â—he one born of Sara the freewoman â—he other of Agar the handmaiden Which historie being true in very dede according as the words doe sound doth againe signifie vnto vs a more deepe mysterie The son of Sara doth betoken the new testament Galath 4. or the promise of God made to his true childern by adoption â–ª and Agar doth betoken the old testament no lesse then if it had ben so writen in expresse words Likewise wheras as Dauid saith that the sound of the heauens is gon foorth into all the earth Psal 18. meaning that al men may by the very order and course of the heauens see the glory of God S. Paul doubted not by the heauens to vnderstand the Apostles and Preachers Rom. 10. whose sound he teacheth to haue gon ouer al the earth So that the new testament was geuen and printed in the old not only according to the Prophecies there which are fulfilled here but also according to the figures there 1. Cor. 10. which are verified here And so the iustice of God is marueilouslie reuealed from faith to faith Rom. 1. from Patriarches and Prophets to the Apostles and their disciples froÌ„ the law to the Gospel Ioan. 1. from Moyses to Christ to th' end they should be inexâ—â—sable who beholding such a diuine â—nd of writing wherein things and â—eeds were ordeined to be as wordes â—nd letters vnto vs would yet remain 〈◊〉 their incredulitie If then out of one sentence diuerse â—â—ue meanings may be gathered we â—ust know farther that both those meâ—ings be not a like principal but one of â—hem is the foundation and ground of â—he other And therefore although â—oth be found as it were in one builâ—ing yet seing the one is before the oâ—her at the least in the order of place â—e must exactly know which is the first meaning of the twaine Els we can â—euer be sure of the secoÌ„d as the which â—acketh a sufficient grouÌ„d to staie vpon The first meaning is that Hieron in Amos. c. 4. which the holy Ghost vttereth according to the first sense of the woords the which is now called Literal because it ariseth of â—he writen letter rightly vnderstanded The other sense which is builded therevpon is called spiritual because it is knowen rather by the spirit of God then by the sound of the writer letter Now it skilleth so much to know which is the literal and which is the spiritual sense of holie scripture that the Literal sense is onely of force to conuince any aduersarie withal Augu. ad VincentiuÌ„ epist 48. who beleueth Gods word whereas the spiritual sense except it be reuealed by the holy Ghost is such as may be easilie denied because it hath no sufficient ground appering outwardly to man For there may be many spiritual senses geuen of some one sentence and it is euer vncertain which speciallie of them al is meant of God in that place The literal sense of holy scripture is that The literal sense which is first meant by the holie Ghost not alwaies according to the graÌ„matical sound but according to the most plaine meaning of the speaker For example when Christ saith vnto Peter To thee I wil giue the keies of â—he kingdom of heauen the literal â—eaning is not that Peter should reâ—eaue any material keyes of iron or of â—rasse Keyes Isai 22. Apoca. â— 3. But by the keyes according to the â—hrase of holy scripture is meant the â—ower authoritie aÌ„d right which Christ wil geue Peter in his Church For as â—hey who haue the keyes of a house may by right open or shut the dores of â—hat howse so Peter bath right and power to open or shutte the kingdom of heauen to vs. And as the deliuering of the keyes of a citie among men doth betokeÌ„ the geuing of the possession of that City to â—he gouerned by him who receiueth the keyes euen so Peter hath the militant Church as it were committed to his gouernment in this life by Christ So that the literal sense is I wil geue thee the power and autority to gouern my Church for the saluatioÌ„ of soules Likewise when it is said Math. 2â— thou art Peter I call not the literall sense thou art a rock or a graet stone but thou art that toward my Church which a stone is toward the house that is built vpon that stone It is farther to be considered that the literal sense being once agreed vpoÌ„ there lyeth hidden in that sense manie times an other more profouÌ„d sense also the which is not directly and plainly vttered but it is inferred and gathered by the force of argument God hath ben called of old tyme the God of Abraham Exod. 4. of Isaac and of Iacob Neither doth any man dout of the first meaning of those words which is that God acknowlegeth himself to haue chosen those three men to his seruants and doth witnesse that they did in deede serue him But that in these words there lyeth hidden a strong argument to proue the resurrectioÌ„ by that I say dependeth of the literal sense also but not such as is sene straight waies but onlie it is conceaued by discourse For God is not the God of dead things Math. 22. But he is God of Abraham therefore Abraham is not dead Abraham is a man consisting of body and sowle If Abraham then liue and yet his bodie be dead his bodie must rise againe to theÌ„d God maie iustly be called the God of whole Abraham ergo in that God is called the God of Abraham it is shewed by discourse that the bodies of men shal be reised to life againe After this sort the consubstantiality of Christ with God the Father maie be well proued out of the holie scriptures Ioan. 1. Lucae 1. Math. 26. Item the perpetual virginitie of our Ladie transubstantiation the sacrifice of the masse purgatorie and diuers other matters 1. Cor. 10. Math. 12. which be not distinctly named there At the length to come to our purpose there are found in the auncient fathers at the lest foure diuerse senses of these words vpon this rock I will build my Church of the which those onlie are of force to proue any thing by which are literal The first is that the Church is meaÌ„t to be built vpon Christ Retract lib 1. c. 21 And that S. Augustine doth follow as a probable sense but not as the only sense For that in dede but more also is meant in this place The second is that euery Disciple of Christ is the rock whervpoÌ„ the Church is built aÌ„d that being the sense of OrigeÌ„ Origenes in Math. is only spirituall and therefore of no great force to proue any thing by The third is that Peters faith or coÌ„fession is this rock whervpoÌ„ the Church is built Chrysost in Math. which is a true sense but it is not al the whole sense of those words The fourth and
wil build my Church haue this literal meaning vpoÌ„ the o Peter being first made a rock to th end thou shouldest stoutlie confesse the faith and so confessing it I wil build my Church WHen our Lord first saw Simon the son of Iona beholding him he said thou art Simon the son of Iona Ioan. 1. thou shalt be called Cephas which is by interpretatioÌ„ Peter that is a great stone or a rocke By these words a new name is before hand promised to Simon wherevpon Saint Chrysostom saith in Ioan. hom 18. Honorificè de eo praedicit Certa â—utem praedictio futurorum imâ—ortalis Dei duntaxat opus est Animaduertendum autem quòd â—on omnia quae euentura ei erant â—oc primo coÌ„gressu praedixit NoÌ„â—enim appellauit eum Petrum non dixit super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam sed dixit Tu vo â—caberis Cephas illud enim maioris erat potestatis nec noÌ„ etiam auctoritatis Christ doth forespeâ—k honorably of him For the certaine foretelling of things to come is the worck only of the immortal God It is to be noted that Christ did not foretel at this first meeting al thiÌ„gs which shuld come to passe afterward to hiÌ„ The promise of the name goeth before the name For he did not cal hiÌ„ Peter neither did he say vpon this rocke I will build my Church But he said Thou shalt be called Cephas For that was both of more power aÌ„d also of more autority Likewise S. Cyrillê° In Ioan. lib. 2. c. 2 Nec SimoÌ„ fore iaÌ„ nomeÌ„ sibi sed Petrus praedicit vocabulo ipso commodè significans quòd in eo tanquam in petra lapidéque firmissimo suam esset aedificaturus Ecclesiam And he telleth a fore hand that his name shal be Peter or a rock and not now Simon signifiyng by the very word that he wold build his Church on him as on a rock and a most sure stone Theophilact and Euthimius are of the same mind In. 1. cap. Ioan. By these fathers we lerne that this prediction or promise of Peters name is a thing which agreeth with the building of the Church which is to come These words then Thou shalt be called Peter are words of Prophecie or of promise A word of promise spoken by God is effectual to worck all those meanes which are necessarie for the performaÌ„ce of it For as when God had once said Sara vxor tua pariet tibi filiuÌ„ Genes 17. Sara thy wife shal bring thee foorth a son that self word as S. Chryâ—â—stom noteth wrought both in Abraâ—am and in Sara the power and habiâ—itie to begette and to conceaue a child In cap. 9. ad Rom. Genes 21. â—otwithstaÌ„ding that naturally through â—ld age they were vnapt therevnto â—ight so these words Thou shalt be â—alled Peter wrought in Simon the â—ffect whereby he might beleue and in due tyme like a rock confesse Christ to â—e the Sonne of Cod how far soeuer he bad naturally bene otherwise from so highe a grace And as though Abraham did accompany with his wife Sara for the begetting of Isaac yet the birth of the child is not imputed to their lying together but vnto the word of promise wherin it had beÌ„ said Genes 17. Rom. 9. Sara shal bring thee foorth a child euen so albeit Simon be made Peter to the end he maie confesse and therefore not without coÌ„fessing Christ to be the Son of God yet his being Peter concerning the efficieÌ„t cause thereof is no lesse to be imputed to this former word of promise Ioan. 1. thoâ— shalt be called Peter then vnto the faithful confessioÌ„ which he made afterward of Christes Godhead For the first cause was the promise and it wrought the second cause of the confession This matter is put out of aâ—â— question if we consider that this promise â—â—ow shalt be called Peter was fulfilled before the confession waâ— made For when Christ chose to hiâ— twelue Apostles then as S. Marcâ— saieth Marc. 3. Luc. â— he gaue to Symon the name of Peter and S. Luke telleth the same thing Whervpon Euthimius writeth Verefimile est apud IoanneÌ„ Chrisstum dixisse vocandum esse PetruÌ„ nunc autem vocare eum Petrum It is like to be true that in Saint Iohn Christ said he should be called Peter and that he now calleth him Peter neither doth God vse to geue the name without geuing also the thing which is meant by the name For his â—alling not words alwaies haue their â—ffect ioyned with them Therefore when Simon was reallie â—amed Peter then was he in deede made the rock And seing he had not as yet confessed the confession which followeth doth not either only or first make him to be the rock But he is alreadie by Christes promise well entred to be made the rocke to th end he maie confesse the more stedilie and surely And therefore his confession is a most sure rock because it procedeth from him who was before made the rock to thend â—he should confesse most stedily Wherevpon when Christ asked whom the faithful said him to be then the rock did his dutie For as Cyrillus saith Peter as being the PriÌ„ce and head of the rest first cried out In Ioan. lib. 12. ca. 64. princeps ca put saying thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God to whom Christ answered and I say to thee thou art Peter to witte of the qualitie of a rock and vpoÌ„ this rock I wil build my Churche Lo Peter cried out or confessed as being the head He was then the head by some meanes euen before his confession that is to say by promise and name This much being graunted the which is the very order and expresse drift of the Gospel it wil farther follow that seing these words Math. 16 vpoÌ„ this rock I wil build my Church depend vpon these other Thou art Peter for they are iÌ„mediatly inferred vpoÌ„ theÌ„ aÌ„d ioyned to them with a copulatiue coniunctioÌ„ Et super hanc Petram and it wil follow I say that these words vpoÌ„ this rock I wil build my Church are to be vnderstanded according to these thou art Peter And seing these words thou art Peter depend no lesse principally vpon the former prophecie and promise of Christ wherein it was said thou shalt be called Peter then vpon the confession which Simon made afterward of Christes Godhead it is certein that the â—ther words also vpoÌ„ this rock I wil â—uild my Church coÌ„cerning the naâ—ure and order of a certain cause efficiâ—nt depend no lesse principally vpon â—hose former words thou shalt be called Peter then vpon the confession of Christes godhead so that the first coefâ—cient cause why the Church is builded vpon this rock is not the present coÌ„fesâ—ioÌ„ of Simon but the vocation and proâ—ise of Christ which was long before made vnto Simon Which thing being â—rue then Christ wil build his Church vpon this
aboue al others is coÌ„fessed of al sides to haue ben the first aÌ„d chief in al assembles and meetings to whome by M. Iewels confession the prerogatiue of the first place did belong to directe and order Bisshops in their doings In his Replie 241. 242. Secondly because he onely sitteth in Saint Peters chaier and is his lawful successour Thirdly because the consent of the world hath taken it so aÌ„d so hath practised in deed for euer but euen by our Aduersaries confession froÌ„ the tyme of Pope Zosimus and Leo and so aboue a thousand yeares And although if I had no farther proufe this alone were neuer able to be auoided yet I haue so many other proufes that I am more troubled what to leaue vnsayed then I am to seeke what may be said I haue chosen to speak of that point speciallie whiche is of all other the moste hard For there is no greater obiection against Saint Peters Supremacie then to saye The obiection that all the Apostles vvere the same thinge which he vvas The same Rocke the same Pastour the same Confirmour of their brethern Whereby he may seeme to haue had no more then they had and consequentlie that all Bisshoppes are as good as the successour of S. Peter To which obiection if I should only answere The ansvvere by demaunding of the Protestantes in what Gospel or holy scripture it were writen that euery other Apostle was the same rock which S. Mathew testifieth S. Peter to haue bene seeing they haue bound themselues to beleue nothing which is not expreslie writen in the holy Scriptures Matth. 10 16. they were not able so to replie that their owne conscience might iustlie be quiet For if they brought me foorth S. Cyprian De vnit Eccles or S. Hierom it were sufficient for me to say that they were no Euangelists I shew it writen thou shalt be called Cephas and thou art Peter that is to say a rocke or of the qualitie of a rocke For as S. Hierom witnesseth Lib. 1. ad Gal. c. 2. that which the Greeks and Latins cal Petra the Hebrewes and Syrians cal Cephan Let them shew it writen where S. Mathew or S. Iohn is called such a Rock or is said to be of such a condition and qualitie that the Church shal be built vpon him How vnhappy are men now a daies that whereas they haue moste plaine scriptures in al pointes for the Catholike faith and none at al againste the same yet they pretend by the very scriptures to ouercomme the Catholikes And by the bare naming of Gods worde whiche they neither vnderstand nor loue they haue among pedlers won the spurs and amonge the ignorant haue gotteÌ„ the opinion of knouledge But seing there is an infinit treasure in Gods word to proue those things whereby the Catholike faith is fortified I wil take vpon me this one point for this time to shew by what meanes S. Peter exelled the other Apostles wherein I wil procede in this order It is certaine that S. Peter excelled the Apostles in some kind of honor and dignitie The Apostles had two kinds of dignitie The one proper to their Apostleship the other coÌ„mon with al Bishops How far S. Peter was aboue or equal with them in the Apostolike functioÌ„ That S. Peters great prerogatiue aboue the Apostles is most manifestlie knowen by his supremacie in the bishoplie power of gouerning the Churche of Christ That S. Peters bishoplie authoritie was an ordinarie power That it must continue in some one bisshop That it is the Bishop of Rome in whom S. Peters ordinarie power and supremacie resteth That S. Peter passeth far the other Apostles in some kinde of Ecclesiasticall dignitie The IX Chap. IF what soeuer authoritie any Apostle had concerning the gouernment of the Church S. Peter had the same and yet if besides he had verie manie things of greatest importance promised and geuen to him alone which no man els had it is out of all controuersie that S. Peter passed a great way the other Apostles in some kind of Ecclesiasticall dignitie Otherwise if he had no more authoritie then they or if his priuileges had bene only personal as the loue was which our Sauiour bore toward S. Iohn who laie vpon his brest at his last supper certeinlie S. Peter should either haue had nothing at all committed to him aboue and beside the reast of the Apostles Ioan. 13. or it should haue ben onlie some temporall priuilege and not any such function as had apperteined to the perpetual stablishment of Christes Church But now Matth. 10 for so much as he is not onelie first among the twelue but also he had the promise to be called Cephas or a Rocke Ioan 1. before the twelue were chosen and was really named Peter at the tyme of the choise Marc. 3. And for so much as although both S. Iohn Baptist had confessed Christes godhead before Ioan. 1. and Nathanael had said thou art the Son of God thou art the KiÌ„g of Israel yet only Peters confessioÌ„ being made long after was so highlie rewarded that Christ said to him alone thou art Peter Matth 16. and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church For so much as the keyes of the Kingdom of heauen are namely promised to Peter alone Matth. 16 And whereas the tribute of didrachma was due for the first begotten of euery familie Num. 3. Iosephus antiquit li. 13. c. 12 Chrysost in Matth. Hom. 59. Matth. 17 Yet Christ paid both for himself and for S. Peter also as being the vnderhead and first begotteÌ„ of his familie the Church And for so much as Christ although an other bote also were at hand yet he taught the people out of S. Peters bote to shew that in Peters chaire his doctrine shuld alwaies be stedily professed Luc. 5. Ambro. in 5. ca. Luc. And wheras al the Apostles were sure to be sifted of Sathan Lucae 22. yet the faith of Peter alone is praied for Leo serm 2. de â—at Petri Pauli that he being once conuerted might strenhgten his brethern And when word of Christes resurrectioÌ„ was sent to al the disciples for so much as Peter both entred first into the Sepulchre Luc. 24. and was not comprehended with the rest but was seuerallie named by himself Marci 16. whiles the Angel said tel his disciples and Peter In 24. ca. Lucae that he wil goe before you into Galilee and as S. Ambrose thincketh of men he was the first who saw Christ after his resurrection abeit some wemen had sene him before And whereas the other Apostles sailed in the sea within the cumpasse of a bote Ioan. 21. Bernard de consid lib. 2. yet S. Peter alone walked vpon the whole Sea without any particular bote betokenning that the whole world which is meant by the Sea was ordinarilie subiect vnto his iurisdictioÌ„ Farthermore for so much as some
