1213. and 1220. §. 4. The twelfth Chapter sheweth there were many of the Waldenses Religion in England Matth. Paris in anno 1174. some burnt in anno 1174 saith Math Paris and in King Henry the second his time many were grieuously persecuted in England saith Thomas Waldensis an English man Waldens de Re sacram lib. 6. tit 12. cap. 10. Wiclife taught their very doctrine and greatly spread it in England Also in Saxony and Pomerania and in the Diocesse of Eisten in Germany ib. cap 11. were many Waldenses they had twelue Pastors knowen besides the vnknown Yea as Trithenius reports they were in such numbers and so spread in Germany that they could trauell from Colen to Milan in Italy and euery night lodge with hostes of their owne profession §. 5. The thirteenth Chapter shewes many in Flaunders the fourteenth in Poland Sigonius de Regno Italiae lib. 17. Rainer in summa fol. 18. the fifteenth in Paris it selfe the sixteenth in Italy as writeth Sigonius Rainerius saith in anno 1250. The Waldenses had Churches in Albania Lombardy Millan Romagnia and also in Vicence Florence and Val Spoletine Anno 1280. there were many Waldenses in Sicilia saith Du Haillan Roger Haillan in the life of Philip. 3. Sigonius lib. 17. King of Sicilia made constitutions against them and Pope Gregory the ninth persecuted them in Jtaly especially in Millan as saith Sigonius So did Honorius and Boniface the 8. The seuenteenth Chapter sheweth Rainerius de forma haereticor fol. 10. an 1250. the Waldenses had Churches in Constantinople Philadelphia Slavonia Bolgaria Digonicia by the testimony of Rainerius and they were spred into Livonia and Sarmatia Vignier histor Biblio thec part 3. pag. 130. as Vignier sheweth Sectionis 3. Subsectio 4. § 1. The Waldenses continued aboue 400 yeeres vntill Lutherrs time and after § 2. Jn England by meanes of Wiclife § 3. His doctrine and many followers Oxford Diuines § 4. The story of Iohn Hus Ierom of Prage and Bohemian affaires § 8. and 9. The continuance of the Waldenses after Luthers time Luther wrote a Preface to one of their bookes Letters passed betwixt them and Oecolampadius Bucer Caluin c. Antiquus Enough Sir of their spreading but except you shew also their succession and continuance till Luthers rising you can haue no hope to satisfie Antiquissimus I haue shewed Councels consultations persecutions massacres and mighty warres against them whereby many thousands of them haue beene burnt slain rooted out banished wasted Vsher ib. cap. 10. §. 64. but yet the maruellous hand of God still appeared in preseruing multitudes of them in diuers and many places in the middest of all their grieuous and continuall persecutions their doctrine was still preserued preached beleeued spred continued and deliuered to posterity Your a Thuanus hist sui temporis in praefatione Thuanus writing but the other day saith Supplicia parum profâ—cerunt Persecutions or punishments preuailed little They were slaine banished spoyled of their goods and dignities and scattered into diuers Countries rather then conuicted of errour or brought to repentance Surely as the persecution of the Apostles at Ieruâ—alem quenched not the Gospell but b Acts. occasioned the spreading thereof in Samaria and remoter parts so did the persecutions of the Waldenses in some parts of France occasion their spreading into other parts and other Countries as Germany Bohemia Polonia Livonia c. as c Thuanus ib. Thuanus there sheweth §. 2. In Britany or England the Waldenses doctrine was quickly receiued by many Haply by means of the entercourse of the English people with the great Earle of Tolous his subiects by reason of the d Before subs 3. §. 4. affinity betwixt those Princes for in the yeere 1174 and in Henry the seconds time there was persecution and burning of them as e Subs 2. § 6. Mathy Paris and Thomas Walden haue recorded But that doctrine was more generally receiued and had fuller passage in King Edward 3 raigne when f See Archb. Abbot against D. Hill Reason 1. §. 25 Fox iâ—â—ita Wicl â—â— Iohn Wiclife a learned Doctor of Diuinity g Bailiol Colledâ—â— Master of a Colledge in Oxford and publike Reader of Diuinity in that Vniuersity taught it there with the great liking applause of the hearers and approbation of the whole Vniuersity For the Vicechancellour Proctors diuers Preachers and Batchelors of Diuinity tooke part with him And when Buls came thicke from Rome against him and his Doctrine First from Gregory 11. anno 1378. And afterwards from Gregory the 12 whereby he was to be condemned for an Hereticke The whole Vniversity gaue a testimony in fauour of him vnder their seale in their Congregation house in these words among others h Anno 1406. Octob. 5. God forbid that our Prelats should haue condemned a man of such honesty for an Hereticke c. §. 3. This mans doctrine as the said Bulles of the two Popes did say agreed with the doctrine of Marsilius Patavians and Johannes de Ganduno i Abbot ib. This Marsilius a very learned man in that Age about the yeere 1324 had written a booke entituled Defensor Pacis in defence of the Emperor Lewis of Bauier who was mightily laid at by three Popes successiuely demoÌ„strating the supreme authority of the Emperour and beating down the iniquity of the Popes vsurpations ouer Christian Princes and generall Councels shewing that things are to be decided by the Scriptures that learned men of the Laity are not to be debarred voyces in Councels that the Clergy and pope also are to be subiect to Princes That the Church is the whole company of the faithfull that Christ is the foundation and head of the Church hath not appointed any one to be his Vicar that Priests may be married as well as other Christians that S. Peter was neuer at Rome that the Popish court or Synagogue is a denne of theeues that the doctrine of the Pope is not to be followed because it leadeth to euerlasting destruction The popes being informed that this was also Wiclifes doctrine must needes condemne him or yeeld themselues guilty Many other positions were attributed vnto him also some bad enough and vndoubtedly false as had been before to the Waldenses and the Primitiue Christians but what hee truely held may be seene in his owne workes that remaine and in Mr. Foxe writing his life and in Catalogo testium veritatis lib. 18. Gabr. Powel De Antichristâ— In Prafatione n. 25. The summe whereof Mr. Gabriel Powel a diligent searcher and obseruer deliuereth thus Hee taught that there ought not to be one supreme Bishop in the Church that the pope is not only not Christs Vicar but also that he is Antichrist that his priuiledges bulles dispensations and indulgences are not onely idle and vnprofitable but also wicked and impious that to spirituall men is not to be giuen the politicke Dominion
passe which Christ so many yeares before had foretold Thus writes Aventine of the times of Gregory the seuenth formerly called Hildebrand Waltramus Bishop of Naumburg and Lambertus Schasuaburgensis and Gerhohus Be cherspergensis say Now was Satan let loose out of prison Sir Iohn Haywooâ— of Supremacy pag. 68. Maâ—hiavel dispat de rep l. 1. c. 12. Hospâ—n de Orig. Monach. l. 6. c. 66. For Piety and Religion now did not onely decline by degrees but ran headlong to a ruinous downefall and there was no where lesse piety then in those that dwelt nearest to Rome as Machiavel obserued This Hildebrand called afterwards Gregory the seuenth liued in this tenth Age beginning his Papacy Anno 1076. The Canons or Dictates of this Hillebrand Onuphr in vita Gregorij 7 col 248. B. Vsher ib. cap. 5. §. 17. Greg. 7. Kegest lib. 2 post epist 55. tom 3. Conâ—â— edit Binij part 2. pag. 1196. which he deuised or executed beyond all his Predecessors saith Onuphrius were many and strange whereof these are the chiefest 1 That the Bishop of Rome onely is by right called vniuersall 2 That he may ordaine Clerkes in euery Church where he will 3 That the greater causes of euery Church ought to be referred to that Sea 4 That he alone can depose Bishops or reconcile them 5 That his Legat is aboue all other Bishops though he be of inferiour degree and that he may giue the sentence of deposition against them 6 That he alone may for the necessity of times make new lawes 7 That he alone may vse the Imperiall Ensignes 8 That his feet alone all Princes must kisse 9 That he may absolue subiects from their fidelity to wicked Princes 10 That he alone may depose Princes and Emperours 11 That his sentence way not be retracted by any man and he alone may retract all mens 12 That he ought not to be judged of any man 13 That he is not to be accounted Catholicke that concordeth not with the Roman Church 14 That the Church of Rome did neuer erre neither euer can erre 15 That the Bishop of Rome if he be Canonically ordained is by the merits of S. Peter vndoubtedly made holy 16 That no Councell without his command ought to be called generall Onuphr ib. col 250. Sir Iohn Hâ—y â—ard Supremacy pag. 57 Avenâ—â—n Annal. Boiorum lib. 7 â—ribuit hanc sententiam Eberhardo Salisburiensi Episcopo Hildebrandus primus specie religionis Antichristi imperij fundamenta jecit Hoc bellum nesandum primus auspicatus est quod per successorâ— hucusque continuatur And A entine hâ—â—â—elfe in the fiâ—t booke writes thus 17 That no Chapter or Booke in the Bible shall be accounted Canonicall without his authority 18 That no man dare to condemne him that appealeth to the Apostolicke Sea c. Vpon these foundations saith Onuphirius he laid his steps and stayres and made his way to effect all that in his mind he had conceiued This man was the first that enterprized to be elected and consecrated Pope without consent of the Emperour and set forth a Decree to excommunicate all that affirmed the consent or knowledge of the Emperour to be necessary to the election of Popes He saith Auentine was the first that vnder colour of Religion built vp the Popes Empire primus Jmperrium pontificium condidit which his successors for 400 and 50 yeares together maugre the world maugre the Emperours invito mudo invitis Imperatoribus haue so drawne out that they haue brought into seruitude high and low put them vnder their yoke and terrified all with their thunder that the Roman Emperour is now nothing but onely a name without a body without glory §. 10. Onuphrius speakes enough also though he was a great fauourer and amplifier of the Popes dignity Onuphâ—n vita Gregor 7. col 271 272. Thus he writes Him alone that is Hildebrand may all the Latin Churches but especially the Roman thanke for freedome from the Emperours hand and for the large endowment or wealth riches and profanaditione worldly iurisdiction and for being preferred and set ouer Kings Emperours and all Christian Princes and shortly to speake in a word by him it attained to that great and high estate whereby the Church of Rome is become the Mistris of all Christians whereas before as a poore handmaid tanguam vilis ancilla it was held vnder not onely by the Emperours but by euery Prince that was aided by the Emperour from him Hildebrand flowed the right jus of that great and almost infinite power of the Roman Bishop so feareful and venerable in all Ages For although before the Roman Bishops were honoured as the heads of Christian Religion Christs Vicars and Peters successors yet their authority stretched no further then to the propounding or maintaining of poinâ—s of faith but their persons were subiect to the Emperous all was done by the Emperours appointment by them the Popes were created of them the Popes of Rome durst not iudge or determine any thing All the Bishops of Rome Gregory the seuenth was the first trusting to the Armes of the Normans and the wealth of Maud the Countesse a powerfull woman in Italy and inflamed by the German Princes discords wasting themselues by ciuâ—ll warres beyond the custome of his Ancestors contemning the authority and power of the Emperor when he had obtained the Popedome dared not onely to excommunicate but further to depriue of his Kingdome and Empire the Emperour himselfe by whom if he was not elected yet he was confirmed in his Popedome Res ante easecula inaudita A thing neuer heard of before that Age. For the Fables which are reported of Arcadius Anastasius and Leo Iconomachus nihil moror I recke not of Whereupon Otto Frisingensis a Writer of those times Lego relego saith thus I reade ouer and ouer the Acts of the Roman Kings and Bishops but I neuer find any of them before this Henry excommunicated by the Bishop of Rome or depriued of his Kingdome B. Vsher grauiss quaest cap. 5. §. 8 9 c. c. Thus writes Onuphrius The like with Otto writes Gotfridus Viterbiensis Joannes Trithenius and others alleadged with these by our Bishop Vsher Of Hildebrand not onely Cardinall Benno who liued in his time and wrote his life but many others do write very prodigiousand diuellish things as Paulus Bernriedensis Ioannes Trithenus Ioh. Aventinus Marianus Scotus Otto Frisingensis Conradus Liechtenavius Abbas Vrspergensis Carolus Sigonius and Onuphrius that he was a Magician a Necromancer and by helpe of the Diuell got the Popedome and that he was so judged by thirty Bishops gathered together out of Italy Frace and Germany in Synodo Brixinae Noricae anno 1080. Although the late Iesuite and Cardinall Baronius would excuse him He propagated the doctrine of Deuils forbidding marriage to the Clergy and commanding abstinence from meates I Tim. 4.1 3. about which many troubles and euils arose in the Church In the Histories of
and redeemed vs. You beleeue so also but you adde Christ hath satisfied onely for the eternall punishment and for sinnes before Baptisme but that we must satisfie for our following sins August serm 13. De verbis dom Christus suscipiendo poenam non suscipiendo culpam culpam deleuit poenam See B Mortons Appeal lib. 1. cap 2 sect 23. § 47. lib. 2. cap. 15. sect 8 9 10. and also for the temporall punishment due to all our sins either vpon earth or in Purgatory This we account an errour against the foundation making Christ but halfe a Sauiour and against reason for he that forgiues the fault forgiues the punishment also in S. Augustines opinion 24 We beleeue that we ought to pray for all the members of Christs militant Church vpon earth you beleeue so too but you adde wee ought also to pray for the soules suffering in Purgatory which was a thing long time vnknowne to the Church of God §. 2. These are the principall points of Religion and the foundation of our church by your approbatioÌ„ of theÌ„ you grant them all to be true good ancient and Catholicke which may appeare also by that which followeth Se hâ—story of the Councell of Trent lib. 1. pag. 95. At a Diet in Râ—tisbon anno 1541. where was present Iasper Cardinall Contareni the Popes Nuncio Granuel deliuered a booke of 22 Articles to be considered of by the Diuines of both sides whereof the chiefe were chosen by the Emperour to dispute namely Eckius Flugius and Gropperus Romists Melancthon Bucer and Pâ—storia Protestants and vpon their debating some things were approued and some amended by common consent They dissented onely in fiue things and in seuenteene they all finally agreed Ibib. pag. 54.55 Also when the Augustane confession of the Protestant Princes and Diuines was read at Augspurge anno 1530 the Popes Legate Cardinall Campeggio said plainly to the Emperour that the difference of that doctrine from the Roman for the most part seemed verball and that it imported not much whether one spake after one manner or after another and that for the present there was no cause to make any strict examination of the doctrine onely meanes should be vsed that the Protestant should goe no further on See Annals Elizah â—ngl pag 63. and Relation of Religionin the West parts pag. x. 2. 159. And Pope Pius the fourth anno 1560. offered to Queene Elizabeth to allow our whole Booke of Common Prayer if she would receiue it as from him and by his authority And so he might well doe for the booke was with great iudgement purposely so framed out of the grounds of Religion wherein both sides agree that their very Catholickes might resort vnto it without scruple or scandall if Faction more then reason did not sway The truth is were it not for other causes the Controuersies of points of Religion might well be compounded betwixt vs. For the learned of them know that our doctrine is sufficient to make vs true Christi ans both for faith and good life to make vs liue holily righteously and soberly by Gods grace to become good subiects to our Princes good neighbors amongst men good diligent and dutifull members of the Common-wealth painfull peaceable and blessed people and blessings to the Countrey where we liue and to conduct vs thorow all necessary gratious wayes and means ordained by God to eternall blessednesse There is no defect in our doctrine to these ends to promote Christs Kingdome both of grace and glory §. 3. Onely they know and we confesse our Doctrine is insufficient to set vp an earthly Church-kingdome instead of Christs heauenly Kingdome such as the Pope desireth ouer-topping all other Christian Princes and Potentates and maintained with all worldly wealth pompe and glory Were it the purity of Religion which he desired described and receiued in the best Primitiue times of the Church our Religion would abundantly satisfie him but this high transcendent supremacy of the Pope farre beyond those Primitiue times and the wealth of the world to maintaine him and his in their greatnesse Acts 19.28 25. is the great Diana of the Romans which they striue for And these doctrinall controuersies are but subordinate meanes subtilly kept on foot to make the aduersaries of his supremacy more odious For by that craft their wealth is maintained D. Francis White Orthodox faith Epist dedic Ramolds Hart confer cap. 7. dinis 6 7. pag. 367 seq Our Doctor Reinolds obserueth well and proueth largely that this in these latter Ages hath been the Pope maine aime and practise And men of skill and iudgement who knew the popes thorowly and faithfully set forth their liues haue opened this secret and mystery of State as it hath been managed since it grew to maiesty that they minde the propping vp of their owne Kingdome while they pretend the worship of Christ and that in the popes language the Church doth signifie not the company of the faithfull seruants of God but the Papacy that is the dominion and princehood of the pope in things both temporall and spirituall K. Iames his Remonstrance to Peron pag. 246. And our late learned and iudicious King Iames saith The name of the Church serueth in this our corrupt Age as a cloke to couer a thousand new inuentions and no longer signifies the Assembly of the faithfull or such as beleeue in Iesus Christ according to his Word but a certaine glorious ostentation and temporall Monarchy whereof the pope forsooth is the supreame head Ibid. pag. 259. And S. Peters net is now changed into a casting net or a flew to fish for all the wealth of most flourishing kingdomes 1 To this end consider whether there be more care and policy to maintaine the popes greatnesse and reuenues then to make good Christians For where good Christians are already such as the Primitiue Christians were thither the popes Emissaries come to make them the popes subiects and sticke not at Treasons Rebellions inuasions if they haue hope so to effect it Relation of Religion in the West pag. 156 159. 2 Consider whether all other thogh neuer so profane or wicked Iewes Stewes Turkes Infidels Heretickes or Atheists open enemies of Christian Religion be not suffered more quietly to liue in Italy Rome and vnder the popes nose then Protestants whose onely great crime is They are against the popes vsurpations and corruptions Molius defence pag. 464. 3 Consider if all sinnes against God and his Word be not more slightly punished then offences against the Popes greatnesse In cases of Murder Treason Incest Blasphemy c. ordinary Bishops may bind and loose but the cases of hindring men from going to Rome for pardons of intrusion into any benefice or office Ecclesiasticail of purloyning any Church goods or offending the Sea-Apostolicke c. those are reserued to the pope onely And the penitentiary taxe for falsifying the letters Apostolicall is
