but in the Bull it selfe it is not sayd so It is true that it prohibites such appeales but the reason is because they haue reference to that which is not and of which there is no certaintie when it shall bee In the meane time the poore are oppressed by the mightie offences remaine vnpunished Rebellion is fostered against the first sea it is free for euery one to offend all Ecclesiasticall discipline and Hierarchicall orders are confounded where you may perceiue that Pius 2. doth not alleadge his superiority for a reason which had been an euident and pregnant argument because there is no appeale but to a Superiour Let no man reply that though it be not expressed yet it may be collected out of those wordes for there is no likelihoode that hee would so slightly passe ouer that which is most substantiall and insist with such diligence vpon so many thinges that are but accidentall Besides this before he doth alleadge these causes aboue mentioned he affirmeth that he omitteth others manifestly contrary to this corruption which argueth that the causes alleadged are the most principall and that the others are of lesse importance and therefore that poynt of Superioritie is of no force in this place Moreouer these wordes of our Author in the Councell of Mantua serue onely to abuse the Reader for it was neither done in a generall nor prouinciall nor any other Councell at all It is true that Pius the 2. was in Mantua as it lay in his way but he had no body with him saue onely his owne Court as by the wordes of the Bull it appeareth which sayth By the aduice and consent of our reuerend brethren the Cardinals of the holy Church of Rome and all the Prelates with the Ciuillians and Canonists which follow the Court But yet that which followeth in the Author is worse that Pius the 2. did excommunicate whomsoeuer should appeale from the Pope to the Councell And that Iulius the 2. did renew this Excommunication and that all the Popes succeeding them haue done the same in the Bull intituled In Coena If this Bull of Pius the 2. and that of Iulius the 2. and all the other Bulles of that title were not extant this Obiection would remaine vnanswered But I will maintaine that no Pope did euer excommunicate for appealing to a Councell Vnlesse it were to a future councell all these Bulls may be seen and read And because Poenae sunt restringende No Canonist will say that appellantes ad praesens concilium when any such is shal be excōmunicated by virtue of these Buls this then will not serue him to proue that the Pope is superiour to the councell But why did the author leaue out the word futurum If Gersons interpreter had committed such a fault what censure would haue beene thought seuere enough for him the reason of Pius 2. is good against those which do appeale to that which is not neither is it certaine when it shall bee that is a future councell but it is not good against appealing to a present councell and this is the reason that all Popes haue excōmunicated appellantes ad futurum concilium Let not vs then leaue out the word futurum howsoeuer our passions could bee contented to conceale it After this digression the author returnes once againe into Constance and saith that Pope Martin 5. with the consent of that councell did ordaine that they which should be suspected of heresie should be interrogated whether they did beleeue that the Pope had the Supreame power in the Church of God from whence he doth conclude that the councell did intend the Superiority to be in the Pope and that the decree in the 4. Ses is to be vnderstood of a Pope vncertaine according to his owne exposition for that otherwise the councell should be contrarie to it selfe but how this interrogation is vnderstood whereof the Pope and the councel do make mention let the author vouchsafe to peruse the 8. Ses where amongst the 45. condemned errours of Wickliff the 41. is Non est denecessitate salutis credere Romanā Ecclesiam esse supremam inter alias Ecclesias The councell followeth Error est si per Romanam Ecclesiam intelligat vniuersalem Ecclesiam aut Concilium vniuersale aut pro quanto negaret primatum summi Pontificis super alias Ecclesias particulares This one point being read doth make it manifest that the councell of Constance did intend that the Pope had the superiority ouer all churches seuered but not vnited And here the author leauing the councell of Constance walks another way Bellarmine and takes vpō him to proue by authority of scripturs by the consēt of councels and by reason that Gersons opinion is manifestly erronius saying But laying aside the councell of Constance it is most easie to bee proued by the authority of Scripture by Councells and by Reason that Gersons opinion is manifestly erronious The Scripture doth no where giue authority to the Church and to the councels aboue their Pastors much lesse aboue the supream Pastor but contrarily that Bishops are ordained to gouerne the Church of God appeareth Act. 20. where Saint Paul saith that God hath placed Bishops to gouerne the Church of God And by these wordes of our Sauiour in the 16. Mat. where he saith to his Viccar Super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam where Christ making Saint Peter the foundation of his Church did make him the head of that mysticall body for that which a foundation is in respect of a house the same the head is in respect of the body and we see that the head hath power ouer all the rest of the body but the rest of the body hath no power ouer the head In like manner Io. 21. when Christ said to Peter Pasce oues meas he made him sheapheard ouer all his flocke and doubtles the flocke hath no authority at all ouer the sheapheard but the sheapheard ouer the flocke Lastly where as our Sauiour Luc. 12. Quis est fidelis dispensator prudens quem constituit Dominus super familiam suam saith Doubtlesse hee doth declare that a Bishop in his particular Church and the Pope in the church vniuersall is as it were a high Steward in Gods family and as the high Steward hath authority ouer the familie and not the familie ouer him so hath the Bishop ouer his Dioces and the Pope ouer the Church vniuersall and not the Diocesse ouer the Bishop nor the Church ouer the Pope though assembled in a generall councell and to this end it is that our Sauior in the same place addeth these wordes Quod si dixerit Seruus ille in corde suo moram facit Dominus meus venire coeperit percutere seruos ancillas edere bibere inebriari veniet Dominus serui illius in die qua non sperat diuidet eum partemque eius cum infidelibus ponet Out of which words it may be gather'd that
when the high steward of Gods house doth mis-behaue himselfe it is not Gods pleasure that the familie should proceede against him but reserues to himselfe the power both to judge and punish him so that according to the Scripture the Church and consequently the Councell which is a representation of the Church hauing no power ouer the Pope it followeth that it is vnlawfull to appeale from the Pope to the Councell but contrarily that it is lawfull to appeal from the councell to the Pope There was no necessity of writing so much vpon this matter in regarde of those few words wherewithall Gerson hath touched it and for my part I would forbeare to alledge that which Gerson others of the same opinion do answere Frier Paulo were it not that I woulde not interrupt the course which is begun of handling euery pointe in that order which is obserued by the author First he affirmeth that the holy Scripture doth nowhere giue the Church power ouer the pastours much lesse ouer the supreame pastor to this Gerson answereth that our Sauior Christ sent S. Peter to the Church when he said vnto him dic Ecclesiae for Gerson in his time read the place according to the auncient Missall and not according to the newly corrected Respiciens Iesus in discipulos suos dixit Simoni Petro si peccauerit c. As the author may see both in his workes as also in the text of the scripture which hee alledgeth to this purpose But to proue that the contrary is to bee founde in the scripture the author doth alledge a place Act. 20. where S. Paul saith that God hath placed the Bishops to gouerne his Church be it that S. Paul saith so although in truth there bee great difference betweene Posuit vos Episcopos and posuit Episcopos But