via sacra Abraham came out of Chaldea so must they out of their Sects before they come to these two things set downe in the Text. The Foundation The Rocke The Building The Church Verse 17. The Rocke imports first a foundation and the surest vpon which the rest of the grunsels are layd what this Rocke is poynts to the premises to that Rocke which Peter discouered before and layd hold on that rocke which flesh blood had not reuealed vnto him but the father in the 17. verse As thou art Peter which signfies a Rocke so vpon this Rocke which thou hast discouered Lib. 6. de Trinit Lib. 61 9. in Luc. Hom. 55. in Matth. Vlt. Tract in Ioh. Serm. 3. de verb. Retra 1.21 will I build my Church So saith Hillary Super hanc confessionis petram Ecclesiae aedificatio est So Ambrose Fundamentum Ecclesiae sides est So Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon faith and confession So Augustine Super hanc petram quam confessus es edificabo Ecclesiam meam And in another place De verb. Dom. And in his Retractations he confesseth that he hath expounded it of Peter in some places recals it Christ the son of the liuing God is the ground besides which none other can bee layd Or that Christ is the sonne of the liuing God is the first ground of truth whereupon the Church is built vp in faith and knowledge of that rocke which is permanent wee say the first ground and principle of Christianity whereupon the rest of the gruncels and articles of Christian faith are layd and out of which the other are deriued The Logicians make a question which is the first principle in reason whether one or many but this is the first in faith and the very rocke of all Lue 17.6 In the 17. of Luke ver 6. The kingdome of God is compared to a seede The least of all seedes and to one graine of that seede for as our articles are not many so are they contained in one which is the first and that this is mole minimum but virtute maximum it is cleere for in it as a seede the rest are contained If then we be settled in our hearts There is a possibility of rest and a facility of beleeuing the rest that followes If that man Christ was the image of his father by whom all things were made he might easily preserue his mothers virginity and so be borne of a virgin If we beleeue that this man was true God then we may as easily beleeue that he was able to suffer the Iewes to crucifie kill bury his body and raise it vp againe by the power of his diuinity if Christ by whom all things were made of nothing bee able to gouerne then is he able to rectifie and restore all by the resurrection of the body to eternall life This was first reuealed by the Angell at his conception He shall be called the sonne of the most high Luc. 1.32 2. Installed the Head of the Church at his Baptisme This ground was first reuealed Mat. 3.17 not by an Angell but by his owne father Matth. 3.17 and when Iohn Baptist was to beare witnesse Ioh. 1.34 Ioh. 1.34 I saw and beare record that this is the sonne of God 3. When hee was about to goe out of the world at his transfiguration Mat. 17.5 This is my beloued sonne heare him This is the ground of all that the beloued Disciple makes so much of in his Epistle 1 Ioh. 4.15 1. Ioh. 4.15 Whosoeuer confesses that Iesus is the sonne of God in him dwelleth God and 1. Ioh. 5.5 Who is hee that ouercomes the world 1 Ioh. 5.5 but he that beleeueth that Iesus is the sonne of God he hath gotten heere this very seed and ground of all 4. Heere the rocke is reuealed to Peter from heauen expressed by Peters confession Therefore they that beleeued Christ did first lay holde on this Nathanael in the first of Iohn Ioh. 1.49 Rabbi thou art the sonne of God The Centurion at his death in the 27. of Matthew Mat. 27.54 Doubtlesse this is the sonne of God Therefore this is the first sparke of Christian faith that fals into the heart 5. Did Christ tell Peter this Rocke Let vs then see vpon what rocke Peter built for hee was a master-builder Looke the last Catholique Epistle the first Chapter 2 Pet. 1.14 and the foureteenth verse Seeing I know the time of my departure is at hand I must lay downe this my Tabernacle euen as our Lord Iesus Christ hath shewed me Verse 15. Verse 15. I will endeauour therefore alwaeyes that I may bee able to haue remembrance of these things after my departing How endeauour Verse 16. Verse 16 For wee follow not deceiueable fables with our eyes wee saw his Maiesty For verse 17. Verse 17. hee receiued honour and glory of his father when a voice came from him Verse 18. This is my beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased This voice we heard in the eighteenth when it came from heauen being with him in the holy Mount This hee confirmed by the Prophets Verse 19. The sure word of the Prophets Though as a light in a darke place not so manifestly shining as afterwards And that he may confirme this confirming authority of the Prophets verse 20.21 hee sayes Verse 20.21 It was an inspiration from the holy Ghost and therefore Peter had beene ouerseene that if Christ had poynted to Peter in these words Super hanc petram if Peter poynted not the Church to the successors of Rome super hanc petram especially knowing of