Creed we whilst we say we believe the holy Catholique Church mean thereby the whole Elect of God as well Saints in heaven as the Church upon earth which is the full body of Christ Ephes 4. and Rom. 12. but they thereby will have Rome understood which as I said was not in being before the Creed was composed and it seems strange to some that the Church of Rome should admit of the following Article to wit the Communion of Saints to extend to the Saints in heaven and will exclude them from the Catholique Church but the reason 's plain for it stands not with the Majesty of the Pope for in admitting the first he loses his headship we being all members of the Catholike Church but by the other his honor is not diminished in respect none are to be reputed Saints but such as are of his own making But if the Doctor will not admit of our definition I hope he will not be against our embracing of his which is this A Church is a Society of those whom God hath called to salvation by the profession of the true Faith and sincere administration of the Sacraments and the adherence to lawful Pastors I wonder what the Doctor means by the society of those that God hath called to salvation by the profession of the true Faith sure he will not deny but that those Societies which were gathered by other Apostles were true Churches as well as those which were gathered by Peter He himself fol. 192. confesses the true Church visible in Ethiopia where the Eunuch which Philip baptized preached the Faith and it is hard he should dâ—ny this to his own mother County which he allowes to Ethiopians especially considering wee as is believed by some received the Faith by the same Apostle Philip. But 't is no great matter we need not stand to the Doctors courtesie herein we have a better warrant then his Concession Act. 20.28 the flocks whereof the holy Ghost made the Elders over-seers is called the Church of Gâ—d Paul ordained Elders and committed charge of Flocks unto them A Christian Society makes a Church c. That the distinct Societies of Christians are called Churches is likewise manifest by severall other places of Scripture 1 Cor. 1. Paul writ to the Church that was at Corinth and to all that call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Gal. 1. to the Churches at Galatia Grace c. 1 Thes to the Church of the Thessalonians Col. 1.4 salute the brethren which are of Laodicea and Nymphas and the Church which is in his house Rev. 1.11 there were seven Churches in Asia Ephesus Smyrna Pergamos c. In the same manner Rome may be called a Church if she have a Sociâ—ty of the faithful calling upon the name of Christ Jesus wherefore Peter writing his Epistle from Babylon which the Papists interpret Rome sâ—â—es The Church that is at Bâ—bylon elected together with you saluteth you that is the Saints which dwell here and there dispersed through Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bythinia the society of the Saints of Babylon saluteth the several societies of the Saints of those parts which were severall respective Churches members of the Catholike Church elected together in Christ Jesus So that from these places it is evident that the name of Church is applicable to all Christian Societies whether they be of Peters or any other of the Apostles gathering For the Apostles had equal commission from Christ for the gathering together of the Saints for the work of the Ministry and for the edification of the Body of Christ though in the Church were men of different Gifts as Apostles Teachers Evangelists c. yet the Apostles amongst themselves were equall and their severall plantations coordinate and equal as to any power or Jurisdiction If then we be in the faith of Jesus and have Societies of Christian believers in him we may properly be called a Church and that especially because we are of Apostolical plantation and are not beholding to Rome for that Plantation as coming from Eleutherius successour as they pretend to Peter But if we had our Faith from Rome it came by the means of Paul and certainly we had that Faith long before Eleutherius time as I have already proved in the precedent chapter wherefore we may properly both according to our own and the Doctors definition of a Church assume that title to our selves we being a Society of Christians calling upon the name of Jesus which is called a Church 1 Cor. 1.2 Rome a particular Church and for Rome or any other Church to arrogate more then to be a particular member of the Catholike Church whereof Christ is the Head and Hierusalem which is above free and the mother of us all is Antichristian and abominable especially for Rome that she should stile her self the onely Catholike Church when as Ephesus the See of John and John the surviving Apostle in whom alone survived the Apostleship calls that Church but one of the seven in Asia Rev. 1. Were John Peter or any of the Apostles alive to see to what a lofty pitch ambition has hurried the aspiring Prelates of Rome they would blush to behold such iniquity and reprove any that should call Rome the Catholike Church For alas The Pride of Rome how little doth she resemble Christs Spouse his Church Christs Church was planted in humility Romes Church lords it in Soveraignty Christs Church had her White vest of Innocency Romes Church is clad in her purple of bloud and cruelty how little doth the Scarlet tribe resemble the train of Christ were Peter or any of Christs disciples now at Rome and should see the Pope they would rather take him for Pilate an Officer or Judge of Cesars then for Peter a fisher-man and servant of Jesus and would think his Cardinalls to be rather the Embassadors of Bozra then the Messengers of the Gospel and servants of Christ and should any but assume that Christian boldnes to tel them that their Scarlet Robes did cover and make invisible the Seamlesse coat of Jesus he were in danger of a Councell To such a height of Majesty are they of late aspired that they exercise dominion without restraint little regarding Christs precept to his Apostles the Kings of the Gentiles bear Rule and exercise dominion Vos autem non sic And here by the way I will insert a story of Peter and Simon Magus incertainty of Peter being at Rome Aegesippus lib. 2. de excidio Hierusal cap. 2. reports that Peter came to Rome to withstand Simon Magus 44 Christi Eusebius says he was crucified 36 Christi others that Paul and he together others that Paul was crucified a yeer after and on the same day Prudentius that Paul followed Peter to Rome from which contradictions no certainty of his being there is to be concluded but I return to my story It is said that Simon Magus taking some offence with the Citizens threatned to leave
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
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
it was then the time when such a brutish Leo who was the head and reputed Oracle of the Church should belch forth such bold blasphemies thereby to bring in the doctrine of Divels and to obtrude upon the Consciences of men a new profession of a Stygian Creed Nor was this Leo the onely Blasphemour of the God of Heaven Wicked Popes of those that possessed the Romane Chair but to manifest to the world that these anti-christian aberrations from the Divine rules of Truth are common I much fear they are incident to the Popes of that See He hath both before him and after him Popes after his own heart Sixtus the 4th and Alexander the 6th his Predecessours the one denying there was a God Riserat ut vivens caelestia numina Sixtus sic Morceus nullos credidit esse Deos and the other saith Sanazer dissolved both Gods Lawes and mans Lawes and believed not that there was a God And Clement the seventh and Julius the third his Successours the one in heart doubting whether there was a Heaven though outwardly he taught both that Hell and Purgatory insomuch that when he drew towards his end he said to those that stood about him that he hoped shortly to be resolved of that he had so long doubted to wit whether there was a Heaven or Hell or no of whom this was said Contemptor divum scaelerum vir publicus hostis The other not inferiour to him in this height of wickednesse insomuch that the Papists themselves report divers speeches proceeding from him which savoured of Atheisme I might if I would have been very inquisitive have made a large muster-Role of these wicked Prelates but I rather weep then rejoyce that I should meet with any Records of this nature to refute the Doctour in this point of their pretended Sanctity nor is this their case onely I suspect that in most Churches have been many Ministers bad men according as our Saviour saith There must Tares grow up in the Corn till the end of the World According to the Proverb Christ cannot have his Church but the Devill will have his Chappell Satan is busie to cast his evill seed into the field and scarce any field so well manured and tilled having their stony hearts melted and their clods of flesh mollified with the beams of the Heavenly light that in some corner thereof hath not this Zizania growing and sprung up as high as the tops of the Corn thereby to teach us that in our best estate and condition we have not whereof to boast The Angels which are the Reapers and the labourers to be sent into the Harvest will find both Tares and Corn growing in the field they are called Labourers to gather the Elect and Reapers to throw the Tares into the fire but both must grow together till the end of the world but I hast to an end of this point The Doctor nor any other must not boast of the Truth of the Church of Rome in this respect for if they make this an absolute Signe then in respect their Popes the Head of that Church and declared it to be above Councels have been wicked it followes that she is not the true Church I must confesse that where this Mark is to be found it is demonstrative of a true Church it is a perswasive argument but no positive signe of a true Church In the twelve Apostles one was a Devil yet God made him the Instrument to bring to passe our Salvation the Devill confessed Christ we must not therefore deny him So then as the wicked practices of Pastors is no absolute condemnation of the truths they shall deliver to others so their uprightnesse of morall conversation is no positive rule to demonstrate the purity of their Faith For upon this Rule Christians Turks Jewes and Pagans may be all of a true Church which is absurd to hold therefore we must not absolutely conclude Rome the true Church upon the score of sanctity of life CHAP. VII That the Church of Rome cannot be reputed and taken for a true Church in respect of Miracles and of her abuse in maintaining Images in the Church THe Doctor is pleased to argue the truth of Romes Church from her miracles and he shewes that he has not travelled beyond Seas for nothing est natura hominum novitatis avida he has been peeping into her Legendary-stories that he might be furnished upon the authority of a traveller to send news to England For my own part I dare not give up my self to such delusions as it is wel known the Church of Rome uses towards the people to gaine their faith to believe in his Holiness the Pope as to credite the most scarce any of her miracles and that the rather for that it has been by experience found out especially in England that most of them were feigned and invented only to cheat the people into a blind obedience and I perswade my self if the Doctor had known as much as I do by the reading of histories in this point which histories may as well chalenge belief as the humane tradions of Rome he would never have insisted upon this mark but as it fares with men that are groping in the dark sometimes to run their heads against posts so the Doctor having forsook the light he was in and as yet being not well acquainted with the windings and stranges mazes that are in the dark cloisters to which he has betaken himself at unawares he dashes his head against the door of miracles which makes him recule with affront but I 'll so much be his friend that I 'll help him to revenge his quarrel I 'll pick the lock and furnish him out of her stores with miraculous knick-knacks It were to make this book swell with impossible trumperies Miracles to report the thousand part of her legendary stories as that Saint Dennis carryed his head in his hand after it was strucken off and of Saint Clement the first who being cast into the Sea with a milstone about his neck the sea forsook the shore three miles and there was found a Chappel ready built where his body was bestowed and many such like stories are to be found in Bozius de Saguius These fictious wonders fill the ears not the hearts of many therefore the Doctor might have done well to have followed Bozius example who finding his grand inventions meet with smal belief in these coasts he runs adrift till he came to Congo Colachina and Japonia and in his return tels of wonders done there and so gaines of some an opinion of belief who will rather seem for satisfaction to the reporter to lead credulous ears to history then upon an unknown score to censure him of falsity wherefore he goes on with their patience to tell them that in these forrain Indies he did but lay the Gospel upon a womans breast and the devil flew from her as if he had been shot out of a gun he but set up
them and the Church of Rome claimes from Peter who had not commission to carry the light to the Gentiles and to Kings For that as I said in the second Chapter the general commission given to go and teach all Nations Ante 13. 2 Chap. was afterwards restrained as â—o the Gentiles Paul being a chosen vessel thereunto ordained by God himself Besides Spain as I said before is a distinct Province from Rome and has held several councels without the Bishop of Rome as the several councels of Toledo Cardubia c. Wherefore if his priests have planted the Gospel how comes this to denote the truth of Rome But so it is that the Pope has got such a hank upon the Spaniards that he as Superintendent lords it over all his provincial Sees and whatsoever is done or acted which may bring glory or honour to the Church or if any profit may redound from thence his holiness is ready to patrize the action not allowing a jot to any Spanish provincials it not being consistent with his universality and headship to have a partner or sharer in any his exploits But if any thing amiss or enormious arise in these planted Churches his holiness then disclaimes to own them as his and declares them to be members of the Spanish Sees so that it fares with the Spanish Plantation as once it did to the Temple in Rome dedicated to Castor and Pollux which presently after the building obtained a sole name of Castors Temple whereupon Bubulus who was fellow-Conful with Câ—sar and did expend more in the publique Trophies of the City and in that contributed more fâ—â—ely to grace the City then Cesar during his Consulship did and seeing for all that that Cesar had the name and carryed all the honor of those and other actions wherein Bubulus was equally concerned merrily said it fared with him as it did with Pollux who had lost his name in the Temple And thus may the Spaniard and Portugal say of their Westerne and Easterne Plantations that it is with them as with Pollux they must not so much as be named the planters of the Cospel in those parts but his holiness alone must be said the sole converter of those kingdoms as if his painted Sepulcher were not sufficiently notorious without the varnish of the counterfeit Plaister And I wonder the Spaniard and Portugals should suffer themselves to be despoiled of these glorious works of their and thus to suffer the Pope like Venus transformed waiting-maid to minks it and pride himself in this disguise unless it be that the grave Dons have a designe upon the Papacy and for some private ends forbear at present but purpose cre long to shew a mouse before the counterfeit that he may discover his false habit and prove himself not the only Catholique father in respect of his converting of those kingdomes and thereby at once to manifest the depth of their policy and the Popes foolishness and vaine glory Rome has separated from the Churches more ancient then her self And as the Church of Rome cannot alone be said a true Church in respect of her converting of Nations so may she in no sort lay any just claime to that denomination in respect of the other mark by which she desires to be distinguished viz. her non-separation from Churches more ancient then her self The Doctor confesses that Jerusalem Antioch and other Churches are of more antiquity But Rome cannot be said to have separated from them in respect they were of Romes faith To which I answer it were more proper to say that Rome is of their faith because he confesses her puisnee to them and they to have the faith when Rome had not and they may lay claime to the former mark of conversion in respect they extended the faith to Rome and if Rome have converted any the first foundation coming from the Easterne Churches Rome ought not to chalenge that attribute which belongs to them in that particular And as these Churches were more ancient and had the true faith it is manifest that Romes title to this mark is as improper as her claime to be sole owner of the other for that she has made a separation in forsaking the Primitive faith and publique Decrees of the ancient holy and Catholique Church on earth as may appear by every particular point in question in this Troatise and by some others of which the Doctor not having started the question and I not minding to make her gap of separation wider then the Doctor himself has done do forbear to mention them I do keep my self only to answer those points upon which the Doctor doth insist It is manifest that Rome has in fundamental points changed her faith and though as she inclined or declined she drew these parts being too much addicted to imitate her upon a bare score of the antiquity of Romes having the pure faith to pin their faith upon her sleeve yet all other parts of Apostolical Plantations did not forsake their first faith and turn after the Lateran weather-cock There was a remaining part of the Greeks Church which the black wings of Mahomatisme and Judaisme had not overspread and in Aethiopia the light of the Gospel did still continue to shine neither were all the Indies of Portugal Plantation and so Rome to be their founder in that she claims to convert Portugal Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria sent Pantenus to Preach to the Indies not long after Christ The East Indies not totally converted by the Potugal and when he came thither he found Saint Matthews Gospel writ in Hebrew and left there by Saint Bartholomew which the said Pâ—ntenus brought to Alexandria by which it appears that some part of the Indies received the faith not from Rome with the Westerne Churches Fox Mar. 48. Therefore may we not conclude Rome to be the true Church or else the true Church has been utterly extinguished nor that because it was not of late any where else but where she planted therefore she cannot err or the like We must not with the Doct. upon this score argue that Rome hath not forsaken her first faith he himself confesses fol. Ante 192. that the faith was in Aethiopia by the Plantation of Philip And by this it appears some part of the Indies retaine the faith from the Plantation of Bartholomew nor can the Church of Rome deny this in regard that then she makes the Church universally invisible which is absurd and contrary to Christs promise For in that she in many points maintaines contrary to the Apostles Doctrine contrary to the first councels and contray to her own modern constitutions as shall appear in this next Chapter she may not properly be said the true Catholique Church in respect of her non-separation from a society of Christians more ancient then her self CHAP. IX That any particular Church may err that the Church of Rome is not Infallible that she hath erred in matters of faith as
