A Key for Catholics, Treatise 1 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
Argum. 4. THE true Catholike Church is Holy: the Church of Rome hath for many generations been unholy: therefore the Church of Rome was not in any of thoſe Generations the true Catholike Church.
The Major Propoſition is an Article of the Creed profeſſed by themſelves, as much as by us, [I Believe the Holy Catholike Church.]
The unholineſs of the Church of Rome, I prove undenyably, thus: If an Eſſential part of the Church of Rome, even its Head, hath been unholy through many Generations, then the Church of Rome hath been unholy for many Generations: but an Eſſentiall part, even the Head, hath been unholy: therefore, &c.
The Conſequence of the Major is paſt denyal. Bonum eſt ex cauſis integris. Though it will not follow that the Church is Holy, becauſe one Eſſential part is Holy, yet it clearly followeth that the Church is unholy, becauſe an Eſſential part is unholy. As it followeth not that the Body is ſound, becauſe the Head is ſound; yet it followeth, that the man (or the body) is unſound or ſick, becauſe the Head is unſound or ſick. As it is not a Church without all its Eſſential parts, ſo it is not an Holy Church without the Holineſs of all its Eſſential parts.
And that they make the Pope the Head of the Catholike Church, and an Eſſential part, I am loth to prove; I would I could but entice them to deny it: for it is the principal controverſie between them and the true Catholikes.
And that abundance of their Popes have been unholy, I have formerly proved, and they dare not I hope deny it; when their own Hiſtorians deſcribe their Impieties, and their own Writers, even thoſe that are bittereſt againſt us, do freely confeſs it: yea General Councils have judged them and caſt them out. The number of theſe Monſters is ſo great, that it would make a volume greater then I intend, but to name them and recite their crimes. I will give a brief inſtance of one of them.
Pope John the twenty third was accuſed and depoſed by the General Council at Conſtance, upon about ſeventy Articles which in Binnius take up about thirteen columes in folio: and therefore I ſuppoſe you would give me no thanks to trouble you with the recital of them all. The firſt Article was, that he was from his youth, a man of a bad diſpoſition, immodeſt, impudent, a lyar, a rebell and diſobedient to his parents, and given to moſt vices, and then was, and yet is commonly taken for ſuch a one by all that knew him. The ſecond Article was, how by Simoniacal and unjuſt means he grew rich. The third Article, that by Simony he was promoted to be a Cardinal. The fourth Article, that being Legat at Bononia he governed Tyrannically, impiouſly, unjuſtly, being wholly aliene from all Chriſtian piety, and juſtice, divine and humane, &c. The fifth Article, that thus he got to be Pope, and yet continued as bad, and as a Pagan deſpiſed the worſhip of God, and if he performed any, it was more leſt he ſhould be totally blamed of hereſie and caſt out of the Papacy, then for any devotion, and he hudled it up like an Hunter or a Souldier. The ſixt Article was, that he was the oppreſſor of the poor, the perſecutor of righteouſneſs, the pillar of the unjuſt, and the Simoniacal, a ſerver of the fleſh, the dregs of vices, a ſtranger to vertue, flying from publike conſiſtories, wholly given to ſleep and earnal deſires, wholly contrary to the life and manners of Chriſt, the mirror of infamy, and the profound inventor of all miſchiefs; ſo far ſcandalizing the Church of Chriſt, that among Chriſtian Believers that knew his life and manners, he is commonly called, The Devil incarnate. The ſeventh Article was, that being a veſſel of all ſins, repelling the worthy, he Simonically ſold Benefices, Biſhopricks and Church dignities openly to the unworthy that would give moſt for them.
Reader, I ſhould but weary thee to add threeſcore more of theſe Articles. Theſe were all proved to be Notorious by Cardinals, Archbiſhops, Biſhops, and many more. Yet I will crave thy patience while I add but two or three of the laſt. Another was, that he came to be Pope by cauſing Pope Alexander and his Phyſitian Dr. Daniel de ſophia to be poyſoned. Another was, that he committed inceſt with his brothers Wife, and with the holy Nuns, and Whoredom with Virgins, and adultery with mens Wives, and other crimes of incontinency, for which the wrath of God cometh on the children of diſobedience. Another, that he was a wicked man, notoriouſly guilty of Murder, Witchcraft and other grievous crimes, a diſſipater of the Church goods, a notorious Simoniſt, and pertinacious Heretick. The next Article was, that often and often before divers Prelates and other honeſt men, by the Devils perſwaſion, he obſtinately aſſerted, dogmatized, and maintained, that there is no life everlaſting, nor any other after this; Moreover, he ſaid and obſtinately believed that the ſoul of man doth die and is extinct with the body like the bruit beaſts, and that the dead ſhall not riſe again at the laſt day, contrary to the Article of the Reſurrection. The laſt and ſome other Articles are about his perfidiouſneſs.] And hereupon the Council depoſed him.
