Lind. lib. 2. Strom. c. 2. c. they are dead characters a killing letter without life a matter of contention a wood of theeues a shop of heretiques imperfect doubtfull fall of perplexities not to be permitted to the common people Laicis lectioneÌ„ scripturarum permittere esset sanctuÌ„ dare canibus Margaritas antè porcos proiicere Hos de express verbo Dei for this were all one saith Hosius as to giue that which is holy vnto dogges and cast pearles before swine Nay more Cardinall Bellarmine assures vs that the people will not onely reape no benefit but detriment by reading them for they would easily take occasion to erre both in manners and doctrine Populus non solum non caperet fructum ex Scripturis sed etiaÌ„ caperet detrimentum Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 2 cap. 15. Bell. ibid. And for confirmation of his assertion among other proofes he giues this instance If an ignorant lay-man should reade of the adultery of Dauid of the incest of Thamar of the lyes of Iudith and many such like things conteined in the Scriptures either it would cause him to imitate their examples or hee would thinke them to bee lying inuentions or being not able to resolue them would be in danger to beleeue nothing at all These the like examples which in trueth concerne the liues and manners of men not the doctrine are registred by the will and mercie of that good God to preuent despaire in others who may vnhappily fall into the like sinnes and yet that no man might presume to commit the like sinnes by their examples hee who reades of the adultery of Dauid shall read likewise of the punishment allotted to his sinnes and hee that reads the particular examples of Thamar and Iudith shall finde such seuere and fearefull iudgements in generall denounced against those sins that he shal haue little cause or comfort to follow their examples in such particulars but from hence rather we may obserue the sinceritie of the Pen-men of the holy Ghost who impartially set downe the vices of the best men and greatest Patriarkes as well as their vertues and by this declaration of the sinnes of the regenerate and best seruants of Christ wee are taught to humble our selues and to flie to our Sauiour for mercie and grace that euery tongue may confesse to thee O God Thou onely art holy And certainely from hence I meane from these the like examples Saint Austen Saint Hierom and the ancient Fathers confuted the Pelagian Heretikes who with Bellarmine and his associates maintained the perfection of righteousnesse in this life But admit these and many such like places were hard to be vnderstood in Scriptures Est fluuius planê° et altus in quo agnus ambulet et elephas natet Greg. ad Leand. praef Ioh. cap. 4. yet there is milke for babes as well as stronger meate for stronger men there is depth saith Gregorie for the Elephant to swimme and shallow fords for the lambe to wade in Hee that gaue a heart and wisedome to the Apostles to preach that heauenly word opened the heart of Lydia a poore ignorant woman to vnderstand it and for that purpose saith Chrysostome the Spirit of God hath so ordered and disposed the Scriptures Chrys in Conc. 3. de Lazaro that Publicanes and Fishers and Tent-makers and Shepheards Apostles and vnlearned men should be saued by those bookes and to that ende no ignorant man should pretend obscuritie for his excuse it is ordained that the labourer and seruant the widow woman and the most vnlearned man by hearing them should reape some benefit Nay more saith he to whom are the Scriptures obscure who is there that heareth the words Blessed are the meek Blessed are the merciful Blessed are the pure in heart and the like that shall need an Expositor Besides the words the Miracles the Histories they are knowne and euident to all and lastly he concludes that the difficultie and obscuritie of the Scriptures which the Romanists pretend at this day Is but a vaile and pretext to cloake idlenesse Praetextê° est et causatio pigritiaeque velamentuÌ„ Chrysost Nos libeÌ„â—èr fâ—emur tuÌ„c teÌ„poris Laicos in Scripturarum lectione fuisse versatos Azor. Tom. 1. Moral li. 8 cap 26 Ita prouidit dulcis paternemineÌ„ esse tam rudeÌ„ et imperitum quin si humilitèr legat multa illie vtilia veraque intelligat neminem tam doctuÌ„ quin illic multo plura ignoret quaÌ„ sciat Aâ— of l. 2 de Christo Reuel c. â— This doctrine was so frequent generall among the Ancients in the Primitiue church that Azorius the Iesuite is inforced to confesse We willingly grant that in those dayes the lay people were conuersant in the reading of the Scriptures And if we looke vpon the lay persons of their times Acosta his fellow Iesuite ingenuously professeth that Our gracious God hath so prouided in holy Writ that there is none so rude and ignorant but by