〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it is in the Greek because also the Bishop of Rome hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same custome thereby distinguishing and limiting their Prouinces so as the Bishop of Alexandria may still haue gouernment within his Prouinces As also the Bishop of Rome hath in his And that because of prescription of Custome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 say they that is LET THE ANCIENT COVRSE HOLD and adde As also let Antioch and other Prouinces hold their ancient Priuiledges c. Which taketh away all Subordination of the authoritie of Alexandria to Rome This was the current sence of this Canon in the dayes of Antiquitie vntill the boldnesse of your Authors thinking to carry the matter by out-facing deuised a strange Answer The sence is saith Bellarmine that the Bishop of Alexandria should haue these Prouinces there mentioned because the Bishop of Rome was accustomed to permitt it so to be So he As though they were not words of Comparison that the Bishop of Alexandria should enioy his Priuileges accordingly as the Bishop of Rome held anciently his but that the Prerogatiue forsooth of the Bishop of Rome was and had beene then to Permitt or dispose of the Prouinces of the Patriarkes of Alexandria and Antioch and of other Bishops at his owne pleasure A Glosse both sencelesse and shamelesse Sencelesse for that it carrieth with it a Confluence of Absurdities First because it had beene an impietie for the Accusers to haue called the Case of the Bishop of Alexandria and Antioch into question to be determined in that Councell if it had beene the Catholike faith then to beleeue that it was in the power of the Bishop of Rome to order all such matters of Iurisdiction of other Patriarks as he should thinke good Next the Councell had bene guilty of vnpardonable remissenesse when they heard a Case so preiudiciall to the Authority of the Monarch of the Church the Pope of Rome and yet would not seuerely rebuke the Accusers as scandalous and Schismaticall fellowes nor reiect the Case it selfe with indignation and detestation as that which they could not take vpon them to decide without the danger of their soules against the Ordinance of Christ in the Bishop of Rome But much more for determining contrarily as they did saying LET ANCIENT CVSTOMES HOLD whereas they should rather haue expresly acknowledged in the Bishop of Rome the Ordinance of Christ as the life and soule of euery Custome which comprehendeth any matter of Faith necessary to Saluation And that this Answer is also shamelesse is prooued by the Sun-shine light of storie For that those words Because also the Bishop of Rome hath the same Custome are words of Comparison betwixt the Churches of Alexandria and Rome in the point of maintaining their ancient Priuileges Which not onely the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Because also do plainly prooue As when one shall say I will giue this man a Crowne because also I gaue a Crowne to his fellow but furthermore the three Editions now set downe in the body of your Councels by your Binius wherein the words are Because the Church of Rome hath the like Custome without any word of Permission Yet were all this but a kind of Modesty if you did not know that the Fathers of the Councell of Chalcedon vpon the same ground namely that it was but matter of Custome and no Diuine Ordinance did against the will of the Bishop of Rome aduance the Prerogatiue of the Bishop of Constantinople If you did not know that three of your Popes of Rome for the giuing of an high point of Dominion euen the Prerogatiue of Appeales to Rome from other Prouinces alleaged though forgedly and fraudulently the authority of the Councell of Nice And if you did not further know it Confessed by a Cardinall of farre more ancient note and greater ingenuity than his fellowes that the direct Sence of the Nicene Canon is that As the Bishop of Rome had power and authority ouer all his Bishops so the Bishop of Alexandria according to Custome should haue thorow-out Lybia c. The same Cardinall proceeds in shewing how much Rome hath since encroached beyond her ancient limits Wee see saith he how much the Bishop of Rome by vse and custome of Subiectionall Obedience hath at this day got beyond the ancient Constitutions But how shall we expect good conscience from your Bellarmine in acknowledging the true iudgement of the Councell of Nice who when it is obiected against the latter Romane Councels to prooue them bastardly and illegitimate that it is required as a necessary Condition in a Councell in all Diuine Constitutions to stand vpon Diuine grounds the holy Scriptures onely answereth that This is no equall condition And notwithstanding that the thrice-renoumed Emperour Constantine the GREAT required in this Synod of Nice that Because the bookes of the Apostles do plainly instruct vs in Diuine matters therefore we ought to make our Determinations vpon questions from words which are so diuinely inspired yet answereth the same Bellarmine thus Constantine saith he was a great Emperour indeed but yet no great Doctour of the Church who was yet vnbaptized and therefore vnderstood not the mysteries of Religion Thus doth this your Cardinall twit and taunt the iudgement of that godly Emperour witnessed by Theodoret where expressing his testimonie and citing the place yet as the Steward in the Gospell vniustly concealeth from his Reader that which followeth in Theodoret namely that The greater part of that Councell of Nice obeyed the voice of Constantine and Concluded matters accordingly So little regard haue the now Romanists to the authority of the Councell of Nice which hath bene euer since worthily honourable in the memorie of all true worshippers of Christ Iesus By which notwithstanding we see two Articles of Popery quite ouerthrowne One of the pretended Papall Dominion ouer the whole Church the oâ—her the Equalling of Traditions with Scriptures for the deciding of matters of Faith CHALLENGE THe Canons of those CCCXVIII Fathers of that Generall Councell of Nice who haue thus infirmed your Article of Vniuersall Subiection to the Romane Church found beleefe with all the syncere Professors throughout the Christian world Whether therefore you will haue your Article to damne so many Catholike Bishops the admirable lights of Gods Church or rather to esteeme your Romane Article Damnable and blasphemous in it selfe iudge you II. That the beleefe of the Romish Article The Catholike Romane Church c. Damneth the CL. Catholike Bishops in the second Generall Councell being the first at Constantinople Anno 380. SECT 3. WEE present before you the CL. Catholike Bishops in the second Generall Councell of Constantinople whereunto it may seeme that both you and we do willingly referre our selues First then we shall heare Your Obiections The second Generall Councell saith your Cardinall in their Epistle to Pope Damasus say that they
is not iustifiable in the Conscience of euery sound Christian First hee held it a way to Heresie for any Church to take vpon her to create a new Article of Faith such as hee beleeued the Romish Doctrine of Indulgences to be Secondly he taught it to be a Satonicall lye to constitute that for an Article of Faith which is in it selfe a meere falshood Thirdly hee proclaimed your Doctrine of Indulgences to be a Blasphemous Article because it is not onely a new and false Doctrine but also the very Nurse of all Impietie Each point is worthy to be Discussed Touching the First point your Philiarchus will haue you to Take heede of the Heresies of Luther in teaching that the Church hath no power to create new Articles of Faith So hee If this be true then marke I pray you what fellowes and Companions Luther hath or Patrons rather of his Heresie accordingly as your owne Doctors will teach you who doe not onely openly professe for themselues that The now Church ought to relie vpon the Doctrine anciently taught in the Apostles times but also confesse that The ancient Fathers taught that the Church deliuereth no new Faith but alwaies confirmeth and explicateth the ancient Faith Alleaging for proofe hereof the authoritie of Irenaeus Hierome Vincentius Lirinensis Nor can any produce one Father in all Antiquitie that did not account euery new Article of Faith that is to say euery new Doctrine made necessary to saluation to be no better than a new Heresie So iustifiable is Luther in this point Next Luther in his first Assumption saith that the Doctrine of the Popes Indulgence is a New Doctrine of Faith and that it is imposed vpon the Church of Rome as an Article of Faith Whereof if peraduenture you should be ignorant your owne Popes would instruct you Pope Pius the IV. setteth downe this of Indulgences among his other Articles concluded of in the Councell of Trent as Necessarily to be beleeued vpon danger of Damnation And Pope Leo the X. tooke this as his hint in condemning Luther for denying any power to be resideÌ„t in the Church to establish a new Article of Faith An Articleâ—hen â—hen it is made and that it is also New which Doctrine of IndulgeÌ„ces you beleeue to be an easing or helping of Soules out of the paines of Purgatorie-fier we hope you may be satisfied from your selues who teach first that all Doctrine which is not New is deriued either from Scripture or antient Tradition But concerning your Doctrine of Indulgences some of your owne Doctors haue