24 AXIMADVERSIOXS ON A TREATISE
that a church was planted in that city, for any thing that may be made to appear by story, it was, as to the first edition of Christianity in the Roman empire, as Uttle serviceable in the propagation of the gospel as any other church of name in the world : so that, if such principles should be pleaded as of general equity, there could be nothing fixed on more destructive to the Romanists' pretences. If they have any special privilege to found this claim upon, they may do well to produce it. In the Scripture, though there be of many believers, yet there is no mention made of any church at Rome, but only of that little assembly that used to meet at Aquila's house, Rom. xvi. 5. Of any such privilege annexed unto that meeting we find nothing. The fii'st general council, confirming power and rule over others in some churches, acknowledges, indeed, more to have been practised in the Roman church than I know how they could prove to be due unto it ; but yet that very unwaiTantable grant is utterly destructive to the present claim and condition of the pope and church of Rome. The wings now pretended to be like those of the sun, extending themselves at once to the ends of the earth, were then accounted no longer than to be able to cover the poor believers in the city and suburbs of it, and some few adjacent towns and vil- lages. It would be a long story to tell the progress of this claim in after times: it is sufficiently done in some of those books of which our author says there are enough to fill the Tower of London ; where, I presume, or into the fire, he could be contented they should be for ever disposed of: and therefore we may dismiss this principle also.
III. That which is the main pillar, bearing the weight of all this fine fabric, is the principle we mentioned in the third place, — namely, " That the Roman profession of religion and practice in the worship of God are every way the same as when we first received the gospel from the pope; nor can they ever otherwise be. '
This is taken for granted by our author throughout his discourse. And the truth is, that if a man hath a mind to suppose and make use of things that are in question between him and his adversary, it were a folly not to presume on so much as should assuredly serve his turn. To what purpose is it to mince the matter, and give opportunity to new cavils and exceptions, by bab3^-mealy-mouthed petitions of some small things that there is a strife about, when a man may as honestly, all at once, suppose the whole truth of his side, and proceed without fear of disturbance? And so wisely deals our author in this business. That which ought to have been his whole work, he takes for granted to be already done! If this be granted him, he is safe; deny it, and all his fine oration dwindles into a little sapless sophistry. But he must get the great number of books that he seems to be troubled with out of the world, and the Scripture to boot, before he
ENTITLED FIAT LUX. 25
will persuade considerate and unprejudiced men that there is a word of truth in this supposition. That we in these nations received not the gospel originally from the pope (which, p. 354, our author tells us " is his, purely his," whereas we thought before it had been Christ's) hath been declared, and shall, if need be, be farther evinced. But let us suppose once again that we did so ; yet we constantly deny the church of Rome to be the same, in doctrine, worship, and discipline, that she was when it is pretended that by her means we were insti- tuted in the knowledge of truth. Our author knows full well what a facile work I have now lymg in view, — what an easy thing it were to go over most of the opinions of the present church of Rome, and most if not all their practices in worship, and to manifest their vast distance from the doctrine, practice, and principles of that church of old. But though this were really a more serious work, and more useful, and much more accommodated to the nature of the whole dif- ference between us, more easy and pleasant to myself, than the pursuit of this odd rambling chase that, by following of him, I am engaged in ; yet, lest he should pretend that this would be a diversion into com- mon-places, such as he hath purposely avoided (and that not unwisely, that he might have advantage all along to take for gi'anted that which he knew to be principally in question between us), I shall dis- miss that business, and only attend unto that great proof of this assertion which himself thought meet to shut up his book withal, as that which was fit to pin down the basket, and to keep close and safe all the long-billed birds that he hoped to lime-twig by his preceding rhetoric and sophistry. It is in pp. 862, 863. Though I hope I am not contentious, nor have any other hatred against Popery than what be- comes an honest man to have against that which he is persuaded to be so ill as Popery must needs be, if it be ill at all ; yet, upon his request, I have seriously pondered his queries (a captious way of disputing), and, falling now in my way, do return this answer unto them: —