denys Peter to have been bishop for it was resolv'd by those that were in that â—ssâ—mbly that it wou'd be expeâ—ient to send Bishop to the Samarians who then receiv'd thâ— faith in order to confirm them in the same so that it was agreed that John and the chifest Bishop viz Peter shoud go thither to perform the same which they did to the Samarians great satisfactâ—on After this Whealy produces an argument which he sound in a manuel of coâ—troveâ—sie priâ—ted at Doway the â—ear 654 proviÌ„g that to be the only Church of God whiâ—h hath had a cotinued succession of Bishops pastors from the time of Christ and the Apostles to this present daâ— which he denys with out giving any Authority or reason but promises in the following page to confute it I will be silent in the matter untill I see what he can alleadge agaiÌ„st it He afterwards â—ites out of the same manuel the following texts Isa c. 59. v. â— c. 60. v 1. 3. 1. c. 62 v. â— Ezâ—â—â—iâ—l c. 37 v. 26 Daniel c. 7 v. 13. 14 proving the infallibility of the Church which in Whealy's opinion can have no relation â—o â—â— they being write long before the Apostles dayes but if this shu'd taâ—e place it would as well prove that all the prophesies of the old Testament concerning Christs passion resurection and assention could have no relation to the said Mysteries they being prophesy'd loÌ„g before any â—f hâ—m came to pass all Whealy's witt can shew noe tolerable reason for denying the one and admitting the other as for the texts which he brings out of Matt c. 28 v. 20 John c 14 v. 16. Ephe c. 4 v. 11. 12 it is but some of Whealy's calumnyes to alleage that the Author of the said Manuel ever Produc'd them in order to prove St Peter supremacy whereas he only â—akes use of them to prove the visibility and infallibility of the true Church and its contiÌ„nued succession of Bishops Pastors from the time of the Apostles till now as appears in the 2. 37 45 page of the same Manuel After this Whealy denyes Peter to have been Bishop of Antioch or Rome for six several reasons and sayes in the first that he cannot grant it because the scriptures are wholy silent in the mattâ—r But if he can grant nothing wherein tâ—e scrâ—ptures are silent he is no true Christian for he does not believe or grant the Apostles creed or tâ—at the present Bible of which he makes use himself to be the uÌ„corrupted word â—f God or the baptism of children before they come to the years of discrection to be lawfull and sufficienâ— for salvatioÌ„ seeing the scriptures are â— holly silent in these matters beside he Possitively swears to several poiÌ„ts that are not mention'd therein and consequently contradicts his owne assertion this is too evident to require a proof for he wickedly swears believes that the true flesh blood of Christ are not really present in the blessed Sacrament that the Virgin Mary Mother of God hath no more power than a nother Woman that the Bishop of Rome hath no spiritual or temporal jurisdiction over England Ireland or Scotland and several other points propos'd by the present goverment therefore he believes and wickedly swears to several points as articles of faith wherein he himself pretends the Scripture to be wholly silent but let Whealy deny or own what he pleases its evident to us by the testimonies of all ancient writers and the following holy Fathers Doctors that Peter was Bishop of Rome viz St. Irenaeus in his 3. book c. 36. Tertullian in his book de Prescrip adversus hereticos St. Cyprian in his first book Epist 3. and in his 4. book Epist 2. Eusebius in his chronicle of the 44. year S. Epiphanius heresie 27. S. Athanasius in his Epist to those who lead a solitary life Dorotheus in his Inventory Sozomenus in his 4. book c. 4. Optatus in his 2. book against PerminiÌ„an S. Ambrose in his book of the Sacraments c. 1. St. Hierome de Viris Illustribus and in his first Epist to Damas St. Augustin in his 2. book against Petilian c. 51. and in his 165 Epist Theodoret in his Epist to Leo. Isidorus writing the life of Peter and all other ancient writers till the year 1400. before which time I defie Whealy to produce any Author that ever write of Peter's not being Bishop of Rome Whealy's second reason for denying this matter the office of an Apostle was deriv'd immediatly from Christ and by consequence more honourable and supream than that of Bishop which was ordain'd by men only it were therefore no less than madness to think Peter so weake of judgment to quitt the more honourable for the lesser or the superiour for an inferior But in this Answer Whealy makes two false suppositions first he supposes that Peter was ordain'd Bishop by men and not by Christ as Aron was formerly ordain'd by God chief Priest over the Isralites secondly he supposes that there is an incompâ—â—â—bility between the office of an Apostle and that of Bishop which â—s also 〈…〉 tho' they be two 〈…〉 they do not tend to incompaâ—ible effects for they both tend to the glory of God