Bishops of our selues but for them August cont Crescon Grāmat lib. 2. cap. 11. to whō we administer the word Sacraments Now here I speake vnto al Cardinalls Bishopes Abbots Priors Curates and other priestes together with their Pope himselfe and will them to examine and iudge themselues in their owne consciences and see whether they can with good right boaste them selues to bee the Apostles successours in sound doctrine and in faithfull execution of their charge and office and to marke howe they obserue those canons which the attribute to the Apostles whereof the fiftie eight canon Can. Apost can 58. excommunicateth the Bishoppes and Elders who haue not any care either of their cleargie or of the people the charge of whome is cōmitted vnto them and which doe not teach them in the doctrine of true religion which canon also ordeineth that if such continue in their negligence carelesnesse they should be deposed There resteth the succession of persons or that whiche is of the Churche or place touching which first wee say that the auncient doctours did not alwayes ayde themselues with this argument when the were to fight with heretikes for hauing to deale with suche as did receiue and allowe the worde of God as well as them selues the dispute and matter in controuersie between them being onely in the true interpretation thereof they contented them selues to alledge scripture expounding places one by an other euen as Saint Augustine sayth August That that which is darke in one is cleare and manifest in an other But when they were to reason against them that would adde to the holy scriptures as Manichaeus who woulde that men shoulde receiue his Epistle whiche hee called fundamentall euen as it were the Gospell it selfe there and in that respect they serued their turne with the argument of succession And yet when they vsed it it was not either theyr onely or their principall defence For in the first place they shewed by the woorde of God that they were in error and afterwards added as a good bulwark or meane of resistaunce the consent of the Churche witnessed by a continuall succession of all ages and times Also they helped themselues therewith as with a verie likely or probable argument and good inough in the defence of trueth against errour but yet not so as though it had a like force and strength for the maintenance of errour against trueth it selfe Lastly when they demaunded of heretikes from whence they came from whom they descended who were their predecessoures c. they meant not to speake of their vocation or calling whiche they neuer called into doubte or question for the greatest number of them were Bishoppes as Nestorius was Bishoppe of Constantinople Samosatenus of Antioche all lawfully called and hauing right and authoritie to teach in the Church but they meant to speake of their doctrine whiche was newe and not hearde of beefore Wherefore when they alleadged or laid succession for them selues they did not so muche meane the occupying of the chaire or enioying of the place as the continuance conformitie and agreement of the doctrine whereas on the other side our aduersaries do not demaund of vs who were the authours of our doctrine but inquire of vs touching our vocation and calling and are contented with this to declare that their Bishoppes are descended from all antiquitie but not their doctrine and yet notwithstanding they deceiue them selues For neither in the primitiue Church neyther long time after such Bishoppes as bee nowe in the Popedome had anye place so that a man may safely say they are not descended from the Apostles nor frō theyr true successors To conclude we say that it is verye certaine that such a succession of the Pastours in the primitiue Churche was of greate weight and importance because the Pastors at that time had not onelye the name and title of Pastors but did withall faythfully exercise the Charge and office thereof But what is at this day the dutie of bishops and priestes of the Church of Rome Let the most sound iudge thereof Is the controuersie in the Church touching succession to some inheritance to haue the possession and enioying thereof No but rather for men to set their hands to worke and labour as the Apostles haue done to watch diligently ouer Christes flocke and to minister vnto it the foode which is necessarie and meete for it As S. Paule sayth If any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a good or excellent worke And againe 1. Tim. 3.1 speaking vnto bishops Take heede to your selues saith he and to the whole flocke Act. 30.39 whereof the holy Ghost hath made you Bishoppes or ouerseers to feede the Church of God And S. Peter The Elders which are among you I beseech which am also an Elder with them 1. Pet. 5.12 feede the flocke of Christ whiche is committed vnto you caring for it not by constraint c. The succession then of the Chayre or place is nothing without the succession of doctrine and dutie For if the byshoppe bee deade as saith S. Cyprian when no sounde goeth foorth of his mouth Cyprian lib. 1 epl 4. Greg. epl 24. If he be deade as sayth S. Gregorie when hee preacheth not by what title may a man saye that the Romish byshoppes and Priestes succeeded the Apostles and haue the possession of their chayre or place if they be deade or altogether dumbe or else not the followers of the Apostles in doctrine truth for let vs a little beholde howe the auncient fathers haue ioyned and knitte the succession of person or place with the succession of doctrine and office Irenae lib. 4. cap. 33.34 Irenaeus saith We are commaunded to yeeld obedience to the elders which are in the Churche who haue their succession from the Apostles and together with the succession of the office of a Bishoppe haue receiued according to the good pleasure of the father certaine grace and knowledge of the trueth