: : approved the prophecies of Montanus, and upon that | scriptum," all the old copies, till of late, read, approbation granted peace to the churches of Asia hæreticis versibus descriptum;" this very mistake and Phrygia, till Praxeas persuaded him to revoke made many wise men, (as Pierius says,) yea, Pope This act. But let this rest upon the credit of Tertul- | Adriano the Sixth, no worse man, believe, that “all lian, whether Zepherinus were a Montanist or no : poetry was heretical; " because, forsooth, Pope some such thing there was for certain. Pope Vigi- Gelasius, whose decree that was, although he belius denied two natures in Christ; and in his epistle lieved Sedulius to be a good catholic, yet, as they to Theodora the empress, anathematized all them thought, concluded his verses to be heretical. But that said he had two natures in one person. St. these were ignorances; it hath been worse amongst Gregory himself permitted priests to give confirma- some others, whose errors have been more malition, which is all one as if he should permit deacons cious. Pope Honorius was condemned by the sixth to consecrate, they being by Divine ordinance an- general synod, and his epistles burnt; and in the nexed to the higher orders: and upon this very seventh action of the eighth synod, the acts of the ground Adrianus affirms that the pope may err" in Roman council under Adrian the Second are recited, definiendis dogmatibus fidei."s And that we may in which it is said that Honorius was justly ananot fear we shall want instances, we may, to secure thematized, because he was convicted of heresy. it, take their own confession; "Nam multæ sunt Bellarmine says, it is probable that Pope Adrian decretales hæretica," (says Occham as he is cited by and the Roman council were deceived with false Almain,)“ et firmitèr hoc credo" (says he for his copies of the sixth synod, and that Honorius was own particular): " sed non licet dogmatizare opposi- no heretic. To this I say, that although the Rotum, quoniam sunt determinatæ." So that we may man synod, and the eighth general synod, and Pope as well see that it is certain that popes may be he- Adrian, all together are better witnesses for the retics, as that it is dangerous to say so; and there- thing than Bellarmine's conjecture is against it; fore there are so few that teach it. All the patri- yet if we allow his conjecture, we shall lose nothing archs, and the bishop of Rome himself, subscribed in the whole for either the pope is no infallible to Arianism, as Baronius confesses and Gratian doctor, but may be a heretic, as Honorius was; or affirms that Pope Anastasius II. was stricken of else a council is to us no infallible determiner. I God for communicating with the heretic Photinus.k say, as to us: for if Adrian, and the whole Roman I know it will be made light of, that Gregory council, and the eighth general were all cozened with VII. saith, the very exorcists of the Roman church false copies of the sixth synod, which was so little are superior to princes. But what shall we think a while before them, and whose acts were transactof that decretal of Gregory the Third, who wrote ed and kept in the theatre and records of the cathoto Boniface his legate in Germany, quòd illi lic church; he is a bold man that will be confident, quorum uxores infirmitate aliquâ morbidâ debitum that he hath true copies now. So that let which reddere noluerunt, aliis poterant nubere." Was they please stand or fall, let the pope be a heretic, this a doctrine fit for the head of the church, an or the councils be deceived and palpably abused, infallible doctor? It was plainly, if any thing ever (for the other, we will dispute it upon other instanwas, "doctrina dæmoniorum," and is noted for ces and arguments, when we shall know which part such by Gratian, caus. 32. q. 7. can. quod they will choose,) in the mean time we shall get in proposuisti:" where the gloss also intimates that the general what we lose in particular. This only, the same privilege was granted to the Englishmen this device of saying the copies of the councils were by Gregory," quia novi erant in fide."