Secondly and that hee had also a power to subdelegate his Assignes and Successors to haue the same power but if hee had it not himselfe in his life time he could neuer communicate it being dead to any Successors and it behooueth them to bring foorth his Will and Testament if he hath bequeathed it vnto them least the Churches of Ierusalem and Antioch where we know assuredly he held long residence and exercised his Apostle-ship came in for their interest with equall if not with more reason And how much power he deriued to his Successors is another question to be warily scanned least if we grant one absurditie it beget many First as whether Saint Iohn and other Apostles suruiuing Peter were vnder the Successors controlement and whether Linus Cletus and Anacletus or any Successor in the Sea of Rome had equall power as Peter by them is intended to haue had and might claime a superioritie o ouer the suruiuing Apostles of Christ which implyeth a ridiculous and grosse absurditie that a Bishop or Pastor should beare rule ouer an Apostle which were in the first and highest degree of Ecclesiasticall Orders as Saint Paul witnesseth saying God gaue vnto his Church c Ephes 4. 11. 1 Cor 12. 28. first Apostles that is by the Romanistes owne interpretation Chiefest for so they argue Peter was chiefe because the Euangelist sayth d Mark 3. 14. 16. Math. 10. 2. Christ chose his twelue Apostles and first that is to say chiefest Peter whence we conclude that after Peters death the Church wanted an Head except we allow Saint Iohn then liuing at Pathmos in banishment to bee the chiefest man of the Church and before Peters Successors because he was an Apostle which Peters Successors were not Obiect Secondly and againe as absurdly doe they reason for the authority of the Romish Bishop before Antioch for that Peter was martyred at Rome and not at Antioch or Ierusalem Sol. which may well bring a curse and no blessing vpon that Citie where the blood of Gods Saints is shed as Christ pronounceth desolation to Ierusalem for the blood of the Apostles shedde so abundantly there as hardly any could escape or perish elsewhere out of Ierusalem iustly therefore called the bloody citie where Manasses shed blood to maintaine Idolatry in all the streetes of Ierusalem which was a principall cause of that grieuous destruction of the Temple and the Citie and captiuitie of the Citizens which shortly ensued thereupon And vndoubtedly Rome may as properly bee called the bloody Citie being first inauspiciously built vpon the blood of brothers Rhemus and Romulus and so continued the maintenance of their Idolatry in tenne ensuing persecutions by vnspeakeable blood-sheddings and to this day their strongest Arguments are fire and fagot and other tyrannicall Inquisitions of which they make bold euen already to whisper vs in the eare they may indeed boast more of Peters persecutions then of any pontificall power which he exercised in Rome But they will not easily be drawne to follow Peter as he did Christ in suffering with him e Math 19. 27 Marke 10. 28. Luke 18. 28. and forsaking all to follow him nor can they truely affirme as he did f Acts 3. 6. that gold siluer they haue none as a Pope said once to Thomas Aquinas who readily wittily and pithily replyed neither can you say truely as Peter did to the Creeple Rise vp and walke For as the pontificall Prelates increased in wealth so they decreased in worth and lost that power which Peter had of working myracles no no they neither preach as Peter nor liue as Peter nor are willing to dye as Peter neither from him can they deduce any of their pompous portlinesse or papall practises g Acts 15. 6. Hee called not Councels but with the consent of the other Apostles he inuested not Bishops nor gaue them Palls hee neither had Crowne nor Mytre Cope nor Crosier he graunted no pardon for sinnes either past or to come nor sent out his Leaden Buls or Aureas Bullas glorious and golden braggs to bring in golden and siluer bags in exchange for that trash he cited no Bishops to appeare before him nor required them to take his Inuestitures and Consecrations wee may finde in all his Epistles h 1 Pet. 1. 7. 2. 21. 3. 16 17 4. 13. 5. 3 6. paternes of patience humility and obedience to Princes but not a word of his Decrees Decretals Extrauagants and Canonicall Constitutions hee lacked his Cardinalls Auditors Chancellors Inquisitors Notaries and Prenotaries hee neuer sate in the Laterane to measure out the spaces of Purgatory nor impounded poore soules there for want of money and released them at peculiar rates and prises none kissed his feet nor swore to him homage and Canonicall Obedience hee had no Coaches of Curtizans to fill his Courts nor Bastards to make Dukes in his Territories In these things they haue succeeded and exceeded Caiphas a pretended Successor of Aaron for pernicious Counsell and false Iudgements in condemning innocents i Math. 27. 24. in Pilats Bason they would wash their hands and then sit downe in Peters Chaire and pronounce their bloodie Sentences wee should thinke it some resemblance of a Successour if all or any of them would feed the flocke of Christ as hee k Ioh 21. 15. 16. 17. commaunded and commended vnto Peters care and Peter in like sort l 1. Pet. 5. 2. to all Pastors otherwise their boasting of succession to Peter is but like the glorying of a Traytor which hath nothing to say in his Iustification but that his father was a good Subiect and his Ancestors honest men whose condemnation is the more iust hauing so degenerated from the pietie of their predecessors Text. I will build my Church Heerein two notable poynts are presented to our consideration First of the Builder Christ I will build Secondly of the building the Church my Church Indeed euery one of these words are very significant and emphaticall and afford profitable notes and worthy the paines both of my writing and your reading I will build Doct. 1 First Christ is the only builder of his Church though as in the building of Salomons Temple there were many workemen and diuers degrees yet m 2 Sam. 7. 