you haue heard And in the same Book entituled Against all profane Innouations he doth throughout condemne all your new Articles of the now Romane Church by one infallible and inuiolable Rule which is this that No Article as of Faith should be admitted into the Church which was not taught and professed in the dayes of the Apostles Your last Father for due Antiquity is Cassidore who because he saith no more than hath bene formerly said we forbeare to answer more than hath bene answered that from Particular Answers we may now speedily addresse our selues to the more Generall Our Generall Discouery of the Falshood and Vanity of the former Obiections out of the Ancient Fathers SECT 10. DIstingue tempora is a necessary Aphorisme and Caution especially in historicall Obseruations Right glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God saith Dauid of Ierusalem but when when the Inhabitants professed the true worship of God But assoone as they reuolted from God then Bethel became Bethauen and the Virgin Sion an Adulterous whore So say wee Right admirable commendations haue bene often Anciently attributed to the Church and Bishops of Rome for their Integritie of life Constancie in the Faith Care and Conscience for the preseruation of all Churches in the Christian profession But not to distinguish in both these the differences of Times by Was from Is were to confound Chastity with Adultery God with Belial Christ with Antichrist Apply we this to the point in Question Take vnto you this Position When the Fathers say that the Church of Rome cannot erre the word Cannot is not to be taken absolutely and simply How like you this Thesis Do you approue of it Then do all your proofes from Testimonies of Ancient Fathers concerning the power dignity and integrity of the Ancient Church of Rome vanish with their times because the Church of Rome is long since farre degenerated from her first integrity But do you not allow it why it is the Confession of Bellarmine the greatest Champion that your Church hath had in these later Ages He onely addeth to the Thesis this Caution So long as the Apostolicall Sea continueth at Rome he should haue said with vs according to the Generall Doctrine of the Fathers So long as the ancient and sincere Faith and diuine worship is preserued at Rome for it is not Sedes but Fides that defineth a Church And for your further knowledge that the Commendations giuen vnto Rome and other Churches in the dayes of Antiquity were not absolutly and simply vnderstood call but to mind how often Tertullian Irenaeus Augustine Optatus and other Fathers for the proofe of Orthodox Doctrines did instance in the Churches of Corinth Thessaly Antioch Asia and other Churches as well as in Rome To giue you one Example for all in the last of Asia because it commeth first to hand it is that which you receiued but euen now out of Optatus who speaking of the Churches of Asia Whosoeuer saith he is without these Churches namely concerning the Faith professed is an Alien and without Saluation This was then as iustly said of Asia as now it cannot be said thereof and what one Encomium of Presidence onely that of Order excepted or Iudgment or Sanctity hath bene euer exhibited to Ancient Popes by any Excellency of Titles which as you haue heard by iust Parallells haue not bene communicated vnto Athanasius Basil Augustine and some other Fathers Yet are we not contented with this Answer although otherwise most true but add for clearer Demonstration of this Truth and auerre that the glorious Phrases which were anciently ascribed to the Church of Rome and her Bishops were not giuen as absolutely and simply belonging to her no not in those very times of Antiquity when they were more proper vnto her For Cyprian that said in his Epistle to Pope Cornelius that No perfidiousnesse could haue accesse to Rome meant not that this his Commendation should continue in Succession with their Popes who himselfe in his Epistle to Pope Stephen one who a yeare after the death of Cornelius succeeded in the same Popedome did vehemently reproue yea and reproach him for admitting the very same kind of Perfidiousnesse before mentioned euen by his allowing of False and perfidious Excommunicates and Incorrigible persons Appealing to his See And Hierom who accompted euery one Prophane and execrable that did not Communicate with Pope Damasus would not haue so farre honoured Pope Liberius whom hee himselfe brandeth with a blacke marke of Subscribing to Arian Heresie Lastly Saint Augustine that magnified Rome in this style saying The Principality of the Romane Chaire did alwaies flourish extended not this to an Absolute Monarchy who himselfe was one of them that in the Councell of Africke clipped the wings thereof by decreeing that Transmarine Appeales should not be made meaning to Rome The speed we make to new matter will not suffer vs to multiply Instances from other former Examples I. CHALLENGE AS often therefore as you haue obiected vnto vs the Encomiasticall speaches of Ancient Fathers we may challenge you to obserue the difference betweene your Obiections and our Retorsions You vrge onely the Phrase and we the Reason of the speach Againe you haue obtruded the sound of Words of the Fathers we haue opposed their euident Acts and Deeds the best Interpreters of their sayings From their Acts therefore we take confidence to argue that to omit the great and weightier matters if S. Polycarpus would not yeeld to the Church and Pope of Rome no not so much as in a Feast-day Saint Augustine not so much as in a Fast Saint Basil not so much as in exception against onely the word Hypostasis Saint Ambrose not so much as in a Ceremony of Washing of feet which are you will thinke in respect but matters of Mint annise and cummin how shall not our Opposition stand iustifiable who refuse Vnion and Subiection vnto her for the great matter of the Law word of God If vilification of the Sufficiency of his written Testaments if Mutilation of a true Sacrament and which is worse the Addition of fiue false ones if babling in vnknowne prayer if forging of new Faiths and not to speake of the daily tyrannie vpon mens Consciences by her strange 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or New Constitutions if in some respects as absurd as Heathenish Idolatrie may seeme vnto you iust cause of exception against her wherein our Profession is iustified from point to point by the same Fathers So damnable is your now Romane Article of Absolute Necessity of Vnion and Subiection vnto the Church and Bishop of Rome as without which there is no Saluation by which together with your Aduersaries you damne those whom euery where you assume to haue bene your owne Ancient Fathers on earth and now acknowledge them Saints in heauen II. CHALLENGE A Second Consideration which is to be had in this point is to obserue the list
none but Ignorants For your fuller Satisfaction herein We thought good vpon Contemplation of the Premisses to descend vnto this DETERMINATION of the Cause which wee shall performe punctually by certaine Theses or Positions by which are repelled those Popular Obiections which you vsually cast as Impediments in our way This Tractate then we diuide into foure parts I. Concerning All Churches in generall II. Particularly comparing the Romane Church with other now Remote Churches III. Comparing her with the Churches of Protestants at the time of LVTHERS departure from her IV. Comparing her with the Churches of Protestants at this day The first part of Comparison which is by Generall Theses I. THESIS An Absolute Decay of the Catholike Church was neuer defended by any Protestants SECT 2. MAny Papists in their aduersnesse to Protestants whom they seeke to traduce do impute vnto them this faithlesse Paradox as to say that the Catholike Church is sometime extinguished whereas Caluine and other Protestants grant saith your Cardinall that the Catholike Church cannot perish And therefore he telleth those MANY that they do but Loose their time in proouing the perpetuall existence of the Catholike Church Hee might as well haue noted in them a Losse of good Conscience by their falsly imposing vpon Protestants a false Doctrine which they neuer taught as you may more perfectly see afterwards by a Sentence of Caluin himselfe II. THESIS The Church Symbolicall and properly called Catholike cannot erre in Faith SECT 3. THat wee call the Symbolicall and properly Catholike Church as it is Militant which is set downe in the Apostles Symbol or Creed beleeued of all Christians viz. The multitude of all Christian Beleeuers whensoeuer and wheresoeuer dispersed through-out the world vnto which belong all those Royall Promises made by Christ vnto her of being Led into all truth Ioh. 16. Of hauing his residence with it Vnto the ends of the world Matth. 28. Of Hell-gates not preuailing against it Matth. 16. Neuer shall you find any Protestant gain-saying this Truth III. THESIS How the Church Representatiue improperly called the Catholike Church may bee said to be subiect to Errour SECT 4. THe Church improperly called Catholike is the Congregation of Christians assembled in a Generall Synod as being the Representatiue body of the Church in the Symbol properly called Catholike whereof wee say no more than Saint Augustine spake to wit that Sometimes former Generall Councels may be corrected by the latter Vnto which sentence of Augustine you could not hitherto giue any Answer but that which Saint Augustine if he were aliue would say is directly contradictory to his meaning For Augustine saith your Cardinall spake not of matter of Faith but of Fact nor of a point of Doctrine but of Manners Whereas the whole dispute of Augustine in that place is about a Doctrine of Faith Whether there can be true Baptisme in a false Church And what hath Saint Augustine said herein which Some of your owne Romish Schoole haue not thorowly auouched viz. that Generall Councels rightly gathered haue erred and that A Generall Councell so erring doth not preiudice the Catholike Church Because A Generall Councell is not the Catholike Church but onely a part thereof Which erring yet notwithstanding Some of the Church shall be still assisted to vphold the truth So they Nor doth this any whit impeach the Promise of Christ to wit * Whensoeuer two or three shall be gathered together in my Name there I will be in the middest of them For Christ promising his presence to all Christians Assembled in his Name did not thereby promise that all Christian Assemblies should be gathered in his Name duly that is with sincere hearts to inuocate him and to subscribe to his reuealed Truth It was an Academicall and Scepticall Paradox to say that because one Sense might be deceiued therefore no Sense was to be belieued Whereunto the Answer was that euery Sense as it might be deceiued so might it also be not deceiued if requisite Circumstances were duely obserued as namely if the Organ and Instrument were sound the Medium rightly disposed the Obiect proper the Distance due and proportionable Accordingly in Councels if the persons assembled as it were the Organs be sincerely affected to Gods glorie with desire of Truth as their proper Obiect and in the maior part thereof not led with the spirit of Contention and Faction which is the Cause of vnequall difference and Distance and if their Diaphanum and Medium be illuminated with the true light as Saint Peter calleth the holy Scripture Then is it not possible for such an Assembly to erre in any principle of Faith So then the difference betweene the Romane Church and the Church of the Protestants is no more but this that the Romanists say that all Generall Councels may erre except they bee confirmed and authorized by the Pope but Protestants say that all Generall Councels may erre except they be directed by the Spirit of Gods word as our Church of England hath truly defined In which difference we seeke no other moderation than the iudgement of the first fiue Generall Councels which in points of Faith propounded to themselues the holy Scripture as the onely Rule of their Doctrines esteemed of the Popes iudgement no otherwise than of a particular suffrage and in it selfe but equall excepting the Dignitie of Order vnto the voices of other Patriarches and Bishops as hath bene prooued IV. THESIS Protestants hold not any greater Inuisibilitie or rather Obscuritie of the Church Catholike than that which the Romanists themselues are forced to confesse SECT 5. NOt but that many of you pretend and boast of a Catholike Church not onely Visible but also Conspicuously and notoriously Visible alwaies both in the Amplitude of compasse and in the Multitude of Beleeuers as the Perpetuall note of the Church which our Sauiour Christ compareth to a Citie set vpon a hill And you are not ignorant of the Epistle which Mr. Fisher a Iesuite presented not long agoe vnto our late Soueraigne King Iames of blessed memorie wherein he professeth a Catholike Church to be alwaies so conspicuous that The whole knowne world may take notice of her yea euen in the dayes of Antichrist shall she be visibly vniuersall for she shall be then euery-where persecuted which she could not bee except she were euery where Visible So He Who neuer regarded that the Church of Christ as it is sometime in lustre glorious as the Sunne so againe it is according to the iudgement of Saint Augustine and Saint Ambrose sometime as the Moone which hath her encreases and decreases In which respect we are to obserue two Seasons of the Church the one long since past in the dayes of that Deluge of the Arian Heresie the other prophesied to happen in the dayes of Antichrist Of both which as well Fathers as your owne Authors say as much concerning the Ecclipse and obscurity of
to iudicious Professors To trie all things and retaine that which is good that is to say True For if Truth were not good no Goodnesse could be True Next is the Bond of your Profession who will be thought to be the onely Catholikes that is the Professors of the Catholike Faith and possessors of that Fold of Christ which in the Apostles Creed is called the CATHOLIKE CHVRCH the defence of which truly called Catholike Church without which there no Saluation is the Subiect of this whole Treatise Wherein you may finde that your Romane Church quà Romane is excluded from the Prerogatiue of The Catholike Mother Church as by the Iudgement of the Catholike Church it selfe so also by the same Catholike Theoreme which you so Commonly obiect and glorie in viz. HE HATH NOT GOD FOR HIS FATHER WHO HATH NOT THE CHVRCH FOR HIS MOTHER according to the plaine and euident Sence of that Catholike Father who was the first Author thereof A Third Obligation ariseth from your owne Practise who are so vrgent vehement and in a sort violent in defending a Necessarie Vnion with the Romane Church and in inueighing against our Separation from it as against a deadly and damnable Schisme Wherefore it were in you a perfidious Tergiuersation to heare as hath beene partly pointed at your Answers refuted and your Obiections retorted vpon you and not to make Triall whether you haue beene able to stand vnto your Defence and Defiance or no. Lastly in your asking HOVV this Assertion can be made good your owne Interrogatorie exacteth of you a Diligence to vnderstand the Answer to the same HOVV Whereunto for this Present I shall Answer but in a Generality to wit that I haue endeuored to Insist 1. Concerning the Antecedents vpon Grounds immoouable such as are the Common Rules of Faith and good Conscience 2. Vpon Consequences vndeniable such as are your owne Principles and Conclusions 3. For Testification of both the former vpon Witnesses least partiall to vs-ward such as are for the most part your owne Writers and 4. Concerning the Credit which you may require in alleaging your Authors vpon such an oculata fides as whereunto you will take no Exception and although some of them may happen to bee vrged Iudicio errante yet sure I am animo reluctante not One. But What needs more Prefacing These and the like Questions which may appertaine to the Article in hand may bee more particularly satisfied in the Discourse it selfe which I shall desire you to accept with the same Right-hand of Christian Affection wherewith it is offered vnto you and that if Any shall addresse an Answer thereunto that then he iudge and censure it vpon the same Caution and Condition wherewith it is written and tendred vnto him euen as for his Sayings or Gain-Sayings he will answer God at the day of Iudgement Fare-you well Yours still a Debter vnto you in Christ Iesus THO. COVEN LICHF A SVMMARIE OF THE seuerall CHAPTERS CHAP. I. THe Profession of the Romish Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church c. imposed by the Romane Popes confessed by their Councels Catechismes and Iesuites Sect. 1.2.3.4 c. CHAP. II. OVR FIRST CONSIDERATION is of the Generall Foundation of our Confutation of that Romane Article by prouing it to be a sacrilegious Deprauation of the Common Article of our Christian Creede THE CATHOLIKE CHVRCH Sect. 1.2.3 I. Argument Because the Word ROMANE excludeth that part of the Catholike Church which is called the Triumphant Confessed Sect. 4. II. In respect of the Essentiall Parts of the Church Militant by comprizing in it those that are but Excrements and no true Members thereof Confessed Sect. 5. III. In respect as the Church Catholike is Visible by Excluding the Essentiall Members thereof viz. faithfull Catechumenists and vniustly Excommunicated Persons Confessed Sect. 6. IV. Because the Article of Catholike Roman Church as ROMANE is voide of all Catholike foundation which is Diuine authoritie Confessed Sect. 7. V. In respect of the Time Past because the Catholike Church was long before there was so much as a Romane Church Confessed Sect. 8. VI. In respect of the Time to Come because the Church Romane as it is ROMANE may possibly be altered from the Catholike Church Confessed Sect. 9. VII In respect of any Time Present because alwayes vncertaine of her true Romane Head Confessed Sect. 10. VIII Because this Romane Article is to all that Beleeue it Necessarily a matter of Heresie and of Periurie to All that which all Romish Priests are compelled vnto sweare vnto it Sect. 11. CHAP. III. A SECOND CONSIDERATION of the Catholike Church is by obseruing a Second general Head of Confutation from the Iudgement of seuerall Councels Churches and Fathers in a Different Respect of Time Sect. 1. I. In Respect of the Time Before the foundation of the Church of Rome that Church is falsly called the Mother-Church of all Others Sect. 2. 1. Proofe from the rottennes of the foundation of her Mother-hood which is the false Pretence of Peter his Ordaining all other Apostles to be Pastors Confessed Sect. 3. 2. Proofe by Instancing in the Examples of Churches which were Mother-Churches before Rome and some also to Rome Sect. 4. As Hierusalem Sect. 5. Caesarea Sect. 6. Antioch Sect. 7. c. The Greeke Church in Generall Sect. 8. And the Church of Britaine Sect. 9. CHAP. IV. II. IN Respect of the Time about When the Church of Rome was first founded because 1. The Romane Article of the Catholike Romane Church is Contrarie to the faith of Saint Peter the pretended Founder of that Church Sect. 1. to Sect. 8. 2. Contrary to the Faith of Saint Paul the supposed Co-founder of the same Church with Saint Peter Sect. 8.9.10 His account of the Romane Church Sect. 11.12.13.14 3. Contrary to the Faith of Saint Iohn who taught that the Citie of Rome was to be the Seat of Antichrist before the second Comming of Christ. Sect. 15. And because he could not be accounted Subiect to the Pope § 16. CHAP V. III. IN Respect of the Time When the Church of Rome was first founded the same Article is found Contrary to the faith of the Church of Christ. Sect. 1. An Argument from the Tyrannous Domineering of the Church of Rome by Two Instances Sect. 2.3 CHAP. VI. IIII. IN Respest of the Time After the foundation of the Romane Church Sect. 1. First in the Primitiue age Prouing that the now Romane Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church c. is Contrarie to the Iudgement of Antiquity Sect. 2. I. Argument from the Contrarie ancient Sence of the Word Catholike Church Sect. 3. By the iudgement of Saint Augustine Sect. 4. of Saint Hierome Sect. 5. of S. Gregory Sect. 6 CHAP. VII II. ARgument is taken from the Comparisons betweene the other Churches and Bishops with the Church of Rome and her Bishops by the iudgement of Irenaeus Tertullian Athanasius Vinc. Lyrinensis Sect. 1. The same Comparisons proued by
so seeming members of the Catholike Church yet are they no true and proper but onely equiuocall and titularie members of Christs Church like as spittle flegme and other excrementall humours are said to be in the body of a man whereof notwithstanding they are no essentiall parts All this agreeth with the Doctrine of ancient Fathers among whom Saint Ambrose All that are in the Church saith he fight for Christ intimating that the wicked fight against Christ. Likewise Saint Augustine The Catholike Church saith he is so called because it is in euery part perfect And againe Onely the Predestinate cannot be diuided from this body Whereunto the aboue-cited testimonies of Hierome and Chrysostome doe consent And in this Harmonie Clemens Alexandrinus will be knowne to beare a part calling the Catholike Church a Catalogue of iust men according to the purpose of God and a Congregation of the Predestinate Of which Church of Christ as his Spouse S. Bernard arguing from the Apostle inferreth as a thing without doubt that the Elect are the Church of Christ. Lastly lest that we may seeme to neglect the iudgement of the Fathers of the Romane Church and the Bishops of Rome Pope Gregorie for his singular wisedome and deuotion calâ—ed The Great obseruing a proportion betwixt Christ the Head and his Mysticall Body called the Catholike Church As Christ saith he was coÌ„ceiued by the holy Ghost so is his Church which is his body replenished with the same spirit and addeth that All the Elect are within the compasse of this Church and all Reprobates without it The very same doctrine for which Iohn Husse was condemned in the Councell of Constance So that Augustine Chrysostome Ambrose Bernard yea and Pope Gregorie himselfe may seeme to haue beene condemned and burned with him Thus much be said in Thesi to prooue that the Catholike Church as it is considered in the essence thereof is an inuisible Obiect of Faith and not a visible Obiect of Sence CHALLENGE AN Addition which hath no other consideration of the Church than as it is Visible cannot be a Declaration of a Church which is in the essence thereof considered as Inuisible But the Addition of the word ROMANE is vsed only in consideration of the Church as it is Visible that is consisting of a number of persons visibly knowne and discerned to professe the Christian Faith and subiect to a Visible Romane Pope as the visible and essentiall Head of the same Church So as to vse the words of your Cardinall Bellarmine If wicked and carnall Professors are not to be esteemed properly but equiuocally and onely in name the members of the Catholike Church then must it follow What Heare I beseech you the Consequence of your Cardinall that a wicked Pope cannot be the Head of the Church So he But that all carnall Professors of the Catholike Faith are no essentiall members of the Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed you haue heard it already prooued by plaine places of Scriptures by the expresse iudgement of ancient Fathers by your owne Confessions by the nature of Faith which beleeueth that which it seeth not yea and by the tenure of the Apostles Creed which teacheth vs to beleeue with a diuine Faith onely Them to be infallibly the members of this Church who as it is in the Creed can Beleeue according to the Article to obtaine Remission of sinnes in this life and after death Life euerlasting Whilest that therefore you doe discerne the Catholike Church by the eye so farre onely as it is visible Subiect to one visible Head the Pope who may happen to be as All of you will confesse as wicked and monstrous in his life as any in the line of Caiphas as desperate in his death as Iudas and after as damned in hell as that Glutton in the Gospel who cried out I am tormented in this flame and seeing that the profession of the Church as it is onely Visible and an obiect of sence can be no true Declaration or Exposition of an Article signifying the Church of Christ as it is also and that more principally Inuisible it plainely appeareth from these Premises that your word ROMANE depraueth the Article of the Apostles Creed by incorporating the limbes of Sathan together with the vitall members of Christ in that one mysticall body which is his Catholike Church and consequently that you haue forfeited your Head of the Romane Church in euery damned Pope that hath at any time professed that Romane Chaire The third Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be any Declaration of the Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed is in respect of the visible parts of the same SECT 6. TWo sorts of persons there are within your Romane Church which you your selues denie to bee any visible members thereof one is of them you call Catechumenists who as it falleth out in the Conuersion of Heathen and Iewes before they can be baptized are exercised in learning the principles and rudiments of Faith The other are Excommunicates who by the publike censure of your Church happen to bee vniustly Anathematized and disioyned from all Communion therewith Of the Catechumenists who are instructed in the Catholike Faith and bring forth the fruits of Repentance and yet depart this life without Baptisme you pronounce saying that They are saued albeit they are not in the Church In like manner haue you resolued concerning such kinde of Excommunicates who may happen to be vniustly Excommunicated saying that Because the Church cannot iudge of things that are secret it may happen that some are vniustly Excommunicated and excluded out of the visible Church and neuerthelesse receiued of God and certainely saued So you We cannot but approue of both your Positions as hauing Instances in both for in the number of Catechumenists is reckoned that Christian Emperour Valentinian a zealous Professor and Patrone of the Catholike Faith who died vnexpectedly before he was baptized whose Exequies and funeralls notwithstanding Saint Ambrose did solemnize and in his Sermon did honour the memory of that renoumed Emperour as one who had beene as the same Father speaketh Indewed with the spirit of God in his life-time and now after his death aduanced vnto ioyes eternall Touching Excommunicates we reade in the Gospell of the Blind man healed by Christ and by the malice of the Priests against Christ Cast out of their Synagogue whom neuerthelesse Christ did visit and take into his grace protection and Saluation Tell vs now if your Romane Church be that Catholike Church without which as you beleeue none can be saued how then it commeth to passe that these two sorts of Christians are saued albeit they be without the said Romane Church Your Iesuites doe answer that Such Excommunicates although they are not of the Communion which maketh a man to be properly of the Visible Church yet neuerthelesse they are saued by their
Peter We adde that S. Paul whom all the Romanists teach to haue beene a Co-founder with Saint Peter of the Church of Rome had been before that time A Persecuter of the Church of Christ as he himselfe confesseth when Saint Steuen suffered Martyrdome But the Church of Christ as it is called Catholike comprehendeth say you all times CHALLENGE THe addition of a word which betokeneth onely a part of Time of the Churches being cannot be a Declaration of the Church which is called Catholike on respect of the whole and vniuersall Time of the being of the Church But the addition of the word ROMANE doth betoken but a part of Time of the being of the Church namely after the first constitution of the Church of Christ Catholike Ergo It cannot be any true Explication of the Article properly called the Catholike Church except you will exclude out of the Church of Christ without which there is no saluation S. Stephen the first Christian Martyr and all other blessed primitiue Martyrs and Confessors who died the faithfull members of Christ before the Church of Rome had receiued her first life or breath Wherefore the word ROMANE cannot be added to our Christian Creed as a Declaration of that Article The Catholike Church without which there is no saluation without intolerable blasphemie against Apostles Martyrs and other Confessors and blessed Saints of God vnder the persecution of Saul afterwards Paul who because they were before the Church of Rome and consequently without it must be iudged by your Article to haue beene at that time without the state of Grace Of whom notwithstanding our Sauiour Christ gaue testimonie by this voice from heauen saying to Saul in their behalfe Why persecutest thou Mee So false and impious is your Addition of the word ROMANE to that Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed The sixt Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be a Declaration of that Article in the Apostles Creed The Catholike Church In respect of the Time to come SECT 9. AGaine the word Catholike or vniuersall mentioned in the Apostles Creed as it comprehendeth as you haue said the Time past so doth it you know implie The time to come vntill the ends of the world according to the promise of Christ Mat. 28.20 Whereâ—ore our next Question must be whether the Church of Rome which will needs be the Catholike Church can infallibly professe a Prerogatiue of continuing the the same pretended Catholike Church vntill the ends of the world and whether her owne principles doe not vtterly confute this vsurpation It is a generall principle of your Doctors aswell Iesuites as others that If the succession in the gouernement of the Catholike Church were not allotted to the Bishop of Rome by diuine authority then the same gouernement may bee transported from the same Bishop and the Church of Rome may depart from the Faith as well as other Churches and by name the Church of Constantinople haue done This Consequence being so vniuersally receiued and approued in your owne Schooles our next endeauour will be to proue that it cannot appeare infallibly that the Church of Rome hath a Priuiledge of continuing The Catholike Church to the end of the world by any diuine authority This hath bene briefly touched already but here is the place to handle it more at large Your Canus with some Others lest they should bee compelled to confesse that the Church of Rome may possibly Apostate in future times haue contended to defend that It was constituted the Catholike Church by the Institution of Christ. Which if it were true then would there appeare some euidence thereof either before or else after the Ascension of Christ. But Before the Ascention of Christ saith your Iesuite Suarez Nothing appeareth of any such Ordinance either in Scripture or from Tradition And that which is commonly alledged out of Egesippus of Christ his appearance after his Ascension vnto Peter Commanding him to fixe his seate at Rome vntill his death in the iudgement of your Iesuite Valentianus is of no force to proue that the Romane Church was to continue Catholike We draw nearer our marke There is no certaintie of faith saith Bellarmine with whom the Iesuite Suarez consenteth that the Sea Apostolike is so fixed at Rome as that it cannot be separated and remoued from that Church because there is neither Scripture nor Tradition to proue this Nor these onely but Sotus with diuers other Schoole-men directly and peremptorily consent that The Priuilege which Rome doth challenge is onely by the ordinance of Saint Peter and therefore from humane authority Yea and Some yeeld not so much as the Institution by S. Peter but by the Church so farre that If the Church in a Councell should choose the Arch-bishop of Treuers or of any other place to be Head of the Church he should be rather the Successor of Peter than the Bishop of Rome Furthermore we reserue vnto it's due place your Confession that The Citie of Rome shall vndoubtedly bee the Seate of Antichrist CHALLENGE AN Addition which notifieth a Church that may possibly be translated else-whither and depart from the Faith cannot bee a Declaration of that Article in our Christian Creed which signifieth a Church infallibly continuing in the Faith to the end of the world But the word ROMANE as it signifieth the Romane Church betokeneth a Church which may possibly be Translated and depart from the Faith Ergo it cannot be a Declaration of the Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed So then to make the word Catholike hereditarie to that Romane Church which possibly may be as truly Antichristian as Rome it selfe is sure to be by your owne Confessions The Seate of Antichrist doth plainly discouer an Article New False Antichristian and Blasphemous The seuenth Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE to the Catholike Church cannot be a Declaration of the Christian Faith mentioned in the Apostles Creed in respect of any Present Time SECT 10. THe Certainty whatsoeuer it is of your Article The Catholike Romane Church is built vpon this foundation that the Pope of Rome is the Catholike and Vniuersall Bishop of the Church of Christ as the Popes themselues haue formerly defined Now because no structure can be more firme than is the foundation vpon which it is built wee make bold to demand with what faith any of you can beleeue any Pope whatsoeuer he be that is elected to be the True Pope that is as you call him The Catholike Bishop of Rome without which the Church of Rome cannot be acknowledged The Catholike Church This Consequence Two of your Iesuites did truly discerne which made Them resolue thus As the visible Church saith the one is this indiuiduall Church so the visible Head thereof must needs be this visible Pope who by the common consent is so ordained vnto whom we owe obedience as
