commission granted but a commandement imposed to looke to his office as a good Pastor for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is giuen as wel to the Elders of the church as Peter Acts 20 28 If that be of weight make vs all Popes 3 For the argument Oues meas That the Apostles are Christs sheepe therefore Peter must be their Pastor is as much as if in the Gospell of Marke Mar. 16.15 They must preach the Gospell to euery Creature Ergo preach the Gospell to Peter The argument is all one let it goe Ferus vpon the Acts Fer. in Act. 11. where Peter is to put in his Apology for going to the Gentiles saies Ecclesia sponsa Christ Domina Domus suae Petrus autem seruus est minister The Church hath power ouer her seruants etiam penitus eijcere so it was of old but now Peters successors will not be ruled by the Church ac si domini essent non serui Ideo iusto Iudicio Dei ab omnibus contemnuntur That because they wil be Lords and not ministers therefore they are despised Honest Ferus When I read how Bellarmine makes a Catalogue of Peters prerogatiues in eight long Chapters and in euery one finds a mystery of supremacy In his name Cephas in walking vpon the Sea In his double draught of fish in his first Sermon and first miracle In Pauls resisting of him at Ierusalem and the rest I see a wise man may be ouerseene sometimes If arguments went by tale and not by weight I could reckon vp Pauls praerogatiues and Peters infirmities would out number Bellarmines arguments but you would deeme me very idle to stand vpon it Peters prerogatiues were To be a worthy vessell to carry Gods name That he was first in the ranke where there was a Priority of Order without superiority of power because hee was the most auncient in yeeres and one of the most familiar with Christ as Occam giues the reason but what 's this to the purpose To summe vp the other two famous places of Scripture For Orabo pro te Confirma fratres It is for the daunger and not the dignitie and being in the more danger hee might learne to confirme his brethren in the like This vpon examination found to be past ouer But for Pasce cues meas it is largely demonstrated in 3. conclusions That it is not spoken to Peter as a note of greatnesse but as a stay of weakenesse 2 That it is no commission but a command 3 That therefore the Apostles may as well preach to Peter as Peter to them by the rule of other Scriptures whence is inferred the iudgement of Ferus vpon that Church an honest iudgement of an vsurping Church notwithstanding all the prerogatiues of Peter numbred by Bellarmine more by tale then weight from whence they draw both argument and pretence of their greatnesse After all the foure olde pillars of Popery are throwne downe by the hands of Fathers and Reason wee haue discouered the two new euasions of Bellarmine and Stapleton In that by a rule receiued we prooue that which agrees to one agrees to all and that if they were equall in gouerning the people then equall amongst themselues That since there was no visible head for sixty years but all Apostles were alike It cannot be that the dignity of Peter can be aboue the rest for feare it be prou'd that the Bishop of Rome is aboue Peter so it seemes he is when his Scarlet Church is about him That being no more out of the worde feeding but that which is giuen to an ordinary Presbyter in the Acts By the confession of Bellarmine the same Episcopall and perpetuall office with full iurisdiction beeing giuen to the rest of the Apostles as well as to Peter The rest making Bishops as well as he and the same multitude of successors If not more then he first these three issues being discouered 1 That they are forced like children to runne to their mother and yet 2 They cannot finde so much as once Peter to Father them for his owne 3 And therefore Bellarmine giues ouer Scripture and since his authority will not settle a seely minde that lookes not to the by-waies and labyrinths of questions but to the marke of his saluation set before him conclude therefore we may bee sau'd without reconciliation to this present Church of Rome These be all the colours which they can alleadge out of Scripture Bellarmine gathers all before him addes to the heape as I haue faithfully deliuered vnto you how sandy a foundation it is to set such a building of that weight I hope an indifferent mind may see so sandy as the latter wiser sort considering how weake they are in this point which must hold or all falls being ouerpressed by Reasons and the current of the Fathers concerning these foure places of Scripture giue vp the old pillers of Popery which haue stood too long in the Church and haue sought out two new euasions 1 The first deuised by Stapleton 2 The second taken vp by Bellarmine Stap. cont 3 qu. 1. Art 1. Tom. 1. Tract 1 c. 3 but found first in Caietanes opuscula which when wee haue examined we will take our leaue of this point TRACT VIII IT is now agreed that the Apostles are equall euery one had supremacy ouer all Bellar. de Rom. P. l. 1. c. 6. Summa potestas Ecclesiastica non solum data est Petro sed etiam alijs Apostolis fuit enim in illis Ecclesiae primordijs necessarium vt primis praedicatoribus Ecclesiae fundatoribus summa potestas concederetur Lib. 4. c. 23. The chiefe authority to them as to the first Preachers and founders of the Church and in the fourth booke he spends the whole three and twentyeth chapter to this purpose what stirre hath heere beene Stapleton saies all are equall in respect of the people Stap. contr 3. q. 1. ar 5. but not among themselues How can that be Quae conueniunt vni tertio conueniunt inter se A mathematicall principle if they be equal'd in gouerning the people then in that office they are equall among themselues Then Peter is not aboue them in gouerning the Church but was it in regard of their persons It is strange that they should gouerne the Church without a guide that could not gouerne themselues In Timothy If a Priest cannot rule his owne house how can he gouerne the Church of God So 1 Tim. 3.5 if they would not gouerne themselues how order the Church Admit an Apostle should haue deserued censure for personall faults had Peter power to excommunicate him and not to suspend him from his office power to remoue him from receiuing of the Sacrament and not from the Ministration of it to others power to cut him off from being of the Church and no power to suspend him from being gouernour ouer the Church This is an idle conceit I find it propounded but I thinke
it is not relied vpon That which indeed is stood vpon and the very maine issue of the whole question es that Bellarmine pitcheth vpon deuised by some latter schoolemen a little before That the Apostles were all equall during their liues Mortuis autem Apostolis summa potest as in solo Petri successore permansit The Apostles for terme of life had as much authority as Peter but Peter as an ordinary Pastor for his successors and that by vertue of this Text Pasce Oues Peter as Pastor they as Delegates hee ordinary they out of speciall grace so as all their successors shall heereafter depend vpon Peters successors and deriue their power from them Where note by the way that the visible Church of Christ from the Ascension into heauen till the death of the Apostles which was aboue sixty yeares The Church I say had no one visible head all the Apostles were alike all supreame Gouernors and euer after though the circuit were farre greater and the people in the Church farre more vnruly yet it shall haue but one to gouerne all and he sometimes but a silly one God wott yet shall his charge bee greater his dignity more excellent and his command more absolute then euer Peters was for Peter had many peeres euery whit as good as himselfe But let vs follow the point This onely was Peters priuiledge aboue his fellowes That authority which hee had in common with the rest during their liues he might as the ordinary Pastor of the Church conferre it wholly vpon his successor of Rome so might no other What all that authority wholly I le be carefull for doing them any wrong Not their Apostolicall authority but all their Episcopall and Pastorall authority which is to be perpetually in the Church by vertue of this Pasce Popes doe not challenge to bee called immediately of Christ Apostles to haue seene Christ in the flesh as the Apostles did to worke miracles to be free from error in preachings and writings as the Apostles were sauing in their seate when they haue the Church about them That which is pastorall is perpetuall Peter is a Pastour by vertue of this Text Pasce Therefore he may conferre this authority vpon his successours so haue you their meaning let vs follow it It is a sure rule Species aequè participatur in Indiuiduis that which agrees to a man as a man agrees to euery man Quod conuenit homini vt homo singulis hominibus pastori vt pastor singulis pastoribus Now that which is sayd heere to Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feede my sheepe is sayd to the Presbyters in the Acts of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20.28 To feede the Church yea but they meane not that Peter is as an ordinary Pastor then somewhat must be added to this Text It s not pasce oues meas will carry it It must bee pasce prae caeteris or pasce pastores Either feede before the rest or feede them that feede else pascere Ecclesiam is as much as pascere oues if not more Heere is nothing singular in this text but the singular number thrice repeating of it alluding to the thrice denying of Christ which will not be for their credit to stand vpon for it is noted by an Ancient and let vs not forget it to be rather a stay of his weaknesse then a note of his greatnesse But let vs follow their conceit without Scripture Peter was cheefe Pastor of the whole Church therefore had power as Pastor to leaue