The By-Way, Treatise · Section 20
SECT. XX. The Church which is finally reſolued into the Pope, wants both Perſonall and Doctrinall Succeſsion, as appeares by ſeuerall inſtances and exceptions, both in matters of fact, and matters of faith.
HOſius the Romaniſt tels vsus for certaine,Hoſ in Cō feſſ. Petricou. c. 29. that if we reckon all the Popes that euer were from Peter vntill Iulius the third, there neuer ſate in his Chaire any Arrian, any Donatiſt, any Pelagian, or any other that profeſſed any manner of Hereſie. The reaſon of this as I conceiue is deliuered by Card. Cuſanus: Veritas adhaeret Cathedrae, vniuerſa Catholica Eccleſia ad Petri Cathedrā conglobata à Chriſto nū quam recedit. Cuſan. ad Bohem. Epiſt 2.The trueth cleaueth fast to Peters Chaire; the whole vniuerſall Catholike Church is rolled vp to Peters chaire, & ſhal neuer depart from Chriſt. I wil not take vponupon mee to examine the Pope, in what Office, in what religion, in what piece of his life he hath ſucceeded Peter: but that you may know, (howſoeuer the Popes faith is annexed to the Chaire) hee hath err…, and is ſubiect to error as …e is Pope, I will compare the doctrine of the ancient Biſhops of Rome, with the faith of the later Popes, and the later Popes Decrees and definitiue Sentences, with their flat contradictions, and contrary Decrees amongſt themſelues, whereby it ſhall appeare, that the later Popes hauehave not onelyonly erred in diſclaiming the decrees of their Predeceſſours, but hauehave digreſſed wholly from the ancient Roman Biſhops, both in faith and manners, and withall they want that Infallibilitie, that perſonall, and doctrinall Succeſſion, which they ſo much magnifie amongſt themſelues.
Anacletus Biſhop of Rome in the yeere 103, decreed, that after Conſecration, Diſt. 1. Epiſcopus & 2. Peracta.all preſent ſhould communicate, or elſe bee thruſt out of the Church, for ſo (ſaith hee) the Apoſtles did ſet downe, and the holy Church of Rome obſerueth. On the contrary, at this day it is made lawfull for the Prieſts to receiue alone, the people onelyonly gazing and looking on; and withall Pope Iulius the fourth hath decreed in the Councell of Trent: Conc. Trid. Canon. 8. Seſſ. 22.If any ſhall ſay, that Maſſes, in which the Prieſt alone doeth communicate, are vnlawfull, and therefore ought to be abrogated, let him be accurſed.
Leo the Great, Biſhop of Rome in the yeere 440, ſpeaks of the death of Martyrs in this maner:Leo. Epiſt. 81. Although the death of many Saints hath been pretious in the Lords ſight, yet the death of no innocent perſon hath beene the propitiation for the world, that the righteous receiued crownes, but gaue none, that of the fortitude of the faithfull, hauehave grown examples of patience, not gifts of righteouſneſſe: that their deaths as they were ſeuerall perſons, were ſeuerall to eueryevery of themſelues, and that none of them by his death, paid the debt of any other man; becauſe it is only our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, in whom all were crucified, all dead, all buried, all raiſed againe from the dead. On the contrarie,Haec opinio reprobata eſt à P…o 5. Pontifice, et à Gregorio 13. Bel. de Indul. lib. 1 cap. 40. Pope Pius the 5, and Gregorie the 13, both condemned, (ſaith Bellarmine) the Diuines of Lovaine, and others, who defended, that the ſufferings of the Saints, cannot bee true ſatisfactions, but that our puniſhments are remitted onelyonly by the perſonall ſatisfactions of Chriſt. Nay more (ſaith he) If the ſufferings of Saints may not bee applied to vsus, to free vsus from the puniſhment due for our ſinnes, leſt they ſhould ſeeme to bee our Redeemers, then certainly wee our ſelues cannot redeeme thoſe puniſhments by our owne labours, Idem ibid. Reſp.lest we alſo ſhould ſeeme to be our owne Redeemers. But Pope Iulius the fourth, and the Councell of Trent, (ſaith the Cardinall) most plainly teach the contrary.
