallelled by any example in all the antiquitie of former times But you would not that England should be lesse noble than France in the excellencie of your mischiefe witnesse your Acheronticall POVVDER-PLOTT for the destruction of the three Estates of this whole Kingdome an Example beyond all examples of ages past and for the hainousnesse thereof hardly credible in the generations to come Adde hereunto your Inquisition now established in the most parts of the Romish Iurisdiction by Pope Paul the Fourth as The onely fortresse of Popedome and esteemed the chiefest meanes to preserue the Romish Profession what is it but that Lion's Denne to all them that are caught except they shall abiure the Doctrine of Protestants Vestigia nulla retrorsùm THESIS III. In the Continuance of this Separation Papists are rather Schismatikes than Protestants and consequently in the Heresie of the Donatists SECT 25. GLadly would your Cardinall make an alliance betweene the Schismaticall Donatists and Protestants be you so good as heare his Charge The Donatists saith hee held that the Church Catholike consisted onely of iust persons whence they concluded that the whole visible Church was perished vpon earth and that it was onely in Africa where they were Well but what is this to the Tenent of Protestants Caluinists likewise saith hee hold the whole visible Church of Christ to haue perished for diuers ages and that now it is onely in the Northerne parts among themselues So hee But how truely and conscionably Caluin himselfe will proue in reprouing your Romane Church for Magnifying her selfe as being the onely Church on earth and for not acknowledging the Churches of Africke of Aegypt of Asia and other Christian Churches And dare you say saith Caluin that the Church is wholly perished which was among the Graecians Thus plainly sheweth Caluin that his opinion was not to denie the African Aegyptian Asian and Graecian Churches to haue continued visible parts of the Catholike Church Trie wee in the next place what affinitie the Church of Rome may seeme to haue with the Schismaticall Donatists Saint Augustine as your Cardinall confesseth did iustly deride the Donatists for that they from the mysticall speech in the Canticles concerning the Church the Spouse of Christ saying Tell mee where my beloued lieth at noone day gathered that the Catholike Church remained onely in Africke And is not this your Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church without vnion and subiection whereunto there is no Saluation a manifest appropriation of a Priuiledge proper to Rome as remaining alwayes a Catholike Church The Differences are They challenged this Prerogatiue as due to Africke in the South you to the Romane Church in the West They erred by a false Interpretation of a Text of Scripture which was of mysticall Signification In meridie you from another of figuratiue Sence Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram as though it were ment necessarily of Peter or if so did Consequently authorize the Pope Both which haue beene confuted as egregiously false As for the Reason of the Donatists Separation from the other constituted Churches in Africa that which was the true marke of a Schismatike it was without iust Cause when they neither did nor could obiect either errour in Doctrine or Superstition in worshipping or tyranny constraining men to oppose the ancient truth but especially That which Cannot be a iust Cause the mixture of godly and wicked Professours in one Communion If you shall require any further iustification of this our Separation and euidence that herein your Romanists are the Schismatikes recall to minde that which hath beene said hereof in a former Section THESIS IV. In the Continuance of this Separation the Vnion of Protestants with the Catholike Church is both more True and more Vniuersall than is the Vnion of the Romanists SECT 26. TRue vnion We call only that which is only in Gods truth and for Truths sake otherwise as S. Hilarie saith It is not vnion of faith but of perfidiousnesse nor Christian communion but Antichristian conspiracie and coniuration Vniust Vnities there are many among men the first of compulsion and terror which may
the Romans but be it Ecclesiasticall power yet was not the necessitie of râ—course vnto it absolute and perpâ—tuall but occasionall for that time For Iraenaeus sheweth that he might haue proued his Traditions from other Churches Longum esset omnes enumerare Ecclesias c. but for breuitie sake he instanced only in Rome and the rather for the powerfull principality of that Sea in the preseruation of Originall Truth And remember this Irenaeus was hee that consented with the Asian Bishopâ— that were excommunicated by Pope Victor See abouâ— Cap. 9. §. 2. n Epiphanius Haeres 68. Vrsatius Valens Episcopi ad Papam â—ulium prosecti pro reddendâ ratione de suo delicto Ergò Papa Romanus Episcoporum Iudex The same parties that had columniated Athanasius and thereby as much as lay in them discredited the Pope who had iustified him asked pardon for their offence both of Athanasius and of Pope Iulius o Athanasius Apolog. 2. Episcopos eosdem à Papa Iulio Delicti veniam petijsse Et Epistolâ ad Felicem Papam Episcâ—pos Romanos in summitatis arce constitutos omnium Ecclesiarum Curam habere Of Cuâ—am habere see aboue Cap. 8. §. 