that power to his successours Were not the rest of the Apostles Pastours as well as Peter had not they this power as well as hee I meane not Apostolicall but Episcopall and Pastorall which is perpetuall Heare what Bellarmine hath ingenuously deliuered from the consent of the ancient Lib. 4.24 Sicut me misit pater factos esse his Christiverbis Apostolos Christs vicartos immò ipsum Christi officium aut horitatem accepisse en Apostolica authoritate contineri omnem potestatem ecclesiasticam sicut me misit pater siquidem misit filium summa potestate praeditum That they are all the Vicars of Christ that they haue all the office and authority of Christ himselfe hauing alledged the fathers to this end hee inferres thus Vbi vides idem dari Apostolis per illa verba ego mitto vos quod Petro fuit promissum per illatibi dabo claues postea exhibitum per illa pasce oues meas id est iurisdictionem plenissimam etiam exteriorem Bellarmine concludes that that full and outward iurisdiction that was promised to Peter in the keyes and exhibited to him in his pasce was also giuen to all the Apostles in their generall Commission Sicut me misit iam sumus ergo pares These Texts that we haue troubled you withall leaue them equall why may not then the rest of the Apostles make their successours in other Churches aswell as Peter at Rome and if we may credit Ecclesiasticall writers so they did Iames left Simeon to succeed him at Ierusalem Simeon left Iustus Iustus left Zacheus and so along Iohn left Polycarpus in Smyrna as Tertullian auouches Paul left Timothy at Ephesus Titus in Creete Dionysius at Athens as Eusebius All this they confesse Where are we now Wee are come to a narrower issue so narrow that it crowdes the supremacy in peeces for how can the successours of Paul of Iohn and of the rest depend vpon Rome They fetch it from the other Apostles They immediately from Christ as you haue heard Sicut me misit Bellarmine sayes It is a prerogatiue which is not found in Scripture but in other authors as in Iohannes de Turrecremata Peter was made Bishop by Christ and Peter made all the rest of the Bishops why Alioquienim cum omnes Apostoli plurimos Episcopos in varijs locis constituerint si Apostoli ipsi non sint facti Episcopi à Petro certè maxima pars Episcoporum non deducet originem suam à Petro. If not the Apostles then not the greatest part of Bishops take their originall from Peter then we are vndone Bellarmine makes an obiection If Peter made Iudas Bishop our answer is Iudas was no Bishop no In the Acts Let another man take his Bishopricke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's but praefecturam Did he make Iohn Bishop the Disciple whom Iesus loued did he make Paul Bishop who does so glory that his authority came not of men or by men Galat. 1.1 Then comes in Bellarmine In Apostolica authoritate contineri omnem potestatem Ecclesiasticam sicut me misit In good time now the Popedome is conteined in the Apostleship had Campian got vs at such a vantage how he would haue gloryed with his spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici I do protest I haue beaten my braine to reconcile them in this point and I cannot I would gladly haue a sentence of a Father that Peter made Paul Bishop or Iohn
or any of the Apostles The onely colour I finde that Peter Iames and Iohn made Iames the lesse Bishop of Ierusalem as Eusebius and others doe record not Bishop but Bishop of Ierusalem giuing him an especiall care of that Church Iames was Bishop before saies Bellarmine It s included in his Apostolike power A Bishop may be a Bishop though hee be design'd to no place nay though he be an heretique capable of no place yet he may ordaine Quis enim Catholicorum ignorat Ordinatos ab haereticis verè esse Ordinatos quando Ordinator haeretieus verè Episcopus fuerat adhuc erat saltem quantum ad Caracterem Is it possible any indifferent minde should beleeue it that the Euangelist St. Iohn that Eagle of the new Testament could not ordaine Polycarpus or any in the Churches of Asia without Peters leaue or that Paul could not ordaine Timothy vnlesse he had power from Peter This is the last refuge If it will not hold Maxima pars Episcoporum non deducet originem suam a Petro. The greater part of Bishops haue not their originall from Peter Then the Church of Rome is not that onely Church but there may be saluation without it So the question is at an end TRACT Vlt. THese issues and desperate distinctions are forced from them Bel lib. 1.23 de R. P. Quia passim docent veteres Romanam Ecclesiam esse matrem omnium Ecclesiarum ab ea omnes Episcopos habuisse consecrationem dignitatem suam quod non esset verum nistin eo sensu quod Petrus qui Episcopus fuit Romanus omnes Apostolos omnesque alios Episcopos ordinauit because it is the mother Church it is therefore so you see them driuen to this issue 2 It is conceited that Christ intends nothing in Peter aboue his fellowes but onely that the successors of Rome may be great who are not once mentioned or prophecied of in Scripture Cyrus prophecyed by name should not the holy Ghost neyther by Peter nor any other giue vs some inkling of him vnder whose wings alone we must seek saluation except wee will haue him mentioned vnder the title of Antichrist wee haue it not The Church of Rome is spoken of by Paul hee glories as if it were his Church in the first chapter to the Romanes Rom. 1.4 Peter doth not so much as once name it vnlesse they will haue it vnder the name of Babilon 3 Bellarmine doth ingenuously giue ouer Scripture in the entrance to the first booke and the three and twentith chapter diuiding it from the rest Hactenus quae ex diuinis literis colliguntur addemus nunc quae ex varijs authoribus decerpsimus A man will hardly hazard his estate vpon so nice a difference without maxim bookcase or any authority in Law and should wee relye our soules vpon so narrow so new and so perplexed a Diuine In this great point as we are directed so let vs looke vpon that place in the Corinthians 1. Cor. 4.6 That no man presume aboue that which is written and then we shall find that in the Ephesians Eph. 2.19 Now therefore wee are no more strangers and forreiners or heretiques but Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundation of Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone Let this bee euer our hold and wee shall neuer fall And to conclude let vs goe on euen with our aduersaries so farre as they leade vs in the right way but if they carry vs into vnknowne tractes and dangerous passages let vs there protest a separation from them and then we shal shew our selues to be right Protestants indeed Let vs looke also with a vigilant eye as some religious men did after corruption grew thicke vpon that Church and then wee shall see that wee cannot communicate with her in this point and others which she professes and practises without shipwrack of conscience which corruptions if we should reckon they would swell beyond the proportion of our present proiect which if a simple man cannot behold when he is assaulted by the Bishop of that Sea for present reconciliation let him ingenuously plead ignorance rather then yeeld and tell him plainely he knowes him not and that his mind is bent to know God and himselfe if he haue any reference to God hee will acknowledge him in his due place In the meane time we pray for diuine knowledge out of the scriptures that the beames of that celestiall light may double her reflection vpon our hearts and so warme our affections with the loue of the Truth that wee may bring forth the fruits of it in a Christian Life Amen Deo Trino vni Gloria FINIS A MOTIVE DEDICATED TO THE Honourable Society of the Gentry in Grayes Inne by E. V. RIGHT WORTHY GENTLEMEN ALL this Treatise stands vpon that Vnion spoken of by St. Paul to the Ephesians Ephes 4.4 There is one body and one spirit euen as you are called in one Hope of your Vocation One Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and Father of you all which is aboue all and through all and in you all To preuent distraction and preserue the vnity of the Church To limit out the naturall branches besides those that are cut off by schismes or pared away by the censures of the Church to set out the truth of the Redeemer according to the Doctrine of Faith and the couenant of Baptisme here are the bonds of peace combined in one head not in the Church which had their circular Epistles written for communion Coloss 4.16 Acts 15.6 nor in the Synods of the Church which had their Councels for the composing of diuisions These are but confirmations no beginnings of that vnity which is pretended A peace there is pretended or as the Author saies a reconciliation what peace saith Iehu to Iezabel Pacem do vobis pacem meam Relinquo vobis sufficit Domine pacem quam tu relinquis excipio Relinquo quod Retines Giue mee leaue to set these feete of durt vpon that golden image of him whom you did admire and I doe imitate he did conuince you let me onely moue you by that which followes Vpon that Scripture there are 3. things grounded 1. That the Church is vnited in Christ 2. After him in Peter 3. after Peter in the successours of Rome In the two last poynts he ioynes an issue and findes that vnity of a visible head and that Vna Sancta Catholica Ecclesia Decreto Bonif. in the Decretall and that subiection thrust vpon euery creature with a Declaramus dicimus definimus esse de necessitate salutis not to be trust vp in One when we haue done I hope this thirteenth article shall be thrust out of our Creede First for Peter The same reprehension Mat. 20 26 Mat 9 23 Mat 19 28 Rev 21 17 Acts 1. Acts 8 14. the same commission the same promise the same glory