ouerthrowes it by the consequence of many opinions and practises now generally retained in it As the Galatians held the foundation to wit saluation by Iesus Christ and yet withall held a necessity of ioyning circumcision with Christ which doctrine by consequence destroyed the very foundation for so Saint Paul wrote vnto them Gal. 5 2 4. If they were circumcised Christ profited them nothing he became of none effect vnto them they were fallen from grace In like manner saith he The Church of Rome professâ—ng to hold the foundation of faith yet by ioyning other things with Christ and by teaching many things pernicious in Christian faith doth by consequence plainely ouerthrow the foundation of faith Plainely saith his Margen in all mens sight whose eyes God hath enlightned to behold his truth for they which are in errour are in darkenesse and see not that which in light is plaine One of their pernicious errors he toucheth there in the Margensaying Ibid. §. 11. They hold the same with Nestorius fully the same with Eutiches about the proprieties of Christs Nature More he mentioneth else where in the text calling them such Impieties as by their law they haue established and wherevnto all that are among them either doe indeed assent or else are by powerfull meanes forced in shew and appearance to subiect themselues See also ibid. § 2â— For example In the Church of Rome is maintained that the same credit and reuerence that we giue to the Scriptures of God ought also to be giuen to vnwritten verities that the Pope is supreme head ministeriall ouer the vniuersall Church militant That the bread in the Eucharist is Transubstantiated into Christ That it is to be adored and to be offered vnto God as a sacrifice propitiatory for quicke and dead That Images are to be worshipped Saints to be called vpon as Intercessors and such like §. 3. Antiquus How agrees this with that you said before that the Church of Rome excepting the Papacy therein continued to be the Church of God till Luthers time for euen those whom you call the Church of God liued and dyed in the profession of these errours which now you say destroy the foundation of the Church of God Antiquissimus Vnderstand vs right They that hold these and such like errours for worldly respects knowing them to be heresies and make semblance of allowing that which in heart and iudgement they condemne as also they that heretically maintaine them by holding them obstinately after wholsome admonition Mr. Hooker makes no doubt Cyprian cited beâ—ore cap. 1. Sect. 4 § 3. T it 3 1â— 11. so alâ—o â—il 3.2 gal 3. â—0 12. 1 7 8 9. but their condemnation without an actuall repentance is inevitable And this is confirmed by Saint Cyprians famous sentence by me cited before and by Saint Paul saying A man that is an hereticke after the first and second admonition reiect knowing that he that is such is subuerted and sinneth being condemned of himselfe But many liued in these errors in the Church of Rome not knowing them to be errors or heresies Hooker ibid. § 12. nor euer vnderstanding that the consequent thereof destroyed the Foundation of Faith They following the conduct of their guides and obseruing exactly what was prescribed them Ibid. § 13. thought they did God good seruice when indeed they did dishonour him They did but erroniously practise what their guides hereticallly taught And though the pit bee ordinarily the end both of the guide and of the guided in blindnesse yet Gods mercy might saue them that sinned onely of erroneous piety and were merely deceiued by thinking too well and trusting too much their hereticall teachers not being in the rank of them who receiued not the loue of the truth to beleeue it and had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse and so were worthy to be giuen ouer to strong delusions and damnation 2 thes 2.10 11 12. This is confirmed likewise by the former sentence of Saint Cyprian Cyprian cited before cap. 1. sect 4. sect 3. Augustine cited before cap. 1. sect 4. in the V. Reason 1 Cor. 1.2 15.14 gal 1.2 5 2 4 10. Hook ib. § 26. and by the iudgement of Saint Augustine formerly alleadged and by Saint Pauls imbracing the Corinthians and Galatians as Churches of Christ notwithstanding the errours which they held being of mere ignorance and seduced by false Teachers For the false teachers of circumcision or the froward stiffe-necked and obstinate defenders thereof after wholsome admonition Saint Paul calleth dogges Phil. 3.2 and wisheth them cut off Gal. 5 12. and pronounceth them accursed Gal 1.8 But them that held the same errour of ignorance not knowing the dangerous consequence of it and retained a mind docible and desirous to be instructed in the truth and to follow it Them Saint Paul pittieth to them he writeth as to the Church of Christ Gal. 1.2 them with fatherly tendernesse he admonisheth instructeth and imbraceth as his children §. 4. And although many of our Fathers in the Church of Rome dyed in their errors not knowing them to be errors and therefore may be thought neuer to haue repented of them yet the same may be said of the Corinthians and Galatians that many of them dyed before S. Paul either heard of their seducing or had time to reduce them but of their the liuing also in the very beginning of his Epistles before he deliuered his instructions he spake comfortably and saluted theÌ„ as the Churches and Saints of God Hooker ibid. § 18. 20. And Mr. Hooker giues a reason why they that hold the foundation of Christian Religion cannot be said to dye without some kind of Repentance euen for vnknowen sinnes The least sinne in deed word or thought is to be accounted deadly without repentance and Gods mercy Yet many sins escape vs without knowledge of them many which we obserue not to be sinnes and without actuall and particular knowledge or obseruation of them there can be no actuall or particular repentance of them yet for as much as all that hold the foundation of religion inviolable in their harts haue a general hatred of all sin thogh for actuall knowne sinnes an actuall and particular repentance is required See Archb. Abbot ag Hil. reason 5. § 28. yet for secret and vnknowne sins as common ouersights errours and such as we either know not or know them not to be sins a generall hatred and a generall repentance of all obtaines the mercy of God through the mediation of Iesus Christ Psal 51. title Psal 19.12 Dauid repented actually particularly and punctually for his knowne particular sinnes but of others he saith in generall who can vnderstand his errours or know how oft he offendeth Lord clense thou me from my secret faults See heere chap. 3. § 1.13 Many ancient Fathers erroneously held free-will and yet were not accounted heretickes because it was of meere ignorance whereof they were neuer conuicted
powre abroad his gifts into the whole body that the Church might stand vpon Peters firmnesse King Iames Remonstrance pag. 163. English 1 Cor. 2.15 In these latter times they haue found out more texts but no whit better for their purpose then these Our learned King Iames in his Remonstrance to the Cardinall Peron reciteth some of the chiefest Saint Paul saith The spirituall man discerneth all things ergo they gather the Pope must be Iudge of all men and matters Mat. 28.18 Mat. 8.31 Mat. 21.2 Christ said All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth ergo to his Vicar The Diuels said If thou cast vs out send vs into the heard of swine and Christ said to his Disciples Ye shall find an Asses colt bound loose him and bring him to me This sheweth that Christ disposed of temporall things ergo so must his Vicar Ioh. 21.15 Act. 10.13 Iesus not onely commanded Peter to feed his sheepe but also said Arise kill and eate therefore saith Baronius Duplex est Petri officium vnum pascere alterum occidedere Peter had two offices one to feed another to kill Belike Peter is now come to the top of the house and entred vpon his second office to kill and deuoure Ier. 1.10 God said to Ieremy I haue establishd thee ouer Nations and kingdomes to wit to preach Gods promises and threatnings Luk. 22.38 Mat. 26.52 Molina Iesuita lib. de iure tract 2 disp 29. and Peter said to Christ See here are two swords and Christ answered It is sufficient not too many Also Christ said to Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath ergo the Pope hath power ouer Nations and Kingdomes and two swords one spirituall the other temporall Psal 45.16 It is said Psal 45. In stead of thy fathers thou shalt haue children whom thou shalt make Princes in all lands Ioh. 12.32 1. Cor. 6.3 Christ said If I were lift vp from the earth I will draw all things vnto me and Saint Paul Know yee not that we Paul and the Corinthians c. shall iudge the Angels how much more the things that pertaine vnto this life Vpon these places the Papall monarchy for temporall causes hath beene built in these latter ages As in former time Pope Boniface the eight Extrauag vnam sanctam grapling and tugging with Philip the Fayre built his temporall power vpon this that In the beginning God created heauen and earth Antiq. I am very sorrowfull to see the sacred Scriptures so vainly alleadged by men accounted holy wise and learned I cannot iustifie them Bellarm. de iustif l. 3. c. 8. initio Bellarmines rule condemnes them when he saith that All we are bound to beleeue with certainety of Faith must be contained in Gods word in plaine words or else euidently deducted from thence by good consequence of Reason But for this great point I speake my conscience here is neither euident words nor scarce any shew of consequence §. 10. Antiquis But for the contrary See K. Iames Praemonition pag. 47. you shall finde in the Scripture both euident words and manifest consequence The Scripture is plaine that the words Tibi tibi dabo claues in effect are spoken in the plurall number in another place Mat. 18.18 Whatsoeuer yee shall binder loose in earth shall be bound and loosed in heauen whereby the very power of the keyes is giuen to all the Apostles And the words Pasce oues vsed to Peter were meant to all the Apostles as may bee confirmed by a Cloud of witnesses both of Ancients and euen of late Popish writers yea and diuerse Cardinals Otherwise how could Paul direct the Church of Corinth to excommunicate the incestuous person cum spiritu suo whereas he should then haue said cum spiritu Petri as our gracious King Iames gathereth adding also that all the Apostles vsed their censures in Christs name neuer speaking of his Vicar that Peter in all the Apostles meetings sate amongst them as one of their number that when letters were sent from the Councell Acts 15.22 23. the style was It seemed good to the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church c. without mention of the Head thereof that Saint Paul blameth the Corinthians for that some said they were of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas some of Christ which he would not haue done if Cephas that is Peter had beene Christs Vicar and head of the Catholike Faith that Saint Paul compareth or rather preferreth himselfe before Peter Galat. 2. which had beene rudely done had he thought Peter his Head Such reasons alleadgeth our iudicious King See also before sect 6. to which might bee added also that Saint Peter was compelled to giue account of his doings to the rest of the Apostles who contended and contested with him about them Acts 11. I hope these Allegations are farre more pregnant against the Supremacy of Saint Peter then the Romists are for it §. 11. Antiq. Yet the ancient Fathers vnderstand the Scriptures so These Fathers are thus alledged by Mr Hart Conference with D. Raynolds cap. 5 diuision 3. p. 217 out of Stapleton priu do l. 6. c. 13 Raynolds ib. pag. 2â—1 that they gaue S. Peter most honorable titles S. Austen saith The Primacy of the Apostles is conspicuous preeminent with excelleÌ„t grace in Peter Chrysostom calleth him the mouth of the Apostles the chief the top of the Company Theodoret the Prince of the Apostles which title is giuen him by all Antiquity Others ad out of Epiphanius The highest of the Apostles Austen the head president the first of them And Cyprian saith The Lord did chuse Peter first haply hee meant his first Apostle not his first Disciple for Audrew was first a Disciple and followed Christ as Saint Ambrose obserueth And Saint Ierom saith Peter was of so great authority that St. Paul went to visit him as himselfe writeth Gal. 2. and Ierom saith also that Peter was chosen one among the twelue to the intent that a head being appointed occasion of Schisme might be taken away Of such sayings as these the Fathers bookes are full Antiquis Doth not Doctor a See Raynolds Hart ibid cap. 5. diuis 3. Raynolds there answer you soundly and fully which you may reade there at large the briefe substance whereof is this that all the Fathers sayings touch onely three prerogatiues the first of Authority the second of Primacy the third of Principality but all far short of the Supremacy which the Pope now claymeth 1 The authority mentioned by Saint Ierom is onely Credit and Estimation for so Ierom expresseth his owne meaning Saint Paul went vp to Ierusalem to conferre of the Gospel with them that were esteemed that is with Peter and other Apostles to wit with Iames Peter and Iohn who were esteemed to be Pillars Gal. 2.2.9 for his conference with Apostles of such authority or estimation might adde some credit authority and estimation to
infallibility of iudgement for teaching and gouerning the Church should be giuen to any one ranke of men it is very vnlikely the Popes should be the men Is it reasonable to thinke that children in yeeres and vnderstanding or men of corrupt and filthy liues monsters of men such as many of your Popes were should be Gods chiefe infallible gouernours of his Church Benedict the 9. was made Pope at 12. or 10. yeeres old as Baronius confesseth a Baronius anno and ruled that Church 20. yeeres A likely Sheephards boy in Saint Peters place to feed his sheepe the flocks they say of all Christendome by doctrine and example more likely to be a plague to the flocke as God threatning a plague to the Common wealth b Esay 3.4 said Children should reigne ouer them Aristotle iudged a Youth not a fit hearer of Morall Philosophy and yet must this childe bee thought a fit teacher of heauenly doctrine yea to be the Vniuersall Oracle of the world that hath neither possibility to erre himselfe nor misleade others Such a vertue hath the Popes Chayre to infuse learning and all habilities into a Schoole-boy that knowes not his Grammar to serue the Roman turn well enough to interpret the Scriptures assoyle all questions resolue all doubts sit at the sterue and guide the shippe of the Church call Councels and iudge of all their decrees ratifie some nullifie others as one of farre greater iudgement than all the learned of the world yea to determine all causes depose Kings command Angels open and shut both heauen and hell and doe euery thing as well as Saint Peter himselfe How thinke you is it reason for any man to thinke so Antiq. Many defects may bee supplied by learned Cardinals graue and wise Counsellors Antiquis A miserable head that hath his wit to seeke in another mans brains but you c Greg Val. Anlys fidei l. 8. c. 10. §. Ex quo This were to giue infallibility not to the Pope but to the Pope with his Cardinals place not infallibility in the Counsellors but onely in the Pope himselfe his faylings are not to be amended by theirs but theirs by him and indeed if he be infallible they are superfluous and so are all Councels and learned men See another Pope somewhat elder but a great deale worse Iohn 12. d Banonius anno 955. He was made Pope at 18. yeeres of age the Romish Church thought it a lesse euill to endure one head though monstrous Monstruosum quantum libet caput ferre saith Baronius d Banonius anno 955. than to be infamed with two heads and one body to be cut in two Vpon Saint Dunstans comming to him to receiue his Pall to bee Archbishop of Canterbury at last Baronius addes Vidisti extrema duo Episcopum sanctissimum pontificem vero moribus perditissimum Thou hast seene two extreme contraries A most holy Bishop Dunstan and a most wicked liuing Pope Iohn the twelfth e Baron anno 963 n. 17. Baronius saith this Iohn was accused of many most notorious crimes of adultery with Rainerius his widdow and with Stephana â—is Fathers concubine and the widdow Anna and with his or her neece and that he made the holy pallace a stewes and brothell house that hee put out the eyes of his ghostly Father Bened who died vpon it that hee cut off the stones of Iohn the Cardinall subdeacon and so killed him that he dranke to the loue of the Diuell in wine that in playing at dice he would inuocate the ayde of Iupiter Venus and other heathen gods that the whole Councell of the Bishops of Italy wrote vnto him that he was accused of murder periury sacriledge yea and incest with his own kindred and his two sisters c. they required him to come and answere for himselfe promising him to doe nothing but according to the Canons He wrote againe thus ridiculously and childishly Ionnes episcopus seruus seruorum Dei omnibus episcopis Nos audiuimus dicere quod vos vultis alium papam facere si haec feceritis excommunico vos de Deo omnipotenti vt non habeatis licentiam vllum ordinare missam celebrare f Platina in Ioan. 13. Platina in his life reckoning him Iohn 13. cals him sceleratissimum hominem vel monstrum potius a most wicked man or rather a monster and againe Virum omnium qui vnquam ante se in pontificatu fere perniciosissimum sceleratissimum A man of all that euer were before him in the Popedome the most pernicious and wicked When this Iohn fled the Emperor Otho made Leo Pope in his roome but assoone as the Emperour was gone Iohn by the helpe of his kindred and clients put downe Leo and reygned againe shortly after committing adultery with another mans wife he was thrust thorow and slayne or as g Baron anno 964. n. 17. Baronius thinkes he was in his adultery strucken in the Temples by the diuels and so dyed Was this a man likely to be the infallible mouth and organ of the holy Ghost If Baronius and Platina be not witnesses sufficient reade â—he same story in your owne h Sigonius l. 7. de regno Italioe Sigonius the Popes hyred reader in one of his Vniuersities who writes it somewhat fully following Luitprandus Martinus Polanus Tritâ—mius Platina Krantzius all your owne Catholike Historians I omit a number of wicked Popes fellowes and equals to these for I should both weary and stinke you out if I should rake long in the dunghill of these Popes liues whereof there were fifty in one plumpe as your owne i Genebrard l. 4. Chronologiae seâ—ulo 10 anno 90 pag. 546. Genebrard writeth rather Apostaticall than Apostolicall in the space of an 150. yeeres I will onely shew you a briefe of the story of a few Popes in a short time and their strange Vnity Infallibility and Holinesse k These things yee may reade in Platina Luit prandus and Bellarmine also lib. 4. de Rom. pont cap. 12. §. vigesimus septimus and in Baronius anno 897. Who onely differeth in attributing to Stephanus that which others doe to Sergius Formosus a Cardinall and Bishop was cursed deposed and degraded by Pope Iohn the 8 whom Platina reckons Iohn the ninth who driuing him out of Rome caused him to sweare neuer to returne either to the City or to his Bishopricke But Iohn being dead his successor Martin 2 absolued Formosus from his oath and restored him to his former dignity Not long after the same Formosus obtained the Popedome wherein hee liued fiue yeeres After him succeeded Bonifacius 6 liuing Pope but twenty six dayes then Stephanus 6. Who abrogated Formosus his decrees disanulled his acts in a Councell tooke vp his body dispoyled it of the pontificall habite as vniustly made Pope after periury cut off two of his fingers wherewith hee had consecrated cast them into Tyber and buried him in lay-mens garments This Steuen reygned
