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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A03884	A treatise concerning the church Wherin it is shewed, by the signes, offices, and properties therof, that the Church of Rome (and consequently such particuler churches as liue in her communion) is the only true church of Christ. VVritten in Latin, by the Reuerend Father Iames Gordon Huntley of Scotland, Doctour of Diuinity, of the Society of Iesus. And translated into English by I.L. of the same Society. The third part of the second controuersy.; Controversiarum epitomes. English. Selections	Gordon, James, 1541-1620.; Wright, William, 1563-1639.	1614 (1614)	STC 13997B; ESTC S114238	53,360	142

alwayes euer since the Apostles tyme performed ●ea there are many heresies the which euen our Aduersaries doe condemne which were in tymes past not by any genera●l Councell but only by the Church of Rome suppressed as that of the Pelagians Donatists Priscillianistes c. 18. The fi●th reason The office of the true Church is by her name cōmunion to distinguish true Catholikes from false and counterfaite but by the name and Communion of the Roman Church Catholikes were alwayes distinguished from heretikes He asked the Bishop sayth S. Ambrose speaking of his brother whether he agreed with the Catholike Bishops that is to saywith the Roman Church So also S. Ambrose and S. Victor Vticensis who liued in S. Augustines tyme do testi●y that the Arians were wont to call Catholikes Romans or Romanists the same w●iteth S. Gregory Turonensis of the Arrian Gothes which were in Spaine The Bishops also of Spayne being cōuerted from Arianisme to the Catholike fayth among other things they condemned a certayne booke set for●h by the Arians with this title The passage o● the Romans to the Arrian Church So the heretiks called Paulitians called Catholikes Romanists as Euthimius testi●ieth Soe finally now adayes Chatholikes are by our Aduersaries called Papists and Romists of the Pope and Bishop of the Roman Church 19. The sixt reason the office of the true Church is to keepe and mayntaine the holy Scripture faithfully continually But our Aduersaries can assigne noe other Church as keepers of the holy Scrip●ures besides the Roman Church Therfore it is only the true Church of God For our A●uersar●es cannot say that they receaued the holy Scripture from heauen ●or from any i●uisible and vnknowne Church but from the visible Roman Church Wherefore sayth Caluin It is most certaine that all the writings os the Prophets and Apostles came no otherwise to all posterity but as it were from hand to hand deliuered vnto vs by the auncient Fathers continually from yeare to yeare Thus he But none hath deliuered the Bibles frō hād to hand but the Romā Church Wherefore it is as certaine that the Roman Church is the true Church of Christ as that the holy Scripture is true Scripture seeing we do not know this which we haue to be true Scripture but by the authority tradition and testimony of the Roman Church 20. Vnto this that also belongeth which we haue proued before to wit that the true Church doth not only giue a bare testimony but also sufficient authoritie to the holy Scriptures for this the onelye Roman Church and no other aboundātly performeth 21. The seauenth reason The office of the true Church is to iudge of all controuersies which do arise among Christians eyther in points of fayth or other Ecclesiasticall affayres But to the Roman Church only and to no other besides all controuersies were brought which arose in the Church eyther in fayth or other Ecclesiasticall matters For vnto this as to the seate of S. Peter and the supreme Church all had recourse who had any iniury or wrong done them So S. Athanasius Patriarch of Alexandria so Peter his successor so S. Iohn Chrysostome Patriarch of Constantinople and many others did of whom Bellarmine and Baronius more at large the which Caluin also cannot deny 22. Heereunto also it belongeth that the Roman Church hath confirmed all generall Councels lawfully assembled as Bellarmine declareth and Baronius more at large in euery age 23. The eight reason The office of the true Church is to ordaine appoint lawfull Pastors and Ministers of the Sacraments and to conserue alwayes the ordinary vocatiō as we also proued before But our Aduersaries can assigne no other Church but the Roman which hath alwayes had this ordinary vocation and cō●inuall succession of Pastors and the ordinary authority to send and institute Pastors in the Church of God 24. The ninth reason The office of the true Church is to teach a true faith without any error so that in no one point of doctrine necessary to saluation she may erre as we haue already proued out of holy Scriptures But our Aduersaries can shew no other Church besids the Romā which hath not often erred in fayth Neyther dare our Aduersaries affirme