quoth he to doe that which becommeth Christian and royall piety to witt that the foresayd Bishoppe would be obedieÌ„t to the fathers haue regard to peace and not to thinke that it was lawfull for him to ordaine the Bishoppe of Antioch without any example against the decrees of Canons as he presumed which thinge we would not make void for the desire we haue to restore faith preserue peace Lastly writinge to the Empresse Pulcheria about the same argument he vtterly maketh voyd whatsoeuer Anatolius had cunningly caused to be decreed coÌ„cerning the Primacye of Constantinople VVe make Epist 55. voyd quoth he the consent of the Bishopps repugning to the rules of holy Canons established at Nice by the vnited piety of your fayth with vs and by the authoritye of the blessed Apostle Peter doe with our generall definition wholy frustrate and make of no effect Now to return to Bell I say that he ouerreacheth when he enfourmeth his reader that the famous Councell of Chalcedon gaue the Bishope of Constantinople equall authoritye with the Bishop of Rome in all ecclesiastical affaires for it cannot truly be called a decree of the Councel which was not confirmed by the head Should a Parlament in England make ten seuerall acts nine very good and beneficiall to the realme but one cleane opposite to former acts and preiudiciall to the soueraigne dignitye of his Maiestie wherevppon he confirmed the nine but the tenth he did vtterly irritate and make voyde would Bell call that an act of Parlament or could he with out an vntruth so terme it in true and good meaninge most certayne he could not what followeth I leaue to Bels collecting vaine But it may be he will say that the confirmation of the Councell belonged not to the Pope It is not possible that he dare offer it will he make Pope Leo so auncient for time so renoumed for vertue so famous for learning such a simple or arrogant creature as to send his legats to be Presidents of the Councell in his place to write vnto the Empresse how he did make frustrate that decree yf his authoritye had not bene certayne in that behalfe and so made him selfe a laughing stocke to the Empire and the whole world and would the Councell haue admitted of his legates or euer haue made suite to him for the confirmation of their decrees as they did when they wrote to him in this manner And we beseech thee say they honour our iudgment Act. 3. in fine with thy decrees and as we with willinge mindes haue agreed together in good things so thy highnes also would accomplish that for thy children which is conuenient which CeÌ„tur 4. â—ol 551. petition of theirs is also formally recorded by the Lutheranes of Magdeburge The good reader hath also further to note that this pride of Anatolius was so exorbitant that at length he gaue it cleane ouer excusing him selfe to Pope Leo as we reade in the letters of the same Pope which he wrote vnto Anatolius in which after he had giuen order about certayne things in the church of Constantinople an argument of his iurisdiction in that place he cometh to that excuse which Anatolius alleadged in his owne behaulfe for hauing laboured about the primacye of his owne church and writeth thus But as touching that synne Epist. 71. which you committed as you say by the persuasion of others concerninge the encrease of authoritye your charity should more effectually and sincerely haue washed away if that which could not be attempted without your likinge you had not layd only vppon the counsell of the clergie for as offence is committed by giuing of bad counsel so likewise by giuing of badd consent But it is very gratefull to me most derely beloued brother that your charitye professeth that it doth now displease you which ought not then to haue liked you The profession of your charitye and the attestation of the Christian Prince is sufficient for your returne into common grace neyther doth that amendment seeme late which is accompanied with so venerable a witnes Let the desire of vnlawfull authoritie which made dissension be wholy cast away This wâ—â— at that tyme the end of that arrogant presumption but had Bell then liued it seemeth he would haue stoode more to his tackling and neuer haue shewed him selfe so base minded as to haue giuen ouer any title of honour or any wise submitted him selfe to the Pope who now pleadeth so earnestly in defence of that outragious ambition Here also the good reader hath to note that as the minister doth make that the decree of a Councel which as hath bene sayd was non at all so doth he make bold with truth beside a tricke of corruption for no where doe I read in the actes of that Councell that it gaue equall authoritye to the Bishop of Constantinople with the Bishop of Rome in all ecclesiasticall affaires as Bell affirmeth that worde all is foisted in by the malice of his ministership neyther haue they the word authoritye but priuiledges which consisted for as much as I can learne out of those Actes in these two pointes The first was that the Metropolitanes of the dioceses of Pontus Asia and Thrace should only be consecrated and ordained by the Bishops of Constantinople as also such Bishops as liued in the same place amongst barbarous people The second was that Constatinople might haue the second place in dignity next after Rome These I say were the priuiledges which Anatolius desired should be confirmed by the Pope for to thinke that he desired to haue euery wayes superiority and as Bell writeth equall authoritye in all ecclesiasticall affaires with Rome is contrary to all reason and not agreable to the recited words out of the Actes for though Anatolius with others decreed that Constantinople should haue equall priuiledges yea in ecclesiasticall matters yet is that straight limited to the consecration of Merropolitanes and to haue the second place in dignitye as before was sayd and is euident also out of the 15. Action can 28. and out of the 16. Action and lastly out of their relation to the Pope in which they craued his confirmation for there they mention nothinge of equall priuiledges and aduancemeÌ„t in ecclesiasticall causes causes but only speake of consecratinge the Metropolitanes of Asia Pontus and Thrace and of hauing the next place after Rome and yet they affirme that they did there signifye vnto him all the force of the Actes whereof it followeth that other priuiledges or eminencye in ecclesiasticall dignitye was not then desired and surely it were meere madnes to thinke that Anatolius would euery way haue had equall authority in all ecclesiasticall causes as the minister affirmeth seing then we must graunt that he desired iurisdiction in Italie and Rome it selfe nay what were it els but to condemne Anatolius of grosse foolerye in suyng for that superextrauagant grace of the Pope to the iniury of his owne See and dignitie
still keepe his former custome of celebrating Easter and also performe due obedience to Anicetus was because Anicetus would not for so smal a controuersiâ— or variety breake peace but was content to tolerate the same and therfore false it is that Bell sayth to witt that Polycarpus would and must haue yelded to Anicetus if he had acknowledged him for his superiour seing no such thinge was commaunded him but the matter left to his owne election Bels II. obiection SEcondly Ireneus and other holy and learned Bishopps of Fraunce ioyning with him reproued Victor then Bishoppe of Rome very sharply and roundly as one that had not due respect to the peace and vnity of the church which doubtelesse those holy and learned Bishops would not haue done if the Bishoppe of Rome had had in those dayes the supreame soueraignty ouer them THE ANSWERE HAd Bell recounted the cause why those Bishopps reprehended so roundly as he speaketh Pope Victor with other necessary circumstances he had marred all his market and proued the Popes superiority by that argument by which as he perfidiously handleth the matter he would ouerthrowe it The blessed martyr Ireneus with other reprehended Victor not for any wrong opinion about the keeping of Easter him selfe they being of the Popes minde as also the Prorestantes now be but for that he excommunicated the Bishops of Asia refusing to conforme them selues to the Church of Rome neyther did S. Ireneus this vppon conceipt that the Pope exceeded the limits of his power for no such thing appeareth in Eusebius from whom this story is fetched but for that he did vse it out of due season to the great trouble of the Church and for a small matter as he and they thought which sheweth playnely that they made no doubt of his authority otherwise many misliking his fact would easyly haue contemned his censure and iustly haue obiected presumption in vsurping that authoritye which belonged not to him where of no mention is made Superiours yea and the Pope him selfe may with due respect be admonished and reprehended especially by Bishoppes yf any great scandall or trouble of the Church be feared S. Paul resisted S. Peter in face because he was reprehensible Galat. 2. v. 11. wherof our Protestants absurdly gather that S. Peter had no sup riority ouer the Apostles a collection not known to an iquitye when as the matter was then so famous and certaine that wicked Porphiry that Paganicall philosopher reproueth S. Paul of sawcines for that he presumed Proaem com in Galatas epis 11. ad Aug. inter epistolas Augustini to reprehend Peter the Prince of the Apostles as S. Hierom reporteth S. Cyprian highly commendeth the humilâ—ty of S. Peter that tooke so quietly the reprehension of S. Paul being his inferiour For neyther Peter sayth S. Cyprian whom our Lord chose the first and vppon whom he built the church when Paul disputed with him about circumcision arrogantly tooke any thinge to him self saying that he had the primacy and therfore Epist 71. ad Quin. the latter disciples ought rather to obey him S. Augustin sheweth excellently by this example that S. Cyprian erring about rebaptization could not nor would not haue bene offended to haue bene admonished by others his followers or inferiours much lesse by Lib. 2. de Baptis cap. 1. a Councell VVe haue learned sayth he that Peter the Apostle in whom the Primacy of the Apostles by excellent grace is so praeeminent when he did otherwise concerning circumcision then the truth required was corrected of Paule the later Apostle I thincke without any reproach vnto him Cyprian the Bishoppe may be compared to Peter the Apostle howbeit I ought rather to seare least I be iniurious to Peter sor who knoweth not that the principalitye of Apostleshipp is to be perferred before any dignity of Bishoppe whatsoeuer but yf the grace of the chaires differ yet the glory of the martyrs is one These authorities shew two things the first is that S. Peter was reputed with the auncient fathers head and prince of the Apostles and also that the very Pagans were not ignorant of that thinge which I suppose will not greatly content Bell for certayne deductions that may be drawne from thence The second which is the cause why I haue alledged this of S. Peter and S. Paul is that dislike or reprehension of an other mans action doth not argue the man reproued not to be the others superior how soeuer Bell would inferr that when as hath bene sayd S. Paul inferiour to S. Peter reprehended him And therefor the most that