Bellarm. They did it by an extraordinarie authoritie not as Kings but as Prophets Nay it was an ordinarie power for all the good kings of Iuda beside as Iehosaphat Hezekiah and others did take care of religion this was so properly annexed to the kingly office that idolatrous kings also tooke vpon them to command false religion as Ieroboam set vp two golden calues and Ahaz king of Iudah cōmanded Vriah the high Priest to make an Altar according to the patterne which he sent from Damascus 2. King 16.11 This power also was afterward exercised by Christian Kings and Emperours as Constantinus Theodosius Martianus made lawes for the Church Fulk annot 1. Cor. 14. sect 16. Iustinianus the Emperour decreed many things concerning Church affayres as how excommunication should be vsed how Bishops and Priests should be ordained concerning the order and manner of funerals that the holy mysteries should not be done in priuate houses Carolus magnus decreed that onely the Canonical bookes of scripture should be read in the Church he chargeth all Bishops and priests to preach the word Lodouicus Pius his sonne and Emperour after him ordained that no entrie should bee made into the Church by Simonie that Bishops should bee chosen by the free election of the Clergie and the people All these Emperours did lawfully exercise their princely authoritie in Ecclesiastical matters Ergo other princes may doe the same still 3 Augustine saith Epistol 50. Quis mente sobrius c Who in his right wits would say to the King It pertaineth not to you who in your kingdome is religious or sacrilegious to whom it cannot be said let it not pertaine vnto you who in your kingdome will be chast or vnchast And in another place Ad fratres in erem serm 14. Tunc iustitia dicitur gladius ex vtraque parte acutus quia hominis defendit corpus ab exterioribus iniurijs animam à spiritualibus molestijs Then iustice is rightly called a sword with a double edge because it doth both defend the bodie from externall and corporall wrongs and the soule from spirituall vexation That is the sword of the Magistrate serueth as well to prune the Church and to cut off all errors and heresies in religion as to destroy the vices and corruptions in manners AN APPENDIX OR FOVRTH PART OF THE QVEstion whether the Prince in any good sense may be called the head of his kingdome and consequently of the Church in his kingdome The Papists THey do appropriate this title to be called heads of the vniuersall Church to error 101 the Pope of Rome most blasphemouslie for there can be no head of the vniuersal bodie but Christ But for Princes to be called the head that is chiefe gouernours of the Churches in their kingdomes they do abhorre it Whereupon Bellarmine is so saucie as to checke and controule King Henrie the 8. because he was called the head of the English Church 1 The heathen Emperours were not heads of the Church being not so much as members thereof therefore neither Christian Magistrates which doe succeede them in that authoritie Rhemist annot 1. Pet. 2. sect 6. Ans. 1. The argument followeth not they were no true mēbers of the Church therefore could not be heads that is haue the soueraigntie of the externall gouernment for wicked kings and princes doe keepe their magistracie gouernment still who though they be not true members of the Catholike Church yet ought to be obeied as princes 2. Though the metaphorical name of head agreed not vnto them yet were they by Gods ordinance appointed to be heads gouernours of his people protectors of his Church should haue been if they had not abused their authoritie 3. Christian princes though they haue the same authoritie which they had yet now exercising the sword according to Gods law and being Nurses of the Church may vse and retaine those princely titles in deed to be called Patrones and defenders of the faith head that is chiefe gouernours and protectors of the Church which by right had been due vnto the other if they had vsed their authoritie as they should 2 Christian princes are members of the Church Ergo not heads for if they were heads how could the Church stand without them as it did in the time of persecution Ans. First as though the head is not a member and part of the bodie though a principall one so the Prince is a member of the Church but a principall and chiefe member not of the inuisible Church for so Christ is onely head but of a particular visible Church Secondly we denie not but that the inuisible and spiritual Church may consist without the Magistrate but a visible flourishing and wel-gouerned Church cannot want a head or chiefe gouernour that is as a wall or hedge vnto it The Protestants TO bee head of the vniuersall Church is proper onely to Christ and in that sense is not communicable to any creature for he is to his Church as the head to the naturall bodie giuing vnto it influence of grace spirit and life he is therefore the onely mysticall head of the vniuersal Church But in another sense the Prince may be said to be the head and chiefe gouernour of his kingdome of that particular visible Church where he is king We make him neither the mysticall head which is only Christ farre be that blasphemie from vs nor a ministerial head as they make the Pope to be as Christs Vicegerent in the Church but a politicall head to keepe and preserue the peace of the Church and to see that euery member doe his office and duetie But this name we confesse is vnproperly giuen to the Prince neither were we the first inuentors of it for the papists first gaue it to Henry the 8. And there are other titles which doe sufficiently expresse the office of the Prince and may bee more safely vsed If any man thinke it too high a name for any mortall man and so not to be giuen to any we will not greatly contend about it But if any denye it to the Prince as thereby to abridge her of her power in Ecclesiastical matters we doe stand stiffely for it and are bold to affirme that with much better right is this title attributed to the ciuill Magistrate then it was to the Pope yea and that it hath been of old giuen in a modest and sober sense to Kings and Princes and may with a fauourable exposition be still and Princes also may receiue this honour and title at their subiects hands with protestation of their Christian meaning herein 1 This phrase for the King to be called the head is not vnusuall in scripture 1. Sam. 15.17 Saul is sayd to be the head of the tribes Psal. 18.43 Dauid the head of the nations Isay. 9.15 The Prince or honourable man the head of the people yea Princes are called Gods Psal. 82.2 which is a name of greater Soueraigntie then to be called heads
the Pope or any else bee the head the Church is his bodie which Bellarmine is a shamed to graunt yet Pope Athanasius doubted not to call populos mundi partes corporis sui the people of the Worlde the partes of his bodie Againe if he be the head hee must doe the duetie of an head which is to knit and ioyne the parts together and to giue effectuall power to euery part Ephes. 4.16 Where the Apostle alludeth to the gouernement of mans bodie in the which the parts receiue a double benefite from the head the knitting and ioyning together by sinewes which come from the head and sense and motion also giuen to euery part from the head but it were blasphemie to thinke this of the Pope that he giueth any influence to the Church If they answer he is but a ministeriall head Christ is the principall We say againe that although these things are principallie wrought by the principall head yet they must bee done instrumentally or Ministerially by the Ministeriall head or else it is but a rotten head such an one as the Wolfe found in a caruers shop as you knowe the fable is a goodly head saith hee but without wit or braine If Christ performe all the duetie of the head himselfe then is there no other head if the Pope doe somewhat that belongeth to the head tell vs what is it If hee will bee an head and doe nothing surely hee must needes bee a brainelesse and witlesse head 2 It is a daungerous and impossible thing to haue the charge of all Churches committed to one man GOD alone is sufficient to beare that burthen Saint Paule saith who is sufficient for these things No pastor or minister that is but set ouer one flocke or parish is sufficient to preach the worde much lesse is any one man sufficient to gouerne the whole Church Bellarmine answereth first Saint Paul saith of himselfe that hee had the care of all Churches 2. Corinth 11.28 We replie againe first then belike Saint Paul was vniuersall pastor and not Peter Secondly wee must consider that the Apostles were sent to all the world their calling was not limited when they had planted the Gospell in one place they did take care also for other places but now there is no such Apostolicall calling Thirdly Paul did not beare this burthen alone but the Apostles and Euangelists were his coadiutors and fellow-helpers Secondly sayth he why may not the care of the whole Church bee committed to one man as well as the gouernment almost of the whole world was appointed by God to Nabuchadnezzar Cyrus Augustus seeing the gouernement of the Church is easier then the ciuill and politike regiment We replie First wee neuer reade of any that had dominion ouer the whole world as the Pope chalengeth to haue ouer the whole Church which is dispersed throughout the world Secondly these great and large Monarches are saide to haue been giuen of God Dan. 2.37 Not that this large dominion and vsurpation ouer other countries so much pleased God for the people of God the Israelites in their most flourishing estate neuer had such soueraigntie ouer other countries but by voluntarie subiection as in Solomons dayes 1. King 4.21 the Kings round about brought presents vnto him But because the Lord turned and vsed this their large and mightie dominion to the good of his Church for Cyrus was a defender of the Church against all that bare euill will thereat and the large Empire of the Romans serued very commodiously for the propagation of the Gospell Thirdly the Iesuite sheweth his skill when he saith that the regiment of the Church is easier then the gouernement of the common-wealth Whereas there is no greater and waightier burthen vpon earth then is the charge of soules It seemeth the Pope taketh his ease finding the care of the Church to be so easie and pleasant a thing in deede as he vseth it it is no great matter for hee preacheth not but giueth himselfe to ease and idlenes and all princely pleasures But England hath found by experience and so did that worthie and famous Prince King Henry the eight that there was neuer matter so hardlie compassed as was the reformation of the Church and the suppression of idolatrie and superstition in this lande Augustine saith Nemo nostrum se episcopum episcoporum constituit aut quasi tyrannico terrore ad obsequēdi necessitatem collegas suos adigit de Baptis 2.2 None of vs doth count himselfe a Bishop ouer other Bishops or taketh vpon him after a commaunding manner as tyrants vse to enforce his fellowes to obey Ergo by his iudgement all Bishops are of like and equall authoritie THE SECOND QVESTION WHETHER PETER were the chiefe and Prince of the Apostles and assigned by Christ to bee head of the Church The Papists THis our aduersaries doe stiffelie maintaine that he was not only head of the error 37 Church but of the Apostles also Bellarmi lib. 1. de pontif cap. 11. And the Rhemists doubt not to call him the chiefe and Prince of the Apostles 1. Corinth 9. ver 5. 1 Wee will omitte manie of their waightie arguments as out of these and such like places I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith should not fayle cast forth thy net into the deepe I will make thee a Fisher of men Peter payed toll for Christ and himselfe Peter drew the net to the land full of great fish Peter onely drew out his sword in the defence of Christ. Ergo Peter was the Prince of the Apostles and head of the Church ex concil Basilien Fox pag. 673. Such other goodlie arguments our Rhemists doe make Peter did excommunicate Ananias and Sapphira he healed the sicke by his shadow Ergo he was the head of the Church Annot. 5. Acts se. 5.8 Againe Peters person was garded with foure quaternions of Souldiours Act. 12.4 the Church prayed for him Ibid. sect 4. Paul nameth Cephas 1. Cor. 9.5 Ergo hee was chiefe of the Apostles Are not here goodlie arguments thinke you To these reasons I neede make no other answere then that which our learned countrie man dooth in his Annotations You must saith he bring better arguments or else children will laugh you to scorne Fulk Annot. Act. 5. sect 5. Let vs see therefore if they haue any better arguments 2 They take that to be a maine inuincible place for them Matth. 16.18 Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I builde my Church Ergo the Church is built vpon Peter To make this argument the more strong they set vnder it diuerse props First why did Christ giue Peter this name more then to any other of the Apostles to call him Peter of Petra a Rocke but to shew that hee was appointed to be the foundation of the Church Bellarmine cap. 17. Wee answer Christ hereby signified that Peter should bee a principall piller of his Church as the rest of the Apostles Ephes. 2. He chaunged also the
