The Buckler of the Faith, Part · Article 31 – Article 32
THE XXXI. ARTICLE. Of the vocation of Pastors.
We beleeue that no man of his owne authoritie ought to thrust himselfe into the gouernment of the Church: but that it ought to be done by election, if it be possible, and that God will permit it. Which exception we adde specially, because it hath sometimes fallen out, and that in our time (wherein the state of the Church was corrupted) that God raised vp men by extraordinary meanes, to erect the Church againe which was fallen into ruine and desolation. But howsoeuer it be, we beleeue, that we must alwayes be conformable to this rule; that all Pastors, Ouerseers, and Deacons, ought to hauehave testimonie that they are called to their offices.
ARNOVX.
Section. 130 This is the Article, wherby they take vponupon them the reformation of the Church which was lost and desolate, without producing any promises, or Prophecies of so notable and generall reformation in all capitall matters of Beleefe, nor any witnesse of their extraordinary authoritie, nor any miracles which make them acceptable, as in times past Iesus Christ and Moses in the like occasions shewed, nor any succession or dependance whereby they hauehave ordinary commission.
MOVLIN.
For the vnderstanding of this Article, you must consider, that it is the Churches of France which speake, and that by consequence, by restoring of the Church, we only vnderstand the reestablishment and reformation which God in our time hath brought to passe in France, and not what hath bene done in the vniuersall Church: therefore the aduersarie hath no reason to require prophecies of vsus which promise so notable reformation. For the holy Scripture speaketh not of France, nor of any accidents that should happen therin. To be assured of a thing it is sufficient to see it, although we cannot shew that God foreshewed it. If we must beleeue nothing that hath happened in our age, vnlesse we can shew that God foreshewed it by prophecie, we must not beleeue that the Pope in our time hath deposed our kings, and moued the French men to rebellion. We must not beleeue the inspirations of the mother Terese, nor the miracles of Saint Iohn de la croix, nor the comming of the Iesuites. It is true that the Reuelation foresheweth the massacres and persecutions of the faithfull: and that the whore clothed in scarlet, sitting in the towne which hath seuen hils, shall make kings drunke: the Apostle also foresheweth, that the sonne of perdition shall call himselfe God, and shall boast of miracles: and that false Doctors shall come, which should teach abstinence from marriage and from meates. And the holy Spirit foresheweth vntounto vsus, that God will raise vp a few faithfull witnesses, which shall preach with great affliction, in spirituall Sodome, vntill such time as the beast shall kill them. But these predictions are not for the Churches of France onelyonly, which in this Article speake of that which is particular vntounto them.
Touching the vocation of faithfull Pastors, which God hath extraordinarily raised in our times to fight against Papistrie, the clearing of this matter dependeth vponupon knowing what the vocation of the Pastors of the Church of Rome is. Wherein there are two sorts of vocations of Pastors, whereof the one is none, the other corrupted. The vocation of Popes, terming themselues heads of the vniuersall Church, and the vocation of Cardinals, are no vocations, as being humane constitutions contrary to the word of God. And the vocation of Bishops and Priests therein is corrupted. According to the word of God, their charge is to preach the word, to administer the sacraments, and to gouerne their flockes. But the Priests charge is changed into the office of a sacrificer of the body of Christ, and the charge of a Bishop, is the charge of a Prince of the Popes temporall monarchie, as appeareth by the oath which Bishops make at their admission, which is inserted into the*The Reader may see this oath at the end of my booke of the Vocation of Pastors. Romane Pontificall, wherein there is no mention made either of God or of his word, but it is an oath which a subiect maketh to his soueraigne, or a vassall to his feodarie Lord. Among this corruption, this good onelyonly remaineth, that when the Bishop admitteth a Priest, he sheweth him his dutie, and the nature of his charge, saying,**Sacerdotem oportet benedicere, praesse, praedicare, & baptizare. The Priest must blesse, he must gouerne, he must preach, and he must baptize. And a little after,***Sit doctrina vestra spiritualis medicina populo Dei. Sit odor vitae vestrae delectamentū Ecclesiae Christi vt praedicatione atque exemplo aedificetis domum Dei. Let your doctrine be a spirituall medicine to the people of God, let the sauour of your life be a reioycing to Christs Church, that by preaching and good examples you may build vp the house of God.