made bold to proclaime saying It is not found either in Scripture or in other writings of ancient Fathers Whereof also your Romane Champion against Luther euen in this Question concerning Indulgences doth grant that There was no vse of Indulgences in the beginning of the Church Christian. Which must necessarily haue then bene if at that time it had bene a Doctrine of Faith except you will confesse that there was then no Purgatory-fier at all nor any soules of men departing this life in the guilt of veniall sinnes but that all the scores of debts of temporall punishments were then wiped off at the death of euery Christian in those Apostolicall times And accordingly giue vs some reason how afterwards that Fier was kindled and what was the fewell that set it on a flame after the space of 1294. yeares when Boniface the 8. was Pope Who as your selues know after that the world was affrighted with Purgatory-torments was the first that extended and applyed Indulgences vnto Purgatory This made your Frier Castro in his coniecture of greater antiquity in them to excuse their Noueltie saying Indulgences are not therefore to be contemned as being admitted but of late because many things saith he are made knowne to posteritie of which the more ancient times were ignorant Behold now the great reuerence forsooth you haue of the iudgement of Antiquity Besides to pull vp this weede by the roots the ground of Indulgences as you teach is The spirituall Threasury of the Church consisting in the satisfactory and meritorious workes of Supererrogation done by the faithfull Which notwithstanding as you likewise know your Doctors of Louaine and some Schoolemen affirme were anciently wanting in the Church So then your Doctrine of Indulgences is New in Institution New in Practise New in the Extent New in the Roote and foundation and euery way a New Article So iustifiable is Luther in his Assumption calling it New Thirdly Luther called this Doctrine False yea and Impious also and Blasphemous And false it must needs be if it be but New But how naughty also and impious the vent of Indulgences was your noble Historian can best report giuing you an instance in the same Pope Leo Who saith he vnto his sinne of ill dispersing of Indulgences added a farre greater for although he was of himselfe prone enough to all licentiousnesse yet by the instigation of Cardinall Puccius in whom he had great confidence he gathered huge summes of money by sending his Breeues abroad euery where promising expiation of all sinnes and life euerlasting vpon a certaine price which any should giue according to the haynousnesse of his offence Then rose vp Martin Luther a Professor of Diuinity in Wittemberge who first confuting and then condemning the Sermons which were made for Indulgences at length questioned that power which the Pope assumed to Himselfe in the same Breeues So he And what other we pray you can be the Consequence of this piece of Doctrine but that which if you be to seeke you may learne from experienced Authors within your owne Church who say as appeareth in the Margent that When first Indulgences were set on sale with full Pardons men did lesse abstaine from wickednesse and the keyes of the Church became vile That Pope Leo the 10. was Too too indulgent in granting Indulgences That Popes are the most expert Alchemists By Turning their leade into gold through their Negligences otherwise called Indulgences Noting that Papall Indulgences to Sinners worketh Negligence in well doing That They Measuring all things by gaine tyrannize ouer the people sitting in the seate of Simon Magus or else of Caiphas We might easily loade you with multitudes of Inuectiues of your owne Authors against the Impiety of Papall Indulgences so iustifiable is Luther in his Opposition against them insomuch that Erasmus held it An Impiety not to defend him This Luther who in the opinion of the Popular Auditors so farre ouercame his Aduersarie Ecchius in a Disputation held at Lipsia that your Castro doth instance in this Example and thereupon prefixeth a Rule To auoide publike Disputation with as he accounteth and calleth Protestants pertinacious Heretikes The Summe of All may be comprized in a few words The Patrons of Romish Indulgences by making it an Article of Faith do Canonize and Deifie a Nouelty a Falshood and a
Greeke Church and the West or Latine wherein the Church of Rome hath the greatest preeminence He in the Case of Apostolicall Tradition concerning Rites and Ceremonies hath made their credit equall but in the Doctrinall as namely a Tradition Apostolicall concerning the true and Canonicall Scriptures he preferreth the Authority of the Greeke and East-Churches and confesseth that it shouldereth out in this maine Case the Authority of the Romane Lastly comparing any One part with All Churches as by name Rome with Carthage and All others hee proueth that Rome can bee no more The Vniuersall or Catholike Church than Carthage No nor both together but that the Catholike Church as the Queene is the Whole Church of Christ by an Aggregation and Comprehension of All together in One. So direct and absolute a Doctor was Saint Augustine of the no-Necessity of vniuersall Vnion or Subiection vnto the same Church in poynts of Controuersie whether Rituall or Doctrinall and consequently of the no-Necessity of Beleefe of either of both all which your Article doth require and exact and yet we notwithstanding your damning Article must still beleeue that Saint Augustine is a blessed Saint IX Saint Hilary Bishop of Arles in France beleeued not your Article of Necessary Subiection to the Pope and Church of Rome SECT 9. THis Saint albeit he haue no place in the Romane Calendar of your Masse wil notwithstanding challenge a place among our honourable Witnesses because he is reckoned in your Martyrologe of Saints He in the yeere 445 seemed to vsurpe vpon the Iurisdiction of the Prouince of Vienna notwithstanding the Inhibition of Pope Leo who taketh it very haynously that Hilary heerein refused to be subiect vnto him This Hilarius as you without any proofe would make vs beleeue yeelded at length vnto the Pope making no further Apologie for the defence of his Cause Which were it so it mattereth not for that will suffice for his Apologie which is confessed by your Baronius namely that Although Hilarius did incurre the displeasure of Pope Leo in the defence as he was perswaded of the Right of his Episcopall Sea Yet notwithstanding was he worthy saith the Cardinall for his singular sanctity to be registred in the Romane Martyrologe of Saints CHALLENGE LEo the then Pope complaineth against this Saint for refusing to bee Subiect to his iudiciall determination the which this Saint did saith your Cardinall in presumption that his cause was iust Yet Gennadius Prosper and others that set downe his life doe not note in him any iniquity in this Case What need many words He that in a Question of Ecclesiasticall Rites could not but doubt of the uniuersall authority of the Pope could not bee of the now Romane Faith Therefore this Saint Hilary was confidently perswaded that in some case it was lawfull to denie Subiection to the Pope Wherefore it will belong to you either to renounce this sacrilegious Article or to vn-hallow and vn-saint this holy man The Generall CHALLENGE concerning the forenamed Saints ALl this while that wee haue laboured to confute your former Romane Article from the iudgements of ancient Fathers and holy Saints we haue insisted onely in them whose names are celebrated in your Romane Church and recorded in the publike Calendar thereof or in your Martyrologe of Saints to wit Saint Polycarpus Saint Cyprian Saint Athanasius Saint Basil Saint Hilary of Poictou Saint Hierom Saint Ambrose Saint Augustine and Saint Hilary of Arles all of them in the opinion of all Christians deseruing of the Church of Christ the most Honourable Title of SAINTS besides the other Attributes which for further Amplification of their worthinesse are ascribed vnto them as adorning Saint Polycarp with the Title of the Doctor of Asia Cyprian the most famous Doctor Saint Hilary of Arles with the Title of Sanctity And as for the rest you shall need no more than that which your Cardinall Baronius testifieth in his Dedicatory Epistle vnto Pope Clement the Eight I present before you saith he Athanasius the Great and Basil the Great two Chiefes or eminent Topps of the East-Church and Hilary Hierom Ambrose and Augustine the Foure Principalls of the Westerne Church Pillars of the Faith and Miracles of the World with this company of so excellent Fathers your throne is crowned So he What larger Assumption could your Cardinall haue made in Ostentation of the Papall Monarchy from the Authority of these Fathers then to boast vnto the Pope of the establishing of his Throne by the Testimonies of the same Saints Wherefore seeing we likewise doe ioyntly Appeale vnto these holy Fathers as vnto most impartiall witnesses of Truth you are by your amplifications of their Learning Wisedome Constancie in the Faith and Sanctity as by so many Obligations bound to stand to their iudgements by which the sinewes of your Romane Article are broken asunder First of Necessity of Vnion with Secondly of Subiection vnto the Church and Bishop of Rome as The Catholike Church and Bishop Thirdly the Beleefe of the Necessity of both these And each of those Three vpon losse of Saluation to All them that are not of this Beleefe Recall