THE ROCKE OF THE CHVRCHE Wherein the Primacy of S. Peter and of his Successours the Bishops of Rome is proued out of Gods Worde By Nicolas Sander D. of diuinity The eternal Rock of the vniuersal Church Christ was the rock an other foundatiō no man is hable is put 1. Cor. 3. 10. The temporal Rock of the militant Church Thou art Peter and vppon this Rocke I wil build my Church Matth. 16. The continuance of this temporal Rocke In the Church of Rome the primacy of the Apostolike chaier hath alwaies florished August in Epist 162. Recken euen from the very seate of Peter and in that rew of Fathers consyder who succeded the other That is the rock which the proud gates of hel doe not ouercome In Psal cōt part Don. Tom. 7. LOVANII Apud Ioannem Foulerum Anno D. 1567. REgiae Maiestatis Priuilegio concessum est Nicolao Sandro Sacrae Theologiae Professori vt librum inscriptum The Rocke of the Church per Typographum aliquem iuratum imprimere ac impunè distrahere liceat Datum Bruxellis 27. Febr. 1566. Subsig Prats TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull M. Doctor Parker bearing the name of the Archbisshop of Canterbury and to al other protestants in the realme of England Nicolas Sander wissheth perfect faith and charity in our Lord declaring in this Preface that the Catholiks whom they cal Papists doe passe the Protestants in al manner of Signes or Marks of Christes true Church I Besech your worshippe not to mislike with me for omitting any parte of your accustomed title in this my letter sithēs I doe it not of any contempt but onely of conscience grounded vppon Gods worde as who am persuaded the religiō presently authorized in the realm and consequently your ministery therin to be so far of from Christes true religiō as it is far from Christ to haue his Church which after the publication of the Gospell ought Genes 22.26.28 Psal 2.44 75.88.144 Philip. 2. according to the prophecies to be openly spread through out the world and her Citizēs ought to shyne in the middest of the peruerse nation Isai 54.60 Math. 28. of infideles like starres and to remayn gloriouse for euer in many natiōs togeather now first after nine hūdred yeres oppression as your own brethern doe confesse to shewe it selfe abrode and openly to be professed So that although it could be shewed that your faith had bene alwaies in the world as it was not yet in that if at all it were it lay hydden Math. 5. it could not be the faith of Christes true Church which neuer ceased to be a City built vpon a hil which can not be hidden And he did sette his candel vpon a candelstick not only to geue light for a few hundred yeres but to geue light to all Luc. 8. that either should come into his house or tarie in his house And seing at al momentes men in diuerse countries came into Gods house by faith and baptisme Isai 2. 62. Math. 28. and seing likewise he is with his disciples al daies vntil the end of the world and not only liueth but reigneth for euer Luc. 1. regnabit that is to say abideth gloriously and roially in the house of Iacob which is the Church doutlesse his Church is for euer built vpon a hil and therefore it can not be hidden any one moment and his light neuer can cease to shyne to thend it may euer be true which Malachias the Prophet saied Malac. 1. From the rising of the sonne to his going downe my name is great among the gentils And yet seing Christes name is not great by them who beleue falselie for they must nedes also haue naughty woorkes and so the name of God Heb. 11. Isai 52. Rom. 2. as Saint Paule saith is rather blasphemed amonge the Gentiles then glorified by euil men it remaineth that Christes name must be great among the Gentills throughe a good faith openly geuing light by the good works of true Christians who may thereby cause Gods name to be glorified Math. 5. and by their good conuersation may cause the Infidels to be conuerted vnto Christ 1. Cor. 7. 2. Pet. 3. Now for asmuch as your faith was not openly alwaies professed in many nations together but was altogether hidden before these fifty yeres and so hidden A Church vnder a bushel that no history or Chronicle doth make mention of any congregatiō at all professing your faith from tyme to tyme in any Cities Townes Villages or priuate houses of diuerse prouinces and countries at once nothing can be iustly said or alleaged why you should not renounce this obscure religion of yours which is so slaunderouse to Gods gloriouse name and returne again to that our Churche A Church vpō a hil which stode for euer vpon the hil and whose light was neuer so dimmed or darkened but that the very Iewes Turks Saracēs Moores and Tartariās knewe where we dwelt and what we professed I chose at this tyme to intreat with al sober Protestants the rather by your person M. D. Parker because I haue heard of so much good nature in your worshippe that it was not vnlike but he woulde voutesafe to heare what so euer should be reasonably said specially touching Gods worde and the practise of the primatiue Churche of which pointes my chiefe talke shal be at this tyme. Many men haue laboured to geue diuerse Signes and Markes of the true Church to thintēt it being ones knowē al other controuersies may geue place to the pillor and sure stay of truth 1. Tim. 3. But that it may appear to them who do not willingly stop their eares against the truth what notable aduantage the Catholiks haue ouer and aboue the Protestants in this behalf I wil shew the truth of our Churche to be so safe and clere that hitherto it was not possible for the Protestants themselues to deuise any such marke or signe of a true Churche the which doth not much rather make for vs then for them Gods vvord is not a sufficient mark of the true Church They teach Gods word to be the chiefe mark whereby the true Church may be knowen which yet can not wel be so because the marke whereby an other thing is knowen ought it selfe to be most exactly knowen whereas we are not agreed what Gods woorde is For some call onely the writen letter and the meaning thereof Gods woorde others thinck many things to be Gods woorde which are not expresly writen but are reuealed from God to the Church by the tradition of the Apostles 2. Thess 2 Heb. 8. 10. 2. Cor. 3. and by the holy ghost who hath writen Gods lawes in our harts and there hath imprīted them Also we are not agreed vppon the writen woorde of God because the Protestantes doe not admitte so many bookes of the olde Testament as the Catholikes doe Thirdly the meaning of those bookes which we are agreed vppon