but one yeere and three months After him succeeded Romanus 1. Who abrogated the decrees and acts of Steuen and reygned but three months then came Theodorus 2. who restored also Formosus his acts and followers liuing Pope but twenty dayes Then succeeded Iohn 9. Platina cals him Iohn the tenth who fully restored the acts of Formosus and abrogated Steuens confirming all by a Councell Notwithstanding all this Sergius 3. restored Steuen and condemned Formosus agayne admitted them to priesthood againe whom Formosus had deposed and whom Formosus had ordered hee againe degraded and caused them to take new Orders and againe tooke vp Formosus his body out of the sepulcher beheaded it and cast the body into Tyber as vnworthy the honour of buriall Whereupon saith Baronius l Baron anno 908. one Auxilius then wrote a dialogue betwixt Infensor and Defensor against this inbred discord of the Romish Church and of the Popes ordinations exordinations and supeâ—-ordinations c. m Nauclerus generat 31. initio Thus were Saint Peters successors whirled about not with the spirit of godlinesse but with the spirit of giddinesse Vertigo rotabat Petri successores saith Krantzius n Krantzius Metrepolis l. 2 c. 22. Martin Polon Nanclerus ib. saith there were 8. Popes in one King Lodowicks time who reygned not aboue 12 yeeres and the head of the Church was long without a brayne Where was then the infallibility of these Popes iudgement in the gouernment of the greatest affayres of the Church where was their charity and holinesse nay where was ordinary honesty ciuility or humanity Here was indeed a most bestiall rage reaching not onely to the death-bed but to the graue with digging vp bones dismembring dead carkasses derogating from their persons abrogating their acts disanulling their ordinations disgracing their Fauorites degrading the Prelats by their predecessors preferred Pope against Pope one head of the Church against another and Councells against Councells setting the world in amaze dissoluing religion and gouernment that men knew not what to thinke nor what to doe Where was the vnity of minde and peace among inferiours when the heads were so brainsicke or so hare-braind or rather wolfe-braind Antiq. Enough enough you haue wearied and stuncke mee out indeed with these filthy storyes which I would neuer haue beleeued had you not turned mee to their owne authours to reade them with mine owne eyes But it is most admirable that God did yet preserue his Church by such wicked instruments for you know the doctrine and sacraments deliuered by Iudas were good and profitable though hee was wicked Antiquiss o Genebrard quo supra â— tanto numero pontificuÌ„ quinque modò satis tenuiter landatur Our Sauiour in chusing Iudas had a purpose to saue vs by working good out of his treason but had hee chosen ten Iudasses for one or two good Apostles the world would haue muttered at him as improuident Your Genebrard reports of 50 Popes Apostaticall together and scarce fiue of them any whit Apostolicall and doubtlesse hee speakes the best for his owne side and the after times grew worse rather than better Also though the ministeriall acts being ordinary and receiued of the Apostles you will say might bee effectuall though wicked men performe them which to deny is contrafidem and so condemnes them that abrogated Formâ—sus his ordinations p Bellar. de Rom. pont l. 4 cap. 2. § vigesimus sept §. sed obiicies yet their infallibility being an extraordinay priuiledge in things not ordered by the Apostles hath no probability at all but rather the crossing one of another in their Decrees and in their Counsells called and confirmed by themselues vtterly confutes it §. 4. Antiq. These things you draw in à latere sidelings shew mee some Popes that haue directly and facto indeed erred in the Faith and then I shall thinke them fallible See D. Field Church booke 5. cap. 43. Bellar. de Rom pont lib 4. Antiquis Bellarmine himselfe yeelds you enow though he labour with all his art and wit to excuse all for some haue erred too grossely to be excused too manifestly to be denied 1 Pope Gregory 3. Ex ignorantia lapsus est saith Bellarmine i Bellar. ib c 12. §. sed contra hoc est c. when he permitted a man to take a second wife his first yet liuing but vnable to pay her debt vnto him and taught that in some case a man might with the license of his wife marry another and so haue two at once which indeed is false doctrine and so defined by the Councell of Trent sels 24. can 2. 2 ib cap. 8. §. Decimus est Marcellinus 2 Pope Marcellinus beyoÌ„d decreeing proceeded to fact sacrificed to Idols teaching Idolatry and Hetheamsme by fact and example But it was for feare of death saith Bellarmine And 3 ib. cap. 9. 3 Pope Liberius subscribed to the Arrian heresie set his hand against Athanasius wrote wicked Epistles but saith Bellarmine it was for feare of death or torments A man may by the same reason excuse Peters deniall of Christ and say it was no sinne if this was no error Pope Vigillus wrote to the Empresse 4 ib. cap. 10. and to the heretikes confirming their heresie and cursing the Catholike teachers that confessed two natures in Christ wicked letters vnworthy a Christian man But saith Bellarmine hee did it for desire of the Papacy and in great strayts into which his ambition had cast him As though wicked affections could excuse mens errours Pope Honorius was condemned for an heretike 5 ib. cap. 11. by the sixt generall Councell and againe by the seuenth and in an Epistle of Pope Leo but all these were corrupted saith Bellarmine or misinformed See this man liuing but yesterday knowes better than whole Councels Popes and authors liuing in that age and is bold to accuse whole generall Councels of corruption to keepe one Pope from corruption Pope Celestine 3. 6 ib. cap. 14. § cricesimus tertius cannot bee excused from heresie saith their Alphonsus de Castro for teaching that by heresie Matrimony is so farre dissolued that the innocent party may marry againe the contrary whereof is defined by the Councell of Trent Sess 24. Cannon 5. and by Innocent 3. Bellarmine saith This was indeed Celestines opinion but not any decree a poore excuse 7 ib. cap. 14. See many Popes crossing one another in iudgement ex diam etro noted by Erasmus annot in 1 Cor. 7. pag. 373 374. Basilea 1522 cited by B. MortoÌ„ Appeal l. 3. c 15 § 1. p 403. Pope Iohn 22. held opinion that the soules departed came not to see God till after the resurrection Bellarmine answers hee might so hold without danger because yet there had beene no definition of the Church in this point also he purposed to define the question but was by death preuented A slender answer leauing him still infallibly faulty §. 5. Antiq. Sir you
Testament Page 40 Paragraph § 2 Neither is such infallibility now necessary in any man Page 44 Paragraph § 3 But if in any man most improbably in the Popes wherof some haue been children and many most wicked men and monsters of men Page 45 Paragraph § 4 And many Popes haue erred De facto in iudgment Page 50 Paragraph § 5 Which all the Romists distinctions and euasions cannot auoyd Page 51 Paragraph § 6 The manifold and manifest iudgement of Antiquity ouerthrowes this supposed infallibility Page 56 Paragraph For I. The ancients euer accounted the Popes fallible Page 56 Paragraph II. They neuer in their writings mentioned their infallibility Page 56 Paragraph III. But reiected often both their Jurisdiction and Iudgment Page 57 Paragraph IIII. If infallible iudgement in the pope had beene established and beleeued the Fathers studies and commentaries vpon the Scriptures had been needlesse Page 58 Paragraph V. And Councels had beene called to no purpose Page 58 CHAP. 8. Of the good which the Popes supremacy might doe to the Church and States by vniting Christian Princes among themselues and against the Turke Paragraph § 1 This is vrged Page 60 Paragraph § 2 But answered that policies agreeable to Gods word and the Primitiue Church onely are sufficient and blessed by God Page 61 Paragraph § 3 But this policy binding men to vnity vnder some one head might be set vp by any sect to maintaine any errors or wickednesse Page 62 Paragraph § 4 And experience hath proued it very vnprofitable and vntollerable to all Churches and states sauing to the Popes owne state wealth and greatnesse Page 63 Paragraph § 5 As is shewed by the miserable troubles in Christendome wrought by Hildebrand who first set vp the Popes Princedome as Onuphrius saith about eleuen hundred yeeres after Christ Page 64 Paragraph § 6 And by the voyages against the Turke which finally proued profitable to the Pope not to Christian Princes Page 68 Paragraph § 7 As appeareth by the Stories of Pope Gregory 9. and the Emperour Fredericke 2. Page 69 Paragraph § 8 And many other most wicked Popes Page 74 Paragraph § 9 The Emperour Phocas erred much in gouernment in making the Pope so great so farre from him For Popes shortly after proued Masters of mis-rule ejecting the Emperours out of Italy Page 76 Paragraph § 10 Their turbulent proceeding to dethrone Princes Page 78 Paragraph § 11 Their troubles wrought in England in King Henry the first his time by Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury In King Henrie the 2 his time by Becker In King Iohns time by Pope Innocent Page 80 Paragraph § 12 In these later times of Queene Elizabeth by the Bull of Pope Pius Quintus deposing her and by erecting at Rome and Rhemes Seminaries that is Schooles to breed Traitors and draw her subiects to disobedience treasons and rebellions Page 89 Paragraph A briefe enumeration of some treasons in Queene Elizabeths time The Rebellion in the North. Page 91 And other petty conspiracies Page 92 Sanders Page 93 Of Ormonds brethren Page 92 Of Stukely Page 93 Someruile Page 94 Motiues to the Ladies of Honour Page 94 Mendoza Page 94 Doctor Parry Page 95 Sauage Page 96 Aubespineus Page 96 The Spanish Armado Page 97 Squire Page 99 In the time of King Iames Watson Clark others Page 102 Throgmorton Page 94 Creighton the Iesuite Page 95 Percy Page 96 Ballard Page 96 Stanly and Yorke Page 97 Lopez Page 99 Tyrone Page 100 The Powder Treason Page 102 Paragraph § 13 Some obseruations out of these A good Christian abhorreth these Treasons and therefore cannot like of that doctrine that teacheth them Page 106 Paragraph § 14 Therefore euery good man is forced by reason to renounce to be an absolute Papist and therefore cannot thinke the doctrines grounded onely vpon the Popes authority without Scripture to be necessary and consequently must acknowledge that it is not necessary to bee a Roman-Catholicke Page 108 Paragraph The conclusion with a briefe Recapitulation of the whole precedent conference Page 110 Friendly Reader before thou readest these bookes amend with thy pen these grosser faults which most of them pervert the sense PAge 1. In the first line of the Text for notice read motiue p. 18. l. 29. r. vnder the persecuting Emp. p. 33. 4. then they gaue to other holy Bishops p. 45. 26. Of all the Bishops ib lin 27. first that trusting p. 76. maâ—g l. â— x. Boniface 8. liued anno 1300 p. 81. 6. and reciting ib. lin 8 pâ—lgrimages p. 85. 11. is insufficient to set vp p. 86. 14. there be not more care p 89. 17. but were built p. 98. 1. for the Pope ment p. 104. 14. and make of Christs milâ—tant Church a Church trâ—umphant vpon earth p. 109. lin vlt. maried p. 112. 25. hath worne a girdle p 1â—6 26. to the last times p. 152. 28. we propose p. 208. 17. per sacramentum memoriae celebratur p. 244. 34. for Stoiks read Scotâ—sts p. 246. 31. forâ—t is no indignity p. 264. 30. root author p. 126. 9. must be diminished p. 138. â— latent invisible Church p. 139. 25. it is not visible p. 274. 34. full of â—ighte 304 marg ad lin 22. ordinator hareticus verè In the second Alphabet CC. p. 33. lin â—4 put cut not p. 46. marg lin 26. Baronius anno 963. n. 17. p. 54. marg l 25. Anno a Christs natâ— 1033 a Christs passâ— 1000. Other faults there are scarce veniall which deserue correction Page 7. lin 27. read warres and dissentions p. 13. 13. Simon Magnus among them p. 14. 9. for saâ—th read truth p. 20. 8. from the first pure d. p. 31. 8. Church kingdome ib. lin 14. Cameracensis ib. l. vlt. large authors p. 37. 2â— Infallibitily p. 38. 13. decretal ib. l. 18. infamis ib. l. 19. choked ib. l. 25. saith this p. 40. 17. the ancient vitility p. 42. 14. Calosyria ib. l. 23. schism 1. ib. l. 30. in marg Greg. 7 libro p. 43. 12. Releherspergensis p. â—6 l. 12. and 18. Trithemius ib. l. 30. Schafnaburgensis p. 48 9. saith your Bish linea antepenult Valentianus p. 50. 18. into his mouth p. 51. l. vlt. foule and manifest p. 52. lin anteâ—en Patricius p. 51. 14. Diuinity p. 55. marg See these alleadged in my third booke p. 57. 14. this câ—â—cumgestation p. 60 8. Gualter Mapes p. 61. 24. Iohn Baâ—â—â—thorâ— p. 63. 15. Sodâ—â—â—â— dominatur p. 64 2. Lorell p 80. 26. anâ— beautifying all p 87. 16. abjuration p. 90 for Chap. 5. put § 5. p. 91. 2. robbers ib. l. â—â— acknowledged p 93 4. to the Pâ—pe To giue p. 96. put â—ut marg Annal. Elizabethae Camden Apparat. pag. 2. and place it pag. 97. against Pope Iulâ—us the 2. c. p. 99. 1. searching p. 101. 19. frustrated p. 115. 27. put out this dignity is not new saitâ— Bellarmine b. for it 500 yeeres old â—ut surely that is new that came not in till after twise 500 yeeres
and patience such as is fit to winne others with all long suffring and doctrine 2 Tim. 2.24.25 and 4.2 1 Tim. 5.1.2 and 3.3 Prot. Sir wee pray with vnderstanding in our English Letany from all blindnesse of heart from pride vainglory and hipocrisie from enuy hatred and malice and all vncharitablenes good Lord deliuer vs. Rom. It is a good prayer I would it were well liked and practised of you all Prot. You shall finde me not onely patient but exceeding pitifull and full of commiseration to you and to all other well-minded men that are seduced that be Errones onely and not Turbones as Lipsius distinguisheth them not wilfull but ready to yeeld to sound reason Iustus Lipsius Politic. and to the truth when it manifestly appeares such as be vere Candidi as I hope you bee But against those wicked seducers that wilfully persist to blindfould themselues and you by Pious fraudes as they call them and keepe you on their side for by-respects contrary to the truth laied open to their eies you must giue me leaue to vse iust indignation As we see the Prophets our Sauiour and his Apostles did Rom. Whomsoeuer you shall proue to be such I will ioyne with you in your lust indignation and abhorre them I account no fraud pious nor lawfull to doe euill that good may come of But by forgery and deceit to mis-lead simple soules from the truth in Religion I account most detestable Prot. If it please you then to alleadge your best and most solid reasons whereby you are moued to forsake our Church and embrace the now Roman Religion I will be willing to answer you Rom. I will doe it not of mine owne head but out of the best and learnedest Authors of our side Prot. And I will endeuour to answere out of the learnedest and most iudicious Authors of the Protestants and most especially out of our latest pithiest and substantiallest English writers referring you to the bookes themselues with notes of their Chapters Sections and Pages for your more thorow satisfaction and setling of your Iudgement with like allegations also of your owne best Authors when they doe as they doe often yeeld vs the truth A IVSTIFICATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND Demonstrating it to be a true Church of GOD affording all sufficient meanes to SALVATION CHAP. 1. The alleadged 1 antiquity of the Romish Church and newnesse of the Protestants Church 2 is shewed to be vaine for that the Protestants retain the ancient sauing faith and 3 onely weede out the super-seminated Tares 4 as Hezekias and other good Princes did in their times So that 5 these two Churches differ onely as fields well weeded and ouergrowne with weeds And 6 Protestants are not separated from the good things found in the Roman Church but from the Papacy which is a domineering faction in the Church 7 For the Doctrines whereof the ancient Martyrs suffered not but for the Doctrines which Protestants hold §. 1. Roman Catholicke IT is a sufficient notice to mislike and forsake the Protestants Church because it is new neuer seene nor heard of in the world in any Age or Countrey before Luthers time for wee know the true Church of Christ is ancient Bellar. de notis Ecclâ—s l. b. 4. c. 5. Gâ—eg de Valentâ—a Analysis fidei l. 6. c. 12. Costerus Enchirid cap. 2. §. convertat Campian ratâ—o 4 5 6 7. Doct Hil. reas 1. And all Roman Writers triumph in this Argument See B. White ag Fisher p. 115. Cal. inst l. 4. c. 2. §. 2. continued from our Sauiours owne time and such is the Church of Rome founded vpon the chiefe Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul manifestly traced throughout all Ages with an honourable and certaine succession of Bishops the successors of S. Peter All Tyrants Traitors Pagans Hereticks in vaine wrastling raging barking against it confirmed by all worthy Counsels the generall graue Senates of Gods highest Officers and Ministers vpon earth enriched with the Sermons and writings of all the sage learned and holy Doctors and Fathers made famous by all those millions of Saints with their holinesse Martyrs with their suffrings Confessors with their constancy the building of Churches Monasteries Colledges Vniuersities and by all excellent meanes made conspicuous and honourable to the whole world Is it likely is it possible that this Church so ancâ—ent so honourable so holy and glorious should all this while be false hereticall and now to bee forsaken and reiected and a new particular Church lately moulded and erected by Luther Melancton Caluin Beza and a few other obscure vpstarts should bee the only true Church to be imbraced or that the most gracious God would hide his sauing truth from the world fifteene hundred yeeres to the distruction and damnation of so many millions of soules and now at last reueale it to a few in a corner No Sir giue mee leaue herein to take the name of Antiquus to liue and dye in the old Religion and to refuse your new §. 2. Protestant This is indeed the generall enchantment whereby those that compasse Sea and Land to make Romish Proselytes doe bewitch the vnwary and were it true it were able to draw all the world to become Roman-Catholicks But I pray you marke my counter-charme shewing the vntruth and weaknesse of your assertion We of the Church of England doe professe and protest that we are of that a All our learned Bishops Docâ—ors and Preachers beat vpon this point B. Iewel Arch. Abbot B. Abbot B. Bilson B. Andrewes B. Carlton B. Barlow B. Morton B. Vsher B. Downan B. White B. Hall D. â—ulk D. Whitacres D. Field D. White B. Bot. D. utclis D. Favour Mr. Perkins and inâ—umerable others true ancient Church of Christ which you describe b â—ee Fâ—eld Church lib. 3. cap. 6. c. that we hold entirely and soundly all that sauing Doctrine which the blessed Sonne of God brought into the world and his Apostles taught wrote in the holy Scriptures and which the ancient holy Fathers of the Primitiue Church held with great vnity and vniuersality for many ages §. 3. c This is shewâ—d chap. 5. sect â— Booke 2. chap. 2. §. 6. chap. 4. sect 2. And we reiect nothing but the corruptions errours and abuses that haue crept into the Church in later times and from small beginnings haue growne at last to be great and vntollerable those onely we haue refused and haue reformed our particular Churches in diuers Kingdomes and Nations as neare as we could to the fashion of the first true pure and vncorrupt Churches retaining all the Doctrines of the Church of Rome which we found to be Catholicke or agreeable to the faith of the whole Church in all times and places d See D. White against Fisher pag. 68. But Doctrines not Catholicke being neither Primitiue belonging to the ancient Church nor generally receiued by the whole Church either at this day nor in any other age
