his father would sanctifie them in y e truth shal wée therfore say it was not possible for them to erre in any matter The Papistes will not so reason of all the Apostles for then the like would follow of all their successours And yet Christ obtained the effect of his prayer that all his Apostles were sanctified in Gods truth Yea hée prayeth not this for his Apostles and other Disciples of that time only but for all them that should beléeue in him through their preaching for all true Christians are sanctified in Gods truth that they should not erre finally frō the way of saluation But hereof it cannot be gathered that all true Christians no not after their calling to the knowledge of truth cānot erre or be deceiued in matters of faith and doctrine although they cannot continue in errour of any thing that is necessarie for thē rightly to know vnto eternall saluation Christ promiseth to sende the comforter euē the spirit of truth vnto all his Apostles to his whole church to supply y e want of his bodily presēce which should lead thē into al truth yet it were no good conclusion to gather y t none of the Church of Christ might erre in any thing as it is a sure argument that they cannot finally erre in any point necessarie to saluation Peter him selfe whose faith was specially prayed for as there was speciall cause for his greatest perill after his conuerson after he had long time exercised his Apostleship was ignorant of ignorance erred cōcerning the admission of the Gentiles into the fellowship of the gospel vntill hée was reformed by the heauenly vision Yea long after this Peter did erre in seperating him selfe from the Gentiles by dissimulation for feare of them of y e circumcision when I saw that they did not walke aright saith S. Paul according to the truth of the Gospel I said to Peter before them all I know the Papists wil say this was an error of conuersation and of fact only not an error in faith doctrine But this is a vaine deuise to escape For Peter erred not in 〈◊〉 only but in a matter of doctrine and faith also against the truth of the Gospell For he counterfaited before the Iewes for no worldly respect but because hée thought it was his duetie before God to so doe rather then to offend the Iewes And where as some of them say the Pope cannot induce any other men into error although he erre him self let thē cōsider this example of Peter who not only erred himselfe but also brought yea cōpelled others to Iudaize with him insomuch that Barnabas also was carried with them into the same dissimulation wherefore although Christ prayed for Peters faith that it might not faile yet Peter both erred induced other into error with him although being admonished by Paul he did willingly reforme his error Wherfore this matter is cleare that the establishing of Peters faith from fayling was not to priuiledge him from erring but from dispairing therfore can not extend to his successours in as much as it is but a personal benefit obtained for Peter except you wil say by analogie of the scripture that the like praier is made for euery one of gods elect which in this sence I cōfesse to be true but yet it followeth not that they are discharged of the frayletie of man in falling into error much lesse any one order of men which should be Peters successours And if wée should graunt that this priuiledge was giuen to Peter that hée shoulde not erre and so should be deriued vnto all his successours many other intricate questions and in extricable doubtes woulde grow before wee could be resolued who were Peters successours For séeing all Bishops be successours of the Apostles as Cyprian saith all Bishoppes are successours also of Peter for if you should say that none were successors of the Apostles but suche as bee ordained in those places where y e Apostles did teach it could not be truely said of Cyprian that all Bishops be successors of the Apostles But admit that they be only Peters successours that sit in Peters seat séeing the stories affirme that Peter had two seats at Antioche and at Rome why should not his successours at Antioch enioy this prerogatiue as wel as his successors at Rome That Peter was at Antioch wée finde in the scripture that hée was at Rome wée finde not but least of all that he bequeathed this priuiledge to Rome and not to Antioch Well let that also be admitted that the bishops of Rome are the only successours of Peter howe is it verified of them that their faith neuer fayled The Papistes them selues doe confesse and the stories are to many to denye that there haue beene no wickeder men on the earth then many Popes haue béen in all kind of sin and vngodlines Yea what for all y ◠say they their maners failed frō gods law but their faith neuer failed from his truth I think