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name of vanitie, and a name of blasphemie." And writing to Eulogius Bishop of Alexandria, hee makes this profession : "For mine owne part, I seeke to increase in vertues, and not in words; for if you call me Universall Bishop, you denie yourselves to be that, which you confesse to be wholly in me: but God forbid, let us rather put farre from us these words which puff up pride and vanitie, and wound Charitie to the death.”

Church of England.] It is plaine, that the Bishop of Rome challengeth this day a title that St. Peter never had, that no holy nor godly man would ever take upon him, that St. Gregorie utterly refused, and detested, and called blasphemy +."

Church of Rome.] "The Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome may bee prooved by fifteene severall Names or Titles, as namely, the Prince of Priests, the High Priest, the Vicar of Christ, the universall Bishop, and the like:" and from those high and mighty Titles, they have created this Article of faith. Wee declare, wee pronounce, wee define, that every creature upon necessitie of salvation must be subject to the Bishop of Rome§. * Greg. lib. 7. ep. 30.

+ Jewel. Art. 4. Divis. 4.

Bell. de Pout. lib. 1. c. 31.

Subesse Romano Pont. omnis humanæ creaturæ declaramus, dicimus, definimus, et pronunciamus omninò esse de necessitate salutis. Bonif. 8. in extran, de Major, et Obed. cap. Unam Sanctam, &c.

Thus

Thus briefly I have given you the principall poynts of doctrine delivered by Gregorie; and from these his severall confessions, I hope the Romanists will give me leave to returne them their owne assertion: If an Angel from heaven teach other doctrine (touching the books of Maccabees, the All-sufficiencie, and reading of the Scriptures, the Reall presencè, Private Masse, Communion in both kinds, Merit of workes, Worship of Images, and the Pope's Supremacy) I say with our Adversaries, If an Angel from heaven teach other doctrine then (in these particulars) we have received from Gregorie, we are not to heare him.

I proceed from Fathers to Councells: and upon a reviewe of the Fathers' Doctrine, I will here. conclude, Since the ancient Doctors are no Rules of our Faith, nor have any power to bind (as Bellarmine confesseth); since their bookes are sometimes purged, their authorities sometimes condemned as spurious and counterfet, as their Inquisitors confesse; since their Expositions with an uniforme consent, are sometimes decreed for an Article of Faith*, sometimes declined by their best learned Romanists, as namely, Card. Bellarmine, Andradius, Card. Cajetan, and Card. Baronius, professe And lastly, since the Scripture is the most certaine and most safe Rule of faith†, (as it is acknowledged on both sides :) I say to leave this

* Bulla Pii IV. Artic. 2.

+ Scriptura regula credendi certissima, tutissimaque. Bellar.

certaine

certaine and safe rule, and to follow the Fathers in all, and tread in their steps, as children doe in sport, it is Via Dubia, a doubtfull and uncertaine way, it is Via Devia, a wandring and By-way.

SECT. XIV.

COUNCELLS WHICH ARE SO HIGHLY EXTOLD AND OPPOSED AGAINST US, WERE NEITHER CALLED BY LAWFULL AUTHORITIE, OR TO THE RIGHT ENDS, AS IS CONFESSED BY INGENUOUS ROMANISTS.

Ecckius the Romanist tells us, the authoritie of Councells is of that consequence, that if they should be taken away, All things would become ambiguous, doubtfull, wavering, uncertaine, and all heresies would revive againe*. And that the Romish proselytes might knowe, what obedience ought to be given to Councels, Gregory de Valentia gives them this caveat: "If you finde but an Episcopalt Synod, or consent of divers Divines onely, affirming such a doctrine to bee the sentence

* Tollatur Conciliorum auihoritas, et omnia in Ecclesia erunt ambigua, dubia, pendentia, incerta, nam omnes mox redibunt hæreses. Ecck. Ench. Art. de Concil.

of

of the Church, you are bound to beleeve it, though it be a lie. Pardon me if I beleeve them not: for our adversaries give just cause of suspition, when their chiefest respect tends to the honour of Traditions, of Fathers, of Councells, and the sacred Word is made a by-word of Obscuritie and Insufficiencie.

I speake not this, as if our Church did decline the authoritie of Councells; for wee professe that Generall Councells are the representative Body, and as it were a little Modell of the whole Church. We approove the first foure Generall Councells, confirmed by our Church and Acts of Parliament † : wee acknowledge with reverend Whitakers, The name of Councells is honorable, their credit singular, and their authority of great esteeme‡: nay more, wee testifie with learned Bellarmine, that Generall Councells are very profitable, and in some sort necessary (for the suppressing of heresies); yet (saith hee) they are not absolutely and simply necessary, and of this I am easily perswaded for this reason. First, because the Primitive Church for the first three hundred yeeres had no Generall Councells, and yet perished not: Againe, as the

* Si Synodis Episcopalis aut communis consensus plurium Theologorum statueret aliquam propositionem esse propositam ab Ecclesia ut de fide-tunc talis teneretur, &c. Valent. in tom. 3. disp. 1. q. 2. punct. 5.

+ Eliz. 1.

✰ Whitak, Rat. 4. vers. Camp.'

Church

Church during those three hundred yceres continued safe without generall Councells, so without doubt it might have continued three hundred yeeres more; and againe six hundred yeeres after that, and sø likewise a thousand yeeres more: for in those (first) times, there were many heresies, many schismes; many vices and abuses, all which, notwithstanding they wanted the assistance of generall Councells; could not indanger the Catholike Church *:

But admit that Councells were simply necessarie, (which Bellarmine denies) yet their calling must be answerable to their beginning, and therefore let us first inquire by what authoritie they were first called, and observe how the Commission hath beene executed from time to time, by warrantie of the first Author.

We reade in the booke of Numbers †, that the Lord commanded Moses to make two trumpets of silver, that he might use them for calling of the Assembly. Moses according to God's Law, did assemble the people; and, saith the Text, Moses was king in Jesurum; when the heads of the people, and the tribes of Israel, gathered together: (Deut. xxxiii. 5.) Moses then had Jus Regale, a Regall power, (although in proprietie of speech hee were no King) and by this Regall power hee assembled the people, and this authoritie was executed by him as by a King. This right was assumed after him by King David, by King

* Bell. de Eccles. & Concil. li. 1. c. 10. in initio.

† Num. x. 1,

2.

Solomon,

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