the doctrine of the Scriptures by Fathers couÌ„cels and after publication of witnesses they receiued vvarranty froÌ„ the ancieÌ„t Bish of Rome and your owne famous Councell of Trent the one commending that doctrine to the Christians of their daies which we now profess the other commanding a reformation in the RomaÌ„ church of such errours in faith maners as we condemne I will giue you instances in both Your worship of Images which you receiue as an article of faith for feare of Idolatry we haue reformed if you require warranty from the Romane Church Gregory Bishop of Rome proclaimes it to the Christians of his time Greg lib. 9. Epist 9. Let the children of the Church bee called together taught by the testimonies of holy scriptures that nothing made with hands may bee worshipped Your doctrine of Transubstantiation which you haue decreed for an Article of Faith we haue reformed if you expect warrantie from the Roman church Gelasius Bish of Rome published and professed our doctrine flat coÌ„trary to the faith of Transubst In the Sacrament is celebrated an image Gelas cont Eutych Nestor or resemblance of the body bloud of Christ and there ceaseth not to be the substance and nature of bread and wine Your halfe CoÌ„munion we haue reformed if you require warranty from the Roman Church Iulius Bish of Rome speaking of the deliuering to the people a sop dipt in vvine for the vvhole Communion tels vs De Consecrat Dist cum omne In Christs institution there is recited the deliuering of the bread by it selfe the cup by it selfe lest inordinate and peruerse deuices weaken the soundnesse of our faith These are fundamental points agreeable to the tenets of our Church and are warraÌ„ted to vs by the ancient Bishops of Rome themselues and if the Popes doctrine be infallible in points of faith which you teach and professe without doubt they may bee sufficient warranties for you to allow this Reformation I wil come neerer vnto you descend from the ancient Bishops of Rome to your late CouÌ„cell of Trent which intended wished a Reformation in faith and manners euen of those things which we haue reformed your Prayer Seruice in an vnknowne tongue we haue restored to the vnderstanding of the hearer if you expect warrantie from your ovvne Church your Councell of Trent although they reformed not this doctrine yet for the better satisfactioÌ„ and instruction of the ignorant lest say they the sheepe of Christ should thirst Conc. Trid. Sess 22. c. 8. the children craue bread and none should bee ready to giue it them it was decreed that the Priests Pastors should frequently expound and declare the mysterie of that vnknowne Seruice to the people Your superstitious ceremonies of many lights and candles and your certaine number of Masses vve haue reformed If you expect warranty froÌ„ your own Church QuarundaÌ„ verò MissaruÌ„ et CandelaruÌ„ certuÌ„ numeruÌ„ qui magis à superstitioso cultu quaÌ„ à veraÌ„ Religione inueÌ„tus est omninò ab Ecclesia remoueant Idem cap. 9. your Councell of Trent confesseth They were first inuented rather out of superstitious deuotion then true religion and therfore say they let theÌ„ be altogether remooued froÌ„ the Church Your Indulgences which are made an article of Faith we haue reformed if you expect warranty from your ovvn Church you may answere with the Fathers of the Trent CouÌ„cell Quastorum abusus vt coruÌ„ emendationi spes nulla relicta videatur c. The Popes Officers in collecting money for Indulgences gaue a scandall to all faithfull Christians which might seeme to be without hope of Reformation and therfore we haue reformed theÌ„ Ab Ecclesiis verò Musicas eas vbi siue organo siue cantus lascivuÌ„ aut impurum aliquid miscetur Your lasciuious wanton songs which are mingled with your Church Musicke vve haue reformed if you expect warrantie from your own church your owne CouÌ„cel complained of it and wished it might be reformed and they giue the reason for it Vt Domus Dei verè domus orationis esse videatur Idem ibid. That the House of God may appeare to bee the house of prayer Your Superstition your Idolatrie your Couetousness which you confesse to haue crept into the Masse by the error of time and wickednesse of men vve haue reformed if you require warrantie from your own church Ordinarii locoruÌ„ Episcopi ea omnia prohibere atque è medio tollere sedulò curent ac teneantur quae vel auaritia idoloruÌ„ seruitus vel superstitio induxit IdeÌ„ Can. 9. your CouÌ„cell decreed That the Ordinary should bee very carefull to remoue all those things which either couetousnes or worship of idols or superstition had brought in Lastly your priuate Masse we haue reformed and restored to the Communion of Priest and people if you expect warrantie from your own Church Anacletus and Calixtus both Bishops of Rome decreed that after Consecration all present should coÌ„municate Dist 1. Episcopus 2. Peracta or else bee thrust out of the Church And your late Councell of Trent although they reformed not this doctrine yet Optaret quideÌ„ sacrosancta Synodus The CouÌ„cell could wish that the people might coÌ„municat with the Priest and there they giue the reason for it Because it would be more fruitful and more profitable Sess 22. c. 6. If therefore we haue changed your Sacrifice into a Sacrament your carnal and grosse eating of Christ into a spirituall receiuing by faith your half Communion into the whole Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ your priuate Masse into the publike communion of Priest and people your adoration of Images into the true worship of God in spirit and truth your prayer and seruice in an vnknown tongue into the vulgar laÌ„guage to be vnderstood of the coÌ„moÌ„ people your lasciuious wanton songs into Dauids Psalmes we haue don nothing herein but what the Apostles what the holy Fathers what the ancient Bish of Rome taught in the first best ages and what your grand CouÌ„cell of Trent intended and wished to be reformed in this latter age Nay more since your Councell hath made seuerall Decrees for Reformation The Councel of Trent began An 1545 and ended Ann. 1563. Bell. Chro. pa. 121. 123. since they can neither plead vvant of Authority nor vvant of time during the liues of â—ight Popes and eighteen yeres continuance why they did not proceed put in execution those Decrees I hope wee shal deserue the greater thaÌ„ks from your Popes and Cardinalls for rectifying those abuses which they themselues condemned and from their owne Decrees and faire preteÌ„ces may iustly arrogate to our selues that honorable Title of Reformed Churches Giue me leaue therefore by way of counter-challenge to your Iesuit to vse the words of sobernes truth Where was your Church Trent doctrine before Luther for I call God and
Hierome in the question betwixt him and St. Austen whether St. Paul reprooued Peter colourably or in earnest alleadgeth seuen Fathers against St. Austen and withall desires him to giue him leaue to erre with seuen Fathers But what answere maketh Austen He appeales to St. Paul Ipse mihi pro his omnibê° et suprà hos omnes Apostolus Paulus occurrit ad ipsum confugio ad ipsum ab omnibus qui aliter sentiuÌ„t literaruÌ„ tractaetoribus prouoco Aug. Ep. 19. and saith he Instead of all and aboue all I haue Paul the Apostle to him doe I runne to him I appeale from all Writers that think otherwise Here wee see seuen principall members of the Church against the meaning of one Apostle and yet all they were not able to remooue St. Austen from that one authoritie which was preualent against all and I thinke it cannot be denied but that this Father went the right way to the Gospel Againe when hee was pressed by Cresconius a Gramarian with a testimony out of Cyprian hee returnes this answere I am not bound to bee tyed to that Epistle because I doe not account of Cyprians Epistles as of the Canonicall Scriptures Ego Epistola huius authoritate noÌ„ teneor quia c. Aug. contr Cres lib. 2. c. 32. but I examine them by the Canonicall Scriptures and what I find in them agreeable to that word I receiue it with commendations what I finde to disagree from it with his good leaue I leaue it This was the account the ancient Fathers made of their owne writings and their fellow Bishops euen at that time when the Church was most visible and when the Fathers were in chiefest estimation in the Christian world I speake not these things as if there were lesse hope to find the truth in the writings of the ancient Fathers then in new and vpstart opinions of some priuate spirits It is the voice of God and Nature Aske thy father Deut. 32.7 and he will shew thee thine ancients and they shall tell thee and herein we are obedient children and according to our dutie Leu. 19.23 Wee rise vp before the hoarie head and honour the person of the aged We agree with the Fathers wherein they agree with the Scriptures and with themselues and if in some particular poynts wee dissent from some particular Fathers yet it is in those things which want vniuersalitie and consent or are doubtfully vttered or are deliuered as priuate opinions and not as Articles of Faith wee follow the Anciens as Leaders not as Masters for their writings are no rules of faith Scriptae Patrum non sunt regulae fidei nec habent authoritatem obligandi Bell. de CoÌ„cil author lib. 2. c. 12. neither haue they authoritie to binde This is Bellarmines confession this is ours And that the world may know our aduersaries haue no such cause as they pretend to bragge of the authorities of the Fathers let any Protestant or Romanist examine the substantiall poynts of Controuersie as they are now published Bulla Pij 4. and decreed by the Popes Bull and Councell of Trent let them I say obserue the questions as they are now stated with Anathemas for Articles of faith compare them with the doctrines of the ancient Fathers and they shall easily discerne that our aduersaries oftentimes obtrude the Tenets of particular persons for the generall consent of Fathers and produce doubtful opinions to proue Articles of faith for I dare confidently avow that in all fundamentall poynts of difference either they want Antiquitie to supply their first ages or Vniuersalitie to make good the consent of Christian Churches or vnitie of opinions to proue their Trent Articles of beliefe And for tbe better manifestation of this my assertion I will giue you instance in the principall poynts of the Roman faith and doctrine that by comparing the doctrine of the Fathers in the first place with the Tenets of the Romanists in the later it shall appeare that the Northerne and Southerne Poles shall sooner meet together then their opinions standing as they doe can be reconciled Hee therefore that will take vpon him to proue out of the ancient Fathers that Christ is really present in the Sacrament to all faithfull Communicants let him spare the labour I will confesse it for wee acknowledge that Christ is really present both spiritually by faith and effectually by grace conferred vpon all worthy receiuers But let him proue that Christs body is substantially corporally and carnally in the SacrameÌ„t vnder the accidents of bread and wine and that Reprobates and creatures void of reason much more of faith may really partake of his flesh and blood as is now taught and beleeued de fide in the Roman Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the Sacramentall bread and cup were carried home to mens houses in the time of persecution and sometime priuately receiued let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him shew me that priuate Masses that is the receiuing of the Eucharist by the Priest alone without a competent number of Communicants was the pulique practise of the ancient Church as it is now vsed in the Romane and I will subscribe Het at will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the consecrated bread was somtimes giuen without the cup to sicke folkes to impotent and abstenious persons let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that the Fathers did generally forbid the Lay people and the communicating Priest to partake of the Sacramentall cup and that the bread alone was adiudged sufficient without the Cup as it is now receiued in the Roman Church De fide as an Article of Faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Prayers and Seruice in the Roman Church was commonly taught and practised in the Latin tongue let him spare the labour I will confesse it for it was the common and knowne language of the Latin Church but let him shew mee that Prayers and Seruice was deliuered in a tongue vnknowne and not vnderstood of the common people as it is now vsed and receiued with Anathema in the Roman church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Images were allowed for memory for history for ornament let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him prooue that they were allowed by the Fathers for publique and priuate veneration or religious worship and that such worship was established as a doctrine of Faith as it is now vsed in the Roman Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that the Bishop of Rome and all other Bishops had power to dispence with the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Penance by Pardons and Indulgences let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that those Indulgences were the treasure of the Church
knowne and vnderstood do comfort and reuiue the Reader by how much the more they are with industry and difficultie sought and vnderstood But that which is obseruable these men who so much complaine of the obscuritie of the Scriptures doe both wittingly and willingly indeauour in their Translations to make them abstruse and hard to be vnderstood by their strange vncouth phrases looke vpon their old Testament in their Doway Translation instead of Foreskin Gene. 17. Exod 12. 2. King 15. 1 Chron. 6. they haue put Praepuce for Passeouer Phase for vnleauened bread Azyms for high places excelces for the Holy of Holiest Sancta Sanctorum Againe looke vpon their Rhemist Testament and there you shal obserue these strange wordes Depositum Rhem. Test in M. Fulks Preface to the Reader Exinanited Parasceue Didragmes Neophyte and the like which shewes that albeit the Scripture of it selfe were neuer so plaine and perspicuous to euery mans vnderstanding yet there need an expositor for these inkehorne termes whereas in trueth although those words were most agreeable to the Hebrew Greeke or Latine yet ought they rather to giue the most significant and plaine termes the true sense of Scripture alwayes premised that stands best for the capacitie and vnderstanding of the Reader It is not then the pretended obscurity of the Scriptures which giues a iust cause of restraint to the lay people for not reading of them for this is but a colour and a vaine pretext of them saith Chrysostome the trueth is they feare lest by reading of them their Trent doctrine and new Articles of Faith should be discouered for it would trouble the best learned Priest to shew his disciples in what place of Scripture they are commanded to worship Images to call vpon dead Saints to pray in an vnknowne tongue to forbid the Scriptures to the Laity to deny Mariage to Priests to adore the reliques of Saints by what Scriptute his Holinesse hath power to depose Kings to free soules out of Purgatory to gather into the Treasurie of the Church the superabundant satisfaction of Saints It is a crime worthy of the Inquisition with them to haue a Bible but for the ignorant lay man to make such enquirie after Scriptures for that doctrine which was not conceiued in the Scripture is a sinne worthy of death Looke vpon the Tenets of their owne Church and take but their owne confessions The Church of Rome doth represent God the Father by the image of an olde man yet Vasques the Iesuit confesseth Vasq lib. 2. de Adorat c. 3. disp 4. n. 74. The Scripture saith plainely God did forbid the Iewes to represent Him by an Image The Church of Rome doth ordinarily make vowes to Saints Cum scriberentur Scripturae sanctae nonduÌ„ caeperat vsus voueÌ„di sanctis Bell. lib. de cultu Sanct. cap. 5. yet Cardinall Bellarmine professeth When the Scriptures were written it was not the vse to vow to Saints The Church of Rome hath defined and declared Indulgences for an article of faith yet their Syluester Prierias tells vs Indulgentiae authoritate Scripturae non innotuêre nobis sed c. Prier cont Luther pro Indulg They are not made knowne to vs by the authoritie of Scriptures The Church of Rome teacheth that the wordes of Christ This is my body doe effect Transubstantiation yet Cardinal Caietan confesseth In 3 part Tho. super quae 75. art 1. vt Ioseph Ang. Flores Theol. quae in 4. sent q. 4. Non apparet ex Evangelio It doth not appeare that those words are properly to bee vnderstood by force of Scriptures but which is more to bee lamented these men are so farre from building their Church vpon the Scriptures that as it were in despight of Christs precept they decree their halfe Communion for an article of Faith with a Non obstante Notwithstanding Christ did institute in both kinds Conc. CoÌ„st Sess 13. And their Councell of Trent acknowledgeth that the Apostle called concupiscence sinne Hanc concupisceÌ„tiam quam aliquando Apostolus peccatuÌ„ appellat sancta Synodus acclarat c. Conc. Trid. Sess 5. but withall commands the contrary beliefe with a curse to them that teach the Apostles doctrine in so much as their owne Posseuinus confesseth in sober sadnesse Apostolus concupisâ—eÌ„tiam peccatum vocat at non licet nolis ita loqui Pâ—st Appar Sac. Ver Patr. antiqui The Apostle calls concupiscence sinne but saith he it is not lawfull for vs so to doe This is so truly knowne and vnderstood of those who haue a dispensation to read the Scriptures that Petrus Sutor a Carthusian Monke amongst other inconueniences for which hee would haue the people debarred from reading of them alleadgeth this Cum multa palam tradantur obseruaÌ„da quae sacris in literis expresse non habeÌ„tur nonnè Idiotae haec animaduertentes faciâ—è murmurabunt Nóne et facilè retrahentur ab obseruatione InstitutionuÌ„ EcclesiasticaruÌ„ quandò eas in lege Christi animaduerterint non continers Sutor de Translat Bib. cap. 22. in speciall for one Whereas many things are openly taught to bee obserued which are not to bee expressely had in the whole Scriptures the simple people obseruing these things will quickly murmure and complaine that so great burdens should be imposed vpon them whereby the libertie of the Gospell is so greatly impaired and they also will bee easily drawen away from the obseruation of the ordinance of the Church when they shall obserue that they are not conteined in the Law of Christ It is not then the obscuritie of the Scriptures but a feare by their owne confessions of some strange discouery that would be made by reading of them and in that feare they rather intimate a plainnesse and easinesse in the vnderstanding them for otherwise what need they feare the peoples reading them if they were so full of obscuritie as they pretend that they could not vnderstand them As therefore wee denie not that there is difficultie and obscuritie in the Scriptures In iis quae aperiè in scripturis posita sunt inueniuntur illa omnia quae coÌ„tinent fideÌ„ moresque viuendi Aug. de doctr Christ lib. 2. cap. 9. so wee professe likewise that there are plaine and euident testimonies which illustrate those difficult and obscure places and that in those plain and euident places al things cocerning faith and good manners are contained This was Saint Austens doctrine this is ours let vs therefore follow that sweet counsell which that holy and ancient Father by way of preuention gaue the Christians of his time We are brethren why doe we striue Aug in Psa 21. expos 2. Our Father dyed not vntestate hee made a Testament and so dyed Men doe striue about the goods of the dead till the Testament bee brought foorth then that is brought they yeeld to haue it opened and read the Iudge doth hearken the Counsellers bee silent the cryer biddeth peace all the people are
locis apertioribus fami occurreret obscurioribus autem fastidia detergeret Nihil enim fere de illis obscuritatibus eruitur qdâ—â—on planissimè dictuÌ„ alibi reperitur Aug. de doct Chris lib. 2. â—a 6. for saith hee In this great plentie of Scriptures wee are fed with plaine things and exercised with obscure those driue away hunger these contempt the holy Ghost hauing tempred them so of purpose and then he concludeth with the Tenet of our church There is scarce any thing drawn out of these obscure places which hath not been spoken quod non planissimè most plainely some other where Neither was this the opinion of this learned Father only but it was the confession of S Ambrose Multa obscuritas in Scripturis propheticis â—â—d siâ—â— anu â—â—â—aÌ„ meÌ„â—â—â—ā◠〈◊〉 a scrâ— tuâ—aruÌ„ â—â—aÌ„â—eâ— qua sunt occulta diligentèr examines paulatim incipies rationeÌ„ colligere dictoruÌ„ et operietur tibi Non ab alio sed à verbo Dei Amb. in Psal 118. Serm. 8. There is much obscurity in the Scriptures but withall if thou knocke at the doore with the hand of thy vnderstanding thou shalt gather by little and little the reason of that which is there spoken and the doore shall bee opened vnto thee non ab alio sed à verbo Dei and that by no other but by the Word of God it selfe And with these Doctors of the Latin Church agreeth the Greeke Fathers Behold saith Basil and heare the Scripture expounding it selfe Basil HexaÌ„ Hom. 4. Yea saith he what things be or seeme to bee couertly spoken in some places of holy Scripture Quae ambigua sunt tectè dicta esse in quibusdaÌ„ diuinae scripturae locis videntuâ— ab aliis locis manifestis declaraÌ„tur IdeÌ„ quaest coÌ„p Expl. quaest 267. Ad ipsuÌ„ diuina Script scopuÌ„ incedamus quaeseipsam interpretatur quaÌ„uis sacra Scriptura cum nos tale quiddaÌ„ docere vult seipsaÌ„ exponit et auditoreÌ„ errare non sinit Chrys HoÌ„ 13. in Gen. Chrys in 1. Thes HoÌ„ 7. SiquideÌ„ empturê° vesteÌ„ quaÌ„uis artis Textoriae imperitê° sis haec verba non dicis Nescio emere illudunt mihi sed facis omnia vt discas fac illa quae facienda et rectâ ratione quaere à Deo et ille tibi omnino reueâ—abit IdeÌ„ Homil. 33. in Act. the same are expounded by other plaine places elsewhere And saith Chrysostome Let vs follow the scope of the holy Scripture in interpreting of it selfe when it teacheth some hard thing it expoundeth it selfe and suffereth not the hearer to erre Let vs not feare therefore saith hee to put our selues with full saile into the sea of Scriptures because wee shall be sure to find the Word of God for our Pilot. And lastly as it were forestalling that Popish opinion that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore not to be read by the vulgar people hee elegantly incites a Gentile to the reading of the Scripture by a familiar and common reason When thou buyest a garment though thou haue no skill in weauing yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they will deceiue mee but thou dost vse all meanes to learne how to know it doe therefore those things which are to bee done seeke all those things of God and hee altogether will reaueale it vnto thee So that if any doubt or difference happened in the Primitiue church amongst the true beleeuing Christians they referred the determination of it to the Inquest of Christ his 12 Apostles and they onely were made the sole Iudges of the question And that wee might know this Protestant doctrine continued for many ages in the Church Pope Clement the first almost sixe hundred yeeres since professed it for the Catholike doctrine of his time Integra firma regula veritatis ex Scripturis Dist 37. cap 14. that a man must take the sense of truth from the Scripture it selfe seeing that euery man may haue the full and firme rule of faith and truth in the Scriptures If we descend froÌ„ the Pope to the great Councell of Basil it was the general vote of many B. and Cardinalls and confirmed likewise by the Pope himselfe The Diuine Law or holy Scripture the practise of Christ of his Apostles Lex diuina praxu Christi Apostolica et Ecclesia primitina vnâ cum CoÌ„ciliis Doctoribusque fundantibê° se veracitèr in eadeÌ„ pro verissimo et indifferente Iudice in hoc Basiliensi Consilia admittatur Conc. Basil Sess 4. and the Primitiue Church together with Councels and Doctors grounding themselues truely vpon the Scriptures shall bee admitted for the most true and indifferent Iudge in the Councell of Basil The resolution of the ancient Father Optatus in the question betwixt the Catholiques and the heretiques whether one should bee twise baptized may serue for a proofe and a full conclusion of the premisses You say it is lawfull wee say it is not lawfull betweene yours it is lawfull and ours it is not lawfull the peoples soules doe doubt and wauer De coelo quaerendus est Index sed vt quid pulsamus ad coelum cum habemus in Euangelio Testamentum Opt. lib. 5. contr Parmen Donat. let none beleeue you nor vs wee are all contending parties Iudges must be sought for if Christians they cannot be giuen on both sides for truth is hindred by affections A Iudge without must bee sought for if a Paynim hee cannot know the Christian mysteries if a Iew hee is an enemie to Christian Baptisme no iudgement therfore of this matter can bee found on earth a Iudge in heauen must bee sought for But why knocke we at heauen when wee haue the Testament of Christ in the Gospell And thus I haue briefly shewed you the deputed Iudges and Interpreters of the Scripture in the Primitiue Church now let vs obserue by what Rule the Scriptures are expounded in the Roman Church SECT IIII. Our aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers Bulla Pij quarti Art 2. IT is an Article of the Romame Creed published by Pope Pius the fourth and by the oath their Foreman hath taken all Priestes and I suites are sworne Not to receiue or interpret the Scriptures but according to the vnifoâ—me consent of Fathers It is a large and faire promise and deliuered vpon oath and for my part if the church of Rome can make good the vniforme consent of Fathers for all their twelue newe Articles of Faith which hath been often promised but neuer as yet by any one performed I shall willingly listen to their interpretation and preferre it before any priuate or latter Exposition It was the profession of our late King of famous memory Apolog. for the oath of Alleag pa. 36. What euer the Fathers of the first foure hundred yeeres did with one vnanime consent agree vpon to be beleeued
