year 1237 agreed together with the Patriarch of Constantinople to excommunicate the Pope Gregory the 9th and pronounce Anathema against his Errors In the Church of Alexandria the Patriarch Gelasius who ruled that Church in the year 1636 succeeded Cyrillus Cyrillus succeeded Meletius Meletius Joachim and so from Bishop to Bishop they succeeded the Evangelist St. Mark who was the first Bishop of Alexandria In the Church of Constantinople the Apostle St. Andrew who was the first Bishop of it as relates Nicephorus had for his successor Stachys Stachys had Onesimus Onesimus Polycarp and so successively 177 Bishops the most part great personages and learned men unto Cyrillus and Methodius who ruled that Church in our days and Parthenius who rules it unto this very day It was to one of those Patriarchs that the Ministers who Preached the Gospel in Germany sent their Confession of Faith in the year 1576 for a token of Uniformity of Doctrine they had with all the Eastern Church SECTION II. That neither Antiquity nor Multitude nor Succession are infallible marks of the true Church and consequently that one Church may have them all and with them all be an Heretical Church IT is very easie to know by all that which I have rehearsed before that if we must judge of the truth and of the right of a Church by its Antiquity or by the Multitude of those who profess the same belief or by the Succession of its Bishops it will not be in favour of the Roman Church shutting out all others since you may find some Churches more Ancient than the Roman Church some Churches more large and more numerous and whose Succession is as sure at least and without comparison a great deal less interrupted and less disturbed than that of the Church of Rome has been by Schismes of I know not how many years by the Heresies of its Bishops and the Monstrous life of a great many Popes But for as much as the truth of a Religion doth not depend upon a question of Chronology Geography or History I will shew that neither the Antiquity of a Church nor the Multitude of those who stand of its side nor the Succession of its Bishops are infallible marks which oblige us to believe that such a Church is the true Church of Christ since it may be very possible that such a Church may have all those marks and for all that be an Heretical Church §. 1. Antiquity is not an infallible mark of the true Church IT is a rule receive by all Lawyers that things which have been worth nothing in the beginning can never grow better in time (a) L. quae ab initio ff de reg Juris quae ab initio non valuerunt tractu temporis convalescere non possunt and Tertullian (b) de virg veland holds for a principle that there is no Prescription against truth veritati nemo praescribere potest if you be a possessor of a house of a field of land and you have enjoyed it peaceable during a hundred years though you should have lost all your Evidences or suppose you had never any the prescription of a hundred years would establish you rightful possessor of that field land or house But it is not the same in regard of error and truth if you have been in an error from the beginning of the world all that long Prescription of years will not give you a right to maintain such an error because error cannot be strengthened by Prescription and a thing which was false from the beginning of the world can never become true by continuance though it should last as long as Eternity it self it would be always new in respect of truth on the contrary the things which are true bring always with themselves the character of a right Antiquity according to that principle of the same Tertullian that truth is altogether antient and everlasting veritas sempiterna antique res est and is it from that principle that after he has supposed that there are several things which seem new which nevertheless are very Ancient he concludes that it is not so much novelty as truh that confutes throughly all Heresies Haereses non tam novitas quà m veritas revincit So that following this principle to prove that Prayers directed to Saints that the worshiping of Images that the Belief of Transubstantiation are so many errors 't will go a great way to shew their novelty that they be Articles of Faith of a New impression but yet it is not enough barely that they are new wemust moreover show that those Articles are contrary to Truth that is to say the word of God let a matter of Belief seem to you as much new as can be if the Articles it contains be true if they be agreeable to the word of God to that Doctrine which we have received from the very Apostles it is an Ancient belief therefore do not say that the doctrine they teach in the reformed Churches is a new doctrine you are to examine first if it be true if it be agreeable to the word of God and if you find it such you are to say that it is an Ancient doctrine but if so be that in one of those Churches which derive their Original from the Apostles they should teach a doctrine which is not conformable to the Gospel the priviledge of antiquity will not excuse them from error they would be ancient inveterate diseases whom the priviledge of being old would not be able to heal Is there in all the world a Religion more ancient than that of the Idolaters yet dare any say that the priviledge it hath of being old gives it that of being true and Infallible and do you think that the ancient Fathers of the Church who disputed against the Heathens would have urged against them that among all Religions and Churches that is always the most true which is the most Ancient it was on the contrary what the Heathens objected to them against the Gospel as (a) lib. 4. Recognit Clement Alexandrinus relates What then said those blind men shall we forsake our Idols the Religion which hath been given us from hand to hand by our great great Grandfathers And it was to that argument of antiquity the Fathers used to answer that antiquity signifies nothing in matter of Religion that the custome of worshiping Idols being an error the antiquity they boasted of was an Antiquity of error according to that of (b) Epist 74. ad Pomp. St. Cyprian consuetudo sine veritate vetustas erroris est In fine said St. Clemens if your Father has been a Thief a deboshed and a dissolute shall you be obliged to be a Thief a deboshed and a dissolute becaue your Father was so is there any crime in the world which would not be committed without punishment if Antiquity could priviledge wickedness and free it from punishment The Prophets knew not this fine doctrine whereupon the Popes pretend to
hands on all the Churches there will be no other proof of Christianity no other shelter for the Christians who shall desire to know the truth than the Holy Scriptures than the word of God and truly in that time as well as in all those which I have marked heretofore the Multitude will follow the part of error and the true Church shall be reduced to a little flock which shall be strengthened only with the word of God against all the Stratagems and the persecutions of Antichrist To make an end of that proof I will rehearse what happened in the Council of Nice according to that which Sophronius (d) lib. 1. cap. 8. relates all the Bishops thought to introduce into the Church a new Law which was that those who would be in the Sacred Orders should lead a single life the good Priest Paphnutius a venerable old man of a holiness and purity free from all slanders rose in the middle of that multitude of Bishops You must not saith he to them lay so heavy a burthen upon the shoulders of those who are in the Sacred Orders you are to consider what St. Paul (e) ad Hebr. 13.9 saith that Marriage is honourable in all and the bed undefiled to that voice a numerous multitude of Bishops Priests and Deacons who were present there vouchsafing their attention considered that Holy old man as an Apostle who came to declare to them the word of God and changed their resolution so knowing by the Doctrine of St. Paul that Marriage is honourable in all they left all the Church-men free to live in the state of Marriage as they had us'd to do before Do but judge now if in that time the Multitude got the advantage over truth and if the Fathers of that Council were of the opinion of the Roman Church that the Multitude of those who hold one and the same Doctrine is a mark of the truth of that belief §. 