commission granted but a commandement imposed to looke to his office as a good Pastor for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is giuen as wel to the Elders of the church as Peter Acts 20 28 If that be of weight make vs all Popes 3 For the argument Oues meas That the Apostles are Christs sheepe therefore Peter must be their Pastor is as much as if in the Gospell of Marke Mar. 16.15 They must preach the Gospell to euery Creature Ergo preach the Gospell to Peter The argument is all one let it goe Ferus vpon the Acts Fer. in Act. 11. where Peter is to put in his Apology for going to the Gentiles saies Ecclesia sponsa Christ Domina Domus suae Petrus autem seruus est minister The Church hath power ouer her seruants etiam penitus eijcere so it was of old but now Peters successors will not be ruled by the Church ac si domini essent non serui Ideo iusto Iudicio Dei ab omnibus contemnuntur That because they wil be Lords and not ministers therefore they are despised Honest Ferus When I read how Bellarmine makes a Catalogue of Peters prerogatiues in eight long Chapters and in euery one finds a mystery of supremacy In his name Cephas in walking vpon the Sea In his double draught of fish in his first Sermon and first miracle In Pauls resisting of him at Ierusalem and the rest I see a wise man may be ouerseene sometimes If arguments went by tale and not by weight I could reckon vp Pauls praerogatiues and Peters infirmities would out number Bellarmines arguments but you would deeme me very idle to stand vpon it Peters prerogatiues were To be a worthy vessell to carry Gods name That he was first in the ranke where there was a Priority of Order without superiority of power because hee was the most auncient in yeeres and one of the most familiar with Christ as Occam giues the reason but what 's this to the purpose To summe vp the other two famous places of Scripture For Orabo pro te Confirma fratres It is for the daunger and not the dignitie and being in the more danger hee might learne to confirme his brethren in the like This vpon examination found to be past ouer But for Pasce cues meas it is largely demonstrated in 3. conclusions That it is not spoken to Peter as a note of greatnesse but as a stay of weakenesse 2 That it is no commission but a command 3 That therefore the Apostles may as well preach to Peter as Peter to them by the rule of other Scriptures whence is inferred the iudgement of Ferus vpon that Church an honest iudgement of an vsurping Church notwithstanding all the prerogatiues of Peter numbred by Bellarmine more by tale then weight from whence they draw both argument and pretence of their greatnesse After all the foure olde pillars of Popery are throwne downe by the hands of Fathers and Reason wee haue discouered the two new euasions of Bellarmine and Stapleton In that by a rule receiued we prooue that which agrees to one agrees to all and that if they were equall in gouerning the people then equall amongst themselues That since there was no visible head for sixty years but all Apostles were alike It cannot be that the dignity of Peter can be aboue the rest for feare it be prou'd that the Bishop of Rome is aboue Peter so it seemes he is when his Scarlet Church is about him That being no more out of the worde feeding but that which is giuen to an ordinary Presbyter in the Acts By the confession of Bellarmine the same Episcopall and perpetuall office with full iurisdiction beeing giuen to the rest of the Apostles as well as to Peter The rest making Bishops as well as he and the same multitude of successors If not more then he first these three issues being discouered 1 That they are forced like children to runne to their mother and yet 2 They cannot finde so much as once Peter to Father them for his owne 3 And therefore Bellarmine giues ouer Scripture and since his authority will not settle a seely minde that lookes not to the by-waies and labyrinths of questions but to the marke of his saluation set before him conclude therefore we may bee sau'd without reconciliation to this present Church of Rome These be all the colours which they can alleadge out of Scripture Bellarmine gathers all before him addes to the heape as I haue faithfully deliuered vnto you how sandy a foundation it is to set such a building of that weight I hope an indifferent mind may see so sandy as the latter wiser sort considering how weake they are in this point which must hold or all falls being ouerpressed by Reasons and the current of the Fathers concerning these foure places of Scripture giue vp the old pillers of Popery which haue stood too long in the Church and haue sought out two new euasions 1 The first deuised by Stapleton 2 The second taken vp by Bellarmine Stap. cont 3 qu. 1. Art 1. Tom. 1. Tract 1 c. 3 but found first in Caietanes opuscula which when wee haue examined we will take our leaue of this