denying the work to be theirs as he saith of Dionysi the Ariopagite aÌ„d of S. ChrisostoÌ„â— Liturgy etâ—aet Another shift is â—o alleage the priuate opinion of some one agaiÌ„t the coÌ„sent of the rest or to say that the fathers liued when the tyme begaÌ„ to be corrupted and wheÌ„ al other thiÌ„gs faile their plain doctrin and assertioÌ„s of the faith are illuded with a like figuratiue speache If in dede the fathers made for theÌ„ they wold not thus shift their hands of the fathers but the moe they could haue and the better they agreed aÌ„d the plainer thei spake the better thei shuld be welcome Wel seiÌ„g the ProstestaÌ„ts although falslly yet coÌ„moÌ„ly doe alleage the old fathers The allegation of Fathers suffiseth not and we also do alleage them most plentifully hereof it wil follow that neither the only allegatioÌ„ of theÌ„ is so able to end a coÌ„trouersy that the simple and vnlerned may be sure of the truthe For which cause we must ioyne to the former marks TraditioÌ„ and practise the tradition and practise of Gods Churche which being in euery mans eyes and eares caÌ„ neuer deceaue him We thinck saith Chrysostome the tradition of the Churche to be worthy of belefe In 7. Thessalon Hom. 4. Is it a tradion Ask no farther This mark so euidently maketh for vs that the Protestants are constrayned vtterly to deny all credit vnto it for by this rule they are inexcusable who deny either the popes supremacy which euer was so vniuersally practised or the Sacrifice of the masse or any like matter which was and is generally receaued in the Church But because many questions arise in the Church TraditioÌ„ doth not suffise in cases rather depending of subtill points in diuinity then of euident custome and practise if sodainly some lerned men deny such An article of the faith which before was not commonly preached of as that the holy ghost proceedeth from the Son or any like seing here tradition faileth and the preachers are diuided Generall Councels Math. 18. Act. 15. the Church hath vsed the meane of Generall Councells wherein the bishops of many countries meeting together after sufficient debating do publish the one part to be reputed hereticall Whereby all men doe clerly know what to follow and what to auoide Such a Councel gathered together of late at TreÌ„t published that to be the true faith which we defend aÌ„d the contaary to be hereticall So that this marck is wholy ours But for as much as it is very hurtful Councels do not suffise for so many bishops to leaue their cures so oft as any such question is moued and also because their meeting is many tymes stayed by the occasion of battel or of pestilence or els for lacke of their safeconduct out of whose countries or by whose countries or into whose country thei shuld passe and specially because wheÌ„ they are come together force aÌ„d violeÌ„ce may be vsed as it was doÌ„ at the secoÌ„d Ephesine couÌ„cel Leo epist 24.25.26 and at AriminuÌ„ it is necessary to haue some other more spedy certain and profitable way in the Church wherby heresies may be soner staied and Gods people more quickly instructed in the truthe In respect of which consyderations Christ hath most notably prouided One high iudge that one chiefe pastour and high bishop S. Peter shuld be set by himself ouer the whole flock in earth to confirm his brethern Ioan. 21. Luc. 22. and to fede them Of whose faith by praying for it he hath assured vs. In S. Peters chaire the bishop of Rome sitteth who is wel knowen to haue geueÌ„ publike senteÌ„ce against the Protestants for our faith and Churche neither can the Protestants denie vs the assurance of this mark The which mark because it is of most weighty importance as being the easiest waie of al to find out the truthe and which serueth in all cases without any exception I haue made this treatise to declare that it is no lesse true euen according to Gods woorde then it is profitable and nedefull in all wise mens vnderstanding Here I might make an ende but that the Protestants affirme the lawfull preaching of Gods woorde and the lawfull administration of the SacrameÌ„ts to be the thing wherby they will be tried as though we nede not a new iudge to know what these terms doe meane For what call you lawful preaching or administring PreachiÌ„g and Sacraments That saie you which is according to Gods woorde Very well Are we not now come againe to the first beginning of our talk what call yee Gods woorde haue I not proued whatsoeuer it be that it is much more with vs then with you Adde hereunto seing those are most lawful preachers who are most like vnto the Apostles Psal 18. Rom. 10. whose sound went into al the earth and their words into the ends of the world wee are more like vnto theÌ„ who within these nine hundred yeeres by our preaching haue conuerted Bohem Saxonie Friseland Prussia Liuonia Denmark and diuerse other couÌ„tries then you who in the same tyme liued so vnder a bushel that noman aliue could heare you once pepe Again our Sacraments being moe in number by fiue then yours were administred in the face of the world euen as the Apostles did administer them in IerusaleÌ„ Corinth Rome and in such other cities and places whereas you hadde not one Church or knowen howse of praier in the whole earth Persecution The persecution say you of the Romish Antichrist oppressed vs which mark also you alleage for the truth of your congregation What masters Antichristes persecution shall dure but three yeres and a half Dan. 7. Apoc. 13. And is the Pope Antichrist whose persecution as you say hath dured these nine hundred yeres Math. 16. Hel gates shal not preuaile against the true Churche And yet is your congregation the true Churche against which you confesse Antichrist so to haue preuailed that for many huÌ„dred yeres no man could tel whether any such Church were in the earth or no Surely hel gates preuailed not against vs any one momeÌ„t Not to faile in persecution although our Church hath ben assalted with al kinds of trouble therefore this mark that is to say to stand safe and souÌ„d against hel gates is a token that ours is the true Churche For it is not persecution but the conquering and preuailing against persecution which is the true mark of Gods Churche But seing I promised to proue our Churche the more true Vve are persecuted euen by your own Marks let vs graunt that Church to be true which is persecuted yet I say that you rather haue persecuted vs theÌ„ we haue persecuted you For I pray you Syr when the child who liued in one howse with his louing mother as you did once in the same Catholik Churche with vs goeth afterward out of the house and saith his mother is a strong hoore