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
denying the work to be theirs as he saith of Dionysi the Ariopagite aÌ„d of S. ChrisostoÌ„â— Liturgy etâ—aet Another shift is â—o alleage the priuate opinion of some one agaiÌ„t the coÌ„sent of the rest or to say that the fathers liued when the tyme begaÌ„ to be corrupted and wheÌ„ al other thiÌ„gs faile their plain doctrin and assertioÌ„s of the faith are illuded with a like figuratiue speache If in dede the fathers made for theÌ„ they wold not thus shift their hands of the fathers but the moe they could haue and the better they agreed aÌ„d the plainer thei spake the better thei shuld be welcome Wel seiÌ„g the ProstestaÌ„ts although falslly yet coÌ„moÌ„ly doe alleage the old fathers The allegation of Fathers suffiseth not and we also do alleage them most plentifully hereof it wil follow that neither the only allegatioÌ„ of theÌ„ is so able to end a coÌ„trouersy that the simple and vnlerned may be sure of the truthe For which cause we must ioyne to the former marks TraditioÌ„ and practise the tradition and practise of Gods Churche which being in euery mans eyes and eares caÌ„ neuer deceaue him We thinck saith Chrysostome the tradition of the Churche to be worthy of belefe In 7. Thessalon Hom. 4. Is it a tradion Ask no farther This mark so euidently maketh for vs that the Protestants are constrayned vtterly to deny all credit vnto it for by this rule they are inexcusable who deny either the popes supremacy which euer was so vniuersally practised or the Sacrifice of the masse or any like matter which was and is generally receaued in the Church But because many questions arise in the Church TraditioÌ„ doth not suffise in cases rather depending of subtill points in diuinity then of euident custome and practise if sodainly some lerned men deny such An article of the faith which before was not commonly preached of as that the holy ghost proceedeth from the Son or any like seing here tradition faileth and the preachers are diuided Generall Councels Math. 18. Act. 15. the Church hath vsed the meane of Generall Councells wherein the bishops of many countries meeting together after sufficient debating do publish the one part to be reputed hereticall Whereby all men doe clerly know what to follow and what to auoide Such a Councel gathered together of late at TreÌ„t published that to be the true faith which we defend aÌ„d the contaary to be hereticall So that this marck is wholy ours But for as much as it is very hurtful Councels do not suffise for so many bishops to leaue their cures so oft as any such question is moued and also because their meeting is many tymes stayed by the occasion of battel or of pestilence or els for lacke of their safeconduct out of whose countries or by whose countries or into whose country thei shuld passe and specially because wheÌ„ they are come together force aÌ„d violeÌ„ce may be vsed as it was doÌ„ at the secoÌ„d Ephesine couÌ„cel Leo epist 24.25.26 and at AriminuÌ„ it is necessary to haue some other more spedy certain and profitable way in the Church wherby heresies may be soner staied and Gods people more quickly instructed in the truthe In respect of which consyderations Christ hath most notably prouided One high iudge that one chiefe pastour and high bishop S. Peter shuld be set by himself ouer the whole flock in earth to confirm his brethern Ioan. 21. Luc. 22. and to fede them Of whose faith by praying for it he hath assured vs. In S. Peters chaire the bishop of Rome sitteth who is wel knowen to haue geueÌ„ publike senteÌ„ce against the Protestants for our faith and Churche neither can the Protestants denie vs the assurance of this mark The which mark because it is of most weighty importance as being the easiest waie of al to find out the truthe and which serueth in all cases without any exception I haue made this treatise to declare that it is no lesse true euen according to Gods woorde then it is profitable and nedefull in all wise mens vnderstanding Here I might make an ende but that the Protestants affirme the lawfull preaching of Gods woorde and the lawfull administration of the SacrameÌ„ts to be the thing wherby they will be tried as though we nede not a new iudge to know what these terms doe meane For what call you lawful preaching or administring PreachiÌ„g and Sacraments That saie you which is according to Gods woorde Very well Are we not now come againe to the first beginning of our talk what call yee Gods woorde haue I not proued whatsoeuer it be that it is much more with vs then with you Adde hereunto seing those are most lawful preachers who are most like vnto the Apostles Psal 18. Rom. 10. whose sound went into al the earth and their words into the ends of the world wee are more like vnto theÌ„ who within these nine hundred yeeres by our preaching haue conuerted Bohem Saxonie Friseland Prussia Liuonia Denmark and diuerse other couÌ„tries then you who in the same tyme liued so vnder a bushel that noman aliue could heare you