reading the Scriptures in humility may vnderstand many things both profitable and true as likewise there is none so learned but hee may still bee ignorant of more then he knowes nay more saith hee I haue seene some men vtterly vnlearned Vidi viros prorsus illiteratos c. Idem cap. 5. and scarce knowing Latin haue gathered out of the Scriptures such profound knowledge that I haue wondred at them But the spirituall man iudgeth all things Heere is a free confession and a faire euidence from two learned Iesuites the one testifieth that the scriptures were vsually read by the Lay people in the Primitiue Church the other witnesseth of his owne knowledge that an ignorant man hath receiued great benefit and likewise that great profite may redound to the people by reading them in these daies But put the case a Lay man should not vnderstand those things which are contained in the Scriptures notwithstanding ex ipsà Lectione out of the very reading of them there will arise great holinesse and sanctitie of life Admit many things are hard to bee vnderstood in the Scriptures which neuer any Protestant denyed yet saith Hierome Hiero. in Epist ad Paulinum there is the Booke of Genesis most plaine for euery mans vnderstanding therein you may see the creation of the World the beginning of Mankind the confusion of Languages plainely described and as touching the booke of Iob there you may learne a patterne for Patience and there you may see the Resurrection plainly deciphered Magna vtilitatis est ipsa obscuritas eloquioruÌ„ Dei quia exereet sensum vt fatigatione ditatetur c. Greg. lib. 1. Hom. 6. in Ezek. nay more The obscuritie of the Scripture is very profitable saith Gregory for it doth exercise the senses whereby one may vnderstand that which otherwise hee would be ignorant of for if the sacred Scriptures were easie and familiar in all places they would be neglected which obscure places by study and industry being
we haue the Councell of Laodicca in the Primitiue Church generally receiued and aftewards confirmed by a general Councel since wee haue the consent of the ancient Fathers and the ample testimonies of Bishops and Cardinals and learned Writers in the bosome of the Roman Church who witnesse with vs the Antiquity and Vniuersality of our Canon in all ages I hope wee may with good reason reiect the Apocryphall Scriptures as often as they are produced against vs for Freewill for Purgatory for Prayer for the dead for Invocation of Saints for Worshipping of Angells and the like these things I say rightly considered and patiently heard on both sides I shall appeale to their owne learned Cardinall Cajetans confession who concludes for the antiquitie of our doctrine and the Vniuersalitie of the Iewes Canon Duas maximas vtilitates ex IudaeoruÌ„ obstinacia percipimê° altera est fides libroruÌ„ sacrorum Si enim omnes conuersi essent ad ChristuÌ„ putaret iam mundus Iudaeorum ad inuentioneÌ„ fuisse quod fuerit promissâ—s Messiis sed vbi inimici Christi Iudai perseuerant et testantur nullos alios apud Patres fuisse libros canonicè sacroâ—nisi istos Cajet CoÌ„ment in Rom c 11. Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. with one and the same reason All Christians receiue a double benefit by the Apostacie and obstinacie of the Iewes one is to know which are the true bookes of the Olde Testament for if all the Iewes had beene converted to the faith of Christ then would the world haue suspected that the Iewes had invented those promises which are of Christ the Messias but now for as much as the Iewes are enemies vnto Christ they beare witnesse vnto vs that there are no bookes Canonicall but those onely which the Iewes themselues acknowledged to bee Canonicall To conclude therefore this first poynt since the Scripture is the most certaine and safest rule of Faith by our aduersaries owne confession since the Canonicall bookes of Scripture which are the onely rule of Faith are conteined in the Law in the Prophets and the Psalmes vnder all or any of which the Apocryphall bookes are not conteined I say to leaue this certaine and safe way and receiue Apocryphall additions to that Word Deut. 4.2 c. 12.32 Prou. 30.6 Reuel 22.18 when it is strictly forbidden by God himselfe Thou shalt not adde to this Word this is Via dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way this is Via Deuia a wandring and By-way But because our aduersaries insist vpon an other ground viz. NoÌ„ aliundè nos habere Scripturam esse diuinaÌ„ et qui sunt libri sacri quaÌ„ ex Traditioniê° noÌ„ scriptis Bel. de verb. Dei lib. 4. c. 4. That by no other meanes wee can know the Scriptures to be diuine nor the bookes to bee holy and Canonicall but onely from vnwritten Tradition I will leaue them to their Apocryphall Scriptures and pursue them in their