his departure taking his fare-well making his last Catholique Epistle he poynts onely to this rocke that Christ is the Sonne of God 6. That other master-builder so soone as euer the scales fell from his eyes Act. 9.20 straight-way hee preached Christ in the Synagogue That he was the sonne of God 7. The Eunuch receiued Baptisme and all exacted at his hands was the confession of this poynt Act. 8.37 I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the Sonne of God Did Philip teach him that he and his Queene of Aethiopia must goe after to Rome as before to Ierusalem I thinke hee troubled his head with no such points so still this is the first ground whereupon the rest are built and therefore no maruell though Sathan hath so malitiously from this day opposed this poynt From the beginning did the gates of hell oppose it Mat. 4.3 Mat 4 3. So soone as euer Sathan enters hee begins If thou be the Sonne of God At his death The houre and power of darknesse Math. 27. Mat 27 40. Sathan did then set his instruments against that Rocke If thou be the Sonne of God come downe from the Crosse and we will beleeue thee After the Ascension the most generall and pestilent heresie that euer was of Arrianisme opposed this ground Sathan well
knowes so long as the Church is firmely built vpon this the gates of hell shall not preuaile against it Now as the graine of mustard-seede groweth so must we proceede from faith to knowledge vnaduised they are that would haue vs prescribe a scantling of Faith and knowledge as if eyther more were needlesse or lesse damnable but God in wisedome thought it meet to prescribe no such certainety and that for two reasons 1 To stirre vp our sluggish nature To forget that is behind and endeauonr to that which is before Philip 3 13 It is perfectio viatoris the perfection of a traueller still to goe on what need we goe to Church I know the summe of all beleeue in Christ Iesus c. Such sluggards shall neuer grow rich in grace that good corne shall neuer prosper in their hearts because they are so ouer-growne with thornes and thistles 2 Because God would not limit his mercies As it pleaseth him to saue infants without any knowledge so also to saue some in all degrees of knowledge ioyning wisedome mercy in proportioning somthing to the Times ages wherein men liue some to the place where some to the capacities of the persons themselues God exacts not so much knowledge of the woman of Samaria as of Nicodemus Iohn the 3. Art thou a Doctor in Israell nor so much of them that dwell in the middest of Spaine as of them in the heart of England nor of those that liued in the time of superstition as of vs that are in the Sunshine of the Gospell It is a sure rule if wee hold the foundation sure and conforme our liues and affections thereafter the ignorance of other branches shall neuer condemne vs except it be wilfull or affected ignorance 1 Wilfull ignorance in such as eyther contemn or neglect the meanes of further knowledge or such as in doubtfull cases will venter without aduice and then say I meant no hurt 2 Affected ignorance when wee suffer our affections to blinde our vnderstanding Act 19 25. like Demetrius that perswaded the crafts-men not to heare the Apostles because they liued in a profitable trade But simple ignorance in a well meaning Christian is eyther passed ouer in mercy or more knowledge reuealed in time as the Prophet in the Psalms To him that ordereth his conuersation aright Psal 50. vlt will I show the saluation of God Cornelius Acts 10.4 Thy prayers and almes-deedes The two wings of deuotion flye vp to heauen together for as it is in supplication Forgiue vs as wee forgiue so in almes Giue vs as we giue them rather then Cornelius shal want knowledge for saluation God will send Peter from Ioppa If any man doubt let him begin with the feare of the Lord and practise those grounds he knowes well and then by degrees learne to goe on and build vpon them as in Hebr. 6.13 Hebr 6.1.3 beeing the doctrine of the beginning of Iesus Christ Let vs goe on and pray to God that we may lay the foundation safely and surely that in Faith and charity wee may be knit altogether in the body of Christ TRACT II. WEE haue in the former exercise found the Rocke whereon wee may safely build vpon this Rocke must the maine grunsels bee laide such principles of Christianity and Articles of Faith as bee expressed in Scripture in the plainest places after compiled by the Church into a little body or short forme such as Irenaeus first sets downe as receiued of all churches about 178. which he testifies to be so vniformely professed in all Churches as if all Christians had but one soule and one mouth In Germany France East and West Europe and Asia and in all places of the world As there is but one Sun to euery nature so there is but one Faith to euery Christian hee that is most powerfull in speech can say no more and they that are most simple meane no lesse Tertullian expresseth another thing to the same effect Anno 210. after that the Fathers of the Nycen Counsell Anno 324. after that Athanasius made his Creede more fully designing the persons in Trinity against Arrius Anno 333. These ancient knowen verities being agreed vpon of all Churches long before these distractions Let vnstable mindes that finde their soules wauering in Religion giue attention 1 Cor. 9.22 for such I make inquirie as Paul 1. Corin. 