he the Church to be a Companie of men obedient to the Bishop of Rome for the time being and we affirme the Church of Rome to be alone the Catholike and Apostolike Church The Third and last thus None doth communicate saith he with the Catholike Church except he subiect himselfe vnto the Pope yea although otherwise he professe the Catholike Faith For vnion with the Head is a note of the Church So standeth the now Article of your Romane Faith Foure remarkeable Points more distinctly to be obserued in your former Romane Profession concerning the Article of The Catholike Romane Church SECT 5. FIrst obserue that the word ROMANE is not added only for distinction-sake to discerne it from other Churches which in respect of the Catholike doctrine of Faith professed in them haue equally had that Addition as to bee called the Catholike Corinthian or the Catholike Ephesian the Catholike Thessalonian or as we now the Catholike English Church because so it could be no more Catholike than other particular Churches as your Iesuite confesseth and consequently there could be no matter of controuersie But now the word ROMANE is added to the Article of the Catholike Church by way of Transcendencie and as the same Iesuite resolueth supreamly comprehending all other Churches professing the Catholike faith vnder the obedience of the Pope of Rome as the vniuersall Vicar of Christ. So that this Article is become not onely one point of Controuersie but indeede the chiefe Head of all the Controuersies which are between the said Romane Church and all other Churches at this day Secondly you conceiue this Appropriation to be Diuini Iuris in a strict sence ordained by Christ himselfe and not onely by Ecclesiasticall Institution Thirdly vpon this pretended Ordinance you exact from all other Churches Christian a Necessitie of Vnion with your Church of Rome and the Bishop thereof both in Faith Subiection Fourthly this Necessity of Subiection you beleeue to be Absolute as to exclude from hope of Saluation not onely all them that shall refuse to be subiect to the Romane Primacie but euen all them also that do not beleeue euery soule of man to be vtterly Damned that is not subiect thereunto The GENERALL CHALLENGE against this your former Romane Profession and the Summe of our contrarie Defence SECT 6. IF therefore wee may giue credit vnto your now Romane Church to your later Romane Bishops to your Romane Councels and Creed to your selues and other sworne Professors of the same Romane faith then must wee beleeue all the seuerall points and as it were the Particles of this one Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church without subiection whereunto there is no saluation Which notwithstanding wee hold and beleeue to be respectiuely False Vnconscionable Scandalous Schismaticall Hereticall Blasphemous and euery way Damnable And this we coÌ„fidently hope God assisting vs to proue from such your owne Grounds and from so manifest Demonstrations as that you shall fully perceiue vs to plead not so much our owne Cause as the Cause of the holy Apostles of the renowned Martyrs and Confessors of Christ of the most Orthodoxe Christian Professors of the holy Faith euen in the Primitiue Times of other innumerable Churches of Christendoâ—e still partakers of the Common Saluation yea and of the Catholike and Vniuersall Church of Christ it selfe Our proofes for the maintaining of this Challenge may be reduced vnto two heads The first is the Consideration of the common Article of our Christian faith to wit The holy Catholike Church The second from the state of the Visible Church of Christ it selfe as well Primitiue as Successiue CHAP. II. The first Generall Foundation of our CHALLENGE is taken from the Article in the Apostles Creed viz. The Catholike Church SECT 1. WE lay the first ground of our Challenge vpon the Apostles Creed and Symbol so called you know as being A forme of Faith composed by the Apostles accordingly as the ancient Fathers haue commonly taught Which the Schollers of Christ ought to get by hart as a watch-word in our Christian discipline whereby the faithfull Professors as by a perfect Shibboleth may be distinguished from the Iewish and Hereticall Which Christian Symbol although it be called the Apostles Creed yet it is so termed not because they were Deuisers but onely Collectors thereof by reducing the fundamentall Articles into one Briefe euen as a posie is called his that gathered trimmed it not that he created the flowers but because he composed the bundle and like as the writers of the Gospell were not Inuentors and Dictators but onely Pen-men of the holy Ghost and Scribes of Christ as the Fathers vse to speake Which the Euangelists themselues do sufficiently teach by inscribing their worke The Gospell of Iesus Christ. And accordingly all the Apostles in receiuing the doctrine of saluation are called Disciples not Doctors or Masters in respect of Christ. So then we haue in this posie a briefe Collection of those flowers of sauing truth which spring in the Paradise of God the Gospell of Iesus Christ. That the Church hath no power to ordaine any new Article of faith SECT 2. HE onely can make an Article of faith as necessarily belonging vnto the saluation of soules who can create a soule and after make a Gospell or Testament to saue this soule and then giue vnto that soule the gift of faith to beleeue this Gospell and next institute a Sacrament for confirmation of that faith and in the end bestow saluation vpon the same faithfull beleeuer This we should prooue from Scriptures and from the constant iudgement of the Fathers if it were not a doctrine acknowledged in your owne Schooles and professed by all Christians I proceed to that which followeth That the false Additions to the Creed are new Articles SECT 3. THere are two kinds of additions vnto the Apostolicall Creed the one is of Explication the other is of Deprauation The addition onely of Explication is iustifiable as appeareth by the addition of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consubstantiall filioque which haue bene set downe in Declaratiue Creeds composed by ancient Councels for the clearer vnderstanding of the great mysterie of the Trinitie In which case those additions may be truly called as Lirinensis saith of the like Non noua sed nouè dicta But the Addition of Deprauation of the sence of the Creed in any essentiall and fundamentall part thereof which is to be beleeued as necessary to saluation must needs be a new Article and euery such new Article in true construction a new Heresie Now what one Professor is there in the Romane Church who whensoeuer he repeateth that one Article of our Christian Creed The Catholike Church doth not vnderstand thereby the Romane onely And againe what one is there among you that hearing mention made of the Romane Catholike Church doth not take the addition of the word ROMANE to be a Declaration and exposition of the
Peter We adde that S. Paul whom all the Romanists teach to haue beene a Co-founder with Saint Peter of the Church of Rome had been before that time A Persecuter of the Church of Christ as he himselfe confesseth when Saint Steuen suffered Martyrdome But the Church of Christ as it is called Catholike comprehendeth say you all times CHALLENGE THe addition of a word which betokeneth onely a part of Time of the Churches being cannot be a Declaration of the Church which is called Catholike on respect of the whole and vniuersall Time of the being of the Church But the addition of the word ROMANE doth betoken but a part of Time of the being of the Church namely after the first constitution of the Church of Christ Catholike Ergo It cannot be any true Explication of the Article properly called the Catholike Church except you will exclude out of the Church of Christ without which there is no saluation S. Stephen the first Christian Martyr and all other blessed primitiue Martyrs and Confessors who died the faithfull members of Christ before the Church of Rome had receiued her first life or breath Wherefore the word ROMANE cannot be added to our Christian Creed as a Declaration of that Article The Catholike Church without which there is no saluation without intolerable blasphemie against Apostles Martyrs and other Confessors and blessed Saints of God vnder the persecution of Saul afterwards Paul who because they were before the Church of Rome and consequently without it must be iudged by your Article to haue beene at that time without the state of Grace Of whom notwithstanding our Sauiour Christ gaue testimonie by this voice from heauen saying to Saul in their behalfe Why persecutest thou Mee So false and impious is your Addition of the word ROMANE to that Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed The sixt Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be a Declaration of that Article in the Apostles Creed The Catholike Church In respect of the Time to come SECT 9. AGaine the word Catholike or vniuersall mentioned in the Apostles Creed as it comprehendeth as you haue said the Time past so doth it you know implie The time to come vntill the ends of the world according to the promise of Christ Mat. 28.20 Whereâ—ore our next Question must be whether the Church of Rome which will needs be the Catholike Church can infallibly professe a Prerogatiue of continuing the the same pretended Catholike Church vntill the ends of the world and whether her owne principles doe not vtterly confute this vsurpation It is a generall principle of your Doctors aswell Iesuites as others that If the succession in the gouernement of the Catholike Church were not allotted to the Bishop of Rome by diuine authority then the same gouernement may bee transported from the same Bishop and the Church of Rome may depart from the Faith as well as other Churches and by name the Church of Constantinople haue done This Consequence being so vniuersally receiued and approued in your owne Schooles our next endeauour will be to proue that it cannot appeare infallibly that the Church of Rome hath a Priuiledge of continuing The Catholike Church to the end of the world by any diuine authority This hath bene briefly touched already but here is the place to handle it more at large Your Canus with some Others lest they should bee compelled to confesse that the Church of Rome may possibly Apostate in future times haue contended to defend that It was constituted the Catholike Church by the Institution of Christ. Which if it were true then would there appeare some euidence thereof either before or else after the Ascension of Christ. But Before the Ascention of Christ saith your Iesuite Suarez Nothing appeareth of any such Ordinance either in Scripture or from Tradition And that which is commonly alledged out of Egesippus of Christ his appearance after his Ascension vnto Peter Commanding him to fixe his seate at Rome vntill his death in the iudgement of your Iesuite Valentianus is of no force to proue that the Romane Church was to continue Catholike We draw nearer our marke There is no certaintie of faith saith Bellarmine with whom the Iesuite Suarez consenteth that the Sea Apostolike is so fixed at Rome as that it cannot be separated and remoued from that Church because there is neither Scripture nor Tradition to proue this Nor these onely but Sotus with diuers other Schoole-men directly and peremptorily consent that The Priuilege which Rome doth challenge is onely by the ordinance of Saint Peter and therefore from humane authority Yea and Some yeeld not so much as the Institution by S. Peter but by the Church so farre that If the Church in a Councell should choose the Arch-bishop of Treuers or of any other place to be Head of the Church he should be rather the Successor of Peter than the Bishop of Rome Furthermore we reserue vnto it's due place your Confession that The Citie of Rome shall vndoubtedly bee the Seate of Antichrist CHALLENGE AN Addition which notifieth a Church that may possibly be translated else-whither and depart from the Faith cannot bee a Declaration of that Article in our Christian Creed which signifieth a Church infallibly continuing in the Faith to the end of the world But the word ROMANE as it signifieth the Romane Church betokeneth a Church which may possibly be Translated and depart from the Faith Ergo it cannot be a Declaration of the Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed So then to make the word Catholike hereditarie to that Romane Church which possibly may be as truly Antichristian as Rome it selfe is sure to be by your owne Confessions The Seate of Antichrist doth plainly discouer an Article New False Antichristian and Blasphemous The seuenth Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE to the Catholike Church cannot be a Declaration of the Christian Faith mentioned in the Apostles Creed in respect of any Present Time SECT 10. THe Certainty whatsoeuer it is of your Article The Catholike Romane Church is built vpon this foundation that the Pope of Rome is the Catholike and Vniuersall Bishop of the Church of Christ as the Popes themselues haue formerly defined Now because no structure can be more firme than is the foundation vpon which it is built wee make bold to demand with what faith any of you can beleeue any Pope whatsoeuer he be that is elected to be the True Pope that is as you call him The Catholike Bishop of Rome without which the Church of Rome cannot be acknowledged The Catholike Church This Consequence Two of your Iesuites did truly discerne which made Them resolue thus As the visible Church saith the one is this indiuiduall Church so the visible Head thereof must needs be this visible Pope who by the common consent is so ordained vnto whom we owe obedience as
of faith Now wee haue proued by your owne Witnesses as by your owne eyes that aboue 2280. Bishops in their VIII Generall Councels and euery Generall Councell you call the Catholike Church haue opposed your Article of pretended Subiection The first by proportioning aswell the limits of the Romane Dioces as of other Patriarks The second by iudging the Romane Primacie not to stand vpon any Diuine authoritie and setting vp a Patriarke of Constantinople contrary to the Popes will The third by inhibiting any Bishop whatsoeuer from Ordaining Bishops within the Isle of Cyprus The fourth by aduancing the Bishops of Constantinople and establishing them in equall Priuiledges with the Bishops of Rome notwitstanding the Popes earnest opposition against it The fift in Condemning the Sentence of Pope Vigilius albeit one extreamely vehement in that Cause The Sixt and Seauenth in condemning Pope Honorius of Heresie And the Eighth by imposing a Canon vpon the Church of Rome and challenging Obedience thereunto Any man therefore although destitute of good Conscience if but endued with common ingenuitie will iudge and confesse that this Article which thus Condemneth aboue 2280. Bishops of the first Eighth Generall Councels whereof most were as Catholike as they were ancient and learned together with all their Beleeuers for the space of aboue 540. yeares Professours of the Christian faith is iustly to be condemned as Scandalous Schismaticall Hereticall Blasphemous Respectiuely and euery way damnable CHAP. IX Our fourth Argument taken from the Examples of particular Churches Catholike which contemning the Excommunication of the Bishop of Rome were notwithstanding acknowledged to be in the state of Saluation SECT 1. THree things there are which your new Romane Article requireth as Necessary to Saluation of Christians throughout the World I. Is to haue Vnion with the Church of Rome and Head thereof II. Because there are two kindes of Vnions one in Equalitie as is betweene the Members of the same Body and another in an Inequalitie like as is betweene the Head and the Body your Article exacteth Vnion of subiection also The III. is the Necessitie of faith concerning both these as namely that euery Christian doe beleeue the truth of the Article in both to wit that they are indeede Necessary to Saluation Therefore haue wee singled out Examples of ancient Churches which you your selues note as Excommunicate by the Popo which notwithstanding all the Christian world haue held to haue beene in the state of Saluation Our first Instance is in the ancient Churches of Asia which notwithstanding the Excommunication of Pope Victor were in the state of Saluation SECT 2. YOur owne Authors boastingly relate that in the yeare 197. Pope Victor did excommunicate all the Easterne Churches for not obseruing the feast of Easter vpon the Lords day which Excommunication say they is not found to haue beene afterwards reuoked or retracted wherein notwithstanding those that were auerse continued a long time So they A storie certainly worthy your double consideration whereof you cannot be ignorant it being recorded by Eusebius at large that namely Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus in Asia pleaded the Cause of the Churches of Asia against the Excommunication of Victor in that his Epistle whereunto the other Bishops in Asia gaue their Consent Prouing that their Custome contrary to the Romane was receiued from Saint Iohn who leaned vpon our Lords brest that it was practised by Philip the Apostle who died in Asia that it was continued by Saint Polycarpus Martyr and Bishop of Smyrna by Thraseas Bishop and Martyr by Sagonius Bishop and Martyr and that then Polycrates being animated by these so worthy Examples and the vnanimous Consent of their Bishops in Asia stood in defiance with that Pope Victor and contemned his Excommunications saying I who haue now liued sixtie fiue yeares in the Lord and haue had communion in the faith with all the Brethren dispersed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 throughout the world and nothing moued with these terrors meaning of Ezcommunication which are vrged against vs. Thus farre the Ecclesiasticall Storie wherein appeareth this Conclusion as manifest as if it had beene deliuered in expresse termes viz. That a Christian may haue Communion generally with the Catholike Church else-where throughout the world notwithstanding the Excommunication of the Pope and See of Rome and therefore cannot the Romane Church be called the Catholike Church as the Head whereunto all others ought to professe Vnion and yeeld Subiection Yea but your Question will be whether these Asian Churches being thus Excommunicate by the Pope of Rome and so without the Vnion of your Church could therefore be said to be without the state of Saluation This is the maine point for satisfaction whereunto first if you will respect the faith of those Churches it is plaine that they beleeued that the Excommunication of the Bishop of Rome had no further power than to seperate them from his owne Romane Societie and Communion but extended not to the Church Catholike and Separation from it And this will appeare to bee true by better testimonies from the same knowne Storie it selfe where you may read that This Act of Victor did not well please all other Bishops who did greatly reproue him for troubling the peace of the Church And among others Father Irenaeus in the person of his Brethren in France wrote Letters to Pope Victor Dehorting him from his purpose This is enough to proue that Pope Victor was the Schismatike that troubled the peace of the Church and not the Asian Bishops whom these other holy Bishops did so far iustifie as not to deserue Excommunication But to appeale to your owne Consciences shew vnto vs in all your reading if you can that Polycrates and other Asian Bishops so Excommunicate by Pope Victor were held by any other Catholike Bishops of those times to be thereby without the state of Saluation For this you know is the very soule of your Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no Saluation Nay but you full well know that Contrarily Saint Hierome in his Catalogue of Ecclesiasticall Writers numbred Polycrates among those who did aduance the Catholike faith And againe relating this his opposition against Victor This I therefore mention saith hee to make knowne what was his meaning Polycrates Authoritie And yet againe Reporting the behauiâ—ur of Irenaeus and other Bishops in the same Case These saith hee albeit they differed in opinion from the Asian Bishops yet did they not consent to Pope Victor in the act of Excommunication So hee Where Not Consenting to the Popes Excommunication doth plainly inferre their inward Communion with the Bishops of Asia CHALLENGE THis one Case if there were no other were enough to strangle your Romane faith in that Article viz. The Romane Church without vnion wherewith there is no Saluation Wherein we finde the Bishops and Churches of Asia Excommunicated by the Romane Bishop and so separated from the Communion of his See
