over the Church And lest it should seem to be a wilful denyal they give these following reasons why Peter is not ordained Oecumenick Bishop in these words Or why the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven inferr no universal Jurisdiction over the Church in the person of Peter alone The first reason is this the power of the keys is only a forgiving or remitting of sins or not remitting them or a binding and loosing as appears by the testimony of Augustinus in his 52. Treatise upon John of Theophylactus on Matthew 16. 19. of Anselmus ibid. But none calls in question but binding and loosing is a different thing from the power oâ— an Oecumenick Bishop Bellarmin instances lib. 1. cap. 13. de pont Rom. that the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven is universal Jurisdiction over the whole Church which he proves by three arguments The first is from the Metaphor of keyes Isaiah 21. where Shebna is threatned to have the keys of the Temple taken from him to be given to Eliakim that is saith Bellarmin the government of the Temple or of the house of God But it is answered Bellarmin is greatly mistaken for according to the Hebrew Shebna was not Perfect of the Temple but only of the Kings house Bellarmin is deceived by the Latin version turning it Tabernacle whereas Aben Ezra calls it Master of the Kings house the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they call Shebna 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Treasaurer or Master-houshold that is the true interpretation as appears by Kings 2. cap. 18. in which place Eliakim who succeeded to Shebna in that charge is called by the Septuagints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oeconomus or Master-houshold Shebna is called there a Scribe which place he obtained after the keys of the Kings house were taken from him and given to Eliakim However it is a very bad argument of Bellarmins When Shebna had the keys of the Kings house the government of the house was taken from him when they were taken away Ergo When Peter get the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven from Christ he was made sole governor of the whole Church Bellarmin should observe that keys are given sometime by an Inferior to a Superior although that be but a new invention or ceremony yet it is an acknowledgement of authority as when a King entring a Town the keys are delivered to him But when keys are given by a Superior to an Inferior chief Jurisdiction is no wayes denoted But Bellarmin will not deny that Christ was Superior to Peter And whereas it is objected that Christ hath the key of David in the Apocalyps that is jurisdiction of the Church It is answered the case is different none calls the jurisdiction of Christ in question neither had he the keys from any greater then himself Bellarmins second argument is That the keys import binding and loosing that is inflicting of punishment and dispensing with obligations of the Law which is supream Jurisdiction over the Church And consequently Peter in these words is instituted Oecumenick Bishop But it is answered That binding and loosing import no supream Jurisdiction as appears by its being common to all the Officers of the Church as well as to Peter it consists in bidding forbidding punishing by Spiritual Censures and Relaxations from them which are common to all Church-Officers as shal immediatly be proved In the third place Bellarmin proves that our Savior promising to Peter the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven promised to him alone the government of the whole Church by the testimonies of Fathers The first testimony of Chrysostomus hom 55. on Matthew affirming that to Peter the whole world was committed and that he was made head and Pastor of the whole Church But it is answered It is false that either Chrysostomus affirms the whole world was committed to Peter or that he was head of the Church Bellarmin followeth the corrupt version of Trapezuntius in which he sophisticats manifoldly the words of Chrysostom are comparing Hieremas with Peter Quemadmodum pater Hieremam alloqueus dixit Instar colunae aneae muâ—i posui eum sed illum quidem uni genti hunc verototi orbi In these words Chrysostomus is comparing the Prophet with Peter as the Lord saith he put Hieremas as a wall of brass to one Nation viz. the Jews sc Peter was made a wall of brass to the whole world But Chrysostom speaks not a word of Hieremias being set over the Jews with Jurisdiction and consequently if the comparison hold Peter was not set over the whole world with Jurisdiction which is the first sophistry of Bellarmin following Trapezuntius in stead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 posâ—it eum placed him Trapezuntius renders praeposuit set him over which is not in the Appodosis of Peter The second corruption is that Trapezuntius adds of his own Cujus caput piscator homo whose head was a Fisher-man It is true indeed a little before these words Chrysostom calls Peter Pastor of the Church but that 's nothing to an Oceumenick Bishop for any Apostle may be called Pastor of the Church as shal be proved afterwards in this Book Bellarmins second testimony is of Gregorius Magnus lib. 4. Epist 32. Where speaking of Peter he affirms the care of the whole Church was committed to him and that he was Prince of the Apostles But it is answered In what sense Gregorius affirms so shal be shewed at length hereafter where it shal be proved first that others were called Princes of the Apostles beside Peter and that the care of the whole Church was committed to others also who were not Oecumenick Bishops Secondly the impudence of Bellarmin is very great in objecting this place of Gregorius in which he is thundering with great execrations and detestation against any who taketh upon him the tittle of Oecumenick Bishop calling that tittle new Pompatick Blasphemous against the mandats of Christ the Canons of the Apostles and Constitutions of the Church And among other reasons against that title of universal Oecumenick Bishop he objects this as one If any took upon him that title Peter had reason to take it but he had not that tittle although the care of the whole Church was committed to him then this impudence of Bellarmin no greater can be imaginable Gregory expresly denyes it to follow that Peter was universal Apostle or Bishop although the care of the whole Church was committed to him Bellarmin mutilats his passage and makes him conclude that Peter was universal Apostle or Bishop because the care of the whole Church was committed to him He cites this part of Gregories assertion the care of the whole Church was committed to Peter but he suppresseth the other half of his assertion that Peter was not universal Apostle and most impudently fathers a contradictory conclusion upon Gregory Ergo Peter was Oecumenick Bishop And thus much of the first reason wherefore Protestants deny that the power of the keyes imports no universal