as a necessary poynt of saluation I will beleeue it also or at leastwise will bee humblie silent not taking vpon mee to condemne the same I speake not this as if we should decline the practise of the ancient Church in expounding Scripture by Scripture Concil Trid. Sess 1. but to demonstrate to the world that our aduersaries in this poynt of their faith haue neither followed the ancient Church nor the Decree of their Trent Councell whereby it shall appeare that either this Article was newly created or the former Popes and Councels haue disagreed from the latter Cardinall Caietan was so farre from subscribing to the Popes Creed in this poynt that on the contrary hee giues this Praemonition to the Reader of the Scriptures Not to loathe the new sense of the holy Scriptures for this Nullus itaque detestetur nouuÌ„ sacra scripturae seÌ„sum ex hoc qd dissonat à priscis Doctoribus sed fcrutetur perspicacius textuÌ„ ac cótextuÌ„ Scripturae si quadrare inuenerit laudet DeuÌ„ qui noÌ„ alligauit expositionem ScripturaruÌ„ sacrarum priscoruÌ„ Doctorum sensibus Caiet in Genes 1. that it dissenteth from the ancient Doctors but to search more exactly the Text and coherence of the Scriptures and if hee finde it agree to praise God that hath not tyed the exposition of the Scriptures to the sense of the ancient Doctors This Protestant doctrine is farre different from the Tenet of the Roman Church insomuch that Bishop Canus his fellow Romanist was much troubled that a prime Cardinall should oppose an Article of the Romane Creed one while he chargeth him that acutiùs multò quam foelicius hee expounded the Scriptures in some places more wittily then happily an other while he would so seeme to excuse him that hee might be convinced by this or the like argument To follow the Fathers in all Canus ibid. were to condemne our owne witts and depriue our selues of the meanes to finde out the trueth What arguments might preuaile with the Cardinall I cannot tell but sure I am his doctrine disagreed from the Article of the Roman faith And Doctor Payna Andradius a principall Pillar of the Trent Councell rebuketh Canus for his rash reproouing of Caictan and defendeth his Tenet with the same doctrine Andra. def fid Tricen lib 2. Hee teacheth that when the Fathers seeke the literall sense of the Scriptures they doe not alwayes find them but giue diuers senses one vnlike to an other Hee professeth Wee may forsake their senses all and bring a new vnlike to theirs He addeth further that experience forceth vs to confesse vnlesse wee will bee vnthankefull to most excellent wits that very many things in Moses and the Prophets are in this our age expounded more exactly through the diligence of learned men then euer they were before And thereupon he concludeth that the holy Ghost the onely and faithfull Interpreter of the Scriptures would haue many things to bee knowne to vs which our Ancestors knewe not and hath wrought by meanes vnknowne to vs knowne to him that the Fathers noted good and godly mysteries out of very many places of the Scriptures whereof the right and naturall sense hath been found out by posteritie And thus Canus against Cajetan and Andradius against Canus and Cajetan and Andradius both against the Trent Article allowe the Exposition of Scripture by Scripture and somtimes against the streme of Fathers I proceed to the examination of more witnesses and I call Cardinall Bellarmine to testifie the same doctrine that neither hee nor his associates doe holde themselues tyed by their new Article of faith to the Exposition of the Fathers It is one thing saith hee to interpret the Law as a Doctor Aliud est interpretari legem more Doctoris a liud more Iudicis c. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 10. an other thing as a Iudge of the one is required Learning of the other Authoritie the opinion of the Doctors is to be followed according to reason but the Iudges opinion is to bee followed of necessitie Saint Austen and the Fathers in their Expositions supplyed the places of Doctors Scripta PatruÌ„ noÌ„ sunt Regulae nec habent authoritatem obligandi Idem ibid. which we may follow as wee see cause the Pope and Councell supply the places of Iudges with a Commission from God and therefore they must be obserued and followed of necessitie Thus we haue seene three seuerall Iudges and Expositors of the Scriptures First the ancient Fathers made the Scriptures the onely Iudges and true Interpreters of themselues next the Trent Doctors decreed the ancient Fathers for Interpreters and now at length the later Schoolemen haue proclaimed their Popes and Councels for their chiefest Iudges and best Interpreters of the Scriptures and These say they must bee followed of necessitie Durum telum Necessitas Pardon them Necessitie is a deadly dart there is no necessitie by their doctrine to obey the expositions of Fathers which is the second Article of their Faith but there is a necessitie to obey the authoritie of their late Popes and Councels in their Exposition which is but matter of opinion and from hence it will follow that either the Articles of the Râ—man Creed were newly created by Pope Pius the fourth and that creation was not in his power or that those Doctors and Cardinals had not the oath administred vnto them or we may iustly suspect they haue forsworne themselues Neither was this the opinion of these particular men onely but the Roman Church notwithstanding their solemne protestation by which they are enioyned to interprete the Scriptures doth in many things by her owne confession waue the Interpretation of the Fathers Sanctissimos Patres quos Doctores Ecclesiae ob illoruÌ„ sublimem eruditionem meritò nominamus quantuÌ„libet spiritus sancti gratia prae aliis imbutos liqueat in interpretatione scripturaruÌ„ non semper ac in omnibus Catholica Ecclesia sequitur Baron Ann. Tom 1 ad ann 34 nu mar 213 It is the testimony of Cardinall Baronius Although the most holy Fathers whome for their great learning wee rightly terme the Doctors of the Church were indued aboue others with the grace of Gods holy Spirit yet the Catholique Roman Church doth not follow them alwayes and in all things expounding of the Scriptures Here is an other confession of a great Cardinall who was not ignorant of the Articles of his faith that notwithstanding the Trent Decree and the Popes Bull the Church did not alwayes follow the exposition of the Fathers Now if any shall require a reason why the Pope and Cardinalls of former ages dissent from others of these later times in expounding of the Scriptures Frier Stella who doth not condemne the Exposition giuen by the ancient Doctors Benè tameÌ„ scimus Pygmaeos gygaÌ„tum humeris impositos plusquaÌ„ ipsos gygantes videre Stel. enarrat in Luc. ca. 10. protesteth Hee knoweth full well
Bell de verbo Dei lib. 4. c 2. do signifie that doctrine which is not written by the first Author in any Apostolique Booke either for want of a continued succession in their Traditions or to make the ignorant beleeue the Scripture makes in all poynts for them I say for those very points which they terme Traditions vnwritten they produce the Word written See the Gag of the Gospell as for instance Purgatory is termed an vnwritten Tradition and therefore by Bellarmines testimony is not to bee found in any Apostolike Author yet the Cardinall Bel. de Purgatorio for this very poynt cites twentie seuerall places in the written Word to prooue it Invocation of Saints is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to bee found in Scripture yet the Cardinall prooues it out of the Word written Bell. de sancta Bâ—at l. 1. c. 20. Goe to my seruant Iob and he will pray for thee The Communion in one kind is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to be found in any Apostolique Author yet Fisher Bishop of Rochester proues it out of the Word written Roffen advers Luth. Aâ—t 16. Giue vs this day our daily bread Prayer and Seruice in an vnknowne tongue is a Tradition vnwritten and therefore not to bee found in Scripture Ledes de diuin scrip quauis linâ—uâ non legendâ c. 22. yet Ledesma the Iesuite prooues it strongly out of the Word written Our Sauiour opened the booke of the Prophet Esay and afterwards closed it How poore and weake are these and the like authorities deduced from the Scriptures I leaue to euery mans iudgement but sure I am the number of their Traditions is vncertaine and the nature of them is destroyed by their owne Tenets when they confound the written word with their vnwritten Doctrines It was the ancient rule of Vincentius Lyrinensis In ipsâ Catholicâ Ecclesia magnopere curandum est vt id teneamus qd vbique qd semper quod ab omnibê° credituÌ„ hóc est enim verè proprieque Catholicum qd ipsa vis nominis raticque declarat VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 3. In the Catholique Church we ought to bee carefull to hold that which hath been beleeued in all places at all times and of all persons for that is truely and properly Catholique which the force and reason of the name doth declare Those men therefore which assume the name of Catholique and accurse all those who receiue not Traditions with equall reuerence and authoritie with the Scriptures let them proue that their doctrinall Traditions before named haue been euer held and beleeued at all times in all places and of all persons let them proue they were receiued with the vniforme consent of Fathers let them proue they were decreed in a constant succession from age to age from Christians to Christians throughout the whol vniuersal Church These are requisite conditions and ancient characters of Apostolique Traditions But that there are any such or euer were in the Chuch of Rome excepting those onely which are expressely or by necessary consequence deduced from the word of God although they are daily pretended by them yet to this day were neuer proued And hence it is that for want of sure footing and foundation in the Scriptures many Rituall Traditions and Obseruations of the ancient Church are changed and many doctrinall Traditions and Constitutions of the Roman Church are newly brought in which are pretended to be ancient Touching Rituall Traditions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Bass de Spirit sanct ca. 27. Saint Basil tels vs It was not lawfull for any man to kneele in the Church vpon the Sunday and this Traditionn saith he was giuen vnto vs in secret charge by the Apostles of Christ Yet this Tradition is altered St. Austen saith Betweene Easter and Whitsuntide it was not lawfull for any man to fast Aug. ad Casulanum by the Tradition of the Apostles yet this Tradition is abrogated Sententiae haec infantibê° Eucharistiam esse necessariam cercitèr sexentos annos viguit in Ecclesia Mald. Com. in Iohn 6. The giuing of the Eucharist to Infants was an ancient Tradition continued in the Church six hundred yeeres after Christ saith Maldonat yet this Tradition is abolished And as touching the doctrinall Traditions and Constitutions of their Church which are made of equall authoritie with the Scripture you shall scarcely find any of them I say confidently you shall finde none of them to haue been receiued de Fide as Articles of faith with the Vniuersalitie of Churches the consent of Fathers and continued succession of the now receiued doctrine in all ages That this may the more plainely apeare I will examine the Tenets of the Papall Traditions ab Initio and see what the Romane Church in generall and the Greeke Church in particular which for many hundred yeeres communicated in the same Faith with the Romane hath taught and beleeued concerning their doctrine SECT VIII The most generall pretended Traditions of the Romane Church were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church TO examin the foundation of the Greek Church let vs look vp to the time of the Apostles where wee shall finde S. Iohn writing to the seuen Churches in Asia Reuel 1 11 and Saint Paul sending his Epistles to the Corinthians to the Ephesians to the Thessalonians all principall members of the Greeke Church In these Churches according to the doctrine of the Apostles there is nothing that makes for the now Romane Faith and Doctrine but rather against it and that the Romanists may not vainely arrogate to themselues the title of Catholike and Vniuersall Church as if the whole Christian Faith were confined to the Bishop of Rome and his Diocesse it is plaine and euident that Saint Peter taught the word at Antioch Saint Andrew in Greece and Muscouie Saint Iames in Iudea Saint Iohn in Asia Saint Philip in Assyria Saint Thomas in India Saint Matthew in Aethiopia Saint Thaddeus in Armenia Saint Paul in all the countreyes from Arabia to Slauonia St. Bartholomew in Scythia Saint Simon in Persia Ioseph of Arimathea in Great Britaine and all these published the same Faith for substance which wee at this day professe in the Church of England Looke vpon the Greeke Church in generall Terra Graecorum vndique destinata est fides Aug. Ep. 178. Ep. 170. Saint Austen tells vs From the land of Grecia the faith into all places was spread abroad and in particular Saint Chrysostome tells vs The name of Christians beginning first from the citie of Antioch as from a spring hath flowed ouer the whole world And without doubt that famous Citie in Greece gaue the first name and title to the Christians and therefore was called Theopolis Antioch the Citie of God It cannot bee denyed that the Easterne Church is before Rome in time shee hath larger bounds and multitudes
of people almost all the Apostolique Seas most of the Patriarchs seuen Vniuersall Councells the Syrian language wherein Christ spake the Greeke wherein the Scripture of the New Testament was written and withall a personall Succession euen from the Apostles themselues without interruption and that which is knowne to the meanest Grecian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the words of Church of Bishop of Priest of Deacon of Baptisme of Eucharist of Christian are al deriued from the Greekes and proue that Religion came from them from whom those termes were borrowed This doctrine is so true that it inforced the Bishop of Bitonto to professe openly in the Councell of Trent Eia igitur Graecia Mater nostra cui id totuÌ„ debet quod habet Latina Ecclesia Conc. Trid. orat Episc Bitont It is our Mother Grecia vnto whom the Latine Church or the Church of Rome is beholding for all that euer she hath And thus much touching the foundation of the Greeke Church Now that we may the better discerne the Antiquitie of our Religion and the Noueltie of the Romane let vs examine the Tenets of the Greeke Church and by them wee shall discerne whether the Roman church hath continued visible in that doctrine which shee now teacheth and consequently whether their pretended Apostolike Traditions haue Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession in all ages Matthias Illiricus being borne in Dalmatia not farre from the confines of Graecia and therefore may bee thought to be well acquainted with their orders tells vs The Churches of Grecia the Churches of Asia Macedonia Misia Valachia Russia Muscouia and Africa ioyned thereunto that is to say in a manner the whole world or at least the greater part thereof neuer granted the Popes Supremacie neuer allowed either Purgatorie or Priuate Masses or the Communion vnder one kind wee may adde to these Transubstantiation Prayer in an vnknowne tongue Forbidding of marriage to Priests and Popish Inuocation of Saints as it is now beleeued were vtterly vnknown to the Greeke Church and consequently want Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of true Traditions in the Roman Church To examine them in order The Popes Supremacie is a Tradition Apostolicall and declared for an Article of Faith in the Romane Church yet this Tradition wants Antiquitie Vniuersality and Succession Nemo decessoruÌ„ meoruÌ„ hoc tam prophano vocabulo vti coÌ„sueuit-Nullus Romanorum Pontificum hoc singula ritatis nomeÌ„ assumpsit Greg. lib. 4. ep 76. 80 Touching Antiquitie Pope Gregorie 600 yeeres after Christ professeth publiquely That none of his predecessors did euer assume that profane Vniuersall title Touching Vniuersalitie Aluarez tells vs that Prester Iohn sent vnto him to know why the Pope diuided the Churches of Antioch and Rome seeing the Church of Antioch was in a manner the chiefe and head of all Churches Cathol Trad. pag. wherein St. Peter gouerned dwelt 5 yeres Whereunto when hee answered they were obliged by an Article of their faith hee replied If the Pope would vsurpe so great a prerogatiue as to command things vnlawfull they would make no reckoning of it and if by such meanes their Abuna their Primate would presume so far they would burne the copie of such a command In like maner Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica tells vs Nilus lib. 1. de Primat Papae The Greeke Church though it neuer denyed the primacy of Order to the Pope of Rome yet their assumed predominance of authoritie it alwayes resisted Touching Succession Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Bell. in Praefat de Rom. Pontif. The first who most earnestly withstood the Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome seeme to bee the Grecian Fathers for since the yeere 381 they laboured to preferre the Bishop of Constantinople the three Patriarkes of the East in the second place next to the Bishop of Rome and this saith he may bee vnderstood by the second Generall Councell And as in this Councell of Constantinople there was a resistance made against the power and iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome so likewise hee telleth vs further that in the yeere 451 Bell. ibideÌ„ the Greeke Fathers not being content with their determination laboured to make the Bishop of Constantinople equall with the Bishop of Rome for in the Councell of Chalcedon the Greeke Fathers decreed it but deceitfully in the absence of the Popes Legat that the Bishop of Constantinople should haue the second place after the Bishop of Rome notwithstanding hee should haue equall priuiledges with the other Thus two generall Councells the one consisting of 150 Bishops the other of 630 by the testimonies of the Popes Cardinall opposed the Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome the which Supremacie if in those dayes it had been receiued for an Article of faith or a Tradition Apostolique without doubt those two famous Councels would haue subscribed to it without any resistance or opposition to the vniuersall Head of the Church And that you may yet further know the Churches of Asia and Grecia continued their Resolution in this poynt Conc. Florentinum An. 1436. looke vpon the late Councell of Florence and there you shall obserue Paulus Aemilius Pantalcon that Michael Palaeologus by reason hee submitted himselfe to the Pope in that Councell was hated of all the people while hee liued and being dead was forbidden Christian buriall And Isidorus the Archbishop of Kiouia in Russia Math à Michonia in Nouo Orbe Iewel p. 411 for that he began for Vnities sake to mooue the people to the like submission was therefore deposed of his Bishoprick and put to death Thus the Popes Supremacie wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession the proper markes of Romane Traditions and consequently can bee no Article of Faith no Apostolique Tradition as is pretended in this first poynt Purgatorie is reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and receiued in the Romane Church for an Article of Faith yet this doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersality and Succession Touching Antiquitie Nilus Archbishop of Thessalonica professeth in the name of the Greeke Church that it could bee no Tradition Apostolicall for saith hee Wee haue not receiued by Tradition from our Fathers Nil de Purgat igne Câ—th Trad. q. 16. that there is any fire of Purgatory or any temporall punishment and we know that the Easterne Church doth not beleeue it And amongst other reasons why Purgatory was not receiued by them Marcus Ephes in Graecorum Apolog. de igne Purgatorio ad Concil Florentinum they render this for one that whereas their Fathers had deliuered vnto them many visions and dreames and other wonders concerning the euerlasting punishment in hell yet none of them had declared any thing concerning the temporary fire of Purgatory Legat qui velit GraecoruÌ„ veteruÌ„ CoÌ„mentarios et nullum quantum opinor aut quaÌ„ rarissimè de Purgatorio sermoneÌ„ inueniet Sed neque Latini simul omnes at sensim huius rei veritatem conceperunt neque taÌ„ necessaria fuit
siue Purgatorii fiue IndulgentiaruÌ„ fides in Primitiuâ Ecclesia at que nunc est Roffen Aâ—t 18 p. 496. Touching Vniuersalitie It is the confession of Fisher their owne Bishop of Rochester Whosoeuer will reade the Commentaries of the ancient Greekes so farre as I see he shall finde very seldome mention of Purgatory or none at all and the Latins in the Westerne Church did not receiue the truth of this matter altogether but by little and little neither indeed was the faith either of Purgatorie or Indulgences so needfull in the Primitiue Church as now it is A strange confession of a learned Bishop that two principall Articles of Faith viz. Purgatorie and Indulgences were scarce knowne in the ancient Church nor yet very necessary to bee receiued at all times and of all persons Let it suffice many poynts of the now Romane Religion were vtterly vnknowne to the Greeke Church which in the first ages did wholly communicate with the ancient Romane Faith and therefore their Alphonsus à Castro thinkes it the best way to solue the poynt in question with this answere Vnus ex notissimis erroribus GraecoruÌ„ et ArmenoruÌ„ est quo docent nullum esse purgatoriuÌ„ locum quo animae ab hac luce migrantes purgentur à sordibus Alph. à Cas aduers haeres lib. 12. It is one of the most knowne errours of the Grecians and Armenians whereby they teach there is no place for Purgatorie where soules after this life are purged from their offences Touching Succession St. Chrysostome Gregorie Neocaesaria Olympiodorus and diuers ancient Fathers were vtterly ignorant of it and Saint Austen a Latine Father was so farre from receiuing it as a poynt of Faith that doubtingly hee professeth Tale aliquid etiam post haÌ„c vitaÌ„ fieri incredibile noÌ„ est et vtrù ita sâ— quaerâ— potest aut â—â—enâ—â—â—uâ—latere Aug. in Enchirid. ad Laurent cap. 69. It is not incredible that some such thing should bee after this life and whether it bee so or no it may beâ— a question and it may bee either found or bee hidden 〈◊〉 we all know and confesse that if Saint Austen and the Romane Church had receiued the doctrine of Purgatory in his dayes as it is now taught for an Article of Faith certainely hee would neuer haue told vs perhaps it is so it may be or it may not bee and it is a doubt whether there be any such place or no. And howsoeuer it is pretended that the Greeke Church at the Councell of Florence for peace sake was content to yeeld that the middle sort of soules were in a place of punishment but whether that were fire or darknesse and tempest or something else they would not contend yet I say if they had assented to this or the like doctrine it was 1400 yeeres after Christ and therefore most vnfit to be receiued for an Article of Faith but the truth is Marcus Bishop of Ephesus who was one of the Legats of the Patriarchs of Antioch Hierusalem would neuer consent to this Doctrine neither could the Greeke Church afterwards by any meanes bee drawne to yeeld to it Besides within two yeeres after Cardinall Cusanus and the Deputies of the Councell of Basil in the yeere 1438 doe sufficiently manifest the opinion of the Greek Church wherein the Grecians begin their disputation in this maner Mart. Crus in Turc Graec. p. 186 A Purgatory fire and a punishment by fire which is temporall and shall at last haue an end neither haue wee receiued from our Doctors neither doe wee know that the Church of the East dâ—eth maintaine it And from these and the like propositions they make this peremptory conclusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Sacran c. 2. For these reasons therefore neither haue wee hitherto affirmed any such thing neither will wee at all affirme it I may adde to these Testimonies the opinions of the Muscouites who affirme that there is no Purgatory but onely two receptacles for soules Heauen and Hell Againe the Cophites and the Abissines the Georgians and Armenians together with the Syrians and Caldeans that are subiect to the Patriarkes of Antioch and Babylon from Cyprus and Palestina vnto the East Indies neuer made discouery of the new found land of Purgatory This doctrine therefore wants the proper markes of the Romane Church viz. Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can bee no Article of faith no Apostolique Tradition as is pretended in the second poynt Priuate Masse wherein the Priest alone doth communicate without the people hath neither Antiquity Vniuersalitie nor Consent and consequently hath not the true markes of Romish Traditions Touching Antiquitie it is the confession of their owne Cochleus Coch. de sacrif Missae contra Musculum Anciently all the Priests and people did communicate together as appeareth by the Canons of the Apostles and writings of ancient Fathers Odo in Exposit Canonis And Odo Cameracensis professeth that in the Primitiue Church they neuer had Masses without the conuention of the people to communicate together Touching Vniuersalitie it is the confession of Iohannes Hoffmeistenus Cassand Consult de solit Miss pag. 906. The thing it selfe doeth speake and crie aloud both in the Greeke and Latin Church that not onely the sacrificing Priest but the other Priests and Deacons and the rest of the people or at least some part of the people did communicate together and how this custome ceased it is to bee wondred and it is to be endeauoured that this good custome may bee restored to the Church Touching Succession St. Chrysostome speaking to the lay people of his time Chrys in 2. Thessal Hom. 4. saith Neither doe we receiue more and you lesse of the holy table but we taste therof equally both together And St. Basil an other Greeke Father witnesseth the common vnion of Priests and people expressely in these words Liturg. Basilii All wee receiuing of one bread and one cup c. the Quire singeth the Communion and so they communicate together I will adde to these the confessions of their owne learned Authors Cardinall Bessarion a Greeke borne declareth the maner of the Communion in his time PrimuÌ„ consecrare deinde fraÌ„gere postea distribuere quod nos in praesenti facimê° Bessar de sacr Euch. An 1450. The very order of the things required first that we should consecrate or blesse bread next that we should breake it last of all that wee should diuide or deliuer it to the people which thing we Grecians doe at this present day And for a conclusion of this poynt Iustinian and Durand publikely declare and professe that in ancient times Iustin in 1. Cor 10. Durand Rat. 4 c. 53. diuers parts of one consecrated loafe were distributed to all the which the Greeke Church vseth at this day that by their Communion their vnion with Christ might bee more plainely expressed Thus Priuate Masse wants the requisite conditions of the Romane
