did dislike the Protestants' Religion, and what was the rule of his Roman faith: now heare what judgement this learned Schooleman gives concerning this Merchant. Deum nihil habiturum: God (saieth he) will have nothing to lay to the charge of this man at the dreadfull day of Judgement. To say nothing of this presumption, I pray God that Pagans and Infidels who knew not Christ, arise not up in judgement against them that teach such doctrine: for whereas all men, by the Apostle's rule, should be ready to give an account of their Faith, and must bee judged by the Word of God; this man, by not knowing the Scriptures nor the articles of his faith, but onely for intending his Merchandise, with a blinde obedience, and an implicite faith, shall be free both from guilt and punishment and no doubt, from this general beliefe, of the Pope's authoritie, and infallibilitie, the saying of Gregorie the Thirteenth is verified: Men doe with such reverence respect the Apostolicall See of Rome, that they rather desire to know the ancient Institution of Christian Religion from the Pope's owne mouth, then from the holy Scriptures; and they onely inquire what is his pleasure, and accordingly they order their life and conversation*.

He therefore that will appeale to the Bishop of Rome, to Rome let him goe; but woe to the Recusants of England, and other countreys remote from Rome, which cannot heare the Church, being

* D. 40 Si Papa in Annot.

SO

so farre distant from him: nay, woe to them at Rome, that live in his See; for how can they heare him if hee never preacheth? But withall, most miserable is the condition of the hearer, notwithstanding he should preach: for his owne Cardinall assures us, that if his Holinesse teach not the whole Church, hee is in as much posssibilitie to erre, as Innocent the Eighth was when hee permitted the Norwegians to celebrate the Eucharist without wine*. Thus from the multitude of beleevers, which is the Essentiall Church, we are sent to the Councell, which is the Representative Church, wee are sent to the Pope, which is the Virtuall, and now at length being arrived at the Pope's Consistory, his Cardinal gives us to understand, that a man may returne happily as wise as he went, but withall intimates unto us, that there are no oracles, no infallible doctrine to bee learned from his mouth, unlesse hee will first declare by publike decree, that hee intends to preach to the Universall Church. Besides, how the Vicar of Christ should bee the Spouse of Christ, how a particular member of the Church should become a Universall Head of the Church: how Papa, the Pope, anciently a Father, should become the Church, which is alwayes a Mother, it is a mysterie unsearchable, and past finding out: for sure I am, if the Pope be the Church, let them pretend whomsoever they will for their

* Bell. lib. 4. de Rom. Pont. lib. 4. cap. 14.

Father, they can have no Church except Pope Joane for their Mother.

It remaineth then, that in the next place wee examine the certaintie of that faith, which must be learned from the Pope: for if the Pope have not Infallibilitie of Judgement, then is hee not that rule of faith, then is hee not that Church, which is the pillar and ground of truth; and consequently miserable is the condition of those poore Christians, that relie upon his opinion, as upon the infallible doctrine of the Church; and first I will proceed to the Pope's Succession in doctrine and person, and compare the doctrine of the ancient Bishops of Rome with the Popes of these later time, that thereby wee may discerne, whether the Pope's Infallibilitie bee priviledged by his Chaire, or whether the ancient Roman faith bee successively derived from the ancient Bishops of Rome, to the Popes of these latter ages.

SECT.

SECT. XX.

THE CHURCH WHICH IS FINALLY RESOLVED INTO THE POPE, WANTS BOTH PERSONALL AND DOCTRINAL SUCCESSION, AS APPEARES BY SEVERAL INSTANCES AND EXCEPTIONS, BOTH IN MATTERS OF FACT, AND MATTERS OF FAITH.

HOSIUS the Romanist tells us for certaine, that if we reckon all the Popes that ever were from Peter untill Julius the Third, there never sate in his Chaire any Arrian, any Donatist, any Pelagian, or any ather that professed any manner of Heresie*. The reason of this, as I conceive, is delivered by Card. Cusanus: The truth cleaveth fast to Peter's Chaire: the whole universall Catholike Church is rolled up to Peter's chaire, and shall never depart from Christ †. I will not take upon mee to examine the Pope, in what Office, in what religion, in what piece of his life he hath succeeded Peter: but that you may know, (howsoever the Pope's faith is annexed to the Chair) he hath erred, and is subject to error as he is Pope, I will compare the doctrine of the an cient Bishops of Rome, with the faith of the

*Hos. in Confess, Petricov. c. 29.

+ Veritas adhæret Cathedræ, universa Catholica Ecclesia ad Petri Cathedram conglobata à Christo nunquam recedit. Cusan. ad Bohem. Epist. 2.

later

later Popes, and the later Popes' Decrees and definitive Sentences, with their flat contradictions, and contrary Decrees amongst themselves, whereby it shall appeare, that the later Popes have not only erred in disclaiming the decrees of their Predecessours, but have digressed wholly from the ancient Roman Bishops, both in faith and manners, and withal they want that Infalubilitie, that personal, and doctrinal Succession, which they so much magnifie amongst themselves.

Anacletus, Bishop of Rome, in the yeere 103, decreed, that after Consecration, all present should communicate, or else bee thrust out of the Church, for so (saith he) the Apostles did set downe, and the holy Church of Rome observeth. On the contrary, at this day it is made law full for the Priests to receive alone, the people onely gazing and looking on; and withall Pope Julius the Fourth sha!t hath decreed in the Councel of Trent: If any say, that Masses, in which the Priest alone docth communicate, are unlayfull, and therefore ought to be abrogated, let him be accursed†,

Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome, in the yeere 440, speaks of the death of Martyrs in this manner: Although the death of many Saints hath been pretious in the Lord's sight, yet the death of no innocent person hath been the propitiation for the world, that the righteous received crownes, but gave none, that of the fortitude of the faithfull, have * Dist. 1. Episcopus et 2 Peracta. + Conc. Trid. Canon. E. Sess. 22.

grown