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
Saint Saint Athanasius was Excommunicated by Pope Liberius and notwithstanding remained a Saint The very names of Baronius and Bellarmine we know carry such Authority with you that they will preponderate whatsoeuer can be said against them who ioyntly consent in this that followeth Pope Liberius say they through the faction of Arian Heretikes is by the Authority of Constantius the Emperour sent into banishment By the same Hereticall Arian Bishops is Felix made Bishop and placed in the Romane Sea When Liberius perceiued Felix to be intruded into his Chaire he after two yeares Banishment enuying and grieuing hereat doth ioyne communion with those Heretikes and gaue consent to the condemnation of Athanasius So they Our Assumption will be this that Athanasius neither before nor after the death of Felix did regard this Excommunication of Liberius Immediatly after this you esteeme Felix to be the Legitimate Pope but pronounce Liberius a Schismatike and one remooued from the societie of Catholikes and from his Papall function Which your Conclusions do notably fight against your owne Principles First this that There cannot be two Popes together in one Sea because this were as horrible a monster as a body with two heads One Pope then must be acknowledged Your next Principle is that No Pope can be deposed except he appeare to be a manifest Heretike whereby he ceasseth ipso facto to be a Pope without any other iudgement at all Yet grant you concerning Liberius that He was a Catholike in his inward iudgement notwithstanding his outward communion with Heretikes Your last Principle is that The Pope cannot be iudged of any on earth because he is Prince and therefore superior vnto the whole Church Catholike throughout the earth All these Premises being reduced into a Logicall forme will make vp our Conclusion thus No Catholike Bishop of Rome can be iudged or deposed But Liberius notwithstanding his consenting to the Condemnation of Athanasius and Communicating with Heretikes was a Catholike Bishop Ergo He could not be iudged or deposed from his Popedome If therefore Athanasius being Excommunicated by Liberius neuer sought as you all know any Vnion either with him or yet with Felix in his stead it must follow that he all that time contemned his Excommunication After the death of Felix who was Pope one yeare and some few moneths Liberius obtaineth againe your good reputation for presenly he was accompted the Legitimate Pope Why It is euident saith your Cardinall that Felix being dead Liberius vnited the Church of Rome which was then rent and diuided into a Schisme and became one Sheapheard of one sheepefold So they Where it will be as euident that during the time of Felix Athanasius if hee would haue sought Vnion with the Church of Rome could not know where to find it because the Catholike Church being but One Body One Spouse One Sheepfold how could now the Romane Church be called the Catholike which was as is confessed rent by a Schisme from it selfe But why stand wee wrestling with you for that which of your owne accord you are ready to grant willingly vnto vs It is a matter worthy consideration saith your Cardinall and so indeed it is to know what Liberius did after the death of Felix about the time of the Councell of Arimine which happened to be some two yeares after the departure of Felix And what this is he will haue vs vnderstand from the Epistle of Liberius vnto Athanasius principally thus This is our Confession most wished Athanasius wherein if you consent with me I pray you euen before our Iudge God and Christ to subscribe thereunto that I may be made the more secure thereby and readily performe your Command So the Pope to Athanasius Which Profession of Liberius saith your Cardinall was a solliciter for the repayring of the rent of that Communion which had bene formerly betweene them So he CHALLENGE IF therefore you will not regard our Inferences yet Liberius his owne Epistle and your Cardinall his Comment must giue light to any that shall not wilfully stupifie and blindfold himselfe namely to discerne That there was a breach of Communion betweene Pope Liberius and Athanasius That this continued two yeares for so long it was betweene the death of Felix and that Councell of Arimine whilest that Liberius was throughout the Church of Rome vniuersally acknowledged the Ligitimate Pope That the Seeker for this Communion was not Athanasius who had bene Excommunicate but Liberius who was the Excommunicator euen now being the true Pope That the tenor of the same Epistle is written in all submission both of his vnderstanding to the iudgment of Athanasius if he should happily consent also in the same behalfe to his will whatsoeuer he should Command If the like Epistle had bene written by Athanasius to Liberius we know how diligently and exactly and with what boldnesse you would haue pressed euery syllable thereof scarce could you examine any one word which should not haue seemed to weigh the weight of a Pope We conclude Athanasius being diuided from the Communion of the Pope so long time and not seeking to be reconciled before he was sought vnto by the Pope himselfe doth euidently shew that he belieued not at all your Article of Vnion with the Pope of Rome as with the Head of the Catholike Church vpon Necessity of Saluation Must we therefore iudge Athanasius therein damned nay rather damned be this your Article as Imposterous Scandalous Schismaticall and Hereticall whereby such a Saint should be damned who as your Author confesseth was so excellent an Organ of Truth that If all the commendations of ancient Fathers should be gathered together yet were they not sufficient to set forth the conflicts which this one hath had for defence of the Faith because no one I speake confidently sayth your Lippelous hath after the Apostles vndergone more continuall and grieuous conflicts for the patronage of Truth than he whom Gregory Nazianzene therefore calleth the Eie of the world the chiefe Captaine and Master of Priests and the stay and pillar of Faith So he So admirable was his Faith and Constancy in impugning their Obiections and induring their infinite Calumniations and persecutions IV. Saint Basil Bishop of Caesarea belieued not the Article of necessary Subiection to Rome SECT 4. LOoke againe into your Romane Calendar and you shall reade thus Saint Basil Bishop and Confessor A Saint then he was without exception in whom you will seeme to haue some Interest as though he would beare witnesse to the Antiquity of your Article of Vniuersall Romish Iurisdiction ouer all other Churches of Christ. Your Obiection SAint Basil writ an Epistle to Saint Athanasius whence if we belieue your Cardinall you may conclude that Saint Basil attributed vnto the Bishop of Rome authority of visiting the Churches in the East by whom he pleased and of making Decrees by his Authority and disanulling Generall Councels such as
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
desire to be vnited with the Church So they which is full enough for your fuller conuiction CHALLENGE IF without the Romane Church some may bee actually saued then the Addition of the word ROMANE caonot be a Declaration of The Catholike Church without which there is no Saluation But the Romane Church is such without which as you confesse some may be actually saued Ergo the Addition of the word ROMANE to the Catholike Church cannot bee a Declaration thereof For although All agree in this as your selues confesse that Without the Catholike Church there is no saluation yet haue you confessed two sorts of Christian Professors namely Excommunicates and Catechumenists to bee actually saued albeit no Members of your Romane Church As for being Saued only by Desire or Vâ—we of being in your Church it is but a wilde and extrauagant piece of learning in the iudgement of your owne Iesuite But we will reason the matter with you Know you not that the Church Catholike is compared by Saint Petor to the Arke of Noah that as all which were within that Arke were saued all without it were drowned although they Desired neuer so much to haue been admitted into the Arke so it is in the Church Catholike whosoeuer are essentiall members thereof cannot possibly perish and contrarily whoseuer is not a reall and vitall member therein cannot but perish The fourth Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be a Declaration of the Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed In respect of the Diuine Authority of the Article SECT 7. IT hath alwaies beene the Profession of the Catholike Church it selfe not to esteeme any Doctrine an Article of Faith which is not constituted and to speake with better Emphasis Created by Diuine authority This being a Truth vniuersally consented vnto you if you will make good the Addition of the word ROMANE to the Article of the Catholike Church are iustly challengable either to proue that the Romane Church as it is the Romane Church was constituted by diuine Authority to be rather than any other transcendently THE Catholike Church or else to confesse your Article of Romane Church without which there is no Saluation to be but new and consequently a Doctrine rather of fancie than of Faith The necessity of this Consequence was well foreseene of those your Popes who were the first Authors and Patrons of this Article and therefore haue published in their writings and decrees that The Romane Church was by Diuine Authority ordained to be the Catholike Church This Question dependeth vpon the reason of the Pope of Rome his succession to Saint Peter to wit whether it were allotted to the Bishop of Rome to succed Saint Peter as Head of the Catholike Church by the institution of Christ or else by the fact of Saint Peter himselfe For if it were by command and appointment of Christ then it must be allowed as a Diuine Ordinance but if it issued onely from the fact of Saint Peter then by your owne Confessions it is no doctrine of Faith This being the state of the Question as it is propounded by your selues hereunto we desire to receiue your owne Resolutions To this purpose when wee consult with your choisest Doctors as namely Bellarmine Suarez Soto Paludanus Bannes Augustinus Triumphus Cordubensis Armachanus Waldensis and Others they that speake more ingenuously doe freely grant that the pretended Pontificall Dignity Romane as it is Romane is not from diuine authority because onely from the fact of Peter They that are more affectionate to the Romane See although they attribute it to the Institution of Christ yet dare they not say that this is to be beleeued vpon certainty of Faith but onely as a matter Probable and Coniecturall Nay if you shall haue but a little patience vntill we descend to that point you shall perceiue by the iudgement of the Catholike Church it selfe in a generall Councell of primatiue Antiquity that The Prerogatiue which the Church of Rome then had was but from Humane authority CHALLENGE AN Addition standing onely vpon Probability and Coniecture cannot be infallibly a Declaration of an Article of Faith founded vpon Diuine and Infallible authority But your Addition of the word ROMANE standeth as you confesse vpon probability and Coniecture onely Ergo it cannot be an infallible Declaration of the Apostolicall Article The Catholike Church without which there is no saluation And consequently your word ROMANE added to the Christian Creed thereby to make the Romane Church The Catholike Church without which there is no saluation must necessarily be iudged Antichristian The fift Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be a Declaration of the Article The Catholike Church as it is Visible in respect of the Time past whereunto the word CATHOLIKE hath relation euen before Rome was founded a Church SECT 8. WHo knoweth not that your Addition of the word ROMANE vnto the Apostolicall Article of The Catholike Church is to infuse an opinion into the mindes of Christians that Catholike and Romane are termes vniuocall and conuertible which is as much as to say that whensoeuer there was a Romane Church it was The Catholike Church and whensoeuer there was a Catholike Church it was Romane Scarce shall you finde any Romish Professor especially among the vulgar who haue not this conceit of that Article of Christian Faith Notwithstanding your more learned Doctors are not ignorant that this Apostolicall Article The Catholike Church was published before that in Rome was founded a Church and that the Apostolicall Church it selfe was Catholike before the Article of the Catholike Church was proclaimed Which name CATHOLIKE or vniuersall was first attributed to the Church Christian To distinguishit as you know from the Synagogue of the Iewes which was circumscribed and confined to one only nation whereas the Church Catholike is not limited to any one place but is as broad in succession of place as is the whole world Now concerning the Catholike Church in the time of the Apostles Card. Baronius whose History you honour as an heauenly Lampe or torch telleth you that The Creed of the Apostles wherein is the Article of The Catholike Church was composed by them in the yeere of Christ XLIV and that the Catholike Church was extant sometime before this Article was put into the tenor of the Creed Which he demonstrateth from the act of Saint Peter who in the yeere of our Sauiour XXXIX is found Visiting the Churches in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia c. That the same Apostle Saint Peter Constituted the Church of Antioch in the same yeere and after that he had gouerned the See of Antioch seuen yeeres hee in the yeere XLV translated his See from Antioch to Rome Your other Chronologer Genebrard yeeldeth vnto vs eleuen yeeres betweene the Composing of the Apostles Creed and the first foundation of the Church of Rome by the Apostle Saint
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
Professors who are kept hood-winck't in the beleefe of so Imposterous Schismaticall and Damnable an Article by which all the Churches begot by the preaching of Saint Peter and all the other Apostles in the compasse of seauen yeers before the begetting of Rome must be iudged Damned for not beleeuing the Romane Church as you teach to haue beene the Catholike Mother-Church without which Faith there is no saluation Thus much in respect of the Time BEFORE Rome was a Church CHAP. IV. Of the Time about when the Church of Rome had her Foundation Arguing from the Faith of three Apostles Saint Peter S. Paul and S. Iohn and of the Apostolicall Churches in their daies SECT I. THese three Apostles than whom what witnesses can be more competent in this case Wee appeale to your selues The Popes of Rome say you acknowledge both Peter and Paul for their Predecessors because both of them did found and gouerne the Romane Church And as for Saint Iohn his long continuance in the Church Militant will Minister some matter of resolution heerein I. That Saint Peter the conceiued founder of the Church of Rome was not of the now Romane Faith concerning the Article of the Catholike Romane Church SECT 2. WE not to interrupt you by questioning the truth of Saint Peter's residence in that See as Bishop thereof doe punctually inquire whether it entred into his Faith to Beleeue the same Roman Church to be The Catholike Church without which there is no saluation nothing doubting but that you will thinke that He of all others would haue plainely vnfolded thus much whom your Popes assume to haue bene the Founder of that Church together with Saint Paul And because all the pretended Soueraigntie of the Romane Mother-Church is according to your faith deriued from the supreme Father-hood of your Romane Pope and this is as originally descended from the transcendent ordinarie Pastorship of S. Peter ouer all the other Apostles we begin to enquire into the faith of S. Peter Whatsoeuer Prerogatiue Saint Peter might challenge ouer all the other Apostles must appeare either by some promise made singularly to him by Christ or else by some practise of Saint Peter himselfe in the exercise and execution of such his Iurisdiction The due examination of both these would easily cleare the Cause That the Faith of Saint Peter did not conceiue any Monarchicall or supreme Iurisdiction promised vnto himselfe by Christ in the most pretended speech of Christ saying Matth. 16. Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church SECT 3. THis this Scripture in it the word ROCK you haue still obiected as the rocke and fortresse of your now Romane Faith concerning the Article of your Romane Catholike Church because From hence say your Iesuites is proued that Monarchie of S. Peter Insomuch as that whē Luther Caluine and others aduentured to expound this of Christ and Faith in him as the Sonne of God your two grand Cardinals oppose the One his owne passion calling it an Impudent madnesse in Protestants to expound the Rocke to signifie Christ The other obtrudeth the Consent of your owne Schoole saying That by Rocke is meant Peter it is the Common opinion of all Catholikes An Exposition approoued by your Bishop and that not without some insultation saying In this Truth triumpheth as if it were as cleare as the Sunne which Sunne-shine as some call it we Protestants alas our blindnesse cannot discerne but rather iudge that it hath bene and is mistaken by you for Moone-shine through some defect in your faculties or instruments of sight A large Librarie I suppose would scarce containe the bookes that haue bene written vpon this Text whereas the briefe of all that need be said may farre more easily than Homers Iliads be comprized within the shell of a wallnut The Protestants Exposition vpon this Scripture auouched by many excellent Witnesses in the Romane Church yea euen by the Popes themselues SECT 4. OVr Exposition hath euer bene to vnderstand that by ROCK is meant the Confession of Peter when he said of the Godhead of Christ Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God and consequently signified by a metonymie Christ himselfe Where we meane not the Confession of Peter in Concreto as you would haue it vnderstood With relation vnto Peter but as the said Confession of the Godhead of Christ may be the Confession of euery Christian to which truth many of your owne Authors will beare witnesse To which purpose we alleage among your Preachers Ferus saying Vpon this Rocke That is the Confession of Peter and not vpon Peter Among your Glossers the Romane Glosse it selfe saying That is vpon the Article then Confessed concerning Christ and so our Lord Christ built it vpon himselfe Among your Friers Lyranus Vpon the Rock Christ. Among your Iesuites Pererius Christ is the Rock vpon which the Church is builded Among your Bishops Abulensis Not vpon Peter but vpon his Confession and he speaketh absolutely of the Confession it selfe in Abstracto without relation to Peter and giueth this reason because after this Confession thus made Peter himselfe failed in his faith by denying his Lord. Among your Cardinals Hugo and Cusanus By the Rocke is signified Christ. Among your Councels the last Councell of Trent speaking of the Nicene Christian Creed and pointing in the margent at this Text it saith that It is the foundation against which the gates of Hell shall not preuaile Therefore faith in Christ in Abstracto is the foundation for there is in that Creed no mention of Peter Lastly and chiefly among your Popes for now we are clymed vp to the pinnacle of your Temple no fewer than Foure Leo the first Agatho the first Nicolaüs the first and Adrian the first all of them Firsts and therefore more ancient than all others of their names haue as your selues witnesse expounded the Rock to meane the Confession of Saint Peter in acknowledging Christ to be the Sonne of God I. CHALLENGE from the iudgements of the fore-cited Authors IN these former Allegations although most of the Testimonies themselues do sufficiently shew that by ROCK is meant the Confession deliuered by Saint Peter really in it selfe and not personally as it had Relation to him yet for the better clearing of your iudgements you may take these Confirmations I. None will denie but that there was meant in Peters Confession that matter which he confessed but Peter confessed not himselfe but Christ saying Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God Ergo his Confession had Relation to Christ and not to himselfe II. You grant that Saint Peter confessed no more than that which he knew The other Disciples to haue beleeued before he spake because Christs question being generall What say yee He answered as the mouth of the rest True as may fully appeare in our Margent But the Apostles before he spake beleeued Christ confessed and
Church of Rome saith he not as a particular Dioces or Bishopricke is called the Catholike Church but as it comprehendeth and containeth all Beleeuers in Christ vnder the obedience of the Pope of Rome So they This counterfeit Glosse vpon these termes The Catholike Church as vnder the Obedience of the Pope as Catholike and Vniuersall Head wee shall bring to the Test of the Antient Faith by the witnesse of more than three Fathers I. The iudgement of Saint Augustine SECT 8. WHat was meant by the Catholike Church in the Sence of Antiquity Saint Augustine may be vnto vs herein as the mouth of the whole Church seeing that he had more occasions to discusse this Article than any Other especially because in his time the Donatists did no lesse falsly than arrogantly appropriate the name of the Whole Church vnto their Church in Africke euen as you although in a different Sence hold it proper to the Church of Rome at this day But Saint Augustine The word in Greeke saith he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Totum aut Vniuersale that is whole or vniuersall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not one but the whole whence the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Catholike is deriued Thus by distinguishing Whole Church from One Church he sheweth that it is as vnconceiuable that the Catholike Vniuersall or Whole should bee but one One part as it is impossible for one part to be the Whole Which is your Paradoxe to call the Head the whole Body whilest as in your Article you make ROMANE as the Head The Catholike and Vniuersall Church it selfe Thus haue we heard Saint Augustine will you now see him Then behold Rem gestam For when by that busie fellow Petilian the Donatist a publike Conference was held at Carthage betweene seuen Orthodoxe Bishops on the one part and seuen Donatists on the other concerning the Catholike Church Saint Augustine was singled out by the Disputer and posed in these words Whence art thou Who is thy Father Is the Bishop Caecilian he This was the Obiection challenging Augustine to answer whence hee receiued his Religion and vpon whom he depended Heare now his answer My communion saith he began first at Hierusalem and from remote places came nearer vntill it entred into Africke and so disperst it selfe through-out all the World From this my Father God and my Mother-Church will I neuer be separated for the calumnies of any man CHALLENGE SAy now if either Petilian the Heretike could haue questioned Saint Augustine professing himselfe a Catholike whether hee had his dependance vpon CAECILIAN Bishop of Carthage as his spirituall Father if it had beene a currant profession among the Churches of those times to haue held the Bishop of Rome The Catholike Father or the Church of Rome The Catholike Mother-Church without which there is no saluation Or whether it could haue stood with the Conscience of Saint Augustine if he had beene of your now Romish Faith in a question about the Father-hood What Bishop and Mother-hood what Church he professed fo◠to passing by all mention of the B. of Rome acknowledge no Head but Christ and neglecting the Romane Church adhere to the Whole Church dispersed throughout the whole Christian World as indeed the properly called Mother-Church How should not Saint Augustine although neuer so admirable a Saint haue beene held a Schismatike and Heretike if he had liued in these daies either for his ignorance or Contempt of the now Romish resolution of Faith in all such Questions to wit that the Spirituall Father of the Church is the Pope of Rome and the Church of Rome is the Catholike Church is selfe because Head of all the rest As for the prime Mother-Church by spirituall procreation wee see that Saint Augustine acknowledgeth no other than Hierusalem which verefieth that which hath been largely prooued to wit that although the ancient Romane Church might in many respects be called A Mother Church of many other Churches in Christendome especially in respect of her admirable care for the preseruation of diuine truth and peace in the Christian world Yet now since first by vsurping an Originall Prerogatiue of the Vniuersall Mother she is become the Mother of Arrogance and Falsehood 2. By preiudicing the Birth-right of other Churches more ancient than her selfe She may be called the Mother of Schisme 3. By excluding All from hope of Saluation that beleeue her not to bee the Mother-Church shee may iustly bee iudged the Mother of damnable Heresie Of Saint Augustines iudgement more hereafter II. The Iudgement of Saint Hierome concerning the Church Catholike SECT 5. SAint Hierome was a professed and deuoute Childe of the Church of Rome when Rome was yet a true and naturall Mother and no Step-dame who notwithstanding when the Custome of Rome was obiected against him in a Case of difference betweene Deacon and Priest calling the Aduerse part An arrogant paucity he maketh an answer full of indignity As though sayth he there were more authority in Vrbe quà m in Orbe that is in one Citie the Seate of the Bishop of Rome than in the whole Catholike Church besides This is the Testimonie of Saint Hierome wherein the Fathers of the Councell of Basil did in a manner triumph in opposition to the Papall Claime saying O Hierome what meane you Is there therefore greatnes in the Pope because he gouerneth the Church His authority is great indeed but not so great as the authority of the Catholike Church which is not conteined in one Citie but comprehendeth in it selfe the whole World CHALLENGE APply you to this former sentence of Saint Hierome if you can your former distinction namely that the Church of Rome is a Particular Church in it selfe but Catholike as the Head hauing Vniuersal Dominion ouer the whole Church and see whether it will abide the test of Saint Hierome who speaking of the Customes of the Church of Rome calleth the Custome of that Church Vrbem meaning the custome but of one Particular Church whose seate is at Rome and opposeth vnto it the Custome of the Catholike Church which hee calleth Orbem the whole world Shewing thereby with whom also doth accord the iudgement of the Fathers of the Councell of Basil that the Authority of the Church Catholike and of the Church of Rome are not equiualent much lesse the same for in Identity there can be no opposition or comparison None can compare a mans head with it selfe And what furthermore Saint Hierome did conceiue heereof will afterwards appeare in due Place III. The Iudgement of Saint Gregory Bishop of Rome Concerning the Head Catholike In denying the Title of Vniuersall Bishop as did likewise Pelagius and Leo both Bishops of the same See SECT 6. ALthough it can be no sufficient Argument for concluding a Papall authority to obiect vnto vs the testimonies of Popes which is your ordinarie guize in their owne Cause yet will it be vnto vs Armour of Proofe to oppose
be crowned with Martyrdome after his death Againe this was that Father of Saint Cyprian who first vttered that excellent saying No man hath God for his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother a speech twice vsed and that worthily by the same Father Saint Cyprian Hardly can a Protestant change three words with any of you in Conference concerning the Church of Rome but you are ready to vsurpe vrge and inculcate this Sentence of Saint Cyprian as a full Conuiction in it selfe thereby to proue and conclude all Protestants to be therefore without God because they acknowledge not the Church of Rome to be according to your now Romane Article The Catholike Mother Church Which Obiection hath bene already prooued from the generall voyce of Antiquity and many Examples from thence to be as farre from Truth as Antiquity is from Noueltie and plaine dealing from meere Sophistication and iugling But now are we to try what is the sense of this Sentence from Saint Cyprian himselfe the first Author thereof The question then will be whether by MOTHER Church without which none can haue God for a Father he meant the Church of Rome or not or rather whether he spake it not then in Opposition to the Church of Rome The due examination hereof may be vnto vs an absolute decision of this whole Cause concerning the pretended Motherhood of the Church of Rome Saint Cyprian then at the second time when hee made vse of this speech He hath not God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother wrote to Pompeius in reprehension of Pope Stephen for endeuouring as he saith to defend the cause of Heretikes wherein the same Stephen threatened Excommunication against Cyprian which occasioned him to say What meaneth our Stephen to breake out into so vengible an obstinacy As for the Excommunication threatened by Pope Stephen against Cyprian and Others that were of a contrary opinion he doth contemne it yea and condemne it too when Alluding as your selues confesse vnto the same Decree of the Pope he said None of all vs Bishops in Africke doth compell any of his fellowes that are contrary minded with any tyrannicall terror Often was the Opposition of Saint Cyprian against Stephen obiected against Sainst Augustine by the Donatists for patronage of their owne opinion who taught that the Catholike Church as it is Visible consisteth onely of perfit and sanctified men Saint Augustine so argueth with the those Donatists as if Hee Cyprian and Pope Stephen had bene vnited together but this hee did in such manner that we may say with your Baronius speaking of the same contention betweene Cyprian and Stephen Hee vsed a kind of laudable euasion or escape being willing to conceale their iarres For indeed Saint Augustine elsewhere albeit enclinable enough to suppose that Cyprian did recant his error of Rebaptization before his death confesseth in direct termes that It is no where found that Cyprian did euer change his opinion For our better satisfaction herein we should aduise in this case rather with Firmilianus a Bishop liuing in the dayes of Saint Cyprian than with Saint Augustine who came some hundred and fifty yeares after This ancient Father Firmilianus being of the same iudgement with Saint Cyprian speaking of the aboue named Excommunication giuen out by Pope Stephen concludeth not Cyprian but Pope Stephen to be the Schismatike in this contention because The Pope hereby saith he cutteth himselfe off from the flocke of Christ. As for Saint Cyprian although he notwithstanding the Excommunication held for his part a Christian and brotherly affection to the Church of Rome yet did he still persist in his contrary opinion neuerthelesse so as holding it vnlawfull for either side to Excommunicate the other for this question I passe ouer your other Obiections as a vaine presumption and so it is proued to be CHALLENGE HEre againe we appeale to your owne consciences to iudge whether Saint Cyprian when he contended against Pope Stephen and in a Councell both renounced his Decree and contemned his Excommunication and at the same time held it impossible for any to haue God to his Father for Saluation who had not the Church to his Mother for Direction could possibly by Mother-Church vnderstand the Church of Rome by which all of his opinion were Excommunicated except you would make Cyprian so vtterly forlorne of grace as wilfully to damne himselfe by an obstinate Separation from the Church of Rome So infallible it is that the Church of Rome in those times was held to be onely a Member of the Catholike Church and not The Catholike Mother-Church it selfe IV. That Saint Cyprian hath bene euer since his death esteemed a blessed Saint and Martyr notwithstanding his continuall Opposition to the Pope of Rome SECT 7. ALthough it could be supposed that Cyprian did recant his opinion before his death yet would not this any way prop or support that your Romane Claime except it might further appeare that he sought the Absolution of the Church of Rome for his error Neither yet would this suffice vnlesse you could proue it an Absolution of Iurisdiction and not of Charity euen as contrarily the Excommunication was held by Firmilianus and Cyprian to be an Excommunication proceeding rather from Pride than good discretion Nor were this enough for if you will make Cyprian a Saint you are further to prooue that he acknowledged Subiection of his Church of Carthage to the Church or Pope of Rome in case of Appeales in which cause Saint Augustine did take part with Saint Cyprian against your Romane Church We conclude therefore from your Confessions that Cyprian was alwaies reckoned in the number of Catholikes as also that he is still instiled A most glorious Martyr yea and registred in your Romane Calendar by the Title of Cyprian Saint and Martyr notwithstanding his continuall Opposition against the Romane Church CHALLENGE THis blessed man of God Saint Cyprian who for his exceeding learning care diligence and power in preseruing the Faith of Christ and peace of his Church Did say you as witnesseth Saint Nazianzene gouerne not onely Africke but also the East yea and West Churches of Christendome himselfe who was so happy at his death as that he was crowned with the glorious Diadem of Martyrdome for his Testimony of our Lord Iesus who was so honourable in his memory as to be accompted throughout the Christian world an excellent Saint of God may be lawfully yea laudably produced for an excellent Patron against the titular tyrannie of Popedome Whose example in his Opposition against the Pope of Rome may be vnto vs as a sharpe axe to cut off by the very necke the now vsurped Fatherhood or Headship and Motherhood of the Pope and Church of Rome because if you shall remember the Premisses you may perceiue that 〈…〉 Opposition of Cyprian and other Churches of Christ the Bishop of Rome in
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