point TRACT VIII IT is now agreed that the Apostles are equall euery one had supremacy ouer all Bellar. de Rom. P. l. 1. c. 6. Summa potestas Ecclesiastica non solum data est Petro sed etiam alijs Apostolis fuit enim in illis Ecclesiae primordijs necessarium vt primis praedicatoribus Ecclesiae fundatoribus summa potestas concederetur Lib. 4. c. 23. The chiefe authority to them as to the first Preachers and founders of the Church and in the fourth booke he spends the whole three and twentyeth chapter to this purpose what stirre hath heere beene Stapleton saies all are equall in respect of the people Stap. contr 3. q. 1. ar 5. but not among themselues How can that be Quae conueniunt vni tertio conueniunt inter se A mathematicall principle if they be equal'd in gouerning the people then in that office they are equall among themselues Then Peter is not aboue them in gouerning the Church but was it in regard of their persons It is strange that they should gouerne the Church without a guide that could not gouerne themselues In Timothy If a Priest cannot rule his owne house how can he gouerne the Church of God So 1 Tim. 3.5 if they would not gouerne themselues how order the Church Admit an Apostle should haue deserued censure for personall faults had Peter power to excommunicate him and not to suspend him from his office power to remoue him from receiuing of the Sacrament and not from the Ministration of it to others power to cut him off from being of the Church and no power to suspend him from being gouernour ouer the Church This is an idle conceit I find it propounded but I thinke
her testimony in her owne cause for if Christ were content to lay by his testimony let it seeme a reasonable demand If shee aske how long we take exception to her testimony we answer iust so long as she hath made the same challenge as she doth and no longer 3 Since other testimony there is none besides the Church and Scripture which they do pretend I demand whether this point that shee is the onely Church wherein saluation may be found be there expressed or by tract of consequent Not expressely 4 Because a man is not bound to beleeue euery thing that by consequent is drawne out of Scripture I demand some cleere consequent for according to the degrees of euidence must we frame our Faith Now this consequent is so farre fetched that before they can perswade a mans conscience that hee is bound to ioyne with them and become subiect to the Bishop of that Sea he must of necessity demonstrate these 5. points 1 That Christ beeing the visible head of his whole Church so as without his Church there was no saluation they must proue that he left this to his Apostle Peter aboue the rest 2 That this power giuen to Peter did not die with him as the Apostleship did with the rest but continued in his successors 3 That Peter at his death did not impart it vnto many after him though it was a great charge and like to grow farre greater but heaped it all vpon one and that that one was the Bishop of Rome 4 That this Bishop who doth now raigne is not onely lawfully chosen but doth vndoubtedly succeede Peter in a direct succession for these fifteene hundred yeeres and aboue without any materiall interruption 5 This proued wee are neuer the neerer by their owne rule except it appeare that this Pope and present Church of Rome doth succeed Peter and his Church as well in Faith and Doctrine as place and person for they doe not exclude vs for want of succession our Records are true and cleere but as heretickes for not obeying their Faith Therefore if they doe not obey the Faith of Peter all the former points are to no purpose Let me therefore make a motiue vnto him who is vnseted in his resolution that hee would rest his soule where it is content himselfe with the plaine text of Christ and his Apostles agreed vpon till these fiue points be made cleere to his Conscience and before that I hope his soule shall be in Abrahams bosome Now that Christ left this power to Peter alone aboue the rest which is the maine foundation which if it faile the whole building must needs fall It is laid vpon foure pillars in foure texts which are repeated before For the first I haue proued that Rocke not to be Peters person as the head of the Church but that which Peter discouered by confession The Sonne of the liuing God and that Christ named Peter alluding to the signification of his name for that hee made a firme confession answerable to his name and should therefore be as a liuing stone vpon that Rocke Blessed art thou Simon Bar-iona for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this to thee This wee haue proued by the Analogy of place by exact difference obserued betweene Petrus and Petra our originall and their vulgar by the practise of Peter and the rest in building vpon this Rooke and by interpretation of Augustine Ambrose Hillary Cyrill Chrysostome Bede