Apoftles. But perhaps fome who never before read any thing of this Authors, turning to this place of my citing, may in the latter part of the Chapter find his diffent from us, and tax us

of reading Authors (as himself doth) by an Index; or of a Inktolomame crafty concealment of the adverse teftimony of this famous man. whe

We must therefore take notice of what he faith, and be conclu- pdicart (dis

ded by it, or give reasons why we cannot; he grants, that Bi- Si vere, d Shops do fucceed the Apostles in their common works, as power of the proprie Apoftolo fuccedekeyes, teaching, and remitting of fins but he tells us of other things ret, tum faceas preaching in the whole world, writing of Canonical Scriptures, ret vere quod working of Miracles, gifts of Tongues, cafting out of Devils, and Apoftoli facewalking upon ferpents, which were truly, and properly Apoftolical re potuerunt works, and ought to be done at this day by those who truly, and pro-ret libros caperly fuccced the Apofiles, if there be any fuch.

nonicos, do

culorum habe

Here are feveral things practiced by the Apostles granted to be num linguaperpetual, others extraordinary; We yeild willingly the for- rum & miramer, but (notwithstanding this great Divines cenfure of gainfayers) we muft animadvert fomething upon the latter. What ret, Super Ser is truly, and properly Apoftolical, he accounts underivable, laret,damones confequently.

Firit, This denies the power of the keyes, preaching, and remif fion of fins to be truly, or properly Apoftolical works, and yet they are required of them by Chrifts exprefs commiffion. Joh 20. 23. Mat. 28. 19. 20.

Secondly, It overthrows all proper, and true fucceffion to the Apoftles. And confequently, the Bishops whom he allows to fucceed the Apoftles, do fucceed them neither truly, nor properly; which to my fenfe is irreconciliable to the nature of Succeffion; fince the Succeffor truly, and properly enters upon what the Predeceffor enjoyed. I know in temporal poffeffions, one Predeceffor may have feveral Succeffors, A Father may divide his Lands among many Sons, all of them are his Succeffois, but none of them enjoy his whole eftate. But this will no whit advantage Whitakers opinion till it fhall be proved, that prefent Church-officers fucceed the Apoftles in nothing properly Apoftolical, and that what he accounts truly, and properly Apoftolical, and confequently underivable were the verities, and proprieties of the Apoftolick Office: I bear in memory well enough what he bath faid, but muft profefs before the world, that I cannot allow his Criteria's, or preaching to the whole world, writing of Scriptures, working of Miracles, gift of Tongues, cafting out Devils, and treading upon Serpents; to give

A a 2

a

pentes ambu

ejiceret,

alia ejufmodi d. loc. poftefaceret, &c. rius citato

ibid.

Obj.

Sol.

a certain character of the proper, and true Apoftolick Office, diftin&t from what is derived to their Succeffors, for the greateft part of these matters were no part of the Apoftolick Office, but extraordinary gifts, and what is Official is at this day praaticable by their Succeffors; for inftance; their preaching to the whole world, is the only Office work mentioned by Whitaker among his fuppofed extraordinary. Apoftolical works. And this to this day is incumbent upon their Succeffors. We have fpoken fomewhat of this already,pag. And fhall add more, pag. 298 ot of this difcourfe. If all, or any of which, shall fatisfie our Reader, it will convince him; that though this work was truly Apoftolical, yet it was not fo proper to the first Apoftles, as to diftinguish them, as men of another Order from their present Succeffors; because others befides the twelve Apoftles did it in the Apostles dayes; and because much, if not moft of that work remains undone until this day.

All the rest mentioned by Whitaker were special gifts, and neither truely, nor properly appertaining to the Apoftolick Office; For example, he inftanceth in Gospel-writing. Igrant the Apoftles were imployed in this work, but not properly, and exclufively of all other men, for then we fhould have no Pen-men of holy Writ but Apostles, whereas St. Luke, and St. Mark were Scripture writers, but none of the twelve Apoftles: Nor was it truely an Apoftolical work, fo as to diftinguish an Apoftle from an Officer of an other Order, for then Andrew, Philip, Bartholcmew, Thaddeus, one, if not both the James's, Thomas, Simon the Canaanite, and Mathias were truly no Apostles. Do any fay thefe Apoftles did, or might write Scripture,though they did not write it, or if they writ, their writings are not come to our hands.

We can oppose a reafon against either member of the Ob- jection.