Council at Ravenna and sentenced the Acts of Pope Steph. which were in a Synod by him decreed to be burned The Council of Constantinople took away the cup which another Council restored and which decree of the Council of Constantinople and the now present practice of Rom's Church in that point is utterly against the doctrine of Christ and the practice of the Apostles and the Primitive Church as I shall shew in the sixteenth Chap. The Council of Nice declared Angels to be circumscriptible and the souls of men and that they have bodies and are visible and circumscriptible which is against the rules of our faith for we believe that God is the Creator of all things visible and invisible and if Angels and Spirits be visible then are there no invisible things as one argues upon this point But I do not much urge this in regard some hold that spirits may assume visible shapes nor doth my argument much rely upon this mistake in that Council I need not rifle much into Councels to pick out contradictory Canons sith the Councils themselves declare they are not infallible insomuch that the whole Council prayeth at the end of every Council in a set form of prayer that God would pardon their ignorance and errors quia conscientia remordente fabescimus c. and because our own conscience accusing us we do faint lest either ignorance hath drawn us into error and hasty will driven us to decline from thy will and pleasure of heavenly Father c. In which it appears that they confess the frailty of that Assembly that it may not onely err in matter of fact through ignorance but in faith also by declining from justice Lame and frivolous therefore are those distinctions Alledged that the contrary decrees of later are but the explications of former Councils by which the Papists would deceive the world that Councils do but declare and explain the meaning of former Councils but do never gainesay any by a contrary decree for the contrary is absolutely proved to you already in that they are diametrically opposite one to another and besides the four first Councils were reputed and taken to be so holy that Gregor the Gr. in regist primo libr. 24. and Masilius def pac dict 2. fol. 229. affirm they are to be believed sacred tanquam quatuor Evangelia and if a later council shall decree any thing contrary to them it shall not be received into the Church How then can the Church of Rome for shame claim universality to her self and supream jurisdiction the Church of Rome being but equal with Alexandria and declared to those Councils sicut Alexandria as I have proved in the second chapter But the Church of Rome by vertue of her new-acquired attributes of universality infallibility and supremacy may declare as she please and none to question her for it and she has her champions with Sophistry to make good whatsoever she proposes and therefore whereas those first councils were accounted sacred by the ancient Fathers even as the four Evangelists and therefore none might add to or diminish from them notwithstanding Rome may by her new prerogatives being declared above Councils do what she please and so upon the matter all Religion is by her made arbitrary we having neither Scripture Fathers nor Councels but must be interpreted by her after her own fancy and no other sence to be received of any thing though never so plaine but what she gives and whatsoever interpretation she makes through never so repugnant to the plaine text words and sense of Scripture Councils and Fathers must not be denyed but understood to be growings and explanations of the first faith spun out of the stock or depositum Ecclesiae with which delusive pretences of her strange contexture drawn from her own Spiders womb she entangles the lesser and small flies but the more sollid break the net of her artificial cunning and leave her in the snare she prepares for others and hereupon she has in the Council of Milan added a new Symbole of faith to the Nicene Creed which she cals new rules of faith which indeed are new articles of faith Explanations of Councils as common under one kind worshiping images supremacy c. which cannot be as they would have them understood explanations for explanations are declarative illustrations of a truth involved in some former article and not additions of a doctrine newly conceived for truth I allow that out of the depositum Ecclesiae Depositum Ecclesiae as the Doctor says fol. 123. there may be growings in faith and knowledge and new articles imposed upon the people by representatives in collective or Provincial Councels which upon new questions and disputes may resolve being the proper interpreter and reconciler of differences and by the authority of Scriptures frame new articles which before were not thought of as occasion to that purpose may be administred and having framed such articles by authority of the Church may deliver them to be received as matters of faith by which the people by the approbation of the civil magistrate of the respective jurisdictions are bound But if those be contrary to what former Councils have resolved it proves their decrees peccant as Romes supremacy by the Laterne and Trent Councils as against the first Councils of Nice and Constontinople or if those new rules or articles of faith be not warranted by Scripture they are not binding to absent provincials as I shall shew in the twelfth Chapter for it is cleer and evident that the Scripture is above the authority of any Council that ever was since the Apostles Council at Jerusalem and it self doth in matters of points necessary judge it self Infra 102.112 as is in that Chapter plainly proved though all those points were not at first digested into a Symbole of faith Scriptures above Councils For if by authority of explanation the Church represented in ordinary councils shall not be bound by Scripture so that she shall not frame new rules contrary to the plaine letter of those points of our salvation the Holy Ghost has set down in the Scriptures we do then submit the whole matter of our salvation unto the power of humane judgements and so make void the dictates of the Holy Ghost in the Scriptures at the wils and discretions of mortal men which though they were Angels sent from heaven in that case are not to be believed shall they teach contrary to that the Apostles here delivered therefore I say because all points of salvation may not be methodized into a certaine Symbole and rule of faith the Church as occasion may require may out of the treasure of the Scriptures take new rules but those rules must not impugne the plain letter of Scripture which because such a Council is fallible must be made the square and rule to judge that Council by Now because God has promised his Spirit to his Church and Councils are the representation of
Churches and for that it is more probable that they shall decree according to the rule of Scripture which every private man in charity ought to think and therefore to incline himself to follow the rules she shall prepose I will shew how far a Council is Binding It doth not destroy the Church of Christ universally to say that a General Council may err For concerning the true faith of Christ it is already made known by the preaching of the Apostles to most parts of the known world which faith God will have in some part of the world till the dissolution thereof for as I have already said at one instant of time Christs Church shall not be universally invisible The Councils of Laterane By the erring of the General Councils the universal Church doth not err Trent Milan and Nice may err from the faith they had formerly received But this doth not prove a universal falling away and any other Councel that of latter times hath been cannot assure it self upon the promise of Christ's Spirit that it is infallible because not collective of all parts where the faith of Christ is preached which if it were so collective it argued infidelity of any private Church to distrust their rules For in such a condion as they are representive of the universal Church they have the same Spirit with them the Apostles had and though but men yet by vertue of that Spirit became infallible in their judicial decrees of Articles and Rules of faith But such a Council was never gathered since the Council of Jerusalem therefore the later Councils being but representive of particular Churches as those particular Churches may err so these Councils may err For as much as since the Apostles Councils Who shall tax the Councils of errors there was never any Council which was collective of the universal Church and so had the assurance of Christs Spirit It is requisite that every provincial who by suffragan vote is not represented there shall examine within his own jurisdiction how the rules of such Council agree to the Scriptures which he is already assured are of the Holy Ghost and in themselves prime verities and to walk according as Gods Spirit shal give him to understand those Scriptures he being within his own charge and territory made a dispensor of those sacred oracles and as for any private man he is to be guided by the rules of the particular Church of which he is a member without openly taxing his mother-Church of error I do not infer hereby that because there has not lately been How provincials are bound by a collective Councel or because that it is very difficult if not impossible to have a general Council collective of all Christian Churches that therefore every provincial Council has the same efficacy of decreeing that a General Council collective of many provinces hath For according to the Council of Antioch 14. Can. and Carthage 19. Can. I approve of provincials appealing one to another to decide controversies and to bring the the neighbor provinces into unity of faith that they may support one another by keeping the unity of the Spirit in the Bond of peace Ephes 4. and that it is convenient that such provincicals as are represented in such a Council should acquiesce in the result of that council so convened but not to conclude that such councils are infallible for that because they proceed upon humane judgements not being assured of the Holy Ghost by Christs promise to his Church in respect they are not a perfect representation of that Catholique Church and as the Scripture is to be the guide to any Council so more especially shall it be a rule to others by which the absent provincials are to examine the rules of that Council As for the several provincials and Sees then by suffragan vote represented I hold it fit for them to acquiesce in the result of such a collective Council wherefore for the further illustration of this point I hold it necessary to add a Chapter of the constitutions of Councils thereby the better to lay open this point of Romes errors in her ascribing to her See infallibility CHAP. X. Wherefore general Councils are called of their power that they are above the Pope and how they are of later times by the abuses of the Pope made of none effect I Look upon a general Council with that respect and reverence The conveniency of Ceneral Councils that I account her the Bulwark of Christian Churches the Tower of defence against the enemies thereof the hill whereon Christs City is built in whose heavenly top ariseth a fountain of unity which sends forth such irresistible streams that with the advantage of that Rise from whence they descend they beat back any muddy inundations of error which Satan the prince of the aire sends down to trouble her channels and notwithstanding any rubbish which by his industry shall be cast in their ways to dam and straiten their course they with the supplies they receive from this inexhaustible source beat down those malicious obstructions and in spight of all opposition of evil angels smoothly glide away unto the pacifick sea I look upon her as a bundle of arrows not easily broke from whose quiver the particular Churches are compleatly armed to resist the fiery darts of Satan In brief I honor respect love and in all humility reverence her and when I consider her in her right constitution I hold my self obliged in a tye of indispensible obedience to conform and submit to whatsoever rules of faith she shall constitute and appoint I account her the mother of the particular Churches there represented betwixt whom there is an harmonious intercourse of reciprocal love and duty she to acquit her obligations provides for her daughters their portions food raiment Heavenly Manna Christ's seamless coate and her daughters to discharge their duty return her a tribute of honor and obedience Thus and no otherwise do I look upon her These are her just and proper attributes and who without regret can consider that this beauteous Lady the mistris and mother of us all should through adulteries and her late Apostacies have dethroned her self from this her so glorious and Celestial estate she to forsake her husband Christ and to go a whoring after her own inventions by which she has contracted such black spots of lepresie upon her ruddy cheeks that she is no more white and ruddy the fairest of ten thousand she is no more the beloved of Christ and the fairest amongst women she with the Jews has chosen Barabbas and cast off her husband Christ her inner roomes are the chambers of death into which Solomon enters and commits fornication with her She has taken the divels counsel and thrown her self from off the Pinacles of the Temple and forsaking the house of the Lord she has erected a house which is the way unto the Grave her house tendeth to death and her paths unto
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