can deduced out of the ministers idle discourse is that if him selfe wer a Bishoppe he would looke as the deuill God blesse vs is sayd to haue looked ouer Lincolne and none might without incurring of is mortall indignation admonish him of any fault or scandalous demeanure Great pitty surely it is that one qualified as he is and endowed with such an humble spirite should not be preferred to an Episcopale or to vse his owne phrase some ouerseing dignitye Thus by dismol destiny Bels argument hath rather hurt him then giuen him any help at all But one necessary adiunct belonged to this controuersie which he thought good not to touch for scalding of his fingers to witt that S. Victor excommunicated the Bishopps of Asia as I noted before for seing Bell confesseth that the old In his Fâ—neral lib. 2. cap. 2. Bishopps of Rome were very godly men and taught the same doctrine which S. Peter had done afore them and most certayne that S. Victor was one of those holy Martyrs it followeth that he vsurped no authority but exercised that which lawfully he might neyther that he taught any doctrine but that which S. Peter had done before him Out of which and the precedent discourse three or foure memorable notes may be inferred against Bell. The first and principall is that the Primacye of the Bishoppe of Rome began not six hundred yeares after Christ as befor he mayntayned hauing bene practised four hundred yeares before by S. Victor and descended to him from S. Peter The second is that Bels argumeÌ„t against the supreame authority of the Bishoppe of Rome being duly and truly examined proueth the cleane contrary The third is that the minister cunningly coÌ„cealed the cause why S. Ireneus reproued S. Victor as nothing fitting his purpose The fourth may be that most perfidiously he inferreth out of the reprehension of S. Ireneus that he contemned the Bishoppe of Rome his decrees and supposed supremacy as before hath bene noted I add lastly that whatsoeuer S. Ireneus and others thought yet blessed Pope Victor proceded most prudently for as much as he perceiued how that obseruation which in the time of Anicetus was only variety of rite without preiudice of religion began now to corrupt the soundnes of the Catholike fayth one Blastus who liued in Victors time as Lib. 5. hist cap. 15. De proscript in
who knoweth not that some â— his writings be erroneous though not errorneouâ— in that sence which Bell pretendeth and so hâ— sayth much but to litle purpose vnlesse it be tâ— shew with what facilitye he can cite authorâ— vntruely making them to iustifie that to which their wordes can not be drawne The premisses duly pondered the prudent reader can not but vnderstand that I haue dealt frendly with Bell noting him only for one vntruth when as diuers might very well haue runne vppon the reckoninge The rest of his Epistle conteyneth litle els but a recapitulation of the cheife contents of his bookes or a bundle of vntruthes trussed vp together which must be examined in the chapters following only here wheras according to his great modesty he sayth that he will sett before the eyes of all indifferent readers as clerely as a glasse of christall the originall and dayly excrements of Popery I can not but add that the excrements of the Catholicke church be principally such Apostates as Luther Bucer Peter Martir and many more that forsooke their professioÌ„ of chastitie a religioê° life and the better to lay the foundations of the new gospell betoke them selues to the mortification of new wiues drawne out of Nunneries or other places where they could best meete with such kind of cattle Had it not bene for these and such like other excrements of ours the congregation would haue had poore increments and hardly would they haue bene furnished with Apostles had not our church voyded forth such Apostates Veryly he might with far lesse harme to his soule employ his talent by setting downe their originall and procedinge then he doth in discouering the beginning encreasing of Popery especially Bel borne at Rascal in Yorkeshire if he would remember an old acquaintance of his one Sir Thomas of Rascall that excrementicall companion for I knowe not a man in the parish that can better performe it beinge furnished with a rude rusticall stile fitt for such a subiect and one that hath perfect intelligence of his heauenly conuersation and righteousnes of life The counts being cast and the summe sett downe what hath he gott by his voluntary error to degorge his malice against vs for his disposition considered and the qualitye of the fault I can not thincke otherwise or what hathe he gayned by his grosse girdinge and filthy fleeringe at the excrements of Poperie Bels I. chapter Of this name and worde Pope THE II. VNTRVTH DIsputing of this name Pope and shewing out of S. Ciprian and others that it was giuen in old tyme to other Bishops and not only to the Bishoppe of Rome he addeth these words But aster that the Emperour Iustinianus had in his legall constitutions named the Bishoppe of Rome Pope the arrogant Bishopps of Rome began to challenge the name as if it were proper to them alone An vntruth why did he not name those arrogant Bishops of Rome that challenged the propertie of this title or some author of creditt that reporteth it And what reason had the Bishops of Rome to lay hold vppon the Emperors words rather then the words of the generall Councell of Chalcedon which was many yeares before in which he was called by that name as shal straight be handled This therfore must remaine for one vntruth vntill he can better discharge him selfe One thinge I must here add which wil litle please the minister and that is albeit the name Pope was attributed also to other Bishops yet was it in such speciall manner giuen to him that it did sufficiently declare his supreame authoritye ouer all other which appeareth first because when any was called Pope without further addition it was vnderstoode only of the Bishoppes of Rome as is euident out of the Councell of Chalcedon where it Act. 16. is sayd The most blessed and Apostolicke man the Pope doth command vs this thinge Secondly because the Bishoppe of Rome was called Pope of the whole church as we reade in the same Councell where Leo is called Pope of the vniuersall church and Liberatus affirmeth Act. 16. In Breuiario cap. 22. that there is no Pope ouer the church of the whole world but the Bishoppe of Rome Thirdly because he is called the Pope or father of generall Councels and of the whole world but he calleth not other Bishops Popes or fathers but his brethren or sonnes as is apparant out of an epistle of Pope Damasus to the Easterne Bishoppes recited by Theodoretus and in the Epistle of the Councell of Lib. 5. c. 10. Chalcedon to Pope Leo. To this may be added that seing Pope signifieth father as Bell according to the truth confesseth it followeth that the Bishoppe of Rome was in old time reputed superiour to all in that he was called the Father of fathers for Steuene Bishoppe of Carthage writinge to Pope Damasus in the name of three Councells celebrated in Affricke giueth him this title To Pope Damasus our Epis ad Damrsam most blessed Lord exalted with Apostolical dignity the holy father of fathers And this may be the reason that albeit sometime in the Primitiue Church the name was also giuen to other Bishopps yet seing in foresayd manner it agreed peculiarly to the Bishoppe of Rome as declaring his soueraigue authoritye ouer others the former custome ceased and so it remayned alone to him THE III. VNTRVTH VVIth the former he hath copled an other saying thus And so in processe of time the Bishopps of Rome were solely and only called Popes and of late yeares Our holy father and His holynes is his vsuall name A grosse vntruth for the name of his holines is not of late yeares beinge long since giuen to the Pope by Iustinian the Emperour and Theodoretus writinge to In epis ad Ioaâ— 2. Pope Leo vseth the same phrase Obsecro vestram sanctitatem I besech your Holynes sayth that learned and venerable Epist. ad Leonem Papam father and the Councell of Chalcedon in their letters to the same Pope Leo inuaighing against Dioscorus the heretike that presumed to excommunicate the Pope sayth thus Etpost haec omnia Epist. ad Lenem â—apam And after all these things he did also extend his madnes against him to whom the custody of the vineyard was committed by our Sauiour that is against thy Apostolike holines And if S. Ciprian and S. Augustin were called most blessed Popes as Bell here confesseth can any maruaile that the title of holines should be giuen to their superior and yet doth he neuer make scruple to say that it is a title only of late yeares making it to haue sprung vp long after that the title of Pope was appropriated as he would haue it to the Bishoppe of Rome which appropriation as he saith was about the yeare of Christ 528. and so the name of his holines much later and yet is that title more auncient then the sayd yeare of Christ 528. as is euident out of Theodoretus and
the Councel of Chalcedon both which were long time before the sayd time as Bell will not denye THE IIII. VNTRVIH PRosecuting his former matter he sayth But this Emperour that is Iustinian liued after Christ his birth about 528. yeares Ergo this pointe of Poperie is a rotten ragge of the new religion In which words he venteth out an vntruth for be it that it was then appropriated to the Pope as he sayth yet how can it be new which by his owne confession was vsed an eleuene hundred yeares agoe that is so many ages before the foundations of his religion were layd or the name of a Protestant heard of in the whole world I omitt here how many ecclesiastical names haue bene brought into the church as Homousios or Consubstantiall against the Arrians Incarnation against other heretikes the better by a new name to declare an auncieÌ„t article of faith Will Bell for al that call these words rotten raggs of a new religion He nauer dare offer it yet with no lesse reason may he doe it then he doth here the name of the Pope As for his rustical scoffinge the special grace of his writinge at the sylly people for reputing the word Pope a most sacred thing though ignoraÌ„t as he saith what is meÌ„t by the name I say no more but that he may with like grace runne vppon the name of Iesus Christ for thousands amoÌ„gst the Protestants which reuerence theÌ„ for sacred can tel as litle what is vnderstoode by it as we can by the name of the Pope But we are beholding to Bell that he vouch safeth to explicate the originall of that name telling vs that it signifieth Father and for that after so terrible a persecution of those few letters as though some misterye of iniquitie had lurked in them in such sort that in the time of Henry the eight it was rased out of all bookes and after many spightfull termes and most odius conceipts framed in the minds of the vulgar sort concerning that name he hath discharged it from all suspition of secret venim assuring good people that it is indede venerable as that which was giuen to most holy and auncient Bishopps and might in his opinion be giuen to him selfe could he haue the lucke to finger that dignitye Thus much of the Popes name now we are come to talke of his office and authoritye Bels II. Chapter Of the Popes superoiall power THE V. VNTRVTH TO season the begining of his chapter with a litle of his mendacious powder he writeth thus Bonifacius Bishoppe of Rome and the third of that name aboue six hundred yeares after Christ obteyned of Phocas then Emperor of Rome that Rome should be the head of all churches Before which time no authenticall writer can be named who euer ascribed the headship and vniuersall gouernment of all churches to the church of Rome To conuince this manifest vntruth somethinge hath bene sayd in the precedent chapter but plentifully haue I proued the contrary in The doleful knell published not long since against his Ministership both Pag. 45. 