believe they were I must affirme that this Doctrine is so farre from being owned by any of them for many Centuries that we have upon Record many pregnant Instances which doe evince that they did not so much as Dreame of it To draw up which I shall select onely two or three famous Cases which Bellarmine is pleased to take no Notice of 1. Euseb l b. 5. c. 23 24 25. The first Instance shall be from that doughty dispute which was raised about the yeare 160. concerning the day when Easter was to be kept the Churches of Asia kept Easter-day precisely upon the 14th of March at which time the Jewes did solemnize their Passeover but the Westerne Churches after many meetings to settle this weighty Controversie did agree that the day of our Saviours Resurrection should be celebrated onely upon the Lords Day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Asian Bishops notwithstanding this Decree did persist in their former custome in which they were defended by Polycrates who alleaged that Philip the Evangelist John the Apostle and many others did transmit that Traditionall Observance to them Upon this Victor the Bishop of Rome in great heat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat lib. 6. saith my Author did take upon him to excommunicate all the Churches of Asia but being sharply writ against for it and stâ—ffely opposed in it he was forced to revoke his sentence Which story might afford us very many Observations as 1. That Superstition and Needlesse Observation of Dayes 2. That Imposition and Abridging of Christian Liberty in things Indifferent 3. That the Bishop of Rome's Usurpation and exceeding the Bounds of his proper Jurisdiction did begin to worke very early But I wave these and onely note that had the Churches of Afia then thought the Bishop of Rome to be Infallible they would not so peremptorily in so small a thing as the Retaining of an Old Custome have refused to submit unto his Judgment 2. My second Instance shall be from that Controversie which for many yeares was very eagerly managed viz. Whether such as had received Baptisme from Heretickes upon their Returne to the Church Cyprian Epis 92. Edit Fam. should be Baptized again or not Cyprian and all the African Bishops maintained the Necessiry of Re-baptizing and in their Letter to Stephen the Bishop of Rome after they had at large given the Reasons of their Opinion they conclude So much Dearest Brother have we enformed you of not doubting because of the Truth of your Religion but such things will please you which are both Religious and True But yet we know that some are very unwilling to lay down any Opinion which they have once tooke up but preserving that mutuall agreement which ought to be amongst Brethren they retain the Customes which they have once been used to In which matter we neither Force nor give a Law to any since in the ordering of the Church Prapositus every Governour hath absolute power of his own will as being to give unto God alone a Reason of his Actings From which passage written by Cyprian and all the Bishops of Africh who mer together in a Councell for that purpose it sufficiently appeares 1. That they did not understand any thing of the Bishop of Rome's Infallibility since they profess to retain their own Judgement without subscribing to his 2. That in the outward Regimen and Government of the Church every Bishop hath equall Power and ought not Authoritatively to prescribe and impose Laws upon another Ibid. Ep. 73. As the same Cyprian in another Letter These things saith he according to my weak Ability have I writ not Imposing upon or Pre-judging any as if it was not lawfull for every Bishop to do as he thinks fit since he hath free Power of his own Will And afterwards when Stephen had declared his Judgement that he would have none baptized again whatever Herefie they came from but that the ancient Custome should be preserved whereby such Converts were admitted into Church Communion meerly by laying on of Hands Ibid. Ep. 74. Inter catera vel superba vel ad rem non pertinentia vel sibi ipsi contraria quae improvidè atque imperitè scripsit Cyprian in stead of yeelding to his Determination doth taxe his Letter of Pride Folly and Impertinence and in Answer to those words of his wherein Stephen commanded that nothing should be varied from the accustomed Tradition Whence saith he was that Tradition Did it descend from the Authority of our Lord and his Gospel Did it come from the Commands and Epistles of the Apostles For God testifies in his Commands both to Joshua and others that those things only should be done which were written And our Lord Christ when he sent his Apostles into the World commands them to Baptize and to Teach all Nations that they might observe and do all things which he had Commanded If therefore any such Custome meaning that of Stephen's be contained either in the Gospels or in the Epistles and Acts of the Apostles then let sach an Holy and Divine Tradition be observed But what Obstinacy what Presumption is it to prefer Humane Tradition before a Divine Appointment What Folly is it not to consider that God is angry as often as Humane Tradition doth lessen and discountenance Divine Precepts as he testifies by the Prophet Isay And our Saviour likewise in his Gospel rebuking and chiding the Pharisees Ye reject the Commands of God that ye may keep your own Tradition Of which words the Apostle Paul being mindfull he likewise adviseth and instructeth us saying If any man teach otherwise and reste not in the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and in his Doctrine he is puffed up knowing nothing from such turn aside Neither ought Custome which hath privily crept in amongst some to hinder Truth from prevailing For Custome without Truth Consuetudo sine veritate vetustas Erroris est is nothing else but the Antiquity of Errour And it ariseth only from Pride and Presumption that one is apt to defend his own Practices how False and erroneous soever rather than consent to that which is True and Right in another For which reason the Apostle Paul writing to Timothy Docibilem Gr. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adviseth a Bishop not to be Contentious but Meek and Apt to Teach But he is Apt to Teach who is Gentle and endued with Patience to Learn for a Bishop ought not only to Teach but to Learn since he Teacheth best who continually grows and profits by Learning Which the Apostle Paul likewise declares when he admonisheth That if any thing be revealed to another which sits by the First should hold his Peace Religious and sincere Minds are alwayes prepared to lay aside Errour and to search for Truth for if we return unto the Head and Originall of Divine Tradition Hamane Errour ceaseth and when the Reason of the Heavenly Appointments is once throughly discerned whatever
