with his own hands Exod. 28. 29. he erected an altar and offered publike sacrifice he did poure the bloud vpon the Altar and sprinckled the garment of Aaron with it And yet did he al these Priestlie offices being himself no Priest I marueile thatneither the letter of Gods word nor the reason and as it were the sowle thereof nor the authority of wise and lerned men can moue the Protestants to confesse that Moyses was in dede a priest and a sacrificer But if it be cleare that he was both a priest and a ciuil gouernour vsing the priestlie office in his own person and prescribing to others when thei shuld fight or punish malefactours much more in the tyme of the new TestameÌ„t Heb. 10. which must nedes be as perfit a state as the old law it is lawful for a bishop to haue the right of both offices in him gouerning the Ecclesiastical state by his own personal ministery aÌ„d the outward cares by the help of wise meÌ„ Gregorius l. 1. epi. 24 Quisquis regeÌ„dis fratribus praeest vacare funditus à curis exterioribus non potest sed tamen curandum magnopere est ne ab iis immoderatè deprimatur Who soeuer is set to rule his brethern he can not vtterly be uoide of â—xternal cares But it is diligently to be â—rouided that he be not ouer pressed with them But concerning the Ecclesiasticall state whereof I speake at this tyme the bishop of Rome neither condemneth any man for heresie or schisme to corporal death in his own person nor teacheth that any malefactours may be so condemned of any other ecclesiasticall person Which thing being not rightly vnderstood of the most part of meÌ„ hath made them affirme that the bishop of Rome in matters of faith persuadeth his religioÌ„ with fier and sworde 23. quaest 8. c. Sepe cuÌ„ sequeÌ„t Which to be farre otherwise both the whole body of the Canon law declareth and also experience testifieth To goe forward with our matter this is the greatest difference betwene the primacie of the Church and the dominion of wordlie princes that the teÌ„poral princes haue power only ouer the bodies whereas the rulers of the Church Math. 18. 1. Cor. 5. haue power vpon mens soules They geue the bodies of wicked men to corporal death these haue power to cleanse the soules and so to bring them to euerlasting saluation De Sacerdot lib. 3. Wherupon Saint Chrysostom saith Habent etiam terreni Principes vinculi potestatem verùm corporum solùm Id autem quod dico sacerdotum vinculum ipsam etiam animam contingit atque ad coelos vsque peruadit The earthlie princes haue power to bind also but only of the bodies But the baÌ„d of the priests whereof I speake doth touche the very sowle and reacheth euen to the heauens And not without a cause For our Lord said to Saint Peter Math. 16. To thee I will geue the keyes of the kingdom of heauen and whatsoeuer thow bindest vpon the earth shal be bound in the heauens and whatsoeuer thow loosest vpon the earth shal be loosed â—n the heauens To these words of Christ which â—re deriued to the Bisshop of Rome by â—eanes of the chaier of Saint Peter â—he said bishop referreth all his power â—nd exerciseth it vpon the soules of meÌ„â—oth in his own person and by others Leo. ep 82. who are called to susteine part of â—he Ecclesiasticall care and charge â—hat is committed chiefelie vnto him whereas nothwithstanding the Princes of the world appeale not â—o the lawe of the Gospell neither â—n getting nor in gouerning nor â—n establishing their Dominion and power Last of al this is to be inquired and coÌ„sidered whether the Bishop of Rome doth rule with such pietie lenitie affection and desire to helpe others and to bring them to Christ that he may seme to minister and to serue rather then to rule And in good sooth yf he doth it not as it is certain that he synneth greuouslie so for any such respect he leeseth not his primacie because the humilitie and mercie of the gouernour doth not so much appertaine to the substance of his authoritie Ioan. 11. Caiphas Pontifex as to the true perfection and merite of the man For like as they that preached Christ through enuie and emulatioÌ„ that they might raise aduersitie to S. Paule Philip. 1. who was in Prison were notwithstanding true preachers albeit they preached with an euill intent and minde so albeit the bishop of Rome did rule like a potentate and did seeke his own glorie and not the glorie of God yet thereof it can not be brought to passe that he is not a true ruler and gouernour of the Church But it wold wel follow that he were an euil ruler Of which sort of men our Lord hath said Do those things which they say Matth. 