with the Pharises in all points of doctrine but yet all of them acknowledged one chiefe Priest all of them ioined together in the same forme of diuâ—ne seruice which is more the number of the Sadduces was so small commpared with the other that it could nor furnish the Christians with iust matter of retoâ—tion and if it could what would this haue beene more then reproach and counter-reproach crimination and recrimination equally true on either side Now seeing that one of the parties was the true Church could it be inferred from its diuision that it was the false Neither diuision then nor vnion can be essentiall characters either of the true or false Church But suppose these markes should bee infallible what would the Church of Rome get by it What should wee iudge of her during that long schisme What may afford her an apology perhaps a distinction that the division at that time was in respect of charity not of faith and doctrine But how will this distinction of schisme in faith and schisme in charity heale vp the wound if both of them be equally pernicious equally incompatible with the nature of the Church The Donatists were not diuided from the Catholique Church in faith at the first for all that they were reputed of as members cut off from her Their schisme indeede at the length begate heresie as an inflamed vlcer causeth a feuer And may wee not avouch that during the last schisme in the Romane Church the same case hath happened when the anti Popes were by one another accounted the forerunners of Antichriste rhe followers of both sides reciprocally called by one another the members of Antichrist What may here be replyed perhaps that in the Christian Church in the time of the Apostles in the Romane Church since heretickes and schismatickes were not of the true Church but mingled with it as darnell amongst wheat which maketh no part of the wheat as mutiners in an army which are not of the army But what make not they of the reformed religion the same reply when their discord is cast in their dish confesse they not that their is indeede darnell in their wheat but yet not of it that there are in their spirituall army turbulen-mutiners but not of their army Now if so soone after the publication of the Gospell by the Apostles when that Iudaisme and Paganisme were assaulted by such strong forces there sprang euen then schismes and heresies like fogs at the rising of the sunne If in a time so priuiledged so flourishing with the frequency and variety of gifts and extraordinary graces notwiâ—hstanding all this Sathan striued with might and maine to make the assault vpon those who gaue it to his kingdome confounded with distractions that he might weaken the assailants by diuiding them who will thinke it strange that he hath made the like assay with the same successe in this last reformation who will wonder that he hath raised such an hurly burly of dissonant voices that Christs voice may not be heard distinctly Iust as anciently the Iewes making their children passe through the fire in honour of their Idol Moloch for feare that their ruefâ—ll scrietches should call to their hearts for naturall affection and amaze them with the sound of their owne cruelty they tooke order that voices so sensibly lamentable should bee lost in a rude variety of more clattering and vnpassionate noises Certes this deuice was effectuall to the Iewes but it succeedeth not so well with Satan The cryes of infants were feeble and might easily bee out-noised but the voice of Christ how soft and sweet soever it bee to those who are his yet it is a piercing and a mighty voice True religion hath had its course all heresies are either dead or dye one after annother not by the fuâ—y of faggots and gibbets but by the sword of the spirit and by the power of the word of the liuing God CHAP. XIIII That their is no true vnity in the Church of Rome and that in the reformed Church there is no discord of importance BVt to consider this point neerer hand there is no discord of moment amongst vs no syncere vnion amongst them but a combination to ruine their common aduersaries as some Princes which otherwise bare mutual grudges one against another entertaine neuerthelesse a league against a common enemy So Herod and Pilate agreed in putting to death the Lord Iesus the sauiour of the world Surely it cannot be denied but that in former ages the dissentions in the Romish Church were very great Their mutuall hatred was deadly witnesse their schisme witnesse also the great variety of opinions amongst those doctours which themselues stile Catholique who so will see proofe of this let him only consult the writings of Cardinall Bellarmine there he shall find diuersities and contrarities of opinions amongst the Catholique doctours almost about euery point of religion But the Pope being then busied about the establishmeÌ„t of his Papall omnipotence his spirituall authority over the temporalty yea his temporall authority ouer the temporalty and spiritualty together tormented not himselfe with those disputes not so much as to interpose his authority to appease them For those schoolebroiles at that time did not a whit preiudice his designes but rather helped them forward So long as these doctors sharpned their subtilties against themselues they let him alone in peace they outvied one another in flattering of him each side fearing lest he should incline to its opposite This indifferencie was both acceptable to the disagreeing parties and beneficiall to the Pope There were as yet no strangers which might publish the shame of these doings and aduantage themselues by these domesticke quarrells of their enemies they spake therefore at that time freely and boldly vented their opinions betweene themselues But since that the world is well changed their affaires are no longer at this point Now it was to be feared least the discord of the seruants should ruine