such Churches If there be no Prospect of another General Councel near at Hand a Provincial Councel of their own who understand their state and necessities may Relieve them by making other Orders more Fit and Practicable sor them but always with Honour and Observance of those Constitutions where they do take place and without any Contempt or disrespect where they are laid aside To this Effect is that Answer of our Learned Dr. Beveridge to his fâ—oward Observator Nemo nescit Synodos Posteriores saepe alia nonnunquam contraria câ—nstituisse ac quae prioribus constituta fuerant idque licèt Priores illae aecuenenicae siâ—e Vniversales Posteriores singularium tantummodò Provinciarum Synodi â—ssent quod sexcentis sinecâ—sse esset exemplis demonstrare licet Cod. Can. Ecc. â—â—i lib. 1. cap. 3. In these things if I mistake not consists the greatest anâ— most direct Power of Councels for these things are to be received and observed by vertue of their own Authority And hence it is Observable That in most ancient Councels the greatest Part of their Canons relate to Discipline and Government And they never Cared to meddle with Matter of Doctrine â—â—less the Troubles of the Church and unquietness of Hereticks constrained them to it And though in this Case not only Men in inferiour Orders but even prudent Laymen may be Consulted with and have liberty â—o Advise and freely spâ—ak their Thoughts that the state of the Church may be the better known yet the decisive Voice is in the Bishop And that the Contrary Asserted by Spalato is a great Mistake I shall happily have Occasion to prove when I come to speak of the Nature Power and Rights of Episcopacy in opposition to the Roman See whose Usurpations have not only diminished but in a manner destroyed that Order to the irreparable damage of Gods Church and without the Restoration of which to its just Rights I see not how the Church can hope for either Unity or Peace V. But though in Relation to Government and Discipline the Power of Bishops in Councel is very great yet in Matters of Doctrine it is by no means the same For he that Committed to their Trust the Government of his Church gave them no Power over the Faith Rules for Discipline may alter as Cases alter But the Gospel of Christ Jesus must be yesterday and to day and the same for ever No Monckish Evangelium aeternum nor Fanatick Evangelium armatum must be suffered to thrust this out of doors What Christ and his Apostles delivered to the Saints at first must be the Rule to the last And therefore here the Business of Councels is not to Appoint but Enquire Not to Constitute but declare They have no Authority to make us a New Gospel or any New Article of Faith but to discover the Old And therefore here their Authority goes equal pace with their Sincerity Diligence and Skill And if these Qualifications be truly in them and duely used It is all the Reason in the World that we should Acquiesce in their Determinations and that not only because we cannot have any better or more able Body of Men to decide the Controversie But also because we have good Grounds to believe that God will Afford them his Assistance sor the Promise made to the Disciples of being with them always to the End of the World is not capable of any other Construction but of his Affording not only to them but to their Successors sufficient Aid and Assistance to preserve discover teach and declare that Truth and Doctrine which our Blessed Saviour and his Apostles taught and left with them to be taught to the End of the World for the Salvation of Souls And though even Laymen as being all Concerned in the Common Salvation may Challenge a Right to Appear in Councel in oâ—deâ—ly Manner and Number yet certainly the greatest Authority lies in them to whom God hath Committed the Care of all the Churches and who must Answer sor others Soâ—â—s as well as their own Where therefore the Pastors of the Church are Met together about Matters relating to the Necessâ—ties of the Church and are Honest Industrious and able I doubt not but that in Matters of Religion their Authority is the greatest of any Men on Earth God I think would not suffer such Men so qualified to decâ—ive us in any thing of necessity to Salvation and therefore they are not lightly to be regarded And if these things could be truly said for the Councel of Tâ—â—nt I should have a better esteem â—or it then I am like to have in haste But on the other Hand if any Pastors of the Church how many soever though never so able and industrious Meet together and be not Honest and Sincere but at least by the prevailing Number for base Interest labour by subtile and unworthy Arts not to Amend but Establish gross Errours Abuses and Corruptions These Men not only Offer the greatest