the Church was built upon all the Apostles as well as upon Peter Secondly That the keys were common to all the Apostles he proves by John 20 23. whereby it is evident that the said place is the same in meaning with Matthew 16. in which he flatly contradicts Bellarmin who confidently affirmed that without all doubt forgiving and retaining of sins mentioned John 20. 23. was not the same thing with binding and loosing Matthew 6. 19. Thirdly Cyprianus de Vnitate Ecclesiae expresly affirms That Christ gave alike power to all his Apostles Iohn 20. 23. in these words Accipite Spiritum Sanctum si cujus remiseritis peccata c. Receive the Holy Ghost whosesoever sins ye shal forgive they are remitted unto them and whose soever sins ye retain they are retained and since all the Apostles according to Cyprianus had alike power given them after the Resurrection of Christ by John 20. 23. without all question he believed that the same power of the keys was given to all the Apostles which was given to Peter Matthew 16. The second Reason Why those distinctions of Polus Maldonatus Stapleton and Bellarmin and others or new devised evasions is unanswerable viz. It appears by the Fathers that no greater Ecclesiastical power imaginable could be given to any then that which was given to all the Apostles in Matthew 18 and John 20. which quite destroys all those sophistical distinctions tending all to this That the power given to Peter was greater Matthew 16. 19 then that given to the other Apostles Matthew 18. and John 20. That no greater power can be imagined then that which was given to all the Apostles is proved by the testimony of Chrysostomus lib. 3. cap. 5. de Sacerdotio Where speaking of that power of the keys given to all the Apostles yea and to all Bishops he falls to an interrogative exclamation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is I pray you what greater power can be given then this But this had been a most ridiculous interrogation in Chrysostomus if either he himself or any other had believed that the power of the keys promised to Peter Matthew 16. was greater then that promised to the other Apostles Matthew 18. and John 20. And thus much of the testimonies of those Fathers proving directly that the keyes were given to others as well as to Peter Now followeth the testimonies of Fathers proving by consequence that the keyes Matthew 16. were not peculiar to Peter out of which testimonies three arguments are deduced The first is If Peter alone had the power of the keyes promised to him Matthew 16. Then Peter would only have exercised the keyes and no other beside him in such a high-way as he did But it appears by the testimony of Gaudentius primae de ordinationis suae that all the Apostles as well as Peter practised the keys viz. in teaching baptizing censuring Yea Salmeron the Jesuit in his Commentars upon 1. of Peter 1. disput 1. expresly affirms That Peter seemed to neglect his duty in the exercise of the keyes it so little appeared by his carriage and practise that he had any Jurisdiction over the other Apostles Where observe the impudent shift of the Jesuit who being pressed by the carriage of Peter that no token of his Supremacy appeared hath nothing to answer but that it was his own neglest which if it be true was great unfaithfulness of Peter if it be false as it is it is great impudence in the Jesuit The second argument taken from the Fathers proving consequentially that the other Apostles were promised the keyes as well as Peter is taken from Augustinus who affirms That Peter represented the whole Church when Christ promised him the keyes and so by consequence in Peter the other Apostles and all Pastors of the Church had the keyes promised unto them the words of Augustinus are those following in his 124. trâ—â—â—at upon John Quando Petro dictum est tibi dabo claves regni coelorum quodcunque ligaveris super terram erit ligatum in coelis universam significabat Ecclesiam And a little after Ecclesia Ergo quae fundatur in Christo claves ab co regni Coelorum accepit in Petro id est potestatem ligandi solvendique peccata In which words he expresly affirms That Peter was a figure of the whole Church when our Savior promised him the keyes and therefore in Peter the keyes were given to the whole Church and not to Peter alone Our adversaries pussed with this testimony of Augustinus after their accustomed manner fall to their new devised distinctions explaining how the keyes were given to Peter representing the whole Church Or how they were given to the whole Church in Peter And first Horantius lib. 6. cap. 10. Locor Cathol affirms That the keys were given to the whole Church in Peter that is saith he They were given to Peter for the good of the whole Church as when any is made King of any Nation the Kingdom or Kingly Authority is given to him for the good of the whole Nation and so Peter as Prince of the Church had the keyes given unto him for the good of the whole Church and in this manner the keyes were given to the whole Church in Peter But it is answered Horantius his Gloss is far beside the Text of Augustiuus who expresly disputs The keyes were not given to Peter alone but to the whole Church for if they were only given to Peter the whole Church would not have exercised them he disputs so tractat 50. upon John and therefore concluds that the keyes were not given alone to Peter because the whole Church exercised them as well as Peter Augustinus doth not disput for what end the keyes were given but to whom also this Gloss of Horantius expresly contradicts Augustinus Horantius affirms That the keyes in the same manner were given to the whole Church in Peter as when any is made King of a Nation the Authority of a King is given to the whole Nation that is saith he He who is made King gets that Authority for the good of the whole Nation which is a flat contradiction of Augustinus for that Nation or whole Nation cannot be said to exercise the Kingly Authority when he who is made King gets it But Augustinus expresly disputs That the whole Church exercised the keyes as well as Peter and therefore the keyes were given to the whole Church in Peter otherwise saith he The whole Church would not have exercised them tractat 50. His words are If Peter had not represented the Church our Lord had not said unto him I will give unto thee the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven For if that only was said to Peter The Church hath no power of binding or loosing and since the Church hath that power Peter was the Sacrament or Figure of the whole Church or mistically represented the whole Church when our Savior promised to him the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven and