was the Councell of Arimine So he And why must not this be true if you will allow your Cardinall Bellarmine to make this Greeke Father to speake what Papall Romane Language he shall impose by his Sophisticall translation But your Cardinall Baronius one otherwise as partiall as any Writer euer was and catching at euery shadow of proofe for the aduancement of Papall Monarchy hath made another interpretation of the words of Saint Basil which may be a iust confutation of your other Cardinall from point to point For Bellarmine talketh of the Popes Seeing the Easterne Bishops by a Visitation of Iurisdiction But Baronius alloweth no more than a Seeing by Consideration of their estate but euery Care and Consideration of other mens estate doth not inferre a Iurisdiction ouer them Secondly Bellarmine will needs haue Saint Basil to desire the Popes Decree another tenure of Papall Authority Baronius readeth the word Councell or Aduise which may agree with a Co-equall Thirdly Bellarmine interpreteth Basil as though he yeelded to the Pope a peremptory power of Cutting off and disanulling the Acts of Generall Councels such as was that of Arimine Baronius saith that the motion of Basil was they should Bring with them such things as had bene done namely by some Orthodox at Arimine which might make for the necessary solution of that Councell which all Catholikes haue iudged Hereticall But this argueth not an Authoritatiue power proper to the Pope of dissoluing of Decrees of any Generall Councell which for the space of sixe hundred yeares he neuer had but an Arbitrary Authority granted vnto him by consent of the Easterne Bishops to exercise his fatherly and graue iudgement for the better establishing of the East-Churches which were now rent into sixe seuerall Schismes through the difference of sixe diuerse Heresies Howsoeuer what Authority this was we may best know from Saint Basill himselfe who deploring the State of the East-Churches now pestered with diuers pernitious Heretikes desireth helpe from the Bishops of the West how To comfort the afflicted and to set right and restore those that are broken Helpe then of Confortation it was not of Dominion Secondly shewing that he desireth no more helpe from the Westerne Bishops than the Bishops of the East both ought and would requite in the like case he calleth it A mutuall helpe of louing and brotherly Visitation or Consideration Thirdly his reason why he is so importunate to haue the helpe of the Westerne Bishops he expresseth to be this Because that priuate grudges among the Bishops of the East hindered the fruit of their doctrine and therefore the Westerne Bishops the farther distant they were so much the more Authority would they haue with the people and he addeth that Accustomed speach is not so preualent as that which proceedeth from Strangers chiefly if they were such as were more specially indued with Gods grace as you are euery where knowne to be saith Saint Basil speaking of the Westerne Bishops because you haue preserued the Faith in all sincerity among you So Saint Basil who would neuer haue vsed so often so great and sometimes indeed so crosse and thwarting reasons to moue the Westerne Bishops to compassionate their case and helping them for composing of such and so pernicious distractions by reasons taken onely from Brotherly loue Mutuall duty and Facility of effectuating that great good because of the Remotenesse of their dwelling and therefore to be esteemed persons more indifferent because of their Constancie in preseruation of sincere Faith and consequently beetter witnesses for the ancient Truth without any mention at all of the Prerogatiue of the Bishop of Rome as their Pope or of their Church of Rome as their Mother and Mistresse as you haue pretended if he had any beleefe of this Article Because this one reason taken from the Papall Romane Iurisdiction and dominion if it had bene a matter of Faith had bene more perswasiue and would haue bene more preualent than whatsoeuer hath hitherto bene mentioned by S. Basil. Besides which will be worthy your remarking after fowre seuerall Legations and Messages from the Greeke Church deliuered vnto the Bishops of the Latine Church for their help the Greekes as Baronius is perswaded neuer receiued any Answer Now therefore consult with your best iudgments whether the Church of Rome and her Chiefe Bishop whom Saint Basil more than once condemneth of Pride which Pride was also condemned by a Councellin Africke vnder Saint Cyprian and another wherein Saint Augustine was present for intruding craftily and iniustly vpon the Iurisdiction of other Churches would in humility refuse the offer of Subiection of the whole Greeke Church or he not haue exercised his Visitation ouer them if any such authority had beene intended by Saint Basil. For so should Rome haue beene marked with a greater note of infamy than was her Pride euen her deserting of the flocke of Christ committed vnto her and in a manner betraying the Cause of Catholikes vnto their many and most mischieuous Aduersaries the Sects of Heretikes But wee shall shew that Saint Basil was of a flat contrarie Faith Our Opposition shewing that Saint Basil did not beleeue your Article of Necessity of Subiection to the Romane Pope or Church Baronius would you should know that Saint Basil hauing written diuers letters and sent many Messages vnto Pope Damasus and to other Westerne Bishops yet receiuing no Answer from them in so vexatious and perilous times when the Greeke Church seemed as a ship almost split asunder by the continuall billowes of most pestilent Heresies He thereupon fell into distrust and if he might so say hatred with the Church of Rome So he We had rather you should heare Saint Basil expressing his owne Cordolium and hearts-griefe What helpe can we expect saith he from the supercilious Pride and haughtinesse of the Westerne Bishops who neither know the truth themselues nor yet will Baronius negligently rendereth it Tell learne it Againe I meant to write vnto the Chiefe of them meanig Pope Damasus to signifie by letters that Pride ought not to be accompted a Dignity And againe the same holy Father Saint Basil speaking of the Church of Rome as you know said I hate the Pride and arrogancie of that Church Yea but wee heare him call the Bishop of Rome CHIEFE True but with this limitation their Chiefe And yet if it had beene Chiefe of all others could this inferre a Popedome and Dominion aboue others Then must you confesse that Athanasius was more Pope than Damasus For Basill that calleth Damasus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calleth Athanasius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifying The Crowne of the Head The chiefe of all Wee are saith he to flie vnto thy integrity as to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Top or Crowne of All others CHALLENGE SAint Basil Bishop of Caesarea speaking of the Bishops of the West saith distinctly I meant to write
vnto Their Chiefe meaning the Pope of Rome and addeth saying I hate the Pride of That Church meaning the Church of Rome Marke wee pray you Their Chiefe and That Church are these notes of his Subiection to the Pope or Church of Rome Nay are they not direct demonstrations of his no Subiection or Subordination to either of both can you conceiue any to bee a true and loyall Subiect who writing to others concerning his owne King and Soueraigne and his Soueraignty should say I writ to their King and I hate the pride of that Kingdome Yet you heare what Saint Basil writ concerning the Pope and his Church and notwithstanding was he â—hen a reall Member of the Catholike Church Nor is this all but he hath furthermore imputed besides the vice of Pride Ignorance vnto them Notwithstanding all which Saint Basil was euen then a Saint Militant and hath beene euer since held in God's Church a Saint Triumphant who for his excellent learning iudgement piety and industrie in protecting and propagating the Catholike Truth obtained in the Church of Christ the attribute of THE GREAT and in the Elegie of Ephrem to be called Chiefe Priest of the Lord. Which may serue as an instrument to launce the Papall Impostume of your Romane Pope who neuer heareth of any such Adiunct ascribed vnto himselfe but he presently swelleth with Pride and taketh it as Appropriate to his person as he is Successor to Saint Peter Although therefore we denie not but that notwithstanding this Opposition made by Saint Basil against the Romane Church hee held Communion with the Church of Rome both in Faith and Charity because at that time Rome was in her integrity Yet that Necessity of Subiection and the Beleefe thereof which your Article requireth of All that shall be saued is a doctrine as you see abandoned by Saint Basil. We therefore choose rather to abhorre your new Article as Imposterous and Impious than to suffer that blessed Father to be razed out of the number of Saints V. Saint Hilary of Poictou did not beleeue the Romane Article of Necessity of Vnion with the Pope of Rome SECT 5. WHat and how great a Saint this Hilary Bishop of Poictou was your Romane Church doth shew in her Kalendar as it were in her Church-Booke wherein is Registred his name as a Prime Saint and that worthily For as your Lippelous truely saith he for his learning and Sanctity was Admirable both in the Greeke and Latine Churches liuing in the yeere 356 in the daies of the Emperour Constantius and of Pope Liberius So he Well then wee are to enquire what was his iudgement concerning this Pope Liberius and the necessity of Communion with him This being a part of that your Article concerning The Catholike Romane Church to beleeue that In matters of Faith the iudgement of the Pope is infallible Saint Hilary no sooner vnderstood that Pope Liberius as your Cardinall hath confessed had subscribed to haue communion with the Arian Heretikes but hee made bold to Excommunicate the Pope out of his Communion and fellowship saying I Anathematize thee Liberius and thy fellowes This you will thinke was too liberally spoken and will iudge it rather not spoken at all But why I pray you was it not alwaies lawfull for any Catholike Bishop to Excommunicate any Hereticall Bishop that is abandon his fellowship and Communion or had not Hilarius iust cause so to vse Liberius at this time This is that Liberius who two yeeres after Banishment for his Catholike Faith became an Heretike Interpretatiuè saith your Cardinall that is in the vnderstanding of men iudging of him by his outward Act of Subscribing to the Condemnation of Saint Athanasius and communicating with knowne Heretikes nor so onely but euen expressely an Heretike If to bee of opinion with Heretikes If to bee made an Heretike If to be ouercome and to consent vnto Arian Heresie may be Testimonies of an expresse Heretike as your owne Platina Alphonsus de Castro Cardinall Turrecremata and out of the words of Saint Hierome Cardinall Cusanus haue confessed Which was the very cause that moued Saint Hilary also to bid the same Pope Auant else could hee not haue complained of the Hereticall Emperour Constantius for releasing of the same Liberius out of Banishment namely vpon such conditions as that Emperour inioyned the said Pope saying I know not O Emperour whether thou hast shewed more impiety in Banishing of Liberius or in releasing him from his Banishment What other sense could this haue than that Liberius was now as full an Heretike in his Releasement as he had beene before a Catholike in his Banishment CHALLENGE SCanne you this matter a right and then you must confesse that the Faith of Saint Hilary was to beleeue that a Pope might become an Heretike in his Publike person as for example Pope Liberius did by his publike Subscribing vnto Heresie and that therefore no Christian is bound to haue further Vnion of Faith with any Pope than a Pope doth stand in the Vnion of the true and Catholike Faith Which beeing the beleefe of all Protestants and the Cause of dis Vnion from the Pope of Rome at this day is therefore censured by you as a note of Heresie in it selfe and as you thinke a sufficient cause of Separation from all hope of Saluation As though Saint Hilary a Father of the same profession were no more to be esteemed a Saint But a Saint you acknowledge him to be know then that he who abandoned the Popes Vnion would neuer haue submitted to his Dominion VI. Saint Hierome beleeued not the now Romane Article concerning the Necessity of Subiection to the Romane Church and Bishop thereof SECT 6. SAint Hierom whom the Church of Rome hath dignified and honoured with the place of a Saint in her Calendar vnder the Title of Confessor and Doctor of the Church liued about the yeere of our Lord 390 and was aboue all the Fathers that we can name of those times the most deuout childe of the Church of Rome Neuerthelesse dare we in the examination of this Fundamentall Article of the same or rather the foundation it selfe referre our selues vnto the iudgement of this Saint And we proceed in this disquisition according to our former Method of your Obiections and our Answer and Reply from the same Father Your Obiection SAint Hierom writing vnto the Pope Damasus acknowledgeth himselfe his Sheepe although hee was vnder the Patriarch of Antioch nameth the same Pope Successor of Peter professeth himselfe to haue Communion with the Chaire of Peter mentioneth as a reason the Rocke whereupon the Church of Christ is built the House without which none may eate the Lambe that is Offer Sacrifice and the Arke of Noah without which whosoeuer is must needs perish So Saint Hierom. Vpon this Foundation some of your Master-Builders would erect an Infallibility of the Popes Iudgement an Vniuersality of his
depart from you Your Cardinall who vrged the former words leapt ouer these it may be because they were not so much for his purpose as they are for ours to proue that if Saint Hierome had beleeued the pretended Monarchie of Popedome in your after Popes hee would not thus haue twitted and taunted Damasus otherwise an excellent godly Pope not so much for his owne pride as for the pride of the Romane Top or height namely the ambition of his Seat In which reprehension of Papall pride the Councell of Carthage vnder Cyprian the Councell of Africke in the time of Saint Augustine Saint Basil yea and other holy Fathers haue bin most frequent when as yet the Top thereof was not so high as hath bin the after-ambition of Popedome by the one halfe Wee in the next place desire to know what you beleeue concerning the iudgement of the Pope of Rome in matter of Faith and we haue heard you call it Infallible yet did Saint Hierome note Liberius once Pope of Rome that Hee was perswaded to subscribe vnto Haeresie Your Cardinall answereth that Liberius indeede consented vnto Haeresie but Hee consented thereunto saith he not Expresly but Interpretatiuely because in Fact he subscribed to the condemnation of Athanasius whom he knew to be persecuted for his Catholike Faith As though this poore ragge were sufficient to couer that nakednesse No for you looke still vpon the Pope as vpon the Visible Head of the Visible Church If therefore hee Visibly communicated with Haeretikes as hath beene confessed and so Visibly subscribed vnto Haeresie Interpretatiuely that is so that none could Interpret his Fact otherwise than as to thinke it a plaine approbation of Haeresie then wee are perswaded that that holy Father who was so zealous of Gods truth as not to indure an ambiguous word which might any way relish of Haeresie and condemned that Pope Liberius of an Interpretatiue Haeresie would not if hee were aliue at this day suffer such a Deluge of Innouations by your 20. new Articles of the Romane Faith neuer so much as fancied of in his dayes In the next place the same Father expresseth his dislike of the Clergie of Rome crying out vpon them in the words following When I was in Babylon and liued an inhabitant of that purple Whore something I desired to chirpe concerning the holy Ghost and to dedicate the Worke vnto the Bishop of the same Citie And behold the assembly of Pharisees exclaimed vpon mee among whom there was not any learned Scribe but the whole faction of ignorance conspired against mee as if I had proclaimed some Doctrinall warre and strife against them Damasus who first moued me to this worke is asleepe in the Lord so that the song that I could not sing in a strange Countrey I now must murmure and noyse among you here in Iudaea So S. Hierome What one of you is there if not acquainted with the Bookes of Saint Hierome who will not iudge these words to haue beene the Exclamation and Inuectiue of some Protestant in your opinion Schismaticall and a professed Aduersary to the Church of Rome to call Rome in indignation and despight Babylon and Land of Captiuitie to tearme it a Purple whore and strange land wherein it was not lawfull To sing the Lords Song concerning the Holy Ghost yea to bespot the whole Clergie of that Citie with the note of Ignorance and at last after the death of Damasus to quit ROME as a Land of Bondage that he might inioy his libertie in Iudaea among the Christian Iewes Could this be said of a Citie priuiledged with a perpetuall Residence of the Holy Ghost and deseruing the Title of Motherhood ouer the whole Catholique Church of the Citie of the Popes Holinesse and of the Oracle of Truth Passe we from the Clergie of that Citie and come wee to the Romane Church it selfe there we finde a Custome of preferring Deacons before Priests Which Saint Hierome condemneth and aduanceth the dignitie of a Presbyter vpon which occasion he falleth into a Comparison of the Church of Rome with the whole CATHOLIKE CHVRCH and with other Parts thereof And comparing it with the whole Church he saith The Authoritie of the whole world is greater than of one Citie Meaning that the Authoritie of the Church Catholike is more than the Authoritie of the Church of ROME Which as hath bin proued from the iudgement of the Fathers in the Councell of Basil is a perfect demonstration that the Church of ROME cannot be called The Catholike Church And least any by that Example and Custome of the Church of ROME should prescribe vnto other Churches as though ROME being as you call her the Mistresse of all others All others should subscribe to her Saint Hierome immediately addeth Why doe you obiect vnto mee saith hee the Custome of one Citie and challenge that for a Law which is done of so few in respect whence haughtinesse hath sprung A plaine proofe that your now Doctrine of making one Particular Church to be in Iurisdiction Vniuersall is an Argument of a Sacrilegious Pride and no sound Article of Faith The next Comparison is betweene the Church of Rome other particular Churches in respect of the Iurisdictions of Bishops in their seuerall diocesses according to Diuine Law Wheresoeuer there shall be a Bishop saith hee whether it be at Rome or at Eugubium whether at Constantinople or at Rhegium whether at Alexandria or at Tanais hee is of the same worthinesse and Priesthood What may bee collected from hence you may know from him who being most conuersant in the writings of Saint Hierome is best able to diue into his meaning namely that Saint Hierome hereby seemeth to equall all Bishops among themselues as being equally the Successours of the Apostles who are therefore not to be measured by the amplitude of their Diocesse but by the worthinesse of their deseruings In which comparison Saint Hierome hath vsed singular art to expresse his meaning more Emphatically For whereas there are Three most famous Patriarchships viz. Rome Constantinople and Alexandria hee parallelleth the little Bishopricks vnder the same Patriarchships with the Patriarchall Seats as Eugubium in Italy with Rome Rhegium in Brutia with Constantinople in Thrace and Tanais in Aegypt with Alexandria in the same Prouince So that whatsoeuer Iurisdiction any Metropolitane Primate or Patriarke hath ouer other Bishops it is from Humane Constitution and not from Diuine Law So farre then was Saint Hierome from making Rome the Catholike Bishoprick that he accounted it as distinct from Eugubium as is Constantinople from Rhegium and Alexandria from Tanais After our Comparison of the Church of Rome with others in the Question of Iurisdiction we proceede with Saint Hierome to compare her in matter of Necessary and Catholike Doctrine But tell you vs First what is that Prerogatiue which is included in your Article of The Catholike Romane Church as properly belonging to the Church of