Gelaſius Biſhop of Rome, in the yeere 492 profeſſeth, and declareth for an Article of his beliefe: In the Sacrament is celebrated an Image, Gelaſ. cont. Futych. & Neſt.or ſemblance of the body and blood of Chriſt, and there ceaſeth not to bee the ſubſtance or nature of bread and wine. On the contrary, Pope Innocentius the Third, decreed it for an Article of faith in the Councell of Lateran, with a Firmiter credimus: Wee ſtedfaſtly beleeue, Lib. 1. Decret. cap. Firmitèr credimus.that the body and blood of Christ are truely contained in the Sacrament of the Altar, the bread being tranſubſtantiated into his body, and wine into his blood, by the diuine power▪ ſo that there must be really, verily, and ſubſtantially preſent, the naturall body and blood of Chriſt, which was conceiued of the Virgin Mary, and which is aſcended into Heauen.
Touching the Communion in both kind, the ſame Gelaſius proclaimed to the communicants of his time:Aut integra Sacramenta percipiant, aut ab integris arceantur. Gelaſ. de Conſecr. Diſt. 2 Cō perimus §. Either let them receiue the whole Sacrament, or let them be driuen from the whole: for the diuiding of one and the ſame Sacrament, cannot be done without great ſacriledge. On the contrary, in this latter age, Pope Martin the Fifth, hath decreed it with the conſent of a whole Councell:Conc. Conſtant. Seſſ. 13. If any ſhall obſtinately maintaine, that it is vnlawfull or erronious, to receiue in one kind, hee ought to bee puniſhed, and driuen out as an Heretike.
Gregorie the Great, Biſhop of Rome, about the yeere 600, publiſheth his inſtruction for the people touching Images:Epiſt ex Regiſt. lib. 9. cap. 9. Let the children of the Church now diſperſed, be called togeather, and taught by the Testimonies of the Scriptures, that nothing made with hands may be worſhipped. And withall concludes: If any will make Images, forbid them not; but by all meanes let him avoyd the adoration of them. On the contrary, in this later age Pope Pius the fourth declares it for an Article of Faith: I moſt firmely auouch, Bulla Pij 4. Art 9.that the Images of Christ, and the Mother of God alwayes a Virgin, and other Saints are to bee had and retained; and that due honour and veneration is to bee giuen to their Images. Againe, touching the vſe and ſufficiencie of the Scripture, Sect 13.touching the Reall preſence, Priuate Maſſe, Communion in both kindes, Merite of workes, the Popes Supremacie, and the like: Gregory is flatly oppoſite to the Popes of theſe later times. And that you may yet further heare, that the Popes hauehave no Infallibility in their Determinations and Decrees, you ſhall find likewiſe, that the later Popes doe not onelyonly vary from the Faith of the Ancients, but alſo differ amongſt themſelues, and contradict each other in many ſubſtantiall poynts of their owne doctrine.
Pope Caeleſtine the Third, in the yeere 1191, publiſhed a Decree,Alph. aduerſ haereſ. lib. 1. c. 4. that of maried perſons, if one fall into Hereſie, the Marriage is diſſolued, and the Catholike partie is free to marrie againe. Neither (ſaith Alphonſus) was this errour of Caleſtine ſuch as ought to bee imputed to negligence alone, that wee may ſay, hee erred as a priuate man, not as Pope: for this difinition of Caeleſtine was extant in the Decretals which I my ſelfe hauehave ſeene and read. On the contrary, Pope Innocentius the Third, his immediate Succeſſor decided the caſe, and confeſſed that one of his Predeceſſors, (which ſaith the Gloſſe,Decret li. 4. de diuortijs Quanto §. Praedeceſſ. was Caeleſtine) had decreed otherwiſe, whoſe reſolution was in the olde Decretals, and it was euill that Caelestine ſaid.
Pope Gregorie the Ninth, in the yeere 1227, proclaimeth it to the world,Greg. Ep ad Germ. Archiep. Conſtant. apud M Pariſ. in Henr. 3. The not knowing the Scriptures, by the teſtimonie of trueth it ſelfe, is the occaſion of errours, and therefore it is expedient for all men to reade or heare the ſame. On the contrary, Pope Clement the Eighth, forbids all the common people, yea …id Regulars alſo, to reade or retaine any vulgar Tranſlation of the Scriptures, without licence of their Biſhop, or Inquiſitor: and there hee giues the reaſon flatly oppoſite to the Tene… of his Predeceſſor:Azor Inſt. Moral. part. 1. l. 8. c. 26. Becauſe the common vſe of Scripture is found by experience to bee rather hurtfull then profitable.
