Synopsis papismi, that is, A generall viewe of papistry wherein the whole mysterie of iniquitie, and summe of antichristian doctrine is set downe, which is maintained this day by the Synagogue of Rome, against the Church of Christ, together with an antithesis of the true Christian faith, and an antidotum or counterpoyson out of the Scriptures, against the whore of Babylons filthy cuppe of abominations: deuided into three bookes or centuries, that is, so many hundreds of popish heresies and errors. Collected by Andrew Willet Bachelor of Diuinity.

The fourth Note, of Vnitie.

[error 21] OVr aduersaries do stand much vpon vnitie: which they thinke is the glo∣rie of their Church: they doe embrace vnitie amongest them selues, and all ioyne in obedience to their head. Their vnitie also is seene, say they, in the wonderfull consent of all their writers in matters of Religion: and the notable agreement and concord in the decrees of their Popes and Councels. But as for vs, and our Church, they say it is full of rents, schismes and diuisions. Bellarm.

First of the vnitie of their church, and then of the vnitie of ours. Their vni∣tie, they say, is partly seene in their obedience, and louing societie and felow∣ship, partly in their Religion and doctrine.

First for their concord and loue one toward another: we will take some paynes, a litle to decypher it. About the yeare of the Lord 900. there was pre∣tie sport amongest the Popes, nine of them one after another. Stephen the sixth abrogated all his predecessor Formosus decrees: and not content with that, he tooke vp his body which was buried, and cut two fingers of his right hād off, and commaunded his body to be buried againe. After him succeeded Pope Rhomanus, Theodorus the second, Iohn the tenth, who ratified and confirmed the doings of Formosus. After them folowed Pope Sergius, who disanulling all their actes, tooke vp againe the body of Formosus, cut of his head, and com∣maunded his body to be throwen into Tiber the great riuer in Rome.* 1.1 Was not here great amitie and loue thinke you, amongest the Popes?

Another notable example of their vnitie we haue in Pope Vrbanus time the 6. against whom stood vp a contrarie Pope in Fraunce named Clement: it is worth the noting, what coyle these two popes kept: between whō many bat∣tailes were fought, many thousands slaine. Pope Vrbane beheaded fiue Cardi∣nals together after long torments. Bishop Aquilonensis, because he did ride no faster, was had in suspition, and slayne and cut in peeces by Vrbans souldiers, at his commaundement,* 1.2 behold here I pray you the vnitie of these Catholikes.

We will adioyne one other example, no longer since, then in king Henry the eights time. The Duke of Bourbon being the leader of the Emperors ar∣mie,

layd siege to Rome, and sacked it: the souldiers brake in vpon the Pope, which was Clement the seuenth being at Masse, slew diuerse of the Priests, and one Cardinall called Sanctorum quatuor: they layd siege to the Castle of S. An∣gell, so long till the Pope yeelded him selfe. The souldiers dayly that lay at the siege, made iestes of the Pope: sometime they had one riding like the Pope with a whore behind him, sometimes he blessed, sometime he cursed: sometime with one voyce they would call him Antichrist. See here is their Catholike obedience to their chief Bishop.* 1.3 Thus much concerning their vnitie and con∣cord in life.

Let vs likewise take a view of their vnitie in doctrine. We heard before how Pope Stephen and Sergius abolished the decrees of Formosus: how then saith the Iesuite, that the decrees of Popes do consent together? The Councell of Basile, and Constance before that decreed, that the Pope should be subiect to generall Councels: but this Canon was afterward reuersed, and now gene∣rally the Papists hold the contrary, that the Pope is aboue Councels.

Let vs see the consent of their writers: Bellarmin. lib. 1. de verbo. cap. 12. main∣taineth against Lyranus, Driedo, Genebrard, and others, that Iudith was in Ma∣nasses time. Against Alphonsus de Castro, that heretikes are no members of the Church. Lib. 3. de Eccles. cap. 4. Against Iohannes de turre cremata, that faith is not necessarie to make one a member of the Church. Lib. 3. de Eccles. cap. 10. And euery where the Iesuite taketh great libertie to confute and controll o∣ther his felow Papistes: belike hauing found out some starting holes, that they either knew not, or were ashamed to creepe into, as the Iesuite doth.