not answered your Lordships expectation as to the exactnesse of my stile and strict manner of my Reasoning I shall not wonder since no Industry of mine can be sufficient to satisfie your Lordships accurate and unequalled ability in Judging But if I have showed my diligence and left no Argument unanswered how plainly and inelegantly soever I hope then your Lordship will let my willingnesse to obey compound for the failings in my Obedience since if the Enemy be killed it is all one as to the truth of the Victory whether it was done by a Rough Stone or by a Polished Sword nor was David's conquest the lesse esteemed because he vanquished Goliah onely with a sling And now My Lord before I conclude I should crave leave to tell the world how Good as well as how Great you are I should borrow so much Language from Common Fame and the Generall Voice as to declare that for Wisdome to Direct for Eloquence to Expresse for Diligence to Execute very few equall and none exceed your Lordship But since what is truth in it self and would be Justice in others in me because of my Relation may be esteemed flattery I shall turne my Praises of into Prayers for you that your Lordship may be alwayes fixed upon the Rocke of Ages and in all your walkings acknowledg that God who onely is Infallible That Christianity may ever steere your actions and all your other Politicall and Morall excellencies may still vail and doe Homage unto a knowing Piety that with your truly Religious and Excellent Lady together with your most Hopefull and Virtuous Children you may be long preserved a Good and Great Example is and shall be the constant Prayer of My Lord Your Lordships most Obliged and most Obedient Servant and Chaplain Edward Bagshawe Drury-Lane April 19th 1662. The Preface THere are none who allow themselves any liberty of Enquiry so little skilled in the Controversies and Disputes between the Papists and Us but must needs perceive that when they are driven out of all the Subterfuges and little Policies which they call Distinctions by which they labour to defend their Errours then their last resort is to the Infallibility of their Church which as they handle it is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Plaister large and broad enough though not to cure yet to palliate and hide their noisome and diseased Doctrines And therefore unless we can take from them this Refuge also it will be to as little purpose to combate their other Tenets how false and erroneous soever as it was for Hercules in the Fable to wrestle with Anteus who as often as be was thrown down upon his Mother the Earth rose up again with new and redoubled vigour So till we are able by plain force of Argument to convince the Papists of their folly in believing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their Mother the Churches Infallibility no industry can be so quick in cutting off and destroying their Errours as that pregnant and fruitfull womb will be in conceiving and bringing them forth again As they tell us that young Vipers when they are assaulted run into their Mothers mouth and from thence seek shelter in the poisonous womb that bare them so all those Prodigies rather than Opinions of Transubstantiation Supererogation Image-Adoration and the like when they are pursued home and pressed beyond the strength and support of their own proper Principles then to defend themselves they take Sanctuary in Infallibility and under the protection of that they lye though not concealed from the eye yet safe from the edge of their opposers For to instance in the vast use of it what if all the senses we have and the Apostle too do assure us that the Bread in the Lords Supper even after Consecration remains true and reall Bread still yet if that Church whose judgement is supposed to be Infallible tells us there is no such matter but that under that Form whatever we think there is contained our Lord Christ both in his Divine and Humane Nature we must then in spite of all contradiction either believe her or else vindicate our selves from so unreasonable and so absurd an opinion by disproving her Infallibility Leaving therefore other parts of the Romish Religion which are either bold additions to the Word of God or else so gross falsifications of it that they deserve not a particular confutation I have here endeavoured to set upon that Man of sin where his strength lyes since by our Saviours example to break the Serpents head is not only the most ready way to dispatch him but the most safe way too to prevent any infection by his venome In prosecution of this Design that I might not out of too much eagerness and heat mistake my Adversary I took this Method 1. I laboured fully to inform my self of the Church of Romes Doctrine especially in those points wherein we as Protestants do differ from them And this I did not by studying the Collections of others or by adhering to some one Author of their Party whose Writings they are not bound universally to own but by diligent perusing the Canons of their most magnified Councels particularly that of Trent which I read only in such Editions as are approved and attested by themselves 2. Since the Popes Infallibility how tamely soever our Modern Papists swallow it was anciently a great Dispute amongst them and in the Schools among their learned men is not yet decided some attributing it to the Pope which seems to have been the judgement of the Junto at Trent others preferring a Councell of which opinion were the two Councels of Basil and Constance as appears in their Decrees yet extant Hereupon I carefully perused Cardinall Bellarmine upon this Subject who is the Popes Principall and most avowed I will adde and most learned Champion And because I think he hath spoke fully the sense of the Court of Rome and left nothing unsaid which might justifie his Cause I made it my business in the following Treatise to answer his Arguments 3. Though they inferre it from different Principles yet since both Papists and Protestants do agree in this Conclusion that the Scripture is the undoubted Word of God I have from that Armory fetched all my weapons by which I fight against this Monster of Infallibility for since Bellarmines best plea for it is from some few Texts by him miserably wrested and mistaken I thought it my duty to take this sword of the Spirit out of that Gollans hand and not only sonite off his head with it but likewise use it my self thronghout my whole Discourse For though the Papists are so bold as to deny the Scriptures to be a Sufficient Rule yet for so much as there is of them they dare not deny them to be Infallible and therefore Lastly Whatever Testimonies I might have alleadged either in behalf of the Scriptures Sufficiency and Divine Autherity or against the perpetuall Infallibility of any man or number of men