in déed y t many of their faithes did neuer faile for they neuer had any y t it might faile who brought foorth no fruites but of infidelitie and corruption For of such wicked persons the scripture saith y t they haue denied y ◠faith are worse thē infidels y t they which cōmit such things shall not inherit y e kingdō of Christ God Tush they say you mistake the matter we deny not but y ◠they might and did faile from the faith which worketh by loue and by which a man is iustified for many of them are damned spirites in hell Uerie well then I perceiue y t you take not faith in this palce for a sure trust in the mercyes of God by which a man is iustified and assured of eternall life but for a bare knowledge of the truth such as the Deuilles haue and tremble suche as Saint Iames calleth a dead faith which is voide of good works And did our Sauiour Christ pray that a dead fruitlesse barren and Deuils faith might cōtinue in Peters successors was this y e effect of our sauiour Christes prayer A goodly priuiledge of the Bishops of Rome that they shuld haue knowledge of the truth yet goe vnto the Deuill I know you will reply that although they through their owne defalt take no benefit by this priuiledge yet it is very necessary for the whole Church to kéepe it in vnitie of faith But that our sauiour Christ praied not for the continuance of such a fruitlesse faith it is plaine by this reason y t although Peters successours shoulde be admitted vnto the participation of this benefite yet Peter him selfe might not be excluded But what a miserable comforte was this for Peter if after his maister had shewed him in what daunger he all his fellows stood through the malice of satan which desired them to winnow or sift thē as wheat is scattered abroad in winnowing insomuch that
the Pope Concerning the Church the Apostle seemeth to giue a cléere testimonie that the answere thereof is an infallible Oracle of Gods worde when he saith It is y e piller and stay of truth whereof it may bée inferred that the Church alone whiche as the holy Scriptures is sufficient to vpholde and stay the truth that it should neuer faile nor decay in the worlde Much rather when it hath the assistance of the Scriptures in some part is the Church able to maintaine an other part of truth without the Scriptures After this maner the Papistes reason out of this text to prooue that all truth is not conteined in the holy Scriptures But this is a very féeble kinde of reasoning For graunting that the Church is y e piller and the stay of truth as it is in déede it followeth not thereof that it vpholdeth any truth which is not comprehended in the holy Scriptures But contrariwise séeing it hath béen plētifully prooued that all true doctrine is taught in the holy Scriptures euen to the perfection of the man of God it followeth that the Church is the piller and stay of that true doctrine which is taught in the Scriptures and not of any truth beside the Scriptures For when all truth is taught in the scriptures it followeth that whatsoeuer is not taught in the Scriptures is not truth But if this be y e proper note of y e Church to bee the piller of truth say they it is prooued thereby that the Churche cannot erre so that if it set foorth any thinge beside the Scriptures the same muste needes bée true I answere this Sophistrie is already confuted for it it bée graunted that the Church cannot erre as in matters necessary to saluation the whole Churche of God cannot erre to continue therein it is because the Church cannot depart from the doctrine contained in the Scriptures which are able to make a man wise vnto saluation But admit it were graunted that the Churche cannot erre at all what shoulde that auaile the Papistes verily nothing but to prooue that they are not the Churche For if this be a proper inseparable note of the Churche that it cannot erre what companie soeuer doth erre is not the Churche But the Papistes whose doctrine containeth so grosse contradiction of the worde of GOD doe shamefully and abhominably erre from the truth therefore the Popishe faction is not the Church which is the piller and stay of truth Thou shalt make no images for religion saith the worde of God Thou shalt make some images for religion saith the Popish Churche Thou shalt not fall downe to them nor worship them saith Gods commaundement Thou shalt fall downe and worship them saith the popish Sinagogue Thou shalt worship the Lorde thy God him only shalt thou serue saith our Sauiour Christ. When hée was tempted to fall downe and worship the Diuell not as GOD but as Gods Minister to whom the kingdomes of the worlde were committed to dispose The Pope saith thou shalt worship and serue other beside the Lorde thy God so thou worship them not and so thou serue