once pepe Again our Sacraments being moe in number by fiue then yours were administred in the face of the world euen as the Apostles did administer them in IerusaleÌ„ Corinth Rome and in such other cities and places whereas you hadde not one Church or knowen howse of praier in the whole earth Persecution The persecution say you of the Romish Antichrist oppressed vs which mark also you alleage for the truth of your congregation What masters Antichristes persecution shall dure but three yeres and a half Dan. 7. Apoc. 13. And is the Pope Antichrist whose persecution as you say hath dured these nine hundred yeres Math. 16. Hel gates shal not preuaile against the true Churche And yet is your congregation the true Churche against which you confesse Antichrist so to haue preuailed that for many huÌ„dred yeres no man could tel whether any such Church were in the earth or no Surely hel gates preuailed not against vs any one momeÌ„t Not to faile in persecution although our Church hath ben assalted with al kinds of trouble therefore this mark that is to say to stand safe and souÌ„d against hel gates is a token that ours is the true Churche For it is not persecution but the conquering and preuailing against persecution which is the true mark of Gods Churche But seing I promised to proue our Churche the more true Vve are persecuted euen by your own Marks let vs graunt that Church to be true which is persecuted yet I say that you rather haue persecuted vs theÌ„ we haue persecuted you For I pray you Syr when the child who liued in one howse with his louing mother as you did once in the same Catholik Churche with vs goeth afterward out of the house and saith his mother is a strong hoore
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
was in dede an increase of outward Sacraments and Cerimonies in diuerse ages But there was no change â—t all of the solemne and publike Saâ—rifice Genes 14. For albeit Melchisedech â—rought foorth his vnbloody oblation and blessed Abraham yet it was don â—o shew afore hand after what sorte Christ should make sacrifice in his supper and not to abrogate the order and kinde of bloody Sacrifices Gene. 4.8 17. for they continued still as Abel hadde begun with them Likewise the Altars remained in vse as Noe had erected theÌ„ Circuncision was kepte with the law And the law with the Temple of Salomon So that from the beginning of the world til Christ there was increasing of Ceremonies but no taking away no changing no newe making or altering of the publike sacrifice For the change thereof is of such importance that God would his owne Son to take flesh for the working of such a weighty matter to theÌ„d al meÌ„ should vnderstand that God reserueth to his owne self the appointment of the Religion wherwith he wil be serued And the Religion as I shewed before consisteth chiefly in the publike sacrifice and priesthood Heb. 7. Psal 109. Christ therefore being a priest after the order of Melchisedech when he had proued his commission froÌ„ God the Father by diuerse notable miracles Math. 26. in his last supper toke bread and wine accordingly as Melchisedech had foresheweÌ„ in a figure He blessed brake Genes 14. and gaue saying take eate this is my body which is geuen for you Luc. 22. doe or make this thing for the remeÌ„brance of me Facite By which woordes the Apostles and their successours in priesthod haue commissioÌ„ to make of bread and wine the bodie and blood of Christ euen till the worldes end Hiero. ad HeliodoruÌ„ 1. Cor. 11. This then is the publike and externall sacrifice of the new testament Ireneus li. 4. c. 32. August in Psal 33. Con. 1. De ciuit Dei li. 17. c. 20 Cont. aduers legis lib. 1. c. 18. the which Sacrifice saith S. Augustine is now spread in the whole circuit of the earth and it is come in place saith he of al the sacrifices of the old testament and is the Sacrifice of the Churche And all the world doth know that both the Greek and Latin Church hath euer vsed this blessed mystery as the Sacrifice prophecied of by Malachy and belonging peculiarly to the Christian peple gathered out of all nations Malac. 1. Now to thinck that Luter and Caluin haue power to alter and abrogate this publike sacrifice called now the Masse it is to thinck that Luther and Caluin are the same toward Christe which Christ was toward Moyses For that is it which Christ meaneth saying False Christes Math. 24 False Prophets and false Christes shal arise Verily because some shall come who wil arrogate that to them selues which no creature caÌ„ do besyde Christ the Son of God whose proper office and honour it is to be of power to change the state and order of the publike priesthood and sacrifice in Gods Church Idolatries They then are Idolatours who supposing Luther and Caluin to be able to abrogate the former sacrifice and maner of seruice and to sette vp a new foorm of publike prayer do therein make them to be fellowes with Christ himselfe But certainly they are false brethern and false Christes And whereas the Protestants pretend that Luâ—â—er and â—aluin do all things according to Gods Worde to omit now that the one of them techeth cleane contrarie doctrine to the other they are so much the more to be abhorred for as Christe in verie truthe in chaunging the Law fulfilled the old figures and the old prophecies eueÌ„ so they taking Christes power vpoÌ„ them pretend falsly by changing ReligioÌ„ Math. 5. to haue their doings figured and prophecied of in the Gospell But if there can be but one Christ and he can be but once borne and died but once be ye assured these men haue no power to abrogate the Masse or to take away the keye of our auncient Religion If any man say that our Masse is not that in deede which we saie it is I answere that as we neuer reade the Iewish