reproued Neither dooth he call to mind that he first was called to the Apostleship Consider good Reader how far these Fathers were from this minde of the Protestants to witte that the reprouing of S. Peter by S. Paule did anie thing withstand his primacie whereas thereby they neuer doubting of his supremacie in power rather shew him to haue ben chiefe euery way as well in grace as in authoritie S. Peter is reproued of S. Paule and S. Peter praiseth the verye same Epistles of S. Paule 2. Pet. 3. in which he is reproued Didde euer Martin Luther Zuinglius or Iohn Caluin shewe any such lowlinesse towarde their Superiour as S. Peter shewed to his inferiour Zuinglius reproued Luther concerning his doctrine of the real presence But did Luther trow you praise Zuinglius for it Except he praise a man who doth excommunicate him and pronounce him a Sacramentarie and an heretike And yet they were both brethern and both apostles of this new Gospell But ô Lorde how farre of are they from the true Apostles Their primacie was liker to that of Diotrephes Epistola Ioan. 3. then to S. Peters humble gouernment There is in these men no humility but intollerable arrogancie no yelding of the one to the other but extrem defending of euery mans own phantasie And yet the Protestants bring this example of S. Peter and S. Paul to defend their heathenish and heretical debate Whereas the reproufe of S. Peter neither consisted in any false doctrine of his as theirs doth nor was defended stubbornly by him as these men defend their errours euen to death and so they make them neuer able to be recoÌ„ciled The dissensions of the Caholikes Matth. 5. In via On the other side although dissentions happen oftentimes among the Catholikes whiles they are in the waie yet they are like vnto the Apostles in prosecuting them For that alwaies they are ready to yelde one to the other euen in this life at the farthest when the high Iudge shall geue sentence for the one part Deut. 17. And they all confesse that there is a mean aÌ„d power in earth able to determine al controuersies in Religion But the dissentions of the Protestants are like to the dissentions of the life to come which are immortal nor neuer shal be reconciled because there can be no Iudge acknowleged in the way to bring them at one sithens they are at their waies end after which time there is no place of reconciliation left but the iudge deliuereth either the one partie Matth. 5. or both to be tormented for euer if the greatnesse of the faulte be such as betwen Luther and Zuinglius it is It is farther laid against the supremacy of S. Peter that the Apostles sent him to lay handes vppon those whome Philippus the Deacon had Baptized Act. 8. for by sending they wil conclude him to be onely equal with the Apostles as though the Canons of a Cathedrall Church may not choose their Deane or Bisshop to go about certaine busines of the Chapter whom therein they sende to doe those things not as their inferiour but when the common good is to be procured and no fault is to be punisshed euery man ought to yeld vp his superiority and to condescend to charity Lib. 7. epist 64. as S. Peter did For as Gregorie most wisely saith wheÌ„ no fault requireth the coÌ„trarie all bishops according to the respect of humblenes are equal Briefly th' Apostles were sent euery of them equally into the whole world but Peter beside that was made chiefe to th' end the vnitie of the Church might appeare in one chief Apostle and schismes might be auoided not so much among the Apostles where none could chance as among others afterwarde Leo epist â—2 who should haue lesse grace to kepe vnitie then the Apostles had But in case th' Apostles had ben so destitute of grace that any one might haue taught false doctrine and stubbornly haue defended the same doubtlesse S. Peter might no lesse haue deposed him Actor 1. then he did separate Iudas from the College of the Apostles euen after his death And that had bene alwaies the true Catholike Church which had followed S. Peters doctrine But now the priuilege of the other Apostles did nothing hinder S. Peters chiefe power who had sufficient autoritie to haue controlled them if they hadde lacked sufficient grace to haue taught onely true doctrine And although they had grace not to erre yet his power was not in deed the lesse therby but it had the lesse occasion to shew it selfe vpon the Apostles 1. Tim. 1. Lex iusto non est posita euen as the Law is not therefore the weaker because it can not be practised vppon the iust men That S. Peters prerogatiue aboue the other Apostles is most manifestly sene by his chief bishoplie power The XII Chap. IT is al ready shewed first that S. Peter passed the Apostles a great way in some kinde or other of Ecclesiastical power Secondlie that the Apostles had two kinds of power one proper to their Apostleship an other common to al Bisshops Thirdlie that in the Apostolike office all the Apostles were in all points equal with S. Peter sauing onlie that aboue and beside his office he was made by Christ the first and the chiefe of theÌ„ all to th end vnitie might be alwaies shewed and kept by one capitain Apostle being also able to haue strengthned theÌ„ but that they preuented with grace needed not his help Now theÌ„ it remainth to see how far S. Peter passed the other Apostles in the state and degree of their bishoply power Herein I say that whereas we may consider in a prelate either his order and office or els the authoritie and Iurisdiction of the same the order and office of bishoply power was equally coÌ„mon not only to all the Apostles but likewise to al other bishops For it is generally true which S. Hierom saith Ad Euagrium Vbicunque fuerit Episcopus siue Romae siue Eugubij eiusdem meriti eiusdem est Sacerdotij Whersoeuer a bishop be whether at Rome which is the head citie of the world or at Eugubium which is a small town he is of the same merit and of the same priesthod That is to say euerie Bisshop may as wel preache and minister the sacrament of confirmatioÌ„ or of priesthod and much more all the other Sacraments to his owne Citisens or doe any like matter belonging to his order as the highest bishop in the world may For the order is equallie common to them al. And that is it which S. Cyprian saith De vnitate Eccles Episcopatus vnus est cuius à singulis in soliduÌ„ pars tenetur The bishoplie office is one whereof euerie man holdeth a part for the whole that is to say euery maÌ„ doth partake the bishoplie office wholy and without diminution For as euery man hath for his part the whole nature of a
preaching of his own sensible doctrine according to his manhod euen after the same rate Deut. 18. as Moyses did whiles he liued Now in consyderation that Christ would forsake this world concerning his visible conuersation and that he would goe in his manhood to raigne in heauen gloriously ouer the glorious part of his Church he instituted an other particular Rock and shepheard Ioan. 21. who by the outward preaching and confessing of his faith might for his life tyme stay the militant Church of God in a right belefe as Abraham or Moyses had don whiles they liued Matth. 16 This particular militant Rocke was S. Peter for the tyme. But when he died he left behind him still a particular militant Church I call it particular in respect of the vniuersall Church which for euer was and shal be therfore some mortal man ought still to be in the earth who may so vphold the militant Church by the assurance of his faith and confessioÌ„ as S. Peter did once vphold the same who likewise may stil so confirm his brethern as S. Peter was once willed to confirm them Matth. 23. Al Christians are brethern among themselues but al bishops are brethern in a nigher degree of holy gouernment The Rocke therefore which shall strengthen both al the Christians and namely al the bishops must continew so long as there are either bishoppes or ChristiaÌ„s in the earth The same reason is also fouÌ„d in the name of a pastor For as the flocke of shepe continueth after S. Peters death euen so must such an other pastour as S. Peter was be made who may stil fede and rule the flock of Christ wherevpon S. Chrysostom saith Lib. 2. de Sacerdot Christus sanguinem fudit vt pecudes eas acquireret quarum curam tum Petro tum Petri Successoribus committebat Christ hath shed his blood to gette vnto him those shepe the cure of whome he did committe both to Peter Peters successours and to the successours of Peter In that verie place it was were S. Chrysostom said that Peter being indowed LoÌ„gè praecellere with authority passed the other Apostles a great waie As therefore Peter in the authoritie of feeding passed the other Apostles so must the successours of Peter passe a great way the successors of the other Apostles which are al Bisshops For now Chrysostome confesseth that the same care is committed to the successours of Peter which was committed to Peter himself Serm 2 in aniuers assumpt With S. Chrysostom Pope Leo agreeeth saying Soliditas illius fidei quae in ApostoloruÌ„ priÌ„cipe est laudata perpetua est Et sicut permanet ê™ in Christo Petrus credidit ita permanet quod in Petro Christus instituit The streÌ„gth of that faith which was praised in the prince of th' Apostles is euerlasting And as that remaineth which Peter beleued in Christ that is to say the Godhed of Christ so doth that remain which Christ instituted in Peter that is to say a sure rock which may alwaies coÌ„fesse the true faith of Christ. And Leo shewing afterward how that remaineth which was ordeined in S. Peter Ibidem he saith In sede Petri sua viuit potestas excellit authoritas In the seat of Peter his power liueth his authoritie exelleth Therefore the authoritie of S. Peter is an ordinarie power which hath an ordinary succession in Christes Church These reasons are so plaine so stroÌ„g so true so forceable that I muse what vnderstanding what wit or sense they haue who graunting Peter to haue ben the rock wherevpon the Churche was built for the time which thing they must needs graunt vnlesse they will denie the expresse word of God aÌ„d the perpetual consent of all the Fathers yet will not graunt that an other like Rocke shoulde be substituted after S. Peter Verely seing the reason of S. Peters confession Vbi eadem ratio ideÌ„ iuâ— and of his power is such as agreeth to an ordinary office of the Churche the office also of S. Peters being a rock of streÌ„gthning his brethren and of feediÌ„g Christes sheep is an ordinary office which hath aÌ„d must coÌ„tinue so loÌ„g as there is a Militant house of God in earth and so long as either any brethern are who may be confirmed or any shepe who nede to be fed And verily if S. Peter haue no successours in his pastorall office what meane a li. 3. c. 3. Irenaeus b lib. 2. de schismate Optatus and c Ep. 165. S. Augustine by name to reckon vp such successours of S. Peter as had liued til euery of their age and tyme. Moreouer whereas noman exceptiÌ„g the cases of necessity may rightly preache to them to whom he is not sent Rom. 10. if as euerie particular pastour hath as S. Cyprian teacheth a portion of the flocke assigned to his gouerment lib. 1. ep 3 for which he shal be accoÌ„ptable vnto our Lord so there be not some general pastour alwaies in the Churche who beside his particular charge may send others to preache vnto them which are not yet conuerted and who when they are conuerted may erect new Churches and plant new bishoprikes in those parties as S. Gregorie did in England if there be not some Beda li. 1. c. 23. 27. Tit. 1. who maie as Paule saieth correct the things which lack and also controll other Bisshoppes when they are negligent and who may excommunicate euen those Christians which liue in no particular diocese but being conuersant among the Iewes or painims do there teache false doctrine and thence do write hereticall bookes or treatises if I say there be not some general pastours who may sommon all other Bisshoppes to Generall or prouinciall Councels and maie change the former positiue lawes of the Churche when either necessititie or charitie requireth it and who maie either make two Bisshoppes where one was before or vnite two into one Greg. li. 2. epist 31. 35. or commit the cure of any See or chaire vacant to the next bishop and so in all cases may prouide for the benefite of Christes flock it will come to passe that the house of God shall not be so well prouided for as other meane States and coÌ„mon weales are But if there be a power in Gods Churche whereby all the former cases maie be well prouided for seing it is clere that the Apostolike power is ended it must nedes be the high pastoral power of S. Peter which shall procure these affaires And consequently the high pastoral office of S. Peter is an ordinary office which ceased not with his own death but is tranferred to his Successours as it shal farther appere in the next chapiter sauing one That the ordinarie authority of S. Peters primacy belongeâ—h to one Bisshop alone The XIIII Chap. SAint Peter had not only the same power of binding and loosing committed to him alone which was geuen in common to all the Apostles but also
he as the head of all Bishops had it specified to him before they had it For whereas their authority is shewed to haue ben geuen in the eighteÌ„th chapiter of S. Matthew Matth. 18. and in the twenteth of S. Ihon Ioan. 20. the authority of S. Peter is described and promised in the sixtenth of S. Matthew Matth. 16 and it depended of the promise of Christ wherin he said thou shalt be called Peter or the rock the which promise was made as it appereth in S. Ihon not only before the Apostles were chosen Ioan. 1. but also before they were called to be the Disciples of Christ Ad iubaianum In consideration whereof S. Cyprian might boldly say Petro primus Dominus super quem aedificauit Ecclesiam vnde vnitatis originem instituit ostendit potestatem istam dedit vt id solueretur in terris quod ille soluisset Our Lord did first geue vnto Peter vpon whome he built his Church and from whome he did institute and shew the original or beginning of vnity this power that what soeuer he did loose it should be loosed in the earth Notevvel When one hath first that right and power alone which afterward others haue if there be any ordinary power of that thing at al it must nedes be in him who hath it first Ordinary Order For whereas all ordinary power dependeth chefelie of order and whereas in order nothing can be before that which is first First one seing S. Peter had first of all the right of the keyes of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ in himself alone Matth. 16. and seing the power of the keyes that is to saie of forgeuing and of reteining synnes is ordinarily in the Church it caÌ„not be otherwise but that ordinary power was first in S. Peter alone Augustin in Ioan Tract 124. If the pordinary power of binding aÌ„d loosing be once in one pastour alone it must stil coÌ„tinue coÌ„cerniÌ„g that degree in one alone if it shal at the least remaine stil the same power For if it be geuen to many and be equal in them al it is not now the same which was promised and geuen first to Peter alone Monarchie aristocratie democratie but an other kinde of power euen as the gouernment of one prince differreth in kind froÌ„ the gouernment which is equally common either to manie or to the whole people Seing it is cleere that the Apostles had the same power ouer the sheep which S. Peter had coÌ„cerning the exercise of all manner of binding loosing Ioan. 20. preaching and baptising and yet their autoritie could not be the ordinarie power which is in the Church because they were manie wheras the ordinary power was ê“mised before to one alone it doth insue Mat. 16. that they had their authority delegated aÌ„d specially appointed to them extraordinarily The Apostles povver vvas delegated for their liues only Therefore although they fed the flock of Christ as wel as S. Peter yet they did it by delegatioÌ„ and by special coÌ„missioÌ„ wheras S. Peter alone was the ordinarie chiefe shepheard according to whose patern there must still be some one appointed to feed Christes whole flock No man is at this day that which the Apostles were No man is able to write vs an other Gospel or to increase the Canonical Epistles or to warrant that he receiued the first fruits of the holy Ghost Rom. 8. as the Apostles did That authority died with them and came to none other after them aÌ„d consequentlie it was not ordinarie but onely was committed to a few during their owne liues But the ordinary authoritie of this highe administration beganne in one alone and therefore it must continew still in one alone There must be still one Rock Matth. 16 beside and aboue all petite Rockes There must be still one shepheard Ioan. 21. besyde and aboue many petite shepheards There must be still one greater then other Luc. 22. who may be made as the yonger and for whose faith Christ hath prayed to the end he may strengthen his brethern And verily seing as S. Bernard saith there is most perfection in vnitie De consid lib. 2. and in al diuision some imperfection is included shal we thinck that Christ hath chosen to gouern his Churche in earth rather in an vnperfit then in a perfit sort Again sitheÌ„s the state of the new testament must needs be more perfit then the state of the Lawe which brought nothing to perfection Heb. 7. and yet seing in the Law the ordinary Pastour was one high Priest aÌ„d Bishop as Aaron and his sede after him hauing manie synagoges and Leuits vnder his supreme gouernmeÌ„t Num. 3. what reason can beare that the state of our visible Church should lacke also in earth one highe priest and bishop ouer manie particular parishes and dioceses Thus haue we both natural reason the exaÌ„ple of the Law and the institution of Christ for one cheefe Bishop And that this was the mind of all the auncient Fathers also it appeareth most euidentlie because they geue such a reason whie the Church was built vpon S. Peter the which reason without an extraordinarie appointement of God caÌ„ neuer agree but onlie to one shepheard who may be aboue the rest I say without an extraordinarie appointment of God for that the Apostles being manie vvhy tvvelue Apostles gouerned equally and being all equal did gouern the church in a maruelouse vnitie and concord as if thei had ben al but one man The which spirit of vnity Christ gaue them that his institution of twelue equall gouernours for the time might wel appere not to be slaunderouse or hurtful vnto his Churche For he would neuer haue sent manie with equal authoritie into the whole world except he had ben able to make them gouern with one minde spirit aÌ„d hart But seing it were stil a miraculouse thing to see twelue and much more to see manie thousand bisshops and rulers being al equal stil to gouern the whole Church in their equal authoritie without schisme as the Apostles did that Apostolike authority being only instituted for the better publishing of the faith doth now cease and one shepherd is ordinarily alone set ouer al by whose general power it may appere that Christes Churche is but one For that is the reason which S. Cyprian bringeth why Christ built his Churche vppon S. Peter Ecclesia quae vna est super vnuÌ„ qui claues eius accepit Ad Iubaianum voce DnÌ„i fundata est The church which is one was fouÌ„ded by our Lords voice vpon one who toke the keies therof De simplicitate praelatorum And againe QuaÌ„uis Apostolis omnibus c. tamen vt vnitatem manifestaret vnitatis eiusdem origineÌ„ ab vno incipienteÌ„ sua authoritate disposuit Although Christ after his resurrection geueth to al the Apostles like power and saith As my Father sent
