absolute Monarch upon earth for the Power of St. Peter in their opinion was the same which now the Roman Bishop doth challenge to himself over the Pastours and People of God's Church by virtue of succession to him Saint Peter's Power being the base of the Papal and therefore not narrower than its superstructure but what domination comparable to that hath ever been used in the world What Emperour did ever pretend to a rule so wide in extent in regard either to persons or matters or so absolute in effect Who ever beside his Holiness did usurp a command not onely over the external actions but the most inward cogitations of all mankind subjecting the very Minds and Consciences of Men to his dictates his laws his censures Who ever thundred Curses and Damnations on all those who should presume to dissent from his Opinion or to contest his pleasure Who ever claimed more absolute Power in making abolishing suspending Laws or imposing upon men what he pleased under obligation of Conscience and upon extremest penalties What Prince ever used a style more imperious than is that which is usual in the Papal Bulls Let it be lawfull for no man whatever to infringe this expression of our will and command or to goe against it with bold rashness What Domitian more commonly did admit the appellation of Lord than doth the Pope Our most Holy Lord is the ordinary style attributed to him by the Fathers of Trent as if they were his slaves and intended to enslave all Christendom to him Who ever did exempt his Clients and Dependents in all Nations from subjection to Civil Laws from undergoing common burthens and taxes from being judged or punished for their misdemeanours and crimes Who ever claimed a power to dispose of all things one way or other either directly or indirectly to dispose even of Kingdoms to judge Sovereign Princes and to condemn them to depose them from their authority absolving their Subjects from all allegiance to them and exposing their Kingdoms to rapine To whom but a Pope were ever ascribed prerogatives like those of judging all men and himself being liable to no judgment no account no reproof or blame so that as a Papal Canon assureth us let a Pope be so bad as by his negligence and male-administration to carry with him innumerable people to Hell yet no mortal man whatever must presume here to reprove his faults because he being to judge all men is himself to be judged of no man except he be catcht swerving from the Faith which is a case they will hardly suffer a man to suppose possible To whom but to a Pope was such Power attributed by his followers and admitted by himself that he could hear those words applying to him All Power is given to thee in Heaven and in Earth Such Power the Popes are wont to challenge and when occasion serveth do not fail to execute as Successours of St. Peter to whom therefore consequently they ascribe it and sometimes in express terms as in that brave apostrophe of P. Gregory VII the Spirit of which Pope hath possessed his Successours generally Goe to therefore said he directing his Speech to Saint Peter and Saint Paul most Holy Princes of the Apostles and what I have said confirm by your Authority that now at length all men may understand whether ye can bind and loose that also ye can take away and give on Earth Empires Kingdoms and whatever mortal men can have Now if the assuming and exercising such Powers be not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that exalting ones self that being called Rabbi Father Master which our Lord prohibiteth what is so what then can those words signify what could our Lord mean The Authority therefore which they assign to Saint Peter and assume to themselves from him is voided by those Declarations and Precepts of our Lord the which it can hardly be well conceived that our Lord would have proposed if he had designed to constitute Saint Peter in such a Supremacy over his Disciples and Church 7. Surveying particulars we shall not find any peculiar administration committed to Saint Peter nor any privilege conferred on him which was not also granted to the other Apostles Was Saint Peter an Ambassadour a Steward a Minister a Vicar if you please or Surrogate of Christ so were they by no less immediate and express warrant than he for As the Father sent me so also I send you said our Lord presently before his departure by those words as St. Cyprian remarketh granting an equal Power to all the Apostles and We saith Saint Paul are Ambassadours for Christ we pray you in Christ's stead be reconciled to God and So let a man esteem us as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards of the Mysteries of God Was Saint Peter a Rock on which the Church was to be founded Be it so but no less were they all for the Wall of Jerusalem which came down from Heaven had twelve foundations on which were inscribed the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb and We saith Saint Paul are all built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ himself being the chief Corner stone whence Equally saith St. Hierome the strength of the Church is setled upon them Was Saint Peter an Architect of the Spiritual house as himself calleth the Church so were also they for I saith Saint Paul as a wise Master-builder have laid the Foundation Were the Keys of the Church or of the Kingdom of Heaven committed to him So also were they unto them They had a Power to open and shut it by effectual instruction and persuasion by dispensation of the Sacraments by exercise of Discipline by exclusion of scandalous and heretical Persons Whatever faculty the Keys did import the Apostles did use it in the foundation guidance and government of the Church and did as the Fathers teach impart it to those whom they did in their stead constitute to feed and govern the Church Had Saint Peter a Power given him of binding and loosing effectually So had they immediately granted by our Saviour in as full manner and couched in the same terms If thou shalt bind on Earth it shall be bound in Heaven said our Lord to him and Whatsoever things ye shall bind on Earth they shall be bound in Heaven said the same Divine mouth to them Had he a privilege to remit and retain sins it was then by virtue of that common grant or promise Whos 's soever sins ye remit they shall be remitted and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained Had he power and obligation to feed the Sheep of Christ all or some so had they indefinitely and immediately so had others by Authority derived from them who were nominated Pastours who had this charge laid on them Take heed unto your selves and to all the Flock over which the Holy Ghost
