to whom all things are referred Sixt. God is the giuer of all righteousnesse holines and grace He forgiueth sinnes and restoreth sinners by the grace of adoption to his fauour and friendship Seuenth God is the bestower of eternall glory and heauenly felâ—city in whom the highest happinesse of blessed soules consisteth Of the other seauen Articles concerning the humane Nature The First sheweth that the Sonne of God for our sakes debased himselfe from Heauâ—n to these inferior parts descended and assumed the humâ—ne Nature and coupled it to himselfe with a maruelous knot and bond in such sort that after that coniunction there was one person of both subsisting in two Natures diuine and humane and therefore in time he was conceiued without Father of an vncorrupt Virgin the power of the holy Ghost so working in her that the word was made flesh and God Man The Second sheweth the same Sonne of God taking humane Nature of the vndefiled Virgin was borne into the world in such sort that Many was at once the Mother of God and a pure V rgin The Third sheweth how Chriâ—â— our Lord did most excellently performe the office of teaching working miracles died and made his end vnder Pilate the Iudge and President and vnder him endured an vniust condemnation and suffered the most shamefull kinde of punishment of the crosse and sustayned the most bitter death for vs and refused not buriall offered vnto him in another Mans sepulcher The Fourth article teacheth how Christ after he had died vpon the crosse descended in his soule into * Or the lower parts inferoâ— hell both that he might shew himselfâ— conquerour of death and Diuells and also the dâ—liuerer of the Fathers there detayned and in his body he lay three dayes in the sepulcher The Fifth professeth that Christ the third day returning conquerâ—nâ— from the lower parts to lâ—fe immortall and full of glory by his owne force and power did rise from the dead The Sixt sheweth how Christ hauing performed the worke of Mans redemption the fortieth day after his resurrection by his owne power ascended into heauen that in his humane Nature he might be exalted aboue all things and he aboue all might be chiefly worshipped of all who sits in heauen at the right hand of the power of God and as God exercising equall power with the Father and shining with diuine Maiesty The Seuenth article setteth out the last Iudgement day when Christ in his humane Flesh shall descend againe from the highest heauen and performing the office of the terrible Iudge of the whole earth shall openly render vnto euery one according as he hath done in his body whether it be good or euill before whose tribunall all men both good and euill shall stand whether that day of Iudgement finde them yet aliue in the flesh or dead before These 14 articles I haue set downe at large and in the full wordes of Azorius not that I approue euery word and point therin but to shew what is the generall doctrine of the present Roman Church what and how much is necessary for euery man to know and to beleeue explicitè to his saluation Note he is said to beleeue explicitè who assenteth to any thing that is told him or which he conceiueth in his thought and hee beleeueth implicitè which beleeueth any thing in generality and in that thing beleeueth many other things which are contained in it as when a man beleeueth all things which the Church beleeueth Azor ib. cap. 6. in calce Thus saith Azorius out of Gabriel the Schoolman §. 3. Abundant in superfluis deficiunt in necessarijs Beâ—â— sâ—prâ— l tâ—k See â—ellar in thâ—t chapter at large First These Articles vpon due consideration will bee found to haue two faults they containe too much and too little Too much for all things in them are not taught in the Scriptures as namely that of the fourth Article of the Humanity that Christ descended into hell to deliuer the Fathers there detained as by Bellarmines confession and the ancient Fathers testimonies they should be Costerus â—uchir cap. 1. pag. 49. § Caterum Costerus the Iesuite saith also that the chiefe heads of faith necessary for all Christians to know and to beleeue vnto saluation are plainly enough contained in the Apostles writings Secondly these Articles also containe too little for here want somethings that are deliuered in the Apostles Creed which Creed was ordained for the necessary instruction of all Christians and called Symbolum a badge or signe to dâ—stinguish Christians from Infidels and wicked people Axor ib. cap. 5. § Postremo obâ—â—tes There were indeed three Symboles or Creedes receiued in the Church for briefe comprehensions of the publicke necessary doctrines thereof for all Christ ans to know and professe the Apostlâ—s Creed the Nâ—cene and Athanasius his Creed which three do not containe diuers doctrines but rather one and the same faith set forth more largely oâ— briefly â—n more or fewer words more cleerely and distinctly to confute heresies as they sprung vp in the Church In these Creedes we are taught that there is one holy Catholicke Church and Communion of Saints c. which in these fourteene Articles are not mentioned Thirdly Besides some other things which the Romanists account very necessary Articles of their faith as that of transubstantiation that of Purgatory that of the Popes supremacy which they haue wholly left out as they haue done also the worshipping of Images Inuocation of Saints Prayer for the dead and generally all other things almost which wee refuse shewing thereby and so much gratifying vs that in their own iudgement these things are not necessary for ordinary Christians to beleeue to saluation Fourthly and the view of these Articles may confirme any man in the sufficiency of the Protestants Religion because they stedfastly beleeue excepting that one clause of one of them all these Articles which the Romanists themselues say are sufficient for saluation Neither doe the Protestants hold any thing at all that crosseth them §. 4. But Bellarmine touching vpoÌ„ this point Bellar. De verbo Dei lib. 4. c. 11. initio in answering to Irenaeus and diuers other Fathers that say The Apostles wrote all that they preached saith more briefely There are some things simply necessary for all men to saluation as the knowledge of the Articles of the Apostles Creed and of the ten Commandements and of some Sacraments other things are not so necessary that without the manifest knowledge faith and profession of them a man cannot be saued if so be that hee haue a ready will to receiue and beleeue them when they shall be lawfully propounded vnto him by the Church And this distinction saith he is gathered from hence that without the knowledge and faith of the Mysteries of the first kinde no man of a ripe Age is admitted to Baptisme but without the knowledge and Faith at least explicit of the latter men were ordinarily
