The letter writ by the last Assembly General of the Clergy of France to the Protestants, inviting them to return to their communion together with the methods proposed by them for their conviction / translated into English, and examined by Gilbert Burnet.

The Conclusion.

THus I have made such Re∣marks on these Methods as seem both just and solid: I have advanced no assertion either of Fact or Right concerning which I am not well assured, and which I cannot justifie by a much larger series of proofs than I thought fit to bring into a Discourse, which I in∣tended should be as short as was pos∣sible. But if that be necessary, and I am called on to do it, I shall not de∣cline it. I have with great care avoid∣ed the saying any thing meerly for contentions sake, or to make up a Mu∣ster of many particulars; for I look on that way in which many write for a cause, as some Advocates plead for their Clients, by alledging every thing that may make a shew, or biass an unwary hearer, as very unbecoming the profes∣sion of a Divine, and the cause of Truth which we ought to assert: And there is scarce any thing that shews a man is persuaded of the truth he maintains, more evidently than a sincere way of defending it: For great subtilties and

deep fetches do naturally incline a Rea∣der to suspect that the Writer was con∣scious to himself of the weakness of his cause, and was therefore resolved to supply those defects by the quickness and nimbleness of his parts.

But having now said what I think sufficient in the way of Rem••rks upon the Letter, and the Methods published by the late Assembly General of the Cler∣gy of France: I now go on to some Me∣thods which seem strong and well groun∣ded for convincing those in Communion with the Church of Rome, that they ought to suspect the ground they stand on. In which I shall observe this Method: First, I shall offer such grounds of just suspicion and jealousie, as may dispose every considering man to fear and ap∣prehend that their Church is on a wrong bottom; from which I shall draw no other Inferences, but that they are rea∣sonable grounds to take a man a little off from the engagement of his former Education and Principles, and may dispose him to examine matters in dis∣pute among us with more application and less partiality: And then I shall shew upon more demonstrative grounds how false the foundations are, on which the Church of Rome is establish∣ed,

both which I shall examine only in a general view, and in bulk, with∣out descending by retail unto the p••rti∣culars in Controversie between us.

1. And first, It is a just ground to suspect any Church or Party of men, that pretend to have every thing pass upon their word or authority; and that endeavour to keep those who adhere to them in all the Ignorance possible; that divert them from ma∣king Enquiries into Religion, and do with great earnestness infuse in them an Implicite Belief of whatsoever they sh••ll propose or dictate to them. The World has found by experience that there is nothing in which fraud and artifices have been more employed than in matters of Religion: And that Priests have been often guilty of the basest impostures. And therefore it is a shrewd Indication that any sort of them that make this the first and grand principle which they infuse in∣to their followers, that they ought to believe every thing that the majority of themselves decree, and do therefore recommend Ignorance and Implicite Obedience to their people, and keep the Scriptures out of their hands all they can, and wrap up their Worship

in a language not understood by the vulgar, are not to be too easily belie∣ved: But that they may be justly sus∣pected of having no sincere designs, since Truth is of the nature of Light: And Religion was sent into the World to enlighten our minds, and to raise our understandings.

2. It is a just ground of Jealousie of any Church, if she holds many opini∣ons which have a mighty tenden••y to raise the Empire and Dominion of the Clergy to a vast height. A Reverence to them for their works sake is due by the light of Nature: But if Priests ad∣vance this further to such a pitch that every one of them is believed qualified by his Character to work the greatest Miracle that ever was: The change of the Elements of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, besides all the other Consecrations, by which Divine Vertues are brought down on such things as they bless: If it is also believed necessary to enumerate all se∣cret sins to them; and if their Absolu∣tion is thought to have any other Ver∣tue in it, than a giving the Peace of the Church, with a Declaration of the terms upon which God pardons Sin∣ners: If the Vertue of the Sacraments,

