contrary to these Decrees let him be Anathema m Siquis autem his decretis contraria docuerit aut senserit Anathema sit However by this Rule all those Propositions are condemned as Heretical which are contrary to those Decrees of the Twenty Fifth Session and to the latter part of the Fifth Chapter of the Fifth Session such among many others are these That Concupiscence is truly and properly Sin That it is repugnant to the Word of God to pray to the Saints with Mental as well as Vocal Prayer And the contrary to these made necessary Points of Faith 3. Another Rule laid down by Canus by which it may be known that a Decree contains Matter of Faith necessary to be believed is this If the Sentence of Excommunication be pass'd upon those who shall contradict or speak against it n Tertia est si in eos qui contradixerint not contra senserint Excommunicationis sententia ipso jure feratur ibid. Now by this Rule not only all those disputable and false propositions before mention'd but almost all the Doctrines defin'd by the Council are made Articles of Faith necessary to be believed because an Anathema is denounced not only against those who shall teach or preach or in publick dispute defend the contrary Propositions or say that the Church hath err'd in defining them but against those who shall but barely say the contrary to any of them And is it not strange that R. H. should overlook this Rule But he is to be excused because his design was to put a favourable gloss upon this odious part of the Council Or we may charitably suppose that the sight of so many terrible Anathema's put him into such a Fright that he forgot himself 4. The first part of the Fourth Rule teaches that Doctrine to be necessary concerning which it is expresly said That it is firmly to be believed by all the Faithful o Quarta si quicquam expresse proprie a fidelibus firmiter credendum aut tanquam dogma Fidei Catholicae accipiendum dicatur vel aliis similibus verbis aliquid esse Evangelio doctrinaeve Apostolorum contrarium ibid. By which Rule the whole Doctrine of Justification Sess 6. will be found to be de Fide because the Synod says Except a Man do faithfully and firmly receive it he cannot be justified p Post hanc Catholicam de Justificatione Doctrinam quam nisi quisque fideliter firmiterque receperit justificari non poterit And the last Clause of this Rule is of such latitude viz. by other like words something be said to be contrary to the Gospel or the Doctrine of the Apostles that it may be extended to almost all the Doctrinal Decrees There is another note proposed by Canus before these Four already mentioned which is of such large extent that there are very few if any of the Definitions of Trent that will not fall within the compass of it 'T is in short this 5. The Doctrine of Conncils if proposed to the whole Church if proposed also with an Obligation of believing it is a necessary point of Faith q Itaque summorum Pontificum Conciliorumque doctrina si toti Ecclesiae proponatur si cum obligatione etiam credendi proponatur tum vero de fidei causa Judicium est Now I think no Doctrine defined by the Council of Trent is limited to any particular Church or that any one can be named which a Romanist will say is not proposed to the Church Universal in like manner as the Council expresly proposes those of Sess 14. to be believed and held of all Christians (r) Haec sunt quae de Poenitentiae extremae Unctionis Sacramentis haec Sancta Oecumenica Synodus profitetur docet atque omnibus Christi Fidelibus credenda tenenda proponit And that the Synod intended what in them lay to oblige all those to whom they were proposed to believe them is manifest by those Curses it thunders out against all those who shall dare to contradict them I think it is now evident That by Canus his Rules all the Canons of the Council of Trent in which Persons are Anathematized barely for affirming or denying such or such a Proposition do enjoyn assent under Anathema to the contradictory Proposition I need not insist upon what R. H. quotes to the same purpose out of Bellarmine not only because he himself says it is much what the same but because Bellarmine himself speaks doubtfully of it and dares not trust to it For after he has told us what words a Council uses when a Decree is proposed as a matter of Faith he concludes When they say none of these things it is not certain that it is a matter of Faith (s) Quando autem nihil horum dicunt non est certum rem esse de fide De Concil l. a. c. 12. It is certain it seems that it is when a Council uses such words but it not certain that it is not when it does not use them But be it so Yet says R. H. (t) Cap. 11. §. 192. The contrary to such Propositions the maintainers whereof are Anathematiz'd as Hereticks is not hereby made by the Council an Article of Faith in such a sense 1. As if it were made a Divine truth now which was not so formerly The Council was Modest in not assuming to it self a power of making Divine Truths But in case they were not Divine Truths sormerly and by consequence they are not such now in that the Council did not make those Divine Truths which were not such formerly did it not arrogate a little too much in obliging men under a curse to believe them to be Divine Truths Or 2. As such Divine Truths were not also revealed and declared to be so formerly either in the same Expressions or in its necessary Principles It will not I suppose be pretended as to most of the Propositions before mention'd as false or doubtful that they were formerly declared Articles of Faith in the same Expressions It will then be well worth the knowing what were those Principles those necessary Principles in which these Articles for instance were formerly declared viz. That the Lights Odours and Vestments used in the Mass are of Apostolical Tradition That the Church of Rome is the Mother of all Churches Or 3. As if any such thing were now necessary explicitely to be known or believed absolutely ratione medii for attaining Salvation which was not so formerly Then none of the Propositions before mention'd are now necessary to be believed ratione medii Or 4. As if there might not be such a sufficient proposal made to us of such a Point formerly as that from this we had then an Obligation to believe it If there was such a sufficient Proposal formerly of all Points determin'd by the Council how came it to pass that many of them were not known to be Divine Truths no not by those Persons
