Propositions and Principles of Divinity Disputed, Section 74
PRINCIPLES TOVCHING THE FALSE MINISTERIE OF THE GOSPELL. LXXIIII.
1 HAuing ſet downe the true & lawfull Miniſtery of the Goſpell, which the Sonne of God ordained, and by his Spirit deuided into their ſeuerall functions: It nowe remaineth, that wee adjoyne the falſe miniſterie of the ſame, to the ende, that contraries beeing laide one againſt an other, may be better manifeſted.
2 In the true Miniſterie of the Goſpell, there are three things which diſtinguiſh the ſame from the falſe. The one that the authority of the callings proceed from the Sonne of God, as being ordained either immediatlie by himſelfe, or mediatlie by his Apoſtles. The other is, that the calling be lawfull; that is, ſuch a calling as is ſquared according to the preſcript lawes of the doctrine and Diſcipline of the Apoſtles. The third is, the preſcript adminiſtration of the holy callings. Now all theſe things, wee aduouch to hauehave bene, by a litle and a little vtterlie ouerthrowen by the Papiſticall tyrannie, which with the Apoſtle wee may juſtly call, the myſterie of iniquitie.
3 And firſt wee affirme, that the callings of the Popiſh Cleargy, which they expreſſe by that proud title of Hierarchie, are in part altogether falſe; that is, ſuch as hauehave at the firſt bene inuented by man, and afterward, became meerly diueliſh and in part counterfeit: that is, ſuch, as onelie retained the names of true callings, which they abolliſhed in deed.
4 Theſe functions following, we hold to be altogether falſe, & deſtitute of all true foundation; namely, the Primacy of the Biſhop of Rome ouer al Churches: the Cardinalſhip, Patriarkſhip, Archiepiſcopalſhip, & briefly, that whole Epiſcopall degree of Lord-Biſhops, ouer their fellowe-Elders.
5 As to the vſurped power of the Biſhop of Rome ouer others: yea, & ouer al Churches; the ſame by two manifeſt reaſons amongſt the reſt is conuinced, not to be Apoſtolicall, and therefore to hauehave no warrant in Gods word. The one, becauſe the Apoſtles were of equal authority & power amongſt themſelues, as it appeareth by the commaundement of Chriſt who ſent them, & alſo by the record of the things which were done by them. The other, becauſe that the Apoſtolicall function, beeing appointed for the laying of the foundation of the chriſtian Catholike church; now, that the ſame is laid, and the Apoſtles called into heauen, is ceaſed here vponupon earth, in reſpect of their perſonal miniſterie; and in reſpect of the building vppon the foundation which they laid, the doctrine deliuered by them, preſerued from aboue, and which is to continue to the worldes end, is ſo ſufficient, that there is no need of any ſucceſſor of the Apoſtolical authority, eyther from the planting of new Churches, or for the reſtoring of thoſe that are already planted.
6 Cardinals, as it appeareth out of the ſtory of FABIAN & SILVESTER, thogh corrupt ſtories, were at the firſt no other then the ſeauē Deacōs of the church of Rome, hauing their names from ſeauen quarters of the citty, (which alſo they called cardines) wherūto they were allotted, & therfore called cardinals, is as it were quarters: and thus doth their borrowed coūtefeit ſtile yet teſtifie. He furthermore ſeemeth in the writings of Gregory, to be named a Cardinal, who is called a Paſtor or Curat: neither is any mention of thoſe that are now, in the ſubſcriptiō of the anciēt Coū cels, in ſo much that they are, and ought to bee juſtly accounted the moſt ougly brood of Sathan, begottē by him in theſe latter times, for the defence of that ſtrumpet.
7 As touching the diſtinctions of Biſhoppes into Patriarks, Primates, Metropolitans, and Archbiſhops, (al theſe beeing the ſame at the firſt) that whole woorke was …s inſtitution, and not Gods ordinance, as euen IEROM himſelfe teſtifieth in expreſſe words.
8 Nowe all theſe at the firſt were names of order & diſtinction, and not of anie ſuperioritie or power, when any Eccleſiaſtical controuerſie did ariſe, or any Paſtors were to be choſen, both Synods might be orderlie gathered together, & Synodall decrees put in execution; & alſo, that elections might be done by the aduiſe of the neighbour churches, and ratified in a comelie manner, without confuſion.
9 This diſtinction of Churches, belonging vntounto order, and not vntounto anie preheminence of degree, allowed by cuſtome, & confirmed by the Fathers in the councel of Nice, is not of it ſelfe to bee reprehended: but yet the miſerable iſſue of it, manifeſted at the length, that (in two reſpectes) there was not that wiſe regarde by this meanes had of the Churches, which had beene needfull.