though that bee granted he can conclude nothing out of this place that the Pope is aboue the Church no otherwise then any other Bishop is But from hence a man might strongly conclude that all Bishops haue their authority immediately frō God which peraduenture would not be very pleasing to our author Who would euer haue inferred this consequence God hath placed Bishoppes to gouerne his Church ergo Papa est supra concilium but this had beene a strong inference God hath placed Bishops to gouerne his Church therfore if they do not gouerne it they do not discharge that office whereunto they are assigned This is a true proposition God hath placed a King to gouerne a kingdome doth it follow therfore that a king is superior to his whol kingdom assembled together the author anone will tell vs that it is no good consequence and certainely it is not good neither in our authours opinion nor in the opinion of Iohn Mariana the Iesuit but I may say truly that it holdeth not in all kingdomes In the second place he alledgeth Matthew 16. Super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam c. where he saith that Christ maketh Peter the foundation of his Church which as Gerson will not deny because S. Paul affirmeth that the Church is builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets And in the Apoc. the wall of Gods Citty hath twelue foundations with the name of the twelue Apostles so he will not beleeue that the authour would condemne another exposition which doth interpret super hanc Petram vpon Christ and vpon the confession of the faith of Christ especially seeing S. Augustine admitting both the expositions doth notwithstanding allow best of the second By this it doth appeare that the authour vppon a place of scripture which hath two interpretations and both probable will cull out that which serueth best for his purpose and make it absolutely a ground of an article But because it is true that Peter is a foundation is hee therefore superior to all the building Gerson will say it followeth not because hee is not a principall foundation but such a one as is it selfe founded vpon Christ and not a totall foundation but onely a twelfth part according to the meaning of the Apoc. And lesse then a 25. parte according to the meaning of S. Paul as concerning our authors comparison where he saith that when Christ maketh S. Peter the foundation of his Church he maketh him the head of his Church because a foundation to a building is the same which a head is to a body although it be true that S. Peter be a head notwithstanding the Analogie is not intelligible viz. that there should bee the same proportion betwixt a foundation a building as there is between a head and the body I do not see where it is possible to finde any part of this proportion who will say that as the foundation supporteth the house for that is the property of a foundation so the head supporteth the body this doth not hold Againe who vvill say that as the head giueth sense and motion to the body that the foundation doth so likevvise to the building vvhat then doth it communicate the propositions that wee entend to establish for doctrines ought not to be grounded vpon similitudes especially vpon such similitudes as are them selues grounded vpon similitudes but why do we trouble our selues with the proofes seeing we are both agreed of the conclusion that S. Peter is a head but what then the Illustriss Cardinall Pinelli is the head of the inquisition is he therefore superiour to the whole congregation of the inquisitors being assembled this followeth not in my vnderstanding vpon the like reason it is that Gerson will not admit this proposition viz. that the rest of the body hath no power ouer the head especially being such a head as the body it selfe hath constituted but as I said before articles are not to be grounded vpon similitudes In the 3. place he bringeth in Pace oues meas and lastly he to doth alleadge the 12. Luke Quis est fidelis dispensator prudens c. both which places Gerso will make one answer to wit that it cannot bee collected out of any place of Scripture that Christ instituting pastors in the Church hath exempted them from the Churches obedience shee being the common mother of all Christians as well Ecclesiasticall as secular the practise of those times which were freest from corruption euen when the holy Martyrs were Bishops was that Pastors were subiect to the censure of the Church whereof Saint Cyprian Lib. 1. Cap. 4. giueth an expresse testimony where speaking of the people he saith Quando ipsa maxime habeat potestatem vel eligendi dignos Sacerdotes velindignos recusandi quod ipsum videmus de diuina auctoritate descendere vt Sacerdos plebe praesente sub omnium oculis deligatur c. Lib. 1. Epist 4. Our Author affirmeth that Christ doth euidently declare that a Bishoppe in his particular Church and the Pope in the Church vniuersall is as it were a high Steward in Gods family and hath power ouer the family and not
authority in Ecclesiasticall affaires equall to old Rome and to haue the next place after her The Canon being read together with the subscription one of the Legates said you see with what subtilty holy Bishops are dealt with all in that they haue bin enforced to subscribe without producing the copie of the Canon whereof they haue made mention The Bishops cryed out no man is enforced and the contention being prosecuted the Iudges did order that both the parties should propound the Canons the sixt Canon of the Nicene councel was read in the behalfe of the Romanes and in the behalfe of the Constantinopolitās the reading was different for in that which the Romans read these words were in the beginning of it Quod Ecclesia Romana sēper habuit primatum which are not in the other copies after this a Canon being read of the councel of Cōstantinople the Bishops reasoned sufficiently finally the Iudges demanded of thē what was their opinion whereunto they answered that that which was determined was iust one of the Romane Legates did protest that either the decree might be annihilated or that his protestation might be recorded against it let the reader therefore Iudge what opinion the councell of Calcedon held of the Popes superiority As to the Romane councell vnder Simachus the Parisians doe not deny that the Popes of Rome haue held that they ought not to be iudged of any also that the prouincial councels they haue assembled in Rome haue not confirmed the same but they say with all that neuer any Roman councel neither this fift nor any other came to specification that the Pope may not bee iudged of a general councel and when they say that the Pope can bee iudged of none they vnderstand that hee can bee iudged of none that hath not generall authority in the Church For the Pope hauing generall authority it stands not with reason that he should bee iudged by him that hath but particular authority wherewith they answere also to the history which he alledgeth of Leo the third But here I am inforced to set downe a little thing of mine own Paulus Emilius in the third of his history reporteth this fact Where yet it shal not be found that he saith there being assembled a great councell of Bishoppes as the author maketh him speake He saith simply first that Charles sent Leo to Rome with many Bishoppes and secular noblemen and enterteined himselfe elswhere about publique businesse Afterwarde hee went to Rome and there heard the accusations against the Pope and hauing diligently examined them hee required their opinion and the Bishops made answere that it were well that the Pope should iudge himselfe and it was acceptable to Charles to bee deliuered from proceeding to that iudgment Let the author read the place and hee shall see no mention there of a councell and that it was rather a conuocation of the imperiall councell where were both seculars and Bishops and that the Bishops did fauour the cause of the Pope And let the author also remember himselfe that hee opposed before against the decree of Constance because there was no debaiting of the matter before hand and let him not here plant such a maine foundation of a thing which was spoken by some Bishops in a particular fact thus assembled and hauing their opinion vnpremeditately demaunded For peraduenture the Popes innocency being known vnto them they spake