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
haue done that which I ought both in performing Obedience to the Emperour namely by publishing the Decree and also to God by reuealing vnto you his will So hee Hardly shall any finde a more expresse example of direct Subiection and Obedience from any Subiect than this is of that holy Pope vnto the Emperour Mauritius Nor are all of your side so blinde as not able to discerne this Midday-light For Gregorie called the First and the Great saith your Espencaeus doth ingenuously acknowledge that Emperours haue from God a Dominion ouer Priests Your Second Title is calling the Sea of Rome HEAD yea The Head of all Churches Must they therefore meane a Monarchicall Head according to your Conclusion ouer all other Churches by way of Dominion If so to omit your Additament of Falsehood then was Chrysostome to blame to call Antioch The Head of the whole World then was Iustinian vniust to require all to Follow Constantinople the regall Citie as the Head of all Cities And so by pressing Titles you see your Monarchie turned into a Triarchie A Third Title is the calling of the Pope The Bishop of the Vniuersall Church which though they were not the words of the Councell but of Two Deacons writing to the Councell and of Paschasius the Popes Legate in the same Councell which the Councell being content with the Popes Subscription to their Act would not question for the forme Yet may you not make of this an Argument of Monarchicall power of the Church and Bishop of Rome except you will set more Heads and Monarchs than One vpon the shoulders of the Church because the Bishops of Syria instiled Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople The Vniuersall Patriarke and the Bishop of Rome also intitled Tharasius The Vniuersall Patriarke The whole errour lurketh vnder an Equiuocation in the word Bishop of the Vniuersall Church which what it may signifie your owne Authors tell you The Bishop of the Vniuersall Church say you doth signifie one possessed with a Care and studie for the good of the Vniuersall Church So they which is common to euery Religious Bishop in the Church of Christ but in a more eminent degree and larger extent it belongeth to euery Patriarke and this sense we doe approue of Or else it may signifie One hauing All the Bishops of All other Churches vnder his Subiection which sense is here seriously and zealously obiected by your Cardinall to proue the Monarchie of the Pope of Rome and which hath bin by S. Gregorie Pope of Rome as earnestly abhorred and detested and as much as his godly heart could execrated for so he speaketh of it as a New naughtie proud prophane blasphemous and Antichristian Title which saith hee none of my Predecessors euer vsed The next Title attributed vnto the Bishop of Rome by a Generall Councell is that The Vineyard of the Lord which is his Church is said to be committed vnto him which serueth for another post to support the ruinous Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome But all in vaine For Pope Eleutherius himselfe writing to the Bishops in France The Vniuersall Church of Christ saith hee is committed vnto you that you may labour for the good of all men It were more than Monstrous that this your Monarch should create so many Monarches ouer the Church Catholike as were all the Bishops of France No these kinde of Attributes haue not other signification than the Care that euery Bishop should haue in wishing and to his power endeauouring the Vniuersall good of the whole Church In which sense Saint Nazianzene speaking in the praise of Athanasius To him is committed the Praesidencie of the people of Alexandria which is as much as to say saith hee the gouernment of the whole world So hee How should not this equall if not exceede whatsoeuer can be ascribed to the Pope of Rome and yet this is no vniuersall power of Iurisdiction but onely of Prouidence and Care namely Sic quibusdam praeesse vt prodesse possit vniuersis The last Title is that which is set downe in the First and last place That the Primacie aboue all Bishops is yeelded vnto the Bishop of the Church of Rome True and this Truth was neuer denied by any Protestant But what Primacie of Monarchie and Dominion Noe but of Order and Honour For haue you neuer heard of Two Cities in one Kingdome Two Sheriffes in one Citie Two Bayliffes in one Burrough one of them being Head and Chiefe and hauing Superioritie and Prioritie that is Primacie aboue another and yet without any right of Authoritie and Dominion one ouer one another Our next Answer shall be by Retorsion Foure Generall Councels haue bin produced by your side to proue the Church of Rome and Bishop thereof to haue Monarchicall power ouer all other Churches and Bishops in an ambiguitie of phrases Albeit not onely these Foure but also Foure more haue notably impugned your pretended Monarchie as well in the Ecclesiasticall as in the Temporall power and Prerogatiue thereof For you may remember that the First Generall Councell limited the Dioces as well of Rome as of Alexandria The Second erected a new Patriarkship with the no good liking of the Church of Rome The Third excluded the Pope from all Iurisdiction in Cyprus The Fourth established the former Patriarkship erected by the Second Councell with priuileges equall to Rome and held the Romane Primacie not to be founded by any Diuine Law The Fifth condemned Pope Vigilius as Schismaticall The Sixt and Seauenth condemned Pope Honorius as Haereticall The Eight prescribed a Law to Rome inioyning her to Obserue it And againe these Eight Generall Councels were disposed at their Assemblies to preferre the Emperours of their Times in place and throne of dignitie aboue the Popes of Rome CHALLENGE IS then the Popedome of Rome a Monarchie why answer vs First is a Monarch limited of his Subiects Secondly doth a Monarch suffer others to create Honours within his kingdome Thirdly Will a Monarch indure Corriuals or Equals Fourthly Can a Monarch the supreme Iudge be subiect to the iudgement and condemnation of his people Fiftly Must not a Monarch challenge the possession of his chiefe Throne in his Parliament and be so acknowledged by the whole state If therefore you shall further obserue what hath bin opposed against your Titles you may easily vnderstand that not any one which hath bin obiected doth inferre your Conclusion to proue the Pope of Rome a Monarch except you shall acknowledge Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria Chrysostome Bishop of Antioch Iohn Bishop of Constantinople and All the Bishops of France together with all other Bishops to whom the same Titles were ascribed to haue bin which breaketh the necke of Monarchie Monarkes as well as the Bishop of Rome And if in the Second place you consider the Testimonies which we haue alleaged out of twice Foure Generall Councels directly concluding not by any speciousnesse of Words but
Scriptures Chrysostome called by Pope Innocentius The Great Doctor of the whole world Augustine called The most singular Doctor of all Churches And Hilarius by your Cardinall worthily accompted The greatest Doctor and Pillar of the Catholike Church Next if you would haue Metaphoricall phrases of like efficacy and Emphasis you may obserue Athanasius anciently called The stay and foundation of the Church Basil the mouth of the Church the eye of the world the light of the world and the Sunne among the Starres Lastly if you require a further expression and commendation of the credit and Authority of the forenamed Fathers in the Truth of their Doctrines then may you happen vpon some which will more Emphatically and significantly giue your Papall Monarches the mate as namely that the Doctrines of Athanasius were of that credit that they were held for A Rule of the Orthodoxe Faith Nazianzene to haue bene of so great estimation for his Doctrine that he obtained the surname of Diuine primitiuely ascribed to the Euangelist Saint Iohn insomuch that whosoeuer dissented from him in any point of Doctrine was thereupon so much rather iudged an Heretike euery one being deemed not to be sound in the Faith that accorded not to him in beliefe Ambrose to haue receiued and gouerned the helme of the Faith in the ship of Christ which is his Church Augustine to haue bene honoured of all as the builder againe of the ancient Faith and Cyril of Alexandria to haue bene called The Iudge of the whole world Thus much of the twelfth Title The Thirteenth The Bishop of Rome say you was called by Saint Augustine The Bishop of the Apostolike Sea meaning the Romane without addition of the word Romane Ergò by way of Excellency it argueth him to be Monarch False for so the Bishop of Alexandria was in like manner called by Saint Hierome The Bishop of the Apostolicall Sea without any addition of the word Alexandrian Yea but you say the Bishop of Rome is further said to hold the Principality or Chiefedome of the Apostolicall Sea Ergò Monarch False for the Bishop of Antioch also was said to possesse The Primacy of the Apostolike Sea yea and Others also Oh but further say you the office of the Bishop of Rome is called an Apostleship Ergò Monarch False for if this Consequence be extended to the times of the Apostles then must Iudas Iscariot haue bene a Monarch who had an Apostleship Act. 1.25 And Matthias after him should haue bene another Monarch who was chosen into the same Apostleship from which Iudas fell And if you restraine it to after-times then can no Bishop properly arrogate an Apostleship which was an Office as your selues confesse Proper vnto the immediate Apostles of Christ. Lastly the Bishop of Rome say you was called The Vniuersall Bishop Ergò Monarch False for as is confessed the Popes of Rome by conniuency yeelded to the Bishop of Constantinople that the Bishop of that Sea should vse the same Title of Vniuersall Bishop as well as the Bishop of Rome and yet was he no more Monarch than Cyril the now Patriarch of Alexandria who is instiled Pope and Vniuersall Iudge at this day Our third Discouery of the Falshood and Vanity of the Papall Defence from bare Titles is by your owne Contradictions SECT 4. HItherto haue we examined your Titles giuen to the Popes of Rome in the equall scales of Comparison with other Bishops and find them all too light neither scale being able to carry the weight of a Monarch We now proceed to a further Confutation of your Arguments Consequences in many of them from your owne Confessions and Reasons You haue first obiected the Title of Pope of Rome as The most ancient name of the Bishop of Rome yet you confesse that there was a time so Ancient when Neither the name of Papa or Pontifex were attributed to the Bishop of Rome but onely the bare Title of Bishop of Rome Againe of this name you haue affirmed that it was Anciently giuen to the Bishop of Rome Per Antonomasiam by way of Excellence as proper vnto him and yet you grant that The name of Pope was appropriated onely to the Bishop of Rome by the Decree of Pope Gregory the seauenth in a Councell at Rome about the yeare 1073. Againe you noted the Bishop of Rome to be called Papa Ecclesiae Father of the Church as if he were altogether Father and could not by any Relation be Filius Ecclesiae the Child of the Church or Subiect to a Councell Which bladder of pride was pricked by the Fathers of the Councell of Basil arguing thus If the Church Catholike be the Mother of all the faithfull then the Bishop of Rome ought to be Child vnto her else according to that saying of blessed Augustine he cannot haue God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother So they Haue you not now by your propriety of the name Papa spunne a faire threed whereby you strangle your Popes and Popedome it selfe As for the fourth Title of Summus Pontifex or Chiefe Priest you haue auouched from thence that the Pope of Rome is the onely Monareh And yet yeeld that there may be Two Chiefes in euery kind namely Negatiuely as that which hath none aboue it although not Affirmatiuely chiefe as that which is aboue all others So then it is not necessary that the word Chiefe should inferre a Supremacy else Pope Leo was farre ouershot when speaking of Bishops in Generall he called them Summi Pontifices Chiefe Priests and so making All other Popes made himselfe none at all because still the Monarchy can be but of One. Nor thus onely but further you who by one Cardinall haue made these words Pontifex Maximus and Sacerdos Summus to be Notes of Monarchie in the Popes do by another Cardinall contradict it saying that The name of Pontifex Maximus may admit of Equality with others except there be ioyned with this another Title of Bishop of Bishops Which also as you know is insufficient because Pope Clemens in the Epistle which you call his called the Apostle Saint Iames The Bishop of Bishops euen in the dayes of Saint Peter The ninth Title you contended for as proper to the Pope was the name of Pastor or Sheapheard of the flocke of Christ Notwithstanding of all other Bishops in the Christian Church the Pope hath least right to be called Pastor except it be Per Antiphrasim à non pascendo because you cannot reckon for some hundreds of yeares scarce any One Pope that professedly discharged his Function of Preaching albeit Preaching be acknowledged more than once by your Fathers of the Councell of Trent to be The Chiefe office of a Bishop If therefore as your Cardinall himselfe preached He deserueth not the name of
but to signifie that hee ment not the Chaire of Iurisdiction in One but of Vnion equally in Many he addeth The other Apostles were the same with Peter indued with equall honour and power Therefore by Chaire hee meant not any particular See of Peter but the Vnion of one Vniuersall Church gouerned by an Aristocraticall Equality of many We leaue the true Peter and come to the counterfeit whom you call your Pope and see if you can take any better hold either at the word Episcopatus Bishoprick or Episcopus Bishop There is one Bishopricke saith Cyprian dispersed throughout the world consisting of the vnanimous multitude of many Bishops If by One Bishopricke were meant onely the See of Rome then should there be so many Bishops of Rome as there are Bishops throughout the world This one Sentence of Cyprian breaketh the necke of your Cardinals conceit that will haue vs to vnderstand by Bishopricke in Cyprian the Indiuiduall Bishopricke of the Pope of Rome and not a generall Complexion and Comprehension of All. But that you may further know that Cyprian himselfe will challenge a part in this Bishopricke as well as the Pope Wee saith he that gouerne in the Church ought to hold Vnity that so we may proue the Bishopricke to be but one The Bishopricke is but one a portion whereof is wholly and fully held of Euery Bishop To signifie that in the Essentiall nature of a Bishop euery Bishop is equall and the Collection of All doth equally make vp this One Vniuersall Bishopricke Which can no more agree as your Cardinall would haue it to the Particular Bishopricke of Rome than if hee would conclude that because there is One Man-hood whereof euery man whatsoeuer in the world hath equally a portion therefore this Man-hood is proper to Clement Pope of Rome If your Plea faile in the word One Bishopricke it will neuer preuaile in the word One Bishop for Bishopricke and Bishop are Relatiues and inferre the same Consequence Cyprian writing to Pope Cornelius saith that There ought to be but One Bishop in the Catholike Church which soundeth in the braines of your Teachers that by Catholike Church is ment the Vniuersall Church of Christ and by One Bishop particularly Cornelius the then Bishop of Rome A Glosse which neither Cyprian nor Cornelius himselfe will admit Not Cornelius who describing the lewd properties of Nouatus who sought to snatch the Bishopricke of Rome from him Nouatus saith he would haue vs to thinke forsooth that hee did forget that there ought to be but One Bishop in the Catholike Church wherein there are six and forty Priests and seauen Deacons where the word Catholike Church is not taken in the proper sense of Vniuersall Church as you would haue it to make him an Vniuersall Bishop but it is taken for a Church professing the Catholike Faith in which signification the word Catholike Church doth agree as well with any Orthodox Church as with the Church of Rome You discerne this as well as we for hee speaketh expresly of a Catholike Church which hath but Fortie and six Priests and but seauen Deacons You are wee thinke already ashamed to heare of such a paucitie of Priests and Deacons within albeit but the Suburbs of the Citie of Rome which to pronounce of the whole and Vniuersall Church Catholike throughout the world seemeth to be as loud a lye almost as can be in the Vniuersall world and as little truth then can there be in your Obiections Wee returne to Cyprian who sometimes speaketh of One Bishop at large and sometimes with Relation to himselfe Nouatian saith hee could not obtaine the