Priestes to haue erred concerning the substaunce of theire publique Sacrifice because all the people Exod. 23. were bound to frequent it by Gods own commandement so it is much lesse possible that the vniuersall Churche of Christ should erre in that publike act wherein Christ himself saith S. Cyprian is the Sacrifice Li. 2. epi. 3 in Sacrificio quod Christus est Math. 28. No no masters Antichrists yee may be Christ ye can not be He is with his Apostles aÌ„d their successours the bishops al dayes vntil the worlds end This being so reason would that all nouelties layed a syde men should return to the old faith and Church again Wherevnto if I am so bolde as to exhort you M. D. Parker before al other I trust you wil not take it in euil part For as my exhortation commeth of my wel wishing to your worship so I consyder no Ecclesiasticall person in al our Country is able to doe more good in that behalf then you Consyder then for Gods loue in whose chaire you sitte consyder whence the first Bisshop came who satte there yea â—â—rther consyder what all your predeâ—ssours taught only one excepted of whome all good and zealons men must â—eedes be ashamed Cranmer as who at the enâ—ing into his bishoprike was wilfullie â—orsworn to the Pope of Rome It appereth so by his Catechism And afâ—erward changed his religion from Luâ—heranisme to the Sacramentary hereâ—ie And a little before his death for a â—ew houres of temporall life sold his â—oore faith twise a day Neither was he otherwise a witâ—esse of your doctrine then that despeâ—ation made him pretend to suffer that for religion which he must needes suffer though he had changed his religion That one desperat man then excepted who seemeth to haue ben of no religioÌ„ â—l your predecessours were of our faith What speake I of your predecessours Al â—he bishops of the realme yea al of the whole world were of the same belefe with vs as it may right wel appere for â—hat all the Catholikes in the world coÌ„municated with S. Gregorie as witâ— the best man the greatest Doctour the highest Bisshop that liued in those daies Beda in histor eccle Gentis An glorum Now S. Gregorie sent S. Augustine to our Auncestours froÌ„ whosâ— time till the chaÌ„ge which began a late all Christian men are knowen to hauâ— beleued and professed that which we doe presently defend If this holy felowship be not that Catholike and Apostolik Church which iâ— al times and couÌ„tries professed Christes Gospel then goe into the desert after Wiclef and Hus goe into the corners and priuie inmoste places of the house after the poore men of Lions
diseases Matth. 18. and to cast out diuels And he said to them Whatsoeuer thiÌ„gs ye shall bind vpoÌ„ the earth they shal be bound in heaueÌ„ also And whatsoeuer things ye shall loose vpon the earth they shal be loosed in heauen also And again after his resurrectioÌ„ he said Ioan. 20. As my Father hath sent me and I send you â–ª take ye the holy ghost And going into the whole worlde Marc. 16. preach the Gospel to al creatures teaching all nations Matth. 28 and baptiziÌ„g them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost And after Christes ascension S. Mathias Actor 1. and after the coming of the holy Ghost S. Paule was taken into that holy office and vocatioÌ„ Galat. 1. So that by their Commissions it is euident that the Apostles were all sent into the whole world with singular auctority Now that beside this Apostolike function Eusebius hist lib. 2. c. 1. lib. 3. c. 22. 32. they had also power to be resident vpoÌ„ some one particular cure and flock the example of S. Iames the Apostle doth declare who is confessed by all maner of writers to haue ben Bisshop of IerusaleÌ„ Yea Simon also an other of the Apostles is readen to haue succeded after S. Iames in the same Chaire and Church S. Peter likewise hauing sitten at Antioche seueÌ„ yeres Hieron in Catalo afterward traÌ„sferred his seat vnto Rome Euseb li. 3 c. 22. More ouer S. Peter made Euodius Bishop of Antioche after his departure thence and sent his disciple S. Marck to gouern the Church at Alexandria Greg li. 6. epist 37. Tit. 1. S. Paul appointed Titus Bishop in CaÌ„dia and Timotheus Bishop of Ephesus and the like was don by other Apostles in other countries 1. Tim. 4. Therfore the Apostles had also the power to be and to make Bishops Actor 1. in so much that when S. Peter depriued Iudas of his Chaire he shewed the prophecy to be fulfilled Psal 108. Ennodius in 2. Tom. Concil EpiscopatuÌ„ eius accipiat alter Let an other man take his Bishoprike or his office of a Bisshop For although euery Bishop be not an Apostle yet euery of Christes Apostles was or might be a Bishop And because the bishoply power was most certainly conteined within the compasse of the Apostolike office the verie name of an Apostle came also to signifie a bishop in the primatiue Church as Theodoretus hath wel declared In cap. 3.1 ad Tim. EosdeÌ„ olim vocabaÌ„t presbyteros Episcopos Eos auÌ„t qui nuÌ„c vocantur Episcopi nominabaÌ„t Apostolos ê“cedeÌ„te auteÌ„ teÌ„pore nomen quideÌ„ Apostolatus reliqueruÌ„t ijs qui verè eraÌ„t Apostoli Episcopatus auteÌ„ appellationeÌ„ imposueruÌ„t ijs qui olim appellabaÌ„tur Apostoli Philip. â— Ita PhilippeÌ„siuÌ„ Apostolus erat Epaphroditus vestruÌ„ inquit ApostoluÌ„ adiutoreÌ„ necessitatis meae Ita CreteÌ„siuÌ„ Titê° AsianoruÌ„ Timotheê° Actor 15 Ita ab Hierosolymis ijs ê— eraÌ„t Antiochiae scripseruÌ„t Apost Presbyteri In the old time they called the same men both priests and bishops But those which are now called bishops they did cal Apostoles And in processe of tyme they left the name of Apostleship to those that were truely and in deed Apostles and called them Bisshops which in the primitiue Church were called Apostles so was Epaphroditus the Apostle of the Philippians Philip. 