3. Succession is not an Infallible mark of the true Church IF Succession could give the right of being Infallible there is no Church in the world which had more right to be esteemed such than the Church of Jerusalem it is of Jerusalem that it is said (f) 2 Chron. 33.4 7. in Jerusalem shall my name be for ever In this house and in Jerusalem which I have chosen before all the Tribes of Israel will I put my name for ever (g) 2 Chron. 7.16 I have chosen and sanctified this house that my name may be there for ever and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually (h) Psal 132.13 14. The Lord hath chosen Zion he hath desired it for his habitation this is my rest for ever here will I dwell for I have desired it c. and I will also clothe her Priests with Salvation it was upon all those fair promises the Priests proceeded in withstanding the truth which was preached to them by the Prophets it was for that reason they exclaimed so often upon all occasions (i) Jerem. 7.4 The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these But hear what the Lord answers (k) v. 8 11 12 c. Behold ye trust in lying words that cannot profit Is this house which is called by my name become a Den of Robbers in your eyes behold even I have seen it saith the Lord but go ye now unto my place which was in Shiloh where I set my name at the first and see what I did to it for the wickedness of my people Israel And now because you have done all these works saith the Lord Therefore will I do unto this house which is called by my name wherein ye trust and unto the place which I gave to you and to your Fathers as I have done to Shiloh and I will cast you out of my sight c. The same is to be seen in the other Prophets where Jerusalem after it had been established by the Lord as a Tabernacle which should never be removed it is said afterwards that for its abominations it is transported into Babylon If Shiloh hath ceased to be the house of God if Jerusalem be reduced into a Wilderness where nothing grows but Briers and Thorns where (a) Isaiah 5.6 God will command the Clouds that they rain no rain upon it hath the Church of Rome any reason to brag so much because it hath been in times past the Nurse of Martyrs the Seed-plot of Saints doth it follow from thence that it is still at this time in the same condition it was in the first Ages of the Church Hath not the present Church of Rome a great deal of reason to fear that after all the abominations it hath been filled withal by those who have had the government thereof it may be dealt with like Jerusalem that it may be made a Den of Robbers an horrible Babylon a dreadful Wilderness where grows nothing but Briers and Thorns and where God hath permitted that the Heaven of the Holy Scripture should be shut up and that there should not fall a drop of his word upon those who stubbornly persist in its abominations In fine could the Church of Rome be in hope of having more priviledges than many other Churches which have been built by the Apostles in the Eastern part which have conserved during long space of years their right succession preserved from Bishop to Bishop from Pastor to Pastor and which notwithstanding all that have been since by the Turks turned into several Mosquées where those Infidels have the exercise of their Religion If the Church of Rome would say that the Doctrine it teaches is to be followed because the Popes who do govern at this time have succeeded one another from Bishop to Bishop in St. Peter's Chair I answer that for the same reason in the time of Paul Samosatenus it was necessary for every body to be an Heretick because Paul of Samosate was right Bishop and Patriarch of Antioch that he had succeeded lawfully Demetrius Demetrius Fabius Fabius Babilas who succeeded Zebinus he Philetus he Asclepiades he Serapion he maximinus he Theophilus he Cornelius he Hero he Ignatius he Evodius who succeeded lawfully St. Peter I answer that in the Age wherein lived Nestorius every body was engaged to be a Nestorian because Nestorius was rightful Bishop and Patriarch of Constantinople right successor to Sisinius to Atticus to Arsatius to John Chrysostomus to Nectarius to Gregory of Nazianze and so from Bishop to bishop the 36th according to the Chronicles of Nicephorus who had lawfully succeeded in that Chair the Apostle St. Andrew In fine to follow without partiality that principle of Rome and to give it the extent such a proposition ought to have which is always false if it is not universal and capable to be the first proposition of a Syllogism I answer the Popes are to revoke the Thunderbolts they have thrown against the Church of England
was Bishop of the place where that Council was held since according to the Authority of the Chancellour (b) Tom. 4. in propos utilibus ad exterminat schismatis Gerson in the Apostles times four Councils were held where St. Peter was not present now it is a principle in the Doctrine of Rome that the title of Universal Bishop gives one the right of presiding in all Councils from whence the consequence is manifest As for the times which have followed those of the Apostles we know that the Popes have not always presided in all general Councils and that the only thought of being elevated above other Bishops and stiled UniversAl was an abomination among all the Antients and a thing lookt upon as an Apostasie and a monstrous error proceeding from the bottom of Hell to plant Impiety and Idolatrie in the middle of the Temple of God About the end of the fifth Age about the year 600. John Patriarch of Constantinople would have challenged to himself the title of Universal Bishop and was in that enterprise supported by the favour of the Emperor Mauricius at the novelty of that monstrous title all Christendom was stricken with horror Pope Gregory the Great stirred up with the zeal of the honour of God withstands vigorously the establishment of that new title he writes to Eulogius Patriarch of Alexandria and to Anastasius Patriarch of Antioch (a) Epist 36. Never a one of my predecessors saith he has been willing to consent to a title so profane as that of universal Bishop challenging to himself the primacy over the other God forbid that Christian minds should ever be infected with such an opinion as to believe that there may be in the world some Bishop who could by right take to himself the title of Universal And in another (b) Epist 24. lib. 6. epistle to the same Without speaking saith he of the wrong which is done to you if some body be called Vniversal Bishop this Vniversal Bishop being faln all the Vniversal Church must need fall to the ground together with him and what madness saith he what levity is it to run after such a Doctrine To the Emperor Mauricius (c) Epist 32. lib. 4. he protests that it is not for his own particular interest that he withsTands that pretended Primacy of the Bishop of Constantinople he makes him understand that it is the business of all the Church that such a title is contrary to the ordinances of the Gospel to the Holy Canons of the Church and that it is an usurpation Nunquid ego in hac re piissime domine propriam causam defendo c. Causam Vniversalis Ecclesiae ago c. That such a title is new in the Church never one of my predecessors saith he again has been willing to consent to that title of singularity lest other Bishops should be thereby deprived of the honour which is owing to them and in another Epistle (d) Epist 