would keepe the common and knowne name of the place that it might be out of doubt what Church he ment as for the name of Babylon to be ascribed to Rome though it were so mysticallie yet was it not so called for why might not Paule as well haue written his Epistle to the Romanes vnder that name the Church of Babylon as Peter wrote from thence 2 Agayne they alleadge that storie how Peter ouercame Simon Magus at Rome when he would haue taken his flight into the ayre hauing made himselfe wings and by the prayer of Peter was brought downe agayne and brake his legges and so dyed whereupon Nero being offended with Peter would haue apprehended him who being counsailed by the Church would haue fled from Rome but meeting Christ at one of the gates and saying vnto him whether goest thou Lord And he answered I come agayne to be crucified Peter vpon those words returned backe agayne and was crucified for the testimonie of Iesus Bellarm. cap. 2.3 We answere First we denye not that Peter was at Rome but shewe only the insufficiencie of their arguments and agayne we moue such doubts as by them are yet vnanswered as afterward shall be shewed Secondly concerning this storie of the victorie ouer Simon Magus they that doubt of Peters being at Rome may also doubt of this neither of them being necessarie to be beleeued as articles of faith but probable and coniecturall as matters of storie For some part of the storie is denyed by Augustine as how Peter fasted vpon the Saturday the combat betweene him and Simon Magus following vpon the Lords day after and thereupon rose the custome of the Saturday fast among the Romanes Est quidem saith he haec opinio plurimorum quamuis eam perhibeant esse falsam plerique Romani This is saith he a probable opinion of many concerning Peters fast yet the Romanes themselues thinke it to be false 3 That concerning Christs apparition to Peter seemeth to bee most vnlike of all and sauoureth somewhat of the Popish Legends Like vnto this are the tales of S. Christopher how he caried Christ and how S. Gregorie had him for one of his ghests at his table of hospitalitie such visions and apparitions of Christ are contrarie to the scriptures which say that the heauens must conteyne him till his comming agayne Bellarmine answereth first by this meanes wee doe compedes Christo inijcere wee fetter Christ in heauen We answere belike then heauen is a prison with the Iesuite God send all that are his such a prison at the length Agayne Christ is no otherwise concluded and shut vp in heauen then as it pleaseth himselfe and as he hath appoynted so to be 2 He obiecteth that Christ appeared neere vnto the earth to Paule We answere First there is no such thing proued out of the text but rather the contrarie that the voyce was heard from heauen not neere the earth but aboue Act. 22.6 Secondly Paule heard a voyce onely he sawe no man neither he nor the companie with him Act. 9.7 8. But onely a great light they sawe shining from heauen Act. 22.6 9. Therefore out of this place they cannot prooue any such real apparition of Christ. 3 Peter dyed at Rome his sepulchre is to be seene there to this day Ergo he was at Rome Bellarm. cap. 3. We answere First it followeth not if Peter were buried at Rome that therefore he dyed there for the translation of the bones and bodies of Martyrs is no vnusuall thing in your Church As it followeth not because Iohn Baptists head as you say is to be seene at S. Siluesters at Rome that therefore he dyed there so neither doth it followe of S. Peter 2 Agayne how shall wee beleeue you that it is S. Peters Sepulchre which is shewed at Rome seeing you haue made so many mockeries alreadie making the world beleeue that Peters bodie is sometime in one place sometime in an other Half his bodie you say is at S. Peters in Rome halfe at S. Paules his head at S. Iohn Laterane his neather iawe with the beard at Poicters in France many of his bones at Trieirs at Geneua part of his brayne You see that we may as well doubt whether Peters bodie bee at Rome as in any of these places And such as you see are our aduersaries arguments for Peters being at Rome The Protestants COncerning Peters being at Rome First wee doe not vtterly denye it but onely affirme that he could not come thither so soone as in the second yeare of Claudius and sit there so long namely fiue and twentie yeares as they hold Secondly it may bee graunted that he was there as a matter of storie not an article of faith Thirdly wee haue certayne doubts and arguments about some circumstances of his being there which our aduersaries are not able to answere 1 There is great disagreeing amongst the writers concerning the time of Peters comming to Rome Orosius sayth hee came thither in the beginning of Claudius raigne Hierome saith the 2. yeare of his raigne other say the fourth yeare other the thirteenth yeare Damasus would haue him come thither in Nero his raigne This dissention of writers sheweth that the matter may be iustly doubted of Fulk in Rom. 16. sect 4. Bellarmine and the Iesuites answere No more doe all agree concerning the time when the world was created nor for the storie of Christs life in what time euery thing was done when he suffered and such like yet it followeth not that those things were not true because there is some diuersitie about the time Rhemist 1. Pet. 5.13 Wee replie First most of these things concerning the chronologie of scripture though it be not necessarie to saluation yet by diligent search may be found in scripture Secondly if they can shewe any scripture for Peters being at Rome as we haue for the other stories we will beleeue it though the time perfectly be not knowne but seeing the scripture maketh no mention at all of his being there and the time is vncertayne we may worthilie doubt of it much lesse are bound necessarilie to beleeue it 2 The storie of Peters comming to Rome in the second yeare of Claudius his abiding at Rome fiue twentie yeres his death and martyrdome in the 14. yere of Nero and the 37. yeare after Christs ascension we proue out of the scriptures to bee false For Peter was at Ierusalem and in those quarters round about till 18. yeares after Christ for Paul sawe him there 3. yeares after his calling and agayne 14. yeares after that Galath 2. there is 17. yeares and one yeare was past before Pauls conuersion in all 18. yeares adde vnto these the 25. yeares of Peters being at Rome that maketh 43. yeares and so Peter should suffer in Vespasianus raigne and not in the time of Nero. Bellarmine and the Iesuites answere that Peter was at Rome seauen yeares before the Councel held at Ierusalem Act. 15. which was in the 18.
shewe of reason can our aduersaries haue to make them proper to the Bishop of Rome 2 The second name is prince of Priests or high and chiefe Bishop which title if it be taken for a chiefe power dominion and soueraigntie is proper only to Christ the chiefe shepheard 1. Pet. 5.4 and cannot in that sense agree to any man If it bee vsed onely as a title of excellencie and commendation so was it in times past ascribed to other excellent and famous Bishops as Ruffinus lib. 2. cap. 26. calleth Athanasius Pontificem maximum chiefe Bishop yea it was in common giuen to all Bishops as Anacletus Bishop of Rome in his second Epistle writeth thus Summi sacerdotes id est Episcopi a deo iudicandi sunt The high Priests that is Bishops saith he are to bee iudged of God If it be taken further for the excellencie of the ministerie of the Gospell and the worthie calling of Christians in this sense the title of summum sacerdotium of the high Priesthood is attributed to all ministers Ecclesiasticall both Bishops and others so Fabianus Bishop of Rome vseth this name Yea the holy Apostle calleth all the people of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a princely royall or chiefe priesthood Ergo the Bishop of Rome hath no especiall or proper interest in this name 3 The third name is to bee called the Vicar of Christ vpon earth Where we are to vnderstand that in respect of the spirituall regiment and kingdome of Christ he needeth no Vicegerent vpon earth for I am with you saith he to the end of the world he himselfe is alway present in power and needeth not in that respect that any man should supplie his roume Petrus scriba martyr Fox pag. 906. If we doe take it for a word of office and publike administration so the Magistrate may bee called the Vicar of Christ in gouerning the people according to the word of God In which sense Eleutherius Bishop of Rome writing to Lucius King of the Britaines calleth him the Vicar of Christ and therfore in his owne kingdome had power out of the word of God to establish lawes for the gouernment of the people So all Bishops Pastors and Ministers in ancient time were called the Vicars of Christ in preaching praying binding and loosing in the name and power of Christ. So Augustine saith or whose worke els it is that Omnis antistes est Christi vicarius Euery pastor and prelate and not the Pope onely is the Vicar of Christ. And this is confessed by our Rhemists annot in 2. Cor. 5.18 that the Bishops and priests of the Church are for Christ and as his ministers that is his Vicars Nay Augustine maketh yet a more generall vse of this word he saith that Homo imperium Dei habens quasi vicarius eius est That man by creation being made Lord of the creatures doth therein represent God and is as his Vicar vpon earth So then all ministers are the Vicars of Christ the ciuill Magistrate likewise in some good sense may bee so called yea in respect of the creatures man generallie is vpon earth in Gods steade Ergo this name cannot be appropriate to the Pope of Rome 4 It is also too huge a name for the Pope or any mortall man to beare to be called the head of the vniuersall Church this is a name only due vnto Christ neither doe the scriptures acknowledge any other head but him Ephes. 1.22.4.15 But say they wee doe not make the Pope such an head as Christ is but only a ministeriall head ouer the militant Church vpon earth We answere First Ergo the Pope by your owne confession is not head of the vniuersall Church whereof the triumphant Church in heauen is a part Secondly the Rhemists confesse that the Church in no sense can bee called the bodie of the Pope Ergo the Pope cannot be any wayes the head of the vniuersall Church Annot. in 1. Ephes. 22. Thirdly the Fathers of Basile vsed this argument The head of the bodie being dead the whole bodie also dyeth but the whole Church doth not perish with the Pope Ergo he is not properly the head of the Church Fox pag. 675. If it shall bee further obiected that the Bishop of Rome hath been called in times past caput Episcoporum the head of all other Bishops we answere that it was but a title of excellencie and commendation not of dominion and power as London is called the head or chiefe citie of England yet are not other cities of the land subiect vnto it or vnder the iurisdiction thereof But we shall haue occasion more fully to discusse this matter afterward 5 They would haue the Pope called the Prelate of the Apostolike See the Rhemists say further that the Papall dignitie is a continuall Apostleship Annot. 