to minde the former Passages concerning the behauiour of these Saints in whom you haue seene professed Opposition in matter of Doctrine against the Pope and Church of Rome by setting Councell against Councell by taxing the Romane Church of Pride and Ignorance by contempt of the Popes Excommunication by condemning his Condemnation by Anathematizing his person by preferring the iudgement of the East-Church before hers in the great Question of the Canon of Scriptures as well of the Old as of the New Testament Can you desire a more cleare Demonstration of a Beleefe of no Necessity of Vnion with the Pope or Sea of Rome than this is But because you hold it not sufficient to Saluation that a man professe Vnion in Faith with the Church of Rome except also he acknowledge an absolute Subiection in Discipline vnto her Iurisdiction it may not be held superfluous to repeate vnto you the liuely Characters of their no Subiection by denying of Conformitie with Rome in so little as in a Rite whether of a Fast or of Washing of Feete by inhibiting foraine Prouinces to Appeale To Rome and permitting of Appeales sometimes From Rome to a Councell by equalling other Bishops with the Bishop of Rome and making Rome so A Church that it cannot be The Catholike Church any more than Carthage or any other Particular Church is and by maintaining of Iurisdiction against the Bishop of Rome Lastly for as much as neither Vnion in Faith with the Church of Rome nor Subiection in Discipline vnto her doth by your Romane Article satisfie except a Christian haue also beleefe of the Necessity of both the former in euery one that shall seeke to be saued ponder with your selues whether these Fathers if they were as both you and wee proclaime them Saints could beleeue in their hearts and mindes that
Peter We adde that S. Paul whom all the Romanists teach to haue beene a Co-founder with Saint Peter of the Church of Rome had been before that time A Persecuter of the Church of Christ as he himselfe confesseth when Saint Steuen suffered Martyrdome But the Church of Christ as it is called Catholike comprehendeth say you all times CHALLENGE THe addition of a word which betokeneth onely a part of Time of the Churches being cannot be a Declaration of the Church which is called Catholike on respect of the whole and vniuersall Time of the being of the Church But the addition of the word ROMANE doth betoken but a part of Time of the being of the Church namely after the first constitution of the Church of Christ Catholike Ergo It cannot be any true Explication of the Article properly called the Catholike Church except you will exclude out of the Church of Christ without which there is no saluation S. Stephen the first Christian Martyr and all other blessed primitiue Martyrs and Confessors who died the faithfull members of Christ before the Church of Rome had receiued her first life or breath Wherefore the word ROMANE cannot be added to our Christian Creed as a Declaration of that Article The Catholike Church without which there is no saluation without intolerable blasphemie against Apostles Martyrs and other Confessors and blessed Saints of God vnder the persecution of Saul afterwards Paul who because they were before the Church of Rome and consequently without it must be iudged by your Article to haue beene at that time without the state of Grace Of whom notwithstanding our Sauiour Christ gaue testimonie by this voice from heauen saying to Saul in their behalfe Why persecutest thou Mee So false and impious is your Addition of the word ROMANE to that Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed The sixt Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE cannot be a Declaration of that Article in the Apostles Creed The Catholike Church In respect of the Time to come SECT 9. AGaine the word Catholike or vniuersall mentioned in the Apostles Creed as it comprehendeth as you haue said the Time past so doth it you know implie The time to come vntill the ends of the world according to the promise of Christ Mat. 28.20 Whereâ—ore our next Question must be whether the Church of Rome which will needs be the Catholike Church can infallibly professe a Prerogatiue of continuing the the same pretended Catholike Church vntill the ends of the world and whether her owne principles doe not vtterly confute this vsurpation It is a generall principle of your Doctors aswell Iesuites as others that If the succession in the gouernement of the Catholike Church were not allotted to the Bishop of Rome by diuine authority then the same gouernement may bee transported from the same Bishop and the Church of Rome may depart from the Faith as well as other Churches and by name the Church of Constantinople haue done This Consequence being so vniuersally receiued and approued in your owne Schooles our next endeauour will be to proue that it cannot appeare infallibly that the Church of Rome hath a Priuiledge of continuing The Catholike Church to the end of the world by any diuine authority This hath bene briefly touched already but here is the place to handle it more at large Your Canus with some Others lest they should bee compelled to confesse that the Church of Rome may possibly Apostate in future times haue contended to defend that It was constituted the Catholike Church by the Institution of Christ. Which if it were true then would there appeare some euidence thereof either before or else after the Ascension of Christ. But Before the Ascention of Christ saith your Iesuite Suarez Nothing appeareth of any such Ordinance either in Scripture or from Tradition And that which is commonly alledged out of Egesippus of Christ his appearance after his Ascension vnto Peter Commanding him to fixe his seate at Rome vntill his death in the iudgement of your Iesuite Valentianus is of no force to proue that the Romane Church was to continue Catholike We draw nearer our marke There is no certaintie of faith saith Bellarmine with whom the Iesuite Suarez consenteth that the Sea Apostolike is so fixed at Rome as that it cannot be separated and remoued from that Church because there is neither Scripture nor Tradition to proue this Nor these onely but Sotus with diuers other Schoole-men directly and peremptorily consent that The Priuilege which Rome doth challenge is onely by the ordinance of Saint Peter and therefore from humane authority Yea and Some yeeld not so much as the Institution by S. Peter but by the Church so farre that If the Church in a Councell should choose the Arch-bishop of Treuers or of any other place to be Head of the Church he should be rather the Successor of Peter than the Bishop of Rome Furthermore we reserue vnto it's due place your Confession that The Citie of Rome shall vndoubtedly bee the Seate of Antichrist CHALLENGE AN Addition which notifieth a Church that may possibly be translated else-whither and depart from the Faith cannot bee a Declaration of that Article in our Christian Creed which signifieth a Church infallibly continuing in the Faith to the end of the world But the word ROMANE as it signifieth the Romane Church betokeneth a Church which may possibly be Translated and depart from the Faith Ergo it cannot be a Declaration of the Catholike Church mentioned in the Apostles Creed So then to make the word Catholike hereditarie to that Romane Church which possibly may be as truly Antichristian as Rome it selfe is sure to be by your owne Confessions The Seate of Antichrist doth plainly discouer an Article New False Antichristian and Blasphemous The seuenth Argument to proue that the Addition of the word ROMANE to the Catholike Church cannot be a Declaration of the Christian Faith mentioned in the Apostles Creed in respect of any Present Time SECT 10. THe Certainty whatsoeuer it is of your Article The Catholike Romane Church is built vpon this foundation that the Pope of Rome is the Catholike and Vniuersall Bishop of the Church of Christ as the Popes themselues haue formerly defined Now because no structure can be more firme than is the foundation vpon which it is built wee make bold to demand with what faith any of you can beleeue any Pope whatsoeuer he be that is elected to be the True Pope that is as you call him The Catholike Bishop of Rome without which the Church of Rome cannot be acknowledged The Catholike Church This Consequence Two of your Iesuites did truly discerne which made Them resolue thus As the visible Church saith the one is this indiuiduall Church so the visible Head thereof must needs be this visible Pope who by the common consent is so ordained vnto whom we owe obedience as
