Imprimatur Tho. Tomkyns RR mo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino Gilbert divina providentia Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi á sacris domesticis Ex Aed Lambethanis Oct. 31. THE UNREASONABLENESS OF THE ROMANISTS Requiring our COMMUNION With the present Romish Church Or a DISCOURSE Drawn from the perplexity and uncertainty of the Principles and from the Contradictions betwixt the Prayers and Doctrine of the present Romish church to prove that 't is unreasonable to require us to joyn in Communion with it LONDON Printed by T. R. for Richard Royston Bookseller to his most Excellent Majesty 1670. THE PREFACE AFter the Ascention of our Saviour the Apostles separated themselves for the Publishing of the Gospel through all the World and where they saw any likelyhood of a plentifull Harvest they bestowed there the greatest Paines in the Planting of the Christian Religion Their first care was for the converting of the Cities for the greater would draw after it the lesser and Religion settled in the Cities would sooner diffuse it self through the adjacent Villages By the same reason their Care was the Conversion of the Metropolis of the Roman World that from that head Religion might more opportunely be conveyed into all the members of that vast Empire And by its Authority and Example other Countries subject to that City might be moved to embrace the Faith Et cito pervios haberet populos praedicatio generalis quos unius teneret Regimen civitatis * Leo Serm. de Nat. Petri ◠Pauli In the Conversion of this place both the Doctor of the Gentiles and the Apostle of the Circumcision and Tertullian de praescriptionibus mentions also S. John bestowed their time and Labour Here they Preached here they Suffered quibus Romanis Evangelium Petrus Paulus sanguine quoque suo signatum reliquerunt and both founded this Church a gloriosissimis duobus Apostolis Petro Paulo Romae fundatur constituitur Ecclesia * Tert. adv Marco◠li. 4. Both exercised here their Apostolical authority and by Epiphanius Heres 27. are both called Bishops of Rome †Irenae lib. 3. cap. 3. Both of them appointed Linus to that Bishoprick Fundantes instruentes Ecclesiam Lino Episcopatum tradiderunt * Irenae ibi The Faith of this Roman Church was famous throughout the World their Sufferings were great for they usually endured the first heat of the Roman fury Their Bishops for the first 300 years were most of them Crowned with Martyrdom Polydor Virgil * De invent rerum Li. 9. cap. 1. saith that seven only of 32 escaped the Church thus founded in the Imperial City was most observed and Eyed both by the Heathen and by the Christian By the Heathen it was so eyed that usually it became the mark of their fury and their Edicts of Persecutions were first executed in the City before they were transmitted into the remoter Provinces The Martyrs here were so numerous that it became the businesse of 7 Notaries to record their sufferings as Platina reports This Church was much eyed by the Christians being placed in the chief City The Faith of this Church like a Candle on a Hill was more conspicuous and its suffering was more observed than in Remoter places The Bishops of Rome were commonly the most Eminent like the choicest Soldiers placed in the Front of the Battle The Clergy here were very numerous according to the largenesse of the City for in Pontians time which was about the year 231. there were 236 Cardinal Priests as Polydor Virgil * D Invent rerum ◠4. cap. 9. reports from Guido Archidiaconus and Franciscus Zabarella and these he explaines to be such who had chiefly cure of Soules This Church being thus advanced by the dignity of the City the eminency of its founders and the worth of its members was accounted the chief Church the Chair of Peter the Apostolick See and Valentinian in an Epistle to Theodosius saith Antiquity hath given the Bishop of the Roman City a Principality of Priest-hood above all After that the World came into the Church and the Ensign of Christianity became the Banner of the Empire the Roman Church encreased in Dignity Revenue and Credit for the Christian Emperours out of their respect to Religion honouring the Bishops enlarging their Revenue and increasing their Dignity did shew more particular kindnesse to the Church of Rome where was the Seat of their Empire and which had gained such esteem for the merit of its Founders In short time the Riches of the Roman Bishoprick or'e-topp'd the neighbouring places the Pomp of their Bishops was suitable to the magnificence of the City Now Communion with the Roman Bishop was made the Test and Mark of Orthodoxnesse in Religion Now it was decreed by the Emperours that it should not be Lawful for the Bishops of Gallia or other Provinces to attempt any thing without the Authority of the venerable Pope of the Eternal City * Apud Baron an 445. n. 9. and in all things they hast'ned to increase the Authority and Honour of that See per omnia properamus honorem Authoritatem vestrae Sedis crescere saith Justinian * L. Seder C. de Sum. trin But now the Roman Church which by the favour of Emperours and affection of Prelates in reverence of S. Peter and respect to the Imperial Seat had gained this dignity and honour began to