The orthodox faith and vvay to the Church explaned and iustified in answer to a popish treatise, entituled, White died blacke; wherein T.W. p. in his triple accusation of D. White for impostures, vntruths, and absurd illations, is proued a trifler: and the present controuersies betweene vs and the Romanists are more fully deliuered and cleared. By Francis White Bachelour in Diuinitie, and elder brother of Doctor Iohn White.

Paragr. 13. Concerning the Popes authority, wherein the Popish Priest pretendeth Bellarminea 1.1 to be corrup∣ted.

The moderne Papists teach, that the Romane Pope cannot erre iudicially in his publike decrees of Faith, & generall precepts of mannersb 1.2. But many of the former Papistsc 1.3 denied this, and placed infallibility of iudgment not in the Pope, but in the generall Councell.

They also which hold the former opinion, differ; for although they say in generall that the Pope cannot erre in his publike decrees, yet some of them doe so explicate their assertion, that in very deed they yeeld the Pope no more then what is common to other Bishops and Pa∣stors; for they say the Pope cannot erre, when he obser∣ueth the order of the Primitiue Church, vseth such need∣full and holy meanes as God hath appointed for finding out of the truthd 1.4: and they further teach, that God doth not assist Popes as he did Canonical Writerse 1.5, but worketh immediatly, or by the lawfull vse of the ordinary meanes.

But the moderne Iesuitesf 1.6 reiect this opinion, saying; That the Pope is immediatly assisted by diuine grace, and that he cannot erre, whether he vse meanes and diligence in searching out the truth or notg 1.7. And this is now the com∣mon opinion, and must needs take place, because as Bel∣larmine obserueth: if conditions were required to perfect

and make lawfull the Popes definitions, besides his owne externall act of decreeing the same, the faithfull should stand doubtfull, whether he had obserued these conditi∣ons or not, and so their faith would be wauering.

And yet againe being past this shelfe, our Aduersaries are perplexed, and more doubts occurre.

First, they cannot deny but that the Pope may priuat∣ly erreh 1.8, and many of them acknowledge, that he may se∣cretly in his owne iudgement be an Heretickei 1.9 euen at that time when he publikely sententiates the veritie of Faith for the whole Church: But it is improbable, that he which is ignorant of the truth, and a secret enemie thereof, will publikly decree the same, and binde himselfe and the whole Church to the professing of that, which himselfe in secret doth not beleeue. Here our learned ma∣sters seeke refuge from Balaams asse, and from Caiphask 1.10; But yet Bellarminel 1.11 confesseth, that this is something vi∣olent, and scarce suting with the sweet motion of diuine prouidence.

Secondly, the Pope is often an vnlettered Idiotm 1.12, or a Canonist, and no Diuine: from whence now procee∣deth his infallibility of iudgement in matters of Theolo∣gie? Either he borroweth the knowledge of that truth

which he defineth from other men, and then they rather define then he: or he receiueth by reuelation a pre∣sent abilitie: and then the Church is gouerned by new reuelations, which the great Cardinall Bellarminen 1.13 and many other of his side in words, altogether deny.

Thirdly, our Aduersaries acknowledge, that the pre∣mises from whence the Pope concludeth and deriueth his sententiall conclusion of faith, may bee doubtfull or onely probable; and that he may erre in his premises and discourse, and yet the conclusion shall be true, yea pro∣pheticall, the spirit of Christ assisting him onely therein, and not in the premiseso 1.14.

Now Maister White handling this question of the Popes infallible iudgement, affirmeth; First, in generall: That the Papists themselues refuse the Popes iudgement, and this assertion is true concerning many of them: (as I haue shewed before) and the Popes single iudgement was neuer holden infallible, without a generall Councel concurring with him, vntill our daies.

Secondly, Doctor White affirmeth of Bellarmine that he saith, concerning Cyprians withstanding of Pope Ste∣phen: that after the Popes definition it was free to thinke otherwise. Heere the Popish Priest denieth not, but that these words are found in Bellarmine: but he excepteth, saying; that other words are found in the same Author, whereby it appeareth, that by definition he meaneth not sententiall definitiō, but only a cōmandement of y^e Pope.

Answ. 1. Gretsar the Iesuitep 1.15 affirmeth, that Pope Cor∣nelius made a decree and sententiall definition against Cyprian and the Africans, and confirmeth the same by a testimonie of Eusebiusq 1.16, translated by Rufine.