Tertullian saith also If some heretikes dare be so bold to intermingle themselues with the times of the Apostles thereby to make men beleeue that they were deliuered from the Apostles them selues because they were vnder the Apostles or in their dayes we may say let them shewe then the beginninges of their churches let them vnfolde or discouer the succession of their Bishops in suche sorte running and flowing by continuall order from the beginning that the first Bishoppe hath had some of the Apostles for his author and predecessor or some one of them who were the followers of the Apostles who also did notwithstanding perseuer and continue with the Apostles And a little after The Churches saith hee whiche were planted after the Apostles time those which are yet planted at this day although that they bring not any author for them from amongest the Apostles themselues or Apostolicall persons yet notwithstanding beeing founde consenting in the same faith they are not to
light is farre more excellent then the gift of Prophesie it selfe was in diuers who liued vnder the lawe 1. Thes 5.11 And also though wee are bounde to exhorte one another and to teach one another in the doctrine of godlinesse and the feare of God yet for all that the publike ministerie of the worde is not superfluous or vaine in the Churche For the selfe same God that hath commanded fathers to instruct their children and all vs to admonishe one an other hath also ordeyned the publike ministerie of the worde in the Church that it may bee there practised and exercised not for some fewe yeeres onely but euen vnto the ende of the worlde And thus muche touching the arguments of the aduersaries and such as set theÌ„ selues agaÌ„inst the ministerie of the Church Nowe let vs bring foorth our reasons to proue the contrarie The first reason is Iesus Christe hath commaunded that the Gospel should bee preached and the Sacraments administred in the Church vnto the ende of the worlde Then it followeth that the ministerie is alwayes requisite and necessarie in the Church I proue the Antecedent or former proposition by these wordes of Christ written in the last Chapter of Saint Matthewe Go and teach all nations Mat. 28.19.20 baptising them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost teaching theÌ„ to obserue whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you and behold I am with you vnto the worldes ende For after the commaundement to preache the worde and to administer Baptisme vnder which Sacrament the other also of the holy Supper is conteyned because the Disciples might doubt or feare their charge as being great in labour and harde to execute Iesus Christ addeth a promise of his assistaunce not for tenne or twentie yeeres onely but for alwayes euen vnto the ende of the worlde Wherein hee manifestly setteth out and declareth two thinges One that hee willeth and ordeineth that the ministerie bee exercised in the Churche not for one age onely but continually vnto the consummation and end of all thinges The other is that hee promiseth that although Satan subtillie deuise inuent and practise all that hee can to hinder the ministerie the work of Gods seruants and the tyrants by their practises and violences inforce theÌ„ selues to the vttermost of their power to ouerthrow to bring to naught the church of God yet hee will by his godly and heauenly power alwayes maintaine his truth in the worlde and preserue his Church therein by the ministerie and labour of his faithfull pastors The seconde reason Rom. 1â— 17 The Apostle Saint Paul saith to the Romanes That faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God Whereby he declareth that God hath accustomed to plant faith in our heartes by the preaching of his worde It is true that the power of God is not tyed to this outwarde meane but that hee is able to beget faith in vs after some other fashion and by some other meane although it be to vs incomprehensible euen as it shall please him selfe but notwithstanding all this the ministerie of his word is the ordinary meane which hee vseth or serueth himselfe with to giue vs faith by so that they which will haue faith without the preaching and hearing of the worde doe as much as though they woulde liue without meates drinks which God hath ordeined for our bodilie life Now hereupon we take and frame our argument thus Faith is in all times and alwaies necessarie for men But faith is giuen vnto men from God by the ministerie of the worde Therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde is in all times and alwaies necessarie for men The third reason It is certaine that for as much as the Sacraments are ordeined by God to bee as it were seales of the worde to seale in our heartes that which is therein conteined alreadie that is to say the vnion fellowship and partaking which wee haue in Iesus Christe it followeth that where there is not the worde of God preached there wee cannot haue any Sacrament For as a seale is altogether vnprofitable yea is not allowed a seale vnlesse bee bound or set to some instrument or writing for the confirmation thereof euen so the Sacrament is altogether vnprofitable yea indeed is not a Sacrament if it be not ioyned with the worde of God preached to confirme the same vnto vs. Whereupon Saint Augustine hath sometimes saide Augu. sup Iohan. Hom. 13. Let the word bee ioyned to the Sacrament and there shal be made a Sacrament Of what worde speaketh hee verilie not of a worde mumbled vp murmured or whispered without vnderstanding ouer the Elements but of the worde of God preached to the faithfull receiued of them through faith as hee himselfe maketh it plaine wlien speaking of baptisme he addeth this is the word of faith which we preach by which baptisme is consecrated and hallowed 1. Cor. 11. â—â— to haue power to make cleane Now from that which