experience that there hath beene a change when we compare the doctrine of the Apostles with that which prevailed in the church afterwards and cleerely manifest the strange diversity repugnancy there is betweene them When we compare the state of the Romish Church with that of the church in the first purest ages and make the diversitie betweene them visible and palpable Although this kinde of proofe being not easie but to those who haue skill in the languages we stand not chiefly vpon it And although it should faile vs which yet it doth not yet therefore there should not be any prescription or exception against Scripture That which is come vp since is new in respect of it though ancient in respect of vs. But here the question is not about the Antiquity of persons To which we adde that if there should bee any thing found as ancient as the Scripture being not conformable vnto it if its antiquity commend it its falsity condemneth it so much the more as it is the nature of evill to be the more pernicious the more ancient it is CHAP XXIII That it is not ingenuous dealing to vrge vs to answer where our Church was and what Pastors it had before the Reformation NOw the authors of these wrangling cavilling proceedings might cease their captious quirkes and take time to blush a while But as the contentious spirit of Sophistrie is infinite in the invention of new trickes to perplexe a cause they giue vs here another knot to vntie God they say hath alwaies had a church on earth this wee confesse and that church hath from time to time had her Pastors here we agree with them too But then say they Where was your Church before Luther What Pastours what Doctours had it See here againe how from the ignorance of man they conclude the not being of the thing Presuming that we cannot satisfie these demandes and assuring themselues that we knowe not where our Church hath beene and by whom it was guided they take it for a matter already out of question that therefore our Church was not at all In which inference there is discovered a notable peece of wrangling for it being presupposed which yet is false as it will appeare by and by that we knewe not where our church was and who haue beene our Pastours since the alteration and defection hapned in the church of Rome might it in conscience hence bee concluded that it was not therefore at all Would this consequence be admitted Thou knowest not such a thing therefore it is not or hath not beene Yet this is the manner of their argumentation against vs. You knowe not say they where your Church was nor who were her Pastours therefore she was not at all Vpon this it is that they triumph and insult over vs as if wee answering that we knowe not where our Church was nor what Teachers it had we should implicitly yeeld in the same answer that she was not all or if she were that shee was destitute of Pastours The like argument once deceaved the Prophet Elias when he knewe not where the church of the tenne Tribes was nor who were its Guides They haue forsaken thy covenant saith he they haue broken downe thy altars they haue slaine thy Prophets and I am left alone and they goe about to take away my life also Hee thought himselfe to be alone because his fellows were vnknowne vnto him But the Lord made him see the imperfection of his vntoward Logicke advertising him that he had reserved seauen thousand to himselfe which had not bowed the knee to Baal If then the Church of Israel might subsist so secretly that Elias knewe neither her abode nor her Pastours who will thinke it strange that the same case should happen in the time of our Grandfathers that then when the earth was overclovded with darknesse God had a Church albeit we are not able to specify the place of her residence or names of her Pastours It may not here be replied that at that time beside the hidden company God had a flourishing Church in Iudah in as much as it hath often fallen out that the Church of Iudah equalled yea exceeded the church of Israel in corruption So that then to behold the face of the church as it was obvious to humane view it could not be said but all lay in desolation But albeit that lamentable defection had not beene vniversall in â—srael and Iudah yet the argument drawne from the estate of the Israelitish church would still retaine its force seeing that if such a part of the Church might exist vndiscernable why may not the other parts also and all other particular Churches subsist vnknowne It 's a necessary consequence that that which hindreth the whole Church from lying hid ought also to hinder any of her parts and the same power which preserueth and sustaineth the parts of the Church viz particular Churches amongst the most tumultuous confusions and disorders shall conserue likewise the whole Church If we are to thinke that the Church is alwaies visible and may be pointed at with the finger because the Lord prescribing the meanes to compose differences hath said Tell it to the Church seeing they are particular Churches to whom recourse in this case is to be had this reason will proue as strongly that particular Churches should alwaies be visible If it hinder not but these may be invisible as it is agreed vpon neither will it hinder that the Church totally in her vniversality may sometimes be invisible If the Church be alwaies set vpoÌ„ the tops of mountaines if in consequence she be alwaies visible the particular Churches shall be so too seeing she cannot be taken notice of but in them and by them and if she bee not alwaies glorious and conspicuous in her parts no more shall shee be in the whole If lastly it be thought that the Church ought alwaies to be visible alwaies exposed to the eyes of men because her Pastours are the lights of the world compared to candles which are not put vnder bushells but vpon Candlestickes seeing this appertaineth to the Ministers of particular Churches the Churches in which these Ministers are by this argument shall continue alwaies visible to the eyes of carnall men which is manifestly false But certainâ—ly God hath not promised that his Church should bee alwaies elevated vpon mountaines he promised indeede that she should be placed there and so no man doubteth but that this promise from time to time hath had its accomplishment But he neuer promised that she should be placed there alwaies no more hath it fallen out so On the contrary God hath promised that there should be wings giuen to his Church that shee might fly vnto her place before the persâ—cuting Dragon And whereas the Lord hath commanded vs to empty our grieuances which wee haue against her brethren in to the bosome of the Church when priuate reconciliation is impossible this