upon which so much depends, accord∣ing to their principles, is so entirely in the Priests power, that he can defeat it when he pleases with a cross intention; so that all mens hopes of another state shall depend on the Priests good dis∣position to them, by which every man must know how necessary it is to pur∣chase their favour at any rate: If likewise they pretend to an Immunity from the Secular Judge; and do all enter into Oaths which center in him whom they ac∣knowledge their Common Head, whose authority they have advanced above all the powers on Earth, so that he can de∣pose Princes and give away his Domi∣nions to others: It must be confessed that all these have such Characters of Interest and Ambition on them, and are so little like the true Spirit of Chri∣stianity, or indeed the Common Prin∣ciples of Nat••ral Reason and Religion, that a man is very partial who does not think it reasonable to suspect such pro∣ceedings, and a Church that holds such Doctrines.

3. It is likewise reasonable to suspect any Church that holds many opinions that tend much to a vast encrease of their Wealth, and to bring the greatest Treasures of the World into their

hands. The power of redeeming Souls out of Purgatory has brought more Wealth into the Church of Rome, than the discovery of the Indies has done to the Crown of Spain. Such also was the power of Pardoning, and of ex∣changing Penances for Money, by which the World knew the price of Sins, and the rates at which they were to be compounded for. The Popes power of granting Indulgences, the vertue of Pilgrimages, the communi∣cation of the merits of Orders to such as put on their Habits; and in a word, the whole authority that the C••••r•• of Rome has assumed in these lat∣ter ages, that tend so much to the en∣crease of their Revenue, are all such evident Indications of particular ends and private designs, that he must be very much wedded to his first impres∣sions, that does not upon this suspect that matters have not been so fairly carri∣ed among them, that nothing ought to be doubted which is defined by them.

4. It is a very just cause of suspect∣ing every thing that is managed by a company of Priests, if they have for seve∣ral Ages carried on their designs by the foulest methods of Forgery and Im∣posture; of which they themselves

are now both convinced and ashamed. When the Popes authority was built on a pretended Collection of the Let∣ters, which the Popes of the first ages after Christ were said to have writ; and their assumed Jurisdiction was ju∣stified by those precedents which are now by themselves acknowledged to be forgeries. When the Popes Tem∣poral Dominion was grounded on the Donations of Constantine, of Charles the Great, and his Son Lewis the Good, which appear now to be notorious forgeries: When an infinite number of Saints, of Miracles, Visions, and other wonderful things were not only read and preached to the people, but likewise were put into the Collects and Hymns used on their Festivals, which wrought much on the simplici∣ty and superstition of the vulgar; many of which are now proved to be such gross impostures, that they are forced to dash them out of their Offices, and others against which there lyes not such positive proof, yet depend on the credit only of some Legend, writ by some Monks. When many Books past over the World as the Writings of the most Ancient Fathers which were but lately writ, and many of their genuine Wri∣tings

were grossly vitiated. When all those things are become so evident, that the most Learned Writers amongst themselves, particularly in the Gallican Church, have not only yielded to the proofs brought by Protestant Writers in many of these particulars, but have with a very Commendable Zeal and Sincerity, made discoveries themselves in several particulars, into which the others had not such advantages to pe∣netrate. There is upon all these grounds, good cause given to mistrust them in other things, and it is very reasonable to examine the assertions of that Church with the severest rigour, since an Imposture once discovered, ought to bring a suspicion on all con∣cerned in it, even as to all other things.

