THE most General Councils that can be procured joyned also with S. Peter's Chair , § . 1 being asserted in the former Discourses † † Of the Guide in Controversies . as the Supreme , and Final , Judge , and Decider , of Ecclesiastical Controversies ; And ( of these Councils ) That of Trent being , as the last , so , particularly applied to the Examining and Determination of all those Points of Difference , which have lateliest afflicted these Western Churches ; so that , if the Protestant Party could be induced to accept , and acquiesce in , its Judgment , all modern Controversies of moment were ended ; it seems necessary , for perfecting the Design of the former Discourses , in the last place so far to vindicate the Supream , Legal , and Obliging Authority of this Council , from the many Objections , which Protestants bring against it ; as that the more moderate among them may clearly see , that , if they are willing to submit either their Judgment , or their Silence , to any such Council , as the present times of the Church can afford , they have no just reason to deny it to this of Trent .

To manifest which , I will first set you down the chief Particulars , that are ordinarily urged by the later Reformed Writers against It : And then , shew you , what , in the same Particulars , may be said for it : leaving both to your sober Arbitrement ; as in a matter which is of no less concernment to you , than the setling of your Faith in so many weighty Points of Religion , as this Learned and Wise Assembly hath determined : About which Points others still remain questioning , and disputing ; Divided , as from the Church , so among themselves ; and uncapable of a Remedy .

I wish you , in the Reading of this , accompanied with Soave's History , on the one hand , and that of Pallavicino , on the other ; to whom , for avoiding tediousness ; I shall often refer you . To the first , as an Author of much Reputation with Protestants ; and one , who , it seems , would let no Falficy pass , prejudicial to their Interest . To the second , as One , who , though of an opposite side , yet , contrary to Soave's practice , is careful , in matters of Weight , to signifie the Writings , from which he extracts his Intelligence ; Nor do I , herein , exact from a Protestant Reader more credit to him , that his Margin , or other known History secures . Yet , if that be true , that Cesar Aquilino , a Roman Catholick , and quoted for this by a late Protestant Writer ‖ ‖ Stillingst . Rat. Account p. 481. saith of him . — That he hath done more disservice to the Church of Rome by his Answer , than ever Father Paul [ the unmasked Pietro Soave ] did with his History , I have reason from this also to hope , that what I shall have occasion to cite out of him , will pass with the more credit , and better acceptation to a Protestant Reader , since both the first , and second , of these Histories are still pretended to advance their Cause . And , yet further , since the things , wherein Aquilino saith ‖ ‖ Aquilino , p. 95. this disservice consists , are these — Quod in illâ Historiâ offendatur Romanorum Pontificum fama : — Haereticorum dictae enumerantur , & amplificantur : — Rixae , Contentiones & Scandala inter Catholicos , quae in Concilio acciderunt , sigillatìm referuntur [ out of the Vatican Archives he perused ] — Quae bona & recta [ he means , advantageous to the Catholick Cause ] à Petro Soave enarrata , vel minuuntur , vol praetermittuntur , vel in contradictionem vocantur ; in all which Pallavicino seems only censured , for not writing more cautiously , and partially , on the Roman side ; 2 and for not drawing the Council , and the Actions of it much fairer , and smoother , than the Truth , in those secret Papers , and Records he consulted , did discover them ; 3 lastly , for imprudently publishing , what the greatest Patrons of this Councill are said † † Soave , 7. l. Init. to have hitherto , with the greatest Art , concealed , I shall , I say , the more confidently for this make use of his Testimony , without any further Vindication of his Veracity ; desiring Protestants to make their advantages of an Author reported so much assisting their Pretensions ; and partaking so little of the Arts of a Politician ; and , that valued more the fidelity of an Historian , than the promoting of the Roman , or his own , Interest ; which Himself also sometimes as freely professeth , as they say , truly ; observing — That History is like a Picture , then better , and more commendable , when it represents , not what is fairest ; but , what likest to the Original .

§ . 2 This Council , then , being assembled since Luther's Reformation , and purposely disallowing , and condemning it , very solicitous , and diligent have the Reformed likewise been in multiplying Arguments against it . Especially , they being assisted with the History thereof delivered by Petro Soave Polano , i. e. as is supposed by Protestants , Father Paul , a Venetian Friar . Yet , indeed , against whose sincerity in composing this work , there seem not wanting many real Exceptions ; if you please to consider with me ,

¹ First , That he lived in the time of the great dissention between the State of Venice , and the Pope ; and then also , was engaged in Writings against the Pope's Proceedings ; whence he may be suspected , in this work also , to have been too much biassed by a contrary Interest .

