added to the Creed by the Council at Trent viz. That Communion with the Church of Rome in all her Tenets is absolutely necessary to salvation Let them study this one Controversie of the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome and it will resolve the question for if it be founded upon Scripture and Antiquity without all question Communion with the Church of Rome is necessar unto salvation and the Religion of Protestants is a new sprung up heresie since the Bishop of Rome in Cathedra and consequently in their opinion infallible pronounceth so On the contrary if the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome be a thing unknown to Scripture and Antiquity it is as certain that the Faith of the Modern Roman Church is a new devised cheat and idolatry That this followeth of necessity appears by the confession of Bellarmine himself in two expressions in the preface of those Books of his de pontifice Romano The first we now mentioned in which he calls that Controversie of the Popes supremacy a Debâ—te de summa rei Christianae That is whether the Christian Religion can subsist or not By Christian Religion no question he means the Faith of the modern Church of Rome and consequently he grants that they who call in question the Popes supremacy they question also the whole body of the Popish Religion And consequently still he must of necessity grant that if the Popes supremacy be destitute of Scripture and Antiquity the faith of the Modern Church of Rome falls with it and proves a new devised fiction His second expression is in those similitudes he useth to illustrat his assertion viz. He compares Religion without the Popes supremacy which in his opinion is that of the Modern Church of Rome to a House without a Foundation a Body without a Head Moon-shine without the Sun And since it is notorious that a house without a Foundation cannot stand that a Body without a Head cannot live that the Moon without light of the Sun must be obscured He must of necessity grant that the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome being refuted by Scripture and Antiquity the Faith and Religion of the Modern Church of Rome is warrantable by neither and consequently proves a new devised idolatrous cheat Thirdly it s a most pleasant contest what can be more pleasing then to consider the causes of any prodigious Monster how iâ— subsists and how it is destroyed how any illustrious cheat is contrived how it is maintained and how it is discovered But such a Monster such a Cheat as the Bishop of Rome none free of prejudice can behold without admiration The whole world sees a person now ignorant then flagitious not seldome both put by two or three Italians of the same mettal in the Chair of Rome which Preferment he obtains sometimes by blood sometimes by simonie sometimes by unlawful stipulations as to protect Heresie and to oppress the Catholick Faith not seldome by a paction with the Devil all which wayes of obtaining the Chair of Rome are confessed by Popish Writers such as Platina and Baronius as shall be proved in the following Dispute Which Homuncio is no sooner installed then he is metamorphosed to be direct Monarch of the whole World both in Spirituals and Temporals And first for Temporals it shall be proved in the following Dispute that he assumes to himself in his Bulls power of transferring Kingdoms at his pleasure of stirring up Subjects to Armes against their natural Princes under the pain of Excommunication It shall be proved that he makes Emperours and Kings lye prostrate till he trade upon their neck makes them stand bare-footed with their Wives and Children in frost and snow dancing attendants at his Gates and yet not not admitted entrance It shall be proved that he makes Laws in that Book entituled Sacred Ceremonies that Emperors and Kings should hold his Stirrup hold water to his Hands serve dishes at his Table carry him on their shoulders Yea it shall be proved that it is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome That all Kings are not only the Popes Vassals but which is more he is not oblieged by any mutual ontract to suffer them to possess their Kingdoms but during his pleasure that is he may lawfully depose them although they miscarry not in the least In which he doth tâ—em no wrong because they hold their Kingdoms â—f him not as Vassals but as depositars as when any gives to another his Cloak to keep when he re-demands it he doth him no wrong As for his power which he assumes to himself in Spirituals it cannot be repeated without horrour It shall be proved in the following Dispute that it is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome partly in the Canon Law partly in the Bulls of Popes themselves partly in Books printed by the Popes Authority and affirmed by his Vâ—sitors to contain nothing contrary to the Catholick Faith That the Pope has power to coyn Articles of Faith at his pleasure oblieging the whole Church under the pain of damnation although he command vice and forbid vertue Secondly although he should lead all the world to hell with him yet none should presume to disobey him Thirdly that he gives pardon for sin for money and not only of sins by-past but also of those to come that is for a little money he will give you pardon for a little time but for a round sum he will give you pardon so long as you please Fourthly it shall be proved that for money he permits men to sin that is permits Clergy-men to keep Whoores And if any keep not a Whoor he makes them pay for it in some places of Italy nevertheless because they have liberty to keep a Whoor if they please Cornelius Agrippa affirms he heard such expressions as these following in the Popes Court Habeat aut non habeat Meretricem Aureum solvat quia habet si velit That is Whether a Priest keep a Whoor or not let him pay the Tribute since he may keep one if he please for such a peece of money Fifthly he makes his decretal Epistles of equal authority with the Scripture Lastly as he intended a gigantomachy he is called in the Canon Law revised and authorised by Gregory 13. Our Lord God the Pope It is affirmed in the said Law that he has power to make injustice justice and contra that he has power to command the Angels to carry souls to Heaven at his pleasure that he has power to give liberty to men to place the departed Souls of their friends in paradise for money that by vertue of his succession to Peter he is assumed to the society of the individual Trinity he not only hears patiently but also rewards flatterers when their blasphemous Pamphlets prefer him to Christ as appears in Innocent 10. which passage shall be realated part 1. lib. 1. cap. 11 of this following Treatise My Lords and Gentlemen any would think these horrible passages incredible but have patience till
requires rather to catch the Partridge in the nest in a compendious Treatise then to hunt her in the Woods Fields and Mountains of vast and volumnious Authors though never so learned If any affirm that I play not the Clerk faithfully in minuting this Disput let him put me to it either in privat or publick and if I do not vindicate my self let me be esteemed an Impostor and infamous for forgery and lest any think I cheat in citations I am able to justify that I make use of no passages but those which are acknowledged by both sides where the Disput is about the true meaning of the words and which not seldom falls out whether the testimony be forged or not The whole Disput consists in the examination of those three Questions 1. Whether the Apostle Peter was ordained by our Savior Visible Head of the Church under himself or subordinat Monarch of the Church 2. If at the command of Christ the said Apostle Peter fixed the seat of his particular Bishoprick at Rome 3. If the Bishop of Rome by Divine institution succeeds to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church If the affirmitives of those three questions be true without all question Communion with the Church of Rome is necessar unto Salvation and the Religion of Protestants is a new sprung-up Heresie But if any one of those three Affirmatives be false much more all three it is as certain that the Faith of the Modern Roman Church is an idolatrous and heretical novelty none can succeed to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church if Peter was not himself Monarch of the Church Neither can the Bishop of Rome succeed to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church albeit Peter were Monarch of the Church himself except Peter were also Bishop of Rome Again albeit Peter had been both Monarch of the Church and Bishop of Rome it doth not follow that the Bishop of Rome succeeded to Peter by Divine institution in the Monarchy of the Church unless it be made out otherwise by Scripture or unquestionable Antiquity Calvin lib. 4. Inst cap. 6. num 8. rightly observes that Peter might have had some extraordinary priviledge in his own person to which none succeeded after him The first two questions or Bishoprick of Peter are disputed in this first Book the third question in the following Books The Monarchy of Peter or his universal Bishoprick is disputed unto chap. 22. his particular Bishoprick of Rome from thence to the end His Monarchy is disputed three ways First from his institution unto chap. 15. Secondly from his prerogatives and carriage unto chap. 19 Thirdly by testimonies of Fathers from thence to chap. 22. His institution again is asserted unto chap. 11. and assaulted from thence unto chap. 15. His institution is asserted by three testimonies of Scripture and assaulted by as many The three testimonies by which it is asserted are first Mat. 16. 18. Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church The second is Matthew 16. 19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt bind upon Earth shal be bound in Heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon Earth shal be loosed in Heaven The third passage is John 21. 15 16 17. Feed my Lambs Feed my Sheep Those three testimonies are the main Foundation of the faith of the Roman Church If Peter be not ordained Monarch of the Church in those three testimonies he is ordained Monarch of the Church no where and if he be ordained Monarch of the Church no where the Bishop of Rome did not succeed to him in the Monarchy of the Church and if the Bishop of Rome did not succeed to him in the Monarchy of the Church the faith of the Modern Roman Church is a cheat communion with it is so far from being necessar unto Salvation that Salvation cannot consist with it we speak not of Gods secret providence ordinarily This sort of reasoning is approved by Bellarmin himself in the preface of his disput de Pont. Rom. where he calls that controversie of the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome a debate de summârei Christianae that is whether Christianity can subsist or not By Christianity or Christian Faith or Christian Religion no question he means the doctrin of the Modern Church of Rome and since in that expression he grants that it cannot subsist without the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome he must of necessity grant that the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome having no ground in Scripture or Antiquity the Doctrine of the Modern Church of Rome is warrantable by neither which is further confirmed because in the same place he affirms that the Christian Faith without the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome Is like a house without a foundation a body without a head Moon-shine without the Sun which is as much to say as without the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome the doctirne of the Modern Church of Rome is nothing at all since it is notorious that a house without a foundation a body without a head Moon-light without the Sun are things impossible Since it is so then if the Ancients Fathers and Councils did not believe that Peter was ordained Monarch of the Church in those three fore-mentioned passages of Scripture questionless they did not believe the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome and if they did not believe the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome it followeth of necessity that they did not believe any necessar communion with the Church of Rome notwithstanding all the braggings of our adversaries to the contrair boasting that the whole current of Antiquity is for them Whether their assertion be true or not will appear by the following enquiry viz. What were the opinions of the Ancients concerning those three passages of Scripture pretended by our adversaries for the institution of Peters Monarchy By which enquiry will appear also by infallible consequence what opinion the Ancients had of necessar communion with the Church of Rome So it may be affirmed that the examination of those three passages is a compendious disput of the whole controversies which we have with the Church of Rome CHAP. II. Tues Petrus Disputed by Scripture and Reason THe fiâ—st passage then proving the institution of Peter to be Monarch of the Church is from Mat. 16. 18. Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church This is the place in which our Adversaries have most confidence It may be safely said that if Peter be not ordained Monarch of the Church in those words he is no where else If any would yet have a more compendious Disput of the controversies it is to be found in this passage alone For if in the opinion of Antiquity Peter was not ordained Monarch of the Church or promised to be ordained Monarch of the Church in this passage questionless they neither believed the Supremacy of Peter nor of the Bishop of Rome nor necessar communion with
THE GRAND IMPOSTOR DISCOVERED OR AN Historical DISPUTE of the Papacy and Popish Religion 1. Demonstrating the newness of both 2. By what artifices they are maintained 3. The contradictions of the Roman Doctors in defending them Divided in four Parts 1. Of Bishops 2. Of Arch-bishops 3. Of an oecumenick Bishop 4. Of Antichrist PART I. Divided in two Books In the first is examined 1. if Peter by divine Institution was Monarch of the Church 2. If at the command of Christ he was Bishop of Rome In the second is examined if the Bishop of Rome was acknowledged Successor to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church before the death of Cyprim or anno 260 The Negatives of which three Questions are made out by unanswerable monuments of Antiquity and all what is pretended for their affirmatives is proved to be either wrested falsly translated mutilated or forged Cicero lib. 2. de Orator Fieri potest ut quod dixit iratus dixerit Silus annuit tum Crassus fieri potest ut quod dixit non intelligeres hic quoque Silus fassus est tum Crassus fieri potest ut non omnino audieâ—is quod te audisse dicis Silus tacuit omnes riserunt By S. C. Edinburgh Printed by His Majesties Printers for the Author Anno Dom. 1673. TO HIS GRACE The DUKE of LAUDERDALE Marquess of Marche Earl of Lauderdail Viscount Maitland Lord Thirlestane Musselburgh and Bolton Knight of the most Noble Order of the Garter His Majesties High Commissioner President of His Council and Sole Secretary of State in His Kingdom of Scotland May it please your Grace THat the Christian Faith as it was taught by Christ and his Apostles and confirmed by the four first General Councils is established by His Majesties authority all have reason to be thankful both to God and to His Majesty While we are contending for things of lesser moment at home Religion is dangerously assaulted from abroad their artifices are subtile their success is lamented By what perswasions they endeavour to gain Proselyts and how they are refuted Your Grace will find affirmed in the Preface and proved in the Disput following The first part whereof I present to your Grace it being difficult for me to publish it all at once My Lord some perhaps as their motive of such an address as this would fall a painting out the praises of your Grace and your Ancestors in your Face as that one or other of your Race could be no more spared from the State in every age then one of the Aeacides from the warrs of Greece which although most true yet I forbear lest I should offer violence vim facere to your Graces Modesty by unseasonable mentioning things which all know to be undenyable Nevertheless I hope your Grace will pardon me if I affirm that it is a main encouragement of my troubling you that your Grace is a Gentle-man of Spirit versed in Antiquity and able to discern if I perform any thing to the purpose in this great subject or process of greatest importance that ever depended before the Tribunal of Heaven My Lord I have likewise privat obligations to your Grace I had the honour to be your Condisciple at which time it did not obscurely appear what your Grace would prove afterwards Also having presented several Trifles to your Grace at your two times being in Scotland you seemed to accept of them with a favourable countenance which encouraged me to trouble your Grace afresh A Spaniel the more he is taken notice of the more he troubles his Benefactors with importunat kindness Taking all for good coyn whether they be in jest or in earnest If I perform any thing in this great subject worthy of your Graces perusal I would be infinitly proud of it otherwise the greatest censure I expect from your Grace is that either your Grace would smile at my folly or else put me back with a gentle frown hoping your Grace will pardon presumption proceeding from simplicity and good-will I will trouble your Grace no more but being sorry that I can give no greater evidence of my propension to your Graces service I rest as I am able most addicted to it Samuel Colvill THE PREFACE DIRECTED TO The Nobility Gentry and Burroughs of the Kingdom of Scotland My Lords and Gentlemen SInce I have contrived the following Discourse chiefly for your use not presuming to inform those of the Clergy it being their Profession and therefore having opportunity at will to go to the woods to gather Strawberries themselves whereas your Lordships leisure by reason of your other weighty Employments requires rather to have them presented in a dish Curiosity perhaps will move one or other of â—ou to peruse it Which that you may do the more commodiously it is requisite that your minds be prepared by considering 1. What the Subject is I present unto your protection 2. What I perform in it 3. What is my scope and intention 4. How I answer as I can to all which is objected against me I am not very eloquent especially in the English Tongue not being much accustomed to read Books in that Language The Diâ—course for the most art is dogmatick and therefore Rhetorick is more hurtful thâ—n