knowes so long as the Church is firmely built vpon this the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Now as the graine of mustard-seede groweth so must we proceede from faith to knowledge vnaduised they are that would haue vs prescribe a scantling of Faith and knowledge as if eyther more were needlesse or lesse damnable but God in wisedome thought it meet to prescribe no such certainety and that for two reasons 1 To stirre vp our sluggish nature To forget that is behind and endeauonr to that which is before Philip 3 13 It is perfectio viatoris the perfection of a traueller still to goe on what need we goe to Church I know the summe of all beleeue in Christ Iesus c. Such sluggards shall neuer grow rich in grace that good corne shall neuer prosper in their hearts because they are so ouer-growne with thornes and thistles 2 Because God would not limit his mercies As it pleaseth him to saue infants without any knowledge so also to saue some in all degrees of knowledge ioyning wisedome mercy in proportioning somthing to the Times ages wherein men liue some to the place where some to the capacities of the persons themselues God exacts not so much knowledge of the woman of Samaria as of Nicodemus Iohn the 3. Art thou a Doctor in Israell nor so much of them that dwell in the middest of Spaine as of them in the heart of England nor of those that liued in the time of superstition as of vs that are in the Sunshine of the Gospell It is a sure rule if wee hold the foundation sure and conforme our liues and affections thereafter the ignorance of other branches shall neuer condemne vs except it be wilfull or affected ignorance 1 Wilfull ignorance in such as eyther contemn or neglect the meanes of further knowledge or such as in doubtfull cases will venter without aduice and then say I meant no hurt 2 Affected ignorance when wee suffer our affections to blinde our vnderstanding Act 19 25. like Demetrius that perswaded the crafts-men not to heare the Apostles because they liued in a profitable trade But simple ignorance in a well meaning Christian is eyther passed ouer in mercy or more knowledge reuealed in time as the Prophet in the Psalms To him that ordereth his conuersation aright Psal 50. vlt will I show the saluation of God Cornelius Acts 10.4 Thy prayers and almes-deedes The two wings of deuotion flye vp to heauen together for as it is in supplication Forgiue vs as wee forgiue so in almes Giue vs as we giue them rather then Cornelius shal want knowledge for saluation God will send Peter from Ioppa If any man doubt let him begin with the feare of the Lord and practise those grounds he knowes well and then by degrees learne to goe on and build vpon them as in Hebr. 6.13 Hebr 6.1.3 beeing the doctrine of the beginning of Iesus Christ Let vs goe on and pray to God that we may lay the foundation safely and surely that in Faith and charity wee may be knit altogether in the body of Christ TRACT II. WEE haue in the former exercise found the Rocke whereon wee may safely build vpon this Rocke must the maine grunsels bee laide such principles of Christianity and Articles of Faith as bee expressed in Scripture in the plainest places after compiled by the Church into a little body or short forme such as Irenaeus first sets downe as receiued of all churches about 178. which he testifies to be so vniformely professed in all Churches as if all Christians had but one soule and one mouth In Germany France East and West Europe and Asia and in all places of the world As there is but one Sun to euery nature so there is but one Faith to euery Christian hee that is most powerfull in speech can say no more and they that are most simple meane no lesse Tertullian expresseth another thing to the same effect Anno 210. after that the Fathers of the Nycen Counsell Anno 324. after that Athanasius made his Creede more fully designing the persons in Trinity against Arrius Anno 333. These ancient knowen verities being agreed vpon of all Churches long before these distractions Let vnstable mindes that finde their soules wauering in Religion giue attention 1 Cor. 9.22 for such I make inquirie as Paul 1. Corin. 9.22 Became all things to all men So we wil doubt with the doubtfull stand vpon indifferent ground looke on both sides with a single eye that we may the better discerne the true way of a Christian resolution Be wee sure then to hold the foundation and to build vpon these truths which all Churches in all ages haue agreed vpon Heere take we footing as vpon firme ground and looke a little about vs before we resolue where to light These parts of the Church within our view doe each of them becken vs to their side The Church of Rome bids vs returne to our olde mother as onely true Catholike The Brownist cries come to our congregation we are euen iump as it was in the Apostles time nay to ours sayes the Anabaptist Lo heere is Christ lo there It is the plea of euery Church But of all the Church of Rome cries loudest and if her challenge be true it stands vs in hand to listen to it for it concernes vs as much as euerlasting life is worth Extra Ecclesiam Romanam non est salus Without the Church of Rome is no saluation Yet she must pardon vs though we make a pause and do not presently make it an article of our Faith because wee finde it not in any of our ancient Creeds nor in any plaine text of Scripture in any translation theirs or ours what chymicall witts may extract thence wee will not now dispute A Catholicke Church wee finde but a Romish Catholike Church we find not That all Christians haue such necessary dependance vpon any place or person Rome or Bishop of Rome and vnder such a penalty of eternall damnation It seemes then this is the Rocke without which all other articles will not saue vs and yet the auncient Church hath forgotten to put it in any of her Creedes It is not in the Apostles Creede Irenaeus hath left it out of his Tertullian out of his the Nycene theirs Athanasius out of his And Peter out of his Catholicke Epistle 2 Pet. 1.13 when at the time of his departure out of this life hee tooke his last farwell of the Church First one Church we acknowledge built vpon Christ the sonne of God Eph. 4.4 fully described in the 4 of the Ephesians by one Body one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one Father 1 One body because a Church is nothing else but a society of beleeuers called out of the rest of the world by the word of God and though it run as the Sea through many Countries and thence receiues many names like the seuen Churches of
Asia yet it is but one body 2 It followes One spirit that doth animate and informe the members of the same as the soule or spirit of a man knits vp the members into one body 3 This professeth One Lord Christ which makes it a Christian Church 4 Yet the very naming of Christ Iesus our Lord is not sufficient to proue a Christian Church vnlesse we embrace that Faith which Christ doth publish one Faith not in euery branch of diuinity that neuer was nor will be but the grundsels laid vpon the true foundation 5 Yet wee are but Catechumenists as it were in the Church porch till we be admitted by the doore of Baptisme 6 In which Baptisme we are made the Adopted Children of One Father vpon which the Apostle concludes one God and Father of all must needes make a Church Secondly this Church we beleeue to be Catholike that is vniuersall not because it is spread ouer the face of the vniuersall world but because it is not limited to any place or nation as the lewish Church was much lesse to the succession of any person but it is scattered and dispersed without bounds So as still it hath a power and disposition to bee more and more vniuersally spread That 's the sence of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to Zacharies Prophesie That Ierusalem should be inhabited without walls Zach. 2.4 But for the Romane Church so famous in the Apostles time that Saint Paul in the first to the Romans doth glory so much in it Admit the memory of the Apostle Peter caused the Church to honour his successors and to giue the Patriarke of that Sea priority before all other Admit that Church hauing beene purged by fiery persecutions and crowned with Martyrdome vnder the Heathen Emperors was therefore more reuerenced of succeeding Churches in other ages Admit the seate of the Empire the renowne of the Cittie the excellent choice they made of wise and learned Bishops got them such credit amongst remote Churches that amidst their distractions which were amongest the Greekes many there were that would haue recourse to Rome as to arbitrators for aduice and iudgement What is all this to the saluation of my soule in these daies What warrant haue I to rent my selfe from this Church wherein by Gods prouidence I am borne and whereof I am borne againe a member Or what reason haue they to exact this new article at my hands whereof I finde no mention amongst the old I dispute not the point in this place onely let mee put the case of a lay mans resolution I am by Gods prouidence borne and Christned brought vp and Catechized in the Church of England The quaere is no more but this Whether I be bound in Conscience to become a Romish Catholique and to bee reconciled to the present Church of Rome as now it standeth in paine of eternall condemnation This is the very point that draweth so many from vs to whom I propound fiue Quaeries or demands which in the iudgement of indifferent men may seeme reasonable 1 First I demand some cleere euidence or firm ground to build vpon that this is my duety and vpon so great a penalty to thrust my selfe into such an action without sufficient warrant I should not onely condemne my selfe of rashnesse but incurre offence against God in the 14. to the Romanes Rom. 14.23 What euery Man doth doubtingly is sinne to him that doth it Quod dubitas ne feceris A greater matter is a greater sinne a greater then this cannot bee vnder the Sunne I desire therefore some cleere warrant