the Pastours of our reformed Churches having in common had even an ordinarie calling and therewith holding the true Apostolike doctrine wee are the true successours of the Apostles and not our adversaries as they both vainly falsly boast For as Ireneus saith Eu qui in Ecclesia sunt Presbyteris obedire oportet his qui successionem habent Apostolis sicut ostendimus qui cùm Episcopatus successione charisma veritatis certum secundum placitum patris acceperunt reliquos verâ— qui obsistunt à principali successione suspectos babere that is we must obey such Pastours as are in the Church these who as we have shewed have a successioÌ„ to the Apostles namely who with Episcopall succession have also according to the pleasure of the Father receaved the gift of truth but all others who slyde away from this principall succession we must suspect And in another place he noteth those to be only true successours apud quâ—s est caquâ— est ab Apostolis successio id quod est irreprobabile sermoâ—â—â— constat with whom is that succession which is froÌ„ the Apostles and with whom constantly abydes that word which cannot be improved quia as saith Augustin nec Catholicis Episcopis consentiendum sicubi falluntur vt contra Canonicâ—s Scripturas aliquid sentiant For we ought not consent no not to Catholike Bishops if any where they be deceaved so as they hold any opinion coÌ„trarie to the Canonik scriptures and it holdeth ever true that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as saith Gregorie Nazianzen his words are notable and which alone are even enough to oppose to all our adversaries shameles brags of bare succession they are to this sense the succession of pietie is properlie to be bolden Succession for who professeth the same doctrine of faith he is partner of the same chaire but who embraceth a contrarie faith he ought to bee accounted an adversarie albeit even sitting in the chaire this indeed hath the name but the other hath the substance and truth of succession 5. Where-vpon this our acclaiming even of ordinarie calling they inferre against vs that we iustifie them to be the true church and that consequently we have made defection therefrom in so farre as we could have no such ordinarie vocation but with and amongst them it is a childish fallacie from themselves but a part in the Church and yet not of it even the abhomination of desolation staÌ„ding in the holy places as saith Chrisostom to the whole church or rather to the true Church which is both within the church and of the church For as within the vsible church in sanctis Ecclesiâ— locis are both Christ and Antichrist truth and lyes Pastours Wolves sheepe and goates wheat chaffe and now and then either of them obtaine beare sway in totâ—â—cclesia commuâ—iter in the whole church in common but never universaliter in singulis vniversally in each one so both of vs our adversaries and we who contest with them beeing within the visible Church the true defence of either partie were by the right rule of examinaâ—ion to proove them selues so to bee in the church as that they ar also of it and not by impudent and ridiculous assuming what is in question to flee all tryall Wee never denyed Antichrist to be in the church and as was foretold of him to have so far prevailed therin by force of errour standulent pretence of the Lambe his hornes as he obtained place and ruled in tota Ecclesia communiter in the whole church in coÌ„mon but à toto communiter from the whole in coÌ„mon to conclude ad vniversum singulariter to vniversalliâ— each one it is a deceitfull aequivocation 6. Here yet they think vs intangled in a great incoÌ„venient for that the Bishop of Rome whom we hold to be Antichrist having bin for som ages acknowledged ministerial head of the church the outward ordinatioÌ„ of al churchmen either mediatly or immediatly flowing froÌ„ him wee must coÌ„fesse vs to have no ordinarie calling at all or then that we have it from Antichrist so as they think vs hereby reduced to one of these necessities either to refuse al ordinary vocatioÌ„ or then for maintaining of our ordinary callings to iustifie their Pope from whoÌ„ they have proceded and so coÌ„sequently to coÌ„demne al our owne both church doctrine But while they think vs intrapped we are by an open way escaped for we both yeeld that our ordinary vocatioÌ„ hath outwardly in a sort proceded froÌ„ the Bishop of Rome that he is notwithstanding that very Antichrist man of sin And to shew how these two so apparaÌ„tly repugnant points do yet very wel coÌ„sist without any either discredit or derogation to the dignitie or lawfulnes of our callings we have rightly to wey the distinct coÌ„ditions of Antichrist as he coÌ„meth to be diversly coÌ„sidered in his first hatching yea the many insensible flow long succeeding degrees of his grouth towards that height whereby against al that is called god Satan his throne was erected in the mids of the church and againe in that toppe of impietie whereto the mystery of iniquitie did mount vp by time nemo enim repente fit turpissimus for none becommeth extreamlie evill at once for even from the Apostolike times that mischiefe was a workinge and albeit first by slow and insensible and next by more speedie and sensible degrees and even in the height thereof it had yet two degrees In that first like a fraudulent Parde albeit having on his head the name of blasphemie the beast deceaved and as Balaam crastily laying stumbling blockes bewitched the earth as in Pergamus And secondlie by increase of crueltie and impietie he became all of the Dragon his colour and had his whole body full of the names of blasphemie the Whoore borne vp by him being druÌ„kt with the blood of Saintes and furiouslie as Iezabel an impudent cruell queein domining in Thyatira and yet still in both these states he was long so borne out with Propheticall pretence as even the true Church lurking vnder and within his compas where Sathan his throne was yet had her eyes so dazeled and courage so quailed with the glistring shew proud pretence of Pastorall and Propheticall authoritie that howsoever shee keeped her selfe pure from his spirituall fornication and held the name of God yet shee had not either the knowledge or courage to challenge directlie the impious vsurpation which was indeed an argument of the true Church her weaknes and that Christ had therein somewhat against her but no argument for all that why either she so dwelling in weaknes tolerating that evill was not the true Church or that Balaam and Iezabel thus tolerated of her were not that false prophet and mysticall whoore 7. An other consideration of Antichrist is that hee is no outward enemie openlie and directly fighting against the ensigne of profession and name