23. but doe not those things which they doe But what arrogant presumption is â—his to thinck that the Pope doth good â—eedes with an euill minde If he geue â—â—ntle answeres to them that in matâ—ers of dout aske his counsell if he send â—orth good decrees if he reconcile such â—s are at variaunce yf he prouide careâ—â—llie for the necessarie affaires of the â—hurch whie doe we iudge euil of that â—hich is well done Or yf he doth euill â—t any tyme what malice is it to scorne â—t his nakednesse Genes 9. and with lawghter â—o discouer his shame It is euident to all that will see that â—he bishop of Rome doth shew that humilitie and zeale which Christ requiâ—eth in the ruler of his Church He calleth vs nor bondslaues nor seruaunts nor subiects but all Princes he saluteth gentlie as sonnes and bishops as brethern And as for his owne person â—he writeth not himself neither Lord neither vniuersal bishop nor head of the Church but seruaunt of the seruaunts of God That euen by his name he may geue al men to vnderstand that he is that greatest and chefe ruler Luc. 22. who is as it were a minister and seruaunt And seing he doth and saith that which becometh the primate of the Church both to say and to doe it is our parte to iudge his well doing by that which is well said rather then to synne against the holie ghost whiles we desire to wrest that to an euill sense malitiouslie which was spoken and meant by him charitablie â—f the diuerse senses which are in the holy scripture and namely about these words vpon this rock I wil build my Church and which is the most literal and proper sense of them The third Chap. AMONG manie other things wherein Gods word passeth all other sciences one is most notaâ—le in that not only the syllables and words which are writen there doe â—xpresse the meaning of the holy Ghost â—ut also the things which are told and â—eported by those words doe againe signifie and meane an other thing We â—eade that Abraham had two sonnes
coÌ„mission of God to doe all thesâ— things The Suprem gouernour may practise any thing properly belonging to his gouernmeÌ„t It is not possible for a man 〈◊〉 haue the supreame gouernment in 〈◊〉 Ecclesiastical causes by lawful power aâ—â— right but that he should thereby haâ—â— also power and right to execute any 〈◊〉 those things which belong to such Ecclesiastical causes as are vnder his gâ—uernment Marck the point I say not he is bound to executâ— euery such matter as falleth vnder hâ—â— gouernment or that it is decent for hiâ— to doe it but that he may doe it anâ— hath right and power to doe it if he bâ— rightly the supream gouernour in thâ— behalf An exaÌ„ple in ciuil Matters For example the King who 〈◊〉 supream gouernour in the ciuil and teÌ„poral causes hath vnder him Iudges shriues maiors Capitains and constables If his maiesty will plaie the iudgâ— in Westminster hal or the shriue in any sessions or the Capitain in warre he surelie may doe it concerning the right â—f his Kingdome Yea he lacketh no â—ight nor lawfull power to play the Solâ—iour the Tailour the Mason Carâ—enter or Tanner albeit he perhappes doe lacke the cunning or experience â—o exercise or practise those Artes so as they ought to be practised Likewise an Archbisshoppe or Priuate who hath Bisshoppes An exaÌ„ple in Ecclesiastical matters Archedeacons Officials Priests and Clerks vnder him may by right of his Suâ—eriorie baptize anie childe blesse or geue benediction burie the dead approue their last wils by his own fact helpe a Priest to Masse cary the crosse in procession digge the graue and to be shorte he maie doe anie thing which anie man may doe who is vnder his iurisdiction If then the king haue the right and power of Supreme gouernement in al Ecclesiastical causes The applying of the rule to our purpose seing it belongeth to the right and power of Ecclesiastical causes that a man may preache baptize blesse or geue benedictioÌ„ to the people and administer the sacrament of Christes body and blood and binde or loose synnes it must needes be that the King euen by that his supreamicy should also haue power and right to preache to baptise to geue benediction to administer the sacrament of Christes supper and to binde or loose synnes A farther declaration I say not that he by his supremacie hath cunning either to preache or to baptize or to geue benediction or to administer the sacrament of Christes supper or to play the tailer or the mason but that no law right and power doth or can forbid him to doe these things if in these things he be the supreme gouernour so that if he otherwise had cunning he might with praise no lesse preache and baptise and geue benediction or administer the sacrament of Christes supper then he might build a howse with his own haÌ„ds or cutte a garment yf he were cuÌ„ning â—herein But now if all the world confesse 2. Para. 20 non est tui officij ô Rex sed sacerdotuÌ„ domini â—hat à King by his kinglie office doth â—ot only lack knowlege but also hath no â—ight or power at al to preache to bapâ—â—ze to geue benediction or to conseâ—rate the sacrament of Christes supper 〈◊〉 a although otherwise he be most cunâ—ing and excellently lerned except â—e haue the office of a priest also geuen â—im and be lawfullie