9.22 Became all things to all men So we wil doubt with the doubtfull stand vpon indifferent ground looke on both sides with a single eye that we may the better discerne the true way of a Christian resolution Be wee sure then to hold the foundation and to build vpon these truths which all Churches in all ages haue agreed vpon Heere take we footing as vpon firme ground and looke a little about vs before we resolue where to light These parts of the Church within our view doe each of them becken vs to their side The Church of Rome bids vs returne to our olde mother as onely true Catholike The Brownist cries come to our congregation we are euen iump as it was in the Apostles time nay to ours sayes the Anabaptist Lo heere is Christ lo there It is the plea of euery Church But of all the Church of Rome cries loudest and if her challenge be true it stands vs in hand to listen to it for it concernes vs as much as euerlasting life is worth Extra Ecclesiam Romanam non est salus Without the Church of Rome is no saluation Yet she must pardon vs though we make a pause and do not presently make it an article of our Faith because wee finde it not in any of our ancient Creeds nor in any plaine text of Scripture in any translation theirs or ours what chymicall witts may extract thence wee will not now dispute A Catholicke Church wee finde but a Romish Catholike Church we find not That all Christians haue such necessary dependance vpon any place or person Rome or Bishop of Rome and vnder such a penalty of eternall damnation It seemes then this is the Rocke without which all other articles will not saue vs and yet the auncient Church hath forgotten to put it in any of her Creedes It is not in the Apostles Creede Irenaeus hath left it out of his Tertullian out of his the Nycene theirs Athanasius out of his And Peter out of his Catholicke Epistle 2 Pet. 1.13 when at the time of his departure out of this life hee tooke his last farwell of the Church First one Church we acknowledge built vpon Christ the sonne of God Eph. 4.4 fully described in the 4 of the Ephesians by one Body one Spirit one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one Father 1 One body because a Church is nothing else but a society of beleeuers called out of the rest of the world by the word of God and though it run as the Sea through many Countries and thence receiues many names like the seuen Churches of
cleered to my conscience that I am bound to be reconciled to the church of Rome as now it stands vnder paine of eternall condemnation If therefore they faile in any of these demonstrations we must faile them These sixe Articles wee must passe before the maine point be concluded Let vs repeat them that we forget them not 1 We must beleeue certitudine fidei with the certainty of Faith 2 That Christ left his supremacie to Peter and to his successors onely 3 That Peter bequeathed it to one in one Church and not to diuers 4 That this one was the Bishop of Rome and no other 5 That this Pope that now is did succeede him in this Church 6 That hee and his Church doe continue succession of Faith and doctrine as well as in person and place Vntill these be all made cleere as an article of our Faith I hope they will giue vs leaue to serue and worship our God according to that Christian liberty which God hath giuen in a Church professing his Gospell TRACT III. REturne wee then to our first conclusion that for such gruncels as are immediately to be laid vpon the rocke that is matters of saluation and principles of Faith wee must receiue them vndoubtedly distinguish them from all other positions that are thrust vpon vs as necessary to be beleeued by the same degree of Faith And to receiue them vpon examination according to the authority of the propounder and according to that degree of euidence by which they are proued Hold on the foundation and let vs conforme our affections and liues and build further to perfection of grace as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then as it is Psalm 50. and the last To him that ordereth his conuersation aright I will show the saluation of God TRACT IIII. GIue me leaue a little because I doe not much trouble you with questions to examine this point for their sakes that be vnstable or desire the same the rather because this is the very ground of their resolution and if this faile all failes That the supremacy was in Christ while hee liued vpon earth it is agreed but whether at his departure he conferred the same vpon Peter and in that degree which they challenge is the first maine point And for this they pitch vpon foure maine texts 1 Super hanc Petram Mat. 16.18 Matt. 10. verse 19. 