Church why doe our adversaries make no end of bitter contention against vs We have indeed great sure promises that the gates of hell shall not prevaile against his Church but that the ordinarie Ministers shall alwayes and all in common holde the trueth not one syllable yea contrarie we have not only manie and serious warnings of false prophetes to arise in the bowells of the church in sheepes clothing but also most clearlie foretold that such an Apostasie should come whereby Antichrist in al effectual deceyt should even sit and beare rule in the Temple of God If they will saye that the Church of Israel had not such promises of continuall presence and preservation of truth as the Christian Church hath It is a treacherous sophisme For they had also sure promises of continuall presence and preservation of truth according to the measure dispensed albeit not of so great measure of presence and light And as for that point whereof our adversaries glorie most and wherein now at last they are faine to place all defence namelie the prerogative of places and persons the Church of Israell had much more for them in so ample and many promises made of Ierusalem And to the house of Levie and familie of Aaron where as the Church vnder the Gospell in which neither at Ierusalem nor in any mountaine but every-where and of all men God is to bee worshipped in spirit and truth albeit having great sure promises of presence and preservation yet of tying God or his truth to any places or persons in all Scripture shee hath not so much as any shew of a warrant which if the holy Ghost had minded hee might with much lesse ado have reduced those many grave and earnest warnings given both by Christ in the dayes of his fleshe and by his Apostles thereafter of the perill of false prophetes and those carefull instructions of notes how to discerne and avoid them to a short and sure compende against all fraude bidding the Church but holde whatsoever the Bishop of Rome did holde for that hee forsooth could not erre If our adversaries yet oppone that howsoever the Church vnder the Law did sometime fall away all in common and that albeit the Christian Church should also in like manner yet the truth of God his promises should not therefore faile but that no such thing hath befallen the Christian Church or could befall her in respect of the great measure of light and cleare dispensation by the Gospell It is many wayes both foolish and impertinentlie alleadged for first it is a plaine taking of that which is in question Next as the state of our question is whither possiblie the Church may erre communiter tota and God his promise yet abyde true to oppone that shee hath not erred is alse ridiculous as if in disputation de iure one should answer de facto If God his promise still may consist albeit shee did so erre wee have the point wee pleade for And whither shee hath erred or not they must of necessitie come with vs to trye by such rules of examination as wee only labour to reduce them to and they in an evill conscience alwayes flee onely crying against vs The TeÌ„ple of the Lord The Temple of the Lord And the Church can not erre Thirdlie this their presumption of the ones possible and easie falling away and of the others assured standing in truth grounded vpon the lesse and greater measure of light it sheweth their foolishnes in divine matters For as whatsoever measure of light dispensed is God his free benefite so is our either imbracing or abyding therein his only gift Who as hee iustlie will give over presumptuous and secure men to groape even at noone day so is hee faithfull and wil not suffer his owne to bee tempted above that they are able but will give the issue with the tentation Wee have indeed to glorifie God and even to glorie in him for the huge measure of light and gracefull dispensation by the Gospell but so farre ought men to have bene from vaine boasting thereof or carnall and secure relying thervpon as in all watchfulnes and godly care they should have remembred with all that accordingly Satan was to advaunce the mysterie of iniquitie by all effectual working with all power signes and lying wonders and in all deceaveablenes of vnrighteousnes among them that perish because they receaved not the love of the truth that they might be saved and therefore God should send them strong delusion c. for Sathan as a craftie warriour and subtill enemie reserved and framed his last cunning force and maner of working according as he did see that for deceaving was requisite and accordinglie by God his wise permission iust iudgement obtained a throne even in the temple of God And as in the dealing of God it is not to be esteemed strange that he so farre gave over the world to the efficacie of errour whereby he iustlie punished the contempt of his truth and clearlie foretold the case so is it nothing derogatorie either to his goodnes and truth of his promises made to his Church or to his power of performance as our adversaries because the Lord whom they would make a varlet to their lustes hath iustlie cast dunge vpon their faces therefore by a doting dilemma would inforce vpon vs this blasphemie as a necessarie consecâ—arie of our doctrine For that if the Church have erred it must have beene that either GOD would not or then that hee could not keepe his promise to her But it is the propertie of their king Abaddon to blaspheme the name of God his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heaven Wee both acknowledge his goodnes and praise his truth and power and confesse that by this course of dealing they are more highlie manifested then if the gates of hell and smoake of the bottomles pit had never assailed the Church Or if the weaknes of men had never appeared to the praise both of his goodnes and power For as his incomprehensible goodnes and constant truth are herein magnified that though all men be liers yet hee abydeth true and the infidelitie of men can not make his promise of none effect so did his infinite power exceedinglie extoll the selfe in this that as hee bringeth light out of darknes and maketh his light to shine in darknes as hee bringeth life out of death and preserveth the children of death so in the middest of Antichrist his vsurpation and such absolute domination in the holy Citie and Court of the Temple the visible Church as no possible meanes appeared of intertaining light yet hee not only all the while preserved two candlestickes and two olives true witnesses and Ministers of light and grace but also when spyed out by Antichrist they were cruellie murthered and in his and his sectatours estimation vtterlie vndone hee revived them in furder vigour to his and their terrour That while all the earth
his spirit dwelling in vs to proove things that they notwithstanding dare so malapertlie exact of Christians a blind obedience and implicit faith Who setteth any wares a seale boasting of their fynesse and yet in any case will not have them lookt on or tryed but will bee blindlings believed vpon his baire word for me I would never seeke any greater argument that hee were a thiefe and no true marchant The Romanists plead stoutlie that the truth is with them why Because they are the Church and why the Church Because they have an ordinarie succession of Pastours since the Apostolik tymes If here you vrge that in so farre as often personall succession holdeth not the same doctrine but even all in common have and may fall therefrom therefore to approove themselves true successours to the Apostles they must also verifie themselves to hold the same doctrine then their hearts brust for anger and they will gnashe at you with their teeth and crie out fye on such an heretike as once thinketh such a blasphemie That no such thing hath befallen or possiblie could befall the Church If yet they bee requyred to bring then their doctrine to due examination by the written worde No but you must fide implicita believe them vpon their word And albeit Scripture did seeme never so farre to condemne them yet you must not suspect any evill of them why Because that is onely the true sense of Scripture which they approve so as you must not so much as doubt or once call in question their interpretation And why Because foresooth they are the Church Is not this proudlie to mocke God and impudentlie to delude men Is not this to picke out