sent and authoriâ—d by the imposition of the hand of â—riesthood doutlesse it ought to be conâ—essed 1. Tim. 4. that a King by his kinglie office â—ath no right or supreme power at all in â—cclesiastical causes vnlesse it be comâ—itted to him from the bisshop And â—hat as wel because he of him self can â—ot practise those causes though he wold as euen our aduersaries coÌ„fesse â—s also because his power be it neuer 〈◊〉 roial reacheth not so high as the â—ower of spiritual gouernmeÌ„t appointed by Christ doth And surely no man by the commission which he onely hath to rest or to prison men maie also hang them or burn them For the lesser authority doth not coÌ„prehend the greater Say now M. Horn whether to celebrate our Lords supper and to preache Gods word and to absolue or bind sins it be a lesser or a greater ministery theÌ„ the Kings authoritie If it be lesser you haue reason on your side For then a greater power may comprehend it being the lesser But if it be incomparablie greater to minister vnto men the heauenly Sacraments then to minister iustice in temporal things if that be a higher power which toucheth the soule then that which only toucheth the body then by what meanes extend you the commission of a King which hath to do with lesse maters not only to the commission of a Priest In the booke agâ—inst M. Feenâ—Ì„ but also aboue it You bring many examples euil applied to make an apparance of somewhat But they al concerne matters of fact which are for many circumstances subiect to much wrangling But either it was no good Prince who medled of his own authority with disposing holy matters Or if he were otherwise good that deed was not good Or if he did it wel he did it by coÌ„mission from a Prophet or froÌ„ a high Priest Or he was deceiued by flatterers Or els being forced by necessity which is vnder no law he only sought the publike peace in that his deed and not to set himself ordinarily aboue the spiritual gouernmeÌ„t For howsoeuer the deeds of men be vncertaine deceitful aÌ„d vnknowen in al their particular circuÌ„stances the word of God can not fail which saith to Peter and to other Bishops after him Feed my sheep Ioan. 21. Here I aske whether the King or Emperour who is christened be Peters sheep or no If he be not he is not only not aboue the Church but he is not at all of the Churche If he be his sheepe then I say boldly that as it is against the law of nature which neuer can be wholie changed for a shepe to rule his shepheard in anie manner of such sort wherein he is the shepheard euen so it is vtterly impossible for anie King or Prince to be in anie respect of Ecclesiastical gouernment aboue his own pastour who soeuer he be for the time And yet farther to make this matter more plaine be it that a Christian King doth take vpoÌ„ him the supreame gouernment in Ecclesiastical matters What if a bishop being called before him Epist 32. sequeÌ„t say boldlie as S. Ambrose in a like case did may it please your maiestie to coÌ„maund my goods my laÌ„ds my body my life it shal be at your coÌ„mandemeÌ„t But as for the ordering and gouerning of my bishoprike I will not yeld it to you because Christ and not your maiestie committed the same to me what could that Christian King doe to that bishop more theÌ„ Nero or Traian might haue done Could he excommunicate him by his roial power M.
diseases Matth. 18. and to cast out diuels And he said to them Whatsoeuer thiÌ„gs ye shall bind vpoÌ„ the earth they shal be bound in heaueÌ„ also And whatsoeuer things ye shall loose vpon the earth they shal be loosed in heauen also And again after his resurrectioÌ„ he said Ioan. 20. As my Father hath sent me and I send you â–ª take ye the holy ghost And going into the whole worlde Marc. 16. preach the Gospel to al creatures teaching all nations Matth. 28 and baptiziÌ„g them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost And after Christes ascension S. Mathias Actor 1. and after the coming of the holy Ghost S. Paule was taken into that holy office and vocatioÌ„ Galat. 1. So that by their Commissions it is euident that the Apostles were all sent into the whole world with singular auctority Now that beside this Apostolike function Eusebius hist lib. 2. c. 1. lib. 3. c. 22. 