that there is as yet among them any visible Church which cannot erre in fayth But Doctor Sanders Bellarmine Coccius and L●ro●ius do most euidētly demostrate that the Roman Church neuer erred hitherto in doctrine concerning matters of faith 15. And heere it is to be considered that in all other Churches found●d by the Apostles yea in the Patriarks seates themselues there haue not b●n only heresies but also many Archbishops heretikes but only the Roman Church among them all hath alwaies byn free vnsteined with any heresy The which Caluin doth plainly acknowledge when he writeth that the Roman Church in the tyme of old heresyes was not so troublesome as other Churches were and that it kept more exactly then the rest the doctrine once deliuered vnto her by the Apostles But he badly ascribeth this to the power and strength of nature or to the generous dispositiō of the Romans not to the prouidence and grace of God 26. Much better did the auncient Bishops of Rome referre it to the singular prouidence of God and to the praier of Christ of the which Christ himselfe speaketh when he sayth But I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy fayth fayle not And indeed Bellarmine alledgeth seauen auncient Bishops of Rome which attribute this to the prayer of Christ. 27. The tenth reason The proper and chiefest office of the true Church is to bring men to their eternall saluation so that without her helpe or without her we cannot hope to be saued as we proued before by our Aduersaries doctrine We aske therfore of them whether our predecessors who liued vnder the Bishops of Rome these thousand yeares past were all damned or no they dare not affirme they were damned but out of the true Church of God we cannot hope for saluation the Roman Church therfore wherein they liued and obteined their saluation is the true Church of Christ. CHAP. V. By the signes of the true Church it is declared that the Roman is the true Church of Christ. WE haue declared out of the holy Scriptures that there are foure most certaine signes of the true Church of Christ all which doe proue the Roman to be the same Church we speake of 2. First as concerning the vnity of faith and doctrine the Church of Rome hath the same faith in all and euery particular point therof with the primitiue Church as also with that Church which hath continued now for the space of almost a thousand six hundred yeares as Coccius clearely declareth out of the writings of all both auncient and late Historiographers and that through euery article now in Controuersy And we will hereafter

lawfully assembled and seeme to proceede orderly the definitions notwithstanding thereof will not be altogeather certayne according to the opinion of many Catholikes vnlesse they haue their approbation from the Bishop of Rome if he be not present at the Councell The reason is because before that the Councell be approued and allowed of by the Pope it is as yet an vnperfect body of Christ without any visible head and such a body may stumble fall 11. And hence it is that the Councell of Trent demanded her confirmation from Pius 4. who solemnely afterward confirmed it The which also the other auncient Councells demaunded yea euen those which our Aduersaries do admit as for example the first Nicene Councell that of Calcedon the sixt Synod to omit other later Councells 12. The first is that we affirme a Generall Councell approued by the Pope cannot erre in fayth The reason is because it is altogeather necessary that there be some supreme iudgmēt in the Church of God wherunto all should submit themselues and belieue assuredly in all matters in Cōtrouersy as we haue proued before but there can be no other supreme iudgment but this 13. Moreouer we see that euen frō the beginning of the Church till now all heresies and controuersies concerning matters of faith haue byn still ended taken away by the generall Councels Wherfore they who deny this do open make way for all old Heresies The which when our Aduersaries had learned by experience in the Anti-trinitarians Anabaptistes Vbiquitarians and such other sectes they were forced to admit those six more auncient Councels as we sayd before but the authority of all Generall Councells is alike and equall 14. Finally our Aduersaries themselues acknowledge that there is no better or surer remedy to roote out and take away all her●sies therfore eyther this is a certaine remedy or els there is none at all the which to affirme were to deny the prouidence of God and his loue of his Church 15. Moreouer that which our Aduersaries say to wit that the later Councels are not lawfull Assemblies because they haue not obserued due manner and forme is a false lye first because it doth not become euery priuate man to be iudge in this matter but it belongeth to the whole Church who hauing receyued for so many ye●res all these as lawfull Councells