the eies of the worlde to cary them blindfolded as oxen to the slaughter and as fooles to the stockes for correction Augustin pleading for the truth and having trulie for him all which our adversaries doe falslie glorie of yet sheweth that he was of another spirit which taught him that verity was otherwayes to bee defended then by such subterfuges as they in an evill conscience flee to His words are these Nemo nostrum dicat jam inveâ—isse veritatem sic â—am queramus quasi ab vtrisque nesciatur Ita enim diligenter concorditer queri potest si nulla temeraria praesumptione inventa cognita esse credatur aut si hoc à vobis impetrare non possumus saltem illud concedite vt vos tanquam incognitos nunc primum audiam nunc primum discutiam justum puto esse quod postulo hac sane lege servata vt vobiscum non orem non conventicula celebrem non Manichaei nomen accipiam si non mihi de omnibus rebus ad salutem animae pertinentibus sine vlla caligine rationem perspicuam dederis That is let none of vs say that he hath alreadie found out the truth let vs so seek it as if it were vnknowen to vs both For so it may be diligentlie and peaceably sought out if in a rashe presumption men doe not esteeme that they have alreadie found and knowen it Or if neither this can be obtained of you yet grant me that other at least that I may now first heare you and now first trye you as vnknowen before I think it bee an equitable thing which I crave observing foresooth this rule that I neither pray with you nor keep conventicles nor take the name of a Manichaean except of all things concerning the salvation of my soule you give me without any obscuritie a most cleare reason And in that same place vt ergo hanc omittam sapientiam quam in Ecclesia esse Catholica non creditis multa sunt alia quae in â—ius gremio me justissime teneant Tenet consensus populorum atque gentium tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata spe nutrita charitate aucta vetustate firmata tenet ab ipsa sede Petri Apostoli cui pascendas oves suas post resurrectionem Dominus commendavit vsque ad presentem episcopatum successio sacerdotum c. Ista ergo tot tanta Christiani nominis charissima vincula recte hominem tenent credentem in Catholica Ecclesia etiamsi propter nostrae intelligentiae tarditatem vel vita meritâ—m veritas nondum se apertissime â—stendat Apud vos autem â—â—i nihil horum est quod me invitet ac teneat sola personat veritatis pollicitatiâ— quaequidem si tam manifesta monstratur vt in dubiuâ— veâ—iâ—e non possit praeponenda est omnibus illâ—s rebus quibus in Cathâ—lica teneoâ— that is to passe by then that wisedome which you beleeve not to be within the Catholike Church there be many other things also which most iustlie doe holde me within her bosome the consent of peoples and nations the authority by miracle begon nourished by hope increased by love and stablished by antiquitie a succession of Priestes from the selfe seat of Peter the Apostle to whom Christ after his resurrection recommended the feeding of his sheepe even to this present Bishoprike c. These then so many and deare bands of christianitie doe rightlie hold a maÌ„ beleeving within the catholik churh though for the slownes of our vnderstanding or merit of our life the truth do not as yet most plainly shew it selfe But with you where none of these are either to draw â—e or detaine me nothing soundeth but a bare promise of the truth which notwithstanding if you can so evidentlie shew as it cannot be doubted of it is to be preferred to all these other things whereby I am holden within the Catholike Church 23. But this truth say they can neither bee shewed but by the church which only hath it neither could men bee otherwayes induced to beleeve the Gospell except therewith the authoritie of the church did move theÌ„ as Augustin speaketh ego vero Evangelio noÌ„ crederem nisi me ecclesiae commoveret authoritaâ— We denie not that the church only hath and sheweth the truth Yea we grant also that according to Augustin his mind in that place the authority of the church is the ordinarie and necessarie motive whereby a infidell who neither knoweth Christ nor beleeveth the Gospell may wil be first induced to reverence religion but it is but a coÌ„motive and as the same Augustin speaketh oportunuÌ„ inquirendi exordium so as albeit men be so stirred to revereÌ„ce inquire yet they rest not vpoÌ„ this that the church saith so no more theÌ„ did the Samaritans vpon their womans report but because by the word spirit they finde that shee speaketh true non iam hominibus sed Deo intrinsecus mentem illuminante atque firmante for as in his testimonie little above cited he saith there be many things which be great motives to hold a man in the bosome of the church yet trueth manifested is to be preferred to all and as truth is only in the church and shewed onely by the Church so is it
shall goe out no more and shal at length beare away the name of the true Church written on her evidently with her Lord his finger even of the true and new Ierusalem from heaven in despyte of all this slight of Sathan Wheras all counterfaits calling themselves Iewes and are not shall either come and worshippe at her feete or be cast out of God his house lose the name which they doe falslie vsurp In one word though al the Inchanters of Egypt strengthened with all both the craft and power of darknes should make apishlie to imitat Mosâ—s yet Aaron his Rod shall alwayes devour the Rods of all inchanters Even truth shall both discover and coÌ„sume errour in the end And this vertue in the truth now preached all who with single eyes looke on things may evidently perceave and so much the more as in litle outward strength walking in meeknes and patience and oppugned with all wordlie power and great pryde and bitternes yet in despyte of all opposition â—t prevaileth Glorified be the Lord our strength 27. All whatsoever our adversaries lay against vs wherby they syle the eyes and beguyle the mindes of the simple being lookt on with iudgement is founde but meere Sophistrie and cavillation so as they have to bring more solide stuffe if they would spoile our Pastours of all lawful calling and vs of any true church 28. We plead ordinarie vocation for our Church in common and this because so it is and not for that of absolut necessitie it behooved to be so Neither speak I thus as partiallie caried to maintaine the credit of some particular men whose defect herein if it were any could never preiudge our Churches For mine owne part as in all sobernes and cleannes of heart by the gift of GOD I have beene carefull to know the truth so was I never much curious to inquire of the particular state of our first mens callings Which whether it were ordinarie or extraordinarie and that whollie or partlie in some men or in all as it matereth litle oâ—â—othing in so great extraordinarie a worke wrought by their ministerie as is the discovery and conviction of Antichrist sitting masked in the Temple so is the disputation thereabout but idle and childish For if ever any such evill and confusion did befall the church as that for reformation therof any extraordinary dealing was requisit The vsurpation of Antichrist most of all other as I doubt not but God accordingly shewed in some either persons workers or works of persons or both I approve our men who sustain our ordinarie vocation in common but who plead so for it as a point absolutly requisit for approoving our cause and in such a case of the church doe place al defence therein in my iudgement they doe