more infallible Thirdly as formall causes by their gouenment for all the Apostles were Capita Rectores Pastores Ecclesiae Vniuersae Heads Gouernors and Pastors of the Church Vniuersall Antiq. This Bellarmine saith indeed but he addes a difference in this third point the other were onely heads as Apostles and Legats but Peter as the ordinary Pastor they had fulnesse of power yet so as Peter was their head and they depended vpon him not hee on them Antiquiss What Bellarmine yeelds and proues against his owne side wee may well take as true and wrested from him by the euidence of the truth This last which hee addes in fauour of his side hee onely saith but proues not as behoued him For how depended the Apostles more on Peter then hee on them where doe we reade that euer hee appointed enioyned limited or reâ—â—rained any of them or shewed any authority ouer them but contrarily a Acts 11. Wee reade that he was censured by them and caused to giue an account of his actions Act. 11. b Gal â— And that hee was reproued to his face and openly by St. Paul who protested also that hee was not inferiour to St. Peter neither receiued they ought from him And further euen c lib. 4 depoâ—t Rom. cap. 23. Bellarmine himselfe saith they were all equall in the Apostleship which they râ—ceiued equally of Christ immediately and none of them of Peter as he proueth against many d Cardinalis Turrecremata Dominicus Iacobatius c. great men of his owne side in a whole chapter of set purpose e ibid. For the better to make all the Clergy depend vpon Peter though many succeed the other Apostles many great Catholikes hold that the Apostles receiued not their authority and iurisdiction of Christ immediately but Saint Peter only and all the rest of Saint Peter which f ib. Bellarmine soundly confutes both by Scriptures and Fathers shewing that Christ himselfe gaue them all parem potestatem equall power that not Peter but Christ himselfe did chuse Matthias by Lot at the instant prayer of the Apostles that Paul was an Apostle not of men neither by man but by Iesus Christ and God the Father Gal. 1.1 c. All which makes for the equality of Peter with the rest and not for his superiority ouer them Antiq. Yet surely he holdeth the same Supremacy which other Catholikes hold though he think it cannot be grounded so firmely vpon these places Antiquis You may well imagine he giues not ouer without much compulsion and reluctation these castles and holds which other great Captaines with all their power and policy held and maintained §. 7. But there is one poore castle more which hee laboureth to hold though very weakely that is in Iohn 21.15 Bellar. de Rom. pontif l. 1. c. 12 â— vt autem See D. Field Church book â— chap 22. where it appeareth saith hee that Christ gaue more to Saint Peter then to the other Apostles for hee said vnto him Louest thou mee more then these and then addes Feed my sheepe To him that loued more he gaue more to wit the care of his whole Flocke euen the care ouer his brethren Apostles making him generall Pastor ouer them also for there can no cause or reason be imagined saith Bellarmine why vpon Peters answere of his singular loue aboue the rest Christ should singularly say to him Pasce oues meas if he gaue him not something aboue the rest To which we say the Fathers shew another cause or reason Peter had denied Christ more then the rest and being forgiuen was to loue more then the rest Luk. 7.43.47 and therefore Christ vrged him singularly by thrice asking Louest thou mee Cyril super Ioan. lib. 12. cap. 64. Augustin tract in Ioan. 123. See this largely handled betwixt Raynolds Hart. p. 135. seq answerable to his three denials to performe the office enioyned in generall to all the Apostles So saith Cyril Because he denyed him thrice at his Passion therefore there is a threefold confession of loue required of him and so the glosse and Saint Augustine saith A threefold confession answereth to a threefold negation that the tongue may expresse as much in loue as it did in feare And so in very truth Christs words were rather a stay of Peters weakenesse then a marke of his worthinesse or a proofe of his supremacy Thus we haue the onely place of Scripture whereupon Bellarmine insisteth of performance and bestowing supremacy particularly vpon Peter Bellarmin saith De iustifâ—t 3. c. 8. initio Non potest aliquid certum esse certitudine fidei nisi aut immediate contineatur in verho Dei aut ex verbo Dei per euidentem consequentiam deducatur c. and that not a plaine and euident place of Scripture or by deduction of euident reason such as necessary points of diuinity should haue but onely their owne infirme and vnsound interpretation a poore and weake ground of so great a building The transcendent supremacy of the Pope of Rome ouer the whole Church of Christ and the many Doctrines and practises that depend thereupon haue no other ground in Scripture but this their owne conceited and forced interpretation of this place Peter louest thou mee more then these Feed my sheepe that is Take thou authority more then these to make thy successors aboue all theirs heads of the vniuersall Church with such power as themselues shall list to take or exercise Antiq. I cannot but ingenuously confesse this inference to be weake indeed and it doth much amaze me and makes me quake and stagger to consider how confidently I haue beene perswaded that the Scripture is most plaine and euident for the Popes supremacy and now to see that nothing of any moment can thence be alleadged for it §. 8. Isa chus Casaubonus excrcitatio ad Baronium Epist dedic pag. 19. Luk. 22.25 26. Gasper Scioppius in Ecclesiastico suo ex pos cap. 47 Is not this quidlibet e quolibet or rather Contrarium é contrario Antiquis By such alleadging of Scriptures they may make quidlibet è quolibet make any substance of any shadow The learned Frenchman Casaubon wonders at them Pasce oues meaâ— that is as Baronius interprets it Supremum in ecclesia dominium tibi assere Feed my sheepe that is Take to thy selfe the highest dominion in the Church or as Bellarmine Regis more impera Rule and command after the manner of Kings as if he would of set purpose contradict Christs words The kings of Nations exercise dominion ouer them but yee shall not doe so Nay further and more strangely Gaspen Scioppius saith that Christ by those words hath taken away Kings power and dominion ouer the Nations and forbidden it to be exercised among Christians and hath established that infinite power in the Pope ouer Princes by this and such like places of Scripture The pious world wonders at the Popes challenge to be the highest Iudge
