Examination of those Plausible Appearances in the Romish Church, Chapter 29 – Chapter 30
CHAP. XXIX. That there is no succession, in respect of doctrine, in the Romish Church.
BVt the worst of all is, that they destitute of the succession of the truth, which is the soule and life of the Church.
True antiquite beleeued, aApoc. 14.18.that they which die in the Lord, rest from their labours: they beleeue, that at their departure out of this life, they goe to Purgatorie, there to fry in as scorching a fire as that in hell.
True antiquity beleeved, that bLuc. 17.10.when we shall hauehave done all that which is commanded vsus, we are but vnprofitable servants, because wee shall hauehave done no more then was our dutie to doe.
They teach that man already culpable before God, may merit eternall life, ex condigno, by exact proportion of the worke of the wages.
True antiquity beleeued cRom. 8.18.that the sufferings of this present life, are not sufficient to counterpoise the glory which is eternall.
They beleeue, that they doe counterpoise them in merits.
Antiquitie beleeued, that we are saued freely. They beleeue, that we are saved by the merit of our works.
Antiquitie beleeved that we are saved dEphes. 2.8.by grace through faith, and that not of our selues, it is the gift of God, not by workes, to the end that no man might boast.
They beleeue, that we are saved, partly by grace through faith, partly by merits and workes, that faith is partly the gift of God, and partly an effect of our freewill.
Antiquitie beleeued, that we are not eTit 3 5.saued by workes of righteousnesse, which we hauehave done.
They beleeue, that we are saved, ex congruo, by the workes which we doe before our regeneration, and ex condigno, by those which follow it.
Antiquitie prayed the Lord, fPs…l. 143.2.not to enter into iudgement with his servants, because that before him no flesh shall be iustified.
They beleeue, that the Lord shall enter into iudgement with them, for they beleeue to be iustified by the merit of their workes.
Prim…tiue, and Apostolicall antiquity beleeued, that g…m. 11.6.Gods election was every way free: that election is of grace, that if it be of grace it is no more of works, otherwise grace were no more grace, but if it bee of workes, it is no more of grace, otherwise workes were no more workes.
They beleeue, that it is of grace, and of works too.
Antiquity beleeued, hPhil. 2.13.that it is God which effectually produceth in vsus to will, and to doe, according to his good pleasure.
They attribute both the one, and the other, in part, to their owne free will.
Antiquitie beleeved,i2. Cor. 3.5. that we are not able to think any thing of our selues, but that our sufficiency is frō God.
They attribute our sufficiency in part to our owne selues.
Antiquity beleeued, kIoh. 15 5.that wee can doe nothing without Christ.
They beleeue, that we can without Christ, while we are not yet engraffed into him, doe workes which merit eternall life ex congruo, as before our regeneration, and that without the grace of God, a man may for a time be without sinning.
Antiquity beleeued, thatlEphes. 2.3. of our owne nature wee are the children of wrath: they beleeue, that by the strength of our owne nature, we are able to prepare, and to dispose our selues for grace.
Antiquity beleeved, mEphes. 2.1.that before Christ hath quickned vsus, we are dead in sinnes: They beleeue that we hauehave freewill to good.
Antiquitie beleeued, that nGal. 5.17.the spirit fighteth against the flesh, and the flesh against the spirit, & that they are contrary things in vsus.
They beleeue, that we are able to fulfill the law of God perfectly, that is to say, without sinne.
Antiquitie beleeved, that oRom. 8 7.the lusting of the flesh is enmity against God, and cannot bee subiect to the law of God.
They acknowledge even in the flesh a freewill to good.
Antiquitie beleeued, that Christ pIoh. 17.9.prayed not for the world, but for those whom the Father hath giuen him out of the world.
They beleeue, that it is no certaine number for which the Lord hath prayed, but that he prayed indifferently for all.
The Ancients beleeved, that all they who hauehave qIoh. 6.44.heard of the father, and hauehave learned of him, come vntounto Christ, and that no man commeth vntounto him, vnlesse the father drawe him.
