it was superfluous for expressio eorum quae tacite insunt nihil operatur It doth but argue he is covetous and ambitious covetous in that he hereby makes himself master of anothers Interest and ambitious in that he would be thought the Author of Princes dignities As for King Hen. 8. his adding that stile to his other distinguishments of Dignity it did not proceed from any conceit that he could not have stiled himself so had not the Pope saluted him with that courteous appellation But only in respect it was grown into fashion to adde to their temporall Styles some denotement of their ecclesiasticall power as the Emperour of Ethiopia stiles himself the Pillar of Faith without deriving that dignity from Rome It is true the French embrace the stile of Christian and the Spaniard of Catholick King from Rome yet I suppose they might without that be so dignified As for England it is plain that her King may without any donation thereof from Rome for that it is warranted by her antient Lawes and Eleutherius called Lucius Gods Vicar the King was stiled Persona mixta cum sacerdote which was many hundred years known before Hen. 8. Ante 37. Cap. 4. and therefore sith by the antient Lawes of the Land the King is Vicarius sūmus infra Regnas He must nominate or ought to Authorise some by vertue of his power all forrain provinciall Jurisdiction being lockt up by consent of Councels within its proper provinciall precincts to appoint Bishops this antient right being grounded upon Gods Word in that I have proved that the Temporall Magistrate did elect such as should be ordained and therefore for the Doctor to deny us to be a Church because we want succession of Bishops the new ones being appointed by the Temporall Magistrate when as they wanted nothing to compleat their Order seemes to me strange and unreasonall If the Doctor when he denies our succession of Bishops No discontinuance of Succession of Bishops in England when Queen Elizabeth turned out the old ones could prove that the new ones had no Imposition of Hands by Bishops then his Argument touched us something though it be not absolute necessary that Bishops ordain Bishops Ante 33.4 chap. For what if all the Bishops should die so neer at one time that none were left ordained by them shall not the Presbytery make Bishops they have right to the Keyes which are called Claves ecclesiae non episcoporum and they are the remaining Pillars of the Church and certainly may confer the Order of Bishop upon others and that the rather because the Councells forbid Bishops of another Province to ordain in a forrain Province and though it may seeme strange to some that Ministers which are subordinate should ordain Bishops and so confer Superiour Orders it is not if rightly examined contradictory to reason For in this first ordination of Priests and Deacons they are infra ordines majores which orders are called Holy and Sacramentall and are the Highest Orders witness Pope Vrban decret dist 60. sum Sacr. Ro. Eccl. 226. as for the Order of Bishops it is no more then a Priest as to the Holy and Sacramentall Order onely more excellent in respect of the Order of Governing which is rather of Humane then Divine right Priests ordain Bishops for as it is Divine it is no more then what every Priest hath by the Sacramentall order but as it is Humane it is transcendent in relation to Discipline Ante 33.4 chap. and therefore the Presbytery may agree to ordain one over them to govern them in ecclesiasticall Rites as the people may choose a Prince to Govern in civill affairs Hence it was that the Apostles sent John to Ephesus Peter to Antioch and appointed James over the Churches at Hierusalem which before such their Consignations were but equal with the other Apostles in every respect but after that if any other of the Apostles came where they had the over-sight they were observant of them Hence was it that James was prolocutor of the Councel at Hierusalem and not Peter because James was Bishop there I may from thence infer that if Peter came to Rome for the same reason he was observant of Paul and therefore it is conceived that in case of necessity Priests may ordain Bishops for that Bishops in relation to their Jurisdiction are not a Sacramentall Order but onely as they are Priests But if this opinion be by the learned condemned I shall submit and yet with confidence affirme that we may in England claim a Church notwithstanding For when Queen Elizabeth turned out some Popish Bishops those that were put into their roomes were ordained by the remaining part of the old Bishops For all the old Bishops were not turned out then nor in Hen. 8. his time For first in Hen 8. time the controversie was about Supremacy which question the Insolencies of the Pope occasioned though I doe not justifie that Prince for all he did and being once started it gave occasion of further scrutiny into the primitive Fathers and Councels Reformation of England Infra 55.5 chap. which did so far perswade the Consciences of the then Clergy that many of them did adhere to the Prince against the Pope and by that and other after inquisitions they found they had primitive right of calling Councels and reforming things amisse in their Church without appealing to Rome and thereupon having the authority of Scriptures Councells and Fathers they restored to themselves their just rights and shook off their servile obedience to the See of Rome which the Popes continued over them by keeping them up in ignorance not allowing them their own judgements and illumination ecclesiasticall to understand the plain letter of any thing be it never so far demonstrated to the easiest capacity without his Holinesse interpretation and having thus shaken off that slavish yoke of Rome the scales of blind obedience fell from their eyes and they clearly perceived the Popes false cunning and damnable abusings of Scriptures Fathers Councels and what not thorow his unjust usurpations of universality and infallibility whereby he became a new Legislator of Divine rules of Faith which had in them too much of grosse and fleshly compositions tending meerly to enslave Christendome and to set up the Popes triple Crown for all the people to worship thereby making them forsake Christ and his Truth for the fables and traditions of that abominable Idoll And as In Hen. 8. time all the Bishops were not turned out so neither at the coming of Queen Elizabeth to the Crown but continued in their Bishopricks excercising their function ordaining others as formerly onely the Archbishop of York the Bishops of Elie Lincoln Bath Worcester and Excester were outed and the Bishops of Saint Asaph Bangor London and Chester fled the rest continued and ordained others The Queen her self being Enaugurated by Bishop Oglethorp one of Queen Maries Bishops and Bishop of Carlisle and Parker the Arch-bishop
more super-intendency over them as their Mother then Jerusalem from whence Paul was sent after he had the laying on of hands or Antioch from whence it is pretended Peter to have came may by the same rule challenge over her and hers a Jurisdiction as Mother to her and them And as in respect of extention of Doctrine she may not assume the name of Catholique so neither can she claim that Title to her self in respect of her Communion with the Primitive Churches as every point of this ensuing Discourse will evidently shew So that unless the Universality of Power and Jurisdiction she claims from Peter will support this her Title and Dignity she is altogether at a loss and must henceforth discontinue her claim to be the onely Catholique Church It rests therefore to examine That 1. It may not be called Catholique in respect of Peters having been there Rome not Catholique â—n respect of Peter being there no more then the Church of Antioch of which he certainly was Bishop The power of planting the Gospel was given in charge to all the Apostles Go and teach all Nations And as the Doctor hath it in his Introduction they going forth preached every where And in the Acts it is said That the Apostles sent out Peter and John unto Samaria hearing that they had received the Word who layd hands on them If then Peter was subject to their mission how comes he to give unto Rome any power above other Churches of Apostolical Plantation and by the same mission that Peter was sent out to Samaria are elswhere planted Peter was as wel to observe the directions of the rest of the Apostles as to prescribe any Rules to them or others It is true Christ said to Peter Thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church Saint Cyprian says Cypr. in Tract simp Praelat This was but to denote the Unity of the Church in that it was built upon one for the power of governing and instructing was alike given to all So that admit it was built upon Peter as the Doctor argues fol. 284. yet that gives nothing of superintendency to Rome for Christ after his Resurrection gave power alike to the rest the naming of him alone in that place was ut Ecclesia una monstretur not to take any power or honor from the rest For should it be granted that the Church was built upon Peter alone so that none else should plant or govern then it would follow that any Church planted by any other of the Apostles who received neither order nor power from Peter were not Apostolical or true Churches of Christ which S. Augustin de Doctrina Christiana lib. 2. cap. 8. plainly affirms to the contrary The Apoâ—tles Foundations of â—e Church We are built says S. Paul Ephes 2.20 upon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief Corner-stone by which it appears that the rest of the Apostles were foundations as well as Peter and when there was a strife amongst them who should be greatest amongst them Mat. 20.26 sayes Christ Whosoever shall be greatest let him be your servant which is not to be understood that Christ did thereby reprove pride and haughtinesse only but was against superiority or preheminence amongst them It is true Christ was not against superiority utterly for he calls himself their Lord and Master John 13.10 and their head but this preheminence he did not delegate to any one amongst them for they were the foundations he the Corner-stone they the body he the Head they ministers he their Master they equall he their superior The Apostles power to plant the Gospell was equall The Apostles power equall and they dispersed themselves for the propagation of the Gospell not by any order received from Peter but by the Commission they received from Christ himself In the eighth chapter of the Acts it is said that Philip went towards the South and baptized the Eunuch the Queen of Ethiopia her chief Governour and to this day the Catholike Faith is professed in Ethiopia being there preached by the said Eunuch Nor doth the Pope exercise any jurisdiction there which he might as well as in any other Countries which received the Faith from some of the Apostles and not from the Bishop of Rome if Peter was chief Governour of the Church and he his successor Doth not the Scripture plainly affirm that the Holy Ghost came upon all Acts 2. and Gal. 2. James Peter and John gave Paul the right hand of fellowship When Christ instituted his Supper he said to them Hoc est corpus meum quod pro vobis datur hoc facite c. He gave to all a like power of administration And Joh. 20. As my Father sent me so send I you he speaks it to all the Disciples and not to Peter alone Nolite vocari Rabbi Mat. 23. unus enim magister est vester scilicet Jesus omnes autem vos fratres estis that is saith S. Austin you are all equall And S. Hierome in his Epistle to Evander Omnes Episcopi five Romae five alibie jusdem sacerdotii atque potestatis à Christo collationem habuerunt The Doctor cites Bellarmines argument that Christ is the invisible head but there must be a mysteriall and visible head to govern the whole and therefore when it is said 1 Cor. 12. that the head cannot say to the feet I have no need of you it must not be understood of Christ for he the eternall Word can say J have no need c. The Apostles are called skilfull master-builders 1 Cor. 3. Christ the Head of the Church but another foundation can no man lay then that which is laid Jesus Christ It cannot therefore be understood that Peter was the foundation and rock on which the Church was built Christ as he is head it is of the whole Catholike Church and therefore when Paul Ephes 1. calls him the head he brings in both men and Angells into the rank of members men ver 4. and Angells vers 21. But as touching the particular Churches upon earth they all are but as so many members of the head Christ Jesus and are built upon the Apostles as the Doctor confesses in his Introduction who as I said are called master-builders or the heads of those respective Churches but there was not one of them that was to bear rule over the rest Peter was primus in ordine not supremus in potestate you cannot have twelve without one but every one is as much one as another whether in respect of Power or Ordination as S. Cyprian de unitate Ecclesiae agrees some were ordained Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists for the work of the Ministery for the edification of the body of Christ and to every one of the Apostles was grace given according to the measure of the gift of Christ by whom he ascended into heaven but those that were Apostles were aequales inte se and the
them and to flie away from them in their sight to fetch down vengeance from Heaven upon them and the day being appointed he began to take his flight in mount Capitolinus into the air and that Peter by the power of the Lord Jesus brought him down and broke his bones which act of Peters occasioned his persecution for that Simon Magus was beloved of Cesar this Story is in the Roman Legends I could wish the Pope to make this moral use of this story to wit to beware how he exalts Rome above the heavenly Hierusalem for if he continue to cuff the Heavens with his towring waxen pinions he must expect the divine majestick rayes of the heavenly Sun to melt his proud supporters into nothing he must not think to exalt himself against God and prosper Is it not enough for him to be primus Episcoporum ordine but he will contrary to Gods Word be Supremus Potestate c. God gives wings to the Ant. that she may destroy her self the sooner let Romes Bishop be content with his own Province for it is a rule that that State that goes beyond the lists of mediocrity passes the bounds of safety all Churches of Europe would honour her as a sister but 't is unnaturall to love a stepmother we are all fellow members of Christ let not Rome therefore despise her sister England Let us strive together in love and let the Church that is at Rome salute the Church that is in England and let us greet each other with an holy kisse she must not rob England of her name of a Church if she think not to bastard her self for we are all ingrafted in the same stock and baptized into one faith by the spirit of Jesus it is not for her to be busy in anothers diocess to judge of our matters of discipline or doctrin in that wherein we differ from her any further then that if she conceive we erre to give admonishment to those of her own Province they fall not into the like cōdemnation she must not upon this score deny the society of Christian believers the name of a church Admit the unfriendly appellations of Schismaticks and hereticks which they bestow upon us were deserved Haereticus est pars ecclesiae because we do not in all points agree and communicate w th Rome yet we must not therefore be denyed to be a church for this assertion I have the authority of the Councell of Trent I say which was wholly gathered of men against the reformed churches and men totally for the Popes supremacy yet they did not deny but that Schismatichs and Hereticks were in the Catholike Church and might confer orders administer and baptize and the councel of Florens agrees herewith sum Sacrament Rom. Ecclesiae Sect. 136.28 and therefore it is very harsh dealing in the Doctor to deny us this which their own Councels allow so that Saint Pauls saying is verified in him Heb. 12.15 when one falls away from the faith a root of bitternesse springs up in him and that 's the reason the Doctor is so harsh against the English Church The name Protestant The name Protestant and English Protestant which the Dr. so much spurns at doth not at all speak us members cut off from the old stock the Catholick Church for as the Doctor maintains that the name Romane Catholick is proper and significant language and sense so may we as well say English Protestant and with more reason for we will note by the Doctors distinction thereby the difference between our discipline doctrine only for our particular selv s assert the Catholick faith thereby to manifest the readinesse of us a particular member of the Catholick Church to give the head thereof our Master Christ for the word Protestant is comprehensive of Catholick and is no more but to assert the faith which faith is Catholick so that an English Protestant may be said truly to be he that will hold stick to and to his power maintain the Catholick faith taught and maintained in the English Church For the word Protestant though of a new addition proves not the Religion new or profession not agreeable to the Old Faith and profession of the Primitive Churches but being added with reference to their profession is an evidence of their zeal and affection to maintain and professe that ancient and Catholike truth For we do not professe our selves to have left the Catholike faith once preached and professed at Rome but that Rome has left of to be a Catholick Church bringing in strange delusions and perswading people to believe lies which especially since her pretence to universality has been much studied to make her new claims good whereas we desire only to impugne her late errors and to protest against them to maintain the ancient faith and though in this we may to some seem to set our selves against the Church of Rome to forfeit our interest in the Catholike Church because as they suppose we claimed our Religion from her yet there is nothing lesse for we are a Province and had a Metropolitane of our own and might call a Councell and reform things amisse by the authority Ecclesiasticall without appealing to Rome nor do we hereby forfeit the title of a Church But rather justifie the same in respect we differ in nothing but we would submit it to a free Generall Councel and though we were hereticall in some points yet having a society of believers in Jesus and having Apostolicall orders amongst us we still may without offence to any retain the name and appellation of a Church CHAP. IV. Of the right of Collation to Bishopricks and of the Ordination of Bishops of succession of Pastors and particularly of the Succession in England that the Pope ought not to intermedle in the appointing of Bishops in England THe Doctor has a great spleen towards our succession of Bishops in our Church and would fain perswade the world we are not of the Catholick Church for our defect therein It rests therefore that I clear our Church from that new devised scandall Ecclesia non consistit in hominibus ratione potestatis vel dignitatis Ecclesiasticae vel secularis quia multi Principes summi Pontifices inventi sunt qui à fide apostatasse propter quod ecclesia consistit in illis personis in quibus est notitia vera confessio fidei veritatis Could we not prove one line of succession it much matters not for we may notwithstanding lay claim to be of the Catholick Church and having a society of believers in Christ do notwithstanding make a Church If we agree with the Apostles and Fathers of the Primitive Church it is sufficient saith Tertullian to give us the name of Catholike Church Ecclesia quae licet nullum ex Apostolis authorem suum praeferant tamen in eadem fide conspirantes non minus Apostolicae reputantur pro consanguinitate doctrinae Though our first planter
was consecrated by the Imposition of Hands of Barlow Coverdale and Korey three of Queen Maries Bishops and two suffragan Bishops more as appears by the act of Consecration for that our succession was not totally interrupted or if it had I hold that succession of Bishops is no inseparable mark of a true Church for if so then where was the Church before Christ for he was not of Aarons succession Succession no inseparable mark of a true Church but after the order of Mesehisedeck and Peter was designed of Christ having none to go before him so that succession is no absolute mark of a true Church And whereas the Doctor objects that we are beholding to the Romish Bishops if our succession was not interrupted I have already proved that we had Sacramentall Orders at least if not governing Bishops before ever Eleutherius sent any Priests into England Ante 24.32 2 4 chap. our English writers say these two which were sent to Rome by Lucius were Bishops however they were in Holy Orders though I rather incline to think that none excercised any Episcopall Jurisdictions till by the Prince Christianity was publickly professed and being in Orders did consecrate others and there were others which had given to them the imposition of Hands from whom and not meerly from Rome we claim a succession of Pastors yet I might admit we had it from Rome and though all of the Romish Institution were extinct yet we continue a succession for that still we are pars ecclesiae though Hereticks But that 's but their begging of the question we appeal to the Scriptures primitive Councells and Fathers to Judge who are of us two the Scismaticks or Hereticks and I submit to the Judicious reader to censure or condemn us in the points here controverted whether Rome or we be in the Errour Thus briefly I have answered the Doctors condemning of us for want of Succession and have in some sort proved that the Church of Rome cannot properly be said a true Church in respect of her Succession Ante 9. Rome uncertain in her succession chap. 2 of which more in the next chapters for that she is uncertain in it and many of the Bishops of Rome usurpers in it so I will now proceed to examine the rest of his marks by which he hath distinguished her Truth and Catholickship and shall prove that she may not ascribe to her self the Title of the Catholick Church for and by reason of any of them CHAP. V. That the Church of Rome hath been and any particular Church may be Invisible THe first marks by which the Doctor hath laboured to prove Rome the true Church to wit Universality and Antiquity are already answered in that I have Proved others equall and some ancienter then the Church of Rome it now followes to look a little further after her whilst she may be found for shortly she shall be Invisible The Church Visible is a Company professing the Doctrine of the Law and the Gospell Visibility using the Sacraments according to Christs Institution in which company are many unregenerate as Hypothules as by the Parable of the seed and tares is manifest The Church Invisible is a company of those onely which are elect to Eternall life of whom it is said No man shall pluck my sheep out of my hands Joh. 10.28 is Universal or comprehensive of all the Elect which both now have heretofore living had one Faith The Church visible is Universall in respect of the dispersed Companies of those that professe one faith in Christ which must continue till the end of the world And the Visible Church is particular in respect of place and habitation and of diversity of Rites and Ceremonies as England Rome c. which particular Churches may becoming Invisible and particularly Rome hath been Invisible in respect of her Assemblies and is invisible in relation to the true Faith and Doctrine for though at present she hath companies of men which assemble to worship God and serve him in the Sacrament yet shee therein followes not Christs institution she is now invisible in respect of Faith and Doctrine and in respect of Men she cannot boast of this mark of Visibility but Tares grow as well as Wheat and as Rome hath been invisible in these respects so may any other particular Church be Invisible Elijah complained that he was left alone A particular Church may be Invisible and that the Prophets were slain that complaint of his saith the Doctor doth not prove that the true Church may be Invisible for saith he that complaint was uttered with relation to the Kingdome of Israel onely wherein Elijah then was and not with reference to the Kingdome of Judah where Elijah was not persecuted by Ahab and where the Church of God doth flourish This his Argument in my opinion proves what is objected against the Church of Rome It is true it is an Argument that the Church shall not be Universally Invisible but if by the true Church he mean the Church of Rome and I think he would not otherwise be understood it is no Argument but that it may be Invisible it is true at one instant of time the Church shall not be universally invisible God having promised his Spirit to be with the Apostles in their teaching of Nations to the worlds end but yet in any particular place it hath been and may be Invisible as he confesses himself he saith it was invisible in relation to the Kingdome of Israel and in Judah they knew not whether to resort when the Temple it self was defiled neither was there Place nor Sacrifice nor High Priest the Priest was wicked the Temple was defiled 2 King 19.2 and when the Doctor is charged with its being invisible in Judea he pleads it invisible in Ethiopia the Eunuch having received the Faith by Philip and so by these landskips he makes intervalls of darknesse proving that in particular places it was Invisible and if so then may not Rome being a particular Church boast of absolute truth by reason of this mark of Visibility we doe not go about to prove the Church universally invisible at one instant of time whilst we say that any particular Church as Rome may be Invisible but that no one particular Church but at some time may be Invisible Time was when both Rome and we agreed in the same Principles of Religion conform to the Rules of Scriptures Councels and Fathers but of later years Rome being grown above Apostolicall Orders abusing the indulgence of Christian Princes and other Churches towards her She hath turned the grace of God into wantonnesse converting Premacy into Supremacy and that Supremacy into Infallibility and so having acquired that uncontrolable Prerogative by the dull consent of some lame Princes and blind servile slavish People she became the onely evangellicall cradle accounting the Scriptures dead Letters and to receive articulate sense from her dictates and so for her own