Bishopricke meaning of Rome although hee had bin made Bishop namely thereof by his fellow Bishops that is to say Nouatian Bâ—shops Who then should haue the Bishopricke Who but Cornelius who was made Bishop of Rome for this is implied by his Orthodox fellow Bishops If in this place Bishop must signifie One onely Bishop how commeth the Bishop of Rome to haue Fellow-Bishops Doe not Onely and Also make a plaine Solecisme And other Bishops there alwayes were except when you make onely the Pope the One Bishop as the onely Vicar of Christ you make all other Bishops against your owne Conclusions to be but the Vicars of the Pope At the length Cyprian commeth to plead his owne Cause Once writing to Pope Cornelius I cannot but speake with griefe saith hee and I am constrained to say it when a Bishop elected in peace and approued of his people Foure yeares c. Where by Bishop hee could not vnderstand Cornelius Pope of Rome who liued Bishop but Two yeares but ment indeede himselfe Againe writing to his Aduersary Pupianus who sought to ouertop him Hence sprang Schismes and Haeresies saith Cyprian when that one Bishop that gouerneth the Church is insolently contemned as who should say the Fraternitie hath not had a Bishop these sixe yeares nor the Flocke a Shepheard nor God a Priest Which words the iniurie hee receiued of his Aduersary compelled him to speake of himselfe and his owne modestie to speake in the Third person as not of himselfe Lastly when hee calleth the Church One which saith hee possesseth all the grace of Christ the spouse of the Church wherein speaking of himselfe we haue authoritie and rule must the word Church here also Indiuidually point out the Particular Church of Rome So should Cyprian be said to haue gouerned the Particular See of Rome which whether it were alone or with Cornelius it dissolueth his Monarchie What shall wee say to the sayings of Cyprian if hee had beleeued your Article of Papall Monarchie as a Doctrine of Faith hee that laid downe his life for the Profession of our true Monarke and Head Christ the Lord of life was hâ—e either such a Coward that hee durst not plainely professe this Faith or else such an Infant as that hee could not expresse it in the proper style of that Article concerning the Pope of Rome the Bishop of Bishops the Father of Fathers the High-Priest of Christ and Monarch of the Vniuersall Church or at least some one Syllable to that effect of which Attributes your Cardinall hath made a faire Diademe and fitted it onely to your Head the Pope And so indeede Cyprian would haue instiled Pope Cornelius if he had bin of your Faith For Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Yet what Faith did that holy mouth of Saint Cyprian vtter in his inscribing of Pope Cornelius In all his Epistles to that Pope hee saluteth him with onely Charissime Frater Most deare Brother and taketh his Vale with the same Most deare Brother Farewell And in his Epistles vnto others falling into mention of the same Pope Cornelius whom hee indeede both much loued and honoured yet hee exceedeth not these Epithets Our fellow-Bishop Cornelius our Collegue or fellow in office Cornelius and O Brother Antonianus
defect of pronouncing Shibboleth euen as the Character of a man is seene by his speach CHALLENGE IN Examination of these Premises you may finde iust matter for Challenge of your owne Proctors and Pleaders for the Popes Primacy from these Popes by reason of their fourefold Iniurie First to their Aduersaries the Protestants whom they traduce as enemies to Antiquity in not admitting the Testimonies of so holy Popes of the Primitiue age which all Christians ought to beleeue and reuerence But in this clamour they abuse their Readers by deliuering vnto them onely the names of Popes Epistles as is vsuall in false Certificates wherein a man shall reade a Catalogue of names of men whereunto the parties themselues neuer yeelded their consent or as in a Stage-play wherein are presented Personates instead of Persons themselues and to the chins of boyes are fixed the beards of old men Is not this a theatricall forgery Secondly to your Popes by vrging writings in their nameâ— which if they were theirs must proue them to haue beene foolish false and barbarous Our zeale therefore to those blessed Popes doth challenge your Obiectors of extreme iniury to their memory Thirdly to the Church of Rome as well Ancient as Successiue that when you boast so much of the truth of your Traditions as a Nuncupatiue Testament of Christ wherein your Chiefest Article is your Doctrine of Papall Monarchy yet when we are to consult with the first witnesses that should testifie this Article in tht Romane Church it selfe namely those Ancient Popes we can haue no better assurance of their Testimonies than as of such as are confessed to bee both fraught with Errors and also falsely imposed vpon those Popes Which is in effect to condemne your Romane Church of sacrilegious negligence and vnfaithfulnesse in not preseruing that sacrum Depositum as you call the Ancient Tradition of Popes from hand to hand and consequently must inferre a iust suspition of Falshood in the Chiefest ground of your Romish Faith the pretended Law of Tradition Is not this also an iniury But the greatest Iniury that we lament is the wrong which your Obiectors doe vnto their own Consciences when some will haue all those Epistles to be Authenticall and worthy of absolute Beleefe without Exception yet are condemned by the most learned among you who confesse and proue that they are mixed both with Theologicall Chronologicall falshoods Some againe especially your Cardinal obtruding Epistles in the names of Popes and yet doubting whether they be truely the Epistles of these Popes or no and some other-where also reiecting some of them as Counterfeits So foolish is his Obiection in alleaging them for Ancient who could not be ignorant that there haue beene Ancient forgeries of which stampe your owne iudicious Authors haue noted these to bee And that which exceedeth almost the highest note of to speake mildely Inconsideration to proue your Doctrine of Romish Primacy from the word Primatus mentioned sometimes by the Bishops of Rome in their Epistles which as your owne Contius teacheth is an Argument to iudge them not to be so Ancient because that that word was not of currant stampe in that age And what great iniurie can any man doe than that which he doth to his owne Conscience Finally pardon vs if we cannot impute such a degree of Impiety to those holy Popes that they who liued in the times of those bloudy Massacres wherin most of them with infinite other godly Professors in the same Church of Rome bequeathed their bodies to the sword for the Faith of Christ and their soules and spirits by Martyrdome to his armes of blessednesse should be wholly busyed in their Epistles about poynts of Ordination of Priests Inuention of Ceremonies and aduancing the Prerogatiues of the Romane Church but neuer to vtter any syllable of Exhortation and Consolation in behalfe of the Flocke of Christ dayly in the iawes of the Wooluish Persecutors of these times as those Epistles by you obiected do make appeare Your Obiections from the Testimonies of Ancient Popes of the Second Three hundred yeeres and the Vanity thereof discouered SECT 12. FOr the Second Three hundred yeeres are presented before vs a Second Iury of Twelue Popes to giue their Verdicts for proofe of the extent of their owne Papall and Monarchicall power and Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall ouer the whole Church of Christ throughout the world Manifold haue been the Answers of Many to these Testimonies which the breuity that we haue propounded to our selues in this Treatise will not suffer vs to relate our Answers shall be no lesse plaine and yet more compendious 1. Almost all of these Testimonies may be denied in that sense of absolute Monarchie for the which they are propounded As for the first man of the Inquest viz. Pope Iulius he plainely speaketh of Document Instruction receiued from Peter and not of Dominion or Iurisdiction which may be an Answer to many of the rest 2. Some speake not but their Counterfeits as the last Iurist Pope Gregory in an Epistle wherein Eusebius Bishop of Constantinople is said to haue beene Subiect vnto him when as as our Doctor Reynolds hath proued there was no Eusebius Bishop of Constantinople in the daies of Saint Gregory This tricke of corrupting the writings of Antient Popes as you haue seene in their Epistles for the first Three hundred yeeres giue vs iuster cause to suspect the Popish Scribes in the Second Three hundred yeeres 3. Some haue beene already satisfied by Parallels 4. Reuerence say some Popes is due to the Apostolike See So you know Saint Peter doth require of the Husband Honour towards his Wife and Saint Paul of a Bishop Reuerence vnto Widowes Reuerence therefore which is nothing else but a due estimation of all persons according to their Order and Degree may bee exacted without any Note of Dominion 5. Nine of these Popes call the Church of Rome and Bishop thereof either Head of all Churches or One that hath the Care of all Churches or one hauing Principality Euery of which as you know were antiently ascribed to other Churches and Bishops besides the Romane 6. Some may be checked by Retorsion as in the first and last witnesse For the first if from the words obiected out of that Epistle of Iulius you shall inferre that he had Vniuersall Monarchy throughout the Catholike Church then may wee more iustly conclude that the same Pope being challenged by the Bishops of the East whom he calleth Most dearely beloued both for writing to them Alone and from his owne Authority and also for transgressing the Canons of the Church by admitting men vnto his Communion that had beene by them deposed and answering to the one that Although he wrote alone vnto them yet that he did it by consent of his fellow Bishops and to the other standing onely vpon his iustification in not transgressing the Canons of Ancient Councels
yet hee might allow that power vnto other Patriarkes and Primates as it seemeth hee did some-where Marke Hee might that is to say peraduenture hee did and As it seemeth which is as if hee had said It is but probable Doe you not see with what rotten Timber this your Master-builder frameth the Arch-pillar of your Romane Faith and with what vntempered morter hee daubeth it when hee hath done Notwithstanding it be without all Peraduenture that if wee must beleeue Pope Agapet There was not from the Ascention of Christ vntill the yeare 535. any one Bishop in all the East ordained by the hands of any Bishop of Rome before Mennas who was now so ordained by Agapetus Secondly know that your Cardinall to proue that the Bishop of Rome exercised his Authoritie of Instituting Deposing and Restoring of Bishops within the Bishopricks of other Patriarkes giueth instance in some Bishops which the Popes themselues haue challenged to be within their owne Romane Dioces as namely the Bishops of Thessaly of France of Spaine of Africke of Salonia and some others If any should take vpon him to proue the Bishop of Durham to be Primate of the Prouince of Yorke and to haue authoritie ouer the Bishop of Chester because he exerciseth his Episcopall Iurisdiction of Instituting Admonishing Suspending and Restoring Ministers within his owne Bishopricke of Durham were this tolerable arguing trow you Thirdly there is not a greater degree of futilitie saith Tullie than for any man to obiect that to which when it shall be retorted vpon himselfe he shall not tell what to say We shall therefore deale with you herein by the Art of Retorsion Cyprian as Primate of the Primates within Africke did as Pamelius witnesseth of him Institute whom he would within the Prouinces of the other Primates The same Cyprian Constituted Sabinus Bishop instead of Basilides whom hee had deposed without the consent of Stephen the Pope of Rome and after professed to hold the same Sabinus in his Bishopricke notwithstanding the dislike and as it were in despight of the same Pope Nor thus onely but Cyprian againe will bee knowne to haue Confirmed the Election of Pope Cornelius whose Communion both hee as himselfe speaketh and his Collegues and Fellow-Bishops gaue approbation vnto Besides Pope Gregorie the First vpon his Election sent his Synodicall and Communicatorie Letters vnto the Foure Patriarks viz. Iohn of Constantinople Eulogius of Alexandria Gregorie of Antioch and Iohn of Hierusalem with testification of his Orthodox Faith in beleeuing the Foure First Generall Councels And lest that you may thinke hee was the First Pope that sought this kinde of Approbation by such Synodicall and Circular Epistles you are to obserue with your Baronious how hee in expresse words confesseth that hee did this According to the ancient Custome of his Predecessours as was also obserued by the Bishop of Segouia in the Councell of Trent As for Excommunicating of Others this being but a denying to haue Communion with them other Patriarks and Churches thought it as proper to themselues to denie their Communion to the Pope as the Pope could by dis-uniting himselfe from them Else could not the Easterne Bishops among whom there were many Orthodoxe Capitulate with Pope Iulius to haue Communion with him but vpon this Condition that he should haue Communion with those Bishops whom they had ordeined otherwise they professed Contrarily to haue no Communion with him Not to tell you that Dioscorus did Excommunicate Pope Leo. Yea will you say an Heretike an Orâ—hodoxe It is true yet did hee this vpon the knowne iudgement of the East-Church vpon a Common right and abilitie in all Churches to denie their Communion to what other Churches soeuer that they were perswaded to deserue their dis-union Vpon which ground Mennas Patriarch of Constantinople Excommunicated Vigilius Bishop of Rome which though it were in an vniust Cause such as in the Papall Excommunications often happen to be yet doth it inferre this Truth that vpon a iust cause it was lawfull so to doe We leaue other Examples of Retorsion and come to the last Answer by Opposition of your owne Popes against you and such as were most zealous Exactors of all Rights belonging to the Papall Sea The matter standeth thus After the period of iust Antiquitie which we prefix about the yeare Six hundred after Christ Pope Hadrian the First about the yeare 777. writing to the Emperour Constantine and to his Empresse Irene layeth Claime to Two things First to the Temporall Patrimonie of Saint Peter Secondly to an Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction within some part of the Patriarkship of Constantinople which hee desireth them to restore to the See of Rome and he expresseth in his Petition the Consecration of Bishops Archbishops Fourescore yeeres after him succeedeth Pope Nicolas the First who reneweth the same Claime in his Epistle vnto Michael the Emperour propounding vnto him the Challenge formerly made by his Predecessour Hadrian and specially and by name hee setteth downe the particular Prouinces and Dioces which were with-held or as your Iesuite out of Leo Sapiens saith had bin pulled away from the Bishopricke of Rome to wit the Bishopricke of Thessalonica the Bishop whereof had bin but the Popes Vicar therein together with the Regions of Achaia Mysia Dardania c. wherein were the Metropolitanes of Thessalie Corinth Athens Nicopolis and Patarae But to what end maketh all this his Plea namely that hee might exercise therein as from his owne Authoritie the Consecration of Bishops and Arch-Bishops and to vse the words of your Iesuite moderate all things throughout all those Regions according to his owne Institutions and Ordinances And for further Confirmation of his Right hee pleadeth the Ancient possession which his Ancestours had held from the time of Pope Damasus vnto Pope Hormisda that is to say for the tearme of 154. yeares so that now they had bin aboue Three hundred yeares depriued of these Bishopricks Wee now hereupon demand Doe your Popes after so long processe of time require a Restitution of Right and power of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction in certaine Prouinces Christian then doubtlesse all this time was not their power Vniuersall in All others wheresoeuer And furthermore the Patriarcke of Constantinople hauing Iurisdiction ouer the Metropolitanes of Pontus Asia and Thracia consisting of 28. Prouinces and your Popes making claime onely vnto Eight of those for the execution of their Ecclesiasticall and Papall power is it not euident that they outted themselues from all such Iurisdiction in any of the rest And what shall be further said of the other Patriarkships of Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem Some of them hauing Seauen and some Ten Metropolitanes vnder them and were as exempt from the Iurisdiction of the Pope of Rome as any within the Patriarkship of Constantinople could be CHALLENGE NOW from your former Argument according to the lawes of a Syllogisme It must be thus