by way of exaggeration not therefore will Gerson say to the preiudice of generall councels which represent the Church vniuersall and haue vniuersall authoritie But see Reader the cunning of our author Who saith that the first councell of Rome vnder Pope Simachus approued as their owne decree that sentence of Ennodius aliorum hominum causas c. It shall neuer bee found in that councell that that sentence was particularly approued no nor yet so much as mentioned It will bee found indeede that the councell saide let a little booke bee brought hether which hath beene written by Ennodius against them which haue murmured against our fourth Sinod and it beeing read the councell saide let the booke bee held of all men for most sound and for Sinodical and let it be entred amongst the actions of our fourth and fift Sinods Integerrime Synodaliter and let it be held as the other decrees of the Sinodal actions because it is written and confirmed with Sinodall authority And Pope Simachus answered bee it done according to your will and bee it placed among the decrees Apostolicall and held for such Here say the Parisians that it is to be vnderstood that by decrees Synodall or actions Synodal or decrees Apostolicall is not ment a Canon which can determine an article as de fide that is to bee held for matter of Faith But all the Epistles of a Pope entred in the Register are called the decrees of such a Pope and hee that shall peruse the book of Councells shall see this inscription vpon euery Pope The decrees of Pope N. and then his election his life and afterward his Epistles if there be any And likewise in the Councels he shall see that their actions containe many communications of interchanged speaches yea not fore-thought on somtimes the epistles of sundry persōs al which things are not de fide neither doth any man receiue them for such No man can possibly say that the Popes epistles especially before Siricius nor all that which at this day is found contained in so many narrations of the Actes of the councell of Ephesus of Calcedon and other ensuing is de fide The determinations of Councels are receiued which in the auncient for the most part will not passe one or two sheetes whereas their actions will containe fortie or fifty And concerning the Papall decrees their greater part conteineth no other matter saue such as doth not concerne the Faith Sometimes in a long epistle there shall be one onely Article as in that most famous and most holy epistle of Saint Leo to Flauian Wherefore there is great ods to say such a proposition of Ennodius was approued which would intend that it were approued as an Article of faith or Ennodius booke was approued which intends no more saue that it is a good book made to good purpose but not that whatsoeuer is in it should be de fide to establish well this answere it might bee said to the author This booke is of many sheets printed in folio it conteineth aboue 200. Propositiones among which that is one which the author produceth It is demaunded whether they will that they be all de fide and it shall be shewed him that there is some there that is not such If he will not accept them all as being de fide what reason why hee would haue this to be de fide and not the rest Hee hath thought to escape this obiection by telling vs that one onely sentence of Ennodius was approued Let vs speake frankly the
giue him the seat c. and hee shall raigne for euer This is that you chose not me but I chose you This is the kingdome in the Apocalips and thou hast made vs to our God a kingdom This Christ is the Father of the family who is owner of it and it his child and seruant Which for that it is composed of visible men the Father himselfe would that it should bee gouerned also by a man visible and hath appointed the authority which hee should haue and instituted one of them before the Church was founded but for the residue of time after it was founded hath left on earth the power to choose a successour Now with this doctrine which I am assured the author will admit yea rather will say that without it no man is Catholique the reason is answered that the Church is not a commonwealth as Venice or as Geneua which giue as much authority as themselues please to their Duke nor a kingdom which may chaunge the manner of gouerning it neither inuisibly nor visibly because that Christ hath prescribed the manner much lesse is it such a kingdom as France which hath a bloud royall where the Kings succeede by birth neither as some other by testament but as touching the inward gouernment and meerely spirituall it is not like vnto any because it hath a perpetuall and immortall King In the visible gouernment it hath a Minister as concerning his authority instituted by Christ and vndepending of the Church as concerning the application of the authority to the person electiue and depending of it Wherefore when he alledgeth and I am constituted a King by him Our Lord God shall giue him you chose not me Thou hast made vs to our God a kingdome All these places and such like others are meant of the inuisible kingdom the spirituall interior where the Pope hath no gouernment at all but onely the Sauiour which knoweth the hearts and can inflowe into them and bestow on them the graces and guifts whereby they are made Citizens of the heauenly Ierusalem Christ also is that Father of the family which depeÌ„ds not of it The high Bishop is a seruant â—et ouer the family by the Fathers therof in respect of the authority but which the family it selfe hath placed ouer it selfe in respect of the election of the person So as touching the authority it is from Christ as touching the application it is from the Church But the Author maketh the Church a family depending of the Father whom he acknowledgeth to be Christ and this beeing setled hee concludeth that the Father doth not depend of the family nor hath his authority from it Therefore the Pope cannot be subiect to the Church and passeth froÌ„ the father of the family which is Christ to the steward elected by the family it selfe which is the Pope Let him stand firme in the similitude for he shal neuer find in the Gospell that any other is called father of the family but God the father or else Christ his Son by nature The minister is a seruant it is not fit to attribute the proprietie of God to another For which cause the example serues meruailously for Gerson as also the example which the author brings of a Vice-roy is much for the same purpose If a King of France as S Lewis the 9. should go to the conquest of the holy land shold say to the kingdome I leaue you my cosin for Viceroy with authority to administer iustice but not to make lawes not to assemble the states c. and in case he happen to faile choose ye another in his place with the same authority the authority of the elected should be from the King and master the person which the kingdome should choose should be subiect to the kingdom This is that which Gerson teacheth throughout all his works where it is seene that verily the force of the reason concludeth for him Out of the things abouesaid I will not conclude that the opinion of Gerson in this point of the supreame power Ecclesiastical either is true or is false but onely that the authors conclusion that Gerson is deceiued and that he is deceiued that doth follow him and goeth contrary to the doctrine of the holy scriptures of the sacred Councels and of manifest reason hath need of other proofes then those abouesaide The Author proceedeth Bellarmine And if he should say that which Gerson himselfe wont to say that it is written in Saint Mathew in the 18. chapter tell the Church And if hee will not heare the Church let him bee to thee as the Heathen and the Publican I would answere that in that place by the Church is ment the Prelate who is the head of the Church and so doth Saint Iohn Chrysostom expound it Homilia 61. in Mathew and Pope Innocent 3. cap. Nouit de iudiciis and so doth the practize of the vniuersall Church of all the world and of all times declare that he who will denounce a sinner to the Church and obserue this precept doth not assemble a Councell but hath recourse to the Bishop or to his vicar It is not sufficient to the Author to haue disputed with Gerson but he also giues solution to his reasons But in this place of many which Gerson