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2. That the Fathers are not infallible guides of Faith and Religion I fhall prove in the next Propofition.

3. But howfoever, They that affert the infallibility of the Fathers, when they relate the Churches Judgment, yer allow their Fallibility in expounding Scripture: Caietan, and Maldonate both acknowledge it, and practise accordingly, that a man may in many cafes preferre a new expofition, though it be repugnant to the expofitions of most of the Ancient Fathers: And St Kenelme Digby fpeaking of the infallibility of the Fathers, ex prefly faih, he understands it onely of the Traditions, or Doctrines, delivered by them as the Faith received from their Ancestors, not of their Comments or Sermons upon Scripture, which are to have no more weight then the reasons they give for them. Letters between Lord Digby and St Kenelme Digby, pag. 10.

S. But if all these, and other difficulties were cleared; yet, do two things remain behind, in which this Text, and all others are wholy filent,and for them they are forced to fly to Tradition, and the Authority of the Fathers, (of which in the next place.) The firft, That all this Supreme Authority and Infallibility, which they fuppose to have been in Peter, was tranfmitted to his Succeffor (and confequently Linus St Peters Succeffor was Superiour to the Apoftle and Evangelift St John, which he had need have no fqueamish Confcience that can digeft) and yet all this amounts to nothing, unleffe another thing be proved, viz: That the Bishop of Rome is St Pe ters Succeffor; and here the Scripture failes them.and the Coronis or Apex of the Argument (without which it is both impertinent, and impotent, as to the probation of the Soveraignty of the Roman Bishop is fetched folely from Tradition and the Teftimony of the Fathers: And fo their Argument ftands like the Angell in the Apocalypfe with one foot on the Earth, another on the

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Sea, one Leg of it in Scripture, the other in Hiftory; and because conclufio fequitur partem deteriorem, the conclufion cannot be de fide, or rather, to fpeak the truth, the whole Syllogifme is extra-Scriptural. The prerogatives of St. Peter are tranfmitted to St. Peter's Succeffors; But the Bishop of Rome is St. Peter's. Succeffor: where it ap pears from what hath been faid, that neither propofition is to be proved from Scripture, but wholly from Tradi tion, and that is all at prefent I am concerned to make good. And yet if all this were over, they have not done. Behold the mifery of a defperate caufe: for whereas it is known, and granted by the Papifts, that St. Peter had two Seas, he was Bishop of Antioch for feaven Yeares faith Baronius, and Bishop of Rome, it must be further evinced, That the Bishop of Antioch was excluded from, and the Bishop of Rome invefted with St. Peter's prerogatives: And would you know the proofe of this pofition (which is the very Foundation ftone of the Pope's Supremacy. You fhall have the Argument in Bellarmine's words. (a) It bad its rife à facto Petri from St. Peter's fact. Peter Leaves Antioch and comes to Rome, and there he dies, and fo his Holyneffe got the day. Here I defire the Reader to obferve, that all the Faith of the Romanifts, concerning the Pope's Infallibility, depends upon, and is refolved into a matter of Fact, and an uncertain Hiftorical Relation: Nay, to fpeak truly, there are feveral matters of Fact, every one of which must be folidly demonftrated, before their Faith can have a firme Foundation. I. That Peter was at Rome. 2. That Peter was Bifhop of Reme properly fo called. 3. That St. Peter died at Rome. 4. That it was Chrifts, or Peter's intention, that Peter's Succeffor should enjoy all his Priviledges. 5. That Chrift or Peter appointed his Roman, not his Antiochian fucceffor to

