heavenly building 1. Cor. 3. though our saviour Christ Iesus bee the chief fundation and corner stone yet next to himself hee hath placed Saint Peter and hath vpon him as vpon a firme rock builded his church which is as much to say as that hee gave him firme and infallible authoritie vpon which all the faithfull should rely for finall resolution in all doubts of faith religion and manners which do necessarily appartayne to the edifying of Christs church this may serue for a cursory exposition of the first fountaine of holy scripture out of which I derived that our Saviour bestowed vpon S. Peter the supreme place of government in his church a fuller confirmation of it shall follow by and by 6 I might add for further proof of the same position out of Saint Iohns Gospell how our blessed Lord severing Saint Peter from the rest of the Apostles and intimating how S. Peter loved him more then anie of them gave to him as head pastor the charge of both his sheepe and lambes that is of all Christians aswell the cleargy as the laity to bee by him instructed ruled and governed as the flock of sheepe is fed and ruled by the shepheard which according to the ancient doctors testimonie doth verie plainly confirme Saint Peters supremacie as you shall heare presently out of their own wordes yet this though it bee most pregnant among the rest I then omitted because the question of the supremacy was not to bee handled there at the full I touched also a third text to prove that the Bishop of Rome as Saint Peters successor should never faile in confirming of his brethren in the true faith taken out of Saint Luke where our Lord saith Simon Simon behold Luca 22. sataÌ„ hath required to haue you for to sifte as wheate but I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not and thou once converted confirme thy brethreÌ„ wher vpon it followeth that all others ought to repaire to him and his successors for resolution of all controversies in faith to bee confirmed by him and are bound therby to obey him as the person to whom Christ gaue power to confirme his brethren Of the first text of scripture shal bee treated more at large in this section for the others I will onlie note some places of the holy fathers where the reader maie see the very same explication of Christes words and deduction that I make here by their auctoritie approved bicause M. Abbot doth here verie hotly call for such testimonies and seemeth so earnestly sett vpon the sight of them that I must needes giue him out of hand at least the quotations of them in the margent and then small doubt but hee will presently bee satisfied if there bee such honestie in him as hee makes shew of well if it bee no more then for the good readers content I will giue him more then hee demauÌ„deth that is not only the quotations in the margent but their words also in the text a Origenes in cap. 6. ad Rom. Petro cum summa rerum de pascendis ovibus traderetur super ipsum velut super terram fundaretur ecclesia nullius confessio virtutis alterius ab eo nisi charitas cuigitur To begin Origen saith when the church was founded vpon S. Peter and supreme power of feeding Christs sheepe was comÌ„itted to him the profession of no other vertue then of charitie was demaunded of him b Cipri de vnitate eccles Petro post resurrectionem dominus dicit pasce oves meas super illum vnum aedificat ecclesiam suam illi pascendas mandat oves suas S. Ciprian Christ after his resurrection said to Peter feede my sheepe and vpon him alone doth build his church In both these sentences are linked two texts of the Euangelists that concerne Saint Peters supremacy c Ambros 10. in Lucam cap. 24. Contristatur quia tertio interrogatur Amas me iâ— enim interrogatur de quo dubitatur sed dominus non dubitabat qui interrogabat non vt disceret sed vt doceret quem elevandus in caelum amoris sui nobis velut vicarium relinquebat paulo post ideo quia solus profitetur ex omnibus omnibus antefertur ibidem tertio dominus non iam diligis meâ— sed amas me interrogauit iam non agnos vt primo quodam lacte pascendos nec oviculas vt secundo sed oues pascere iubetur perfectiores vt perfectior gubernaret Saint Ambrose Our lord not to learne himself but to teach vs did aske him whom hee being to ascend into heaven would leave vs as it were the vicar of his loue for so thou hast Simon sonne of Iohn dost thou loue mee c. Peter testified his affection and therfore bicause hee alone made that profesâ—ion hee is preferred before the rest and a little after he is commaunded to feede the sheepe as well as the lambes that the perfecter sort might be governed by him that was more perfect behold sheepe and lambes to bee governed by Saint Peter d Chrisost homil 1. de penitentia Poenitentia post tantum malum iterum cum ad priorem honorem reuehit ecclesiae primatum gubernationém que ipsi per vniuersum orbem tradidic Chrisost