13 Salomon is only said by his wisedome to build the Temple which n 1 Kings 5 5 6. 2. prepared the materialls and gaue direction for the worke euen so Christ the true Salomon and builder of the true Temple hath ordained diuers Ministers and workemen but hee appointeth the materials o 1 Cor. 3. â— to 13. 12. 6. Ephe. 4. 11 12 Hebr. 3. 3 4. euen his word and Gospell which are the durable gold and siluer and not the hay and stubble of mens traditions and inuentions there are three notable and speciall figures and representations of the Church propounded in the Scriptures of the old Testament in all which the worke and
erre or to doe euill with a multitude so neither can that Popish paradox be any warrant vnto vs that we should beleeue as the Church beleeueth except wee know the grounds of the Churches Beleefe much lesse can a generall conceit of the common multitude which is commonly full of phantasie and errour rather then truth and iudgement settle vs in any peace of Conscience touching our hope and saluation in and by Christ Vse 1 The first vse serueth for reprehension I know it is an vsuall fault of most men that they had rather erre in a generall opinion which they haue phantasied then to seeke out what is the most certaine and constant truth which they should imbrace for their owne benefit health and saluation wee are most of vs therein too ready to imitate Peter which being required by Christ to testifie his louing him more then others as hee protested by doing more duty then others but he asketh t Iohn 21. 21. 22. What Iohn shal do And so many think they make a good Apology for themselues to maintaine their errours if they can auouch one Doctor or Authour or the generalitie of the people to hold such opinions But u Heb. 2. 4. the Just shall liue by his faith that is by his owne faith And the Exorcists were rightly disgraced by the Deuill which mocked their coniurations in the name of Iesus whom Paul preached w Acts. 19. 15. 16. the euill Spirit knew Iesus to bee the powerfull Sonne of God and Paul his faithfull Seruant and Minister but what was that to them which neither knew nor followed the Doctrine of Iesus and Paul hee easily preuayled against such professors and tare them in pieces vse 2 Wee should euer therefore heare this voyce of Christ sounding in our eares Whom say yee that I am This Peter himselfe obserueth and afterwards deliuered it as a Rule to others with which I will conclude the point x 1. Pet. 3. 15. Bee readie alwayes to giue an answere to euery man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you Text. Whom doe yee say that I am Obserue heere hee doth not say Quem creditis but quem dicitis Whom doe ye beleeue but Whom say ye that I am Not that faith is not required but that it is not sufficient to beleeue vnlesse they also confesse Christ and herein there is another Doctrine of Christ and of his Apostles commended vnto vs namely Doct. That what wee haue beleeued wee must also make confession thereof According to that of the Apostle y Rom. 10. 10. With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse anâ— with the mouth man confesseth vnto saluation Implying that the way to bee saued is to beleeue with the heart that we are saued onely by Christ and to confesse the same before the world Vse 1 The first vse serueth to crosse two contrary opinions and practises of some First of such which thinke it sufficient to keepe their consciences vnto themselues and dissemble both with God and man as hypocrites Neuters and Nulli fidians Secondly others as afterwards was exemplified in Peter himselfe z Math. 26. 22 33 34 70 7â— 74. who professed more loue and zeale to Christ then any other of his Disciples but in time of temptation his faint heart fayled him and hee fell more grieuously then any other of the Christian Professors and the offence was the greater because his Lord and Master had forewarned him and the rest of his Disciples and giuen them speciall precepts and cautions a Math. 10. 32 33. beware of denying or not confessing him before men lest hee should iustly deny them before his Father in heauen which yet not onely Nicodemus b Iohn 9. 22. 12. 42. and other faint-hearted Disciples did lest they should be excommunicated for the profession of Christ c Math. 26. 56. but Peter and all the rest forsooke him when hee went to his Passion and was conuented before the Rulers of the Iewes and Gentiles Vse 2 Hast thou faith then testifie thy faith by thy confession and for thy better direction note this distinction Confession of Christ is not onely Verball but Reall for to confesse him with thy mouth and to deny him in thy deeds is the worst deniall of all for it is a manifest abnegation of his power and goodnesse Our blessed Sauiour the paterne of all humilitie beeing sometimes demaunded to confesse of himselfe what hee was whether the Messias or the Prophet d Act. 3. 24. to whom all the Prophets from Samuel to that time gaue witnesse he chose rather to confesse and witnesse himselfe to bee Christ by his workes then by his words and therefore in the sight of such as were sent to inquire of him a Confession what he was he did many great works which no other but Christ could doe agreeably to the Prophesie of Isaiah e Isai 61. 1 c. Opening the eyes of the blinde the eares of the deafe the mouthes of the dumbe and raysing the dead f Math. 11. 2. 3 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Luc 7. 21. 22. Iohn â— 3. 