4. Ephes. sect 4. We answere First if they call those Churches Apostolicall whose first founders were the Apostles then the See of Antioch Alexandria Constantinople are as well Apostolicall as Rome and this the Iesuite denyeth not Lib. 2. de pontific cap. 31. Secondly those Churches are Apostolicall which hold the Apostolike faith so is not the See of Rome Apostolicall being departed and gone backe from the ancient Catholike faith but those Churches where the Gospell of Iesus Christ is truely preached are indeede Apostolike Thirdly how can the Pope be an Apostle or haue Apostolike authoritie seeing hee preacheth not at all much lesse to the whole world wherein consisted the office of an Apostle Neither can he shewe his immediate calling from Christ as all the Apostles could for seeing he challengeth the Apostolike office by tradition from S. Peter and not by commandement from Christ he can in no wise be counted an Apostle or his office an Apostleship for the Apostles ordayned onely Euangelists and Pastors they had not authoritie to consecrate and constitute new Apostles Our aduersaries for this their Apostleship can finde nothing in scripture nor for a thousand yeeres after Christ in the ancient writers Fulk annot in Ephes. 4. sect 4. 6 Concerning the title of vniuersall Bishop it was thus decreed in the sixt Councel of Carthage as it is alleadged by Gratian Vniuersalis autem nec Romanus pontifex appelletur No not the Bishop of Rome is to be called vniuersall In Gregorie the first his time Iohn Patriarke of Constantinople obtayned of the Emperour Mauritius to be called vniuersall Patriarke but Gregorie would not agree thereunto calling him the forerunner of Antichrist that would challenge so proude a name Bellarmine and other of that sect doe answere that Gregorie found fault with this title because Iohn of Constantinople would haue been Bishop alone and none other to bee beside him but all other onely to bee his deputies and vicars To this wee replie First Iohn did onely challenge a superioritie ouer other Bishops not to be Bishop alone for this had been a thing impossible Secondly if Iohn had sought any such thing
episcoporum grauiorem authoritatem per concilia licere reprehendi si in eis à veritate deuiatum sit That the decrees of all Bishops whatsoeuer not excluding Popes may be corrected either by the sentence of wiser men in that poynt wherein they erred or by the better aduised sentence of other Bishops or by Councels may be reuersed where they doe erre Ergo it is possible for Popes by his iudgement to erre A PART OR APPENDIX OF THIS QVEstion whether the Church of Rome may erre or not The Papists THey doe not onely affirme that the Pope cannot erre but that the Church error 48 of Rome also caÌ„not be deceiued in matters of faith so long as the Apostolike See remayneth there which they say is like there to remaine to the ende of the world Bellarm. lib. 3. de pontif cap. 4. Hereupon Panormitane doubteth not to say that he would preferre the iudgement of the Cardinals of Rome before the iudgement of the whole world this he sayd standing vp in the Councel of Basile Fox pag. 669. ex Aenea Syluio 1. The Rhemists vpon those words of Saint Paul Rom. 1.5 your fayth is published through the whole world doe thus inferre See say they the great prouidence of God in the preseruation of the Romane common faith In times past the Romane fayth and Catholike all one Ergo that See cannot erre in faith We answere they must proue their Romish faith and popish religion to be the same which was praysed and commended by the Apostle or els they gayne nothing but that shall they neuer doe 2. So long as the Apostolike See remayneth at Rome it shall be preserued from error but that is like there to remaine till the worlds end for it onely remayneth when all other Apostolique Sees are gone and it is very probable that if this See could haue been ouerthrowen it should haue been done by the incursion and inuasion of the Gothes Vandals Turkes the emulation of Princes diuisions and schismes of Popes themselues yet for all this it standeth still and hath so continued almost 1600. yeres and shall so continue still Ergo the Romane Church can not erre Bellarmin lib. 2. cap. 4. Rhemist annot in Thessal 2. sect 7. We answere First it is a great vntruth that all other Apostolike Sees are gone for there is a succession at Antioch Alexandria Constantinople Ephesus euen at this day Secondly it is false that the See of Rome hath continued in that religion it now professeth which indeed is no religion but superstition and heresie these 1600. yeres for first till Gregories time which was 600. yeeres after Christ none of the popes would be called vniuersall Bishops and it was more then 300. yeeres from Gregorie the 1. to Siluester the 2. when sathan is thought fully to be let loose for he by the diuel was aduanced to the papacie All these yeeres therefore you must strike off in your account Thirdly that the See of Rome which is the seate of Antichrist hath continued many yeeres we graunt for it is the iust iudgement of God vpon the world because they loued not the trueth that they should be deluded a long time and deceiued by Antichrist and beleeue lies so did Saint Paul prophesie 2. Thessalonians 2.10 11. And wee grant also that that Antichristian See shall in some sorte remayne till the comming of Christ whom hee shall destroie with the brightnes of his appearing as Saint Paul sayth You haue gayned therefore nothing by this but that Rome is the seate of Antichrist Fulk annotat in 2. Thessalonians 2. sect 7. The Protâ—â—tants IT is euident and plaine and neede not much proofe that the Romane Church as also any particular visible Church maie not onely erre in faith but fall cleane away into heresie and Idolatrie as we see it come to passe in the Church of Rome 1. The Church of Rome hath no better assurance of their continuance then the Church of the Iewes had before Christ no nor yet so great for they were a peculiar and chosen nation But Iudah fell and transgressed and committed Idolatrie in the raigne of Ahaz and therefore the Prophet Esay complayneth and sayth From the sole of the foote to the head there is nothing sound cap. 1. ver 6. Neither are they better then the Church of Ephesus was in Saint Iohns time who was as able I think to keepe that Church from error as the Pope is to keepe Rome yet the Lord threatneth to remoue his candlestick froÌ„ amongst them vnles they did amend Reue. 2.5 Ergo the Church of Rome may erre 2. The Pope may erre as we haue before shewed Ergo the Church of Rome for the Apostolike See as they say is the cause that no error can approch or come neere them Therefore me thinketh the Iesuite committeth a foule absurditie in saying the Church of Rome cannot so much as erre personally and yet they grant that the Pope may erre personally So by this reason the body shuld haue a greater priuiledge then the head the Church of Rome should bee freer from error then the Pope who should preserue it from error this sure is a great absurditie in Popish diuinitie Bellarmin cap. 4. 3. It is confessed by our aduersaries themselues that the Church of Rome may erre as the Councel at Rome vnder Adriane the second erred sayth the Iesuite in determining Honorius to bee an heretick one of his predecessors cap. 11. The Councel of the Italian Bishops at Brixia erred in condemning Gregory the seuenth who was if you will beleeue Harding a vertuous and an holy man Nay Paulus Iouius a popish Bishop confesseth that Adrianus 6. was made Pope mira pudenda Senatorum factiosorum suffragatione through the strange and shamefull suffrages of factious Cardinals because they preferred a stranger before their owne order But our aduersaries haue a trick to shift off all this that hath been saide They erred in a matter of fact not in any poynt of fayth Yet they cannot so closely conuey the matter away for Panormitane euen in such questions also preferreth the iudgement of the Cardinals before the whole world speaking in the defence of Eugenius who was challenged in the Councel of Basile for the dissolution of the Councel which he did saith Panormitane with the aduice of the Cardinals whose iudgement he so much esteemeth in this matter which concerned not faith namely for the dissoluing of the Councel THE SEVENTH QVESTION OF THE spirituall iurisdiction and power of the Bishop of Rome THis question hath two partes the first whether the Bishop of Rome haue a coactiue and constrayning power to make lawes to binde the conscience and to punish the transgressors Secondly whether other Pastors and Bishops haue their iurisdiction immediatly from God or from the Pope Other questions also there are which belong to this matter as whether the Pope be the chiefe iudge in controuersies of fayth which we haue already handled entreating of
and Church officers their dueties and may in their owne persons execute the one that is spirituall duties that they may as well intermeddle in the other But these two offices of Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall gouernment are distinguished and must not be confounded The Prince though he haue authoritie to command Ecclesiasticall persons yet being a ciuill Magistrate is not to deale with the execution of spirituall dueties Bishops pastors likewise haue a spiritual charge ouer kings princes to shew thē their duties out of Gods word yet because they are persons Ecclesiastical they ought not to meddle with meer Ciuill dueties The Prince hath the soueraigntie of externall gouernement in all causes ouer all persons yet not alike for Ciuill offices he may both command and execute Ecclesiasticall duties he commandeth onely Bishops and pastors haue also a spirituall charge ouer all prescribing out of Gods word as well the duetie of Magistrates as of Ministers but not alike for the one they may fully execute so may they not the other The head in the naturall bodie resembleth the Prince in the commonwealth in some sense the head giueth mouing to the whole bodie and all the parts thereof but to the principall parts in the head the eyes tongue eares it giueth beside the facultie of mouing the sense also of seeing tasting hearing So in the common-wealth by the Princes authoritie all persons are kept in order and vrged to looke to their charge both ciuill officers and spirituall as al the parts of the bodie receiue mouing from the head But the ciuill officers receiue power and authoritie beside and their very offices of the King as the parts in the head receiue sense from their fountaine but Ecclesiasticall Ministers receiue not their offices from the Prince or any mortall man but they haue their calling according to the order of the Church of God Argum. 2. For the space of 300. yeeres the Church after Christ had no Christian gouernours but all Heathen and Idoll worshippers yet then the Church was established and preuailed Ergo Ciuill Magistrates ought not to deale in Ecclesiasticall affayres Bellarmine Ans. 1. Euen then also the Heathen Emperours had authoritie in Church matters and if they had commanded any thing agreeable to true religion they should haue been obeyed as Cyrus in the law which he made for building the temple Ezra 1. Darius the Median for worshipping the true God Dan. 6. Fulk Rom. 13. sect 3. The heathen Emperours then had the same power but they knewe not how to vse it Christian Princes doe succeede them in the same office but are better taught by the word of God how to exercise the sword Secondly we denie not but that in the time of persecution all things necessarie for the spirituall building thereof may be had without the Magistrate as a Vineyard may bring forth fruite without an hedge but it cannot enioy peace nor be in a perfect estate in respect of the externall gouernement but vnder good Magistrates as the Vineyard may soone be spoyled the wild bore and the beasts of the field may breake in vpon it hauing no hedge The child being in the womb though it haue as yet small vse of the head but is fed by the nauell which is in steed of the mouth hath in it selfe the lineaments and proportion of a humane bodie yet it wanteth the perfect beautie till it be borne and come forth and the head receiue his office So may the Church haue a being in persecution and the want of the ciuill head may be otherwise supplied but it is not beautifull till the head be set vp and the sword put into the Christian Magistrates hand Argum. 