Peter should rule any one peece of the Militant flocke and S. Iames an other and S. Iohn the third but rather by his appointment S. Peter might rule the self same flock whiche S. Iohn or S. Paule or S. Iames might and contrariwise they might rule the same flock which S. Peter did For all were sente aequallie into the whole world Matth. 28 Therefore except beside this cōmon commending of the flock indifferentlie to al S. Peter alone had bene made the chiefe Pastour and head of the whole flock as in deed he was and that not onely as an Apostle Ioan. 21. but as a Bisshoppe and as one ordinarie officer the like wherof should for euer cōtinue in the Church we might boldlie saie that the exāple of hauing any one ordinary Curate Bisshop or Metropolitane in anie one parrissh or Diocese or Prouince were vtterly without anie example of Christes institution in the Apostles themselues And therefore that aequall institution of many pastours ouer on◠flock only standing which thīg the protestants doe maintein it should inuincibly folow that seing no deuise of man is able to controll the institution o◠Christ it were at this day much better to haue twelue or thirten curates in one parish and so many bishoppes in one diocese then to haue one alone For Christ if Peter alone were not aboue the Apostles in the chiefe pastoral dignitie made thirteen Apostles to be equal pastours and gouerners of the self same flock Math. 18. 2◠and that foorm of gouernment which Christ ordeined ought stil to continue in euery particular Church for who dare change our Lords institution Cypri lib. 1. epi. 3. li. 4. epi. 2 Hieron in 1. c. epist ad Titum But on the other side if all the world confesse that now in one Church there ought to be at one time but one bishop or one pastour in so much that S. Hierom saith in vna ciuitate plures vt nun cupantur Episcopi esse non poterant In one city there could not be manie bishops according as a bishop is now taken to signifie one that is aboue common priests If whereas once manie priests according to S. Hieroms minde ruled one Church for a tyme equally In. 1. epist ad Titum vt dissensicnū plantaria euelletentur yet for the better auoiding of schismes that gouernment was chāged and one bishop was set ouer them al seing S. Hierom alloweth well the change as being made for the better and yet it could not haue ben for the better if it had wholy lacked a foorm and patern in that gouernment which Christ hīself appointed to the Churche seing the same S. Hierom saith Lib. 1. aduersus Iouianum that among twelue one was chosen ād that by the good master Christ to thend the occasion of schisme might be taken away al these thīgs I say well weighed and conferred togeather I may most certainly conclude that Christ did not only institute S. Peter to be as one chiefe pastour in the whole militant Church according to S. Hieroms expresse meaning but that also he did institute him alone as an ordinarie officer according to whose vnity euery other Church should be at the lēgth ruled by one curate or bishop For as the twelue Apostles gouerned the flock for a tyme togeather with S. Peter extraordinarily AEqualiter inter piures Ecclesiae cura diuiditur and S. Peter alone gouerned the whole flock ordinarily so whiles the Apostles yet liued some few parishes were gouerned extraordinarily by many pastours at once as S. Hierom thinketh But as we see most clerely that the equall gouernment of many pastours in any one parish or diocese in the whole world lōg before S. Hieroms tyme was wholy expired so we may as euidently perceaue if we be not geuen ouer to a blind hart that the extraordinarie gouernment of the twelue Apostles or of any other prelates with equal power was fiften hundred yeres past expired And that now the onely ordinarie meane to gouerne Gods Churche as well in the whole as in the parts is to haue one pastour alone in euery parish and one chefe pastour alone ouer the whole militant Church the which one chiefe pastour is the bisshop of Rome as now it shal be proued by Gods grace That the Bishop of Rome is that one ordinarie pastour who succedeth in S. Peters chaire and is aboue al bishops according to the meaning of Gods word The XV. Chap. AS Sina being a mountaine in in Arabia Galat. 4. is said of the Apostle to be ioyned or to be nighe vnto the earthly city of Ierusalem not so much for the nighnes or affinity of the place as for the likenes of conditiō because the self same Law of Moyses which had ben geuen in Sina was afterward continued and preserued in Ierusalem And as by that meane the Iewes who at the tyme of the Lawe first receaued were not bound to Ierusalem at all as the which was then full of Idolatrie were afterward boūd to come thyther thrise euery yeare Exod. 23. because the highe priesthood and temple was setled there Deut. 17. as in the place which God chose euen so fareth it betwene the chiefe power which Christ gaue to S. Peter and the Church or bisshop of Rome Ioan. 21. For albeit when the Church was built vpon Peter and when he was made chiefe pastour of the same he were in Palestina and not in Rome ād for that tyme was rather accompted the highe bishop of the Circūcision Galat. 2. that is to say of the faithfull Iewes then of the Gentils who were not then cōuerted frō their Idolatrie yet for asmuch as the same S. Peter whose primacie is plentifully set foorth in Gods worde at the length setled himselfe at Rome by Gods appointment Iren. lib. 3 cap. 3. Tertul. de praescript and left a successour there for this respect I may wel affirm that the Bishop of Romes Primacy is cōmended and warranted by Gods own worde And seing it hath ben already declared that S. Peter alone according to the first litteral sense was both the rock Matth. 16 wherevpon Christ promised to build his Church and also the pastour Ioan. 21. who as he loued Christ more then other so he had authoritie to feede Christes flocke more then anie other Bisshop Item that the power of Peter was ordinarie and must continue still in the Church of God Item that it must continue in one chiefe shepheard onlie Now if I shew that the Bisshop of Rome is that one ordinarie chiefe Shepheard who succedeth in the said Authoritie of Saint Peter how can it be auoided but that the Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome is auouched and taught by Gods owne word Egesippus lib. 3 c. 2. Iren. lib. 3 cap. 3. Euseb histor lib. 2. c. 14. First not only al the histories all holy writers and the general tradition of all ages haue testified
threatenings of the Emperour what neede is there of men who haue the title of bishoppes When hath it bene heard of since the beginning of the world Note when did the iudgement of the church take his autority frō the Emperor or whē at any time was this acknouleged for a iudgemēt There haue ben very many synods hertofore many iudgements of the Church haue ben kept But neither the Fathers went about to persuade these things to the prince nor the Prince did shew himselfe curiouse in the matters of the Churche Paule the Apostle hadde frinds in Cesars howse and did salute the Philippians in their name in his letters yet did he not take them as his fellowes in iudgement By this ye may perceaue that no Emperours at al were they neuer so good no County Palatines or secular Lords be they neuer so much faithful as Constās was ād those of th' Emperors house of whome S. Paule speaketh haue yet any right or power Philip. 4. to sitte presidents in Ecclesiastical matters otherwise then to kepe ciuil order and peace but onlie those to whom God hath committed the cure of sowles In so much that Athanasius douteth not by name to call Constantius the foreruner of Antichrist because he being a secular prīce intermedled with the spiritual gouernment of the Churche Quid igitur Constantius quod Antichristi non sit In epist vbi antè omisit aut quomodo ille in aduentu suo non repererit sibi expeditam viam ad dolos ab isto praeparatam Siquidem in locum ecclesiasticae cognitionis suum palatium tribunal earum caufarum constituit séque earum litium summum principem authorem facit What hath Constantius then omitted that doth not appertain to Antichrist Or how shal not Antichrist when he cometh finde a fitte way for him to all deceits prepared by this mā ▪ For in steede of the Ecclesiasticall iudgement The part of Antichrist he appointeth his palace to be the place of iudgement for their causes and maketh himselfe the chiefest prince and bearer out of those controuersies Ibidē vbi antè And againe Grauia sunt ista plusquam grauia sed tamen istiusmodi quae congruant in eum qui Antichristi imaginem induerit Quis enim videns eum in decernendo principem se facere Episcoporū praesidere iudicijs Ecclesiasticis non meritò dicat illū eam ipsam abominationem desolationis esse quae à Daniele praedicta est nam cùm circumamictus sit Christianismo caet These things are greuous and more then greuous but yet they are such as doe well agree to him who hath put on the the Image of Antichrist For who seing him in making a decree to take vpon him to be prince of the bishops and to be president in Ecclesiastical iudgemēts may not worthely say that he is the abomination of the desolation which was foretold by Daniel The property of antichrist For when he being clothed with Christianitie doth both enter into the holie places and also being there doth spoile Churches abrogate the Canons vsing force to make men obserue and keepe his commaundements who will at anie tyme dare say that this is a quiet tyme to the Christians and not rather a persecution and such a persecution as neither hath ben before nor perchance no man will at any tyme make again but that sonne of iniquity which is Antichrist Thus haue we the determinate sentence of Athanasius of Athanasius I say the most notable bishop that euer was for vertue and lerning since the Apostles time And his sentence is that the Christiā Emperor and the like is of any Christian Prince who taketh vpō him to be prince of the bishops in making a decree and to be president in Ecclesiasticall iudgements is a mēber of that abominable desolatiō wherof Daniel prophecied Can any plainer sentence be wished for to conclude my present purpose Neither was this doctrine only meant of an heretical Emperour for the Catholike Emperour Constans is praised for not medling with Church matters Philip. 4. Yea S. Paule is alleaged not to haue communicated the Church matters with those good Christians of Cesars howse I know with what wranglers I haue to doe They wil bring examples to shew that some Emperours haue sitten in general Coūcels as Constantine the great Martianus ād some others But I answere that they satte to kepe good order and to preserue peace and quietnes among the bishops speciallie because the Archeheretikes were commonly themselues great Prelates as being the patriarches of Antioche or of Alexandria or of Constantinople Who yf the Emperour were not present would vse force in the stede of holy scriptures as Dioscorus did In the schismatical Ephesine Coūcel and Eusebius of Nicomedia in the tyme of the Arrians For the preseruing thē of ciuil and ecclesiastical peace the Emperour was present ād not as supreme iudge in Ecclesiasticall causes S. Ambrose noteth and thincketh that euen an heretical Emperour comming to yeres of discreatiō wil be hable to consider In epi. 32. VVhat maner of bishop M. Horn i◠qualis ille Episcopus sit qui Laicis ius Sacerdotale substernit what manner of bishop he is who layeth the priestly right vnder the laye mens seete And yet by geuing of the most proud and most intolerable title of supreame Head or gouernor in al ecclesiastical causes to lay princes al the religiō vsed now in England wholy standeth What bishoppes then are those of England who making the secular prince their head putte the priestly right vnder his feete S. Augustine being fully persuaded that nothing could be greater then a priest in the house of God therevpon concludeth that Moyses must nedes haue ben a priest for saieth he nunquid maior sacerdote esse poterat August in Psalm 98. Could he be greater then a priest Yea Marie saith M. Horn he might haue ben a King or a secular Prince But S. Augustine knew no such diuinity And yet the worlde toward the comming of Antichrist is growne so wise that these men haue found now that euery Emperor King Prince or Duke who hath any temporall state of his owne is greater euen in Ecclesiasticall causes then the lawfull successour of S. Peter This I say is the diuinity of England For therein our countrie maketh a peculiar Secte of his owne wherein they disagree euen from their fellow Caluinistes But lette them loke to it as well as they will they shal finde it a badge of Antichrist as Athanasius hath plainlie affirmed And when the daie of triall commeth it shall euidentlie appeere that those are most faithfull subiects to the prince who geue him his due place of honour in Gods Churche without derogation to that heauēly power of bishops which Christ himself came down from hauen to plant and whom he hath set euen ouer the Kings themselues Ioan. 21. as being the sheepe of their foldes Theod. lib.
is altogether in question betwen vs. How then can that be a mark sufficient to shew an other thing to vs which it self is not sufficientlie knowen of vs All which reasons notwithstanding the confidence of our cause is such that I may graunt the woorde of God what soeuer it be to be a sufficient marke whereby Gods Churche may be knowen And then I say that euerie way Gods word standeth more on our syde then against vs. For yf you meane by God worde Gods vvoorde first vvith vs. the writen letter of the olde and of the newe Testament we are before you in that behalfe because you haue no assured Copies thereof which were not preserued by the former Christiās whome yee call Papists of thē you toke as your baptism so your Bible By them not only the old and the new testamēt but also the works of the auncient Fathers were copied out printed and layed vp in libraries ād in other places whence they came to your hands If then the hauing of Gods woorde proue a true Churche that is the more true Church which had it first specially seing we came not by it priuily or violently but receaued it euē at the Apostles hāds For after that day wherein S. Peter and S. Paule deliuered Gods word to the faithfull Romans the Church of Rome hath alwaies kept it safe without either leesing or corrupting it Again we beleue and acknowlege more of the Bible then you doe More of Gods vvoorde vvith vs. by the bookes of Toby of Iudith of Wisedom of Ecclesiasticus and of the Machabees All which we accompt for Gods own word according to the cōsent of many auucient †Aug. de doct Christia lib. 2. c. 8. Gelasius in Synode 70. episco Cōcil Florēt in fine-Trident Session 3. Fathers and councels whereas you call them Apocrypha and so make them vnable to decide any controuersie about religion Thirdly we doe not only graunt the Hebrew text of the old testament such as may appeare vncorrupted and the Greek text of the new testament to be Gods word but we also acknowlege with the aūciēt Fathers the †Iustin in Apol. 2. Ireneus li. 3. c. 25. Euseb de praeparat Euang. li. 8. c. 1. Aug. ep .8 Greek translatiō of the Septuagīts Moe copies of Gods vvord ād with the †Sessio 3. Tridentine Councel the cōmon Latin translation which so many hundred yeres hath bene diligentlie expounded and preserued in the Latin Churche to be of ful authority Where as you geue small credit to either of these translations except by your iudgement they agree with the first Hebrew and Greek copies We then haue Gods woorde in moe authentik tungs and copies then you haue Fourthly we preach expound interpret and translate Gods word in all maner of tungs Better vse of Gods vvord better then you because we doe these things not only by internal but also by such external vocation and commission as may be shewed to haue sprung from the Apostles by the lineal and ordinary succession of our bishops and priests Whereas you can fetch no higher commission then from the common weale which neuer receaued authority of Christ to make priests or to send preachers ād yet how shal they preache Rom. 10. if they be not sent Concerning that you reade Gods word to the people at you Church seruice tyme in the vulgar tungs Of Gods vvord in vulgare tungs it is no perfection at all on your syde For yee lack thereby the vse of the better tungs as of the Greek and Latin which were sanctified on Christes crosse Luc. 23. Ioan. 19. as for all other holy vses so most specially for to serue God withall at the tyme of Sacrifice wherein he requireth the very best in euery kind to be offered vnto Malac. 1. him as to our dreadful Lord and louing father And who douteth but that a lerned a holy and a common tung is more honorable then a barbarouse a prophane and a priuate tung In so much that in respect of the whole body of the Catholike Church wherewith we specially communicate in our seruice and praiers the vulgare tungs are much more to be accompted strange or vnknowen which strange tungs onely S. Paule doth least regard then the common tungs 1. Cor. 14. which were alone deliuered to the very first Christian Churche by the Apostles themselues in the East and west not regarding the infinite multitude of vulgare tungs which were in particular prouinces of the same countries the Greek and Latin Church For of the Greek tung vsed in the East Churches and of the Latin vsed in the west Churches it came to passe that it is al one to say the Greek or the east Church the Latin or the west Churche And surely seing Christ being vpō the Crosse whence the paterne of al◠prayer and oblations is to be taken sithens the Sacrifice which we offer◠saith Cyprian is the passion of our Lord whereas he knewe right well Li. 2. epi. 3 that the common people of the Iewes the pure Hebrew tongue being either lost or much decayed in cōmon speache euery daie more ād more after the captiuitie of Babylon could not vnderstand him Math. 27. Psal 21. did yet recite the beginning of the Psalme My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee in Hebrew and did not either by and by or at al interprete the same in the vulgar tongue need we to doubt but that after his example we may doe the like in those tongues at our seruice whiche Priests ād Clerks do vnderstād though the common people doe not vnderstand the same VVe vse also vulgar tungs in our seruice But lest there should be any one iote wherin to passe Gods Catholik Church we also haue in certaine countries the vse of vulgar tongues in the Churche seruice as in Dalmatia it is to be sene at this daie and the like is said to be in Assyria and in Aethiopia the Christians of which Countries doe acknowledge the Supreamacie of the Bisshoppe of Rome And although by this very meanes Vulgar tungs cause barbarousnes those Countries are become the more barbaous for thereby the Priestes and Preachers can not reade either the Greek or the Latin Doctours yet this good ariseth to the whole Churche of their losse that it both hath all degrees of tungs to wit both lerned and vulgar in her praiers and by the example of those barbarouse countries she warneth the other more ciuil parts to auoid that mischief whereby those other men fel into that reproche of barbarousnes Moreouer those Countries some of which neuer knew any better then their own natiue tung haue their seruice in the vulgar tungs by mere force and necessity Necessity forceth those coūtries to vse vulgar tūgs and that allowed by the good dispensation and toleration of the See Apostolike without breache of vnity whereas the Protestāts hauing once had