entertainement in the world which he had formerly received You see saith the Apostle your calling not many wise according to the flesh not many noble but God hath chosen the weake things of this world and things which are not to confound things that are that no flesh might glorie before him Agreeâ—bly to the thanksgiuing of our Sauiour I thanke thee O father Lord of heauen and earth for that thou hast hid thâ—se things froÌ„ the wise and prudâ—nt and hast reuealed them vnto babes to his exhortation Feare not little flocke for it is your fathers will to giue you the kingdome And indeed if that outward pomp were a note of the true Church and its contrary of the false the true Church for the space of three hundred yeares and more during the time of her persecuâ—ions should haue beene the false After that when Arrianisme had so oveâ—-runne the world that it groaned and wonto see it selfe become an Arrian When the Emperâ—ur Constantius tauntingly demaunded of Liberius Bishop of Rome How great a part of the world he thought himselfe to be that hee alone shâ—uld take the part of one wicked fellow such a oâ—e wâ—s Athanasius in his esteeme that hee should so disturbe the peace â—f the whole world When Liberius was faine to conâ—eâ—se indeed that he was alone but replied withall that his being alone could not weaken the cause of the true faith When he alleaged an example from former times that once there were but three which resisted Nebuchadnezars decree commanding them to worship an Idoll When the same Liberius was caâ—ried downe by the impetuous streame subscribed to Arrianisme When Nazianzen was angry that the Church was measured by the muâ—titude and when he said speaking of the Arrians they haue the people and we the faith they haue the gold and silver and we the doctrine What was the true Religion all this while the bravest and most illustrious Was it amongst them which bare the greatest sway in those times Was it removed from obscurer places of abode to reside in more famous and imperiall citties Let vs remember the advertisement which S. Hilary gaue indeed to those of his owne time but which extendâ—th its vse also to ours Of one thing I advise you take heed of Antichrist It is not well that you are so taken with the loue of walls that you reverence the Church of God in consecrated houses and goodly edifices that vnder these you settle the name of peace and presume on it Is it a matter to be questioned a remarkable speech that Antichrist must sit in them The mountaines woods lakes prisons caues dungeons seeme safer to me for the Prophets either abiding in them or being driven and cast into them haue prophesied by the spirit of God This outward glory then is incompatible with the nature of the true Church and cannot possibly bee taken for one of her markes on the contrary the want of it being more naturall to the Church it doth more distinctly set her forth to the notice of intelligent beholders CHAP. IX What kinde of tranquillitiy belongeth vnto the true Church How Kings are her nursing fathers And that Kings are not the noursing fathers of the Romish Church BVt what then Shall the Church never enioy a quiet estate And those promises that Kings shall be her nursing fathers that they shall licke vp the dust of her feet shall they be frustrated God forbid True it is that God giveth peace to his Church but it is such as passeth all vnderstanding That peace towards God by which shee glorieth in afflictions being pressed but not oppressed in perplexity but not comfortlesse persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but not destroyed And these promises that Kings shall be her nursing fathers that they shall licke vp the dust of her feet are of the same nature with those other promises that she shall sucke the milke of the nations that Kings shall walke before her in chaines as it were in triumph nations enemies Kings enemies of the Church Promises then of earthly things for types of heavenly promises of fading and transitorie commodities to represent those everlasting honours pleasures In this manner God hath promised that he would set her vpon Carbuncles and build her vpon Saphires pronouncing that there should be no moâ—e tumults nor clattering in her gates Because the Iewish nation at the time of these prophecies was most in loue with such matters therefore the holy Ghost vsed them in the expression of the happie but spirituall estate of the Church In the same kinde the Lord promiseth that when the Church should passe through waters they shall not overflow her that being in tâ—e fire she shall not be burnt Promises according to the letter figuratiue according to the sense mysticall and reall It s true that God somtimes giues to his Church an outward prosperity but in a mediocrity but for a time It appertaines not vnto her to enioy a compleat peace on earth being a stranger in it a pilgrime out of her element and heavenly country A continuall and vndisturbed peace is vncompatible with her nature and doth not cherish but change it and at length quite corrupt it Even as the outward heat of the ayre continued without moderation first slackes the vigour of the inward and naturall heat maketh it faint at last stifles and quite extinguisheth it It s true also that kings are the foster-fathers of the Church but this is seldome Cyrus was a father to the Iewish Church yet no part of it So many Pagan Emperours haue suffered their kingdomes to bee receptacles of Christians Then was it when the Church sucked the milke of the Gentiles then if ever was this prophesie that Kings should be her sustainers fulfilled liberally Yet we deny not but God raiseth vp Princes in his Church But when these Princes in striving to shew themselues Patrons of his Church with more affection then discretion haue fostered her even with superfluity they haue procured her ruine by the same means they sought her advancement It was not a Poet only from whom the pride and surly pomp of the Romish Church extorted this speech Hor Constantin non torna Let 's haue no more Constantines St Hierome himselfe observed in his time marke Reader how long since it was that the Church attained to her full growth became adultae by persecutions but being cherished by Christian Princes she increased indeed in riches and power but decreased in vertues and graces What would he haue sâ—id in our daies Wherefore a too pompous magnificence in the Church is at the first a presage of a future alteration and at last a certaine note of a change to worse But the times are now otherwise matters are crept into another extreame There is not a Prince at this day
Christ that his Disciples should not be like to the kings of the nations the example of Christ who being himselfe Lord of Lords King of Kings during the time of his abasement became tributary to a Prince a tyrant The commandement of Christ when he bid to pay vnto Caesar that which is Caesars and vnto God that which is Gods The practice of this commandement in the Apostles who acknowledged themselues subiects to superiour powers subiecting to them every soule by their eâ—hortations when they protested that they were the servants of the faithfull for Christs sakee that they had no power over their faith These considerations make that which ravisht fleshly eyes mishapen hideous and terrible to a spirituall view especially when it shall bee considered that this boundlesse power and transcendent dignity is a character of Antichrist the true condition of his Antichristian kingdome directly contrary to that of our Lord Iesus Christ. Certainely be it as it will that there haue beene are and will be many Antichrists and false teachers which oppose themselues against Christ yet there is one of them to whom this title is by an vnhappy excellency principally due Inasmuch as that beside the abominable impurity of his doctrine which is common to him with the others hee invades the royall prerogatiue of Christ hoising himselfe aboue the Magistrate and the Angells themselues and so aboue all that is called God for these are they to whom this name is allowed in Scripture whil'st arrogating to himselfe a power over consciences hee pretends a supremacy over all Christians a supremacy of religion and which is spirituall and so fits in the temple of God behaving himâ—elfe as if he were God taking vpon him the power of binding loosing conscieÌ„ces of making that sinne which God hath not called sinne of giving dispensations where God giues none of rating good workes and setting a price vpon them enhauncing and moderating the market according to his occasions When he hath terrified the consciences of the greatest Monarchs