ought to tell it to the Church, that is, to himselfe*. I take not upon me to answer this learned Cardinall, but I dare avowe, that this Exposition of Scripture is not according to the Article of his faith, with the uniforme consent of Fathers. Howbeit, by this solution of Dic Ecclesia, wee are informed where, and in whom wee may finde the Romane Church. Gretzerus the Jesuite puts the question touching the Pope, and returnes his answere in this manner: Thou saiest they interpret the Church (the Pope;) I graunt it, what then? yet wee may doubt of his sentence; for how can wee bee certaine that hee erres not? Yes (saith hee) from these sayings, I will give thee the keyes, &c. The gates of Hell shall not prevaile, &c. Whatsoever thou bindest, shall be bound, &c. But who shall judge of the sense of these places? How shall I know those things are spoken of the Pope? From Ecclesiasticall Tradition, from the consent of our Elders, from the Suffrage of all Antiquitie, from the Text itselfe, if there bee brought no perverse or prejudicate opinion against it: to conclude, whether thou wilt or no (thou shalt beleeve it) from the Pope's owne Sentence and determination. To this Church then lyeth an appeale from Scriptures, from Coúncels, from the Essential Church; and for that cause Cardinall Bellarmine proclaimes it as the Pope's * Postremò dicere Ecclesiæ, id est, sibi ipsi. Bell. de Concil. author. lib. 2. cap. 19. + Ais tertio interpretantur Ecclesiam Papam non abnuo, quid tum? Gretz. def. c. 10. 1. 31. de verbo Dei. Champion, Nos defendimus, Wee maintaine that the Pope is simply and absolutely above the universall Church, and above Generall Councells: and as great men sometimes love to bee soothed up in their greatnesse, and are led with opinion of their Parasites, to beleeve that for a trueth, which is but a suggestion of falsehood; so it came to passe touching the Pope's power in these latter dayes; they did so much attribute to his Authoritie, and Infallibilitie derived from Peter, that Cardinal Zabarella rightly observed, and ingenously confessed; They have made the Popes beleeve, that they might doe all things whatsoever they listed, yea notwithstanding they were things unlawfull; and thus (saith hee) they have made him more then Godt. Bishop Begnius in the last Councell of Lateran, speaking to Pope Leo, cryeth out in admiration of his Holinesse; Ecce venit Leo: Behold, heere cometh a Lyon of the Tribe of Juda, the Root of David; behold hee hath raised up a Saviour, which shall deliver the people of God from the hand of the destroyer. Thou art hee, O most blessed Leo, whom wee have expected as a Saviour, take up thy sword and buckler, and arise in our defence ‡. And thus by degrees, first Vox populi, the common Bellar. de Concil. author. lib. 2. cap. 17. + Persuaserunt Pontificibus quod omnia possunt, et sic qd facerent quicquid liberet etiam illicita, et sint plusquam Deus. Zabarella. Te Leo beatissime salvatorem expectavimus, apprehende scutum, &c. Concil. Later, 5. Sess. 6. in orat. Begn. ad Leon. 10. people, people, by admiring his greatnesse, then Bishops and Cardinals by their flattering suggestions, have at last ascribed infallibilitie of Judgement to his Authoritie, (which I am verily perswaded never Pope did beleeve in himselfe) and hereby they have advanced him above Fathers, above Councels, above the Church; and now at last made him the whole Church, in so much that some of his owne side are not ashamed to professe, that the Pope may dispense against the Apostles, yea, against the New Testament upon good cause, and also against all the precepts of the Old*. Sylvester Prierias, Master of the Pope's palace, goeth further; hee gives us to understand, that the authoritic of the Romane Church, and of the Bishop of Rome, is greater (then the authoritie of God's word) and thereupon he concludes, Whosoever leaneth not to the doctrine of the Romane Church, and of the Bishop of Rome, as unto the infallible Rule of God, of which doctrine the holy Scripture taketh force and authoritie, he is an heretiket. And for a further confirmation of this beliefe, Gretzerus the Jesuite makes this conclusion: Wee doe receive and reverence that onely for the Word of God, which the Pope as supreame Master of the * Beard. Mot. 6. Vide in Jewel, p. 49. + Quicunque non innititur doctrinæ Romanæ ecclesiæ, ac Romani Pontificis, tanquam Regulæ Dei infallibili, à quâ etiam sacra Scriptura robur trahit et authoritatem, hereticus est. Sylv. Prier. contra Luther. Christians, Christians, and Judge of all controversies, doth determine in the Chaire of Peter *. Now if it happen that some Proselyte of a tender conscience, should make some scruple, whether the Pope ought to be heard and obeyed, when hee is a murderer, a Sorcerer, and a wilfull subverter of the truth, (as some Popes have been) Hosius their Doctour, wisheth them not to trouble themselves with such idle curiosities. God will never have thee consider (saith hee) whether the Pope bee a Judas, or a Peter, or a Paul; it is sufficient onely that he sitteth in Peter's chaire, that hee is an Apostle, that he is Christ's Ambassadour, that he is the Angel of the Lord of Hostes, from whose mouth thou art commanded to require the Law. This thing onely Christ would have thee to consider†. Againe, admit a Councel, a whole congregation of men should make a doubt whether the Pope may erre, and by reason of that scruple, would not readily obey him: Cardinall Bellarmine by way of prevention, gives them this lesson: If the Pope should so farre foorth erre, as to command vices, and forbid vertues, the Church were bound to * Id solum pro verbo Dei veneramur ac suscipimus, qd nobis Pontifex ex Cathedra Petri, &c. Def. c. 1. 1. 1. de verbo Dei, p. 16. † Judas ne sit an Petrus, an Paulus Deus attendi non vult, sed solum hoc qd sedet in Cathedrà Petri-de cujus ore legem requirere jussus est. Hoc solum spectari vult. Hos. in Confess. Petricovien, ca. 29. beleeve beleeve that vices are good, and vertues are evill, unlesse shee will sinne against her own conscience*. Heere is an implicite faith commanded; let the Pope's doctrine bee true or false, if the Romanists will resigne up their senses and understanding to this Vertuall Church, (which is the Pope) they shall have a Priest and Cardinall for their Tutors; but by their leave, they may make shipwracke of their faith, by being their Disciples. I proceed from an implicite faith to a blind obedience; and therein I will give you a remarkeable example from another Schooleman, who above all things doeth honour and commend a blinde obedience to the Church (that is, to the Pope). Gregorie de Valentia tells us of an Italian Merchant of Placentia, who reasoned and resolved with himselfe in this manner: I hold it is better to professe the Romane Religion, then the Lutheran: First, because I can briefly learn the Roman faith: for if I say what the Pope sayes, and deny what the Pope denies; and if hee speake, and I hearken unto him, this alone is sufficient for mee: but if I should bee a Lutheran, I must learne a Catechisme, I must search the Scriptures, which in trueth I cannot intend, when I must look after the Ships of Italy, and my Merchandise beyond the Seast You have heard the reason why this Layman * Si autem Papa erraret, præcipiendo vitiæ vel prohibendo virtutes, teneretur Ecclesia oredere vitia esse bona, et virtutes malas nisi vellet contra conscientiam peccare. Bell. de Pont. H. 4. c. 5. + Laurent. disceptatio Theolog pag. 5. did |