Secondly, Bellarminer 1.17 adding vnto his speech (Vt Augustinus loquitur, as Augustine speaketh) must be vn∣derstood and interpreted out of Saint Augustine, who affirmeths 1.18, that Cyprian and his Colleagues might as yet lawfully think otherwise then Cornelius did, and retaine their owne iudgement in the matter of rebaptising, vn∣till the point were determined by a generall Councell. Whereby it plainely appeareth, that Saint Augustinet 1.19 makes a generall Councell publike iudge of Controuer∣sies in the Church, and not the Roman Pope.

Thirdly, it is certaine that Cyprian reputed not the Pope to be his Ordinary, neither regarded his definition, either imperatiue or sententiall, but because of his inter∣medling and saucie behauiour, Called him proud, vnlear∣ned, of a blinde and of a wicked mindeu 1.20. And therefore whereas you explicate Cyprians iudgment by your own practise, saying; Catholikes grant, that it is lawfull to hold or beleeue contrary to the practise of what the Pope comman∣deth, so we doe according to his commandement: you tell vs a Storie of your owne doing, which you may rather warrant by the president of the harmelesse beast, an Assex 1.21, which without inquisition and reason, is gouerned by the owner, then by the example of Cyprian, who nei∣ther beleeued nor practised according to your manner.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Bellarm. de Pontif. l. 4. c. 7.
• b 1.2

  Bellarm. ib. l. 4 c. 2. Stapleton. Grets. Greg. Val. Bo∣sius, &c.
• c 1.3

  Gerson. Al∣main. Adrian. Tho. Walden. Turrecremat. Alph. Castro. Conc. Constan. Concil. Basil. See Canus loc. theol. l. 6. c 1. Bellar. de Pon∣tif. l 4. c. 2. Adrian 4. de sac••. confirm. ar. 3. ad. 2. pa ••5. Si per ecclesiam Rom. intelliga∣tur caput eius, puta Pontifex, certum est quod possit errare, etiam in ijs quae tangunt fidem, haeresin per suā d terminatio∣nem, aut decre∣talem asserēdo: plures enim fu∣erunt Pont. Rō, haeretici. Arbor. Theosoph. l. 4. c. 32. Papa in fide errare potest, vt dicit Innocentius nominis hu∣ius quartus Potif. ca. 1. de sum. Trin & tota mihi aberrare via videtur, qui aliter sentit, &c.
• d 1.4

  Vi∣guer. instit. theol. de fid. c. 10. v. 13. Summus Pontifex vt priuata persona errare potest, non tamen vt est summus Pontifex, &c. Operatur autem vt summus Pontifex, quando obseruat ritum, in Concilijs Apostolorum, & sanctorum Patrum definitionibus obseruari solitum.
• e 1.5

  Canus loc. l. 5. c. 5. Non existimandus est summus Pontifex eam habere facultatem quae in Apostolis: sed adhibere, &c. Bannes 2. 2. q. 1. ar. 10. Carb. introd. theol. l. 5. c. 7.
• f 1.6

  Azor. p. 2. instit. mor. l. 5. c. 5. Si absque Concilio vllo, & diligentia rem fidei, aut morum, definiat, Spiritum sanctum sibi pe∣culiariter assistentem habet. Stapl. Rel. c. 4. q. 3. ar. 3. concl. 5. & ib. q. 1. ar. 1. pag. 432. Docet ipsam fidem ex vnctione diuina. Lorin. com. Act. 15. v. 7.
• g 1.7

  Bellar. de Pontif. l. 4. c. 2. Greg. Val. to. 3. d. 1. q. 1. p. 1. § 40. Azor. ib. c. 5. & 7. & 14. Quod si nutu suo statuat, &c. Stapleton, supra.
• h 1.8

  Azor. p. 2. l. 5. c. 5. Greg. Val. Grets. Bannes. Bos. de sig. l. 18. c. 6. Caietan. de authorit. Pap. & Concil. ca. 9.
• i 1.9