6. and then concludeth that his workes testifie of him what he was and they that would not beleeue his wordes should yet beleeue him for his workes sake The testimony of the life is stronger then of the lippes and workes haue their eloquence in the silence of the tongue vse 3 Lastly seeing our Sauiour exacteth iustly an Account and Confession of the Apostles proficiencie what they had attained vnto aboue others in the knowledge of him it conuinceth the ignorance and backwardnesse of Seraphicall Doctors which not only professe to haue learned but to haue taught the sacred Theology concerning the Dignitie Authoritie and Offices of Christ when they shall find many of inferiour degrees of Learning onely professing themselues Schollers and Learners and not Masters and Teachers which yet in soundnesse of knowledge and practise of pietie shall out-strip and runne before these Church-Rabbins When g Iohn 3. 4 4. 5 10. Nicodemus a Doctor in Israel is palpably blind in the doctrine of Regeneration which the sinfull Canaanite Marie Magdalen and other silly women the followers of Christ h Iohn 7. 40. both knew and practised more then they i Act. 18. 25 26 yea Aquila and Priscilla which were Tent-makers and Mechanicks could instruct the eloquent Preacher Apollos to vnderstand more perfectly the Mysteries of Religion concerning Christ Now omitting many other obseruations which might bee drawne out of this Context and the reasons which mooued many not so freely to confesse Christ as they ought Let vs looke into that Confession which Peter in the name of the rest maketh who was not restrained with vulgar errour or feare as those which hauing k Act. 13. 27. the Prophets dayly read amongst them yet were blinded with wilfull ignorance in misapplying them or stumbled at that stone of Authoritie and Greatnesse of men that they
his no lesse temerity e Mat. 14. 28. 30 to desire to walke vpon the waters than timidity when he began to sinke hauing Christs word for his warrant to come vnto him as hee had desired Fourthly what rashnes was it f Iohn 18. 10. 11. to draw his Sword without warrant and cut off Malcus his eare Fiftly What a presumptuous Disciple was he g Mat. 16 22. 23. to teach his Master to auoid his Passion for which hee came into the world and merited the name of Satan an aduersarie to mans saluation in so miscounsayling and rebuking of Christ as apeareth in this very Chapter Sixtly How sluggish was he that could not watch one houre with his Lord and Master in the midest of his greatest temptation and Agony h Mat 26. 40. and was by name specially taxed for it Seuenthly What curiosity was it in him being required to follow Christ i Iohn 21. 21 22. to enquire what John should doe but his greater faults and falls are with open eies to be looked vpon Eightly In his k Mat 16 33. 35. Mar. 14 68. 71 thrice denying and forswearing of his Master whom hee had protested more loue vnto then all the rest and that if all others went back yet he would neuer forsake him but would goe to prison and dye with him Ninthly And lastly it is to be remembered as no small infirmitie how hee dissembled and went backe in the course of the Gospell when after Christs glorious assention which hee had l Acts 1. 9 seene and the receiuing of the holy Ghost m Acts 2 14. which he had defended to be the act of God promised by the Prophets and after he had a speciall vision and a commandement to goe to Cornolius and the Gentiles n and not to account them prophane whicâ— God hath cleansed and accepteâ— and had preached the same Dâ—ctrine that God was no accepteâ— of persons Iewes or Gentiles yeâ— o Gal. 2 11 12 13. 14 colluded with them of the circumcision and drew Barnabâ— into the like dissimulation withdrawing them selues from the Gentiles in the sight of the Jewes for which so offensiue and dangerous dissimulation Paul reproued him to his face at Antioch that famous Church where first the professors of the Gospell tooke that high and honourable title p Acts 11. â—6 to be called Christians so as this dissimulation in so famous a Church and Citie of the Gentiles where Peter had his residence as the Romanists say fiue and twenty yeares and was there Bishop and so shortly after his vision of preaching Christ vnto the Gentiles and the execution thereof at Gesarea so successefully begun what mischiefe â—nd inconuenience might it haue â—red if the chiefe Apostle as â—hey pretend should goe about â—o vphold the partition wall q Col. 2 14 Eph. 2 14 15 Iohn 10 16 which his Lord and Master had â—roken downe to make of Iewes and Gentiles one flocke vnder one Sheapheard and this may suffice for my first argument let vs consider a second Argu. 2 Secondly if Christ would haue had a primacy which indeede the Disciples sought after then Iohn the beloued Apostle r Iohn 13 23 which leaned on his breast Å¿ Math. 17 1 was conuersanâ— with him at his transfiguration on the mountaine and alwayes one selected with Peter and Iames to be speciall beholders of his great workes t Iohn 1â— 26 and comnended to his Mothers care at the time of Christs passion but as Christ is said to haue loued Iohn most so Peter is said to haue loued Christ most yet the Masters loue may be intended to haue most force to preferre his fauourite but this sensuall wisedome was so farre from the practise of our Sauiour that he laid the foundation of all greatnesse in humilitie he that will bee Lord of all must be most seruiceable to all as the Master gaue example u Iohn 13 5. 6. 15. in washing his Apostles feete which Peter then in an humble conceite of his owne vnworthynesse and the worthynesse of his Master would haue refused yet his most vnworthy vsurping successours are not ashamed to haue Princes kisse their feete Argu. 3 Thirdly it seemeth that the other Apostles neuer vnderstood any thinge of Peters primacy that they night haue yeelded their due obedience w Luke 22. 