Churches Councels and Fathers SECT 1. AFter our Proofe that the now Romane Article The Catholike Romane Church without Vnion and Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation is New Imposterous Scandalous c. taken from the tenor and sence of the Apostolicall Article The Catholike Church expressed in our Catholike Creed We proceed to confirme our former Proofe by like euidence from currant Examples taken from the Catholike Church it selfe And for our more expedite Method passage herein We shall proportion our Treatise according to three Distinctions of Tyme the Tyme before the Tyme when and the Tyme after that the Church of Rome had her first foundation and being I. Of the Time before the Church of Rome was founded First setting downe the Romane Article intituling the Church of Rome The Mother Church SECT 2. WEE need not tell you that it is an Article in your Church to beleeue that the Church of Rome is The Mother and Mistris Church of all other Churches where by Mother you vnderstand her ancient Prerogatiue of spirituall Generation and by Mistris her Iurisdiction and Supreme Authority of directing all other Churches as Members of the Church Catholike seeing that the Fathers of the Councell of Trent in their Canons and Decrees haue fiue times published the same Article in expresse words calling her The Common Mother on earth which cannot forget whom shee hath begotten As if all the Faithfull on earth were her ofspring Instantly vpon this Decree of the Councell the Father of all these Trent-Fathers Pope Pius the 4. for Confirmation of that Councell enioyned euery Ecclesiasticke to professe among other points the same Romane Article vpon Oath thus I N. sweare that I acknowledge the Church of Rome to be the Mother and Mistris of all other Churches without which faith none can be saued So then this Article is become as Catholike among you as is your Church Which opinion of her Vniuersal Motherhood hath beene the greatest fascination and witcherie that of long time hath blinded the eyes of most of her Professors and which we shall prooue to bee no better than a False and Imposterous inchantment voide of all light of truth and repugnant vnto the confessed Examples of illustrious Churches more ancient than her selfe The first Confutation of that Article of Romane Mother-hood is taken from the rottennesse of the Foundation thereof SECT 3. IF there bee any sound ground of truth in the Article viz. that The Church of Rome is Mother of all other Churches sure we are that your two Cardinals for learning and deuotion towards that Church most Eminent viz. Baronius and Bellarmine will be most able and willing to expresse it especially where they professedly determine the very point Baronius teaching that Saint Peter being constituted by Christ the ordinary Pastor of the whole Church did fixe his seate at Rome doth thereupon resolue saying Hence it is that the Romane Church is called the Mother-Church of all others And lest any might deny this Consequence as being that which it is indeed fond and absurd Bellarmine addeth the reason thereof The Church of Rome saith he could not be called the Mother-Church except that all the Apostles had had their ordination of Pastorship from Saint Peter And for proofe heereof the Cardinall referreth vs to the Epistles of Pope Anacletus witnessing that The order of Priesthood had its ' beginning from Peter So he whereas notwithstanding Sacerdotall Order doth but coniecturally inferre the Episcopall Howsoeuer these testimonies from the Epistles of Anacletus which your Cardinall Cusanus beleeueth to be Apocryphall and vnworthy of beleefe Two of your most priuileged Iesuites Azorius and Suarez denie That the other Apostles receiued their Episcopall Ordination from Saint Peter Which they maintaine vpon better grounds than the Counterfeit Epistles of a Pope can be euen vpon the Oracles of God's Word where it appeareth say they that Matthias had his Ordination to the Bishopprick which Iudas lost not by the hands of Peter but by lott immediately from God and Saint Paul his not by Saint Peter but by a voice from heauen euen immediately from Christ. They adde other Reasons in the end adioyne the Consent of S. Augustine of many other Diuines Yet were it admitted that Peter as ordinarie Pastor of the Catholike Church had ordained other Apostles Byshops and by their Ministry begotten those innumerable Churches which the same Apostles as you Confesse constituted seauen yeeres before the Church of Rome was erected yet were it a mad point of Genealogizing to conclude that Rome must be Mother to those daughters of Saint Peter which were begotten seauen yeeres before shee was borne whereas shee could be to them but a Sister at the most and that but a younger Sister too CHALLENGE GIue vs leaue to dispute from your owne Confessions thus If all the other Apostles were not ordained Byshops by Saint Peter there can be no apparent reason why the Church of Rome should be called the Mother-Church Thus Bellarmine But all the other Apostles were not ordained Byshops by Saint Peter Thus your Iesuites out of direct Scriptures accompanied with the Consent of Saint Augustine and many other Diuines Ergo there is not sufficient ground to cal the Church of Rome the Mother of al other Churches Twice miserable therefore is the state of your Priests both because they are tied periuriously to sweare That to be an Article of Faith which is a manifest false-hood as also for that they and all that Sect being entangled in this error of beleeuing the Romane Church to be the Mother of all other Churches are thereby consequently entangled in all other her errors and Idolatries The second Confutation of the same Article ariseth from the Respect of many illustrious Mother-Churches more ancient than Rome SECT 4. WE furthermore endeauour to impugne your former infatuation in beleeuing the Vniuersall Mother-hood of the Church of Rome by the faith of Fathers of Primitiue times farre more Reuerend for antiquity and more credible for impartiality than were your Fathers or rather Step-Fathers of Trent Not but that we as willingly as worthily doe acknowledge the Ancient Church of Rome to haue beene in former times an happie Mother of many renouned Christian Churches in the world and we accordingly blesse the wombe of that sincere Faith and Piety which then brought forth so innumerable an of-spring of so many holy Professors which notwithstanding shee might content her selfe to haue deserued the Title of a Mother-Church as other ancient Churches were and not of THE MOTHER-CHVRCH OF ALL OTHERS For we are verily perswaded that no reasonable man can allowe any childe so to honour his Mother as that he must necessarily thereby disparage all others his honourable Progenitresses and that we may so speake his owne Grand-mother and Great-grand-mother together with others of his kindred more ancient than Shee Such was the state of the Church of Rome in
not also for Eighty yea and Eighty times Eighty if shee would so Decree II. That the Church of Rome hath sometimes a False Head SECT 14. WHich false Head may bee easily seene thorrow many holes as First to make him as you do Vniuersall Head ouer the Whole Church of Christ throughout the world is to erect a False Head as Saint Gregory once Head of the Particular Church of Rome did often teach by calling the Title and Doctrine of Vniuersall Bishop Prophane Sacrilegious Blasphemous and Antichristian 2. God neuer ordained an Head no bigger then of a wren to stand vpon the shoulders of a man and so little in respect is One Bishop of One City of Rome to bee set ouer the Church Vniâ—ersally dispersed throughout the whole world as you may guesse by the exceptions which Saint Cyprian and after him S. Augustine and the Churches wherein they liued tooke against the Bishops of Rome accompting them Incompetent Iudges in Cases of Appeale from Remote Nations by reason of the distance of places and yet their Churches in Africke might be said to be neare neighbours to Rome in respect of many farre more distant from thence therefore an Head extreamely disproportionate is a False Head 3. None call that a Necessary and liuing Head which was not created by God no more can that Ecclesiasticall Head be iudged Necessary for the Church of Christ which was not instituted by Diuine Ordinance But that the Head of the Church of Rome was not ordained by Diuinâ— Authority you haue for proofe not onely the Church Catholike in the Councell of Chalcedon but also the Romane Church it selfe in the Councell of Constance Therefore an Humane Head in pretence of a Diuine one is a False Head 4. An Head subiect to Heresie cannot be truely adequate and proper to a Body which dependeth vpon Infallibility in matters of Faith But he that will be called Vniuersall Head is obnoxious to Heresie as Pope Gregory excellently taught when he denied that either He or any Bishop in the Church ought to be called Vniuersall Bishop of the whole Church lest that the same Vniuersall Bishop falling into error the whole Church saith he might erre with him An Example of an Hereticall Pope you haue had Confessed in Honorius from the Testimonies of Romish Doctors of Ancient Fathers of Councells and of Popes themselues And certainely that cannot be but a False Head which cannot be a True Member of the Body of the Church Catholike which no Heretike as you haue confessed can be 5. You your selues admit of no Head on earth of the Visible Body of Christ that is his Church which is not also so Visible that a man may point at it vndoubtedly and Indiuidually saying of it This is the Bishop of Rome But you can haue no such Certainty of any Bishop of Rome both because his Ordination without which he cannot be truely Pope dependeth vpon the Intention of the Ordeinour than which what can be more vncertaine vnto you as also because you are often constrained to doubt of the truth of his Election For you cannot be ignorant how plentifull a matter wee haue now in hand if we intended to prosecuâ—e the manifold Examples that are extant in your owne Bookes of Popes who haue taken possession of the Romane Chaire by Intrusion One you may receiue from the Relation of your Baronius viz. of Iohn the Twelfth who was no manner of way saith he to be termed a legitimate and lawfull Pope because no law was obserued in his Election but all things carryed with terror and Violence who although by reason of his young yeeres he could not be made so much as Deacon yet did the Church honour him for her Pope accompting it a Lesse euill to tolerate one although a Monstrous Head than to be diuided into many Heads So he This is plaine dealing openly confessing what kinde of Heads your Romane Church is sometimes vnited vnto One for his life Monstrous and therefore a braine-sicke Head One for his yeeres not fit to be so much as a Deacon that is as wee may so say an Elbow of the Church is made Head Chiefe Pastor thereof therefore a braine-lesse Head One that is an Intruder and No-way a lawfull Pope and therefore nothing lesse than a true Head because an Example differing from your Rule which your Iesuite Salmeron confesseth to be this To beleeue with a Diuine or Infallible Faith THIS singular and Indiuidual man to bee our Pope who is defined by the Electors yet so that it doth not appeare that there was any defect or fault in his Election But behold heere is one with a Constat that there was nothing but Defects in his entrance because no law of iust Election was obserued therein and yet notwithstanding acknowledged and honoured as true Pope of your Romane Church 6. As the Body cannot boast of Vnion with a Head that is Headlesse no more can an Head be truely so called which is Bodilesse But we haue proued that that which you call Principally the Church of Rome as resident at Rome shall haue no being and therefore be no Bodie in Rome namely when-as the City of Rome shall be the Seate of Antichrist CHALLENGE ALas my Masters what meane you will you needs condemne your selues and your whole Romane Church by your owne Faith Your Article is to Beleeue with an Infallible Faith One singular man to be the True Pope of Rome and Vniuersall Pastor hauing Monarchicall power in the Church wherein by the word Vniuersall you condemne the Romane Church as it was in the daies of Pope Pelagius the Second and Pope Gregory the First both which held the Title of Vniuersall as execrable and Anti-christian By Monarchicall and absolute power you condemne the Romane Church in the daies of Pope Damasus who held himselfe no Competent Iudge in Cases fore-iudged by a Prouinciall Councell By True you condemne the Romane Church in the daies of Pope Iohn the Twelfth which acknowledged for her Pope Him whom shee knew to bee euery way Vnlawfully possessed of the Popedome and therefore no True Pope Yet what maruell if they doubt not to obey false Pastors who daily Worship false Saints By Romane you condemne that Christian Church which shall be in the daies of Antichrist when-as the City of Rome from whence the Denomination of Romane is deriued shall be the Seate of Antichrist And by beleeuing Hunc This Indiuiduall Pope to bee verily the Pope with that Infallible Faith wherewith you beleeue any thing necessary to Saluation you condemne here-in the Romane Church throughout the whole Succession thereof from Saint Peter to this day and therein also your owne soules in professing that to bee Infallible which by reason of many defects both in the Ordination and Election of any Pope is knowne to be full of Fallibilities and vncertainties as all your owne Historians doe proue and as will bee further euident
giueth instance in the Churches of Corinth and Galatia both which Saint Paul stileth Churches of the Saints albeit the one is reprehended by the Apostle for denying the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. the other for teaching a necessary Obseruation of the Law of Moses with the Gospell of Christ. Gal. 1. So he Yet lest you may erre in terming that a True Church which is wilfuliy intangled in any Heresie he giueth this Condition that The same that erre be ready to be reformed and to obey the truth as were the Corinthians and Galatians Otherwise to bee vnwilling either to learne or to yeeld vnto a manifest truth is proper saith your Author vnto a Satanicall Synagogue and to the Churches of the Malignant So your Cardinall and that most truely THESIS VI. Some Vnsound Churches are necessarily to bee auoided and the iust Causes why SECT 7. AS Leprousie Plague and whatsoeuer contagious Diseases are necessarie causes of separation from vnsound houses so Obstinacie of error in Teachers affected Ignorance and obduration of people Idolatry in Gods Worship Tyrannie and Persecution against the true and sincere Professors may be iudged necessary Causes of Separation from any particular Churches Against a generall Obstinacie of false-Teachers opposing to the wholesome doctrine We haue a Caueat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Depart from such 1 Tim. 6.5 Against the generall Obdurancie of hearts our Caueat is both Christ's Shake off the dust of your feet in departing and Saint Paul's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 When certaine obstinate persons speake euill of the Word of God before the people he departed from them and separated the Disciples Act. 19.9 because else they should heare nothing but blasphemies against the truth of God Against the Corruption of Gods Worship Idolatrously the Command is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Flie from Idolatry 1 Cor. 10.4 euen as vnto the people vnder the Law when Bethel that is the House of God was turned into Bethauen that is the House of Vanity the Epithet of Idolatry then the Watch-word to the Faithfull was Separate your selues from among them Hos. 10. Against Tyrannie in Persecuting of Preachers or Professors in any one City the warning is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 likewise Flie vnto another Mat. 10.23 And lastly in the time of Antichristian Tyrannie and Idolatry in Romish Babylon the Spiâ—it saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Come out of her my people Apoc. 18.4 THESIS VII No vniust Excommunication out of a true Church can preiudice the Saluation of the Excommunicate SECT 8. YOur Romance Glosse authorized by Pope Gregory the XIII will speake as much as need be said to wit The Keyes of the Church erring in her binding and loosing the partie so bound is not then bound with God for it happeneth many times that he who is excommunicated out of the Church Militant is notwithstandeng in the Church Triumphant So your owne Glosse According as it hath beene obserued by you in the Blinde-man cured by Christ and professing the power of Christ whom therefore the Church of the Iewes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cast out of their Synagogues Ioh. 9.34 That is saith your Cardinall they excommunicated and separated him from the communion of Them who at that time were accounted faithful but yet happie was that Blinde-man who was Excommunicated for the name of Christ. So he And so may we say of Luther who was as one borne Blinde whilst hee continued in your Church according to your Assumption true vntill that Christ opened his eyes and he for acknowledging the diuine light was Excommunicate by your High Priest Yet happie man he who was taken into the protection of Christ whom he professed and worshipped Something more of Excommunication you may reade in the XV. Section Following The Second Part is concerning Departure from Rome more particularly comparing the Church of Rome with other Churches We are approached to the Walls of Rome and behold wee discouer in her iust iust Causes of Separation from her which we shall represent vnto you in that due place whereunto we now proceed by certaine Theses as it were by iust pases Comparing her first with other Remote Christian Churâ—hes THESIS I. The Church of Rome is as subiect to Errors as any other Church SECT 9. WHat Prerogatiue had the Church-of your Romanes aboue the Church of the Ephesians or Thessalonians in respect of any possibilitie of not Erring or of Contemning other Churches in respect of her selfe to which that may be obiected which the Apostle writ to the Corinthians to wit Came the Word of God first from you nay came it not First from Hierusalem to Antioch and many other places before Rome and at length from Greece to Rome And after that Rome is established a Church was it freed from Erring more than other through the Primacie which it challengeth ouer Others By what Law Humane that could not Diuine that did not authorize any such Primacy Which you are compellable to Confesse except you will say that the Catholike Church hath erred in the Generall Councell of Chalcedon which as hath beene confessed denied that Rome had her Primacie from diuine Ordinance except you will also Grant that the Church of Rome it selfe hath erred in her Councell of Constance which maintained the same Axiome to wit that the Church of Rome held not her Primacie from diuine authority Lastly except you will impeach the Apostle Saint Paul of error who by his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 taught an indifferencie of all spirituall respect to Rome with other Churches as hath beene proued Take vnto you one infallible Argument that the Church of Rome may erre in matter of Faith It hath erred Ergo It may possibly erre That it hath one confessed instance may sufficiently resolue you if it bee pregnant Such is the doctrine of the Administration of the Eucharist vnto Infants vpâ—n Necessity of Saluation A doctrine by your owne Confession at this day false and yet at that day as is likewise Confessed taugh and continued in the Church of Rome for the space of 600 yeeres together THESIS II. That the Church of Rome is more subiect to Erring than any other Church Christian. SECT 10. WHy is it that Christ said The whole need not the Physitian but those that be sicke but onely to shew that the state of one in an health falsly-conceited is farre more desperate than the state of the most extreme disease sensibly â—elt in as much as that man is more incapable of remedie that feeleth not his owne maladie than hee that is sensible of his griefe Such is the Case of the Romane Church which is so much more obnoxious to Error as shee is flalsly perswaded shee cannot possibly erre and that vpon two notoriously-erroneous Articles which are fancied and fained onely by her selfe One is that shee beleeueth as an Article of her Faith that shee the Romane Church is that The Catholike Church which cannot erre Which
is not iustifiable in the Conscience of euery sound Christian First hee held it a way to Heresie for any Church to take vpon her to create a new Article of Faith such as hee beleeued the Romish Doctrine of Indulgences to be Secondly he taught it to be a Satonicall lye to constitute that for an Article of Faith which is in it selfe a meere falshood Thirdly hee proclaimed your Doctrine of Indulgences to be a Blasphemous Article because it is not onely a new and false Doctrine but also the very Nurse of all Impietie Each point is worthy to be Discussed Touching the First point your Philiarchus will haue you to Take heede of the Heresies of Luther in teaching that the Church hath no power to create new Articles of Faith So hee If this be true then marke I pray you what fellowes and Companions Luther hath or Patrons rather of his Heresie accordingly as your owne Doctors will teach you who doe not onely openly professe for themselues that The now Church ought to relie vpon the Doctrine anciently taught in the Apostles times but also confesse that The ancient Fathers taught that the Church deliuereth no new Faith but alwaies confirmeth and explicateth the ancient Faith Alleaging for proofe hereof the authoritie of Irenaeus Hierome Vincentius Lirinensis Nor can any produce one Father in all Antiquitie that did not account euery new Article of Faith that is to say euery new Doctrine made necessary to saluation to be no better than a new Heresie So iustifiable is Luther in this point Next Luther in his first Assumption saith that the Doctrine of the Popes Indulgence is a New Doctrine of Faith and that it is imposed vpon the Church of Rome as an Article of Faith Whereof if peraduenture you should be ignorant your owne Popes would instruct you Pope Pius the IV. setteth downe this of Indulgences among his other Articles concluded of in the Councell of Trent as Necessarily to be beleeued vpon danger of Damnation And Pope Leo the X. tooke this as his hint in condemning Luther for denying any power to be resideÌ„t in the Church to establish a new Article of Faith An Articleâ—hen â—hen it is made and that it is also New which Doctrine of IndulgeÌ„ces you beleeue to be an easing or helping of Soules out of the paines of Purgatorie-fier we hope you may be satisfied from your selues who teach first that all Doctrine which is not New is deriued either from Scripture or antient Tradition But concerning your Doctrine of Indulgences some of your owne Doctors haue made bold to proclaime saying It is not found either in Scripture or in other writings of ancient Fathers Whereof also your Romane Champion against Luther euen in this Question concerning Indulgences doth grant that There was no vse of Indulgences in the beginning of the Church Christian. Which must necessarily haue then bene if at that time it had bene a Doctrine of Faith except you will confesse that there was then no Purgatory-fier at all nor any soules of men departing this life in the guilt of veniall sinnes but that all the scores of debts of temporall punishments were then wiped off at the death of euery Christian in those Apostolicall times And accordingly giue vs some reason how afterwards that Fier was kindled and what was the fewell that set it on a flame after the space of 1294. yeares when Boniface the 8. was Pope Who as your selues know after that the world was affrighted with Purgatory-torments was the first that extended and applyed Indulgences vnto Purgatory This made your Frier Castro in his coniecture of greater antiquity in them to excuse their Noueltie saying Indulgences are not therefore to be contemned as being admitted but of late because many things saith he are made knowne to posteritie of which the more ancient times were ignorant Behold now the great reuerence forsooth you haue of the iudgement of Antiquity Besides to pull vp this weede by the roots the ground of Indulgences as you teach is The spirituall Threasury of the Church consisting in the satisfactory and meritorious workes of Supererrogation done by the faithfull Which notwithstanding as you likewise know your Doctors of Louaine and some Schoolemen affirme were anciently wanting in the Church So then your Doctrine of Indulgences is New in Institution New in Practise New in the Extent New in the Roote and foundation and euery way a New Article So iustifiable is Luther in his Assumption calling it New Thirdly Luther called this Doctrine False yea and Impious also and Blasphemous And false it must needs be if it be but New But how naughty also and impious the vent of Indulgences was your noble Historian can best report giuing you an instance in the same Pope Leo Who saith he vnto his sinne of ill dispersing of Indulgences added a farre greater for although he was of himselfe prone enough to all licentiousnesse yet by the instigation of Cardinall Puccius in whom he had great confidence he gathered huge summes of money by sending his Breeues abroad euery where promising expiation of all sinnes and life euerlasting vpon a certaine price which any should giue according to the haynousnesse of his offence Then rose vp Martin Luther a Professor of Diuinity in Wittemberge who first confuting and then condemning the Sermons which were made for Indulgences at length questioned that power which the Pope assumed to Himselfe in the same Breeues So he And what other we pray you can be the Consequence of this piece of Doctrine but that which if you be to seeke you may learne from experienced Authors within your owne Church who say as appeareth in the Margent that When first Indulgences were set on sale with full Pardons men did lesse abstaine from wickednesse and the keyes of the Church became vile That Pope Leo the 10. was Too too indulgent in granting Indulgences That Popes are the most expert Alchemists By Turning their leade into gold through their Negligences otherwise called Indulgences Noting that Papall Indulgences to Sinners worketh Negligence in well doing That They Measuring all things by gaine tyrannize ouer the people sitting in the seate of Simon Magus or else of Caiphas We might easily loade you with multitudes of Inuectiues of your owne Authors against the Impiety of Papall Indulgences so iustifiable is Luther in his Opposition against them insomuch that Erasmus held it An Impiety not to defend him This Luther who in the opinion of the Popular Auditors so farre ouercame his Aduersarie Ecchius in a Disputation held at Lipsia that your Castro doth instance in this Example and thereupon prefixeth a Rule To auoide publike Disputation with as he accounteth and calleth Protestants pertinacious Heretikes The Summe of All may be comprized in a few words The Patrons of Romish Indulgences by making it an Article of Faith do Canonize and Deifie a Nouelty a Falshood and a
did as one that had bene freed take another wife by the authority of the Church and consent of her Parents by which wife after some yeares he had children But loe his former wife vnlooked for returneth againe and requireth to haue her husband againe that had done ill in marrying another The man maruailing hereat and being loath to be diuorced from his latter wife maketh long delaies yet at length brought into Law and being cast gaue way to the Truth and taketh his first wife againe by the iudgement of the Church When now the Parents friends of the latter wife made the like wonderment as these men do against me saying vnto him thou hel-hound thou wicked couenāt-breaker c. And if a man would consider this businesse shall he not see as it were in a glasse the very image of that Husband in me For indeed I seeing I beleeued that no such Truth of obedience had bene c. I compelled my selfe in a second Couenant and thereto plighted my troth Wherefore I thought that I had kept lawfull Companie but when the TRVTH came which is euery mans first wife maried to him in publike Baptisme which wil require the first Promise at al mens hands to her I applyed to her I cleaued and from my second knot as of none effect by the iudgement of my Church I departed And shall any man thinke it indifferent that I shall be called a Liar because I obey the Truth c. I am by most graue iudgement of the Truth diuorced from the Church of Rome which it was not lawfull for me to keepe still and am compelled to take my wife TRVTH to me when she cometh againe Thus farre B. Gardiner The right and accurate Sence of this Similitude may as the beames of the Sunne dispell the foggie myst of Romish error concerning the Question we now haue in hand it being taken from the consideration of our Christian Vow made in Baptisme Wherein we are to obserue the Parties betrothed together which are the Soule of a Christian and the Truth of God in Christ and secondly the Parties and if I may so say Parents by whose consent and Authoritie this mariage is made which in the inward is our Father euen GOD in the vnity of Three persons Father Sonne and holy Ghost and in the outward is our spirituall Mother mentioned in our Creed at the rime of our Vow in Baptisme The holy Catholike Church It especially therefore concerneth euery Votarie that hath vowed himselfe in Baptisme to learne to acknowledge his true Father his true Mother and his owne true Wife For Father he is baptized in the name of the Blessed Trinitie in the vnity of one God euerlasting not in the name of any man whatsoeuer as Saint Paul prooueth against the Schismatikes in the Church of Corinth that would seeme Some to hold of Cephas that is Peter Some of Paul as though the Gospell or Truth were Pauls or Peters he answereth them No his Reason is interrogatiuely Were you baptized in the name of Paul As much as to say He onely is essentially your spirituall Father in whose Name you are baptized Secondly the Mother is mentioned in our Vow at Baptisme to be The holy Catholike or Vniuersall Church not any particular Church though by the particular Church I am brought into the Catholike We say not any Particular Church because euery Particular Church as hath beene Confessed may possibly erre and Apostate from Truth But the Catholike is built vpon a Rocke immoueable as the earth yea or the highest heauens Lastly the Wife whereunto euery Soule is betroathed in Baptisme is onely that Truth which was first reuealed by Christ vnto his Apostles as the Apostle teacheth If any preach any other Gospell than that which you haue receiued that is to say already hold him Accursed Now giue vs leaue to trie what kind of Mariage is made by your Votaries in the Church of Rome First by beleeuing the Infallibility of the Pope in whatsoeuer Reuelations which he shall propound to be beleeued of all Christians it is to assume a new Father which is thus prooued If I saith Saint Paul or an Angel from heauen preach otherwise let him be Accursed but who in all the Church of Rome will say Though the Pope teach vs otherwise then was Apostolically and Primitiuely taught from the immediate Doctrine of Christ I shall account him Anathema Next the Partie baptized in your Church is Catechized to beleeue the Church of Rome to be The Catholike and Mother-Church of all other Churches which wee through-out this Treatise haue prooued to be an Imposterous Schismaticall and Blasphemous Article First Imposterous because The Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed was extant in the dayes of the Apostles diuerse yeares before Rome was that we may so say Baptized to haue the name of a Church Secondly Schismaticall because it being as hath bene shewed but a Particular Church and vsurping the Title of The Catholike Church doth thereby peremptorily diuide her selfe from All other Churches of Christ which both for Truth and Extent make a farre more Catholike Church than she is Thirdly Blasphemous in Damning by this Article of the Catholike Romane Church all the most glorious Christian Fathers Martyrs Professors and Churches as well Primitiue as Successiue which are infinite that haue denyed Subiection to the Romane Church All which Particulars haue bene prooued at large In the last place each Christian in Baptisme being espoused to his wife Truth which can be but One euen that whereof Saint Paul spoke saying That which you haue receiued before and accordingly Saint Iude Contend for the Faith which once was deliuered to the Saints therefore euery other New Article of Faith as it were a later Consort and wife that shall bee admitted is no true loyall wife but an vnlawfull Concubine and strumpet So then so many Concubines may the Church of Rome be said to betroath her Children vnto as she hath set downe New Articles in her Romane Creed and imposed vpon all her Ecclesiastikes vnder the bond of an Oath Among which is your Article of Indulgences from which as from a supposititious wife Luther necessarily made his diuorce returning vnto the Primitiue Truth whereunto in holy Baptisme he had formerly plighted his Troth THESIS VI. Your Second and most Popular Obiection against LVTHER in his Opposition to your Romane Church vrging in him to prooue his Doctrine by immediate Succession and by Naming his Teachers Before him is as fond as the other SECT 19. I. FOr the no-Necessitie of Name we reade first that our Sauiour Christ answering a question concerning Diuorce whether it were lawfull for the husband to put away his wife at his pleasure or no an Abuse which by the hardnesse of the Iewes hearts had continued among them many hundred yeares sendeth them to Gods first Institution of Marriage set downe in the beginning of Scripture saying From the beginning it
was not so But how Flat contrary Therefore shall a man leaue Father and Mother and cleaue to his wife and they shall be one flesh Willingly passing ouer all mention or meaning of any former Teacher for the space of thousands of yeares Teaching vs thereby first that there can be no truer Doctors than Gods word secondly no better Argument than Proofe that It was not so from the beginning II. Saint Cyprian being busied in a Question concerning Baptisme Wee are not to regard saith he what any hath done before vs but what he did who is before all Christ our Lord not following the Custome of men but the Truth of God III. Suarez your most celebrious Spanish Iesuite and publike Professor Sometimes saith he we know the beginning of a Tradition onely Negatiuely because it may appeare that sometime it was not so neare the beginning of the Church So he in your publike Schooles teaching you that if it may be shewed concerning any Doctrinall Tradition that there was a time neare to the beginning of the Church namely in the dayes of the Apostles when it was not taught it will bee a sufficient Confutation therof to proue it to be but an humane Inuention without any further enquirie after the Names of Persons who in succeeding ages haue gone before vs. IV. An Example we may take from your owne former Relation of a Tradition professed by Pope Innocentius the first who taught that The administration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist was necessary to Infants for their Saluation Which doctrine and practize continued about 600. yeares in the Church namely of Rome but since is reiected thereby So you Here had bene a Matter for your Obiectors to haue argued vpon if they had liued at the end of those 600. yeares when this Error was first reiected Would they haue said Shew vs that any Fathers by name for 600. yeares passed euer taught the contrary or else we must continue this custome still Thus should they condemne the Present Church of Rome which hath reiected that Custome Or would they haue said We regard not the time of the Continuance thereof for so many hundred yeeres seeing it may bee prooued that before that time there was no such Doctrine And the Institution of Christ which requireth Remembrance in them that partake of this Sacrament doth instruct vs otherwise And so must they as they ought condemne the former Romane Church in the daies of Innocentius and from henceforth silence themselues in exacting the Names of Persons who immediately before that time had taught the Contrarie because according to your Iesuites Confession it is lawfull in such a Case to proceed Persaltum Negatiuely saying It was not so neare the beginning of the Church Ergo it is not a necessarie Tradition Which was the very Apologie that Luther made against the doctrine of Indulgences in his first Opposition against your Church of Rome and the same is the defence of Protestants in their whole Profession at this day V. But supposing a Necessity of Names why aske Yov names As though the Church of Rome had beene then The Catholike Church without which there was none then or before the daies of Luther who reiected the doctrine of Romish Indulgences and of Papall Iurisdiction as well as he when as you haue heard there were euen since the Apostles times the Churches of the Grecians Aethiopians Aegyptians Assyrians Russians and indeed a world of faithfull Christians that wanted not names who Communicated not with the Church of Rome And what meaneth this Importunity or rather peruersnes to seeke for that which is by your owne Historians set before your eyes the Protesters against your Romish Nouelties before Luther whom they call Albigenses Waldenses Wiclefians Hussites c. Could these bee so called by your selues who persecuted them vnder these names without Names Yet know that this diuersity of Names may not argue the Sects and differences of their Religion no more than many names giuen vnto the same Riuer passing through diuers countries can argue a diuersity of the streames But these Professors and their Names you may vnderstand if you will reade Them who haue purposely entreated of this Subiect who are furnished with answers and can shew you out of your owne Authors their Innocent conuersation of life their Multitudes in number their Consent and Constancie in their Profession by enduring of Imprisonments banishment deaths and whatsoeuer Cruelties your Inquisitors could inflict on them And were these then Namelesse trowe you VI. And if this may not content you what then if we shall name them Romanes for such were Luther Melancthon and other Protestants at the beginning of their Opposition as sound Members of an vnfound Particular Church from whence it was lawfull and necessary for them to depart as hath beene proued Thus much in confutation of your Vulgar Obiection by Six Answers which deserueth onely this briefe Answer It is friuolous and superfluous THESIS VII Your Obiection That all Changes of Doctrines haue beene Notorious in the Persons and Places of their first Beginnings is false SECT 20. A principall Obiection wherewith your Cardinall doth colourably delude his Disciples is this In al Changes of doctrines in any Church the tokens there are visible in the Author Time Place and Person oppugning the same So he that so hee may iustifie many Errors which must therefore seeme Truths because there is none of these visible Notes of Changes to discouer them We answer that this your Obiection conctradicteth the ordinarie growth of Heresie the experience of former Heretikes the Changes of Doctrine in the Romish Church and the Confession of your owne Schooles I. The nature of Heresie as Saint Paul describeth it 2. Tim. 2.17 is like a Cancer or Gangraena By which as you know both the Greeke and Latines vnderstand that vlcer which is bredd in womans papps which if it be not preuented doth putrifie by by little and little vntill it possesse all the parts of the Body Therefore an insensible groweth at the beginning II. The experience of an hundred Heresies whose Authors haue not beene notorious might bee propounded vnto you but that taste may suffice which your owne Prateolus doth offer vnto you by an Instance in the Abstinents of which Heretikes it is not remembred saith he what time they liued In the Acephali of which kinde saith he the first Author is not found In the Aquarij whose Author saith he is not mentioned by any And in the Predestinati whose first leader saith he is not knowne Wee migh reckon vp the Alogiani Anthropomorphitae Aphthratodocitae Collyridiani Gnostici Concerning all whom and many others as the Angelici Apostolici Cainani Catharistae Ophitae Passionistae because you your selues cannot tell vs from whom they first arose or By whom they were impugned it appeareth that you obiect you know not what III. And as though forsooth no such Gangrene or disease could be found in the
