Reims Against Rome, Propositions · Proposition 17
XVII. Propoſition. That the Church of Rome hath euer beene in perfect vnity within it ſelfe:
Confuted by their owne Bible.
FOr euen in the Apoſtles dayes, when Saint Paul wrote his Epiſtles, there were in the Romane Church ſome, which then made diſſentions and ſcandals, contrary to the doctrine which they had learned, which ſerued not Chriſt our Lord, but their owne bellies, Rom. 16, 17, 18. as yet they now doe at Rome. There were vncharitable contentions and iudging of one another about things in themſelues indifferent, about eating, and not eating, as alſo about ſuperſtitious obſeruing of dayes, Rom. 14. in and about which two things, a great deale of their Religion conſiſts to this day. And if ſhee hath beene in ſuch vnity alwaies within her ſelfe, how is it happened, that ſhe is become the great Whore, Reu. 17. and that her Head the Pope, is become that Man of Sinne, 2. Theſ. 2. and that Antichriſt, the beaſt like a Lambe, which ſpeaketh as the Dragon, Reu. 13?
Contraried by Antiquity.
I. There is no vnity betweene the Popes and Peter, whom they make their Predeceſſor. See for this, Catal. Teſt. verit. pa. 27. 62, &c. Saint Peters life and the Popes compared; Saint Peters Doctrine in his Epiſtles, and the Popes Decrees together.
II. Not betweene Pope and Pope. Not in iudgement: for Martin the fift held with the Councell of Conſtance, and Eugenius the fourth with Ferrara and Florence, againſt the other, concerning the Popes not erring, and his Authority ouer Councels. Not in authorizing the Latine Tranſlation: For Pope Sixtus 5. ſet out his Edition with his fulleſt power, as not to bee amended; yet comes Clement 8. with his corrected Edition in many hundred places afterwards. Not in Decrees: for Formoſus his Decrees were diſannulled by Stephanus, and this Popes by another. Not in affection, as is euident by the ſo many and ſo long continued Schiſmes. Onuphrius reckons vp aboue thirtie notorious ſchiſmes. Not in life: for though bad inough all of them, after they became Popes, eſpecially from the time of Boniface, yet ſome were Necromancers, ſome Mortherers, ſome Atheiſticall contempers of the Goſpell, ſome bloudy Warriers; how many of them filthy Fornicators, and Adulterers, it is not to be told.
III. Not betweene Pope and Councels: for theſe hauehave depoſed Popes. As the Councell of Conſtance did Iohn the 22; that of Baſil, Eugenius the 4. that of Piſa, Gregory 12, and Bennet the 13.
IV. Not betweene Pope and his Cardinals. For of them he hath put out the eyes of ſome, and cauſed other to be thrattled: and ſome of them hauehave oppoſed him in their Writings.
V. Not betweene the Pope, and the learned in that Church: ſuch were beſide many others, Marſilius of Padua, Dantes Aleigerius, Occham, the Doctors of Paris: the ſtate and Diuines of Venice, of late dayes, in an oppoſition, did not regard the Popes iudgement.
VI. Not betweene the parts of the Popes Lawes; for theSee Rainolds againſt Hart. pag. … 33. Decrees and Decretals are often at odds.
VII. Not betweene Councell and Councell: for Conſtance and Baſil, were againſt Ferrara and Florence.
VIII. Not betweene the Canoniſts and Gloſſaries: for they iarre, and are at difference one with another.
IX. Not betweene the Schoolemen: for among them are particular Sect-Maſters, whoſe Schollers are called after their names, Thomiſts, Scotiſts, Albertiſts, Occhamiſts, oppoſing one another.
X. Not betweene the Friers; for the Dominicans and Franciſcans ſpent whole ages in Controuerſies, one holding one thing, and another another opinion, about the Conception of the Virgin Mary, which bred other differences alſo.
XI. Not betweene the Prieſts and the Ieſuites: let herein beare witneſſe, The Ieſuits Catechiſme, The ſparing Diſcourſe, and other bookes, with all virulencie written one againſt another, in the Engliſh tongue.
XII. Not betweene the Learned, of what ſort ſoeuer: for in their writings they croſſe one another, in many points of their Religion; and namely, in all thoſe which maintaine the truth with vsus, againſt others of that Romiſh Faction, as in many particulars is already before, and afterwards ſhall be further ſhewed. And farther for this, let the Reader reade Pappus, concerning the diſcord among Papiſts, Doctor Hall, Deane of Worceſter his Booke, called the Peace of Rome; and Doctor White his Way, pa. 154. 155. to 161.
XIII. Not betweene the Inquiſitors: for they differ in their iudgement about the purging of Bookes; ſome allowing for orthodoxe, that which other will not let paſſe for ſound: as may be ſeene in the Indices expurgatorij of Spaine, Antwerpe, and Rome, varying one from another. See for this, Doctor Iames his Myſterie of the Indices expurgatorij, pag. 15.
XIV. Not betweene the People: for euen among them be differing opinions. As Maſter Moulin in his Buckler of Faith, ſheweth from his owne experience, pag. 279. and as wee may finde among Papiſts with vsus, when they are conferred withall apart one from another.
Gainſaid by their owne men.
From the Papiſts themſelues may the diſcord of the Romiſh Church be noted: from their owne Hiſtorians, from ſuch as hauehave written the Popes liues, and from ſuch as in their writings doe acknowledge the differences among them, as Bellarmine himſelfe doth confeſſe very many, and ſo Nauarre. For which reade Doctor Hals forenamed booke, intituled, The Peace of Rome, in hundreds of differences.
Many Scriptures are alledged to proue, that vnitie ought to be in the Church; which we acknowledge, and pray for. But yet they proue not their Churches vnitie.