24. 26. when they stroue as well as hee who should bee the greatest wherevpon the Doctrine of our Sauiour was occasioned to prohibit such superioritie and heathenish Lord ship Argu. 4 Fourthly the rest of the Apostles were equall with Peter x Gal 2 9. and gaue right hands of fellowship one to an other to build the house of God y Gal. 1. 1. 12. all immediately called of God and equall in Office for they were called to preach the Gospell to all Nations to this Office they were all appointed z Mar. 3. 14 before and a Mat. 28. 19 after the resurrection they all had like promises and were participant of the visible gifts of the holy Ghost Obiect But our Romanists say they were vnequall in authoritie for Peter was their Pastor and a Bellar. de rom pont lib. 2 boue them all and as they had authority ouer others so had Peter ouer them Sol. This neither is nor will bee prooued except we change our written verities into their vnwritten vanities b Acts. 81 4. When the Apostles sent him with Iohn vnto Samaria they did not acknowledge his superioritie for he that sendeth is greater then hee that is sent and I thinke it Canonicall which Saint Paul saith c 2 Cor. 11. 5. That hee was not inferiour to the very chiefe Apostles which had not been religious humility but comparatiue audacitie and ambitious inhumanitie against so great a Superior as the preteÌ„ded Successors boast themselues to be Obiect And whereas Peter is said to be d Mark 3. 16. Math. 10. 2. first in the rehearsall of the names of the Apostles it is nothing material to the poynt of Superioritie in question Sol. for indeed hee was one of the first that was called to bee an Apostle and one of the forwardest professors amongst the Apostles yet his brother e Matt. 4. 18 19. Andrew had as ancient a calling as he though happily by birth his younger brother and named after him This fallacy concludes a non causa vt causa one of necessitie and by order must first be named and sometimes f Galat. 2. 9. Iames is named before Peter let not the Iesuites thinke we can so easily swallow downe this Equiuocation and make no difference of being first in order and number and first in dignitie and power because Peter was first in order and number it followeth not that hee was therefore first in power and authoritie Let vs now a little examine the tenure whereby they claime their vniuersall Popedome and power in and ouer the Church making themselues against g Luk.
22. 25 26 Gods forbid and h 1 Pet. 5. 2 3 Peters Lords ouer Gods heritage Obiect The maine pillar and foundation of their building is vpon Peter as Bishop of Rome and thereupon inconsequently enough conclude that they being Bishops of Rome and his Successors haue the same power and holinesse that Peter had Sol. Now if we deny the Antecedent that Peter was Bishop of Rome I feare it will hardly bee euer proued and the consequent thereupon followeth as absurdly as if the Scribes and Pharisies which sate in Moses chaire and were in an extrauagant manner of election and succession drawne into Aarons Order of of Priesthood yet they neither had the religious piety of Moses and Aaron nor kept the Ordinances of Gods Law vncorrupted i Deut. 4. 2. and 1. 2. 32. Ioshua 1. 7. Prou 30. 6. Apoc 22. 1-8 19 Galat. 3. 15. but declined both to the right hand in adding their owne Inuâ—â—tions Traditions and mis-interpretations and to the left hand in omitting what God required and in Simonaicall entrances into the High Priesthood by Heathenish authoritie and no approbation of God in which two poynts our Pseudo-Catholickes haue in as grosse if not more impious manâ—â—r faulted for they haue ouerflowed and drowned Peters ship and the whole Church with their new Inuentions and old Tradiâ—ions k Math. 5. 3. to 10. Mark 7. 4. to 14 casting aside the Comâ—aundements of God to inure and bring them into practise and to dispense with and disaâ—ull the Lawes and Ordinances of God forbidding Mariages which God hath allowed and allowing such which God hath forbidden But wee require of them to An Argument to prooue that Peter vvas no Bishop shew vs how Peter was or by any lawfull order could be Bishop of Rome or Antioch or any other Bishopricke for his Ordination by Christ to be an Apostle debarreth him to accept of any other inferiour calling Timothy and Titus which were Bishops respectiuely of Ephesus and Creta might not assume the Apostleship and inlarge their limits which Christ peculiarly gaue to all the Apostles l Matt. 28. 19 To goe in all the world neither would the Apostles straighten their power Ab orbe ad vrbem to giue ouer m 2 Cor. 11. 28 the care of all Churches which Paul had to tye themselues to one Citie or Prouince it is a Rule not to be transgressed that euery man abide in that Office whereunto he is called and though it may fall out that some by painfulnesse and proficiency may get a o 1 Tim. 3. 13. better degree of calling in the Church yet to descend to an inferiour degree from an higher calling is not allowed in any Church nor Rome it selfe except such Popes and Antipopes as haue been deposed for Heresies Schismes and odious misdemeanors and from the dignitie of Apostles which they arrogate fall to be Apostataes to derogate from Christes glory and their owne And this may be sufficient to prooue that Peter was no Bishop Arguments to proue that Peter vvas neuer Bishop of Rome But let vs admit that Peter was both an Apostle and a Bishop yet little can the Bishop of Rome deriue from him being an Apostle ouer the Iewes as is witnessed that with the consent Arg. 1 of themselues and the whole Church which appoynted their limits for order sake Did commit vnto p Gal. 2. 