dagger of humane Constitution which because of the false pretence thereof was shattered in pieces with the very drawing thereof IV. That the Bishops of Africk were in the state of Saluation notwihstanding either their not Vnion with the Pope of Rome by reason of his Excommunication or of their no Subiection vnto him by reason of their diuers Oppositions against him First of their not Vnion SECT 12. IN the Bodie of your Councels there is extant the Epistle of Pope Boniface the Second wherein about the yeere 606 the same Pope complaineth that Aurelius and his fellow Bishops of Africk with whom Saint Augustine did consent had by the instigation of Satan for so the Epistle speaketh beene separated from the Church of Rome vntill that now after an hundred yeeres space Eulalius Bishop of Carthage acknowledging his offence seeketh and desireth to be reconciled to the Church of Rome Thus farre the Epistle of your Pope Doe you beleeue this Epistle concerning the Excommunication of the Churches of Africk Then had you best stand aside a while for feare of knockes for behold there are at hand children of the Tribe of Dan angry fellowes that lay about them 1. Bellarmine I greatly suspect saith he that this Epistle is counterfeit 2. It is full of fraud saith Binius 3. Which saith Baronius some wicked Impostor hath fained because if this Epistle goe for currant then must we blot out of the Table or Booke of Monuments whole Troopes and Armies of Martyrs within the Church of Africk together suffering persecution within the space of an hundred yeeres vnder those bloodie Vandalls all which were crowned with Martyrdome and in like manner must we wipe out the memory of famous and godly professors of the same time So he But do you not beleeue that Epistle of Boniface to be true and that these holy Martyrs stood so long Excommunicate and separated from the Church of Rome Then hearken first to your Lindanus That this Epistle is not supposititious but true saith he this may be a sufficient argument that 500 yeeres since it was held and beleeued to be true as Antonius of Florence doth witnesse which if it should be counterfeit then can wee not haue confidence in the truth of any History of Antiquitie So he Your Costerus and Turrian both Iesuites and also Master Harding doe greatly magnifie your Popes for Discharging their office in excommunicating the Bishops of Africke and alleage this Epistle for their ground Your Iesuite Salmeron and Sanders doe confidently hold that All the African Bishops were seuered from the Church of Rome from the daies of Saint Cyprian vntill the time of the said Boniface the Author of this Epistle III. CHALLENGE WE doubt not but you stand halfe agast to heare the Contradictory spirits of your owne Authors as well Cardinals as Iesuites in a matter of so great moment The one side rather than the aforesaid Bishops of Africke should seeme to perish by their Separation from the Church of Rome will suffer all the Epistles of ancient Popes set downe in the body of the Councels to incurre as Counterfeits the suspition of forgery The other part rather than that one Epistle of the Pope which so much aduanceth the authrity of the Popedome in Excommunicating other Churches and illustrateth the necesity of Vnion with the Church of Rome vpon danger of damnation should want Authority care not although as your Baronius calleth them whole Troopes and armies of holy Martyrs and godly Confessors doe damnably perish But pacifie your selues my good friends the matteâ— vpon on due consideration will not proue worth your iarring For if as the one part will haue it these and all other Bishops of Africke for the space of an hundred yeeres were excommunicate by the Pope for their Opposition against the Church of Rome And that as the other side is constrained to confesse these foresaid Bishops and others made vp whole Troopes and Armies of Martyrs and holy Professors then this intestine Warre among your selues hath made this peace among vs to beleeue that the Popes Excommunication could inferre no mortall danger of Separation Take vnto you this This Syllogisme to ruminate vpon No true Christian Martyrs dye out of the state of Saluation Diuers true Christian Martyrs dye out of obedience to the Romane Church Ergo. Diuers dying out of obedience to the Romane Church dye not out of the state of Saluation Thus ought your grand Clerkes to haue framed their Argument for the stablishing of a true Conclusion and not by their coniecturall Opination to lay the forgerie vpon that Papall Epistle which in truth is to be laid vpon the Papall vsurpation it selfe Thus much concerning the no-necessitie of Vnion with the Church of Rome Secondly of their no Subiection SECT 13. WHatsoeuer that Vnion was which the Bishops of Africke and Professours among them had with rhe Church of Rome sure wee are that by denying Appeales to Rome they denied that Subiection without which your Church will acknowledge no Vnion and consequently no Saluation except you shall imagine that the Pope of Rome whom you intitle Monarch of the Church Catholike and Bishop of Bishops to whose absolute Iurisdiction you sweare Obedience as an Article of Faith without which none can be saued would accept it as a matter of Subiection for Protestants with Saint Augustine and those other African Bishops to deny that any ought to be called Bishop of Bishops and not to yeeld to his demands in point of Iurisdiction vpon any pretence of Diuine Law but to exact of him proofe by a Canon of an ancient Councell to gain-say his challenge of Right of Appeales to Rome from remote Nations calling this A smoakie secular pride to inhibit their Clergie from Appealing to the Romane See and to denounce Excommunication against them if they should transgresse in that Case IV. CHALLENGE WHerefore if any as some of your Church haue beene shall be so impudent as to adiudge these Bishops and Professors in the Churches of Africke which is a part of the world Thrice as great as Europe to haue beene without the state of saluation we can say no lesse than that which your Cardinall Baronius hath already put in our mouthes to wit Then must we blot out of the Table and bookes of Monuments whole Troopes and Armies of Martyrs within the Church of Africke for the space of an Hundred yeares wee might haue said many more suffering persecution for the faith of Christ and in like manner must wee wipe out the memorie of famous and godly Professors of the same time This Collection you must grant to be infallibly true which doth as iustly and irrefragably teach vs that your Papall-Article which seuereth all from Saluation that professe not Subiection to the Pope and Church of Rome is New False Scandalous and Schismaticall for which Article whosoeuer shall dye may be indeed called the Popes Martyr but no waies
not subiect to Rome SECT 9. WHen Protestants in Confutation of a Sacrilegious abuse in the Church of Rome by allowing of Publike Seruice in an vnknowne tongue thereby depriuing God of a principall part of his Worship euen the vnderstanding of the Worshipper and Gods people of their comfort do obiect vnto you the Examples of the Churches of the Aegyptians and the like they can receiue no better Answer than that which the yellow choler of your Cardinall would vouchsafe them We are no more mooued saith he with the Examples of these Aethiopians Aegyptians c. than we are with the Customes of the Lutherans because they were either Heretitkes or Schismatickes So he plainly notifying vnto you that were they onely Schismatickes by denying Subiection to the Church of Rome yet that alone without any suspition of Heresie might be held sufficient in his opinion to conclude them in the state of Damnation and indeed there are scarce Any among these challengeable for any Fundamentall Heresie Whom therefore Protestants embrace as Partakers of that which Saint Iude calleth The common Saluation CHALLENGE AS often as we reade how gratiously Christ the Sonne of God entertained the woman diseased with a Bloudy issue by affoording the Operation of a Diuine virtue to cure her maladie at the very Touching of but the hemme of his garment so often are we to acknowledge that Super-abundant grace of God in Christ euen to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of Small Faith nay once to one bringing with him a beleeuing vnbeliefe and saying Lord I belieue helpe my vnbeliefe But here behold infinite soules of professed Christians whom you dare not directly charge with Heresie and yet O the cursed maliciousnesse of the pride of Rome must they all be Damned and by one Romane Article of Necessitie of Subiection to the Church of Rome are excluded from all possibility of Saluation The like must be said of multitudes of other Christians in Africke and Asia besides Iaponia wherein not long since hath bene reckoned to be Two hundred thousand Christians To omit other Countries Christian too many to bee recited Our second kind of Instance in respect of Churches nearer to the Territories of Rome yet not Subiect to the Romane Church which are the Churches of Protestants SECT 10. WHole volumes would not suffice to containe the Exceptions which we may iustly take against the Church of Rome not onely in respect of her Professors and their differences in Doctrine but euen in your Profession and Religion it selfe as well Morall as Theologicall but you had rather that we should giue Answer to your Calumniations Know therefore First that the number of Protestant Professors is not in comparison of yours that will be the onely Catholikes so very a Pusillus Grex that you can haue any Reason to contemne it For if so then would not your Cardinall so greatly enuie and maligne the Extent and latitude thereof who speaking of Protestants saith that They at this day possesse so many and ample Prouinces as England Scotland Denmarke Norway Sweuia and no small part of Germania Polonia Bohemia and Hungaria Yet he pretermitteth France Heluetia Ireland and many other places where these Professors are visible I. CHALLENGE in Particular ALL these Churches of Protestants may seeme to containe in them one Moity of the Christian world in the Westerne parts thereof whose greatest Error which you can impute vnto them is that They for their Faith immediatly depend vpon Christ Iesus as the Head of the Catholike Church and their greatest vice that they impugne the Popes Indulgences the nourceries of all vices and their greatest Schisme that they will be diuided from that Church of Rome which proudly and impiously diuideth her selfe from all other Churches of the world And must all These that are willing to sacrifice their liues for Christ and his Ancient Faith contained in the Catholike Creeds be necessarily Damned for denying of one new Article of Necessity of Subiection to the Catholike Romane Church which Article as hath beene plentifully proued doth manifoldly contradict the sense of the Article in the Apostles Creed concerning The Catholike Church II. CHALLENGE in Generall OVR Question still is concerning the Church Catholike which is the whole Church of Christ consisting of all Particular Churches as the members and parts thereof You haue heard of the multitudes of Remote Churches Christian in Greece Assyria Aegypt Aethiopia c. The like instance haue you heard of the Churches of Protestants in Denmarke Saxonia Bohemia c. Try now whether that Obiection made by Optatus against the Donatists may not some-way checke you You saith he will haue the Church to be onely where you are but in Dacia Misia Thracia Achaia c. Where you are not you will not haue it to be nor will you haue it to be in Graecia Cappadocia Aegypt c. And innumerable other Isles and Prouinces where you are not His Reason For you will haue your selues onely to be the Whole who are not in euery Whole So he Tell vs now when euer any Church could more professe it selfe to be Whole in respect of other Churches than that which will haue it selfe onely to be called The Catholike or Vniuersall Romane Church or else to be more Alone than she that excludeth from hope of Saluation all other Churches which are not subiect vnto her Our third kind of Instance is in the Church of Rome herselfe proouing that this Article The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no Saluation becometh pernicious to them that will be called the Body or Members thereof SECT 11. BY this time we are drawing neare to the Gates of Rome to try what peace there is within her walls and what security can be had in Apocalypticall Babylon for so is Rome called by Saint Iohn according to the common Interpretation of your owne Doctors And in as much as we are now to fight within her owne Territories in this conflict wee shall endeuour to make good vpon you Two most Obseruable Positions The first concerneth the almost desperate estate of your Church of Rome the Next is the Safety and security of the Churches of Protestants The danger of the Church of Rome and some Members thereof is that it is made twice Damnable Once by the Article which it professeth viz. The Catholike Mother and Mistris Church of Rome without Vnion and Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation Next and more especially by the Apostolicall Article as it is vnderstood in our Christian Creed of beleeuing THE CATHOLIKE CHVRCH The State of the Question by Comparison of the Head and Body of the Romane Church together according to the sense of your now Article The Catholike Romane Church without which c. SECT 12. THe Church of Rome consisteth of a Pope and his Subordinates as of an Head and a Body yet so as the Body your Church taketh the Denomination to be called Catholike
Dominion therefore both Regall Supremacie ouer Ecclesiastiques is in this Treatise defended by the confessed Examples of the first and best Christian Emperours and also the Ciuill Subiection of the Clergie vnto Them is iustified by the Confessed Obedience performed by the first and best Popes of the same Times After this Suruey thus taken of the Churches Christian in the Primitiue ages followeth a Contemplation of the State of Christendome as it is at this present wherein appeareth a world of Christian Churches of remote Nations reduced to these Generall appellations to wit Grecians Assyrians Aethiopians Aegyptians Armenians Russians with diuers other particular Churches for Time as ancient for Faith as fundamentall for Succession as Continuall and for the Profession thereof because daily suffering grieuous pressures and afflictions for the name of Christ as much or rather in that respect more constant than the Romanists haue bene for many ages All which notwithstanding the Romane Article of The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no Saluation stand as opposite to the Church of Rome contemning her Excommunications and abhorring Subiection vnto her as they euer did A perfect Argument of the Falsity Nullity and Impiety of that Romish Article which wee now impugne In the last place is presented the Separation of all Protestant Churches from the Church of Rome proouing from the Testimonies of diuerse Romish Writers the Beginning thereof to haue bene Iust and the Continuance Necessary Nor can they say that their Arguments for defence of that Romane Article although most specious are not answered which herein are iustly retorted vpon them As to call for the Names of any Protestants before LVTHER whose names they themselues could relate in Martyring of them As to Challenge those to haue broken their Vow in Departing from that Church namely a superstitious Vow which they did to preserue their Christian Vow ìn Baptisme which requireth sinceritie in the Faith· As to obiect Schisme vpon that Article of Necessary Subiection to the Romane Sea by which she her selfe diuiding her selfe from all Christian Churches in the world and all others from her selfe is prooued to be of all other the most Schismaticall As to impute vnto vs the guilt of Damning all our fore-Fathers by reason of that her former Article whereby are necessarily Damned most of the Christian Fathers Confessors and Martyrs of Primitiue Times besides the Innumerable professed Christians of Remote Nations as hath bene said yea and many Thousands moe who though otherwise Romish yet do not belieue all her Tridentine faith Not to speake of infinite numbers of PROTESTANTS farre more sincerely Professed in the Christian Faith than They Finally as to assume a Priuilege to her Romane See of not Erring albeit that Church is prooued to be of all Others most subiect to Errour and her Seate which is ROME to be the onely Citie prophesied off by the Spirit of God in Scripture accordingly as her owne Iesuites from the testimonies of Antiquity and the light of Gods word acknowledge themselues bound to belieue and professe is to become the Seate of ANTICHRIST The Manifestation of all which Points Most Renoumed Soueraigne I do subiect to your gratious Patronage not in any spirit of Malignancie to make the Schisme and breach which is now betweene Rome and Vs bigger which I intend to perswade against thorrow-out this Treatise by reueiling and remoouing the onely Bar and Partition-wall which is her Doctrine of Necessary Beliefe of the now Tridentine Creed and Article of Necessary Subiection to the Romane See the onely Hinderance of a free Generall Councell An Impiety and Perniciousnesse which was the very Cordolium of the most Iudicious of Kings your Maiesties late Father and our Soueraigne Lord and King IAMES of euer blessed and suruiuing Memorie in whose heart God had first imprinted that Blessed Motto of Christ BEATI PACIFICI before it was stamped in his Coine being euer desirous to keepe Ciuill Vnion Commerce and Contracts with Them with whom naythelesse the Case so standing He held it Impossible to haue any Spirituall Reconciliation Thus not doubting but that the Father's religious heart dwelleth in the Sonnes brest I pray GOD so still to protect your Maiestie in the Defence of that THE FAITH whereby your Throne may be established vpon earth and your Soule euerlastingly blessed in heauen Your Maiesties most Humble Subiect and Chaplaine THO. COVEN LICHâ— TO ALL ROMISH PRIESTS WHETHER Iesuites or Others of the English Seminaries where-soeuer Mercy Truth and Peace in CHRIST IESVS AS some of weake and queazie stomackes abhorre to receiue any Wholsome Potion because the very name of Physick is loathsome vnto them so might I doubt that this Salutation wishing you Mercie Truth and Peace in Christ whereby I doe inuite you to the Reading of this ensewing Treatise may be reiected by you because the Title therof may seeme odious vnto you but that I haue Considered that I write not vnto your Laicks men commonly of weake Apprehension and voide of the Infusion of so much as necessary knowledge of Christianity but vnto your selues called to the Order of Priest-hood and professed Aduocates for defence of the Romane Church quà ROMANE And now hauing said but thus much I seeme to heare Some of you inueighing against me and saying This is a bold Assumption or rather an impudent and impious Presumption of this Heretike so to charge our Romane Church with an Imposture in this Arch-Article of her Romane Faith which Church all the world knoweth to be as the Fathers of the Councell of Trent not long since defined for birth and breeding the Mother and for Direction and Dominion the Mistresse of all other Churches Christian. Neuerthelesse dares this busie Vndertaker attempt to perswade vs that the Church of Rome is Schismaticall and her Article concerning the Vniuersality of the same Church Imposterous neuer considering that ancient and Catholike Theoreme Hee hath not God for his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother How then can this Perswader make good his Assertion I were certainely Witlesse if after I had professed so much I should not expect such broad language from Some of you which I haue formerly receiued And as faithlesse should I be both to God and you if endeuouring as I am Commanded To haue compassion of some pulling them out of the fire I should not patiently suffer words of disgust and disaffection from you which I ought willingly to suffer for you and your â—pirituall good Or else if because some are fierce I had almost said furious in oppugning the Truth I should therefore bee more remisse to defend it especially seeing that which was the saying of an Antient and holy Pope Qui alterum ab errore non reuocat Seipsum errare demonstrat Neither yet can I conceiue how you can iustly decline the Reading of this Tractate by reason of a fowerfold Obligation that lyeth vpon you The first is that diuine Direction giuen especially
