PAPAL AUTHORITY NEEDLESS AND USELESS. 191 The opinion of a man's great wisdom or skill may be the ground of assent, in defect of other more cogent arguments; but authority of name or dignity is not proper to convince a man's understanding. Men obey but do not believe princes more than others, if not more learned than others. It pretends to maintain order; but how? By introducing slavery, by destroyingall rights, by multiplying disorders, by hindering order to be quietly administered in each country. It pretends to be the only means of unity and concord in opinion, by determining controversies; which its advocates affirm necessary.' But how can that be necessary whichnever was defacto, not even in the Roman church? Has the pope effected this? Do all his followers agree in all points? Do they agree about his authority? Do not they differ and dispute about infinity of questions? Are all the points frivolous about which their divines and schoolmen dispute? Whydid not the council of Trent itself, without more ado, and keeping such a dis- puting, refer all to his oracular decision? Necessary points may and will, by all honest people, be known and determined without him, by the clear testimony of Scripture, by consent of fathers, by general tradition; and other points need not to be determined. That he may be capable of that office, he must be believed ap- pointed by God thereto; which is a question itself to be decided without him, to satisfaction. His power is apt no otherwise to knock down controversies than by depressing truth, not suffering any truth to be asserted which does not favour its interests. Concordwas maintained and controversies decided without them [him] in the ancient church; in synods, wherein he was not the sole judge, nor had observable influence. The fathers did not think such authority needful, otherwise they would have made more use of it. Amore ready way to define controversies, is for every one not to prescribe to others' or to persecute; for then menwould more calmly see the truth, and consent. It pretends to maintain peace and unity; but nothing has raised more fierce dissensions or so many bloody wars in Christendom as it. It is apt, by tyrannical administration, to become intolerable, and so to break the ecclesiastical state, to raise schisms and troubles. It is like to extinguish genuine charity, which is free and uncom- pelled. Necesse est ut omnes fideles idem sentiant. Bell. i. 9. 11 It is necessary that all the faithful should be of the same opinion." 'Ixambripa ?f Su'a y,aQ$. Ath. 3 Nemini præseribentes.
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