8 9. Acts 15. 25. Paul Barnabas the charge of preaching the Gospell to the vncircumcision or the Gentiles as to Peter was also committed the execution of his Apostleship ouer the Circumcision or the Iewes And when Peter would extend the Ministery of his Apostleship to the Iewes he wrote his Epistles vnto them q 1 Pet. 1. 1 2 Being dispersed as strangers throughout Pontus Galacia Cappadocia Asia and Bithinia but no where remembred his Patriarchall Seat at Rome Arg. 2 Secondly Saint Paul being so long in that Citie and making mention r Phil. 4. 21. Col. 47. to 15. Philem. 23 24. of many of his fellow-labourers commending them as his assistants in the worke of the Lord hath no note of any remembrance of Peter who if hee had beene in Rome would no doubt haue beene a principall assistant except hee had with Å¿ Tim 4. 10. 16. Demas forsaken him as hee had done his Lord and Master at Ierusalem which were wickednesse to surmise of him who there as they affirme lost his life with Paul vnder the Tyrant Nero the then Emperour of Rome Argu. 3 Thirdly they neede not to take any scorne to haue Paul rather than Peter their patron t Acts 9. 5. and 22 14. c. who was called to bee an Apostle by Christ glorified and who did especially appoint him to preach u Acts 19. 21. and witnesse of him at Rome Acts 23. 11. and who w 1 Cor. 15. 10. laboured more abundantly then they all for from Jerusalem to Illyricum x Rom. 15 19 he caused the Countries to abound with the Gospell of Christ he saw Christ after his resurrection y Acts 19. 11. 12. and did as many and great miracles as any of the Apostles Obiect But Peter is the man they stand vpon and to prooue his Bellar. de Rom. Pont. lib. 2. cap. 2 being at Rome they produce a note of Salutations sent z 1 Pet. 5. 13. from the Church which is at Babylon which they interpret and inforce to bee at Rome And we beleeue there were true Professors of the Christian faith both at Babylon in Assyria which Saint Peter remembreth to send salutations to the dispersed Iewes their brethren but also there was a Babylon in Egypt but no where doe wee reade that Rome Bellar. confesseth tâ—aâ— by the vvhore is meant Rome B. de Antichristo lib. 3 cap 13 is Babylon literally but my stically for it happily resembleth Babylon that kept Gods people in bondage a Apoc. 18. 2 3 4 5 6. and is the Scarlet or purple coloured whoâ—e which the Angel calleth vs to come away from making all Nations drunken with the cup of her fornications as sometime there was an Idole b 2 King 17. 30 called Succoth-Benoth the tabernacle of Daughters or habitation of Whores for euery Citie serued such an Idole as best pleased their fancies and this was become an habitation of Deuils the hold of euery foule spirit and a cage of euery vncleane and hatefull bird and God hath remembred her iniquities which made her selfe drunke with the blood of his Saints What aduantage hath Cardinall Bellarmine gained by his mysticall interpretation in this sense wee allow Rome to be Babylon the Pope the Scarlet Whore Idolatrie her Fornications and all Princes to haue drunke the dregs thereof and wee expect when shee shall drinke the Wine of Gods wrath for her abominations For conclusion it remaineth for our Antagonists to prooue First that Peter had from Christ a superioritie ouer his brethren and fellow Apostles
tense I will promiseth to giue that power vnto his Apostles there were many things reserued till after his ascention and the Disciples were appointed k Luke 24. 49 Acts 1. 4. to wait and attend at Ierusalem for the accomplishment of Gods promise in sending downe the holy l Iohn 14. 26 15. 26. 16. 7. Ghost after the ascention of the Sonne of God to enable and furnish them with meet gifts for the execution of that charge which hee had imposed vpon them It is also further to bee obserued Note 2 that it was Christs free gift I will giue saith he not sell hire out oâ— lend but as it is with God in all things m Math. 10. 8. freely to giue that those which receiue his gifts should not sell or reâ—ayle them as n 2 King 5. 20 26. Gehazi and o Act. 8. 18. 19 Simon Magus for gaine as is too too apparant the Peters pretended successours make great and abominable trafique in merchandizing the church keyes in pardoning and retaining sinnes for money excommunicating absoluing for their best aduantage but leauing them to sell what Christ freely gaue let vs proceed to the consideration of the second particular circumstance namely to whom these keyes were giuen I will giue to thee Quest Here a question may bee mooued whether the keyes were giuen to Peter alone or to him with the rest of the Apostles Sol. This doubt I haue already in part resolued hauing largelie prooued that as Christ propounded the question to them all in generall and as Peter made confession in the name of all so Christ made this promise in the name of all as is most liuely exemplified Matth. 18 verse 18. where it is euident that what he doth here promise vnto Peter he doth there make good vnto all the Church saying whatsoeuer you bind on earth shall bee bound â— heauen c. Wherupon Aretius Bonum hoc commune non personale quod hereditario iure ad certos pertineat The donation of the keyes and exercise of that spirituall power is not personally tied to one man but is a gift common to the whole Church as also Origen Chrysostome Cyril and many others affirme especiallie Augustine Qui Petrum ecclesia typum facit quae in Petro claues acceperit Whose opinion is that the power of the keyes was not a personall gift neither promised to Peter alone much lesse that these keyes should be tyed by an hereditary succession vnto one particular Sea or Seat as the Papists dreame but to omit these friuolous disputes seeing the Apostles receiue the keyes from Christ we may thence obserue Doct. That the authority of the Ministers calling is deriued from Christ as from the head and the Lord of the Prophets vnto his Apostles and Ministers Matth. 