vniversall agreement Must it be by Councells Provinciall Councells cannot giue vs sufficient assurance of it and for generall let them shew vs that after that at Ierusalem which is registred in the Scripture there was any one held before that of Nice which was not celebrated vntill about the yeare 325. shall it be by the writings of the fathers which liued before this Councell The greatest part yea most ancient of them had this strange conceit that we are to expect after the resurrection an earthly happines here below for the space of 1000 yeares during which the Lord also shall conuerse with vs eating and drinking A doctrine which those Fathers propose as receaued of all the Church The Faâ—hers then are not sufficient witnesses the consent of the Church is not a sufficient testimonie of true antiquitie But what shall we say of their consent in receiuing little children to the Eucharist Shall we therefore beleeue this opinion to be ancient Ancient indeed in respect of vs but not of truth which being truely ancient and Apostolicall hath condemned it of error which doubtlesse will be confessed by the Church of Rome They which came after these ancients haue corrected their errours concerning the thousand yeares habitation vpon earth the worldly deâ—ights after the resurrection the admission of children to the Communion Their comming afterward hath not preiudiced the priority of truth which they set vp againe in her ancient splendor and Maiesty The time which these father 's lived before them advantaged not their opinions younger then truth It is then a reasonable offer which we make to verefie the antiquâ—ty of our religion by the Scripture It is an easie necessary and certaine discovery For how few are there to be found which either are versed in antiquity or can be Seeing the tedious succession of so many ages the multitude of volumes which must be read and pervsed for this purpose A multitude if we haue regard to the truth of the history we search defectiue if to the leasure of ability of the greater sort infinite Let them which haue beene versed in these enquiries speake if they finde not through every age changes and alterations But the Scripture is exposed to the view of every one it is but one booke in which that which is necessary to salvation is easie to him who is not preoccupated either with passion or with a conceit of its obscurity This wee haue elsewhere demonstrated here we will only recite as appertaining to the matter we haue in hand that which the renowned father Chrysostome speaketh concerning this The Pagan saith I would make my selfe a Christian but I knowe not which side to fasten on There are many contentions among you every one saith I speake the truth I knowe not vnto what or whom to referre my selfe both sides prâ—tend Scripture But answere him this maketh much for vs for if wee should say that we beleeue reasons there would be something to trouble one but seeing that we stand to the Scriptures seâ—ing they are plaine and true it is very easie to iudge of the matter If any one consent vnto them he is a Christian if he oppose them he is far from their company These are the very words of that father which in his mouth will finde a great deale more favour and lesse envy then in ours Words which advertise vs that the Scripture is the most especiall instrument to haâ—e recourse to in tâ—e search either of antiquity or truth Words also which avouch that the Pagan himselfe â—ay iudge who is he that beleeueth who speaketh agreeably to Scriptâ—re aâ—though he cannot iudge of the truth contained in it For they are very different things to iudge of the truth of a writing and of the conformity of some discourse to it The Pagans could not iudge of the truth of the Scripture but according to Chrysâ—stome they might discerne what tenet and opinion was most confoâ—mable to it Now this sufficeth in the question of antiquity for neither side doubâ—eâ—h but that the Scripture is most ancient that siâ—e then which shall be found most conformable to it shall be the most ancient The Pagans may iudge of this conformity saith Chrysostome how much rather then may the Christians The shortest cut then to the composing of this difference is to addresse our selues to the Scripture When one would knowe the antiquity of the priviledges of a Colledge or a soceity he repaireth no whither but to the Charter of the foundation The instrument of the foundation of the Church is the Scripture if we offer to verifie our antiquity if we doe verifie it by the date of this instrument wee proceed ingeniously and our conclusion is irresistible Let theÌ„ cease then to reproach vs that wee haue brought in a new doctrine vnknowne in the times of the Apostles Let them not for shame boast any longer of antiquâ—ty seeing they refuse to be conâ—rolled by the Scripture the most ancient monument of antiquity Certainely they make but an vntoward enquiry into antiquitie who measure it by a certaine number of yeares who dreame that to haue beene alwaies extant whose beginning they are ignorant of It is a safer course then to proue antiquity by truth then truth by aâ—tiquity Custome without truth as St Cyprian well obserued is but antiquity of errour The proportion elaborate figure the beauty of a medaile statue or an old peece of building is not knowne by the antiquity but the antiquity of them is characterised by these conditions as by iâ—s infallible markes So the glory and vse of the Sunne are not discerned by his aâ—tiquity but by his glory and vse hee may bee iudged to be as old as heaven and earth It is not with time in respect of truth as it is in respect of nobility the antiquity of which augmenteth its reverence making it more illustrious Time contributeth no growth nor luster to truth Shee was as much herselfe in her cradle as shee is many centuries of yeares after We must beleeue that the thing is and afterward examine since what time it beganne to be Let vs proue our religion to be true and afterward let vs consider its antiquity yea by this meanes wee shall haue proued it for vertue is ancienter then vice trueth then lyes superstition is after religion as sicknesse after health So wee are ready to verify both the antiquitie of our religion by its trueth and the truth of it by its antiquitie beginning at the well-head the times of the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles that the processe may be abridged and speedily ended CHAP XVIII That vpon the supposition that the Church of Rome hath sometimes beene a true Church it cannot be concluded that shee is so at this day SO on their side those counterfeit flashes of antiquity vanish which now with a reall brightnesse shine more vigorously on our side They who cracked so much of their antiquity are found to be but vpstarts
tyrannicall This is their comfort that they haue gotten on the one side that which they haue lost on the other so they would haue it choosing rather to be subiect to one who is far from them and whose greatnesse dependeth of theirs then to many which are neare them and whose lustre might obscure theirs In regard of this order therefore there is no succession in the Church of Rome In the ancient Church there were Elders tearmed Presbyteri from whence came the name of Prebsters Priests But the Priests of the Romish Church retaine nothing of them but the name Their Principall office was to teach and instruct where as the Romish Priests for the most part are vnlearned idiots and by consequence are no otherwise successours of those Primitiue ones then darknesse pouerty sicknesse succeed light wealth health Now this default cannot be excused by alleaging that it is the fault of the persons for so it is in Ecclesiasticall functions that were the incapacity of the person is the function cannot bee I call here the incapacity not simply the fault of the person but the impossibility of discharging the function The womaÌ„ which hath no milke cannot be a nurse and if she take the office of one who hath vpon her this cannot be in the qualitie of a nurse shee cannot be a nurse beyond the name So he which hath not in some sort the abilities requisite for reaching he cannot possibly be a teacher if he succeede one that could and did teach he succeedeth him not as teacher but onely in his name Moreouer the Principall part of the priests office consisteth now a dayes in mumbling of masse and in being sacrificers of which there is no mention in the Primitiue ordination of Priests In the ancient Church there were Deacons now there are Deacons Archdeacons subdeacons But what haue these people of the ancient Deacons beside the name Take they any care of the poore yea they suck their blood by a cruell and importunate exaction of their reuenues Doe they serue tables yea themselues are sumptuously attended at their owne In a word seeing they doe not the office of the ancient Deacons how shall they be their successiours Concerning Monkes and Nunnes there will noâ— be found a syllable in scripture to signifie that there were any in the age of the Apostles St. Hierome who hath much extolled this profession fetcheth its originall from Paul the Hermite a faire time after the Apostles If else where he referreth its beginning to a time more ancient he contradicteth both himselfe and the truth being carried away by the excessiue affection he bare to this profession Howsoeuer the Monkes of these times cannot iustly be accounted the successours of these Monkes which St. Hierome so much commendeth What maketh a monke sayd he within citties These not onely abide in citties but euen in them build citties In St. Austens time it was theft for a Monk to beg now it is an especiall point of their sanctifie In St. Cyprians time it was not vnlawfull for him who had vowed continencie to marry afterwards now it 's a matter monstrously hereticall except when the Pope dispenceth with it who like a God vpon earth can doe whatsoeuer it pleaseth him and more also then God in heauen for he can make vice vertue and vertue vice by his dispensations CHAP XXVIII That the Ceremonies of the Romish Church are not of Apostolicall institution IF we consider the Ceremonies of the Romish Church we shall quickly see that the ancient simplicity and Apostolicall purity is not to be found in her that those decent customes of true antiquity are either quite changed by her or so extreamely abused that they are made vnprofitable In the flourishing time of the Apostles there was nothing vsed in baptisme but water afterwards there was added Chrisme and since that salt spittle What successioÌ„ haue these additions these new superfluities seing they had not their originall at the first institution of that sacrament The channell pipe as it were of succession here grew faulty and receaued in this stinking water running athwart The disguisement which they haue put vpon the holy supper is yet more prodigious they haue miserably and