homil 80. in Ioannem Cum magna Christus Petro coÌ„municasset ei orbis terrarum curam demandasset c. S. Chrisostome the primacie of the church and the government throughout the whole world is by Christ coÌ„mitted to S. Peter see him also in his last homily vpoÌ„ S. Iohns Gospell and in his second booke of priesthood whom e Theophil cap. 21. Ioannis Totius orbis onium praefecturam Petro committit non autem alij sed huic tradit Theophi lact vpon the same place doth follow saying Christ granteth to S. Peter and to none els the government of the church through the whole world f Leo sermo 3. de assump De toto mundo vnus Petrus eligitur qui vniuersarum gentium vocationi omnibus Apostolis â—unctisque Ecclesiae patribuâ— praeponatur vt quamuis in populo dei mulâ—â— sacerdotes sint multiquâ— pastores omnes tamen proprie regat Petrus quos principaliter regit Christus S. Leo amonge all the meÌ„ of the woâ—ld onely Peter is chosen who is placed over the Apostles and fathers of the church and over the vocation of the Gentils And albeit among the peoplâ— of God there be manie priests and manie Pastors yet Peter doth rule all them properly over whom our Saviour Christ doth rule principally observe the rule over all that appertaine to Christ to be given by Christ to S. Peter g Eucherius Lug in vigilia S. Petri. Dicit ei pasce oves meas prius agnos deinde oues coÌ„misit ei quia non solum pastorem sed pastorum pastorem eum constituit pascit igitur Petrus agnos pascit oues pascit filios pascit matres regit
and Latin church but also by diuers plaine texts of holie scriptures rightly vnderstood according vnto the same most holie and learned Prelates interpretation whom all good Christians are bound to beleeue as the Pastors and Doctors to whom our Saviour Christ committed both the preaching of his word and government of his church in the purer times therof To repeate the same here againe is needles and would bee ouer tedious The reader may if hee please but turne backe to the second section of the first chapter where he shall find them there M. Abbot himself attributeth to the church of Rome eminencie of place precedence of honour authoritie of estimation and accompt and yet here would seeme to deny the same church to bee the chief member of the Catholike church as though eminencie of place and precedence of honor could belong to any other then to the chief church how simple is that which foloweth that albeit in humane estimation the church of Rome may bee more eminent then any other yet with God there is no more respect of the church of Rome then of anie other For those men of which hee himself is one should bee much to blame if they would account that more eminent and honorable which they know God to esteeme but as equall and of the same degree because we are bound to conforme our iudgments to the straight rule of Gods vpright censure wherfore for that wee are fully perswaded that it hath pleased god to graunt that preeminence and priuiledge vnto the church of Rome wee do attribute the same vnto it If wee did thinck that god did not alowe of it neither would we condescend thervnto And who in his right senses can imagine that God doth not esteeme better of them whom it hath pleased his diuine bounty to make better As for the church of Ierusalem it had no such promises that hellgates should not prevaile against it or that their governors faith should not faile Nay rather it was by the prophets fortold that they should faile both in a Ezechielis 7.26 Lex peribit à Sacerdote Consilium à Sapientibus knowledg by not beleeving in their Messias and in b Hierem. 11.19 Ego quasi agnus mansuetus qui portatur ad victimam non cognoui quia cogitauerunt super me consilia dicentes mittamus lignum in panem eius eradicemus eum de terra viuentium practise also by compassing of his death Thus much for the church of the Iewes Touching the Rulers of seuerall churches since Christ his time others not having the like good assurance from our Saviour as the pastors of the church of Rome had wee haue more reason to relie vpon the perpetuall stabilitie of the church of Rome then vpon any other This I say having been proued already not onlie by the testimony of all antiquitie but also by the expresse word of God M. Abbots demaund is fully satisfied and therwith I hope hee will rest content Now to his answere vnto that place of S. Hierom. first whilst hee would seeme an over subtle sifter of S. Ieroms words hee ouerthroweth himself horse and foote For wheras hee affirmeth that Ierom would not haue said the same of ioyning with Liberius that hee said of Damasus it is very cleere that hee would and might also very well haue so done according as M. Abbot himself expounds S. Hieroms words For if S. Hierom said no more of Damasus then that hee would ioyne with him so farre forth as he sate in S Peters chaire that is so long as hee taught the same doctrine that saint Peter taught might he not haue said boldly as much of Liberius though hee tooke him to halt in some things hee needed not doubt I hope to follow him so farr forth as he followed S. Peter was he not sure enough if hee followed him no further neuer to faile M. Abbots answere then destroying it self needs no other confutation Yet for the readers further satiffaction concerning pope Liberius I add that there be many c Ruffin l. 10. eccl hist 17. Theodor. 