them not as Gods I might runne ouer a whole hundreth of contradictions which the papistes doe holde and teach contrary to the worde of truth written in the Scriptures by which it is more then manifest that they holde and teache damnable errours therefore they are not the Churche of the liuing God which is the piller and stay of truth at the least wise in matters necessary to eternall saluation But let vs sée whether the Apostle by these wordes intended to priuiledge the Churche of God from all possibilitie of erring in any matter albeit the Church should departe from the certaine direction of the holye Scriptures in any thing Firste it muste bee remembred that Saint Paule in the Chapter 1. Timothie 3. describeth the persons and offices of Christian Bishoppes and Deacons which doone he addeth immediatly These thinges doe I write vnto thée hoping to come vnto thee shortly but if I tarry long that thou mayst knowe howe it behoueth thée to bée conuersant in the house of God whiche is the Churche of the liuing God the piller and stay of truth In which wordes wée haue to note first that the Apostle hath written briefly that which hée purposed if they met shortly more at large to set foorth and confirme Secondly that if he were disapointed so that hée coulde not come shortly that Timothie might haue a sufficient direction howe to behaue himselfe for ordering of the Church of god in appointing the ministers of the same By which it is manifest that this which hée speaketh of the piller and stay of the truth is meant in respect of the Pastors and Teachers of the Churche by whom the truth of heauenly doctrine is vpholden and continued in the worlde which without their ministery woulde vtterly fall to the grounde and decay For euen as hée writeth to the Romans séeing faith commeth by hearing of Gods word of them that are sent of faith commeth inuocation and from thence saluatiō if none be sent there can be no preaching no hearing no faith no innocation no saluation So the Church of the liuing God in respect of the faithfull Ministers of the same which teach the truth to the saluation of Gods people in which respect they are said to saue themselues and them that heare them is rightly called the piller and stay of truth which Ministery if it be taken away the truth also is taken away Euen as the remoouing of the Candlesticke in the reuelation signifieth the ouerthrowe of the Church of Ephesus vnto whom it is threatned if they doe not repent The Candlesticke which signifieth the Church vpholdeth the light of the gospell by the continual preaching of the Ministers thereof so is it a piller and stay of the truth so long as preaching of the Gospell is continued which if it cease then followeth darknes blindnes ignorance errour and destruction This is the true and plaine meaning of the Apostle where hée saith The church is the piller and stay of truth Not that it is vnpossible for the church to erre at any time or in any matter or that the determination of y e church without the scripture is a sufficient testimony of Gods worde or of the truth in any cause as the Papists maintaine For Paule instructeth Timothy by writing howe hée ought to behaue him selfe in the Church of God which is the piller stay of truth although hée should haue no further conference with him in the matter These thinges doe I write vnto thée saith he y t thou maist know so forth whereas if in calling the church the piller of truth hée had meant that the church without the scripture was able to haue instructed him hée would haue said If any thing want in my writing thou maist aske the determination of the church which is the piller and stay of truth But S Paul saith that
hée had written that Timothie might know be able to instruct the church of God that it might be the piller of truth not that the church as the piller of truth should instruct him For Timothie was to teach the truth of Gods worde vnto the church y t the church might be the piller of truth he was not to learne of y e church as of a teaching piller in which sense Iames and Peter Iohn are called pillers And no doubt but they wer pillers of y e church and of the truth yet they were not priuiledged thereby but that they might erre in some parte as the errour of Peter is declared in the same place Againe it is certaine that the Apostle in saying the church is the piller and stay of truth speaketh of the church of Ephesus in which hée had lefte Timothie And the same is true of euerie particular church of God in any place that it is the house of God the piller and stay of truth so long as it is the church of the liuing God For hée teacheth not Timothie by this writing how to be conuersant in the whole vniuersall church of Christ but namely in that particular