vnhappily mangled it they haue cleft the seale of the King of heauen in the middle and cast away the one halfe of it What is it that superstition dareth not to venture vpon We haue the institution canoÌ„ of this holy sacrament recited by three Euangelists and by St. Paul Can there be any thing more pure more simple lesse stuffed with superfluous superstitious ceremonies lesse accompanied with pomp compliments Now compare with that purity simplicitie that nakednesse as I may say of ceremonies the histrionicall pomp the apish gestures and anticke trickes of the Masse can there be any thing imagined more vnlike vnto it and disproportionable What succession then may be conceiued or acknowledged where the dissimilitude is so great but a succession of evill to good or corruption to purity Moreouer what shall we say of their superstitious consecration of chappels altars pixes fonts Chalices plates vestiments holy oile holy bread holy water of their Beads Agnus Dei Images of their christning of Bells of the hallowing of ensignes and swords From whence will they fetch the institution of these trumperies Had they a heart of lead a face of iron a forâ—head of brasse yet they would not dare to affirme that any of these fopperies were in vse in the age of the Apostles What succession then of them can they pretend Lastly their processions their stately pompe at funeralls so Proud and magnificent that now they fondly liue and die altogether Came it from the Apostles Yea is it not a relique of the PagaÌ„ superstition CHAP. XXIX That there is no succession in respect of doctrine in the Romish Church BVt the worst of all is that they destitute of the succession of the truth which is the soule and life of the Church True antiquite beleeued that they which die in the Lord rest from their labours they beleeue that at their departure out of this life they goe to Purgatorie there to fry in as scorching a fire as that in hell True antiquity beleeved that when we shall haue done all that which is commanded vs we are but vnprofitable servants because wee shall haue done no more then was our dutie to doe They teach that man already culpable before God may merit eternall life ex condigno by exact proportion of the worke of the wages True antiquity beleeued that the sufferings of this present life are not sufficient to counterpoise the glory which is eternall They beleeue that they doe counterpoise them in merits Antiquitie beleeued that we are saued freely They beleeue that we are saved by the merit of our works Antiquitie beleeved that we are saved by grace through faith and that not of our selues it is the
of having the substance of Christianity amongst them even by our owne confession 10 They dazell the eyes of the world with the shew of a multitude of religious persons which they say haue renounced the world trampled vnder their feet the delights riches and honours of earth that they may aspire vnto heaven So in the vpshot they make their conclusion that where these notes are there is the Church and where they are not she cannot be And so presuming that they may with good right take these notes vnto themselues and that we can pretend nothing for them albeit this truth receiued amongst vs dart her most cleere and liuely rayes into the most passionate and partiall eyes yet they alwaies condemne vs vpon these prejudices CHAP. VIII A consideration of the outward glory of the Romish Church and of the meane estate of the true Church NOw albeit these considerations might make the world doubt whether we were the true Church or no yet they should not haue made them to condemne vs. The Lord Iesus was surnamed the Nazarene this very surname made Nathanael to doubt whether he were the Messias or no. Can any good come out of Nazareth said he to Philip but as soone as Philip answered him come and see he went and saw him What shall wee loose by it if we take a stricter view of these appearances that we may see whether there bee no cosenage in them The most rigorous examâ—nation will not make them false contrarily their truth the more it s tried it will become the more illustrious But if they are but cheating shewes what honest heart will not bee content that the imposture should be detected To this purpose wee are now busied And for as much as the matter we haue in hand is large that our discourse may not roue wee will severally examine these pretences in the same order wee propounded thâ—m Of all these appearances the Magnificence of the Romane Church is the first with which she presents her selfe to the view of people being remarkable by three principall circumstances 1 Her outward glory 2 Her ceremonies 3 Her policy But what will become of this maine point if al these circumstances ought to make vs the more suspect her and if the Church which in this respect is opposite vnto her for the want of these shewes deserueth to be better esteemed of by vs Surely 1 The nature of the Church 2 Her condition 3 The dangerous inconveniences which these circumstances draw along with thâ—m forbid vs to admit them for characters and badges of the true Church for the glory and lustre of the Church is not outward bodily visible but inward spirituall invisible All her beauty is within shee is like vnto the Tents of Kedar as soone couered with dust and well nigh burned with the heat of the Sunne as soone beâ—tâ—n shaken with stormes and tempests but in the meane time inwardly all glittering in glory and magnificence Like in this unto her head the Lord Iesus as being predestinated to bee made conformable vnto his image who during the time of his conversation here belowe had nothing without him that could make him amiable being contemptible in his owne person in his Disciples and followers in the iudgement of him who saw but his outside Who would haue compared him in this respect to Tiberius or Pilate or Caiphas the high Priest Borne in a Cratch not in a Palace in a blinde village not at Ierusalem not at Rome of the Royall stocke indeed but then when the glory of it was quite eclipsed amongst the Israelites but at a time when they were slaues to the Romans of a Virgin but so poore that shee was betrothed to a Carpenter at his biâ—th indeed adored by a company of shepheards but by a few wisemeÌ„ persecuted by Herod living in such a retired obscurity vntill the time of his Baptisme that Iohn himselfe knew him not Then was hee led by the spirit into the Wildernesse tempted by Satan by him carried vp to a pinnacle of the Temple and after all this having begun his preaching continually and vnmercifully persecuted even to death but by whom Surely by the Princes of the world the Magistrates the very same which pretended the title of the Church the authority succession and chaire of Moses oppressed alwaies with these prejudices Haue any of the governours and Pharâ—ses beleeued in him Behold to what the pomp and state of Iesus Christ is brought to ignominie and pouerty But in the meane time consider him inwardly in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and knowledge in him dwelleth all the fullnesse of the Godhead bodily he is the Prince of life the Lord of glory the Sonne of God his onely sonne who being in the forme of God but made himselfe of no reputation Should iâ— then be seemely for the Church the workmanship of his hands the clay which his fingers haue fashioned the slaue which hee hath ransomed by his blood the spouse which he hath sanctified by his spirit to weâ—re any other livery then his owne to be handled more daintily and after a more delicate manner then himselfe Is it possible that the body should not be made conformable to its head that the glory of the head being invisible that of the body should be visible that the magnificence of the head being heavenly spirituall that of the Church the mysticall body of that head should be earthly and secular Yea her condition is to suffer with him that she may raigne with him Moreouer statelines gaietie in apparell doth not commend but prejudice chastitie which either is of meane condition or else as modest in her deportments as if she were This pomp which invites and feasts as it were the eyes of the body is but carnall and seeing it doth so much humour the flesh it should rather be taken for a marke of pride then of vertue The rich glutton is clothed with purple and fine linnen he fares deliciously contrarily Lazarus is sick vlcerous exposed to the iniuries of the weather and scorne of men beholding to dogges only for reliefe Yet Lazarus is an Embleme of the Church the glutton of the world Moreover hath not the Lord advertised his own that he sent them abroad as sheep amongst Wolues that they should bee hated of all men for his names sake That as the world had hated him so it would hate them That they should be cast out of the Synagogues questionlesse out of those Synagogues which had the succession and pleaded antiquity That they should be haled before the Magistrates that they which put them to death should thinke they did God good service in a word that the Disciple being not aboue his Master they should expect the same welcome and
vse even so the church of Rome is stiled the Temple of God as being primordially planted and dressed by his hand consecrated to God and the Lord Iesus Christ and is so still at this day outwardly by baptisme and profession of the Christian faith although they haue degenerated from their originall purity and by their abominations prophaned their consecration belied their profession Like vnto rebells who notwithstanding their rebellion retaine the name still of kings subiects as vsually he that is the ringleader of a conspiracy obeyed by his confederates is said to vsurpe rule over the kings subiects So the adulteresse keepes the name of a wife still After this fashion that may bee called the Temple of God which is become a den of theeues that wherein not Antiochus but Antichrist hath set vp the abomination of desolation But granting them that the Temple of God wherein Antichrist must sit should be the true Church it cannot thence bee concluded that the Church of Rome should be the true Church this will imply no more then that the Temple of God are the faithfull both those which haue been heretofore and those which are still as it were impledged in the Church of Rome as anciently the Iewes were in Babylon and all Israell in Aegypt Over them the Pope long since sate and at this day sits and in this sense sits in the Temple of God in the rigour of its signification They in the meane time never were and now are not of the Romane church as the graine is in the chaffe but not of it As some vpright Iustices may be in a Court of corrupt Iudges but not of their confederacy a few wholsome bodies may be with a multitude of infectious but not of their company Finally to cut them off from all evasioÌ„ we say that the Pope sitteth in the church of God in regard of the vnlimited authority he vsurps