30. lib. 4. to the same Emperour he doth openly declare that if any Bishop desires to be called Universal Bishop he is the forerunner of the Antichrist In fine he writes to the Bishop of Constantinople himself he prays him he beseeches him he exhorts him not to consent to that title full of error of ambition and madness he saies that it is a temptation of the Devil of which he must beware and that to consent to receive so mischievous a title is nothing else but to lose the Faith and to become an Apostate from Christianity But alas those words full of zeal and truth were the last words of the true Roman Church that Church ceased with Gregory the Great and there succeeded in its place a corrupted Roman Church whose Bishop challenged to himself that monstrous name full of Blasphemy and Apostasie which his predecessor withstood so generously The Emperour Mauricius was murthered by Phocas Phocas usurped the Empire and made himself a Tyrant and to have some prop for his tyranny he gave Boniface III. to make him his creature the title of Universal Bishop and that title which the Bishop of Rome thus usurped was established by degrees fair and softly by the Pope's cunning tricks so that about the year 642. they began in the superscription of Letters whcih were written to the Pope Theodorus to set these words which are related by Sygebertus in his Chronciles To the holy Father of Fathers and Soveraign Prelate of Prelates c. Against that monstrous name full of Blasphemy and Apostasie the Churches of Greece of Dacia and Illyrium made opposition and the Kingdoms of France Spain and England were a long while afore they could abide that huge and heavy burthen of the Popes dominion and submit themselves to that primacy and universality of the Roman Bishop This is the story and the progress of that primacy and it is upon that title of Universal Bishop and sovereign Prelate that the Church of Rome asserts the Pope to be infallible that it is by his judgment that the other Bishops must be governed and likewise on the contrary that there is none upon earth capable of redressing what the Pope has once ordained as it is written in one of those 27 Propositions in which consists the Dictatorship of the Pope § 3. That the Ambition of the Popes extends it felf as far as Impiety YOU would imagine that proposition to be a Paradox viz. That the Roman religion is grounded upon Impiety since there is nothing more contrary to Religion than Impiety but as much paradox as it is it is very true for all that or if one of the members of that Proposition is to be destroyed to hinder it from being a Paradox we are to say that the Romish is not a Religion As for the other member of the proposition to wit that it is grounded upon Impiety nothing is more true and more easie to to be proved The Church of Rome is all grounded upon the Authority of the Popes now the Authority of the Popes is injurious unto God's Majesty it doth establish a manifest Impiety therefore it is evident that the Religigion or the Church of Rome is grounded upon Impiety To prove the 2d Proposition of that argument I have nothing else to do but to shew that the Popes challenge to themselves the power of dispensing with the Gospel and the commandments of God and after they have taken to themselves a power as mighty as that of God Almighty they had the temerity to take also to themselves the same titles that we use to attribute only to God or to Jesus Christ our Saviour 1. The Pope takes to himself as great an Authority as that of God Almighty ACcording to the Maxime of Optatus (a) Lib. 3. That there is none but God about Kings and Emperours that he who exalts himself above those anointed of God raises himself above all men and makes himself equal with God Cum super Imperatorem non sit nisi solus
Deus qui fecit Imperatorem dum se super Imperatorem extollit jam quasi hominum excesserat metas se ut deum non ut hominem aestimârat from thence it is manifest that the Pope makes himself equal to God Almighty since as I have shewed before he raises himself above Kings and the Emperors But he is not contented with that he maintains he may give dispensations against that which the Apostles have ordained even against that which is contained in the Old and New Testament Papa dispensat contra Apostolum Papa dispensat contra vetus Testamentum say the Interpreters of the Pope in the Gloss upon the Chap. (b) Decretal In. 3. lib. 8. de concess praebendis Proposuit and upon the Canon (c) Causa 25. q. 1. sunt quidam Papa dispensat in Evangelio interpretando ipsum and Thomas Aquinas holds (d) 2ª 2 a◠quest 1. Artic. 10. that the edition of a new Crred belongs to the Authority of the Pope According to those principles Luther was condemned because he held that it was not at all in the power of the Church nor in the power of the Pope to establish new Articles of Faith as it is to be seen in the Bull of Leo X. that begins Exurge which is to be found in the end of the first Council of Lateran You may give to that Theologie what name you please but for my part I cannot chuse but think that to give dispensations against the Laws of the Apostle St. Paul to release men from observing what is written in the Old and New Testament may well be called more than Judaisme more than Mahometisme must be stiled Heathenisme and monstrous Impiety 2. The Pope takes upon himself the same Titles that we use to give but to God Almighty and unto Jesus Christ our Saviour the true Son of God IN the Book of Decretals of Gregory the IX (a) Titul 7. ad caput quanto personam Innocent III. saies that the Pope upon the earth holds the place not of a mere man but of God himself and according to that upon one of the Gates of Rome these words are to be found Paulo III. Optimo maximo in terris Deo To Paul III. the best and mightiest God upon the earth after that what title can one give to God Almighty Optimo maximo to attribute those titles to men who dares maintain that it is not an Impiety And lest some should believe that it is the fault of him who built that Gate who gave to the Pope titles which the Pope does not assume we are but to read the titles which the Pope takes to himself Martin V. sends his Embassadors to Constantinople and in the beginning of the instructions he gives them concerning the business of which he commands them to treat these are the titles which he takes upon himself sanctissimus beatissimus qui habet coeleste arbitrium qui est dominus in terris successor Petri Christus domini dominus universi Regum pater orbis lumen c. The most holy and most blessed who has celestial Authority who is Lordin the earth successor of Peter the Christ of the Lord the Lord of the Vniverse the Father of Kings the Light of the World c. Truly when you hear those great Tibles do not you believe that it is Christ himself which is spoken of the most holy and most blessed there is none but God who can be the most Holy and the most Blessed who is Arbitrator of Heaven and the Lord of Heaven and Earth What think you is it not God Almighty is it not to give him a Rival and A Competitour in his mighty power to give unto the Pope titles which belong but to the Divinity In fine these other titles following the Christ of the Lord the Lord of the Vniverse Father of Kings the light of the World c. Could you find in all the Scripture and in the Holy Fathers more stately and more magnificent titles to express the Kingdom the supream power the goodness and the highness of Christ our Lord If the Pope doth attribute to himelf the same titles and the same power which are attributed only to God Almighty is not this a good cause to say that it is a manifest Impiety And if the Roman Church be grounded upon the power of the Pope is there not good cause to say that it is grounded upon Impiety Such is the Religion of Rome it is not God Almighty who is worshipped in that Church it is the Pope Paulo