powre abroad his gifts into the whole body that the Church might stand vpon Peters firmnesse King Iames Remonstrance pag. 163. English 1 Cor. 2.15 In these latter times they haue found out more texts but no whit better for their purpose then these Our learned King Iames in his Remonstrance to the Cardinall Peron reciteth some of the chiefest Saint Paul saith The spirituall man discerneth all things ergo they gather the Pope must be Iudge of all men and matters Mat. 28.18 Mat. 8.31 Mat. 21.2 Christ said All power is giuen to me both in heauen and earth ergo to his Vicar The Diuels said If thou cast vs out send vs into the heard of swine and Christ said to his Disciples Ye shall find an Asses colt bound loose him and bring him to me This sheweth that Christ disposed of temporall things ergo so must his Vicar Ioh. 21.15 Act. 10.13 Iesus not onely commanded Peter to feed his sheepe but also said Arise kill and eate therefore saith Baronius Duplex est Petri officium vnum pascere alterum occidedere Peter had two offices one to feed another to kill Belike Peter is now come to the top of the house and entred vpon his second office to kill and deuoure Ier. 1.10 God said to Ieremy I haue establishd thee ouer Nations and kingdomes to wit to preach Gods promises and threatnings Luk. 22.38 Mat. 26.52 Molina Iesuita lib. de iure tract 2 disp 29. and Peter said to Christ See here are two swords and Christ answered It is sufficient not too many Also Christ said to Peter Put vp thy sword into thy sheath ergo the Pope hath power ouer Nations and Kingdomes and two swords one spirituall the other temporall Psal 45.16 It is said Psal 45. In stead of thy fathers thou shalt haue children whom thou shalt make Princes in all lands Ioh. 12.32 1. Cor. 6.3 Christ said If I were lift vp from the earth I will draw all things vnto me and Saint Paul Know yee not that we Paul and the Corinthians c. shall iudge the Angels how much more the things that pertaine vnto this life Vpon these places the Papall monarchy for temporall causes hath beene built in these latter ages As in former time Pope Boniface the eight Extrauag vnam sanctam grapling and tugging with Philip the Fayre built his temporall power vpon this that In the beginning God created heauen and earth Antiq. I am very sorrowfull to see the sacred Scriptures so vainly alleadged by men accounted holy wise and learned I cannot iustifie them Bellarm. de iustif l. 3. c. 8. initio Bellarmines rule condemnes them when he saith that All we are bound to beleeue with certainety of Faith must be contained in Gods word in plaine words or else euidently deducted from thence by good consequence of Reason But for this great point I speake my conscience here is neither euident words nor scarce any shew of consequence §. 10. Antiquis But for the contrary See K. Iames Praemonition pag. 47. you shall finde in the Scripture both euident words and manifest consequence The Scripture is plaine that the words Tibi tibi dabo claues in effect are spoken in the plurall number in another place Mat. 18.18 Whatsoeuer yee shall binder loose in earth shall be bound and loosed in heauen whereby the very power of the keyes is giuen to all the Apostles And the words Pasce oues vsed to Peter were meant to all the Apostles as may bee confirmed by a Cloud of witnesses both of Ancients and euen of late Popish writers yea and diuerse Cardinals Otherwise how could Paul direct the Church of Corinth to excommunicate the incestuous person cum spiritu suo whereas he should then haue said cum spiritu Petri as our gracious King Iames gathereth adding also that all the Apostles vsed their censures in Christs name neuer speaking of his Vicar that Peter in all the Apostles meetings sate amongst them as one of their number that when letters were sent from the Councell Acts 15.22 23. the style was It seemed good to the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church c. without mention of the Head thereof that Saint Paul blameth the Corinthians for that some said they were of Paul some of Apollo some of Cephas some of Christ which he would not haue done if Cephas that is Peter had beene Christs Vicar and head of the Catholike Faith that Saint Paul compareth or rather preferreth himselfe before Peter Galat. 2. which had beene rudely done had he thought Peter his Head Such reasons alleadgeth our iudicious King See also before sect 6. to which might bee added also that Saint Peter was compelled to giue account of his doings to the rest of the Apostles who contended and contested with him about them Acts 11. I hope these Allegations are farre more pregnant against the Supremacy of Saint Peter then the Romists are for it §. 11. Antiq. Yet the ancient Fathers vnderstand the Scriptures so These Fathers are thus alledged by Mr Hart Conference with D. Raynolds cap. 5 diuision 3. p. 217 out of Stapleton priu do l. 6. c. 13 Raynolds ib. pag. 2â—1 that they gaue S. Peter most honorable titles S. Austen saith The Primacy of the Apostles is conspicuous preeminent with excelleÌ„t grace in Peter Chrysostom calleth him the mouth of the Apostles the chief the top of the Company Theodoret the Prince of the Apostles which title is giuen him by all Antiquity Others ad out of Epiphanius The highest of the Apostles Austen the head president the first of them And Cyprian saith The Lord did chuse Peter first haply hee meant his first Apostle not his first Disciple for Audrew was first a Disciple and followed Christ as Saint Ambrose obserueth And Saint Ierom saith Peter was of so great authority that St. Paul went to visit him as himselfe writeth Gal. 2. and Ierom saith also that Peter was chosen one among the twelue to the intent that a head being appointed occasion of Schisme might be taken away Of such sayings as these the Fathers bookes are full Antiquis Doth not Doctor a See Raynolds Hart ibid cap. 5. diuis 3. Raynolds there answer you soundly and fully which you may reade there at large the briefe substance whereof is this that all the Fathers sayings touch onely three prerogatiues the first of Authority the second of Primacy the third of Principality but all far short of the Supremacy which the Pope now claymeth 1 The authority mentioned by Saint Ierom is onely Credit and Estimation for so Ierom expresseth his owne meaning Saint Paul went vp to Ierusalem to conferre of the Gospel with them that were esteemed that is with Peter and other Apostles to wit with Iames Peter and Iohn who were esteemed to be Pillars Gal. 2.2.9 for his conference with Apostles of such authority or estimation might adde some credit authority and estimation to