over all christians even those which are separated from his slaues vndertaking as their Iudge to proceed against them with his tyrannous censures and constraining Princes to persecute them It is then a certaine truth that this policie of the Roman church being of the same nature with that of the Antichristian church it is a disgracefull and scandalous badge of her corruption and apostacy On the other side let the government of the reformed churches be obserued in them there is no supreame iurisdiction but an authority which alwaies submitteth it selfe to the rule of Gods word and Canons of a discipline regulated by it Every man being assubiected to the iudgement not of one alone but of many and those many not vndertaking to binde any man by their authority but only by the equitie of their decrees submitting themselues to the controll of any man yea and yeelding to it if it be accompanied with reason The true church is of so ample a circumference that she cannnot be governed by one alone and of so Royall a descent that in that which concerneth the conscience she cannot be ruled by any but God himselfe Any other whosoever he be imployed in any function concerning her must behaue himselfe as her servant not as her Lord not prescribing her any thing but bearing witnesse to what hath beene prescribed her not advancing himselfe aboue kings but bowing vnto them not thinking that his spirituall liberty exempts him from bodily loyaltie but giving to Caesar that which is Caesars to God that which is Gods honour to whom honour tribute to whom tribute belongeth This is the platforme and ground of iurisdiction in the protestant churches very different from the Popes who establisheth a spirituall monarchie in the church who taketh vpon him to iudge all without being iudged by any who requireth a blind obedience grounded not vpon the reason and equity of his iniunctions but vpon the vncontrolable eminency of his place making as much of his ordinances as if they were brought downe immediatly from God as having in the registry of his breast the fulnesse of infallible knowledge CHAP. XIII Whether vnion and discord be markes by which the true Church should bee discerned from the false ALL the advantage then that the Church of Rome gets by this clatter of externall pomp of ceremonies iurisdiction and authority by which it is endeavored to make her greatnesse more venerable stands her but in this sorry steed to strengthen the suspicion of her falshood into her conviction On the contrary the innocent basenesse simplicity and humility notable in the true church maketh her more louely affording vs sound matter of a pressing coniecture a strong presumption that she is indeed as well as in stile The Reformed Church This perceiued maketh vs presage that all the other exceptions which the Church of Rome darteth against vs will be of the same making with this first having more plausibility then soundnesse partiality then iustice colour then strength as we shall see by Gods assistance in the progresse of this examination Let vs consider then in the second place what weight there is in the pretended vnity of the Church of Rome opposed to the discord surmised to bee amongst vs. Now we say that it is not generally true that vnity should alwaies be a note of the true Church or discord of the false We sâ—y also that the vnity of the Romane Church is in shew only not in deed that it is rather a conspiracy then a vnion like vnto that amongst those which were besieged in Ierusalem who disagreeing betweene themâ—elues ioyned forces neverthelesse against those which besieged them being divided at home and vnited abroad And on the other side that our discord is only surmised and tâ—at we are in truth vnited not only against the common enâ—my but also betweene our selues That it is true that vnion is not a marke of the true Church nor disvnion a iust presumption of the false see we not that in the times of the Apostles there were great discords in the Church Some of them were of one opinion some of another one thought that the ceremonies of tâ—e law were to be retained another that they were not And this divisioÌ„ had made such an alienation of hearts in tâ—e Church that St Peter himselfe was compelled to be a timeserver and diversly to apply himselfe according to places and persons vntill he met with a rough censure from St Paul who resisted him to his face and sharply rebuked him for not walking vprightly according to the truth of the Gospell I vnderstand saith the same Apostle writing to the Corinthians that there are dissentions among you and I partly beleeue it for there must be heresies amongst you also that they which are approued may be made manifest Behold in the meane while amongst the Iewes the Scribes Pharisees and Sadduces vnited together vnder one head the high Priest Could they then benefit themselues with this pretence and vpbraid the Christians with their discord True it is the Sadduces agreed not
innocent that could shroud himselfe from the fraud and violeÌ„ce of caluÌ„ny alwaies malitious but then confident and peremptory when shee perceiueth herselfe handsomely trimmed and to be favoured something like the truth To begin this point wee say that it is no new matter that truth should be censured of nouelty nor that falshood should be invested with the venerable and sacred mantle of antiquity The Iewes cast this aspersion vpon our Sauiour the Prophet of Prophets and doctor of doctors contrarily they tooke to themselues this prerogatiue that they were the old friends and retainers of truth The pagans made the primitiue Christians odious to the world by the aspersion of nouelty Proud and lying braggers they made brauadoes and trophies with the monuments of their antiquity It is for vs then to thinke our selues happy and to cheare vp our selues in that wee are partakers of the same slanders with Christ these are honorable skars with which the primitiue Christians were marked And they who goe about to shame vs by these aspersions who boast and brag of their antiquity if they doe it vpon the same title which the Iewes and Pagans presumed on are they not vnhappie and their proceeding is it not really as ridiculous as in appearance it was commendable Now that it is so it appeareth by the nature of the answeres we oppose to their exceptions conformable to those of Christ to the Iewes and of the Christians to the pagans to discouer the impieâ—y quell the earnestnes and abate the insolency of the like calumnies Search the scriptures saith our Sauiour for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are thâ—y which testifie of me If yâ—u haue beleeued in Mâ—sâ—s yee beleeue also in me for he wrote of me This is our defence at this day Wee are slandered as innouators wee answer search the Scriptures if you beleeue Moses the Prophets and Apostles you will belâ—eâ—e also in Christ preached in the midst of vs wee publish nothing but what hath beeâ—e written by them It was oblected to our Sauiour that his dâ—sciples violated the traditions of the fathers he replyed vâ—to thâ—m that by their traditions they had made void the word of God Wee at tâ—is time are molested with the same censure wee in our Sauiours authority retort the same reproch vsing his words in the face of them that brocht it Wee offer to make it manifest wee doe indeede make it a plaine case that they nullifie the word of God by their traditions that our antiquity is the antiquity of the Scripture yea of the truth contained in it which was preached before euer it was written So when the Pagans by this aspersion though false of nouelty made the cause of the Christians suspected they were confuted by the antiquity of the scriptures and by a proposall of these considerations that wee are not so much to care when as vpon what grounds wee embrace religion that as God almighty Iehouah the ancient of daies is not of any new being so his true worship cannot be new the forme of which worship who can better prescribe then God himselfe who said they is more to be beleeued in a matter concerning God then God himselfe is man to be credited who is ignorant of himselfe vnlesse God assist him and reueale him to himselfe It is not the antiquity of yeares but of manners which is venerable It s no disparagement to be conuerted euen in the doting age of the world no age is superannuated for repentance It is rather a shame not to be forward in a willing and industrious amendment in old age So the Primitiue Christians defended themselues and so in these times wee frame our apologies Wee rehearse the same things to iustifie vs. Wee request that the antiquity not of persones but of doctrine may be respected This is that which we expect that to which wee haue summoned and doe daily call our adversaries to Hither our adversaries dare not come that they may not come hither they find excuses to runne back It is then a base slander which is cast vpon vs that wee confesse our religion is new that wee denie which wee stifly affirme that antiquity is allwaies on truths side Christ in appearance was but an vpstart in respect of his adversaries as being but newly come abroad Christian religion if one would haue iudged of it while he cast his eyes vpon the heathenish monuments their temples and edifices would haue beene thought a neotericke vanity New in outward shew but really Christ and his doctrine in antiquity surpassed the Pharises and their leauen Christianity was by many ages ancienter then Paganisme But is it not a kind of stupidity in maÌ„ more to looke after towers and steeples then truth neuer remeÌ„bring that there was a time when these deuices were not but truth was before them all· Is it not reasonable here that wee should be heard will it not be thought that wee speake with reason when wee affectionately both aduise and entreate that it may be considered that it is a fault almost common to all men to call that new which is not so but in respect of them to bestow the honour of antiquity vpon nothing but what is ancient in their opinion measuring both antiquity and nouelty by the ell of their memories It fares with religion and lawes which the corruption and ignorance of the times hath obscured and as it were buried as it doth with Countries called new-found lands because lately discouered yet who is there that hath not his senses stolne from him which doubts but that they are of the same standing with the world All reformation is new what matter is it if the modell and patterne of it be antient Let our discouery be new The land which wee haue discouered is ancient hâ—th alwaies beene though vnknowne to the multitude· CHAP. XVI That the search of antiquity is not rightly ordered and what the direction is which Saint Cyprian giues vs for it WEE affirme then that antiquity is alwaies on the right hand of truth wee beleeue it and preach it honouring true antiquity not that which seemeth so to our fancy ignorant of times past but that which is true and reall Otherwise wee should be like those which sometimes thought that beyond the great Ocean and Atlantique sea there was no land because there was neuer knowne any Pilot that went so farre vntill Columbus ventred vpon it in the time of our Grandfathers Wee beginne at our shore with our time and so goe backward but why at least peirce wee not this Ocean of time and so get through to the other end why loose wee courage in the midst of our voyage why turne wee saile so suddainely If wee haue had neither the skill nor courage to saile further why affirme wee so confidently that their is nothing beyond our computation why dreame wee that it is impossible for vs to find that which wee neuer