pâ—ofiâ—able If I bâ— understood it is sufficient in representing shortly what others have done prolixly perspicuously what others have obscurely And yet fully that is omitting nothing of moment which is pretended by either Party in that greaâ— Controversie of the Sâ—premacy of the Bishop of Rome And first for the Subject Nâ—ne are ignorant in what high estimation searching of Antiquity is amongst those whose mindes are erected above the ordinar of men That religious enquiries of that kind ought to be preferred to any others who believe the immortality of the soul none will deny Among those again that one Controversie of the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome deservedly challengeth the first place I presenting to your Lordships in it the minute of a Process if not marred by me the most noble the most profitable and the most pleasant which hath hitherto depended before the Tribunal of Heaven That I affirm no Paradoxes appears by what followeth The Nobility of this question is celebrated by the Learned of both sides Est Nobilis inter primas Disputatio the noblest of Disputes saith Chamier Est quaestio Prima familiam ducens A prime and leading question saith Salmasius That is upon it depends all the Controversies we have with the Church of Rome Bellarmine goeth higher calling it a debate de summa rei Christianae That is Whether the Christian Religion can subsist or not For in his opinion Who calls in question the Supremacy of the Bâ—shop of Rome he questions the truth of the Christian Religion it self By which expression of this Jesuit appears the immense utility of that Controversie If any want ability if they have not leisure to wade thorow that profound Ocean of Antiquity to be informed of the truth of that Article
Rome and of their vowed slavish flatterers to be spoken in passion to be partial and to merit no credit Crassus second instance was that perhaps Silus did not understand what the other said This is also fitly applyed to those of the Church of Rome for knowing that those partial testimonies would not serve the turn they flye to fantastick Glosses of testimonies of the Ancients wearying themselves and their Readers by their verbosity in such Glosses though never so strained and wrested against the meaning of the Author as shall be proved to any capacity in the least measure capable of reason and in effect all the shelter they have in Antiquity is either in wilfully wresting the Fathers or else in their strained Allegories as shall be made manifest in its own place part 4. lib. 2. yea and almost through the whole Treatise The third instance of Crassus against Silus was false witnessing that this may be applyed to our Adversaries shall be proved also that is when those testimonies of Popes and their Fathers and those perverted and wrested testimonies of others will not serve the turn they use a twofold cheat in false witnessiing The first is they have corrupted by authority of the Pope all the Writings of the Ancients taking out what made against them The second cheat is by putting in and forging what in effect was never in the writings of the Ancients as shall be unanswerably proved in the following Disput yea it shall appear part 4. lib. 2. what those forged testimonies being removed the primitive Fathers in the first six Centuries after Christ prosessed no other Doctrine then the Doctrine now professed by the Protestants especially by the Church of England which is the same Religion with that of the first four-general Councils both in Doctrine and Discipline in the estimation of Gregorius Magnus Bishop of Rome of little lesse authority then the Scripture it self One thing is not to be omitted they object the Protestants speaking unreverently of Antiquity which is a notorious untruth whereas themselves when neither wresting falsly translating adding and paring and right-down forging testimonies of Antiquity will serve the turn speak most unreverently of the Ancients taxing Augustinus Hieronymus the second and fourth general Councils and consequently all the first eight general Councilsâ— since in the particulars challenged by them they all agreed of ignorance madnesse heresie forgery The third mark is universality which is all one with antiquity universality is twofold first of time that is the Doctrine of the Modern Church of Rome was received at all times by the Church The second is of place that is it was embraced in all places but the Antiquity of their Doctrine being related universality falls with it and likewayes visibility for if we prove that the Doctrine of the Modern Church of Rome in as far as it contradicts that of Protestants is devised and broached by degrees since the beginning of the seventh Century questionless it was not visible in the first six Antiquity also being refuted their fifth mark infallibility also falls with it for questionless if the Doctrine of the Modern Church of Rome be contrary to the Doctrine of the Primitive Church in the first six Centuries they cannot have the brow to affirm that their Modern Church of Rome is infallible since in so affirming they will declare all the Ancients that is Fathers and geneneral Councils in the first six hnndred years after Christ to be Hereticks However it is most strange impudence in them to pretend infallibility in their Church which some place in general Councils others in the Bishop of Rome in Cathedra which ever of the two they affirm they are entangled If the first in it appears that of late their general Councils hath condemned one another of Heresie as the Council of Florence the Councils of Basil and Constance and the Council of Basil that of Florence If they affirm in the last viz. that the Pope hath Infallibility in Cathedra they are also entangled for it shall be proved part 3 lib. 2. that many Popes in Cathedra have declared other Popes teaching in Cathedra to be Hereticks but none but a mad man or an Impostor will affirm that the infallibility of Popes in Cathedra can consist with such proceedings The sixth mark is Unity of which they brag very much but with as little reason as they did brag of Antiquity They reason very prettily thus We of the Church of Rome say they agree amongst our selves in all substantial points of Faith whereas they who are not of our Church do not so some of them being Calvinists some Lutherians some Anabaptists some Quakers some this some that whence it appears say they that our Church is the true Church But this sophism is very easily retorted we may as easily reason thus We whom ye call Calvinists are at unity amongst our selves in substantial points there is no discord amongst us but in these two particulars the first is anent Church-government or the Divine right of Bishops the second is in that point of defensive Armes against Kings both which differences especially the last are in a far higher strain amongst your selves as ye cannot without impudence deny But ye who are out of our Church do not agree amongst your selves some of you are Papists some Anabaptists some Quakers c. Ergo we are the true Church Secondly to omit such foolish reasoning there is not greater discord in hell then is amongst those of the Church of Rome in points most substantial and upon which as hinges the whole edifice of their Doctrine doth depend It would be prolix to enumerat all their discords we will only mention some few the rest we shall prosecute through the whole body of this Treatise And first they generally brag of the Antiquity of their Doctrine that it was from the beginning but it shall be proved by testimony of their own Doctors that most of their substantial Tenets which they hold contrary to Protestants are so many innovations such as adding of Apocrypha Books to the Scripture number of Sacraments Transubstantiation Purgatory Indulgences and all those steps of the Popes Supremacy after anno 604. Yea it shall be proved by some of their greatest Antiquaries that the Bishop of Rome was not acknowledged universal Bishop by the Church in the first six Centuries and that Cyprian and Augustine and many other of the Ancients died out of communion with the Church of Rome and yet are placed in their Calanders amongst the Saints Likewayes the whole body of the Popish Religion depends upon the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome it again upon the supremacy of Peter it again upon his institution carriage and testimonies of Fathers Let us hear how they agree in those three And first his institution is founded upon three passages of Scripture Mat. 16. 18. Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church The second is verse 19. And I will give unto thee