5. There is likewise great reason to suspect all that are extream fierce and violent; that cannot endure the least contradiction, but endeavour the ruine of all that oppose them. Truth makes men both confident of its force, and merciful towards such as do not yet re∣ceive it: Whereas Errour is Jealous and Cruel. If then a Church has de∣creed that all Hereticks, that is, such as do not submit to all her decisions are to be extirpated; if she has bound all

her Bishops by Oath at their Ordinations to Persecute them to the utmost of their power.* 1.1 If Princes that do not extir∣pate them, are first to be excommuni∣cated by their Bishops, and after a years Contumacy, are to be deposed by the Popes, and their Kingdomes to be given away. If all Hereticks upon Obstina∣cy or Relapse are to be burnt; and if they endeavour in all places as much as they can, to erect Courts of Inquisiti∣on with an absolute authority, in which Church-men, forgetting their Cha∣racter, have vied in Inventions of Tor∣ture and Cruelty with the bloodiest Tyrants that have ever been: Then it must be confessed, that all these set to∣gether present the Church that autho∣rizes and practises them with so dread∣ful an aspect, so contrary to those bow∣els and tendernesses that are in the na∣ture of man: Not to mention the mer∣ciful Idea's of God, and the wonderful meekness of the Author of our Holy Religion; that we must conclude that under what form soever of Religion such things are set on foot in the World, such a Doctrine is so far from improving and exalting the nature of man, that really it makes him worse than he would otherwise be, if he were

left to the softness of his own nature: And certainly it were better there were no revealed Religion in the World, than that mankind should become worse, more cruel, and more barba∣rous by its means, than it would be if it were governed by Nature or a little Philosophy.

Upon all these grounds laid together, it is no unreasonable thing to conclude, that a Church liable to such imputa∣tions ought justly to be suspected, and that every one in it ought to examine well on what grounds he continues in the Communion of a society of men, against which such strong prejudices lie so fairly, without the least straining or aggravating matters too much.

I proceed now to the second part of my undertaking, which is to shew, that the grounds upon which that Church builds, are certainly weak if not false. And

1. They boast much of a Constant Succession, as the only infallible mark to judge of a Church, and as that with∣out which we can never be certain of the Faith. But if this is true, then in∣to what desperate scruples must all men fall? For the resolution of their Faith turns to that which can never be so

much as made probable, much less cer∣tain. The efficacy of the Sacraments depending on the intention of the Priest, none can know who are truly Baptized or Ordained, and who are not: And it is not to be much doubted but that many profane Priests may have, in a sort of wanton Malice, put their In∣tention on purpose cross to the Sacra∣ment: For the Impiety of an Atheisti∣cal Church-man is the most extrava∣gant thing in the World. Beside this, what Evidence can they give of the Canonical Ordination of all the Bishops of Rome? The first Links of that Chain are so entangled, that it is no small difficulty to find out who first succeed∣ed the Apostles: And it is not certain∣ly known who suceeeded them after∣wards; for some few Catalogues ga∣thered up perhaps from report by Hi∣storians, is not so much as of the na∣ture of a Violent presumption. If we consider Succession only as a matter of Order, in which we go on without Scrupulosity, I confess there is enough to satisfie a reasonable man: But if we think it indispensable both for the con∣veyance of the Faith, and the vertue of the Sacraments, then it is impossible to have any certainty of Faith; all must

be sounded on conjecture or probability at most. It is but of late that formal Instruments were made of Ordinations, or that those were carefully preserved and transmitted. In a word, difficul∣ties can be rationally enough proposed concerning Succession, that must needs drive one that sets up his Faith on it to endless scruples, of which it is im∣possible he should be ever satisfied.

There is one thing of great conse∣quence in this matter, that deserves to be well considered: Under the Mosai∣cal Law God limited the Succession to the High Priesthood, so that the first-born was to succeed; and the great Annual Expiation for the whole people was to be performed by him. Yet when in our Saviours time this was so in∣terrupted, that the High Priesthood was become Annual, and wassold for money, God would not suffer the people to perish for want of such Expiation; but the Sacrifice was still accepted, though offered up by a Mercenary In∣truder: And Caiaphas in the year of his High Priesthood prophesied: So that how great soever the sin of the High Priest was, the people were still safe in him that was actually in that Of∣fice. And if this was observed in a dis∣pensation

that was chiefly made up of positive Precepts and carnal Ordinances, it is much more reasonable to expect it in a Religion that is more free from such observances, and is more Spiritual and Internal.