working this impression into them by his deputies that how serious soever their repentance may be yet they cannot enioy peace either of soule or body vnlesse his absolution come betweene Whil'st he makes vncleane the vse of creatures whom God hath sanctified by his word not commending a fast but inforcing an abstinence from certaine creatures against the expresse word of God which pronounceth this doctrine a doctrine of Divells Whil'st he vndertakes to make marriage vnlawfull which the Scripture hath called honourable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled When hee dispenseth with the breaking of vowes when hee allowes for honest those marriages which the word of God hath declared to be incestuous When he declares by his indulgentiall Bulls that prayers had in a plâ—ce by him assigned are more pretious then if they had beene without his assignation Exercising this traffique that with the sale of things spiritual of soules and consciences he may stuffe his treasures which he imployeth as the world knoweth either in maintaining warre against Christian Princes or in promoting his kindred or in making his proud prophane Epicurean court swimme in superfluities of dissolute luxury What shall we say more When he vndertaketh to shut and open at his pleasure the gates of Paradise to prolong or abbreviate the torments of those that are departed When arrogating to himselfe this power he vseth such a partiality in the execution of iâ— partiality say we When he proceeds in such niggardlinesse and avarice yea such barbarous inhumanity savîng only whom it pleaseth him to saue being able if you will beleeue himselfe to saue all Is not this to arrogate a power proper and peculiar to God alone But this power which in God the Lord and Master of all is no whit tyrannicall in man who is obliged to doe for another all he can possible to loue his neighbour as himselfe more then tyrannicall Finally when out of his authority he employeth the Angells in the pretended execution of his commandements vâ—urps not he an authority more then humane altogether divine Yet notwithstanding this so strangely vsurped power is the master sinew of that policy by which this vnwildy body subsisteth the Colossus and maine pilâ—ar of the Roman Church a nerue which taking its originall from the head straggles through the whole body being distributed to every member proportionably to its vse even as in the kingdomes of the world the Monarches reserving with themselues as it were the spring-head and sunne of soveraignety nevertheles communicate the streames of this spring the beames of this sunne in proportion to their officers according to each of their functions CHAP. XII That although it hath beene foretold that Antichrist should sit in the Temple of God yet that Church which acknowledgeth him cannot be the true Church BVt there remaineth yet this scruple that how tyrannicall and Antichristian soever this policy be yet the Church where it is practised may not a whit the lesse bee the true Church Yea rather seeing that Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God considering this power and dignity wee haue iust reason to presume that the Church of Rome wherein it beares sway may be truly the Temple of God This scruple cannot stagger or stay him who shall examine whether this power be to be exercised by the Church or against her to be approved or deâ—ested by her who will consider that the followers of Antichrist at any time now if he be already come as certainely he is or for the future if he be not yet come as a great part of the world dreameth may oppose the church by the same argument alleaging that they are the true church because Antichrist is amongst them One therefore adventured to interpret these words sitting in the Temple of God in a sense which runnes sitting against the Temple of God grounding vpon the words in the originall which may denote as well an opposition against the church as a residence in it But let vs take the words in the former sense that Antichrist must sit in the church of God yet it will never follow that that church which aâ—knowledgeth him for her head obeyeth and adoreth him hath any thing of the church but the bare name Let him then be in the church but as a canker is in the body a tyrant in the commonwealth It may seeme that for this cause the Apostle vsed the word Temple rather then Church that hee might expresse vnto vs this mystery of iniquity by allusion to the Temple of Ierusalem called by an excellency the Temple of God signifying vnto vs that as the Temple of God had beene anciently the place which God had consecrated to tâ—e outward exercise of his service but that men aftâ—rward transformed it into a den of theeues retaining for all that the title of the Temple of God in regard of it's primitiue and sanctified
Zosimus then Bishop of Rome who hauing reinstituted him and deeming this a fit occasion to enlarge the bounds of his dominion graspeth it fast and posteth this Appiarius reconfirmed with his Embassadours to the Councel of Carthage giuing them moreover in commission to demand that the vniversall authority of the Pope should bee acknowledged by the Councell alleaging to that purpose a Canon of the Nycene Synode Vpon these passages Zosimus dying Eulalius is chosen in his place by the greater part of the Clergy and people but he gaue place to the violence of Boniface who out of his ambition prosecuted that which Zosimus had demanded touching the acknowledgement of his primacy The Councell flatly denied that there was any thing in the records of the Nicene Synode which might favour his pretended primacie and in the mean time sent Commissaries to the Patriarchs of Constantinople and Alexandria to haue a sight of the authenticke copies of the acts of the Councell which were kept by them Vpon this Pope Boniface died Celestine succeeded him who also with the like heat claimed the approbation of his fained authority But the Councell having already discouered by the report of their Commissaries that the authenticke copies of the Nicene Synod contained no such matter as the proud Bishops of Rome required blamed their fraud checked their insolencie and adiured them to receiue no more appeales adding this notable reason that the grace of the holy spirit would not bee wanting to any Province vnlesse some man imagined that God could inspire iustice to one only and that he would withhold it from an infinite number of Bishops Now this history maketh it appeare vnto vs that vntill that time the Churches of Africa had not acknowledged the Pope So that if at this day there were any in those parts of the world which did acknowledge him they should not be their successours in this If the Pope hath beene from the beginning vniversall Bishop how happened it that at that time he was not vniversally obeyed by the Church But it is no lesse remarkable that the Popes which required this acknowledgement from the Councell sent not men to expostulate with that assembly by authority much lesse to excommunicate them vpon their refusall as schismatickes as also that they alleaged no Scripture for the primacie but onely the Canon of a Councell Yet they vsed a strange boldnesse in daring to falsifie the Canons of the Nicene Synode A fraud yet of which their successours seeme to haue beene ashamed For in the decrees of the Nicene councell as we haue received them from them there is nothing extant which maketh for the primacy but in them the other Patriarches are rather equalised to the Bishop of Rome Lastly the harsh censure with which this councell entertained the Pope which neverthelesse was but provinciall witnesseth it not that