we must not call them any more in question 16. And seing that our Aduersaries do imbrace and approue the six first Councels the lawfull forme to be obserued in Councells is to be fetched from them the which is exactly obserued in the later Councells as Baronius sheweth euidently in euery one of the first six Councells But Caluin acknowledgeth no lawfull manner of any synodicall assembly nor any such to be gathered togeather in the name of Christ but where all things are proued by Scripture only reiecting all Ecclesiasticall traditions but we haue already proued that the Traditions of the Church of God are as a principall and chiefest part of the word of God 17. Yea euen this was the only cause why S. Cyprian and so many other holy Byshops erred in the African Councells when they determined that all those who were christned by Heretikes should be baptized againe for they confirmed this their opinion very probably by many places of holy Scripture but they reiected the auncient tradition of the Church the which they knew very well was opposite to this error as though it had byn contrary to the holy Scriptures as S. Vincentius Lyrinensis declareth very well and before him S. Augustine in many places 18. And that which is more S. Augustine manifestly writeth that he had byn of S. Cyprians opinion by reason of those probable reasons which were deduced out of holy Scripture but that the whole Catholike Church had defined the contrary And as the same holy Father teacheth at large they most of all oppugne the custome of the Church which were in the same error with S. Cyprian obiecting among other thinges that place of the holy Scripture the which our Aduersaries now adayes obiect against vs. God saith I am the truth he doth not say I am the custome Vnto whome S. Augustine answereth very well that the custome of the Church is not opposite to truth but it is euen truth it selfe 19. Our Aduersaries arguments are of small account or moment Caluin bringeth in the example of Caiphas and of the Iewish Councell wherin Christ wa● condemned the same argument Beza also alledgeth But who doth not know that this was neyther a generall Councell whereunto Christ was not called nor any other true belieuer nor lawfull in it selfe seing that it was not assembled in the name and authority of Christ who was then the supreme head of the visible and militant Church as also because it was called togeather against the true Church of God by the wicked and cursed Synagogue of the Iewes For that was the true Church which adhered vnto Christ and belieued in him but that other which was altogeather depriued had lost the true faith of Christ was rather a fit Church for Sa●han and other infernall spirits And I meruaile truly that Caluin ●nd Bez● do alledge that Councell as true and lawfull which was assembled against Christ himselfe as also by those who were not true belieuers in Christ yea who were filthily stayned with the most heynous synne of infidelity as Christ himselfe witnesseth but we willingly leaue such a Church and Councell to our Aduersaries 20. It was also manifestly foretould by the Prophet that Christ should not be receyued by the Iewes and that the Synagogue of the Iewes should then fall from her faith But the holy Scriptures teach the plaine contrary of the true Church of Christ to wit that Christ and his spirit shall remayne with her for euer 21. But neyther is that other argument which Caluin and Beza vse any better to wit that S. Augustine would not vrge the authority of the Councell of Nice against Maximinus the Arian For neyther can we vrge the authority of the new testament against the Iewes not because we haue any doubt thereof but because the Iewes do not admit the new Testament In the same manner when that Arian would not admit the Councell of Nice but did plainly rei●ct it S. Augustine should in vayne haue vrged the authority therof for otherwise it is well knowne that S. Augustine neuer had any doubt of the fayth explicated in the Councell of Nice the which euen our Aduersaries imbrace as the most true word of God 22. Such as desire to see any more concerning this controuersy of the Generall Councells let them read Bellarmine in his first second booke of the Church militant and Coccius in his first Tome the seauenth booke the 21. 22. article CHAP. XI Of the Authority of the auncient Holy Fathers NOvv it remayneth

