CHAP. XLII. Their presence of a Divine institution, and Natural Excellency of a visible Monarchical
CHAP. XLII. Their presence of a Divine institution, and Natural Excellency of a visible Monarchical Government of the whole Church.
D etect. 33. Another of their frauds is, By pretending to a Divine Institution and Natural excellency of a visible Monarchical
Government of the Church. And so they would derive it from Peter, from Christ yea from Nature, and God the Author of Nature.
All their writings take this as their strength. I shall at this time tie myself to Boverius his Cheating Consultation, de Ratione verae fidei, &c. ad
Carolum Principem, intended for the perverting of our late King then in Spain.
In his Part. 1. Reg. 6, he asserteth that [besides Christ the invisible Head of the Church, there is a necessity that we acknowledge another certain visible Head subrogate to Christ, and instituted of him, without which none can be a member of Christ, or any way subsist alive.] (Yet Cardinal Richlieu will not have the Pope called Another Head.)
He begins his proof with a cheat, as gross as common, even an abuse of Cyprians words, l. 1. Ep. 3, where Cyprian speaks for the necessity of obeying One in the Church, meaning a particular Church, (as the whole
scope of his Epistle testifieth): And this man would make them simple believe that he speaks of the Universal Church.
His Reasons proceed thus: First (p. 128. &c.) he tells us, that [the invisible God thinks meet to Govern the world by visible men.] Answ. And who denies that Christ also governeth his Church by men?
But he concludeth hence [Num alia ration, &c. Shall we believe that Christ doth govern his Church in another way then God governeth the whole world?] Answ. Reader, doth not this man give up the cause of the Pope, and say as much against it fundamentally as a Protestant? Saith
Boverins [We must not believe that Christ doth govern the Church in another way then God doth govern the world.] But (saith common sense and experience) God doth not govern the whole world by any one (or two, or ten) Universal Vice-monarch: Therefore Christ doth not Govern the Church by any one Universal Vice-monarch.
His next Reason is, [Because Christ was a visible Monarch once on earth himself. And if the Church had need of a visible Monarch then, it hath need of it still.] Answ. 1. Here the Reader may see, that it is to no less then to be
Christ's successor, or a Vice-christ, that the Pope pretendeth. And then the Reason, if it were of any worth, would as well prove, that there must be one on earth still that may give the Holy Ghost immediately, and make Articles of Faith de novo, and Laws for the Church (with promise of Salvation) and may appoint new Offices and orders in the whole Church, &c. And why not one also to live without sin, and to die for our sins, and rise again, and be our Savior? And why not one to give us his own body and blood in the Sacrament?
2. Christ himself doth oppose himself to all terrestrial inhabitants, saying, [One is your Master, even Christ.] And what then? Why [Be not ye called
Masters? But he that is greatest among you, shall be your servant.] And [Be not ye called Rabbi, for one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are
Brethren,] Matth. 23:8. 9-12, where most evidently he shows that neither Peter, or any of his own Disciples were to be called Masters, as Christ was, nor was any such to be on earth, and so no Vice-christ; yea that all his
Apostles being Brethren, were not to be Masters one to another, but servants: so that here is a plain bar put in against any of Peters Mastership or Headship of the Universal Church.
3. We do on these and many other Reasons, deny your consequence. It follows not that we must still have a Christ on earth, because we once had.
4. Christ hath chosen another Vicar (though invisible) as Tertullian calls him: and that is, the Holy Ghost, whom he sent to make such supply as was necessary, by various gifts proportioned to the several states and members of the Church.
5. If Christ would have left a Vice-christ upon earth, which should have been an Essential part, even the Head of his Church; he would doubtless have plainly expressed it in Scripture, and described his Office and Power, and given him directions to exercise it, and us directions how to know which is he, and to obey him: But there is not a word of any such matter in the Scripture, (nor Antiquity) when yet it is a point (if true) of such unspeakable importance.