3. Princes haue no cure nor charge of soules Ergo they are not to meddle with Ecclesiasticall lawes Rhemist annot 1. Corinth 14. sect 16. Ans. Parents haue charge ouer the soules of their childrē for they are charged to bring them vp in the instruction and information of the Lord Ephes. 6.4 Therefore Princes also haue directly charge of the soules of their subiects according to their place and calling by prouiding and making good Ecclesiasticall lawes and compelling them to the true seruice of God As the Ecclesiasticall Ministers in another kind and more properly are said to haue the cure of soules in feeding and instructing the people Fulk ibid. The Protestants THe ciuill Magistrate by the word of God hath power to make and constitute Ecclesiasticall lawes and to establish true religion and see that all persons vnder their gouernment doe faithfully execute their charge To say therefore that the Church officers are to deuise lawes concerning religion and the Prince onely to execute them is to make the Prince their seruant and doth derogate too much from the princely authoritie Neither doe we giue vnto the Prince absolute power to make Ecclesiasticall lawes for first the Prince is not to prescribe what lawes he listeth to the Church but such as onely may require the true worship of God Secondly that it is expedient and meete according to the commendable custome of this land that the godly learned of the Clergie should be consulted withall in establishing of Ecclesiastical ordinances vnlesse it be in such a corrupt time when the Church gouernours are enemies to religion for then the Prince not staying vpon their iudgement ought to reforme religion according to the word of God as we see it was lawfully and godly practised by King Henrie the 8. Thirdly we doe make exception of all such Ecclesiasticall canons and ordinances the making whereof doth properly belong to the office of Bishops and gouernours of the Church for our meaning is not that it is not lawful for Ecclesiastical Ministers to make Ecclesiastical decrees which do properly concerne their office as concerning the censures of the Church excommunication suspension absoluing binding loosing and such like which things are incident to their pastorall office and yet we grant that the Prince hath euen in these cases an ouerruling hand to see that none abuse their pastoral office But that any lawes ought to be made without the authoritie of the prince which the prince is bound to execute we vtterly denie And so we conclude that the ciuill Magistrate hath power ouer all persons and in all causes both temporall and ecclesiasticall in such manner as we haue sayd 1 S. Paul willeth that praiers should be made for Kings and Princes that vnder them we may leade a peaceable life in all godlines and honestie 1. Tim. 2.2 Ergo it is their duetie as well to procure religion by their authoritie as ciuill honestie Againe He beareth not the sword for nought Rom. 13.4 He hath power to punish al euill doers therfore also to correct euill ministers to make Ecclesiastical lawes for otherwise he should haue no ful power to correct the transgressors thereof 2 We reade that Iosua Dauid Salomon Iosia did deale in ecclesiasticall matters which concerned religion and the worship of God
Bellarmine answereth Princes doe rule ouer their subiects as men not as Christians and Kings are set ouer the people not as they are Christians but politike persons so the Prince is head of the kingdome not of the Church De pontif Rom. lib. 1. cap. 7. Ans. Stephen Gardiner taketh away this cauill very sufficiently we will set one Papist against another It is all one sayth he to call the Prince head of the Church of England and head of the Realme of England for if all Englishmen be his subiects why are they not his subiects as they are Christians If the wife or seruant bee subiect to the master or husband being infidels doth their conuersion or name of Christians make them lesse subiect then they were before Haec ille Againe how farre is this I pray you from Anabaptistrie to say that subiects onely as men not as Christians are in subiection to Princes for doth it not followe hereupon that as Christians they ought to haue no superiour or Magistrate 2 It is sufficient for vs that this title more fitly and properly belongeth to euery Prince in his owne kingdome thē to the Pope for the Pope can in no wise be head of the Church he is not the mysticall head neither dare they say so for Christ onely is the head in that manner neither can he be the Ministeriall head of the vniuersall Church for the Catholike Church is a bodie mysticall must needes haue a mysticall head neither is he the politicall head of any particular Church for no Bishop can be a politicall head because he that is the head and chiefe must haue a coactiue power to binde his subiects to obedience so hath not any Bishop The Prince onely beareth the sword and enforceth obedience Againe in a farre diuers sense is the Prince called the head then the Pope was for first the Pope challenged to be head of the vniuersal Church but the prince is chiefe only in his owne kingdome Secondly the Pope would be an absolute head to doe all vpon earth that Christ did yea and more to to bind and loose at his pleasure to depose Kings to dispense with the word of God to constitute and make lawes at his pleasure in so much that one of his clawback flatterers is not ashamed to say of him Christus Papa vnum faciunt consistorium excepto peccato potest Papa quasi omnia facere quae potest Deus Christ and the Pope make but one Consistorie keepe but one court sinne onely excepted the Pope in a manner can doe all things that God can doe But we doe limit the power of the Prince who is not to impose any lawes vpon the Church but such as are agreeable to the word of God neither doe we make him a spirituall officer as the Pope would be but a ciuill gouernour who by positiue lawes is to prouide for the peace and welfare of the Church Lastly S. Peter sayth Submit your selues to the King as the chiefe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or most excelling what is this els but as to the head what is it to be chiefe but to be head But we will not much contend for the name so they will grant vs the thing namely that the Prince is a commander euen in Ecclesiasticall matters as Augustine saith In hoc reges Deo seruiunt si mala prohibeant nō solum quae pertinent ad humanam societatem verumetiam quae ad diuinam religionem Cont. Crescon lib. 3. cap. 5. In this Kings doe good seruice to God if they forbid euill to be done not onely in matters pertaining to humane societie but in things concerning religion As for the title to bee called head let them cease to call their chiefe Bishop so who hath no right vnto it and we will promise also to lay it downe though in good sense we might vse it though the Pope had neuer layd claime thereunto THE SECOND QVESTION CONCERNING THE authoritie of the Prince in punishing heretikes WE doe willingly grant that obstinate heretikes and peruerters of the faith if they persist in their damnable opinions and remaine incorrigible may and ought to be cut off and punished by death to make others to feare so Seruetus at Geneua and one Valentinus at Berne both monstrous heretikes not amongst the Papists but by the Protestants were worthily put to death In this therfore we and our aduersaries agree that heretikes may be punished by death by the ciuill Magistrate If Luther or any other haue held any priuate opinion to the contrarie let them answere for themselues but although we vary not in the principall yet there are certaine circumstances and accessaries greatly material wherein they both dissent from vs and from the truth 1 They would haue the Magistrate onely to be their executioner the iudgement of heresie they say belongeth to the Church for they cited examined iudged disgraded condemned heretikes and then gaue them ouer to the secular error 102 power this was the common practise of their Church But we hold that the hearing iudgement sentence and condemnation of heretikes belongeth to the ciuill Magistrate as well as the execution because these actions are proper to the ciuill sword which the Magistrate beareth Rom. 13. and Deut. 17.5 The false Prophets and Idolaters were brought to the gates of the citie where the ciuill Magistrate was wont to sit Augustine is of the same mind Cur in veneficos vigorē legū exerceri iuste fatentur in haereticos schismaticos nolunt fateri Cont. epist. Parmen 1.7 Why doe they grant that the vigour of the law may iustly be executed vpon witches and not as well vpon heretikes and schismatikes But the causes of witches are heard iudged and handled before the ciuill Magistrate Ergo also the cause of heretikes Augustines reason is out of the 5. Galath 20. The works of the flesh are manifest which are adulterie fornication idolatrie witchcraft and heresies are also reckoned vp amongst All these are workes of the flesh Ergo the Magistrate being appoynted to punish euill doers hath as full right to deale against them all as some 2 We differ about the way and meanes to try an heretike by They affirme that he is an heretike onely that is so iudged by a generall Councel or the sentence error 103 of the chiefe pastors of the Church they would haue an heretike tryed by the constitutions and Canons of their Church Annot. Tit. 3. sect 2. Rhemist We say that an heretike is to be conuicted by the scriptures and that he that holdeth any opiniō obstinately against the manifest authoritie of scripture may be iudged an heretike without a generall Councel So Augustine writeth answering the Pelagians who obiected that they were condemned without a Synode Ac si congregatione synodi opus erat vt aperta pernicies damnaretur quasi nulla haeresis aliquando nisi synodi congregatione damnata sit As though a Synode neede to be
India America the vnknowen parts of the world Bellarmin cap. 7. nota 4. We aunswere First the truth is not alwayes to be measured by the iudgement or opinion of the multitude folow not a multitude saith the Scripture to do euill the greatest part is not the best Christ calleth his flocke pusillum gregem a litle flocke feare not litle flocke saith he Secondly you haue nothing to do with the Church which was propagated in the Apostles time nor for the space of fiue or six hundred yeares after Christ it was not your Church for the most of your heresies are more lately sprong vp then so And you need not bragge of your vniuersalitie now for the Turke I trow hath a larger dominion then the Pope and Mahometisme is as largely spread as Papistrie and further to And for Europe I hope you neede not make your boast the Pope had neuer lesse iurisdiction then he hath now and I trust euery day shall haue lesse But many you say in the new found countryes haue bene cōuerted to your religiō In deed if you had had grace such an opportunitie being offered as the Spaniards had you might haue won that simple people to Christ. But you thirsted more for their gold then for their soules health it is notoriously knowen to the world what extreme crueltie hath bene wrought vpon that innocent people Was that a Catholike part of the Spaniardes to keepe dogges of purpose to werry and destroy the inhabitants to vse them as horse and beastes to plough to carry to digge Thus by your crueltie there were out of one small Iland called Hispaniola which was well peopled and inhabited destroyed and rooted out in short time two milions of men and women the storie of Benzo an Italian is abroad to be seene of this matter you haue none or few of your Popish Catholikes in those countryes but of your owne brood that haue bene sent thither but enough of this 3 We nothing doubt but that our faith the truth of the Gospell hath bene long since knowen and published to the whole world Those two cōditions which the Iesuite putteth in to make the Church vniuersall do helpe vs very well the first is that it is not necessarie that all coūtryes wholly should professe the Christiā faith but it suffiseth if there be some of the church in euery country the second it is not requisite that this