32. they had also power to be resident vpoÌ„ some one particular cure and flock the example of S. Iames the Apostle doth declare who is confessed by all maner of writers to haue ben Bisshop of IerusaleÌ„ Yea Simon also an other of the Apostles is readen to haue succeded after S. Iames in the same Chaire and Church S. Peter likewise hauing sitten at Antioche seueÌ„ yeres Hieron in Catalo afterward traÌ„sferred his seat vnto Rome Euseb li. 3 c. 22. More ouer S. Peter made Euodius Bishop of Antioche after his departure thence and sent his disciple S. Marck to gouern the Church at Alexandria Greg li. 6. epist 37. Tit. 1. S. Paul appointed Titus Bishop in CaÌ„dia and Timotheus Bishop of Ephesus and the like was don by other Apostles in other countries 1. Tim. 4. Therfore the Apostles had also the power to be and to make Bishops Actor 1. in so much that when S. Peter depriued Iudas of his Chaire he shewed the prophecy to be fulfilled Psal 108. Ennodius in 2. Tom. Concil EpiscopatuÌ„ eius accipiat alter Let an other man take his Bishoprike or his office of a Bisshop For although euery Bishop be not an Apostle yet euery of Christes Apostles was or might be a Bishop And because the bishoply power was most certainly conteined within the compasse of the Apostolike office the verie name of an Apostle came also to signifie a bishop in the primatiue Church as Theodoretus hath wel declared In cap. 3.1 ad Tim. EosdeÌ„ olim vocabaÌ„t presbyteros Episcopos Eos auÌ„t qui nuÌ„c vocantur Episcopi nominabaÌ„t Apostolos ê“cedeÌ„te auteÌ„ teÌ„pore nomen quideÌ„ Apostolatus reliqueruÌ„t ijs qui verè eraÌ„t Apostoli Episcopatus auteÌ„ appellationeÌ„ imposueruÌ„t ijs qui olim appellabaÌ„tur Apostoli Philip. â— Ita PhilippeÌ„siuÌ„ Apostolus erat Epaphroditus vestruÌ„ inquit ApostoluÌ„ adiutoreÌ„ necessitatis meae Ita CreteÌ„siuÌ„ Titê° AsianoruÌ„ Timotheê° Actor 15 Ita ab Hierosolymis ijs ê— eraÌ„t Antiochiae scripseruÌ„t Apost Presbyteri In the old time they called the same men both priests and bishops But those which are now called bishops they did cal Apostoles And in processe of tyme they left the name of Apostleship to those that were truely and in deed Apostles and called them Bisshops which in the primitiue Church were called Apostles so was Epaphroditus the Apostle of the Philippians Philip. 2. Your Apostle saith S. Paul and the helper of my necessitie So was Titus the Apostle of those of Candie and Timotheus of those of Asia Act. 15. So did the Apostles and priestes write from Hierusalem to those that were at Antioche Seing then the name of an Apostle did conteine both properly that extraordinarie honour which the true Apostles only had and also that ordinary power which al Bisshops then had and alwaies should haue it is easie to vnderstand that when S. Hierome writeth concerning Bisshops Ad Euagrium Omnes Apostolorum successores sunt All are the successours of the Apostles and when In Psal 44. Augustine saith Pro Apostolis constituti sunt Episcopi Bishops are made in steed of the Apostles that they both and al the other Fathers saying the like do mean that Bisshops doe succede the Apostles not in the Apostleship but in their Bisshoplie authority which also S. Ireneus calleth Lib. 3. c. 3. suum ipsoruÌ„ magisterij locum their owne place of teaching or of gouerning If any man aske why the Bisshoplie authority is so namely distincted hy me from the Apostleship sithens it was conteined therein as the lesser dignity within the greater I answere The putting avvay of an obiection that it is nedeful so to doe because when the Apostleship ceased the other Bisshoply authoritie continued stil And yet yf the Bisshoplie authoritie had onely depended vpoÌ„ th' Apostolik functioÌ„ it must nedes haue seased with it also For wheÌ„ the whole Apostleship is ended no part therof caÌ„ remain in his force except it haue an other grouÌ„d to stand in beside thapostleship as the bishoply power had Cyril lib. 12. c. 64. This being so when we reade that Peter was head prince chief first and capitain of the Apostles it may according to the former distinction either be meant that he was both their head according to their excellent Apostolike dignitie and also according to their inferiour authoritie of being particular Bisshops or els according to the onely one consideration of the twaine How farre S. Peter did either excell or was equall with the Apostles in their Apostolik office Wherin diuers obiections are answered which seeme to make against S. Peters Supremacie The XI Chap. WERE it not that the Aduersaries of the Catholicke faith do force me to intreat of this mater I would think it a sinne to enter into so curiouse a question For what haue wee to doe nowe with the Apostles aequalitie or inequalitie wheras it should haue suffised vs to follow the present state of the vniuersal churche which we finde practised in our time not searching out other things which are perhaps aboue our capacitie But seing the aequalitie of the Apostles vvhy this question is treated of is now pretended against the vniuersal faith which hath alwaies geueÌ„ the primacie to Peters Seate it behoueth to answere therevnto trusting that God wil beare with the humble defendaÌ„ts how so euer the wantonnesse of the other side stand in great daunger to be punished for their schism troublesomnesse and pride I take it for a thing agreed vpoÌ„ that S. Peter was the first of the Apostles accordingly as S. Mathew reciting the name of the twelue Apostles saith Primus SimoÌ„ qui dicitur Petrus Matt. 10. The first is SimoÌ„ who is called Peter If then none other Apostle be first beside Peter and al that which is not first must nedes be somewhat bebinde that which is firste doubtlesse none other Apostle could be
