Naked popery, Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. What the Papiſts Church is: (called the Roman Catholick Church.)
WHat their CHURCH is may ſo eaſily be gathered from what is ſaid, that I ſhall ſay but little more of it.
In General, It is a Society called Eccleſiaſtical, conſtituted of ſuch a Head, and ſuch Members, as I have deſcribed.
Particularly, I. It is a Humane Church as to the Efficient Cauſe of its Form; made by Man, as diſtinct from that Church-form which was inſtituted by Chriſt; even by the Fathers, becauſe that Rome was the Imperial Seat. As is proved before.
II. It is a Humane Church as to the conſtitutive Head, as diſtinct from the true Univerſal Church, which hath no Head (ſingle or collective, Pope or Council) that is not God.
III. It is a Sect conſiſting of about the third part of the Chriſtian world, calling themſelves the whole Church, and condemning all the reſt for not ſubjecting themſelves to this Uſurping Head.
IV. It is a new Church in compariſon of Chriſts Univerſal Church, as having a new Humane Original. (As is proved.)
V. It is a treaſonable Church, as ſet up without Chriſts Authority, and challenging his Prerogative, and weakning his Kingdom, by unchurching the greateſt part.
VI. It is an unholy Church, as diſtinct from the holy Catholick Church, and that both in the eſſential Matter and Form. 1. In the Matter, its Head which is a conſtitutive part, having been oft a condemned Heretick, Infidel, Murderer, and other flagitious wicked man. 2. As to the Form, being not of God it is not holy. 3. Beſides that, as to the Head, he was long made by the moſt wicked Whores.
All this is before proved at large.
VII. It is a Church that hath had its pretended ſucceſſion interrupted (as is proved;) ſometimes by long Vacances, ſometimes by long Schiſmes, when no one was the Univerſal Head; ſometimes by the Incapacity of the Perſons, being Lay-men, or Infidels, Simoniaoal, condemned depoſed Hereticks, and therefore no Biſhops.
VIII. It is a Schiſmatical Church, that cuts off it ſelf from all the reſt of the Chriſtian Church: And by making a falſe Head and Principle, and conditions of Unity, which the Univerſal Church never did, never will, or can unite in, is the grand cauſe of the greateſt continued Schiſm.
IX. It is a trayterous Church againſt Princes, making it their very Religion to force bloody Oaths on them, and to excommunicate and depoſe them, and give away their Dominions, and that tolerateth its moſt famous Doctors to maintain, that being excommunicate, they are no Kings, and may be killed; and to maintain, that the Pope is above them in Temporals, and may ſet up and pull down Kings when he ſeeth cauſe.
All this is expreſly proved before.
X. It is a Church that believeth Contradictions (as is proved in their Councils) e. g. The Council of Baſil, Seſſ. ult. ſaying [No one of the skilful did ever doubt, but that the Pope was ſubject to the Judgment of a General Council, in things that concern Faith, &c.] And others ſaying the clean contrary: As alſo in divers other things.
XI. It was for above forty years, ſometimes two, ſometimes three Churches, inſtead of one: For the Head being an eſſential part, two or three Heads make as many Churches.
XII. It is at this day divers Churches really, as to the Form, that are by the ignorant ſuppoſed to be one: Two or three Forms and Partes Imperantes, being eſſential, make as many Churches, though the ſubjects live mixt. The ſumma Poteſtas is a conſtitutive eſſential part. Some called Papiſts take the Pope for the ſumma Poteſtas, and ſome a Council, and ſome both conjunct, and ſome the Church real or diffuſed through the World.
XIII. It is a Church made up of a tolerated hodgepodge of many Sects, ſome utterly uncapable Members, ſo they do but ſerve the Pope.