In deserto In penetralibus And then for the space of certain huÌ„dred yers together yee can not name what preachers or pastours your Churche had But thê° to flee into priui places aÌ„d to lack opeÌ„ preachers Math. 24 is directly against the word of God Prouer. 8. and expressely against the coÌ„maÌ„meÌ„t of our Sauiour Isai 62. whose wisdoÌ„ crieth in the tops of the waies and in the gates of the cities whose whatchmeÌ„â—ease not to speak both day and â—ight vpoÌ„ the wals of IerusaleÌ„ in whose house the caÌ„dle staÌ„deth vpoÌ„ the candlestick to geue light to al meÌ„ Math. 5. whose faith must be coÌ„fessed with the mouth Rom 10. 1. Philip. 2. Psal 44. whose gospel must not be blushed at whose seruants shine like stars whose spouse being most beawtiful through internal faith aÌ„d charity Circumamicta varietatibus is yet garnished about with variety of diuers tuÌ„gs which are daily heard to preache aÌ„d ceremonies which are daily sene in Gods seruice amoÌ„g the Catholiks Memor ero nominis Populi coÌ„fitebuntur in aeternuÌ„ Which spouse also hath promised to be mindful of the name of Christ from generatioÌ„ to generation in so much that many peple shall confesse and geue praise to God for euer age after age If such a gloriouse a manifest and a beautifull Churche must be beleued then must Wiclef Hus and their fellowes be avoided and our knowen manifest and in all generations most gloriouse Churche must be imbrace which neuer lacked a chiefe bishop iâ— S. Peters chaire with a number of bishops and faithful nations obeying hâ— doctrin and gouerment The truth 〈◊〉 which Catholik Church and chair thâ— I might the more effectally persuade The cause of this treatise 〈◊〉 haue taken in hand to proue the Sâ—premacy of the bishop of Rome according to the reason and meaning oâ— Gods word The which point alone if iâ— be graunted al other controuersies arâ— superfluous For all is concluded vnder one if one be appointed the chiefe shepheard by God ouer al sithens euery maÌ„ must heare aÌ„d obey the shepheards voice Ioan. 10. I request most humbly of your pacieÌ„ce to reade or to heare the whole treatise readen which is not long and not to condemne the matter before it be wel vnderstanded If my discourse be doutfull I am ready to make it plaine If it seme to faile in proof a charitable â—â—swere made vnto it shal shew by the â—ply how strong the Arguments geâ—erally be concerning the chief points Thus taking my leaue I wish as wel 〈◊〉 your worship as I do to my self beseâ—hing you not to miscontrue my doings â—ut to take them so charitably as they â—re meant For God is my witnesse the â—hing I seeke is as well the reducing of â—hem to their Mother Church who are â—on a stray as the staying of them who â—hrough mans frailty beginne to dout of their faith Which effects God grauÌ„t through Iesus Christ our Lord to his own glory Amen The Chapiters of the Treatise following 1 The state of the question fol. 1. 2 That there is a primacy of spiritual gouernment in the Church and how it differreth from secular gouerment 16. 3 Of the diuerse senses of these wordes vpon this rock I wil build my Church aÌ„d which is most literal 93. 4 These words thou art Peter and vpoÌ„ this rock I wil build my Church haue this literal meaning vppon the ô Peter being made a rock to th end thou shouldest stoutly confesse the faith I will build my Church 108. 5 The Fathers teache that S. Peter is this rock 136. 6 The reasons which the Fathers bring to declare why S. Peter was this rock 155 7 The authorities alleaged by M. Iewel to proue that S. Peter was not this rock proue against himself 171. 8 The conclusioÌ„ of the former discourse and the order of the other which followeth 189. 9 That S. Peter passeth far the other Apostles in some kinde of Ecclesiasticall dignity 194. 10 That the Apostles besyde the perogatiue of their Apostleship had also authority to be particular bishops 204. â—â— How far S. Peter did either excel or â—s equal with the Apostles in their Aâ—stolike office 2â—0 â—â— That S. Peters prerogatiue aboue the â—her Apostles is most manifestly sene by â—s chief bishoply power 232. â—â— That the Pastoral authority of S. Peâ—r was ordinary 267. â—â— That his ordinary authority belonâ—th to one bishop alone 279 â—â— That the bishop of Rome is that one â—dinary pastour who succedeth in S. â—eâ—rs chaire 305. â—â— That the good Emperours and prinâ—s did neuer think themselues supream â—eads of the Churche in spiritual causes 378. â—â— That the bishop of Rome is not Anâ—christ himself 421. â—8 That the bishop of Rome is not any â—ember of Antichrist concerning his â—octrine 464. THE STATE OF THE QVESTION CONCERning the Supremacie of S. Peter and of the Bishops of Rome after him The First Chapiter IN writing to and fro concerning the Supremacie of S. Peter and of the Bishops of Rome after him great controuersies are fallen out the which to th' end they may be the better opened I thought good to propose in order the chief points of the said question The Catholiques beleue that the Bishop of Rome sitting in S. Peters Chaier is by the appointment of Christ himself the chief Pastour of the whole militant Church whose voice euery sheepe ought to hearken vnto The Protestants on the other side denie not only the Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome nor onlie the Supremacie of S. Peter but also they affirme that there is no Primacie nor any one chief gouernment in the Church at al. Therefore the first Question must be whether it be against â—he Word of God or no that there shoulde be in his Church any Primacie or chief Authoritie The second is whether S. Peter had the said Primacie or no. The third whether the Bishop of Rome had it after S. Peter Concerning S. Peter we fal againe into diuers new questioÌ„s as it shal now appeare When Simon the sonne of Iona was first brought vnto Christ by his brother Andrew Iesus loking vpon him said Thou art Simon the sonne of Iona Ioan. 1. thou shalt be called Cephas the vvhich by interpretation is Peter that is to say a stone or a rocke Here is the promise made that Simon shal be called Peter which name is deriued of a rocke or stone Verelie because he shal occupie that place in vpholding the frame of Christes militant Church the which a stone occupieth in holding vp the house which is built vpon it And when it pleased Christ to chose vnto him his twelue Apostles then he gaue the said name vnto SimoÌ„ surnaming him Peter Thirdly Mar. 3. Luc. 6. when Simon hauing the Godhead of Christ reuealed to him from heaueÌ„ had confessed the same saying Math. 16. Thou art Christ the son of the liuing God then Iesus answering said vnto
him alluding to his new name Ioan. 21. and shewing the reason thereof And I saye vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rocke vvil I build my Church and the gates of hel shal not preuaile against it And to thee I wil geue the Keies of the kingdome of heauen And whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon the earth it shal be bound also in the heauens And vvhatsoeuer thou shalt loose vpon the earth it shal s be loosed also in the heauens By these wordes both the promise of Christ was fufilled aÌ„d the reason of the promise was also declared concerning the new name which was before spoken of Neither do our aduersaries denie these points as I suppose But the Catholiques reason farther vpon this place in this wise The name of Peter which is deriued of a rock or of a stone was no soner geuen to Simon but also a new promise was made Math. 16. that vpoÌ„ this Rocke Christ would builde his Church Now the Catholikes doe say that Peter himself is here called this rock and that Christ promised to build his Church vpoÌ„ him And because the building of Christes church varieth not after his Gospel once planted but is alwaies like it self the Catholikes beleue and teach that when S. Peter died aâ— other did succeede in his place vpon whom Christes militant Church might be still so builded as it had been once builded vpoÌ„ S. Peter And for as much as the Bishop of Rome succedeth S. Peter the Catholikes most constantly affirme that the Bishop of Rome who liueth for the time is the rocke which coÌ„fesseth euermore Christes true faith vpon which confession of the See of Rome as vpoÌ„ a most sure Rock Christes Church is built The ProtestaÌ„ts being at a point to denie this later assertion must nedes affirme that Peter himselfe is not called this Rock but rather that either Christ alone or the faith which Peter confesseth is only called this rocke This seÌ„se is imperfit but not false So that they wil haue these wordes vpon this rocke I wil build my Church to be onely thus meant vpon this faith and confession of thine wherein thou hast said to mee thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God vpon this Rocke which I am or vpon this strong faith which is confessed of me I wil build my Church and whersoeuer this faith is there say thei is the rocke vpon which Christ buildeth his Church The Catholikes replie that although the faith and confessioÌ„ of Christes Godhead be in deede a most strong rocke whereupon the Church is built yet that is not al which Christ meaneth at this time For these wordes Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I wil build my Church haue a respect vnto three diuers times to the time past because they are spoken to him who was promised to be called Peter to the present time because they are spoken to him who now confesseth Christes Godhead to the time to come because they are spoken to him to whom Christ saith he wil geue the keies of the kingdome of heauen and vpon whom he wil hereafter build his Church which thing he performed when he said Peter louest thou me more theÌ„ these Ioan. 21. â—eede my sheep For Christes sheepe â—re Christes Church And to be made â—he shepheard of them is to haue Christes Church built vpon him And â—o be Peter is to be this Rocke Solemus videre pastores sedere â—upra petram inde commissa â—ibi pecora custodire We are woÌ„t saith S. Augustine to see shepheards sit vpon a rocke August in Io. tract 46. and theÌ„ce to keepe the sheepe commited to their charge Thus we see how wel the Metaphore of the Rocke dooth agree with the Metaphore of feeding sheepe Therefore these wordes vpon this rocke I vvil build my Church are perfectly fulfilled when it is saide to Peter who is this Roke feede my sheepe Now wheras this PropositioÌ„ Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church is thus qualified with the person to whom it is spokeÌ„ and with the diuersitie of three seueral times The sense of the protestaÌ„ts lacketh three coÌ„ditions of fovver to take one part of these foure away from all the other conditions whereunto it belongeth and to say that the confession of Peter alone is the rocke whereupon Christ wil build his church and thereby to denie Peter him selfe who maketh that confession to be this rocke and to diuide the confession from the promise going before which first of all wrought the effect thereof and from the last fulfilling which ensued after it is in deede a truthe for so muche as is affirmed therein but in respect of that which is denied it is a maine falshood The vvhole sense But the Catholiques geuing the whole sense of Christes woordes as they ought and not diminisshing any parte thereof doe teache that this Rocke vvhere vpon Christ built his Church is S. Peter not barely and nakedly considered but with â—spect of the promise past of the preâ—nt confession and of the auctoritie â—f feeding Christes sheepe which then â—as to come And so no maÌ„ be he neuer so faithâ—ul is this rocke whereupon Christ â—ath built his Church except he be â—awfully called to succede in the authoâ—itie and pastoral office of S. Peter This thing then remaineth to be proâ—ed in his due place The Catholiques teache also Ioan. 2â— that â—t was said to Peter alone feede my sheepe And seeing no particular â—locke was named it must needes be meant that the whole flocke which for the time liued on the earth was committed to Peter euen aboue all other according as he loued Christ more then other And for as much as the order of gouerning Christes Church which himself appoiÌ„ted may not afterward be changed by mans inuention it insueth that alwayes one chief shepheard must be made who may feede the whole militant flock of Christes sheepe in earth aboue al other pastours as Peter onâ—â— did feede them aboue al concerning the principal power which he receiued of Christ Hereunto the Protestantes replie that Peter alone was not made the shephead of Christes flocke aboue alâ— others but that in him Christ spake to al the Apostles The Catholiques demaund why theâ— Peter alone is spoken vnto and willed to feed Christes sheepe in the presence of certaine other Apostles to none of whom Christ speaketh any thing therof at this time The Protestants answere that euery Apostle was made a pastour no lesse theÌ„ Peter Caluin and Beza in Ioan. cap. 21. But that he was namely spoken vnto at this time as one who had lost his office of Apostleship by denying his Master and therefore as he denied thrise so he was commauÌ„ded thrise to â—â—d Christes sheep to th' end he should â—ow that his fault is now forgeuen and â—â—t he is restored to his Apostleship â—aine so that he may feede Christes â—â—eep as wel as Andrew or Iohn and
need of no smal discreation that they neither preferre them selues in any thing before good men and when the fault of euil men so requireth that by and by they may acknowledge the povver of their prelateshippe The same vvordes are in S. Gregorie li. 1. ep 24 For to the end the minde of the President might not be puffed vp with pride through the delight light of his owne power it is wel said by a certaine wise man They haue made the a capitain be not proud but be amoÌ„g them as one of them Al this talke of S. Bede presupposeth a prelatship in the Church and requireth also that it be practised wheÌ„ the faults of euil men prouoke their Superiour to vse his authoritie The chief point of the whole disputation is that the Ecclesiastical primacie doth in all points imitate and resemble as much as it possiblie may the Primacie of Christ Luc. 22. who setteth foorth him selfe as a perfit example of a true primacie euen in this place of S. Luke Therefore who so euer denieth the Superioritie of him who is the greatest among the Apostles to be a true primacie in his kinde is blasphemouse against Christ him selfe For after that it was said He that is greatest among you let him be as the yonger and he that is chief as he â—hat ministreth Christ intending to â—hew that the primacie of the Apostles â—ould by no reason be greater then that â—f Christ was but that it ought rather â—o follow aÌ„d to be like vnto it whether 〈◊〉 saith he is greater he that sitteth â—oun or he that ministreth Is not â—e that sitteth doune But I am in â—he midst of you as he that miniâ—treth as if he said seeing none of you â—ay reasonably couet to be otherwise â—he greatest then I am and yet I being â—ncomparably the greatest doe behaue my self like one that ministreth much lesse the greatest among you may desire â—o be great after any other sort Therefore in such sort the Apostles and their Successours ought for their degree to be seruants and ministers in their Primacie as for his degree Christ was in his own primacy who after that he had washed their feete said vnto them Do ye knovv vvhat I haue done vnto you Ioan. 13. Ye cal me Maister and Lord and therein you say vvel for I am your Maister and Lord in deed Wherfore seeing I being your Lord and Maister haue vvashed your feete ye ought to vvash one an others feete For I haue geuen you an example that you should doe as I haue don Verely verily I say vnto you the seruaÌ„t is not greater then his Maister nor the Apostle more vvorthy then he that sent him If ye knovve these things ye shal be blessed if ye doe them Christ therefore whereas he was most truly Lord and Maister hauing the Primacie in al points Coloss 1. yet notwithstanding he was a minister among his disciples And after the same sort as S. Gregorie testifieth Petrus authore Deo sanctae Ecclesiae principatum tenens L. 1. ep 24 c. Peter hauing the Primacie of the holy Church â—y Gods commission refuseth to â—e ouermuch reuereÌ„ced of Corâ—elius vvho did vvel Actor 9. Actor 5. But vvhen â—e found out the fault of Ananias â—nd Saphyra Mox quanta potenâ—â—a super caeteros excreuisset osteÌ„â—it He shewed straight how farre â—e was groweÌ„ in power aboue the rest Wil any man denie Christ to be Prince â—nd Lord of al No I suppose For Christ died and rose againe Rom. 14. to â—his end that he might be Lorde â—oth of the quick and of the dead If then he that is Lord of al could notwithstaÌ„ding be as a minister withâ—ut losse of his lordship how much more easilie may he that is not properlie a Lord but a chief ruler among his breâ—hern being set rather ouer their faults then ouer the men how much more may he be as a seruant and minister in that Primacie and Authoritie of his without any hinderance to his superiorite Which being true their errour or rather malice is discouered who think that none caÌ„ be chief among the faithful ChristiaÌ„s because it is writen that he must be as a minister that vvilbe first or chief See I pray you their wise discourse Thus they reason To be a ruler and as a yonger a chief gouernour An Obiection and as a minister are contrarie and repugnant one to an other If that be true how was Christ both a Lord and as one that ministred The ansvvere A Maister and as it were a minister A Lord by nature a minister by subiection It is not said he that is the greater let him be a seruaunt but let him be as a minister If it be so that Christ being absolutely Lord of al was also notwithstanding as a minister how much more may the Apostles and their successours being not proprely Lords in deed but only for the time appointed rulers ouer Christes familie be in that kind both gouernours and as seruants Gouernours ouer them who for their faults â—eserue the rod as S. Paul speaketh â—nd as seruants in the middest of them who deserue praise 1. Cor. 4. 1. Thess 5. Gouernours in â—eed and seruants by humilitie Gouerâ—ours in office and seruants in consideâ—ation of the good end and vse of their â—ffice But what need many woords Doth not euery good shepheard both â—ule his flock and serue his flock Doth â—e not iudge betwen the fat sheep and â—he leane Yeas verely Ezec. 34 And Christ â—ould haue Bishops euen after the exâ—mple of shepheards to be both rulers â—uer men indued with reason aÌ„nd also â—o serue them with their spiritual food Now look by what reason one man beâ—ng as it were Aries Dux gregis a â—am who guideth the flock is chief ruâ—â—r ouer many meÌ„ being as it wer sheep who follow him by the same reason the â—ery self same guide may as it were a â—apitaine ram be again in subiectioÌ„ to â—n other guide as being his shepheard Therfore as Bishops are gouernourâ— ouer their particular flockes and seruitours vnto them so one superiouâ— Bishop is both gouernour ouer many Bishops as his one flock and also seruant vnto them al. How sententiouslie was it said of Pope Leo Quâ—se quibusdam sit esse prepositum non moleste ferat aliquem sibi essepraelatum Ep. 82. ad AnastasiuÌ„ Thessalon He that knoweth himseâ—â— to be sette ouer some men let him nâ—â— disdaine to haue some man preferred before himselfe An Obiection But some man will saie They thâ— beare rule and dominion euen among the Gentils doe serue their subiects iâ— that they prouide to keep out their ennemies to coÌ„serue peace to make lawes and to punnish malefactours Wherefore seing they haue such a dominion as maie be called a ministerie and seruice not onely that dominion which practiseth a tyrannical power and hath confidence in his owne force is inhibited to the Apostles