church vnto which Saint Paule hoped to come vnot him and by example thereof in any other particular church wheresoeuer vpon like occasion hée should be placed by the Apostle Now the papists them selues doe confesse that euery particular church may erre but it is the catholike and vniuersall church which they say can not erre But séeing that whiche the Apostle here speaketh is principally spoken of a particular Church and is true of euerie particular Church that it is the piller and stay of truth as well as of the vniuersall and Catholike Church The catholike church is no more priuiledged from erring by this texte of scripture then any particular Church in the worlde But this question of the Church is so intricate and vncertaine among the Papists themselues that although they holde this as a principle that the Church can not erre yet they can not define what they meane by the Church in this proposition For if you aske them whether you meane by the Church all and euerie member of the bodie they will deny it Where shal we then haue the determination of the truth many doubtfull cause They will answere of the generall Councell which is the Catholike Church represented But here if they are not resolued what maketh the generall Councell For some holde that the Councell is aboue the Pope and may determine without him against him Other hold that the pope is aboue the councell and that the councell may determine nothing either against him or without him But contrariwise that the Pope without the councel hath al lawes right and truth in the closet of his brest so that hée may determine of any doubt and that all men are bound to beléeue his determination as procéeding from him which can not erre The most of our english Papistes at this time doe holde that the Pope is aboue the Councell and that the determination of the Councell without the Popes approbation is nothing to build vpon So that when they haue prated neuer so long of the authoritie of the Church the ende of all the talke commeth to this point that the Church is not all the faithfull but the generall Councell only the Councel is not all the Prelates but the Pope only without whom they can determine no truth and who without them may determine all truth can determine no errour So that against this secte of Papistes it shall be sufficient to prooue that the Popish Church may erre if I can prooue that the Pope which is the only piller and stay of truth therein may erre But séeing wée knowe the Pope to be a meere mortall man howsoeuer some of them haue made him more theÌ„ a man yea a GOD aboue all Gods some neither GOD nor man but a newter betwéene both as if any of them will deny I can bring their owne sayinges to their shame and séeing the scripture pronounceth of euerie man which is but a man that hée is a lyar and that God only is true let vs consider what impudent shifte they haue to iustifie their Pope from errour that God only should not bée true Some of theÌ„ say the Pope may erre as a man but not as a Pope other say the Pope may erre as Pope also but not in matters of faith others séeme to say if they durst speake out that the Pope may erre also in faith but not to induce any maÌ„ into a false faith by his error Thus are they at variance among them selues and mince the matter so small y t at length it coÌ„meth to as good as nothing at all that they brag of the spirit of truth giuen to the Pope in suche measure that hée cannot erre But how do they assure them selues that the Pope hath such a priuiledge that hée cannot erre in matters of faith Our Sauiour Christ say they praied for Peter thâ—t his faith should not faile willing him after his conuersion to confirme his brethren And what in Gods name maketh this to prooue that the Pope cannot erre Yes forsooth hée prayed for Peter that is for him all his successors because he was the rocke of the church that none of their faith might faile that is they might not erre This is a very strange interpretation For the naturall sense of that place is manifest by that hée said before Simon Simon behold satan hath desired to winow you as wheat But I haue prayed for thée that thy faith should not faile By whiche wordes hée signifieth that the desire of Satan was vtterly to disperse the Churche that it might neuer bee gathered together and Peter was in greatest daunger of all the Apostles through his shamefull and cowardly deniall and forswearing of his maister howbeit hée declareth that hée hath obtained by his prayer that Peters faith should not be altogether quâ—nched but that hée shoulde by repentance take holde of Gods mercy and be restored willing him after his conuersion and experience of Gods mercy to strengthen his brethren which likewise were weake in fayth though none so néere