PART I. [Infallibility of the Catholic been hanged, drawn, and quartered for their religion;" telling us, that "on all occasions" we "are still upbraiding the liberty given to Papists:" and adviseth us, "never hereafter" to "be so impertinent as to repine at their libertyy." Doubtless, he found this in his own fancy; for in my discourse there is nothing either of repining or upbraiding. But this point of the penal laws hath been formerly handled at large'. Lastly, to his expedient to procure peace and unity, that is, "to receive the root of Christianity, that is, a practical Church.] infallibility in the Church","—we do readily acknowledge, that the true Catholic Church is so far infallible as is necessary to the salvation of Christians, that is, the end of the Church. But the greater difficulty will be, what this Catholic Church is; wherein they are not only divided from us, but more among themselves. [The words with which departed from the Pope.] But because he hath another exception to a testimony of the Greeks mine in his "Schism Disarmed," I will make bold to give it an answer here also.-"Even when the Grecians were disgusted, and refused unity, they acknowledged the power of the Bishop of Rome; as appears by a testimony of Gerson, cited by your friend Bishop Bramhall against himself, which witnesseth that the Greeks departed from the then Pope with these words, 'We acknowledge thy power, we cannot satisfy your covetousness, live by yourselves "."" Doth he think that "power" is always taken in the better sense? The words are not "potestatem tuam recognoscimus" -"we acknowledge thy" just "power;" (yet even potestas is taken sometimes in the worser sense, as "potestas tene[Lukexxii. brarum"-" the power of darkness;") but "potentiam tuam 53. Vulg.] recognoscimus"—"we acknowledge thy might;" which words might be used by a true man to a highway robber. The Greeks accounted the Latins heretics and schismatics, and principally upon this ground of the Pope's claim of a spiritual monarchy; and that Gerson apprehended their words in this sense, it may appear by the context. His position is this, III. 283 That "men ought not generally to be bound by the positive Discourse determinations of Popes, to hold and believe one and the same form of government in things that do not immediately concern the truth of our Faith and the Gospel." From thence he proceedeth to set down some different customs of the Greek and Latin Churches, both which he doth justify; citing St. Austin to prove, that "in all such things the custom of the country is to be observed." And among the rest of the differences this was one, that the Greek Church paid not such subsidies and duties as the Gallican Church did. It seemeth that the Pope would have exacted them; and that thereupon the Grecians did separate from him, using this free expression, "Potentiam tuam recognoscimus, avaritiam tuam implere non possumus, vivite per vos”—“We know thy might, we are not able to satisfy thy covetousness, live by yourselves." And from thence the aforesaid author draweth this conclusion, that "per hanc considerationem bene captam,” &c.-"upon this consideration," they might "proceed to the reformation of the French Church, and the liberties thereof, notwithstanding the contradiction which perhaps some of the Court of Rome would makef." There is not one word or syllable herein that maketh against me; but there is both the practice of the Greek Church, and the opinions of Gerson, for the justification of our Reformation and separation from the Court of Rome. DISCOURSE IV. SCHISM GUARDED, AND BEATEN BACK UPON THE RIGHT OWNERS. SHEWING, THAT OUR GREAT CONTROVERSY ABOUT PAPAL POWER IS NOT A QUESTION OF FAITH BUT OF INTEREST AND PROFIT; NOT WITH THE CHURCH OF ROME BUT WITH THE COURT OF ROME; WHEREIN THE TRUE CONTROVERSY DOTH CONSIST; WHO WERE THE FIRST INNOVATORS; |