he as the head of all Bishops had it specified to him before they had it For whereas their authority is shewed to haue ben geuen in the eighteÌ„th chapiter of S. Matthew Matth. 18. and in the twenteth of S. Ihon Ioan. 20. the authority of S. Peter is described and promised in the sixtenth of S. Matthew Matth. 16 and it depended of the promise of Christ wherin he said thou shalt be called Peter or the rock the which promise was made as it appereth in S. Ihon not only before the Apostles were chosen Ioan. 1. but also before they were called to be the Disciples of Christ Ad iubaianum In consideration whereof S. Cyprian might boldly say Petro primus Dominus super quem aedificauit Ecclesiam vnde vnitatis originem instituit ostendit potestatem istam dedit vt id solueretur in terris quod ille soluisset Our Lord did first geue vnto Peter vpon whome he built his Church and from whome he did institute and shew the original or beginning of vnity this power that what soeuer he did loose it should be loosed in the earth Notevvel When one hath first that right and power alone which afterward others haue if there be any ordinary power of that thing at al it must nedes be in him who hath it first Ordinary Order For whereas all ordinary power dependeth chefelie of order and whereas in order nothing can be before that which is first First one seing S. Peter had first of all the right of the keyes of the kingdom of heaueÌ„ in himself alone Matth. 16. and seing the power of the keyes that is to saie of forgeuing and of reteining synnes is ordinarily in the Church it caÌ„not be otherwise but that ordinary power was first in S. Peter alone Augustin in Ioan Tract 124. If the pordinary power of binding aÌ„d loosing be once in one pastour alone it must stil coÌ„tinue coÌ„cerniÌ„g that degree in one alone if it shal at the least remaine stil the same power For if it be geuen to many and be equal in them al it is not now the same which was promised and geuen first to Peter alone Monarchie aristocratie democratie but an other kinde of power euen as the gouernment of one prince differreth in kind froÌ„ the gouernment which is equally common either to manie or to the whole people Seing it is cleere that the Apostles had the same power ouer the sheep which S. Peter had coÌ„cerning the exercise of all manner of binding loosing Ioan. 20. preaching and baptising and yet their autoritie could not be the ordinarie power which is in the Church because they were manie wheras the ordinary power was ê“mised before to one alone it doth insue Mat. 16. that they had their authority delegated aÌ„d specially appointed to them extraordinarily The Apostles povver vvas delegated for their liues only Therefore although they fed the flock of Christ as wel as S. Peter yet they did it by delegatioÌ„ and by special coÌ„missioÌ„ wheras S. Peter alone was the ordinarie chiefe shepheard according to whose patern there must still be some one appointed to feed Christes whole flock No man is at this day that which the Apostles were No man is able to write vs an other Gospel or to increase the Canonical Epistles or to warrant that he receiued the first fruits of the holy Ghost Rom. 8. as the Apostles did That authority died with them and came to none other after them aÌ„d consequentlie it was not ordinarie but onely was committed to a few during their owne liues But the ordinary authoritie of this highe administration beganne in one alone and therefore it must continew still in one alone There must be still one Rock Matth. 16 beside and aboue all petite Rockes There must be still one shepheard Ioan. 21. besyde and aboue many petite shepheards There must be still one greater then other Luc. 22. who may be made as the yonger and for whose faith Christ hath prayed to the end he may strengthen his brethern And verily seing as S. Bernard saith there is most perfection in vnitie De consid lib. 2. and in al diuision some imperfection is included shal we thinck that Christ hath chosen to gouern his Churche in earth rather in an vnperfit then in a perfit sort Again sitheÌ„s the state of the new testament must needs be more perfit then the state of the Lawe which brought nothing to perfection Heb. 7. and yet seing in the Law the ordinary Pastour was one high Priest aÌ„d Bishop as Aaron and his sede after him hauing manie synagoges and Leuits vnder his supreme gouernmeÌ„t Num. 3. what reason can beare that the state of our visible Church should lacke also in earth one highe priest and bishop ouer manie particular parishes and dioceses Thus haue we both natural reason the exaÌ„ple of the Law and the institution of Christ for one cheefe Bishop And that this was the mind of all the auncient Fathers also it appeareth most