at that time his authority was new This being so seeing that succession must drawe its line from the first and that the first Romane Bishop had not that authority which he hath that now raigneth it followeth that there is no succession in the Pope-ship and by consequent not in the whole state of the Papacie CHAP. XXVII That the Cardinalls Patriarchs Archbishops Bishops Priests Deacons Monkes and Nunnes of the Romish Church are not of Apostolicall institution AFter we haue examined the succession of the supreame degree of authoritie in the church of Rome come wee now to the inferiour orders and first to the Cardinalls Who is so ignorant at this day as to thinke or so impudent as to affirme that their institution was in the times of the Apostles or that their office such as it is at this day was in the church a good while after the age of the Apostles The church increasing there were created by the principall churches Presbyteri Cardinales that is to say principall or chiefe Elders Diaconi Cardinales principall or chiefe Deacons Their office was limited within the iurisdiction of the church where they were created if at Rome within the iurisdiction of the church of Rome if at Carthage within the iurisdiction of the church of Carthage Their charge was a superintendency over the common Elders and common Deacons The Cardinalls at this day haue nothing of it but the name their charge is quite of another nature their institution is altogether different They are now the electours of the Pope which they were not anciently except those of the citie of Rome as making a part of the Clergie Now they take care of the affaires of all those churches which are obedient to the Pope anciently their charge was bounded within the circuit of one church alone Howsoever it 's true indeed that by hypocrisie they beare now adaies certaine titles which seeme to assigne and to binde them to certaine parishes in Rome to the end that they may retaine if not the truth yet the name of what they were anciently Anciently their authority allowed them not any degree aboue Bishops now they are as it were Princes of the bloud in the church next to the triple crowne So then the Cardinalls haue no succession deriued from the Apostles and by consequence neither the church of Rome in respect of this part of her policy As for the Patriarchs there were none of them also in the times of the Apostles nor a long time after Only we read in the decrees of the Nicene councell that their iurisdiction is called an ancient custome a tearme very different from an Apostolicall tradition Moreover the Patriarchs were supreame and equall to the Bishop of Rome in iurisdiction he was but their companion albeit he were first in order All the other Patriarchs haue long since renounced the communiō of the Roman church the Pope also will no longer be accoūted a Patriarch The Patriarchs which are at this day in the Romish church are elected by the Pope who hath no power to choose thē seeing that at their first institution which howsoever was not Apostolicall they were his fellowes in authoritie So the Patriarchs of the Romish church haue no lawfull succession their beginning being not not from the true beginning the times of the Apostles yea not from the primitiue institution of Patriarches The Romish Archbishops and Bishops at this day are nothing like those ancient primitiue ones I say not onely in respect of their manners but also in respect of their authority Their authority at this day dependeth barely of the Pope anciently it was not subiected but to the Companie of Bishops They might not be deposed but by the common consent They were not bound to runne to Rome for their election But they gaue their mutuall aduice one to another both in the election and deposition of a Bishop Anciently they had no such authority ouer the magistrate as they at this day vsurpe It 's worth the observation to see how matters are changed Their authority in respect of the Pope is become slauish in respect of the magistrate
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
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
which to speake truely sustaineth the Romish Church she rather vpholdeth them by whom she is said to be vpheld So they cannot properly be tearmed her Patrons Shee domineers over them even in temporall matters she holdes their authorities and estates fastned to her beckand pleasure It s a small matter for her to vsurp the power of excommunicating them vnlesse she also take vpon her the authority to depriue them of their soveraâ—gneties When it pleaseth her she plucks away the scepter tramples the crownes vnder her feet so that now a strange alteration the nursing father trembles before his nursling and the Guardian stands in feare of his pupilâ— not with such a feare wherewith ofâ—imes God strikes his enemies a feare proceeding from a secret cause when he hath caused his uoice Touch not mine annointed to giue a startling sound to the most inhumane and sauage hearts but with an affrighting apprehension of conspiracies poyniards powder-plots the ruine of their estates and reuolt of their subiects O barbarous and vnnaturall pupill o vnfortunate and ill-rewarded Protectors What shall the Church which vsurpeth this authority practiseth this cruelty be the true Church surely he hit the point well who was the first that said that deuotion begate wealth but the daughter devoured the mother A prodigious child deliuery that Religion should send forth so vnnaturall a monster so contrary to the dispâ—sition of its mother But it was the purpose of God He had foretold that Kings should giue their kingdomes to the Beast that they should vndergoe its yoake This prediction was to be accomplished Now then lâ—t the Romish Church proceede and praâ—cke it lustiâ—y let her triuÌ„ph in this imperiall greatnesse seeing it is the greatnesse of the Beast let her scorne at our homelinesse and scoff at our penury seing it is the condition of the Church CHAP X. That the Ceremonies of the Romish Church doe not Commend but disparage her BVt let vs examine whether the multitude of ceremonies in the Romish â—hurch can giue her that title which her pompe cannot and whether the want of such a troupe amongst vs will procure vs that disparagement which the meanesse of our estate cannot Certainely all alike one as much as the other So that wee still stand vpon the same tearmes with them their glory shameth them our ignominy honoureth vs their ceremonies make them superstitious our simplicitie notifieth that we haue the true Religion· This will clearely be discerned if we consider that there was indeede time wheÌ„ the ceremonies the rudimeÌ„ts of the world had place and were vsefull in the Church of God who then manifested himselfe in types and shadowes But this time lasted no longer then whilst the Church was in her infancie while the heire was a child he was to be gouerned as a child his tendernesse being not capable of a full liberty and of a manlike instruction The day spring from on high the sunne of righteousnesse was not yet risen The bodie of the shadowes the truth of the figures was not then exhibited But the fullnesse of time being accomplished the time of the Churches infancy being expired the heire being come to a perfect stature the Sunne of righteousnesse being already risen the body and rea l truth being now represented the rudiments of the world tooke their leaue the shadowes vanished the types gaue place to truth the carnall schoole-mastership yeelded to a spirituall liberty obscurity and imperfection to clearnesse and perfection For this cause the Apostle said Let no man condemne you in meate or in