2. Your Apostle saith S. Paul and the helper of my necessitie So was Titus the Apostle of those of Candie and Timotheus of those of Asia Act. 15. So did the Apostles and priestes write from Hierusalem to those that were at Antioche Seing then the name of an Apostle did conteine both properly that extraordinarie honour which the true Apostles only had and also that ordinary power which al Bisshops then had and alwaies should haue it is easie to vnderstand that when S. Hierome writeth concerning Bisshops Ad Euagrium Omnes Apostolorum successores sunt All are the successours of the Apostles and when In Psal 44. Augustine saith Pro Apostolis constituti sunt Episcopi Bishops are made in steed of the Apostles that they both and al the other Fathers saying the like do mean that Bisshops doe succede the Apostles not in the Apostleship but in their Bisshoplie authority which also S. Ireneus calleth Lib. 3. c. 3. suum ipsoruÌ„ magisterij locum their owne place of teaching or of gouerning If any man aske why the Bisshoplie authority is so namely distincted hy me from the Apostleship sithens it was conteined therein as the lesser dignity within the greater I answere The putting avvay of an obiection that it is nedeful so to doe because when the Apostleship ceased the other Bisshoply authoritie continued stil And yet yf the Bisshoplie authoritie had onely depended vpoÌ„ th' Apostolik functioÌ„ it must nedes haue seased with it also For wheÌ„ the whole Apostleship is ended no part therof caÌ„ remain in his force except it haue an other grouÌ„d to stand in beside thapostleship as the bishoply power had Cyril lib. 12. c. 64. This being so when we reade that Peter was head prince chief first and capitain of the Apostles it may according to the former distinction either be meant that he was both their head according to their excellent Apostolike dignitie and also according to their inferiour authoritie of being particular Bisshops or els according to the onely one consideration of the twaine How farre S. Peter did either excell or was equall with the Apostles in their Apostolik office Wherin diuers obiections are answered which seeme to make against S. Peters Supremacie The XI Chap. WERE it not that the Aduersaries of the Catholicke faith do force me to intreat of this mater I would think it a sinne to enter into so curiouse a question For what haue wee to doe nowe with the Apostles aequalitie or inequalitie wheras it should haue suffised vs to follow the present state of the vniuersal churche which we finde practised in our time not searching out other things which are perhaps aboue our capacitie But seing the aequalitie of the Apostles vvhy this question is treated of is now pretended against the vniuersal faith which hath alwaies geueÌ„ the primacie to Peters Seate it behoueth to answere therevnto trusting that God wil beare with the humble defendaÌ„ts how so euer the wantonnesse of the other side stand in great daunger to be punished for their schism troublesomnesse and pride I take it for a thing agreed vpoÌ„ that S. Peter was the first of the Apostles accordingly as S. Mathew reciting the name of the twelue Apostles saith Primus SimoÌ„ qui dicitur Petrus Matt. 10. The first is SimoÌ„ who is called Peter If then none other Apostle be first beside Peter and al that which is not first must nedes be somewhat bebinde that which is firste doubtlesse none other Apostle could be
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
Apostoke Priesthood or Bisshoplie power is made greater by the chiefe Castell or Fortresse of Religion then by the Throne of Imperiall power In anuiuersa assumpt serm 2. Leo the Greate hauing saied that in Saint Peters Seat his own power liueth his authoritie excelleth in an other place sheweth himselfe to haue bene the successour of S. Peter and therefore to be the president of the Churche For thus he writeth to Iulianus the Bisshop epist 30. Memor sum me sub illius nomine Ecclesiae praesidere cuius à Domino Iesu Christo est glorificata confessio cuius fides omnes haereses destruit I am mindfull that I am Praesident of the Churche vnder his name Matth. 16 whose confession was made gloriouse of our Lorde Iesus Christe in epist 82. 87. and whose faith destroieth al heresies It were infinite to bring all that Leo saith in this behalfe Eulogius the Patriarche of Alexandria wrote to S. Gregorie after this sense Lib. 6. ep 37. as S. Gregory himself doth report it Suauissima mihi sanctitas vestra multa in epistolis suis de sancti Petri Apostolorum principis Cathedra locuta est dicens quòd ipse in ea nunc vsque in suis successoribus sedeat Your most swete Holinesse hath said manie things in his letters concerning the chair of S. Peter the prince of the Apostles saying that S. Peter himself sitteth it it euen til this present tyme in his successours And S. Gregory with great humility acknowlegeth it to be true affirming in an other place that Lib. 11. Ep. 54. the Apostolike See is head of all Churches For the honour of our country I wil not omit the testimony of S. Bede who in a sermon made vpon the Feast of a certain Abbate of England named Benedictus In Natali Benedicti inter homilias hyemales de Sanctis affirmeth him to haue gon to Rome vt ibi potius perfectā viuendi formam sumeret vbi per summos Christi Apostolos totius Ecclesiae caput eminet eximium That he might there rather take the perfit example of liuing where the excellēt head of the whole Churche doth appere aboue the reast through the highest Apostles of Christ Whereas much more may be alleaged yet these few testimonies may suffise to proue that the bishop of Rome is the Successour of S. Peter in his most principal and chiefe pastoral office And surely if we may be deceaued in