A TREATISE CONCERNING THE CHVRCH WHERIN It is shewed by the Signes Offices and Properties therof that the Church of Rome and consequently such particuler Churches as liue in her Communion is the only true Church of CHRIST VVRITTEN In Latin by the Reuerend Father Iames Gordon Huntley of Scotland Doctour of Diuinity of the Society of IESVS And translated into English by I. L. of the same Society The third Part of the second Controuersy Permissu Superiorum M. DC XIV THE FIRST CHAPTER Of the false and true Signes or Markes of the Church in generall HAVING in the precedent Cōtrouersyes declared that Christ and all that good is can only be found in the true Church and that out of it there is nothing but euerlasting damnation now it remayneth that we enquire which is that true Church where it may be found and how it is described and set forth in holy Scripture for all the sectes of heresies go about to challenge her vnto themselues yea euen those who otherwise haue a very bad conceyt and opinion of her For they see very well that out of her they can expect or hope for no saluation But to the end we may not erre in matter of so great moment we will seeke out the true Markes and Signes wherby the true Church may be certainly knowne and discerned from euery faile and counterfait Church 2. Our Aduersaries doe commonly set downe two signes or markes of the true Church to wit the sincere preaching of the word of God and the lawfull administration of the Sacraments B●za addeth a third signe to wit the Ecclesiasticall discipline practised agreable to the word of God The Lutherans annexed vnto these a fourth signe to wit an Obedience towards ministers O● this fourth signe we will speake a little after for it is reduced to the vnity of the Church But the three signes set downe by the Caluinists are altogeather foolish and friuolous the which we proue thus 3. First by the very nature of a signe For euery signe of it owne nature is a sensible thing as all teach following therein S. Augustine and our Aduersaries confesse this to be true when they treat of the Sacraments Yea Caluin writeth that this was alwaies as it were a matter of faith in the Church And so do all teach now who are of vnderstanding Truly non● will say that which is only belieued in the Sacrament is a signe but that which is seene But these signes of the Church prescribed by our Aduersaries can neyther be seen nor perceyued by any sense Yea not euen by our vnderstanding vnlesse it be illuminated by faith For by faith only are they perceyued because none can know which is the sincere preaching lawfull administration of the Sacraments or Ecclesiasticall discipline prescribed by Christ but by faith wherfore they who say that these are the signes and markes of the Church do not indeed know what they say euen as if one should affirme that in the Sacrament of baptisme the ablution and the wordes are not signes but the effect of baptisme which is not seene which euery man seeth how absurd it is 4. The second reason Euery signe of anything must be more manifest and better knowne then the thing it selfe whose signe it is because it is put for that end that it may be a signe or token wherby that other thing may be known but these signes of the Church alleadged by our Aduersaries are more obscure and vncertaine then the Church it self For the Church is at the least often tymes visible as they thēselues confesse but these their signes be neuer visible but alwaies inuisib●e for they can only be knowne by fait● 〈◊〉 we haue already declared but that which is by faith belieued is necessarily obscure because faith as witnesseth the Apostle is the arg●ment of things not appearing hence it is that all sectes do bragge and boast that they haue these signes because indeed they cānot be clearly seene of any 5. The third reason our Aduersaries do ●lledge in va●ne these signes for therfore do we enquire for signes and Markes of the Church that they which are ignorant of ●er may therby come to know her for they who already know any thing do not need any signes as for example he who already knoweth very well this Citty needeth no markes or signe therof wherby he may know it But he stādeth in need of signes who neuer saw this Citty So in like manner they w●o are out of the Church and know her not do most of all need some signe and markes wherby to know her but these which our Aduersaries assigne can be knowne by none but by those who are already within the Church and know her very well hauing the true faith 〈…〉 therof but they cannot be vnderstood by those who know not the true Church to the end they may seeke and fynd her because they are only perceyued and knowne by faith they are therfore alleadged in vaine by our Aduersaries 6. But neyther can these signes be knowne of all those who are in the Church but only of the more learned in the Church For euery one of the common people cannot discerne which is the sincere preaching of the word of God or the lawfull administration of the Sacraments and the Ecclesiasticall discipline prescribed by the word of God for it is necessary that he who knoweth all these things well should also vnderstand almost all the holy Scripture Moreouer there is as yet a very great controuersy among ou● Aduersaries themselues concerning these three signes whiles that some of them doe contend striue that this is the