Church viz. Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can bee no Catholike doctrine no Apostolique Tradition as is pretended in the third place The Communion in one kind is reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and receiued in the Roman Church for an Article of Faith yet this doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession Touching Antiquitie It is the confession of the Councell of Constance where the Cup was taken from the people that Christ did institute in both kinds Concil Const 1414. and the Primitiue Church did continue it to the faithfull in both kinds And Alphonsus à Castro tells vs Alphons à Castr cont â—aeres li. 6. that anciently for many ages the Communion in both kindes was vsed among all Catholiques Touching Vniuersalitie Cassander witnesseth Satis compertum est vniuersaleÌ„ Christi EcclesiaÌ„ mille ampliùs Cassand Consult de vtraque specie that the vniuersall Church at this day and the Romane Church for more then a thousand yeeres after Christ did exhibite the Sacrament in both kinds as it is most euident by innumerable testimonies both of Greeke and Latine Fathers Touching Succession In later ages Salmeron the Iesuite professeth Salmer Tract 35. It was the generall custome for lay people to communicate vnder both kinds as at this day it is vsed among the Grecians and was vsed in times past among the Corinthians and in Africa And Ieremie the Oecumenicall Patriarch returnes this answere to the defenders of the Faith in both kindes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Patr. resp 1. c. 21. Dicitis you say that all ought to communicate vnder both kinds and you say well for we do so when we participate of the venerable mysteries Cassand Liturg. c. 11 p. 28. Franciscus Aluarez tells vs that in the kingdome of Prester Iohn they vse in their Church to make a cake of honey meale and oyle and powre wine into the cup and all that communicate of the body of Christ communicate also of the Cup. The Christians in Armenia Idem Liturg c. 14. p 32. after they haue communicated with bread in lieu of the cup by reason there is no wine in India they take dried grapes and put them into water and before the time they are to communicate they presse them and straine them and vse that liquor instead of wine This doctrine therefore wants the requisite conditions of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can be no Article of Faith no Apostolique Tradition as is presented in the fourth place Transubstantiation TRansubstantiation is reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and receiued in the Romane Church for an Article of Faith yet this doctrine if you respect the name or nature of it wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession In Primitiuâ Ecclesiâ de substaÌ„tia fidei erat corpus Christi sub speciebê° coÌ„tineri tamen non erat de fide substantiam panisin corpus Christi coÌ„uerti c. Io. Yribarne in 4. d. 11. q. 3. disp 42. Vnum addit Scotus quod minimeprobandum qd ante Lateranense CoÌ„cilium non fuisset dogma fidei Bell. li. 3. de Euch. c. 23. Touching Antiquitie It is the confession of learned Yribarne In the Primitiue Church it was beleeued for a poynt of faith that the body of Christ was contained vnder the formes of bread and wine but it was not beleeued as a matter of faith that after consecratition the substance of the bread was conuerted into the body of Christ And their learned Scotus professeth that before the Councell of Lateran which was twelue hundred yeeres after Christ Transubstantiation was not beleeued as a poynt of faith Touching Vniuersalitie Eusebius a Greek Father paraphrasing vpon the words of Christ The words which I speake vnto you are spirit and life deliuers this doctrine flat contrary to Transubstantiation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euseb l. 3. Eccl. Theol. cont Marcel Ancyr M ss in Oxon. Bibli publicâ Doe not thinke that I speake of that flesh wherewith I am compassed as if you must eat of that neither imagine that I command you to drinke my sensible and bodily blood but vnderstand well the words which I haue spoken vnto you are spirit and life And Saint Chrisostom a principall member of the Greeke Church in his Epistle written to Caesarius hath these wordes Etiamsi natura panis in ipso permansit Chrys ad Caesarium Monachum As before the bread be sanctified we call it bread but when Gods grace hath sanctified it by the meanes of the Priest it is deliuered from the name of bread and is reputed worthy the name of the Lords body although the nature of the bread remaine still in it And to preuent that grosse opinion that after consecration there remaine onely the shewes and accidents of bread and wine Theodoret concludeth against the heretique with this Catholique doctrine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theod in Dial. 2. Inconf The mysticall signes after the consecration depart not from their owne nature for they remaine in their former substance Euphraemius Patriarch of Antioch giues his ioynt assent with vs flatly against the doctrine of Transubstantiation hee tells vs Ephrae de sacr Antio legibus lib. 1. in Phocij Biblioâ—hecâ Cod. 229. The Sacrament of the body of Christ doeth neither depart from his sensible substance and yet remaineth vndiuided from intelligible grace and Baptisme being wholly made spirituall and remaining one doth retaine the propertie of his sensible substance of water I meane and yet loseth not that which it is made This holy Father by comparing the Sacraments together doth demonstrate the faith of both and as hee prooues that in the Sacrament of Baptisme the substance of water still remaineth after consecration which both Papists and Protestants acknowledge in like maner saith he the substance of bread remaines in the Sacrament of the Eucharist after consecration which the Protestants confesse and the Papists deny To omit many other proofes touching the vniversalitie of our doctrine let Pope Gelasius bee heard for the Catholike doctrine of the Romane Church in his time Gelas cont Eutich An Image or similitude saith hee of the body and blood of Christ is celebrated in the action of the mysteries It is therefore apparant and euident enough that wee must hold the same opinion of Christ the Lord which we professe celebrate and receiue in his image that as those signes by the working of the holy Ghost passe into the diuine substance and yet remaine in the proprietie of their owne nature euen so that very principall mysterie it selfe whose force and trueth that Image assuredly representeth doeth demonstrate one whole and true Christ to continue the two natures of which he consisteth properly remaining And that wee might the bettter vnderstand what he meant by those wordes viz. The signes still abide in the proprietie of their owne nature hee expoundeth himselfe in these words which vtterly ouerthrow the doctrine of Transubstantiation Non desinit esse substantia vel
whereby the people answered the Priest continued long in the East and West Churches And it plainely appeares by the ancient Liturgies ascribed to Chrysostome and Basil which are in vse at this day the diuine Seruice in the Greeke Church was publiquely deliuered in a known tongue And agreeably to this custome the Armenians Egyptians Acthiopians Muscouites and generally all the Easterne Churches doe consecrate the Sacrament in the language of their owne countrey This doctrine therefore wants the requisite conditions of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession and therefore can bee no Apostolique Tradition no Catholique doctrine as is pretended in the sixt place Single life in the Clergie Single life in the Clergie is reputed a Tradition in the Roman Church and made of equall authoritie with the Scripture yet this doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and succession Touching Antiquitie Their owne Doctors tell vs Dist 84. § Cum in praeterito Nichol. Cusan ad Boem Ep. 2. post aliquot tempora visum fuit c. Nec ratione nec authoritate probatur quòd absolutè loqueÌ„do Ordo Sacerdotalis vel in quantuÌ„ est Ordo vel in quantuÌ„ sacer est impeditivus est matrimonii siuè antè siuè post seclusis omnibus legibus stando tantuÌ„ his quae à Christo Apostolis haebentur Caiet Tom 1. tract 27. that vntill the time of Pope Syricius that is to say for the space welneere of foure hundred yeeres after Christ it was lawfull for all Priests to marrie without exception neither vow nor promise nor Law nor ordinance nor other restraint being then to the contrary And their learned Cardinan Cajetan professeth If we stand onely to the Tradition of Christ and his Apostles it cannot appeare by any authority or reason that holy Order can bee any hindrance to marriage either as it is an order or as it is holy Touching Vniuersalitie It is the confession of Pope Stephen the second The Tradition of the Easterne Churches is one the Tradition of the holy Church of Rome is an other for the Priests Deacons and Sub-deacons of the Easterne Churches are ioyned in Matrimony Dist 31. Aliter This confession is agreeable to the Decree of the ancient Councell holden at Ancyra where it was ordained Hii si post moduÌ„ vxoores duxerint in Ministerio maneant Concil Ancyr Can. 9. That Deacons as many as be ordered if at the time of receiuing their Orders they made protestation and said that they would marry for that they finde not themselues able so to continue without Marriage if they afterwards marry let them continue in the Ministerie Touching Succession This doctrine was not generally receiued no not in the Westerne Churches a thousand yeeres after Christ for in the time of King Rufus Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury in a Dialogue between the Master and the Scholler makes this Quaere Desideramê° certificari tuâ solutio ne super vul gari in toto orbe quaestine quae ab omnibê° quotidie ventilatur scil An liceat Presbyteris post acceptuÌ„ OrdineÌ„ vx ores ducere Anselm Di al. Inquisitione primâ Wee are desirous by your answere to bee certified about this common question that is now tossed through the world and yet lyeth vndiscussed I mean Whether a Priest being within Orders may marry a wife Whereby it appeares that the Law of Single life was a poynt questionable and not resolued for an Apostolique Tradition in the Roman Church for many ages About 400 yeeres after Bell. de scri Eccles ab An. 1400. to 1500. p. 288. Panormitan an Archbishop a Cardinall and a principall Proctor for the Pope resolues the question about marriage in this manner Si clare coÌ„stet de matrimonio Papa tunc aut vxor inducetur ad coÌ„tinentiaÌ„ aut si noluerit reddaet debitum nihilo minùs stet in Papatù quià non repugnat substantiae Papatus seu Clericatus naÌ„ et Petrê° habebat vxoreÌ„ cuÌ„ promoueretur in Papam vnde videmê° qd Presbyteri Graeci sine peccato contrahunt matrimoni um Extr. ce Elect. C. licet de vitaÌ„d Abb. Patriarch resp 1. c. 21. If it may clearely appeare saith hee that the Pope hath a wife as hauing married her before hee was Pope then either his wife must bee perswaded to liue single or if shee will not let the Pope yeeld her mariage duties and yet neuerthelesse remaine in the Popedome still For marriage dutie is not contrary to the substance and Office neither of Popedome nor of Priesthood for Peter had a wife when hee was promoted to bee Pope As for the rule of single life it was brought in by the Ordinance of the Church Hence is it that we see the Priests of Graecia being within Orders doe marrie wiues and wee see they doe it sine peccato without sinne or breach of Law either of God or man Looke vpon the confession of the Greeke Patriarch since Luthers time We allow saith hee marriage to Priests before Ordination Looke vpon the confession of their owne Cardinall Caietan Caiet tract 27. test Greg. de Val. disp 9. q 5. It was held lawfull in the Easterne Church to marrie after Ordination Adde to these the Traditions of other Countreys as namely the Priests in India in Armenia in Syria in Russia in Cyprus in Muscouia daily marry and execute their offices of Priesthood being married persons The Lawe therefore of single life wants the requisite conditions of Antiquity vniuersalitie and Succession and consequently can bee no Apostolicall Tradition no Catholique Doctrine as is pretended in the seuenth place Invocation and worship of Saints Invocation and Worship of Saints Is reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and is receiued for an Article of faith in the Roman Church yet this faith notwithstanding their great braggs of Catholike doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession Apostoli scribere hoc in sacris literis noluerunt ne ambitiosi viderentur honorem istum sibi ipsis ambire ne sub cultu illo defuÌ„ctoruÌ„ GeÌ„tilium cultum inferre viderentur Ecch. Ench. cap. de vener Sanct. Touching Antiquitie I appeale to their owne Ecchius The Apostles saith he would not insert this doctrine into the written word lest they should seeme ambitiously to assume that honour to themselues and vnder pretence of worshipping the dead might bring in the worship of the Gentiles This doctrine then as it wants a foundation in scripture which a point of faith ought to haue so likewise it is most certaine for the same reason the Apostles would not deliuer it by Tradition for without doubt they would neuer teach that doctrine of faith by word of mouth which they refused to publish by their writings This is not onely probable but certain true and therefore Ignatius the Apostle St. Iohns Scholler who could not bee ignorant of a poynt of Faith teacheth the virgins of that time another lesson he doth not teach them to direct their prayers and supplications to Saints and Angels
number of seuen Sacraments in Scriptures or Fathers Lastly touching the Exposition of the Scriptures Cardinall Baronius makes this ingenious acknowledgment Baron Annal ad An. 34. nu mar 213. Although the holy Fathers for their great learning bee rightly termed the Doctors of the Church yet the Catholike Romane Church doeth not follow them alwayes and in all things in expounding of the Scriptures These men therefore which so much magnifie the Antiquitie of their Church and doctrine of the ancient Fathers vpon examination and triall of their cause plainly intimate vnto vs that the most substantiall poynts and chiefest articles of the Roman Faith were altogether vnknowne or at leastwise did want the vniforme consent of Fathers And that you may yet further know notwithstanding they seemingly magnifie the Fathers amongst the coÌ„mon people yet there is scarce any ancient Father of note but either they cite him by the halues or condemne him as erronious or reiect him for a counterfet at their pleasure Nay more there is scarce any poynt of the Roman Faith which is not ratified and confirmed by our aduersaries from the authorities of some pretended ancient Father the which authorities vpon other occasions are decreed by their owne fellow Romanist for vpstart and counterfet opinions as for instance Linus the pretended successor of St. Peter is cited by Coccius for proofe of Purgatory Cocc tom 1 l. 5. de sanct art 9. Vpon an other occasion his fellow Bellarmine makes answer Bell. de PoÌ„t lib. 2. c. 9. The history of Linus is truely counterfet and therefore of no authority at all Pig Hier. lib. 6. c. 6. Anacletus Epistles are cited by Pigghius and Stapleton for proofe of the Supremacie Cusan CoÌ„cord Cath. li. 2. c. 34. their fellow Cardinall Cusanus pronounceth them to be a matter of forgerie Primasius vpon the Hebrewes is cited by Bellarmine for the Carnall presence Bell. li. 2. de Euch. c 31. and the Sacrifice of the Masse his fellow Salmeron makes answer Salm. lib. 1. de Miss c. 6. Primasius neuer wrote them but Haymo a late Bishop in Germany Rhem. in Rom. 3.20 St. Hierom vpon the Epistles is cited by the Rhemists for Iustification by workes Their associate Bellarmine elsewhere declareth That this booke is a shamelesse counterfet Bell. li. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 5. and hath for his Author rather the heretique Pelagius then such an holy Father St. Austen de Ecclesiae dogmatibus Rhem. in 1. Cor. 11.28 is cited by the Rhemists for Auricular confession Alph. haeres 10. tit Bapt. Alphonsus à Castro denies the Tract to bee Austens and condemnes it for a craftie counterfet Athanasius Sermon Bell li. 3. de Sanct. c. 16. De Sanctissimâ Deiparâ is cited by Bellarmine for Inuocation of Saints Baron tom 1. ad 48. num 19. his fellow Baronius professeth that the Sermon is a meere counterfet Anselme in his Commentaries Bellar. de Purg lib. 1. cap. 6. Lib. 2. de Euch. c. 36. is cited by Bellarmine for Purgatory for the Reall presence for the blessed Virgines immaculate Conception for Freewill yet his fellow Posseuine professeth Lib. 4. de amissa grat cap. 15. Lib. 5. de grat lib. arbit c. 26. Posseu Appar verbo Herucus that one Herueus Natalis liuing about 250 yeeres since is the writer of those Commentaries falsely ascribed to Anselme And thus the Romanists resemble bad debters who would satisfie their creditors some with light gold some with crackt some with soldered some with counterfet protesting that if they be not all English Angels yet they bee Flemish at least they are stampt with the image of an Angel But that which is most proper for euery mans obseruation especially for those that study the Controuersies of these times let them peruse the workes of their greatest Champion Cardinal Bellarmine and they shall find as in euery point of Controuersie the Fathers are cited plentifully by him in behalfe of the Romane faith so likewise vpon other occasions when the same Fathers in the same Tractates are produced against them in our behalfe he reiects the same Fathers and their authorities as counterfet and accounts them rather as children then ancient Fathers As for example Dionysius the Areopagite is cited by Bellarmine for Inuocation of Saints for Pugatory Bell. lib. 1. de Sanct. cap. 19. Idem l. 1. de Purg. c. 6. Idem lib. 2. de Monach. cap. 5. IdeÌ„ de confirm l. 2. c. 7. for Monasticall life yet elsewhere he confesseth it is vncertaine whether the booke bee St. Denys whose name it beares Bel. de grat lib. arb l. 5. c. 25. Idem lib. 2. de Pont. c. 2 Clemens Recognitions is cited by Bellarmine for Free-will yet when they are alledged against the Popes Succession shewing that Peter dyed not at Rome hee disclaimeth them as Apocryphall bookes Bell. lib. 2. de Euch. ca. 2. initio IdeÌ„ de Euch. l. 4. c. 26. Resp Ignatius a Greeke Father is cited by Bellarmine for Transubstantiation but when hee is produced by vs for the Communion in both kinds he answereth that Ignatius Greeke writings are not much to be trusted to Bell. li. 3 de Euch. l â—0 Lib. 2. de Miss c. 2. Lib. 1. de Purg c. 6. Bell. li. 4. de Euch. c. 26. § Tertius locus v Cyprian de Coena Domini is alleadged by Bellarmine for the Sacrifice of the Masse for Purgatory for Transubstantiation but when it is produced by vs for the Cup to the Lay people hee disclaimeth the Sermon to bee Cyprians Abdias his workes are cited by Bellarmine for Monasticall life Bell. l. 2 de Mon. c. 27. yet elsewhere he confesseth that the learned of his owne Church hold the same for counterfet Ego certe nullum ab eo testimonium petii IdeÌ„ de bonis oper l. 2 c. 24. and for my part saith hee Ego nullum c. I haue had no testimony from him Amphilochius his Vita St. Basilij is cited by Bellarmine Bell. li. 4. de Euch c 24. to prooue the Eucharist was giuen to the sicke in one kinde Haud dubio falsa vel supposititia Idem de Scrip. Eccle. de Amphil. Ann. 380. and yet in his Catalogue of Ecclesiasticall Authors he pronounceth the same book to be false and counterfet Damasus Pontificall is cited by Bellarmine for Images Bell. li. 2. de Imag. c. 9. and to prooue that Election of Bishops onely belongeth to the Pope Idem lib. 1. de Cler. c. 8. Bellar de Scrip. Eccle. and yet in his Catalogue aforesaid hee saith It is known that Damasus was neuer the writer of that booke but Anastasius onely the Master of the Popes Library Ann. 367. Bell. li. 4 de grat lib. arb c. 14. Idem de Script Eccles an 380 Obseru 3 Libri non videntur esse S. Greg. Nyss Lib. 2. de Imag. c. 28. Li. de
scrip Eccles. ann 290. Gregorie Nyssen his eight Bookes De Philosophia are cited by Bellarmine for Free-will yet in his Catalogue aforesaid he confesseth they seeme not to be the bookes of Gregory Nyssen Lactantius Verses are cited by Bellarmine for Adoration of the Crosse and yet he confesseth elsewhere that it is doubted whether Lactantius were the Author Bell. li 1. de ver Dei ca. 14. Nec librum illum esse Augustini vt erudit fatentur Bell. de Mis lib. 2. c. 12. Ad locum Saint Austen is cited ad Orosium by Bellarmine to prooue Ecclesiasticus Canonicall Scripture but elsewhere when he is obiected in our behalfe in that Tract hee answeres it is not Saint Austens worke as learned men confesse Iustin Martyr Bell lib de Bap c. 25. Idem lib. de Confir c. 5. Idem lib. de Euch. c. 2. Idem lib. 1. de Sanct. 1. 4 § 3. his Questions are alleadged by Bellarmine for Vnction in baptisme for the Sacrament of Confirmation for Transubstantiation but elsewhere hee declareth them to be the work of some new Authour and not the workes of Iustin Martyr Origen in his Homilies on the Gospels Lib. 2. de Euch. c. 8. lib 3. de paenit ca 7. is cited by Bellarmine for the Reall presence and his Homilies on the Psalmes he cites for Auricular confession In lib. de Script Eccles yet the one he disclaimeth as none of Origens the other he freely confesseth it is doubted of who is the Author Cassianus is cited by Bellarmine for an ancient Author Bell de Iustif l. 1. c. 13 for the poynt of Iustification Idē de bon oper cap. 2. lib. 2. and set times of fasting yet elsewhere hee acknowledgeth the booke for Apocryphall and counterfet Bell li. 6. de lib. arb ca. 4 § accedat and condemned in a Roman Councell vnder Pope Gelasius Bell li. 2. de Pont. c. 14. Eusebius his third Epistle is cited by Bellarmine for the Supremacie yet he professeth elsewhere Idem de Confirm lib. 2. c. 7. it is not certaine who is the Author thereof Hee that shall reade these and many such like authorities of pretended Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Religion might at first sight happily bee induced to beleeue that all or most of the ancient Doctors of the Church belong to them when as in truth our aduersaries vse them but as Merchants vse their Counters sometimes they stand with them for pence sometimes for pounds as they bee next and readiest at hand to make vp their account Thus one while they muster vp their forces by multitudes of authorities as if they would make that good by number which they want in weight Sometimes they condemne them as counterfet sometimes they purge them as if they were full of corruptions according to seuerall occasions they haue their seuerall deuices to produce them or auoyd them at their pleasure Si conficta historia non est vllius authoritatis Bell. lib. 2. de Pont. cap. 9. whereas if they bee counterfeit as they are confessed to bee they are of no authoritie if Catholique and Orthodoxe they make nothing for the points in Controuersie as shall bee presented in the next place SECT XI The most substantiall poynts of Roman Faith and Doctrine as they are now taught and receiued in the Church of Rome were neuer taught by the Primitiue Church nor receiued by the ancient Fathers NEither are these men content to challenge a right to all the Fathers although they confesse they are not all orthodox and true Fathers but they likewise charge vs that Sebast Flash in profess Cath. we make no more account of them then wee doe of the Turkes Alcaron or Aesops Fables Nay saith Bristow it is well known to such as heare the Protestants Sermons Bristow Mot. 14. or bee in place to heare them talke boldly and familiarly among themselues are not afrayd to confesse plainely that the Fathers are all Papists A strange and senselesse fiction deuised by these men when not onely our learned Diuines but the vulgar people are all eye-witnesses that the Booke written by the Iewel of our age is published in all the Churches of our kingdom whose challenge for the principall points of our Religion is made good and will euer remaine vnanswerable out of the Writings and Authorities of the ancient Fathers But admit some Protestants were so ignorant or senselesse as to say priuately All the Fathers were Papists what stupiditie then may we think it in the chiefe Pastors of the Romane Church which by their publike writings and open confession acknowledge the principall poynts of Controuersie yea their chiefe Articles of Faith were vnknowne to the ancient Fathers We confesse it for a truth that the ancient Fathers St. Austen S. Ambrose St. Hierome and the rest were learned men they were Instruments of Grace and Mercy we read them we reuerence them we giue God thankes for them but withall wee learne this lesson frō them Wee weigh not the writings of men August ad Fortunat. Epist 111. bee they neuer so worthy and Catholique as wee weigh the Canonicall Scriptures but yeelding that reuerence that is due vnto them Wee may mislike and refuse something in their writings if we find they haue thought otherwise then the trueth may beare and such saith Austen am I in the writings of others and such I would wish others to be in mine Saint Austen thought it no preiudice to the Romane Church nor disparagement to his own learning to haue his writings examined by the rule of Scripture Nay more saith he that which in my bookes thou thinkest to bee vndoubtedly true Quod certū non habebis nisi certum intellexeris noli firmè retinere Aug in Proae lib 3. de Trinit vnlesse thou perceiue it to bee true indeed hold it not resolutely St. Ambrose was so farre from wishing Prince or people to rely vpon his doctrine that by way of preuention hee writes to Gratian the Emperour Nolo argumento eredas sancte Imperator nostrae disputationi Scripturas interrogemus c. Ambros de Fide ad Grat l 1 c. 4 Beleeue not O Emperour our Arguments and our Disputations let vs aske the Apostles let vs aske the Prophets let vs aske Christ. Now admit a doubtfull Recusant at this day repaire for instruction to a Romish Priest or Bishop will he answer him with Austen Examine my doctrine by the rule of Scripture and if you find it not agreeable to that Word hold it not resolutely or will he answer him with Ambrose Heare not my arguments beleeue not vs that are the professed Priests and Pastors of the Church but read the Scriptures consult with the Oracles of God let Christ the Head of the Church resolue the doubts and controuersies of Religion Surely nothing is more to bee wished for by vs nothing is lesse to be hoped for from them True it is that St.