or else by Lyra the interlineall glosse Cusanus Petrus de Aliaco c. For Tibidabo claues that there is no more power meant in the Metaphor of the keyes promised to Peter then is after expressed in binding and loosing Bellarmine himselfe hath vndertaken it against Caittan and Stapleton whatsoeuer Christ did promise to Peter in Matthew is giuen to the rest in Iohn In sicut misit me Pater sic mitto vos As large a Commission and in as plaine termes as may bee As my Father sent mee Esay 61. To preach liberty to the Captiues and them that are bound the opening of the prison so send I you therefore whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained If there were power giuen by breathing where Christ breathed on all alike If in the sending of clouen tongues no more sate on Peters head then on the rest If as one of the twelue foundations Peter is no bigger then the rest If amongst the twelue precious stones he be no more precious then the rest vnlesse in our estimation Saphire as good as lasper then we may safely as yet determine against them that lay such snares on men soules concerning their saluation For Orabo pro te and confirma fratres Luk. 22.32 vpon examination we haue found no preheminence giuen to Peter at all sauing onely in the occasion which mooued Christ to speake particularly to Peter a prophecy of his denying of Christ in the 34 verse for Christ prayed for the rest as wel as for Peter in Iohn the 17. Father sanctifie them in thy trueth Ioh. 17.11 Now if Christ praied more for Peter it was not for his dignity but because he was in greater danger Christ tels him what neede there is that he should pray for him Confirma fratres He meanes all Christians to whom he preaches and writes as in the 2. of Peter 1. 10. If we will therefore haue Christ to meane his fellow Apostles doth not Paul confirme Peter more then euer Peter did Paul 4 Text. But Pasce Oues meas Galat. 2.11 is the place they lay the most weight on and it demonstrates three things faith Bellarmine 1 That it is directed to Peter alone by name Simon Ioanna and Diligis me plus his His excluding the rest and repeated three times 2 Pasce not onely to feede but also to gouerne expressed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It hath a third signification To eat It is well that Bellarmine leaues out that for Baronius against Segnorius of Venice an holy Father vses it for Kill and eate Acts 10.13 3 Oues meas there 's the Lambs that 's the Laity The little sheepe the Cleargy and the strong sheepe the Apostles Heretickes deny this diuision saith Bellarmine Nobis autem exploratum certumque est omnes omnino Christianos etiam Apostolos ipsos Petro tanquam ouiculas commendari cum ei dicitur Pasce Oues meas with all Christians and the Apostles themselues commended to his cure Then Peter and Peter alone must be the sole ordinary Pastor of the Church of Christ 1 True it is that this is spoken to Peter and onely to him and that three times The reason is because hee was singular in denying Christ and denying three times and if the place be rightly waighed it is rather a stay of his weakenesse then a note of his greatnesse Ominous it is that the Pope relieth most vpon those places which are grounded vpon Peters deniall 2 For Pasce heere 's no
the same power was giuen to the rest of the Apostles as well as to him If any thing more it was not giuen but assumed bee would not assume it that was sent as a Legate not a Pope he could not be Pope that did not decree but shew his opinion and his opinion being reiected at Antioch Acts 15 19. it is time for them to giue him a sword and yet wee see not how they can draw it out of that text of Luke that leaues vs onely to suffer and not to rule Galet 2. Luk. 22 38. That hee is put the first and Mary the last shee full of Grace Acts 1 14 Acts 2. Luke 2. he but fall of the spirit neither hee nor any had that prerogatiue to bee full of Grace and full of that holy fruit besides described by that great Astrologer to bee an honest and beautifull Virgine bearing in her hand two full eares of Corne Albamaz in maior Iotroduct tr 6. A fable as all the writings of the Poets concerning the sonnes of Iupiter was by the policy of Sathan to make the world beleeue that the Prophesies of that Iesus was but a fable but the truth is she is so described and therefore Peter being set before her the last before the first behind her in dignity Luke 1 13. 2 Tim 4 21. before her in place That Linus is set after Pudens the Bishop of Rome may blush indeed to ranke himselfe before all the Church or Peter before Paul which besides the excellency of his miracles as Salmeron confesses went vp as high into the third heauen with the fulnes of faith as Peter sunke low into the waters for want of it and it seemes hee came to visit Peter Galat. 