The By-Way, Treatise · Section 21
SECT. XXI. The Infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement, which is made the Rule of Faith, to determine all Controuerſies, is not yet determined by the learned Romanists amongst themſelues.
TO lay a ſure Foundation, that this Papall building may be ſtrong and immoueable, Hoſtienſis, Papa & Chriſtus faciunt vnum Conſiſtoriū, &c. Extr. de Tranſlat Prael. C. Quanto Ab.by way of preuention, giues vsus to vnderſtand, that the Pope and Chriſt make but one Conſiſtory, ſo that (ſinne excepted) to which the Pope is ſubiect, the Pope in a manner can do all that God can doe. He might more truely hauehave added, that the Pope can do more then God can do: for God cannot lye (ſaith the Apoſtle.) Howſoeuer, the Pope in this is much beholding to this Cardinall; for (without this exception of ſinne) the Pope could not hauehave beene Antichriſt, ſince hee muſt bee The man of Sinne. Neither is this man different in opinion from his fellow Romaniſts: for Cornelius Bitonto pronounced openly in the Councell of Trent: Conc. Trid. ſub Paulo 3. Orat. Cornel. Ep. Bitont.Who will ſo vniustly weigh things, but he will ſay, the Pope is the light that commeth into the world? Thus the Cardinal hath equalled him with God the Father, (excepto peccato:) and the Biſhop hath giuen him the proper attribute of Chriſt: and that an Infallibilitie might be granted him, Salmeron the Ieſuite proclaimes it for a certaine trueth:Tom. 1. prolog. 9. princ. 5. Can. 1. c. 1. ad Hier. The Lord promiſed his Spirit to Chriſts Vicar, and the ſucceſſor of Peter, and by his authoritie hee determines all matters of Faith. So that from theſe ſeuerall aſſertions, wee may confidently affirme, that either the Pope hath the Office of the holy Ghoſt giuen him, to leade him into all truth;Reuel. 13.5, 7. or certainly There was giuen vntounto him a mouth ſpeaking great things and blaſphemies, to make warre with the Saints, and to ouercome them. Firſt therefore let vsus examine vponupon what ground the Popes infallibilitie may be prooued, and whether it bee receiued as a doubtfull opinion, or as an Article of faith. Touching the firſt, according to their ſeuerall fancies,Non Cathedra facit Sacerdorē, ſed Sacerdos Cathedrā. Chryſoſt. the Romaniſts hauehave deuiſed ſeuerall reaſons: ſome pretend, that the truth is annexed to the Chaire, as if Chriſt had prayed for his Tribunals, Courts, & Conſiſtories: others deriue it from the example of Caiphas, who being High Prieſt by vertue of his office, rightly prophecied of Chriſt, and conſequently,Quādo Deus voluit etiā matū immentum rationabilitèr loquutū eſt Nec ideò admoniti ſunt homines in deliberationibꝰ ſuis etiam Aſinina expectare conſilia. Aug Epiſt. 58. the Pope cannot faile in Iudgement. A wittie argument, no doubt, and available for the Deuill himſelfe; for by the ſame reaſon, the Deuil may conclude, that he hath alſo the Spirit of God, for he teſtified of Chriſt: I know thou art Chriſt the Son of the liuing God. Now the Apoſtle doth witneſſe accordingly: that No man can ſay the Lord Ieſus, but in the ſpirit of trueth. 1 Cor. 12.He therfore that ſhall reade in the 11. of Iohn, that Caiphas did not ſpeake of himſelfe, but as High Prieſt, was guided by the ſpirit of propheſie: let him take his anſwere from Saint Matthew: Math. 26.that Caiphas himſelfe the very ſame yeere, being high Prieſt, did publikely and Iudicially pronounce our Sauiour a blaſphemer; and I thinke none will ſay, that this iudgement of his proceeded frō the holy Ghoſt, vnleſſe he wil ſay, when the Pope ſpeaketh the truth, he doth it vnawares, like Caiphas, when his heart and purpoſe was bent to ouerthrow the truth. There are others that cōfeſſe the Pope may erre as man, but not as Pope, as if his Manhood & his Popedome had two capacities, and were in two diſtinct perſons. Plato a heathen Philoſopher did note it as a thing ridiculous, that one in his dayes did maintaine:Plato de Repub. lib. …thuaſm. A Magiſtrate could not erre as Magiſtrate, nor Prince as Prince. And their owne Alphonſus à Castro, ſcoffes at the Dominicans, Eos non vereri coram …opulo iactare et dicere qui ſemel habitum illius Ordinis ſuſceperit, non poſſe in fide errare & deficere. Alph. lib 1. de haereſ. cap 9.for that they were wont to brag before the people, that thoſe which hauehave once vſed the habit of their Order, could not erre, nor faile in faith. Shall we ſay then that this new Diuinitie was learned from ſome old Philoſopher, or that the Pope is choſen out of the Order of Dominicans, which hauehave the gift of Infallibilitie?