is aboue said we reason after this manner The administration of the holy Supper is alwayes necessarie in the Church euen vnto the end of the worlde for Iesus Christ hath commanded vs to celebrate it and by that meanes to preach or shewe foorth his death vntill his comming againe But the administration of the supper can not bee performed without the ministerie of the worde Therefore it followeth that the ministerie of the worde is alwayes necessarie in the Church The fourth reason Iesus Christ hath giuen and established the ministers of the worde Ephe. 14.11 for the worke of the ministerie till wee all meete together in the vnitie of faith and knowledge of the sonne of GOD vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ that is to say till that Christ be perfect in vs and haue in vs his ful grouth and increase But wee can not obtaine suche perfection vnto the ende of the worlde at what time GOD shall bee all in all For as Saint Paule saith Wee knowe in parte and wee prophesie in part But when that which is perfect is come 2. Cor. 13. 9.10 then that which is in part shal be abolished Wherefore it followeth that Iesus Christe hath giuen and placed the ministers of the worde for the woorke of the ministerie vntill the ende of the worlde and then God shall be all in all These reasons are sufficient for this present to teach and proue that the holy ministerie is continually requisite and necessarie in the Church as indeede the Lorde hath for our good saluation established the same to abide in all ages therein applying and framing himself to our weaknesse which is so great we being corrupted thorough sinne that without this means meet and agreeable to our nature we coulde not bee well instructed in the points of our saluation For if God should speake vnto vs in his maiestie wee coulde not at
Wherefore whatsoeuer we shall finde in them conformable and agreeable to the proportion of faith and agreeing with the authoritie of the holy scriptures wee ought to receiue the same without any scruple or doubt But if they propound vnto vs and set out thinges contrarie to that we ought and we may without any difficultie or danger reiect and refuse them as suspected and dangerous doctrines For as Saint Ierome hath sometimes saide HieroÌ„ in 9. cap. Ierem. Wee ought not to followe the errors of our fathers and predecessors but the authoritie of the scriptures and the commandement of God Who teacheth vs. Gerson par 1. de exam doctrin Abbas Panormita Epist de electia one elect potest cap. 5. Whereupon also Gerson and Panormitan haue concluded that in matters which concerne faith the Pope and his Bishops may not determine and decree anye thing against the worde of God and that if a generall councell shoulde come so far as to decline and goe aside either through malice or through ignorance of the Gospell a simple man alleadging in that councell the worde of God ought rather to bee heard and yeelded vnto then all they Let vs enter or come nowe to our aduise and let vs bring foorth and alledge our reasons to prooue that the Churche may erre The first reason is this That great companie of the people of Israel which was in the wildernesse with whome GOD had made a couenant and had made them bounde vnto him by an infinite number of benefites and good turnes had giuen vnto them Sacraments and Ceremonies which were as it were visible signes of his grace that great companie I say was a very goodly and a very excellent Churche But they were vilely deceaued and erred fowly when forsaking the commaundement they made vnto themselues a golden calfe offering and giuing vnto it that honor which was due to God alone yea and Aaron himselfe the high priest did not so constantly and boldly withstande them as he ought but rather consented thereto indeede wherefore it followeth that the church may erre and be deceiued The second reason The Church in olde time did offer and giue the holy Supper to little infants staying and grounding themselues vpon the place of Saint Iohn Except yee eate the fleshe of the sonne of Man Iohn 9.15 drinke his blood yee haue no life in you And this custome was in vse in the time of pope Innocent Saint Cyprian and Saint Augustine as it appeareth by their writinges But nowe this is not any more vsed for children whiche can not prooue and examine them selues are not at this day receiued to the partaking of the Sacrament Wherefore the Churche in olde time hath erred or els it erreth now But if we would answere that the Churche hath power and authoritie to chaunge suche customes and manners I replie to the contrarie for now the question is not heere of a thing indifferent in the vse but of the worde of God which is alwayes constant and not subiect to any change as to say that to day it hath one sense and vnderstanding to morrow another wherefore if the place of S. Iohn commaunde to giue the supper to little infants of necessitie as the forenamed ancient fathers haue vnderstood and expounded the same the Church hath â—one well in time heretofore to follow that commandement and at this time it erreth in not following it any longer Or els if the said place be not to be referred properly vnto the holy Supper neither commaundeth to distribute and giue the sacrament to infants but it is of necessitie required that he to whom wee must administer the saide sacrament haue knowledge to trie and examine himselfe according to Saint Paules doctrine 1. Cor. 1.2 as indeede this is the pure and only truth it followeth then that the Churche hath in former time erred to admit little infants to the holy supper and that at this day it doth well to practise the contrary The third reason If the Churche coulde not erre Saint Paule had without cause feared 1. Cor. 11.28 least the Corinthians whome he calleth a Church shoulde through the subtiltie of the serpent bee corrupted 