to Peter which was not promised to the other Apostles answered that Origines was speaking allegorically otherwise he contradicted himself in his 5. Homily upon Exodus where he called Peter that great Foundation which we proved to be no contradiction cap. 6. By the same argument we prove that Origines in this place is speaking allegorically otherwise he contradicts Reason Scripture Fathers and himself And likewise affirms a notorius untruth in this very place alledged And first that he contradicts Reason Scripture and Fathers in denying the keys of Heaven and the keys of Heavens to be the same we have just now proved disputing with de Castro and Fisher Secondly He contradicts himself in other places in affirming that greater power of the keys was given to Peter then to the Others or that the keys of the Heavens are more then the keys of Heaven because else-where he disputs and endeavors to prove that the power of the keys given to Peter was the very same given to the other Apostles as in his first Treatise upon Matthew mentioned before and vindicated cap. 6. Thirdly Origen is comparing the keys of Peter with these three admonitions but if he speak literally he lyeth in firming that those Admonishers had the power of the key of one Heaven given them from Christ or that what they did bind and loose on Earth should be bound and loosed in one Heaven which is promised no whereby Christ Lastly Origines is comparing in these words the power of Privat Admonishers with that of Ministers having the power of binding and loosing and after his manner falls to Allegories by this distinction of Heaven and Heavens otherwise he were not only a lyar in this place but also a contradicter of Reason Scripture and other Fathers and of himfelf in other places Bellarmin thought it a sufficient Reason to prove that Origines spake allegorically viz. otherwise he would contradict himself and yet we shewed there was no contradiction therefore he cannot in reason deny that Origines in this place speaks allegorically since otherwise he would contradict Reason Scripture all the Fathers himself in other places and also be a notorious lyar in this same alledged place We have have proved already That Matthew 16. 19. inferrs not that Peter was Oecumenick Bishop because the power of the keys was no universal Jurisdiction over the whole Church we undertook to prove it by an other reason viz. because the power of the keys was not given to Peter alone but to the other Apostles as well as to him Which we undertook to prove by two arguments First by Scripture Secondly by Fathers By Scripture we have already proved it viz. from Matthew 18. 18. and John 20. 23. vindicated from the exceptions of our adversaries alledging they were not alike places with Matthew 16. 19 It only remains now to prove by testimonies of Fathers that the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were given to others as well as to Peter those testimonies are of two sorts The first is of those affirming directly that the keys were given to others besids Peter the other sort is of those affirming it by consequence Of the first sort it is needless to mention any more then we have already mentioned in the vindication of these places Such as Hilarius lib. 6. de Trinitate and adversus Arianos Cyprianus Epistola 54. Chrysostomus de Sacerdotio lib. 3. Isidorus Pelusiota lib. 2. epist 5. Pacianus ad Sympronianum epist 1. and in his Treatise against the Novatians All which testimonies expresly affirm That the keys were given to others beside Peter Neither is it needful to set down the words since our adversaries cannot have so much impudence as to deny them To which testimonies may be added that of Hieronymus against Jovinanus Cuncti Discipuli claves Regni Coelorum accipiunt all the Disciples got the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven of Origines tract 1. in Matthew An verò soli Petro dantur claves Regni coelorum nec alius beatorum quisquam eas accepturus est Quod si dictum hoc tibi dabo claves Regni Coelorum caeteris quoque commune est cor non simul omnia communia In which words he expresly affirms That which was promised to Peter was promised also to all the Apostles as well as the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven And a little after Servator dans Spiritum Sanctum Discipulis per insufflationem ait accipite Spiritum Sanctum c. It is needless to add any more testimonies Now let us consider how our adversaries elude them And first Cardinal Pool in his defence of the Ecclesiastick Vnity lib. 2. grants those testimonies but he denys that any thing is proved by them viz. That all the Apostles had alike power with Peter in the power of the keys albeit it seems to be the meaning of those Fathers which he illustrats by the example of Moses and the 70. Elders since it is said Numbers 11. That God gave unto them a part of that Spirit which was in Moses and consequently they had the same power in substance with Moses but not in so excellent a way Maldonatus answers otherwise viz. denying That the same keys were given to Peter Matthew 16. and to the other Apostles Matthew 18. and John 20 his reason is in the two last places no mention is made of keys at all Stapleton is more subtile for seeing that Christ saith Matthew 18. What ever ye shal bind to all the Apostles is the same with that said to Peter Matthew 16. Whatsoever thou shalt bind c. He grants that the same binding and loosing given to Peter Matthew 16. is given to the other Apostles Matthew 18. but he affirms That the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven are a thing different from either of the bindings or loosings in Relec. controvers 3 quest 1. art 1. conclus 4. Others answer Distinguishing the keys of Order and Jurisdiction they grant that the keys of Order were given to all the Apostles the keys of Jurisdiction only to Peter It is needless particularly to insist upon the refutation of those new devised Sophistries to hold up the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome they are quite and diametrally opposit to the meaning of all antiquity of which they brag so much as appears by two reasons The first is that the Fathers disput expresly that the same keys were promised to Peter Matth. 16. and to the other Apostles Mat. 18. John 20. consequently all those distinctions devised of late by the Jesuits others are nothing else but fantastick dreams and sophistical evasions And first Origines tract 1. on Matthew disputs as we said That the Church was built alike upon all the Apostles because the keys were given alike to all the Apostles by which reasoning it appears that he thought it a thing uncontroverted in his time that the keys were common to all the Apostles since he useth it as a Medium or Argument to prove That