reason and by conference of holie scriptures that S. Peter is called This Rocke when it is sayed to him Thou art Peter and vppon this Rock I wil build my Church It followeth And hel gates shal not preuaile against it Epiphan in Anchoratu Origenes in Matth. That is to say the power and strength of heresies shal preuaile neither against thée who art the Rock nor against my Church Not against thée being the Rock because I haue prayed for Peters faith not against my Church because so loÌ„g as the Rocke whervpon it is built is sure the Church it self which standeth vpoÌ„ the same Rock is sure also These words can not be wel referred to Christ only the chief Rock For it is Christ the chief Rocke who warranteth the assurance of the vnder Rocke And so it is Peter who is assured that hel gates shall not preuail against him nor against the Militant Church which is built vppon him Ioyne to these considerations the authoritie of Tertullian of Hippolytus of Origenes S. Cyprian S. Hilarie S. Basil S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Gregorie S. Hierom S. Leo S. Chrysostom S. Cyrillus Theodoretus Prosper Theophilact with a greate number of the Fathers of the fourth General CouÌ„cel who teach S. Peter to be this Rock as I wil shew anon Neither doe they onely speak it but they bring such reasons for S. Peters being the Rocke as can agree to no man els but to him and to his successours in the same office Ioyne the practise of fiftene huÌ„dred yeres in which the seat of S. Peter standeth in Rome aÌ„d florisheth like a most immoueable Rocke among so many tyraÌ„s heretikes and naughty Christians Ioyne so many General Councels as haue ben in Christendome which all haue so acknowleged this Rock Tripart lib. 4. c. 9. which S. Peter is that they were all either aucthorised by his Successours or els for lacke thereof disanulled as vnlawfull Adde to the former reasons that if the Churche were built onely or chiefllie vpon the confession alone it must needs haue been built vppon the confession of S. Iohn Baptist before it was built vppon the confession of Peter Ioan. 1. For Iohn Baptist confessed Christ to be the Lambe of God who tooke awaye the synnes of the worlde before S. Peter and in moe woordes then S. Peter did But the ground of Christes building is the Rocke which Peter is and S. Iohn Baptist is not that kinde of Rock And the Churche is now promised to be builte vppon his confession who is first made the Rock and who being the Rock doth strongly confesse Remember also that I shewed in the former Chapiter how al the foure senses which the Fathers geue of the foresaid wordes vpon this Rock I wil build my Church are perfitely conteined in this one sense wherein the church is promised to be built vppon Peter For so it is proued to be built vppon Christ because he is so vniuersall a Rocke of the whole Churche that he maketh Peter a particular Rocke of the Militant Church In Peter is the faith which he confessed in him are all faithful Disciples comprehended But in none other sense al the auncient Fathers interpretation can be saued vpright Moreouer seeing it is cleere that to be the Rock is to be a certain foundation of the Churche for Christe buildeth his house vppon a Rocke sith al the Apostles are certaine foundacions of Gods beautifull Citie Matth. 7. Apocalip 21. and thereby they are also certeine Rockes vppon whiche the Churche is built how can Peter be denyed to be a Rock and foundation of the Churche for his part Now that his parte doth passe all other mennes partes I proue it moste euidentlie because the names of things are tokens of the things them selues and that moste speciallie when God himselfe geueth the name as now he hath done For yf the thing were not so before as he nameth it at the least his naming it so maketh it to be that which he nameth it Therefore seing onely Peter after Christ beareth the name of a rocke it is out of all question that the said name is a signe of his being the rock in some such sort as none other Apostle is the rocke But the faithfull are built vpon the foundation of all the Apostles and Prophets as S. Paul saith and thei are the Church of Christ Ephes 1. therefore the Church of Christ is much more notably built vpon S. Peter aboue all others because he is the rocke and foundation aboue al others And whereas by the power Apostolike al the Apostles were equal certainly S. Peter is this rock Leo serm 2. de anniuers assumpt not only as an Apostle wherein he had manie fellowes but also as a chefe bishop and as the primate of all Bisshops and Priests wherin he was perelesse being the head and top of all others in that sense as I shal declare hereafter In the which highe priesthod only Peter hath a successour who sitteth in the See of Rome to continue a Rock for euer sith Christes militant Church needeth to be alwaies built vp by visible preaching and gouernment This my interpretation is not a litle fortified by the preuarication of our aduersaries For they being at a point to deny that Peter and his successours are this rock whereupoÌ„ the militaÌ„t Church is built are yet by no meanes agreed what chiefe sense these words vpon this rocke I wil build my Church ought to haue Ievvel in his Reply fol. â—21 But sometime they make Christ to be this rocke sometyme the confession of the faith sometyme euerie disciple not regarding what they graunt or hold so that the truth be denied But it were reason they told vs some one chefe literal sense wherevnto they wold stand Which if they did all the world should perceaue their vanitie For if all our reasons were not diuided to answere diuerse senses as now they are but were driuen al to one purpose that opinion of theirs should haue ben much more easily destroyed and vtterly vanquished which neuer the lesse is now sufficiently disproued by the circuÌ„stance and coÌ„ference of holy scripture It is proued out of the aunciene Fathers that S. Peter is this rock whereupon the Church was promised to be built otherwise then M. Iewel affirmeth The V. Chap. THE chiefe ground of our disputation are the words of Christ spoken to Simon his Apostle Matth. 16 wherin he said Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build mie Church By the force of which words the Catholicks beleue and teache that S. Peter was made a rock wherevpon Christ would build his Church And because it appereth afterward that the building of Christes Churche vppon Saint Peter was the making of him to be the chiefe shepheard of Christes whole flock the Catholicks teache that who soeuer succedeth S. Peter in the office of the cheefe shepherd as the bisshop of Rome doth that he is also the rock
whereupoÌ„ Christes Church is builded for the tyme. Against which doctrine M. Iewel writeth after this sort Ievvel In the 4. Article Pag. 221. For asmuch as they seme to make greatest accoÌ„pt of those words of Christ thou art Peter and vpon this rock I wil build my Church therefore for answere hereunto vnderstand thou good Reader that the old Catholike Fathers haue writen and pronounced not any mortal man as Peter was but Christ himself the Son of God to be this rock Sander Note good Reader that we dispute not at this tyme whether Christ be absolutely the chiefest and most principal rock 1. Cor. 10. or no for both sydes confesse that thing but whether S. Peter for his part also be not this Rocke whereof Christ at this tyme saith vpoÌ„ this rock I wil build my Church M. Iewel denieth S. Peter to be this rock I wil proue God willing directlie against M. Iewels words that the old Catholike fathers haue writen and pronounced not only Christ the son of God but also euen such a mortal man as S. Peter was to be this rock whereof Christ at that time spake And that as well by their plaine words as by the reason of their owne words Yea also by the places which M. Iewel alleageth for the contrarie opinion In Decre epist Tomo 1. CoÌ„cilior First omitting to speake of Anacletus of Pius of Fabianus and of other holie bishops of Rome whose testimonies are yet most vniustly reiected of â—he ProtestaÌ„ts seing thei suffred death and not onlie with their word but also with their blud bare witnesse to Christes name I wil only bring forth such â—uthorities as they themselues doe not â—eiect Tertullian saith De praescriptioni aduersus haret Latuit aliquid Petrum aedificandae Ecclesiae Petram â—dictuÌ„ was any thing priuie from Peter being called the Rocke of the Church which was to be builded Here is Peter affirmed to haue ben called Petra the rocke The rock of the Church Yea the rocke of the Church and of the Church which Christ intended to build so that the building by Tertullians iudgement was yet to come verilie because it was perfitly built vpon S. Peter when Christ said vnto him aboue al others Ioan. 21. Plus his fede my shepe Now good Reader confer this place of Tertullian with that which M. Iewel affirmed and see â–ª what shal I call it I say no more but see that M. Iewel wâ—â— ouerseen and trust him no more De consummat mundi Hippolitus the martyr saith Princeps Petrus fidei petra Peter is the chiefe the rock of faith Homil. 5. in Exod. Origenes calleth S. Peter Magnum illud Ecclesiae fundamentum petram solidissimam super quam Christus fundauit Ecclesiam that great foundation and most Massy and sound rock wherevpon Christ hath builded the Church Lib. 1. epi. 3. lib. 4 epist 9. S. Cyprian agreeth with them saying Super Petrum aedificata à Domino fuerat ecclesia the Church was built of our Lord vppon Peter Christ our Lord said vpon this rock will I build my Church Saint Cyprian saieth our Lord hath built his Church vpon Peter Therefore S. Cyprian vnderstoode Peter to be this rock And consequently some excelleÌ„t old Catholique Fathers vnderstode a mortal man as S. Peter was to be this Rocke whereof Christ speaketh S. Hilarie writeth Libr. 6. de Trinit Petrus aediâ—cationi Ecclesiae subiacet Peter â—eth vnder the building of the Churâ—he To lie vnder the building is to â—e the foundation which foundation â—ither is a Rocke or in the steed of 〈◊〉 Rock to the house which is built vpâ—on it Likewise in an other place he crieth In cap. Math. 1◠〈◊〉 in nuncupatione noui nomiâ—is soelix Ecclesiae fundamentum dignáque aedificatione illius peâ—ra quae infernas leges dissolueâ—et O happy foundation of the Church in hauing the new name pronounced of thee and o Rocke worthie of the building of that Church which should vndoe the lawes of hel The new name is the name of Peter which was newlie geuen to Simon that he might be thereby the happie foundation and worthie Rock wherevpon the Church should be built Sermone 68. S. Ambrose reciting the authority of these wordes Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke wil I builde my Church therevpon saith Si ergo Petrus petra est super quam aedificatur Ecclesia recte prius pedes sanat vt sicut in Ecclesia fidei fundamentuÌ„ continet ita in homine membroruÌ„ fundamenta coÌ„firmet Seing then Peter is the rock wherevpoÌ„ the Church is built he doth wel to heale first the feete that euen as he doth conteine the foundacion of faith in the Church so likewise in the man he may confirme the foundacions of his members In Concio de poenit S. Basil speaking of this very coÌ„fession of S. Peter writeth thus Petrus petra est propter Christum petraÌ„ Largitur enim Iesus suas dignitates petra est petram facit Peter is a Rock through Christ the Rocke For Iesus geueth to Peter his own dignities He is the Rocke and maketh an other to be the Rock What can be said more plainly against M. Iewel Not onely Christ is the Rocke but he maketh Peter also a Rock S. Hierom sheweth by an example Hieron in Matt. 16. Ioan. 1. that as Christ being the light gaue to the Apostles that they should be called the light of the world Matt. 5. aÌ„d as they had of our Lord other names euen so to Simon who beleeued in Christe the Rock he gaue the name of Peter and consequently he saith that according to the Metaphore of a Rock it is wel said to him Super te VpoÌ„ thée Aedificabo Ecclesiam meam super te I will builde my Church vpon thée Behold the Church was promised to be built vpon a mortal man as Peter was S. Chrysostom writeth thus Ex Var. in Math. locis hom 27. Princeps Apostolorum Petrus super quem Christus fundauit EcclesiaÌ„ verè immobilis petra firma coÌ„fessio Peter the Prince of the Apostles vpon whom Christ hath fouÌ„ded the Church a very immouable Rocke and a strong confession Note It is much to be noted that S. Chrysostome calleth S. Peter the confession whereby we may vnderstande when S. Chrysostome saith in an other place that the Church is builte vppon the faith of confession he meaneth vpon the faith of Peter confessing or making the confession So that not euerie mans but Peters confession is this rock wherevpon the Church is promised to be built Epiphanius doubted not to write of S. Peter in this wise In Anchoratu Ipse Dominus coÌ„stituit euÌ„ primuÌ„ ApostoloruÌ„ petram firmaÌ„ super quaÌ„ Ecclesia Del aedificata est portae inferoruÌ„ non valebunt aduersus illaÌ„ portae auteÌ„ inferoruÌ„ sunt haereses haeresiarchae Iuxta oeÌ„m enim moduÌ„
cuncti claues regni coelorum accipiaÌ„t ex aequo super eos Ecclesiae fortitudo solidetur tameÌ„ propterea inter duodecim vnus eligitur vt capite constituto schismatis tollatur occasio Albeit the self same thing in an other place be done vpon al the Apostles and al doe receiue the keyes of the kingdom of heauen and the strength of the Church be fastened equally vpoÌ„ them yet therefore one is chosen among twelue that a head being made the occasion of schisme may be taken away Three things are to be noted in this sentence First that the Church is so built vpon Peter the Rocke that in the same place where it is built vpon Peter the like is not done vppon the other Apostles Secondly the Church is equally fouÌ„ded vpon al the Apostles in an other place Ioan. 20. to witte when they are sent of Christ as Christ was sent of his Father to bind or to loose and so foorth Ioan. 20. Thirdly one is chosen head of the twelue to th' intent schisme may be auoided A man may say if al be equal The obiection and ansvvere How is one head This shall be more fully answered hereafter I say for this time Al twelue as touching the office of the Apostlesship were equal and all were Rockes and heades of the whole Church But being considered as particular Bisshops and Pastours wherby they had particular authority to teach some here and some there as now Bisshops doe euery man in his own diocese so one was their head How can it els be that S. Hierome shuld agree with himself al be equal and one is the head Can the head be equal with the other meÌ„bers Or is it not highest of al aÌ„d chief of al We must theÌ„ say that alare equal in the office of theÌ„ apostleship but Peter was otherwise appointed the chief Apostle and head in the Bisshoplie power whiche euery Apostle had beside the Apostolike office as it shal appeare hereafter In the mean time it is certain that S. Hierom writeth Hieron aduersus Iouin li. 2 Propterea inter duodecim vnus eligitur vt capite constituto schismatis occasio tollatur Therefore among the twelue one is chosen to th' end a head being appointed the occasion of schism may be taken away And that there S. Hierome speaketh not of the Apostles owne choise but of Christes own choosing it appeareth euidentlie when he saith afterwarde that the good manâ—er Christ would not prefer S. Iohn before S. Peter Lib. 1. aduers leuiÌ„ least he should cause so yong a man to be enuied at Neither did it suffise that during the Apostles time onely such a Rocke and head should be appointed for so muche as the Churche of God neyther ended in their time And their successours in their Bisshoply autoritie hauing without al controuersie lesse assurance of grace then they had and being also farre more in nuÌ„ber had more need then the Apostles of a head and of a perpetual Rocke among them wherunto they might leane So that Leo the great hath most iust cause to say of S. Peter In Aniuers assumpt serm 3. Super hoc Saxum hanc soliditatem sortitudineÌ„ aeternuÌ„ construam teÌ„pluÌ„ Ecclesiae meae coelo inserenda sublimitas in huius firmitate consurget Vpon this stone this soundnes and strength I wil build an euerlasting temple and the heigth of my Church which is to be graffed in heauen shall rise in the strength of this Rock S. Augustine affirmeth in many places that S. Peter did represent the whole Churche according to whiche sense he writeth thus Epist 165. Petro totius Ecclesiae figuram gereÌ„ti Dominus ait super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Our Lord sayth vnto Peter bearing the figure of the whole Churche Vppon this Rock I wil build my Churche So that he geueth this cause why this muche is sayed to Peter verely because Peter beareth the figure of the vvhole Church But how commeth it to passe that Peter doth bear the figure of the whole Churche Surely because he is the head and Rocke of the whole For euerie prince doth beare the figure and as it were the generall person of his subiectes and of them who are committed to his Charge For that they all are as it were gathered togeather and vnited in him alone And this to be the true meaning of S. Augustine In Ioan. tract 124 it appeareth euidentlie by his own wordes Ecclesiae Petrus Apostolus propter Apostolatus sui primatum gerebat figurata generalitate personaÌ„ Peter the Apostle by a generalitie which was figured did hear the person of the Church by reasoÌ„ of the primacy of his Apostleship Peter did beare the person of the Churche not as menne cary burthens on their backs but by a figured generalitie that is to say as a general officer For he doth beare their persons not naturallie but figuratiuely To witte by interpretation of the Law and not by real extension of his body to be made so big as to vphold al thir bodies Generalitas figurata S. Augustine calleth that a figured generalitie when it is not ordinarilie and naturallie made but when the lawe doth impute and take it so to be For the Lawe interpreteth and expoundeth the chiefe officer of a common weal to bear the person of the self coÌ„mon weal. And therupon the head being present for the coÌ„mon weals behalfe the law worketh as if the common weale it selfe were present when the head alone is present What was theÌ„ Peters office The primacy of the Apostleship He was first and chiefe propter Apostolatus sui primatum Propter and for the primacie of his Apostleship he signified all his flock in him self alone so that he tooke the keies for al and was the general Rocke for euery other particular Rocke and for that primacie of his he bare the figure of the Churche To shew yet farther the force of this reason the Reader must consyder that first Peter is said to be the Rocke and therein to beare the person of the Church figurata generalitate which is to say as if he were in deede the general or the whole mystical bodie of the Church which yet he is not but is only the officer thereof Secondarily a reason is geuen why Peter should signifie or beare the figure of the whole Church more then any other And the cause is propter Apostolatus sui primatum for the primacie of his Apostleship that is to say because he is chiefe If this cause were not found in S. Augustine the Protestants might haue some pretense to say as they doe verelie that Peter was not in deede the rock nor head but onlie that he is called so to signifie that the whole Church is built vpon Christ But now Peter doth not signifie the Church to be built vpon Christ as Peter is a man nor as he is a faithful maÌ„ nor as he