Glaber Rodolphus, who was liuing in the time of Benedict the Ninth, tells vsus, that Benedict was choſen Pope at ten yeeres olde: ſhall wee ſay then, that this child had infallibilitie, and could not erre? or muſt wee beleeue the Trueth was annexed to his Chaire? and that he was able to guide the whole Church, and direct a whole Councell, when hee knew not the principles of Religion? Againe, what ſhal we ſay of hereticall and wicked Popes, who hauehave neither Faith nor Religion? If we peruſe the Councell of Baſil, Eugenium contemptorem ſacrorū Canonum, pacis et veritatis Eccleſiae Dei perturbatorem notorium &c. Conc Baſil. Seſſ. 34. Baron ann. 985. n 1.we ſhall find Pope Eugenius condemned and depoſed for a deſpiſer of the holy Canons, a Symonist, a forſworne man, a man incorrigible, a ſchiſmatike, a man fallen from the faith, and a wilfull heretique. Boniface the ſeuenth, (ſaith Baronius) was a verie villaine, a Church-robber, a ſauage thiefe, the cruell murderer of two Popes, and the invader of Peters Chaire. Iohn the 13 was accuſed and detected in a Synode of Biſhops, Sigon reg. Ital lib. 7. ann. 963.for murders, adulteries, inceſts, periuries and other vices of all ſorts. Alexander the ſixth,Mach. de Princ c. 18. gaue his mind to nothing but villeny, and fraud, Mart. Pol. ann. 986. Platin. in Sylueſt. 2.whereby to deceiue men. Syluester the ſecond, leauing his Monaſtery, betooke himſelfe wholly to the Deuil, by whoſe helpe hee gate the Popedome, vponupon condition, that after his death he ſhould be the deuils both body and ſoule.
Muſt wee beleeue theſe Popes were guided by the holy Spirit, and led into all truth? that the trueth was annexed to their Chaire, and not to their Perſons? muſt wee acknowledge (for what vertue wee know not) that theſe Biſhops were the Virtuall and totall Church? were theſe the right ſucceſſors of Peter in faith and doctrine? or ſhall we ſay they erred as men, but not as Popes, they erred in their Pallace, but not in their Conſiſtorie; they erred in matters of fact, but not in matters of Faith. Theſe things are ſo groundleſſe in themſelues, that they rather deſerue laughter, then an anſwer;Aliud ſtans, Aliud ſedens. they are riddles without ſenſe, that a man, & not a Pope; in a ſtoole, not in the Chaire; in a company, not in a Councel, may fail…, and not erre; wander, but not goe aſtray; miſſe the trueth, but not doe amiſſe. Cardinal Cuſanus was ſo far from the beliefe of this new doctrine, that hee ieaſted at Pope Eugenius, and vnderunder that pretext, derided the Infallibilitie of the Pope.Quomodo poteſt Papa Eugenius dicere hoc verū eſſe. ſi ipſe velit et non alitèr. Cuſan. de Concord. Cath. lib. 2. cap. 29. How can Pope Eugenius (ſaith he…) tell this is true, if he will hauehave it ſo, and not otherwiſe, as though the inſpiration of the holy Ghoſt were wholly at the Popes command, to breath onelyonly where hee will hauehave him?