swell with higher aimes and to Aspire to greater Priviledges If the Councel of Calcedon would advance Constantinople to the second Patriarchship upon the same reason as the Fathers bad dignified Rome Propter imperium civitatis illius and would now give equal Priviledges to new Rome judging it reasonable that the City adorned with the Empire and Senate should enjoy equal Priviledges with the elder Rome * Conc. Calced Act. 16. then Leo epist 58. to the Empresse Pulcheria durst pronounce Consensiones Episcoporum sanctorum Canonum apud Nicaeam Conditorum Regulis repugnantes in irritum mittimus per authoritatem Beati Petri Apostoli generali prorsus definitione cassamus we do make the agreement of the Bishops repugnant to the Canons of the Council of Nice for so he conceived the advancement of Constantinople to be null and by the authority of the blessed Apostle Peter do make them void If the Councel of Sardis * Conc. Sardic Can. 3. n. 8. to honour the memory of S. Peter appoints in the case of a Bishop or Priest that if he think he hath good reason why the cause should be examined over again those who heard the cause should write to Julius the Roman Bishop and if he think fit it should be re-examined that it may be so and he may appoint Judges and if he does not think it fit to be re-examined then what he doth determine shall be confirmed Or in case of a Bishop deposed if he appeal to the Roman Bishop that Bishop if he thinks fit may write to the Neighbouring Bishops
that they determine the cause and in case the deposed Bishop desire the Roman Bishop to send one of his Presbyters it shall be in his power and if he will send some with his Authority to judge the cause with the other Bishops he may do it This priviledge shall be extended higher that inferiour Priests may appeal to the Roman See out of any Provinces that the causes of Bishops may be called to Rome and heard by him alone and this profitable Authority of receiving Appeals was pretended by Zosimus * Cod. Con. Ecl. Affr. in Conc. Carth. 419. from the Canons of the Nicene Councel though no such thing could be found in any of the Copies of that Councel in the Eastern Church as Cyril of Jerusalem and Atticus of Constantinople testified afterwards this priviledge was so heightned that all causes almost were drawn to Rome * Vrsperg in Phill. lmp. all jurisdiction hindred and causes were determined more according to mens gifts than thâ—ir rights If the Antients did show any respect to the Roman See allowing it the priviledge to be the first Seat and that Bishop to be first of all Priests so Justinian * Nov. 131. Cap. 2. determines according to the ancient Cannons that he be the chiefest of Bishops and the first Patriarch and have the first place in Councels before the other Patriarchs and I 'le add another priviledge which Pope Julius mentions * Socrat. li. 2. Cap. 13. as an Ecclesiastical Law that without the Roman Bishop no decrees should be made in Councels Now these priviledges shall be extended higher that all other Patriarchs shall be his Subjects * D st 22. Ca de Constant that by divine right the Bishop of Rome is head of the Church Caput Cardo à Domino non ab alio Apostolica Sedes constituta est sicut cardine ostium sic hujus Apostolicae Sedis authoritate omnes Ecclesiae reguntur * Dist. 22. c. Saâ—r Ecl. Rom. That it is of necessity to Salvation for every Humane Creature to be under the Roman Bishop saith Boniface who lived 1294. in the extravagant * Vna de major Obed. If the Ancient Church allowed him the priviledg to see the Canons of the Church put in Execution and as the first Seat to see that the Laws made by general Consent be Observed This Law shall be extended higher that he may dispense with the Laws made by general Councels unlesse it be in Articles of faith †Caus 25. Qu. 1. That no Councel can put Bounds to his power as Paschal the Second who was Pope 1099. Bragged that if the Council should add any Clausa irritans virt Should declare all dispensations to be Null and Invallid which are contrary to their Canons yet the Pope hath power to dispense in those cases as Victoria * Râ—lact 4. de pot Papae N. 4. prop. 4. saith Again if the Ancients did account the Vnion with the Roman Church to be the Test of Orthodoxnesse in Religion as Hierom tells Damasus I following no Chief but Christ am joyned in Communion to thy Blessednesse that is to the Chair of Peter and he that gathereth not with thee Scatereth that is who is not Christ's is Antichrist's because the Roman Church at that time was free from those Heresies under which the Eastern Church had groaned and therefore if they joyned with the Roman it was a sign that they Renounced the Errors which afflicted the Eastern and so it was Required by the Emperours * L. cunctos C. de Sum. trin that all should professe the Religion which it appeared that Damasus and Peter Bishop of Alexandria follow i. e. that according to the Discipline of the Apostles and the Doctrine of the Gospel we believe one Deity of the Father Son and Holy-Ghost Now what they spake of the present time the Roman Bishops pretend to be constant priviledges of that See for they lost no time to inhanse their own greatnesse Leo was hammering at it Hactenus fides Petri non defecit