The way to the true church wherein the principall motiues perswading according to Romanisme and questions touching the nature and authoritie of the church and scriptures, are familiarly disputed, and driuen to their issues, where, this day they sticke betweene the Papists and vs: contriued into an answer to a popish discourse concerning the rule of faith and the marks of the church. And published to admonish such as decline to papistrie of the weake and vncertaine grounds, whereupon they haue ventured their soules. Directed to all that seeke for resolution: and especially to his louing countrimen of Lancashire. By Iohn White minister of Gods word at Eccles. For the finding out of the matter and questions handled, there are three tables: two in the beginning, and one in the end of the booke.

The Answer.

1 Our answer is, that the succession required to make a Church Apostolicke, must be defined by the doctrine, and not by the place or persons: that is to say, they must be reputed the Apostles successors which beleeue the Apostles doctrine, al∣though they haue not this outward succession of Pastors, visi∣bly following one another in one place, throughout all ages, as the Iesuite saith, it is in the Romane Church. For Saint Paula telleth the Ephesians, they are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, in respect of their calling to the know∣ledge of the Gospel; and yet they had not lineally (as the Iesuite meaneth it) descended from the Prophets. And Nazianzene saith,b Succession in godlinesse, is properly to be accounted succession. For he that holdeth the same doctrine, is also partaker of the same succession; as he that is against the doctrine, must be reputed to be also out of the succession. Which being granted, the Iesuites dis∣course about succession is soone answered. To the same effect speaketh his ownec Canon, They are not the children of the Saints that sit in their places, but which do their workes. Yea the Iesuites confesse this. For Posseuined writeth, that the true Church is cal∣led Apostolicke, not onely for the succession of Bishops from the Apo∣stles, but also for the consanguinitie of doctrine. And Gregory of Valenza,e telling why the Church is called Apostolicke in the Nicene Creed, giueth onely three reasons: First, because it be∣gan in the Apostles: next, because by them it was spred all ouer the world: thirdly, because it still followeth their faith and authoritie. Waldensisf saith, The Apostles filled the whole Church with wholsome doctrine: and in that respect the whole Catholicke Church is also called Apostolicke. By all which it is plaine, that for the being of an Apostolicke Church, it is sufficient if it hold the A∣postles faith, though it want the Iesuites succession men∣tioned.

2 Whence it followeth, that although it were granted, the Romane Church could shew a perpetual succession of Pre∣lates, without interruption from S. Peter (which the Iesuit saith may be shewed, butg I deny) yet were it not thereby proued

Apostolike, vnlesse these Prelates had also retained S. Peters doctrine: that the reader may see, all other marks of the Church must be tried by the doctrine; and that the Iesuits succession, and vnitie, and vniuersality, proue nothing vnlesse the true faith concurre therewith.

3 Whence it followeth again, that it is no disaduantage to the Protestant Churches, if holding the Apostles doctrine, they want externall succession of place & persons, such as the Iesuite boasteth of: because the Apostolicknesse of the Church is not to be defined by it, but wheresoeuer the true faith contained in the Scriptures is professed and embraced, there is the whole and full nature of an Apostolicke Church.

4 And so I answer the Iesuites discourse in particular, that we can deriue our faith from the Apostles, and that without interruption, in that to this day it was neuer interrupted, though such as succeeded visibly in bishops thrones did not alway pro∣fesse it; it is sufficient that their malice could neuer extinguish it, and the professors and teachers thereof liued in the Romane Church it selfe; which, beside all other testimonies, we know by this, that it is the faith of the Scriptures, which cannot be extin∣guished, but groweth in the middest of all her enemies.

5 And touching Luther and Caluin, I answer, that what∣soeuer is said against them, dependeth vpon another point, which is, the faith that they taught. For if that were the truth, thē no doubt they were sent of God to teach it, & we hearing them, receiued it of them no otherwise then Gods faithful peo∣ple are bound to receiue the Gospell of their Pastors. And whereas he saith, they succeeded no Apostolick Bishop, neither had any calling to preach that new faith; I answer, that for the externall succession, whereof I haue spoken, we care not; it is sufficient that in doctrine they succeeded the Apostles and Pri∣mitiue Churches, and those faithfull witnesses which in all ages since embraced the same in persecution, though they succee∣ded not in that open manner that was vsed afore heresie and persecution grew. And albeit the Romane Church would not heare them, yet had they a lawfull calling. First inwardly from God, who stirred them vp, gaue them gifts, directed them by