he the Church to be a Companie of men obedient to the Bishop of Rome for the time being and we affirme the Church of Rome to be alone the Catholike and Apostolike Church The Third and last thus None doth communicate saith he with the Catholike Church except he subiect himselfe vnto the Pope yea although otherwise he professe the Catholike Faith For vnion with the Head is a note of the Church So standeth the now Article of your Romane Faith Foure remarkeable Points more distinctly to be obserued in your former Romane Profession concerning the Article of The Catholike Romane Church SECT 5. FIrst obserue that the word ROMANE is not added only for distinction-sake to discerne it from other Churches which in respect of the Catholike doctrine of Faith professed in them haue equally had that Addition as to bee called the Catholike Corinthian or the Catholike Ephesian the Catholike Thessalonian or as we now the Catholike English Church because so it could be no more Catholike than other particular Churches as your Iesuite confesseth and consequently there could be no matter of controuersie But now the word ROMANE is added to the Article of the Catholike Church by way of Transcendencie and as the same Iesuite resolueth supreamly comprehending all other Churches professing the Catholike faith vnder the obedience of the Pope of Rome as the vniuersall Vicar of Christ. So that this Article is become not onely one point of Controuersie but indeede the chiefe Head of all the Controuersies which are between the said Romane Church and all other Churches at this day Secondly you conceiue this Appropriation to be Diuini Iuris in a strict sence ordained by Christ himselfe and not onely by Ecclesiasticall Institution Thirdly vpon this pretended Ordinance you exact from all other Churches Christian a Necessitie of Vnion with your Church of Rome and the Bishop thereof both in Faith Subiection Fourthly this Necessity of Subiection you beleeue to be Absolute as to exclude from hope of Saluation not onely all them that shall refuse to be subiect to the Romane Primacie but euen all them also that do not beleeue euery soule of man to be vtterly Damned that is not subiect thereunto The GENERALL CHALLENGE against this your former Romane Profession and the Summe of our contrarie Defence SECT 6. IF therefore wee may giue credit vnto your now Romane Church to your later Romane Bishops to your Romane Councels and Creed to your selues and other sworne Professors of the same Romane faith then must wee beleeue all the seuerall points and as it were the Particles of this one Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church without subiection whereunto there is no saluation Which notwithstanding wee hold and beleeue to be respectiuely False Vnconscionable Scandalous Schismaticall Hereticall Blasphemous and euery way Damnable And this we coÌ„fidently hope God assisting vs to proue from such your owne Grounds and from so manifest Demonstrations as that you shall fully perceiue vs to plead not so much our owne Cause as the Cause of the holy Apostles of the renowned Martyrs and Confessors of Christ of the most Orthodoxe Christian Professors of the holy Faith euen in the Primitiue Times of other innumerable Churches of Christendoâ—e still partakers of the Common Saluation yea and of the Catholike and Vniuersall Church of Christ it selfe Our proofes for the maintaining of this Challenge may be reduced vnto two heads The first is the Consideration of the common Article of our Christian faith to wit The holy Catholike Church The second from the state of the Visible Church of Christ it selfe as well Primitiue as Successiue CHAP. II. The first Generall Foundation of our CHALLENGE is taken from the Article in the Apostles Creed viz. The Catholike Church SECT 1. WE lay the first ground of our Challenge vpon the Apostles Creed and Symbol so called you know as being A forme of Faith composed by the Apostles accordingly as the ancient Fathers haue commonly taught Which the Schollers of Christ ought to get by hart as a watch-word in our Christian discipline whereby the faithfull Professors as by a perfect Shibboleth may be distinguished from the Iewish and Hereticall Which Christian Symbol although it be called the Apostles Creed yet it is so termed not because they were Deuisers but onely Collectors thereof by reducing the fundamentall Articles into one Briefe euen as a posie is called his that gathered trimmed it not that he created the flowers but because he composed the bundle and like as the writers of the Gospell were not Inuentors and Dictators but onely Pen-men of the holy Ghost and Scribes of Christ as the Fathers vse to speake Which the Euangelists themselues do sufficiently teach by inscribing their worke The Gospell of Iesus Christ. And accordingly all the Apostles in receiuing the doctrine of saluation are called Disciples not Doctors or Masters in respect of Christ. So then we haue in this posie a briefe Collection of those flowers of sauing truth which spring in the Paradise of God the Gospell of Iesus Christ. That the Church hath no power to ordaine any new Article of faith SECT 2. HE onely can make an Article of faith as necessarily belonging vnto the saluation of soules who can create a soule and after make a Gospell or Testament to saue this soule and then giue vnto that soule the gift of faith to beleeue this Gospell and next institute a Sacrament for confirmation of that faith and in the end bestow saluation vpon the same faithfull beleeuer This we should prooue from Scriptures and from the constant iudgement of the Fathers if it were not a doctrine acknowledged in your owne Schooles and professed by all Christians I proceed to that which followeth That the false Additions to the Creed are new Articles SECT 3. THere are two kinds of additions vnto the Apostolicall Creed the one is of Explication the other is of Deprauation The addition onely of Explication is iustifiable as appeareth by the addition of the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Consubstantiall filioque which haue bene set downe in Declaratiue Creeds composed by ancient Councels for the clearer vnderstanding of the great mysterie of the Trinitie In which case those additions may be truly called as Lirinensis saith of the like Non noua sed nouè dicta But the Addition of Deprauation of the sence of the Creed in any essentiall and fundamentall part thereof which is to be beleeued as necessary to saluation must needs be a new Article and euery such new Article in true construction a new Heresie Now what one Professor is there in the Romane Church who whensoeuer he repeateth that one Article of our Christian Creed The Catholike Church doth not vnderstand thereby the Romane onely And againe what one is there among you that hearing mention made of the Romane Catholike Church doth not take the addition of the word ROMANE to be a Declaration and exposition of the
said Article viz. The Catholike Church As if Romane Church and Catholike Church were vniuocall and conuertible tearmes equally betokening one and the same Vniuersall Church That the Addition of the word ROMANE vnto the Article of the Catholike Church is no true Exposition and Declaration but a notorious Alteration and deprauation thereof proued by diuers Arguments The first Argument in respect of the Church Triumphant SECT 4. CHurch Catholike or Vniuersall as it is prescribed in the Apostles Creed is a comprehension of all the members of the mysticall bodie of Christ which is his Church Now in your Romane Catechisme authorized both by the Decree of your Councell of Trent and the Bull of Pius then Pope there are acknowledged Two parts of the Catholike Church the one called Triumphant in heauen the other Militant here on earth Accordingly S. Augustine The whole Church of Christ saith he is here vnderstood to be not onely that part which is in pilgrimage here vpon earth but that part also which is in heauen Which sence of this Article is grounded vpon diuine foundation where it is written Christ loued his Church that he might present it to himselfe a glorious Church without spot or wrinckle Where by the word CHVRCH to vnderstand onely the Church militant was the heresie of the Pelagians who peruerting the meaning of this text concluded that the Church of Christ here vpon earth doth consist of them that are Perfect in this state of mortalitie that is of such who in this mortall life are not tainted with sinne To whom S. Augustine as you know replied As though saith he the Church of Christ throughout the world doth not pray and crie Forgiue vs our sinnes Therefore must this Text be vnderstood of the Triumphant part of the Church whether alone as Saint Augustine you know and Saint Hierom haue expounded it or iointly with the Militant according to the interpretation of the profoundest Doctors in your Romane schooles saying that The Catholike Church is indeed without spot or wrinkle within the Militant part thereof by grace and in the part Triumphant by glorie So vndoubted a truth it is that the Article of Catholike Church as it is prescribed in the Apostles Creed doth comprize as well the Triumphant as the Militant part thereof CHALLENGE THat then which comprehendeth not as well the Triumphant as the Militant part of the Church cannot be a Declaration of the Catholike Church as it is contained in the Apostles Creed because no one part can expresse the whole But in the Romish Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church without subiection whereunto there is no saluation the word ROMANE vtterly excludeth the part Triumphant Therefore it cannot possibly be a Declaration or exposition of the word Catholike as it is vnderstood in the Apostles Creed except some of you shall be so blasphemous as to subiect Saints which are the members Triumphant and Conquerors now in blisse to the members Militant and mortall here below Saint Peter to your Pope and heauen vnto earth Wherefore euery Christian man who doth as seriously studie the Celestiall spheare of the Saints in heauen as others do the Terrestriall globe of this corruptible earth must call in this your Article The Catholike Romane Church the word ROMANE a false deprauation of the Article of our Apostolicall Creed From the Triumphant part of the Catholike Church we descend to the Militant The second Argument to prooue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be any Declaration but rather a Deprauation of the Article in our Creed in respect of the Church Militant SECT 5. A Double consideration is to be had of the Catholike Church Militant one in respect of her essentiall estate as she is said to haue being the other in respect of her accidentall estate as she is said to be outwardly Visible be it in more or lesse degree of Visibilitie In the first respect when Protestants say that the Catholike Church doth essentially consist onely of persons regenerate in this life and predestinate to life euerlasting They do not as they are by Some slandered to do make two Churches but one Church in a different habitude relation and consideration For as Christ when he was on earth although he commonly appeared euidently visible vnto men yet sometimes he is said after a sort to haue vanished inuisibly out of mens sights notwithstanding in that his Inuisibilitie was he still the same Christ because vsuall Visibilitie and Inuisibilitie are but outward accidents so Christ his mysticall bodie which is his Church being considered in her Essentiall estate is Inuisible and the obiect of Faith and not of Sense According to which Consideration we affirme this Article in the Apostles Creed I beleeue the Catholike Church to be more peculiarly vnderstood And this we prooue first by the nature of Faith it selfe which as the Apostle hath defined it Is the demonstration of things not seene Next by the whole tenor of the Apostles Creed wherein the obiect of euery Article of that Symbol from beleefe in God vnto beleefe of life euerlasting is vnto vs inuisible and so farre as it is beleeued is without compasse of Sense as may be obserued in the faith of Thomas the Apostle to whom albeit Christ said Thomas because thou hast seene mee thou hast beleeued yet the sense of Thomas saw onely the Visible humanitie of Christ but his faith which was his soules sight beheld Christs God-head So that Thomas could no more properly be said to haue beleeued that which hee saw than to haue seene that which hee beleeued Lastly diuine Scripture in positiue doctrine doth manifest thus much as namely to omit many others in that speech of Christ to Saint Peter Mat. 16.19 Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Where the word CHVRCH by the iudgement of Saint Augustine and the accordance of your owne Doctors doth signifie Onely the number of Predestinate And good reason because the godlesse and gracelesse are so farre from being the true members of the Church against which the gates of hell shall not preuaile that those Infernall gates stand continually wide open as being desirous and iustly appointed to deuoure them The same may be said of the Church as it is called the flocke of Christ Iohn 10. My sheepe heare my voice where by Sheepe are onely ment The sanctified elect of God as the testimonies of your owne Iesuites the iudgement of Saint Augustine and Saint Chrysostome doe confirme A third Scripture we finde Rom. 8.9 where the Apostle saith Hee that hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his Which sheweth that none is truely a Christian but as hee is regenerated by â—he Spirit of Christ. And so your Diuines as well Iesuites as others both ancient and moderne haue determined that All that are not sanctified with the holy Spirit of Christ although outwardly neuer
Professors who are kept hood-winck't in the beleefe of so Imposterous Schismaticall and Damnable an Article by which all the Churches begot by the preaching of Saint Peter and all the other Apostles in the compasse of seauen yeers before the begetting of Rome must be iudged Damned for not beleeuing the Romane Church as you teach to haue beene the Catholike Mother-Church without which Faith there is no saluation Thus much in respect of the Time BEFORE Rome was a Church CHAP. IV. Of the Time about when the Church of Rome had her Foundation Arguing from the Faith of three Apostles Saint Peter S. Paul and S. Iohn and of the Apostolicall Churches in their daies SECT I. THese three Apostles than whom what witnesses can be more competent in this case Wee appeale to your selues The Popes of Rome say you acknowledge both Peter and Paul for their Predecessors because both of them did found and gouerne the Romane Church And as for Saint Iohn his long continuance in the Church Militant will Minister some matter of resolution heerein I. That Saint Peter the conceiued founder of the Church of Rome was not of the now Romane Faith concerning the Article of the Catholike Romane Church SECT 2. WE not to interrupt you by questioning the truth of Saint Peter's residence in that See as Bishop thereof doe punctually inquire whether it entred into his Faith to Beleeue the same Roman Church to be The Catholike Church without which there is no saluation nothing doubting but that you will thinke that He of all others would haue plainely vnfolded thus much whom your Popes assume to haue bene the Founder of that Church together with Saint Paul And because all the pretended Soueraigntie of the Romane Mother-Church is according to your faith deriued from the supreme Father-hood of your Romane Pope and this is as originally descended from the transcendent ordinarie Pastorship of S. Peter ouer all the other Apostles we begin to enquire into the faith of S. Peter Whatsoeuer Prerogatiue Saint Peter might challenge ouer all the other Apostles must appeare either by some promise made singularly to him by Christ or else by some practise of Saint Peter himselfe in the exercise and execution of such his Iurisdiction The due examination of both these would easily cleare the Cause That the Faith of Saint Peter did not conceiue any Monarchicall or supreme Iurisdiction promised vnto himselfe by Christ in the most pretended speech of Christ saying Matth. 16. Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church SECT 3. THis this Scripture in it the word ROCK you haue still obiected as the rocke and fortresse of your now Romane Faith concerning the Article of your Romane Catholike Church because From hence say your Iesuites is proued that Monarchie of S. Peter Insomuch as that whē Luther Caluine and others aduentured to expound this of Christ and Faith in him as the Sonne of God your two grand Cardinals oppose the One his owne passion calling it an Impudent madnesse in Protestants to expound the Rocke to signifie Christ The other obtrudeth the Consent of your owne Schoole saying That by Rocke is meant Peter it is the Common opinion of all Catholikes An Exposition approoued by your Bishop and that not without some insultation saying In this Truth triumpheth as if it were as cleare as the Sunne which Sunne-shine as some call it we Protestants alas our blindnesse cannot discerne but rather iudge that it hath bene and is mistaken by you for Moone-shine through some defect in your faculties or instruments of sight A large Librarie I suppose would scarce containe the bookes that haue bene written vpon this Text whereas the briefe of all that need be said may farre more easily than Homers Iliads be comprized within the shell of a wallnut The Protestants Exposition vpon this Scripture auouched by many excellent Witnesses in the Romane Church yea euen by the Popes themselues SECT 4. OVr Exposition hath euer bene to vnderstand that by ROCK is meant the Confession of Peter when he said of the Godhead of Christ Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God and consequently signified by a metonymie Christ himselfe Where we meane not the Confession of Peter in Concreto as you would haue it vnderstood With relation vnto Peter but as the said Confession of the Godhead of Christ may be the Confession of euery Christian to which truth many of your owne Authors will beare witnesse To which purpose we alleage among your Preachers Ferus saying Vpon this Rocke That is the Confession of Peter and not vpon Peter Among your Glossers the Romane Glosse it selfe saying That is vpon the Article then Confessed concerning Christ and so our Lord Christ built it vpon himselfe Among your Friers Lyranus Vpon the Rock Christ. Among your Iesuites Pererius Christ is the Rock vpon which the Church is builded Among your Bishops Abulensis Not vpon Peter but vpon his Confession and he speaketh absolutely of the Confession it selfe in Abstracto without relation to Peter and giueth this reason because after this Confession thus made Peter himselfe failed in his faith by denying his Lord. Among your Cardinals Hugo and Cusanus By the Rocke is signified Christ. Among your Councels the last Councell of Trent speaking of the Nicene Christian Creed and pointing in the margent at this Text it saith that It is the foundation against which the gates of Hell shall not preuaile Therefore faith in Christ in Abstracto is the foundation for there is in that Creed no mention of Peter Lastly and chiefly among your Popes for now we are clymed vp to the pinnacle of your Temple no fewer than Foure Leo the first Agatho the first Nicolaüs the first and Adrian the first all of them Firsts and therefore more ancient than all others of their names haue as your selues witnesse expounded the Rock to meane the Confession of Saint Peter in acknowledging Christ to be the Sonne of God I. CHALLENGE from the iudgements of the fore-cited Authors IN these former Allegations although most of the Testimonies themselues do sufficiently shew that by ROCK is meant the Confession deliuered by Saint Peter really in it selfe and not personally as it had Relation to him yet for the better clearing of your iudgements you may take these Confirmations I. None will denie but that there was meant in Peters Confession that matter which he confessed but Peter confessed not himselfe but Christ saying Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God Ergo his Confession had Relation to Christ and not to himselfe II. You grant that Saint Peter confessed no more than that which he knew The other Disciples to haue beleeued before he spake because Christs question being generall What say yee He answered as the mouth of the rest True as may fully appeare in our Margent But the Apostles before he spake beleeued Christ confessed and
not Peter confessing III. ROCKE is that Confession whereupon Christ saith he will build his Church and members thereof but whosoeuer shall truly beleeue that which S. Peter confessed to wit Christ the Sonne of the liuing God is accordingly built vpon the Rocke albeit he should neuer haue heard so much as the name of Peter Ergo the Confession rightly vnderstood had Relation to Christ and not to the person of Saint Peter IV. The thing which Christ spake of was called the ROCKE as Fathers Authors and Professors on all sides do witnesse to signifie that which is Immoueable Impreinable and Eternall such as is Christ and his Truth But Peter found his Confession as it proceeded from himselfe to be moueable and shaken at one time thrice denying this Confession of his Lord when as also he knew himselfe to be mortall Ergo he did not thinke this Confession which Christ calleth the Rocke to haue Relation to himselfe but onely to Christ. So impossible it is that Saint Peter in his Confession should apprehend the ground of your now Romane Faith Whence you cannot but obserue with what modestie your forecited Aduocates Baronius Bellarmine and Roffensis could obiect vnto Protestants Impudencie Singularitie and Blindnesse for defending an Exposition of the word ROCKE so copiously and euidently warranted by all sorts of Witnesses euen within the Romish Church it selfe II. CHALLENGE From the iudgement of the ancient Fathers IN venerable Antiquitie we find some Fathers distinguishing betweene Petra the Rocke and Peter as plainly as between Christ and a Christian Some as directly noting Christ to be the Rocke as Saint Iohn did euer point him out to be The Lambe of God where they say This Rocke was Christ Some that Peter made his Confession As the mouth of the other Disciples And that The Faith confessed was the Rocke Some by way of Diminution Not Peter alone more than others Some exclusiuely Not Peter And though Some for we may not dissemble thus much do expound by Rocke Peter yet do they meane either a Primacie of Order or Honour in Peter not of authoritie and dominion or else a priority of Confession because he vttered the words first And so all the Apostles and Prophets are called Foundations by which is not meant their persons or dominions but their doctrines Else shew vs where euer any Prophet had any Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction in the Church of the Iewes And whereas you are vrgent in obiecting the Testimonie of Saint Augustine as though he would make the Case indifferent yet are you taught by your owne Bishop that Augustine in that place rather held that by Rocke was meant Christ. Albeit that to make this Exposition indifferent which you lay downe as a ground of your Faith would be the vtter destruction of your owne Cause For Faith must stand vpon Infallibilitie and not vpon an Indifferencie of Choosing whether So inconsiderate and precipitant was that your Author in his Obiection Now whatsoeuer may seeme to be wanting in this second Challenge it is plentifully supplied by One whose iudgement ought to be as acceptable as his learning was admirable Cast your eye on the Margent where you shall perceiue how many Fathers Interpreted the ROCKE to signifie either Christ confessed by Peter or else the Confession of Peter so that your Cardinall censuring the interpretation of Protestants not to be the Exposition of Catholikes doth in effect thereby wipe out of the number of Catholikes Ambrose Chrysostome Augustine and diuers other ancient Fathers Next that the Expounding by Rocke Peter doth nothing aduantage the Romish Conclusion which is from Rocke to inferre Saint Peters Monarchie and absolute Iurisdiction ouer all other Apostles because Rocke can be but a Symbol or signe of such properties as are belonging to a Rocke as Soliditie and Vnmouablenesse in the faith but not of Dominion Finally he noteth in your Cardinall a bold licentiousnesse who being a Romanist to make Saint Peter the Rocke durst correct the Vulgar Translation which hath beene pronounced Authenticall by the Councell of Trent III. CHALLENGE BY this time you see that your faith of Peters Monarchie which you beare the world in hand to be infallibly built vpon the word ROCKE mentioned by Christ vnto Peter is according to the iudgement of the Fathers Confessions of your owne Diuines and irresistable demonstrations of truth it selfe meerely built vpon the sands How then shall any conscience of man beleeue you in your Expositions of Scripture seeing you to be so egregiously ouertaken in that which you in all your disputes concerning this Cause obiect as if not the sole yet the most solid Rocke of your beleefe As for any other place of Scripture which can be alleaged in this Cause it were altogether superfluous to discusse in this place both because the euidence which you haue receiued from this one Text may sufficiently warne you not to presume of the learning and iudgement whereof your grand-Leadears make such boasts as also because all other Obiections haue beene fully satisfied elsewhere Where the acknowledgement of Cardinall Cusanus sometimes the Popes Legate excellently studied in the Fathers and primarily exercised in the Councell of Basil is made good who in debating the question of the Popes Iurisdiction with the assent of that Councell did publikely auerre that Peter receiued from Christ no greater authoritie than did the other Apostles nothing was said to him which was not spoken to them Hee proceedeth further particularly insisting vpon the obiected Scriptures and concludeth that the other Apostles were equally called Stones had equally the Keyes of the Kingdome of heauen deliuered vnto them equally receiued the charge of teaching that is Feeding of the whole flocke of Christ. As yet then you haue no foundation for your pretended Monarchie of Peter by any promise of Christ made vnto him In the next place we are to examine whether any ground appeare thereof by any Monarchicall or Iuridicall Act of Saint Peter through out the whole course of his Apostleship ouer all or any one of the other Apostles II. That Saint Peter neuer exercised any Act of Iurisdiction as properly belonging to himselfe ouer the other Apostles whereby to testifie that hee had any Dominion ouer them as the Monarch and Head of the Catholike Church SECT 5. TOuching Saint Peters practise and conuersation among the other Apostles wee suppose that the testimony of your Salmeron one of the first in the foundation of the Societie of Iesuites and throughout all his Volumes which are sixteene vpon all occasions every-where a zealous Proctor for the prouing and promoting of Saint Peters Monarchie may as well satisfie your selues as it doth vs. Hee therefore in answer to the Question why the pretended Monarchie of Saint Peter is not demonstrable by any publike Act of Peter telleth vs and his words are worthy of obseruation that Peter although he were Head and Iudge ouer the other Apostles yet he
Church of Rome about the time when it was first erected That Saint Iohn his Faith did not conceiue the same Article of Subiection to the Catholike Romane Church c. SECT 15. NOt long after the same Time of the foundation of the Church of Rome did Saint Iohn write his Booke of Reuelation wherein he reuealeth that the Citie of Rome is Babylon according to the generall consent of your owne Iesuites and other Diuines directed not onely by the iudgement of Ancient Fathers but especially and inuincibly by Saint Iohn in the clearenesse of that Scripture So iust Cause had the most iudicious of Kings Christian IAMES our late Soueraigne of famous memorie to auerre saying This place viz. Reuel chapp 17. 18. doth clearely and vndeniably declare that Rome is or shall be the seat of that Antichrist For no Papist now denieth that by Babylon here Rome is directly meant c. Next that it signifieth Rome not onely as it was Ethnicall Rome in the dayes of heathenish Emperours by which mist many of your Doctors a long time gulled and deceiued their Disciples lest your Papall Rome might haue come within their ken but also noteth Rome as it shall be in the later age of the World the Seat of Antichrist And not thus onely but that the same Citie shall be burnt with fire A Truth so euident that your Rhemists who otherwise of all others are most bleare-eyd at the sight of any light that may any way make against Rome doe thus farre grant as to say The great Antichrist shall haue his seat at Rome as it may well be thought but others thinke Ierusalem rather shall be his seat But your Iesuites Ribera and Viega both of â—hem Spanish Doctors and publike Professors doe confidently auerre that They dare hold him for A MOST NOTABLE FOOLE that shall denie it as being a matter without all doubt So say they nor so onely but also proue it by conuincing Arguments 1 Because that the Text saith expresly of this Babylon that It shall be burned 2 They that shall then liue shall see the smoke of her fire and lament her destruction 3 Because the spirit warneth all them that are in her to depart Come out of her my people that yee receiue not of her plagues But there were then nâ— Faithfull in the heathenish Rome or if any were yet are they commanded to Come out of her for feare of being consumed with fire And lastly they adde to the euidence of the text the Oracles of Sibyl as it were a torch vnto the Sunne viz. that The seauen-hild Rome shall be destroyed with fire Thus farre your owne Authors not once questioned for this doctrine and although professing it in the fierie Region of the Spanish Inquisition yet not so much as an heire of their beards scorched therefore yea these their bookes are publikely allowed by the iudgement of besides others the Prouinciall of the Iesuites Marry yet the foresaid Authors lest they might hereby seeme to yeeld any matter of insultation to vs Heretikes as they call vs or hereby preiudice the Church of Rome they doe againe and againe admonish their Readers that this Prophecie although it point out the destruction of the Citie of Rome for her Apostacie from the faith by her Idolatrie yet aimeth it not at the Church of Rome or the Bishop thereof because the Apostacie shall be say they from the faith of that Church and Obedience to that Bishop Who though he abandon Rome and Rome it selfe be destroid yet is hee still Bishop of Rome So they I. CHALLENGE GOD himselfe by his owne example in his first dayes worke taught vs to diuide the light from the darknesse Thus then That the people of the Citie of Rome in the later age of the world must generally depart from the faith that whatsoeuer faithfull remaining must Depart out of the Citie that the Citie her selfe for her wickednesse and Idolatry must be consumed by fire seemeth now at length euen to our Romish Aduersaries themselues a truth as cleare as the day and that iustly as hath bin shewed But that to free their Church and Pope of Rome from the preiudice of defection and reuolt from the faith wee must forsooth beleeue that The Pope when all Christian people are departed out of the Citie and the Citie it selfe vtterly extinct shall still remaine the Bishop of Rome this we take to be as darke as darknesse it selfe We shall therefore call for a Torch for so you call Baronius his writings to discouer this darknesse He sheweth that The Church of Rome was constituted first by Peter at Rome where saith he his Pontificall seat or chaire was made of wood Then hee sheweth the ancient custome of Erecting Chaires or Seats for Bishops in their Churches placing them aloft and adorning them with ornaments where they did sit c. This was the originall of Episcopall Chaires and Seats so that Patriarks and Bishops had their denominations from the Churches wherein they tooke possession and where they had their first Chaires or seats Hence came the distinct Appellations of the Patriarcal Church or seat of Antioch the Seat of Constantinople and this now specified as they say the Pontificall Seat of Rome Albeit therefore that it cannot be denied that the Bishop of Rome being excluded from his Church and Seat is notwithstanding to bâ— accounted the Bishop of that people and place yet when hee is so departed from them that they are also departed from him so as there shall be no people in Rome professing his faith nor yet that Seat which is the Citie of Rome extant at all but wholly consumed with fire then to be called the Bishop of the Church or Seat of Rome is but a man in the moone and Titulus sine re namely as it is written of Hierusalem How is that faithfull Citie become a whore The Citie is called faithfull not as being now faithfull but onely because it had bin so Saint Paul in his Inscriptions to diuers Churches taketh their denominations from the places where the faithfull Professors were thus To the Churches of Galatia To the Church of God in Corinth and elsewhere to shew that the Church rather doth consist in the Professors then in the places and omitting the name of Church he doth mention onely the Persons To the Saints at Colosse and faithfull brethren in Christ To all the Saints in Christ at Philippi and also for Rome To them at Rome beloued of God called Saints And must wee notwithstanding conceit of a Bishop of a Church of Rome wherein there is neither people professing nor place of profession As if they should call one the Shepheard of Vtopia where there is neither Sheepe in the Countrey nor Countrey for Sheepe except 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should be the Shepheard and they speak the language of Babel where None shall heare Nothing of Nobody at all