drinke or in respect of an Holy day or of the new moone or of the Sabbath daies the reason was because these things were shadowes of things to come but the body as he addes Christ· Proceeding farther he comes even to cut off aâ—l those ceremonies which were got into the Church by humane institution If ye be dead saith he with Christ from the rudiments of the world why aâ— though liuing in the world are ye subiect to ordinances Touch not taste not handle not which are to perish with the vsing after the commandements and doctrines of men which things haue indeede a shew of wisedome in will worship and humilitie in that they spare not the body and haue no regard to the satisfying of the flesh What could be more effectually and vrgently spoken for the banishment of ceremonies out of the Church for by this we see that they are altogether incompatible with the nature of the Church vnder the Gospell 1 the Church is dead with Christ and so to liue spiritually 2 these ordinances are a burden the Lord hath eased her of it 3 they are perishable true piety is permanent 4 they are doctrines of men the doctrine of Gods worship is divine sent downe from heauen 5 They haue a flash of humane wisedome some shew of humilitie but they are indeede will-worships Vainely then and impertinently in this case are the pretences of a good meaning vsed meere fig-leaue couerings It is for Princes to prescribe rules according to which they will be serued not for subiects to inuent them to themselues he is a â—ebell who attempts it How much more rebellious shall the bole sacriledge of them be accounted who either bringe in to or keepe in the church a seruice of God patched vp meerely of humane institutions The more these ceremonies increase the more vnmâ—nnerly presumption and sacriledge there is in the Church and shall they be the markes of a true Church Let vs consider the Primitiue Church flourishing more in times of the Apostles then euer it did afterwards who will not admire her great simplicity in all points and especially in ceremonies For excepting the celebration of baptisme by washing of water and of the holy supper according to the lords institution in taking the bread and wine and distributing them after thanks giuing excepting also the imposition of hands vpon those which extraordinarily receiued the holy Gost whether it weare in a generall calling or a particular to a charge in the Church and annealing for a miraculus effect of healing the fick I say these excepted their will not be found any other ceremony in those primitiue times so admirable was their simplicity But the number of them was multiplied after wards not by diuine but by humane institutioÌ„ St. AusteÌ„ entring in to discourse about ceremonies with Ianuarius sâ—yes wel that our Lord hath subiected vs to aÌ„ easie yoke and a light burden and therefore hath vnited his new people by the sacraments very few in number vâ—ry easy to be oâ—serued very excellent in their signification as is Baptisme consâ—crated in the name of the Trinâ—ty and the Communion of his body and bâ—ood and if their bee any other thing commended in Scripture not comprehending the ceremonies which are to bee read in the Pentateuch which made the seruitude of the
antient people heauy and toile some If he adde that it is to be presupposed that those things which are obserued by the whole world although vnwritten haue notwithstanding beene ordained either by the Apostles or by the Councells this he restraineth neverthelesse to a small number of feastes of the passion Resurrection and ascension of our Lord of the comming of the Holy Ghost yea in closing his discourse with this supposition and if their bee any thing obserued by the whole Church he plainely giues vs to vnderstand that their were very few things beside those by him specified and those to of very small moment The doubting particle If their be any imports that necessarily And truely if the ceremonies had amounted then as they doe now to an heavy burden by reason of their number the difficulty and trouble of obseruing them If in obscurity of signification they had matched the Iewish ceremonies yea if they had beene taken from the ceremonies of the law as the Popish are all excepting those which are borrowed from Paganisme this good father should haue contradicted himselfe if hee had thought that either the Apostles would or Councels could haue imposed them vpon the Church He had said that our Lord had subiected his Church to an easy yoke and a light burden should he then say that the Apostles and Councels had beene willing to make this yoke irksome and burden heauy Elsewhere he complaineth of the excessiue number and intollerable multitude of ceremonies admitted into particular Churches bemoaning the condition of the Church by this meanes more slauish then that of the Iewes But this number was not so insupportable in respect of the seruitude it brought vpon the Church as dangerous in regard of the superstition it begate And certainely here is the venome incorporated into humane inventions which vnder some well composed lookes of piety and deuotion insinuating themselues into the true seruice of God they stifle that and aduance themselues into its roome Our Lord marked ouâ— this euill when his Disciples being accused of transgressing the traditions of their fathers he not only iustifieth them but also condemneth their accusers for hauing made void the commandement of God by their traditions who is so blind that hath not seene that sees not daily that the commandements but falsely called the commandements of the Church are more religiously respected and with more scruple violated then those which all confesse to be the commandements of God Notwithstanding the infinitenes of their number and variety the sottishest dullest amoÌ„gst theÌ„ haue theÌ„ at their fingers eÌ„ds the spirituall seruice of God in the meane time and the manner of its performance is vnknowne vnto them the precepts which inioyne and teach it are strange to the greatest part of them A pregnant argument of the hypocrisie and corruption of mans nature which is delighted in that which is fleshly and outward neglecting that which is spirituall and inward This is that which gaue occasion to that antient and grievous complaint of the Prophet conceiued in the name of God This people draweth neere vnto mee with their lips but their heart is farre from me for their feare and seruice is the commandement of men A man continuing without any exercise of religion can hardly be at peace with himselfe and therefore he ventureth vpon some kind of deuotion but the mischiefe is that he is not pleased but in that which is outward and sensuall carnall as he is in that which is carnall the more then that a religion is sensible and mechanicall as wee may terme it the more acceptable it is vnto him the more intellettuall and spirituall the more vncouth and harsh For this cause even vnder the new testament and vnder grace now when the Lord hath advanced his Church to an estate meerely spirituall he hath left her neuerthelesse some ceremonies by reason of her infirmity but few in number and without brauery accompanied with the preaching of the word for feare of danger namely the Sacraments of Baptisme and the holy supper For he would elevate our hearts vnto a sublime pitch and set them on high and fixe them vpon their Principall obiect drawing them from sensible and materiall obiects to more refined and purified affections and meditations Pondering these reasons we make no more apologies for our selues to those who cast in our teeth our penuâ—y of ceremonies Nay wee thinke this our glory seeing in this point we stand