by the application of Saints merits and that priuate satisfactions which were left to the discretion of euery Bishop were transferred wholly to the power of the Pope and so receiued de Fide as an article of faith as it is now vsed in the Romane Church and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that Confirmation Penance Orders Matrimonie are oftentimes called by the name of Sacraments let him spare the labour I will confesse it But let him proue the poynt in question that al those Sacraments were instituted by Christ in the new Testament and that there are neither more nor lesse then seuen termed by the name of Sacraments and those onely were properly so called and that number of seuen was receiued de fide as an Article of faith and I will subscribe He that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that St. Peter had a primacie of Order amongst the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome had the first place amongst other Bishops let him spare the labour I will confesse it but let him proue that Peter had iurisdiction ouer the Apostles and that the Bishop of Rome was helde Christs Vicar generall and Head of the Vniuersall Church and that such his power and Supremacie was receiued de fide as an article of faith as it is now taught in the Roman Church and I will subscribe Lastly he that will proue out of the ancient Fathers that out of the Cath. church there is no saluation let him spare the labor I will cōfesse it but let him proue that the present Roman Church is that Catholike Church as it is decreed de fide by their last Article of their Creed and I will subscribe Thus briefly I haue giuen you my poore opinion how to examine the Trent Faith and doctrine whereby you may easily discouer the vanitie of those men who challenge an interest in all the Fathers in behalfe of their Religion and certainly if this rule bee rightly obserued and pursued by any indifferent Iudge he shal finde there is not greater distance in the times then difference in their doctrine This is so well knowne to the best learned on their side that when wee charge them that they haue created new Articles of Faith vnknowne to the first and best ages by way of preuention they giue this solution that true it is many poynts of doctrine were not explicitè reuealed and publikely declared as Articles of faith in the dayes of the ancient Fathers because no heretikes did then oppose them but say they they were implicitè obscurely secretly reseruedly knowne and receiued of the Ancients with an implicit faith by which confession their later errour will bee greater then the first for as one way they would seemingly auoyd the creating of new Articles of faith so by acknowledgement of an implicit faith they ouerthrow by consequence the Visibilitie of their Church for if the Church of Rome had but an implicite beliefe in those things which are now publikely declared without doubt the Church at that time was not visible in the faith it was not like a Citie vpon a hill knowne and conspicuous to all persons and thereupon the grand poynt of Visibilitie which they so much magnifie among themselues will easily be called in question For a conclusion of this poynt I will giue you but one instance whereby you may the better iudge of the rest Looke vpon the learned Treatise of the right Reuerend Bishop of Meath now Primate of Armach wherein the iudgement of the ancient Fathers An Answer to a challenge made by a Iesuite in Ireland 1624. touching seuerall poynts of controuersie is faithfully deliuered in our behalfe what Reply might wee thinke could bee made by our aduersaries to those Authorities so rightly produced Behold a Iesuite by Order W. Malone by name A Reply to Mr. Vshers answere hath made a Reply wherein hee hath produced in number many more authorities of Fathers in behalfe of the Roman Church and Trent Doctrine The encounter being made the end of the victory may seeme doubtfull for the Fathers are produced by both contending parties and seemingly they adhere to both sides as if they made both for Papist and Protestant in one and the same substantiall poynts of doctrine The reason being examined it will appeare the Fathers do not vary from themselues nor from vs in poynts of faith but the Iesuite produceth Authorities impertinent to the poynt in question As for instance in the first Article of Traditions Our Reuerend Bishop tels the Iesuite by way of preuention B Vsher cap. Traditions p. 35. that Traditions of all sorts are not promiscuously strucke at by vs but such vnwritten traditions which are obtruded for Articles of Religion As for example It is the first part of the Article of the Roman Creed I admit and imbrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiesticall Traditions To this first part of the article the reformed Churches doe subscribe but the other Obseruances and Constitutions of the Church which is the latter part of the Article we thinke it great reason to gainesay for vnder the pretence of other Obseruances the Church of Rome doeth vphold her priuate Masse her Latine Seruice her halfe Communion her Inuocation of Saints her worship of Images the like all which are admitted for part of Gods worship and accepted by them for Apostolike Traditions when as in truth they are flat contrary to the doctrine of the written Word The question then is not whether the doctrine deliuered by Christ or his Apostles by word of mouth were of equall authoritie with the Word written for this neuer any Protestant denied but whether the vnwritten Doctrine now taught in the Romane Church were deliuered by Christ and his Apostles whether their Ecclesiastical Obseruations and Constitutions now vsed bee of equall authoritie with the written Word whether their Papal Traditions were alwayes or euer admitted into the rule of faith and lastly whether the Scriptures are not sufficient for the saluation of the beleeuer without the helpe of those Traditions Let these questions bee rightly propounded in our behalfe and the multitude of the Iesuites authorities will fall to ground of themselues for what Father hath hee produced to proue that the Papall Traditions now receiued de fide in the Church of Rome were deliuered by word of mouth by the Apostles what Father hath hee cited to prooue that the Constitutions of their Church had a constant and continuall succession from the time of the Apostles as Articles of faith ought to haue what Fa her hath he vrged that admitted doctrinall Traditions vnwritten into the Rule of faith Lastly what ancient Father hath hee truely alleadged that denies the Scriptures to bee sufficient for all beleeuers without the helpe of Romish Traditions It were no difficult matter as I conceiue to giue a full answer to the Iesuits replie in the right stating of the Questions wherby it might easily appeare that hee
de Imag c. 16. whom the Church condemneth Bellarmine answers This booke was written in the beginning of his first conuersion to the Catholike Faith Aug. de corrept gra cap 1. D. Augustinus duÌ„ toto spiritus ac verboruÌ„ ardore pro defensione diuinae gratiae pugnat aduersus Pelagianos liberuÌ„ arbitriuÌ„ cuÌ„ iniuria diuinae gratiae exâ—olleÌ„tes in alteraÌ„ quasi foueam delaâ—s vtdetur minusque interdum iribuere quam par sit liberae hominis volâ—tati Sixt. Seneâ—â— in Bib. sanct l. 5 in Prefat Nos noÌ„ moueat Augustinus vel tantillum c. Episc Bitont comment in Ep. ad Rom. ca. 5. p. 270. 10. Saint Austen saith In doing good none can bee free in will and act vnlesse hee be free by him that said If the Sonne free you you are truely freed Sixtus Senensis saith Whilst Saint Austen doth contend earnestly against the Pelagians for the defence of diuine Grace hee doth seeme to fall into an other pit and sometimes attribute too little to Freewill But saith the Bishop of Bitonto Let not Saint Austen mooue vs at all for it is proper ana peculiar to him that when he opposetth any errour hee doeth it with that vehemencie that hee seemes to fauour an other errour euen so when hee prosecutes Arrius hee seemes to fauour Sabellius when Sabellius Arrius when Pelagius the Maniches when the Maniches Pelagius and this is very considerable and ought especially to be noted in him Lastly Saint Austen vpon the words of Christ saith Thou art Peter August de verb. Dom. Serm. 13. and vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this Rock which thou hast knowne saying Thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God will I build my Church for the Rocke was Christ. Stapl. princip doct lib. 6. c. 3. Stapleton answers It was lapsus humanus an humane errour caused by the diuersitie of the Greek and Latin tongue which either hee was ignorant of or marked not Bell. li 1. de Pont. ca. 10. Bellarmine replies Saint Austen was deceiued by the ignorance onely of the Hebrew tongue But Albertus Pigghius concludes with a witnes against him Nusquam hanet nusquam figit sed vbique explorat vbique tentat et suberatur omnia et quicquid probabile occcurrit alicubi amplectitur qd coÌ„tinuò post displicet retractatur Ociose secum inquireÌ„tu et tentaÌ„tis omnia Alb. Piggh. Hier. Eccles lib. 3. c. 5. Nusquam haeret nusquam figit He neuer resolues certainly vpon any thing but as if he were idle-headed giuen to crotchets hee fetcheth about this way and that way and at length lighting vpon some probabilitie layeth hold on it and then dislikes it and presently retracts it Thus if wee may credit their best learned Romanists St. Austen did not agree constantly with himselfe nor others his doctrine is opposed by the consent of Fathers in the Trent Councell hee vsed not his owne meaning in fighting against heretiques If hee had been liuing in these dayes he would haue been of an other mind He is inconstant and fixeth in certaine vpon nothing but as an idle-headed man full of crotchets one while hee resolues an other while he retracts it You haue heard Saint Austens confession and our aduersaries solution touching the chiefe poynts in question betwixt vs wherby as yet I see no cause why the Romanists should brag of the ancient Fathers in generall nor of St. Austen in particular I proceed in the next place to examine the faith of Austen the Monke that it may appeare whether that doctrine which hee published heere in England aboue a thousand yeeres since bee consonant to our Religion or the doctrine of the Roman Church SECT XIII Saint Gregory pretended to bee the Founder of the Romane Religion in England by sending Austen the Monke for conuersion of this Nation in his vndoubted writings directly opposeth the Romish faith in the maine poynts thereof AVsten the Monke was sent into England by Gregorie the Great about the yeere 600 and is tearmed by the Romanists of this latter age Englands Apostle To say nothing of the haughtinesse of his person through whose pride and contempt twelue hundred poor Christians and holy men of Bangor were murdered as it is related by Venerable Bede Bede Hist Ang l. 2. c. 2 let vs obserue the doctrine of that age and because we haue no Records of the Monkes doctrine let vs reflect vpon Gregory the Great whose writings are extant and who without doubt professed the substance of that Faith which by his Warrant and Commission was then published in England by Austen the Monke It is the generall vote of the Romanists in this latter age that the Faith which Gregorie deliuered in his dayes was so true and Catholike that If an Angell from heauen should teach other doctrine then that we haue receiued from Gregorie wee are not to heare him Canus the Bishop of Canaries well vnderstood that this Assumpsit was of too large an extent and therfore wisely by way of preuention giues this caueat to the Reader Canus li. 11 loc Theol. c. 6. p. 540. It is fitting for a Diuine to bee admonished and not suddenly to bee perswaded that all things are perfect which great and learned Authors haue written as for example Gregorie and Bede the one in his Historie of England the other in his Bookes of Dialogues haue published such miracles commonly receiued and beleeued which the censurers of this age will thinke to be doubtfull and vncertaine I speake not this to decline the doctrine of Gregorie Quid est hoc quaeso te qd in hiâ— extremis temporibus tâ—m multa de animabus c Greg. Dial lib 4. cap. 40. for howsoeuer many ceremonies and strange opinions through visions and apparitions of dead men which Gregorie in his Dialogues complained of sprung vp in his dayes yet the principall poynts of doctrine did as yet remaine sound and stable so that setting aside his Dialogues which are but Aniles fabulae no way fit to prooue Articles of Faith In his vndoubted Writings there will bee found few or no substantiall points which are not agreeable to the Tenets of our Church and altogether different froÌ„ the Roman and that this may become more manifest to the Reader I haue compared the Trent Doctrine and ours with Gregorie that by parallelling the Articles on both sides the Antiquitie of the true Church may visibly appeare by the faith of Gregory The Canonicall Bookes of Scripture Gregorie We doe not amisse Non inordinatè agimê° si ex libris licet noÌ„ Canonicis sed tamen ad edificationeÌ„ Ecclesia editis testimonium proferamê° Greg. Moral lib. 19. ca 13. Artic 6. if wee bring forth a testimony out of the bookes of Maccabees which though they are not Canonicall yet are they set forth for the edification and instruction of the Church Church of England The books of Maccabees the Church doeth reade for
iudgement of the Church for saith Stapleton Although the Church by reason of her Ministerie and Mastership receiued of God Stapl. lib. 3. de author Scrip. c. 12. doth cause vs to beleeue yet the reason wherefore wee beleeue is not the Church but God speaking within vs and witnessing his trueth vnto vs by his holy Spirit Thus briefly touching the authoritie of the Church now I proceed to our aduersaries claim touching the Vniuersalitie of it Lessius the Iesuite tells vs The Church of Rome Sola Ecclesia Romana eique adhaerens multitudo Ecclesia Catholica c. Less in Consult Consid 6. and that Church onely and the multitude adhering to it is the Catholique Church the Religion of this Church is Catholique the faith is Catholique the doctrine is Catholique and their followers are tearmed Catholikes What is properly vnderstood by the Catholike Church St. Austen deliuers in these words Non haec aut illa It is not this Church Toto orbe diffusa Aug. de rudibus Catech c. 20. or that Church but the Church dispersed throughout the whole world Maiores nostri Catholicā nominarunt vt ex ipso nomine ostenderent quia per totum est Aug de Vnit Eccles cap. 2. and from hence Our Ancestours named the Church Catholique that by that name they might demonstrate the Vniuersall If then the Church of Rome can prooue their Church Vniuersall there would be an end of all controuersies for we professe our selues to bee members of the vniuersall Church wee say that Church can neither erre totally nor finally and wee willingly grant that out of that Church there is no saluation But certainly this last Tenet doeth strongly euince that the Roman Church is not Vniuersall for Saint Stephen and St. Iames and others suffered Martyrdome and were saued in the Church of Hierusalem and in the Church of Antioch before the Church of Rome was euer heard of and they were all members of the vniuersall Church But let the Church of Rome claime what title or prerogatiue she list shee is in danger to fall vpon a Rocke for if shee confesse that shee is a particular Church shee stands subiect vnto errour if shee assume the title of Vniuersall she is altogether invisible for Vniuersale sentitur non videtur That which is Vniuersall is vnderstood not seene It is the Article of our Creed I beleeue the Catholique Church and Hoc enim veracitèr dicitur credi quod non potest videri Greg. Dial. 4. c. 4. that is truely said to bee beleeued which is inuisible saith Gregorie And that the world may know the Romanists are Nominals such as vaunt of the name of Catholikes as the Donatists did in the Primitiue Church when they want the nature of the thing it selfe their owne Waldensis who well vnderstood how to make a difference betwixt the particular Roman and the Vniuersal Catholike Church tels vs Wald. de doctr Fidei lib. 2. art 2. cap. 19. The Church whose faith neuer faileth according to the promise made to Peter is not any particular Church as the Church of Africa nor the particular Romane Church but the Vniuersall Church not gathered together in a Generall Councell which hath sometimes erred but it is the Catholique Church dispersed through the whole world from the Baptisme of Christ vnto our times which doeth hold and maintaine the true Faith and faithfull testimony of Iesus Neither was this the particular opinion of one priuate man but many Bishops and learned Doctors did professe publikely in the Councell of Ferara Quacunque facultate Romana Eccles praedita sit vniuersali Ecclesiae inferior sit Concil Ferar Sess 10 With whatsoeuer power the Church of Rome is indued yet it is inferiour to the Vniuersall Church And if wee require a cloud of witnesses behold both Princes and Cardinalls and Bishops in the great Councell of Basil resolued and declared Ecclesia Romana non est vniuersa sed est de vniuersalitate corporis mystici Concil Basil in Appendice That the Church of Rome is not Vniversall but a part of that vniversall mystical body of Christ as appeareth by Gregorie Therefore for as much as it is a member of the said body it is not neither can it be the Head of the same body since there is a difference betwixt Head and members Thus if wee looke for Infallibilitie it is not found in the Romane Church If wee looke for the Authoritie of the Church it is inferiour to the Scriptures vnlesse they say the Scripture is vnder the Church as some say the Sunne is vnder a cloud when it is aboue it If wee looke for Vniuersalitie the Romane Church is but a member and no sound member of the Vniuersall Let vs therefore examine in particular where or in whome wee shall finde this Church which doeth assume those great and glorious Titles to her selfe SECT XIX The Church which our Aduersaries so much magnifie amongst themselues is finally resolued into the Pope whom they make both the Husband and the Spouse the Head and the Body of the Church SAint Matthew tels vs that our Sauiour Christ gaue charge to Saint Peter as well as to the rest of his Disciples that if any dissention did happen which they could not well reconcile among themselues they should tell the Church If Saint Peter himselfe was commaunded to tell the Church and the Pope bee St. Peters Successor it would somewhat trouble a doubtful Recusant how to vnderstand and beleeue the Pope for the Church for if Christ had taken Peter for the Church it is not probable hee would haue bid him tell the Church for that had beene all one as to bid the Church tell the Church Yes Postremò dicere Ecclesiae id est sibi ipsi Bel. de Concil author lib. 2. cap. 19. saith Bellarmine the Pope ought to tell it to the Church that is to himselfe I take not vpon me to answer this learned Cardinall but I dare avowe that this Exposition of Scripture is not according to the Article of his faith with the vniforme consent of Fathers Howbeit by this solution of Dic Ecclesiae wee are informed where and in whom wee may finde the Romane Church Gretzerus the Iesuite puts the question touching the Pope and returnes his answere in this manner Ais tertio interpretátur Ecclesiam Papā non abnuo quid tum Gretz def c. 10. l. 31. de verbo Dei Thou saiest they interpret the Church the Pope I graunt it what then yet wee may doubt of his sentence for how can wee bee certaine that he erres not Yes saith hee from these sayings I will giue thee the keyes c. The gates of Hell shall not preuaile c. Whatsoeuer thou bindest shall bee bound c. But who shall iudge of the sense of these places How shall I know those things are spoken of the Pope From Ecclesiasticall Tradition from the consent of our Elders from the Suffrage of
redeeme those punishments by our owne labours Idem ibid. Resp lest we also should seeme to be our owne Redeemers But Pope Iulius the fourth and the Councell of Trent saith the Cardinall most plainly teach the contrary Gelasius Bishop of Rome in the yeere 492 professeth and declareth for an Article of his beliefe In the Sacrament is celebrated an Image Gelas cont Futych Nest or semblance of the body and blood of Christ and there ceaseth not to bee the substance or nature of bread and wine On the contrary Pope Innocentius the Third decreed it for an Article of faith in the Councell of Lateran with a Firmiter credimus Wee stedfastly beleeue Lib. 1. Decret cap. Firmitèr credimus that the body and blood of Christ are truely contained in the Sacrament of the Altar the bread being transubstantiated into his body and wine into his blood by the diuine power so that there must be really verily and substantially present the naturall body and blood of Christ which was conceiued of the Virgin Mary and which is ascended into Heauen Touching the Communion in both kind the same Gelasius proclaimed to the communicants of his time Aut integra Sacramenta percipiant aut ab integris arceantur Gelas de Consecr Dist 2 CoÌ„perimus §. Either let them receiue the whole Sacrament or let them be driuen from the whole for the diuiding of one and the same Sacrament cannot be done without great sacriledge On the contrary in this latter age Pope Martin the Fifth hath decreed it with the consent of a whole Councell Conc. Constant Sess 13. If any shall obstinately maintaine that it is vnlawfull or erronious to receiue in one kind hee ought to bee punished and driuen out as an Heretike Gregorie the Great Bishop of Rome about the yeere 600 publisheth his instruction for the people touching Images Epist ex Regist lib. 9. cap. 9. Let the children of the Church now dispersed be called togeather and taught by the Testimonies of the Scriptures that nothing made with hands may be worshipped And withall concludes If any will make Images forbid them not but by all meanes let him avoyd the adoration of them On the contrary in this later age Pope Pius the fourth declares it for an Article of Faith I most firmely auouch Bulla Pij 4. Art 9. that the Images of Christ and the Mother of God alwayes a Virgin and other Saints are to bee had and retained and that due honour and veneration is to bee giuen to their Images Againe touching the vse and sufficiencie of the Scripture Sect 13. touching the Reall presence Priuate Masse Communion in both kindes Merite of workes the Popes Supremacie and the like Gregory is flatly opposite to the Popes of these later times And that you may yet further heare that the Popes haue no Infallibility in their Determinations and Decrees you shall find likewise that the later Popes doe not onely vary from the Faith of the Ancients but also differ amongst themselues and contradict each other in many substantiall poynts of their owne doctrine Pope Caelestine the Third in the yeere 1191 published a Decree Alph. aduers haeres lib. 1. c. 4. that of maried persons if one fall into Heresie the Marriage is dissolued and the Catholike partie is free to marrie againe Neither saith Alphonsus was this errour of Calestine such as ought to bee imputed to negligence alone that wee may say hee erred as a priuate man not as Pope for this difinition of Caelestine was extant in the Decretals which I my selfe haue seene and read On the contrary Pope Innocentius the Third his immediate Successor decided the case and confessed that one of his Predecessors which saith the Glosse Decret li. 4. de diuortijs Quanto §. Praedecess was Caelestine had decreed otherwise whose resolution was in the olde Decretals and it was euill that Caelestine said Pope Gregorie the Ninth in the yeere 1227 proclaimeth it to the world Greg. Ep ad Germ. Archiep Constant apud M Paris in Henr. 3. The not knowing the Scriptures by the testimonie of trueth it selfe is the occasion of errours and therefore it is expedient for all men to reade or heare the same On the contrary Pope Clement the Eighth forbids all the common people yea â—id Regulars also to reade or retaine any vulgar Translation of the Scriptures without licence of their Bishop or Inquisitor and there hee giues the reason flatly opposite to the Teneâ— of his Predecessor Azor Inst Moral part 1. l. 8. c. 26. Because the common vse of Scripture is found by experience to bee rather hurtfull then profitable Pope Nicholas the fourth in the yeare 1288 declared in his Decretall Sixti Decr. lib. 5. tit 12. §. Exijt that To renounce the proprietie of all things not in speciall onely but in common also is meritorious and holy which Christ taught by Word and confirmed by Example and the first Founders of the Militant Church deriued to others by paterne of their Doctrine and Life On the contrarie his Successor Iohn the 22. published and declared Extrauag â—ohn 2 tit 14 § Cum inter nonnullos that It is Hereticall to affirme that Christ and his Apostles had nothing in speciall nor in common Pope Martin the fifth in the yeare 1431. in the grand Councell of Basil Conc. Basil Sess 33. decreed the Councell aboue the Pope Pope Eugenius the fourth Bell de Eccles CoÌ„cil l. 1. c. 7. his immediate Successor condemned that Session declared the Pope to bee aboue a Councell And that which is most remarkeable those Romanists which condemne the Translation of our Bible as if the latter Translation did contradict the former shall finde The first Bible was printed at Rome 1590 the second 1592. that Pope Sixtus Quintus published in the yeere 1590 and commanded to be read and followed vpon such pain 〈◊〉 as are mentioned in his Breue D. Iames his Apol. of Belluâ—n Papale p 27. within two yeere after was reiected by hiâ— Successor Pope Clement 〈◊〉 8. as a Translation erronious Acta prioruÌ„ Pontificum sequentes Pontifiâ—es aut infringunt iut omnino tollunt nihil enim aliud isli Pontificuli cogitabant quam vt nomeÌ„ et dignitatem maâ—oruÌ„ suorum extinguerent Plat in Stephan in Romano and opposite to thâ— Truth And thus saith â—â—tina The latter Popes eitheâ— viâ—lat or vtterly repeale thâ— Decrees of their Predecessors For the little pettie Popes haâ— no other study to busie themselues withall but onely to defuce the name and dignitie 〈◊〉 the former Popes First then wee may obserue that the ancient Bishops of Rome published and declared the same faith and doctrine which the Protestants teach in the fundamentall poynts at this day They commaunded Priests and people to communicate together contrary to the doctrine of Priuaâ— Masses they taught that the Sacrament was a semblance of Christs body