2. hist eccl 16. Sozom 4. hist 14. Niceph. 9 hist 35 ancient good Authors who write that Liberius was not faultie in any matter of faith though hee yeelded vnto the condemnation of S. Athanasius because hee was by the Arrians accused not of his faith but of many pretended haynous crimes And albeit Liberius subscribed to the councell of Smirna yet hee could not bee condemned therfore of heresy for therin was not couched any one word contrary to the true faith though the word Consubstantiall were left out yet d Athanas Apol. de fuga Hieron in Catal. in fortunat others who for their greater iudgment and knowledg are to be more respected do blame Liberius as favoring the Arrian heresy not that hee beleeued any point of it but for that hee through tediousnes of exile and feare of torments yeelded to do that which redounded vnto the countenancing of the Arrian heresie And in like manner though there were nothing in that confession of faith to which hee subscribed that was not true yet in that time when there was so much ado about the word cōsubstātiall to cōsent vnto them that reiected that word was interpreted and taken of many for litle lesse thā to reiect the Catholike faith Briefly although his faith was sound yet his fact was preiudiciall vnto the Catholike faith and verie aduantagious for the Arrian heresy wherfore not to bee excused nevertheles albeit of humane frailty hee therin failed yet afterwards hee made good satisfaction therfore carried himself so vprightly and vertuously that he died a Saint as testifieth besides other a Ambr. de virg l. 3. in initio Soles mecum Beatae memoriae Liberij praecepta reuolue re quo virsāctio◠eo sermo accedat gratiosior S. Ambrose who citeth his testimony as a mans of holy and happie memorie And b Basil epist 74. Quae illia beatissimo Liberio proposita sunt S. Basil who stileth him a most blessed man This by the waie of pope Liberius Now to the true meaning of S. Hieroms words which cannot be drawen to that sense that M. Abbot would rack out of them to wit That hee would ioyne with Damasus so farforth only as he followed S. Peter for so might hee haue been bold to saie of Liberius and of his owne prelate Paulinus or of any man els but his true intent was to declare that in all doubtfull questions of faith every good Christian ought to make his recourse vnto the Bishop of Rome who sitteth in S. Peters chaire as his lawfull successor And therfore by vertue of our Saviours praier made for S. Peter and his successors shall never faile in question of faith whosoever therfore cleaveth fast vnto the popes resolution is assured never to faile This to haue been the true meaning of that famous doctor may most easily bee perceiued by the occasion and
other reuerend Bishops not acquainting you with that matter wheras the iudgment of Bishops and finall determinatioÌ„ of their principall causes by the decrees of our fathers doth in honor of blessed S. Peter belong vnto your sea Is not this a most plaine aknowledgment of the Bishop of Romes commanding authoritie ouer the churches of Afrike And because no exception can be iustly taken either against pope Damasus learning and integritie or against his writings whose secretary somtimes was S. Hierome I will set downe his answer vnto the said African Bishop These bee his words Ex Epistola 4. damasi ad eundem Stephanum ad concilia Africae Nos qui supra domum eius hoc est vniuersalem ecclesiam Catholicam Episcopale suscepimus ministerium solicite vigilare de bemus etc scitis fatres dilectissimi firmamentum a deo fixum immobile atque titulum lucidissimum suorum sacerdotum id est omnium episcorum Apostolicam sedem esse constitutam verticem ecclesiarum Tu es enim sicut diuinum pronunciat verbum veraciter Petrus c cuius vice dei gratia hodie fungimur ideo omnia quae innotuistis non licere mandarem nisi vos tam plene instructos scirem quod cuncta super quibus consuluistis illicita esse non dubitetis discutere namque episcopos summas ecclesiasticorum negotiorum causas metrapolitano vna cum comprouincialibus licet sed definire ecclesiasticarum summas querelas causarum vel damnare episcopos absque huius sanctae sedis auctoritate minime licet ad quam omnes appellare si necesse fuerit eius fulcire auxilio oportet It behoveth vs that haue receiued Episcopall charge ouer the house of our lord that is the vniuersall church to watch carfully