which all this Babel is built that our Saviour did confer any Preeminence of Power and Authority upon Peter above the rest of the Apostles because 1. These words Upon this Rock will I build my Church cannot without blasphemy be affirmed of the Person of Peter who himself was built upon the Rock Christ and was not the Foundation but only a Workman at the Building Indeed in the Figurative Description of New Jerusalem Rev. 21.14 which John makes in his Vision he compares it to a City which had twelve Foundations upon which were written the Names of the twelve Apostles Rev. 21. So that if the Papists will needs call Peter a Foundation I hope they will take in the rest of the Apostles to be sharers with him in that Title But since the whole Description in John City and all is only Figurative and Metaphoricall the Foundation there mentioned must be like the City i. e. so called not in a Reall but only Metaphoricall Acception For to speak properly as Paul doth No other Foundation can any man lay 1 Cor. 3.11 than what is already laid and that is Eph. 2. that Jesus is the Christ And therefore when we are said to be built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles the meaning is not that we are built upon their Persons but upon their Doctrine the summe of which is contained in Peter's confession upon which Rock our Saviour hath so built his Church that the Gates or Powers of Hell however they may rage and strive to ruine it yet they shall never be able finally to prevail against it but Christ will have a Church in some place or other unto the end of the world 2. If Peter was the Rock so as all Christians even the Apostles themselves were to depend upon his guidance what a wretched and tottering condition would the Church have been in when this Rock so soon after was shaken and almost removed out of his place For within some few minutes he is rebuked by our Saviour in no milder language than this Get thee behind me Satan The Story of his denying and that with Oaths his Master is too notorious to be palliated and too sad to be insisted on Even after our Saviours Resurrection when they pretend this promise of Infallibility was inseparably annexed to him Act. 10. we find him unresolved in that part of his Commission which concerned his preaching the Gospel unto the Gentiles and therefore had the assistance of a particular Visiton more fully to inform him of it and afterwards at Antioch we read that he was of so inconstant and unequall a carriage in that great point of Christian Liberty complying herein more than he ought Gal. 2. with the Jewish rigour and austerity that Paul was forced openly to reprove him for it and so prevent the contagion of his ill example So that if he who in the Court of Rome's stile is called Prince of the Apostles in matters of so great moment was thus subject to Errour and Fallibility I wonder with what face the Pope upon the account of being Peter's Suceessour can plead any exemption 3. These words I will give unto thee the Keyes of the Kingdome of Heaven do not denote any peculiar power that Peter had over the rest of the Apostles for then how came it to pass afterwards that there were so many and so fierce contentions amongst them Who should be greatest Which our Saviour at two severall times silences not by commanding them to obey Peter as their Chief but by utter prohibiting any desire of Soveraignty If they answer us as Bellarmine doth that the Apostles did not clearly understand that Peter was to be Supream Head till after our Saviour's Resurrection which by the way is nothing else but a bold playing with sacred Scripture Then I demand farther when there was a new Apostle to be chosen into the room of Judas why did not Peter by his sole Authority Act. 1. design him or at least when the multitude of Disciples for so we read that all of them were concerned in the choice had appointed two why did they not present them both unto Peter that he might choose one rather than suffer the matter to be decided by Lot sure had Peter had any paramount and extraordinary Power and withall a peculiar infallible spirit he could not have better exerted it than in that emergency For the Head of the Church in so concerning a business first to permit all the multitude to have a voice in choosing an Apostle for if our modern Arguments are good he might justly fear that they being for the greatest part unlearned would choose one like themselves and so prejudice the reputation of Apostolicall Authority and afterwards to leave the matter unto the uncertain casualty of a Lot whereas the choice seemed properly to belong to Peter's Jurisdiction this argues either that his Power or his care of the Church was very little of which last I hope the Papists do not doubt and therefore must needs deny the former For what is it else but to tempt God to have recourse unto casting of Lots when a way of choice more prudent and Infallible by referring the business to Peter's single Decision was opened for them But it seemes the Apostles understood nothing of Peter's Supremacy either then or afterwards when they went to choose Deacons which by all the Apostles Peter not being so much as particularly mentioned was committed to the Mulitude and after the choice Imposition of hands was performed not by Peter alone but as the Text expressely saies by all the Apostles Will they tell us that this was a thing below him Act. 6. and that it did not become Peter's Authority to interesse himself in a matter of so petty concernment This plea is taken from them because we read that the Twelve and among them sure Peter was one did not think it below them and besides it will appeare a strange kind of conceated and uselesse Authority which they ascribe to Peter which in maters neither of the greatest such as was the choice of an Apostle nor of the least moment such as was the choice of a Deacon would ever so particularly exert it self that we might once take notice of his Prerogative But what kind of Equality Peter stood in to the rest of the Apostles he shewed Act. 8. in submitting to be sent with John unto Samaria to finish that worke of the Gospell which Philip had begun there for sure our Saviours Argument is Infallible Joh 15. that He who is sent is not greater then he who sends him And it would have been a strange boldnesse I believe the Pope would call it by a worse name in his Cardinalls should the Apostles have thus presumed to send their Prince had he indeed been so constituted over them Yet further when there was a Question started about the use of Jewish Ceremonies and a Synod convened about