and auoiding of Antichrist Christians ought to subiect themselues to the Pope of Rome as the Vicar of Christ. Finally nor yet that for the preuenting of dissentions and Schismes in the Church Christians ought to adhere and to be vnited to the same Monarchicall Head of the same Romane Church All which those holy Apostles the faithfull Embassadours of our Lord Christ without Controuersie ought and would haue done if according to the now Romane Faith either the name CATHOLIKE had bene then Antonomastically to be appropriated to Rome or the Infallibilitie of Faith to be ascribed to the iudgement of her Bishop or that the Necessitie of Vnion and Subiection to the authoritie of the same Head had bene so necessarie as without which no Christian could be saued To begin at the word CATHOLIKE We desire to vnderstand why the Epistles of Iames and Iohn and Iude were called Catholike or Vniuersall as well as the two Epistles of Peter if the word Catholike were so proper to the Romane Chaire Seeing that the Epistle of Saint Iames and so of the rest was no more sent to or from Rome nor had any relation to Peter there than the Epistles of Peter had to Iames at Hierusalem Secondly why Paul was so sole as of himselfe to Anathemize the false Apostles saying If wee or an Angell from heauen preach any other Gospell vnto you let him be accursed or in admonishing the Irresolute saying Behold I Paul tell you and I testifie againe vnto you And that no otherwise than he did in absoluing the penitent Incestuous saying I haue pardoned him in the person of Christ that is to say As the Vicar of Christ as your Rhemists obserue in their Annotations vpon this place If so as you pretend The name of Vicar of Christ be wholly belonging to the Pope as an argument of his Succession from Saint Peter in the Monarchie ouer the whole Church But principally doth Saint Paul shew himselfe in preuenting and repressing of Schismes once among the people whom he will not haue to adhere to any one man no more to Cephas that is Peter than to Paul or Apollos Whereas your Roman Cephas would haue taught Saint Paul a contrarie lesson saying that They who adhere vnto Cephas cannot be called Schismatikes as those who hold of Apollos because Cephas was that ROCKE whereupon the Church was built and such a Visible Head is now as necessary on earth to auoide Schisme as to beleeue on Christ the inuisible Head now glorious in heauen Againe among the Ecclesiasticall Orders twice first to the Corinthians where he alleageth them thus First Apostles then Prophets after Doctors and accordingly to the Ephesians He gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists c. Here wee should haue had good reason to haue expected the mention of Saint Peter as the visible Head among the Apostles if we had bene of your Faith to beleeue that the Pope of Rome as Successor of Saint Peter is the Head of the visible Church and that therefore The vnion with the Bishop of Rome as the Head thereof is a true Note of the Church Whereby it may be infallibly discerned whether or no a Christian man be a member of the Catholike Church without which there is no Saluation Which what were it but to call into question the iudgement of Saint Paul the most profoundest Disputant that euer writ as though he had bene ignorant of the maine and onely Argument for the confuting of Schismatikes and auoyding of Schisme by keeping forsooth the Vnion with the Pope and Church of Rome As for the Seauen Churches in Asia vnto whom Saint Iohn writ concerning the dayes of Antichrist when the great Departure from the sincere Faith of Christ must be herein notwithstanding you could neuer yet find one particle to prooue either the Right of Monarchie in the Pope or Infallibilitie of his iudgement or Necessitie that the Faithfull be Vnited and Subiected vnto him But many Characters may you find at least of an Antichrist as well of his person in the Pope as you haue done of his particular Seate confessing ingenuously that it must be at Rome Saint Peter in his Catholike Epistle To the dispersed Christians in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia Bithynia exhorting the Presbyters whom he after calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Superintendents or Byshops saith The Elders which are among you I exhort who am also an Elder Feede the flocke of God not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 domineiring ouer Gods heritage that when our chiefe Shepheard shall appeare c. What may be inferred from hence you may vnderstand in the third Challenge I. CHALLENGE NOne will make doubt but that the Churches to whom the Apostles haue written were of the same faith with their Teachers the holy Apostles and that therefore in the point of Heresie it was not more requisite that the Church of Thessalonîca should subscribe to the Faith of the Church of Rome than that the Romanes should be guided by the Faith of the Thessalonians or that in the point of Schisme the Church of Corinth should be compelled to keepe Vnion with the Church Romane more than the Romane with the Colossian or yet that among the Churches to whom the Catholike Epistles of Peter Iude Iohn and Iames were directed some should be thought to owe more Subiection to the Letters of Peter than to the other of Iames or Iohn Else would some Items haue bene giuen out to signifie your pretended respects due to the Romane Church especially euery one of them being required in your Faith vpon Necessitie of saluation All men would wonder for example sake that the Bishops of Italy being al within the Romane Iurisdiction should write letters farre and neare vpon all occasion of Heresie and Schisme to diuerse Churches within the same Romane Dioces and yet neuer make mention nay nor so much as giue intimation of the necessary dependance they haue and ought to acknowledge themselues to haue of the Pope and Sea of Rome II. CHALLENGE IF it had bene as manifestly reuealed by Saint Iohn that England was Prophesied off to be the Seate of Antichrist in the latter times as according to your Iesuites Expositions and Demonstrations he did of Rome in the word Babylon from whence all the faithfull are commanded to depart except they will be Partakers of her plagues sure we are that your Iesuites and Professors would neede no seueritie of Lawes to quit England and to abhorre it especially now when the Controuersie whether Antichrist be alreadie come is so daily and duly debated III. CHALLENGE SAint Peter albeit an Apostle of Iesus Christ yet in the exercise of his Iurisdiction in the ordaining the Bishops of Pontus Cappadocia and other Churches doth intitle himselfe A Fellow-Priest or Bishop a stile not to be found in your Popes Breues For we speake not now of termes of Humiliation as that of SERVVS SERVORVM but of Office and
acknowledged that Gregory by impugning the Title of vniuersall Bishop would haue no Bishop so principall as to make all other members subiect vnto him So he Than which what can bee more apposite in this Cause and opposite vnto the now Romane Profession concerning the Title of Vniuersall Romane Bishop the Foundation of the sence of your owne Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church Yet this is not all but we furthermore auerre that Gregory condemned the Title of Vniuersall Bishop then vsed by the Patriarch of Constantinople in no other sence than it was after the daies of Gregory assumed and vsed by your Romane Popes whereunto such of your owne Historians who are very many beare full witnesse For they record that Pope Boniface the next Successour to Gregorie saue one did obtaine of the Emperour Phocas that Rome should haue the same Title of Head-ship ouer all other Churches which the Bishop of Constantinople had challenged to his See The onely difference will be this that the Head of the Popes vniuersall Iurisdiction vnder that Title as it were vnder a poysoned Miter hath growne farre more loathsome by impostumes and swolne with tyrannie than it could possibly be at the first vsurpation thereof being become no lesse intollerable than was that Emperour Phocas of whom Pope Boniface with much importunity receiued that Title Which Emperour your Cardinall Baronius noteth to haue beene A bloudy Tyrant So then we see that this Title of Vniuersall Bishop was abandoned by Gregory as extremely Impious But some peraduenture would bee willing to know his reason heereof Saint Gregory will satisfie any one that shall bee desirous to vnderstand the mischiefe heereof Because the Vniuersall Church saith hee must needs goe to ruine whensoeuer hee that is the Vniuersall Bishop thereof shall chance to fall VVhich Assertion of Saint Gregory doth brand your Church with Two blacke Notes of Apostasie and Antichristianitie CHALLENGE CAtholike or Vniuersall Church and Vniuersall Bishop of the same Church are in your doctrine as truely Relatiues as Master and Seruant the one cannot be denied without the other Goe too now then blazon your Papall Inscription in the highest stile that you can inuent more than Vniuersall it cannot be and animate it with the perfectest spirit that can be infused into it more absolute none can expect than that which you ascribe vnto your Pope of Rome which is that The Popes iudgement is infallible in defining of any doctrine of faith But why Because say you if he as a publike person and Iudge of the Church should erre by concluding any thing against faith then the vniuersall Church which is bound to follow him should likewise erre So hee This is your Romane Profession which may bee vnto vs a perfect Argument of your Apostasie from the ancient Romane faith maintained in the dayes of Saint Gregorie as thus The now Romane Article is to beleeue that the Pope of Rome is the Vniuersall Bishop of the Church Catholike and therefore cannot erre in any doctrine of faith insomuch that the Church subiect to this Romane Bishop must be accounted the Onely Church on earth without which there is no saluation But the faith of Saint Gregorie contrarily standeth thus Whatsoeuer Bishop he be Romane or other that professeth himselfe the Vniuersall Bishop or Head is subiect to Error Therefore none ought to assent to any such Assumption lest that that one erring the whole Church of Christ should erre with him So then you forsooth see an Infallibility in the vsurpation of that Title as proper to the Pope wherein Saint Gregorie did foresee the baine of an Vniuersall Erring and falling from the faith To conclude Saint Gregorie held the title which betokeneth an Vniuersall Dominion ouer the whole Church to be so direfully pernicious that hee consequently condemned the Vniuersall Subiection vnto one Bishop the now Article of the Romane Church as Pernicious and Antichristian To whom also your Iesuites haue taught you to adde two other Popes Pelagius and Leo who in like manner condemned and disclaimed that Title CHAP. VII Our second Argument against the Article of necessitie of Subiection to the Romane Church and Pope is taken from Comparisons made betweene the Bishop and Church of Rome with other Bishops and Churches by the ancient Fathers SECT 1. AGainst an Article of an vsurped Dominion of one Church ouer all other there can be no better Argument than from the Comparison of other Churches with that one which pretendeth her selfe to be the Mother and Mistris of all the rest Vpon this consideration you haue beene vrged by One who for learning and iudgement in Antiquitie was hardly to be seconded by any He posed you from the testimonies of the writings of Dionysius Areopagita and Ignatius the most ancient of Fathers Where supposing That Dionysius to be as truely that great Areopagita and as worthy an Author as you would haue him to be hee spurreth you a necessary question Why Dionysius was so vtterly silent in not mentioning the Vniuersall visible Head of the Church reigning at Rome if at that time there had beene any such Monarchicall Head there especially seeing hee professedly writ of the Ecclesiasticall Hieâ—archie and gouernment or is it credible and not rather monstrous that hee writing of the mysticall rites of the Church should omit all mention of this chiefe mysterie of one supreame Head and Monarch of the Church at Rome being so pertinently inuited thereunto by that matter subiect which hee had there in hand to wit by the Hierarchie of the Church if this doctrine had beene of faith in that age This saith hee remoueth your friuolous Obiection By the same reason hee obiecteth against you the Epistles of Ignatius the most ancient Martyr and Bishop of Antioch that hee being frequent in setting forth the Order Ecclesiastical and dignitie of Bishops vpon diuers occasions should forbeare all mention of the Monarchie of Saint Peter or any Romane Pope But we returne to our owne Obseruations out of Antiquitie by equall Comparisons of other Bishops with the Bishop of Rome beginning at the same Ignatius 1 He writing to the Church of Trallis and exhorting them vnto obedience to Bishops as to the Apostles instanceth equally in Timothie Saint Paul's Scholler as in Anacletus Successor to Saint Peter 2 Irenaeus liued next to the Apostles times who referreth his Reader for direction in the right of Traditions as well to Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna in the East as to Linus Bishop of Rome in the West 3 Tertullian to secure Christians in the Doctrine of the Apostles prescribeth vnto them that they consult with the Mother-Churches immediately founded by the Apostles naming aswell Ephesus in Asia and Corinth in Achaia as Rome in Italie And againe for the persons mentioning to the same purpose aswell Polycarpus ordained by Saint Iohn as Clemens by Peter Wee shall not neede to make any Notes or Comments vpon the
and yet notwithstanding were reputed still in the Church of Christ Catholike Bishops and so farre in the Communion of the Church Catholike that many godly Bishops in the Latine Church would not seuer themselues from their Communion Yet Bishop Christopherson that you might beleeue the Excommunication of Pope Victor to be of an vniuersall power extent translateth the Greeke sentence of Eusebius thus Irenaeus exhorted Pope Victor not vtterly to cut off so many Churches from the body of the vniuersall Church of Christ. Which Interpretation if true might seeme to make the Church of Rome the Catholike Church But as it became a sworne Scribe for the Pope he peruerts the Text which is to be rendred thus Irenaeus exhorted Pope Victor not to cut off whole Churches of God without any mention of the Bodie of the Church Ergò it cannot import an Excommunication from the Vniuersall bodie of the Church but onely from the Church of Rome as from a particular member of that vniuersall as hath beene proued What then may be thought of your new Article but as of a barbarous and Antichristian Paradox which separateth from all hope of life all the Christians of the Easterly parts of Asia who In multitude exceeded the Christians of the Greeke and Latine Churches But God be thanked that by the doctrine of those Primitiue times the Excommunication of the Romane Church made no mortall wound for the Asian Bishops esteemed no better of it than of a Brutum Fulmen And if you will suffer vs to bee somewhat more equally minded to Victor Bishop of Rome than you your selues can be we may perswade our selues that hee did not by this his Excommunication intend to shew or arrogate any Iurisdiction ouer the Greeke Churches as Pastor ouer his flocke but onely to denie participation of brotherly Communion with them as they might if they had beene so forward haue dealt with him this being an Act of Diuision Inter Pares which likewise doth conclude the no-absolute Necessitie of Vnion with the Romane Church Our Second Instance is in the Churches of Africke Numidia and Mauritania in the dayes of Saint Cyprian by 87. Bishops in the Councell of Carthage Anno 256. Who notwithstanding the Excommunication of the Pope of Rome were euer held by the Catholike Church the Essentiall members thereof and in state of Saluation SECT 3. WHen the Case of Basilides and Martial was on foot concerning Appeales from the Church of Carthage to Rome and the Quaestion of Rebaptization of those persons that had renounced their Haeresies was in agitation betweene Stephen Bishop of Rome and Cyprian Bishop of Carthage The Church of Africke and others of that Primitiue age gaue so infallible testimonies of denying the Popes Catholike Iurisdiction ouer other Churches and of despising his now pretended Catholike power of Excommunication as may sâ—ffice for the full determination of this whole Cause in confutation of your new Article to wit The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no saluation This Case therefore being so pertinent and pregnant wee will proceede therein methodically I. The full Opposition of Saint Cyprian and other Bishops against Stephen then Bishop of Rome SECT 4. SVch was the Opposition of Saint Cyprian and others against Stephen Bishop of Rome that euen by your owne Confessions Cyprian gathered a Councell of 87. Bishops out of Africke Numidia and Mauritania which concluded contrary to the Pope and his Councell celebrated in Italy Secondly such that Cyprian iudged the same Pope to erre proudly ignorantly and blindly Thirdly such that he impugned the Popes pretended power of Appeales to Rome accompting the Appellants to wit Basilides and Martial Renegados and desperate Delinquents challenging his right of Iudicature for the proceeding against those notoriously wicked Companions who therefore ought to be sent backe againe saith he to be censured by their owne Bishop Fourthly such that this Councell of Carthage did deny to any whomsoeuer the Title of Bishop of Bishops Fiftly such that Cyprian would not acknowledge the name of POPE per Antonomasiam that is By way of Excellency to be proper to the Bishop of Rome as you teach Insomuch that at the instant when as Cyprian was to lay downe his life to Martyrdome for the profession of the holy Faith Being demanded of the Pro-Consull who then had charge to put him to death saying Art thou Hee who shewed thy selfe POPE among the Christians He answered I am Which may be enough to dash that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which you appropriate vnto the Bishop of Rome by the name of Pope Great therefore was the Opposition of Cyprian against Stephen namely Bishop against Bishop Chaire against Chaire Councell against Councell as flat Diameter as possibly might be II. That Saint Cyprian and Others were Excommunicated by Pope Stephen SECT 5. IT were friuolous to stand vpon presumptions when we haue your owne Confessions You grant that at the same time when Saint Cyprian did contend with Stephen Bishop of Rome the same Pope Excommunicated the Easterne Bishops of Cappadocia Cilicia and Galatia for the same cause of Rebaptization Secondly that th' aforesaid Pope Stephen did also as much as lay in him cast off Cyprian insomuch that Hee would not admit vnto his speach them that were sent from Cyprian vnto him Nor this onely but also commanded them that were of his owne profession not to haue any peace or communion with them nor yet to allow them so much as house-roome or lodging Yea and Pope Stephen signified by writing that no Communion was to be held with them that did rebaptize Not to insist vpon the Popes lauish and reproachfull speach in calling Cyprian a Counterfait Christ and a deceitfull worker All which are prooued out of the Epistle of Firmilianus Bishop of Caesara in Cappadocea which almost in euery point doth manifest the Excommunication of Saint Cyprian CHALLENGE FOR what better proofe of the Excommunication of Saint Cyprian and other Bishops of his Fraternity than denying by writing All communion with them that were of the same Opinion with Cyprian and after in Act Forbidding all communion First by speach and conference Secondly by conuersation and company Thirdly by eating or hospitality Each one of these being according to your owne positiue Conclusions a proper Character of that which is called The Greater Excommunication and consequently in your sense a Separation from the Body of the Romane Church III. That Saint Cyprian held not the Excommunication of the Pope to be anâ— valid Separation from the Catholike Church or hazardous to the state of Saluation SECT 6. NOne euer was more Christianly affected to the Catholike Church than was Saint Cyprian nor more firmly belieued that the Vnion with the Catholike Church is necessary to saluation whose profession was this Although a man saith he were slaine for the name of Christ yet if he be without the Vnion of the Church he cannot
be crowned with Martyrdome after his death Againe this was that Father of Saint Cyprian who first vttered that excellent saying No man hath God for his Father who hath not the Church for his Mother a speech twice vsed and that worthily by the same Father Saint Cyprian Hardly can a Protestant change three words with any of you in Conference concerning the Church of Rome but you are ready to vsurpe vrge and inculcate this Sentence of Saint Cyprian as a full Conuiction in it selfe thereby to proue and conclude all Protestants to be therefore without God because they acknowledge not the Church of Rome to be according to your now Romane Article The Catholike Mother Church Which Obiection hath bene already prooued from the generall voyce of Antiquity and many Examples from thence to be as farre from Truth as Antiquity is from Noueltie and plaine dealing from meere Sophistication and iugling But now are we to try what is the sense of this Sentence from Saint Cyprian himselfe the first Author thereof The question then will be whether by MOTHER Church without which none can haue God for a Father he meant the Church of Rome or not or rather whether he spake it not then in Opposition to the Church of Rome The due examination hereof may be vnto vs an absolute decision of this whole Cause concerning the pretended Motherhood of the Church of Rome Saint Cyprian then at the second time when hee made vse of this speech He hath not God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother wrote to Pompeius in reprehension of Pope Stephen for endeuouring as he saith to defend the cause of Heretikes wherein the same Stephen threatened Excommunication against Cyprian which occasioned him to say What meaneth our Stephen to breake out into so vengible an obstinacy As for the Excommunication threatened by Pope Stephen against Cyprian and Others that were of a contrary opinion he doth contemne it yea and condemne it too when Alluding as your selues confesse vnto the same Decree of the Pope he said None of all vs Bishops in Africke doth compell any of his fellowes that are contrary minded with any tyrannicall terror Often was the Opposition of Saint Cyprian against Stephen obiected against Sainst Augustine by the Donatists for patronage of their owne opinion who taught that the Catholike Church as it is Visible consisteth onely of perfit and sanctified men Saint Augustine so argueth with the those Donatists as if Hee Cyprian and Pope Stephen had bene vnited together but this hee did in such manner that we may say with your Baronius speaking of the same contention betweene Cyprian and Stephen Hee vsed a kind of laudable euasion or escape being willing to conceale their iarres For indeed Saint Augustine elsewhere albeit enclinable enough to suppose that Cyprian did recant his error of Rebaptization before his death confesseth in direct termes that It is no where found that Cyprian did euer change his opinion For our better satisfaction herein we should aduise in this case rather with Firmilianus a Bishop liuing in the dayes of Saint Cyprian than with Saint Augustine who came some hundred and fifty yeares after This ancient Father Firmilianus being of the same iudgement with Saint Cyprian speaking of the aboue named Excommunication giuen out by Pope Stephen concludeth not Cyprian but Pope Stephen to be the Schismatike in this contention because The Pope hereby saith he cutteth himselfe off from the flocke of Christ. As for Saint Cyprian although he notwithstanding the Excommunication held for his part a Christian and brotherly affection to the Church of Rome yet did he still persist in his contrary opinion neuerthelesse so as holding it vnlawfull for either side to Excommunicate the other for this question I passe ouer your other Obiections as a vaine presumption and so it is proued to be CHALLENGE HEre againe we appeale to your owne consciences to iudge whether Saint Cyprian when he contended against Pope Stephen and in a Councell both renounced his Decree and contemned his Excommunication and at the same time held it impossible for any to haue God to his Father for Saluation who had not the Church to his Mother for Direction could possibly by Mother-Church vnderstand the Church of Rome by which all of his opinion were Excommunicated except you would make Cyprian so vtterly forlorne of grace as wilfully to damne himselfe by an obstinate Separation from the Church of Rome So infallible it is that the Church of Rome in those times was held to be onely a Member of the Catholike Church and not The Catholike Mother-Church it selfe IV. That Saint Cyprian hath bene euer since his death esteemed a blessed Saint and Martyr notwithstanding his continuall Opposition to the Pope of Rome SECT 7. ALthough it could be supposed that Cyprian did recant his opinion before his death yet would not this any way prop or support that your Romane Claime except it might further appeare that he sought the Absolution of the Church of Rome for his error Neither yet would this suffice vnlesse you could proue it an Absolution of Iurisdiction and not of Charity euen as contrarily the Excommunication was held by Firmilianus and Cyprian to be an Excommunication proceeding rather from Pride than good discretion Nor were this enough for if you will make Cyprian a Saint you are further to prooue that he acknowledged Subiection of his Church of Carthage to the Church or Pope of Rome in case of Appeales in which cause Saint Augustine did take part with Saint Cyprian against your Romane Church We conclude therefore from your Confessions that Cyprian was alwaies reckoned in the number of Catholikes as also that he is still instiled A most glorious Martyr yea and registred in your Romane Calendar by the Title of Cyprian Saint and Martyr notwithstanding his continuall Opposition against the Romane Church CHALLENGE THis blessed man of God Saint Cyprian who for his exceeding learning care diligence and power in preseruing the Faith of Christ and peace of his Church Did say you as witnesseth Saint Nazianzene gouerne not onely Africke but also the East yea and West Churches of Christendome himselfe who was so happy at his death as that he was crowned with the glorious Diadem of Martyrdome for his Testimony of our Lord Iesus who was so honourable in his memory as to be accompted throughout the Christian world an excellent Saint of God may be lawfully yea laudably produced for an excellent Patron against the titular tyrannie of Popedome Whose example in his Opposition against the Pope of Rome may be vnto vs as a sharpe axe to cut off by the very necke the now vsurped Fatherhood or Headship and Motherhood of the Pope and Church of Rome because if you shall remember the Premisses you may perceiue that 〈…〉 Opposition of Cyprian and other Churches of Christ the Bishop of Rome in
vnto them Much lesse can we be perswaded that the first Catholike Emperors albeit otherwise most godly and humble were knowne to performe it If it had bene so then would not your Massonius when he sought to shew the Antiquity of it send you to seeke it He knoweth not where much lesse would your great Antiquary Polydore abhor this as A new and naughty custome of Imperiousnesse deuised first by the Popes themselues But of all others your Bozius one so transported with zeale towards the Pope and this his honour that he held it an Iniustice in the Pope to refuse this kind of Submission from any Christian whomsoeuer will giue you the best and worst satisfaction touching the practise of ancient Emperours where speaking of this Ceremony of Kissing the Popes feet and answering this doubt why in those Ages all sorts of Bishops gaue greater honour vnto Kings and Emperours than they receiued from them Then saith he whilest that the affaires of Christianity were not as yet established Kings and Emperours swelling with Arrogancy and as yet breathing the Pride of Gentiles were not to be prouoked by Bishops by denying them outward honour Can you haue a better Answer for confirming the Ancient practise of Emperours in receiuing honour or a worse satisfaction than is this his sawcy and malepart boldnesse in blurring the estimation of those Emperours which were first as in time so in excellency of all virtues with the false imputation of Pride for receiuing Honour from all others as an homage due to their state and so prescribed by God as Saint Peter and Saint Paul do both witnesse The Estimation of those forenamed Christian Emperours SECT 4. MVch need not be spoken in the commendation of the former Emperours whom your owne Cardinall produceth both for Examples of Godlinesse and Catholike Beliefe and also as Monuments of Gods miraculous Protection vpon them for their Catholike profession sake euen Because they did heartily and sincerely cleaue vnto God The Emperours whom he nameth are Constantine the Great Theodosius the elder Honorius Theodosius the younger and Iustinian But the last with some detraction Prosperous was the Emperour Iustinian saith he so long as he was a Catholike Also Bozius The Emperour Iustinian saith he was of a sound iudgement in the Doctrine of Christianity for his first ten yeares and was so long prosperous but forthwith he handled two Popes viz. Syluerius and Vigilius so roughly that after he was afflicted with all kind of calamities and in the end fell into the Heresie of the Apthartodocites How long Iustinian was both a Catholike in his Faith and Prosperous in his affaires notwithstanding his withstanding your now Romish Subiection required of Popes of later times from their Emperours we shall willingly commit to the report of your owne Cardinall by whom you may vnderstand that the Emperour Iustinian began his Reigne in the yeare after Christ his Incarnation 528 whom vntill ten yeares after Bozius himselfe acknowledgeth to haue bene a glorious Catholike Within which compasse of yeares we reade concerning Iustinian of nothing but of Building of Churches conuersions of Idolaters Constitutions against Heretiks Edicts for the Faith and whereunto you haue taken such exceptions his booke of the Code and Paudects wherein because he medleth with Ecclesiasticall businesse he hath therefore bene censured by you for an Intruder Inuader and Vsurper of an Authoritie superiour vnto his owne Notwithstanding whatsoeuer Decrees and Constitutions Iustinian published concerning the Catholike Faith and Ecclesiasticall discipline if we may belieue your Baronius they were made by the aduise and counsell of Two Bishops and Patriarkes of Constantinople Now are we come to the Tenth yeare of his Empire being the 538. yeare of our Lord Christ wherein Iustinian sent Pope Syluerius into Exile Betweene which time and his exiling of Pope Vigilius are sixteene yeares in all which space is registred Iustinian his Confession of Faith commended by Pope Vigilius his Patronage of Antiquity and his Sanctions and Contestations against Heretikes Then cometh in the Banishment of Vigilius before the time of Iustinian his Heresie containing the space of fiue yeares in which Interim is reported vnto vs Iustinian his Peace with Vigilius his Reparation of the Temple of Sophia his Erecting a most goodly communion Table and his Discouery of treasons that were plotted against him And now at length Iustinian falleth into an Heresie which although it may be some exception to his person yet can it be none to our Cause who dispute from the Acts and Constitutions of Iustinian whilest hee was a Catholike Neuerthelesse we may not let passe the Testimonies of Such as giue vs better hope of him than to thinke that he died an Heretike who by your owne Confessions after this Emperours death esteemed otherwise of him as namely The Fathers of the sixt Generall Councell honouring his memory with the title of PIETIE So Pope Gregory accordingly calling him an Emperour of holy memory And Agatho the Pope accompting his name to be still Worthy of all religious reuerence famous vnto all for the truth so largely dispersed by his Edicts throughout the world We may conclude with your owne Spanish writer who vpon like proofes hath concluded thus It is now euident by that which hath bene said that they are not to be hearkened vnto who vniustly call Iustinian the Emperour an Heretike So he If any desire to see a iust and full Confutation of all the Obiections made against the Faith and piety of Iustinian he may throughly satisfie himselfe by reading of two worthy Authors who haue lately written both copiously and learnedly of this Subiect CHALLENGE SO many tokens of no Subiection from so famously-pious and Catholike Emperours in so high a degree of Vsurpation and Inuasion as you call it vpon the Iurisdiction of Bishops and Popes in Gathering of Councels in prescribing them Lawes in Commanding their Presence in arresting Exiling their persons and all this in times so ancient and in so admirably-glorious state of the Church of Christ when so many hundreds of most learned and godly Fathers and illustrious Lights of the Church Catholike chiefly flourished and preuailed in Generall Councels for the determining of the Doctrine of Faith All these we say do sufficiently exclaime against the falshood arrogancy and iniquity of your Romish claime by an Article by force whereof all the aforesaid pious and Catholike Emperours Constantine the Great Theodosius the Elder Theodosius the Younger and Iustinian with such others must needs forfait their saluation Is it credible if this your Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church and Pope without Subiection whereunto and beliefe of the same Subiection there is no Saluation had bene then of Faith that no one of all those Catholike Bishops would haue Catechized their godly Disciples and taught them not to Inuade and Intrude vpon the Pope his Iurisdiction Or that no
