But what is next to this?1 The Bishop of Rome succeeds Peter in all that Power, Jurisdiction, Infallibility, with whatsoever else was fancied before in him, as the ordinary ⟨p. 181⟩Lord of the Church, and therefore the Roman Church is the Catholic; quod erat demonstrandum Now though this inference will no way follow upon these Principles, though they should all be supposed to be true, whereof not one is so much as probable; and though this last Assertion be vain and ridiculous, nothing at all being pleaded to ground this Succession; no Institution of Christ, no Act of any Council of the Church; no Will nor Testament of Peter; but only it is so fallen out, as the world was composed of a casual concurrence of Atoms: yet seeing they will have it so, I desire a little farther information in one thing, that yet remains; and that is this, The Charter, Patents, and Grant of all this power, & right of succession unto Peter, in all the Advantages, privileges and Jurisdiction, before mentioned, being wholly in their own keeping, whereof I never saw letter or title, nor ever conversed with any one, no not of themselves, that did; I would be gladly informed, whether this grant be made to him absolutely, without any manner of condition whatever; so that, who ever comes to be Pope of Rome, and possessed of Peters Chair the•e by what means soever he is possessed of it, whether he believe the Gospel ⟨p. 182⟩or no, or any of the saving Truths therein contained, and so their Church must be the Catholic Church, though it follow him in all Abominations; or whether it be made on any condition to him, especially that of cleaving to the doctrine of Christ revealed in the Gospel? If they say the first, that it is an absolute grant, that is made to him without any condition expressed or necessarily to be understood, I am at an issue, and have nothing to add, But my desire that the Grant may be produced; for whilst we are at this variance, it is against all Law and Equity, that the parties litigant should be admitted to plead bare Allegations, without proof. If the latter, though we should grant all the former monstrous suppositions, yet we are perfectly secure against all their pretensions, knowing nothing more clearly and evidently, then that He and they have broken all conditions, that can possibly be imagined, by corrupting and perverting almost the whole doctrine of the Gospel.
But what is next to this?1 The Bishop of Rome succeeds Peter in all that Power, Jurisdiction, Infallibility, with whatsoever else was fancied before in him, as the ordinary ⟨p. 181⟩Lord of the Church, and therefore the Roman Church is the Catholick; quod erat demonstrandum Now though this inference will no way follow upon these Principles, though they should all be supposed to be true, whereof not one is so much as probable; and though this last Assertion be vaine and ridiculous, nothing at all being pleaded to ground this Succession; no Institution of Christ, no Act of any Councell of the Church; no Will nor Testament of Peter; but only it is so fallen out, as the world was composed of a casuall concurrence of Atomes: yet seeing they will have it so, I desire a little farther information in one thing, that yet remains; and that is this, The Charter, Patents, and Grant of all this power, & right of succession unto Peter, in all the Advantages, priviledges and Jurisdiction, before mentioned, being wholly in their own keeping, whereof I never saw letter or title, nor ever conversed with any one, no not of themselves, that did; I would be gladly informed, whether this grant be made to him absolutely, without any manner of condition whatever; so that, who ever comes to be Pope of Rome, and possessed of Peters Chaire the•e by what meanes soever he is possessed of it, whether he believe the Gospell ⟨p. 182⟩or no, or any of the saving Truths therein contained, and so their Church must be the Catholick Church, though it follow him in all Abominations; or whether it be made on any condition to him, especially that of cleaving to the doctrine of Christ revealed in the Gospell? If they say the first, that it is an absolute grant, that is made to him without any condition expressed or necessarily to be understood, I am at an issue, and have nothing to adde, But my desire that the Grant may be produced; for whilest we are at this variance, it is against all Law and Equity, that the parties litigant should be admitted to plead bare Allegations, without proofe. If the latter, though we should grant all the former monstrous suppositions, yet we are perfectly secure against all their pretensions, knowing nothing more clearly and evidently, then that He and they have broken all conditions, that can possibly be imagined, by corrupting and perverting almost the whole doctrine of the Gospell.
- 1§. 32.