action meerly proceeded from my earnest affection and love unfeigned towards my brethren of your houshold and to manifest my desire to be folded under your charge I humbly beg that you would favorably interpret the the truths and gently correct the errors of the same and that against all malicious and injurious encounters of the Enemy both I and it may find shelter under your wings In confidence whereof I remain upon my knees asking your Fatherly Benediction upon your obedient son in Christ Jesus and Your Reverendships most devoted most humble and faithful Servant Edward Chisenhale From Chisenhale Febr. 11. 1651. Catholique HISTORY CHAP. I. The Jntroduction THe Author of the Book entituled A lost Sheep returned home begins his Book with an INTRODUCTION which might invite any good Christian to read further and to fix his Meditations upon the ensuing Discourse in hopes to meet with excellent matter suitable to that ground-work which is so fairly layd to wit That the means to attain Eternal Life is not otherwise then by Faith grounded on the Word of God and not by Discourse founded on the Principles of Reason nor by Reliance upon Authority humane And that God revealed all these things to Jesus Christ and he to his Apostles Joh. 15.15 to the end that they should deliver them to Mankinde to be received beleeved and obeyed over the whole world even to the end thereof bidding them Mat. 28. Go and teach all Nations and that they did accordingly teach all Nations Mark 16.20 And concludes That the Universal Christian Church was built upon the Apostles and that nothing is to be beleeved as matter of Faith besides that which was delivered of them as S. Paul saith Eph. 2.20 And are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief Corner-Stone The Doctor if the Author of that Book plays the part of a careful builder to seek out a good Foundation but they who please to examine his work will finde he proves himself a bungling work-man for he goes on without line or level in order to this Foundation and presently his superstructures finde new bottoms His eyes may be lifted up to the hills and his purpose might be to have builded upon the Rock but his minde is presently changed his Meditations presently become earthly and his hands are found scratching in the sand with the Lark he begins to sing and mount up towards Heaven but his weak quils presently flag he comes down and builds a nest below upon the Earth In his first leaf he professes the Church built upon the Apostles and that nothing else is to be beleeved as matter of Faith but what was delivered of them and then presently after he brings in the Traditions of Rome for his ground of all So that they who please to compare the frontispiece of that work with the inward rooms of the whole building will finde it to be like Julian his picture which whil'st Christians according to the Roman Law bowed unto it they were deluded he having put false gods in the picture that they might unwittingly adore those cunningly included Idols The Frontispiece of that Book invites every Christian Soul to take up its lodging within that Tabernacle which being further riffled into it proves a painted Sepulchre The fairest Apples are not always the soundest at the heart no more may the ensuing Discourse of that Book be judged by the Introduction for who pleases to compare that Frontispiece with the matter contained in the following Chapters must confess when he meditates upon the Introduction Here is the chief Corner-Stone in Sion elect and precious but when upon the following matter that there he meets with the crasied pieces of Babylon the rubbish and trumpery of humane Inventions here the chief head of the corner which the Doctor having forsaken is become a stone of stumbling a rock of offence there the rotten principles of mans framing for want of this Foundation-stone sink under the vain top ambition has towered upon them The Pharisees made broad their Phylacteries which S. Jerom upon Matth. 23. compares to certain women who carried up and down Parvula Evangelia thinking by those Spells to be free from danger and it may be the Doctor thinks the rest of his Book shall escape censure for its Introduction sake but he must not think to escape by reason thereof it doth rather encrease then extenuate his condemnation Seneca witnesseth that the Heathen reputed it an indignity to the Emperor that any should Principis Imaginem obscaenis inferre much more should Christians beware how they engrave our Saviours name upon vain and unsuitable pieces If Achan have any thing execrable consecrated his Tent must be searched and the Babylonish garment with the wedg of gold though hid in the midst thereof must be ransack'd and exposed to publique defacing or utter demolishing And must the Doctor think because he has written upon the Portal IHS that his new built Babel standing upon another Basis and not upon that Corner-stone shall be free from winds and storms No such Paper Buildings must expect that their lofty fames must bury their heads in their sandy bottoms and serve for no other use then to administer comfort to them that stand upon the Rock beholding the ruines of Babel The Introduction as it stands in that Book serves for an Index to shew from what the Doctor is fallen from a practique to a speculative Religion from a Church built upon Christ and his Apostles to a Synagogue of Statists who having cast aside the Commandments of God prefer their own humane Inventions which meerly tend to the vassaling of Princes and trampling upon all the Churches of Gods Saints who prescribing rules to others become lawless unruly Masters of all making the whole World as it were an Ass for the triple-crown'd Pope to ride on who would have it thought humility in him to bestride so dull a Beast It likewise speaks the Author a wavering and unstedfast man it contains in it self a Contradiction and as the Doctor now contradicts that Faith he formerly professed and sets himself against that Church he was christened and educated in so his Book contradicts the Introduction and the Introduction contradicts it self both being the fruits of the spirit of Contradiction In the beginning of the Introduction he says Peter is Prince of the Apostles in the latter end he says The Church is built upon the Apostles generally Jesus being the chief Corner-stone and in Chap. 20. he says It is built upon Peter alone and his successors From these varieties of his unsetled Opinions results this Conclusion That Protestants can neither take courage to follow after him nor Papists gather any assurance from this experience of his temper of his non-recoyling I hope his change proceeded not out of hardness of heart that he for private ends should against his own judgment set himself against his Mother Church but onely out of some failings in his Judgment
and therefore I have adventured to lay open the Eâ—ors of his choyce which if he please to consider seriously I may win him again to his proper Sheepfold from whence he is gone astray how ever I hope I shall by the blessing of God hinder others from wandering after him and shall be a means to make up that gap which the Doctor hath made in the pale of our Church which whilest it lay open administred occasion for some to escape into the Wilderness Wherefore I will not hold the Reader longer in suspence with a dilatory Introduction but will briefly shew that the Doctor is not gone to the Catholique Church which is the main thing he perswades though it be obscurely wrapt in general terms in his first Chapter but that he has forsaken the faith once given to the Saints he has gone away from the puâ—e Fountain of Verity to the puddle of Error he has forsaken the living water and chosen the Romish cisterns digged by mens hands which hold no water CHAP. II. That the Roman Church is not the Catholique Church either in respect of the Vniversality of her Doctrine or any Jurisdiction she can claim from Peter or by the consent of the Primitive Churches and that the Pope is not the governing Head of the Catholique Church THe Church is called Catholique in several respects 1. In respect of places as being spread universally through the whole world and is not tyed to any place or Kingdom 2. In respect of Times because but one Church of all Times it having ever been from the beginning of the World and shall continue on Earth till the end thereof Isai 59.21 and Matth. 28. the Church of both Testaments being one and the same 3. In respect of the Collective Body thereof the Catholique Church being gathered of men of both Testaments and the Communion of Saints being the union and coherence of all the Saints in Christ their Head according to that of Paul Ephes 1.10 That he might gather together in one all things both which are in Heaven and which are in Earth even into Christ who is and ever shall be King and Head thereof And generally when we speak of the Catholique Church this Collective Church is to be understood which appellation Catholique was used by the Apostles before ever Rome was a Church So that neither in respect of Place Time or Catholiqueness may Rome justly challenge the onely Title of Catholique she being but a particular part or member of this Catholique Church we the Saints being the Body and Members for our part Eph. 1.22 But for the better illustration of this Point I will examine the Doctors Arguments in particular concerning Romes Catholiqueship and I shall in so doing more plainly disprove her Title thereunto The word Catholique as it is defined by the Doctor is not a word of Belief onely but of Communion also So that that Church which holds the same Belief with the ancient Church and yet doth not communicate with her may not rightly be called Catholique I shall retort this Argument which he intended against the Protestants and prove it to be their Justification and the Church of Romes own Condemnation Catholique as I said in a general sence comprehendeth all the Elect and is the full Body of Christ that filleth all things in all things Eph. 4. And when we in our Creed say We beleeve in the Holy Catholique Church it is understood of all the Elect of God which have been are or shall be of which the Church-Militant on Earth is but part But because I suppose the Doctor means onely of a Church upon Earth I will therefore insist upon his own definition and treat of the Church upon Earth which as it is universally spred over the Earth by the Apostles who had equal commission to teach all Nations no one particular Church can or ought to claim to be the Catholique or Universal Church upon Earth As for the Distinction which the Doctor makes betwixt Doctrine and Discipline thereby to excuse the unproper stile of Roman Catholique That is says he Catholique in respect of Doctrine Roman in respect of Discipline That will no ways strengthen her claim or clear her incongruous Title He doth but thereby shew the World how distinct her Discipline is from her Doctrine and thereby give occasion to the world to suspect both And upon this score may the Presbyterian Church of Geneva be called the Geneva Catholique Church that is Geneva for Discipline Catholique for Doctrine she professing the Catholique Faith of the holy and blessed Trinity and yet the Church of Rome I perswade my self would think much that such a glorious appellation should be given to such an upstart Youngling that wind-egg of a Tumult Geneva Church which being braddened under a Toad of France is become a staring Cockatrice and thinks to center the World within the compass of his contagious Den darting poyson upon whom he first espies as experience tells us how he glancing upon the poor Scot has given him such a deadly wound that he will scarce ever recover it teaching those that have escaped that plague with the Wesel each morning to bite on Rue which says Avicen secures her against the toxicating of that venomous Basilisk I say if the Church of Rome think much that the Geneva Church should arrogate such a glorious stile let her never stand upon her own Title which is equally weak to challenge the same The Doctor proceeds further upon Romes Tiâ—le to her Catholiqueship and gives a further explication of the same Catholique says the Doctor imports both the vast extention of Doctrine to Persons and Places and the union of all these places in communion It cannot be denyed but that there were other Churches of ancienter and more reverend setlement then the Church of Rome as the Churches in the East as Jerusalem Antioch Ephesus c. and in after-times the Gospel was to be carryed before Kings and to the Gentiles by S. Paul being by Jesus ordained a Minister and an Apostle of the Gentiles amongst whom Rome was then a chief City which as she received the Faith by S. Paul or S. Peter cannot properly be called a Mother Church but as a babe and suckling received the sincere milk of the Word She was one of the places to which the Doctrine of the Catholique Church of Christ was extended but no extender of that Doctrine So that by the Doctors own definition she cannot properly be called the Catholique Church she being in her Institution but a private particular Member of the Catholique Church as Englands or any other Church planted by the Embassadors of Christ And if since by the indulgent favors of her nursing Fathers the Christian Princes she has grown to that maturity that she has many Daughter Churches of her own plantation in the dark corners of the old known and the new discovered parts of the World yet she cannot by reason thereof assume to her self any
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
that of S. Paul Galat. 2.8 He that was mighty by Peter in the Apostleship over the Circumcision was also mighty by me towards the Gentiles but do and hope still to hold out the truth they have received against any innovation of the Romish See whatsoever and particularly the Church of England When the first Councell of Nice was called England not subject to Rome we had a Church planted here and publike profession of the Faith of Christ 120. years before that Councell and had Bishops and Metropolitans of London and York and although it might tacitly be inferred from the sixth Canon of that Councell that we were within the Jurisdiction of Rome as being within the West yet in the second Canon thereof is mention made of many Provinces and power of Jurisdiction reserved to every Metropolitan which by the next generall Councell 2. Can. is further enlarged Ecclesias in longinquis Gentibus constiâ—utas gubernari convenijtuxta consuetudinem quae est à patribus observata By which Canon we may justly claim provincial Jurisdiction to the Church of England having at that time a Metropolitan of our own however it is confirmed to us in the Chalcedon Councell 19. Can. Episcopos in unaquaque Provincia bis in anno Metrapolitano istius provinciae provinciales Episcopos admonente convenire licet which was afterwards confirmed and declared in a Councell at Antioch 20. Can. Provincial Councels that it was lawfull for Metropolitans of Provinces to call Counsells propter utilitates ecclesiasticas absolutiones earum rerum quae dubitationem controversiamque recipiunt and by the said Councell of Antioch the nineth Can. and the Councell of Carthage the seventeenth Can. it is decreed that in every Province there be a Metropolitan so that had we had none before we might by these two Canons claime one but having one it is confirmed to us to be distinct of our selves and for one Metropolitan to govern and call Councells without any appeal to Rome having the authority of Councells to confirm this unto us nor is this to arrogate to our selves any more then what of right belongs to us and what other Provincials may justly challenge to themselves and what has beeh practised of old both by the French Germans Spaniards c. as shall be shewed more at large in the chapter of Councells If I should argue like the Doctor Possession infra chap. 4. I must plead possession of this priviledge as he doth for Universality and say it were jus Gentis but I dare not in cases of this nature stand to that humane Plea possession for hold and prescription for time is no good Plea in cases of Religion though in civill matters for peace sake and avoiding contentions it be admitted in bar of after too busie Inquisitors for the first may be a claim by intrusion which is the point in question and the other antiquity of error malus usus est abolendus let custome yeeld to truth is a sound axiom of Divinity I will not therefore stand so much upon possession of this immunity as upon the right of that possession though whilest I prove a possession from these Councells I destroy Romes prescription to Universality in that these records are above her Donor Phocas and so annihilate her puisne title It was the Decree of the Councell of Carthage 28. Can. that Priests if they thought themselves agrieved at the censures of their Diocesans to appeal to the primate of their own Province and not to Rome or any other See over Sees and if they did they stood excommunicate from the rest of the Churches in Africa and shall we being as free and having as good right to this priviledge subject our selves to a forraign See at Rome sith we may call a Councell of our own which may upon serious debate judge of things maintained and done by other Churches and resolve whether to admit of them into their own provinciall Churches without being branded for Heretikes and Schismatikes upon which score the Church of England did in her full and lawfull assembles heretofore cast off some usurpations of the See of Rome and did retain what she conceived Apostolical what she cast off we offer to the world to maintain the action by authority of Scripture Fathers and Councells and what we retain Rome cannot blame for we being provinciall and having a Metropolitan of our own and a lawfull Succession of Bishops as I shall shew anon even from Apostolicall Ordination to this day we might well reform propter utilitates ecclesiasticas absolu iones controversiae infra provinciam without either appealing to Rome or she questioning what we do herein yet in those things we differ we would willingly submit them to the sentence of a generall Councell might it be free and rightly constituted of which in the chapter of Councells In the mean time we may with confidence affirm that Rome is not the only Catholique Church and for the better satisfaction of the Reader of the justnesse of this our claim and to acquit us of all presumption in this point I will crave pardon though it do not much conduce to the subject matter of this chapter any further then what is already spoke to give him a brief relation of the planting of the Christian Faith in this Island of Britain It is recorded by the ancient Writers and preservers of antiquity in this Isle England converted to the Faith that the Gospell was planted here by Joseph of Arimathea who was sent hither out of France by Philip who was sent thither by Paul some affirm it was Philip the Apostle upon dispersion of the Jews to have come to France but for my part I rather encline to think it was Philip the Deacon who was ordained by Paul Acts 6. and that Paul sent him into France and that he planted the Gospell here and it is agreed by all that Joseph of Arimathea was here and did preach the Gospell to the Britains about the year of our Lord 63. and here remained in this land all this time and died here and was buried at Glassenbury and was the first that preached to the Britains but whether he was sent of Paul from Rome or came from Philip out of France who came thither directly from the East and not from Rome as some suopose the histories do not plainly declare nor is it much materiall for whether Philip came from the East or from Rome and sent Joseph hither it is certain Joseph had his Mission from Apostolicall order besides presently after Simon Zelotes was sent out of France hither as Nicephorus lib. 2. cap. 40. reporteth and here the Gospell was received and nourished though not publikely professed before Lucius time which was Anno 169. after Christ for as a City upon a hill cannot be hid so the Gospell having been preached here though but in some obscure corners of the Isle did so spread by Gods blessing upon the labours of them that
