The Protestant Religion Truly State and Justified, Part 6 – Part 9
The Eighth accuſed Point.
That the Church hath been hidden and Inviſible.
Anſ. We do not think that the Pope and his Clergy-Church have been hidden and inviſible. Their Wars, even in Italy and Rome, for many Ages made them Viſible: Yea, and palpable too: The Kings and Emperours that they Fought againſt or Depoſed knew them; above 100000 Waldenſes and Albigenſes felt them to the Death: Quae Regio in terris talis non plena laboris. Whether this man knew not the Proteſtants Judgment herein , or whether he would not have his Reader know it, I cannot tell; but I ſhall tell you what it is.
1. Proteſtants commonly hold, That as the Word [Church] ſignifieth the Company of ſincere Chriſtians, and Heart-conſenters to the Baptiſmal Covenant, ſo it is inviſible to Man that knoweth not the Heart. Inward Faith and Love which denominate them, are not ſeen by others, dare any deny this?
2. But as the Word [Church] ſignifieth the Ʋniverſality of men baptized profeſſing Chriſtianity in publick Aſſemblies, ſo it was never inviſible, ſince ſuch publick profeſſion and Aſſemblies firſt began.
3. But when the Pagan Perſecutors forced their meetings into Woods and Cells, and Pits, called Conventicles, and to Night-Meetings, they were hidden from the Perſecutors, as well as they could hide themſelves: And ſo they were, when they hid themſelves from the Arrian Perſecution of Valens, Conſtantius, Genſericus, Hunnerichus, and from the Perſians: And ſo were thoſe of Tholouſe, Piedmont, Bohemia, and others that hid themſelves, and fled from the Cruſado's, under Simon Montford, and St. Domonick, and others that Murdered them. Chriſt himſelf fled to Egypt, and Galilee, from Perſecutors. His Diſciples were met ſecretly for fear of the Jews, when Chriſt appeared to them; when Peter was in Priſon, many were aſſembled by Night in a Conventicle, at the Houſe of Marks Mother, to pray for him. The Papiſts themſelves keep hidden Meetings, where they cannot have more publick.
4. God hath not promiſed his Church, ſuch conſtant Proſperity, as that in every Age any Nation ſhall have publick Liberty without all Perſecution; much leſs that they ſhall be ſtill uppermoſt, and Maſters of the World, and have Kings and Emperours always for them.
5. But we cannot ſay, that yet the Church hath been ſo low ſince the days of Conſtantine, that all Princes have diſowned the Eſſentials of Chriſtianity, and we hope it never will be ſo.
6. But all Ages and parts of the Church, have not been equally pure and ſound: In ſome Ages the Arrians were moſt: In the Reign of Theodoſius Junior, Anaſtaſius, &c. the Eutichians prevailed: In the days of Philippicus the Monothelites prevailed, ſo that at one of their Councils Binius ſaith, There were Innumerable Biſhops: In one Emperours time thoſe prevailed that were againſt Images; in Irene's and Theodora's times, thoſe that were for them: Sometime the Biſhop of Rome had moſt Power, and ſometime the Biſhop of Conſtantinople, and Alexandria: For an Hundred years, even much of Italy forſook him, and ſet up a Patriarch at Aquileia as their Head: Through many Ages the Citizens of Rome themſelves expelled him or Fought againſt him.
Now in all theſe Caſes, the Church, as profeſſing Chriſtinanity, was ſtill Viſible: But which of all the parts was the pureſt and ſoundeſt, was known to none but the ſound parts themſelves. And when and where the Errours became ſo great as really to nullifie, or invalidate the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity this was known only to thoſe near, that had opportunity to know the mind of the accuſed: For Noxa Caput ſequitur: One man, tho' a Prince or Prelate, cannot make all his Subjects Hereticks by his Errour.
So that nothing hath been more Viſible, than that there have ſtill been profeſſed Chriſtians, and ſo an Univerſal viſible Church on Earth. But which parts of this Church have de facto been Sound, and which Corrupt, and what Errours have nullified their Profeſſion, and what only blemiſht it, this hath never been viſible to the Erroneous; (For no man knoweth that he Erreth;) but it hath been viſible to the Sound. And ſo, that the Church of Rome yet Profeſſeth Chriſtianity, we know: But whether their Errours prove them Babylon, or nullifie their Chriſtianity, muſt be known only by trying the guilty Individuals.
Here the Cheaters ſay to the Ignorant, If the Church hath been always Viſible, where was your Church before Luther?
Anſ. 1. Where-ever there were men profeſſing Chriſtianity and Baptized, and not Apoſtatizing. Were there none ſuch in the World, muſt we be put to prove where there were any Chriſtians before Luther? Were not the Hearers groſly Ignorant, the Cheaters would have no Confidence in ſuch Fopperies as theſe.
Obj. But the Church of Rome profeſt Chriſtianity before Luther.