that is the sum of the disput of Augustinus tractat 50. For satisfaction of the Reader we will set down his words which are these Nam si in Petro non esset Ecclesiae Sacramentum non ei diceret Dominus tibi dabo claves regni coelorum quaecunque solveris in terra soluta erunt in coelo quaecunque ligaveris in terra ligata erant in coelr Si hoc Petro tantum dictum est non facit hoc Ecclesia Si autem in Ecclesia fit ut quae in terra ligantur in coelo ligentur quae soluuntur in terra soluantur in coelo quia cum excommunicat Ecclesia in coelo ligatur excommunicatus cum reconciliatur ab Ecclesia in coelo soluitur excommunicatus si hoc Ergo in Ecclesia fit Petrus quando claves accepit Ecclesiam sanstam significavit By which it appears that he expresly disputs that Peter had not the keyes given to him alone because the whole Church used them as well as he and thence concluds that he represented the whole Church when our Savior promised to him the keyes and therefore it is false which Horantius affirms That the whole Church got the keyes in Peter as Germany gets the Empire when any is made Emperor of Germany Since all Germany doth not exercise the Imperial Authority as the whole Church doth that of the Keyes Bellarmin glosseth otherwise upon Augustinus he affirms Peter may be said two wayes to represent the Church First historically as when any represents that which is done by another by that which is really done by himself and so saith he Abraham having two sons Isaac and Ishmael represented God who was to have two peoples The second way of Bellarmins representing is called by him Parabolick viz. when any thing is represented by a probable fiction not really done So our Savior preaching the Gospel is signified by a sower of good seed He applyeth that Peter signified the Church the first way so that he truly principally and immediately got the keyes and in getting them signified the whole Church which was to get them afterwards in its own proper way But it is answered It is very ordinar with Bellarmin to spin out subtilties nothing to the purpose to delude bis readers when he is pusâ—ed it were prolix to retex his sophistry in this particular we only answer that Peter represented the Church in none of those wayes mentioned by Bellarmin but in a third viz. As when a Society alike interessed in any priviledge hath that priviledge given to them all when it is given to any one of them in which case every one of that Society hath the benefit of that priviledge as well and equally with him to whom it was given in all their names Bellarmin objects That it is not the meaning of Augustinus that Peter got the keyes in the name of the rest as their Legat or Vicar Ergo it is his meaning that Peter got them as their Moderator or Prince as when any thing is given to a King it may be said to be given to the whole Kingdom because it is given for the publick utility of all But it is answered It is true which Bellarmin affirms that Peter did not get the keyes as a Legat or Vicar gets any thing in the name of his King for so Peter had gotten nothing to himself no more then an Ambassador representing his King marrying a wife to his King or in his Kings Name but it doth not follow that Peter got the keyes as Monarch of the Church or as the Church got them in Peter as a Kingdom gets any thing given to their King because it is notoriously false since the Church according to Augustinus had the power of the keyes as well as Peter but a Kingdom hath not the use or property of that which is given unto their King and therefore we affirm That Bellarmins enumeration is still insufficient for Peter got the keyes neither as Vicar of the Church nor a Moderator or Prince of the Church but as one of the Society of the Pastors and Apostles of the Church as if our Savior had said to Peter I give unto thee the power of the keyes and in thee to all Pastors to be alike exercised by thee and them Bellarmin instances that Augustinus affirms that the Church was signified by Peter Propter eum quem gerebat Primatum that is Because of the Primacy he had in the Church But it is answered That Augustinus by Primacy means no other thing then Apostleship that is Augustinus affirms Peter had a Primacy in the Church because he was an Apostle in the Church as he explains himself in many places as in his last Treatise upon John he affirms that Peter signified the whole Church because of the Primacy of his Apostleship propter Apostolatus Primatum he hath the like words in his 23. Sermon upon the words of Christ and likewise upon Psalm 108. and especially lib. 2. of Baptism against the Donatists he hath these words Quis nes cit illam Apostolatus Principatum cuilibet Episcopatui preferendum Who knows not that the Primacy of an Apostleship is to be preferred to any Bishoprick by which it is most evident that the meaning of Augustinus affirming Peter had a Supremacy in the Church is no other then that he was an Apostle of the Church Especially since Augustinus disputed that the keyes were not given to Peter alone but also to the whole Church But Bellarmin instances it is true That the whole Church had the use of the keyes as well as Peter but by the gift of Peter who distributed them to other Pastors according to his pleasure himself only having them immediately from Christ as when a King having his power immediately from God communicats his Jurisdiction to inferior Magistrats in giving them particular charges of exercising Jurisdiction But it is answered This Gloss of Bellarmins is against all Antiquity innumerable testimonies of Fathers might be produced that the other Apostles had the keyes given them as well as Peter but Bellarmin cannot produce one testimony to prove that the meaning of those Fathers is That the keyes were immediately given to Peter and by his communication distributed to the rest Nothing such appears out of Augustinus but the contrair Cyprianus expresly affirms That all the Apostles were of alike power with Peter And Francisus de Victoria a great Popish Doctor the most learned Divine that ever Spain produced as he is called by Canus loc Theol lib. 12. cap. 1. Relect 2. quest 2. conclus 3. and 4. Commenting upon that place of Cyprian de unita Eccles expresly affirms That all the Apostles received all the power both of Order and Jurisdiction immediatly from Christ and inveighs against the ordinar Gloss upon that place for distinguishing between Order and Jurisdiction that is for affirming That all the Apostles had their Orders immediately from Christ but not their Jurisdiction or the power of
