To the extent possible under law, the Text Creation Partnership has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above, according to the terms of the CC0 1.0 Public Domain Dedication (http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/). This waiver does not extend to any page images or other supplementary files associated with this work, which may be protected by copyright or other license restrictions. Please go to http://www.textcreationpartnership.org/ for more information.
FOr Vicaradge vnto Christ properly so taken, it teacheth vs, That Iesus Christ, going out of the world, promised to substitute in his roome, not any Peter, nor any man, but such a one as could bee euery where with his Church, in his
bodily absence, which was his holy Spirit, Ioh. 15. 26. & 16. 7. And by this would hee be euer with them, Math. 28. 19, 20. & 18. 20. to remember them of all things, Ioh. 14. 26. to guide them, Ioh. 16. 13. and to dwell with them, Ioh. 14 17. Rom. 8. 9. which a Peter could not doe.
Secondly, it telleth vs, that according to this promise, when Christ ascended, hee sent downe his Spirit, Act. 2. by which Gods people are still guided and taught, Rom. 8. 1, 5, 9. 11, 14, 26. 1. Cor. 2. 10, 12. 1. Ioh. 2. 20, 27. which beareth witnesse to our spirits, that wee are Gods children, Rom. 8. 16. Gal. 4. 6. by which wee are sealed to eternall life, 2. Cor. 1. 12. Ephes. 1. 13.
Thirdly, it declareth vnto vs, that when Christ ascended, hee was mindfull of his Church, and gaue gifts vnto men: Some, to* 1.1 be Apostles; some, Prophets; some, Euangelists; some, Pastors, and Teachers: but among these, no one generall Vicar, or Head ouer all. If there had beene such a one, Paul had as good rea∣son to haue mentioned him, as the rest. But his Vicar gene∣rall was Gods Spirit, and no man. And note, that the Apostle shewes a threefold vse of these afore-named. 1. For that they were the consummation of the Saints. 2. For the worke of the Ministerie. 3. For the edifying of the body of Christ.
Now, if a generall visible Vicar on earth had serued for any of these purposes, hee had been giuen of Christ: but he nee∣ded not, and therefore this needlesse gift was not giuen to any.
As for a supply of Instructers, Guides, and Lights in the Church Militant, wee deny not, but Christ hath left many Vi∣cars, and doth still send dayly Embassadours to his Church, to reconcile vs to God. And so our Bishops, and other Ministers of the Church, by the Keyes of power and knowledge, open the way of Heauen to Christian people, which they doe in Christs stead, and therein are his Vicars, or Deputies, lawfully called. But this Vicaradge is too small a portion for Sir Pope.
Tertul. de violand. Virgin. The Lord sent the Holy Ghost, that mans mediocritie, not being capable of all things at one time, might by little and little bee directed, orderly disposed, and brought to perfection, by that Ʋicar his holy Spirit. Also in his Booke, de praescript. hee saith, that Christ taken vp into heauen, sent the power of his holy Spirit, as his Ʋicar, to con∣duct the faithfull. Wee see in these dayes, who was held the Vi∣car of Christ.
Aquinas in Opusc. 20. calleth all the Apostles the Vicars of Christ.
Tolet. in Ioh. 20. 21. saith, that Christ instituted his Apostles, his Ʋicars. How then was Peter his Vicar? for their cannot be a Vicars Vicar. If Peter was then the Vicar of Christ, they could not be Vicars too; and, by these mens testimonie, they being Vicars, he was not Christs onely Vicar.
Now then I conclude, that if Peter was not the Prince of the Apostles, nor the Head of the Church, nor Christs onely gene∣rall Vicar here on earth, then the Pope cannot possibly bee any of these. For he claimeth all from Peter, as being his onely suc∣cessor. Therefore Peter neuer hauing these from Christ, as is fully proued, the Pope cannot haue them. But if it could be pro∣ued, that Peter had all these (which yet is most false:) what were that to the Pope: by what right could hee claime them? when al the Papists in the world are not able, by vndeniable ar∣guments, to proue; 1. That Peter was euer (after he was Christs* 1.2 Disciple) personally at Rome. 2. That albeit hee had beene at Rome, therefore (already being an Apostle) hee was the Bishop of Rome, an inferiour Dignitie. 3. That whatsoeuer was giuen to Peter, the same was also giuen to the Pope, successiuely to the worlds end. 4. That the Pope is truely Peters successor, both in Doctrine, and life. 5. That these last Popes, for many
hundred yeeres, are one and the same with the Bishops of Rome in the first three hundred of yeeres, for Doctrine and conuersa∣tion, following Peter therein. Till these be proued soundly, though Peter had been, that which they striue to make him: yet is the Pope neuer the better; but a proud and an arrogant vsur∣per of Titles and Authoritie not due to him.
Ephes. 4. 12.
See my Booke: The fabulous foundation of the Popedome