euidentlie because they geue such a reason whie the Church was built vpon S. Peter the which reason without an extraordinarie appointement of God caÌ„ neuer agree but onlie to one shepheard who may be aboue the rest I say without an extraordinarie appointment of God for that the Apostles being manie vvhy tvvelue Apostles gouerned equally and being all equal did gouern the church in a maruelouse vnitie and concord as if thei had ben al but one man The which spirit of vnity Christ gaue them that his institution of twelue equall gouernours for the time might wel appere not to be slaunderouse or hurtful vnto his Churche For he would neuer haue sent manie with equal authoritie into the whole world except he had ben able to make them gouern with one minde spirit aÌ„d hart But seing it were stil a miraculouse thing to see twelue and much more to see manie thousand bisshops and rulers being al equal stil to gouern the whole Church in their equal authoritie without schisme as the Apostles did that Apostolike authority being only instituted for the better publishing of the faith doth now cease and one shepherd is ordinarily alone set ouer al by whose general power it may appere that Christes Churche is but one For that is the reason which S. Cyprian bringeth why Christ built his Churche vppon S. Peter Ecclesia quae vna est super vnuÌ„ qui claues eius accepit Ad Iubaianum voce DnÌ„i fundata est The church which is one was fouÌ„ded by our Lords voice vpon one who toke the keies therof De simplicitate praelatorum And againe QuaÌ„uis Apostolis omnibus c. tamen vt vnitatem manifestaret vnitatis eiusdem origineÌ„ ab vno incipienteÌ„ sua authoritate disposuit Although Christ after his resurrection geueth to al the Apostles like power and saith As my Father sent
Peter should rule any one peece of the Militant flocke and S. Iames an other and S. Iohn the third but rather by his appointment S. Peter might rule the self same flock whiche S. Iohn or S. Paule or S. Iames might and contrariwise they might rule the same flock which S. Peter did For all were sente aequallie into the whole world Matth. 28 Therefore except beside this cōmon commending of the flock indifferentlie to al S. Peter alone had bene made the chiefe Pastour and head of the whole flock as in deed he was and that not onely as an Apostle Ioan. 21. but as a Bisshoppe and as one ordinarie officer the like wherof should for euer cōtinue in the Church we might boldlie saie that the exāple of hauing any one ordinary Curate Bisshop or Metropolitane in anie one parrissh or Diocese or Prouince were vtterly without anie example of Christes institution in the Apostles themselues And therefore that aequall institution of many pastours ouer on◠flock only standing which thīg the protestants doe maintein it should inuincibly folow that seing no deuise of man is able to controll the institution o◠Christ it were at this day much better to haue twelue or thirten curates in one parish and so many bishoppes in one diocese then to haue one alone For Christ if Peter alone were not aboue the Apostles in the chiefe pastoral dignitie made thirteen Apostles to be equal pastours and gouerners of the self same flock Math. 18. 2◠and that foorm of gouernment which Christ ordeined ought stil to continue in euery particular Church for who dare change our Lords institution Cypri lib. 1. epi. 3. li. 4. epi. 2 Hieron in 1. c. epist ad Titum But on the other side if all the world confesse that now in one Church there ought to be at one time but one bishop or one pastour in so much that S. Hierom saith in vna ciuitate plures vt nun cupantur Episcopi esse non poterant In one city there could not be manie bishops according as a bishop is now taken to signifie one that is aboue common priests If whereas once manie priests according to S. Hieroms minde ruled one Church for a tyme equally In. 1. epist ad Titum vt dissensicnū plantaria euelletentur yet for the better auoiding of schismes that gouernment was chāged and one bishop was set ouer them al seing S. Hierom alloweth well the change as being made for the better and yet it could not haue ben for the better if it had wholy lacked a foorm and patern in that gouernment which Christ hīself appointed to the Churche seing the same S. Hierom saith Lib. 1. aduersus Iouianum that among twelue one was chosen ād that by the good master Christ to thend the occasion of schisme might be taken away al these thīgs I say well weighed and conferred togeather I may most certainly conclude that Christ did not only institute S. Peter to be as one chiefe pastour in the whole militant Church according to S. Hieroms expresse meaning but that also he did institute him alone as an ordinarie officer according to whose vnity euery other Church should be at the lēgth ruled by one curate or bishop For as the twelue Apostles gouerned the flock for a tyme togeather with S. Peter