shall wee denie the truth of Their Martyrdome namely of those ancient Bishops of Rome who wee are assured dyed for the same Truth which we professe as in other points of Religion and diuine worship so also most apparantly for this our particular defence of not exacting Temporall Subiection of Kings and Emperours wherein we finde a vast gulfe of difference betwixt This your and That their Romane Faith For they as you haue heard would rather bee killed than trouble States and violate Temporall Powers and Authorities but your Popes in their Bulls proclaime that their Professors and Beleeuers ought rather to kill and be killed than not resist The determination of this point will bee according to the sense of your Romane Article a requiring vpon losse of saluation a beleefe of Temporall Subiection from all Kings and Emperours to your Popes whereby all these 27. godly Popes the faithfull Martyrs of Christ are damned who as is testified professed Obedience and Subiection vnto them euen to death Whom therefore we contrarily produce as so many Martyrs that is Witnesses by their blood that your now Article of Subiection in the Popish sense thereof is iustly to be condemned and those whom you call Martyrs for dying in defence thereof may bee your Popes Martyrs but nothing lesse than the Martyrs of Christ. A Memoriall concerning all Christian Emperours which haue receiued Baptisme the badge and Character of Christianitie SECT 3. PAsse we from gazing vpon the flagge with the Red-Crosse dyed in the blood of Martyrs to the Ensigne with the Crosse partly bloody Red as before as in the daies of Iulian the Apostate partly Blacke through the ignominies which Popes and other holy Professors sustained by Emperours whether Hereticall or Orthodoxe and partly white through the peace of Emperours euery way Catholike What will your Article concerning Subiection determine against all these You distinguish them either into Woolues such you call all Emperors which of Catholikes turne either Apostates or Heretikes of these you conclude that your Pope hath power to driue them away by all meanes possible Or else into Rammes signifying such Kings and Emperours who notwithstanding they be in profession true Catholikes yet doe any way oppresse or destroy the Church of whom you determine that your Pope As Shepheard by his power ought to compell these as furious Rammes by all meanes conuenient And what you hold Conuenient meanes we haue learned already by your obiected practises in dispossessing of Kings Emperors by force of Armes as namely these Childericke King of France the Emperour Henry the Third the Emperour Otho the Fourth and the Emperour Lodowicke the Fourth not for any note of Heresie but onely for not Subiecting themselues to the Popes Dignity and Dominion For we are now to confute the double presumption of your now Popes the one is their Violence agaist Emperours the other their not Reuerence vnto them as vnto their Superiours and that by the Examples of godly Popâ—â— of former Ages I. Examples of no-Violence vsed by Ancient Popes a-against Kings and Emperours SECT 4. WE are to speake of those times when their raigned among Christians not onely Tygers such as were Heathenish Tyrants but Woolues as Constantius and Valens both persecuting Hertikes and Iulian the Apostate who raised the Twelfth persecution besides Iustinian who as you haue heard dealt so hardly with your Two Popes Syluerius and Vigilius to omit others of the like boldnesse whom you may reckon among your Rammes In which cases Pope Boniface the Eighth requireth Both swords viz. Temporall and Spirituall Authority to be in his owne power so that the Temporall be subiect to the Spirituall As though the Churh could not possibly subsist without such a predominant power Ecclesiasticall ouer whatsoeuer Temporall Ordinance that shall any way afflict her or any of her members We are now in a Question of Fact and finde that as then in particular Syluerius and Vigilius both Popes being sent into Banishment by the Emperour Iustinian did not make resistance but petitioned for fauour and peace so now generally that as is confessed No Pope in all the Succession of Peter did Depose any Emperour before Pope Gregory the Seuenth that is not vntill a Thousand and Sixty yeeres after Christ. Wee faine would know what Answer you can make to this to quit your latter Popes from an inexcusable Innouation and intollerable Vsurpation and Inuasion vpon the Iurisdiction of Princes whether Ethnickes or Christians and of these whether Heretikes or Catholikes and of these whether Peaceable or Turbulent and obnoxious and the onely satisfaction your Cardinall will affoord vs is this If Christians saith he in antient times did not depose Dioclesian an Heathen Emperour Iulian an Apostate Valens an Heretike and others meaning Disturbers of the Church which were otherwise Catholikes the reason was because they wanted force and power So hâ—â—han which Answer for we must thinke your Cardinall was greatly learned none could be more vnconscionable all Antiquity prouing it to be agregiously false Tertullian and Cyprian two ancient Fathers being vnder the persecution of Heathen Emperours doe make their Apologies in the behalfe of the Christian and Catholike Church Tertullian thus God forbid that our Christian Profession should bee reuenged by humane power or should grieue to suffer that whereby we are tried albeit if we would become either secret or else open Reuengers of our owne wrongs could we want either number or power What Warre is there that we are not fit for yea and ready also to vndertake if that our Religion taught vs not rather to bee killed than to kill for the profession thereof Accordingly Saint Cyprian Our Professors saith he doe not take reuenge against vniust violence albeit our people be more in number Saint Ambrose was vexed vnder the hand of an Heretike and slyeth to his weapons but wot you what My prayers and teares saith he are my weapons I neither may nor can make any other resistance Not as you confesse that Ambrose had not power to resist with whom the people and greatest part of the Souldiers tooke part but because hee would not defend himselfe by Armes A Case so euident vniuersall and indeed honorable that your owne Authors do record it for the credit and glory of the Catholike Church in those ages saying that Christians neuer plotted against the secular gouernement no not when they were equall in strength They neuer conspired against Tyrants although for multitude they might easily haue made resistance because they were commanded namely in Scripture to performe Obedience And which is as much as can be said Not one ancient Father saith Another nor any one Writer albeit otherwise Orthodoxe and Catholike for more than a thousand yeeres space whilest yet the Church abounded in power of Armes was euer read to teach the contrarie So they II. CHALLENGE A Thousand yeeres space from Christ in the whole Church
Catholike wherein no such Subiection was exacted by Popes from Emperours is a faire time we thinke and a strong Argument to Challenge your Church of Heresie in prescribing to Christians a new Article of Faith as necessary to Saluation by which you againe condemne the Faith of all the Members of the Catholike Church as well Popes as other Bishops and Christian Doctors and People who with vniuersall consent beleeued and taught Obedience to Ciuill Magistracie whereas you now proclaime Armes and open resistance And what can you now suggest for the modesty of your Cardinall who blushed not to say that Christians anciently wanted force to resist all vnbeleeuing tyrannous and turbulent Emperors Being so euidently confuted as well concerning the open force which latter Popes haue maintained as also concerning all secret violence whereof you haue giuen vs many Examples For as wee haue heard touching Emperours of midle age so haue we lately seene in our daies your secret practises of Mischiefe against Kings and Queenes without any open warre by armies or troupes of enemies If â—he practice of Assassines and Traytors by Dagges Daggers Poysons POVVDER-PLOTS or your Cardinalls Quacunque ratione that is by what meanes soeuer may make any proofe Who if they can doe it we haue little reason to doubt of their wills so long as the Rescript of Pope Vrban the Second is in force concerning them that shall kill Schismatikes Excommunicate For although he command Penance to be inioyned them because of the doubt that may be had of the sincerity of their Intentions whether they did but double and onely seeme to slay them vpon zeale for the Catholike Cause when-as peraduenture they did it to satisfie their selfe-malice which Penance it may bee shall amount to no more than comming to Rome in the daies of Iubile or else to visit such a next Shrine and to say a few Aue-Marie's and Pater-noster's in honour of such a Saint Yet notwithstanding doth he acquit the conscience of euery such zealous Killer saying If any shall chance to kill Schismatikes whomsoeuer that are Excommunicate vpon an ardent zeale to their Catholike Mother meaning the Church of Rome wee doe not iudge them to be Murtherers Goe you now and complaine that you are vniustly persecuted or abandoned by Protestants out of seuerall Kingdomes seeing that they are all yearely Excommunicate at Rome for Heretikes and Schismatiks by the Bull of MAVNDY-THVRSDAY and consequently made Obnoxious vnto the blinde deuotion of euery Romish bloudy Assassine who may bee perswaded that he shal mâ—rit of God by the slaying of those supposed Schismatikes Thus much of the No-Resistance of Ancient Popes against Temporall gouernment II. Of the Reuerence acknowledged by holy Popes vnto Kings and Emperours as to their Superiors SECT 5. SVbiection challenged by Popes from Emperors as their Inferiors is the maine Subiect your later Popes haue insisted vpon as a Materiall Article of Faith euen in the point of Outward Reuerence as necessarily due vnto them by acknowledgment of a personall Subordination and Subiection vnto them But when we looke beyond this midle Region of After-times vnto the vpper spheare of Antiquitie we finde as great a difference betweene your later Popes and those Ancients as there is betweene Vp and Downe Then and Now Deposing of Emperours and yeelding Reuerence vnto them We seeke no other witnesses than your Binius and Baronius against whom we are sure you will take no exception In whom we finde Pope Liberius the First professing Patience in suffering indignities from the Emperour and intreating for mercie Pope Simplicius the First promising Continuall Reuerence to Christian Princes and supplicating the Emperour for fauour by this Legat Pope Leo the First making by the Empresse a supplication to the Emperour To command a Synod to be celebrated in Italy and yet he could not obtaine it Pope Gelasius the First confessing that Bishops are to obey the Lawes of Emperours Pope Hormisda the First taking notice of the Emperors Command of gathering a Councell as a motion from God and further acknowledging that hee had receiued warning and that he ought to be present thereat Pope Vigilius the First banished by the Emperour and suing for peace and fauour Pope Pelagius the First confessing and saying Holy Scripture commandeth vs to be subiect vnto Kings Pope Gregorie the First auowing himselfe to the Emperour in these words As for mee I performe obedience vnto your Commands whereunto I am subiect Pope Martyn the First praying the Emperour to Vouchsafe to read his letters Pope Agatho the First talking of the bending of the knees of his minde vnto the Emperour by Supplicating his Clemencie for Others Finally Pope Adrian the First Deuoting himselfe to the Emperour by Letters as one in supplication Fallen downe prostrate at the soles of his feet So your First Popes When we earnestly sought for some though but shadow of excuse of these Popes for betraying their right of Dominion and Soueraigntie ouer Kings and Emperours if any had bin due vnto themselues as is now challenged by your Popes at length wee light vpon your Bozius who would gladly say something but alas yeeldeth not so much as we haue sought for a shadow of excuse and yet whatsoeuer it is hee after his manner cannot deliuer it without much insultation If any Obiect saith hee that excellent honours haue sometimes beene yeelded of Popes vnto Kings and Emperours hee speaketh absurdly because these might and ought then to be performed in those dayes when Heathens were ignorant of the dignitie of the Church and were then by honour and dishonour to be won by Bishops to the Faith So he III. CHALLENGE IS it then absurd to obiect the Reuerence performed by ancient Popes vnto Emperours of their times is not rather the Answer now made fraught with many absurdities First because we haue not insisted onely vpon Examples of Heathenish times but of the times of Christian Emperors also Secondly because the Times whereof wee haue alleaged examples were not such wherein the dignitie of the Church of Rome was so ecclipsed obscured that it could not appeare to Infidels but contained the Ages from the persecuting Emperours for the space of 420. yeares down-ward within which time the Church of Rome was in her perfectest luster concerning which time the same Bozius propoundeth such is his modestie the Reuerence giuen by Emperours vnto the Bishops of the Church of Rome to be a note of the true Church Thirdly humility of Popes and Subiecting themselues to the Emperours was then a Motiue and Argument of drawing soules to the Romane Church how then shall not their after-Pride bee a meanes to alienate the hearts of Christians from it Doth the same Tree bring forth Figges and Thistles But lastly and principally because your Bozius hath altogether forgotten his Catechisme and the Article whereunto hee and you are both sworne namely The Church of
for wee may iustly adde thus much no Father no Epistle no Sentence more egregiously abused and peruerted For first he speaketh not of Perfidiousnesse in Doctrine but onely in Discipline by the false and perfidious reports of Schismaticall fellowes who being Excommunicated by Cyprian had notwithstanding their extrauagant recourse to Rome seeking there before Cornelius to defame and traduce all the proceedings which Cyprian had iudiciously against them Secondly wee shall earnestly desire you to ponder seriously the Circumstances of the whole frame of that Epistle and then tell vs whether that Sentence were not rather spoken Rhetorically to perswade and moue Cornelius what he should doe than absolutely and asseuerantly to proue what he could not but doe For the whole endeauor of Cyprian in that same place is to admonish incourage and fortifie the faint languishing heart of that Pope and to arme him least he should be vndermined by the cunning and Perfidiousnesse of those irregular companions as his owne words doe plainly manifest by exhorting Cornelius Not to be moued with the threats and terrors that they could suggest reasoning the point Because saith he it connot consist with the power and vigor of any Christian Bishop to be affraid of the craftie dealings of impious men whereas a Bishop ought to be fore-armed with confidence against the assault and force of all floods of violence whatsoeuer So hee No otherwise than if any of you writing to a Captain of some Fort and standing in danger of being surprised by some Stratagem of the enemie and reported to be somewhat amated by apprehension of feare should reason from the experience of his former good circumspection and valour of his men saying Bee you of good courage your care and resolution is knowne to all men that no treacherie can haue accesse to your Fort. Who knoweth not that this is that peece of Oratory which is called of Rhetoricians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is an Admonition by way of praising insinuated when we admonish him whom we seeme to praise which is by praise of his former worthinesse to premonish him to maintaine with constancie so good a Resolution But if you will needes haue it Prophetically spoken of the Infallabilitie of the Pope of Rome then must you as necessarily make Saint Cyprian a False Prophet who in this Epistle commended Pope Cornelius but in another Epistle doth as much condemne Pope Stephen a Successor to Cornelius euen for his rashnesse in entertaining these forenamed Perfidious out-lopers who by gadding to Rome abused his credulitie and occasioned dissention betweene him and Pope Stephen as hath bin largely declared And we wish that Thousands of Examples of like Perfidiousnesse could not be showne which for these last Thousand yeares haue possessed the Romane Chaire Yet not knowing the appetite of euery Reader whether he may haue a desire to know if there were any the like Example in Antiquitie wee instance in that which your Cardinall Baronius hath related Saint Basil saith hee writing to Damasus Bishop of Rome doth wish him to take heede least he bring that mischiefe vpon the Easterne Church which Pope Liberius had done by admitting of Eustathius and his fellowes being Heretikes but craftily pretending themselues to beleeue the Nicene Faith Thus haue you a fourefold satisfaction Pope Liberius was deceiued by the Perfidiousnesse of Heretikes Pope Damasus was fore-warned by that Example lest he should be likewise deceiued Pope Stephen was circumuented by like craft and accordingly Pope Cornelius was instantly by many Arguments perswaded by Cyprian to beware of the like delusion by persidious Schismatikes Ergo the Romane Sea is no more priuiledged from the accesse of Impostors than the Mediterranean Sea is from false Pirats You haue posed vs with the straine of the words of Saint Cyprian and we shall reply vpon you with his visible Acts and Deeds Our Opposition from the practise and profession of Saint Cyprian If Saint Cyprian his reuiling of the person of Pope Stephen if his Contradicting in his Councell the Popes Decrees enacted in his Councell if gain-saying the Popes pretended supreme Title viz. Bishop of Bishops if Interdicting the greatest Prerogatiue of Papall Monarchy which is Appeales to Rome be sufficient Arguments of disclaime of Subiection to the Pope all which haue bene proued from point to point then are we sure that Saint Cyprian did not belieue the Article of Necessary Subiection to the Sea of Rome If the Excommunication of others who were of Saint Cyprian his opinion if not admitting the Legats of Cyprian to his speach if forbidding all Communication with them and hospitality vnto them if despightfull words against Cyprian as against an intollerable Aduersary may be held proofes of the Excommunication of Cyprian by the Pope all which likewise haue bene expresly declared than are we assured that Cyprian was so much as lay in the Popes power separated from the Church of Rome If that Cyprian had this Faith that None hath God for his Father which hath not the Church for his Mother if he notwithstanding the same Faith was contented to be Excommunicated by the Pope and persisted in that his Opposition for ought that euer could appeare euen to the giuing vp of his spirit to God by Martyrdome all which haue accordingly bene confessed then may we be bold to assume that Saint Cyprian was not of your Faith to belieue that Subiection or visible Vnion with the Pope of Rome is necessary to saluation If lastly Saint Cyprian as you haue said were alwaies held to be Catholike in Faith godly in life glorious in his death and euen since his death reckoned in the Calendar of Saints then stand we secure that the Beleefe of your Article of Necessary Vnion and Subiection to the Romane Sea is not necessary to Saluation So that the more blessed a Saint Cyprian is the more cursed and damnable this your Romane Article must needs be III. Saint Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria beleeued not the Necessity of this Romane Article concerning Vnion and Subiection to the Sea of Rome SECT 3. SAint Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria must be thought to haue bene a Saint as to all Christian Churches so to the Church of Rome it selfe who as you know in his greatest extremities and persecutions by Arian Heretikes found support and refuge at Rome by the godly Pope Iulius the Bishop of that Sea whose Symbol or Creed the monument of his Faith called the ATHANASIAN CREED not onely Rome but the whole Catholike Church doth professe vnto whose honour Gregory the thirteenth say you built a goodly Church being desirous to draw the east-East-Church vnto his Vnion and whose name is Calendred for a Saint in your Romane Missall at this day This is the Saint whom we propound vnto you as one who hath taught vs by his example not to regard the Papall Vnion in our iust Cause But whether and why did the Pope of Rome Excommunicate such a
Iurisdiction and a Necessity of Subordination to his Sea as whereunto All other Churches are subiect But all this by a meere fallacy in taking the words of Saint Hierom simply and absolutely which he meant in a respectiue and restrained sense whether you consider Damasus Bishop of Rome or the Church of Rome it selfe For first You Obiect concerning Pope Damasus that Saint Hierom calleth himselfe his Sheepe being notwithstanding vnder the Iurisdiction of Paulinus Patriarch of Antioch As though that he might not be held a Sheepe of the Bishop of Rome in respect of his Baptisme the signe and as it were eare-marke of Christianity being as you know Baptized at Rome in his full age Or as though when the Faith of Paulinus his Bishop was questionable it were not lawfull to submit to the iudgement of another Bishop of knowne constancie in the Truth Secondly That Hierom calleth Damasus The Successor of Peter As though euery Successor in Peters Seat had an hereditary Right to be Successor in Peters Faith which contradicteth the iudgement of Saint Hierom who condemned Pope Liberius who was as lawfull a Successor in the Seate of Peter as was Damasus for Consenting vnto Heresie Thirdly That Saint Hierom addresseth himselfe to Pope Damasus alone As though Damasus were the onely man to resolue him in all the Mysteries of Faith whereas in other Doctrines Saint Hierom ingenuously confesseth that he trauelled to remote Countries as Greece to Gregory Nazianzene whom he calleth his Master Of whom saith he I learned to interpret the Scriptures After that he iourneyed to Alexandria in Aegypt To see Didymus that I might saith he consult with him touching the doubts that I had in all Scriptures This needed not Saint Hierom to haue done if the Oracle of all Truth had resided at Rome and had beene personated in Damasus the Bishop of that See Fourthly Yet that Saint Hierom in this question concerning the vse of the word Hypostasis sought satisfaction onely from Pope Damasus and relyed onely vpon his iudgement for the sense of the word As though Saint Hierom did not for his Resolution ioyne vnto Damasus Bishop of Rome Peter the Bishop of Alexandria as depending vpon Both and professing either to be absolued or else condemned with both Or as though Pope Damasus in points of Diuinity had not more need to be instructed by Hierom than this Saint by Pope Damasus This were to giue Pope Damasus himselfe the lie who desired to haue conference with Saint Hierom that so I may aske questions saith Damasus and Thou mayst answer that is as Baronius confesseth that Hierom might teach and the Pope learne yea and as though if you require the sense of this word Hypostasis Saint Hierom did not teach Damasus yes he did So doth your Espensaeus confesse Hieronymus consuluit Damasum imò consuluit Damaso That is He rather instructed Pope Damasus than was instructed by him For he told Damasus that the word Hypostasis might haue a double sense the one was Catholike to signifie Persons the other Hereticall to signifie Essentiall nature The not vnderstanding of which word Hypostasis was the reason that Basil imputed Ignorance to the Church of Rome as hath beene said You will aske what then was the Resolution which Saint Hierom sought from Pope Damasus concerning the vse of that word seeing that S. Hierom could not be ignorant of the true sence This you may know by the Answer of Pope Damasus which was as your Baronius collecteth to let Hierom vnderstand that He might lawfully communicate with Paulinus the Bishop of Antioch So that your last error is as though you would conclude that he that could determine what person was most like to vse the word Hypostasis in the Catholike sense must therefore bee accompted the onely Competent Iudge of the Catholike sense Concerning the Second Subiect in this Obiection which is the Church of Rome we complaine of your Authors for the like Sophistry For you obiect for the Prerogatiue of your Church First these words of S. Hierom I am vnited to the Beatitude that is to the Chaire of Peter As though by Chaire he meant the See and Bishopricke of Rome and not the true doctrine of Faith then preached in Rome euen as Christ spake of the Chaire of Moses that is saith Saint Hierom the Law of Moses Secondly But Hierom saith of this Chaire that Christ hath built his Church vpon this Rocke As though by Rocke is not meant the same doctrine of Faith which was confessed by Saint Peter as hath beene proued and which was at that time truly and faithfully professed by Damasus and the whole Church of Rome or as though because that Rome was then faithfull shee therefore had a priuilege neuer to turne Apostate which is a pernicious Paradoxe voide of all ground of Faith as hath beene also largely declared and which can haue no support by this sentence of Hierom where by Rocke he meaneth not Rome saith Erasmus because Rome may degenerate but he vnderstandeth the Faith which Peter professed Bring vs now this Faith of Saint Peter and then challenge our Faith to beleeue you This is the Rocke vpon which Christ saith Hierom built his Church He saith not Built the Church of Rome but the whole Vniuersall Church This we confesse with Saint Hierom to bee The House of God without which whosoeuer eateth the Paschall Lambe is profane This is the Arke of Noah within which whosoeuer is not perisheth as well Romane as Grecian as well Bishop of Rome as Bishop of Thessaly Thus many waies haue you depraued the Orthodoxe meaning of Saint Hierome by expounding that which was spoken particularly of Damasus and of the Church of Rome then sound in the Faith and applying it vnto Rome and all the Bishops of Rome from time to time as though Virgine Ierusalem might not at length become an Whore Secondly by peruerting his speach concerning the Rocke and Building that is Faith and Church generally taken and appropriating it vnto the Faith and Church of Rome at all times and in all Causes Which in the next place we are to shew to be diametrally opposite to the iudgement of Saint Hierom. Saint Hierom his Opposition to the pretended Soueraignty and Infallibility of the Church and Pope of Rome What Saint Hierom hath taught vs to conceiue of the Pope Clergie and Church of Rome we shall shew from S. Hierom himselfe not sophistically but plainely and truly For when we aske you of what stature euery Pope ought to bee for his dignity and Authority You answer that hee can bee no lesse than a Monarch and sole Head of the Catholike Church But Saint Hierom in the same Epistle that was obiected speaking to Pope Damasus saith I desire of you my Pastor that you would preserue your sheepe and addeth immediately as followeth Put away enuie and let the ambition of the Romane height
that his Treatise out of the writings of Saint Augustine whereas poore man he oweth his whole worke vnto your Iesuite Hieronymus Torrensis who many yeares since set out a large volume diuided into foure Bookes containing all the particulars which Maister Breerly hath diuulged in his owne name without so much as giuing notice of any such Author But they differ in their Titles Hieronymus Torrensis styleth his booke Augustines Confessions Maister Breerly his Augustines Religion Verifying herein that saying of Tully concerning such kind of Plagiaries that as Theeues change the notes and markes of stolne stuffe so They that father other mens workes vpon themselues vse to change the names and Titles as it were the markes and property thereof Is it not sufficient that you haue dealt thus with Protestant Authors but that you must play such parts among your selues But I shall haue more occasion to put Maister Breerly in mind of himselfe else-where For at this present we haue but one Article of Saint Augustine in hand touching the Necessity of Vnion and Subiection to the Church of Rome as The Catholike Church and are to attend whether either He or your Iesuite or Cardinall can euince so Imposterous a Doctrine out of the Volumes of Saint Augustine Your Obiections out of Saint Augustine Saint Augustine one-where attributeth to the Church of Rome A Principalitie of the Apostolicall Sea Else-where he desireth of the Pope of Rome his Pastorall diligence for the repressing of the Heresie of the Pelagians in Palaestine and Africke In the third place he acknowledgeth A necessary obedience to the Popes Iurisdictions and lastly he confesseth that The Pope of Rome is set in a more high Pastorall watch-tower than others Now what of all these Ergo say you the Church of Rome is the chiefe of all Churches and the Pope thereof hath Iurisdiction ouer all other Churches all other Bishops being subiect vnto him vpon paine of Damnation But if these words Principality or Highest Pastorall watch-tower or Charge or Apostolicall Church or Power to represse Heretikes or an acknowledgment of Necessary Obedience must inforce a Iurisdiction of Popedome ouer all others then ought we to admit of many Popedomes For euery Patriarch hath a Principality and height of a Pastorall watch-tower by reason of the greatnesse dignity of his Patriarchship aboue all Metropolitans and Bishops whatsoeuer and yet haue they not ouer all Bishops power of Iurisdiction but onely Principality of Order And looke into the Epistle of Iohn the first Bishop of Rome written to an Arch-Bishop and you shall find him grant that that Archbishop had as well The charge of the Church committed vnto him for the helpe of all in repressing of Heresies as to himselfe And that also therein there is a Necessity Rationis of Cause and Reason to performe such Admonitions namely as a Patient obeyeth the Physitian for the preuenting of imminent danger and not a Necessity Imperij of Compulsion by right of Authority as a souldier obeyeth his Captaine And if that the Title of Apostolicall Church could carry a Monarchicall Chiefedome then was Saint Augustine farre wrong when in the same Epistle where he called the Church of Rome The Apostolicall Seat he called other Churches and Seats also Apostolicall Lastly remember but what hath bene prooued out of Saint Basil and you shall not need to question why the helpe of the Pope of Rome was sometime desired in some Prouinces rather than other shewing that the Popes exercising of his Office in such Cases proceeded not from his Coactiue Authority but from the Arbitrary consent of other Bishops In a word we haue receiued from you out of Saint Augustine nothing but specious colours of words which we shall recompence with his Acts and Deeds Our Opposition of S. Augustine his no Subiection either in Discipline or in Doctrine to the Church of Rome Nothing can better illuminate our vnderstandings in this case than the light of Comparison You therefore whose Article of Faith is to belieue that although the Church of Rome be a Particular Church and so a distinct member from the other Churches Militant yet in respect of the Vniuersall gouernment which it hath throughout the Christian world it is The Catholike and Vniuersall Church as is the Head ouer all other parts of mans bodie hearken to Saint Augustine comparing the Church of Rome with another Particular Church There are two Bishops saith he of two most eminent Churches Stephen of Rome and Cyprian of Carthage being of diuerse opinions in the point of Baptisme Therefore did not Saint Augustine hold the Church of Rome to be the Catholike Head for there cannot be properly Two Most Eminents of the Catholike Church whereof you say there is but One Head One may say that there are Two Bishops of Two most Eminent Bishopricks in England George of Canterbury and Tobias of York because these are so distant that one is not Subordinate or subiect to the other But to say there are two Bishops of two most Eminent Bishopricks George of Canterbury and Lancelot of Winchester were absurd because making the Bishoprick of Winchester to be one of the Two most Eminents it doth abate and pull downe the true Eminency of Canterbury which is an Arch-Bishopricke and Metropolitan Seate and hath Iurisdiction ouer the other But Saint Augustine you know was iudicious and would not reason absurdly Now you whose Faith requireth Vnion and Subiection vnto the Sea of Rome in all Causes as well Rituall as Criminall or Doctrinall lend your attention vnto Saint Augustine in his Comparisons concerning each one In the point of Rites and Ceremonies the question was whether the Church should weekely obserue a Saturday-fast or no The one side which is brought in as for the Affirmatiue part alleaging that Saint Iames at Ierusalem Saint Iohn at Ephesus and others taught the same which Saint Peter did at Rome viz. that The Saturday-fast is to be kept but other Countries forsooke this Tradition The parties for the Negatiue are supposed to answer saying Yea rather some parts of the West Church wherein Rome is seated haue not obserued the Tradition of the Apostles Saint Peter and others who taught that a Fast ought not to be kept vpon that day Here you haue the East and West-Churches compared together and the credit of them both balanced If we should now aske you whether Church East or West deserueth more credit in this Case you would abhorre the question as men bound by Oath to belieue rather the Westerne Church of Rome than all other Churches in the world in point of Tradition But Saint Augustine what This contention saith he is endlesse and indeterminable And Saint Augustines words Aliqua loca in quibus Roma est that is Some places among which Rome is haue a sting which wounds the Papacy For can the Imperiall Ladie of all Churches be thus sleightly brought in among the Manie Surely if S. Augustine had