for my resolution The first testimony that is offered is the Testimony of the Church that is of the Church of Rome for shee tels vs that shee alone is the true Catholike Church out of which there is no saluation whereupon it followes that such as will be saued must be reconciled to her This wee verily beleeue that the Church of Rome saith so and hath so said a long time 2 The next Quaere is then whether the Testimony of the Church of Rome in this case concerning her selfe be sufficient Go vp as high as they will so long as shee hath made this challenge I demand whether her testimony be sufficient I answer out of doubt it is not In the fifth of Iohn vers 31. If Christ should beare witnesse of himselfe Iob. 5.31 his witnesse were not true that is not sufficient Though after chap. 8.14 he professes that though hee should beare witnesse of himselfe yet his witnes were true because ver 16. I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me Take him single as in the first place by the way of concession that he wil deale with the Iewes vpon indifferent termes I hope then the testimony of Christ concerning himselfe was as sufficient in it selfe and to the Iewes as the testimony of the Church of Rome can be eyther in it selfe or vnto vs. Let it not therefore seeme vnreasonable if beside the testimony of the Church wee desire further euidence for heere she standeth for her selfe against all Churches in Christendome 3 Other testimony beside the Church and Scripture they pretend none for Traditions are referred to the Church and the Creeds to the Scripture To the Scripture then of necessity she must come in this point 4 Our next demand is whether it is expressely there or drawne out by Tract of consequent mentioned it is not neither in the originall nor in the vulgar nor in the Rhemish nor in any of their owne translations 5 If by consequent it bee extracted my next Quaere is whether I am bound vnder paine of damnation to beleeue euery poynt that may be drawne out of Scripture by consequence of arguments wee stumble not at immediate consequents as such as these The Trinity is not named in so many letters but the Scripture implieth euery person to be God in seuerall places and elsewhere auerreth that there is but one God this is easily put together But are wee to beleeue that which by long tract of consequent may be gathered Then none but great wits can be saued our weake vnderstanding is not able to fetch euery conclusion from the right ground Hence let vs make three degrees of diuine positions 1 Some are Articles as Christ the Sonne of God was crucified 2 Some as Conclusions as that children are capable of Baptisme but not of the Lords Supper 3 Some are taken as Opinions and problemes of Diuinitie As that Angels doe more solemnely attend in person at holy exercises That Saints shall haue some personall knowledge one of another Matt. 17. as Moses and Elias had in the mount Now as fixed starres seeme to twinckle because they are further remote and cannot so stedily be discerned by our weake eyes so our vnderstandings are more vnstable and our beleefe more vncertaine in points deduced by many sequels and farre fetcht consequents These bring narrow issue let vs see what degree
of euidence they bring and accordingly frame our Faith That I cannot be saued except I be subiect to the Bishop of Rome as head of the Church He must pretend then a title from Christ as he is Vicar for spirituall matters it is euident that Christ while he liued on earth was the visible head for Temporalls himselfe concludes Who made me a Iudge My kingdome is not of this world therefore so farre as he medleth with kingdomes he cannot claime that from Christ It is confessed that while Christ was on earth hee was the visible head of the whole Church so as no soule could bee without necessary dependance on him but whether at his departure he committed the supremacy to any man on earth If hee did whether in whole or part to whom whether to the Apostles in generall equally or to one aboue the rest and who that was 1 Their point is that Christ left it to Peter alone to no other Apostle in that degree This is cleer out of Scripture That the rest of the Apostles as Apostles are equall but as Bishop he aboue them note that a Bishop aboue an Apostle Linus aboue the Euangelist Iohn who liued in his time 2 Admitte the Supremacy in Peter whether it died with him as the Apostleship did or left it to his successors The difference is they put the rest out of special fauor They might haue as great power but it was for terme of life Peter had it for him and his successors for euer But this must be cleered that Peter had power to leaue it to his successors and none but he If this be not proued why not Iohns successors in the Churches of Asia or of Iames in Ierusalem or any of the Apostles in other places as well as he to his The reason is Though Peter by vertue of his fiery tongue was able to gouerne the whole Church in his daies being but small yet hee knew the charge in time would grow so great and the circuit so large that Peters spirit had neede be doubled vpon those that should succeed him If he had one clouen tongue his successors neede to haue twelue so we might say of the least of his successors A greater then Peter is heere Peter was not alone during his life there were the eleuen Apostles Bel. l. 1. c. 21 and Paul as great an Apostle as himselfe as Bellarmine confesses and greater because hee writ more then Peter hee planted more Churches then Peter he laboured more aboundantly then they all for hee preached from Ierusalem Rom. 15.19 round about to Illiricum as Hierome auouches from the redde Sea to the great Ocean so farre as there is any land Amos. c. 5. And that all the charge of Peter and Paul and all that the rest had should lye vpon the shoulders of one Pope and yet neuer a clouen tongue to his head Sure say That a greater then Peter is heere Bellarmine proued well from the election of Matthias in the first of the Acts De Pont. 4.23 that the Apostles were not chosen by Peter and Paul was Galathians the first Paul an Apostle not of men nor by men but by Iesus Christ Those that came in after the death of Christ Matthias and Paul were not but all the Apostles successors must now deriue their power from the Pope Therefore a greater then Peter is heere 3 Admit while the body of the Church carried any proportion to a visible head as in the Apostles time it might and some time after for auoyding of factions a Monarchicall gouernment might stand but when it is so dispersed that amongst the Antipodes for ought we know may be Christians that such a burthen of gouernment should rest vpon the shoulders of any one mortall wight it is strange It must be cleered out of the booke of God for the Testimony of their Church in her owne case is silent That Peter did not impart his supremacy to diuers in diuers Churches which he planted but wholly committed it to one in one place 4 If to one we must know where that one is Certitudine fidei else wee are neuer a whit the neerer Whether Peter left it amongst the lewes till they fell being himselfe the Preacher of the Circumcision If not because hee saw they would reuolt why not at Antioch a Church of his owne planting Paul had as much to doe at Rome as he Antioch had the Primacy Act. 11.27 for they were first called Christians at Antioch and it was a famous Patriarchall Church Why not Marke the Euangelist Peters Disciple who writ the Gospell from his mouth in that famous Church of Alexandria It is cleere then that Rome and no other Church doth enioy that Bishop who succeeds Peter in that great office But now wherein a lay man may receiue satisfaction the Scripture is silent It is not found in our Creede The testimony of the Church is laid by in this point Bellarmine saies Bel. 2. de Rep. c. 12. that the Bishop of Rome alone doth succeede Peter in the Supremacie is not found in Scripture but to be beleeued vpon tradition I thought wee should returne thither againe it is hard that they will not spare their own testimony in their own case Seeing Christ did spare it in his case I hope we may be saued without it 5 Admit this could be cleared yet that Church doth not agree who was Bishop Linus or Clemens or Cletus after three Popes at once Benet the ninth Siluester the third and Iohn Then two in a schisme betwixt Vrban and Clement The first in Italy the second in France after that three againe hard to iudge who was the true one Such vncertainties must there needs bee when Religion depends vpon any mans person in this troublesome world 6 Admit it can be demonstrated to my conscience that this Pope is lawfully chosen and vndoubtedly succeedes Bishop Linus and Peter by a lineall succession of true Popes for 500 yeares without any materiall interruption yet neuer the neerer except they doe succeede as well in Faith and doctrine as in place and person else they could not exclude vs from the Church for we show personall succession as well as they Cranmer consecrated Barlo Scony and Couerdale These consecrated Parker Parker other Bishops these made Priests euery Act of Priesthood ratified by their owne Canons is Valide factum though not Licite Quis enim Catholicorum ignor at ordinatos ab Episcopo haeretico verê esse ordinatos That those that are ordained Priests of an haereticall Bishop are truely ordained no Catholike is ignorant So they exclude vs as heretiques as not embracing their doctrine so by their owne rule they grant that the Church and the Bishop of Rome must succeede Peter as well in Faith and Doctrine as in time and place else wee are not bound in conscience to cleaue to them you see by how many sequels and degrees of consequent they must proceede before it be