The same obligatorie words to teach the pure doctrine of the Gospell, are spoken to the Bishop. Where the consecrator asketh the future Bishop, saying, We aske the, whether thou wilt employ thy wisedome. as much as thy capacity serueth thee, to the sence of the holy Scripture. And after that,*Vis ea quae ex diuinis scripturis intelligis plebem euiordinandus es, & verbis docere & exemplis? Volo. Wilt thou both by words and examples teach the people ouer w…om thou art established, that which thou vnderstandest out of the diuine Scriptures? Whereunto the future Bishop maketh answer, and saith, Volo, I will. Then laying downe the Bible before him, he saith vntounto him,**Accipe Euangelia, & vade & praedica populo tibi commisso. Receiue the Gospell, and preach vntounto the people committed to thy charge.
These are ancient things, remaining entire among horrible corruptions, to the end that they may serue to touch the consciences of those that should take that charge vponupon them, and that that good which remaineth, may serue to correct or to condeme that which is euill. Now it so fell out in our fathers times, that certaine persons called to the charge and offices of Priests, Doctors, and Bishops, hauing by the word of God knowne and found out the abuse of the Papacie, sought to accomplish their oathes, and called to remembrance the nature of the charge wherin they were established, and in the fame seates began to change their speech, and to preach the truth. They made vse of that good which was left in that corrupted function; God intending in that reformation to employ those which had the vsuall charges receiued in the Churches of their countries, to the end that they might be the better receiued and esteemed of by the people, and that their vocation might not be denied or controuerted. For if the Church of Rome hath no lawfull vocation, why doth she require that in another which she her selfe hath not? If she hath lawfull vocation, then those without question had the same vocation. And it is in this, all one as if in the Arian or Nestorian Churches, a Pastor hauing acknowledged his error, should take vponupon him to confute Arianisme, and to preach the true faith; and that therefore the said heretickes should molest him and aske him saying, Where is thy vocation, and where are thy miracles to authorise thee? That is in effect as if they should say vntounto him, Who gaue thee charge to keepe thy oath which thou madest at thy admission? And where is the vocation which authoriseth thee to be faithfull vntounto God?
Hereupon they aske vsus, whether those faithfull Pastors who in our fathers times put their helping hands to reformation, had ordinarie or extraordinarie vocation. The answer is, that they had that vocation which was ordinarie, and vsuall in the Church in their countries. But because the doctrine and the vocation of their Church was corrupted, besides that ordinary vocation, they had an extraordinary commission. For touching the ordinary and vsuall charge in the Church in their countries, they retained that which therein was good that is, their duties to preach, and purely to administer the Sacraments. But they had this extraordinary, that God employed them to preach contrary to their intentions which ordained them, as being contrary to the intention of Iesus Christ the first author of that vocation. And this extraordinary commission being well considered, is no other thing but the ancient ordinary charge. It is inuerate corruption which causeth their enterprise to seeme extraordinary, as health seemeth to be new, after along disease or sicknesse of body.
We must not thinke it strange, that a man hauing an ordinary vocation, should by God be employed in an extraordinary worke. The holy Scripture furnisheth vsus with many examples thereof. Ieremie, Ezechiel, and Iohn Baptist were Leuites and Priests, hauing ordinary charge in the Church; and neuerthelesse were by God employed in extraordinary commissions, and to that end were extraordinarily assisted by the Spirit of God. I say not, that their vocations were halfe ordinary and halfe extraordinary, but that they had their ordinary vocation fully and wholly, and that besides the same, they were inspired with the holy Spirit for an extraordinary worke. Such were the faithfull seruants which God raised in our fathers times. But it is to be vnderstood, that the ordinary vocation of Ieremie, Ezechiel, and Iohn Baptist, was pure and entire, but their vocations were corrupted, which corruption by custome had gotten the force of a Law: but they leauing the abuse, and shaking off the yoke of the Popes tyrannie, which endeauored to subiect all ordinary vocation to it selfe, conuerted that corrupted vocation to the right vse thereof.