eidem concessum Pater enim revelavit Petro Christum esse Filium Dei vivi Filius tribuit Petro ut sit Ecclesiae Petra that is Some proper gift was given to Peter here by Christ as the Father had given unto him such a gift the Father revealed to Peter that Christ was the Son of the living God So the Son gives unto Peter to be the Rock of the Church It is answered Stapleton cites Chrysostom falsly his words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is What is it and I will give it to thee as the Father gave unto thee to know me so I will give unto thee Neither said he I will ask of my Father although it was a great ostentation of his power and the greatness of the gift ineffable Nevertheless I will give unto thee What wilt thou give pray the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven By which it appears that Stapleton plays the Sophister thrice First in making Chrysostom affirm that some proper or peculiar thing was given to Peter whereas Chrysostom mentions no such thing at all Secondly he makes Chrysostom affirm that the gift given to Peter was to be the Rock upon which the Church is built whereas Chrysostom saith no such thing affirming only that the gift given to Peter was the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven but it shal be proved by the testimony of Chrysostom himself chap. 8. That the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven were given to others as well as to Peter Thirdly he neglects the comparison which Chrysostom makes leaving out now where he added before viz. As the Father gave unto thee to know me so I give unto thee the keys of the Kingdom of heaven The reason wherefore he neglects the comparison is evident viz he was conscious that the knowledge of Christ the gift of the Father to Peter was common to all the Apostles and therefore he feared the conclusion viz. That the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven the gift given by Christ to Peter would be common to all the Apostles also And thus much of Stapletons reasons proving Peter to be the Rock Bellarmin reasons thus The pronoun hanc this is referred to the words immediatly going before Thou art Peter and therefore our Savior by this Rock means Peter But it is answered There is no necessity of referring the pronoun hanc or this to the words immediatly going before as appears by several places of Scripture as Acts 3. 15. And killed the Prince of life whom God hath raised from the dead of whom we are witnesses where those words of whom are referred to the Prince of life and not unto God who is nearest That the pronoun hunc or him or this is of necessity referred to the words fatrher off and not to the nearest appears also by Act. 2. 22. and 23. and 2. Thess 2. most clearly v. 8. And then shall that wicked one be revealed whom the Lord shall consume whose comming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders observe whose coming is referred not to the Lord which is nearest but to that wicked one further off And thus we have disputed all the reasons of any moment pretended by either party in this question it Peter was the Rock CHAP. III. Tu es Petrus Disputed by General Councils NOw let us Dispute Tu es Petrus by antiquity examining what was the meaning of the Ancients concerning these words Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church They brag much of antiquity viz. that the Council of Chalcedon and all the Fathers interpret the Rock to be Peter But it is answered They resemble Bankrupts who brag they are richest when they are poorest A passage related by Cicero lib. 2. de oratore between Silus and Crassus may be applyed to our adversaries Fieri potest ut quod dixit iratus dixerit Silus annuit tum Crassus fieri potest ut quod dixit non intelligeres hic quoque Silus fassus est tum Crassus fieri potest ut non omnino audieris quod te audisse dicis Silus tacuit omnes riserunt This passage is most fitly applyed to our adversaries bragging of the testimonies of the Ancients Councils and Fathers for they bring not one testimony but either it merits no credit or else it is wrested and misinterpreted or else it is forged as appears through the whole following Disput What was the opinion of the Council of Chalcedon the other first six general councils We will examine in this chapter the opinion of the Fathers shal be examined in the following chapters unto chap. 10. From the Council of Chalcedon they object the third action where Peter is called Petra crepido Ecclesiae the Rock upon which the Church is built But it is answered first Those are not the words of the council but only the words of Paschasinus Lucentius and Bonifacius Legats to Leo Bishop of Rome giving their votes against Dioscorus of Alexandria what regard should be had to such testimonies Aeneas Silvius afterward Pope himself under the name of Pius second will inform you comment 1. On the Council of Basil His words are Nec considerant miseri quia quae praedicant tant opere verba aut ipsorum summorum Pontificum sunt suas fimbrias extendentium aut illorum qui eis adulabantur Neither do these miserable men consider that these testimonies of which they brag so much are either of Bishops of Rome themselves enlarging their own interests or else of those who are flattering them Secondly it is very strange impudence to them to alledge the authority of the Council of Chalcedon to prove the Supremacy of Peter or of the Bishop of Rome by reason of his succession to Peter as appears by what follows Aetius Legate of the Bishop of Constantinople and the foresaids Paschasinus Lucentius and Bonifacius Deputies of the Bishop of Rome pleaded in the behalf of their Masters the Bishops of Rome and Constantinople for the primacy Paschasinus and his fellows pleaded the sixth canon of the Council of Nice The words are those Let the old custom remain in Egypt Libya Pentapolis viz. that the Bishop of Alexandria hath power in those Provinces to ordain Bishops since the Bishops of Rome hath the like custome Aetius pleaded the same Canon and likewise the fifth Canon of the said Council of Nice by which it was ordained That when a Bishop was condemned by a provincial Council there should be no further appeal unless to a General Council which exception though not mentioned in the Canon must of necessity be understood The said Aetius likewise pleaded the third Canon of the second General Council of Constantinople by which it was provided That the Bishop of Rome should have the first place in dignity because Rome was the old Imperial City the Bishop of Constantinople the second place next to him because Constantinople was new Rome The force of this argument consists in two things