and patience such as is fit to winne others with all long suffring and doctrine 2 Tim. 2.24.25 and 4.2 1 Tim. 5.1.2 and 3.3 Prot. Sir wee pray with vnderstanding in our English Letany from all blindnesse of heart from pride vainglory and hipocrisie from enuy hatred and malice and all vncharitablenes good Lord deliuer vs. Rom. It is a good prayer I would it were well liked and practised of you all Prot. You shall finde me not onely patient but exceeding pitifull and full of commiseration to you and to all other well-minded men that are seduced that be Errones onely and not Turbones as Lipsius distinguisheth them not wilfull but ready to yeeld to sound reason Iustus Lipsius Politic. and to the truth when it manifestly appeares such as be vere Candidi as I hope you bee But against those wicked seducers that wilfully persist to blindfould themselues and you by Pious fraudes as they call them and keepe you on their side for by-respects contrary to the truth laied open to their eies you must giue me leaue to vse iust indignation As we see the Prophets our Sauiour and his Apostles did Rom. Whomsoeuer you shall proue to be such I will ioyne with you in your lust indignation and abhorre them I account no fraud pious nor lawfull to doe euill that good may come of But by forgery and deceit to mis-lead simple soules from the truth in Religion I account most detestable Prot. If it please you then to alleadge your best and most solid reasons whereby you are moued to forsake our Church and embrace the now Roman Religion I will be willing to answer you Rom. I will doe it not of mine owne head but out of the best and learnedest Authors of our side Prot. And I will endeuour to answere out of the learnedest and most iudicious Authors of the Protestants and most especially out of our latest pithiest and substantiallest English writers referring you to the bookes themselues with notes of their Chapters Sections and Pages for your more thorow satisfaction and setling of your Iudgement with like allegations also of your owne best Authors when they doe as they doe often yeeld vs the truth A IVSTIFICATION OF THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND Demonstrating it to be a true Church of GOD affording all sufficient meanes to SALVATION CHAP. 1. The alleadged 1 antiquity of the Romish Church and newnesse of the Protestants Church 2 is shewed to be vaine for that the Protestants retain the ancient sauing faith and 3 onely weede out the super-seminated Tares 4 as Hezekias and other good Princes did in their times So that 5 these two Churches differ onely as fields well weeded and ouergrowne with weeds And 6 Protestants are not separated from the good things found in the Roman Church but from the Papacy which is a domineering faction in the Church 7 For the Doctrines whereof the ancient Martyrs suffered not but for the Doctrines which Protestants hold §. 1. Roman Catholicke IT is a sufficient notice to mislike and forsake the Protestants Church because it is new neuer seene nor heard of in the world in any Age or Countrey before Luthers time for wee know the true Church of Christ is ancient Bellar. de notis Ecclâ—s l. b. 4. c. 5. Gâ—eg de Valentâ—a Analysis fidei l. 6. c. 12. Costerus Enchirid cap. 2. §. convertat Campian ratâ—o 4 5 6 7. Doct Hil. reas 1. And all Roman Writers triumph in this Argument See B. White ag Fisher p. 115. Cal. inst l. 4. c. 2. §. 2. continued from our Sauiours owne time and such is the Church of Rome founded vpon the chiefe Apostles S. Peter and S. Paul manifestly traced throughout all Ages with an honourable and certaine succession of Bishops the successors of S. Peter All Tyrants Traitors Pagans Hereticks in vaine wrastling raging barking against it confirmed by all worthy Counsels the generall graue Senates of Gods highest Officers and Ministers vpon earth enriched with the Sermons and writings of all the sage learned and holy Doctors and Fathers made famous by all those millions of Saints with their holinesse Martyrs with their suffrings Confessors with their constancy the building of Churches Monasteries Colledges Vniuersities and by all excellent meanes made conspicuous and honourable to the whole world Is it likely is it possible that this Church so ancâ—ent so honourable so holy and glorious should all this while be false hereticall and now to bee forsaken and reiected and a new particular Church lately moulded and erected by Luther Melancton Caluin Beza and a few other obscure vpstarts should bee the only true Church to be imbraced or that the most gracious God would hide his sauing truth from the world fifteene hundred yeeres to the distruction and damnation of so many millions of soules and now at last reueale it to a few in a corner No Sir giue mee leaue herein to take the name of Antiquus to liue and dye in the old Religion and to refuse your new §. 2. Protestant This is indeed the generall enchantment whereby those that compasse Sea and Land to make Romish Proselytes doe bewitch the vnwary and were it true it were able to draw all the world to become Roman-Catholicks But I pray you marke my counter-charme shewing the vntruth and weaknesse of your assertion We of the Church of England doe professe and protest that we are of that a All our learned Bishops Docâ—ors and Preachers beat vpon this point B. Iewel Arch. Abbot B. Abbot B. Bilson B. Andrewes B. Carlton B. Barlow B. Morton B. Vsher B. Downan B. White B. Hall D. â—ulk D. Whitacres D. Field D. White B. Bot. D. utclis D. Favour Mr. Perkins and inâ—umerable others true ancient Church of Christ which you describe b â—ee Fâ—eld Church lib. 3. cap. 6. c. that we hold entirely and soundly all that sauing Doctrine which the blessed Sonne of God brought into the world and his Apostles taught wrote in the holy Scriptures and which the ancient holy Fathers of the Primitiue Church held with great vnity and vniuersality for many ages §. 3. c This is shewâ—d chap. 5. sect â— Booke 2. chap. 2. §. 6. chap. 4. sect 2. And we reiect nothing but the corruptions errours and abuses that haue crept into the Church in later times and from small beginnings haue growne at last to be great and vntollerable those onely we haue refused and haue reformed our particular Churches in diuers Kingdomes and Nations as neare as we could to the fashion of the first true pure and vncorrupt Churches retaining all the Doctrines of the Church of Rome which we found to be Catholicke or agreeable to the faith of the whole Church in all times and places d See D. White against Fisher pag. 68. But Doctrines not Catholicke being neither Primitiue belonging to the ancient Church nor generally receiued by the whole Church either at this day nor in any other age
glasse darkely Aug. epist 57. Regula Fidei pufillis magnisque communis And therefore beside that larger measure of knowledge whereof all are not capable there must be a rule of Faith common to great and small as Saint Augustine calls it And as there is a common saluation a Iude v. 3. whereof the meanest beleeuer is capable as well as the greatest Apostles b 2 Pet. 1.1 so there must be a common faith c Tit. 1.4 sufficient to conduct vs all vnto it §. 