made her the patterne of all other Christian Churches his stile should haue arrayed her otherwise than by inuoluing her among Loca Occidentis Secondly in Criminall Causes you belieue that the Supreme Right of Appeale to the Sea of Rome is a Iurisdiction whereinto the Bishop of Rome is inuested by virtue of his Succession from Saint Peter so that all other Churches Christian ought to acknowledge this Right of Appeale vpon all iust occasions and the Cause being there determined all parties are vtterly precluded hauing no power to Appeale from it to any Superior Iudicature This is your pretended Prerogatiue of the Church of Rome consisting of two Termes Appealing to Rome and not Appealing from Rome Will you admit of Saint Augustines determination in both these Saint Augustine as hath bene confessed was one of that Councell of Africke which abandoned the Claime of Right of Appeales from all Churches to Rome which was then challenged by three Popes successiuely to wit Zozimus Boniface and Celestine and yet concluded against them that it should not be lawfull for any within the Churches of Africke to make their Appeale to Rome Accordingly you that would thinke it an intolerable and sacrilegious derogation from the Papall Iurisdiction if in a Criminall Cause after the Pope with his whole Consistory of Cardinals had giuen iudgement any Bishop within the Romane Iurisdiction should be so audacious as to Appeale from that Sentence to an higher Iudicature where you that are my Iudges shall be iudged whether you haue giuen right iudgement or not remember that Saint Augustine concerning the Case of the Bishop Caecilian which was referred to the Arbitrement of Pope Iulius and others doubted not to giue such a Resolution I suppose saith he the Bishops that were at Rome were not good Iudges there then remained a Generall Councell where the Cause may be discussed so that if it shall appeare that those Iudges iudged wrongfully their sentence may be reuersed and disanulled Thirdly from Criminall we proceed to a Doctrinall point You that haue told vs that it is a peculiar Prerogatiue belonging to the Church of Rome as she is The Catholike Church to direct all other Churches which is the true Canon of Diuine Scriptures and that she by her Councell may pronounce euery one Anathema and Accursed that shall not giue beliefe to his Decree touching the right Canon of Scriptures obserue that Saint Augustine perceiuing how the Latine or Romane Church did not in those daies constantly hold the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrewes to be Canonicall and of Diuine Authority resolueth thus Notwithstanding I saith he am rather mooued by the Authority of the East Churches So Saint Augustine which is so much that a conscionable man we thinke should need no more For now we are in a Doctrinall point euen what and which is the Scripture and written Word of God the Principle and Doctrine of all other Principles and Doctrines Whereof when we enquire we are directed by Saint Augustine to consult with the Primitiue Churches as well East as West and wherein these do differ in their Customes therein to yeeld rather to the iudgement of the Greeke and Easterne Churches according as Saint Hierom also determined than to the Romane in the West And lest this Decision of Saint Augustine might seeme to proceed from some voluntary inclination to the Greeke Church rather than to the Latine he addeth that he is so moued by the Authority of the Easterne Churches Now how all these particulars will agree with your Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church Mistris of all other Churches without full Vnion and Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation do you your-selues deliberate Sure we are that this Resolution of Saint Augustine will easily interpret the meaning of his other sentence so often obiected by you to wit I should not haue belieued the Gospell except the Authority of the Church had moued mee that by Church he meant not the then present Church of Rome as you pretend which is as you see another vanity After this discussion of the Doctrinall Cause we adde a Consideration of the Schismaticall state of that Church according as our iudicious Casaubon hath obserued You who accompt it the onely note of Schisme to be diuided from the Romane Church and the Pope thereof as the onely Head of all Churches Answer vs Why Saint Augustine who in seauen Books besides many other places confuted the Schismaticall Donatists yet neuer spake word of the Monarchy of the Pope or of the Infallibility of his iudgement whereby to reduce them to the Vnity of the Church and Truth Lastly as for the Title of The Catholike Church you that appropriate it in your Article to the Church of Rome aduise againe with Saint Augustine who as he hath already defined that Catholike is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole as a Comprehension of all Parts and therefore that no Part can be called The Whole so doth he further illustrate the same in his Expositions vpon those words of the Psalmist The Kings daughters were among thine honourable women vpon thy right hand did stand the Queene in a Vesture of gold of Ophir Behold Rome saith he behold Carthage behold other Cities as Kings daughters of all which is made one certaine Queene speaking of the Catholike Church whereunto euery one ought to bee vnited in Faith and Hope So he You see that in Saint Augustines time when Rome was indeed Rome and truely glorious for Faith and Holinesse yet Behold Rome what The Queene which is the Catholike Church it selfe No but Behold Rome a daughter of the King And againe Behold Carthage and other Cities How Namely so and no otherwise than Rome and others all daughters of the King that is Particular Churches professing Christ. But the Catholike Church as Queene what must shee be any one of these bee it the Church of Milan Carthage or Rome No but One Vniuersall Church consisting of these and All others CHALLENGE SEe you now with what obliquity of iudgement your Authors haue obiected these colourable sayings of Saint Augustine out of his Epistles vnto Pope Zozimus and Pope Boniface and others Whereas when we come to his deeds he doth freely demonstrate his Faith contrary to your sense when Comparing Particular Bishopricke with Bishopricke as Rome with Carthage hee maketh them and their Bishops both Most Eminent Comparing Churches with Churches as Rome with the Churches of Africke he defendeth euen against the forenamed Popes Zozimus and Boniface both that it is not lawfull for Remote Churches to Appeale to Rome and that it is also lawfull for Churches that are subordinate to the Romane Iurisdiction to Appeale from Rome By which the very pinnacle of the pretended Authority of the Romane Iurisdiction is quite ouerthrowne and cast to the ground Againe Saint Augustine comparing the Two Moities of the whole Catholike Church commonly diuided into the East otherwise called the
haue done that which I ought both in performing Obedience to the Emperour namely by publishing the Decree and also to God by reuealing vnto you his will So hee Hardly shall any finde a more expresse example of direct Subiection and Obedience from any Subiect than this is of that holy Pope vnto the Emperour Mauritius Nor are all of your side so blinde as not able to discerne this Midday-light For Gregorie called the First and the Great saith your Espencaeus doth ingenuously acknowledge that Emperours haue from God a Dominion ouer Priests Your Second Title is calling the Sea of Rome HEAD yea The Head of all Churches Must they therefore meane a Monarchicall Head according to your Conclusion ouer all other Churches by way of Dominion If so to omit your Additament of Falsehood then was Chrysostome to blame to call Antioch The Head of the whole World then was Iustinian vniust to require all to Follow Constantinople the regall Citie as the Head of all Cities And so by pressing Titles you see your Monarchie turned into a Triarchie A Third Title is the calling of the Pope The Bishop of the Vniuersall Church which though they were not the words of the Councell but of Two Deacons writing to the Councell and of Paschasius the Popes Legate in the same Councell which the Councell being content with the Popes Subscription to their Act would not question for the forme Yet may you not make of this an Argument of Monarchicall power of the Church and Bishop of Rome except you will set more Heads and Monarchs than One vpon the shoulders of the Church because the Bishops of Syria instiled Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople The Vniuersall Patriarke and the Bishop of Rome also intitled Tharasius The Vniuersall Patriarke The whole errour lurketh vnder an Equiuocation in the word Bishop of the Vniuersall Church which what it may signifie your owne Authors tell you The Bishop of the Vniuersall Church say you doth signifie one possessed with a Care and studie for the good of the Vniuersall Church So they which is common to euery Religious Bishop in the Church of Christ but in a more eminent degree and larger extent it belongeth to euery Patriarke and this sense we doe approue of Or else it may signifie One hauing All the Bishops of All other Churches vnder his Subiection which sense is here seriously and zealously obiected by your Cardinall to proue the Monarchie of the Pope of Rome and which hath bin by S. Gregorie Pope of Rome as earnestly abhorred and detested and as much as his godly heart could execrated for so he speaketh of it as a New naughtie proud prophane blasphemous and Antichristian Title which saith hee none of my Predecessors euer vsed The next Title attributed vnto the Bishop of Rome by a Generall Councell is that The Vineyard of the Lord which is his Church is said to be committed vnto him which serueth for another post to support the ruinous Monarchy of the Bishop of Rome But all in vaine For Pope Eleutherius himselfe writing to the Bishops in France The Vniuersall Church of Christ saith hee is committed vnto you that you may labour for the good of all men It were more than Monstrous that this your Monarch should create so many Monarches ouer the Church Catholike as were all the Bishops of France No these kinde of Attributes haue not other signification than the Care that euery Bishop should haue in wishing and to his power endeauouring the Vniuersall good of the whole Church In which sense Saint Nazianzene speaking in the praise of Athanasius To him is committed the Praesidencie of the people of Alexandria which is as much as to say saith hee the gouernment of the whole world So hee How should not this equall if not exceede whatsoeuer can be ascribed to the Pope of Rome and yet this is no vniuersall power of Iurisdiction but onely of Prouidence and Care namely Sic quibusdam praeesse vt prodesse possit vniuersis The last Title is that which is set downe in the First and last place That the Primacie aboue all Bishops is yeelded vnto the Bishop of the Church of Rome True and this Truth was neuer denied by any Protestant But what Primacie of Monarchie and Dominion Noe but of Order and Honour For haue you neuer heard of Two Cities in one Kingdome Two Sheriffes in one Citie Two Bayliffes in one Burrough one of them being Head and Chiefe and hauing Superioritie and Prioritie that is Primacie aboue another and yet without any right of Authoritie and Dominion one ouer one another Our next Answer shall be by Retorsion Foure Generall Councels haue bin produced by your side to proue the Church of Rome and Bishop thereof to haue Monarchicall power ouer all other Churches and Bishops in an ambiguitie of phrases Albeit not onely these Foure but also Foure more haue notably impugned your pretended Monarchie as well in the Ecclesiasticall as in the Temporall power and Prerogatiue thereof For you may remember that the First Generall Councell limited the Dioces as well of Rome as of Alexandria The Second erected a new Patriarkship with the no good liking of the Church of Rome The Third excluded the Pope from all Iurisdiction in Cyprus The Fourth established the former Patriarkship erected by the Second Councell with priuileges equall to Rome and held the Romane Primacie not to be founded by any Diuine Law The Fifth condemned Pope Vigilius as Schismaticall The Sixt and Seauenth condemned Pope Honorius as Haereticall The Eight prescribed a Law to Rome inioyning her to Obserue it And againe these Eight Generall Councels were disposed at their Assemblies to preferre the Emperours of their Times in place and throne of dignitie aboue the Popes of Rome CHALLENGE IS then the Popedome of Rome a Monarchie why answer vs First is a Monarch limited of his Subiects Secondly doth a Monarch suffer others to create Honours within his kingdome Thirdly Will a Monarch indure Corriuals or Equals Fourthly Can a Monarch the supreme Iudge be subiect to the iudgement and condemnation of his people Fiftly Must not a Monarch challenge the possession of his chiefe Throne in his Parliament and be so acknowledged by the whole state If therefore you shall further obserue what hath bin opposed against your Titles you may easily vnderstand that not any one which hath bin obiected doth inferre your Conclusion to proue the Pope of Rome a Monarch except you shall acknowledge Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria Chrysostome Bishop of Antioch Iohn Bishop of Constantinople and All the Bishops of France together with all other Bishops to whom the same Titles were ascribed to haue bin which breaketh the necke of Monarchie Monarkes as well as the Bishop of Rome And if in the Second place you consider the Testimonies which we haue alleaged out of twice Foure Generall Councels directly concluding not by any speciousnesse of Words but
by their Acts and Deedes that Popes anciently were no Monarks at all Then will you conclude that we haue iust reason to challenge your Authors of great vnconscionablenesse in their defence and by the vanity of their proofes to perswade your selues of the Truth of our Cause Your Second kinde of Obiections are taken from Titles attributed by Ancient Fathers to the Bishop or Church of Rome The Vanitie of the Consequence hereof discouered First by Equiualences SECT 2. YOur Cardinall to proue his former Conclusion concerning the Succession of the Pope in the Ecclesiasticall Monarchie flieth againe after Titles as namely such as haue beene attributed vnto Popes long since by Ancient Fathers Wee are to discouer the falsehood of this Consequence knowing that the Foundation is too weake to carry so great a weight as is a Monarchie and sole Dominion of one Atlas the Pope ouer all the Catholike Church of Christ and to answer the most of those by like Parallels and Equiualences First The Popes Primacie is proued say you by the word Papa that is Pope Three wayes One because though it had bin giuen commonly to others yet was it attributed to the Bishop of Rome by way of Excellencie thus THE Pope Ergo Monarke False for it was bestowed as well vpon Saint Cyprian by the way of Excellencie insomuch that at the point of his Martyrdome when the Paganish Proconsull askt him Art thou he whom Christians call their Pope Saint Cyprian answered yea IAME Next because say you he is also called The Pope of the Vniuersall Church Ergò hee is a Monarke False for Athanasius also who is called Pope had his Church called by Constantine The Vniuersall Church Lastly because say you The Bishop of Rome himselfe calleth no other Bishop Pope but Sonne or Brother Ergo hee is Monarch False for Pope Cornelius likewise as is confessed called Cyprian Pope yea and Cyprian called Pope Cornelius Brother as also Epiphanius as is further confessed called Pope Hormisda Brother so little doth the name of Brother or Title of Pope auoid the Equalitie among Bishops The Second name is The Father of Fathers giuen to Damasus Ergo he was Monarch False for if Others were called Popes as you haue heard all is one because as is confessed Papa and Pater Patrum Pope and Father of Fathers is the same And also Saint Polycarpus was called The Father of Christians Thirdly Fourthly and Fifthly the Bishop of Rome say you was called The high Priest of Christians yea The Chiefe Priest yea The Prince of Priests Ergo Monarch False for Basil who was no Pope was called Great Priest Athanasius also was called The Master of Priests and you haue many in the Church of Rome vnder Monarchs yea or Bishops that are called Arch Priests and whatsoeuer your phrase be it cannot be higher or chiefer than Summus or Chiefe which by your owne Confâ—ssions hath bin communicated to Non-popes Sixthly the Bishop of Rome say you was called The Vicar of Christ. Ergo Monarch False for Pope Eusebius alluding to that of the Apostle concerning all the Apostles Wee are the Embassadours in Christi vice in Christ his stead and applying it to Bishops saith There is one Head of the Church Christ but the Vicars of Christ are they that in Christ his stead are Embassadours for Christ. Seauenthly the Bishop of Rome say you was called The Head of the Church and his Seate or Church The Head of Churches Ergo the Pope is Monarch False for Athanasius was likewise called The topp of the Head of all and Cyril in a Councell The Head of the Assembly and Antioch is called The Head of the whole world The Eight and Ninth The Bishop of Rome is called The Foundation of the Church and Pastor of the Lords flocke Ergo Monarch False for Athanasius also is called The Foundation of the Church of God And if you speake De iure the word Pastor of the whole flocke was proper to the Apostles who receiued in their ioynt Commission a power and Authoritie of Preaching throughout the world to euery humane creature without any limitation insomuch that as Saint Augustine saith Peter was a Pastor and Paul was a Pastor and the other Apostles were also Pastors But there could not be so many Monarchs ouer the whole Church But if you vnderstand thereby Curam Studium Care Studie which by the Office of Pastorship euery one is bound vnto according to his possibility towards the good of the Vniuersall Church in this all other Bishops are Pastors as well as the Pope as hath bin confessed The Tenth The Bishop of Rome say you is called The Rector or Gouernour of the house of God Ergo Monarch False for it is not spoken Vniuersally but Indefinitely In materiâ contingenti with allusion to the words of Saint Paul to Timothie thus That thou maist know how to conuerse in the house of God which is the Church of the liuing God namely with an vniuersall care ouer All but a Particular power ouer that his Church of Ephesus which was his Bishopricke and yet Timothie was no Monarch The Eleuenth The Bishop of Rome say you is called Hee to whom the Lords Vineyard is committed Ergo hee is Monarch False for Pope Eleutherius as you know writ to the Bishops of France thus The vniuersall Church saith hee is committed vnto you yet hee ment nothing lesse than to iudge them Spirituall Monarchs The Twelfth The Bishop of Rome is called say you The Father and Doctor of all Christians Ergo Monarch False for the First of these was Attributed vnto Polycarpus a Bishop of Asia who was called The Father of Christians And because the Second concerneth your Faith and the iudgement of the Bishop of Rome as an Oracle for the full determination of Faith as being therefore worthy to bee held Monarchicall wee say that your Consequence from this Title The Doctor of Christians and the like is as false as any of the rest because of the Equiualencie of Attributes giuen to other learned and Orthodox Fathers as followeth Our second discouery of the falshood and vanity of your Papall Defence from Titles borrowed from Ancient Fathers by our like Equiualences SECT 3. IF your Consequence from Titles must needs conclude a Monarchicall Pope then marke we pray you how many Monarches must be acknowledged in the purest times of Christ his Church after the Apostles who notwithstanding neuer were lifted in the Catalogue of your Popes wherein we make bold to call your owne Authors to witnesse First then to answer you as Logicians speake in your very Termes looke into the Marginalls and you shall finde 1 Origen called by Didymus The Master of the Churches and by Saint Hierom Most excellent expounder of
Scriptures Chrysostome called by Pope Innocentius The Great Doctor of the whole world Augustine called The most singular Doctor of all Churches And Hilarius by your Cardinall worthily accompted The greatest Doctor and Pillar of the Catholike Church Next if you would haue Metaphoricall phrases of like efficacy and Emphasis you may obserue Athanasius anciently called The stay and foundation of the Church Basil the mouth of the Church the eye of the world the light of the world and the Sunne among the Starres Lastly if you require a further expression and commendation of the credit and Authority of the forenamed Fathers in the Truth of their Doctrines then may you happen vpon some which will more Emphatically and significantly giue your Papall Monarches the mate as namely that the Doctrines of Athanasius were of that credit that they were held for A Rule of the Orthodoxe Faith Nazianzene to haue bene of so great estimation for his Doctrine that he obtained the surname of Diuine primitiuely ascribed to the Euangelist Saint Iohn insomuch that whosoeuer dissented from him in any point of Doctrine was thereupon so much rather iudged an Heretike euery one being deemed not to be sound in the Faith that accorded not to him in beliefe Ambrose to haue receiued and gouerned the helme of the Faith in the ship of Christ which is his Church Augustine to haue bene honoured of all as the builder againe of the ancient Faith and Cyril of Alexandria to haue bene called The Iudge of the whole world Thus much of the twelfth Title The Thirteenth The Bishop of Rome say you was called by Saint Augustine The Bishop of the Apostolike Sea meaning the Romane without addition of the word Romane Ergò by way of Excellency it argueth him to be Monarch False for so the Bishop of Alexandria was in like manner called by Saint Hierome The Bishop of the Apostolicall Sea without any addition of the word Alexandrian Yea but you say the Bishop of Rome is further said to hold the Principality or Chiefedome of the Apostolicall Sea Ergò Monarch False for the Bishop of Antioch also was said to possesse The Primacy of the Apostolike Sea yea and Others also Oh but further say you the office of the Bishop of Rome is called an Apostleship Ergò Monarch False for if this Consequence be extended to the times of the Apostles then must Iudas Iscariot haue bene a Monarch who had an Apostleship Act. 1.25 And Matthias after him should haue bene another Monarch who was chosen into the same Apostleship from which Iudas fell And if you restraine it to after-times then can no Bishop properly arrogate an Apostleship which was an Office as your selues confesse Proper vnto the immediate Apostles of Christ. Lastly the Bishop of Rome say you was called The Vniuersall Bishop Ergò Monarch False for as is confessed the Popes of Rome by conniuency yeelded to the Bishop of Constantinople that the Bishop of that Sea should vse the same Title of Vniuersall Bishop as well as the Bishop of Rome and yet was he no more Monarch than Cyril the now Patriarch of Alexandria who is instiled Pope and Vniuersall Iudge at this day Our third Discouery of the Falshood and Vanity of the Papall Defence from bare Titles is by your owne Contradictions SECT 4. HItherto haue we examined your Titles giuen to the Popes of Rome in the equall scales of Comparison with other Bishops and find them all too light neither scale being able to carry the weight of a Monarch We now proceed to a further Confutation of your Arguments Consequences in many of them from your owne Confessions and Reasons You haue first obiected the Title of Pope of Rome as The most ancient name of the Bishop of Rome yet you confesse that there was a time so Ancient when Neither the name of Papa or Pontifex were attributed to the Bishop of Rome but onely the bare Title of Bishop of Rome Againe of this name you haue affirmed that it was Anciently giuen to the Bishop of Rome Per Antonomasiam by way of Excellence as proper vnto him and yet you grant that The name of Pope was appropriated onely to the Bishop of Rome by the Decree of Pope Gregory the seauenth in a Councell at Rome about the yeare 1073. Againe you noted the Bishop of Rome to be called Papa Ecclesiae Father of the Church as if he were altogether Father and could not by any Relation be Filius Ecclesiae the Child of the Church or Subiect to a Councell Which bladder of pride was pricked by the Fathers of the Councell of Basil arguing thus If the Church Catholike be the Mother of all the faithfull then the Bishop of Rome ought to be Child vnto her else according to that saying of blessed Augustine he cannot haue God for his Father that hath not the Church for his Mother So they Haue you not now by your propriety of the name Papa spunne a faire threed whereby you strangle your Popes and Popedome it selfe As for the fourth Title of Summus Pontifex or Chiefe Priest you haue auouched from thence that the Pope of Rome is the onely Monareh And yet yeeld that there may be Two Chiefes in euery kind namely Negatiuely as that which hath none aboue it although not Affirmatiuely chiefe as that which is aboue all others So then it is not necessary that the word Chiefe should inferre a Supremacy else Pope Leo was farre ouershot when speaking of Bishops in Generall he called them Summi Pontifices Chiefe Priests and so making All other Popes made himselfe none at all because still the Monarchy can be but of One. Nor thus onely but further you who by one Cardinall haue made these words Pontifex Maximus and Sacerdos Summus to be Notes of Monarchie in the Popes do by another Cardinall contradict it saying that The name of Pontifex Maximus may admit of Equality with others except there be ioyned with this another Title of Bishop of Bishops Which also as you know is insufficient because Pope Clemens in the Epistle which you call his called the Apostle Saint Iames The Bishop of Bishops euen in the dayes of Saint Peter The ninth Title you contended for as proper to the Pope was the name of Pastor or Sheapheard of the flocke of Christ Notwithstanding of all other Bishops in the Christian Church the Pope hath least right to be called Pastor except it be Per Antiphrasim à non pascendo because you cannot reckon for some hundreds of yeares scarce any One Pope that professedly discharged his Function of Preaching albeit Preaching be acknowledged more than once by your Fathers of the Councell of Trent to be The Chiefe office of a Bishop If therefore as your Cardinall himselfe preached He deserueth not the name of
out of the Church and therefore he assembled a Prouinciall Synod for the restoring of the name of Chrysostome into the publike Tables of the Church We should haue expected in a Case concerning your Papall Monarchy that Cyrill that was thus moued by a Vision of Chrysostome to repent the not-restoring of his name should haue much more beene moued by his certaine knowledge of the displeasure of your Supreme Monarch the Pope of Rome who did nothing but flash and thunder out Excommunications against all Opposites and that the Restitution of Chrysostomes name should haue beene done simply by Submission to the same Popes Decree and not onely according to Cyrill his determination by the consent of his owne Prouinciall Councell or that the Cause of alteration should haue beene if Nicephorus may deserue any credit onely by vertue of a Vision in a dreame The Eleuenth and for wee should bee two tedious to pursue your Cardinalls vnconscionablenesse in each one the last that we shall insist in is Acacius Bishop of Constantinople He is brought in to witnesse in his Epistle to Pope Simplicius that the same Pope had The Care of all Churches as if the word Vniuersall Care of all Churches did conclude an Vniuersall power and Monarchy ouer them all The Vanity of which Consequence hath beene discouered by diuers Instances in Others to whom the like Vniuersall Care of all Churches was applied as vnto Saint Paul in the dayes of Peter to Athanasius in the dayes of Pope Iulius and to the Bishops of France in the dayes of Pope Eleutherius in whom you will sweare wee know there was nothing lesse intended than a Monarchicall Popedome But that this sense should be collected out of the words of Acacius it exceedeth all limits of modesty For what one Bishop can you name of those times that euer opposed himself more against the Iurisdiction of the Pope of Rome than did this Patriarch of Constantinople Acacius This you may easily try by the manifold out-cries of Baronius vpon him for his defence of Peter Mogge by him established in the Bishopricke of Alexandria against the will of the same Pope Simplicius calling him a Franticke man violently opposite vnto the Bishop of Rome insomuch that the Pope did Excommunicate him but hee shewed his contempt of that Censure sufficiently by liuing and dying therein Was not this Witnesse worthily selected by your Cardinall trow you who in that hee saith doth nothing aduantage Papall claime and in that which he publikely worketh and acteth doth quite ouerthrow it Wee may not let passe the publike Sanction and Decree of the Emperour Leo whereby hee authorized and ratified the great dignitie of the Patriarchship of Constantinople and the Patriarch thereof For therein he calleth Acacius A most blessed and religious Patriarke the Church of Constantinople hee nameth The Mother of all Christians that professe the Orthodox Religion the Priuileges of that Church hee requireth and decreeth to be as ample as euer they at any time had beene before or in the time of his Empire and to continue in the same latitude and extent perpetually to all future ages This is the effect of this Emperors Decree and can this accord with your Romish Monarchie Your Baronius the chiefe Herald that we can read of for the blazoning and magnifying of it will say No for he fretteth at the very heart in reading of it and therefore vpon his owne sole coniecture will haue his Reader thinke that the frame of this Sanction was stiled by Acacius himselfe that called the Church of Constantinople The Mother of all Christians professing the Orthodox Faith and that therefore these were not saith he the words of that godly Emperor So he As though the Church of Constantinople so large in its own Ecclesiasticall Dioces and by reason of the Emperiall Seat in that Citie so potent in the discharge of Patriarchall Function might not be called the Mother of All Orthodoxall Churches although not as Rome falsely and ridiculously stileth her selfe as if she were the Procreating Mother of all Churches since Christ and so for many Churches Christian were planted before Rome a Mother before she was borne a Childe yet a Nursing Mother might Constantinople be then iustly named so farre as her care and endeauor sought and laboured the Conseruation of all others in pietie and Religion But not to stand vpon the Stile looke vpon the Matter it selfe and then will this Godly Emperour proue as Theodosius and other Predecessours before him a Patron of the Priuiledges of the Church of Constantinople Equall with the Prerogatiues of ROME according to the Decree of the Generall Councell of Chalcedon notwithstanding the much fuming and fretting of your Popes thereat to this day And who can blame your later and Monarchicall Popes who know right well that Monarchie brooketh no Aequalitie Caesar if hee will be Monarch must be either Solus or Nullus onely One or None at all CHALLENGE IF the importunitie of the Cause had not exacted of vs so large a discourse we might haue spared thus much paines which wee haue bestowed in this disquisition for the discouery of the Vanitie of your Romish Claime by the Testimony of the Ancient Fathers in the Greeke Church wherein haue bin laid open so many falsehoods of your Proctor as that hee may be iustly suspected to haue pleaded your Romane Cause Strenuè sanè feruently enough but according to the Prouerbe Graecâ fide Your Obiections from the Sentences of Latine Fathers for your Papall Defence and the Falshood and Vanitie thereof discouered First from Saint Cyprian SECT 8. THE First Father whom your Cardinall produceth for proofe that the Church of ROME and Bishop thereof is sole Monarke ouer all other Churches and Bishops is Cyprian wee say Cyprian that Pole-starre of true Bishops and admirable Martyr of Christ whom wee haue proued to haue beene by his writings as an Ecclesiasticall Hanniball at the gates of Rome crying defiance to the presumed Monarchie thereof And sooner shall your Cardinall pull the Club of Hercules out of his hands than wrest away from Cyprians writings the Patronage which Protestants thence haue for defence of this present Cause The Obiection of your Cardinall is onely a racking of certaine phrases of Cyprian as namely One Church one Root one Priest in Christ his stead one Chaire one Bishopricke one Bishop c. Euery one of these Ones hee expoundeth to point out in speciall the Proper Church of Rome and not to be either vsed Generally for what soeuer Church or Bishop else nor yet particularly for Cyprian himselfe or for the Church of Carthage whereof he was Bishop This is the maine issue of this Cause concerning the Testimonies of Cyprian Two Formes of Answering lye directly before vs First is that Cyprian may be expounded by his owne Words Secondly that his Words may be interpreted by his Workes One Chaire saith hee beginning at Peter
our Brother Cornelius c. Behold this in a secular glasse and conceiue what a despight it were vnto a King to heare his Vassall salute him with a Farewell fellow Henrie Fie fie what will you make of the Fathers will you iudge them so witlesse or senselesse as not to haue vnderstood their Morals Yet so you propound them For some where they giue glorious Titles to the Popes of Rome and in euery such one you point out the Pope the Monarch of the Church notwithstanding the same Fathers gaue the like Titles also to others Sometime they ioyne more familiarly with Popes by Tearmes of Fellowship and Brotherhood and yet euen then also you will haue them to beleeue your Pope to be their Monarch What Solecismes must these be The First as if one should put the Diadem vpon the Kings foot the Second as if hee should put the Kings shooe vpon his head This is not spoken by vs to note the holy Fathers of such default farre be it from vs but to condemne your Authors and Disputers of want of sobrietie that thus reason beyond all reason Thus haue you heard Cyprian interpret his Words by his owne Word Will you now heare Cyprian speake by his Acts and Deeds wee shall but be your remembrancers of that which hath bin largely proued already as namely Cyprian his Reprehending and taunting the person of Stephen the Pope of Rome and Successour to Cornelius contradicting his Decrees opposing his Romane Councell disclaiming his claime of Appeales contemning his threats of Excommunication Can you perswade your selues that Cyprian could haue escaped the crueltie of your Romish Inquisition if hee had liued and so behaued himselfe a Bishop among you at this day All this while we haue said nothing of the Corruptions of the writings of Cyprian which your Papalists feede vpon Our like Discouerie of the like Vanitie of your Proofes out of other the Latine Fathers SECT 9. THE Second Father is OPTATVS Concerning whom your Obiection maketh fâ—r vs a good Answere For if Optatus as hee saith followed the iudgement of Cyprian than it followeth that the foresaid Iudgement of Cyprian may resolue vs of the Doctrine of Optatus to wit that by One Chaire or Church hee ment the whole Vniuersall Church professing the same Catholike Faith and that the Particular Church of Rome as it then stood was an excellent Portion thereof built vpon the same Faith of Peter which all Christians professe but onely a Portion because the same Father obiecteth against the Donatists their want of Vnion with the Churches of Asia commended by Saint Iohn in his Reuelation as well as with Rome You haue no fellowship saith hee with the seauen Angels of Asia whatsoeuer is without these Seauen Churches is an alien namely from the Catholike Church and Saluation Which Doctrine of Optatus is sufficient to proue all Appropriators of an Infallible and Perpetuall Church to onely Rome to be little better then Donatists If you require a further Answer you may receiue it from a farre more elegant penne which will tell you that Optatus who required a necessary Vnion with the Romane Chaire yet neuer taught any Necessity of Vniuersall Subiection vnto it Nay so farre was he from acknowledgement of Monarchicall Dominion in the Pope that he calleth him absolutely his Fellow So he As for Necessity of Vnion it is no more than he required to be had as you haue heard vnto the Churches of Asia so that whensoeuer Rome as Asia hath done shall depart from the sincerity of the Apostolicall profession the departure from that must dissolue the Necessity of Vnion The third Latine Father is Ambrose the fourth Hierom the fifth Augustine If we thought it not an iniury vnto you to repeat the former Answers which haue beene made to all these Obiections it were an easie matter for vs to be superfluous When you shall reuiew the places then we doubt not but it will seeme as well to you as vnto vs an hatefull thing to see what violence your Obiections haue offered to these witnesses of Antiquity but much more to their owne consciences in inforcing these witnesses to speake the language of Babell and conspiring together to build the Tower of Papall Monarchy which both their words and Acts as you haue already heard do in a manner confound The sixt is Prosper whose meaning might haue bene better knowne if he had written in prose and not assumed vnto him the liberty of a Poet. Yet he and the seauenth namely Victor Vticensis call the Church of Rome The Head of all Churches But how in power and Iurisdiction you could neuer prooue this out of any ancient Father No but euen as Antioch and Constantinople with other Churches haue bene so called in other respects The eight is Vincentius Lyrinensis in whose Testimonie your Cardinall doth first mistake a mountaine for a man and secondly painting for person For Lyrinensis called not the Popes of Rome namely Felix and Iulius nor the Church of Rome but the Citie of Rome The Head of all the world What is more frequent than Rome to be called the Head of the Church Caput orbis after an Ethnick stile because of the Ciuill Dominion thereof ouer other Nations Hee called also Carthage on the North and Milan on the South the Sides by reason of their situations onely figuratiuely And although he had in like manner called the Bishop of Rome the Head and the other two Bishops his Sides must therefore the Pope of Rome be truly and absolutly iudged to be the Monarchicall Head of the Church in the meaning of Lyrinensis Then must you as absolutely beleeue that Cyprian of Carthage and Ambrose of Milan and their Successors were alwaies to continue the Sides of the Catholike Church Is this good learning thus to snatch at aduantages of naked Metaphors and with Michol to present vnto vs an image for a man But who is there that knoweth not how little the Church of Rome is beholden to Vincentius Lyrinensis who writing a Booke which you your selues call Little in bulke but most great in weight and worth wherein he giueth Resolution to all Catholikes how they should discerne the True Church yet neuer remembred your Romane Article of making the Church of Rome the Mother Mistris and Monarch of all the Churches in the world without Subiection whereunto as you say there is no Saluation But how should a man remember that which hee neuer forgot or forget that which he neuer learnt For if this had bene his Faith his booke of Resolutions which you say was so Little might haue bene comprehended in one leafe and almost in one line to wit There is but one Catholike Church which is the Roman which hath the Promise of perpetuall infallibility stand euer to this and then you cannot but be a good Catholike Nay he matcheth the Easterne Church with the Westerne as