THE ROCKE OF THE CHVRCHE Wherein the Primacy of S. Peter and of his Successours the Bishops of Rome is proued out of Gods Worde By Nicolas Sander D. of diuinity The eternal Rock of the vniuersal Church Christ was the rock an other foundatiō no man is hable is put 1. Cor. 3. 10. The temporal Rock of the militant Church Thou art Peter and vppon this Rocke I wil build my Church Matth. 16. The continuance of this temporal Rocke In the Church of Rome the primacy of the Apostolike chaier hath alwaies florished August in Epist 162. Recken euen from the very seate of Peter and in that rew of Fathers consyder who succeded the other That is the rock which the proud gates of hel doe not ouercome In Psal cōt part Don. Tom. 7. LOVANII Apud Ioannem Foulerum Anno D. 1567. REgiae Maiestatis Priuilegio concessum est Nicolao Sandro Sacrae Theologiae Professori vt librum inscriptum The Rocke of the Church per Typographum aliquem iuratum imprimere ac impunè distrahere liceat Datum Bruxellis 27. Febr. 1566. Subsig Prats TO THE RIGHT Worshipfull M. Doctor Parker bearing the name of the Archbisshop of Canterbury and to al other protestants in the realme of England Nicolas Sander wissheth perfect faith and charity in our Lord declaring in this Preface that the Catholiks whom they cal Papists doe passe the Protestants in al manner of Signes or Marks of Christes true Church I Besech your worshippe not to mislike with me for omitting any parte of your accustomed title in this my letter sithēs I doe it not of any contempt but onely of conscience grounded vppon Gods worde as who am persuaded the religiō presently authorized in the realm and consequently your ministery therin to be so far of from Christes true religiō as it is far from Christ to haue his Church which after the publication of the Gospell ought Genes 22.26.28 Psal 2.44 75.88.144 Philip. 2. according to the prophecies to be openly spread through out the world and her Citizēs ought to shyne in the middest of the peruerse nation Isai 54.60 Math. 28. of infideles like starres and to remayn gloriouse for euer in many natiōs togeather now first after nine hūdred yeres oppression as your own brethern doe confesse to shewe it selfe abrode and openly to be professed So that although it could be shewed that your faith had bene alwaies in the world as it was not yet in that if at all it were it lay hydden Math. 5. it could not be the faith of Christes true Church which neuer ceased to be a City built vpon a hil which can not be hidden And he did sette his candel vpon a candelstick not only to geue light for a few hundred yeres but to geue light to all Luc. 8. that either should come into his house or tarie in his house And seing at al momentes men in diuerse countries came into Gods house by faith and baptisme Isai 2. 62. Math. 28. and seing likewise he is with his disciples al daies vntil the end of the world and not only liueth but reigneth for euer Luc. 1. regnabit that is to say abideth gloriously and roially in the house of Iacob which is the Church doutlesse his Church is for euer built vpon a hil and therefore it can not be hidden any one moment and his light neuer can cease to shyne to thend it may euer be true which Malachias the Prophet saied Malac. 1. From the rising of the sonne to his going downe my name is great among the gentils And yet seing Christes name is not great by them who beleue falselie for they must nedes also haue naughty woorkes and so the name of God Heb. 11. Isai 52. Rom. 2. as Saint Paule saith is rather blasphemed amonge the Gentiles then glorified by euil men it remaineth that Christes name must be great among the Gentills throughe a good faith openly geuing light by the good works of true Christians who may thereby cause Gods name to be glorified Math. 5. and by their good conuersation may cause the Infidels to be conuerted vnto Christ 1. Cor. 7. 2. Pet. 3. Now for asmuch as your faith was not openly alwaies professed in many nations together but was altogether hidden before these fifty yeres and so hidden A Church vnder a bushel that no history or Chronicle doth make mention of any congregatiō at all professing your faith from tyme to tyme in any Cities Townes Villages or priuate houses of diuerse prouinces and countries at once nothing can be iustly said or alleaged why you should not renounce this obscure religion of yours which is so slaunderouse to Gods gloriouse name and returne again to that our Churche A Church vpō a hil which stode for euer vpon the hil and whose light was neuer so dimmed or darkened but that the very Iewes Turks Saracēs Moores and Tartariās knewe where we dwelt and what we professed I chose at this tyme to intreat with al sober Protestants the rather by your person M. D. Parker because I haue heard of so much good nature in your worshippe that it was not vnlike but he woulde voutesafe to heare what so euer should be reasonably said specially touching Gods worde and the practise of the primatiue Churche of which pointes my chiefe talke shal be at this tyme. Many men haue laboured to geue diuerse Signes and Markes of the true Church to thintēt it being ones knowē al other controuersies may geue place to the pillor and sure stay of truth 1. Tim. 3. But that it may appear to them who do not willingly stop their eares against the truth what notable aduantage the Catholiks haue ouer and aboue the Protestants in this behalf I wil shew the truth of our Churche to be so safe and clere that hitherto it was not possible for the Protestants themselues to deuise any such marke or signe of a true Churche the which doth not much rather make for vs then for them Gods vvord is not a sufficient mark of the true Church They teach Gods word to be the chiefe mark whereby the true Church may be knowen which yet can not wel be so because the marke whereby an other thing is knowen ought it selfe to be most exactly knowen whereas we are not agreed what Gods woorde is For some call onely the writen letter and the meaning thereof Gods woorde others thinck many things to be Gods woorde which are not expresly writen but are reuealed from God to the Church by the tradition of the Apostles 2. Thess 2 Heb. 8. 10. 2. Cor. 3. and by the holy ghost who hath writen Gods lawes in our harts and there hath imprīted them Also we are not agreed vppon the writen woorde of God because the Protestantes doe not admitte so many bookes of the olde Testament as the Catholikes doe Thirdly the meaning of those bookes which we are agreed vppon