Function such as is Priest or Bishop And in what terme I BESEECH not but that he had authoritie to command as an Apostle of Christ like as Saint Paul and euery Apostle had yet now taking vpon him the person of an Elder to Elders he doth not vse that which you know is the proper and ordinary stile of the Bishop of Rome WEE VVILL AND COMMAND The matter of his Beseeching is hortatiue and dehortatiue for he exhorteth them to Feed their flocke thus he whom Christ charged vpon all loues to Feed his flocke But not so Hee who for the space of many hundred yeares is not knowne to haue preached at all euen your Bishop of Rome The dehortatiue part is in beseeching them Not to domineire ouer the heritage of God What meaneth this The Greeke word signifieth Tyrannicall rule whereas meekenesse and moderation is required in Ecclesiasticall Officers So your Rhemists And they say true and therefore Saint Peters words wee thinke do iustly condeme your Romish Tyrannie especially in two points The first Instance of Tyrannous Romish Crueltie SECT 2. THe first is your Romish Inquisition wherein there is imprisonment famishment torment and ropes to strangle your prisoners and all in tenebris workes of darknesse against all Beleeuers Receiuers Defenders and Fauourers of Heretikes This word FAVOVRERS also hath a great latitude it may be if they chance to commend their learning wit zeale constancie or simplicitie which any Christian may do in a Pagan And how they proceed in the Inquisition it is knowne best to your selues This we find Confessed that The Inquisitors of Heretikes deale most cruelly whilest they relinquish all meanes of triall by Tradition or Scripture which they reiect as a dead letter which say they the Heretikes vse as their bulwarke whereas they themselues obiect and prefixe as the shield of their faith onely the Church of Rome which they hold cannot erre in the faith whose Head is the Pope And if the partie examined shall offer to prooue his opinion by Scripture and other Reasons then with swelling and angrie cheeks they tell him that he is not now to deale with Schollers in their Schooles but with Iudges before their tribunall and therefore he must answer directly whether he will stand to the Decrees of the Romane Church or not If he refuse then they conclude saying that they are not to dispute with him by Arguments and Scripture but and then they shew them with fier and fagot So he And is not this a barbarous crueltie Notwithstanding Pope Paul the III. and no maruaile when he was going out of the world Left this Inquisition as a Legacie to his Successor Anno 1559. when as your Thuanus storieth Calling vnto him his Cardinals he exhorted them in the last place to entertaine as he called it the most Sacred Office of Inquisition whereby onely said he the Authoritie of his Holinesse was supported So he And so now you see that vast house standing onely vpon one pillar which is founded vpon crueltie and bloud The second Instance of Barbarous Romish Crueltie SECT 3. IT happeneth sometime that a man after he hath Abiured Heresie before a Iudge may relapse into the same againe which may be say you By talking with an Hereticke or doing him reuerence or visiting him or giuing him a reward or else by commending him c. The question is how your Church ought to proceed with this man Your generall resolution is To condemne him of Heresie and to deliuer him to the Secular Magistrate without all hope of pardon yet so that if the partie shall continue Obstinate he shall be immediatly burnt but if he do repent then shall he be first strangled and afterwards burnt And whereas it may be obiected that no Penitent Child ought to be kept out of the Bosome of the Church your answer is that The Church doth admit them into her bosome because though they must be burned and loose their goods yet are they allowed the Sacraments of Absolution and the Eucharist But is this reasonable Yes say you because They by their relapse are held morally as Persons incorrigible What shall we say of this Church what Namely that neuer Bubalus was so stupid as to iudge them Morally incorrigible which do repent so as to make themselues Capable of Absolution Nor euer was there any Rhadamanthus so extreme as at once to pardon and kill Therefore Cursed be her mercie for it is cruell If the Sonnes of thunder were rebuked by Christ as not knowing what spirit they were of for calling for fire from heauen to consume obstinate sinners how farre worse are these Spirits that will needs destroy their Penitents with fire A practise by your owne Confession not heard of in Antiquitie Thus haue we finished the second Part concerning the Time at and about which the Church of Rome was first founded CHAP. VI. Of the TIME AFTER the Church of Rome had her first foundation SECT 1. FRom the Consideration of the Article of our Christian Creed viz. The Catholike Church and Of the Catholike and Apostolike Church it selfe as well Before as At the Time when the Church of Rome was first founded hath bene discouered and refuted that Article of The Romane Catholike Church without Vnion and Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation By proouing it False Hereticall Schismaticall c. Which we are now to confirme from other Euidences taken from the Profession of the Catholike Church it selfe SINCE the foundation of the Romane Church Of the more Primitiue Times AFTER the foundation of the Romane Church SECT 2. OVr easiest Course in the disquisition and discussion of this great Mysterie of Popedome by the iudgement of the Church Catholike will be to follow the seuerall tracts of Times beginning at the more ancient and proceeding to Successiue and later Times vntill we come to the last Ages of the Church Our first Argument is taken from the ancient Sence of this Article The Catholike Church condemning the now Romish Article viz. The Romane Catholike Church SECT 3. OFten haue we pleaded Logicke with you about this Terme Catholike Romane Church desiring to know of you seeing it is Romane that is a Particular Church how it can be called Catholike that is Vniuersall or the whole Church And if it be the whole Church how can it be a Particular Church distinct from the Church of Greece or Church of France Will you make vs beleeue that the thumbe of the hand can be the whole bodie Pope Innocent the third as though he had foreseene this Obiection doth preocupate as you haue heard saying If the Church be called Catholike as Consisting of all Christian Churches so the Church of Rome is not the Catholike Church but a part thereof but in respect of the authoritie which she hath as an Head ouer the body ouer the whole Church so is she called Vniuersall because of her Dominion Answerable hereunto your Iesuite Suarez The
acknowledged that Gregory by impugning the Title of vniuersall Bishop would haue no Bishop so principall as to make all other members subiect vnto him So he Than which what can bee more apposite in this Cause and opposite vnto the now Romane Profession concerning the Title of Vniuersall Romane Bishop the Foundation of the sence of your owne Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church Yet this is not all but we furthermore auerre that Gregory condemned the Title of Vniuersall Bishop then vsed by the Patriarch of Constantinople in no other sence than it was after the daies of Gregory assumed and vsed by your Romane Popes whereunto such of your owne Historians who are very many beare full witnesse For they record that Pope Boniface the next Successour to Gregorie saue one did obtaine of the Emperour Phocas that Rome should haue the same Title of Head-ship ouer all other Churches which the Bishop of Constantinople had challenged to his See The onely difference will be this that the Head of the Popes vniuersall Iurisdiction vnder that Title as it were vnder a poysoned Miter hath growne farre more loathsome by impostumes and swolne with tyrannie than it could possibly be at the first vsurpation thereof being become no lesse intollerable than was that Emperour Phocas of whom Pope Boniface with much importunity receiued that Title Which Emperour your Cardinall Baronius noteth to haue beene A bloudy Tyrant So then we see that this Title of Vniuersall Bishop was abandoned by Gregory as extremely Impious But some peraduenture would bee willing to know his reason heereof Saint Gregory will satisfie any one that shall bee desirous to vnderstand the mischiefe heereof Because the Vniuersall Church saith hee must needs goe to ruine whensoeuer hee that is the Vniuersall Bishop thereof shall chance to fall VVhich Assertion of Saint Gregory doth brand your Church with Two blacke Notes of Apostasie and Antichristianitie CHALLENGE CAtholike or Vniuersall Church and Vniuersall Bishop of the same Church are in your doctrine as truely Relatiues as Master and Seruant the one cannot be denied without the other Goe too now then blazon your Papall Inscription in the highest stile that you can inuent more than Vniuersall it cannot be and animate it with the perfectest spirit that can be infused into it more absolute none can expect than that which you ascribe vnto your Pope of Rome which is that The Popes iudgement is infallible in defining of any doctrine of faith But why Because say you if he as a publike person and Iudge of the Church should erre by concluding any thing against faith then the vniuersall Church which is bound to follow him should likewise erre So hee This is your Romane Profession which may bee vnto vs a perfect Argument of your Apostasie from the ancient Romane faith maintained in the dayes of Saint Gregorie as thus The now Romane Article is to beleeue that the Pope of Rome is the Vniuersall Bishop of the Church Catholike and therefore cannot erre in any doctrine of faith insomuch that the Church subiect to this Romane Bishop must be accounted the Onely Church on earth without which there is no saluation But the faith of Saint Gregorie contrarily standeth thus Whatsoeuer Bishop he be Romane or other that professeth himselfe the Vniuersall Bishop or Head is subiect to Error Therefore none ought to assent to any such Assumption lest that that one erring the whole Church of Christ should erre with him So then you forsooth see an Infallibility in the vsurpation of that Title as proper to the Pope