the authority of the Master For this it is that he hath desired to â—ull it asleepe that he may bend the entire forces of his supports against the stranger and common adversary He was now to looke to it that they without tooke no advantage of this dissention to take away the scandall of it from those that are within This is that he hath done but after a sorry manner as hee could tyrannically and by meanes altogether shamefull Not by a resolution of their doubts by stating of their questions by a rationall decision of their controversies but by his absolute authority imposing silence vpon the parties by this trickâ— smothering the evill without medling with the root He that will be better informed concerning this let him obserue that even at this day for example the true followers of Thomas yeeld not to Bellarmine that their Angelicall Doctor concluded amisse affirming that the image of Christ and the true Crosse are to be worshipped with the same adoration that Christ himselfe
entertainement in the world which he had formerly received You see saith the Apostle your calling not many wise according to the flesh not many noble but God hath chosen the weake things of this world and things which are not to confound things that are that no flesh might glorie before him Agreeâ—bly to the thanksgiuing of our Sauiour I thanke thee O father Lord of heauen and earth for that thou hast hid thâ—se things froÌ„ the wise and prudâ—nt and hast reuealed them vnto babes to his exhortation Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers will to giue you the kingdome And indeed if that outward pomp were a note of the true Church and its contrary of the false the true Church for the space of three hundred yeares and more during the time of her persecuâ—ions should haue beene the false After that when Arrianisme had so oveâ—-runne the world that it groaned and wonto see it selfe become an Arrian When the Emperâ—ur Constantius tauntingly demaunded of Liberius Bishop of Rome How great a part of the world he thought himselfe to be that hee alone shâ—uld take the part of one wicked fellow such a oâ—e wâ—s Athanasius in his esteeme that hee should so disturbe the peace â—f the whole world When Liberius was faine to conâ—eâ—se indeed that he was alone but replied withall that his being alone could not weaken the cause of the true faith When he alleaged an example from former times that once there were but three which resisted Nebuchadnezars decree commanding them to worship an Idoll When the same Liberius was caâ—ried downe by the impetuous streame subscribed to Arrianisme When Nazianzen was angry that the Church was measured by the muâ—titude and when he said speaking of the Arrians they haue the people and we the faith they haue the gold and silver and we the doctrine What was the true Religion all this while the bravest and most illustrious Was it amongst them which bare the greatest sway in those times Was it removed from obscurer places of abode to reside in more famous and imperiall citties Let vs remember the advertisement which S. Hilary gaue indeed to those of his owne time but which extendâ—th its vse also to ours Of one thing I advise you take heed of Antichrist It is not well that you are so taken with the loue of walls that you reverence the Church of God in consecrated houses and goodly edifices that vnder these you settle the name of peace and presume on it Is it a matter to be questioned a remarkable speech that Antichrist must sit in them The mountaines woods lakes prisons caues dungeons seeme safer to me for the Prophets either abiding in them or being driven and cast into them haue prophesied by the spirit of God This outward glory then is incompatible with the nature of the true Church and cannot possibly bee taken for one of her markes on the contrary the want of it being more naturall to the Church it doth more distinctly set her forth to the notice of intelligent beholders CHAP. IX What kinde of tranquillitiy belongeth vnto the true Church How Kings are her nursing fathers And that Kings are not the noursing fathers of the Romish Church BVt what then Shall the Church never enioy a quiet estate And those promises that Kings shall be her nursing fathers that they shall licke vp the dust of her feet shall they be frustrated God forbid True it is that God giveth peace to his Church but it is such as passeth all vnderstanding That peace towards God by which shee glorieth in afflictions being pressed but not oppressed in perplexity but not comfortlesse persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but not destroyed And these promises that Kings shall be her nursing fathers that they shall licke vp the dust of her feet are of the same nature with those other promises that she shall sucke the milke of the nations that Kings shall walke before her in chaines as it were in triumph nations enemies Kings enemies of the Church Promises then of earthly things for types of heavenly promises of fading and transitorie commodities to represent those everlasting honours pleasures In this manner God hath promised that he would set her vpon Carbuncles and build her vpon Saphires pronouncing that there should be no moâ—e tumults nor clattering in her gates Because the Iewish nation at the time of these prophecies was most in loue with such matters therefore the holy Ghost vsed them in the expression of the happie but spirituall estate of the Church In the same kinde the Lord promiseth that when the Church should passe through waters they shall not overflow her that being in tâ—e fire she shall not be burnt Promises according to the letter figuratiue according to the sense mysticall and reall It s true that God somtimes giues to his Church an outward prosperity but in a mediocrity but for a time It appertaines not vnto her to enioy a compleat peace on earth being a stranger in it a pilgrime out