2. Cor. 11.3 and turned away from the simplicitie that is in Christ And indeede in vaine shoulde hee haue called the assemblies of the Corinthians and Galathians Gala. 1.2 Churches which yet notwithstanding erred in doctrine in faith in manners and in life But Saint Paule did nothing of all this without cause or in vaine otherwise Saint Paule himselfe should haue beene deceiued wherefore it followeth that the Churche may erre The fourth reason Those that cannot erre haue no neede of the forgiuenesse of sinnes but the Churche hath neede of the forgiuenes of sinnes for Iesus Christ giuing it a forme of praier hath commanded it to demaund and aske of God Mat. 6.12 forgiuenesse of their sinnes Wherefore it followeth that the Church may erre The fift reason The Church which was in olde time in Ierusalem was oftentimes reproued of error by the Prophetes which thing declareth that the Church is not in this worlde without will and deed to erre But to the end I may not be ouerlong in recyting by peecemeale and as it were one by one all the sentences which make mention of the falles of the Churche let men reade that whiche is written thereof in these places Touching the corruption of the church see Isaiah 1. verse 21. to the 24. verse Isaiah Isaiah 3. ver 8.9 Isaiah 5.13 Isaiah 30. verse 9. to the 13. ver Isaiah 59. ver 2. vnto the 17. ver Isai 64. ver 6.7 Iere. 2 ver 5. Ieremiah to the end of the Chap. Iere. 3. ver 2.3.20 Iere. 4. ver 22. Ieremiah 5. ver 1. vnto the 15. ver and afterwards from the 19. ver to the end of the Chapter Iere. 6. ver 7. vnto the 11. ver Ieremiah 8. ver 4. vnto the 11. ver Ieremiah 9. ver 3. vnto the 17. ver Ieremiah 13. verse 10. vnto the 15. verse Ieremiah 22. euen vnto the end Ieremiah 16. ver 11.12 Ieremiah 18. ver 13. vnto the 18. ver Ezechiel 5. ver 6. vnto the 12. Ezechiel ver Ezechiel 22. ver 3. vnto the end of the Chapter Ezechiel 33. ver 24. vnto the 30. Deutro ver Deuteronomie 32. ver 5.6.32.33 Touching the ingratitude and vnthankfulnesse of the Church see Isaiah 1. ver 2.5 Isaiah Isaiah 5.47 Isaiah 43. ver 21. vnto the end of the chapter Isaiah 17. ver 10.11 Ieremiah Ezechiel Zachariah Deuteron Hosea Isaiah 63. ver 9.10 Ierem. 2. ver 6.9.21.22 Ieremiah 12. ver â— Ezechiel 16. ver 15. vnto the 24. ver Zachariah 11. ver 8. vnto the ende of the Chapter Deuteronomie 32. ver 15.18.23 Hosea 12. ver 1.9 Hosea 13. ver 6. Malachie 1. ver 2.8 Touching the obstinacie and rebellion of the Church Isaiah see Isaiah 1. ver 5. vnto the 7. ver Isaiah â— ver
was taken out of the lawe and prophetes in like manner if any vnder the title and name of the spirite shall bring vnto vs any thing which is not contained in the Gospell let vs not beleue it For as Christ is the accomplishmente and fulfilling of the lawe and Prophetes so is the holie Ghost of the gospell But how can wee by this way or meane discerne and know the spirites that is to say whether the doctrine which they shall propound and set foorth vnto vs bee from the holy Ghoste or no After two sortes or by two meanes you shall knowe this First if it tend to this end to exalt establish and set vp the glorie of God For as Iesus Christe saith Ioh. 7.18 Hee that seeketh the glorie of God is true and no vnrighteousnesse is in him Secondly if it bee conformable and agreeable Rom. 12.6 to the proportion of faith that is to say if it agree and accorde well with the heads foundations of Christian religion wherof we haue spokē more largely heretofore in the fourth Chapter The second thing that I aunswere touching the foresaide reason of the Romishe Catholikes is that the consequence thereof is not necessarie neither well grounded when they saye that the Churche yeeldeth testimonie to the worde of God and doth commend the same vnto vs that therefore the certaintie and authoritie of the worde of God dependeth vpon the authority and iudgement of the Church For as wee haue but a little while agoe alleadged out of Alfonsus de Castro The word of God is certaine not by reason of the Church whiche beareth witnesse thereof but because of it selfe and his owne credite The Apostles yelded testimonie and bare witnesse of Iesus Christe Iohn 15.17 Acts. 1.8 And who is hee that will therefore say that Iesus Christe his authoritie doth depende of the authoritie and iudgement of the Apostles The Goldsmith trieth the golde and putteth a difference betweene that which is good and pure and that which is naughtie mettall But doth hee therefore by his tryall and proofe make that the golde is either good or euill A Parliament receiueth some edict or lawe which commeth from the King that it may bee published and proclaimed Inquirie is diligently made whether it come from the King or no Afterwardes all knowe that it commeth from the King what doth the Parliament then It is true that it alloweth the edict that it acknowledgeth the same that it beareth witnesse to it and commendeth and setteth out the same yea and if neede bee interpreteth it according to the Kings intent and meaning But doth the parliament for all this cause it or make it to bee the kings lawe Doth it giue authoritie to it Hath it any authoritie to chaunge any thing in it or to adde any thing to it or to clippe or take any thing what so euer away from it It is certaine no. Euen so standeth the case with the Church For although it be an excellent testimonie to the worde of God yet it cannot at any hande giue it authoritie as to say that the certaintie of the worde of God hangeth vpon the authoritie and iudgement of the Churche For when the Church acknowledgeth and alloweth the worde of God and doth put a difference betweene it the doctrines and inuētions of men she doth no other thing but heare the voyce of her pastor discerneth knoweth it frō the voice of a strāger Ioh. 10.5 Now there is great difference betwene discerning the Pastors