and wee which were flouted at as new comers are found to haue the strongest title to antiquity Yet here they will demand whether wee can deny but that the Church of Rome hath beene a true Church seeing there is extant an Epistle of St. Paule addressed vnto her in which her faith is commended as being renowned through the whole world Certes wee confesse that the Church of Rome hath sometimes been not the true church but a true Church that her faith hath beene commended by the Apostle We say also that if they can make her appeare to vs at this day as shee was then wee will willingly shake hands with her That neuerthelesse this cannot serue her for any prerogatiue for if the Apostle directeth one letter to her he wrote two to the Corinthians if he extolled her faith testifying of it that it was renowned through the whole world he hath graced also the faith of the Thessalonians with the same elogies These prerogatiues benefit not any of those Churches at this day with any priuiledge why then doth the Church of Rome extract advantages out of them The Churches of Constantinople Antioch Alexandria haue sometimes beene puâ—e and flourishing Churches bâ—t now who condemneth theÌ„ not as being fallen from the piety anâ— doctrine of their ancestors But they adde that the Church of God cannot faile or decay a strange pertinacy The Chuâ—ches which we haue named of Corinth Thessalonica Alexandria and Constantinople since that they are altered changed that they haue failed and fallen away aâ—e not permâ—tted to haue recourse to the priuiledge and to the fauour which God had shewed vnto their predecessors if they alleage that they haue beene sometimes true Churches yet this consequence will not be admitted that therefore they are so now It will easily and clearely be manifested that they are no longer true churches and that neuerthelessâ— the church of God hath not beene conquered by tâ—e gates of hell but hath continued immoueâ—ble vpon the rocke vpon which shee was built by the supreme Architect the Lord Iesus It will be answered these Churches that their ancestors indeeâ—e weâ—e of the true Church but thaâ— aâ—so the gates of hell haue not preuailed against them that they haue ouercome temptations that they haue vanquished death and shall vanquish the graue that they which haue succeâ—ded them haue succeâ—ded theâ— in the name and title of the Church nâ—t in truth of doctrine not in puâ—ity of life and that tâ—â—refore they are not of the true Church That it is nâ—t therefore strange that the promises made vnto the Church should be true aâ—d yet not appertaine vnto them seeing they are neâ—ther the true Chuâ—ch nor â—rue Churches but barely succâ—ssoâ—s of somâ— thaâ— haue beene Let the Doctors of the Church of Rome here tell vs in conscience iâ— sâ—ch an answere be not pertinent â—eyond reply to the Easterne Churches which are separated from the Romane when they alleadge their Ancestors when they sâ—y tâ—e fathers were of them Why shoulâ— it not be permitted vs then to vse the same answere to them that theâ—r predecessors madâ— a part of the truâ— Church that the gates of hell haue not preuaiâ—ed againâ—t them but this honour and especiall fauour of God advantageth not their posterâ—ty vnlesse they make it evident that they haue not been Apostates from the doctrine of their fathers Good parents may haue bad Children and yet God failes not of his promise to the Parents although the child receiue the stipend due vnto his iniquity the piety of his parents serues but to encrease his condemnation A good father cannot perish a true Church câ—nnot fall away But as it is but too common that wicked children succeede good parents which perish in their sinne except they repent so to a true Church an impure Church succeedeth aâ—d perisheth in her impurity vnlesse shee be repurified and reformed Doe yee workes worthy of repentance and presume not to say that wee are the Children of Abraham said Iohn Baptist to the Iewes If yee were the Children of Abraham yee would doe thâ— workes of Abraham said the Lord to them then when they bragged that they were of the race of Abraham They then aâ—e the true Children of Abraham which are his Childâ—â—â— in the faith and they are truely the successors of the Primitiue Churches which haue succeeded them in the doctrine of the faith The ancestors of the twelue tribes which reuolted were of the true Church for all this could it be said after their reuolt because sometimes they had beene that therefore they were so still vnder preteÌ„ce that the true Church cannot reuolt doubtlesse no for when it was said that the ten tribes at other times had beene of the true Church that was alwaies vnderstood of their pious and religious ancestors of them meerely in respect of the outward profession and in regard of the opinioÌ„ men might conceiue of them before their reuolt So their reuolt caused not that the Church should reuolt but discouered their hypocrisie Moreover it so fell out that Iudah Beâ—iamin and the halfe tribe of Manasseh reuolted also with a worse apostacy then they of Israell and consequently the reuolt was generall in all Israel yet notwithstanding it could not be said euen then that the Church of God was revolted because that insteed of the reuolted multitude God alwaies preserued his owne A small number of the election of grace which groaned sighed for all the abominations which were committed in Ierusalem CHAP XIX That notwithstanding the reuolt of the Romish Church the true Church hath continued whole and entire IN the Apostacy which was to be in thâ— Christian Church and which at this day wee see to be the same is come to passe If the Iewes in vaine cryed the Temple the Temple in vaine cry they now adaies the Church the Church If there were nothing but the Temple an empty name a stately den of theeues If it were sometimes answered them which boasted of it Trust not vpon lying words The temple of the Lord c. May not wee now make the same answer vpon the like occasion They brag'd that the law should not perish from the Priest nor the councell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet because these promises were made to the Church At this day the Romanists say the same make the same vauntes but that which was sometimes answered those vaineglorious hypocrites the law shall perish from Priest counsell from the sage is that which we tell our aduersaries it is that which wee desire to be admitted to verifie that wee may not be oppressed with these preiudices wherewith the Iewes anciently endeauored to confute the Prophets and the Lord the Prince of Prophets himselfe the supreame Prophet of his Church At the time when the Lord came into the world when God was manifested in the flesh and many yeares before that time what
was the state and outward face of the Iewish Church What was the high Priest What were the successors of Moses which pretended antiquity succession and the title of guides and Pastors of Israel Surely enemies of God vnder the honest title of being his seruants seducers of the People vnder the demure shew of being their teachers Corrupters of the law wearing the ornaments and sitting in the chaire of interpreters commending themselves to the people and by them commended vnder this magnificent title Such was the Iewish Church to looke vpon outwardly as well in those which sate ruled in their Synagogues in their great little councells which they called the Sanhedrin as in the route multitude which followed approued adhered to those disorders So miserable was the face of the Iewish Church at that time which yet had not alwaies beene so But neuerthelesse in this so thicke and blacke darknesse God caused his light to shine reserued his wheat amongst this chaffe in that infected multitude he preserued a small number from that â—pirituall pestilence small indeed but so vseth to be the number of things of worth excellenciâ—s are rarities There is much stone few diamonds theâ—e are many dullards few sages It is the little flock to whom it hath pleased the father to giue the Kingdome So then the Church which hath succeeded which hath occupied the â—oome of the true Church may become an harlot by being erroneous and apostaticall and yet the true Church erreth not is not abandoned of her Lord and husband The reply also which here is made vnto vs is impertinent not tolerable That the estate of the Church was of another nature vnder the old Testament before the first comming of our Sauiour while the heire was a child and the Church enioyed not a full liberty while shee saluted the promises of the actuall exhibition of the Messiah of the abundance of Grace in him a farre off without obtaining them as yet All this is true but would they hence infer that the heauenly father hath disinherited his childreÌ„ vnder the old Testament which he doth no longer vnder the new That he hath prostituted his spouse but now keepeth her in his Cabinet No our heaueÌ„ly father hath neuer been without Children our bridegroome without the Church his bride It is true indeede that he maintained her more sparingly vnder the old then vnder the new Testament â—s the scripture teacheth and wee beleeue But wee denie that he forsooke her any more then then now for he which toucheth you saith he toucheth the apple of mine eye The Church then which reuolted vnder the oâ—d Testament the Church which followed that reuolt was not the Church but in name and in respect of the reuenues and dignities into which it succeeded masked howsoever with the outward profession of the true religion This was the Church which forsooke God this was the Church whom God forsooke If then any Church in these times after the like manner become apostaticall ought she to haue any more priuileâ—ge vnder the nâ—w then vnder the old Testament God detesteth hypocrisie equally in aâ—l ages yea the greater it is the more abhominable it is vnto him If then it be doubled in these latter times the indignation of God is proportionably incensed against it The grace offered excuseth not but agrauateth the neglect of it so that there is no difference in thâ—t which concerneth the perseuerance and revolt of the Church vnder the law or vnder