extraordinarily AEqualiter inter piures Ecclesiae cura diuiditur and S. Peter alone gouerned the whole flock ordinarily so whiles the Apostles yet liued some few parishes were gouerned extraordinarily by many pastours at once as S. Hierom thinketh But as we see most clerely that the equall gouernment of many pastours in any one parish or diocese in the whole world lōg before S. Hieroms tyme was wholy expired so we may as euidently perceaue if we be not geuen ouer to a blind hart that the extraordinarie gouernment of the twelue Apostles or of any other prelates with equal power was fiften hundred yeres past expired And that now the onely ordinarie meane to gouerne Gods Churche as well in the whole as in the parts is to haue one pastour alone in euery parish and one chefe pastour alone ouer the whole militant Church the which one chiefe pastour is the bisshop of Rome as now it shal be proued by Gods grace That the Bishop of Rome is that one ordinarie pastour who succedeth in S. Peters chaire and is aboue al bishops according to the meaning of Gods word The XV. Chap. AS Sina being a mountaine in in Arabia Galat. 4. is said of the Apostle to be ioyned or to be nighe vnto the earthly city of Ierusalem not so much for the nighnes or affinity of the place as for the likenes of conditiō because the self same Law of Moyses which had ben geuen in Sina was afterward continued and preserued in Ierusalem And as by that meane the Iewes who at the tyme of the Lawe first receaued were not bound to Ierusalem at all as the which was then full of Idolatrie were afterward boūd to come thyther thrise euery yeare Exod. 23. because the highe priesthood and temple was setled there Deut. 17. as in the place which God chose euen so fareth it betwene the chiefe power which Christ gaue to S. Peter and the Church or bisshop of Rome Ioan. 21. For albeit when the Church was built vpon Peter and when he was made chiefe pastour of the same he were in Palestina and not in Rome ād for that tyme was rather accompted the highe bishop of the Circūcision Galat. 2. that is to say of the faithfull Iewes then of the Gentils who were not then cōuerted frō their Idolatrie yet for asmuch as the same S. Peter whose primacie is plentifully set foorth in Gods worde at the length setled himselfe at Rome by Gods appointment Iren. lib. 3 cap. 3. Tertul. de praescript and left a successour there for this respect I may wel affirm that the Bishop of Romes Primacy is cōmended and warranted by Gods own worde And seing it hath ben already declared that S. Peter alone according to the first litteral sense was both the rock Matth. 16 wherevpon Christ promised to build his Church and also the pastour Ioan. 21. who as he loued Christ more then other so he had authoritie to feede Christes flocke more then anie other Bisshop Item that the power of Peter was ordinarie and must continue still in the Church of God Item that it must continue in one chiefe shepheard onlie Now if I shew that the Bisshop of Rome is that one ordinarie chiefe Shepheard who succedeth in the said Authoritie of Saint Peter how can it be auoided but that the Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome is auouched and taught by Gods owne word Egesippus lib. 3 c. 2. Iren. lib. 3 cap. 3. Euseb histor lib. 2. c. 14. First not only al the histories all holy writers and the general tradition of all ages haue testified
other Apostles standing by S. Peter alone is both shewed to haue loued Christ more then they and he is alone cōmaūded to feed Christes shepe Ioan. 21. August ibidem and to rule his lābs yea for somuch as it is said to Peter alone not ablie Extendes manus tuas and again tu me sequere Ioan. 21. thou shalt stretch foorth thy hands and follow thou mee so that his particular kind of death by stretching foorth his hands vpon the crosse was principally prophecied of by Christ himself Seing Peter answered alwaies for the Apostles Ioan. 6. Matth 16. as being the mouth of them al and seing after Christes ascension Act 1. Chrysost in Acta Hom. 3. Peter alone gaue sentēce vpon Iudas and pronounced him deposed from his Bisshoprike and that an other must be chosen in his place seing when the holy Ghost came downe Peter aboue al the rest first of al Act. 2. taught the faith Act. 2. ād the multitude being cōuerted said to Peter and to the other Apostles but to Peter by name what shal we doe Act. 2. Seing Peter made answere for al that they should repent and be baptized Act. 3. seing Peter did the first miracle after the comming of the holy Ghost Ambros serm 68. and first healed the feete of the lame because he being the Rocke shewed mysticallie that he stablissheth the feet of others seing Peter confessed Christ first Act. 4. not only before priuate men but olso at the seat of Iudgement seing Peter saw the secretes of hartes and whereas menne laied their goods at the other Apostles feet also Act. 5. yet