Persons was now out of doors But when the next Lateran Council came the case was quite alter'd the Pope was then mounted above a Council and his Supremacy and their Subjection owned by them and by the succeeding Council of Trent The sum of what hath been said may be reduced to these four Heads which quite evacuate the force of the Objection 1. That in the Councils of Pisa and Constance the case with respect to the Pope was as different from what it was and ever will be when there is a Pope whose Right is not disputed as the case of Subjects under a Prince whose Title is unquestionable from what it is under many Pretenders who are not able to make out their Claim The Subjects are oblig'd in Conscience and usually by Interest to obey the former but by neither to obey the latter 2. Suppose their Title was at first unquestionable yet they lost it by Heresy Schism and their prodigiously scandalous Vices 3. In the Councils of Constance and Basil it was reckon'd a Point of Faith That the Bishops change their place in relation to the Pope when united in a General Council and by consequence were no more bound by the Oath they had taken to the Pope than a Servant who swears Obedience to his Master is in case he cease to be his Servant and his Master become Servant to him And 4. In the Council of Basil the Pope himself had set the Bishops free from their Oath of Subjection to him by voluntarily subjecting himself to them By this time it is I think evident enough that notwithstanding this Exception in an extraordinary case the Reasons before mentioned stand good But what need I prove that the Sun is up at Noon The Reason the Sense and common Observation of Mankind do all tell us that as Men who have any Religion cannot but have a great Veneration for an Oath so on the other hand that they who have none cannot but be sway'd by their worldly Interests Where the Carcass is thither will the Eagles resort Since therefore the governing part of the Church of Rome were so miserably enslaved to the Roman Bishop could there be any hope of Reformation when there was no reason to hope that the Bishop of Rome would consent to it Obj. Some perhaps may say that I wrong the Popes in representing them as so obstinately set against Reformation For as many of them pretended a Zeal for it so 't is certain there was one at least viz. Adrian VI. who did himself earnestly endeavour it Ans But what kind of Reformation was it he endeavoured to make In matters of Faith and of the Sacraments he would allow no Man liberty so much as to dispute what had been once decreed by General Councils l Soave l. 1. p. 25. Sleid. Comment l. 4. that is by any of those Councils which he called General many of which were no more than Italian or Papal Councils Whosoever was so bold as to call any such thing in question he was to be dealt with as John Huss and Hierom of Prague m Soav ibid. so that if any Man denied the imaginary Fire of Purgatory he must presently be confuted by real Flames The Popes usurp'd Power and Greatness the source of numberless other Corruptions so far was he from retrenching that he rather endeavoured to set it higher The Princes of Germany were looked upon as too sawcy and thought to entrench upon his Prerogative for desiring only that a Council might be called with the Emperor's Consent n Soav l. 1. p. 28. What then was the Reformation Adrian aimed at Why the Church-men were in their Morals so monstrously degenerated that in almost all places they were become abominable The Abuses in Discipline were grown so intolerable that the Princes of the World were resolved no longer to endure them That therefore which he designed was to reduce the Clergy to somewhat better Manners and to correct some gross Enormities in Discipline which were most offensive This was all the Reformation he endeavoured for other Corruptions so far was it from his intention to reform them that he was resolved more firmly to establish them And yet this piece of Reformation he did not effect tho he much desired it Which leads me to another Consideration which further shews how hopeless the Reformation of the Church of Rome was For 6. Let us suppose That such a Man had been advanced to the Papacy who would have set himself in good earnest to make an impartial Reformation one of the most unlikely things in the World as the state of that Church then was and for a long time before had been he would have fail'd in his Attempt and not have been able to accomplish it And that for these two Reasons 1. Because he could have made no such Reformation unless he first made void those Obligations by which the governing part of that Church both in point of Conscience and of Interest were held in subjection to him 2. Because of that opposition which they being so let loose would for the generality have made against him 1. Because he could have made no such Reformation unless he first made void those Obligations by which the governing part of that Church both in point of Conscience and Interest were of held in subjection to him The great holds he had upon their Consciences proceeded from several corrupt Doctrines and those Practices of the Popes that were built upon them For instance That the Pope is by Divine Ordination Head of the Universal Church that all other Bishops are his Subjects and that he hath power to impose an Oath upon them as their Soveraign that he is the Supream Judg of Controversies and all Men oblig'd to stand to his Sentence These and several other Doctrines of a resembling nature have been defined by the Popes themselves and with great Zeal asserted as unquestionable Truths by their Flatterers and had been so far owned by the governing Clergy that they had bound themselves by solemn Oath has as been already shew'd to be obedient to him But now no Reformation to purpose could have been made but the Pope must condemn these Doctrines and divest himself of those Prerogatives which by virtue of them he lays claim to Because these are not only great Errors themselves but productive of all other the grossest Corruptions o Richer Hist Concil General l. 1. c. 13. Nor must he only loose the tie of Conscience but that of Interest too which with the generallity of Men is the stronger of the two He must no longer assume to himself the sole power of erecting and pulling down of Bishopricks of electing confirming deposing and restoring of Bishops of disposing of all the greater Dignities and Ecclesiastical Benefices of conferring those that are incompatible upon the same Person In a word of trampling upon all the ancient Canons And should the Pope have once parted with these Prerogatives together with
(w) à nemine judicandus nisi deprehendatur à fide devius Distinct 40. c. 6. so Cardinal Bellarmine himself affirms That a Pope who is a manifest Heretick ceases to be Pope and Head of the Church as he ceases to be a Christian and a Member of the Body the Church (x) Est ergo quinta opinio vera Papam Hereticum manifestum per se definere esse Papam Caput sicut per se desinit esse Christianus membrum Corporis Ecclesiae Bell. de Rom. Pontif. l. 2. c. 30. And this he says is the judgment of all the Ancient Fathers and of the most learned Modern Writers II. As to the Council of Constance let these things be considered 1. That tho the Pisan Council had deposed Greg. XII and Benet XIII and put Alex. V into the Chair yet neither of the deposed Popes could be brought to submit to the Sentence of the Council When therefore the Council of Constance assembled so far was the Schism from being lessen'd that it was indeed increas'd into one branch more than it had before For whereas before two only laid claim to the Papacy there were now three y Revixit continuo Schisma quod extinctum putabatur imo vero non revixit neque enim erat extinctum sed cum in occulto flamma lateret repente majori impetu erupit majusque incendium excitavit Cum enim Gregorius Benedictus Synodo parere seque Pontificatu abdicare nollent statim illud in Controversiam venit num Synodus Pisana in illos animadvertere potuerit praesertim cum eorum alteruter verus esset Pontifex tametsi uter is esset non plane constaret Itaque cum hoc Schisma duo tantum capita haberet initio Synodusque utrumque abscindere vellet tria simul eodem tempore extitere c. Hist Concil Constantiens apud Bin. each of which had fair Arguments on his side and it was very difficult if not impossible for the Council to determine whose Right it was z Inchoato deinde Concilio tametsi eam ob causam potissimum erat coactum ut Schisma extingueretut nunquam tamen in eo elaborarunt Patres ut singulorum Pontificum jus perpenderent aut quis reliquis praeferendus esset rationibus argumentis exquirerent erat enim id difficillimum vixque unquam ad exitum fuisset causa perducta ibid. And therefore in this Case the Ties before-mentioned must be also loos'd Besides that the Roman Courtiers themselves grant as Richerius tells us that in case of Schism the Pope loses his Soveraignty and becomes subject to a Council a Hist Concil General l. 2. c. 3. §. 