III. Maximo optimo in terris Deo it is not the word of God which is received there for the word of truth it is the word of the Pope dispensat super Evangelium in the Roman Church it is not Jesus Christ who is the most holy one it is Martin it is Alexander Sixtus Innocent Clement or some other which you please who is Bishop of Rome Sanctissimus Beatissimus in the Roman Church it is not Jesus of Nazareth who is the Christ of the Lord the Lord of the Vniverse the Father of Kings the Light of the World it is the Pople Martin Alexander Innocent Clement Christus Domini c. And to be brief it is not Jesus Christ if I may dare rehearse that Blasphemie who participates the human and the Divine nature it is the Pope who participates those two natures as it was proved in the Theologie of the Papists about the time that Luther began to be known in the world * Erasm in Epist ad Timoth and some while after Could ever Impiety have been raised up to an higher degree could the Devil himself have devised any thing more profane and do you think that the ambition which cast him down head-long into Hell was more criminal and more opposed to God Almighty's Majesty than the ambition of the Bishops of Rome SECTION II. The Covetousness of the Popes THE second point whereupon doth turn all the frame of the Roman Church is covetousness 'T was to heap up riches that Pope Boniface VIII began to traffick with Indulgences and Forgivenesses and to declare that the Popes Bulls had efficacy even in Purgatory and that they were therein exactly executed in favour of those souls for whose deliverance a sum of mony was given 't is to heap up great Treasures that the Roman Church doth hold that the Pope for a certain sum of mony may dispense in the degrees in which it is forbidden by the Law of God to contract Matrimony 't is by reason of a certain sum of mony that your sins are forgiven you how great and horrid soever they be It is to heap up riches that the Church of Rome sells Bishopricks Archbishopricks Cardinalships all kind of Dispensations and all kind of Ecclesiastical preferments in a word it is to heap up riches that the Pope sends his Legates into all the Kingdoms which would receive them to preach there Croisadoes and Jubilees and to distribute
caused me to defer it again after it had made me understand that this same Romish Faith was grounded neither upon the Authority of the Holy Fathers nor upon the Practice of the Ancient Christians according to the pretensions of the Roman Theologians This Pretence was the Authority of Rome which I supposed Infallible and it was that pretended Infallible Authority which kept me stil in its Communion If the Roman Church be Infallible what matter is it whether the Articles determined by it have any foundation in the Word of God or upon the Authority of the Fathers or Practice of the Primitive Church As long as we suppose it Infallible we must believe all the Articles it teaches and it signifies nothing to say that such or such an Article of Faith was not heretofore believed When the Roman Church shall declare it an Article of Faith to believe That the blessed Virgin Mary was conceived without any original sin and that we must hold as oecumenick the Council of Basil that * Sess 36. teaches us this Doctrine When this Church shall declare That all Christians are truly and really buried in Jesus Christ in Baptism That the Water used in that Sacrament is transubstantiated into Christ's own true Blood wherein our sins are purified and That it is an Heresie to believe that under the appearances of the Water of the Baptism there remains something of the substance of Water That Baptism must be worshipped When the Church shall be pleased to determine all these Articles and to declare that they are implicitly in (a) Rom. 6.3 4. Col. 2.12 Gal. 3.27 Scripture and in the (b) St. August Epist 164. ad Emerit Fathers we shall be obliged to believe them because the Church is Infallible This way of dealing to acknowledge plainly that neither the Fathers of the Church nor the first Christians believed many Articles of Faith which are now believed in the Church of Rome seemed to me a great deal more sincere than to seek in the Fathers what they never said and to make the Primitive Church believe things which it did never so much as think of This way of dealing freely was a little bold but it was just sincere and very easie According to that Method when one asks a Theologian Why do you believe Transubstantiation he presently answers that he believes Transubstantiation as an Article of Faith Because the Council of (c) Sess 13. cap. 4. Trent hath declared that it is an Article of Faith and pronounced Anathema against those who should hold the contrary Is is not better to answer thus than to break ones brain to give unto the Fathers both Greek and Latin several Explications which they would not avow if they were alive and to make the World believe that in those Passages of the Fathers wherein they use these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they have intended to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an Expression not to be found in any of those Fathers as it is observed by a late (a) 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Orig. Eccles tom 1. part post p. 247. Bishop of Norwich cited by Dr. Hammond in his Catechism I see very well said I that after the Examination of the Scripture and of the Fathers wherein it is impossible to find evidently the Articles of Faith of the Roman Church the shortest way is to refer all the business to the Authority of the Church Thus if the Authority of the Roman Church be Infallible to deal fairly simply justly and honestly we must say I believe the Christian People for whom Christ shed all his Blood ought not to partake of the Chalice of his Blood because the Council of (b) Sess 13. Constance and the Council of (c) Sess 21. Trent have so determined I believe that besides the Sacrifice of the Cross there is another Propitiatory Sacrifice viz. the Mass which blots out the Sins both of the Quick and the Dead because the Council of * Sess 22. chap. 1 2. can 1 2 3. Trent made that an Article of Faith And say the same honestly and in good earnest of Purgatory of Indulgences of Invocation of Saints and of other Articles and not headily drive on to find in the Primitive Church Articles of Faith whereof it had never so much as the least knowledge or Notion Thus there remains nothing but to examine if the Authority of the Roman Church be Infallible This was the indivisible Point whereupon I fixed all my Religion thither I reduced all the Controversial Questions wherefore I examined that Question of the Infalliblity of the Roman Church but whether because I was afraid to find the Infallibility of Rome as ill grounded as the Doctrine of Transubstantiation whether because the greediness I had to maintain with credit and reputation the Authority of the Church which I was ingaged at that time to sustain in Publick Disputes had distracted and blinded me whether because Grace was not pleased at that time to make an end of my Conversion but would have me grow ripe and root very profoundly in my mind the Reasons I had meditated to fasten me more and more in the Faith of the Holy Word I devised many Proofs and many Reasons both good and bad I perswaded my self first that I might perswade others more easily and I maintained in my Publick Theses That the Roman Church even that the Pope alone was Infallible when he determins something that belongs to the Faith That Perswasion kept me still in the Church of Rome wherefore I began to be asswaged and to change my Discourse and whereas I had considered the Articles of Faith of that Church as so many Errors because they were not agreeable with the Doctrine of the Primitive Church and the Testimony of the Fathers I considered them at that time only as some Novelties which were not criminal since I supposed that Church being Infallible had right to produce every day and to declare new Articles of Faith In that Supposal when some Learned Man asked me my Sentiment in particular upon some Question of Divinity I soon return'd according to my Opinion and I reduced all the Questions to the Infallibility of Rome But when I was obliged to speak in publick and before the People I thought my self ingaged for fear of scandalizing and discontenting weak minds to use the Method which others use every where and to bring though against my own perswasion some Passages of the Scripture and some Testimonies of the Ancient Fathers of the Church to prove in particular every Article of the Roman Faith Such was my dealing at that time when the only Perswasion of the Infallibility of Rome fastened me in its Communion The END of the FIRST PART THE SECOND PART SECONDE PARTIE Que l'Eglise Romaine n'est poin◠la Veritable Eglise que so◠Authorité n'est point Infaillible qu'elle n'est remplie qu◠de Corruptions d'Erreurs INTRODUCTION La Providence fit naistre des