wherein Saint Gregorie did foresee the baine of an Vniuersall Erring and falling from the faith To conclude Saint Gregorie held the title which betokeneth an Vniuersall Dominion ouer the whole Church to be so direfully pernicious that hee consequently condemned the Vniuersall Subiection vnto one Bishop the now Article of the Romane Church as Pernicious and Antichristian To whom also your Iesuites haue taught you to adde two other Popes Pelagius and Leo who in like manner condemned and disclaimed that Title CHAP. VII Our second Argument against the Article of necessitie of Subiection to the Romane Church and Pope is taken from Comparisons made betweene the Bishop and Church of Rome with other Bishops and Churches by the ancient Fathers SECT 1. AGainst an Article of an vsurped Dominion of one Church ouer all other there can be no better Argument than from the Comparison of other Churches with that one which pretendeth her selfe to be the Mother and Mistris of all the rest Vpon this consideration you haue beene vrged by One who for learning and iudgement in Antiquitie was hardly to be seconded by any He posed you from the testimonies of the writings of Dionysius Areopagita and Ignatius the most ancient of Fathers Where supposing That Dionysius to be as truely that great Areopagita and as worthy an Author as you would haue him to be hee spurreth you a necessary question Why Dionysius was so vtterly silent in not mentioning the Vniuersall visible Head of the Church reigning at Rome if at that time there had beene any such Monarchicall Head there especially seeing hee professedly writ of the Ecclesiasticall Hieâ—archie and gouernment or is it credible and not rather monstrous that hee writing of the mysticall rites of the Church should omit all mention of this chiefe mysterie of one supreame Head and Monarch of the Church at Rome being so pertinently inuited thereunto by that matter subiect which hee had there in hand to wit by the Hierarchie of the Church if this doctrine had beene of faith in that age This saith hee remoueth your friuolous Obiection By the same reason hee obiecteth against you the Epistles of Ignatius the most ancient Martyr and Bishop of Antioch that hee being frequent in setting forth the Order Ecclesiastical and dignitie of Bishops vpon diuers occasions should forbeare all mention of the Monarchie of Saint Peter or any Romane Pope But we returne to our owne Obseruations out of Antiquitie by equall Comparisons of other Bishops with the Bishop of Rome beginning at the same Ignatius 1 He writing to the Church of Trallis and exhorting them vnto obedience to Bishops as to the Apostles instanceth equally in Timothie Saint Paul's Scholler as in Anacletus Successor to Saint Peter 2 Irenaeus liued next to the Apostles times who referreth his Reader for direction in the right of Traditions as well to Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna in the East as to Linus Bishop of Rome in the West 3 Tertullian to secure Christians in the Doctrine of the Apostles prescribeth vnto them that they consult with the Mother-Churches immediately founded by the Apostles naming aswell Ephesus in Asia and Corinth in Achaia as Rome in Italie And againe for the persons mentioning to the same purpose aswell Polycarpus ordained by Saint Iohn as Clemens by Peter Wee shall not neede to make any Notes or Comments vpon the
that his Treatise out of the writings of Saint Augustine whereas poore man he oweth his whole worke vnto your Iesuite Hieronymus Torrensis who many yeares since set out a large volume diuided into foure Bookes containing all the particulars which Maister Breerly hath diuulged in his owne name without so much as giuing notice of any such Author But they differ in their Titles Hieronymus Torrensis styleth his booke Augustines Confessions Maister Breerly his Augustines Religion Verifying herein that saying of Tully concerning such kind of Plagiaries that as Theeues change the notes and markes of stolne stuffe so They that father other mens workes vpon themselues vse to change the names and Titles as it were the markes and property thereof Is it not sufficient that you haue dealt thus with Protestant Authors but that you must play such parts among your selues But I shall haue more occasion to put Maister Breerly in mind of himselfe else-where For at this present we haue but one Article of Saint Augustine in hand touching the Necessity of Vnion and Subiection to the Church of Rome as The Catholike Church and are to attend whether either He or your Iesuite or Cardinall can euince so Imposterous a Doctrine out of the Volumes of Saint Augustine Your Obiections out of Saint Augustine Saint Augustine one-where attributeth to the Church of Rome A Principalitie of the Apostolicall Sea Else-where he desireth of the Pope of Rome his Pastorall diligence for the repressing of the Heresie of the Pelagians in Palaestine and Africke In the third place he acknowledgeth A necessary obedience to the Popes Iurisdictions and lastly he confesseth that The Pope of Rome is set in a more high Pastorall watch-tower than others Now what of all these Ergo say you the Church of Rome is the chiefe of all Churches and the Pope thereof hath Iurisdiction ouer all other Churches all other Bishops being subiect vnto him vpon paine of Damnation But if these words Principality or Highest Pastorall watch-tower or Charge or Apostolicall Church or Power to represse Heretikes or an acknowledgment of Necessary Obedience must inforce a Iurisdiction of Popedome ouer all others then ought we to admit of many Popedomes For euery Patriarch hath a Principality and height of a Pastorall watch-tower by reason of the greatnesse dignity of his Patriarchship aboue all Metropolitans and Bishops whatsoeuer and yet haue they not ouer all Bishops power of Iurisdiction but onely Principality of Order And looke into the Epistle of Iohn the first Bishop of Rome written to an Arch-Bishop and you shall find him grant that that Archbishop had as well The charge of the Church committed vnto him for the helpe of all in repressing of Heresies as to himselfe And that also therein there is a Necessity Rationis of Cause and Reason to performe such Admonitions namely as a Patient obeyeth the Physitian for the preuenting of imminent danger and not a Necessity Imperij of Compulsion by right of Authority as a souldier obeyeth his Captaine And if that the Title of Apostolicall Church could carry a Monarchicall Chiefedome then was Saint Augustine farre wrong when in the same Epistle where he called the Church of Rome The Apostolicall Seat he called other Churches and Seats also Apostolicall Lastly remember but what hath bene prooued out of Saint Basil and you shall not need to question why the helpe of the Pope of Rome was sometime desired in some Prouinces rather than other shewing that the Popes exercising of his Office in such Cases proceeded not from his Coactiue Authority but from the Arbitrary consent of other Bishops In a word we haue receiued from you out of Saint Augustine nothing but specious colours of words which we shall recompence with his Acts and Deeds Our Opposition of S. Augustine his no Subiection either in Discipline or in Doctrine to the Church of Rome Nothing can better illuminate our vnderstandings in this case than the light of Comparison You therefore whose Article of Faith is to belieue that although the Church of Rome be a Particular Church and so a distinct member from the other Churches Militant yet in respect of the Vniuersall gouernment which it hath throughout the Christian world it is The Catholike and Vniuersall Church as is the Head ouer all other parts of mans bodie hearken to Saint Augustine comparing the Church of Rome with another Particular Church There are two Bishops saith he of two most eminent Churches Stephen of Rome and Cyprian of Carthage being of diuerse opinions in the point of Baptisme Therefore did not Saint Augustine hold the Church of Rome to be the Catholike Head for there cannot be properly Two Most Eminents of the Catholike Church whereof you say there is but One Head One may say that there are Two Bishops of Two most Eminent Bishopricks in England George of Canterbury and Tobias of York because these are so distant that one is not Subordinate or subiect to the other But to say there are two Bishops of two most Eminent Bishopricks George of Canterbury and Lancelot of Winchester were absurd because making the Bishoprick of Winchester to be one of the Two most Eminents it doth abate and pull downe the true Eminency of Canterbury which is an Arch-Bishopricke and Metropolitan Seate and hath Iurisdiction ouer the other But Saint Augustine you know was iudicious and would not reason absurdly Now you whose Faith requireth Vnion and Subiection vnto the Sea of Rome in all Causes as well Rituall as Criminall or Doctrinall lend your attention vnto Saint Augustine in his Comparisons concerning each one In the point of Rites and Ceremonies the question was whether the Church should weekely obserue a Saturday-fast or no The one side which is brought in as for the Affirmatiue part alleaging that Saint Iames at Ierusalem Saint Iohn at Ephesus and others taught the same which Saint Peter did at Rome viz. that The Saturday-fast is to be kept but other Countries forsooke this Tradition The parties for the Negatiue are supposed to answer saying Yea rather some parts of the West Church wherein Rome is seated haue not obserued the Tradition of the Apostles Saint Peter and others who taught that a Fast ought not to be kept vpon that day Here you haue the East and West-Churches compared together and the credit of them both balanced If we should now aske you whether Church East or West deserueth more credit in this Case you would abhorre the question as men bound by Oath to belieue rather the Westerne Church of Rome than all other Churches in the world in point of Tradition But Saint Augustine what This contention saith he is endlesse and indeterminable And Saint Augustines words Aliqua loca in quibus Roma est that is Some places among which Rome is haue a sting which wounds the Papacy For can the Imperiall Ladie of all Churches be thus sleightly brought in among the Manie Surely if S. Augustine had
