Animadversions on a treatise entitled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…Animadversions on a treatise intituled Fiat lux, or, A guide in differences of religion,…

I suppose they will not say so, because they speak to men that have seen the Bible: If it came to them from others, what Privilege had they at Rome, that they should not have the same respect for them, from whom the Gospel came to them, as they claim from those unto whom they plead, that it came from themselves? The case is ⟨p. 45⟩clear; St. Peter coming to Rome, brought his Chair along with him, after which time, that was made the head, spring, and fountain of all Religion, and no such thing could befall those places, where the Planters of the Gospel had no Chairs to settle. I think I have read this Story in an hundred writers, but they were all men of yesterday, in comparison; who, what ever they pretend, know no more of this business, than my self. St. Peter speaks not one word of it, in his writings; nor yet St. Luke; nor St. Paul, nor any one who by Divine inspiration, committed any thing to remembrance of the state of the Church, after the Resurrection of Christ. And not only are they utterly silent of this matter; but so also are Clemens, and Ignatius, and Justin Martyr, and Tertullian, with the rest of knowing men in those days. I confess, in after-ages, when some began to think it meet, that the chiefest Apostle should go to the then chiefest City in the world, divers began to speak of his going thither, and of his Martyrdom there, though they agree not in their Tales about it. But be it so; ⟨p. 46⟩as for my part, I will not contend in a matter so dark, uncertain, of no moment in Religion; this I know, that being the Apostle of the Circumcision, if he did go to Rome, it was to convert the Jews that were there, and not to found that Gentile-Church, which in a short space got the start of the other; But yet, neither do these Writers talk of bringing his Chair thither; much less is there in them one dust of that rope of Sand, which men of latter days have endeavoured to twist with inconsistent consequences, and groundless presumptions to draw out from thence the Popes Prerogative. The case then is absolutely the same as to those in respect of the Romans, who received the Gospel from them, or by their means; and of the Romans themselves, in respect of those from whom they received it. If they would win worship to themselves from others, by pretending that the Gospel came forth from them unto them;

I suppose they will not say so, because they speak to men that have seen the Bible: If it came to them from others, what Priviledge had they at Rome, that they should not have the same respect for them, from whom the Gospel came to them, as they claim from those unto whom they plead, that it came from themselves? The case is