the case stands with the Eastern Churches they I am perswaded would not bogle to condescend hereunto but by no means let her ever hope to have a supremacy of Iurisdiction she may force it but never by argument evince it and so according to its first beginning prosecute to rear up her tower of Universality with the cement of bloud which whilst she prosecutes she forges her Keys into a two-edged sword and when she has done she like a Heathen Roman destroys her self by cutting off some of her fellow-members robbing them of what belongs to their office and makes them uselesse pieces of the mysticall body Christ Jesus of which all the Churches upon earth are fellow-members and though many yet make but one body being all baptized into one body by one Spirit 1 Cor. 12.12 Let us therefore follow the truth in love and in all things grow up unto him which is the Head that is Christ by whom all the body being compleat and knit together by every joynt for the forniture thereof according to the effectuall power which is in the measure of every part receiveth encrease of the body unto the edification of it self in love Ephes 4. The Doctor confesses that Christ is the Head originally but the Pope is the Head derivatively for sayes he with as much reason may we deny a King to be Head of his Kingdome because the Scripture saith God is King over all the earth as deny the Pope to be Head of the Church because Christ is so To which I answer Christ is the Head of the Catholike Church that is comprehensive of all the Elect Pope not Universall Head Saints Angells and men of which the particular Churches on earth are but members and the people the Saints of God assembled together to worship God and call upon him in his Sacraments make a Church Christ being their Head and as they are a people not convened to that purpose their severall Princes and Magistracy is to rule over them which I judge to be the principall reason of the Law of Sanctuaries Now for the Pope to claim an universall headship over them is either to rob Christ of his office or to deny Caesar his due for as Head of the whole Catholike Church he candot be and to be Head of the Universall Church upon earth is not consistent with the plantations of the other Apostles nor was any such universall headship delegated to any one of the Apostles Christ sent out his Apostles to all Nations and they ordained spirituall heads and Governors over their severall plantations none being to intrude upon anothers foundation and ever since Christ there have been superintendents over the severall Churches yet those superintendents were equal amongst themselves none lording it over another but only within their distinct territories did equally exercise the authori y of their headship and every one within his own Province being representative in point of order of Christ the mysticall Head without ascribing a single universality to any one of them although by this means there be many headships over the severall plantations yet it doth no more destroy the representative headship of Christ here on earth then the Spanish French c. acknowledging obedience to their distinct Princes are against Monarchy because the Turk claims to be Soveraign Lord of the Universe Wherefore if the Church of Rome wil needs have the Catholike Church to be understood only of a Universall Church upon earth and some one Bishop to be the governing head thereof I must tell her that she can lay no just claim hereto because if Peter had any power above the other Apostles it doth not appear to succeed to the Bishop of Rome for that it is not proved Peter to have been Bishop there and if he was Bishop there yet there wants a cleare and perfect deraigning of succession from him some affirming Linus some Clemens some Anacletus to succeed him and some Bishops of Rome claiming as Successors to Paul some to Peter or if they could perfect their Succession yet it is not evident that Peters power did succeed to them in respect it was Apostolically in him and either died in him or survived to Iohn besides they cannot agree in the manner how this power of supremacy should be in them for if they have it as universall Bishops Gregory declares it and the Doctor confesses it to be Antichristian for that hereby they deny others to be Bishops and so rob them of their divine order and Ecclesiastique Jurisdiction granted by consent of Councells to Metropolitans to govern within their provinciall precincts without appealing to Rome and if they will have it in respect of Rome see how they make Rome the Rock not Peter and go against the Symbole of our faith The Apostles who composed the Creed as the Doctor confesses 148. and professing faith in the Catholike Church did publish that Creed at Jerusalem before ever the faith was preached at Rome and when her Church was invisible or not in rerum natura and did not therefore intend Rome for the Catholique Church Wherefore for these reasons I hope I may without incurring a censure of presumption with confidence affirm that Rome is not the Catholique Church nor the Pope the universall Head of the Catholike Church either in respect of any Jurisdiction derived from Peter or by the consent of Councells lawfully deraigning any title thereto CHAP. III. That the name Church is proper to England as well as to Rome THe Doctor is pleased in his fifth and thirteenth chapters to take notice of severall definitions of a Church which are distinctions of severall Sectaries that are in England and elswhere but never glanced upon that which is maintained and professed in the Church of England which belike he omitted on purpose to make people believe that we had no Church at all properly distinguished by her self apart from those Sectaries and therefore he fled to Rome to find one if he have forgotten I will put him in mind of it The Church of God is a company of men chosen by him to call upon his name and therefore did the Apostles term it Ecclesia alluding to the custome of Arkens to call together the people to hear the promulgation of any Law or any publike Oration and not Synagogue that is an inordinately met assembly without a lawfull calling together wherefore we say that Ecclesia in the most proper and genuine signification is Vniversitas fidelium credentium invocantium nomen Christi By which interpretation if we be in the faith of Jesus and have our solemn assemblies to worship and call upon his name we may properly be called a Church and a member of the Catholique Church which as I said before is comprehensive of all the Elect of God which have been are or shall be The Doctor cannot deny but that we maintain the Apostles Creed and I may say so doth not Rome The Church of Rome abuses the Apostles
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
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
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
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
well as in matters of fact I Know I shall incur the grand displeasure of his Holiness and his pontificial tribe and not altogether please the Doctor in truly laying open some errors of Rome The one will tell me some truths are censured for treason against the triple crown the other will say according to the Proverb Sooth seems not at all times I fear not the censure of the one for I shall as much please him as displease him if I break his head I shall make a plaister of his blood I may displease him in laying open his errors but I shall be his darling whilst in so doing I make his Church visible As for the Doctor I presume when he seriously considers how much we are concerned in this point to lay open Romes errors he will not altogether condemne me for should we in silence pass by and tacitely consent that the church of Rome is infallible in what she maintaines Then it follows we are Hereticks because she sayes so I have partly cleared our selves from this aspersion already it rests now that I prove Rome to have faln into errors and if so according to the Doctors rule folio 210. if sayes he she err in any one point she cannot be prudentially sure of the least tittle she affirmes Mercurius gave the Egyptians laws Je. chall received as he said of the God Mena Licurgus to the Lacedemonians from Apollo Velphicus and Lactantius lib. 1. cap. 15. divinar Institut Minus to the Cretians from Jupiter the Lady Pallas directed the Troâ—ans Caberius the Macedonians Vrania the Carthaginians Phaunus the Latines Juno the Samnites Venus the Paphites and all as they would make us believe proceed from some god or goddess The Turk affirms his Alcaron to have been received from heaven and the Ephesians de Diana sua cogitatarunt eam à Jove delapsam fore Even so doth Rome at this present boast of an infallible Church which to prove she must go to some Heathen Deity or other for as she is a Church militant here upon earth governed by humane flesh and blood and but a particular society or Church and so a member of the Catholique Church comprehensive of all the Elect and Saints of God which have been are or shall be and whereof Christ Jesus is the mystical head she is subject to fall into errors and though she were the See of Peter and that power which Peter received from Christ to be remaining with her which she would faine perswade the world to believe yet notwithstanding she may err For still she is but a particular Church and may err though the universal Church cannot err in respect of Christs Spirit given to her and his promise that she shall continue in her foundation till the end of the world Saint Peter did err after he had received the Holy Ghost Act. 10.34 Saint Peter did err he was of opinion that the Gospel pertained not at all unto the Gentiles untill he was informed by a vision that he should goe to Cornelius for saith he I perceive of a truth that God is no respecter of persons but in every Nation he that feares him whether Jew or Gentile and worketh righteousness is accepted with him so that there was a time whilst Peter was in error and Gal. 2.14 he walked not with a right foot according to the light of the Gospel Paul withstood him to his face and this was not for any smal fault or error of conversation as the Doct. would perswade us for Saint Austin against Saint Jerom doth Justifie the reprehension Besides to say it was an error of fact and not of faith were to charge Saint Peter with dissimulation either against his conscience or with it sure he did it not for any worldly respects against his conscience and if he did it because he thought it was his duty in so doing to bear with the weakness of the Jews and to think that a man may dissemble in such a case then it was matter of faith whether a man may in eo casu dissimulare or no therefore his error was a matter of faith not of fact only I need no other Argument to clear this then what the Doctor has himself framed against our proposed difference between fundamentals and not fundamentals in point of error for saith he fol. 88. There is no distinction of points of faith in regard of the object or motive for which we believe namely the truth of God revealed by his Church we being equally bound to believe all that is by her proposed to us whether the matter be great or small Upon this the Doctors argument I infer That the Church having proposed before That the Jews should not eat with the Gentiles Peter did offend against this injunction which he ought to have believed as the truth of God and therefore it was in him an error of faith Before the vision in the 10. of the Acts Peter was not to preach to the Gentiles he was not to communicate to the Gentiles and would not go to Cornelius before that and therefore in the 2 of the Acts when there were men of all Nations and strangers from Rome at Jerusalem and when they every one heard their own language and therefore mocked the Apostles saying They were full of new wine Peter lifted up his voice and corrected the men of Judea that was only them of the circumcision and did not intermeddle with the Gentiles they not belonging to his charge and therefore did Paul reprove him for eating with them Dissoluteness in manners argues unsoundness in opinion though it be in things wherein the Church has not interposed her decree But if she have injoyned a thing to be done or not done though it were indifferent in it self yet her command takes away the indifferency upon the Doctors own rule and therefore Peters offence against the Churches rule was error of faith Shall Peter the blessed Apostle of Jesus Christ be taxed of errors he being here by Saint Paul and in several other places of Scripture reprehended by our Saviour for his failings before he received the Holy Ghost shewing hereby he was a man and after he had received the Holy Ghost doubting to whom the Gospel was to be preached and offending against the injunctions of the Church shewing hereby he was no God and shall the wicked Popes of Rome think much to be taxed of their errors and daily failings I might easily be reprehended for injustice should I bury their errors in silence and publish to the world Saint Peters failings wherefore I must lay open their aberrations to the publique view In prosecution whereof I will not as a private man chalenge them of error but only put them in minde what councels the ancient fathers of the Church and their own latter writers have given them to understand What is the Pope The Pope may err he is no Samuel under the Ephod no Moses on the Mount no Aaron with
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
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
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
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
the dispensation of our salvation by whom onely the Gospel came to our hands which Gospel they first preached but afterwards by Gods appointment they delivered the same to us in writing that it might be the foundation and pillar of our faith Wherefore seeing that this is the Magazine of our salvation let us onely repair hither to be spiritually furnished against all temptations of Satan and let us cast off all other traditions of humane invention which shall declare any other thing then what is contained in these Evangelical truths Now sith the ground of our faith is contained in these Scriptures All people to read the Scripture and laid open unto us by the blessed authors of these sacred and holy testimonies of our salvation why should not any one be permitted to read and to peruse these glad tidings of his eternal Redemption from the bondage of sin and Satan sith we are not onely allured by its worth and efficacie it being of so high a consequence as the eternal redemption and salvation of our souls and being profitable to teach to improve to instruct in righteousness 2 Tim. 3. but likewise are commanded to search them Joh. 5.39 Till I come saith Paul to Timothy 1 Tim. 4.13 give attendance to reading to exhortation and to doctrine And Coloss 3. the Saints of Colossus are commanded to let the Word dwell in them pleteously in all wisdom admonishing themselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs And not onely the Saints of Colossus and Timothy are enjoyned to this diligence but all in general by S. John in the place afore-cited And Acts 18.24 A certain Jew named Apollos was great in Scripture and taught diligently And Acts 17. the Noble-men at Thessalonica received the Word with all readiness and searched the Scriptures daily whether those things were so which Paul and Silas taught at Berea and many of them and honest women and men not a few believed S. Chrysostom the golden-mouth'd Doctor discourseth at large upon this subject in several places of his Works I shall shew you two or three In his Proeme in the Epistle to the Romanes he saith If therefore you will read the Scripture with alacrity of minde ye need no other help at all for Christ's Word is true Seek and ye shall finde c. because many of you are charged with wives children and domestick affairs and so cannot wholly addict your selves to this study yet be ready to hear what others have gathered and bestow as much diligence in hearing as you do in scraping worldly goods together for the cause of your infinite evils is your ignorance in Scripture So that by his Rule 1. We need no other help to our salvation 2. All sorts should study it 3. Evil manners dissolute life and all other mischiefs proceed of ignorance of the Scriptures and by not reading of them Again the same Chrysostom in his 