10 Firſt, in that this Prioritie and Primacie, was tied vntounto certaine rites, whereas the regarde ſhould chieflie hauehave bene had in this point, vntounto the fitnes of the perſons, and not vntounto the power and populouſnes of Cities; for experience it ſelfe doth teach vsus, that vices invading the very Paſtors themſelues, doe grow no where more rife, then in great Cities; and in this point, this one thing is verie wonderfull, that the Fathers in that diſtribution followed the type of the Romaine Empire; notwithſtanding, that the holie Ghoſt by IOHN, ſpeaketh of the image of the beaſt.
11 The other, in that they made one man ouer-ſeer ouer more elderſhips or churches then had bin needfull, & that for tearme of life, (vnles ſome great matter had fallen out, although at that time, he eaſilie ſuffered himſelfe to be diſplaced:) whence the waye was opened firſt, for thoſe Biſhops to opreſſe their fellow-laborers; Next vntounto mutual contention amongeſt themſelues, then to the tyrannicall gouernement of a few; and laſt, vntounto that Antichriſtian tyrannie it ſelfe.
12 Whence it appeareth of what great moment it was, that the gouernement of the Church ordained by the Apoſtles, and vnderunder the which, the Churches flouriſhed euen in perſecution, (being a gouernment conſiſting of an Ariſtocratie, moſt diuinelie mixed with the holy Democratie of the Church, vnderunder that onelyonly Monarch, ruling by his owne lawes,) ſhould hauehave beene retained, rather then new degrees and formes of gouernement ſhould hauehave bene invented, and eſpeciallie according vntounto the paterne of the Romaine Empire: wherein they did no other thing, then the Iſraelites in times paſt, who not contenting themſelues with the Ariſtocratie ordained by the Lord, would bee gouerned by kings, after the manner of the nations round about them.
13 Yet the Fathers fore-ſeeing this inconuenience, labored to preuent the ſame by many decrees, both of particular and generall Synods, leaſt that this order by anie pretence, ſhould be turned into honour and lordlie dominion. But what compelled them to ordaine that, wherevnto they were neceſſarilie enforced to prouide a remedy?
14 And alaſſe, this remedie was vſed in vaine, as moſt woefull experience did preſentlie teſtifie. From whence I pray you did it proceed, but from this authoritie attributed vntounto certaine Cities and places: that firſt ſciſmes, next, the defence of hereſies did ariſe, and preſently the chaunge of the Eccleſiaſtical Ariſtocraty (the head whereof is Chriſt alone) into the horrible tyrannicall gouernment of a few? when as at the firſt, the foure Patriarks exerciſed juriſdiction ouer their fellow-brethren, the Metropolitans or Archbiſhops, wherevnto the Patriarch of Conſtantinople being added to make vp the fift, and vſurping (the Patriarkes of Ieruſalem, Antioch, and Alexandria, beeing thereby thruſt downe lower:) the next place vntounto the Romaine Patriarke by reaſon of the dignitie of new Rome: he in the Eaſt, and the Romiſh Patriarke in the Weſt, invaded the very throan of Chriſt Ieſus.
15 Nowe as touching the other functions; the onelie names whereof, hauehave remained amongſt the falſe Romiſh cleargy to blind the worlde withall, it ſhall appeare in the 3. head of this contrariety or Antitheſis, how they are depraued.
16 The Lord in his word, hath opened one onelyonly way, whereby men are to enter into the ſacred functions of the Miniſtery, & that is free election, made by thoſe who hauehave intereſt therin, together with the trial of doctrine and life; as alſo it is decreed by infinit numbers of the purer canons of Councels and Synods.
17 The right of this election, in regard of the choice of their vniuerſall tyrant, or rather in the execution of their open & moſt manifeſt Symony, hauehave the Colledge of Cardinals at Rome vſurped vntounto themſelues. And this tyrant alſo, doth claim vntounto himſelfe moſt impudently the authoritie to make moſt ſhamefull marchandize (vntounto anie that will giuegive moſt) of Eccleſiaſtical benefices, as they cal them, or to beſtow them any waies at his pleaſure, raiſing & exacting very often the price of them as hee thinketh good, without regard of any canon old or new; and beſides that, Biſhoppes and a few others within their Prouinces, are beholding vntounto him for the right of collation, as they call it, or beſtowing of benefices, hee hath very often couenanted (concerning the naming of thoſe that ſhould poſſeſſe thē) vponupon what condition hee thought good, euen with Kings and Princes.
18 Now, the treatiſe concerning the third head, that is, concerning the adminiſtration of Eccleſiaſticall functions in that falſe Apoſtaticall Church of Rome: we will referre vntounto the next diſputation.
Defended by SAMVEL CEVALLER of Geneua.