We must not thinke it more strange, that an idolatrous and corrupted Church should conferre a vocation, which should be sufficient to bind a man duly to performe the office of a Pastor: for all oathes made concerning things that are iust and holy, whereinto a man hath not intruded himselfe, ought inuiolably to be obserued. Now in hereticall and idolatrous Churches, Pastors are receiued and admitted vponupon promise to teach the truth. Besides, eueryevery hereticall Church hath the chaire of the first institution, and by the intention of the people, ordained to preach the purity of the Gospell. Therefore the Councell of Nice in the 8. Canon ordained that hereticall Clerkes that had any charge among the Catharists or Nouatians, vponupon their conuersions to the catholike Church, should remaine in the same degree that they were in. OnelyOnly it ordained that they should be receiued againe by imposition of hands, which was not an ordinary imposition of hands, but a simple blessing;*Acts 13. v. …. Mat. 19. v. 15. foreign, whereof there are many examples in the new Testament. The 69 Canon of the Code of the Affrican Councels, ordaineth that the Donatists Clerkes should be receiued into the clergie of the catholike Church, and remaine in their first dignitie. Which is the subiect of Saint Hieromes Dialogue against the Luciferians, where he proueth, that as the Church receiueth those which had bene baptized by the Arians, so she ought to receiue those Bishops which conuerted from Arianisme, without taking their dignitie from them.
But hereby the Church of Rome hath no advantage of vsus, as if we drew our vocation from her. For therein we giuegive no more authority to the Church of Rome then to the Arian and Nestorian Churches, seeing that we say that the most corrupt Church of all others, and wherein there is no saluation, loseth not her power to conferre a vocation, which although it be corrupt, neuerthelesse it bindeth a man to do his dutie, specially when he is admitted vponupon oath to teach the truth. The principall point is, that those reformers of Papacy obserued that which was good in their bad ordinary vocation, not from the Prelates which had consecrated them after the Romish manner, but from Iesus Christ and the Apostles, from whō these callings were first deriued. Euen as when the water of a cleare spring comes to vsus through an vncleane channel, then infection cometh onelyonly from that channel, but the water comes from the spring & first originall therof: which coming thicke and troubled vntounto vsus, our labour is commendable, if we seeke to make it runne cleare. It is one thing to hauehave a vocation by the meanes and ministery of the Church of Rome, and another thing to hauehave it from the Church of Rome, and from her authoritie. The authoritie of the calling comes from Iesus Christ and the Apostles, and not from polluted hands through the which it hath past. The obligation to keepe a mans oath, comes not from him to whom the oath is made, but from God to whom we sweare, who onelyonly hath the power in his hands to punish periury. Therefore, if I promise a man to do two things, the one holy and iust, the other wicked and contrary to the word of God; that mans authority cannot binde me to offend God, by keeping that which I hauehave euilly and rashly promised. Promises made against God do not bind. A wicked oath is worse to be obserued. Therefore all the oathes made by Priests and Bishops vntounto the Pope, are voide and of no force; but the promise which they make to preach the truth of the word of God, bindeth them, and is inuiolable.
That which is said before being well-considered, is a sufficient answer to that which they aske vsus, which is, What miracles the first reformers did, to authorise their extraordinary vocation. For this question ought not to be put to those which hauehave had the ordinary vocation vsed in the Church in their countries. Besides there were diuers Prophets extraordinarily raised, whom we find not to hauehave done any miracles, as Osea, Michea, Malachy, &c. An euill and an adulterous generation seeketh a signe, Matth. 12.39. And if those reformers of Papistrie had done miracles, their enemies being resolute to contradict them, would presently hauehave said, that it was of them which Iesus Christ said, There shall arise false Prophets, shewing signes and wonders, Math. 24.24. Mark. 13.22.
To conclude, all the meanes that our aduersaries helpe themselues withall in this question is, a shift or a slight to hinder vsus from examining their doctrine. They busie vsus with disputing vponupon formalities, to keepe vsus from entring into the ground of the cause, with the same policy by the which the high Priests and Scribes asked Iesus Christ and his Apostles the reason of their vocation. They busie vsus about callings, thereby to diuert vsus from the examination of doctrine. It is necessary indeed that a Pastor intrude not himselfe, and that he be duly called: but it is not absolutely necessary for the good of the people, that they should exactly know the vocation of their Pastors: they shall not be answerable for that at the day of iudgement, but they are to giuegive an account of the obedience which they hauehave yeelded to the pure word of God, though it were preached by an vsurper, whose vsurpation may be vnknone to the people. For there is no man so foolishly scrupulous, which had not rather be led into Paradise by a man without a calling, then to be drawne into hell by a man laden with titles, hauing an ordinary vocation.
But the iniustice of our aduersaries specially appeareth herein, that they will hauehave all vocation in the Church to depend vponupon the Pope, which is one of the greatest abuses in the Church of Rome, and hath most need of reformation. By this reckoning we must hauehave our vocation from the Pope, to preach against the Pope. And we must be silent vntill such time as some good Pope sends some men expresly to preach against himselfe.