bounds of Papal Authority This disagreement of the Roman Doctours about the nature and extent of Papal Authority is a shrewd prejudice against it If a man should sue for a piece of Land and his Advocates the notablest could be had and well payed could not find where it lieth how it is butted and bounded from whom it was conveyed to him one would be very apt to suspect his Title If God had instituted such an Office it is highly probable we might satisfactorily know what the Nature and Use of it were the Patents and Charters for it would declare it Yet for resolution in this great Case we are left to seek they not having either the will or the courage or the power to determine it This insuperable Problem hath baffled all their infallible methods of deciding Controversies their Traditions blundering their Synods clashing their Divines wrangling endlesly about what kind of thing the Pope is and what Power he rightly may claim There is saith a great Divine among them so much controversie about the plenitude of Ecclesiastical Power and to what things it may extend it self that few things in that matter are secure This is a plain argument of the impotency of the Pope's power in judging and deciding Controversies or of his Cause in this matter that he cannot define a Point so nearly concerning him and which he so much desireth an Agreement in that he cannot settle his own Claim out of doubt that all his Authority cannot secure it self from contest So indeed it is that no Spells can allay some Spirits and where Interests are irreconcilable Opinions will be so Some Points are so tough and so touchy that no-body dare meddle with them fearing that their resolution will fail of success and submission Hence even the anathematizing Definers of Trent the boldest undertakers to decide Controversies that ever were did wave this Point the Legates of the Pope being injoined to advertise That they should not for any cause whatever come to dispute about the Pope's Authority It was indeed wisely done of them to decline this Question their Authority not being strong enough to bear the weight of a Decision in favour of the Roman See against which they could doe nothing according to its Pretences as appeareth by one clear instance For whereas that Council took upon it incidentally to enact that any Prince should be excommunicate and deprived of the dominion of any City or place where he should permit a Duel to be fought the Prelates of France in the Convention of Orders Anno 1595. did declare against that Decree as infringing their King's Authority It was therefore advisedly done not to meddle with so ticklish a point But in the mean time their Policy seemeth greater than their Charity which might have inclined them not to leave the world in darkness and doubt and unresolved in a Point of so main importance as indeed they did in others of no small consequence disputed among their Divines with obstinate Heat viz. The Divine Right of Bishops the Necessity of Residence the immaculate Conception c. The Opinions therefore among them concerning the Pope's Authority as they have been so they are and in likelihood may continue very different § II. There are among them those who ascribe to the Pope an universal absolute and boundless Empire over all Persons indifferently and in all Matters conferred and settled on him by Divine immutable sanction so that all men of whatever degree are obliged in conscience to believe whatever he doth authoritatively dictate and to obey whatever he doth prescribe So that if Princes themselves do refuse obedience to his will he may excommunicate them cashier them depose them extirpate them If he chargeth us to hold no Communion with our Prince to renounce our Allegeance to him to abandon oppose and persecute him even to death we may without scruple we must in duty obey If he doth interdict whole Nations from the exercise of God's Worship and Service they must comply therein So that according to their conceits he is in effect Sovereign Lord of all the World and superiour even in Temporal or Civil matters unto all Kings and Princes It is notorious that many Canonists if not most and many Divines of that Party do maintain this Doctrine affirming that all the Power of Christ the Lord of Lords and King of Kings to whom all Power in Heaven and Earth doth appertain is imparted to the Pope as to his Vice-gerent This is the Doctrine which almost 400 years agoe Augustinus Triumphus in his egregious Work concerning Ecclesiastical Power did teach attributing to the Pope an incomprehensible and infinite Power because great is the Lord and great is his Power and of his Greatness there is no end This is the Doctrine which the leading Theologue of their Sect their Angelical Doctour doth affirm both directly saying that in the Pope is the top of both Powers and by plain consequence asserting that when any one is denounced excommunicate for Apostasie his Subjects are immediately freed from his dominion and their Oath of Allegeance to him This the same Thomas or an Authour passing under his name in his Book touching the Rule of