of Rome in power encreased not only corruption in Doctrine but also in manners encreased with it And after the Bishop of Rome was made universal Bishop nothing could be added to the wickedness of the Clergy The complaints of Bernardus Picus Merandula are notorious and innumerable others The corruptions of the Clergy moved them not onely to call Rome Babylon but also consequently and not obscurely the Bishop of Rome Antichrist and yet both of them professed themselves obedient Sons to the Church of Rome In a word since the times of Cyprian no brave man lived in any Age unto this day who did not complain of the corruption of the Roman Clergy and so heir Clergy cannot be their Saints Secondly if they have little reason to brag of their Clergy they have far lesse reason to brag of the sanctity of their Popes Baronius Platina and Onuphrius ingenuously confesse that the World never produced such Monsters for murtherers Impoysoners Adulterers Symoniacks Witches yea and Hereticks who but a mad man will affirm that such persons cannot erre teaching the Church Surely Pighius was out of his witts teaching that a Pope could not be an Heretick and Bellarmine no less for calling that opinion of Pighius a pious opinion their feaver now is turned to a Phrensie the Author of that Book entituled Cardinalismo conscious to all the Caball of the Roman Clergy affirms that now they begin to teach at Rome that a Pope cannot be a reprobat which at last will turn to an Article of Faith as well as infallibility But because corruption of lives of the Clergy doth not of necessity infer a false Church We do not affirm that the wickedness of their Clergy or their Popes proves them Idolaters in Doctrine we only affirm that they have no reason to brag of either of them as Saints to prove the Church of Rome to be the true Church And although they were so it is no infallible mark for it may be affirmed that the holyest of them all comes short of Novatus Donatus and other ancient Hereticks or of Tertullian when he was a Montanist We only ask of them where those Saints are to be found of which they brag so much if they be neither their Clergy nor their Popes They will answer they mean those persons canonized by the Pope and placed in their Calander But we reply they cheat egregiously first it is reported of a certain mad-man in Athens who imagined that all the Ships which came into the Harbour were his own so they when they hear of any promises made to the Church they imagine they are all made to the modern Church of Rome and when they hear of any Saints and Martyrs they believe they all professed the Doctrine of the Church of Rome In reason they can brag of no Saints but those who lived after the beginning of the seventh Century the Saints of the first six Centuries were not of their Church at all for it shall be proved part 4. lib. 2. that the Saints Fathers and Martyrs of the first six Centuries condemn all the Tenets of the Church of Rome of any moment which they hold contrary to Protestants as heretical and are in right down terms Protestants yea it shall be proved by testimonies of their own Doctors that many of these most eminent Saints died excommunicated by the Church of Rome for resisting the pride of that Church as Saint Polycarpus and all the Bishops of Asia in the time of Victor anno 195. Saint Cyprian and all the Churches of Africk in the time of Stephanus Bishop of Rome about anno 256. Saint Aurelius and Saint Augustine and all the Bishops of Africk in the times of Sozimus Bonifacius and Celestinus Bishops of Rome in the beginning of the fifth Age. Secondly as for those Saints since the beginning of the seventh Century it is answered first that albeit the Clergy of Rome call them Saints yet they thought the said Clergy no Saints such as Saint Bernard and others who most bitterly inveigh against the corruption of the Roman Church Saint Bernard expresly calls Rome a den of theeves and Babylon mentioned by John in the Apocalyps 2. How many of these modern Saints have been proved cheats It shall be proved by testimonies of their own Doctors part 3. lib. 2. that the Pope hath no power to canonize Saints and that the most part of their Saints are vile Impostors devised by Priests to cheat the ignorant people of their money and to make them offer oblations at their shrines It were prolix in this Preface to insert the particulars but that Impostur of Saints in many examples shall be made unanswerably appear part 4. lib. 2. And this much of Saints the seventh mark of the Roman Church The last mark is Miracles the Scripture informs us that Antichrist shall deceive all the world by false miracles It shall be proved likewayes part 4. lib. 2. by the testimony of the most learned Popish Doctors that Miracles are no true marks of the true Church in these last times but rather marks of the Antichristian Church 2. It shall be proved by the testimonies of the same men that most of the late miracles pretended by the Church of Rome and the most notable ones are meet Imposturs which we shall instance in the forementioned place And whereas they object we have no miracles in our Church it is false our Doctrine was confirmed by the miracles performed by Christ and his Apostles neither need we any other miracles since we profess the same Doctrine And this much of those marks of the true Church pretended by the Mannual of Controversies to prove that the Church of Rome was such to refute which is my first scope and intention in this following Disput The second scope of the said Manual of Controversies was to perswade the Proselyts of this Nation that it was not the Doctrine of the Church of Rome that the Pope had power to depose Kings either Popish or Protestant but only of some particular persons whom they called the Popes flatterers and therefore my second intention is to prove that the said Author is either ignorant in the Principles of his own Religion or else he is like Father Cotton the Jesuit who being demanded if he believed the Pope had power to depose Kings answered He did not believe it in France but if he were at Rome he would That this King-deposing doctrine is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome is proved by three reasons which will puzle the said Author very sore to answer The first is this innumerable Books are printed asserting so much the names of the Authors shall be cited afterwards some of which Books are dedicated to Cardinals some to the Pope himself but those Books are authorized by those who have authority from the Pope to peruse Books before they go to the Press with an Imprimatur and a Declaration that they contain nothing contrary to the Catholick Doctrine But who but a
their lawful Prince whom the Bishop of Rome shall appoint How this power of the Popes can consist with Kingly Government let the Kings of the earth themselves consider They make one objection yet that it is not the Doctrine of the Church of Rome that the Pope hath power to depose Kings By the answer of which objection will appear that encrease of Popery in a Protestant State tends to the utter destruction both of King and Subject and inconsistent with both The objection is this It is not the Doctrine of the Church of France say they that the Pope has power to depose Kings being rejected both by its Doctrine and by its Practice since many of the Clergy of France hath writen against that Doctrine and Books defending that Opinion such as that of Mariana the Spanish Jesuit and others have been burnt by publick Authority But this objection is answered by a twofold distinction first of Times secondly of Causes wherefore Kings ought to be deposed As for Times when the Kings of France are low or high in the last case the Clergy of France ever partied their King against the Pope excommunicating them and deposing them as appears by the passages of Philip le Bell with â—onifacius and of Lewis 12th with Julius second Bishop of Rome In the first Case when the Kings of France are low the Clergy of France ever partied the Pope excommunicating and deposing their Kings as appears by the passages of Henry 3d. and 4th Kings of France with Sixtus 5th Bishop of Rome It is notorious that the University of Paris confirmed by a decree the Bulls of the said Sixtus 5th against the said two Henries Kings of France in which Bulls they were declared uncapable of the Crown of France all French men were absolved from alledgeance to them and the greatest part of France rose up in armes against them to dethrone them beging of the Pope that he would name them a King and they would acknowledge him for their lawful Prince And this much of the distinction of Times The second distinction is of Causes wherefore Kings should be deposed although in other causes besides Heresie the Subjects of France were not so unanimous for the Pope against their King yet in case of Heresie that is if their King were a Protestant both the Clergy and the Laity of France unanimously at the Popes command renunced alledgeance to their King And first for the Clergy in an Assembly of States or Parliament Cardinal Perron their Speaker commissionat from them as their mouth in an Oration to the third Estate affirmed That it had ever been the Doctrine of the Clergy of France that true French men ought no alledgeance to heretical Kings excommunicated and deposed by the Pope As for the Laity it is notorious that after the murther of Henry 3. they threatned to abandon Henry 4th his Successor because he was excommunicated and deposed by the Pope which forced him expecting no security otherwayes to change his Religion And thus we have proved that it is the unanimous Doctrine of the Church of Rome that Popish Subjects owe no fidelity to a Protestant King which occasioned that saying of that incomparable Bishop Mortoun viz. That a loyal popish Subject in a Protestant State was a white Ethiopian which I do not mention calling in question the Loyalty of the Romanists of this Nation or the neighbour Nations of England and Ireland many of them are known to be persons of Honour and as loyal Subjects as the King hath I only