vnwritten traditions in the next place SECT VII The Romanists in poynt of Traditions contradict the truth and themselues grounding most of their erronious Doctrine vpon vnwritten Traditions and yet frequently alledge the written Word for them IT is the first Article of the Romane Creed to which all Bishops and Priests are sworne Bulla Pij 4. Art 1. I admit and embrace the Apostolicall and Ecclesiasticall Traditions and the other obseruations and constitutions of the Church What are meant by those Obseruations and Constitutions of the Church and how the Priests are bound to imbrace them The Councell of Trent declareth in this manner Necnon Traditiones ipsas tum ad fidem tum ad mo res pertineÌ„tes pari pietutis affectu ac reuerentia suscipit veneratur Conc. Trid Sess 4. Decret 1. Traditions appertaining to faith and manners as if they were dictated by Christ himselfe with his owne mouth or by the holy spirit and preserued by a continuall succession in the Catholique Church the Councell receiueth with equall reuerence and religious affection as shee receiues the holy Striptures themselues Heere was the first alteration made touching the rule of Faith and from the Decree of this Councell Bellarmines doctrine began to take place Regula partialis noÌ„ totalis Bell. The Scripture is but a partiall not a totall rule of Faith for certainly till this time Traditions concerning faith and manners were neuer reputed of equall authoritie with the Scriptures nor a part of the Rule of Faith It was the Tenet of Aquinas and the later Schoolemen knew no other doctrine till the Councell of Trent Aquin. in 1. ad Tim. cap. 6. The doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles is called Canonicall because it is the rule of our vnderstanding and therefore no man ought to teach otherwise But you shall obserue from and after this time the Romanists performed their oath Ex abundanti I may say more then enough Cardinall Baronius tells vs Tradition is the foundation of Scriptures Baron An. 58. n. 11. and excels them in this that the Scriptures cannot subsist vnlesse they bee strengthened by Traditions but Tradition hath strength enough without the Scriptures And that the world may know it is vsuall with our aduersaries not onely to equall their vnwritten Traditions but also to aduance them aboue the Scriptures let their sayings bee weighed by any indifferent man and it will appeare the Scriptures are of so little vse or esteeme with them as if they were not worthy to be named in poynts of controuersie betwixt vs. Lindan Panopl l. 1. c. 22. l. 5. c. 4. l. 1. c. 6. c. Traditions saith Lindan are the most certaine foundations of Faith the most sure ground of the sacred Scriptures the impenetrable buckler of Ajax the suppresser of all heresies On the other side the Scripture saith hee is a nose of waxe a dead and killing letter without life a meere shell without a kernell a leaden rule a wood of thieues a shop of heretiques and the like Costerus the Iesuite tels vs for certain It was neuer the minde of Christ either to commit his mysteries to parchment or that his Church should depend on paper writings but say the Rhemists Rhem. Test in 2. Thess 2. v. 19. Wee haue plaine Scriptures all the Fathers most euident reasons that wee must either beleeue Traditions or nothing at all nay more saith Costerus The excellencie of the vnwritten word doth far surpasse the Scriptures which the Apostles left vs in parchments Coster Euchrist cap. 1 pag. 44. the one is written by the finger of God the other by the penne of the Apostles the Scripture is a dead letter written in paper or parchment which may be razed or wrested at pleasure but Tradition is written in mens hearts which cannot be altered the Scripture is like a scabberd which will receiue any sword either leaden or woodden or brazen and suffereth it selfe to be drawen by any interpretation Tradition retaines the true
example of life and instruction of manners but yet it doth not apply them to establish any doctrine Conc. Trid. Sess 4. Church of Rome If any shall refuse the books of Maccabees for Canonicall Scriptures let him be accursed In hoc volumine omnia quae crudiuÌ„t cuncta quae aedificant scripta coÌ„tineÌ„tur Greg. in Ezek. l. 1. Hom 9. Aâ—tic 6. Scripturae sine Traditionibê° nec fueruÌ„t simplicitèr necessaria nec sufficientes Bell. de ver D noÌ„ scrip c. 4. et Conc. Trid. Sess 4 decret 1. The sufficiencie of the Scriptures Gregory Whatsoeuer serueth for edification and instruction is conteined in the Volume of the Scriptures Church of England Holy Scriptures containe all things necessarie to saluation Church of Rome Scriptures without Traditions are neither simply necessary nor sufficient Reading of the Scriptures Gregorie The Scripture is an Epistle sent from God to his creature that is to Priest and people If thou receiuest a letter from an earthly King Greg. lib. 4. Epist 40. ad Theedor Medicum This instructioÌ„ was to a Physician a lay man thou wilt neuer rest nor sleepe before thou vnderstand it The King of Heauen and God of men and Angels hath sent his Letters vnto thee for the good of thy soule and yet thou neglectest the reading of them I pray thee therefore studie them and daily meditate of the words of thy Creator and learne the heart and mind of God in the words of God Church of England The Scriptures are Manna and gi-giuen vs from heauen to feed vs in the desert of this world Iewel in his Treatise of the holy Scriptures pag. 46. 