46. c. out of other authorities as also by the confession of the Lutherane Centuristes his deere brethren and lastly out of his sweete selfe that more cannot be desired Somthinge also shall be sayd in the sequell his owne wordes ministring iust occasion and here I will adioyne a litle more In the Councell of Chalcedon Maximus Bishoppe of Antioch was Act. 7. confirmed by S. Leo the first Pope Iulius the first also restored Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria to his seate Paulus Patriarch of Constantinople and Marcellus Bishoppe of Ancyra depofed vinustly by an Easterne synode as writeth Sozomenus whole words be these For as much as the care of all did belonge to him for Lib. 3. cap. 7. the dignitye of his sea he restored to euery of them their church And a litle after Athanastus and Paulus doe returne to their seates and sent the letters of Tulius to the East Bels best and most spedy answere to these prooffes will be to say that he was superiour to the Patriarches and other Bishops but had not any authority ouer inferior ministers Alas poore soule to what pityfull straights hath he brought him selfe whiles vpoÌ„ zeale he lyeth for the credit of the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ THE VI. VNTRVTH IN his arguments propounded against the superiority of the Bishoppe of Rome wherof afterward I meane more fully to entreat this is one Seauently the famous councel of Chalcedon gaue the Bishope of Constantinople equall authority with the Bishope of Rome in all ecclesiasticall affaires In which words is one vntruth cunningly couched for he calleth that here the decree of the Councell which was by the ambition of Anatolius Bishop of Constantinople effected in the absence of the Romane legates Yf Bell can proue that this surreptitious decree of the Easterne Bishopes was euer confirmed then were it some thinge which he bringeth But the Bishop of Rome his legates withstood that their indirect proceedinge pronouncing it to be contrary to the decrees of the Nicene Councel and Lucentius in particular Se the 16. Action spake confidently saying that the Apostolicke sea ought not to be abased in their presence with other notable wordes tendinge to the same purpose And Pope Leo him selfe in his Epistle to Anatolius did bitterly inueigh against him for this his presumption and going against the Nicene canons admonishing him also how his legates which in his stead wer presidents of the Councell did withstand that his vnlawfull attempt for which cause he disclaymeth vtterly for giuing his consent Far be it â—pist 53. quoth he from my conscience that so wicked a desire should be holpen with my labor and of all that minde not high things but consent to the humble and he giueth the reason because it were as he sayth to infringe the Canons of the Nicene Councell and to depriue the sea of Alexandria of beinge the second in dignitye and Antioch of beinge the third and all Metropolitane Bishops of their honour About the same matter he wrott also to the Emperour shewing his great dislike of Anatolius ambition putting him in minde what special fauour he had afforded him concerning his consecration insinuating playnly how he deserued to haue bene deposed for falling into the heresie of Eutiches and for beinge wickedly promoted by Dioscorus of Alexandria to be Bishoppe of Constantinople yet because he renounced his heresie at the entreaty of the Emperour the Pope dispeÌ„sed with him VVe sayth Pope Leo hauing respect to your fayth Epist. 54. and intercession whereas the beginings of his consecration were not sound by reason of them that did it desired rather to be gratious then iust to the end we might thereby by applying of remedies pacifie all stirres which the deuill had procured which things ought rather to haue made him modest then immoderate in the end he exhorteth the Emperour to labour about the repressing of his insolencie Endeuour
the decree were otherwise where I wish the reader to obserue with me these two points seriously Frist that the Pope coulde not and therefore did not alleadge any better reason sor his vsurped and falsely pretended supremacy then the authority and decree of that famous Councell of Nice Secondly that the Pope Celestine falsified the canon and decree of the Councell so to gayne credit and authority to himselfe if it might be THE ANSWERE TO the first of these two points I answere that there was no question betwixt them whether the Popes iurisdiction did extende into Afsrike or no or whether appeals in rigor might not be made to Rome but whether it were a thinge coÌ„uenient for on the one side not to allowe appeales seemeth to giue occasion to Metropolitanes and Bishops to oppresse their subiects and on to the coÌ„trary to allowe appeales seemeth the next way to make endlesse quarells often to vexe Bishoppes without all cause of which inconuenience and great trouble of the church holy men haue complained This doubtfull pointe then was defined by the Councell of Nice or Sardica which declared that it was expedient for Priestes to appeale from their Bishoppes vnto a prouinciall Councell and for Bishoppes to appeale vnto Rome For that it was lawfull and vsuall before the tyme of this Councel to appeale vnto Rome is euident out of S. Cyprian who reporteth how Fortunatus and Felix deposed by himselfe appealed vnto Cornelius Bishope of Rome Lib. 1. ep 3. And one Basilides deposed in Spaine appealed to Pope Stephen as the same S. Ciprian recounteth Not to speake of Marcion that auncient heretike Lib. 1. ep 4. who excoÌ„municated of his Bishope in Pontus came to Rome for absolution as Epiphanius relateth and Heres 42. therefore Pope Leo calleth it an auncient custome to appeale vnto Rome This was the cause why Epist. 89. the Bishoppe of Rome vrged especially the decree of the Nicene councell to shewe that it was not only lawfull but also very expedieÌ„t sor albeit the Affricane Bishoppes desired that Appeales might not easily be admitted for the great iniury to iustice vaine protraction of sutes which they dayly perceiued to followe thereof yet knowing full well that they coulde not forbid such appeales of them selues they humbly made petition to the Pope for more moderation therein In their epistle which they wrote to Pope Celestinus these be their wordes The office of dutifull salutation premised wee earnestly beseech you that hereafter you woulde not easily giue audience to such as come from hence Had they bene of Bels minde they woulde neuer haue vsed any deprecatory petition but haue roundly and readily told him that he had no authority to admit any appeales neither was his iurisdiction ouer them and therefore that they did owe him no obedience or subiection But farre were they from any such conceipt as being not ignorant of his iurisdiction ouer them according to which beliefe they proceeded in like manner For which cause the same verie Bishops of Affrica when this matter of Appeales and the Nicene councell was one foote and Pope Sozimus had sent vnto their councell three legates wrote vnto Bope Bonifacius the Successour of Sozimus in this maner Because it hath pleased our Lord concerning such thinges as our holy hrethren haue handled with vs Faustinus our fellow Bishop and Philippe and Asellus our fellowe Priests that our humilitye can not write vnto Sozimus a Bishop of blessed memory from whom they brought both precepts and letters but to your veneration who by Gods ordinance are succeded in his place we ought briesely to insinuate those thinges which by the agreement of both parts were determined in which we stayed indeede without breach of charity but not without great altercation in which wordes making relation of their Acts to Pope Bonifacius and testifinge that they had receiued precepts or commandements from his predecessor Pope Sozimus what do they els but acknowledge their obedience and subiection to the Apostolicke sea Beside not longe after this Councell â—pist 87. Pope Leo writinge to the Bishops of Mauritania in Affrike saith that he restored the communion to Bishop Lupicinus because he appealed to him out of Affrike and likewise that he sent vnto them for his legate Bishop Potentius who shoulde in his steade haue care of the affaires of Affrike All which abundantly testify both the authority of the Bishop of Rome in Affrica and that appeales were made to him and also that the Affricane fathers denied not this though for the reason before alleadged they desired more moderation therein to be vsed And albeit S. Augustine was one of these Bishops and so his voyce passed in the common letters with others yet because Bell doth here so magnify him as though he had bene a mighty enemy to the Popes supremacy I will in particular shewe out of that venerable and learned father what reuerence subiection and dutifull respect he carried to the Pope contenting my selfe only with that which hee writeth of this very pointe or of the three Popes in whose tymes this matter of appeales was handled and some of which the minister very bodly yf not some-what saucily but out of all question most falsly pronounceth to haue corrupted the Nicene canons This holy father writinge most plainly how him selfe and other Bishops came to Cesarea by the commaundement of Sozimus what doth he but clerely proclaime his primacy ouer Affrica The same Augustine was most Epist 157. subiect and deare to Pope Bonifacius as we learne out of the beginninge of his first booke against the two epistles of the Pelagians directed to the same Bonifacius The same Augustine writing to Pope Celestinus referreth the cause of a certayne Africane Epist 221. Bishop to him after this manner O holy Pope most blessed Lorde venerable for piety and with dutifull charity to be receiued labour together with vs and commaunde all thinges which are sent to be recited vnto thee and on the contrary Pope Celestinus doth highly commende S. Augustine Epist. ad Gallos as one that had alwayes remayned in the communion of the Romaine church and had bene reputed alwayes of him selfe his predecessours for a great Doctor Out of that which hath bene saide the ministers first doubt is solued why the Pope rather alleadged the decrees of the Nicene Councel then any other prooffe out of the Gospell because as I said the question was not about his supremacy in generall as Bell cuningly or malitiously maketh it but of Appeales which though it be a thinge consectary to his supreame iurisdiction yet for the reasons before mentioned som doubt might be made about the exercise thereof for the satisfying of which no better resolution coulde be deuised then of a generall Councell The good reader also can not but sufficiently gather out of the premises an answere to the second question to witt that neither Celestinus the Pope nor any of his predecessors