Princes doth teach affirming that the Pope as Supreme King of all the world may impose taxes on all Christians and destroy Towns and Castles for the preservation of Christianity This as Card. Zabarell near 300 years agoe telleth us is the Doctrine which for a long time those who would please Popes did persuade them that they could doe all things whatever they pleased yea and things unlawfull and so could doe more than God According to this Doctrine then current at Rome in the last Laterane Great Synod under the Pope's nose and in his ear one Bishop styled him Prince of the World another Oratour called him King of Kings and Monarch of the Earth another great Prelate said of him that he had all Power above all Powers both of Heaven and Earth And the same roused up Pope Leo X. in these brave terms Snatch up therefore the two-edged sword of Divine Power committed to thee and injoyn command and charge that an universal Peace and Alliance be made among Christians for at least 10 years and to that bind Kings in the fetters of the great King and constrain Nobles by the iron manacles of Censures for to thee is given all Power in Heaven and in Earth This is the Doctrine which Baronius with a Roman confidence doth so often assert and drive forward saying that there can be no doubt of it but that the Civil Principality is subject to the Sacerdotal and that God hath made the Political Government subject to the Dominion of the Spiritual Church § III. From that Doctrine the Opinion in effect doth not differ which Bellarmine voucheth for the common Opinion of Catholicks that by reason of the Spiritual Power the Pope at least indirectly hath a Supreme
of fact and history which is the best interpreter of right or privilege in such cases for we may reasonably understand our Saviour to have promised that which in effect we see performed so the event sheweth the Church was built on him that is by him saith Tertullian But this sense doth not imply any Superiority of Power or Dignity granted to Saint Peter above his Brethren however it may signify an advantage belonging to him and deserving especial respect as St. Chrysostome notably doth set out in these words Although John although James although Paul although any other whoever may appear performing great matters he yet doth surpass them all who did precede them in liberty of speech and opened the entrance and gave to them as to a river carryed with a huge stream to enter with great ease Doing this as I say it might signify his being a Rock of the Church so it denoteth an excellency of merit but not a Superiority in Power 8. It may also be observed that Saint Peter before the speaking of those words by our Lord may seem to have had a Primacy intimated by the Evangelists when they report his call to the Apostolical Office and by his behaviour when in this confession and before in the like he undertook to be their mouth and Spokesman when not being unmindfull of his place saith St. Ambrose he did act a Primacy a Primacy addeth that Father of Confession not of honour of Faith not of order his Primacy therefore such as he had cannot well be founded on this place he being afore possessed of it and as St. Ambrose conceived exercising it at that time II. They alledge the next words of our Lord spoken in sequele upon the same occasion To thee will I give the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven that is say they the Supreme power over all the Church for he say they that hath the Keys is Master of the House To this testimony we may apply divers of the same answers which were given to the former for 1. These words are figurate and therefore not clear enough to prove their assertion 2. They do admit and have received various interpretations 3. It is evident that the Apostles themselves did not understand these words as importing a Supremacy over them that Saint Peter himself did not apprehend this sense that our Lord upon occasion inviting to it did not take notice of his promise according thereto 4. The words I will give thee cannot any-wise be assured to have been exclusive of others or appropriated to him He said as a very learned man of the Roman Communion noteth to Peter I will give thee the Keys but he said not I gill give them to thee alone nothing therefore can be concluded from them to their purpose 5. The Fathers do affirm that all the Apostles did receive the same Keys Are saith Origen the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven given by the Lord to Peter alone and shall none other of the Blessed ones receive them but if this I will give thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven be common how also are not all the things common which were spoken before or are added as spoken to Peter St. Hierome says in express words that all the Apostles did receive the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven He saith Optatus did alone receive the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven which were to be communicated to the rest that is as Rigaltius well expoundeth those words which Christ himself would also communicate to the rest Theophilact Although it be spoken to Peter alone I will give thee yet it is given to all the Apostles It is part of Saint John's character in St. Chrysostome He that hath the Keys of the Heavens 6. Indeed whatever according to any tolerable exposition or according to the current expositions of the Fathers those Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven do import whether it be a faculty of opening it by Doctrine of admitting into it by dispensation of Baptism and absolution of excluding from it by Ecclesiastical censure or any such faculty signified by that metaphorical expression it plainly did belong to all the Apostles and was effectually conferred on them yea after them upon all the Pastours of the Church in their several precincts and