to falling away as hée So that the effect of Christes praier was that Peter through the greatnes of his sinne should not dispaire of forgiuenesse but by faithfull repentance bée renued and conuerted not that Peter should neuer erre in his owne person and much lesse that none of Peters successors should erre in any master of faith which thing by no logike in the worlde can possibly be concluded out of this place For what kinde of reasoning is this Christ prayed that Peters fayth should not faile Ergo Peter had suche a prerogatiue by Christes prayer that hée could not erre neyther hée nor any of his successours Christ prayed not only for Peter but for all his Apostles in this my text praieth for them all that
before the crowing of the Cocke hée shoulde denye him thrise our Sauiour Christ should tel him no more but that at this prayer request hée should retaine such a faith as the Deuill hath so that hee should know y e truth in his conscience although hée did deny it with his mouth What comfort coulde Peter haue by this faith which rather did increase his sinne in that hee was not ignorant of the truth then help his weaknes whereby he was afraid to confesse the truth Wherfore seeing Peters faith for confirmation wherof our Sauiour Christ did pray was that true liuely faith by which Peter was raysed vp from weakenes to a trust in Gods mercy and a sure hope of saluation it is manifest that hee prayed not for the sayth of such successors of Peter as succeeded only in place not in true faith but continuing in wickednes and refusing a good conscience mâ—de shipwrack of the faith and are thrown down into euerlasting condemnatioÌ„ Well this notwithstanding let vs imagine y â— Christ prayed for the continuance of a dead deuilish faith in Peter his successours that is such a gift of knowledge that they can not erre in any question of fayth shall that bée found in all the Bishops of Rome that glorie in the succession of Peter No verely For many times the Pope is a man voide of learning and knowledge of diuinitie as most of y â— Cardinals are out of which order hée is coÌ„monly chosen and euen this Pope that nowe raigneth Gregorie the 13. by reporte of them that haue séene him and heard him speake is not greatly learned And oftentimes as the storie reporteth of them they haue béene but pelting Canonistes comming vp of Scribes and Notaries neuer professing nor taking vpon theÌ„ y e knowledge of diuinitie And shall wée thinke that he which is this day an vnlearned man not able to decyde a meane question in diuinitie béeing to morow chosen Pope and set in Peters chayre is sodainly endued with such knowledge that hée cannot erre in any thing or rather that the spirite of Prophecie commeth vpon him as it did vpon Caiphas which spake the truth without his skill and against his will because he was high Priest of that yeare Uerely I will not deny but God may direct the tongue of the Romish Caiphas that hée may vtter at one breath both a blasphemie and a prophesie as that Iewish Caiphas did but albeit hée were able to prooue that hée sitteth in Peters chaire aswell as the other could prooue that he sate in Aarons chayre that Peters chayre is set vp by God aboue all other Bishops chayres as well as Aarons chayre was set vp aboue all the Iewishe Priestes stooles yet shoulde not the Pope haue greater Priuiledge then the High Priest had For the best high Prieste that euer was of Aarons order might bee deceiued and many were Heathenish Idolaters as Vâ—ias Menelaus Alcinus Iason and other wicked Saduces as Annas and Caiphas which denied the resurrection and immortalitie of the soules Such as Pope Iohn the 2. was who was conuicted of that heresie in the Councell of Constance For such hell houndes our sauiour Christ prayed not that their faith might not faile nay rather hée saith expressely in the 17. of Iohn That hée prayeth not for this worlde but for those whom his father had giuen him out of the worlde Séeing therfore a number of Popes haue been by the Papists owne confession children of this worlde and not children of light no true members of Christe it is certaine that hée prayeth not for them and therefore wheÌ„ he praied for Peter he praied not for all his successours Yes say the Papistes y t the Church may alwayes haue one that may confirme or strengthen the weak brethren or as though one singular person were able to confirme all the brethren in all places of the worlde aswell as Peter was able to strengtheÌ„ his fellow disciples at Ierusalem Beside that the very words of Christ are plainly directed vnto the person of Peter with suche a circumstance as cannot agrée to all his successours admitting y e Bishops of Rome were the only successours of Peter And theÌ„ saith he after thou art conuerted