wronglie limit the holy one of Israel against both the priviledge of his power and his vsuall manner of dealing in such cases And who defend our first mens callings to have bene partlie ordinarie partlie extraordinarie whither that some extraordinary persons were raised by GOD or that ordinary persons were by him stirred to extraordinarie motions and actions I think for me they have fallen vpon the right defence and which is both most agreeable to GOD his honour and manner of working and also most strong and honorable for our church and cause 29. And these now forsooth are the invincible arguments in confidence whereof they are bold to offer that if wee can bee able to maintain the lawfulnes of our callings and that so wee have any true Church they will without any more doubt or disput about other points in controversie joyne in communion with vs. But certainlie if truth bee with vs and they consequentlie bee heretiks they jangle with vs impertinentlie of outward calling the having whereof as it will never justifie errour so neither will the defect thereof bee ever a relevant exception against truth clearlie convincing it For an evill tree cannot bring foorth good fruit nor a good tree bring foorth evill fruit And whosoever is not against vs is on our part And if our doctrine may be prooved false why make they such adoe about calling or why thus flee they the tryall of the cause and goe not the neerest and plainest way to justifie themselves and to bereave vs of all defence An evill conscience maketh men to seeke subterfuges And as they bewray it evidentlie in this their quarrelling of our vocation so when in course they are put to their defences they manifest themselves yet more 30. When by cleare scripture we proove their Pope to bee Antichrist to free him of that blot albeit they be otherwayes extreemelie impudent and malicious in forging false criminations and calumnious slaunders yet with all the ingyne of hell finding none other vpon whom to lay over the staine of that odious title they are faine to refuse that hee is yet come and that when hee commeth hee shall openlie overthrow all true worshippe and obtaine rule over the whole earth Yea some of them are so straited by evident truth that with pale faces and trembling lippes they are forced to confesse that probablie hee may expell the Pope from Rome and Domine there And shall so strangelie destroy all truth and true Professoures as forsooth Enoch and Elias must returne I know not whence to fight with him and to bee killed of him Now in this case I pray you where shal be all the long boasted of prerogative of Rome and of Peter his chaire whereto against vs they infalliblie doe chain all truth Where shal be these goodlie and true promises which they wronglie wrest and falslie vsurpe against vs Where shall then bee the notes of vniversalitie in their sense multitude visibilitie personall succession and externall maiestie and Pompe If these bee the certaine and infallible notes of the true Church how faile they at any tyme Or if as they themselves confesse in Antichrist his vsurpation the case shal be such why see they not that vainlie and absurdlie for eximing their Pope to bee that Antichrist they obiect to vs as impossibilities and horrible blasphemies these same yea much smaller things then they themselves grant that in Antichrist his vsurpation the Church must suffer If when Antichrist commeth multitude visibilitie and vniversalitie shall bee with him if all personall succession of Pastours shall so farre faile as that for pleading the truth Enoch and Elias must come from another world against him if the church then shall not only in truth and true professors but even in all publict ensigne of profession bee invisible if he shal possiblie sit in Rome and peaceablie brook all why in the disput about Antichrist are multitude vniversalitie personall succession and visibilitie still laid against vs Why is ruinous Rome as an infallible rock opposed for al defence vnto vs and why see they not that by their owne confession they must otherwayes vindicat their Pope from that blot that
wee have but to cleere whither the Pope bee hee who was to come or if we must looke for another If they would pretēd the short space of the churches defect vnder Antichrist according to their dreame of three yeeres and an half yet how doth the truth of God his promise consist as for their owne defence they interprete if it faile but one day or if he may and shal in a totallie prevayling evill whereby not onely truth but also al pretence and profession of Christianitie is overthrowen yet preserve both his Church and promise to her three yeares and an halfe why might he not alse well and vnder the vaile of permitted profession much better for many ages and if vnder their imaginarie Antichrist directlie impugning Christianitie and advowedly exalting him selfe against GOD and Christ whose name he shall not so much as pretend yet both truth and a true Church shall lurke three yeares and an halfe how much more vnder him who of a degenerating succession of ordinarie Pastours pretending Christ his name and power who did not become extreamlie evill at once but by degrees mounted to the height of impietie masked in a Mysterie might the true Church vnder the common ensigne of profession have lyen long hidden For where deluding simple minds they affirme that Antichrist must be one singular person because in scripture he is named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Antichrist the adversarie and the man of sinne they proove exceeding either childish or shameles cavillators Might not the 4. Kingdoms of Babel Persia Macedonia and of the Seleucides prophecied of Daniel Chap. 7. have by this reason excepted that the foure beastes there foretolde could not bee meaned of them in so farre as in each of their Kingdomes was a succession of mo◠persons then one and these foure beastes are of the Prophe◠interpreted to bee but foure kings Who would hereby refell any affirming that there is but one great Turk because that from Ottoman many divers persons have succeeded in that Empire should he not prove but a ridiculous sophist reasoning from one in seat state succession and subrogatiō to one in person the seat hath but one person at once who by reason of succession dyeth not It is the Pontificality which we challenge not personallie Pius Leo Paulus or Clemens And to how hard shiftes our adversaries are driven in this point it is easie to perceave when to pul mens minds from espying their Pope they propone to bee exspected such an Antichrist as comming could not possiblie in all his three yeares and a halfe find three phrenetick fooles to be his followers As if foresooth one directlie damning all Christianitie openlie blaspheming the name of God and Christ and impudentlie and advowedlie challenging to him selfe all diuine honour in such daylie growing light of the Gospell and settled knowledge of God could possiblie in three yeares a halfe roote out all religion and subdue all nations of the earth in which space a verie deliver single man in fulnes of bodilie strength and continuing vigour yet were scarce able with all possible speed vpon a wager to survey them And that they should not appeare vnresolved forsooth in such important matter without so much as any mine of Scripture warrant they will have him a singular persone of the tribe of Dan who albeit it was the honour of faintes a thousand yeeres that they receaved not the beast his marke yet shall in three yeres and a halfe