thought it notwithstanding neâ—â—sary for further triall and clearinge of truth and maintainance of vnity to keepe a Councell Let these words of the Rhemists be compared with those of Bels where he maketh them to say that there is no necessitye of a generall or prouintiall Councell saue only for the better contentation of the people and I leaue it to any whether he hath not iniuriously slaundered them yea this very note of theirs in the margent Though the See Apostolike it selfe haue the same assistance yet are Councels also necessary for many causes doth proclaime them innocent from his false imputation they acknowledge the necessity of Councels for many causes he affirmeth them to teach no other necessity of them saue only for the better contentation of the people This vntruth the minister had sert abroach once afore in his Downefall and quoteth the place Pag. 128. very orderly in this manner Rhems test in act 15. but being taken vp for halting by S. R. in his answear Pag. 418. and yet not willinge to giue ouer his slaunderinge of Catholique writers he hath here brought vs the same vntruth to lightagaine but without any note where this place might be founde hoping that by this newe kind of brandishing it might passe with credit to the Gospell and not be so subiect to the controlment of the most of his aduersaryes Here I must admonishe the good reader as before that after this was written and shortly to goe to the presse I was grieted with Bels newe Antepast wherevpon turning to see what he said in his owne defence for charginge the Rhemists 〈◊〉 falsely I found him to behaue himself in such phaâ—tasticall In his Antepast pag. 158. fashion that his friends can not but ashamed of their Minister Bell quoth Bell himselfâ— chargeth you and your Rhemists truly Thus he standetâ— to his former assertion but marke for Gods louâ— how effectually he doth proue it It followeth Aâ— your religious frier quoth he Alphonsus de Castro shall bâ— the vmpier in this mystery and he citeth straight waieâ— Alphonsas lib. 1. cap. a. fol. 4. 1. after these words of his That the Pope alone withouâ— the assembly of a Councell may erre in things pertayning tâ— fayth many diuines of good authority doe affirme yea it iâ— sound that som Popes haue erred in sayth Again if the authority of the Pope alone were as great as the whole Counceâ— fully and lawfully assembled in vaine were so great labour taken for the gathering together of a Councell What can Bell fetch from hence to iustify his iniurious charge of the Rhemists Alphonsus is one of those diuines that thinke the infallibility of iudgement to be inâ— Councell and not in the Pope alone as before waâ— Pag. 84. 85. handled and he bringeth this reason because otherwise quoth he in vaine it were with so great labour to assemble so many Bishoppes together This informeth vs very well what Alphonsâ—â— his opinion was but where doth he say that the Rhemists teach that the determination of a generall Councell is nedelesse saue only for the better contentation of the people because the Popes iudgment is infallible he speaketh not one word of the Rhemists that they should be of the same opinion and no maruail for he could not being dead many a faire day before the Rhems testament was published what can the reader here thinke pondering the matter attentiuely but that Bell is giuen vp into a reprobat sence when with broade face he would defend oneâ—ly with an other I hope the indifferent reader though otherwise affected to him must in so apparant an vntruth either sentence him to haue offended of mere malice or els in his excuse pleade the weakenes of his braine the cause of such crazed conceipts of which the first can not but condemne him and the seconde yf him selfe or his friendes will confesse it freeth vs from further labour of answearing THE LVIII VNTRVTH THe minister maintayneth that the opinion of the Popes superiority ouer a Councell is an vpstart faith and doctrine neuer knowen to the Church for the space of one one thousand fower hundred and fiftene yeares after Christ that is to say vntill the generall Councell of Constance and how doth he proue this it followeth immediatly in Bell. VVhich Councell defined by a firme and resolute decree as a matter of faith that a generall Councell was aboue the Pope So the dexteritie of this minister in disputing He pretended to proue out of the Councell of Constance that the superiority of the Pope was neuer knowne tille that tyme and he proueth the cleane contrary The Councel defined quoth he that a Councell is aboue the Pope What is this to the superiority of the Pope aboue a Councell which he vndertoke to iustifie out of the Councell and not only that but also that it was neuer before verily had Bell that care of his credit which he ought neuer would he suffer his discourse to passe abroade with such with such absurd and phantasticall connexion But not to speake any more of his little grace in formall disputinge let vs come to the great gifte he hath in bould lyinge Cardinall Camer acensis quoth he Abbas Panormitanus Nicholaus Cusanus Adrianus Papa Cardinalis Florentinus Iohannes Gersonus Iacobus Almainus Abulensis and other learned Papists generally the Iesuits and their Iesuited crewe excepted doe all constantly defend as an vndoubted truth that a generall Councell is aboue the Pope In which words for a parting blowe he clappeth two vntruths together The first is that the doctrine of the Popes authority aboue a Councell is no older then the Iesuits for that sence his words doe plainly insinuate The second is that none teach it but the Iesuits their Iesuited crewe as he speaketh both which shall be conuiuced with one and the self same testimonies Not to speake therefore of many learned men that either be nowe liuinge or wrot since the name of Iesuits was of any fame in Christendom for all these will be turned ouer for birds of that feather I will name only those which shall hould the ministers nose to the grind-stone Wherefore to begin S. Antoninus and Iohannes de Turre cremata 3. part â—it 22. cap. 6. Lib. 2. cap. 93. 104. Summe ecclesiâ— neither of them being Iesuits but both of the order of S. Dominicke nor yet Iesuited as liuing before that name was heard of in Christendom maintayne that the Pope is aboue a generall Councell To these learned men I will adde the testimony of the Lateran Councell vnder Leo the tenth which This Councel was holden in the yeare 1513. Sess 11. deliuereth the same doctrine in these words That only the Bishoppe of Rome as hauing authority ouer all Councels hath full right and power to call Councels to translate them and to dissolue them is manifestly certain not only by the testimony of sacred scripture the sayings of holy fathers and other Bishoppes of Rome but by the confessions of all the same Councels Neither can Bell except and say that this Councell was Iesuited where neuer a Iesuite was present nay when as their Society was not yet begonne For Bell telleth vs that they began in the yeare of our Lord one thousand fiue hundred and Suruey pag. 535. fourty which was many years after the tyme of his Lateran Synode Diuers other notable authorities might be produced but these are sufficient for his condemnation Only one remayneth which I wil adde more potent then the former especially in respect of Bell and that is of himself who when he saith that this doctrine was not knowen to the Church of God vntill the tyme of the Councell of Constance graunteth that then it began at least to be taught and so neither proceeded from Iesuits or Iesuited persons as being of longer standing by his owne graunte False also it is that this doctrine was not knowen to the Church before the tyme of the Councel of Constance The glorious Martyr our Dist 40. cap. Si Papuâ— worthy countrey man S. Bonifacius saith that the Pope is to iudge all and to be iudged of none except he be knowen to erre from the faith S. Gelasius an eleauen hundred yeares agoe is a witnesse of the same truth Appeales Epist. ad episcopos Dardaniâ— quoth he may be made to the Apostolike see from any part of the world but none is permitted to appeale from that and he speaketh not only of appealinge from priuate Bishops but also from a Councell for he addeth after in the same epistle that the Bishops of Rome haue loosed them whom Councels haue vnâ—iustly bounde And before we proued how Pope Leo irritated and made of no force a decree enact Pag. 17. in the Councell of Chalcedon which argueth his sâ—periority ouer the Councell And so I concluâ— that not only in this pointe but in so many beforâ— mentioned Bell hath a rare talent in the art oâ— ouerlashinge as I report me to the particulars of this treatise THE CORRECTION OF faultes escaped Pag. 6. line 4. reade the Pag. 7. line 17. reade No nor it is to be imagined Pag. 33. line 20. reade his mortal Pag. 36. line 7. reade condemning him so deepely Pag. 41. line 32. read altercation
denance with as many challenges as will stand between Charing Crosse and Chester and as many dares as will reache from Darby to Darington These these dolefull newes haue cast him into such dumps that he hath small list to heare either of disputation or any indifferent Conference and therefore though he writeth still and vseth that as a poore proppe to vphould his fallinge reputation least the infamy of cowardize and dastâ—rdly feare with no small desgrace to theire cause should suddainly seaze vpon him yet the tickling stringe and mountinge Minekin of brauinge and challenging is not once touched that kinde of descâ—nie is now out of date He is no true friend of his that will so much as mention any such matter If this be not the cause what is the reason that he which was so furious before like a little lion is now become so gentle like a tame cosset Be it that his haughty and insolent maner of crakinge vpon better adiâ—ise of friends disliked him yet should he in temperat and modest sort still haue prosecuted his former quarrell for the creditt of their gospell and reputation of his learninge which in the opinion of his dependants is very great and in his owne incomparable and accepted of the offer of S. R. and vtterly confounded him in disputation for he nothing doubteth or at least in former tymes hath not yf his wordes did truly deliuer his meaning but that such an act would tend to the glory of God to the seruice of his Soueraigne the honour of his countrey the edification of his auditors and the comfort of his owne soule as in his Motiues he speaketh or if disputation Pag. 36. liketh him not why hath he not procured a Safeconduct for such an indifferent Conference for the due triall and examination of the authorities alleadged in his bookes as passed in Fraunce betwixt the reuerend Bishoppe of Eureux and now Cardinall and the Lord of Plessi Marlie for if that sincerity be vsed which he often protesteth what readyer way could he haue wished either for the procuringe to himself eternal renowme and vnspeakable creditt to his cause or euerlasting shame to me and thereby some disgrace to Catholike religion Seing then he is now so mute that before was so tonguy now so dead that before was so liuely can any other true