strengthen thy brethren All the Bishops of Rome haue not denied Christe as Peter did that they might bée conuerted Wherefore it is spoken singularly vnto Peter in respect of his fall that hée shoulde bée conuerted and by experience of Gods mercie bée better able to strengthen his weake brethren who were in dauÌ„ger to fall as déepe as he if Gods goodnesse had not vpholden them Hether to therfore we haue not found such assurance of truth in y e successioÌ„ of Peter that we should acknowledge any vndoubted witnesse thereof beside the holy Scriptures which although the Papistes woulde miserably racke out of all ioynte and order to establish the dignitie of their popedome yet can they finde nothing which is not by the onely testimonie and authorite of Scriptures prooued to stand against them Let vs nowe see what experience saith of the failing of Peters faith in his Successours and the certaintie of truth in the determination of Councels confirmed by the Pope for the most of our English papistes as I said before acknowledge no councell to bée lawfull and frée from error except if bée confirmed by the Pope if experience therefore doe prooue that Councels and Popes haue shamefully erred it is manifest that they ought to be no rule of truth vnto christians as they are pretended to deface the only infallible rule of the holy scriptures To prooue the error of the Popes I will not beginne w t Marcellinus which offered Sacrifice vnto idols for it will be quickly answered that his faith failed of infirmitie not of ignorance of the truth being ouercome with the terror of persecution not beeing deceiued with the error of the Gentiles Neither will I stande vpon the presumptuous censure of Victor who for difference in a Ceremonie tooke vpon him to excommunicate all the Churches of Asia for which hée was sharpely reprooued by Irenaeus Polycrates other as Eusebius testifieth by the Bishops of Asia which countermaunded him in his proud and vncharitable excommunication I am able to iustifie my terme of countermaunding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They did countermaund him saith Eusebius Victor commaunded them to al stain from the Communion and they on the contrary side commaunded him to be quiet By which is manifest that the bishops of Rome vsurped authoritie was resisted euen in the first claime and practise of it For as I declared before Anicetus dissenting from Polycarpus in the same question offered him no discourtesie but brotherly did communicate with him yea permitted him his place to celebrate for honors sake well although the error of Victor is héere reproued by Irenaeus and many other holy Bishops yet I will not vrge it because they will say it was an error in discipline
of Paganes and Infidels as we sée by manifest Analogie and proportion that the Sacrament of baptisme hath vnto the Sacrament of Circumcision which was the Sacrament of regeneration vnto the Iewes as baptisme is vnto vs and was commaunded to bée ministred vnto infants therefore the Sacrament of baptisme is likewise commaunded vnot infants Also by Analogie which the Lords Supper hath vnto the Pascall lambe wée doe plainely perceiue that it ought not to bée ministred vnto infants For in the institution of the Sacrament of Passeouer the Parents were commaunded to teache their children the right vse thereof beside that many things were to bée doone in the celebration of it as it was first instituted which coulde not bée doone of infants as to eate in standing with staues in their handes yea the meate it selfe which was rosted flesh with sowre or bitter hearbes and vnleauened bread colde not bée eaten of young infants therefore neither the Lordes Supper which is succéeded in the place of the Passeouer ought to bee ministred to infants It was therefore an errour in Innocentius and the Church of y t time to thinke it lawefull for infants to communicate although they had not thought it necessary as I haue plainely prooued that they thought both and therfore erred in both points But this you will say was no damnable heresie I will therefore leaue Innocentius and come to Pope Honorius which was condemned in the sixt generall Councell holden at Constantinople for defending the heresie of the Monochelites which affirmed that our Sauiour Christ had but one will as God which was all one in effect as if they had denied him to consist of two natures for if hée had an humane nature hée must also haue an humane will though alwayes subiect to his diuine will as is prooued plainely by many places of the scriptures This heresie did pope Honorius hold while hée liued as was prooued by his owne writings vnto Sergius Bishop of Constantinople so that both the Popes of both the Romes for Cōstātinople was called new Rome