A Golden Chain

Thus likewise the church of God in cutting off any member by excommunication, is no more but an instrument performing a ministry in the name of Christ, & that is to testify & pronounce whom Christ himself hath cut off from the kingdom of heaven: whom he also will have for this cause, to be severed from the company of his own people till he repent. And so it is in all Ecclesiastical actions. Christ hath no deputy, but only instruments: the whole entire action being personal in respect of Christ. This one conclusion overthrows not only the Popes supremacy, but also: many other points of popery.

Thus likewise the church of God in cutting off any member by excommunication, is no more but an instrument performing a ministerie in the name of Christ, & that is to testifie & pronounce whome Christ himselfe hath cut off from the kingdome of heauen: whome he also will haue for this cause, to be seuered from the company of his owne people till he repent. And so it is in all Ecclesiasticall actions. Christ hath no deputie, but onely instruments: the whole entire action being personall in respect of Christ. This one conclusion ouerthrowes not only the Popes supremacie, but also: many other points of poperie.

Reason II. All the Apostles in regard of power & authority were equal: for the commission apostolical both for right and execution was given equally to them all, as the very words import. Math. 28.19. Go teach all nations baptizing them, &c. and the promise, I will give to thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven, is not private to Peter, but is made in his person to the rest, according as his confession was in the name of the rest. Thus saith Theophylact,¹ They have the power of committing and binding that receive the gift of a bishop as Peter. And Ambr. saith, What is said to Peter, is said to the Apostles. ²Therefore Peter had no supremacy over the rest of the Apostles in respect of right to the commission: which they say belonged to him only, and the execution thereof to the rest. But let all be granted, that Peter was in commission above the rest, for the time of his life: yet hence may not any superiority be gathered for the Bishops of Rome: because the authority of the Apostles were personal, and consequently ceased with them: without being conveyed to any other: because the Lord did not vouchsafe the like honour to any after them. For first of all, it was the privilege of the Apostles to be called immediately, and to see the Lord Jesus. Secondly, they had power to give the gift of the holy Ghost by the imposition of hands. Thirdly, they had such a measure of the assistance of the spirit, that in their public sermons & in writing of the word, they could not err: and these writings were all denied to those that followed