1 Kings 19.10 God had 7000 true seruants in secret though their names be not recorded ibid. vers 18. So doubtlesse it was in other most depraued times §. 3. Antiquus Though this were so See Field Church lib. 3. cap. 10. lib. 4. cap. 4. yet the Churches of the New Testament had Prophesies of greater purity Psal 45.13 and by our Sauiours power and care may bee kept without spot or wrinckle Ephes 5.26 27. Antiquissimus Such things are spoken of the best parts of the Church vpon earth washed by Christs blood and made beautifull by his righteousnesse and by their owne practise of holinesse but those are meerly discernable by Gods eye But those places of Scripture specially respect that part of the Church which is triumphant in Heauen and there presented by our Sauiour Ephes 5.27 But the generall face of visible Churches vpon earth haue bin ordinarily stayned with spots and blemishes the Church of Corinth with sects and schismes and other deprauations yea with doubting or denying that great Article of faith the life of Christianity the Resurrection of the dead Galatia erred in the great point of Iustification against which errour Saint Paul opposed his Epistle written to them In the Church of Pergamus some held the doctrine of Balaam and of the Nicolaitans teaching to eate things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication Reu. 2.14 The like was in the Church of Thyatira Reuel 2.20 c. And if there were no possibility or likelihood of errours and heresies in the Churches of the New Testament What needed those warnings and admonitions Keepe your selues from Idols 1 Iohn 5.21 Beware of false prophets in sheepes cloathing Mat. 7.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Charge men that they teach no other doctrine 1 Tim. 1.3 Stop the mouthes of the gain-sayers that subuert whole houses Tit. 1.11 And to what end were Visitations Counsels and all Offices and Gouernment in the Church but for maintaining of true doctrine preuenting and rooting out of errours and abuses §. 4. Matth. 18.7 1 Cor. 11.19 Remember that our Sauiour said There must be offences in the world and Saint Paul There must be heresies Yea it is necessary that there be both for the good of the faithfull the good of the faith and the punishment of the faithlesse To which ends God suffers these two causes to concurre and worke to wit the Deuils malice and Mans corruption because God can worke good out of their euill The Diuels malice and policy neuer ceaseth still to pursue the seed of the Woman and to bite the heele seeking both by persecutions and heresies to supplant Gods Church to plant and increase his owne Kingdome He attempted our head Matth. 4.3 and so will doe his members Luke 22.31 2 Cor. 12.7 Ephes 6.11 12. 1 Pet. 5.8 2 Cor. 11.14 Mans corruption and blindnesse is also easie to bee drawne by others and easily drawne by his own affections out of the right way as Micah Iudges 17. to worship God by a siluer Image thinking blindly that euery worke with a good intention would please God and draw blessings from him Salomon by loue to his wiues was drawen to Idolatry Our Eues are weake to be seduced 1 Kings 11.4 strong to seduce vs. Ieroboam by ambitious policy 1 Kings 12.26 Acts 19.24.28 set vp Idolatry to keep his people at home Demetrius and the Ephesians for couetousnesse magnified the Idol of Diana and cryed downe the Gospel Acts 19. Simon Magus through pride bewitched the people Acts 8.9.10 that he might seeme some great man Simon Magus among them These and such other affections and actions God permits to oppose corrupt or blind the truth First for the good oâ— the faithfull that their diligence in searching their wisdome in discerning their constancy in holding the truth their loue to winne the aduersaries their patience to endure opposition disgrace persecution yea Death and Martyrdome for the truth and their many other vertues may shine to Gods glory others example and their owne crowne Reu. 3.11 Secondly for the good of the faith Vt fides habendo tentationem haberet etiam probationem saith Tertullian that our faith being sifted winnowed tried examined may be more approued and appeare more solid sound pure like the gold that is purified in the fire Thirdly for the punishment of the faâ—thles Rom. 1.21.22.23 c. 2 Thes 2.11 for it is iust with God that such as hold the truth in vnrighteousnesse should be punished with losse of the truth and left to their owne errours and damnable corruptions euen to the efficacy of delusion to beleeue lies §. 5. Antiquus Be it so that all other Churches may erre yet the Roman Church which the chiefe Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul planted and where Saint Peter the Vniuersall Pastor of the whole Church liued and dyed leauing his successors to gouerne the whole Church to the end of the world hath this double priuiledge aboue all other Churches both to continue to the end and to be free from errour Antiquissimus A prety imagination but voyde of faith For if the Church of Rome be not as subiect to errours and deprauations yea and to Apostacy as other Churches what needed that Admonition of Saint Paul to the Romans Rom. 11.20 Bee not high-minded but feare For if God spared not the naturall branches the Hebrewes Take heed lest he also spare not thee This was a Caueat for Gentiles and consequently to the Romans which were Gentiles among them The Romans are not excepted or priuiledged Nay they are principally intended for to them that Epistle was written cap. 1. vers 7. To all that be at Rome Beloued of God called to bee Saints To them Saint Paul saith Be not high-minded affecting superiority ouer all Gods Church as if Rome were the root and all other the branches but feare yea feare both errour and apostacy For you may fall from goodnesse and be cut off for verse 10. thou bearest not the root but the root thee be content to be a branch of the Oliue tree as other Churches are they depend not on thee no more then thou on them but all of you alike vpon the root Thou art not the Mother be content to be a Daughter a Sister to the rest Suppose one of the eldest sisters liuing yet the elder may be sicke and neare to death when the yonger are more sound and perfect Marke the 22 verse Behold the goodnesse and seuerity of God on them which fell seuerity but towards thee goodnesse iâ— thou continue in his goodnesse otherwise thou also shalt be also cut off Note if there were no possibility of the Roman Churches falling from the goodnesse which then it had this admonition directed to them were idle but vpon supposition of such falling as other Churches haue done he denounceth absolutely a cutting off Antiquus Such suppositions doe enforce good Caueats and warnings to make that Church watchfull as by Gods grace it
hath beene so that no such errours and heresies haue come into it §. 6. Antiquissimus Yes euen in S. Pauls time Abuses began in the Roman Church as well as in the Corinthian Galatian and others Whereof S. Paul giues another Caueat chap. 16. verse 17 18. I beseech you Brethren saith he Marke them which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyde them For they which are such serue not our Lord Iesus Christ but their owne belly and by good words and faire speeches deceiue the hearts of the simple And verse 19 though he praise them yet he addeth But J would haue you wise vnto that which is good and simple or harmelesse concerning euill and he prayeth God to establish them verse 25. Antiquus All this yet prooues not that euer any such errours preuailed in the Church of Rome to the defacing or corrupting the soundnesse thereof §. 7. Antiquissimus But the Ancient Fathers and the Histories of the Church doe proue it Hieronymus contra Luciferianos Basil epist 69. As namely in the Arrian heresie whereby the Church of Rome together with the rest of the world was maruellously both defaced and corrupted that both in the members and in the head Whereof S. Jerom wrote that the whole world groned and wondered that it was become Arrian And S. Basil that men abandoned the houses of Prayer which then were made schooles of Impiety and were faine to pray to the Lord in Desarts And S. Hilary admonished in many words that the Church at that time was not to be sought Jn tectis exteriori pompa sed potius in carceribus speluncis in Houses or Temples and outward pompe but rather in Prisons and Caues Bellar De Pont. Rom. lib. 4. câ—p 9. initio Bellarm. in that Booke reckons 40. Popes accused of errours and heresies whom he labours to excuse but confesseth most of them guilty in one degree or other And when Liberius Bishop of Rome himselfe was drawne to subscribe to the Arrian heresie yeelded to the condemnation of Athanasius and communicated with Valens and Vrsarius whom he knew to be Hereticks As Bellarmine confesseth Antiquus This was a heauy time and a heauy thing it is to heare it yet in good time the Church of Rome recouered §. 8. Antiquissimus But the Scripture mentioneth another defection of Rome which will neuer be recouered For your Roman Doctors cannot auoyd it but Babylon in the 17 and 18 of the Reuelation signifieth Rome chap. 17.9 The seuen heads are seuen mountaines on which the woman sitteth and verse 18. The woman which thou sawest is the great City which raigneth ouer the Kings of the earth These two properties of the City situate vpon seuen hils and also raigning ouer the Kings of the earth doe manifestly describe the City of Rome and none other as it was in S. Johns time when the Reuelation was giuen Your owne Iesuite Ribera Doctor of Diuinity and Professor in the Vniuersity of Salmantica in his Commentaries vpon the Apocalyps chap. 14. verse 8 Num. 25. sequentib shewes plainely that Babylon can signifie nothing else but the City of Rome he cites many testimonies of the Fathers for it Hee cites also Sixtus Senensis and Bellarmine to bee of the same opinion and many other late Writers and concludes with these words Vt alios hujus aetatis scriptores omittam hoc dicam Ambrosius qui prius negaverat tandem in cap. 17. veritate conuictus Babylonem Romam significare confessus est Huic conveniunt aptissime omnia quae de Babylone dicuntur in hoc libro Apocalypscos and this he shewes at large in many particulars The like hath Viegas another Iesuite Viega in Apoc. 17. com 1. sect 4. pag. 772. Rhemist annot on Apoc. 17.9 scoffe at vs. so Bellar. de Rom. Pont. lib. 3. cap. 2. Parsons 3. conuersions part 2. cap. 5. v. Bishop Reformed Cath. Doctor also of Diuinity and Reader in two Vniuersities of Portugall Conimbrica and Ebora And your Rhemish though they scoffe at the Protestants for interpreting Babylon to be Rome in Reuel 17.5 yet presently after they are forced themselues to confesse that Babylon signifies the City of Rome but they shift all from the Pope to the persecuting Emperours and apply the propheticall discourse to the times of S. Iohn the Writer principally as a type of the place wheresoeuer it be where Antichrist shall sit towards the end of the world But Ribera and Viegas proue plainly that S. Johns description agreeth to Rome towards the end of the world when Rome shall be the feat of Antichrist and shall be finally fully and irrecouerably destroyed according to the plaine words of Reuel 18. verse 2 8 21 c. Ribera pag. 454. saith Roma nisi pristinam illam impietatem of Idolatry and persecutions vnder the Emperours novis sceleribus immanibus peccatis aequatura esset maneret vsque ad finem seculi extremum Etenim non propter priora tantum peccata cam conflagraturam esse magno incendio vt ante diximus sed etiam propter illa quae extremis illis temporibus commissura est ex huius Apocalypsis verbis adeo perspicuè cognoscimus vt ne stultissimus-quidem negare possit Rome saith Ribera should doubtlesse continue to the end of the world if it did not match the old Impiety of the Emperours with new impieties and grieuous sinnes For we plainly learne that it shall be destroyed with that great consuming fire not for the former sins onely as we said before but for those sinnes which it shall commit in the last times yea wee learne it so plainly out of the words of this Reuelation that surely the veriest foole cannot deny it §. 9. Antiquus Indeed these learned Roman Doctors are plaine and powerfull in prouing this Mysticall Babylon described in the Reuelation can signifie no place but Rome and that it must be the seat of Antichrist towards the later end of the world But the same Doctors say also that Antichrist and the Pope are two diuerse things yea contrary one to the other as also that the Church of Rome and City of Rome are diuerse things and further that Antichrist is not yet come neither shall he come vntill three yeares and a halfe before the last day Reuel 11.3 12.6 14. 13.5 as they gather out of the prophesie of Daniel and the Reuelation by the 1260 dayes which make 42 moneths and a time times and halfe a time Hieronym in Daniel 9. Antiquissimus S. Ierom vnderstood those prophesies of the destruction of Ierusalem to which they maruellously agree and to the raigne of Antichrist it is very vnlikely they should agree * See B. Downam de Antichristo part 2. ad Demonstrat 13 §. 5. c. K. Iames his Praemonition pag. 60. seqq But your men haue reason to keepe off this deadly blow from themselues and their head Note their shifts
Bishop of Rome often entitles Cyprian Papa in Epistles sent to him This holy Martyr Cyprian wrote sharply to Cornelius Bishop of Rome against his vniust intermedling with delinquents of Africa which being censured or excommunicated by their owne Bishops fled to Rome to procure fauour and protection Cyprian saith That a part of the Flocke is appointed to each Pastor which each in seuerall must rule and guide c. Yea Cyprian and with him the whole Nation of Africa refused and resisted the Popes Iudgement and gouernment for this point And Cyprian proceeded to write very contumeliously of him as Bellarmine granteth calling the Pope superbum imperitum caecae ac prauae mentis Proud misiudging of a blind and corrupt minde And not onely the holy Martyr Cyprian with his African Bishops but Saint Basil the Great Basil epist 10. Baronius anno 372. § 32. Vsher ib. cap. 1. pag. 23. found great fault with these beginnings of corruptions getting foot-hold in the Latin Church He called it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Occidentale supercilium The Westerne pride and saith elsewhere Odi fastum illius ecclesiae I hate the pride and presumption of that Church D Field church lib. 5. pag. 240. cap 39. Gerson part 4. serm de pace vnitate Graecorum consid 6. And indeed this beginning of corruptions grew so great in the end that it occasioned the lamentable separation of the Easterne or Greek Church from the communion with the Latin Church The other 4 Patriarks diuiding themselues from the B. of Rome and at their parting vsing these or the like words See B. Carlton Iurisd cap. 5. Thy greatnesse we know thy couetousnesse we cannot satisfie thy encroaching we can no longer abide liue to thy selfe §. 