of the Countries wherein the Greeke Religion is professed he concludeth that If the Greeke Church be compared with the now Romane excepting the new Addition of the Indians the Greeke Church would farre exceed V. Our Discouery of the extreme Impiety of your Article by way of Challenge SECT 6. YOur Article requireth a Necessity both of Subiection and of Vnion vnto the Church of Rome vpon infallible danger of Damnation In the Premises you haue before you the same Necessity of Subiection to Rome denyed by the Ancient Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon about the yeare 450. after Christ and so continuing in the Greeke Church vnto this day and the Necessity of Vnion denyed by the same Greeke Church 200. yeares together and all this by Professors in your owne iudgement excepting for the denying of this Romish Article no Heretikes and in number Exceeding the Multitudes of them the Indians excepted and yet the Indian Conuerts if you examine their Faith are but poore Catholikes God wot who call themselues the Romane Catholikes How then shall we not accompt it a Luciferian pride in your Romane Pope to take vpon him to ascend vnto the Throne of God and to pronounce Sentence of Damnation vpon so infinite Christian soules who while your Bishops excepting their raysing of Persecutions against Protestants liue in peace and fare deliciously euery day do suffer daily grieuous and lamentable Persecutions and Oppressions vnder the Turkish tyrannie for the Gospell of Christ. What man is there in whom there are any bowells of Christianity who will not rather condemne your Article as a Praesumptuous Pernicious Sacrilegious Schismaticall Delusion and execrable Fascination of mens soules by the which they are held fast vnder that Romane thraldome A particular Instance for the Corroboration of the former Argument in Ignatius Patriarch of Constantinople SECT 7. BAronius doth present before you Ignatius the Patriarch of Constantinople who liued about the yeare of our Lord 869. in your owne iudgement An excellent man Whom notwithstanding Iohn the then Pope pronounced Excommunicate except within 30. dayes the said Ignatius should Excommunicate certaine Bishops in Bulgaria for that the Pope then made claime to that Prouince as belonging to the Romaine Church But the Popes Excommunication against Ignatius was contradicted by the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch and as for Ignatius himselfe Hee is not found saith your said Cardinall to haue obeyed the Popes command Neuerthelesse God graced this Ignatius with Miracles after his death All this you haue in Baronius CHALLENGE HEre you haue to omit the Opposition of the Two other Patriarches Ignatius the Patriarch of Constantinople for ought that can be prooued to the contrary liuing and dying a person Excommunicate from the Church of Rome and notwithstanding acknowledged by you to be one worthy whose life should be Registred in the Body of your publike volume of Councells and after his death hauing the witnesse of God by his Seale of Miracles that he was his owne seruant and Saint As if you would teach vs this Syllogisme Euery one that dyeth Excommunicate out of the Church of Rome dyeth out of the Catholike Church and is consequently Damned But Ignatius a godly man in his life and blessed after his death dyed Excommunicate out of the Church of Rome Ergo the same man godly in his life time and Blessed after his death is immortally Damned Either must you thus conclude or else condemne your Article of Necessity of Subiection and Vnion to the Romane Church without which None can be saued to be iustly damnable For as for the Comment of Baronius who acknowledging him thus Excommunicate and so dying yet notwithstanding saith that he departed this life in the Popes Communion we haue nothing to say but onely Ridle me this Ridle because we are to yeeld to the truth of the Story and not vnto the figment and fancy of a Papall Commentator Our second Instance is in the Churches Christian in Assyria dis-united from Rome SECT 8. YOu haue a Narration commended by Pope Pius the 4. vnto the Councell of Trent concerning Abdisu Patriarch of the Assyrians and all Churches vnder him subiecting themselues to the Church and Pope of Rome Our intended Breuity will not permit the Repetition of so large a Narration Take vnto you summarily those Aduertisements which are proper to this Cause in hand It giueth vs to know 1. That the Nation of the Assyrians was so farre remote from Rome that At Rome it was scarce knowne that there was any Church there 2. That there was Two hundred thousand Christian Professors within the Patriarchship of Abdisu 3. That their Faith was sound and forme of worship pure and so had continued as they had receiued it in the beginning from Saint Thomas the Apostle And 4. that many of them oftentimes had suffered Martyrdome by the malice of Infidels for the profession of our Lord Christ. This and much more in the Narration made in the Councell of Trent by your Cardinall CHALLENGE THis Story is noted by our Gentillettus to be meerely Fabulous Not that there are not Christian Churches in Assyria professing the Catholike Faith and to haue so continued from the Apostolike times but that there was no such Submission of the said Churches made by Abdisu to the Pope of Rome Notwithstanding supposing the Tale of Robin-Hood to be true and granting vnto you that the said Churches of Assyria had subiected themselues to the Pope according to the Tenure of the Narration it selfe then may we lawfully dispute as Saint Paul often did though not from the truth of the thing belieued yâ—t from the Faith and credulity of the Beleeuer You therefore that belieue as the Story teacheth this Narration of a Nation of Christians continuing in the syncere Faith and holy Worship as they had receiued it from the Apostles for the space of 1500. yeares down-wards yea many of them with Constancy euen vnto death Tell vs do you beleeue that so many thousand thousands which had bene within the compasse of those times are notwithstanding Damned because they did not formally professe Subiection to the Church of Rome or not If you say they are Damned This were impiously calumnious against the Apostle Saint Thomas that taught them not your Article of the now Romane Faith If you say they are not Damned then are you damned in that your Romane Article which denounceth Damnation against all them that do not belieue that without Subiection to the Romane Catholike Church there can be no Saluation Howsoeuer you yet farre be it from vs who are Ministers of His Gospell that pronounced Saluation to them of little Faith that we should open where he shutteth by setting broad-wide the Gates of Hell to swallow vp in despaire such as hee hath called to the Profession of the Gospell of Life Our third Instance concerning Remote Nations is in other Churches Christian viz. Aegyptians Aethiopians Armenians Russians and the like
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
none but Ignorants For your fuller Satisfaction herein We thought good vpon Contemplation of the Premisses to descend vnto this DETERMINATION of the Cause which wee shall performe punctually by certaine Theses or Positions by which are repelled those Popular Obiections which you vsually cast as Impediments in our way This Tractate then we diuide into foure parts I. Concerning All Churches in generall II. Particularly comparing the Romane Church with other now Remote Churches III. Comparing her with the Churches of Protestants at the time of LVTHERS departure from her IV. Comparing her with the Churches of Protestants at this day The first part of Comparison which is by Generall Theses I. THESIS An Absolute Decay of the Catholike Church was neuer defended by any Protestants SECT 2. MAny Papists in their aduersnesse to Protestants whom they seeke to traduce do impute vnto them this faithlesse Paradox as to say that the Catholike Church is sometime extinguished whereas Caluine and other Protestants grant saith your Cardinall that the Catholike Church cannot perish And therefore he telleth those MANY that they do but Loose their time in proouing the perpetuall existence of the Catholike Church Hee might as well haue noted in them a Losse of good Conscience by their falsly imposing vpon Protestants a false Doctrine which they neuer taught as you may more perfectly see afterwards by a Sentence of Caluin himselfe II. THESIS The Church Symbolicall and properly called Catholike cannot erre in Faith SECT 3. THat wee call the Symbolicall and properly Catholike Church as it is Militant which is set downe in the Apostles Symbol or Creed beleeued of all Christians viz. The multitude of all Christian Beleeuers whensoeuer and wheresoeuer dispersed through-out the world vnto which belong all those Royall Promises made by Christ vnto her of being Led into all truth Ioh. 16. Of hauing his residence with it Vnto the ends of the world Matth. 28. Of Hell-gates not preuailing against it Matth. 16. Neuer shall you find any Protestant gain-saying this Truth III. THESIS How the Church Representatiue improperly called the Catholike Church may bee said to be subiect to Errour SECT 4. THe Church improperly called Catholike is the Congregation of Christians assembled in a Generall Synod as being the Representatiue body of the Church in the Symbol properly called Catholike whereof wee say no more than Saint Augustine spake to wit that Sometimes former Generall Councels may be corrected by the latter Vnto which sentence of Augustine you could not hitherto giue any Answer but that which Saint Augustine if he were aliue would say is directly contradictory to his meaning For Augustine saith your Cardinall spake not of matter of Faith but of Fact nor of a point of Doctrine but of Manners Whereas the whole dispute of Augustine in that place is about a Doctrine of Faith Whether there can be true Baptisme in a false Church And what hath Saint Augustine said herein which Some of your owne Romish Schoole haue not thorowly auouched viz. that Generall Councels rightly gathered haue erred and that A Generall Councell so erring doth not preiudice the Catholike Church Because A Generall Councell is not the Catholike Church but onely a part thereof Which erring yet notwithstanding Some of the Church shall be still assisted to vphold the truth So they Nor doth this any whit impeach the Promise of Christ to wit * Whensoeuer two or three shall be gathered together in my Name there I will be in the middest of them For Christ promising his presence to all Christians Assembled in his Name did not thereby promise that all Christian Assemblies should be gathered in his Name duly that is with sincere hearts to inuocate him and to subscribe to his reuealed Truth It was an Academicall and Scepticall Paradox to say that because one Sense might be deceiued therefore no Sense was to be belieued Whereunto the Answer was that euery Sense as it might be deceiued so might it also be not deceiued if requisite Circumstances were duely obserued as namely if the Organ and Instrument were sound the Medium rightly disposed the Obiect proper the Distance due and proportionable Accordingly in Councels if the persons assembled as it were the Organs be sincerely affected to Gods glorie with desire of Truth as their proper Obiect and in the maior part thereof not led with the spirit of Contention and Faction which is the Cause of vnequall difference and Distance and if their Diaphanum and Medium be illuminated with the true light as Saint Peter calleth the holy Scripture Then is it not possible for such an Assembly to erre in any principle of Faith So then the difference betweene the Romane Church and the Church of the Protestants is no more but this that the Romanists say that all Generall Councels may erre except they bee confirmed and authorized by the Pope but Protestants say that all Generall Councels may erre except they be directed by the Spirit of Gods word as our Church of England hath truly defined In which difference we seeke no other moderation than the iudgement of the first fiue Generall Councels which in points of Faith propounded to themselues the holy Scripture as the onely Rule of their Doctrines esteemed of the Popes iudgement no otherwise than of a particular suffrage and in it selfe but equall excepting the Dignitie of Order vnto the voices of other Patriarches and Bishops as hath bene prooued IV. THESIS Protestants hold not any greater Inuisibilitie or rather Obscuritie of the Church Catholike than that which the Romanists themselues are forced to confesse SECT 5. NOt but that many of you pretend and boast of a Catholike Church not onely Visible but also Conspicuously and notoriously Visible alwaies both in the Amplitude of compasse and in the Multitude of Beleeuers as the Perpetuall note of the Church which our Sauiour Christ compareth to a Citie set vpon a hill And you are not ignorant of the Epistle which Mr. Fisher a Iesuite presented not long agoe vnto our late Soueraigne King Iames of blessed memorie wherein he professeth a Catholike Church to be alwaies so conspicuous that The whole knowne world may take notice of her yea euen in the dayes of Antichrist shall she be visibly vniuersall for she shall be then euery-where persecuted which she could not bee except she were euery where Visible So He Who neuer regarded that the Church of Christ as it is sometime in lustre glorious as the Sunne so againe it is according to the iudgement of Saint Augustine and Saint Ambrose sometime as the Moone which hath her encreases and decreases In which respect we are to obserue two Seasons of the Church the one long since past in the dayes of that Deluge of the Arian Heresie the other prophesied to happen in the dayes of Antichrist Of both which as well Fathers as your owne Authors say as much concerning the Ecclipse and obscurity of
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
hath beene prooued by the Testimonies of Catholike and General Councels Fathers and Martyrs to be an Errour in it selfe The other Principle is that whereon the former dependeth to wit that the Bishop or Pope of Rome is the Vniuersall Head of the Catholike Church which in the iudgement of a most ancient and holy Pope is not onely a Prophane and Antichristian errour in it selfe but also the high-way of erring vniuersally Because saith hee if that One Vniuersall Bishop erre then must the whole and Vniuersall Church erre with him Where the same Saint Gregorie vpon a particular occasion taken at Iohn the Patriarke of Constantinople who ambitiously sought the Title of Vniuersall Bishop gaue this his foresaid generall Doctrine concerning any Bishop whatsouer whether in the See of Constantinople or Rome or wheresoeuer Euen as the Apostle vpon occasion of confuting of one new error among the Galatians giueth them a generall lesson against all other the like Nouelties of Doctrin If we or an Angel from heauen preach otherwise than hath been preached vnto you let him be Anathema or Accursed And that diuerse Popes haue beene Heretikes your owne Histories doe sufficiently proclaime especially in the example of Pope Honorius whom two Generall Councels three Romane Popes his Successours and diuers others your owne zealous Popish Writers haue reckoned among the Monothelites But you will say albeit that Pope were a Monothelite yet did not the whole Catholike Church fall into that Heresie with him True which manifesteth the falshood of your now Romane Article in as much as in those ancient times neither did the Church truely called Catholike hold the Pope to be the Catholike or Vniuersall Head of the Church neither yet did that which you abusiuely absurdly and falsely call the Catholike Church to wit the Church of Rome it selfe beleeue your Article of Infallibilitie of iudgement in your Popes A memorable example wee haue in your Pope Liberius who professing himselfe an Arian and seeking by his Arian faction to returne to his See found a bloudy resistance by both the Clergie and people of the Church of Rome as your selues well know But now when as the falsly-vsurped Title of Vniuersall Head carrieth in the beliefe of the new Church of Rome a confidence of an Vniuersall truth in whatsoeuer new Doctrine of faith in this Case that saying of Christ is verified If the blinde such is hee that in the opinion of his Vniversall Headship presumeth vpon an Infallibilitie of iudgement leade the blinde such are all they who by an Implicit and blind beliefe adhere vnto him as to an Oracle of Diuine truth Both shall fall into the ditch THESIS III. There is not in all Scripture any Prophecie of the fall of any Church Christian from the faith but onely of the Church of Rome from which it may sometime be Necessary to depart SECT 11. FOr where can you finde in all Scripture tell vs that the Spirit of God brandeth any Citie Christian with the note of certaine Apostasie from the truth but onely the Citie of Rome Your owne Iesuites haue confessed Themselues being compelled thereunto by the light of the Reuelation of the holy Ghost in the booke of Reuelation Apoc. 12. to acknowledge saying The Citie of Rome is Babylon there prophesied of to become before the end of the world The Seat of Antichrist and after to be suddenly and visibly Destroyed by the vengeance of God And although they are not more ingenuous in this Confession concerning the Citie of Rome in the dayes of Antichrist to come than they are not to dissemble with you zealous and indeede obstinate in denying that it can be ment of the Church of Rome yet would we faine know what you would thinke of the Church of England if the like Prophecie were extant in God's booke pointing out the Citie of London to be in times to come The Seat of Antichrist Would you desire a more Popular argument especially in these times wherein the ends of the world are come vpon vs to perswade your people to abhorre and detest the Church of England euen for that Citie sake But you are further to remember that which hath beene already prooued that your Church cannot be called The Church of Rome but by reason of the Seate thereof which is in the Citie of Rome Which wee now moreouer Confirme by the Apostle Saint Paul who writing to the Romanes maketh this the Inscription of his Epistle Chap. 1.7 To all you that are at Rome And againe ver 15. I am ready to preach vnto you that are at Rome Signifying that it cannot hereby be called the Church of Rome without relation to a company of Professours in the Citie of Rome Whensoeuer therefore Rome as is confessed shall become that Babylon and Seate of Antichrist whereof the Spirit saith to the faithfull Come out of Babylon my people Apoc. 18.4 then the necessitie of Departure must needes follow THESIS IV. The Church of Rome hath long beene and still is the most Schismaticall Church of all other Churches Christian that carry in them a Visible face of a Church SECT 12. OH that this could be iustly doubted of your owne supreame Article doth abundantly proue it to wit The Catholike Romane Church without Vnion and Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation By which one Article as you haue heard doe stand Excommunicate as much as lyeth in your Romane Church and depriued of all hope of Saluation the most renoumed godly Emperors the most ancient and Reuerend Popes the most graue and Orthodoxe Patriarkes and Fathers of the first Eight in your owne estimation Generall Councels the most famous Christian Churches the most constant Martyrs Confessours and Saints of God that the primitiue times of Christ his Church haue knowne and recorded to posteritie many whereof are at this day registred in the Romane Martyrologe and Calendar of Saints All which hath beene fully proued than which what Doctrine of Schismatikes can be more Schismaticall And what shall wee say of the After-ages of the Church wherein wee haue obserued the Church of the Graecians Aethiopians Aegyptians Assyrians not to mention as yet the Churches of Protestants Armenians Russians and others for extent more large than Rome for worship more pure for faith more sound and for profession thereof more constant by sustaining daily iniuries and thraldomes vnder the Mahumetans and other Pagan Enemies all which Churches amount to innumerable numbers of Christian soules who being by your Article of The Catholike Romane Church excluded from your Communion must accordingly be held to perish euerlastingly But pardon vs if wee from the Example of these so many Churches Christian of so large extent and long Continuance make bold to vse a little Logicke with you in this manner That Church which onely diuideth it selfe from the Communion of all other truely professed Christian Churches in the world the same is the most Schismaticall Church in the Christian
