Presbyteries triall, or, The occasion and motives of conversion to the Catholique faith of a person of quality in Scotland ; to which is svbioyned, A little tovch-stone of the Presbyterian covenant

SECTION IV. Of the Popes Supremacy: where it is shewed, that the Pope is not Anti-Christ, nor an Vsurper: as the Covenanters do calumniate.

AFTER the former Preface, follow the∣se words of the

Covenant. And therefore, we abhorre and detest all con∣trary Religion & Doctrin; but chiefly all kind of Papistry, in generall and particular heads, even, as they are now damned & confuted, by the word of God, and Kirk of Scotland. But in special, we detest and refuse the Vsurped Authority of the Roman Anti Christ, vpon the Scriptures of God, vpon the kirk, the Civil Magistrate, and Con∣sciences of men, &c.

Here you ingenuously confesse your selves, to have one quality, which all heretiques have ever had; to hate and detest most the Catho∣lique religion. And your practice sheweth, this your Confession to be true. For, albeit any person become a Socinian, Anabaptist, or A∣theist; you take no great notice of him; but, if you heare of any, that is become a Papist, he is sure to get no more rest. Next, as you falsly pretended your faith to be contain'd in the word of God: so now, as groundlesly, you

pretend, the Catholique faith to be condem∣ned by the same word, which, as yet, you could never make good, in any one point. It is true indeed, that the Catholique Church is condemned by the Church of Scotland: But it is as true, that the Church of Scotland is con∣demned by the Catholique Church, which is of far greater authority, and which has iudged & condemned all former Heresies, and Trium∣phed over them.

Now followes your dismall song, with your abiurations & detestations of the Faith, Order, & Disciplin of the Catholique Church; and first, you strick at the Visible head and Gover∣nour of it, vnder Christ, whom you call Anti-Christ: detesting his Authority, which you call vsurped. The principal reason, for which you beleeve this strange article of your faith, to witt, that the Pope is Anti-Christ, is, be∣cause he claimes Primacy over other Bishops, and extends his care over the whole Church, which he affirmes to be committed to his char∣ge, as vnto S. Peters Successor. If your reason were good, then S. Peter himself had been the first Anti-Christ: For both the Scriptures and Fathers show, that he received from Christ, the primacy over the other Apostles, and that the care of the whole Church was entrusted to him. S. Mathew shewes, that Peter was the first of the Apostles. The names, saith he,* 1.1 of the Apostles are these: the first S••mon, who is cal∣led Peter. Now Peter was not first in calling, but in preeminence. For (as S. Ambrose saith

in 2. Cor. 12.) Andrew first followed our Saviour, before Peter: and yet the Primacy Andrew re∣ceived not, but Peter. The same is showed by the change of his name, which Christ promi∣sed in the 1. of S. Iohn, and thereafter perfor∣med,* 1.2 in S Mathew: where he said: Thou art Peter, or a Rock, and vpon this Rock, will I build my Church &c. And I will give vnto thee the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven, &c. This change of the name of Simon into Peter, fore∣told by Christ, and thereafter performed by him, is not without great mystery: and these excellent privileges, which our Saviour pro∣mised to him, of the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven, & of binding and loosing, do show, that he was particularly to grace and advance him, above others, which he performed after his resurrection; when he said to him: Feed my sheep, feed my Lambs; giving him thereby the charge of his whole flock.* 1.3 The same Su∣premacy of S. Peter may be showed, by many other preeminences, recorded in Scripture; as how Christ prayed particularly for him, that his faith might not faile, and payed Tribut for him: but for brevities sake, they are omitted.

Now, we shall briefly see, how the holy Fathers vnderstood these Scriptures. S. Grego∣ry the great saith:* 1.4 It is manifest to all persons, who know the Gospell; that, from our Lords own mouth, the ••••re of the whole Church was 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to S. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles: for to

For what end, saith he, did Christ shed his blood;* 1.5 but that he might purchase these sheep, the care of which he committed to S. Peter, and his suc∣cessors. S. Augustin calls S. Peter, the Head of the Apostles, the Gate-keeper of heaven, and the Foundation of the Church. S. Cyprian saith:* 1.6 We hold Peter, the Head and Roote of the Church. And, in a word, all the holy Fathers affirm the same. They do likwise acknowledge, that the Bishops of Rome are S. Peter successors, in that supreame Authority. S. Athanasius, writing to Pope Liberius, saith:* 1.7 For this cau∣se, the Vniversal Church is committed to you by our Lord Iesus, that you should labour for all men. And again, writing to Pope Felix, he saith: Thou art Peter, and vpon thy foundation, the Pillars of the Church, that is, the Bishops are fortified. S. Augustin saith:* 1.8 in the Roma•• Ch∣urch, the Principality of the Apostolique Chair did ever flourish. And elswhere: Number the Priests from the Sea of Peter,* 1.9 and in that order of Fathers, see, who succeeded to another. This is the Rock, which the proud gates of hell do not overcome. To which we shall only add the te∣stimony of S. Bernard, who writes thus to Eugenius. Thou art he, to whom the keies of hea∣ven are delivered,* 1.10 and to whom the sheep are com∣mitted: there be other Porters of heaven, & other Pastor of flocks but thou ••••st ••••••erited, in more glorious and different sort: For they have every 〈◊〉〈◊〉 their particular s••ock: but to thee all Vniver-•••••• 〈…〉〈…〉