3. Concil Carthag 6 cap. 3. See this whole story fully discust and all shifts answered in B. Mortons Appeal l b. 4 cap. 8. per totum For these seeds grew from time to time In the time of Pope Zozimus who sate at Rome 417. began a foul matter he receiued Plaintifes out of Africa and alleadged for his warrant a Canon of the Councell of Nice But the Bishops of Africa gathered together in a Councell at Carthage could not find that Canon in their copies ot the Nâ—cene Councell nor euer heard of it before though some of them were of the best learned Diuines then liuing in the world so that they were much troubled and offended at it and tooke notice of the Roman-growing ambition They write therfore to Zozimus denying for the present both the Canon and the Popes request vntill they had searched further And their letter was deliuered to Boniface Concil African Cap. â—01 successor to Zozimus who dyed in the interim and is extant in the Tomes of the Councels Meane season the Fathers of the Councell of Carthage procured two authentick copies of the Nicene Canons one from Cyrillus Bishop of Auxandria the other from Atticus Bishop of Constantinople wherein no such thing was found as Zozimus had alleadged So that when Boniface vrged this matter againe they sent their Decree That the true Canons of the Nicene Councels should be obserued but this Canon they reiected as forged and supposititions But Boniface was also dead before their Letters came to Rome and Celestinus his successor receiued them This Celestine vrged the Canon againe sending Commissioners into Africke to maintaine the cause But the African Bishops would not yeeld Concil African cap. 105. but wrote their absolute denyall after much debating both of the Canon as forged and of the Popes request as vnfit and vnusuall admonishing him Ne fumosum typhum saeculi in ecclesiam Christi induceret c. That he and his successors would not bring into the Church the smoaky pride of the world c. And they made a Decree that no appeales should be made to Rome or to any other place from Africke The like Decree had been made in S. Cyprians time Concil Afric cap. 92. Cyprian ep 55. by all the Bishops of Africa that where any fault was committed there the cause should be heard to preuent appeales to other places or claimes of other Bishops And this Canon of the African Councell Concil Mileuitan cap. 22. was also repeated and confirmed in the Mileuitan Councel where S. Augustine was present For the sixt Carthagenian the seuenth Carthagenian the African and Milevitan Councels were held all about this time by the same men And in all this businesse S. Augustine had an especiall hand So that here we haue S. Cyprian S. Augustine and all the Bishops and Church of Africa misliking resisting and making Decrees or Canons against the corruptions and vsurpations growing in the Church of Rome Yea Hardings answer to Jewels challenge pag. 290. and if we may beleeue Mr. Harding and his Authors These Saints Martyrs and Bishops withstood stood out and liued and dyed out of the Communion of the Church of Rome an hundred yeares together rather then they would admit the corruptions and vsurpations of that Church although these corruptions were then but in the beginning and farre from the height which now they are come vnto §. 4. And indeed before they came to that height their owne Bishop Gregory the first cryed out of that ambition in the Bishop of Constantinople which the Bishops of Rome shortly after assumed For Iohn Bishop of Constantinople with new pride and presumption stroue to be called The chiefe vniuersall Bishop or Occumeniall Patriarke which Gregory a Greg. Regist lib. 4. ep 32. novum nomen sceleflum nomen singularitatis condemned as a new and wicked name a name of singularity which none of the Bishops of Româ— had euer assumed and whosoeuer had it b Epist 34. was the forerunner of Antichrist c ep 38 39. 34. the Vniuersall plague of the Church and corrupter of the faith with many other like tearmes d Lib. 7. ep 30. 69. c. The same Gregory complained grieuously of those times and e Lib. 8. ep 36. prophesied that they that came after should see worse times in comparison whereof they would thinke the former times happy And in one place he said f Lib. 4. ep 38. All things that are foretold shall come to passe The King of pride is at hand and which is most grieuous an hoste of Priests is prepared for him This prophesie of Gregory liuing 600 yeares after Christ was in short time after fulfilled in his successors g Paulus Diaconus in Phoca Hic Phocas rogante Papa Bonifacio statuit sedem Romanae ecclesiae vt esset caput omnium ecclesiarum For Boniface the third obtained of Phocas the Emperour that the seat of the Roman Church should be head of all Churches and the Bishop thereof called h Baronius anno 106. n. 2. Solum Romanum Pontificem esse dicendum vniversale non autem Episcopum Constantinopolitanum See also Bâ—bliothecarius in Boniface 3. Platina in
mid-day in the open light come to deceiue the residue that still are in Christ persisting in their simplicity For he hath supped vp the riuers of wise men and torrents of powerfull men Iob 40.23 and hath hope that Jordan will run in his mouth that is The humble and simple that are in the Church For he is Antechrist which counterfetteth himselfe to be not onely the day 2 Thess 2.4 8. but the midday and extols himselfe aboue all that is worshipped as God whom the Lord Iesus will slay with the breath of his mouth and destroy in the appearing of his comming Bern. in Psal 90. vel 91. ser 6. This conclusion also he repeats writing vpon the Psalme Qui habitat Superest vt reueletur homo peccati c. It remaineth that the Man of sinne be reuealed the sonne of perdition Daemonium non modo diurnum sed meridianum quod non solum transfiguratur in Angelum lucis sed extollitur super omne quod dictur Deus aut quod colitur c. Bern. serm 1. in convers Pauli And elsewhere Saint Bernard makes his complaint to God O God thy neere friends come neere to stand against thee The whole Vniueâ—sity of Christian people from the least to the greatest seeme to haue conspired against thee From the sole of the feet to the crowne of the head there is no soundnesse Iniquity is gone out from the elder Iudges thy Vicars Of Bernard see more in D. â—â—eld Appendix to the fift booke of the Church part 1. pag. 88 89. which seem to rule thy people and now we cannot say such people such Priest for the people are not so as the Priest Alas alas O Lord God those are the first chiefe in persecution who seeme to loue and beare the first and chiefe place in thy Church c. Johannes Sarisburiensis told Hadrian the fourth Joh Sarisbur in Policratic lib. 6. cap. 24. plainly what the world thought of him and his Prelats that the Roman Church shewed her selfe not a mother but a step mother to all other Churches For in it sit the Scribes and Pharises laying importable burdens vpon mens shoulders which themselues will not touch with one finger They hurt very oft and herein they follow the Deuils which then are thought to doe good when they cease to doe harme except a very few who performe the name and office of Pastors Sed ipse Romanus Pontifex omnibus grauis fere intolerabilis est that is euen the Bishop of Rome himselfe is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Aliacus de Reformatione Ecclesiae Caesarius Heisterbach hist lib. 2. cap. 29. These times were euill the succeeding much worse Of which Petrus de Aliaco Cardinall of Cambray said It was a prouerbe in his time Ad hunc statum venit Romana ecclesia vt non esset digna regi nisi per reprobos The Church of Rome was come to that state that it was not worthy to be gouerned but onely by Reprobates Robert Grosthead Matth. Paris in Henric. 3. See this History abridged in D. Field church appendix part 1. pag. 97. B. Carlton Iurisd cap. 8. §. 111. a very learned and holy Bishop of Lincolne liuing anno 1140. wrote sharpely to the Pope for the euils he did specially in England that he was opposite to Christ a murderer of soules and an Hereticke in these his courses c. Vpon receit of which letters the Pope was exceedingly moued threatning to cast downe this Bishop into the pit of all confusion but was pâ—câ—fied by the more moderate Cardinals telling him of this Bishops holinesse learning reputation and since there must be a departure from their Church the medling with such an excellent man might occasion it the things which he proued being full and manifest Archb. Abboâ— contra Hill reason 1. §. 28. William Ockam an Englishman a great Schooleman liuing anno 1320. for his large reproofe of the Papacy in many points in his bookes he was excommunicated by the pope and dyed willingly vnder that sentence Catalog testium verit lib 18. D. Field ch l. 3. c. 11. He cryed out of peruerting Scriptures Fathers and Canons of the Church with shamelesse and Harlots foreheads and that many that should be pillars of the Church did cast themselues headlong into the pit of Heresies See B. Carlton Iurisdiction cap. 1. §. 11. Michael Cesenas liued anno 1320. he was generall of the Order of the Minorites he wrote against three constitutions of Pope Iohn 22. and was by Iohn depriued and disabled from taking any other dignity but Cesena appealed from the Pope as from the head of faction in the Church to the Roman Catholicke and Apostolicke Church and was fauoured therein by Ockam and many famous learned men and by the two Vniuersities of Oxford and Paris Nicholas Clemangis Archidiaconus Baiocensis liuing anno 1417. in his booke De corupto Ecclesiae statu writes very sharpely against the Popes ambition and couetousnesse preying vpon all Churches and bringing them into miserable slauery and against the stately Cardinals and other vices of the Clergy Gerson lib. de concil o vnius obedientiae and in many other bookes John Gerson Chancellor of Paris anno 1429. writes the like wishing that all things should be reformed and brought backe to their ancient state in or neere the Apostles times Of Gersons doctrine see D. Field Appendix to the fifth booke of the Church part 2. p. 73. seq Petrus de Aliaco Cardinalis Cameracensis liuing about the same time wrote to the Councell of Constance a booke wherin he reprooueth many notable abuses of the Romanists and giueth aduice how to redresse them Arch. Abbot ibid. §. 13. Laurentius Valla a Patricias of Rome and Canon of Saint Iohns of Lateran liuing about the same time wrote against the forged Donation of Constantine and many abuses of the Pope and was by the Pope driuen into exile I might here speake of Leonardus Aretinus Antonius Cornelius Lynnichanus and diuers other writers reprouing the same things §. 13. Antiquus Let them alone for these whom you haue alledged speake not of any false doctrines of the Church of Rome but onely against the wicked liues of the Professors Antiquissimus Yes against both and especially because they laboured by false doctrine to iustifie their doings and therefore they write not onely against the Pope but against the Papacy the very office that challenged a right to doe such things as the Pope and his Clergy did The two Cardinals Cameracensis and Cusanus Camer in his booke to the Councell of Constance Cusanus Concord Cathol lib. 2. wholly condemned the Papacy as we do denying the Popes vniuersality of Iurisdiction vncontroulable power infallible iudgement and right to meddle with Princes states making him nothing but the first Bishop in order and honour amongst the Bishops of the Christian Church And this claimed power of the Pope
would to God the forme of beleeuing were fetched from the Primitiue Church Thus saith Staâ—pulensis By which rule iustified by our Aduersaries we conclude that the holy Church of God need not receiue or beleeue any of those things following to wit Purgatory Inuocation of Saints departed worshipping of Images Auricular confession the Popes pardons Transubstantiation the Masse to be truely and properly a propitiatory sacrifice to be offered both for the quicke and the dead the Sacrament without Communicants and Communion vnder one kinde without the Cup to be sufficient for Lay people reseruation of the Sacrament and eleuation thereof to be worshipped and circumgestation in Procession for pompe and adoration Matrimony and extreme Vnction to be properly Sacraments of the New Testament and to conferre grace single life necessary to be imposed vpon the Clergy All which and more your Iesuite Azorius reckons for Traditions vnwritten p Azorius Institutionum lib 8. cap. 4. §. 3. seq Also that the Church of Rome is head of all â—hurches and that all Christians must fetch their Faith their Orders and iurisdiction from it that the Bishop thereof cannot erre in matters of faith or interpreting the Scriptures See more of this point Rainold Hart confer chap. 5. diuision 1. pag. 184 c. And chap. 8. divis 1. pag. 462. c. The Scriptures teach no such thing and therefore we need not beleeue it 5 We being constant to the former rule for the sufficiency of the Scriptures in matters of faith and good life further admit of some kind of Trad tions to wit first Doctrinall traditions agreeing with the Scriptures or thence truly deducted q Many Fathers call the whole Word of God which by some holy men guided by Gods Spirit was let downe in writing and by them also others deliuered to the people by liuely voyce A tradition which the Church must preseruâ— and also the forme of wholesome words Creeds Catechismes c. thence deducted 2 Tim. 1.13 Rom. 6 17. See Rain Hart. c. 8. d. 1. p 466 467. So the baptisme of Infants if not coÌ„manded in plaine words yet plainly deducted from Scripture Gen. 17.12 13. Col. 2.11 1â— Act. 2.38 39. Luke 18.16 Mar. 10.16 Mat. 19.14 18 14. 1 Cor. 7.14 Mat. 28.19 The doctrine of the Trinity the equality of three Diuine persons in one substance and the distinction by incommunicable proprieties Gen. 1.1 26. Mat. 3.16 Iob. 1.32 Mat. 17 5 28.29 2. Cor. 13.13 1 Iâ—b 5.7 Psal 2.7 Heb. â— 3 5. 7.3 Col. 1.15 The proceeding of the holy Gâ—ost from the Father and the Son as from one beginning and one spiration from all eternity Ioh. 14.26 15.26 16.13 14. Rom. 8.9 Secondly rituall traditions for order and decency left to the disposition of the Church being not of Diuine but of positiue and humane right r 1 Cor. 14.40 11.2 Acts 15 â—0 So they be not childish or trifling nor accounted parts of Gods worship nor with opinion of merit nor burthensome for their mâ—ltitude Å¿ Of the multitude S. Augustine complained in his time Epist 119. ad â—anuar c. 19. See D. Ram. Hart c. 8. div 4. p. 599. seq The first of these no man allowes and commends more then we and the second kind wee retaine and vse with reuerence such as are profitable and comely in our times and countries without condemning other Churches differing from ours in such matters as we find Saint Ambrose and Saint Augustine did Aug. Epist 188. But a third kind of Traditions obtruded for Articles of Religion grounds of Faith and part of Gods worship neither contained expresly in Gods word nor thence deducted by any sound inference and yet receiued by the Councell of Trent Sess 4. with the same authority and reuerence that the holy Scriptures are receiued those we gainesay as things derogating to the verity sufficiency and perfection of the Scriptures And herein your Romish Writers deale fraudulenly against vs and deceiue the world for they alleadge the Fathers speaking of the first kind of Traditions as if they spake of all whereas indeed they write very strongly and sharply against this third kind which wee refuse Bishop Vsher in his booke against the Jrish Iesuite pag. 36. seq alleadgeth a whole Iury of ancient Fathers testifying the sufficiency of the Scriptures for matters of Faith Tertullian Origen Hippolitus the Martyr Athanasius Ambrose Hilary Basil Gregory Nissen Jerom Augustine Cyril Theodoret. So that the Traditions which they vrge we alow and those that we deny they write sharpely against The Fathers say your Rom sh are not of the Protestants Church because they vrge Traditions but wee say more truely The Fathers are not of the Romish Church because they teach the Scripture is sufficient and needs no Traditions to supply their defect as the Romish teach When Bellarmine and your other Doctors are pressed with the authority of the Fathers they are compelled to yeelâ— vnto vs the sufficiency of the Scriptures as I alleadged artic 4. but obserue their vnconstancy lest they should ouerthrow thereby the manifold doctrines held by their Church that haue no ground in the Scriptures they are faine to maintaine also vnwritten Traditions to bee the grounds of those Doctrines See more of this point in Mr. Perkins Reformed Catholicke the 7 point B. Morton Apol. Cathol part 2. lib. 1. cap. 32. seq And Protestants Appeal lib. 2. cap. 25. D. Field of the Church Booke B. Vsher in his answer to the Irish Iesuite Rainolds and Hart confer chap. 5. diuision 1. pag. 190. 6 We receiue and beleeue also the three Creeds The Apostles the Nicene and that of Athanasius t These are in our Bookes of publicke prayer and booke of Articles of anno 1562 art 8 and subscribed vnto by all Ministers and the foure generall Councels of the Primitiue Church as good formes of true Christian Doctrine deductions and explications of Scripture u Acknowleeged by King Iames in his Praemonitiâ—n to all Christian Monarâ—s p. 35. and by our Acts of Parliament You receiue the same also but you adde a thirteenth article decreed to be an article of Faith thirteene hundred yeares after Christ by a thirteenth Apostle Pope Boniface the eight x Boniface 8. liued an 13â—â— his Decree runs thus Subesse Romano Pontâ—fici omni humanae creaturae declaramus dicimus desinimus pronunciamus omnino esse de necessitate salutis Thus Boniface 8 in extrauag de majoritate obedientia cap. vnam santaâ— That it is necessary to saluation to be subiect to the Bishop of Rome which is neither in the Scriptures ancient Creeds nor ancient Fathers nor can be thence deducted And you haue further also dately added 12 new Articles by the authority of Pope Pius 4. anno 1564 raised out of the Councell of Trent and added to the Nicene Creed to be receiued with oath as the true Catholicke Faith to bee