4. This Saint Paul calls The fourme of sound words 2 Tim. 1.13 hold fast the forme of sound words which thou hast heard of me in faith and loue which is in Christ Iesus 1 It must be a forme frame or fashion body method Rule of Faith or of sound and sauing Doctrine fit for all Preachers to frame their Sermons by and all Christians to frame their faith and life by Timothy in preaching and the Ephesians in hearing and practizing 2 It must be not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as rom 6.17 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 here a short forme or briefe method There must perspicuity for the vnderstanding and breuity for the memory of simple men 3 To these must be added certainty which thou hast heard of me learned of men inspired by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1.21 2 Tim. 3 15 16 17. Bellar. De verbo Dei lib. 1. cap. 2. § quare cum Sacra Scriptura est regula credendi certissima tutissimaque saith Bellarmine 4 Adde also sufficiency both for Credenda all things to be beleeued in Faith and for Facienda all things to be performed in Loue which is the fulfilling of the Law For true Faith and good life containe all things belonging to a Christian And all things appertaining to these that are necessary for all men to know are contained in the Scriptures saith Bell also * Idem ib. l. 4. c 11.9 His notatu Duo omnia illa scripta esse ab Apostolis qua sunt omnibus necessaria quae ipsi palam omnibus pradicaverant Costerus in Enchiridio c. 1. de sacra scriptura §. Caeterum Caeterum non insiciamur praecipna illa capita qua omnibus Christianis ad salutem necessaria perspicue satis essè Apostolicis scriptu comprehensa As Augustine also de doctr Christiana l. 2. c. 9 â—ellar de Iustif l. 3. c. 8. § prima ratio B. Vsher serm Wansted p. 42. Vincent Lirinen siâ— contra haeres c. 3. Jn ipsa catholica ecclesia magnopere curandum est vt id teneamus quod vbique quod semper quod ab omnibus creditum est hoc est enim verè proprinque catholicum Ioan. Serran in Apparat. ad fidem call â—l edit Paris 1607. pag. 172. Vsher ib. pag. 59. See S. August libr. de fi de operibus cap. 9. Yea and that plainly enough saith the Iesuite Costerus 5 And to these belong also that Antiquity Vniuersality and Vnity which are so much spoken of and are vsually but most falsly applyed to the new additioÌ„s of the Roman Church as well as to these fundameÌ„tall principles to which onely they belong Vincentius Lirinensis saith well That is truely and properly Catholicke and to be held in the Catholicke Church whâ—ch in all places in all times and of all Christians hath beene and is beleeued And this saith Serranus a late learned man who hath written a full discourse of this argument is that doctrine against which the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile and which the Father of lies by all his deuises and attempts could neuer yet nor euer shall abolish or foote out of the hearts of men This Antiquity Vniuersality or Catholicisme and this Vnity or Generall consent of Christian doctrine will neuer be found any where but in the essentiall substantiall and fundamentall points thereof 6 Saint Paul yet addeth these words Which is in Christ Iesus because he is the deepest Foundation root Author and finisher of our Faith and Loue of our future saluation and of our present gracious conuersation Other Foundation can no man lay saith the same Saint Paul 1. cor 3.11 Not that there need no other principles of Faith then those that concerne his person onely and directly for the Articles concerning God the Father the Holy Ghost the forgiuenesse of sinnes resurrection of the dead the last Iudgement c. haue their place in the Foundation Hebr. 6.1 â— but because Christ is the most especiall obiect of our Faith and the primary Foundation of all the other for they haue all reference vnto him being such as concerne either His Father or His spirit or His incarnation or His office of mediation or His Church or the speciall benefits which he hath purchased for it And also all the Articles as they build vs vpon the Foundation and as they incorporate vs into the mysticall Body or as they are meanes of our Iustification and life they looke vpon the sonne of God and him onely Also we must not onely know the originall cause of our saluation but also our need therof by knowledge of our originall and actuall sinnes which deserue damnation and the meanes to communicate this saluation vnto vs the Church the Ministery preaching sacraments and the dueties which we must do For rom 10.14 how can we know God or pray to him without beleeuing or beleeue without hearing or heare without preaching or haue preaching except Preachers be sent from God by meanes of the Church or know our duties without Gods comandments Mat. 15.9 Faith is necessary Rom. 4.14 gal 2.21 hebr 11.6 so is new birth Joh. 3.5 2. cor 5.17 Ioh. 13.8 Repentance luc 13.3 Deniall of our selues luc 9.23.24 c. §. 5. But how farre these Fundamentall principles which are absolutely necessare to saluation must extend is a Question of some difficulty The Apostles contented themselues in conuerting the Jewes to Christian Religion to teach them that Christ Iesus was the Sauiour of the world and that Saluation was to be had onely by Repentance from Dead works and Faith in him For that he was the very Messias foretold by the Patriarks and Prophets had died for our sinnes and rose againe for our Iustification They mentioned not God the Father Creator and Preseruer of the world nor the doctrine of the Trinity and other things which the hearers knew before without any new teaching being Jewes and well acquainted with the Olde Testament but presupposing they were grounded in these points before they layd the foundation of the New Testament to wit Saluation by Iesus Christ onely B. Vsher in his Sermon at Wansted 1624 And Bellarmin also lib. 4. de verbo Dei cap. 11. alleadge these examples to this purpose which when the people receiued and beleeued they presently baptized them and receiued them into the Congregation of Christs flocke Thus did Sant Peter Acts 2. and Acts 3. and Acts. 4.10 11 12. The like course was vsed by Phillip to
Purgatory Indulgence the doctrine of transubstantiation Communion of the Laity in one species priuate Masses and such like yet all this cannot proue yours to bee the true Church nor the Roman to bee false because yet you are defectiue in this That the Church being one onely true entire body of Iesus Christ you are seperate from it and will not be vnder the gouernment of that visible-hood which Christ hath appointed ouer it to wit the Bishop of Rome the successor of Saint Peter to whom is giuen the highest iurisdiction and gouernment of the whole Church vpon earth and the infallibility of iudgement to guide it right and keepe it from error so that they that are not vnder his gouernment and guidance are out of the Church in which saluation is to be found and no where else Neither can the things now vsed which were not vsed in the Primitiue Church any way nullifie or disgrace the Church since in the wisedome of him that is infallibly assisted by the holy Ghost for the guidance of the Church they are iudged profitable in these times which were not so necessary in former ages All inferiour and priuate spirits must submit to the iudgement of that Head whom Christ hath constituted ouer his Church and doth assist with his spirit that hee shall not erre That Saint Peter was made Prince and Head of the Apostles by our Sauiour Christ the Proofes are plaine in the Scriptures and Fathers Mat. 16.16 In the 16. of Saint Matthew when Saint Peter had confessed Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Christ answered Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke will I build my Church and the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it To thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen to open and shut to bind and loose In the 21 of S. Iohn Christ saith to Peter Ioh. 21.15 Since thou louest mee more then these the rest of the Apostles Feed my Sheepe Be thou the generall Pastor ouer my whole flocke euen ouer the rest of the Apostles In the 22. of Saint Luke Christ saith I will pray for thee Peter that thy faith shall not faile Luk. 22.32 and when thou art conuerted strengthen thy Brethren Conformable to these Scriptures the Fathers doe ordinarily giue vnto Saint