mention those things to let them see how they are abused by the Popish Emissaries of these three Nations who knowing them to be loyal Subjects to the King seing it would be a great difficulty to train them in their snares and keep them in them once catched if they told them all the verity To train them on they make them believe in the beginning that it is not the Doctrine of the Church of Rome that the Pope hath power to depose Protestant Kings much less others but only a calumny of Protestants traducing the Popish Religion but afterwards having by degrees confirmed them in the Popish Religion they would not fail to perswade them to cut the throats of all their Countrey-men and flee like so many mad-dogs upon the Kings face to pull him from his Throne as appears by the constant practice of the Church of Rome against all Protestants in general and against Protestant Kings in particular which practice is so notorious that he who denyes it is either a mad man void of common sense or else a notorious Impostor And first that it is the Doctrine of the Church of Rome affirming it meritorious to destroy Protestants by open cruelty and perfidy appears by the constant carriage of the said Church towards Protestants since the Reformation What sort of cruelty or perfidy have they not attempted Death without torture was thought clemency burning of them in heaps alive in houses might be attributed to a popular fury but it is notorious that multitudes of them were burnt alive in fires of all Sexes and Qualities by the sentences of the Judges and when they could do no good by open force they destroyed them by perfidy and prostitution of the publick Faith and when they had done made publick Processions of Joy Bonefires and such like as if they had deserved Paradise by such meritorious works maintaining this maxime as unquestionable that no publick Faith should be regarded or observed towards Hereticks That this is truth appears by the proceedings of the Council of Constance with John Husse and Hierom of Prague which two were burned alive notwithstanding they had the safe conduct of the Emperor Sigismundus It appears also by those massacres of Paris and other parts of France where by the publick Faith they trained them all to one place and then perfidiously massacred them to the horror of several learned Romanists who in their Histories detest such perfidy such as Thuanus and others and when they had done tanquam re bene gesta triumpharunt they were congratulated by the Pope who caused Bonefires and publick Processions to be made at Rome for the happy success of such a glorious atchievment These things are notorious so that the Popish emissaries themselves have neither the brow to deny them nor the confidence to defend them But they use another shift viz. That the Church of Rome hath given over that practice now being resolved no more to follow those courses as they did in the beginning prompted to them by their too violent zeal But it is answered they are greatly mistaken for now in France and Germany and other places they practise not such cruelties because they dare not but where they have power and thinks they may do it without any hazard they make it appear that they believe it is a meritorious work to destroy and extirpat all Protestants by any cruelty or perfidy imaginable as appears of late not only abroad
place is expresly disputing against necessar communion with the Church of Rome as shall appear part 2. lib. 1. concerâ—â—ng a certain ceremony in Baptism Likewayes Gregorius Magnus is cited by Bellarmine to prove that Peter was ordained Monarch of the Church because he affirms that the care of the whole Church was committed to him in which he playes the sophister egregiously suppressing what immediately followeth viz. Petrus tamen non erat universalis Apostolus Peter was not universal Apostle nevertheless The truth is Gregorius is expresly disputing in that passage against any Monarch of the Church calling that Title sacrilegious and blasphemous and amongst other reasons he hath this for one if any had reason to be called Monarch of the Church or oecumenick Bishop it was Peter because the care of the whole Church was committed to him but notwithstanding of that he was not oecumenick Bishop or universal Bishop or Apostle Your Lordships will find many instances of that kind dispersed through the following Treatise and also their false translations yea they do not produce one testimony except either of Bishops of Rome or their flatterers which sort of testimonies are rejected by Aeneas Silvius afterwards Pope himself as meriting no credit but either it is mutilated in the foresaid manner or falsly translated or forged It may be objected secondly against me that my Stile is rude But I answer a key of Iron if it open the door with facility is to be preferred to one of Gold which doth it with difficulty The Discourse for the most part is Dogmatick in which Rhetorick is rather hurtful then profitable the strained Rhetorick of the Fathers hath set us all by the ears together Most of the shelter which our Adversaries have in the Writings of the Fathers is in their too high strained Allegories as will be proved by an induction of all those Controversies we have with the Church of Rome We will give an instance or two in this Preface of which your Lordships will find innumerable dispersed through the whole Disput especially part 4. lib. 2. where the newness of the present popish Religion is expresly disputed First to prove necessar communion with the Church of Rome or the infallibility of the particular Church of Rome Bellarmine cites Cyprian affirming that Perfidy can have no accesse to that Church which expression of his is found in an Epistle of his written to Cornelius Bishop of Rome That this is onely Rhetorick and a Complement appears by innumerable other Epistles of Cyprian in which he taxeth Stephanus Bishop of Rome and the particular Church of Rome of Ignorance Arrogancy and Patronizing of Hereticks yea it is notorious and confessed by our Adversaries that he died out of communion with the Church of Rome and yet as we said he is a Saint in the Roman Callander Secondly Bellarmine and others produce many testimonies of the Fathers to prove the Supremacy of Peter because they call him Head and Prince of the Apostles that this is only Rhetorick is notorious for two reasons first it shall be proved that these very Fathers expresly affirm and prove that Peter had no Supremacy over the Church or other Apostles but that all the Apostles were of alike Fellowship Dignity and Power with him 2. Because these very Fathers complement others also with the same title of Head and Prince as they do Paul and James yea Chrysostom then whom none calls Peter oftner Head and Prince expresly affiâ—ms Paul was in every thing equal to Peter and when he had so sayed he adds ne dicam amplius which is as much as to say that in his opinion Paul was to be preferred to Peter 3. To prove Transubstantiation they bring many testimonies of the Fathers such as these This Bread which you see is not common Bread but the Flesh of Christ this Wine which you see is not ordinar Wine but the Blood of Christ that these exâ—ressions are onely strained Allegories appears by the testimonies of the same Fathers especially of Ambrosius who speaking of the Water in Baptism useth the same phrase of speaking viz. that Water which ye behold is not ordinar Water but the Blood of Christ but our Adversaries do not affirm that the Water in Baptism is transubstantiat into the blood of Christ Another reason is unanswerable that those expressions are only Allegories viz. Those very Fathers especially Ambrosius expresly affirm that after the consecration the Bread keeps still the nature of Bread and the Wine of Wine many of which expressions are now taken out by the Iâ—dices expurgatorii in all the new printed Copies of the Fathers by the Popes authority contrary to the Faith not only of all the old Manuscripts but also of the printed Copies before anno 1564. at which time that famous Printer Manutius gelded all the Fathers which he doth not dissemble himself at the command of Paulus 4th Bishop of Rome My Lords and Gentlemen Thus I have represented unto you the excellency of the Subject of which I treat 2. What method I observe in it 3. What is my scope in it 4. How I answer as I can all what is objected against me If any have more to object I intreat them to put me to it and if I cannot convince them by an Apology I shall ingenuously confess my fault either in privat or in publick No more but wishing every one of you in your stations to be serviceable to God your King and Country and steadable to your own Families and Relations I rest according to my power ready to do you service SAMUEL COLVIL THE GRAND IMPOSTOR DISCOVERED OR AN HISTORICALL DISPVT OF THE Papacy and Popish Religion PART I. BOOK I. Of the Bishoprick of Peter CHAP. I. That the cheat of the Modern Roman Faith is discovered by these three Passages of Scripture By which they endeavor to prove the Institution of Peters Monarchy IT was proved in the Preface that the truth or falshood of the Modern Roman Faith depended upon that of the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome which is the true reason why the bravest spirits of both sides rush together with such animosity in this contest the one to assert it the other to assault it both parties pretending Scripture Reason Councils Fathers and each party upbraiding other with wresting of Scripture Sophistry perverting and forging testimonies of Antiquity When I considered these high and mutual reflections of those not only learned but pious men of both sides as cannot be denyed curiosity moved me to study the Contest that I might perceive if I could which Party was to blame and when I had so done I resolved to minut the Disput as a Clerk doth those pleadings before a Judge omitting Grammaticisms Criticisms and Rhetorical digressions I only mention the most substantial Arguments and answers Hinc inde doing what I could for the benefit of Persons of Honor of both Religions to whom I am many ways ingaged whose condition and abilities or leasure