it Act. 15. why did not Peter then Preside as chiefe Why did he suffer the businesse to be disputed after he had declared his own Judgment Why doth James who spoke after him give him no more Honourable stile then plaine Simeon and seemes himself in saying My sentence is to give the whole solution of the Query as also the Forme of the Future Decree without taking any notice of Peter's decision Whence comes it that after a strict Debate the result was in the Councell It pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church and the superscription of the Letter runs The Apostles and Elders and Brethren and the decree It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and to us without any mention of Peter at all whose Supremacy and Infallibility ought not to have been thus silently passed over that the Churches afterwards might know whether to to have recourse for satisfaction of their scruples How comes it to passe that we hear no Newes of Peter after but the story is continued wholy about Paul as if the Primacy had been transferred to him sure the Holy Penman who mentions so many of Paul's travells that were of farre lesse moment would not have omitted Peter's Journey to Rome his sitting Bishop there for eighteen yeares and fixing the Succession and Infallibility to boot upon that See had he understood any thing of it Afterwards when Paul meets Peter at Antioch Gal. 2. Why did he not vaile to him but Irreverently stand upon his Termes and Openly reprove him Lastly For Instances are infinite in this kind why doth that blessed Apostle Peter himself 1 Pet. 5. disclaime any such kind of Jurisdiction stiling himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Fellow-Elder and utterly forbiding any pretentions of Lordship and Soveraignty even over the Flocks they fed much more over their Fellow Ministers Certainly none of these things can consist with that grant which Bellarmine fondly supposeth was here made to Peter and therefore we may justly conclude that the words have another Interpretation which is plainly this Our Saviour asking his Disciples what men thought of him and whom they took him to be after he had heard the various opinions of others he continues to aske them theirs whereupon Peter in the name of the rest replies thou art the Christ the Son of God which being the Article that then was oppugned our Saviour pronounces him Blessed for it not as if other Believers were not equally blessed and did not obtain this Faith by Revelation too for so the Apostle Paul saith expressely 1 Cor. 12. that none can call Jesus Lord i. e. Christ but by the Holy Spirit but those words are spoken exclusively as to any outward meanes whereby he might attain that knowledge For that no lesse power than the Imediate action of the Spirit of God can make a man to Believe on Christ is not onely evident from the nature of the thing which exceeds all created ability but likewise from those perpetuall contradictions and doubtings which Beleivers themselves have before the Spirit of God hath explained and solved them The promise therefore which our Saviour makes to Peter of giving him the Keyes c. concerned all the Apostles since they were Believers and Disciples as well as he and so our Saviour enlarges it after his Resurrection in that generall Commission Whose sins soever you retain they are retained i. e. By your Preaching whom you doe declare to be under the power of sin if they Repent not and Believe the Gospell their sins are retained i. e. Bound and tied fast to them for God will never pardon such but others that embrace the Gospell are remitted i. e. loosed and absolved So that the result of all is this From this place cannot be inferred either 1. That Peter is that Rocke upon which Christ will build his Church but rather Christ himself confessed by Peter Or 2. That Peter here had any Preeminence of Power Authority and Infallibility above the rest of the Apostles he receiving this Promise onely as a Prolocutor of the Apostles in whose names he spoke and they being afterwards joyned all equally in the same Commission Much lesse can it be deduced 3. That the Pope who is not once mentioned was Peter's Sucessour or hath the least pretension to claime any thing from him unlesse it be his Errors and Fallibility 2. The second place of Scripture which is brought for the Patronage of Peters first and then of the Popes Infallibility is that which if they had searched the whole Scripture they could not have found one that doth more directly make against it The place is Luc. 22.31 32. Simon Simon behold Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you as Wheat But I have prayed for thee that thy Faith faile not and when thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren Here though by a most miserable instance we find how fraile and fallible Peter was yet Bellarmine draws from hence two priviledges that were conferred upon Peter 1. That Peter might never fall from the Faith how much soever he was tempted of the Divell 2. That none of his Successors should ever teach any thing contrary to the truth The First of these I grant and acknowledge that it was by virtue of this Prayer of our Saviours that Peter recovered his station again after so great a shaking but withall I adde that this was no peculiar Priviledge to Peter but in common to all the rest as is more cleare in Joh. 17. v. 9. and the Reason why Peter was particularly spoken to was because our Saviour foresaw he should more foully miscarry and therefore stood in need of this Cordiall to relieve him But the second is so little to be gathered from the Text viz that the Pope as Peter's Successor should never teach false Doctrine that it would be an extream vanity in me to go about to confute it Onely one fetch of Bellarmines is not to be omitted when we object that if this place be to be understood of Peter's Successors then it must presuppose that all the Popes who will needs intrude into that Title must first deny Christ and after that be converted before they can strengthen their Brethren or be confirmed in the Faith themselves To this Bellarmine replies that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not signifie Peters being turned from sin but his turning himself to the weak Brethren to discourse with them which is a piece of so merry Sophistry that it only serves to show the wretched boldnesse of Partiall and self-designing men when they make use of Scripture to shore up and to underprop their ill got greatnesse the plainest places then shall not escape their perverse and irregular fancies as this wherein there is a gracious Promise made of Peters Recovery and Conversion is made to signifie just nothing but the Impiety of those men who dare thus abuse it 3. The Third and last place which is urged in this Controverfie and