of her element and heavenly country A continuall and vndisturbed peace is vncompatible with her nature and doth not cherish but change it and at length quite corrupt it Even as the outward heat of the ayre continued without moderation first slackes the vigour of the inward and naturall heat maketh it faint at last stifles and quite extinguisheth it It s true also that kings are the foster-fathers of the Church but this is seldome Cyrus was a father to the Iewish Church yet no part of it So many Pagan Emperours haue suffered their kingdomes to bee receptacles of Christians Then was it when the Church sucked the milke of the Gentiles then if ever was this prophesie that Kings should be her sustainers fulfilled liberally Yet we deny not but God raiseth vp Princes in his Church But when these Princes in striving to shew themselues Patrons of his Church with more affection then discretion haue fostered her even with superfluity they haue procured her ruine by the same means they sought her advancement It was not a Poet only from whom the pride and surly pomp of the Romish Church extorted this speech Hor Constantin non torna Let 's haue no more Constantines St Hierome himselfe observed in his time marke Reader how long since it was that the Church attained to her full growth became adultae by persecutions but being cherished by Christian Princes she increased indeed in riches and power but decreased in vertues and graces What would he haue sâ—id in our daies Wherefore a too pompous magnificence in the Church is at the first a presage of a future alteration and at last a certaine note of a change to worse But the times are now otherwise matters are crept into another extreame There is not a Prince at this day
vse even so the church of Rome is stiled the Temple of God as being primordially planted and dressed by his hand consecrated to God and the Lord Iesus Christ and is so still at this day outwardly by baptisme and profession of the Christian faith although they haue degenerated from their originall purity and by their abominations prophaned their consecration belied their profession Like vnto rebells who notwithstanding their rebellion retaine the name still of kings subiects as vsually he that is the ringleader of a conspiracy obeyed by his confederates is said to vsurpe rule over the kings subiects So the adulteresse keepes the name of a wife still After this fashion that may bee called the Temple of God which is become a den of theeues that wherein not Antiochus but Antichrist hath set vp the abomination of desolation But granting them that the Temple of God wherein Antichrist must sit should be the true Church it cannot thence bee concluded that the Church of Rome should be the true Church this will imply no more then that the Temple of God are the faithfull both those which haue been heretofore and those which are still as it were impledged in the Church of Rome as anciently the Iewes were in Babylon and all Israell in Aegypt Over them the Pope long since sate and at this day sits and in this sense sits in the Temple of God in the rigour of its signification They in the meane time never were and now are not of the Romane church as the graine is in the chaffe but not of it As some vpright Iustices may be in a Court of corrupt Iudges but not of their confederacy a few wholsome bodies may be with a multitude of infectious but not of their company Finally to cut them off from all evasioÌ„ we say that the Pope sitteth in the church of God in regard of the vnlimited authority he vsurps over all christians even those which are separated from his slaues vndertaking as their Iudge to proceed against them with his tyrannous censures and constraining Princes to persecute them It is then a certaine truth that this policie of the Roman church being of the same nature with that of the Antichristian church it is a disgracefull and scandalous badge of her corruption and apostacy On the other side let the government of the reformed churches be obserued in them there is no supreame iurisdiction but an authority which alwaies submitteth it selfe to the rule of Gods word and Canons of a discipline regulated by it Every man being assubiected to the iudgement not of one alone but of many and those many not vndertaking to binde any man by their authority but only by the equitie of their decrees submitting themselues to the controll of any man yea and yeelding to it if it be accompanied with reason The true church is of so ample a circumference that she cannnot be governed by one alone and of so Royall a descent that in that which concerneth the conscience she cannot be ruled by any but God himselfe Any other whosoever he be imployed in any function concerning her must behaue himselfe as her servant not as her Lord not prescribing her any thing but bearing witnesse to what hath beene prescribed her not advancing himselfe aboue kings but bowing vnto them not thinking that his spirituall liberty exempts him from bodily loyaltie but giving to Caesar that which is Caesars to God that which is Gods honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute belongeth This is the platforme and ground of iurisdiction in the protestant churches very different from the Popes who establisheth a spirituall monarchie in the church who taketh vpon him to iudge all without being iudged by any who requireth a blind obedience grounded not vpon the reason and equity of his iniunctions but vpon the vncontrolable eminency of his place making as much of his ordinances as if they were brought downe immediatly from God as having in the registry of his breast the fulnesse of infallible knowledge CHAP. XIII Whether vnion and discord be markes by which the true Church should bee discerned from the false ALL the advantage then that the Church of Rome gets by this clatter of externall pomp of ceremonies iurisdiction and authority by