bringeth and deduceth Frier Paolo the author contenteth himselfe to produce one onely and to dissolue it And this is taken from the authority of Saint Mathew tell the Church vnto which hee answereth the Church that is the Prelate and of this exposition hee maketh Chrysostome the author although the Parisians say that Chrysostom doth not say so but it seemes when a thing is accustomed to bee alleadged euery man alleadgeth it without once viewing it Chrysostome expoundeth tell the Church namely the Bishoppes and Praefidents This is that which Gerson saith to the Church representatiuely because it being not possible to assemble the whole it be comes represented by the assembly of Bishops and Praesidents And therefore they adde that vnder the name of the Church their cannot bee ment one person For in vaine should that ensue If two of you shall consent vpon earth concerning euery thing whatsoeuer they shall aske it shall bee done to them of my Father which is in heauen For where there bee two or three gathered in my name there am I in the midst of them And for confirmation of this sense they bring that Saint Paul who receiued the information against the incestuous there is plainely heard fornication among you c. It followeth I indeede absent in body but present in spirit haue already iudged as present him that hath so doone in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ you beeing gathered together and my spirit with the vertue of our Lord Iesus to deliuer such an one to Satan Where they note that Saint Paul who was then in Philippi did not write by his Briefe I excomunicate such an one but wrote to the Church that beeing
against Stephen And of Sergius the 3. against Iohn 9. And in like sort if he had obeyed Celestin 3. when he taught this doctrine that marriage might be dissolued for heresye nay he had vndoubtedly sinned that had obeyed Iohn 22. and beleeued for obedience sake that the soules of the saintes deceased did not see gods face All which I haue heere breifly touched to let the reader see that this assersion that Christian liberty may be lost by disobeying the Pope but not by obeying him may very well carry a good shew but that it is with all deceiptfull and captious beeing deliuered in such a generality and vnlesse it be limitted with this restriction when he commandes according to gods law fourthly where he saith that no Pope did euer attempt to change the forme of gouernment in the Citie of Venice I will be bold to put the auctor in minde that it is very much that he vndertakes to pronounce an absolute negatiue in a point of ecclesiasticall history for the space of nine hundred yeares during which time there haue beene about nine hundred and fourty Popes since the first began to intermedle with temporall matters of which number as it is true that the most part haue fauoured that state so yet can it not bee truely sayd of them all although it hath pleased the diuine prouideÌ„ce almost miraculously to protect and preserue the liberty thereof euen when it was apparant that some did labour mightily to ouerthrow it vtterly And further it may be well replied vnto him that it seemes strange and not to be endured That noe Pope hauing euer before this time according to the authors owne saying attempted or preteÌ„ded to desire to alter the gouernment of that common wealth This Pope should be now so peremptory and confident that he may doe it by offering as he doth to intermedle with the making of their lawes which is the very life and soule of ciuill gouernment At last the author passing ouer that which made not much to the purpose is contented to acknowledge that the translator speakes here of the liberty of a soueraigne Prince which among other things consisteth in making lawes necessary for the good gouernment of his state and punishing offendors And thus he goeth on There remaineth only that liberty which belongeth to an absolute Prince that acknowledgeth no superiour in temporall matters and of this kinde of liberty it is likely that the author of the preface speaketh But out of all question he is deceiued in saying that the Popes holinesse sends out excommunications against the state of Venice for refusing to subiect the liberty which God hath giuen them to the will of another And if any man obiect that to make lawes punish offendors is the proper right of absolute Princes and yet Pope Paule the fift excommunicates the heads and principall officers of the coÌ„mon wealth of Venice because they will not obey him in disanulling recalling some lawes they haue made in temporall matters in setting at libertie certaine offendors which they had put in prison I answere that Pope Paule the fift excommucates the heades of that common wealth for refusing to obey him in disanulling not all lawes or any lawe concerning temporall matters but vniust wicked lawes made in preiudice of the Church and with great offence to God and their neighbour And who can or will deny if he be a true Catholick that the Pope hath authority as vniuersall pastour to rebuke reprooue any Prince or state for their sins if they refuse to obey to compell them vnto it by ecclesiasticall censures For accordingly we see that S. Gregory did very sharply reprooue tht Emperour Mauritius for a law which he had made that was preiudiciall to Gods seruice And Innocent the third as wee may reade in the chapter Nouit de iudicijs doth plainly determine that it belongeth to the Pope to censure the sinnes and offences of all the Princes of the world Non intendimus saith he iudicare de feodo cuius ad ipsum regem viz. spectat iudicium sed decernere de peccato cuius ad nos pertinet sine dubitatione censura quam in quemlibet exercere possumus debemus And a little after Cum non humanae constitutioni sed diuinae potius innitamur quia potestas nostra non est ex homine sed ex deo nullus qui sit sanae mentis ignorat quin ad officium nostrum spectet de quocunque mortali peccato corripere quemlibet Christianum si correptionem contempserit per districtionem ecclesiasticam coercere Sea forsitan dicetur quod aliter cum regibus aliter cum alijs est agendum Caterum scriptum legimus in lege diuina ita magnum iudicabis vt paruum nec erit apud te except to personarum Hitherto are the very words of Pope Innocent And Pope Boniface in the extrauagant vnam sanctam de maiorit obedient Saith very well that the temporall authority when it erreth ought to be â—â—formed and rectified by the spirituall power For although a temporall prince that is absolute acknowledgeth no other temporall Prince for his superiour yet if he be a Christian he must of force acknowledge the head of all Christendome which is the Pope Christs vicar in earth to be his Superiour which Soueraigne Bishop or Pope because his chiefe end and care is the spirituall good of mens soules doth not therefore intermedle in the gouernment of temporall princes as long as they vse not their authority to the hurt of their owne soules and their subiects or to the preiudice of Christian religion But when they do the contrary hee both may and ought to put to his hand and to bring them into the right way againe And he that beleeues not this is no true Catholike and if any man shall obiect that those lawes of the Venetians containe in them neither sinne nor hurt to the Church I will answere him that to determine whether any law do containe sin or preiudice to the Church or not belongs likewise to the Pope who is the supreme and highest Iudge of all euen as to iudge whether a ciuill contract offend in the sinne of vsury belongs properly to the same ecclesiasticall Iudge to whom the cognisance of sins generally appertaineth So the Popes Holines blames not the Venetians for punishing their subiects that offend but because they presume to lay hands vpon ecclesiasticall persons which are subiect to no superiour but spirituall make no reckoning of the sacred Canons of the grieuous censures denounced against all such as lay hands vpon persons consecrated to God Therfore whosoeuer will rightly consider of this point without passion shall finde that the Pope goeth not about to bereaue the State of Venice of any other liberty but the liberty to do euill which is not giuen of God but of the diuell and our owne corrupt nature and is the selfe same thing with the bondage of