immediatlie before the day of iudgement begin accomplishe and end in open and avowed impiety that mischief which that in the own time it might come foorth cūninglie covertlie masked vp in a mysterie Satan in all deep deceipt was working since the Apostolike times and thus whereas God hath reserved to him self alone the knowledge of that last day which shall come as a thiefe in the night vpon a sleeping and secure world these men set vpon it so faire conspectible a mark as either no Christians at all shall at that time be in the world or then they may alse well know and calcule that day as we doe now Christmas namely having so iumpe a space of yeares and dayes and so notable coincident cases as the returning of Enoch and Elias their slaughter and miraculous resuscitation But it is not my purpose here to handle this point of matter either for prooving their Pope to be Antichrist or to refute these their foolishe dreames for more full resolution whereof and of ought else that from that booke may appeare here of me to be too shortlie touched I referre the reader to my commentarie on the revelation 31. The waxing light of the Gospell dayly more more discovering the man of sin maketh our adversaries to paint out Tragelaphos Chimeraes wherby they may stupifie detaine foolish hearts in expectation of such an Antichrist as shall come I warrant you ad grecas Calendas some thousand yeares after the Iewes have gotten their long but vainlie lookt for Messias But as these shall never get another Christ then whom they pearced so neither shall the others any Antichrist but whom they follow The Iewes in God his mercie shall yet see their true Messias and mourne for him Our characterized adversaries shall follow still blindlings their Abaddon to the lake of fire and brimstone waile then with him And they are so anxiously carefull of their credit herein that for holding still simple mindes in a maze least longing perhaps they should looke more nearly and so with setled senses espy the Dragon his mouth vnder semblance of the Lamb his hornes some surmise for intertaining exspectation of one never to come must be brought nowe and then from the East of som dumb Devil borne at Babylon and begotten forsooth betwix some feind or farie and a devised Daniel who hath I warrant you two thousand years agoe lost all the writings of his genealogie It is not so strange that these men whose filthines shame the glorious light of the Gospel hath so farre detected that now they see no remedie but desperatly to passe all bounds of shame should therfore so impudentlie delude the Worlde with such foolishe fantasies but it is both wonder and pitie in so cleare light of truth that still so many should be abused with them a iust punishment of the careles misregarde of that light which is come in the worlde but the worlde loveth darknes more then light And howsoever some of the Auncients whose tymes perception were farre remooved from the knowledge of these mysteries in a slender and careles consideration of them did fall vpon some points of these fonde speculations yet nowe when not only knowledge is with course of time increased but also the eventes have made things cleare it is not only a maigre defence but bewraying also evidentlie perversenes of mindes and guiltines of conscience to runne to such doting dreames and ridiculous raveries as albeit they
generall and indefinit whereby I conclude it is the Proposition thereof the restrict case of my speciall and definit position is that I affirmed not our callings to have flowed from the Bishop of Rome absolutly but in a sort The restrict case of my generall and indefinit position is that I affirmed not lawfull ordination might be taken of a Wolfe or Thiefe absolutly but from such a Wolfe Thiefe as in my Proposition is set downe at length and in my treatise more amply Now who either doth confound my positions or draweth them froÌ„ my restrict cases to absolut assertions he wrongeth me therein greatly And to cleare this In the restrict case of my speciall and definit position that I affirmed our callings to have flowed froÌ„ the Bishop of Rome in a sort it hath two considerations to be wel adverted First that the Bishop of Rome was not the proper particular personal minister of their ordination at least in common howsoever in a sort or mediatly it did flow from him Secondly that even this in a sort or mediatly must not be so vnderstood as if the particular proper and personall ordainers had done it but as the Bishop of Rome his deputies or procurators but as having also themselves properly place power of ordination Wherein by your adversaries doctrine the Bishop of Rome might well have the first place and highest power but not the only place or onely power For giving him this that he were not only primae sedis Episcopus in which degree the Fathers would faine have stayed his vsurpation and yet by canons of counsels could not but which was then interdicted that he were also primus Episcopus yet was hee never sole Bishop And though hee got at length by prevailing iniquity cheefe place power of ordination yet never only place For if hee onely were properly to bee held a Bishop and if ordination were only proper to him then could not he him selfe be any Bishop at all For none can be a Bishop without lawfull ordination and none can or may ordaine him selfe Neither can any other ordaine him by any power flowing from his predecessour quia mortâ—â— mandatore expirat mandatum And as Grogorie Bishop of Rome doth inferre if he were sole Bishop then vniversa Ecclesia corruit vbi ille vniversus cadit he falling the vniversal church should faile also And how hardly the said Grogory did esteeme of any such vsurpation these words doe shew Triste valde est patieÌ„ter ferre vt omnibus despectis frater coepiscopus noster solus nominetur Episcopus It is a heavy and hard matter to beare that our brother and fellow Bishop should be called onely Bishop and he giveth the reason in another place Quia si vnus Patriarcha vniversalis dicitur Patriarcharum nomen caeteris derogatur for if one be called vniversal Patriarch the name of Patriarch is taken from the rest so then is ordination of all Church-men flowing in a sort froÌ„ the Pope to be vnderstood not that either hee was the personall minister of all or that hee had sole power of ordination but because he was acknowledged first in that power and for that in the outward order policy and forme of church governement al did acknowledge their subiection to him Now for that ordination is graunted to flow from him in this sort therefore vpon the conviction of him to be a Wolfe Thiefe shal al ordination in the church particularly properly and personallie ministred by whatsoever other Bishops be vnlawfull Or shal he convinced to be a Thiefe and Traitour necessarily involve al other pastours of the church in the same guiltines with him because their ordinatioÌ„ hath in a sort flowed from him This were indeed to admit that which even a Bishop of Rome counted an execrable absurdity quod vniversa Ecclesia corruit vbi ille vniversus cadit your man might have learned from his owne Bellarmin by force of truth driven thereto at last that though the Pope should become an heretike yet should not the church therefore fail or fall from truth We wil never yeeld him this that at any time in the church vniversally all and singularly each pastour or ordainers of pastours were Wolves and Thieves albeit wee affirme that he from whom al ordinatioÌ„ in a sort did flow was long agoe a Wolfe and Thiefe