most insisted on though to as little or if possible lesse purpose than either of the former is Joh. 21.15 17. Where our Saviour repeats no lesse then three times Peter feed my Lambes and feed my sheepe Bellarmines Comment upon these words is very admirable 1. By Feed which in the Scripture dialect signifies only to Teach and compassionatly to care for he understands to Rule and Governe as Prince because the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is sometimes so rendered 2. By Lambes and Sheepe he sayes are understood Christians of all sorts and sizes Lambes signifying the weak in Faith and Sheep the Apostles and Teachers which are to other Christians as Sheep are to their Lambes i. e. the bringers of them forth in the Faith of Christ over whom Peter is here constituted Universall Bishop and none who belong to Christ as one of his sheep but must by virtue of this Commission be obedient unto Peters Rule and Direction Had Bellarmine stopped here and streined this Scripture no farther he might have had some commendation for his Wit though very little for his Honesty but when he goes on and Infers 3. That whatever here is granted to Peter was entended likewise for his Successour and 4. That the Bishop af Rome did succeed him I cannot but observe how ill an Interpreter of Scripture Prejudice and Prepossession is for who that reads this place without looking upon it through the Spectacles of the Popes Infallibility can make any other sense of it than this that Peter having denyed our Saviour thrice is here thrice minded of his Duty to humble him under the sense of his former miscarriage and to direct him that he could not better demonstrate his Love to Christ then by showing a care over his little ones which our Saviour had before enjoyned him when he said Thou being converted confirme thy Brethren which is all one with what is here commanded him Feed my Lambs and Sheep i. e. Teach Instruct Reprove exhort them and therein performe all the Acts of a Faithfull Minister as Paul to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus bids them to Feed the Church of God Act. 20.28 and Peter to the Elders of the Believing Jewes in that very place where he forbids them all manner of Soveraignty and Coercive Jurisdiction commands them to Feed the Flock of God which was among them 1 Pet. 5..2 And what the word Feed signifies God himself hath already explained when he promises by his Prophet that he would give unto his People Pastours according to his own heart who should Feed his people Jer. 3.13 with knowledge and with understanding So that the word cannot be rendred to Rule and Governe with Force and Authority and making all men submit unto his Infallible Dictates for this is that which God condemnes in the Shepheards of Israel who ruled over them with severity Ezek. 33.4 and with Rigour and Cruelty but with all gentlenesse and condescension to accommodate themselves unto the weak and infirme state of their Flockes 〈◊〉 40.11 as God describes himself He shall Feed his Flocke like a Shepheard he shall gather the Lambes with his Arme and shall gently lead those that are with Young Ezek. 34.15.16 And again I will Feed my Flock and cause them to lye down I will seek that which was lost and bring again that which was driven away and will bind up that which was broken and will strengthen that which was sicke This is the part of a good Shepheard and this is the summe of what here is enjoyned Peter After this plain and clear vindication of these Scriptures had I a mind to make my self and my Reader sport I could not find a better Subject than by enlarging and descanting upon those excellent Arguments that Bellarmine alleadges to prove 1. That Peter was Bishop of Rome and 2. That the Pope did succeed him not only into that Bishoprick but likewise into all his other more than Apostolicall Priviledges The first he proves from the dignity of that See which sayes he could no otherwise arise but because Peter was Primate there but who doth not see that the dignity of it might easily arise from other causes as particularly from this because it was the chief seat of the Roman Empire which is the Reason assigned why the Bishop of Constantinaple was to have the second place Concil Constantinop Can. 5. because he was Bishop of New-Rome 2. He proves it because Peter died and was buried there as saith he is apparent from his Sepulchre yet to be seen As if it was not as easie for the Popes to make specious Tombs for men who never died in Rome as to Canonize and make prayers to Saints who it is to be feared have no place in Heaven His Reasons to defend the Pope's succession unto Peter are of the same nature as 1. Because Peter ought to have a Successour there being saith he as much reason for an Universall Bishop now as then Which I easily grant and return it thus But there was no Reason for an Universall Bishop then for then sure the holy men whose business it was to write all things absolutely necessary unto faith and godliness would not have omitted a matter so very important unto the peace and unity of Christians and therefore we may safely conclude there was no such Universall Bishop but admitting it were so how will it appear that the Bishop of Rome more than any other Bishop was to be his Successour Yes saith Bellarmine 2. None ever did yet pretend to be Peter 's Successour but only the Bishop of Rome and therefore undoubtedly he was the man Which is all one as if an Usurper who had gained a Crown by force and destroyed all the lawfull Heirs should say none doth now pretend to the Crown but my self and therefore undoubtedly I have a true Title I believe this is the first case wherein a confident and peremptory claim was ever thought to give a rightfull possession But I will no longer fight with a shadow or pursue an Enemy who hath a Bog for his retreat for so I account all Arguments taken from unwritten Tradition which is Bellarmine's last refuge for what can be more unreasonable than to alleadge old Stories which serve only to the advantage of the teller and therefore may justly be suspected to be forged by him and to use them as Motives to perswade us unto the belief of that which in Reason is ridiculous and in Scripture the most authentick and allowed Tradition is not so much as once mentioned The summe thereof of what I have to say is this 1. It doth not appear in any of the fore-mentioned places that Peter had any peculiar Priviledge of Infallibility or Authority granted to him above the rest of the Apostles 2. It doth much less appear that ever he was at Rome or sate as Bishop there 3. Upon supposition that the two first could be as clearly proved as