promising the same But generally in all other Countries the Covenant between the king and the people is so personal that it is onely restrained to the parties so promising and no further For were the son to obey by reason of his fathers promise it were needless to have the fealty of the succeeding generations And therefore was it that in England there was a view of Frank-Pledge where every man of twelve yeers of age shall take the Oath of Allegaince and it is declared that every one 21 E. 3.12 ought to be attendant to some view of Frank-pledge or other to take an Oath to be true and faithful to the King Which was a very politick constitution for should any difference after arise between the king and people concerning his mis-government none should judge thereof but such as stood bound by Oath to obey the king according to the Laws whereby the king might be confident the people would not wrongfully tax the king lest they should pull Perjury upon themselves and the king was likewise hereby to take heed that he did govern according to that Law lest the succeeding generations would not subject themselves to have him over them and for that without their voluntary and personal consents they were not thereunto bound As for the term of Natural Allegiance Natural Allegiance considered it is in respect of a mans being born of parents which have right and priviledge in the Laws of the Nation and Country of which they are for that they are thereby naturalized endenized and made free to receive protection from those Laws For those Laws proceeding from the people of such Nation or Country and being by king and people confirmed to posterity they are onely proper to the natural people of such Nation or Country which Laws are to be a guide to such people and for that they are annexed in point of protection to the off-spring of such people such off-spring is said aâ— natural subject as having birth-right to those Laws which are to protect and govern them For as they are onely to receive correction from the Rule of that Law they may more properly be said local subjects then natural every stranger being with them in that respect during residence in such Nation or Country equally obnoxious to them and therefore being onely born of natural parents of that Country they are said natural subjects to that Law Natural Allegiance For as to the personal subjection of any man to be governed by such a king of that Country he is not by naturality absolutely concluded under that power before a personal engagement onely it is a perswasive motive to make him subject himself to such a king or power but no positive tye the obligation that thereby accrues to king and people onely arising upon the mutual stipulation personally conditioned and agreed upon by king and people Sith then it is plain that kings are by the people instituted into their Regal power whether absolute and so upon no terms to be questioned by the people engaged God onely being to punish such for their mis-government by raising some strange power to scourge them when and as he pleases or qualified and so to govern according to the Articles of Stipulation The Pope upon no terms is to intermeddle to depose them for after they are once invested in this power over the people whether Absolute or Conditional yet whilst they are so over the people and to go in and out before the people their power is from God by whom they reign and therefore not to be questioned by his Holiness who is neither the party without which they were not set up nor yet having any authority above their power And should any Prince or Potentate once acquire this Regal power from the alacrity and free consent of people and afterwards submit that right to the Pope's will I dare affirm he betrays the peoples interest to a stranger and is utterly injurious to his own Crown for that he being once invested in the Regal Throne is by Gods power and authority to go in and out before the people and having this power under so heavenly a Master he must not become tenant at will to the Pope who is belowe him as to question his Power and Government And whereas Bellarmine de Pontif l. 1. cap. 7. would exalt Bishops above Kings for that they administer Sacraments c. and Kings onely administer Justice in Civil matters that doth not subject Kingship to Episcopacie for the credit of the Bishops actions must serve the glory of God not the Bishop onely the spiritual work is of God the bodily service is of the Minister Now the honour that is to be given him is in respect of his Officiating not his Person and in his respect every man in his own Trade or Calling may be said excellent before the King The Bishop is a better Bishop then the King but the King is a more excellent man then the Bishop The honour due to the King is in respect of his person Who shall lift his hand against the Lords anointed and be guiltless 1 Sam. 26.9 His person is sacred and above the reach of Violence his hand bears the Sword and the obedience thereunto is annexed to his person But the honour and respect to be given to the Bishops is in respect of their Ministerial function as they are men they are subject and as they are Ministers or successors to the Apostles which Office let it in it self be more noble and to be honoured for Bellarmine's reason yet if they rightly dispense the sacred Oracles of Truth they must by that not onely teach others but convince themselves that they are to obey the Civil Magistracie not out of conveniencie for order sake but out of necessity for conscience sake Christ ordained both Powers Bishops to rule the Church Acts 20. and Kings to rule the men and to guide and dispose Temporal affairs though both have Government annexed to them yet that of Kings is in his own right that of Bishops in Christs stead to perswade to rules of Faith and Discipline not to compel the power of the one is Absolute of the other but Effective the one may compel the other onely perswade Whereupon Chrysostome upon Rom. 13. The weapons of Bishops are spiritual those of Kings material Bishops are to admonish reprove and exhort Kings are to restrain the disobedient by loss of life limbs estate or liberty the King is to be conversant about holy things not in the administring and execution thereof as was Vzziah but in appointing and ordering them as was Hezekiah and is to overlook the Bishops in their exercising the spiritual Function He is to make Laws and he is to see the execution of those Laws and therefore he is to look into the conversation of the Bishops that they walk according to those Laws otherwise to punish them But if the King be given over to hardness of heart and will not hearken
Churches founded by them equall as so many members of the mysticall Head Christ Jesus and as to one was given by the Spirit of God Faith to another gifts of healing to another Prophecie to another interpretation of Tongues destributing to every one severally by the same spirit yet this is but to make up one body compleat for the gathering together of the Saints for verse 27. ye are the body of Christ and members for your part so that he that thinks he hath the greatest gift must not because he thinks himself the head say he hath no need of the other members for all are not Apostles all are not Prophets wherefore let the Church of Rome remember what S. Paul said to the Romans chap. 12. that none presume to understand above that which is meet to understand â—ut that he understand according to sobriety for as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same office so we being many are one body in Christ and every one anothers members wherefore then shall the head say unto the feet I have need of thee will the Church of Rome cast off all other Churches because she supposes her Bishop is Peters Successor will she be the Rock and Foundation of the Church and leave others as built upon the sand S. John in his Revelations ch 21. sayes the Apostles are counted the twelve Foundations or twelve stones of the house of God and will the late Popes allow no other Foundation but Rome The Apostles are called Builders and Foundations but none the chief Stone but Christ elect and precious 1 Peter 2. Behold I put in Sion a chief Corner-stone elect and precious and he is the Head of the body of the Church Colos 1.18 Bellarmine being ingaged to maintain the Popes Supremacy is not ashamed to ascribe the Prophecy of Esay cited by S. Peter to be meant of the Pope which S. Peter himself expounds of Christ I much wonder that so great a Schollar should commit so great an absurdity he strains the Scriptures to maintain the Supremacy of Rome because of Peter being there expounding Babylon from whence Peter directs his Epistle to be meant of Rome and yet he against S. Peters interpretation wil expound the chief Corner-stone Elect and precious to be put in Sion to be the Pope of Rome and so he makes Rome to be both Sion and Babylon he will have it Babylon to prove Peter there and Sion to exclude Christ from being Head of the Church contrary to S. Peters own interpretation and contrary to the interpretation of Cyprian Bede and severall Fathers upon the 21. of John who agree that Christ was the Rock upon which Foundation even Peter himself was built The Papists when that text of Matthew 16.18 will not serve their turn for to warrant their pretended title to lord it over all other Churches they then fly to the 21. of Iohn to the treble pasce construing to feed to signifie to govern and because generally spake to feed my Sheep to govern all not some The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to rule but to feed An answer to the treble pasce and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not Rectors but Pastors wherefore to me it seems a strange interpretation But why should I think it strange it is but like that other interpretation of S. Peter afore mentioned The grand Doctor and Conclave of Rome have the Keys of the Scripture in their Cabinet and can by a word of their mouth make the dead letter speak as they please and like an Italian Padlock open at a private kue of their own invention they make Scripture like the Fish Popile which turns it self into the similitude of every object and they make the leafs of the holy Bible as it were a pair of Cards which they can so pack by false gaming that they can cut Christendome the head and make the Knave of the Clubs trump when they please I hope Christians in these later times when as deceivers are come abroad will be more wise then to be insnared by the novell Doctrines of Rone which she holds forth to the people for her self-interest and not their good and welfare and doth quite forsake the Primitive truth exalting her own Traditionall rules above Christ the Apostles or the ancient Fathers as it were to fascinate the people under a colour of Holinesse to become slaves to her new acquired Prerogatives though inconsistent with her See and function The Fathers severally concur upon this place of the 21. of Iohn that it was not said to Peter whereby to exclude the power of governing and feeding the flock of Christ from the rest of the Apostles not for any honor but rather comfort to Peter or if for honor not that it was hereby enlarged to Peter above the rest but that it was restored to Peter of whom Christ required a threefold confession of love that with his threefold confession he might blot out his threefold deniall Besides the words are my Sheep not thy Sheep as my sheep seek my glory in them not thine own my gain not thine Ezechiel 34. Woe to the shepheards of Jsrael that feed themselves not my flock Christ here demands if he loved him then he should shew that love to them feed them not thy self Chrysostome lib. 2. de sacerdot when Christ said to Peter feed my sheep it was to teach Peter and all the rest how much he loved the Church not to teach Peter alone but all the rest and fo S. Austin liber de agon cap. 3. it was spoken to all when it was spoken to Peter dost thou love me feed my sheep to him to put him in mind of his threefold deniall to the rest to make them mindfull of their charge that the same love they bare to their Master Christ they should now henceforth extend that love towards his Flock And whereas the Church of Rome doth urge that Christ gave this power to Peter after his Resurrection which should therefore carry more efficacy as coming from immortall Christ I may answer that this was the third time he appeared after his resurrection but after this he gathered them together and commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem but to watch for the coming of the Holy Ghost Acts 1. which when they were together with one accord it came and sate upon each of them Acts 2. After this the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul Acts 9. in a shining fire about him and he was thereupon converted and ordained an Apostle and Minister oâ— the Gentiles So that admit Peter did receive by the treble pasce a generall Jurisdiction which cannot from thence plainly be evinced yet Christ did after restrain this power that it should not extend to the Churches of the Gentiles Paul only being appointed an Apostle and Minister over them Successor of Peter not equall to Peter I might for Argument sake grant that Peter had not only a Primacy but
Supremacy over the rest of the Apostles and yet it would not at all help the Popes case to claim that power over the rest of the Churches for if Peter had any such power it was to him as an Apostle neither was he the surviver of the Apostles so that this superiority in him as an Apostle either died with him or els survived in John who was an Apostle and survived Peter and Christ had promised to be with them unto the end of the world so that as long as any of them were living they were to be preferred before any that succeeded the deceased Apostles in their severall Sees and Plantations in respect that S. Paul reckoning the degrees of orders in the Church 1 Cor. 12.28 God ordained some in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers c. Baronius writes that Peter died the 69. year after Christ and that Iohn the Bishop of Ephesus survived him long Rome uncertain in her succession Now if Linus succeeded Peter in the See of Rome or Anacletus or Clemens of which their own stories differ I hope they will not deny that S. John whilest he lived was Superiour to Linus or Clemens otherwise they give the world occasion to laugh at them to think that the Successors of Peter should be above John who was an Apostle that the subordinate should be set above the Superiour the derivative above the Primitive I wonder that the Papists should think the world so stupid and void of Christianity that they should preferre one of her pretended Bishops and if a Bishop there it was by humane Institution before John who was an Apostle by divine right and called by Jesus Christ the only Son of the living God and one on whom the Holy Ghost had vouchsafed to descend and sit upon his head and therefore certainly was to be preferred before any Linus or Anacletus of humane ordination and if at any time after Peter any other was to be preferred before the Bishop of Rome then her succession from Peter by which she claimed her Universall Jurisdiction is quite destroyed Bellarmine lib. 2. de Pontif. cap. 12. and Caâ—â—tan de Jnstitut Pontif. cap. 13. to evade this Argument will have their succession from the fact of Peter inasmuch as Peter was Bishop there and not from the Institution of Christ and so they make their Catholique Church matter of fact not Faith And the better to colour this their assertion they stick not to add that it was by the speciall appointment of Christ that Peter placed his See at Rome and died there and for this they fly to their never failing starting hole the Magazine of Romish Traditions and from thence borrow a story how Christ met Peter as he was flying out of Rome for fear of persecution and admonisht him to return that he might die at Rome and that the very print of their feet as they two talked together is at this day to be seen without the Gates of Rome The first founder of this story is Linus a foolish counterfeit writer as Baronius termes him and should any Christian give up himself to believe this story it were to forfeit his faith he hath in S. Peter and the Catholique Church which believed the profession of Peter to be the Dictates of the Holy Ghost by which is expressely declared that the heavens shall contain him till he come Acts 3.21 Now that he should be so corporeally there as to leave the print of his feet behind him is so much against the Scripture and the tenents of the Primitive Church as I shall shew in the sixteenth chapter that for my part I dare not admit it into my belief Yet suppose that Peter was at Rome and by a Vision was warned to go back to Rome I know not what this can make for the late Successors of Popes in that See to claim their Universall Jurisdiction they have no rule by divine Writ nor Revelation or vision to confirm it to them any further then by humane consent as by consent of Councells grant of Princes and by election of Cardinalls therefore whatsoever is of late acquisition if it be contrary to the rules of Christ given to his Apostles it is not for other Churches to believe and follow it nor to give their obedience to it as matter of Faith for they are built upon Christ the chief Corner-stone and have Apostolicall Foundations as S. John calls the Doctrine of the Apostles and if Christ by Vision warned Peter to go to Rome it cannot be construed that that Vision shall be a warrant for the succeeding Popes to claim the same Prerogatives Peter had in that it appeared to Peter it was to teach him to follow Christ to lay down his life for the profession of the faith in him who spared not his own bloud for the redemption of mankind and is from heaven but these succeeding Bishops are elected by men claim more then ever Peter had giving rules of obedience to others and lording it over Gods Heritage do thereby manifest their calling to be earthly and not true Successors of Peter Peter if he planted his See there it was by Vision from heaven but the late Bishops of Rome they consult with flesh and bloud and by sinister means by strivings contentions and plottings of aspiring and covetous men is the Chair continually furnished with a Patron in so much that a Cicilian Cardinall coming to the Election of a new Pope and finding such a change from the old way which was wont to be with supplications to God for the directions and assistance of his holy Spirit in so great a work and not by the then present practises to wit menaces promises of rewards perfas aut nefas to climbe the Chair ad hunc modum saith he fiunt Romani Pontifices and so departed and retired himself from that Scarlet tribe for ever after And here by the way I beg leave of the Reader to speak a word or two concerning the Cardinalls of Rome though I must confesse it be a little digression from the point but I will be brief and return to the subject matter of this chapter again I could wish to be satisfied by what Authority Paschalls did create the Parish Priests of Rome Cardinalls Of the Order of Cardinals for it is no spirituall order as is confessed in sum Sacrament Rom. Eccles Sect. 154. Cardidalis non est Sacerdos nec habet de jure potestatem absolvendi and it is no honor temporall because not derived from any King or Prince from whom all true titles of honor are derived 'T is true Carolus Magnus had then lately endowed the See of Rome with a Donation of the Exarchate of Ravenna and the Dukedome of Spoletto with some other territories which he annexed to the See for the support of hospitality and to promote the charity of the succeeding Popes of Rome not giving them thereby any Iura regalia as I shall shew anon in the
Diocesse was a Disciple of Pauls and sent greeting to Timothy from Rome 2 Tim. 4.21 Peter directing his Epistles from Babylon makes mention of Silvaâ—us and Marcus and Paul writing many Epistles from Rome as the Epistles of the Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossiâ—ns the second Epistle to Timothy and the Epistle to Philemon never makes mention of Silvanus in any of them and for Mark he writes to have him come to Timothy 2 Tim. 4.11 so that it is probable that Peter wrote not his Epistle from Rome and that Linus if he were Bishop there succeeded Paul not Peter As for the traditions of Rome of Peter his being there and his being Bishop there they have no ground from Scripture but rather plain and evident testimonies to the contrary wherefore as yet they find little faith with many insomuch that Marsilius one of their own Writers suspects the truth thereof It was saith he very strange that Peter should be contemporary there with Paul for it is plain by Scripture that he was not there before Paul in as much as when Paul came thither they had never received any letters concerning him out of Iudaea nor any of the Brethren ever heard of him Acts 28.21 and certainly he went not along with Paul insomuch as no mention is made of him in the expresse of that perillous journey and the severall miraculous occurrences which hapned to them that were with Paul for if he was certainly S. Luke would have mentioned him or if he was superintendent over Paul and the rest as the Papists perswade sure he would have shewed some miracle among those Gentiles and not have letten the people wholly follow Paul if they had belonged to his charge wherefore I rather conclude that he was not there or if he was there that he never was Bishop there Osius Bishop of Cordubia one of no small account amongst the 318. Fathers of the first Councell of Nice in a Couneell at Sardis did declare quod non licuit episcopo de Civitate sua ad aliam transire civitatem unde apparet se avaritia inflâ—mmari ambitioni servire ut dominattonem agat to which all the Fathers answered placet this was the sense of the Fathers of those daies as may likewise appearby the 1. Councell of Nice 16. Can. Concil Antioch 21.22 Can. and in the Councel of Chalcedon 10. Can. Si episcopus confugit ad aliam civitatem ob inanis gloâ—ie cupiditateÌ„ revocari debet ad suam ecclesiam ibi tantummodo ministrare Concil Nicaenum 15. Can si quis episcopus de civitate ad civitatem transeat se negotia manciparet in irritum ducatur hoc factum restituatur ecclesiae cui fuâ—t episcopus This was the profession of the Fathers of those daies who certainly if Peter had removed his See from Antioch to Rome would rather for reverence sake to him a chief Apostle have suspended their opinions then by promulgating thereof have thrown this scandall upon him And iâ— the Doctor would but seriously consider of these reasons and opinions of the ancient Fathers in this point he would not ascribe universality to the See of Rome upon Peters score for by them it appears that Peter ought not to remove his See and if he did it was void And the Doctor confesses fol. 288. he was Bishop of Antioch and if so he ought not to remove his See unlesse you wil make him above Councells and that is plain in the 14. of the Acts to the contrary of which I shall speak at large in the chapter of Councells and to say that by any revelation he came thither planted his See there that were to deny the holy Spirit to the general Councels who declare the contrary to that Revelation and so they wil make the Church fallible of which in the eighth chapter It might be that upon some extraordinary occasion as Eusebius saies he came thither to withstand Simon Magus Paul desiring his assistance he might come to Rome but without all doubt he was never Bishop there for it is both against the testimony of Scripture and the infrence of Councells Lastly I conceive that Peter was not Bishop of Rome though I confesse I am something induced to believe he might be there for that the Bishops of Rome vary in their stiles somtimes they stile themselves Successors of Peter somtimes of Peter and Paul I my self have seen a Bul of the Popes dated 1500. wherein his Holinesse is stiled the Successor of Peter Paul Thus these grave Fathers of Rome like the Elders that would have betrayed Susanna cannot agree in a story they would despoil other Churches of their Rights and Priviledges and ascribe all Jurisdiction to their own See but examine them apart and they cannot agree how and by what means to derive their title thereunto for who please to examine Platina Onup rius Genebrard Sabellicus Anastatius Baronius and such like Pope Parasites about this point of Succession from Peter will find them agree like a dog about a bone like Aesops dog they snatch at he shadow and let go what they had they that might universally lord it over all other Churches of the world wil needs give Peter a strange power and tye that power to themselves whereas if they could have been content to have acknowledged themselves Successors to Paul as he having been Bishop there and being the Apostle of the Gentiles I perswade my self that no Churches of this Western world but would give the Bishop of Rome the right hand of fellowship but sith the boundlesse ambition of the Pope carries them beyond all limit of fellowship it makes others to set their ambitious ends at defiance and to stand fast to that Christian liberty to which they are called only to beware they use it not as an occasion to the flesh but by love to serve one another Gal. 5.13 I have I hope sufficiently proved that Rome may not challenge to her self any universality in respect of Peter having been there for that it is not altogether cleare and manifest that he was there or if he was there that he was Bishop there or if he was it makes not much for them to prove any universality to the succeeding Bishops in that See and if from Peter no universality will arise to them it rests to examine whether they may claim it by consent of Councells The first generall Councell the Councell of Nice committed of old the charge of the Catholike Church The Councells against the Universality of Rome to three principall Patriarchs Alexandria Rome and Antioch and after came in Constantinople by the sixth Canon thereof Egypt Lybia c. were allotted to Alexandria quia urbis Romae episcopo parilis mos est And hereupon Athanasius sayes Roma est metropolis Romanae ditionis Rome was shut within the compasse of her own Province inasmuch as she was made like unto Alexandria therefore the Government of Alexandria
was like unto Rome which likewise proves the Bishop of Rome provinciall not universall The second generall Councell the first Councell of Constantinople the second Can. did appoint that the Bishops of the East were only to govern the Eastern Churches saving to Antioch metropolitan Jurisdiction the Asian Bishops to govern the Asian Churches Nec non Ponti episcopi eas quae sunt in Ponto Thraciarum quae in Thraciis sunt gubernent veruntamen propterea quod urbs ipsa sit junior Roma By which it appears that Romes primacy over Constantinople is in respect of the honor done to her City and seat of the precedent Emperors not in respect of any Jurisdiction she could claim from Peter which certainly if any such had been they could not be ignorant of it nor would either the Fathers of those Councells have preferred her for temporall respects if any divine right did lift up her head above her fellows nor the then Bishops of Rome have suffered themselves to be made equal with Alexandria if from Peter they had had any right of Universall Jurisdiction which Marsilius who was a Roman Catholique and writ 328. years since affirms to be the profession of those daies and the Bishops of Rome did stile themselves accordingly Romanae urbis Episcopi and after Silvester which was the first Bishop after the persecutions then they stiled themselves Archiepiscopi Nilus de primatu Romanae ecclesiae saies In respect that certain Countries were allotted to the Bishop of Rome and certain to the Bishop of Alexandria those under Alexandria are no more under the Bishop of Rome then these under Rome were under the Jurisdiction of Alexandria By these Constitutions of the first Councells it is plain that no universality will belong to Rome beyond her own Province all Churches in themselves as they are members of the Catholike Church being equall only for order sake and better Government the Fathers in those Councells appointing severall Metropolitans to whom others in point of order and discipline should within their proper Precincts be subordinate but for Rome to have universal jurisdiction over all that can never be evinced from those Councells and unlesse She will blot out those ancient records The Church of Rome blots out what makes against her Infra cap. 10. they stand in bar against any Plea she can make for it wherefore to make good her pretended title she flies to her index expurgatorius and as many as she meets with corrects or blots out what makes against her as witnesse S. Austin who in his book de doctrina Christiana lib. 2. c. 8. de civitat Dei lib. 15. cap. 23. speaking of such Scriptures as are to be taken for Canonicall sayes those which the most or greatest part of Christian Churches amongst the which those Churches be which deserve to have Apostolique Sees and to receive Epistles from the Apostles The Papists blot out these words Apostolique Sees and have put in these words Apostolique See meaning thereby the See of Rome and those Churches which deserve to receive Epistles from the same Church of Rome I must confesse by such sleights as these she may in time gain an opinion of Universality and so wrong posterity nor is she sparing of any costs to compasse those ancient Records that she may form them anew in her own forge and make them speak nothing but Universality of Rome wherefore to prevent the deceivings of some by these tricks of hers I will proceed to lay open some more Records of antiquity and credit which make against her in this point and which I hope will stand against her false suggestions to the contrary The third generall Councell the first of Ephesus called by Theodosius the younger Anno Christi 431. and the fourth generall Councell of Chalcedon gathered by Valentinian and Marcian Anno Christi 451. confirm the Canons of the former Councells and the 28. Can. of the Chalcedon Councell gives equall priviledge to new Rome that is Constantinople which is afterwards confirmed by the fifth generall Councel the second of Constantinople in the 36. Can. whereby it is evident that Constantinople had equall priviledge with Rome or any other Provinciall This I know will be an offensive History to the Papists that I should make Constantinople equall with Rome but sith it is the Authority of Councells guides me to it I may hope the moderate part of them will be satisfied as for the rest I care not such as will set all divines Rule aside to uphold the unlimited unwarwarrantable power of the late Popes I leave them to their own phansies hoping the more sober sort of them will hearken to instruction sith that which the others would draw them by to wit the Authority of Fathers and Councells calls them to take notice of this truth and to a sense of the high injuries and indignities offered to those sacred Decrees which are made every day speak new language such as their Fathers never knew to warrant Romes new inventions I desire the Jesuits if wil fully they have not sold themselves to work wickednesse with greedinesse to hearken to the Fathers of these Councâ—ls as for the seculars I hope they will not set so highly by them as to put them in the scale with new-found traditions or if others do it for them that they wil see fair play and then blind Justice will point our these more solid those more vain and ayrie The Fathers of those times searched with discerning eyâ— into the Mysteries of the Divine Writ and yet they could not from thence evince that Peter had any greater or better power given to him then to any of the other Apostles there was no more excellent or shining fiery Tongue sate upon him then did alight upon the rest nor did he arrogate at any time to be transcendent or superintendent over the rest he was subject to their Massion he likewise did submit to the Centurions power he came at his sending and gave an account of his fact and that without saving nay Acts 10.29 The Apostlâ—s were men full of the Holy Ghost and to them was given to know the mysteries of Christ and if by the words Thou art Peter in the 16. of Matthew or by the treble pasce in the 21. of John Peter had been made universall Bishop Peter had never been assigned only over the Circumcision Paul to the Gentiles or els it must follow that Peter did offend God so highly after that he had received Commission that it was afterwards cancelled and the charge of the Gentiles committed to Paul which is one estoppell to the Successor of Rome to derive a Jurisdiction from Peter Moreover Peter forbids Superiority in his first Epistle fifth Chapter he cals himself a fellow-Priest and in his second Epistle third Chapter he cals Paul his Brother and if a fellow Priest and Paul his Brother Par in parem non habet potestatem This likewise destroys his universal Jurisdiction but
I return to search a little further into the Councels The sixt general Councel the Councell of Carthage in which S. Austin was present did confirm the Cannons of the former Councells No â—ppeals to Rome infra chap. 11. declaring the powers of the Patriarks to be equall and the right of appealing to Rome by such as were condemned by the Arch bishop of their own Province was declared unnecessary S. Austin after that who was Bishop of Hippo opposing three Bishops of Rome Zozimus Boniface and Celestine in this so just a cause common to all provinciall Sees as appears by the ensuing report One Apiarius an African Priest being excommunicated and flying to Rome and being absolved by Zozimus the then Bishop of Rome Aurelins the Metropolitan of Afrie with the Councell wrote to Celestine the succeeding Bishop stiling him Dominus Frater and acquainting him that by the sixth Canon of the Councell of Nice ecclesiastick persons are to be committed to the charge of their Metropolitans appealing to provincials or generall Churches but not to any forraign See and reproving the absolving of Apiarius exhorted Celestine Nè induceret fumosum typum in Ecclesiam Christi quae lucem simplicitatis humilitatis praefert iis qui Deum diligunt did afterwards proceed against Apiarius enjoyning him penance notwithstanding the Bishop of Romes former absolving of him and this was acknowledged received of all Churches as an Evangelical truth acknowledged by the succeeding Bishop of Rome Gregory I. who lived An. Chri. 590. reputing the decrees of these first Councells equall with the Evangelists as proceeding from the same holy Spirit of God which he had promised to his Church Se suscipere quatuor prima concilia sicuâ— sancti Evangelii quatuor libros venerari fatetur and thus did the Church of o me continue in brotherly fellowship with the other Patriarks not claiming any Jurisdiction over the rest till Phocas the Emperours time which change was occasioned through a vvicked murder and having by that means acquired a superintendency over the other provincialls the succeeding Bishops have since practised Navigation in the Red See her universall Ark not knovving hovv to ansvver its helm in any clear and pure vvaters the brief of vvhich history follovvs in these fevv vvords Mauritius the Emperour having made John of Constantinople universall Patriark Gregory the Great John of Constantinople universall Patriarch Bishop of Rome writ against that and maintained that whosoever took upon him that stile was the forerunner of Antichrist and did in opposition of that stile assume to himself the title of servus servorum Gregory did not oppose that title in that sense the Doctor would have us to rake it folio 293. to wit that none should be universall Bishop thereby excluding others but to be Bishop of the universall Church it was in Gregories opinion lawfull a pittifull shift to excuse the unjust usurpations of Gregories Successors by this means he will tie universality to Rome in respect of the place not as Peter was universall Bishop and this distinction has destroyed all Bellarmines Arguments who would have the Church built upon Peter and all power of governing given to him which Gregory by the Doctors own distinction confessed calls Antichristian so that I would fain know how Rome can be a Universall Church since no Bishop can be a Universall Bishop for certainly it was not the Universall See before Peters coming and if he was not Universall Bishop how could he make it a Universall See I send this riddle back to the Doctor and desire he will recommend it to the Ignatian tribe to varnish over with a new paint For if this must passe for current that the Bishop of Rome is universall in respect of his See and that the gates of hell shall not prevail against locall Rome the world knows they maintain a lie as will appeare more at large in the fourteenth chapter of this Book â—t is plain to any judgement not aleady forestalled with a preoccupated conceit of Romes sophisticall delusions that Gregory writ against John of Constantinople his being universall Patriark for that it was an injury to Alexandria Rome Antioch c. that any should take upon them that title when both by the holy Scriptures and the judgements and decrees of the reverend Fathers of the holy Church the powers and Jurisdictions of Patriarks were declared to be alike The same Gregory when he was by Eulogius Patriarch of Alâ—xandria stiled universall refused the stile as derogatory to his Brethren and writing an Epistle to the said Eulogius he calls that stile new foolish perverse wicked and prophane and whosoever shall arrogate that stile he does the work of Satan to whom it was not sufficient to be alike and equall to other Angells Phocas made the Bi hop of Rome universall and did tax John of Constantinople for the same It hapned so that not long after this affront done to Alexandria Rome and the other Provinces that Mauritius was murdered by the means of Phocas who no sooner had perpetrated so vile and hainous an offence but his guilty conscience contracted many dark jealousies upon his soul and presented to his phansie many sad and fearfull apprehensions one amongst the rest was that Italy would certainly shake off all Faith and Allegiance to such a Monster of mankind who had justly provoked their dissents to obey him who had forfeited all their loves and affections by his bloudy violation of the Bonds of Nature and Civility by this his barbarous assassination of his Liege Lord and Soveraign and thereupon he casts upon all essaies which way to preserve his Western Territories the garden of his new acquired Empire and calling to mind the respect the inhabitants thereof bore to their Metropolitans and that the affront done to him by setting the Constantinopolitan above him was thorn in his side and had bred in him a grudge towards the then murdered prince Mauritius He to engratiate with the people of those parts and to engage a pragmaticall Orator to blandish his foul murder did resolve with himself to make the then Bishop of Rome Universall Bishop which he accordingly did by vertue of which Donation and by their own strengths and policies since the present Bishop thereof claim this title and Jurisdiction which their Predecessors did condemn in another from which bloudy founder they took this Prerogative and in a full measure of tyranny and against all divine Right Ecclesiasticall and against the doctrine of that See whilest any other had that Prerogative will needs perswade the world that the present Church of Rome is the only Catholique Church Yet blessed be God the light of the Gospell having shined in several Nations of this Western world by the means of S. Paul who God ordained by his grace hereunto hath taken such root in many Churches of the same that they will not admit of this Antichristian usurpation of the Romish See according to
preached it to the people that within a short time the Sunshine thereof arose to such a latitude that it gave light to the before dark closets of the Kings heart who thereupon sent to Elutherius Bishop of Rome two of his best Divines to entreat assistance from him who sent some laborers into this harvest who for the better promulgating of the Faith and the winning of souls unto Christ and that all the people of the Isle might be instructed did divide themselves into severall circuits Lucius and his Nobles appointing three Superintendents instead of the three Arch-Flamins who formerly ruled in the time of Paganisme one at London another at York another at Carleon in Monmouthshire the Arch-Bishoprick of Carleon was after removed from thence to S. Davids from thence into Normandy London was in after times by Austin the Monk translated to Canterbury only York continues still a Metropolitan This Austin was sent by Gregory Bishop of Rome hither and did convert the South Saxons but the Britains had before his coming received the Faith and though expulsed from the body of the Land into the mountainous part thereof called Wales by the impetuous fury of the Heathen Saxons yet they still retained their faith and had a Monastery of Monks at Bangor in Caernarvanshire when Austin came to preach unto the Saxons and this tradition challenges any Christian man his belief as well as any Romish Tradition whatsoever There doth not from this story any thing at all arise which may conclude us to be beholden to the See of Rome for our faith though some say Philip was sent from Rome by Paul or if they will perswade the world that we received our faith from Rome I should not much stick to grant it for it then follows that if it came from the See of Rome that Paul was Bishop there and so they destroy their universality built upon Peter As for the Allegation of those who say we first received the faith from Eleutherius it is false and utterly against the current of all Antiquity as may appear by Eleutherius himself who writing to King Lucius an Epistle sayes Ye have received of late through Gods mercy in the realm of Britain the Law and Faith of Christ Ye have with you within the Realm both the parts of Scriptures out of that Law take ye a Law by Gods grace with the Councell of your Realm and by that Law through Gods sufferance rule ye your Kingdome of Britain for you be Gods Vicar in your Kingdome c. By this it appears that this Isle had received the faith before that and had the Scriptures with them before and therefore the Papists cannot brag that Rome is the only dispenser of those sacred Oracles of which in the eighth chapter We became Christians much what about that time Rome received the Faith and who was our first Planter it is not of necessity to be proved sith we claim no Jurisdiction but what is common to every Provinciall See to lay challenge unto Let Rome who builds upon Peter take heed to her succession precisely from him it shall suffice us that we received the faith before Eleutherius time and that we were acknowledged by him to have that faith and the holy Scriptures in our Isle before he writ to King Lucius and can produce a continued succession of Pastors if not governing Bishops from afore him For those two which were sent by Lucius to Eleutherius were Bishops Infra chap. 4. as Gildas and others testifie without a precise Catalogue of our first founders and that in respect the Church of Rome did confesse we had the true faith and the holy Scriptures which could not otherwise have come but by the Mission of some of the Apostles or by some ordained by them to that purpose of which more at large in the fourth chapter Reverend Bede seems to incline that we first received our faith from the East for that our Easter was kept almost a thousand years after Christ after the manner of the East in the full Moon what day soever it fell upon and not on the Sunday and not after the Romane custome The like doth Petrus Cluniacensis testifie of the Scots that they kept their Easter after the manner of the Greek Church and not after the Romane by which they collect that the first planters of the Faith here came from the East but I shall not much stand upon that for it makes nothing for the present point for whether we received the faith from the East or from Rome by the means of Paul I hope none will affirm but that we are of Apostolicall Plantation and having a Metropolitan of our own and being a distinct Province of it self have right to the provinciall Jurisdiction declared and confirmed by the first Councells which makes us so free of our selves and independent of Rome that we may justly deny her to be the universall Church And sith there is no expresse and positive proof that our first planter of the Faith was sent immediately from the East and sith the inducements to that belief are but bare conjecturalls I should hold it more proper to admit what is desired from the Church of Rome that she sent Joseph of A imathea hither or that he was sent by Philip who was sent from Paul and that because Paul was the Apostle of the Gentiles to carry the Gospell unto them and would the Church of Rome not forsake such a Pastor to feign one by traditionall stories against that which the Scripture and Primitive Church teached we should willingly give her the right hand and honor her as our elder Sister and in order to the Western plantations from Paul and I believe the Churches of Germany France Denmark c. would do the like not that they prefer Paul before Peter but because Christ had ordained Paul a Minister over them and the Scriptures and Councells forbid any to intrude upon anothers plantation and especially Peter being reproved for that very thing he being appointed over them of the Circumcision and therefore unlesse Rome will lay claim to Paul for her Bishop they cannot allow her that primacy of order they heartily wish she were honored with but I much fear whilest the Ignatian tribe are suffered to put in practise the imperious Dictates of the Scarlet Conclave this will scarcely be embraced their whole study is to ascribe all pomp and power to the Papall throne being in hopes to be masters of that Seat e're they die it being by their new order of electing Popes not transferrable to any other and so to enjoy their long studied Dominion and having by a long expectation so sharpned their appetite and set it on so keen an edge they greedily gape after all honor and Soveraignty and think the world too narrow a Province for them to Lord it in whereas if primacy of order would serve their turn none of the Western world would deny it to them and as
Joseph of Arimathea is not certainly known to have come whether from Rome from Paul or from Philip out of France or immediately from the East it is no great matter for by the confession of the Church of Rome we had the true faith amongst us before Eleutherius time and had Pastors then and since have continued a lawfull succession of governing Bishops Succession of Bishops in England even to the last late reverend father William of Cant. and whereas the Dr. twits against our succession of Bishops that we cannot maintain it unlesse we fetch it from Rnme I answer that we being a distinct Province the Bishop of Rome hath no power of Ordination here for by the Councell of Nice the 22. Can. a Bishop is not to ordain in anothers Diocesse Et si quis tale facere tentaverit irrita sit ejus ordinatio and though we be different of late from Rome and that it were time we had our order of Episcopacie from thence yet the late Bishops which were so different from Rome might ordain others within their own Province though Hereticks for that as I said before Haereticus est pars Ecclesiae Moreover it is decreed in the Councell of Florens that ordo imprimit characterem indelebilem therefore children baptized by an heretick are not to be rebaptized which the Councell of Trent hath decreed against the opinion of Cyprian Nam licet male utuntur potestate ministri sibi tradita prosint aliis non sibi Sicut enim per asinam Balaam loquutus est Deus ita per malos ministros Sacramenta praestat And Sum. Sacr. Rom. eccl Sect. 136. Episcopi haeretici veros ordines conferent vera praestant Sacramenta So that by the rules of the Papists themselves we notwithstanding we be hereticks or Schismaticks yet having once lawfull orders which gave an indelible character and in that a power of conferring the same upon others as long as we remain Christians and believe in the holy and blessed Trinity though we differ in other points yet we remain still members in the Catholick Church and have a power of conferring orders and I much wonder the Doctour should be so harsh against our Hierarchy unlesse he sometimes made a bait to fly at a Bishoprick and being canvassed in Peters net it stirred up some atra bilis which since would never be allayed he is so much incensed against it that he utterly denyes our succession upon the interruption of Romane Bishops in H. 8. and Queen Eliz. time for my part his allegations against it do not much trouble me nor I hope will they find entertainment with many sith they carry with them no more weight then the bare opinion of himself he positively affirming upon his own authority that our ministers are not in legal Orders insomuch that if one of our Priests came to Rome he must be ordained a new which if it be true it is contrary to the decrees of Popish Councells and will be a sufficient testimony to the world to convince them of falshood and jugling with the world that they should profess one thing and practise another to declare in Councells that a Heretick confers true and perfect orders and yet will not in their practice allow of it however for them to affirm us Hereticks is to beg the question and therefore we may safely within our own province continue a succession of Orders without any approbation of theirs at all nor is this any more then of right is due to us as may appear by the 1 Councell of Nice Provincial Ordination of Bishops 4 Can. a Bishop ought to be ordained by the severall Bishops of the Province but if they cannot conviently all meet to this purpose then three shall serve to perform the ordination which is also confirmed by the Councell of Antioch 19 Can. and the Councell of Carthage 13 Can. and it is the opinion of some learned Divines that in case of necessity the Ministers may Ordain where Bishops are wanting for that the Presbytery or Ministry have right to impose hands and the Keyes are said to be Claves ecclesiae non claves episcoporum seu presbyterorum Infra 43.5 chap. yet God be blessed England was never put to this strait we still had a continuing succession of Bishops notwithstanding the deprivation of the Popish Prelates and so according to that Canon did ordain in our own Precincts which as it is of right our due and belonging to us so it is likewise practised and hath been the antient Custom of other Provinces as wel as this as the Eastern Provinces ordain without the assistance of Rome and in these Western parts even in France and Germany and other places which right of Ordination being thus by decrees of the Generall Councels annexed to distinct Provinces I much wonder the moderate Papists of France and Germany should suffer themselves to be trampled upon by the Ignatian tribe sworn Servants to the imperious Pope who dayly exercises strange dominion over them making no other use of them then the Turk doth of his slaves to wit to do his drudgery whilst he himself reaps the fruits of their labours It argues a cowardly spirit to be afraid to right themselves herein because some of their Princes have fallen in the attempt amongst whom the 4th Henries of both Countries were sacrificed to the ambition and rapine of the encroaching Popes such horrid attempts as these should rather stir up their noble spirits to a just revenge upon the bloudied conclave for putting into act such cursed designes then through the base treachery of an ignoble nature slavishly to submit themselves to the Antichristian yoke of Rome when as if they would noblely withstand his unjust intrusions upon them they might restore to themselves a Church free from such Babylonish bondage and in some commendable measure imitate the heavenly Hierusalem which is above free and the Mother of us all For though their Consciences be not convinced of Romes Errours yet they may having distinct Provinces within themselves hold Councels ordain Bishops and performe other ecclesiastical rights and duties without being appointed thereunto from Rome or being commanded to give an account thither of their proceedings therein The Bishop of Rome being onely equal to other Sees in a Pastorall institution and lockt up within certain provinciall precincts by decrees of the primitive Councels and let them be sure of this as long as they continue themselves Saints to the Church of Rome they shall be sure to be fed with step-mothers shives whereas if th y would put their Churches under natural and proper heads of their own they might be sure to find more indulgent cherishing and tender care whereby they would in the eyes of their husband look more comely and the French Lillies would more neerly represent Christ his Spouse But I return to the Doctor The Doctor urges that our succession of Bishops in England was last for that it was interrupted by
the turning out of the old ones in Hen. 8. and Q. Eliz. time and the temporall Authority prefering others in their roome The Civill Magistrate nominate Bishops within his Dominion I answer that of right it belongs to the Civil Magistrate to appoint Bishops within his own Territories and Dominions especially that in England it hath been an antient right and priviledge of the Magistracy nor is the Pope himself free from this right of the Civil Magistrate as I shall shew an none It doth not impugne any ecclesiasticall priviledge grounded upon Divine Authority to grant this to the Civil Magistrate For by this there is no intrusion upon the function the Bishops are not hereby deprived of their right of ordination for this doth not awarrant any to step into the Ministry unlesse he have Apostolicall mission according to Christs rule Mat. 28. and Saint Pauls declaration Rom. 10.15 By which Mission we understand the Imposition of Hands Imposition of Hands which is the outward signe of the invisible grace conferred in that holy Order and which is the means that Christ hath appointed outwardly for the conveighing of the holy Ghost and giving them Spiritual Grace 1 Tim. 4. and Acts 6. and it is according to Christs example Luke 24.50 Christ lifting up his hands blessed them and according to his precept he commanding Paul to go to Damascus and it should be told him what he should doe and accordingly he was warned in a Vision that Ananias should come unto him and â—ay his hands upon him and he should receive his sight Acts the 9. neither did he receive the holy Ghost before this ver 17. and this being the outward signe Christ hath appointed we ought not to admit any into the Ministry without it for by this they are devoted to us as true Shepherds coming in at the door and without it they should not excercise the Ministery thereby not assuring us they are no intruders for we are not to give credit to pretended Revelations to a Mission by a Vision or by dictates of any Spirit in regard Christ hath appointed this way and means for us to know to whom he hath in truth given his Spirit for as the outward means is nothing worth without the inward Grace neither ought we to be perswaded they have the inward grace without the outward means Christ having shewn the way how they must come into this holy Function if any enter not that way but climb in another way he is a thief Yet this doth not at all contradict the Civil Magistrates recommending any one to supply an empty See or other Benefice that being warranted by the example of the Apostles For Act. 6.3 when they considered that it was not meet to leave the Word of God to serve Tables The people elect Ministers they called the multitude and bade them look out amongst themselves seven men of honest report which they might appoint to the businesse and Acts 14.23 the Elders that is the Ministers of the Church were elected by the people and after ordained by Paul and Barnabas by which places it is evident that the election belonged to the Civil Power to the people where the Civil Magistracy is lodged in them to the Prince where he hath the Temporall Sword so that if we can shew jusgentis for this it is warrant enough which I purpose not onely to make clear for our selves in England but likewise that the Emperour hath right of Collation to the See of Rome Whilst the Emperours of Rome were Heathens The Pope appointed they had no regard to the Church either to endow it with Revenues or to take care who ruled or had the charge of the Ministry But as soon as Constantine received the Faith then not onely he but his Successors had especiall care towards the Rules thereof Constantine by an Edict confirming Silvester over the Church and his Successors after him he appointing who should succeed Silvester in the See neither was this unreasonable for it was fit that the Civil Magistrate should appoint who should succeed in that See because now they were to receive some certain benefit belonging to this See by the donation of the Magistrate and a thing so appropriated being part of his Temporall possessions as Lord Paramount within his own dominions and for which they become Homagers to their donor they not otherwise having any title to temporall possessions For as Ministers they are not to take care for the things of this world Mat. 7. and Christ denyed to medle with the temporal inheritance of the brethren and the Disciples were commanded not to carry scrip Luke 22. but having meat and drink to be therewith content 1 Tim. 6. Paul did not seek for gain Acts the 20 neither was he burthensome 2 Thes 3. yet notwithstanding though they ought not to be solicitous after these things they were to live of the Gospel 1 Cor. 9. and the labourer is worthy of his hire Mat. 10. and he that finds the Sheep must live of the Milk it is lawfull for them to require victum and vestitum and if through the bounty of any Prince under whom they reside they have any thing bestowed upon them which will amount over and besides this it ought to be bestowed in Hospitality For 1 Tim. 3. Episcopum oportet esse Hospitalem so that though they are not to seek for any thing more then meat or drink yet if any more be bestowed on them it is lawful for them to accept it provided it be bestowed upon Hospitality And in all Reason the founder of such overplus ought to have the nomination of the person that must distribute that revenue Nam cujus est dare ejus est disponere and for this reason have Princes right of Collation to Episcopall Sees and other ecclesiasticall places so endowed And for this reason the Emperours had right to Collation to the See of Rome as appears by Marsilius defensor pacis dict 2. cap. 21 c. as is manifest by what here ensues Boniface the third writ an Epistle to Honorius Infra 142.14 chap. 76 the 10 chapter that he would permit him to continue in his Seat at Rome he having been placed there before by division of the Empire and Honorius his coming to the West Anno 451. Leo Bishop of Rome writes a gratulatory Epistle to Marrian for his care to the Church in relation to his calling the Councell of Chalcedon by which peace was restored into the Church and as Boniface writ to Honorius so he entreats that by the favour of Marrian he might continue in his See by which it is evident that it belonged to the Emperour to appoint the Bishop of Rome And thus it did continue untill Anno 687. Constant Pogonot infra 141. 14 chap. that Benedict 2. obtained of Constantine the 4th that the Bishop of Rome should be created without the confirmation of the Emperour which continued not long in that state