his preaching in the peoples minds If by authority Saint Ierom did meane supreme power ouer the other Apostles then Iames and Iohn should haue had it as well as Peter which is not your Catholike doctrine Also an inferiour or equall in power may be superiour in authority or estimation as Tully saith of Metellus a priuate man though chosen Consull for the yeere following That hee forbade certaine playes when an officer had allowed them and that which he could not obtaine by power Cicero oratione in Pisonem he did obtaine by authority that is with the credit which hee had with the people 2 The Primacy which the Fathers speake of was the Primacy of Order not of Power because Peter was first called to be an Apostle and first reckoned this argues no more power then the Fore-man of the Iury hath ouer the rest 3 The prerogatiue of Principality was in the excellency of grace and not of power as we say the Prince of Philosophers Aristotle the Prince of Poets Homer that is the wittiest or most excellent not Lord and master ouer the rest In this sence Saint Austine speaketh Peter the Apostle in whom that grace and Primacy are so superminent was corrected by Paul a latter Apostle by calling Saint Paul a latter Apostle hee sheweth his meaning of Saint Peters Primacy to bee of his first being an Apostle and by ioyning Grace with Primacy he sheweth that in greatnesse of grace consisted his supereminency So saith Saint Austen also b Aug. in Ioan. Tract 124. that Peter was Natura vnus homo gratia vnus Christianus abundantiori gratia vnus idemque primus Apostolus But to be chiefe in grace is one thing to be chiefe in power another thing c Turrecrem in Summa de Ecclesia l 2 c. 82. Cardinal Turrecramata saith A meane Christian yea an old woman may in perfection of grace and amplenesse of vertues be greater then the Pope but not in power of iurisdiction If excellency of grace might carry the supremacy of power you should take it from Saint Peter and giue it to the blessed Virgin By gifts of grace we vnderstand all blessings wherewith our Lord honoured him insomuch as in one thing or other he surpassed euery one of the Apostles Saint Iohn might exceed him in multitude of prophesies and reuelations and many gifts of grace as Saint Ierom declareth d Ierom. aduersus Iouinianum lib. 1. Saint Paul excelled him in the chiefest gifts and laboured more then all the rest 1 Cor. 15. so that Saint Austen giues excellent grace to Peter e De bapt con Donatistas lib. 2. c. 1. most excellent grace to Paul f in Psal 130. and cals him The Apostle by an excellency g Cont. duas epist pelagianorum lib. 3. c. 1. yet Saint Peter excelled Saint Paul in Primacy or being first chosen and Saint Iohn in age being the elder and therefore preferred before them to be the chiefe of the Apostles by Saint Ieroms opinion h Aetati delatuÌ„ est quia Petrus erat senior Hiero 1. adu Iouin lib. 1. To this Bellarmine yeeldeth i Bellar. lib. 1. de rom pontif cap. 27. § respoÌ„deo Paulum seeing Paul was called The Apostle per Antonomasiam quia plura scripsit doctior as sapientior fuit cateris also for planting more Churches then any other for the other Apostles were sent to certaine Prouinces he to all the Gentils without limitation and he laboured more abundantly then they all 1 Cor. 15. And after k § testatur ib. § fortasse Paul also may bee called princeps Apostolorum quia munus Apostolicum excellentissime ad impleuit as we call Virgil prince of Poets and Cicero prince of Orators Againe Nam etsi Petrus maior est potestate Paulus maior est sapientia Leo makes them the two eyes of the body whereof Christ is the head De quorum meritis atque virtutibus nihil diuersum nihil debemus sentire discretum quia illos electio pares labor similes finis fecit aequales The like hath Maximus ib. and Saint Gregory Paulus Apostolus Petro Apostolorum primo in principata Apostolico frater est Againe l Bellar. ib. §. denique si hac Paulus videtur plus Ecclesiae profuisse quà m Petrus plures enim ex gentibus ad Christi fidem adduxit plures prouincias summo cum labore peragrauit plura scripta eaque vtilissima nobis reliquit Antiq. Saint Ierom saith further that Saint Peter was made the head of the Apostles that all occasion of Schisme might be taken away Will you make nothing of those titles which the Scriptures and Fathers so frequently giue him of authority primacy principality supereminency the mouth of the Apostles the top the highest the president the head and such like Antiquis Nothing at all for that power which the Church of Rome now claymes by them and which hee neuer claymed nor vsed neither did the Scriptures or Fathers giue him What they gaue him we willingly yeeld A principality of Order Estimation and Grace For all Saint Peters power is comprised in the keyes promised him and in building the Church vpon him but all the Apostles receiue the keyes by Ieroms iudgement and the Church is built vpon them equally Ergo by his iudgement Peter was not ouer them in power and if you will yet say hee had some gouernment ouer them what can it else bee but a guidance not as a Monarch ouer subiects or inferiours D. Raynolds ib. pag. 226 227. D. Field l. 5. cap 24. but as in Aristocracy head of the company which in power are his equals For in all assemblies about affayres of gouernment there must needs bee one for orders sake and peace to begin to end to moderate the Actions and this is Saint Peters preheminence which Saint Ierome m Hieronym adu Iouin lib. 2. meant For hauing set downe his aduersaries obiection But thou saist The Church is built vpon Peter he answereth Although the same be done in another place vpon all the Apostles and they all receiue the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and the strength of the Church is grounded on them equally yet there is one chosen among the twelue that a head being appointed occasion of Schisme might be takeÌ„ away The like hath S. Cyprian n Cyprian de Vnitate Ecclesia Erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consorâ—io praediti honoris potestatis sed exordium ab vnitate prosiciscitur c. The other Apostles saith he were that which Peter was endewed with the same fellowship both of honour and power but the beginning proceedeth from vnity that the Church may be shewed to be one To speake at once view all the titles of excellency giuen by the ancient Fathers to S. Peter alleadged by Bellarmine o De rom pont lib. 1. cap. 25. weigh them aduisedly without preiudice or