Affront to God and his Christ but Attempt to put the most pernicious Cheat upon the Christian World And in stead of Assistance from God they may rather expect that in Judgement he should give them over to strong delusions to believe a Lye And these are to be Abominated and with as great indignation Rejected as good and lawful Councels are with Reverence to be received and followed And in which of these Rancks the Councel of Trent ought to stand I shâ—ll now Enquire VI. And in the first place it may not be Amiss to Consider what time was taken to Frame and Mould this Councel to the Popes Mind The Councels of Constance and Basil having Eclipsed the Roman See in the very Height of its Greatness and Glory the Popes ever since have looked with a malignâ— Aspect upon General Councels and the very Naming one was enough to put any of them into a Fit of a Feavour And indeed this made following Councels not only useless but noxious For if the Necessities of the Church seemed at any time to Require a General Councel the Pope would never suffer it to be but in such place that he could Command And always took care that it should Consist of such Persons who at least for the greater Number were at his devotion And yet even then was wofully uneasie till it was Finished so unwilling are Popes to trust themselves with a Councel though themselves have the packing of it But that Spark which first fell through the Clashing of Luther and the Pardonmongers being blown to such a Flame that no Common Help could quench it a General Councel seemed necessary But to Manage it for the Advantage of the Roman See and to hold it in convenient place was a Matter of no small difficulty in such times of Confusion so that it seemed to be as dangerous to the Pope as it was necessary for the Church It was well for the Court of Rome that the greatest Princes of those times were perswaded that it was
the Root And therefore right or wrong they Resolvâ— to stick on this which may Win some to them keep Others from us and Alarm all And though their Arguments be never so weak yet being Managed by subtile Heads they will Appear the more Considerable because few Persons are able to judge of a Case of this Nature But if we were reduced to that state that they thought themselves out of all danger from us our Ordination might easily pass A pretty instaâ—ce of this hapned in the time of the Rebellion The Loyal Clergy of this Châ—rch being either starved at home or driven out into other Countreys and little or no Hopes appearing that thâ—y should ever be Restored Dr. Basier amongst other places any place being then better then Home Travels to Jerusalem And after the mention of his Reception from the Grtcks he thus sets down his Entertainment by those of the Roman Way Aâ— for the Latins they Received Me most Courteously into their own Convent though I did openly Prosesi my self a Priest of the Church of England And aâ—ter some Vâ—lâ—â—ations about the Validity of our Ordination they procured Me Entrance into the Temple of the Sepâ—lchre at the Rate of a Priest that is Half in Half left then the Laymens Raâ—e And at my Departure from Jerusalem she Pope's own Vicâ—â—râ— Called Commissarius Apostolicus Generalis gave Me his Diploma in Parchmeno under his own Hand and pâ—blick Seal In 〈◊〉 stiling Me Sacerdotem Ecclesiae Anglicanae S. S. Theologiae Doctorem But there was no need to have Travelled so far for an Instance it being well known that King Edwards Bishops were Admitted in the time of Queen Mary without Re-oâ—dination so that it is not the Validity of Ordination but our Non-submission to the Pope which lies at the bottom It is true that a Dispensation â—rom Rome was talked of but that was only a Blind A Dispensation may Reâ—ch Circumstances but not Essentials If their former Ordination had been invalid and null they ought to have been Reoâ—dâ—ined for no Dispensation nor all the Popes in the World can make those to be true and valid Orders which never were so in themselves He may as well Build Castles in the Air or Erect stately Palaces without any Materials as to make those really and truly to be Orders which never were so It is one thing to Dispense another to Ordain Seeing he did only dispense it is plain that he aceused them of no more then some Irregularities in the Circumstances of their Ordination which though we shall not yield yet I think it unnecessary to dispute because not being Re-ordained their former Ordination must be supposed good 'T is true they very devoutly burnt Ridley and one or two others without dâ—grading them as Bishops And thence Conclude that they were never truly such i. e. They set up a Novel Opinion and prove it by their own wicked Actions And the proof will be good when they are as