Peter the Primacy of the Apostles call him the Mouth the Chiefe the Top the Highest the Prince the President of the Apostles the head and foundation of the Church all which laid together and well considered doe proue such a prerogariue in Saint Peter that the Church taught and guided by him and his Successors shall neuer erre in matters of Faith and good life but bee infallibly lead into all truth that bringeth to holinesse and happinesse And this is not promised to Saint Peters person or for his life onely but to all his Successors when Christ promiseth to bee with them to the end of the world Mat. 28. in the last words Whereupon these things will follow 1 That the Church of Rome See the Relation of the Religion in the West parts pag. 15. now gouerned by S. Peters Successors is vndoubtedly the true Church of God deliuering and practising the true meanes of saluation and hath the prerogatiue to keepe men from erring in matters of Faith and from falling from God hath the keyes of heauen in custody to admit in by indulgence such as shall be saued and shut out by excommunication such as shall bee condemned so that in it there is a happy facility and without it an vtter impossibility of saluation 2 And consequently It is of the necessity to saluation that all particular Churches and all men be subiect to the Bishop thereof Christs Vicar and the visible head of the Catholike Church vpon earth and whosoeuer or what Nation or people soeuer are not subiect to him in spirituall things are no part of the Catholike Church of Christ §. 3. Antiquis Were all this true and substantiall it were able to charme all the world to be of your Church and to make the Pope absolute Lord of all And you do politikely to keep this point for your last refuge and final ground of all controuersies betwixt vs for if you can euict this you need no more If your Popes bee Saint Peters successors in all those things which you ascribe vnto Saint Peter and thereby haue full iurisdiction ouer the whole Christian world and cannot erre all is yours Stapleton principio doctr lib 6. cap. 2. Sanders Rocke of the Church Bristow Motiue 47. c. See Bellarm. letter to Blackwell there is an end of all controuersie and disputation And therefore your Chieftaines haue great reason to fortifie this piece with all the art and artillery their wit learning and power can afford them thereby to cut off all particular controuersies wherein they finde we are too strong for them This Gorgons head alone is able to affright the simple that they shall not beleeue their owne eyes or see your palpable corruptions or beleeue that any thing can be amisse with you be it neuer so foule and and manifest But alas deare friend I shall shew you plainely that all this is but an Imaginary Castle built in the Ayre without ground or foundation and that all your men stretch the Scriptures and the sayings of the Fathers farre beyond their meaning B. Iewel B. Bilson B. Morton B White D. Rainolds D. Field c. To answere their bookes and arguments punctually would aske too great time and be a needlesse labour because our Learned men haue done it sufficiently and often already But for your satisfaction I will shew you first what dignity the ancient Church hath yeelded to the Bishop of Rome Secondly that the Supremacy now claymed cannot be proued to bee giuen to Saint Peter either by the Scriptures or thirdly by the Fathers but coÌ„trary that both the Scriptures and Fathers are against it Fourthly that the true primacy and Prerogatiues of Saint Peter aboue the rest of the Apostles were personall and did not descend to his successors §. 3. 1. For the first Aeneas Syluius who was afterterwards made Pope Aeneas Syluius epist 288. Ante conciliuÌ„ Nicenâ—â— qu sque sibi viuebat paruus respectus habebatur ad ecclesiam Romanam and called Pius Secundus saith plainly that before the Councell of Nice 327. yeeres after Christ little respect was had to the Church of Rome yet was Rome the chiefe City of the world by reason of the Antiquity Magnificence Dominion and the residence of the Emperours there at that time The Apostles vsed to plant Churches in the chiefest Cities from whence the Gospell might best be propagated into the Countries adioyning Cities therefore were first Christians the people dwelling in Country Pagis Villis in Pages and Villages being not conuerted See D. Field Church book 5. epist to the Reader cap. 27. 30 31. were called Pagans or Infidels But for their
cause of the Popes primacy and power is the greatest of all other as himselfe saith it is De summa rei Christianae the summe totall of Christianity depends vpon it In it the question is whether the Church shall stand any longer or bee dissolued and fall to nothing for what is it else to demand whether wee may not take the foundation from the building the Sheephard from the Flocke the Generall from the Army the Sunne from the Starres the head from the body but to aske whether we may not let the building fall the Flocke be scattered the Army dispersed the Stars obscured the body lye dead Bellarm. ibid. Therefore secondly to make this piece of the stately height wealth and magnificence of the Papacy which is forsooth the foundation of Religion most strong the choycest men for wit learning and all other habilities haue beene set on worke to doe their vttermost to maintaine it of which Bellarmine reckoneth the chiefest of sundry Countries In Polonia one in France two in Germany fiue in Low Germany six in England six in Spaine six in Italy eight in Graecia two And thirdly if there be any strength in any of their writings Bellarmine hath it and sets it out to the vttermost therefore if thou finde him weake know for certainty there is no strength in the cause He musters indeed Scriptures and Fathers and rangeth them into goodly rankes but all ad Pompam rather than ad pugnam For neuer a one of them strikes a sufficient blow for him nor against vs. Against his vrging of the place of Math. 16. when he hath with all his wit stretched it as farre as he can he is faine to admit three exceptions of the Protestantâ— which ouerthrow all that he would proue First that as Christ asked not of Peter onely but of all Whâ—m say yee that I am Peter answered for all Thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God for all could not speake at once neither was it decent one must be the speaker So also Christ replyed vpon him as vpon all and therefore what was spoken vnto him belonged to them all And thus the ancient Fathers interpret it Chrysostome vpon the place and Ierome and Austine as Bellarmine himselfe h Be lar de pont lib. 1. cap. 12 §. Secunda obâ— citeth them and reciteth their words neither saith he any thing to auoid their testimonies but addeth this onely Peter answered for all as the Prince and Head of all which in the true sence wee deny not neither makes it any thing for them Secondly the Protestants say It was not vpon Peters person but vpon Peters faith which was the saith of all the Apostles whereupon Christ would build his Church to wit That Christ was the Sonne of the liuing God that is the great Messias promised from the beginning the Sauiour of the world Thus the Fathers also teach as Bellarmine i ib cap 10. §. quarta senten confesseth Hilarius k lib 6. de Trin. Ambrose l lib 6 cap. 9. in Luk Chrysostome m Hom. 55 in Mat 83. iâ— Mat. Cyrill n ib. 1. de Trin. Hee might haue added also Augustine o De â—erbâ—s â— om serm â—â— who saith The Rocke is Christ not Peter vpon this Rocke which thou hast confessed vpon this Rocke which thou hast knowne saying Thou art Christ the son of the liuing God will I build my Church I will build thee vpon mee not mee vpon thee c. but this your Doctor Stapleton o De â—erbâ—s â— om serm â—â— p Princip doctr lâ—b â— cap â— See 〈…〉 Hâ—â—t pag â—0 â—â— calleth humanus lapsus in Saint Austin To all this Bellarmine saith they meant not Peters faith without some relation to his person What is this to the purpose This wee admit both in him and in all the Apostles their persons may bee said to bee foundations in some sort as in Ephes 2.20 Reuel 21.14 yet that is in regard of the Faith and Doctrine which they taught the subiect and substance whereof was Iesus Christ Thirdly the Protestants alleadge that whatsoeuer was promised to Saint Peter in the 16. of Matthew was certainly performed to all in Ioh. 20.23 where Christ said to all the Apostles Whose-soeuer sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose-soeuer sinnes ye retaine they are retained And this the Fathers also plentifully teach q Cypr. de simplicitate praelatorum siue de vnitate Eccl. Cyprian r Hilari lib. 6. de Trinit Hilary Å¿ Hieron lib. 1. ad Iouinianum At inquit dicis super Petrum fundatur ecclesià licet id ipsum in alio loco superomnes Apo â—olos siat cuâ—cti accipâ—ant c. Ierome and Saint Augustine in many places hath the like All which t Ib. lib. 1 c. 12. § Obiâ—â—tio vltima Bellarmine confesseth adding still lest he say nothing that yet Peter was a chiefe man among the rest which is not the question and none of vs denies it Thus he granteth first that what was there spoken to Peter belonged to all the rest secondly that the Church was built vpon Peters Faith which was the common faith of all the Apostles and not vpon Peters person either wholly or principally and thirdly that which there was promised to Peter was afterward performed to them all and so this place of Mat. 16. makes nothing to the end for which your men so often and so gloriously alleadge it Antiq. Were it not that I see it with mine eyes and read the whole tract aduisedly I should neuer haue beleeued that Bellarmine had yeelded thus much but yet he doth it with modifications Antiquis Hee must needs make some flourishes to satisfie his owne side but you see the substance of the matter is flat against him But note what he grants further u Bellar de Pont Rom li. â— cap. 11. §. Alterum arg Peter was made the foundation of the Church by those words of Christ Mat. 16.18 vpon this Rock will I build my Church so all the Apostles were foundations and all the three wayes that Peter was First as efficient causes by founding and planting Churches some in one Country and some in another for x Rom. 15.20 Paul would not build vpon another mans foundation and y 1 Cor 3.10 he layd the foundation in Corinth and another built thereon And thus were all the Apostles equally the foundations of the Catholike Church Reuel 21.14 Secondly as materiall causes by their Doctrine first reueiled vnto them by the Lord and then taught by them in all Churches which was pure without mixture of error infallible being inspired by the holy Ghost and sufficient both for true faith and holy life whereupon the Church for euer was to rest without need of any addition And thus is the Church built equally vpon all the Apostles z Ephes 2.20 And in this Saint Peter was no greater then the rest nor
borne themselues proudly against the Church of Rome c. So were Saint Austen with 216. other Bishops with foure generall Councels of Africa Carthage Milleuis and Hippo condemned and cursed by Eulabius and declared by Boniface the Pope to bee pricked forwards by the Diuell and wilfully to liue out of the Church of God and die in Schisme This History reported by Mr Harding yeelds a great inconuenience that such good men as Saint Augustine Cyprian Fulgentius and many others should willingly liue and dye out of the Community of the Roman Church as Schismatiks and excommunicated by the Pope and yet thinke themselues safe enough and generally accounted by the world to be good Catholikes and many of them Saints And therefore Bellarmine hath reason to discredit this story of the reconciliation and laboureth to proue it counterfet either in whole or in part i Bellar. de Rom. Pontif. l. 2. c. 25. And thus Mr D. Harding is not onely proued often by our B. Iewel but heere confessed by his fellow Bellarmine to be an errant Catholike an abuser of the world by fables and yet lately againe k Coster enchir cap. De summo Pont. obiectio decima solet Sanders de visib monarch lib. 7. pag 3â—9 as Lindan before Panopl lib. 4. cap. 48. Costerus the Iesuit mentions the same story as true Such is their vnity among themselues and the certainty of their both histories and doctrines If this history be true then in those times holy men Saints and Martyrs made no great conscience to resist the Pope to reiect his soueraignty to liue and dye out of the communion of the Church of Rome if the story be false then condemne your great D. Harding and the Authors which he followes as abusers of the world by falsities By all this it appeareth that whatsoeuer titles the Ancient Fathers gaue to Saint Peter they denyed the supremacy now challenged to the Bishops of Rome his pretended successors §. 13. For indeed the things wherein Saint Peter excelled the other Apostles were personall proper to his person onely and not communicable to his successors To be the eldest first chosen of greatest estimation fullest of grace c. were not things descending to his successors but proper to himselfe Antiq. Neither doe the Bishops of Rome challenge these properties but his Vniuersality of commission ouer the whole world and his Infallibility of Iudgement Antiquis But in these two things the other Apostles were his equals Proued before § 6 11. Saint Paul had care ouer all Churches 2 Cor. 11. so had the rest and all of them were guided by the holy Ghost from error both in teaching and writing Antiq. True but they could not leaue these to their successors as Saint Peter might Antiquis So saith Bellarmine indeed a De pont lib. 1. cap. 9. § Respondeo Pontificatum Iurisdictio vniuersalis Petro data est vt ordinario pastori cui perpetuò succederetur alijs vero tanquam delegatis quibus non succederetur What should be the reason of this Forsooth they say that Christ made Saint Peter supreme Pastor and Bishop of the whole world and so likewise his successors for euer See Doctor Field Church Booke 5. cap. 23. pag. 114. but afterwards he gaue the same authority to the rest of the Apostles for their liues onely A strange conceit Christ first gaue him a Monarchy and afterwards tooke it away againe auoyding his first grant to one by his second grant to eleuen more for by making al the twelue of equall authority in all parts of the world and towards all persons so that no one of them could limit or restraine another hee tooke away the Monarchy from one which he had first giuen him and made it an Aristocracy of twelue equals in power and at their deathes taking away succâ—ssion from eleuen and giuing it to one made a Monarchy of the Aristocracy againe and raysed Saint Peters successor to be greater then Peter himselfe had beene without any peeres honouring the Pope more then he honoured Peter For Peter was onely one of the Duodecem viri but his successor a sole and absolute Monarch and all the other Apostles successors were vnderlings