voice from a strangers and adding authoritie and credite thereto bringing to passe and that according to truth that it should be such or such that is either true or false The second reason is The Church is more auncient than the Scriptures For in the time of Adam Abell Seth Noah Abraham Isaac Iaacob there was no scripture For Moses was the first penman or writer of matters concerning religion and yet notwithstāding there was a church Wherfore it followeth that the authoritie of the Church is aboue the authoritie of the holy scripture First and formost I aunswere that the consequence of this argument is none at al. For graunt it that one thing be more ancient and old than another yet it followeth not for all that that it should be of greater authoritie and credite otherwise we must inferre that Moses hath more authoritie than Iesus Christe and the lawe more than the Gospel Secondly as touching the antecedent or former proposition I say that it is sophisticall captious and full of deceit For albeit that in these first times of the worlde there was no scripture which the father 's vsed yet for all that the worde of God ceased not to bee because it was written and ingrauen in the fathers heartes and moreouer founded verie cleerly in the Churche whiche worde was in good time brought and committed to writing first by Moses and afterwards by others and thereupon called the holie scripture wherefore seeing that the holy scripture and Gods worde is nothing but one and the selfe same thing it followeth very well that if our first fathers haue had the word of God they haue had also in substance the holy scriptures Aug. cont epist fundamen cap. 5. The third reason S. Augustine hath said I woulde not beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not mooue mee thereto Wherefore it is certaine that the Gospell taketh his authoritie from the Church I answere that the consequence is starke naught for that which S. Augustin speaketh to one purpose or in one respect is applied to another end This holy doctor speaketh so as hauing regarde to that hee was then when he tooke the part of the Manichees and as it were disputing against them Now the Manichees would that the Epistles of Manicheus their authour which they called Fundamental containing in it all their false opinions should be of like and equall authoritie with the Apostles epistles Beside they allowed one part of the Gospel disallowed an other that not by the aduise and iudgement of the Church but of their owne proper and particular authoritie S. Augustine hauing taken in hand to confute the saide Epistle in the beginning speaketh thus The Epistle beginneth after this manner Manicheus the Apostle of Iesus Christe by the prouidence and appointment of God the Father I aske who is this Manicheus you wil answere the Apostle of Iesus christs I beleeue it not What wilt thou say thereto Perhaps thou wilt bring foorth the Gospel and thereby thou wilt lift vp and establish the person of Manicheus But what if thou haddest to doe and deale with a man who doth not yet beleeue the Gospel what wouldest thou do whē hee should say vnto thee I beleeue not the Gospell For as touching my selfe I would not beleeue the Gospel if the authoritie of the Catholike Church did not moue me thereto Beholde Saint Augustines wordes by which it is altogether
be written to Iulius Bishoppe of Rome by which there shoulde be declared vnto him that he did attribute and take vnto himselfe an authoritie whiche did not at anye hande belong vnto him and that in so doing hee offered greate wronge to other Churches and other Bishoppes And there was added to the letters that he should no more meddle with them whome they had deposed then they medled with those whiche were deposed by the bishop of Rome and others whiche were ioyned with him therein To whiche purpose they alledged the example of Nouatus whiche was as yet verye freshe and newe For when this Nouatus was reiected by the bishoppe of Rome none of the rest of the Metropolitanes and Bishops of other prouinces did gainsay the same neither any manner of way intermedled therein Furthermore if that whiche is maintained and practised at this day amongest the Romishe Catholikes touching the large iurisdiction and soueraigntie of their Pope were in force by Gods lawe as they woulde perswade the simple people thereof shoulde not then al the foresaid Bishops al others together with their Councelles and Churches whiche haue not at any time confessed the Bishoppe of Rome for their head be verie greeuously censured or punished and woorthie of a verie seuere and sharpe reprehension It is true that men may finde that some amongst the anciēt fathers haue somtimes called the Bishoppes of Rome high Priest and Pope but they did heretofore call after the same sorte all Bishops For as touching the name high Priest Theodo lib. 2. cap. 7 Theodoretus in his second booke chap. 7. speaketh on this maner that two hundreth and fiftie high priests were assembled together in Sardis And Athanasius in his first Oration against the Arrians Athanasius oratio 1. contra Arriano◠doth not onely call Iulius and Liberius the bishops of Rome high Priestes but also hee calleth by the very same name the Bishops of Grecia Dacia Cappadotia Affrica Ruffin lib. 2. cap. 26. Italie Sicilia and Armenia Ruffinus also in the second booke and 26. chapter called Athanasius the great high Priest As concerning the name Pope we will speake therof by gods grace and aide hereafter in the ninth chapter Moreouer let vs consider by what tokēs and markes the Pope of Rome saith that he is Saint Peters successour It is say the Romish Catholikes because that Saint Peter had his seate and chaire in the churche of Rome being there the Pastor and hauing borne rule there a long time and that after him there came in order his successors the