sincere preaching of the word of God others that some doe say that this is the lawfull administration of the Sacraments others that some doe say this is the discipline prescribed by the word of God others assigne another quite different from this 7. But our Aduersaries do in very truth confound the offices of the Church with the signes therof For to preach sincerely to administer the Sacraments lawfully and to appoint the discipline of the Church rightly are the offices of the Church as we haue declared before and not the signes therof these signes therfore being reiected which our Aduersaries do assigne it remayneth that we enquire out the true signes of the Church 8. But this is first to be presupposed as it were the ground of all that we are to speake of this matter That euen naturall reason it selfe doth clearly demōstrat that there is some true Church of God heere vpon earth For this is one of those first principles of fayth which are as euidently proued by naturall reason as that there is a God Wherfore the Apostle placeth these two amōgst the fi●st grounds of our faith he that cou●ueth to God saith he must belieue that he is is a rewarder to thē that seeke him But they which so seeke after God that they may be rewarded by him are

Christ and one chayre might be made manifest and knowne Hitherto S. Cyprian 11. But now that these promises of Christ did not only belong to the person of S. Peter but also to all those who were to succeed him in the same office till the end of the world we do thus clearly proue and demonstrate First because S. Peter is heere made the foundation of the Church and the rocke wherupon it is buylded but the Church of Christ alwayes remayneth therfore the foundation therof must alwayes remayne seing that nothing can continue and be without it foundation 12. Moreouer those keyes which were giuen to S. Peter do remayne alwaies in the Church as all our Aduersaries confesse Ergo he also remayneth to whom these keyes were giuen For that authoritye or those keyes were not giuen for S. Peter alone but for the Church which is alwayes extant It therfore alwaies retayneth those keyes and that authority of bynding or loosing men from their sinnes in S. Peter and his successors till the end of the world 13. And this is that which S. Leo saith when he writeth that S. Peter euen to this day gouerneth the Church of God that is to say by his successors insomuch that his dignity neuer fayleth euen in an vnworthy successor But hitherto there was neuer any successor of S. Peter acknowledged in the Church of Christ besides the Byshop of Rome He therefore is the only successor of S Peter and the supreme Byshop of the Church And the Roman is not only the true Church of Christ but also preferred before all others euen by Christ himselfe 14. The second place is Feede my lābes feede my sheepe In which wordes God cōmended to S. Peter not only his lambes which signifieth the common sorte of people but also his sheepe to wit the Pastors and Fathers of his Church First saith Eusebius Emissenus he committed to S. Peter his lambes and then his sheepe because he made him not only a Pastor but the Pastor of Pastors Peter therefore feedeth the lambes and also the sheepe He fe●deth children and their mothers he ruleth the peo●le and their Prelates He is ther●ore the Pastor o● all becaus● besides lambes and sheepe there is nothing in the Church Hitherto Eusebius And S. Bernard My sheepe saith Christ Vnto whome is it not plaine and manifest that he did not assi●n● some but all nothing is excepted where there is no distinction made Thus S. Bernard And S. Leo Peter doth properly gouerne all whome principally Christ also gouerneth 15. Furthermore it is manifest that these wordes were spoken to S. Peter and not to the other Apostles seing that Christ asked him thrice Doest thou loue me And moreouer he added more then these that he might make a manifest distinction betwixt S. Peter and the other Apostles 16. Finally it is most certaine that this promise of Christ doth not only appertayne to the person of S. Peter but also to his successors which are to remayne in the Church till the end of the world For both the Apostle doth plainly testify and our Aduersaries do also confesse that the office of a Pastor is ordinary and shall alwaies continue and be in the Church of God 17. And the chiefest re●son hereof is because we stand in no lesse need now of a supreme Pastor then they which were in the primitiue Church whiles yet the Apostles were aliue yea we haue much more need therof besides that there are still and alwaies shal be some sheepe of Christ therfore there shall also still continue their chiefe Pastour The Roman Church therfore is not only the true Church of Christ but also that wherein S. Peters successor and the supreme Pastour of the whole Church of Christ remayneth 18. But these two places are