which it is endeavored to make her greatnesse more venerable stands her but in this sorry steed to strengthen the suspicion of her falshood into her conviction On the contrary the innocent basenesse simplicity and humility notable in the true church maketh her more louely affording vs sound matter of a pressing coniecture a strong presumption that she is indeed as well as in stile The Reformed Church This perceiued maketh vs presage that all the other exceptions which the Church of Rome darteth against vs will be of the same making with this first having more plausibility then soundnesse partiality then iustice colour then strength as we shall see by Gods assistance in the progresse of this examination Let vs consider then in the second place what weight there is in the pretended vnity of the Church of Rome opposed to the discord surmised to bee amongst vs. Now we say that it is not generally true that vnity should alwaies be a note of the true Church or discord of the false We sâ—y also that the vnity of the Romane Church is in shew only not in deed that it is rather a conspiracy then a vnion like vnto that amongst those which were besieged in Ierusalem who disagreeing betweene themâ—elues ioyned forces neverthelesse against those which besieged them being divided at home and vnited abroad And on the other side that our discord is only surmised and tâ—at we are in truth vnited not only against the common enâ—my but also betweene our selues That it is true that vnion is not a marke of the true Church nor disvnion a iust presumption of the false see we not that in the times of the Apostles there were great discords in the Church Some of them were of one opinion some of another one thought that the ceremonies of tâ—e law were to be retained another that they were not And this divisioÌ„ had made such an alienation of hearts in tâ—e Church that St Peter himselfe was compelled to be a timeserver and diversly to apply himselfe according to places and persons vntill he met with a rough censure from St Paul who resisted him to his face and sharply rebuked him for not walking vprightly according to the truth of the Gospell I vnderstand saith the same Apostle writing to the Corinthians that there are dissentions among you and I partly beleeue it for there must be heresies amongst you also that they which are approued may be made manifest Behold in the meane while amongst the Iewes the Scribes Pharisees and Sadduces vnited together vnder one head the high Priest Could they then benefit themselues with this pretence and vpbraid the Christians with their discord True it is the Sadduces agreed not
and wee which were flouted at as new comers are found to haue the strongest title to antiquity Yet here they will demand whether wee can deny but that the Church of Rome hath beene a true Church seeing there is extant an Epistle of St. Paule addressed vnto her in which her faith is commended as being renowned through the whole world Certes wee confesse that the Church of Rome hath sometimes been not the true church but a true Church that her faith hath beene commended by the Apostle We say also that if they can make her appeare to vs at this day as shee was then wee will willingly shake hands with her That neuerthelesse this cannot serue her for any prerogatiue for if the Apostle directeth one letter to her he wrote two to the Corinthians if he extolled her faith testifying of it that it was renowned through the whole world he hath graced also the faith of the Thessalonians with the same elogies These prerogatiues benefit not any of those Churches at this day with any priuiledge why then doth the Church of Rome extract advantages out of them The Churches of Constantinople Antioch Alexandria haue sometimes beene puâ—e and flourishing Churches bâ—t now who condemneth theÌ„ not as being fallen from the piety anâ— doctrine of their ancestors But they adde that the Church of God cannot faile or decay a strange pertinacy The Chuâ—ches which we haue named of Corinth Thessalonica Alexandria and Constantinople since that they are altered changed that they haue failed and fallen away aâ—e not permâ—tted to haue recourse to the priuiledge and to the fauour which God had shewed vnto their predecessors if they alleage that they haue beene sometimes true Churches yet this consequence will not be admitted that therefore they are so now It will easily and clearely be manifested that they are no longer true churches and that neuerthelessâ— the church of God hath not beene conquered by tâ—e gates of hell but hath continued immoueâ—ble vpon the rocke vpon which shee was built by the supreme Architect the Lord Iesus It will be answered these Churches that their ancestors indeeâ—e weâ—e of the true Church but thaâ— aâ—so the gates of hell haue not preuailed against them that they haue ouercome temptations that they haue vanquished death and shall vanquish the graue that they which haue succeâ—ded them haue succeâ—ded theâ— in the name and title of the Church nâ—t in truth of doctrine not in puâ—ity of life and that tâ—â—refore they are not of the true Church That it is nâ—t therefore strange that the promises made vnto the Church should be true aâ—d yet not appertaine vnto them seeing they are neâ—ther the true Chuâ—ch nor â—rue Churches but barely succâ—ssoâ—s of somâ— thaâ— haue beene Let the Doctors of the Church of Rome here tell vs in conscience iâ— sâ—ch an answere be not pertinent â—eyond reply to the Easterne Churches which are separated from the Romane when they alleadge their Ancestors when they sâ—y tâ—e fathers were of them Why shoulâ— it not be permitted vs then to vse the same answere to them that theâ—r predecessors madâ— a part of the truâ— Church that the gates of hell haue not preuaiâ—ed againâ—t them but this honour and especiall fauour of God advantageth not their posterâ—ty vnlesse they make it evident that