Bishops of Rome hauing the same authoritie which he had before But touching the first it is vncertaine whether S. Peter was Bishop of Rome or no at the least whether he bate rule there and helde the seat They are not able plainely to proue the same neither to approoue it as truth at what time it was neither vnder what Emperour neither how long because that out of the holy scriptures they are not able to bring Cal. lib. 4. Instit cap. 6. sect 14. so muche as one onely probable coniecture but rather the contrarie as Caluin hath well and sufficiently declared in his Institutions Secōdly if S. Peters abode at Rome hath giuen this autoritie to the Romish bishops to bee the heads of the Church and vniuersall Bishops from whence commeth it that the Councels haue limited to all the Patriarkes who were many and diuers yea euen after that they were brought to foure Concil Nic. Can. 6. Concil Antioch Can. 13. their seuerall charges making them Metropolitanes euery one in his owne prouince the Bishop of Rome hauing no more authoritie ouer others than others ouer him For at that time the Bishop of Rome might very well haue alleadged Saint Peters seate and the other Bishops and Councels woulde very well haue confessed and allowed the same if it had beene true and if the same could rightly haue giuen the title of primacie to the Bishop of Rome On the other side what an argument is this Saint Peter was Bishop of Rome and there suffered martyrdome therefore it followeth that this Churche is the mother and mistresse of all the rest and that the Bishop thereof is the vniuersall and generall head of all Christendome Verily if in this respect the question bee to establishe and set vp a primacie it ought rather to bee placed at Ierusalem than at Rome For Saint Peter preached there Act. 2.14 Act. 2.12 Act. 4.3 yea the firste after Christes ascention where hee together with his fellowes and brethren builded vp the Churche did great miracles was imprisoned Act. 5. 18 and sundrie times persecuted The Prophetes likewise preached there and all the Apostles yea whiche is more Iesus Christ him selfe Ioh. 2.13 7.14 8.2 c. 18.20 died there and rose againe and from thence ascended vp into heauen There also was the first Synode that euer was helde in the Christian Churche assembled of all the Apostles There also Iesus Christ sent downe his holy spirite vpon his Apostles and disciples Act. 15. 6 c. Act. 2.1 c And to bee shorte from thence it was that the doctrine of saluation shoulde come forth to bee spread abroad throughout all the world euen as the Prophets had before tolde Isai 2.3 Michah 4.2 which things we cānot after any sort say or affirme of Rome Moreouer if we must respect and regarde the Apostles there is as muche or rather more reason to make Saint Paul the first Bishop or Pope of Rome as Saint Peter For in the first place besides that hee was not in any thing lesse or inferior to the most excellent or chiefe Apostles 2. Cor. 11.5 wee fynde not that S. Peter did at any time reprooue him in his ministerie Gal. 2. 11 as he reproued or blamed S. Peter And besides wee haue a certaine and an assured testimonie in the holy scripture touching Saint Paule Act 23.11 Act. 28.30 31 that he was sent by God to Rome there to beare witnesse of him that hee there preached the kingdome of God two whole yeeres together that from thence he writ diuers Epistles to the Churches that hee was there prisoner and at the last beheaded by Nero. And as touching Peter wee haue no assured testimonie that hee went to Rome or that he tarryed there exercising there the ministerie If they will replie that Iesus Christ gaue him the keies of the kingdom of heauen and that by that meanes he was preferred before Saint Paul and made head of the Church we haue answered that heretofore which we mind not heere to repeate Besides though it were so that S. Peter was ordained to beare rule ouer all Churches as an Apostle yet it can not thereupon followe that his successours ought to haue any such right or authoritie as he because they which succeeded the Apostles haue not the same charge and the same office that the Apostles had For
manifest that he mindeth not to infer that the Gospell hangeth vppon the allowance and authoritie of the church but only that the Church hath great weight to induce and moue the miscreants and vnbeleeuers to beleeue the Gospel This holy Doctor then speaketh not of the foundatioÌ„ of his faith but of the beginning thereof that is to say of the occasion and outward meanes by which he was prouoked stirred vp to beleeue the Gospell when hee was a Manichean heretike and not as yet a Christian to wit because he sawe the good accorde consent and agreement of the Church in receiuing the Gospell In the fourth Chapter he confessed that in former time he maintained the Maniches part and that hee was very eger and sharpe therein and blinded in the doctrine of their sect Now hee speaketh thus Howe wilte thou proue that Manicheus is an Apostle of Christ shall this bee by the Gospell But if some one that beleeueth not the Gospel woulde say vnto thee I beleeue not the Gospel what hast thou to replie As if hee shoulde say wouldest thou not purpose put downe and shewe vnto him the authoritie and testimonie of the Church For as touching my selfe in the time that I was a Manichean I had not beleeued the Gospel if the authoritie and testimonie of the Catholike Churche had not driuen mee thereto As if againe he should say For as concerning my selfe when I was of your faction and sect I was so setled staied in your opinions and had hard them so attentiuely and diligently yea I beleeued them so stedfastly and did maintaine them with such courage and stomack this is that which hee speaketh in the fourth Chapter that very hardly I had euer forsaken and renounced them to beleeue the Gospell if the