Pope Nicholas the fourth, in the yeare 1288 declared in his Decretall,Sixti Decr. lib. 5. tit. 12. §. Exijt. that To renounce the proprietie of all things, not in ſpeciall onelyonly, but in common alſo, is meritorious and holy, which Chriſt taught by Word, and confirmed by Example, and the firſt Founders of the Militant Church deriued to others by paterne of their Doctrine and Life: On the contrarie, his Succeſſor Iohn the 22. publiſhed and declared,Extrauag. …ohn 2 tit 14 § Cum inter nonnullos. that It is Hereticall, to affirme that Chriſt and his Apostles had nothing in ſpeciall, nor in common.
Pope Martin the fifth, in the yeare 1431. in the grand Councell of Baſil, Conc. Baſil Seſſ. 33.decreed the Councell aboue the Pope: Pope Eugenius the fourth, Bell de Eccleſ. & Cō cil. l. 1. c. 7.his immediate Succeſſor, condemned that Seſſion, & declared the Pope to bee aboue a Councell. And, that which is moſt remarkeable, thoſe Romaniſts which condemne the Tranſlation of our Bible (as if the latter Tranſlation did contradict the former) ſhall finde,The firſt Bible was printed at Rome 1590 the ſecond, 1592. that Pope Sixtus Quintus publiſhed in the yeere 1590, and commanded to be read and followed vponupon ſuch pain … as are mentioned in his Breue; D. Iames his Apol. of Bellu…n Papale p 27.within two yeere after was reiected by hi… Succeſſor Pope Clement … 8. as a Tranſlation erronious,Acta priorū Pontificum ſequentes Pontifi…es aut infringunt, iut omnino tollunt, nihil enim aliud iſli Pontificuli cogitabant, quam vt nomē et dignitatem ma…orū ſuorum extinguerent. Plat in Stephan. & in Romano. and oppoſite to th… Truth. And thus ſaith … tina, The latter Popes, eithe… vi…lat, or vtterly repeale th… Decrees of their Predeceſſors▪ For the little pettie Popes ha… no other ſtudy to buſie themſelues withall, but onelyonly to defuce the name, and dignitie … the former Popes.
Firſt then, wee may obſerue, that the ancient Biſhops of Rome, publiſhed and declared the ſame faith and doctrine, which the Proteſtants teach in the fundamentall poynts at this day. They commaunded Prieſts and people to communicate together, contrary to the doctrine of Priua… Maſſes: they taught, that the Sacrament was a ſemblance of Chriſts body, and that the ſubſtance of bread did remaine after conſecration, contrary to the Faith of Tranſubſtantiation: they commanded the cup to bee giuen to the lay people, which the later Popes forbid at this day: They condemned the Worſhip of Images, Merit of works, and the Popes Supremacie; all which doctrines are receiued by the later Popes and councels, and declared with Anathema's, to bee beleeued as Articles of faith.
Thus wee ſee the houſe diuided againſt it ſelfe, Heu Domus antiqua quā diſpari dominaris Domino.the later Popes repealing the Acts of the former, and both contradicting each other. Now how the houſe ſhould ſtand which is diuided againſt it ſelfe; how the Pope ſhould be the Rule of faith, and yet diſſent from the faith of his Predeceſſours: how the Pope ſhould bee the Pillar and ground of Trueth, and yet his Trueth oppoſed and contradicted by his Succeſſors, I may well conceiue it may be A myſtery of Babylon, Reuel. 17.5.but I profeſſe I cannot vnderſtand it. Briefly and truly I may ſay of the Popes in theſe later ages, They hauehave ſucceeded their predeceſſors as Caiphas ſucceeded Aaron, or as ſickeneſſe ſucceedeth health, or as darkneſſe ſucceedeth light; & from theſe few examples in Faith and Doctrine, I will conclude with the ſaying of St. Ambroſe: Non habent Petri hareditutem, qui Petri fidem non habent. Ambroſ. de Paenit. l. 1. c. 6They hauehave not the ſucceſsion of Peter, that want the faith of Peter.