infalâ—ible in Matter of Fact as they pretend to be in Matter of Right But it is no New thing for the Court of Rome to make quite contrary Determinations as to the self-same thing as their present Interest leads them When Queen Mary first came to the Crown and they wanted Help then King Edwards Bishops are to be Invited in and Acknowledged with the slight Salvo of a Dispensation that the Pope might seem to do something But when they were a little setled in the Saddle and could Ride over all who stood in their way Then none of his Bishops were to be Acknowledged who did not fully Comply with them i. e. those who joyned with them were good Bishops those who opposed them were no Bishops though the Orders of both stood upon the same Foundation and were either valid or null for the same Reason But to avoid the tediousness of discussing the whole Matter I shall now only Give this General Answer That in this Way of Arguing they take the Course to undermine and destroy all Succession and Church-power This I am apt to think that many of them well enough see But they think that we either do not or will not and so they are safe enough whilest it only serves to Route us The Arguments whereon they lay the greatâ—st strâ—ss in this Matter are such as may with equal if not more advantage be teturned upon themselves 'T is true we are not desirous to Molest others we wish Peace to the Churches Reasonable things would Content us and therefore we generally keep on the defensive part and stand all their Attacks and Opposition But if by such foul dealing they will continually provoke us till we change the state of this Scribling War and bâ—ing it into their own Countrey what Work will this make â—or if they will Vouch those Arguments to be good against our Orders And we prove that they are of no less force against their own or that we have other stronger Reasons against them whither will they then go â—or Ecclesiastical Authority their pride and stomach is too great to Truckle to the Greek or any other Church or to Borrow any Authority from them But if they should they ought to Consider whether the same Arguments will not follow them yea more â—hâ—ther divers of their Hot-spurs have not Carried them thither already â—f so all their Labour is in vain And if their Arguments be good all 〈◊〉 power and Succession is lost This indeed doth not so fatally affect 〈◊〉 as it doth them because we for good Reasons deny those Arguments to â—e good and so keep up our Succession and Ecclesiastical Authority But â—hat will become of that Church or what Remedy is left for it which obâ—â—inately maintains the Validity of such Arguments when they are proved as valid against her self especially it being a Church of that pride and amâ—ition as to scorn to own any Authority in any other Church which she â—â—th not more fully in her self Now if rather then not destroy our Ordâ—â—s they will what in them Lies overthrow all Ecclesiastical Authority and Succession though thanks be to God they cannot do it yet it is Apparent that they will hazard the very Worship of God and shake the very Foundations of Religion rather then be frustrated in their malicious Purposes and ambitious Designes And this I take not to be any strong Temptation 〈◊〉 prefer their Communion before all Others XL. As for our Doctrine we are willing it should come to the Trial And I know no better Way to Try it then by its Agreement with what was â—aught by our Saviour and his Apostles This is the Way Tertullian presâ—â—ibes us both for the Security of the Church and Exclusion of Hereticks 〈◊〉 after some things premised he makes this Inference Constat proinde omnem â—â—strinam quae cum illis Ecclesiis Apostolicis Matricibus Origiualibus Fidei 〈◊〉 Veritati deputandam id sine dâ—bio tenentem quod Ecclesiae ab Apostolis 〈◊〉 Ã
they who best might do not Magisterially give us their Naked Decrees and Definitions for though they had the Holy Ghost and in their Decree did say It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us yet they do not say this before they had undeniably proved that it did seem good to the Holy Ghost and therefore ought to them For St. Peter clearly proves that God Himself had already determined the Matter in the Case of Cornelius And then Barrabas and Paul as clearly proved Gods further Confirmation of it by Miracles and Wonders wrought amongst the Gentiles whilest they Preached the Gospel to them So that here was nothing left for Men to say against the Decrees of the Councel unless they would Argue against God And though the same degree of Evidence and fulness of Authority do not Attend after Councels yet it would be a great means to procure submission to them when their Imitation of the Apostles and Care of the Churches did