-And❘ false, was the stratagem of Albertus Pighius nine sometimes we had little reason to expect much bet- hundred years after the thing was done; of which ter: for not to instance in that learned discourse in invention Pighius was presently admonished, blamthem canon law "de majoritate et obedientiâ," ed, and wished to recant.P Pope Nicolas expliwhere the pope's supremacy over kings is proved cated the mystery of the sacrament with so much from the first chapter of Genesis, and the pope is ignorance and zeal, that in condemning Berengarius the sun, and the emperor is the moon, for that was he taught a worse impiety. But what need I any the fancy of one pope perhaps, though made au- more instances? It is a confessed case by Barothentic and doctrinal by him; it was, if it be possi- nius, by Biel, by Stella, Almain, Occham, and Cable, more ridiculous, that Pope Innocent the Third nus, and generally by the best scholars in the urges, that the Mosaical law was still to be observ- church of Rome, that a pope may be a heretic, and ed, and that upon this argument; "Sanè,” saith that some of them actually were so; and no less he, "cùm Deuteronomium secunda lex interpretur, than three general councils did believe the same ex vi vocabuli comprobatur, ut quod ibi decernitur, thing, viz. the sixth, seventh, and eighth, as Belin Testamento Novo debeat observari." Worse larmine is pleased to acknowledge in his fourth yet; for when there was a corruption crept into the book "De Pontifice Romano, c. 11. resp. ad Arg. decree called "Sancta Romana,"" where, instead 4." And the canon "Si papa, dist. 40." affirms it of these words, "Sedulii opus heroicis versibus de- in express terms, that a pope is judicable and pun 66 66 f Vid. Liberal. in breviaro, cap. 22. Durand. 4. dist. 7. q. 4. i A. D. 357. n. 44. Dist. 15. apud Gratian. • De Sacerd, barb. P Vide diatrib. de act. 6. et 7æ. synod. prefatione ad Lec torum, et Dominicum Bannes 22. q. 1. a. 10. dub. 2. Picus. Mirand. in exposit. theorem. 4. ishable in that case. But there is no wound but | (if ever any thing was decreed by a pope with an Lib. 2. c. 30. ubi suprà. sect. est ergó. Vide Alphons. à Cast. 1. 1. adv. hæres. c. 4. hoc lemma ridentem affabre. Vid. etiam Innocentium Ser. 2. de consecrat. Pontif. act. 7. 8. Synodi, et Concil. 5. sub Symmadio. Vide Collat. 8. can. 12. ubi patres judicialem sententiam p. Vigilii in causâ trium Capitulorum damuârunt expresse. Extrav. comm. Extrav. grave, Tit. X. De Angelo custod. 16. So that, without taking particular notice of it, that egregious sophistry and flattery of the late writers of the Roman church are, in this instance, besides divers others before mentioned, clearly made invalid. For here the bishop of Rome, not as a private doctor, but as Pope, not by declaring his own opinion, but with an intent to oblige the church, gave sentence in a question which the Dominicans will still account "pro non determinata." And every decretal recorded in the canon law, if it be false in the matter, is just such another instance. And Alphonsus à Castro says to the same purpose, in the instance of Cælestine dissolving marriages for heresy, "Neque Cælestini error talis fuit, qui soli negligentiæ imputari debeat; ità ut illum errâsse dicamus velut privatam personam, et non ut Papam: quoniam hujusmodi Cælestini definitio habetur in antiquis decretalibus, in cap. Laudabilem,' titulo De Conversione Infidelium;' quam ego ipse vidi et legi." (Lib. 1. adv. hæres. cap. 4.) And therefore it is a most intolerable folly to pretend that the pope cannot err in his chair, though he may err in his closet, and may maintain a false opinion even to his death. For besides that it is sottish to think, that either he would not have the world of his own opinion (as all men naturally would); or that, if he were set in his chair, he would determine contrary to himself in his study; and therefore to represent it as possible, they are fain to fly to a miracle, for which they have no colour, neither instructions, nor insinuation, nor warrant, nor promise; besides that it were impious and unreasonable to depose him for heresy, who may so easily, even by setting himself in his chair and reviewing his theorems, be cured; it is also against a very great experience. For besides the former allegations, it is most notorious that Pope Alexander III. in a council at Rome, of three hundred archbishops and bishops, A. D. 1179, condemned Peter Lombard of heresy in a matter of great concernment, no less than something about the incarnation; from which sentence he was, after thirty-six years abiding it, absolved by Pope Innocent III. without repentance or dereliction of the opinion. Now if the sentence was not a cathedral dictate, as solemn and great as could be expected, or as is said to be necessary to oblige all christendom, let the great hyperaspists of the Roman church be judges, who tell us, that a particular council with the pope's confirmation is made œcumenical by adoption, and is infallible, and obliges all christendom: so Bellarmine.' And therefore he says, that it is "temerarium, erroneum, et proximum hæresi," to deny it. But whether it be or not, it is all one as to my purpose. For, it is certain, fol. 59. de consecrat. dist. 3. can. pronunciand. gloss. verb. Nativ. Hac in perpetuum valiturâ constitutione statuimus, &c. De reliquiis, &c. Extrav. Com. Sixt. 4. cap. 1. Lib. 2. de Concil. cap. 5.