2 Tibi Dabo claues That key of Dauid which Christ had which openeth when no man shutteth and soutteth when no man openeth 3 Pasce oues Ioh 21.15 Before it was promised there exhibited To be chiefe Pastor To feede the Lambs that is the Laity To feede the sheepe that is Rule and Gouerne the Clergie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea the Apostles themselues if they be sheepe of Christ Peter must be their shepheard 4 I haue praied for thee Tu autem conuersus confirma fratres Luke 22.32 That is confirme the rest of the Apostles they were his brethren These 4 are like foure pillars whereupon Peters supremacy is built presently if Peter had it the Pope hath it but admit this yet we finde many doubts which must be cleered and many blocks which must be remoued before my conscience finde a cleere euidence to come ouer to them vnder such a penalty as eternall condemnation For my Text the point of difference is what Christ meant by the Rocke 1 Whether the Person of Peter as they affirme 2 Or the Faith of Christ which Peter professed Thou art the Sonne of God or Christ apprehended by that Faith Do them no wrong t' is agreed that Christ is the Primitiue foundation but the secondary foundation is Peters person not as a priuate person but as the head of the Church That it should be Peter not Christ or the Faith of Christ there are foure colours 1 Hanc by Grammer must be referred to that which is Tues Petrus c. 2 Because Petrus and Petra are all one in the tongue wherein Christ spake Cepbas therefore hee meant the same thing 3 Not aedifico nor aedificani but aedificabo As if Christ had built his Apostle vpon himselfe already But Peter is called Sathanas after and denied Christ ô but after the resurrection it is built vpon Peter and therefore Aedificabo 4 He would neuer haue said Tu es Petrus and then Inferred super hanc why does hee say with an asseueration Ego dico tibi These are prety colours to looke vpon at the first but these are not wadded they will not hold but shed if they be well handled What if we say with St. Augustine Aug. de ver Dom. Secū Mat. ser 13 Super hanc petram quam confessus es super hanc petram quam cognouisti dicens Tu es filius deiviui aedificato ecclesiam meam id est meipsum filium dei viui aedificabo ecclesiam meam Vpon this Rocke which thou hast acknowledged vpon this Rocke which thou hast known saying Thou art the sonne of the liuing God I will build my Church that is my selfe the sonne of the liuing God will I build my Church Is not this good grammer What if wee say with S. Ambrose Ambr. in 2. cap. ep Ephes v. 20 Super istam aedificabo Ecclesiam meam hoc est in hac catholicae fidei confessione fides ergo ecclesiae fundamentum est Vpon this Rocke will I build my Church that is in the confession of this Catholicke Faith therefore Faith is the foundation of the Church hath not Hanc a good reference to the premises What if I say with Hilary Vna haec est foelix fidei petra Hill de Trin 2.6 Petri ore confessa tu es filius Dei vini super hanc igitur confessionis petram Ecclesiae aedificatio est Haec fides Ecclesiae fundamentum est This alone is the most happy rocke of faith confessed by the mouth of Peter thou art the sonne of the liuing God vpon this rocke of confession is the building of the Church this faith is the foundation of the Church to the same purpose you finde Cyrill de Trinit 4. Cyrill Chrisost Beda Chrysost 55. hom sup Matth. Beda vpon Iohn the 21. These fathers will defend Grammer well enough for hanc but let vs adde one of their owne Lyra. gloss Interlin Cusanus gloss in Grat. Aliaco Lyra who they say for interpreting Scripture had not his match and the interlineall glosse Cusanus and the glosse vpon Gratian Petrus de Aliaco Chancellor of Paris though a Cardinall though he name Peter yet goes with vs. 2. It is all one word Cephas but Bellarmine and Augustine and the rest are deceiued because they did not vnderstand the Syriake tongue but the Euangelist distinguishes betwixt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To make a difference betwixt Peters faith and his person to distinguish the Rocke that he confessed from himselfe Bellarmines saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a stone and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Attickes is a stone but why doth the Enangelist alter the dialect in the same sentence nay the vulgar translation which they preferre before the Greeke is not super hunc but super hanc For edificabo The Church was not then built but a few grunsels layd and verily loosely too but hee was to build a great Church to the end of the world neither was Peter perfectly layd himselfe for in generall wee may say with Augustine Aug. de ve Apost Ser. 22. Domus Dei credendo fundatur sperando erigitur diligendo perficitur The house of God by beleeuing is founded by hoping is erected and by louing is perfected he was not yet finished or else to what end was this speech wee hoped that this man should haue redeemed Israel 4. Tu es Petrus why Peters name comes in this it is thou art Peter and hast made a confession like thy name a good allusion to Peters Christ the Rocke Peter a liuing stone so for hanc and for theidentity of the word the Tense Aedificabo and tu es Petrus that leads the sentence Our interpretation and of the ancient Church may well stand Vpon this rocke which thou hast presently confessed will I build my Church though it bee but begunne yet I will builde my Church vpon my selfe apprehended