were at once infected with that horrible heresie and therefore they were condemned by that councell and accursed The like censure is thundred against him in the second of Nice What can you nowe say why the Pope shoulde not bée burned for an Heretike Peraduenture you will say those Councels were not confirmed by the Pope yes verily the one by Leo the seconde the other by Pope Adrian the first yet saith one you cannot prooue that any Pope although hee erred himself went about to seduce other or to chaunge the auncient Catholike faith which was alwayes helde in the Churche of Rome yes that I can And that by suche a witnesse as you may not refuse For I will bring foorth no lesse witnesse then Pope Leo the second himselfe which in his Synodall Epistle by which hée confirmeth the decrées of the sixt Councell of Constantinople as you may reade in the 18. actiō of that Councell hath these wordes Pariterque anathematizamus noui erroris inuentores Nec non Honorium qui hanc Apostolicam sedem non Apostolicae tradn ionis doctrina lustrauit sed prophana proditioone immaculatam fidem subuertere conatus est Likewise saith hée wée doe accurse the inuentors of the newe errour and so nameth a number of heretikes and also Honorius which did not lighten this Apostolike Churche with the doctrine of Apostolike tradition but went aboute to subuert the immaculat faith by prophane Treason Beholde the Pope condemneth and accurseth the Pope for an heretike and yet men are not ashamed to affirme in these dayes that the Pope cannot erre The Pope condemneth the Pope for labouring to subuert the fayth of the Churche with hereticall treason and yet the Papistes nowe a dayes for a miserable shift say that the Pope although hée might himselfe bée deceiued yet cannot attempt any alteratiō in the faith of the Church Well to be briefe I will omit Pope Vigillius which was priuily an Eurichian as Liberatus chargeth him by an Epistle that hee write to the heretikes at the instinct of the Empresse which fauoured them hée was also condemned and accursed by Pope Syluerius I will come to the councell of Constance at which time there were no lesse then thrée Popes at once Iohn the 23. of some called 24. Gregory the 12. and Benner the 13. All which by authoritie of the Councell being deposed a Decrée or Canon was made declaring that the generall councell was aboue the Pope that the Pope may erre but y t the generall Councell cannot erre In this councell Pope Iohn among other horrible crimes was conuicted condemned for an heretike of y ◠sect of the Saduces because he denied the resurrection of the dead and immortalitie of y e soule as it is to be séene in the 11. Session of y e Councell This decrée and condemnation of the Pope and Popes was then counted Catholike But what saith the Popish Catholikes of our time There wanted the approbation of the Pope No forsooth for Iohn the 23. the person condemned who of the Councell of Constance was taken for the right Pope because the other were deposed before in a counsell holden at Pise by all the Cardinalles although they would not yéeld vnto it nor leaue their papacy Pope Iohn I say in the next Session acknowledged that the Councel of Constance was a most holie Councell affirming that it could not erre But least this approbation might be thought to be extorted by feare because hée was imprisoned or of hope that hee might be restored and confirmed in his papacy there wanteth not a more authenticall approbation of Pope Martine the fifte who in the ende of the Counsell and before the dissolution therof solemnely approoued all thinges decréed in that Councell Conciliariter that is in the forme of a Councell and in his Bull charged all persons suspected of heresie to be examined vpon this interogatory whether they did acknowledge that the generall Councell coulde not erre whether they did acknowledge the Councel of Cōstance to be such a Councell as coulde not erre which Councell decreed that the Pope was inferiour to the Councell and condemned the Pope for errour Thus the Pope him selfe confesseth that the Pope may erre and the Councell confirmed by the Pope decreeth the same And not one Councell only But the generall Councell of Basill made euen the same Cannon and decrée of the Councels superioritie aboue the Pope Then belyke it will be cleare that although the Pope bée not alwayes a certaine witnesse of truth yet the general Councell can not erre No surely wée are neuer the neare of certaintie of truth in the generall Councels determination For at the same time that the Councell of Basill was held in Germany the Councell of Ferraria and Florentia was held in Italy that was of the cleane contrarie iudgement concerning the Popes superioritie to that of Basill and Constance But it will be obiected