Departure of Protestants from the Church of Rome occasioned by M. Luther I. Thesis Luther was vniustly Excommunicated out of the Romane Church Sect. 15. II. Thesis Luther had necessary Cause to depart from the Church of Rome Sect. 15. III. Thesis Luther and his Followers are farre more safe for their Soules state in that Separation from the Church of Rome and lesse Schismatikes than They whom they forsooke Sect. 16. IV. Thesis The Romish Obiections vrged against the Separation of Luther are notably friuolous Sect. 17. V. Thesis Their first Oiection in respect of Luthers former Vow to the Pope or Church of Rome is vaine and idle Sect. 18. VI. Thesis The second and most Popular Obiection against Luther in his Opposition to the Romane Church vrging him to prooue his Doctrine by immediate Succession and by naming his Teachers before him is as fond as the other Sect. 19. VII Thesis The Obiection That all Changes of Doctrines haue bene notorious in the Persons and Places of their Beginnings is false Sect. 20. VIII Thesis The last Obiection Of Cōtinuall and personall Succession in all ages is frustrate Sect. 21. The fourth and last Part of this Determination concerneth the state of the Churches of Protestants after the daies of Luther and their more iust Cause of continuing this Separation from the Church of Rome Sect. 22. I. Thesis Protestants are Generally Excommunicated by the Church of Rome Sect. 23. II. Thesis Protestants are vniustly Excommunicated Sect. 24. III. Thesis In the Continuance of this Separation Papists are rather Schismatikes than Protestants and consequently in the Heresie of the Donatists Sect. 25. IV. Thesis In the Continuance of this Separation the Vnion of the Protestants with the Catholike Church is both more true and more Vniuersall thā is the Vnion of the Romanists § 26 V. Thesis The Protestants granting it possible for some to be saued within the Church of Rome and the Papists denying that any can be saued in the Churches of the Protestants is but a Sophisticall proofe that there is more safety in the Romane Church Sect. 27 VI. Your common Obiection what is then become of the soules of our fore-Fathers more iustifieth the Protestants Separation from Papists than it can the Separation of Papists from Protestants Sect. 28. VII The Protestants at this day stand more Iustifiable in their Separation from Rome than did either the ancient Primitiue Churches in her Excommunicating of Them or yet Luther and his Followers in their Departure from Her Sect. 29. THE GRAND IMPOSTVRE Of the now Church of Rome Manifested in this ARTICLE of the new Romane Creed Viz. The Catholike Romane Church c. Without which there is no SALVATION THat this is the fundamentall ARTICLE of your Romane Church as it is called Romane We cannot bee better enformed than by the Bishops of Rome Heads of the same Church than by the Bodie thereof which is the Church of Rome it selfe in her Councell of Trent together with the Confirmation of the same by Pope Pius the IV than by your publike Catechisme ratified by the like authority Lastly than by her principall Doctors and Diuines in their most approoued and priuileged Books written vpon this Argument of THE CATHOLIKE CHVRCH All which you may read in their owne expresse words CHAP. I. The expresse Profession of the now Church of Rome concerning this her Article vz. The Catholike Romane Church c. without Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation is absolutely and peremptorily proclaimed by the Authority of the Popes SECT 1. IT wil be a good Decorum that in this case we begin to consult with the Heads of your Church the Popes of Rome themselues Gregory the VII in the yeere 1073 decreed thus The Church of Rome saith he was founded only by God and the Pope thereof is rightly stiled The vniuersall Bishop insomuch that whosoeuer consenteth not with the Church of Rome cannot be a Catholike After him in the yeere 1192. Pope Innocēt the 3. distinguishing of the Word Catholike or Vniuersall decreed as followeth If the Church saith he be called Catholike as a cōpany consisting of al Christian Churches so the Church of Rome is not to be termed The Catholike Church but a part therof but take the word Catholike a◠God is called vniuersall Lord because al things are vnder his dominiō so we say that the Church of Rome only hath al other Churches vniuersally subiect vnto it So he More than an hundred yeeres after him Boniface the 8. would needs be heard not speake but roare thunder by peremptory decree in this tenor viz. We declare define pronounce that it is Necessary for euery one that is to be saued to be subiect to the Pope of Rome Thus much for the testimonies of the Popes The iudgement of the late Romane Church SECT 2. SInce those times the Church of Rome her selfe in her Councell of Trent and by the Bull of Pope Pius the IV. set forth for the Confirmation of the same Councell in the yeere 1556. did impose vpon her Professors a new CREED consisting of more than twentie Articles of the now Romane Faith which shee hath prescribed vnto you and all other Ecclesiasticall persons of what denomination or Title soeuer to be professed vnder the tenor and forme of an Oath to wit I N. doe firmely beleeue sweare and professe that the Catholike and Apostolique Romane Church is the Mother and Mistresse of all Churches and I doe vowe promise and sweare true obedience to the Pope of Rome the Vicar of Christ Successour of S. Peter c. And this I hold to be the true Catholike Faith which whosoeuer beleeueth not cannot bee saued So your new Creed The now Romane Catechisme SECT 3. VPon this ground was founded that which you call the Romane Catechisme and published by the authoritie of the same Pope Pius and his Councell of Trent whereby yours as well as other Catechumenists are instructed to beleeue that The Catholike Church is One both because of one Faith also for that it is subiect to one inuisible Gouernour which is Christ and to one visible Head the Pope So your Catechisme The iudgement of Romane Doctors of singular Note SECT 4. IN the last place we are to consult with your publicke Readers in Schooles where by the testimonies of Three you may iudge of the faith of the rest especially these being as fully accomplished with all furniture of learning as any other The first thus The Church of Rome is the vniuersall Catholike Church not as it is a particular Bishopprick but as it comprehendeth all Beleeuers vnder the subiection of the Bishop of Rome And againe Wee must saith he hold it as a point of our Catholike Faith that this indiuiduall Congregation which professeth the Romane Faith and is vnited to the Pope of Rome is the true Catholike Church which I proue first by the Apostles Creed c. The Second thus We define saith
said Article viz. The Catholike Church As if Romane Church and Catholike Church were vniuocall and conuertible tearmes equally betokening one and the same Vniuersall Church That the Addition of the word ROMANE vnto the Article of the Catholike Church is no true Exposition and Declaration but a notorious Alteration and deprauation thereof proued by diuers Arguments The first Argument in respect of the Church Triumphant SECT 4. CHurch Catholike or Vniuersall as it is prescribed in the Apostles Creed is a comprehension of all the members of the mysticall bodie of Christ which is his Church Now in your Romane Catechisme authorized both by the Decree of your Councell of Trent and the Bull of Pius then Pope there are acknowledged Two parts of the Catholike Church the one called Triumphant in heauen the other Militant here on earth Accordingly S. Augustine The whole Church of Christ saith he is here vnderstood to be not onely that part which is in pilgrimage here vpon earth but that part also which is in heauen Which sence of this Article is grounded vpon diuine foundation where it is written Christ loued his Church that he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinckle Where by the word CHVRCH to vnderstand onely the Church militant was the heresie of the Pelagians who peruerting the meaning of this text concluded that the Church of Christ here vpon earth doth consist of them that are Perfect in this state of mortalitie that is of such who in this mortall life are not tainted with sinne To whom S. Augustine as you know replied As though saith he the Church of Christ throughout the world doth not pray and crie Forgiue vs our sinnes Therefore must this Text be vnderstood of the Triumphant part of the Church whether alone as Saint Augustine you know and Saint Hierom haue expounded it or iointly with the Militant according to the interpretation of the profoundest Doctors in your Romane schooles saying that The Catholike Church is indeed without spot or wrinkle within the Militant part thereof by grace and in the part Triumphant by glorie So vndoubted a truth it is that the Article of Catholike Church as it is prescribed in the Apostles Creed doth comprize as well the Triumphant as the Militant part thereof CHALLENGE THat then which comprehendeth not as well the Triumphant as the Militant part of the Church cannot be a Declaration of the Catholike Church as it is contained in the Apostles Creed because no one part can expresse the whole But in the Romish Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church without subiection whereunto there is no saluation the word ROMANE vtterly excludeth the part Triumphant Therefore it cannot possibly be a Declaration or exposition of the word Catholike as it is vnderstood in the Apostles Creed except some of you shall be so blasphemous as to subiect Saints which are the members Triumphant and Conquerors now in blisse to the members Militant and mortall here below Saint Peter to your Pope and heauen vnto earth Wherefore euery Christian man who doth as seriously studie the Celestiall spheare of the Saints in heauen as others do the Terrestriall globe of this corruptible earth must call in this your Article The Catholike Romane Church the word ROMANE a false deprauation of the Article of our Apostolicall Creed From the Triumphant part of the Catholike Church we descend to the Militant The second Argument to prooue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be any Declaration but rather a Deprauation of the Article in our Creed in respect of the Church Militant SECT 5. A Double consideration is to be had of the Catholike Church Militant one in respect of her essentiall estate as she is said to haue being the other in respect of her accidentall estate as she is said to be outwardly Visible be it in more or lesse degree of Visibilitie In the first respect when Protestants say that the Catholike Church doth essentially consist onely of persons regenerate in this life and predestinate to life euerlasting They do not as they are by Some slandered to do make two Churches but one Church in a different habitude relation and consideration For as Christ when he was on earth although he commonly appeared euidently visible vnto men yet sometimes he is said after a sort to haue vanished inuisibly out of mens sights notwithstanding in that his Inuisibilitie was he still the same Christ because vsuall Visibilitie and Inuisibilitie are but outward accidents so Christ his mysticall bodie which is his Church being considered in her Essentiall estate is Inuisible and the obiect of Faith and not of Sense According to which Consideration we affirme this Article in the Apostles Creed I beleeue the Catholike Church to be more peculiarly vnderstood And this we prooue first by the nature of Faith it selfe which as the Apostle hath defined it Is the demonstration of things not seene Next by the whole tenor of the Apostles Creed wherein the obiect of euery Article of that Symbol from beleefe in God vnto beleefe of life euerlasting is vnto vs inuisible and so farre as it is beleeued is without compasse of Sense as may be obserued in the faith of Thomas the Apostle to whom albeit Christ said Thomas because thou hast seene mee thou hast beleeued yet the sense of Thomas saw onely the Visible humanitie of Christ but his faith which was his soules sight beheld Christs God-head So that Thomas could no more properly be said to haue beleeued that which hee saw than to haue seene that which hee beleeued Lastly diuine Scripture in positiue doctrine doth manifest thus much as namely to omit many others in that speech of Christ to Saint Peter Mat. 16.19 Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Where the word CHVRCH by the iudgement of Saint Augustine and the accordance of your owne Doctors doth signifie Onely the number of Predestinate And good reason because the godlesse and gracelesse are so farre from being the true members of the Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile that those Infernall gates stand continually wide open as being desirous and iustly appointed to deuoure them The same may be said of the Church as it is called the flocke of Christ Iohn 10. My sheepe heare my voice where by Sheepe are onely ment The sanctified elect of God as the testimonies of your owne Iesuites the iudgement of Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome doe confirme A third Scripture we finde Rom. 8.9 where the Apostle saith Hee that hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his Which sheweth that none is truely a Christian but as hee is regenerated by â—he Spirit of Christ. And so your Diuines as well Iesuites as others both ancient and moderne haue determined that All that are not sanctified with the holy Spirit of Christ although outwardly neuer
to the true Successor of Peter or otherwise we could not know that this is a true Councell and iustly confirmed by the Pope c. But with what degree of Faith do you beleeue this With that Diuine Faith saith the Other wherewith we beleeue Iesus Christ with the same ought we to beleeue this Paul the IV. to be the true Pope and not with any humane Faith which is subiect to be deceiued Behold a Iesuiticall Faith both grosly false and also wickedly blasphemous because that there cannot be an Infallibilitie in the Election of any Pope is manifest by two confessed and vncontrollable Consequences taken from two possible defects the one in the Popes Ordination the second in his Election First for his Ordination your Councell of Florence defineth That the truth of euery Sacrament dependeth vpon the intention of the Minister But None can be sure by certaintie of Faith saith Bellarmine that any such receiued the Sacrament of Ordination because none infallibly knoweth the intention of him that Ordaineth And Vega more vehemently It is as certaine saith he that we are not infallibly certaine of the receiuing of any Sacrament as it is certaine that we now liue Thus of the Popes Ordination Alphonsus à Castro is as bold with the Pope about his Election Which because it may not be Canonicall we are not to beleeue it saith he with a Catholike Faith Whereof your Cardinall giueth some Examples In which two respects many of your Schoole Doctors haue concluded that In the knowledge of this man to be a true Pope you haue no more but a morall certitude Whereof we shall speake more hereafter CHALLENGE THat Addition the beliefe whereof is onely humane morall and fallible cannot be a Declaration of an Article of Diuine and Infallible faith such as is that of the Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed But the word ROMANE is an Addition the Beliefe whereof is onely humane morall and fallible Ergo the Addition of the word ROMANE to the Catholike Church cannot be a proper Declaration of that Article in the Creed So vaine and vniust is your appropriation of the word Catholike to your Romane Church The eight Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE can be no Declaration of the Article of The Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed because it makes all periured that do professe it vpon Oath besides the heresie and blasphemie thereof SECT 11. THat in your profession of the Catholike Romane Church the word Romane is an Article of Faith challenging thereby a necessary subiection to the Bishop of Rome we haue heard already both in the Decrees of Popes and also in that Forme of an Oath which euery Ecclesiasticall person in your Church of what condition soeuer he be is enioyned to take swearing that The Romane Church is the Catholike Mother and Mistris Church vowing Obedience to the Bishop thereof and in the same Oath that this Romane Article with others is The Catholike faith without which there is none can be saued which is the proper tenor of an essentiall Article of faith Now in as much as the word CREDO in the Apostles Creed doth import A constant and infallible persuasion of the Christian Beleeuer as your owne Romane Catechisme doth truly instruct you and because to speake in the words of your owne Bozius These things which are propounded in the Creed are the Principles or foundations of all other things that are to be beleeued and ought at all times to be in themselues infallibly true in euery part otherwise they should be no Principles in as much as their truth is but doubtfull We by this your appropriating of the Article The Church without which none can be saued are constrained to pronounce you guiltie of a new Heresie in your faith Periurie in your Oath and Blasphemie in your excluding out of the state of Saluation the most vndoubted members of the mysticall body of Christ which is his Church I. CHALLENGE EVery new Article of Faith that is to say new Doctrine made necessary to saluation is an Heresie as you your selues will confesse But this Article The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no Saluation is a new Article as hath bene amply prooued because it is repugnant to the Article of The Catholike Church professed in the Apostolike Creed as hath bene made manifest in the Premisses by many Arguments Therefore your Article of The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no saluation must needs be esteemed Hereticall II. CHALLENGE EVery one bound to beleeue and to auouch vpon Oath any Doctrine as necessary to Saluation which is not of an infallible truth is thereby made guilty of Periurie But euery Romish Priest by the Bull of Pope Pius 4. is bound to beleeue vpon Oath that the Romane Church is the Catholike Church without which there is no saluation Albeit you yourselues haue confessed at large that this your doctrine standeth not vpon any infallible grounds of truth either in respect of Time past at the founding of the Church of Rome which was not instituted by any Diuine Ordinance or in respect of the Time present wherein you haue no full assurance of your Catholike Head the Pope or yet in respect of the Time to come when as you Confesse a Possibilitie that the Catholike Church may cease to be Romane because it may possibly be translated to another place Therefore are all Romish Priests necessarily inuolued in the crime of Periurie by swearing that to be a necessarie Article of Faith which is in so many respects defectiue and commeth short of all the Essentiall grounds of Faith III. CHALLENGE THat Article which excludeth from Saluation the vndoubtedly essentiall and liuely members of the Mysticall bodie of Christ which is his Church that is a doctrine vndoubtedly Blasphemous But your Article The Romane Church without which there is no saluation doth exclude from Saluation both those which before the Church of Rome was a Catholike Church suffered bonds imprisonment and Martyrdome it selfe for the profession of Christ next all Catechumenists and persons vniustly Excommunicated albeit departing this life in true faith and repentance and lastly all them who in the dayes of Antichrist when the Church as it is Romane as you say may peraduenture but as we thinke will Apostate from the Faith shall persist the constant and glorious Martyrs of Christ Iesus c. Therefore this Article cannot but be manifestly Blasphemous Thus much concerning our Proofes taken from the Consideration of the Article of Christian Faith in the Apostles Creed viz. The Catholike Church By which we haue euicted your Additiō of the word ROMANE to make an Article of Faith to be New False Scandalous Pernitious Hereticall and Blasphemous respectiuely CHAP. III. A Second generall Head of Confutation of the former Article is from the Consideration of the Iudgement of the Church by Examples of seuerall