it will follow that the Apostles in their owne persons needed no head but that S. Peter was set ouer them to geue thereby a forme and a paterne that afterward when the personal priuilege of the Apostles shuld cease yet the rest who should be the successours of the Apostles might al obey one who shuld succede in Peters place Luc. 22. By whose assured faith because Christ prayed for it al they might be sure not to erre in the faith By this meanes it is easie to answere the obiections which are made against the supremacie of S. Peter For if S. Paul did aswel preache to the Gentils Galat. ◠as S. Peter did to the Iewes he did it by the office and nature of his Apostleship which was to goe into the whole worlde Matth. 28 and to preache to euery creature 2. Cor. 11. and to haue the care of al Churches lying vpon him And therfore S. Peter did also as wel before as afterward preache vnto the Gentils with no lesse power then S. Paule Act. 15. And S. Paule to the Iewes no lesse then S. Peter For the order power and grace of their Apostleship was equal as the degree and line of brethern is equall But as God preferred in old time the eldest sonne to the priesthood Genes 49 and to a greater power in gouernment not by the force of the brotherhed but by his own ordinance euen so whereas Peter and Paule were equal Apostles yet Peter by the appointment of Christ was the head not by force of the Apostleship but by the will of God to shew that his Church was one by hauing one pastour in it aboue the reast as a Kingdom is one by hauing one King in it or as a house is one by hauing one master in it Again if S. Paule did reproue S. Peter cōcerning circūcision as one that walked not accordīg to the truth of the Gospel in his behauior S. Paul might do it Galat. 2. both because they were fellowes and brethern in the Apostolike office and also for that he had the same holie Ghost which Peter had But we must consyder as Tertullian in his booke of prescriptions doth witnesse that no doctrine of S. Peters was then reproued as false Conuersationis fuit vitium nō praedicationis but onlie his behauiour concerning an outward fact of his in that he hauing freelie eaten before with the Gentills without respect of keeping the Law of Moyses wherein his deede was right good and did witnesse that he belieued the obseruances of the olde Lawe to bind noman yet at the comming of Iewes he did abstein and withdraw himselfe as perswaded that he should do more good to the Iewes if he forbare certain meats to winne his weake brethern Likewise S. Augustine writeth Neque enim negamus in hac sententia suisse iā Petrum Epist 19. ad Hieron in qua Paulus fuit Non itaque tunc eū quid in ea re verum esset docebat sed eius simulationem qua gentes iudaizare cogebantur arguebat Neither truly we do deny but that Peter was now in the same mind that Paul was Therefore he did not then teach Peter what was true in that cause but he reproued his dissembling whereby the Gentils were compelled to plaie the Iewes So that wheras S. Peter was no lesse perswaded then S. Paul that Circumcision ād the ceremonies of the Law must cease as S. Peter himself pronounced at Hierusalē And wheras S. Paul no lesse then hé Act. 15. had tolerated the obseruāces of the law for a time in circūciding Timotheus the question is not Act. 16. whether Circumcision ought to be abrogated nor yet whether it might be at al for a time permitted but whether it might be now any more winked at as hitherto it had bene For S. Paul beleuing the time to be now com that euery man ought to professe his faith openly concerning the abrogation of the old ceremonies did reproue S. Peters outward simulation as by his fact yelding lōger time to the Iewes then was profitable And herein surely S. Peter proued himself to be in deed the head of al the Apostles For whereas Christ had said he that is greater among you Luc. 22. let him be made as the yonger or lesser he in deed accomplisshed that precept and yelded vnto S. Pauls aduise as S. Cyprian S. Augustine and S. Gregorie doe testifie Nam nec Petrus Cyprian quem primum Dn̄s elegit in Epist ad Quintum supet quē aedificauit Ecclesiam suam cum secum Paulus de circumcisione disceptaret postmodum vendicauit sibi aliquid insolenter aut arroganter assumpsit vt diceret se primatū tenere obtemperari a nouellis posteris sibi potius debere nec de spexit Paulum quòd Ecclesiae prius persecutor fuisset sed consiliū veritatis admisit For Peter whom our Lord chose to be firste and vppon whom he did build his Church did not when Paul did striue with him about Circumcisiō afterward chalenge or attribute any thing to him self insolently or proudlie and saye that he had the primacy ād that he ought rather to be obeyed of Nouices and after commers neither did he despise Paul for that he was before a persecuter of the church but he did admit the counsail of truth By which wordes we perceiue that S. Cyprian did not iudge this reprouing of S. Peter to be any argument against his supremacie but only to be a witnesse of S. Peters humilitie and mekenesse But as it was in deed true that S. Paul had once persecuted the Church so was it also true that S. Peter held the Primacie although as S. Cyprian hath noted he did not then allege it S. Augustine likewise confesseth De baptis cont Donat lib. 2. cap. 1. In scripturis sanctis didicimus Apostolum Petrū in quo primatus Apostolorum tam excellenti gratia praeeminet aliter quam veritas postulabat de Circumcisione agere solitum à posteriore Apostolo Paulo esse correctum We haue learned in the holy scriptures that the Apostle Peter in whom the Primacie of the Apostles appeareth aboue the rest by so excellent and gratiouse fauour that he accustoming to doe otherwise concerning Circumcision then the truth did require was corrected of Paule who was admitted after him to be an Apostle S. Gregorie stablisheth S. Peters supremacy the more by the very same example of his humilitie in bearing gently the correction of his fellow Apostle Quatenus qui primus erat in Apostolatus culmine Gregorius in Ezech. Hom. 18. esset primus in humilitate That he who was chief in the top of th' Apostleship might also be chief in lowlinesse Ecce à minore suo reprehenditur reprehendi non dedignatur non ad memoriam reuocat quòd primus in Apostolatum vocatus sit Behold Peter is reproued of his inferiour and he disdaineth not to be