hitherto it hath not failed and he adds Nec defectura Creditur in Throno suo * Leo. Epist 9. ad Pat. Antioch that the Roman Church neither hath Erred nor shall Err †Greg. 7. li. 2. post Ep. 55. and in dissention about matters of faith be that shall take that side to which the Bishop of Rome adheres shall be secure for Christ hath prayed that Peters faith faile not The first ground of the priviledg was because that the Tradition of the Christian Doctrine concerning that point was preserved sincere in the Roman Church For the Emperours say they would have all the people to professe that Religion which S. Peter delivered to the Romans and which it appears Pope Damasus followed This afterwards the Popes claim as the fruits of Christs Prayer for S. Peter and the priviledge of their See By these Steps the Roman Bishop ascended to that height of Power he enjoyed what was either by consent or Custom either in honour of S. Peter or Respect to the Imperial Seat either for the greatnesse of the City the Eminency of many Bishops or the Orthodoxnesse in Religion while the World groaned under Arianisme ascribed to the Roman Bishop was afterwards challenged to be due by Divine right Then the Sister challenged to be the Mother the fellow-Servant to be the Mistresse of all Churches and the Roman Bishop who was so often called by Cyprian his Brother and Collegue to be in effect the Lord and Master The Canons were trodden under foot the Authority of Bishops deprest and all things brought into confusion his flatterers and those that thrived by his greatnesse labouring still to advance his Power they cried him up to have Omnia jura in scrinio pectoris all Laws contained in his Brest * Const. provinc de â—emp ord gloss in C. 2. expresse Lanc. init jur Canon L. 1. tit 3. de Eccl. Const that he was above all Laws and his bare will a sufficient Reason and his decretal Epistles were equal not only to the Canons of general Councils but they were also Reckoned among the Canonical Scriptures and yet this Blasphemous saying fathered on S. Augustin lib. 2. de Doctrina Christiana * Distinct 19. in Canonicis is not expunged either by Thomas Manriques when he set forth the censures on the glosses by command of Pius Quintus or by Sixtus Faber Mr. of the Apostolick Pallace in his Censures published by command of Greg. 13 th 1580. nor did he only challenge a primacy in Spirituals but even in Temporals as Bonif. 8. in the extravagant †Extrar Vâ—â—a de major obedient saith that in the Churches Power are two Swords the Spiritual and the Temporal and so Pope Nicolas tells the Milanois that God gave to Peter the Key-keeper of Eternal life Terreni simul coelestis Imperij curam That he shall take the charge of
is absurd to make this profession alwaies that she is the Mother and Mistress of all Churches for that cannot alwaies be the Mother and Mistress of all Churches which may cease to be a member of the Catholick Church But even by their own confessions it is not de fide that the Roman particular Church shall alwaies remain or alwaies adhere to the true faith for that Rome shall be the Seat of Antichrist is the opinion of many Romanists and if it be Ribera Viega in Apoc. 17. the Seat of Antichrist it is uncertain how it can remain the Mistress of all Churches again that it shall not fail it is only pia probabilissima opinio * Bellar. l. 4. de Rom. pont c. 4. But not so certain that the contrary can be called Heretical or manifestly erroneous yea there is no promise if we look on that Church precisely that it shall never revolt from the Catholick faith saies Suarez * Desensfid Cathol l. 1. 5. 5. Now if it be not de fide that the Roman particular Church shall never err in matters of faith and that there is no promise to support it from failing then 't is absur'd to prosess alwaies this Article as necessary to Salvation That she is the Mother and Mistresse of all Churches Thirdly If the Romanists shall say that the particular Church taken abstractly from its Bishop may err but considered as united with its head the Vniversal Bishop then it can never err or fall away propter Cathedram Petri praesidentem saies Suarez †Defens fid Cathol c. l. 1. c. 5. n. 6 7. for the Roman Bishop is the Vicar of Christ and Head of the whole Church the Father and Teacher of all Christians to whom in St. Peter was delivered the full power of feeding and governing the universal Church as the Florentine Council determines so that whatsoever Church is in Vnion with him by vertue of the priviledg derived to him by St. Peter cannot fall into any error hoc habet quaelibet alia Ecclesia sub eadem ratione Vnione spectata saies Suarez * Defens fid c. ibi n. 6. But now if the foundation of this Article be doubtful and uncertain it will follow that this Article it self is doubtful and uncertain also First then setting aside the question about St. Peters universal Pastor-ship which contains many perplexities it is uncertain whether there be by Divine right a successor to that universal Pastor-ship for there is no mention in Scripture of a successor no Command to appoint one and no evident consequence that any such was appointed and if there can be no certain command produced to appoint a successor nor evident consequence