47. Let vs reade them and behold them and reason of them and learne one of another what profit may come to vs by them for all haue right to heare the word of God all haue need to know the word of God Index lib. prohib in obseruat circa Regulam 4. Church of Rome Wheras it is manifest by experience that if the holy Bible should be permitted to be read in the vulgar tongue it would bring more danger then benefit by the rashnesse of men therefore they are forbidden to the common people See Hard. in Iewel Art 15. diuis 3. yea and to Regulars to reade or retaine any vulgar Translation without the licence of their Bishops or Inquisitor The Reall Presence Gregorie Preciosi saÌ„guinâ— effusione genus humanum Christus redemit sacrosancti viâ—â—sficies car poris sui sanguinis mysterium meÌ„bris suis tribuâ—â— cuius perceptione corpus suum qd est Ecclesia pascitur potatur abluitur sanctificatur Greg. in 6 Psal poenitent Christ with the effusion of his most precious blood redeemed mankind and giueth vnto his members the most holy mysteries of his quickening body and blood by the participation whereof his body which is the Church is nourished with meat and drinke and is washed and sanctified Here Gregorie makes a plaine difference betweene the body of Christ offered on the Crosse and the mysterie of that body offered in the Sacrament and that we might know it was not a corporall but a mysticall body he tels vs Christs Body is the Church and that wee might yet further know the members of Christ were not fed with reall flesh and blood for there is nothing more absurd saith Bellarmin then to think the substance of our flesh should bee nourished with the flesh of Christ Bellar. de Euch. lib. 2. cap 4. hee tels vs they are nourished with meat drinke and withall are washed and sanctified by the mysterie of his body And to remoue all imaginations of a carnal presence hee proclaimes it elsewhere in the words of an Angel Greg. Hom. in Euan 21 Hee is risen hee is not here Christ saith hee is not here in the presence of his flesh yet hee is absent no where by the presence of his Deitie Church of England The Body of Christ is giuen Iewel Art 5. p. 238. taken and eaten in the Supper onely after a heauenly and spirituall maner Wee seeke Christ aboue in heauen and imagine not him to bee bodily present vpon the earth Church of Rome Conc. Trid. Sess 13. c. 1. In the Sacrament of the Eucharist after consecration our Lord Iesus Christ true God and man is truely really and substantially contained vnder the forme of sensible things Si fuissent mille hostiae in mille locis eo tempore quo Christê° perpendit in cruce Cristê° fusset crucifiâ—ous in mille locis Holcot in Sententque Insomuch as Holcot the Iesuit professeth If there had been a thousand Hosts in a thousand places at that very time when Christ hung vpon the Crosse then had Christ been crucified in a thousand places Priuate Masse Gregorie Let not the Priest alone celebrate Masse for as hee cannot performe it without the presence of the Priest and people Sacerdos Missam solê° nequaquam celebret Greg. in lib. Capitulari cap. 7. apud Cassand Liturg. 33. p. 83. so likewise it ought not to bee performed by one alone for there ought to be present some to whom he ought to speake and who in like maner ought to answere him and hee must withall remember that saying of Christ Where two or three are gathered together in my name I will be present with them Church of England The breaking of bread which is now vsed in the Masse Iewel Art 1. in fine signifieth a distribution of the Sacrament vnto the people as Saint Austen saith vnto Paulinus It is broken to the end it may bee diuided Church of Rome If any shall say that Priuate Masses in which the Priest alone doth Sacramentally communicate Conc. Trid. Can. 8. Sess 22. are vnlawfull and therefore ought to bee abrogated let him bee accursed Communion in both kinds Gregorie You haue learned what the blood of the Lamb is not by hearing De Consecrat Dist 2. Qâ—iâ— sit sanguis §. but by drinking Againe The blood of Christ is not powred into the hands of vnbeleeuers but