that the Councell of Basill lacked the Popes confirmation No truely for although I might alledge the confirmation of Pope Foelix whiche was chosen by the same Councell after they had deposed Eugenius for his contumacy the Bull of Pope Nicholas the fift which succéeded Pope Eugenius and confirmeth all thinges decreed in the Councell of Basill yet I will stande vpon the very same Eugenius the fourth which gathered held the Councell of Ferraria and Florentia against the Councell of Basill For euen the same Eugenius after he had in thrée solemne Buls in which hée complayned that the Councell of Basill vsurped authoritie aboue the Pope decreed the dissolution of the same condemning all the doings thereof at the length was compelled to reuoke his own Bulles and to declare that the Councell was lawfully coÌ„tinued notwithstanding his Bulles and decrees to the contrarie His Bull of reuocation is to be seene in the 16. Session of the Councell of Basill Beside this in the nexte Session hée was sworne by his legates when they were incorporated into the Councell to defende that Councell and by especiall wordes to defend the decrée of the Councell of Constance made in the fourth Session therof by which the Councell is decreed to bée aboue the Pope and the Pope bounde to obey the Councell and the decrées therof Last of all by his Presidentes hée accepted such presidency of the Councell as the councell would graunt which was without all iurisdiction of compulsion béeing him selfe compelled to retaine that order of proceeding with the councell before his presidency was admitted had obserued and woulde not change now that they were content to make him in his legates there president What certaintie of truth therefore may bee looked for in the determinations of Popes and generall councelles you may easily perceiue You haue heard the couÌ„cell against the pope and the pope against the Councell Councell against Councell one pope against another pope and the same pope against himselfe and all this is one question whether the pope or the generall Councell ought to bée taken as an infallible rule of truth that cannot erre Out of which contrarie decréees no other certaintie can bée concluded but y t it is certaine they may both erre and therfore it is euident that there is none other certaine and vndoubted recorde of the worde of truth but onely the newe Testament and the olde the holy Canonicall bookes of the holy Scriptues as it were easie to confirme euen by the iudgement of the most auncient and best approoued Fathers but that I haue alreadie helde you so long as I may not procéede any further After the sufficiencie of the holy Scriptures to teach vs al truth being thus maintained and the obiections made by the aduersaries coÌ„futed I had thought to haue added an other discourse concerning the right certain way of interpretation and vnderstanding of the holy Scriptures but because the time is so far spent y t I shall not be able to go through it I will altogether omitt it desiring God of his infinite mercy that as hee hath testified by his sonne our sauiour Christ Iesus y t we can haue no accesse vnto his Maiestie without sanctificatioÌ„ in the word of truth so it would please him by his holy spirit to coÌ„secrate dedicate vs wholy vnto his pleasure that following the infallible rule of truth described in his holy word we may glorifie his name in this life and after be partakers of eternall felicitie purchased vnto vs by the only merites of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ vnto whome with the father the holy Ghoste one eternall God be al honor glory power dominioÌ„ now and euer Amen ¶ Imprinted at London at the three Cranes in the Vintree by Thomas Dawson for George Bishop 1581. 2. Pet 1. Leuit. 11. 19. 20. 1. Pet. 1. In Psal. 96. In Epist. ad Eph. hom 18. In Psal. 9. 6. Apoe 19. 20. 22. Apoc. 7. Hebr. 12. Iam. 1. 1. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 3. Gene. 8. Gene. 6. Iohn 15. Sess. 6. Can. â— Rom. 14. Heb. 11. Ephe. 2. Iacob 1. Rom. 4. Prou. 15. 21. Prou. 18. Rom. 4. Rom. 3. Ioh. 13. 15 Leu. 11. Ephe. 3. Ezech. 37. 1. Tim. 4. Rom. 8. In Epist. ad Himer 2. Thess. â— Psal. 51. Rom. 1. 1. Cor. 6. Prouer. 30. Deut. 12. Deut. 4. 12. Esaye 8. Iohn 5. Iohn 17. Rom. 5. Rom. 8. 2. Tim. 3. 2. Timo. 3 2. Tim. 3. Act. 17. Ioan. 5. Luk. 24. Deut. 13. 2. Thes. â— Ephes. 4. Hebr. 11. Rom. 10. Gen. 4. Gen. 5. Acts. 7. Lib. 3. Cáp. 2. Lib. 2. Cap. 35 Luke 3. Lib. 2. Ca. 26 Lib. 3. Cap 3â— â—usch lib. Cap. vlt. Ephe. 2. Rom. 10. 1. Tim. 4. Apoc. 2. Gal. 2. Rom. 3. Ioan. 16. Act. 10. Gal. 2. 1. Tim. 5. Ephes. 5. Gal. 5. Rom. 3. Iac. 2. Lib. 5. Cap. 26 In Catalog 5. Cap. Inpatifi Contra. 〈◊〉 lib. 1. Cap. 2. Contra. du Epist. Pelag. lib. 2. Cap. 4. 1. Cor. 11.