it is clear they cannot yet that any of Peter's personall Priviledges should be communicated to another who will needs usurp his Name and stile himself his Successour can as little be maintained as that his power of Miracles his gift of Tongues c. should be continued which the Pope as yet doth not pretend to I conclude therefore that Bellarmine's first Plea from Scripture is so far from Demonstration that it is scarce tolerable Sophistry and so much in Answer to his first Argument Secondly Arg. 2 The second Argument in defence of the Popes Infallibility Bellar. de sâ—â—mo Pontif. l. 4 1 is taken from the Analogy and Resemblance that ought to be between the Jewish and the Christian Church For in the Jewish Church saith Bella mine there was an High Priest which was Infallible unto whom they were commanded to have recourse in all difficult Causes and to abide by his Determination as appears Deut. 17.8 14. And therefore in the Christian Church there being the same if not greater necessity because of the extent of it it follows that there must likewise be some visible Infallible Judge for the ending of Controversies which will daily arise among Christians and this can be no other than the Bishop of Rome To this Argument from Analogy I answer 1. That the similitude and resemblance between the Jewish and the Christian Church doth not consist in having the same outward Oeconomy and Forms of Administration as in a visible High-Priest with other Rites and Ordinances answerable to such a Visibility but in the spirituall and inward performance of what heretofore was materially and outwardly represented He 's 9.10 So that the Jewish Sacrifices did not import that they should alwayes be continued but as the Apostle tells us they were to last only untill that great Sacrifice was offered of which all the others were only faint and weak Preludiums The like is declared concerning their meats and drinks their washings and bodily purifications Heb. 7.18 with other carnall and on side Ordinances which were only imposed untill the time of Reformation and after that were not that we read of to be continued with new names and under another form but utterly to be abolished Heb. 7.18 because of their weakness and unprofitableness The like the Apostle observes concerning the High Priest into whose room our Saviour succeeded who is called a Priest for ever after another order than that of Aaron even after the order of Melchisedeck who can supply all defects of his Church without appointing a visible Head in his place by his own immediate Energy since he lives for ever Heb. 7.25 to make intercession for them So that if any upon earth now will pretend to bear the same place in the Christian Church that Aaron did in the Jewish he must be able to shew the same divine warrant for as the Apostle observes Heb. 5.4 5. No man takes this honour to himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron so also Christ did not glorify himself to be an High Prist but he that said to him thou art my Son this day I have begotten thee Let then the Pope of Rome but deale above-board and show us some such plaine place of Scripture which doth Authorize his plea and then let them be Anathema that will not submit unto his Dictates but since this is not so much as once offered we cannot be faithfull to the Honour and Prerogative of out Great and only High Priest if we doe not looke upon this pretended Vicar of his as a bold and unwarrantable Intruder But 2. It doth not appear that the High Priest among the Jews was at all Infallible nor doth the place alleadged evince so much Deut. 17.11 for there Moses speaks not of Religious but of civil causes and commands that the Parties litigant should do according to the sentence of the Law which they shall teach thee so that the High Priests were not to pronounce according to Tradition or private fancy but according to the Law of God which whoso consulted might speak Infallibly not as if the High Priest meerly by vertue of his Office and Place was more priviledged from Errour than the common Jew but because God did give his Law for an Infallible Rule and in all parts that concerned his own Worship had made it so plain and particulat that unless they would they could not mistake it But for want of taking heed to it we find that in David's time both himself and all the Priests did Erre in conceiving that the Arke might be carried upon a Cart which was expressely commanded to be carried upon the Priests shoulders whereupon when God smote Uzzah Numb 4. David acknowledged that a breach was made upon them 2 Chron 15.13 because they sought him not in the due order Besides in the generall Apostacy of the people which the Prophets so sadly complain of and so much enveigh against we have no reason to imagine 2 Reg 16.10 that the High Priest continued stedfast in Religion since in all probability Uriah the Priest whom Ahaz employed in building an Idolatrous Altar was the Chief Priest at that time and not only a partaker in but a promoter of that wicked King's abominations We read likewise that none were more fierce against Jeremy and other of Gods Prophets than the Priests and to put the matter out of Dispute we have it plainly told us that there was for many ages none in that Church that could Infallibly guid them so the Psalmist Psal 74.9 We see not our Signs there is no more any Prophets neither is among us any that knoweth how long And in Ezra we find that the Tirshatha or Governour as some think Nebemiah Ezra 2.63 commanded that they should not eat of the most holy things till there stood up a Priest with Urim and Thummim who was to enquire of the Lord in difficult cases according to the command given to Joshua Numb 25.21 that he should consult with Eleazar the Priest who was to ask counsell for him according to the judgement of Urim which in Ezra's time was utterly ceased and we do not read that ever it revived again Just as much Infallibility therefore as the High Priest and Sanhedrim had in our Saviours time when they put him to death I am content to allow unto the Pope and a Councell of his calling and more than that this Argument from Analogy will not amount to For if they were so fatally deceived in so important and evident a truth who had as Bellarmine supposeth a clear promise of being Infallibly assisted how much more liable to Errour is the Bishop of Rome who hath no promise nor pretence of Plea but only an usurped and unjust possession Since then 1. the High Priest of the Jewes was only a Type of Christ and did not figure any other person in the Christian Church who was to bear a Resemblance to