grace This is our bâ—leife and our doctrine in this point Not that we would affiâ—me that the true Church erreth or falleth away finally in that which is fundamentall although in some of her members sometimes she goe away for a time But we affirme that they who by most voices beare away the title of the Church either haue erred or may erre euâ—n fundamentally and finally So when we say that the Iewish Church hath erred wee vnderstand not the true Iewish Church but that which was so in appearance which tooke vp its roome and bare the outward cognisance of it which had the externall calling succession After the same manner when we teach that the Christian Church may erre that it hath erred we vnderstand not the number of the faithful the number of their successoâ—s in the faith wee are cofident that they cannot erre fundamentally generally all together and finally Wee say indeede that the Church which erreth is that Church which triumphing with the title of Christs spouse is indeede no better then a strumpet CHAP XX. That they of the Church of Rome vse a perverse and ridiculous manner of Argumentation while they conclude from the promisâ—s made to the Church that they neiâ—her haue erred nor can erre IT is a friuolous tricke then that they insist somuch vpon the promiâ—es made to the Church and to bâ—ing vs newes that fâ—ee is built vpâ—n a rocke tâ—at the gates of heâ—l shall not preuaile against her It is to no purpose that they alledge those priuiledges that shee is the pillar and prop of â—ruth the spouse of Christ his onely spouse that he is and will be alwaies in the miâ—dest of her that his spirit guideth her into all trueâ—h The pith of our controuersie lyes not in all this Let him which denieth the truth of these promises or envieth the church these elogies be Anathema Maranatha let him be as a Iew or a Turke But as he is not truely a Iew which is one outwardly said the Apostle so neither is shee alwaies the true church which is so in the account of men but shee which is so inwardly whose glory and praise is of God and not of men sealed by his spirit knowne of him him onely certainly and distinctly All the question is whether shee bee the true church whom the world graceth with this title If wee should graunt that the church of Rome is the true church doubtlesse we should confesse too that she never erred fundamentally Let it then be verified vnto vs that shee is so and we will giue way to all the rest we will ingeniously confesse our selues to haue beene schismatiques in separating our selues from her communion The principall question then betweene vs and them is whether they are the true church or no. This being so is not their proceeding perverse and ridiculous when they take that for granted which is the maine point of our coÌ„troversie For alleadging that they are the Church they thence inferre that they neither haue erred nor can erre This argument should runne backward they haue not erred therefore they are the true Churcâ— If a woman accused of adultery of being taken even in the vile act of her vnchastity insteed of answering directly to her accusation and of acquitting her selfe by this meanes to recover her good name now tainted for all her defence should onely make a bare protestation that shee were an
they added to this truth their lyes to this spirituall bread their leauen then they sate in their owne chaire they were to be heard no farther then the true church stopt her eares against them the false she listned to them Thus we answer to this importunate questixon How may this be By the same reason also we are not perplexed for an answer when they aske vs what is become of our forefathers This interrogatory proposed by the Pagans to the first Christians extorted from them an answer odious in the mouthes of children speaking of their parents that God was marvellous in his waies but in all likelihood they were damned Thankes be to God we are not driuen to such straites In Paganisme there was nothing which might saue no word of grace and mercy in the doctrine published in the church of Rome there was something to beâ— chosen and they who picked it out carefully and applyed it to their vse were saued Why should wee doubt but that many thousands of our fathers did it God hath knowne how to preserue a church to himselfe in the midst of the most horrible Apostacies confusions and desolations happening vnder the old Testament since Malachie Should his arme be shortned vnder the new No but Eternall as he is he is alwaies like himselfe Now then let the importunate curiosity surcease those questions framed only to distract the simple Where was your Church Where were your Pastours Our church was in Babylon and her Teachers for want of better were the Teachers of Babylon Concerning that which they trouble vs farther with why therefore we haue not imitated our forefathers example why we are come out of Babylon if they were saved in it We will giue reasons for it hereafter in their proper place CHAP. XXV Of the true succession of the Church what it is that it dependeth not of succession either naturall or Politicke NOw because they mainely oppresse vs with the preiudice which they make against vs about Succession which they say is of great moment and pretend moreover that they haue it and that we haue it not that they haue continued alwaies that we are lately come in by the by crossing their line of succession let vs consider what strength this pretence for them exception against vs may haue Now that the ambiguitie of the word may not intangle vs we must knowe what kinde of succession they meane If it be a naturall succession from father to sonne from generation to generation we say that the succession of the Church dependeth not of such a succession It was and is still the prerogatiue of the obstinate Iewes that they are the successours of the Patriarches and Prophets in respect of carnall and naturall generation yet they are farre enough from being the true Church They haue succeeded their religious Ancestors in being men this succession is naturall They haue not succeeded them in being faithfull men this succession is spirituall If they vnderstand a politicke succession in respect of the place and auctority one succeeding another in order and without out interruption we affirme that the Church is not fastned to such a succession How often doe the Prophets complaine that the people of Israell their kings and Priestes were all gone out of the way and quite disordered by idolatry albeit their kings were successours of good kings and their Priests of good Priests The Scribes and Pharises enioyed not they this kind of succession which we call Politicke Were they for all that the true Church yea were they not seducers of the people corruptors of the Law sworne and deadly enemies of the Lord and his doctrine Now against this truth so evident it is impossible they should reply any thing but it will be very friuolous If it be said that Malachie prophesieth that the Priests lips shall preserue knowledge that the people shall seeke the law at his mouth wee answer that in that place there is not contained a prediction of an after euent but a declaration of a duty For indeede presently after the Prophet accuseth the Priest for hauing gone out of the way for causing the people to stumble A manifest proofe that these words the lips of the Priest shall preserue knewledge haue no other emphasis theÌ„ to signifie that the lips of the Priest ought to preserue knowledge There is nothing more frequeÌ„t in Scripture theÌ„ to propose a duty in the future tense Almost all the commandements of God runne in this forme Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven image Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. He that should inferre vpon these formes of speech that these CoÌ„mandements shall never bee broken would hardly proue himselfe a reasonable creature So the true succession of the Church is not alwaies ioyned to this politicke succession which of it selfe without the succession of piety is like to the succession of darknesse to light of sicknesse to health of an infectious aire to a wholesome of barrennesse to fruiâ—â—ullnesse of a Tyrant to a good Prince That ought to be accounted the true succession which is the suâ—cession of truth To haue the same minde and opinion is to haue succession of the same seate not to haue the same opinioÌ„ is to be contrary in respect of the seat The succession of the seate hath but the name of succession the succession of opinion hath the truth of it said Nazianzane and in saying so hath taught vs in what sense the Lord would haue the Scribes and Pharises to be heard as sitting in Moses chaire to wit when they tought like Moses so farre as they are the successors of Moses in doctrine But that hindreth not but that he hath commanded also to take heed of the leauen of the Pharises when they sit not in his Chaire but vpon a stoole of their owne making But what hath the Church of God then no certaine succession on earth Yea the Lord hath said that as the substance of the oke and Teyletree is in that which they cast so the holie seed shall be her substance But this succession is not tyed either to the naturall or to the politicke succession but it dependeth onely of the free disposition of him who turneth riuers into a wildernesse and the water springs into drie ground A fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein who turneth the wildernesse into a standing water and drie ground into water springs CHAP XXVI That the Popes authority is not originally deriued from the Apostles BVt to come nearer to this matter the Romish Church hath no kind of lawfull succession not that of gouernment and policie not that of rites and ceremonies no not the succession of persons least of all that of doctrine Shee hath not that of the policie of the ancient Church for in the ancient Church there were no