23. 34. Luke 11. 49. Ephes 4. 11. 1. Pet. 1. 11. Reuel 22. 6. Isaiah 6. 8. 9. Matth. 28. 19. Gal. 1. 10 11 12. Vse Vnto the Ministers of God it sufficeth for an exceeding consolation p 2 Cor. 5. 18 19 20. that they haue God the author of their calling whose Ambassadours they are and though the world neither regard them nor reward them yet they being found faithfull dispensers of Gods diuine mysteries shall expect their reward from him that put them in office and sent them who will one day say to euery faithfull Steward q Math. 25. 21 23. Come thou good and faithfull seruant enter thou into thy Masters ioy I doubt not but the Ambassadours of Princes which are messengers of peace finde such acceptance of those to whom they are sent of such a gratefull message that they are not sent away empty and vnrewarded of the common enemy for their message sake which is r Rom. 10. 1 5. Isai 52. 7. so ioyfull to heare of peace after a long and wearysome warfare but because their places require them oftentimes to denounce warre it is no maruâ—ile if their message bee vngratefully accepted and rewarded Yet is their reward with God their king that sent them whose subiects they are and must execute his designes whether they be good or euill vnto men and what indignity soeuer is done or offered vnto them their mightie King will shew himselfe a mightie reuenger thereof who in one sense and sentence hath said Å¿ Psal 105. 15 Touch not mine annoynted and doe my Prophets no harme for the iniury done vnto Dauids Embassadours when they came peaceably to the King of Ammon was reuenged as done vnto the king himselfe this is a principle which the Law of Nature all Nations allow and ought to maintaine If t 1 Kin. 13 4 6 Ieroboam dare stretch out his hand to strike Gods Prophet and Messenger God will smite him that hee shall not bee able to pull in his arme againe without the Prayer of the Prophet which was stretched out against the Prophet and persecuting Iezabel which u 1 Kings 19. 2 vowed to haue the Prophets head w 2 Kings 9. 33 37. was made dogs meat and cast out as a carion carkeise her selfe For such vengeance is Gods iudgement threatned and foretold aforehand by the Prophets and howsoeuer Iehu be Gods Executioner to performe it yet it is euer annexed that it came so to passe according to the word of the Lord which hee spake by the mouth of his Prophets And so much for the second branch wee come now to shew what was giuen which is here said to be The keyes of the kingdome of heauen The metaphor of Keyes which in part hath bin formerly handled is diuersly taken yea rested and drawen by constrained Interpretations to the aduantage of that cause which diuers haue diuersly fancyed to make for them and for the building of their Hierarchy euen an earthly Tabernacle which x Math. 17. 4 Peter sometimes would haue made rather then an heauenly kingdome which God himselfe hath appoynted to be y Mat. 6. 33. aboue all things sought for and established First they that by Keyes vnderstand Principalitie to be giuen to Peter aboue the rest and ouer the whole Church and would crowne him and his Successors with an Emperiall Diadem to exercise as well spirituall iurisdiction as to haue ciuill and temporall authoritie ouer Kings and Princes haue much mistaken the word Keyes which are not vsuall for Kings but Porters to carry and vsurpingly inlarged Christs commission z Luke 12. 13 14. who himselfe would neither be made a King nor intermeddle so much in secular affaires as to diuide Inheritances betwixt two brethren much lesse giue away kingdomes from the right heires and owners to strangers and bastards So the vsurper Satan from whom the Pope-kings or King-popes may more rightly claime that power doth falsely affirme that a Mat. 4. 9. Luke 4. 6 7. all the kingdomes of the world are his and giuen vnto him and he giueth them to whom he will which yet he will not giue nor promise to giue vnto
any but Idolaters which will fall downe and worship him whereas contrarily when Christ perceiued such an ambitious inclination in his Apostles of Lording ouer their brethren hee forthwith b Luke 22 24 to 30. forbad such affectation of Pope-like domination and sent them to climbe by humilitie and innocency at the lowest step of the ladder to exaltation that so they might attaine greatnesse aboue the rest when they had bin most seruiceable to the rest and then hee would appoynt them a Kingdome as his Father had appoynted him c Iohn 18 36. which was not of this world as himselfe clearely witnessed and expressed and howsoeuer the Pope liketh to haue the Keyes vnder his girdle yet hee liketh better of the two Swords that by them hee may â—eepe all men vnder his girdle and to speake the truth in the one as well as the other the Romish Church is driuen to a constrained construction of the words of our Sauiour Christ and turneth the Keyes which were spirituall into a temporal sword of Authoritie and the Swordes which were temporall into spirituall iurisdiction of his Ecclesiasticall Censures and Excommunications d Luke 22. 36 38 50. It is true that Peter did rashly attempt to draw and vse his temporall sword and was commanded to sheath it againe for such weapons his Master needed not which might haue more then twelue Legions of Angels to deliuer him and destroy his enemies if he had aymed at such defence of himselfe or offence of his enemies but the e Math. 26. 51 52 53 54. Scriptures could not so bee fulfilled for hee foretold of his Passion and that persecutions should so rage that a man should need to f Luk. 22. 