authoritie and testimonie of the Church had not induced mooued and prouoked mee thereto The fourth reason Hee that hath authoritie and power to take away or to change some thing in the worde of God hath also authoritie ouer it But so it is that the church hath authoritie and power to take away or to change something in the word of God It followeth therfore that the Church hath authoritie ouer and aboue it They thus proue the assumption whiche is the second proposition or sentence of the reason Saint Peter had authoritie and power to take away and to chaunge some thing in the worde of God for he changed the forme of baptisme prescribed by Iesus Christe as appeareth by this that Iesus Christe hauing commaunded to baptise in the name of the father and of the sonne Mat. 28.19 and of the holy Ghost Saint Peter changing this forme hath enioyned and commaunded men to bee baptized in the name of Iesus Christe onely Act. 2.38 As it is written in the second of the Actes verse 38. Nowe if Saint Peter haue had this authoritie and this power why also should not the whole church haue it as well as hee I answere first for the consequence that it is not necessarie and good For who is he that will yeelde to this that all that whiche was in former time permitted to the Apostles should nowe bee permitted to the Pastors and ministers of the Church who are their successors Secondly I say that that which is taken from Saint Peter as true and right is false For Saint Peter did in no case chaunge the forme of Baptisme and in the place of the Actes before alleadged it is not saide that they must be baptized in the name of Iesus Christ onely Act. 2.38 Pâ—â—â—us Lombâ—â—â— lob 4. dâ—â— 3 sect B. 〈◊〉 de Cosecrat dâ—â—t 4 â—â—â—in Sinod c. Act. 8.12 Act. 10.48 Ambr. lib. 1. de 〈◊〉 sanct cap. 3. but simplie saide thus and bee baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ But let vs see how Peter Lombard the master of the sentences expouÌ„deth this place If any saith he be baptised without inuocation of the trinitie he is not a perfect christian vnlesse he be baptised in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy ghost yet we reade in the Acts of the Apostles that the Apostles baptized in the name of Christe but vnder this name as S. Ambrose expoundeth it is vnderstoode the whole Trinitie for when a man nameth Christ these are vnderstood to wit the father of whom the sonne was annointed and the sonne which was annoynted and the holy Ghost by whom or with whom hee was annointed Beholde the aduise and iudgement of the master of the sentences who doth not altogether satisfie vs though he speake much for vs. For whether wee regard the substance of the sacraments or els the forme thereof we holde that the Lords ordinance ought to be retained and followed in the whole and through the whole and that it doth not belong to any particular person no not to the church it self to alter or change any thing therein And in deede as I haue alreadie saide Saint Peter did not chaunge the forme of Baptismeâ— But marke this His intent purpose was to teach that the foundation accomplishment and fulfilling of baptisme is in Iesus Christe alone For to bee baptised in the name of Christe is taken and vsed by S. Peter for to bee receiued to grace and fauour in baptisme by the name of Iesus Christe So that this manner of speeche which Saint Peter vseth is not in any sort to bee referred to the forme of Baptisme but onely declareth that all the vertue power and efficacie of baptisme consisteth onely in Iesus Christe alone because that all that whiche baptisme doth represent and figure vnto vs 1. Ioh. 1.7 Rom. 6.4 is comprehended in him alone For by the blood of Iesus Christe wee are washed and purged from all our sinnes and by baptisme buried with him to the end that as he is raised vp from the dead by the glory of the father so wee also should walke in newnesse of life The fift reason The Church hath changed the Sabboth to the Lordes day or that which we call Sunday although that God by expresse writing commaunded the obseruation and keeping of the said Sabboth Wherfore theÌ„ it followeth that the church hath power and authoritie ouer the holy scripture I aunswere in the first place That the Church hath changed nothing at all of the commaundement touching the obseruation of the Sabaoth in or coÌ„cerning the substance thereof but onely in or concerning the circumstance For the thing or matter abideth alwaies that is to say the substance of the commaundement seeing that one day of the weeke is reserued to be imploied and bestowed vpon the holy rest whiche thing is enioyned by the commandement as being indeede the veritie and truth therof So that the obseruation and keeping thereof is only chaunged in respect of the time which change doth not derogate any thing from the commandement neither altereth nor changeth any thing therein of that which God minded to commend
men make the plough continually to goe to rent or cleaue it to turne it vpside downe Therfore also Saint Paule saith in the Acts Act. 14.22 That by many tribulations wee must enter into the kingdom of God 2. Tim. 3.12 And in the 2. Epistle to Tim. All those that will liue godly in Christe Iesus shall suffer persecution Iesus Christ saith also vnto his Disciples Iohn 15. 