Appear by their Accompanying their Determinations with the clearest Evidence that might be II. Some Romanists will needs have every General Councel i. e. such as they Call Lawful to be as infallible as that of the Apostles but methinks they should allow some difference if it were only for this Reason That the Arostles did infallibly and fully discover to us the whole Truth of God in order to the Salvation of Man All that come after them have nothing more to do then to enquire after that Truth which they taught and which Rests upon their Authority as Inspired by the Holy Ghost And therefore certainly there is a great difference between them and those who follow them and are bound to build upon them and are certainly in the wrong whenever they depart from them Infallibility is a word that sounds high and promiseth all that Man can deâ—ire And therefore the Romanists themselves would have it upon no other termes but so that they may have both the possession and the use of it But when we come to look for this Salve for all Sores we know not wheâ—e to find it for they themselves are so miserably divided that they know not where to place it And then how can we or indeed they themselves be any thing the better for it Some say it is in the Church some say in Tradition some say in a General Councel some in a Councel together with the Pope some in a Councâ—l Confirmed by the Pope though these two last are often odly Jumbled together and some say in the Pope alone when he defines pro Cathedrâ— and that is a Mystery too Now in all and each of these they entangle themselves in some palpable Contradictions and woful Absurdities that a Man might wonder that ever such Learned Men should Appear in their Defence did we not see by Experience that extravagant interest as well as great Oppressions often makes wise Men mad The truth is all these are set up as a blind as shall appear in its proper place And if their General Reasons to prove that there must be some sort of personal Infallibility be good there must be another sort of Infallibility set up then any of these and such as they themselves will by no means approve and which none have pretended to but the worst of Enthusiasts And yet their Reasons must prove this if any Such lewd Opinions do Men Run into when they will take upon them to prescribe to God rather then obey him And indeed it hath sometimes struck Me with horrour to see how boldly they tell us what God must do and how presumptuously they charge him with breach of Promise as Neglect of his people if he do not make good all their Contrivances As if God were bound to do whatsoever their working Brains can think fit to Advance their unworthy and unchristian Interests No doubt but God will not fail on his put if we neglect not our own But to Tye Him to serve our humours or baseness is to provoke Him to desert us in those things which are really most needful for us But these things I must not here particularly pursue nor shall I engage in the Dispute concerning the Infallibility of General Councels both because whatever they pretend it is not that which they would have as also because they have Received such Answers already in that Matter from Spalato the most Reverend A. B. Laud the Learned Dean of St. Pauls and others that it is now altogether a Needless Labour III. He that takes his Aim though never so carefully yet may sometimes miss his Mark And if that should be my Misfortune in what I write in this place I may in Equity expect the more favourable Usage For though in a good Sense a Councel may be said to be the Church Representative as I shall shew anon Yet I have Considered and Considered again and can by no means Reconcile to Reason that Notion or Proposition in the sense which some Men take and Explain it That a General Councel is Representative of the diffusive Body of the Church For if it be so it must either be by Institution from God or Delegation from Men. But that God in any Case hath Appointed the whole Body of Christians to choose certain Persons as their Representatives whose Acts by vertue of such Election shall be as â—inding as if it had been done by all and every Man I think can no where be found for my own part I could never see any Footsteps of it or any thing like it If on the other Hand it be by an unprescribed spontaneous Delegation from Men it must either be by the whole Body of Christians Met together for that purpose or by Parts Assembled in particular Churches The First I think if it be not impossible is altogether impracticable as the state of the Church now is Nor was it ever put in Practice when the Church being less closer and better united did not labour under those difficulties which now it doth As for the second it hath neither Scripture nor Antiquity on its side and for that Little which some may wrest to look that way it is so very little that it may thence Appear that the Churches of God never thought it necessary For though Paul and Barnabas and certain others were sent up to Jerusalem about the Controversie between the Jews and Gentiles Acts 15. 