A quartron of reasons, composed by Doctor Hill, vnquartered, and prooued a quartron of follies: by Francis Dillingham, Bachelour of Diuinitie. August, in Senten ...

The 9. reason: Councells. (Book 9)

Whether the Church of God hath euer bin accustomed when any heresie did spring vp therein to gather a Councell of Bishops, Prelates, and other learned men, I will not stand to dispute: If your meaning be, M. Doctour, that nothing is heresie but that which is condemned by a Councell,* 1.1 I vtterly renounce your vaine conceit. Let Augustine speake, Aut verò congregatione synodi

opus erat vt aperta pernicies damnaretur, quasi nulla haeresis aliquando nisi Synodi congregatione damnata sit, cum potius rarissimae inveniantur propter quas damnandas necessitas talis extiterit, multo{que} sint atque in∣comparabiliter plures, quae vbi extiterunt illic improbari damnari{que} meruerunt, atque indè per caeteras terras devitandae innotescere potue∣runt. Was it necessarie a Councell should be gathered to con∣demne open mischiefes, as if no heresie had beene condemned without a Councell, whereas very few are found for the condem∣ning of which, there hath bin such necessitie, and there are without comparison moe which deserued to be condemned, where they did spring vp, that being so condēned they might be made known vnto other countries. Out of this testimonie I gather these two things, first that it may be an heresie, though not condemned by a Councell: secondly I gather, that in Augustines time there were few heresies for the condemning of which Councells were gathe∣red together. To proceede. You say whosoeuer were condemned by Councells confirmed by the See Apostolicall, were euer dee∣med and indeede were heretikes. What say you to Cyprian,* 1.2 whom as Augustine reporteth, Stephanus Bishop of Rome, censuit ex∣communicandum esse, deemed to be excommunicated?* 1.3 Eusebius saith, that scripsit vniuersis conterminis gentibus, he wrote to all coun∣tries that were neare, that he would not communicate with them, because they did rebaptize heretikes. Was Cyprian either an he∣retike, or of that minde that whatsoeuer the Pope did condemne, was heresie? why did he not then yeild to Stephanus who was Pope? For I thinke you meane by the See Apostolike, the Pope; otherwise you condemne Eugenius, who saide, as Aeneas Sylvius reporteth, that tantum aebest vt generalibus Concilijs debeat obedire, vt se dicat tunc maximè mereri cum concilij decreta contemnit; It is so farre from him that he should obey generall Councells, that he doth then best deserue, when he doth contemne the decrees of the same. But I reduce your Argument into a syllogisme:

• They which are condemned by the Councell of Trent are heretikes:
• But the Protestants are condēned by the Councell of Trent:
• Ergo they are heretikes.

I denie the proposition: for it is against all reason, that they which are parties, that are partiall, that are accused should be the onely iudges. Augustine saith, Solis Canonicis scriptis debeo sine vlla

recusatione consensum; I ought to consent onely to the Canonicall scriptures without any refusall.* 1.4 Nicolaus de Clemangijs writeth, that Ecclesia quando{que} contraria determinat, the Church doth some∣times determine contraries.* 1.5 Againe, Trita regula est ecclesia militans & fallit & fallitur; it is an old rule the Church militant doth de∣ceiue and is deceiued. Gregorie his speach who saith, that he doth reuerence the foure first Councells as the foure Gospels, de alijs suspitionem in animis hominum relinquit, leaueth a suspition in the minds of men of other Councels. Saith the same man, the councell of Neocaesaria condemned second marriages: this is not confessed by Bellarmine in his tractate of councells, least he should graunt that Councells may erre. But in his first booke of marriage and 17. chap. he writeth, that Concilium tractat de secundis nuptijs, qua contrabuntur mortua priore vxore: the Councell doth entreat of second marriages, which are made the former wife beeing dead. Hence I thus conclude: That Councell which condemneth se∣cond marriages, erreth: but this Councell condemneth second marriages: ergo. And touching your Tridentine conuenticle, why doe not your men stand to the decrees of the same? Arias Mon∣tanus reiecteth the bookes from the bodie of the holy bible, which we doe. Catharin teacheth, that a man may be certen of grace: yet these opinions are condemned in your chapter of Trent, if we be∣leeue Bellarmine. Againe, if your chapter of Trent teacheth right∣ly of originall sinne, why doth the same Catharin teach, that it is nothing els but Adams actuall transgression, and disobedience. Noli esse tam iniustus: be not so vnequall M. Doctour, to binde vs with your councell of Trent, when your owne men dissent from the same. Where you say, that we shall vtterly vanish away, be∣cause we haue no head to gather a generall Councell, I acknow∣ledge you to be a false and no true prophet. We see the fall of Ba∣bylon daily more and more, and the madnesse of them that seeke to vphold her daily more and more manifest. You say also that we receiue fixe Councells:* 1.6 yet your fellows maruell that we attribute much to the foure first and nothing to the rest: it were good for you to agree amongst your selues before you charge vs with er∣rour. Lastly, the libertie of our Gospel is such as Gods word doth teach,* 1.7 ego, saith Augustine, solis eis scripturarum libris; I haue learned to giue this reuerence and honour onely to the canonicall Scriptures, that no author of them can erre.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Lib. 4. cont. d••••s epist. Pelag. in fi∣ne.
• * 1.2

  De vnico lap. cap. 14.
• * 1.3

  8. book. 4 chap. Bellar. lib. 2. de con. cap. 5.
• * 1.4

  De n••t. & grat. ••.
• * 1.5

  in Fas. v••ta ex.
• * 1.6

  ••hem. Act. 15.
• * 1.7

  1••. epist.