2. Another ground on which those of the Roman Church build is this, That a True Church must hold the truth in all things: Which is so Sophi∣stical a thing, that it might have been expected wise and ingenious men should have been long ago ashamed of it.

It is certain the Iewish Church was the true Church of God in our Savi∣ours time, for their Sacrifices had then an Expiatory Vertue in them: So that they had the certain means of Salvati∣on among them; which is the formal notion of a True Church: And yet in so great a point as what their Messias and his Kingdome were to be, we find they were in a very fatal errour. The opinion of his being to be a Temporal Prince had been handed down among them so by Oral Tradition, that it had run through them all, from the Priests down to the Fisher-men: For we find the Apostles so possessed with it, that at the very time of Christs Ascension,

they were still dreaming of it: And yet this was a gross Errour, and pro∣ved of most mischievous consequence to them: Of this they were so persua∣ded, that the Supream Judicature or Representative of their Church, the Sanhedrim, that had much more to shew for its authority,* 1.2 than a General Council can shew in the New Testa∣ment, erred in this fundamental point, and condemned Christ as a Blasphe∣mer, and declared him guilty of Death. So that while they continued to be the True Church of God, yet they erred in the point which was of all others the most important; upon which it is evident, that it is no good Inference to conclude, that because a Church is a True Church, therefore it cannot be in an Errour.

3. Another pretence in that Church, on which they build much, and which makes great Impression on many weak minds, is the Churches Infallibility in de∣ciding Controversies, by which all dis∣putes can be soon ended, and they con∣clude that Christ had dealt ill with his Church, if he had not provided such a Method for the end of all Dis∣putes.

But it is certain they have lost this Infallibility if they ever had it, unless it be acknowledged that it is lodged in the Pope▪ against which the Gal∣lican Clergy has so lately declared: And yet it can be no where else, if it is not in him; for as they have had no General Council for about one hundred and twenty years, so they cannot have one but by the Popes Summons; and if the Pope is averse, they cannot find this Infallibility: so at best it is but a Dormant Priviledge, which Popes can suspend at pleasure. In the Intervals of Councils where is it? Must one go over Europe, and poll all the Bi∣shops and Divines to find their Opi∣nions? So in a word, after all the noise about Infallibility, they can only pretend to have it at the Popes Mer∣cy: And indeed he that can believe a Pope, chosen as he generally is, by Intrigues and Court factions, to be the Infallible Judge of Controversies; or that a Council managed by all the Ar∣tifices of crafty men, (as that at Trent appears to have been, even by Car∣dinal Pallavicini's History) was In∣fallibly directed by the Holy Ghost, is well prepared to believe the only thing in the World that is more

Incredible, which is Transubstantia∣tion.

There was as good reason for lodg∣ing an Infallible Authority among the Iews as among Christians; for their Religion consisting of so many Exter∣nal Precepts concerning which Dis∣putes might rise, it seemed more ne∣cessary that such an authority should have been established among them, than under a Dispensation infinitely more plain and simple. And the Supream Authority was lodged with the Sanhe∣drim in much higher expressions under the Old Testament than can be pretend∣ed under the New, as will appear to any that will read the fore cited place in Deuteronomy. There was also a Di∣vine Inspiration lodged in the Pecto∣ral, by which the High Priest had immediate Answers from the Cloud of Glory; and when that ceased un∣der the Second Temple, yet, as their Writers tell us, that was supplyed by a degree of Prophecy; which is also confirmed by what S. Iohn says con∣cerning Caiaphas's Prophecying; and yet after all this, th••t In••allibility was not so obstinately lodged with them, that a company of lewd and wicke•• Prie••ts could not mis-lea•• the people, a••