25. But 2. Let it be granted That John XXIII who succeeded Alex. V. was own'd by the Council for the true and lawful Pope as indeed he was by the major part yet he had forfeited his Title to the Papacy these two ways especially 1. By Heresy 'T is true that Heresy is not mention'd in the Sentence pass'd against him as that for which he was condemned yet 't is also true That as he was accused of Heresie so it was believed that he was guilty b Concil Const Sess 11. in Concilior Collect. Regia Gers Viag Reg. Rom. prima direct salut in via verit 2. By the most notorious enormous and incorrigible Scandal of which he was convicted in more than forty Articles prov'd against him c Concil Const Sess 11. Plat. in ejus vita Now the Gloss upon their Canon Law tells us That if the Pope's Crime be notorious and the Church be scandalized thereby and he incorrigible he may be accused and gives this Reason for it Because Contumacy is called Heresy d Certe credo quod si notorium est crimen ejus quandocunque inde scandalizatur Ecclesia incoâ—â—igibilis sit c. Gloss in Can. si Papa distinct 40. Vide Consil Decii apud Richer l. 4. part 1. p. 241 242 243. Yea that in this case he may be legally deposed the Romanists must grant if they consider That for this very cause John XII was deposed by a Council e Luit prand de rebus Imperat. Reg. l. 6. c. 7 8 9 10. the Legality of which hath been own'd and its Acts approved by the constant Tradition of the Roman Church and among others by three Cardinals who were vehement Assertors of the Popes Prerogatives as Launoy hath proved at large against Baronius and Binius f Launoii Epist parte quarta ad Lud. Maraesium The same is also confirmed by the concurrent Judgment of learned Divines of the Romish Church of which you may find a great number in the Epistle now quoted 3. Before the Council proceeded to accuse and condemn him the ancient Doctrine was establish'd as an Article of Faith namely That a General Council is above the Pope g Sess 4. I know Platina tells us That they first depos'd him and pass'd this Decree afterward in their own defence h Plat. in vita Johan But he that will take the pains to read the History of the Council will plainly see that Platina was mistaken For this Decree was made in the fourth Session whereas he was not depos'd before the twelfth it being then a point of Faith in this Council That the Bishops who in their single capacities are the Pope's Subjects when met in Council are raised to a Soveraignty over him that Oath which they had severally taken as his Subjects they concluded did now cease to oblige them when become his Soveraign As the Oath of Obedience which a Priest takes to his Bishop binds him as long as he remains a bare Priest but if he be once advanced to be the Bishop's Metropolitan is of no force 3. As to the Council of Basil omitting many others I shall propose these two things First That this Council depended on the Council of Constance as a River on its Fountain it being the Execution of the Decrees of the iv v xxxix xl xliv Sessions of that Council i Richer l. 3. c. 1. 2. In the Council of Basil the Bishops were set free from their Oaths of Subjection to the Pope by the Pope himself first by Martin V who had confirm'd those Decrees of the Council of Constance which made the Pope subject to a Gen. Council k Concil Const Sess 45. Rich. l. 2. c. 3. §. 23. Maimb Prerog of the Church of Rome c. 21. Secondly by Eugenius IV who ratified the same Decrees of the Council of Basil †Plat. in vit Eugenii and that before the Council had proceeded to any judicial Act against him ‖ Richer l. 3. c. 3. §. 1. Maimb Prerog of the Church of Rome c. 21. So that now the Bishops when met in a General Council representing the whole Church by the Pope's own Act were made his Superiours and therefore the Oath they had before taken of Subjection to him as single
many other of the like nature which must have been done if a Reformation had been made to purpose he would have been able to do nothing more For 2. The Prelats as has been before shew'd (h) First part p. 55 56 57. were so deeply sunk into Earthliness and Sensuality that there was nothing they would have more vehemently opposed than a Reformation This they gave a sufficient proof of in that they were so distasted with that Confession of their Excesses which Adrian made to the Diet at Nuremberg (i) Soave l. 1. p. 29. For if the bare Confession of their Faults was so displeasing how much more grievous would the reforming of them have been Which tho Adrian likewise promised yet how unable he would have been to perform it we may conclude from that ill success he met with in Rome it self For tho he resolv'd to reform Abuses at home before he sent his Legat to treat with the Princes of Germany yet he met with so much difficulty in the Attempt that he was forced to quit his Resolution (k) P. 24. And can it be suppos'd that he should be able to reform the Universal Church who could not correct the Disorders of his own Court (l) Palpabiliter cernitur ipsam ejus Curiam maxima indigere Reformatione sicut omnia clamaverunt ultimo celebrata Generalia Concilia Quam suam Curiam si non potest aut non vellet reformare quam sub alis suis contegir quomodo credendum est quod tam late diffusam reformare possit Ecclesiam Jacob de Paradis Collect. de Authorit Eccles And therefore after he had made some trial of his strength and found how unequal it was to his undertaking he said to his familiar Friends That the condition of the Popes was very miserable since matters were come to that deplorable pass that tho they never so much desired it yet they were not able to reform the Church (m) Saepe enim sanctissimus Pontifex ubi Curiae Rom. artes consilia perspecta habuie cum Gulielmo Encurtio Theodorico Hezio suis familiaribus conquestus est permiseram esse Pontificum Romanorum conditionem eoque in statu res esse ut quanquam maxime vellet Ecclesiam emendare non posset c. Richer l. 4. part 2. p. 133. Soave p. 24. And what was the reason he was not able to effect what he so earnestly endeavoured One main reason doubtless was that he in some measure let loose that Tie which he had upon them from their worldly Interests No plurality of Benefices with cure of Souls was to be expected from him He was resolved as he said to adorn Churches with Priests and not Priests with Churches (n) Lannoii Epist part 4. Epist ad Hen. Barrill Such a little piece of Reformation as this the corrupt Manners of the Courtiers were not able to bear they therefore set themselves to oppose him and being