him And 2. since he was not Infallible but in the most concerning business that ever happened and that was the acknowledgement of the Messiah most miserably mistaken And lastly since the whole Argument doth no more concern the Infallibility of the Bishop of Rome than of any other Bishop whatever nothing can be concluded from hence but that the Prophesie of the Apostle that God would give some up unto strong delusions that they should believe a lie 2 Thes 2 10. by mens taking pains to urge such kind of empty and frivolous Reasonings as these is abundantly fulfilled And so much in Answer to the second Argument The third and last Argument to prove the Pope's Infallibility is taken from those Inconveniences which would follow in the Church of Christ were there not some unerring Judge appointed to determine Controversies For since our Saviour foretold that there would be false Christs and false Prophets since the Apostles tell us that Heresies and Errours would be vented it would argue that our Saviour had small care of his Church should be have left it without a Guide unto whom all might have recourse As if a Master of a Ship should be at pains to rigge up a Vessell and put it to Sea if he did not appoint a Pilot that might steer it through the Waves and secure it from the Rocks he might justly be taxed as very improvident So saith Bellarmine it will lay a great Imputation upon our Saviours Wisedome if amongst so many prodigious Errours which like Waves are ready to overwhelm the Truth he should not have provided some such known and visible Pilot who can guide the Ship of the Church through all storms and preserve it safe from those Rocks and Shelves by striking upon which it is otherwise liable to miscarry Some one therefore is requisite to be the Judge of Controversies which by Confession of all Ages is no other but the Bishop of Rome I have enlarged this Argument and put some kind of stourish upon it because this is indeed the Papists Achilleum and upon all turns the supposed Inconveniences which will follow if we admit not of their groundless conceits are alleadged to authorize their Unscripturall Institutions Therefore I answer 1. That Arguments drawn from Inconveniences are so liable to mistake and Errour and for the most part do so much savour of Passion and Interest as well as short-sightedness in the Arguer that in all Disputes concerning the Truth of any thing they are of very little weight It is no hard matter to fasten some seeming Absurdities upon the most plain and clearly revealed Truth as we know the Socinians do upon the Doctrine of the Trinity The Jewes heretofore conceived our Saviour to be a Blasphemer and thought it would be very prejudiciall to their state to suffer him to live and afterwards both Jewes and Romanes did agree in striving to suppress his Doctrine because of some Politicall Inconveniences which they imagined would follow the spreading of it Yet all the while our Saviour was really the Son of God and his Doctrine the Power of God unto Salvation for all Believers So that unless the Papists can clear to us by some better Motives than any they have yet produced that their Bishop is Infallible the Inconveniences which they suppose will follow our denying it ought not to sway with us 2. Among Persons who own the Scriptures to be the Word of God certainly it is much more rationall to argue such a thing as for example the Popes Infallibility is not once mentioned there and therefore undoubtedly was never divinely appointed than to say it is divinely appointed because otherwise it would be very Inconvenient It would have been much more convenient it all Mankind had been as Infallible as the Pope is presumed to be if we had all retained our Innocence and been exempted from Possibility of offending one would think this might have made more for the Honour of God and the Peace of Mankind than our present erring and sinning Condition But we must not measure Gods Appointments or the Reall Being of things by our own Rules of Convenience nor affirm a Thing to be so because we conceive it would be very Convenient if it were so It is therefore but lost labour for the Popish Writers in a great deal of Plausible Language to declare and set out the great Convenience of Infallibility when they should first prove to us the Truth and the Existence of it We may easily fancy many things to be very Advantageous and Usefull to the World which yet never either were or will be And amongst these goodly Chimera's wherewith fond persons please themselves for ought I yet see this Dream of Infallibility may claime a Chiefe place 3. Those Terrible stories and Tragicall outcries about the danger of Herisies for the suppression of which this expedient of having some one Visible Unerring Judge must be found out they are for the most part as Mr. Hales well observes but so many Theologicall Scarecrowes set up to fright us from the Disquisition and search of Truth I know very well that to teach Heresie i. e. any False and Unchristian Doctrine is a very great sin but yet to prevent this we must not in all haste run into a greater Supremum in Terris Numen Dominus Deus noster Papa For to set up a visible God upon Earth according to the Court of Romes stile to cry up a man that is like our selves to be Infallible and then to fall down and worship him to bring him for an offering not those worthlesse Creatures as Sheep and Oxen which onely were required of Old but to Sacrifice our soules to bind over our Reasons and Understandings unto his Oracular Dictates this is so dull so stupid an Idolatry that we may wonder any learned man would ever goe about to defend it had not the God of this world blinded their eyes and did they not by this Craft as that Ancient Father Demetrius the Silver-Smith subtilty argued get their Livings and divide the spoiles of the deluded world by this grosse and Palpable Cozenage Lastly In answer to all their Allegations from Fathers and Authority I need say no more than this that as though all the world did consent to believe a Lie as that the Sun was really no bigger then it seemes to be which was the opinion of Epicurus yet this Conspiracy would never make a Lie to be Truth so upon supposition that all Antiquity did acknowledge this prerogative of the Bishop of Rome yet could we not from thence inferre the Justice and the Legallity of it because the most that such Testimonies amount to is meerly this to show us not what really was but what they conceived to be True I need not therefore be much concerned in examining Bellarmine's Quotations But yet that I may doe Justice to the Christians of former Ages and vindicate them from being so Unwise as the Pope's Champions would make us