5. p Dionysius Alexdrinus Is apud Romanum Pontificem accusatus Ergo Papa communis omnium in lex Jt is no extraordinary thing for one Patriarch to be accused before his fellow-Patriarch yet not iudicially but by Confederation that the guilty person be depriued of his Communion with whom the Cause is pleaded q Basilius Epist. 52. ad AthanasiuÌ„ tribuit Romano Episcopo authoritatem visitandi Ecclesias orientis See aboue Capit. 12. §. 4. after at §. 7. r Gregorius Nazianzenus in Carmine dicit Romanam Ecclesiam semper conseâ—uasse veram de Deo sententiâ—m vt decet vrbem quae toti orbi praesidet He saith not Ecclesia praesidet but Vâ—bs meaning the Temporall state of Rome Ob Sol. Although the Emperour resided at Constantinople yet was he stiled of Rome The Romane Emperour For Rome was after this time called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Omnium Ciuitatum facilè Princeps Socrates lib. 2. Cap 11. Theod. lib. 4. Cap. 8. s Zomen lib 3. Cap. 9. Propter sedis dignitatem cura omnium ad Iulium spectabat singulis Ecclesiam suam restituit nempe Athanasium Alexandrino Paulo Constantinopolitano He did so pro posse suo but was resisted by the Easterne Bishops and reuiled Ibid Where Zozomen is not to be vnderstood to speake these words from his owne iudgement but from the opinion that Pope Julius had of himselfe For it followeth in Zozomen that those East-Bishopâ— expostulating the Cause with Pope Iulius did protest against him saying that hee had no more to doe with restoring Athanasius Excommunicated by them than they had to restore Nouatus Excommunicated by himselfe And the helpe that Athanasius had was not in the Pope absolutely but in the Synod t Chrysost. Epist. 1. ad Innocentium Papam Obsecro vt scribas vt illi qui iniquè egerunt poenae Ecclesiasticâ—rum legum subiaceant Ergò Papa summus Pontifex etiam Graecorum 2. Agnoscit Papae Paternam beneuolentiam Ergò patrem 3. Orat Papam nè mimicos ejus eijciat When the Generall Canons of Election of a Patriarch were broken well might Chrysostome seeke helpe of a Co-Patriarch Innocentius to defend the Canon so farre as his Authority would reach and to punish â—hem by Excommunication which was but only a Separation from Communion with his own Church And Innocentius himselfe confesseth Epist. ad Chrysost. that he would not restore Chrysostome without a Synod See Binius Tom. 1. and when he had done his best his Authority was reiected with scorne yet could Chrysostome doe no lesse than thankefully acknowledge his Fatherly care being now no Bishop but Deposed u Cyrillus Alexandrinus Epist. 10. ad Nest. Epist. 11. ad Clerum et populum Constantinop Nestorium dicit excommunicandum ab omnibus nisi intra terminos à Papa praescriptos se reuocet Et ad Coelestinum Num velit cum Nestorio ad tempus aliquod communicari petit ab eo Ergò Is administer Papa iudex Rursus in libro de Thesauro Debemus capiti nostro Romano Pontifici adhaerere See after §. 7. x Theodoretus Episcopus Asianus ad Leonem Obsecro vt mihi opem feras iudicium tuum appellanti Meaning a Subsidiarie iudgement not absolute Binius Tom. 2. Annot in Conc. Chalced. Sess. 8. pag. 184. Theodoretus Cypri Episcopus depositus tanquam qui Nestorianus esset exulate coactus ad Romanum Pontificem aliosque orientis Epiâ—copos hac de re diu multumque conquestus se vere Catholicum esse probans literis significauit in hoc consessu insâ—iterunt vt Anathema Nestorio dicerent sed in pristiuam fidem est restitutus namely by the Synod of the Bishops in the East y Acacius in Epist. ad Smplicium Solicitudinem omnium Ecclesiarum secundùm Apostolum circum-ferentes nos indesinenter hortamini Acacius meant not to make the Pope a Monarch by this because he alludeth to that saying of the Apostle not of Peter but of Paul that said I haue the care of all Churches and Chrysostome himselfe Curam Vniuersae Ecclesiae gerimus Hom. 18. in 2. Cor. 11. z Liberatus de Episopo Patarensi in Breuiario Cap. 22. Pontifex Romanus praeest Ecclesiijs totius mundi De quo Bellar. lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. Cap. 10. §. Posset Possit dici epistolam illam Vigilij cuius meminit Liberatus confictam fuisse ab Haereticis Liberatum autem credidisse falso rumori quem Haeretici sparserant And would he not be as well deceiued in this 2. This Greeke Author must bee taken in the Greeke sense of Primacy or Order 3. Iustinian promised to restore Syluerius vpon condition that he would cleare himselfe otherwise to be confined to one City Patarensis that laboured the Release of Syluerius did not oppose against this Condition Baronius anno 538 num 13. a Iustinianus Epistolâ ad Iohannem 2 quae habetur in Codice in primo Titulo Quae est Caput omnium Ecclesiarum If we should grant you that that Rescript is not Counterfeit yet He meaneth no more but Primus Episcoporum As for the word Caput you haue heard how common â—â— hath beene without any sense of Monarchy * See aboue Cap. 9. * See after at q. * See aboue Cap. 12. §. 4. * See aboue at t. b Baronius Anno 412. â—um 43. c Ibidem num 44. 46. d Jbidem num 47. Theophilus iâ— Sanctis e Jbidem num 47 Populi concordiae gratiâ necessitate premente ne Religionis res ex populi arbitrio penderet Baronius in the Margent noteth Cogitur Atticus restituere nomen Iohannis And Anno 425 num 19. Ostendimus Atticum coactum fuisse ab Innocentio Romanâ— Pontifice restituere nomen Iohannis And yet neuer produceth any place to proue it but this forenamed in Num 49. which speaketh onely