They beleeue, that they who come not to Christ, hauehave heard of the father as well as the other: and that there is no grace, nor particular election in the calling and conversion of a Christian.
Antiquitie beleeved, that it is Christ which rIoh. 15.5.chooseth vsus, and not we that choose him.
They on the contrary beleeue, that wee choose Christ, for they make that grace by which hee calleth vsus to him vniversall, and suppose it indifferently proposed to all, so that in respect of Christ, there is no election, seeing he promiscuously calleth all, but that we choose of our selues to goe vntounto him. Whence that is alwaies in their mouthes, Fac vt praedestineris, si non es praedestinatus, Make thy selfe predestinated, if thou art not.
Antiquitie beleeued, that God sRom. 9.15·hath mercy vponupon whom he will hauehave mercy, and compassion of whom he pleaseth to hauehave compassion, that hee hath mercy on whom he will hauehave mercy, and whom he will hee hardneth.
They bereaue God of this liberty, and accuse them of blasphemie who attribute it vntounto him.
Antiquitie beleeued, that they who fall away, who goe t1. Ioh. 2.1….out from among the faithfull, were neuer of the number of the faithfull, for if they had beene of vsus (saith S. Iohn) they would hauehave tarried with vsus.
They beleeue, that they who are truely faithfull to day, may fall away to morrow, and that no man can be assured of his perseuerance.
Antiquitie beleeued, that wee hauehave uRom. 8.1….not receiued the spirit of bondage to be againe in feare, but the spirit of adoption which cryeth in our hearts, Abba Father.
They beleeue that the spirit of the faithfull is a spirit of feare, that they must alwaies liue in doubt, that to hauehave a setled assurance is presumption.
Antiquitie beleeued, that whosoeuer beleeueth in *Ioh. 3 38.Christ hath everlasting life.
They say, that he who beleeueth in Christ cannot be certaine of life, albeit the Lord hath said it, which is in effect, to beleeue that wee must not beleeue in Christ: for how shal he beleeue in Christ, who doubteth whether Christ loueth him or not? Whether Christ will louelove him continually as they teach him to doubt?
Antiquitie beleeued, that there is no x1. Ioh. 4.28.feare in louelove and that perfect louelove casteth out feare.
They commend feare in those which ought to burne with louelove, not that feare of offending God that filiall feare, but a feare of being damned, a seruile feare.
Antiquitie beleeued, that there is but one naturall body of Chri…t, a…d that composed of the substance of the blessed Virgin.
They would seeme indeed to beleeue so too, but by the infini…e multitude of their hosties, or sacrifices, each of which they s…y is Christs body, attributing vntounto him also b…dies ma…e of bread, they betray their dissimulation, and shew themselues to beleeue the quite contrary.
Antiquitie beleeued, that the yCor. 10▪16Sa…rament of the alt…r was broken bread: they beleeue that it is the bodie of Christ which is not broken.
Antiquitie beleeued, that the heavens must containe Christ vntill his second comming.Act 3.…1. They beleeue that the body of Christ is evey where, where their hostie… a…e.
Antiquitie be…eeved, that those were not to be beleeued which should say, aMat. 24 26.Here is Christ, there is Christ, he is in the secret chambers.
They thinke, and say the contrary every day, when they hauehave him about the streets, when they carry him to the sicke, when they shut him vp in the Pixes.
Antiquitie beleeued, that bH…b. 10.….Iesus Christ is offered but once: they beleeue that he is offered a numberlesse number of times.
Antiquitie beleeued, that it was cH…Heb. 9 25.impossible Christ should be offered often, vnlesse hee suffered often. They beleeue, that he is offered every day without suffering.
Antiquitie bele…ued, that we hauehave but d1. Tim. 2.5·one Mediatour towards God. They beleeue, that we hauehave many.
Antiquitie beleeued, that eRom. 10.14.we ought to call vponupon none but him in whom we beleeue. They beleeue, that we must call vponupon many in whom it is not lawfull to beleeue, namely the Saints and Saintesses of Paradise.