they did in the Doctrine concerning the Messias. From all which it may be well inferred, that how large so∣ever the meaning of those disputed passages that relate to the authority of the Church may be supposed to be, yet a tacite condition must be still im∣plyed in them, That while Church-men continue pure and sincere, and seek the truth in the methods prescribed by the Gospel, they shall not err in any point of Salvation. And it is not reasonable to ex∣pect that our Saviour should have left a more effectual provision against Er∣rour than he has done against Sin; since the latter is certainly more per∣nicious and destructive of those ends for which he came into the World▪ So that as he has only left sufficient means for those who use them well to keep themselves from Sin, in such a manner that they shall not perish in it; so has he likewise provided a suf∣ficient security against Errour, when such means of Instruction are offered that every one who applies himse••f to the due use of them, shall not err damnably.

4. Another foundation on which they build is Oral Tradition, which ••hey reckon was handed down in eve∣ry

Age since the Apostles days. This some explain so as to make it only the conveyance of the Exposition of the Scriptures, though others stretch it further, as if it might carry down Truths not mentioned in Scripture: And for finding this out two Methods are given: The one is Presumptive, when from the Doctrine of the Church in any one age, it is presumed from thence, that those of that age had it from the former, and the former from those who went before them, till we run it up to the Apostles days.

The other Method is of particular proof, when the ••onveyance in every age appears from the chief Writers in it. I shall not here run out to shew upon either of these hypotheses, the unfitness of this way of conveying Doctrines, nor the easie door it opens to fraud and imposture; but shall only shew that they cannot prove they have a competent Evidence of Oral Tradi∣tion among them.

And first, it is certain that we have not handed down to us a general ex∣position of the Scriptures, and that al∣most all the Ancient Expositors run after Allegories, according to the way of the Greek Philosophers▪ For some whole

ages we have not above two or three Writers, and those lived very remote; and what they say, chiefly in the pas∣sages that are made use of in the later Disputes, fall in oft on the by, and seem rather to have dropt from them, than to have been intended by them; so that this cannot be thought deci∣sive. And when it is likewise con∣fessed, that in their Disputes with the Hereticks of their days, they have not argued so critically from those places of Scripture, which they considered more narrowly▪ It will not be reaso∣nable to conclude too positively upon those things that rather fell in their way occasionally, than were the designed subjects of their enquiries. So that it is not possible to prove an Oral Tra∣dition by the Instances of particular Writers, in all the ages and corne••s of the Church: For almost an age and a half we have not one copious Latine Writer but Tertullian and Cyprian, that both lived in Carthage: And it is not very clear of what persuasion the for∣mer was when he wrote the greatest part of his Treatises: That he was a Heretick when he wrote some of them is past dispute: Now can one think ••hat if God had intended that the Faith

should have passed down by such a conveyance, there would have been such uncertain prints left us by which we might trace it out?

As for the other Method of Pre∣sumption or Prescription, it is cer∣tainly a false one; for if in any one particular it can be made appear that the Doctrine of the Latin Church has been in these latter ages contradictory to that of the primitive times, then this of Prescription is never to be any more alledged; and of this I shall give two Instances that seem demonstra∣tive. The first is about the worship∣ping departed Saints or Martyrs, which has been the practice of the L••tin Church for several ages: And yet in the second Century we have the greatest evidence possible that it was not the Doctrine of that age; and that not in any occasional word let fall by some single Writer, but in a Letter writ by the Church of Smyrna, concerning the Martyrdom of their late Biship S. Polycarp: In which there ap∣pears that warm affection for his per∣son, and honour for his memory, that we cannot think they would have been wanting in any sort of respect that wa•• due to the ashes of so great a Saint.

And what they say to this purpose is deliberately brought out; for it being suggested by the Iew that had set on the Heathens against that Martyr, that it was necessary to destroy his Body, lest the Christians should worship him▪ They reject that imputation in these words: They being Ignorant, say they, that we can never forsake Christ who died for the salvation of the World, nor worship any other, for we adore him as the Son of God. But for the Mar∣tyrs, we do worthily love them, as the Disciples and Followers of our Lord, for their unconq••ered love to their King and Master, and therefore d••s••re to be their Partne••s and Disciples.