² Again , That , whenas he was but eleven years old at the concluding of this Council , and so could write nothing out of his own knowledge , but out of the Relations , and Notes of others , Printed , or Manuscript ; yet very seldom , in things of so great moment , doth he inform the Reader , whence he extracts his matter ; and is contradicted , in many of his Relations , by Pallavicino , referring , herein , to the Records of this Councill , extant in several places , and to many other Writings sufficiently common , of such Persons , as were Members of the Council , or publickly employed in its Affairs , ( the Names of which he sets down in his l. 18. c. 10. n. 14. and out of which , he saith , he compiled a good part of his own work ) : yet , none of which Writings , ( as he collects from several passages of his History ) had come to Soave's view .

³ Next , That , for those things , wherein this Author lies under no suspicion of Errour , as to the matter related ; yet seems he frequently very culpable as to the Colours , he lays upon it . For , whereas no action can be for its substance so good , but that it may be vitiated , and change its nature from several Circumstances , so often as it is done out of an ill intention , or for some impious end , of Policy , Ambition , Covetousness , or the like ; Nor , again , scarce any Truth can be , in its own light , so clear , and evident , but that some Veri similities may be ranged on the other side , to obscure , and cloud it ; this Author , for the first of these , through the course of his History , may be observ'd ( contrary to the Modesty which is particularly proper to H●storians ) to asperse , and blemish the most specious , and candid actions of those ( though the most sacred Persons ) whose interests he disfavours , with some or other uncharitable Gloss upon them ; and to represent the fairest fruit they bear , still worm-eaten with some corrupt Design , or malignant Intention ; for which a bare possibility thereof seems his sufficient warrant to affirm it . And again , for the second ; constantly after each Session of this Council , He , under the Mask of the vulgar talk , and common Fame , takes liberty to sum together all that , which he apprehends may any way disparage the precedent Decrees ; and that which perhaps never entred into any ones , save his own , fancy .

⁴ Lastly , That he was a Person , with whom the Arch-Bishop of Spalato had an intimate Acquaintance ; and of whom also he gives this Character ( in the Preface to the first Edition of this History , London , 1619. which Preface is omitted in the latter , as some think , because it too manifestly discovers the Historians Dis-affection to those , whose actions he relates ) : That he lived so in the Roman Captivity , as to guide himself by a right Conscience rather , than the common Customs : That he had a great Zeal to the purity of Religion , against such unexcusable [ i. e. Roman ] depravations thereof ; That he abhorred those , who defended the Church of Rome's abuses , as holy Institutions ; and professed , Truth , wherever found , was to be embraced ; That this his work was only known to him , and some others , his great Confidents . From which , as also from some Extracts out of his Letters holding correspondence with some French Hugonots ( mentioned in Casoni's Preface to the Second Volume of Pallavicino ) may easily be gathered , that his Religion was much-what of the same temper and complexion , with that of Spalatensis : Unless perhaps we may think , that , after his writing this Book , he return'd to a better mind ; and that , from this change , came that reluctance of his , Spalatensis mentions ‖ ‖ Prefat. to Soave's History . , for communicating this work ; Nay , ( as the same Bishop relates it ‖ ) a Purpose , to have quite suppressed , and made it away ; Destinato ad essere sommerso dal suo Genitore . Which thing as he imputes to his fear of some danger from it ; so Charity will rather judge , that it proceeded from remorse of Conscience ; when , in a pious reflection upon his former Conceptions , he discern'd , that , in stead of an History , he had brought forth a Satyre , against Gods Truth , and his Church , and the most Supreme , and Sacred of those Governors , whom our Lord himself had appointed over It , and Him . However , This his History hath not so far corrupted the truth of Affairs , as not to contain in it many Evidences , very advantageous to the Catholick Cause ; and so much remains sound in it , as may serve very well to confute that which is vitiated ; and in the main things , that are charged against the Pope , and Council , ( especially concerning the Councils Liberty ) , this History is found as it were , to destroy it self , by its own Contradictions . A thing , which , observed by Phil. Quorlius an Italian Doctor , produced his Book entituled ; , Historia Petri Soavis ex Authorismet assertionibus consutata . This account , in my entrance , I thought fit to give you of this Author , that you may see what just credit , on such a Subject he deserves , out of whose Quiver the Reformed have taken most of those arrows , with which they seek to wound this Council . The chief of which I shall first summarily relate to you , and so proceed to its intended Defence .