of the holy Ghost were wholly at the Popes command to breath onely where hee will haue him It is confessed on both sides that Christ is the Way and Trueth and by his word he hath prescribed a sure an infallible rule to find out the truth If the Scripture were but a partiall rule yet by Bellarmines owne confession it is the most certaine Scriptura â—egula credendi cerrissima tutissimaque est Bell. de Verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. and most safe rule of faith Now â—et vs see what is the most certaine rule of the Roman â—aith and on what assured meanes their proselytes may â—est satisfied and infallibly â—nstructed for the saluation â—f their soules Suarez the â—esuite tells vs It is the Catholike truth Veritas Catholica est Pontificem definientem ex Cathedrâ esse RegulaÌ„ Fidei quae errare non potest quaÌ„do aliquid authenticè proponit vniuersa Ecclesia tanquaÌ„ de fide c. Suarez de Tripl virt Theol. Sect. 8. disp 5. de reg pag. 214. Censeo esse rem de fide ceâ—taÌ„ Suar. ibid p. 214. that the Pope defining in his Chaire is the rule of Faith which cannot erre that is wheÌ„ he doth propose any thing authentically to the vniuersall Church to be beleeued 〈◊〉 a diuine faith and thus saith he all Catholike Doctors teach in these dayes and I thinke it 〈◊〉 be a thing certainly to be beleeued This Iesuit maintainâ—â— the Infallibility of the Pope yet speakes but as he thinks and withall tells vs It is thâ— Catholike doctrine of these times when as hee should haue prooued it by ancient Records that it was the Catholike doctrine of all ages For there is no man liuing let him be Papist oâ— Protestant if hee be a man of â—nderstanding but will holâ— it most requisite and absolutely necessary that the rule of faith should be declared by Christ and his Apostles by Catholike Traditions by Generall Councels by the consent of Fathers and the whole Christian world and certainly if the Popes Decrees conclusions be that rule of faith they ought to be confirmed by al those testimonies since on his judgment both Councels Bishops do depend but especially since the error of the Pope is adiudged to be the error of the Vniversall Church Againe he that deliuered what hee thought was the Catholike doctrine of these times touching the Popes Infallibility in generall tels vs of an other point at that time questionable viz. Whether it was to bee beleeued as an Article of faith Idem ibid. pag. 218. that the or that particular Pope were 〈◊〉 true Pope This doctrine saith he I taught at Rome affirmatiuely in the yeere 1585 but withall professeth that many at that time thought otherwise He that proclaimed it to the world that the Popes definitiue sentence in his chaire was the rule of Faith withall professeth that within these few yeeres it was not resolued whether this or that particular Pope might erre or no. And as it was obserued by a judicious and religious Gentleman M Noy of L. Inne for I shall gladly acknowledge any thing that I receiued froÌ„ any man this later question produced a new Quaere viz If the Pope were not a true Pope and Canonically elected then that person which worshipped a Saint canonized by that Pope commits flat Idolatry by reason the Saint wants his right Canonization for want of the Popes true and Canonicall election Many such doubts said he were mooued touching this Rule of Faith which neither the Iesuite was able to resolue nor the Church had as yet determined Hee that can but spell and put these things together would feare and tremble to think he hath no better assurance of his saluation then a doubtfull vncertaine questionable and vrresolued way to guide him into the paths of sauing knowledge And that the world may know the Rule of Faith which ought generally to bee receiued De Fide of all the faithfull is altogether doubtfull in the Roman church I haue summoned 12 of the Popes disciples to deliuer their seuerall opinions concerning the Popes Infallibilitie but how they concurre in witnessing the trueth of this Doctrine I leaue it to bee iudged Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. 1. Bellarmine It is probable that the Pope not onely as Pope cannot erre but as a priuate man cannot fall into Heresie or hold any obstinate opinion contrary to the Faith 2. Albertus Pigghius Piggh. de Eccle. Hier. lib. 6. c. 13. The Iudgement of the Pope is more certaine then the Iudgement of a Generall Councell or else the whole world 3. Hosius Hos lib. 2. cont Brent Bee the wickednesse of Popes neuer so great it can neuer hinder but that this promise of God shall euer be true The Popes shall shew thee the truth of Iudgement 4. Iohannes de Turrecremata Ioh. sum de Eccles lib. 2. cap. 112. It is better to rest vpon the sentence of the Pope which hee deliuers out of Iudgement then the opinions of whatsoeuer wise men in matters of Scripture for euen Caiphas was a High Priest and although hee was wicked yet hee prophecied truely 5. Siluester Prierias Whosoeuer leaneth not to the Doctrine of the Romane Church I'tier contr Lutherum and Bishop of Rome as vnto he Infallible rule of God of which doctrine the holy Scripture hath taken force and authoritie hee is an heretike Episc Bitont Conc. ex Rom. 1. cap 14. Romae habit 6. Cornelius Mus I must ingenuously confesse I would giue more credit to one Pope in matters of faith then to a thousand Augustines Hieromes or Gregories c. For I beleeue and know the chiefe Bishop in matters of faith cannot erre because the authoritie of the Church in determination of things belonging to faith is resident in that Bishop and so the errour of that Bishop should come to be the errour of the vniuersall Church Thus the great Mountaines were in labour and at last appeares Ridiculus Mus This man cares neither for Fathers nor Councells he knowes the Pope cannot erre and he is a man of experience You may beleeue him for hee was a Preacher at twelue yeeres old saith Sixtus Senensis but there are six more of the Popes sworne seruants they are Legales homines and craue audience hauing the said power and iurisdiction with the rest onely they say they cannot flatter they must and will speake the trueth in this howsoeuer the rest bee diuided from them and first concerning the first of the second ranke 7. Alphonsus de Castro We doubt not Non dubitamus an hareticum esse et Papam esse coire in vnuÌ„ possint Non enim credo esse aliquem adeò impudentem Papae assertatoreÌ„ vt ei tribuere hac velit vt nec errare nec interpretatione sacraruÌ„ literarum hallucinari possit cum constet plures Papas adeò illiteratos esse vt Grammaticam penitus ignorent qui fit vt
1. Kings 21. the greatest number were Idolaters In Ieremies time the Priests and Prophets Ierem. 7.4 which were the chiefe in authoritie were false teachers yet like the Romanists in these dayes they cryed out The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord. 1 Kings 19.14 In the time of Elias there was a generall Apostacie in the Church of Israel insomuch that hee being a Prophet could not discerne it so that a visible and illustrious Church may appeare to bee the true Church when shee beareth but the visor and title of a true Church the Church of God may so lie hid that the principall members yea and eminent Pastors themselues may bee ignorant where to finde it for God hath not tied his Church to a visible company that are known to all to be true professors at all times neither hath hee commanded a Register to bee kept of their names that hee might call the Church after their names for if any should call for the names of professors in all ages nay if any one should demand but the name of any one of those seuen thousand which neuer bowed to Baal and were vnknowne to the Prophet himselfe it would seeme a mysterie vnsearchable and a man past finding out Neither was this backesliding or falling away in the Church caused for want of Gods promises for they were gracious far exceeding those promises to the Church of Rome The Prophet tells vs that the glorie of God did sit between the Cherubins in the Sanctuarie and God had promised that there should be his seat and yet the Priests did corrupt it with superstition God left the place without any Holinesse Hee extends his promises further I will walke saith he in the midst of you I will haue my Tabernacle amongst you for euer my name shall bee in Hierusalem I haue sanctified it that my name may be there for euer yet of this Church to which so many promises were annexed the Prophet complaines Esay 56.10 11. The watchmen are become blinde they do no good they are dumbe dogs they are shopheards that cannot vnderstand Now as you see the Extent and promises of his Church were large so you must know they were all alwayes annexed to a condition If you be my people if you serue mee if you walk in my commandements if you aske counsell at my mouth agreeable to the answer of the Prophet Osea Osea 4.6 Because thou hast reiected knowledge I will reiect thee that thou shalt be no Priest to mee seeing thou hast forgotten the Law of thy God I will also forget thy children Now as you haue heard the Law was perished from the Priests and Counsell frō the Ancients as if there had been a second deluge of People and Pastors so now the earth shall bring foorth her increase that is as Hierom expounds it the blessed Virgin which comes of the earth shall bring foorth the blessed fruit of her sanctified wombe that what was lost by the first Adam might bee repaired by the second and surely it was high time to rectifie the ancient Doctrine for the leauen of the Pharises had almost sowred the whole lumpe neither doth Christ deferre the time by reason of his minoritie for at 12 yeeres old hee disputeth with the great Rabbies in their Synagogues but obserue what entertainment they gaue him Hee calleth for a reformation of life and doctrine they replyed he would destroy the Temple he vrgeth and layeth open to them the Scriptures they plead their owne Traditions he discouers shewes vnto them their false glosses they answer he had a Deuill hee preached to them of the kingdome of heauen they accuse him for speaking against the Maiestie of Caesar yet this Church of Hierusalem if you regard Antiquitie they were descended from Abraham if Calling they were Priests and Scribes if Place their Temple was the LORDS House if Councels they had solemne Assemblies and meetings but if I should demand where or in whom was the true Church before Christs comming as our aduersaries question ours before Luthers they may answere the Iewes had a visible Church in regard of Gods promises Simeon Anna. Ioseph and Mary Zachary Elizabeth but I dare promise for them they can giue vs the names of a very small number Compare then the church of Hierusalem the Church of Rome together the Church of Hierusalem had her Priests and Caiphas the High Priest and Sacrifices and Councells and a Temple and Traditions and Moses Chaire and the Oracles of God The Church of Rome hath her Priests her Sacrifice of the Masse her Caiphas the Pope that is guided by the Spirit of prophecie shee hath her Temple Traditions and Peters Chaire and last of all because it is least with her in request she hath the Gospel of Christ Now when we cal vpon the Church for a reformation of doctrine they answer Their Church is Catholike cannot erre wee lay before them the word of God for a Rule to examine their Doctrine they answere the Word is not sufficient without the helpe of their Traditions wee shew them their false glosses in Exposition of the Scriptures they answere that it is the right of their Church to iudge of the true sense of the Scriptures But if we shall demand of them where or by whom all their twelue new Articles published within the memorie of man by Pope Pius the 4 were receiued and beleeued as Articles of Faith before the Councell of Trent I am more then confident they shall not find so many professors of that Faith and doctrine at Luthers comming as there were true beleeuers in the Church of Hierusalem at Christs comming And for the better manifestation of this Tenet I will beginne from the time of Christ and his Apostles and briefly relate the courses and changes the Visibilitie and obscurity the alteration and long wished for Reformation of the Roman Faith and Doctrine in all ages till the dayes of Luther SECT XXIIII The latencie and obscuritie of the true Church is prooued by pregnant testimonies of such who complained of corruptions and abuses and withall desired a Reformation in all ages from the time of Christ and his Apostles to the dayes of Luther 2 Thess 2.7 IN the First age the Apostle St. Paul giues vs to vnderstand that the Mysterie of iniquitie began to worke And St. Iohn tells vs of dangerous Heretiques in his time 1 Iob. 2.19 saying They went out from vs but they were not of vs. Now as Iniquitie did closely worke so likewise Errour began to spread it selfe insomuch as both those who were called and those also who were chosen by Christ did erre grieuously both in manners and doctrine and through their fall followed a latencie and obscuritie in the true Church Iudas erred in Manners being called when through couetounes hee betraied Christ The Apostles erred in Manners being chosen whē they forsooke Christ Nay more the Elect Apostles
his heauenly Angels to witnes that notwithstanding you obtrude the invisibility of our church as a stumbling blocke to the ignorant notwithstaÌ„ding your great brags of an outward face of an eminent and glorious Romane Church yet your Trent faith and doctrine vvas far froÌ„ the knovvledge of Christ his Apostles nay more if any Iesuite or all the Iesuites aliue can proue your Roman Faith had Antiquity Vniuersalitie and Succession in al ages and that your Trent Articles were plainly commonly and continually taught receiued de Fide as Articles of Faith before Luther let all the Anathema's in your Trent Councel fall vpon my head And as touching the great noise and rumors of your Catholike Church if you wil consider and vveigh it vvith wisdom and moderation you shall find it wholly depends vpon tvvo doubtfull and vncertain coÌ„clusions viz. The Infallibilitie of the Pope and the Intention of the Priest These are but tvvo slender threds to vphold the Vniuersall faith of all Christians and therfore blame not vs if such things seeme harsh and vntunable in our eares that many millions of soules shold depend vpon the Infallibility of one man that man by your own supposall may draw vvith him innumerable soules to hell That man vvho hath the name and nature of Antichrist in his person in the one as he is against Christ and his doctrine in the other as he claimes to be Christs Vicar sit in his stead for the very name of Antichrist imports both Anti-Christ signifies Against Christ and to be in the place of Christ That man vpon vvhose forehead by the testimonies of learned Authors the vvord Mysterie Dr. Iames in his Epist Dedicatory of the Corruption of the Fathers c. the very mark of the Beast was sometimes writteÌ„ That man who is pointed at by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be that Antichrist by his habitation seated vpon seuen hills Reuel 17. That man who hath the character of the man of sin 2. Thess 2.4 which aduaÌ„ceth himselfe aboue all that are called Gods I haue said you are Gods Psal 82.6 viz the Kings and Princes of the earth That man who hath published the doctrine of Deuils 1. Tim 4. by forbidding of meats and Marriage vnto Priestes Lastly that man whose Infallibility Conc. Flor. in Decret Eugenij whose Succession whose Orders whose Baptisme and Christianitie it selfe depends vpon the Intention of a silly Priest Bell de Iustif li 3. â— 8 of whose Intention none can be assured by your owne confessions It is not the great souÌ„d of a visible Church that must outface the truth for the emptiest vessels make the greatest souÌ„d neither is it the name of Catholike which you wholly appropriate to your selues sufficient to proue your Church Catholike nay more your pretences of Scriptures of Traditions of Fathers of Councels of an Infallible Church are but figge-leaues to couer the nakednesse of your nevv borne faith for it shall appeare by this small Treatise that your chiefest scriptures on which you build your Trent doctrine are Apocryphal your Traditions which you haue equalled to the Scriptures are Apostaticall your Fathers which you assume for Interpreters of the Scriptures are spurious and counterfet your Councels which depend vpoÌ„ the Infallibilitie of the Popes iudgment are erronious doubtful and your preteÌ„ded Catholike Church which is made the onely rule of Faith is neither a whole nor yet a sound member of the Catholike and Vniuersall Body This way therefore which you take is a cloke colour to darken truth by outward shewes and specious pretences and therefore Via Deuia a vvandring and By-way Neither is it your bitternesse and inuectiues against a Lay man shall make me silent in Gods cause for I say with Moses Num. 12.29 Would God al the Lords people could prophecie and I hope there will neuer be wanting a Mildab a Medab to assist Moses and Aaron that may bee able to vindicate Gods Honor and Truth ease our painful Pastors and Ministers which most laboriously performe the work of an Euangelist and conuert soules by preaching which yours peruert by Controuersies of Disputations I hope I say there wil be alwaies some who wil publish to the shame of your Romish Pastors the palpable ignorance of the Laitie who with an implicite faith inuolued obedience resigne vp their sight and senses to blind guides Let the Trueth of God and his Church flourish no rayling accusation of an Aduersary shall deterre mee from my seruice to his cause In the meane time I will appeale to your own consciences whether it bee Catholike doctrine or sauour of Christian Charitie which your Iesuites teach viz. Haereticos non magis audiendos esse etiamsi vera et sacris literis coÌ„sentanea dicant aut doceant quaÌ„ Diobolum Mald. in Math. 16.6 That the Reformed Churches are no more to be heard then the deuill himselfe although they speake trueth and agreeable to the Scriptures nay more I speak it with shame and griefe Discept Tâ—â—ol Sect. 2. the Pope at this day allowes the Talmud of the Iewes and yet prohibites the Books of Protestants Giue mee leaue therefore to speake to you as somtime S. Austen spake to the Donatists Aug. contr Petâ—l lib. 3. cap. 59. If you will be wise vnderstand the trueth it is well if otherwise it shall not grieue mee that I haue taken this paines for you for though your hearts returne not to the peace of the Church yet my peace shall returne to mee in the Church The cause is Gods the labour is mine if you wil reade it impartially and can shew me any error clearely faithfully and moderately I wil make a work of Retractations and professe openly with righteous Iob Iob 31.35 36. O that mine aduersary would write a Booke against mee I would take it vpon my shoulder and bind it as a Crowne vnto me H. L. The Contents Sect. 1. THe safest and onely infallible way to finde out the true Church is by the Scriptures Pag. 1. Sect. 2. Our Aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered p. 16. Sect. 3. The Scripture according to the Iudgement of the ancient Fathers is the sole Iudge of Controuersies and Interpreter of it selfe p. 43. Sect. 4. Our Aduersaries howsoeuer they pretend by taking an oath to make the Fathers Interpreters of the Scriptures yet indeed they make themselues sole Interpreters of Scriptures and Fathers p. 58 Sect. 5. The intire Canon of Scriptures which wee professe without the Apocryphall additions is confirmed by pregnant testimonies in all ages and most of them acknowledged by the Romanists themselues p. 86 Sect. 6. Our Aduersaries pretences from the Authorities of Fathers and Councels to proue the Apocryphall Bookes Canonicall answered p. 122 Sect. 7. The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding
backeward for 1600 yeeres and rightly examine the doctrine of both Churches If hee seeke the Protestant Church behold shee being poore despised for want of continued eminencie is become a stumbling blocke to the ignorant If he looke on the Roman Church behold Reu. 17.2 c. Shee is arayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones and the inhabitants of the earth haue beene made drunke with the wine of her fornications and they that follow her wonder with great admiration And without doubt the Popes triple Crownes the golden crosses the Legend of Saints the multitude of professed Orders their pompe in Processions their rich cloathing of Images their pretended power of their Priesthood the great rumour of their Catholique cause their Iubilies and Pardons their Merits and Miracles doe so dazle the eyes of the ignorant and common people that they thinke there is no Church true and visible but the Romane Church and certenly the case thus standing wee haue no better plea for our Church Vtrum nos schismatici sumê° an vos nec ego nec tu sed Christus interrogetur vt indicet ecclesiam suam Aug. cont lit Pet lib. 2. c. 85. then the holy Father Saint Austen sometimes made to Petilian the Donatian heretique Whether of vs be Schismatiques we or you aske you not me I will not aske you let Christ bee asked that hee may shew vs his owne Church SECT II. Our aduersaries pretences from the obscuritie of Scriptures and inconueniences of the Lay peoples reading them answered I Speake not this as if the Romanists of these times did wholly waue the Scriptures for if wee may credit Doctor Sanders There are most plaine Scriptures in all poynts for the Catholique Faith Rocke of the Church cap 8. p. 193 and none at all against the same And their owne Bristow would make the world beleeue Brist Mot. 48. from the beginning of Genesis to the end of the Apocalyps there is no text that makes for vs against them but all for them If these men haue spoken the trueth let them beare witnesse of the truth onely let me tell you the Rhemists in their Annotations vpon the Gospel professe in the name of their Church that if wee should Rhem. Annot in 1. Cor. 1.5 when wee came to yeeres of discretion be set to picke our Faith out of the Scriptures there would bee a mad worke and many Faiths among vs. And their fellow Ecchius proclaimes to all the world Ecch. Euchirid c. 4. that the Lutherans are dolts which will haue nothing beleeued but that which is expresse Scripture for all things are not deliuered manifestly in the Scriptures but very many are left to the determination of the Church Haeresin esse si quis dicit necessarium esse vt Scripturae in vulgares linguas coÌ„uertantur Sand. visib Monar haeres 191. And their Proselyte Sanders who pretends such euident testimonies of the Scriptures in behalfe of his Church accounts it no better then heresie to translate them And Peresius his fellow Iesuite complaines It is the Deuils inuention to permit the people to reade them Diaboli inuentum esse vt populus Biblia legere permitteretur Peres de Tra. part 1. assert 3. And it is the generall vote of the best learned Romanists The reading of the Bible makes more hereticall Lutherans then Roman Catholiques If therefore the Scriptures are such pregnant plaine testimonies in behalfe of the Romane Faith as some Romanists pretend why do they condemne the translating of them why do they not permit the people to reade them and if all places of Scripture make for them and none for vs how comes it to passe that by reading them many Papists by their own confession become Protestants It is the blasphemous assertion of Albertus Pigghius NoÌ„ vt scriptu illa praeessent fidei et Religioni nostrae sed potiùs vt subessent Pig Hierar lib. 1. c. 2. that the Apostles haue written certaine things but not to that end their writings should rule our faith but rather that they should be vnder and ruled by our faith and Religion And heereupon hee quarrels with all those that submit their knowledge to the authoritie of the Gospell Si dixeris haec referri oportere ad iudicium Scripturarum coÌ„munis te sensus ignaruÌ„ esse comprobat sunt enim scriptura muti Iudices Pigh cont 3. de Eccles If thou shalt teach saith hee that those things must be put to the Iudgement of the Scriptures thou shewest thy selfe to bee voyd of common reason for the Scriptures are dumbe Iudges cannot speake Neither is this the opinion of some priuate spirits which of late haue declined the authority of the Scriptures but if wee looke beyond Luther wee shall finde that almost 300 yeares before his dayes the Romanists did endeauor by all meanes to extinguish the light of the Gospell About the yeare 1255 there was a great contention betwixt the Vniuersitie of Paris and the Order of Franciscan Fryers in which dissention the Fryer Mendicants published a book called Euangelium aeternum Mat. Paris in Hist An. 1256. the eternall Gospell in this Booke it was declared that the Gospell of Christ was not the euerlasting Gospell that it was to cease and determine as the olde Law did at the comming of Christ that the Gospell of Christ should from that time continue but 50 yeares and that their new Gospell did containe as much or more then the whole Bible that theirs was the Gospell of Christ and the eternall Gospell Neither was this wicked blasphemy published by one man but by a whole Order of Monkes and Fryars Neither were they vpstart opinions like mushromes growne vp in a night but they were set afoot fifty fiue yeares before that time This and much more of the like doctrine is to bee read in Mathew Paris B. Vsher de Eccles success statu cap 9. p. 278 and more particularly in that excellent Treatise of the Succession and state of Christian Churches Thus the Romish Priests of the former and latter ages agree like Pilate and Herod both to the condemnation of Christ his Word and as Herod saith Ambrose burnt the Scriptures Ambr. in Luc. lib 3. lest by meanes of such ancient Records some doubt might afterwards be made of his posterity In like manner our late Romanistes haue silenced the Scriptures lest by such ancient Euidences their new Articles of Faith should be discouered and had it not beene for feare or shame I am verily perswaded they had fulfilled in a sense to litterall the words of the Apostle The fire shall trie euery mans worke of what sort it is Now can any man imagine why these men should bee so angry with Christ and his Apostles Can they say the Scriptures are subiect to errours and neede an Index Expurgatorius No they dare not they will not say so but they say
that Pygmeis being put vpon Gyants shoulders doe see further then the Gyants themselues But Bishop Fisher doth more warily excuse it and with plausible reasons assure vs that Many things Nec cuiquaÌ„ obscuruÌ„ est quin posterioribê° inge niis multa sint tam ex Euangeliis quaÌ„ ex scripturis c. Roffeas Consur Assert Luther Art 18. as well in Gospells as in the rest of the Scriptures are now more exquisitely discussed by later wits and more clearely vnderstood then they haue been heretofore eyther by reason that the yee was not as then broken vnto the Ancients neither did their age suffice to weigh exactly that whole sea of Scriptures or because in this most large field of Scriptures euen after the most diligent reapers some eares will remaine to bee gathered as yet vntouched How forcible motiues these reasons may seeme to other men I will not heere dispute sure I am they are vaine excuses for Romane Bishops and Cardinals who are bound by their generall Councell and the Popes Bull to obey the Exposition of Fathers as an Article of their faith But admit these opinions should bee excused for the particular Tenets of some priuate men let vs see how faithfully the Popes Pastors of these latter times haue interpreted the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers Moses saith Whit. Durae â—s in Camp 9. Reason pag. 269. God made man after his Image Pope Adrian interpreteth therefore Images must bee set vp in Churches Saint Peter saith Behold De obed maior vnaÌ„ sanctaÌ„ c. here are two swoâ—ds Pope Boniface concludes Therefore the Pope hath power ouer the spirituall and the temporall Saint Matthew saith Giue not that which is holy vnto dogs Iewels Defence p â—2 Mr. Harding expounds it Fiet vnum ouile et vnê° Pastor quod quidem de Christo intelligi non potest sâ—d dâ—â—liquo alio Ministroqâ—â— bresâ—t loco eius Ioh de Par sâ—de pot Reg Papati c. 30. therfore it is not lawfull for the vulgar people to reade the Scriptures Saint Iohn saith There shall bee one Fold and one Sheepherd Iohannes de Parisijs tels vs This place cannot bee expounded of Christ but must bee taken for some Minister ruling in his stead The Prophet Dauid saith Thou hast put all things vnder his feet Antoninus expounds it Anton. in sum part 3. tit 22. c. 5. Haebr 2. Thou hast made all things subiect to the Pope the cattle of the field that is to say men liuing in the earth the fishes of the sea that is to say the soules in Purgatory the fowles of the ayre that is to say the soules of the blessed in heauen And lastly whereas our Sauiour Christ witnesseth of himselfe In Concil Later sub Leo 10. p. 671. All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth Stephen Archbishop of Patraca applyed it to Pope Leo the tenth in the Councell of Lateran in the audience of the Pope himselfe who thankfully accepted it and suffered it to bee published and printed and as it is rightly obserued by learned Du Moulin Pope Innocent the third in his Booke of the Mysteries of the Masse Buckler of faith pa. 30. the booke of sacred Ceremonies Durants Rationalls Tolet and Titleman and others do most ridiculously wrest the Scriptures altogether different from their right meaning and the Expositions of the Fathers as for instance The Scripture saith The Rocke was Christ therefore say they the Altar must bee of stone It is written I am the light of the world therfore Tapers must be set vpon the Altar It is written Let him kisse me with the kisses of his mouth therefore the Priest must kisse the Altar It is written Thou shalt see my back parts Exod. 33.23 therefore the Priest must turne his backe to the people It is written Laua me ampliús Psal 51. Wash mee againe therefore the Priest must wash his hands twise It is written Exod. 3.5 Put off thy shooes for this place is holy therefore the Bishop at Masse changeth his hose and shooes And lastly the Pope himselfe at the time of his coronation casteth certain copper money amongst the people vsing the words of Peter Siluer and gold haue I none but that which I haue I giue thee These and the like Expositions doe much resemble the strict order of Monkes who reading the words in Matthew Districtissimi MonachoruÌ„ simplicitèr intelligentes fecerunt sibi cruces ligneas easque sibi iugiter humeru circuÌ„ferentes c Ioh. de Polemar orat in CoÌ„cil Basil pag. 385. Hee that taketh not vp his crosse and followeth me is not worthy of mee made themselues woodden crosses and so carried them on their backes continually causing all the world to laugh at them for howsoeuer they may seeme to bee the expositions of some priuate spirits yet hee that makes oath in verbo Sacerdotis to receiue expound the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers and shall render such Expositions of the Text can bee no true Catholique Hieron 24. q 3. cap. Haeresis For whosoeuer doeth otherwise vnderstand the Scripture saith Hierome then the sense of the holy Ghost who is the Penman of the Scripture requires although hee hath not departed from the Church yet hee may bee tearmed an heretique But as the Fryar said wittily in his Sermon the trueth which hee preached was like holy water which euery one called for apace yet when the Sexton cast it on them they let it fall on their backs in like manner the Romanists seemingly call for the Scriptures they commonly vaunt that they expound and receiue them according to the vniforme consent of Fathers but as Vincentius Lyrinensis said of the heretiques of his time When they shall begin not onely to vtter those sayings Vbi caeperuÌ„t illas voces noÌ„ iam proferre sedetiam exponere non ad c. VinceÌ„t Lyrin c. 36. but also to expound them then the bitternesse then the sowernesse and madnesse is perceiued then a new deuised poyson will be breathed out then are prophane Nouelties disclosed then may you see the bounds of the ancient Fathers to bee remooued the Catholique Faith to bee then butchered and the doctrine of the Church torne in pieces Pope Pius the fourth who first published the Articles of the Creed was not ignorant that the Scriptures must be farre fetched and hardly strayned to make them speake for the Trent doctrine hee well vnderstood that it was too generall and strict a tye vpon euery Masse Priest to receiue and interpret the Scriptures with the vniforme consent of Fathers knowing well that many Masse Priestes were vtterly ignorant of the Fathers and therefore to qualifie the rigour of that oath adioyned these words to the aforesaid Article Artic. 2. Also that sacred Scripture according to that sense which the Mother Church hath holden whose right is to iudge of the true sense and