propagating the Doctrine of Christ and establishing the holy Catholick Church which no man of sence can deny As to Whealy's third reason wherein he sayes that the commission of an Apostle go ye forth teach all nations c. was then more universal than that of Bishoprick c. If this wou'd prove any thing against Peters being Bishop it wou'd also prove that James was not Bishop of Jerusalen or John Bishop of Ephese because their commission was also to go forth and teach all nations c. which hinder'd them not from being Bishops of the aforesaid seas as all ancient writers do unanimously testifie as to that which he adds saying that 't is epressly agaiÌ„st the special command of Christ to accept of bishoprick at all 't is but some of his presbyterian Doctrine where with he not only attakes the Church of Rome but also the present Church of EnglaÌ„d as manifestly appears by what he produces in his last argument out of Luke c. 12. v 25 26. His fourth reason against Peter being Bishop is that Peter was Apostle of the circumcision and such as write his Epistles from Babylon not to Rome but to the scatered â—eâ—es c. which reason coÌ„tradicts Whealys third Answer where in he sayes that it was agaiÌ„st Christs commaÌ„d that Peter should accept of bishoprick at all because as he alleages he was oblig'd to go fâ—â—th and teach all nations but if Peter was oblig'd to teach all nations he was not only an Apostle of the circumcision for the word all nations compreheÌ„ds both the Jewes and Gentiles by which it appears that Whealy in his owne discourse coÌ„tradicts himself as for Peters being Apostle only of the circumcision and Paul only of the Gentiles 't
plainly giveing the lye not only to the Angel Gabriel who dâ—clar'd that â— of Christs Kingdoâ— which is his Church ther shouâ—â— be no end Luke chap. the 1. v. â— but also to Christ himself who expressly promis'd that the Gates of Hell shou'd not prevaile agaiÌ„st his Church Math. chap. the 16. v. 18. and that he wou'd be with his disciples in the administration of their function even to the end of the world Math. chap 28. v. the 20. For a further confirmation of this point it is evident that no Church or society of Christians can shew their lineal and lawfull succession of pastors and Bishops ever since the Apostles time but the present Church of Rome and such as are in communion with her for those that now stile themselves the Church of England cannot for their lives shew any before Cranmer in Edward the fixth time as appears by Goodman the Protestant Bishop of Hereford in his Catalogue of all the Bishops of England since the first plaÌ„tatioÌ„ of ChristiaÌ„ religion amoÌ„gst them where he expressly names Thomas Cranmer to be the first protestant Bishop thaâ— was ever seen in England Upon the whole matter since none but the preseÌ„t RomaÌ„ Catholik Church can pretend to have had since the Apostles time a continued series of Bishops with whom all their coÌ„temporaryes of the orthodox part of Christians alwayes agreed in one faith and comunion it plainly follows that she alone can pretend to the purity of the Christian faith And therefore whosoever desires to find and embrace a Church wherein the old incorrupted principles of Chrstianity are taught and such principles only as were maintain d by the Ancient and pure Church of Rome for upwards of 300. years after Christ let him embrace the present Church of Rome wherein the said principles are duely profess'd as I shall manifestly prove in my Answer to the aforsaid points for being the ancient Father St. Basile in his 63. Epistle declares unto us That we ought not to pase â—â—er calumnyes not out of revenge but lest we shu'd seem to give way to a lyeor suffer men seduc'd to be further decev'd I shall therefore answer my Adversary a challeÌ„ge in the same order that he has laid â—â— chap. 1. Proving both publick and privaâ—â— Masses to have been celebâ—cated in the premitive Church This Challenger seens to lav his main stress upon the word privat Masse but what he means by it he does not explain t is certain that altho' Masses were said privately in all age especially during the persecution of the Heathens when Christians perform'd their Devotions in caves and vaults under ground yet the word privat masse was seldom us'd by Catholick writers either before or since the year 600. until Martin Luther by his book de-Missa privata oblig'd Catholick Divines to write upon that subject and confute to the full Luthers arguments against it but why is the question rais'd about private masse does my adversary own that publick Masses were in use in the primitive church If so he must either quitt the old as well as the present Church of Rome or condemn his own Church of England which declares against all masses both privat publick and indeed whosoever admits one can have no tolerable reason to deny the other contrary to the practice of so many ages But let him deny or own what he pleases t is evident to us by the