her testimony in her owne cause for if Christ were content to lay by his testimony let it seeme a reasonable demand If shee aske how long we take exception to her testimony we answer iust so long as she hath made the same challenge as she doth and no longer 3 Since other testimony there is none besides the Church and Scripture which they do pretend I demand whether this point that shee is the onely Church wherein saluation may be found be there expressed or by tract of consequent Not expressely 4 Because a man is not bound to beleeue euery thing that by consequent is drawne out of Scripture I demand some cleere consequent for according to the degrees of euidence must we frame our Faith Now this consequent is so farre fetched that before they can perswade a mans conscience that hee is bound to ioyne with them and become subiect to the Bishop of that Sea he must of necessity demonstrate these 5. points 1 That Christ beeing the visible head of his whole Church so as without his Church there was no saluation they must proue that he left this to his Apostle Peter aboue the rest 2 That this power giuen to Peter did not die with him as the Apostleship did with the rest but continued in his successors 3 That Peter at his death did not impart it vnto many after him though it was a great charge and like to grow farre greater but heaped it all vpon one and that that one was the Bishop of Rome 4 That this Bishop who doth now raigne is not onely lawfully chosen but doth vndoubtedly succeede Peter in a direct succession for these fifteene hundred yeeres and aboue without any materiall interruption 5 This proued wee are neuer the neerer by their owne rule except it appeare that this Pope and present Church of Rome doth succeed Peter and his Church as well in Faith and Doctrine as place and person for they doe not exclude vs for want of succession our Records are true and cleere but as heretickes for not obeying their Faith Therefore if they doe not obey the Faith of Peter all the former points are to no purpose Let me therefore make a motiue vnto him who is vnseted in his resolution that hee would rest his soule where it is content himselfe with the plaine text of Christ and his Apostles agreed vpon till these fiue points be made cleere to his Conscience and before that I hope his soule shall be in Abrahams bosome Now that Christ left this power to Peter alone aboue the rest which is the maine foundation which if it faile the whole building must needs fall It is laid vpon foure pillars in foure texts which are repeated before For the first I haue proued that Rocke not to be Peters person as the head of the Church but that which Peter discouered by confession The Sonne of the liuing God and that Christ named Peter alluding to the signification of his name for that hee made a firme confession answerable to his name and should therefore be as a liuing stone vpon that Rocke Blessed art thou Simon Bar-iona for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this to thee This wee haue proued by the Analogy of place by exact difference obserued betweene Petrus and Petra our originall and their vulgar by the practise of Peter and the rest in building vpon this Rooke and by interpretation of Augustine Ambrose Hillary Cyrill Chrysostome Bede or else by Lyra the interlineall glosse Cusanus Petrus de Aliaco c. For Tibidabo claues that there is no more power meant in the Metaphor of the keyes promised to Peter then is after expressed in binding and loosing Bellarmine himselfe hath vndertaken it against Caittan and Stapleton whatsoeuer Christ did promise to Peter in Matthew is giuen to the rest in Iohn In sicut misit me Pater sic mitto vos As large a Commission and in as plaine termes as may bee As my Father sent mee Esay 61. To preach liberty to the Captiues and them that are bound the opening of the prison so send I you therefore whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained If there were power giuen by breathing where Christ breathed on all alike If in the sending of clouen tongues no more sate on Peters head then on the rest If as one of the twelue foundations Peter is no bigger then the rest If amongst the twelue precious stones he be no more precious then the rest vnlesse in our estimation Saphire as good as lasper then we may safely as yet determine against them that lay such snares on men soules concerning their saluation For Orabo pro te and confirma fratres Luk. 22.32 vpon examination we haue found no preheminence giuen to Peter at all sauing onely in the occasion which mooued Christ to speake particularly to Peter a prophecy of his denying of Christ in the 34 verse for Christ prayed for the rest as wel as for Peter in Iohn the 17. Father sanctifie them in thy trueth Ioh. 17.11 Now if Christ praied more for Peter it was not for his dignity but because he was in greater danger Christ tels him what neede there is that he should pray for him Confirma fratres He meanes all Christians to whom he preaches and writes as in the 2. of Peter 1. 10. If we will therefore haue Christ to meane his fellow Apostles doth not Paul confirme Peter more then euer Peter did Paul 4 Text. But Pasce Oues meas Galat. 2.11 is the place they lay the most weight on and it demonstrates three things faith Bellarmine 1 That it is directed to Peter alone by name Simon Ioanna and Diligis me plus his His excluding the rest and repeated three times 2 Pasce not onely to feede but also to gouerne expressed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It hath a third signification To eat It is well that Bellarmine leaues out that for Baronius against Segnorius of Venice an holy Father vses it for Kill and eate Acts 10.13 3 Oues meas there 's the Lambs that 's the Laity The little sheepe the Cleargy and the strong sheepe the Apostles Heretickes deny this diuision saith Bellarmine Nobis autem exploratum certumque est omnes omnino Christianos etiam Apostolos ipsos Petro tanquam ouiculas commendari cum ei dicitur Pasce Oues meas with all Christians and the Apostles themselues commended to his cure Then Peter and Peter alone must be the sole ordinary Pastor of the Church of Christ 1 True it is that this is spoken to Peter and onely to him and that three times The reason is because hee was singular in denying Christ and denying three times and if the place be rightly waighed it is rather a stay of his weakenesse then a note of his greatnesse Ominous it is that the Pope relieth most vpon those places which are grounded vpon Peters deniall 2 For Pasce heere 's no
the same power was giuen to the rest of the Apostles as well as to him If any thing more it was not giuen but assumed bee would not assume it that was sent as a Legate not a Pope he could not be Pope that did not decree but shew his opinion and his opinion being reiected at Antioch Acts 15 19. it is time for them to giue him a sword and yet wee see not how they can draw it out of that text of Luke that leaues vs onely to suffer and not to rule Galet 2. Luk. 22 38. That hee is put the first and Mary the last shee full of Grace Acts 1 14 Acts 2. Luke 2. he but fall of the spirit neither hee nor any had that prerogatiue to bee full of Grace and full of that holy fruit besides described by that great Astrologer to bee an honest and beautifull Virgine bearing in her hand two full eares of Corne Albamaz in maior Iotroduct tr 6. A fable as all the writings of the Poets concerning the sonnes of Iupiter was by the policy of Sathan to make the world beleeue that the Prophesies of that Iesus was but a fable but the truth is she is so described and therefore Peter being set before her the last before the first behind her in dignity Luke 1 13. 2 Tim 4 21. before her in place That Linus is set after Pudens the Bishop of Rome may blush indeed to ranke himselfe before all the Church or Peter before Paul which besides the excellency of his miracles as Salmeron confesses went vp as high into the third heauen with the fulnes of faith as Peter sunke low into the waters for want of it and it seemes hee came to visit Peter Galat. 2.18 to see whether hee were sicke of any opinion or no for I thinke the worde will beare it if any thinke not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee can shew an author for it so that except they will make an vniuersall diffusion of some secret Grace flowing from Peter as from the name of Iesus which is an Oyntment poured out Cant. 1. Phil. 2. If they thinke that this name of Peter like oyle aboue water giues a generall command ouer heauen and earth and hell as the names of Iesus which it seemes they doe for in their writings Peter is as often writ as the name of Iesus in the Epistles of Paul but I thinke as Dauid was not a King ouer all Kings because of his mystery of three times annointing no more was Peter Prince ouer all the Apostles because of the commission of threefold feeding but that he was at Rome that he seated himselfe there that hee planted the Church gaue it after his death to Clement we take it as a matter of history not of faith For if it were so wee wonder that Paul should be so vnciuill to leaue out a salutation to Bishop Peter amongst the rest Rom. 16. It may bee Peter being one of the hot spirits of Galilee Galilei pugnaces Ierō where was nothing but a worde and a blow as it seemes when he cropt the High Priests seruants eare would in stomacke at Pauls vnkindnesse leaue him when he came to his first answer Mat. 26. let them answer this or there is no Apology to be made for Peter 2 Tim. 4.16 that besides vnkindnes is to bee accused of negligence that he grounded the Iewes at Rome no better that were scarce catechized in rudiments of Christianity by him that was not Bishop of Rome some fiue and twenty yeares Acts 28. but also of the circumcision and not onely of negligence but forgetfulnesse in not remembring the words of Christ Ioh 21 15. Feede my Lambes vpon whom depended