6. You might at well feign, that if it were then necessary to have twelve or thirteen Apostles, it is so still: and if then it was necessary to have the gift of tongues and miracles, it is so still: which yet the Pope himself is void of.
7. It is not enough for your silly wit, to say its fit that Christ have a Successor, therefore he hath one: but let him that claimeth so high an honor
as to be the Vice-christ, produce his Commission, and prove his claim if he will be believed.
8. Christ is still the visible Head of his Church, seen in Heaven, and as much seen over all the world, except Judea and Egypt, as ever he was.
When he was on earth, he was not visible at Rome, Spain, Asia, &c. He that is Emperor of the Turkish Monarchy, perhaps was never personally a hundred miles from Constantinople. The King of Spain is no visible
Monarch in the West-Indies. And if all the world except Judea might be without a Present Christ, then why that may not as well as the rest, you must give him an account, if you will tie him to be here resident.
9. And yet if the Pope would usurp no more Power than Christ exercised visibly on earth, it would not be all so bad as it is or hath been. He would not then divide inheritances, nor be a temporal Prince, nor wear a Triple
Crown, nor keep so glorious a Court and Retinue, nor depose Princes, nor deny them tribute, nor exempt his Prelates from it, nor from their judgment
Seats, nor absolve their Subjects from their fidelity, &c. nor trouble the world as now he doth: He would not exercise the power of putting any to death: much less would he set up Inquisitions, to burn poor people for reading the Scriptures, or no being of his mind.
Pg. 133. He makes Christ the visible Pope while he was on earth, and tells us that Promulgating the Gospel, sending Apostles, instituting Sacraments,
&c. were Pontificalia munera, Papal Offices. Answ. And indeed was Christ a Pope? And is the Pope a Christ? Jesus I know, and Peter and Paul I know: but this Vice-christ I know not. If indeed the Vice-christ have power to do these Papal works, to promulgate a new Gospel, to send out Apostles, to institute Sacraments, &c. as Christ did, let us but know which be the Popes
Sacraments, and which be Christ's; which be the Popes Apostles, and which
be Christ's; and which is the Popes Gospel, and which is Christ's, and we shall use them accordingly. The Law and Testimony will help us to distinguish them.
Pg. 134. He comes to prove that Christ hath a Successor: and his first proof is from Mic. 2. Let the Reader peruse it, and judge without any help of mine, what proof there is that the Pope is a Vice-christ.
The next is in Hos. 1, which speaketh of the return of the Israelites from Captivity. Let the Reader make his best on it for the Pope, for I think it not worth my labor to confute the Papists impudent perverting such Texts as these.
By the way he tells us (as Card. Richlieu and the rest commonly do) that [its no dishonor to Christ to have a Deputy, no more than for the King of England to have a Deputy, or Vice-king in Ireland.] Answ. 1. But our first question is, Whether de facto such a thing be? Prove that Christ hath
Commissioned a Vice-christ, and we will not presume to say that he hath dishonored himself.
2. Thought it should not dishonor Christ, it is such a transcendent honor to man, as we will not believe that any man hath, that proveth not his claim. It was no dishonor to the Godhead to be united to the manhood of Christ in Personal union; but if the Pope say, that the Godhead is thus united to his manhood, verily I will not believe him.
3. Though we should not have presumed to question Christ if he had done it, yet we must presume to tell the Pope that he is guilty of dishonoring
Christ by his usurpation. 1. Because he sets up himself as Vice-christ, without his Commission; and takes that to himself, that is, Christ's
Prerogative. God saith, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased, Hear him] And the Papists say of the Pope, This is the Vice-christ, Hear
him] 2. Because the Power of a King is more communicable, then the Power of Christ, it being such as is fit for one mere man as well as for another. But the Power of Christ is such as no mere man is fit for. The capacity of the Subject is Considerable as Necessary to the reception of the form of Power. He that is God as well as Man is fit for a Universal
Monarchy, when he that is mere man is not. From whence we argue thus.