§ 3 First then , it is Objected by the Protestant Divines , That this of Trent can no way truly be called a General Council , as it is stiled by the Romanists . 1. α. α Because it is necessary to the Generalness of a Council , that some be there , and those Authorized , from all particular Churches . [ See Archbishop Lawd , § 27. n. 3. where he quotes Bellarmine ‖ ‖ De Concil . l. 1. c. 17. for it , §. 4. ut saltem . ] But none from the Eastern Churches were present in this of Trent , or so much as summoned ; or , afterwards , approved , or consented unto , its Acts : And the number of the Bishops , β. who were present from other Churches , was frequently so small , that in many Sessions it had scarce 10. Arch-Bishops , or 40 , or 50 Bishops , present [ Bishop Lawd , §. 27. n. 2. ] And , That it had not so many Biships present at the Determination of the weightiest Controversies concerning the Rule of Faith , as the King of England could have called together in his own Dominions at any one time upon a Months warning ( B. Brambal , Vindic. c. 9. p. 247. And see what Soave saith to the same purpose , l. 2. p. 163. ) Add to this , γ. γ. That it was not lawfully called , so as General Councils ought , and used to be ; namely , by the Emperor , and other Christian Princes ; but only by the Pope [ this was one of Henry the 8th's Pleas in his Manifesto's against it . ] Lastly , δ. δ. That the Popes themselves , as many as lived in the time thereof , would never consent , that this Council should be affirmed to represent the Vniversal Church ; prudently foreseeing , that if this were granted ( as in the Council of Constance it was ) the Council , as being the whole , would put off its subjection , and depend no longer on the Pope , that was but a part of it ; nor would need his confirmation to render it what it was before ; viz. the Representative of the whole Church [ thus Dr. Hammond . Her. 11. §. n 8 , 9. ] This against its being a General Coucil .

§ 4 2. That neither was it a plenary Patriarchal Council , 2. for the West . ε ε Because from some Churches in the West , as from the Britannick , and some other Reformed Churches , there were no Bishops present there ; who also had just cause for their not coming thither ( B. Lawd , ib. n. 2. ) : neither can it justly be pleaded , that they were Heretical , or Schismatical Churches , being never condemned by any former Council ( B. Brambal , Answer to Chalced. p. 351. ) ζ. ζ. And , of other Western Churches , ( save only Italy ) present very few ; in all the Sessions under Paul the 3d. but two Frenchmen ; and sometimes , none ; as , in the sixth Session under Julius the 3d. ( B. Lawd , ib. n. 2. ● . ) And Twice so many Bishops out of Italy present , as there were out of all other Christian Nations put together , ( B. Bramb . Vind. p. 247. ) as appears at the end of the Coucil ; where the Italians are set down 187. and all the rest make but 83. ( B. Lawd , §. 29. n. 2. ) . Neither was this Council , after its rising , fully acknowledged , or received , by the Western Churches ; nor , by the Britannick , and other Reformed Churches ; Nor , by the Gallican Church of the Roman Communion : And , Let no man say ( saith B. Bramb . Vind. p. 248. ) that they rejected the Determinations thereof only in point of Discipline , not of Doctrine ; for the same Canonical Obedience is equally due to an acknowledged General , [ I add , or other Superior ] Council in point of Discipline , as in point of Doctrine .

§ . 5 3. ' That it was not a Free , and Lawful Council . 3.

1. λ. Where the accusers , or the accused ( take , λ. 1. whether you please ) namely , the Pope , and the Bishops , persons of the same perswasion , and communion with him , sate as Judges in their own cause ; namely , in a Question , of the Popes Supremacy , and of the corruptions of that Church ( see B. L. §. 27 , n. 1. and Henry 8. Manifesto's ) μ. μ. Especially Pope Leo in his Bull having declared and pronounced the Appellants Hereticks , before they were condemned by the Council .