29 Hom. upon Gen. 9. I beseech you saith he that you now and then come hither and attend diligently the reading of the holy Scripture neither that onely when you come hither sed domi divina Biblia in manus sumite utilitatem in illis positam magno studio suscipite Again the same godly and zealous Father in his 9. Hom. upon the Colossians saith Hearken all ye that are encumbered with worldly affairs and have wives and children how ye are especially commanded to read the Scriptures Comparate vobis Biblia animae Pharmaca If ye will have no other thing at least provide ye the new Testament c. S. Austin de tempore serm 55. Nec solum vob is sufficiat quod in Ecclesiis divinas lectiones auditis sed etiam in domibus vestris aut ipsi legite aut alios legentes requirite libenter audite And herewith accords S. Hierome upon the 133 Psalm affirming that in his time both Monks men and women did contend which should learn most Scripture without book in co putant esse meliores si plures edicerint The Council of Laodicea can 59. positively decrees Licet plebeis legere sola sacra volumina veteris novi Testamenti Thus you see the invitation by way of perswasion as it is for advantage it being the means of our salvation and a charge and command by the Apostles to search those Scriptures lest we fall into evils and mischiefs and holy Fathers instructing all to follow those Evangelical precepts whereby it is not pressed unto us as a thing of conveniency onely but likewise of necessity for every one to perform this duty every one being concerned to read and learn the Scriptures How much then is the Church of Rome to be blamed that debarreth men of this means of salvation she excommunicating every one that shall read the Scriptures in the vulgar tongue And so much are the Papists bewitched with the terrours of the Popes curses and the flattery of his blessings that they will not read any thing that is opposite to Popery not having license so to do and so they make Ignorance the mother of their devotion and that contrary to the practice of the Primitive Church as appears by the Council As touching this Point Who are to judge of the Scriptures Who shall be Judge of the Scripture the Doctor is pleased to accuse our Church of universal errour because of some Protestants that hold strange opinions concerning this matter and yet he cites but an opinion or two of private Ministers in our Church So I may justifie our Church from the imputations he herein lays to her charge as he has elsewhere done in the like case That it is not the opinion and judgement of the Church but onely the conceptions of those private men Certainly the Doctor could not be ignorant of our Churches Tenent in this particular and truely this gives me occasion to suspect the Doctor is not the Author of that Book called The Lost Sheep but it was composed by some one that was less knowing of the Doctrines and Tenents of our Church However for satisfaction of others I will here set down what our Church has prescribed de fide in relation to this point The Church of England teaches that the Scripture is the onely Judge of Traditions and Rule of salvation and that it contains all things necessary to salvation and whatsoever is not contained therein or may not be proved thereby is not to be received as an Article of faith or thought requisite to salvation But she doth not determine that this Scripture shall be interpreted by every mans private fancy for The things necessary to salvation are plain and easie to be understood to charge her with that is a known untruth and contrary to the 6 and 20 Articles of the Church I confess that we generally maintain that those things which are necessary to salvation are clear and manifest the whole Scripture being termed a light unto our feet and a lanthorn to our steps Psal 139. And
if it be hid it is hid unto them that are lost whom the God of this world hath blinded â—hat the light of the Gospel of the glory of Jesus Christ should not shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. For it is plain by the Scripture that Jesus was the Christ Acts 18.28 And Joh. 5. The Father hath sent the Son and his works bear witness of him and the Scriptures testifie of him God the Father God the Son and God the holy Ghost the Comforter his Passion Resurrection Ascension and the coming of the holy Ghost being so plainly preached and set down that a man may read them running and this Word endureth for ever and this Word is preached unto us 1 Pet. 1.25 And Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life and what need we any more This is eternal life to know the Father and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent Joh. 17.3 He is the Way the Truth and the Life We believe that thou art Christ the Son of the ever-living God and thou hast the words of eeternal life Joh. 5.68 Hence S. Austin lib. de doctr Christianae cap. 9. did affirm that all things pertaining to mans salvation are plain and easie to be understood And Chrysostome upon 2 Thessal 2. Hom. 3. Omnia plana sunt sunt eÌ„x divinis Scripturis quaecunque necessaria sunt manifesta sunt It is not therefore an idle and presumptuous doctrine in the Church of England to maintain this since we have both authority of Scripture and the Fathers for the same Nor do we hereby rob the Church of her authority to judge of and determine controversies and those things that are doubtful in the Scriptures There are some things of Discipline and pertaining to Manners in which the Scriptures may be doubtful or not easie for every capacity to understand and for those it is fit the Church should determine them and having determined them to impose them by the Princes authority as Rules of faith upon the people and so teaches the Church of England in the twentieth Article Lay-men to read Scripture But the main things necessary to our salvation concerning our faith to be grounded upon Jesus the Son of the ever-living God the author and finisher of our faith those as I said before are clear and manifest and though Angels from heaven should teach any other doctrine they are to be accursed Gal. 1. Wherefore sith this is plain and manifest in Scripture that Jesus gave himself for our sins and whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life and for that this faith is given by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12. Phil. 1.29 2 Pet. 1.3 and Matth. 16.17 and is the gift of God and no man hath it of himself for flesh and blood doth not reveal it and for that Christ has prescribed the way how and by what means we shall obtain this gift even by searching the Scriptures Rom. 10 It must needs be a grievous and intolerable sin in the Church of Rome to debar the people of this means to attain this precious jewel the salvation of their souls Upon these grounds do we allow the Laytie to read the Scripture but we do not hereby give them liberty to interpret it according to their will and humour They may in them finde Jesus to be the life everlasting the Spirit giving them faith and therefore must not be debarred the means But they are not allowed in points of difficulties to be their own interpreter but to repair to the Fathers of the Church to declare the meaning of those Oracles of God to whom it is given by the power of the holy Ghost to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God Matth. 13.11 For which end Christ has commended the Scriptures to the Church that she may discern keep and publish them Christ opened the Scriptures to his disciples Luke 24. and they preached it to all nations The Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 3. calls the Truth the fountain of the Church and the Church the pillar of Truth as Solomon made his Chariots to have a golden axletree and pillars of silver understanding by the axletree says one sound doctrine by the pillars the faithful teachers of the same The Scripture is the truth of God and the Church the house of God the Scripture the foundation the Church the pillar and the foundation is not sustained by the pillar but the pillar supported of the foundation Truth makes the Church not the Church the Truth We are to observe the Scripture as it were the Candle the Church as the Candlestick according as S. Austin upon Gal. 1. says Church how to interpret The Scriptures are not true because the Church says they are the Word of God but the testimony of the Church is true because they are the Word of God Now as we ascribe to our Church this priviledge of interpretation of difficult and obscure places Scriptures above Councels â—nte Chap. 9. we do not either deprive Rome of her right or too much extol our own Church Nor do we hereby make void the Laytie's reading of Scripture The Laytie may read it because the main points are easie and it is the means to obtain faith as well as by hearing the Church in those points that are easie and it is the way enjoyned by God to attain faith as well as by preaching and he has promised his Spirit to those that seek him earnestly and with unfeigned lips And when it shall please God by their reading to give them of his holy Spirit that Spirit will guide them to come to the Church to be informed in those things they understand not or shall the Church understand that through weakness they misunderstand any point in those Scriptures and she shall reprove them the same Spirit guiding them into the way of Truth will lead them to hearken to the dispensers of the sacred Oracles And if the Church shall deliver any thing which to other Churches may seem strange and not satisfactory she as I said before in the precedent Chapter will call a Synod and if there the business receive not an absolute and satisfactory resolution to submit the business to a General Council rightly constituted and free in it self And in the mean time if our Church offend the Church of Rome for that she differs from her in any particular let her make her self capable to reform by a General Councel by taking off the slavery that lies upon it by the Popes Canonical Law and we shall submit our Church to the free debate in a perfect Council to decide the points wherein we differ otherwise the Church of Rome might seem to have just cause to accuse us for that we cast off the discipline of the Primitive Churches as to that particular but in the mean time upon the former recited texts of Scripture upon the authority of
the Fathers and the example of former ages we shall persist to affirm That the Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation That those points necessary are plain and easie and That the Laytie may read the Scriptures And for any blemishes which the Doctor would in this particular have thrown upon our Church I hope it is but dust thrown against the winde and is flown back into his own eyes I wish the Scriptures received no more injury by the Church of Rome then it doth from our Church but that is manifest to the contrary as may appear by that which here next follows The Doctor in his Book fol. 229. Scriptures abused by the Church of Rome reckons up a great number of corruptions and errours crept into our Translations but named not any onely cites one Broughton for his author I must confess it was wisely put off for should he have named them they would have appeared to have been different from the Rhemish Translation but not dissonant from the ancient Copies and so he would in stead of faulting ours have censured their own Translations Yet he craftily imagining that those 848 corrupted places should be believed to be so if he could instance any he names four in his 22 Chapter 1. Answer to the mistranslations we are taxwith He brings in Beza and Luthers Translations adding the word onely in Rom. 3.28 And this he would have to be an errour of our Church He might as well tax Rome as England for this fault for the Church of England doth not adde that word in her Bibles which are printed by authority and by direction of the Church enjoyned to be read nor is the word to be found in Fulk and Rhemes those two quarrellers each with other Wherefore I must needs wonder that the Doctor should be so injurious to us to bring false accusations against us 2. The second place which the Doctor alleadges to be a mis-translation in our Bibles is 2 Pet. 1.10 Giving diligence by good works to make your calling and election sure He charges us with corruption for leaving out these words by good works This I must confess is different from the Rhemish Translation but I rather suspect that that Translation is to be faulted not ours for Rome to maintain her doctrine of Merits by which she cozens poor silly souls and to enrich her Clergie cheats them of what they have has added these words And I am the rather induced hereunto for that I have seen an ancienter Bible then the days of Luther and it has them not in and Erasmus his Translation has them not in So that as the Negro's blame all that 's white in others because nothing to them is more comely then their own tawny black so the Doctor quarrels against our Translation because of its innocency it is not besmeared with Romes new adulterate alterations and therefore not in fashion or to be approved and upon this score I may say the Doctor was modest that taxed us with no more then four For he might as well have named the 848. if all must be censured for corruptions wherein we differ from the Rhemish translations But let the Church of Rome remember Saint Pauls rule to the Corinthians 2 Epist 13.5 Prove your selves whether ye be in the faith Saint Paul 1 Cor. 9.27 beat down his body and put it subjection lest while he preached to others he himself might be reproved Wherefore let Rome examine the ancient Copies and try if she find those words there and till then let her forbear to tax us of error who in this follow antiquity and so upon the old rule Id verum est quod prius id adulterum quod posterius Tertul. adversus prax in prim part 3. The third errour he taxes us with is In putting and for or in the 1 Cor. 11.27 which he himself to excuse Rome of perverting the Scripture she being taxed in this very particular in another place she putting or for and and thereby to prove communion in one kind affirms that et is often rendred or and if so it may as well be taken so out of the English as out of any other tongue But I referr the reader to a fuller answer of this objection in the sixteenth Chapter 4. His fourth objection is the 15 verse of the 2 of Saint Peter 1. I will do my diligence you to have often in remembrance after my decease The English translation reads it thus I will endeavor that you may be able after my decease to have these things in remembrance For this we likewise appeal to any translation which was before the second councel of Nice and many of their own translators long after that councel did render it post exitum non post obitum Peter being to go to his See at Antioch in Syria writes to the Saints that dwell in Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Asia and Bithynia that after his departure they should strive to have in memory to make their calling and Election sure of which in the 12 verse he says He would not be negligent to put them in remembrance Now how can this be interpreted that after his decease he should put them in remembrance unless he should come againe unto them it must therefore be interpreted of his departing from amongst them to Antioch and that he would send to them to put them in mind knowing that his end drew neer when he could not and therfore says the text he would use all diligence to put them in mind Now how he should put them in mind after his decease is to expect that Peter shall not rest from his labors as if he were not dead in the Lord which is unchristian to think wherefore I submit this to the learned in the Hebrew tongue to illustrate this further to weaker capacities if there be any occasion of scruple in our translation which for my part I conceive that taking that verse with the sense of the former our translation is more genuine and carries more of integrity then that of Rhemes The Bishops of Rome having by the politick practices of their predecessors and by the unworthy complottings of the Cardinals who being in hopes to ascend the Papal Throne themselves care not what dominion and Lordship they ascribe unto the Pontifical seat gained a superiority over Kings and Councels controlling the one and ordering the other as they please did daily consult not only how to preserve what they have though their possession be utterly unjust but likewise continually study to enlarge if possible this their pomp and dignity For their ambitious minds not satisfied with these large acquisitions thinking them but an earthly soveraignty too narrow for their large souls to strut in they would perswade the world that the Pope is an angel or more and hath Commission from heaven and is sent from thence to possess the chaire and tanquam à Tripode to deliver new oracles upon earth Thus wisely casting with themselves