etiam vestrae innotescat sanctitati Caput quae caput est omnium sanctarum EcclesiaruÌ„ Neither doe we suffer anie thing that doth apperteine to the state of the Churches how manifest aÌ„d vndoubted so euer it be which is called in question but the same is also notified to your holines The Pope is head of all holie Churches who is the head of al holy Churches If the Pope be head of al holy Churches and therfore be made priuie to all ordinances aÌ„d lawes which apperteine to the state of Churches it must needes follow that the Church wherof a King or Emperour shal be suprem head is no holy Church but a profane Synagog aÌ„d a malignaÌ„t congregation such as those of the Arrians Donatists and Pelagians were who obeyed not the Bisshop of Rome nor suche bisshops as were of his fellowship Vvho vvas the supreme head of the Heretikes but either Iulianus the Renegate or Valens or the Kings of the Gothes and of the Vandals as the Histories of the Church doe witnesse Here the order and place requireth that I should declare also how Phocas the Emperour An. Dom. 609. in the time of Pope Bonifacius the third pronounced the See of Rome head of al churches but the Protestants not able to deny the storie sai that now first the See of Rome began to be accoÌ„pted the head of al Churches A false assertion Which thiÌ„g shal appere as true as the rest of their doctrine is For S. Gregorie being before Bonifacius An. Dom. 607. Lib. 11. epist 54. saith of the See of Rome Apostolica sedes omnium ecclesiarum caput est The Apostolike See is Head of all Churches Before him also the Bishop of Patara An. 538. being a Grecian said of Syluerius the Pope Ille Papa est super Ecclesiam muÌ„di totius He is Pope ouer the Church of the whole world An. 534. IustiniaÌ„ writing to Ioannes the Pope as I alleged before calleth his holines caput omnium Ecclesiarum Head of al Churches An. 486. Eugenius the Bishop of Carthage being an African had said before Iustinians time as Victor writeth Romana ecclesia caput eÌ„ omniuÌ„ ecclesiaruÌ„ Lib. 2. de persecut Vandal The Roman Churche is the head of all Churches Yea Prosper had writeÌ„ before Eugenius Sedes Roma Petri An. 460. De ingratis quae pastoralis honoris facta caput muÌ„do Rome the See of Peter which is made vnto the world An. 446. In natiuit Petri Paull the head of pastoral honour Leo the great being elder theÌ„ Prosper preached thus Roma per sacraÌ„ B. Petri sedeÌ„ caput orbis effecta Rome by the holy seat of Peter is made the head of the world â–ª and again ê‘quos vniuersalis ecclesiae cura ad vnaÌ„ b. Petri sedeÌ„ coÌ„fluit Ad Anastas ep 82 By whoÌ„ the cure of the vniuersal church floweth to the one See of Peter that nothiÌ„g might at any time dissent from his head Now the fourth general CouÌ„cel An. 456. albeit it was not elder in yeres then Leo yet coÌ„sisting of 630. Bisshops gathered out of the whol world it is worthy to be harkened vnto of al the ChristiaÌ„ flock as of most auÌ„cient and perelesse authoritie This great Councel making relatioÌ„ to Pope Leo of such things as had bene done there Act. 3. Sancta magna c. writeth to him Tu quidem sicut membris caput praeeras Thou wast ouer vs as the head is ouer his meÌ„bers And wheras the Church is coÌ„pared to a vineyard Isai 5. they there coÌ„fesse that vnto Pope Leo vineae custodia à Saluatore commissa est The keping of the vineyeard is committed of our Sauiour Note here gentle Readers that this famouse great and learned Councell referreth the matter to our Sauiour and not vnto Phocas or to any mortal man The keeping of the vineyard is committed to the Pope of Rome by our Sauiour himself An. D. 426 Lib. 12. in Ioan. c. 64 If we shal goe yet higher when Cyrillus confesseth S. Peter to haue ben caput Apostolorum the head of the Apostles doth he not confesse the successors of S. Peter who are the Bishops of Rome to be much more the heads of the successours of the Apostles which al bishops are Shall we goe from Cyrillus to S. Ambrose An. D. 308 who writing vpon S. Pauls epistle to Timothe In c. 3. 1. epistol ad Timoth. calleth Damasus the bisshop of Rome the ruler or gouernour of that Church in his tyme which Church is named of S. Paul the howse of God the pillour of truthe meaning that Pope Damasus was gouernour of the whole Militant Church and not only of any one parish or Diocese And what other thing is it to be a teÌ„poral ruler of Gods whole Church Tripar li. 4. c. 15. but to be the temporal head thereof Saith not Sozomenus that pope Iulius curaÌ„ gessit omniuÌ„ propter sedis propriae dignitatem He toke the cure of all for the worthinesse of his own See where al is comprised what can be excepted Optatus An. D 370 Lib. 2. de schism Donatist who proueth S. Peter to haue beÌ„ head because he was called of Christ Cephas a rock for the rock or foundation is that vnto the house which the head is to the body doth thereby refer the primacie of S. Peter and of his successours to Christ him selfe An. 300. If I shal goe now to the Councel of 300. Bisshops held at Sinuessa where although Marcellinus had confessed him selfe to haue done Idolatrie yet all the Bisshops answered Prima sedes non iudicabitur à quoquam Tom. 1. Concil the first See shal be iudged of no man wil it not therby appere that the See of Rome beig the first See was not preferred to that honor by any mortal maÌ„ otherwise he that had pÌ„ferred it might also haue iudged it but was made head of al churches by him who said to S. Peter vpon this rock I wil build my Churche Matt. 16. It is not therefore Phocas but Iesus Christ who making S. Peter the temporal fouÌ„dation and head Pastor of the church made the Bisshop of Rome his successour as I haue declared before Let vs now goe forward with other good Emperours aÌ„d KiÌ„gs shewing that not Phocas alone but others also after hiÌ„ honoured the See Apostolike as the highest power in the church of God ConstaÌ„tinus the fourth being a most Catholike Prince Beda de sex aetat mundi procured the sixth general Councel to be called aÌ„d therin coÌ„fessed himself to haue woÌ„dred at the relation of Pope Agatho as if it had beÌ„ the voice of Peter Act. 18. Synod 6. The same Emperor in the time of Benedictus the second Pope of that name decreed An 688. Platina in vita Benedict 2 vt deinceps queÌ„ clerus populus exercitusque Romanus in PontificeÌ„ delegisset