but was reduced back and centred again in its own proper sphear and that not by any compulsive power but as if the succeeding Pope Adrian had felt som compunction of Spirit for detaining that which of Right belonged to the Civill Magistrate he did freely and by consent of a Councell at Lateran give power to Charles the Great to appoint the Bishop of Rome and to dispose of his See Apostolick which so remained in him and his Successours for a long time and since diverse Popes of Rome by vertue hereof have been deposed as Benedict 5th by Otho the first and Leo placed in his roome and Gelasius deposed by Hen. 5. and several others which came not in in right of the Emperours as may appear by the German and Italitan Histores wherefore the pretence of some Popes Parasite that Ludovious Pius successour to Charles the Great should release this priviledge of Collation back again is vain and utterly false as is evident by these transactions of succeeding Ages The Romans bound themselves to Henry 3d the Emperour by Oath not to meddle with the appointing the Emperour which after within four years when the Emperour was absent was violated the Clergy of Rome choosing Stephen 9th anno 1057. which being but an usurpation in the Clergy so to doe the Cardinalls thought they had as much right as those Clergy-men and therefore upon the Rule that one Thief may rob another did by the assistance of Pope Nicholas 2d and Hildebrand his Cardinal Chaplain take it to themselves so that whosoever is Pope by their Election hath no right to the Chair for that the Title of the Cardinalls is surreptitious and illegall in its Commencement Et quod ab initio valet in tractu Temporis non convaliscat For the Pope being a Spiritual man ought not to plead possession when as his claim is by Intrusion and prescribe he cannot for that these Records are extant to the contrary since therefore by primitive right and by reduction after a separation thereof and that made good by Authority of Pope and Councell and after by Oath confirmed it doth belong to the Emperour of the West or the King of France to appoint the Bishop of Rome Let the present Emperour look to his Right as he will be served and let him beware of too long a discontinuance of this priviledge for should the gnawing rusty teeth of time worm-eat and rase all his Records and Testimonies that prove him a right to this Collation he shall never repair his losse when as he may be sure the Vactitan Hill shall be stored with old and new additions to the Bishop of Rome a right to appoint Germany an Emperour And as the Emperour had right to Collate to the See of Rome so likewise had he the same right to other Metropolitan Sees of Germany till over looking his Right to Rome the rest fall from him according to the Rule Dato uno absurdo mille sequuntur But I return back to England and will shew what right the Civill Magistrate hath to appoint Bishops in England without consent of the Pope By the Antient Lawes and Constitutions of this Kingdome The Kings of England appoint Bishops without the Pope the King was Patrone of all the Bishopricks in the Land for the Rule is Patronum faciunt dos edificatio fundus they were all donative and of the Kings gift Per traditionem annuli Pastoralis baculi as appears by the Law-books 7 Edw. 4. Cook 10. Report 73. and Matthew Paris History fol. 62. The King by Edward the Confessours Lawes cap. 19. is declared to be Vicarius which was long before acknowledged by Eleutherius in his Epistle before recited summus persona mixta cum sacerdote Constitutus est ut Populum dominii super omnia ecclesiastica Regat By the Judges of old it was declared that Papa non potest mutare leges Angliae none can Found or Erect a Colledge Church Abbey c. without the Kings Warrant Dyer 271. the Priviledges of the Church were growing out of the Civil Magistrates power and therefore by the Articles Super clerum made 9 Edw. 2. no suite was to be before the Bishops for any matter whatsoever but a prohibition lay and there it is expressed in what cases it shall be allowed 16 Edw. 3. Excom 4. and 2 R. 3.22 Excom by the Pope is no disability of any suit within this Kingdome which resolutions are grounded upon the Common Law of this Kingdome which Common Law is but certain reasonable Customes and usages of the Land refined by the experience of succeeding Ages and drawn into forme by Edward the Confessor which gathered it out of Divine natural and moral principles and as I said the antient reasonable usages of the precedent Ages and that the King is by antient Custome Vicarius sumus and with the advice of his nobles did appoint Bishops is proved by Eleutherius who was the first Bishop of Rome that ever had any entercourse concerning Church affaires in this Land which was onely to assist and further the Ministry but in no means to take from the King what was his right or what formerly belonged to him nor was this Antient right ever invaded till Beckets businesse that I can find 't is true that some strangers were sent hither and recommended by the Bishop of Rome to be by him preferred to English Benefices which were out of courtesie accepted but this did not prove any right of Collation in the Bishop of Rome at all nor did ever he set up his pretence to that Right till Hen. 2. time Which quarrel the advantage of the troubled times did occasion not the Justice of the Popes Cause to spur him to clear his title thereto he knew well enough that the King had the sole Power and just Title without him to set up what Bishops he pleased And whereas it may be objected that the Bishops of England are elegible it is true they are so but that was by the consent of King John for before that they were not elegible but were made elegible by a Roll 15 Jan. 17. of K. John but notwithstanding that grant is so restrained that they cannot be elected without the Kings Writ of Conge Deslier As for the Pope excommunicating the King about Beckets quarrell Tho. Becket that doth not prove the Popes power so to do For to argue de facto ad jus brings with it an absurd consequence it pleased the King to submit to it not being able to oppose the Factions then stirred up against him Infra 90. 11 chap. But it cannot from thence be evinced that the Kings voluntary submission out of policy of State doth make the Popes claim to excercise that power in anothers Province lawfull I have more at large treated of this particular businesse in the 11 chapter to which I refer you But the main businesse insisted upon by the Papists is the grand contest between Innocent the third and
advantage prâ—sâ—â—ibe Lawes and Religion to her blind obedient Prosylites Yet the all disposing power of Heaven which suffered Romes Bishop thus by his own Innovations to darken the light of his neighbour Churches did now and then give him a scourge to let him know he was but a man and in respect of that frail composition was elementary and subject to vicissitudes and alterations in his Constitution and that nothing that was the production of that various body of inconstant humours but was obnoxious to a countermand by its mutable framer or to be troden down by others whose strong bulkes cared not for his too curious preparatives and when a general face of quiet seemed to smile upon the Territories of Romes Church and that she flourished in that height that she thought her self above all opposition behold a sudden destruction overtook her and as the mighty Elephant whose power is able to throw down great and ponderous masses is tamed at the sight of a Ram and trembleth at the gruntling of a little Pigg even so her desolation came from an unsuspected and contemptible hand insomuch that Rome in the heighth of this her glory and though she was the admired Metropolis of the Western world and her Temples adorned with the offerings of severall Nations Yet she was not secure and above the Heathenish suppressions of the runnagate Goths the beggarly Scithians and the spoiling Arrian Vandals that head City of the World not escaping the sacking by Alaricus in Honorius time nor her Temples free from the rapine of the Genserick in Marcianus time and her Capitoll left unransackt by our Belivins and proved no Sanctuary against Totilas and his Northern forces From these Judgments if she reflected upon Gods Justice she could not promise to her self security For if Hierusalem which was the seat of James the beloved of the Lord must not be free from the harrassing of the northern Forces how could Rome promise Immunity to her self from the like afflictions I wish she would call to minde these her former occurrences of misfortune Infra 135.14 chap. and that she would by these examples of Gods Justice and indignation towards her forbear to claim an Universality in respect of her See for she may by them cleerly perceive that she is not the rock against whom the gates of Hell shall not prevail nor are her Temples so immoveable but the battering shot of the Rummishing Canon can strike a palsey into their lofty heads and by Divine permission have laid their honours in the dust This was the day of her Visitation and now sits she in quiet whilst we groan under the calamities of this mischief but let her not laugh to see our candle put under a bushellâ— the rudenesse of some not respecting the priviledges of our Church for there hath no evil befallen us that she her self by experience is not subject to These sad and dreadfull visitations of the Lord may tell both them and us that we are Churches militant and must after the pattern and in imitation of our Head Chrst Jesus suffer her in misery that we may triumph hereafter in Glory there is no particular Church but is subject to these tokens of Gods Wrath When under Dioclesian Christians were so wasted thorow persecution that there were in the Judgement of many none left remaining their Books burnt thâ—ir Churches destroyed and themselves put to death by sundry torments and Pillars erected in every place with this blasphemous Inscription Superstitione Christi ubique delecta Then did we escape that persecution when the glory of Romes Church was much darkned thereby and now that our Church suffers an ecclipse whilst the same occasion of darkness doth not debar the light from Rome Let not this be an occasion of rejoycing to her but rather remember her own former sufferings he that stands take heed lest he fall for there hath no tentation taken us but such as is subject to man and God is faithful who will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able to bear God for a time may take away the Candle from amongst us thereby to shew we of our selves are not perfect but if we trust in him he can restore our light he is faithfull and his hand is not shortned so but that it can help and he hath power to deliver Esay 50.2 Saint Cyprian complained above 1270 years since that for the great persecution that was against the Church they could not meet as they desired to execute Discipline and who will deny that the discipline of the Church is perpetuall but yet at all times it is not to be had which proves it may be Invisible These vicissitudes and alterations in every place are incident not onely to the Civill but the Ecclesiasticall state Constantine may set up the Crosse in Hierusalem but that cannot free it from Mahomets Banner where Christ to day hath his Church he sometimes suffers the Devill to morrow to make his Chappell The Kingdome of Heaven is said to suffer violence and the societies of men on Earth must not think to go scot-free Christ suffers his Saints to be persecuted for the triall of some and for the utter ruine of others 1 Pet. 1.7 2 Pet. 2.9 Christs Church is the Congregation of Saints and those Saints are subject to persecution and dissipation so that in any particular place or Region this Society may be broke and so the Church made there Invisible which is a truth so plainly demonstrated to us I wonder the Church of Rome should urge the contrary Rev. 2.5 Christ threatned the Church of Ephesus that he would remove her Candlestick unlesse she amended the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches of Asia and Christ threatens the Church of Ephesus that because of her backsliding he would take her Candlestick away from her because she had forsaken her first Love and if her Candlestick were taken away sure she would be left in darknesse and made Invisible Christ threatens to withdraw his Heavenly Beams from Ephesus and yet he had promised his Spirit to his Church to the worlds end and that the gates of Hell should not prevail against her but that she should be Visible in some one place and not Universally taken from the face of the Earth at the same instant of time But that the Church might be Invisible in any one place is evident by this threatning of Ephesus at which time she was the onely Apostolique See John being theâ—e and Peter being dead when John writ the Apocalipse and if Ephesus be in danger to be made Invisible I wonder how Rome should arrogate that immunity to her self that she alone shall not be made Invisible when as when Christ promised his Spirit to his Church the Church of Rome was Invisible and therefore it cannot be in tended that this mark of Visibility which is to be applyed to the whole Church should onely and meerly be prescribed unto the particular Church of Rome unlâ—sse
her Church be like the Temple of Venus in which there was a Lanthorn made of the stone A Beston whose nature as Isidore lib. 15. de Genuus saith is such that being once set on fire no wind nor rain can extinguish it which made the Heathen people Idolize it but she must not think so to delude us we know her Virgin Lamp is sunk in its sockets and that fuliginous liâ—â—k composed of adulterate combustibles which she hath set up in its room is but a thing of exhalation the heavenly Sun from whom she formerly borrowed light having withdrawn his shining beams from her terrestriall Orb and so she 's left in both internall and external darknesse her understanding being darkned in that whilst the truth is removed froÌ„ her she thinks others see it with her and that she neither hath been nor can be invisible the contrary whereof is plain by what I have already proved Romes Church hath been Invisible and by this that followes As the Church of Rome hath been and may be Invisible in respect of persecution so hath she been by reason of the vacation of her Head The Doctor in his 22 Chapter fol. 360. sayes the Church of Rome is the Catholick Church because her Bishop is the Head thereof and hath been so accounted through all Ages That he hath not been so reputed through all Ages appears by the testimony of the first Councels and if Rome be the Chatholick Church in respect that the Pope is the Head then it followes that the Catholick Church hath been Invisible because of the vacation of that Head for cessante causâ cessat effectus The light of the body is the Eye which is placed in the head and if the body be without the eye the whole body is in darknesse If then this Mark of Visibility be such an incident and inseparable token of her truth I would fain know where the Universall Head of the Church was whilst Rome had no Bishop for either they must confesse that the Univensall Church must be in darknesse for want of a Head and so they make Gods promise of none effect if the Church be universally hid or else they must confesse that Romes Church is but a particular Member of the Church and that then like the Church of the Israelites or the Church of Ephesus she is subject to be made invisible for a time and that she hath been invisible may appear by these enfuing proofs Two yeers together after Pope Nicholas the fourth no Pope was chosen and when after much dissention amongst the Cardinâ—ls Celestine was chosen Boniface the 8th murdering him was made Bishop in his stead where was the visible Head whilst Benedict the tenth and Nicholas the second both stand Popes at once The Clergy who then had the Election of the Popes not daring to proceed to a new Election to crosse Benedict who was very much beloved of the Citizens of Rome withdrew themselves to Sene and there elected Gerrardus Bishop of Florence by the name of Nicholus 2d who was the onely favouâ—â—ite of Hildebrand whom Hildebrand caused to be made Pope that he as then not ripe for the Seat might under him rule all for Pope Nicholas was but a dull fellow though proud and ambitious of Honour and be sure when he saw his own time to out him that he might succeed in the Chair and so it happened accordingly for Hildebrand succeeded Nicholas 2d two fit to go together the one bringing in at the Councel of Lateran the new Doctrine of Transubstantiation the other maintaining the then never heard of sin of the Popes power to depose Kings Where was the triple Crown when at once there was 3 Popes as Innocent 7th Gregory 12th and at the Councell of Pise Alexander 5th chosen I might adde more of this nature but I will reserve the rest of my arrows to shoot at his other Markes and shut up this point and conclude that the Church of Rome in respect of Persecution and vacancy of her Bishops cannot be the onely Chatholick Church and distinguished to be so by any certain Infallible rule of a constant Visibility CHAP. VI. That the Church of Rome cannot be reputed and taken for a true Church in respect of her Unity in Doctrine or Sanctity of Life onely CHrists Coat was seamlesse and the Souldiers cast Lots for it that Coat was to teach the Apostles unity and concord The Ministers of the old Temple were clad in White thereby to betoken their Innocency Let us look upon Romes present Church and see if her Pastors be not worse then the Souldiers in rending in pieces the one and like Baals Priests not having any right to the other And who please to examine their private practices how they agree with their publique Professions will find such a disproportion and dissonancy that it will be hard to judg whether his Holiness's Decrees as compendiums and true abstracts of the Cannons of Councels or his Pontificall Robe as the Conusance of Peters successour then with them lesse of agreeablenesse and representation the one privately thwarting the publick edicts of General Councels and the other publickly unsuitable and dissonant to a Minister of the Gospell so that a man cannot at any time judge by his outside what his inside should be nor prove by his inner closet that ever he was in the publick Halls so that I may return the Doctors saying against Beza Luther and others more properly and fitly to the Pope Vide uiram tunica filii tui sit vel non The Church of Rome would fain have us to believe that she is free from the blood of this and that Prince basely by her practices and instruments assassinated and barbarously despoiled of their Crownes and Scepters and if any question arise about such businesse she is ready to disavow all privity to the act though the scene was studied in her Cardinals Conclave and acted abroad by her own emissaries as who please to peruse the Anatomy of Popish Tyranny will find presidents enough of this nature but it makes not much to my present purpose I will forbear to trouble the Reader with them I will proceed to shew her discords and variances in point of Doctrine She professes to maintain the Councels of Nice Constantinople Ephesus Chalcedon and Carthage and the Councell of Constant hath appointed an Oath to be taken by the Pope at his installing to that purpose But how little he performes that Oath or observes the Rules of those Councels let what I have said in the 2d Chapter serve to witnesse The Church of Rome in this respect I mean the Pope enchathedrated who judicially declaring any thing as Pope is confessed by all to represent the Church may be compared to a Water-man who looks one way and rowes another She may have some land marks tokens to steer by but she quickly layes those observations and wanders into unknown latitudes one Pope this way another that the
third another way c. and so being meandred upon the waves of severall opinions it is by chance if any of them bottom upon mount Sion What good Christian of Apostolicall Faith looks upon Rome as she now is and hangs not his Harp upon the Willowes and with the children of Israel by the waters of Babylon sit down and weep to remember Sion Sion at unity within it self and Babylon full of strife envie Papists differ about the Keyes and debate Sanders maintains that S. Peter received both temporall and spirituall power by the Keyes not so saith another Jesuite affirming the power of the Keyes to be alia à civili potestate Baronius affirms that the Pope may positively dispose of Kingdomes Bellarmine not so but onely in ordine ad spiritualia Cauterenus saith that this power was given when Christ said to Peter Quaere Ante 2. Thou art Peter c. de sacra Christi lege lib. 3. Bellarmine de Rom. Pontif. lib. cap. 12. that it was not given untill the treble passe But of this more at large in the 9th chapter why should any be so lame as to allow to Rome this prerogative sith she cannot tell how to revive her Title to it I might instance in many more differences of this nature amongst the Papists themselves wherein they dissent one from another nor are these differences onely betwixt Cardinall and Cardinall Doctor and Doctor but the Church of Rome against the Church of Rome differing from the ancient Fathers and primitive Church nay point-blank contradicting their own modern Contestation of Popish Generall Councels as I shall shew in the ninth Chapter neither are the differences amongst them of small consequence but in the most concerning points of Religion as whether the holy Ghost proceed more principally from the Father or the Son about meritum congrui about the thing designed by the word hoc est Corpus about the conception of the Virgin and all high matters of Divinity and are not of any small importance For whereas the Doctor would perswade us fol. 236. that these are not differences in point of Faith the Church having not interposed her Decree and in the mean time without breach of Unity one Doctour may differ against another in point of Reason which is but to guide to a conclusive Faith so by the same reason no Church but is at Unity for in their Councells they may conclude points of Faith and in the intervals of Councels wrangle about the Reasons of those points and yet by the Doctors Logick are at unity because the reasonings of private men If they hold against their Decrees why doth she not punish them as Hereticks and if the points be of importance and the Church doth not interpose her Decree Infra 92.11 chap. she then suffers those contentions to be amongst her own Saints and then drawes on her a suspition of a false Church because she seeks not peace and truth to preserve the unity of spirit and bond of peace for discords are not musicall in the heavenly ear and if she be not afraid to loose a Faction by displeasing them should she interpose her Decree or else have some such like worldly end why doth she suffer those contentions daily to grow which whilst she doth not rectifie it administers just occasion to others to deny her to be a true Church in respect of her unity and they have very much reason to induce them thereunto as I shall shew anon in the nineth Chapter I am loath to rifle into this matter could I otherwise avoid it Sanctity of life no mark of the Church of Rome's truth I desire rather to lay open the errors of the Chair then to tax the persons possessing that Seat I would reprove the Heresie of Rome but not the Bishop I doe not maligne a Papist but only Popery And now that I must goe about to lay open the fulnesse of these men otherwise the Doctor will take it for granted that I subscribe to that mark of of Romes truth that she hath none but godly and sanctified Pastors it goes against my nature If I seem satyricall blame the Doctor who provoked me hereunto by this false position of his and by an unworthy upbrading of the Crown of England by his cutting Crosse capers upon the dust of one of our Royall Monarchs whereas he is forbid to speak evill of dignities Judge 8. the Prophets boldly reproved Princes 2 Kings 58. but it was to reclaim their Vices not to traduce their persons they may be reproved being alive when as by that means amendment may be wrought upon them or else by vexation they will be grieved Against Ruling Princes but these ends cannot be in any reproving of a person that is Dead Saint Paul withstood Peter to his face but backbiting defileth a mans own soul Eccles 21.28 yet the Doctor not caring for to follow these Presidents takes a liberty to himself to rake in the quiet Urn of a deceased Prince and with insultation to inscribe a new Epitaph Here lies no King The Doctor his injury to Henry 8. Kings being called Gods but such an one as the Poets fain Jupiter who was transformed into a Beast for the Love of Women which unworthy act of the Doctors gives me occasion to say of him as Saint Jude saith of false Prophets As beasts without reason they speak evill of these things they know not It is reported that when Silla set one on work to kill Marius when the Vassall came to put into execution that bloody command he beheld such Majesty in his face that his conscience presently was prict with the horrour of the act his heart failed him his flesh trembled and his hand knew not how to mannage that black instrument which should have pierced that noble Cask and let his Royall liquor to the ground And no lesse Majesty as our Stories mention dwelt in the Princely countenance of our noble Henry so that should the Doctor have appeared before him as a traducer of his worthy and noblenesse with one majestick frown he would have sent his Satyricall spirit to the infernall shades to study invectives Principem populi non maledices was Moses precept Exod. 22. and Saint Paul appears of that rule Acts 23.5 and by the 74 Cann of the Apostles a severe censure was to be against any that should be called Contumeliosus in Magistratum So that the Doctors reviling of Hen. 8. is on his part inexcusable now let me examine whether I may not incur the same censure by setting forth the Errours of the Romane Bishops and I conceive under favour I may not 1. Because I doe it not out of any malignity towards their persons but their Profession of Vice under the hood of godlinesse and infallibility 2. Because whilst she perswaded others of the truth of her Church for the mark of sanctity of life and yet her Bishop the visible Head of that Church is evill they hereby
draw people into mis-belief therefore for avoiding of this Errour and for reforming her evill wayes I may without the compass of censure justly reprove her Bishops whilest I doe not personally traduce the men but reprove the Errours of the Chair or if I personally touch any one it is not I but some one of their own Church that did it 3. I shall not speak evil of any lawful Magistrate that ought to bear Rule and excercise Dominion nor any to whose right of power I stand naturally obliged to respect and Reverence The Doctor would perswade us that the wickednesse of some Popes doth not blemish this Mark which is strange to me she will have it a blemish against the reformed Churches because Luther Beza c. are by Basseck termed with infamous conversations and shall it be a blemish to private Churches to have ungodly Bishops and not to Rome this is unequall dealing The Bishop of Rome is rather a blemish to the Church of Rome then any other Bishop is to a private Church if they both be wicked for the higher a man is lifted in honour and dignity as he is thereby made more neer the similitude of God who is above all so he ought to give a testimony of his good workes above others lest he deface that more noble Image by his unworthy acts besides the Bishops of Rome have of late declared to be above Councels and are in themselves representations of the Catholike Church wherefore for them to be wicked and dissolute must needs deface this Mark of sanctity As for the distinction between the Person of the Bishop Infra 70.9 chap. and his Power that is his judiciall Seat and so that he may erre as a Man not as a Bishop it is a meer juggle and that which savours of the Tenents of those they call Heretiques the Presbyterians who divide person from power Infra 130.14 chap. and it is rediculous and a meer evasion to escape this censure For if a man should affront Clemens Vrbam c. Bishop of Rome it would be construed an injury to the See and not that personall of which more in the 9 chap. I have a warrant from Saint Hierome Causa 11. Questio 3. if any believe that man to be holy that is not holy and joyne him to the company of God he doth villany to Christ whose members we are I say I have a warrant by this rule to lay open the Iniquities of the Bishops of Rome that men may no longer be drawn into the guilt of this injury by exalting hypocrites believing them to be true Apostolick teachers which indeed are ravening wolves not to feed but to destroy the flock of Christ wherefore take a view of some of her Bishops of Rome as I find them described by antient and modern writers Those Popes which were condemned and censured for their intollerable abuses towards Princes I reserve for another chapter take here onely a view of those that in other most loud and vile positions were most notoriously wicked Wernerus exclaimeth that anno 883. Holy men were perished from the earth and he writ to Martin 2d. So that in his time there was wickednesse amongst the pastours of Rome Wallerus Mapes writes of the Romane Clergy that they studdy villany envy reigneth and truth is buried amongst them Peter de Alcaco in lib. de reform eccl notes the luxuriousnesse avarice Idlenesse Blasphemies Magick Arts and other wickednesse of the Bishops of Rome John the 12th was a Dicer and a wicked fellow Gregory the 7th as Beno the Cardinall testifieth was a Magitian Hildebrand Infra 14. chap 142. and what stirs and commotions raised he about the elections of his predecessours Sigebert writes that he confessed when he felt himself at the point of death that he had raised many stirs by the perswasions of the Devil it is likewise recorded that Silvester 2d Gregory 6th Benedict 9th and Paul the third and divers others were Magitians John the 23d was condemned by the Councell of Constance for denying the resurrection of the dead and other points of Atheisme Sixtus the 4th builded the Stewes at Rome a godly foundation and well becoming so Holy a Father Alexander the 6th presently became his successour and much improved the revenues of that delightfull Corporation he was so bold and shamelesse in the sinne of whoredome That he openly acknowledged the Popes Nephews to be his Bastards as Guichard testifies and thus I have given you a brief of some wicked Popes of Rome before they were declared above Councels Wicked heads of the Church and now see what those are which are professed by the the late Latteran and Trent Councells to be above Councels and if so then their wickednesse utterly blots out this mark of Sanctity Leo the which was a Blasphemour insomuch that he was often heard â—ay Quantas nobis divitias Comparavit ista fabula Christi Luther his Reformation Ante 22 44 chap. 2. In his time it being high time to shake off such wicked Society did Luther reforme the Germane Churches Truth and Falshood Christ and Belial are incomparable either he or some one else must write against these damnable Doctours and their diabolicall practices otherwise the Kingdome of Anti-christ would have been universally spred over the face of the Earth and should none stop the furious course of these Cato demonaick Priests they would convert Tiber into Barathrum and plung the whole world into that bottomlesse Abisse mistake me not I doe not approve of all that Luther did onely this that he being of another distinct province apart from Rome and having Cure of Souls and seeing the Errours of Rome and his Flock addicted to follow after Rome for the honour and credit her antient truth drew from the hearts of many might lawfully admonish and was bound in Conscience to check Rome of her Errours now that she flew to so high a pitch of wickednesse and having no hopes of her self-reforming were she not admonished by some one of her faults might therefore take upon him to lay open before her eyes some of her Errors hoping thereby to reclaim her or at least to stay his own Flock from wandring after her by laying before them the present practices of Rome contrary to the antient Truth Luthers Reformation nor was this any more then formerly was practised by the Apostles and confirmed by Councels for Provincials to reforme Saint Paul Peter James and Saint John did write to severall Churches and admonish them and especially Jude sayes It was needfull to write to exhort the people of God earnestly to contend for the maintenance of the Faith which was once given unto the Saints for that there were certain men crept in which were afore ordained unto this condemnation ungodly men which turned the grace of God into wantonnesse and deny God the onely Lord and our Lord Jesus Christ And if ever they must contend for the maintenance of the antient Faith