must we admit that they taught any thing contrary to what they writ they had the Holy Ghost that never-erring Spirit that did lead them into all truth and could not at one time write one thing and after teach another We allow that they did deliver traditions to the people but Saint Peter in his 1 Epist 1.25 tells us it was the word of the Lord that was preached amongst them for nothing contrary to that was preached and delivered and that the people were bound to observe all things they did teach by the commandment of God Mat. 28.20 and therefore Saint Paul enjoynes the Thessalonians 2 Thess 2.15 to hold fast the traditions they had learned whether by word or Epistle The old Testament was delivered by the Jews and confirmed by Christ and his Apostles and therefore the Church of Rome did embrace that and reject the other traditional books of the Jews which were not by Moses written or by Christ approved of Now we make bold in this to follow her example if the Church of Rome have any traditions which are not repugnant to the written word we shall not disallow of them but if they make against that with the Evangelists and the Apostles have delivered to us in writing which writing we approve in our Judgement as the infallible oracles of God we by her own eâ—ample as rejecting those traditions of the Jews which were not consonant to the written law of Moses or approved of by Christ and likewise by warrant of Christ not to leane to the traditions of men and to cast off the commandments of God desire to be excused for not embracing every tradition the Church of Rome would obtrude upon us and we perswade our selves that sith she hath rejected the traditions of the Jews because not warranted by the written word she cannot be so impartial to deny us the same liberty to reject her traditions upon the same score and that the rather because she hath not so good a ground for her traditions as the Jews had in respect Moses talked with God face to face Exod. 33. Besides the Jews traditions were certaine and reduced into writing by the late Rabbins and therefore the Church of Rome might better have embraced them then think that we shall follow hers which are daily of new invention After the destruction of Jerusalem and scattering of the Jews Papist traditions uncertaine one Rabbi Juda Hannasi got leave of Antoninus to assemble the people and because the books of their old traditions were utterly lost and perished they then being met writ all that they could remember The Jews Talmud calling it Mischna that is Deuteronomy or a Law reiterated which was a memorial of their Cabala or traditional law which collections of theirs were afterward Anno Christi 219. by Rabbi Jochanan enlarged and called the Talmud which Talmud was after Anno Christi 500. perfected and received as a Rule in all cases Ecclesiastical and civil So that the Jews having thus reduced their traditions into certainty it were more reasonable for the Church of Rome to embrace them then to think that we shall hand over head accept of her ever-growing traditional rules which are not held forth in any certainty to us but every day upon colour of Church-traditions she plays an Affrican trick and brings out new monsters so that I may say it is as easie to make a gown for the Moon as for any man to think he can keep and observe her traditional rules The variety of her strange production in this particular might serve to cloy the appetite of any that should desire to render himself obedient to her rules but the vanity of them and their contrariety to Gods word doth more especially and justly detaine every good Christian for being her superstitions proselyte to embrace them and eâ—pecially those Christians which are not within her jurisdictions nor belonging unto his charge Amongst whom I may rank our English Church which being of Apostolical foundation and in power and Church-authority equal with the Church of Rome and for that the Law of God was as well extended to other Churches and particularly to her as to Rome as I have proved in the second and fourth Chapters may in that respect as well prescribe traditional law to the Church of Rome as she should send forth her historical edicts to England Yet lest some may think that if uppon this score we cast off her traditions we do but thereby evade the question of validity and authority of her traditions in themselves as they are by her held forth unto the world I will therefore make it evident that neither those of her own Church and province nor the Romane Catholicks of other Kingdomes are bound or ought to receive and embrace whatsoever traditions the Church of Rome shall hold forth to them as being so imposed upon them to be received for matter of faith I have in some measure in the former Chapter treated upon the authoâ—ity and excellency of Scriptures wherein I have shewed that she is the ground and foundation of the Church and if so then it follows that whatsoever tradition the Church shall deliver as matter of Doctrine must either stand upon this ground-work or else â—t is a paper-building an airey peece a black cloud of humane condensing hurried to and fro by contrary winds â—ill the loosly-contracted vapour dash â—t self upon this rock of Christ and â—â—ke smoak vanish into nothing She â—s the touchstone must distinguish the gold from the drossy and courser peeces of Rom's treasure she is the Fan must winnow and purge the floor of the Churches granary from all chaff and light corn and from those Tares which being cast into her field by Satan sprung together with her better graine And hereupon the good Emperor Constantine as it is recorded in the Ecclesiastical History lib. 1. cap. 7. did say That seeing the Evangelical and Apostolical books and the Oracles of the Old Testament do plainly teach us any thing that we ought to know or learn concerning God whether concerning his Divine Nature as Saint Luke useth the words Acts 17.25 Or his attributes and qualities as Saint Peter applies it 2 Pet. 1.5 Or his Law and Religion as the penner of Maccabees takes it 2 Mac. 4.7 Away therefore with all strife and seek for the solution of these matters out of the Scriptures inspired by God himself And herewith agreeth Bellarmine Tom. 1. Col. 2. saying That the books of the Prophets and Apostles are the true word of God and the sure and true rule of our faith And as I said before in the precedent Chapter All things necessary to our salvation are contained in the Scriptures It is true indeed that in the Scriptures we do not finde any mention of Peter being Bishop of Rome or of the Assumption of Mary the mother of Jesus nor can we finde by Scriptures that Saint Luke was a Painter or that Nicodemus had so much
which she would derive all her power and jurisdictions doth therefore teach the people this tradition under paine of Anathema That Jesus met Peter as he was going out of Rome and the steps of their feet as they two stood talking have left an impression in the place which remaines to this day Now let a man examine the Scriptures and he shall find Saint Peter himself witness against this tradition in the third of the Act. 21. where he says That Christ ascended and the heavens shall containe him till he come which coming is called his second coming to Judgement according to the Article of the Apostles Creed and therefore that he should be bodily there with Peter so bodily as to leave the impression of his footsteeps is against Saint Peters own saying against the whole current of the Scriptures and against the Apostles Creed So I referr this to the Reader whether to believe Saint Peter himself or his pretended successor in this point It may be that Peter might see Christ in a vision as Stephen did Act. 7. but not bodily for that he is there in heaven whom the heavens must containe till all things be dissolved Another tradition the church of Rome teaches How that in the Church of the Fryers minors at Rome is a picture of the Virgin Mary drawn by Saint Luke which Gregory carrying in procession in the time of a Plague the Plague ceased and they taught the people that it was by our Ladyes meanes for the honor done to her Image and so ascribe that to her which is due unto the Lord God he correcting by Judgements and out of his goodness extending his mercy as seems best to his divine wisdome and hereby they neglect that duty God has enjoyned them in that they did flye to the Lady Mary for succor in that day of their visitation whenas God has commanded them to call upon him in the day of trouble and he will hear them The Papists likewise teach that in the Church of Sebastian in Rome an Angel appeared to Saint Gregory as he was saying Mass at the Altar of Saint Sebastian and said to him these words In this place there is true remission of all sins brightness and light everlasting joy and gladness without end And this favours of Atheisme to affirme that on earth there can be light everlasting as if the world should never have an end which is contrary to Scripture for that they plainly affirm an utter dissolution of all things 2 Pet. 3. And Saint Matthew witnesses How that at the end of the world the Sun shall be turned into darkness and the Moon and the Stars shall lose their light the Stars shall fall from Heaven and the powers of the Heavens shall be shaken They likewise teach that in the Church of Calixius is the Altar whereon Saint Peter said Mass which is not probable in respect he never mentions it in Scripture nor Saint Luke that ever he used any such thing besides the sacrifice of the Altar is against the Scripture as may appear in the sixteenth Chapter The Church of Rome likewise teaches that in the Church of Saint Johns the Lateran in Rome is a Chappel called the Sacrists wherein is remission of all sins both à poena culpa and that not far from the same Chappel is an ascent of thirty two steps which were the same Christ went up when he went before Pilate and were brought from Hierusalem thither and that whosoever ascends those steps for every step he hath a hundred yeers of pardon which is contrary to the Scriptures Matth. 1.21 It is Jesus that must save his people from their sins and the whole Scriptures witness that by his stripes we are healed it is his blood that is shed for many for the remission of their 〈◊〉 It is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29 Neither is there salvation in any other Act. 4.12 and through his name all that believe shall receive remission of sins Act. 10.43 he being for that end sent into the world 1 Tim. 1.29 which gave himself for our sins that he might redeem us out of this present evil woâ—ld Gal. 1. and is a reconciliation for our 〈◊〉 1 Joh. 4. without which we are not cleansed his blood onely being our remission Hebr. 9. Wherefore how â—bominable is this Romish tradition which is for no other end but to cozen people out of their money who for the pardon to be received by going up those steps must liberally disâ—urse to his holiness use who more thinks upon that private advantage then Christian-like considers how by â—hat tradition he makes the death of Christ in vaine With many such like traditional stories doth the Church of Rome delude her blind votaries which I blush to repeate and will rather send the Reader to her own Legends where he shall finde great store of these Papal knocks then that I should be the â—uthor to discover these her fopperies which I rather wish were not at all then to her shame to be remembered For my part I honour Rome as the metropolis of Europe and her Church as being at first of Apostolical faith and doctrine and do heartily wish that these late gross absurdities I finde repeated of her were not true that so we might embrace her as one sister and might together serve the true and everliving God who is a Spirit and will be worshiped in Spirit and in Truth and that we might together keep the unity of Spirit in the bond of Peace for GOD is not the Author of confusion but of Peace as we see in all the Churches of the Saints Thus Reader I have briefly run through most part of the Doctors book and though I have not observed the very same method the Doctor has followed yet many of his Chapters being to one and the same purpose as who please to peruse his book will finde it true I have couched an answer to most material parts thereof in what I have formerly writ and now I am come to his twentieth Chapter which is concerning the Popes headship Now for that I have given answer to this in the second Chapter in relation to his universality it may be thought by some needless to treat any further thereof in relation to his spiritual jurisdiction and for that the Doctor hath not at all treated of his Temporal power it may be others be thought extravagant in me to add a Chapter concerning that particular Yet because that the Pope is bolstered up in this point by vertue of his Spiritual headship by many who extend it generally as well over temporalties as spiritualties And for that the Doctor having formerly treated of Romes Catholickship and of her universality and of her being the onely Catholick Church yet notwithstanding adds this twenteth Chapter of the Popes headship and for that as I said this headship is by same extended unto Temporalties I crave pardon to add this ensuing Chapter
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
his One and twentieth Chapter fol. 323. calls the Protestants startling at the Romish doctrine concerning the Sacrament of the Lords Supper a Prodigie of Opinions And he musters up several Tenents concerning the same which being various in themselves and contradictory each to other I wonder he should offer them against any particular Church especially the Church of England against whom I suppose his darts are by this intended for that elsewhere fol. 259. he speaking of Protestants offers grounds of converting to them again which must needs be intended to the Church of England from whence he is gone which he in this particular goes about to tax her of Error Wherefore I made bold to recapitulate these ensuing Truths professed by her and which she assumes to maintain against the Errours and Innovations of Rome touching this Sacrament wherein my desire is rather to clear her from all malicious dirt by Satans instruments thrown upon her then that I should by this means lay open the failings of the Doctor or his ingratitude to his Mother-Church The Church of England doth maintain That Christs body is given received and eaten after an heavenly and spiritual not after a carnal and corporal manner and doth utterly disallow of the new doctrine of Romes Transubstantiation not condemning it as new in respect of the Word but as it is a doctrine and practice in it self varying from what Christ his Apostles or the Primitive Churches taught and contrary to what the Church of Rome has formerly maintained for that it is a meer novelty through the corruption of later times and by covetous and ambitious Popes for self-interest obtruded upon the people making them believe a real transubstantiated presence by the Priests consecration and by him offered up for the sins of the people that so the people giving money to the Clergie they may buy Masses and Sacrifices for their sins and for the sins of others as well quick as dead Against which impious practice and vain assertions I will for the satisfying of some doubting and others deluded in opinion offer these professions of the English Church to their serious consideration The Church of England teacheth 1. Christ is spiritually eaten That Christ is not in the bread and wine but onely to such as worthily eat drink them That as Christ is a spiritual meat so he is spiritually eaten and digested with the spiritual part of us by faith And for this her doctrine she has warrant from Christ himself who speaking of the bread of life which came down from heaven and the bread which he would give them which was his flesh Joh. 6.51 the Jews and many of his disciples were offended saying How can he give us his flesh to eat and his blood to drink Christ perceiving their murmuring that they should not remain in ignorance explains it to them saying What if you see the Son of man ascend up where he was before It is the Spirit that giveth life and flesh availeth nothing The words which I speak unto you are spirit and life Which is a manifest clearing how the flesh is to be eaten and how the blood to be drunk that is after a spiritual manner and so Abraham and many others did eat him many yeers before he was born of the Virgin according as S. Paul witnesses 1 Cor. 10. They did eat the same spiritual meat and drank the same spiritual drink that is to say Christ For to eat that meat and drink that drink is to have Christ dwelling in us The wicked do not eat the body and we in Christ which must needs be understood of worthy receivers and not of the ungodly in whom Christ cannot be said to dwell it must needs be understood of one that truly believing feeds upon Christ in his heart and the wicked unbelieving sinner he receiveth onely the bread and wine not discerning the Lords body Saint Paul witnesseth this truth 1 Cor. 11. He that eateth of this bread and drinketh of this cup unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of Christ He saith not He that eateth and drinketh the body and blood for none but a worthy receiver doth that Nor doth this doctrine deny any to receive unworthily as the Doctor fol. 328. would perswade us because saith he such onely receive bread and wine and not the Lords body But it rather serveth to condemn their errours who would perswade that the wicked receive very Christ and so none should be guilty because whoso verily eateth his flesh and drinketh his blood hath everlasting life Therefore the Church of England is careful to avoid this error and maintains according to Christ his explanation that Christ is onely spiritually given received and eaten and that those onely that believe in Christ eat him and live by him and that every one eating that bread according to Christs institution and Ordinance is assured by Christs own promise and testament that he is a member of his body and receives the benefit of his passion and likewise be that drinks of that cup according to Christs institution is certified that he is made partaker of Christ his legacie his blood which was shed for remission of sins Whereas the unworthy receiver coming to this divine Ordinance without due reverence and a lively faith eateth and drinketh his own damnation for that he receiveth that bread and that wine unworthily which ought with faith to have been received believing that as that bread and wine nourish the outward man so Christ is thereby conveyed to the nourishment of the inner man and so Christ is in him and he in Christ And by thus receiving is the saying of Christ in Joh. 6. My flesh is very meat and my blood is very drink to be understood for none but the faithful are partakers of this heavenly banquet Christ is the bread of life he that eateth that bread shall live for ever which must be by faith in the Son of God Gal. 2. It must needs be understood of a mystical and not a real eating that even as the bread and wine which we receive is turned into our flesh and blood and is so joyned and mixed together with our flesh and blood that they be made one body together so be all faithful Christians spiritually turned into the body of Christ and be so joyned unto Christ and also together amongst themselves that they do but make one mystical body of Christ as S. Paul 1 Cor. 10. We be one bread and one body as many as be partakers of one bread and one cup. The wicked are not partakers of this banquet but onely the members of Christ therefore none verily eat the flesh and drink the blood but the believers It is not like the eating of Manna both good and bad ate that saith our Saviour Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead but he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever which must be by faith and in heart believing unto