(a) De Pontificiis. Lik 4,

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be this perfon, to whom such priviledges were to be tranfmitted. If there be a flaw in any one of thefe, their whole caufe in this point,is loft. And all theie are matters of fact. And fuch is the nature,and uncertainty of matters of fact, that the Papifts coniefs thofe perfons whom they suppose infallible in matters of faith, are fallible in matters of fact. Excepting that modern dotage of fome of the Jefuites, who have lately afferted the Popes infallibility in matters of fact: But that is such a piece of drol> lery, and impudence, that their own brethren, who have not forfworn all modefty are ashamed of it: now to affume, as fome of these affertions are apparently false, fo there are none of them, but are difputable points, and denied by divers learned men, not without a plaufible appearance of authorities and arguments. And if the Jefuites opinion be true concerning the doctrine of probability,that a man may fatisfy his confcience,& venture his falvation upon the opinions of two or three learn'd Doctors, then a Proteftant may fatisfy his confcience and venture his falvation upon it, that all thefe propofitions are falfe, being denied by far more then that number of learned Doctors. At least this must be granted, that it ren. ders the fore mentioned pofitions,dubious and uncertain: And fo the Papifts build their divine faith upon a dubious biftoricall faith. Yet again what if Peter dies there? must the univerfall headship needs go to the Bishop of the place where he dies, and not to another where he lived? Charles the fifth was King of Spain,and Emperour of Germany, if he die in Spain,must all the Kings of Spain be therefore Emperours of Germany? Haply they will fay,no, because the Empire is elective, not hereditary, and if that were granted, which the Papist will never be able to prove, that there was fuch a thing as this uni verfall headship, and that this was to continue, will they pawne their foules on it, (for fo indeed they do) that this C

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univerfall headship was hereditary, not elective? How will they prove it? Christ dies at ferusalem, by this rule, the Bishop of Jerufalem must be univerfall head: Suppofe the Pope should leave Rome, and go to Avignon, (as once he did) and settle,and die, there,by this rule,the Bifhop of Avignon muft-fucceed in the univerfall headship. But I need fay no more of fo abfurd a fancy.

Sect. 10. A fecond place of scripture is, Job.21. Peter feed my Sheep, And this feeding muft denote ruling as well as teaching, and this rule (forfooth) must needs be the fupreme power, and that power must be attended with Intallibility, and these sheep must be all the sheep in the world, nay,fhepheards too, except the Pan, or princeps paftorum at Rome. Tante molis erat Romanum condere Papam And rbis rope of fand must be called an argument, by which one may fee the intolerable confidence they have in themfelves and their fhameleffe contempt of the Readers, whom they think obliged to receive all their dictates without enquiry. I would have you to wit that the Church of Reme knew what they did, when they invented the doctrine of an implicite faith, and a blind obedience to all the Churches decrees, for if men fhonld once dare to open their eyes and examine their affert ons, all their craft would be in danger to be fet at nought, and the temple of Dominus Deus nofter papa, (as the Canon Law calls him) would be defpifed and his magnificence would be deftroyed, whom fo great a part of the world worthippeth. Eut if indeed they will by Tranfubftantiation turn this handfull of ftraw into a pillar of their Church (as I cannot blame one near drowning, for catching at every twig)then 1 hall offer these things to their confideration.

1 That Bellarmine (as his manner is) bestowes seven arguments to prove.that which none ever denied, that thofe words were spoken to Peter alone, and neglects

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that which he should have difproved viz, the reafon thereof given by Aug. Cyril, Ambrofe, and others, and after them the Proteftants, which was, not the collation of a new dignity fuperior to that of the other Apoftles, but his reftauration to his former dignity of the Apoftle fhip, from which by his great tranfgreffion he might feem to have fallen as Judas really did fall by his Tranfgreffion A&t. 1.

2. If this Text afford them any fupport, they must have it either from the Act, or the word Fied, or from the object or phrafe, my sheep: For the firft, By what Arts can the Supremacy of the Pope be drawn from that word or precept! This feeding (in the judgment of the Romanifts themfelxes) implies nothing but teaching and ruling, and both those are ascribed to all the Apoftles without any difcrimination, Mat. 28. 19 20. Mat. 18. Joba, 20. And Bellarmine himself confeffeth, that not only the power of Rule, but the fupreme power was conferred upon all the Apostles: (a) Nay, they are ascribed to inferiour Minifters Heb: 13. Obey them that have the rule over jou; and 1 Tim. 5. 17. The elders that rule well; and to fuch the very fame precept is given, 1 Pe1.5.1.2. The Elders-1 exhort- Feed the fock of God which is a mong you: Doth Feeding in one place argue fuperiority,. and in another place imploy fubjection? or rather in both places it feemes it fignifies what the Pope pleaseth; But you must know the Romish Doors having called the Scripture a Lesbian Rule, and a Nofe of wax, they were bound in honour aut invenire aut facere, either to finde it fo, or to make it fuch; if it be faid their charge is limited to the Flock of God among them, whereas Peters extends to all the fheep the Answer is eafie, if that be granted, for then the difference doth not lie in the

(a) Lib, de Pontifice Romano, lib. 1. cap, 12, §. Vt autem. C 2

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