point concerning the sufficiencie of the decree made touching censures we should haue beene freed of much labour if as well the acts as the decrees of the councell had beene printed To this day if any acts of the Councell of Ephesus be found which was at least 1200. yeares agoe or of the Councell of Nice which is more auncient they are embraced and receaued with all greadinesse The acts of the holy Councell of Trent are extant I leaue it to the authors great wisedoÌ„e to iudge whether it were not good they were published Sure I am that they would resolue and cleare this doubt we haue in hand To the second obiection I could haue wished that he which is so curious to finde faults in the translation of Gerson would haue beene more exact faithfull in translating the words of the Councell The Councell saith Nefas sit seculaeri cuilibet magistratus The author interprets it thus let lay men take heed eueÌ„ those which are placed in publicke authoryty I suppose that any grammar scoller will expound Saeculari cuilibet magistratui for any secular magistrate and not for lay men euen those which are placed in publike office so that of priuat persons there is nothing spoken but the translator of Gerson desired instruction for deuout and religious coÌ„sciences and not for magistrates and the author hath added these words lay men to include priuate persons contrary to the meaning of the Councell Those other words likewise Sub praetextu quod contenta in praesenti decreto non sunt obseruata are not truely rendred by him in these words vpon pretence that it is not done orderly and according to the due forme he should haue sayd thus vpon pretence that the things are not obserued which are contayned in this present decree for there are many other due formes and rules in Saint Mathew Saint Paulâ— and S. Augustine which are not contayned in the decrees of that Councel The Councell forbiddeth lay magistrates that they shall not by their authority commaund any excommunication that is denounced to be reuoked vpon pretence that all things were not therein obserued that are contayned in that decree But if some other things be omitted which ought to be obserued the councell doth not determine whether in such cases lay magistrates may commaund the censure to be reuoked And peraduenture in some case they may according as they vse to doe in the Parliaments of France It is euident therefore that the councell hath giuen no instruction to deuoute and religious consciences that is to such as are vniustly excommunicated and to them which liue among them who are to conuerse and communicate with them what their duty is in that case which is the point that Gersons translator desired But after the Author hath alleaged the words of the councell Nefas autem sit saeculari cuilibet magistratui prohibere ecclesiastico Iudici ne quem excommunicet aut mandare vt latam excommunicationem reuocet sub praetextu quod contenta in praesenti decreto non sint obseruata cum non ad seculares sed ecclesiasticos haec cognitio pertineat thus he goeth on These are the words of the holy councell which hath prouided for euery thing and hath taught vs that the office and duety of secular magistrates is not to resist with force and violence the publishing of excommunications as the magistrates of the common wealth of Venice do at this time Here I cannot choose but be much amased The councell saith that the magistrate ought not either to forbid ecclesiasticall Iudges to excommunicate or to commaund them to reuoke their excoÌ„munication when it is denounced The Author saith that it commaunds them not to resist the publication of an excommunication with force These things are as different as heauen and earth for the publication may be hindred without either forbidding the sentence of excommunication to be pronounced or commanding it to bee reuoked when it is pronounced The one is an act of power and iurisdiction ouer him that doth excommunicate the other an act of naturall defence which requires no iurisdiction at all doth not only appertaine to magistrates but to priuate men also as wee may see in Caitan Soto and Victoria who doe all intreat at large of the resistance that both priuate men and secular magistrates ought to make against all vnlawfull commandements especially the Popes And with them agreeth also Cardinall Bellarmine in his treatise de Romano Pontifice written in a time when this controuersie not beeing as yet begun he iudged without all passion and parciality where then doth there appeare or whence is there proued any such vntruth as the Author affirmeth that Gersons translator hath vttered against the counsell and that other point that if he had read out the whole decree hee should haue found c. So in conclusion the obiection that is made against the translator in this point is grounded onely vpon three vntrue and improper interpretations made by the Author contrary to the true sense and words of the Councell But let vs passe to the fourth point where he saith But the Author of this translation proceedeth and saith And whiles not finding that which I sought for Bellarmine I turned ouer many Authors I chaunced among the rest to light vpon Iohn Gerson a most Christian Doctor worthy of eternall memorie â—tc It cannot be denyed but Iohn Gerson was a Doctor of very great learning and piety but the vnhappines of those times by reason of the long continuance of the scisme in the Church of Rome gaue occasion to that Doctor as well as to some other of that age to thinke somewhat vnderfoote of the authority of the Apostolick seat Because that while they sought by meanes of the generall Councell to remedie the scisme to induce the Popes of seueral obediences to submit their claimes pretensions to the Councels declaratioÌ„ hereupon they set themselues to intrance the authority of CouÌ„cells beyond mesure as much to debase that of the supreme Bishop And hereupon it grew that they fell into manifest errors contrary to the holy Scriptures and to the generall iudgment of the diuines that haue beene before and since so that Gersons Authority in those matters which concerne the Popes power is not of any moment and there were enow other writers more sound which might haue beene quoted to giue vs to vnderstand how farre the force of an excommunication extends as are Saint Thomas S. Bonauenture S. Antonine and infinit others without bringing in an Author suspected yea and apparantly erroneous in the point that is now in question It had beene good dealing in the Author since he hath reported some of the honourable titles which the Interpreter giues to Gerson to haue put them downe all that so the obiection which he makes against him of beeing a debaser of the supreme Bishops authority might happily haue beene refuted For if he had adioyned the opinion which
hee come not to knowe that the Superiour himselfe holds it doubtfull as well as he 7 The seuenth consideration is Gerson that to discouer aright the contempt of the keyes we must obserue the lawfull power and withall the lawfull vse of this power and therefore that same common saying that the sentence of the Pastor or of the Iudge it ought to be feared yea though it be vniust it needes a good glose This is a good consideration Bellarmine and the glosse of that common saying it is extant in the sacred cannons among which also is the verie same saying viz. in Gratians decreetum causa 11. quaestione tertia and that in sundry Chapters And the summe of all is that the Pastors sentence is to bee feared when it is vniust so it bee of force and good in Law as when there wants not any one essentiall part but onely some accidentall matter for example a lawfull Prelate excommunicates one that is vnder his iurisdiction for a iust cause hauing before admonished and aduised him but he doth not excommunicate him for pure zeale of iustice but for some particular grudge he beares him or he doth not warne him three times or he doth not put downe the sentence in scriptis this excommunication is vniust but it is strong in law therefore ought to be feared Yea admit yet further that it were indeed voide but the inualiditie were not knowen here it ought likewise to be feared at least in respect of the scandall I doe not straine my selfe to prooue these things for that they are cleare such as Gerson himselfe would not denie them And