The Sovereign Judge of Controversies in Matters of Religion, Chapter 14
CHAP. 14.
The verifying of the second meanes of Nullity against the seaventh allegation.
AS for the Councels if wee liued in the times of the Apostles, wee should thinke it very expedient to intreate them to assemble themselves in a Councell to determine our controversies: Their quality, the authority of their charge, or rather the extraordinary gifts, and the particular assistance of the holy Ghost, giuing them this advantage of being both able and willing to judge infalliblie; humaine ignorance would not blinde their eies that they could not see the truth, and the feare of a Pope, of an Emperour, of Kings, would not hinder them to vtter it. But we stand not now at this day, on such termes, this infallibility is no where to bee found, there are no more Prophets, no Evangelists but only as they exhibite thēselues to vsus in their writings: every leader of the Church taken a part, is subiect to erre, & all vnited together in one body, bring with them their portion of infirmity, the weaknesse of humane nature, passion, particular interest may intermingle themselues into their consultations, and so hoodwinke their eyes that they cannot see the truth, or so tye their tongues that they cannot vtter it. Witnesse the trueth of this the history of the Councel of Trent, * set forth by those who were engaged more then ordinary to couer its shame,And. Duellij orationes in Concilio Tridētino habitae. Examen Concilij Trident: Innocentio Gentileto authore. avowed and evidently receiued in this Kingdome of France, to strengthen the opposition which hath bin alwayes framed against it, & to vphold the liberty of the French Church, a history which none hath beene able to disproue to this day.
But here it may be sayd, hath not then the Lord in vaine promised his assistance, if wee should yet doubt of the infallibility of the determinations of the Councels?See the instructions and letters of the Kings of France and their Embassadours with the letters of the Emperours and Princes of Germany. But esp…cially read the history of the Councell of Trent by Pietro S…ane. God forbid, for is it not doubted, nay is it not formally denyed that particular Synodes are infallible? Is it not avouched that they hauehave erred, and yet the promise of the Lord remaineth still true? And it will availe nothing to reply here, that the promise was not made to particular Councels, but to the generall which are called Oecumenicall. For the Lord hath promised to be as wel in themid'st of two or three gathered together in his name, as of a whole multitude. If this promise hindreth not, but two or three may erre, how shall it oblige vsus to judge better of a multitude? what then the Lord shall not hee keepe his promise, and shall not hee bee justified when hee speakes? nay, let every man be declared a lyer, that the Lord may be acknowledged faithfull and true: for hee hath promised not to a multitude only, but also to two or three the assistance of his spirit in their consultations, to wit, if they be gathered together in his name, if they seeke him in trueth. But who canne discerne who are they; if not by the holinesse of their constitutions, which if it be not found in them, wee are not bound to beleeue that they were assembled in the name of Christ, nor consequently that they hauehave beene made pertakers of the benefit of such an excellent promise. Saint Augustine well knew this truth when hee affirmed that the Councells even those which are generall may be corrected and reformed.
To what good then serue the Councels? truly oftentimes they are so farre from beeing good, that they are pernicious: for if the number of those which are good bee the lesse without doubt the multitude will carry it, and it will bee as the Councell of the foure hundred Prophets and one, holden in the presence of Iehosaphat, and Ahab, where the 400 evill prophets crushed the one good, and carried it notwithstanding all the resistance he could make. For which cause the Religious wisdome of holy Athanasius cannot sufficiently be praised, opposing himselfe against them, who required Synodes vnderunder pretence of reforming the faith, in alleadging vntounto them that wee hauehave the Scripture more proper for this purpose then any other meanes whatsoeuer, yea that because hee doubted least the multitude of the worser part might sway the ballance. In the time of Gregorie Nazianzen things were come to such a height of corruption, that being summoned by Procopius in the Emperours name to come to a Synode,Epist. …5. Quo…m nu… lius Concil…j finem l…tum & faustum vi…i. hee excused himselfe saying, that hee never saw any good issue of a synode. But when a Councell may bee held composed of men well red in the Scripture, zealous of the glory of God, louers of the peace of the Church, there is no doubt but such an assembly may bring forth much good, because it might cleare, that which is difficult, not by it's owne authority, but by it's sufficiencie. Even as when a window is opened by a strong dextrous hand, which was shut vp before; the more weake and vnable who could not open it, do see the sun, perceiue the opening, not because of any authority of him that opened it, but by reason of his strength, & dexterity manifesting it selfe by a visible and sensible effect. But such Councels we may rather wish then looke for. The deluge of vices which hath overflowed Christendome having drawne vponupon vsus this horrible judgement. Such was that first Councell of Nice, that tooke the Scripture onelyonly for the rule and square of it's judgement, and refused not to submit it selfe to the touchstone and triall, as S… Athanasius witnesseth, proposing to other Councels, or rather conventicles, the example of this Councels modesty to make them blush with shame and confound their pride.
And indeed it was a remarkable thing, that the Fathers protested that they would not vse the authority of the Councell of Nice against the Arrians, but of the scripture, vponupon which the Councell of Nice is founded, what shall wee then conclude, but that wee ought to approue of the good Councells, receiue their ordinances with reverence, not because they could not erre, but if so they hauehave not erred, and argue in this manner against Heretickes, when matter of right is called in question. The Councell hath so concluded according to the Scripture, therefore it is true: and not after this manner. The Councell hath so concluded, therefore it is so. But in matter of fact and touching history, to judge what is that which is vniversally beleeued and receiued, and by the greater part, wee may wel conclude from the determination of an Oecumenicall Councell, that it is beleeued and receiued generally: And therefore the Councells also are good for this purpose to stoppe the mouth of Hereticks, who might pretend the consent of the Church, and by such a protestation giuegive some scandall to the weaker, which by this meanes may easily be taken away.
Truly if the Councels had thought that their consultatiōs should be approued, because of their authority simply; & not much more rather, for the truth of them, and their conformity with the Scriptures, they had never inserted in their acts the places of Scripture, the reasons on which they grounded themselues, they had never framed vsus, a man may say, a verball processe of all that had passed, but they would hauehave contented themselues to hauehave inserted the Canons only without any further declaration, but not proceeding after this manner, they would giuegive vsus a reason of their deliberation, and recommend themselues famous, not by the vsurpation of a soveraigne authority, but by a declaration and exposition of the trueth, that so our faith might not bee grounded vponupon humane authority, but vponupon that of the living God.
And truly to what end is the ceremony of laying the bible vponupon the table in a Councell; is it not to declare that it's authority is ruled by a Law? and as a Iudge in a politicke estate, who hath the Princes Law for his rule, ought to judge according to that law, and is accountable for his judgement: so are the Councels to determine according to the Scripture, and are bound to make apparant vntounto the conscience, as much as lyes in them, that they hauehave judged according vntounto it: but some may say, Councels at lest are subordinate Iudges. Bee it so; but wee seeke a Soveraigne Iudge, a Iudge from whom it is not lawfull to appeale, an infallible Iudge. This authority, this priviledge cannot bee giuen to Councels. Wee seeke a Iudge that is alwaies on bench giving audience, a Iudge to whom wee may at all times hauehave recourse, and such Councels cannot bee.