But that which was most necessarie for them to do, that is, to let the people see the originall of Ecclesiasticall functions, & to shew them that Iesus Christ instituted sacrificers of his body, this is the thing which they neuer do, and which they will not once touch; and for feare lest the people should look clearly into it, they hide the holy Scripture from them, which onelyonly gouerneth and directeth Ecclesiasticall vocations, and propoundeth the first institution thereof vntounto vsus.
ARNOVX.
Section. 131 They note no places of Scripture in the margent for proofe of this exception, nor of this necessitie, nor of this circumstance of times, nor of pretended interruption, nor of men raised vp, nor of the extraordinary manner, nor of restoring the Church, nor of one onelyonly word of the Article.
MOVLIN.
To proue that in our time God raised certaine persons by an extraordinary manner, and that reformation was necessarie, our Confession produceth not any place of Scripture in the margent of this Article, because that by places of the Scripture, we proue the points of our beleefe, but not what happened in our time in France; which are points contained in moderne histories, and no Articles of faith. It ought not to seeme strange, if in the Confession of our Churches there are some points inserted which are no Articles of faith. For as the title of the Decalogue is, The ten commandements of God: And yet these words, I am a mightie God, iealous, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers, &c. and these words, In sixe dayes God made heauen and earth, are not commandements, but reasons whereupon God groundeth his commandements. So in the Confession of faith, it was necessary to insert some things which are not Articles of faith, but which serue to shew a reason why it was necessary for vsus to oppose our selues against the Romish faith, by a contrary confession of faith.
Touching the rest, all the places of Scripture quoted in the margent of our Confession from the beginning to the ending touching those Articles which are in controuersie, are as many proofes and reasons, to shew why in our time the reformation of the Church of Rome hath bene necessary.
Of the perpetuall stability of the Church of Rome.
ARNOVX.
Section. 132 Because motion is made to put the Church of Rome from her possession, and to shew that Iesus Christ hauing once giuen himselfe vntounto her as an inheritance, which she hath held so many ages, as they confesse, hath withdrawne himselfe from her: Or that she being inheritrix of life, can die: and of the truth, can lie; and likewise of the way, can erre and be lost.
MOVLIN.
In all this discourse there is not one true word, not yet common sense. It is false, that we go about to put the Church of Rome from any possession. We come to helpe the Church of Rome, and she complaines that we would take her goods from her; she vnderstands aide to be iniury. For those that gouerne her, feare that the Gospell will diminish their riches and great wealth: and that is the possession for the which they dispute.
It is false also, that we euer confessed that Iesus Christ gaue himselfe for an inheritance to the Church of Rome, in that sence which our aduersary meaneth. By the Church of Rome, we vnderstand the Church of the citie of Rome, to the which Iesus Christ neuer gaue himselfe for an inheritance, in other sort, then to the Church of Corinth, Ephesus, or Constantinople. He made his couenant with those Churches, with threatnings to take it away, and to remoue their candlesticke, in case of contempt or rebellion: a mischiefe which hath happened to the Church of Rome. Life and truth are riches whereof the Church of Rome neuer was proprietarie, although in the first age of the Church it was one of those Churches which professed the word of God. The riches thereof which from age to age hauehave increased therein, by peruerting of manners, hauehave peruerted doctrine. For it hath bene forced to wrest the doctrine to make it appliable to vices, to build an Empire, and to giuegive a particular Church the title and properties of the vniuersall Church. And if M. Arnoux will hauehave the Church of Rome to be seized in perpetuity of truth and life, without erring or falling away, he ought to produce places out of the Scripture, which confirme this prerogatiue vntounto her. For there is no Church in the world how wicked soeuer it be, which may not also brag and say of it selfe, that it cannot erre nor be ouerthrowne. So the Iewes, conspiring against Ieremie, said, The law shall not perish from the Priest, nor counsell from the wise, nor the word from the Prophet, Iere. 18.18. But God maketh them liers therein, saying, The law shall perish from the Priest, and counsell from the ancient Ezechiel, 7.26. So Babylon speaketh, sitting vponupon seuen hils, and exerciseth a trafficke or merchandise of soules, Apoc. 18.7. I sit being a Queene, and am no widow, and shall see no mourning. Note this word sit, for that is the word which the Popes vse to denote their dominion. To conclude, to say I cannot erre, is the worst of all errors. That Church which saith I cannot fall by error, is already fallen by pride, and lieth, in saying she cannot lie. In saying, that she is the rule, she exempteth her selfe from all rule, and her fall is the lesse recouerable, because that being fallen, she still thinketh that she stands vpright. Neuerthelesse, to proue that the Church of Rome cannot erre, behold what places of Scripture our aduersary setteth downe.