It is confeſſed on both ſides, that Chriſt is the Way and Trueth, and by his word he hath preſcribed a ſure & an infallible rule to find out the truth: If the Scripture were but a partiall rule, yet by Bellarmines owne confeſſion, it is the moſt certaine, Scriptura …egula credendi cerriſsima tutiſsimaque eſt Bell. de Verbo Dei. lib. 1. cap. 2.and moſt ſafe rule of faith. Now …et vsus ſee what is the moſt certaine rule of the Roman …aith, and on what aſſured meanes their proſelytes may …eſt ſatisfied, and infallibly …nſtructed for the ſaluation …f their ſoules. Suarez the …eſuite tells vsus, It is the Catholike truth, Veritas Catholica eſt Pontificem definientem ex Cathedrâ eſſe Regulā Fidei, quae errare non poteſt, quā do aliquid authenticè proponit vniuerſa Eccleſia tanquā de fide, &c. Suarez de Tripl. virt. Theol. Sect. 8. diſp. 5. de reg. pag. 214. Cenſeo eſſe rem de fide ce…tā. Suar. ibid p. 214.that the Pope defining in his Chaire, is the rule of Faith, which cannot erre, that is, whē he doth propoſe any thing authentically to the vniuerſall Church, to be beleeued … a diuine faith: and thus (ſaith he) all Catholike Doctors teach in theſe dayes; and I thinke it … be a thing certainly to be beleeued. This Ieſuit maintain… the Infallibility of the Pope yet ſpeakes but (as he thinks and withall tells vsus, It is th… Catholike doctrine of theſe times, when as hee ſhould hauehave prooued it by ancient Records, that it was the Catholike doctrine of all ages: For there is no man liuing, let him be Papiſt o… Proteſtant, if hee be a man of …nderſtanding, but will hol… it moſt requiſite, and abſolutely neceſſary, that the rule of faith ſhould be declared by Chriſt and his Apoſtles, by Catholike Traditions, by Generall Councels, by the conſent of Fathers, and the whole Chriſtian world, and certainly, if the Popes Decrees & concluſions be that rule of faith, they ought to be confirmed by al thoſe teſtimonies, ſince on his judgment both Councels, & Biſhops do depend; but eſpecially, ſince the error of the Pope is (adiudged) to be the error of the Vniverſall Church.
Againe, he that deliuered what hee thought was the Catholike doctrine of theſe times, touching the Popes Infallibility in generall, tels vsus of an other point at that time queſtionable, (viz.) Whether it was to bee beleeued as an Article of faith, Idem ibid. pag. 218.that the or that particular Pope were … true Pope: This doctrine (ſaith he) I taught at Rome affirmatiuely, in the yeere 1585: but withall profeſſeth, that many at that time thought otherwiſe. He that proclaimed it to the world, that the Popes definitiue ſentence in his chaire, was the rule of Faith, withall profeſſeth, that within theſe few yeeres it was not reſolued, whether this or that particular Pope might erre or no. And as it was obſerued by a judicious and religious Gentleman, M Noy of L. Inne.(for I ſhall gladly acknowledge any thing that I receiued frō any man) this later queſtion produced a new Quaere, viz If the Pope were not a true Pope, and Canonically elected, then that perſon which worſhipped a Saint canonized by that Pope, commits flat Idolatry, by reaſon the Saint wants his right Canonization, for want of the Popes true and Canonicall election. Many ſuch doubts (ſaid he) were mooued touching this Rule of Faith, which neither the Ieſuite was able to reſolue, nor the Church had as yet determined. Hee that can but ſpell, and put theſe things together, would feare and tremble, to think he hath no better aſſurance of his ſaluation, then a doubtfull, vncertaine queſtionable and vrreſolued way to guide him into the paths of ſauing knowledge. And that the world may know the Rule of Faith, (which ought generally to bee receiued De Fide, of all the faithfull) is altogether doubtfull in the Roman church, I hauehave ſummoned 12 of the Popes diſciples to deliuer their ſeuerall opinions, concerning the Popes Infallibilitie; but how they concurre in witneſſing the trueth of this Doctrine, I leaue it to bee iudged.
Bellar. de Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 6.1. Bellarmine] It is probable, that the Pope, not onelyonly as Pope cannot erre, but as a priuate man, cannot fall into Hereſie, or hold any obstinate opinion contrary to the Faith.
2. Albertus Pigghius.Piggh. de Eccle. Hier. lib. 6. c. 13.] The Iudgement of the Pope is more certaine then the Iudgement of a Generall Councell, or elſe the whole world.
3. Hoſius.Hoſ. lib. 2. cont. Brent.] Bee the wickedneſſe of Popes neuer ſo great, it can neuer hinder, but that this promiſe of God ſhall euer be true; The Popes ſhall ſhew thee the truth of Iudgement.
4. Iohannes de Turrecremata.Ioh. ſum. de Eccleſ. lib. 2. cap. 112.] It is better to rest vponupon the ſentence of the Pope, which hee deliuers out of Iudgement, then the opinions of whatſoeuer wiſe men in matters of Scripture: for euen Caiphas was a High Prieſt, and although hee was wicked; yet hee prophecied truely.