vniuersalitie of the Church should be all at one time but if it be done successiue that is in diuerse ages one country to be ioyned to the Church after another it is enough Now keeping these two conditions we shall easily proue our Church to be vniuersall for there are no countryes in Europe and few in the whole world wherein there are not some of our faith namely that abhorre worshipping of Images do onely hope to be saued by faith in Christ without merite and beleeue in the rest as we do And againe taking one age after another we shall easily make it good that our faith at times hath spread it selfe ouer the whole world The third Note of Succession THey make great boast of the long and perpetuall successiō of their Popes error 20 from the Apostles for the space of these 1500. yeares and more condemning all Churches which can not shew the like order of succession Bellarmin cap. 8. Rhemist annot in Ephe. 4. ver 13. We aunswer First they can not shew such an entier and perpetuall successiō without any interruptiō or discontinuance for so many yeares for sometime there were two sometime three Popes together and this schisme continued 29. yeares till the Councell of Constance where three Popes were deposed at once Benedict 13. the Spanish Pope Gregorie 12. the French Pope and Iohn 23. the Italian Pope 2 If succession be so sure a note of the Church it is found also in other Churches besides as in Cōstātinople where hath bene a perpetuall succession as Nicephorus saith from S. Andrew the Apostle in Antioch from S. Peter and in other Churches in Grecia The Iesuite here is driuen to his shiftes and hath nothing to say but this that the argument foloweth negatiuely that where there is no succession there is no Church not affirmatiuely that where any succession can be shewed there straightwayes it should folow there is a true Church so by the Iesuites owne confession he hath made but a bad argument for the Church of Rome we haue a perpetuall succession of Popes from the Apostles time Ergo we are the Church It foloweth not saith the Iesuite we graunt it Why then a litle before did he call it insolubile argumentum an insosoluble and vnanswerable argument 3 Thirdly we say that a succession of persons in the same place without succession of doctrine which they can not shew is nothing worth A succession of the Apostolike faith and doctrine proueth a continuance of pastors and teachers and not contrariwise We haue the Apostolike faith and therefore we doubt not but that there haue bene continually in the Church faithfull teachers by whom that doctrine hath bene preserued and kept though they were not famous nor carried a glorious shew in the world For that outward succession is not necessarie neither so much to be stood vpon Augustine whē he had alledged succession against heretikes concludeth thus Quanquam non tantū nos de istis documentis praesumamus quā de Scripturis sanctis although saith he we presume not so much vpon these documēts as of holy Scripture The fourth Note of Vnitie error 21 OVr aduersaries do stand much vpon vnitie which they thinke is the glorie of their Church they doe embrace vnitie amongest them selues and all ioyne in obedience to their head Their vnitie also is seene say they in the wonderfull consent of all their writers in matters of Religion and the notable agreement and concord in the decrees of their Popes and Councels But as for vs and our Church they say it is full of rents schismes and diuisions Bellarm. First of the vnitie of their church and then of the vnitie of ours Their vnitie they say is partly seene in their obedience and louing societie and felowship partly in their Religion and doctrine First for their concord and loue one toward another we will take some paynes a litle to decypher it About the yeare of the Lord 900. there was pretie sport amongest the Popes nine of them one after another Stephen the sixth abrogated all his predecessor Formosus decrees and not content with that he tooke vp his body which was buried and cut two fingers of his right hād off and commaunded his body to be buried againe After him succeeded Pope Rhomanus Theodorus the second Iohn the tenth who ratified and confirmed the doings of Formosus After them folowed Pope Sergius who disanulling all their actes tooke vp againe the body of Formosus cut of his head and commaunded his body to be throwen into Tiber the great riuer in Rome
yet by the way the Iesuite is deceiued that thinketh it probable that the Popes particular person cannot fall into heresie here you see Marcellinus fell into Idolatrie Liberius subscribed to the Arrians consented to the condemnation of Athanasius as testifieth Ierome confessed by Nicolaus Cusanus and Alphonsus de castro both papists Iuel pag. 164. defens Apolog. Honorius 1. consented to the heresie of Sergius Bishop of Constantinople who was a Monothelite and held that there were not two wills or operations in Christ and so destroyed the two natures That Honorius was a Monothelite Melchior Canus a papist confesseth hee was condemned for an heretike in the 6.7 and 8. generall synodes Bellarmine answereth that the Councels are corrupted or they might be deceiued in iudgement as in a matter of facte or that Honorius onely misliked the speech to say there were two willes in Christ and not the thing See what poore shiftes heere bee to make Honorius no heretike and yet all will not be Pope Stephen the sixt tooke vp Formosus body and cut off two fingers of his right hande and buried him againe in a lay-mans Sepulchre Then followed Rhomanus the first Theodorus the second Iohannes the ninth and restored Formosus with his decrees iudging him to bee lawfull Bishop After them commeth Sergius the third who tooke vp the body agayne cutte off the head and cast it into Tiber. The Iesuite answereth that Stephanus and Sergius erred onely in a matter of fact A goodly cloke to couer the filthines of their Ghostly fathers withall But by your leaue a little doe you not holde it to bee an article of fayth to beleeue the Pope to bee heade of Christes Church Then was it an article of fayth to hold that Formosus was right Pope for at that time there was no other Ergo Stephanus and Sergius erred in fayth defining the contrary All that you can say is this that it was not yet determined and decreed for an article of fayth so to beleeue see I pray you these mennes fayth is pinned vpon Popes sleeues Why masters the rule of fayth is certaine you cannot make new articles of fayth now but onely declare and explane those that are But doe you not thinke that these iollie Popes that would rake the dead out of their graues for their holines might deserue at GODS hand to haue a priuiledge not to erre in fayth Siluester the second was a Necromancer and a Coniurer and therefore fallen from the fayth Bellarmine sayth hee was a good man and all are fables and lyes that are tolde of him and because hee was cunning in Geometrie that ignorant age straightwayes iudged him to bee giuen to Necromancie Thus wee may take the Iesuites worde if wee will But the storie is reported by authors of better credit then Bellarmine as Iohannes Stella Platina Petrus Premonstratens Nauclerus Antoninus Fox pag. 167. Anastasius was a Nestorian heretike whose heresie was this that there are as two natures so also two persons in Christ Alphons de castro lib. 1. de haeresib cap. 4. Celestinus is reported by Laurentius Valla a Canon of Rome to haue been a Nestorian heretike de donation Constantin Now commeth in Pope Hildebrand or rather Heldebrand for hee was a very brand of hell fire called Gregory the seuenth Of whome Benno writeth thus that hee poysoned sixe Popes his predecessors to make himselfe a way to the popedome that hee was a Coniurer a raiser of Diuels and in his rage hee cast the sacrament into the fier But sayth Harding our countrey man though vnworthily Benno was his enemie and wrote of displeasure and Bellarmine thinketh that some Lutherane was the author of the booke which goeth vnder the name of Benno who was Cardinall in this Hildebrands time But Benno onely doth not thus report of him he was openly twise for the same crimes condēned in Councel first at Wormes thē after deposed in the Coūcel at Brixia in Italy Pope Clement 3. elected to succeed him And the said Gregory died in exile of whom Antonius reporteth that before his death he repented him of his insolencie shewed toward the Emperour Henrie the 4. whom with his wife and young child bare foote and bare legd hee had caused three dayes together in extreame frost and colde to waite at his palace gates at Canusium before he could speake with him Yet this Hildebrand for all these insolent cruell and dishonest partes is commended by our papists Harding Bellarmine and other for a deuout Catholike man who did all things of a zeale to the Church By this you may iudge whome our aduersaries count a Catholike man Pope Iohn the 22. affirmed that the soules lie in a traunce till the day of iudgement and feele neither payne nor ioye Harding and likewise Bellarmine answere that this was an error but no heresie Yet in the Vniuersitie of Paris it was condemned for heresie as Gerson writeth Againe sayth Harding he held it only as a priuate opinion But Massaeus sayth that Pope Iohn preached this heresie and sent out preachers to maintaine it Hee was condemned sayth he with his error by the diuines of Paris in the presence of Philip the French King before he was Pope when he was yet but a priuate Doctor But the contrary is proued by B. Iewel that he was Pope 13. yeares before Philip was king Iuell defens apolog p. 667. Pope Iohn the 23. denied the life to come and the resurrection of the body And this heresie was openly obiected against him in the Councel of Constance Bellarmine and Harding before him answere that he was not the rightful Pope for there were three at that time and therefore might erre But Platina sayth that he was chosen at Bonoma by the consent of all the Cardinals ex Iuel pag. 671. Lastly Pope Eugenius the 4. was condemned and deposed as an heretike in the Councel of Basile Where the Iesuite hath no other answer then by condemning the Councel as Schismatical to acquite the Pope Lib. 3. de pontif cap. 14. By these examples it may appeare to the indifferent reader that it is no rare nor impossible thing for the Popes of Rome to erre yea become playne heretikes And as for that shift of the Iesuite that they are no longer Popes whē they openly begin to teach heresie this is as Alphonsus sayth In re seria verbis velle iocari to dallie with words in a serious and earnest matter And so euery Bishop shal be as well priuiledged as the Pope and cannot fall into heresie for why may we not say that a Bishop when he is knowen to bee an heretike ceaseth to bee Bishop any longer as the Pope is no longer Pope and so as long as he remayneth Bishop cannot possiblie bee an heretike Surely this is but paltrie and beggarly stuffe 4. Augustine is not a whit afrayd to say Episcoporum literas per sermonem sapientiorem cuiuslibet in eare peritioris per aliorum