lay hid in Obscurity is cleared up and brought to Light As if a Pipe that formerly conveyed a great Quantity of Water should suddenly fail we would the a have recourse unto the Fountain to learn the true Conse of such a Stop and Intercision that if the fault was in the Pipe it might be repaited and fitted to receive the Streams of Water in the same Abundance and Purity that they issue from the Fountain so likewise ought all the Ministers of God in their Observance of Divine Commands to do that if the Truth seems wavering and uncertain in any Point Ad Originem Dominicam Evangelicam Apostolicam Traditionem we may have recourse unto the Originall to wit the Tradition of our Lord in his Gospel and by his Apostles that so the Ground of our Acting may proceed thence whence the Order and Originall of it did first arise I have at large quoted these words out of Cyprian both to shew how little the Bishop of Rome's Authority was then valued and likewise to manifest what that Holy and Learned Man thought to be the only way whereby all Controversies in Religion ought to be decided not to depend upon Uncertain Traditions which at the best are but the Inventions of Men but to have Immediate recourse unto the Scriptures and to go no further in any part of Divine Worship than as their Rule doth guid us And this Testimony of his the Papists cannot in Justice refuse since Cyprian is a Saint in their Calender and yet died without ever retracting his Judgement 3. My Third and Last Instance shall be that notable Speech of Pope Gregory about six hundred years after our Saviours time who having had great contests for Superiority with John the Patriarch of Constantinople when at sast John having the Emperour on his side did endeavour to gain the Title of Universall Bishop Greg. lib. 4. Ep. 32 33. Gregory did fiercely oppose him in it and in many of his Epistles affirms that whoever should Assume that Stile he was the Forerunner of Antichrist a Child of the Devil an Apostate from the Faith with many other sharp but true sayings to the same Purpose It pleased God that within few years after An. 606 Pope Boniface little minding the Predictions of his Predecessour did not only claim but likewise actually take to himself that Name which as a Badge of Antichrist and an Infallible Mark to know him by he hath ever since transmitted to his Successours Now I ask whether Pope Gregory was Infallible in that Opinion of his which he doth so often and so earnestly insist upon If they tell me he was then we need not dispute any farther Whether the Pope be Antichrist for we have Gregorie's own Confession that whoever would arrogate to himself the Name of Universall Bishop was undoubtedly so but if they say he was not then their Conceit of Infallibility vanisheth as amounting to no more than this that the Pope is Infallible when he Speaks and Acts for the Advantage of his See but very Fallible when he speaks any thing though never so deliberately which in after Ages may make against it I have forebore to Urge that many of the Popes have actually fallen into Heresie as Honorius by Name who by the sixth Synod was condemned for an Heretick and his Epistles commanded to be burnt and the very express words of some of their Canons are That the Pope cannot be judged by any unless he be found to have crred from the Faith which doth suppose even in the Judgement of his own Canonists that there is a Possibility of his Erring Neither do I insist upon the Decrees of the Councels of Basil and Constance which were both assembled for the deposing of two Popes that were unduely Chosen and in them it was Enacted that A Councell was above the Pope which they strictly command all to believe as an Article of Faith Which Instances though they strike sufficiently at the Pope's Infallibility and Paramount Authority yet because the Answer of some of the most Moderate and Ingenuous Papists is that Though the Pope be not Infallible in himself yet in and with a Councell he is I shall therefore speak a little to this Conceit and then conclude I demand therefore of those who maintain the Infallibility of the Pope and a Councell conjunctim what Divine Warrant have they for such an Opinion and where hath God promised Infallible Assistance unto a Councell of the Pope's Calling For those Texts that are commonly made use of as Hear the Church and The Spirit shall lead you into all Truth and It seemed good unto the Holy Ghost and to us with some few others to the same sense are as impertinently alleadged in behalf of a Councell as those fore-mentioned are in behalf of the Pope For 1. That Command Tell the Church doth not signifie an Appeal unto a Synod of Bishops â—at 18. who are all of the Pope's Creation and therefore must needs be Partiall for him but Church there signifies that particular Congregation to which we relate as Members neither do our Saviour's words concern Articles of Faith and Matters of Opinion but meerly Civil Injuries as is plain from the Context for our Saviour having commanded them to forgive one another he then goes on to tell them what course they should take in case a Brother should offend them first to reprove him privately and if that prevailed not then to take two or three as witnesses of their proceedings But if notwithstanding this the Injurious Person still continued Obstinate then to tell it Caetui or to the Congregation 1 Cor. 5. as the Apostle Paul adviseth the Corinthians that being all met together they should proceed to censure 1 Tim. 5.20 and to Timothy Them that sin rebuke before all i. e. all of that Church or Congregation to which they belong that others also may fear And this sense besides that it is the proper meaning of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Church which often in Scripture signifies the Congregation distinct from their Officers but never the contrary it likewise fully agrees with our Saviours Scope who as the Offence ariseth would have the Remedy to arise proportionably and therefore he useth this Gradation that first one should reprove an Offending Brother then two or three then the Church or more according to what we find practised in the Church of Corinth who it seems had agreed to censure the Incestuous Person according as the Apostle had commanded them 2 Cor. 2.9 and therefore he tells them Sufficient to such a one is the Reprehension by many i. e. even by all the Members of that Christian Assembly to which he did relate and if the Offender would not hearken to them then he was to be thrown out of Communion and to be accounted as a Stranger to the Church even as an Heathen and a Publican And such Determinations of every particular Church our