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
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
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
sufficiently looked after fearing to find it desirous not to find it Wee may then iustly suffer this taunt that wee fainted in our vndertakings that wee were tired in our iourney When they goe about to calculate antiquity now a daies they beginne not with that which is first the first epoche is where were you within these hundred yeares so in steede of going foâ—ward they stop at a short period and retire homeward In the meane time this path were not to be neglected nor this method to be refused if they would not stop in their search vntill they came to the age of the Apostles for beateing this way so farre how many nouelties would their be met with betweene this and that of fresher date and which might be questioned where were you before which are not then of that ancient originall nor graced with the priuiledges of true antiquity which yet are antiquities in respect of vs and our times but meere nouelâ—ies in respect of the age of the Apostles That which was in the age of the Apostles is truely ancient and nothing ancient but that they are the fathers whose bounds wee must not remoue wee must inquire after the waies of these fathers as for those degenerate ancestors which came afterwards wee haue an expresse prohibiâ—ion Walke not according to the statutes of your fathers and regard not their-ordinaÌ„ces I am Iehouah your God walke in my statutes keepe my commandements and doe them Antiquity then is not to be accounted of but as shee is a witnesse of truth according to Tertullian that which was first taught saith hee is of the Lord and true That which is absolutely first then is to bee sought out and from it the calculation is to begun St. Cyprian giueth vs a direction for this calculation although he otherwise applyeth it which is as pertinent as it is familiar instructing vs that euen as a conduit of water which formerly ranne copiously and continually coming to faile vpon a suddaine wee haue recourse to the spring-head to know the cause of this defect whether it bee that the drying of the fountaine depriueth the running water both of an originall nourishment or whether the fouÌ„taine being entire the water faileth in its course the pipe being either brokeÌ„ or stopt that it being meÌ„ded the water may bee restored to the vse of the citty in the same plenty purity it proceedeth from the fountaine so saith he the Priestes of God ought to repaire to the originall and the tradition of the Gospell and Apostles in keeping his commandements to the end that the reason of our actions may be deduced from the same beginning whence that deriueth its authority That wee may not doubt what is the tradition of which he speaketh let vs heâ—re what he saith a little before to the same purpose One alleadged to him tradition whence is this tradition replyeth he is it from the Lord from the authority of the Euangelists or Apostles For that those things which are written in the booke of the law are to bee obserued God himselfe testifieth telling Iosuah that the booke of the Law the scripture should not depart out of his mouth If then it bee either commanded in the Gospell or contained in the Apostolicall writings that they which come out of any heresie be it what it will should not be baptised let this holy and diuine tradition be obserued St. Cyprian reiecteth not the baptisme of heretickes but only because he belâ—eueth not that it was a holy and diuine tradition that it should bee admitted he is ready to receiue it if it bee proued vnto him to bee such a one giuing vs the rule to proue it by the apostolicall wriâ—ings He calâ—eth then a diuine and holy tradition all that which may bee iustified by them as for other tradiâ—ions he putteth tâ—em aside with this slâ—ghting interrogatoâ—y whence is this tradition Now therefore such traditions as these we are ready to accept prouided that the Papists after the same method manifest their origin all vnto vs. When wâ—e demand whence is this tradition when beganne it let them answere vs it is drawne from the writings it hath beene from the time of the Apostles CHAP XVII That the only meanes to prâ—ue true antiquity is to haue recourse to the begining by the scripture NOw that wee alledge St. Cyprian it is not to authorise the truth by the authority of men only wee borrow their words and fancies to expresse it Wee wish that it may be considered not who speakes but what is spoken But if better authority here be called for we wil alledge supreme authoritie that of the Lord prescribing vs the rule It was not so from the beginning Wisely then and fitly said Tertullian thâ—t which is the first is the truer and that which is from the beginning is first and that which is of the Apostles is from the beginning To which wee adde only that which followeth of it selfe that which is in the scripture in the writings of the Apostles is of the Apostles So then in respect of this antiquity doe wee not submit our selues to reason when wee