degrees who in all Ages have claimed to themselves the power of the Keys to be as the Council of Compeign calleth all Bishops clavigeri the Key-bearers of the Kingdom of Heaven So that in these words nothing singular was promised or granted to Saint Peter although it well may be deemed a singular mark of favour that what our Lord did intend to bestow on all Pastours that he did anticipately promise to him or as the Fathers say to the Church and its Pastours in him In which respect we may admit those words of Pope Leo I. 7. Indeed divers of the Fathers do conceive the words spoken to St. Peter not as a single person but as a representative of the Church or as standing in the room of each Pastour therein unto whom our Lord designed to impart the power of the Keys All we Bishops saith St. Ambrose have in Saint Peter received the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven 8. These answers are confirmed by the words immediately adjoyned equivalent to these and interpretative of them And whatsoever thou shalt bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven the which do import a power or privilege soon after expressly and in the very same words promised or granted to all the Apostles as also the same power in other words was by our Lord conferred on them all after the Resurrection If therefore the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven do import Supreme Power then each Apostle had Supreme Power 9. If we should grant that which no-wise can be proved that something peculiarly belonging to Saint Peter is implyed in those words it can onely be this that he should be a prime man in the work of preaching and propagating the Gospel and conveying the heavenly benefits of it to believers which is an opening of the Kingdom of Heaven according to what Tertullian excellently saith of him So saith he the event teacheth the Church was built in him that is by him he did initiate the Key see which Ye men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you c. He in fine in the baptism of Christ did unlock the entrance to the Kingdom of Heaven c. 10. It seemeth absurd that Saint Peter should exercise the power of the Keys in respect to the Apostles for did he open the Kingdom of Heaven to them who were by our Lord long before admitted into it 11. In fine our Lord as Saint Luke relateth it did say to Saint Peter and probably to him first Fear not from henceforth thou shalt catch men might it hence be inferred that Saint Peter
Discipline should never insist upon the duty of Obedience to the Pope or charge those Schismaticks with their rebellion against him or alledge his Authority against them If we consider that the Pope was Bishop of the Imperial City the Metropolis of the World that he thence was most eminent in rank did abound in wealth did live in great splendour and reputation had many dependences and great opportunities to gratify and relieve many of the Clergy that of the Fathers whose Volumes we have all well affected towards him divers were personally obliged to him for his support in their distress as Athanasius Chrysostome Theodoret or as to their Patrons and Benefactours as St. Hierome divers could not but highly respect him as Patron of the cause wherein they were engaged as Basil Gregory Nazianzene Hilary Gregory Nyssene Ambrose Austin some were his partizans in a common quarrel as Cyril divers of them lived in places and times wherein he had got much sway as all the Western Bishops that he had then improved his Authority much beyond the old limits that all the Bishops of the Western or Latine Churches had a peculiar dependence on him especially after that by advantage of his Station by favour of the Court by colour of the Sardican Canons by voluntary deferences and submissions by several tricks he had wound himself to meddle in most of their chief Affairs that hence divers Bishops were tempted to admire to court to flatter him that divers aspiring Popes were apt to encourage the commenders of their Authority which they themselves were apt to magnifie and inculcate considering I say such things it is a wonder that in so many voluminous discourses so little should be said favouring this pretence so nothing that proveth it so much that crosseth it so much indeed as I hope to shew that quite overthroweth it If it be asked how we can prove this I answer that beside who carefully peruseth those old Books will easily see it we are beholden to our Adversaries for proving it to us when they least intended us such a favour for that no clear and cogent passages for proof of this pretence can be thence fetched is sufficiently evident from the very allegations which after their most diligent raking in old Books they produce the which are so few and fall so very short of their purpose that without much stretching they signifie nothing 28. It is monstrous that in the Code of the Catholick Church consisting of the decrees of so many Synods concerning Ecclesiastical order and discipline there should not be one Canon directly declaring his Authority nor any mention made of him except thrice accidentally once upon occasion of declaring the Authority of the Alexandrine Bishop the other upon occasion of assigning to the Bishop of Constantinople the second place of honour and equal privileges with him If it be objected that these discourses are negative and therefore of small force I answer that therefore they are most proper to assert such a negative proposition for how can we otherwise better shew a thing not to be than by shewing it to have no footstep there where it is supposed to stand how can we more clearly argue a matter of right to want proof than by declaring it not to be extant in the Laws grounding such right not taught by the Masters who profess to instruct in such things not testifyed in records concerning the exercise of it such arguments indeed in