cause thereof be assigned then that his owne conscience not ignorant of his bad quarrell and priuy to so many corrupt citations as be founde in his bookes maketh him willing after so great expectation moued in mens mindes to shift his haÌ„ds from any such busines slily to steale away as though EnglaÌ„ds Ioye were againe in actinge Or yf the humour of self love doth so dazele his eies that he can not yet see into what dangerous straigtes by his many manifest vntruthes he hath brought the reputation of the congregation and so would for his owne part still venture forward VVhat can be thought otherwise of any that penetrate into the matter as they ought but that superior authority hath commaunded the clapper to silence for his foolishe and daÌ„gerous iangling But he that hath hetherto behaued himself in such insolent and dominiringe manner odious to God and the world must not thus passe away wherefore I giue him once again to vnderstand that we expect the Safeconduct which he hath so often spoken of this we require vrge and exact at his hands wherein if he fayle well may his followers saye Farewell fidelity the glory of the Gospell is ecclipsed shame hath shaken handes with the congregation and no remedy but it must be proclaimed by vs in towne and country that Bell euen the Minister Bell that daringe Doctor that craking challenger that couragious champion that Larum ringer is desperately fled the field not daringe to indure the encounter of his auersaries and hath left all the fraternity egregiously cousined abused and gulled or els which turneth as much to his perpetuall infamy and disgrace that his mouth is musseled by authority for hauing spoken more then be can with his owne honesty or reputation to the common cause defend and maintayne VVherefore what remayneth but that hauing runge his Dolefull knell and left him speacheles and ready to giue vp his last gaspe and hauing also prouided here a winding sheet for the shrow dinge of his carcasse but that I should with what conuenient speed I can make reddy his Blacke Buriall that he may according to his deserts be interred to the perpetuall ignominy of his name and euerlasting confusion of the congregation Before I ende I can not gentle Reader but say somthinge concerning a booke that came lately to my handes of one Thomas Rogers which as it is a commentary vpon nine and thirtie articles contayning the faith and religion professed in England and concordably agreed vpon as he saith by the reuerend Bishoppes and cleargy at two seuerall Conuocations so is it graced with this Embleme Perused and by the lawfull authority of the Church of England allowed to be publique In this booke proceeding from so graue a man as he insinuateth himself to be from the chaplin to the principall of their cleargy intreating of so waighty and important a subiect as the Synodicall decrees of their church and commended to the world in such singular and speciall manner what can of reason be expected but that the truth should sincerely be sett forth without all suspition of cunninge conueyance all feare of sinister relation or any scruple or doubt of hatefull corruption seing the stayne of such crymes should not only touch Mr. Rogers but redound also as it were to the infamy of the whole body of their cleargy and religion For any yea of meane insight may soone make this discourse that if the religion of England were sounde and ours false and abominable no indirect proceding needed or woulde be practised either to the aduancinge of their owne or depressing of ours and contrarywise if corrupt courses be made the buckler to defend themselues and the weapon to offend vs what can be thought but that there is a flawe in that faith which is by that meanes maintayned and impregnable veritie in our religion which is by such godles shiftes assaulted now whether this be so or no and in that grosse manner as not only those which be of capacity and learninge but euen of the meanest and ignorant sort shall especially in som of them thinke vs to be notoriously abused iniuried remayneth to be hadled VVherefore to runne ouer briefly some fewe vntruths and a little to touch the corrupt dealing of Mr. Rogers as my short tyme shal giue leaue the straight coÌ„fines of a Preface will permitte Pag. 14. He setteth vpon vs in the manner One Mother A. short list of Mr. Rogers vntruthes Iane quoth he is the Sauiour of women a most execrable assertion of Postellus the Iesuit Nay rather it is a most execrable vntruth of Mr. Rogers the Preacher Can
to imploy his tyme so badly as with the touch of his creditt and perill of his owne soule to retale the vntruths of such grosse merchants In his fourth page thus he writeth Yea Arias Montanus a chief Papist in his Hebrew bible writeth in the forefromt and principall leaf of the booke There are added saith he in this edition the bookes written in Greeke which the Catholike Church following the Canon of the Hebrewes reckoneth amongest the Apocrypha The true sence of Arias Montanus words is corrupted either by Mr. Vdall or some other from whom he had them by foysting in diuers of their owne That learned man in the edition of the Antuerpiae ex osficina Christoph Plant. 1584. Hebrue Bible with the latin interlineall interpretation in the title page saith There are adioyned to this edition the bookes written in Greeke which are called Apocrypha He saith not they be Apocrypha but that they are so called by some that is the Iewes who exclude them from their Hebrue Canon which he had there sett◠forth That other addition viz which the Catholike Church following the Canon of the Hebrues reckoneth amongest the Apocrypha vpon which the force of his charge dependeth are not in Arias Montanus where Mr. Vdall had them himself best knoweth In fift page he writeth thus The Councell of Laodicea assured by a generall Councell in Trullo did sett downe the same Canon of the script urs Can. 59. which both the old Church had and our Church houldeth and commaundeth Ne aliqui c. that none besides be read and receiued in to authority How many things of note are comprised in these fewe lines against Mr. Vdall First he seemeth greatly to reuerence these two Councels which yet is but a copy of his countenance to delude the ignorant Reader for I doe not thinke that he will stande either to the one or the other though content he is to presse vs with their authority For example the Councell of Loadicea commaundeth Chrisme to be receiued after Can. 48. Can. 50. Baptisme and that the fast of lent be obserued neither of which I am sure pleaseth Mr. Vdall Likewise the Councell of Constantinople holden in Trullo alloweth of images and their veneration when it calleth them imagines venerabiles venerable images which I make no doubt nothing pleaseth his tast The same Councell forbiddeth Can 82. Can. 6. Can. 58. Bishoppes Priests Deacons and Subdeacons to marry wiues after taking of Orders and commaundeth Bishoppes not to dwell with their wiues which they marryed before they entered into the higher Orders of the Clergy which seuerity of theirs must vtterly dislike him as being in his opinion contrary to the word of God Secondly this Councell of Constantinople in Trullo is of no authority as in which the Pope neither by him self nor by his Legates was present and Pope Sergius who then liued Lib. de sex aetatibus in Iustiniano did disanulle that erraticall Synode as venerable Bede writetht with what conscience then can Mr. Vdal call that agenerall Councell and vrge the authority thereof as authenticall when as not only we but also the Protestants vtterly reiect it albeit in this point we for our parts see no cause to refuse it Thirdly true it is not that the Councell of Laodicea setteth downe the same Canon of the scriptures which the Church of England alloweth for the Apocalypse or Reuelation of S. Iohn is omitted Fourthly this Councell forbiddeth the readinge of others not there expressed yet the Church of England readeth the histories of Iudith and Toby in their publike assemblies which Mr. Vdall I suppose will hardly shewe howe it agreeth with the decree of that Councell Fiftly he hath corrupted the Councell by addinge somwhatof his owne for these words and receiued into authority be not there found VVould any euer haue thought that so many things could haue bene notedagainst him in so small a sentence If Mr. Vdall hath viewed the Originall hardly can he be excused from malice yf he hath not let him beshrewe their fingers vpon whose creditt he committed them to writinge In the same fift page he maketh vs to allowe the fourth booke of Esdras most vntruly and that contrary to his owne knowledge when as in the second page he confesseth that we account both the third and fourth of Esdras for Apocrypha Page 51. To eneruat the force of generall Councels thus he writeth Bellarmine reiecteth wholy seauen generall Lib. 1. de Concil cap. 6. and not lib. 10. cap. 60. as Mr. Vdal quoteth it Councels That learned Prelate is iniuriousoy intreated for who would not thinke that Mr. Vdall spake of lawfull and true generall Councels as though such were reiected by Bellarmine which is nothing so for he speaketh of certaine detestable conuenticles assembled by the Arrians and other like perfidious heretikes which they called generall Primum generale c. The first general Councell saith Bellarmine in the opinion of the Arrians which is reiected is the Councell of Antioch c. Ys these be detested by Protestants also for vnlawfull and wicked why is Cardinall Bellarmine singled out as though he alone refused them or the matter so cunningly deliuered as though they were reuerenced by Mr. Vdall and Protestants for lawfull generall Councels This is not to deale sincerly and to seeke truth with a pure and vpright heart vnlesse he be so carelesse as to receiue all vpon the report of others which yet can not wholy be excused Thus much shall serue at this tyme for by Gods asistance I intend hereafter more to lay open the manifould maladies of his treatise and to shewe with what weake engines he laboureth to vndermine the impregnable grounds of the Catholike Churche God graunte that the happy newes of his conuersion may crosse these my designements wherof I see no cause to dispaire if truly zeale of religion and desire of saluation which so much he would seme to thirst after hath embouldened him being a lay man to launch into the depth of these mysticall matters Let him not rely too much vnto those from whō he receiueth the substāce of that he writeth least together with the losse of his reputation he incurre also the daunger of eternall damnation and yf vpon this small warning he findeth himself to haue bene deceiued wisdom would he should more carefully looke how he trusteth where he hath bene abused with greater diligence both to examine his owne writers and also to reade our namely Cardinall Bellarmine where he shall finde the most of his obiections answeared as the Catholique author of that letter which he hath putte downe in his booke truly enformeth him To which that giueth no satisfaction alleadged by Mr. Vdall for answeare to witt that Bellarmins reasons are by the learned of his side sufficiently handled and replied vnto when as the most of the arguments in his booke be answeared by Bellarmine and nothinge doe I finde brought by Mr.
