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[unspec 12] D. THen they do confesse, at the least, that the prouinciall Councells may erre, yea euen those, in the which the
most wyse and holy men that were in the worlde since the Apostles tyme haue bene present. For S. Cyprian was one * 1.1 of the best learned men that hath beene in the church since that tyme, and was of such zeale towards the word of God and his church, that he dyed a martyr for the truth of Iesus Christ, And then iudge you that if a Councell in the which such personages were, might erre: what we may thinke of many Idolatries and supersticions, and of many vaine ce∣remonies, tradicions and abuses that haue bene sowed in the church, not by Councells and particular Synodes one∣ly, but by particuler men, who haue charged the church to what so euer pleased them. For one hooded Monke or Fryer had beene sufficient to haue inuented a thousand maner of doinges cleane contrarye to the Scriptures, and forthwith they shoulde haue beene put in vse, and allowed as if they had beene articles of the fayth. If it were lawfull then to chaunge those same verye thinges which the generall and lawfull Councells had decreed, concerning the policie and discipline of the Church, as touching their maners, accor∣ding to the nedefulnes of the circumstaunces, and the capa∣citie of men, of places and tymes: it oughte then to bee no lesse lawfull to those vnto whom God hath geuē the know∣ledge of hys worde to condempne and abolyshe so many a∣buses & innumerable errours, which by so many meanes and wronge waies, without order or ecclesiastike discipline haue beene sowed in the Church of the Lord: and are so in∣tollerable, that the very greatest enemyes of veritye, euen the Romaine Antichrist haue beene constrayned to confesse it. And without going any further to proue it, dyd not the Pope Adrian confesse, not manye yeares since, that there were many enormities and inconueniences in the Romish seate, and many abuses, offences, and disorders in the go∣uernment of the Church? And beside thys, what confession dyd the Legates and oratours of the Pope Paule deceased make, at the Councell of Trent, of ye estate of their church?
But what wilte thou saye if I doe proue by S. Augustine that not onely the prouincial and nationall Councels may be corrected by the greate and generall Councels, but also euen they them selues maye bee corrected the one by the o∣thers, the fyrst by the laste. T. If it be so, our aduersaries shoulde not then thinke it straunge if we would not wholly dwell vppon the authoritie of their Councells. D. That same doth playnlye appeare by his writinges, wherevpon he declareth, when that same ought to be done and by what meane: To witte, that when by experience of thinges, that which was secret is opened, and that which was hidden is knowen, without any puffing vp in pryde full of sacrilege, without any swollen arrogancie, withoute any contention and enuye, but with holy humilitie, with the vniuersall Christiā peace, he speaketh here generally of all Councells, and of all that euer may be determined in them.
Euseb. 7. 5. cap