defect of pronouncing Shibboleth euen as the Character of a man is seene by his speach CHALLENGE IN Examination of these Premises you may finde iust matter for Challenge of your owne Proctors and Pleaders for the Popes Primacy from these Popes by reason of their fourefold Iniurie First to their Aduersaries the Protestants whom they traduce as enemies to Antiquity in not admitting the Testimonies of so holy Popes of the Primitiue age which all Christians ought to beleeue and reuerence But in this clamour they abuse their Readers by deliuering vnto them onely the names of Popes Epistles as is vsuall in false Certificates wherein a man shall reade a Catalogue of names of men whereunto the parties themselues neuer yeelded their consent or as in a Stage-play wherein are presented Personates instead of Persons themselues and to the chins of boyes are fixed the beards of old men Is not this a theatricall forgery Secondly to your Popes by vrging writings in their nameâ— which if they were theirs must proue them to haue beene foolish false and barbarous Our zeale therefore to those blessed Popes doth challenge your Obiectors of extreme iniury to their memory Thirdly to the Church of Rome as well Ancient as Successiue that when you boast so much of the truth of your Traditions as a Nuncupatiue Testament of Christ wherein your Chiefest Article is your Doctrine of Papall Monarchy yet when we are to consult with the first witnesses that should testifie this Article in tht Romane Church it selfe namely those Ancient Popes we can haue no better assurance of their Testimonies than as of such as are confessed to bee both fraught with Errors and also falsely imposed vpon those Popes Which is in effect to condemne your Romane Church of sacrilegious negligence and vnfaithfulnesse in not preseruing that sacrum Depositum as you call the Ancient Tradition of Popes from hand to hand and consequently must inferre a iust suspition of Falshood in the Chiefest ground of your Romish Faith the pretended Law of Tradition Is not this also an iniury But the greatest Iniury that we lament is the wrong which your Obiectors doe vnto their own Consciences when some will haue all those Epistles to be Authenticall and worthy of absolute Beleefe without Exception yet are condemned by the most learned among you who confesse and proue that they are mixed both with Theologicall Chronologicall falshoods Some againe especially your Cardinal obtruding Epistles in the names of Popes and yet doubting whether they be truely the Epistles of these Popes or no and some other-where also reiecting some of them as Counterfeits So foolish is his Obiection in alleaging them for Ancient who could not be ignorant that there haue beene Ancient forgeries of which stampe your owne iudicious Authors haue noted these to bee And that which exceedeth almost the highest note of to speake mildely Inconsideration to proue your Doctrine of Romish Primacy from the word Primatus mentioned sometimes by the Bishops of Rome in their Epistles which as your owne Contius teacheth is an Argument to iudge them not to be so Ancient because that that word was not of currant stampe in that age And what great iniurie can any man doe than that which he doth to his owne Conscience Finally pardon vs if we cannot impute such a degree of Impiety to those holy Popes that they who liued in the times of those bloudy Massacres wherin most of them with infinite other godly Professors in the same Church of Rome bequeathed their bodies to the sword for the Faith of Christ and their soules and spirits by Martyrdome to his armes of blessednesse should be wholly busyed in their Epistles about poynts of Ordination of Priests Inuention of Ceremonies and aduancing the Prerogatiues of the Romane Church but neuer to vtter any syllable of Exhortation and Consolation in behalfe of the Flocke of Christ dayly in the iawes of the Wooluish Persecutors of these times as those Epistles by you obiected do make appeare Your Obiections from the Testimonies of Ancient Popes of the Second Three hundred yeeres and the Vanity thereof discouered SECT 12. FOr the Second Three hundred yeeres are presented before vs a Second Iury of Twelue Popes to giue their Verdicts for proofe of the extent of their owne Papall and Monarchicall power and Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall ouer the whole Church of Christ throughout the world Manifold haue been the Answers of Many to these Testimonies which the breuity that we haue propounded to our selues in this Treatise will not suffer vs to relate our Answers shall be no lesse plaine and yet more compendious 1. Almost all of these Testimonies may be denied in that sense of absolute Monarchie for the which they are propounded As for the first man of the Inquest viz. Pope Iulius he plainely speaketh of Document Instruction receiued from Peter and not of Dominion or Iurisdiction which may be an Answer to many of the rest 2. Some speake not but their Counterfeits as the last Iurist Pope Gregory in an Epistle wherein Eusebius Bishop of Constantinople is said to haue beene Subiect vnto him when as as our Doctor Reynolds hath proued there was no Eusebius Bishop of Constantinople in the daies of Saint Gregory This tricke of corrupting the writings of Antient Popes as you haue seene in their Epistles for the first Three hundred yeeres giue vs iuster cause to suspect the Popish Scribes in the Second Three hundred yeeres 3. Some haue beene already satisfied by Parallels 4. Reuerence say some Popes is due to the Apostolike See So you know Saint Peter doth require of the Husband Honour towards his Wife and Saint Paul of a Bishop Reuerence vnto Widowes Reuerence therefore which is nothing else but a due estimation of all persons according to their Order and Degree may bee exacted without any Note of Dominion 5. Nine of these Popes call the Church of Rome and Bishop thereof either Head of all Churches or One that hath the Care of all Churches or one hauing Principality Euery of which as you know were antiently ascribed to other Churches and Bishops besides the Romane 6. Some may be checked by Retorsion as in the first and last witnesse For the first if from the words obiected out of that Epistle of Iulius you shall inferre that he had Vniuersall Monarchy throughout the Catholike Church then may wee more iustly conclude that the same Pope being challenged by the Bishops of the East whom he calleth Most dearely beloued both for writing to them Alone and from his owne Authority and also for transgressing the Canons of the Church by admitting men vnto his Communion that had beene by them deposed and answering to the one that Although he wrote alone vnto them yet that he did it by consent of his fellow Bishops and to the other standing onely vpon his iustification in not transgressing the Canons of Ancient Councels
yet hee might allow that power vnto other Patriarkes and Primates as it seemeth hee did some-where Marke Hee might that is to say peraduenture hee did and As it seemeth which is as if hee had said It is but probable Doe you not see with what rotten Timber this your Master-builder frameth the Arch-pillar of your Romane Faith and with what vntempered morter hee daubeth it when hee hath done Notwithstanding it be without all Peraduenture that if wee must beleeue Pope Agapet There was not from the Ascention of Christ vntill the yeare 535. any one Bishop in all the East ordained by the hands of any Bishop of Rome before Mennas who was now so ordained by Agapetus Secondly know that your Cardinall to proue that the Bishop of Rome exercised his Authoritie of Instituting Deposing and Restoring of Bishops within the Bishopricks of other Patriarkes giueth instance in some Bishops which the Popes themselues haue challenged to be within their owne Romane Dioces as namely the Bishops of Thessaly of France of Spaine of Africke of Salonia and some others If any should take vpon him to proue the Bishop of Durham to be Primate of the Prouince of Yorke and to haue authoritie ouer the Bishop of Chester because he exerciseth his Episcopall Iurisdiction of Instituting Admonishing Suspending and Restoring Ministers within his owne Bishopricke of Durham were this tolerable arguing trow you Thirdly there is not a greater degree of futilitie saith Tullie than for any man to obiect that to which when it shall be retorted vpon himselfe he shall not tell what to say We shall therefore deale with you herein by the Art of Retorsion Cyprian as Primate of the Primates within Africke did as Pamelius witnesseth of him Institute whom he would within the Prouinces of the other Primates The same Cyprian Constituted Sabinus Bishop instead of Basilides whom hee had deposed without the consent of Stephen the Pope of Rome and after professed to hold the same Sabinus in his Bishopricke notwithstanding the dislike and as it were in despight of the same Pope Nor thus onely but Cyprian againe will bee knowne to haue Confirmed the Election of Pope Cornelius whose Communion both hee as himselfe speaketh and his Collegues and Fellow-Bishops gaue approbation vnto Besides Pope Gregorie the First vpon his Election sent his Synodicall and Communicatorie Letters vnto the Foure Patriarks viz. Iohn of Constantinople Eulogius of Alexandria Gregorie of Antioch and Iohn of Hierusalem with testification of his Orthodox Faith in beleeuing the Foure First Generall Councels And lest that you may thinke hee was the First Pope that sought this kinde of Approbation by such Synodicall and Circular Epistles you are to obserue with your Baronious how hee in expresse words confesseth that hee did this According to the ancient Custome of his Predecessours as was also obserued by the Bishop of Segouia in the Councell of Trent As for Excommunicating of Others this being but a denying to haue Communion with them other Patriarks and Churches thought it as proper to themselues to denie their Communion to the Pope as the Pope could by dis-uniting himselfe from them Else could not the Easterne Bishops among whom there were many Orthodoxe Capitulate with Pope Iulius to haue Communion with him but vpon this Condition that he should haue Communion with those Bishops whom they had ordeined otherwise they professed Contrarily to haue no Communion with him Not to tell you that Dioscorus did Excommunicate Pope Leo. Yea will you say an Heretike an Orâ—hodoxe It is true yet did hee this vpon the knowne iudgement of the East-Church vpon a Common right and abilitie in all Churches to denie their Communion to what other Churches soeuer that they were perswaded to deserue their dis-union Vpon which ground Mennas Patriarch of Constantinople Excommunicated Vigilius Bishop of Rome which though it were in an vniust Cause such as in the Papall Excommunications often happen to be yet doth it inferre this Truth that vpon a iust cause it was lawfull so to doe We leaue other Examples of Retorsion and come to the last Answer by Opposition of your owne Popes against you and such as were most zealous Exactors of all Rights belonging to the Papall Sea The matter standeth thus After the period of iust Antiquitie which we prefix about the yeare Six hundred after Christ Pope Hadrian the First about the yeare 777. writing to the Emperour Constantine and to his Empresse Irene layeth Claime to Two things First to the Temporall Patrimonie of Saint Peter Secondly to an Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction within some part of the Patriarkship of Constantinople which hee desireth them to restore to the See of Rome and he expresseth in his Petition the Consecration of Bishops Archbishops Fourescore yeeres after him succeedeth Pope Nicolas the First who reneweth the same Claime in his Epistle vnto Michael the Emperour propounding vnto him the Challenge formerly made by his Predecessour Hadrian and specially and by name hee setteth downe the particular Prouinces and Dioces which were with-held or as your Iesuite out of Leo Sapiens saith had bin pulled away from the Bishopricke of Rome to wit the Bishopricke of Thessalonica the Bishop whereof had bin but the Popes Vicar therein together with the Regions of Achaia Mysia Dardania c. wherein were the Metropolitanes of Thessalie Corinth Athens Nicopolis and Patarae But to what end maketh all this his Plea namely that hee might exercise therein as from his owne Authoritie the Consecration of Bishops and Arch-Bishops and to vse the words of your Iesuite moderate all things throughout all those Regions according to his owne Institutions and Ordinances And for further Confirmation of his Right hee pleadeth the Ancient possession which his Ancestours had held from the time of Pope Damasus vnto Pope Hormisda that is to say for the tearme of 154. yeares so that now they had bin aboue Three hundred yeares depriued of these Bishopricks Wee now hereupon demand Doe your Popes after so long processe of time require a Restitution of Right and power of Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction in certaine Prouinces Christian then doubtlesse all this time was not their power Vniuersall in All others wheresoeuer And furthermore the Patriarcke of Constantinople hauing Iurisdiction ouer the Metropolitanes of Pontus Asia and Thracia consisting of 28. Prouinces and your Popes making claime onely vnto Eight of those for the execution of their Ecclesiasticall and Papall power is it not euident that they outted themselues from all such Iurisdiction in any of the rest And what shall be further said of the other Patriarkships of Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem Some of them hauing Seauen and some Ten Metropolitanes vnder them and were as exempt from the Iurisdiction of the Pope of Rome as any within the Patriarkship of Constantinople could be CHALLENGE NOW from your former Argument according to the lawes of a Syllogisme It must be thus
of the Countries wherein the Greeke Religion is professed he concludeth that If the Greeke Church be compared with the now Romane excepting the new Addition of the Indians the Greeke Church would farre exceed V. Our Discouery of the extreme Impiety of your Article by way of Challenge SECT 6. YOur Article requireth a Necessity both of Subiection and of Vnion vnto the Church of Rome vpon infallible danger of Damnation In the Premises you haue before you the same Necessity of Subiection to Rome denyed by the Ancient Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon about the yeare 450. after Christ and so continuing in the Greeke Church vnto this day and the Necessity of Vnion denyed by the same Greeke Church 200. yeares together and all this by Professors in your owne iudgement excepting for the denying of this Romish Article no Heretikes and in number Exceeding the Multitudes of them the Indians excepted and yet the Indian Conuerts if you examine their Faith are but poore Catholikes God wot who call themselues the Romane Catholikes How then shall we not accompt it a Luciferian pride in your Romane Pope to take vpon him to ascend vnto the Throne of God and to pronounce Sentence of Damnation vpon so infinite Christian soules who while your Bishops excepting their raysing of Persecutions against Protestants liue in peace and fare deliciously euery day do suffer daily grieuous and lamentable Persecutions and Oppressions vnder the Turkish tyrannie for the Gospell of Christ. What man is there in whom there are any bowells of Christianity who will not rather condemne your Article as a Praesumptuous Pernicious Sacrilegious Schismaticall Delusion and execrable Fascination of mens soules by the which they are held fast vnder that Romane thraldome A particular Instance for the Corroboration of the former Argument in Ignatius Patriarch of Constantinople SECT 7. BAronius doth present before you Ignatius the Patriarch of Constantinople who liued about the yeare of our Lord 869. in your owne iudgement An excellent man Whom notwithstanding Iohn the then Pope pronounced Excommunicate except within 30. dayes the said Ignatius should Excommunicate certaine Bishops in Bulgaria for that the Pope then made claime to that Prouince as belonging to the Romaine Church But the Popes Excommunication against Ignatius was contradicted by the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Antioch and as for Ignatius himselfe Hee is not found saith your said Cardinall to haue obeyed the Popes command Neuerthelesse God graced this Ignatius with Miracles after his death All this you haue in Baronius CHALLENGE HEre you haue to omit the Opposition of the Two other Patriarches Ignatius the Patriarch of Constantinople for ought that can be prooued to the contrary liuing and dying a person Excommunicate from the Church of Rome and notwithstanding acknowledged by you to be one worthy whose life should be Registred in the Body of your publike volume of Councells and after his death hauing the witnesse of God by his Seale of Miracles that he was his owne seruant and Saint As if you would teach vs this Syllogisme Euery one that dyeth Excommunicate out of the Church of Rome dyeth out of the Catholike Church and is consequently Damned But Ignatius a godly man in his life and blessed after his death dyed Excommunicate out of the Church of Rome Ergo the same man godly in his life time and Blessed after his death is immortally Damned Either must you thus conclude or else condemne your Article of Necessity of Subiection and Vnion to the Romane Church without which None can be saued to be iustly damnable For as for the Comment of Baronius who acknowledging him thus Excommunicate and so dying yet notwithstanding saith that he departed this life in the Popes Communion we haue nothing to say but onely Ridle me this Ridle because we are to yeeld to the truth of the Story and not vnto the figment and fancy of a Papall Commentator Our second Instance is in the Churches Christian in Assyria dis-united from Rome SECT 8. YOu haue a Narration commended by Pope Pius the 4. vnto the Councell of Trent concerning Abdisu Patriarch of the Assyrians and all Churches vnder him subiecting themselues to the Church and Pope of Rome Our intended Breuity will not permit the Repetition of so large a Narration Take vnto you summarily those Aduertisements which are proper to this Cause in hand It giueth vs to know 1. That the Nation of the Assyrians was so farre remote from Rome that At Rome it was scarce knowne that there was any Church there 2. That there was Two hundred thousand Christian Professors within the Patriarchship of Abdisu 3. That their Faith was sound and forme of worship pure and so had continued as they had receiued it in the beginning from Saint Thomas the Apostle And 4. that many of them oftentimes had suffered Martyrdome by the malice of Infidels for the profession of our Lord Christ. This and much more in the Narration made in the Councell of Trent by your Cardinall CHALLENGE THis Story is noted by our Gentillettus to be meerely Fabulous Not that there are not Christian Churches in Assyria professing the Catholike Faith and to haue so continued from the Apostolike times but that there was no such Submission of the said Churches made by Abdisu to the Pope of Rome Notwithstanding supposing the Tale of Robin-Hood to be true and granting vnto you that the said Churches of Assyria had subiected themselues to the Pope according to the Tenure of the Narration it selfe then may we lawfully dispute as Saint Paul often did though not from the truth of the thing belieued yâ—t from the Faith and credulity of the Beleeuer You therefore that belieue as the Story teacheth this Narration of a Nation of Christians continuing in the syncere Faith and holy Worship as they had receiued it from the Apostles for the space of 1500. yeares down-wards yea many of them with Constancy euen vnto death Tell vs do you beleeue that so many thousand thousands which had bene within the compasse of those times are notwithstanding Damned because they did not formally professe Subiection to the Church of Rome or not If you say they are Damned This were impiously calumnious against the Apostle Saint Thomas that taught them not your Article of the now Romane Faith If you say they are not Damned then are you damned in that your Romane Article which denounceth Damnation against all them that do not belieue that without Subiection to the Romane Catholike Church there can be no Saluation Howsoeuer you yet farre be it from vs who are Ministers of His Gospell that pronounced Saluation to them of little Faith that we should open where he shutteth by setting broad-wide the Gates of Hell to swallow vp in despaire such as hee hath called to the Profession of the Gospell of Life Our third Instance concerning Remote Nations is in other Churches Christian viz. Aegyptians Aethiopians Armenians Russians and the like
not subiect to Rome SECT 9. WHen Protestants in Confutation of a Sacrilegious abuse in the Church of Rome by allowing of Publike Seruice in an vnknowne tongue thereby depriuing God of a principall part of his Worship euen the vnderstanding of the Worshipper and Gods people of their comfort do obiect vnto you the Examples of the Churches of the Aegyptians and the like they can receiue no better Answer than that which the yellow choler of your Cardinall would vouchsafe them We are no more mooued saith he with the Examples of these Aethiopians Aegyptians c. than we are with the Customes of the Lutherans because they were either Heretitkes or Schismatickes So he plainly notifying vnto you that were they onely Schismatickes by denying Subiection to the Church of Rome yet that alone without any suspition of Heresie might be held sufficient in his opinion to conclude them in the state of Damnation and indeed there are scarce Any among these challengeable for any Fundamentall Heresie Whom therefore Protestants embrace as Partakers of that which Saint Iude calleth The common Saluation CHALLENGE AS often as we reade how gratiously Christ the Sonne of God entertained the woman diseased with a Bloudy issue by affoording the Operation of a Diuine virtue to cure her maladie at the very Touching of but the hemme of his garment so often are we to acknowledge that Super-abundant grace of God in Christ euen to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men of Small Faith nay once to one bringing with him a beleeuing vnbeliefe and saying Lord I belieue helpe my vnbeliefe But here behold infinite soules of professed Christians whom you dare not directly charge with Heresie and yet O the cursed maliciousnesse of the pride of Rome must they all be Damned and by one Romane Article of Necessitie of Subiection to the Church of Rome are excluded from all possibility of Saluation The like must be said of multitudes of other Christians in Africke and Asia besides Iaponia wherein not long since hath bene reckoned to be Two hundred thousand Christians To omit other Countries Christian too many to bee recited Our second kind of Instance in respect of Churches nearer to the Territories of Rome yet not Subiect to the Romane Church which are the Churches of Protestants SECT 10. WHole volumes would not suffice to containe the Exceptions which we may iustly take against the Church of Rome not onely in respect of her Professors and their differences in Doctrine but euen in your Profession and Religion it selfe as well Morall as Theologicall but you had rather that we should giue Answer to your Calumniations Know therefore First that the number of Protestant Professors is not in comparison of yours that will be the onely Catholikes so very a Pusillus Grex that you can haue any Reason to contemne it For if so then would not your Cardinall so greatly enuie and maligne the Extent and latitude thereof who speaking of Protestants saith that They at this day possesse so many and ample Prouinces as England Scotland Denmarke Norway Sweuia and no small part of Germania Polonia Bohemia and Hungaria Yet he pretermitteth France Heluetia Ireland and many other places where these Professors are visible I. CHALLENGE in Particular ALL these Churches of Protestants may seeme to containe in them one Moity of the Christian world in the Westerne parts thereof whose greatest Error which you can impute vnto them is that They for their Faith immediatly depend vpon Christ Iesus as the Head of the Catholike Church and their greatest vice that they impugne the Popes Indulgences the nourceries of all vices and their greatest Schisme that they will be diuided from that Church of Rome which proudly and impiously diuideth her selfe from all other Churches of the world And must all These that are willing to sacrifice their liues for Christ and his Ancient Faith contained in the Catholike Creeds be necessarily Damned for denying of one new Article of Necessity of Subiection to the Catholike Romane Church which Article as hath beene plentifully proued doth manifoldly contradict the sense of the Article in the Apostles Creed concerning The Catholike Church II. CHALLENGE in Generall OVR Question still is concerning the Church Catholike which is the whole Church of Christ consisting of all Particular Churches as the members and parts thereof You haue heard of the multitudes of Remote Churches Christian in Greece Assyria Aegypt Aethiopia c. The like instance haue you heard of the Churches of Protestants in Denmarke Saxonia Bohemia c. Try now whether that Obiection made by Optatus against the Donatists may not some-way checke you You saith he will haue the Church to be onely where you are but in Dacia Misia Thracia Achaia c. Where you are not you will not haue it to be nor will you haue it to be in Graecia Cappadocia Aegypt c. And innumerable other Isles and Prouinces where you are not His Reason For you will haue your selues onely to be the Whole who are not in euery Whole So he Tell vs now when euer any Church could more professe it selfe to be Whole in respect of other Churches than that which will haue it selfe onely to be called The Catholike or Vniuersall Romane Church or else to be more Alone than she that excludeth from hope of Saluation all other Churches which are not subiect vnto her Our third kind of Instance is in the Church of Rome herselfe proouing that this Article The Catholike Romane Church without which there is no Saluation becometh pernicious to them that will be called the Body or Members thereof SECT 11. BY this time we are drawing neare to the Gates of Rome to try what peace there is within her walls and what security can be had in Apocalypticall Babylon for so is Rome called by Saint Iohn according to the common Interpretation of your owne Doctors And in as much as we are now to fight within her owne Territories in this conflict wee shall endeuour to make good vpon you Two most Obseruable Positions The first concerneth the almost desperate estate of your Church of Rome the Next is the Safety and security of the Churches of Protestants The danger of the Church of Rome and some Members thereof is that it is made twice Damnable Once by the Article which it professeth viz. The Catholike Mother and Mistris Church of Rome without Vnion and Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation Next and more especially by the Apostolicall Article as it is vnderstood in our Christian Creed of beleeuing THE CATHOLIKE CHVRCH The State of the Question by Comparison of the Head and Body of the Romane Church together according to the sense of your now Article The Catholike Romane Church without which c. SECT 12. THe Church of Rome consisteth of a Pope and his Subordinates as of an Head and a Body yet so as the Body your Church taketh the Denomination to be called Catholike
De Facto in that which followeth in the nex Section III. The Church of Rome was often diuided into Many Heads SECT 15. SChisme as the Apostle teacheth is when the Body is diuided and depending vpon many Heads as if some held of Paul some of Cephas and but some of Christ. So hath it often hapned in your Church some depending of one and some of another and some of the Third Pope and among all these yet could but one sort hold of the True You your owne selues can reck on for vs Twentie yea Thirty Schismes and Diuisions among your Popes yet is this but a sparing Accompt But wee stand not vpon the number of their Diuisions but vpon their Duration Of which your Onuphrius hath Registred One for The most pernicious and pestilent betweene Vrban the 6. and Clement the 7. which continued and lasted for Fiftie yeares in the Church of Rome During which Schisme what Parts taking and factions there were on foot amongst the Members of that Church throughout the most Countries in Europe it is easie to imagine Your Cardinall telleth vs of Three Popes at one time euery one whereof would be accounted the Pope so that hardly could any discerne which was the true Pope So you What Resolution can your Church haue in such a Case your Iesuite would haue vs to note that The Councell of Constance put them All downe and this stood with good reason saith hee because when the true Pope was not certaine it was as much as if there had beene none at all So hee Moreouer Baronius hath found out another matter of wonderment how that When Sergius the Third an illegitimate Pope intruded himselfe into that Seat by monstrous sacriledge and most beastly filthinesse yet such was the Reuerence saith hee which all faithfull Professours especially the remote Northerne People had vnto the Church of Rome that whomsoeuer they heard to sit in that See although Pope onely in name without any further inquirie concerning his manner of entrance they reuerenced him as S. Peter himselfe So hee CHALLENGE LOoke againe to your Article of Beliefe concerning This One Romane Pope without which Faith none can be saued Now your Church of Rome being diuided into Two Factions one halfe adhering to One Pope and another halfe to a Second your Article requiring Beliefe of Hunc This onely One doth damne halfe the Romane Church for the space of aboue twice Fortie yeares And afterwards so long as it was diuided into Three Factions adhering vnto Three seuerall Heads your Article of Hunc This singular Pope damneth Two of the Three Parts of your Romane Church at that time At which time the Councell of Constance the Representatiue Body of the Romane Church in this distraction vsing no other remedie but abscission and cutting off euery Head by remouing All the Three and choosing a Fourth your Article challenging the acknowledgement of Hunc doth necessarily damne the whole Romane Church either in admitting any of the Three or else in preferring a Fourth As for our Northerne Professours of those dayes whose Faith your Baronius extolleth for their Beliefe of any Pope whomsoeuer they heard named Pope were hee neuer so illegitimate and indeede no Pope at all as for Example Sergius the Third wee are in a great straight which rather to admire to wit whether the Foolishnesse of those Northerne people in beleeuing an Ape to be a Man or the Faithlesnesse of your Cardinall who against the Article of his Faith requiring Hunc Verum that is the acknowledgement of This true Pope and none else notwithstanding commendeth men for entertaining and honouring a False one But alas what will they not beleeue that will needes follow such Guides as leade them by the nose and make them to beleeue not that which God prescribeth but what they please albeit herein also condemned by your owne Article And moreouer you your selues that are sworne to beleeue Infallibly Hunc when as it is possible for that which hath hapned may happen that your whole Church cannot discerne between Hunc and Hunc by the same Article stand you continually condemned in your owne Consciences IV. That the Church of Rome is oftentimes troubled with an Head repugnant sometime to the whole Body and sometimes to the Seuerall Members thereof SECT 16. THe First worke in a building is laying a right Foundation which in euery Dispute is the true state of the Question and then Dimidium facti qui bene cepit habet The Forme of your owne Oath will giue vs good light for this First point IN. doe beleeue the Catholike Romane Church to be the Mother and Mistresse ouer all other Churches and I sweare Obedience to the Pope as to the Vicar of Christ. You professe then in this to honour the Church of Rome as Mother and Mistresse ouer All Churches and the Bishop and Pope of Rome as Chiefe Pastor and Head of it It onely remaineth to know whether as you haue made all other Churches diuided from this Head to be Schismatikes out of the Church and destitute of spirituall life so also there may not be a Schisme betweene this Romane Head and Body so that the One being diuided from the other in some Cases either of them may become Schismaticall Your publike Professor and Iesuite Suarez is at hand to resolue you Schisme saith hee as it is distinguished from Haeresie is a separation either from the Head or from the Body so as the Body if it denie its Head This true Pope it is Schismaticall and the Pope the Head if hee denie due Communion with the Body as to Excommunicate the whole Church is also Schismaticall So he Whose ingenuitie we must commend in that hee confesseth it possible for the Pope in some Case to be a Schismatike It will be our part to giue some Instance hereof That your Church commonly is Doubtfully-Headed proued by an Instance made in the state of the great Question of the Supreame Iudge in your Church whether it must be the Romane Pope or Councell And First for the Pope SECT 17. IT is necessâ—ry that that Church which will needes be Iudge of all other Churches should first determine with it selfe who is the Supreme Iudge nor should she euer take vpon her to determine of other Controuersies in Faith against Protestants before shee haue satisfied Protestants in this whether Pope or Councell be indeede the Supreame Iudge In this Question Romane Doctors of all sorts haue bin distracted in their iudgements To leaue all other Disputes we desire to know how this hath bin determined by any Councell Bellarmine although the sworne Proctor for the Pope yet against such as laboured to deduce a Confirmation of the Popes Iudgement aboue a Councell from the Councels either of Florence or Lateran doth reiect both So that saith he the matter is still questionable vnto this day Is not this Acknowledgement worthy your thrice rumination to vnderstand that