came to present themselves distinctly to my mind with the most hidden most secret and most mysterious â—ricks they be cloathed withal and in â—vriting for the infallible Authority of â—he Pope I began to learn that the Pope was not infallible and by consequent that all the Articles of Faith of the Church of Rome which I grounded upon such an infallibility were grounded upon a lye 1. The occasion I had to examine anew all the Articles of Faith of the Roman Church which I reduced all to the Authority of the same Church I Had not yet the age that the Canons of the Church required to be ordained a Priest when I had made an end of my Course of Divinity and the General of the Order of which I was besides the ordinary permission of preaching which he uses to give to those who were judged to have the necessary aptitudes to teach and edifie the people sent me an extraordinary permission to preach the word of God though I was but a Deacon I was sent that year to dwell in the Monastery of the chief town of Champagne and the superior of that Monastery who was a person of an extraordinary capacity and consummated vertue appointed me to teach publickly the Catechism in one of the Churches of that town I did it and whereas the concurrence of the Articles of Faith which I discoursed of obliged me to discourse of matters of Controversie I had occasion to examine them to consider all the reasons both for and against to instruct my self leasurely of all the truths of the word of God and to discover all the errours of the Roman Church every one in particular Yet I did not publish in the Pulpit the light of truth wherewith God Almighty lightened my mind and I did preach the Articles of Faith of the Roman Church whereof I was but a litle perswaded I must needs here O my God give satisfaction for the wrong I did to truth Many people that followed the Wars who Wintered in that Town where I preached came to hear my Catechisms two of them which were of the Protestant Religion one an Officer and the other a common Souldier born on in the Province of Languedoc the other in that of Poicton came to tell me that the reasons I brought forth for the defence of the Faith of Rome had perswaded them that they were ready to forsake and forswear their heresies and that they prayed me to instruct them farther in the Principles of the Roman Religion I did it I instructed them a while and I made them to forswear according to the forms of Rome unto the Superior of that Monastery Ah! could those men hear my voice I would cry unto them with all my heart Come again Brethren come again into the lap of the Church from which I pluck'd you out the reasons I alledged to you I acknowledge now they were but Sophismes the Authors I cited I made them speak against their own minds expounding them after some ill constructions in fine the places of the Scripture which I caused you to take notice of read them again and again without preoccupation and you shall find that they teach nothing less than what is taught in the Church of Rome That antiquity which I attributed to that Church began only after the purity of the Gospel had been corrupted by the Bishops of Rome that Church which I said was the image of the Primitive I said was the image of the Primitive Church is truly the Church of the latter-times whereof St. Paul * 1 Tim. 4. speaks a Church which forbids to mary a Church which holds that it is a sin to eat certain meats in certain times and by consequent a most corrupt Church wherewith the Primitive Church hath no commerce or conformity in short I should tell them freely that I did not believe my self at that time that the Articles of the Faith of Rome were grounded either upon the Authority of the Scripture or the Authority of the Fathers of the Primitive Church and that all that I was detained withall in the Communion of Rome was the belief which I was perswaded of that the Pope was infallible which belief I have discovered since to be false and a great errour 2. The occasion I had to doubt of the infallibility of the Pope made me resolve the examine again and without passion upon what the Authority which the Church of Rome boasts so much of is grounded AFter I had continued to teach the Catechism in that Town my Superiours destinated me to dwell in the Monastery of Sens in Burgundy I arrived there in the time whereat the Lord Archbishop of Sens had resolved to make an end of the difference he had had a great while with all the Monks of his Diocess concerning the right he stood upon to make his visitation in their Churches he had already begun to deal compulsively with some of the Monasteries which are in his Diocess and the Provincial of our Order fearing that my Lord Archbishop would deal after the same manner with the Monastery of Sens and that the Monks should withstand him to the scandal of all the people gave order to the Superior of that Monastery to go to my Lord Archbishop and to inform him of the reasons which the Monks insisted upon to withstand the Bishops and not suffer them to hold any visitation in their Monasteries the Superior desired me to come with him he went to my Lord Archbishop discourst to him his reasons according to the order he had received of the Provincial and my Lord of Sens who was a learned man a sublime spirit skil'd in all Canonical matters gave his answers to all that the Superior had proposed to him I heard that great Archbishop with all the respect and veneration I was to do and I stayed holding my peace till his Grace was pleased to begin to me and desire me to speak if I had any thing to answer to what he had said I told his Grace as compendiously as I could what I had remarked in his answers which I was not contented with and I answered to his reasons as succintly as it was possible Some days after the Provincial wrote to me and desired me to send him the result of the Conference with my Lord Archbishop and to write him withall what I my self in particular thought of the Contention we had with the Bishops concerning the matters of Jurisdiction I examined the question in its principles I reduced the Conference we had with my Lord Archbishop to some Capital Arguments whereupon I wrote fully and at length all my remarks in form of Reflexions which I sent to the Provincial as he desired me to do whereupon he wrote to me the most obliging letter in the world Those Reflexions I had made give me a great desire to examine the greatness of the Power which is attributed to the Pope in the Church of Rome and gave me the occasion to weigh