  Canus loc. l. 6. c. 8. Bannes 2. 2. q. 1. ar. 10. pa. 63. Qué admodum Caiphas pro∣phetauit, nesci∣ens quid dice∣ret, cum esset Pontifex illius anni••ita sum∣mus Pontifex haereticus, quan∣diu sungitur of∣ficio. Pontificis, poterit desinire veritatem, con∣tra propriam sententiam ex instinctu Spiri∣tus sancti: im∣mo summus Pontifex haereticus intelliget id quod definit, esse contrarium propriae sententiae, & nihilominus definiet illud ordinante Spiritu sancto, qui assistit officio summi Pontificatus. Bos. de sig. l. 2. c. 11. & l. 18 c. 6. Stapl. Antid. Euang. sup. Ioh. 11. vers. 51.
• k 1.10

  Bannes supra. Bosius de sig l. 16 c 9. Loqui potest per hominis adumbrati simulachrum, &c. per Asinam, quod cum Ba∣laam fecit, &c. Stapl. prompt. Cath. p. 3. feria 5. post Dom. pass. pag. 220.
• l 1.11

  Bellar. ibid. Violen∣tum erit, & non secundum morem prouidentiae Dei, suauiter disponentis omnia. T.W.P. p. 146.
• m 1.12

  Alph. Castro cont. haer. l. 4 c. 4. Cum constet plures eorum adeo illiteratos esse, vt grammati∣cam penitus ignorent. Platina in Iul. 1. Adeo plerique literarum ignari sunt, vt vix sciant nomen suum Latine exprimere. Antonin. sum. hist. p. 3. tit. 22. c 6. Iohannes 23 vir fuit, in temporalibus magnus, in spiritualibus nullus, atque omnino ineptus. Sigebert. chron. an. 1045. Benedictus, &c. cum esset rudis literarum. Theoderic. Niem. de schism. pop. l. 2. c. 13. Papir. Mass. de episc. Vib. l. 6 in Bonif. 9. Scribere, canereq́ue vix scientem, &c.
• n 1.13

  Bellar. de verb Dei, l. 4. c. 9. Can. loc. l. 2. c. 7. Stapl. Rel. c. 4. q. 2. pag. 467. Bannes 2. 2. q 1. ar. 10.
• o 1.14

  Stapl. ib. Ec∣clesia in singulis medijs non ha∣bet infallibilem & peculiarem Spiritus sancti directionem, sed potest in illis probabili in∣terdum, &c. Notab. 4. Do∣ctrina eius in medijs discur∣siua, in conclu∣sione est diuina & prophetica: est infallibilis in ipsa doctrina, in forma & ra∣tione docendi non ita. Ad 4. Infallibi∣litas docentis eccelesiae poni∣tur in conclusi∣one tantum, &c. Canus loc theol l. 6. c. 8. In Pon∣tificijs decretis duo distinguenda sunt: vnum est intentio conclusioq́ue decreti: alterum quasi ratio & causa à Pontifice, reddita eius rei quam constituerit. Atque in conclusione Pontifices summi errare ne∣queunt, si fidei quaestionem ex apostolico tribunali decernant. Sin vero Pontificum rationes, ne∣cessariae non sunt ne dicam aptae, probabiles, idoneae, in hijs nihil est immorandum, &c. Non est operaeprecium, rationes ad viuum resecare, &c. Stapl. princip. doct. l. 8. c. 14. &c. 15. In medijs ipsis & argumentis hallucinari & aberrare poterit.
• p 1.15

  Grets def. Bel∣lar. de verb. Dei, l. 3. c. 6. Verbum statuentes, de∣cretum sinodale importat.
• q 1.16

  Euseb. hist. l. 7 c 2.
• r 1.17

  Bellar. de Pon∣tif l. 4 c. 7.
• s 1.18

  Aug. de bapt. l. 2 c. 18. In qua tamen, si alij ad∣huc de ista quae∣stione, salua pa∣ce sentirent, do∣nec vniuersali Concilio, vnum aliquid eliqua∣tum, &c.
• t 1.19

  See Augustine ep. 162.
• u 1.20

  Bellar. de Pont l. 4. c. 7.
• x 1.21

  Cusan. exercit l. 6. Obedientia irrationalis, est consummata obedientia & perfectissima, scilicet quando obeditur, sine inquisitione rationis: sicut IVMENTVM obedit Domino suo. Climacus de discr. grad. 26. Fatius Iesuit. de mortif. c. 3. Bonauent. vit. Francisc. c. 6. pa ••93. ap. Sur. Caeca obedientia, vt quis sit sicut corpus exanime, quod requiescit vbi quis reposuerit, sine motu.