Much more might be sayd to the same purpose but it shall not neede when as the thinge is so cleere that our mortall enimies confesse it for the Magdeburgian historiographers after relation how the Roman Legates with-stood the audacious attempt of Anatolius and his confederates write thus VVherfore the iudges of the Synod decreed that the Centur. 5. col 949. principall primacye and honour was to be left vnto the Bishop of Rome and that notwithstanding somethinge was to be giuen to the Church of Constantinople because that city was adorned with the dignitye of the Empire and was called newe Rome that it might haue power to ordayne Metropolitanes in the dioceses of Asia Pontus and Thrace yet so that it might be lawfull for the Metropolitanes of euery prouince to ordayne Bishops This was that dignity and equalitye of priuiledge which they desired which notwithstandinge they obteyned not Pope Leo wholy irritating that decree as hath bene saide Thus haue we not only conuinced Bell of lying and corruption but so far prâ—uayled against him that by meanes of that decree by which he would ouerthrowe the superioritye of the church of Rome we haue abundantly proued the contrary and so we may say with the Prophet The arrowes of litle ones are become their woundes Psal 63. Neuer had gallant Minister worse fortune for not only his blowe is still defeated but his weapon disgratiously beaten backe vppon his owne face What sayth he now to the famous Councell of Chalcedon The Popes authoritye maugre his malice is cleerely proued out of that as hath bene sayd and so nothinge found there that can relieue his cause but such Vnguentum baculinum as he list not to meddle with al and that not only touching the Popes superiority wherof we haue spoken sufficiently but also other matters for example that Councell decreed thus Virginem c. It is not lawfull for a virgine Sessi 16. â—â—n 16. which hath consecrated her selfe to God and likwise a Monke to contract Matrimonye But if they be found doing any such thinge let them be excommunicated Did Bell for all that neuer in his whole life heare of any such creatures that remayne so far from being excommunicated that they be highly commended as the principall aduauncers of the Gospell and doth he not knowe a deare freind of his that hath written See Bels suruey pag. 231. 235. c. in defence of such wicked and filthy wedlocke Gladly then would I be enformed how his Ministershippe can eyther defend such sacrilegious wretches from the force of that Canon or his friende from beinge opposite to the doctrine of that Councell To deny the authoritye of that Sinode which him selfe vrgeth calling it a famous Councell were a base shift and nothing becomming his grauity and constancy but rather the leuitie of some mutable minister especially that being authorised by Act of Parlament which for certayne reasons he must defende but how in this case God knoweth that knowes all things THE VII VNTRVTH IT followeth immediatly in Bels booke Eightly the Councell of Nice prescribed limites as well to the Bishop of Rome as to other Patriarches This is a manifest vntruth and that by the iudgment of any that is indifferent The place he meaneth Can. 6. for he noteth none is in the sixt canon in these wordes Let auncient customes be kept throughout Egipt Libia and Pentapolis that the Bishop of Alexandria haue power of all these because the Bishop of Rome hath that custome Out of which wordes so far of it is that the iurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome is confined within any limits that her ample and vniuersall superioritye is confirmed for nothinge is here determined concerning the church of Rome but that is made the rule of other churches as Pope Nicholas the first noteth who also affirmeth Epist. ad MichaëleÌ„ that the Nicene Councell appoynted nothing about the Romane church because the authoritye therof was not from men but from God In the former vntruth diuers times was it mentioned our of Pope Leo as also out of his legates in the Councell of Chalcedon that the Grecians went against the Nicene Canons in their presumpreous attempt But to make the matter most clere to wâ—tt that the Councell of Nice did not limitt the Popeâ— iurisdiction but contrary wise allowed and approued nis supreame authoritye beside the restimony of Pope Nicholas alread alledged I will demonstrate the same out of the Chalcedon Synode which Bell calleth a famous Councell as it was in deede and therfore worthyly admitted by our country In the sixtene session Paschasinus the Popes legate cited this very Canon for the Popes Primacye for after the iudge had sayd Let both sides propound Concil Chalced. Act. 16. canons â—t followeth in these words The reuerend man Paschasinus Bishop and vicar of the Apostolike sea recited The sixt canon of the three hundred and eightene holy fathers That the Church of Rome hath alwayes had the These wordes are more clere in â—hâ— Nicene Councel â—t selfe See a little before Primacye But let Egipt hould that the Bishop of Alexandria haue power of all because the Bishop of Rome hath this custome Behold Paschasinus proueth the Popes supremacye out of that canon from which Bell would deduce the contrary And the Grecian Bishops were so far from contradicting this which no question they would had the canon bene plaine to the contrary senâ—e as the minister maâ—ntayneth that their silence confessed it to be most true Yea the iudges them selues though desirous to aduance the dignitye of Constantinople yet were they so ouercome with the light of truth shining in that canon that vppon the former euidence they sayd VVeperfectly perceiue all primacy and principall Act. 16. honour according to the canons to be kept for the Archbishop of old Rome most beloued of God The true meaning â—nertore of the canon is that the Bishope of Rome before the definition of any Councell vsed to committ the gouernement of Egipt Libia and Pentapolis to the Bishop of Alexandria as Pope Nicholas the first doth expound it and is plaine out of the Councell of Chalcedon which being so Bell remayneth guilty of an vntruth and the Popes eminent authority confirmed by that very canon which he brought to ouerthrowe it What an vnlucky hand hath this minister that striking at others still woundeth him selfe THE VIII IX AND X. VNTRVTHES AFter Bell had produced many arguments against the Popes soueraigne superioritye he maketh a recapitulation of them all but so handsomly that for their better grace he doth florish them ouer with new lyes To stande vpon one that hath a couple of followers Fourthly quoth he seing Polycarpus S. Polycrates S. Ireneus and S. Ciprian with many Bishops of Europe Asia and Affrica contemned the Bishop of Rome his decrees and supposed supremacye That S. Polycarpus contemned the Popes decrees is most false and vntruly collected out of his former argument in
fine Eusebius sayth vnder colour of that cunningly labouring to bring in Iudaisme as TertulliaÌ„ recordeth And this senteÌ„ce of Victor was afterward approued in the Councell of Nice as is manifest out of Eusebius Lib. 3. de vita Constantini cap. 13. Heres 53. Heres 75. and afterward those that held the Asian error wer accounted heretikes as appeareth in S. Augustin and S. Epiphanius Bels III. obiection THirdly S. Policrates and many Bishopps of Asia did stoutly withstand the same Victor then Bishoppe of Rome in his presumpteous procedings touching Easter THE ANSWERE ANd how many Emperours and Kings as we reade partly in scriptures partly in prophane histories haue bene resisted most disgraciusly entreated and abused by their subiects were they not for all that their superiours yea Iesus Christ him selfe suffered many indignities at the Iewes handes was he not for all that their Creator king and Sauiour His caÌ„nonization of Polycrates rather sheweth his malitious cunninge then any wayes bettereth his cause wherof I haue spoken before and here can not but adioyne as a matter of note that the letters of Polycrates and other to S. Victor in defence of them selues make more for his ecclesiasticall superiority then their disobedient resistance sheweth that he had not authority ouer them when as many haue withstood their lawfull Pastors For why should they haue neded any such Apologeticall letters more to him then to any other Patriarch or Bishop had it not bene for the dignitye of his sea or can it sincke into any mans head that the Asian Bishopps would not haue reprehended his vsurped authoritye had they bene of Bels minde for censuring them that were not subiect to his iurisdiction His terminge S. Victors proceedinges presumpteous sheweth his inueterat malice to that blessed Pope and martyr and beside declareth his folly in condemning him so depelie whom els where he commendeth so highely Bels IIII. obiection SAint Cyprian roundly opposed himselfe against Stephanus then Bishoppe of Rome contemning his decree and deridinge his reasons THE AVNSWERE VVEre not Bell one of Chams coÌ„fraternity he would neuer mention that which turneth to the disgrace of that blessed martyr and nothing toucheth the authoritie of the Pope at all For that S. Cyprian was in an error I dare say Bell will not deny and therfore the more roundly he wrott to the Pope the more is his fault encreased Far was blessed S. Austen from the spirit of this minister who wholy to take away or at least to diminish Epist. 48. ad VinceÌ„â—iam this stayne of S. Cyprian sayth that eyther those writings be none of his in which these things be found as som then saide or else that afterward he repented him of his errour chaunged his opinion though the retractation be not found As for the authoritye of the Pope it doth nothing preiudice that at all for albeit the Pope coÌ„manded that rebaptization should not be practised the pointe of controuersie betwixt them two yet did he not define that questioÌ„ nor pronounce any censure against Cyprian or others of his opinion much lesse was it coÌ„demned by a generall CouÌ„cell which reason also S. Augustin bringeth in his defence and Lib. 1. do Baptism cap. 18. so it was free for him without dauÌ„ger of heresie to persist in his owne opinion especially seing he had on his side a prouincial Councell of fowerscore Bishops as he thought much probability for his part Many good men no question both haue and hereafter may be carried awaye with ignorant zeale to defende an erroneous opinion yet with all subiection to the Pope remayning all wayes with ready minde when they shall see ther error ouerthrown by Apostolicall definition to submitt them selues with all obedience Bels V. obiection FIftly the Apostles at Ierusalem sent Peter and Iohn to confirme the faythfull in Samaria and consequently if the Pope be not aboue Peter but his supposed successour he may be sent of Bishopps his bretheren as S. Peter was But who is that Bishoppe and where dwelleth he that at this day dareth do the now Pope such supposed villanie THE ANSWERE NOt any supposed but the true and reale folly of the minister appeareth in this argument for he would inferr because S. Peter was sent of the Apostles that therefore he was not the cheife and Prince of the Apostles but yf his illation be of any force to bereaue him of his superiority which Bell vrgeth it hath the like strength to make him their inferiour which I thinke he will not graunte for