I have ſhewed out of many Doctors cited by Sancta Clara that many that believe not in Chriſt are of their Church. He ſaith himſelf pag. 113. (Deus, Nat. Grat.) [What is clearer than that at this Day, the Goſpel bindeth not, where it is not authentically preached; that is, that at this Day men may be ſaved without an explicite belief of Chriſt? For in that ſence ſpeaks the Doctor concerning the Jews: And verily what ever my illuſtrious Maſter hold, with his learned Maſter Herera, I think that this was the Opinion of Scotus, and the COMMON one, citing many that follow it.
And that men that hold all the different Opinions in the Jeſuites Morals, and the Schoolmen, beſides many various Religious Sects, make up their Church, is not denyed.
XIV. It is a Church that pretendeth to have a Judge and end of Controverſies; but indeed hath a Judge that for the moſt part dare not decide them, and that can make no end of them when decided.
For inſtance, the Controverſie of the Virgins immaculate conception decided at Baſil, is never the nearer an end. Images were decreed up by ſome Councils, and down by others. Even S. Thomas ſtood not to the ſecond Council of Nice about Image Worſhip. The various Councils that decreed variouſly for and againſt a Councils Supremacy, never the more ended the ſtrife.
And indeed it is ſo hard to know approved from reprobate Councils, and what parts of them the Pope meant to approve, and what not, (as by Pope Martin 5. his Conciliariter appeareth) that there is no certainty, and no end.
XV. It is a Church that hath almoſt laid by the ancient Diſcipline of Chriſts appointment, and inſtead of it hath ſet up partly Auricular Confeſſion, when it ſhould be Publick, and partly a tyrannical ſort of hoſtile proclaiming their Adverſaries excommunicate without hearing them, and forbidding Gods Word and Worſhip to whole Kingdoms.
Saith Learned Albaſpineus a Biſhop, Obſerv. 1. pag. 1. [If ever any one in this Age was deprived of Communion (which I know not whether it ever fell out) it was only from the receiving of the Euchariſt: In the other parts of his life he retained the ſame familiarity and converſe with other Believers, which he had before he was excommunicated.
XVI. It is a Church that is upheld by Flames and Blood, diſtruſting the ancient Diſcipline, and the meer Protection of the Magiſtrate, and the proper work of his Office.
The foreſaid 12. General Council at Laterane proveth it, beſides Inquiſitions and bloody Executions.
XVII. It is a Church that cheriſheth ignorance in the matters of Salvation.
Proved, 1. By forbidding the reading of the Scriptures tranſlated, without Licence. 2. Their Prayers in an unknown Tongue. 3. The quality of their commoneſt Members.
XVIII. It is a Church that militateth againſt Chriſtian Love. 1. By their foreſaid condemning the moſt of Chriſtians. 2. By the foreſaid bloody Religion and Execution.
XIX. It is a Church which hath often damned it ſelf, one Pope and Council damning others. As is proved.
XX. It is a Church which indeed is no Church, according to their own Rules; the Pope indeed being no Pope, and the General Councils no General Councils, (as is proved.) And if it were one, it could not poſſibly be certainly known to be ſo; becauſe the Pope, who is an eſſentiating part, cannot be certainly known. As is proved both as to Election, Ordination, and all that is neceſſary to a Right and Title.
As to the Doctrines which they hold contrary to the Scriptures, I have named many of them elſewhere, (in my Key, pag. 39. 142, 143, &c.) And others more largely.
And thus I have told you what I take a Pope, a Papiſt and the Papal Church to be. But you muſt remember that as the ſame man may be a viſible Chriſtian or Member of the true Univerſal Church as headed by Chriſt, and a viſible Papiſt or Member of the Sectarian Church as headed by the Pope, ſo I judge none of you as in the firſt reſpect, but allow you the ſame Charity proportionably as I do other erring Sects: And eſpecially to thoſe many thouſands who adhere to a Church which they underſtand not, and profeſs that in groſs which in particulars they themſelves abhor: Of which number I am not hopeleſs your ſelf (W. H.) to be one.