Iosephists Esperonists Arnoldists Wiclifists Hussits c. to omit other nick-names giuen them vpon other causes § 3 And now secondly that they were our fore-runners in the points of Religion wherein we differ from you your Writers shew plentifully a Hist Waldens Book 1. cap. 8. Aeneas Sylvius and Iohn du Bravius in their histories of Bohemia make the doctrine taught by Calvin all one with that of the Waldenses And the same Sylvius saith b Aeneas Sylv. hist Bohem. cap. 35. The Hussites did imbrace the opinions of the Waldenses And Hosius heres lib. 1. saith the leprosie of the Waldenses infected all Bohemia Lindanus in his Analyticke Tables makes Caluin inheritor of the Doctrine of the Waldenses Thomas Walden c VValden lib. 6. de reb Sacram. tit 12. cap. 10. saith The doctrine of the Waldenses crept out of the quarters of France into England meaning by Wiclife against whom he wrote d D. Vsher Gravis quaest cap. 8. §. 1. Poplinerius saith The Waldenses and Albigenses about the yeere 1100 and the succeeding times spread their doctrine parum differentem little differing from that which the Protestants now imbrace Lancelotus du voisin Poplinerius histor Franc. lib. 1. fol. 7. b. edit anno 1581. e Ib. cap. 9. §. 22. Gretserus the Iesuite calls the Albigenses Waldenses and Berengarians Caluinianorum atavos the Caluinists great grandfathers Gretser prolegâ—m in scripta edita contra Wald. cap. 5. f D. Abbot against Hill Reason 1. §. 18. Francis Guicciardin an Italian and Florentine Historian writing of the yeere 1520. lib. 13. saith that Luther set abroad the doctrine of the Bohemians naming Hus and Hierom. And Petrus Messias a Spaniard in the life of Wenceslaus mentioning the opinions of Hus and the Bohemians saith They were the seed of those errours as he cals them which were afterwards in Germany to wit taught by Luther g Ib. §. 29. And Iohannes Cocleus a man that had laboured in the story of the Hussites and set out bookes thereof and also wrote sharpely against Luther saith that Hus did commit spirituall fornication with many aliens with the Wiclivists the Dulcinists the Leonists the Waldenses the Albigenses and others of that sort enemies of the Church of Rome And he saith that Luther followed Hus his Doctrine lib. 2. de Actis scriptis Lutheri And cals the Lutherans new Hussites And againe lib. 3. and lib. 8. he saith that vnto his time till Luthers time and after there remained the sect of the Thaborites in many places of Bohemia and Moravia vnder the name of Picards and Waldenses h Histor Albigens lib. 1. cap. 8. Eckius in his common places cap. 28. saith Luther had done nothing else but renew the heresies of the Waldenses Albigenses Wiclife and Iohn Hus. § 4 Antiquus Sir our men deny not but these Waldenses and others were Luthers fore-runners in many things but they held some things which you are ashamed to hold and therefore were not of your Church or Religion Antiquissimus I know well that many errours were imputed to them which they neuer held As i B. Vsher Grauiss quaest cap. 10. §. 15. Bernardus Girardus the French Historian lib. 10. saith Although they had some ill opinions yet these did not so much stirre vp the hatred of the Pope and great Princes against them as their freedome in speech which they vsed in blaming and reprouing the vices dissolute manners life and actions of Princes Ecclesiasticall persons and the Pope himselfe That was the chiefe thing which drew the hatred of all vpon them effecit vt plures nefarie affingerentur eis opiniones à quibus omnino fuerant alieni this caused many wicked opinions to be deuised and fathered of them from which they were very free and guiltlesse k Ib. cap. 8. §. 28. Thuanus histor lib. 5. anno 1550. reckons vp their opinions thus They held that the Church of Rome because it had forsaken the true faith of Christ was that Whore of Babylon and that barren tree which Christ cursed and therefore we ought not to obey the Pope and Bishops which fostered his errours that the Monasticall life was the sinke and kennell of the Church the vowes thereof vaine and seruing onely for vnclean lusts that the Priests orders were notes of that beast mentioned in the Reuelation that purgatory fire sacrifice of the Masse Sanctuaries or hallowed places about Churches worshipping of Saints offerings for the dead were the Inuentions of Sathan Then he addeth To these certaine and chiefe heads of their doctrine alia afficta others are fained and deuised concerning Mariage resurrection the state of soules after death and of Meates l B. Iewel Apol. cap. 1. diuis 1. Bishop Jewell saith our ancient Christians were slandered that they made priuy meetings in the darke killed yong babes fed themselues with mens flesh and like Sauage and brute beasts did drinke their blood In conclusion how that after they had put out the Candles they committed adultery or incest one with another brethren with sisters sonnes with theiâ— mothers without shame or difference men without all Religion enemies of mankind vnworthy to be suffered in the world Thus they said of the ancient Christians and thus they said of the Waldenses most vniustly and vntruely of both you doubt not of the former let many of your owne Writers satisfie you of the later m Vsher grav qu. cap. 6. §. 11. Rainerius whose booke Gretserus the Iesuite lately set out among other Writers of the Waldenses saith The Waldenses were the most dangerous sect to the Church of all other for three causes the third whereof is that whereas other sects through the outragiousnesse of blasphemy against God worke a horrour in men this sect of the Leonists hath a great shew of piety because before men they liue iustly and of God they beleeue all things piously and hold all the articles contained in the Creed onely they blaspheme and hate the Roman Curch for which the multitude is easie to beleeue n Hist â—ald booke 1. cap. 5. Iacobus de Riberia in his collections of the Citie of Tholous saith the Waldenses wonne all credit from the Priests and made them little esteemed by the holinesse of their liues and excellency of their doctrine The like saith Rainerius cited ib. De forma haeret fol. 98. And Clauâ—ius de Scissel Archbishop of Turin saith they liued vnreproueably without reproach or scandall among men cited ib. In his Treatise against the Waldenses The B. of Canaillon sent a certaine Monke a Diuine Vesembec Oration of the Waldenses citat ib. to conferre and conuince the Waldenses of Merindal in Prouince who vpon his returne said He had not so much profited in all his life in the Scriptures as hee had done in those few dayes conference with the Waldenses Wherevpon the Bishop sent diuers Doctors to confound them but vpon their returne one of them said with a
Purgatory Indulgence the doctrine of transubstantiation Communion of the Laity in one species priuate Masses and such like yet all this cannot proue yours to bee the true Church nor the Roman to bee false because yet you are defectiue in this That the Church being one onely true entire body of Iesus Christ you are seperate from it and will not be vnder the gouernment of that visible-hood which Christ hath appointed ouer it to wit the Bishop of Rome the successor of Saint Peter to whom is giuen the highest iurisdiction and gouernment of the whole Church vpon earth and the infallibility of iudgement to guide it right and keepe it from error so that they that are not vnder his gouernment and guidance are out of the Church in which saluation is to be found and no where else Neither can the things now vsed which were not vsed in the Primitiue Church any way nullifie or disgrace the Church since in the wisedome of him that is infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost for the guidance of the Church they are iudged profitable in these times which were not so necessary in former ages All inferiour and priuate spirits must submit to the iudgement of that Head whom Christ hath constituted ouer his Church and doth assist with his spirit that hee shall not erre That Saint Peter was made Prince and Head of the Apostles by our Sauiour Christ the Proofes are plaine in the Scriptures and Fathers Mat. 16.16 In the 16. of Saint Matthew when Saint Peter had confessed Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to open and shut to bind and loose In the 21 of S. Iohn Christ saith to Peter Ioh. 21.15 Since thou louest mee more then these the rest of the Apostles Feed my Sheepe Be thou the generall Pastor ouer my whole flocke euen ouer the rest of the Apostles In the 22. of Saint Luke Christ saith I will pray for thee Peter that thy faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren Conformable to these Scriptures the Fathers doe ordinarily giue vnto Saint Peter the Primacy of the Apostles call him the Mouth the Chiefe the Top the Highest the Prince the President of the Apostles the head and foundation of the Church all which laid together and well considered doe proue such a prerogariue in Saint Peter that the Church taught and guided by him and his Successors shall neuer erre in matters of Faith and good life but bee infallibly lead into all truth that bringeth to holinesse and happinesse And this is not promised to Saint Peters person or for his life onely but to all his Successors when Christ promiseth to bee with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. in the last words Whereupon these things will follow 1 That the Church of Rome See the Relation of the Religion in the West parts pag. 15. now gouerned by S. Peters Successors is vndoubtedly the true Church of God deliuering and practising the true meanes of saluation and hath the prerogatiue to keepe men from erring in matters of Faith and from falling from God hath the keyes of heauen in custody to admit in by indulgence such as shall be saued and shut out by excommunication such as shall bee condemned so that in it there is a happy facility and without it an vtter impossibility of saluation 2 And consequently It is of the necessity to saluation that all particular Churches and all men be subiect to the Bishop thereof Christs Vicar and the visible head of the Catholike Church vpon earth and whosoeuer or what Nation or people soeuer are not subiect to him in spirituall things are no part of the Catholike Church of Christ §. 3. Antiquis Were all this true and substantiall it were able to charme all the world to be of your Church and to make the Pope absolute Lord of all And you do politikely to keep this point for your last refuge and final ground of all controuersies betwixt vs for if you can euict this you need no more If your Popes bee Saint Peters successors in all those things which you ascribe vnto Saint Peter and thereby haue full iurisdiction ouer the whole Christian world and cannot erre all is yours Stapleton principio doctr lib 6. cap. 2. Sanders Rocke of the Church Bristow Motiue 47. c. See Bellarm. letter to Blackwell there is an end of all controuersie and disputation And therefore your Chieftaines haue great reason to fortifie this piece with all the art and artillery their wit learning and power can afford them thereby to cut off all particular controuersies wherein they finde we are too strong for them This Gorgons head alone is able to affright the simple that they shall not beleeue their owne eyes or see your palpable corruptions or beleeue that any thing can be amisse with you be it neuer so foule and and manifest But alas deare friend I shall shew you plainely that all this is but an Imaginary Castle built in the Ayre without ground or foundation and that all your men stretch the Scriptures and the sayings of the Fathers farre beyond their meaning B. Iewel B. Bilson B. Morton B White D. Rainolds D. Field c. To answere their bookes and arguments punctually would aske too great time and be a needlesse labour because our Learned men haue done it sufficiently and often already But for your satisfaction I will shew you first what dignity the ancient Church hath yeelded to the Bishop of Rome Secondly that the Supremacy now claymed cannot be proued to bee giuen to Saint Peter either by the Scriptures or thirdly by the Fathers but coÌ„trary that both the Scriptures and Fathers are against it Fourthly that the true primacy and Prerogatiues of Saint Peter aboue the rest of the Apostles were personall and did not descend to his successors §. 3. 1. For the first Aeneas Syluius who was afterterwards made Pope Aeneas Syluius epist 288. Ante conciliuÌ„ Nicenâ—â— qu sque sibi viuebat paruus respectus habebatur ad ecclesiam Romanam and called Pius Secundus saith plainly that before the Councell of Nice 327. yeeres after Christ little respect was had to the Church of Rome yet was Rome the chiefe City of the world by reason of the Antiquity Magnificence Dominion and the residence of the Emperours there at that time The Apostles vsed to plant Churches in the chiefest Cities from whence the Gospell might best be propagated into the Countries adioyning Cities therefore were first Christians the people dwelling in Country Pagis Villis in Pages and Villages being not conuerted See D. Field Church book 5. epist to the Reader cap. 27. 30 31. were called Pagans or Infidels But for their
conuersion and for the better gouernment of the Church Bishops were by the Apostles placed in the Cities with power of iurisdiction to gouerne and of Ordination to institute Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in euery towne as was Timothy in Ephesus Titus in Crete If any difficulty arose either in doctrine or gouernment too great to be ordered by these Bishops the wise policy of the Church ordained it should be referred to the determination of higher Bishops called Archbishops that is chiefe Bishops Metropolis in the Greeke tongue signifies a Mother City by some fatherly authority ouer the other Bishops and Clergy or being Bishops of the chiefest or Mother Cities within the Nation whereof they were called Metropolitans And ouer these Archbishops or Metropolitans in seuerall Lands or Nations some one was made the Primate for better vnity and commodity of gouernment and calling together and guiding of National Councels vpon occasions It was thought conuenient also for the better keeping of all Christian Nations in the vnity of Faith Holinesse and peace to appoint yet a higher degree of Patriarchs in some of the most eminent Cities of the world who might haue some ouersight authority ouer all the Primats Archbishops and other Clergy of all the Nations which were vnder their Patriarchall Iurisdiction Of these Patriarchs we read in the Counsell of Nice and before that in the whole Christian world there were but three B. Carlton The Bishop of Rome for the West parts of Antioch for the East and of Alexandria for the South D. Field ib. li. 3. chap. 1 Concil Nicon cant 6. The Bishop of Rome had these fiue principal Nations within his Patriarchship Italy Spaine France Germany and Brittany The other had their Patriarchships bounded also by the Councell of Nice Afterwards when the Emperours had translated the seat of the Empire from Rome to Constantinople whereupon that City was called new Rome and that City was grown very great Noble and Magnificent it was thought fit there to erect a fourth Patriarch the Patriarch of Constantinople And lastly for the honour of Ierusalem where our Sauiour liued and dyed and from whence Christian Religion was propagated into all parts of the world the Bishop of Ierusalem was made a fifth Patriarch and their dominions were assigned vnto them D. Field ib. Bellar. praefat in 16. de pontif Rom Concil Constantinop sub Theodosio seniore can 1. Socrat. lib. 5 cap. 8. Concil Chalcedon can 23. Eliensis Responsio ad Apologiam Bellarmini pag. 170 171. §. 4. Amongst these the Bishop of Rome had the first place of dignity and in the second generall Counsell holden at Constantinople anno 383. the Bishop of Constantinople obtained the second degree of honour among the Patriarchs next vnto the Bishop of Rome and before the other of Alexandria and Antioch And in the great Counsell of Chalcedon anno 454. it was decreed that Rome and Constantinople should haue all Rights Priuiledges and Prerogatiues equall because as Rome was before Sedes regia the seat of the Empire so now was Constantinople this was the reason then alleadged But not long after the magnificence of Constantinople encreasing and with it the haughtinesse of her Bishop he challenged to be superiour to the Bishop of Rome and encroached vpon the right of all other as greater and more honourable then all the rest and to be the chiefe Bishop of the whole world because his City was then the chiefe City of the world See before lib. 1. cap. 4. §. 4. About this was the contention betwixt Gregory the first of Rome and Iohn Bishop of Constantinople whereof I haue spoken before But Iohn carried away the title and honour for ten yeeres during his life by fauor of the Emperour Mauricious and Cyriacus his successor for eleuen yeeres more Phocas is thus described by Zonaras who calls him pessimus tyrannus postis humani generis saith he was worthily slaughtered by Heraclius who cut off his wicked hands and fee and then his genitals by peecemeale Paulus Diacouus in Phoca The same writeth Bibliothearius in Bonifacio 3. Platina in Bonifacio 3. and Sabellicus 8 6. thoâ—gh Bellarmine lay that Boniface sued not for that title in Apologia pro Torto Baronius anno 606. nu 2. But when Phocas the Emperour succeeded a wild drunken bloody adulterous tyrant who like another Zimry hath slâ—yne his Master Mauricius Boniface the third Bishop of Rome who had been Chancelour to Phocas obtained of him by earnest suite to haue that title and honour of Primacy transferred from Constantinople to Rome And thus saith Paulus Diaconus at the entreaty of Boniface Phocas appointed the seat of the Roman Church to be the head of all Churches or as Baronius deliuers it onely the Roman Bishop should be called vniuersall Bishop and not the Bishop of Constantinople But the contention betwixt the two Patriarchall seas ended not thus for they of Constantinople vpon euery occasion stirred againe vntill at length difference growing betwixt the two Churches the Greek the Latine about the proceeding of the holy Ghost either pronounced other to be Heretiks and Schismaticks In the yeere 869 aboue 400. B. Vsher De Ecclesiarum successione c. 2. §. 28 yeeres after the two Patriarchs were equalled at Chalcedon in a Councell at Constantinople wherin Image-worship was established the two Patriarchs were made friends and it was agreed that the one should be stiled Vniuersall Patriarch Onuphrius in Platinam in vita Bonifaci 3. Gâ—nebrard l. 4. Chronograph Vniuersalis Patriarcha Vniuersalis Papa and the other Vniuersall Pope and so the word Pope which before that time had beene common to all Bishops became then the proper title of the Bishop of Rome Hereby we may obserue 1. That this Primacy or Supremacy of the Bishops of Rome was of no such Antiquity as is pretended 2. That in those times it was not thought either by the Emperours or by the Councels to haue beene giuen to the Bishops of Rome or established vpon any at all by the diuine Scriptures as now the Popes do claime but left at the discretion of Princes and Wise-men to giue it to whom they would and to order or alter it as occasion serued and the respect or dignity of Cities and times required For neither were their arguments that then claimed it drawne from the Scriptures but from ciuill reasons of State and Policy neither was it vpon any other reasons setled and the controuersie proceeded not from any institution of the Omnipotent God but from the ambition of Impotent men 3. The author that setled it vpon the Roman Bishop was Phocas one of the Diuels eldest sonnes a murderer of his master a drunken adulterous tyrant a scourge and plague to mankinde §. 5. 4. Obserue the Romish Bishops ambition in those times swaruing from the most honored humility of a number of their first Ancesters holy men and Martyrs to whom the ancient Fathers