-De Pontif. Rom. c. 14. sect. respondeo. In 3. sent. d. 24. q. in cont. 6. dub. 6. in fine. that in a particular council confirmed by the pope, if ever, then and there the pope sat himself in his chair; and it is as certain, that he sat beside the cushion, and determined ridiculously and falsely in this case. But this is a device for which there is no scripture, no tradition, no one dogmatical resolute saying of any father, Greek or Latin, for above one thousand years after Christ; and themselves, when they list, can acknowledge as much. And therefore Bellarmine's saying, I perceive, is believed of them to be true. That there are many things in the Decretal Epistles which make not articles to be "de fide."" And therefore, "Non est necessariò credendum determinatis per summum Pontificem," says Almain. And this serves their turns in every thing they do not like; and therefore, I am resolved it shall serve my turn also for something, and that is, that the matter of the pope's infallibility is so ridiculous and improbable, that they do not believe it themselves. Some of them clearly practised the contrary; and although Pope Leo X. hath determined the pope to be above a council, yet the Sorbonne to this day scorn it at the very heart. And I might urge upon them that scorn that Almain truly enough by way of argument alleges. It is a wonder that they who affirm the pope cannot err in judgment, do not also affirm that he cannot sin; they are like enough to say so, says he, if the vicious lives of the popes did not make a daily confutation of such flattery. Now, for my own particular, I am as confident, and think it as certain, that popes are actually deceived in matters of christian doctrine, as that they do prevaricate the laws of christian piety. And therefore Alphonsus à Castro calls them "impudentes papæ assentatores," that ascribe to him infallibility in judgment or interpretation of Scripture. 17. But if themselves did believe it heartily, what excuse is there in the world for the strange uncharitableness or supine negligence of the popes, that they do not set themselves in their chair, and write infallible commentaries, and determine all controversies without error, and blast all heresies with the word of their mouth, declare what is and what is not "de fide," that his disciples and confidents may agree upon it, reconcile the Franciscans and Dominicans, and expound all mysteries? For it cannot be imagined but he that was endued with so supreme power, in order to so great ends, was also fitted with proportionable, that is extraordinary, personal abilities, succeeding and derived upon the persons of all the popes. And then the doctors of his church need not trouble themselves with study, nor writing explications of Scripture, but might wholly attend to practical devotion, and leave all their scholastical wranglings, the distinguishing opinions of their orders, and they might have a fine church, something like fairy-land, or Lucian's kingdom in the moon. But if they say they cannot do this when they list, but when they are moved to it Proverbialiter olim dictum erat de Decretalibus, Malè cum rebus humanis actum esse, ex quo Decretis alæ accesserunt; scil. cùm Decretales post Decretum Gratiani sub nomine Gregorii noni edebantur. by the Spirit, then we are never the nearer for so may the bishop of Angoulême write infallible commentaries, when the Holy Ghost moves him to it; for I suppose his motions are not ineffectual, but he will sufficiently assist us in performing of what he actually moves us to. But among so many hundred decrees which the popes of Rome have made, or confirmed and attested, (which is all one,) I would fain know, in how many of them did the Holy Ghost assist them? If they know it, let them declare it, that it may be certain which of their decretals are "de fide;" for as yet none of his own church knows. If they do not know, then neither can we know it from them, and then we are as uncertain as ever. And, besides, the Holy Ghost may possibly move him, and he, by his ignorance of it, may neglect so profitable a motion; and then his promise of infallible assistance will be to very little purpose, because it is with very much fallibility applicable to practice. And therefore it is absolutely useless to any man or any church: because, suppose it settled "in thesi," that the pope is infallible; yet whether he will do his duty, and perform those conditions of being assisted which are required of him, or whether he be a secret simoniac, (for if he be, he is "ipso facto" no pope,) or whether he be a bishop, or priest, or a christian, being all uncertain, every one of these depending upon the intention and power of the baptizer or ordainer, which also are fallible, because they depend upon the honesty and power of other men; we cannot be infallibly certain of any pope that he is infallible: and therefore, when our questions are determined, we are never the nearer, but may hug ourselves in an imaginary truth, the certainty of finding truth out depending upon so many fallible and contingent circumstances. And therefore the thing, if it were true, being so to no purpose, it is to be presumed that God never gave a power so impertinently, and from whence no benefit can accrue to the christian church, for whose use and benefit, if at all, it must needs have been appointed. 18. But I am too long in this impertinency. If I were bound to call any man master upon earth, and to believe him upon his own affirmative and authority, I would of all men least follow him that pretends he is infallible, and cannot prove it. For he that cannot prove it, makes me as uncertain as ever; and that he pretends to infallibility, makes him careless of using such means, which will morally secure those wise persons, who, knowing their own aptness to be deceived, use what endeavours they can to secure themselves from error, and so become the better and more probable guides. 19. Well, thus far we are come: although we are secured in fundamental points from involuntary error by the plain, express, and dogmatical places of Scripture; yet in other things we are not, but may be invincibly mistaken, because of the obscurity and difficulty in the controverted parts of Scripture, * De Auctorit. Eccles. cap. 10. in fine. y Lib. 1. cap. 4. advers. hæres. edit. Paris. 1534. In seqq. non expurgantur ista verba, at idem sensus manet. by reason of the uncertainty of the means of its interpretation, since tradition is of an uncertain reputation, and sometimes evidently false; councils are contradictory to each other, and therefore certainly many of them are equally deceived, and therefore all may; and then the popes of Rome are very likely to mislead us, but cannot ascertain us of truth in matter of question; and in this world we believe in part, and prophesy in part, and this imperfection shall never be done away, till we be translated to a more glorious state: either then we must throw our chances, and get truth by accident or predestination; or else we must lie safe in a mutual toleration, and private liberty of persuasion, unless some other anchor can be thought upon, where we may fasten our floating vessels, and ride safely. SECTION VIII. Of the Disability of Fathers, or Writers Ecclesiastical, to determine our Questions with Certainty and Truth. 1. THERE are some that think they can determine all questions in the world by two or three sayings of the fathers, or by the consent of so many as they will please to call a concurrent testimony; but this consideration will soon be at an end. For if the fathers, when they are witnesses of tradition, do not always speak truth, as it happened in the case of Papias, and his numerous followers for almost three ages together; then is their testimony more improbable, when they dispute or write commentaries. 2. The fathers of the first ages spake unitedly concerning divers questions of secret theology, and yet were afterwards contradicted by one personage of great reputation, whose credit had so much influence upon the world, as to make the contrary opinion become popular: why then may not we have the same liberty, when so plain an uncertainty is in their persuasions, and so great contrariety in their doctrines? But this is evident in the case of absolute predestination, which till St. Austin's time no man preached, but all taught the contrary; and yet the reputation of this one excellent man altered the scene. But if he might dissent from so general a doctrine, why may not we do so too, (it being pretended that he is so excellent a precedent to be followed,) if we have the same reason? He had no more authority nor dispensation to dissent than any bishop hath now. And therefore, St. Austin hath dealt ingenuously; and as he took this liberty to himself, so he denies it not to others, but indeed forces them to preserve their own liberty. And therefore, when St. Jerome had a great mind to follow the fathers in a point