the standard of the cross and an army of horsmen in glittering armor appeared whose harness did dazle the eyes and whose number struck terror into the hearts of the adverse party But here in England they could do no such feats It may be that where people give up themselves to believe in them deceivable wonders their priests as having a power from Hildebrand Gregory the sixth Silvester and the old Magician Popes may do strange wonders as the Doctor confesses folio 253. wonders may be done by the power of Antichrist but certainly such cannot before the eys of true believers in Christ shew any wonders at all And here I desire to remember a story of a Vestal Nun in Spaine which was cryed up for miracles insomuch that when the late King of England King Charles was there he was over-intreated by the Infanta to go to see her it was reported to the King that sometimes she would be lifted up in the aire and be as fresh as a Rose though she was furrowed with age The King came with the Infanta to her but she could not do any one feat before the King though she could never have shewen her miracles in a better time The King was of too strong a faith for her spirit to work upon and therefore could she shew none then crede quod habes habes All the answer I can give to the supposed mark of miracles is that no good Catholique can well deny to credit them for if he believe the Church of Rome to be the only Catholique Church and the Pope the head of the universal Church and sticks to believe these stories strives at a gnat and swallows a Camel let him never leap at blocks and stumble at strawes Yet lest the Doctor should think that I have given up my self to hardness of heart because I am so hard of belief in this point I will shew him my reasons for it I know many of her miracles are false and the Church of Rome hand over head has recorded the false ones with the true ones and as the proverb is We know not how to believe a lyar when he speaks truth The Doctor confesses fol. 253. that all her miracles are not true and if she have Cataloguised the false ones together with the true ones we know not how to distinguish them if I had not the Doctors own confession that some are false yet I should not seem rash to any indifferent man in that I taxe the Church of Rome of false miracles for that her teachery and cozenage in this point hath been detected in this particular it being but held forth to the blind people that they being struck into admiration of their wonderful power might with fear and reverence become devotaries to their miraculous instruments offering freely to those Antique Gods by which cheat the Clergy obtained no small riches Infra 13. ch 113. For proof hereof be pleased to take a veiw of her miraculous images here and hereafter in the chappel of Radcaeus There is a marble Image at the Castle of Saint Angelo in Rome Images to delude the people which when Gregory came in procession with the painted image of the Virgin Mary which he carryed in procession that marble image bowed it self to the image of the Virgin in the presence of the people sung out a loud Allelujah regina caeli letare and thereupon S. Infra 113.13 chap. Gregory made the prayer Ora pro nobis Deum allelujah c. For my part I believe this for belike that image was made like to the image of Saint Grimbald in the Abby of Boxley in Kent which was fastened to a pillar by a private pin and a man stood privately behind the pillar and by plucking out of the pin it might be lifted up by a boy which posture they exercised to any that freely offered and if one came niggardly offering it was immoveable by which trick the people were made believe when the Image would yeeld to be taken up that their sins was pardoned by reason of satisfaction made by their offering There was another Image in the said Abbey which is more neerly comparative with the marble Image of Saint Angelo which was made of such curious contrivings that by certaine wyers a man standing within it might make it frown simile bow nod the head c. by which postures those which came to offer knew when they had made satisfaction for their sin by the pleasantness and acceptance of that carved god or if they were penurious and sparing in their offerings that nimble contrivance of foolery gave them some denotement of his displeasure and the priests were ready to interpret heavy judgements to befall them or by the similes of that image which onely a golden Wyer procured to assure them of Gods mercy towards them and that God signified that to them by his Saint there standing by which Cheat they got no little advantage The like cheating and Idolatry was exercised by means of a Rood at Ashhyrst in Kent and in several other places of this Kingdom of England By which it is evident that the use of Images was not as the Doctor would perswade us onely to put us in mind of the things by them represented but rather to perswade the people they were the very immediat instruments of God to signifie his will unto us did thereby perswade the people into adoration of them And yet lest the Doctor 's Arguments for their retaining in the Church might seem with some to be unanswerable by me should I pass this point so slightly and overly condemning the use of them because they were abused and lest I should run into an errour with those which upon that score cry down Bishops which if as they ought to be are both a shelter and ornament to the Church and in my poor judgement they may as well deny the Apostleship because there was a Judas amongst them I will not therefore from the abuse of any thing utterly condemn all use thereof It rests therefore to examine how far the use of them may be lawful The Science of Painting and Carving is an Art profitable for mans life and is the gift of God Images how far lawful It is profitable to the memorial of things done and to that purpose have the Pictures and Monuments of Noble-men been used through all ages being a grateful memory of those they represent And this Art and Curiosity of Workmanship being an adorning and graceful beautifying of any buildings the Temples in old time were made sumptuous therewith which by the Heathen Persecutors were as the Psalmist witnesses broke down with axes and hammers by the enemies of the Church Yet that amongst those curious Pieces there were any representations of the Godhead it doth not appear but rather the contrary For it is impossible for humane flesh to draw any thing that shall represent God by any corporeal or finite image who is
incorporeal and infinite Isai 40.18 To whom shall we liken God or what similitude shall we set up unto him It is true that God of old represented himself in mans shape but we must not therefore think to make semblances of him it is lawful for him to do as he pleases but not for us to make such representations of him as are not commanded Besides those visible shapes by which he vouchsafed to appear had God after a special manner with them and in them present to command and hear them to whom he so manifested himself which cannot be ascribed to mens representations of him which are against Gods order he forbidding us to turn the glory of the incorruptible God into the similitude of a corruptible man Rom. 1.13 And though some urge that such semblances serve as Lay-mens books to teach them to know Christ yet that is no excuse for the use of such sith God hath ordained his Church to be taught by his Word and Sacraments and not by these And whereas the Doctor urges that they serve to stir up men to give honour to the thing signified by the signe that must be understood of a true signe ordained by him who hath authority to ordain it and the will of him that is honoured prescribing the honour to be given to the signe which neither he nor any else can prove that Christ should be honoured by such signes And as it is not lawful to make such representations of Him so neither of any creature to the end to give worship to the signes as significations of what they represent And yet I allow that the curious Draughts and Paintings of Ecclesiastical Stories and of other Portraictures set forth with art and skill may be used to adorn our Churches so that no adoration be given to any such signes Wisely therefore did the Council of Constantinople called by Constantinus Images are dangerous to the people in forbidding the use of Images in the Church and pernicious was the Decree of the second Council of Nice declaring the contrary which hereby gives occasion of idolatry to the weak And there being no ground for them in the Scriptures but rather against them it were more safe although to the more learned they be no occasion of offence to abolish them then to retain the use of them in the Church But I doubt his Holiness will not easily be induced hereunto in respect they are much instrumental by Oblations made to them to increase his book for he with the people of Zachan in China feeds the Idols onely with the smoak of the Offering himself faring deliciously by such libations And although these golden pieces which those wooden gods procure him be the offerings of sins and sacrificed to Idols yet by vertue of his holiness he can easily wash that iniquity from them and teach it for a truth that when once they are laid up in his Holiness Chests the squallid nature of their inquination is changed and by a wonderful metamorphosis they become pure Peter-pence and therefore he will not willingly part with such gainful and profitable instruments They are of double use to him for they do not onely serve for the ends of gain but likewise to win the people to obedience by the seeming-miraculous apparitions of them and therefore by no means must the use of them be laid aside Though of themselves they are but manimate blocks yet as Toys and Rattles please Babies these delude the ignorant vulgar striking them into admiration of them which is none of the least occasions of the Papists being trained up in ignorance And whilst his Holiness can by their means be enriched who can blame him for retaining them in the Church of Rome But I return to the other Point concerning Miracles and will shut up this Chapter touching both with this advertisement to those that believe the Miracles of Romes Church as done by the power of God Not to give themselves to such delusion The Doctor confesses fol. 253. that by the power of Antichrist wonders may be done and most of Romes Miracles are known to be Mountebank-juglings and the Doctor confesses some may not be true and yet she proclaims all for true Miracles as proceeding from the Spirit of God She doth not declare out of her Legends which are true and which are false But her Legends being filled with several bundles of them she delivers all for true miracles and therefore is credit to be given to none of them as done by the power of the Spirit of God for did they work by that Spirit they would not lye in any one of them CHAP. VIII That the Church of Rome is not the true Church because of her pretended marks of conversion of Kingdomes and Monarchs or because of her not having been separate from any Societies of Christians more ancient then her self IF the church of Rome have converted any Church since her declining the Apostles doctrine it is no more then what the Arrians did unto the Goths and so by the Doctors own rule fol. 256. she hath not whereof to boast and if other Nations have the Apostles doctrine the pure and primitive faith they now differing in material points from Rome it serves rather to condemn her Apostacie then to record her charity towards them in that if she gave them faith it was but such an one as she her self condemnes or if they have the pure faith the present Church of Rome having faln away from the the faith of those first plants may not properly be called their mother-Church But however I will argue de facto that this mark is not only proper to Rome Conversion of kingdoms may as well be applyed to the Church of England which hath planted the Gospel in several Northern parts of the late discovered world and although not in so large a measure as the Spaniards Westward and the Portugals Eastward yet it manifests that other Churches have a title to that mark and that Rome must not soley monopolize that to her self Besides I do not think that many of the Plantations in the West were by immediate Mission from Rome but that the Bishops of Spaine and Portugal sent Priests thither to Preach Christ unto them and they and not the Bishops which his holiness sent to rule and govern the Churches so planted are to be called the converters of the Nations and People and â—bough the Priests so sent by the Spaniards and Portugals be of the same faith with the Church of Rome yet they coming from distinct provinces and not from the peculiar See of Rome and those Bishops having power to ordaine those Ministers and they by the command of their Prince being recommended to his new Plantations I wonder why Rome should for this bragg and vainely arrogate to her self that she is the sole converter of these Nations and Monarchs The Spaniard and Portugal had the faith of Christ first preached to them by Saint Paul who was himself amonst
Urim and Thummim he is no Ark with the Tables of God the Rod of Aaron or the golden pot of Manna that the Papists should put such confidence in him take a view of him as he is decyphered to us by their own writers Peter de Alliaco a Cardinal in libde reform Eccl. grants that there were many things amiss in the Romane Church which had need of reformation both in faith and manners and Adrian the sixth confesseth that all the mischiefs in the Church proceeded from the Popes and promised reformation to the Germanes by his Legate Cheregalus Saint Bernard in sermone primo in conversione St. Pauli long since complained of the iniquity of Popes and of the dissoluteness of Priests and people The Bishop of Bitonto preaching in the first session of the councel of Trent acknowledgeth the Apostacy of the Church of Rome in the chief heads both of doctrine and of life Chrysostome 30. Hom. in 12 Mat. calls them dry men which have not the dew of Gods Word in their breasts which he plainly expresses of the Bishops of Rome Nicolas Lyra who writ three hundred yeers since says Ab Ecclesia Romana jam diu est quod recessit gratia and Johannes Episcopus Chemensis one of Romes Religion confesses in his book intituled Onus Ecclesiae chap. 9. Ecce Roma nunc est vorago mammon inferni ubi diabolus totius avaritiae Capitaneus Je. ch 12. residet Gerson a man of great esteem amongst the fathers of the councel of Constance and Chanceler of Paris in prima parte exam doctr consid 2. saith that the resolution of the Pope alone in things pertaining to faith doth not tye a man to believe it and infinite of other presidents of this nature might be produced all concurring to this point that the Church of Rome hath and may err For is this any more but what other Churches have done as for example Particular Churches have and may err the Church of Galatia is said to have erred not as the Church of Corinth which erred but in part some of her Church denying the resurrection 1 Cor. 15.12 but totally about the matters of justification Gal. 3.1 O foolish Galatians who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth and the Churches of Ephesus Pergamus Thyatira Sardis and Laodicea are blamed by Saint John in his Revelation for their erring from the truth and this is a truth so manifest that the Papists themselves cannot deny onely they would excuse the Church of Rome by the subtle sophistry of humane invention and salve the errors of Romes Church with distinction they confess to their own shame that Bishops per se may err which Bellarmine in his book de conc cap. 2. in fine Sine dubio singuli Episcopi errare possint aliquando errant inter se quandoque dissentiunt so that we may not know which of them to follow How the Pope may crr and if this be so I wonder he should elswhere contradict himself maintaining the Pope alone infallible of which contradiction he having been formerly taxed he was put to his trumps and plaid another distinction that he might err in matter of fact not of faith in matter of fact as concerning the condemnation of this or that Bishop c. but in matters of faith he cannot judicially err and thus the learned Cardinal being too busie in this point Meanders himself into contradictions without satisfactory conclusions to the principal point according to that saying of Solomon Eccl. 12.12 There is no end of making many books The stout maintainers of his Holiness infallibily being thus tript in their own devices and forced to wave the quarrel being overcome with the strength of Reason drawn from divine examples and the testimony of many learned Authors and being thorowly convinced yet notwithstanding out of a self-love and pertainacy to maintaine their pontificial patron having drawn from their education blind principles of his justification will not quite desist but scrue their wits to new inventions to deceive the world perswading the world that they are not overcome with dispute nor his Holiness right to infallibily though shaken quite blown up by the root and therefore they publish to the world that notwithstanding all gainesaying the Church of Rome is infallible with this distinction that her Bishop per se may err but not when the Bishops are met together then they cannot err To which I answer If the Bishop of Rome may err per se then the late councels of Laterane and Trent which have declared him above councels have thereby consented that the Church of Rome may err or else if it be to be understood that the Pope of Rome with his other Bishops of Rome cannot err they do hereby make the private Councel of Rome above the general Councel which is absurd and utterly against all principles of reason and divinity I will therefore proceed to shew that Councels have erred and therefore in no respect whatsoever is the Church of Rome infallible The Pope is declared above Councels General Councels have erred in matter of faith and yet he is confessed to be fallible per se And whereas he would force a distinction upon the world that he may err as a man not as a Pope judicially Ante ch 6. I have elswhere answered to that point it now remaines to look upon him in his chaire Infra with his Court of Cardinals about him to examine his judical proceedings and try if they be infallible I would fain know in what capacity the Pope claims this infallibility by the power of succession from Peter I have proved he cannot claime it and if he claime it as from the consent of the late councels then is this his politick capacity dirivative from thence and must not exalt it self above the Primitive or admit that those councels declared the then present Popes infallible for such certain notes of sanctity as was to them discovered it doth not follow that their successors should be so But that I may put all scruples out of mens hearts concerning this point I will prove that those Councels in themselves were not infallible and much less any substituted power of judicature which must have its rise from them The councel of Carthage decreed rebaptisation of those that were Baptised by Hereticks Councils erred in matter of faith this Saint Austine after opposed and the Councel of Trent Sess 7. can 4. repealed this and allowed of such baptisme to be sufficient if done in the name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost The second councel of Nice was diametrically against the councel of Constantinople in matters of Images the one approving the other condemning the use of them in the Church The councels of Constantinople and Basil decreed the councels to be above the Pope and the councels of Laterane and Trent decreed the Pope above councels Fox 132. Pope John the tenth called a
the dead and for this cause many of her former daughter-Churches are become strangers to their mothers womb and have withdrawn that tribute of honor and reverence which they formerly ascribed to her and give it to that Nurse and foster-mother who with indulgent care le ts her suck from her brests the sincere milke of the word humbly complaining unto the General Council Sal. Song 5.17 Oh thou fairest among women whither is thy well-beloved gone whither is thy well-beloved turned aside that we may seek him with thee Return return O Shulamite return that we may behold thee Solomons Song 6.12 The unkindness of this our natural mother By whom Councels are to be called charmed my senses into stupefaction and made me dwell too long upon her admiring her unnaturalness of which I could wish I had no ground or proof But lest my bold assertions against this reverend Lady might with some finde no credit and with others be accounted the evaporations of a revengeful spirit I will lay open her digression and acquit my self from all aspersions of slander The stile of a General Council runs thus Jussu Imperatoris fraternitatis nostrae coetus est adventus as may appear by several records of ancient Councils and by what follows The Emperor in General Councils of the West and every prince respectively within his province and dominions is supream head of Ecclesiastical affaires as I have already proved in the fourth Chapter and has right to collate to Bishops to call Councils and to reform the Church c. I do not mean hereby that he should determine judicio definitivo to resolve what is sound divinity so to impose that upon men for faith which he defines to be so But the Civil Magistrate may Infra 142.14 chap. judicio exequutivo or by right of jurisdiction and ought to command the profession of faith determined and decreed by the Church he is supream and has the sword that he should not bear it in vaine and as the head in the body is reliquorum membrorum imperator so he is the guide and director of other members to enjoyn Church-officers and others the discharge of their several duties and to punish their negligence and contempt and to deny this to him is to make him no longer a nursing father but pinching suppressor at least a cold-hearted favorer of the Church As then the Civil Magistrate is supreme head and governor Infra 14. chap. 149. 10. chap 76. of which more at large in the 14 Chapter to him of right it belongs to call a Council for the correcting of sin and schisme otherwise to what purpose should there be any Council at all sith that nothing there decreed can be put into practice without the approbation and allowance of the Civil Magistrate who onely has the corrective power to enjoyn obedience to what shall be there decreed Saint Austin sayes that it is the duty of Kings to command not only in matters pertaining the state of men but the Religion of God also and Saint Ambrose though he was against the Emperor to allow him power as Judge of Doctrine by determining points of faith yet he did not intrench upon his other Civil power he being to have obedience performed him as well of the Temporal as Ecclesiastical persons and to punish the negligence of the Clergy if they shall make rules of faith and not themselves observe them the King or Civil Magistrate being hereunto ordained to punish the offences and miscarriages of his people and is therefore said supreme omnis sub ipso ipse subâ—nullo nisi tantuÌ„ sub Deo nor is he bound to give an account for his so doing saving to God alone by whom he decrees justice and this Saint Ambrose allowes in his Comment upon the 50 Psalme Against the O Lord onely have I offended said David Blind Homer in his Iliads could say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and will not the holy father of Rome being full of visibility vouchsafe to reflect thus much upon Kings and Princes if he will not it behooves the Temporal powers which have the sword to look to their charge and by the examples of David Hezekiah and Josiah to punish wicked Priests and to let them know that their power is from God and let them withall take this caution to themselves as they have that power from God God will require an account from them how they use that power either through negligence or wilfully turning the power of justice into unequal tyranny But this by the way I return to the subject point in hand That the General Councils of the Western Empire were of Right to be called by the Emperor The Emperor or Civil Magistrate may of right summon a Councel Infra 10 chap. fol. 76. ante 36.4 chap. it doth plainly appear by these ensuing presidents The first Council of Nice was called by the Emperor Constantine as Marsilius dict 2. cap. 21. and Theodosius the Elder called the first Council of Constantinople The Ephesine Council was called by Theodosius the yonger at the earnest request of Celestine Bishop of Rome and Cyrill Bishop of Alexandria and the Council of Chalcedon ex decreto piissimorum imperatorum Valentiniain Marciani congregatus as the preface to that Council plainly witnesses and Marsilius in his 2. dict 20. cap. who wrote above 320 yeers since sayes that though the Popes then did call some General Councils it was not of right that the Pope with his Cardinals should do so It is true that for order sake and for honor to the City of Rome her Bishop is president in the Council he being by the Council of Constantinople made prime Bishop in honor to the City of Rome and in after times by Phocas was made universall yet for all that he never challenged any supremacy of power as to this point of calling Councils till long after onely hereby enjoyed a primacy of order which would it satisfie him I believe few would gainsay it But for the power and priviledge of summoning a General Council it still notwithstanding this remained unquestioned in the Civil Magistrate And whereas it is alleadged by a president of Saint Ambrose that the Bishop had power to convene a Council and not the Prince I shall cleer that objection and plainly prove that it makes nothing for the Bishops of Romes purpose Saint Ambrose denyed to dispute with Auxentius the Arrian before Valentinian in the Consistory Saint Ambrose denial to dispute before Valentinian proves not the power to call Councels to be in â—he Pope and shews his reasons for it he doth not positively deny but layes down his reasons why he cannot venissem imperator c. Epist lib. 5. he had come but for these reasons 1. Because the Emperor was a young man not then in the faith of the Trinity being brought up an Arrian and having made a law for the Arrian doctrine Tolle legem si vis esse certamen saith
Saint Ambrose 2. The conference was to be in a publike theatre amongst a company of Jews and Hereticks where he could expect no other issue but what the Apostles found when they spake with divers tongues to wit mocks and scoffs and there are some places not fit either for actions or arguments our Saviour could do no miracles in his own Country 3. Because there was none there to be judge but the young Emperor and other Arrian Hereticks which in matters of faith is not allowed and therefore Saint Ambrose might not come for the spirit of the Prophets must be subject to the Prophets by the Apostles rule 1 Cor. 14.32 Saint Ambrose denyed likewise to tolerate a Church for the Arrians in Millaine Saint Ambrose a-against resistance that being to set up the kingdom of Antichrist yet in his oration against the said Auxentius Epist 5. he declares against resistance of the Prince and though not to be obeyed actively in unjust commands yet not to be resisted in any case wherefore if the Emperor resolved to have a Church in Millaine he would not resist For as he could not consent so he would not resist for saith he preces lacrymae sunt armae Ecclesiae Infâ—a 147.14 chap. Now what may be gathered from hence to prove that the Emperor his appointing the publike dispute was unlawful and in that that the Emperor had not right to call a Council Saint Ambrose layes down his reasons wherefore he could not come and in that desires excuse he is not peremptory to deny for if the law made against Christians might be abrogated he would have come wherefore this is a poor shift to prove that the Emperor has no power to call a Council and indeed it is an absolute abuse to that deceased holy Father Saint Ambrose who never meant any â—uch thing he plainly teaching the contrary as may appear by his own writing For when the Synod of Aqnileia convened by the Emperors command broke up he wrote with the rest of his fellow-brethren there assembled to the Emperors Theodosius and Valentinian Humbly desiring them to make good what they had in that assembly concluded Ne obtemporantes vestrae tranquillitatis statutes frustra convenisse videamus c. lest that this meeting made in obedience to their clemencies command should be frustrate and to no purpose So that it is plaine he was not against the Emperor his calling of a Council onely could not approve of the manner of the publike assembly appointed for dispute against Auxentius wherefore for shame let none urge that to the injury of that holy father and to the perverting of truth whilst they strive to prove thereby that the right of convening Councils belonged not to Civil Magistrates for it was practised by the first Councils a hundred yeers before Saint Ambrose time and by Saint Ambrose professed and till of late maintained as may appear by latter writers as Gerson in sermone coram Concil Constant prim part A General Council may be called saith he without express mandate of the Popes The first Council the Council of Jerusalem was not called by Saint Peter or any one of the Apostles but the text saith that the Apostles and Elders came together after Paul and Barnabas had warned them of the dissention Act. 15. and when Judas and Silas were from thence sent to Antioch and letters writ by them those letters were not directed from Peter But thus The Apostles and Elders unto the brethren which are at Antioch send greeting So that the Pope cannot claime this prerogative jure Apostolico as deriving it from Peter and if he have it by the gracious grant of the Emperor or any humane law I for my part do not grudge it nor doth it much matter who be the summoner of it I shal allow to the Bishop of Rome sith he is primus inter Episcopos to have his priviledge if the Emperor have given it to him for as he was made primus inter Episcopos in honor of the City of Rome so let those Bishops appear at his summons to convene about matters of the Church which I should think to be fit and convenient so to do might the Council be free Covenient the Pope call a Councel Not that 〈◊〉 are thereunto bound in relation 〈◊〉 charge or duty lies upon them for the Pope claiming this priviledge from the Emperor it cannot positively oblige provincials not within his jurisdiction but for order sake and for that some one must call it and the Bishop of Rome may as well be the trumpeter to summon them as no. Therefore I should think it convenient for them to appear there might it be free and for that by order of Council primacy of order is given to the Bishop of Rome I hold it fit that he should be president of such a Council But by no means may it be allowed that by reason of this prerogative granted by the Emperor other Princes not subject to him shall not have priviledge to summon a provincial Council within their respective provinces and jurisdictious and that notwithstanding the Pope may for order sake summon them to a general meeting yet if he be negligent and will not call a Council the several provincials may agree to convene without him for that is granted to them by ancient Councils and what they shall so decree may by the consent of the several Princes under whom they are be imposed as rules of faith upon the people to which their obedience shall positively be required for it is not much material by whom a collective Council be summoned I will admit it lawfully assembled and now proceed to examine its power Gerson a famous Papist and Chancellor of the University of Paris in sermone pro viagio-regis Romanorum direct 1. prim parte A General Council representing the Church is a rule directed by the Holy Ghost and given of Christ that every one of what estate soever even Papal must hear and obey the same or else he must be reputed and taken as an Ethnick or publican And againe in another place prim part de examinat doctr consid 2. the Pope doubtless is subject to Councils and a Council hath power to depose him as was done upon John the 12. Joh. the 23. And the same Author in another place affirmeth in prim part pro viagio regis Romanorum consider 2. A General Council may not only induct one to be Pope but may compell any Pope to depart from the Popedome by way of authority And though this may seem but one Doctors opinion yet it has formerly been the general doctrine of the Church as may appear by the ancient Councels especially that of Constant which expresly in that point declared the General Councel above the Pope and should it be otherwise the General Councel is useless and vaine if the Pope with his Cardinals should be esteemed and judged above them I will therefore examine this point As