such cases are not merely negative but rather privative proving things not to be because not affirmed there where in reason they ought to be affirmed standing therefore upon positive Suppositions that Holy Scripture that general tradition are not imperfect and lame toward their design that ancient Writers were competently intelligent faithfull diligent that all of them could not conspire in perpetual silence about things of which they had often fair occasion and great reason to speak In fine such considerations however they may be deluded by Sophistical Wits will yet bear great sway and often will amount near to the force of demonstration with men of honest prudence However we shall proceed to other discourses more direct and positive against the Popish Doctrine II. Secondly we shall shew that this pretence upon several accounts is contrary to the Doctrine of Holy Scripture 1. This pretence doth thwart the Holy Scripture by assigning to another the prerogatives and peculiar Titles appropriated therein to our Lord. The Scripture asserteth him to be our onely Sovereign Lord and King To us saith it there is one Lord and One King shall be King over them who shall reign over the house of David for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end who is the onely Potentate the King of Kings and Lord of Lords the One Law-giver who is able to save and to destroy The Scripture speaketh of one Arch-Pastour and great Shepherd of the Sheep exclusively to any other for I will said God in the Prophet set up one Shepherd over them and he shall feed the Sheep and There saith our Lord himself shall be one Fold and one Shepherd who that shall be he expresseth adding I am the good Shepherd the good Shepherd giveth his life for the Sheep by Pope Boniface his good leave who maketh Saint Peter or himself this Shepherd The Scripture telleth us that we have one High-Priest of our Profession answerable to that one in the Jewish Church his Type The Scripture informeth us that there is but one Supreme Doctour Guide Father of Christians prohibiting us to acknowledge any other for such Ye are all Brethren and call ye not any one Father upon Earth for one is your Father even he that is in Heaven Neither be ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ. Good Pope Gregory not the seventh of that name did take this for a good argument for What therefore dearest Brother said he to John of Constantinople wilt thou say in that terrible trial of the Judge who is coming who dost affect to be called not onely Father but General Father in the World The Scripture representeth the Church as a building whereof Christ himself is the chief Corner-stone as a Family whereof he being the Pater-familias as all others are fellow-servants as one Body having one Head whom God hath given to be Head over all things to the Church which is his Body He is the One Spouse of the Church which title one would think he might leave peculiar to our Lord there being no Vice-husbands yet hath he been bold even to claim that as may be seen in the Constit. of Pope Greg. X. in one of their General Synods It seemeth therefore a Sacrilegious arrogance derrogating from our Lord's Honour for any man to assume or admit those Titles of Sovereign of the Church Head of the Church our Lord Arch-Pastour Highest-Priest Chief Doctour Master Father Judge of Christians upon what
pretence or under what distinction soever these pompatick foolish proud perverse wicked profane words these names of singularity elation vanity blasphemy to borrow the Epithets with which Pope Gregory I. doth brand the Titles of Vniversal Bishop and Oecumenical Patriarch no less modest in sound and far more innocent in meaning than those now ascribed to the Pope are therefore to be rejected not onely because they are injurious to all other Pastours and to the People of God's heritage but because they do encroach upon our onely Lord to whom they do onely belong much more to usurp the things which they do naturally signifie is a horrible invasion upon our Lord's Prerogative Thus hath that great Pope taught us to argue in words expressly condemning some and consequently all of them together with the things which they signifie What saith he writing to the Bishop of Constantinople who had admitted the title of Vniversal Bishop or Patriarch wilt thou say to Christ the Head of the Vniversal Church in the trial of the last judgment who by the appellation of VNIVERSAL dost endeavour to subject all his Members to thee whom I pray dost thou mean to imitate in so perverse a word but him who despising the Legions of Angels constituted in fellowship with him did endeavour to break forth unto the top of Singularity that he might both be subject to none and alone be over all who also said I will ascend into heaven and will exalt my throne above the stars for what are thy brethren all the Bishops of the Vniversal Church but the stars of heaven to whom while by this haughty word thou desirest to prefer thy self and to trample on their name in comparison to thee what dost thou say but I will climb into heaven And again in another Epistle to the Bishops of Alexandria and Antioch he taxeth the same Patriarch for assuming to boast so that he attempteth to ascribe all things to himself and studieth by the elation of pompous speech to subject to himself all the members of Christ which do cohere to One Sole Head namely to Christ. Again I confidently say that whoever doth call himself Universal Bishop or desireth to be so called doth in his elation forerun Antichrist because he pridingly doth set himself before all others If these argumentations be sound or signifie any thing what is the pretence of Vniversal Sovereignty and Pastourship but a piece of Luciferian arrogance who can imagine that even this Pope could approve could assume could exercise it if he did was he not monstrously senseless