5. Silueſter Prierias] Whoſoeuer leaneth not to the Doctrine of the Romane Church, I'tier contr. Lutherum.and Biſhop of Rome, as vntounto he Infallible rule of God (of which doctrine the holy Scripture hath taken force and authoritie) hee is an heretike.
Epiſc. Bitont. Conc. ex Rom. 1. cap 14. Romae habit.6. Cornelius Mus] I muſt ingenuouſly confeſſe, I would giuegive more credit to one Pope in matters of faith, then to a thouſand Auguſtines, Hieromes, or Gregories, &c. For I beleeue and know, the chiefe Biſhop in matters of faith cannot erre, becauſe the authoritie of the Church in determination of things belonging to faith, is reſident in that Biſhop; and ſo the errour of that Biſhop ſhould come to be the errour of the vniuerſall Church.
Thus the great Mountaines were in labour, and at laſt appeares Ridiculus Mus: This man cares neither for Fathers, nor Councells; he knowes the Pope cannot erre, and he is a man of experience: You may beleeue him, for hee was a Preacher at twelue yeeres old, (ſaith Sixtus Senenſis:) but there are ſix more of the Popes ſworne ſeruants; they are Legales homines, and craue audience, hauing the ſaid power and iuriſdiction with the reſt, onelyonly they ſay they cannot flatter, they muſt and will ſpeake the trueth in this, howſoeuer the reſt bee diuided from them; and firſt concerning the firſt of the ſecond ranke.
7. Alphonſus de Caſtro] We doubt not, Non dubitamus an hareticum eſſe et Papam eſſe coire in vnū poſsint. Non enim credo eſſe aliquem adeò impudentem Papae aſſertatorē vt ei tribuere hac velit, vt nec errare, nec interpretatione ſacrarū literarum hallucinari poſsit, cum conſtet plures Papas adeò illiteratos eſſe vt Grammaticam penitus ignorent, qui fit vt ſacras literas interpretari poſsint? Alphonſus aduerſ Haereſ. lib. 1. cap. 4.whether one ma… may bee a Pope and an heretike both together: for I beleeue there is none ſo ſhameles a flatterer of the Pope, that will graunt him that prerogatiue, that hee can neuer erre, nor bee deceiued in expoūding the ſcripture, ſeeing it is well knowne, that diuers Popes hauehave beene ſo palpably vnlearned, that they hauehave beene vtterly ignorant of their Grammar, and therefore how can they be able to expound the Scriptures?
8. Lyra.Exhoc patet quod Eccleſia non conſiſtit in hominibus ratione poteſtatis vel dignitatis Eccleſiaſticae, vel ſaecularis, quia multi Principes, et ſū mi Pontifices inuenti ſunt Apoſtataffe à Fide Lyra in Math. 6.] Hereby it appeareth, that the Church ſtandeth not vponupon men, in conſideration of their power or dignitie Eccleſiaſticall, or Temporall: for many Princes and Popes hauehave prooued Apoſtata's, and ſtrayed from the Faith.
9. Arboreus.] The Pope may erre in Fai h; and he ſeemeth to me to bee in a foule errour that thinketh otherwiſe: ſurely they doe but flatter the Biſhop of Rome, Papa infidē errare poteſt, et tota mihi aberrare videtur qui alitèr ſentit, aſſentatur fanè Romano Pontifici qui faciunt eum immunem à lapſu hareſeot & ſchiſmatis. Theſoph. lib 4. cap. 32.that make him free from falling into Schiſme, or hereſie.
Neque aliquem ſua dignitas ab increpationibus tutū reddit, quae Petrum nō reddidit, multoſ que alios eodem praditos gradu, vt Marcellū, qd Diis lib…ſſet, vt Caleſtinum qd cū Neſtorio haretico ſenti…et. De Donat Conſtātini. Perſona quaelibet ſingularis de Eccleſia cuiuſ…un que dignitatis etiamſi Papalis, circundata eſt infirmitate et deuiabilis eſt, vt fallere poſsit & falli. Gerſon. de examinat doctr. Conſid. 1.10. Laurentius Valla] No mans dignitie doth defend him from controulment: for Peter was not ſo defended, nor many others that were aduanced to that degree, as Pope Marcellinus, in that he offered ſacrifices vntounto Idols, and Pope Caeleſtinus, in that he agreed with the heretike Neſtorius.
