CHAP. XI. A Doctrine so contrary to Scripture and itself, cannot be free from Error
CHAP. XI. A Doctrine so contrary to Scripture and itself, cannot be free from Error.
D etect. 2. When you have brought the matter thus far, and see that if they have one error in faith, their whole cause is lost, then consider,
Whether it be Possible for that Doctrine which is so contrary to Scripture, and to itself, to be free from all Error. 1. How contrary it is to Scripture, 1.
To forbid the reading of Scripture in a known tongue: 2. And their Public Praying in an unknown language: 3. And their administering the Lord's
Supper to the People by the halves, denying them the Wine, and giving them the bread only: 4. And their affirming men to be perfect without sin in this life: 5. And their calling some sins venial which deserve a pardon, and yet are truly no sins: 6. And their absolute forbidding their Priests to marry,
7. And saying that there is no Bread and Wine left after the Consecration, with abundance the like: the very reading of the texts may satisfy you. As for the first, see Deut. 6:7,8,9; Deut. 11:18,19,20; Isa. 34:16; Psal. 1:2; Neh.
8; Jos. 8:34,35; Matth. 12:3,5, and 19:4, and 21:16, and 22:31; Mar.
12:10,26; Acts 8:28, and 13:27, and 15:21; 1 Thes. 5:27; Col. 4:16; Deut.
31:11; Eph. 3:4; Matth. 24:15; Rev. 1:3; 2 Tim. 3:16; John 5:39; Act.
17:2,11, and 18:28; Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:15; Isa. 8:16,20, and 42:4; Rom.
7:1; Jam. 1:25; Hos. 8:12.
For the second, read 1 Cor. 14. For the third, see Matth. 26,27,28; 1 Cor.
11:25-28; 1 Cor. 10:16. For the fourth, see Eccl. 7:20; Jam. 3:2; 1 Joh. 1:8; Phil. 3:12; Luk. 11:4. For the fifth, see Deut. 12:32; Gal. 3:10; 1 Joh. 3:4.
For the sixth, see 1 Tim. 3:2,4,5,11,12; Tit. 1:6; 1 Tim. 43; 1 Cor. 9:5. For the seventh, see 1 Cor. 10:16; 1 Cor. 11:23,26,27,28; Act. 2:42; Act.
20:7,11.
2. And that they are contrary to themselves, appeareth: 1. In that (as I said before) not only several persons, but several Countries go several ways; the French are of one way, and the Italians of another, even in the Fundamentals of their Faith, which all the rest is resolved into. 2. Their Popes have ordinarily been contrary to one another in their Decrees; which made
Platina say [Following Popes do still either infringe or wholly abrogate the Decrees of the former Popes] And Erasmus saith that [Pope John 22nd, and Pope Nicolas are contrary one to another in their whole Decrees, and that in things that seem to belong to matter of faith] Had we no instances but of Sergius and Formosus and their following partakers, it were enough. And Celestines case puts Bellarmine to silly shifts. 3. That their Councils contradict each other, I have formerly manifested. They confess that the Arians have had many Councils as General as most ever the Orthodox had: and if it be only the want of the Popes approbation that nullifieth their authority, then let them tell us no more of Councils and of [all the Church] but say plainly that is but one man that they mean.
But even their approved Councils have been contrary; As the sixth Council at Constantinople approved by Pope Adrian, is now confessed to have many errors. The Council of Neocasarea confirmed by Pope Leo 4th,
and by the Nicene Council (as saith the Council of Florence Ses. 7.) condemned second marriages, contrary to Scripture and the present Church.
The Council at the Lateran under Leo the tenth determines that the Pope is above a General Council; and the Councils of Constance and Basil determine that the General Council is above the Pope, and that this is de fide, and its heresy to deny it.