natura panis vini the substance or nature of bread ceaseth not or perisheth not Thus briefly I haue giuen you a taste of the generall doctrine of the Fathers in the first ages who publikely professed the Protestant Faith that the Eucharist was altogether a spirituall food and that the nature of bread and the very substance of bread did remaine after consecration Touching Succession To let passe many Writers of eminent note in the Romane Church who in the later ages opposed Transubstantiation as namely Bertram Aelfrick Rupertus Rabanus Maurus and diuers others who were neuer condemned by their owne Church Looke vpon the doctrine of the Greeke Church and you shall find they haue kept the ancient faith of the Sacrament successiuely from their Predecessors Pope Eugenius after hee had answered the Grecians at the Councell of Florence that hee was well satisfied by them touching the Procession of the holy Ghost Operae pretium est vt de Purgatorio igne de summo Pontificis principatu et de Azimo et fermeÌ„tato pane agamus vt omni ex parte coniunctio nostra sit absoluta Con. Florent Sess 25. tells them further it was well worth the labour to treat of other points in difference as namely of Purgatorie of the Supremacie of Leauened bread and of Transubstantiation that their agreement might stand absolute in all respects If Transubstantiation and the other poynts of doctrine had bin successiuely receiued with the vniforme consent of the Greeke Church there had needed no reconciliation at that time betweene the Easterne and Westerne Churches for those Tenets and that wee might yet farther vnderstand the difference betwixt them was great in this very question Marcus the Archbishop of Ephesus speaking of the Romane Masse Casaub answ to the Ep. of C. Peron p. 42. affirmes It is manifestly repugnant to the Expositions and interpretations which wee haue receiued by Tradition and to the words of our Lord and to the meaning of those words And those which defend the Romane Rites concerning this matter the same Marcus pronounceth that they deserue to bee pitied both in regard of their double ignorance and their profound sottishnes It is true 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greeke Church doth hold there is a mysticall transmutation in the Sacrament but withall they deny a Transubstantiation they deny that any alteration is made by the wordes of consecration which is the generall Tenet of the Roman Church nay more they call it bread after the words of Consecration are vttered Touching the first Salmeron the Iesuite speaking in the person of the Grecians deliuers their opinion in this maner Dan. ChaÌ„ Panstr lib. 6 de Euch. c. 7 Forasmuch as the Benediction is not superfluous or vaine neither gaue Christ simply bread it followeth that when he gaue it the transmutation was already made and those words This is my body did demonstrate what was conteined in the bread not what was made by them De diuino denique sacrificio quaesitum est â latinis quomodò prolatuÌ„ Christi verbù accipite et comedite hoc est enim corpê° meuÌ„ vos haÌ„c posteà orationem additis dicentes Et fac quidem hunc panem pretiosum corpus Christi tui sancto tuo spiritu transmutans Concil Florent Sess 25. p. 595. Binius This confession is agreeable to that question the Romanists put to the Grecians at the Councell of Florence viz. Why they vsed to pray after the words of Consecration in this manner Make this bread the precious Bodie of Christ and so call it bread after Consecration To which the Grecians made answere Wee confesse by these words This is my body 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bread is consecrated which Binius most falsely hath translated Transubstantiated and becomes the body of Christ and wee pray that the holy Ghost may descend vpon vs and change the bread and make it the body of Christ to vs to the spirituall food of our soules Transubstantiari And that wee may know what is meant by that change or transmutation in the Sacrament Binius in Conc. Flor. Sess 25. p. 695. the Patriarch tells vs The body and blood of Christ are truely mysteries Patr Resp 1 ca. 10. 13. not that these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are changed into humane flesh but we into them And for further confirmation of our doctrine that it is not the reall and substantiall flesh of Christ which is offered but the Sacrament of his flesh Nec data est tâ—c â—aro Domini quaÌ„ gestebat Apostolis comedenda neque sanguis bibeÌ„dus nec etiam nunc in sacro hoc ritu descendit Dominicum corpus de coelo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 blasphemia enim hoc esset patr Resp 1 cap. 10. de Coenâ Domini hee tells vs The flesh of Christ which hee carried about him was not giuen to his Apostles to bee eaten nor his blood to bee drunke neither doth the body of our Lord at this day descend from heauen in the Sacrament for this saith hee were blasphemy And certainely if neither Christs Bodie in which hee suffered nor his body glorified be present in the Sacrament as this Patriarch professeth there can bee no corporall no reall and substantiall presence of that or any other body and consequently no Transubstantiation no Article of Faith no Apostolique Tradition as is pretended in the fift place Prayer in an vnknowne tongue PRayer and Seruice in an vnknown tongue is a Tradition of the Romane Church and reputed of equall authoritie with the Scripture yet this doctrine wants Antiquitie Vniuersality and Succession Touching Antiquitie Cassander tells vs Cassan Liturg c. 28. The Canonicall prayers especially the words of Consecration of the body and blood of Christ the ancient Fathers did so reade it that all the people might vnderstand it and say Amen And it is the confession of Mr. Harding to Bishop Iewel Iewel in 3. Aâ—t Diuâ—s 28. Verily in the primitiue Church prayer and seruice in a knowne tongue was necessary when faith was a learning and therefore the prayers were made then in a common tongue knowne to the people for cause of their instruction And Card. Bellarmine professeth Bell. de ver Dei l. 2. c. 16 that all the people in the first ages in the time of diuine Seruice did answere one Amen as vnderstanding the Priest and ioyning with him in prayer Touching Vniuersalitie It was the custome of the ancient Church as appeareth by the Popes Decretals whereby it was publiquely proclaimed Decr. Greg. lib. tit 31. de offic Iud. Ord. ca. 14. Wee command that the Bishops of such cities and Diocesses where nations are mingled together prouide meet men to minister the holy Seruice according to the diuersitie of their maners and languages Touching Succession Bellarmine confesseth Bell. de ver Dei l. 2. c. 16. that the custome of celebrating diuine Seruice in a knowne tongue
but to the Trinitie onely O yee Virgins saith hee in your prayers set Christ onely before your eyes Virgines solum ChristuÌ„ in precibus vestris antè oculos habete et PatreÌ„ illiê° illuminata à spiritu Ignat. ad Philadelph and his Father being enlightned by the Spirit And the Church of Rome being conscious of such an ancient Euidence against their Angel-worship in the Greeke Originall haue turned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prayers into Soules Ignat Lugd impress An. 1572. Touching Vniuersalitic Iraeneus Bishop of Lyons tels vs that in his dayes the Church per vniuersum mundum Ecclesia per vniuersum mundum nec Inuocationibê° Angelicis facit aliquid nec c. Iren. l. 2. c. 57. throughout the whole world doth nothing by Inuocations of Angels nor by Incantations nor any wicked curiositie but decently comely and manifestly directeth her prayers to God which hath made all and calls vpon the Name of our Lord Iesus And Tertullian a learned Father in the Church of Africa makes this open profession of his faith Quacunque hominis Caesaris vota sunt haec ab alio orare non possum quaÌ„ à quo scio me consequaturuÌ„ quoniam et ipse est qui soâ— praestaâ—â— et ego famulus eius qui euÌ„ soluÌ„ obseruo In Apol. ca. 30. Whatsoeuer are the wishes of man or Prince these things I can aske of no other then of him from whom I know I shall obtaine them because hee alone it is who performeth these things and I am his seruant who depend vpon him alone Touching Succession In Origens time this Trent faith was vnknowne for when Celsus the Philosopher began to play the Romanists and said of Angels They belong to God and in that respect wee are to put our trust in them and make oblations to them according to the Lawes and pray vnto them and that they may bee fauourable vnto vs. Origen makes him this answere Origen li. 8 contr CelsuÌ„ Away with Celsus his counsell saying Wee must pray to Angels let vs not so much as affoord any little audience to it For we must pray to him alone who is God ouer all and wee must pray to the Word of God his onely begotten and the first borne of all creatures and wee must intreat him that hee as high Priest would present our prayer when it is come to him vnto his God and our God and vnto his Father and the Father of them that frame their life according to the word of God In the succeeding Age the ancient Councell of Laodicea decreed Conc. Laodic Can 36. Wee ought not to leaue the Church of God and invocate Angels And the Roman Church being likewise conscious of this Euidence against their Invocation of Angels haue turned Angelos into Angulos saying Merlin fol. 68. Edit 1530 Crabbe fol. 226 Edit 1538. Wee must not leaue the Church of God and haue recourse to Angles or corners This Councell was called in the yeere 364 in Laodicea a capitall Citie in Phrygia where this Angel-worship was frequent wherein they had Oratories Chappels to pray to St. Michael the chiefe Captain of Gods hoste among them This Canon of the Councell Photius doeth note to haue been made against the Angelites Phot. Nomocanon tit 12. c. 9. Aug. de haeres cap. 39. those heretiques that were inclined to the worship of Angels And Theodoret a Greeke Father more particularly makes twice mention of this Canon and declares the meaning of it in these words Theod. in Colos 3. in Col. 2. Whatsoeuer yee doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus giuing thankes to God and the Father by him The Synode of Laodicea also following this rule and desiring to heale that old disease made a law that they should not pray vnto Angels nor forsake our Lord Iesus Christ. Cardinall Baronius is not well pleased with Theodoret for deliuering his opinion touching the sense of that councell Ex hic videas TheodoretuÌ„ haud foelicitèr eius paâ—e dictum sit assecutum esse Pauli verborum sensum Baron An. Tom. 1. An. 60. By this you may see saith he that Theodoret did not well vnderstand the meaning of Saint Pauls wordes But that which is most obseruable the pretence which the heretiques made in those dayes for their Angel-worship is the chiefe reason alleadged for their doctrine of faith by the Romanists in these times Ambr. in Rom. cap. 1. We haue recourse say they to Angels and Saints with deuotion and humilitie that by their intercession God may be more fauorable vnto vs. Now Saint Ambrose complaines that the Heathen Idolaters to couer their shame for their neglecting of God were wont to vse this miserable excuse that by these they might goe to God as by Officers wee goe to the King But heare what answere hee makes to the vanitie of such worshippers Ambr. ad Rom. ca. 1. Goe to is any man so mad or so vnmindfull of his saluation as to giue the Kings honour to an Officer For therefore doe men goe to the King by Tribunes or Officers because the King is but a man and knoweth not to whem to commit the state of the Common wealth but to procure the fauour of God from whom nothing is hid for hee knoweth the workes of all men wee need no spokesman but a deuout mind for wheresoeuer such a one shall speake vnto him hee will answere him But of all the Fathers Saint Chrysostome is most plentifull in refuting this pretended reason of Intercession by Saints and Angels Chrysost Serm. 7. de Paenitent When thou hast need to sue vnto men saith hee thou art forced first to deale with doore-keepers and to intreate parasites and flatterers and to goe a long way But with God there is no such matter without an Intercessor he is intreated without money without cost he yeeldeth to the prayer Lastly for an example hee sets before vs the woman of Canaan Chrys in dimissione Chananaeae tom 5. Edit Sauil. p. 195. Shee intreateth not sames saith hee shee beseecheth not Iohn neither doth shee come to Peter but breake through the whole company of them saying I haue no need of a Mediator but taking repentance with me for a spokesman I come to the Fountaine it selfe For this cause did he descend for this cause did he take flesh that I might haue the boldnesse to speake vnto him I haue no need of a Mediatour haue thou mercy vpon me It is true that about this time Inuocation of Saints was practised by some particular persons but neuer till this later age receiued for an Article of faith Gregorie Nazianzene was one of the first who called vnto rather then called vpon the spirits of dead men in his Invectiues which hee wrote against Iulian the Emperor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 makes this Invocation Heare O thou soule of Great Constantine
if that thou hast any vnderstanding of these things And in his funerall Oration which hee made vpon his sister Gorgonia hee speaketh vnto her in this manner Greg. Naz. Orat. 11 in Gorgon If thou hast any care of the things done by vs if holy soules receiue this honour from God that they haue any feeling of such things as these receiue this Oration of ours instead of many and before many funerall obsequies The first Invocations then were but Apostrophes at the Tombes of Saints and those also deliuered doubtingly with this supposition If thou hearest if thou doest vnderstand Besides Invocations at first were but wishes and no prayers But if any saieth Cassander would haue such compellations to bee taken also for a direct speaking to them Cass Ep. 19 ad Ioh. Molinaeum p. 1109. IdeÌ„ Schol. in Hymn Eccles operuÌ„ pag. 242. I doe not gainesay it notwithstanding I would thinke that a tacit condition ought to bee vnderstood in such an intimation as was vsed by Gregorie Nazianzene that is if they doe heare if they doe vnderstand or otherwise that is to say All yee Saints pray vnto God for me should import as much as if it were said Would to God that all the Saints should pray to God for me But that which is remarkable and as I conceiue is worthy of all mens obserseruation Our aduersaries confesse there was no Invocation of Saints before the comming of Christ because they were in Lymbo and did not see God and therefore it is to bee noted Bellar. de Sanct. Beat. lib. 1. c. 19. saith Bellarmine Because the Saints which dyed before the comming of Christ did not enter into heauen neither did see God nor could ordinarily take knowledge of the prayers of such as should petition vnto them therefore it was not the vse in the Old Testament to say Saint Abraham pray for mee If this were the onely reason why Invocation was not vsed in the old Law for the same reason wee may confidently auer they ought not to produce the testimonies of ancient Fathers since the New for most of the Greeke and Latine Fathers did hold that the faithfull after death remained till the day of Resurrection in certaine receptacles of Rest without attaining the blessed vision of God Iren. lib. 5. Aug. Euchi c. 108. Hyll in Psál 120. Ambr. de Cain Abel l. 2. c. 2. Bet n. Ser. 3. de omnibus Sanctis Iraeneus termes them Inuisible holds Saint Austen Hidden Receptacles Saint Hyllarie The bosom of Rest Ambrose Places of suspence Bernard Atria Outward Porches or Courts And for a further testimonie of these and other particulars their learned Stapleton professeth Tot illi et taÌ„ celebres antiqui patres Tertullianus c. huic sententiae quae nuÌ„c in Concilio Florentino magnâ de muÌ„ conquisitione factà vt dogma fidei definita est quod iustorum animae antè dieÌ„ iudicii Dei visione fruuntur non sunt assensi sed sententiam contrariam tradideruÌ„t Stapl defâ—s Ecclesiast authorit cont Whitak l. 1. c. 2. That many famous ancient Fathers as namely Tertullian Irenaeus Origen Chrysostome Theodoret Oecumenius Theophylact Ambrose Clemens Romanus and Bernard did not assent vnto this Sentence which now in the Councell of Florence was at length after much disputing defined as doctrine of faith that the soules of the righteous enioy the sight of God before the day of Iudgement but did deliuer the contrary sentence thereunto From hence therfore I may infallibly conclude that such as held that the Saints were not admitted to the sight of God could not well hold that men should pray vnto them in such manner as the Romanists vse now to doe because the Saints not enioying the sight of God are not able ordinarily to take notice of the prayers that are put vp vnto them Saint Austen tells vs that in his time it was a great question Respondeo magnaÌ„ quideÌ„ esse quaestionum verum vel quatenùs vel quomodò ea quaecircà nos aguntur nouerint spiritus mortuoruÌ„ Aug. in Psal 108. Enarrat 1. and not easily to bee determined Whether at all or how farre or after what manner the spirits of the dead did know the things that concerned vs heere And Anselmus Laudunensis in his interlineal glosse vpon that text Abraham is ignorant of vs and Israel knoweth vs not Esa 63. noteth that Saint Austen saith that the dead euen the Saints doe not know what the liuing doe no not their owne sonnes Non propriè inuocamus Sanctos sed DeuÌ„ non enim aut Petrus aut Paulus audit InuocaÌ„tes sed gratiae quam habent viz. apud Deum Resp Patr ad Ger. c. 21 Adde to these testimonies the confession of the Greeke Church Wee doe not properly inuocate Saints but God for neither Peter nor Paul heare any of those that inuocate them but the grace and gift that they haue according to the promise I am with you vntill the end of the world meaning as it may be conceiued that the Saints heare not them that invocate them but Christ the Son of God who was giuen vnto them and promised to bee with them vnto the worlds end Adde to these opinions the sayings of their owne Schoolemen Scotus in 4. dist 45. quaest 4. Pet. Lomb. Sentent lib. 4 dist 45. Scotus saith it is probable Peter Lumbard saith It is not incredible that the Saints should heare our prayers Adde to the vncertaintie of the Fathers opinions some did vse wishes and compellations not Invocations others denyed the Saints could take notice of their prayers by reason they did not as yet see God others doubted whether they did heare when they were called vpon Altissid in SuÌ„m part 4. l 3. tract 7. c. de orat quaest 6. Biel. in CaÌ„ Missa Sect. 30. others as namely Guilielmus Altisidorensis and Gabriel Biel resolued that neither the Saints doe pray for vs neither are wee to pray to them These I say and the like reasons considered I may safely conclude that Invocation of Saints wants Antiquitie Vniuersality and Succession and that opinions doubtfull and vncertaine reasons probable and not incredible are no sure grounds for the saluation of a Christian and therefore it is no Article of faith no Catholique doctrine no Apostolique Tradition as is pretended in the eighth place Thus briefly I haue shewed you that the Trent Traditions which are receiued with the same reuerence as the Scriptures themselues want the proper markes of their owne Church I haue shewed you likewise that the Greeke Church in the principall poynts of controuersie is altogether different from the Romane and in the chiefest of those points agreeth wholly with the Protestants And for this cause the Greeke Patriarch congratulates with the Reformed Churches in this manner Nunc Deo omnis gratia authori gratias agimus et latamur cum multis aliis tum noÌ„ minimum in hoc quod in multis vestra
doctrina cum nostra consonat Ecclesia Patr. resp 2. in init resp 1. p. 148. We giue thankes to God the Authour of all grace and wee reioyce with many others but especially in this that in many things your doctrine is agreeable to our Church And certainly we likewise haue great cause to reioyce in our owne behalfe and theirs that the Greeke Church hath continued the truth of our doctrine in all ages which plainely shewes the Antiquitie and Visibilitie of our Church in the affirmatiue poynts which we maintaine and the Noueltie of the Romane in those Negatiue opinions which we condemne If we looke beyond Luther we shall easily discerne that the Muscouites Armenians Egyptians Aethiopians and diuers other countreys and Nations all members of the Greeke Church taught our Doctrine from the Apostles time to ours This is so true an Euidence in our behalfe that Bellarmine as it were in disdaine of the Churches Bell. de ver Dei l 2. ca. vlt. in fine makes this answere We are no more moued with the examples of Muscouites Armenians Egyptians and Aethiopians then with the examples of Lutherans or Anabaptists and Caluinists for they are either heretiques or Schismatiques So that all Churches be they neuer so Catholique and ancient if they subscribe not to the now Romane Faith are eyther schismaticall or hereticall But let these men obserue what Rules they list let them brag of Antiquitie Vniuersalitie and Succession let them reiect the confessions of all Christian Churches but their owne yet shal they neuer be able to proue those vnwritten Traditions Apostolique and of equall authority with the Scriptures which contrary the doctrine of the Apostles or by consequence ouerthrowe the foundation of the written Word If the Apostle teach vs to pray with the spirit 1. Cor. 14. and to pray with the vnderstanding also how can prayer in an vnknowne tongue without vnderstanding be prooued a Tradition Apostolicall If the Apostle teach vs by the written Word that the Communion in both kinds extend to all beleeuers by the general words of Christ Drinke yee all of this How can the Communion in one kinde bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolical which imposeth the contrary on the Non Conficient Priest and the lay people Drinke ye none of this If the holy Spirit dictate by the mouth of an Apostle Search the Scriptures how can that doctrine be said to bee Apostolicall which inioynes the contrary to the lay people Search not the Scriptures If the written Word proclaime it for an Apostolike doctrine Vtrumque est maluÌ„ et nubere et vri imò â—eius est nubere quic quid reclameÌ„t aduersarii c. Bell. de Monach l. 2. c. 30. It is better marrie then burne how can that vnwritten Word bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall which teacheth the contrary It is better for a Priest to burne then marry If an Angel from heauen proclaime of the reall presence of Christs body He is risen he is not heere and the Apostle declares it for an Article of beliefe The Heauens containe him till his second comming How can the corporall and reall presence of Christ in the Sacrament be a Tradition Apostolicall which affirmeth that Christs body is conteined in the heauens and in a Pix at one and the same time If the Communion of the body and bloud of Christ be a common vnion of Priest and people and by the Apostles written Word Wee are all partakers of one Bread and one Cup how can Priuate Masse bee tearmed a Tradition Apostolicall wherein the Priest receiues the Bread and Cup alone without the people If God himselfe forbid by his Morall Law the worshipping of Images and the same Lawe stood in force with Christ and his Apostles how can that doctrine be made a poynt of Faith and termed a Tradition Apostolicall which on the contrary giues adoration to Images Lastly if an Angel from heauen forbids the worshipping of Angels by a particular instance in himselfe Worship not mee for I am thy fellow seruant How can it be reputed a Tradition Apostolicall and an Article of Faith Art 8. that the Saints reigning with Christ are to bee worshipped and prayed vnto These Papal Traditions vnwritten are different if not flatly opposite to the Word written and therefore I will say with Tertullian who answered the heretiques in his dayes Tert. praesc advers haeres c. 32. Their very doctrine it selfe being compared with the Apostolike by the diuersity and contrarietie thereof will pronounce that it had neither any Apostle for an Authour nor any man Apostolique Now if any Romanist shall take that poore exception and say their Tenets are not flat contrary to the Scriptures let him take his answere from Saint Chrysostome Non dixit si contraria annutiauerint aut si totuÌ„ Euangelium sub verterint sed si vel pauluÌ„ EuaÌ„gelizauerint prarer EuangeliuÌ„ qd accepistis etiaÌ„si quidvis labefactauerint Anathema sint Chrys in Galat. c. 1 Aug. in Ioh. Tra. 98 Saint Paul teacheth not saith hee if any man preach contrary to the Gospell or ouerthrow the whole Gospell but if they preach any little thing besides the Gospell hee hath receiued if hee ouerthrow any thing whatsoeuer it be let him be accursed I say therefore if this or the like vnwritten Traditions bee found praeterquà m or contraquà m either besides or contrary to the Scriptures as certainly most of their Traditions are I say it is impossible to reconcile them for Apostolike Traditions and consequently more absurd to equall them with the Scriptures and make them a partiall rule of faith for Although saith Tertullian Tertul. de praescâ— c. 26. the Apostles did deliuer some things vnto their domesticall friends as I may call them yet wee must not beleeue that they deliuered any such things as should bring in another rule of Faith different and repugnant to that which they generally propounded in publique as though they had preached one Lord in the Church another in their lodging To leaue therefore a certainty for an vncertaintie to forsake the written Word which is the safest and surest rule of beliefe for vnwritten Traditions which haue neither Antiquitie for their leader nor Vniuersality for their assurance nor Succession for their euidence this I say is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way SECT IX The Scriptures are a certaine safe and euident direction to the right way of Saluation and consequently to ground Faith vpon vnwritten Traditions is an obscure vncertaine and dangerous By-way I Confesse it for a trueth that in the first ages of the world the Ancients had the knowledge of God without writing and their memories by reason of their long liues were Registers instead of Bookes but afterwards when God had taken the posteritie of Iacob to bee his peculiar people the liues of men were shortned and therefore hee gaue them their lawes in writing which