they haue not been Apostates from the doctrine of their fathers Good parents may haue bad Children and yet God failes not of his promise to the Parents although the child receiue the stipend due vnto his iniquity the piety of his parents serues but to encrease his condemnation A good father cannot perish a true Church câ—nnot fall away But as it is but too common that wicked children succeede good parents which perish in their sinne except they repent so to a true Church an impure Church succeedeth aâ—d perisheth in her impurity vnlesse shee be repurified and reformed Doe yee workes worthy of repentance and presume not to say that wee are the Children of Abraham said Iohn Baptist to the Iewes If yee were the Children of Abraham yee would doe thâ— workes of Abraham said the Lord to them then when they bragged that they were of the race of Abraham They then aâ—e the true Children of Abraham which are his Childâ—â—â— in the faith and they are truely the successors of the Primitiue Churches which haue succeeded them in the doctrine of the faith The ancestors of the twelue tribes which reuolted were of the true Church for all this could it be said after their reuolt because sometimes they had beene that therefore they were so still vnder preteÌ„ce that the true Church cannot reuolt doubtlesse no for when it was said that the ten tribes at other times had beene of the true Church that was alwaies vnderstood of their pious and religious ancestors of them meerely in respect of the outward profession and in regard of the opinioÌ„ men might conceiue of them before their reuolt So their reuolt caused not that the Church should reuolt but discouered their hypocrisie Moreover it so fell out that Iudah Beâ—iamin and the halfe tribe of Manasseh reuolted also with a worse apostacy then they of Israell and consequently the reuolt was generall in all Israel yet notwithstanding it could not be said euen then that the Church of God was revolted because that insteed of the reuolted multitude God alwaies preserued his owne A small number of the election of grace which groaned sighed for all the abominations which were committed in Ierusalem CHAP XIX That notwithstanding the reuolt of the Romish Church the true Church hath continued whole and entire IN the Apostacy which was to be in thâ— Christian Church and which at this day wee see to be the same is come to passe If the Iewes in vaine cryed the Temple the Temple in vaine cry they now adaies the Church the Church If there were nothing but the Temple an empty name a stately den of theeues If it were sometimes answered them which boasted of it Trust not vpon lying words The temple of the Lord c. May not wee now make the same answer vpon the like occasion They brag'd that the law should not perish from the Priest nor the councell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet because these promises were made to the Church At this day the Romanists say the same make the same vauntes but that which was sometimes answered those vaineglorious hypocrites the law shall perish from Priest counsell from the sage is that which we tell our aduersaries it is that which wee desire to be admitted to verifie that wee may not be oppressed with these preiudices wherewith the Iewes anciently endeauored to confute the Prophets and the Lord the Prince of Prophets himselfe the supreame Prophet of his Church At the time when the Lord came into the world when God was manifested in the flesh and many yeares before that time what
was the state and outward face of the Iewish Church What was the high Priest What were the successors of Moses which pretended antiquity succession and the title of guides and Pastors of Israel Surely enemies of God vnder the honest title of being his seruants seducers of the People vnder the demure shew of being their teachers Corrupters of the law wearing the ornaments and sitting in the chaire of interpreters commending themselves to the people and by them commended vnder this magnificent title Such was the Iewish Church to looke vpon outwardly as well in those which sate ruled in their Synagogues in their great little councells which they called the Sanhedrin as in the route multitude which followed approued adhered to those disorders So miserable was the face of the Iewish Church at that time which yet had not alwaies beene so But neuerthelesse in this so thicke and blacke darknesse God caused his light to shine reserued his wheat amongst this chaffe in that infected multitude he preserued a small number from that â—pirituall pestilence small indeed but so vseth to be the number of things of worth excellenciâ—s are rarities There is much stone few diamonds theâ—e are many dullards few sages It is the little flock to whom it hath pleased the father to giue the Kingdome So then the Church which hath succeeded which hath occupied the â—oome of the true Church may become an harlot by being erroneous and apostaticall and yet the true Church erreth not is not abandoned of her Lord and husband The reply also which here is made vnto vs is impertinent not tolerable That the estate of the Church was of another nature vnder the old Testament before the first comming of our Sauiour while the heire was a child and the Church enioyed not a full liberty while shee saluted the promises of the actuall exhibition of the Messiah of the abundance of Grace in him a farre off without obtaining them as yet All this is true but would they hence infer that the heauenly father hath disinherited his childreÌ„ vnder the old Testament which he doth no longer vnder the new That he hath prostituted his spouse but now keepeth her in his Cabinet No our heaueÌ„ly father hath neuer been without Children our bridegroome without the Church his bride It is true indeede that he maintained her more sparingly vnder the old then vnder the new Testament â—s the scripture teacheth and