yeeld that our doctrine should be reiected if it be not of the Apostles Are not our proofes autheÌ„tique to coÌ„firme â—he antiquity of our religion when they are gathered out of their writings the writings of the Propheâ—s EuaÌ„gelists The course which is taken to proue the antiquity so much talked of in the Church of Rome is a recourse to Fathers and Councells The more antâ—ent these Fathers and Councels are proue tâ—ey not this antiquity the more euidently But what faâ—hers what Councells aâ—e more ancient then the scripture what antiquity then is ancienter then the scriptures what title more ancient then that which is of the same date with the scriptures certainely it is an excesse of open blasphemy to equalize either fathers or councells to Scripture and yet this is done But though this be done yet it will not be said that the Scripture is of a fresher originall then the fathers and Councels Impudency hath not yet ventured so farre He then of whose side is the doctrine of the scripture hath gaineâ— the prerogatiue of antiquity and by consequent of truth So then this question about antiâ—uity is brought to this issue what wee are to examine which is the doctrine most consonant to Scripture this being cleared the controversie of antiquity need to trouble vs no longer It is impossible otheâ—wise to decide it for let them alleage fathers and Councells as long as they will this scruple still remaineth to knowe if the Apostles haue so ordained Vniversall consent cannot be called to witnesse in this case for to shew that it would â—e requisite to aske all persons of all ages vntill the Apostles If the name of vniversall consent be attributed to that which is beleeued by the greater part to the most received opinion yet how shall we knowe and iudge of this kinde of
binding them to passe through the vsuall formes there is moreouer this difference to bee considered The exercising of the office of a Iudge deriueth it's force and efficacy from his authority whence it is that the determinations of Iudges are not executed because they are iust but because they are sentences and determinations bee it that they are giuen iustly by the wisdome and equity of the iudge or vniustly by his ignorance or corruptnesse But the vertue and power of the Ministeriall function dependeth not of the authority of him that practiseth it For if he be ignorant or hereticall one who willingly slighteth his charge and vilifieth his own function an hucster of Gods word as the Apostle speaketh his authority will not make that when he hath proclaimed peace peace there shall be peace by by as well as the sentences of Iudges how vniust or silly soeuer they are faile not for all that to be put in execution On the other side if he who exerciseth the function be both of ability and fidelity though he want the formality of an outward mission it being impossible for him to obtaine it and that which he doth without it being necessary he faileth not effectually to instruct exhort and comfort It fareth with him as with a Phisitian whose authority giueth not his doses and recipes vertue to worke and in working to heale but it is his skill honesty which direct him in choise of such prescriptions as are proper for the cure which is the fruit of his labour and the end he proposeth vnto himselfe Otherwise euery graduated Phisitian would without any more adoe cure the sicke if it were the authority of the Doctor and not the vertue of his physicke which did the cure the choise and application of which dependeth of his knowledge and fidelity Whence it commeth to passe also that if the Phisitian be skillfull and carefull the want of authority in his person hindereth not the operation of his doses From whence by comparison it may be obserued why in a Iudge outward authority seemeth to be absolutely and simply necessary and why in a Pastour notwithstanding that authority which dependeth of humane authority is not simply necessary namely because whatsoeuer a Iudge doeth he doth by that authority which is lent him from a superiour his abilities but enabling him to doe that aright which his deriued authority maketh him doe effectually but in a Pastor if he be sound in knowledge and conscience the administration of his charge doth alwaies it's work as effectually and compleatly as if it were backed and graced by humane authority It is the good phisick which healeth the good milke which nourisheth whether the Phisitian hath taken his degrees or not whether the nurse were approved of by a Phisitian or no these circumstances as they bring nothing to the point so they take nothing from it Now the Gospell is a medicine saith the prophet milke saith the Apostle the authority then of him who applyeth this medicine who giueth this milke to suck or drinke I say the authority the commendation of men can neither augment nor diminish their vertues· But some will say that although that authority which dependeth of outward mission be not alwaies requisite in pastours yet at least this defect ought to be supplied by miracles here they call vpon vs for our miracles But we aske