did as one that had bene freed take another wife by the authority of the Church and consent of her Parents by which wife after some yeares he had children But loe his former wife vnlooked for returneth againe and requireth to haue her husband againe that had done ill in marrying another The man maruailing hereat and being loath to be diuorced from his latter wife maketh long delaies yet at length brought into Law and being cast gaue way to the Truth and taketh his first wife againe by the iudgement of the Church When now the Parents friends of the latter wife made the like wonderment as these men do against me saying vnto him thou hel-hound thou wicked couenāt-breaker c. And if a man would consider this businesse shall he not see as it were in a glasse the very image of that Husband in me For indeed I seeing I beleeued that no such Truth of obedience had bene c. I compelled my selfe in a second Couenant and thereto plighted my troth Wherefore I thought that I had kept lawfull Companie but when the TRVTH came which is euery mans first wife maried to him in publike Baptisme which wil require the first Promise at al mens hands to her I applyed to her I cleaued and from my second knot as of none effect by the iudgement of my Church I departed And shall any man thinke it indifferent that I shall be called a Liar because I obey the Truth c. I am by most graue iudgement of the Truth diuorced from the Church of Rome which it was not lawfull for me to keepe still and am compelled to take my wife TRVTH to me when she cometh againe Thus farre B. Gardiner The right and accurate Sence of this Similitude may as the beames of the Sunne dispell the foggie myst of Romish error concerning the Question we now haue in hand it being taken from the consideration of our Christian Vow made in Baptisme Wherein we are to obserue the Parties betrothed together which are the Soule of a Christian and the Truth of God in Christ and secondly the Parties and if I may so say Parents by whose consent and Authoritie this mariage is made which in the inward is our Father euen GOD in the vnity of Three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost and in the outward is our spirituall Mother mentioned in our Creed at the rime of our Vow in Baptisme The holy Catholike Church It especially therefore concerneth euery Votarie that hath vowed himselfe in Baptisme to learne to acknowledge his true Father his true Mother and his owne true Wife For Father he is baptized in the name of the Blessed Trinitie in the vnity of one God euerlasting not in the name of any man whatsoeuer as Saint Paul prooueth against the Schismatikes in the Church of Corinth that would seeme Some to hold of Cephas that is Peter Some of Paul as though the Gospell or Truth were Pauls or Peters he answereth them No his Reason is interrogatiuely Were you baptized in the name of Paul As much as to say He onely is essentially your spirituall Father in whose Name you are baptized Secondly the Mother is mentioned in our Vow at Baptisme to be The holy Catholike or Vniuersall Church not any particular Church though by the particular Church I am brought into the Catholike We say not any Particular Church because euery Particular Church as hath beene Confessed may possibly erre and Apostate from Truth But the Catholike is built vpon a Rocke immoueable as the earth yea or the highest heauens Lastly the Wife whereunto euery Soule is betroathed in Baptisme is onely that Truth which was first reuealed by Christ vnto his Apostles as the Apostle teacheth If any preach any other Gospell than that which you haue receiued that is to say already hold him Accursed Now giue vs leaue to trie what kind of Mariage is made by your Votaries in the Church of Rome First by beleeuing the Infallibility of the Pope in whatsoeuer Reuelations which he shall propound to be beleeued of all Christians it is to assume a new Father which is thus prooued If I saith Saint Paul or an Angel from heauen preach otherwise let him be Accursed but who in all the Church of Rome will say Though the Pope teach vs otherwise then was Apostolically and Primitiuely taught from the immediate Doctrine of Christ I shall account him Anathema Next the Partie baptized in your Church is Catechized to beleeue the Church of Rome to be The Catholike and Mother-Church of all other Churches which wee through-out this Treatise haue prooued to be an Imposterous Schismaticall and Blasphemous Article First Imposterous because The Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed was extant in the dayes of the Apostles diuerse yeares before Rome was that we may so say Baptized to haue the name of a Church Secondly Schismaticall because it being as hath bene shewed but a Particular Church and vsurping the Title of The Catholike Church doth thereby peremptorily diuide her selfe from All other Churches of Christ which both for Truth and Extent make a farre more Catholike Church than she is Thirdly Blasphemous in Damning by this Article of the Catholike Romane Church all the most glorious Christian Fathers Martyrs Professors and Churches as well Primitiue as Successiue which are infinite that haue denyed Subiection to the Romane Church All which Particulars haue bene prooued at large In the last place each Christian in Baptisme being espoused to his wife Truth which can be but One euen that whereof Saint Paul spoke saying That which you haue receiued before and accordingly Saint Iude Contend for the Faith which once was deliuered to the Saints therefore euery other New Article of Faith as it were a later Consort and wife that shall bee admitted is no true loyall wife but an vnlawfull Concubine and strumpet So then so many Concubines may the Church of Rome be said to betroath her Children vnto as she hath set downe New Articles in her Romane Creed and imposed vpon all her Ecclesiastikes vnder the bond of an Oath Among which is your Article of Indulgences from which as from a supposititious wife Luther necessarily made his diuorce returning vnto the Primitiue Truth whereunto in holy Baptisme he had formerly plighted his Troth THESIS VI. Your Second and most Popular Obiection against LVTHER in his Opposition to your Romane Church vrging in him to prooue his Doctrine by immediate Succession and by Naming his Teachers Before him is as fond as the other SECT 19. I. FOr the no-Necessitie of Name we reade first that our Sauiour Christ answering a question concerning Diuorce whether it were lawfull for the husband to put away his wife at his pleasure or no an Abuse which by the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts had continued among them many hundred yeares sendeth them to Gods first Institution of Marriage set downe in the beginning of Scripture saying From the beginning it
was not so But how Flat contrary Therefore shall a man leaue Father and Mother and cleaue to his wife and they shall be one flesh Willingly passing ouer all mention or meaning of any former Teacher for the space of thousands of yeares Teaching vs thereby first that there can be no truer Doctors than Gods word secondly no better Argument than Proofe that It was not so from the beginning II. Saint Cyprian being busied in a Question concerning Baptisme Wee are not to regard saith he what any hath done before vs but what he did who is before all Christ our Lord not following the Custome of men but the Truth of God III. Suarez your most celebrious Spanish Iesuite and publike Professor Sometimes saith he we know the beginning of a Tradition onely Negatiuely because it may appeare that sometime it was not so neare the beginning of the Church So he in your publike Schooles teaching you that if it may be shewed concerning any Doctrinall Tradition that there was a time neare to the beginning of the Church namely in the dayes of the Apostles when it was not taught it will bee a sufficient Confutation therof to proue it to be but an humane Inuention without any further enquirie after the Names of Persons who in succeeding ages haue gone before vs. IV. An Example we may take from your owne former Relation of a Tradition professed by Pope Innocentius the first who taught that The administration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist was necessary to Infants for their Saluation Which doctrine and practize continued about 600. yeares in the Church namely of Rome but since is reiected thereby So you Here had bene a Matter for your Obiectors to haue argued vpon if they had liued at the end of those 600. yeares when this Error was first reiected Would they haue said Shew vs that any Fathers by name for 600. yeares passed euer taught the contrary or else we must continue this custome still Thus should they condemne the Present Church of Rome which hath reiected that Custome Or would they haue said We regard not the time of the Continuance thereof for so many hundred yeeres seeing it may bee prooued that before that time there was no such Doctrine And the Institution of Christ which requireth Remembrance in them that partake of this Sacrament doth instruct vs otherwise And so must they as they ought condemne the former Romane Church in the daies of Innocentius and from henceforth silence themselues in exacting the Names of Persons who immediately before that time had taught the Contrarie because according to your Iesuites Confession it is lawfull in such a Case to proceed Persaltum Negatiuely saying It was not so neare the beginning of the Church Ergo it is not a necessarie Tradition Which was the very Apologie that Luther made against the doctrine of Indulgences in his first Opposition against your Church of Rome and the same is the defence of Protestants in their whole Profession at this day V. But supposing a Necessity of Names why aske Yov names As though the Church of Rome had beene then The Catholike Church without which there was none then or before the daies of Luther who reiected the doctrine of Romish Indulgences and of Papall Iurisdiction as well as he when as you haue heard there were euen since the Apostles times the Churches of the Grecians Aethiopians Aegyptians Assyrians Russians and indeed a world of faithfull Christians that wanted not names who Communicated not with the Church of Rome And what meaneth this Importunity or rather peruersnes to seeke for that which is by your owne Historians set before your eyes the Protesters against your Romish Nouelties before Luther whom they call Albigenses Waldenses Wiclefians Hussites c. Could these bee so called by your selues who persecuted them vnder these names without Names Yet know that this diuersity of Names may not argue the Sects and differences of their Religion no more than many names giuen vnto the same Riuer passing through diuers countries can argue a diuersity of the streames But these Professors and their Names you may vnderstand if you will reade Them who haue purposely entreated of this Subiect who are furnished with answers and can shew you out of your owne Authors their Innocent conuersation of life their Multitudes in number their Consent and Constancie in their Profession by enduring of Imprisonments banishment deaths and whatsoeuer Cruelties your Inquisitors could inflict on them And were these then Namelesse trowe you VI. And if this may not content you what then if we shall name them Romanes for such were Luther Melancthon and other Protestants at the beginning of their Opposition as sound Members of an vnfound Particular Church from whence it was lawfull and necessary for them to depart as hath beene proued Thus much in confutation of your Vulgar Obiection by Six Answers which deserueth onely this briefe Answer It is friuolous and superfluous THESIS VII Your Obiection That all Changes of Doctrines haue beene Notorious in the Persons and Places of their first Beginnings is false SECT 20. A principall Obiection wherewith your Cardinall doth colourably delude his Disciples is this In al Changes of doctrines in any Church the tokens there are visible in the Author Time Place and Person oppugning the same So he that so hee may iustifie many Errors which must therefore seeme Truths because there is none of these visible Notes of Changes to discouer them We answer that this your Obiection conctradicteth the ordinarie growth of Heresie the experience of former Heretikes the Changes of Doctrine in the Romish Church and the Confession of your owne Schooles I. The nature of Heresie as Saint Paul describeth it 2. Tim. 2.17 is like a Cancer or Gangraena By which as you know both the Greeke and Latines vnderstand that vlcer which is bredd in womans papps which if it be not preuented doth putrifie by by little and little vntill it possesse all the parts of the Body Therefore an insensible groweth at the beginning II. The experience of an hundred Heresies whose Authors haue not beene notorious might bee propounded vnto you but that taste may suffice which your owne Prateolus doth offer vnto you by an Instance in the Abstinents of which Heretikes it is not remembred saith he what time they liued In the Acephali of which kinde saith he the first Author is not found In the Aquarij whose Author saith he is not mentioned by any And in the Predestinati whose first leader saith he is not knowne Wee migh reckon vp the Alogiani Anthropomorphitae Aphthratodocitae Collyridiani Gnostici Concerning all whom and many others as the Angelici Apostolici Cainani Catharistae Ophitae Passionistae because you your selues cannot tell vs from whom they first arose or By whom they were impugned it appeareth that you obiect you know not what III. And as though forsooth no such Gangrene or disease could be found in the