2.18 to see whether hee were sicke of any opinion or no for I thinke the worde will beare it if any thinke not so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee can shew an author for it so that except they will make an vniuersall diffusion of some secret Grace flowing from Peter as from the name of Iesus which is an Oyntment poured out Cant. 1. Phil. 2. If they thinke that this name of Peter like oyle aboue water giues a generall command ouer heauen and earth and hell as the names of Iesus which it seemes they doe for in their writings Peter is as often writ as the name of Iesus in the Epistles of Paul but I thinke as Dauid was not a King ouer all Kings because of his mystery of three times annointing no more was Peter Prince ouer all the Apostles because of the commission of threefold feeding but that he was at Rome that he seated himselfe there that hee planted the Church gaue it after his death to Clement we take it as a matter of history not of faith For if it were so wee wonder that Paul should be so vnciuill to leaue out a salutation to Bishop Peter amongst the rest Rom. 16. It may bee Peter being one of the hot spirits of Galilee Galilei pugnaces Ierō where was nothing but a worde and a blow as it seemes when he cropt the High Priests seruants eare would in stomacke at Pauls vnkindnesse leaue him when he came to his first answer Mat. 26. let them answer this or there is no Apology to be made for Peter 2 Tim. 4.16 that besides vnkindnes is to bee accused of negligence that he grounded the Iewes at Rome no better that were scarce catechized in rudiments of Christianity by him that was not Bishop of Rome some fiue and twenty yeares Acts 28. but also of the circumcision and not onely of negligence but forgetfulnesse in not remembring the words of Christ Ioh 21 15. Feede my Lambes vpon whom depended the hope of the whole flocke It is a signe of lightnesse to be credulous so saide Porphiry against the Christians but beeing mortall as wee are and not celestiall let them aperire fontem sciendi and we will imponere iugum credendi If they can make vs know it wee will submit our selues and beleeue it yet they cannot But that hee left it to the Bishop of that See is the maine issue let them answere Paul that had not a vision of the Gentiles as Peter had but the diuision of them from the Iewes and euen then me thinkes when the Doctor of the Gentils Acts 28.28 of which Rome was the chiefe City was out of fauor with his Country-men I think Bishop Peter was something inhospitable to let him hire an house Peter had no Palace Epiphan Hares 27. that 's a wonder no more had Paul both Romane Bishops It seems that Peter dwelt vpon the stone in which Luke did engraue the picture of the Virgin Mary or else to be supposed that he was Bishop of Rome by one of St. Ieroms allegories Hierom in Philem Acts 28.30 as he doth interpret Pauls biennium to be the gift in the two Testaments and so the Bishopricke it selfe so doubtfull we shall finde it in the history that when wee come to beleeue it I doubt it will but prooue an Allegory Let them then interpret Gregory the Pope Greg ep ad Eulog Alexand. who doth auouch that the succession of Antioch was from Peter and answer Antioch who they say enioyed him seauen yeeres where was the first name of Christian or Polichronius of Ierusalem who thinkes the Primacy should be where Christ first was where was his first Fecit and Docuit Then alas it will bee but meere folly to thrust vpon vs the writings of Clemins Anacletus Jacobo fratri Domini Episcopo Episcoporum Hebraeorum Ecclesiam Regenti whom they make say so without any craft for Clement writes to Iames and after that Iohn is liuing both vnder this Pope both their writings in the canon and the Epistles of these the onely heires to Peters Chaire forgotten and so they may for truly their authors are hidden and obscure as the deuout Abbot spoke of William the simoniacall Bishop of Africke Concerning his letters Apostolicall so secret they are that they seeme to come à Principe tenebrarum not à Principe Apostolorum They were forgotten as he did his owne Dignity by calling Iames the Bishop of Bishops and yet will teach the Apostle as his successour Anacletus it seemes being a little more warme in the Chaire corrects Saint Iohn by deriuing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iohn 1. which the Apostle himselfe doth interpret a stone as simple deriuations as the Latine is in which their Epistles were written Aug. conf 8. But as Victorinus the Rhetorician before his full conuersion ashamed of the humility of the word blushing at the shame of the crosse was wont to mocke Simplicianus when he enclin'd him to open profession Ergo ne parietes faciunt Christianos The walles of the Church make no Christians nor the chaire of Rome it seemes make Rhetoricians but as in Art so in the Truth of Religion it