and above measure impudent to use such discourses which so plainly without altering a word might be retorted upon him which are built upon suppositions that it is unlawfull and wicked to assume Superiority over the Church over all Bishops over all Christians the which indeed seeing never Pope was of greater repute or did write in any case more solemnly and seriously have given to the pretences of his Successours so deadly a wound that no balm of Sophistical interpretation can be able to heal it We see that according to St. Gregory M. our Lord Christ is the one onely Head of the Church to whom for company let us adjoin St. Basil M. that we may have both Greek and Latin for it who saith that according to Saint Paul we are the body of Christ and members one of another because it is manifest that the one and sole truly head which is Christ doth hold and connect each one to another unto concord To decline these allegations of Scripture they have forged distinctions of several kinds of Churches and several sorts of Heads the which evasions I shall not particularly discourse seeing it may suffice to observe in general that no such distinctions have any place or any ground in Scripture nor can well consist with it which simply doth represent the Church as one Kingdom a Kingdom of Heaven a Kingdom not of this world all the Subjects whereof have their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in heaven or are considered as members of a City there so that it is vain to seek for a Sovereign thereof in this world the which also doth to the Catholick Church sojourning on earth usually impart the name and attributes properly appertaining to the Church most universal comprehensive of all Christians in heaven and upon earth because that is a visible representative of this and we by joining in offices of piety with that do communicate with this whence that which is said of one concerning the Unity of its King its Head its Pastour its Priest is to be understood of the other especially considering that our Lord according to his promise is ever present with the Church here governing it by the efficacy of his Spirit and Grace so that no other corporeal or visible Head of this Spiritual Body is needfull It was to be sure a visible Headship which St. Gregory did so eagerly impugn and exclaim against for he could not apprehend the Bishop of Constantinople so wild as to affect a Jurisdiction over the Church mystical or invisible 2. Indeed upon this very account the Romish pretence doth not well accord with Holy Scripture because it transformeth the Church into another kind of Body than it was constituted by God according to the representation of it in Scripture for there it is represented as a spiritual and heavenly Society compacted by the bands of one faith one hope one Spirit of Charity but this pretence turneth it into a worldly frame united by the same bands of interest and design managed in the same manner by terrour and allurement supported by the same props of force of policy of wealth of reputation and splendour as all other secular Corporations are You may call it what you please but it is evident that in truth the Papal Monarchy is a temporal Dominion driving on worldly ends by worldly means such as our Lord did never mean to institute so that the Subjects thereof may with far more reason than the People of Constantinople had when their Bishop Nestorius did stop some of their Priests from contradicting him say We have a King a Bishop we have not so that upon every Pope we may charge that whereof Anthimus was accused in the Synod of Constantinople under Menas that he did account the greatness and dignity of the Priesthood to be not a spiritual charge of souls but as a kind of politick rule This was that which seeming to be affected by the Bishop of Antioch in encroachment upon the Church of Cyprus the Fathers of the Ephesine Synod did endeavour to nipp enacting a Canon against all such invasions lest under pretext of holy discipline the pride of worldly authority should creep in and what pride of that kind could they mean beyond that which now the Popes do claim and exercise Now do I say after that the Papal Empire hath swollen to such a
exclaimed against as tyrannical When Primates did begin to swell and encroach good men declared their displeasure at it and wished it removed as is known particularly by the famous wish of Gregory Nazianzene But we are discoursing against a Superiority of a different nature which soundeth it self in the Institution of Christ imposeth it self on the Church is not alterable or governable by it can endure no check or controll pretendeth to be endowed with an absolute power to act without or against the consent of the Church is limited by no certain bounds but its own pleasure c. IV. Farther this pretence may be impugned by many Arguments springing from the nature and reason of things abstractedly considered according to which the exercise of such an Authority may appear unpracticable without much iniquity and great inconvenience in prejudice to the rights of Christian States and People to the interests of Religion and Piety to the peace and welfare of Mankind whence it is to be rejected as a pest of Christendom 1. Whereas all the world in design and obligation is Christian the utmost parts of the earth being granted in possession to our Lord and his Gospel extending to every creature under heaven and may in effect become such when God pleaseth by acceptance of the Gospel whereas it may easily happen that the most distant places on the Earth may embrace Christianity whereas really Christian Churches have been and are dispersed all about the World it is thence hugely incommodious that all the Church should depend upon an Authority resident in one Place and to be managed by one Person the Church being such is too immense boundless uncircumscribed unweildy