binding them to passe through the vsuall formes there is moreouer this difference to bee considered The exercising of the office of a Iudge deriueth it's force and efficacy from his authority whence it is that the determinations of Iudges are not executed because they are iust but because they are sentences and determinations bee it that they are giuen iustly by the wisdome and equity of the iudge or vniustly by his ignorance or corruptnesse But the vertue and power of the Ministeriall function dependeth not of the authority of him that practiseth it For if he be ignorant or hereticall one who willingly slighteth his charge and vilifieth his own function an hucster of Gods word as the Apostle speaketh his authority will not make that when he hath proclaimed peace peace there shall be peace by by as well as the sentences of Iudges how vniust or silly soeuer they are faile not for all that to be put in execution On the other side if he who exerciseth the function be both of ability and fidelity though he want the formality of an outward mission it being impossible for him to obtaine it and that which he doth without it being necessary he faileth not effectually to instruct exhort and comfort It fareth with him as with a Phisitian whose authority giueth not his doses and recipes vertue to worke and in working to heale but it is his skill honesty which direct him in choise of such prescriptions as are proper for the cure which is the fruit of his labour and the end he proposeth vnto himselfe Otherwise euery graduated Phisitian would without any more adoe cure the sicke if it were the authority of the Doctor and not the vertue of his physicke which did the cure the choise and application of which dependeth of his knowledge and fidelity Whence it commeth to passe also that if the Phisitian be skillfull and carefull the want of authority in his person hindereth not the operation of his doses From whence by comparison it may be obserued why in a Iudge outward authority seemeth to be absolutely and simply necessary and why in a Pastour notwithstanding that authority which dependeth of humane authority is not simply necessary namely because whatsoeuer a Iudge doeth he doth by that authority which is lent him from a superiour his abilities but enabling him to doe that aright which his deriued authority maketh him doe effectually but in a Pastor if he be sound in knowledge and conscience the administration of his charge doth alwaies it's work as effectually and compleatly as if it were backed and graced by humane authority It is the good phisick which healeth the good milke which nourisheth whether the Phisitian hath taken his degrees or not whether the nurse were approved of by a Phisitian or no these circumstances as they bring nothing to the point so they take nothing from it Now the Gospell is a medicine saith the prophet milke saith the Apostle the authority then of him who applyeth this medicine who giueth this milke to suck or drinke I say the authority the commendation of men can neither augment nor diminish their vertues· But some will say that although that authority which dependeth of outward mission be not alwaies requisite in pastours yet at least this defect ought to be supplied by miracles here they call vpon vs for our miracles But we aske them againe where are the miracles of Iohn the Baptist of whom it is written that he neuer did any miracles As for that after his conception he leaped in his mothers wombe at the presence of the blessed virgin Mary bearing in her wombe the Lord of the world this was not done to authorise confirme his office in to the execution of which he entered a long time after When Miracles are done to make some enterprise authentique they are done either immediately before it or else they accompany it while it selfe is in hand they are done also publiquely exposed to the view of all that they may be the lesse suspected for impostures But to answere precisely wee say that when the Gospell was first to be planted Miracles were very necessary but that being finished their necessity ceased The Miracles wrought to authorize the Gospell anciently retaine still at least amongst Christians their vertue for that effect If then wee prooue that wee propose the same Gospell those ancient miracles are ours Let them admit vs then to this proofe in which if wee faile wee will confesse then that they haue good reason to call vpon vs for miracles yea more then this that wee were not to be beleeued though wee should doe very strange ones For wee read that the coming of Antechrist shall be with signes and wonders but wee read not that they who oppose him shall worke miracles so that if wee should make a trade of doing miracles or as it were stage-shewes of them this would make vs not more iustified but suspected CHAP XXXVI That the example of the first reformers fauoureth not schismatiques THere remaineth yet the fourth obiection that it seemeth that this doctrine touching the true markes of diuine calling to wit sufficiency a necessity to imploy this sufficiency fauour encourage schisme But wee tell them that this cannot bee For seeing that he who maketh a schisme hath no necessity to make it this note agreeth not to a schismaticall teacher who in a tolerable estate of the Church erecteth a Church apart seeing that then he emploieth his gifts without necessity for the beaten way lying open what need hath he to betake himselfe to new cross-pathes but this way being stopt vp to our predecessors it followeth that they were driuen to a necessity which presseth not schismatiques Certainely there is no schisme where their is a iust occasion of separation an impossibility of proceeding otherwise now we say that such was the misery of the times of our predecessors that they had iust reason to separate themselues thar albeit they had beene vnprouided of that outward Vocation which they had yet it had beene impossible for them to proceede otherwise then they did If they offer to deny this truth wee offer to make it good hither wee desire to be admitted setting aside the preiudice if wee faile in our proofe wee refuse not to be accounted schismatiques CHAP XXXVII In what sense wee yeeld that the Church of Rome hath the substance of true religion and how shee ceaseth not for all that to be a false Chuch YEa but at least wee yeeld to them that they haue Baptisme that they haue the substance of Christian religion from whence they conclude that they cannot perish that wee who haue separated our selues from them haue gone schismatically to worke This argument they frame from that confession which they thinke they haue extorted from vs let vs see then what trueth strength it may haue First concerning Baptisme they confesse that wee haue it that it may be amongst
truth for so a lye is never approued of but masked with the looks of its opposite Yea our owne passions varnish it over or at least hinder vs from tearing of its vaile for feare least we beholding it with a narrow eye stripped of the borrowed face of truth should be affrighted by its vglinesse CHAP. II. That this imperfection of iudgement proceeding from passion is discouered principally in the cause of Religion IT may be that in the civill part of mans life where if the worst come to the worst it toucheth but the temporall good this affected winking of the vnderstanding is not altogether hurtfull But in Religion it fareth otherwise the danger here is dreadful and the losse beyond recovery when all here is embarked and carried away the body the soule not to be no more which would be at least a forlorne kinde of happinesse but to be everlastingly miserable which is the wofull complement of all vnhappinesse And yet for all that this mischieuous quality hath so encroached vpon our nature and insinuated it selfe into such good footing that it 's never more domineering and peremptory then when the question is concerning Religion the salvation of the soule and the worship which God requireth of vs. The poore Indians so long as they are shewed braue ensigne or curious picture because the imbroderie and painting ravish the sense and man is naturally idolatrous runne to them like birds to the fowlers crye even to adore them as if they enshrined some Deity But otherwise let oâ—e tell them of their errours of the errours of their fore-faâ—hers they will demand as did the Prince of Frisland What is become of their progenitors and friends formerly dead in their errours And if one answere them that they are in hell they will reply that they will goe thither also secretly giuing vs to vnderstand that there is no likelyhood they should be there The loue which they beare towards them maketh them mistake this sad truth for a lye because it implieth the condemnation of those whom nature or acquaintance hath most indeared to them If by reasons so sensible that meere sense might comprehend them it be strongly endeauored to make the folly of the Turkish Religion visible vnto a Turke all this while the Sunne is but shewed to a beetle the Turke sees not a whit not as if that had impaired his senses but it being an irksome businesse to acknowledge the horrid absurdities of his superstition his passions grow furious either besot his vnderstanding or divert it from a discontenting speculation of such a truth which being assented to would force him to pronounce sentence of condemnation vpon his country-men his Sultan his friends and kindred This is so torturing a griefe vnto him that nature will not suffer him to beleeue it and so it remaineth as incredible vnto him as it is vnpleasant vnlesse God worke aboue nature Let vs accuse the obstinate Iewes of blasphemy by testimonies of Scripture wee shall stop their mouths we shall convince them but yet for all that not convert them An inconsiderate zeale without knowledge as the Apostle hath obserued it a superstitious reverence of the traditions of their fathers a sottish doting vpon their owne righteousnesse a desire of the restauration of their state of their restablishment in the land of promise overspread their eyes as it were with a vaile so that they cannot behold the glory of God in the face of Christ who nullifieth their traditions teareth from them the false covert of righteousnesse who confoundeth their hope of an earthly kingdome and prosperity who frustrateth their expectation of a King a Messias triumphing in secular pompe who bindeth them to the taking vp of his Crosse presenting himselfe to them crucified and in his Crosse the shame horrour of the rebellion of their Ancestors All this is thus and more harsh to the naturall apprehension of the Iew and therefore hee is no lesse blockish and backward to beleeue it In as much as he considereth not neither alloweth the true full poise to those meanes whereby this truth should be proued vnto him It is then from his passion that this his affected voluntary and in consequence malicious ignorance proceedeth CHAP. III. That the vnderstanding troubled by the affections of the heart alwaies findeth pretences to make it selfe beleeue that which it desireth should be true IT is not so for all this that this ignorance wanteth colour which giueth it at least the aspect and complexion of a true knowledge insomuch that it deceiueth him who hath it and oftentimes others also The Paynims puffeâ— vp with a conceipt of their owne wisedome esteemed the doctrines of Christian Religion to be meere dotages To this purpose they alledged all that which reason blinded with passion could furnish them with albeit that in their superstition they beleeved many things much more repugnant to humane reason They alleâ—ged Antiquity and yet all the Pagan superstition sprang vp long after the truth Had we but the â—earned discourse of Iosephus against Appion it is enough to instruct vs that that wisdome so much vaunted of was of late birth in comparison to thâ—t of God to that of the Church They alleaged