defect of pronouncing Shibboleth euen as the Character of a man is seene by his speach CHALLENGE IN Examination of these Premises you may finde iust matter for Challenge of your owne Proctors and Pleaders for the Popes Primacy from these Popes by reason of their fourefold Iniurie First to their Aduersaries the Protestants whom they traduce as enemies to Antiquity in not admitting the Testimonies of so holy Popes of the Primitiue age which all Christians ought to beleeue and reuerence But in this clamour they abuse their Readers by deliuering vnto them onely the names of Popes Epistles as is vsuall in false Certificates wherein a man shall reade a Catalogue of names of men whereunto the parties themselues neuer yeelded their consent or as in a Stage-play wherein are presented Personates instead of Persons themselues and to the chins of boyes are fixed the beards of old men Is not this a theatricall forgery Secondly to your Popes by vrging writings in their nameâ— which if they were theirs must proue them to haue beene foolish false and barbarous Our zeale therefore to those blessed Popes doth challenge your Obiectors of extreme iniury to their memory Thirdly to the Church of Rome as well Ancient as Successiue that when you boast so much of the truth of your Traditions as a Nuncupatiue Testament of Christ wherein your Chiefest Article is your Doctrine of Papall Monarchy yet when we are to consult with the first witnesses that should testifie this Article in tht Romane Church it selfe namely those Ancient Popes we can haue no better assurance of their Testimonies than as of such as are confessed to bee both fraught with Errors and also falsely imposed vpon those Popes Which is in effect to condemne your Romane Church of sacrilegious negligence and vnfaithfulnesse in not preseruing that sacrum Depositum as you call the Ancient Tradition of Popes from hand to hand and consequently must inferre a iust suspition of Falshood in the Chiefest ground of your Romish Faith the pretended Law of Tradition Is not this also an iniury But the greatest Iniury that we lament is the wrong which your Obiectors doe vnto their own Consciences when some will haue all those Epistles to be Authenticall and worthy of absolute Beleefe without Exception yet are condemned by the most learned among you who confesse and proue that they are mixed both with Theologicall Chronologicall falshoods Some againe especially your Cardinal obtruding Epistles in the names of Popes and yet doubting whether they be truely the Epistles of these Popes or no and some other-where also reiecting some of them as Counterfeits So foolish is his Obiection in alleaging them for Ancient who could not be ignorant that there haue beene Ancient forgeries of which stampe your owne iudicious Authors haue noted these to bee And that which exceedeth almost the highest note of to speake mildely Inconsideration to proue your Doctrine of Romish Primacy from the word Primatus mentioned sometimes by the Bishops of Rome in their Epistles which as your owne Contius teacheth is an Argument to iudge them not to be so Ancient because that that word was not of currant stampe in that age And what great iniurie can any man doe than that which he doth to his owne Conscience Finally pardon vs if we cannot impute such a degree of Impiety to those holy Popes that they who liued in the times of those bloudy Massacres wherin most of them with infinite other godly Professors in the same Church of Rome bequeathed their bodies to the sword for the Faith of Christ and their soules and spirits by Martyrdome to his armes of blessednesse should be wholly busyed in their Epistles about poynts of Ordination of Priests Inuention of Ceremonies and aduancing the Prerogatiues of the Romane Church but neuer to vtter any syllable of Exhortation and Consolation in behalfe of the Flocke of Christ dayly in the iawes of the Wooluish Persecutors of these times as those Epistles by you obiected do make appeare Your Obiections from the Testimonies of Ancient Popes of the Second Three hundred yeeres and the Vanity thereof discouered SECT 12. FOr the Second Three hundred yeeres are presented before vs a Second Iury of Twelue Popes to giue their Verdicts for proofe of the extent of their owne Papall and Monarchicall power and Iurisdiction Ecclesiasticall ouer the whole Church of Christ throughout the world Manifold haue been the Answers of Many to these Testimonies which the breuity that we haue propounded to our selues in this Treatise will not suffer vs to relate our Answers shall be no lesse plaine and yet more compendious 1. Almost all of these Testimonies may be denied in that sense of absolute Monarchie for the which they are propounded As for the first man of the Inquest viz. Pope Iulius he plainely speaketh of Document Instruction receiued from Peter and not of Dominion or Iurisdiction which may be an Answer to many of the rest 2. Some speake not but their Counterfeits as the last Iurist Pope Gregory in an Epistle wherein Eusebius Bishop of Constantinople is said to haue beene Subiect vnto him when as as our Doctor Reynolds hath proued there was no Eusebius Bishop of Constantinople in the daies of Saint Gregory This tricke of corrupting the writings of Antient Popes as you haue seene in their Epistles for the first Three hundred yeeres giue vs iuster cause to suspect the Popish Scribes in the Second Three hundred yeeres 3. Some haue beene already satisfied by Parallels 4. Reuerence say some Popes is due to the Apostolike See So you know Saint Peter doth require of the Husband Honour towards his Wife and Saint Paul of a Bishop Reuerence vnto Widowes Reuerence therefore which is nothing else but a due estimation of all persons according to their Order and Degree may bee exacted without any Note of Dominion 5. Nine of these Popes call the Church of Rome and Bishop thereof either Head of all Churches or One that hath the Care of all Churches or one hauing Principality Euery of which as you know were antiently ascribed to other Churches and Bishops besides the Romane 6. Some may be checked by Retorsion as in the first and last witnesse For the first if from the words obiected out of that Epistle of Iulius you shall inferre that he had Vniuersall Monarchy throughout the Catholike Church then may wee more iustly conclude that the same Pope being challenged by the Bishops of the East whom he calleth Most dearely beloued both for writing to them Alone and from his owne Authority and also for transgressing the Canons of the Church by admitting men vnto his Communion that had beene by them deposed and answering to the one that Although he wrote alone vnto them yet that he did it by consent of his fellow Bishops and to the other standing onely vpon his iustification in not transgressing the Canons of Ancient Councels
was not so But how Flat contrary Therefore shall a man leaue Father and Mother and cleaue to his wife and they shall be one flesh Willingly passing ouer all mention or meaning of any former Teacher for the space of thousands of yeares Teaching vs thereby first that there can be no truer Doctors than Gods word secondly no better Argument than Proofe that It was not so from the beginning II. Saint Cyprian being busied in a Question concerning Baptisme Wee are not to regard saith he what any hath done before vs but what he did who is before all Christ our Lord not following the Custome of men but the Truth of God III. Suarez your most celebrious Spanish Iesuite and publike Professor Sometimes saith he we know the beginning of a Tradition onely Negatiuely because it may appeare that sometime it was not so neare the beginning of the Church So he in your publike Schooles teaching you that if it may be shewed concerning any Doctrinall Tradition that there was a time neare to the beginning of the Church namely in the dayes of the Apostles when it was not taught it will bee a sufficient Confutation therof to proue it to be but an humane Inuention without any further enquirie after the Names of Persons who in succeeding ages haue gone before vs. IV. An Example we may take from your owne former Relation of a Tradition professed by Pope Innocentius the first who taught that The administration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist was necessary to Infants for their Saluation Which doctrine and practize continued about 600. yeares in the Church namely of Rome but since is reiected thereby So you Here had bene a Matter for your Obiectors to haue argued vpon if they had liued at the end of those 600. yeares when this Error was first reiected Would they haue said Shew vs that any