I proceed to the Popes Succeſſion in perſon, which (although it be of no force and authoritie, by the teſtimonies of our aduerſaries, vnleſſe there be alſo a right ſucceſſion of doctrine in the ſame Church) yet I wil giuegive you ſome few inſtances and obſeruations of their owne Writers, that the vncertaintie of their Succeſſion may more eaſily bee diſcouered by their owne confeſſions.
Gratian the Compiler of the Popes Decrees, well vnderſtood, that the Popes ſucceſſion would bee interrupted, if his faith and doctrine ſhould bee compared with Peters; and therfore for more certaintie, (by tranſpoſing the word Faith into Scate) hath appropriated the right Succeſſion to the Sea of Rome,Petri haereditatem non habent, que non habent Petri ſedē. Grat. de Poenit diſt. 1. c. Poteſt. in theſe words: They hauehave not the Succeſsion of Peter, that want the Seat of Peter. To let paſſe theſe forgeries, it is ſtrange to ſee what ſhifts the Romaniſts doe vſe, to make good the lineal deſcent of their Popes. Rather then they will want authoritie of Scriptures to proue Peters being at Rome, they wil confeſſe that Rome is meant by that Babylon, Annot. vponupon the Rhemiſh Teſtament. 1. Pet. c. 5. v. 13.which is ſpoken of in the 16 and 17 of the Reuelation, which without doubt is the Seat of Antichriſt. Beſides, they are not agreed among themſelues, whether Linus, or Clemens, or Cletus, Quidā poſt Petrū immediatè ponunt Clementem, vt Tertullianꝰ et Hieronymꝰ, alii poſt Petrum ponunt Linū, & poſteà Clemente in &c. Bell. de Rom. Pont. l. 2. c. 5or Anacletus ſucceeded Peter, if he were at Rome. Neither can they well reſolue, whether the Pope ſhould ſucceed St. Peter, or St. Iohn… for St. Iohn liued 33 yeeres after St. Peter (ſaith Baronius) ſo that the ſucceſſion muſt bee either deriued from St. Iohn the ſuruiuour, or elſe the Pope, who immediately ſucceeded St. Peter, muſt bee greater then an Apoſtle, during the time of Saint Iohns ſuruiuourſhip.
Quae tū facies ſanctae Rom. Eccleſiae quā foediſsima cum Romae dominarētur potentiſsimae aeque ac ſordidiſsimae meretrices, quorū arbitrio mutarētur ſedes, darentur Epiſcopi, et qd horrendū et nefandū eſt intruderentur in ſedē Petri earū Amaſii, Pſeudopontifices, qui non ſint niſi ad conſignā da tempora in Catalogo Pontificum ſcripti. Baron Annal. in ann. 912.But admit that St. Peter was at Rome, admit the ancient Biſhops of Rome did rightly ſucceed Saint Peter, yet What was the face of the Roman Church (ſaith Baronius) and how moſt filthie did it appeare, when the moſt impotent and baſe Queanes bare all the ſway at Rome, changed Sees, and gaue Biſhoprickes a… at their pleaſure; and which is most abominable, and not to be named, intruded their Paramours into Peters Chaire, falſe Biſhops, whoſe names are written in the Catalogue of Popes, onelyonly to note and deſigne the times.
To paſſe by the two and twenty Schiſmes in the Papacie, wherein it was queſtionable betwixt the Pope… and Anti-Popes, who were the true Succeſſors of Peter. To let paſſe the vacancie in the Papall Sea for many moneths and yeeres, during which time the Pope fare at Auinium, & left the Sea of Rome. Their owne Genebrard confeſſeth, there were fiftie Popes irregular, Apoſtatici, Apotactici. Genebr. Chron l 4.diſordered and Apoſtaticall. And Bellarmine tells vsus, at the Councell of Conſtance, Bell de Rō. Pont. li. 4. c. 14.there were three Popes, neither could it eaſily bee reſolued, which of them was the true and legitimate Pope. Dubius Papa habetur pro non Papa. Bell. de Concil. l. 2. cap. 19.And (ſaith he) A doubtfull Pope ſtands for no Pope. If then there were falſe Popes by Baronius confeſſion, if Apoſtaticall Popes, by Genebrards confeſſion; if doubtfull, and conſequently no Popes, by Bellarmins confeſſion; what certainty, what aſſurance can theſe men hauehave of the Popes perſonall Succeſſion?