Churches Councels and Fathers SECT 1. AFter our Proofe that the now Romane Article The Catholike Romane Church without Vnion and Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation is New Imposterous Scandalous c. taken from the tenor and sence of the Apostolicall Article The Catholike Church expressed in our Catholike Creed We proceed to confirme our former Proofe by like euidence from currant Examples taken from the Catholike Church it selfe And for our more expedite Method passage herein We shall proportion our Treatise according to three Distinctions of Tyme the Tyme before the Tyme when and the Tyme after that the Church of Rome had her first foundation and being I. Of the Time before the Church of Rome was founded First setting downe the Romane Article intituling the Church of Rome The Mother Church SECT 2. WEE need not tell you that it is an Article in your Church to beleeue that the Church of Rome is The Mother and Mistris Church of all other Churches where by Mother you vnderstand her ancient Prerogatiue of spirituall Generation and by Mistris her Iurisdiction and Supreme Authority of directing all other Churches as Members of the Church Catholike seeing that the Fathers of the Councell of Trent in their Canons and Decrees haue fiue times published the same Article in expresse words calling her The Common Mother on earth which cannot forget whom shee hath begotten As if all the Faithfull on earth were her ofspring Instantly vpon this Decree of the Councell the Father of all these Trent-Fathers Pope Pius the 4. for Confirmation of that Councell enioyned euery Ecclesiasticke to professe among other points the same Romane Article vpon Oath thus I N. sweare that I acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the Mother and Mistris of all other Churches without which faith none can be saued So then this Article is become as Catholike among you as is your Church Which opinion of her Vniuersal Motherhood hath beene the greatest fascination and witcherie that of long time hath blinded the eyes of most of her Professors and which we shall prooue to bee no better than a False and Imposterous inchantment voide of all light of truth and repugnant vnto the confessed Examples of illustrious Churches more ancient than her selfe The first Confutation of that Article of Romane Mother-hood is taken from the rottennesse of the Foundation thereof SECT 3. IF there bee any sound ground of truth in the Article viz. that The Church of Rome is Mother of all other Churches sure we are that your two Cardinals for learning and deuotion towards that Church most Eminent viz. Baronius and Bellarmine will be most able and willing to expresse it especially where they professedly determine the very point Baronius teaching that Saint Peter being constituted by Christ the ordinary Pastor of the whole Church did fixe his seate at Rome doth thereupon resolue saying Hence it is that the Romane Church is called the Mother-Church of all others And lest any might deny this Consequence as being that which it is indeed fond and absurd Bellarmine addeth the reason thereof The Church of Rome saith he could not be called the Mother-Church except that all the Apostles had had their ordination of Pastorship from Saint Peter And for proofe heereof the Cardinall referreth vs to the Epistles of Pope Anacletus witnessing that The order of Priesthood had its ' beginning from Peter So he whereas notwithstanding Sacerdotall Order doth but coniecturally inferre the Episcopall Howsoeuer these testimonies from the Epistles of Anacletus which your Cardinall Cusanus beleeueth to be Apocryphall and vnworthy of beleefe Two of your most priuileged Iesuites Azorius and Suarez denie That the other Apostles receiued their Episcopall Ordination from Saint Peter Which they maintaine vpon better grounds than the Counterfeit Epistles of a Pope can be euen vpon the Oracles of God's Word where it appeareth say they that Matthias had his Ordination to the Bishopprick which Iudas lost not by the hands of Peter but by lott immediately from God and Saint Paul his not by Saint Peter but by a voice from heauen euen immediately from Christ. They adde other Reasons in the end adioyne the Consent of S. Augustine of many other Diuines Yet were it admitted that Peter as ordinarie Pastor of the Catholike Church had ordained other Apostles Byshops and by their Ministry begotten those innumerable Churches which the same Apostles as you Confesse constituted seauen yeeres before the Church of Rome was erected yet were it a mad point of Genealogizing to conclude that Rome must be Mother to those daughters of Saint Peter which were begotten seauen yeeres before shee was borne whereas shee could be to them but a Sister at the most and that but a younger Sister too CHALLENGE GIue vs leaue to dispute from your owne Confessions thus If all the other Apostles were not ordained Byshops by Saint Peter there can be no apparent reason why the Church of Rome should be called the Mother-Church Thus Bellarmine But all the other Apostles were not ordained Byshops by Saint Peter Thus your Iesuites out of direct Scriptures accompanied with the Consent of Saint Augustine and many other Diuines Ergo there is not sufficient ground to cal the Church of Rome the Mother of al other Churches Twice miserable therefore is the state of your Priests both because they are tied periuriously to sweare That to be an Article of Faith which is a manifest false-hood as also for that they and all that Sect being entangled in this error of beleeuing the Romane Church to be the Mother of all other Churches are thereby consequently entangled in all other her errors and Idolatries The second Confutation of the same Article ariseth from the Respect of many illustrious Mother-Churches more ancient than Rome SECT 4. WE furthermore endeauour to impugne your former infatuation in beleeuing the Vniuersall Mother-hood of the Church of Rome by the faith of Fathers of Primitiue times farre more Reuerend for antiquity and more credible for impartiality than were your Fathers or rather Step-Fathers of Trent Not but that we as willingly as worthily doe acknowledge the Ancient Church of Rome to haue beene in former times an happie Mother of many renouned Christian Churches in the world and we accordingly blesse the wombe of that sincere Faith and Piety which then brought forth so innumerable an of-spring of so many holy Professors which notwithstanding shee might content her selfe to haue deserued the Title of a Mother-Church as other ancient Churches were and not of THE MOTHER-CHVRCH OF ALL OTHERS For we are verily perswaded that no reasonable man can allowe any childe so to honour his Mother as that he must necessarily thereby disparage all others his honourable Progenitresses and that we may so speake his owne Grand-mother and Great-grand-mother together with others of his kindred more ancient than Shee Such was the state of the Church of Rome in
and yet notwithstanding were reputed still in the Church of Christ Catholike Bishops and so farre in the Communion of the Church Catholike that many godly Bishops in the Latine Church would not seuer themselues from their Communion Yet Bishop Christopherson that you might beleeue the Excommunication of Pope Victor to be of an vniuersall power extent translateth the Greeke sentence of Eusebius thus Irenaeus exhorted Pope Victor not vtterly to cut off so many Churches from the body of the vniuersall Church of Christ. Which Interpretation if true might seeme to make the Church of Rome the Catholike Church But as it became a sworne Scribe for the Pope he peruerts the Text which is to be rendred thus Irenaeus exhorted Pope Victor not to cut off whole Churches of God without any mention of the Bodie of the Church Ergò it cannot import an Excommunication from the Vniuersall bodie of the Church but onely from the Church of Rome as from a particular member of that vniuersall as hath beene proued What then may be thought of your new Article but as of a barbarous and Antichristian Paradox which separateth from all hope of life all the Christians of the Easterly parts of Asia who In multitude exceeded the Christians of the Greeke and Latine Churches But God be thanked that by the doctrine of those Primitiue times the Excommunication of the Romane Church made no mortall wound for the Asian Bishops esteemed no better of it than of a Brutum Fulmen And if you will suffer vs to bee somewhat more equally minded to Victor Bishop of Rome than you your selues can be we may perswade our selues that hee did not by this his Excommunication intend to shew or arrogate any Iurisdiction ouer the Greeke Churches as Pastor ouer his flocke but onely to denie participation of brotherly Communion with them as they might if they had beene so forward haue dealt with him this being an Act of Diuision Inter Pares which likewise doth conclude the no-absolute Necessitie of Vnion with the Romane Church Our Second Instance is in the Churches of Africke Numidia and Mauritania in the dayes of Saint Cyprian by 87. Bishops in the Councell of Carthage Anno 256. Who notwithstanding the Excommunication of the Pope of Rome were euer held by the Catholike Church the Essentiall members thereof and in state of Saluation SECT 3. WHen the Case of Basilides and Martial was on foot concerning Appeales from the Church of Carthage to Rome and the Quaestion of Rebaptization of those persons that had renounced their Haeresies was in agitation betweene Stephen Bishop of Rome and Cyprian Bishop of Carthage The Church of Africke and others of that Primitiue age gaue so infallible testimonies of denying the Popes Catholike Iurisdiction ouer other Churches and of despising his now pretended Catholike power of Excommunication as may sâ—ffice for the full determination of this whole Cause in confutation of your new Article to wit The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no saluation This Case therefore being so pertinent and pregnant wee will proceede therein methodically I. The full Opposition of Saint Cyprian and other Bishops against Stephen then Bishop of Rome SECT 4. SVch was the Opposition of Saint Cyprian and others against Stephen Bishop of Rome that euen by your owne Confessions Cyprian gathered a Councell of 87. Bishops out of Africke Numidia and Mauritania which concluded contrary to the Pope and his Councell celebrated in Italy Secondly such that Cyprian iudged the same Pope to erre proudly ignorantly and blindly Thirdly such that he impugned the Popes pretended power of Appeales to Rome accompting the Appellants to wit Basilides and Martial Renegados and desperate Delinquents challenging his right of Iudicature for the proceeding against those notoriously wicked Companions who therefore ought to be sent backe againe saith he to be censured by their owne Bishop Fourthly such that this Councell of Carthage did deny to any whomsoeuer the Title of Bishop of Bishops Fiftly such that Cyprian would not acknowledge the name of POPE per Antonomasiam that is By way of Excellency to be proper to the Bishop of Rome as you teach Insomuch that at the instant when as Cyprian was to lay downe his life to Martyrdome for the profession of the holy Faith Being demanded of the Pro-Consull who then had charge to put him to death saying Art thou Hee who shewed thy selfe POPE among the Christians He answered I am Which may be enough to dash that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you appropriate vnto the Bishop of Rome by the name of Pope Great therefore was the Opposition of Cyprian against Stephen namely Bishop against Bishop Chaire against Chaire Councell against Councell as flat Diameter as possibly might be II. That Saint Cyprian and Others were Excommunicated by Pope Stephen SECT 5. IT were friuolous to stand vpon presumptions when we haue your owne Confessions You grant that at the same time when Saint Cyprian did contend with Stephen Bishop of Rome the same Pope Excommunicated the Easterne Bishops of Cappadocia Cilicia and Galatia for the same cause of Rebaptization Secondly that th' aforesaid Pope Stephen did also as much as lay in him cast off Cyprian insomuch that Hee would not admit vnto his speach them that were sent from Cyprian vnto him Nor this onely but also commanded them that were of his owne profession not to haue any peace or communion with them nor yet to allow them so much as house-roome or lodging Yea and Pope Stephen signified by writing that no Communion was to be held with them that did rebaptize Not to insist vpon the Popes lauish and reproachfull speach in calling Cyprian a Counterfait Christ and a deceitfull worker All which are prooued out of the Epistle of Firmilianus Bishop of Caesara in Cappadocea which almost in euery point doth manifest the Excommunication of Saint Cyprian CHALLENGE FOR what better proofe of the Excommunication of Saint Cyprian and other Bishops of his Fraternity than denying by writing All communion with them that were of the same Opinion with Cyprian and after in Act Forbidding all communion First by speach and conference Secondly by conuersation and company Thirdly by eating or hospitality Each one of these being according to your owne positiue Conclusions a proper Character of that which is called The Greater Excommunication and consequently in your sense a Separation from the Body of the Romane Church III. That Saint Cyprian held not the Excommunication of the Pope to be anâ— valid Separation from the Catholike Church or hazardous to the state of Saluation SECT 6. NOne euer was more Christianly affected to the Catholike Church than was Saint Cyprian nor more firmly belieued that the Vnion with the Catholike Church is necessary to saluation whose profession was this Although a man saith he were slaine for the name of Christ yet if he be without the Vnion of the Church he cannot
those dayes was not esteemed to be The Catholike or Vniuersall Pope not The Catholike Bishop of Bishops his Iurisdiction not to haue any Catholike or Vniuersall Right for Appeales his Iudgement not to be a Catholike Rule of Faith his Church not to be The Catholike mother-Mother-Church his Excommunication not to be a Separation from the properly called Catholike Church and much lesse a Catholike and Vniuersall Separation from the state of life So damnable is your Article of The Catholike Roman Mother-Church without subiection whereunto as you say there is no Saluation whereby with one breath you damne not onely Cyprian that glorious Saint of Christ but also all other his Associates and Colleagues Bishops in Africa Numidia and Mauritania of whom some were Martyrs some Confessors all Professors of the true Faith of Christ against the persecuting Infidels of those times It would nothing now auaile you to obiect that Cyprian in his Contention against Pope Stephen was in an Error in the Question of Rebaptization because euery error is not eradicant to roote out or cut off a Member from the Bodie of the Church Catholike else what shall we think of Pope Stephen himselfe who was in an error in the other Question concerning the vsurpation of the Right of Appeales to Rome which not onely Cyprian in his Councell of Carthage but Augustine also in the Councell of Africke resolutely withstood But what need many words Cyprian say you was alwaies held a Catholike Wee adde that if this Obiection were of force it would much more fortifie the Cause of Protestants For if Cyprian being Excommunicated by the Pope for an error was notwithstanding still held for a Catholike as hath beene confessed and hath euer since bene Registred for a Saint then doubtlesse Protestants stand much more secure who are excommunicate for withstanding not onely the grosse Idolatry but also as many Heresies of that Church of Rome as she hath new Articles of Faith among which this to wit The Catholike Roman Church without Vnion whereunto there is no Saluation 〈◊〉 not be held the least being as you see so Imposterous Schismaticall and Execrable as euery Instance yet giuen doth manifestly conuince Our third Instance in the Churches of Africke in the dayes of Saint Augustine in two Councels fully preiudiciall to this now Article viz. The Romane Catholike Church without which there is no Saluation SECT 8. THE first Councell was that of Mileuis Anno 402. concluding against the pretended Prerogatiue of Appeales to Rome This Case is handled at large afterwards The summe of all is This Councell wherein Saint Augustine was present consisted of threescore Bishops which had beene esteemed alwaies Orthodoxe in the Catholike Church albeit that their conclusion of denying any Right of Appeales from Africke to the Church of Rome which Iurisdiction of Appeales is held to be a principall part of the Article viz. The Romane Catholike Church in the Church of Rome at this day Which one Article consisting of foure points of Necessitie first Necessity of Vnion with the Church of Rome secondly Necessity of Subiection vnto it thirdly Necessity of Beleefe of both the former fourthly Necessitie of Saluation in them All is now rent in pieces by that one Prohibition of that Councell which denying any Right of Appeales from Africke to Rome did thereby deny the pretended Catholike Subiection to the Romane Chaire Secondly decreeing Excommunication against those African Priests that should dare to Appeale to Rome thereby they deny an absolute Necessity of Vnion with Rome Thirdly this Excommunication being to be extended against them that should Thinke it necessary to Appeale to Rome they thereby deny Necessity of Beliefe of the Prerogatiue of Rome And lastly condemning this Beliefe among themselues they thereby deny it to be an Vniuersall Right necessary to be belieued of all Others All this is euidently prooued in the place alleaged The second Instance in the Churches of Africke in the daies of Saint Augustine was the African Councell by name against the Church of Rome in the Case of Appeales concerning which for methods sake we are to lay open first the Occasion of Opposition betweene the Churches of Africke and Rome secondly the Discussion thereof thirdly the Separation of the Church of Afrike from Rome fourthly the honorable estimation had of the African Bishops as of the Saints of God notwithstanding their not acknowledging of Subiection to the Romane Church I. The Occasion of the Opposition by Saint Augustine and the Africans against the Iurisdiction of the Church of Rome in the supreme Case of Appeales SECT 9. COnsult you with your owne Chronologers in the body of the Councels of old and you shall find that the Case standeth thus One Apiarius a leud Priest and as you know of a scandalous flagitious and abhominable life being Excommunicated by the Bishops of Africke fleeth to Rome and as it were taketh Sanctuary there by Appealing to Pope Boniface then Bishop of that Sea The Pope sought by his owne Authority to haue this infamous Priest restored againe auouching for the ground of his Authority the Canon of the Councell of Nice which as he pretended declared the power due to the Bishop of Rome to take hold of all Appeales made vnto the Pope from all other Christian Churches and Prouinces and to order matters according to his owne wisedome II. The Discussion of the Cause SECT 10. THE Bishops of Africke and among them Saint Augustine hauing read the Popes Claime of Appeale by virtue as was alleaged of a Canon of the Councell of Nice fell first to demurre with themselues suspecting that the Pope had suggested a false pretence and therefore sought first to satisfie themselues by sight of the Copies of the Councell of Nice before they would returne the Pope any full answer and after diligent search into all the ancient Copies which they could finde they yeelded this Answer to the Bishop of Rome We haue read say they manie Copies of the Canons of Nice both Greeke and Latine and yet finde we among them no such Canon for Appeales to Rome as you alleage In this case of doubt it was agreed on both sides that messengers should be sent vnto Cyrill Patriarch of Alexandria and vnto Atticus Patriarch of Constantinople to the end that vpon search of their Records they might bee certified of the Truth of this matter These two Patriarchs send them faithfull Transcripts which they themselues did auouch to be The most true and authenticall Copies wherein that Canon which Three Popes to wit Boniface Zozimus and Caelestinus successiuely had alleaged as their onely euidence for their right of Appeales could not be found nor any syllable therof Vpon this Answer of those graue Patriarchs these Africane Bishops in number 217 perceiuing the falshood of the Popes Allegation and finding that no such Canon appeared in those ancient Copies of the Councell of Nice which could aduantage that their pretence of Appeales to
