296 A VINDICATION OF THE ANIMADVERSIONS ON FIAT LUX.
Peter, I desire to know ivhat that succession is, and wherein he doth succeed him. Doth he succeed him in all that he had and ivas, in reference unto the church of God ? Doth he succeed him in the manner of his call to his office ? Peter was called immediately by Christ in his own person: the pope is chosen by the conclave of cardinals; concerning whom, their office, privileges, power, right to choose the successor of Peter, there is not one iota in the Scripture, or any monuments of the best antiquity; and how, in their election of popes, they have been influenced by the interest of powerful strumpets, jour own Baronius will inform you. Doth he succeed him in the ivay and manner of his personal discharge of his office and emplo5rment ? Not in the least. Peter, in the pursuit of his commission, and in obedience unto the command of his Lord and Master, travelled up and down the world preaching the gospel, plant- ing and watering the churches of Christ in patience, self-denial, hu- mility, zeal, temperance, meekness ; the pope reigns at Rome in ease, exalting himself above the kings of the earth, without taking the least pains in his own person for the conversion of sinners or edification of the disciples of Christ. Doth he succeed him in his personal qualifications, which were of such extraordinary advantage unto the church of God in his days, — his faith, love, holiness, light, and knowledge ? You will not say so. Many of your popes, by your own confession, have been ignorant and stupid ; many of them flagi- tiously wicked, to say no more. Doth he succeed him in the way and manner of his exercising his care and authority towards the churches of Christ ? As little as the rest. Peter did it by his jDrayers for the churches, personal visitation, and instruction of them, writing by inspiration, for their direction and guidance, according to the will of God : the pope by bulls, and consistorial determinations, executed by intricate legal processes and officers, unknown not only to Peter, but all antiquity ; whose ways, practices, orders, terms, St Peter him- self, were he upon the earth again, would very little understand. Doth he succeed him in his i^ersonal infallibility? Agree among yourselves if you can, and give an answer unto this inquiry. Doth he succeed him in his power of working miracles? You do not so much as pretend thereunto. Doth he succeed liim in the doctrine that he taught ? It hath been proved unto you a thousand times that he doth not ; and we are still ready to prove it again, if you call us thereunto. Wherein, then, doth this succession consist that you talk of? In his poAver, authority, jurisdiction, supremacy, monarchy, with the secular advantages of riches, honour, and pomp that attend them; things sweet and desirable unto carnal minds. This is the succession you pretend to plead for. And are you not therein to be commended for your wisdom ? In the things that Peter really eu-
PRINCIPLES OF PAPISTS ON THE UNIT^ OF FAITH. 297
joyed, and wliicli were of singular spiritual advantage unto the church of God, you disclaim any succession unto him, and fix it on things wherein he was no way concerned, that make for your own secular advantage and interest. You have certainly laid your design very well, if these things wotild hold good to eternity; for hence it is that you draw out the monarchy of your pope, direct and absolute in ecclesiastical things over the whole church; indirect at least, and "in ordine ad spiritualia," over the whole world. This is the Diana, in making of shrines for whom your occupation consists; and it brings no small gains unto you. Hence you wire-draw his cathedral infalli- bility, legislative authority, freedom from the judgment of any; whereby you hope to secure him and yourselves from all opposition, endeavouring to terrify them with this Medusa's head that approach unto you. Hence are his titles, " The Vicar of Christ, Head and Spouse of his Church, Vice-Deus, Deus alter in Terris," and the like, whereby you keep up popular veneration, and preserve his majestic distance from the poor disciples of Christ. Hence you warrant his practices, suited unto these pretensions and titles, in the deposing of kings, transposing of titles unto dominion and rule, giving away of Idngdoms, stkring up and waging mighty wars, causing and com- manding them that dissent from him, or refuse to yield obedience unto him, to be destroyed with fire and sword. And who can now question but that you have very wisely stated your succession ?
This is the way, this the progress, whereby you pretend to bring us unto the unity of faith. If we will submit unto the pope, and acquiesce in his determinations (whereunto to induce us we have the cogent reasons now considered), the work will be effected. This is the way that God hath, as you pretend, appointed to bring us unto settlement in religion. These things you have told us so often, and with so much confidence, that you take it ill we should question the truth of any thing you aver in the whole matter, and look upon us as very ignorant or unreasonable for our so doing. Yea, he that be- lieves it safer for him to trust the everlasting concernments of his soul unto the goodness, grace, and faithfulness of God in his word, than unto these principles of yours, is rejected by you out of the limits of the catholic church, — that is, of Christianity, for they are the same. To make good your judgment and censure, then, you vent endless cavils against the authority, perfection, and perspicuity of the Scriptures, pretending to despise and scorn whatever is offered in their vindication. This rope of sand, composed of false suppositions, groundless presumptions, inconsequent inferences, in all which there is not one word of infallible truth, at least that you can any way make appear so to be, is the great bond you used to gird men withal into the unity of faith. In brief, you tell us that if we will all submit to