Now then I having in the special and definit position of our callings flowing from the Bishop of Rome put this restrict case that they flowed from him in a sort hee should greatly wrong me sophistically also reason who would make this all one thing as if I had granted them to have flowed from him particularly as the proper personal minister thereof or from the Wolvish Thievish condition of him froÌ„ whom they but flowed in a sort would conclude of all and everie particular proper and personal ordainers or if hee should reason from ordinatioÌ„ as it floweth in a sort to ordination properly and personally proceeding My remarker might indeed have made me remarkeably forgetfull of my selfe truth both if in my answere to their first obiection sect 5. not admitting them therfore any iust claime in the title of the true church for that we forsooth could have no orditnary vocation but with amongst theÌ„ who howsoever they were in the church even bore sway and obtained in tota communiter yet were but a part in the church and no true part of it in that alwayes within the church also were true both pastours and professours if now I say I should againe confesse that all our pastours ordination had flowed properly and personally from the detestable head of all that mischiefe Which were not onely a manifest lie but an absurde impossibilitie also If any heere would oppone that this my distinction is vaine and that it freeth vs nothing more to have had our ordination but in a sort from the Bishop of Rome and properlie and personally from others then if we graunted the having it of him even particularly properly personally because all others particular and personal ordainers whatsoever were not onely in outward order of Church governement subiect to the Pope of Rome but also agreed all in one and the same faith and doctrine with him approving both his opinion and power and moreover had all of them or their ordainers or the ordainers of their ordainers c. their ordination even properly and personally of the Bishop of Rome In which respects neither could the personall ordainers bee free of any imputation laid by vs against the Bishop of Rome neither yee ordination from them be any better to the ordained by them then if it had properly and personally proceeded from him as the particular Minister therof I answer that in this allegation is a manifold sophistication First as I have already shewed from common subiection in the obtaining state of Church policie to conclude Vnitie in opinion and all points of faith and
loude sweet a song of praise as the sound of douce and well tuned harpes could yeeld yea and albeit they keeped them selves in the mids of so commonlie a prevailing evill pure from spirituall fornication as which were all Virgines chast and faithful to their Spouse the Lambe yet while all the earthlie ones wondred and were in wonder miscaried after the beast none could either heare or learne their high and sweet song but themselves who in that cōmon Apostasie were bought from the earth to be the true Citizens of heaven and albeit in the earth yet not of it neither perceaved of their enemies till to their terrour astonishment and beginning fall it was saide to them Come vp hither and till that by degrees they did breake foorth through the middes of heaven with no new but even with that one and everlasting Gospell Our adversaries trifle by concluding from the whole church in common to vniversallie each one within it and from these who in the Church and even obtayning therein yet were not of it to these who were alwayes in it and albeit sometime borne downe yet were only of it Truth is alwayes in the visible Church yea no where els but yet not alwayes visible therein And who thervpō would infer this or that therfore it behoved alwayes to obtaine beare sway were in Logike no les ridiculous then who should cōclude that lies errour did ever prevaile therein for they ar alwayes in the church in that the envious one soweth his tares even with the good feed was a lier from the beginning God never forsaketh his church yet we must acknowledge to his glorie that sometimes if he had not left vs a remnant we had bene as Sodom had bene like Gomorrha Ipsa est sayth Augustin quae aliquando obscuratur tanquam obnubilatur multitudine Scandalorum aliquando tranquillitate temporis quieta libera apparet aliquando tribulationum tentationum fluctibus operitur at◠turbatur It is shee which sometime is darkened and as it were overcludded with multitude of offences sometime by trāquillitie of time quiet free sheweth her self somtime is covered and troubled with the waves of tribulations 14. But seeing by our owne cōfession truth ever abydeth in the church with whō shal it be foūd say they but with the ordinary pastors ministers therof whose lips should preserve knowledg at whose mouth the Lord wil have vs to aske coūsel shal the ordinance of God be despised each man follow his owne sense God forbid We know wel that howsoever the Lord be not tied to meanes but that against without al meanes he may accomplish his good pleasur yet that faith is by hearing it pleaseth the lord to save the world by the foolishnes of preaching we know that how soever the careful reading of scripture is both recōmēded to al is commendable in all yet that for vnderstanding what we read the cōmon sort have need of an interpreter a messenger who is a man of a thousand we are so far herein frō permitting every man to his owne sense as calūniouslie our adversarie give out against vs that we constantly avouch that who ever cōtemneth the Lord his ordināce herin he cōtemneth the Lord is worthily given over to giddines and blindnes of mind But because the Lord wil save by preaching and dispenseth all light and grace by Pastours doeth it follow heereupon that the ordinarie Pastours and Ministers can not erre and fall from this truth Or is the Lord the holy one of Israell so limited that though everie man be a liar yet his truth should faile or is he not able though all the naturall seed should degener yet of stones to raise children to Abraham And is hee not alike able yea hath hee not more then one to the praise of his power and truth when ordinarie Prophetes become fooles then even to open the mouthes of asses to rebuke the foolishnes of the Prophetes It is most certain that when prophecie faileth the poeple perish But from the necessitie of Prophecie and of Prophets togither that to the ordinarie succession truth alwayes is necessarily tied who seeth not herein a plain fallacy For though the ordinarie husbandmen becom murtherers and the ordinarie builders becom destroyers yet the Lord still maintaineth his promise reporteth fruit of his vineyard buildeth his house by stirring vp others extraordinarilie who come in the way of righteousnes and this is their fourth aequivocation in this their stout affeveration that the Church can not erre for that not only they conclude from the Church to Pastours a part of the Church which we could passe with them but that also from the necessitie of Pastours indefinitlie they conclude definitlie sophisticallie of ordinarie Pastours 15. Now I do not herefore affirme that ever God so left the ordinarie ministers of his church that albeit all did in cōmon yet that ever at any time vniversally each one did fal from truth Yea I am perswaded neither that by coniecture only but by cleare warrant of scripture that in all ages evē in most corrupt times of Antichrist God stil had a number of true and godly Pastors and that not only in them but