If there was never such a thing by God's institution as a mere man to be the Christ or Universal Head of the Church, then there is no such thing to be imagined now: But there never was such a thing: Therefore there is no such
— Christ that was the visible Head was God and Man: when the Pope is so, we will believe in him as his Successor.
4. It would ruin the Church to have built on so sandy a foundation, and to have laid so much work on one that is so unable to perform it. Doubtless common reason tells us, that if God made any one man the Monarch of the whole world (especially leaving his Commission as obscure, as the Popes is, were it any) and should not give him a divine or supra-human strength to execute it, it would be the confusion of the world. I am not well acquainted with the Power of Angels; but I hope without dishonoring them, I may suspect, that the due managing of such a Universal Monarchy is above their abilities: At least I am confident, it is an honor that their Modesty and Reverence of Christ will not permit them to own, as the Pope doth. If this
Vice-christ be not a false Christ, he may apply that of Heb. 1. [Being made so much better than Angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name then they: For unto which of the Angels said he at any time] thou art the Successor of Christ, thou art the Universal Head of the Church?
Whether the Pope will be called the Vice-son of God, the Vice-savior, and say, [Let all the Angels worship him; sit thou on my right hand, &c.] I leave
to his modesty to consider? But I must profess here to the Reader, that though my modesty and consciousness of my weakness, hath made me so suspicious, lest I understand not the Apocalypse, as to suspend my judgment, whether the Pope be the Antichrist, the Beast, &c. yet the reading of their serious immodest arguing's, to prove the Pope to be the Vice-christ on Earth, doth exceedingly more increase my suspicion that he is The Antichrist. For to be Peters Successor, as a first Apostle, is a contemptible thing in these men eyes. This is not it that they plead for. Bellarmine (ubi supr.) expressly tells us, that the Pope succeeds not Peter as an Apostle. No, it is as a Vice-christ to the whole Church, as Boverius here professedly maintaineth. And this they make the Foundation of their Catholic Church, and the acknowledgement of it Essential to every member of it. Which I even tremble to read and think of.
Next Boverius comes to his proofs from the New-Testament. And those are the same that I have answered (as Bellarmine's) in my [Safe Religion] and are a hundred times answered by our writers, and therefore the Reader may excuse me, if I put him to no long trouble about them.
The first is the old [Tues Petrus, and in hanc Petram, &c.] Answ. 1. He doth not say [Thou art Christ, or the Vice-christ, or my Successor, or the Universal Monarch of the Church: No such words as these. 2. It is Christ himself her that is called the Rock, and not Peter. q. d. [Thy name is Peter who confessest me, in allusion to which I tell thee, that I whom thou hast confessed am Petra, the Rock upon which I will build me a Church, which the gates of Hell shall not prevail against.] As the Apostle saith of the spiritual Rock, 1 Cor. 10. That Rock was Christ.] So may I of this.
3. But if it had been spoken of Peter, it had been no more than is spoken of the other Apostles, on whom as on a Foundation the Church is said to be
built, Jesus Christ himself being the head corner stone, Eph. 2:20.
But what need we more, if we put not out our eyes, then to find in all the New Testament, that Peter was never called or taken for a Vice-christ by the Apostles, (unless Secundum quid, as every Ambassador of Christ is that speaks his message in his stead, 2 Cor. 5:19,20.) and that he never is said to exercise any Universal Government over the rest of the Apostles, nor so much as give them a Law, or Convent them before him, or send them out, or do anymore in Ruling them, then they in Ruling him, nor so much as Paul did in rebuking him to his face for disorderly walking, &c. Gal. 2. Yea when Paul calls them carnal that sided with Peter, though but in the same over-valuing way as others did of Apollos and Paul, saying [I am of Paul, and I am of Apollo, and I am of Cephas,] 1 Cor. 1:12. He saith to them that said [I am of Christ] [Is Christ divided?] as showing that he was the common Universal Head and Master of them all. But when he mentioneth mere men, he hath no such word: He saith not [Is Peter divided] But implying all in one, he saith [Was Paul crucified for you, or were ye baptized into the name of Paul?] And [Who then is Paul, and who is
Apollo? (implying also, Who is Peter) but Ministers by whom ye believed as the Lord gave to every man, 1 Cor. 3:5.] See 1 Cor. 4:6.
