SECTION XI.

NULLITY OF THE POPISH ORDINATIONS :-CHARACTER OF THE POPISH CHURCH, AND POPISH BISHOPS, BEFORE AND AT THE REFORMATION.

We have seen the ROOT of this high church scheme of Anglican Popery cut up in the proof of the equality by divine right of all Christian Ministers; and, in the last Section, the boast of an unbroken line of power to bind all consciences to that scheme, has perished in the fire of probation. Another point remains to be a little more distinctly examined: it is the question of the validity of Popish Ordinations. The spiritual descent of our high church succession men, essentially depends, amongst other things, upon the validity of Popish Episcopal Ordinations before and at the Reformation. We shall shew these Popish Episcopal Ordinations to have been no ordinanations in a scriptural sense; to have been null and void to all intents and purposes as to the Christian Ministry. We will first give a brief character of the church of Rome, and the Bishops of Rome, before the Reformation.

As to the CHURCH of ROME, the REFORMERS, with one voice, declared

it to be ANTICHRIST, and guilty of IDOLATRY.

The Homilies of the Church of England are decisive as to the views of the English Reformers. "Now, concerning excessive decking of Images and Idols, with Painting, gilding, adorning, with precious Vestures, Pearl, and Stone, what is it else, but for the further provocation and enticement to spiritual Fornication, to deck spiritual Harlots most costly and wantonly. which the IDOLATROUS CHURCH understandeth well enough. For she being indeed not only an HARLOT, (as the Scriptures calleth her) but also a foul, filthy, old, withered Harlot, (for she is indeed of ancient years) and understanding her lack of natural and true Beauty, and great loathsomeness which of herself she hath, doth, (after the custom of such Harlots) paint herself, and deck and tire herself with Gold, Pearl, Stone, and all kinds of precious Jewels, that she shining with the outward beauty and glory of them, may please the foolish phantasie of fond Lovers, and so entice them to spiritual fornication with her, Who, if they saw her, (I will not say naked) but in simple Apparel, would abhor her as the foulest and filthiest HARLOT that ever was seen; According as appeareth by the description of the garnishing of the great Strumpet of all strumpets, the Mother of Whoredom, set forth by St. John in his Revelation, who by her glory provoked the Princes of the Earth to commit Whoredom with her." (j) "Wherefore it followeth, that there is like foolishness and lewdness in decking of our IMAGES as GREAT PUPPETS for OLD FOOLS, like Children, to play the (j) Homily against Idolatry, third Part.

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wicked play of Idolatry, as was before among the Ethnicks and Gentiles. Our Churches stand full of such great Puppets, wondrously decked and adorned; Garlands and Coronets be set on their heads, precious Pearls hanging about their necks, their fingers shine with Rings, set with precious Stones, their dead and stiff bodies are clothed with Garments stiff with Gold. You would believe that the Images of our Mensaints were some Princes of Persia Land with their proud Apparel, and the Idols of our WOMEN-SAINTS, were NICE and WELL-TRIMMED HARLOTS, tempting their Paramours to wantonness: whereby the Saints of God are not honoured, but most dishonoured, and their godliness, soberness, chastity, contempt of riches, and of the vanity of the world, defaced and brought in doubt their sober and godly lives. And because the whole Pageant must thoroughly be play'd, it is not enough thus to deck Idols, but at last come in the Priests themselves, likewise decked with Gold and Pearl, that they may be meet Servants for such Lords and Ladies, and fit worshippers of such gods and goddesses. And with a solemn pace they pass forth before these golden Puppets, and FALL DOWN to the GROUND on their MARROWBONES before these honourable IDOLS, and then rising up again, offer up Odours and Incense unto them, to give the People an example of double Idolatry, by worshipping not only the Idol, but the Gold and Riches wherewith it is garnished. Which things the most part of our Old Martyrs, rather than they would do, or once kneel, or offer up one crumb of Incense before an Image, suffered most cruel and terrible deaths, as the histories of them at large do declare." Ibid.

Let us come to the Bishops of Rome. In the Common Prayer, as published in the time of Edward VI., the following Petition made part of the LITANY:- -"From the Bishops of Rome, and all his detestable enormities, Good Lord deliver us." The Convocation at Dublin, 1615, says, "The Bishop of Rome is so far from being the supreme head of the Universal Church of Christ, that his works and doctrine do plainly discover him to be the man of sin, foretold in Holy Scripture, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and abolish with the brightness of his coming."