impatient of enduring him any longer 't was by some suspected that they hastned him into another World by an Italian Trick (o) Raynald in Adriano n. 13â— The plain consequence of what hath been said is this That the Reformation of the Church of Rome must needs be very hopeless since the Pope himself tho he should have seriously endeavour'd it could not have made it because he could not have made it without doing that which as the case of that Church then stood would have disabl'd him to make it A desperate case indeed when it could not be effected whether the Pope were for it or against it If the the Pope were against it the rest of the Prelats were not able without him to compass it if the Pope were for it he must in order to it do that which would have rendred him unable to compass it Obj. If it be objected That the Reformations attempted in the Councils of Constance Basil and the last Pisan are an evident Argument that the Romish Bishops were not generally so averse from a Reformation Ans I answer 1. That in the Councils of Constance and Basil many of the Bishops were over-aw'd by the good Emperor Sigismund whose Authority at that time bore a much greater sway than the Popes 2. In these Councils the inferiour Clergy had a decisive voice which was denied them in the succeeding Florentine Lateran and Trent Councils And Ludovicus Cardinal of Arles and John Bishop of Segovia whose Authority in this matter is unquestionable assure us that it was not the Bishops but the inferior Clergy by which Matters were carried in the Council of Basil for the Reformation and against the Pope p Aeneae Sylv. Comment l. 1. p. 29 34. 3. 'T was but a piece of Reformation these Councils design'd and that not the most considerable Those demands of Reformation in the Head and Members says the Cardinal of Perron propounded before the last division of the Church have been demands of Reformation not in the Doctrine of Faith and the Sacraments but in Manners and in the practice of Ecclesiastical Discipline which even these words of Reformation both in the Head and Members principally used in the time of the Councils of Constance and Basil signifie q Reply to the King of Great Brit. l. 4. c. 30. And those matters of Discipline they aim'd at were such as did almost all concern the Exorbitances of the Pope and his Court as appears by the eighteen Articles of Reformation proposed in the Council of Constance r Sess 40. And therefore no wonder if the Bishops did the more easily yield their Consent to them 4. Tho the second Pisan Council voted a Reformation both in Faith and Manners Yet it is sufficiently known That that Reformation was resolved upon to serve a Design against the Insolencies of the present Pope in opposition to whom that Council was called by some of the Cardinals who had been disgrac'd and insolently treated by him Tho even that was a plain Argument of the necessity of it and how earnestly it was desired by the Christian World But because in discoursing afterward upon the Council of Trent I shall have occasion to say those things which will be more than an Answer to this Objection I shall only at present add That if the Bishops were not generally abandoned to Ambition Covetousness Sloth and Sensuality 't is not I but the Romish Writers themselves that slander them For this I appeal to Marsilius of Padua Nicolas Clemangis the German Bishop who wrote the Book call'd Onus Ecclesiae Father Paul yea even to Pope Pius II himself before he was Pope Cardinal or Bishop who in his Comments upon the Council of Basil hath left on record this sad Complaint among many others of the Cardinal of Arles Alas at this day a Prelat who does not prefer temporal things before those that are spiritual is rarely found s De Gest Concil Bas l. 1. fol. 12. 7. There is one Consideration still behind which
which yet will not pass for much among many Men of his own Church But suppose they are is it a thing granted that all is true that is in the Vatican Manuscripts He frequently quotes the Acts of the Council the Vatican it seems is furnished with plenty of them the Acts of Paleottus of Mensottus of the Bishop of Salamanca c. O how thankful would many Men be to his Holiness would he bless the World with the sight of these Yea what would they not willingly give to purchase them If then they are such as will abide the Test why are they still kept under Lock and Key Is it not to be suspected that the Wares are adulterate when the Merchant will not be persuaded to bring them into the Light Is the Court of Rome so self-denying as not to publish those things which make for their advantage May we not then conclude That either they are such as will not endure the Trial or in case they will that besides what makes for them they contain those matters also which make more against them Besides It is a thing known to the World that the Legats in the Council had two sorts of Instructions one Letter was to be shew'd to give satisfaction to the Bishops and Ambassadors another ran counter to it and was to be concealed And may we not suppose that those Letters which the Cardinal so frequently cites were of that sort only which were to be communicated which were direct contrary to those that were concealed What credit then is to be given to his Proofs For these and many other Reasons which to avoid tediousness I omit the Cardinals Counter-History hath not met with that esteem among learned Men of the Church of Rome as was expected and instead of blasting the Reputation of Father Paul's History hath made it to be more highly valu'd by many Men than it was before CHAP. III. The Vanity of the pretended Reformation of the Council of TRENT HAving given Father Paul his due I shall now proceed to treat of the Reformation made by the Council I might premise several general Considerations by which all impartial Persons will be abundantly satisfied that no Reformation to purpose could be made by it viz. such as these 1. The Pope and his Court were very averse from such a Reformation 2. The Pope by his Legats presided in the Council 3. The proposal of all matters to be treated of was reserved to the Legats 4. The Legats in doubtful matters confulted the Pope before they proposed them to be discuss'd 5. After matters had been discuss'd in the Congregations before they were proposed in the Session the Legats sent to Rome to know the Pope's Pleasure 6. The Bishops of the Council were generally such as were addicted to the Pope either as they were Italians or as they were his Pensioners or both And therefore such as would not contradict him except in such rare Cases in which the Pope's Interest and their own could not be reconciled such as the Exemption of Regulars and the Divine Right of Episcopacy 7. When any considerable opposition was like to be made all Arts were used the most disingenuous not excepted to bring over the Dissenters to the Pope's Party 8. Nothing was proposed in the later Sessions to be defined till they were before secure of a Party to carry it that way which the Pope desired He that considers these things cannot expect any good from this Council But passing over all these I shall at present consider matter of Fact only what was done and what was not done by the Council which shall be reduc'd to these three general Heads 1. That in those matters in which a Reformation was most necessary