in the Church of Christ as those that stood in the state of Saluation The Subiestion required by you from Emperours to the Bishop of Rome SECT 2. MAny words of Introduction neede not your Conclusions are as followeth That Princes and whatsoeuer Potentates are not to meddle in Ecclesiasticall affaires They May not gather Councels by their owne Authoritie They Ought to yeeld Prioritie of Place especially to the Pope And To professe Reuerence this being a signe of Superioritie and also Obedience vnto him But how farre must this Reuerence extend if you your selues may prescribe namely sauing your Reuerence to the Kissing of the Popes feet which in your iudgement is An honour which the Pope may not refuse and which Pope Gregorie the Seuenth reckoneth in the Ninth place of those Priuileges which he challenged as properly belonging to him as Pope of Rome Not to insist vpon the barbarous boast which you make of your Popes In not admitting of two Emperours to their presence without an extreame kinde of Submission the one by approaching vpon his bare feet the other by subiecting his necke vnto the Popes feet While-as the Popes Oxe may bragge of more fauour than the first and his Asse than the second Much more might be added out of the last worke of Bellarmin entitled The Dutie of a Christian Prince wherein such is the spirit of that Cardinall that whatsoeuer any example of honour he could rake out of the ashes of Princes Kings or Emperours yeelded to either Popes Bishops or Priests in the superlatiue excesse of their humilitie zeale and deuotion that doth hee violently wrest to make of it a Generall Rule of Office and Dutie euen to the Dedignifying and abasing of Princes to the yeelding of praeeminence to Bishops and inferior Priests in Precedence and going first in Presidence and sitting aboue yea and they exact also very soberly I wisse a Prebibition and drinking before them A Doctrine wherein that old Cardinall hath beene sufficiently I hope conuinced of extreame dotage The Opposition of the former Emperours against the pretended Subiection SECT 3. THe First point of their Opposition may be discerned in their Interesting themselues in Ecclesiasticall affaires The Emperour Constantine as Saint Augustine witnesseth at large committed the Cause of Caecilian Bishop of Carthage vnto Pope Meltiades Obserue Ergò it was by the Emperors Commission and not to him alone but to him with others who are called in that Commission the Popes Colleagues Secondly Obserue Ergo the Pope was not Monarch or sole Actor herein nay after that the Pope had giuen his iudgement the same Emperor referred the same Cause to be more diligently examined and ended to the Bishops of Arles Thirdly Obserue Ergo the Iudgement of the Pope will suffer an higher Appeale for after in the Case of Athanasius the same Emperour chargeth all the Bishops of the Prouince of Tyre what to doe To appeare before mee saith hee without delay and to shew how sincerely and truely you haue giuen your iudgements And not thus onely but when the Cause Ecclesiasticall requireth hee proceedeth to denounce punishment by his owne Authoritie against whomsoeuer that shall honor the memory of those Bishops Theognis and Eusebius Other the like Demonstrations might be brought of Constantne his Authority in Causes Ecclesiasticall Of the Emperour Theodosius we reade that he gaue to the Bishop Dioscorus Authority and Superiority of place to moderate Causes in a Councell Can this consist thinke you with your pretended Subiection No He giueth say you that which he hath not to giue but doth it out of Ignorance of the Canon vsurping that Authority Oh you are angrie and no maruell though men fancie not that fruite which setteth their teeth on edge But we cannot be sparing in this kind For Theodosius the younger and Honorius both Emperours Say as you know that the Patriarch of Constantinople hath the same right ouer those in subiection vnder him which the Pope hath ouer his Where diuers Subiects must needs argue different Subiections and equality of Right must as nessarily dissolue Monarchie which can be but of One. And Iustinian the Emperour will hardly please you with whom you quarrell at the first hearing He authorized vnder his owne hand The Code or Bookes of Constitutions and Pandects for the Regulating of the Clergie as well as of the Laity Whereat you fret not a little Herein he is say you iustly reprooued of many as one inuading vpon and intruding into the Office of diuine causes The same Emperour taketh vpon him the Confirmation of the Election of the Bishop of Rome and behold againe you brand him withe the note of an Vsurper Finally in generall you shape vs this Answer These Emperours haue passed the bounds of their Authority You furthermore told vs of another Character of due Subiection which is the yeelding vnto the Pope the Prerogatiue of gathering Generall Councels albeit nothing is more obuious to Any conuersant in Ecclesiasticall reading than that which your owne Cardinall Cusanus hath confessed long since The first eight generall Councels saith he were gathered by Authority of Emperours and not of Popes insomuch that Pope Leo was glad to intreat the Emperour Theodosius the younger for the gathering of a Councell in Italy and could not obtaine it But can we forget your next Prerogatiue of Subiection viz. the Popes Precedency and Priority of place aboue euen Emperours themselues Surely if he had any ancient claime hereunto it should haue bene in that wherein he challengeth the greatest praeeminence to wit in a Generall Councell But when we aske the Question why no one of your Popes were euer personally present in any of the first Generll Councels if he must be thought to be the sole Head of the Church and he alone to haue an infallible iudgement in himselfe no not though they were in the same City as was Vigilius where the Councell was celebrated You answer that the reason why the Popes would not present themselues in these Councels was this Because the Greeke Bishops who were in those Easterne Councels wherein also the Emperours were present would haue preferred the Emperours in place aboue the Popes So you And we cannot but belieue you and thereupon make bold to conuince your new Doctors of egregious impudency who dare extend the height of the praeeminency of Popes aboue Emperours euen in defiance as it were of all Antiquity and of the Consent of all those Catholike Bishops in Generall Councels As for your last and basest point of Subiection of Kissing the Popes feet it tasteth so ranckly of Luciferian pride in the now Popes that we thinke it an exceeding iniury to the memory of holy Popes of the Primitiue times to belieue that they could affect or would admit such an homage and honour a lesse than which Saint Peter refused as too much if it had bene offered
made her the patterne of all other Christian Churches his stile should haue arrayed her otherwise than by inuoluing her among Loca Occidentis Secondly in Criminall Causes you belieue that the Supreme Right of Appeale to the Sea of Rome is a Iurisdiction whereinto the Bishop of Rome is inuested by virtue of his Succession from Saint Peter so that all other Churches Christian ought to acknowledge this Right of Appeale vpon all iust occasions and the Cause being there determined all parties are vtterly precluded hauing no power to Appeale from it to any Superior Iudicature This is your pretended Prerogatiue of the Church of Rome consisting of two Termes Appealing to Rome and not Appealing from Rome Will you admit of Saint Augustines determination in both these Saint Augustine as hath bene confessed was one of that Councell of Africke which abandoned the Claime of Right of Appeales from all Churches to Rome which was then challenged by three Popes successiuely to wit Zozimus Boniface and Celestine and yet concluded against them that it should not be lawfull for any within the Churches of Africke to make their Appeale to Rome Accordingly you that would thinke it an intolerable and sacrilegious derogation from the Papall Iurisdiction if in a Criminall Cause after the Pope with his whole Consistory of Cardinals had giuen iudgement any Bishop within the Romane Iurisdiction should be so audacious as to Appeale from that Sentence to an higher Iudicature where you that are my Iudges shall be iudged whether you haue giuen right iudgement or not remember that Saint Augustine concerning the Case of the Bishop Caecilian which was referred to the Arbitrement of Pope Iulius and others doubted not to giue such a Resolution I suppose saith he the Bishops that were at Rome were not good Iudges there then remained a Generall Councell where the Cause may be discussed so that if it shall appeare that those Iudges iudged wrongfully their sentence may be reuersed and disanulled Thirdly from Criminall we proceed to a Doctrinall point You that haue told vs that it is a peculiar Prerogatiue belonging to the Church of Rome as she is The Catholike Church to direct all other Churches which is the true Canon of Diuine Scriptures and that she by her Councell may pronounce euery one Anathema and Accursed that shall not giue beliefe to his Decree touching the right Canon of Scriptures obserue that Saint Augustine perceiuing how the Latine or Romane Church did not in those daies constantly hold the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrewes to be Canonicall and of Diuine Authority resolueth thus Notwithstanding I saith he am rather mooued by the Authority of the East Churches So Saint Augustine which is so much that a conscionable man we thinke should need no more For now we are in a Doctrinall point euen what and which is the Scripture and written Word of God the Principle and Doctrine of all other Principles and Doctrines Whereof when we enquire we are directed by Saint Augustine to consult with the Primitiue Churches as well East as West and wherein these do differ in their Customes therein to yeeld rather to the iudgement of the Greeke and Easterne Churches according as Saint Hierom also determined than to the Romane in the West And lest this Decision of Saint Augustine might seeme to proceed from some voluntary inclination to the Greeke Church rather than to the Latine he addeth that he is so moued by the Authority of the Easterne Churches Now how all these particulars will agree with your Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church Mistris of all other Churches without full Vnion and Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation do you your-selues deliberate Sure we are that this Resolution of Saint Augustine will easily interpret the meaning of his other sentence so often obiected by you to wit I should not haue belieued the Gospell except the Authority of the Church had moued mee that by Church he meant not the then present Church of Rome as you pretend which is as you see another vanity After this discussion of the Doctrinall Cause we adde a Consideration of the Schismaticall state of that Church according as our iudicious Casaubon hath obserued You who accompt it the onely note of Schisme to be diuided from the Romane Church and the Pope thereof as the onely Head of all Churches Answer vs Why Saint Augustine who in seauen Books besides many other places confuted the Schismaticall Donatists yet neuer spake word of the Monarchy of the Pope or of the Infallibility of his iudgement whereby to reduce them to the Vnity of the Church and Truth Lastly as for the Title of The Catholike Church you that appropriate it in your Article to the Church of Rome aduise againe with Saint Augustine who as he hath already defined that Catholike is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole as a Comprehension of all Parts and therefore that no Part can be called The Whole so doth he further illustrate the same in his Expositions vpon those words of the Psalmist The Kings daughters were among thine honourable women vpon thy right hand did stand the Queene in a Vesture of gold of Ophir Behold Rome saith he behold Carthage behold other Cities as Kings daughters of all which is made one certaine Queene speaking of the Catholike Church whereunto euery one ought to bee vnited in Faith and Hope So he You see that in Saint Augustines time when Rome was indeed Rome and truely glorious for Faith and Holinesse yet Behold Rome what The Queene which is the Catholike Church it selfe No but Behold Rome a daughter of the King And againe Behold Carthage and other Cities How Namely so and no otherwise than Rome and others all daughters of the King that is Particular Churches professing Christ. But the Catholike Church as Queene what must shee be any one of these bee it the Church of Milan Carthage or Rome No but One Vniuersall Church consisting of these and All others CHALLENGE SEe you now with what obliquity of iudgement your Authors haue obiected these colourable sayings of Saint Augustine out of his Epistles vnto Pope Zozimus and Pope Boniface and others Whereas when we come to his deeds he doth freely demonstrate his Faith contrary to your sense when Comparing Particular Bishopricke with Bishopricke as Rome with Carthage hee maketh them and their Bishops both Most Eminent Comparing Churches with Churches as Rome with the Churches of Africke he defendeth euen against the forenamed Popes Zozimus and Boniface both that it is not lawfull for Remote Churches to Appeale to Rome and that it is also lawfull for Churches that are subordinate to the Romane Iurisdiction to Appeale from Rome By which the very pinnacle of the pretended Authority of the Romane Iurisdiction is quite ouerthrowne and cast to the ground Againe Saint Augustine comparing the Two Moities of the whole Catholike Church commonly diuided into the East otherwise called the
obiect nothing but either the parties themselues namely the Popes for Witnesses in their owne Cause or the exorbitant Examples of Factious and Criminall Persons Appellant in stead of regular and Conformable or in the Examples of some Godly Fathers that sought helpe at the Pope of Rome a power Arbitrarie for Iudicatorie or a friendly support issuing from the Estimation and grace that some Popes then had to perswade in stead of Authoritie of Iurisdiction or lastly a restrained power and that onely by humane and Ecclesiasticall Canon and Custome which is alterable instead of a pretended proper and Diuine Right Such we haue proued to be the vanitie of his Proofes As easily may you obserue that notwithstanding his Answers he furthermore lyeth open to manifold Exceptions For Anno 216. Restraint of Appeales to Rome was made by the Councell of Carthage Anno 337. a Delogation was made by a godly Emperor Constantine to Pope Iulius and transferred from him to other Bishops Anno 367. Pope Damasus disclaimeth all Right of Appeale to Rome after the Iudgement of a Prouinciall Synod Anno 416. the Councell of Mileuis denieth Appeales out of Africke to Rome and Anno 420. the Councell of Africke is as peremptorie against this pretence of Papall Priuiledge of Appeale Among which Three Councels to wit that of Carthage vnder Cyprian the other of Mileuis and the Third of Africke all African Councels are challenged by your Authors to haue bin within the Patriarkship of the Bishop of Rome and yet they denied vnto him the Prerogatiue of Right of Appeale from Africke to Rome Than which what can be a more euident Discouery of the Falsehood of your Article Wee conclude Either must 600. Bishops in the Councell of Chalcedon 87. Bishops in the Councell of Carthage 60. in the Councell of Mileuis 217. in the Councell of Africke and among them Saint Cyprian Saint Augustin who All may seeme to haue conspired to pull downe this great Pinacle of the Romanâ— Babel and principall part of her Article of Catholike Iurisdiction bee iudged depriued of Saluation or else must wee say and professe Cursed is this your Article of The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no Saluation And now haue we finished the Consideration of the Romane Church after her first Foundation in the Ancient ages thereof within the compasse of the First Six hundred years after Christ and Antiquity in Doctrine you know is of all humane proofs the best Argument for Christian Resolution This Treatise would grow into a vast Volume if we should proceed throughout all former Successiue ages we therefore rather choose for breuitie-sake to hasten to the Consideration of the Later ages of the Church CHAP. XIV Our Fourth Generall Consideration is of the Churches Catholike in the Last ages thereof manifesting thereby the Impietie of your Article The Romane Catholike Church without which there is no Saluation BY this Consideration wee shall be occasioned to giue Instances in diuers Christian Churches which professe not either that Subiection or else that Vnion with the Pope or Church of Rome as your Article viz. The Romane Catholike Church c. doth exact These Instances are of Three kinds 1. In Churches of Nations Remote from the Church of Rome 2. In Churches of neerer Countries wherein are the Churches of Protestants 3. In the Romane Church it selfe Our First Instance concerning Remote Churches not Subiect nor vnited to Rome is in the Greeke Church SECT 1. BVt First be it knowne vnto you that there are Foure Patriarkships Christian at this day dis-united from Rome to wit Constantinople Antioch Alexandria and Ierusalem the Patriarkes whereof haue of later Times their Ancient Patriarchall stile as thus Hieremias by the mercie of God Arch-Bishop of Constantinople Oecumenicall Patriarch Michael by the Mercy of God Patriarch of Great Theopolis or Antiochia Ioachim by the Mercy of God Patriarch of the Great Citie of Alexandria Sophronius by the Mercie of God Patriarch of Ierusalem and all Palaestina Whatsoeuer Christians are vnder these Patriarkships or in other remote Nations and haue not ruinated any Fundamentall Article of sauing Truth set downe in our ancient Creeds and are vnited vnto the true Catholike Head Christ Iesus our Lord by a liuing Faith all Protestants esteeme Them as true members of the Catholike Church and notwithstanding diuers their more tolerable Errors and superstitions to be in the state of Saluation albeit no-way subiect or Subordinate to the Romane Church And from this Generall Consideration wee descend vnto our Particular Instances For our more expedite passage and your expert apprehension of the Validitie of this Instance wee shall Methodically lay downe before you Fiue obseruable points First the Continuance of the No-Subiection of the Greeke Church to the Romane Secondly the Dis-union and Opposition thereof vnto this day Thirdly the Estimation which is to be had of it in respect of their Religion notwithstanding their said Dis-union from Rome Fourthly the extent of the said Greeke Church shewing the innumerable Multitudes of them and Lastly vpon these Premises a Manifestation by way of Challenge and discouery of the Iniquitie of your now Romane Article which pronounceth Damnation vpon all such as professe not Subiestion and Vnion with the Church of Rome I. The Continuance of the No-Subiection of the Greeke Church to Rome SECT 2. BEsides all that which hath bin copiously already deliuered concerning the Greek Church we shal in this place rest much vpon your Confessions Wherefore wee would First demand of you how many yeares you thinke the Church of Greece hath bin diuided from the Church of Rome as a Church distinct and not subiect to the Iurisdiction thereof Some of you indefinitely set downe Many Hundreds of yeares Whereas your Cardinall more precisely doth although in his indignation note how the Greeke Church opposed it selfe to the Latine in the yeare 381. in a Generall Councell wherein contrary to the likeing of the Pope of Rome a Hundred and Fiftie Bishops constituted a Patriarke of Constantinople and placed him next to the Bishop of Rome And being not content with this saith hee in the yeare 451. in the Fourth Generall Councell of Chalcedon by the Consent of Six hundred Bishops they endeuored to make the Patriarke of Constantinople equall with the Bishop of Rome in the Priuiledges of his Patriarkship All this argueth no Subiection of the Greeke Church vnto Rome And albeit some would scrape acquaintance with the Greek Church in the yeere 1549 at the Councell of Florence as though all then had become Subiects to the Pope yet vpon due examination you your selues finde the Grecians there to haue beene so farre from Subiection to the Pope that They would not permit him to constitute a Patriarch among them professing that they could doe nothing without the consent of their owne Church And as farre were they from Subiecting themselues in Doctrine for when some few points were propounded the Greekes answered the