The Reformed Church of France in Synodo Papinsensi, Article 31, says, "Whereas the Bishop of Rome having erected to himself a Monarchy over the Christian world, doth usurp a Dominion over all Churches and Pastors; and hath rose to such a height of pride, as to call himself God, will be adored, and all power to be given him in heaven and earth; disposeth of all Ecclesiastical things; defines Articles of Faith, saith the authority of the Scriptures, and the interpretation of it, to be from him; maketh merchandize of souls, dispenseth with vows and oaths; institutes new worships of God. As also in civil affairs, treads upon the lawful authority of the Magistrate, in giving, taking away, translating of Empires; We do believe and assert him to be the very proper Antichrist, SON OF PERDITION foretold in the

word of God, the SCARLET HARLOT, sitting on seven mountains in the great, city; which hath obtained a rule over the Kings of the earth and we do expect when the Lord, according to his promise, and as he hath begun, will destroy him with the spirit of his mouth, and at length abolish with the brightness of his coming." (k)

See, in the same place, the authorities of the Waldenses, Wickliffe, Bishops Jewel, Abbot, Whitgift, Andrews, Bilson, Hall, Downham, Moreton, Davenant and Prideaux; also Hooker and Arminius, &c.

As to the Bishops and Clergy of Rome, more distinctly, Fox, the Martyrologist, says, " And to begin first with the order and qualities of life, I ask here of this Roman Clergy, where was this church of theirs which now is, in the ancient time of the primitive Church of Rome, with this pomp and pride, with this riches and superfluity, with this Gloria mundi, and name of Cardinals with this prancing dissoluteness, and whoring of the Curtisans, with this extortion, bribing, buying and selling of Spiritual Dignities, these Annats, Reformations, Procurations, Exactions, and other practices for money, this avarice insatiable, ambition intolerable, fleshly filthiness most detestable, barbarousness and negligence in preaching, promise-breaking faithlesness, poysoning and supplanting one another, with such schisms and divisions, which never were more seen than in the elections and Court of Rome THESE SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS, with such extreme cruelty, malice, and tyranny, in burning and persecuting their poor brethren to death."

It would be endless to enumerate the wICKEDNESS of the BISHOPS of ROME: volumes might be filled with the accounts of them from good authorities. How wonderful it must be to a simple-hearted Protestant, accustomed only to the teachings of the Scriptures, to learn that any persons, calling themselves Ministers of a Protestant Church, should suppose that men so monstrously wicked should be able to communicate any spiritual blessings or spiritual authority to others. Yet such is the case with a number of the Divines of the Church of England, in order to maintain the figment of a personal succession of Episcopal consecrations, &c. This makes it necessary to produce authorities to shew the true character of the Bishops of Rome. We shall assert nothing but from authors of undisputed credit.

1. POPES MONSTERS IN WICKEDNESS.- Pope Vigilius, A. D. 540," says Howell,"wades to the Pontifical Throne thro' his Successors' (Predecessors) blood." Platina says, "that when he was leaving Rome for Constantinople, the Roman people pelted him with sticks and stones, loading him with curses and reproaches as he went along." Pope Pelagius was obliged to clear himself of the suspicion of murdering Vigilius, by swearing

(k) Certain Discourses of Archbishop Usher's and Bishop Bedell's, published and enlarged by Nicholas Bernard, D.D, &c., p. 143, &c. 12mo, Lond. 1659.

his innocence upon the crucifix and the Gospels. Howel in this place challenges "the world to produce, either from sacred or profane story, any one series, generation, or Order of men to this day, that has been guilty of such failings, weakness, unsteadiness, cruelty, &c., as they have." (1) Platina, says Clement 2nd, A.D. 1048, was poisoned with poison, prepared, as it was supposed, by his Successor, Pope Damasus 2nd." (m) This Damasus, says he, "invaded the chair by force. And this had become so ESTABLISHED a CUSTOM that any ambitious individual had the liberty of invading Peter's seat." (n) Here are Apostolical Successors! And even earlier than this, in the Life of Benedict 4th, A.D. 898, he says, “The chair of Peter was USURPED rather than possessed by MONSTERS OF WICKEDNESS, ambition, and bribery." The whole passage is instructive and deserves insertion. Speaking about the decline of the Roman Empire, and the decay of its glory, through idleness and effeminacy, brought in by luxury, he says, "The same thing happened to the Papal Dignity. The glory of the Popedom was acquired by holiness of life, and the purity of doctrine of the Bishops of Rome, accompanied with the severest toils, and the most consummate virtue, in their proceedings: by these means, and without the wealth and pomp of the world, it daily increased amidst the most hostile and obstinate persecutors of the Christian name: but as soon as the church began to wanton with wealth, her members forsaking their former strictness of living, turned to a general licentiousness of conduct. All civil restraint being removed, a general license of sinning every where prevailed. Hence these Monsters of wickedness, by whom the most holy Chair of Peter was, through their intrigues and bribes, rather usurped than possessed."