11. Gerſon.] EueryEvery one of what degree ſoeuer in the Church, although hee bee Pope himſelfe, is compaſſed with infirmities, and ſubiect vntounto errour, and is in poſsibilitie of deceiuing, and being deceiued.
12. Eraſmus.Siverum eſt qd quidam aſſeuerant Romanum Pontificem errore iudicali nō poſse vnquam errare, quid opus generalibus Conciliis? quid opus in Conciliū accerſere Iuris conſultes? ac theologos eruditos, ſi pronūtian labi nō poſſit? cur datꝰ eſt apellationi locus? vet ad Synodum, vel ad eundē rectiꝰ edoctum poſtea quā ſemel de cauſa pro…ūtiauit Pontificē? quorſum attinet Academia… in tractandis fidei quaeſtionibus diſtorquere, cum ex vno Pontifice quod verū eſt, …diro liceat? Imò qui fit vt Pontificis huius decreta …um illius pugnā Decretis? Eraſ. Annot in 1 Cor. 7.] If it bee true which ſome ſaid, that the Biſhop of Rome can neuer erre Iudically, what need Generall Councells, why are men skilfull in the Lawes, and learned in Diuinitie, ſent for to Councells? If hee pronouncing cannot erre, wherfore lyeth there any Appeale from the Pope to a Councell, or to the Pope himſelfe being better informed? To what purpoſes are ſo many Vniuerſities troubled with handling questions of Faith, when truth may be had from his mouth? Nay, how commeth it to paſſe, that one Popes Decrees are found contrary to an other?
The learned Romaniſts are all vowed ſeruants to the Pope; but they giuegive not vp their verdict concerning the Popes Infallibilitie, by reaſon they agree not in certaine amongſt themſelues, and the reaſon as I conceiue of this their diſagreement, is the want of good euidence, and pregnant teſtimonies giuen to the Inqueſt in the Popes behalfe: for it is obſerued by a Reuerend D. Feilds Append. to the 3. Book. c. 26 p. 340.Diuine, That the Infallibilitie of the Popes Iudgement was ſo farre from being a thing reſolued of in the Church of God before our time, that Stapleton confeſſeth of theſe times, It is yet no matter of Faith, but of opinion onelyonly; becauſe ſo many famous & renowned diuines hauehave euer holden the contrary, as Gerſon, Almaine, Occam, almoſt all the Pariſians, all they that thought the Councell to be aboue the Pope, Adrianus Sextus, Durandus, Alphonſus à Caſtro, and many moe. And it was likewiſe publiſhed & declared, within theſe two hundred yeres, by their owne generall and graund Councell of Baſil, Vniuerſalis Eccleſia ſape obedientiam Romanis Pontificibꝰ ſubtraxit, Marcellino, Anaſtatio, Liberio, Iohanni 12. Benedicto 9. Benedicto 13. Iohanni 23— Certum eſt Papāerrare poſſe, ſape experti ſumus et legimus Papam erraſſe. Epi. Synod. Cō cil. Baſil.that the vniuerſall Church did oftentimes withdraw her obedience from the Romane Biſhops, as namely from Marcellinus, Anaſtaſius, Liberius, Iohn the twelfth, Benedict the ninth Benedict the thirteenth, and Iohn the 23: and (there the reaſon is giuen) becauſe it is certaine, the Pope may erre, and this (ſay they) wee hauehave read and ſeene by experience.
Theſe things being aduiſedly heard and conſidered, I hauehave again conſulted with the Foreman of the Inqueſt, (who would hauehave it piouſly to bee beleeued, that the Pope cannot erre:) what ſhould become of thoſe that yeelde obedience to the Pope, when he may erre and teach falſe doctrine; or how ſhall a troubled mind learne the Law from his mouth, when he neuer preacheth? To this the Cardinall replies:Bell. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 5. It is not materiall whether you heare the Pope or no, when as there are Teachers in your owne Pariſh, who may informe you. And thus from the Eſſentiall Church, to the Councell, from the Councell to the Conſiſtorie of Cardinalls, from the Conſiſtorie to the Pope, from the Pope wee are ſent at laſt to the Biſhop or Prieſt of the Pariſh; & this is Via Dubia, a doubtfull and vncertaine way, and this is Via Deuia, a wandring and By-way.