the hope of the whole flocke It is a signe of lightnesse to be credulous so saide Porphiry against the Christians but beeing mortall as wee are and not celestiall let them aperire fontem sciendi and we will imponere iugum credendi If they can make vs know it wee will submit our selues and beleeue it yet they cannot But that hee left it to the Bishop of that See is the maine issue let them answere Paul that had not a vision of the Gentiles as Peter had but the diuision of them from the Iewes and euen then me thinkes when the Doctor of the Gentils Acts 28.28 of which Rome was the chiefe City was out of fauor with his Country-men I think Bishop Peter was something inhospitable to let him hire an house Peter had no Palace Epiphan Hares 27. that 's a wonder no more had Paul both Romane Bishops It seems that Peter dwelt vpon the stone in which Luke did engraue the picture of the Virgin Mary or else to be supposed that he was Bishop of Rome by one of St. Ieroms allegories Hierom in Philem Acts 28.30 as he doth interpret Pauls biennium to be the gift in the two Testaments and so the Bishopricke it selfe so doubtfull we shall finde it in the history that when wee come to beleeue it I doubt it will but prooue an Allegory Let them then interpret Gregory the Pope Greg ep ad Eulog Alexand. who doth auouch that the succession of Antioch was from Peter and answer Antioch who they say enioyed him seauen yeeres where was the first name of Christian or Polichronius of Ierusalem who thinkes the Primacy should be where Christ first was where was his first Fecit and Docuit Then alas it will bee but meere folly to thrust vpon vs the writings of Clemins Anacletus Jacobo fratri Domini Episcopo Episcoporum Hebraeorum Ecclesiam Regenti whom they make say so without any craft for Clement writes to Iames and after that Iohn is liuing both vnder this Pope both their writings in the canon and the Epistles of these the onely heires to Peters Chaire forgotten and so they may for truly their authors are hidden and obscure as the deuout Abbot spoke of William the simoniacall Bishop of Africke Concerning his letters Apostolicall so secret they are that they seeme to come à Principe tenebrarum not à Principe Apostolorum They were forgotten as he did his owne Dignity by calling Iames the Bishop of Bishops and yet will teach the Apostle as his successour Anacletus it seemes being a little more warme in the Chaire corrects Saint Iohn by deriuing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 1. which the Apostle himselfe doth interpret a stone as simple deriuations as the Latine is in which their Epistles were written Aug. conf 8. But as Victorinus the Rhetorician before his full conuersion ashamed of the humility of the word blushing at the shame of the crosse was wont to mocke Simplicianus when he enclin'd him to open profession Ergo ne parietes faciunt Christianos The walles of the Church make no Christians nor the chaire of Rome it seemes make Rhetoricians but as in Art so in the Truth of Religion it
murthered them before they had any time to rule yet his aduice to take away the enemies of the common-wealth to restore the freedome of it to remoue abuses was concluded thus Melius hoc orando quam suggerendo A greater degree of diuine wisedome then was in St. Ambrose This turned to the King he turned to God farre from constraint that hee would scarse suggest And it seemes when Elias had the sword it was giuen him and then he tooke it perswaded by Propheticall motion directed by the worde which commands the death of Idolaters and permitted by the King but he turned not the sword against the King though hee were an Idolater no more then Michael did the sword of the Tongue against the Dragon neither the nature of an Angell with the right of his quarrell nor the aduantage of the place nor the multitude of an heauenly host must conquer but the bloud of the Lambe A King is like vnto Sina that must not bee touched but by Moses that carries within him the spirit of meekenesse there is more fire of courage in a King then in an ordinary person It must be quenched by preaching of the bloud of Christ Our Churches bedde is a bed of flowers Cant. 1. nothing in it but the sweetnesse of peace The Church may correct something in zeale suffer some things in meekenes some things in good consideration they may dissemble so they doe not approue thē And when the King waxes wanton in wickednesse like Ieroboam that worshipped the calfe It is enough that the Prophet reprooues it All shall bee well if wee neither eat the fat nor the bloud bee neither carnall nor cruell Leu 3 17. So then we commend S. Ambrose with Mr. Caluin for his constant refusing to appeare before Valentinian a young Emperour ruled by his mother that was an Arrian Institu 4 11 d 15. distinguishing rightly betwixt his authority in matters temporal and his iudgement in matters meerely spirituall but in this poynt leaue him to the censure of the King In the meane time our Religion is not a Religion of blood euen the Law onely prescribed the death of beasts not of men no humane sacrifice but Christ that came for the preseruation of men to sacrifice his bloud The same argument therefore that we haue against the religion of the Heathen gods their cruelty in desiring the slaughter of men and of the most innocent as virgins and children which proues it to be false The same we haue against this religion of Rome that makes a game of murder holds it an Aphorisme to kill the innocent praeter intentionem for the Catholike good Ephes 4. Ioh 12 32. Let vs bee reconciled to that Religion where is the vnity of the spirit in the bond of peace not to that which doth not draw vs but driue vs not draw vs like a wagon but driue vs like the horses and now by this time we are come to mooue you by the consideration of two poynts First what honour the fathers of the 600. yeeres gaue and vpon what ground Secondly what diuision that causes rather then reconciliation Wee stand not vpon this word Pope it is but a Father it was but giuen to Pastors to those that were worthy Pastours Ascribed to Fathers in Epistles and superscriptions as to Augustine a poore Bishop and to Paulinus a poore Deacon A name of reuerence now growen odious as tyrannus is for tyranny And when it was giuen it was an amplification in regard of worth of the persons not in regard of preeminence of place giuen to those that had nothing to do at Rome that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Theodosius called Ambrose in the temple of Constantinople and Illustrissimus Doctorum latinorū ascribed to S. Austin the large circuit S. Gregory entitles Cyprian withall euen all the 4 quarters of the world is rather a personall amplification then a iurisdiction of place indeed consisting with equality of a iurisdiction that others may challenge from Iohn Iames and Polycarpus and if Rome were wise they would take as great a priuiledge fro Paul as Peter I am sure Irenaeus is of that mind Lib. 3. Acts 6. all the priuiledge that the Counsell of Africke gaue him after Cyprians death was to be Primaescdis Episcopus not Princeps Sacerdotū no relation to the holy Synode of Priests and Bishops but to the place and to the place onely in a ciuill respect other institution it had none from Christ and in this no likelihood of succession from Peter A ciuill priority then not an Ecclesiasticall superiority Ciuill for the Scripture in the hottest contention of the Church in the 600. yeeres was neuer vrged for it It was found out in the grossest times of ignorance and then it began to bee thus ordered 1 Rome 2 Alexandria 3 Antioch 4 Ierusalem And alas see the indisposition Alexandria before Antioch the seate of Marke before his Master Peter at Antioch A malice discouered to the Apostle of loue is Ephesus of no account where Iohn preached he preached too vnhappily and foretold the trickes of Babylon and that 's the reason why the Church that hee founded was not Patriarchall And Ierusalem the Iast because traditions did not begin there but the Gospell first at Ierusalem had his originall Luke 24. so that it was not Christ nor his Apostles that made Churches Patriarchall They were dead before Constantinople was made one It was propter Imperium as the Councell of Chalcedon defined notwithstanding the instances of Leo's Legates It is true some of the fathers did inuest the old Rome with priuiledges aboue the rest but 152. Bishops gaue the yonger Rome equality because there was an Empire and Senate as well adorned Magnificent titles the Grecians gaue poore Grecians like schoole-boyes to their Pedagogues Reuerendissimo Maximo so did they write for Rome was then the scourge of the world And for that vnlimited title of vniuersality it is so trust vp of late that I must onely gird it vp with one of Iustin Martyrs interpretations vpon that All of euery beast which Peter saw in his vision Act. 10.12 Quest 2. ad Orthod 89. which All hee doth restraine to the vncleane As Christ who is the head of euery man that is of the faithfull who are the body of Christ not of the vnfaithfull so they may expound vniuersall if they wil of all in Rome not in the world and if the comparison hold then shall they haue no doubt a company of cleanly beasts except they be mended since S. Bernards time he describes them hand somely in that Chapter which he entitles of the manners of the Romanes to be a want on people intractable tumultuous rebellious proud sacrilegious seditious inhumane vnfaithfull importable vnthankfull De consid 4. c. 2. deceitfull hypocriticall It is enough for the Pope to dresse his owne stables all the world is too much ô but Rome is too little