Sergius III., A.D. 903, "rescinded the Acts of Pope Formosus, compelled those whom he had ordained to be reordained, dragged his dead body from the Sepulchre, beheaded him as though he were alive, and then threw him into the Tiber!" See," says Platina, "what a degenerate race! They seek the Pontificate by bribes, and having obtained it, they cast behind them all regard to the worship of God, and contending with each other like the most ferocious tyrants, that they may reign alone; afterwards, none being left that can restrain them, they give themselves up to take their fill in voluptuousness and licentiousness." (o) The scene becomes darker still through the following centuries. It would be tedious and disgusting to wade through the filth of their proceedings. Platina, as we have seen, expressly calls some of them "Monsters;" and says, "they left NO WICKEDNESS unpractised." Pope Sixtus IV. licensed brothels at Rome. Pope Alexander VI. A.D. 1492, is thus designated by Howel: "We are now come to one of the greatest and horriblest Monsters in nature that could scandalize the holy chair.-His beastly morals, his immense ambition, his (m) Platina in Vita Clem. II. (n) In Vita Dam. II. (0) Vita Sergii. III.

(1) Pontificate, p. 88.

insatiable avarice, his detestable cruelty, his furious lusts, and monstrous incest with his daughter Lucretia, are at large described by Guiccardine, Ciacconius, &c." (p) He that wishes to see more may be wearied with the detail in the authorities mentioned; and also in Bishop Jewel's Apology and his Defense.

POPES HERETICS.-Indeed if ever there were any heretics, I think it would be easy to prove that the WHOLE POPEDOM is ONE CONTINUED HERESY. To be sure the church of Rome has always held the doctrine of the Trinity: so have thousands who have been denominated heretics. But whilst the church of Rome has held that glorious doctrine in words, it has maintained in word and deed so many pernicious errors along with it; and has given such paramount importance to THESE ERRORS, as by them to CORRUPT the WHOLE Gospel. The POPEDOM has been the MAN OF SIN, the SON OF PERDITION, and ANTICHRIST: the church of Rome has been the "Great Whore" which has corrupted the nations: this has been the solemn view of those best acquainted with the subject. The smatterers, and sciolists, and credulists, and liberalists of our day are schoolboys compared with such men. They are the BETRAYERS of PROTESTANTISM. They are more allied in spirit to Babylon than they are to the New Jerusalem.

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The Papists acknowledge that Pope Liberius subscribed Arianism, communicated with Arians, and consented to the banishment of Athanasius -that he unhappily and basely fell. (q) Pope Marcellinus sacrificed to Idols. They say it was through fear, in a time of persecution. But they have fabricated so many things to wipe of this stain, that one can be sure of nothing about them. Here, on the heresy of the Popes, I will quote Bishop Jewel: " Pope Honorius was condemned for a heretick in two general councils. In the Council of Constantinople, the words of his condemnation be alledged thus: 'We have caused Honorius, the late Pope of Old Rome, to be accursed for that in all things he followed the minde of Sergius the heretike and confirmed his wicked doctrines.'-In the very Legend of Hilarius it is mentioned that Pope Leo was an Arian Heretike. In a Synod holden at Rome against Pope Hildebrand, it is written thus: Incendio tradidimus Decreta eorum Hæretica: We have burnt their Hereticall Decrees.' Pope Sylvester II., was made Pope by Necromancy, and in recompense thereof, promised both body and Soul unto the Devil. The Council of Basil condemneth Pope Eugenius by these words: 'We condemn and depose Pope Eugenius a despiser of the holy Canons, a disturber of the Peace and unity of the Church of God: a notorious offender of the whole universal church: a Simonist; a foresworn man (perjurum:) a man uncorrigible; a shismatike; a man fallen from the faith, and a wilful Heretike.'-Now if idolaters, Montanists, Arians, Monothelites, Nestorians,

(p) Pontificate, p. 512-514.

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(q) Vid, Howel's Pontificate, p. 43.