Augmentation of the Sacraments of that Church the Ignorance of the Holy Scripture and the Invocation of Saints which in the Roman Church is gone as far as Idolatry are all grounded and lest some body should believe that I charge falsely the Church of Rome when I accuse it of Idolatry or lest some body should believe what the Papists use to say that it is but the common people that ground their hope upon the merits of the Saints and that the learned men who are lightned do not fall in so gross errors do but read the Psalter of the blessed Virgin Mary in the works of St. Bonaventure and you shall see that this Cardinal attributes to the blessed Virgin Mary all that which is attributed to God Almighty in Davids Psalmes and every where where the name of God should be he puts in the room the name of the Blessed Virgin pray can any thing be more impious and more wicked Neither can you say that that error is an error of a private man for I answer that it is a publick error in that Church and the error of the Church it self since in the book of the Mass upon St Nicolas's day (b) Decemb. 6. the Priest who says the Mass hath an order from the Church whereby he is engaged under the pain of a Mortal sin to pray God that by the merits and prayers of St. Nicolas they may be delivered from the fire of Hell Vt ejus precibus meritis à gehennae incendiis liberemur a Church which makes that prayer doth it not believe that it is by the prayers and merits of St. Nicolas that we are delivered from Hell and to believe that is it not to believe an horrible Impiety In the same book of Mass on the day (a) The 6th of July of St. Peter and St. Paul all the Roman Church prays to God that by the merits of these two Saints all men may obtain Eternal Glovy Vt amborum meritis aeternitatis gloriam consequamur then it is the errour of all the Roman Church and not of a private man to believe that it is by the merits of Saints we are to obtain eternal life And on the day (b) The 14 July of St. Bonaventure the Church of Rome prays God he would be pleased to absolve all men from their sins by the merits of that Saint ejus intercedentibus meritis ab omnibus nos absolve peccatis Now a Church which believes that it is by the merits of Saints that we are delivered from Hell that it is by the merits of Saints that we obtain eternal life that it is by the merits of Saints that our sins are forgiven is that a Christian Church could the Mahometans and Idolaters hold or think any thing more destructive of the merits and more opposite to the Glory of Jesus Christ could they invent an error more contrary to the truth of Christianity GENERAL CONCLUSION That I was engaged to go out of the Church of Rome whereof God Almighty made me know the errors by the degrees I have rehearsed in the two parts of this discourse AFter I had made that examination of the principles whereupon is grounded the Authority of the Roman Church after I had discovered the falsehood and the nullity of the reasons which she alledges to oblige the world to commit it self into her hands after I had found that Antiquity Multitude and Succession are not priviledges which the Church of Rome possesses above all other Churches after I had known that if the Church of Rome should enjoy all those priviledges above other Churches yet it would not be a good consequence from thence that it be the true Church and a Church freed from errors after I had discovered that all the infallibility of the Roman Church was grounded only upon the Authority of the Popes and that the greatness and Authority of the Popes was grounded but upon Ambition and Covetousness I understood that there was no other foundation of the true Religion but the word of God I acknowledged the truth of those Axiomes of St. Chrysostome (a) Homil. de Lazaro That the Ignorance of the Scripture procreates Heresies and that (b) Homilia 38. sup Joann the Scriptures bring us to God Almighty drive away Heresies and keep us from falling into error that thought imprinted it self upon my mind very strongly and made an end of scattering away the Clouds which Truth seemed to be wrapped in I knew manifestly that all points which are called Articles of Faith in the Roman Church but are not grounded upon the Scripture are indeed Articles of the Interest and of the Ambition of those who rule it and not Articles of Faith which are to be no other than Articles of the Word of God I understood well that that which was taught in that Church was the word of man not the word of God and that having no foundation in the Scripture they could not be sufficient Articles to oblige all men to believe them moreover in examining particularly and without preoccupation the Articles of Rome I knew them to be contrary to the Scripture so whereas at that time I acknowledged nothing but the word of God for the true rule of my Faith I concluded that all those Articles of Rome were so many errors and that having a natural obligation to forsake error assoon as we know it I was obliged to go out of the Roman Church to forsake altogether and faithfully all the errors which it stands for §. 1. The occasion of a Sermon about the Sacrament called again in my mind all the notions I had of the Errours of Rome THus I discussed the Articles of the Belief of Rome when the time of my obedience being finished I left the Monastery where I was near Saumur to come again to Paris there the F. Provincial who had disposed of his Secretary to send him to govern one of the Monasteries of our province spoke of making me his Secretary but the Divine Providence ordered it another way for the F. Provincial seeing that the F. General had taken upon himself all the care of our Province for the while he was to stay at Paris thought that it should be needless to take a Secretary that was the reason why he commanded me to go to preach at the Parish of Meudon which is a Borough six miles out of Paris That Place where God Almighty had begun some years before to lighten me with the light of his Truth seemed to me the place of all the world the most pleasing and the most well liked I preached every Sunday and every Holy-day which is kept by the Church of Rome till at last about the time that they Celebrate the days which are called Corpus-Christi-days being engaged to preach as I us'd to do I read again what I had written afore upon the matter of the Sacrament and I was troubled in reading what I had written What! said I must I abuse
ne se contente pas de cela il soûtient qu'il a droit de dispenser de tout ceque les Apôtres ont ordonné de tout ce qui esT contenu dans l'Ancient Testament dans l'Evangile même Papa dispensat contra Apostolum Papa dispensat contra Vetus Testamentum disent les Interpretes du Pape dans la Glose sur le Chapit Proposuit sur le Canon sunt quidam Papa disent ils dispensat in Evangelio interpretando ipsum Thomas d' Aquin dans sa somme soûtient que l'Edition d'un nouveau Symbloe appartient à l'Authorité du Pape Ce ful sur tous ces beaux Principes en partie que l'on condemna Martin Luther parcequ'il soûtenoit qu'il n'estoit point du tout en la puissance de l'Eglise n'y eu celle du Pape de faire des Articles de Foy ainsi que l'on peut voir en la bule de Leon X. qui commance Exurge la quelle se trouve à la fin du dernier Concile de Latran Donnez à toute cette Theologie le nom qu'il vous plaira mais pour moy il me-semble que donner des dispenses des Lois de l'Apôtre St. paul dispenser les gens d'observer ce qui esT escrit dans le Vieux le Nouveau Testament cela doit s'appeller plus que Judai sme plus que Mahometisme cela doit s'appeller le Paganisme l'Impieté 2. Que le Pape s'attribute même des Tîtres que l'on attribue qu'à Dieu à Jesus Christ nôtre Seigneur vray fils de Dieu DAns le livre des Decretales de Gregoire IX nous trouvons la pensée du Pape Innocent III. qui dit que le Pape sur la terre ne tient pas la place d'un homme mais qu'il tient la place de Dieu même c'est pour cela que sur une des portes de Rome on y trouve ces paroles Paulo III. optimo maximo in terris Deo aprés cela quels tîtres peut on donner à Dieu tres bon tres grand Attribuer ces tîtres à des hommes qui osera soûtenir que ce n'est pas une