so manifest that they cannot be confuted or wrested to any other sense vnlesse we will reduce all wordes to a metaphoricall signification or other figuratiue speaches the which is a common tricke of our Aduersaries whē they are vrged with plaine wordes of the holy scripture But against all these falsifications of our Aduersaries we must alwaies obserue that rule of the Catholike Church taken out of S. Augustine to wit that we must neuer depart from the proper signification of the words of holy Scripture vnlesse we be forced by the authority of some more euident poynt of faith wherunto the proper significatiō of the wordes do manifestly repugne For otherwise if we might as often as we would refuse and leaue the proper signification of the wordes there will be nothing lesse certayne in all the holy Scripture 19. Moreouer it will be an easy matter for euery one to fly to metaphors and improper significatiōs when he is pressed with the playne wordes of holy Scripture but there is nothing heere that should force vs to departe from the true and proper sense of the wordes None therefore but desperate and carelesse of their owne saluation will giue credit and belieue these foolish toyes and dreames of our Aduersaries inuented only by them in hatred and con●empt of the Byshop of Rome 20. Yea he will rather imbrace and follow the vniforme consent and vnderstanding of the aunci●nt Fathers and of all the whole Church For the holy Fathers in many places do affirme that ●h●se two laces of the holy Scripture are to be vnderstood litterally of S. Peter the which Bellarmine and Coccius haue diligently gathered togeather as many other Catholike Authors haue done before them But because this matter is so cleare and manifest that euen our Aduersarsaries cānot deny it as we will plainly shew in the next Chapter we wil not now spend any more tyme in alleadging of Authors 21. But our Aduersaries doe heere cry out and obiect against vs that the holy Fathers doe sometymes affirme that the Church was built vpon the fayth of S. Peter and sometymes vpon his confession As though forsooth there were any among vs so foolish as to thinke that the Church was built vpon S. Peters back or shoulders or vpon S. Peter as he was an Infidell or dumme and not rather vpon S. Peter as indued and replenished with the gift of faith confessing and professing openly the mysteries thereof Wherfore it is all one whether we say that the Church is built vpon S. Peter or vpon his faith and confession for we do not separate S. Peter from his fayth or from the publike pro●ession therof but we only affirme that the Church of Christ was b●ilt vpon the faith and confession of S. Peter alone and of no other 22. And hence it is that the same holy Fathers who in some places affirme that the Church was built vpon the faith and confession of S. Peter do els where plainly testify that it was built vpon S. Peter himselfe Yea euen in the same place they sometymes say that it was built vpon the faith or confession of S. Peter and sometymes vpon S. Peter

hims●lfe as appeareth by S. Epiphanius and S. Chrysostome 23. We know also very well that S. Augustine in some places vnderstood by this word rocke Christ himselfe but he doth not reiect the common exposition of other holy Fathers y●a he confirmeth the same by the authority of S. Ambrose and he testifieth himselfe that he held that opinion in other places For they are not to be reprehended but rather to be greatly commended who attribute many litterall senses to the same wordes of the holy Scripture so that they do not reiect and condemn the common and approued ●ense of the whole Church as we haue already declared out of S. Augustine 24. Truely euen our Aduersaries themselues confesse that the forsayd exposition of S. Augustine is both forced harsh in it selfe For seeing that neyther in the words of Christ which goe before nor in the confessiō it selfe of S. Peter there is any mention made of a rock the particle this cannot demonstrate that which is not in the whole sentence but violently Wherfore our Aduersaries leauing this exposition of S. Augustine they vnderstand by the rock eyther the fayth of S. Peter as Caluin doth or with Beza his confession And they both confesse that the word Cepha in the Siriacke tongue is the same in both places when Christ sayth thou art Peter and vpon this rocke and the Greeke word also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do only differ in their terminations and not in substance 25. But albeit Caluin commendeth that deriuatiō of the word Peter which S. Augustine setteth down to wit that Petrus is named of Petra as Christanus of Christo yet Beza writeth more truely that Christ speaking in the Siriacke toung vsed no deriuation of names but sayd Cepha in both places Our Aduersaries therefore do not well to obiect S. Augustines exposition against vs the