any point of the faith which is so wel groūded in Gods word so vniformly cōfessed by the holy Fathers and so notoriously practised in the Catholike Churche as the Supremacy of S. Peter and of his successours in the See of Rome is I can not deuise when a man may be sure of any article of his faith But if there be a meane whereby a man may be sure of his belefe surely that meane whatsoeuer it be shall wel appeare to be found in the prouf of the supremacy of S. Peter and of his successours That the good Christian Emperours and Princes did neuer thinke them selues to be the Suprem Heads of the Churh in Spiritual causes but gaue that honour to Bisshops and Priests and most speciallie to the See of Rome for S. Peters sake as wel before as after the time of Phocas The XVI chap. An D. 246 PHilippus who was the first Christian Emperour did so litle think him selfe to haue bene the Heade of the Bisshoppes in Spirituall causes throughout his Dominion that wheras on Easter daie he would haue bene at the Vigils and holy watches and would haue communicated of the holy Mysteries the Bisshope of the place would not lette him doe it Nisi consiteretur peccata sua except he hadde first confessed his sinnes and stood amōg them that did penance and so by penance had washed awaie the faults which were reported of him Ferunt igitur libenter eum saith Eusebius quod à sacerdote imperatum fuerat suscepisse eccles histor lib. 6. c. 25. apud Ruffinum diuinum sibi inesse metum fidem religionis plenissimam rebus atque operibus comprobando They saie therefore that he toke gladly that whiche was inioyned to him of the Priest Imperatū making faith by the things and workes that the feare of God and most full persuasion of Religion was in him Is he chief in al causes who in some must obey the Priest the priest vvas aboue the Emperor in Ecclesiastical causes Or can he that is supreme gouernour in all things and causes Ecclesiastical haue an other aboue him in puttng him back from the mysteries and in enioyning him publik penaunce and in constreining him to confesse his sinnes Or is the comming to the Mysteries no cause Ecclesiastical or Spiritual Or is not the Bisshoppe or Priest who in this cause gouerneth the Emperour the Superiour and gouernour of the Emperour in the same cause Or is it not a kind of gouerning to command him to stand back to threaten him if he repine to punish him if he be stubborne Yea how to punish him to come to him in a rod as S. Paule speaketh that is to say 1. Cor. 4. in power and authoritie to beate or to correct And is not he a gouernour who may iustly beate the child If then in prescribing confessiō satisfaction and abstinence from communion the priest be the gouernour of the king I ask whether al other Ecclesiastical causes be greater or lesse then these are Note an infallible argument against your Antichristian supremacy The one parte of the Dilēma M. Nowel If other Ecclesiasticall causes be greater then these were surely the Emperour or king who is gouerned by a priest in the lesser Ecclesiasticall causes and therefore can not be supreme head in them is much more to be gouerned by a priest in the greater causes of the same kind And therefore he is much lesse supreme head in them For if when one thing standeth aboue an other I am to low to reache the lower much more I am to low to reache a higher then the other was But if other Ecclesiastical causes be lesser then the suspending from communion the other part or the inioyning of publike penance then the bishop or priest who is the gouernour of the Emperour or King in the greatest Ecclesiastical causes is much more his gouernour in the lesser Ecclesiasticall causes Because the lesser are of the same order kind and kinred whereof the greater are As therefore he that is supreme head in the greatest temporall causes as in iudging ouer life and death A similitude is much more supreme head in the lesser temporall causes as in iudging ouer lands or goods and as he that is not of sufficient authority to be supreme ruler in sitting iudge vppon mens lands or goods can much lesse sitte iudge ouer their liues by anie his former authoritie euen so neither the King who can gouern in the lesser causes
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
was called campus Martius And so by the changing of the place the Protestants haue lost their argument The pope also doth sitte for the most part on the other side of the riuer vppon the hilnamed Vatican hard by S. Peters Churche The seueÌ„ hils by whom he holdeth his chaire not at all deriuing his power from the seuen hils whereupon the seuen Kings dwelt or from the Roman Empire But in dede the seuen hils are well meant the fulnes of pride and vaine glorie which is in all the worlde and specially in secular princes Herof I shal speak in the next chapiter to whom yet the protestants committ the supreame gouernment of the Church being therby nere to the state of Antichrist then they are ware of But lette all our new brethern bring but one holy Father or auncient doctour who hath ben alwaies accompted Catholike who euer said that the bishop of Rome should be Antichrist or if none can be alleaged let this doctrine of theirs be accompted a ê“phane nouelty of words 1. Tim. 6. which S. Paule would haue to be auoided among good Christians Not the Pope of Rome but the Protestants themselues are the members of Antichrist by forsaking the Catholike Church by setting vp a new Church and by teaching false doctrine against the Gospel of Iesus Christ The XVIII chap. THis being once cleered that the Pope of Rome can not be that notable Antichrist who was so loÌ„g before prophecied of the next shift of the Protestants must be to say that the Pope is at the lest a forerunner of that principal Antichrist 