A reply to Fulke, In defense of M. D. Allens scroll of articles, and booke of purgatorie. By Richard Bristo Doctor of Diuinitie ... perused and allowed by me Th. Stapleton.

27 Councels.* 1.1

The next Demaund is of Councels confirmed by the Sée A∣postolike, which (as I haue said here cap. 6. pa. 60.) can not erre. And therefore none but Heretikes do obstinately resiste suche Councels. But Fulke here, to saue him self, chargeth such Coun∣cels with errors, those also which him selfe confesseth to haue bin of the true Church, as the third of Carthage (for whiche I haue answered cap. 6. pag. 62.) and not onely those that are without his compasse of the first 600. yeres, though for them also I haue answered in the same chapter pag. 63. to 78. Where I shewed, that the Councell of Basill was not so confirmed as he preten∣deth: and therefore it might erre well ynough in deposing Euge∣nius quartus,* 1.2 howbeit also that is not such an error as he should bring vs, to wit, an error of doctrine. For who doubteth, but also the Pope himselfe may erre in deposing a bishop, or a king? Who doubteth also but a General Councel may vse that prayer when it endeth: Precamur vt ignorantiae parcas, & errori indulgeas:* 1.3 We pray thee to spare our ignorance, and to pardon our error, fea∣ring in their conscience, least either ignorance hath drawen them into error, or perhaps rashnes of will hath driuen them to de∣cline from iustice? As both euery general Councell, and the vni∣uersall Church vseth this prayer, Forgiue vs our trespasses. Of which also you would no lesse inferre that the vniuersall Church may erre. But you haue the answere cap. 8. pag. 117. to wit, that they both do so pray, by reason of certaine ignorances and frayl∣ties of their members, not for any false decrées or beléeuings of their whole bodies.* 1.4 And that which S. Augustine saith euen also of plenarie Councels which are made of the whole Christian world, we say the very same, Saepe priora posterioribus emenda∣ri, That the former oftentimes be amended by the later, yea and by the Sée Apostolike alone, when they come to the Pope to be confirmed. But what is this to proue that Councels already confirmed did erre in doctrine? Euen in one Councell sometime the later Session doth amend the former,

Cum aliquo experi∣mento rerum aperitur quod clausum erat, & cognoscitur quod latebat, When by some experiēce is opened that which was shut, or is knowen that which was vnknowen. This is done in the Catholike Church with holy humilitie, with Catholike peace,

with Christian charitie. And much more do Prouincial Coun∣celles yeeld to the general, sine vllis ambagibus, without any more adoe: and much more againe particulare Doctors. And yet you with your swelling of sacrilegious pride, with your stubbernes of arrogant Ventositie, with your contentiousnes of peuish enuy, will not yeeld neyther to Prouinciall, nor to general Councel, neyther after their confirmation and receauing, so much more desperat then those Donatistes of whom he speaketh, as they had one Doctor, to wit, S. Cyprian, plainly of their opinion, and you haue nere a one: and yet will neither yéeld to all the Councels to∣gether, but against them all come in with your ambages, and aske, But where is their Scripture? as here cap. 7. pag. 89. thin∣king that you haue a witty deuise for this your tergiuersation, when you say:* 1.5 The Councelles that are receiued, are therefore re∣ceiued because they decreed truely: and not the truth receiued be∣cause it was decreed in Councels. Else why is the determination of the Nicene Councell which is but one, beleeued, against tenne Councels holden by the Arrianes, but that the Nicene decreed ac∣cording to the worde of God, & all the rest against it?

You might aswell say: The Scriptures that are receiued, are therefore re∣ceiued because they are written truely, and not the truth recei∣ued because it is written in the Scriptures. Els why is the Gos∣pel according to Mathew beléeued, and not the Gospel according to the twelue, but that the former is the word of God, and the o∣ther is not? But we say, that the Scriptures being once receiued into the Canon, and the Councels being once receiued by the Sée Apostolike, what soeuer they say must be beléeued to be truth, and that then none but Heretikes do make exceptions against them. And that you therfore be an Heretike, who not onely against all Councels so receiued for these 900. yeres, but also against the very Nicene it selfe, which you your selfe receiue, do take your exception of Onely Scripture, and that as it were by authoritie of S. Augustine, cap. 9. pag. 179. and 173.180.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Motiue 13.
• * 1.2

  Ar. 91.
• * 1.3

  Ar. 90.
• * 1.4

  Ar. 89. Au. de bap. cōt. Donat. li. 2. ca. 3.
• * 1.5

  Pur. 430.