It was a pertinent and full anſwer made to a Ieſuite, by an acute & learned Doctor of our Church, touching the perſonall ſucceſſion of D. Featly in his anſwere to a Ieſuit touching perſonall Succeſſion.the Pope: If by Biſhops you vnderſtand rightly conſecrated, and canonically elected & inueſted, Pope Pelagius the firſt was not ſo: for he was not ordained by three Biſhops. Pope Hildebrand was not ſo, who held the Papacie by an Impoſture: nor Sylueſter, who aſpired to it by Magicke: nor Eugenius, who was firſt promoted by faction, and afterwards held it in deſpight of the Councell of Baſil. Again, If by true Biſhops, you meane Orthodoxall Biſhops, & preachers of the the truth, Pope Liberius was not ſuch; for he was branded with the note of Arianiſme by St. Hierome, and Pope Damaſus. Pope Honorius was not ſuch; for he was condemned for the hereſie of the Monothelites in three Generall Councells, confirmed by three Popes. Iohn the 23. was not ſuch, who was charged in the Councell of Conſtance with the denyall of the immortality of the Soule, & the life to come, and for that and other blaſphemous crimes was depoſed by the Councell.
Alphonſus a Caſtro, was an obedient ſeruant to the Pope,Quāuis credere teneamur ex fide verū Petri ſucceſſorem eſſe ſupremum totius Eccleſiae paſtorem, non tamen tenemur eadē fide credere Leonē aut Clementem eſſe verū Petri ſucceſſorē, quoniam nō tenemur ex fide Catholicâ credere eorum quēlibet ritè et canonicè fuiſſe electum. Alph. lib. 1. contr. haereſ. cap. 9. yet would hee by no meanes allowe that eueryevery Pope had Infallibilitie in a right line of ſucceſſion from Peter: For admit (ſaith hee) that we are bound to beleeue out of Faith, that the true ſucceſſor of Peter is the ſupreame Paſtor of the Vniuerſall Church, yet we are not bound to beleeue with the ſame faith, that Leo, or Clemens, is the true Succeſſour of Peter, becauſe we are not bound to beleeue it, as a point of faith, that either of them had a right and Canonicall election. The reaſon as I conceiue, why this Succeſſion in perſon is become ſo doubtfull and vncertaine amongſt themſelues, is partly grounded vponupon their owne Councels, and their Popes Decrees:Conc. Flor. in Decret. Eugen. for the Councell of Florence declared, that the intention of the Prieſt did ordeine the Sacraments, and conſequently if his intention did faile at the time of Conſecration, the Sacrament of Orders was vtterly voyd, and the Prieſts Ordination and Succeſſion for want of intention, was of no effect, and as touching the Popes Decrees, Iulius the ſecond aboue 120 yeres ſince, publiſhed and declared by his Bull, (which all Cardinalls, at the entrance of the Conclaue, are ſworne to obſerue) That if it happen the election of the newe Pope bee made and done, Bulla Iulij 2. in lib. Conſtit. Pont. Conſtit. 1. & Novus Homo.either by him that is choſen, or by any other of the Colledge of Cardinals, by the hereſie of Simonicall contracts, giuing, promiſing, or receiuing any goods of any kind, or by making of any other promiſe, or obligation of what kind ſoeuer, whether it bee done by themſelues, or others by a few, or by many, that not onelyonly the election, or aſſumption ſo made ſhal bee from the very moment void and of none effect, but that ſafely and lawfully they may hold, eſteeme, and eſchew him as a Magician, an Ethnicke, a Publican, and an arch-heretique. Now if any man make a queſtion, whether the Pope can commit any Simonie or no, let him take his anſwere from the Popes creature: Thomas Aquinas tells vsus,Papa poteſt incurrere vitium Simoniae ſicut et quilibet alius. 2. 2. q. 100. that the Pope may incurre the ſinne of Simonie as well as any other. Beſides, the Popes Bull would neuer hauehave ſaid (If any Pope happen to bee choſen Simoniacally) if they had not beleeued that the Pope might commit Simony. On the other ſide, if it bee demanded what Pope in theſe latter times is guilty of that crime, their owne Treatiſe intituled, Novus Homo, The new Man, doth plainely manifeſt, that Sixtus Quintus did climbe into the Chaire by foule Simony; and that ſince the death of Gregorie the thirteenth, his predeceſſour, there hath not been any true Pope, rightly and Canonically elected.