receiuing all their calling mission and commission from him and not to be restrayned limited gouerned by him alone Who would not take this for a strange Paradoxe vnworthy of wise and learned men and yet this they are compelled to hold for two reasons first because it is most cleare that the Apostles were all equall in power and commission and receiued it immediately from Christ and not from Peter which they cannot they do not deny Secondly because if all the Apostles should leaue their power to their successors then their successors should not depend vpon Saint Peters but should deriue their power from Christ himselfe by a line of succession as well as Peters did and consequently all the Bishops ordayned by the other Apostles and by their successors to the worlds end whereof there were and are innumerable should haue no dependance of Saint Peter neither could be limited or ordered by his successors as Bellarmine saw well enough b Lib. 4 cap. 24. §. At contra lib. 2. cap. 23. §. secunda ratio Therefore where Saint Cyprian saith The rest of the Apostles had equall power with Peter Their note saith This must be vnderstood of the equality of the Apostleship which ceased when the Apostles dyed and passed not ouer vnto Bishops c In the annotation to Cyprian printed at Rome by Paulus Manutius at the Popes command Raynolds Hart p. 221. Bellarmine d Bellar. de pont lib. 1. c. 23 §. vigâ—sima prima saw that this shift would not serue the Popes turne because the world is full of the Apostles successors lineally comming from them which no way should depend vpon Saint Peter therefore he hath another conceit more strange than the former That the rest were made also Apostles by Christ and so continued for their life but they were consecrated Bishops not by Christ but by Saint Peter and so consequently the Apostolike office ceasing all the Bishops authority was deriued from Saint Peter A fine conceit were it true but himselfe saith presently after e Ib. §. Respondeo in Apostolatu contineri Episcopatum that the Bishops office is contayned in the Apostles office so that in being Apostles they were Bishops also without any further or new ordination for what Ecclesiasticall acts can any Bishop doe which the Apostles could not Christ gaue to the Apostles power to preach and baptize Mat. 28.19 power to minister the holy Communion Luke 22.19 power of the keyes of binding and loosing of remitting and retayning sinnes of planting Churches ordayning Bishops and Ministers For the Apostleship is the highest office in the Church of God and containeth the power of all the rest in it f Bellar de pont lib. 4. cap. 23. §. Addit Cyril
more then three times so much as the taxe for Incest with a mans Mother 4 Consider Bellar. de Iustif lib. 2. cap. 1. in fine if they winke not at our doctrine in their owne men as Pighius the Diuines of Colen Durandus and hundreds of others as long as they professe subiection to the pope in such Catholickes our opinions are not heresie but in vs the same opinions are persecuted with fire and sword 5 Consider Histor concil Trent lib. 3. pag. 293. how kindly they offer to tolerate things otherwise very odious vnto them if men will professe subiection to the pope as anno 1548. Paul the third sent the Bishops of Verona and Ferentino his Nuncij into Germany then almost lost from him with faculties to grant vnto all persons Kings Princes Ecclesiasticall and Regular that would returne to his obedience absolution from all censures dispensations for irregularities or objuration penance oathes perjuries and to restore them to honour fame and dignity and to license them to partake the Cup in the Communion to eat flesh in Lent and Fasting dayes with many other immunities so farre as might be done in time and place without scandall c. So Pius the fourth Annals Eliz. Engl. pag. 63. Latin pag. 49. anno 1560. offered to Queene Elizabeth to allow our whole booke of Common Prayer if she would receiue it as from him and by his authority 6 Consider whether this was not the maine cause of the popes quarrell and thunder against the German Emperours and our English Kings John and Henry the 8. who held all the doctrinall points of the Romish Religion and onely impaired the popes highnesse greatnesse or reuenues In Henry 8 time Hist conc Trid. lib. 1. pag. 70. the Court of Rome maintained that it could not be said There was no change of Religion in England the first and principall article being changed which is the supremacy of the pope and that seditions would arise as well for this onely as for all the rest which the euent shewed to bee true For though the King continued the Religion of the pope so fully by commands and punishments that pope Paul 3 commended him highly to the Emperour Ibid pag. 89 90. ibid. pag. 87. as an illustrious example to bee imitated in that course yet for abrogating the popes supremacy and reuenues in England he thundred a Bull against him denouncing him depriued of his kâ—ngdome and his adherents of whatsoeuer they possessed and commanding his subiects to deny him obedience and strangers to haue any commerce with that kingdome and all to take armes against and to persecute both himselfe and his followers granting them their estates and goods for their prey and their persons for their slaues It is not therefore the points of true ancient Catholike Christian Doctrine that you so much contend for to make good gracious Christians inheritors of heauenly felicity but it is your wealth and greatnesse or the setting vp and maintaining of your Visible Monarchy of the Church as you Doctor Sanders calls it whereof Christ and his Apostles spake neuer a word and whereof the Primitiue Church neuer dreamed This if our Religion would allow Pius 4. Hist conc Trid. lib. 8. pag. 745. you would allow of our Religion The rather-politicke-then-pious pope saide once since he could not regaine the Protestants it was necessary to keepe those in obedience which hee had Bellar. de eccles militant lib. 3. c. 2. §. nostra autem sententia See Triplici nodo pag. 41 42. Printed 1609. to make the diuision strong and the parties irreconciliable Conformable whereunto now their Doctrine is that such as submit not to the popes supremacy doe renounce Christianity For the Church saith Bellarmine is the company of them that liue in subiection to the pope professing the same faith with him though they haue no inward vertues but be indeed Atheists Hypocrites or Heretickes And in his Epistle to Blackwell the Arch-priest in England anno 1607. he cals the popes supremacy one of the principall heads of the Faith and foundation of the Catholicke Religion and saith They that disturbe or diminish that primacy seeke to cut off the very head of the Faith and to dissolue the state of the whole body and of all the members §. 