But (saith he) we denie not but that we haue dissentions, but they are not in materiall points, but in such things as appertaine not to faith. I meruaile, he blusheth not thus to say, him selfe knowing the contrary. Is it not a substan∣tiall point and belōging to faith, to know which bookes are canonicall Scrip∣ture, which are not? But in this question they do much disagree. Caietanus the Cardinall saith, that we must acknowledge no Scripture, but that which was either written, or approued by the Apostles. But Catharinus a Papist, doth re∣iect that opinion. Hugo Cardinalis, Arias Montanus, do hold no bookes of the old Testament to be canonicall, which are written onely in Greeke: the Pa∣pistes now generally hold the contrary. Ex Whitacher. 1. contr. c. quaest. cap. 6. Bellarmin saith, that all those opinions, which the Church holdeth, as articles or preceptes of faith, were deliuered by the Apostles: & that the Church must not now seeke for new reuelations, but content her selfe, with the Apostolike traditions and doctrine, de Scriptur. lib. 4. cap. 9. Out of the which words it doth necessarily folow, that the church is not now to foūd any new article of faith: but this generally is denied by the Papistes: and Stapleton an English Papist, is not ashamed to say, that the Church, may adde more bookes to the canoni∣call Scripture, by her absolute authoritie.

Further, to beleeue that the virgine Marie was without sinne, yea concei∣ued without originall sinne, is now amongest the Papistes receiued for an ar∣ticle

of faith: and therefore in Paris none are admitted to be Doctors of Di∣uinitie, which doe not first confirme this article by their oth. Yet this was a great question betweene the Scotistes and Thomistes, and a great and hote contention arose about this controuersie anno. 1476. betweene the Dominicke Friers, who affirmed that she was conceiued in sinne, and the Franciscanes, that held the contrary.* 1.4 But these Franciscanes had the vpper hand, and foure of the other order were condemned and burned for it at Berne: and yet for all this our aduersaries will say still, that they varie not▪ in matters of faith. Thus we haue seene, what is to be thought of Popish vnitie.

Now to answere briefly to their false accusation, whereby they charge vs with manifold schismes and dissentions: yea Bellarmin is not ashamed to say, that an hundred seuerall sectes are sprong amongest vs. cap. 10. lib. 4. de Eccles.

1 We say with S. Paule: oportet haereses esse. 1. Cor. 11. there must be heresies and diuisions in the Church. And it is a signe we haue the truth, when the de∣uill goeth about by schismes and contentions to hinder the preaching there∣of. We answere to you, as Augustine did to the paganes. Non proferant nobis quasi concordiam suam: hostem quippe, quem patimur, illi non patiuntur: Let them not boast of their concord, and cast in our teeth the dissention of Chri∣stians: the enemie assaulteth not them as he doth vs: Quid ibi luchri est, quia litigant, vel damni si litigant: the deuill shall get nothing if they should disagree, nor lose any thing by their agreement: for he hath sure hold enough of them already, consenting all in Idolatrie. But amongest Christians he laboureth to hinder the truth by discord, because he can not otherwise withdraw them frō the true Religion. Hearken now (ô ye Papistes) if you consent together, it is in euill: so long it pleaseth the deuill well enough: he should destroy his owne kingdome in sowing dissention amongest you, for you fight for him. He vseth to cast fire brands amongest good Christians, to withstand by this meanes the proceeding of the Gospell.

2 It is a great sclaunder, that there are so many diuisions amongest vs: an hundred saith the Iesuite, but he shall neuer proue ten. He might haue be∣thought him selfe of a full hundred of sectes amongest his owne darlings the Monkes and Friers, as M. Fox hath faithfully gathered the number. pag. 260.

3 Those few schismes and dissentions, which we haue (and yet to many, we must needes confesse) are not about points of faith, and articles of Re∣ligion: but concerning some things belonging to discipline and Church gouernement: which matters we denie not, but haue bene somewhat to hotely and egerlie folowed of some amongest vs: but God be thanked, this contention hath not bene pursued by fire or death, as the Franciscanes did persecute the poore Dominickes: nor yet to the pronouncing of ech o∣ther heretikes, as Eugenius your Pope was condemned as an hereticke in the Councell of Basile.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Fox. pag. 146.
• * 1.2

  Fox. pag. 434.
• * 1.3

  Fox. pag. 988.
• * 1.4

  Fox. pag. 801.