a bulk to be guided by the inspection or managed by the influence of one such Authority or Person If the whole World were reduced under the Government of one Civil Monarch it would necessarily be ill governed as to Policy to Justice to Peace The skirts or remoter parts from the Metropolis or centre of the Government would extremely suffer thereby for they would feel little light or warmth from Majesty shining at such a distance They would live under small awe of that Power which was so far out of sight They must have very difficult recourse to it for redress of grievances and relief of oppressions for final decision of causes and composure of differences for correction of offences and dispensation of justice upon good information with tolerable expedition It would be hard to preserve peace or quell seditions and suppress insurrections that might arise in distant quarters What man could obtain the knowledge or experience needfull skilfully and justly to give Laws or administer Judgment to so many Nations different in Humour in Language in Customs What mind of man what industry what leisure could serve to sustain the burthen of that care which is needfull to the weilding such an Office How and when should one man be able to receive all the addresses to weigh all the cases to make all the resolutions and dispatches requisite for such a charge If the burthen of one small Kingdom be so great that wise and good Princes do grown under its weight what must that be of all Mankind To such an extent of Government there must be allowed a Majesty and power correspondent the which cannot be committed to one hand without its degeneration into extreme Tyranny The words of Zosimus to this purpose are observable who saith that the Romans by admitting Augustus Caesar to the Government did doe very perillously for If he should chuse to manage the Government rightly and justly he would not be capable of applying himself to all things as were fit not being able to succour those who do lie at greatest distance nor could he find so many Magistrates as would not be ashamed to defeat the opinion conceived of them nor could he sute them to the differences of so many manners Or if transgressing the bounds of Royalty he should warp to Tyranny disturbing the Magistracies overlooking misdemeanours bartering right for money holding the Subjects for slaves such as most Emperours or rather near all have been few excepted then it is quite necessary that the brutish Authority of the Prince should be a publick calamity for then flatterers being by him dignifyed with gifts and honours do invade the greatest commands and those who are modest and quiet not affecting the same life with them are consequently displeased not enjoying the same advantages so that from hence Cities are filled with seditions and troubles And the Civil and Military employments being delivered up to avaritious persons do both render a peaceable life sad and grievous to men of better disposition and do enfeeble the resolution of Souldiers in war Hence St. Austin was of opinion that it were happy for mankind if all Kingdoms were small enjoying a peacefull neighbourhood It is commonly observed by Historians that Rome growing in bigness did labour therewith and was not able to support it self many distempers and disorders springing up in so vast a body which did throw it into continual pangs and at length did bring it to ruine for Then saith St. Austin concerning the times of Pompey Rome had subdued Africk it had subdued Greece and widely also ruling over other parts as not able to bear it self did in a manner by its own greatness break it self Hence that wise Prince Augustus Caesar did himself forbear to enlarge the Roman Dominion and did in his Testament advise the Senate to doe the like To the like inconveniences and much greater in its kind Temporal things being more easily ordered than Spiritual and having secular Authority great advantages of power and wealth to aid it self must the Church be obnoxious if it were subjected to the government of one Sovereign unto whom the maintenance of Faith the potection of Discipline the determination of Controversies the revision of Judgments the discussion and final decision of Causes upon appeal the suppression of disorders and factions the inspection over all Governours the correction of Misdemeanours the constitution relaxation and abolition of Laws the resolution of all matters concerning Religion and the publick State in all Countries must be referred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what Shoulders can bear such a charge without perpetual miracle and yet we do not find that the Pope hath any promise of miraculous assistence nor in his demeanour doth appear any mark thereof what mind would not the care of so many affairs utterly distract and overwhelm who could find time to cast a glance on each of so numberless particulars what sagacity of wit what variety of learning what penetrancy of judgment what strength of memory what indefatigable vigour of industry what abundance of experience would suffice for enabling one man to weigh exactly all the controversies of Faith and cases of Discipline perpetually starting up in so many Regions What reach of skill and ability would serve for