He who was ſometimes a Pope, proclaimed to the world by his publike Writings:Aeneas Syl. de Goſt. Conc. Baſil. lib. 1. Of the Popes of Rome, we might ſhew foorth very many examples, that they hauehave beene found either heretikes, or elſe defiled with other vices.
But it ſhall ſuffice for a concluſion of this poynt, the ground of Peters ſucceſſion is doubtfull, the Popes Infallibilitie deriued from Peter, is vncertaine, and conſequently, the Romaniſts hauehave but a Morall & coniecturall knowledge for their Rule of faith. I call Bellarmine himſelfe to witnes the truth of this aſſertion.Ius ſucceſsionis Pontificum Romanorum in eo fundatur qd Petrꝰ Romae ſedē ſuam &c. Bellar de Pont. lib. 2. cap. 1. Ratio ſucceſsionis ex facto Petri. Ibid. c. 12. Firſt, the right of Succeſsion in the Popes of Rome, is founded in this (ſaith the Cardinall) that Peter by Chriſts appointment, placed his Seat at Rome, and there remained till his death. So that the reaſon of Succeſſion hath his beginning from the fact of Peter. From hence there will ariſe two queſtions; the one, whether the Lord did command Peter to make his Sea at Rome: the other, whether the Pope did rightly ſucceed Peter, Non eſt improbabile Dominū apertè iuſsiſse vt Petrꝰ ſedē ſuā Romae figeret. Bell. de Pont. lib. 2. c. 12. Non eſt de fide, divino et immutabili praecepto, Romae ſedē Petri eſse conſtitutā, eſt tamen probatiſsimum, et piè credendum. Bel. de Pōt. lib 4 c. 4. Fortè nō eſt de iure diuino Romanū Pontificem Petro ſuccedere. Idem ibid. §. Obſervandum.if hee were at Rome. For reſolution of theſe points, the Cardinall makes theſe ſeuerall anſwers: Firſt, It is not improbable, that our Lord did plainely commaund Peter to make his Seate at Rome, yet this is no matter of Faith, nor yet of a diuine and vnchangeable precept, but it is most probable, and it is piouſly to bee beleeued. To the ſecond he anſwereth: Peraduenture it is not (De Iure divino) from diuine right and authoritie, that the Pope ſucceedeth Peter, yet it doth appertaine to the Catholike (Roman) Faith.
Thus by Bellarmines confeſſion, it is but probable and piouſly to be beleeued, that Peter was at Rome, and made his Seate there: and therefore at the beſt it can bee but probable, that the Pope ſhould ſucceed Peter in that Sea. Beſides, there is no neceſſitie to beleeue it: for (ſaith hee) it is no point of Faith; and withall, if Chriſt gaue any ſuch precept, yet it may be changed. Againe, if the Pope doe ſucceed Peter, it is but with a Peraduenture, it may be ſo, and it may not bee ſo: for (ſaith hee) it is not of any Diuine right or command, although it belong to the Catholique Romane faith. Adde to theſe the vncertaintie of their paſtors Intention in the ordination of their Prieſts, the vncertaintie of their Simoniacall contracts, which make void their election, the knowne and condemned hereſies of Popes in the Roman Sea, with the vncertaintie of Peters being at Rome, on which all the ſucceſſion of perſon and doctrine doth depend: and tell me, if the Popes infallibilitie, which is groūded wholly vponupon probabilities, can bee the Rule of faith; tell me, whether the Pope or his predeceſſors hauehave had an vndoubted ſucceſſion in doctrine and perſon; tell mee, whether to neglect the moſt ſafe and ſure rule of Scriptures, and to follow this morall and coniecturall faith, bee not Via dubia, a doubtfull and vncertaine way, and Vid Deuia, a wandring and By-way.