the Pope is not universal Bishop which title the Doctor disclaims nor the Church of Rome universal Councels above the Pope as I already proved so neither may he be said to be above Councels which though not representive of the universal Church upon earth for that all particular Churches and provinces may not be there by suffragans represented yet for all that it is a collective Councel of distinct provincials which provincials are not subordinate nor subjugate to the See of Rome The Pope with his Cardinals the representative church of that particular society may not properly or of right be said above that Councel which is there for order sake and unity convened that those several provinces of which she is collective may concur in unity of Doctrine and conformity of Rules of Faith there decreed which decrees and Rules should by the approbation of the Civil Magistrate be put into execution within those respective provinces and distinct jurisdictions without any further allowance or approbation or controlment of the Pope of Rome who is thereunto equally obliged with any other provincial and to assert the contrary is novelty and the unjust usurpations of the proud pontifical prelates of Rome and those cursed Lordly parasites about him that thus have flattered the chair into this deceivable mischief and erroneous novelty which according to Tertullian's Rule adversus prax in princip Id esse verum quod primum esse adulterum quod posterius semper adjudicandum est Wherefore this new doctrine of the Popes supremacy above Councels representive of many provinces must not be received as true and justifiable doctrine for that it is cleerly opposite to the ancient faith of Rome insomuch that the former Popes of Rome did as Popes did at an Altar promise to hold the faith taught by the traditions of the first Councels of Nice and Constantinople c. Infra 84. which made Romes Bishop but equal with other Patriarks but now contrary to that sacred vow his holiness will be above Councels and utterly destroyes the constitutions of those Councels The Councel of Nice hemmed in the See of Rome into certaine limits The Pope inferior to Councels wherein being included she should not break forth yet such is the restless motions of her troublesome head the Pope that he has made corruptions beyond his bound and like as a violent Tide that has lately overwhelmed some parcel of ground not before made a prey to Neptunes wide swallowing jawes doth for joy of its new mastery tumble it self upon its new-acquired Lordship making new beds of ease whereon it intends the next high-springing flood shall lay his foamy head so doth his holiness having broke down this pale of the Church which kept her within a known and certaine Rule of Faith maners insult over the poor captive Lady having thus trod her down which formerly was a rampire to circumscribe his power and jurisdiction he recommends his lawless president to his successors imitation and proclaimes the See of Rome boundless save only as her will shall please to prescribe unto her self a limited confine And having Samson-like thus tore the Lions whelp of the tribe of Judah he expects to finde a nest of honey in her dead carcase and from his Papal chair puts forth such riddles that none that plows not with his Heifer can declare which riddles and Romane mysteries shall any interpret or put a sense upon them contrary to his will or displease him in abating any jot of his new-acquired Soveraignty he sends his Foxes with fire-brands to destroy the corn of the field and to spoil the vineyard which Christ with his own right hand hath planted Is this Pastor-like is this to follow Pauls rule to the Rom. chap. 11.8 Boast not thy self against the branches for if thou boast thy self thou bearest not the Root but the Root thee Surely no This is rather to pull up the tree of life by the roots because her branches wither and if other branches sprung of the same stock decay it may serve to put Rome in mind that the sap she has robbed from others will not long maintain life in her arms in respect she has thus lopped her self from the bulk of the Church She may for a time flourish like a green Palme-tree but if she do not play the good husband and inoculate her self againe into the old stock it is more then probable she will shortly become a dotard wherefore I heartily pray she would no longer exalt her self against that that gave her what she has I mean a Councel that made her equal with the chief Patriarks and the Princes that gave her honour lifting her head above her fellows Let her no longer triumph above measure knowing this that whilst she rejoyces in her boasting all such rejoycing is evil Now lest any may censure me for slandering the Church of Rome herein I will shew how she has changed by degrees from her primitive faith in point of her honor and confidence in a General Councel and at length quite destroy it by claiming to her self to be above it First Boniface by the edict of Phocas as you have heard claimed to be above a Bishop then in process of time Greg. 7. claimed a power above kings as shal appear in Chap. 14. after which the wings of the succeeding Popes being chipt by four Councels Worms Papia Brixis and Mentz grew again in his successors that at last they flew above Councils till the 3 General Councils of Pise Constance Basil did not onely displace Popes out of the Popedom but decreed that Councils were above the Pope Popes displaced by Councils The Pisen Councels did out two Greg. 12. Benedict and placed Alexander 5. and the Council of Constant deposed John 23. placed Martin 5 in his stead and decreed that the Pope himself for ever should be subject to their decrees The Councel of Basil deposed Eugen. 4. placed Nicholas 5. and declared the Councel of Constant in this point of the Councels supremacy to be a matter of faith so that the late Councels of Laterane and Trent do not only prove the fallibility of Romes Church but that Rome has changed her faith For such is the ambition and pomp of the possessors of the Romane chaire that they could not rest quiet as long as the edicts of the Councels of Constant and Basil were in force it bred heart-burings and struglings in the breasts of the succeeding Popes it being an undervaluing to their claimed Imperial dominion to be Tenants at will of their triple crown and that a Councel should at pleasure put an end to their state and Empire wherefore as a current kept back by some forced rampire if it shall once break down that dam runs head-long with more force and violence even so the Popes having pack't the Councels Laterane and Trent after their own humors did procure them to remove and batter down that bulwarke of Constant and
the Decrees of the Provincial he was to appeal to the General Council within a yeer And by the Council of Antioch can 13. if any thing of controversie did arise in any Province and the Metropolitane could not in his Provincial Synod decide the matter the Metropolitane might call upon his neighbour-Provinces for assistance in Council a shame therefore for the Church of Rome to affirm that no Council is of validity without the Pope which canon of the Popes to that purpose is contrary to the practice and doctrine of the Primitive Church Ante Chap. 10. and therefore to be rejected By the ninth canon of the Councel of Antioch the Metropolitane of every Province has the Government of that Province assigned to him By all and every of which canons it is plain that one Bishop should not intermeddle in the Diocess of another Ante Ch. 2 nor one Metropolitane in the Province of another for that every Metropolitane has the government of his own distinct Province committed to him that he may call a council within his own Province and if there the matter in question cannot be determined may desire the assistance of his neighbour-Provincials which makes by that means a general Council by calling in the neighbour-Provincials as the cause shall require and this is declared by these Councils for to be lawful so to do without any reservation to the See of Rome as if without her Provincial this might not be done who by the sixth canon of the first Council of Nice is but equal with Alexandria and Alexandria Antioch Rome and other Provinces have like priviledges reserved to them by the express words of that canon This was the practice of the primitive Churches England equal with Rome and when those constitutions were made and long before was England a province and had her Metropolitane who after King Lucius conversion did publikely exercise the Jurisdiction of a Metropolitane which was 120 yeers before that Council of Nice and by the words of that canon the several Provincials then in being having equal Jurisdiction reserved to them England may by vertue hereof claim equality with the Church of Rome the same Authority making them equal in power and jurisdiction nor had she so much as primacie of Order till the ensuing Council of Constantinople can 2. gave it her onely for honour to the city of Rome and no other respect Nor doth it appear that England had any Suffragan in that Council so that had it not in after-times been confirmed by other Councils England had not been hereunto bound Which council of Constantinople was not called till 26 yeers after the council of Nice So that for the Doctor to alleadge against us as he doth positively in his book fol. 221. that we cannot call a Council seems something strange to me to proceed from a Doctor for it is an argument that he is ignorant of those canons or else if he have read them those copies he has perused are of Rhemish print and much vary from the Originals However I must needs wonder at his harsh censure against his native country and his quondam-mother-Church that he should deny her that priviledge and jurisdiction which is not due to her alone but common to all Provincials which by the authority of Councels and by the practice of the Primitive and by the ensamples of later ages have and do call Provincial Councils within their respective territories and precincts and do there decree Rules of faith to be observed of all within the Province as may appear by these ensuing presidents There was a Provincial Council called at Ancyra in Galitia of eighteen Bishops Provincials called of old and that other of Neocaesaria of fourteen Bishops before any General Council and after the General Council of Nice were held several Provincial Councils in the East as that Council of Grangene of sixteen Bishops that of Antioch of thirty Bishops of several Provinces in the East in which respect it rather deserves the name of a General Council then a Provincial Synod Likewise the Council of Laodicea of several Provinces of Asia Councils held without the Bishop of Rome and this without the Bishop of Rome for he was not to govern the Asian churches but the Bishops of Asia and Alexandria the Churches in Egypt and the Bishop of Pontus them in Pontus according to the Council of Constant can 2. Hereupon likewise the African Province held several Councils under Theodosius the third without any dependencie upon Rome which upon the authority of the Primitive Churches and Councils hath been continued down to these days not onely in those of the Eastern Asian and African Provinces but in other of the Western European Provinces it being a Right equally due to every Province and therefore I need not travel so far for Presidents I might have saved labour and answered the Doctor with presidents neerer home and have instanced in France those of Arles Tours Tholouse c. which Genebrard in his Chronicle lib. 4. anno 814. calls Concilia reformatoria and in Germany those of Worms Mentz Brixia Frankfort Noremberg and Ratisbone And in Spain those of Toledo and one of Sardis called by Osius Bishop of Corduba a little afore the Council of Nice And in England the Councils of London Winchester Gloucester and many and several even to this day the Pope never intermedling in any of them but in most of the afore-mentioned Provincial Councils was opposed and declared upon several questions started that he ought not to intermeddle Provincial Councels not to appeal to the Bishop of Rome nor any Appeals ought from those Provincials to be made unto him it being against the priviledges of the several Provincials to allow of Appeals to him And as it was their ancient Right Ante Ch. 2. so was it maintained by the Princes of later times who like careful nursing fathers would not suffer their Provincial Rights to be invaded by the ambitious and covetous incroaching Popes of Rome Hereupon Ludovicus Pius the Emperour did by publike Edict prohibit all exactions of the Popes which Ludovicus perceiving they began to grow proud upon the freedom and donation his predecessor Charles the Great had bestowed upon them did hereby shew unto the world that the clemencie and indulgencie of the Imperial Crown should not be an occasion to make other Princes suffer in their Ecclesiastical Rights by the Popes of Rome under colour of shelter from the Emperour to invade them in their said Ecclesiastical priviledges belonging to any Provinces within their proper dominions and therefore by publike Edict did the said Emperour prohibit all exactions of the Popes Court within his Realm The like was done in France by Philip the fair prohibiting all Appeals to Rome 1246. and that was confirmed by Charles the 5 and 6. punishing some as traitors for appealing And in the Reign of Charles the 7. was set forth a Decree against the annates reservations
expectations and other proceedings of the Popes of Rome's pretensed Jurisdiction And 't was thought by many that H. 4. would have revived this which many conceive did given occasion to shorten his days And as these Provincials were free and immune without appealing to the See of Rome so had England the same priviledge and jurisdiction nor did she ever in any businesses appeal to Rome she being a distinct Province of old and declared by the Bishop of Rome Eleutherius that the King is Vicarius summus infra Regna might call Councils and by the ensuing Liberties granted to Provincials by the first Councils might make Rules of Faith to which the people by the Princes consent were bound and this to be without appealing to the See of Rome and never before Becket's business Becket's câ—se ante Chap. 4. of which I have already spoken in the fourth Chapter did the Pope intermeddle here Besides that business of Becket was betwixt the King and his own Clergie about a Law made at Clerudun by which Law Ecclesiastical persons were not to be freed by Church-priviledge from murder and one Brock a Monk after committing a murder was by contrivance of Becket and others delivered from publike Justice whereupon the variance began and the Pope excommunicating the King the King was forced through necessity of State at that time to submit yet nevertheless in the Articles made between the King and Pope Alexander at that time it was conditioned amongst other things that the King should suffer the people of England to appeal to Rome as appears by the Annals of those days which is an argument it was not before due to the See of Rome And indeed that it was not due is a truth so manifest and a right and jurisdiction belonging to every Province so unquestionably that I will forbear to insist any further upon this particular and submit to the Reader whether upon what I have here fairly laid down we in England may not call a Council without appealing to the See of Rome For as for that concession of H. 2. it was afterwards declared void it being a thing not properly lying within his conusance compass or capacity to grant being a right inherent in his Provincials and those bare Articles forced through necessity of State from the King could no ways oblige the successors in the See of Canterbury and York but that still notwithstanding there may be Provincial Synods in England for reformation of Schism or reconcilement of Controversies as occasion shall require and that without any allowance or approbation of the Pope of Rome For to argue a claim to the Pope to require Appeals from hence by reason of the Articles between H. 2. and Pope Alexander and that the Provinces of Canterbury and York should be thereby bound is no more reasonable then if the Emperour should condition with a Bishop of Canterbury that the Bishops of Rome should appeal to them which I believe his Holiness would not think should bind him or his successor And for that there was no right to be proved before those Articles I say the case is equally just and therefore as the Bishop of Rome for shame must not claim it from this argument of H. 2. so may we in no other respect grant it but that we as I said before may still without his allowance call Provincial Councils for deciding controversies and correction of Schism and Disorders in our Church I must confess that the Doctor has justly reproved some dissentions and varieties of Opinions amongst us in England Sects in England But that excuse he made for the differences which are amongst the Papists salvs up our sore as well as theirs For as the Doctor fol. 236. says They are but Reasonings of private men and the Church not having interposed her Decree may not be properly said differences of our Church or distracted contradictions in our Articles of Faith For should our Church convene a Synod she would either reconcile the differences or condemn them as Hereticks which dissent from her and after that sentence pronounced they are no more of our Church though they may be said to be in our Church according to that of S. John 1 Joh. 2.19 Si ex nob is essent permanserint nobiscum And let me not appear partial in this point to pass it over barely thus without shewing the reasons the Church of England doth not reform these differences sith before in this Treatise Chap. 5. I have taxed the Church of Rome of errour of negligence in this particular The Church of Rome at present is in so flourishing a condition that nothing can stop her unless the private interest of her Pope hinder her to reform the differences that are in her own Church She may convene a Council without any opposition But such is the distressed condition of the Church of England that on a sudden her â—lilies were over-topped with weeds the Sectaries which fed upon wilde olives gave thereof unto the giddy multitude who were presently like cursed children of old Adam tempted to eat that forbidden fruit and having Liberty promised to be masters and lords of the whole Vintage they claim bargain with the merchandizers of holy wares and presently cry down the ancient Husbandmen of the Vineyard Which strange and unheard-of change struck such amazement in the hearts of the people and caused such struglings in nature to digest this new-tempered Potion she was to drink that the whole body of the Land was severed so that till this fit of her sickness be over her ancient Husbandmen cannot nay must not enter into the Vineyard to prune and dress her and to cut off those extravagant branches which like ill weeds have thriven fast and make the whole Plantation seem out of order Let us therefore pray the Lord of the Vineyard that he would restore her Husbandmen unto her that he would repair her walls which are troden down and make up her hedge that she may no longer be eaten up that in stead of these wilâ—e grapes she may bring forth fruits meet for her Lord and Master and that he would strengthen their hearts in this day of visitation and give them patience to undergo the Cross that 's laid upon them and no doubt but in due time he will give her joy for heaviness and turn the hearts of her persecutors to support with the right hand whom they have buffered with the left This is the Lords doing thus to visit her and would it please him to say to the destroying Angel It is enough would he in mercy turn to his Vineyard and have pity on her would he please to restore her beauty that she might rejoyce in her salvation and and that the world might no longer laugh to see Christs disciples weep Joh. 16.20 Then I dare on her behalf promise she would not be slack to reform the enormities committed against Christ and his Truth And as in the mean time she may not justly
be taxed for negligence herein so neither hath she heretofore been careless in this point It is true according to that of S. Paul 1 Cor. 11.19 that there must be heresies that they which are approved might be known But she was never wanting friendly to admonish and with motherly reasons to perswade her Christian sons to obedience as witnesseth the several publike Conserences had at Hampton and elsewhere which was all that of her self she was able to do Bishops cannot reform without approhation from the Parliament She may decree things in her Convocation and Church-assemblies but they are no binding Rules by the Laws of the Land without the approbation of the Civil power and therefore is it ordinarily that the Convocation sits when there is a Parliament that if there be any new Rules of Faith to be declared they may receive the approbation and allowance of the Temporal Magistrate by force whereof they become obligatory to the people As for the Bishops their sitting in Parliament they do not sit there as Bishops to judge but as Barons they judge as Bishops they onely advise left any Moral Law be made repugnant to Gods Word and so likewise the Judges sit in Parliament to advise lest any new Law be made either in it self irregular or contradictory to the fundamental Laws of the Kingdom but neither the Bishops as Bishops or the Judges sit in Parliament as Judges to decree and vote in the legislation of any new Rule Whereas in old Presidents it is said By assent of the King Bishops siâ— as Barons not as Bishops in Parliament by the advice of the Lords spiritual and temporal c. it is not hereby to be understood that as Spiritual Lords they judged in the making of the Municipal Law onely they were named before the Temporal Lords for that they were the greater number and all Barons or Peers were alike The Bishops Abbots and Priors which had Baronies annexed to them were far exceeding the number of the Temporal Lords as may appear by ancient Rolls there were 27 Abbots and 2 Priors which had Baronies annexed to their Spiritualties by vertue whereof both they and the Bishops which likewise had Baronies annexed to their Sees sate on Parliament in a distinct capacity from the Spiritualty as to the matter of Judicature Now that they were the greater number appears by this The Abbots Priors and Bishops which held by Barony were fifty and there were but few Noble-men of the Laity there were none or few Earls but of the Blood Royal Noble-men in England and therefore to this day they are termed by the Kings Writs Consanguinei nostri in after-time they were made more common insomuch that whereas Alfred had divided the Kingdom into Shires and committed the Government of every Shire and appointed a Lieutenant to every Shire to govern it and to rule and controul the outrageous subjects at home as well as to defend it from forraign enemies That Officer in after-times became a Count and the country over which he was appointed Governour was called a County which since was changed the King taking from the Earl or Count that power he not liking that this power should remain main in one hereditary and which had it not immediately from himself And because the Earl to whom such charge was committed was not so ready to be corrected if he did amiss and that the administration of justice might immediately proceed from the King himself it was therefore taken from the Earl and given to one yeerly appointed thereto who because he did execute that power which the Earl formerly had is called Vice-comes quia vicem Comit is suppleat Mirror cap. 1. sect 3. By which it appears that there were not many Peers of the Laytie And as for any other degrees of Nobility as Duke Marquess Nobility in England or Viscount they were but puisne names of titular dignity and doth not make them Peers or Judges of Parliament unless they have Baronies annexed to them as it is resolved by the Law of England 14 H. 4.7 and therefore in Parliament all Peers votes are equal without distinction of their titular dignities For as for the name Duke there was none in England after the Conquest before the Black Prince Edward son of Rich. 2. nor any Marquess before Robert Earl of Oxford was made Marquess of Dublin by R. 2. nor any Viscount before John de bello monte was made Viscount Bellamont or Beaumont by H. 6. By which it is manifest that the Nobility was but few in ancient time and therefore the Lords Spiritual being the greater number of Peers are named before the Lords Temporal not that they either have any superiority in Judicature or that they sit there as Judges in their Spiritual capacity as may likewise appear by Roll of Parliament 18 H. 3. m. 17. The Bishops sitting in a Convocation at Gloucester were inhibited to meddle of the Temporal state of the King or his Nobles c. upon pain of having their Baronies confiscate for they had distinct capacities as they are Bishops they were not to meddle with Temporal affairs wherefore were they inhibited in that Assembly at Gloucester which was meerly of spiritual men to proceed in matters temporal and as they are Barons and therefore sit in Parliament they may not there judge of things spiritual all transactions of that nature being to receive debate in the Convocation of the Clergie Wherefore it may not be laid to the charge of the Bishops that they sitting in Parliament did not reform the Schisms in the Church for that they were not proper Judges thereof as they sate in Parliament but onely when they sate in the Convocation which Convocation was prevented to be convened according to the old Rules and Customs of this Nation by the popular sort which then not knowing what they would have at all adventure cried down Episcopacie and having pulled down that stately glorious fabrick all that ever the then-busie Reformers could frame out of the timber of the old building was but to patch and cobble up a Presbyterian cottage and that so weakly joynted and set together that it was judged by the most of them that it could not stand above three yeers A pitiful change It is an evil bird defiles its own nest and must our English Sion which was the glory of this Land and the envie of other Nations be made a scorn unto her enemies by her own adopted sons If children live honestly says Solomon Ecclus 22. they shall put away the shame of their parents but if they be proud with haughtiness and foolishness they defile the nobility of their own kindred Wherefore I humbly beg of the chief Governours and Rulers of the people to reflect upon their mother-Church and to consider her in her sufferings to pray for her and to endeavour her peace Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love her And to put to their helping