also by them hee preserved light and life in his church howsoever for their tolerating in weaknes of spirituall fornication he had something against them But heere our adversaries fal in the fift that same aequivocation in the case of pastours wherby they deceave in the case of the church as if because truth still abydeth with by the ministrie of Pastors that therfore al or most part of Pastours did ever hold the truth or that amongst Pastours in common truth did alwayes obtaine and beare sway for it is most cleare and certain that howsoever vniversallie each one never do fal from the light life of God yet whē that carnallie presuming of God his promises and of their ordinarie place in the church they become secure and abuse their place to fulfil their owne lustes that then they both may and have communiter omnes al in common fallē away from the Prophet even to the Priest everie one following after his that then ther wil be a conspiracie of her Prophets in the mids of her thē all her watchmen will be blind and know nothing all dum doggs which can not bark lying and sleeping and loving to sleepe knowing no◠vnderstanding nothing but looking wholy to their own wayes So as most iustlie the Lord therevpon giveth them night for a vision darknes for a divination In which case for magnifying of his truth and power and for their confusion the Lord hath may extraordinarilie stirre vp men in the way of righteousnes to doe his work 16. But whatsoever say they might bee presumed of Pastours in common yet being assembled in Counsell or Synode they can
Chaâ—tage against all appellation from thence to the seat of Rome vpon evident conviction of his fraude in falsifying the actes of the Synode of Nice make more then manifest That I speak nothing of the sharpe check given to Iulius Bishop of Rome albeit topping a good cause yet therein arrogating too much to his state by the Bishopes of the East So as instead of helping the truth his ambition gave the adversaries an advantage to put him so to silence as al the sway and authority of Church matters remained with the Easterne Bishops saith Sabellicus till long after Phâ—câ—â— restored it to Rome many such instances the story affordeth But as the Romane Doctours are extreemlie impudent so any broken sentence or wrested authoritie is good enough to blind the ignorants whom God iustly giveth vp to believe lies because they delite in errour giving them therefore heape of Teachers according to their humours Now how far they are destitut of all sure warrant and yet how farre in giddines of mynd and force of the bewitching cuppe of fornicatioÌ„ they are carried to maintaine this absurd and monstrous opinion is cleare if it were but by this that they are not ashamed to bring an instance and argument from Caiphas prooving that the Popes cannot erre in the chaire in that by vertue thereof he did prophecy that one must die for the people one of their side goeth so farre herein in a deep speculation forsooth even from the bottomles pit as to iustifie Christ his lawfull succession and right to the Priesthood which otherwayes I warrant you could not beene well maintained he will have Caiphas by that saying in a hudge misterie to resigne the Priesthood and instal Christ therein Thus rather then he should appeare to brooke any thing but by ordinarie succession making our Lord who was neither of that tribe nor of that order but a Priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeck to bee successour in a sort to Caiphas And it is the Lord his iust iudgement that who sel themselves to maintain lies they bee given over to such absurd blasphemous suggestions But what a blindnes is this to catch hold of that one word which was no definitive sentence of the chaire but a bloody advyse for incouraging the rest of his consistorie to passe roundly over all points of conscience or equity in that matter for that howsoeuer they could find no iust pretence against Christ yet in any sort it were better that one man should die theÌ„ that by the peoples believing in him and cleaving to him the Romans should be stirred to destroy the whole natioÌ„ why passe they by these sentences in the chaire whereby all were excommunicated who confessed the Lord Iesus and whereby the Sonne of GOD was convicted and condemned of blasphemie Will they rather subscribe these sentences then grant an errour in the chaire Or if these cannot bee excused how ridiculous are they for prooving an impossibilitie of erring in the chaire to produce amongst a number of execrable and blasphemous errours one reckles worde vnwittinge spoken Neither did the holy Ghost in noting that speech meane any such matter as these men to strengthen their owne imaginations fondlie build thereon But to shew that Caiphas while hee was vtterly corrupted and but set onely on mischiefe yet by the all and overruling power of him who hath al both hearts and tounges in his hand did speake such wordes as howbeit hee neither so vnderstood nor mynded them yet if in vprightnes and knowledge they had beene vttered in that sence which the wordes might have borne and according to that event which contrarie to the speakers mynd the all and overruling hande of God brought about that then they had well besiemed that place which that wicked man did occupy Such a prophet then was Caiphas herin as was the Devil when mynding but blaspemie deceit and murther hee told the woman that eating of the forbiddeÌ„ fruit they should become lyke vnto God For indeed out of man his fal much coÌ„trarie to Satans mynd the Almightie wrought that hudge and incomprehensible worke of the manifestation of God in the flesh and making thereby all true believers partakers in a sort of the divine nature And such a prophet for vs let their Pope be as who being continuallie set on lying and murthering yet never prophecieth true but when the overruling power of GOD bringeth some such thing to passe which albeit his wordes might beare yet he neither mynded not willed Yea this example of Caiphas so little helpeth them that thereby evidentlie all whatsoever they bragge of generall Counsels and of their Pope even in the chaire is seene to be foolishe For I pray you what instance can they bring of a more lawfull Counsell or of a Pope more solemnely sitting in the chaire as touching all outwards requisite for the lawfulnes either of persons or ordinarie power then were both that whereby Ieremy was convicted and this againe whereby our Lord was condemned as a blasphemer 18. But as men who disput more for maintayning any way their point then for resolution being sore pressed doe seeke all corners so heere they alledge that howsoever such a decay might have befallen the Church vnder the law yet of the Christian Church vnder the Gospel in so large a measure of light and ample promises no such thing ought to be presumed Wherein besydes an evident halting in Logike is also a horrible open blasphemy in divinitie The fallacie is that from the measure of dispensation of the promises made they reason to the truth of God in performing It is true that vnder the law albeit they had one and the same covenant in substance and the same promises yet not in a like measure or cleare manner of dispensation Now heerevpon to conclude because God promised not so clarelie nor plentifullie opened his grace that therefore he performed not alse truelie what hee height It is first a vicious argumentation and iuxt a contumelious blaspemie against the truth of God For as a true man promising a cottage to one and a kingdome to another is alike true in both albeit not alike liberall so is God alwayes in whatsoever or in what measure soever hee promised His Church was his Church alwayes and truth alwayes was the lyfe of his Church and hee prooved alwayes alike true in maintayning it in a sparkle as hee did in keeping it in a shyning toarch If they answere That they doe not meane that for the common errour of the Priestes Prophets and ordinarie Church-men vnder the Law that therefore either the promise of God failed or his Church perished then wee have all we plead for For what I pray you letteth him Or is his arme now shortened that he may not in the like manner and in the like cases preserve his Church And if in a common apostasie of ordinarie Church-men both Prophets Priestes he yet hath heretofore still had a