into the mouthes of the faithfull people Church of England The Cup of the Lord is not to bee denied to the lay people Artiâ— 30. for both the parts of the Lords Sacrament by Christs ordinance and commandement ought to be ministred to all Christian men alike Church of Rome Although our Sauiour did exhibite in both kinds Conc. Trid. cap. 3. Sess 21. yet if any shall say the holy Catholique Church was not induced for iust causes to communicate the lay people vnder one kinde and shall say they erred in so doing let him be accursed Merit of workes Sunt nonnulli qui saluos se suis viribê° exultaÌ„t suisque praecedentibus meritis redemptos se esse gloriantur quorum profectò assertio inuenitur sibinetipsis contraria quia dum Innocentes se asserunt et redemptos hoc ipsuÌ„ in se redeÌ„ptionis nomeÌ„ euacuant In 28 1. Iob l. 18. c.
22. Aliud est secundum opera aliud propter opera reddere IdeÌ„ 7. Psal Poenit. Gregorie There are some which glory that they are saued by their owne strength and brag that they are redeemed by their own precedent merits but herein they contradict themselues for whilst they affirm that they are innocent and yet redeemed they frustrate the name of Redemption in themselues Againe If the blessednesse of the Saints bee acquired by mercy not by merits how is it said He will render to euery man according to his workes If it bee according to his workes how is it giuen of mercie It is one thing saith hee to giue according to their workes another thing to giue for their workes sake And from this ground hee makes this his confession I pray to bee saued Idem in 1. Psal Paenit not trusting to my merits but presuming to obtaine that by thy mercie alone which I hope not for by merit Church of England We are accounted righteous before God onely Art 11. by the merit of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ by Faith and not our owne workes For to haue affiance in our workes Homily of goodworks as by merit of them to purchase to our selues remission of sinnes and eternall life is blasphemy Church of Rome Good workes are meritorious Rhem. Annot in Heb. 6. ver 10. and the very cause of saluation so farre that God should be vniust if he rendered not Heauen for the same Againe All good works done by Gods grace after the first justification Idem in 2. Tim. 4.8 bee truely and properly meritorious and fully worthy of euerlasting life and that thereupon Heauen is the due and iust stipend crowne or recompense which God by his Iustice oweth to the persons so working by his grace for hee rendreth or repayeth heauen as a iust Iudge and not onely as a mercifull Giuer and the Crowne which hee payeth is not onely of mercie or fauour or grace but also of justice Worship of Images Gregorie In his Epistle to Serenus Bishop of Masilia saith Greg. lib. 7. Epist 109. Your Brotherhood seeing certaine worshippers of Images broke the said Images and cast them out of the Church the zeale which you had that nothing made with hands should be worshipped we praise but wee thinke you should not haue broken them downe For Painting is therefore vsed in Churches that they which are vnlearned may by sight reade that on the walles which in bookes they cannot Your brotherhood should therefore haue spared the breaking of them and yet restrained the people from worshipping them AdorationeÌ„ omnibê° modis deuita Lib. 9. Ep. 5. that the rude might haue had how to come by the knowledge of the Story and yet the people not sinne in worshipping the picture Church of England The Romish doctrine concerning the worshipping and adoration Art 22. as well of Images as of Reliques is a fond thing vainely inuented and grounded vpon no Warrant of Scripture but rather repugnant to the VVord of God Church of Rome Wee teach Conc. Trid. Sess 25. that the Images of Christ the Virgin Mother of God and other Saints are chiefely in Churches to bee had and retained and that due honor worship is to be giuen vnto them The Popes Supremacie Gregorie Ego fidenter dico Lib. 6. ep 30 Mauricio Augusto Idem lib. 6. ep 24. lib. 4. ep 32. 34. 36 38. 39. I say confidently Whosoeuer calls himselfe or desires to be called the Vniuersall Bishop in the pride of his heart is the forerunner of Antichrist For the title of vniuersall Bishop is the puffe of arrogancie the word of pride a new pompous a peruerse foolish a rash a superstitious a profane an vngodly and wicked name a name of singularitie a name of errour a name of hypocrisie a name of vanitie and a name of blasphemie And writing to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria hee makes this profession For mine owne part Greg. lib. 7. ep 30. I seeke to increase in vertues and not in words for if you call me Vniuersall Bishop you denie your selues to be that which you confesse to be wholly in me