hand to lift up her head out of the dust That she may no longer lie groaning and groveling under the heavie hands of wilde persecutors but may by the assistance and loving aid of the Judges of the people be called upon that she may either clear her self to the condemnation of her opposers or suffer according to her deserving by the grave judgement and sentence of the Wise of the Land and not to be troden down and censured without a fair trial any further then her sufferings with patience witness her faith which if they would please to condescend unto it would certainly conduce to satisfie the consciences of many that doubt and by the blessing of God would bring peace into the Land and that according to Solomons saying that there might be a Rod and Correction in the Church whereby the sons obtain wisdom but the liberty of the children makes the mother ashamed Now the Lord open the hearts and give bowels of compassion to the Rulers of the people that by their favours the Church may be again restored to us so that we may worship God in spirit and truth and that we having again restored unto us a Jerusalem at unity within it self we may keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace that we may suck and be satisfied with the brefts of her consolation that we may milk out and be delighted with the brightness of her glory and that by the means of her nursing fathers it would please God to extend peace on her like a flood that we may suck be born upon her sides and be joyful upon her knees to the quieting of all differences amongst us and to the everlasting peace of those that wish well to Sion But I have dwelled too long upon this point I return to the subject matter of this Chapter You may partly perceive that the Church of England is not altogether to be blamed for the Errors and Divisions in our Land in matters pertaining to Faith and Discipline I dare be bold on her behalf to assure the Papists she desires a fair debate of all those differences and would willingly reconcile them or cast off those that would not hearken to her instructions and might she by the favour and free leave of the Civil Magistrate convene and were encouraged to have his assistance in order to put in execution her Decrees without which whatsoever she resolves is but like a Laterane Junto not obligatory to the Western Princes nor the people under their jurisdiction she would not be sparing to launce the wounds of these divisions to the bottom that if there were any hopes of amendment to cause sound and new flesh to grow a gain or else finding them irrecoverable by reason some are grown desperately wicked beyond all remedy to cut off such as withered branches that they might no longer be a cause to putrifie the stock and body of the tree and when she has done would not be ashamed of her work but would recommend it to the publike consideration of others which being by them approved might be exemplary for their imitation or if by the Divine Rule of Scripture it was to be faulted then to be by them rejected and receive a just condemnation I dare be bold to say that if any thing should be debated in her Convocation which might not seem satisfactory to any other sister-Province she would entertain a free debate with her and if they two could not determine the controversie so far as might be satisfactory to others she would agree to submit the debate to a General Council might but that Council be free in its constitution and not subservient to one man the Pope which by the confession of Bellarmin lib. de Concil cap. 21. non potest fieri ut aliquando ad finem controversiarum deveniatur Synodus nisi detur locus majori parti suffragiorum No Appeal to a General Councel whilst the Pope is allowed above that Councel And in another place lib. 2. cap. 11. de Concil Est verum Decretum Concilii quod fit a majore parte destroys the very being of a General Council whenas what shall there be concluded by a major part must stand null unless his Holiness approve thereof or shall be subject to be altered at his will and pleasure It is reported by Quintus Curtius fol. 13. that in the City of Gordin in Phrygia was laid up in Jupiters temple the furniture of King Midas Waggon knit up in such an intricate knot that it was extreme difficult to be untyed and the country-men had a Prophecie that whosoever should untâ—e it should be Lord of Asia Alexander coming thither and viewing the knot and doubting if he should not inexplicate it that it might be reputed as an evidence to those superstitious people of his bad fortune to come with his sword cut it asunder by which the Prophecie was expected to be fulfilled and thereupon those people submitted to him and not long after he became Lord of Asia And thus the Pope deals with Councils if any thing of consequence be to receive debate there he will not abide the canvasing of the Question and the sober unfolding of the knot and difficulty thereof but uno flatu resolves the scruple and with his false key picks the lock of the business by which means he promises to himself an universal obedience as the onely never-erring Oracle claiming by this means a soveraignty over Councils Kings and Bishops which all other Churches of Apostolical plantation judge to be an horrible presumption And till this be rectified we utterly deny all Appeals to a General Council of the Popes convening and as S. Ambrose said to Valentinian so we say to the Pope Tolle Legem si vis esse certamen CHAP. XII That the Scriptures are onely infallible rules of faith and contain all things necessary to salvation That all people are to read them because those points are plain and easie That they themselves witness this truth in those points of salvation And how the Church of Rome abuses the Scripture SCripture is the onely foundation and basis on which our Faith is built Of the force and efficacie of the Scriptures according to that of S. Paul to the Ephesians chap. 2. the faithful are built upon the Apostles and Prophets it is the sword of the Spirit Eph. 6. being profitable to instruct and reprove and being able to make the man of God perfect Irenaeus in his third book against Heresies cap. 11. says The Apostles first preached the Gospel and afterwards delivered the same to us in Scriptures that it might be the foundation and pillar of our faith And Origen upon Matth. 25. says They are to be brought for proof of all Doctrines Our Saviour by Scripture convinced the devil teaching us thereby to know what weapons we are to use against all Heresie and Schism And in the General Councils of old not the Popes Decretals but the Scriptures were
laid before the holy Fathers Est firmamentum columna Ecclesiae Evangelium It onely is infallible in it self all other Councils and Traditions may erre saith Tom. lib. 2. contra Donatistos cap. 3. And though an Angel from heaven teach another doctrine no faith is to be given thereunto Tertullian contra Hermogen pag. 373. I reverence saith he the fulness plenitude and perfection of Scriptures as that which shews to me both the Maker and the things which are made Austin confesseth the authority of Scripture to be above the authority of the Church in his Epistles contra Manich. tom 6. cap. 4. The consent of people and nations the authority of the Church begun by miracles nourished with hope increased with charity established with antiquity succession of Priests and the name of Catholike saith he are great motives to keep me in the unity of the Church but above these he prefers the truth of Scripture in regard whereof he promiseth Manicheus to give more credit to his doctrine then to the Church if he be able to prove it out of Scripture These and many more authorities in this point might be produced to manifest what credit and reverence the Fathers of the Primitive Church did attribute to the sacred Oracles of God Now what may we think of those that count them a bare letter Inkie Divinity a matter of strife and ground of Heresies And by the Doctor fol. 255 the light of the Gospel is termed Ignis fatuus because not borrowed from Rome's dark lanthorn Others affirming that if any contemn the authority of the Romane Church that he shall not be able to assure himself of Scripture any more then of a Robinhood-tale To which I answer The Council of Laodicea can 59. which Council was held long before ever Rome's Bishop claimed a Supremacie over other Churches hath declared which shall be taken and accepted for Canonical Scripture and hath decreed that none else should be read in the Churches besides them we according to that Canon accept and embrace them and according to the ancient copies doth our Clergie retain them in the Church nor are we altogether beholding to Rome for the Translations 'T is true she hath a glorious Library as many witness the onely ornament of her Vatican Hill And in some competent measure is our Oxford replenished with the ancient Manuscripts of the Primitive Fathers and of old approved Translations of the Scriptures both after the Hebrew Syriack Rome not the onely dispenser of the Scripture Chaldee Greek and Latine Translations which the Fathers and the Reverend Governours of the Primitive Churches have permitted to be transmitted to other parts and in these later days we have been beholding to Rome for some Translations But she was not the first that sent the Gospel hither as may appear by Eleutherius his Epistle to Lucius You have heretofore saith he received the law and faith of Christ ye have within your Realm both the parts of Scripture out of which by the counsel of your Realm take a law and by that law rule your kingdom for you be Gods Vicar within your own kingdom c. And in this particular I think Rome as well as we is beholding to other Churches why then should she boast that we know not what is Scripture but that which she has delivered Had not the Apostles equal authority to teach all nations Doth not Peter direct his Epistle to the Saints which are dwelling about Cappadocia Galatia Asia and Bithynia and S. James to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad and S. Jude to all which are sanctified and called of God And S. Paul writes as well to the Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians and Thessalonians as to the Romans wherefore how comes it that the Church of Rome should be the onely Monopolizer of Scripture Was not the holy Ghost given to them which Philip Paul and Barnabas did ordain as well as those Peter did ordain And admit that Peter was Bishop of Rome had not the rest of the Apostles received the holy Ghost as well as Peter did it not sit upon each of them like cloven tongues of fire And why should the Church of Rome boast her self to be onely and alone endowed with an onely spirit of interpretation Let none understand more then is meet to understand was S. Paul's instructions to the Romanes But such is the uncharitableness and presumption of the present Church of Rome that she accounts her self the onely wise interpreter and no other Church to have the spirit of discerning the Truth unless she have received that spirit mediately from her I must needs tell her that she has no warrant to arrogate this transcendency and super-excellencie in this point of wisdom from any divine precept it is but her own humane institution no other Church approving of it and so it is but the wisdom of this world which as S. Paul says 1 Cor. 1.20 is found foolishness before God and according to that saying of Solomon Prov. 12.15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes The treasure of the holy Writ is no common or ordinary bank That the Scripture contains things necessary to salvation but a precious store of eternal happiness in them is laid up life everlasting according to that of S. Paul Rom. 1.16 It is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek and 2 Tim. 3.14 Timothy had known the Scriptures from a childe which were able to make him wise unto salvation It is profitable to teach to improve to correct to instruct in righteousness that a man of God may be absolute being made perfect to all good works Therefore are we bidden Joh. 4.39 to search the Scriptures for in them is eternal life and they are they which testifie of Christ It is true All things that Jesus did are not written saith S. John but saith he these things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and believing ye might have life through his Name Joh. 20.31 Cyril lib. 2. upon that place of S. John saith Non omnia quae Dominus facit transcripta sunt sed quae Scriptores tam ad mores quam ad dogmata sufficere putarunt ut recta fide operibus ad regnum coelorum perveniamus And Saint Austin likewise says that all things were not written but onely so much was written as was thought to be sufficient to the salvation of the faithful And whereas in the 20 of the Acts ver 27. it is said I have not spared to shew unto you the whole counsel of God Lyranus and Carthusianus expound it onely to be understood of things pertaining to our salvation which S. Austin lib. de doctr Christian 2. cap. 6. plainly affirms that all things necessary to our salvation are plainly contained in the written Word And Irenaeus lib. 3. cap. 1. We know saith he
skill in Appelles Art that he drew that exquisite picture of Christ which Rome has representing unto us his posture whilst the Jews whipt him I must confess that for these matters of importance we must submit to the traditions of Rome But all things touching God and the means to attaine faith in him are plentifully therein to be found Chrysostome sayes in his 41 Hom. upon the 22 of Matth. Quicquid queritur ad salutem totum eam ademptum est in Scripturis and upon the 95 Psalm Si quid dicatus absque Scriptura c. If any thing be spoken without the Scripture the cogitation of the Auditors faile but so soon as the Testimony of Gods voice is heard out of the Scripture it confirmeth both the word of the speaker and the mind of the hearer Saint Hierom upon the 9 of Jeremy Nec parentum ne majorum error sequendus est sed author it as Scripturarum Dei docenti imperium Saint Cyprian who writ almost 1400 yeers ago would not yeeld to Stephanus Bishop of Rome but reproved him for leaning to tradition and demanded of him by what Scripture he could prove his tradition Cyprian Epist ad Pompeium 74. So then if in his time it was not enough to alleadge tradition for the proof of the Doctrine of the Church of Rome much less is it lawful to follow the Popes definitive sentence in matters of faith and doctrine When the Arrians would not admit the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it could not be found in Scripture Athanasius did not plead tradition for it but said Although the express words be not found in the Scripture yet have the Scriptures that meaning and sense in them as every one that readeth the Scriptures may plainly understand and therefore by warrant thâ—eof that word might be maintained Saint Austine de unitat Eccl. cap. 10. Nemo mihi dicat quid dixit Donatus quid dixit Parmenianus quid Paulus aut quillibet illorum quid nec catholicis episcopis consentiendum est sicubi forte falluntur ut contra canonicas Dei Scriptures aliquid sentiant Methinks the very word Canonical which the Church of Rome having approved Canonical Scripture disprove â—raditiods what Scriptures shall be Canonical what not is sufficient of it self to prove this point for signifies a rule and thereupon those books are called Canonical because they are the rules of our faith and consequently whatsoever is not consonant to the Scripture ought to be rejected as pernicious and swerving from the rules of our faith For as whatsoever is not of faith is sin and as faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God therefore whatsoever is extra Scripturam cum ex fide non sit peccatum est This was the saying of Basil one of the Church of Rome's Saints in his Ethicks difinit ult prope finem And for my part I shall not be so harsh with her as this St. was I should be willing to allow of her traditions if they do not impugne the Scriptures and not to be so rigid against her traditional power as upon Basil's rule utterly to reject all if not expresly contained in Scripture I say for my part I should allow of such and approve of them as to be cerdited for the matter of fact but if she enjoyn them as doctrinal and to be rules of faith then â—ith Cyprian I desire to examine them by this Touchstone of truth the Scriptures For if once she propound traditions to be rules of faith then with Hierome Cyprian and Austin I must examine the truth of them by the rule of Scripture and with Saint Chrysostome in his 13 Hom. upon the 2 Cor. 7. do pray and beseech the Church of Rome to reject what this or that man says and search the truth out of the Scriptâ—re that learning true riches we may follow them and so attain life everlasting neither let any Church be wedded with her own traditions or give her self to believe the traditions of other Churches unless saith he she can bring authority from these truths to a warrant her doctrine and not to receive for doctrine the commandments of men and with Saint Cyprian examine from whence such tradition came whether it descended from authority of our Lord Jesus Christ or his Gospel or whether it came from the Mandates of the Apostles or their Epistles If so saith he let such divine and holy tradition be observed if no let it be rejected especially any tradition that shall contradict the written verities of God for such certainly proceed from spirits of error Here is a cloud of witnesses all agreeing in one that no traditions are to be embraced that have not warrant from the word of God so that for the Church of Rome to put her traditions upon the people for rules of faith upon that score that it is the power and authority of the Church that awarrants those traditions is vain and not binding to the conscience of men unless she can justifie and maintaine them warrantable by the word according to Saint Pauls saying to the Galat. 1.9 Though an Angel from heaven come and teach any other doctrine then what we have preached let him be accursed For the Testimony of no Church whatsoever is to be received if it be contrary to the Scripture Sâ—riptures above the Church Ante 73. Chapter 9. according to that of Saint Austin upon that text The Scriptures are not true because the Church sayes they are the word of God but the testimony of the Church is true because they are the word of God and should Rome or any other Church teach contrary to the holy Scripture it is to be rejected as that which hath nothing of verity in it Now sith the Scriptures are the onely rules of our faith The vanity and falseness of the traditions of the Church of Rome and do containe in themselves the necessary points of our faith what shall we think of the traditions of the Church of Rome which have no warrant from the holy Scriptures but many of them being repugnant and utterly contrary to those Scriptures which therefore by the rule of Christ himself in the 7 of Matthew and by the general consent of the fathers of the primitive Church are to be rejected yet notwithstanding are by her enjoyned upon her pretended authority of universality and infallibility to be rules of faith unto others And lest any should think me injurious to the Church of Rome in this particular I wiâ—l give you a smal taste for I delight not to lay open her infirmities thereby to draw a scandal upon her of such of her traditions as are not warranted by the holy word of God only maintained out of self interest and to warrant her claim of universal power Spiritual and Temporal by these ensuing examples and further refer you to the 7 Chapter The Church of Rome that she might perswade the world of Peters being Bishop of Rome by
and that the rather because I will therein give a brief account of the state of the Popes and of the means and wayes by which they have grown to the present height of jurisdiction they now exercise as well over other Churches as over Princes and in that respect it may serve for an answer to the Doctors twentieth additional Chapter without incurring a just censure of an absolute digression from the subject matter of the Doctors discourse CHAP. XIV That the Pope hath no power to depose any Prince although an Heretick That Bishops are not equal with Kings and that the antient practice of Rome's church was against this neither claiming the same in Spiritual or Temporal capacities THe Pope of Rome claimes to be Peters successor and by vertue thereof to be Christs Vice-general universal father of the Church the onely dispensor of Apostolick Benedictions and supreme head of the Catholick Church these are the titles and appellations by which he desires to be distinguished that by these it may be known he is dignified above all the Clergy upon earth I have in the second Chapter given some satisfaction concerning the unjustness of this his claime yet I might admit him what he here desires to be thought to be and notwithstanding prove that that power of jurisdiction will not extend to a warrant his busie intermedling in temporal affaires much less be a sufficient warrant for his dethroning of any Prince or Potentate or disobliging his people and subjects from their obedience and duty to such civil Magistracy as is set over those people to rule and govern them In prosecution of this matter I will first treat of the power of Kings and Bishops in general then examine the Popes power in particular Kings are called sons of the most high Of the prerogative of Kings 2 Sam. 7.14 Gods on earth Psal 82.6 All people are to obey them in all they command Josh 1.28 They have their Commission from Almight God by me Kings reign Prov. 8.15 and Rom. 13. Their wrath is as the roaring of a Lyon Prov. 19.12 And if they transgress none is to question them Psal 51.4 Lyranus upon this Psalm says David had sinned against God alone as a Judge to punish him for being a King he had no superior to punish him and yet he had sinned against Vriah causing him to be murdered but as to be punished he crys out unto the Lord Against thee only have I done this evil And herewith agree Saint Ambrose de Apolog. David cap. 10. pag. 386. and Hugo Cardinalis upon that Psalm Kings shall bear rule and exercise dominion Luk. 22. He is the Minister of God to take vengeance on them that do evil The whole Scripture magnifies the majesty power and dominion of Kings which it witnesses to be given to those absolute Monarches and Kings mentioned in Scripture even by God himself that power which they had being of God Rom. 13. And none should say unto them What dost thou As for Priests it is plain by the Scripture that those under the Law were to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people Of the Office of Bishops 1 Chron. 9.2 Heb. 9.6 5.1 Gods Covenant with them was of life peace and that their lips should preserve knowledge Malach. 2.4 And the Priests under the Gospel are a holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God by Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 they are commanded to pray for all men 1 Tim. 2. For Kings and all that be in authority and Peter the prime Apostle was commanded to follow Christ who left him an example of suffering and obedience which S. Peter himself witnesses to the world 1 Pet. 2.21 For hereunto are ye called for Christ also suffered for us leaving us an ensample that yee should follow his steps From all which places of Scripture may be deduced these conclusions Kings are representatives of God the Father to them is given all power and dominion to rule and command Priests are the lively Images of Christ to whom he has left his precept of humility to be obedient and serve To Kings is left authority to punish evil doers to Priests to pray for all men even their own oppressors not to recompence evil for evil Rom. 12.17 Kings are to use the material sword for vengeance Priests the spiritual sword the Word to make supplication for all Saints Eph. 6.18 Kings are not to be rebuked Priests are to suffer with patience Kings sit in Gods throne Priests serve at his Altar Kings are Angels of God 2 Sam. 14.20 Priests are the Embassadors of Christ beseeching us in Christs stead to be reconciled unto God Yet Kings though they be thus exalted and superintendent over all they have an especial charge to respect the Priests and hearken unto them Num. 27.21 And it is the duty of Priests to reverence them 2 Chro. 13. Priests pay their tribute of obedience and duty but Kings are to recompence it with respect and love The power of the Priest over the people ceased when Saul was King and yet Saul was to hearken to Samuel The Majesty of the one must not despise the humility of the other the King as I said is the Minister of Justice the Priests the Messengers of Mercy These two must not clash against each other but with Princely David ought with harmonious concurrence of spirit to sing of mercy and judgement mercy and truth to meet together righteousness and peace to kiss each other For as there is a Noli me tangere for the one Touch not mine anointed so there is a precept of preservation for the other Do my prophets no harm There is a general tye laid upon all Let every soul be subject to the higher powers wherein the Ministers of the Gospel are included and likewise there is a rule of obedience prescribed to all Heb. 13. Obey them that have the oversight of you for that they watch for your souls c. wherein Princes are not exempted Which shews that Princes are to hearken to their word and doctrine and to be courteous to them and not to grieve the holy Spirit of God Eph. 4. and they are to be obedient to Princes for that they bear not the sword in vain So that these two seem to have a mutual dependencie each on other the Priest must exhort with sound doctrine to which obedience must be given upon paine of damnation and the King may enjoyn the practice of that or any other rule of faith agreeable to the word of God which the Bishop likewise upon the same paine is bound to observe onely here is the difference in point of variance betwixt King and Priest the King is above the Priest to execute Judgement the Priest being bound to obey not to rule which is no confusion of the Ecclesiastical estate they being hereunto ordained to suffer for Christs sake when it shall please God for their sins or the sins of the people to
the Evangelists who witness with one consent that Christ took the Bread and also or after the same manner he took the Cup we must not say that he took the Bread or the Cup for so we destroy the Sacrament as being of incertainty and having no certain ground either for its institution or the precept for the administring thereof Wherefore for the Doctor here to construe and or is to multiply contradictions and so his reason is become invalid in respect that the general scope of the Scripture is that this Sacrament is to be administred under both kinds therefore it is more safe to construe those few places where Sacramental Bread alone is mentioned without the Cup to be understood of the whole Sacrament rather then in many places to wrest and into or For the mentioning of Bread onely doth not exclude the Cup negatively but rather according to Cyprians speech by the naming of part of the action the whole is to be understood and herewith agreeth Saint Paul 1 Cor. 10.17 And we that are many are one bread and one body because we are all partakers of one bread We must not think that because here Saint Paul names bread onely that therefore the Corinthians did not communicate in the cup for that is against the precedent verse where he saies The cup of blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the blood of Christ and the bread which we break is it not the communion of the body of Christ Besides in the ensuing Chapter he enjoyns both to be received and that to the people so that where the breaking of Sacramental bread is onely mentioned we are not thereby to exclude the cup for the Hebrew phrase is under the breaking of bread to signifie the whole feast as in the Prophet Esay Frangere esurientis panem is as well to give drink as bread Besides should we admit of any other construction as that when bread is mentioned alone thereby to understand communion in one kind we should in that change Saint Luke in Act. 2. to teach contrary to the practice of Christ and the rest of the Apostles which did both receive and deliver to the people under both kinds which were an impious and presumptuous charge Wherefore let the Church of Rome for shame confess her errors herein and let her not longer wrest mangle and misconstrue Scripture contrary to Christs rules herein contrary to the sense of the Primitive Church and contrary to the judgement and practice of the antient Fathers and her own antient Bishops and that but for self-interest to maintain a new doctrine of her own framing taken up upon a light score and never heard of or believed in the Church for a thousand years after Christ and let her confess the truth with us herein by which means she shall neither alter the sense nor wrest any particular word to maintain her doctrine herein and if she will not for unitie sake and for communion with us yet for avoiding an absurdity against her own principles let her never construe that place of Luke to signifie an entire Sacrament for then she makes the whole Sacrament onely breaking of bread and destroyes Transubstantiation As for the Doctor if he be not herewith satisfied but that he will persist notwithstanding that it must be understood of communion in one kind and furthermore to maintain that opinion will here construe and for or I must tell him that he has hereby wiped off one error which he elswhere fol. 337. taxed our Translators with 1 Cor. 11.27 which if it be mis-translated it makes nothing for communion in one kind but whether we receive the one or the other that we should take heed to receive with due reverence so Heavenly a banquet and it doth further illustrate to us that though we receive the bread worthily yet if we receive the cup unworthily we are guilty of the body and blood which is an argument and indeed an absolute proof that they both make but a perfect Sacrament of the body and blood therefore I encline to think with the Doctor that it is a corruption in our printed Bibles rendring and for or I find it various from the old copies and I will not presume upon the Doctors rule to justifie it however it is something excusable for that in the very same Chapter 26 28 and 29. verses eating the bread and drinking the cup is expressed and not eating the bread or drinking the cup which upon the Doctors rule for avoiding contradiction should be construed or but whether it be taken or or and yet notwithstanding it makes nothing for the Popish communion in one kind The Doctor layes down for the Priests receiving in both kinds Of the sacrifice offered upon the Altar by the Priest because he offers up a sacrifice I will therefore a little consider of that I hope I shall give satisfaction to any reasonable soul that the Priest and the people offer up one and the same sacrifice and if so then by the Doctors rule they are to receive in both kinds because saith he Christs sacrifice upon the Cross is not perfectly represented but by both kinds as it was prefigured in Melchizedek's sacrifice of bread and wine For the better explaining of this point it is to be understood that there are two kinds of sacrifices one is a perpetual sacrifice pacifying Gods wrath whereby mercy and forgiveness of sins is obtained which is onely the death of Christ prefigured by the sacrifices under the Law The other is a sacrifice of laud and thanksgiving which doth not reconcile us unto God but is offered up of such as be already reconciled unto him by faith in him which is the reconciliation for our sins even Christ Jesus By the first Christ offered us unto the Father by the second we offer our selves and all that we have unto him and his Father according as David sayes Psal 50. A sacrifice to God is a contrite heart and Hebr. 13. Alwaies we offer up to God a sacrifice of laud and praise by Jesus Christ and Saint Peter saith of all people that they are A holy Priest-hood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ The Papists object that saying of Saint Paul Heb. 9. Every High-priest is ordained to offer up gifts and sacrifices for sins To prove thereby their sacrifice of the Altar offered up in their Mass which who please to read may plainly discover that that saying is meant of the Priests under the Law who did offer Bullocks and Goats for the sins of the people and therefore in the old Testament such sacrifices are sometimes called Propitiatory sacrifices being indeed but shaddows and types of Christs sacrifice which was to come which was the true and perfect sacrifice for the sins of the whole world wherefore in the very same Chapter S. Paul saith it were impossible our sins should be taken away by the blood of Oxen and Goats verse 1â— By