4. This primacy is practised in the popes challenged gouernment ouer the Church of the whole world For a Turrecremata lib. 2. c. 27. Aug. Triumph q. 19. art 1. as Matrimony is contracted betwixt a prelate and his particular Church by his election and consecration so betwixt the pope and the Vniuersall Church Thus if the pope be the generall bridegroome sponsus and Rome the generall bride sponsa then they two are the common parents of all Christians so that none is to be accounted a Christian that hath not the pope for his father and that Church for his mother Capist fol. 31. â— So saith Capistranus fol. 56 a. A manifest errour for 1 none of the Churches of the New Testament Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippi Colossus Thessaly Smirna Pergamus Thyatira Sardis Philadelphia Laodicea c. nor 2 other Primitiue Churches following for many hundred yeares were any way dependant vpon Rome or her Bishop but were built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets in generall Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone and by that meanes Eph. 2.20 were no more strangers and forrainers but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God Ephes 2.19 20. They did not acknowledge Rome their mother but their sister not the roote but a particular branch of the Church such a one as equally with the rest did partake of the root and fatnesse of the Oliue tree Rom. 11.17 Rom. 11.18 20 21 22. And to the Roman Church was written directly this propheticall Caueat Boast not against the branches but if thou boast thou bearest not the root but the roote thee Bee not high minded but feare for if God spared not the naturall branches take heed lest he also spare not thee if thou continue not in his goodnesse thou shalt also be cut off This shewes 1 that Rome is but a branch not the root of the vniuersall Church 2 that it may be cut off and yet other Churches stand and flourish being vnited to the common root and therefore are independant vpon the Church of Rome Baronius an 45. n. 18. Bellar. de Rom. pont lib. 2. c. 2. lib. 3. cap. 13. And it is plaine that the mysticall Babylon ' mother of Abominations drunken with the bloud of the Saints and Martyrs Reuel 17.5 6 is the very City of Rome built vpon seuen mountaines verse 9. and raigning ouer the Kings of the earth Ribera in Apoc. 14. n. 27. seq Viegas in Apoc. 27. comment 1. sec 3. Suarez lib. 5. c. 7. n. 11. Of this point see the glorious Panegyrick Oration of Innotencius 3. calling himselfe the Spouse of the
they obserued the number of three to consecrate others In like manner your Baronius l Baronius anno 555. n. 10. sticks not to record that pope Pelagius the first was consecrated by two Bishop onely when more could not be procured and a Priest And yet was he accounted a good lawfull Bishop and in his time he ordained 29 Priests and 49 Bishops If his consecration were a nullity then so were all theirs and all other consecrated by them and so there followed a world of nullities in the Church of Rome Euagrius Patriarke of Antioch was consecrated by Paulinus alone and yet accounted a lawfull Bishop n Ioannes Maior in 4. Sent. dist 24. q. 3. inter opera Gerson Paris 1606. pag. 681. as m Theodoret lib. 5. cap. 23. Theodoret sheweth Joannes Maior a Doctor of Paris saith that Rusticus and Eleutherius who came into France with Dionysius were not Bishops But Dionysius alone ordained the Bishops of France He saith also o Maior quo supra who ordained Peter they will not find vs three ordainers Therefore I say it is an humane constitution that a Bishop shall be ordained by three S. Paul did not seek for two more for the ordination of Titus and Timothy And Petrus de Palude p Petrus De Palude De potestate Apostol cited by B. Iewel Defens 2 part cap 5 diuision 1. p. 130 saith one Bishop is sufficient to consecrate another and it is onely for the greater solemnity a deuise of the Church that three shall concurre This is therefore no essentiall part but an accidentall ornament of the Consecration a complement of honourable conueniency fit to be vsed where it may be had no substanciall point of absolute necessity making a nullity of consecration where it wanteth The like may be said of orders to be giuen by 〈◊〉 Bishop onely Pope Gelasius saith q Gelasius epist 9. Bâ—n t. 2. pag. 243. Priscis pro sua reuerentia manentibus consâ—itutis qua vbi nulla vel rerum vel temporum per vrget necessitas regulariter conuenit custodire when no necessity of things or times compell to the contrary it is fit reuerently to keepe the ancients constitutions So saith Leo also r Cited by Ioh. 8. epist 8. Bin. c. 3. paâ—t 2. pag. 977. Omittendum esse inculpabile iudicandum quod intulit necessitas but he addeth that may be omitted and iudged vnblameable which necessity inforceth And Foelix Å¿ Ib. apud Bin. Aliter tractandaâ— necessitatis rationem aliter voluntatis the respect of necessity is to be handled one way the respect of voluntary minde another way Andradius affirmeth t Andrad De gen conciliorum autoritate pag. 115 116. that humane lawes made vpon the best counsell and aduise are varied by the variety of times and may be inuerted and changed by the necessities of men and so are dispensable whervpon Saint Austen u Aug. De lib. arb cap. 6. calls humane lawes temporall because though they bee iust yet they may be iustly changed according to the times Binius saith x Bin. t. 2. p. 243 in marg Pro temporum necessitate rigor canonum relaxatur Haec pleraque apud Mason Canones Apostolorum 85. cum Ioannis Monachizonare commentarijs set â—ut in Latin by Iâ— Quintinus Haeduus printed with Zonaras and others at Frankford by Faâ—rubendiuâ— 1587. according to the necessity of the times the Rigor of the Canons is released But you make this necessity of times farre larger then Protestants may for of the Canons of the Apostles you brake some willingly yea you decree the contrary and make it vnlawfull to keepe them as the fift Canon that saith that Bishops or Priests that put away their wiues for occasion of Religion shall be excommunicated and the ninth Canon which will haue them excommunicated also that after hearing the Scriptures and prayers depart and doe not with other faithfull receiue the communion This Canon and that of thrice dipping in Baptisme the 49 or 50 Canon and diuers other are abolished contraria consuetudine saith your Canus y Canus De lâ—cis theol lib. 3. cap 5. pag. 195. Christs Doctrine saith hee may not be changed but must stand firme but the Apostles Rules for the gouerment of the Church are not so fixed but they may be remoued And your Michael Mediâ—a saith z Medina lib. 5. de sacrorum hom continentia cap. 106. as D. Reinolds alledgeth him Defence Thes 5. Morton appeal lib. 2. c 25. sect 10. that of the 84. Canons of the Apostles which Clement Bishop of Rome and the Disciples of the same Apostles gathered together scarse doth the Latin Church obserue 6 or 8 entirely But as I said you draw mee from our owne Country into others and yet therby you gaine nothing for if they be censured for their necessary and ineuitable breach of some ancient Church Canons to maintaine the substance of Christs Doctrine much more must you be condemned for breaking them ordinarily and willfully without necessity And on the other side if their Ministery be cleared though necessity hath enforced the breach of some Canonicall circumstance then much more is ours of England cleared who neuer found any such necessity nor euer brake them Nay we haue euermore obserued them farre more precisely then you haue done that thus accuse vs and boast of your strictest owne obseruations CHAP. 6. Of the Popes supremacy ouer the whole Church Section 1. The necessitie thereof vrged § 2 As the maine pillar the matter and method of the answer propounded § 3 The ancient Church yeelded to Rome the greatest City of the world to haue the dignity of one of the fiue Patriarchs § 4 And among them sometime the chiefest place § 5 Which dignity their ambition and couetousnesse haue impaired § 6 Bellarmine gathering the strength of all learned Writers sheweth no strength in them to maintaine the Papacy either by vrging Mat. 16.18 § 7 Or Ioh. 21.15 c. § 8 The Romish strange extractions out of the words Feed my Sheepe § 9 And vaine allegations of diuers other Scriptures § 10 The Scripture is against the supremacy of Peter § 11 The Fathers vrged for it in vaine § 12 The Fathers are against it § 13 St Peters prerogatiues descended not to his successors § 14 The conclusion collecting the parts of the chapter briefly and iustifying the Protestants §. 1. Antiq. I Am satisfied that your Ministers haue true succession from the Apostles and ordination according to the Canons And for the present I will suppose that all that you haue said is true that your Church hath had a visible succession deriued from the Apostles without interruption that it deliuereth all the substantial points of doctrine necessary to saluation sufficiently Suppose all this and yet further Suppose that in the Church of Rome there are some things now taught and vsed which were not in the Primitiue Church as the vse of Images