vpoÌ„ the same tearmes with the blessed Apostles wee haue the same defence which they had the condemnation of our accusers for that by their trumperies they haue smothered the syncere simplicitie of true worship Wee tell them that this multitude of rites and traditions is more suteable to the superstition of Turkes Iewes and infidels amongst whome all these vanities haue beene and are still in reâ—uest Christian religion is not capable of them they cannot stand either with the spirituall estate or poore condition of the Church Superstition the mother of ceremonies is lavish prodigall Spirituall whordome as it is it hath this comoÌ„n with the bodily Both of them must haue their paintings their trinkets their inveaglemeÌ„ts this caÌ„not be without charges The Church cannot afford such cost vpon ceremonies and bables her stock is so employed in succouring the liuing images of Christ that shee cannot tâ—inke vpon wooden babies the world is so hard wâ—th her that shee hath nothing to cast away in the guilding of Alters in erecting proud edifices in adorning walles with tâ—peâ—lrie in maiestick and stately processions through the streets CHAP XI That the policie of the Roman Church serues all for preiudice against her WEE haue seene then that neither the pompe nor the ceremonies of the Church â—f Rome can doe her any seruice but only to make her the more suspected the more shee stands vpon them euen as the riotoâ—s luxury aâ—fected postures of countenance and mâ—ltitude of compliments in a woman make her chastitie more questionable But peradventure the policy government and authority which she takes vpon her hauing a visible head siâ—ting in a throne more then imperiall in the citty of Rome heretofore the Queene and Empresse of the vniverse and now by vsurpation greater then ever she was having succeeded the Empire and in this succession surmounted it in greatnesse of soveraigntie which she takes vpon her exercising dominion over the body and the soule in this life and after it in this world without the circuit of it without being accountable to any submitting all to her selfe not only the outward man but the inward also even the conscience Peradventure we say this consideration may make vs both to reverence and admire her This doubtlesse may set her out most amiably to carnall eyes but the spirit iudgeth otherwise yea quite contrary of it When the protestation of Christ shall come into our memories that his kingdome is not of this world the exhortation of
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
commandement is of the nature of those which alwaies haue this condition vnderstood when the thing is possible The Lord had regard to the time wherein he liued and hath prescribed a law which ought to be obserued but alwaies the possibility of obseruance supposed and an estate of the Church semblable to that in his time when the Church discipline was not as as yet corrupted in this point This Commandement then presupposeth not that the Church should alwaies be obvious to the eyes of men but that in the case propounded recourse should be had vnto her when shee was so As for the Pastours of the Church they are called the light of the world not alwaies in relation to the effect but to the duety as they are called also in this respect the salt of the earth beecause they were ordained for this purpose and are bound to this duty But then when they are in effect the light it is a spirituall light not discernable but to the eyes of the soule mindes of those which are spirituall of those which are in the house as our Saviour expresseth it So that none of these considerations can yeeld a sufficient argument for the perpetuall outward visibility of the Church neither in the whole nor in her parts CHAP. XXIIII That the Church of God was before the last Reformation where shee was and who were her Pastors BVt if they will needs presse vs further yet demaÌ„d where our Church was extaÌ„t immediately before our separatioÌ„ we tell theÌ„ that shee was in BabyloÌ„ in captivity vnder the kingdome of Antichrist a Come out of BabyloÌ„ my people it is written in the Revelation the people of God were then in Babylon albeit they served not the Gods of Babylon and which is more their Teachers were the Teachers of Babylon If this seeme strange to any maÌ„ let him call to minde the estate of the Iewish church before our Saviour had begunne his preaching Might it not at that time haue beene demanded where the Church of God had beene before and who were her Pastours What could one answere to this query Might it haue beene said that the Scribes and Pharises and their adherents the greater part of the people were the Church alas they were nothing lesse they were enemies of Christ and â—his Church the true answer then had beene to say that the Church was a small number of righteous persons which groaned vnder the burden of that spirituall tyranny which lamented the desolation come vpon them by the corruption of the ancient doctrine and discipline That the Doctors of â—he Church were the Pharises of whom the Lord testified that they sate in Moses chaire Now we say the very same thing That God before the reformation begun in the daies of our fore-fathers had a Church in the midst of Babylon in the midst of the Popish and Antichristian church but that this church howsoeuer was not the multitude of those who had received the marke of the Beast and worshipped it but the small company of those which misliked the Roman tyrannie and corruption of whom some from time to time being detected haue beene banished others cruelly put to death and slandered to haue beene guilty of horrible and hainous crimes to make their persons odious to the people their memories execrable to posterity had not God by his providence maugre the subtiltie and furie of calumnie preserved the monuments of their faith and pietie even vnto this day Such were the poore Waldenses constrained to wander to fro such also were the exiled Albigenses Concerning that which is further demanded of vs who were the Teachers of the Church during that time so full of confusion then when Babel raigned We answer that questionlesse the holy Ghost alwaies instructed his Church inwardly and that outwardly they were the very same which taught publikely namely the Doctours of the Romish Church But some man may here say that by consequent they were true Teachers to which we answer that in some sort they were true as the Scribes and Pharises were both true Teachers and seducers true when they sitting in Moses chaire teaching his doctrine the people receiued wholsome instruction by their Ministery Seducers when they sitting in their owne chaire teaching their owne traditions their owne inventions they who pâ—rished the people whom God had not chosen sucked in the poison which they tempered Thus it was in the Iewish câ—urch before the Lord had begunne to manifest himselfe to the world otherwise God had not had a Châ—rch This being true and evident it should not be necessary sollicitously to insist vpon a farther answer to the demand How this could bee When there is an agreement about the thing it is curiosity to inquire after the manner of it Yet that we may leaue no scruple behinde we will tell them after what manner God vseth false Teachers to instruct his people The Scribes and Pharises propounded the word of God and read it amongst the Iewes before the comming of our Saviour so much as was necessary to salvation but they mingled their leaven with it they thrust in their expositions glosses and traditions the true Church sustained her selfe with the word and reiected the leauen the false glutted her selfe with the leauen