in that service as it is made manifest in the ensuing Chapter The humble confession of all penitent hearts their acknowledging of Christs benefits their thanksgiving for the same their faith and consolation in Christ their humble submission to his will is a sacrifice of laud and prayse acceptable unto God no less then the sacrifice of the Priest Christ did not ordain this Sacrament that any one might receive it for another but that every one for himself is to be made partaker of this mystery of his salvation For as one may not be baptized for another for the Godfathers answering for the child say he hath faith because he hath the Sacrament of faith by the outward element of water which as it self cleanseth so the childe thereby is born again of water and of the Spirit to newness of life Baptism the infant spiritually receiving regeneration by the outward element of the water according to the effectual working of the holy Spirit unto newness of life the infant being thereby made a member of Christ by faith in Jesus given unto him in that Sacrament of Baptism So may not one receive this holy Sacrament for another Let every man be baptized Act. 2. here is spiritual regeneration to every man by himself And Mat. 26. Christ said to the multitude Take and eat and drink ye all of this and here is spiritual growth and living in Christ every man by himself and by this means we that are many branches become one Vine being baptized into one Spirit and all made to drink into one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 Whereas the Doctor urges that those words Drink ye all of this were spoken to the Apostles and that therefore the cup is not to be given to the people He might as well conclude they shall not have the bread because Christ gave that to his Apostles whereas all Divines agree that what was spoken to them was thereby meant of the whole Church upon earth which are all the Saints of God upon earth of particular Churches whensoever assembled into a Society which is manifest by S. Paul who delivered to the Corinthians that which he had received formerly of the Lord Jesus to wit both the bread and the cup enjoyning every one to examine himself and so let him eat and so let him drink By which it is plain that it was to be delivered to the people in both kindes And if one kinde had been sufficiently significant of Christs flesh and blood offered by himself upon the Cross for our redemption sure Christ would never have added the cup as part of that Sacrament thereby to signifie his blood if already it had been sufficiently signified in the bread Wherefore unless the Papists will charge Christ to be superfluous in his institution of this Sacrament they must allow the cup unto the people as well as bread and both as well as one Lastly the Doctor would justifie the change of the Church of Rome in this particular upon the authority of the Church given by Christ to his Apostles so to do And for this he urges S. Austin who was dead five hundred and fifty yeers before ever this doctrine of Rome was heard of S. Austin stood much for the significancie of the bread and wine that this Sacrifice was but a representation of Christs Sacrifice and that which you see on the Altar or Table is the bread and the cup which your eyes shew you is the wine but saith he faith sheweth that that bread is the body and that cup is the blood of Jesus Christ It was the practice of the Church in his time to administer in both kindes he when he lived taught the necessity of wine against those that mingled water and so did Cyprian and others and now that they are dead the Doctor will have them teach another doctrine S. Austin might say that Christ left authority to his Apostles to make such appointments in what order this Sacrament should be received as whether sitting kneeling how often or the like but not that they should institute a new Sacrament Christ gave both Elements Saint Paul delivered both according as he had received and it was to be done in remembrance of Christ and they were commanded to be imitators of him Ephes 5.1 Christ left this as a Legacy to his Church and he made the Apostles Executors of this his last Will and Testament which they were to discharge by dispensing that Legacy to Christs faithful Saints and People Wherefore for them to withhold part of the thing bequeathed to wit the participation of the cup which is by S. Paul called The Communion of his blood is to forfeit that trust Christ has reposed in them and to forget his precept he enjoyned them commanding to teach all Nations whatsoever he had commanded them We are bound to hold fast the traditions we have learned If then the Scripture tell us that Christ with his Apostles did communicate in both kinds and Saint Paul administring to the Corinthians said Traditi vobis quod accepi a Domini how comes the Church of Rome to forsake this tradition which Christ himself taught and practised and the Primitive Church for a thousand yeers held for faith if it ought to be reduced to one kind how came it to pass to be let alone so long and by what Authority doth Rome claim this power sith the ancient Fathers and the Primitive Church did not onely use to administer to the people in both kinds but maintained and defended the necessity of Bread and Wine the outward elements of this Sacrament as may appear by the Testimony of the afore-cited Fathers and particularly it was the profession of the Church of Rome as Gelasius Bishop thereof witnesseth Shall but the Church of Rome prescribe any new rule of faith or manmers and shall any disobey he is straightwaies anathematized for casting off the Tradition of the Church and the Catholick Church upon earth communicated in both k nds and shall the late Popes of Rome alter this and escape the censures Were there nothing for it but the bare usage of the Primitive Churches it were enough to convince the Church of Rome but whenas there is Christs precept and institution for it how doth the Church of Rome justly incur the condemnation of the Pharisees teaching for doctrines the commandments of men and laying aside the commandments of God follow their own traditions Mark 7. But such was the transcendent wickedness of the Church of Rome in these dayes that scarce any Apostolick Rule but has suffered some alteration by his Holiness and his Legislative conclave of Cardinals who being soared to a height above Councels Princes and all other Powers on earth stick not to wrestle against these commandments of the God of Heaven witness their additions to the Baptisme as if the Baptisme wherewith Christ was Baptized were not sufficient without the Romish spittle and salt and as if this Sacrament of Bread and Wine were
and praise ought to be in faith Whatsoever ye ask if ye believe ye shall receive it Matth. 21.22 We must come unto the Father in the Sons Name and he will hear us ask and he will do it John 14.14 By faith in Jesus we have boldness and entrance with confidence Eph. 3.12 So that Whatsoever we desire when we pray believe that we shall have it and it shall be done unto us Mark 11.24 But without faith it is impossible to please God For He that cometh to God must believe that God is and that he is a rewarder of them that seek him Heb. 11. And without faith our prayer turns into sin for Whatsoever is not of faith is sinne Rom. 14.23 So then for any society to come to Divine service in a Tonge they do not understand their prayer and praise cannot be of faith in respect they know not what they ask their Priest is their mouth and they cannot in heart go along with him because they understand not what he sayes and their saying Amen to they know not what cannot be acceptable unto God according as S. Paul writes to the Romanes Rom. 10.14 How shall we call on him in whom we have not believed and how shall we believe in him of whom we have not heard We must believe in him and by him and by him offer the sacrifice of praise to God we must draw neer unto him with a pure heart in the assurance of faith Heh 10.22 This was the Doctrine of the Apostles and this was the practice of the Primitive Churches Theodoret lib. 5. de Graec. affect curat pag. 521. telleth us that in his time which was about 440 years after Christ the Scriptures were translated into all manner of languages and that they were not onely understood of Doctors and Masters of the Church but of Lay-people and common Artificers Hebraici libri non modo in Graecum Idioma conversi sunt sed in Romanam Aegyptam Persicam Judicam Armenicam Scyithicam linguam semelque ut dicam in omnes linguas quibus ad hunc diem nationes utuntur It was then the practice that every Nation should have the Scriptures in their own Tongue which Bellarmine unawares confessed Bellarm. Chap. 106. Tom. 1. col 191. lib. 4. de verb. Dei Script cap 11. But such is the pride and vain-glory of the Popes of Rome that they will not admit this in these latter dayes for since the Bishop of Rome grew up to be the Universal head all Churches must receive anew the Scriptures in their own Tongue and not onely so but their Lyturgies too burning such Scriptures as the people understand in their own vulgar Tongue and excommunicating all persons of the Laity be they neveâ— so well learned that shall reason of matters of faith or dispute of his power commanding Latine Service and Latine Homilies to the vulgar and though they cannot understand it yet he has Decreed it shall be so 6 Decret lib. 5. cap. quicunque By which means he thinks to gain an opinion of being the onely Planter of those Churches whenas indeed he is but a busie intruder upon the Apostolical foundations of others and in this his Holiness has a further reach for by this means he pleads Authority to rule over them producing this in evidence against them should they oppose him that Conqueror-like he has given them a Law in the proper language of Rome And if any questions should arise concerning any points taught in those Translations he likewise did by this means obtain the priviledge to be the Interpreter it being more proper to Rome to unfold the sense of that language than to any other place And thus and for those ends did the Popes of Rome obtrude the Latine Lyturgies upon several Churches which how it agrees with the Law Divine for the work of the Ministry for the gathering of the Saints and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the unity of the faith and knowledge of the Son of God let the holy Spirit of that God and the Angels of the several Churches witness CHAP. XVIII The Conclusion Wherein the Reformation of England is justified notwithstanding the Objections of Rome against it and that the Pope was the cause of the Protestant Churches their separations from the Church of Rome I Have briefly touched most of those points which the Doctor hath urged against the Protestants wherein I conceive the Church of England doth differ from the Church of Rome and for that it is not my desire to make the breaches wider but if possible to reconcile them into one and to make up the gap of separation betwixt them I now hasten to a conclusion Yet let not any one censure me as if I were weary of my enterprize because to some particular Chapters I have not given particular answers for I conceive that the scope of their matter is sufficiently refuted in this discourse and those Chapters not concerning any points of controversie betwixt us any further than I have already answered I did therefore forbear to multiply words against the Doctor but hastned to the conclusion The Doctor in his 22. and 23. Chapters doth flutter with the Lapwing and makes most bussle when he is furthest off the Nest He had formerly cast his sting and there in conclusion ends with buzzing and noise onely he rolls up himself in Rhetorick and with the Seriphian Froggs of which Pliny writes lib. 8. cap. 85. he is clamorous in invectives he like an untamed Colt having leaped the Pale which kept him in a safe and fitting Pasture ranges up and down the miry paths throwing up dirt behind him till at length having run himself out of breath he becomes tame and is content to take scraps at the Jesuites hands he feeds upon the Orts of Parsons Saunders and such like Renegadoes he has turned away his face from England's Sion in whose true mirror of divinity he might have seen the image of Christ himself and his own face beauteous as a Son of that Church but now having turned aside he has forgot what manner of man he was or what before he had beheld by the help of the reflections and now he altogether contemplates upon a false gloss which doth present unto him deceiving objects on the one hand is the Church of England presented to him black and ugly being transformed by the false Vail they and such like have put upon her for which they are with all indulgence cherished and encouraged by his Holiness according to the saying of Salomon Prov. 26.22 The words of a Tale-bearer are as flatterings and they go down into his belly But on the other hand the Church of Rome is set out with all the Art imaginable so that any who will give up himself unto the speculative Religion of Popery is cheated into an opinion of Romes beauty and comliness and into a â—aâ—â—en and deâ—â—â—tation of the Protestâ—nt Religion because
of her spots and deforâ—mity whereas if any please to seaken them both he shall finde that Englands Church which is thus presented to him is black but comely and like the curtains of Salomon is set all with precious Stones and Jewels on her inner side Cant. 1.4 I am black but comly as the curtains of Salomon And if he please to make inquisition into the Church of Rome he will finde that she has onely a glorious outside she is a painted Jezebel that cares not to venter through a Sea of blood to take possession of her Neighbours Vineyards causing the Prophets of the Lord to be slain 1 Kin. 18. She is Harpy-like with a fair face and a foul heart and in that fair face were but the Ignatian paint taken off would rivelled browes and wan-worn cheeks appear How much therefore is the Doctors case to be lamented who hath joyned himself to the Heathen to open his mouth that he may praise the power of the Idols and to magnifie a fleshly King for ever Esth 5.10 Hence is it that in his second and third Chapters taking for granted that Rome is the onely Catholick Church and her Bishop Peter's Successor and absolute and sole possessioner of all Apostolical Power and Jurisdiction he doth hereupon conclude that the Protestant Churches are heretical Conventicles and that they know not the Scriptures without the Tradition of Rome nor can disperse and teach them without Commission from thence Now for that it is my desire not to multiply words I will forbear any particular answer to these Assertions and refer the Reader to my second Chapter where his Holiness Universality is fully refuted And as touching that Assertion of his concerning the Scriptures my 2.8.11 and 12. Chapters are sufficient answers where first I have proved equal Commission then that the Scriptures are to judge the truth of themselves Traditions and Councels and that other Churches had the Scriptures and not from Rome that the Provincials of Apostolical plantation have equal power having the same Spirit to guide them as by the outward means the visible sign of the invisible grace given in the Sacrament of order is in Christian charity to be presumed and therefore may as well judge of those points of Scripture which admit of explanation as the Church of Rome And the many arguments used by the Doctor in those Chapters are not onely grounded upon false suppositions but in themselves are injurious wrongfully accusing the Church of England laying opinions to her charge concerning the wayes and means to understand the meaning of those Scriptures which she doth not profess as Doctrinal And then in the 22. Chapter he would disprove our ground of separation from Rome as to this I have in part touched in the 2.4 and 6. Chapters and in the 11. Chapter I have proved aright in Provincials to reform Schismes and Heresies And whereas he saies we ought not to have separated from Rome hecase saith he we pretending the truth of our opinions ought to have demonstrated them to the world whereby to have reformed Rome and not to have separated our selves To this I answer The first occasion of the separation was about the difference of the Popes Supremacy and he having in a high way got the upper hand of many Churches which were vassallized under his power and the Councels being so abused and made invalid by the late Lateran Prerogative it was to no purpose to offer the difference to a general Councel which must either act for or not against his Holiness having no power to decree any thing against his Holiness as I have proved in the tenth Chapter This gave occasion to other Provinces which could get opportunity to back the right and priviledge proper to their own Sees to cast off any further appealing either thither or to Rome And they knowing this to be an usurpation in Popes it gave them occasion to suspect the truth of many other of her Doctrines and betaking themselves to the holy word of God delivered to them and approved through all ages for the verities of God himself and searching into the Primitive Churches and practices of the antient Fathers they found Rome to have changed her faith as those particulars I have already treated on make mention Vincentius adversus Hereticos sayes that Doctrine is to be accounted Catholick quod semper ab omnibus credendum est and if this must be the rule then are neither we Hereticks nor Rome Catholick Rome cannot be said Catholick in respect the faith of Christ was at other places professed when it was not at all at Rome nor may we be by her called Hereticks because she has changed The Doctor upon Saint Austin's rule fol. 120. sayes that Doctrines without known beginnings are not to be disputed against but those Doctrines of Rome of which I have treated I have fairly proved them to be innovations and therefore by that we are not to be censured for opposing them And whereas the Doctor sayes that Rome must either be the true Church or else there is none he hereby proves himself to be in darkness he has confessed it in Aethiopia without her planting and in several other places I have proved it to have been planted and not from Rome wherefore it is not necessarily to be concluded upon the score of her onely dispensing the Gospel that she is the visible Church if the Gospel be hid it is hid to those that are lost the lost sâ—eep's gone to Rome to idolize the pontifical Pope whom the God of this world hath blinded that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine unto him for saith Saint Paul We preach not our selves but Christ Jesus our Lord and our selves your servants for Jesus sake Which is neither the Jesuites Doctrine who teach nothing but the infallibility of his Holiness nor the Popes profession who would every where be a Master but no servant to the Saints and people of God We therefore because of his change from this Doctrine and because of his intolerable pride and usurpations and as the other Churches shake him off but do not change from the Primitive faith taught by the Apostles and formes maintained by the Church of Rome it self And though we lay long under Romes innovation yet this is no Argument for the Doctor to urge against us that we should not at all reform Christ has withdrawn his Spirit for a time from several Churches as I have proved in the 5. Chapter Magna est veritas praevalebit Truth is stronger than all the power of man as I have proved by Zerubbabel 1 Esdr 4. And though the Pope with the inventions and polices of his Cardinal conclave had so warded the several Churches of the West that he thought them absolutely mastered and under his command to be servants to do his drudgery he did as we say reckon without his Host he did consult with flesh and
blood whilst a Divine hand master'd his humane polices and their works of darkness were brought into light when least suspected to have them laid open to the world And though the persons the outward Instruments of this separation and change from Romes errors were not in all things approvable touching Moral conversation yet this doth not absolutely disprove the truth of their Doctrine as I have proved in the 6. Chapter Bellarmin accounted Pope Sixtus an Heretick and the Jesuites hold Hominem non Christianum posse Romanum esse Pontificem quodlib 4 art 2. pag. 100. And it is unequal dealing to censure others of that of which they themselves will not be condemned God made use of Balaam's Ass to open the eyes of Balaam and Luther I crave pardon for the comparison retorting upon his Master the Pope who smote him and his Princes with Romes Thunderbolts was a means to open the eyes of the English Clergie who saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way and I hope none can blame them for hearkning to his voice we do not in all things approve of Luther Calvin Beza c. In those things wherein we do not differ from Rome she cannot blame us and in those things wherein we differ we can prove that not any one point but was for 600. yeers after Christ by the Church of Rome it self professed and since has by the pride and arrogancy of wicked and aspiring Popes by little and little been forsaken and by her deserted so that who please impartially to consider of what I have in this Treatise fairly laid down may plainly perceive that it is Rome not England has forsaken the Primitive truth and whilst the Doctor or any other shall strive against the truth of England's Church they do but wound their own soul by back-biting her they bring a staffe to their own head all the injury and mischief they frame against her falls down on their own Pates they themselves are caught in the Net which they have privily laid for others all the Arguments and strength of Reason they bring against her in this point being but so many domestick witnesses to their own condemnation I need not study reproofs for Romes Apostacy it is sufficient that I have proved her to have changed her faith and by that means I have returned all the Doctors ingenious upbraidings against the Church of England upon the Church of Rome's own score so that I will declaim no longer upon this Theam I will deliver the rest with sighs and groans the prolocutors of an o'refraight heart and in anguish of spirit weep out the rest of this sad Scaene and hanging my Harp with David upon the Willowes I will forbear to run any more divisions upon these discourses heartily beseeching the Almighty God to reconcile us into one faith by the Spirit of his Son Jesus and shall from my very soul pray That it would please God to open the heart of the Romane Clergy to see their own errors and that he would in mercy turn unto them and turn them unto him and would gratiously cause them to remember from whence they are fallen and to do their first works and likewise that it would please him to put courage and strength into the hearts and hands of Christian Princes and Ministers that they might thereby be emboldned by the operations and effectual workings of his holy Spirit to reprove the present Bishops of Rome of the errors of their wayes knowing this that if a man rebuke a wise man he will love him Give admonishment to the wise and he will be wiser Prov. 9. and plainly to let him know how the Church of Christ suffers violence under his Tyrannical persecution whilst he sits above her Councels and exercises a Legislative power over her heavenly treasure her Scriptures left to her by the Apostles and over her Apostolical traditions moulding them into new formes for to promote thereby the interest of the Papal Chair and likewise to let him know that Councels were the onely means to keep the several Churches in unity and that these being invalid by the late usurpations of the Popes all our discords do arise from thence and that till this be freely and satisfactorily abandoned there is no hopes of uniting the neighbouring Churches with her and that in the mean time the Pope himself is the occasion of the separations made and though it be necessary that offences come that there be Heresies amongst you as Saint Paul saith 1 Cor. 11. that they which are approved may be known yet for that the Pope is the cause of these divisions and offences by reason of those his unjust proceedings towards the several Christian Churches that he might expect the woe denounced by the Evangelist Matth. 7. It must needs be that offences shall come but woe be to that man by whom the offence cometh and that therefore he would no longer tempt God by his wilful persisting in his new-taken-up errors but that he would as his Predecessors the Antient Bishops of Rome have done before him cast himself upon a general Councel utterly renouncing his late Trent and Laterane-Prerogatives and the injunction of obedience to his Papal Canon-Law without which there is no hope of reconciling our differences and by whieh means by the blessing of God the multitude of Believers may be of one heart and one soul Act. 4. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem they shall prosper that love her Now that we may all with one minde and one mouth praise God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 15.6 that there may be no dissentions amongst us but that we may be knit together in one minde and one judgement 1 Cor. 1.10 that we may proceed in one Rule that we may minde one thing and have the Apostles for our ensample Phil. 3. that as Christs coat was seamless as his Legacy was Peace so we may all be cloathed with Righteousness and keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4. Grant O Lord for thy onely Sonne our Saviour Christ his sake Amen Glory in the Highest to God on on Earth Peace to men of good will FINIS The Printer to the Reader THe injury done to this work through my many misprisions occasioned by the difficult and uncouth Character of the Authors hand whose remote abode admitted of no intercourse to instruct me therein nor had I any in Town acquainted therewith to perfect my reading thereof makes me as I have already by the intercession of a friend begged the Authors pardon so now by my self gentle Reader humbly to implore yours I must confess in some places I was forced to guess at the Authors meaning I not being able to read many of his words by which means I have distorted his style and obscured his ingenious phancies sometimes by inserting some Linsey-wolsey lines of my contexture in this far purer Volumne otherwhiles by omitting whole sentences of the Authors yet these