Fathers by name for 600. yeares passed euer taught the contrary or else we must continue this custome still Thus should they condemne the Present Church of Rome which hath reiected that Custome Or would they haue said We regard not the time of the Continuance thereof for so many hundred yeeres seeing it may bee prooued that before that time there was no such Doctrine And the Institution of Christ which requireth Remembrance in them that partake of this Sacrament doth instruct vs otherwise And so must they as they ought condemne the former Romane Church in the daies of Innocentius and from henceforth silence themselues in exacting the Names of Persons who immediately before that time had taught the Contrarie because according to your Iesuites Confession it is lawfull in such a Case to proceed Persaltum Negatiuely saying It was not so neare the beginning of the Church Ergo it is not a necessarie Tradition Which was the very Apologie that Luther made against the doctrine of Indulgences in his first Opposition against your Church of Rome and the same is the defence of Protestants in their whole Profession at this day V. But supposing a Necessity of Names why aske Yov names As though the Church of Rome had beene then The Catholike Church without which there was none then or before the daies of Luther who reiected the doctrine of Romish Indulgences and of Papall Iurisdiction as well as he when as you haue heard there were euen since the Apostles times the Churches of the Grecians Aethiopians Aegyptians Assyrians Russians and indeed a world of faithfull Christians that wanted not names who Communicated not with the Church of Rome And what meaneth this Importunity or rather peruersnes to seeke for that which is by your owne Historians set before your eyes the Protesters against your Romish Nouelties before Luther whom they call Albigenses Waldenses Wiclefians Hussites c. Could these bee so called by your selues who persecuted them vnder these names without Names Yet know that this diuersity of Names may not argue the Sects and differences of their Religion no more than many names giuen vnto the same Riuer passing through diuers countries can argue a diuersity of the streames But these Professors and their Names you may vnderstand if you will reade Them who haue purposely entreated of this Subiect who are furnished with answers and can shew you out of your owne Authors their Innocent conuersation of life their Multitudes in number their Consent and Constancie in their Profession by enduring of Imprisonments banishment deaths and whatsoeuer Cruelties your Inquisitors could inflict on them And were these then Namelesse trowe you VI. And if this may not content you what then if we shall name them Romanes for such were Luther Melancthon and other Protestants at the beginning of their Opposition as sound Members of an vnfound Particular Church from whence it was lawfull and necessary for them to depart as hath beene proued Thus much in confutation of your Vulgar Obiection by Six Answers which deserueth onely this briefe Answer It is friuolous and superfluous THESIS VII Your Obiection That all Changes of Doctrines haue beene Notorious in the Persons and Places of their first Beginnings is false SECT 20. A principall Obiection wherewith your Cardinall doth colourably delude his Disciples is this In al Changes of doctrines in any Church the tokens there are visible in the Author Time Place and Person oppugning the same So he that so hee may iustifie many Errors which must therefore seeme Truths because there is none of these visible Notes of Changes to discouer them We answer that this your Obiection conctradicteth the ordinarie growth of Heresie the experience of former Heretikes the Changes of Doctrine in the Romish Church and the Confession of your owne Schooles I. The nature of Heresie as Saint Paul describeth it 2. Tim. 2.17 is like a Cancer or Gangraena By which as you know both the Greeke and Latines vnderstand that vlcer which is bredd in womans papps which if it be not preuented doth putrifie by by little and little vntill it possesse all the parts of the Body Therefore an insensible groweth at the beginning II. The experience of an hundred Heresies whose Authors haue not beene notorious might bee propounded vnto you but that taste may suffice which your owne Prateolus doth offer vnto you by an Instance in the Abstinents of which Heretikes it is not remembred saith he what time they liued In the Acephali of which kinde saith he the first Author is not found In the Aquarij whose Author saith he is not mentioned by any And in the Predestinati whose first leader saith he is not knowne Wee migh reckon vp the Alogiani Anthropomorphitae Aphthratodocitae Collyridiani Gnostici Concerning all whom and many others as the Angelici Apostolici Cainani Catharistae Ophitae Passionistae because you your selues cannot tell vs from whom they first arose or By whom they were impugned it appeareth that you obiect you know not what III. And as though forsooth no such Gangrene or disease could be found in the
bodie of your Church how then to speake onely from your owne Confessions hath growne the opinion of the foresaid Necessity of the Administration of the of the Eucharist vnto Infants not onely with no Opposition but euen with the great approbation of your Popes how your Custome of Communicating but in one kinde whereof you your selues grant a Non constat or Ignoramus when it first began Whereas for a Thousand yeeres cantinuance the Contrarie was held as you know in the Catholike Church yea and in the Romane Church it selfe Or how will you answer for the Corruption of your Romane Worship whereof wee haue your Fathers in the Councell of Trent decreeing that Because many Corruptions haue crept into the celebration of the Romane Masse either by the errour of the time or negligence and improbity of men therefore an order must bee taken to purge them So They. Are not diseases diseases because we can but coniecture the first Cause or time of their being The former Confession of your Professor and Iesuite before pointed at now set downe at large wil giue vs the vpshot Some Traditions saith he are perpetual in time euen from the beginning of the Church Others are onely temporall the beginning whereof may be knowne somtimes positiuely what time they began and sometimes onely negatiuely by being able to shew what time neere the beginning of the Church such a custome or doctrine had no being though afterwards it was inuented Whereby it may be iustly collected that such a Tradition had it's beginning after the Apostles albeit the certaine and determinate time in which it began be not knowne Which Tradition because it is not vniuersall in time it cannot beget any Catholike beleefe So he euen such an He whom your Romane Church esteemeth for the most eminent general both Doctor and Proctor of her Cause at this day By which Sentence are auoided both your former Obiections of the Necessity of giuing of Names of Authors before Luther and of demonstrating the Time Persons and Place of the beginning of Errors in the Church As also there is reached vnto Protestants a strong engine to the vtter ouerthrowe of your now Romane Creed consisting of more then 12. new Articles concerning Worshipping of Images Purgatory Indulgences and the like which can neuer be shewed to haue sprung in the ages af Antiquity bordering on the Apostles time and therfore according to this former true and necessary Rule set downe by your Iesuite can beget no Catholike Beleefe THESIS VIII Your last Obiection of Continuall and Personall Succession in all Ages is frustrate SECT 21. LEst that Succession and not Succession may seeme to alter the Case because the Romane Church is by Personall Succession of Catholike Pastors the Protestant Church is by Secession and Departure whereas true Succession doth manifest a true Church euen as no true Succession doth notifie a false Church as you vse to say you need doe no more but cast your eyes vpon your owne Historians who reporting the great deluge of that horrible Heresie of the Arrians declare that in the most Churches Christian â—he true and Orthodoxe Bishops were remoued out of their Bishopricks and cast into Banishment As for example the Chiefe Patriarks Liberius out of Rome Athanasius out of Alexandria Paulus out of Constantinople c. Againe the Wheele of God's prouidence turning backwards the Arian Heretikes lost their Bishopricks and Patriarkships the Orthodoxe and Catholike Professors succeeding in their places We demand will you then indeed say that Succession in place is absolutely an affirmatiue Note of a true Church How then shall those Churches bee iudged Hereticall wherein Arians immediately succeeded Catholikes Or is not Succession negatiuely a Note of no true Church How then were not the Churches false wherein Catholikes immediately succeeded Heretikes So then if you pronounce any Church true by the Succession of Persons onely you doe but waste your winde if by the Succession of Doctrine then Luther's doctrine being truly Apostolicall his Church cannot be but truly Catholike The Fourth and last part of this DETERMINATION concerneth the state of the Churches of Protestants after the daies of Luther and their more iust Cause of Continuing this Separation from Rome SECT 22. WHy should we not thinke that after our iustification of the first Departure of Protestants from the Church of Rome you should