To this I shall add another Instance that is no les•• evident▪ which is con∣cerning the presence of Christ in the Sacrament. The Tradition of the Church can be best gathered from the Liturgies,* 1.3 which are the pub∣lickest, the most united and most so∣lemn way in which she expresses her self. In S. Ambros••'s time, or whoso∣ever else was the Author of the Book of the Sacraments that goes under his name, we find that the Prayer of Consecrations, as it is cited by him, differs in a very essential point from

that which is now in the Canon of the Mass: In the former they called the Sacrifice that they offered up in it, the figure of the Body and Blood of Christ; but since that time they have changed that phrase, and instead of it they pray,* 1.4 that It may be to us the Body and Blood of Christ. We cannot tell in what age this change was made, but we may cer∣tainly conclude that the Latin Church in S. Ambrose's time, had a very diffe∣rent opinion concerning the presence of Christ, from that which is now re∣ceived among them; and that then she only believed a Figurative Presence. And thus it is certain that the Pre∣sumptive Method for finding out Oral Tradition is a false one, and that the particular proof of Tradition by enqui∣ring into the Doctrine of every age is impossible to be made.

5. I shall enlarge a little further upon one particular Instance, which is concerning one of those propositions lately condemned by the Assembly G••∣neral: In which I intend to shew that they have departed from the Tradition of the Church, much more evidently than they can pretend that we have done: And this is concerning the Popes power o•• Deposing Kings, which they

who live under so mighty a Monarch have very prudently renounced: But whether they have not more plainly contradicted the Tradition of the Church than the Reformers did, shall appear by the sequel of this Dis∣course.

In order to which I shall lay down two grounds that seem undeniable in their own principles; The one is, That the Tradition of any Age or Ages of the Church, when it is universal and un∣disputed, is of the same authority with the Tradition of any other Age what∣soever: For the promises made to the Church last continually, and have the same force at all times: And there∣fore a Tradition for these last six hun∣dred years is of as strong an autho∣rity as was that of the first six Ages.

The second is, That a Tradition concerning the measures of mens Obe∣dience and actions, is of the same au∣thority with a Tradition concerning the measures of their Belief. The one sort are practical, and the other are specula∣tive points; and as more are concerned in a practical truth than in a speculative point, so it has greater effects and more influence on the World; therefore it is as

necessary that these be certainly hand∣ed down as the other: And by con∣sequence a Tradition concerning any Rule of Life is as much to be received as that concerning any point of Belief; for the Creed and the Ten Command∣ments being the two Ingredients of the positive part of our Baptismal Vow; it is as necessary that we be certainly directed in the one as in the other; and if there were any preference to be ad∣mitted here, certainly it must be for that which is more practical, and of greater extent.

Upon these two grounds I subsume, that all the Characters of Oral Tra∣dition, by which they can pretend to find it out in any one particular, agree to this Doctrine of the Popes power of deposing Princes that are either Hereticks, or favourers of them. The way sof searching for Tra∣dition are these four: First what the Writers and Doctors of the Church have delivered down from one age to another. The second is what the Popes have taught and pronounced ex Cathe∣drâ, which to a great part of that Communion is Decisive, their autho∣rity being held Infallible; and to the rest it is at least a great Indication of

the Tradition of such an Age. The third is, what such Councils as are esteemed and received as Oecumenical Councils have decreed as General Rules. The fourth is, the late famous Method of Prescription, when from the recei∣ved Doctrine of any one Age we run a back-scent up to the Apostles, upon this supposition that the Doctrine of the Church, chiefly in a visible and sensible thing, could not be changed. These are all the ways imaginable to find out the Tradition of past Ages; and they do all agree to this Doctrine.