36 38 sell his coat and buy a sword and when the Disciples by a mis-interpretation and in a carnall sense thought hee had meant a materiall weapon they told him they had two swords he replied that it was enough for that conflict Hence the Pope hath drawen out his two swords spirituall and temporall and vseth one of them as a fooles dagger which is often drawne out and in vpon slight occasions excommunicating and absoluing hourely for petty offences and the other is made like the tyrannicall Turkes Semiter which being once vnsheathed cannot bee put vp till it be made g Apoc. 17. 6 drunken with the blood of the Saints as our times haue seene and doe feele by lamentable experience two such swords as Christ spake of and the Apostle shewed forth are not enough for him nor all the swords of two Kingdomes Italy and Spaine But many Princes swords must rage against their owne bowels to vphold this their Romish Idole whose Image they haue adored as a God for pardoning their sinnes The h Iudg. 9. 8. noble Vine and Oliue would not leaue their goodnesse and sweetnesse to vsurpe a dominion ouer the Trees as this base i Verse 15. Bramble dare attempt but his reward shall be to perish with the Sword of Gods Word and to bee k Apoc 18. 6 serued with like plagues of blood and warre as he hath serued others And as for mis-interpretation of metaphoricall phrases as we see the Apostles before they were taught of Christ misconceiued his Parables vnderstood not what Leauen he spake of nor what Keies or Swords he meant yet now let vs looke into the Popes Library and heare his Interpretations Our Papistes they say are honest men and will bee tryed by themselues let vs therefore see what their Church Champion Bellarmine Bellar. de Rom. Pont. lib. 5. ca. 3. will maintaine for Catholike and Canonicall in this poynt his words be these Ex Scripturis nihil habemus nisi datas Pontifici Claues regni Caelorum de clauibuâ— regni terrarum nulla fit mentio Out of the Scriptures saith hee wee finde nothing giuen to the Pope but the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen but of the Keyes of the Kingdomes of the Earth there is no mention at all and so farre we need not care much to agree with them Secondly others interpret the Keyes to bee nothing else but Munus docendi Euangelium the Office of teaching the Gospell wherunto for our owne part we so consent that we thinke it yet falleth short of the full scope thereby intended for administration of Discipline as well as Doctrine in the Church of God which matter because it would require a more ample and exact discourse than is perhaps fitting for this place time and Auditory I will passe by also and referre them that are desirous of further resolution in that Argument to that which is purposely written of diuers concerning the same and the rather because I would not haue the sores of our Church fresh launced and ripped vp and therefore omitting these mis-interpretations which are peccant and vnsound either in defect or in excesse let vs come precisely to vnlocke the true meaning of the Keyes The Metaphor of Keyes is borrowed from that Instrument which we commonly vse in opening or safe locking vp of things appropriated to our owne priuate vse and commoditie and so the sense of the Keyes is diuersly taken in Scripture First the Keyes are taken for matters of trust and authoritie committed to some more worthy person of trust as a Steward to dispose of whatsoeuer is needfull in an household And so Ioseph had the Keyes of l Gen. 39. 4 Potiphar m Verse 22. the Gaoler and n Cap. 41. 40 41. Pharaohs house that is a power to order the affaires of the prisoners and family So it is in this sense vsed when the Lord threatned to depose Shebnah and to preferre Eliachim to be chiefe Steward in the house of Hezekiah Hee saith that he would o Isay 22 22 lay vpon his shoulder the Key of Dauid that he should open and no man should shut c. which in the precedent verse himselfe expoundeth saying vnto Shebnah I commit thy power into his hand which is vnderstood by the Key of Dauid Secondly it is likewise sayd That p Apoc. 1. 18. Christ hath the Keyes of Hell and Death that is a power as a Iudge to condemne and punish delinquents against his Lawe temporally and eternally Thirdly Satan as a tormentor and executioner vnder Christ to execute his Iudgements vpon the damned is sayd to haue q Apoc. 9. 1. and 20. 1. the keyes of the bottomlesse pit that is power and authoritie to execute Gods Iudgements vpon the reprobates as Aretius interpreteth it Dispensator hic est poenarum diuinitas ordinatarum a dispenser saith hee of the Iudgements ordained from heauen by God and thereunto Brightman accordeth ioyning the Pope with the Deuill as an Executioner of Gods Iudgements vpon them which haue fallen from the truth and stedfastnesse of their faith vnto lyes and delusions and these Keyes Antichrist may well place in his Armes to denotate his power ouer Apostatates and back-sliders from the truth and ancient faith of the