expect some Addition for the Defence of our Continuance of that Separation lest otherwise some might surmize that now sure the Councell of Trent pretending a Generall reformation of all Abuses the Protestants might haue iuster Cause to re-unite themselues to the Church of Rome THESIS I. Protestants are Generally Excommunicated by the Church of Rome SECT 23. YOur Pope of Rome doth by his Bulls yearely bellow out his Excommumications Anathematismes or Curses by name against all Lutherans Caluinists Hugonots and all Protestants together with all their Defenders Fauourers Receiuers Readers of their Bookes without speceall Licence whosoeuer they be THESIS II. Protestants are Vniustly Excommunicated SECT 24. ALl the Causes for which Scripture hath authorized a Departure from any visible Church do accordingly iustifie our Separation from the Church of Rome I. Falshood by Creation of a new Creede consisting of so many Articles II. To a false Faith is ioyned false Worship by Idolatrie not onely by the vulgar in Worshipping of Relikes Images and Saints Idolatrously as is witnessed by your selues but also generally by the Adoration of your Romish Moloch in the Masse Wherein that which after Consecration you adore take it at the best is but a Christ as you teach voide of all sence naturall power of motion and facultie of vnderstanding Which Doctrine touching the glorified body of Christ Wee thinke to be Blasphemous Take it as it may possibly be and then by your owne generall Confession in all probabilitie Fiue hundred to one after Consecration the thing you adore is but Bread still which is a possible yea and as you your selues tearme it a materiall Idolatrie And take it as we are ready to proue to wit that it is infallibly still euen after Consecration the substance of Bread and consequently your Adoration is really necessarily and formally Idolatrous All these points are to be fully prooued in a Treatise to be intituled CHRIST HIS MASSE which in due time may salute you in like manner as this doth if God permit III. To Heresie and Idolatrie your Church ioyneth Obstinacie not that wee can denie but that the Fathers of the Councell of Trent decreed A safe Conduct and full securitie to all Protestants in Germanie to come to that Councell and according to the tenure of that same Decree To propound whether by word or writing what Articles they would and with free libertie to dispute thereof So they And was not this a Fatherly Consideration shall Wee thinke but your Thuanus will tell you of diuerse Protestants that came to
made her the patterne of all other Christian Churches his stile should haue arrayed her otherwise than by inuoluing her among Loca Occidentis Secondly in Criminall Causes you belieue that the Supreme Right of Appeale to the Sea of Rome is a Iurisdiction whereinto the Bishop of Rome is inuested by virtue of his Succession from Saint Peter so that all other Churches Christian ought to acknowledge this Right of Appeale vpon all iust occasions and the Cause being there determined all parties are vtterly precluded hauing no power to Appeale from it to any Superior Iudicature This is your pretended Prerogatiue of the Church of Rome consisting of two Termes Appealing to Rome and not Appealing from Rome Will you admit of Saint Augustines determination in both these Saint Augustine as hath bene confessed was one of that Councell of Africke which abandoned the Claime of Right of Appeales from all Churches to Rome which was then challenged by three Popes successiuely to wit Zozimus Boniface and Celestine and yet concluded against them that it should not be lawfull for any within the Churches of Africke to make their Appeale to Rome Accordingly you that would thinke it an intolerable and sacrilegious derogation from the Papall Iurisdiction if in a Criminall Cause after the Pope with his whole Consistory of Cardinals had giuen iudgement any Bishop within the Romane Iurisdiction should be so audacious as to Appeale from that Sentence to an higher Iudicature where you that are my Iudges shall be iudged whether you haue giuen right iudgement or not remember that Saint Augustine concerning the Case of the Bishop Caecilian which was referred to the Arbitrement of Pope Iulius and others doubted not to giue such a Resolution I suppose saith he the Bishops that were at Rome were not good Iudges there then remained a Generall Councell where the Cause may be discussed so that if it shall appeare that those Iudges iudged wrongfully their sentence may be reuersed and disanulled Thirdly from Criminall we proceed to a Doctrinall point You that haue told vs that it is a peculiar Prerogatiue belonging to the Church of Rome as she is The Catholike Church to direct all other Churches which is the true Canon of Diuine Scriptures and that she by her Councell may pronounce euery one Anathema and Accursed that shall not giue beliefe to his Decree touching the right Canon of Scriptures obserue that Saint Augustine perceiuing how the Latine or Romane Church did not in those daies constantly hold the Epistle of Saint Paul to the Hebrewes to be Canonicall and of Diuine Authority resolueth thus Notwithstanding I saith he am rather mooued by the Authority of the East Churches So Saint Augustine which is so much that a conscionable man we thinke should need no more For now we are in a Doctrinall point euen what and which is the Scripture and written Word of God the Principle and Doctrine of all other Principles and Doctrines Whereof when we enquire we are directed by Saint Augustine to consult with the Primitiue Churches as well East as West and wherein these do differ in their Customes therein to yeeld rather to the iudgement of the Greeke and Easterne Churches according as Saint Hierom also determined than to the Romane in the West And lest this Decision of Saint Augustine might seeme to proceed from some voluntary inclination to the Greeke Church rather than to the Latine he addeth that he is so moued by the Authority of the Easterne Churches Now how all these particulars will agree with your Article viz. The Catholike Romane Church Mistris of all other Churches without full Vnion and Subiection whereunto there is no Saluation do you your-selues deliberate Sure we are that this Resolution of Saint Augustine will easily interpret the meaning of his other sentence so often obiected by you to wit I should not haue belieued the Gospell except the Authority of the Church had moued mee that by Church he meant not the then present Church of Rome as you pretend which is as you see another vanity After this discussion of the Doctrinall Cause we adde a Consideration of the Schismaticall state of that Church according as our iudicious Casaubon hath obserued You who accompt it the onely note of Schisme to be diuided from the Romane Church and the Pope thereof as the onely Head of all Churches Answer vs Why Saint Augustine who in seauen Books besides many other places confuted the Schismaticall Donatists yet neuer spake word of the Monarchy of the Pope or of the Infallibility of his iudgement whereby to reduce them to the Vnity of the Church and Truth Lastly as for the Title of The Catholike Church you that appropriate it in your Article to the Church of Rome aduise againe with Saint Augustine who as he hath already defined that Catholike is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The whole as a Comprehension of all Parts and therefore that no Part can be called The Whole so doth he further illustrate the same in his Expositions vpon those words of the Psalmist The Kings daughters were among thine honourable women vpon thy right hand did stand the Queene in a Vesture of gold of Ophir Behold Rome saith he behold Carthage behold other Cities as Kings daughters of all which is made one certaine Queene speaking of the Catholike Church whereunto euery one ought to bee vnited in Faith and Hope So he You see that in Saint Augustines time when Rome was indeed Rome and truely glorious for Faith and Holinesse yet Behold Rome what The Queene which is the Catholike Church it selfe No but Behold Rome a daughter of the King And againe Behold Carthage and other Cities How Namely so and no otherwise than Rome and others all daughters of the King that is Particular Churches professing Christ. But the Catholike Church as Queene what must shee be any one of these bee it the Church of Milan Carthage or Rome No but One Vniuersall Church consisting of these and All others CHALLENGE SEe you now with what obliquity of iudgement your Authors haue obiected these colourable sayings of Saint Augustine out of his Epistles vnto Pope Zozimus and Pope Boniface and others Whereas when we come to his deeds he doth freely demonstrate his Faith contrary to your sense when Comparing Particular Bishopricke with Bishopricke as Rome with Carthage hee maketh them and their Bishops both Most Eminent Comparing Churches with Churches as Rome with the Churches of Africke he defendeth euen against the forenamed Popes Zozimus and Boniface both that it is not lawfull for Remote Churches to Appeale to Rome and that it is also lawfull for Churches that are subordinate to the Romane Iurisdiction to Appeale from Rome By which the very pinnacle of the pretended Authority of the Romane Iurisdiction is quite ouerthrowne and cast to the ground Againe Saint Augustine comparing the Two Moities of the whole Catholike Church commonly diuided into the East otherwise called the