The grand imposture of the (now) Church of Rome manifested in this one article of the new Romane creede, viz: the holy, catholike, and apostolike Romane Church, mother and mistresse of all other churches, without which there is no saluation. Proued to ba a new, false, sacrilegious, scandalous, schismaticall, hereticall, and blasphemous article (respectiuely) and euerie way damnable. The last chapter containeth a determination of the whole question, concerning the separation of Protestants from the present Church of Rome: whereby may be discerned whether side is to be accounted schismaticall, or may more iustly pleade soules saluation. By the B. of Couentrie & Lichfield.

Another like Example in the Councell of Basil. SECT. 19.

IN the yeare 1431. there was a Councell gathered at Basil by the Authoritie of Pope m 1.1 Martin the Fift, and after con∣firmed by Eugenius; wherein were 90. Fathers, who hauing confirmed the Decrees of the Councell of n 1.2 Constance, where∣by the Pope is made subiect vnto a Councell, and the Censure thereof: now at the length Pope Eugenius, perceiuing they held this course, will needes dissolue the Councell, and trans∣late it to Florence. The Councell it selfe withstandeth this, and o 1.3 Commandeth the contrary, shewing thereby, that p 1.4 The Pope sought nothing, but, by abrogating of Councels, the de∣struction of the Church. Therefore they fairely q 1.5 suspend the Pope: and in the end, according to the iudgement of the Councell of Constance, they Decree, as an r 1.6 Vniuersall Truth, that the Pope hath no Authoritie aboue a Councell, nor power of himselfe to dissolue it; which truth whosoeuer (say they) shall obstinately contradict, is to be iudged an Heretike. So They.

Will you now see the Pope and the Councell grapple toge∣ther?

The Councell hath suspended the Pope, and iudgeth him no better than a Schismatike: The Pope pronounceth the Fathers of the Councell Schismatikes, s 1.7 Separated from the Mother Church of Rome (meaning the Conclaue of some Cardinals at Rome,) and the Head thereof, for the space of sea∣uen yeares last past. The Councell answereth, saying: t 1.8 What? will the Pope then damne for Schismatikes all the Cardinals, Bishops, and the Emperour himselfe, with Kings and Princes there present, yea, and the whole Church, which doth ap∣proue of this Councell? In the end (to end the fray) u 1.9 The Pope (saith the Councell) did yeeld to the Admonition made vn∣to him, of not dissoluing the Councell.

Here is presented before you the Romane Head, and (in the Opinion of the Fathers of that Councell) the Catholike Bo∣die of the Romane Church, in a Distraction and Separation ei∣ther from the other, for Seauen yeares space. As for the Popes Pretence of his Romane Church, which were but a few Dome∣sticall Cardinals, the Councell did not accompt them worthy the name of the Members of the Church. This being the Case, whether shall we call the Schismatikes? for so the one party necessarily must be.

Notes

• m 1.1

  A Martino 5. indicta Synodus, ab Eugenio post aliquandiu con∣firmata. Binius Tom. 4. Not. in Conc. Basil initio.
• n 1.2

  Sess. 12. Prius autem ne quis∣quam Constanti∣enfis Concilij Decreta. &c. Sess. 4. & 5.
• o 1.3

  Sess. 11. San∣cta Synodus prae∣cipit, vt praesens Basileense Con∣cilium per nemi∣nem, etiamsi Pa∣palis fuerit digni∣tatis, dissoluatur, aut loco ad locum transferri possit.
• p 1.4

  Sess. 12 Nihil aliud praetendere videtur, nisi vt Ecclesiam pessun∣det, iusque sibi & successoribus acquirat ritum sacrorum Conciliorum abrogandi.
• q 1.5

  Sess. 31. Decretum 3. promulgatum de suspensione Eugenij Papae. Ab omni administra••ione Papatus suspendet Eugenium, in spiritualibus, & temporali••us.
• r 1.6

  Sess. 33. Veritas Generalis Concilij super Papam declarata per Constantiense & Basi∣leense Concilium, est veritas Catholicae fidei. — Veritas haec, Papa Ecclesiam hanc congregatam non potest dissoluere sine ••eins consensu:—veritatibus his—pertinaciter repugnans Haereticus est censendus.—Sess. 34. Depositio Eugenij.
• s 1.7

  Epistola Syno∣dalis contra Inue∣ctiuam factam no¦mine Eugenij Pa∣pae, —qui Epi∣stolae illi exordio dicere ausus est Patres in Concilio congregatos iam ferè septem An∣nis ab ipso Christi Vicario, & supre∣mâ Apostolicâ Romanâ sede Christianorum matre & capite se∣gregatos esse.—
• t 1.8

  Nunquid in hoc damnabit Vni∣uersos Cardinales, Episcopos, Impe∣ratorem, Reges, & Principes, & deni∣que Ecclesiam per orb••m disper∣sum, hoc Concili∣um approbantem? Haec omnia haben∣tur apud Surium Tom. 4. Concil.
• u 1.9

  Jbidem. p. 178. Responsio Syno∣dalis. Cùm esset ab omni Administratione Papali suspensus, tandem huic admonitioni paruit in formâ sibi per hoc Concilium designatâ.