De Facto in that which followeth in the nex Section III. The Church of Rome was often diuided into Many Heads SECT 15. SChisme as the Apostle teacheth is when the Body is diuided and depending vpon many Heads as if some held of Paul some of Cephas and but some of Christ. So hath it often hapned in your Church some depending of one and some of another and some of the Third Pope and among all these yet could but one sort hold of the True You your owne selues can reck on for vs Twentie yea Thirty Schismes and Diuisions among your Popes yet is this but a sparing Accompt But wee stand not vpon the number of their Diuisions but vpon their Duration Of which your Onuphrius hath Registred One for The most pernicious and pestilent betweene Vrban the 6. and Clement the 7. which continued and lasted for Fiftie yeares in the Church of Rome During which Schisme what Parts taking and factions there were on foot amongst the Members of that Church throughout the most Countries in Europe it is easie to imagine Your Cardinall telleth vs of Three Popes at one time euery one whereof would be accounted the Pope so that hardly could any discerne which was the true Pope So you What Resolution can your Church haue in such a Case your Iesuite would haue vs to note that The Councell of Constance put them All downe and this stood with good reason saith hee because when the true Pope was not certaine it was as much as if there had beene none at all So hee Moreouer Baronius hath found out another matter of wonderment how that When Sergius the Third an illegitimate Pope intruded himselfe into that Seat by monstrous sacriledge and most beastly filthinesse yet such was the Reuerence saith hee which all faithfull Professours especially the remote Northerne People had vnto the Church of Rome that whomsoeuer they heard to sit in that See although Pope onely in name without any further inquirie concerning his manner of entrance they reuerenced him as S. Peter himselfe So hee CHALLENGE LOoke againe to your Article of Beliefe concerning This One Romane Pope without which Faith none can be saued Now your Church of Rome being diuided into Two Factions one halfe adhering to One Pope and another halfe to a Second your Article requiring Beliefe of Hunc This onely One doth damne halfe the Romane Church for the space of aboue twice Fortie yeares And afterwards so long as it was diuided into Three Factions adhering vnto Three seuerall Heads your Article of Hunc This singular Pope damneth Two of the Three Parts of your Romane Church at that time At which time the Councell of Constance the Representatiue Body of the Romane Church in this distraction vsing no other remedie but abscission and cutting off euery Head by remouing All the Three and choosing a Fourth your Article challenging the acknowledgement of Hunc doth necessarily damne the whole Romane Church either in admitting any of the Three or else in preferring a Fourth As for our Northerne Professours of those dayes whose Faith your Baronius extolleth for their Beliefe of any Pope whomsoeuer they heard named Pope were hee neuer so illegitimate and indeede no Pope at all as for Example Sergius the Third wee are in a great straight which rather to admire to wit whether the Foolishnesse of those Northerne people in beleeuing an Ape to be a Man or the Faithlesnesse of your Cardinall who against the Article of his Faith requiring Hunc Verum that is the acknowledgement of This true Pope and none else notwithstanding commendeth men for entertaining and honouring a False one But alas what will they not beleeue that will needes follow such Guides as leade them by the nose and make them to beleeue not that which God prescribeth but what they please albeit herein also condemned by your owne Article And moreouer you your selues that are sworne to beleeue Infallibly Hunc when as it is possible for that which hath hapned may happen that your whole Church cannot discerne between Hunc and Hunc by the same Article stand you continually condemned in your owne Consciences IV. That the Church of Rome is oftentimes troubled with an Head repugnant sometime to the whole Body and sometimes to the Seuerall Members thereof SECT 16. THe First worke in a building is laying a right Foundation which in euery Dispute is the true state of the Question and then Dimidium facti qui bene cepit habet The Forme of your owne Oath will giue vs good light for this First point IN. doe beleeue the Catholike Romane Church to be the Mother and Mistresse ouer all other Churches and I sweare Obedience to the Pope as to the Vicar of Christ. You professe then in this to honour the Church of Rome as Mother and Mistresse ouer All Churches and the Bishop and Pope of Rome as Chiefe Pastor and Head of it It onely remaineth to know whether as you haue made all other Churches diuided from this Head to be Schismatikes out of the Church and destitute of spirituall life so also there may not be a Schisme betweene this Romane Head and Body so that the One being diuided from the other in some Cases either of them may become Schismaticall Your publike Professor and Iesuite Suarez is at hand to resolue you Schisme saith hee as it is distinguished from Haeresie is a separation either from the Head or from the Body so as the Body if it denie its Head This true Pope it is Schismaticall and the Pope the Head if hee denie due Communion with the Body as to Excommunicate the whole Church is also Schismaticall So he Whose ingenuitie we must commend in that hee confesseth it possible for the Pope in some Case to be a Schismatike It will be our part to giue some Instance hereof That your Church commonly is Doubtfully-Headed proued by an Instance made in the state of the great Question of the Supreame Iudge in your Church whether it must be the Romane Pope or Councell And First for the Pope SECT 17. IT is necessâ—ry that that Church which will needes be Iudge of all other Churches should first determine with it selfe who is the Supreme Iudge nor should she euer take vpon her to determine of other Controuersies in Faith against Protestants before shee haue satisfied Protestants in this whether Pope or Councell be indeede the Supreame Iudge In this Question Romane Doctors of all sorts haue bin distracted in their iudgements To leaue all other Disputes we desire to know how this hath bin determined by any Councell Bellarmine although the sworne Proctor for the Pope yet against such as laboured to deduce a Confirmation of the Popes Iudgement aboue a Councell from the Councels either of Florence or Lateran doth reiect both So that saith he the matter is still questionable vnto this day Is not this Acknowledgement worthy your thrice rumination to vnderstand that
the Romane Church which boasteth her selfe to be the Mistresse of all Churches and Iudge of all matters of Faith is not after a Thousand Six hundred yeares fully assured whether Comparison being made betweene her Pope and her selfe Hic or Haec Hee or Shee be the Supreme Iudge When then and how will you resolue in this so principall a Case must the Scales still stand euen that neither of them shall ouer-poise Not so for you teach if One as your fore-man may speake for you all that Although this case haue not beene decided by any absolute Decree yet it is defined saith hee by the tacit and secret censent of the Doctors of the Church scarce any one Diuine holding any other opinion herein than that which before that of late this Controuersie was moued was anciently in force namely that the Pope is aboue a Councell as the Head is aboue the Body As if he should say Sirs if the Question be whether Iohn an Oake or Iohn a Stile be heire to that Land because the Witnesses conceale their meaning without question they by a tacit Consent are for the Complainant that Iohn an Oake must carry the Land O Quacksaluer Consider you not now that the Subiect of all this Dispute is The Catholike Visible Church whose Consent likewise is to be discerned onely by Visible Characters whether it be by word or by writing And are you now come to this passe as that in a Cause of so great moment you must depend vpon the iudgement of the Tacit Consent of your Doctors Wee doe not therefore maruell why they must needes be blinde Guides who themselues haue no better Direction than dumbe Iudges All other Christian Churches in the world stand for the Authoritie of a Generall Councell against whatsoeuer Pope which the Cause of your Pope hauing now bin heard we are to proue from the Romane Church it selfe That the Romane Church is rather Iudge than the Romane Pope in all Causes of that Church by the publike Decree of the same Church in it selfe First in the Councell of Constance SECT 18. IN the yeare of Christ our Lord 1415. was celebrated the Councell of Constance in Germanie a place then most fit consisting as you know of almost a Thousand Fathers whereof more then Three hundred were Bishops This Synod with an Inprimis beginneth with this Article The Holy Synod inspired with the Holy Ghost being lawfully assembled making vp a Generall Councell which representeth the whole Catholike Church hath immediate power from Christ whereunto euery state and condition be it the Papall or whatsoeuer is bound to obey in all things which concerne either Faith or Generall reformation of the Church whether in the Head or Members thereof Thus farre that Councell which was expresly confirmed by Pope Martin to be held Inuiolable in matter of Faith CHALLENGE TEll vs now whether euer the Church of Rome had a Councell more ample for multitude of Fathers being almost a Thousand whether euer any Councell could assume more Infallibilitie to it selfe than to be congregated by the Holy Ghost thereby making her Degrees Authenticall or whether euer any Councell could Derogate more from the Papall Power as it is now beleeued and Attributed to your Popes than to subiect him to the Determination of a Councell in matters both of Direction in Faith and Reformation of manners or can any of you require a more fundamentall reason thereof than that which is intimated in the Decree it selfe saying that The Councell hath its Authoritie immediately from Christ The meaning whereof is as you are taught that the Popes Authoritie is not of Diuine but onely of Humane Institution or Lastly can you expect a stronger confirmation of all this than is the Ratification thereof by the then Lawfull Pope Now then for now wee are come to our conflict by Comparison If as your Cardinall and others answer The Pope confirmed other matters of Faith decreed in that Councell but would not ratifie this Decree as being so derogatiue to his Headship and supreme Iudicature then behold that which wee assumed to proue as great a Difference betweene that Assembly of Fathers which was as much the Representatiue Body of the Romane Church as any can be named Whence it must as well follow that your Pope if hee had hereupon Excommunicated the Fathers of that Councell had bin a Schismatike as it doth follow that diuiding himselfe from their Decree hee could by your Romane Principles be no lesse than an Haeretike For the Decree is peremptorie as a matter of Faith the Reason they gaue was concluded against the Pope namely that the Pope of Rome is not Head of the Church by any Diuine Ordinance euen as a Thousand yeares before this the Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon anciently beleeued Another like Example in the Councell of Basil. SECT 19. IN the yeare 1431. there was a Councell gathered at Basil by the Authoritie of Pope Martin the Fift and after confirmed by Eugenius wherein were 90. Fathers who hauing confirmed the Decrees of the Councell of Constance whereby the Pope is made subiect vnto a Councell and the Censure thereof now at the length Pope Eugenius perceiuing they held this course will needes dissolue the Councell and translate it to Florence The Councell it selfe withstandeth this and Commandeth the contrary shewing thereby that The Pope sought nothing but by abrogating of Councels the destruction of the Church Therefore they fairely suspend the Pope and in the end according to the iudgement of the Councell of Constance they Decree as an Vniuersall Truth that the Pope hath no Authoritie aboue a Councell nor power of himselfe to dissolue it which truth whosoeuer say they shall obstinately contradict is to be iudged an Heretike So They. Will you now see the Pope and the Councell grapple together The Councell hath suspended the Pope and iudgeth him no better than a Schismatike The Pope pronounceth the Fathers of the Councell Schismatikes Separated from the Mother Church of Rome meaning the Conclaue of some Cardinals at Rome and the Head thereof for the space of seauen yeares last past The Councell answereth saying What will the Pope then damne for Schismatikes all the Cardinals Bishops and the Emperour himselfe with Kings and Princes there present yea and the whole Church which doth approue of this Councell In the end to end the fray The Pope saith the Councell did yeeld to the Admonition made vnto him of not dissoluing the Councell Here is presented before you the Romane Head and in the Opinion of the Fathers of that Councell the Catholike Bodie of the Romane Church in a Distraction and Separation either from the other for Seauen yeares space As for the Popes Pretence of his Romane Church which were but a few Domesticall Cardinals the Councell did not accompt them worthy the name of the Members of the Church This being
the Church Catholike as commonly doe the Professed Protestants The words of your owne Authors amount to no lesse than a plaine Confession that The Arian Heresie trauelled almost ouer the whole Romane Orbe Euen From the rising of the Sun to the noone-point and after passing by the North at length it infected almost the whole Westerne part of Christendome That the same Heresie polluted almost all Christian Churches and the Patriarchall Seates of Antioch Alexandria and Hierusalem and at length passing into the Westerne parts meaning the Romane Iuâ—isdiction substituted Felix into the Romane Chaire instead of Liberius and so ran his Course through-out the whole world in a trice When the Church was brought to that lowe ebbe that the same Pope Liberius hearing the Arian Emperour to obiect the Paucity of Orthodoxe Fathers doubted not to make his Answer It mattereth not saith he whether the true Professors be moe or fewer for the Church of the Iewes was once reduced to the number of Three So accordingly Saint Hilaery bewailed the state of the Church saying that it had forsaken Temples and buildings and was more safe in Mountaines Lakes and Prisons And Greg. Nazianzene speaking of his own Church at that time It was proper to our Fold saith he that it could not be broken insomuch that we were often termed the Arke of Noah as those who onely escaped drowning in the flood So he Would it not pose you to tell what was the face and appearance of the Romane Church when onely the Church of Nazianzum was said to escape the Deluge of that Arrian Heresie But how much greater is the Cloude of Obscurity of the Church prophecied of in the daies of Antichrist Let your Rhemists shout as loud as they can that the Catholike Church is alwaies Notably visible in her visible Pastors Sacraments and names of her Professors yet at length as it were with shouting they waxing hoarse tell you of an Externall cessation of all outward Communion from the Catholike Church excepting the Communion in the hearts of her Professors And falling into a Meditation of these words of the Apoc. Chap. 12. ver 6. The Woman fledd into the Wildernesse whereby is ment the Church Catholike seeking resuge from the violance of Antichrist They giue you this Note At which time for all that say they the Church shall not want our Lord's protection nor Pastors nor be so secret but that all faithfull men shall know and follow her much lesse shall she decay and erre from the Faith as Heretikes wickedly feine but be as the Catholike Church now in England in the time of Persecution because it hath no publike Seate of Regiment nor open free exercise of holy function And although it may be said to be fledd into the Desert yet is it neither Vnknowne vnto the Faithfull that followe it nor to the Enemies that persecute it So They. In which one testimonie we haue an hotch-potch of Truth Folly and Falshood together Truth in acknowledging such an Obscurity of the Church as that whereby shee is depriued of publike gouernement and free exercise of Ecclesiasticall Function Falshood in obiecting vnto Protestants whom they as falsly call Heretikes an opinion of Decay and errour from Faith in the whole Catholike Church which vnto your own Bellarmine seemed in effect to be a lewd Slander And thirdly what greater Folly and absurdity can there bee than to dreame as Master Fisher likewise hath done of a Church Flying into the Desert vnder God's protection that it should not be knowne and yet in his opinion not vnknowne to her Persecutors With like reason might they assure you that the Hare is still knowne to the Hunter when shee flieth into a thicket and place by God's prouidence of such safety that neither man nor dogg can hunt her out We had rather you should heare the more iudicious and ingenuous Acknowledgements of your other Iesuites Ribera Pererius Acosta Viegaâ— from whom you may heare of the Church flying into the Wildernesse to a place prepared for her of God So that Shee can either not be enquired of where shee is by the Ministers of Antichrist or at least not be found out When the Churches seruice and worship shall be in secret the Sacrifice of the Masse shall cease the Liturgie and forme of prayer shall be abolished and all shall adore Antichrist except the Predestinate whose names are written in the Booke of Life So they Did you euer heare from any Protestant a signification of any greater Obscurity of the Church than this is Which differeth not from the iudgement of ancient Fathers who speaking of the Catholike Church say that This Sunne shall be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light Not appearing to her Persecutors And this Mother shall be vnable to bring forth the Children of her wombe Of Departure from some particular Churches THESIS V. All particular Churches are not to bee forsaken for euery Vnsoundnesse in either Manners Worship or Doctrine SECT 6. WEe haue Christ his Warrant in the Case of Vnsoundnesse in Manners Mat. 23.3 Whatsoeuer they bid you doe that obserue and doe but after their workes doe not Shall the Iniquity of the Minister make the promises of God of none effect God forbid Or because they haue foule hands must I haue deafe yeeres Abel and Cain might offer Sacrifice at one Altar Peter and Iudas present themselues together at one sacred Supper The Publican and Pharisee pray in one Temple Peruse but the Booke of God the holy Scripture from the beginning of Genesis vnto the end of the Apocalypse and you shall scarce finde one example of any particular Church consisting onely of sanctified Professors without mixture as in the barne of both Chaffe and Wheate or without as the net good and badd fishes or without as the fold sheepe and goats still diuers in dissimilitude of manners not in diuision of Sacraments no not in the family of Noah within the Arke Which we speake to the iust Condemnation of all such Separatists who as of old the Donatists for onely scandall taken at the wicked liues of the Professors doe breake the barne burst the net ouerthrowe the fold and rend the vn-seamed Coat of Christ by diuiding themselues from the Church of their owne Profession Next euery corrupt Custome in the publike Worship of God is no sufficient Warrant or cause of Separation from the particular Church wherein we haue beene baptized or haue made profession of our Faith except the forme thereof bee some-way Idolatrous For we reade how the High places and Groues were forbidden of God Deut. 12. yet in the time of their Iudges God suffred their Sacrifice Iud. 6. and as Saint Augustine you know saith God accepted their Offerings As for errour in Doctrine your Cardinall will haue you vnderstand that Particular Churches may erre in some points of Faith and yet be accounted true Churches and hee