20. Remember the woorde that I saide vnto you that the seruaunt is not greater than his Master If they haue persecuted mee Iohn 16.1 2 they will persecute you also Also These thinges haue I saide vnto you that yee should not bee offended They shall excommunicate you yea the time shall come that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke that hee doeth God seruice And this is the state and condition wherein God will haue his Churche to glorifie him heere belowe on the earth And in deede the first lesson that Iesus Christ gaue to his Disciples was touching this matter of the Crosse and persecutions â—at 1â— 24 If any man saith hee will come after mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his Crosse follow me The experience of all times ages doth sufficiently shewe vnto vs the truth of this matter whether wee consider somewhat narrowly as well the state of the ancient Churche vnder the olde Testament as the state of that which came afterwarde vnder the newe Testament insomuch that it may rightly say Psal 129 1. They haue often afflicted me from my youth and haue done me a thousande euils at is said in the Psalmes For euen from the beginning the Diuell hath alwaies beene like to himselfe that is to say a lier a murtherer Iohn 8. 44. enuious and a false and priuie accuser and warre hath alwaies continued Gen. 3.15 2. Cor. 6.14.15 betweene the womans seed and the serpents seede And howe can any man ioyne and put together thinges which are of a contrary nature Howe can any man make agreement betweene God and the Diuell betweene Christ and Belial betweene the faithfull and the vnbeleeuers Iesus Christ in the 3. chapter of S. Iohn sheweth a reason to declare why it is impossible that the good and the wicked shoulde suffer one with another agree together Ioh. â— 19.20 to wit that all the workes which the world doeth are wicked and therefore least they should bee discouered and laid open by the light it hateth the light and loueth darkenesse From hence is it that euen from the beginning of the world enmities betweene the faithfull and the aduersaries of the truth haue taken and had their originall and first foundation This is the cause why Cain slue his brother Abell that Lot the faithfull seruant of the Lord was hated of the Sodomites that Ishmael mocked Isaac and persecuted him that Esau went about to oppresse and kill Iacob euen from his youth that Ioseph had his owne brethren for his enimies that the Prophetes could not agree with the wicked Kinges nor Saint Iohn Baptist with the incestuous Herode nor Iesus Christe with the high Priests Scribes and Pharisees nor the Apostles and Martyrs with the infidels and vnbeleeuers of their times And therefore it is meere folly to suppose and thinke that the children of God can euer bee beloued of the worlde Whereupon by good right and for good cause Saint Iames saith Iames. 4.4 That the amitie of the worlde is the enmitie of God and hee that will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God And for this cause also Iohn 15.19 Iesus Christ hath said to his Disciples If yee were of this world the world would loue his owne but because yee are not of this world but I haue chosen and separated you out of this world therefore the worlde hateth you To be short if wee woulde that the Church of God should be without persecution theÌ„ of necessitie must it be that the world should be without hatred the Diuel without enuie and our nature without vice or sinne But to the ende that wee may specifie and declare cetaine things A discourse of the tenne great persecutions of the Church touching the persecutions of the Church let vs examine as it were one by one the tenne persecutions which came vpon it after the death of Iesus Christe vnder the Emperours whereof the Ecclesiasticall historie maketh mention True it is that in the time of Augustus the seconde Emperour the Churche was much persecuted vnder the great Herode who thinking to put to death the King of the Iewes in the very cradle commaunded men to slaie all the babes and little children of Bethelehem and of all the borders thereof from two yeeres olde and vnder Also vnder Tiberius the third Emperour by Herode Antipas the Tetrarch of Galilee who was the sonne of the first Herode who tooke away his brother Phillips wife and put to death Iohn Baptist because hee reproued him for that sinne and offence And by Pilate also who condemned and caused to bee put to death on the Crosse Iesus Christ the high Priests Scribes Pharises and Elders of the people beeing the principall blowers of the fire chiefe persecutors Moreouer vnder Caius Caligula that horrible monster who was appointed the fourth Emperour in the nine and thirtieth yeere after Christes birth and raigned three yeeres tenne monethes and eight dayes and vnder Claudius also his successor And it appeareth by the historie of the Actes and the Epistles of the Apostles howe the Churches were tossed and persecuted in Asia Antiochia Pisidia Iconium Lystra Galatia Ephesus Macedonia Phillippi Thessalonia Corinthus Berrhoe Rome and many other places but al these persecutions were as yet particular and but in some one place or other God moderating and mitigating the heartes and handes of men and gouerning after a wonderfull sorte his Church in those Emperours daies to the end it might more blessedly and plentifully growe But omitting these let vs speake of the tenne great and generall persecutions as they are called by which the Church was eagerly assaulted and cruelly tormented on all sides The first persecution was vnder Nero the sixt Emperour who was called Claudius Domitius Nero. Hee was ordeined Emperour in the yere 57. after the birth of Christ and reigned xiiii yeeres seuen monethes and certaine dayes And some say that the fiue first yeeres hee was a good man but that afterwardes hee so disordered himself and fell into suche excesse by incests murthers and all manner of wickednesses that hardly there is as yet any other Emperor to bee found who was defiled with such filthinesses Tertullian rehearseth in his Apologetico Tertul. Apolog cap. 5. that this Emperour was the first persecutor of the Church Looke saith hee into your historie and registers and you shall finde that Nero was the first which exercised crueltie against the Christians whiche were vnder the Emperours authoritie and principally against the Churche which was