Anſ. It did ſo, and as Chriſtians we are of the ſame Church with them, we know no Univerſal Church, but the Chriſtian as ſuch, that is, all Chriſtians as only Headed by Chriſt If you cannot tell whether before Luther there were any Chriſtians in the World, (in Abaſſia, Egypt, Syria, Armenia, the Greeks, Muſcovites, &c.) it's your groſs ignorance of Hiſtory. But whether Papiſts, Arrians, Eutychians, Neſtorians, Monothelites, Phantaſians, Image-Worſhippers, do invalidate their profeſſion of Chriſtianity, by their contrary Errours and Crimes, it much more concerneth themſelves, than us to enquire and judge.
But tho' thoſe that nullify not their profeſſion of Chriſtianity, are all of the ſame Church Univerſal that we are of, yet we profeſs that their New humane Church, which is [only the Pope as Head, and all that adhere to him as ſuch,] are no Church of Chriſt at all. All Chriſtians as ſuch are parts of the Chriſtian Church: But a Policy conſiſting of a Vice-Chriſt and his Subjects, is a Rellellious Uſurpation, and no Church, Forma denominat: As Chriſt is the Head, all are of the Church that truly cleave to him as Head: As the Pope is the pretended Head, they are all a pack of Rebels.
And now what an ignorant Cant is it to ſay, The Church cannot Apoſtatize; Ergo, it cannot Err; Ergo, the Pope of Rome, and his hireling Clergy cannot Apoſtatize; and Ergo, They cannot Err! Tell me, whether Rome be all the World? And whether the Church of Rome, and the Chriſtian World, be Words of the ſame ſignification in any Dictionary? And whether an Alexandrian Catholick, or a C.P. are Catholick, be not as good Sence, as a Roman Catholick? And whether the Texts or Fathers, that you name prophanely, will prove that the Church of C.P. Alexandria, Antioch, or Jeruſalem, can never Err, or Apoſtatize, or be Inviſible? And whether your own Jeſuits confeſs not that Rome ſhall do ſo too, in the Reign of Antichriſt?
In the mean time take this anſwer.
1. The Church as intimately Sanctified, and ſincere, was ever inviſible.
2. The Church Univerſal, as profeſſing Chriſtianity, was ever Viſible, tho' oft hid by Perſecution.
3. Whether Rome, C.P. Jeruſalem be a true Church or Apoſtate, is inviſible to thoſe that knew them not.
4. That the Papal Church, as informed by a Univerſal Vice-Chriſt, is a falſe Church, is Notorious. This is our Judgment.
The Ninth accuſed Point.
That the Church was not always to remain Catholick or Ʋniverſal: And that the Church of Rome is not ſuch a Church.
Anſ. The firſt part is a meer flat Lye: We hold that the Church is always to remain Univerſal, till it be preſented perfect in Glory: If it remain not Univerſal, what becomes of it? Is it a part of ſomething elſe, or annihilated? If Chriſt have no Church, he is no Head of the Church, and ſo no Chriſt. What Proteſtant Church ever ſaid any ſuch thing, as you falſly charge them with?
That the Church of Rome is not ſuch a Church, that is, Is not the Ʋniverſal Church, indeed we not only ſay, but think the contrary, ſitter for a man Drunk than Sober? What? is Rome all the World? Is Abaſſia, America, Meſopotamia, Muſcovy, Aſia, Thrace, England, Scotland, Sweden, Denmark, no part of the World, yea, of the Chriſtian World? And is not the Chriſtian World, the Church Ʋniverſal? Reader, here is a Controverſy worthy the Wits, Learning and Honeſty of all the Famous Fathers, and Doctors, and Juglers of the Roman Catholick Church. The Queſtion is, Which of the Rooms in the Houſe is the whole Houſe? One ſaith that the Kitchin, or the Cole-Houſe, or the Houſe of Office, is the whole Houſe. We Proteſtants ſay, that no one Room is the whole, but Hall, Parlors, Dining-Room, and all the Chambers, and Cloſets, and Kitchin, are the whole; and if the Cole-Houſe, and Houſe of Office will needs be parts, we will not contend with them, but we will never grant that they are either the whole, or the beſt part: Tho' by Fire and Stink, they think to force us to it.
But the ancient Writers diſtinguiſh between the Catholick Church, and a Catholick Church: By the firſt is meant the whole Church: By the ſecond is meant ſuch a particular Church, as is not Schiſmatical, but a true and ſound part of the whole.
But what could theſe Self-Condemners ſay more againſt themſelves, than thus openly to confeſs, that their Sect claimeth to be the whole Church, and ſo Trayterouſly unchurcheth two or three parts of the Church of Chriſt, and Damneth moſt Chriſtians, for not being Traytors to Chriſt, as they?
To confute his baſe abuſe of Scripture, is needleſs and irkſome.
The Tenth point accuſed.
That the Churches Ʋnity, is not neceſſary in al… p…i…ts of Faith.