2. Yet there is not any Circumstance to lead us to think otherwise but that they went by Order or Agreement of these Governours of the Churches among whom that Controversie had been debated but could not be finally decided by reason of the turbulency of the Jews and not by Election of the People And when the Councel Met at Jerusalem though all Christians had freedom to Appear in it yet when the Apostles and Elders are said to come together to Consider of the Matter verse 6. they Met by their own Authority And further if a Councel be so the Church Representative that
in Order to its being a Representative it be necessary that the Persons Appearing be Elected from the Church-Members of particular Churches the Consequence will be That the first four Famous General Councels were not lawful Councels for they Met by the Emperours Summons not by Election from the People And therefore upon this Supposition could not be duely Convocated Besides if a Deputation of the People or Church-Members be necessary let the Honour or Orders of the Persons deputed be what it will they must Represent mostly as Laymen for such are Incomparably the sar greater Number But we read not of any Bishops Sitting in Councel but as Bishops and subscribing as Bishops and taking place there by vertue of their own Authority as Bishops not by any Deputation unless perhaps some Person Appeared for some absent Bishop as well as himself or as the Legate of some Bishop But then a Commission or Deputation from that absent Bishop was sufficient without so much as Consulting any Church-Members I do not say but that some Persons were Chosen on purpose to be sent to Councels but then they were either such Priests or Deacons as the Bishops thought Fit to take along with them or were pitch'd on by the Advice of their Clergy And we have a Custom amongst our selves that Two out of every Diocess be Chosen and sent to the Provincial Synod or Convocation And thought it is Reasonable that some should be there who by daily Inspection and Experience understand the Countreys Affairs and the Circumstances of the Rural Clergy upon whom not the least part of the Burthen lies yet the great Reason is this That the Determinations of the Convocation may pass into the Law of the Land which they cannot do unless the Convocation consists of such Persons as the Law requires whose Acts must be Ratified by the King also to that purpose But then those Persons so Chosen are only the Proctors of the Clergy not Deputies of the People And Canons for the Church might be made without them though not Laws of the Land And indeed the Romanists themselves though they talk loud of a Councels being the Churches Representative yet sometimes they are as dumb again and willing to let it sleep or to shift it off When they have to do with private Persons or such whom they Call Hereticks then they talk big of their pack'd Councels and what a Madness it is to withstand the Representative of the whole Church of God This looks great and seems to carry no small Authority with it But if Discourse happen of a Councel in Relation to the Pope then they are as Mute as Fishes or Mince the Matter and will by no means be induced to speak out as to any such Authority in Councels of themselves And it is well known That the Tridentines were never suffered to use the Phrase Repraesentans universalem Ecclefiam though many stickled hard for it the Pope being in no small fear that an Inference would be thence drawn That any Member how great soever was Inferiour to the Representative of the whole Body of Gods Church the Consequence of which might have been fatal to Himself But the Question concerning the Right to or Exercise of Authority in any diffusive Body of Men whether Ecclesiastical or Civil perhaps deserves a more thorough Examination then it hath ever yet undergone And consequently whether any can And if any then who and how far they can make a Representative I may perhaps have Occasion to discourse of it hereafter but shall not in this place IV. He that proceeds only in a destructive way gives too much Advantage to Loose Wits and in stead of Instructing unsettles weak Heads It is therefore but just that he who opposeth what he thinks a Mistake should set down what he thinks right lest he do more hurt by leaving nothing to build upon then he doth good by discovering an Errour which perhaps might be harmless if Consequences of too great moment were not