this salvation And herewith agree the Fathers of the Primitive Churches Origen who writ about two hundred yeers after Christ upon the text of Matth. 15. The Word was made flesh and very meat which whoso eateth shall live for ever says that no evil man can eat thereof for it is onely eaten by faith And herewith agrees S. Cyprian in Serm. de Coena Dominic saying Our eating and drinking is a certain hunger and desire to dwell in him and that none do eat of this Lamb but such as be true Israelites which hunger is termed of the soul as David was an hungry Psal 41. My soul hath thirsted after God which is the well of life For the soul feeling nothing but the horrour of death and the terrour of Gods justice sin by the Laws impeachment having drawn that direful sentence upon her in her pensive meditations of her just demerits betakes her self to this spiritual refreshment of comfort and solace being hereunto invited with the sweet appellation of blessed if she hunger and thirst after righteousness and a cheerful promise of comforts that she shall be satisfied Matth. 5. Which spiritual hunger and thirst as it is not perceived of a carnal man but onely of such as inwardly desire this refreshment and ease from the deep throws of their sad condition so is it not given to any but such as spiritually long and seek after it God feedeth the hungry but the rich those that stand upon their own integrity he sends empty away It is no carnal banquet that flesh and blood can thirst after Have ye no houses to eat and drink in 1 Cor. 11. It is not eating an ordinary Supper to satisfie the greedy appetite of a natural man but as Christ said to his disciples Joh. 4.32 I have other meat to eat which ye know not The disciples themselves as carnal men knew not of this spiritual food and therefore Christ minding to draw them from their gross fleshly principles and to convince them that there is spiritual food as well as that which the mouth and throat take and swallow plainly says unto them Is any dry let him come to me Joh. 7. for he is meat he is drink which whosoever by faith spiritually eat and drink live for ever Athanasius de peccat in Spir. sanct says Christ made mention of his ascension to pluck men from corporal fancie and thereby to perswade them that his flesh was spiritual food the things which he spake were spirit and life It must needs therefore be understood of spiritual eating and spiritual drinking his flesh and blood which hereticks unbelievers could not do as S. Hierome upon Hos 8. witnesses And S. Ambrose de benedict Patr. cap. 9. says Jesus is the bread which is the meat of the Saints and he that taketh this bread dieth not a sinners death for this bread is remission of sins And S. Austin in his 26 Tract upon John Bread and wine which nourisheth the body a man may eat and drink and nevertheless die but the very body and blood no man eateth but hath everlasting life And in another place in sententiis ex Prosp decerpt cap. 339. He that agreeth not with Christ doth neither eat his flesh nor drink his blood although to the condemnation of himself for his presumption he every day receive the Sacrament of so high a nature Judas did eat the bread saith he in his 59 Tract but not the bread that was the Lord. Christ is onely spiritually in the bread and wine to such as by a lively faith receive him As for the wicked they receive but the meer bread and wine abusing the Ordinance From these Authorities may clearly be evinced that the Church of England doth maintain in this point as the ancient Fathers taught concerning this Sacrament Nor can any otherwise understand of this holy mystery for if Christ be corporally in the bread and wine then the wicked receiving him receive his body and not his Spirit for Rom. 8. as he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his so he that hath Christ in him believeth because he is justified And if his Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised Christ from death shall give life to your mortal bodies for his Spirits sake that dwelleth in you So that no wicked man hath the Spirit of Christ in him and to maintain that he hath him corporally and not spiritually is to divide his Humanity from his Divinity which blasphemy the Catholike Church abhors Now the Church of England doth not thus divide the Natures but holds that both his Body and Spirit is by faith received but not that the body is corporally in the bread the bread and wine being but the elementary parts signifying the spiritual substance and that God worketh this faith inwardly in our hearts 3. The bread and wine are but figures of the body and blood by his holy Spirit and outwardly confirmeth the same to our ears by the Word and to our senses by the eating and drinking the Sacramental bread and wine in his holy Supper Which eating and drinking is a spiritual feeding requiring no real presence of Christ but onely in Spirit grace and effectual operation And that when Christ said Hoc est corpus meum it was but figuratively spoken it being bread which he brake and gave as a type for a remembrance how his body was crucified for us And let none wonder at this her tenent to say that Christ spake in figures when he did institute this Sacrament for it is the nature of a Sacrament to be figures and types signifying mystical grace thereby received Hence it was that the Philistims when the Ark came into the army of the Israelites said that God was come into the army 1 King 4. And God himself at that time by the mouth of his Prophets said that from that time that he had brought the children of Israel out of Egypt he dwelled not in houses but that he was carried about in tents and tabernacles 1 King 7. which was a figurative speech he speaking that thing of himself which was to be understood of the Ark. Which phrase of speaking Christ himself often used as in Mat. 13.11 17. The field is the world The enemy the devil c. Joh. 16. I am the vine you are the branches Joh. 4. I have meat to eat which you know not And Joh. 10. I am the door Matth. 12. He that doth my Fathers will is my brother and sister c. These and many more Christ spake in Parables Tropes and Figures but chiefly when he said Hoc est corpus a figurative speech This cup is the new Testament in my blood the word my taken for the thing in the cup. Neither is the cup nor the wine Christs Testament but a signe and figure of his Testament And admit that by the word cup neither the cup nor wine is meant but the blood yet it
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
superfluous as to the cup the Church of Rome administers in one kind as if nothing were perfect and to be received in the Catholick Church but what his Holiness please to teach and allow And their reasons are so weak they offer for such their alterations that any one may plainly discern it is Will not Reason brings her into such changes Who but knows that Christ as he was man and the Apostles likewise were obnoxious to the same inconveniences of spilling the Wine as the Doctor alledges or part sticking upon their beards as the people of these dayes are But they knowing that it was Christs order to separate the cup from the bread and give it to be divided amongst them thereby denoting to them how his blood should be separated from his flesh and by Christ left as a pattern for them to follow and to have continuance till his comming again they by eating the bread and drinking the cup shew the Lords death till he come and for that the same was to be continued in remembrance thereof and they being commanded likewise hereunto Drink ye all of this Let a man examine himself and let him eat and let him drink They would not and we dare not admit of Romes alteration but desire of God to hold fast this truth we have received and that it would please him to confirm us herein that we may be blameless in the day of the Lord Jesus praying that all other Churches as in this so in all other points of faith and doctrine may be of one consent and firmly united together in one mind and one judgement that we may all proceed in one Rule and walk together as followers of Christ and his Apostles having them for an ensample to us that we may with one mind and one mouth praise God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Amen CHAP. XVII That the Lyturgie and private Prayers ought not to be in an unknown Language which the Congregation doth not understand WHereas Saint Paul in the 1 Cor. 14. is against giving of thanks or praying without understanding because the hearer is not edified nor can say Amen to he knows not what the Doctor to help the lame Dogg over the style and to clear his new step-mother the Church of Rome from the errors which other Churches lay to her charge for that she restrains her Prayers and her Lyturgy universally to the Latine tongue would needs have us to understand that S. Paul doth not hereby impugne the Lyturgie of the Church of Rome which sayes he was for the service and praise of God and he to whom it is directed understands any tongue but it is meant sayes he of Church-meetings which were onely for instruction and edification of the Auditors and not at all to be understood to gainsay the Lyturgie of Romes Church To which I answer 1. S. Paul's meaning is as well meant of the one as of the other for vers 26. When ye come says he together according as every one hath a tongue or hath interpretation let it be done to edifying By which it is plain that both praises and prayers Psalms as well as doctrine ought to be with understanding For vers 28. If any man hath an unknown tongue let him keep silence in the Church and speak to himself and to God That man that hath the spirit of Tongues may speak to God and himself but he must be silent to others unless they can understand him for how shall they say Amen to they know not what God requires from us the heart Give me thine heart David desired to praise the Lord in soul and spirit Praise the Lord O my soul and all that is within me praise his holy Name We must not think that a little lip-labour to say Amen to we know not what can be acceptable unto God 1 Sam. 1. Hannah prayed in her heart to the Lord. Not every one that saith Lord Lord shall be saved Matth. 7. God doth not require lip-service he condemned the Scribes and Pharisees who drew neer unto him with their lips but their hearts were far off Matth. 15. We are commanded to serve God with all our heart and soul Josh 24. We must sing and make melody to the Lord in our hearts Ephes 5. We must approve that which is pleasing to the Lord vers 10. God is King of all the earth sing ye praises therefore with understanding By all which and many more places of Scripture it is plain that the service of the Congregation it must be with the heart that is with the understanding We must not think that God is well pleased with the peoples devotion that proceeds not from the heart I will for the better satisfaction of those that seem to be satisfied with the Doctor 's exposition of S. Paul offer these reasons to his consideration against those he has propounded to justifie the Romane Lyturgie universally Platina writes Laâ—ne service first set up that the first Latine Service that ever was at Constantinople was anno 687. whenas the sixth Councel there held was assembled for before that it was never had in the Latine but in the Greek or Hebrew Tongue But now was the Pope grown to be universal by the late donation of Phocas for countenancing his murder of Mauritius and it did not stand with his new-acquired honour and dignity that the Language of any other Church should be preferred before that of Rome and therefore at a General Councel the representative of the several Churches must the Language of the Romane See be preferred before any other For as the Pope was universal Head he must needs have an Universal Tongue otherwise his Universality were dumb And this was the true ground of composing the Latine Lyturgie and not as the Doctor would perswade us because it was the most general Tongue for whenas this was consented unto by many other Bishops to please the Lordly Pope the Emperours great favourite it gave occasion for the spreading of that Language because the Service began to be in many places in it not that it was so copious or known a Tongue before Nor doth the reason the Doctor brings justifie but rather condemn the Latine Lyturgie for saith he the Lyturgie of the Eastern Churches was used in Greek though all the Eastern parts spoke not that Language therefore why may not Rome prescribe a Lyturgie in Latine to the Western Churches To which I answer It was thought fit by the Fathers of the Primitive Church to have one uniform Lyturgie in all the Churches upon earth and â—o that end did those then-visible Churches use the Greek Tongue Why has the Church of Rome set up another form By this the Doctor contradicts her Antiquity and the other mark that she should never have separated from a Society more ancient then her self or else denâ—es her Universality in that she is but to prescribe a Latine Lyturgie to the Western Churcbes and so he makes those marks
by which he would have her distinguished to be a true Church to become Brands and Stigmatizings of her errors and falling from the Primitive Church 3. Another reason the Doctor enforces is this that there are many words in peoples Languages which are hard to be understood and therefore they may as well have all in Latine for that the common people do not understand every word they speak This seems to me a very strange Argument whilst he thus strives to clear this point he doth more condemn it or obscure the truth for this is ignotum per ignotius because the common people do not understand all the words of their Language therefore they shall understand none at all he may perchance perswade some fool that is blind of the one eye to put out the other to make them both alike but he must bring stronger reasons and prove himself a better Scholar else it will be hard for him to turn our English into Latine and make the Lyturgie of other Churches to speak the Romane tongue When Vitalianus decreed the Latine service Greek was more generally known then the Latine insomuch that in several parts of Italy the Latine was not spoken as in Calabria the Greek was spoken in Itruria the Tuscan in Apulia the Mesapian tongue the Latine being onely the proper language of the territories of Latium in which Rome is situate neither was any thing generall wrote but in the Greek tongue so that if it was convenient to have the Lyturgie in one tongue universally the alteration from the Greek into Latine was at first unlawful in respect of the narrowness of the language in those daies it being done onely out of ostentation and for the glory of the Romane See to make others receive the Latine Lyturgie after she had surreptitiously acquired the title of Universality 4. Whereas the Doctor alledges If the Lyturgie should be in distinct proper languages of several people whether could the Church of Rome understand the errors therein nor they be sure there were none in it This argues Romes intolerable arrogancy as if none could be Christians which had not received the faith from her whenas the Apostles were sent to all Nations and preached the Gospel in their own languages and having received the faith by Apostolical plantation it is equally just with them to correct Rome as she to correct them both being herein bound to the Discipline of a general Councel sending thither some one or other which shall in some general language there make known their case Besides this argument of the Doctors has given Rome a most deadly blow for if Rome be the onely Catholick Church and her Bishop have all Apostolical power devolved upon her own head certainly she is either enabled to teach all Nations or else it will follow that those people