the Latin seruice are fallen from Latin to English that is to say froÌ„ the better to the worse and that also by making a schism Ioan. 19 and by diuiding the coate of Christ which was without any seame into many partes which thing the very vnfaithfull soldiours were afeard to doe Thus touching the writen woorde and the vse thereof there are many causes why we should be in better case then the Protestants but none at all why we should be in worse If not only the writen letter but also the plaine meaning of euery proposition be to be considered The meaning of Gods vvord Math. 26. we read it literally and plainly spoken this is my body and as the woords doe sound so doe we vnderstand them Why then is this which Christ pointeth vnto denied to be his body Iacob 2. A man is iustified of works and not of faith only Why then are good workes don in a right faith denied to iustifie or why is onely faith taught to iustifie Rom. 2. The doers of the law shal be iustified Why is the law then taught not to be able to be don or kept Rom. 5. By the obedience of one which is Christ many shal be made iust that is to say Constituentur iustice shal be wrought or setled in many Why theÌ„ is it denied that we are made really iust Or why is it taught that righteousnes is onely imputed to vs whereas S. Paul saith also Rom. 5. the charity or loue of God is spread in our harts by the holy ghost which is geueÌ„ vs. This spreading aÌ„d stablishing of charity in our harts is more then a bare imputing of charity to vs. Whose synnes soeuer yee forgeue they shal be forgeuen them Ioan. 20. Why are then the bishops and priests who succede the Apostles denied to forgeue synnes Luc. 22. He that is greater among you lette him be made as the yonger Why then deny you that one was greater among the Apostles or that one stil is greater among the bishops their successours Math. 16. Thow art Peter or a Rocke and vpon this Rock I wil build my Churche Why then is the militant Church denied to be built vpon Saint Peter and vppon his successours in that chair and office 2. Thes 2. Keepe the traditions which yee haue learned either by woorde or by our epistle Chrysost Hom. 69. ad Pop. Ant. Why then are traditions yea though they be Apostolike as the vse of praying for the dead is so despised that the very name of tradition vsed in the better part can not be suffered to be in the English Bible though it be both in the Greeke and in the Latin He that ioyneth his virgin in mariage doth wel 1. Cor. 7. and he that doth not ioyne her doeth better Why then is maryage made with you as good as the state of virginity whereas S. Paule maketh the state of virginity better Vowe yee Psal 75. and render your vowes vnto God If thow wilt be perfitte Math. 10. goe and sel all things which thou hast and geue them to the poore and follow mee There are eunuches who haue gelded them selues for the kingdom of heauen Obeie your rulers Heb. 13. and be subiectes vnto them Why then are the vowes of pouerty of chastitie and of obedience to all which the word of God exhorteth vs accompted vnlaufull Or why are men exhorted yea constrained not to perfoorm them Doe yee the worthy fruits of penance saith Saint Iohn Luc. 3. Why then is satisfaction and penance despised with you The husbands aÌ„d the wiues being two in one flesh Ephes 5. is a great Sacrament or mystery or a holy and secret signe in Christ and in the Churche Why then is the mariage of faithful persons denied to be a Sacrament Philip. 2. Work your saluation saith S. Paule with feare and trembling Why then are your so presumptuouse as euen by faith to assure your selues of your saluation Or how can he feare who is assured to be saued Rom. 11. Or how can the depe secrets of Gods predestinatioÌ„ be ordinarily knowen in this life Or is not faith an ordinary gift in the Churche Thus might I goe through al the articles in controuersie and in euery one I should find your syde to be the farther of and ours to be the nere to the plain literal meaning of Gods word The circunstaÌ„ce and conference If not only the plain vnderstanding of any one sentence but also the circunstance of the place and the conference of Gods word be necessary haue we not vsed it in euery question which hath ben hitherto handeled Here I must nedes referre the reader to my treatise of the Supper of our Lord In the x. and xii chapters namelie in the fourth booke and to my booke of Images in the v. and the xi chapters Item in this booke to the second and fourth chapters For in this preface it were ouer tedious to handle so long a matter If you say The best vse of Gods vvoorde suffiseth not alone I doe not conferre the places so as I ought to doe thereof riseth a new question wherein we must haue a new iudge For we beleue and vse the scriptures as wel as you and better to as I haue declared Item we alleage â—lain words we shew the circumstance to be for vs we conferre one place with an other If now all this will not â—nd the controuersie it is cleere that the only word of God be it neuer so wel handled is no sufficient mark to shew the truthe For this is al that can be dâ— about the word it self Seing then we must go farther I say the heads of the Church Iudges Aug. cont Iulianum lib. 2. the Councels the bishops and the auncient Fathers must be the Iudges whether we do wel applie the holy scriptures or no. For example Math. 16. M. Iewel saith S. Peter is not this rock whervpon Christ said he wold build his Church 〈◊〉 saie on the other syde In the 4. chap. that S. Peter is this rock And I shew it by the circumstance of the place and by the coÌ„ference of other holy scriptures M. Ieweâ— must needes say that I do not wel coÌ„feâ— the holy scriptures I take then for my Iudges aboue sixteÌ„ of the best doctors who expreslie stand on mie syde as 〈◊〉 wil shew in this present booke In the 4. chap. So thâ— this mark of the true Church also mâ—keth clerely for vs. And surely althougâ— the protestaÌ„ts in woords preteÌ„d to haâ—â— the coÌ„sent of the auÌ„cieÌ„t fathers yet thâ—â— in truthe it is not so this one thing mâ— sufficieieÌ„tly declare because wheÌ„soeueâ— â—anie occasioÌ„ neuer so far set maie serue thei do what thei can to reiect the Fathers partly by imputing errors to theÌ„ In his Reply P. 3. 49. P. 10. as M Iewel ordereth S Hilarie partly by