Wire-drawn from it If therefore we should say That a Councel ie as far as Relates to such Churches whose Bishops Appear in Councel is the Church Authoritative and in Consequence the Representative as bringing â—ith it all that Authority Christ left in his Church and which he Lodg'd in his Church-Officers by Vertue of which Authority they Represent and not by any Deputation from the People or Church Members I think that with submission to better Judgements it would be much more plain in the Explication and facile in the Reasons of it And thence would Evidentâ—y Appear the true Grounds of the different force of their Decrees and Canons For in what Relates to Discipline and external Government every Bishop hath Power to make Orders in his own Church And when they are Met in Councel together for the Agreement and Harmony of Churches and better upholding Communion they may make Rules binding all those Churches and in all things lawful and honest they are to be obeyed For in their Hands God left the Government of his Church as a Church And it is no less then an Apostoâ—ical Command in reference to Church-Governours Obey them thâ—e have the Rule over you and submit your selves c Heb 13. 17. And this is so clear from the Practice of the Pâ—imitire Church that to bâ—ing a few Instances were only to light a Candle to the â—un But then those â—egimental Rules or Orders were not binding to those Churches whose Bâ—shops were not there either by themselves or their Delegates and Consenting to them though they were bound to observe them whenever upon any Occasion they came to any of those Churches on whom they were laid And also had a Power to Receive and Confirm them if they found them convenient for their Churches and so to make them Obligatory ex post facto though they themselves were not at the Councel And it is further Observable That Constitutions of this Nature were never thought to be so unalterable and binding But that not only following General Councels might alter them but even Provincial Councels in some Cases might Rescind what more General Councels had Appointed For no Laws are binding contrary to their own End and Design Now the End and Design of their Constitutions being the Peace and Benefit of the Churches and for the most part in Matters of themselves by Nature indifferent or mutable It can hardly be that in all things their General Sanctions should Hit the Condition of all Churches for Climates alter Men much And the Humours Inclinations and Customes oâ— People much vary in different places yea not seldom in the same place in different Ages So that what is convenient easie and useful in one place may be inconvenient uneasie and unprofitable in another If therefore by Reason of the Condition of some particular Church or Churches which was not well made known to the General Councel some of their Constitutions should prove to be really and truly Burthensom and Offensive to
the Popes Right though meerly Founded upon Usurpations to Call General Councels For by this means they gained time to Fit Matters for their Turn And yet though the most Refined Politicians in the World it was not a little time did serve their Turn For though tho Popes successively seemed daily willing that so they might stop Mens Mouths and Gratifie their Importunity yet was it not less then Twenty-seven yeares before these perfect Crafts-Masters could Contrive Matters to their Mind and then too they were rather Necessitated then willing and in no small fear that their Wings would be Clipt-Luthers first Appeal to a General Councel which was quickly followed with the desire of all Germany was in the Year 1518. But the Councel of Trent did not open till the 13th of December 1545. So long did this Compassionate Successor of St. Peter suffer the Wounds of the Church to Lye Bleeding and at last only Cured them as Chyrurgions do Gangâ—enes by Cutting off the Members As for the Indictions at Mantua and Vicenza I make no Account of them for as it may Reasonably be suspected that they were only Shams to gain time so had either taken effect it is certain it was a Device to keep the Councel in greater Slavery then it was at Trent though it was so great there that little good could be expected from it as shall presently appear And now after so long Plotting having got something like a Councel in a â—rightful place at a time when Christian Princes were most jealous of each other and the Pope had Leasure and Opportunity to play his Game Let us enquire into its State and Actions And if just Exceptions cannot be brought against it let it take place VII I do not pretend to bring all the just Exceptions which may be Alledged against the Councel of Trent It is sufficient if those few I shall bring or any one of them