his preaching in the peoples minds If by authority Saint Ierom did meane supreme power ouer the other Apostles then Iames and Iohn should haue had it as well as Peter which is not your Catholike doctrine Also an inferiour or equall in power may be superiour in authority or estimation as Tully saith of Metellus a priuate man though chosen Consull for the yeere following That hee forbade certaine playes when an officer had allowed them and that which he could not obtaine by power Cicero oratione in Pisonem he did obtaine by authority that is with the credit which hee had with the people 2 The Primacy which the Fathers speake of was the Primacy of Order not of Power because Peter was first called to be an Apostle and first reckoned this argues no more power then the Fore-man of the Iury hath ouer the rest 3 The prerogatiue of Principality was in the excellency of grace and not of power as we say the Prince of Philosophers Aristotle the Prince of Poets Homer that is the wittiest or most excellent not Lord and master ouer the rest In this sence Saint Austine speaketh Peter the Apostle in whom that grace and Primacy are so superminent was corrected by Paul a latter Apostle by calling Saint Paul a latter Apostle hee sheweth his meaning of Saint Peters Primacy to bee of his first being an Apostle and by ioyning Grace with Primacy he sheweth that in greatnesse of grace consisted his supereminency So saith Saint Austen also b Aug. in Ioan. Tract 124. that Peter was Natura vnus homo gratia vnus Christianus abundantiori gratia vnus idemque primus Apostolus But to be chiefe in grace is one thing to be chiefe in power another thing c Turrecrem in Summa de Ecclesia l 2 c. 82. Cardinal Turrecramata saith A meane Christian yea an old woman may in perfection of grace and amplenesse of vertues be greater then the Pope but not in power of iurisdiction If excellency of grace might carry the supremacy of power you should take it from Saint Peter and giue it to the blessed Virgin By gifts of grace we vnderstand all blessings wherewith our Lord honoured him insomuch as in one thing or other he surpassed euery one of the Apostles Saint Iohn might exceed him in multitude of prophesies and reuelations and many gifts of grace as Saint Ierom declareth d Ierom. aduersus Iouinianum lib. 1. Saint Paul excelled him in the chiefest gifts and laboured more then all the rest 1 Cor. 15. so that Saint Austen giues excellent grace to Peter e De bapt con Donatistas lib. 2. c. 1. most excellent grace to Paul f in Psal 130. and cals him The Apostle by an excellency g Cont. duas epist pelagianorum lib. 3. c. 1. yet Saint Peter excelled Saint Paul in Primacy or being first chosen and Saint Iohn in age being the elder and therefore preferred before them to be the chiefe of the Apostles by Saint Ieroms opinion h Aetati delatuÌ„ est quia Petrus erat senior Hiero 1. adu Iouin lib. 1. To this Bellarmine yeeldeth i Bellar. lib. 1. de rom pontif cap. 27. § respoÌ„deo Paulum seeing Paul was called The Apostle per Antonomasiam quia plura scripsit doctior as sapientior fuit cateris also for planting more Churches then any other for the other Apostles were sent to certaine Prouinces he to all the Gentils without limitation and he laboured more abundantly then they all 1 Cor. 15. And after k § testatur ib. § fortasse Paul also may bee called princeps Apostolorum quia munus Apostolicum excellentissime ad impleuit as we call Virgil prince of Poets and Cicero prince of Orators Againe Nam etsi Petrus maior est potestate Paulus maior est sapientia Leo makes them the two eyes of the body whereof Christ is the head De quorum meritis atque virtutibus nihil diuersum nihil debemus sentire discretum quia illos electio pares labor similes finis fecit aequales The like hath Maximus ib. and Saint Gregory Paulus Apostolus Petro Apostolorum primo in principata Apostolico frater est Againe l Bellar. ib. §. denique si hac Paulus videtur plus Ecclesiae profuisse quà m Petrus plures enim ex gentibus ad Christi fidem adduxit plures prouincias summo cum labore peragrauit plura scripta eaque vtilissima nobis reliquit Antiq. Saint Ierom saith further that Saint Peter was made the head of the Apostles that all occasion of Schisme might be taken away Will you make nothing of those titles which the Scriptures and Fathers so frequently giue him of authority primacy principality supereminency the mouth of the Apostles the top the highest the president the head and such like Antiquis Nothing at all for that power which the Church of Rome now claymes by them and which hee neuer claymed nor vsed neither did the Scriptures or Fathers giue him What they gaue him we willingly yeeld A principality of Order Estimation and Grace For all Saint Peters power is comprised in the keyes promised him and in building the Church vpon him but all the Apostles receiue the keyes by Ieroms iudgement and the Church is built vpon them equally Ergo by his iudgement Peter was not ouer them in power and if you will yet say hee had some gouernment ouer them what can it else bee but a guidance not as a Monarch ouer subiects or inferiours D. Raynolds ib. pag. 226 227. D. Field l. 5. cap 24. but as in Aristocracy head of the company which in power are his equals For in all assemblies about affayres of gouernment there must needs bee one for orders sake and peace to begin to end to moderate the Actions and this is Saint Peters preheminence which Saint Ierome m Hieronym adu Iouin lib. 2. meant For hauing set downe his aduersaries obiection But thou saist The Church is built vpon Peter he answereth Although the same be done in another place vpon all the Apostles and they all receiue the keyes of the Kingdome of Heauen and the strength of the Church is grounded on them equally yet there is one chosen among the twelue that a head being appointed occasion of Schisme might be takeÌ„ away The like hath S. Cyprian n Cyprian de Vnitate Ecclesia Erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod fuit Petrus pari consorâ—io praediti honoris potestatis sed exordium ab vnitate prosiciscitur c. The other Apostles saith he were that which Peter was endewed with the same fellowship both of honour and power but the beginning proceedeth from vnity that the Church may be shewed to be one To speake at once view all the titles of excellency giuen by the ancient Fathers to S. Peter alleadged by Bellarmine o De rom pont lib. 1. cap. 25. weigh them aduisedly without preiudice or