not the least Reformation was made or so much as pretended 2. That in those matters in which a mighty Reformation was pretended little or rather none was really made 3. That instead of Reformation the Council produc'd a greater Deformation what it found bad it left in many respects worse SECT I. In those matters in which a Reformation was most necessary not the least Reformation was made or so much as pretended First That in those matters in which Reformation was most necessary not the least Reformation was made or so much as pretended And these things were of two sorts matters of Doctrine and matters of Worship In which I say Reformation was most necessary because Errors in these are of the most dangerous consequence First That the Romish Errors in Doctrine were numerous and many of them in points of the highest moment I have already shew'd (a) Part. 1. and therefore shall spare the labour of mentioning them here That the Protestants with one Mind and one Mouth demanded a Reformation of these especially as absolutely necessary I need not prove it being a thing notorious to all Men who have read but so much as the Ausburg Confession Yea That many Errors in Doctrine were so gross that those very Romanists who in compliance with their worldly Interest resolv'd not to reform them were not able to shut their Eyes so close as not to discern them we may conclude from that Counsel which the Bishops assembled at Bononia gave to Pope Julius III. for the establishment of the Roman Church viz. The Lutherans receive and confess all the Articles of the Athanasian Nicene and Apostles Creed The same Lutherans refuse to admit any Doctrine except that only which hath the Prophets Christ and his Apostles for its Authors and wish that we would imitate the ancient Churches and not think of receiving any Traditions which it is not more manifest than the Noon-day light were dictated and instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostles But we on the contrary following the opinion of your Holiness will have all Traditions Constitutions Rules and Ceremonies which have heretofore either by the Fathers or Councils or even by any private Man with a good Zeal been introduc'd into the Church to be believ'd and accounted necessary to Salvation And particularly as to Tradition we intirely believe and confess as a true Article of Faith That which the Council of Trent hath determin'd in the Decree of the third Session And although we cannot prove this for we plainly confess between our selves that we cannot prove that which we hold and teach concerning Tradition yet we confess it to be true because the Roman Church holds it But that we may confess the Truth which must be kept as a secret in the time of the Apostles and for some Years after the Apostles there was no mention of the Papacy or the Cardinalship much less were there these Doctrines these Laws these Customs no nor the Empire over the Nations that we now obtain But all Ministers of all Churches of the Roman no less than of others did voluntarily obey Kings and Princes and Magistrates b Lutherani Symboli Apostolorum Nicaeni Athanasii Articulos omnes recipiunt c. Consil de
stabiliend Rom. Eccles Vergerii Tom. 1. p. 95 96. And a little after he proceeds thus Certainly we scarce retain in our Churches so much as a shadow of the Doctrine and Discipline which flourish'd in the times of the Apostles but have brought in another quite different from it c Certe vix umbram quandam retinemus in nostris Ecclesiis ejus doctrinae disciplinae quae Apostolorum temporibus floruerunt prorsus aliam accersivimus p. 97. And in the conclusion they give the Pope this Counsel as the most weighty of all That he labour with all his might that as little as possible of the Gospel especially in the vulgar Tongue may be read in the Cities that are under his Dominion that that very little which is wont to be read in the Mass may be sufficient and that no mortal Man may be permitted to read more of it For as long say they as Men were contented with that little your affairs succeeded according to your wish which began to decline to the contrary as soon as Men took upon them to read more In brief this is the Book which hath raised the Tempests and Storms with which we are toss'd And the truth is if any Man shall diligently consider that Book and shall take a view of those things which are done in our Churches he will see that there is a vast disagreement between them and that our Doctrine is not only altogether different from that but which is more is often contrary to it d Denique quod inter omnia consilia quae nos dare hoc tempore Beatitudini tuae possumus omnium gravissimum ad extremum reservavimus oculi hic aperiendi sunt omnibus nervis adnitendum erit ut quam minimum Evangelii poterit praesertim lingua vulgari in iis legatur civitatibus quae sub tua ditione ac potestate sunt sufficiatque tantillum illud quod in Missi legi solet c. p. 102. 1. This was the Confession of Popish Bishops but made in the Pope's Ear and afterward divulged to the World by a great Bishop of that Church who a little before was so zealous an Advocate for the Romish Faith and so much the Popes Favorite that he made choice of him before all others for his Legate to reduce the Hereticks in Germany Forty years before this the Cardinals and Bishops in the Council of Pisa not only confess'd their Errors in Doctrine but decreed a Reformation in Faith as well as in Manners e Sess 3. Richer Hist Concil general l. 4. parte 1. p. 430. For though as I said before that Decree was made by them to serve a Design yet the serving of that Design was a plain Demonstration that such a Reformation was judged needful by many of the Roman Church Add to these the Emperor the King of France and the Duke of Bavaria who demanded such a Reformation from the Trent-Council as was in many points plainly repugnant to the received Doctrines of the Roman Church f Natalis Comes l. 14. Hist sui temp Soave l. 6. p. 513. p. 527. l. 7. 652. And was any thing done by the Council in compliance with these Confessions and Demands No not one of their Doctrines was so much as reflected upon much less condemn'd Yea so far was the Council from making any alteration in Doctrine that the Emperour with all his Authority could not obtain leave for the Protestants so much as to propose their Doctrine g Soave l. 4. p. 359. 