borne themselues proudly against the Church of Rome c. So were Saint Austen with 216. other Bishops with foure generall Councels of Africa Carthage Milleuis and Hippo condemned and cursed by Eulabius and declared by Boniface the Pope to bee pricked forwards by the Diuell and wilfully to liue out of the Church of God and die in Schisme This History reported by Mr Harding yeelds a great inconuenience that such good men as Saint Augustine Cyprian Fulgentius and many others should willingly liue and dye out of the Community of the Roman Church as Schismatiks and excommunicated by the Pope and yet thinke themselues safe enough and generally accounted by the world to be good Catholikes and many of them Saints And therefore Bellarmine hath reason to discredit this story of the reconciliation and laboureth to proue it counterfet either in whole or in part i Bellar. de Rom. Pontif. l. 2. c. 25. And thus Mr D. Harding is not onely proued often by our B. Iewel but heere confessed by his fellow Bellarmine to be an errant Catholike an abuser of the world by fables and yet lately againe k Coster enchir cap. De summo Pont. obiectio decima solet Sanders de visib monarch lib. 7. pag 3â—9 as Lindan before Panopl lib. 4. cap. 48. Costerus the Iesuit mentions the same story as true Such is their vnity among themselues and the certainty of their both histories and doctrines If this history be true then in those times holy men Saints and Martyrs made no great conscience to resist the Pope to reiect his soueraignty to liue and dye out of the communion of the Church of Rome if the story be false then condemne your great D. Harding and the Authors which he followes as abusers of the world by falsities By all this it appeareth that whatsoeuer titles the Ancient Fathers gaue to Saint Peter they denyed the supremacy now challenged to the Bishops of Rome his pretended successors §. 13. For indeed the things wherein Saint Peter excelled the other Apostles were personall proper to his person onely and not communicable to his successors To be the eldest first chosen of greatest estimation fullest of grace c. were not things descending to his successors but proper to himselfe Antiq. Neither doe the Bishops of Rome challenge these properties but his Vniuersality of commission ouer the whole world and his Infallibility of Iudgement Antiquis But in these two things the other Apostles were his equals Proued before § 6 11. Saint Paul had care ouer all Churches 2 Cor. 11. so had the rest and all of them were guided by the holy Ghost from error both in teaching and writing Antiq. True but they could not leaue these to their successors as Saint Peter might Antiquis So saith Bellarmine indeed a De pont lib. 1. cap. 9. § Respondeo Pontificatum Iurisdictio vniuersalis Petro data est vt ordinario pastori cui perpetuò succederetur alijs vero tanquam delegatis quibus non succederetur What should be the reason of this Forsooth they say that Christ made Saint Peter supreme Pastor and Bishop of the whole world and so likewise his successors for euer See Doctor Field Church Booke 5. cap. 23. pag. 114. but afterwards he gaue the same authority to the rest of the Apostles for their liues onely A strange conceit Christ first gaue him a Monarchy and afterwards tooke it away againe auoyding his first grant to one by his second grant to eleuen more for by making al the twelue of equall authority in all parts of the world and towards all persons so that no one of them could limit or restraine another hee tooke away the Monarchy from one which he had first giuen him and made it an Aristocracy of twelue equals in power and at their deathes taking away succâ—ssion from eleuen and giuing it to one made a Monarchy of the Aristocracy againe and raysed Saint Peters successor to be greater then Peter himselfe had beene without any peeres honouring the Pope more then he honoured Peter For Peter was onely one of the Duodecem viri but his successor a sole and absolute Monarch and all the other Apostles successors were vnderlings receiuing all their calling mission and commission from him and not to be restrayned limited gouerned by him alone Who would not take this for a strange Paradoxe vnworthy of wise and learned men and yet this they are compelled to hold for two reasons first because it is most cleare that the Apostles were all equall in power and commission and receiued it immediately from Christ and not from Peter which they cannot they do not deny Secondly because if all the Apostles should leaue their power to their successors then their successors should not depend vpon Saint Peters but should deriue their power from Christ himselfe by a line of succession as well as Peters did and consequently all the Bishops ordayned by the other Apostles and by their successors to the worlds end whereof there were and are innumerable should haue no dependance of Saint Peter neither could be limited or ordered by his successors as Bellarmine saw well enough b Lib. 4 cap. 24. §. At contra lib. 2. cap. 23. §. secunda ratio Therefore where Saint Cyprian saith The rest of the Apostles had equall power with Peter Their note saith This must be vnderstood of the equality of the Apostleship which ceased when the Apostles dyed and passed not ouer vnto Bishops c In the annotation to Cyprian printed at Rome by Paulus Manutius at the Popes command Raynolds Hart p. 221. Bellarmine d Bellar. de pont lib. 1. c. 23 §. vigâ—sima prima saw that this shift would not serue the Popes turne because the world is full of the Apostles successors lineally comming from them which no way should depend vpon Saint Peter therefore he hath another conceit more strange than the former That the rest were made also Apostles by Christ and so continued for their life but they were consecrated Bishops not by Christ but by Saint Peter and so consequently the Apostolike office ceasing all the Bishops authority was deriued from Saint Peter A fine conceit were it true but himselfe saith presently after e Ib. §. Respondeo in Apostolatu contineri Episcopatum that the Bishops office is contayned in the Apostles office so that in being Apostles they were Bishops also without any further or new ordination for what Ecclesiasticall acts can any Bishop doe which the Apostles could not Christ gaue to the Apostles power to preach and baptize Mat. 28.19 power to minister the holy Communion Luke 22.19 power of the keyes of binding and loosing of remitting and retayning sinnes of planting Churches ordayning Bishops and Ministers For the Apostleship is the highest office in the Church of God and containeth the power of all the rest in it f Bellar de pont lib. 4. cap. 23. §. Addit Cyril