cause of the Popes primacy and power is the greatest of all other as himselfe saith it is De summa rei Christianae the summe totall of Christianity depends vpon it In it the question is whether the Church shall stand any longer or bee dissolued and fall to nothing for what is it else to demand whether wee may not take the foundation from the building the Sheephard from the Flocke the Generall from the Army the Sunne from the Starres the head from the body but to aske whether we may not let the building fall the Flocke be scattered the Army dispersed the Stars obscured the body lye dead Bellarm. ibid. Therefore secondly to make this piece of the stately height wealth and magnificence of the Papacy which is forsooth the foundation of Religion most strong the choycest men for wit learning and all other habilities haue beene set on worke to doe their vttermost to maintaine it of which Bellarmine reckoneth the chiefest of sundry Countries In Polonia one in France two in Germany fiue in Low Germany six in England six in Spaine six in Italy eight in Graecia two And thirdly if there be any strength in any of their writings Bellarmine hath it and sets it out to the vttermost therefore if thou finde him weake know for certainty there is no strength in the cause He musters indeed Scriptures and Fathers and rangeth them into goodly rankes but all ad Pompam rather than ad pugnam For neuer a one of them strikes a sufficient blow for him nor against vs. Against his vrging of the place of Math. 16. when he hath with all his wit stretched it as farre as he can he is faine to admit three exceptions of the Protestantâ— which ouerthrow all that he would proue First that as Christ asked not of Peter onely but of all Whâ—m say yee that I am Peter answered for all Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for all could not speake at once neither was it decent one must be the speaker So also Christ replyed vpon him as vpon all and therefore what was spoken vnto him belonged to them all And thus the ancient Fathers interpret it Chrysostome vpon the place and Ierome and Austine as Bellarmine himselfe h Be lar de pont lib. 1. cap. 12 §. Secunda obâ— citeth them and reciteth their words neither saith he any thing to auoid their testimonies but addeth this onely Peter answered for all as the Prince and Head of all which in the true sence wee deny not neither makes it any thing for them Secondly the Protestants say It was not vpon Peters person but vpon Peters faith which was the saith of all the Apostles whereupon Christ would build his Church to wit That Christ was the Sonne of the liuing God that is the great Messias promised from the beginning the Sauiour of the world Thus the Fathers also teach as Bellarmine i ib cap 10. §. quarta senten confesseth Hilarius k lib 6. de Trin. Ambrose l lib 6 cap. 9. in Luk Chrysostome m Hom. 55 in Mat 83. iâ— Mat. Cyrill n ib. 1. de Trin. Hee might haue added also Augustine o De â—erbâ—s â— om serm â—â— who saith The Rocke is Christ not Peter vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this Rocke which thou hast knowne saying Thou art Christ the son of the liuing God will I build my Church I will build thee vpon mee not mee vpon thee c. but this your Doctor Stapleton o De â—erbâ—s â— om serm â—â— p Princip doctr lâ—b â— cap â— See 〈…〉 Hâ—â—t pag â—0 â—â— calleth humanus lapsus in Saint Austin To all this Bellarmine saith they meant not Peters faith without some relation to his person What is this to the purpose This wee admit both in him and in all the Apostles their persons may bee said to bee foundations in some sort as in Ephes 2.20 Reuel 21.14 yet that is in regard of the Faith and Doctrine which they taught the subiect and substance whereof was Iesus Christ Thirdly the Protestants alleadge that whatsoeuer was promised to Saint Peter in the 16. of Matthew was certainly performed to all in Ioh. 20.23 where Christ said to all the Apostles Whose-soeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose-soeuer sinnes ye retaine they are retained And this the Fathers also plentifully teach q Cypr. de simplicitate praelatorum siue de vnitate Eccl. Cyprian r Hilari lib. 6. de Trinit Hilary Å¿ Hieron lib. 1. ad Iouinianum At inquit dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesià licet id ipsum in alio loco superomnes Apo â—olos siat cuâ—cti accipâ—ant c. Ierome and Saint Augustine in many places hath the like All which t Ib. lib. 1 c. 12. § Obiâ—â—tio vltima Bellarmine confesseth adding still lest he say nothing that yet Peter was a chiefe man among the rest which is not the question and none of vs denies it Thus he granteth first that what was there spoken to Peter belonged to all the rest secondly that the Church was built vpon Peters Faith which was the common faith of all the Apostles and not vpon Peters person either wholly or principally and thirdly that which there was promised to Peter was afterward performed to them all and so this place of Mat. 16. makes nothing to the end for which your men so often and so gloriously alleadge it Antiq. Were it not that I see it with mine eyes and read the whole tract aduisedly I should neuer haue beleeued that Bellarmine had yeelded thus much but yet he doth it with modifications Antiquis Hee must needs make some flourishes to satisfie his owne side but you see the substance of the matter is flat against him But note what he grants further u Bellar de Pont Rom li. â— cap. 11. §. Alterum arg Peter was made the foundation of the Church by those words of Christ Mat. 16.18 vpon this Rock will I build my Church so all the Apostles were foundations and all the three wayes that Peter was First as efficient causes by founding and planting Churches some in one Country and some in another for x Rom. 15.20 Paul would not build vpon another mans foundation and y 1 Cor 3.10 he layd the foundation in Corinth and another built thereon And thus were all the Apostles equally the foundations of the Catholike Church Reuel 21.14 Secondly as materiall causes by their Doctrine first reueiled vnto them by the Lord and then taught by them in all Churches which was pure without mixture of error infallible being inspired by the holy Ghost and sufficient both for true faith and holy life whereupon the Church for euer was to rest without need of any addition And thus is the Church built equally vpon all the Apostles z Ephes 2.20 And in this Saint Peter was no greater then the rest nor
more infallible Thirdly as formall causes by their gouenment for all the Apostles were Capita Rectores Pastores Ecclesiae Vniuersae Heads Gouernors and Pastors of the Church Vniuersall Antiq. This Bellarmine saith indeed but he addes a difference in this third point the other were onely heads as Apostles and Legats but Peter as the ordinary Pastor they had fulnesse of power yet so as Peter was their head and they depended vpon him not hee on them Antiquiss What Bellarmine yeelds and proues against his owne side wee may well take as true and wrested from him by the euidence of the truth This last which hee addes in fauour of his side hee onely saith but proues not as behoued him For how depended the Apostles more on Peter then hee on them where doe we reade that euer hee appointed enioyned limited or reâ—â—rained any of them or shewed any authority ouer them but contrarily a Acts 11. Wee reade that he was censured by them and caused to giue an account of his actions Act. 11. b Gal â— And that hee was reproued to his face and openly by St. Paul who protested also that hee was not inferiour to St. Peter neither receiued they ought from him And further euen c lib. 4 depoâ—t Rom. cap. 23. Bellarmine himselfe saith they were all equall in the Apostleship which they râ—ceiued equally of Christ immediately and none of them of Peter as he proueth against many d Cardinalis Turrecremata Dominicus Iacobatius c. great men of his owne side in a whole chapter of set purpose e ibid. For the better to make all the Clergy depend vpon Peter though many succeed the other Apostles many great Catholikes hold that the Apostles receiued not their authority and iurisdiction of Christ immediately but Saint Peter only and all the rest of Saint Peter which f ib. Bellarmine soundly confutes both by Scriptures and Fathers shewing that Christ himselfe gaue them all parem potestatem equall power that not Peter but Christ himselfe did chuse Matthias by Lot at the instant prayer of the Apostles that Paul was an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father Gal. 1.1 c. All which makes for the equality of Peter with the rest and not for his superiority ouer them Antiq. Yet surely he holdeth the same Supremacy which other Catholikes hold though he think it cannot be grounded so firmely vpon these places Antiquis You may well imagine he giues not ouer without much compulsion and reluctation these castles and holds which other great Captaines with all their power and policy held and maintained §. 7. But there is one poore castle more which hee laboureth to hold though very weakely that is in Iohn 21.15 Bellar. de Rom. pontif l. 1. c. 12 â— vt autem See D. Field Church book â— chap 22. where it appeareth saith hee that Christ gaue more to Saint Peter then to the other Apostles for hee said vnto him Louest thou mee more then these and then addes Feed my sheepe To him that loued more he gaue more to wit the care of his whole Flocke euen the care ouer his brethren Apostles making him generall Pastor ouer them also for there can no cause or reason be imagined saith Bellarmine why vpon Peters answere of his singular loue aboue the rest Christ should singularly say to him Pasce oues meas if he gaue him not something aboue the rest To which we say the Fathers shew another cause or reason Peter had denied Christ more then the rest and being forgiuen was to loue more then the rest Luk. 7.43.47 and therefore Christ vrged him singularly by thrice asking Louest thou mee Cyril super Ioan. lib. 12. cap. 64. Augustin tract in Ioan. 123. See this largely handled betwixt Raynolds Hart. p. 135. seq answerable to his three denials to performe the office enioyned in generall to all the Apostles So saith Cyril Because he denyed him thrice at his Passion therefore there is a threefold confession of loue required of him and so the glosse and Saint Augustine saith A threefold confession answereth to a threefold negation that the tongue may expresse as much in loue as it did in feare And so in very truth Christs words were rather a stay of Peters weakenesse then a marke of his worthinesse or a proofe of his supremacy Thus we haue the onely place of Scripture whereupon Bellarmine insisteth of performance and bestowing supremacy particularly vpon Peter Bellarmin saith De iustifâ—t 3. c. 8. initio Non potest aliquid certum esse certitudine fidei nisi aut immediate contineatur in verho Dei aut ex verbo Dei per euidentem consequentiam deducatur c. and that not a plaine and euident place of Scripture or by deduction of euident reason such as necessary points of diuinity should haue but onely their owne infirme and vnsound interpretation a poore and weake ground of so great a building The transcendent supremacy of the Pope of Rome ouer the whole Church of Christ and the many Doctrines and practises that depend thereupon haue no other ground in Scripture but this their owne conceited and forced interpretation of this place Peter louest thou mee more then these Feed my sheepe that is Take thou authority more then these to make thy successors aboue all theirs heads of the vniuersall Church with such power as themselues shall list to take or exercise Antiq. I cannot but ingenuously confesse this inference to be weake indeed and it doth much amaze me and makes me quake and stagger to consider how confidently I haue beene perswaded that the Scripture is most plaine and euident for the Popes supremacy and now to see that nothing of any moment can thence be alleadged for it §. 8. Isa chus Casaubonus excrcitatio ad Baronium Epist dedic pag. 19. Luk. 22.25 26. Gasper Scioppius in Ecclesiastico suo ex pos cap. 47 Is not this quidlibet e quolibet or rather Contrarium é contrario Antiquis By such alleadging of Scriptures they may make quidlibet è quolibet make any substance of any shadow The learned Frenchman Casaubon wonders at them Pasce oues meaâ— that is as Baronius interprets it Supremum in ecclesia dominium tibi assere Feed my sheepe that is Take to thy selfe the highest dominion in the Church or as Bellarmine Regis more impera Rule and command after the manner of Kings as if he would of set purpose contradict Christs words The kings of Nations exercise dominion ouer them but yee shall not doe so Nay further and more strangely Gaspen Scioppius saith that Christ by those words hath taken away Kings power and dominion ouer the Nations and forbidden it to be exercised among Christians and hath established that infinite power in the Pope ouer Princes by this and such like places of Scripture The pious world wonders at the Popes challenge to be the highest Iudge
his preaching in the peoples minds If by authority Saint Ierom did meane supreme power ouer the other Apostles then Iames and Iohn should haue had it as well as Peter which is not your Catholike doctrine Also an inferiour or equall in power may be superiour in authority or estimation as Tully saith of Metellus a priuate man though chosen Consull for the yeere following That hee forbade certaine playes when an officer had allowed them and that which he could not obtaine by power Cicero oratione in Pisonem he did obtaine by authority that is with the credit which hee had with the people 2 The Primacy which the Fathers speake of was the Primacy of Order not of Power because Peter was first called to be an Apostle and first reckoned this argues no more power then the Fore-man of the Iury hath ouer the rest 3 The prerogatiue of Principality was in the excellency of grace and not of power as we say the Prince of Philosophers Aristotle the Prince of Poets Homer that is the wittiest or most excellent not Lord and master ouer the rest In this sence Saint Austine speaketh Peter the Apostle in whom that grace and Primacy are so superminent was corrected by Paul a latter Apostle by calling Saint Paul a latter Apostle hee sheweth his meaning of Saint Peters Primacy to bee of his first being an Apostle and by ioyning Grace with Primacy he sheweth that in greatnesse of grace consisted his supereminency So saith Saint Austen also b Aug. in Ioan. Tract 124. that Peter was Natura vnus homo gratia vnus Christianus abundantiori gratia vnus idemque primus Apostolus But to be chiefe in grace is one thing to be chiefe in power another thing c Turrecrem in Summa de Ecclesia l 2 c. 82. Cardinal Turrecramata saith A meane Christian yea an old woman may in perfection of grace and amplenesse of vertues be greater then the Pope but not in power of iurisdiction If excellency of grace might carry the supremacy of power you should take it from Saint Peter and giue it to the blessed Virgin By gifts of grace we vnderstand all blessings wherewith our Lord honoured him insomuch as in one thing or other he surpassed euery one of the Apostles Saint Iohn might exceed him in multitude of prophesies and reuelations and many gifts of grace as Saint Ierom declareth d Ierom. aduersus Iouinianum lib. 1. Saint Paul excelled him in the chiefest gifts and laboured more then all the rest 1 Cor. 15. so that Saint Austen giues excellent grace to Peter e De bapt con Donatistas lib. 2. c. 1. most excellent grace to Paul f in Psal 130. and cals him The Apostle by an excellency g Cont. duas epist pelagianorum lib. 3. c. 1. yet Saint Peter excelled Saint Paul in Primacy or being first chosen and Saint Iohn in age being the elder and therefore preferred before them to be the chiefe of the Apostles by Saint Ieroms opinion h Aetati delatuÌ„ est quia Petrus erat senior Hiero 1. adu Iouin lib. 1. To this Bellarmine yeeldeth i Bellar. lib. 1. de rom pontif cap. 27. § respoÌ„deo Paulum seeing Paul was called The Apostle per Antonomasiam quia plura scripsit doctior as sapientior fuit cateris also for planting more Churches then any other for the other Apostles were sent to certaine Prouinces he to all the Gentils without limitation and he laboured more abundantly then they all 1 Cor. 15. And after k § testatur ib. § fortasse Paul also may bee called princeps Apostolorum quia munus Apostolicum excellentissime ad impleuit as we call Virgil prince of Poets and Cicero prince of Orators Againe Nam etsi Petrus maior est potestate Paulus maior est sapientia Leo makes them the two eyes of the body whereof Christ is the head De quorum meritis atque virtutibus nihil diuersum nihil debemus sentire discretum quia illos electio pares labor similes finis fecit aequales The like hath Maximus ib. and Saint Gregory Paulus Apostolus Petro Apostolorum primo in principata Apostolico frater est Againe l Bellar. ib. §. denique si hac Paulus videtur plus Ecclesiae profuisse quà m Petrus plures enim ex gentibus ad Christi fidem adduxit plures prouincias summo cum labore peragrauit plura scripta eaque vtilissima nobis reliquit Antiq. Saint Ierom saith further that Saint Peter was made the head of the Apostles that all occasion of Schisme might be taken away Will you make nothing of those titles which the Scriptures and Fathers so frequently giue him of authority primacy principality supereminency the mouth of the Apostles the top the highest the president the head and such like Antiquis Nothing at all for that power which the Church of Rome now claymes by them and which hee neuer claymed nor vsed neither did the Scriptures or Fathers giue him What they gaue him we willingly yeeld A principality of Order Estimation and Grace For all Saint Peters power is comprised in the keyes promised him and in building the Church vpon him but all the Apostles receiue the keyes by Ieroms iudgement and the Church is built vpon them equally Ergo by his iudgement Peter was not ouer them in power and if you will yet say hee had some gouernment ouer them what can it else bee but a guidance not as a Monarch ouer subiects or inferiours D. Raynolds ib. pag. 226 227. D. Field l. 5. cap 24. but as in Aristocracy head of the company which in power are his equals For in all assemblies about affayres of gouernment there must needs bee one for orders sake and peace to begin to end to moderate the Actions and this is Saint Peters preheminence which Saint Ierome m Hieronym adu Iouin lib. 2. meant For hauing set downe his aduersaries obiection But thou saist The Church is built vpon Peter he answereth Although the same be done in another place vpon all the Apostles and they all receiue the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and the strength of the Church is grounded on them equally yet there is one chosen among the twelue that a head being appointed occasion of Schisme might be takeÌ„ away The like hath S. Cyprian n Cyprian de Vnitate Ecclesia Erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consorâ—io praediti honoris potestatis sed exordium ab vnitate prosiciscitur c. The other Apostles saith he were that which Peter was endewed with the same fellowship both of honour and power but the beginning proceedeth from vnity that the Church may be shewed to be one To speake at once view all the titles of excellency giuen by the ancient Fathers to S. Peter alleadged by Bellarmine o De rom pont lib. 1. cap. 25. weigh them aduisedly without preiudice or