360. Vergerii Secret Pontif. Actio 1. And to make all sure against any such kind of Reformation the Pope provided that his most learned Prelats might not come acquainted with any other Doctrine than what their Mother the Church had taught them For he prohibited not only the Bishops but the Cardinals too to look into the Books of the Lutherans h Verger secret Pontif. Act. 3. p. 77 78 82 83. And were not they think you likely to be equal Judges who were to condemn those Doctrines which they were not permitted to examine But 't is needless to shew that no Reformation was made in Doctrine since R. H. confesses That the Tridentine Fathers were unanimous in condemning the Protestant Tenets i Considerat on the Counc of Trent s 150. And that the Pope had no need of the Italian Bishops to that purpose because the whole Council did concurr in condemning them k S. 167. Nor did the Fathers so much as pretend to any such Reformation the very notion of Reformation being by them limited to so narrow a compass as not to reach it Nor could they extend it further without quitting their claim to Infallibility Secondly Nor was any the least Reformation made in matters of Divine Worship No not so much as in the Language in which it was celebrated though earnestly desired by the Emperor the King of France the King of Poland the Duke of Bavaria c. But notwithstanding the importunity of these great Catholick Princes back'd with the most persuasive Arguments in plain contradiction to Scripture and to the Practice of the ancient Church in defiance to Reason and the common sense of Mankind the Church-service was still continued in a Language not understood by those that heard it No nor many times by those that read it and an Anathema denounc'd against those who shall dare to say that Mass ought to be celebrated in the vulgar Tongue l Concil Trident. Sess 22. Can. 9. And could it be expected that they should reform any Abuse in the Object or matter of their Worship who would not remove that which defeats its very end and makes it instead of a reasonble a brutish Service especially considering that it might as one would think have been done without the least detriment to any of their worldly Interests I know that R. H. in his Catalogue of those Grievances which he says the Council took into consideration and rectified what they judg'd amiss so far as that iron Age would permit m Considerat on the Counc of Trent c. 12. s 209. mentions the withholding of the Cup as if this had been one of the Grievances rectified That the Council took this into Consideration is granted but 't is certain they did not rectifie it and therefore it seems judged nothing amiss in it for had they done so the obstinacy of the Age could not have hindred them from rectifying it for that Iron Age how stubborn soever in other matters as to this piece of Reformation was so flexible that excepting the Spaniards it generally inclined to it And yet after all the consideration the Council had about it they at length determined not to determine it but to refer it intirely to the Popes Judgment n Hoc decreto Sancta Synodus refert ad Pontificem Max. sententiam judicium integrum illorum duorum Articulorum quos antea propositos nondum discusscrat nimirum an Consuetudo Catholicae
and especially by the holy Council of Trent Then it follows This true Catholick Faith without which no Man can be saved which at this time I willingly profess c. (i) Caetera item omnia a sacris Canonibus Oecumenicis Conciliis ac praecipue a sacrosancta Tridentina Synodo tradita definita declarata indubitanter recipio atque profiteor simulque contraria omnia atque haereses quascunque ab Ecclesia damnatus rejectas anathematizatas Ego pariter damno rejicio anathematizo Hanc veram Catholicam fidem extra quam nemo salvus esse potest c. So that the Faith professed concerns every Person as much as his Salvation does tho' making a Profession of it in the Solemn form here prescribed concerns Church-men only 3. He adds These Persons are not therein obliged to believe the Articles or Canons of Trent in any other sense than that which we have but now mentioned (k) § 195 n. 1. That is in any other sense than that which is false as has been already shewed in my Reflections upon § 192. And for that Clause of the Bull haec vera Catholica fides extra quam nemo salvus esse potest if we take it in that limited sense which R. H. himself contends for viz. That no Person can be saved who opposeth or denieth assent to any point therein when sufficiently evdenced to him to be a Definition of the Church (l) ibid. this absurdity unavoidably follows viz. That no Man to whom it is sufficiently evidenced That the Councils of Constance (m) Sess 4. 5. and Basil (n) Sess 2. defined a general Council to be above the Pope and the Councils of Florence (o) Sess 25. and Lateran V. (p) Sess 11. defin'd the Pope to be above a General Council That the Sixth General Council declared Marriage to be dissolv'd by Heresie (q) Can. 72. and the Council of Trent declared the contrary (r) Sess 24. Can. 5. can be saved unless he assent to these Contradictions Which we confess it would be our Duty to do in case he had once proved that these Councils were all infallible which he can never attempt with any success till he has first proved that both parts of a Contradiction may be true As a Confirmation of his foregoing Discourse he adds in the next Section That the most or chiefest of the Protestant Controversies defined or made de Fide in the Council of Trent were made so by former Councils of equal Obligation or also were contained in the publick Liturges of the Catholick Church (s) § 198. By former Councils of equal Obligation he can mean no less than General Councils or such at least as the Church of Rome calls so Now we freely grant without his asking that many of the Romish Errors both in Doctrine and Worship were defined and made de Fide by such preceding Councils such are those I have before mention'd not as first defined but as confirmed by the Council of Trent So that setting aside all those which were aded by Pius IV. and the Trent Fathers we desire no more to justifie the Reformation made before that Council assembled But as the Reformation was necessary before so to use the words of our Author it became necessary afterward in a new degree of necessity by reason of those new Errors defined by the Council For how many soever the other Protestant Controversies were defined by former Councils not so much as one of those I have before instanced in was so defined There are no more than three of them that can be supposed to be comprehended in the Catalogue R. H. hath given us of the Controversies before defined 1. That of the Canon of Scripture 2. That of Confession to a Priest as necessary by the Law of God 3. That of the true and proper Sacrifice of the Mass The First of these he says was declared by the Council of Florence But that 's a Cheat first imposed upon the World by Caranza who mentions this in Pope Eugenius's Decree given to the Armenians (t) Summa Concil p. 873 874. Edit Rothomag 1633. 2. The great Lateran Council did I grant enjoyn Confession to a Priest once a year but not from the Obligation of any Divine Law that was the Invention of the Council of Trent 3. He could it seems find no Decree of any foregoing Council for the Sacrifice of the Mass but he has found something else which he hath put in its room as if it were of as good Authority tho' in plain contradiction to what he asserts about half a Page after where he tells us that the Definitions of Councils only requires submittance But what says he for the Sacrifice of the Mass It is he says apparent in the Liturgies of the Church preceding the Council of Trent Is it so and so is the story of the Seven Sleepers (u) Breviarium ad usum Eccles Sarisburiens and many more which are fit for nothing but to move Indignation or Laughter And are these all Articles of Faith too But if all Matters delivered in the Liturgies of the Church before the Council of Trent were Matters of Faith how came the Trent Fathers to think it necessary to correct many things in their Missal and Breviary And how many Articles of Faith are now lost by being left out of the reformed Breviary of Pope Pius V. so that how much soever we owe them for their new Articles we are little beholding