more then was in the fountaine or originall seeing he receiued all from thence 3 What maketh this place I pray you for the power of externall iurisdiction Here it is saide that God gaue of his spirit to seauentie Elders and rulers of the people and enabled them for their office endued them with wisdome and knowledge and dexteritie in iudging of the people this maketh nothing for their purpose vnlesse they will also say that there is a secret influence of knowledge and wisdome deriued from the Pope to all other Bishops whereby they are made able to execute their office but I trow they will not say so for Alphonsus de castro truly saith of the Popes of Rome constat plures eorum adeo esse illiteratos vt grammaticam penitus ignorent it is certaine that many of them were so vnlearned that they hard and scant knew their grammar 4 The argument followeth not from one particular countrie as this was of the Iewes to the vniuersal Church that because the seauentie Elders receiued iurisdiction from Moses yet that cannot be proued out of this place for they were rulers before and commaunders of the people the were now but inwardly furnished and further enabled yet it were no good reason that therefore the Ecclesiasticall Ministers ouer the whole Church should receiue their power from one 5 Neither doth it follow that because the Prince and ciuill Magistrate may bestowe ciuil offices create Dukes Earles Lords constitute Iudges Deputies Lieutenants by his sole authoritie that by the same reason Ecclesiasticall ministers should receiue their power office from their superiors for although the Church from ancient time hath thought it good to make some inequalitie and difference in Ecclesiasticall offices for the peace of the Church yet the superiors haue not such a soueraigntie and commaunding power ouer the rest as the Prince hath ouer his subiects The Protestants THat Bishops haue not their Ecclesiastical iurisdiction from Rome but do as well enioye it by right of their consecration election institution in their owne precinctes circuites prouinces cities townes yea as the Pope doth in his Bishopricke and by much better right if they be good Bishops and louers of the truth thus briefely it is proued 1 The Apostles had not their iurisdiction from Peter but all receiued it indifferently from Christ this the Iesuite doth not barely acknowledge but proueth it by argument against the iudgement of other Papists cap. 23. Ergo neither Bishops are authorised from the Pope though he were Peters successor for if he were to graunt it for disputation sake he is no more to the Bishops of the Church then Peter was to the Apostles If hee gaue not the keyes to the Apostles neither doth the Pope Saint Peters successor to the Bishops the Apostles successors for they may with as great right challenge to bee the Apostles successors as he can to be Saint Peters Nay the Apostles gaue no power or iurisdiction to the Elders and pastors whom they ordained Act. 20.28 Take heede to the flocke ouer the which the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops or ouerseers and Ephes. 4.11 Hee hath giuen some to bee Apostles some Prophets some pastors and teachers so then the pastors and teachers though ordained by the Apostles yet had their calling and office frō God and not from the Apostles much lesse now can they receiue their power from any no not from the Pope for he is no Apostle no nor Apostolike man hauing left the Apostolike faith 2 Augustine saith Solus Christus habet authoritatem praeponendi nos in ecclesiae suae gubernatione de actu nostro iudicandi de baptis 2.2 Onely Christ hath authoritie saith hee to preferre vs to the gouernement of the Church and to iudge of our dooings the pastors then of the Church haue the keyes of the spirituall regiment from Christ himselfe not from the Pope or any other THE EIGHT QVESTION OF THE temporall iurisdiction and power of the Bishop of Rome THis question hath two partes first whether the Pope in respect of any spirituall error 51 iurisdiction haue also the chiefe soueraigntie in temporall and ciuill matters and so to be aboue Kings and Emperors secondly whether the Pope or any Bishop may be the chiefe Lord and prince ouer any Countrie Citie or Prouince THE FIRST PART WHETHER THE Pope directly or indirectly haue authoritie aboue Kinges and Princes The Papists THe Papists of former times were not ashamed to say that the Pope is the Lord of the whole Church as Panormitane in the Councell of Basile Fox page 670. Yea Pope Innocentius the third said writing to the Emperor of Constantinople that as the Moone receiued her light from the Sunne so the imperiall dignitie did spring from the Pope and that the papall dignitie was seuen and fortie times greater then the imperiall yea Kinges and Emperors are more inferior to the Pope then lead is to golde Gelasius distinct 96. But our later papists ashamed of their forefathers arrogancie in wordes seeme to abate somewhat of their proud sentence but in effect say the same thing For they confesse that the Emperor hath his office and calling of God and not from the Pope neither that the Pope directly hath any temporall iurisdiction but indirectly hee may depose Kinges and princes abrogate the lawes of Emperors and establish his owne he may take vnto himselfe the iudgement of temporall causes and cite Kings to appeare before him yet not directlie saith the Iesuite as hee is ordinarie Iudge ouer the Bishops and whole Clergie yet indirectlie as hee is the chiefe spirituall Prince hee may doe all this if hee see it necessarie for the health of mens soules And so in effect by their popish indirect meanes they giue him as great authoritie as euer hee vsurped or challenged Bellarmine lib. 5. cap. 6. 1 The Ecclesiasticall and ciuill power doe make but one bodie and societie as the spirite and the flesh in man Now the Ecclesiastical power which is as the soule and spirite is the chiefe part because it is referred to a more principall end namely the safetie and good of the soule the other is as the flesh to the spirite and respecteth but a temporall end as the outward peace and prosperitie of the common-wealth Ergo the spirituall power is chiefe and may commaund the other Bellarm. cap. 7. Ans. First it is a very vnfit and vnproper similitude to compare these two regiments to the soule and the bodie for by this meanes as the spirite giueth life to the bodie and euery parte thereof so the ciuill and temporall state should receiue their office and calling from the Ecclesiasticall which the Iesuite himselfe denieth and so directly the one should rule the other for the soule directly I trow not indirectly moueth the body and gouerneth it But if wee will speake as the Scripture doth we make all but one bodie and it is the spirit of Christ who is the head that giueth
the vniuersal companie of the wicked Reuel 13. ve 1. And this is the name or number of the beast it must be vnderstood by their own confession of a companie and congregation and not of one singular person The Protestants THat Antichrist which is interpreted an aduersary or against Christ shal not be one man as the Papists imagine that the Popes might be disburdened and discharged of this name who are many but that it is a whole body companie and sinagogue and a succession of heretikes we doe thus proue it 1 The mysterie of iniquitie wrought in Paules time then was there a way in preparing for Antichrist 2. Thes. 2. But it is vnpossible for one man to continue from Paules time to the end of the worlde Ergo Antichrist is not one man but a succession of heretikes Bellarmine answereth if the mysterie of iniquitie began in Paules time that is the kingdome of Antichrist and you will needes make Rome the seate of Antichrist belike S. Paul and S. Peter were the Antichrists for there were no Bishops of Rome beside at that time Ans. First that Antichrist begā then to work euen in Rome it cānot be denied seeing the Papists confesse that Simon Magus first broched his heresie there and that Peter calleth Rome Babylon It is not necessarie that the mysterie of iniquity should so soone creepe into the very chaire of the Pastors and Bishops that should come to passe in the full reuelation of Antichrist It is sufficient that it wrought closely amongst the false apostles wherefore the Iesuits obiection concerning Peter and Paule is ridiculous Fulk Anno. 2. Thes. 2. sect 9. 2 S. Paul saith that there must come a departing or apostasie generall falling from the faith for that an apostacie signifieth a relinquishing of the faith not a departure from the Romane Empire Now this generall falling away from the faith cannot be accomplished in one man but it sheweth a whole bodie or companie whereof Antichrist is the head one man of sinne succeeding another by succession and this apostacie cannot be wrought at one time but it shall come to passe in seuerall ages for how is it possible that at once such a generall apostacie should be Ergo Antichrist shall not be one particular man Argum. Caluini Neither can the Iesuite thus shift off the argument to say that this generall apostacie is but a preparation to the kingdome of Antichrist not that he shall then bee presently come for S Paul ioyneth both these together There must come a departing first that the man of sinne be disclosed vers 3. So that this very apostacie and departing shall be a disclosing and manifest declaration of Antichrist 3 Iohn 3.7 The Apostle sayth Many deceiuers are come into the world which confesse not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh the same is the deceiuer and the Antichrist Marke then one deceiuer is many deceiuers one Antichrist many Antichrists 1. Iohn 2.18 Ergo Antichrist shall not be one man but many Argument Ful. annot 2. Thess. 2. sect 8. 4 Augustine sheweth how that in his time this place of S. Paul was not expounded of any one man but of a whole bodie Nonnulli non ipsum principent sed vniuersum quodammodo corpus eius simul cum suo principe hoc loco intelligi Antichristum volunt Some saith he doe take Antichrist not for the head alone but for the whole bodie and multitude together with their prince And their coniecture is this because these words vers 7. He which withholdeth are vnderstood of the Empire Emperours of Rome which were many so the man of sinne which is described as in the person of one may fitly be vnderstood of a succession of many THE SECOND PART WHETHER ANTICHIST be yet come and how long he shall continue The Papists THe Romish Iesuites doe hold that Antichrist is not yet come neither can they tell when he shal come But this they say boldly that Henoch and Elias error 57 who liue all this while in Paradise shall come immediatly before Antichrist and that Antichrist when he is come shall raigne but three yeeres and an halfe and then shall the world end Bellarm. cap. 4. lib. 3. de pontif Rhemist 11. Apocal. sect 2.4 1 The Romane Empire must vtterly be destroyed layd wast before Antichrist come as S. Paul sayth That which withholdeth must first be taken away 2. Thess. 2.7 that is the Romane Empire But the Empire yet remayneth for the Emperour is knowne by name and there are also prince electors of the Empire Ergo Antichrist is not yet come Bellarm. cap. 5. Answere It is true that the Romane Empire while it retayned and kept the ancient dignitie maiestie and power thereof was an hinderance and let to the tyrannie of Antichrist but when it began to decay then Antichrist set in his foote First it was not necessarie therefore that the Empire should vtterly be extinguished but so much onely taken away namely the ancient honour and imperiall maiestie therof as hindered Antichrist and so we finde that the Romane Empire was more then halfe decayed when Antichrist crept into Rome Secondly the imperiall power must in some sort be restored by Antichrist for the Pope vsurped the same authoritie which the Emperours had yea greater for the whore is described sitting vpon the beast Apocal. 17. which is the Empire and therefore it is sayd vers 8. The beast that was and is not and yet is for the ancient Empire both is and is not It is because the power thereof is translated to the Pope it is not that is not in that kingly manner as it was in times past Apocal. 13.12 The beast that rose out of the earth with two hornes like a lamb did all that the first beast could doe before him that is the power of the Empire was in the Pope Thirdly Apocal. 13.15 It is sayd that the image of the beast remayned that the other beast gaue a spirit vnto the image of the beast So is it at this day the name and image of the Empire remayneth but the maiestie and power is gone And who giueth life to the image but the Pope he confirmeth and ratifieth the election of the Emperour Wherefore this rather is an argument that Antichrist is alreadie come because nothing but the image of the beast remayneth 2 Antichrist shall raigne three yeeres and an halfe but if hee were alreadie come he must needes haue raigned diuers hundred yeeres alreadie Bellarmin cap. 8. They proue this raigne of Antichrist for this short season out of those places of Daniel 7.25 A time times and halfe a time and Apocal. 12.14 Also it is described by dayes 1260. dayes and by moneths 11.2 two and fourtie moneths which all come to one reckoning and make three yeeres and an halfe Answere First the time is also set downe by the name of three dayes and an halfe Apocal. 11.11 How then is it likely that 1260.