In deserto In penetralibus And then for the space of certain huÌ„dred yers together yee can not name what preachers or pastours your Churche had But thê° to flee into priui places aÌ„d to lack opeÌ„ preachers Math. 24 is directly against the word of God Prouer. 8. and expressely against the coÌ„maÌ„meÌ„t of our Sauiour Isai 62. whose wisdoÌ„ crieth in the tops of the waies and in the gates of the cities whose whatchmeÌ„â—ease not to speak both day and â—ight vpoÌ„ the wals of IerusaleÌ„ in whose house the caÌ„dle staÌ„deth vpoÌ„ the candlestick to geue light to al meÌ„ Math. 5. whose faith must be coÌ„fessed with the mouth Rom 10. 1. Philip. 2. Psal 44. whose gospel must not be blushed at whose seruants shine like stars whose spouse being most beawtiful through internal faith aÌ„d charity Circumamicta varietatibus is yet garnished about with variety of diuers tuÌ„gs which are daily heard to preache aÌ„d ceremonies which are daily sene in Gods seruice amoÌ„g the Catholiks Memor ero nominis Populi coÌ„fitebuntur in aeternuÌ„ Which spouse also hath promised to be mindful of the name of Christ from generatioÌ„ to generation in so much that many peple shall confesse and geue praise to God for euer age after age If such a gloriouse a manifest and a beautifull Churche must be beleued then must Wiclef Hus and their fellowes be avoided and our knowen manifest and in all generations most gloriouse Churche must be imbrace which neuer lacked a chiefe bishop iâ— S. Peters chaire with a number of bishops and faithful nations obeying hâ— doctrin and gouerment The truth 〈◊〉 which Catholik Church and chair thâ— I might the more effectally persuade The cause of this treatise 〈◊〉 haue taken in hand to proue the Sâ—premacy of the bishop of Rome according to the reason and meaning oâ— Gods word The which point alone if iâ— be graunted al other controuersies arâ— superfluous For all is concluded vnder one if one be appointed the chiefe shepheard by God ouer al sithens euery maÌ„ must heare aÌ„d obey the shepheards voice Ioan. 10. I request most humbly of your pacieÌ„ce to reade or to heare the whole treatise readen which is not long and not to condemne the matter before it be wel vnderstanded If my discourse be doutfull I am ready to make it plaine If it seme to faile in proof a charitable â—â—swere made vnto it shal shew by the â—ply how strong the Arguments geâ—erally be concerning the chief points Thus taking my leaue I wish as wel 〈◊〉 your worship as I do to my self beseâ—hing you not to miscontrue my doings â—ut to take them so charitably as they â—re meant For God is my witnesse the â—hing I seeke is as well the reducing of â—hem to their Mother Church who are â—on a stray as the staying of them who â—hrough mans frailty beginne to dout of their faith Which effects God grauÌ„t through Iesus Christ our Lord to his own glory Amen The Chapiters of the Treatise following 1 The state of the question fol. 1. 2 That there is a primacy of spiritual gouernment in the Church and how it differreth from secular gouerment 16. 3 Of the diuerse senses of these wordes vpon this rock I wil build my Church aÌ„d which is most literal 93. 4 These words thou art Peter and vpoÌ„ this rock I wil build my Church haue this literal meaning vppon the ô Peter being made a rock to th end thou shouldest stoutly confesse the faith I will build my Church 108. 5 The Fathers teache that S. Peter is this rock 136. 6 The reasons which the Fathers bring to declare why S. Peter was this rock 155 7 The authorities alleaged by M. Iewel to proue that S. Peter was not this rock proue against himself 171. 8 The conclusioÌ„ of the former discourse and the order of the other which followeth 189. 9 That S. Peter passeth far the other Apostles in some kinde of Ecclesiasticall dignity 194. 10 That the Apostles besyde the perogatiue of their Apostleship had also authority to be particular bishops 204. â—â— How far S. Peter did either excel or â—s equal with the Apostles in their Aâ—stolike office 2â—0 â—â— That S. Peters prerogatiue aboue the â—her Apostles is most manifestly sene by â—s chief bishoply power 232. â—â— That the Pastoral authority of S. Peâ—r was ordinary 267. â—â— That his ordinary authority belonâ—th to one bishop alone 279 â—â— That the bishop of Rome is that one â—dinary pastour who succedeth in S. â—eâ—rs chaire 305. â—â— That the good Emperours and prinâ—s did neuer think themselues supream â—eads of the Churche in spiritual causes 378. â—â— That the bishop of Rome is not Anâ—christ himself 421. â—8 That the bishop of Rome is not any â—ember of Antichrist concerning his â—octrine 464. THE STATE OF THE QVESTION CONCERning the Supremacie of S. Peter and of the Bishops of Rome after him The First Chapiter IN writing to and fro concerning the Supremacie of S. Peter and of the Bishops of Rome after him great controuersies are fallen out the which to th' end they may be the better opened I thought good to propose in order the chief points of the said question The Catholiques beleue that the Bishop of Rome sitting in S. Peters Chaier is by the appointment of Christ himself the chief Pastour of the whole militant Church whose voice euery sheepe ought to hearken vnto The Protestants on the other side denie not only the Supremacie of the Bishop of Rome nor onlie the Supremacie of S. Peter but also they affirme that there is no Primacie nor any one chief gouernment in the Church at al. Therefore the first Question must be whether it be against â—he Word of God or no that there shoulde be in his Church any Primacie or chief Authoritie The second is whether S. Peter had the said Primacie or no. The third whether the Bishop of Rome had it after S. Peter Concerning S. Peter we fal againe into diuers new questioÌ„s as it shal now appeare When Simon the sonne of Iona was first brought vnto Christ by his brother Andrew Iesus loking vpon him said Thou art Simon the sonne of Iona Ioan. 1. thou shalt be called Cephas the vvhich by interpretation is Peter that is to say a stone or a rocke Here is the promise made that Simon shal be called Peter which name is deriued of a rocke or stone Verelie because he shal occupie that place in vpholding the frame of Christes militant Church the which a stone occupieth in holding vp the house which is built vpon it And when it pleased Christ to chose vnto him his twelue Apostles then he gaue the said name vnto SimoÌ„ surnaming him Peter Thirdly Mar. 3. Luc. 6. when Simon hauing the Godhead of Christ reuealed to him from heaueÌ„ had confessed the same saying Math. 16. Thou art Christ the son of the liuing God then Iesus answering said vnto