them againe where are the miracles of Iohn the Baptist of whom it is written that he neuer did any miracles As for that after his conception he leaped in his mothers wombe at the presence of the blessed virgin Mary bearing in her wombe the Lord of the world this was not done to authorise confirme his office in to the execution of which he entered a long time after When Miracles are done to make some enterprise authentique they are done either immediately before it or else they accompany it while it selfe is in hand they are done also publiquely exposed to the view of all that they may be the lesse suspected for impostures But to answere precisely wee say that when the Gospell was first to be planted Miracles were very necessary but that being finished their necessity ceased The Miracles wrought to authorize the Gospell anciently retaine still at least amongst Christians their vertue for that effect If then wee prooue that wee propose the same Gospell those ancient miracles are ours Let them admit vs then to this proofe in which if wee faile wee will confesse then that they haue good reason to call vpon vs for miracles yea more then this that wee were not to be beleeued though wee should doe very strange ones For wee read that the coming of Antechrist shall be with signes and wonders but wee read not that they who oppose him shall worke miracles so that if wee should make a trade of doing miracles or as it were stage-shewes of them this would make vs not more iustified but suspected CHAP XXXVI That the example of the first reformers fauoureth not schismatiques THere remaineth yet the fourth obiection that it seemeth that this doctrine touching the true markes of diuine calling to wit sufficiency a necessity to imploy this sufficiency fauour encourage schisme But wee tell them that this cannot bee For seeing that he who maketh a schisme hath no necessity to make it this note agreeth not to a schismaticall teacher who in a tolerable estate of the Church erecteth a Church apart seeing that then he emploieth his gifts without necessity for the beaten way lying open what need hath he to betake himselfe to new cross-pathes but this way being stopt vp to our predecessors it followeth that they were driuen to a necessity which presseth not schismatiques Certainely there is no schisme where their is a iust occasion of separation an impossibility of proceeding otherwise now we say that such was the misery of the times of our predecessors that they had iust reason to separate themselues thar albeit they had beene vnprouided of that outward Vocation which they had yet it had beene impossible for them to proceede otherwise then they did If they offer to deny this truth wee offer to make it good hither wee desire to be admitted setting aside the preiudice if wee faile in our proofe wee refuse not to be accounted schismatiques CHAP XXXVII In what sense wee yeeld that the Church of Rome hath the substance of true religion and how shee ceaseth not for all that to be a false Chuch YEa but at least wee yeeld to them that they haue Baptisme that they haue the substance of Christian religion from whence they conclude that they cannot perish that wee who haue separated our selues from them haue gone schismatically to worke This argument they frame from that confession which they thinke they haue extorted from vs let vs see then what trueth strength it may haue First concerning Baptisme they confesse that wee haue it that it may be amongst
they added to this truth their lyes to this spirituall bread their leauen then they sate in their owne chaire they were to be heard no farther then the true church stopt her eares against them the false she listned to them Thus we answer to this importunate questixon How may this be By the same reason also we are not perplexed for an answer when they aske vs what is become of our forefathers This interrogatory proposed by the Pagans to the first Christians extorted from them an answer odious in the mouthes of children speaking of their parents that God was marvellous in his waies but in all likelihood they were damned Thankes be to God we are not driuen to such straites In Paganisme there was nothing which might saue no word of grace and mercy in the doctrine published in the church of Rome there was something to beâ— chosen and they who picked it out carefully and applyed it to their vse were saued Why should wee doubt but that many thousands of our fathers did it God hath knowne how to preserue a church to himselfe in the midst of the most horrible Apostacies confusions and desolations happening vnder the old Testament since Malachie Should his arme be shortned vnder the new No but Eternall as he is he is alwaies like himselfe Now then let the importunate curiosity surcease those questions framed only to distract the simple Where was your Church Where were your Pastours Our church was in Babylon and her Teachers for want of better were the Teachers of Babylon Concerning that which they trouble vs farther with why therefore we haue not imitated our forefathers example why we are come out of