ARNOVX.
Section. 133 Daniel, 2.44. the Prophet speaking of the Christian Church, vnderunder the word Queene, saith thus, And in the dayes of those kings, shall the God of heauen set vp a kingdome, which shall neuer be destroyed, and the kingdome shall not be left to other people, but it shall breake in peeces, and consume all these kingdomes, and it shall stand for euer.
MOVLIN.
In this place there is no speech of a Queene, nor yet of the Church of Rome. The Prophet speaketh of a kingdome which shall endure for euer. Which is vnderstood of the kingdome of the Saints, and the elect, who shall reigne with Iesus Christ eternally in heauen, as Daniel himselfe declareth, 7.18. saying, But the Saints of the most High shall take the kingdome, and possesse the kingdome for euer, euen for euer and euer. If the Church of Rome be eternall, then after the day of iudgement, there must be Popes eternally on earth.
ARNOVX.
Section. 134 And Exodus 4.1. Moses making difficultie to go vntounto Pharaoh to reforme him, and saying, They will not beleeue me, nor hearken to my voyce, for they will say, God hath not sent him: God gaue him power to worke miracles, adding the reason, To the end that they may beleeue that the true God appeared vntounto thee.
MOVLIN.
If by these two places M. Arnoux pretends to prooue that the Church cannot erre, he doth according to his accustomed manner, which is iust quidlibet ex quolibet. As when before, he prooued that the Church is visible, beeause it is written, That God hath placed a pauilion in heauen for the Sunne, Psalme 19. and that she is Apostolicall, because it is written, God doth iustice to the orphane and to him that is oppressed. But if by this place he will prooue the necessitie of miracles, he digresseth from the question, for this hath no coniunction with that which goeth before. Touching miracles we hauehave before spoken at large, and in the Section following we will speake more. But where did he learne, that Moses was sent to Pharao to reforme him? To bring the Israelites out of Aeygpt, is that to reforme Pharao or the religion of Aeygpt?
ARNOVX.
And Iohn, 10.37. If I do not the workes of my Father, 135. Sect.beleeue me not. To conclude, neither the Sonne of God, nor the Apostles, nor Moses, nor Elias, euer tooke on them to appeare, as being sent in an extraordinary manner, without hauing markes of their authoritie from God.
MOVLIN.
Our Sauiour said, If I do not the workes of my Father, beleeue me not. Touching that, we hauehave already said, that as the miracles done by Moses still serued to authorise the Law, euen after miracles ceassed in Israel: so miracles done by Christ, and by the Apostles still serue at this day to authorise the Gospell, although miracles hauehave ceassed. When king Iosias openly shewed the booke of the Law which had bene lost, 2. Kings 21. he did no miracle, because he propounded no new thing, but reestablished the ancient doctrine of the Law, sufficiently authorised by miracles at the publication thereof in Horeb. It belongs to them that teach new doctrine to do miracles. False Prophets shall rise vp, and do great signes and miracles, Matth. 24.24. The sonne of perdition shall shew signes and lying wonders. 2. Thess. 2.9. An euill and an adulterous generation seeketh a signe. Matth. 12.39. To those that shall say vntounto Iesus Christ, HaueHave not we in thy name cast out diuels, it shall be said, Depart from me, I neuer knew you, Matth. 7.23. These are places which seeme to hauehave bene written expresly of our aduersaries, whose miracles at this day are all reduced to the casting out of diuels. For to restore sight to a man that was borne blind, or to raise a dead man to life againe, there is no speech of such matters, their art extendeth not so farre. To conclude, all this is grounded vponupon a false supposition, that we hauehave no ordinary vocation. Those which besides their extraordinary commission, hauehave ordinary vocation, need no miracles to authorise it. Now this extraordinary commission is grounded vponupon the necessity of reforming the Church of Rome, and vponupon the euident corruption of ordinary vocation.
THE XXXII. ARTICLE. Of the Confession of faith.
We also beleeue, that it is good and profitable, that such as are chosen to be Superintendents, should take order among themselues what meanes they should vse for the gouernment of the whole body, and yet in no sort to decline from that which is set downe vntounto vsus by our Lord Iesus Christ. Which hindereth not but that there may be particular orders and ordinances in eueryevery place, as necessity requireth.
Our aduersary by his silence approoueth this Article.