wee beleeue But wee denie that he forsooke her any more then then now for he which toucheth you saith he toucheth the apple of mine eye The Church then which reuolted vnder the oâ—d Testament the Church which followed that reuolt was not the Church but in name and in respect of the reuenues and dignities into which it succeeded masked howsoever with the outward profession of the true religion This was the Church which forsooke God this was the Church whom God forsooke If then any Church in these times after the like manner become apostaticall ought she to haue any more priuileâ—ge vnder the nâ—w then vnder the old Testament God detesteth hypocrisie equally in aâ—l ages yea the greater it is the more abhominable it is vnto him If then it be doubled in these latter times the indignation of God is proportionably incensed against it The grace offered excuseth not but agrauateth the neglect of it so that there is no difference in thâ—t which concerneth the perseuerance and revolt of the Church vnder the law or vnder grace This is our bâ—leife and our doctrine in this point Not that we would affiâ—me that the true Church erreth or falleth away finally in that which is fundamentall although in some of her members sometimes she goe away for a time But we affirme that they who by most voices beare away the title of the Church either haue erred or may erre euâ—n fundamentally and finally So when we say that the Iewish Church hath erred wee vnderstand not the true Iewish Church but that which was so in appearance which tooke vp its roome and bare the outward cognisance of it which had the externall calling succession After the same manner when we teach that the Christian Church may erre that it hath erred we vnderstand not the number of the faithful the number of their successoâ—s in the faith wee are cofident that they cannot erre fundamentally generally all together and finally Wee say indeede that the Church which erreth is that Church which triumphing with the title of Christs spouse is indeede no better then a strumpet CHAP XX. That they of the Church of Rome vse a perverse and ridiculous manner of Argumentation while they conclude from the promisâ—s made to the Church that they neiâ—her haue erred nor can erre IT is a friuolous tricke then that they insist somuch vpon the promiâ—es made to the Church and to bâ—ing vs newes that fâ—ee is built vpâ—n a rocke tâ—at the gates of heâ—l shall not preuaile against her It is to no purpose that they alledge those priuiledges that shee is the pillar and prop of â—ruth the spouse of Christ his onely spouse that he is and will be alwaies in the miâ—dest of her that his spirit guideth her into all trueâ—h The pith of our controuersie lyes not in all this Let him which denieth the truth of these promises or envieth the church these elogies be Anathema Maranatha let him be as a Iew or a Turke But as he is not truely a Iew which is one outwardly said the Apostle so neither is shee alwaies the true church which is so in the account of men but shee which is so inwardly whose glory and praise is of God and not of men sealed by his spirit knowne of him him onely certainly and distinctly All the question is whether shee bee the true church whom the world graceth with this title If wee should graunt that the church of Rome is the true church doubtlesse we should confesse too that she never erred fundamentally Let it then be verified vnto vs that shee is so and we will giue way to all the rest we will ingeniously confesse our selues to haue beene schismatiques in separating our selues from her communion The principall question then betweene vs and them is whether they are the true church or no. This being so is not their proceeding perverse and ridiculous when they take that for granted which is the maine point of our coÌ„troversie For alleadging that they are the Church they thence inferre that they neither haue erred nor can erre This argument should runne backward they haue not erred therefore they are the true Churcâ— If a woman accused of adultery of being taken even in the vile act of her vnchastity insteed of answering directly to her accusation and of acquitting her selfe by this meanes to recover her good name now tainted for all her defence should onely make a bare protestation that shee were an
Popes no Cardinalls no Patriarches no not Archbishops and Bishops after the Romish fashion All the Apostles in respect of the power of the keyes and authority of the Apostleship were equall If there were any difference betweene them it was not in respect of their function For it they were all ioynt tenants immediately to the supreme Apostle the Prince of Apostles the Lord Iesus From him they all immediately receiued the same commission to teach all nations the same power to forgiue sinnes Their names were equally written vpon the twelue foundations of the high Ierusalem they are placed vpon twelue thrones not subalternate but coordinate in the same pitch eminēcie of the same dignitie even as the twelue tribes They are said Constantine the great in the Councell of Nice twelue pillars not then vnderpropped by one another but which being ioyned together bare vp the edifice of the Church Be it that the Lord hath promised the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to St. Peter he hath bestowed the same power vpon the other Apostles be it that he hath prayed that his faith might not faile he hath prayed also for all the faithfull be it that he hath exhorted him thrice to feede his sheepe this was because he had denied him thrice A triple deniall wanted a three-fold reestablishment he which had stumbled thrice was to be lifted vp thrice Shall any extraordinary priuiledge be allowed him because of this reestablishment Must those seruants which are most frequently and earnestly put in minde of their duties for this be supposed to be in greater auctority shall