from this consideration any man may gather that the sentence of of our Lord Paulus Quintus published against the heads of the State of Venice hath all the requisites aswell essentiall as accidentall and ought therefore to be feared it beeing not onely of validitie but most iust withall For if you looke into the lawfulnesse of authority you shall finde that there is a supreame power giuen him from God and most vniuersall ouer all them which pretend to bee sheepe of Christs flock and members of the mysticall body of the Church and citisens of Gods citie and domestiques in the house of the same God That the power is vniuersall it is cleerely seene in those words Quodcunque ligaueris quodounque Solueris Math. 16. And that it is ouerall it is seene in those other words pasce oxes meas Iohn 21. Where it is not restrayned to these or those sheepe but includeth all those that are his and hee that beleeues not this is no Catholick If you looke into the lawfull vse of this power you shall finde that there wanted not diuerse admonitions nor any of those things which the order of iudgment requires Finally if you looke into the cause you shall finde that it was in defence of the Churches immunitie which the sacred councell of Trent Sess 25. Cap. 20. affirmeth to bee founded vpon diuine ordination and vpon the constitutions of the holy canons and for which wee knowe that many holy prelates haue combated euen to the death God hath honoured Saint Thomas of Canterbury with infinite miracles hath declared him to be his owne true Martyr as the Church also declared him to be afterward for hauing spilt his bloud for the liberty of the same Church Frier Paulo In this seuenth consideration it pleased the Author to bring in the Glosse vpon that common saying That the sentence of the Pastor or of the iudge it is to be feared yea though it be vniust which Gerson thought good to let passe as a glosse most knowne and handled of all the Doctors Yea further I for my parte doe not onely subscribe to that which the Author saies but I adde this more that euen such a sentence as is notoriously voyde in lawe ought notwithstanding to be feared after a sorte that is to say wee ought not proudly to disdaine and contemne it but with modesty and reuerence to hinder the execution of it But howsoeuer the glosse he brings in conteine good Doctrine yet is not the consequence for all that currant which he would collect thereupon that therefore the Popes sentence which is now in question hath all the due requisites aswell essentiall as accidentall and that it is not onely in force but withall most iust This hee proues thus If you inquire into the lawfulnes of the authority you shall finde that there is a supreame yea and that a most vniuersall authority giuen him frō God which is proued by Quod cūque ligaueris and by Pasce oues meas Iohn 21. If it be taken in the right sense such as be Catholicks make no difficultie to admit of this proposition but this same new termed Vniuersalium most vniversall is one of those ambiguous words which though it be first broght in in a good sense that is to say bounded limited in things only belonging to the kingdom heauen and to the edification of the Church according to the Euangelicall rules yet in tract of time it will after extend and straine it selfe further euen to mundane and worldly matters S. Gregory lib. 7. epist 30. held this very word for suspicious and in exceeding iealousie when he was styled Papa vniuersalis and he said it was a proud title and imported as much as if he were the onely Bishop and no other man were Bishop but he And so to haue authoritie most vniuersall is after a sort to say if Saint Gregories discourse may be allowed that there is no other authority but it For if the stile of vniuersall Bishop take away other Bishops Ergo a most vniuersall authority must needs take away all other authorities But we will not contend about the word so that they wil giue it it owne true meaning Let vs consider now how this most vniuersall authoritie is proued It is said to Peter and in his person to all Popes Quodcunque ligauereis c. Quodcunque solueris c. Ergo their authoritie is vniuersall But in the 18. of Mathew it is said to all the Disciples and in their person to their successors Quaecunque ligaueritis c. Quaecunque solueritis c. Ergo there shall be sundrie most vniuersall authorities which implies a flat cōtradiction Indeed the Quodcunque is vniuersall but it is bounded and restrained by the words before Claues regni coelorum All that perteins to the kingdome of heauen is subiect to Peter who doubts it but that which appertaines to the kingdoms of the earth Christ cōmitted it not to him The other profe by Pasce oues meas it is indeed vniuersall in respect of Oues meas but god denieth by Ezechiel in his 34. that to cloth our selues with the wool of his sheep is to feed them he denieth that to dominier ouer thē cum austeritate cum potentia is to feed them he denies that to drink the clear water by our selus
the family ouer him Saint Cyprian saith that the supreame power of choosing such Priests as are worthie and refusing vnworthy doth principally rest in the people and if the author will read the place he shall perceiue that hee speaketh of Bishoppes particularly though in the wordes alledged he mentioned Priests and withall that it is not onely Cyprians Epistle but the Epistle of 36. Bishoppes and written to the common people of Leon Asturia and Emerita and if hee will let him read the 14. Epistle of the 3. Booke such authorities as these wee ought to alledge for the maintenance of our cause and not come in with such misticall and those inforced explications as the author doth in this place where if he had bin disposed to deale sincerely hee should haue alledged that place of Saint Luke intirely Quis putat est fidelis dispensator prudens quem constituit Dominus super familiam suam vt det illis in tempore tritici mensuram and then it maketh against the author for this seruant cannot bee a generall dispenâ—er of all the Lords treasure to whom he hath committed nothing saue onely the distribution of the Corne there are many other things to bee distributed as meat drinke and apparrell all which his Lord will commit vnto him if hee behaue himselfe faithfully in this particular office for thus he saith Beatus ille Seruus quem cum venerit dominus inuenerit ita facientem vere dico vobis quoniam super omnia quae possidet constituet illum Let him read the place and see whether it can receiue any other interpretation If either the Pope or any other to whome the charge of all thinges is already committed be that faithfull Steward what are those other thinges which shal afterwardes bee committed vnto him for hauing so wel discharged his duty in this administration if the author will say that wee are to vnderstand those wordes of the Coelestiall Paradise wee must answere that the charge thereof is peculiar to Christ and the Angels the holy Popes entring into the kingdome of heauen receiue from God a rewarde of their labours but their gouernments they leaue behinde them and are for euer exempted from labour as for the wordes that follow Quod si dixerit seruus ille in corde suo c. From whence the author will gather that if Gods high Steward doth misbehaue himselfe hee reserueth the punishment of him to himselfe and will not impart it to his family I answere that the consequence doth not hold in all Stewards neither can the example which hee bringeth of a vice roy availe him to this purpose it is one thing when the father of a family being absolute Lord of it doth commit the gouernment to another but if the father of the family shall giue leaue to his family to choose them a gouernour with such and so great authority ouer their Maisters treasure as hee himselfe shall set downe it is a case of far different consideration in like sort different it is when a King who hath no dependence of his kingdomes shal constitute a Vice-roy and when he giueth leaue to his subiects to choose theÌ„ one with such authority as hee himselfe shall prescribe for in the first case I acknowledge that the family hath no power ouer their gouernour nor the subiects ouer the Vice-roy but in the 2. case as the family hath power to institute him so hath it also power to censure his actions And the subiects