that he fancied, and the best security he had was, "Patiaris me cum talibus errare," St. Austin would not endure it, but answered his reason, and neglected the authority. And therefore it had been most unreasonable that we should do that now, though in his behalf, which he towards greater personages (for so they were then) at that time judged to be unreasonable. It is a plain recession from antiquity which was determined by the council of Florence," piorum animas purgatas," &c. " mox in cœlum recipi, et intueri clarè ipsum Deum trinum et unum, sicuti est;" as who please to try, may see it dogmatically resolved to the contrary by Justin Martyr, by Irenæus, by Origen, by St. Chrysostom,d Theodoret, Arethas Cæsariensis, Euthymius," who may answer for the Greek church. And it is plain, that it was the opinion of the Greek church, by that great difficulty the Romans had, of bringing the Greeks to subscribe to the Florentine council, where the Latins acted their masterpiece of wit and stratagem, the greatest that hath been till the famous and super-politic design of Trent. And for the Latin church, Tertullian,h St Ambrose,i St. Austin, St. Hilary,' Prudentius,m Lactantius," Victorinus Martyr, and St. Bernard,P are known to be of opinion, that the souls of the saints are "in abditis receptaculis et exterioribus atriis," where they expect the resurrection of their bodies, and the glorification of their souls; and though they all believe them to be happy, yet they enjoy not the beatific vision before the resurrection. Now there being so full a consent of fathers, (for many more may be added,) and the decree of Pope John XXII. besides, who was so confident for his decree, that he commanded the university of Paris to swear that they would preach it and no other, and that none should be promoted to degrees in theology that did not swear the like, as Occham, Gerson, Marsilius, and Adrianus, report: since it is esteemed lawful to dissent from all these, I hope no man will be so unjust to press other men to consent to an authority, which he himself judges to be incompetent. These two great instances are enough; but if more were necessary, I could instance in the opinion of the Chiliasts, maintained by the second and third centuries, and disavowed ever since: in the doctrine of communicating infants, taught and practised as necessary by the fourth and fifth centuries, and detested by the Latin church in all the following ages: in the variety of opinions concerning the very form of baptism, some keeping close to the institution and the words of its first sanction, others affirming it to be sufficient if it be administered" in nomine Christi" particularly St. Ambrose, Pope Nicholas the First, Venerable Bede," and St. Bernard, besides some writers of after-ages, as Hugo de Sancto Victore, and the doctors generally his contempo- | equal number of them; which, I am certain, neither raries. And it would not be inconsiderable to ob- side will do. serve, that if any synod, general, national, or provincial, be receded from by the church of the later age, (as there have been very many,) then so many fathers, as were then assembled and united in opinion, are esteemed no authority to determine our persuasions. Now suppose two hundred fathers assembled in such a council, if they had all writ books, and two hundred authorities had been alleged in confirmation of an opinion,—it would have made a mighty noise, and loaded any man with an insupportable prejudice that should dissent: and yet every opinion, maintained against the authority of any one council, though but provincial, is, in its proportion, such a violent recession and neglect of the authority and doctrine of so many fathers as were then assembled, who did as much declare their opinion in those assemblies by their suffrages, as if they had writ it in so many books; and their opinion is more considerable in the assembly than in their writings, because it is more deliberate, assisted, united, and more dogmatical. In pursuance of this observation, it is to be noted, by way of instance, that St. Austin and two hundred and seventeen bishops, and all their successors, for a whole age together, did consent in denying appeals to Rome; and yet the authority of so many fathers (all true catholics) is of no force now at Rome in this question: but if it be in a matter they like, one of these fathers alone is sufficient. The doctrine of St. Austin alone brought in the festival and veneration of the assumption of the blessed Virgin; and the hard sentence passed at Rome upon unbaptized infants, and the Dominican opinion concerning