of euidence they bring and accordingly frame our Faith That I cannot be saued except I be subiect to the Bishop of Rome as head of the Church He must pretend then a title from Christ as he is Vicar for spirituall matters it is euident that Christ while he liued on earth was the visible head for Temporalls himselfe concludes Who made me a Iudge My kingdome is not of this world therefore so farre as he medleth with kingdomes he cannot claime that from Christ It is confessed that while Christ was on earth hee was the visible head of the whole Church so as no soule could bee without necessary dependance on him but whether at his departure he committed the supremacy to any man on earth If hee did whether in whole or part to whom whether to the Apostles in generall equally or to one aboue the rest and who that was 1 Their point is that Christ left it to Peter alone to no other Apostle in that degree This is cleer out of Scripture That the rest of the Apostles as Apostles are equall but as Bishop he aboue them note that a Bishop aboue an Apostle Linus aboue the Euangelist Iohn who liued in his time 2 Admitte the Supremacy in Peter whether it died with him as the Apostleship did or left it to his successors The difference is they put the rest out of special fauor They might haue as great power but it was for terme of life Peter had it for him and his successors for euer But this must be cleered that Peter had power to leaue it to his successors and none but he If this be not proued why not Iohns successors in the Churches of Asia or of Iames in Ierusalem or any of the Apostles in other places as well as he to his The reason is Though Peter by vertue of his fiery tongue was able to gouerne the whole Church in his daies being but small yet hee knew the charge in time would grow so great and the circuit so large that Peters spirit had neede be doubled vpon those that should succeed him If he had one clouen tongue his successors neede to haue twelue so we might say of the least of his successors A greater then Peter is heere Peter was not alone during his life there were the eleuen Apostles Bel. l. 1. c. 21 and Paul as great an Apostle as himselfe as Bellarmine confesses and greater because hee writ more then Peter hee planted more Churches then Peter he laboured more aboundantly then they all for hee preached from Ierusalem Rom. 15.19 round about to Illiricum as Hierome auouches from the redde Sea to the great Ocean so farre as there is any land Amos. c. 5. And that all the charge of Peter and Paul and all that the rest had should lye vpon the shoulders of one Pope and yet neuer a clouen tongue to his head Sure say That a greater then Peter is heere Bellarmine proued well from the election of Matthias in the first of the Acts De Pont. 4.23 that the Apostles were not chosen by Peter and Paul was Galathians the first Paul an Apostle not of men nor by men but by Iesus Christ Those that came in after the death of Christ Matthias and Paul were not but all the Apostles successors must now deriue their power from the Pope Therefore a greater then Peter is heere 3 Admit while the body of the Church carried any proportion to a visible head as in the Apostles time it might and some time after for auoyding of factions a Monarchicall gouernment might stand but when it is so dispersed that amongst the Antipodes for ought we know may be Christians that such a burthen of gouernment should rest vpon the shoulders of any one mortall wight it is strange It must be cleered out of the booke of God for the Testimony of their Church in her owne case is silent That Peter did not impart his supremacy to diuers in diuers Churches which he planted but wholly committed it to one in one place 4 If to one we must know where that one is Certitudine fidei else wee are neuer a whit the neerer Whether Peter left it amongst the lewes till they fell being himselfe the Preacher of the Circumcision If not because hee saw they would reuolt why not at Antioch a Church of his owne planting Paul had as much to doe at Rome as he Antioch had the Primacy Act. 11.27 for they were first called Christians at Antioch and it was a famous Patriarchall Church Why not Marke the Euangelist Peters Disciple who writ the Gospell from his mouth in that famous Church of Alexandria It is cleere then that Rome and no other Church doth enioy that Bishop who succeeds Peter in that great office But now wherein a lay man may receiue satisfaction the Scripture is silent It is not found in our Creede The testimony of the Church is laid by in this point Bellarmine saies Bel. 2. de Rep. c. 12. that the Bishop of Rome alone doth succeede Peter in the Supremacie is not found in Scripture but to be beleeued vpon tradition I thought wee should returne thither againe it is hard that they will not spare their own testimony in their own case Seeing Christ did spare it in his case I hope we may be saued without it 5 Admit this could be cleared yet that Church doth not