that nothing which belonges to that function be wanting c. you most beloued brother do know the sea Apostolike constituted of God an vnmoueable fortresse and the head of all churches which he proues by our Saviours words Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my church averring the Bishops of Rome to be S. Peters successors and Christs vicars and at length saith That it is lawfull for Metropolitans to heare and discuss the causes of Bishops their suffragans but vnlawfull to determin them finallie without the authoritie of the sea of Rome vnto which it was lawfull for all Bishops to appeale when need required and there to find reliefe I come now to some other councells that were held in Africk immediatly before that African in which were present most of the same prelates The councell holden at Mileuitan writeth to Innocentius the first who was pope next before Zozimus to whom succeeded Bonifacius and Celestinus in this manner Bicause our lord of his speciall grace hath placed you in the sea Apostolike and hath afforded you such a one in our times Ex Epist 92. inter ep D. Aug. Quia te Dominus gratiae suae precipuo munere in sede Apostolica collocauit talemque nostris teÌ„poribus praestitit vt nobis potius ad culpam negligentia valeat si apud tuam venerationem quae pro Ecclesia suggerenda sunt tacâ—erimus quam ea tu pos is vel fastidiose vel negligenter accipere magnis periculis infirmorum membrorum Christi pastoralem diligentiam quaesvmus aâ—hibere digneris c. Multo plures qui eius sensuo diligentius indagare potuerunt aduersus euÌ„ progratia Christi et Catholicae fidei veritate confliguÌ„t praecipue sanctus filius tuus frater compresbiter noster Hieronimus Sed arbitramur adiuuante misericordia Domini Dei nostri Iesu Christi qui te regere consulentem orantem exaudire dignatur autoritati sanctitatis tuae de sanctorum scripturarum autoritate de promptae facilius eos qui tam peruersa perniciosa sentiunt esse cessuros that it may be rather imputed to the blame of our negligence if we conceale from your holines those things that are to be referred to the church then that you can either disdainfully or carlesly heare vs. wee therfore beseech you that you will vouchsafe to applie your pastorall diligence vnto the weake members of Christ c. Many others that could trace out the errors of Pelagius haue entred the combat with him in defence of the grace of Christ of the truth of the Catholike faith namely your holie sonne our brother fellow priest Hierome but through the mercies of Christ who will vouchsafe to heare you praying direct you giuing counsell wee bee of opinioÌ„ that they will sooner yeeld vnto the authoritie of your holines being deriued from the authoritie of holie scriptures This epistle is recorded amoÌ„g S. Austins so is another of that councell held at Carthage about the same time wherin the Bishop of Africa wrote thus to the same pope Holy Lord and brother we haue thought good to relate to you what we haue done Ex epist xc inter D. Aug. epistolas Hoc itaque gestum Domine frater sancte charitati tuae intimandum duximus vt statutis nostra mediocritatis etiam Apostolicae sedis adhibeatur autoritas pro tuenda salute multorum quorundam peruersitate etiam corrigenda that vnto the decrees of our mediocrity may be adioyned the authoritie of the sea Apostolike aswell for the preserving of manie mens saluation as for the correcting of some persons deprauation By both which Epistles we may easily perceiue how the African Bishops esteemed the church of Rome to bee the sea Apostolike to be that head church vnto which the affaires of higher nature are to bee referred That it had pastorall charge ouer the Churches of Africke that it had authority warranted by the word of God for the defining of matter of faith vnto which even heretikes would yeeld sooner then vnto any other though esteemed never so learned And therfore they sent the decrees of their councell vp to Rome to be confirmed by the pope All this being of record in approved African councels holden about the same time and by the same persons that were at that other African councell what reason hath anie man to thinke that therin the Bishop of Rome was forbidden to intermeddle in their affaires of Afrike Ex Epist D. Aug. IOB Missae sunt itaque de hac re ex duobus conciliis Carthaginensi et Mileuitano relationes ad Apostolicam sedem c. scripsimus etiam ad beatae memoria papam Innocentium c. Ad omnia nobis ipse rescripsit eodem modo quofas erat atque oportebat Apostolica sedis Antistitem S. Austin himself relateth both that these two councells to witt of Carthage and of Mileuitane had written vnto pope Innocentius and further doth assure vs that the popes answer to them was sound such as did well beseeme the sea Apostolike I will therfore be bold to acquaint the Reader with the same his answer These be his words You do