First, Ifthefe Apostles did write books of Canonical Scripture and they are perifhed,then have we not the Canon of the Scripture entire. And fo great a flaw being found in Gods providence towards the prefervation of his Oracles, as to fuffer the writings of the major part of the Apostles to perifh; those who please, may either thence take advantage to deny the cer tainty, and validity of the reft, or to vend new Enthusiasmes, under the fpecious pretexts of the recovery of the writings of thele Apoftles.

Secondly, Whereas it is fuppofed that fome Apoftles might (though

(though they did not) write Scripture. This is directly repug nant to the nature of Diviue Infpirations, which to whom fo ever they came, they immediatly captivated the man to their pleafure, and made him but as a Pen in the hand of the holy Ghoft,to write what characters he framed, what words he dictated, and no other. This is St. Peters decifion. 1 Pet. 1. 21. For the Prophefie came not in old time by the will of man, but boly men fpake as they were moved by the holy Ghost. In which Text being moved by the holy Ghost, is directly opposed to the will of man, If the will ofman acted, it was a humane, not a divine motion; but ifthe spirit of God moved,there was no impulfe of the will of man; but what was done was by a fupernatural, and divine force, carrying and bearing men out of themfelves, fo that all of them might fay with St. Paul. 2 Cor. 12. 2. Whe ther they were in the body they could not tell,or whether they were out of the body they could not tell. By, and from all which we may fafely, and warrantably conclude that no Apoftle who did not write Scripture, had any faculty to do it, fince if it were otherwife, Infpiration would be proved to be a refiftable motion, and thofe Apoftles who did not write Scripture convinced to have refifted the holy Ghost.

But return we orderly to the reft of Whitakers proper, and true Apoftolical works, they are working of miracles, gift of tongues, cafting out of devils, and treading upon ferpents, Thele are all of one nature or kind, and proceed from one caufe; viz. the effufion of extraordinary gifts upon the firft Church-officers; and by an examination how truly, and properly any one. of them was an Apoftolical work, we may make a Judgment of the reft, we will make an effay upon the gift of working of Miracles. This (in a direct oppofition to our learned Author) we fay was not an Apoftolical work, either truly, or properly, nut-buty for thea when the Apoftles ceafed to work Miracles, they were no true Apoftles. And St. Paul who once could heal multitudes with cloaths taken from his body, ceafed to be a true be a true A witty A witty obferva Apoftle when he left Trophimus fick at Miletum: Not properly, becaufe Philip, who is exprefly excluded from the Apoftolical, Order, A&t. 8. 1. wrought Miracles at Samania. A&t. 8. 6. And the people with one accord gave beed to those things which Philip. Spake, bearing and feeing the Miracles which he did. And what hath been faid of Miracles, may be faid of the gift of tongues, cafting out of Devils,and treading upon ferpents, & fufficiently proved by, Act. 8.7. Act, 19. 6. 1 Cor.14. per tot. Luk. 10.17.& ver.19.

A a 3.

In

Aion

the Papifts

hold it as

grofly as the

Phanatick

part of pre

tended Proteftants.

a Summuin

In all which places, perfons distinguished from their Apostolical Order, are noted to exercise thofe gifts.