Peter reiects the popes authority infallibility giues sentences against Purgatory acknowledgeth two Sacraments onely hath much against Transubstantiation and denyall of the Cup. See the allegations out of him in Catalogo testium lib. 3. Sixtly was Jrenaeus a Protestant no for he defended free-will so farre that Protestants count it Pelagianisme So did many other Fathers Hilary and Epiphanius yea Chrysostome Cyril Ambrose Theodoret. What then were all these papists No for though in heat of exhortation they gaue sometimes too much to free will and in hatred to the Maniches and Stoicall Christians that held such a fatall necessity of mens actions as tooke away mans guiltinesse of sinne yet in their more moderate and settled writings they taught as the Protestants doe August contra Iulianum l'clag lib. 1. cap. 2. Pelagianis nondum litigantibus Patres securiùs loquâ—bantur saith Saint Augustine Vntill the Pelagians began to wrangle the Fathers tooke lesse heed to their speeches But such their speeches The Papists themselues condemne Maldonate in John 6.44 pag. 701. Pererius in Rom. 9. nu 33 pag. 1001. Sixtus Senensis Tolet c. See D. Mortons Appeal lib 2. cap. 10. sect 1 2. § 4. sect 3. § 7. lit n. See also my Chapter of Free-will §. 6. I might runne thorow the rest of this W. G. his allegations and shew his vanity and folly in shooting such arrowes against the Protestants as being retorted and shot backe againe doe mortally and vnrecouerably wound his owne cause But I will leaue off following his order and adde a few more and by occasion of this last I aske of Saint Cyprian Augustine Fulgentius Gregory Nyssen Gregory the Great Anselm Bernard were they Papists oâ— of the now Roman-Catholicke Religion No for they taught concerning Free-will iust as the Protestants teach Morton ib. sect 3. Was Athanasius a Papist no for hee reckons the number of Canonicall bookes otherwise then Papists doe and magnifies them for their perspicuity certainty and sufficiency as Protestants doe he teacheth Iustification by faith onely writeth against adoration and prayer to Saints and Idolatrous worship of Images shewes the custome of the Church in his time to minister the Communion in both kindes and not on Altars but tables of wood writes to the Bishops of Rome as his brethren and equals giues reasons why the dead cannot appeare againe to men for feare of teaching lies and errours and because the good are in Paradise the euill in Inferno He counts marriage of Bishops a thing indifferent and vsed indifferently in his time and it appeares by his bookes that in his time the sacrifice of the Masse and the fiue new Sacraments were not knowne Was Saint Ierom a Papist no for hee earnestly maintaineth the sufficiency and excellency of the Scriptures exhorteth married Women Virgins Widdowes diligently to study them he teacheth Iustification by Gods mercy and beateth downe mans merits hee writes sharpely against free-will without Gods grace against purgatory against transubstantiation and orall manducation hee taxeth the popes supremacy and the Clergies liues and for his sharpe writing he was faine to flye from Rome See Catalogus testium lib. 4. Was Gelasius your owne Bishop of Rome a Catholicke of your now Roman Religion no for he condemdemned as sacrilegious your now-halfe Communion without wine and seuerely commanded either to minister both the kindes or neither to the people The necessity whereof now you call heresie De consecrat dist 2. comperimus Was S Gregory your owne Bishop likewise long after Gelasius of your Church and now-present Religion no for he taught the sufficiency and perfection of the Scripture reiected the Apochryphall bookes from the Canon held the reading of Scripture profitable for all men Iustification by faith and not by inherent righteousnesse wrote against mans merit and for the glory of Gods grace and mercy hee forbad the worshipping of Images and wrote sharply against the title of vniuersall Bishop as a badge of Antichrist or his forerunner c. And for conclusion of this point were the other two greatest Doctors of the Church Saint Chrysostome and S. Augustine of your present Religion No for Saint Chrysostome a Homil. De Lazaro passim alibi extolled the authority dignity sufficiency perspicuity necessity and commodity of the Canonicall Scriptures and exhorted Lay-men and Tradesmen to get them Bibles and reade the Scriptures at home and that man and wife parents and children should reason and conferre of the doctrine thereof b In 4. cap. Ephes hom 10. He taught that the Church of God was nothing but a house built of our soules and the stones thereof were some more illustrious and faire polished other more obscure and of lesse glory c In Matth. hom 55. 83. Serm. de Pentecost tom 3. that the Church was built not super Petrum but super Petram not vpon Peter but Peters confession that Christ was the Sonne of God the Sauiour of the world d In Matth. hom 35. ad cap. 20. That whosoeuer desired primacy vpon earth should find confusion in heauen and not be reckoned amongst the seruants of Christ e In 2 Thess homil 3 4. That Antichrist would command himselfe to be honoured as God and fit in the Church that he would invade the Roman Empire and striue to draw to himselfe the Empire or Rule of God and men And though he extolled the power of free-will in the Regenerate and exhorted all men to vse the power they had yet hee f In Gen. hom 29. perswaded the godly to acknowledge it to proceed from Gods grace and taught all men that sinne entring lost their liberty corrupted their power and brought in seruitude and g Hom. de Adam that without Gods grace man could neither will nor doe any thing that was good that h Hom. 1. in Acta as they that die Purple first prepare it with other colours so God prepares the cares of the mind and then infuseth grace that i Hom. 1. dom Advent before sinne we had free-will to do good but not after that it was not in our power to get out of the Deuils hand but like a ship that had lost his sterne which guided it wee were driuen whither the tempest would euen whither the Diuell would driue vs and except God by the strong hand of his mercy did loose vs we should continue tiâ—l death in the bonds of our sinnes k In Râ—m â—om 5. 17. That the Law would iustifie man but cannot for no man is iustified by the Law but he that wholly fulfils it and that is not possible to any maÌ„ l In 2 cor hom 11. He that must be iustified by the law must haue no spot found in him and such an one cannot be found but onely Iesus Christ m In Rom. hom 5 17. therefore he onely hath attained the end and perfection of the Law n Hom. 7. in 3. cap.