partiality and you shall finde they proue no more then the excellency of honourable estimation the primacy of order and the principality of grace and are farre short of prouing the Supremacy of power ouer the whole Christian world now claimed and practised by the Bishop of Rome B. Carlton iurisdiction pag. 55 56. Wee may also iustly alleadge that the honours and titles that other Bishops gaue to the Bishops of Rome for their great vertue in former times the Romists of these latter times vniustly draw to proue the iurisdiction of that Sea because they may finde the same or greater giuen to other worthy Bishops as to Saint Ambrose to whom p Basil epist 55. Saint Basil writing saith He holdeth the sterne of that great and famous shippe the Church of God and that God hath placed him in the primacy and chiefe seate of the Apostles So q Sidon lib. 6. ep 1 4. Sidonius Apollinaris Bishop of Arvern calleth Lupus a French Bishop Pope Lupus and his Sea Apostolike And writing to Fontellus another French Bishop r Lib. 7. ep 4. Quod Apostolatus vestri patrocinium copiosissimumconferre vos comperi saith he greatly reioyced that he found he did aboundantly defend his Apostleship And againe Å¿ Lib. 6. ep 7. Ego quoque ad Apostolatus tui noticiam accedo I come to the knowledge of your Apostleship t Chrysost de laudibus Paul hom 8. in Gal. 2. Erat Paulus Princeps Apostolorum honore par Petro ne quid dicam amplius Saint Chrysostom called Saint Paul Prince of the Apostles u Ruffin histor lib. 2. cap. 1. Iacobus Apostolorum princeps Ruffinus gaue Saint Iames the same title x Greg in 1 Reg. lib. 4. cap 4. Paulus ad Christum conuersus caput effectus est nationum qui obtinuit Ecclesiae totius principatum See D. Field Church booke 5. chap. 41. Saint Gregory gaue Saint Paul the title of Head of the Nations and that hee obtained the gouernment of the whole Church What titles doe the Fathers giue vnto Saint Peter beyond these If these doe not proue any generall Iurisdiction in others how doe they proue it in Saint Peter §. 12. But what need we stand vpon Titles which the ancient Fathers gaue to Saint Peter or the Pope when the whole course of their actions were against the Supremacy now challenged Remember what I haue said a See before booke 1. chap. 1 §. 2. before of the Fathers misliking and disswading the Popes assumed authority in the smallest matters as Polycarpus disswading Anicetus Polycrates and the Bishops of the East and Irenaeus with his French Bishops in the West disswading Victor from new vnusuall vniustifiable courses ibid. §. 3. Other Fathers afterwards plainely resisting and reiecting the Popes iudgement and authority as the holy Martyr Cyprian with many whole Councels of the African Bishops Saint Basil the Great and the whole Greeke Church I shewed you also how three Popes in succession Zozimus Boniface and Celestine aboue 400. yeeres after Christ claymed their superiority and priuiledges not by the Scriptures but by a Canon of the Councell of Nice which Canon the holy learned Bishops in the Councell of Carthage reiected finding no such thing in any of the Copies of the Councell of Nice which their Church kept or the Church of Alexandria or the Church of Constantinople So that finally condemning that Canon to be countefet and the claymed authority of the Church of Rome to bee new and vnlawfull they made Decrees against the Popes clayme conformable to their owne Decrees and Customes of former times b Ibid. sect 4. I shewed you further by the Contention betwixt Iohn Bishop of Constantinople and Gregory the Great Bishop of Rome that your owne Gregory condemned the titles and supremacy which Iohn then laboured for and which your Popes now take vnto them he I say condemned them for Antichristian and said none of his ancestors did euer claym them c Ibid. sect 5. I shewed you also how the Bishops of France Germany and Brittany with many Councels one at Constantinople another at Frankfurt another at Paris with whom also ioyned Charles the Great and Ludouicus Pius beside many learned men in their bookes at that time opposed the Pope and his Councels and his authority in imposing the worship of Images vpon the Church Of these and of the succeeding times I haue spoken d See ibid. sect 9. 10. c. in mine opinion sufficient to satisfie any moderate man and vpon occasion I haue much more to say But reade aduisedly at your leysure B. Iewel B. Morton D. Field and our other learned Protestants or our most iudicious King Iames his bookes or reade onely B. Bilsons booke e B. Bilson The true difference between Christian subiectioÌ„ vnchristian rebellion specially the first part p. 94. seq in 8. who writes fully enough and punctually of these matters and if you bee not prejudicate and obstinate beyond all reason you will be satisfied Onely I will adde here for the present one thing of the African Church about Saint Cyprians time and after The Contention betwixt the Bishops of Africa and the Bishop of Rome was so great that on the one side as Cassander f Cassander consultation arâ—ic 7. pag 54. obserueth Pope Steuen repelled Saint Cyprian à communione suâ from Communion with him See â—efoâ—â— châ—p 2â—â—â— admitted not to his speach the Bishops of Africa comming from Saint Cyprian as Legats yea and foâ—bade all his fraternity to receiue them into their houses denying them not only peace coÌ„munion but also tectum hospitium house-room lodging calling Cyprian Pseudo hristum dolosum operariâ—m a false Christ and deceitfull worker And on the other side Saint Cyprian and the Africans stood out thinking the Pope and the Italians in the wrong neither sued they neither cared they for the Communion of the Pope and the Church of Rome Doctor Harding saith g Hardings answer to Iewels challenge pag. 290. The whole Church of Africa withdrew it selfe from the Church of Rome by reason of this difference of Appeales and so continued in Schisme an hundred yeeres and in that time were brought into miserable captiuity by the Vandales Harding might remember that Rome it selfe about the same season in the space of 140. yeeres was brought to miserable calamities being sixe times taken by the wilde and barbarous enemies h B. Iewel ib. after which time of 100. yeeres Eulabius B. of Carthage condemning his predecessors disobedience and seeking reconciliation to the Pope did by publike instrument or writing submit and reioyne the African Church to the Roman And Boniface the Pope writes thereof to the Bishop of Alexandria exciting him to reioyce and giue thankes to God for this reconciliation saying that Aurelius Bishop of Carthage and his fellowes whereof Saint Augustine was one being set on by the Diuell had
Canonicall Scriptures Decret c. in Canonicis dist 19. § V. Thus Erasmus argueth Annot. in 1 Cor. 7. B. Mort Appeal l. 2. c. 20. sect 5. l 3. c. 15. §. 4. Consider lastly what need had there beene of any Councels to what end was so much labour and cost bestowed to what purpose to trouble so many Vniuersities to call together so many learned Diuines to turne ouer so many bookes to beate their heads in the finding out of the truth in discussing of hard questions and satisfying of doubts if all this might be so quickly easily and sweetly done by the onely iudgement and determination of the Pope CHAP. 8. Of the good which the Popes Supremacy might doe to the Church § 1. That is vrged but 2. answered that policies agreeable to Gods word and the Primitiue Church onely are sufficient and blessed by God § 3. But this policy might be set vp by any sect § 4. It is vnprofitable and vntollerable 5. shewed by examples of Hildebrand 6. The voiages against the Turke proued profitable to the Pope not to Christian Princes 7. as appeared by the Story of Gregory 9. and Frederik 2. Emperour and 8. many other most wicked Popes § 9. The Emperour Phocas erred much in gouernment in making the Pope so great so farre from him For Popes shortly after proued Masters of mis-rule eiecting the Emperors out of Italy § 10. Their turbulent proceeding to dethrone Princes § 11. Their troubles wrought in England in King Henry 1. his time by Anselme In King Henry 2. time by Becket In King Iohns reygne by Pope Innocent § 12. In these latter times of Queene Elizabeth by the Bull of Pius Quintus and the erecting of Seminaries at Rome and Rhemes Schooles of Traytors The reasons briefly touched 1. Of the Rebellion in the North 2. Of Ormonds brethren 3. and 4. Of other petty conspiracies 5. Stukely 6. Sanders 7. Someruile 8. Motiues to the Ladies of Honour 9. Of Throgmorton 10. Mendoza 11. Creighton the Iesuite 12. Parry 13. Percy 14. Sauage 15. Balard with his complices 16. Aubespineus 17. Stanley and Yorke 18. The Spanish Armado 19. Lopez 20. Squire 21. Tyrone And in the time of King Iames 22. Watson Clarke and others 23. The Powder treason Some obseruations out of these § 13. A good Christian abhorreth these treasons and reiecteth the doctrine that teacheth them § 14. And thereby is by reason forced to renounce to be an absolute Papist and to thinke the doctrines grounded onely vpon the Popes authority without Scripture to be vnnecessary and consequently to acknowledge that it is not necessary to be a Roman-Catholike The conclusion with a briefe recapitulation of the whole precedent conference §. 1. Antiquus ALthough the supreme gouernment of the Church by the Pope and the infallibility of his iudgement could not bee proued by diuine proofes yet is the good thereof so great for the preseruation of peace and vnity and much other happinesse both in the Church and Common-wealth that euen in good reason and policy the very shadowes of proofes should be admitted as sufficient to establish it And if such power and infallible iudgement may be giuen to any it is most fit it be giuen to him that hath from all Antiquity beene accounted the principall Patriarch and the high Bishop of the principall City of the world Antiquissimus Indeed Antiquus now I thinke you hit the nayle on the head for the Popes Supremacy and infallibility hath no other ground but meere humane policy shadowed by the Scripture cunningly wrested deuised by their learned Politicians for their owne wealth and greatnesse and taught by their Agents as most necessary for peace vnity and much other good a Bellar de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6. § quarta proposit o. Probabile est pâ—eque credi potest pontificem vt pontificem errare non posse c. Bellarmine seemes to confesse thus much when he saith It is probable may piously be thought that the Pope as Pope cannot erre nor as a particular person be an heretike Had hee had better arguments is it probable hee would haue come in with Probabile est piéque credi potest But your b Costerus Enchir pag. 123. Si nullum caput visibile in ecclesia a Christo constitutum foret vehementer optari ab omnibus oporteret Costerus the Iesuite is a little more plaine If there were no visible head saith he appointed by Christ in the Church yet such an one ought to be wished for of all men and your D. c Alablaster Motiue 6. Alablaster yet more plainely Where saith he there is not an infallible authority which doth iudge and decide controuersies by remouing all occasions of doubt and reply and vnto which absolute obedience is tied there must needs be variety of iudgements and opinions which cannot be tyed in one knot And therefore the Protestants haue done very vnwisely to disgrace and reiect this profitable policy of the Church the fountaine of vnity Mr Alablaster cals it policy §. 2. But alas Deare friend In Gods businesse I looke onely for Truth and Sincerity which God may blesse and prosper not for shadowes and policy without them which God doth ordinarily infatuate and confound Happy had it beene for the Angels if they had continued in the excellency of their first estate but when they stroue to be higher their policy failed them they fell lower and of Angels became diuels Gods ordinance for d Ephes 4. vers 12 13 15. gathering of his Saints e vers 14. preseruing true and vncorrupt doctrine and f vers 16. effectuall perfecting of the Church in euery part was saith Saint Paul g vers 11. He gaue some Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors and Teachers If one visible Head had beene necessary to these purposes heere was the place he should be spoken of wherein since hee is not mentioned doubtlesse Saint Paul knew no such ordinance of God See the like Catalogue of Church-Officers in 1 Cor. 12.28 29. c. this one visible head is neuer mentioned nor heere nor in any other place of Scripture but left out as supernumerarius and superfluous And we finde whilst Gods ordinance was obserued the Church did wonderfully prosper when it was shouldered out out by humane policies all things grew worse and went to wracke It was an euident worke of Gods Spirit h B. Vsher Sermon at Wansted pag. 20. that the first planters of Religion and their successors spreading themselues through the whole world layd the foundations of the â—ame Faith euery where in great vnity and vniformity and yet were kept only by the Vnity of the Spirit in that bond of peace without setting vp any one man on earth ouer them all to keepe peace and vnity The true bond which contained the Doctors and Fathers of the Primitiue Church in the vnity of Faith and wrought the conuersion of Nations continueth in our Church also
oathes of fidelity and vrges them to set vp another in his roome Fredericke hearing this hastens towards Lions with gowned men equall to an Army but hearing of stirres at Parâ—a turned his course thither continued long there and vsed great cruelty towards the reuolting Citizens Afterwards hee ouerthrew Placentia and tooke all Etruria By this you may see what a blessing the Popes greatnesse was to the world what safety peace prosperity and vnity it wrought among Christians what a Bulwarke against the Turke Alas all was contrary to your fancy There could not be a greater meanes deuised by Sathan to scourge the Empire to weaken Christendome to make way for the Turke to plague Italy and to vndoe the Pope himselfe than the Pope himselfe deuised and practised The woefull conclusion was When the Pope had thus farre prouoked the Emperor procured much euill to many Cities and Countries and so fired the world that by the light and waste thereof the Turke might see an easie entrance into Christendome then hee studied night and day how to destroy the Emperour some conspiracies were discouered but finally poysoned he was effectually wherein his bastard sonne Manfredus was thought to be an Agent by the Popes procuring All this and much more writes your owne Cuspinian reprouing the Italian Writers who flattering the Pope impute many vices to the Emperour and preferring the German Writers who knew him his acts far better Now Crimine abvno disce omnes Iudge of other Popes by this or these and see what great benefits their Supremacy brings to Christendome and what hinderance to the Turkes infidels §. 8. Antiq. Sir One Swallow makes not Summer nor one Woodcock Winter Among so many Popes as haue beene since Saint Peters dayes neere 250. haply you may picke out some few that haue abused their place and power which ought no more to disgrace the other good Popes and their offices than Iudas the other Apostles Antiquis Some few doe you say then take more Your owne Platina Recorder or Historian to some Popes Tortura Torti pag. 219. and by Sixtus 4. appointed to write the liues of Popes writes horrible and monstrous things of them 40 Articles and more proued against Iohn 24. in the Councell of Constance containing many grieuous crimes for which he was deposed Paul 2. pronounced them Heretikes that did but name the name Academy that is an Vniuersity or great Schoole of learning either in earnest See also B. Bilson part 1. pag. 154. seq D. Rainolds with Hart. or in iest Boniface 7. getting the Popedome by ill meanes robbed St. Peters Church of all the Iewels and precious things and ranne his wayes and returning not long after caught one of his Cardinalls and put out his eyes Boniface 9. simoniacally sold all things against right and equity and openly kept Fayres or Markets of indulgences Hee sheweth the Rusticity of Vrban 6. the Stupidity of Celestine 5. the Stolidity of Iohn 22. the fraud ambition arrogancy of Boniface 8. at the end of whose life he addes this Caueat Let all Princes learne by this mans example to gouerne not by pride and contumely but seeke rather to be loued than feared wherby destruction comes vpon Tyrants c. He records the troublesome broyles for fifty yeares together betwixt the Popes and Senate and people of Rome though also there was no firme peace for foure hundred yeeres betwixt them how often were those holy Fathers Christs Vicars driuen out of Rome and worse vsed by them no doubt not for any great holinesse or vertue found in them Benedict 9. Siluester 3. Gregory 6. occupied the seat all at once which three Platina cals Tria teterrima monstra in vita Gregorij sexti and not onely those three but most of the others also he feares not to call Porteâ—ta in Benedict 4. and monstra in Christopher 1. He tells how Boniface 8. deluded Celestine by imposture how Christopher 1. thrust out Leo 5. by force how Damasus 2. tooke away Clement 2. by poyson he records Syluester 2. a Magician Iohn 13. incestuous Boniface 7. sacrilegious Iohn 8. an adulterous woman he recites 30. Schismes of the holy Church of Rome in which sometimes the Church had two heads sometimes three for fifty yeeres together See before ca. 7. sect 3. I haue told you before of a troop of Popes troubling the world about Formosus his body and his acts Iohn 8. Martin 2. Boniface 6. Stephanus 6. Romanus 1. Theodorus 2. Iohn 9. and Sergius 3. and of 50. Popes or at least 49. succeeding one another whereof scarce one was found worthy the name of a â—ishop not sixe saith Genebrard in 150. yeeres but were Apoâ—acticall or Apostaticall rather than Apostolicall I could tell you also how Piuâ— 4. Onuphrius in vita Pij 4. pag. 378. Pandulph Collen hist Neapol l. 5. ad an 1385. caused Cardinall Caraffa to be strangled and other Earles and Cardinals slaughtered in prison to the great amazement of the people and how Vrban 6. misused seuen Cardinalls putting fiue into sacks and drowning them in the Sea and killing the other two dried them in a Furnace or Ouen and carried them in triumph vpon Mules in bagges or trusses Antiquis These things strike a horror into my soule but yet these reached not to State-matters and depositions of Princes as your former tale insinuated §. 9. Antiquis Let mee search this mystery of iniquity a little neerer the bottome and reueale the carriage thereof vnto you St. Iohn Hayward Supremacy pag. 55. It was a great error in the Emperour Phocas as our Sir Iohn Hayward well obserued and contrary to precedent policies to settle so great a dignity in the Popes at Rome so farre from Constantinople the seat of the Empire See before cap. 6. sect 4. when he made them Heads of Christendome as I told you before for that gaue the Popes power if they list to be so wicked greatly to trouble the affaires of the Empire and to endanger the state thereof And so it came to passe for by this meanes the politike Bishops of Rome found opportunity to steale into such strength with the common people in the Emperours long and farre absence that they were able to make them shake off the Emperours yoake first at Rome and after further off for the good of the Church as they pretended watching therfore all occasions When the Emperour Philippicus Bardanes about the yeere 713. K. Iames Remonstrance p. 29. Example 5. finding the worshipping of Images vntollerably to encrease to the foule misleading and distracting of Christian people also to the great offence of the Saracens theÌ„ growing great in the East who took occasioÌ„ thereby to make Christians odious and much to annoy them caused the scandalous Images to be taken out of Churches according to primitiue times partly to vnite the people in Gods purer worship and partly to take away offence from the Saracens Pope Constantine instead