commonly they be such that be sent of others Wherfore I answeare that althoughe it be no vsuall thinge yet sometyme in greate and important affaires superiours are sent of their inferiours not by power and authoritie but by request and entreatie to which they may yelde yf they thinke it expedient for the common goode or refuse it yf they lyke not to vndergoe that charge A greate question arising at Antioch about circumcision and other legall ceremonies Paul and Barnabas were sent by the faithfull Act. 15. there to Ierusalem to conferr aboute that pointe with the Apostles Will Bell therfore inferr that Paul and Barnabas were their inferiours Iosephus also reporteth how the Iewes Lib. 20. Antiq. cap. 7. hauing a controuersie against Agrippa their kinge and Festus their President sent vnto Nero the Emperour tenne legates of the principall Iewes and with them Ismaell the highe Priest and Chelcias the Treasurer who semed next to him in dignitie For as much therfore as the conuersion of the Samaritans was a matter of greate moment they being reputed in as bad case yf not worse then the Gentils For which cause our Sauiour saide Into the waye of the Gentils goe ye not and Math. 10. into the cities of the Samaritanes enter ye not S. Peter and S. Iohne were sent as most mete for that busines S. Peter being the cheife and to whom the managing and disposing of fuch matters appertayned but not by any authoritye or commande but only by request and petition as hath bene saide in which manner both in former tymes and hereafter in like cases of the common goode Princes and superiours without any touch of their highe office or dignitie may be sent by their inferiours their sending proceding from petition nothing empeacheth their highe soueraigntie and their willing vndertaking such a charge for the common goode proclayminge their greate loue to God and their countrie Bels VI. obiection SIxtly the fathers of the famous African councell in which S. Austen that holy father and most stoute champion of Christs Church was present to the great honour and credit thereof woulde in no wise yelde to Celestine then Bishoppe of Rome in the controuersy of Appeales concerning Appiarius And when Pope Celestine alleadged for himselfe and his supposed soueraygnty that the auncient and famous councell of Nice gaue liberty to appeale to Rome the Fathers of the Councell answered roundly that the true copies of
forged any canons as Bell and such like with lying lippes affirme who measure others according to them selues both for that they appealed to Rome out of Affrike before the tyme of the Nicene councell and so litle needed they had they bene so wicked to forge any thinge to proue that which was practised before and for that straight after appeales were likewise admitted and also for that the Bishop of Rome had his Legate there resident amongst them for the dispatch of ecclesiasticall busines as out of Pope Leo hath bene declared The same thinge also appeareth in that neither the Affricane Bishops nor S. Austen euer obiected any such crime of forgery to any of those Popes as the ministeriall fraternity of forgers doe but contrariwise behaued them selues in most dutifull manner giuing them very reuerent honourable titles protestinge also their obedience and subiection to them as hath bene saide and so they be far vnlike to our Protestāt professours that persecute them with scrrilous and odius termes As therefore the vnseemely carriage and bitter accusation of our Gospellers doth manifestly argue their spighte to these Popes and that they condemne them as guilty of forgery so their dutifull and obedient deportment towardes those holy Popes giue the worlde to vnderstande that they were far from any such malitious conceipt and therefore albeit I might content my selfe with that which hath bene saide yet more to cleare them from the venim of Bels aspish lippes and to free them wholy from the malitious imputation of the minister and that in the iudgement of any indifferent reader I say further that these canons of the Nicen◠councell allowing appeales to Rome might be in that Councell though nowe not founde there nor yet extant then in those copies sent from the East to the Bishops of Affrike for as much as most certayne it is that there were diuers canons more then be nowe founde or were sent to Affrike many being perished either by the malice of the Arrians whose power ouerswaied the Easterne churches and were most mortall enemies to that Councell which is very probable els by some other dismoll accident of fire or otherwise How soeuer it be that many canons be wantinge is most certayne for one of the canons of that Councell was about the obseruation of Easter day as testifieth Constantine in his epistle and also Epiphanius Apud Euseb lib. 3. de vita Constantini Heres 69. Epist do Synodis Arimin Seleucien Lib. 10. hist cap. 6. Epist. 110. Lib. 1. cap. 8. and Athanasius but this canon is in none of those twenty which be nowe extant and of which only so many yeares since Ruffinus maketh mention in his history It was prohibited also in the same Councell that there shoulde be two Bishops in one place as S. Austen affirmeth but no such canon or decree now appeareth And to omitt diuers other particulars not only other Protestants but Bell also both in his other bookes and in this pamphlet in the next chapter obiecteth out of Socrates that a canon was made in the Nicene councell by the suggestion of Paphnutius which permitted Priests to remayne with their former wiues but this Canon is no where to be founde amongst amongst those twenty Wherefore yf Pope Celestinus must be condemned for a falsary because he cited a canon which is not now extant nor mentioned by Ruffinus by the same reason must Constantinus Athanasius Epiphanius Augustinus Socrates yea and not other Protestants only but Bell him selfe be sentenced of forgery for citinge of that canon which is not now extant amongst those twenty Albeit that which hath bene saide may giue full satisfaction to any man of moderation yet more to musle the mouth of the minister I adde and say that these canons of appeale being founde formally in the Councell of Sardica where in most ample and playn words both in the fourth seuenth canons Can. 4. 7. appellations to Rome are ratified and confirmed both Pope Sozimus and others call them by the name of the Nicene canons though they be founde in the Councell of Sardica and the reason is for that these two Councels are accounted for all one both because the same fathers that were present at Nice were also a great number of them at Sardica and also for that no newe thinge touching faith was there enacted whereas in other Councels newe heresies were condemned and this is the cause why it maketh not any number for being a generall and approued Councell it should be the secōd in order being celebrated an eleauene yeares after the death of Constantine the great as the Magdeburgians them selues relate out of Socrates Centur 4. col 747. Theodoretus and Sozomenus for they solemnely report the whole councell together with these two canons of appellations to Rome where Bell for his colde comfort may reade them it shoulde I say be the second being some yeares before that of Constantinople but that for the reason alleadged it is reputed all one with that of Nice and so maketh not any number This also is confirmed for that in the copie of one Dionisius who a thousand yeares since translated the Nicene Councell out of the Greeke tongue yet extant in the Abbey of S. Vedastus at Arras Lib. 2. de Roman◠pontif cap. 25. as Cardinall Bellarmine reporteth all the canons of the Coucell of Sardica are founde adioyned with those of Nice as of one Councell What maruaile then yf Pope Sozimus or Bonifacius cite the canons of the Councell of Sardica for the canons of Nice when as they were accounted for all one and in all probability founde them in their copies so ioyned together Bels great difficulty is dissolued and the Pope discharged from all forgery and false packing Now to come vpon him and to beate the ende of his owne weapon vpon his owne face what saith he to the canons of the Councell of Sardica or Nice which graunt appeales to Rome as the Legates of the Pope veryfyed to the Affricane Bishops were they founde formally in the Nicene councel Bell were ouerthrowne for euer but they be in the Councell of Sardica celebrated straight after which is reputed one with this of Nice and of soueraigne authority what starting hole will he finde out to auoyde this blowe O miserable minister whose carcase is still beaten like an anuile with the hammers of his owne arguments His other reasons out of the Councell of Chalcedon and Nice are answered before Bels III. Chapter Of the marriage of Priests and ministers of the Church THE VI. VNTRVTHE THe minister pleading here hard for the wiuing of Priests hath these wordes For this respect did holy Paphnutius stande vp in the Councell of Nice at such times as the Fathers then and there assembled together thought to haue seuered married Priests and Bishops from their wiues and tolde them according to gods worde that to forbidde marriage to Priests was too seuere a lawe He yelded this reason
parte of virgins or of vnmarryed folke or if those be not sufficient for the ministerye of those which conteyne them selues from their owne Heres 59. wiues And in another place But the Churche quoth he doth not admitt the husbande of one wife yet liuinge and begetting children S. Hierom likewise writing against Vigilantius saith VVhat shall the Churche of the Easte doe what the Churche of Egipte and the Apostolike sea which take virgins for their Clerks or contynent or if they be marryed giue ouer to be husbandes Will Bell for all this tell vs that Priests were euer marryed in the Easte churche and with out all respect giue S. Epiphanius and S. Hierom â— worde of disgrace it would beseeme him â—â—ch better quietlye to disgest it him selfe his iust desertes allotting him that speciall fauour Out of these two testimonies also the good reader may note whether Sozomenus and Socrates are to be credited affirminge that by permission of the Nicene Councell Easterne Priests marryed before orders might still haue the company of their former wiues as in the precedent section was handled Nay the same is most certaine out of the very Nicene Synode it selfe wher it Can. 3. is forbidden Bishops Priests and Deacons to keep any wemen in their house beside their mother sister or aunt no mention is made of any wife which yet should haue bene in the first place if any such tolleration at the suggestion of Paphnutius had bene graunted And if their former wiues were as our aduersaries pretend out of Socrates and Sozemenus permitted them why should the cohabitation of other wemen be interdicted Did they allowe them theire wiues and not suffer them to haue maydes for the dispatche of houshold busines and bringinge vp of the leuiticall frye which coÌ„monly is plentiful in that generatioÌ„ if we may gesse by those of our tyme who so simple as seeth not the incongruitye of these two or perceiâ—eth not that the Councell for biddinge any mayde seruante to dwell in Priests howses did neuer graunte them the cohabitation and carnall companye of their wiues as our Protestantes pretende Furthermore how can it be true that the Nicene Councell