of all the Pastors themselvs. But thou wilt ask me, how I prove that? even by our Lords word. For, to whom of all, I say, not only Bishops, but Apostles were the sheep so absolutely, and without limitation committed? If thou lovest me, Peter, feed my sheep. He saith not the people of this king∣dome, or that Citie; but my sheep, without all distinction. So S. Bernard. By which Authori∣ties & Testimonies, both of the Scriptures and Fathers, you see, what solid ground the Popes authority hath, that it was confer'd by Christ on S. Peter; and that it has been acknowled∣ged by the holy Fathers & Christian world, in the Bishops of Rome his Successors. There∣fore you very rashly have reiected this autho∣rity, which has been established & confirmed, by Christs special providence, vnto this day; but more wickedly do you call it an vsurped Tyranny, and beleeve the Pope (for vin∣dicating and exercising the same authority) to be the great Anti-Christ; whereas you ought to acknowledge him, to be the Vicar of Christ. These, who honour & reverence the Authority of the Bishops of Rome, & of the Apostolique Sea, follow the example of all the holy Fathers and auncient good Christians: but these, who now a dayes endeavour to disho∣nour and revile them, have the Heretiques for their Predecessors, who never caried good-will to them. S. Augustin shewes, that the Donatists called the Apostolique Sea, the Chair of Pestilence: but that is nothing, to the Epi∣thets of the Covenanting Ministers. Who ex∣••eed,

in railings and blasphemies, all that ever spoke: when they fall vpon this point; making thereby the simple people beleeve, that Anti-Christian article of their faith, that the Pope is Anti-Christ. But the holy Fathers tooke it for an vndoubted mark, that these, who did not acknowledge the Popes authority, and were not of his Communion, belonged not to Christ, but to Anti-Christ. S. Hierom, wri∣ting to S, Damasus, saith: who gathereth not with thee, scattereth: that is, who it not Christs, is Anti-Christs.

Having now seen, that the Pope (whom the Covenanters call malitiously Anti-Christ) is the Vicar of Christ: it remaines evident, that his Authority is lawfull, & not vsurped. For he, who is a iust Possessor, is no Vsurper. Yea he has been so far, from vsurping over the Scriptures, the Church, &c. that he has chie∣fly preserved them, from the Vsurpations and corruptions of Heretiques. And first, it is shewed, that he doth not vsurp over the Scri∣ptures, as the Covenanters do calumniate: For he neither Vsurps over the letter, nor the sense of them. Not the first. For both the Pope & whole Catholique Church professe, that they only declare, that to be Scripture, which they received for such, from the holy Apostles: and it's by their care & diligence, that the let∣ter of the Scripture has descended pure, & free from corruptions, vnto our hands: whereas, it might have been altogether corrupted, or totally perished, for Protestants. Neither do

the Pope, or Catholique Church vsurp over the sense of the Scriptures: but they preserve that sense, which is conforme to the Vanimous con∣sent of the auncient fathers, & of the Primiti∣ve Church. Secondly, the Pope doth not vsurp over the Church: because the care and charge of it was committed by Christ, to S. Peter, and to his Successors: as we have seen: and he pre∣serves the Church, from the Vsurpation of He∣retiques. Thirdly, He doth not vsurp over the Civil Magistrate. The experience of many ages, in all Christians Kingdomes & Common-wealths, is more then sufficient, to make this good: & to manifest the impudent falshood of the Presbyterian calumnie, to the contrary. Fourthly, The Pope doth not vsurp over the Consciences of men, but as chief Governor of the Church, has lawfull authority to make Ecclesiastical Lawes, which bind in Conscien∣ce; as also all the iust Lawes of Kings & other Civil Magistrats do bind in Conscience, to which their subiects ought to obey, according to that of S. Paul: Be subiect, not only for wrath, but also for Conscience sake.* 1.11 And the contrary doctrin of Protestants, which affirmeth, that neither the Lawes of Church, Kings, or other Magistrates do bind in conscience, is much detested by the Catholique Church, and opens a broad way to all disobedience.