Sander It is but reason trulie that Peter be builded vpon Christ and that we also beleue But for asmuch as we are in the metaphore of building doth not reason teache vs that when we haue layed in the foundation of a house a mightie great stone that the next which we laye vpon it should be also a verie great one yea after the lowest the very greatest of all Doth any wise man hauing laid in the foundation a stone of twentie cubittes place next vpon it a stone of one or two ynches If not so by all proportion the second stone shal be the greatest that can be gotten next vnto the first Dan. 7. Christ is so great a stone that he hath filled the whole earth I ask of M. Iewel who shal be next vnto Christ Mie verdit is that in respect of the militant Church which is dayly a building on the earth S. Peter is the next stone Because God who geueth his benefits most freelie voutsafed first of all men to graunt S. Peter this grace Ioan. 21. to be the Pastour of his flocke Matth. 10 and the porter of his kingdom next vnto himself Saint Peter being the next stone in building of the Church vnto Christ is therefore a Rocke because he is built immediatlie vppon the Rocke For in a bodie compacted together euerie thing partaketh most intierlie the nature of that wherevnto it is next ioyned Note good Reader that we speake 〈◊〉 the whole Church which hath 〈◊〉 the beginning of the worlde but onely of that portion which liueth on the earth for the time For thereof onely Peter and his successours are the Rocks whereas Christ is the Rocke of Rockes which vphouldeth the whole Church and al the rocks that euer haue ben or shal be in the Church from the beginning of the worlde to the ende thereof Ievvel Al these Fathers be plaine Sander Against you for as none of them denie Peter to be this Rocke which thing you haue denied so many affirme that the confession of S. Peter and his faith is the Rock whereof Christ spake And yet seeng the faith of S. Peter is no greater then himselfe is if his faith be the Rock him selfe is also the Rock Ievvel In 16. Matth. None is so plaine as Origen he is the Rock vvhosoeuer is the disciple of Christ Sander In the 3. Chap. This kind of sense is not literal as I shewed before But admit it were literal yet seeng S. Peter is the disciple yea the chef disciple of Christ as S. Mathew saith Primus SimoÌ„ qui dicitur Petrus Simon is the first Matth. 10 who is called Peter surely M. Iewel by your confession Peter next vnto Christ is the chief Rock A man would thinke you were frantike when you denying a mortal man as Peter was to be this Rock yet afterward proued that euery mortal man who is Christes Disciple is the Rocke Ievvel Vppon such a Rock al Ecclesiastical learning is built as Origen saith Sander But S. Peter is such a rock therefore vppon S. Peter al Ecclesiastical learning is built Who could wissh such an aduersarie as M. Iewel is who proueth altogether against himself Ievvel If thou think that the vvhol Church is built only vpoÌ„ Peter vvhat then vvilt thou say of Iohn the sonne of the thunder Metth. 1â— and of euery of the Apostles saith origen Sander Maister Iewel left out in his English this woorde illum Petrum A vvord left out If thou thincke the whole Churche to be onelie built vppon that Peter to witte that Rocke of stone what wilt thou saie of Iohn and of euerie of the Apostles Origen saith Peter is a Rocke which thing Maister Iewel denieth But he is not only a Rocke and that we graunt But Maister Iewel saith no mortal man but Christ himself is this rocke therefore I aske him what he saith of S. Iohn and of al the Apostles Was not Saint Iohn a mortal man wo to this cause M. Iewel whereof you are become the patrone God kepe me from such an aduocate who shall nede none other euidence against him to lese my cause withal besides his owne words You saie the old Fathers haue writen not anie mortal man but Christ himselfe the Sonne of God to be this Rock Ex ore tuo te iudico serue nequam But S. Iohn and S. Peter and euerie one of the Apostles is called here this rock whereof being named in the sixtenth of S. Matthew we dispute and yet no Apostle is Christ the Son of God therefore some mortal man is this Rocke besyde Christ the Sonne of God Ievvel Shall we dare to saie that the gates of hell shall not preuaile onlie against Peter or are the keyes of the kingdome of heauen geuen only vnto Peter saith Origen Sander It is inowgh that the gates of hell shall least of all preuaile against Peter And he hath chefelie the keyes of heauen For as S. Peter of all the Apostles first confessed in the name of the whole Churche August in Ioan. tractat 124. so al that confesse after him and by him for all were in him as in their primate and chiefe pastour enioye both his confession and his reward That as he was sette ouer al the Church for euer so others for their parte were called into parte of the care To conclude this matter M. Iewel should haue proued that S. Peter is not the Rocke wherevpon Christ promised to build his Churche But he hath not done it neither was he able to bring any one syllable out of the holie scriptures nor anie one saying out of the Doctours which denied Peter to be this Rocke But he only hath ministred matter to me for the prouf of the contrarie assertion The conclusion of the former discourse and the order of the other which followeth The VIII Chap. HItherto it hath bene proued by moste euident reasons of Gods promise of the circumstance and of the conference of the holy scriptures of the authoritie of the Fathers and of the special reasons which moued them to thinck and write so and last of all by the refutation of M. Iewels own words that Saint Peter with such qualities and conditions as Christ indued him withal is this rock wherevpon the Church was built And because looke what kinde of building the Churche was once ê“mised to haue that must still continue seing the Churche doth still tarie the same howse of God there must be alwaies some one mortal man like vnto Peter who being first made a rock by election may afterward by Gods reuelation stil confesse the faith for the whol Church when so euer he is demaunded or consulted what is to be thought and beleued in maters belonging to Christian religion If then there must be some one such Rock vpon whose authoritie the faithfull menne may grounde them selues it is not possible that it should be any other manne besides the Bisshoppe of Rome First because he
mee Ioan. 20. and I send you take ye the holy Ghoste iâ— you doe remitte to anie man his sinnes they shal be remitted and to whom you shall retaine them they shal be reteined yet to the end he myght make vnitie manifest he disposed by his authority the original of the same Vnitie beginning froÌ„ one Note good Reader that the Church was built vpon one both that it might be one by the institution and ordinaÌ„ce of Christ and also that it might appere â—ne That it might be one Vnitatem disposuit vt vnitateÌ„ manifestae ret that is to say that all the faithful might be in this â—ife one visible flocke because they haue â—n this life one visible chief shepheard â—o whome if al obey Cyprian lib. 1. ep 3. no schismes can â—e in the Churche that it might apâ—eare one because this externall vâ—itie of one flocke vnder one shepâ—eard in this world is a signe that the â—niuersall Churche whiche was is â—nd shall be is in deed for euer one â—hrough the one shepheard Iesus Christ â—ho is alone the vniuersal shepheard whereas Peter had no more but that â—eece of the flocke coÌ„mitted vnto him whiche was in the earth whiles he liâ—ed But if Peters chiefe authoritie â—hall be now diuided into manie Bishoppes of aequall power then the Militante Churche neither is one â—isible flocke vnder one visible shepâ—eard nor it dooth not signifie that the vniuersal Church was and is and shal be one by Iesus Christ but rather it most falselie signifieth that as in earth there are thowsands of flocks all equal and al seueral Note so there are as manie Christs and as manie shepheards ouer the vniuersal Church Which significatioÌ„ seing it is impiouse aÌ„d meete for hereticks only Matt. 24. who being many and comming al in Christes name do make so many Christs as they are meÌ„ I exhorte all men who fauour the only one vniuersal head Iesus Christ to beleue and professe only one general head of thiâ— flock of his which is in earth For 〈◊〉 this militant flock is one by one militaÌ„t shepheard so is the vniuersal Church one flock and one body through Iesuâ— Christ alone the vniuersal shepheard and head Lib. 2. de schism Optatus sheweth likewise that S. Peters chaire was singularis that is to say such a one as had no fellow and why so vt in vna cathedra in qua sedit Petrus vnitas ab omnibus seruaretur ne caeteri Apostoli singulas sibi quisque defenderent vt iaÌ„ schismaticus peccator esset qui contra singularem cathedram alteram collocaret Ergo cathedra vnica quae est prima de dotibê° sedit prior Petrus Peters chaire was singularlie one to th end vnity might be kept of all men in that one chaire Vnitie kept in one chair wherin Peter sat And that the other Apostles might not chalenge euery man a chaire to himself so that he should now be a schismatik and a synner who shuld place an other chaire against the chaire which hath no fellowes Peter then satte in the onely chaire which is the chiefe dourie of those that belong to the Church Could any thing be deuised more plaine the Chaire of Peter is one singularis vnae vnica and onely and singular wherein he being formost satte to thend none other Apostle might erect a contrarie chaire to Peters chaire Whereby he meaneth not that any Apostle would so much as indeauour any such thing but it was don to thend no successour of the Apostles might take any occasion to say Mie chaire is as good as Peters For an Apostle also did sitte in my chaire For this cause I say Peter alone had the first chaire and the singular chaire which had no fellow at all S. Hierom also bringeth the selfe same reason why S. Peter alone was the head and chief of all Aduersus Iouinian lib. 1. saying Propterea inter duodecim vnus eligitur vt capite constituto schismatis tollatur occasio Therefore among twelue one is chosen that a head being made the occasion of schism might be taken away But who was that one Aetati delatum est quia Petrus senior erat ne magister bonus in Ioannem adolescentem causam praebere videretur inuidiae The age was preferred because Peter was the elder lest the good master Christ should seme to geue occasion of enuie if he had chosen the yong man Saint Iohn If then Peter was the one who was chosen and if he was chosen of Christ to take away the occasion of schisme one chiefe pastour must still continew stil to take away the occasion of schism for S. Peter was not made the Apostles head as though the Apostles themselues had ben in daunger to make a schisme it were a madnes to thinck so of those blessed vessels of God but his primacie as Leo doth record was a plat foorme for other bisshoppes Serm. 3. in anniuers assump cuÌ„ctis rectoribus Petri forma proponitur who should haue lesse grace and would haue more pride that they might vnderstand how themselues ought not to disdaine to haue one head sette ouer theÌ„ if the very Apostles had a head among them For their dedes are our instruction If then a head was set ouer the Apostles for their sakes who should be pastours afterward what extreamitie of follie is it to make S. Peter alone a head ouer them A fortiore who least of al needed a head and to leaue our weake prelats al without a head Who many of them neede not only a head but also a diligeÌ„t and a seuere head Here might I worthely fall into a commoÌ„ place and shew that according to the saying of S. Cyprian heresies haue sprong of none other cause so much Lib. 1. epistol 3. as for that one iudge hath not bene acknowledged in the steede of Christ for the tyme to whoÌ„ the whole brotherhod might obey The which saying if it be verified euen by M. Iewels and M. Nowels confession in euery particular diocese how much more is it true that the whole Churche conteining certaine thowsands of dioceses must haue one iudge for the tyme to whome the whole brotherhod should obeie to thend heresies and schismes may be auoided For if one iudge be so necessarie that one litle shere and diocese can not lack him but that whiles one parish priest disdaineth an other the diocese falleth straight into a schism â–ª can the whole Church being spread throughout the world lack the same one iudge A fortiore and yet not fall into schismes Or shall the part be prouided for and shall the whole remain without so good a prouision But this argument is begon alredie betwene M. Dorman and M. Nowel And we haue manie a day looked what M. Nowel wil answere to it Farthermore we neuer found nor shall finde one woorde or syllable in the whole new testament where it maie appeare that euer
S. Paul or said to sit in his chair but onely in the Chaire of Peter as the whole practise of the Church and all the writings of the Fathers doe witnesse Whereby we are infourmed that Rome is the place chosen by Christ him selfe where S. Peters Chaire shoulde reast Ambros lib. 5. post ep 32. In Pontificali For S. Peter retourninge to Rome vppon the former vision didde before his death consecrate S. Clement Bisshoppe cui Cathedram saieth Damasus vel Ecclesiam omnem commisit dicens To whome he committed also his chaire or al the Churche sayinge Sicut mihi gubernandi tradita est à Domino meo Iesu Christo potestas ligandi soluendique ita ego tibi committo c. As the power of gouerning of binding and loosing is committed to mée of my Lord Iesus Christ euen so I commit to thée also that thou maist ordein others by whom diuerse causes maie be disposed and such acts as be not meet for the Church may be repelled and thou must not be found geuen to the cares of this world but onely endeuour to geue most leisure to prayer and to preaching vnto the people Clemens in epist 1. The like report S. Clement himselfe maketh of this commission whiche S. Peter gaue to him whose Epistle Ruffinus turned into Latine aboue eleuen hundred yeres past Ruffinus in Praefatione Recognit and in the preface whiche he maketh to the Recognitions of S. Clement he so wel declareth that Epistle of S. Clement to haue bene of ful credit in his time and before that he answereth such obiections as might seme to make against that which is said in it Tertullian also coÌ„fesseth De praescript aduersus haeret that the Church of Rome doth shew euidence that S. Clement was ordeined of Peter And S. Hierom namely saith In Catalogo Plerique LatinoruÌ„ secunduÌ„ post PetruÌ„ ApostoluÌ„ putant fuisse ClemeÌ„tem The most part of the Latins think Clement to haue ben second or next after Peter the Apostle And in an other place he saith Aduersus Iouin Clemens successor Apostoli Petri scribit epistolas Clemens the successour of Peter the Apostle writeth Epistles Leo the second Marianus Scotus and diuers other are of the same iudgement Now wheras Linus and Cletus by the life time of S. Peter as Damasus and Ruffinus do witnesse did administer many things belonging to the Bisshoprike as being in the exterior matters coadiutours of S. Peter the Grecians who were farther absent Vbi supra and were lesse expert in the Romaine affaires supposed Linus to haue bene chosen next after S. Peter Whereas Clement was onely chosen but Clement as other think yelded to Linus for a time as to his elder Howsoeuer that be whether Linus or Clement practised that high autoritie once S. Peters Chaire was setled at Rome not without the special prouidence of Christ In so much that Athanasius writeth that S. Peter and Paule audieruÌ„t In Apologia de fuga sua oportere se Romae Martyrium subire heard that they must suffer martyrdom at Rome And what so euer hearing he meaneth surely he meaneth it of a hearing which came from God either by their owne vision or by some prophetical reuelation such as both they did wel beleue and we also ought to credite But to come neare to our present purpose S. Irenaeus speaking of the successions of Bisshoppes in those Churches whiche the Apostles had first instituted calleth the Church of Rome Maximam antiquissimam Lib. 3. aduersus hereses c. 3. omnibus cognitam à gloriosissimis duobus Apostolis Petro Paulo fundatam constitutam The greatest Churche and most aunciente and knowen to all menne being planted and setteled by twoo moste gloriouse Apostles Peter and Paule Ibidem Ad hanc Ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatem necesse est omnem conuenire Ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vndique fideles To this Church for the mightier principalitie or authoritie of gouernement euery Churche that is to saie the faithful which are round about must needes come or agree Whereas then euerie Churche hath a certaine principalitie or authoritie of gouernemente committed to it by Christe throughe whiche principalitie it maie preache the faith Tit. 3. ouercom synnes and heresies and excommunicat open synners and hereticks The Church of Rome being founded and planted by the most gloriouse Apostles hath potentiorem principalitatem a mightier principalitie then any other Church For it is a wilfull ignorance whereas Ireneus speaketh only of the successours and traditions of faithfull Churches In his Reply 244. for M. Iewel to say as he hath don that the mightier principalty here mentioned is meant of the Ciuil DominioÌ„ and of the Roman Empire as though Ireneus had spoken any syllable in that place of the Roman Empire He spake of the Churches which the Apostles had founded and instituted The Churche of Rome is the greatest among which he calleth the Church of Rome maximaÌ„ the graetest Why so but because it was founded of the greatest Apostle aÌ„d how fouÌ„ded For if S. Peter had only made a bishop thereof as he did of diuerse other Churches surely therby it had not ben greater then the other But because he being the graetest of th' Apostles as a Hist lib. 2. cap. 14. Eusebiê° aÌ„d S. b In epist ad Galat. cap. 2. HieroÌ„ speake left in Rome a Successour in his own primacy that is to say a rock aÌ„d a chief shepherd as great as hiÌ„self had beÌ„ therfore it was the greatest Church in the worlde And thence cometh the priÌ„pality wherof this auÌ„cieÌ„t father speaketh Rome is the most auncient Churche S. Ireneus calleth the same Churche of Rome aÌ„tiquissimaÌ„ the most auÌ„cient Church how so was not IerusaleÌ„ and Antioche before it Yeas verily in time of hauiÌ„g a bishop aÌ„d of ê“fessing the faith but not in the ê‘petual honor aÌ„d resideÌ„ce of the chief bishop For Peter was the first aÌ„d chief bishop of the new testameÌ„t In him was the roote the fountain the head of al bishoply power De simplicitate praelatorum aÌ„d froÌ„ hiÌ„ as S Cyprian witnesseth priestly vnity toke his beginning touching the ministery of the new testament and for that cause his successors being reckoned as in deede they are one with him concerning his office of feeding Christes sheepe cause the Church of Rome stil to be the most auncient and the mother Church of the Romaine circuit Metropolis ad Solitariam vitam agent as also Athanasius doth name it For this cause the mightier principalitie is in the Church of Rome And for as much as the same succession of Peter is now at Rome which was in the tyme of Ireneus the same Church is still the greatest and the most auncient Church wherunto all other faithful meÌ„ ought to resort by reson of the mightier principality or preemineÌ„ce therof S.