that by divine Command any such was appointed then it is uncertain whether there be by divine right a successor to that universal Pastor-ship Secondly It is uncertain whether those priviledges which our Saviour obtained by his Prayer for St. Peter are to be extended to his Successor for either all must be allowed to a Successor or only some priviledges if all priviledges then the Successor of St. Peter can neither err in his own judgment nor teach any error to others But this is more then themselves require for the former priviledg fortasse non descendit ad postelos perhaps it hath not descended to his successors saith Bellarmine * l. 4. de Rom. Pont. c. 3. and Canus †Loc. Com. lib. 6. c. 8. gives the account of Pighius defending the Popes by vertue of this Prayer being free from personal error Quamvis in multis locis dicit satis probabiliter de summi Pontificis autoritate tamen non id spectandum quid dicit sed quid consentaneum sit ei dicere though he speaks probably enough in many places of the Popes authority yet that is not so much to be regarded what he saies as what is fit for him to say c. for he adds in another place it cannot be denied but the Pope may be an Heretick If only some priviledges were here given to his successor as infallibility in Doctrine that he should never teach error tanquam Pontifex whereas our Saviour obtained for St. Peter the priviledg of persevering in saving faith and also infallibility in Doctrine I demand then where hath our Saviour distinguish't betwixt the priviledges here given to St. Peter and to his Successors Where is it said what he hath obtained for the one and what he hath obtained for the other Where are those words about Teaching or Teaching others or that a Successor should teach no errors any more then St. Peter could to sum up this Argument there can be no pretence that the priviledges procured for St. Peter belonged to his Successors without our Saviours grant but 't is uncertain whether there be such a grant for either all priviledges must be allowed to his Successors which is more then they would have or there must be some distinction betwixt those priviledges which he procured for St. Peter and which he obtained for his successors but if there be none to be found there as I have shewn then it follows that it is uncertain whether the priviledges which our Saviour obtained for St. Peter are to be extended to his Successors Thirdly granting there be a successor yet still this Article that the Bishop of Rome is the successor of St. Peter I mean in that large sense the Papists take it is uncertain and doubtful for there is no Command extant that S. Peter should fix his Seat at Rome and no Divine Testimony that the Bishop of Rome was appointed his successor and if there be neither Command that he should be appointed his successor nor Divine Testimony that he was so appointed it follows then that this Article The Bishop of Rome is St. Peter's successor is uncertain and doubtful if there were a Command then either it was given before St. Peter would have departed from Rome or after his return thither again if before St. Peters going out of Rome he received the command to fix his Seat there then it is not likely that he would have offered to remove thence which as the stories quoted by Bellarmin * l. 1. de Rom. pon◠c. 23. say was a little before his Death if after his return to Rome he received this Command how does it appear yea that he received such Command either before his offering to depart or after his return what Record what Testimony what assurance of any such thing if there were a Testimony that the Bishop of Rome was appointed to be St. Peters successor then either that Testimony is Divine or Humane if it be a Divine Testimony let it be produced if it be only a Humane Testimony then it makes only a Humane faith and therefore it can be no Article necessary to be believed on pain of Damnation that the Bishop of Rome is St. Peters successor Again that which is not yet
allowance let them produce any proof that the authority of Electing the universal Bishop who shall be endowed with the priviledges given to St. Peter was bestowed on the Cardinals Secondly the Election of the Pope was performed anciently by the suffrages of Clergy and people so Cornelius was chosen electione Cleri plebis saies Ciprian * Epist. l. 4. Epis 2. 1. and Gratian * Distinct. 79. c. ejectionem quotes a saying of Anacletus that God committed the Election bonis Sacerdotibus Spiritualibus populis to good Priests and Spiritual people The like we have from Onuphrius* that the Election †Annot. in Plat. vita Pelag. 2. of the Roman Bishop more majorum was a Clero S. P. Q. R. by the Clergy Senate and people of Rome Now then if the Election by the Cardinals was Jure divino then the former way of election was Null and there was no true Pope till Celestin the second qui primus sine ullo populi interventu Papa creatus est * Onuph annot in Plat. vita innocent 2. who was the first that was created Pope without the peoples medling in the Election Secondly it is uncertain that there is any right by humane Law for then it must pear that a right was conferred on them by the consent of the Universal Church that they were appointed Proctors for the Universal Church to choose on their behalf the Universal Pastor but if none of this appeares nay nor certainly that they are the rightfull Electors of the Bishop of Rome barely quà Bishop of Rome then it is not certain that the Pope is truly Elected and therefore it cannot be de fide that this Clement the 9th is the successor of St. Peter Secondly if the Pope be elected for feare or profit viz. if either the electors are compelled by Violence or by bribes induced to elect one if they be either over-awd with power or corrupted with gifts then the election is null Pope Nicholas * Distinct. 