in like sort the actions of the Vice-roy and as the Cardinall Bellarmine saith that the authority which the Church hath of choosing the Pope is nothing els but an applying of the power to the person so Gerson in his book which he writeth vpon this occasion saith that when the Church doth iudge the Pope it doth no more but separate the power from that person if Christ had so instituted the Popes as it should haue bin in their powers to appoint their successors peraduenture that might haue followed which the author would inferre that the Church should haue no power ouer the Pope but hee which affirmeth that God hath giuen power to the Church to annexe power to the person should also haue shewed that it hath not the selfe same authority to remoue it but the common doctrine that the pope hath no authority of electing a successor doth euedently declare that he is not a gouernor of the first sort deputed immediatly from the father of the family but of the secoÌ„d elected of the family by the fathers appointment and with this doctrine doth Gerson answere that of Pasce oues meas and all other places of Scripture like vnto it Namelie that although hee which is by the owner appointed to bee ouer the flocke is not subiect to the flocke yet if it be such a flocke as hath power to chuse a sheepheard the sheapheard when he is chosen shall be subiect vnto it the faithfull flocke of Christ ought to resemble sheepe in humblenesse and innocencie yet ought they not to be so sheepish or foolish as to forgoe the authority which their owner hath bestowed vpon them either of choosing them a good sheapheard or of judging a wicked Saint Augustine doth proue with reasons vnanswerable that doctrines are to be grounded only vpon the literall sense of the scripture and not vpon any mysticall interpretation whosoeuer will read all that chapter shall easily vnderstand the meaning of our Sauiour and the literall sense of the Gospell Hee spake to his disciples and consequently to all Christians beginning at those words about the middle of the chapter dixitque ad discipulos suos that they should not take thought for the things of this world because God had prepared another kingdome for them that they should be watchfull in wel doing as not knowing wheÌ„ the Lord will cal that if the goodman of the house knew at what hower the thiefe would come hee should find him watching in like sort they should be prepared because Christ will come at an hower when we thinke not then Peter said vnto him Master tellest thou this parable to vs or euen to all Christ replied who thinkest thou is that dispensator fidelis prudens c. inferring therby that he spake to all whereas if it had bin spoken onely to his Viccar it would follow that the commaundement of watching of not regarding the thinges of this world of waiting for the kingdome of heauen and the vnexpected comming of Christ should haue beene giuen to him alone but because such commaundements as these are equally giuen to all the faithfull the litterall meaning is that they all are these faithfull stewards which God hath commaunded to exercise their charity by imparting their goods and other abilities which God hath bestowed vpon them to the rest of his familie this is that measure of wheate and that office for the faithfull administration whereof God will multiplie his blessinges vpon them this then as all interpreters
do agree is the litterall sense of this place howbeit besides this generall exposition some men with an argument a minori do as it were by a singularity applie it to the pastors but the author doth well to conceale that all the fathers when they apply this place to the pastors add these words also Quod si coeperit percutere seruos ancillas edere bibere inebriari c. and make long digressions against their faults and errours And peraduenture this percutere seruos ancillas is that which wee see is come to passe in the present occasion Gerson therefore will not denie but this parable spoken to all but more especially to Pastors is most properlie to be appplied to the Pope and therefore let it be saide vnto him that if he giue himselfe ouer to surfetting and to iniury his neighbours the Lord will come and punish him when he lookes not for him howbeit we cannot conclude that he is therefore subiect to no other punishment for by that reason it would follow that no fornicatour or adulterer could bee punished of men because it is written Hebreues 13. Fornicarios adulteros iudicabit Dominus by that reason no sinne is punishable by man because it is written iustum impium iudicabit Dominus Ecclesiast 3. in like sort it is not permitted to meÌ„ to judge because our Sauiour in the 5. of Iohn saith Omne iudicium dedit filio it is not well that the scripture should be thus wrested and peruerted all these texts are to be vnderstood of the iudgement of the world to come wheruÌ„to it is not repugnaÌ„t that there shold be punishmeÌ„ts in this world both Ciuil Ecclesiastical neither is there any commoÌ„ persoÌ„ so ignorant but doth vnderstand that these ordinary phrases God shall iudge God shall punish c. tend not to the excluding of humaine iudgements and corrections and thus we see that this text serueth not to proue that the Pope is exempted from the ceÌ„sure of the Church and consequently of the councell and Gerson doth not insist vpon the parable but vpon the litteral sense of the place now let vs examine our authors other proofes wherein he proceedeth after this manner Vnto this truth which we haue proued by Scriptures Bellarmine the sacred Councels do also beare witnesse at what time Pope Saint Marcelinus for feare of death committed that sinne of offering sacrifice to Idols A great Councell was assembled in Sinuessa to treate of that matter but al that councell did acknowledge that it had no power to censure the Pope Prima sedes a nemine iudicabitur of this councell Pope Nicolas doth make mention in his epistle to the Emperour Michaell in like sort a Romane Councell assembled by the Pope Sainte Siluester in the last Canon of it doth declare that the first Sea namely the Sea of Rome is not to bee judged of any the Councell of Calcedon which is one of the foure first generall councels in the 3. Act of it condemned Dioscorus the Patriarch of Alexandria together with the whole second Councell of Ephesus because they tooke vpon them to iudge the Pope of Rome Now if that Patriarch which after the Pope possesseth the highest place in the church together with the whole Councell haue no authority to iudge the Pope it plainely followeth that the Councell is not aboue the Pope otherwise they might haue iudged him After this the 5. Roman Councell vnder Pope Simachus approued that opinion of Ennodius as if it had beene an opinion of their owne Aliorum hominum causas Deus voluit per homines terminari Sedis istius Praesulem suo sine questione reseruauit arbitrio Voluit Petri Apostoli successores Coelo tantum debere innocentiam in the Act. 7. of the 8. generall Councell we reade thus Romanum PontificeÌ„ de omnium Ecclesiarum Praesulibus iudicasse de eo vero neminem iudicasse legimus Paulus Emilius in his 3. book of his story writeth that a great CouÌ„cell of Bishops being assembled in the presence of Charlemaine by occasion of certaine matters obiected against Pope Leo the 3. all the Bishops cried out with one voice that it was vnlawfull for any man to iudge the Pope The generall Councell of Lateran vnder Alexander the 3. being to make a decree touching the forme to be obserued in the election of the Popes saith we are to proceede in this election with singular diligence for if any error be committed in it there is no Superiour to whom we may haue recourse there is none vpon earth superiour to the Pope Let him reade the chapter Licet extra de electione Finally in the Lateran Councell vnder Leo tenth in the Sess 11. it is expressely determined that the Pope is superior to any Councell whatsoeuer and therefore it appertained onely to him to summon the Councells to transfer and to dissolue them Now if these Councells themselues do acknowledge that they are subiect to the Pope who will be so hardie to say that the Councell is superiour to the Pope or that it is lawfull to appeale from the Pope to the Councell â—rier Paolo The first proofe which our authour bringeth is that when