of Rome hold contrary to the Doctrine of the reformed Churches My Lords and Gentlemen In the last place you will find it proved by what practices the Bishop of Rome maintains himself in that prodigious greatness and his Doctrine None can but admire how he hath been so long undiscovered and how so many learned and pious men brave spirits can be so bewitched yet as to believe that communion with him is necessary unto salvation and that all who acknowledge not his power and Doctrine ought to be condemned as Hereticks But their admiration may cease since the Spirit of God affirms that the Kings of the earth shall be drunk with his abominations that is shall be void of all spiritual understanding that the glory of God may be manifested in his impervestigable wayes till at last that wicked one be consumed by the breath of his mouth that is by the sincere preaching of the Gospel The cup of iniquity of that Monster was not yet full untill he began so far to forget himself as to prefer himself to God and make publick sale of forgiveness of sins for money that is by giving pardons unto men not only for sins by-past but also to be committed afterwards giving to this Courtier the money obtained for the pardon of sins obtained in one Countrey to that of another It is reported of Alexander the sixth that when it was told him that his Son Caesar Burgia had lost a hudge sum of money at Dice he answered that his Son had lost nothing but the sins of the Germans that is the money which he had got for the sale of pardons in that Nation When his impiety came to such a height he was at last discovered by Luther a poor Frier since which time they have left no sort of cruelty and impostures unattempted to preserve their Power and their Doctrine And first for their cruelty towards those who opposed them death without torture was thought a clemency the ordinar punishment of such was burning alive and if they were so numerous that it could not be conveniently done they trained them into snares by perfidious Treaties cutting their throats when they were asleep without regard to the publick Faith given them as appears by the horrible massacre at Paris and other places of France and albeit popish Writers in those times detested that perfidious cruelty yet the Pope himself who was the Author and contriver of it made Processions of joy and Bone-â—ires at Rome for the success of it As for their impostures by which they maintain their Power and Doctrine they are so many that they are scarce numerable the main are preferring the corrupt Latine version of the Scripture to the Greek and Hebrew Fountains held authentick by the Primitive Church and the Church of Rome it self Secondly by adding Books to the Canon of the Scripture against all the current of Antiquity to authorize some of their idolatrous Tenets 3. They make the Pope the infallible Interpreter of Scripture albeit perhaps he had never read one syllable in it or at least understood nothing in it as appears of late by that passage of Innocent 10th related by Sanct Amour in his Journal who being pressed to determine a Controversie in Religion between the Jansenists and Molinists answered he was an old man and had never studied Divinity neither did it belong to his profession 4. They have corrupted all the Writings of the Ancients adding to them taking from them at their pleasure as appears by the Edition of the Fathers set forth by Manutius at the Popes command against all the Manuscript Copies and old printed Copies before anno 1564. neither are they ashamed of it avowing it in their indices expurgatorii and not content with corrupting of Antiquity they also forge not only particular testimonies of Fathers but also whole Treatices Aeneas Silvius who was afterwards Pope himself under the name of Pius 2d confessed ingenuously that no regard was held to the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome before the Council of Nice or anno 325. and yet they produce six and thirty decretal Epistles of Popes as so many Knights of the Post to bear false witness for it in that interval acknowledged to be forged by Cusanus Contius and other great Antiquaries of the Church of Rome neither are they much regarded by Bellarmine and Barronius themselves Again the most ingenuous Doctors of the Romish Church and their greatest Antiquaries confess that nothing can be gathered from the Council of Nice for the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome Yea all Antiquity acknowledged only twenty Canons of the said Council of Nice Yet the Jesuits of late have found out two Arabick Editions in which fifty Canons are added to those twenty so palpably forged that he is blind who doth not see it Yea they are acknowledged for such by the most learned men of the Church of Rome The main scope of those forged Cannons is to prove several principal Tenets of the Popish Religion especially the Popes Supremacy That they are forged shall be proved part 2. lib. 1. Lastly the Bishops of Rome maintain their authority and Doctrine by false miracles Saints and Revelations but mainly by those two damned cheats implicit faith and infallibility that is they make their disciples believe that all is Gospel what the Pope affirmeth in Cathedra and that he cannot erre teaching the whole Church whâ—ch is the main cheat by which they lead innumerable souls to destruction My Lords and Gentlemen This much of the nobility utility and jucundity of the Subject which I present unto your protection in which I have shortly shadowed forth the steps of the Bishop of Rome to his present greatness and by what artifices he maintains himâ—elf in it The second thing I desired your Lordships to observe is the method I use in the discovery of this â—rand Impostor I am informed some tax me of presumption for medling with such a Subject after the Labours of so many Learned men to whose diligence nothing could be added But I answer as it were ill manners in me to tax those brave men that went before me in this Subâ—ect of omission or slackness So I am confident none will blame me with any shew of reason except first he consider what I say It is true indeed many have written before me but it is as true that some of them have written too dogmatically some too historically both which wayes are lost labour in this Subject in which all the probations are testimonies but that they can be understood without the kâ—owledge of History no man can perswade me though never so learned On the other hand History without Disputation may delight the ear as any other empty flâ—sh of Rhetorick but it will never satisfie the mind ruled by reason I strive to relate thâ— Histoâ—y of the Papacy and Popish Religion fighting with Disputation at every step neither make I use further of History then to illustrat the Dispute which
Phocas the Emperor carried no good will to Cyriacus Patriarch of Constantinople he struck the Iron while it was hot after much contention pronounced in his favour The third Part entituled of an oecumenick Bishop contains the History of that interval between anno 600. and the Council of Trent It is divided in two Books in the first I insist most on those following particulars 1. What power was conferred by Phocas with that title of universal Bishop upon Bonifacus third Bishop of Rome 2. How the edict of Phocas was obâ—yed viz. resisted every where till in the end it was recalled by Pogonatus anno 680. in the sixth general Council as was shewed before 3. How during the vicissitudes of inundations of Barbarians the Bishop of Rome re-assumed that title of unâ—versal Bishop and usurped power in temporals over the Grecian Emperoâ—s as was already declared 4. How Carolus Magnus curbed him 5. How when the posterity of Carolus Magnus decayed he renewed and augmented his power by five steps as we shewed before also In the second Book those steps or increments of the Papacy between anno 600. and the â—Câ—ncel of Trent are dogmatically disputed by Scripture Fathers and it is proved by testimonies of the most learned Antiquaries of the Church of Rome that the oldest of those steps was not before anno 1000. It is true indeed that his power in temporals was attempted first by Constantine Bishop of Rome against Philippicus Emperour of Constantinople anno 720. because the said Philippicus caused pull down those Images of the Fathers of the sixth general Council placed in the Church of St. Sophia at Constantinople and a little after Gregory 2d and 3d. Bishops of Rome excommunicated Leo Isaurus and his son Copronymus for the same quarrel of Images but their insolence