and let passe the word What strange matter is there in all this The sheepe in their pasturage where there are some venomous heaâ—bes and others convenient for this nature knowe well how to choose that which is proper for them â—o let alone that which is hurtfull and shall the sheepe of Christ be vnfurnished of this discretion They of whom it is said that they heare his voice knowe it follow it and fly from the hand of a stranger Who then will wonder any longer that before the great Reformation which the Lord hath begunne in these latter daies as it were in the decrepite age of the world the Church hauing truth propounded vnto her mixed with lyes hath embraced the truth and reiected the lyes Surely this truth hath sounded alwaies in the Church it hath beene in the mouthes of the Romish Doctours as the benediction was in the mouth of Balaam This truth that there is one God Creatour and preserver of all things that the Father Sonne and Spirit distinguished but not divided are this God that the vniverse being created for man and man after the image of God he by his sinne hath drawne vpon himselfe anger and malediction That the sâ—nne of God hath taken our nature vpon him and in it hath expiated our offences that all thâ—se which beleeue in him which repent in syncerity obtaine mercy That therefore we ought to loue so mercifull a God to call vpon him to giue him thankes Thus farre the Scribes and Pharises were in Moses chaire in the chaire of the Prophets of Christ and his Apostles thus farre they were to be harkned to Thus farre the Church did heare them But whilst
Popes no Cardinalls no Patriarches no not Archbishops and Bishops after the Romish fashion All the Apostles in respect of the power of the keyes and authority of the Apostleship were equall If there were any difference betweene them it was not in respect of their function For it they were all ioynt tenants immediately to the supreme Apostle the Prince of Apostles the Lord Iesus From him they all immediately receiued the same commission to teach all nations the same power to forgiue sinnes Their names were equally written vpon the twelue foundations of the high Ierusalem they are placed vpon twelue thrones not subalternate but coordinate in the same pitch eminēcie of the same dignitie even as the twelue tribes They are said Constantine the great in the Councell of Nice twelue pillars not then vnderpropped by one another but which being ioyned together bare vp the edifice of the Church Be it that the Lord hath promised the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to St. Peter he hath bestowed the same power vpon the other Apostles be it that he hath prayed that his faith might not faile he hath prayed also for all the faithfull be it that he hath exhorted him thrice to feede his sheepe this was because he had denied him thrice A triple deniall wanted a three-fold reestablishment he which had stumbled thrice was to be lifted vp thrice Shall any extraordinary priuiledge be allowed him because of this reestablishment Must those seruants which are most frequently and earnestly put in minde of their duties for this be supposed to be in greater auctority shall they be placed in a degree aboue the other Nay they themselues interpret it on the contrary and take it for an angrie dislike their superiours haue of them they are vexed for it with St. Peter and if their Masters could see in to their hearts as his could they would say with him Thou know'st that I loue thee thou know'st that I desire to serue thee Finally be it that the Lord hath said vnto him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my Church The most ancient and most renowned amongst the fathers teach that Christ vnderstood not the the person but the confession of St. Peter not Peter viz the rocke which cōfessed but the rocke by him confessed viz Iesus Christ our Lord. Howbeit wee willingly confesse that the Church hath beene built vpon St. Peter but not vpon him onely He is one of the foundations of the Church but not the onely foundation of it one of the twelue pillars one of the twelue Iudges of the twelue tribes Israell but not the foundation of these foundations the pillar of these pillars the Iudge of these Iudges but a collaterall foundation a collaterall pillar a collaterall Iudge with the other Apostles his companions Furthermore St. Peter vndertooke not to depose Kings or to vsurpe any such authority contrarily he hath ioyned these two duties together Feare God honour the king how heathenish a tyrant soeuer and Persecutor of the Church the Emperour at that time was He had no dominion likewise ouer the other guides of the Church whome he calleth his companions in office Now albeit St. Peter should haue had that authothority which is attributed to the Pope at this day yet they are still to proue that it died not with him And if his authority of Apostle-ship suruiued him not how much lesse that of being the Prince of the Apostles If the other Apostles in regard of their Apostle-ship haue not left themselues successours how should he leaue his iurisdiction ouer them behind him He had the gift of doeing miracles to whom hath he particularly bequeathed this faculty Can the Pope doe any miracles He was the Apostle of the circumcision is the Pope the Apostle of the Iewes These offices of the Apostles were extraordinary like that of Moses which was extinguished in his person and did not outliue him As then the Bishop of Ephesus should idely haue challenged to himselfe the authority of Iohn the Euangelist the Bishop of Alexandria that of St. Mark albeit that tradition report that these two Apostles had bishops for their successors St. Iohn at Ephesus St. Mark at Alexandria Even so the Popes vnreasonably vsurp the authority of St. Peter vnder pretence that tradition maketh them his successors So that in this respect the Papall Monarchie hath no Apostolicall succession seeing that not only it hath not had its originall in the times of the Apostles but also this kind of soveraigntie was a long time after vnknowne in the Church St. Cyprian calls Cornelius Bishop of Rome his collegue and Co-Bishop and the other Bishops coepiscopos or the fellow Bishops of Cornelius he blameth him for hauing receiued those which the other Bishops whom hee calleth the fellow Bishops of Cornelius had excommunicated hee sets before him the statute of the discipline of those times inioyning that the cause should be iudged where the crime was committed a statute which he groundeth vpon iustice and equitie vpon the commission giuen to all Pastours and the power which euery one of them hath by vertue of his Commissiion ouer that portion of the flocke which is assigned him of which he is to giue account vnto the Lord. Likewise he sharpely reprehendeth Stephen also Bishop of Rome teaching that as there is but one Church through out the whole world deuided into many members viz particular Churches so there is but one Bishopricke diuided into many particular Bishopricks He attributeth the same authority to the other Apostles with St. Peter although to denote vnitie it was said to St. Peter I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen It is not then to the person of St Peter but to Peter as representing the vnity of all the Apostles Of which mind also are St. Hierome and St. Austen The synod of Alexandria addresseth their synodall epistle not to the Bishop of Rome in particular but to him conioyntly with the other without the interposition of any distinction betweene them Athanasius neuer calleth him otherwise then his Co-bishop and Comminister his fellow Bishop and fellow Minister Hosius subscribed first to the Canons of the Nicene Councell not as representing the Bishop of Rome but generally the Westerne Churches after the same manner as the Bishop of Alexandria those of Egypt Lybia Pentapolis c. Hosius was not there then to represent the vniuersall Bishop of the Church but to represent the Churches of the West as every of the other Bishops Churches of a particular circuit or iurisdiction as it may more amply be seene by their subscriptions Lastly that which hapned vnto the Pope in the sixt Councell of Carthage puts all out of doubt and admitteth of no reply A certaine lewd companion named Appiarius deposed from his Ministeriall function and preferment by the Bishops of Africa repaired to