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 Romans but be it Ecclesiasticall power yet was not the necessitie of râ—course vnto it absolute and perpâ—tuall but occasionall for that time For Iraenaeus sheweth that he might haue proued his Traditions from other Churches Longum esset omnes enumerare Ecclesias c. but for breuitie sake he instanced only in Rome and the rather for the powerfull principality of that Sea in the preseruation of Originall Truth And remember this Irenaeus was hee that consented with the Asian Bishopâ— that were excommunicated by Pope Victor See abouâ— Cap. 9. §. 2. n Epiphanius Haeres 68. Vrsatius Valens Episcopi ad Papam â—ulium prosecti pro reddendâ ratione de suo delicto Ergò Papa Romanus Episcoporum Iudex The same parties that had columniated Athanasius and thereby as much as lay in them discredited the Pope who had iustified him asked pardon for their offence both of Athanasius and of Pope Iulius o Athanasius Apolog. 2. Episcopos eosdem à Papa Iulio Delicti veniam petijsse Et Epistolâ ad Felicem Papam Episcâ—pos Romanos in summitatis arce constitutos omnium Ecclesiarum Curam habere Of Cuâ—am habere see aboue Cap. 8. §. 5. p Dionysius Alexdrinus Is apud Romanum Pontificem accusatus Ergo Papa communis omnium in lex Jt is no extraordinary thing for one Patriarch to be accused before his fellow-Patriarch yet not iudicially but by Confederation that the guilty person be depriued of his Communion with whom the Cause is pleaded q Basilius Epist. 52. ad AthanasiuÌ„ tribuit Romano Episcopo authoritatem visitandi Ecclesias orientis See aboue Capit. 12. §. 4. after at §. 7. r Gregorius Nazianzenus in Carmine dicit Romanam Ecclesiam semper conseâ—uasse veram de Deo sententiâ—m vt decet vrbem quae toti orbi praesidet He saith not Ecclesia praesidet but Vâ—bs meaning the Temporall state of Rome Ob Sol. Although the Emperour resided at Constantinople yet was he stiled of Rome The Romane Emperour For Rome was after this time called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. Omnium Ciuitatum facilè Princeps Socrates lib. 2. Cap 11. Theod. lib. 4. Cap. 8. s Zomen lib 3. Cap. 9. Propter sedis dignitatem cura omnium ad Iulium spectabat singulis Ecclesiam suam restituit nempe Athanasium Alexandrino Paulo Constantinopolitano He did so pro posse suo but was resisted by the Easterne Bishops and reuiled Ibid Where Zozomen is not to be vnderstood to speake these words from his owne iudgement but from the opinion that Pope Julius had of himselfe For it followeth in Zozomen that those East-Bishopâ— expostulating the Cause with Pope Iulius did protest against him saying that hee had no more to doe with restoring Athanasius Excommunicated by them than they had to restore Nouatus Excommunicated by himselfe And the helpe that Athanasius had was not in the Pope absolutely but in the Synod t Chrysost. Epist. 1. ad Innocentium Papam Obsecro vt scribas vt illi qui iniquè egerunt poenae Ecclesiasticâ—rum legum subiaceant Ergò Papa summus Pontifex etiam Graecorum 2. Agnoscit Papae Paternam beneuolentiam Ergò patrem 3. Orat Papam nè mimicos ejus eijciat When the Generall Canons of Election of a Patriarch were broken well might Chrysostome seeke helpe of a Co-Patriarch Innocentius to defend the Canon so farre as his Authority would reach and to punish â—hem by Excommunication which was but only a Separation from Communion with his own Church And Innocentius himselfe confesseth Epist. ad Chrysost. that he would not restore Chrysostome without a Synod See Binius Tom. 1. and when he had done his best his Authority was reiected with scorne yet could Chrysostome doe no lesse than thankefully acknowledge his Fatherly care being now no Bishop but Deposed u Cyrillus Alexandrinus Epist. 10. ad Nest. Epist. 11. ad Clerum et populum Constantinop Nestorium dicit excommunicandum ab omnibus nisi intra terminos à Papa praescriptos se reuocet Et ad Coelestinum Num velit cum Nestorio ad tempus aliquod communicari petit ab eo Ergò Is administer Papa iudex Rursus in libro de Thesauro Debemus capiti nostro Romano Pontifici adhaerere See after §. 7. x Theodoretus Episcopus Asianus ad Leonem Obsecro vt mihi opem feras iudicium tuum appellanti Meaning a Subsidiarie iudgement not absolute Binius Tom. 2. Annot in Conc. Chalced. Sess. 8. pag. 184. Theodoretus Cypri Episcopus depositus tanquam qui Nestorianus esset exulate coactus ad Romanum Pontificem aliosque orientis Epiâ—copos hac de re diu multumque conquestus se vere Catholicum esse probans literis significauit in hoc consessu insâ—iterunt vt Anathema Nestorio dicerent sed in pristiuam fidem est restitutus namely by the Synod of the Bishops in the East y Acacius in Epist. ad Smplicium Solicitudinem omnium Ecclesiarum secundùm Apostolum circum-ferentes nos indesinenter hortamini Acacius meant not to make the Pope a Monarch by this because he alludeth to that saying of the Apostle not of Peter but of Paul that said I haue the care of all Churches and Chrysostome himselfe Curam Vniuersae Ecclesiae gerimus Hom. 18. in 2. Cor. 11. z Liberatus de Episopo Patarensi in Breuiario Cap. 22. Pontifex Romanus praeest Ecclesiijs totius mundi De quo Bellar. lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. Cap. 10. §. Posset Possit dici epistolam illam Vigilij cuius meminit Liberatus confictam fuisse ab Haereticis Liberatum autem credidisse falso rumori quem Haeretici sparserant And would he not be as well deceiued in this 2. This Greeke Author must bee taken in the Greeke sense of Primacy or Order 3. Iustinian promised to restore Syluerius vpon condition that he would cleare himselfe otherwise to be confined to one City Patarensis that laboured the Release of Syluerius did not oppose against this Condition Baronius anno 538 num 13. a Iustinianus Epistolâ ad Iohannem 2 quae habetur in Codice in primo Titulo Quae est Caput omnium Ecclesiarum If we should grant you that that Rescript is not Counterfeit yet He meaneth no more but Primus Episcoporum As for the word Caput you haue heard how common â—â— hath beene without any sense of Monarchy * See aboue Cap. 9. * See after at q. * See aboue Cap. 12. §. 4. * See aboue at t. b Baronius Anno 412. â—um 43. c Ibidem num 44. 46. d Jbidem num 47. Theophilus iâ— Sanctis e Jbidem num 47 Populi concordiae gratiâ necessitate premente ne Religionis res ex populi arbitrio penderet Baronius in the Margent noteth Cogitur Atticus restituere nomen Iohannis And Anno 425 num 19. Ostendimus Atticum coactum fuisse ab Innocentio Romanâ— Pontifice restituere nomen Iohannis And yet neuer produceth any place to proue it but this forenamed in Num 49. which speaketh onely
Catholike wherein no such Subiection was exacted by Popes from Emperours is a faire time we thinke and a strong Argument to Challenge your Church of Heresie in prescribing to Christians a new Article of Faith as necessary to Saluation by which you againe condemne the Faith of all the Members of the Catholike Church as well Popes as other Bishops and Christian Doctors and People who with vniuersall consent beleeued and taught Obedience to Ciuill Magistracie whereas you now proclaime Armes and open resistance And what can you now suggest for the modesty of your Cardinall who blushed not to say that Christians anciently wanted force to resist all vnbeleeuing tyrannous and turbulent Emperors Being so euidently confuted as well concerning the open force which latter Popes haue maintained as also concerning all secret violence whereof you haue giuen vs many Examples For as wee haue heard touching Emperours of midle age so haue we lately seene in our daies your secret practises of Mischiefe against Kings and Queenes without any open warre by armies or troupes of enemies If â—he practice of Assassines and Traytors by Dagges Daggers Poysons POVVDER-PLOTS or your Cardinalls Quacunque ratione that is by what meanes soeuer may make any proofe Who if they can doe it we haue little reason to doubt of their wills so long as the Rescript of Pope Vrban the Second is in force concerning them that shall kill Schismatikes Excommunicate For although he command Penance to be inioyned them because of the doubt that may be had of the sincerity of their Intentions whether they did but double and onely seeme to slay them vpon zeale for the Catholike Cause when-as peraduenture they did it to satisfie their selfe-malice which Penance it may bee shall amount to no more than comming to Rome in the daies of Iubile or else to visit such a next Shrine and to say a few Aue-Marie's and Pater-noster's in honour of such a Saint Yet notwithstanding doth he acquit the conscience of euery such zealous Killer saying If any shall chance to kill Schismatikes whomsoeuer that are Excommunicate vpon an ardent zeale to their Catholike Mother meaning the Church of Rome wee doe not iudge them to be Murtherers Goe you now and complaine that you are vniustly persecuted or abandoned by Protestants out of seuerall Kingdomes seeing that they are all yearely Excommunicate at Rome for Heretikes and Schismatiks by the Bull of MAVNDY-THVRSDAY and consequently made Obnoxious vnto the blinde deuotion of euery Romish bloudy Assassine who may bee perswaded that he shal mâ—rit of God by the slaying of those supposed Schismatikes Thus much of the No-Resistance of Ancient Popes against Temporall gouernment II. Of the Reuerence acknowledged by holy Popes vnto Kings and Emperours as to their Superiors SECT 5. SVbiection challenged by Popes from Emperors as their Inferiors is the maine Subiect your later Popes haue insisted vpon as a Materiall Article of Faith euen in the point of Outward Reuerence as necessarily due vnto them by acknowledgment of a personall Subordination and Subiection vnto them But when we looke beyond this midle Region of After-times vnto the vpper spheare of Antiquitie we finde as great a difference betweene your later Popes and those Ancients as there is betweene Vp and Downe Then and Now Deposing of Emperours and yeelding Reuerence vnto them We seeke no other witnesses than your Binius and Baronius against whom we are sure you will take no exception In whom we finde Pope Liberius the First professing Patience in suffering indignities from the Emperour and intreating for mercie Pope Simplicius the First promising Continuall Reuerence to Christian Princes and supplicating the Emperour for fauour by this Legat Pope Leo the First making by the Empresse a supplication to the Emperour To command a Synod to be celebrated in Italy and yet he could not obtaine it Pope Gelasius the First confessing that Bishops are to obey the Lawes of Emperours Pope Hormisda the First taking notice of the Emperors Command of gathering a Councell as a motion from God and further acknowledging that hee had receiued warning and that he ought to be present thereat Pope Vigilius the First banished by the Emperour and suing for peace and fauour Pope Pelagius the First confessing and saying Holy Scripture commandeth vs to be subiect vnto Kings Pope Gregorie the First auowing himselfe to the Emperour in these words As for mee I performe obedience vnto your Commands whereunto I am subiect Pope Martyn the First praying the Emperour to Vouchsafe to read his letters Pope Agatho the First talking of the bending of the knees of his minde vnto the Emperour by Supplicating his Clemencie for Others Finally Pope Adrian the First Deuoting himselfe to the Emperour by Letters as one in supplication Fallen downe prostrate at the soles of his feet So your First Popes When we earnestly sought for some though but shadow of excuse of these Popes for betraying their right of Dominion and Soueraigntie ouer Kings and Emperours if any had bin due vnto themselues as is now challenged by your Popes at length wee light vpon your Bozius who would gladly say something but alas yeeldeth not so much as we haue sought for a shadow of excuse and yet whatsoeuer it is hee after his manner cannot deliuer it without much insultation If any Obiect saith hee that excellent honours haue sometimes beene yeelded of Popes vnto Kings and Emperours hee speaketh absurdly because these might and ought then to be performed in those dayes when Heathens were ignorant of the dignitie of the Church and were then by honour and dishonour to be won by Bishops to the Faith So he III. CHALLENGE IS it then absurd to obiect the Reuerence performed by ancient Popes vnto Emperours of their times is not rather the Answer now made fraught with many absurdities First because we haue not insisted onely vpon Examples of Heathenish times but of the times of Christian Emperors also Secondly because the Times whereof wee haue alleaged examples were not such wherein the dignitie of the Church of Rome was so ecclipsed obscured that it could not appeare to Infidels but contained the Ages from the persecuting Emperours for the space of 420. yeares down-ward within which time the Church of Rome was in her perfectest luster concerning which time the same Bozius propoundeth such is his modestie the Reuerence giuen by Emperours vnto the Bishops of the Church of Rome to be a note of the true Church Thirdly humility of Popes and Subiecting themselues to the Emperours was then a Motiue and Argument of drawing soules to the Romane Church how then shall not their after-Pride bee a meanes to alienate the hearts of Christians from it Doth the same Tree bring forth Figges and Thistles But lastly and principally because your Bozius hath altogether forgotten his Catechisme and the Article whereunto hee and you are both sworne namely The Church of
Rome and Bishâ—p thereof without subiection whereunto according to your Faith there is no saluation nor can any be saued that doth not beleeue the truth of this Article If therefore those ancient Popes beliefe had bin of a Subiection due vnto them from Emperours in such Causes wherein they by their practise of Humilitie Reuerence and Obedience denyed all such Right then should their Fact haue betrayed their Faith a faithlesnesse which wee you will pardon vs dare not impute vnto those holy ancient Popes In all these Instances you may obserue that wee haue alleaged onely such Popes who were the FIRST of their owne name because we would not be found superfluous yet these First because they must be so much the more aduantagious to warrant our Conclusion to wit that either must your Article of beleeuing such a Necessitie of Subiection damne so many and in your owne iudgements excellently godly and learned Popes of Ancient times or else must their profession condemne your Article of Noueltie and you consequently of Haeresie in beleeuing a Doctrine so Imposterous Scandalous Schismaticall and so manifoldly Blasphemous against so holy Emperours and Popes CHAP. XII Our Seauenth Argument is because this Article The Catholike Romane Church without beliefe whereof there is no Saluation damneth the most learned Saints and Martyrs that are placed in the Romane Calendar for Saints or Martyrs of Christs Church First from Saint Polycarpus SECT 1. POlycarpus Bishop of Smyrna is Registred a Saint in your Roman Calendar and indeede he was an excellent Saint of whom Ecclesiasticall Historie you know giueth so notable a Testimonie as shewing that hee was the Disciple of Iohn the Euangelist who being now brought to Martyrdome by the Proconsull his persecutor and being moued to sweare Heathenishly By Caesar answered saying I AM A CHRISTIAN being then threatned to be cast into the fire said This fire now flameth and will shortly be extinguished but there is an eternall fire prepared for the torment of the wicked which thou artignorant of being burnt in the fire he yeelded a smell as fragrant as the sweetest spices whom when the Iewes and Gentiles heard professing himselfe a Christian they cried out in their wrath saying This is the Doctor of Asia this is the Father of Christians c. Lastly this Polycarpus is hee by whose authoritie Polycrates in the fury of Pope Victor then Excommunicating all the Bishops of Asia that would not celebrate Easter according to the Romane Custome defended and iustified himselfe saying When Polycarpus came to Rome in the dayes of Anicetus Bishop of that See and fell into dispute about the time of Obseruation of the Feast of Easter yet could not Anicetus perswade Polycarpus to alter his Custome which he had kept with Saint Iohn and with other Apostles with whom he himselfe had beene conuersant and in the end both Anicetus and Polycarpus notwithstanding their dispute about these Rites did mutually communicate with each other Thus farre the Ecclesiasticall Storie CHALLENGE BY this it appeareth that Polycarpus and Polycrates were both of the same spirit to maintaine their old Custome of Easter notwithstanding whatsoeuer Opposition of the Bishop of Rome because they both tooke their Resolution from the same ground to wit an Apostolicall Custome of their Church so that Pope Anicetus could no more preuaile with Polycarpus by perswasion for Alteration thereof than Pope Victor could ouercome Polycrates by his Excommunication The difference then is not betweene the Two Asian Bishops Polycarpus and Palycrates for both had the same Resolution the onely difference is betweene the Two Popes viz. Anicetus notwithstanding this Contrarietie will hold Communion with Polycarpus but Victor will needs breake out into Excommunication against Polycrates and was freely reproued for his presumption by godly Fathers of those times You will say this was but a Question of Rites and a matter of small importance be it so But the meaner the matter is they contended about the mainer and more forcible is our Consequence by good Law of Logicke as for example your whole claime is that the Pope is the Bishop of Bishops and Spirituall Monarch in the whole Christian world and ouer Kings and Monarchs You know that in them Impetrare est Imperare their Couetings and desires are Commands If therefore Saint Polycarpus would not yeeld his consent at the much instancing of Pope Anicetus in as wee may so call it a trifle in respect it plainly argueth that hee ought the same Pope no Canonicall Obedience by Law of Discipline much lesse by Doctrine of Faith if any of the now new Romane Articles had beene imposed vpon him seeing that for all the perswasion which the Pope could vse he kept his owne Conclusion still Nor is it altogether nothing which you may obserue that when both Iewes and Heathen cryed out vpon him calling him in despight The Father of Christians as though there were no Bishop in Christianitie as Monarch aboue him he did not vtter one word in behalfe of the Pope and his Supreme Dignity aboue All other Bishops which doubtlesse hee ought to haue acknowledged if that this kinde of Appellation were as you teach so proper to the Pope as to be an Argument of his Primacie aboue all other Christian Bishops II. Saint Cyprian was Exoommunicated by Stephen Bishop of Rome for not beleeuing the Necessitie of Vnion with him SECT 2. SAint Cyprian is also one of the Saints inrolled in your Romane Calendar vnder the title of Confessor and Martyr This witnesse you doe as vehemently Obiect for defence of your former Romane Article as wee doe to impugne and confute it Your Obiection answered It is an horrour to any man of iudgement to see the violence which is offered by your Doctors vnto Saint Cyprian by racking his sentences and inforcing him to say in defence of Papall Primacy that which he neuer ment nor yet dreamed of For that which hee spake of his owne onely Authority against Schismatikes who troubled his Iurisdiction That soundeth in the preoccupation of your iudgements as though it concerned onely the Pope of Rome and where hee maketh One Vniuersall Bishopricke consisting of All Bishops equally one with another without any respect to Rome more than to any other Church That also ringeth in your eares the onely Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome All which your futilily is exactly confuted by an Author who will surely satisfie any confcionable Reader But Saint Cyprian writing to Pope Cornelius doubtlesse a godly Bishop among other allurements hee inserteth this Perfidiousnesse saith he cannot haue accesse to Rome the chaire of Peter Ergo saith your Cardinall Cyprian affirmed that neither the Pope nor the Church of Rome could possibly erre No Father of the Primitiue times is more vrged by you for proofe of this Conclusion than Saint Cyprian no Epistle more insisted vpon than this now cited no words more inculcated than these which we haue alleaged and