was compesâ—ed by Carolus Magnus as we shewed before Those four steps are 1. Election by Cardinals 2. Power of convocating general Councils constantly preâ—iding in them of confirming and infirming them 3. Power in temporals 4. In fallibility as for the last step Divinity it is disputed in the fourth Part lib. 2. The fourth and last Part of this Treatise entituled of Antichrist is divided in two Books in the first the demonstrations of Sanderus Bellarmine and Lessius three Jesuits are answered by which they endeavour to prove that the Bishop of Rome is not Antichrist 2. The Bishop of Rome is proved to be Antichrist by Scripture Fathers Popish Doctors yea by the testimonies of some Popes themselves In the second Book two marks of Antichrist are chiefly insisted upon the first is his defection 2 Thess 2. where it is proved that the Doctrine of the Modern Church of Rome is that defection mentioned by the Apostle and that in the first six Centuries there was no such thing as the modern Popish Religion which is proved by an induction of all the contraverted points we have with the Church of Rome 2. Because those of the Church of Rome ordinarily object that they have not made a defection because it cannot be instructed at what time it was made by whom and who resisted it Two things are proved in the said Book first it is proved by Reason Experience Scripture Fathers that a defection may be made and yet it may be unknown by whom it is made at what time and who first resisted it 2. It is proved by an induction that most of the most substantial Tenets of the Church of Rome such as transubstantiation number of the Sacraments communion under one kind sacrifice of the Mass imperfection of the Scripture equalling of traditions to it adding a Apocrypha Books to it rejecting the Greek and Hebrew as not being authentick as making the corrupt vulgar Latine version authentick free-will Merits justification by Works caelibat of Priests worshiping of Images invocation of Saints set Fasts Prayer for the dead Purgatory Indulgences works of super-erogation all the steps of the Popes Supremacy c. were not only not from the beginning but also it is proved for the most part by testimonies of Popish Doctors themselves at what time and by whom the said Tenets as innovations were brought in the Church The second mark of Antichrist we insist upon is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all sort of deceiving and fraud 2 Thes 2. where it is shewed by what cheats the authority of the Bishop of Rome and his Doctrine are maintained such as perverting falsly translating and corrupting by adding and paring of the indices expurgatorii all the Writings of the Ancients Suppositions Revelations Saints Miracles c. My Lords and Gentlemen Thus I have represented unto you what I perform in this great Subject and what method I observe in it By which it will appear to any reasonable man what difference there is between this method and that of others if I perform what I promise of which let the judicious Reader be judge Now followeth the third thing which I desired your Lordships to take to consideration viz. what my scope and intention is which is twofold the first is to refute those marks 〈◊〉 which those of the Church of Rome endeavour to perswade their Disciples that the said Church of Rome is the true â—hurch The first mark is a continual succession of Bishops which they take great pains to enumerat from the dayes of the Apostles unto this time In which mark shall be proved a four-fold cheat The first is they make the world beâ—ieve that all those Bishops were of a like greatness in Power and Authority whereas it is proved that in the first three Centuries or at least before the dayes of Cypâ—ian that every Bishop was of equal authority with the Bishop of Rome And that between the times of Cyprian and the Council of Chalcedon every Metropolitan and from the Council of Chalcedon to anno 604. every Patriarch were of equal jurisdiction to him And when he was made universal Bishop by Phocas little more then a bare title was bestowed on him and yet that was after revocked by the sixth general Council As for those five steps we mentioned before in which chiefly the Modern Power of the Pope consists viz. Election by Cardinals 2. Authority of convocating general Councils 3. Temporal jurisdiction 4. Infability 5. and Divinity it shall be proved as we said before by the testimonies of Popish Doctors themselves that the oldest of them had not a beeing in the tenth Age and that the said Popish Doctors acknowledging the succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church nevertheless some of them doubted not to call the Bishop of Rome Antichrist by reason of these steps which they call tyrannical Antichristian usurpations The second Cheat in that mark of succession is that they make ignorants believe that all the Bishops of Rome since the times of the Apostles professed the same Doctrine which is now taught in the Church of Rome whereas it shall be proved that the Doctrine of the modern
power of Government above the other Apostles but according to the execution of that Power all the Apostles were alike with him But that distinction is likewayes contradictiory as we shewed before and this much of Cyprian The second testimony is of Hieronymus lib. 1. in Jovinianum Vt dicis super Petrum sundatur ecclesis licet id ipsum alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat ex aequo super eos ecclesiae fortitudo solidetur but you affirm that the Church is founded upon Peter although the same be done in another place upon all the Apostles viz. that the Church is builded upon them all alike which glosse of Hieronymus quite destroyes that argument of Peters Supremacy viz. that he was the only Rock among all the Apostles upon which the Church was builded Bellarmine answers that Hieronymus explains himself in the same place where he affirms one was chosen among the twelve that a head being constitute occasion of Schism might be taken away c. But it is replyed Cardinal Causanus sees no such gloss in these words of Hieronymus as we shewed before cap. 10. where he affirms that nothing peculiar was promised to Peter in these words tues Petrus and proves it by this testimony of Hieronymus that the Church was builded alike upon all the Apostles and in what sence Peter is called head by Hieronymus was shewed before cap. 20. for it is certain that Hieronymus by calling Peter head of the twelve doth not mean Peter had jurisdiction over the rest otherwayes he would expresly contradict himself in this same place he calls him heaa therefore in the same sense that others are called heads which we mentioned cap. 20. But Bellarmine instances that he was made head of the twelve that schisme might be takan away But it is replyed that was before they were sent by Christ to preach the Gospel but Cyprian and Hieronymus seems to be of that opinion that Peter was head of the twelve as the Apostles were a private Company or Congregation but after the resurrection that authority ceased when our Saviour commissionated them all alike to preach the Gospel through the world with equal authority And this much of that famous Dispute of the supremacy of Peter in which we have fished all what is of any moment from that immense Ocean of Antiquity either to assault it or assert it by which it appears to any indifferent Reader upon what a weak foundation the Faith of the Modern Church of Rome is built viz. the supremacy of Peter or that Peter was oecumenick Bishop which was a concert that the Ancients did not dream of before the fifth Age after the Council of Chalcedon when that contention arose between the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople for the primacy Before the time of Leo first the Bishops of Rome and Leo himself pleaded a priority in dignity by Acts of Councils but succumbing in that Leo was the first that devised tues Petrus for the primacy his successours still argumenting the force of that Argument and used it afterwards for universal jurisdiction whereas at first it was objected only for cura universalis ecclesiae Now having absolved that dispute of Peters Monarchy we will examine his Bishoprick of Rome which is the second part of the Bishoprick of Peter CHAP. XXII Bellarmines Argument answered Proving that Peter was aâ— Rome HItherto hath been disputed Whether Peter was instituted oecumenick Bishop by Christ which was the first assertion or ground on which the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome is founded Now followeth the second which according to Bellarmine lib. 2. de pont Rom. is that Peter at the command of Christ fixed his seat at Rome and did sit there as Bishop unto his death Here ariseth a two-fold question first Whether Peter was at Rome next Whether he was Bishop of Rome if he was never at Rome it is certain he was never Bishop of Rome and albeit he had been at Rome it doth not follow he was Bishop of Rome it was commonly believed that Peter was at Rome and Bishop of Rome before the time of Marcilius Patavinus who lived in the 14. Age and wrote a Book intituled Defensor â—acis in which he maintains Peter was never at Rome nor Bishop of Rome and proves that all the Ancients were deceived who affirmed either the one or the other his reasons shall be mentioned in the following Chapters in this are answered