giueth instance in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia both which Saint Paul stileth Churches of the Saints albeit the one is reprehended by the Apostle for denying the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. the other for teaching a necessary Obseruation of the Law of Moses with the Gospell of Christ. Gal. 1. So he Yet lest you may erre in terming that a True Church which is wilfuliy intangled in any Heresie he giueth this Condition that The same that erre be ready to be reformed and to obey the truth as were the Corinthians and Galatians Otherwise to bee vnwilling either to learne or to yeeld vnto a manifest truth is proper saith your Author vnto a Satanicall Synagogue and to the Churches of the Malignant So your Cardinall and that most truely THESIS VI. Some Vnsound Churches are necessarily to bee auoided and the iust Causes why SECT 7. AS Leprousie Plague and whatsoeuer contagious Diseases are necessarie causes of separation from vnsound houses so Obstinacie of error in Teachers affected Ignorance and obduration of people Idolatry in Gods Worship Tyrannie and Persecution against the true and sincere Professors may be iudged necessary Causes of Separation from any particular Churches Against a generall Obstinacie of false-Teachers opposing to the wholesome doctrine We haue a Caueat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depart from such 1 Tim. 6.5 Against the generall Obdurancie of hearts our Caueat is both Christ's Shake off the dust of your feet in departing and Saint Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When certaine obstinate persons speake euill of the Word of God before the people he departed from them and separated the Disciples Act. 19.9 because else they should heare nothing but blasphemies against the truth of God Against the Corruption of Gods Worship Idolatrously the Command is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flie from Idolatry 1 Cor. 10.4 euen as vnto the people vnder the Law when Bethel that is the House of God was turned into Bethauen that is the House of Vanity the Epithet of Idolatry then the Watch-word to the Faithfull was Separate your selues from among them Hos. 10. Against Tyrannie in Persecuting of Preachers or Professors in any one City the warning is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likewise Flie vnto another Mat. 10.23 And lastly in the time of Antichristian Tyrannie and Idolatry in Romish Babylon the Spiâ—it saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come out of her my people Apoc. 18.4 THESIS VII No vniust Excommunication out of a true Church can preiudice the Saluation of the Excommunicate SECT 8. YOur Romance Glosse authorized by Pope Gregory the XIII will speake as much as need be said to wit The Keyes of the Church erring in her binding and loosing the partie so bound is not then bound with God for it happeneth many times that he who is excommunicated out of the Church Militant is notwithstandeng in the Church Triumphant So your owne Glosse According as it hath beene obserued by you in the Blinde-man cured by Christ and professing the power of Christ whom therefore the Church of the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cast out of their Synagogues Ioh. 9.34 That is saith your Cardinall they excommunicated and separated him from the communion of Them who at that time were accounted faithful but yet happie was that Blinde-man who was Excommunicated for the name of Christ. So he And so may we say of Luther who was as one borne Blinde whilst hee continued in your Church according to your Assumption true vntill that Christ opened his eyes and he for acknowledging the diuine light was Excommunicate by your High Priest Yet happie man he who was taken into the protection of Christ whom he professed and worshipped Something more of Excommunication you may reade in the XV. Section Following The Second Part is concerning Departure from Rome more particularly comparing the Church of Rome with other Churches We are approached to the Walls of Rome and behold wee discouer in her iust iust Causes of Separation from her which we shall represent vnto you in that due place whereunto we now proceed by certaine Theses as it were by iust pases Comparing her first with other Remote Christian Churâ—hes THESIS I. The Church of Rome is as subiect to Errors as any other Church SECT 9. WHat Prerogatiue had the Church-of your Romanes aboue the Church of the Ephesians or Thessalonians in respect of any possibilitie of not Erring or of Contemning other Churches in respect of her selfe to which that may be obiected which the Apostle writ to the Corinthians to wit Came the Word of God first from you nay came it not First from Hierusalem to Antioch and many other places before Rome and at length from Greece to Rome And after that Rome is established a Church was it freed from Erring more than other through the Primacie which it challengeth ouer Others By what Law Humane that could not Diuine that did not authorize any such Primacy Which you are compellable to Confesse except you will say that the Catholike Church hath erred in the Generall Councell of Chalcedon which as hath beene confessed denied that Rome had her Primacie from diuine Ordinance except you will also Grant that the Church of Rome it selfe hath erred in her Councell of Constance which maintained the same Axiome to wit that the Church of Rome held not her Primacie from diuine authority Lastly except you will impeach the Apostle Saint Paul of error who by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught an indifferencie of all spirituall respect to Rome with other Churches as hath beene proued Take vnto you one infallible Argument that the Church of Rome may erre in matter of Faith It hath erred Ergo It may possibly erre That it hath one confessed instance may sufficiently resolue you if it bee pregnant Such is the doctrine of the Administration of the Eucharist vnto Infants vpâ—n Necessity of Saluation A doctrine by your owne Confession at this day false and yet at that day as is likewise Confessed taugh and continued in the Church of Rome for the space of 600 yeeres together THESIS II. That the Church of Rome is more subiect to Erring than any other Church Christian. SECT 10. WHy is it that Christ said The whole need not the Physitian but those that be sicke but onely to shew that the state of one in an health falsly-conceited is farre more desperate than the state of the most extreme disease sensibly â—elt in as much as that man is more incapable of remedie that feeleth not his owne maladie than hee that is sensible of his griefe Such is the Case of the Romane Church which is so much more obnoxious to Error as shee is flalsly perswaded shee cannot possibly erre and that vpon two notoriously-erroneous Articles which are fancied and fained onely by her selfe One is that shee beleeueth as an Article of her Faith that shee the Romane Church is that The Catholike Church which cannot erre Which
bodie of your Church how then to speake onely from your owne Confessions hath growne the opinion of the foresaid Necessity of the Administration of the of the Eucharist vnto Infants not onely with no Opposition but euen with the great approbation of your Popes how your Custome of Communicating but in one kinde whereof you your selues grant a Non constat or Ignoramus when it first began Whereas for a Thousand yeeres cantinuance the Contrarie was held as you know in the Catholike Church yea and in the Romane Church it selfe Or how will you answer for the Corruption of your Romane Worship whereof wee haue your Fathers in the Councell of Trent decreeing that Because many Corruptions haue crept into the celebration of the Romane Masse either by the errour of the time or negligence and improbity of men therefore an order must bee taken to purge them So They. Are not diseases diseases because we can but coniecture the first Cause or time of their being The former Confession of your Professor and Iesuite before pointed at now set downe at large wil giue vs the vpshot Some Traditions saith he are perpetual in time euen from the beginning of the Church Others are onely temporall the beginning whereof may be knowne somtimes positiuely what time they began and sometimes onely negatiuely by being able to shew what time neere the beginning of the Church such a custome or doctrine had no being though afterwards it was inuented Whereby it may be iustly collected that such a Tradition had it's beginning after the Apostles albeit the certaine and determinate time in which it began be not knowne Which Tradition because it is not vniuersall in time it cannot beget any Catholike beleefe So he euen such an He whom your Romane Church esteemeth for the most eminent general both Doctor and Proctor of her Cause at this day By which Sentence are auoided both your former Obiections of the Necessity of giuing of Names of Authors before Luther and of demonstrating the Time Persons and Place of the beginning of Errors in the Church As also there is reached vnto Protestants a strong engine to the vtter ouerthrowe of your now Romane Creed consisting of more then 12. new Articles concerning Worshipping of Images Purgatory Indulgences and the like which can neuer be shewed to haue sprung in the ages af Antiquity bordering on the Apostles time and therfore according to this former true and necessary Rule set downe by your Iesuite can beget no Catholike Beleefe THESIS VIII Your last Obiection of Continuall and Personall Succession in all Ages is frustrate SECT 21. LEst that Succession and not Succession may seeme to alter the Case because the Romane Church is by Personall Succession of Catholike Pastors the Protestant Church is by Secession and Departure whereas true Succession doth manifest a true Church euen as no true Succession doth notifie a false Church as you vse to say you need doe no more but cast your eyes vpon your owne Historians who reporting the great deluge of that horrible Heresie of the Arrians declare that in the most Churches Christian â—he true and Orthodoxe Bishops were remoued out of their Bishopricks and cast into Banishment As for example the Chiefe Patriarks Liberius out of Rome Athanasius out of Alexandria Paulus out of Constantinople c. Againe the Wheele of God's prouidence turning backwards the Arian Heretikes lost their Bishopricks and Patriarkships the Orthodoxe and Catholike Professors succeeding in their places We demand will you then indeed say that Succession in place is absolutely an affirmatiue Note of a true Church How then shall those Churches bee iudged Hereticall wherein Arians immediately succeeded Catholikes Or is not Succession negatiuely a Note of no true Church How then were not the Churches false wherein Catholikes immediately succeeded Heretikes So then if you pronounce any Church true by the Succession of Persons onely you doe but waste your winde if by the Succession of Doctrine then Luther's doctrine being truly Apostolicall his Church cannot be but truly Catholike The Fourth and last part of this DETERMINATION concerneth the state of the Churches of Protestants after the daies of Luther and their more iust Cause of Continuing this Separation from Rome SECT 22. WHy should we not thinke that after our iustification of the first Departure of Protestants from the Church of Rome you should expect some Addition for the Defence of our Continuance of that Separation lest otherwise some might surmize that now sure the Councell of Trent pretending a Generall reformation of all Abuses the Protestants might haue iuster Cause to re-unite themselues to the Church of Rome THESIS I. Protestants are Generally Excommunicated by the Church of Rome SECT 23. YOur Pope of Rome doth by his Bulls yearely bellow out his Excommumications Anathematismes or Curses by name against all Lutherans Caluinists Hugonots and all Protestants together with all their Defenders Fauourers Receiuers Readers of their Bookes without speceall Licence whosoeuer they be THESIS II. Protestants are Vniustly Excommunicated SECT 24. ALl the Causes for which Scripture hath authorized a Departure from any visible Church do accordingly iustifie our Separation from the Church of Rome I. Falshood by Creation of a new Creede consisting of so many Articles II. To a false Faith is ioyned false Worship by Idolatrie not onely by the vulgar in Worshipping of Relikes Images and Saints Idolatrously as is witnessed by your selues but also generally by the Adoration of your Romish Moloch in the Masse Wherein that which after Consecration you adore take it at the best is but a Christ as you teach voide of all sence naturall power of motion and facultie of vnderstanding Which Doctrine touching the glorified body of Christ Wee thinke to be Blasphemous Take it as it may possibly be and then by your owne generall Confession in all probabilitie Fiue hundred to one after Consecration the thing you adore is but Bread still which is a possible yea and as you your selues tearme it a materiall Idolatrie And take it as we are ready to proue to wit that it is infallibly still euen after Consecration the substance of Bread and consequently your Adoration is really necessarily and formally Idolatrous All these points are to be fully prooued in a Treatise to be intituled CHRIST HIS MASSE which in due time may salute you in like manner as this doth if God permit III. To Heresie and Idolatrie your Church ioyneth Obstinacie not that wee can denie but that the Fathers of the Councell of Trent decreed A safe Conduct and full securitie to all Protestants in Germanie to come to that Councell and according to the tenure of that same Decree To propound whether by word or writing what Articles they would and with free libertie to dispute thereof So they And was not this a Fatherly Consideration shall Wee thinke but your Thuanus will tell you of diuerse Protestants that came to
the Councell desiring of the Popes Legates to haue liberty to dispute according to the former Decree When One of them Exhibiting their ioynt Confession to the whole Councell assembled published the same whereat saith your Historian the Fathers of the Councell were greatly offended then after it was made knowne that the Protestants were ready to defend their Confession But they could haue no answer to it and therefore desired leaue to be gone which assuredly obtained they commended their Cause to the Emperours Oratour and departed from the Councell Where are now our great Disputers of Rome who can teach Protestants Logicke and all manner learning as you vse to boast if euer they ought to appeare then doubtlesse in their generall Synod when the most selected Schollers were assembled for the discussion of al Questions Iohn Husse in the Councell of Constance had safe-Conduct to come and Dispute for himselfe but that was all for that Conduct was but a trap to catch him in and so to burne him as they did In the Councell of Trent the Protestants are promised with their safe-Conduct a libertie of Disputation but are not allowed it when they offer themselues yet no sooner almost are they come but they are saluted by your Tridentines as Christ was by the Gadarenes when they wished him to depart out of their coasts What greater argument can there be of a perfidious promise then to grant a Disputation vnder a solemne Instrument in the name of the Pope and the whole Councell in pretence of Satisfaction to all Consciences and not to performe it or of Impotencie in your Cause than not to indure to haue it discussed or yet of Obstinacy in your Errours than to reiect the ordinary meanes of Detecting them allowed vnto all Aduersaries in all ancient Councels This directly confirmeth the Censure which that Phoenix of learning Master Isaac Casaubon gaue of your Church Hee is fouly deceiued saith hee whosoeuer hee be that will be a Medijst thinking that there can be any Reconciliation with the Church of Rome a thing to be vtterly despaired of To all the former Crimes your Church addeth Tyrannie your Positions are Excommunications to all that denie Subiection to the man of Rome After Excommunications come Eradications against States Lawes and Kingdomes by Conspiracies Rebellions and all hostile Machinations yea and against whatsoeuer inferiour Persons whensoeuer there is abilitie either by generall Massacres or by particular torments Nor are your hands shorter than your tongues for As wee haue heard so haue wee seene KINGS wallowing in their gore-blood shed by your desperate Assassines Rebellions Seditions and Combustions in all Christian Kingdomes haue beene raysed by the fierie spirits of the Disloyall Ignatians a Massacre in France for Crueltie as witnesseth your owne Historian not to be parallelled by any example in all the antiquitie of former times But you would not that England should be lesse noble than France in the excellencie of your mischiefe witnesse your Acheronticall POVVDER-PLOTT for the destruction of the three Estates of this whole Kingdome an Example beyond all examples of ages past and for the hainousnesse thereof hardly credible in the generations to come Adde hereunto your Inquisition now established in the most parts of the Romish Iurisdiction by Pope Paul the Fourth as The onely fortresse of Popedome and esteemed the chiefest meanes to preserue the Romish Profession what is it but that Lion's Denne to all them that are caught except they shall abiure the Doctrine of Protestants Vestigia nulla retrorsùm THESIS III. In the Continuance of this Separation Papists are rather Schismatikes than Protestants and consequently in the Heresie of the Donatists SECT 25. GLadly would your Cardinall make an alliance betweene the Schismaticall Donatists and Protestants be you so good as heare his Charge The Donatists saith hee held that the Church Catholike consisted onely of iust persons whence they concluded that the whole visible Church was perished vpon earth and that it was onely in Africa where they were Well but what is this to the Tenent of Protestants Caluinists likewise saith hee hold the whole visible Church of Christ to haue perished for diuers ages and that now it is onely in the Northerne parts among themselues So hee But how truely and conscionably Caluin himselfe will proue in reprouing your Romane Church for Magnifying her selfe as being the onely Church on earth and for not acknowledging the Churches of Africke of Aegypt of Asia and other Christian Churches And dare you say saith Caluin that the Church is wholly perished which was among the Graecians Thus plainly sheweth Caluin that his opinion was not to denie the African Aegyptian Asian and Graecian Churches to haue continued visible parts of the Catholike Church Trie wee in the next place what affinitie the Church of Rome may seeme to haue with the Schismaticall Donatists Saint Augustine as your Cardinall confesseth did iustly deride the Donatists for that they from the mysticall speech in the Canticles concerning the Church the Spouse of Christ saying Tell mee where my beloued lieth at noone day gathered that the Catholike Church remained onely in Africke And is not this your Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church without vnion and subiection whereunto there is no Saluation a manifest appropriation of a Priuiledge proper to Rome as remaining alwayes a Catholike Church The Differences are They challenged this Prerogatiue as due to Africke in the South you to the Romane Church in the West They erred by a false Interpretation of a Text of Scripture which was of mysticall Signification In meridie you from another of figuratiue Sence Tu es Petrus super hanc Petram as though it were ment necessarily of Peter or if so did Consequently authorize the Pope Both which haue beene confuted as egregiously false As for the Reason of the Donatists Separation from the other constituted Churches in Africa that which was the true marke of a Schismatike it was without iust Cause when they neither did nor could obiect either errour in Doctrine or Superstition in worshipping or tyranny constraining men to oppose the ancient truth but especially That which Cannot be a iust Cause the mixture of godly and wicked Professours in one Communion If you shall require any further iustification of this our Separation and euidence that herein your Romanists are the Schismatikes recall to minde that which hath beene said hereof in a former Section THESIS IV. In the Continuance of this Separation the Vnion of Protestants with the Catholike Church is both more True and more Vniuersall than is the Vnion of the Romanists SECT 26. TRue vnion We call only that which is only in Gods truth and for Truths sake otherwise as S. Hilarie saith It is not vnion of faith but of perfidiousnesse nor Christian communion but Antichristian conspiracie and coniuration Vniust Vnities there are many among men the first of compulsion and terror which may