we may take vp our lodgings with Baucis or Philemon or content our selues with ten shekels of siluer and a suit of apparell Then sure blessed must that house be where God is so wel regarded saies that idolatrous miscreant Micah Iud 17. ver vlt. As for Tithes and Offerings they be but Leuiticall customes ceremonies and shadowes vanished away at the Sunshine of the Gospell thus are wee content to haue our mouthes musled and our tongues tied The Romane Orator plaid his prizes neuer worse then in his owne cause and I know not how it comes to passe either we are ouer-modest to pleade for our selues least wee might seeme partiall or too timerous wee are content at Balacks becke neyther to blesse nor curse or which is worst of all if euer wee meane to enter Gods house our selues must come like Gods like Iupiter himselfe in a goulden shower or stand without ô aur eum orationis flumen these be the golden streams of eloquence that make the Preachers voice the voice of a God But as I begun to say we are vnfit Orators for this theam will it please you to heare almighty God speake in his own person Malac. 3.8 Will a man spoyle his gods but you haue spoyled me saith the Lord A strange speech for the God of heauen to speake to mortall men You haue spoyled me and that made the people of Israell to wonder Lord wherein haue we spoyled thee God answers in Tithes and Offerings parturiunt montes a ceremony a shadow a toy no beloued almighty God fights not with shadowes nor is so zealous for a ceremony there is more in it then all they account for these are not Mint and Annise we talke of but matters of greater moment All the wonders the Apostles wrought vpon the earth were sauing wonders restoring men to their health and perfection but when they mette with sinne of alienating Church goods in Ananias and Saphira their wonder was an extraordinary iudgement no lesse then present death When the Lambe of God walked vpon the earth hee is obserued neuer to haue wrought any thing by force or violence but all with gentle perswasions and fatherly admonitions so obserueth S. Augustine in one booke Vera relig c. 16. Cap. 13. yet the Father was deceiued for himselfe doth retract that point in his booke of Retractions and does confesse that indeed when hee met with this sin of Marchandize in the Church of God then his patience was mooued to vse some Discipline then and onely then in all his life did the Lambe of God play the Lion of the tribe of Iuda for himselfe alone with a three-stringed whip draue the Marchants out of the Church Now if these Marchants shall quit him with his owne and through their marchandize driue Christ out of the Church they are no more to look for a whip of cords but a rod of iron to break them in peeces like a Potters vessel If they will needs meddle with forbidden fruit as Adam did they must looke to turne Gods as Adam did in whom I beseech you a little to looke your selues as in a glasse Man hauing his choyce of all the pleasant fruits in Paradise only except the forbidden fruit whereof if hee eat the same day he must die the death was visited by the Serpent yea hath God indeede sayd ye shall not eat indeede sayes the woman we eat of the trees of the Garden but of the fruit of the tree in the middest of the garden there is a tree in the middest of the garden worth all the rest of the fruit of that tree God hath sayd Yee shall not eat neither shall ye touch it lest yee die Die sayes the Serpent yee shall not die die the same day yee shall not die at all die the death yee shall liue most happy liues yee shall bee Gods but what became of them we all know by wofull experience So you beloued are by Gods goodnesse heere placed in a land like Eden for pleasure and plenty blessed like Ifrael with the deaw of heauen and fat of the earth enriched like Tyrus whose Marchants were Princes and Chap-men the Nobles of the land sucking the abundance of the sea and treasure hid in the sand onely the forbidden fruits of the Church touch not least ye die the Death Then comes the Serpent hath God indeed said ye shall not eate of these fruits Indeed answers flesh and bloud we eat of the fruits of the Land and aboundance of the Sea but there be certaine Holy fruites of the Land worth all the rest Tithes and Offrings the flower and fat of the land pleasant springs Orchards Gardens for recreation goodly stones that wold build vs stately houses and towers whose top might reach vnto heauen were we but possessed of these we should be gods vpon earth Thus stollen waters are sweete and the bread of deceit is pleasant to a man but afterwards saies Salomon it turnes to grauell in the mouth and then you know what followes a gnashing of teeth when almighty God shall come to giue sentence Adam where art thou Hast thou eaten of the forbidden fruit whereof I saide thou shouldst not eat Thou shalt be cast out of the Paradise of this world not in Letherne skins among the beasts of the field but starke naked among the fiends of Hell where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Then he that sits in Heauen shall laugh them to scorne and the Lord shall deride them with a bitter Irony Behold the man is become like one of vs Sonne remember thou in thy life time hadst a paradise of pleasure no dwelling would please thee but the sanctuary and habitation of God no lands and liuings content thee but those hallowed and dedicated to God no bread sweet and pleasant vnto thee but Tithes Offrings and holy things of God This shall be the Lords derision this is that fearefull sentence whereto my text is but a warning peece and the fall of Adam but a figure and so wee haue done with the second generall point wherein the Sonne of Adam affecteth to become a God like one of vs. Out of the last words Vnus è nobis it is agreed that almighty God directed his speech to the persons in Trinity whence it may bee demanded to which of the three persons man affected to bee like like one of vs though indefinitely it may be vnderstood of any yet the Schoole determines Hee affected not so much to bee like the Father in power or the spirit in loue as in knowledge to resemble the second person who is the wisedome of his Father for it followes like one of vs knowing good and euill The sum of which is that man created in perfect reason endued with great measure of knowledge according to his kind yet in time was to attain to greater perfection but vnwilling to stay his time and expect the meanes appointed by God thought to take a shorter out but tast an
some zealous fury that he would breake the tables or doe some mischeefe to the written Law It stung the Serpent that Gods Law should be written in tables of stone to continue that from time to time it might discouer all falfe Oracles and keepe the verity of God entire from his vnwritten vanities 2. A great Benefit to haue the Law written 2 Magnum beneficium but greater fauour that Comments also of Moses and the Prophets together with their Prophesies and the Mysteries of saluation giuen by diuine inspiration should bee committed to writing that Christ in his person might confirme his Apostles as heere with So it is written and that the Apostles vpon the same testimony might preach the same Gospell to all nations beginning at Ierusalem 3. 3. Magna misericordia But of all mercies this the greatest that to Moses and the Prophets are added Christ and the Apostles that all things needefull to saluation bee now perfected exactly written admirably preserued sealed vp with a curse in the end of the booke to any that shall adde or diminish whether of the sect of Montanus or Seruetus or any fantasticke spirit of latter time that expects further Reuelation or whether they that make the traditions of men or the voice of a Counsell equiualent that is of equall infallibilitye with the Word written this is so absolute it selfe and of it selfe that Vincentius Lirinensis so approoued by our aduersaries doth auerre Solus sufficit ad omnia satis superque An absolute canon it is but for what for the mysteries of our saluation wrought by the death and perfected by the resurrection of Christ An absolute canon for prescript of all essentiall parts of Gods worship and the directing of our soules to euerlasting life for which It is written Ioh 20 21. But shall wee therefore from sufficiency of the written word require the proofe of all particulars without limitation Doubtlesse vnder this pretence we may go too farre Must yee haue a proofe out of Scripture that the plague is not infectious or will yee not beleeue it shall wee exact a prescription out of the word of God How to build Churches for diuine seruice or How to shape decent garments for the Cleargie shall the Scripture define in particular each ceremony and circumstance any waies annexed or appertaining to externall Worship shall the Preacher looke for speciall direction out of Gods Book in what maner to branch his Text to order his speech to enforce the Argument for the best edifying of each particular auditory shall the people waite till we can giue expresse charge out of this Booke when to sit stand or kneele at diuine Seruice what euer is against the second Commandement I feare this is against the third for it takes Gods name in vaine and stands not with the Maiesty of that word written for matters of greater importance Vers 13. The Apostle being to reforme abuses concerning Praier and Prophesing in the Church of Corinth 1 Corin. 