him alluding to his new name Ioan. 21. and shewing the reason thereof And I saye vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rocke vvil I build my Church and the gates of hel shal not preuaile against it And to thee I wil geue the Keies of the kingdome of heauen And whatsoeuer thou shalt bind vpon the earth it shal be bound also in the heauens And vvhatsoeuer thou shalt loose vpon the earth it shal s be loosed also in the heauens By these wordes both the promise of Christ was fufilled aÌ„d the reason of the promise was also declared concerning the new name which was before spoken of Neither do our aduersaries denie these points as I suppose But the Catholiques reason farther vpon this place in this wise The name of Peter which is deriued of a rock or of a stone was no soner geuen to Simon but also a new promise was made Math. 16. that vpoÌ„ this Rocke Christ would builde his Church Now the Catholikes doe say that Peter himself is here called this rock and that Christ promised to build his Church vpoÌ„ him And because the building of Christes church varieth not after his Gospel once planted but is alwaies like it self the Catholikes beleue and teach that when S. Peter died aâ— other did succeede in his place vpon whom Christes militant Church might be still so builded as it had been once builded vpoÌ„ S. Peter And for as much as the Bishop of Rome succedeth S. Peter the Catholikes most constantly affirme that the Bishop of Rome who liueth for the time is the rocke which coÌ„fesseth euermore Christes true faith vpon which confession of the See of Rome as vpoÌ„ a most sure Rock Christes Church is built The ProtestaÌ„ts being at a point to denie this later assertion must nedes affirme that Peter himselfe is not called this Rock but rather that either Christ alone or the faith which Peter confesseth is only called this rocke This seÌ„se is imperfit but not false So that they wil haue these wordes vpon this rocke I wil build my Church to be onely thus meant vpon this faith and confession of thine wherein thou hast said to mee thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God vpon this Rocke which I am or vpon this strong faith which is confessed of me I wil build my Church and whersoeuer this faith is there say thei is the rocke vpon which Christ buildeth his Church The Catholikes replie that although the faith and confessioÌ„ of Christes Godhead be in deede a most strong rocke whereupon the Church is built yet that is not al which Christ meaneth at this time For these wordes Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I wil build my Church haue a respect vnto three diuers times to the time past because they are spoken to him who was promised to be called Peter to the present time because they are spoken to him who now confesseth Christes Godhead to the time to come because they are spoken to him to whom Christ saith he wil geue the keies of the kingdome of heauen and vpon whom he wil hereafter build his Church which thing he performed when he said Peter louest thou me more theÌ„ these Ioan. 21. â—eede my sheep For Christes sheepe â—re Christes Church And to be made â—he shepheard of them is to haue Christes Church built vpon him And â—o be Peter is to be this Rocke Solemus videre pastores sedere â—upra petram inde commissa â—ibi pecora custodire We are woÌ„t saith S. Augustine to see shepheards sit vpon a rocke August in Io. tract 46. and theÌ„ce to keepe the sheepe commited to their charge Thus we see how wel the Metaphore of the Rocke dooth agree with the Metaphore of feeding sheepe Therefore these wordes vpon this rocke I vvil build my Church are perfectly fulfilled when it is saide to Peter who is this Roke feede my sheepe Now wheras this PropositioÌ„ Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church is thus qualified with the person to whom it is spokeÌ„ and with the diuersitie of three seueral times The sense of the protestaÌ„ts lacketh three coÌ„ditions of fovver to take one part of these foure away from all the other conditions whereunto it belongeth and to say that the confession of Peter alone is the rocke whereupon Christ wil build his church and thereby to denie Peter him selfe who maketh that confession to be this rocke and to diuide the confession from the promise going before which first of all wrought the effect thereof and from the last fulfilling which ensued after it is in deede a truthe for so muche as is affirmed therein but in respect of that which is denied it is a maine falshood The vvhole sense But the Catholiques geuing the whole sense of Christes woordes as they ought and not diminisshing any parte thereof doe teache that this Rocke vvhere vpon Christ built his Church is S. Peter not barely and nakedly considered but with â—spect of the promise past of the preâ—nt confession and of the auctoritie â—f feeding Christes sheepe which then â—as to come And so no maÌ„ be he neuer so faithâ—ul is this rocke whereupon Christ â—ath built his Church except he be â—awfully called to succede in the authoâ—itie and pastoral office of S. Peter This thing then remaineth to be proâ—ed in his due place The Catholiques teache also Ioan. 2â— that â—t was said to Peter alone feede my sheepe And seeing no particular â—locke was named it must needes be meant that the whole flocke which for the time liued on the earth was committed to Peter euen aboue all other according as he loued Christ more then other