bodie of your Church how then to speake onely from your owne Confessions hath growne the opinion of the foresaid Necessity of the Administration of the of the Eucharist vnto Infants not onely with no Opposition but euen with the great approbation of your Popes how your Custome of Communicating but in one kinde whereof you your selues grant a Non constat or Ignoramus when it first began Whereas for a Thousand yeeres cantinuance the Contrarie was held as you know in the Catholike Church yea and in the Romane Church it selfe Or how will you answer for the Corruption of your Romane Worship whereof wee haue your Fathers in the Councell of Trent decreeing that Because many Corruptions haue crept into the celebration of the Romane Masse either by the errour of the time or negligence and improbity of men therefore an order must bee taken to purge them So They. Are not diseases diseases because we can but coniecture the first Cause or time of their being The former Confession of your Professor and Iesuite before pointed at now set downe at large wil giue vs the vpshot Some Traditions saith he are perpetual in time euen from the beginning of the Church Others are onely temporall the beginning whereof may be knowne somtimes positiuely what time they began and sometimes onely negatiuely by being able to shew what time neere the beginning of the Church such a custome or doctrine had no being though afterwards it was inuented Whereby it may be iustly collected that such a Tradition had it's beginning after the Apostles albeit the certaine and determinate time in which it began be not knowne Which Tradition because it is not vniuersall in time it cannot beget any Catholike beleefe So he euen such an He whom your Romane Church esteemeth for the most eminent general both Doctor and Proctor of her Cause at this day By which Sentence are auoided both your former Obiections of the Necessity of giuing of Names of Authors before Luther and of demonstrating the Time Persons and Place of the beginning of Errors in the Church As also there is reached vnto Protestants a strong engine to the vtter ouerthrowe of your now Romane Creed consisting of more then 12. new Articles concerning Worshipping of Images Purgatory Indulgences and the like which can neuer be shewed to haue sprung in the ages af Antiquity bordering on the Apostles time and therfore according to this former true and necessary Rule set downe by your Iesuite can beget no Catholike Beleefe THESIS VIII Your last Obiection of Continuall and Personall Succession in all Ages is frustrate SECT 21. LEst that Succession and not Succession may seeme to alter the Case because the Romane Church is by Personall Succession of Catholike Pastors the Protestant Church is by Secession and Departure whereas true Succession doth manifest a true Church euen as no true Succession doth notifie a false Church as you vse to say you need doe no more but cast your eyes vpon your owne Historians who reporting the great deluge of that horrible Heresie of the Arrians declare that in the most Churches Christian â—he true and Orthodoxe Bishops were remoued out of their Bishopricks and cast into Banishment As for example the Chiefe Patriarks Liberius out of Rome Athanasius out of Alexandria Paulus out of Constantinople c. Againe the Wheele of God's prouidence turning backwards the Arian Heretikes lost their Bishopricks and Patriarkships the Orthodoxe and Catholike Professors succeeding in their places We demand will you then indeed say that Succession in place is absolutely an affirmatiue Note of a true Church How then shall those Churches bee iudged Hereticall wherein Arians immediately succeeded Catholikes Or is not Succession negatiuely a Note of no true Church How then were not the Churches false wherein Catholikes immediately succeeded Heretikes So then if you pronounce any Church true by the Succession of Persons onely you doe but waste your winde if by the Succession of Doctrine then Luther's doctrine being truly Apostolicall his Church cannot be but truly Catholike The Fourth and last part of this DETERMINATION concerneth the state of the Churches of Protestants after the daies of Luther and their more iust Cause of Continuing this Separation from Rome SECT 22. WHy should we not thinke that after our iustification of the first Departure of Protestants from the Church of Rome you should expect some Addition for the Defence of our Continuance of that Separation lest otherwise some might surmize that now sure the Councell of Trent pretending a Generall reformation of all Abuses the Protestants might haue iuster Cause to re-unite themselues to the Church of Rome THESIS I. Protestants are Generally Excommunicated by the Church of Rome SECT 23. YOur Pope of Rome doth by his Bulls yearely bellow out his Excommumications Anathematismes or Curses by name against all Lutherans Caluinists Hugonots and all Protestants together with all their Defenders Fauourers Receiuers Readers of their Bookes without speceall Licence whosoeuer they be THESIS II. Protestants are Vniustly Excommunicated SECT 24. ALl the Causes for which Scripture hath authorized a Departure from any visible Church do accordingly iustifie our Separation from the Church of Rome I. Falshood by Creation of a new Creede consisting of so many Articles II. To a false Faith is ioyned false Worship by Idolatrie not onely by the vulgar in Worshipping of Relikes Images and Saints Idolatrously as is witnessed by your selues but also generally by the Adoration of your Romish Moloch in the Masse Wherein that which after Consecration you adore take it at the best is but a Christ as you teach voide of all sence naturall power of motion and facultie of vnderstanding Which Doctrine touching the glorified body of Christ Wee thinke to be Blasphemous Take it as it may possibly be and then by your owne generall Confession in all probabilitie Fiue hundred to one after Consecration the thing you adore is but Bread still which is a possible yea and as you your selues tearme it a materiall Idolatrie And take it as we are ready to proue to wit that it is infallibly still euen after Consecration the substance of Bread and consequently your Adoration is really necessarily and formally Idolatrous All these points are to be fully prooued in a Treatise to be intituled CHRIST HIS MASSE which in due time may salute you in like manner as this doth if God permit III. To Heresie and Idolatrie your Church ioyneth Obstinacie not that wee can denie but that the Fathers of the Councell of Trent decreed A safe Conduct and full securitie to all Protestants in Germanie to come to that Councell and according to the tenure of that same Decree To propound whether by word or writing what Articles they would and with free libertie to dispute thereof So they And was not this a Fatherly Consideration shall Wee thinke but your Thuanus will tell you of diuerse Protestants that came to
be called Vnio Leonina as when beasts for awe of the Lion goe in troopes and follow at his becke The Second is Vulpina a craftie combination made and maintained by Foxes The Third is Asinina the heard of seely Ignorants Loud and frequent are the boasts of your Catholike Vnion neuer regarding whether it haue the Characters of these kindes of Vnions now spoken of although that none can bee more Tyrannous than that which as you haue beene instructed by Pope Paul the IV. vseth the extent of the Inquisition as the onely Fortresse and support thereof None more craftie than that Church which is fed at home as with naturall sustenance with false Legends and fained Miracles and preserued abroad with Aequiuocations and Mentall Reseruations and specially by Politike Maximes for alterations of States Lastly there can be no greater blockishnesse than to be wholly guided by an Implicit faith of beleeuing you know not what according to your COLIERS FAITH which because it seemeth so commendable vnto your Cardinall Hosius I will deliuer it in his owne words It will be most safe saith he to follow the Example of a certaine Colier of whom when a learned man asked him for his soules behoofe what he beleeued hee repeated the Apostles Creed and being asked what hee beleeued more said that which the Catholike Church beleeueth But what quoth the other doth the Catholike Church beleeue that which I beleeue quoth the Colier The other being still vrgent the Colier vsed the same Circle and made no other Answer than that hee beleeued as the Church beleeued and the Church the same that hee beleeued Some while after it happened that the same learned man was by sickenesse in danger of death at what time Sathan tempted him vrging him what was his beliefe insomuch that he poore wretch was not able sufficiently to expresse himselfe but calling to minde the Coliers Answer hee himselfe made no other Answer to the Diuell than this AS THE COLIER Confessing afterwards that hee had bin dangerously assaulted had not this example of the Colier holpen him Thus farre your Cardinall of your Colier like an Horse in a Milne going all in a round as if he would teach you that this Implicit Faith were the onely safe Circle God blesse you to keepe out the Diuell Wherein you are little inferior to the Iewish Rabbines who taught their Disciples To haue rather regard to the words of the Scribes than to the Law of Moses the word of God Whom also they instructed that in case the Iudge once passed sentence hee must be absolutely beleeued Though he say that the right hand is the left or the lest the right In all this you crye Pax Pax when as indeede it is nothing else but a paction and accordance in Error and Idolatrie The whole Colledge of Priests were against Ieremie All the Priesthood with the Scribes and other Sects conspired against Christ So little cause haue you to glorie in the nature of your Vnion As for Vnion with the Church Catholike there is no other difference than this Protestants as you haue heard stand in Christian Vnion with Graecians Aegyptians Asians Assyrians Aethiopians and all Churches Christian that haue not ouerthrowne the fundamentall Articles of faith Whereas the Romane Church by Excommunicating all other Christian Churches from her hath Excommunicated her selfe and made a Separation from all other Christian Churches And therefore being alone is nothing lesse than Catholike Vae Soli THESIS V. The Protestants granting it possible for Some to be saued within the Church of Rome and the Papists denying that any can be saued in the Churches of the Protestants is but a Sophisticall proofe that there is more Safetie in the Romane Church SECT 27. MAny Protestants grant say you that some may be possibly saued within the Church of Rome whereas the Papists absolutely deny that Any adhering to the Churches of Protestants can be saued This Argument to the Ignorant may be an efficacious inchantment to perswade to Poperie which to the iudicious and Discreete Reader will appeare to bee but Childish and ridiculous whether we consider your Deniall or our Grant The first because your Deniall proceedeth not either from Truth or Conscience Not from Truth because first our Separation from you as hath bene prooued out of your owne Authors was for Truth and equitie-sake And secondly what Conscience can it be in such Obiectors which the more Ingenuous among you will gain-say acknowledging it possible that such as are diuided from the outward Communion of your Church if yet they ruine not the Foundations of Faith May by their inward will otherwise be ioyned vnto her Such as was saith he the case of Cyprian from the Church of Rome Now what Christian is there opposite to the Church of Rome but he hath a desire and will that she were as Orthodoxe in faith and as sincere in worship as euer she was that so he might be vnited vnto her Nay we dare herein appeale to many of your owne Consciences nothing doubting but that many of you conceiue Saluation towards all Protestants that in faith and repentance finish this their earthly pilgrimage accordingly as Some we speake from knowledge euen of the Society of the Iesuites haue done in desiring the prayers of Some Protestant yea and to vse their owne words Ex animo desiring the same And yet did these also as bitterly inueigh against Protestants as did other of their Sect which sheweth that your Authors tongues and pens are not directed by the same spirit Howsoeuer you your selues will condemne your Obiector of follie after that you haue heard some Instances First then in the Donatists They held all men damned that were not of their Church Whereas Saint Augustine their principall Aduersarie did thinke that Some of them were in the state of life Would you suffer your Obiector hereupon if he had liued in those daies to haue perswaded Saint Augustine by reason of this odds of opinion to leaue the Catholike Church and turne Donatist Secondly in the Grecians They you know at this day condemne the Church of Rome for consecrating the Sacrament in vnleauened bread for which cause they call them Azymites and Heretikes as impugners of the Gospell But yet you excuse Them in their Consecrating with leauened bread saying They may lawfully do it Here is then great odds also in these Censures Would you thereupon aduise your Fathers of the Councell of Trent necessarily to confesse that the Church of Rome hath for a long time bene Hereticall in that point and therefore ought to forbeare to Consecrate in Azymes any more A third Instance you may receiue from Pagans The Indian Priests called Bramenes beleeued and taught that to take bread from the hand of a Christian is Sacriledge whereas Christian Doctrine saith to the Christian If an Infidel bid thee to a feast whatsoeuer is set before thee eate c.
call Papisticall Faith Take vnto you an Answer which may reciprocally satisfie both you and vs accordingly as we are both directed by Saint Augustine and Saint Cyprian two ancient and godly Fathers They saith Saint Augustine concerning the Donatists who were knowne to be notorious Schismatikes that do defend their false opinion without pertinacie especially if it be such as they are no Authors of themselues but which they haue receiued from their seduced Ancestors yet cautelously seeking after the Truth and prepared to embrace the same so soone as it shall be reuealed Such saith he will not I account Heretikes Accordingly Saint Cyprian If any of our Elders saith he haue not obserued thus much either through their ignorance or simplicity not holding that which Christ hath taught and commanded vs such may through the mercie of God find pardon whereas we stand without pardon if against our knowledge we shall reiect the admonitions of Christ. This agreeth with that of holy writ spoken of them who were ignorantly plunged in rebellion and therefore as being excusable are said to haue gone in Simplicitie If hereuponn we shall enter into Comparison with you by supposing an error in both Churches yet cannot the ignorancee of the Protestants be called Affected because they are willing as the Apostle directeth To trie all things and ready to keepe that which is good Nor are they stupidly and wilfully ignorant led by the nose hood-winked through an Implicit Faith as your Profession teacheth Which one point maketh the state of Protestants far more iustifiable than yours can be Come we now seeing that you will needs to the Censuring of fore-Fathers wherein three points will be very considerable for our Iustification in comparison of you I. Is by examining whether side is more peremptorie in damning of any other Christian Churches II. Whether are guiltie in condemning the more sincere ancient and Orthodoxe Fathers III. Whether do by their Profession iudge and deliuer ouer to Sathan greater multitudes of fore-fathers and professed Christians The first point is more than euident for the Article of your Creed is absolutely to iudge as damned without all possibility of Absolution all Christians whatsoeuer that are not professedly Papists We farre more Christianly display Christ opening his armes of mercy vnto all that beleeue in him without wilfull blindnesse in erring and obstinacie in transgressing and also we beleeue that All such as seeke the knowledge of the Truth with a simple heart are not secluded from life which issueth from Christ to all who shall by Faith Touch but the hemme of his garment Secondly well it were you would vnderstand what fore-Fathers ye or we condemne for some may be more condemnable than others as may be discerned by that Testamentarie Exhortation which Ioshuah gaue to Gods people immediatly before his death Feare ye the Lord saith Ioshuah and serue him in sincerity and Truth and put away the gods which your Fathers serued on the other side of the flood and in Egypt and serue you the LORD The people to whom he spake had three kind of Fore-fathers some immediate and those were of the same profession with Ioshuah Some rather mediate and as it were once remoued namely they that had Apostated from Gods worship to Idolatry in seruing strange Gods And some Primitiue such as were Abraham and the other Patriarchs in the direct line of the Messiah The first and last ranke of Fathers they were taught to heare and imitate onely from the middle sort that had declined from God the people were commanded to depart as from Fathers of a damnable condition Will you bee tried by this Example Your Proselites are taught to condemne their Protestant Parents and Progenitors being of the Reformed Religion and the Articles of your New Creede haue condemned the ancient Fathers of Primitiue times as hath bene prooued to the full We honouring the memorie of all Fathers of the Primitiue ages yea of the Popes of the Church of Rome for more than 600. yeares space do onely condemne them although not absolutely who were the fore-Fathers of the middle order who degenerated from their first integritie and were drowned in Superstition Thirdly as for the numbers of fore-Fathers damned by your new Romane Creed they are innumerable For what millions of millions of the truly ancient Fathers were not as hath bene prooued Subiect to your Romane Church and therefore haue incurred your sentence of Damnation What myriads of myriads of soules of Grecians Assyrians Aegyptians and others professing the same Christian Faith do not your cursing and cursed Romish Mount Ebal daily damne to the pit of hell And yet you blush not to obiect vnto Protestants their Damning of their fore-Fathers God grant that this make not to your greater Damnation THESIS VII The Protestants at this day stand more Iustifiable in their Separation from Rome than did either the Ancient Primitiue Churches in her Excommunicating of Them or yet LVTHER and his FOLLOVVERS in their Departure from Her SECT 29. IT is high time Wee end this Taske which We conclude in this Thesis for Proofe whereof be you pleased to call to mind the Romish Excommunications denounced first against the Asian Churches and that onely for a matter of Ceremonie next against Saint Cyprian and the Africane and Numidian Byshops and Churches in a Question of Rebaptization which was but One and that no fundamentall Error then against Theophilus and Cyrill both Bishops of Alexandria together with Acacius and Atticus both Bishops of Constantinople onely about Admitting or not Admitting of the Name of Chrysostome into the Diptikes or Tables of Commemoration then against the Opposition of the Churches of Africke in the dayes of Saint Augustine onely against the pretended Iurisdiction of Rome in the Case of Appeales All which with many other Catholike Churches and Fathers as well Greeke as Latine haue contemned the Pride of the Church of Rome in Primitiue Ages when-as other wise the Bishops of Rome were Godly and Orthodox But LVTHER contented with Rome not about Ceremonies or Iurisdictions but about the Soule 's life both in the point of the Iustification of a Sinner before God and of the religious and spirituall Worship properly due to our Iealous God which Contention was begun before the Councell of Trent Secondly after that was a Generall free Councell desired as a Remedie for all Diseases in the Church but alas whiles Rome would needs be that Catholike Church the Remedie was turned presently into a Poison so desperate is her Case 1. By enthralling All to the pleasure of the Pope which is a depriuing of the Church of Christ of her Liberty 2. By authorizing her Idolatrie 3. By giuing Safe-Conduct to Protestants for the discussion of their Opinions and yet not suffering Them to Dispute in their Councell an Argument of their Obstinacie 4. By Decreeing and Creating a CREED consisting of aboue XX. new Articles of Faith as Necessary to
desire to be vnited with the Church So they which is full enough for your fuller conuiction CHALLENGE IF without the Romane Church some may bee actually saued then the Addition of the word ROMANE caonot be a Declaration of The Catholike Church without which there is no Saluation But the Romane Church is such without which as you confesse some may be actually saued Ergo the Addition of the word ROMANE to the Catholike Church cannot bee a Declaration thereof For although All agree in this as your selues confesse that Without the Catholike Church there is no saluation yet haue you confessed two sorts of Christian Professors namely Excommunicates and Catechumenists to bee actually saued albeit no Members of your Romane Church As for being Saued only by Desire or Vâ—we of being in your Church it is but a wilde and extrauagant piece of learning in the iudgement of your owne Iesuite But we will reason the matter with you Know you not that the Church Catholike is compared by Saint Petor to the Arke of Noah that as all which were within that Arke were saued all without it were drowned although they Desired neuer so much to haue been admitted into the Arke so it is in the Church Catholike whosoeuer are essentiall members thereof cannot possibly perish and contrarily whoseuer is not a reall and vitall member therein cannot but perish The fourth Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be a Declaration of the Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed In respect of the Diuine Authority of the Article SECT 7. IT hath alwaies beene the Profession of the Catholike Church it selfe not to esteeme any Doctrine an Article of Faith which is not constituted and to speake with better Emphasis Created by Diuine authority This being a Truth vniuersally consented vnto you if you will make good the Addition of the word ROMANE to the Article of the Catholike Church are iustly challengable either to proue that the Romane Church as it is the Romane Church was constituted by diuine Authority to be rather than any other transcendently THE Catholike Church or else to confesse your Article of Romane Church without which there is no Saluation to be but new and consequently a Doctrine rather of fancie than of Faith The necessity of this Consequence was well foreseene of those your Popes who were the first Authors and Patrons of this Article and therefore haue published in their writings and decrees that The Romane Church was by Diuine Authority ordained to be the Catholike Church This Question dependeth vpon the reason of the Pope of Rome his succession to Saint Peter to wit whether it were allotted to the Bishop of Rome to succed Saint Peter as Head of the Catholike Church by the institution of Christ or else by the fact of Saint Peter himselfe For if it were by command and appointment of Christ then it must be allowed as a Diuine Ordinance but if it issued onely from the fact of Saint Peter then by your owne Confessions it is no doctrine of Faith This being the state of the Question as it is propounded by your selues hereunto we desire to receiue your owne Resolutions To this purpose when wee consult with your choisest Doctors as namely Bellarmine Suarez Soto Paludanus Bannes Augustinus Triumphus Cordubensis Armachanus Waldensis and Others they that speake more ingenuously doe freely grant that the pretended Pontificall Dignity Romane as it is Romane is not from diuine authority because onely from the fact of Peter They that are more affectionate to the Romane See although they attribute it to the Institution of Christ yet dare they not say that this is to be beleeued vpon certainty of Faith but onely as a matter Probable and Coniecturall Nay if you shall haue but a little patience vntill we descend to that point you shall perceiue by the iudgement of the Catholike Church it selfe in a generall Councell of primatiue Antiquity that The Prerogatiue which the Church of Rome then had was but from Humane authority CHALLENGE AN Addition standing onely vpon Probability and Coniecture cannot be infallibly a Declaration of an Article of Faith founded vpon Diuine and Infallible authority But your Addition of the word ROMANE standeth as you confesse vpon probability and Coniecture onely Ergo it cannot be an infallible Declaration of the Apostolicall Article The Catholike Church without which there is no saluation And consequently your word ROMANE added to the Christian Creed thereby to make the Romane Church The Catholike Church without which there is no saluation must necessarily be iudged Antichristian The fift Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be a Declaration of the Article The Catholike Church as it is Visible in respect of the Time past whereunto the word CATHOLIKE hath relation euen before Rome was founded a Church SECT 8. WHo knoweth not that your Addition of the word ROMANE vnto the Apostolicall Article of The Catholike Church is to infuse an opinion into the mindes of Christians that Catholike and Romane are termes vniuocall and conuertible which is as much as to say that whensoeuer there was a Romane Church it was The Catholike Church and whensoeuer there was a Catholike Church it was Romane Scarce shall you finde any Romish Professor especially among the vulgar who haue not this conceit of that Article of Christian Faith Notwithstanding your more learned Doctors are not ignorant that this Apostolicall Article The Catholike Church was published before that in Rome was founded a Church and that the Apostolicall Church it selfe was Catholike before the Article of the Catholike Church was proclaimed Which name CATHOLIKE or vniuersall was first attributed to the Church Christian To distinguishit as you know from the Synagogue of the Iewes which was circumscribed and confined to one only nation whereas the Church Catholike is not limited to any one place but is as broad in succession of place as is the whole world Now concerning the Catholike Church in the time of the Apostles Card. Baronius whose History you honour as an heauenly Lampe or torch telleth you that The Creed of the Apostles wherein is the Article of The Catholike Church was composed by them in the yeere of Christ XLIV and that the Catholike Church was extant sometime before this Article was put into the tenor of the Creed Which he demonstrateth from the act of Saint Peter who in the yeere of our Sauiour XXXIX is found Visiting the Churches in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia c. That the same Apostle Saint Peter Constituted the Church of Antioch in the same yeere and after that he had gouerned the See of Antioch seuen yeeres hee in the yeere XLV translated his See from Antioch to Rome Your other Chronologer Genebrard yeeldeth vnto vs eleuen yeeres betweene the Composing of the Apostles Creed and the first foundation of the Church of Rome by the Apostle Saint
the Church Catholike as commonly doe the Professed Protestants The words of your owne Authors amount to no lesse than a plaine Confession that The Arian Heresie trauelled almost ouer the whole Romane Orbe Euen From the rising of the Sun to the noone-point and after passing by the North at length it infected almost the whole Westerne part of Christendome That the same Heresie polluted almost all Christian Churches and the Patriarchall Seates of Antioch Alexandria and Hierusalem and at length passing into the Westerne parts meaning the Romane Iuâ—isdiction substituted Felix into the Romane Chaire instead of Liberius and so ran his Course through-out the whole world in a trice When the Church was brought to that lowe ebbe that the same Pope Liberius hearing the Arian Emperour to obiect the Paucity of Orthodoxe Fathers doubted not to make his Answer It mattereth not saith he whether the true Professors be moe or fewer for the Church of the Iewes was once reduced to the number of Three So accordingly Saint Hilaery bewailed the state of the Church saying that it had forsaken Temples and buildings and was more safe in Mountaines Lakes and Prisons And Greg. Nazianzene speaking of his own Church at that time It was proper to our Fold saith he that it could not be broken insomuch that we were often termed the Arke of Noah as those who onely escaped drowning in the flood So he Would it not pose you to tell what was the face and appearance of the Romane Church when onely the Church of Nazianzum was said to escape the Deluge of that Arrian Heresie But how much greater is the Cloude of Obscurity of the Church prophecied of in the daies of Antichrist Let your Rhemists shout as loud as they can that the Catholike Church is alwaies Notably visible in her visible Pastors Sacraments and names of her Professors yet at length as it were with shouting they waxing hoarse tell you of an Externall cessation of all outward Communion from the Catholike Church excepting the Communion in the hearts of her Professors And falling into a Meditation of these words of the Apoc. Chap. 12. ver 6. The Woman fledd into the Wildernesse whereby is ment the Church Catholike seeking resuge from the violance of Antichrist They giue you this Note At which time for all that say they the Church shall not want our Lord's protection nor Pastors nor be so secret but that all faithfull men shall know and follow her much lesse shall she decay and erre from the Faith as Heretikes wickedly feine but be as the Catholike Church now in England in the time of Persecution because it hath no publike Seate of Regiment nor open free exercise of holy function And although it may be said to be fledd into the Desert yet is it neither Vnknowne vnto the Faithfull that followe it nor to the Enemies that persecute it So They. In which one testimonie we haue an hotch-potch of Truth Folly and Falshood together Truth in acknowledging such an Obscurity of the Church as that whereby shee is depriued of publike gouernement and free exercise of Ecclesiasticall Function Falshood in obiecting vnto Protestants whom they as falsly call Heretikes an opinion of Decay and errour from Faith in the whole Catholike Church which vnto your own Bellarmine seemed in effect to be a lewd Slander And thirdly what greater Folly and absurdity can there bee than to dreame as Master Fisher likewise hath done of a Church Flying into the Desert vnder God's protection that it should not be knowne and yet in his opinion not vnknowne to her Persecutors With like reason might they assure you that the Hare is still knowne to the Hunter when shee flieth into a thicket and place by God's prouidence of such safety that neither man nor dogg can hunt her out We had rather you should heare the more iudicious and ingenuous Acknowledgements of your other Iesuites Ribera Pererius Acosta Viegaâ— from whom you may heare of the Church flying into the Wildernesse to a place prepared for her of God So that Shee can either not be enquired of where shee is by the Ministers of Antichrist or at least not be found out When the Churches seruice and worship shall be in secret the Sacrifice of the Masse shall cease the Liturgie and forme of prayer shall be abolished and all shall adore Antichrist except the Predestinate whose names are written in the Booke of Life So they Did you euer heare from any Protestant a signification of any greater Obscurity of the Church than this is Which differeth not from the iudgement of ancient Fathers who speaking of the Catholike Church say that This Sunne shall be darkened and the Moone shall not giue her light Not appearing to her Persecutors And this Mother shall be vnable to bring forth the Children of her wombe Of Departure from some particular Churches THESIS V. All particular Churches are not to bee forsaken for euery Vnsoundnesse in either Manners Worship or Doctrine SECT 6. WEe haue Christ his Warrant in the Case of Vnsoundnesse in Manners Mat. 23.3 Whatsoeuer they bid you doe that obserue and doe but after their workes doe not Shall the Iniquity of the Minister make the promises of God of none effect God forbid Or because they haue foule hands must I haue deafe yeeres Abel and Cain might offer Sacrifice at one Altar Peter and Iudas present themselues together at one sacred Supper The Publican and Pharisee pray in one Temple Peruse but the Booke of God the holy Scripture from the beginning of Genesis vnto the end of the Apocalypse and you shall scarce finde one example of any particular Church consisting onely of sanctified Professors without mixture as in the barne of both Chaffe and Wheate or without as the net good and badd fishes or without as the fold sheepe and goats still diuers in dissimilitude of manners not in diuision of Sacraments no not in the family of Noah within the Arke Which we speake to the iust Condemnation of all such Separatists who as of old the Donatists for onely scandall taken at the wicked liues of the Professors doe breake the barne burst the net ouerthrowe the fold and rend the vn-seamed Coat of Christ by diuiding themselues from the Church of their owne Profession Next euery corrupt Custome in the publike Worship of God is no sufficient Warrant or cause of Separation from the particular Church wherein we haue beene baptized or haue made profession of our Faith except the forme thereof bee some-way Idolatrous For we reade how the High places and Groues were forbidden of God Deut. 12. yet in the time of their Iudges God suffred their Sacrifice Iud. 6. and as Saint Augustine you know saith God accepted their Offerings As for errour in Doctrine your Cardinall will haue you vnderstand that Particular Churches may erre in some points of Faith and yet be accounted true Churches and hee