agree who was Bishop Linus or Clemens or Cletus after three Popes at once Benet the ninth Siluester the third and Iohn Then two in a schisme betwixt Vrban and Clement The first in Italy the second in France after that three againe hard to iudge who was the true one Such vncertainties must there needs bee when Religion depends vpon any mans person in this troublesome world 6 Admit it can be demonstrated to my conscience that this Pope is lawfully chosen and vndoubtedly succeedes Bishop Linus and Peter by a lineall succession of true Popes for 500 yeares without any materiall interruption yet neuer the neerer except they doe succeede as well in Faith and doctrine as in place and person else they could not exclude vs from the Church for we show personall succession as well as they Cranmer consecrated Barlo Scony and Couerdale These consecrated Parker Parker other Bishops these made Priests euery Act of Priesthood ratified by their owne Canons is Valide factum though not Licite Quis enim Catholicorum ignor at ordinatos ab Episcopo haeretico verê esse ordinatos That those that are ordained Priests of an haereticall Bishop are truely ordained no Catholike is ignorant So they exclude vs as heretiques as not embracing their doctrine so by their owne rule they grant that the Church and the Bishop of Rome must succeede Peter as well in Faith and Doctrine as in time and place else wee are not bound in conscience to cleaue to them you see by how many sequels and degrees of consequent they must proceede before it be
claues where Obserue that the maine grunsels of that Church are vpon such places which are full of Metaphors As Purgatory is kindled out of that of the 1 Corin. 3. Wood Hay and Stubble 1 Cor. 3.12 and confirmed by the Metaphor of the Minister Iayler and Prison out of which they cannot come vntill they pay the vttermost farthing So the supremacy is founded vpon the Metaphor of the Rocke and keyes wee may climbe vp by a Metaphor well tentered higher then the boughes will well endure 1 Tibi Dabo Claues Aedificabo Dabo A promise here is made of that after was performed 2 By Keyes is expressed the chiefe authority in the Church It is fetcht from Esay 22.22 Esay 22.22 spoken to Eliakim to be steward in the steed of Shebne The key of the house of Dauid will I lay vpon his shoulder so hee shall open and no man shall shut and hee shall shut and no man shall open This key Christ had as the Master Reuel 3.7 in the third of the Reuelation and this say they committed he to Peter As the Master Christ had it so he commits it to the Apostles as stewards 1 Corin. 4.1 1 Corin. 4. Let euery one so thinke of vs as the Ministers of Christ and Stewards so the same word is vsed in Luke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a faithfull Steward But Tibi now is Vobis True 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it was first promised to Peter vpon his confession but if the same be performed after to all that is heere promised to Peter Luk. 12.42 is not the point then at an end 1 What is more in Key then a Metaphor of binding and loosing two metaphors one to explane another yes Caiet an and Stapleton say there 's more in keyes then binding and loosing we leaue them to Bellarmine hee confutes Caietan in that by the generall consent of Fathers What can the keyes doe but open and shut We shut men out of heauen by sinne by the Grace of the Gospell they are admitted So by sinne we are bound and bound ouer to eternall condemnation in the chaines of darkenesse By the Gospell we are loosed from sinne to the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God 1 In the keyes then the power is promised 2 The function is declared so saith the Catechisme vpon the Councell of Trent challenge them therfore vpon their Oath Sacram Scripturam nunquam nisi iuxta vnanimem consensum Patrum accipiam aut interpretabor This Scripture being taken according to common consent and interpretation of the Fathers as the Bull of Oath made by Pope Pius the fourth and annexed to the Councell of Trent doth witnesse all shall be well at length 2 What is heere promised to Peter that is not giuen to all Iohn the 20. and the 23. verse Sicut me pater As my Father hath sent me so send I you A larger commission cannot bee giuen in plaine words much lesse in a metaphor Then sicut me Pater misit The Father sent mee to open heauen to the penitent so send I you The Father sent me to preach liberty to the captiues and to them that are bound Esa 61.1 the opening of the prison so send I you Whose sinnes ye remitte they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained If this power were giuen by breathing Christ breathed no more vpon Peter then on the rest for ought we know If the Apostles were made Bishops by laying clouen tongues on their heads we finde no more vpon Peter then the rest If the Apostles be the twelue foundations wee