Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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B09866
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Reflections upon the bulls of the Popes Paul the Third and Pius the Fifth emitted against King Henry the 8 and Queen Elizabeth of England.
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Philotheus.
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1686
(1686)
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Wing R724A; ESTC R232036
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8,047
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16
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Earls of Tholouse Foix Comminges and Prince of Bern all Protectors of these Rebellious Hereticks and it was upon the score of this Lateran Decree that Montferret was invested in the Superiorties and Territories of Tholouse after the Victorious success of the Catholick Princes had against these confederate Nobles Let me add further that in the foresaid Decree there is no mention had of Reges but of Domini or of Regna but Terram which certainly relate to the Lands and Possessions of the petty Feudatory Lords Lastly To sum up all upon supposition that the Counsel so determined that the Censure should reach all Dignities of the highest Quality which is morally inpossible to think that such absolute powers should consent to their own ruin yet still it must be considered that this Decree did relate only to a matter of Discipline or Ecclesiastick Government in which cases the Church pretends not to Infallibility for she alters her Government when inavoidable inconveniencies appear For had that Decree been of Faith the Tridentine Council had not passed it by without a determination especially since before the Session of that Synod the Hereticks frequently charged this scandalous Doctrine upon the Roman Catholick Church Yea had that Lateran Decree respected the highest Powers without exception and the Decree being of Faith then how could the whole University at Paris April 20. 1626. have condemned Sanctarelleus proposition Or how could the Colledge of Sorbon together with the Provincial Councel of the Jesuites the supposed asserters of the Popal Authority over Kings have subscribed the said condemnation to the great satisfaction of the Parliament of Paris Certainly if the Lateran Decree was of Faith and extended to imperial and Regal Dignities then all the aforesaid Persons must have been Heretical for condemning that proposition of dethroning Princes in case of Heresie Schism or some enorme crime Yea how could Popes themselves judicially in the meetings of Cardinals at Rome have censured the Books of Bellarmine Becan and others for asserting the Popes power of deposing Princes as aforesaid If before this in the Lateran it had been matter of Faith We come now to consider some particular instances alleadged for proving this Doctrine to be of Faith in the Romish Church such as the Bulls of Paul 3. against Henry 8 and of Pius 5. against Queen Elizabeth of England wherein not only these are excommunicated and their Subjects adhearing to them struck with the same Sentence but all Catholick Subjects are also absolved from their alledgeance and all Catholick Powers and Dignities abroad commanded under pain of Excommunication not to corresponde transact or converse with them They are also required to invade these Excommunicated Princes The Popes giving the Invaders full power thereto In answer to these sad instances its replyed by all True and Honest Catholicks that they cannot justifie the misdemeanours of particular Popes who through mis-information pick or humour have adventured to do somethings that are unaccountable since God hath given no promise of an infallible direction to them in all the Instances of their Life nor hath any Catholick of the most wild and roving Humour dared to plead for their impeccability in their personalor principal Actions that being proper for Angels and the Spirits of just Men made perfect However since these of the Papal Dignity have the Honour of so great and venerable a Character as to be the Chief Bishops of the Church Catholick and to be Temporal Princes likewise it were the highest indiscretion to put a gross and scandalous construction upon their Actions without considering what were the motives that moved them and measures they used in a matter that seems so Offensive to the World and Destructive or Humane Society and if ye but regard and consider the special care the Divine Providence has had of that See above all the particular Churches and Societies in the World it would fright any modest and humble Man from passing a rash and severe Censure against the Supream Governours of that Church Notice but how the whole Christian World near from the Infancy of Christianity was divided into three Patriarchates whereof the chief and the most powerful was the Western Church and the Seat thereof Rome to this all had anciently recourse saith Ireneus and in so farr was the Churches Unity preserved for that the particular Churches lived in Conjunction with this which was founded by the two chief Apostles St. Peter and Paul to the first of which the Circumcision and to the second the Incircumcision was chiefly committed so that the whole Christian World being eminently intrusted to these two and their charge transmitted to the Bishops of Rome their Successors these eminent vast trusts conspire in this Apostolick See And tho' Infallibility were not allowed to that particular See yet certainly indefectability cannot in justice be denyed it for we see defacto all the Churches of Apostolick Foundation have failed and their Successions interrupted this only remaining entire and unless we have recourse to Her for the determination of Contraversies relating to Faith according to the Rule of the Fathers it shall not be possible to distinguish Catholick Truth from Heresie Tertullian particularly tells us in his Book of Prescriptions that the only way left the Church by which She should distinguish Heresie from Truth was to have recourse ad Ecclesias matrices and thereto enquire if such Doctrines were derived down to them from the Apostolick Foundation Now since there is no Church in existence of an Apostolick Foundation whose Succession hath not been interrupted save that of Rome we must needs then have recourse to Her for settling us in matters of Faith otherwise the Fathers Rule is not practicable and no means left by God to secure us Infallibly from Errour So that not only the Indefectibility of that See but the greatness of its principality and the Wisdom of its Clergy the confluence of Nations towards Her and the protection of all the Catholick Princes bestowed on Her all these should strongly oblidge us not to pass indiscreetly and rashly a Censure upon the Actions of its chief Governour But to come to the instances it s answered that the Bull given out by Paul 3 against Henry 8 was concerning a matter of secular intrest or plea of Law for the ground of the Popes sentence was from that unwarantable deed done by John of England who made a resignation of his Crown to the See of Rome and England Feudatory and himself a Vassall to that See which deed tho its most certain was ab origine null and void he having no power to alienate his Royal hereditary Rights to any in prejudice of his Lawful Heirs and Successors yet the Apostolick See having had such a grant made to them several of her Bishops continued the claim of Superiority upon the said Title And it was certainly upon this head that Paul 3 proceeded against Henry 8 who had by Act of Parliament renounced all Forreign