Anſ. This we verily hold, for all that God hath revealed in Scripture to be believed, are points of Faith, (if the Word be uſed intelligibly by theſe men:) But all the points of Genealogies, Topography, Chronology, Prophecy in Scripture, are revealed to be believed, therefore they are points of Faith; and if Unity in all theſe is neceſſary to the Unity of the Church, then no Church on Earth hath Unity: Certainly Rome hath not, whoſe Commentators and Doctors diſagree about many hundred Texts of Scripture, and Sixtus 5th. and Clemens 8th. Popes, about the very Tranſlation of many hundred Texts.
Theſe men muſt now ſay, that we are not bound to believe all Gods Word, or elſe they muſt confeſs that their Church hath not Unity.
That which Reformed Catholicks hold is, 1. Firſt points of Faith, (or revealed to be believed,) are ſome of them Eſſential to Chriſtianity, and of neceſſity to Salvation, and ſome but Intergrals, if not ſome Accidents: The firſt all the True Church agreeth in: The ſecond not: As who is Antichriſt? or Babylon? or the Ten-Horned, or Two-Horned Beaſt in the Revelations? What is the Time, Times, and half a Time, with an Hundred ſuch? But in general, all believe that all Gods Word is true. It might convince theſe men, in that it was long before all the Churches received all the Canonical Books of Scripture, and yet all received not all their Apocryphal Books. And are theſe out of the Church? Or are none of theſe Books to be believed?
The Eleventh Point accuſed.
That St. Peter was not Ordained by Chriſt the firſt Head or Chief among the Apoſtles; and that among the Twelve, none was greater or leſſer than other.
Anſ. Meer Falſehood, as undiſtinguiſht. The word Head is ambiguous; this Writer hath a Head, ſuch as it is, that other Heads much differ from. Reformed Catholicks hold, that Peter is called firſt in numbring them: That he was by Chriſt in many inſtances, preferred before others: That he was an Eminent Speaker, and worker of Miracles: That all the Apoſtles were not Equal in parts and worth; but ſome herein greater than other. What, was Judas no leſſer than the reſt, that was a Thief and Traytor? John was Eminently the Diſciple whom Jeſus loved.
But we hold, 1. That as John was not made Lord or Ruler of the reſt, by being Loved more, ſo Peter's Preheminence made him no Maſter or Ruler of the reſt: The twelve Apoſtles were choſen Relatively, to the twelve Tribes. Peter as Reuben was the firſt, and denyed Chriſt, and was called Satan, with a Get behind me, (Mat. 16.) as Reuben defiled his Fathers Bed. But as Levi was the third, ſo was James the firſt Sanctified Apoſtle: And as Juda the fourth, is called the Law-giver, from whom the Scepter ſhould not depart, &c. ſo John the fourth is the Diſciple of Eminent Love; and Love is the Everlaſting Grace, when Faith and Propheſie ceaſe. But Chriſt made no one of them Ruler of the reſt.
Proved, 1. No Text ſpeaketh any ſuch thing: And the Headſhip of Governing Power, would have been of ſuch grand neceſſity to be known, that Chriſt and his Apoſtles muſt needs have plainly and oft inculcated it.
2. Peter never Exerciſed any ſuch Power; what mention is there of any Laws or Mandates of his to the other Apoſtles?
3. The reſt never ſought to him for Laws or Orders.
4. The Schiſm and Controverſies of Chriſtians were never decided by appealing to him as the Judge.
5. When ſome at Corinth would have made him their Head, and ſaid, I am of Cephas, Paul reproveth them as carnal, ſaying of all, What are they but Miniſters, by whom ye believed?
6. Paul reproveth him, Gal. 2.
7. The Jewiſh Chriſtians contend againſt him, for Eating with Gentiles, Act. 11. whom he ſatisfieth by proof from God, and not by pleading his Supremacy.
8. He never once claimed any ſuch Power.
9. Paul, 1 Cor. 12. tells us of none in the Church greater than Apoſtles. But the reſt were Apoſtles as well as he.
10. No ſuch Article was ever put into the Churches Creed.
We grant that Chriſt did in inſtituting the Apoſtles Office, inſtitute a diſparity of Miniſters in his Church, and this to be continued in the Ordinary continued part of their Works, but not in the Extraordinary. And we grant that in putting Peter firſt, Chriſt intimated, that among men of the ſame Office, there may for Order ſake be a Priority; as the Preſident of a Synod or Colledge, or the Fore-man of a Jury, or a Chief-Juſtice, or the Speaker of a Parliament: God is not the God of Confuſion, but of Order, as in all the Churches: If a Pariſh or an Independant Church have one grave Paſtor, with divers young Aſſiſtants, that were but his Scholars, nature will give him ſome awing Preheminence among them. We are not againſt ſuch a Primacy among Biſhops, or Arch-Biſhops: But this is nothing to a Governing Office. And if Peter had had ſuch, what's that to the Pope of Rome?