finde not Peter greater then the rest If twelue precious stones in the Reuelation the first is esteemed no more precious vnlesse in our estimation Bellarmine vrged by Caluin Cal. lib. 4. Instit c. 6. Sect. 1. Bell. de Rom. pont l. 1. c. 9.2 Cor. 11.28 How Scripture still giueth the chiefe power to the Apostles equally without preferring Peter before the rest yeeldeth the Bucklers Summa potestas ecclesiastica non solum data est Petrosed etiam alijs Apostolis Omnes poterant dicere Instantia mea quotidiana solicitudo omnium Ecclesiarum fuit enim in illis Ecclesiae primordijs necessarium ad fidem toto orbe terrarum celeritèr disseminandam vt primis praedicatoribus Ecclesiae fundatoribus summa potestas concederetur Mortuis autem Apostolis Apostolica authoritas insola petrisuccessione permansit Is it come to this that their labour was alike that they were all equally the chiefe Preachers that they were all in the same degree founders of the Church and the disseminators of the Catholique Faith The streame of the texts and the current of Antiquity interpreting the same hath driuen him to that Ingenuity What doe wee contending about Peters supremacy amongst these texts Wee had thought hee would haue fetched it from Peter Peter neuer had it search it then from Linus or Clement he that succeeded Peter we do not know who it was 1 Obserue they vrge it as Ius Diuinum and perswade weakelings that of Conscience vnder paine of condemnation we acknowledge our selues members of that Vniuersall Bishop and that out of Scripture Scripture doth not once mention him much lesse giue any preheminence to him aboue the rest 2 Bellarmine belabors al the texts Super banc petram Tibi dabo claues c. as if still Peter had something more then the rest he hath spun such a thred in this point that no spiders thred is more subtill Peter had the grant but neuer to enioy it one houre It was to begin in his successors but after his death So they must haue it from Peter else not Iure diuino else not as the Vicar of Christ or from him yet Peter neuer had it himselfe Somewhat there was which was giuen to Peter in these Texts but to begin after his death and after the death of all the rest It is worth examining for wee neuer came to the maine point till now Goe on with these texts which they presse but you shall finde this to be the issue of all TRACT VII IOHN 21.16 Feede my sheepe LEt vs handle this text occasionally hauing the last Tearme propounded the maine point The Quere whereupon the resolution of mindes vnresolued in Religion do depend to wit whether a man stand bound in conscience to forsake this present Church in which we are baptized and Catechized to bee reconciled to the Church of Rome vnder paine of eternal condemnation so they propound it to their disciples Concerning which I haue made these demands 1 Wee demand some cleere euidence for our Conscience else it were not onely rashnesse but a great sinne in so great a matter that the Church of Rome is the onely Church wherein is saluation 2 Whereas to this testimony of the Church that is of Rome for other they will acknowledge none that shee alone is the onely true Catholicke Church we take exception in this point to
it is not relied vpon That which indeed is stood vpon and the very maine issue of the whole question es that Bellarmine pitcheth vpon deuised by some latter schoolemen a little before That the Apostles were all equall during their liues Mortuis autem Apostolis summa potest as in solo Petri successore permansit The Apostles for terme of life had as much authority as Peter but Peter as an ordinary Pastor for his successors and that by vertue of this Text Pasce Oues Peter as Pastor they as Delegates hee ordinary they out of speciall grace so as all their successors shall heereafter depend vpon Peters successors and deriue their power from them Where note by the way that the visible Church of Christ from the Ascension into heauen till the death of the Apostles which was aboue sixty yeares The Church I say had no one visible head all the Apostles were alike all supreame Gouernors and euer after though the circuit were farre greater and the people in the Church farre more vnruly yet it shall haue but one to gouerne all and he sometimes but a silly one God wott yet shall his charge bee greater his dignity more excellent and his command more absolute then euer Peters was for Peter had many peeres euery whit as good as himselfe But let vs follow the point This onely was Peters priuiledge aboue his fellowes That authority which hee had in common with the rest during their liues he might as the ordinary Pastor of the Church conferre it wholly vpon his successor of Rome so might no other What all that authority wholly I le be carefull for doing them any wrong Not their Apostolicall authority but all their Episcopall and Pastorall authority which is to be perpetually in the