79. c. siquis pecnnia c. determines he shall be accounted Apostaticus non apostaticus and the Councels of Lateran under Iulius second declares that election to be null and that by that election no power either in things temporall or sperituall shall be allowed to the person elected but now if he look into the storyes of former elections and the Mysteries of the Conclave at this day he 'le see that it is vncertain to us whether the Pope be rightly elected you may read the election of Formosus the first Largitione Potius quam Virtute Assumitur ad Pontificatum * Platina in vita formost for his gifts rather then Vertue of Steph the sixth of Sergius the third of Iohn the eleventh raised by the Authority and indeavours of his Mother Marocia sayes Onuphorius * Annot. in Plat. in vita John 11th Iohn thirteenth seized on the Popedome by the power of his father Albericus * Plat. in John 13 th Iohn the eighteenth got the Popedome by the power of Crescentius whom it was supposed he had bribed * Plat. in John 18th Silvester the second obtayned Symonically first the Archbishoprick of Rhemes then of Ravenna lastly the Popedome Majore Conatu diabolo adjuvante * Plat. in Sylvest 2. Clement the second by the Emperors Compulsion Damasus the second by plaine force without any Consent of the clergy or people enters on the Popedome yea it even became a Custome that every Ambitious person might seize on Saint Peters Chayre as Platina Complains * in vita Clem. 2. Damas 2. What shall I say of Boniface the seventeenth who came in like a fox and left nothing untried by bribing and cheating that he might obtaine the Popedome or of Alexander the sixth who was reported to have Attained that dignity by the Ambition and coveteousness of some corrupt Prelates * Onuph II in vita Allex 6. and how can we be absolutely certain that this is a true pope when wee find the Essentialls of a true Election may be wanting oft times the Elections were not free either the Electors were over-awed or their votes bought and can we believe it is yet better It is Platina's wish when he saw how men were prefer'd to the Papacy not for their piety but for their gifts Quem morem utinam aliquando non retinuissent nostra tempora but he rather feares unlesse God prevented that the elections would be worse sed hoc parum est pejora ni deus caveat aliquando visuri sumus although the doores of the Conclave are kept shut yet enough flyes abroad to shew the factions sidings and Pollicies within how the Cardinalls are devided by their Interests and dependencies on Princes how some are frighted others corrupted some out of feare others out of hatred c. giving their Votes this way or that way and what certainty can wee have this is a true Bishop of Rome lawful successor to Saint Peter when we see so much ground to suspect that the Essentials of a true election are oft times wanting but if any reply that Gods providence will not permit any to pass for Pope who is not Pope and that if the Church doe submit to him as Pope it is certain that he is Pope and pro. we may stil believe that it is de fide that this Pope is lawful elected Pope But this is saying without proving much confidence with little reason I therefore add that there have been those who passed for Bishops of Rome and have been owned not only by their owne partyes as in a Schisme but generally have passed for the true Pope when yet their Elections were null I say have been generally owned their names reckoned in the catalogue their decrees allowed and yet the Essentialls requisite to a right election are acknowledged by their owne Historians to be wanting Instance in Vigilius the first who suborned witnesses against Silverius that he would betray the Citty to the Gothes and having got him deposed was during the life of Silverius put into the Bishoprick and did as Onuphrius confesseth * Annot. in Plat. in Vita vigil 1. Occupare per vim pontificatum Romanum and yet this man is owned for Pope without the least appearance of any new election after the death of Sylverius or any approbation and allowance from the clergy and people by which he might lawfully enjoy that title Again I instance in Benedict the fifth created Pope in a sedition by the friends and dependents of Iohn the thirteenth against Leo the eighth and yet he is both reckoned in the catalogue of Popes * Onuph Annot. in vita Bened 5. and the succeeding Popes who assumed that name in reckoning of themselves did allow him to be Pope so in Iohn eighteenth though he came not in by the door but during the life of Gregory the fifth seized on the Popedome yet he is reckoned in the Catalogue of Popes which Platina admires