The Novelty of Popery Opposed to the Antiquity of True Christianity, Book 1 · Chapter 33
CHAP. 33. What the Succeſsion was, and what the calling of thoſe who in our Fathers time took in hand the Reformation of Popery.
OF this matter we have treated more at large in(a)In this Authors Book of the Vocation of Paſtors. another place: Where we have ſhewed that the charge of Pope, who calls himſelf the Head of the Univerſal Church, and the Cardinals dignity, are not diſcended from the Apoſtles by ſucceſſion, but that they are humane inventions, and that the charges of Biſhop and Prieſt, which of their nature are lawful, and deſcended by ſucceſſion from the Apoſtles, have yet ſo much good left in the Roman Church, that they that enter into them are obliged by Oath in their Ordination to teach the truth of Gods Word. Alſo that theſe charges are corrupted and perverted in the Roman Church, in that Biſhops are become Princes of the Papal Hierarchy, and in their reception take an Oath of allegiance and obedience to the Pope: Which form of Oath herein is notable, that there is never a word in it of any duty towards God, or of his Word, or of the obedience due to him. That form of Oath(b)That Oath is ſet down in the end of the foreſaid Book of the Vocation of Paſtors. is found in the Roman Pontifical, and is moſt worthy to be read, as one of the moſt expreſs marks of the ſon of perdition: For it is the Oath of a vaſſal to his Prince or Liege-Lord, not the Oath of a Paſtor of Gods Church. Likewiſe the charge of Prieſt is corrupted, in that Prieſts in their ordination are eſtabliſhed Sacrificers of the body of Chriſt, for the living and the dead, of which office the inſtitution is not found in the Word of God.
Now it happened in our Fathers time, that ſome Prieſts, Doctors, and Biſhops of the Roman Church, having acknowledged by the Word of God the abuſes of Popery, would fulfil their Oath, and in the ſame Chair began to change language, and teach the Truth, to bring their Office to the right uſe again, and to the firſt inſtitution; for an Idolatrous and heretical Church can confer a good calling, and admit a Paſtor to his charge by ſuch expreſs forms and promiſes, that thereby he ſhall be obliged to diſcharge the office of a Paſtor aright: For although a Church be heretical, yet the Office of Paſtor in the ſame is (of its nature and firſt inſtitution, and by the expectation of the people) deſtined to preach the true Doctrine of Salvation: and every Oath about a thing good and juſt, into which a man hath not intruded himſelf, muſt be inviolably kept. If in an Arian, or Neſtorian Church, a Paſtor came to be converted to the true Doctrine, the nature of his charge and his promiſe in his reception authorize him ſufficiently, yea and oblige him to change language in the ſame Chair, and to teach the Truth. Wherefore alſo the(c)Codex Canonum Eccleſiae Africanae, Can. 69. Hieron. Dialogo adverſus Luciferanos. Syn. Nicena, Can. 8. de Catharis & Clericis converſis ad fidem. foreign. antient Church allowed the Office of heretical Biſhops, when they converted themſelves to the true Faith; neither did they confer a new Ordination upon them. The Impoſition of hands which they beſtowed upon them, was not a new ordination, but only a bleſſing, as(d)Balſamon ad marginem Canonis Niceni 8. ex Tharaſio qui Nicenae ſecundae Synodo praeſedit. Balſamon teacheth. I ſay then, that the firſt Reformers of Popery had the ordinary calling and ſucceſſion received in their Countrey, and had beſides that an extraordinary Commiſſion to preach againſt the intention of their Ordinator, for the due accompliſhing of their charge, and to keep the Oath taken in their reception.
We muſt not believe that they held from the Prelates of the Roman Church that good which remained unto them in their ill ordinary calling; for they held it from Jeſus Chriſt and his Apoſtles, from whom thoſe charges firſt proceeded, which from them are come to us by ſucceſſion, although for ſome ages the Paſtors of the Roman Church have abuſed thoſe charges, and turned them to another uſe. So we have the water of a Brook from the Spring, not from the infected channel that it hath run through. It is one thing to have our calling by the intervention of the Roman Church, and another thing to have it from the Roman Church, and from her authority.
It came to paſs then, that thoſe faithful ſervants of God beginning to preach, the Truth in the very Chairs of the Roman Church, were believed by part of the people, who long before had ſome ſight of the Errors, and were ſighing under the yoak. But the other part which would not receive their Doctrine, thruſt them out, and excommunicated them, forbidding them the exerciſe of their charge. But they ſtood out, and for their Inhibition would not forſake their flocks, holding that they ought not to be deprived of their charge, becauſe they uſed it well. In vain ſhould they have hoped to be confirmed in their places by the Pope, ſince they preached againſt Popery. Beſides, the opinion of the Roman Church favours us in this point: For they hold that a Prieſts Office cannot be taken away, and that it prints an indelible character in a man, although the uſe thereof be interdicted by thoſe that cannot ſuffer that their Errors ſhould be brought to light. Thus they remained in their charges, and their Succeſſors remain in them ſtill: God making uſe of them to gather a people unto himſelf in the midſt of the darkneſs of this world, and to bring many ſouls to ſalvation.