Pag. 144. Boverius plays his game with Metaphors and Similitudes, and saith [The Church is Christ's Kingdom, an Army, a Sheepfold, a House, a Ship, or Noah's Ark; and whats a Kingdom without a visible King: or an Army without a Visible General: or a Flock without a visible Shepherd: or a House without a Housholder: or a Ship without a Pilot?] Answ. 1. The whole earth is God's Kingdom! And can he not Govern it without a Visible
Monarch? Why then did the world never hear of such a man? Yea the whole world is the Kingdom of Christ himself, though not in that special sort as
his Church is: For all Power in heaven and earth is given him, Matth.
28:18,19, and for that end he Dyed, Rose and Revived, that he might be Lord of the Dead and Living, Rom. 14:9, and he is made Head over all things to the Church, Eph. 1:22,23. And hath this Kingdom a Universal
Visible Monarch? Yes: the Pope is the man: Long hath he laid claim to it.
Princes, you see whose hands your Crowns and Kingdoms are in: Deceive not yourselves, they are the Popes: For certainly they are all Christ's; and if he be to be believed, he is the Vice-christ, and so succeedeth him in the Monarchy of the world. But then why doth not this simple Pope lay claim to the Empire of Indostan, and Tartary, and China, and Constantinople, as well as of these smaller Kingdoms of Europe?
2. And for the Metaphorical title of an Army, I answer, It sufficeth that it hath an Universal General in Heaven, that can command it twice as well there as the Pope can on earth, yea and is as Visible to the Antipodes, yea to me, as ever the Pope was. All the world is God's Army: But I will not say that the Pope or any man is General of it (save Christ) nor will I call him,
The Lord of Hosts.
3. And for the Sheepfold of Christ, he hath appointed particular Shepherds to watch for the several parts of the flock. But if one man were to look to all the sheep in the world, he would make such work as the Pope would do with the sheep of Christ. If you tell us still that Christ is out of sight, I answer, He is even at hand: he is coming: he will not be long: In the meantime it is the duty of every Pastor [to feed the flock of God that is among them—not as Lord's over God's Heritage (as the Vice-christ would be:) and when the chief Shepherd doth appear, we shall receive the Crown,]
1 Pet. 5:1-4. Peter never dreamed, poor man, that he was the chief Shepherd himself.
4. For the Metaphor of a Family, I answer, That God can Govern all the Families in the world: and when the Pope can do so, then all the world shall acknowledge him the Master of the Family. Till then we have learned that the whole Family of Heaven and Earth is named of God, and of the Redeemer-God-and-Man: but not of the Pope of Rome.
5. And for the similitude of a Ship, I answer, One man can Govern a ship of the common size; but a ship as big as all the world, I think no man but Christ can govern: And so confident am I in this opinion, that I profess I will not be in that ship as big as the world which the Pope shall undertake to Govern, if I do but know how to get out of it.
Pg. 146. He goes on to tell us, that even the bruits have their Governors, and instanceth in the Bees. Answ. I am not well acquainted with Irrational
Governors or Governments: but seriously it is no Article of my faith, that one Be can Govern all the Bees in the world: Nor one Ape all the Apes in the world. Let it suffice the Pope that every particular Church be a Be-hive, and every Hive have its proper Governor.
Next he again tells Prince Charles [that we should not deny that to the Church which we see is necessary to all human Societies] Answ. Was this man in his wits! Have all Societies, or any Society a Universal Human
Governor? Who is it that is the Universal Chancellor of all the Academics on Earth? Who is it that is the Ruler of all the Colleges of Physicians in the world? I know what Schoolmaster we have in our own School here; but I never heard of a Universal Schoolmaster for all the world; nor for all
England: who is the Universal Governor of all the Companies of Merchants in the world? Or who is the Universal King?