be so material and to the purpose as to Justâ—fy our Rejecting it Now the first Quarrel I have against them is that the prevailing Part all along carried on a Design to betrary the Liberties of all the Churches and the Power of all Bishops to the Pope and to make him the absolute Moâ—arch of the whole Church And what good can we expect from Men who were Traitors to their own Order But though there could be no greater baseness and falseness then such a Design yet it must be Confessed that never was an Intrigue Managed more Neatly or more Sâ—ily brought about for they never Offer to put his Supremacy to the Vote nor by any express Canon or Decree declare or give it him for that might have Awakeâ—â—d the Sleeping Bishops and Alarm'd the World and perhaps they might not have Carried it Or if they had yet what one Councel gave another might take away At least he must have been beholding to them and held it as their Gift which would not do the Pope's Business But more craftily whilest the Councel was intent upon other Matters they upon all Occasions 〈◊〉 in such words into the Decrees and Canons which though nothing to the purpose as to the Matter to be decided and therefore in all likelihood little Heeded yet might infer the Pope's Supremacy by an Antecedent or Divine Right And thus they insensibly put him out of the Reach of all Councels and did their Work more effectually then if they had spoke never so plainly Those who Heedsully Read over the Canons and Decrees of the Councel of Trent may furnish themselves with plenty of Instances To Avoid Tediousness I shall only mention some few For a Trial how this would glide down the Decree for Reformation is Ushered in with these words Eadem SS Synâ—dus Piis Summorum Pontificum Probatorum Conciltorum Constitutionibus inhaerens Sess 5. cap. 1. Here the Pope is not only put before the Councels but that ye might see by what Right he is Adorned with the Epithet Summus And though the Councels are suffered to wait on him yet it is with a Restriction they must be such as are Probatae Now what those are and who shall have the Approving them any Man may guess without being suspected for a Conjurer For with them the meanest Provincial Councel is as good as a General if Confirmed by the Pope and without his Confirmation the most General is not worth a Rush Thus what shrivelled things are Councels to a Pope But as if all Reformation Consisted in exalting the Pope in the Decree of Reformation Sess 6 cap. 1 He is stiled Ipsius Dei in Terris Vicarius They could hardly have made him greater unless they had stiled Him Our Lord God the Pope And in the latter part of the same Decree they declare him to be Captain'Mend-all with a power to punish at Discretion even the Highest Prelates of the Church And that not by Vertue of any Trust reposed in Him by the Councel but Suae Supreme Sedis Auctoritate This I think is pretty fair they did deserve to be stroked and called his white Boys for it When they come to determine the Matter concerning the Reservation of Cases which extreamly needed Reformation for by that means Persons oft were forced to Travel to Rome from the farthest Countreys at vast Charges and often for meer Trifles in stead of Reforming they Justify it And for fear of losing the booty they seem willing that some other Bishops should have a Share with Subordination to his Holiness But as for thâ— Pope himself they tell us roundly that he may do it Merito pro Supremâ Potestate sibi in Ecclesiâ Vniversâ traditâ Sess 14 cap. 7. This I think drives the Naiâ— home and Clinches it too for if his be the Supreme Power in the Universal Church that Man or Men had need be Back'd with a strange Authority who shall dare to Controul or oppose Him Further the Matter is so Ordered that the Councel frequently gives the Pope the Title of Dominus neâ—er and the Consequence can be no less but that they were or ought to be his Humble Servants Perhaps some will say that this was done in good Manners and by way of Complement But put a Complement upon the Pope and if it serves his Turn he interprets it a Reality And the Decrees and Canons of this Councel are Restrained to his Interpretation that they can only speak what he pleases so that he may make the utmost use of it And we know that Sayings which do not by the hundredth part so much Countenance his Supremacy are Confidently brought in to prove it An endless and needless Labour iâ— would be to pursue all Instances of this kind and therefore I shall Content my self with one more When most Men were Tyred out and grown Sick of the Councel and the Papalins being in fear of the Popes Death were Resolved to Conclude it in a Hurry in the very last Session this Decree passeth Postremo Sancta Synodus omnia singula sub