so well knowne in stories that I neede not come to particulars 6 Antichrist is called a wicked man and a man of sinne vers 3.8 And where shall you finde more wicked men then among the Popes Siluester the 2. gaue his soule to the diuell to obtayne the Papacie Fox pag. 167. Benno reporteth of Hildebrand that he poysoned sixe Popes to come to the Popedome Pope Stephen and Sergius tooke vp the bodie of Formosus and mangled it cutting off his head and fingers and so cast it into Tibris Fox pag. 120. We haue heard before what a holy Father Pope Iohn the 13. was he lay with his owne sister and with his fathers Concubines playing at dice called for the diuell was slayne in adulterie And was it not I pray you a common prouerbe in England He that goeth to Rome once seeth a wicked man he that goeth twise learneth to know him he that goeth the third time bringeth him home with him Fox pag. 841. argument Illyrici The third place we doe take out of the Apocalyps chap. 9. where is a playne storie set downe of the Pope 1 vers 1. He is a starre fallen from heauen he is departed from the ancient faith of Rome to superstition and idolatrie 2 He hath the key of the bottomlesse pit who giueth the crosse keyes in his armes but the Pope who sayth hee may euacuate all Purgatorie at once if hee will but he Who sayth he may Pleno iure currus animarum plenos secum ad tartara detrudere by full right carrie downe to hell with him charriots Ioden with soules cap. si Papa distinct 42. Is not this the Pope who then more fitly may be sayd to haue the key of the bottomlesse pit 3 There arise out of the bottomlesse pit a great flocke of Locusts that is the innumerable sort of begging Friers for they are in euery respect described First compared to Locusts for their number vers 3. There were an 100. diuers sorts of Friers Fox pag. 260. Secondly they had power giuen them for fiue moneths that is as Walter Brute expoundeth it taking a moneth for thirtie dayes a day for a yeere as it is prophetically taken an 150. yeeres for so long it was from the beginning of the Friers vnder Innocent the 3. anno 1212. to the time of Armachanus who preached disputed and wrote agaynst the Friers about anno 1360. Fox pag. 414. Thirdly they shall sting like Scorpions not slay all at once but venome and poyson the conscience with the sting of their pestilent doctrine Fourthly other parts also of the description agree as vers 7. They are as horses prepared to battaile that is stoute ambitious their haire as the haire of women that is they shall be effeminate and giuen to the lusts of the flesh their teeth as the teeth of Lions they by valiant begging shall deuoure the portions of the poore as it was well proued in King Henry the 8. dayes in the Supplication of beggars that the summe of the Friers almes came to a great summe in the yeere for the fiue orders of Friers had a penie a quarter for euery one of euery housholder throughout England that is for them all twentie pence by the yeere suppose that there be but ten housholds in euery towne and let there be twentie thousand parishes and townes in England it will not want much of twentie thousand pound Thus had they Lions teeth that is consuming and deuouring Lastly they haue a King vers 11. whose name is Abaddon a destroyer for the Pope their chiefe prince and patron hath by his Antichristian doctrine layd wast the Church of God Argument Chytraei The fourth place of scripture wee will take out of the 17. of the Apocalyps there the seate of Antichrist is described First vers 5. It is called Babylon the citie which raigneth ouer the Kings of the earth vers 18. This can be no other but Rome which then had the Empire of the whole world Secondly It is the citie built vpon seuen hils or mountaynes vers 9. that is no other but Rome Thirdly the whore which is Antichrist shall sit vpon the beast with seuen heads and ten hornes that is shall succeede in the Empire and haue the authoritie thereof so hath the Pope Fourthly the ten hornes that is the Kings of the earth shal giue their authoritie to the beast but afterward shall deuoure her flesh Euen so the Kings of the earth by their sword maintayned the authoritie of the Pope But now being taught by the Gospell they are made the Lords free men and begin to subdue their neckes from his yoke The fift place is 1. Iohn 2.22 Who is a lyar but he that denyeth that Iesus is Christ the same is Antichrist that denyeth the father and the sonne Euen so the Pope of Rome though not openly and apertly yet closely and subtilly is an enemie vnto the whole trinitie He exalteth himselfe aboue God the father because he taketh vpon him to dispense not onely agaynst the lawe of nature but agaynst the lawe of God the morall law and agaynst the precepts both of the old and new testament but a lawe cannot be dispensed withall but by the same authoritie or greater Agaynst Iesus Christ he exalteth himselfe and all his offices he denyeth him to be the onely Prophet saying the scriptures are vnperfect and that their traditions are also necessarie to saluation Agayne he maketh other bookes scripture then those which are Canonicall His kingly office he doth arrogate to himselfe in making lawes to binde the conscience in ordayning other Sacraments in granting Indulgences and Pardons saying that he is the head of the Church His Priesthood he is an enemie vnto constituting another priesthood after the order of Melchisedech then that of our Sauiour Christ which begun vpon the Crosse and remayneth still in his person being incommunicable to any other creature yet they make euery sacrificing Priest to bee of the order of Melchisedech He impugneth the office of the holy spirit counting that prophane which the holy Ghost hath sanctified as marriage and meates arrogateth in all things the spirit of truth not to erre applieth the merites of Christs passion after his owne pleasure by Pardons Indulgences by ceremonies and Sacraments of his owne inuention Fulk 2. Thess. 2. sect 10. Ergo we conclude out of S. Iohn that seeing he denieth Iesus to be Christ he is Antichrist Sixtly S. Paul sayth that Antichrist shal be an aduersarie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Thess. 2.4 An aduersarie in doctrine teaching cleane contrarie to the Gospell of Christ so doth the Pope 1 The scripture sayth wee ought to put our trust onely in God and not in man Ierem. 17.7 and to call vpon God onely in the day of trouble Psal. 50.15 and to worship him in spirit and truth Iohn 4.24 The Papists say cleane contrarie that we must call vpon Saints and beleeue they can helpe vs and they teach vs to fall downe before
and religious deuotion to the dead bodies of Saints Rhemist Math. 14. sect 2. Their bodies are the temples of the holy Ghost and shall be raised againe to life Ergo they must be adored and worshipped Trident. Concil sess 25. Ans. One answere may serue for all these arguments We denie not but that the dead bodies of the faithfull are to be layd vp with reuerence in hope of the resurrection but it therefore followeth not that they must be abused to idolatrie Iohns disciples buried his bodie but shrined it not to be worshipped Iosias made difference betweene the bones of the idolatrous priests and of the true Prophet the one he burned and thought them vnworthie of honest sepulture the other he suffered to rest and enioy the honour of buriall But of any adoration or worshipping of his bones we reade not The Protestants THe bodies of Martyrs are reuerently to be brought to the ground in testimonie of our hope of their resurrection and their memorie is to be honored as in praising God for their constant martyrdome so the Psalmist sayth Right precious in the sight of God is the death of his Saints Psalm 116. As also in following their steps and propounding vnto vs their good example but to adore and worship their bones to kisse and kneele downe at their sepulchres is to too grosse idolatrie and not to be vsed amongst Christians 1 The Lord did of purpose himselfe burie the bodie of Moses in a secret place which was neuer knowne to the Israelites and this reason is generally rendered by most writers lest the people of Israel should worship his body and so commit idolatrie Ergo the adoration of the bodies of Saints displeaseth God Argum. Caluin Bellarmine answereth that though the people of Israel might by that meanes haue fallen into idolatrie yet the people of God may now more safely honour reliques because they are not so prone to idolatrie Ans. Experience of popish idolatrie proueth the cleane contrarie for the like superstition and worshipping of images was neuer so common and vsuall no not in the most corrupt times of that Church as now it is in poperie 2 Our Sauiour Christ reproueth the Scribes and Pharisees calling them hypocrites because they did garnish the sepulchres of the Prophets whom their forefathers put to death Math. 23.29 But their doctrine they neglected and regarded not Such hypocrites are the Papists at this day who commit a double fault for they contemne the doctrine of the Apostles whose memories they would seeme to honour and againe in the superstitious honour and worship which they yeeld vnto them they exceed the bonds of Christian pietie 3 Their bodies were not to be worshipped when they were aliue much lesse now they are dead What are they now but earth dust and ashes according as the Lord sayd to Adam Thou art dust and to dust shalt thou returne Genes 3.19 What is this els but to worship the earth euen dust and ashes So Augustine saith Timeo adorare terram ne damnet me qui fecit coelum terram I am afraid to worship the earth lest he condemne me that made both heauen and earth Onely in Christ sayth he I finde quomodo sine impietate adoretur terra how the earth that is his body may be worshipped without any impietie namely because of the neere coniunction and vnion of his humane nature with the Godhead in one person for otherwise of it selfe the bodie of Christ is Gods creature and workmanship and not capable of diuine worship This then is the priuiledge that Christ hath more then all Saints and Martyrs beside that in him onely the humanitie is adored THE SECOND PART OF THE TRANSLAtion of the bodies of Saints The Papists IT is an vsuall thing amongst them to translate and carrie from one place to error 32 another the bones and reliques of Saints as they say Iohn Baptists head was translated from Samaria to Alexandria and is now at Amiens in France Rhemist Math. 14. sect 1. So the body of S. Luke was remoued they say from Achaia to Constantinople and from thence to Padua in Italy where now it remaineth Argument in Luk. Rhemist The stone also that hit S. Stephen is now at Ancona in Italy Act. 7. sect 6. Argum. 1. Ioseph gaue charge concerning his bones when he died and they were remoued from Egypt to the land of Canaan at the departure of the Israelites Exod. 13. Heb. 11.22 Ergo the remouing and translation of Saints bodies or reliques lawfull Rhemist Bellarm. cap. 3. Ans. Ioseph gaue commandement concerning his bones to testifie his faith and hope in the promise of God for the inheritance of the land of Canaan they were not remoued to be adored or worshipped Ergo no such translation of reliques is hereby proued Secondly you can shew no such charge that S. Paul Peter or any of the rest gaue concerning the translation of their bodies as Ioseph gaue vnto his posteritie The Protestants WE denie not but that the bodies of the dead before they be interred may bee conueyed vnto the place of their buriall as Iosias was carried being dead by his seruants from Megiddo to Ierusalem where a sepulchre was prepared for him 2. King 23.30 But either for the dead to be remoued to be buried in some one place more then another for the holinesse thereof or the bones of Saints to be raked out of their graues and translated with intent to shrine them and set them vp to be adored they are superstitious customes and not vsed of ancient time among the people of God Argum. 1. That the place profiteth not the dead but vnto them it is all alike wheresoeuer they are buried we haue shewed afore 1. part controuer 9 quaest 2. part 4. The example of Augustines mother is notable and worthie the memorie She had with great care prouided her a sepulchre neere vnto her husband who dyed at Thagasta in Africa and was there buried and was purposed her selfe to lye by him but the Lord so disposed that she left her life at Hostia in Italie and being readie to depart she sayd thus to her sonnes Ponite hoc corpus vbicunque nihil vos eius cura conturbet Burie my bodie where you thinke good take no great care for it And being asked if it grieued her not to leaue her body so farre off from her owne citie she gaue this godly answere Nihil longe est à Deo neque timendum est ne ille non agnoscat in fine seculi vnde me resuscitet August lib. confess 9. cap. 11. No place is neerer to God then other neither am I to feare lest the Lord should not as well raise me vp in this place as in mine owne citie Ergo in respect of the dead it skilleth not where they are buried Argum. 2. The other custome of translating of reliques to be worshipped is farre more impious and superstitious for hereupon it commeth that the people haue been deceiued with false