of ignorance so Stapleton Salmero Cumerus Maldonatus Let us hear their reasons Their first is These words super hanc Petram answers to the former words Tu es Petrus But it is answered those words Super hanc Petram answer also to those words Thou art Christ the Son of the living God For there is no necessity of referring the pronoun hanc to the words immediatly going before which is proved by other passages of scripture as Asts 2. 23 where the proun hunc is referred not to God which is nearest but to Iesus of Nazareth farther off And also in this Chapter by testimonies of Fathers of more authority and lesse suspect in this particular then Stapleton and Maldonat and it shall be proved further in the following chapters not only by testimonies of most eminent Fathers and Popish Doctors but also by the testimonies of five Popes themselves Their second reason is Christ in these words gives some reward or other to Peter for his confession but it is answered Peter is rewarded when he is called Petrus from Petra or Christ the Rock Secondly when he gets the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven whence Chrysostom As the Father gave unto thee to know me so I give unto thee the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven The third reason is That Christ in these words super hanc-Petram means not the principal Rock or proper viz. himself but only a Metaphorick or Ministerial Rock and consequently the Rock must be Peter But it is answered the estate of the question is whether Christ that is the principal Rock be understood by super hanc Petrum Stapleton proves not because saith he Christ is not meaned which he proves by his own naked assertion without any other reason which is a childish petitio principij However we will add a reason that his assertion is false for if a Ministerial Rock be understood in these words super hanc Petrum Stapleton is hard put to it to prove out of these words the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome which is his main intention Since it shal appear cap 6. that all the Apostles are Ministerial Rocks and that by the testimonies of the Fathers interpreting the Rock to be Peter Their fourth reason is The words of our Savior are aedificabo Ecclâ—siam meam super hanc Petram Which imports as much as the Church was not already built upon that Rock but only to be built upon it afterwards and therefore our Savior by Hanc Petram cannot mean himself upon whom the Church was already built But it is answered This is nothing but sophistry because already the Church was only built upon Christ in Judeâ— But our Saviour is prophesying here that the Gopel shal be propagated throughout the whole world and the Church built upon himself It is childish reasoning to argue the Church is built upon Christ already Ergo it cannot be said it shall be built upon him in time to come it is all one as one would reason thus Matthew 1. it is affirmed He shal save his people Ergo he hath not saved them and consequently it is no less foolish to affirm the Church is already built upon Christ because he promiseth to build it upon himself in time to come Their fifth reason is Christ promiseth to build the Churh upon one or other besides himself since he cannot be said to build the Church upon himself for it is the Father qui dedit ipsum caput super omnem Ecclesiam as the Apostle affirms But it is answered That assertion of Stapletons contradicts Augustinus affirming super me ipsum filium Dei vivi aedificabo Ecclesiam Which is his gloss upon these words super hanc Petram Secondly It contradicts Bellarmin affirming in se jam aedificaverat Apostolos Discipulos multos He had already built upon himself many Apostles and Disciples Thirdly It contradicts Scripture Ephesians 4. 16. By whom all the body being coupled and knit together c. receiveth increase of the body unto the edifying of it self in love By which words compared with verse 15. follows that the Church is built upon Christ by himself Their sixth reason is If by hanc Petram be meant Christ we cannot know which is the true Church and which is the false and therefore of necessity by hanc Petram Peter must be meaned But it is answered The Fathers we now mentioned and shal mention in the following chapter knew very well how to discern the true Church by the false yet none of them do â—nterpret Peter to be the Rock upon which the Church is built especially Augustinus who disputing against the Donatists cites many passages of Scripture by which we are instructed to discern the true Church by the false and yet he never makes use of this place Tu es Petrus Which he would not have omitted if the mentioning of it had been so necessar to discern the true Church from the false or if the true Church could not be discerned from the false without it Secondly This reason is a childish if not blasphemous petitio principij As if none could show the true Church by the false except the successor of Peter upon whom in their opinion the Church is built and so that is only the true Church which acknowledgeth the Bishop of Rome to be head of the Church as successor to Peter in the Monarchy of the Church And thus much of those Fathers interpreting the Rock to be Christ CHAP. V. Of the Fathers expounding the Rock to be the Confession of Peter NOw followeth those Fathers expounding the Rock to be the Faith or confession of Peter which opinion though it seems to differ in words from the former yet in effect it is all one in substance with it And therefore some of those Fathers who called the Rock Christ they cal also the Rock the confession of Peter So Nyssenus c. the Fathers interpreting the Rock to be the confession of Peter are these following The Liturgy commonly called that of S. James ad confirmationem sanctae tuae Catholicae Apostolicae Ecclesiae quam fundâsti super Petra fidei ut Portae inferni non prevaleant ei The sum of which words is that the Church is founded upon the Rock of Faith Entychianus Bishop of Rome Epist 1. Unum hot immobile fundamentum una haec felix fidei Petra Petri ore confessu Tu es inquit Christus filius Dei vivi that is This is the only happy Rock of Faith confessed by Peter Hilarius in his Books of the Trinity in many places affirms that the Church is built upon the Rock of confession or that the Rock is the confession of Peter It is needless to mention all his testimonies this one will suffice Super hanc igitur confessionis Petram Ecclesiae aedificatio est The Church is built upon this Rock of confession Nyssenus in the last chapter of his testimonies against the Jews after he had first called the Rock Christ as