but for outward order all inward grace power and vertue comming from God the Author of the calling what absurditie is it that a good pastour receave ordination of a VVolfe who yet â—â—th the place of an ordinarie Pastour in the Church more then a truâ— Christian to receave the Sacraments from a reÌ„probat beeing alwayes an ordinary Minister which Sacraments yet by the inward cooperation of God are effectuall to the receaver for it is sufficient for an outward ordinary calling that the Minister thereof have outward place power of ordination albeit he be but a Hyreling and a Thiefe And the receaver of outward ordinary vocation as he hath all gift and grace from God only whose the worke is so is he not tyed or sworne to the will or appetit of the outward Minister but only to the Lord no more then any Minister Baptizeth in his owne name but in the Lord his whose badge and cognissance only we take on thereby and not of the Minister thereof c. I will not thinke my remarker so remarkeably grosse as that he thinketh the efficacie of the Sacraments to depend on the worthines or vnworthines of the Minister thereof for in the contrary of this I hope wee doe both agree and againe that he who holdeth ordination to be a Sacrament no lesse then any of the other wil deny the same common case of it also I have no reason to imagine Neither yet for my similitude taken from the common condition of Sacraments that therefore hee would think me to make ordination also a Sacrament with him in the most strict and proper signification for the similitude of things in some cases maketh not things alwayes to be the same and thus farre I hope wee shall accord in the truth and convenience of my similitude that as the Minister of Sacraments having still outward place and power neither conferreth inward grace for any worthines in him neither letteth the collation thereof through his vnworthines so neither doth the vnworthines of the ordainer having 〈◊〉 place and power of ordination let the effectual 〈◊〉 ordination in him who is ordained everie good gift â—escending from above from the Father of lights For there is but one Lord who hath led captivitie captive giveth gifts to men my adversarie wil confesse this also that froÌ„ what Bishop soever the Sacraments may be receaved except Baptisme which in honour of Christ forsooth he relegateth not only to Woemen but even to Iewes and Turkes from the same Bishop ordination may be receaved also but as I can scanse at his meaning hee thinketh my errour to be in this remarkeable that to him I appeare to make it all one thing or alike to receave the Sacraments or ordination from a Wolfe or Thiefe as to rereave them from a hyreling or reprobate which if I did absolutly hold and did accordingly reason from the one to the other it were indeed a manifest halting in Logike and therewith no sounde point of Divinitie also The course of my argumentation in my treatise is so at length and evidently led and my cases so clearly put as I am sure no vpright hearted Reader could ever have fallen vpon so sinistrous a conception but it is the maner of men who read only to resist to snatch at syllables and wrest parcels of mens speaches so to maintaine iangling And seeing that my remarker albeit hee hath busied himselfe most yea and almost only on the 6.7 and 8. sections of my Treatise as his tokens left thereupon well shewe yet even there hath vnderstood least and either hath not conceaved or deceitfully dissembled my meaning I will therefore heere summarily resume the substance of my matter and drift of my discourse there Vpon the prerogative of the Bishop of Rome a long tyme reputed head of the Churche and all ordinarie vocation flowing in that respect either mediatlie or immediatly from him our adversaries labour to inferre against vs that either we have never had any lawful ordination at all or then have fallen from it Because that the Bishop of Rome was then when our ordination flowed from him either the Antichrist as wee affirme and consequentlie beeing a Wolfe and Thiefe could have no power of ordination or then a lawfull Pastour holding truth in which case wee falling from his communion have fallen from the truth and all lawfull vocation also against this to shew howe in that which in the pamphlet that came to my hands was inscribed the invincible argument there is no more vigour then in a roape of a rotten rushe I laid down this contrary position That our outward ordinarie callings did in a sort flow from the Bishop of Rome without any discredit or derogation to the dignity or lawfulnes of them notwithstanding that he is that verie Antichrist and man of sinne and so not onely a Wolfe and Thiefe but even of al other the most execrable The summe of that argument whereby to inferre this my Position and which at large I did set downe in my treatise and the mentioned sections thereof is this From a VVolfe or Thiefe who descending in an ordinary succession from good and lawfull Pastours at first and who degenereth not at once but by long and slow degrees and that not as an open outward enemy directly oppugning the ensigne but still pretending Christ his power and service and covertly by pretence of the ensigne deceaving before he be detected and knowen to be a Traitour VVolfe Thiefe and so retaining still with all in common the account and place of a lawfull Pastour lawfull ordination may flow and the ordained by him taking ordination vprightly as from a lawful Pastour reputed so still in common not knowing nor beeing partakers of his treason may even so have lawfull outward vocation and falling from their ordainer eftsoones detected to bee a VVolfe and Thiefe yet stil retain the prerogative of their callings But such a Traitour Wolfe Thiefe was the Bishop of Rome what tyme our ordination in a sort did flow from him before it was said to the revived witnesses come vp hither Revel 11. he proclaimed a Traitour 14.8 and al thereupon interdicted his worshippe and character 14.9 Therefore from the Bishop of Rome our outward callings in a sort might flow and wee shrinking from him now declaired Traitour yet still retaine the prerogative and priviledge of our callings In the tenour and drift of this argument that divers points cases be not ignorantly or deceitfully confounded either to the obscuring or perverting of my meaning two things are heedfully to be eied and the distinct considerations of them First my Positions and thâ—se distinctlie al 's well the speciall and definit position which I take to proove as the generall and indefinit which I bring for a mids or argument to inferre the other And secondly the restrict cases of both The speciall definit position which I take to proove is the conclusion of my sillogisme The