by faith and as thou answerable to thy name hast layde a firme foundation in confessing so shalt thou bee a liuing stone built vpon me 1 Pet. 2.4 1. That our interpretation is the truest it appeares not onely by the analogy of the Text by the fit allusion to Peters name by the exact distinction of Petrus and Petra both in the originall and vulgar 2. But secondly by the practise of Peter and the rest in building according to the prescription of Christ In the second of Peter and the first A voyce from heauen saying 2 Pet. 1.14.17 Acts 9.20 this is my beloued sonne Paul in the ninth of the Acts when the scales fell from his eyes preached straight-way That Christ is the sonne of God Acts 8.37 Philip baptizing the Eunuch in the eighth of the Acts the Eunuch confesses that Iesus Christ is the sonne of God Nathanael first apprehended this in the first of Iohn the fourth Rabbi thou art the Sonne of God Ioh. 1.49 3. It is vnlikely that Christ would build vpon that person who within 4. verses is described by the name of Sathan and that Peter should not bee puffed vp Matthew ioynes both the stories together to shew that to the first Church how vnlikely it was that this person should bee a foundation and to distinguish the frailty of the person from the foundation of faith 4. It is agreed then that Christ is the maine foundation The Rocke euer expresseth the maine foundation Therefore Christ not Peter TRACT V. BVt they call vs to the Testimony of the Church for interpretation Yet they might spare vs in this For if the Church did challenge this supremacy from the beginning as they maintaine it That Church in this case is no indifferent witnesse but the ancient Church is cleere from giuing Peter any such power The Fathers haue three conceits of the Text. 1. Some and those of the best giue that sence which we in the pages before haue layd open For other foundation can no man lay saue that which is layd 1 Cor. 3.11 which is Iesus Christ 2. Some doe meane Peter by the Rocke but as the rest of the Apostles according to that in the Reuelation Reu. 21.14 Ephes 2.20 The twelue foundations and the names of the twelue Ephes the 2. The foundation of Prophets and Apostles And hee one amongst the twelue Origen vpon Matthew In Mat. 16 Is it but onely of Peter shall the gates of hell onely be against Peter If Tibi dabo claues to thee I will giue the keyes belong to all why not this Hierom ad Marcellum Hierom ad Marc. Ad Iouin Petrus super quem Dominus fundauit Ecclesiam but how doth he repeate it Ad Iouin Idem etiam dicitur de omnibus Apostolis firmitas Ecclesiae stabilitur aequaliter super omnes Let them purge out Aequaliter and Super omnes or else let Ierom alone But what saies Cyprian Cyp de Simplic praelatorum Qui Cathedram Petri tenet super quam aedificata est Ecclesia in Ecclesia se esse confidit The chair of Peter then and onely Peter This strikes at the very root if this was the conceit of the Church in Cyprians time it 's more then time wee were reconciled but where is it what edition where was this printed not in Cullen not Basil not Paris not at Antwerpe by Crinitus not at Lions nor at Rome by Manutius It is confessed that it was neuer found in Cyprian till Pamelius a Canon of Bruges found it in a Manuscript in the Abbie of Cambron So haue they printed the same at Antwerpe by one Stellius de simplicitate Praelatorum and is not this simple dealing 2 The third sort lay Peter for the foundation amongst the rest yet before the rest as the first in order If there be twelue foundations one must be first but Priority in order and Superiority in power doe differ much It is one thing in Parliament to be as Speaker another as Prince Peter was the first that commonly spake and Christ directs his speech to Peter before the rest saith Ockham 1 Eyther because he was the most ancient in yeares 2 Or because hee was one of the most familiar with Christ noted in the Scripture with Iames Iohn These three Peter Iames and Iohn were admitted to aske questions Matth. 18.21 At the raising of Iayrus daughter Luk. 8.51 At the transfiguration Mat. 17.1 At his passion Mat. 26.36 and of these Peter was the foreman But Peter first made the confession therefore must bee first laid vpon the foundation Reuel 21.19 Reu. 21.19 Cyprian in his foresaid Tractate saies Erant vtique caeteri Apostoli quod suit Petrus Pari consortio praediti honoris Potestatis sed exordium ab vnitate profisciscitur The same honour and the same power in the rest Act. 1.15 Peter he propounded the matter in the election of Matthias and after much disputation in the Councell at Ierusalem Acts 15.7 Peter made the first speech but Iames gaue the finall sentence to which all agreed Vers 22. Hierō cont Iou lib 1. Leo ep 84. To the same purpose Hierom against Iouinian in his Epistles doth significantly speak for my part I cannot find a Father alleaged by them who fals not vpon one of these three points 1 Either that Christ is the rocke here meant and discouered by Peters confession 2 Or that Peter is here laid with the rest equally 3 Or that Peter is before the rest in Priority of order all this comes not neere the home TRACT VI. THe second Text is Tibi Dabo