22. Aliud est secundum opera aliud propter opera reddere IdeÌ„ 7. Psal Poenit. Gregorie There are some which glory that they are saued by their owne strength and brag that they are redeemed by their own precedent merits but herein they contradict themselues for whilst they affirm that they are innocent and yet redeemed they frustrate the name of Redemption in themselues Againe If the blessednesse of the Saints bee acquired by mercy not by merits how is it said He will render to euery man according to his workes If it bee according to his workes how is it giuen of mercie It is one thing saith hee to giue according to their workes another thing to giue for their workes sake And from this ground hee makes this his confession I pray to bee saued Idem in 1. Psal Paenit not trusting to my merits but presuming to obtaine that by thy mercie alone which I hope not for by merit Church of England We are accounted righteous before God onely Art 11. by the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by Faith and not our owne workes For to haue affiance in our workes Homily of goodworks as by merit of them to purchase to our selues remission of sinnes and eternall life is blasphemy Church of Rome Good workes are meritorious Rhem. Annot in Heb. 6. ver 10. and the very cause of saluation so farre that God should be vniust if he rendered not Heauen for the same Againe All good works done by Gods grace after the first justification Idem in 2. Tim. 4.8 bee truely and properly meritorious and fully worthy of euerlasting life and that thereupon Heauen is the due and iust stipend crowne or recompense which God by his Iustice oweth to the persons so working by his grace for hee rendreth or repayeth heauen as a iust Iudge and not onely as a mercifull Giuer and the Crowne which hee payeth is not onely of mercie or fauour or grace but also of justice Worship of Images Gregorie In his Epistle to Serenus Bishop of Masilia saith Greg. lib. 7. Epist 109. Your Brotherhood seeing certaine worshippers of Images broke the said Images and cast them out of the Church the zeale which you had that nothing made with hands should be worshipped we praise but wee thinke you should not haue broken them downe For Painting is therefore vsed in Churches that they which are vnlearned may by sight reade that on the walles which in bookes they cannot Your brotherhood should therefore haue spared the breaking of them and yet restrained the people from worshipping them AdorationeÌ„ omnibê° modis deuita Lib. 9. Ep. 5. that the rude might haue had how to come by the knowledge of the Story and yet the people not sinne in worshipping the picture Church of England The Romish doctrine concerning the worshipping and adoration Art 22. as well of Images as of Reliques is a fond thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no Warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the VVord of God Church of Rome Wee teach Conc. Trid. Sess 25. that the Images of Christ the Virgin Mother of God and other Saints are chiefely in Churches to bee had and retained and that due honor worship is to be giuen vnto them The Popes Supremacie Gregorie Ego fidenter dico Lib. 6. ep 30 Mauricio Augusto Idem lib. 6. ep 24. lib. 4. ep 32. 34. 36 38. 39. I say confidently Whosoeuer calls himselfe or desires to be called the Vniuersall Bishop in the pride of his heart is the forerunner of Antichrist For the title of vniuersall Bishop is the puffe of arrogancie the word of pride a new pompous a peruerse foolish a rash a superstitious a profane an vngodly and wicked name a name of singularitie a name of errour a name of hypocrisie a name of vanitie and a name of blasphemie And writing to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria hee makes this profession For mine owne part Greg. lib. 7. ep 30. I seeke to increase in vertues and not in words for if you call me Vniuersall Bishop you denie your selues to be that which you confesse to be wholly in me but God forbid let vs rather put farre from vs these words which puffe vp pride and vanitie and wound Charitie to the death Church of England It is plaine that the Bishop of Rome challengeth this day a title that St. Peter neuer had Iewel Art 4 Diuis 4. that no holy nor godly man would euer take vpon him that St. Gregorie vtterly refused and detested and called blasphemy Church of Rome The Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome may bee prooued by fifteene seuerall Names or Titles Bell. de PoÌ„t lib. 2. c. 31. as namely the Prince of Priests the High Priest the Vicar of Christ the vniuersall Bishop and the like and from those high and mightie Titles they haue created this Article of faith Wee declare Subesse Romano Pont. omni humanae creaturae declaramê° dicimus definimus pronunciamus omninò esse de necessitate salutis Bonif. 8. in extran de Maior Obed. Cap. Vnam SanctaÌ„ c. we pronounce wee define that euery creature vpon necessitie of saluation must be subiect to the Bishop of Rome Thus briefly I haue giuen you the principall poynts of doctrine deliuered by Gregorie and from these his seuerall confessions I hope the Romanists will giue me leaue to returne them their owne assertion If an Angel from heauen teach other doctrine Touching the books of Maccabees the All-sufficiencie and reading of the Scriptures the Reall presence Priuate Masse Communion in both kinds Merit of workes Worship of Images and the Popes Supremacy I say with our aduersaries If an Angel froÌ„ heauen teach other doctrine then in these particulars we haue receiued from Gregorie we are not to heare him I proceed from Fathers to Councels and vpon a reviewe of the Fathers Doctrine I will here conclude Since the ancient Doctors are no Rules of our Faith nor haue any power to bind as Bellarmine confesseth since their bookes are sometimes purged their authorities sometimes condemned as spurious and counterfet as their Inquisitors confesse since their Expositions with an vniforme consent are sometimes decreed for an Article of Faith Bulla Pij 4. Artic. 2. sometimes declined by their best learned Romanists as namely Card. Bellarmine Andradius Card. Cajetan and Card. Baronius professe And lastly since the Scripture is the most certaine and most safe Rule of faith Scriptura regula credendi certissima tutissimaque Bellar. as it is acknowledged on both sides I say to leaue this certaine and safe rule and to follow the Fathers in all and tread in their steps as children doe in sport it is Via Dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via Devia a wandring and By-way SECT XIIII Councells which are so highly extold and opposed against vs were neither called by lawfull authoritie or to the right ends as
to the Commission granted to Kings and Princes by expresse warrant from Gods owne mouth if I say contrary to Gods command after a continued succession in the right of Kings and Princes for 2400 yeeres he will vsurpe the right of calling Councells the Pope will not bee found Innocent nor his assemblies lawfull for the Towne-clerke of Ephesus could tell Dometrius and his fellowes If they enquire any thing Acts 19.39 concerning matters it must bee determined in a lawfull Assembly The promises of Christ no doubt are many and gracious to his Church but they are annexed to a condition if they come together in his Name the condition then being once broken the Obligation to the Church and Councell becommeth voyde of none effect It will not be amisse therefore to vnderstand what it is to assemble in Christs Name and then see whether the Church of Rome hath performed that second dutie in her assemblies It cannot be denied that they are said to assemble in Christs Name whom neither respect of priuate gaine induceth nor the ambitious desire of honour inuiteth nor the prick of hatred and enuie incite and driue forward but whom the inflamed loue of peace and the feruent affections of Christianitie impell and not the spirit of contention Surely these conditions are requisite to their right calling and these were anciently performed in the first foure Generall Councells to which our Church subscribeth but as their owne Cardinal Cusanus protested that the authority of Councels doth not depend vpon the Pope so likewise their owne learned Ferus professeth that In matters of Faith and things which concerne the conscience it is not sufficient for them to say Wee will and command but you must consider in what manner the Apostles dealt in their Assemblies they came together in simplicitie of heart seeking onely Gods glory and the saluation of others Nos aliter conuenimus nempe cum magnâ poÌ„pâ nosque ipsosquaerimê° atque nâ—bis â—ollicâ—â—ur nihil nobis non licere de plenitu dine potestatis quomodò spiritê° sanctê° eiusmodi conuentus probare possit Ferus super Acts 15. no maruell therefore if the Spirit of God was in that Councell but saith hee Nos aliter conuenimus Our meeting is in another manner namely with great pompe and seeking our selues and promising to our selues licence vpon fulnesse of power to doe any thing and this being so how is it possible for the Spirit of God to approue such assemblies Heere then wee haue our learned Aduersaries confessions that two principall conditions anciently in vse are both abrogated by the latter Councels the one is The Pope calls Councells that hath no right to call them the other is That they assemble in their owne name and for their owne end not for the Catholique peace and Christian Charitie And thus much briefely concerning the authoritie of Calling Councells Let vs take a short view of Councels in all ages and withall let vs adde to the Popes vnlawfull Calling the errors of Councels the vncertaintie of their Canons the manifest forgeries of ancient Decrees the palpable and grosse suggestions of new deuised Acts with their senselesse condemnation of true Decrees and Canons that make against their Romish Faith and Trent Doctrine and tell mee if these men haue any cause or reason to equall Councells with the Scriptures or to build vpon them in matters of Faith or to claime them all for theirs when by their owne ensuing testimonies they are doubtfull which are right which are false which are lawfull which are counterfet And lastly when they are not agreed amongst themselues whether Councels rightly called are infallible or stand subiect vnto errour SECT XV. Councels which our aduersaries pretend as a chiefe bulwarke of their faith giue no support at all to the Romish Religion as it is prooued by particular obiections made against seuerall Councells in all ages by the Romanists themselues CArdinall Bellarmine who formerly told vs the Church of God might safely subsist without Councels giues vs likewise to vnderstand by way of preuention Libri ConcilioruÌ„ negligenter conseruati sunt multis vitiis scatent Bel. de Concil l. 3 c. 2. that the Bookes of Councells being negligently kept doe abound with many errours and heereby we may guesse what is like to be the doctrine of those Councells that are guiltie of such errours and what will bee the issue of that doctrine that depends vpon such Councels Whether errors haue crept in by the negligence of the keepers I cannot tell but sure I am many generall and particular Councels haue erred many Decrees and Canons of Councells which are produced for the Romane Religion are acknowledged by themselues to bee spurious counterfet and many true Canons and Councels which make against their Trent faith are condemned by our aduersaries as fallible and erronious as shall appeare by their owne seuerall confessions in all ages from the time of Christ till the dayes of Luther The first Age to 100 yeeres In the first Age. The Councell at Hierusalem gathered vnder the High Priest wherein Caiphas was President Marke 14. sought testimonie against Iesus and excommunicated those who confessed Iesus to be Christ Errauit in fide perniciosissime Caiphas cum vâ—iuerso CoÌ„cilio cuÌ„ iudicauit Iesum blasphemasse Bellar. de Conc. auth lib. 2. c. 8. Bellarmine tells vs Before the comming of Christ the Councels of the Iewes could not erre but saith hee Caiphas with the whole Councell did erre most pernitiously when they adiudged Christ a blasphemer And this may serue for a leading case to shew that Councels may erre as they haue erred in the first Age. In the second Age. The 2 Age Ann. 100. to 200. In the yeere 102 the Councel of Antioch is cited by Gretzerus by Turrian by Baronius for the Worship of Images yet neither Merlin nor Crabbe nor Surius nor Nicholinus Coâ—e censura PatruÌ„ pag. 237. publishers of the Councells euer mention it and Binius who produceth it doeth acknowledge to haue receiued it from Baronius and Baronius returnes his Author for the Iesuite Turrian and Turrian professeth that Pamphilus found it in Origens Librarie And this may serue to shew that some Councels are deuised to proue the Trent doctrine and the raâ—her because worship of Images requires Antiquitie and Consent of Bishops to proue it an Article of Faith The 3 Age. Ann. 200. to 300. In the third Age In the yeere 258 the third Councell of Carthage had fourescore and seuen Bishops but saith Binius Huius Prouincialis The Catholique Church doeth not receiue the Decrees of this Councell Concilii decreta non recipit Catholica Ecclesia Bin. in marg Concil p. 149. And the reason is pregnant This Synod toucheth the Popes Supremacie for when as Stephanus Bishop of Rome called himselfe Episcopus Episcoporum The Bishop of Bishops Saint Cyprian and the whole Councell opposed that new Title And this may serue to prooue
that some Councels rightly called are discarded by our aduersaries when they make against their Trent faith In the fourth Age In the yeere 317 The 4. Age Ann. 300. to 400. the Councell of Sinuessa is pretended to consist of 300 Bishops besides Presbyters and Deacons and this Councell is cited especially for the Popes Supremacie yet Binius the publisher of the Councels professeth Doctissimorū plurimi hac Acta spuria nullius ponderis esse validis sanè argumentis probare conati sunt Concil Sinuess Bin. p. 184. that this Councell Although it deserue great credit for the Martyrologies of the Church yet very many learned men account the Actes to bee spurious and of no force and validitie And this may shew the faith of their Supremacy is grounded vpon vncertain doubtful Coūcels The first Generall Councell of Nice was called in the yeere 325 and is cited by Bellarmine in the 69 Canon Bellar. de Vnct. li. 1. cap 4. to proue Extreame Vnction a Sacrament and Mr. Hart saith This Councell hath 80 Canons and in those Canons the Patriarkes are said to rule their subiects as the Pope is head of all the Patriarkes like Peter Yet 60 of these Canons were denied by Alipius Bishop of Tagasta by Cyril Bishop of Alexandria by Atticus Bishop of Constantinople and by St. Austen and the Councell of Africa who allowed only twentie and Raynold Hart. cap 9. Diuis 2. p. 575. saith Contius their Lawyer Their bastardie is proued euen by this that no man no not Gratian himselfe durst alleadge them And this may serue to shew that some counterfet Canons by their owne confessions are produced for their doctrine of Faith and Sacraments The Councell of Eliberis In the yeere 328 decreed Placuit picturas in Ecclesia non debere Canon 36. Suspicor in illo Canone imposturam Bar. An. ad an 57. nu 121. Bell de Imag l. 2. c. 9 That no Images should bee set vp in Churches Baronius answeres I suspect some iugling in this Canon Bellarmine answers It was a Councell consisting but of nineteene Bishops a Prouinciall Councell not confirmed by the Pope and it seemeth to haue erred in other Decrees Heere one Cardinall seemes to allow the Councell but not the Decree against Images the other disallowes the whole Councell as fallible both in that and other Decrees Howsoeuer this may serue to shew that there were Protestant Bishops in those dayes who made publique protestation against making and worshipping of Images and yet neither Canons nor Councels must be allowed if they make against an Article of their new Creed The Councell of Millan was cited in the yeere 355 and was vniuersall and consisted of three hundred and more Bishops and yet this Councell did erre in the cause of Athanasius Dyonisius Eusebius Paulinus Lucifer Rodanus Zozom l. 4. c. 8. for saith Zozomen Whereas 300 of the Westerne Bishops had consented that Athanasius should bee deposed from his Bishopricke there were onely fiue against fifteene score that withstood it The Councell of Ariminum was cited in the yeere 360 and was vniuersall and consisted of 600 Bishops Multis paucorum fraude deceptis Aug. contr◠Maxim lib. 3. cap. 14. but saith Austen Hereticall impietie vnder an hereticall Emperour assayed to ouerthrow the trueth the multitude being deceiued by the subtiltie of a few And saith Hierom Nomine vnitatis et fidei infidelitas scripta est Hier. advers Lucif In the name of vnitie and faith Infidelitie was decreed and written And these are Euidences that generall Councels haue erred may erre In the fift Age In the yere 455 The 5. Age Ann. 400. to 500. the generall Coūcell of Chalcedon was called it consisted of 630 Bishops and decreed Conc. Chal. Can. 28. that the Church of Rome should haue the primacy because the city of Rome was the Empire of the whole world This reason was so vnpleasing to Pope Leo at that time and the Romanists in these daies Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 2. c. 17. that C. Bellarmine cōplaines It was the Decree of a great Councell but not lawfully made and therefore of no force and authoritie for saith he not onely the Popes Legates reiected that Decree in the Councell but Pope Leo himselfe who confirmed the rest of the Decrees condemned it And this may serue to shew that the reasons and decrees of 630 Bishops are no decrees no reasons if the Pope or his Legats doe not allow them The 6. age Ann. 500. to 600. In the sixt Age The fift Generall Councell of Constantinople was called in the yeere 553 wherein both Pope Vigilius himselfe Crak def Eccl. Angl. cap. 12. and three Chapters of his Decrees were condemned as hereticall and accursed Lege Liberati Breuiarium ca. 22. Pont. ficale in vitâ Vigilij And this may serue to shew that the Pope may bee an heretike that a Coūcell is aboue the Pope who haue authority to condemne him or his Decrees as they find occasion and that the Decrees of former Councels may be corrected by the latter and consequently there is no certaintie no infallibilitie in Pope or Councels In the seuenth Age The sixt Generall Councell was called at Constantinople The 7. Age. Ann. 600. to 700. in the yeere 681 and is pretended by Crabbe Surius to haue nine Canons whereof the seuenth is cited by Bellarmine for Inuocation of Saints Bel de fact Beat. l 5. c. 19. l. 2. de Confir cap 40. Surius Candid lectori yet their owne Surius tells vs Those nine Canons are falsely ascribed to the sixt Synod yea those Canons are false and counterfet Caranza Sum Conc. in Concil 6 Constant saith Caranza Againe this Synode condemned Pope Honorius for a Monothelite Put saith Bellarmine wee may safely say Tutò dicere possumus Bel de Pōt lib 4. c. 11. the Fathers did vndeseruedly reckon Honorius amongst heretikes being deceiued by false reports and not vnderstanding the Epistles of Honorius Hence we may obserue that sometimes an Article of Faith as namely Inuocation of Saints is confirmed by our aduersaries from the authoritie of a generall Councel when it is knowne and confessed by themselues to bee counterfet and sometimes the Pope himselfe is adiudged an heretike by a Generall Councell when as for the honour of the Popes Supremacie and Infallibilitie the whole Councel must bee condemned Lastly if from the Decrees of this Generall Councel we shall note the errours of Councells in generall Albertus Pigghius a learned man saith Canus doeth demonstrate by many arguments Canus loc Theol. li. 5. cap. 1. that the Acts which beare the name of the sixt and seuenth Generall Councels containe many errors In the eight Age The second Councell of Nic◠The 8. Age Ann. 700. to 800. called in the yeere 788 and termed the Seuenth General Councell pronounced Anathema against Pope Honorius What answere therefore can bee
made to this Councell Bell. de PoÌ„t lib. 4. c. 11. Bellarmine replies This Councell was deceiued by the Presidents of former Councels This generall Councell then did not onely erre but by this rule wee hath no certaintie that other Councells are free from errour And to speake plainely and truely this accursed Councell that by blood and vsurpation first set afoot the worship of Images This Synod saith Vspergensis was reiected in the Councel of Frankford Vsperg an 793. â—ig de Act. 6. 7. Syn. ad Lectorem as vtterly void and not to be named the Seuenth nor any thing else In the ninth Age In the yeere 867 The 9. Age. Ann. 800. to 9â—0 the Eight Generall Councell of Constantinople decreed with the consent of 383 Bishops that whomsoeuer Photius Turrian li. de 6. 7. 8. Synod p 93 Patriarke of Constantinople did depose or excommunicate the Pope might not restore nor absolue and whomsoeuer the Pope did depose or excommunicate Photius might not absolue nor restore Touching this Synod Bellar. de Conc. auth lib. 2. c. 11. Bellarmine answers This Councell did erre because the Popes Legates did contrary to the Popes instructions He that shal read the Decrees Canons of a Generall Councell ratified and declared by almost 400 Bishops would thinke it strange that they al could erre in a point of faith viz. touching the Popes Supremacie and it is no lesse to be wondred that the Popes Legats either through ignorance or wilfulnes should so much digresse from the Popes instructions as to determine things contrary to his command but the truth is as the former Councell by the Cardinals confession was led by the Presidents of other Councels to oppose the Popes Supremacy so likewise this CouÌ„cell had power and authoritie in their dayes to create and confirme their Decrees and Canons against Head and members notwithstanding the Pope or his Legats had imposed contrary instructions In the tenth Age In the yeere 963 The 10. age Ann. 900. to 1000. a Roman Councell vnder Otho the Emperour was called wherein Pope Iohn the twelfth was deposed and Leo the eighth was substituted in his room This Synod saith Binius was vnlawfull Bin Not. in Conc. Rom. sub Ottone p. 155. because the Bishops assembled without the Popes authoritie And thus one CouÌ„cell did erre being misled by the presidents of others a second for want of good Instructions a third for want of a right calling yet all tend to this rather to condemne all Councels of errours then suffer the Popes Supremacie and an Article of Romish Faith which almost all Councels did condemne should bee violated and infringed The 11. age Ann. 1000 to 1100. In the eleuenth Age In the yeere 1059 a Councell at Rome was called vnder Pope Nicholas the Second Conc Rom. sub Nich. 2. where it was decreed Not onely the Sacrament of Christs body but the very body of Christ was handled broken and chewed with the teeth of the faithfull This decree was thought very doubtfull and dangerous by the Romanists themselues insomuch as the Glosse vpon Gratian giues this caueat Grat de Conscer dâ—st 2. cap. Ego Berengarius Vnlesse you rightly vnderstand these words of Berengarius Recantation you will fall into a greater heresie then Berengarius himselfe And hence wee may learne that a Councell confirmed by the Pope which Bellarmine saith cannot erre decreed that doctrine of faith which neither the Pope nor his Church dare avow for Catholique Doctrine at this day In the twelfth Age In the yeere 1120 The 12. age Ann. 1100. to 1200. the Councell of Turon decreed That the Eucharist giuen to sicke folkes Burchard lib. 5. c. 9. should bee dipped in the cup that the Priest might truely say The bodie and blood of our Lord Iesus Christ Bellarmine saith Bellar. de Euch. lib. 4. cap 26. that this Decree was amended for in the third Councell of Bracara the bread was forbidden to bee dipped and it is obiected that Christ did giue it in both kinds distinctly the bread apart by it selfe and the cup by it selfe although the Councell did not therevpon conclude it should bee giuen in both kinds Idem Ibid. Heere wee see Councell against Councell and by Bellarmines testimony neither of both decreeing an Article of Faith according to Christs Institution The 13. age Ann. 1200. to 1300. In the thirteenth Age In the yeere 1215 the Councell of Lateran was called and many things saith Platina were consulted vpon Venêre multa tum quidem in consultationeÌ„ nec decerni tamen quicquid apertè potuit Plat. de vitâ Innocent 3. but nothing plainely defined by reason of some wars which Pope Innocentius sought to compose and died at Perusium But Math. Paris who was liuing at that time professeth plainly ConciliuÌ„ illud generale qà more Papali graÌ„dia fronte primâ praesetulit in visum et scoÌ„mam desiit Math Par. Hist Min. That the same Generall Councell which made a great flourish at the first ended in ieasts and laughter whereby all the Arch-bishops Bishops Abbots Deanes Archdeacons and all commers to the Councell were deluded And hence wee may learne what certaintie of faith the Romanists are like to haue for their grand poynt of Transubstantiation where it was first decreed for an Article of beliefe when as by the testimonie of their owne Writers there was nothing plainely defined and the whole Councell concluded in ieasts and laughter In the fourteenth Age In the yeere 1302 The 14 age Ann. 1300. to 1400. Pope Boniface the Eight called a Councell at Rome where he excommunicated Philip the French King and about the same time the King summons a Councell at Paris and therein appeales from the Popes sentence and incites his Prelats and Barons against him Naucl. An. 1300. Parir Mas in vita Bonif 8. and withall publikely declares That the Pope was worthy to bee deposed for heresie for symonie for murther and other capitall offences This is witnessed by their owne Nauclerus and Papirius Massonus in the life of Boniface Here you may see Councell against Councell the one contending for the Pope the other for the Emperour the Bishops of Italie maintaining Appeales to the Pope the Bishops of France coÌ„manding Appeales to the Councell the one withstanding the Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome the other obeying it as an Article of Faith yet both members of one body and professing one and the same Faith vnder one Head the Pope And hence we may obserue there is no Vnitie betwixt Head and Members no consent among the Bishops to rely vpon Councels In the fifteenth Age In the yeere 1409 The 15. age Ann. 1400. to 1500. the Councell of Pisa was called by the Pope but is now condemned by the Inquisitors in their Catalogue of bookes forbidden and the reason is giuen by their owne Authors Gregory the twelfth Index Expurg Madrid p. 22.