his spirit, and blessed their labor: then outwardly in the Church of Rome it selfe, where they were created Doctors of Diuinity, and Pastors to teach the people, as they were baptized: by ver∣tue whereof they might lawfully preach afterward that which by the Scriptures they found to be the truth, and did lineally succeed the true Pastors of the Church that liued before them. If it be obiected, that hauing their calling in the Church of Rome, it will follow thereupon, that only the Church of Rome is the true Church; this is easily answered, by denying the con∣sequence. For the Church of God and the Papacie were min∣gled together, and were both called by one name, the church of Rome, by reason that in diuers things that were good and indifferent, they communicated. So that euen in the Papacie many of the things of Gods Church remained, as the Scripture, Baptisme, and these callings; which the Pope and his Clergie occupying, did as pirates that occupie another mans ship, and his goods therein: and therefore conferring baptisme and callings to diuers persons that afterwards forsooke the Pope, the said persons notwithstanding rightly inherited them as the true Churches goods which the Papacie vsurped. And whereas the Iesuite saith, they were not sent to preach this new faith; I answer him, that this new faith, as he styleth it, is the true faith: & therfore euen that sending which they had, bound them to preach it, though at the first it reuealed it not to them, but God did it by meanes of the Scriptures, and faithfull professors, that lay secretly hidden in the middest of the Papacie; and when they saw the truth, they needed no other outward allowance to preach, then that which they had to preach the Gospell: as the Iesuite will thinke, that himselfe being baptized in the Church of England, after the order thereof, with intent that he should also professe that faith, yet afterward falling to Papistry, nee∣deth no other baptisme, but by vertue of it may vse the libertie of other Christians. The very same we say of Luther and Cal∣uins callings; whereby they are freed from the imputations that Cyprian and Optatus lay vpon the Donatists. For such as haue no lawfull admission, are children indeed without a father, and scholers without a maister, and Bishops without succession, or what

the Iesuite will: but these men had a calling, else let vs see what will be said to that I haue answered.

§. 53. This succession of Priests and Bishops continually from the Apo∣stles, which we haue and the Protestants want, the ancient Fathers did much esteeme, and vse as an argument, partly to confound the heretickes of those dayes, partly to confirme themselues to continue in the Catholicke Church, prouing by the succession of Pastors, succession of Apostolicall doctrine still to haue continued in the Church. Hereupon S. Irenaeus lib. 3. ca. 3. saith, Tradi∣tionem ab Apostolis & annuntiatam hominibus fidem, per successionem Episco∣porum peruenientem vsque ad nos, indicantes; confundimus omnes eos qui quoquo modo, vel per sui placentiam malam, vel vanam gloriam, vel per coecitatem colli∣gunt praeterquam oportet. Shewing the tradition from the Apostles and the faith preached vnto men, coming vnto vs by succession of Bishops, we confound all them, who any way either through euill complacence of themselues, or through vaine∣glorie, or through blindnesse, and euill opinion, do collect and conclude otherwise then they ought. Hereupon also saith Tertullian, writing against heretickes: Edant origines suarum Ecclesiarum, euoluant ordinem Episcoporū, ista per suc∣cessionem ab initio decurrentes, vt primus ille Episcopus aliquem ex Apostolis, vel Apostolicis viris, qui tamen cum Apostolis perseuerauerit, authorem habue∣rit vel antecessorem. Lib. de praescript. Let them set forth the beginning of their Church, let them vnfold or declare the order of Bishops, so running from the be∣ginning by succession, that the first Bishop of their sect had some of the Apostles or Apostolicke men, who perseuered with the Apostles, for his author or prede∣cessor. Also S. Austine contra Epist. Fundam. c. 4. saith, Tenet me in Ecclesia Catholica ab ipsa sede Petri Apostoli, cui pascendas oues suas Dominus commen∣dauit, vsque ad praesentem Episcopum successio Sacerdotum. The succession of Priests from the seate of S. Peter the Apostle, to whom our Lord commended his sheepe to be fed, vntill this present Bishop, doth hold me in the Catholicke Church. The same S. Austin Epist. 105. doth dispute in the same maner. In which Epi∣stle he reckoneth vp all the Bishops of Rome vntill Anastasius, who was in his time Bishop in S. Peters seate. Cypr. lib. 1. Epist. 6. Optat. lib. 2. cont. Par∣men. The which argument those Fathers would neuer so much haue vrged if they had not thought that this succession was a sure marke of the true Church, and that with this outward succession of Doctors and Pastors was al∣way infallibly conioyned the true doctrine of the Catholicke faith.

Notes

• a

  Ephes. 2.20.
• b

  Laud. Athan.
• c

  D. 4. Non est facile.
• d

  Not. verbi Dei. pag. 328. ad interrog. 11.
• e

  Tom. 3. pag. 141. proprietas 4.
• f

  Tom. 1. do∣ctrinal. l. 2. art. 2. cap. 18.
• g

  See digress.
• Touching the calling of Lu∣ther.