But now, it will not be amisse to show, how yow are destitute of all lawfull authority and deeply guilty of the same Vsurpations, which yow falsly impose on others. First, all

heretiques, who go out of the Church, and having no lawfull calling, or authority, take vpon them to be Pastors, and impose their new doctrines & Lawes, vpon the Church, are truly Vsurpers, and are called Theeves by our Saviour; who enter not by the doore, but climb vp another way. So S. Optatus speaks to the Donatists: How comes it to passe,* 1.12 saith he, that you, who are fighting against the Chair of Peter, by your presumptions and Sacrilegious boldnesse, contend to Vsurp the keies of the King∣dome to your selves. Thus Luther & Calvin, the two chief. Apostles of Protestants, were Vsurpers; who, being private men, without any lawfull calling, or authority, would bring in new doctrines, and prescribe lawes to the whole Catholique Church. And in this, the Covenanting Ministers do imitate them. Se∣condly, they vsurped in particular, over both the letter and sense of the Scriptures. For Lu∣ther added the word Only to them, in the mat∣ter of Iustification, and tooke the whole Epi∣stle of S. Iames, and the Apocalypse from them. Calvin also, by his private Spirit, ma∣de vp a new Canon, not known before his time: expunging many bookes avnciently re∣ceived, out of the Scriptures: which new Rule the Covenanters follow. Then, for the sense, they transgressed the bounds set by the Fathers, reiecting the auncient sense preserved by the Catholique Church, and invented new senses of their own imaginations, which they enforced vpon others, as divine Truths. In

this also, you Covenanting Ministers, have followed closely their footsteps. For you have been no lesse fertile, in inventing such new senses; then active, in enforceing them vpon others. Thirdly, your pretended Reformers were Vsurpers over the Church, who, hav∣ing no lawfull calling, nor authority, tooke vpon them to be Reformers of the Church: who would impose their own fancies, as lawes & divine Oracles on the Church: who inso∣lently▪ would take vpon them, to iudge and condemn the whole Catholique Church; and who, vnder pretext of Reformation, have de∣stroyed almost all that is sacred▪ in the Church; barbarously destroying many excellent Chur∣ches, and Sacrilegiously vsurping and plun∣dering the riches & Ornaments of them. This Luther and Calvin did, at the beginning, and this you have compleated in a great measure, above all their progenie. Fourthly, you are also very guilty of Vsurpation, over the Civil Magistrate. The late riseing of your religion cannot furnish vs old histories: but for your short time, you have been prettie bussie, and afford vs a good store. For, in our Countrey, there have been only 3. or 4. Princes, since your religion Began, and none of them has been exempt from your Vsurpation. First, The Queen Regent was deposed by you, from her Regency, and died shortly thereaf∣ter, for grief. Secondly, How you vsed her daughter, Queen Mary Stewart, it is noto∣riously known to the world: For, after you

had imprisonned her, & enforced her to re∣nounce her Crowne; you never desisted; till, by persecuting of her vnto death, you made her purchase a more glorious Crown, and yet, by your calumnies, after her death, augment her glory in heaven. Thirdly,* 1.13 How you Vsurped over King Iames her Son, he himself hath registred, to your no small infa∣my. And albeit you did not prevaile against him; yet, you have payed home that defi∣ciency with Vsury, to his Son the late King Charles. By this may be seen, whither the Pope or yow do Vsurp more, over the Civil Magi∣strate. Lastly, you have been great Vsurpers over mens Consciences, as may be known (to passe by all other instances) by your fu∣rious vrgeing this same Covenant, vpon ma∣ny Protestants, against their Consciences: for which, they give you the Title of Soule-Tyrants.

By all which, may be seen, that you are very guilty of the same Vsurpations, which you falsly obiect to others.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Math. 10, 2.
• * 1.2

  Math. 16.
• * 1.3

  5. Iohn 21.16.
• * 1.4

  Greg. lib ••. ••p••st 7 ••
• * 1.5

  Chry∣sost. lib. 2. de Sa∣cerdotio. Aug. epist. 86.
• * 1.6

  Cypr. epist. ad Iulian.
• * 1.7

  Atha∣nas epist ad liber. & Ep. ad Feli∣cem.
• * 1.8

  Aug. ep. 165.
• * 1.9

  Aug. in psal. cont. part. Donati.
• * 1.10

  ••ern. l. 2. de consid. c. 8.
• * 1.11

  Rom. 13.5.
• * 1.12

  Opt. lib. 2. cont. Parmen.
• * 1.13

  Basili. con. Do∣ron.