principall argument to proue that you Protestants haue no Church at all because you haue no Priests or true Ministers sent and authorized by the Lord. In vrging whereof giue me leaue somewhat to enlarge my selfe Antiquissimus Say what you will I hope to giue you a sufficient and satisfactory answer Antiquus First there can be no Church without true Ministers to teach the holy Doctrine to performe the holy seruice of God and to minister the Sacraments vnto Gods people and bring them to saluation a Ephes 4.8 c. And therefore when our Sauiour ascended into heauen he gaue all necessary gifts vnto men making Apostles Prophets Euangelists Pastors Teachers for the worke of the Ministery gathering and perfecting of the Saints and edifying of the Church to continue by succession to the end of the world b Jb. verse 13. That all might be kept from errour and vnited in the Truth These are the Lords Ambassadors c 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. planters waterers husbandmen builders yea co-adjutors and workers-together-with God d 1 Cor 3.6 9 Secondly therefore these Ministers must be furnished by the Lord with two things 1 With authority to meddle with this holy seruice 2 with power effectually to performe those ancient acts of gracious efficacy belonging to their office as teaching of true sauing doctrine forgiuing of sinnes and administring the admirable holy Sacraments which no man of any other ranke can doe and which they onely can doe who are sent of God and furnished with his authority and power and with whom God effectually worketh To which end the Sacrament of Order giuen to Priests by the hands of Gods officers imprints a Character in the Receiuer e Bellar. de sacraÌ„ in genere lib. 2. cap. 19. § propositio sexta § prop. tertia in sine that wheresoeuer it is God is present * By Couenant or promise ex pacto and concurreth to the producing of supernaturall effects which he doth not where his Character is wanting Therefore when Christ sent his Apostles with this Commission As my Father sent mee euen so send J you f Ioh. 20.21 c. He breathed on them and said Receiue yee the Holy Ghost whose sinnes soeuer yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose soeuer sinnes yee retaine they are retained Where he gaue them both Commission and power to performe it And in the end of Saint Matthewes Gospell g Matth. 28 18 19 20. first mentioning his vnbounded power both in heauen and earth he sends his Apostles to teach and bring the world into his subiection adding that he would be with them to the end of the world to wit with their persons while they liue and with their successors while the world lasteth with his power and effectuall working with them So that Christ must send and he must furnish with gifts and power And no man taketh to himselfe this office or honour but he that is called of God as was Aaron h Heb. 5.4 Thirdly then As the Father sent the Sonne and the Sonne his Apostles i Ioh 20.21 so the Apostles k Bellar. De notis ecclesiae lib. 4. cap. 8. afterwards chose and ordained other Bishops and gaue them the like power to ordaine others both Bishops and inferiour Priests and Deacons as Timothy at Ephesus Titus in Creet l As appeareth by the Epistles to Tim Tit. By this meanes all true Bishops and Priests haue their succession and ordination from hand to hand from the very Apostles And none are to be accounted true Bishops that were not ordained by the imposition of hands of former true Bishops and they by other former and so vpwards ascending to the very Apostles to Christ Iesus from whoÌ„ they must deriue their authority and power for all workes of the Ministery Therefore Saint Ierom saith m Hieroâ—ym contra Luciferianos Ecclesia non est qua non habet sacerdotem It can bee no Church that hath no Ministery And Saint Cyprian that the Church is nothing else but n Cypr. Plebs Episcopo adunata lib. 4. ep 10. citat à Possevino bibl select lib. 6. cap. 31. ad interrog 4. D. Field Church lib. 3. cap. 39. People vnited to the Bishop And Tertullian further o Tertull. lib. De praescript Bellar. quo supra Let Heretickes shew the originall of their Churches and runne ouer the order of their Bishops comming downe by succession from the beginning so that their first Bishop had some Apostle or Apostolicke man for his author and Predecessor For thus the Church of the Romans reckons Clement ordained by Saint Peter And Saint Cyprian saith p Cypr. lib. 1. ep 4. ad Magnum Nouatianus is not in the Church neither can bee accounted a Bishop who contemning the Apostolicke tradition succeedeth no man but is ordained of himselfe The like haue many other Fathers alleadged by Bellarmine q Bellar. quo supra And by the Canons of the Apostles and many ancient Councels r So Bellarm. sheweth lâ—o citato D. Field lib. 3. cap. 39. lib. 5 cap. 36. A Bishop must receiue his Consecration by three Bishops at the least which were formerly consecrated in like manner And all inferious Ministers must receiue orders of such a Bishop or else they are not Canonicall Lawfull nor to be receiued They that come in other wayes then by this doore are theeues and robbers Å¿ Iohn 10.8.9 10. All this describing and prouing the nature succession and ordination of true Bishops and inferiour Ministers is the first proposition or major of my Argument Then comes my Assumption or minor proposition thus But the Protestant Ministers are not such 1 Kings 20.11 namely their Bishops were not consecrated by three Bishops so formerly consecrated as abouesaid neither did their inferiour Ministers receiue their orders from true Bishops The conclusion will necessarily follow Ergo the Protestant Ministers are no true Ministers of the true Church And consequently they haue no true Church among them An argument inuinsible vnanswerable Sect. 2. Antiquissimus Good Sir triumph not before the victory let not him that putteth on his harnesse boast himselfe as hee that putteth it off It is your mens fashion first to confirme that with glorious words and arguments which we sticke not at as you haue done your Major to make the world beleeue it seemes that we denyed all that which you so busily and so brauely proue and so to make vs odious And your other fashion is as ill to leaue the maine matter in controuersie vtterly vnproued as here your Minor thinking to carry it away with out facing and great words This is a charming and bewitching of the credulous world without all truth and honesty As I shall make it plainly appeare For why else doe your Rabbins so generally declaime against vs and neuer proue it Your 1 Bristow Motiue 21. Bristow 2 Harding confut Apol.