And now Reader I leave thee to judge, whether the Romane Church had a holy Head, when it had a Heathen and a Devil incarnate?
So the general Council at Baſil depoſed Pope Eugenius 4. as being [A rebel againſt the holy Canons, a notorious diſturber and ſcandalizer of the peace and unity of the Church, a Simoniſt and a perjured wretch, incorrigible, a ſchiſmatick, and an obſtinate Heretick.]
Pope John 13. alias 12. was in Councill convicted of raviſhing Maids, Wives, Widows at the Apoſtolick doors, and committing many murders: he drunk a health to the Devil, and at Dice caled to Jupiter and Venus for help, and at laſt was ſlain in the act of Adultery. Saith Plutina [he was from his youth a man contaminated with all diſhoneſty and filthineſs; and if he had any time to ſpare from his luſts, he ſpent it in hunting, and not in praying.] And after he calls him [a moſt wicked man, or rather a Menſter] and ſaith that [the life of this moſt wicked man being judged in a Council of Italian Biſhops, for fear of them he fled and lived like a wild beaſt in the woods,] till at laſt he got the better again by the help of his friends at Rome; till an angry man that found him naught with his wife, got the better of him, and ſent him to anſwer it in another world. And their own writers note that this was the firſt Pope that changed his name, whom his followers imitated. And do you think the Head of the Roman Church was then Holy?
If it were a diſputable matter, I would prove out of abundance of their own writers, that many others of them have been moſt wicked wretches, common adulterers, and fornicators, yea Sodomites, poyſoning their predeceſſors to get the Popedom &c. But its needleſs, becauſe they deny it not. Baronius their flattering Champion ſaith (Annal ad an. 912.) What then was the face of the holy Roman Church? How exceeding filthy, when the moſt potent, and yet the moſt ſordid whores did rule at Rome? by whoſe Pleaſure Sees were changed, Biſhops were given, and which is a thing horrid to be heard, and not to be ſpoken, their Lovers (or mates) were thruſt into Peters Chair, being falſe Popes, who are not to be written in the Catalogue of the Roman Popes, but only for the marking out of ſuch times. And what kind of Cardinals, Prieſts, and Deacons think you we muſt imagine that theſe monſters did chooſe, when nothing is ſo rooted in nature as for every one to beget his like?
And Genebrard that ſpleeniſh Papiſt (li. 4. Sec. 10.) ſaith [In this one thing that age was unhappy, that for neer one hundred and fifty years about fifty Popes did wholly fall away from the virtue of their anceſtors, being rather irregular and Apoſtatical, then Apoſtolical] So that the Church of Rome had not then either a Holy or Apoſtolical Head.
And Pope Adrian the ſixth himſelf writeth (De Sacram. Confir. Art. 4.) that there have many Popes of Rome been Hereticks. And two or three ſeveral General Councils did condemn Pope Honorius for an Heretick.
And if I ſhould tell you but what their own writers ſay of the wickedneſs of the Roman Clergy, in many ages; and of the wickedneſs of the Roman people, of the large ſumms of money that the Pope hath yearly for the licenſed or tolerated Whorehouſes in Rome, you would think that the body of the particular Roman Church were neer kin to the Head, and therefore not the Holy Miſtris of all Churches.
But perhaps ſome will ſay, that the Pope was holy becauſe his Office was Holy, though his perſon vicious. Anſ. 1. If this be the Holineſs of the Catholick Church, mentioned in the Creed, then the Inſtitution of offices is it that makes it Holy, and while the office continueth, the Holineſs cannot be loſt. 2. Then let them prove their Holineſs by Saints no more. 3. Let them not then delude the people, but ſpeak out, and tell them that they mean ſuch Holineſs as is conſiſtent with Heatheniſm, or Infidelity, Murders, Sodomie, and may be in an incarnate Devil! Is this the Holineſs of the Catholick Church?
Object. But you may have unholy perſons among you alſo, that yet ſay you are of the true Church.
Anſw. But they are no Eſſential part of the Catholick Church which we believe; and therefore it may be a Holy Church, though they be unholy. But the Pope is an Eſſential part of the Roman Church which they believe in; and therefore it can not be Holy, if he be unholy.
Object. By this means you leave no room for the Church of Rome or any Papiſt in the Catholick Church which is truly Holy.
Anſw. Not as Papiſts: ſo they can be no members of it. But if with any of them Chriſtianity be predominant, and prevail againſt the infection of Popery, ſo that it practically extinguiſh not Chriſtianity, then as Chriſtians they may be members of the Church, and be ſaved too, but not as Papiſts.