Peter alone gaue with fulnesse of power sentence vppon Ananias and Saphyra cutting of their life with a word Gregor lib. 1. ep 24. and thereby shewing as S. Gregorie noteth Quanta potentia super caeteros excreuisset With how great power he had encreased aboue the rest seeing Act. 5. although al the Apostles did also miracles yet Feter was so famouse aboue the reast that men did putte the sicke and the weake in the streats to the end at the least the shadow of Peter might come ouer them which was the greatest miracle that euer is thought to haue bene done of man seeing Peter did excommunicate and enioyne penance to Simon Magus the first heretike Act. 8. Seeing he was the first after Christes Ascension who reised a dead person to life as he did Tabitha Seeing he had first by vision Act. 9. Act. 10. that the Gentils also were called to beleue in Christ and God chose that the Gentils shoulde first of al heare the vvorde of the Gospell by Peters mouth and should beleue Actor 15. Seeing when Peter was in the prison Act. 14. prayer was made in the Church for him with out intermission which thing we read to haue ben so earnestly done for none other Apostle albeit many were also in prison Seing when a sedition was among the Disciples Act. 15. Theod. in ep ad leonem in so much that Paul and Barnabas not for their own learning but to signifie what other Bishops should do afterward came to the Apostles to Ierusalē to set a solutiō frō Peter as Theodoretus noteth and told the controuersie in the Councell then Peter did not only speake first but also he gaue a determinate sentence Galat. 1. In cōment c. 1. ad gal that the Gentils should not be burthened with the law and the whole multitude held their peace for a time Chrysost in acta homil 21. Seing S. Paul himself came to Ierusalem to see Peter and that as S. Ambrose saith because he was Primus first or chiefe among the Apostles ad Solitar vit agent August de Sà nctis serm 27. Leo Serm. 1. in Natt Pet. Pau. to whom the Lord had committed the care of Churches seing Peter was either alone or first and chief in the greatest affaires as S. Chrysostom noteth most singularly seing he was sent to occupie with his chaire Rome the mother Church of the Romaine prouince as Athanasius calleth it and the head Citie of all the world Concil Chalced. act 3. and there to conquere all hereticks by vāquisshing Simon Magus the head of al Heretikes whom with his prayer he destroyed seing his Chayer and succession hath ben acknowleged of al the Aūcient Fathers Bernard epist 190. and hath florished there till this hower without interruption of that faith whiche S. Peter confessed and taught as the verie experience doth beare witnesse so many things so singularlie belonging to the gouernement of the whole Churche could neuer aboue al the other Apostles haue bene so speciallie done or spoken about Saint Peter alone if he bare not some other more excellent person then euerie of the other Apostles did For as Christ is proued by S. Paule to excell the Angels because God neuer saied to anye Angell as he saied to Christ Heb. 1. Thou art my Sonne this daie I haue begotten thee euen so seeing Christ neuer saied to anie other Apostle as he saied to Peter Thou shalt be called Peter or vpon this rock wil I build my church or Matth. 16 to thée I will geue the keies of the kingdome of heauen or paie for thee and me or I haue desiered for thee that thy faith faile not Luc. 22. Ioan. 21. or seed my sheepe and rule my lambes doubtlesse we may boldelie conclude therevppon that S. Peter in these praeeminences farre excelled any other Apostle For what so euer any other Apostle had whether it were by vocation Ioan. 1. Matth 10 18. 28 Ioan. 20. or election or authoritie to preache to binde to loose to baptise to be a Bisshoppe to make a Bisshoppe or to doe any thing els Serm. 3. in aniuers assumpt multa solus accepit Peter had al that as wel as any of them as also Leo the Great hath noted Seing then beside al that he had many things which none other had may they not seme to haue lost their cōmon senses who wil haue S. Peter to be no greater a prelate then any other Apostle was If any wrāgler not ioyning al these priuileges together but separating som one or two of thē frō the rest do scoffe at these proufs let hī know aforehād that albe it some few alone would not haue made a perfit proufe yet as they now are ioyned together they proue exactly that S. Peter had som greater dignity then any other Apostle had That the Apostles besyde the prerogatiue of their Apostleship had also the authoritie to be particular bishops which thing their name also did signifie in the old tyme. The X. Chap. FOR the better opening of that which followeth I must declare the double office which the first prelates had Marci 3. Lucae 9. Christ called twelue vnto him whome he made Apostles and he sent them to preache and gaue them power te heale