undeniable testimonyes of several Fathers and Councils more ancient than the year 600 that both publick and privat masses were then in use in the Catholick Church and offer'd to the Almighty both for the living and the dead as occasion requir'd St. James the Apostle speaking to Almighty God in his liturgy sayes we offer unto thee an unbloody sacrifice for our sins and for the ignorance of the people And St. Andrew likewise said as the Priests and Deacons of Achia in the book they writt of this Apostles passion I sacrifice daily unto Almighty God an immaculate lamb who when he is truely sacrific'd and his flesh truely eaten remains still wholy and alive St. Ireneus who liv'd the year 180 in his 4. book against heresies c 32 after speaking of the sacrifices which were offer'd in the old law sayes that our Lord taught the Apostles to offer anew sacrifice which the Church afterwards beiÌ„g taught by the Apostles offer'd through the universal world St. Cyprian who liv'd the year 250. prohibit'd to offer any sacrifice for the soul of Gemininus Faustus because he did not observe the decree of his own antecessors the Bishops Cornelius Bishop of Rome who liv'd about the year 254. complains that the persecution was so great in his own time that they could not say masses either in publick Churches or in Caves under ground which Authority may be seen Tomo 1. Biblia Sanctorum Patrum Tertuiliam who liv'd in the same century sayes in his book decorona miâ—it s c. â— that masseâ— were then offer â— so the souls of the dead and Fusebius Cesariensis who liv'd the year 326 relates in his 4. book c 4â— that there were masses said for the soul of Constant the Great St Cyriâ—l of Jerusalem who liv'd in the same century Catech 5. sayes thus we belive that the holy and dreadfull sacrifice which is offer'd upon the altar is agreat relief to those for whom its offer'd so Zomenus relates in his 7. book c. 5. that St. Gregory Nazianzen said Masse in a privat chappel and Paulinus writing the life of St. Ambrose affirms that St. Ambrose said Masse in a certaiÌ„ Gentel somans house St. Ambrose himself in his commentary on the 38 Psal â— bids the Priests to offer this holy sacrifice for others Theâ—dâ—â—et who liv'd the year 4â—0 in his History c 20. declareâ— himself to have said masse in a Hermits cell and St Gregorie in his 37. Homily affirms that the holy Bishâ—p Cassins was wont to say masse in his oratory being hinder'd from going to the church by reason of his infirmity St. Hierome who liv'd the year 390. in his Commentary on the â— chap of the proverbs sayes the following words It s to be Observ'd that altho' there is no hopes of pardon for the wicked after their death yet there are those who dye with small sins and after their death can be discharg'd either by chastifing them with punishments or by their friends prayâ—rs alms and celebration of masses In his commentary on St. Pauls Epist to Titus he sayes thus If the Laity are commanded to abstaine from their wives in the time of communion what is to be suppos'd of the Bishop who daily for his own and the peoples sins offers to God the underfiled sacrifice he hath such an other Authority in his first book against Jovinian c. 19. speaking of the priests St. Chrisostome who liv'd in the later end of the 4. century in his homily on St. Pauls Epist to the Philippians speaking of those who dye in the fear of God
the acts of the Apostles â— 5. v. 15. and c 19 v. 11. and St. Paul in his Epist to the Philippians â— 2. v. 10. commands us to honour the name of Jesus which is only asign or Image of our redemptioÌ„ as the name Iehoâ—a is of our creation which was in so great honour with the Jewes that the common people durst not utter it no nor the very Priests but only in the time of sacrifice and solemne benediction as Philâ— relates writing the life of Moses nay the very plate on which the name of God was written on the high Priest's forehead is calld the plate of sacred veneration Exodus c. 18. v 36. 38. and we read in the 22. c. v 26 of Ezekiel that God commanded the temple which was an Image of his heavenly house to be honour'd as a holy place and reprehended those Priest's who poluted it saving thus her Priests have violated my law and have prophaned mine holy thinks they have put no diference betwen the holy and prophenâ— Now let us see did those of the PrimitiÌ„ve Church ever use or worship Images Tertulian who liv'd in the 3 age in his 2 book de Pudici affirms that the Image of ChriÌ„st bearing a lambe on his sholders was graven on the chalices us'd in Churches St Gregory Nysen who liv'd in the 4th Century in his Oration of Theodorus sayes that the silent picture painted on the wall doth declare several things and that it is very profitable this same holy Father was wont to weep contemplating the Image of Abraham facrifizing his son Isaac as himself testifies in his ser preach'd in Constantinople S. Basil who liv'd in the same Century in his Epist to Julian