but God forbid let vs rather put farre from vs these words which puffe vp pride and vanitie and wound Charitie to the death Church of England It is plaine that the Bishop of Rome challengeth this day a title that St. Peter neuer had Iewel Art 4 Diuis 4. that no holy nor godly man would euer take vpon him that St. Gregorie vtterly refused and detested and called blasphemy Church of Rome The Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome may bee prooued by fifteene seuerall Names or Titles Bell. de PoÌ„t lib. 2. c. 31. as namely the Prince of Priests the High Priest the Vicar of Christ the vniuersall Bishop and the like and from those high and mightie Titles they haue created this Article of faith Wee declare Subesse Romano Pont. omni humanae creaturae declaramê° dicimus definimus pronunciamus omninò esse de necessitate salutis Bonif. 8. in extran de Maior Obed. Cap. Vnam SanctaÌ„ c. we pronounce wee define that euery creature vpon necessitie of saluation must be subiect to the Bishop of Rome Thus briefly I haue giuen you the principall poynts of doctrine deliuered by Gregorie and from these his seuerall confessions I hope the Romanists will giue me leaue to returne them their owne assertion If an Angel from heauen teach other doctrine Touching the books of Maccabees the All-sufficiencie and reading of the Scriptures the Reall presence Priuate Masse Communion in both kinds Merit of workes Worship of Images and the Popes Supremacy I say with our aduersaries If an Angel froÌ„ heauen teach other doctrine then in these particulars we haue receiued from Gregorie we are not to heare him I proceed from Fathers to Councels and vpon a reviewe of the Fathers Doctrine I will here conclude Since the ancient Doctors are no Rules of our Faith nor haue any power to bind as Bellarmine confesseth since their bookes are sometimes purged their authorities sometimes condemned as spurious and counterfet as their Inquisitors confesse since their Expositions with an vniforme consent are sometimes decreed for an Article of Faith Bulla Pij 4. Artic. 2. sometimes declined by their best learned Romanists as namely Card. Bellarmine Andradius Card. Cajetan and Card. Baronius professe And lastly since the Scripture is the most certaine and most safe Rule of faith Scriptura regula credendi certissima tutissimaque Bellar. as it is acknowledged on both sides I say to leaue this certaine and safe rule and to follow the Fathers in all and tread in their steps as children doe in sport it is Via Dubia a doubtfull and vncertaine way it is Via Devia a wandring and By-way SECT XIIII Councells which are so highly extold and opposed against vs were neither called by lawfull authoritie or to the right ends as
to the Commission granted to Kings and Princes by expresse warrant from Gods owne mouth if I say contrary to Gods command after a continued succession in the right of Kings and Princes for 2400 yeeres he will vsurpe the right of calling Councells the Pope will not bee found Innocent nor his assemblies lawfull for the Towne-clerke of Ephesus could tell Dometrius and his fellowes If they enquire any thing Acts 19.39 concerning matters it must bee determined in a lawfull Assembly The promises of Christ no doubt are many and gracious to his Church but they are annexed to a condition if they come together in his Name the condition then being once broken the Obligation to the Church and Councell becommeth voyde of none effect It will not be amisse therefore to vnderstand what it is to assemble in Christs Name and then see whether the Church of Rome hath performed that second dutie in her assemblies It cannot be denied that they are said to assemble in Christs Name whom neither respect of priuate gaine induceth nor the ambitious desire of honour inuiteth nor the prick of hatred and enuie incite and driue forward but whom the inflamed loue of peace and the feruent affections of Christianitie impell and not the spirit of contention Surely these conditions are requisite to their right calling and these were anciently performed in the first foure Generall Councells to which our Church subscribeth but as their owne Cardinal Cusanus protested that the authority of Councels doth not depend vpon the Pope so likewise their owne learned Ferus professeth that In matters of Faith and things which concerne the conscience it is not sufficient for them to say Wee will and command but you must consider in what manner the Apostles dealt in their Assemblies they came together in simplicitie of heart seeking onely Gods glory and the saluation of others Nos aliter conuenimus nempe cum magnâ poÌ„pâ nosque ipsosquaerimê° atque nâ—bis â—ollicâ—â—ur nihil nobis non licere de plenitu dine potestatis quomodò spiritê° sanctê° eiusmodi conuentus probare possit