they be placed in a degree aboue the other Nay they themselues interpret it on the contrary and take it for an angrie dislike their superiours haue of them they are vexed for it with St. Peter and if their Masters could see in to their hearts as his could they would say with him Thou know'st that I loue thee thou know'st that I desire to serue thee Finally be it that the Lord hath said vnto him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church The most ancient and most renowned amongst the fathers teach that Christ vnderstood not the the person but the confession of St. Peter not Peter viz the rocke which cōfessed but the rocke by him confessed viz Iesus Christ our Lord. Howbeit wee willingly confesse that the Church hath beene built vpon St. Peter but not vpon him onely He is one of the foundations of the Church but not the onely foundation of it one of the twelue pillars one of the twelue Iudges of the twelue tribes Israell but not the foundation of these foundations the pillar of these pillars the Iudge of these Iudges but a collaterall foundation a collaterall pillar a collaterall Iudge with the other Apostles his companions Furthermore St. Peter vndertooke not to depose Kings or to vsurpe any such authority contrarily he hath ioyned these two duties together Feare God honour the king how heathenish a tyrant soeuer and Persecutor of the Church the Emperour at that time was He had no dominion likewise ouer the other guides of the Church whome he calleth his companions in office Now albeit St. Peter should haue had that authothority which is attributed to the Pope at this day yet they are still to proue that it died not with him And if his authority of Apostle-ship suruiued him not how much lesse that of being the Prince of the Apostles If the other Apostles in regard of their Apostle-ship haue not left themselues successours how should he leaue his iurisdiction ouer them behind him He had the gift of doeing miracles to whom hath he particularly bequeathed this faculty Can the Pope doe any miracles He was the Apostle of the circumcision is the Pope the Apostle of the Iewes These offices of the Apostles were extraordinary like that of Moses which was extinguished in his person and did not outliue him As then the Bishop of Ephesus should idely haue challenged to himselfe the authority of Iohn the Euangelist the Bishop of Alexandria that of St. Mark albeit that tradition report that these two Apostles had bishops for their successors St. Iohn at Ephesus St. Mark at Alexandria Even so the Popes vnreasonably vsurp the authority of St. Peter vnder pretence that tradition maketh them his successors So that in this respect the Papall Monarchie hath no Apostolicall succession seeing that not only it hath not had its originall in the times of the Apostles but also this kind of soveraigntie was a long time after vnknowne in the Church St. Cyprian calls Cornelius Bishop of Rome his collegue and Co-Bishop and the other Bishops coepiscopos or the fellow Bishops of Cornelius he blameth him for hauing receiued those which the other Bishops whom hee calleth the fellow Bishops of Cornelius had excommunicated hee sets before him the statute of the discipline of those times inioyning that the cause should be iudged where the crime was committed a statute which he groundeth vpon iustice and equitie vpon the commission giuen to all Pastours and the power which euery one of them hath by vertue of his Commissiion ouer that portion of the flocke which is assigned him of which he is to giue account vnto the Lord. Likewise he sharpely reprehendeth Stephen also Bishop of Rome teaching that as there is but one Church through out the whole world deuided into many members viz particular Churches so there is but one Bishopricke diuided into many particular Bishopricks He attributeth the same authority to the other Apostles with St. Peter although to denote vnitie it was said to St. Peter I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen It is not then to the person of St Peter but to Peter as representing the vnity of all the Apostles Of which mind also are St. Hierome and St. Austen The synod of Alexandria addresseth their synodall epistle not to the Bishop of Rome in particular but to him conioyntly with the other without the interposition of any distinction betweene them Athanasius neuer calleth him otherwise then his Co-bishop and Comminister his fellow Bishop and fellow Minister Hosius subscribed first to the Canons of the Nicene Councell not as representing the Bishop of Rome but generally the Westerne Churches after the same manner as the Bishop of Alexandria those of Egypt Lybia Pentapolis c. Hosius was not there then to represent the vniuersall Bishop of the Church but to represent the Churches of the West as every of the other Bishops Churches of a particular circuit or iurisdiction as it may more amply be seene by their subscriptions Lastly that which hapned vnto the Pope in the sixt Councell of Carthage puts all out of doubt and admitteth of no reply A certaine lewd companion named Appiarius deposed from his Ministeriall function and preferment by the Bishops of Africa repaired to