Church by vertue of this Pasce Popes doe not challenge to bee called immediately of Christ Apostles to haue seene Christ in the flesh as the Apostles did to worke miracles to be free from error in preachings and writings as the Apostles were sauing in their seate when they haue the Church about them That which is pastorall is perpetuall Peter is a Pastour by vertue of this Text Pasce Therefore he may conferre this authority vpon his successours so haue you their meaning let vs follow it It is a sure rule Species aequè participatur in Indiuiduis that which agrees to a man as a man agrees to euery man Quod conuenit homini vt homo singulis hominibus pastori vt pastor singulis pastoribus Now that which is sayd heere to Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 feede my sheepe is sayd to the Presbyters in the Acts of the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 20.28 To feede the Church yea but they meane not that Peter is as an ordinary Pastor then somewhat must be added to this Text It s not pasce oues meas will carry it It must bee pasce prae caeteris or pasce pastores Either feede before the rest or feede them that feede else pascere Ecclesiam is as much as pascere oues if not more Heere is nothing singular in this text but the singular number thrice repeating of it alluding to the thrice denying of Christ which will not be for their credit to stand vpon for it is noted by an Ancient and let vs not forget it to be rather a stay of his weaknesse then a note of his greatnesse But let vs follow their conceit without Scripture Peter was cheefe Pastor of the whole Church therefore had power as Pastor to leaue that power to his successours Were not the rest of the Apostles Pastours as well as Peter had not they this power as well as hee I meane not Apostolicall but Episcopall and Pastorall which is perpetuall Heare what Bellarmine hath ingenuously deliuered from the consent of the ancient Lib. 4.24 Sicut me misit pater factos esse his Christiverbis Apostolos Christs vicartos immò ipsum Christi officium aut horitatem accepisse en Apostolica authoritate contineri omnem potestatem ecclesiasticam sicut me misit pater siquidem misit filium summa potestate praeditum That they are all the Vicars of Christ that they haue all the office and authority of Christ himselfe hauing alledged the fathers to this end hee inferres thus Vbi vides idem dari Apostolis per illa verba ego mitto vos quod Petro fuit promissum per illatibi dabo claues postea exhibitum per illa pasce oues meas id est iurisdictionem plenissimam etiam exteriorem Bellarmine concludes that that full and outward iurisdiction that was promised to Peter in the keyes and exhibited to him in his pasce was also giuen to all the Apostles in their generall Commission Sicut me misit iam sumus ergo pares These Texts that we haue troubled you withall leaue them equall why may not then the rest of the Apostles make their successours in other Churches aswell as Peter at Rome and if we may credit Ecclesiasticall writers so they did Iames left Simeon to succeed him at Ierusalem Simeon left Iustus Iustus left Zacheus and so along Iohn left Polycarpus in Smyrna as Tertullian auouches Paul left Timothy at Ephesus Titus in Creete Dionysius at Athens as Eusebius All this they confesse Where are we now Wee are come to a narrower issue so narrow that it crowdes the supremacy in peeces for how can the successours of Paul of Iohn and of the rest depend vpon Rome They fetch it from the other Apostles They immediately from Christ as you haue heard Sicut me misit Bellarmine sayes It is a prerogatiue which is not found in Scripture but in other authors as in Iohannes de Turrecremata Peter was made Bishop by Christ and Peter made all the rest of the Bishops why Alioquienim cum omnes Apostoli plurimos Episcopos in varijs locis constituerint si Apostoli ipsi non sint facti Episcopi à Petro certè maxima pars Episcoporum non deducet originem suam à Petro. If not the Apostles then not the greatest part of Bishops take their originall from Peter then we are vndone Bellarmine makes an obiection If Peter made Iudas Bishop our answer is Iudas was no Bishop no In the Acts Let another man take his Bishopricke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That 's but praefecturam Did he make Iohn Bishop the Disciple whom Iesus loued did he make Paul Bishop who does so glory that his authority came not of men or by men Galat. 1.1 Then comes in Bellarmine In Apostolica authoritate contineri omnem potestatem Ecclesiasticam sicut me misit In good time now the Popedome is conteined in the Apostleship had Campian got vs at such a vantage how he would haue gloryed with his spectatum admissi risum teneatis amici I do protest I haue beaten my braine to reconcile them in this point and I cannot I would gladly haue a sentence of a Father that Peter made Paul Bishop or Iohn