the reasons of Bellarmine proving the first that he was at Rome The assertion of Bellarmine was that Peter was Bishop of Rome by ordination of Christ to prove which he brings nothing but falls to prove that Peter was first at Rome and next that he was Bishop of Rome and instead of Christs institution he brings nothing but conjectures of the Ancients to prove that Peter was at Rome and perverted testimonies to prove that he was Bishop of Rome It was shâ—wed before that all the Faith and Doctrine of the modern Church of Rome depended upon the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome which supremacy consisted in three assertions first that Peter was oecumenick Bishop by divine institution which makes nothing for the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome without the other two viz. that Peter by divine institution was Bishop of Rome and that the Bishop of Rome succeeded to Peter by divine institution in the Monarchy of the Church any of those two being brangled the whole foundation of the modern Roman Religion is quite destroyed Bellarmine to prove both the one and the other after he had undertaken to prove them by divine institution brings nothing but conjectures involved with contradictions and consequently the whole Edifice of the Church of Rome is builded upon such conjectures The succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter shall be disputed in the following Books in this Chapter are answered those reasons proving that Peter was at Rome in the next shall be answered those reasons proving Peter was Bishop of Rome and then we will conclude this Book with those reasons of Marcilius Petavinus and Ulrichus Velenus proving that Peter was neither at Rome nor Bishop of Rome Bellarmines first reason to prove that Peter was at Rome is from 1 Pet. 5. 13. The Church which is at Babylon salutes you c. This was the Church saith Bellarmine in which Peter remained when he wrote this Epistle viz. Babylon which in the Scripture many times signifies Rome and therefore Peter by Babylon means Rome and consequently Peter was at Rome But it is answered albeit in the Apocalyps which is a mystical Prophesie Rome be meant by Babylon yet we do not find in Scripture in any Epistle that Rome was called Babylon it would be a ridiculous expression to conclude an Epistle written at Rome from Babylon The Apostle Paul in all his Epistles written at Rome never concludes from Babylon but from Rome and therefore Peter in this Epistle understands not Rome but Babylon It is to be observed there
since he wrote to the Jews And whereas they affirm that he was at Rome when he wrote to the Jews it is frivolous first because we shewed before that his being at Rome at that time depended upon the authority of Papias the author of many fabulous traditions as was proved by the testimony of Eusebius Secondly albeit he had been at Rome when he wrote those Epistles to the Jews he had much more reason to write to the Romans his own â—harge in so long an absence and since he did not it is evident he was never Bishop of Rome The third reason is they give Peter three Bishopricks all at one time at least some of them who affirm Peter was Bishop of Rome They all grant that Peter was first Bishop of Antioch before he was Bishop of Rome except only Onuphrius who affirms that he was first Bishop of Rome and next of Antioch so he had two Bishopricks Nicephorus lib. 14. cap. 39. affirms that Anterius Bishop of Rome wrote that Peter transferred his seat from Rome to Alexandria by which contradictions it appears they have no ground at all that Peter was Bishop of Rome if it had been true what needed them have their recourse to such contradictions The fourth reason is Bellarmine affirms lib. de pont Rom. that all the right of the succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter is founded upon the command of Christ by which Peter went to Rome and fixed his seat there But all those almost who testifie Peter was at Rome affirm that the occasion of his going thither was to defeat Simon Magus neither do they mention any command of Christ at all as the cause of Peters going thither The fifth reason is that Peter and Paul made a paction that Peter should be Apostle of the Jews Paul of the Gentiles but if Peter had been Bishop of Rome that paction had been violated Bellarmine answers Peters principal charge was the Jews and Pauls the Gentiles But it is replyed if Peter had been Bishop of Rome his chief Charge had been the Gentiles or else he fixed his Chair where his chief Charge was not both which are alike absurd The sixth reason is that Linus and Cletus were Bishops of Rome when Peter was alive whereby it is demonstrated that Peter was not Bishop of Rome That those were Bishops when Peter was alive was proved in the former Chapter and likewayes the evasion of Bellarmine to this objection in the same place was refuted Finally as we shewed in the former Chapter they who affirm Peter was Bishop of Rome affirm also Paul was conjunct with him whereby it evidently appears that they take the word Bishop in a large sense since they make Paul his conjunct and doth not reckon him in the Catalogue of the Bishops of Rome as we shewed in the former Chapter Aud thus we have compendiously examined those two famous questions first Whether Peter by divine institution was Monarch of the Church Second Whether by the command of Christ he was Bishop of Rome It was proved in the Preface that the whole Doctrine of the Church of Rome was founded upon the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome that the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome consisted in this that he succeeded to Peter by divine institution in the Monarchy of the Church which succession again depended upon two assertions first That Peter was Monarch of the Church by divine institution 2. That he was Bishop of Rome any of which being proven false the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome is a cheat and consequently also the Doctrine of the Modern Church of Rome depending upon it as Moon-shine upon the Sun as is professed by Bellarmine in the Preface of his Books de pont Rom. FINIS Libri primi THE GRAND IMPOSTOR DISCOVERED OR AN HISTORICAL DISPUT Of the Papacy and Popish Religion PART I. BOOK II. Of Bishops CHAP. I. Of the succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter IN the former Book were disputed the first two Questions of the Supremacy of the Bishop of Rome viz. Whether Peter was by divine right Monarch of the Church 2. Whether he was by divine Institution Bishop of Rome Now followeth the third Question Whether the Bishop of Rome by divine right succeeded to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church Bellarmine and others brag with great confidence to prove that he did but their performance is very little not so much as one of them when it comes to the push brings any passage of Scripture to prove it except only Bozius lib. 18. cap. 3. where he makes use of two places the first is Phil. 4. 3. the words are And I beseech thee faithful yoke-fellow help those women which laboured with me in the Gospel with Clement also and with other my fellow-labourers whose names are in the book of life Any reasonable man would admire by what Chymistry he can distill the succession of the Bishop of Rome to Peter out of these words He will tell you Clement there mentioned was Bishop of Rome Secondly That the care of those women of Philippi belonged to him Ergo he was oecumenick Bishop otherwayes how could he have any medling at Philippi which was so far distant from Rome Let us examine this Logick it will recreat the Reader First how knows he that Clement was Bishop of Rome He will tell you that there was one Clement that succeeded to Peter Bishop of Rome But we ask him though that were granted what then how knoweth he that it is the same Clement whom the Apostle mentions here He will tell you this Clement mentioned by the Apostle is called by Paul his fellow-labourer Ergo he was a Bishop and consequently designed at least Bishop of Rome But it is replyed first It doth not follow that Clement was a Bishop because he is called by Paul his fellow-labourer for that same Argument would conclude Priscilla and Aquila a man and his wife to be both Bishop Rom. 16. Paul calls them his fellow-labourers Secondly Salmero the Jesuite pressed by the Madeburgenses that Clement was not oecumenick Bishop because Paul calls him fellow-labourer Phil. 4. 3. answers That at that time Clement was not designed Bishop of Rome and therefore it doth not follow where observe how he contradicts Bozius Bozius concludes he was oecumenick Bishop designed because Paul calls him fellow-labourer Salmero grants that it follows he was not designed oecumenick Bishop because Paul calls him fellow-labourer Bozius reasons he is called fellow-labourer Ergo he was designed oecumenick Bishop Salmero reasons Paul calls him his fellow-labourer Ergo he was not designed oecumenick Bishop at that time having no other shift to elude the Argument of the Madeburgenses Again although it were granted that Paul meant Clement Bishop of Rome how proves he that Clement succeeded to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church which is the Question He answers you because Paul desires his yoke-fellow to assist him in the care of those women at Philippi