aâ—so their miracles their prodigious wonders their oracles tâ—e disasters which befell the world after the publication of Christianity as if it had not beene confirâ—ed by many and most admirable miracles against the contemners of it as if it had not bin promised spokeÌ„ of long before by oracles far exceeding theirs in clearnesse antiquity and truth as if whilst the Pagan superstition flourished the world had not smarted vnder the same evills which it felt since the preaching of thâ— Gospell or as if it had felt more tolerable plagues And as iâ— this multiplication of evills were not rather to be attributed to the contempt of so excellent a graâ—e tâ— tâ—e butcherie and martyring of so many poore soules guilty of nothing but Christianity blamelesse in all other respects living not so much like men as Angels If you please but to read the relation of Symmachus to tâ—e Emperours Theodosius Valentinian and Arcadius apologizing for Paganisme you shal find there were never grosser vntruthes invented nor yet more like vnto truth that nothing could be spoken with more impiety or more plausibility the author being as eloquent as he was irreligious These poore Paynims little thought they maintained a bad cause their affection to it made them mistake it for good They excused that in Paganisme which in Christianity they esteemed a folly a crime a sacriledge· For Paganisme they enslaved their vnderstandings busied them to search out reasons against reason in it they swallowed even Elephants On the contrary in the Christian Religion they accuratly strained and sifted every circumstance the propension of their affections swayed them to an approofe of the
sufficiently looked after fearing to find it desirous not to find it Wee may then iustly suffer this taunt that wee fainted in our vndertakings that wee were tired in our iourney When they goe about to calculate antiquity now a daies they beginne not with that which is first the first epoche is where were you within these hundred yeares so in steede of going foâ—ward they stop at a short period and retire homeward In the meane time this path were not to be neglected nor this method to be refused if they would not stop in their search vntill they came to the age of the Apostles for beateing this way so farre how many nouelties would their be met with betweene this and that of fresher date and which might be questioned where were you before which are not then of that ancient originall nor graced with the priuiledges of true antiquity which yet are antiquities in respect of vs and our times but meere nouelâ—ies in respect of the age of the Apostles That which was in the age of the Apostles is truely ancient and nothing ancient but that they are the fathers whose bounds wee must not remoue wee must inquire after the waies of these fathers as for those degenerate ancestors which came afterwards wee haue an expresse prohibiâ—ion Walke not according to the statutes of your fathers and regard not their-ordinaÌ„ces I am Iehouah your God walke in my statutes keepe my commandements and doe them Antiquity then is not to be accounted of but as shee is a witnesse of truth according to Tertullian that which was first taught saith hee is of the Lord and true That which is absolutely first then is to bee sought out and from it the calculation is to begun St. Cyprian giueth vs a direction for this calculation although he otherwise applyeth it which is as pertinent as it is familiar instructing vs that euen as a conduit of water which formerly ranne copiously and continually coming to faile vpon a suddaine wee haue recourse to the spring-head to know the cause of this defect whether it bee that the drying of the fountaine depriueth the running water both of an originall nourishment or whether the fouÌ„taine being entire the water faileth in its course the pipe being either brokeÌ„ or stopt that it being meÌ„ded the water may bee restored to the vse of the citty in the same plenty purity it proceedeth from the fountaine so saith he the Priestes of God ought to repaire to the originall and the tradition of the Gospell and Apostles in keeping his commandements to the end that the reason of our actions may be deduced from the same beginning whence that deriueth its authority That wee may not doubt what is the tradition of which he speaketh let vs heâ—re what he saith a little before to the same purpose One alleadged to him tradition whence is this tradition replyeth he is it from the Lord from the authority of the Euangelists or Apostles For that those things which are written in the booke of the law are to bee obserued God himselfe testifieth telling Iosuah that the booke of the Law the scripture should not depart out of his mouth If then it bee either commanded in the Gospell or contained in the Apostolicall writings that they which come out of any heresie be it what it will should not be baptised let this holy and diuine tradition be obserued St. Cyprian reiecteth not the baptisme of heretickes but only because he belâ—eueth not that it was a holy and diuine tradition that it should bee admitted he is ready to receiue it if it bee proued vnto him to bee such a one giuing vs the rule to proue it by the apostolicall wriâ—ings He calâ—eth then a diuine and holy tradition all that which may bee iustified by them as for other tradiâ—ions he putteth tâ—em aside with this slâ—ghting interrogatoâ—y whence is this tradition Now therefore such traditions as these we are ready to accept prouided that the Papists after the same method manifest their origin all vnto vs. When wâ—e demand whence is this tradition when beganne it let them answere vs it is drawne from the writings it hath beene from the time of the Apostles CHAP XVII That the only meanes to prâ—ue true antiquity is to haue recourse to the begining by the scripture NOw that wee alledge St. Cyprian it is not to authorise the truth by the authority of men only wee borrow their words and fancies to expresse it Wee wish that it may be considered not who speakes but what is spoken But if better authority here be called for we wil alledge supreme authoritie that of the Lord prescribing vs the rule It was not so from the beginning Wisely then and fitly said Tertullian thâ—t which is the first is the truer and that which is from the beginning is first and that which is of the Apostles is from the beginning To which wee adde only that which followeth of it selfe that which is in the scripture in the writings of the Apostles is of the Apostles So then in respect of this antiquity doe wee not submit our selues to reason when wee yeeld that our doctrine should be reiected if it be not of the Apostles Are not our proofes autheÌ„tique to coÌ„firme â—he antiquity of our religion when they are gathered out of their writings the writings of the Propheâ—s EuaÌ„gelists The course which is taken to proue the antiquity so much talked of in the Church of Rome is a recourse to Fathers and Councells The more antâ—ent these Fathers and Councels are proue tâ—ey not this antiquity the more euidently But what faâ—hers what Councells aâ—e more ancient then the scripture what antiquity then is ancienter then the scriptures what title more ancient then that which is of the same date with the scriptures certainely it is an excesse of open blasphemy to equalize either fathers or councells to Scripture and yet this is done But though this be done yet it will not be said that the Scripture is of a fresher originall then the fathers and Councels Impudency hath not yet ventured so farre He then of whose side is the doctrine of the scripture hath gaineâ— the prerogatiue of antiquity and by consequent of truth So then this question about antiâ—uity is brought to this issue what wee are to examine which is the doctrine most consonant to Scripture this being cleared the controversie of antiquity need to trouble vs no longer It is impossible otheâ—wise to decide it for let them alleage fathers and Councells as long as they will this scruple still remaineth to knowe if the Apostles haue so ordained Vniversall consent cannot be called to witnesse in this case for to shew that it would â—e requisite to aske all persons of all ages vntill the Apostles If the name of vniversall consent be attributed to that which is beleeued by the greater part to the most received opinion yet how shall we knowe and iudge of this kinde of
be without a methode but commandeth to sollicite the principall businesse the more zealously because there is lesse possibilitie of compassing it the ordinary way Methode is commendable in all things but when exigences are so violent that they make it impossible nature lawes customes instruct vs to betake our selues vnto that which is most necessary This then is not to giue example to tumultuous persons or to open a gap to confusion for he is truely tumultuous who contemneth order not he who cannot finde it he who neglecteth it without any good motiue not he who is constrained to passe over it It supposeth then not introduceth a confusion to permit the exercise of a function to one who is capable of it destitute of a humane calling then when the calling is impossible the exercise of the function necessary But whilest the ordinary formalities may bee obserued and the case is not so vrgent as to exact an extraordinary proceeding it would be truely to open a gate to disorder So it maketh no way for sedition in a citty or mutinie in a campe to permit that in case of treason the citizen should rise against the subordinate Magistrate the Souldier against his Captaine without any other commission then his owne private motion if he cannot haue time for a more formall course Confusion is only when without this case this licence is permitted So the first obiection drawne from the inconvenience which the liberty of not observing order and formes of law when it is possible draweth after it cannot disadvantage our predecessors although they were not furnished with an outward calling seeing they were driuen to such plunges as gaue them not leaue safely to follow the methode of law For the affaires of the Church being at that passe that heresie and idolatrie bare the sway that they which had the outward calling not only exercised it abusiuely but which is worse hauing the authority to conferre it they bestowed it not vpon those who would and could exercise it aright keeping backe as some times the Pharises did the key of knowledge shutting vp heaven gates neither entring in themselues nor suffering any other to get in It was necessary then albeit they had no outward calling in an extraordinary case to venture vpon an extraordinary proiect St Paul had foretold that there should come a falling away so notable that by a kinde of singularity he calleth it Apostacy Not then one heresie one sect a part by it selfe for there had been already in his time such fallings away but a revolt which should