which they themselues acknowledge not to be the litterall sense of the wordes CHAP. VII That the Church of Rome is the chiefes● and head of all other is proued out of the auncient Fathers and euen by the confession of our Aduersaries thēselues THE auncient holy Fathers do no● only wi●h v●iforme consent affirme the Roman to be the true Church of Christ but also that it is the chiefest most principall Church of all in so much that they affirme it to be the head of the whole visible Church of Christ and many other things they do write in the prayse and commendation of the Roman Church and of th● Pope the supreme Pastor thereof as may euident●y be ●eene in Catholike writer● which are related by Bellarmine and Coccius We for breuity sake wi●l only all●dge two of the holy Fathers by whom it may e●si●y be gathered what was the iudg●ent and ●pinion of the ●e●● concerning this matter 2. The first is that most ancient holy S. Ir●naeus who liued euen in the Apos●les tym● because sayth 〈◊〉 it would be to long to re●ount in 〈◊〉 vol●me the succession of al Churches w● pro●osing t●e tradition and ●ay●hos the greatest most anci●●t and left knowne Church founded by the two glorious Apos●les Peter and Paul which by preaching and succession of Bishops hath descended e●en f●●m the Apostles to vs do con●ound all those who by any meanes gat●er any thing contrary to that they should eyt●er by their owne ●oolish fancies or by vayne glory or by the great blindnesse of their vnders●anding or ●ol●owing any badde opinion For all other Churches that is to say all faythful● true belieuers th●oughout the whole world must needes come vnto this Church by reason of the most potent principality thereof Hitherto are the wordes of S. I●enaeus And afterward he recounteth the succession of all the Popes of Rome till his tyme. 3. The other is S. Augustine whom our Aduersaries also esteeme very much who knoweth not sayth he that blessed S. Peter was the chiefest and head of all the Apostles thus S. Augustine of S. Peter But speaking of the Church of Rome ●e sayth In the Romane Church hath alwayes florished the chiefe powe● an●●●●●●●ity of t●e Ap●st●licall chayre If we belieue S. Augustine nothing is more clea●e an● mani●●● 4. But it is not necessary to cite any ●ore places of the holy Fathers For euen our Adu●rsari●s conf●ss● that this was the common opinion of a●l the auncient Father concerning this matter Thus w●iteth Martin Bu●●r ●●m●ty●es ●aluins mais●er and chiefe Pa●●●n not only in his owne name but also of all 〈◊〉 Lutheranes we confess● plai●ly with all our harts sayth he that among the auncient Fathers of the Church the C●u●ch of ●ome hath alwayes obteined the chiefest aut●o●ity and s●pr●macy aboue all others because it hath the c●ayre of S. Peter and whose Bishops haue alwayes byn acc●ū●ed the successors of S. Peter thus Bucer 5. And Caluin albeit he inueigheth bitterly against the Church of Rome yet constreined to speake truth writeth in this manner I will first say this aforehand that I deny not but that the old writers doe euery where giue great honour to the Church of Rome and do speake reuerently of it And a little after he sayth thus For that same opinion which I wo●e not how was growen in force that it was founded and ordeined by the ministery of Peter much auail●d to procure sauour and estimation vnto it Th●refore in the west partes it was for honours sake called the Sea Apost●l●ke And in another place I graunt sayth he that there remayn● al●o t●ue Epis●les of the old Bishops wherein they set ●orth the honour of their sea with glorious titles of which sort are some Epistles of Leo. 6. But t●e Lutherans in their Synodicall actes doe acknowledg that euē in the tyme o● the fi●st Councell of Nice in the dayes of Cyprian S. Hierome and S. Augustine the Pope o● Rome had the chiefe supremacy the which say they we willingly admit and imbrace to increase the good agreement in fayth piety and Ecclesias●icall policy for they very well perceiued that this supremacy of the Pope of Rome did auaile much to keepe vnity and concord in doctrine and Ecclesiasticall policy 7. And hence it is that the sayd Lutheranes in their articles agreed vpon at Smalcalde the which they made in the yeare 1537. to be exhibited to the generall Councell which was reported to be holden at Mantua among other articles they appr●ued t●is of the Popes authority and vnto these Philip Melancthon also subscribed Who also afterward in the yeare 1548. far more euidētly approued the Popes authority writing thus in his Epistle to the Lord Embassador Theopulus Besides these sayth he we reuerently honour and worship the authority of the Roman Bishop and all Ecclesiasticall policy so that the Bishop of Rome do not reiect vs. Thus Philip in that place 8. But what was the most true opinion of Melancthon concerning this matter appeareth more euidently by a certaine