All the Writers for five or six Ages, both Commentators on Scripture, the School-men, the Casuists and Canonists agreed in it; so that Cardinal Perron had reason to challenge those of the contrary persuasion to shew any one Writer before Calvin's time, that had been of another mind. We do not cite this as a proof, because Cardinal Perron said so, but because the thing in it self cannot be disproved; and in the Contests that fell in between the Popes and those Princes against whom they thundred, no Civilian nor Canonist ever denied the Popes power of depo∣sing in the case of Heresie. It is true, when the Popes pretended to a Tempo∣ral

Dominion, and that all Princes were their Vassals, some were found to write against that; other Princes con∣tended about the particulars laid to their charge, and denied that they were either Hereticks or favourers of Here∣ticks. But none ever disputed this position in general, that in a manifest case of Heresie the Pope might not de∣pose Princes; and it is too well known what both the Sorbonne determined in the case of Henry the Third, and like∣wise how the body of the Clergy adhe∣red to Cardinal Perron in the oppositi∣on he made to the condemnation of that opinion.

The next mark of Tradition is the Popes pronouncing an opinion ex Ca∣thedrâ, that is, in a solemn Judiciary way, founding it on Scripture and Tra∣dition. If Popes had only brutally made War upon some Princes, and violently thrust them out of their Do∣minions, this indeed were no mark by which we could judge of a Tradition: But when we find Gregory the Seventh,* 1.5 and many Popes since his time,* 1.6 found this authority on passages of Scripture, as that of the Keys being given to S. Pe∣ter, Jeremiah the Prophet's being set over Kingdomes to root out, to pluck up and

destroy, and that all power in Heaven and Earth was given to Chr••st; and his bidding his Disciples to buy a Sword, we must look on this as the declaring the Tradition of the Church. So that it must eit••er be confessed that they are not faithful conveyers of it, or that this is truly the Tradition of the Church. And this has been done so often these last six hundred years, that it were a needless imposing on the Readers pa∣tience to go about the proving it.

The Third Indication of Tradition is the Declaration made by Synods, but chiefly by General Councils. I need not here mention the many Roman Synods that have concurred with the Popes in the Depositions which they thundered out against Kings or Em∣perours, since we have greater autho∣rities confirming it.* 1.7 The Third Coun∣cil of Lateran declared that all Princes that favoured Heresie fell from their Dominions, and they granted a Plena∣ry Indulgence to all that fought against them.* 1.8 The Fourth Council of the La∣teran vested the Pope with the power of giving away their Dominions, if they continued for a year obstinate in that their merciful disposition of not extirpating Hereticks. The first Coun∣cil

of Lions concurred with the Pope in the deposition of the Emperour Fre∣derick the Second, which is grounded in the preamble on the power of binding and loosing given to S. Peter.

After these came the Council of Con∣stance,* 1.9 and they reckoning themselves superiour to the Pope, lookt on this as a power inherent in the Church, and so assumed it to themselves; and there∣fore put this Sanction in many of their Decrees, particularly in that for main∣taining the Rights of the Church, and in the Passports they granted, which had been often added in the Bulls that confirmed the foundations of Monaste∣ries, that if any, whether he were Em∣perour, King, or of what Dignity so∣ever he might be, opposed their Or∣der, he should thereby forfeit his Dig∣nity. The Council of Sienna confirm∣ed all Decrees against Hereticks, and the favourers of them, that had been made in any former Councils, and by consequence those of the Third and Fourth Councils in the Lateran. The Council of Basil put that threatening clause of forfeiture, used by those of Constance, in their Decree for a Gene∣ral Council:* 1.10 And at Trent it was de∣clared,

That if any Prince did suffer a Duel to be fought in his Dominions, he was thereupon to forfeit that place in which it was fought. Now by the same authority that they could declare a forfeiture of any one place, they could dec••are a for••eiture of a Princes whole Dominion; for both those Sen∣tences flow from the same Superi∣our Jurisdiction: And thus we see seven of those Councils which they esteem general, have either decreed, confirmed, or assumed this right of Deposing Kings, for Heresie, or in∣deed for breaking their Orders and Writs.