to them for robbing us of so many old and those some of them very pleasant ones And yet the loss is the less because they were such as they themselves were ashamed any longer to own to the world And yet after all it is to be considered That a Sacrifice is one thing and a true and proper Sacrifice is another As the Church of England and I suppose every other Protestant Church asserts a Sacrifice so I fear no Liturgy of the Church of Rome can be-produced preceding the Council of Trent in which it is called a true and proper Sacrifice But R. H. will say What need of Proof when this is no more than what seems to be acknowledged by Bishop Bramhall (w) S. 198. It would be hard if after the Romish Artillery is defeated we should at last be beaten with our own Weapons But let us hear the Bishop's words These very Points saith he which Pope Pius IV. comprehended in a new Symbol or Creed were obtruded upon us before by his Predecessors as necessary Articles of the Roman Faith This is the only difference that Pius IV. dealt in gross his Predecessors by retail they fashion'd the several rods and he bound them up into a bundle (x) Tom. 1. Disc 3. p. 222. And what then These Points were obtruded upon us before by Pope Pius 's Predecessors therefore they were defined by former General Councils Where lies the consequence Were General
Councils Pope Pius his Predecessors Or were the Popes his Predecessors general Councils But be it so that Popes only and not Councils were his Predecessors yet by the help of an i. e. those rods which were fashion'd by Popes were fashioned by Councils too For they viz. the Popes fashioned the rods i. e. in the Synods held in the Church before Luthers appearance (y) R. H. c. 11. S. 198. As if the Pope had not authority to make a rod without a Synod Notwithstanding the good service this Author hath done his Holiness here in England were he at Rome he would be whipt for his pains with a Rod of the Popes own making for derogating so much from his Authority in setting a Synod above him And yet after all I think no Romanist will be able to produce any General Council before Luthers time in which any one of those Rods I have before mention'd was fashion'd by the Pope But The Protestants who accuse seem as guilty (z) R. H. S. 199. In that the Protestants seem as guilty it is confess'd that the Council of Trent is really guilty The Protestants perhaps seem as guilty to him that they but seem so will easily be made appear For whatever new Definitions the Protestants have made in opposition to the new Romish Errors they do not make them such neeessary Articles of their Faith as that without the belief of them no man can be saved There is nothing in all this Section nor in all his tedious Discourse upon this subject in another place (a) Disc 3. c. 7. that looks toward the proof of this except this passage As the Roman Church doth anathematize those who affirm the contrary to her Articles to be true so doth the Church of England in the Synod held under King James 1603. Can 5. excommunicate those that affirm any of her Articles to be erroneous How unfaithfully is this represented does the Church of Rome anathematize those only who affirm the contrary to her Articles to be true Does she not also expresly anathematize those who think the contrary to several of them (b) Sess 5. c. 5. Sess 25. c. 2. and that in Points not only denied by Protestants but by some of her own Children Yea does she not make all those Propositions Articles of her Faith necessary to be believed which are contrary to those propositions to which in the Canons an Anathema is affixed as has been already proved out of Canus whom our Author has made Judge of this Controversy Yea does not he himself tell us again and again That any man who denies Assent to any Point when sufficiently evidenced to him to be a Definition of the Church is guilty of such a sin which unrepented of ruins Salvation (c) Considerat S. 192. 194. Disc 3. S 81. n. 4 5 6. He says indeed not because it is in it self for the matter necessary to be believed but because it is defined by the Church which is infallibly assisted But does not this render the Tyranny of the Roman Church so much the more intolerable unless he also prove that she is in all her Definitions so infallibly assisted Which if he once do no Protestant I presume will ever again call in question any of her Proposals But now the Church of England does not require any man to believe that all her decisions contrary to those of Rome are necessary Points of Faith She censures no man for thinking but only for speaking or acting and not for saying That all her Doctrine is not infallibly true but that any part of it is false She excommunicates those only who affirm that her Articles are erroneous But now what a wide difference is there between not saying that they are erroneous and saying that they are necessary ten thousand Propositions may be true which are no necessary Points of Faith This is yet further evident by the subscription required of those who are admitted to holy Orders or to any Ecclesiastical Benefice What is it they subscribe to That the Book of Common-Prayer was compos'd by men infallibly assisted That the 39 Articles are as necessary as the Apostles Creed No. But 1. That the Book of Common-Prayer and of ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth in it nothing contrary to the word of God and that it may lawfully be used (d.) Can. 36. Art 2 3. Can a thing be spoken with greater Modesty In what a different stile does the Council of Trent speak of the Canon of the Mass The sacred Canon is so free from all error that nothing is contain'd in it that doth not in the highest degree savour of Holiness (e) Ita ab omni errore purum ut nihil in eo contineatur quod non maxime sanctitatem ac pietatem quandam redoleat Sess 22. c. 4. 2. That he alloweth the book of Articles of Religion alloweth only and that he acknowledgeth all and every the Articles therein contained to be agreeable to the word of God (f) Ibid. And every thing is agreeable to the Word of God that is no way contrary to it and so thousands of Propositions which are far enough remote from being Articles of Faith But now in what a lofty strain does the Subscription to Pius's Creed run All things delivered defined and declared by Sacred Canons Vniversal Councils and especially by the Council of Trent I undoubtedly receive and confess and withal I Condemn Reject and Accurse all things contrary and all Heresies whatsoever condemned rejected and accursed by the Church This true Catholick Faith without which no man can be saved which at present I freely prosess and truly hold I the same N. do Promise Vow and Swear most constantly to retain and confess intire and inviolate to the last gasp and to take care to the uttermost of my Power that it be Held Taught and Preached by those that are under me or such as I shall have charge over in my Office (g) Bulla super forma Jurament Profes Fidei Again Can. 6. of the Synod held under Charles I. Anno 1640. the form of Subscription runs thus I A. B. do Swear that I do approve and sincerely acknowledg the Doctrine and Discipline established in the Church of England as containing all things necessary to Salvation Not that all things contained in them are necessary to Salvation but that all things necessary to Salvation are contain'd in them By what hath been said it plainly appears That there are other main differences between the two Churches in making new Definitions and requiring assent to them besides those mention'd by R. H. (h) § 201. And it might as easily have been shew'd That those very differences are by him not fairly represented I have I think sufficiently proved That the Council of Trent instead of making any Reformation in Faith and Worship did on the contrary not only confirm these Corruptions it found but superadded many to them 2. Nor did it only