Impieté afin qu'on ne s'imagine pas que c'est la faute de celuy qui a bâti cette porte qui a donné au Pape des tîtres que le Pape ne pretend point il ne faut que lire les tîtres que le Pape se donne luy même Martin V. envoye des Embassadeurs à Constantinople au commancement des Instructions qu'il leur donne touchant les affaires dont il leur commande de traitter voicy les tîtres qu'il se donne luy même Sanctissimus beatissimus qui habâ—t coeleste arbitrium qui est dominus in terris Successor Petri Christus domini Dominus Universi Regum Pater orbâ—â— Lumen c. Celuy qui est tres Sainâ— tres heureux l'Arbitre du Ciel le Seigneur de la terre le successeâ—â— de Saint Pierre le Christ du Seineur le Seigneur de l'Vnivers le Perâ—â— des Roys la Lumiere du monde c En verité en entendant to us ces grand tîtres ne croiriez vous pas que c'eâ—â— Jesus Christ luy même celuy qâ—â— est tres saint tres heureux Il n'y que Dieu qui soit tres saint tres heâ—â— reux qui est l' Arbitre du ciel le Seâ— gneur dela terre à vôtre âvis n'est â—â— pas Dieu n'est-ce pas luy donner â—â— rival un competiteur que de doâ—â— ner au Pape des tîtres qui n'appartieâ— nent qu'à la Divinité enfin ces â—â— tres tîtres qui suivent le Christ â—â— Seigneur le Seigneur de l'univers Pere des Roys la Lumiere du monâ—â— c TRove-to-on ans l'Escriture dans les Peres des tîtres plus magnifiques pour exprimer le Royaume la Souveraineté la Divinité la Grandeur de Jesus Christ Que si le Pape s'attribüe les mêmes tîtres la même puissance que l'on attribüe à Dieu n'ay-ie pas sujet de dire qu'il est coupable d'une Impieté manifeste si l'Eglise Romaine est toute fondée sur le pouvoir du Pape n'ay-ie pas raison de dire que l'Eglise Romaine est toute fondée sur l'Impieté Voila quelle est la Religion de Rome ce n'est point dieu que l'on adore danâ— cette Eglise c'est le Pape Paulo Ill optimo maximo in terris Deo ce n'est point la Parole de Dieu que l'on reâ— connoit pour la parole de la Veriteâ— c'est la parole du Pape Papa dispensaâ— super Evangelium Dans l'Eglise Remaine ce n'est point Jesus Christ qâ—â— est le Saint des Saints c'est Martiâ—â— c'est Innocent c'est Clement c'est Aleandre c'est Sixte ou tel autre quâ—â— vous plaira qui est Evéque de Rome Sanctissimus Beatissimus c. Daâ—â— l'Eglise Romaine ce n'est point Jesus â—â— Nazareth qui est le Christ du Seigneur le Seigneur de l'univers le Pere des Roys la Lumiere du monde c. c'est le Pape Martin le Pape Innocent le Pape Clement Christus Domini c. Enfin ce n'est point Jesus Christ si j'ose reciter ce Blaspheme qui possede la Nature divine la Nature humaine c'est le Pape qui participe ces deux Natures ainsi qu'on le prouvoit dans la Theologie des Romains environ le temps que Luther parut au monde mesme ancore depuis Peut on pousser l'Impieté plus avant le Diable luy même pouroit-il inventer quelque chose de plus profane l'ambition qui le precipita dans les Enferâ— estoit-elle plus criminelle plus opposée à la Majesté de Dieu que l'est l'ambition des Evéques de Rome SECTION II. De l'Avarice des Papes LE second pivot sur lequel roule la machine de l'Eglise Romaine c'est l'Avarice c'est pour amasser de l'argent que le Pape Boniface VIII commança à faire trafic d' Indulgences de pardons à declarer que ses Bulles avoient vigeur estoient executées fort exactement dans le Purgatoire en faveur des ames pour la delivrance desquelles on luy donne de l'argent c'estpour amasser de grands trésors que l'Eglise de Rome publie que le Pape moyennant une somme d'argent dispense des degrez dans lesquells il est deffendu par la Loy de Dieu de contracter Mariage c'est moyennant une certaine somme d'argent que dans cette Eglise on donne l'absolution des plus grands crimes c'est pour amasser de l'argent que l'Eglise de Rome vend les Evéchez les
d'Apostat on forgera contre moy tout ceque l'on poura s'imaginer d'Injures de Calomnies les personnes de mes amis les plus zelez dans la Religion de Rome croiront rendre un grand service à Dieu de me souhaiter tous les malheurs de me donner mille maledictions ma propre Mere me regardera comme un monstre elle maudira mille fois le moment au quel elle m'a mis au monde l'on me viendra dire tous les jours qu'à mon sujet elle se meure de deplaisir d'affliction Il me falloit rappeller toute ma raison toutes mes lumieres tous les attraits les Charmes que la Grace m'avoit fait sentir dans le fond de mon coeur pour contrebalancer les monvements de la nature pour resister à ses fortes impressions il me falloit opposer les attraits de Dieu aux attraits de la Chair la Grace à la Nature mon Salut à mon Plaisir §. 3. Les Raisons que je meditay pour retarder ma Conversion IE ne rougiray point icy d'avoüer mes foiblesses je balançay je cherchay des raisons pour demeurer dans l'Eglise Romaine que je connoissois estre la veritable Babilone je crûs en avoir trouvé d'assez bonnes Ce n'est pont la Volonté de Dieu disois-je qu'un homme s'epxose evidement à mourir de faim nous ne sommes point les maistres de nos vies Dieu ne nous en a fait que les depositaires nous ne pouvons pas nous exposer à la mort quand il nous plaist Je ne sçay point labourer la terre on ne m'a jamais fait apprendre aucun métier pour gaigner ma vie je ne peux pas en France aprés avoir esté Prestre Religieux faire profession de la pureté de l'Evangile sans me rendre en même temps criminel de leze Majesté il faudra que je passe dans un Päys estranger là demeurer sans amis sans connoissance ny moyens pour vivre n'est ce pas s'exposer sans l'ordre de Dieu tenter la Providence Je vivray dans l'Eglise Romaine comme n'estant point de l'Eglise Romaine les Saints vivenâ— bien dans le monde comme s'ils n'estoient point du monde ils usent de ce monde dit Saint Paul comme n'en abusant point Je feray profession dans le fond de mon coeur de la pureté de l'Evangile Dieu est un Esprit je l'adoreray en Esprit il se contentera de ma volonté je luy feray tous les jours dans le fonâ— de ma conscience des protestationâ— secrettes que je renonce à toutes leâ— Erreurs de Rome que je ne pretens point participer à toutes les Super stitions dont elle est remplie Je 〈◊〉 précheray que des matieres de Morale je ne parleray jamais dans mes Serâ— mons ny dela Presence reéle de Jesâ— Christ dans le Sacrement ny de l'Iâ— vocation des Saints ny de l'Adoration des Images ny de l'Authorité 〈◊〉 Pape pretendüe infaillible à determiner des Articles de Foy à Canonizer des Saints enfin je ne parleray jamais des Indulgences ny du Purgatoire puisque je connois manifestement que ce sont des Articles que le Pape a inventées comme des moyens pour amasser de l'argent qu'ils n'ont aucun fondement dans la Parole de Dieu quand je seray obligé de flechir le genoüil en presence du Sacrement j'éleveray mon Esprit dans le ciel pour y adresser mon adoration à Jesus Christ Dieu eternel plein de majesté qui y regne au millieu des Anges Quand je seray obligé de dire la Messe ne pouray-je pas m'acquitter de cette fonction comme d'une ceremonie toute pure que des peuples ont inventé pour honnorer Dieu quelqu'un ne pouroit-il pas bien s'imaginer que les tours détours que l'on y fait ne sont pas plus criminels devant Dieu que les tours les sauts que faisoit David quand il dança devant l'Arche poâ— honnorer la Majesté de Dieu Est-â—ma faute deceque les peuples veulenâ— estre trompez de ce qu'ils ne veulent pas ouvrir leur coeur à la pureté delâ— Parole de l'Evangile seroit-il possible que Dieu me demandast conte du salut d'un peuple qui veut vivre dans l'erreur qui est tout disposé à me mettre en pieces si je luy publie la Verité Suis-je meilleur que ne sçay combien de gens sçavants qui vivent en France qui connissent les Erreurs de l'Eglise Romaine qui ne laissent pas de demeurer dans cette Eglise suis-je meilleur que je ne sçay combien de Docteurs de Sorbonne qui sont persuadez que l'Eglise Romaine est tombée dans une multitude d'Erreurs de Corruptions