According to which notions St. Cyprian saith that there is a Church where there is a People united to a Priest and a Flock adhering to their Shepherd and so Ignatius saith that without the Orders of the Clergy a Church is not called 3. A larger Collection of divers particular Societies combined together in order under direction and influence of a common Government or of Persons acting in the Publick behalf is termed a Church as the Church of Antioch of Corinth of Jerusalem c. each of which at first probably might consist of divers Congregations having dependencies of less Towns annexed to them all being united under the care of the Bishop and Presbytery of those places but however soon after the Apostles times it is certain that such Collections were and were named Churches 4. The Society of those who at present or in course of time profess the Faith and Gospel of Christ and undertake the Evangelical Covenant in distinction to all other Religions particularly to that of the Jews which is called the Synagogue 5. The whole body of God's people that is ever hath been or ever shall be from the beginning of the world to the consummation thereof who having formally or virtually believed in Christ and sincerely obeyed God's Laws shall finally by the meritorious Performances and Sufferings of Christ be saved is called the Church Of these Acceptions the two latter do onely come under present consideration it being plain that Saint Paul doth not speak of any one particular or present Society but of all at all times who have relation to the same Lord Faith Hope Sacraments c. Wherefore to determine the case between these two we must observe that to the latter of these that is to the Catholick Society of true Believers and faithfull Servants of Christ diffused through all ages dispersed through all Countries where part doth sojourn on Earth part doth reside in Heaven part is not yet extant but all whereof is described in the register of Divine Pre-ordination and shall be recollected at the Resurrection of the Just that I say to this Church especially all the glorious Titles and excellent Privileges attributed to the Church in Holy Scripture do agree This is the body of Christ whereof he is the Head and Saviour This is the Spouse and Wife of Christ whereof he is the Bridegroom and Husband This is the House of God whereof our Lord is the Master which is built upon a rock so that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it This is the City of God the new the holy the heavenly Jerusalem the Mother of us all This is the Sion which the Lord hath chosen which he hath desired for his habitation where he hath resolved to place his rest and residence for ever This is the mountain of the Lord seated above all mountains unto which all Nations shall flow This is the elect generation royal Priesthood holy nation peculiar people This is the general Assembly and Church of the first-born who are enrolled in heaven This is the Church which God hath purchased with his own bloud and for which Christ hath delivered himself that he might sanctifie it and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle nor any such thing but that it might be holy and unblemished To this Church as those high Elogies most properly do appertain so that Unity which is often attributed to the Church doth peculiarly belong thereto This is that One body into which we are all baptized by one Spirit which is knit together and compacted of parts affording mutual aid and supply to its nourishment and encrease the members whereof do hold a mutual sympathy and complacence which is joined to one Head deriving sense and motion from it which is enlivened and moved by one Spirit This is that one spiritual House reared upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. This is that One family of God whereof Christ is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence good Christians are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is that one City or Corporation endued with an ample Charter and noble Privileges in regard to which Saint Paul saith we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow Citizens of the Saints and that our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our civil state and capacity is in Heaven or that we are Citizens thereof That one Holy nation and peculiar People the spiritual Israel subject to the same Government and Law that which is called the Kingdom of Heaven enioying the same Franchises and Privileges following the same Customs and Fashions using the same Conversation and Language whereof Jesus Christ is the Lord and King This is the one Flock under one Shepherd This is the Society of those for whom Christ did pray that they might be all one It is true that divers of these Characters are expressed to relate to the Church after Christ but they may be allowed to extend to all the faithfull Servants of God before who in effect were Christians being saved upon the same account and therefore did belong to the same Body To this Church in a more special and eminent manner all those Titles and particularly that of Vnity are ascribed but the same also in some order and measure do belong and are attributed to the Universal Church sojourning upon Earth For because this visible Church doth enfold the other as one Mass doth contain the good Ore and base Alloy as one Floor the Corn and the Chaff as one Field the Wheat and the Tares as one Net the choice Fish and the refuse as one Fold the Sheep and the Goats as one Tree the living and the dry Branches Because this Society is designed to be in reality what the other is in appearance the same with the other Because therefore presumptively every member of this doth pass for a member of the other the time of distinction and separation not being yet come Because this in its Profession of Truth in its Sacrifices of Devotion in its Practice of Service and Duty to God doth communicate with that Therefore commonly the Titles and Attributes of the one are imparted to the other All saith Saint Paul are not Israel who are of Israel nor is he a Jew that is one outwardly yet in regard to the conjunction of the rest with the faithfull Israelites because of external Consent in the same Profession and conspiring in the same Services all the Congregation of Israel is styled a holy Nation and peculiar People So likewise do the Apostles speak to all Members of the Church as to elect and holy Persons unto whom all the Privileges of Christianity