Antiquitie beleeued,fHeb. 4.16. that wee may with a sound heart in a full perswasion of faith, yea with boldnesse goe to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercy, and finde grace to helpe in time of need.
They teach, that it is presumption, & that we must vse the mediation of the Saints to God, as we doe the intercession of Court favorites to the King.
Antiquitie beleeued,g2. Chro. 6.30 that only God knoweth the heart. They beleeue, that the Saints knowe all our secrets.
Antiquitie alloweth not prayer for the dead (wee say true Antiquity which is the Scripture) for it teacheth that hHeb. 9.27.after death commeth iudgement, which must be vnderstood immediatly after, for otherwise one might say as well, that after our birth commeth iudgement.
On the contrary, they beleeue that iudgement commeth not immediatly after death, and vponupon this opinion they ground their prayers for the dead.
Antiquitie beleeued, that that which entreth in at the mouth of a man, defileth not the man.
They beleeue, that eating of flesh in Lent defileth the man.
Antiquity beleeved, that to i1. Tim. 4.1, ….command abstinence from marriage, and certaine meats is a doctrine of Divells.
The Romanists command, and practise both.
Antiquitie beleeued, that kExod. 20.images were not to be worshipped.
The Romish Church is full of such idolatrie.
Antiquitie beleeued that God is to be worshipped in spirit and truth.lIoh. 4.24.
The Romish Church thinkes there can be no religion, where there is not a multitude of ceremonies.
Antiquitie beleeued, that he which m1. Thes. 3.10laboureth not should not eat.
The greatest Saints amongst them abstaine from l…bour and are most idle.
Antiquitie beleeued, that it was nAct. 20.35.a more blessed thing to giuegive then to receiue.
They beleeue farre otherwise, for the most holy amongst them place their felicitie in povertie.
Antiquity beleeued, that it was expedient to oProv. …0.8.pray to God against poverty.
They beleeue that its best to vow it.
CHAP. XXX. That there is not so much as the succession of persons in the Church of Rome.
BVT how will this matter goe, if it appeare that they are destitute, not only of the succession of Ecclesiasticall policie, of the succession of ceremonies, of the succession of doctrine, but also of the succession of persons? If it hath fayled in the Popes themselues, shall it not by the same reason, hauehave fayled in the whole body depending of them? Now he that would deny, that this succession hath not beene interrupted amongst the Popes he must, impudently venture to deny also the outragious schismes made by the Antipopes, whilst there were two, sometimes three, who claymed this successiō. It cannot be said, that only one of them had it, for what's then become of the Churches that depended on the other Popes? Shall they be excused by the pretence of their well-meaning, because every one of thē beleeued, that they depended on the true Pope. This good intention then shall excuse the Donatists, aAug. ep. 15.for they thought they adhered to the succession of the Apostles: and why should not the same excuse the Protestants also, seeing they beleeue verily, that their Ministers are the successours of those Pastours, which the Apostles planted in the Primitiue Churches.
It is to no purpose to produce here the example of Barbarius Philippus, who being a slaue, his determinations which he gaue during the time of his iudicature were currant neverthelesse, even after he was discovered to be a slaue. For there is not the same reason in the Ecclesiasticall functions. Civill functions depend of the approbation of men, these of God. The Popes the being not true Popes, but vsurpers before God, could hauehave no authoritie, whatsoever men esteemed of them. It is as idle to alleage the example of Iudas, because that although he were a wicked man, yet he was a lawfull Apostle, not an intruder, but one lawfully called to the Apostleship, which cānot be verified of those Popes, which were thrust out, becaus… thrust into the ch…ire. bGen…b. Chron. & 4. sect. 10.Genebrard goes farther then all this, when he pronounceth all those Popes vnlawfull, in whose election the Emperour of Germany bare the sway, although there were many of them succeeding one another, without ever being deposed.
The succession then hauing fayled in the Popeship, (as I may so speak) seeing the Pope is the head of the whole body of the Romane Church, it would be labour in vaine to shew, that it hath beene personally interrupted in his members, who hauehave no other succession then what is derived from his.