POPES MAY BE JUDGED HERETICS. S61 Christian. Hence no obedience is due to him; yea, no communion is to be held with him. 19. This, in fact, was acknowledged by a great pope, allowing the condemnation of Pope Honorius for good, because he was erroneous in point of faith. " For," says he, in that which is called the eighth synod, " although Honorius was anathematized after his death by the oriental bishops, it is yet well known that he was accused for heresy; for which alone it is lawful for inferiors to rise up against superiors."1 Now, that the pope (or papal succession) perverts the truth of Christian doctrine, in contradiction to the holy Scripture and primi- tive tradition; that he subverts the practice of Christian piety, in opposition to the divine commands; that he teaches falsehoods, and maintains impieties,--isnotorious inmany particulars, some of which we shall touch. We justly might charge him with all those extravagant doctrines and practices which the high-flying doctors teach, and which the fierce zealots upon occasion act; for the whole succession of popes of a long time has most cherished and encouraged such folks, looking squintly on others, as not well affected to them ;but we shall only touch those new and noxious, or dangerous positions, which great synods, managed and confirmed by their authority, have defined, or which they themselves have magisterially decreed, or which are generally practised by their influence or countenance. It is manifest that the pope supports and cherishes, as his special favourites, the venters of wicked errors; such as those who teach the pope's infallibility, his power over temporal princes to cashier and depose them, to absolve subjectsfrom their allegiance, the doctrine of equivocation, breach offaith with heretics, &c.: which doctrines are heretical, as inducing pernicious practice; whence whoever does so much as communicate with the maintainers of them, according to the principles of ancient Christianity, is guilty of the same crimes. The holy Scripture and catholic antiquity teach and enjoin us "to worship and serve God alone," our Creator; forbidding us toworship any creature, or " fellow-servant," not even angels: " For I who am acreature will not submit to worship one like to me."2Matt. iv. 10; Rev. xix. 10, xxii. 9; Col. ii. 18; Rom. i. 25. But the pope and his clients teach and charge us to worship angels and dead men; yea, even to venerate " the relics and dead bodies of the saints."' I Kai yiep al zea r 'Ovopiá úvró Twv ivaroT.rxm -v pesoic »etvaTav ivdhAea Wien, öpams yvw- oróv iorrv. ä71 'svri alpiles warnyapi , ór' ¡, za) paóvov ë aqt, To?,; vvraSssorípav, Tmv pasr'óvmv xarì avioTa, zs Syn. VIII., Act. vii. p. 963. KTiopaa yip o "v aúx ávigo¡aar Tóv flporly vrpooxuvsrv. Bas., apud Soz. vi. 16. 3 Similiter et sanctos una cum Christo regnantes venerandos atque invocandos esse;
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=