11. doth for some things referre himselfe to their owne discretion iudge in your selues is it comely doth not nature it selfe teach as if for decency in the Church common sence or the light of reason could say somewhat to which if you adde the general direction of Scripture may not the Church of Christ out of these grounds determine the particulars Nature it selfe teacheth that the most solemne act in euery kinde is most solemnely to bee performed and religion teacheth what act of religion is most solemne may not the Church then determine of particulars within the compasse of Generall rules of Scripture T was the sentence of that famous Oracle of Geneua in his comment vpon the same chapter vers the 2. where shewing the Apostle to speake de ijs quae pertinent ad ordinem politiam hee inferreth Scimus enim vnieuique ecclesiae liberum esse politiae formam inslituere sibi aptam vtilem quia Dominus nihil certi prescripserit wee know saith Caluin he makes no Quere vpon it for matters of Order we know that euery Church hath her liberty to institute a forme of gouernement fit and profitable for her selfe because the Lord hath prescribed no certaine thing Paul planteth hee left Apollos to water The Master builders haue set vp Gods house and haue left the fitting of the roomes by generall directions to the ouerseers of the building The eye of the handmaid waites vpon the hand of her mistresse not so simple as to be pointed to euery particular within compasse of discretion no shee hath beene better brought vp then so when shee was a childe shee was taught as a child but now she is stronger by the assistance of that spirit which leadeth her into all truth pray we to God for that spirit of truth and sobriety vpon his Church that shee may so carry her selfe in all her proceedings that still she haue an eye to God and his word till hee haue mercy vpon her and restore her to the Peace of Sion and so wee come vnto the worke So it is written 2 So it behoued Christ to suffer Christ is the Sonne of the liuing God The worke therefore most free not subiect to necessity necessary it is therefore that we in the first place distinguish of oportuit a necessity was of Christs suffering not imposed vpon him but assumed by him voluntarily a necessity not primatiue but by consequent not absolute but presupposing the ordinance of God which two kindes were distinguished by Christ at his Passion 1 In the fourteenth of Marke Mar. 14.36 Abba Father al things are possible to thee take away this Cup therefore no absolute necessity to drinke of it 2 In the 26. of Matthew Father if this Cup cannot passe but I must drinke of it thy will be done therefore a secondary necessity there was 1 Of the first in the 53. verse Thinkest thou that I cannot pray to my Father and he will giue me more then twelue Legions of Angels therefore not an absolute necessity to yeeld himselfe 2 Of the second in the 54. verse How then shall the Scripture be fulfilled which is the very consequent of this Text So it is written therefore So it behooued So God hath ordeined whose decree is vnchangeable so hath he reuealed his Ordinance by writing whereof one title shall not passe therefore So behoued Christ to suffer The reasons of this necessity will appeare in the consideration of the three points implied in this sentence 1 It behooued there should be a suffering 2 That Christ should suffer 3 That he should so suffer Sic oportuit Christum pati 1 The Law of God was broken by sinne which behooued vs to haue kept therefore it must be restored by iudgement the glory of God was obscured by sinne therefore it must be cleared by expiation The iustice of God was offended by sinne therefore it must bee satisfied by punishment The wrath of God was kindled by sinne therefore
Gentile made one Church then the Partition wall was broken downe and all respect of persons remoued then was Ierusalem to be inhabited without wals for the multitude of inhabitants Then did the Church of Christ become Catholique Zach. 2.4 dispersed farre and wide ouer the face of the whole earth Then was the manifold wisedom of God made manifest to the Angels in heauen by this mystery which was kept secret in God from the beginning of the world hence was the mystery of saluation reuealed and deriued to vs that dwell in the ends of the world shut vp in another world like fishes in the Sea so that wee from the North as well as from the East and West shall replenish the kingdome of God and to our comfort be it spoken Luc. 13.29 that heauenly Ierusalem described Reuelations the 21. hath as many gates and as open on the North side as any other part vnder heauen in the 13. verse of that Chapter I haue swiftly passed ouer the former points as more familiarly knowne amongest you giue mee leaue by your honourable patience now I am come to the last point a little to pause vpon it Beginning at Ierusalem By this diuine dispensation I perceiue the truth of Gods promise performed vnto the Iewes The righteousnesse of God shewed to his Sonne The wisedom of God for spreading of the Gospell and the goodnesse of God towards the sinners of the Gentiles in that it began at Ierusalem 1 It could not bee that the wickednesse of men could make the promise of God of none effect therefore seeing the inhabitants of Ierusalem were the children of the Prophets and of the Couenant made with their Fathers true Oliue branches springing out of the roote of Abraham to whom did appertaine the adoption the glory the giuing of the Law the seruice of God and the promises Christ to performe this promise beginneth at Ierusalem 2 As God a righteous iudge honoured him in recompence of his humiliation so did he honour him in the same place he suffered In Ierusalem was he despised at his Passion In Ierusalem shall he be glorified by his Gospell In Ierusalem in the assembly of much people at the solemne feast of Easter did Christ suffer a publique execrable shamefull death of the Crosse therefore at the feast of Whitsuntide before the assembly of many nations in the famous City of Ietusalem shall his name be first honoured in preaching of the Gospell 3. The manifolde wisdome of God is heere manifested as well for the publishing as the confirmation of the same 1. If God would haue his Gospell spred amongst all nations like the riuer of Eden where shall we make the head of the spring but at Ierusalem Acts 2.5 where was dwelling euery nation vnder heauen 2. If he would haue the truth of the Gospell tried before men of knowledge amongst the Doctours in the Law and these that were skilfull in all science where should he make the first probation but at Ierusalem The truth of God seekes no corners nor auoydes the light like the Oracles of the Diuels in the 45. of Esay Esa 45.19 It seekes not to establish it selfe in weake places it creepes not priuily amongst the people like the heresies of the false Prophets 2 Pet. 2. but as Christ when he first shewed himselfe was seene amongst the Doctors at Ierusalem and as Paul when his Doctrine was called in question Gal. 2 2. hee went and conferred with the best at Ierusalem So for this cause also the Gospell of Christ began at Ierusalem 3. If he desire to fettle his Gospell in the world shall not choose the City before the Countrey the famous City of Ierusalem there is the strongest hold get that and the rest will yeeld Act. 17.16 When was the spirit of Paul stirred within him but when hee came to Athens There hee laboured more earnestly with all kinde of men with all kinde of Sects being the Seminary of learning a plentifull haruest as at Ierusalem 4. If hee would make a way that the Athenians and the rest of the Gentiles should receiue the Faith what greater argument could bee vsed then this That it was receiued before at Ierusalem that the Iewe the very professed enemies of Christ recanted embraced the Faith and beleeued him whom they crucified what secondary meanes made Paul so powerfull among the Gentiles but this That Saul a lew a learned lew Gamaliels scholler a religious lew of the strict Sect of the Pharisies a zealous lew persecuting this way vnto the death became so earnest a professour of the same 5. What greater encouragement for vs sinners of the Gentiles that saluation was first offered in Ierusalem to them that were his murtherers why then should wee sinners despaire of his mercy when the theefe on the crosse saw him not onely forgiue but pray for those that did torment him he laies in for himselfe Lord remember me when thou comest into thy kingdome there is hope for Theeues and Murtherers if for these and doubtlesse saluation will bee easily attained if for Ierusalem It began at Ierusalem but it flowed ouer the face of the earth yet is heere no footing for vniuersality to bee an infallible marke of the truth of Religion for the Gospell doth not spred at once ouer all nations like Noahs floud but like riuers of waters winning ground in one place and losing in another dried vp at Ierusalem and Samaria and flowing in other places The triple estate of Christs Church is well shadowed in the three famous figures of the same Shee was in her infancy being a little flocke tossed like Noahs Arke in mans iudgement ready euery moment to bee swallowed vp 2. She shall be in her triumphant estate like Salomous Temple on Mount Sion that cannot be mooued but in the mean time she is Moses Tabernacle in the wildernesse mooueable from place to place first pitched at Ierusalem and in the East parts of the world after that in the West since remooued into the North amongst vs and S. Paul tels vs It shall returne to the Iewes from whence it came so all Israel shall be saued Rom. 11.26 there is not any place or people vnder the Sunne that can challenge the Residence of the Church of Christ Admit Peter liued and died and was crucified at Rome what then did not a greater then Peter liue and die and was crucified at Ierusalem did hee not rise the third day did hee not appoynt Apostles send downe his Spirit plant his Church at Ierusalem yet it is remooued thence long since It beganne at Ierusalem went through other places now among vs. Wherefore now it behooueth vs to looke about vs and consider this poynt what can wee say for our selues why this Candle-sticke should not be remooued from this place also A notable place there is in Ezechiel Ezech. 9.3 as it was in Ierusalem so with vs hee rose from them twice and then went away