1. Ioan. 2 Of which sort all such are as by teaching false doctrine do promote his kingdoÌ„ who is the head and capitaine of all errour and heresie I am not ignorant that if I should exactly handle this argument I should runne ouer all the articles which are at this day in controuersie For in euery of them he that holdeth the false part is a meÌ„ber of Antichrist aÌ„d he that defendeth the truthe is of Christ But for so much as that were an infinite labour it shall suffise by a few generall reasons to shew the way vnto him who list to prosecute the said argumeÌ„t more fully The first mark of an Antichristian SEing we now speak not of Panims or Iewes who are without the Church but of heretikes who were once of the Church the first way to know this kind of Antichristes is if we can shew that any man departed from the Catholike Churche For when Christ intreated of false Prophetes and erroneouse teachers he said to his faithfull Disciples nolite exire Matth. 24 goe ye not out As who should say you are at this tyme within If ye can tarrie where you are no daunger can come to you But al the peril is in going out after them who preache otherwise then the Church beleueth 1. Ioan. 2. Of them S. Iohn said exierunt ex nobis they went forth from vs. Act. 15. Likewise the Apostles coÌ„plain of them who went out from theÌ„ and preached the necessity of circumcision Homil. de Pastor And S. Augustine saith generally exire haereticorum est It is the point of heretiks to goe out Who then went from the Churche of these two Did the Pope go out of the true Church or did the Protestants If the Pope weÌ„t forth whoÌ„ did he leaue behind him where dwelt they whoÌ„ he forsoke Let the country the City the town the village the Church the chappel the cumpany of neuer so fewe men be named from whom being members of the true Churche the Pope went For he that goeth out goeth from some and leaueth some behiÌ„d him But it can neuer be named whom the pope left behind him in the true Church when he went out of the said Church because in deed he neuer went forth but dwelt in the middest of all faithfull Nations being their guide and Pastour Neither did he depart froÌ„ the Grecians but some of the GreciaÌ„s for a tyme departed from him vpon the quarel of the proceding of the holy Ghost from God the son Which truthe the Grecians vniustlie denied And therfore after a tyme vppon better aduise and confereÌ„ce some of them came into that Church againe An. Dom. 1440. where the Pope remained head as at the Councel of FloreÌ„ce And some other taried without stil and died in the schism But al this while the pope went not out of the Church On the otherside we can al tell wheÌ„ a An. Do. 1044. Berengarius b 1350. Wiclef c 1410. Hus d 1517. Luther e 1522. Zuinglius f 1540. Caluin and such others professed to goe out the Roman Church We know whom they left behind them within the Church verily they left all Italy al Fraunce al Spaine al Polonia all Hungary all England all Sicily and so much of Germany in the Church as went not out after them If now it be the point of an hereticall Antichrist to goe out of the faithfull company of Christ who is liker to be Antichrist the Pope who departed from no company of Christ or the Protestants who departed from so many Christian natioÌ„s as now I named and most of al the Sacramentaries who departed also both from the Pope and from the verie Lutherans themselues An obiection As for that vaine bragge wherein they are wont to say the pope departed froÌ„ the Apostles and prophets is it not as easie for vs to say the selfe same thing vnto them The anâ—vver when we speak of departing we speake of the departing from the vnity of such as once liued together with vs in one house of God For then some goe out and some tarrie within As Arrius and Eusebius of Nicomedia departed out and his bishop Alexander with good Athanasius taried stil in the Church Nouatus went out Cornelius taried within Pelagius wente out Saint Augustine and Saint Hierom followed him not but taried within Euen so Luther went out from the company with whom he once liued peaceably aÌ„d the pope taried stil within Therefore Luther and his adhearents are hereticks and the members of Antichrist If it be said here An other obiection ansvvered that the Apostles and disciples departed from the Chaire of Moyses and yet were not heretiks I answere that such examples make nothing for the departing of the Protestantes from vs except they can bring such prophecies and such euident miracles for their departing from vs as the Apostles brought aÌ„d wrought for their departing from the Iewes There should be but one suche change of Religion in all the world aÌ„d because it was so hard a matter to make men forsake their former trade of seruing God it was not done without the comming doune of the Sonne of God from heauen into the earth Luc. 24. who shewed by the Prophets and by his very workes that the same one change of the whole religion
