Examination of those Plausible Appearances in the Romish Church, Chapter 25
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 vsus, with the preiudice, which they make against vsus about Succession, which they say is of great moment and pretend moreover, that they hauehave it, and that we hauehave it not; that they hauehave continued alwaies, that we are lately come in by the by, crossing their line of succession, let vsus consider what strength this pretence for them, & exception against vsus may hauehave.
Now that the ambiguitie of the word may not intangle vsus, 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 aRom. 9.….Patriarches and Prophets, in respect of carnall and naturall generation, yet they are farre enough from being the true Church. They hauehave succeeded their religious Ancestors in being men, this succession is naturall. They hauehave 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 bMat. 23.16.17.19.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 cMal. 2.7.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, hauehave no other emphasis thē to signifie, that the lips of the Priest ought to preserue knowledge. There is nothing more frequēt in Scripture, thē to propose a duty in the future tense. Almost all the commandements of God runne in this forme. Thou shalt hauehave 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 vponupon these formes of speech, that these Cōmandements 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 frui…ullnesse, of a Tyrant to a good Prince. That ought to be accounted the true succession, which is the su…cession of truth. To hauehave the same minde and opinion, is to hauehave succession of the same seate; not to hauehave the same opiniō, 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, foreign Nazianzen orat. 21. in laud. Athan.said Nazianzane, and in saying so, hath taught vsus in what sense, the Lord would hauehave the eMat. 23.2.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,fMat. 16.6. kPsal. 107. v. 33.34.35.to take heed of the leauen of the Pharises, when they sit not in his Chaire, but vponupon a stoole of their owne making.
But what hath the Church of God then no certaine succession on earth? Yea the Lord hath said,gEsa. 6.13. 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 onelyonly 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.