former Council They might as well have left it to him to make them as they in effect did for nothing was decreed without first asking his leave 4. The imposing on Provincial and Diocesan Synods an Oath of true Obedience to the Pope o Sess 25. cap. 2. another new piece of Tyranny for tho the Bishops at their Consecration fomerly took an Oath of Fidelity to him yet never before was any Oath imposed upon them when met together in Provincial and Diocesan Synods 5. Usurping the Rights of Bishops by making them the Pope Delegates in matters which belong to their Ordinary Jurisdiction (p) Episcoporum potestas non solum non aucta sed ex ea multum delibatum est cum ea potestas quae ipsorum propria est ex Dei instituto iis attributa iis tanquam a sede Apostolica delegatis concedatur Thuan. l. 6. c. 2. Review of the Council of Trent l. 6. c. 2. Whereas anciently every Bishop governed his own Diocess without Dependence upon or Subordination to the Pope by the Laws of Trent they can do almost nothing unless by Delegation from him May Bishops provide Vicars to supply the room of such Clergymen as are dispensed with for non-residence and assign them a competent Salary out of the Fruits Not by their own Authority but as they are Delegates of the Apostolick See (q) Sess 6. cap. 2. May they depute Assistants to unlearned and ignorant Parish Priests They may as Delegates of the Apostolick See (r) Sess 21. cap. 6. May they take upon them to Examine a Notary and if they find him unfit forbid him the Exercise of his Office in Ecclesiastical matters Yes but as Delegates of the Apostolick See (s) Sess 22. cap. 10. But surely in matters which belong to Visitation and the Correction of Manners the Bishops may of themselves ordain and execute those things which they judg necessary for the good of their People and for the profit of the Church No but only as Delegates of the Apostolick See (t) Sess 24. cap. 10. This is the enlargement of the Bishops Power which R. H. so much boasts of (u) Considerat on the Council of Trent c. 12. § 211 Many more Instances of like nature might be produced but these may suffice to shew how palpably untrue that Assertion of Pallavicino's is viz. That there is not so much as one Syllable in this Council for any new Emolument to the Pope (w) In hoc Concilio ne una quidem conspicitur syllaba pro novo Pontificis Emolumento Apparat ad hist c. 10. n. 3. And how unjustly the same Cardinal charges Soave with falsity for saying That this Council hath so established the Popes Power that it was never so great nor so solidly founded (x) Ibid. And likewise that R. H. had as little reason to carp at a like passage of Dr. Stilling fleet 's viz. That which was intended to clip the Wings of the Court of Rome had confirmed and advanced the Interest of it (y) Considerat c. 12. § 103. For as all those Decrees that might otherwise have retrenched their Exorbitances were themselves so clipt by Exceptions or Restrictions or by some other Counter Decree that they could effect nothing so many other Decrees were made by which the Interest of the Pope and his Court were highly promoted particularly this last mention'd of deriving all Jurisdiction from the Pope by making all other Bishops his Vicars and Commissaries And therefore no wonder that his Holiness was transported with Joy and gave immortal Thanks that the Council had such an happy Issue (z) Pallav. l. 24. c. 9. n. 5. For to use the words of Du Ranchin you shall never read of any Council that was so much to the Popes Honour and good liking as this Amongst so many Bulls and Constitutions which have come forth since you shall scarce find any which doth not make mention of this Council which doth not name it with Honour which doth not express an earnest desire of the observation of it and which doth not in some sort confirm it Among all the Councils that ever were no compare with this for Reverence and Respect It hath quite defaced and extinguished the memory of all the rest It is their Minion their Favourite their Champion their Arsenal their Bulwark their Protector their Creature and good Reason why they should make so much of it (*) Review of the Council of Trent l. 1. c. 1. FINIS AN ADVERTISEMENT Of Books lately Printed for Richard Chiswell THe History of the Reformation of the Church of England by GILBERT BVRNET D. D. in two Volumes Folio The Moderation of the Church of England in her Reformation in Avoiding all undue compliances with Popery and other sorts of Fanaticisms c. by TIMOTHY PVLLER D. D. Octavo A Dissertation concerning the Government of the Ancient Church more particularly of the Encroachments of the Bishops of Rome upon other Sees by WILLIAM CAVE D. D. Octavo An Answer to Mr. Serjeants Sure Footing in Christianity concerning the Rule of Faith with some other Discourse by WILLIAM FALKNER D. D. Octavo A Vindication of the Ordinations of the Church of England against the Romanists by GILBERT BVRNET D. D Octavo The APOLOGY of the Church of England and an Epistle to one Signior Scipio a Venetian Gentleman concerning the Council of Trent Written both in Latin by the Right Reverend Father in God JOHN JEWEL Lord Bshop of Sarisbury Made English by a Person of Quality To which is added The Life of the said Bishop Collected and Written by the same Hand Octavo The LETTER writ by the last Assembly General of the Clergy of France to the Protestants inviting them to return to their Communion Together with the Methods proposed by them for their Conviction Translated into English and Examined by GILBERT BVRNET D D. Octavo The Life of WILLIAM BEDEL D. D. Bishop of Kilmore in Ireland Together with Certain Letters which passed betwixt him and James Waddesworth a late Pensioner of the Holy Inquisition in Sevil in matter of Religion concerning the General Motives to the Roman Obedience Quarto The Decree made at ROME the Second of March 1679. condemning some Opinions of the Jesuits and other Casuists Quarto A Discourse concerning the necessity of Reformation with respect to the Errors and Corruptions of the Church of Rome Quarto First and Second parts A Discourse concerning the Celebration of Divine Service in an Unknown Tongue Quarto A PAPIST not Misrepresented by PROTESTANTS Being a Reply to the Reflections upon the Answer to A Papist Misrepresented and Represented Quarto An Exposition of the Doctrine of the Church of England in the several Articles proposed by the late BISHOP of CONDOM in his Exposition of the Doctrine of the Catholick Church An Answer to THREE PAPERS lately printed concerning the Authority of the Catholick Church in matters of Faith and the Reformation of the Church of England Quarto A CATECHISM Explaining the Doctrines and Practices of the Church of Rome with an Answer thereunto by a Protestant of the Church of England Octavo