4. The fourth mark o•• Tradition is ••hat which has been of late so famous by Mr. Arnauld's endeavours to prove from thence that the belief of the Corpo∣ral Presence in the Sacrament is a Do∣ctrine derived down from the Apos••les days, which is this: If any one Age has universally received an opinion as an Ar∣ticle of Faith, it must be concluded that that Age had it from the former, and that from the preceding till we arrive at the Apostles days: And this he thinks must hold the stronger, if the point so received w••s a thing obvious to all

men, in which every one was concern∣ed, and to which the nature of man was inclined to make a powerful op∣position. I shall not examine how true this is in general, nor how applicable in fact it is to the Doctrine of the Cor∣poral Presence; but shall only say that allowing all these marks to be the sure Indications of Apostolical Tradition, the Doctrine of Deposing Princes for favouring Heresie, has them all much more indisputably than the other has. Take any one Age from the eleventh Century to the sixteenth, and it will appear that not only the Popes, the Bi∣shops, and all the Ecclesiastical Order received it, but that all the Laity like∣wise embraced it: Though this was a matter obvious to sense, in which ma∣ny were much concerned. It might have been hoped that Princes upon their own account for fear of an ill Precedent, would have protected the ••eposed Prince: But on the contrary, they either entred into the Croisades themselves, or at least gave way to them: vast Armies were gathered to∣gether to execute those Sentences, and the injured Princes had no way to keep their people firm to them, but by assuring them they were not guil∣ty

of the matters objected to them, which shewed that had their people believed them guilty, they had forsa∣ken them: And yet as it was, the terrour of a Croisade was such, and the Popes authority to depose Princes was so firmly believed, that they were for the most part forced to save them∣selves by an absolute submission to the Popes pleasure, and to what Conditions or Penances a haughty Pope would impose on them. So certain it is that this Doctrine was universally received in those ages.

And thus it appears that all the Characters by which it can be pre∣tended that an Apostolic••l Tradition can be known, agree to this Doctrine in so full and uncontestable a manner, that they cannot bring such Evidence for the points in dispute between them and us. So that the Assembly Gene∣ral by condemning this Doctrine, have departed from the Tradition of their own Church more apparently than it can be pretended that either Luther and Calvin did in any of those Do∣ctrines which they rejected; and there∣fore they ought not any more to com∣plain of us for throwing off such things as they found on Tradition, when they

have set us such an Example. From which I shall only infer this, That they themselves must know how weak a foundation Oral Tradition is for Di∣vine Faith to build upon, and that it must be established upon surer grounds.

FINIS.

Notes

• * 1.1

  See the Oath in Pontif. Rom.
• * 1.2

  See Deu••. 17. from 8, to 14.
• * 1.3

  Ambro••. ••o. 4. de Sa••ram. c. 5. Fac nobis h••nc oblatio∣nem as••ri∣ptam, rationa∣bilem, acce∣pt••bilem▪ quod est figu∣ra corporis & s••nguinis Do∣mini nostri ••esu Chr••sti 〈◊〉〈◊〉 pridie ••••am 〈…〉〈…〉
• * 1.4

  The same Pray∣er 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thus vari∣ed in the Canon of the Mass. Quam oblati∣onem tu Deus in omnibus quaesumus be∣nedictam, as∣criptam, ra∣tam, ration••∣bilem acce∣p••abilemque facere digne∣ris, ut nobis corpus & s••nguis fiat dilectissimi ••lii tui Domi∣ni nostri Jesu Christi.
• * 1.5

  Lib. 8. Ep. 21••
• * 1.6

  Extravag. d•• Major. & O∣bed. cap. 1.
• * 1.7

  Later. 3. c. 28.
• * 1.8

  Later. 4. cap. 3.
• * 1.9

  Const. S••ss 11, 13, 17, 19.
• * 1.10

  Tid. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••. c. 19.