be called Vnio Leonina as when beasts for awe of the Lion goe in troopes and follow at his becke The Second is Vulpina a craftie combination made and maintained by Foxes The Third is Asinina the heard of seely Ignorants Loud and frequent are the boasts of your Catholike Vnion neuer regarding whether it haue the Characters of these kindes of Vnions now spoken of although that none can bee more Tyrannous than that which as you haue beene instructed by Pope Paul the IV. vseth the extent of the Inquisition as the onely Fortresse and support thereof None more craftie than that Church which is fed at home as with naturall sustenance with false Legends and fained Miracles and preserued abroad with Aequiuocations and Mentall Reseruations and specially by Politike Maximes for alterations of States Lastly there can be no greater blockishnesse than to be wholly guided by an Implicit faith of beleeuing you know not what according to your COLIERS FAITH which because it seemeth so commendable vnto your Cardinall Hosius I will deliuer it in his owne words It will be most safe saith he to follow the Example of a certaine Colier of whom when a learned man asked him for his soules behoofe what he beleeued hee repeated the Apostles Creed and being asked what hee beleeued more said that which the Catholike Church beleeueth But what quoth the other doth the Catholike Church beleeue that which I beleeue quoth the Colier The other being still vrgent the Colier vsed the same Circle and made no other Answer than that hee beleeued as the Church beleeued and the Church the same that hee beleeued Some while after it happened that the same learned man was by sickenesse in danger of death at what time Sathan tempted him vrging him what was his beliefe insomuch that he poore wretch was not able sufficiently to expresse himselfe but calling to minde the Coliers Answer hee himselfe made no other Answer to the Diuell than this AS THE COLIER Confessing afterwards that hee had bin dangerously assaulted had not this example of the Colier holpen him Thus farre your Cardinall of your Colier like an Horse in a Milne going all in a round as if he would teach you that this Implicit Faith were the onely safe Circle God blesse you to keepe out the Diuell Wherein you are little inferior to the Iewish Rabbines who taught their Disciples To haue rather regard to the words of the Scribes than to the Law of Moses the word of God Whom also they instructed that in case the Iudge once passed sentence hee must be absolutely beleeued Though he say that the right hand is the left or the lest the right In all this you crye Pax Pax when as indeede it is nothing else but a paction and accordance in Error and Idolatrie The whole Colledge of Priests were against Ieremie All the Priesthood with the Scribes and other Sects conspired against Christ So little cause haue you to glorie in the nature of your Vnion As for Vnion with the Church Catholike there is no other difference than this Protestants as you haue heard stand in Christian Vnion with Graecians Aegyptians Asians Assyrians Aethiopians and all Churches Christian that haue not ouerthrowne the fundamentall Articles of faith Whereas the Romane Church by Excommunicating all other Christian Churches from her hath Excommunicated her selfe and made a Separation from all other Christian Churches And therefore being alone is nothing lesse than Catholike Vae Soli THESIS V. The Protestants granting it possible for Some to be saued within the Church of Rome and the Papists denying that any can be saued in the Churches of the Protestants is but a Sophisticall proofe that there is more Safetie in the Romane Church SECT 27. MAny Protestants grant say you that some may be possibly saued within the Church of Rome whereas the Papists absolutely deny that Any adhering to the Churches of Protestants can be saued This Argument to the Ignorant may be an efficacious inchantment to perswade to Poperie which to the iudicious and Discreete Reader will appeare to bee but Childish and ridiculous whether we consider your Deniall or our Grant The first because your Deniall proceedeth not either from Truth or Conscience Not from Truth because first our Separation from you as hath bene prooued out of your owne Authors was for Truth and equitie-sake And secondly what Conscience can it be in such Obiectors which the more Ingenuous among you will gain-say acknowledging it possible that such as are diuided from the outward Communion of your Church if yet they ruine not the Foundations of Faith May by their inward will otherwise be ioyned vnto her Such as was saith he the case of Cyprian from the Church of Rome Now what Christian is there opposite to the Church of Rome but he hath a desire and will that she were as Orthodoxe in faith and as sincere in worship as euer she was that so he might be vnited vnto her Nay we dare herein appeale to many of your owne Consciences nothing doubting but that many of you conceiue Saluation towards all Protestants that in faith and repentance finish this their earthly pilgrimage accordingly as Some we speake from knowledge euen of the Society of the Iesuites haue done in desiring the prayers of Some Protestant yea and to vse their owne words Ex animo desiring the same And yet did these also as bitterly inueigh against Protestants as did other of their Sect which sheweth that your Authors tongues and pens are not directed by the same spirit Howsoeuer you your selues will condemne your Obiector of follie after that you haue heard some Instances First then in the Donatists They held all men damned that were not of their Church Whereas Saint Augustine their principall Aduersarie did thinke that Some of them were in the state of life Would you suffer your Obiector hereupon if he had liued in those daies to haue perswaded Saint Augustine by reason of this odds of opinion to leaue the Catholike Church and turne Donatist Secondly in the Grecians They you know at this day condemne the Church of Rome for consecrating the Sacrament in vnleauened bread for which cause they call them Azymites and Heretikes as impugners of the Gospell But yet you excuse Them in their Consecrating with leauened bread saying They may lawfully do it Here is then great odds also in these Censures Would you thereupon aduise your Fathers of the Councell of Trent necessarily to confesse that the Church of Rome hath for a long time bene Hereticall in that point and therefore ought to forbeare to Consecrate in Azymes any more A third Instance you may receiue from Pagans The Indian Priests called Bramenes beleeued and taught that to take bread from the hand of a Christian is Sacriledge whereas Christian Doctrine saith to the Christian If an Infidel bid thee to a feast whatsoeuer is set before thee eate c.
In which difference the Paynime may seeme to haue the aduantage Is there therefore more safetie in the Conuersation of the Infidell because there is lesse truth in his exception against the Christian A mad man thinketh that all other men are beasts a sober man confesseth that mad man to be a man Hence then by Romish sophistrie the mad man must bee iudged to be in the better Case But how farre and why do Protestants conceiue hope of Saluation in Some dying in the Church of Rome both these points are very considerable They say that Some for their beliefe in Christ although otherwise intangled in Antichristian blindnesse yet by reason of Inuincible ignorance being both without Affectation of ignorance and voide of the meanes of receiuing the light of Truth may neuerthelesse be in the state of life But as â—or Them that may heare the preaching of the word for their Conuersion and will not vpon all such in the iudgement of Protestants is the saying of our Sauiour Christ spoken of the Iewes verified If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne that is their Damnation is now more iust Hence it is that Protestants teach that of two Papists professing the same Romish doctrine the one in Spaine the other in England the Spanish may be saued and the English damned The reason is plaine the first desired light of iudgement in necessary doctrines the other may possibly see the light but loueth the darkenesse of errour and superstition more than the light of Truth The error of the first being purae negationis or incapacitie to come to the knowledge of the Truth the error of the other being prauae dispositionis through the peruersenesse of their will If you demand why Protestants haue so charitable an opinion of some Romanists you are to vnderstand that it is in regard of that without which they cannot be saued that they died in the beliefe of this Protestant Article of Faith which is To be iustified by remission of all their sinnes through the satisfactorie righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by Faith and not by the legall iustice of Perfection of inherent righteousnesse in themselues as your Councell of Trent hath decreed And this opinion we finde verified in the experience of many Papists who howsoeuer in their life time they professe and magnifie your doctrine of Perfection of workes yet on their death-bed as soone as the least glimpse of the Maiesty of Gods Tribunall is reuealed to their consciences and the bookes of their Consciences begin to be vnclasped and so layd open that they cannot but reade their sinnes which in their life time they held as Venial to be written in capitall letters and to bee Deadly then they take Sanctuary in the wounds of Christ from whence flyeth the Ocean of all Expiatorie merit and satisfaction by which it is impossible but euery faithfull Penitent should receiue life Euen as did of late Cardinall Bellarmine who writing his owne last Will and Testament casteth the anchor of his hope vpon the same Rocke which we do saying I pray God to receiue me into the number of his Elect not as weighing my merits but as pardoning my offences So iust cause haue you to thanke God that the doctrine of Protestants concerning Iustification hath brought Some of you as it did your Ecchius and others to their Iustifying Faith and by it to Saluation Neither yet do Protestants a point to be obserued In this their former Grant yeeld more safety to the Members of the Church of Rome in such a Case than they do to whatsoeuer Heretikes whose beliefe doth not vndermine the Fundamentall Doctrine of Faith Will you see in a Similitude what we conceiue of your Church Of many men that are in a Pest-house infected with the Plague some happily may be saued and yet it were but a damnable Presumption for sound men to runne head-long into the Pest-house thereby as much as in them lyeth making themselues guilty of their owne deaths And whether your Romane Articles of a New Faith whether Idolatrie whether professed Obstinacie in errors whether Tyrannie ouer both bodies and soules of men and whether necessarie Periurie in swearing to your foresaid false Articles be plaguy diseases or no iudge you THESIS VI. Your common Obiection What is then become of the soules of our fore-Fathers more iustifieth the Protestants Separation from Papists than it can the Separation of Papists from Protestants SECT 28. HOnour and loue which man naturally oweth to his Parents and Progenitors is felt in euery mans heart as a forcible motiue to draw on a conceite in the Child both of their godlinesse and also of their after-blessednesse and consequently to inforce an inclination to adhere to their Religion whatsoeuer it was Which we in our experience find in your Disciples to be the greatest barre and hinderance vnto vs for their Conuersion Which Motiue if it be alone is onely preualent in them who consult onely with flesh and bloud yea verily and this your Iesuites will not denie who tell vs from their experience among the Indian Pagans that the like conceit of the soules of their fore-fathers was the greatest reason of their obstinacie in Paganisme Whereas if the matter be rightly discerned the whole interest that man hath in his naturall Parents is bodily onely for man's Soule is not by Traduction in which respect the Apostle setteth a plaine Antithesis betweene our naturall Fathers whom he calleth the Fathers of our flesh and God whom he nameth The Father of Spirits saying We haue had fathers of our flesh which corrected vs and we gaue them Reuerence shall we not much rather be in subiection vnto the Father of Spirits and liue Howsoeuer it be in me as a man surely as I am a Christian man this is not by generation naturall but by spirituall Regenaration and Faith is a gift of this Spirit Therefore do the Fathers of our flesh after our naturall birth send vs to the Priest to be baptized and to receiue a spirituall birth wherein we are not baptized in the name of our Parents nor do we vow to professe the faith of our naturall Progenitors but in the name and to the profession of Christ for The iust shall liue by his owne Faith Not but that we ought to haue a reuerend estimation of the state of our Ancestors to imitate them in faith and godlinesse as it is written Be you Imitators of them who in faith and puritie obtained the promised inheritance Yet not simply Imitators neither but with a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Quatenus Be ye followers of me as I am of Christ. Let vs now descend from the Thesis to our Hypothesis First to answer your Obiection against Protestants which standeth thus If your Religion be the Truth what then is become thinke you of all our and your Ancestors who for many ages liued in that which you
the Martyr of Christ. You may not forget the Councell of Mileuis and the Threescore vniuersally reputed Orthodox Bishops therein denouncing Excommunication against all African Priests which should so much as hold it lawfull for them to Appeale to Rome They that were thus bold to Excommunicate them that should beleeue any such Roman Iurisdiction did plainly professe their contempt of the Papall Excommunication against themselues in such a case and consequently their no beliefe of necessary Subiection or Vnion to the Romane Chaire Except therefore all these so many so learned and Orthodox so godly and constant professors of Christ Iesus were damned this Article The Romane Catholike Church without subiection whereunto there is no Saluation is iustly to be condemned as most false and pernicious Our Fourth Instance is in the Ancient Church of Britaine SECT 14. MVch adoe haue you made about this your Article viz. The Catholike Roman Mother-Church as though the Church of Rome had this prerogatiue aboue and before all others which we haue proued to be a meere delusion by many Examples out of the Catholike and Apostolike Churches more ancient than Rome and among others we gaue Instance in this Isle of the Church of Britaine and now we proceed to the libertie of the Britane Churches That the Britaines and Scots although separated anciently from the Church of Rome were notwithstanding accounted truely Religious and holy men First of their Separation SECT 15. CArdinall Baronius commeth on roundly saying Both Britaines and Scots were schismatically and obstinately separated from the Church of Rome You say Schismatically not Haeretically for you cannot impute vnto them any errour in Faith who as One of your selues hath written Did not differ from the Church of Rome in those dayes but onely in matters of smaller importance For how could they be called Haeretikes for following the Iewish Rite in the obseruation of Easter without the Iewish opinion more than the Romanists themselues who together with vs obserue the Feast of Pentecost yet not Iewishly for as your Genebrard answereth Iudaei Pentecostam typicè nos mysticè verè celebramus How much more Orthodoxally the Britaine Church which followed the steps of Saint Iohns Disciples and kept the Pasche of the Easterne Churches whence it is as One saith that the name of our Easter is probably deriued rather vpon custome than vpon any conceit of Mysterie much lesse in an opinion of Iewish seruitude Yet as your Cardinall Baronius hath truely said they were separated from the Subiection of the Church of Rome the necessitie of which Subiection you haue since made an Article of faith The right Estimation that ought to be had of the aforesaid Britaine Scottish yea and Irish Churches notwithstanding their Separation from Rome SECT 16. BE it that these Scottish and Brittish Churches were Schismatikes as you call them because not subiect to the Romane Church will you therefore haue no better estimation of them than of soules separated from the Catholike and Vniuersall Church and consequently depriued of Saluation So charitable indeede is your Baronius in his censure against the Britanes But Galfridus giueth vs better hopes of them calling the Praelates then in Wales in the time of Augustine the Monke Most religious Bishops telling vs of Two thousand Monkes vnder the Abbot Dinoth who getting their liuing with their owne hands stood out with others and denied subiection to the Church of Rome of which number A thousand two hundred died vnder the bloudy hands of Pagans and were thereby saith he crowned with Martyrdome and made inhabitants of the kingdome of heauen As for the Scots your Baronius will plead for them because saith hee Although they did not celebrate the Feast of Easter at the time obserued by the Church of Rome yet did they not keepe that Feast at the time vsed by the Iewes and therefore were not separated from the communion of the Church of Rome With as good reason might hee haue iustified the Britaines who though they did celebrate Easter after the manner of the Iewes in respect of the day yet did they it not with the same minde and Faith of the Iewes as thinking it necessary But the Cardinall regardeth not what hee saith being herein contradicted by Beda who witnesseth that the Scots were in Opposition against Rome herein and also contradicting himselfe in that he hath already called the Scots Schismatikes As for Bede hee reckoneth among other Scots the Bishop Aidanus and although Condemning and detesting his Opposition against the Church of Rome in the point of Celebration of Easter yet notwithstanding he testifieth of him that Hee was a mercifull Bishop indued with the spirit of Prophecie and famous for his miracles done after his death So he You may read of the like Opposition of the Irish Bishops against the See of Rome about the same time in the very same Question of Easter in a late Treatise set out by a learned Seruant of God excellently verst and professed in the Mysteries of Antiquitie CHALLENGE IVstly therefore may we conclude that no Doctrin or Article can be more Scandalous than this to taxe so infinite soules truely professing the Faith of Christ nor more Schismaticall than to hold them Schismatikes who being vnited to the Church Catholike were onely not subiect to the Church of Rome nor more Damnable than to condemne them whom all Christians are to honour in their memories as the holy and blessed Saints of God CHAP. X. Our Fifth Argument is because that the Beliefe of this Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no Saluation damneth the soules of the most ancient and godly Emperours whom Christianitie hath alwaies honoured SECT 1. LET vs in the next place ioyne the First Generall Councels together with those ancient Christian Emperours by whose command the said Councels were gathered so shall we fight with Two weapons Spirituall and Temporall yet both Christian. These in respect of the Analogie of times are set downe by your selues For concerning the Approued Generall Councels you obserue that the First Generall Councell of Nice was vnder the Emperour Constantine The Second called the First Generall Constantinople Councell was vnder the Emperrur Theodosius the Elder The Third Generall Councell at Ephesus was vnder the Emperour Theodosius the Yonger The Fourth Generall Councell of Chalcedon was vnder the said Emperour Theodosius and Martianus The Fifth Generall Councell called the Second of Constantinople was vnder the Emperour Iustinian From these few wee shall easily vnderstand what value your Article can be of in all the rest after that we haue discussed these three points First what Subiection it is that you would hold due from Emperours to your Popes and Church Secondly whether the same godly Emperors haue held themselues bound to performe such dueties Thirdly whether notwithstanding their Opposition against your Tenure of Subiection they haue not deserued the estimation of Catholike Emperors