Ferus super Acts 15. no maruell therefore if the Spirit of God was in that Councell but saith hee Nos aliter conuenimus Our meeting is in another manner namely with great pompe and seeking our selues and promising to our selues licence vpon fulnesse of power to doe any thing and this being so how is it possible for the Spirit of God to approue such assemblies Heere then wee haue our learned Aduersaries confessions that two principall conditions anciently in vse are both abrogated by the latter Councels the one is The Pope calls Councells that hath no right to call them the other is That they assemble in their owne name and for their owne end not for the Catholique peace and Christian Charitie And thus much briefely concerning the authoritie of Calling Councells Let vs take a short view of Councels in all ages and withall let vs adde to the Popes vnlawfull Calling the errors of Councels the vncertaintie of their Canons the manifest forgeries of ancient Decrees the palpable and grosse suggestions of new deuised Acts with their senselesse condemnation of true Decrees and Canons that make against their Romish Faith and Trent Doctrine and tell mee if these men haue any cause or reason to equall Councells with the Scriptures or to build vpon them in matters of Faith or to claime them all for theirs when by their owne ensuing testimonies they are doubtfull which are right which are false which are lawfull which are counterfet And lastly when they are not agreed amongst themselues whether Councels rightly called are infallible or stand subiect vnto errour SECT XV. Councels which our aduersaries pretend as a chiefe bulwarke of their faith giue no support at all to the Romish Religion as it is prooued by particular obiections made against seuerall Councells in all ages by the Romanists themselues CArdinall Bellarmine who formerly told vs the Church of God might safely subsist without Councels giues vs likewise to vnderstand by way of preuention Libri ConcilioruÌ„ negligenter conseruati sunt multis vitiis scatent Bel. de Concil l. 3 c. 2. that the Bookes of Councells being negligently kept doe abound with many errours and heereby we may guesse what is like to be the doctrine of those Councells that are guiltie of such errours and what will bee the issue of that doctrine that depends vpon such Councels Whether errors haue crept in by the negligence of the keepers I cannot tell but sure I am many generall and particular Councels haue erred many Decrees and Canons of Councells which are produced for the Romane Religion are acknowledged by themselues to bee spurious counterfet and many true Canons and Councels which make against their Trent faith are condemned by our aduersaries as fallible and erronious as shall appeare by their owne seuerall confessions in all ages from the time of Christ till the dayes of Luther The first Age to 100 yeeres In the first Age. The Councell at Hierusalem gathered vnder the High Priest wherein Caiphas was President Marke 14. sought testimonie against Iesus and excommunicated those who confessed Iesus to be Christ Errauit in fide perniciosissime Caiphas cum vâ—iuerso CoÌ„cilio cuÌ„ iudicauit Iesum blasphemasse Bellar. de Conc. auth lib. 2. c. 8. Bellarmine tells vs Before the comming of Christ the Councels of the Iewes could not erre but saith hee Caiphas with the whole Councell did erre most pernitiously when they adiudged Christ a blasphemer And this may serue for a leading case to shew that Councels may erre as they haue erred in the first Age. In the second Age. The 2 Age Ann. 100. to 200. In the yeere 102 the Councel of Antioch is cited by Gretzerus by Turrian by Baronius for the Worship of Images yet neither Merlin nor Crabbe nor Surius nor Nicholinus Coâ—e censura PatruÌ„ pag. 237. publishers of the Councells euer mention it and Binius who produceth it doeth acknowledge to haue receiued it from Baronius and Baronius returnes his Author for the Iesuite Turrian and Turrian professeth that Pamphilus found it in Origens Librarie And this may serue to shew that some Councels are deuised to proue the Trent doctrine and the raâ—her because worship of Images requires Antiquitie and Consent of Bishops to proue it an Article of Faith The 3 Age. Ann. 200. to 300. In the third Age In the yeere 258 the third Councell of Carthage had fourescore and seuen Bishops but saith Binius Huius Prouincialis The Catholique Church doeth not receiue the Decrees of this Councell Concilii decreta non recipit Catholica Ecclesia Bin. in marg Concil p. 149. And the reason is pregnant This Synod toucheth the Popes Supremacie for when as Stephanus Bishop of Rome called himselfe Episcopus Episcoporum The Bishop of Bishops Saint Cyprian and the whole Councell opposed that new Title And this may serue to prooue