Cyprian confesseth the chaire that is to say the authority of S. Peter to be at Rome For whereas certain factiouse hereticks sailed from Carthage to Rome as intending to complaine vpon S. Cyprian and the other bishops of Afrik to Pope Cornelius S. Cyprian writeth thus of that matter Audent ad Petri CathedraÌ„ atque Ecclesiam principalem Li. 1. epi. 3. vnde vnitas sacerdotalis exorta est à schismaticis prophanis literas ferre nec cogitare eos esse Romanos quorum fides Apostolo praedicante laudata est Rom. 1. ad quos perfidia habere non possit accessum They dare carie letters from scismatical and prophane meÌ„ to the chair of Peter Principal Church and principal Church whence the priestly vnity began Neither do they consider them to be Romans whose faith is praised by the report of the Apostle to whome infidelitie can not haue accesse In this sentence al the priuileges of S. Peters supremacy are acknowleged to be at Rome First there is S. Peters chaire to wit his ordinary power of teaching and of iudging ecclesiastical matters Again there is the priÌ„cipal church or flock of ChristiaÌ„s verily because they are gouerned by Cornelius the Bisshop of Rome who succedeth in the pastoral office of the prince of the Apostles For otherwise Ierusalem might haue seemed the mother Church to all Christians were it not that S. Peter committing IerusaleÌ„ to the gouernment of S. Iames caried his own autoritie with him and left it all at Rome Thirdly how is it said that the vnity of priests or of bishops for sacerdos coÌ„teineth both dignities begaÌ„ at the Church of Rome but because it hath the whol pastoral autority of Peter in whoÌ„ the beginniÌ„g of al ecclesiasticall pÌ„emineÌ„ce was Ioan. 1. Matth. 16 because he first was ê“mised to be called Peter that is to say the rock aÌ„d to haue the keies of the kiÌ„gdoÌ„ of heaueÌ„ geueÌ„ to hiÌ„ but take away S. Peters prerogatiue aÌ„d the Church of Rome is not the beginniÌ„g of priesthod but rather Ierusalem or Antioche Fourthly this word vnity doth import that as Peter alone had in him the whole power of the chief shepheard in earth which can be but one so Cornelius the successour of Peter hath in him the same power and so vnity coÌ„tinueth stil in the succession of Peter not euery vnity but priestly vnity because he sitteth in Rome by whom and in whoÌ„ al priestes aÌ„d bishops are one whiles they al concerning their gouernment and iurisdiction are ouerseen are coÌ„firmed and fed of him who is without fellowes in his supremacy Farthermore when S. Cyprian saith infidelity caÌ„ haue no accesse to the RomaÌ„s what other thing is that then to say Lucae 22 that in the church of Rome he ruleth for whose faith Christ praied For what flock caÌ„ be sure to be alwaies safe froÌ„ infidelity except it be warraÌ„ted by Iesus Christ the only safegard of his Church Adde hereunto that the same S. Cyprian calleth Rome Ecclesiae catholicae matriceÌ„ radiceÌ„ Lib. 4. epist 8. the mother and roote of the Catholik Church Verily because theÌ„ce al bishoply autority of feediÌ„g Christes flock did spriÌ„g first aÌ„d is coÌ„tinually nourished aÌ„d mainteined Did not S. Cyprian confesse Cornelius to haue receiued the appellation of Basilides lawfully out of Spaine Lib. 1. ep 4 albeit he shew also that Basilides for his part did vniustly appeal and did deceiue the Pope by false suggestion and euil report Last of al S. Cyprian requireth Stephanus the Pope lib. 3. ep 13 to depose Marcianus the Bisshop of Arles in Fraunce Whiche surely to doe in an other prouince is a signe that the Pope of Rome is aboue other Bisshops Thus did that holy Martyr defend both the right and the practise of the Church of Rome The which thing is the more notable in S. Cyprian Cyprianus contra epist Stephani because he otherwise dissenting from the opinioÌ„ of Pope Stephanus concerning the baptizing of such in the Catholike Churche as had ben baptized before of the heretiques did not yet for the gredy defense of his own opinion denie the prerogatiue of the Bisshop of Rome but therein shewed that not withstanding his priuate error he kept stil the vnitie of the Militant Church in acknowleging the visible head therof Nouatus taught falsely that those who had once denied Christe or had committed greate and mortall sinnes might not be admitted afterwarde by Christian Priestes or Bisshops to do penaunce nor to their old state of grace With which heresie a Christian Priest who was named Hippolytus Hyppolitus because he was torne in peeces with wild horses was for the time deceiued But for asmuch as the said Hippolytus did otherwise loue Christ so hartelie that he was coÌ„tent to die for his name that the said death might not be vnprofitable to him God of his great mercie reuealed to him the true Catholike faith and religion before his death The whiche true faith he did not keepe to him self but as wel for the recompense of his own euil example which he had geuen whiles he followed that heresie as also for the instruction of others he had grace to confesse the same For when he was now leaden to the place of his Martyrdom the Christian people came about him aÌ„d asked which was the better religioÌ„ whether the Catholike or els that of Nouatus to whom he answered thus as Prudentius doth recite Periste phanoÌ„ in passione Hippoliti Respondit fugite o miseri execranda Nouati Schismata Catholicis reddite vos populis Vna fides vigeat prisco quae condita templo est Quam Paulus retinet quamque Cathedra Petri His answere was O flee the schismes of cursed Nouats lore And to the Cath'like folk and flock Your selues againe restore Let only one faith rule and raine Kept in the Church of old Which faith both Paul doth stil retaine And Peters Chaire doth holde Marke these degrees auoid schismes and diuisions Before the time of Nouatus there was but one faith after him there began to be two faiths He then diuided the former faith Auoid ye the diuisioÌ„ aÌ„d restore your selues to the Catholik peple whiche were spread euery where before Nouatus was borne Let one faith preuail Which one That which is in the most auÌ„cient Church Which is that The which Paul aÌ„d the Chair of Peter kepeth What is the Chaire of Peter The Bisshop of Rome who sitteth in that Chaire So that he goeth from Schism to the Catholikes and he sheweth where the Catholikes are by one faith without diuision That one faith is sene in the auncient Churche And is kept by the Bisshops of Rome May we not now say according to the exaÌ„ple of Hippolitus to our Country meÌ„ auoid the Schismes May we not say restore your selues to the Catholike people Follow not the two faiths whiche are now stirring but let that one faith preuaile which is
Iam cùm ista scriberem Epist 94. cognoueramus in Ecclesia Carthaginensi aduersus eos Episcopalis Concilij conditum fuisse Decretum per epistolam sancto venerabili Papae Innocentio dirigendum nos de Concilio Numidiae ad eandem Apostolicam sedem iam similiter scripseramus Now whiles I wrote these things we vnderstode a Decree to haue bē made in the Church of Carthage by a Councel of bishops which was to be directed by an epistle vnto the holy and reuerend Pope Innocentius And we likewise had writen from the Councel of Numidia to the same Apostolike See It is then euident that these two Councels sent their Decrees to the See Apostolike as also all other Councels were wont to doe according to the most auncient tradition and that as wel because the See Apostolike was assured not to erre as being the Rocke of the faith which was prayed for by Christ himselfe as also to th' intent all Churches might receaue the soner that Decree which were deriued to them from the authority of their own head vnder Christ and of their chiefe shepheard and again because the heretiks and theier followers might the soner be either reconciled or kept downe when it were once knowen that the highest court in earth had condemned their opinions Wherupon the Fathers of the Mileuitan Councel say Epist 92. Arbitramus adiuuante misericordia Domini Dei nostri Iesu Christi qui te regere consulentem orantem exaudire dignatur auctoritati sanctitatis tuae de sanctarum scripturarū authoritate depromptae facilius eos qui tā peruersa perniciosa sentiunt esse cessuros We thinck these men who haue so euil and froward opinions the popes autority is taken out of the holy scriptures wil the soner yeld to the authority of your holinesse being takē out of the authority of the holy scriptures by the help of the mercy of our Lord Iesus Christ who voutsafeth both to rule you whiles you consulte and to heare you when you pray Two things are specially to be noted in these words one that the authority of Pope Innocentius is taken out of the authoritie of the holy scriptures verily because it maie be proued by the woorde of God that the bishop of Rome who succedeth S. Peter is the highe shepheard whose voice al the faithful are boūd to heare The other point is in that these Fathers affirm that Christ ruleth the Pope at his consultatiō alluding therein to the faith of S. Peter which was praied for Luc. 22. to thend al his successours might not erre in consulting about matters of Religion To which epistle pope Innocentius made answer praising them because in doutfull matters they asked him what sentence or iudgement was to be followed Ep. 93. antiquae scilicet regulae formā secuti quam toto semper ab orbe mecum nostis esse seruatam Yee followed saith Innocentius the paterne of the auncient rule which ye know as wel as I Note vvel to haue ben alwaies kept of the whole world Marke that Innocentius douteth not to affirme that the Fathers of the Councell of Miliuite among whome Saint Augustine was did know that the whole worlde alwayes vsed to referre doutfull matters to the See Apostolike and that as it followeth praesertim quoties fidei ratio ventilatur specially so oft as the matter of faith is discussed If anie man saie that the Pope in dede wrote so but that he said not true lette him consyder that Saint Augustine doth also acknowledge and praise the Popes answer in these words Epist 106. Scripsimus ad B. memoriae Papam Innocentium c. We wrote to Pope Innocentius of blessed memorie Ad omnia ille nobis rescripsit eodem modo quo fas erat atque oportebat Apostolicae sedis Antistitem He wrote again to vs to euery point in such sort as it was right and as it became the Bisshop of the Apostolike See What can be now required more Saint Augustine acknowlegdeth the answere to haue ben mete for Saint Peters successour and yet shal the Protestants now a dayes be suffered to raile at that epistle which Saint Augustine estemed so much that he maketh mention thereof with great commendation Saint Augustine then doth confesse that from all quarters of the worlde the Pope of Rome was wont euē in the old tyme to be consulted as being the general pastour whose duty it was to prouide for the whole militant flocke the particular bishops them selues being comprised therein I haue ben somewhat long about S. Augustines doctrine partlie for the worthines of the man partly because I perceaue that our Aduersaries pretend to geue more credit to him then to any other Father But if S. Augustine be not cleere for the Supremacy of the bisshops of Rome ther was neuer nothing cleere in him Let this one place be added for a surpluse to the rest The bisshop of Carthage saith he needed not to care for the multitude of his ennemies for so much as he saw hīselfe to be ioyned in communion as wel with other countries whence the Gospel came to Afrike it self as also with the Church of Rome in qua semper Apostolicae Cathedrae viguit prīcipatus Epist 162. in the which Roman Church the principate or primacy of the Apostolike chaire hath alwaies florished not only the chair of the Apostle S. Peter but also the principal power of the Apostolik chaire did not only stand in the Roman Church but it florished there and that not only during S. Peters life or a litle after but semper alwaies Happy then are we who til this day cōmunicate in faith with that Apostolike chaire And wo to them that cal the Apostolik chaire the Seat of Antichrist To goe forward with some other holy Fathers In Lib. de ingratis Prosper the Bishop of Regium being of the same tyme though sumwhat yoūger then S. Augustine and speaking of the condemnation of the heretike Pelagius writeth thus touching the See of Rome Pestem subeuntem prima recidit Sedes Roma Petri quae pastoralis honoris facta caput mundo quicquid non possicet armis Religione tenet Rome the See of Peter did first cut of Pelagius being a pestilence which then began to crepe into the Churche The which Rome being made the head of pastoral honour vnto the world holdeth al that by religion what so euer it doth not possesse by the sword Rome then is the Seate of Peter the head of Bisshoplie honour or of Pastoral power the which reacheth farther and hath moe Christians subiect to it because the Vicare of Christe sitteth there then euer it had through the mightie Empire thereof The selfe same thing Prosper saith in an other place De vocat gentium lib. 2. c. 16 Roma per Apostolici sacerdotij principatum amplior facta est arce religionis quā solio potestatis Rome through the chiefedome or primacie of the
deliuered a certain religioÌ„ to the Romans as wel concerning the Trinitie as other things Secondly that the said religion coÌ„ming from S. Peter was kept stil in the Church of Rome Thirdly that it was kept speciallie by the perpetual succession of Bishops For which cause Damasus the Bisshop of Rome is named in the Law After Damasus a blessed Bisshop of Alexandria called Peter is also named not with the intent to shewe also that the Bisshops of Alexandria kept alwayes the true faith for at that momeÌ„t Lucius a raging wolf occupied the seat in Alexandria but because this Peter of Alexandria who is now named was in deede the true bishop of Alexandria albeit he was now kept out of his Church by violence Nicep lib. 11. cap. 26 Whereas then there were two bisshops of Alexandria one who agreed with the bishop of Rome an other who disagreed â–ª because the said Peter did agree with Damasus and fled out of prison to him he is named with Damasus and therby the other bishop is insinuated to be an vsurper So that the whole force of the Decree resteth vpon the tradition and succession of S. Peter at Rome and of those who agree with him If Peter of Alexandria had not followed that succession of S. Peter he had no more ben esteemed then Lucius Georgius Gregorius or Dioscorus An. Do. 4â—4 Tom. 1. CoÌ„cil distinct 97. who being bishops of Alexandria wree al heretiks Pope Bonifacius the first wrote to the Christian Emperour Honorius in this wise Mihi Deus noster meuÌ„ Sacerdotium vobis res humanas regentibus deputauit Our God hath appointed mie priesthood to me wheras you doe gouern woordlie matters And in the same epistle he requireth the Emperours help not I warrant you for the disposing of his own priesthod but for the conseruation of the peace of the Churche To whome the Emperour promiseth his help confessing that he receaued the writings of his blessednes with dew gratulation of reuerence Apostolatus tuus desiring his Apostoleshippe to pray for the safegard of his Empire Honorius faith then was that the Emperours were heads of the ciuill gouernment for the defense of Ecclesiastical peace and not supreme heads in all Ecclesiasticall things and causes to defend I say the lawes of the Churche made by bishops and not to make new Ecclesiastical lawes wheruÌ„to to bishoppes should be subiect against their wils An. Dom. 450. Let vs adde hereunto that which an Empresse also writeth of the same matter for we may wel beleue that she wrote according to the faith of Church in her tyme. In epistol Gallae Placidiae ante synodum Chalcedonens Thus then Galla Placidia saith concerning the Churche of Rome In Apostolica sede primus ille ê“ coelestes claues dignus fuit accipere principatum Episcopatus ordinauit He that was worthy to receaue first the heauenly keyes that is S. Peter hath ordeined the primacy of the Bishoply office in the Apostolik See If this be so Peter was not only first and prince himself but he also ordeined the bishop of Rome to be the first and chief of bishops after him Ad synoduÌ„ Chalcedo Domino meo Theodosio c. When I say Peter ordeined it I meane that Christ by Peter ordeined it Valentinian is of the same belefe and iudgement saying Fidem à nostris maioribus traditam debemus cum omni competenti deuotione defendere dignitatem propriae venerationis B. Apostolo Petro intemeratam in nostris temporibus conseruare quatenus beatissimê° Romanae ciuitatis episcopus cui principatum Sacerdotij super omnes antiquitas contulit locum habeat ac facultatem de fide sacerdotibus iudicare We ought to defend with all competent deuotion the faith deliuered from our elders And to conserue and keepe in our tymes to the blessed Apostle S. Peter the dignity of his proper and owne worship vncontrolled so that the most blessed bishop of the City of Rome to whome â—ntiquity hath geuen aboue al me the cheefty of priesthood may haue place and power to iudge of faith and of priests Lo the honour that is geuen to the bishop of Rome is geuen to Saint Peter verily because the bishop of Rome sitteth in his chaire And when the bishop of Rome is despised the worship of S. Peter is stained If the old tyme gaue the primacy of priestod vnto the bishop of Rome for S. Peters sake and that super omnes ouer al men if eleuen hundred yeres agoe it was true to say that Antiquity gaue the chiefty of priestly power to the bishop of Rome are not they new teachers who after fiften hundred yeres goe about to pluck the primacy of priesthod from the bishop of Rome An. Dom. 4.57 Act. 3. In Concil Chalceâ—o Autoritate Ro. Episcopi Martianus likewise with Valentinian confesseth of the General Councel which came togeather at Chalcedon in â—â—â—â—wise Quae Synodus dum fidem diligenter inquirit authoritate beatissimi Leonis Episcopi aeternae vrbis Romae religionis fundamenta constituit sanctae ciuitati Flauiano palmam mortis tribuit gloriosae The which councel whiles it maketh diligent inquisition concerning the faith it both appointed the foundations of religion to the holy city the Church by the authoritie of most blessed Leo bishop of the euerlasting City of Rome By the authority of Pope Leo. and also gaue to Flauianus the crown of a gloriouse death Al this was done by the autority of the bishop of Rome And why by his autority the same Martianus gaue the cause therof before in an oratioÌ„ which he made in the fourth general councel Act. 1. Fol. 740. where he said of Leo the Pope qui ApostolicuÌ„ gubernat thronuÌ„ who gouerneth the See Apostolike And it is well knowen he ment only the Apostolike see of S. Peter An. D. 534 In Codicadâ— summa Trinit For the honour of that See IustiniaÌ„ writeth thus to Iohn the secoÌ„d pope of Rome Nos reddeÌ„tes honoreÌ„ Apostolicae sedi vestrae sanctitati qdsemê‘ nobis in voto fuit est vt decet patreÌ„ honoraÌ„tes vestraÌ„ beati tudineÌ„ oiÌ„a quae ad ecclesiaruÌ„ statuÌ„ pertineÌ„t festinauimus ad notitiam deferre vestrae sanctitatis We rendering honour to the See Apostolike and to your Holines the whiche thing euer was and is our desire and we honouring your blessednes as it becommeth vs to honour our Father haue hastened to bring to the knowledge of your Holines all things which doe appertein to the state of Churches If the Pope be as a Father to the Emperour and be so to be honoured it is vtterly impossible for the Emperour who is as it were a Sonne to be the supreme head or gouernour in spiritual causes of his spiritual Father Againe he saith Nec enim patimur quicquaÌ„ quod ad EcclesiaruÌ„ statuÌ„ pertinet quamuis manifestuÌ„ indubitatum sit quod mouetur vt noÌ„