comme plusieurs d'entre eux l'ont souvent declaré à leurs amis suis-je meilleur qu'un grand nombre d'Evéques d'Archevéques de France qui ne reconnoissent point la Superiorité de l'Evéque de Rome qui ne croyent point que ses Decrets soient infaillibles Enfin suis-je meilleur que tous ces Messieurs qui composent cette compagnie celebre des Jansenistes qui sont presque tout cequ'il y a de plumes sçavantes de grands hommes de gens d'Esprit dans le Royaume suit-je meilleur dis je que to us ces grands personnages qui passent même parmy les Romains pour estre convaincus de toutes les Veritez dont on fait profession dans l'Eglise Protestante que les Romains accusent de vouloir establir la pureté de l'Evangile abolir les Sacrements nouvellements inventez dans l'Eglise de Rome que l'on croit vouloir introduire dans le Royanme le Service en langue vulgaire detruire les superstitions de la Messe revoquer l'obligation pretendue de confesser tous ses pechés à un prestre Car tous ces Messieurs quoy qu'ils connoissent manifestement les Erreurs de Rome ne laissent pas de dire la Messe de precher d'escrire des livres même sur la matiere de l'Eucharistie en faveur de la Doctrine de Rome ils ne laissent pas d'administrer les Sacrements selon la Forme de cette Eglise bien davantage ils Dedient même leurs Livres au Pape comme pour ébloüir les peuples faire semblant de reconnoistre sa juridiction son Authorité Si tant de grands personnages tant de gens scavants dissimulent ne
ground their Religion for when they would have excited the Jews to forsake their errors and to give over their sins they said to them that a great while ago they had entertained the word of God contumeliously I spake unto thee in thy prosperity (c) Jerem. 22.21 saith the Lord but thou saidst I will not hear this has been thy manner from thy youth that thou obeyedst not my voice (d) Jerem. 32.30 31 32. The Children of Israel and the Children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth for this City hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury even unto this day that I should remove it from before my face because of all the evil of the Children of Israel and of the Children of Judah which they have done to provoke me to anger they their Kings their Princes their Priests and their Prophets and the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem c. Whereby it is very easie to see that the Prophet believed not that the people of Israel had any right to deal wrongfully with the word of God because they had done so during I do not know how many ages neither that the Kings the Princes the Priests the Prophets and the People could pretend to stay still in their blindness because in all ages before there had been found many of the Kings of the Priests the Prophets and the People who had gone astray from the Law of God to prostitute themselves to errors In fine jesus Christ himself knew not that fine maxime of Rome that antiquity is a true mark of Infallibility for when the Scribes and the Pharisees said (e) Joh. 8. that they were Children of Abraham he answered them that their Genealogie was a great deal more Ancient since they were Children of the Devil himself but he thought not all that fair Antiquity could render them Infallible could give them right to reject his holy word and the truths he came to preach to them §. 2. Multitude is not an infallible mark of the true Church IF the Multitude be a mark of the true Church we must need say that there was no true Church in the time of Enoch in the time of Noah in the time of Abraham that there was no true Church neither whilst Christ Jesus lived upon the earth nor in the time of the Apostles nor in the time of the Arians if the accounts we have received of their numbers be true When the Antichrist shall appear in the world the Church and the true worshipping of God shall be almost destroyed or what would be yet more horrible to imagine we must say that the Church of Antichrist shall be the true Church that in the time of the Arians those who denied Christ our Lords Divinity were the true Church that in the time of the Apostles and the Martyrs the Heathens had the true manner of worshipping God that Christ and his Apostles were not the true Church but that it was those who Crucified him who had reason on their side and who doth not see that all these propositions are so many Blasphemies which yet are good consequences from this principle urged by the Romanists but are horrible impieties and falsehoods How far be these propositions from the thoughts of the Fathers and from truth St. Augustin (a) In Psal 128. faith that the true Church was for a while inclosed in the single person of Abel a while in the single person of Enoch a while it did consist all in the family of Noah and since in that of Abraham I should be ashamed to prove here among reasonable people that it was among that people of God before Christ his coming and among the faithful in the Primitive Church that the true Religion was to be sought after not among the Idolaters and the Heathens and you would look upon me as a man who thinks all the Christians very little zealous for the love of Christ if speaking to those who profess to follow him I would engage my self to prove what all the world ought to suppose as a principle not to be contested that whilest Christ lived upon the Earth with his Apostles it was in that holy Colledge of Christ the true Church was to be found not in the Synagogue of the Jews which was all compacted of men who gasped but for the blood of the righteous who sought but to oppress the truth As for the time of the Arians it is true as Theodoret witnesses (b) Lib. 2. Hist Ecclesiast cap. 16. that the Emperour Constantius spake of Athanasius as of a naughty fellow whom all the world looked upon with detestation because he held Christ's Divinity Who art thou said that Emperour to Liberius what part of the world art thou to come all alone to trouble the quiet of all the Earth It is true as Hilary (c) In lib. de Synod witnesses that in all the ten Provinces of Asia there was but the bishop Eleusius and a very small number of people with him who persisted in the true knowledge of God it is true as St. Hierome (d) Contra error Joan. Jerosolim witnesses that in all the East there was but Athanasius and Paulinus who followed not the errours of Arius nevertheless the true Church was not destroyed it was not in the Communion of the Arians though they were the Multitude it was in the single Bishop Eleusius it was in Athanasius it was in Paulinus because as Liberius answered to the Emperour Constantius the word of Faith is not lessened by the small number of those who profess that Holy word neither by their loneliness non diminuitur solitudine mea verbum fidei and according to the witness of Tertullian (e) De pudicitia it is not the great number of Bishops that makes the Church the Church may consist in one or two saith (f) De poenit cap. 10. the same and Gregory of Nazianze where are those saith he (g) Orat. cont Arian who describe the Church by the Multitude they have the People for them and we have the Faith they have abundance of Gold and Silver but we have the true doctrine of Faith whereby you may see that in that time the true Church did not consist in the Multitude Neither shall it be in the Multitude that the true Church shall be found in the time of Antichrist the Church shall be reduced to a very little number according to the testimony of Christ (a) Luke 18.8 when the Son of man cometh shall he find Faith on the Earth St. Hierome (b) In Sophron. 2. saith that in that time the Church shall be reduced to a Wilderness shall be deivered to the wild Beasts and shall suffer all the evils whereof the Prophet gives a description and St. Chrysostome (c) In Mathaeum homil 49. saith that when the ungodly Heresie which is the Army of the Antichrist will come to lay