and at their pleasure changed the Seas gaue Bishoprickes and brought their louers or Harlots Amasios suos into Saint Peters seat as false popes that in those times Christ slept in the ship which was ouerwhelmed with the waues and there was none to awaken him For bad popes set vp bad Cardinals bad Bishops bad Priests as nothing is more common then for like to beget his like And for the liues of the Romish Religious in generall Gerbertus said The Gerbert epist 40. Romanorum mores mundus perhorrescit citat ab Vsserio cap. 2. § 32 33. Romans manners are abhorred of the world Werner fasc temp aetat 6. circa an 944. Sanctitatem Papas dimisisse ad Jmperatores accessisse Wernerus that holinesse had forsaken the popes and betooke it selfe to the Emperours Cameracensis Petrus de Alliaco Cardinal s Cameracensis De Reform Eccle Ad hunc statum venit Ecclesia vt non esset digna Regi nisi per Reprobot Vsher c. 7. §. 7. The Church of Rome is come to this state that it is not worthy to bee gouerned but by Reprobates Naâ—ele vol. 3. geâ—cra 39. pag. 220. Nauclerus reports out of Joannes Flatzboricosis that pope Adrian 4 said No man was more wretched then the pope of Rome and Onuph de Vitis Pontifâ—n vita Marcell 2. addit ad Pla inam pa 359. Onuphrius testifieth that Marcellus sitting one day at dinner after long silence remembring the words of Adrian 4 speaking of the troublesome bitter and miserable liues of the popes and the difficulties of managing their estates at last striking his hand vpon the table said Non vidio quomodo qui hunc locumallissimum tenont salvari possunt I see not how those that hold this high place of the popedome can be saued As if there were a necessity imposed vpon the pope to be a wicked man that his place required it and that otherwise he could not maintaine his estate This Genebrard chrono lib. 4. pag. 753. Marcellus liued anno 1555. In our Queene Maries time and dyed the 22 day of his popedome not without suspition of poyson as Genebrard saith because some doubted hee would proue too good Quod nimbum rectus quibusdam futurus videretur Guicci ardin lib. 16. pag. 586. lat edit Basil 1567. Tunc in Pontifice probitas laudatur cum caeterorum hominum nequitiam non excedit Guicciardine describing the dissembling and vnpriestly prankes of pope Leo the tenth who began his raigne anno 1513 saith he was counted a good Prince for then honesty is praised in a pope when he exceeds not all other men in wickednesse Sarith in Policratic lib. 6. cap. 24. Vsher de statu suc Eccl. cap. 7. § 6. Joannes Sarisburiensis saith The Church of Rome shewes her selfe Not a Mother but a stepmother There sit the Scribes and Pharises laying heauy burdens on mens shoulders but touch them not with their least finger There Iustice Piety and Verity are set to sale They hurt most commonly and herein they imitate the deuils which then are thought to doe well when they cease to doe no hurt except a few which performe the name and office of Pastors Yea euen the Roman Bishop himselfe is grieuous to all and almost intollerable Thus write their owne Authors Pope Gregory the 7. So saith Onuphrius in vita Greg 7. Aventine Otto Frisingensis Gotfridus Viturbiensis Trithemius Sigebert and many other Catholicke historians See their allegations and words at large in B. Vshers booke De Eccles successione statu cap. 5. alias Hildebrand who liued in the tenth Age and began his raigne anno 1073. when Sathan was let loose Reu. 20.7 was the first that set vp the popes earthly kingdome instead of Christs Heauenly and raised it in wealth Maiesty and authority aboue all secular Princes and Emperours which their successors haue continually encreased mauger the world mauger the Emperours and haue brought into subiection both hie and low terrifying all with their thunders and embroyling the Christian world with insurrections warres and miserable vexations setting the subiects against their Princes sonnes against their fathers and making the Christian world worse then the Heathen a very Shambles of Christian blood Very many saith Aventine Plerique cryed out against Hildebrand and cursed him saying That vnder the Title of Christ he acted the businesse of Antichrist and ouerthrew Peace and Piety and to hide his execrable ambition deuised Fables corrupted Histories and adulterated the very Scriptures interpreting them falsly to serue his owne affections Sir Iohn Hayward of Supremacy pag. 61. he made blinde people beleeue that it was not sufficient to know and embrace the Catholicke faith vnlesse it were with subiection to the Pope and that all that fought against the Pope drew their swords against heauen and maâ—e offer like those Giants of whom the Poets write to scale the skies and to pull God out of his throne And that to fight for the Pope euen against their owne gouernours and naturall Princes whom the pope iudged to be his enemies was to fight for the Church and for God was a meritorious worke and the most sure vndoubted way to heauen When this opinion was once planted in euery state by that opinion any state might be supplanted Hist of the Councell of Trent lib 5. pag. 437. It was well obserued by the Chancellor in an Assembly of the States of France at Orleance that Religion is the potent weapon ouercommeth affâ—ctions and charity and is the surest bond of humane society that Kingdomes are more bounded and more diuided by Religion then by the Confines themselues that he that is moued with Religion contemneth wife children and kinred This he said of Religion whether it be true or false The more potent weapon Religion is the greater care is to be had that people be instructed in right and true opinions For where people haue beene rightly instructed they haue for conscience sake obeyed their Princes Rom. 13 5. and princes haue preuailed against many popes Sigebert anno 1088. Haec sola nouitas redicam haresis nec dum in mundo emerserat c. Vsher ib. c. 5. § 3 But when the popes had setled that strange nouâ—ty or rather intollerable heresie in the hearts of men that subiects owe no subiection to euill princes to wit whom the popes account eu ll and though they haue sworne fidelity vnto them yet they owe none neither are periured that fight against the King but they must be taken for Excommunicants that doe not sight against him at the popes command and doing so are absolued from all sinne of iniustice and periury and doe highly merit at Gods hand when this I say is settled in mens hearts the popes may vnsettle and ouerthrow what prince and state they list They neen no other Armies not treasure while they haue mens consciences at their commands let them but thunder out their threats and Excommunications of such as disobey them and set their Agents to publish