heretiques Antiquity beleeued it wee beleeue it with antiquity They reiterate not the Baptisme administred by vs wee reiterate not the Baptisme administred by them this priuiledge aduantageth not vs against them why should it aduantage them against vs The true Circumcision was in the Church of the ten tribes it was not for all that the true Church an hereticall Church shall haue Baptisme yet for all that not cease to be a false Church not in respect of the Baptisme but of her heresie not in regard of that which is pure in her of the Lords institution but in regard of her rebellion against the Lord her owne impurity That they haue Baptisme then wee graunt but so wee say haue all heretiques so the ten tribes after their apostacy receiued circumcision this exception then is friuolous when they pretend that wee confesse that they haue the Baptisme craftily dissemble that which wee adde that they haue adulterated depraued it as much as in them lies Concerning the substance of Christian religion wee confesse that it is also amongst them but not pure nor separated not only from chaffe and straw that is from tolerable abuses but neither from the venome and poison of false doctrine Now it is no schisme to forsake a Church wherein is the substance of religion if it be accompanied with superstition impiety and sacriledge as gold and siluer in false coine are mingled with copper aad tinne It is true that the Church of Rome teacheth that there is one God Father Sonne and holy Ghost that for the redemption of mankind the sâ—nne hath taken to himselfe the nature of Man and in it hath expiated our sinnes by his death that he was buried raised from the dead taken vp into heauen sitting at the right hand of God Almighty That the holy Ghost sanctifieth vs thâ—t there is a Church a communion of Saints a remission of sinnes a resurrection of the flesh and a life euerlasting That by faith wee must rely vpon the mercy of God that by hope wee must expect the accomplishment of his promises by charity loue him This is indeed the substance of Christian religion which continueth so farre as the doctrine and outward Profession of it in the Church of Rome in this respect wee haue not forsaken her but these considerations make vs leaue her the title of a Church to which soe farre wee will alwaies be ioyned But what is it that hath not beene added to corrupt this truth what strange doctrines haue beene inuented to obscure it What heresies what Idolatry what grosse sacriledge vent they vnder the protection of this Truth which they professe These are the causes of our separation from them if amongst them wee could haue enioyed the substance of true religion without defiling vs with their superstition wee had tarried with them still But in these later times after the Lord had lifted vp the Standart of his Gospell and sounded with his Trumpet Come out of Babilon my people since the Angells haue flowne in the midst of heauen carrying the euerlasting Gospell and crying with a lowd voice Blessed are they henceforth who dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them not to runne to this standard not to obey this summons not to goe whither wee heare this inuiting voice call vs in breife not to come out of Babilon to goe vp to Ierusalem is a rebellion against the liuing God and a manifest contempt of his grace· Before this the faithfull whom God had reserued to himselfe in the Captiuity of Babilon as a residue of the election of grace though they were not separated from the superstitious yet they were from their superstitioÌ„ their groanes and sighs seruing in steed of protestations against it because that the Lord had not yet opened them away by which to come out nor as yet prepared them a place into which they might withdraw themselues In a word the time preordained by God to put an end to that miserable captiuity was not yet come As then it was not a sinne to tarry in Egypt before the Lord had sent Moses or in Babilon before the seauenty yeares were expired But God hauing sent Moses hauing giuen liberty to his people to come out of Egypt to come out of Babilon to tarry there still had beene manifestly to testify a consent to the superstition of Egypt and idolatry of Babilon so before the Lord had sounded vs a loud summons with his trumpet Come out of Babilon my people he sustained and supported his people in the midst of Babilon it was not at that time a sinne but a Captiuity to abide in it But for any to abide or linger in it after the publishing of this summons it is a sure testimony that they liue not in it vnwillingly but with delight and that at least outwardly they partake of her sinnes and so may iustly partake of her plagues Now to demand why God caused not this trumpet to be sounded sooner is to dispute against him it were to bring back those ancient questions propounded to the primitiue Christians why the Lord Iesus had not brought the light of the Gospell sooner into the Church to which St. Paul clearely answereth when he teacheth that the fullnesse of time was not yet come Why the Lord called not the Gentils sooner vnto his knowledge to which the same Apostle answereth noe more then that God hauing winked at the time of Ignorance now warneth every man to repent He hath the times and seasons in his owne disposing It often falleth out that they who cannot goe out of an infectious citty tarry in it and are safe but for all that they that haue opportunitie to goe out of it will not take example from them to tarry in it The sheepheard will lead his sheepe into pastures where are noxious hearbs rather then he will suffer them to bee famished but if he haue the opportunity of leading them elsewhere where no danger is to be feared the good lucke that God gaue him of preserving them in an vnwholsome pasture shall not disswade him from taking of them out of that to put them into a better That which the shepheard doth to his sheepe we are to doe to our selues so long as there was presented vnto vs no other place of pasturage then the Romane Church for want of a better wee were compelled to make vse of that But the Lord hauing graciously provâ—ded vs a better miserable are we if we leaue not that and betake our selues to this In the time of a famine men liue pinchingly and wretchedly but the dearth being past and plenty restored hee that will not take the benefit of it deserueth to be starued to death Let this consideration then serue for the solution of the difficultie aboue proposed CHAP. XXXVIII That there is nothing which deserveth to be admired in the life of the Monkes of the Romish Church NOw it remaineth that