In the Conclusion he gathers up all into seven reasons, Why the Church should have a Vice-christ [1. That the militant Church might be like the
triumphant, who have one Invisible Head.] Answ. 1. Christ is visible to the Church in Heaven. 2. When you have proved that any mere man is Christ, or Head in Heaven, then we will grant that a mere man shall be Christ and Head on earth. 3. Earth is not yet fit to be conformed to Heaven in its
Government. 4. Is it not the truest conformity, that Heaven and Earth have one and the same Lord, though visible to them and not to us, yet ruling us by visible officers? 5. But if this will not serve, lets have on earth a visible
Government: therefore let us have no Pope that is invisible to almost all the world; but Pastors that are visible in their particular Churches.
The second Reason is [That the militant Church differ not from itself, but as each particular Church hath one Visible Head or Pastor, so the whole should have.] Answ. 1. Content, if the Pope can show as good a Commission for the whole, and be as able to Govern the whole, and will really be present with the whole, and visible to them. 2. Is the world unlike itself, if all the world have not one King, as every particular Kingdom hath?
Or one Schoolmaster, as every particular School hath?
The third Reason is [For preserving Unity.] Answ. 1. And well it is done by you? And what unity will you keep at the Antipodes? Or in the vast dominions of Heathen and Mahometan Princes, where Christians are dispersed, but you come not near them? 2. We have a better unity already in One God, One Christ, One Spirit, One Gospel, One Baptism, One Hope,
&c. 3. The Mohammedans have more unity than you.
The fourth Reason is [To fulfill the doctrine of the Prophets and Christ.] Answ. You should have better shown such a doctrine before you had made use of it as a reason.
The fifth Reason is [That the Christian Church may be like the Jewish] Answ. When the Christian universal Church is no bigger than the Jewish,
that one may Govern it as well, we will hearken to you: Let the Pope undertake no larger a Circuit.
The sixth Reason is [That there may be someone Supreme judge to punish Bishops, and define matters of faith, call Councils, extinguish heresies and schisms.] Answ. 1. One Christ is enough for the Catholic Church for all these uses. I find the Articles of saith as well defined by Christ, as by the Vice-christ. I have searched the writings both of Christ and the Vice-christ, and in my poor judgment there is no comparison between them, nor hath the Pope one jot mended the Scripture. 2. And for Heresies and Schisms,
Christ hath extinguished many, but for ought I see the Pope rather increaseth them. In good sadness, did God send John the twenty second, alias the twenty third, to extinguish Heresies, with all those Abominations and all that Infidelity that was charged on him by a General Council? And was John the thirteenth a Vice-christ to extinguish Heresies by all that diabolical villainy that he was deposed for by a Council? 3. And for calling
Councils, they have learnt more wit, since Constance and Basil have let them know what Councils mean to do by them. Unless they can pack up forty or fifty (or what if it were a hundred, or two hundred) as they did at Trent, to say their lesson, as it was brought to them from Rome, and to call themselves a General Council for folks to laugh at them. Is this all that we must have a Vice-Christ for? How many General Councils did the Pope call for six hundred years after Christ? Tell us without Lying, and let us see why he was created.
The seventh Reason is [That the Divine Institution of Christ, and the plain Scripture about Peters Primacy may take place.] Answ. 1. Where shall a man that hath eyes find your pretended institution? The blind may sooner find it by the half. 2. Primacy and Monarchy are not all one. And
Bellarmine can tell you, that its one thing to be the first Apostle, and another thing to be the Vice-christ to the Church Universal. Peter was none such. 3. No nor was he properly anymore the Bishop of Rome then of many another place. Antioch claims the inheritance by birth-right, as Peters first supposed seat, and Jerusalem before them both.
Well, Reader thou seest now how Babel is built, and what is the strongest stuff that the learned Spaniards had to assault Prince Charles with: For verily I have not bawked their strength: And were it not for the loss of precious time to you and me, I would quickly thus show you the vanity of abundance more of their most applauded writings.