Babylon if they were saved in it We will giue reasons for it hereafter in their proper place CHAP. XXV Of the true succession of the Church what it is that it dependeth not of succession either naturall or Politicke NOw because they mainely oppresse vs with the preiudice which they make against vs about Succession which they say is of great moment and pretend moreover that they haue it and that we haue it not that they haue continued alwaies that we are lately come in by the by crossing their line of succession let vs consider what strength this pretence for them exception against vs may haue Now that the ambiguitie of the word may not intangle vs we must knowe what kinde of succession they meane If it be a naturall succession from father to sonne from generation to generation we say that the succession of the Church dependeth not of such a succession It was and is still the prerogatiue of the obstinate Iewes that they are the successours of the Patriarches and Prophets in respect of carnall and naturall generation yet they are farre enough from being the true Church They haue succeeded their religious Ancestors in being men this succession is naturall They haue not succeeded them in being faithfull men this succession is spirituall If they vnderstand a politicke succession in respect of the place and auctority one succeeding another in order and without out interruption we affirme that the Church is not fastned to such a succession How often doe the Prophets complaine that the people of Israell their kings and Priestes were all gone out of the way and quite disordered by idolatry albeit their kings were successours of good kings and their Priests of good Priests The Scribes and Pharises enioyed not they this kind of succession which we call Politicke Were they for all that the true Church yea were they not seducers of the people corruptors of the Law sworne and deadly enemies of the Lord and his doctrine Now against this truth so evident it is impossible they should reply any thing but it will be very friuolous If it be said that Malachie prophesieth that the Priests lips shall preserue knowledge that the people shall seeke the law at his mouth wee answer that in that place there is not contained a prediction of an after euent but a declaration of a duty For indeede presently after the Prophet accuseth the Priest for hauing gone out of the way for causing the people to stumble A manifest proofe that these words the lips of the Priest shall preserue knewledge haue no other emphasis theÌ„ to signifie that the lips of the Priest ought to preserue knowledge There is nothing more frequeÌ„t in Scripture theÌ„ to propose a duty in the future tense Almost all the commandements of God runne in this forme Thou shalt haue no other Gods before me Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any graven image Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. He that should inferre vpon these formes of speech that these CoÌ„mandements shall never bee broken would hardly proue himselfe a reasonable creature So the true succession of the Church is not alwaies ioyned to this politicke succession which of it selfe without the succession of piety is like to the succession of darknesse to light of sicknesse to health of an infectious aire to a wholesome of barrennesse to fruiâ—â—ullnesse of a Tyrant to a good Prince That ought to be accounted the true succession which is the suâ—cession of truth To haue the same minde and opinion is to haue succession of the same seate not to haue the same opinioÌ„ is to be contrary in respect of the seat The succession of the seate hath but the name of succession the succession of opinion hath the truth of it said Nazianzane and in saying so hath taught vs in what sense the Lord would haue the Scribes and Pharises to be heard as sitting in Moses chaire to wit when they tought like Moses so farre as they are the successors of Moses in doctrine But that hindreth not but that he hath commanded also to take heed of the leauen of the Pharises when they sit not in his Chaire but vpon a stoole of their owne making But what hath the Church of God then no certaine succession on earth Yea the Lord hath said that as the substance of the oke and Teyletree is in that which they cast so the holie seed shall be her substance But this succession is not tyed either to the naturall or to the politicke succession but it dependeth onely of the free disposition of him who turneth riuers into a wildernesse and the water springs into drie ground A fruitfull land into barrennesse for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein who turneth the wildernesse into a standing water and drie ground into water springs CHAP XXVI That the Popes authority is not originally deriued from the Apostles BVt to come nearer to this matter the Romish Church hath no kind of lawfull succession not that of gouernment and policie not that of rites and ceremonies no not the succession of persons least of all that of doctrine Shee hath not that of the policie of the ancient Church for in the ancient Church there were no