NO SCRIPTURE FOR PAPAL SUCCESSION. 137 point of doctrine or rule of manners which is not in express words, or in terms equivalent, contained in holy Scripture, or which at least might not thence be deduced by clear and certain inference. This their manner of disputing with heretics and heterodoxpeople shows; this appears by their way of defining and settling doctrines of faith ; this they often avow in plain words applicable to our case : for, " If," says St Augustine, " about Christ, or about his church, or about any other thing that concerns our faith and life, I will not say we, who are not once to be compared to him who said, ` Though we;' but certainly as he adds, Though anangel from heaven should tell you' any thingbeyond what you have received in the legal and evangelical Scriptures, ` let him be anathema. ' 1 In which words we have St Augustine's warrant not only to refuse but to detest this doctrine, which, being nowhere extant in law or gospel, is yet obtruded on us, as nearly relating both to Christ and his church, [and] as greatly concerning both our faith and practice. 2. To enforce this argument, we may consider that the evangelists speak about the propagation, settlement, and continuance of our Lord's kingdom; that the apostles often treat about the state of the church and its edification, order, peace, unity; about the distinction of its officers and members; about the qualifications, duties, graces, privileges of spiritual governors and guides; about prevention and remedy of heresies, schisms, disorders;upon any of which occasions how is it possible that the mention of such a spiritual monarch, who was to have a main influence on each of these particulars, should wholly escape them, if they had known such an one instituted by God? In the Levitical law (Exod. xxviii. 1-4; Lev. xxi. 1 -15), all things concerning the highpriest,not only his designation, succession, con- secration, duty, power, maintenance, privileges, but even his gar- ments, marriage, mourning, &c.,are punctually determined and de- scribed ; and is it not wonderful, that in the many descriptions of the new law no mention should be made concerning any duty or privi- lege of its high priest, whereby he might be directed in theadminis- tration of his office, and know what observance to require? 3. Whereas, also, the Scripture inculcates duties of all sorts, and does not forget frequently to press duties of respect and obedience toward particular governors of the church, is it not strange that it never should bestow one precept, whereby we might be instructed and admonished to pay our duty to the universal pastor? especially Proinde sive de Christo, sive de ejus ecclesia, sive de quacunque alia re, gumperti- net ad fidem vitamque nostram, non dicam nos, nequaquam comparandi ei qui dixit, Licet si nos, sed omnino quod sequutus adjecit, Si angelus de ecelo vobis annunciaverit, preaterquam quod in seripturis legalibus ac evangelicis accepistis, anathema sit.Aug. contr. Petit., iii. 6. i i
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