which have not yet received the faith must still remain in darkness because Rome wants the gift of interpretation of tongues and knows not how to make them understand the Gospel of Jesus and for that faith comes by hearing not by dumb shewes unless Rome be able to make such people understand service and prayer they will think her Priests are mad It is not his praising God with an understanding heart that can edifie them though the Priest should praise the Lord upon the Harp they will but think as the Negroes did when they first heard Bag-pipes that they were living creatures and ascribe Deity to them and so instead of preaching Jesus or offering praise to him they would make the people commit Idolatry if the Priest knew not how to perswade them of their errors much less to make them sensible of the Church of Rome's prescribed rules and so by this means the Doctor has confessed the people to want Brains correspondent to his universal head And whereas the Doctor alledges The difference of languages that all Languages are not of equal extent and therefore incongruities would arise Besides sayes he the inconvenience of having it in Latine is but in part and that to the ignorant I conceive these reasons make rather against it then otherwise It is true all Languages are not of the same latitude in some Languages one word comprehending several word in another language God has given to every Nation several gifts of tongues Reason taught men to reduce out of confused and indictinct sounds articulate sillables and peculiar words to signifie their own meaning and time and Art hath perfected those beginnings so that now every Nation abounds in its own language the languages of the Nations being at first made different according to the different imaginations of several people at the first composing of such languages but yet nothing that is imaginable but they have or can give a name whereby to represent to their senses the nature of the thing or if they already have a name for any thing and do not know the reason of that denomination yet they rest satisfied with the articulate sound of the words which brings unto their mind the thing intended and meant Now because of those several Nations and people which at first invented several different languages insomuch that in the language of one Country one word may comprehend a parephrasis of another that therefore such a Countries language is too short it must not be imagined For though to strangers it seem imperfect yet amongst themselves it is sufficiently to describe the thing intended wherefore I should think that understanding the Doctors objection it were fit that every Nation had a Lyturgie in its own proper language it perchance may seem to some to breed incongruities but indeed it doth not it denotes the difference of languages in respect of latitude or extent but it retains a royal and concuring sense and understanding of the thing presented to their fancy without which the people must for ever remain in darkness and lockt up in ignorance which was not Gods will he commanded his Apostles to teach all Nations and sent them especially to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Matth. 10. God is light and Jesus is the tender day-spring from on high which hath visited us to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death and to guide our feet in the way of peace Wherefore for Rome to take away this light to let this inconvenience as the Doctor says to be upon the ignorant is not to discharge the office of Peter and Paul who were sent out to bring into light them that sit in darkness Matth. 4. To them that sate in darkness is light risen up Jesus came into the world a light says S. John John 12.46 that whosoever believeth in him should not abide in darkness Whether Jewes or Gentiles we are one sheep under one Shepherd Christ Jesus John 10.16 Wherefore for the Doctor to extenuate this error of Rome to say that the inconvenience is onely to the ignorant is to me a strange Divinity for The whole
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
in it one earthly another heavenly by the heavenly understanding the sanctification which cometh by the invocation of the name of God and by the earthly the substance of bread which doth nourish our bodies Shortly after Irenaeus was Origen about 200 yeers after Christ who affirms in Matth. cap. 15. that the material bread remains whose matter availeth nothing but goeth down into the belly and is voided downward but the Word spoke upon the bread is it that availeth Eusebius Emissaenus who wrote about 300 yeers after Christ de consecrat dist 2. says that outwardly was nothing changed all the change was inwardly As man made new in Baptism doth visibly remain in the same measure receiving a new inward without making any change in the outward man not seen not felt but believed so likewise when thou dost go up to the altar to receive the spiritual meat in thy faith look upon the body and blood of Christ and feed upon him with thy inward man By which it is plain that it is onely a spiritual change by faith not an outward and corporal change Epiphanius contra Haereses lib. 3. tom 2. The bread saith he is meat but the vertue that is in it giveth life Chrysostome who wrote about 420 yeers after Christ ad Caesarium Monachum The bread saith he before it is consecrate is called bread but after it is consecrate it is delivered from the name of bread and exalted to the name of the Lords body although the nature of the bread doth still remain S. Austin who lived about the same time in Sermone ad Infantes That which you see on the Altar is the bread and the cup which your eyes shew you is the wine but faith sheweth you that that bread is the body and that cup the blood of Christ Gelasius Bishop of Rome contra Eutichem Nestorium proving the Godhead and Humanity of Christ he enforceth it with two reasons the one drawn from the example of Man who being but one is made of two parts and hath two natures the Body and the Soul the other drawn from the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ which saith he is a godly thing and yet the nature of the bread and wine do not cease to be there still This was the opinion of the Fathers of those days and thus Transubstantiation is a new doctrine and no otherwise held the Church of Rome for a thousand yeers after Christ there being never so much as question made about this point for a thousand yeers compleat the time of Satans being let at large Apoc. 20. at which time by reason of some pretended miracles this doctrine was by the private opinion of some men set abroach which being once published it being the nature of evil weeds to spread and grow fast if once they get rooting in any garden it presently got abettors and champions to justifie it against all opposers some out of curiosity of Wit striving to blinde Truth with subtil reasons others out of dulness of apprehension God having withdrawn his Spirit from them were given up to this delusion so that in 60 yeers this new bantling wanted not foster-fathers to nourish it up to a greater and fuller growth A mongst the rest one Paschasius was one that first publikely maintained it and after him the Popes enclined to this opinion insomuch that Berengarius a French-man and Arch-deacon of Anjou opposing this Heresie was himself censured of that he urged against the then Pope of Rome and was the first that ever was questioned for maintaining against this doctrine of Transubstantiation and the Pope adhering to the adverse party which was for Transubstantiation Berengarius was forced to recant the Councel of Vorcellense held 1051. swaying against him which opinion of his he again resumed and did recognize the Truth again after that the then-Pope was dead which when Pope Nicolas 2. heard of he sent his busie agent and Cardinal-Chaplain Hildebrand into France to bring Berengerius under coram nobis who being sore troubled and molested and seeing by the faction of the Pope and Hildebrand that the current was against him through the treachery of a base timorous nature he suffered his noble parts his intellects to be clouded with the mists of the times errour and tamely did recant his former tenents and did therefore take an Oath never to oppose that doctrine of his Holiliness in this point of Transubstantiation And thus this doctrine began And although Pope Nicolas did avouch this doctrine in a Councel at Laterane held anno 1059. Ante chap. 14. and there framed the term of Transubstantiation yet notwithstanding this pretty Papal babe of Heresie was Christned and put forth to nurse yet nevertheless it grew not to be free and to bear rule till 1215. when Pope Innocent the third manumitted the stripling and by another Lateran-Councel did decree this doctrine as a point of Catholike Faith enjoyning all to the obedience thereof upon pain of Hetesie Johannes Scotus who was called Duns lib. 4. writing of this matter saith that the words of the Scripture might be expounded more easily and plainly without Transubstantiation but it pleased the Church to chuse this sense which is more hard being moved thereunto most chiefly because that of the Sacraments men ought to hold as the holy Church of Rome doth hold Which kinde of blinde obedience Blinde obedience makes the Popish Religion in no better condition then the State of Athens was whilst it was governed by the arbitrary power of a standing Legislative Councel which daily gave new Laws unto the people so that the people could not by any known Rule say their clothes were their own all the Law by which they derived any property being under an arbitrary power insomuch that as they were not secure by walking after any known Law so neither was it safe for them to rely upon such new Laws as the Councel it self proposed the Councel altering every day her own Laws as time administred occasion for self-advantage so that Athens was in a miserable condition during this slavery of her Legislative power not dissolvable by any Authority the people not having liberty to dissolve it and to call as occasion shall require a Councel to redress grievances and not otherwise to continue but to be dissolved that so in the intervals they might know what Law stood good and unalterable amongst them Even so stands the Religion of the Papists Now that the Pope is declared above Councels and that he may continually prescribe Rules of Faith by vertue thereof their Religion is a meer nose of wax alterable at his will and pleasure who has a faithful tribe of Ignations which will blandish his new doctrines and make the people believe they are but growings in faith whenas they are diametrically opposite to the Catholike Faith of the Primitive Church but if it stand for conveniency or advantage to the Pope and his creatures it must be believed
as a matter of faith and that upon pain of damnation as witness this novel point and some others which are of later times crept into that Church And when any thing of Papal will and interest must be held forth to the other Churches then is the Lateran at Rome pitched upon Ante chap. 14. as I have formerly said as the onely convenient place to have the matter debated it being there likely to receive the least opposition by reason his Holiness is at hand to take notice of his enemies and to punish them and to flatter and promote such as stand for his Papal pleasure In this Councel of Laterane The Councel of Laterane chap. 17. likewise was hatched that other Cockatrice that strange brazen-fac'd and staring opinion of deposing Kings from which root of bitterness springs many tart branches of dangerous and poysonful Errours the nauseating juyce of whose sowre grapes being given to some other Churches to drink it hath intoxicated them making their Vertigious heads turn after the Laterane Weather-cock and in their brain-sick fit conceit that her high-reared Spire is the onely supporter of the heavenly Pole whilst the sober and discreet Christian knows that her proud top being exalted to that height is but so much the neereâ— the pattern of Babels Tower And whilst they think she is dignified before others her head being lifted above them others know she hath not whereof to boast unless in this That shee has the upper room in Satan 's airy principality which how much the higher she is lifted she is but thereby rendered more subject to be muffled with the black contractions of the Devil's Cimerian clouds of Errours And though the top thereof be forged out of that material Sword as is by the Romish Legends maintained which cut off Saint John Baptist's head it should not therefore arrogate to be the onely decolling instrument of Principality and Temporal power But I return to the subject matter of this Chapter That I may the further lay open the errours of the Church of Rome in this particular Miracles the cause of Transubstantiation and that the Papists shall not have whereof to boast in that I said they were induced by Miracles to maintain this doctrine should I pass those Miracles by in silence I will let the Reader know what they were It is reported that a Bishop of Canterbury about the time of this change did shew unto some for their conversion the Host turned into flesh and blood in outward appearance dropping into the Chalice and that thereupon they believed Transubstantiation Another is reported by Paschasius of one Plegildus a Priest of Almain who did see and handle visibly the shape of a childe upon the Altar and after it turned into bread and he was to receive it Another is reported of a Jew-boy who coming into the Church with another boy which was a Christian he saw upon the Altar a little childe torn in pieces and afterwards by portions distributed which he reporting was condemned to be burned but was after rescued from the flame by the Christians These Miracles were the onely arguments used against Berengarius and the convincing perswasions of the facile consciences of those days which how it stands with the doctrine of Christ Joh. 6.63 the practice of the Apostles the profession of the Primitive times and the faith and doctrine of the ancient Fathers let any judge S. Paul says 1 Cor. 11. That which he had received of the Lord Jesus that he delivered That as often as they did eat the bread and drink the cup they shewed the Lords death till he came Saint Paul calls it bread and the Evangelist wine and that after consecration and the Fathers of the Church taught that doctrine with them and Christ himself calls them bread and fruit of the vine and S. Paul The communion of the body And this being the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles though an Angel from heaven should come and teach any other doctrine let him be accursed Gal. 1. Wherefore these miraculous apparitions were no ground for Rome to change her faith in this point If these stories be true they ought to be considered as extraordinary apparitions like the light from heaven which shone about S. Paul These external miraculous apparitions were but to perswade the consciences of Infidels and Heathens to turn to the faith of Christ and to be perswaded of the truth of that Sacrament and not to make the true and already-grounded Christians to change the nature of their faith which is the ground of things hoped for and the evidence of things which are not seen Heb. 11.1 This was to perswade the mis-believing Jew of Christ and of the truth of this blessed Sacrament whereby he was to be made partaker of the benefits of his precious death and passion not to teach the Christian any new doctrine concerning the same These miracles should rather confirm him in his faith received that it was a spiritual banquet in respect that after the apparition as the story runs at the receiving that which was received was become bread again and not to ensnare him into this novel errour which was contrary to Christs doctrine the Apostles preaching and the practice of the Primitive Church But I will no longer insist upon this point I submit to any good Christian whether it be safer to follow Christs explanation of this mystery to be spiritual with which S. Paul and the ancient Fathers do concur then to humour the times and to be observant to the late Popes which about the time of this change were grown great and since have by cunning practices enlarged that power insomuch that now they are declared above Councels and whatsoever they propound must de fide be received upon the score of their infallibility be it never so contrary to the truth of Gods Word And they by this doctrine receiving advantage by their Altar-Sacrifices will not easily be induced to renounce the errour thereof and though never so palpably against the Truth of God yet the Jesuites will maintain it for their Masters advantage this doctrine tending more to his avail then any good to the souls of his flock Wherefore the Church of England having a right to reform errours in her own Province has chosen to cast off this blinde tenent of the Pope and his Parasites and she having the warrant of Christ the rules of the Apostles the practice of the Primitive Church and the consent of the ancient Fathers for her doctrine in this point hath therefore made choice with them in unity of Spirit firmly to hold and maintain that Christ in his humanity is not really and corporally in the Sacrament but figuratively in the outward elements being thereby signified and is spiritually eaten and drunken of the worthy receiver CHAP. XVI Against Communion in one kinde That the Church of Rome's withholding the Cup from the Layty is a novelty against Christs precept and the ancient