reliques yea one and the selfe same relique is sayd to be in diuers places As of S. Iohn Baptists head his face they say is at S. Iean Angelz the rest of his head at Malta his skull at Nemours his braine at Nouium Rastrouiense his iaw bone at Vesalium a peece of his eare at S. Floride his forehead and haires in Spayne at S. Saluadores and yet for all this his whole head is to bee seene at Saint Siluesters in Rome and at Amiens in France Fulk Matthew 14.2 Thus they haue mangled also the bodie of Saint Peter halfe they say is at Saint Peters in Rome halfe at Saint Paules his head at Saint Iohn Laterane his neather iawe with his beard at Poycters in Fraunce at Triers many of his bones Fulk Rom. 16. sect 4. See what mockage and cosoning here is and abusing of simple people How can their whole bodies bee in one place and yet their parts and bones in another And where doe they learne thus to dismember their bodies and to rake them out of their graues The honouring of the bodies of Martyrs is to suffer them quietly to rest in their graues and not to rot aboue the ground Iosias honoured the Prophets sepulchre and would not remoue his bones herein therefore they dishonour the Martyrs and offer violence to their bodies thinking falsely that they doe great worship vnto them Augustine sayth that hee which would now renewe the ceremonies of the Iewes that are as it were buried tanquam sopitos cineres eruens non erit pius deductor aut baiulus corporis sed impius sepulturae violator Epistol 19. He should be as one raking in the ashes of the dead and so bee rather a violator of Christian buriall then a bringer of the bodie honestly to the ground So by Augustines iudgement eruens sopitos cineres he that pulleth out dead mens ashes bones or reliques is sepulturae violator a prophaner of their buriall THE THIRD PART OF THE KEEPING and preseruing of reliques The Papists error 33 WE must not thinke it impossible that the monuments of Saints as their garments reliques bones should endure a long time seeing Manna was kept so many hundred yeeres in the pot which was placed by the Arke being a thing so apt to putrifie Rhemist Hebr. 9. sect 4. Ans. When we haue a commandement for the reseruation of such things as the Israelites had we may beleeue they will keepe so long And againe the Israelites for all that did not worship the pot of Manna though it were of such long continuance The Protestants THe bodies and bones of men departed neither are to be kept out of their graues as we haue shewed neither can they be preserued without corruption Argum. 1. Vnto all Adams seede it is sayd Dust thou art and to dust shalt thou returne only the bodie of Christ had this priuiledge Psal. 16. Not to see corruption Ergo the bodies of men departed though they were neuer so holy being all the seede of Adam must be turned to dust Argum. 2. If they would glorifie God and speake the truth they doe very wel knowe by experience that the reliques of Saints haue no such promise or warrant for their continuance for most if not all of their reliques were forged and deuised and no such thing indeed S. Peters braine at Genoua was found to be a pumice stone S. Antonies arme was found to be an Harts pissle at Toures of late the image of Venus in an Agate was worshipped for the image of the Virgine Mary the blood of Hales in England was descried to be but the blood of a drake the three hostes at Caleis were but three white counters sodred into a marble stone These and many such monuments and reliques of Saints the Church of Rome hath great store no maruaile now if they be of long continuance for stones and counters may last a great while and drakes blood with other such stuffe is not so daintie but it may be still renewed Of such cosoning trickes Augustine complained in his time speaking of runnagate Monkes he saith Alij membra martyrum si tamen martyrum venditant Alij fimbrias suas phylacteria magnificant Some doe boast of reliques of Martyrs which they carrie about perhaps they are no such reliques some doe extoll their habite and Monkish weede De opere Monachorum cap. 28. See then I pray you what diuellish idolatrie was this to cause the people to worship counters drakes blood Harts sinewes and other such base creatures in stead of reliques which though they were such indeede ought not to be worshipped THE FOVRTH PART CONCERNING VISIsions and miracles done at the Tombes and reliques of Martyrs The Papists FIrst they almost make it an ordinarie thing in their Church to worke miracles Bellarmine sayth that it is a sufficient note of the Church the glorie or error 34 power of miracles De eccles lib. 4. cap. 14. Christ sayth that they that doe beleeue in him shall doe greater workes then he No maruaile then if the image of our Ladie say they and the like worke miracles as Peters shadowe did and that they seeme greater then Christs for he promiseth that his Saints shall worke greater miracles then himselfe Rhemist annot Iohn 14. sect 3. They also call vpon vs to confirme our doctrine by miracles because we preach newly and extraordinarily Rhemist 2. Corinth 12. sect 5. The Protestants Ans. FIrst that place alleadged proueth not such a generalitie and perpetuitie of working miracles for then euery one that beleeueth should do greater workes then Christ for our Sauiour speaketh generally He that beleeueth Augustine doth farre otherwise and in a better sense expound this place He that beleeueth in me shall doe the same workes that I doe Quae opera nisi vt ex impio iustus fiat prius ego facio deinde ipse faciet quia facio vt ipse faciat What workes sayth he but that he which beleeueth of a wicked man shall be made righteous which worke first I doe sayth Christ then he himselfe doth it because I make him to doe it Quod vtique in illo sed non sine illo Christus operatur Mans conuersion is wrought by Christ in man not altogether without man because Christ working in vs doth enable vs by his grace to worke out our saluation Philipp 2.12 yet is it not our selues that worke but the grace of God in vs. Then it followeth he shall doe greater workes then these Prorsus maius hoc esse dixerim quam est coelum terra The redemption and conuersion of men is a greater worke then the heauens or the earth Tract in Iohann 72. Augustine therefore doth properly vnderstand this place not of outward miracles but of the wonderfull conuersion of the heart which we are sayd to worke because Christ worketh it in vs. 2. As we denie not but that there may in these daies be miracles wrought and all such miracles as serue to confirme
would haue promised health by calling for the Elders if the gift had not beene generall in euery congregation Ans. 2. Neither is remission of sinnes annexed to the element but to the generall doctrine of prayer made in fayth The prayer of fayth saith the Apostle shall heale the sicke The Protestants EXtreme Vnction is no conuenient ceremonie at all to be vsed in the Church as tending to superstition and breeding a vayne confidence in terrene elements much lesse is it to be holden for a sacrament Argum. 1. It hath no institution from Christ For they themselues confesse that Mark 6.13 there is but a preparatiue to the sacrament of extreme Vnction Rhemist the promulgation and publishing thereof is set forth by the Apostle Iam. 5. But this is not to be admitted that Christ was a preparer of sacraments onely and that they were perfited and finished by his Apostles Nay they were not to adde any thing to the institution of sacraments but to take them as Christ deliuered them 1. Cor. 11.23 Agayne the place in Iames maketh nothing for their popish aneeling for the Apostle would haue al the Elders called but one priest is sufficient to bring your oyntment box Secondly if any man be sick sayth Saint Iames though it be not deadly or mortall sicknes but whensoeuer he is sicke But your Vnction is neuer ministred before the poynt of death Thirdly here health is certainely promised But not one amongst tenne recouereth after your popish aneeling Argum. 2. Christ vsed sometime clay and spittle sometime other elements in healing the diseased as the Apostles vsed oyle why I pray you then may not they be sacraments as well as this For they were signes of healing but for a time no more was the anoynting with oyle Augustine sayth De latere Christi in cruce sacramenta ecclesiae profluxerunt The sacraments of the Church issued out of Christs side vpon the Crosse There gushed out â—â—is side water and blood but wee reade not that any oyle was shedde from 〈◊〉 therefore by Augustines argument Vnction is no sacrament THE SECOND PART OF THE effect and vertue of extreme Vnction The Papists error 53 FIrst it giueth health of body Secondly it wipeth away the reliques of sinne And therefore the priest thus sayth Per istam sanctam Vnctionem suam pijssimam misericordiam indulgeat tibi Deus quicquid deliquisti per visum c. By the vertue of this holy oyntment and the most merciful fauour of God the Lord forgiue thee what thou hast offended by thy sight hearing c. Bellarm. cap. 7.8 The Protestants 1 YOur popish aneeling is not able to heale the bodie as wee see by daylie experience for more die then liue after your anoynting And they that doe recouer should doe as well without your aneeling Wherefore this anoynting of oyle is not like to that vsed by the Apostles for then health certainly followed Iam. 5.14 2 It is also a great blasphemie to ascribe remission of sinnes to a terrene and beggerly element The Apostle saith not the oyle but the Prayer of fayth shall saue the sicke The scripture also testifieth that the Iust shall liue by fayth Rom. 1.17 And we walke by faith not by sight 2. Corinth 5.7 But he that ascribeth remission of sinnes to oyle or any other externall element walketh by sight not by fayth THE THIRD PART OF THE MINISTER of extreme Vnction and the ceremonies The Papists FIrst they giue power only vnto their anoynted Masse priests to aneele the sicke with oyle Lay men haue no authoritie to doe it nor whosoeuer are error 54 no Priests Concil Trident. sess 14. can 4. Secondly for the rite and ceremonie the Priest comming to the sicke must anoynt his fiue senses his eyes eares nostrels mouth and hands also the reines which is the seate of concupiscence and his feete which are the instruments of execution Bellarmin cap. 10. The Protestants 1 THis anoynting which Saint Iames speaketh of was done by the whole company of Elders in euery congregation which were not all the Pastors of the Church Yea and it appeareth by their own Canons Innocent 1. Epist. 1. cap. 8. that it was lawfull for lay men and all Christians to vse this anoynting see Fulk annot Iam. 5. sect 5. 2 What neede the body be anoynted in so many places It is meere superstition of the like minde was Peter sometime when he sayd to Christ who would wash his feete Lord not my feete onely but my hands and my head To whom Christ answered He that is washed neede not saue to wash his feete but is cleane all Iohn 13.9 Where although the words of Christ haue a spirituall meaning yet we see the euident and playne practise of them in Baptisme In the which sacrament we doubt not but that infants are thorougly baptized though euery part be not touched with water And euen so if your aneeling were a sacrament why might it not suffice in some one part of the bodie to be anoynted and not in so many This we are sure of that nowe you speake without booke For the Apostle maketh no mention of anoynting eyes hands or mouth but onely generally of anoynting the sick And thus it appeareth that your extreme Vnction is no sacrament nor any of the other foure which you haue inuented THE CONCLVSION OF THIS treatise concerning the sacrament THus I trust we haue made it pliane by scripture and euidence of argument that there are but two sacraments onely Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord left and enioyned to the people of God by our Sauiour Christ for foure things are required to make a sacrament First the authority of Christ in commanding it Secondly the element or external signe as the matter Thirdly the word of institution as the forme Fourthly the end and vse to be a seale of our fayth for remission of sinnes 1 Concerning the efficient cause we finde that two sacraments onely in the new testament are commanded by Christ to be vsed for euer in the Church Baptisme and the Lords Supper which both by his owne example and presence as also his precept and commandement were established 2 There must be an outward visible elementall signe as is water in Baptisme bread and wine in the Lords Supper But so is there not in the fiue popish sacrameÌ„ts For in some there is no signe at all as in Matrimonie where they are driuen to say that the parties that are maried are the signes In some there is a signe but not visible as in absolution the audible voyce of the priest ponouncing the words of absolution is they say the outward signe But in all the sacraments of Christs institution we finde a visible signe In some there is an outward signe but it is an action or gesture only no material element which is not sufficient so is the imposition of hands in giuing of Orders In some there is a materiall signe as Chrisme in Confirmation oyle in extreme Vnction