the Pope S. Marcelinus did for feare of death offer sacrifice to Idolles there was a great councell assembled in Sinuessa to treat of this matter and all the Councell did confesse that they had no power to iudge the Pope and that Pope Nicholas the first did make mention of this Councell which is true and which is more the Acts of it are extant to this day to this they of Paris do answere that this Councell was not generall and that vnder these wordes Prima sedes a nemine iudicatur a generall Councell is not comprehended it seemeth strange vnto them that the Councell being assembled onely vpon this occasion it should conceiue that it had no authority to determine it and it is more strange that Marcelinus denying the fact that the Councell had not eftsoone departed for so the matter had been at an end and not proceeded to conuict him as indeed they did producing first 7. witnesses which affirmed they saw him offer sacrifice after this they examined as many witnesses more as made vp the number fourteene The second day they produced 14 more who being interrogated by the Bishoppes affirmed the same The third day he examined 44. more so that the number of witnesses amounted to 72 called Labra occidua it is certaine that to examine witnesses is a iudiciall act of a superiour and it is as certaine that Marcelinus after the examination of these 72. prostrated himself vp on the ground and acknowledged his offence and the Teste saith that the Bishops Subscripserunt in eius damnationem damnauerunt eum and one of them said Iuste ore suo condemnatus est ore suo Anathema suscepit Maranatha quoniam ore suo condemnatus est nemo enim vnquam iudicauit Pontificem nec praeâ—ul
incidentally in a decree without the compasse of the principall which is intended to dâ—fine â—ut in the Bâ—ll whereof wee speake the intent is onelie to disanull the Pragmatick and this is the substance of the decree Now whereas in disanulling it answer is made to him that maintained it by virtue of the councell of Basill and it is said that the councell it selfe was remoued by Eugenius and that therfore it is of no validitie seeing the Pope hath power to transfer the councels as he that hath authority aboue them this doth not appertaine to the substance of that Bull but is an auoiding of a contrarie reason and is not therefore a determination For which cause very well the Lord Cardinall Bellarmine in the second place alledged hath reuoked that which he had saide in the first that is that that councell hath most expresly determined and hath said that it is in doubt whether that be a determination The common iudgement of all the divines is that the reasons which are vsed in a determination are not intended themselues also to be determined And it should be a maruailous strange matter that framing a decree of a particular thing such as is the reuocation of the Pragmatick which is no matter of Faith an article of Faith should incidentally be determined so that the principall should not be of Faith and the accessary should of necessity bee of Faith The Parisians adde farther that to proue that the Bishop of Rome hath authoritie aboue the Councell there are brought in that place a number of histories not so few as fifteene and lastly the book of Aimarus de Synodis whereupon we were to say that all those histories were de fide And the Parisians shew plainely that some of those histories recited faithfully do say the contrary But it woulde be too long here to produce so many particulars Some also mak answere that the Bull doth not say that the Pope hath authority aboue the Councels but it saith that it is to be auerred out of the diuine scriptures and out of the sayings of the Fathers and Bishops of Rome and Canons Councels that the Bishop of Rome hath authority aboue the generall Councels so that it is not intended to be otherwaies true then so far forth as that auerment may be iustified Therefore first that proofe must be produced Quatenus inde constat and the sense of the scriptures and sayings of the Fathers must be seene seeing the Councell doth not affirme it as of it selfe but with reference that is so farre forth as the scripture and those other thinges alledged make proofe thereof An other doctor proposeth another difficulty much greater that in the beginning of the Bull of this Councell it is said that Christ ordained Peter and his successors to be his vicars vnto whom as is testified in the book of Kings obedience is so necessary that hee which doth not obay is to dye the death Which if it bee an article of faith is a very seuere one that all disobedience to the Pope shold be punished with death And certainely the worlde hath not receiued it neither happily euer will The same Doctor addes farther that he cannot conceiue how so many yeares before there was any Pope there should be speech of him in the book of Kings Afterward he saith that he hath read all the 4. books of the Kings and neuer yet found there any such matter But let vs leaue the authority of this Councell seeing the Doctors which follow Gerson do not receiue it And each of the eight answeres made vnto it doth of it selfe dissolue the argument For a conclusion the author brings forth as it were for an Achilles a reason founded vpon the word of God saying But let vs see if the reason founded vpon the word of God Bellarmine doe testifie the selfe same verity The holy Church is not like to the Common-wealth of Venice or of Geneua or of other Citties which conferre vpon their Duke that power which themselues please in regarde whereof it may be sayde that the Common-wealth is aboue the Prince neither yet is it like to an earthly kingedome in which the people transfer their owne authority vnto the Monarck and in certaine cases may free themselues from Royall dominion and reduce themselues to the gouernment of inferiour Magistrats as did the Romanes when they passed from dominion Royal to Consulare gouernment For the Church of Christ is a most perfect kingedome and an absolute Monarchie which hath no dependance vpon the people neither from them had his originall but dependeth onely vpon the diuine will And I saith Christ in the second Psalme am constituted a King by him ouer Sion his holy mountaine And the holy Angell said to the virgin Luc. 1. Our Lord God shall giue him the seat of Dauid his Father and he shall raigne in the house of Iacob for euer and of his kingdome there shal be no end And in a thousand other places the same is read And that this kingdome doth not depend on men Christ sheweth when he saith you chose not me but I chose you Ioan. 15. And we shall ackhowledge it at what time we shall say thou hast made vs to our God a Kingdome Apoc. 5. And this is the cause why this kingdome is in the Scriptures resembled to a family Who is a faithfull and wise seruant whom his Lord hath appointed ouer his family Mat. 24. because the father of a family doth not depend on the family neither from thence hath his authority Now this being most true there followeth thereof by necessary consequence that the Vicar generall of Christ doth not depend of the Church but onely of Christ from whom he hath his whole authority as also wee see in earthly kingdoms that the Viceroy hath not his authority from the kingdom but from the King neither can be iudged or punished by the people but only by his Lord Master Behold therefore how Gerson is deceiued and he also that doth follow him and goeth contrarie to the doctrine of the holy scriptures of the sacred Councels and of manifest reason â—rier Paolo Thou shalt see here Reader a meruailous peece of Art wherewith the Author will leade thee from Christ the eternall high Bishop to an high Bishop Temporall and when he shall haue setled with thee the relation which the holy Church hath towards the diuine maiestie he will afterward conclude of the relation towards the Pope The Parisians do answere that thus the doctrine of the Catholiques doth hold that God hath called the Church to the faith and his worship and that he hath placed Christ ouer it for an head for euer who first himselfe mortall did gouerne it on earth with corporal presence but ascended into heauen doth rule it with inward influence assistance inuisible vnto the end of the world This is meant by I am constituted a King by him This meaneth that our Lord God shall