marriage which the Church of England still obserueth Concil Laodice cap. 25. Bellar. De Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 31. §. Alterum imped §. Ratio hujus Concil Trident. session 24. ca. 10 1 From Aduent to the Epiphany 2 From Septuagesima vntill a weeke after Easter 3 From the dayes of Rogation vntill a weeke after Whitsontide But the late Councell of Trent hath onely continued the first entire cut the second shorter by 16 dayes beginning with Lent and ending a weeke after Easter and the third it hath quite cut off Concil Trident. sess 24. canon 3. 2 The degrees prohibiting marriage both enlarged and abridged For the Councell of Trent hath this Canon If any man say that the degrees onely expressed in Leuiticus of consanguinity and affinity doe hinder the contracting of Matrimony and dissolue it being contracted and that the Church hath not power to dispense in some of them or constitute that more degrees may hinder and dissolue let him be Anathema Here is a change of Gods law loosing where God hath bound binding where God hath loosed And they accursed that grant not this power to the Roman Church Bellarmine de Matrimonio lib. 1. cap. 29. initio And here is a change of the Churches custome also For Bellarmine addeth Recte Catholica Ecclesia conjugia prohibuit olim vsque ad septimum postea vero vsque ad quartium gradum consanguinitatis affinitatis The Catholicke Church in former time rightly forbad marriage to the seuenth degree and afterwards to the fourth degree of consanguinity and affinity Concil Trid. sess 21. cap. 3. canon 1 2 3. 3 And yet the Church of Rome is bolder euen to change Christs owne Ordinance and Institution of the Blessed Sacrament of his Body and Blood denying the Cup to the people and accursing them that hold it necessary for the Laity although the whole Church vsed it aboue a thousand yeeres together And yet they hold themselues to be one and the same Catholicke Church that so long vsed it In their opinion therfore the abrogating or changing of traditions or ceremonies howsoeuer they declaime against Protestants for such matters cuts not men off from being of the same Church that vsed them Antiquus Indeed ceremonies are inuentions of men and therefore alterable by the wisedome of the Church as times place and occasions require And the Church may ordaine new ceremonies also as Bellarmine teacheth lib. 2. de effectu Sacramentorum cap 31 § tertia propositio c. Antiquissimus I let passe much superstitious and sacrilegious doctrine which Bellarmine there vttereth attributing almost as much to Ceremonies inuented by men as to the Sacraments ordained by Christ And I accept what is granted that being invented by men they are alterable by men and not being of the substance of Religion the vsing or disusing of them makes no alteration or difference in Religion Saint Augustine discoursing of the diuersity of ceremonies and customes in seuerall Churches and Countries tels a story of his mother Monica Aug. epist 118. who comming to Milan and finding that they fasted not vpon Saturdayes as in her countrey they did was much disquieted in her mind as at diuersity of Religion and knew not what to doe but she was resolued by Saint Ambrose Bishop of that City that such things made no difference of Religion When I come to Rome saith he I fast on the Saturday when I am at Milan I fast not So you to what Church soeuer you come Ejus morem serua si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi Obserue the custome of that Church if you will not be offensiue to others nor others to you Here obserue Rome and Milan two great Cities in one Countrey both in Jtaly yet had seuerall customes and ceremonies which to some weake consciences through ignorance might be offensiue yet were they all of one Religion in substance and for rites or ceremonies at that time Milan was no more bound to obey Rome then Rome to obey Milan §. 5. As your Rhemists insinuate Annot. vpon Rom. 11. ver 4. But now if a man be not in all points though neuer so small nay in all traditions rites and ceremonies conformable to the ancient Church or to the Church of Rome late before Luthers dayes you count him not of the same Religion One of your idle Pamphleters idle for the matter he brings but too to busie in lying and rayling one W. G. ashamed belike to adde his full name professor in Diuinity writes a Booke points and repoints it Permissu superiorum 1619. entituled A Discouery of shifts c. His principall matter is to shew that before Luthers time No man was euer of the Protestants Religion His reason because all men held one point or other at least tradition rite or ceremony different from the Protestants which he labours to shew by running thorow a great number of Instances not considering that by the same reason it might be as well prooved that neuer any man vntill the late Councell of Trent was of the Papists Religion For he asketh thus First was Dionysius Areopagita a Protestant and answereth No for he maintained traditions spake of Altars places sanctified rasuâ—e of Priests burning of incense at the Altar c. Answer To omit that many doubt and some censure the bookes imputed to him to be counterfeits as Casetan Valla Erasmus Possevin and Bellarmine see Censura librorum Roberti Coc. pag. I aske againe was Dionysius Areopagita a Papist No for he hath many things of the Eucharist which condemne Priuate Masses Communion vnder one kinde onely and Transubstantiation See Câ—talogus testium veritatis lib. 1. Secondly Was Papias scholler to Saint Iohn Evangelist a Protestant No saith W. G. for hee defended Traditions and Peters primacy and Romish Episcopality How then was he a Papist No say we for hee taught such traditions as Papists condemne as namely the errour of the Chibiasts or Millenaries and said it was a Tradition deliuered from the Apostles Baronius anno 118. n. 5. c. n. 2. Thirdly was Ignatius a Protestant No for he approued traditions limbus patrum merits and the reall presence Not so But was he then a Papist no for Protestants cite him against Transubstantiation and Communion vnder one kinde priuate Masses and the Popes supremacy Catalogus testium lib. 2. appendice pag 2087. Bellarmine reâ—ects the Greeke copies of his workes being against the Papists Fourthly was Tertullian a Protestant no for hee hold the Montanists heresie Was he a Papist then no for the same reason also he writes sharpely against the Popes budding supremacy and against Transubstantiation and for the sufficiency of Scriptures to confute heretickes See Catal. test lib. 3. Fiftly was Saint Cyprian a Protestant no saith he for he was a Montanist also was he then a Papist no for Papists condemne Montanists as well as Protestants also he equals all the Apostles with