These things fhall have a larger handling in the Tra& concerning Apoftles, where we fhall not only diftinguish betwixt Apoftolical works and gifts, but give rules and directions, whereby one may be known, and differenced from another. And Papal objecti- thither we refer all farther dealing in this matter, and the fuller on; that they do not hold anfwer unto Whitaker, if any not fatisfied with what is faid in the diftin&tion this difcourfe, fhall continue to infift upon his authority. Thus fo grofly, as might we difmifs the third Objection, and proceed to the rethe Proteftants maining Exceptions, but as quarulous Proteftants have given do. whey objections, fo clamourus Papifts may add another; and fay. Sol. The Pro- Obj. Were all this granted. The Papifts do not hold the teftants do not diftinction betwixt ordinary and extraordinary Officers, so hold this di- grofly as the Proteftants do; Proteftants leave all to the inftinction, but fpired Laity in cafe of corruption, but Papifts own the Pope as Chrifts Vicar,to have authority to examin the verity,& validity of pretended revelations, and to compofe all other differences. Danfwer; I might charge this Objection as a calumny, fince I have already produced a Catalogue of fo many Proteftant Churces who difown the diftinction. But I fhall endeavour to give the Objection a fuller answer: And do fay. Papifts are Pontificem effe no more excufable in this, then the noft hair-brain'd Enthuficaput totius afts, who make the worft ufe of this diftinction. I prove it ecclefia,Bellar.de Concil. from Bellarmine, his task being the fettlement of the Popes Inlib. 2. ca. 15. fallibility uncontroulable by general Councils, and accordingly b Non effe in having laid this foundation, (a) That the Pope is the bead of the concilio fum- whole Church. (b) that Councils have not the fupreme power, (c)that mam potefta- the Pope is abfolutely above Councils, &gs(d) that the Pope cannot tem. cap. 16. CPontificem Subject Aimself to the compulsory decree of Councils. At laft he pereffe abfolute ceives the earth quakes under the weight of his Structure; And Supra concili-the Church cryes unto him, that this unlimited papal power um. cap. 17. leaves her remedilefs, let the Pope be never fo arbitrary or tyd Pontificem rannical. Wherefore he digs deeper, and difcovers (not a Rock non poffe fubjicere feipfum, but) a great part of the Jefuitical myftery(which is fo to manage fententia co- other mens boundless fubjection to the Pope, as to make him active concilia vaffal to the Jefuites) and plainly tells his Holinels. That it orum. ca. 18. doth not follow from bence (ie. all difputed in the foregoing binc fequitur Chapters) that it is unlawful to refift the Pope destroying the Church, non licere, refiftere Pontifici, ecclefiam deftruenti, licet enim eum fervata, reuerentia admonere, & modefte corripere, repugnare etiam vi, & armis fi ecclefiam, deftruere velit ; ad refiftendum enim, vim pi repellendum, non requiritur ulla authoritas; vide de hac re Johan. de Turrecre mata lib.2.ca.106. Bell.de Concil. lib. 2. ca. 19. Sect.refpondeo non mi

Non tamen

rum.

ウ

for

tum,

per totum de

6.

for it is lawful with fit reverence to admonish him, and modeftly tore buke him; jea to oppofe him by force and armes,if he will destroy the * De verbo Church; for to refift and put back force with force, no authority is rem Dei. lib 3. ca. quired. This be declareth not as his fingle opinion, but as joyntly 5. Se&. quintum teftimoni profeffed, and owned by his fellow Cardinal John de Turrecremata; um. Whereby the truth of the Popes Fallibility is confirmed in the de Roman mouth of two Cardinal witneffes. Particularly Bellarmines Pontif. lib. 4. teftimony, not only contradicts, but draws a Deleatur upon ca. 3. per towhat he had before written of the Popes Infallibility; for were it true, when he faith (*) the Pope cannot erre, becaufe Chrift pray- Concil. lib. 2. ed for Peter, that his faith should not fail. It had been a fairer, ca. 2. Sect. and fuller anfwer to fay, the Objection fuppofeth a thing impof- tertia claffis. fible, and utterly inconfiftent with our Saviours prayer for Peter, and his Succeffors. But if the Objection be true and vas lid, as Bellarmine by his anfwer unto it acknowledgeth it to be, then the infallibility is a fable. However Bellarmine will maintain both, and calls John de Turrecremata to his affiftance: the Objection is conceded, the fore acknowledged, the falve prefcribed; In this cafe the Pope must not step into the Chair, but the people must pull him out, no matter who, of what con dition, or in what manner they affemble, for to repel force with force no authority is required: Do but they fay he will deftroy the Church, and have power enough to ftand by their words, 'tis fufficient, yea 'tis the only remedy, and final Judg ment. For the Pope cannot (though he would J fubmit himself to the compulsory decrees of Councils. Thus if Papists complain,that the Reformation hath entered into any place with more force then order, those they complain upon may answer they did nothing but upon Bellarmings advice and councel; for ere they recurred to force, they faid, and were ready to prove that the Pope would destroy the Church, and they had no other way to refift his force but by taking up armes against him. And thus Papifts and Presbyterians,who for ends not much unlike;the depreffion (that's the Papal the fuppreffion (that's the Presbyterial) of an Officer of divine Institution, fuperiour to Presbyters, and equal to the Bishop of Rome,that themselves may arrogate,and ufurp his authority; maintain this accurfed, and to be abominated diftinction, betwixt or dinary and extraordinary Officers. Although in other things they feem to be, and are the greatest oppofites; yet berein they agree to manage their arch ufurpation fo arbitrarily, that as their fettlement is by force and diforder, jo to leave the people to like means to relieve themfelves against their tyranny, men without authority with the one, and

men