vnto Ieremie k Iâ—re 11. 21. 18. 1â— 44. 16 17. The word which thou hast spoken to vs in the name of the Lord we will not heare it of thee but wee will doe whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne Incense to the Queene of heauen c. And yet these desperate Rebells against God in maintaining their Idolatries were neuer so impudent as the Papists to blot out the second Commaundement of the morall Law of God for that it left them without all excuse and could not be auoided by any glossographical Interpretations Rome had some soundnesse of Religion in the dayes of the Christian Emperours till the Imperiall Popes confounded all things Constantine the Great caused the Bible to be written out and sent it to all Kingdomes Prouinces and Cities within his Dominions as the great Apostata Iulian from whom the Papistes haue drawen this ther paradox obiected it as a great fault that their women were so expert in holy Scriptures Vse 3 Euery man or woman that hath a Legacy bequeathed vnto them in Gods Will and Testament will and ought to be carefull to reade in that Booke and to inquire out what portion it is that the Lord hath bequeathed vnto them and it is our chiefe happinesse that wee haue a written Will of God and that therefore wee goe not about to suppresse it and introduce a nuncupatiue will of vnwritten Traditions as the false Catholickes endeuour to doe who by their owne Traditions striue to make the Commaundement of God of none effect It was a great blessing which the Lord promised by the Prophet l Isai 55. 1 2. 3. That they should drinke of these pure waters freely and plentifully as also it was the threatening of a grieuous curse m Amos 8. 11 12. That hee would send a famine not of bread but of his Word and how heauie hath the wrath of God appeared in powring these forewarned Iudgments vpon the famous Churches of Asia and Greece n Apoc. 2. 5. in remoouing the Candlesticke of his Word and suffering a barbarous Mahometan Tyrant to trample them vnder his filthy feet and so the Church of o Ierem. 7. 4. Rom. 11. 21. the Iewes as well as of the Gentiles hath lost her light p 1 Cor. 10. 12. And let vs that thinke wee stand take heed lest we fall There are two remarkeable sinnes mentioned in sacred Writ which are noted to bee euer the forerunners of the forementioned iudgement namely First the barrennesse and emptinesse of good workes Secondly contempt of Gods Word and Ministers Concerning the first it is notably expressed of old as well in the parable of Isaiah as of Christ himselfe q Isai 5. 2 to 6. serem 2. 21. Mark 12. 2. to 10. Math. 21 33. to 42. Luke 20 9. to 17. of the Vineyard let out to Husbandmen which not rendring the due rent and fruits to the Lord and Owner were threatned as in short time after it came to passe both in the old Church and Temple in Jerusalem destroyed by the Assyrians and Chaldeans as lastly by the Romanes for the Lord of the vineyard the God of Israel had planted fenced and dressed it with all diligence and sent Messengers to require the fruites but it brought foorth either no fruite or naughtie fruite no wine but wilde grapes and therefore was worthily r Math. 21. 19 20. cursed for both barrennesse and badnesse Secondly the wickednesse of the Iewes was yet worse and more resembled our Romish Vineyard in killing Gods Messengers which were sent vnto them and will not haue Christ but Antichrist to raigne ouer them And this we may obserue by the way that as Christ would honour the Ministery of the Apostles by committing these Keyes of knowledge and authoritie vnto them so the Antichristian rabble contrarily cast all contempt as well on the Gospel it selfe debarring Gods people of that Key of knowledge as also persecuting the Preachers of the Gospell with all contempt And this is the occasion that Almighty God often taketh away the other Key vse of the Word for the contempt thereof and as Å¿ 1 Sam. 3. 1. Visions and diuine Reuelations were rare and the Word of God precious because it was rare in the dayes of Eli so t Numb 11. 6 men loathed Manna when it was plentifull as wee doe the Gospell complaining that wee haue too much of our Fathers blessing as if the honour of the Ministery consisted in putting downe the exercise of it for which cause the Lord threatned by the Prophet Amos u Amos 8. 11 to send a famine of his Word and this is to vs a good and necessary caueat now in the time of our plentifull haruest when the Lord hath sent such store of Labourers into his Vineyard that we bee not like the Papists who keepe no mediocritie in the due estimation of their Ministers as the Apostle w 1 Cor. 4. 1 2 requireth but either they aduaunce them too high and make them Lords ouer their faith or else cast all contempt vpon them if they preuaricate neuer so little their Traditions x Math. 15. 6. which they extoll and preferre before the precepts of the Gospell and Commaundements of God And so much may suffice to bee declared concerning the Donation of the Keyes the Application of them followeth in the last part of the verse And whatsoeuer thou shalt binde vpon earth shall bee bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose in earth shall be loosed in heauen Doct. Obserue the admirable Sympathy and the Cooperation of God with the Ministers Office man preacheth and God blesseth and establisheth his Doctrine whether hee preach Iudgement or Mercie Now for the more euident demonstration of this truth wee affirme y Ezek. 33. 7 8 9 c. that if the Minister of God see and perceiue a peruerse and obstinate sinner to walke and goe on in his wicked waies and thereupon denounceth against him Gods iust Iudgements out of his holy Word if hee yet persist impenitent the Minister may lawfully pronounce condemnation against him and he thereby so bindeth him that God in heauen ratifieth the curse which is contained and pronounced out of his Word but if such a sinner shalâ— feare and tremble and hearken vnto the Word of God and repenting himselfe confesse his sinnes to God and make it also so appeare vnto Gods Minister he may then from God pronounce vnto him remission and absolution of his sinnes which are most surely forgiuen of God in heauen and the Minister is said z Iam. 5. 19 20 to haue saued his soule which went astray though his saluation be of God alone Thus the Prophet a 2 Sam. 12. 5 11. Nathan brought Dauid to confesse himselfe the childe of death hauing continued aboue two yeares in his sinne vnrepented of but as soone as hee had drawne him to the knowledge and acknowledgement of his offence