Rock was Christ The same Author lib. 2. cap. 13. of his concordance Per Petram Christum quem confessus est intelligimus by the Rock we understand Christ whom Peter confessed Pererius lib. 2. in Daniel although a Jesuit affirms Quia Christus est Petra super quam fundata est sustentatur Ecclesia ideóque nullo unquam tempore nullâque vi labefactari everti poterit quin imò nec portae inferi adversus eam praevalebunt In which words he gives a reason wherefore the gates of hell shal not prevail against the Church viz. because Christ is the Rock upon which it is built And thus much of the testimonies of those Popish Doctors interpreting the Rock to be Christ And since some of them lived very lately it is evident that the interpretation of the Rock to be Peter is but a new devised cheat Now followeth the second Class Of those Popes and Popish Doctors interpreting the Rock to be the Faith or Confession of Peter The first testimony is of Adrianus Primus who lived in the eighth Century Anno 772. or thereabouts who in his Epistle to the Bishops of Spain and France recorded in the Acts of the Council of Frankfoord hath these words Super hanc Petram quam confessus es à qua vocabull sortitus es dignitatem super hanc soliditatem fidei Ecclesiam meam aedificabo By which words two things appear The first is That the Church is built in his opinion upon the Confession of Peter The second is That those who call the Rock Christ and those who call it the confession of Peter mean both one thing since he expresly affirms That the Rock is the objective Confession of Peter or that which Peter confessed viz. Christ which is all one as if he had called Christ the Rock The second testimony of Innocent third who lived Anno 1000. or thereabouts In his Epistle to the Bishop of France concerning Petrus Abeilardus which Epistle is mentioned by Otto Frisingensis lib. 1. cap 84. degestis Frederici primi-Beatus Petrus Apostolorum Princeps pro eximiâ hujus fidei confessione audire meruit Tu es inquam beatus Petrus super hanc Petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam Petram utique firmitatem fidei Catholicae unitatis soliditatem manifestè designans The sum of which words is that our Savior by hanc Petram or the Rock means the firmness and solidity of Peters Faith The third testimony is of Adrianus quintus Bishop of Rome who lived about 1278. in his epistle to Frederick the Emperor recorded by Radivicus Frisingensis lib. 1. cap. 3. Quem in Apostolicae Confessionis Petra non ambigimus per Dei gratiam solidatum where the Rock is expresly called the thing which Peter confessed The testimony of the fourth Bishop of Rome is of Nicolaus secundus who lived about anno 1060. His testimony is recorded by Gratianus Distinct 22. cap. 1. Romanam Ecclesiam solus ille aedificavit super Petram fidei mox nascentis erexit that is the Church was built upon the faith of Peter then budding And thus much of the testimonies of four Popes or Bishops of Rome interpreting the rock to be the faith of Peter to which may be added testimonies of the most learned Doctors of that Church as the Glossator of the Decreta distinct 19. cap. Ita Dominus Joannes de Turre Cremata lib. 2. cap. 102. 1â—2 in summa de Ecclesia Dionysius Carthusianus who lived 1460. in his Commentaries upon Matthew 16. 18. Gorranus upon the same place and also Titelemanus and Erasmus all which expresly interpret the rock to be the confession of Peter it is needless to set down their words since their testimonies are granted The third Class of Popish Doctors is of those who although Peter were granted to be the rock yet they deny him to be the only rock upon which the Church was built and who call other Apostles rocks and foundations as well as Peter The testimonies are few but the giveâ—s of them are most notable Men the most famous Doctors that ever the Church of Rome could brag of The first is the testimony of Lombardus Master of the sentences the first Founder of School-divinity among the Latins as Damascenus amongst the Grecians who interpreting those words of Psalm 87. Fundamenta ejus in montibus sanctis affirms that all the Prophets and Apostles are foundations The second testimony is of Nicolaus Cusanus that famous Cardinal whom Espenseus lib. 2. de adorat Ecclesiae and Aeneas Silvius afterward Bishop of Rome both commend as one of the ablest Divines that ever the Church of Rome produced His first testimony is 21. dist in novo 24. quest 1. Sed scimus quod Petrus nihil plus potestatis à Christo accepit aliis Apostolis but we know that Peter got no more power from Christ then the rest of the Apostles and likewise lib. 2. cap. 13. concordiâ— Catholicae where he hath this notable testimony Et quanquam Petro dictum est tu es Petrus Si Petrus per Petram lapis fundamenti Ecclesiae in elligi deberet tunc secundum S. Hieronymum ita similiter alii Apostoli fuerunt lapides Apocal. 21. In which words he expresly affirms and proves that the other Apostles were Rocks as well as Peter which he proves by the testimony of Hieronymus And thus much of that famous passage tu es Petrus of which so much noise is made now a days which although it be the principal place upon which the supremacy of Peter of the Bishop of Rome and the Faith of the Modern Church of Rome is built Yet you see what little cause they have to brag of Antiquity since none of the Ancients interpret Peter to be the Rock and also what little cause they have to brag of Unity since those who interpret Peter to be the Rock only are contradicted not only by the most learned Doctors of their own Church but also by six Popes Felix 3. Gregory 1. Adrianus 1. Nicolaus 2. Innocentus 3. Adrianus 5. And notwithstanding that their Popes are now estemed by them infallible Judges of controversies yet Pighius and Baronius who interpret the Rock to be Peter only tax all those six Popes of ignorance madness as we said before so doth Maldonatus de Valentia and other of their Doctors whose testimonies is needless to be mentioned since they cannot without impudence be denyed CHAP. VIII Of Matthew 16. 19. Of the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven HItherto hath been prolixly disputed the first argument of our adversaries proving Peter to be Oecumenick Bishop viz. because as they pretend our Savior promised to build the Church upon him as a Rock verse 18. Now followeth their second argument viz because our Saviour promised to give to him the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven verse 19. But it is unanimously answered by Protestants that in those words the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven our Savior doth not mean universal Jurisdiction