cap. 7. which thing Caluin accompted a beastlie matter Againe at Geneua his doctrine is decaied For wheras he beleued that Christes soule went downe into hell euen to the place where the soules are tormented in euerlasting fire In 2. Act. Apostol Beza so much misliketh him therein that he wil haue Christes soule to goe no lower then into the graue The which opinion the Englishe translation of the Actes of the Apostles made at Geneua doth embrace And concerning his opinion of the Sacramēt that I may omit how vehementlie Flacius Illyricus hath shaken it already in his bokes against Beza it can not long stande because the common sorte can not vnderstande it And worthelie for that whiche is not true is not able to be vnderstanded and his doctrine is altogeather grounded vppon imagination without any assurāce of God words To be short if the Anabaptists shall not by a worse heresie oppresse the glory of Caluins doctrine or if all other meanes to destroy it should faile at the lest by this one way it is sure to perish For as the Marcionists the Manichees the Arrians the Nestoriās the Eutychians the Monothelites the Pelagians the Donatists the Imagebreakers were at the last all wrapped in Apostasie and infidelity and were swalowed vppe by the Moores the Saracens and the Turcks euen so is it most certaine that if the Caluinists do scape other destructions they shal perish in the end either being made infidels or being conquered of others But in the meane tyme how safe stādeth the See Apostolik How many hundred yeres hath it dured alwaies like to it selfe How vnremoueable is that rock How doth the doctrine therof florish more and more euery daie Truth which is the dawghter of tyme hath now made many hereticks to confesse that they thought so much could neuer haue ben said for the Apostolike See of Rome as now they finde In so much that if al these things which are now reuealed had ben knowen before thowsands of them would neuer haue gonne that way But now either shame or slewth or couetousnes or feare of wordly princes or the hard profession of the Catholikes or desperation causeth them to stoppe their eyes and their eares lest perhaps they might see the truthe and be conuerted Ioan. 1◠Yet God to shew his almighty power doth daily reuoke some to his true Church both in Germannie and Fraunce and I beseche him to doe the like in our countrie of England also The fifth marck of an Antichristian THe fifth marck wherby to know the forerūners of Antichrist is if any man preache Gods Word without commission rom his superiours For such a one runneth before he be sent and cometh of himself as Antichrist shall doe Rom. 10. For how shall they preach saith S. Paul except they be sent Now as Christ the head preacher of all was sent of his Father visiblie in flesh so he visiblie sent his Apostles Ioan. 20. 2. Tim. 4. and they by imposition of hands sent others to preache And their successours frō age to age haue sent others in the Catholike Churche euen till this day So that all Catholike preachers are hable to reduce their commlssion from step to step vntil they come to Christ himself But seing Luther Zuinglius and Caluin rebelled against their own bisshops who are the successours of the Apostles and seing they were not sent of any in all the world who had a knowen and publike authority from the Apostles of Christ it must nedes follow that they came of themselues and were not lawfully sent at all As for temporall magistrates who are onely sheepe and which can not preache themselues can much lesse send others to preache For no man can send an other to doe that which him self is not able to do Ioan. 13. sith no Apostle or Legat is greater then he that sent him And yet it was not possible for any temporal magistrate or any common weale to send Luther to preache because they who should haue sent him were by his iudgement misbeleuers vntil he had conuerted them to a new faith And so when he had first preached his doctrine he was sent of no mā in all the world but came of himself ād therefore was an Antichrist Ioan. 5. who cōmeth in his own name as Christ hath tawght It is well knowen also that Luther would not send Zuinglius to preache against himself Neither would Zuinglius send Caluin to deface his own doctrine And consequently euery one of these is a false preacher who cometh not from Christ nor from his Apostles or their successours as the Pope doth who succedeth lineally S. Peter as it is knowen The sixth marck of an Antichristian THe sixth marke whereby to know this broode of Antichrist may be in that Antichrist himself being alltogether carnal shall prefer the temporal reign or sword before the spiritual A certaine signe wherof this is because he shall constraine men with force of armes not only to kepe their former faith for that were lawful for hī who is a true officer of God but also to take a new faith which thing no mā would doe except he were of this minde that mens consciences ought to yeld to his violent force And in dede when his master the diuel said to Christ Math. 4. If thou fal down and adore me I wil geue thee all these things shewing al the kingdōs of the world he declared himself to be of this minde to pluck the seruice dew to God to himself and to make vs prefer the kingdoms of the world before the faith of Christ And therefore Antichrist who is ruled by the deuill shall putte confidence also in an earthlie Kingdome And as Saint Paule saieth he shall come in virtute that is to say 2. Thess 2 in power and strength Whereunto it is very agreable that his preachers also doe preferre the iurisdiction of temporall princes Note In Horn against M. Fecknam aboue the iurisdiction of the spirituall ministers of Christ teaching that Kings are the supreame gouernours of Christes Churche And that secular princes may visite correct reforme and depose any bishop in their owne realmes Which is directly to say that the power of the Kinge is a higher and a greater power in Gods Church then the power of a bishop or of a pastour For as the lawiers know and natural reason teacheth Lege 3. 4. de Arbitris nec par in parem potestatē habet nec inferior in superiorem Neither any aequal hath power vpon his equal nor any inferiour hath power vpon his superiour But say the Protestants the temporal King may depose a bishop and yet that he can not doe iustly except he may first sitte iudge vppon a bishop euen as he is a bishop and sitte iudge ouer him as he is a bishop he can not except he he be his superiour therefore it is the protestants doctrine that a Kings temporal power for we speake