euÌ„deÌ„ statim verum Christi vicariuÌ„ esse omnes credereÌ„t That froÌ„ thence forward whom the Clergy people and the Roman armie should chose to be bishop all men should straight beleue him to be the true vicare of Christ The true VicareÌ„ of Christ He saith not the Vicare of Phocas or the Lieutenant of the Emperor but the Vicar and LieutenaÌ„t of Christ It was then the publicke faith not onlie in the Latine but also in the Greeke church that who so was duely chosen Bisshop of Rome was Christes own Vicare An. Dom. 749. Yf the whole nobilitie and people of Fraunce had not beleued the Pope of Rome to be of such authorie for what purpose would they haue sent to Rome to know the mind of Pope Zacharias who should be King of Fraunce whether Chilpericus Paenè nullius potestatis who hadde the bare name thereof without exercising any kingly power in maner or the greate Stuard Maior domus who exercised the publik office and power of the King without the name In Chron. The Pope answered as Ado testifieth Regem potius illum debere vocari qui rempublicam regeret That he rather should be called the King who ruled the common weal. VpoÌ„ which answere Pipinus was anointed King autoritate Apostolica FraÌ„ corum electione saith Sigebertus by the Apostolike authoritie In Chron. An. Dom. 750. and by the election of the Frenche men Neither may this so great credite whiche the whole people and Nobilitie of France reposed in the See Apostolike be righly imputed to the sentence of Phocas who before that had declared the See of Rome to be head of al Churches For euen after this election of King Pipinus the first Emperour of the French men or rather of the Germans for the French men came out of Germanie Carolus Magnus protesting his reuerence to the See Apostolike sheweth the cause why he honoureth it to be the Chaire of S. Peter and not the iudgement of Phocas His wordes are these In memoriam beati Petri Apostoli honoremus sanctam Romanam ecclesiaÌ„ ApostolicaÌ„ sedeÌ„ An. Dom. 806. 19. distiÌ„ct vt quae nobis sacerdotalis mater est dignitatis ecclesiasticae esse debeat magistra rationis Quare seruaÌ„da est cuÌ„ mansuetudine humilitas et licet vix fereÌ„duÌ„ ab illa sancta sede imponatur iugum tamen feramê° pia deuotione toleremus Let vs honor the holy Church of Rome and the See Apostolike for the remeÌ„brance of blessed Peter the Apostle The see of Rome is the mother of priestly Vvorship that as the same See is to vs the mother of priestlie dignitie so it may be the teacher of the Ecclesiasticall trade Wherefore humility is to be kept with meekenes And although a yoke be putte vppon vs from the same holy See which is scant to be born yet lette vs beare and suffer it with godly deuotion Thus we see that Carolus honoured the See of Rome not for Phocas but for S. Peters sake Ludouicus who for his singular vertue and godlines was surnamed Pius hauing ben triatorouslie ordered by Adalgisus the Duke of Beneuentum Regino in Chron. An. 872. who went about to kill him in his palaice and being afterward forced to sweare that he wold not reuenge that iniury was so far from taking himselfe to be the supreme head ouer the Bisshop of Rome that rather he was content to take absolution from his oth of Iohn the pope Authoritate Dei Sancti Petri by the authority not of Phocas but of God and of Saint Peter I woulde goe forward to shew at large the obedience of all good Emperours and Kings to the See Apostolik euen till this day but that it shoulde be accompted a superfluouse labour sith as I suppose no man doth doubt of it And verilie concerning our own countrie as aboue fourtene hundred yeres past An. D. 188 Lucius the first Christian King of the Britans did send to Eleutherius the Bisshop of Rome to receaue from thence by his authority the ordinary meane of administring the Sacraments for him and his realm eueÌ„ so Ethelbert the first Christian King of the English Saxons toke his faith and the gouernment of the Church from the See of Rome S. Gregorie being theÌ„ Pope by our Apostle S. Augustine An. D. 630 And the good King Osui of NorthumberluÌ„d Bedae lib. histo Angli 3. c. 29 and Ecbert the King of Kent vnderstaÌ„ding that the RomaÌ„ Church esset catholica Apostolica Ecclesia was the Catholik and the Apostolike Church sent Wichardus with the consent of al the faithfull of England to Rome that hauing ther takeÌ„ the degré of an Archbishop he might ordein bisshops to all the Catholike Churches through Britannie From that day forward it is euident by al our Chronicles which at the least were made before that schism and heresie began that as euery King not only of EnglaÌ„d but of all Christian CouÌ„tries was best aÌ„d most geueÌ„ to godlines and to vertue so was he most obedient and frindful to the bishop of Rome And coÌ„trariewise as euery of them was most licentious most geuen to extorsion to tyrannie or to robling of Churches so was he most disobedient to the See of Rome So that as all the heathen Emperours froÌ„ Nero to the Renegat Iulianus did alwaies persecute the Apostolike See of Rome and as afterward al the heretical Emperours did the same as wel those of CoÌ„stantinople as of the West so contrarywise all the good Constantines the Theodosians the MartiaÌ„s Carolus Ludouicus Otho and their good successours did so little thiÌ„ck themselues the supream heads ouer the bishops of Rome and of the other Christians in spiritual causes that contrarie wise they obeied them as their chiefe pastours and as the Vicars of Christ aÌ„d the successours of S. Peter And that they did not only being a part euery man in his own Realm but also when that most famouse battell against the Turkes and Saracens was by the inspiration of the holy Ghost begun at one tyme by the Spaniards Sigebertus in Chron. Anno Do. 1096. Gascons Britans Normans English Scotish and Frenchmen by the Burgundions Almains Lumbards and Italians when diuerse Dukes as Godfrid of Lorrain and Baiamund of Apulia wheÌ„ diuerse Erles as Baldwin of MoÌ„s one Robert of Flanders and an other of Normandy StepheÌ„ of Blese and Raimund when Hugh the brother of Philip the King of Fraunce toke that most holy warfare in hand when I say they were stirred vppe with one spirit and hart to recouer the holy land did not they shew as wel their own belief as the vniuersal faith of al their countries and nations in that they had Hamarus the bishop of Podium sette ouer them Apostolica authoritate by the Apostolike authoritie And how marueilouse successe of victory had they conquering as well Antioche as Hierusalem It can be vnknowen to no man who readeth
as you say by the Catholik church whence you are departed if then the mother not being able by faire meanes to reconcile the child to her again after loÌ„g and oft warnings doe pronouÌ„ce him a bastard member and a renegate child doth the mother in this case persecute her child or doth not the child rather persecute his mother Note vvel The child began the defection the mother defendeth her possession and inheritaÌ„ce and yet did we first persecute you Remember what S. Augustin writeth in this matter aÌ„d that not of himself but as taken out of S. Paule Sara with her son Isaac doth signifie the Churche Galat. 4. Agar with her son Ismael doth signifie carnall men as heretikes â—re Now wheras we reade that Agar â—he handmaiden and Ismael suffered greuous things at the haÌ„ds of Sara Genes 2â— yet S. Paule consydering that Agar was not persecuted of Sara before that she had through pride coÌ„temned her maistres doubted not to say that Isaac suffered ê‘secutioÌ„ of Ismael Galat. 4. As then saith S. Paule he that was according to the flesh Ismael did persecute him who was according to the spirit Isaac so is it now also vt qui possunt intelligant Aug. epis 48. to then they who are able may vnderstand saith S. Augustine that the Catholik Church suffereth persecution by the pride and wickednes of carnall meÌ„ whom she goeth about to ameÌ„d by teÌ„poral trobles aÌ„d terrors And much more followeth in S. Augustine writing against the Danatists who being departed from the Church then as you are now said then as you do now that the Catholikes did persecute theÌ„ and therefore that they were the true Church And surely if you can shew that we through pride departed froÌ„ the obedience which we once had oughed to you then in dede we might be saied to persecute you But seing certeinly you were al once vnder the obedieÌ„ce of our Pastours as Agar the handmaiden was vnder her maisters Sara and you through pride withdrew your selues froÌ„ vs Gene. 21. and made a new congregation of your own erecting doutlesse you are the Agarens and the Ismaelits but we being the childern of Sara are altogether persecuted of you and so that mark sheweth vs whome ye cal papists to be the true Churche Are there yet any moe markes of the true Churche behind Antiquity Yeas saith the Protestant For Antiquity is ours altogether Now you seme to say sumwhat But yf the Church of Christ be in all but one seing Antiquity is but the beginning or the auÌ„cient state of Christes Churche if the end of the same Church make for vs as your selues can not deny but that these nine hundred yeres we were more like to be that Church of Christ which must be spread through all nations then you it is not possible that the begiÌ„ning should make for you For Christes Church is euer like it self If you appeale to particular exaÌ„ples I say the Christians in the primatiue Churche communicated vnder one kind both at Emaus Luc. 24. August de consen Euangel li. 3. cap. 25. Theophil in 24. luce Euseb lib. 7. cap. 14. Math. 9. and at Ierusalem as the words of the holy scripture which the auncient Fathers testifie to appertein to the Sacrament of Christes supper doe import Item the Christians did then make and sette vp Images in the honour of Christ as the most famous history of the Woman cured of her bloody issue doth most euidently witnesse An. D. 50. Dionysius whom M. Iewel confesseth to be an auncieÌ„t writer as it may saith he many waies wel appere maketh mention of a De Eccl. Hiera c. 2 insufflation of holy oyle of b Cap. 3 altars inceÌ„se healthful sacrifice of c Cap. 4. holy Chrism and of holy d Cap. 5. orders of priesthood of the prosession of e Cap. 6. Munkes blessed with the signe of the crosse shoren and receauing a new garment of f Cap. 7. praying for the faithfull sowles of g In epist ad Demophilum confessing synnes to a priest All these thinges we haue but the Protestantes know them not An. D. 70. Ad Smyrnenses Ignatius speaking of such a Sacrifice as ought not to be offered without the Bisshoppe must nedes meane a publike and externall Sacrifice for the making whereof a speciall minister was ordered He woulde haue the Emperour to obey the bishop he speaketh of Virgins Ad Phila. which had consecrated them selues to God Ad Antiochum And commendeth a certaine appointed number of fasting dayes to witte fortie which fast we call the Lent Iustinus witnesseth An. Dom. 150. In Apologia 2. De coena water to haue bene mingled with the wine and the DeacoÌ„s to haue caried the coÌ„secrated mysteries as we also doe to them which were absent which thing Caluin reputeth an abuse Pius the first De cons distinct 3. Nosse vos Euseb li. 5. c. 23. et 24 Epiphan Haer. 50. Aug. 29. decreed Easter day to be kepte vnifoormlie of all men wherevpon Pope Victor excommunicated the bisshoppes of Asia for not obeying And those who continued in their stubburnesse were taken for heretikes both of the Greekes and Latins All doctrin is false and lying saith Tertullian which agreeth not with some Apostolike Churche An. D. 200 Our doctrine agreeth with the chiefe Apostolike Church of Rome yours with none at all that is now in the earth De Corona ad vxoreÌ„ It was the custom in those dayes to make oblations for the dead the twelue moneths day to goe vnto the Stations Euseb lib. 6. c. 7. Paula ad Marcel to 1. Hierom. to visit holy places and specially those of Ierusalem which custom dured froÌ„ Christes ascension vntil S. Hieroms tyme through all Christendom and yet is called Pilgrimage of vs. An. Dom. 250. De coena Do. Saint Cyprian confesseth the bread which our Lord gaue to his disciples being changed not in shape but in nature to haue bene made flesh CoÌ„fessioÌ„ to the priest Serm 5. de lapsis Item that euen the consent in hart to commit a great synne was to be confessed apud Sacerdotes Dei before the priests of God And that forgeuenes made by the priests is acceptable vnto God 2. Reg. 12. 2. Cor 2. Cyp. lib. 1. epist 2. Item that the temporal penance which is due to Gods iustice after the fault is forgeuen might for iust causes be forgeuen by the bishop Nicen. coÌ„ c. 11. which the Nicen councel doth also decree And that is it which we now call a pardon What should I here reherse the reuerence geueÌ„ in old tyme to a Euseb li. 7 c. 15. S. Iames chaier and to other Reliques the solemne dedicating of b Lib. 9. cap. 10. Churches the straight life of c Ruffinus lib. 11. c. 4. Eremits the d Theodor. lib. 5. c. 21. driuing away of diuels
by holy water the autority of e Basil de Spi. sancto c. 27. vnwriten traditions the vse of f Hom. in 40. Mart. praying to Saints the g Ambros de poenit lib. 1. c. 7. Sacrament of penance the h Epist 33. name sacrifice and i de Sacra lib. 4. c. 5. 6. Canon of the Masse the forgeuing of synnes by the priestes when they k Chryso lib. 3. de Sacerd. oynt the sick with oile in our Lords name the l Hieron contra Vigilantium lights burning whiles the Gospel was readen that a bishop can not m Lib. 1. contra Iouin begette childern in his bishoply vocation that a fixe or a certain n Ad Furiam nuÌ„ber of praiers is praiers is prescribed which serueth to coÌ„firm the vse of our beads that he can not be a priest who hath had o Ad Gerontiam two wiues that the p Ibidem bishop of Rome vsed to answer the consultations or relations directed to him from the Councels both of the East and of the West that the q Augusti in Psal 37 fyre of purgatorie is more greuouse then whatsoeuer a man may suffer in this life All these things were in the auncient Churche the same are in our Churche the same are not in the Protestants Churche How then can it be that Antiquity should either help the ProtestaÌ„ts or hiÌ„der vs As therfore we are assured of the mark of Antiquity so let vs go forward with certain other markes which are no lesse peculiar to vs. Among other things which staied S. Augustine in the right faith this was one The name of a Catholik Cont. epis fundae c. 4 because no heresie could obtein the name of the Catholike Churche although euery heresie did much desier to obtein it The reason is for that heresies be but parts and peculiar sects of some one country August de vnit eccles c. 1. or the doctrin of a smal tyme whereas the word Catholike doth betoken a certain vniuersall professioÌ„ during froÌ„ the beginniÌ„g to the ending and spread throughout Those therfore who begaÌ„ their doctrine after the Apostles tyme Heretiks were either named of their master as the ArriaÌ„s of Arrius the PelagiaÌ„s of Pelagius the Lutherans of Luther the Caluinists of Caluin or of some place where they liued as the heresy of the Phrygians or of the falsehod which they taught as Quartadecimani Anabaptistes Aquarij or of some like particular circumstance But they were only called Catholiks who kepte the vniuersall faith which the Apostles had first taught Catholike and which was continued alwaies in the whole Churche To our purpose I saie the Protestantes neuer hadde the name of Catholikes nor neuer shall haue it because they beganne after the Apostles tyme to wit within these fiftie yeres But we so had once the name of Catholiks that we shall neuer leese it I doe not onely report me to al kind of histories and writers who accompted for euer the flock and society of the RomaÌ„ church for Catholiks a De obitu fratris as S. Ambrose b In Apol. cont Ruffinum S. Hierome and all maner of other Fathers do witnesse but also I say our ennemies confesse this Marke to haue beÌ„ ours Reade the very title of M. Iewels Reply reade it I say aÌ„d see what God to his euerlasting damnatioÌ„ if he repent not caused him to write there The Title of M. Ievvels Reply A Reply saith he vnto M. Hardings answere by perusing wherof the discrete and diligent reader may easily see the weake and vnstable grounds of the RomaÌ„ religioÌ„ which of late hath ben accoÌ„pted Catholik By I. Iewelbishop of Sarisburie Heare you not what he saith The Romain religion of late hath ben accompted Catholike As men accompt a thing to bee so doe they name it those therefore who accompted the Romain Religion to be Catholike named it also the Catholike Religion But S. Augustine saith Cont. epis Manichai cap. 4. Tenet me in ecclesia Catholicae nomen quod noÌ„ sine causa inter tam multas haereses sic ista Ecclesia sola obtinuit cet The very name of the Catholik Church holdeth me in the Churche the which name this Church alone hath not without a cause so obteyned among so many heresies that whereas all heretiks couet to be called Catholiks yet yf any stranger ask where the Catholik communion is kept no heretike dare shew his own Churche or palace or house Behold the true Church alone hath obteined the name of the Catholike Church and no heresy could obtein the same But we that are nowe called Papists by Maister Iewels confession were of late accompted Catholikes therefore we are the true Churche and we are not heretikes at all This Mark then standeth also on our syde Beside the name of Catholikes we also haue the continuall succession of bishops and priests SuccessioÌ„ or vniuersality Ibidem ab ipsa sede Petri as S. Augustine speaketh vsque ad praesentem Episcopatum euen from the very See of Peter to the bisshoply office which now is Such a continual succession we shew from S. Peter himself vntil Pius the fifth who presently fitteth at Rome in Saint Peters chaire The same Marke as being one of the most euident of all others is approued by S. a li. 3. c. 3 Ireneus by b de praescript TertulliaÌ„ by c Lib. 2. de schism Optatus and d Contra Luciferia by S. Hierome The Protestantes on the other syde neither haue continual successioÌ„ of bishops nor yet of any preachers nor of â—ny peple that are knowen to haue professed their faith So that either no such â—ongregation was Math. 10. Rom. 1. 10. 1. Pet. 3. or they were al damâ—ed because they were ashamed to coÌ„fesse the Gospel of Christ by their word and conuersation before men Marke wel this point I can not see what caÌ„ be reasonably answered vnto it Consyder now good Reader the riches and preeminence of our cause aboue the Protestants 1. Al these Marks Thevv our Churche to be true We haue Gods woorde before them 2. We haue and beleue more of it then they 3. We haue moe authentike copies euen of those bookes which they together with vs doe receaue for Gods woorde 4. We haue a more certain commission to vse it in preaching or otherwise 5. We reade it in more holy and profitable tungs 6. We vse it also in vulgar tungs without breache of vnity 7. The plain meaning thereof maketh for vs 8. The circumstance and conference thereof sheweth our faith to be the truer 9. The auncieÌ„t Fathers verait agreeth with our doctrin 10 The tradition and practise aâ— only with vs. 11. Generall Councels are only with vs. 12. the vnity of one chiefâ— iudge is onely with vs. 13. The lawfulâ— preaching of Gods worde and the lawfull administration of the Sacraments is