Platin. in Greg. 12. and Benedict the thirteenth were deposed as Heretiques and Schismatiques nay more when Gregory who was a true and lawfull Pope by the testimony of Binius had commanded his Cardinals Anton. 3. part ca. 5. Bin. in Conc. Pisa Gobe Pader de hoc Conc. exeo Bin. that they should not attempt it they not regarding the Popes Supremacy appealed from the Pope to a Generall Councell And hence wee may obserue that neither Councel nor the Popes Cardinalls receiued the Popes Supremacie for a point of Faith as it is now taught beleeued for then certainly as they would not haue opposed him so they could neuer haue deposed him And as concerning the validitie of Councels it is manifest that as two Popes were condemned by a Councell so likewise that Councell and the like may befall any Councell that tends to the preiudice of the Popes prerogatiue is reiected by the Inquisitors with a Deleatur not to bee named amongst Councells Briefly there is no infallibilitie no certaintie in Councels nor in their Decrees Canons when they may be receiued or reiected at their pleasure accordingly as they make for the Pope and his doctrine or against it as may appeare by the ensuing testimonies of this Age. The Councell of Constance was called in the yeere 1414 by Iohn the 23 This Councell saith Bellarmine touching the first Sessions where they define the Councell aboue the Pope was reiected by the Councell of Florence Bellar de Concil Eccles lib. 1 c. 7. and the last Councell of Lateran but touching the last Session wherin the Communion in one kinde contrary to Christs Institution was decreed Ab omnibus Catholicis recipitur Pope Martin the Fift and all Catholikes receiue them And herein if you please you may likewise credit their owne Gregory de Valentia who affirmeth vpon his credit that the Decrees of the Councell of Constance Greg. Analy Cath. l. 8. c. 7. haue no certaine authoritie but those onely which were approued by Martine the Fift The Councel of Florence was called in the yeere 1430 whereby it is pretended that the Christians of Armenia and India consented to the Roman Church but Binius the compiler of the Councels tells vâ—â—t is doubtfull and vncertaine Whether the Armenians continued at the Councell of Florence Bin. Tom. 4 Conc. p. 503 or whether after the departure of the Grecians and Armenians there were some other Sessions of the Councel continued which haue not been recorded or whether there had beene an other Synod gathered the same yeere Heere is nothing but certaine vncertaintie in this Councell The Councell of Basil was called in the yeere 1431 and is reputed Generall yet it is neither generally approued nor receiued For the Dominicans obiect it was no lawfull Councell the Minorites on the other side answered it was true and hâ—ly and called the Dominicans Heretikes for slandering the authoritie of the Councell Iud. Viv. in Aug. lib. 20. de Civit. Dei c. 26. and saith Viues the matter had come to a shrewd passe if Pope Sixtus had not forbid that dispute any longer And for a conclusion of this poynt Albertus Pigghius confidently affirmeth Piggh. in Hierarch That both the Councell of Constance Councell of Basil erred shamefully they decreed against the order of Nature against the manifest Scriptures against the authoritie of Antiquitie and against the Catholike Faith Conc. Constant Sess 4. And if you require a reason how they fell into this shamefull errour Conc. Basil Sess 33. the reason is pregnant They decreed the Councell aboue the Pope Thus if wee reflect vpon the Decrees and Canons of Councels many counterfet and spurious Acts are suggested and forged in behalfe of their Romane Doctrine Aquin. in opusc cont errores Graecorum ad Vrbanum 4. Pont. Maximum The Councell of Sinuessa is cited by Bellarmine to proue the Pope aboue a Councell yet this is condemned saith Binius by many learned Writers The Councel of Chalcedon is cited by Aquinas to proue the Pope vniuersal Patriarke of the world yet there is no such Decree extant in the Councel The Councel of Nice in the 69 Canon is cited by Bellarmine to proue Confirmation a Sacrament yet that Canon is reiected by Baronius The Councell of Constantinople in the ninth Canon is produced for Invocation of Saints yet this Canon is reiected as counterfet saith Caranza Againe looke vpon the true Canons and Decrees of Councels if they be found to make against the Roman faith and doctrine they are reiected or condemned as erronious The Councel of Eliberis decreed against the making and worshipping of Images what saith Baronius to this Councell I suspect some iugling in this Canon The Councel of Pisa is condemned by the Inquisitors amoÌ„g the forbidden books why the cause is euident it toucheth the Popes Supremacie for Gregorie the twelfth and Benedict the thirteenth were deposed saith Platina The Councell of Laodicea is corrupted and instead of Angels they haue inserted the word Angles why the reason is pregnant it forbids Inuocation of Angels The General CouÌ„cel of Constantinople did erre and the Popes Legats did contrary to the Popes Instructions why the reason is euident the Councell decreed that the Pope should not absolue whom the Patriarke did depose The Councell of Constance is condemned of errour onely in the first Sessions Why they decreed the Councell aboue the Pope Againe their Canons are receiued in the latter Sessions Why they decreed the halfe CoÌ„munion which is now receiued for an Article of Faith And thus some Canons and Councels are forged some true and Orthodox are condemned some Sessions are approued by the Popes Legats others reiected by the Popes Cardinals and Prelates insomuch it was rightly obserued by Ludouicus Vâ—v in Aug. de Ciuit. Dei l. 20. cap. 26. Then the Councells are of account with them when they make for them but if they make against them they make no more account of them then of a Couent of women pratling in a common bath or a Weauers Shoppe I proceed to the sixteenth Age wherein the Grand and admired Councell of the Papall world I meane the pretended Generall Councell of Trent shal be examined SECT XVI The Councell of Trent which is the maine pillar and last resolution of the Romane Faith is of small or no credit at all because it was neither lawfully called nor free nor Generall nor generally receiued by the Romanists themselues AVgustus Thuanus a chiefe Senator and Counsellour to the King of France tels vs that Pope Paul the third summoned a Councell at Mantua and from thence translated it to Vincentia and because the Princes of Germanie could not agree vpon the place assigned Trent a citie seated vpon the confines of Germanie and Italie where this Councell was called in the yeere 1546. This CouÌ„cell then was called by the Popes vsurped power not by the Emperor for that cause falls within
the compasse of Demetrius assembly which wanted a right and a lawfull calling But let vs see with what esteeme and authoritie this Councel is receiued in the Romane Church Cardinall Bellarmine tels vs Si tollamus authoritateÌ„ praesentis Ecclesiae praesentis Concilii in dubiuÌ„ reuocari possunt omniuÌ„ aliorum Conciliorum decreta et totu fides Christiana Bell. de effect SacraÌ„ lib. 2. c 25. If we take away the authoritie and credit of the present Church and Councell of Trent the Decrees of other Councels and the whole Christian Faith may bee called in question This Iesuite who first assured vs That the Church might continue safe without Councels if occasion required at least two thousand yeres now without any regard to the sacred Gospel of Christ professeth That if the Roman Church and Trent Councell were remoued the Faith of all Christians would be indangered and Campian his fellow Iesuite as man rauished with the fame of that Synod proclaimes to after ages The elder that Councell waxeth the more it will flourish and as a true Romish Proselyte cries out to the astonishment of poore Protestants O good Lord with what diuersitie of people out of all Countreys with what choyce of Bishops throughout all Christendome with what excellencies of Kings and Common-weales with what profound Diuines with what deuotion with what lamentations with what abstinence and fasting with what flowers of Vniuersities with what knowledge of strange tongues with what sharpe wits with what studie with what endlesse reading with what store of vertues and exercises was that sacred place replenished This Councell is like the great Diana of the Ephesians that carries the vniuersall applause let vs looke herefore into the lawfulnesse and authoritie of this Councell for if it be of men Acts 5.39 it will come to nought but if it bee of God we cannot ouerthrow it lest happily we be found euen to fight against God himselfe First then as this Councel wanted a right calling of the Emperor so likewise it wanted a requisite condition to make it Generall for that Councell is truly Generall wherunto al christian States are summoned assembled in his name and shall this be held the great Councell of the Christian world the chiefe supporter of all other Councels and the whole Christian faith which was confined to a small number and some fewe Nations Looke vpon the three Patriarks of Constantinople Antioch and Alexandria were they all present Look vpon the Grecians Armenians Medes Persians Egyptians Moores Aethiopians were they summoned to this Councel do not these people beleeue in Christ haue they not Bishops did their Ambassadours come from all these Nations to the Councell Nay more were the Legats of the kingdome of England of Denmarke of the King of Swetia of Scotland and the Dukedome of Prussia there present Looke vpon the assemblie of their Bishops and it will appeare by their Historie of Trent Historie of Trent lib 2 p. 140. Engl that this Generall and great Councell consisted but of fortie three Bishops and some of those also were but Titular as namely Richard Pates Bishop of Worcester and blind Sr Robert Bishop of Armach these had the bare titles of Bishops were no Bishops at all and two of those Bishops saith Illiricus were taken in adultery Illyr in Protest contr Conc. Trid. the one strucken with a dart the other taken in a trap by the husband and hanged by the necke out of a window to bee seene by all that passed by in the street Binius the publisher of the Councels giues vs to vnderstand that the whole number of Patriarks Archbishops and Bishops vnder Pope Paul the Third who gathered the Councell by the greatest account came but to 62 from which if we take the Titular Bishops and those who through infirmitie could not meet at one the same time there could not be present aboue 43 both as Illiricus and as the Historie of Trent doe witnesse and must we say or can we think that the whole Christian Faith and decrees of all Councels must depend vpon the number of 62 if they were all allowed and agreed together And that which is most remarkable in the fourth Session vnder the same Pope the poynts of greatest moment were discussed and decreed by the number of fiftie three Bishops then I say the prime Articles touching the Canonical books of Scripture touching Traditions then equalled to the Scriptures touching the authentical Edition of scriptures touching the Iudge of all controuersies in poynts of Faith were handled and resolued for Articles of Faith by those few Bishops whereas sometimes it is caried by a single voyce or two and so the number of the whole at most is reduced to thirtie It is true I must confesse that there were many other learned Diuines present but it seemes they were chiefly gathered for the instruction of those Bishops and saith Stella If you will make answere Quod si responder is quod hi Episcopi secum ducant Theologos qui eos illuminent vt contigit in sacro Tridentino CoÌ„cilio in hâc re quidem non possum me a risu temperare Stell in Lucam 6. p. 184. the Bishops bring with them learned Diuines which may instruct them what to say what to answere as it was vsed in the Councell of Trent yet in this I cannot forbeare laughter Neither was the accesse vnto the Councell safe for all those that were inuited neither was it free for all men to dispute and argue the poynts of controuersie freely Pope Iulius the third after the death of his predecessour Pope Paul made a decree That none of the Princes and free Cities of Germanie should haue audience except they would first vow their obedience to the Councell and for that end and purpose hee published his Breue Erit Concilium vt qui temere locuti sunt dicta recantaturi veâ—i aut aut eoruÌ„ inaudita causa in executione ita ordinataruÌ„ ConstitutionuÌ„ haeretici declarentur Breue Iuliâ— 3. citat à Caluino There shall be a Councell that they which haue spoken rashly either may recant their sayings or else without further hearing or receiuing of the matter may bee denounced and condemned for heretikes according to the Constitutions already made Here was plaine dealing and short warning for euery man either to resolue to subscribe to the Trent Doctrine or else to be proscribed for an heretique The Bishops of Apulia did intimate no lesse in the name of all the Bishops PapaluÌ„ RomanuÌ„ adiutor ero ad defendenduÌ„ coÌ„tra omnes homines sic me Deê° adiuuet et saÌ„cta EuaÌ„gelia Ca. E N Extra delure iurand That they were nothing else but the Popes creatures and his bondslaues for there was an oath proposed seuerally to all to bee taken in this maner I will defend the Papacie against all men So helpe mee God and his holy Gospell And as there was an oath proposed in behalfe of the Papall
all men by the Apostles rule should be ready to giue an account of their Faith and must bee iudged by the Word of God this man by not knowing the Scriptures nor the articles of his faith but onely for intending his Merchandise with a blinde obedience and an implicite faith shal be free both from guilt and punishment and no doubt from this general beliefe of the Popes authoritie and infallibilitie the saying of Gregorie the 13. is verified D. 40 Si Papa in Annot. Men doe with such reuerence respest the Apostolicall See of Rome that they rather desire to know the ancient Institution of Christian Religion from the Popes owne mouth then from the holy Scriptures and they onely inquire what is his pleasure and accordingly they order their life and conversation He therefore that will appeale to the Bishop of Rome to Rome let him goe but woe to the Recusants of England other countreys remote from Rome which cannot heare the Church being so farre distant from him nay woe to them at Rome that liue in his Sea for how can they heare him if hee neuer preacheth But withall most miserable is the condition of the hearer notwithstanding he should preach for his owne Cardinall assures vs that if his Holinesse teach not the whole Church Bell lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. lib. 4. cap. 14. hee is in as much possibilitie to erre as Innocent the eight was when hee permitted the Norwegians to celebrate the Eucharist without wine Thus from the multitude of beleeuers which is the Essentiall Church we are sent to the Councell from the Councell which is the Representatiue Church wee are sent to the Pope which is the Virtuall and now at length being arriued at the Pope Consistory his Cardinal giues vs to vnderstand that a man may returne happily as wise as he went but withall intimate◠〈◊〉 vs that there are noâ— oracles â—o infallible doctrine to bee learned from his mouth vnlesse hee will first declare by publike decree that hee intends to preach to the Vniuersall Church Besides how the Vicar of Christ should bee the Spouse of Christ how a particular member of the Church should become a Vniuersall Head of the Church how Papa the Pope anciently a Father should become the Church which is alwayes a Mother it is a mysterie vnsearchable past finding out for sure I am if the Pope be the Church let them pretend whomsoeuer they will for their Father they can haue no Church except Pope Ioane for their Mother It remaineth then that in the next place wee examine the certaintie of that faith which must be learned from the Pope for if the Pope haue not Infallibilitie of Iudgement then is hee not that rule of faith then is he not that Church which is the pillar and ground of truth and consequently miserable is the condition of those poore Christians that relie vpon his opinion as vpon the infallible Doctrine of the Church and first I will proceed to the Popes Succession in doctrine and person compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the Popes of these later times that thereby wee may discerne whether the Popes Infallibilitie bee priuiledged by his Chaire or whether the ancient Roman faith bee successiuely deriued from the ancient Bishops of Rome to the Popes of these latter ages SECT XX. The Church which is finally resolued into the Pope wants both Personall and Doctrinall Succession as appeares by seuerall instances and exceptions both in matters of fact and matters of faith HOsius the Romanist tels vs for certaine Hos in CoÌ„fess Petricou c. 29. that if we reckon all the Popes that euer were from Peter vntill Iulius the third there neuer sate in his Chaire any Arrian any Donatist any Pelagian or any other that professed any manner of Heresie The reason of this as I conceiue is deliuered by Card. Cusanus Veritas adhaeret Cathedrae vniuersa Catholica Ecclesia ad Petri CathedraÌ„ conglobata à Christo nuÌ„quam recedit Cusan ad Bohem. Epist 2. The trueth cleaueth fast to Peters Chaire the whole vniuersall Catholike Church is rolled vp to Peters chaire shal neuer depart from Christ I wil not take vpon mee to examine the Pope in what Office in what religion in what piece of his life he hath succeeded Peter but that you may know howsoeuer the Popes faith is annexed to the Chaire hee hath errâ—â— and is subiect to error as â—e is Pope I will compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the faith of the later Popes and the later Popes Decrees and definitiue Sentences with their flat contradictions and contrary Decrees amongst themselues whereby it shall appeare that the later Popes haue not onely erred in disclaiming the decrees of their Predecessours but haue digressed wholly from the ancient Roman Bishops both in faith and manners and withall they want that Infallibilitie that personall and doctrinall Succession which they so much magnifie amongst themselues Anacletus Bishop of Rome in the yeere 103 decreed that after Consecration Dist 1. Episcopus 2. Peracta all present should communicate or else bee thrust out of the Church for so saith hee the Apostles did set downe and the holy Church of Rome obserueth On the contrary at this day it is made lawfull for the Priests to receiue alone the people onely gazing and looking on and withall Pope Iulius the fourth hath decreed in the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. Canon 8. Sess 22. If any shall say that Masses in which the Priest alone doeth communicate are vnlawfull and therefore ought to be abrogated let him be accursed Leo the Great Bishop of Rome in the yeere 440 speaks of the death of Martyrs in this maner Leo. Epist 81. Although the death of many Saints hath been pretious in the Lords sight yet the death of no innocent person hath beene the propitiation for the world that the righteous receiued crownes but gaue none that of the fortitude of the faithfull haue grown examples of patience not gifts of righteousnesse that their deaths as they were seuerall persons were seuerall to euery of themselues and that none of them by his death paid the debt of any other man because it is only our Lord Iesus Christ in whom all were crucified all dead all buried all raised againe from the dead On the contrarie Haec opinio reprobata est à Pâ—o 5. Pontifice et à Gregorio 13. Bel. de Indul. lib. 1 cap. 40. Pope Pius the 5 and Gregorie the 13 both condemned saith Bellarmine the Diuines of Lovaine and others who defended that the sufferings of the Saints cannot bee true satisfactions but that our punishments are remitted onely by the personall satisfactions of Christ Nay more saith he If the sufferings of Saints may not bee applied to vs to free vs from the punishment due for our sinnes lest they should seeme to bee our Redeemers then certainly wee our selues cannot
and that the substance of bread did remaine after consecration contrary to the Faith of Transubstantiation they commanded the cup to bee giuen to the lay people which the later Popes forbid at this day They condemned the Worship of Images Merit of works and the Popes Supremacie all which doctrines are receiued by the later Popes and councels and declared with Anathema's to bee beleeued as Articles of faith Thus wee see the house diuided against it selfe Heu Domus antiqua quaÌ„ dispari dominaris Domino the later Popes repealing the Acts of the former and both contradicting each other Now how the house should stand which is diuided against it selfe how the Pope should be the Rule of faith and yet dissent from the faith of his Predecessours how the Pope should bee the Pillar and ground of Trueth and yet his Trueth opposed and contradicted by his Successors I may well conceiue it may be A mystery of Babylon Reuel 17.5 but I professe I cannot vnderstand it Briefly and truly I may say of the Popes in these later ages They haue succeeded their predecessors as Caiphas succeeded Aaron or as sickenesse succeedeth health or as darknesse succeedeth light from these few examples in Faith and Doctrine I will conclude with the saying of St. Ambrose Non habent Petri hareditutem qui Petri fidem non habent Ambros de Paenit l. 1. c. 6 They haue not the succession of Peter that want the faith of Peter I proceed to the Popes Succession in person which although it be of no force and authoritie by the testimonies of our aduersaries vnlesse there be also a right succession of doctrine in the same Church yet I wil giue you some few instances and obseruations of their owne Writers that the vncertaintie of their Succession may more easily bee discouered by their owne confessions Gratian the Compiler of the Popes Decrees well vnderstood that the Popes succession would bee interrupted if his faith and doctrine should bee compared with Peters and therfore for more certaintie by transposing the word Faith into Scate hath appropriated the right Succession to the Sea of Rome Petri haereditatem non habent que non habent Petri sedeÌ„ Grat. de Poenit dist 1. c. Potest in these words They haue not the Succession of Peter that want the Seat of Peter To let passe these forgeries it is strange to see what shifts the Romanists doe vse to make good the lineal descent of their Popes Rather then they will want authoritie of Scriptures to proue Peters being at Rome they wil confesse that Rome is meant by that Babylon Annot. vpon the Rhemish Testament 1. Pet. c. 5. v. 13. which is spoken of in the 16 and 17 of the Reuelation which without doubt is the Seat of Antichrist Besides they are not agreed among themselues whether Linus or Clemens or Cletus QuidaÌ„ post PetruÌ„ immediatè ponunt Clementem vt Tertullianê° et Hieronymê° alii post Petrum ponunt LinuÌ„ posteà Clemente in c. Bell. de Rom. Pont. l. 2. c. 5 or Anacletus succeeded Peter if he were at Rome Neither can they well resolue whether the Pope should succeed St. Peter or St. Iohnâ— for St. Iohn liued 33 yeeres after St. Peter saith Baronius so that the succession must bee either deriued from St. Iohn the suruiuour or else the Pope who immediately succeeded St. Peter must bee greater then an Apostle during the time of Saint Iohns suruiuourship Quae tuÌ„ facies sanctae Rom. Ecclesiae quaÌ„ foedissima cum Romae dominareÌ„tur potentissimae aeque ac sordidissimae meretrices quoruÌ„ arbitrio mutareÌ„tur sedes darentur Episcopi et qd horrenduÌ„ et nefanduÌ„ est intruderentur in sedeÌ„ Petri earuÌ„ Amasii Pseudopontifices qui non sint nisi ad consignaÌ„da tempora in Catalogo Pontificum scripti Baron Annal. in ann 912. But admit that St. Peter was at Rome admit the ancient Bishops of Rome did rightly succeed Saint Peter yet What was the face of the Roman Church saith Baronius and how most filthie did it appeare when the most impotent and base Queanes bare all the sway at Rome changed Sees and gaue Bishoprickes aâ— at their pleasure and which is most abominable and not to be named intruded their Paramours into Peters Chaire false Bishops whose names are written in the Catalogue of Popes onely to note and designe the times To passe by the two and twenty Schismes in the Papacie wherein it was questionable betwixt the Popeâ— and Anti-Popes who were the true Successors of Peter To let passe the vacancie in the Papall Sea for many moneths and yeeres during which time the Pope fare at Auinium left the Sea of Rome Their owne Genebrard confesseth there were fiftie Popes irregular Apostatici Apotactici Genebr Chron l 4. disordered and Apostaticall And Bellarmine tells vs at the Councell of Constance Bell de RoÌ„ Pont. li. 4. c. 14. there were three Popes neither could it easily bee resolued which of them was the true and legitimate Pope Dubius Papa habetur pro non Papa Bell. de Concil l. 2. cap. 19. And saith he A doubtfull Pope stands for no Pope If then there were false Popes by Baronius confession if Apostaticall Popes by Genebrards confession if doubtfull and consequently no Popes by Bellarmins confession what certainty what assurance can these men haue of the Popes personall Succession It was a pertinent and full answer made to a Iesuite by an acute learned Doctor of our Church touching the personall succession of D. Featly in his answere to a Iesuit touching personall Succession the Pope If by Bishops you vnderstand rightly consecrated and canonically elected inuested Pope Pelagius the first was not so for he was not ordained by three Bishops Pope Hildebrand was not so who held the Papacie by an Imposture nor Syluester who aspired to it by Magicke nor Eugenius who was first promoted by faction and afterwards held it in despight of the Councell of Basil Again If by true Bishops you meane Orthodoxall Bishops preachers of the the truth Pope Liberius was not such for he was branded with the note of Arianisme by St. Hierome and Pope Damasus Pope Honorius was not such for he was condemned for the heresie of the Monothelites in three Generall Councells confirmed by three Popes Iohn the 23. was not such who was charged in the Councell of Constance with the denyall of the immortality of the Soule the life to come and for that and other blasphemous crimes was deposed by the Councell Alphonsus a Castro was an obedient seruant to the Pope QuaÌ„uis credere teneamur ex fide veruÌ„ Petri successorem esse supremum totius Ecclesiae pastorem non tamen tenemur eadeÌ„ fide credere LeoneÌ„ aut Clementem esse veruÌ„ Petri successoreÌ„ quoniam noÌ„ tenemur ex fide Catholicâ credere eorum queÌ„libet ritè et canonicè fuisse electum Alph. lib. 1.
that the Pope can do more then God can do for God cannot lye saith the Apostle Howsoeuer the Pope in this is much beholding to this Cardinall for without this exception of sinne the Pope could not haue beene Antichrist since hee must bee The man of Sinne. Neither is this man different in opinion from his fellow Romanists for Cornelius Bitonto pronounced openly in the Councell of Trent Conc. Trid. sub Paulo 3. Orat. Cornel. Ep. Bitont Who will so vniustly weigh things but he will say the Pope is the light that commeth into the world Thus the Cardinal hath equalled him with God the Father excepto peccato and the Bishop hath giuen him the proper attribute of Christ and that an Infallibilitie might be granted him Salmeron the Iesuite proclaimes it for a certaine trueth Tom. 1. prolog 9. princ 5. Can. 1. c. 1. ad Hier. The Lord promised his Spirit to Christs Vicar and the successor of Peter and by his authoritie hee determines all matters of Faith So that from these seuerall assertions wee may confidently affirme that either the Pope hath the Office of the holy Ghost giuen him to leade him into all truth Reuel 13.5 7. or certainly There was giuen vnto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies to make warre with the Saints and to ouercome them First therefore let vs examine vpon what ground the Popes infallibilitie may be prooued and whether it bee receiued as a doubtfull opinion or as an Article of faith Touching the first according to their seuerall fancies Non Cathedra facit SacerdoreÌ„ sed Sacerdos CathedraÌ„ Chrysost the Romanists haue deuised seuerall reasons some pretend that the truth is annexed to the Chaire as if Christ had prayed for his Tribunals Courts Consistories others deriue it from the example of Caiphas who being High Priest by vertue of his office rightly prophecied of Christ and consequently QuaÌ„do Deus voluit etiaÌ„ matuÌ„ immentum rationabilitèr loquutuÌ„ est Nec ideò admoniti sunt homines in deliberationibê° suis etiam Asinina expectare consilia Aug Epist 58. the Pope cannot faile in Iudgement A wittie argument no doubt and available for the Deuill himselfe for by the same reason the Deuil may conclude that he hath also the Spirit of God for he testified of Christ I know thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God Now the Apostle doth witnesse accordingly that No man can say the Lord Iesus but in the spirit of trueth 1 Cor. 12. He therfore that shall reade in the 11. of Iohn that Caiphas did not speake of himselfe but as High Priest was guided by the spirit of prophesie let him take his answere from Saint Matthew Math. 26. that Caiphas himselfe the very same yeere being high Priest did publikely and Iudicially pronounce our Sauiour a blasphemer and I thinke none will say that this iudgement of his proceeded froÌ„ the holy Ghost vnlesse he wil say when the Pope speaketh the truth he doth it vnawares like Caiphas when his heart and purpose was bent to ouerthrow the truth There are others that coÌ„fesse the Pope may erre as man but not as Pope as if his Manhood his Popedome had two capacities and were in two distinct persons Plato a heathen Philosopher did note it as a thing ridiculous that one in his dayes did maintaine Plato de Repub. lib. â—â—thuasm A Magistrate could not erre as Magistrate nor Prince as Prince And their owne Alphonsus à Castro scoffes at the Dominicans Eos non vereri coram â—opulo iactare et dicere qui semel habitum illius Ordinis susceperit non posse in fide errare deficere Alph. lib 1. de haeres cap 9. for that they were wont to brag before the people that those which haue once vsed the habit of their Order could not erre nor faile in faith Shall we say then that this new Diuinitie was learned from some old Philosopher or that the Pope is chosen out of the Order of Dominicans which haue the gift of Infallibilitie Glaber Rodolphus who was liuing in the time of Benedict the Ninth tells vs that Benedict was chosen Pope at ten yeeres olde shall wee say then that this child had infallibilitie and could not erre or must wee beleeue the Trueth was annexed to his Chaire and that he was able to guide the whole Church and direct a whole Councell when hee knew not the principles of Religion Againe what shal we say of hereticall and wicked Popes who haue neither Faith nor Religion If we peruse the Councell of Basil Eugenium contemptorem sacroruÌ„ Canonum pacis et veritatis Ecclesiae Dei perturbatorem notorium c. Conc Basil Sess 34. Baron ann 985. n 1. we shall find Pope Eugenius condemned and deposed for a despiser of the holy Canons a Symonist a forsworne man a man incorrigible a schismatike a man fallen from the faith and a wilfull heretique Boniface the seuenth saith Baronius was a verie villaine a Church-robber a sauage thiefe the cruell murderer of two Popes and the invader of Peters Chaire Iohn the 13 was accused and detected in a Synode of Bishops Sigon reg Ital lib. 7. ann 963. for murders adulteries incests periuries and other vices of all sorts Alexander the sixth Mach. de Princ c. 18. gaue his mind to nothing but villeny and fraud Mart. Pol. ann 986. Platin. in Syluest 2. whereby to deceiue men Syluester the second leauing his Monastery betooke himselfe wholly to the Deuil by whose helpe hee gate the Popedome vpon condition that after his death he should be the deuils both body and soule Must wee beleeue these Popes were guided by the holy Spirit and led into all truth that the trueth was annexed to their Chaire and not to their Persons must wee acknowledge for what vertue wee know not that these Bishops were the Virtuall and totall Church were these the right successors of Peter in faith and doctrine or shall we say they erred as men but not as Popes they erred in their Pallace but not in their Consistorie they erred in matters of fact but not in matters of Faith These things are so groundlesse in themselues that they rather deserue laughter then an answer Aliud stans Aliud sedens they are riddles without sense that a man not a Pope in a stoole not in the Chaire in a company not in a Councel may failâ— and not erre wander but not goe astray misse the trueth but not doe amisse Cardinal Cusanus was so far from the beliefe of this new doctrine that hee ieasted at Pope Eugenius and vnder that pretext derided the Infallibilitie of the Pope Quomodo potest Papa Eugenius dicere hoc veruÌ„ esse si ipse velit et non alitèr Cusan de Concord Cath. lib. 2. cap. 29. How can Pope Eugenius saith heâ— tell this is true if he will haue it so and not otherwise as though the inspiration