permitted as the same authors reporte Bishops to enioye the companye of their former wiues when as some hundred yeares after in the false Synode of Constantinople holden in Trullo Can. 48. howsoeuer the raynes were loosed to other of the Clergie yet Bishops were forbidden to dwell with their former wiues which conuinceth that no such leaue was graunted by the Councell of Nice and so crazeth the creditt of them which affirme that Synode to haue permitted Bishops Preists c. to remaine still with their former wiues To these former testimonies and reasones I will adioyne one more both against Bell that desperatlie mainteyneth that the mariage of Ecclesiasticall persons hath alwaies bene vsed in the Easte churche vntill these our dayes and also against Socrates and Sozomenus saying that the Councell of Nice did permitt them to enioye the company of those wiues which they hadd maried before takinge of holie orders and it shal be of a Greek Doctor that liued in the tyme of the Nicene Councell to witt Eusebius whose wordes be these Veruntamen Notwithstandinge it is meete that they should Lib. 1. Demonstrat euang cap. 9. refraine them selues from the companye of their wiues who are consecrated and busied in the ministerie and seruice of God What plentye of authorities mighte be brought to ouerthro We this palpable vntruth but what neede more when as these already tickle the Minister and fetche blood for they are so farr of to be auoyded any cauillinge shifte that the Lutheran Magdeburgians dislike two of these fathers bycause they speake not herein according to their mynde as is euident in their fourthe Centurye where they note S. Epiphanius as erringe CeÌ„tur 4. col 303. aboute that pointe citinge parte of his wordes before by me produced and afterwardes they accuse many doctors for inclyning too much vnto that opinion yea that they did publiklye professe that it was not lawfull for Priests to haue wiues and amongst others they tax Eusebius for one cyting the very wordes by me alledged But what doe I dispute in a matter so plaine when as the erraticall Councell of Constantinople holden in Trullo which Bell so solemnly alleageth in his Suruey Pag. 224. and 227. for the proofe of Priests mariage is in this pointe directly against him for thoughe it allowed such Priests as after mariage receiued orders to continue still with their former wiues yet did it vtterly forbid Priests after orders to mary as appeareth out of the sixth CanoÌ„ Nay to this day the Greeks haue no such custome which is sufficient to confound the bolde assertion of the minister if nothing els were added Thus much of his first vntruth THE XIII VNTRVTHE THe next vntruth fellowe to the former is that in the West churche the marryage of Priests was generally lawfull till the tyme of Siricius For refutation whereof I haue spoken so plentifullye in my late book against Bell that it is The Doleful knel. pag. 51. and pag. 97. 98. in vaine to say more There I haue by irrefragable testimonies proued that Priests marriage was prohibited before and by diuers reasons drawen out of Siricius owne epistle made it manifest that he was not the firste who enacted that lawe but that commaunded the due obseruation of that which Apostolicall antiquitie had in that behalfe ordeyned To that place thefore I referre the good reader for I loue not alwaies to be iangling of one thinge after the manner of the great Bell of Rascall Here sufficient it is to chamber his clapper to oppose vnto him the wordes a litle before alleadged out of S. Hierom against Vigilantius and to choke him with the authoritie of his Magdeburgian brethren who reprehend S. Hierom for writinge thus in defence of his bookes against Iouinian The Apostles are chosen either virgins or contynent Cent. 4. col 477. after marryage Bishops Priests Deacons are chosen either virgins or onely such as for euer remaine chaste after priosthood which wordes of Saint Hierom they much mislike and to hamper him with the graue authoritie of the second Councell of Arles celebrated about the yeare of Christe three hundred twentye sixe according to the accounte of the Centuristes Cent. 4. col 604. Can. 2. of Magdeburge which decreed that non ought to be assumed to Preisthood being maryed vnles conuersion were promised What conuersion could this be but the forsakinge of his wiues carnall company THE XIIII VNTRVTH SIr Thomas continuing still his declamation in behalfe of Priests marriage procedeth also forwarde in lying writing thus Yea Priests continued still marryed in Germany for the space of one thousand seuenty fower yeares vntill the dayes of the vngratious Pope Hildebrand who termed himselfe Gregorie the seuenth so soone as he had crept into the Pope dome by naughty meanes What
with this notable vntruth The Popes pardon quoth he is a rotten ragge of the new religion brought into the churche after a 1300. yeares by Pope Bonifacius the eighte This very tale he hath tolde vs diuers times before and therefore the more reason I haue to challenge it for a rotten ly of the Ragge-maister of Raicall That it is suche a one I haue proued in the foresayd Dolefull knelle both by the testimony of Pag. 52. 53. c. other catholicke writers and also of Kemnitius the Lutherance of Germany and Perkins the Puritane of Englande his deare brothers in the Lord. And to say somthing in this place I will adde one testimony more and it shalle be of our mortall enemyes the VValdenses called also Pauperes de Lugduno Who appeared to the world about the yeare 1270. as testifieth Claudius Cussordius and Libro contra waldenses Lib. de heresibus 4. parte Examinis pag. 375. Guido one of whose heresies was against the Popes pardons as is moste certayne and Kemnitius confesseth whiche argueth that pardons were long in vse before the yeare 1300. and therefore be it knowen to Bell that he hath often runge out a notorious vntruth Bels V. Chapter Of Popishe Purgatorie THE XXII VNTRVTHE IN this chapter after he hath disputed against purgatory with the authority of Roffensis of which els where I entend to speake more he cometh to his recapitulation and saith Secondly that the church of Rome beleeued it not that is purgatory for the space of 250. yeares after which time it encreased by litle and litle This either he meaneth is gathered out of the testimony of Roffensis that is not true for nothing doth Roffensis speake of 250. yeares or deny that Purgatrory was alwaies beleeued in the church although he confesseth that the doctrine thereof was not generally so well knowen as now it is which is farre different from this proposition Purgatory was not beleeued of the church of Rome for the speace of 250. yeares after Christ Or els he affirmeth of himselfe that Purgatory was not beleued vntil that time which I make no doubt but it is his meaning for as muche as he teacheth the same thinge in other of his bookes and then I must be so bould to tell him that it is also a manifest vntruth as I haue proued against him in the Dolefulle knelle out of S. Denis S. Pauls scholler Pag. 55. 56. and Tertullian yea and to his vtter confusion conuinced out of himselfe in this place I wille adde the testimony of his brother Perkins Who in his Problem confesseth that Purgatory in the church was first receiued by Tertullian the Montanist Verbo Purgatorium pag. 185. wherein is one open vntruth to witt that he was the first for he onely affirmeth it but proueth it not and no marueil when he can not seing most certaine it is that it came from the Apostles Non Hom. 69. ad populum Praier for the doade commeth from the Apostles temere c. Not without cause saith S. Chrysostome these thinges were ordained of the Apostles that in the dreadfull mysteryes commemoration should be made of the dead for they knowe that thereby much gaine doth come vnto them and much profitte Much more to the same purpose might be produced An other vntruth he hath but more secretly conueyed vz that the doctrine of purgatory is a braunche of Montanisme which is moste false none euer of antiquity notinge that in Tertullian for any erroneous doctrine which no question they would had they reputed that of like quality with the other Bell for that great skille which he hath in auncient monuments and great dexterity in discouering the origine of Popery whereof Suruey epi stle Dedicatorie he vaunteth to the solace of his soule shall do well to iustify these two pointes of his precise brother or if his leisure serue him not for so much at least let him defend himself from lyinge when as Tertullian by the testimony of Perkins confesseth Purgatory who was dead before the yeare two hundred and fiftye Here the iudicious reader may also note how the minister contradicteth himself In his Suruaye intreatinge of Purgatory he sayeth Thus by litle and Bel cōtradicteth him solse litle it increased till the late Bishoppes of Rome made it an article of Popishe fayth Where in the margent he noteth the time thus In the yeare of our Lord 250. Heere he sayth that the church of Rome beleued it not for the space of 250. yeares after which as he telleth vs it encreased by litle and litle and so in this place he maketh the seede of Purgatory not to haue been sowen before the yeare 250 and after ward to haue encreased till it came to perfection there he affirmeth that the seede was sowen before and encreased by litle and litle vntille it became ripe and perfect Popery which was in the yeare 250 and so Purgatory was sowen not sowen growen and not growen an article of fayth and not an article of faith in the same one yeare 250. I will not deny but the minister hath som skill in botching together of ould endes of diuinity gathered out of the ragge markett of Caluin such like Ceneua-merchants yet I feare me it will be to hard for him so to cobble the sayings together that the flawe of a contradiction appeareth not THE XXIII VNTRVTH IN the same place he writeth thus Fistly that the Primitiue Church was neuer acquainted with the Popes pardons nor yet with his counterfette and forged purgatory A notable vntruth for not to speake of pardons but of purgatory was it not the Primitiue churche which beleeued purgatory when as himself confesseth that it was made an article of Popishe fayth in the yeare 250. Suruey pag. 297 Lib. 2. cap. 2. pag. 3. at what time all the Popes were martyred for Christ and in his Funerall he acknowledgeth the first thirty for godly men saying that both they and diuers others taught the same doctrine which S. Peter had done afore them and most certaine that one of these thirty liued in the yeare 250. and so I trowe they were of the Primitiue Churche The Minister is full of distinctions and his braine a shoppe of solutions hauing many I sayes for the answear of any obiection yet it is to be feared that no deuise will free him from a gorsse vntruth affirming here that the Primitiue Church was not acquainted with Purgatory and yet teaching in his Suruey that Purgatory was made an article of fiath by the late Popes of Rome in the yeare 250. I lett passe how purgatory must by his owne cōfession be Apostolicall doctrine when it was taught by those Popes which he graunteth to haue holden the faith of S. Peter as I haue vrged against him in the Dolefull Knell I omitt also how falsely and ridiculously he calleth the Popes that liued 1450 yeares ago the late Popes of Rome veryly it