the Emperour after numbering seyeral points of faith which himself believ'd brings in the Apostles Prophets and Martyers then concluds saying thus the characters of their Images I do honour and worship thiefly being this was deliver'd by the Apostles and not prohibited and why shu'd it not be shewed painted in all our Churches in hisser of Barlaam he also sayes the followiÌ„g words â—ye famous painters raise-up and extoll your arts in painting this saint's Image and likwise let Christ's Image be painted St. Hierome who liv'd in the year â—90 writing the life of Paula sayes that shee was wont to prostrate herself before the crucifix and ador'd it as if shee had beheld the Lord crucifi'd bâ—foâ—e her eyes S Crysostome in his ser quod veteris et novi Testamenti unus sit Legislator declar'd that himself lov'd a picture of melted wax full of piery and in his Liturgy he sayes that the Priest was wont to how down his head before the Image of Christ he makes also mention of Christ Image in his ser deferia quintâ— Caena Dâ—mini Paladius who liv'd in the same time in his 11th Epist relates that the Bishop of Jerusalem was wont yearly at the solemnitâ— of Easter to expose the crosse to be ador'd by the people he himself first adoring it St. Cyrill of Alexandria who liv'd in the 5 Century in his homily against Nestor sayes thus hail mother of God through whom the precious crosse is made famous and ador'd throughout the world Caelius Sedulius who also liv'd in the 5 Century in his 5th book sayes the following words neither is there any who dose not know that the Image of the crosse ought to bâ— worshipp'd S. Gregorie who liv'd in the same Century in his 7 book Epist 5 bids the Bishop Januarius to take the crucifix and the Jmage of the blessed virgin from the Jewes who did not give them the due veneration And in his 53 Epist which is to SecuÌ„dinus he sayes thus I do know that you long for our Saviour's Image that by contemplating it you might burn the more with the love of the Lord Eusebius writing the life of Constant the great relates that agreat many of Golden and Silver Images were put up in the Churches which he caus'd to be built in Palestine in his 7. book c. 14. he affirms himself to have seeÌ„ the Apostles Images which then were very old and in great veneration with the people Damas relates writing the life of St. Sylvester that the aforesaid Constantine commanded an Image of pure Gold to be made which he order'd to be put up in the Church wherein he was baptiz'd on the right hand of which he plac'd the Image of our Saviour and on the left hand the Image of St. John the Baptist he also order'd the Image of our Saviour of four Angels and of the twelve Apostles to be put up in the Church of St. John Latran in Rome in order to be venerated by the Christians Evodius in his 2. book writing of S. Stephen's miracles sayes that his Image was put up in the same Church wherein his reliques were pre serv'd and that agreat multitude-of people were vs'd to freqent that Church out of particular devotion who venerated both the Image his reliques The Disciples of S. Epiphanius plac'd his Image in the Church which they built in his honour and were wont to pray most fervently before the same Image as the Fathers of the 7th General Council do declare in the 6th Action St. Ambrose in his Oration of Theodosiu's death sayes that it was discreetly done of Helena to order the crosse where upon our Saviour was crucifi'd to be taken up our of the ground where the Jewes absconded it that it might be worshipp'd by the Christians and in his Epist de invention sanctorum Gervasy et Protasy he declares that he knew him who appear'd to himself to be S. Paul by his Image which he had before S Augustin in his first book de Consensu Evangelistarum affirms himself to have seen in several places Christ's Image painted betwen S. Peter and St. Paul's Images and in his 3th book of the Trinity c. 10. in his 2. de Doct. Christ c. 25. and also in his 3. book c. 9 he sayes that Images are very profitable in order to move the people to devotion Metaphrastes in the life of Constantine the great Euagrius in his 4tâ— book c. 26 and Damsâ—enus in his first book de Imaginibus do relate that a painter endeavoring to â—raw the Image of Christ whose splendour when he cou'd not behold our Saviour himself tooke a peece of white â—â—nen and saving it on his face imprinted there-on the Image of his divine countenance and after-wards sent it to King Abagarus who long'd to see our Saviour which Image after awhile out of of particular veneration was brought by Philip the General of Mauritiuâ—'s army unto the field and gain'd thereby a most glorious victory from the Persians as Theopaâ—es relates in his 17th book Marianus scotus in his Cronicles writing of the 39 year makes mention of an other Image painted after the same manner by our Saviour in a handkerchief offer'd to him by a devout woman call'd Veronica as he sweared carying the crosse to