and all the Apostles to teach that doctrine which he had revealed unto themselves immediatly that is as he had fed them so they should feed others beside themselves Bosius de signis comes in with a notable sophism which is this our Savior saith he saith not to Peter Feed my sheep hereafter but in the present tense Feed now my sheep But when our Savior spake these words he had no other sheep but the Apostles Ergo saith he our Savior commands Peter to feed the Apostles But it is answered we retort the argument just as we did before our Savior Matthew 28. 19. affirmeth Teach ye all Nations in the present tense but there were no other Christians to be taught then but the Apostles if Bozius subsume right Ergo the Apostles there are commanded to teach Peter which he will not easily grant It is answered Secondly there is no difficulty in the words at all the meaning of our Savior is no other then that Peter being by these words ordained an Apostle or restored to his Apostleship according to some Fathers is injoyned to put his function in practice with the first occasion in the same sense that the other Apostles Matthew 28. 19. are injoyned to go and teach all nations who were subjected to them by right of their Apostleship But in this place John 21. to affirm that the other Apostles were subjected to Peter by reason of his Apostleship is petitio principii which we affirm to be notoriously false CHAP. X. Of the Sophistry of Gregorius De Valentia and the Candide Confession of Cardinal Cusanus VVE have prolixly disputed those three passages of Scripture pretended by our Adversaries to prove that the Apostle Peter was ordained Monarch of the Church by Christ we will conclude the disput with two passages the one of Gregorius De Valentia that famous Jesuit the other of Cusanus that no less famous Cardinal The ingenuity of the last will be the more perspicuous by the impudent Sophistry of the first which is this If our Savior saith he had said to Peter I will not build the Church upon thee as upon a Rock or thou art not the Rock upon which I will build my Church or I will not give unto thee the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven what thou binds on earth shal not be bound in Heaven and what thou loosest on earth shal not be loosed in Heaven Feed thou not my sheep without all question the Hereticks would conclude that our Savior did not ordain the Apostle Peter Head and Monarch of the Church and therefore since our Savior said unto Peter Thou art the Rock upon which I will build my Church I will give unto thâ—â— the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven what thou binds on earth shal be bound in Heaven and what thou loosest on earth shal be loosed in Heaven And since our Savior injoyned him to feed his sheep therefore saith he It cannot be denyed that our Savior in these three passages ordained the Apostle Peter Monarch of the Church Because if the negation of those things conclude that Peter was not ordained Head of the Church by Christ the affirmation of them concluds he was having thus reasoned he falls to the commendation of his own acumen and of his invincible Argument affirming not without laughter and astonishment of those who read him Hic nisivel conscientia reclamante vel praecipitante inscitia incogitantia nihil ab adversariis responderi posse certissimus sane sum That is I am certainly perswaded saith he That nothing can be answered to this argument by our adversaries except they be blinded either with ignorance or fight against the light of their own conscience When I read this argument of Valentia as it is related by Chameir tom 2. lib. 11. cap. 19. num 11. I believed that Chameir had mistaken him or else that there was vitium Typographi or a fault of the Printer but when I consulted Valentia himself in his Analysis lib. 7. cap. 7. and his Commentarys upon Thomas I found to my astonishment that he so played the fool and then bragged of his madness This argument of his is a most ridiculous Sophism and I cannot but admire that any learned man such as Valentia was not ashamed to make use of such an Argument much more to brag of it as invincible The ground of his argument consist in a Topick Axiom of his own divising against all the rules of Logick viz. If the negation of a certain particular conclude any thing not to be then the affirmation of the said particular coucluds the said thing to be as one would reason thus if the Apostle Peter was not a Pastor of the Church he was not Oecumenick Bishop Ergo if he was a Pastor of the Church he was Oecumenick Bishop which argument would prove any Pastor of the Church or all Pastors of the Church to be Oecumenick Bishops So this axiom of Valentia is the foundation of a Syllogism consisting of affirmatives in the second figure as one would reason thus An Oecumenick Bishop is a Doctor or Pastor of the Church Peter and Paul were Doctors and Pastors of the Church Ergo Peter and Paul were Oecumenick Bishops Who sees not this reasoning to be childish sophistry how can any learned man brag that such an argument as this is invincible It is notorious if we endeavor to reason according to that Axiom of Valentia We must either reason thus in the second figure where all the Propositions are true but the argument consequent because consisting of Affirmatives or else if we reason in the first figure the Proposition or Major is notoriously false viz. All Pastors of the Church are Oecumenick Bishops Peter and Paul are Pastors of the Church Ergo They are Oecumenick Bishops So it appears that the Axiom of Valentia is false viz. when any thing is disproved by the negation of a particular It is proved by the affirmation of it For although it follow Simon Magus was no Pastor of the Church Ergo he was not Oecumenick Bishop Yet it doth not follow Gregorius de Valentia was a Doctor or Pastor of the Church Ergo he was Oecumenick Bishop And thus we have retexed that invincible argument of Gregorius de Valentia viz. If Peter did not feed the flock of Christ and had not the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven it follows necessarily that he was not Oecumenick Bishop Ergo if he did feed the sheep of Christ and had the keyes of the Kingdom of Heaven It follows that he was Oecumenick Bishop Which argument concluds alike with this If Bucephalus be not a man he cannot be a Jesuite Ergo if Luther be a man he must be a Jesuite and thus much of Valentia We have seen how our Adversaries dispute those three Foundations of the Monarchy of Peter and consequently of the supremacy of the Bishop of Rome upon which the truth or falshood of the Roman faith depends since without it the faith