ouerspread the face of the Church so that she might hardly be espyed through the thicknes of so horrid a cloud Now who are those which were to oppose theÌ„selues against this revolt Doubtlesse not the Apostates themselues not they who persevered in this revolt but they who separated themselues from it who protested against it be it that they either had authority amongst the fallen away as the Levits amongst the tenne revolted Tribes or be it that they had it not But they will say perhaps we our selues haue made this revolt Let this then be our question the preiudice laid aside and then we must come to the examination of doctrine which is all that we desire CHAPTER XXXIV That the example of the Priests vnder the law cannot be drawne into argument to proue that a man may not sometimes exercise a function in the Church without an outward calling THE second obiection which they make against vs is that as it was not lawfull to occupy the roomes of the Priests in the ancient law even during their revolt so it is not lawfull for any man in the revolt of the Doctors of the Christian Church to take the place of a Doctour But there is not the same reason betweene the Pastours of the Christian Church and the Priests of the Iewish Church Their function was typicall carnall and therefore fastned to certaine typicall and carnall circumstances of times places and persons they were not to sacrifice but at a certaine time it was not permitted but to a certaine race to exercise the Priests office and that in the Land of Iuda only The administration of the Gospell is reall spirituall free from all circumstances Preaching may bee in all times at all places by all men of ability who both may and ought to preach when it 's requisite Salvation depended not vpon the carnall and typicall administration the ceremoniall sacrificing in the law the omission of which the circumstances of times places persons requisite for the businesse ceasing as in the time of captivitie of it selfe endangered not mens soules as doth that of the preâ—ching of the word which the Lord even vnder the old Testament set free chaining it not to these conditions to such a time such a place such a person because it is simply and absolutely necessary to salvation Whence it was that there were teachers out of all the Tribes of Israel who although they supplied not the defect of Priests for so much as was typicall and ceremoniall in their charge as in offering of sacrifice this part of their charge being especially appropriatâ—d to their persons neverthelesse in that which concerned teaching and instruction they were substituted for aid and releefe and were to make good those stations which the others had forsaken Witnesse the Prophets and the Sonnes of the Prophets being indifferently of any Tribe witnesse the Pharises whose calling our Saviour alloweth censuring only the abuse of it who were not only of the Tribe of Levi but of all Tribes of which St Paul furnisheth vs with an example in his owne person being of the stocke of Beniamin and yet a Pharisee borne of a Pharisee And indeed if here were fit place to alleage the ancient law against this truth as it was not lawfull but for one Tribe to execute the Priesthood of the old Testament and but at a certaine time only and in a certaine place we should by the same reason circumscribe the calling of Ministers vnder the Gospell with the same limits and girde in their liberty with the same fetters making it requisite that they should be of a certaine family and exercise their calling at a definite time and place Whence it is manifest that the priesthood of the old Testament cannot be brought for an example when the controversie is about preaching vnder the new that being tyed to certaine circumstances from which this by the propertie of its nature is freed CHAP XXXV That the example of Iudges in a Commonwealth is impertinent to proue that outward ordination is alwaies necessary in the Church IT is to as little purpose to produce the example of a Iudge in a Commonwealth where no man what necessity soeuer there be what ability soeuer he hath may presume to thrust himselfe into that office without being called to it For besides that wee haue formerly shewed that in the time of confusion the King installeth Iudges himselfe not
heretiques Antiquity beleeued it wee beleeue it with antiquity They reiterate not the Baptisme administred by vs wee reiterate not the Baptisme administred by them this priuiledge aduantageth not vs against them why should it aduantage them against vs The true Circumcision was in the Church of the ten tribes it was not for all that the true Church an hereticall Church shall haue Baptisme yet for all that not cease to be a false Church not in respect of the Baptisme but of her heresie not in regard of that which is pure in her of the Lords institution but in regard of her rebellion against the Lord her owne impurity That they haue Baptisme then wee graunt but so wee say haue all heretiques so the ten tribes after their apostacy receiued circumcision this exception then is friuolous when they pretend that wee confesse that they haue the Baptisme craftily dissemble that which wee adde that they haue adulterated depraued it as much as in them lies Concerning the substance of Christian religion wee confesse that it is also amongst them but not pure nor separated not only from chaffe and straw that is from tolerable abuses but neither from the venome and poison of false doctrine Now it is no schisme to forsake a Church wherein is the substance of religion if it be accompanied with superstition impiety and sacriledge as gold and siluer in false coine are mingled with copper aad tinne It is true that the Church of Rome teacheth that there is one God Father Sonne and holy Ghost that for the redemption of mankind the sâ—nne hath taken to himselfe the nature of Man and in it hath expiated our sinnes by his death that he was buried raised from the dead taken vp into heauen sitting at the right hand of God Almighty That the holy Ghost sanctifieth vs thâ—t there is a Church a communion of Saints a remission of sinnes a resurrection of the flesh and a life euerlasting That by faith wee must rely vpon the mercy of God that by hope wee must expect the accomplishment of his promises by charity loue him This is indeed the substance of Christian religion which continueth so farre as the doctrine and outward Profession of it in the Church of Rome in this respect wee haue not forsaken her but these considerations make vs leaue her the title of a Church to which soe farre wee will alwaies be ioyned But what is it that hath not beene added to corrupt this truth what strange doctrines haue beene inuented to obscure it What heresies what Idolatry what grosse sacriledge vent they vnder the protection of this Truth which they professe These are the causes of our separation from them if amongst them wee could haue enioyed the substance of true religion without defiling vs with their superstition wee had tarried with them still But in these later times after the Lord had lifted vp the Standart of his Gospell and sounded with his Trumpet Come out of Babilon my people since the Angells haue flowne in the midst of heauen carrying the euerlasting Gospell and crying with a lowd voice Blessed are they henceforth who dye in the Lord for they rest from their labours and their works follow them not to runne to this standard not to obey this summons not to goe whither wee heare this inuiting voice call vs in breife not to come out of Babilon to goe vp to Ierusalem is a rebellion against the liuing God and a manifest contempt of his grace· Before this the faithfull whom God had reserued to himselfe in the Captiuity of Babilon as a residue of the election of grace though they were not separated from the superstitious yet they were from their superstitioÌ„ their groanes and sighs seruing in steed of protestations against it because that the Lord had not yet opened them away by which to come out nor as yet prepared them a place into which they might withdraw themselues In a word the time preordained by God to put an end to that miserable captiuity was not yet come As then it was not a sinne to tarry in Egypt before the Lord had sent Moses or in Babilon before the seauenty yeares were expired But God hauing sent Moses hauing giuen liberty to his people to come out of Egypt to come out of Babilon to tarry there still had beene manifestly to testify a consent to the superstition of Egypt and idolatry of Babilon so before the Lord had sounded vs a loud summons with his trumpet Come out of Babilon my people he sustained and supported his people in the midst of Babilon it was not at that time a sinne but a Captiuity to abide in it But for any to abide or linger in it after the publishing of this summons it is a sure testimony that they liue not in it vnwillingly but with delight and that at least outwardly they partake of her sinnes and so may iustly partake of her plagues Now to demand why God caused not this trumpet to be sounded sooner is to dispute against him it were to bring back those ancient questions propounded to the primitiue Christians why the Lord Iesus had not brought the light of the Gospell sooner into the Church to which St. Paul clearely answereth when he teacheth that the fullnesse of time was not yet come Why the Lord called not the Gentils sooner vnto his knowledge to which the same Apostle answereth noe more then that God hauing winked at the time of Ignorance now warneth every man to repent He hath the times and seasons in his owne disposing It often falleth out that they who cannot goe out of an infectious citty tarry in it and are safe but for all that they that haue opportunitie to goe out of it will not take example from them to tarry in it The sheepheard will lead his sheepe into pastures where are noxious hearbs rather then he will suffer them to bee famished but if he haue the opportunity of leading them elsewhere where no danger is to be feared the good lucke that God gaue him of preserving them in an vnwholsome pasture shall not disswade him from taking of them out of that to put them into a better That which the shepheard doth to his sheepe we are to doe to our selues so long as there was presented vnto vs no other place of pasturage then the Romane Church for want of a better wee were compelled to make vse of that But the Lord hauing graciously provâ—ded vs a better miserable are we if we leaue not that and betake our selues to this In the time of a famine men liue pinchingly and wretchedly but the dearth being past and plenty restored hee that will not take the benefit of it deserueth to be starued to death Let this consideration then serue for the solution of the difficultie aboue proposed CHAP. XXXVIII That there is nothing which deserveth to be admired in the life of the Monkes of the Romish Church NOw it remaineth that