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
wee examine their last preiudice They haue amongst them a swarme of religious creatures of both sexes who preferre povertie before wealth seuerity of discipline before the tender delicacy of pleasures humility and contempt of the world before the greatnesse and pompe of it who being sequestred from the turmoiles and tumults of secular affairs liue here on earth like Angells in heauen Who deny nature that which she exacteth of them macerate their flesh and tame it in such an austere manner that it serveth the soule no longer but for a sheath or case Snatched vp already to heauen in affection and contemplation and not tarrying here belowe but after the fashion of Angels during their soiournement on earth Or if their be any thing else which may set it forth more admirably it s all say they to be found in the angelicall and heauenly life of Monkes and Nunnes Soe Mounte-bankes extoll the vertue of their drugges affirming them to be nothing but Elixers balmes antidotes even against death itselfe Now the confident boldnesse the smooth behauiour and eloquent pratling of the Mountebanque hath this faculty to make the praises of his druggs pausible and receiuable to the simple and dimme sighted Vulgar But experience confuteth them discouering at last the impudent knauery of these cosening quacksaluers Soe the Turkes vaunt of their religious folke of the sanctity austerity and extraordinary devotion which seemingly shineth in their whole conuersation Let vs heare not a Turke but a Chrisâ—ian a Monke by profession who had familiaâ—ly resorted to them and obserued their fashions who hath described their superstition a witnesse not to be suspected in this point Some of them saith he shew an exceeding great patience weare noe habit goe naked not couering any thing but their priuities of so great perfectioÌ„ that they are impassible testifying their patience by brand markes made by burning by scarres made by launcing some of theÌ„ eate and drinke very seldome others altogether forbeare both some are so poore that it 's said they thinke not at all on earthly matters others neuer speake and purposely auoid the company of men least they should be vrged to speake one of which sort I saw not without admiration Others haue the gifts of vision others of reuelation some haue raptures and supernaturall extasies or traunces And by this meanes there is no man amongst them which acquireth not some spirituall skill and experience and according to the diuersity of this skill which they professe they are distinguished by their habits and manner of being If there be seene any amongst them wearing feathers on their heads this noteth that they are giuen to meditations and reuelations If any of them weare a patcht habit this is a signe of their pouerty They which were rings in their eares shew by this that they are submissiue in spirit for the frequency of their raptures If they weare chaines about their neckes and armes this testifieth the violence and vehemence of their raptures some of them liue sequestred others associated some liue solitary inforrests and desarts others in citties vsing hospitality Where may these be paraleld who can produce any thing outwardly at least in shew so holie and austere amongst the Christian Monkes What could they answer here if the Turkes should goe to outbraue them after this fashion vsing the same pretence against them which they vse agianst vs will they say that this sanctitie is but hypocrisie that this austerity is but savage barbarousnesse as indeede it is no better But this is our defence against them when they goe about to oppresse vs with the preiudice drawne from the consideration of their Monkish holinesse and austeritie What great matter haue you say wee in this respect which those barbarous miscreants the Turkes haue not nay which is more what haue yea wherein you are not by them exceeded will they answer vs heere that they haue the Christian faith and Religion But so wee shall haue vnmasked them of this preiudice so wee shall force them to come to the triall of doctrine The monkish life shall not iustifie the religion of the Romish Church but they must goe quite backward and iustifie the Monkish life by that religion from whence it borroweth its worth and dignity So wee shall haue fetcht backe the disputation to its true point to the examination of the truth thrusting aside that by-consideration which advantageth the cause of the Turkes as muâ—h as it disaduantageth ours But let vs draw a little nearer to this seeming sanctity and austerity let vs looke stedfastly vpon it and see whether it were not painting which deluded our view whil'st wee stood farther off whether it be not a cunningly contriued outside adorning an vgly and prodigious inside First of all what kind of pouerty may wee imagine this to be where no man is in trouble or anxiety to procure himselfe wherewith to cloath himselfe against the cold couer himselfe against the heat replenish himselfe against hunger to refresh himselfe against thirst to physicke himselfe against sicknesse may this be tearmed pouerty without mocking both God and man If this be pouerty what is abundance Nay say they but these goods are possessed without appropriation no man hath any thing to himselfe be it so doe they therefore enioy theÌ„ any whit the lesse Enioy wee not all the sunne the glorious lamp of the world enioy wee not light in â—ommon and without diuision What are wee therefore poore destitute of light or rich abounding with it what shall wee say of the aire and water are wee in penury of these elements because wee haue not them enclosed vnto our selues because wee enioy them in common Monkish pouerty then is nominall pouerty but reall abundance But their discipline is rigid and seuere here wee call the world to witnesse yea wee appeale vnto theÌ„selues in this point Wee will not rub vp the ancient reproches of their gluttony drunkennesse whoredome adultery sodomie But let the world iudge let them speake themselues whether they obserue this austere discipline whether those ruddie cheekes those white fleshie hands those liuely sparkling eyes that spritefull vigor of the whole body testifie a rigorous maceratioÌ„ taming of the flesh or whether that iollie plight be not rather an effect of ease mirth good cheere and a compleat entertainment of nature Yet forsooth we must beleeue that they poore hearts fast extreamely that they lash themselues vnmercifully that they lye vpon the bare cold hard ground that they grate their skinnes with sackcloth And questionlesse some few of them doe that which they all professe to doe But what a great peece of worke is it if custome at first allaies at length quite steales away the sense of these miseries There is an excellent discourse to this purpose well worth the observation in the worke which Chrysostome hath left de sacerdotio that is in the language of our times of the office of a Bishop Where he making