predetermination, derived from him alone as from their original. So that if a father speaks for them, it is wonderful to see what tragedies are stirred up against them that dissent, as is to be seen in that excellent nothing of Campian's Ten Reasons. But if the fathers be against them, then "patres in quibusdam non levitèr lapsi sunt," says Bellarmine;" and "constat quosdam ex præcipuis," it is certain the chiefest of them have foully erred. Nay, Posa, Salmeron, and Wadding, in the question of the immaculate conception, make no scruple to dissent from antiquity, to prefer new doctors before the old and to justify themselves, bring instances in which the church of Rome had determined against the fathers. And it is not excuse enough to say, that singly the fathers may err, but if they concur, they are certain testimony. For there is no question this day disputed by persons that are willing to be tried by the fathers, so generally attested on either side, as some points are which both sides dislike severally or conjunctly. And therefore it is not honest for either side to press the authority of the fathers as a concluding argument in matter of dispute, unless themselves will be content to submit in all things to the testimony of an Vid. Epist. Bonifacii II. apud Nicolinum, tom. 2. Concil. pag. 544, et exemplar precum Eulalii apud eundem, ibid. p. 525. Qui anathematizat omnes decisores suos, qui in eâ causâ, Romæ se opponendo, rectæ fidei regulam prævaricati sunt; inter quos tamen fuit Augustinus, quem pro maledicto 3. If I should reckon all the particular reasons against the certainty of this topic, it would be more than needs as to this question, and therefore I will abstain from all disparagement of those worthy personages, who were excellent lights to their several diocesses and cures. And therefore I will instance that Clemens Alexandrinusa taught that Christ felt no hunger or thirst, but ate only to make demonstration of the verity of his human nature; nor that St. Hilary taught that Christ, in his sufferings, had no sorrow; nor that Origen taught the pains of hell not to have an eternal duration; nor that St. Cyprian taught rebaptization; nor that Athenagoras condemned second marriages; nor that St. John Damascenus said Christ only prayed in appearance, not really and in truth: I will let them all rest in peace, and their memories in honour: for if I should inquire into the particular probations of this article, I must do to them as I should be forced to do now; if any man should say, that the writings of the schoolmen were excellent argument and authority to determine men's persuasions, I must consider their writings, and observe their defailances, their contradictions, the weakness of their arguments, the misallegations of Scripture, their inconsequent deductions, their false opinions, and all the weaknesses of humanity, and the failings of their persons; which no good man is willing to do, unless he be compelled to it by a pretence that they are infallible; or that they are followed by men even into errors or impiety. And therefore, since there is enough in the former instances to cure any such mispersuasion and prejudice, I will not instance in the innumerable particularities, that might persuade us to keep our liberty entire, or to use it discreetly. For it is not to be denied but that great advantages are to be made by their writings, "et probabile est, quod omnibus, quod pluribus, quod sapientibus videtur :" If one wise man says a thing, it is an argument to me to believe it in its degree of probation, that is, proportionable to such an assent as the authority of a wise man can produce, and when there is nothing against it that is greater; and so in proportion higher and higher, as more wise men (such as the old doctors were) do affirm it. But that which I complain of is, that we look upon wise men that lived long ago, with so much veneration and mistake, that we reverence them, not for having been wise men, but that they lived long since. But when the question is concerning authority, there must be something to build it on; a Divine commandment, human sanction, excellency of spirit, and greatness of understanding, on which things all human authority is regularly built. But now if we had lived in their times, (for so we must look upon them now, as they did who without prejudice beheld them,) I suppose we should then have beheld them, as we Cælestinus tacitè agnoscit, admittende sc. exemplar præcum. Vid. Doctor. Mart. de jurisdict. part 4. p. 273. et Erasm. annot. in Hieron. præfat. in Daniel. De Verbo Dei, 1, 3. c. 10. sect. Dices. a Strom. 1. 3, et 6. |