A key for Catholics, to open the juggling of the Jesuits, and satisfy all…A key for Catholicks, to open the jugling of the Jesuits, and satisfie all…

Argum. 5. If God had intended that such a Council should have been the form of his Church, or the necessary Governor of it, he would have acquainted us with his will concerning some certain Power to summon them, (or would have authorized some or other to call such a Council) But he hath not acquainted us with his will herein, nor authorized any to call such a Council: therefore it ⟨p. 422⟩was not his intent that it should be the form or necessary Governor of his Church.

Argum. 5. If God had intended that such a Council should have been the form of his Church, or the necessary Governour of it, he would have acquainted us with his will concerning some certain Power to summon them, (or would have authorized some or other to call such a Council) But he hath not acquainted us with his will herein, nor authorized any to call such a Council: therefore it ⟨p. 422⟩was not his intent that it should be the form or necessary Governour of his Church.

Either this Council must meet by an Authoritative call, or by consent. If by such a call, who must call them? The Popes pretence to this Authority is voluminously and unanswerably confuted long ago; and its well known, what ever Baronius say, that the ancient Councils were called by the Emperors; and many since have been called by Emperors and Cardinals. And if you say that it belongs to the Emperor, I answer, what hath he to do to summon the subjects of the French, Spaniards, Turks, Ethiopian, &c? And by this it appears that we never had true Universal Councils: They were but General as to the Roman world, or Empire. For (who ever presided) it is certain that the Emperors called them. And what had Constantine, Martian, Theodosius, or any Roman Emperor to do, to call the subjects in India, Ethiopia, Persia, &c. to a Council? Nor de facto, was there any such thing done. Is it not a wonderful thing that the Pope and all his followers should be, or seem so blinded to this day, as to take the Empire for the whole earth, or the Roman world for all the Christian world! yet this is their all. If you say that it must be done by the consent of Princes, then either of Christian Princes or of all. If of the Christian only, you must exclude the Bishops that are under Mahometan and Heathen Princes, and then it will be no General Council; especially if it be now as it was in the time of Jacob à Vitriaco the Popes Legate in the East, who saith that the Christians of the Easterly parts of Asia alone, exceeded in number the Christians both of the Greek and Latin Churches. And whether it be all Princes, or only Christian Princes that should consent, who can tell whether ever it will be? God hath not promised to lead them to such a consent: And they are unlikely of themselves, as being many and distant, and of different interests and apprehensions, and usually in wars with one another, so that if an age should be spent in treating of a General Council among them, its ten to one that the treaty will be in vain, and its next to an impossibility that all should consent. Besides; no man can show a Commission from God to enable them, and only them to such a work.