And for as much as the order of gouerning Christes Church which himself appoiÌ„ted may not afterward be changed by mans inuention it insueth that alwayes one chief shepheard must be made who may feede the whole militant flock of Christes sheepe in earth aboue al other pastours as Peter onâ—â— did feede them aboue al concerning the principal power which he receiued of Christ Hereunto the Protestantes replie that Peter alone was not made the shephead of Christes flocke aboue alâ— others but that in him Christ spake to al the Apostles The Catholiques demaund why theâ— Peter alone is spoken vnto and willed to feed Christes sheepe in the presence of certaine other Apostles to none of whom Christ speaketh any thing therof at this time The Protestants answere that euery Apostle was made a pastour no lesse theÌ„ Peter Caluin and Beza in Ioan. cap. 21. But that he was namely spoken vnto at this time as one who had lost his office of Apostleship by denying his Master and therefore as he denied thrise so he was commauÌ„ded thrise to â—â—d Christes sheep to th' end he should â—ow that his fault is now forgeuen and â—â—t he is restored to his Apostleship â—aine so that he may feede Christes â—â—eep as wel as Andrew or Iohn and
perfit sense is that Peter coÌ„cerning his office in Gods Churche Ioan 1. Math. 16. Ioan. 21. that is to say through the promise of Christ which is past and the faithful confession of his godhead which is presently made and the power of feediÌ„g his â—hepe which then was to come is this â—ock vpon which the Church is built The first sense can not be all the whole sense because then all the other three senses were void For if the Church be meant to be only built vpon Christ then is the Church built neither vpon the faith of Peter nor vpon Peter himself nor vpoÌ„ any disciple of Christ. Againe the word thou which goeth before doth not wel agree with Christ but only with Peter Neither doth the word I wil build aedificabo which folweth after well agree with Christ alone For it were not properly saied at Cesarea where Christ then was I will build my â—hurch vpon Christ vpoÌ„ whome it had ben alreadie built from the time of his incarnation Concerning the second sense no Disciple of Christ is there literallie either spoken vnto or spoken of beside Simon the Sonne of Iona. Therefore the sense of Origen hath no sufficient ground in the letter of Gods word Thirdlie the faith which Peter hath confessed is not the onlie rocke wherevpon the Church shal be built For theÌ„ it had ben built vpon the faith of Iohn Baptist before this tyme. Ioan. 1. Againe seing the said faith hath bene already confessed by Peter himself saying Thou art Christ the SoÌ„ne of the liuing God to what purpose is the building yet also differred Why is it said I will build my Church vpon this Rocke and not rather I haue built it or I do build it vpon this Rocke For if two things only are necessary the one which maie be the Rocke or foundation which is nowe said to be faith the other which is the building of the Church vpon that Kocke seing the foundation is alreadie laid in that the faith is confessed And seing the Church is present for Christ euen theÌ„ had a Church of his owne why is the building yet putte of vntill an other tyme but that there is an other thing besyde faith requisite to the same building But if as the very truth is Peter himselfe concerning his office be pronouÌ„ced this Rock and that not only in respect of his faith although it be a very principal point but also in respect both of the promise past wherein it was said thow shall be called Peter and of the authoritie of feeding Christes sheepe which is to come Ioan. 1. 21. then all absurdities are auoided and all the former truthes are perfitlie conteined in this last sense For if Peter be this rock then Christ who made Peter to be this Rocke is much more proued thereby to be the rock himself for the geuer of any heaueÌ„ly power hath much more that power in himselfe then he that receaueth it If Peter be this Rock in respect of his confession then his confession being in himself is also coÌ„curring as a certain rock for his part vnto the building of the Church If Peter be the Rock seing he was not only a Disciple but the captain Disciple of al that euer were al other Disciples which are coÌ„teined in him as in the chief may also be for their part this rocke wherevpon the Church shal be built Seing then this last sense is moste perfit and conteineth al the other senses not being it selfe fully conteined in any of them out of al controuersie none other is so literal so ful so true as this to witte that Peter confessing the true faith with respect of such autoritie as shal be afterward geuen to him is this Rocke wherevpon the Church shal be built I wisâ—h in the sight of God that malice being layd apart any reasonable man would nowe consider In his Replie 221. what M. Iewel and his adhearents haue done in this behalf He forsaking the most literal sense fall and minglng three opinions of â—hese foure in one not regarding to â—tte euerie thing in his proper place â—oth seeke to confouÌ„d the Reader with â—he multitude of words and with the â—ame of the Fathers whome he moste â—hamefully abuseth But if there be truth in M. Iewel or â—n his adhearents lette him or anie of â—hem descend particularlie to discusse â—he meaning of Christ with alcircumstances belonging thervnto as by Gods grace I wil do to my poore ability And that the discourse which foloweth may be the more easily perceaued this is the somme of it My intent is to proue that not only Christ nor onlie the faithful confession of Peter but Peter himselfe with respecte of his confession and of such other authoritie as God gaue him was this Rocke wherevpon Christ saied he would builde his Churche meanyng that part of his Church which wandereth in this life Christ promised Simon that he should be called Peter Ioan. 1. when he had not yet confessed to th end he might confesse the more stronglie as a rocke He named him Peter before he had confessed Marci 3. so that he was this farre forward in being the rocke before his confession When he had confessed Christ prououÌ„ced hiÌ„ not only a rock or a maÌ„ of the stedfastnes of the propriety of a rock in his faith Math. 16. Apoc. 21. but also such a rock wherevpoÌ„ he wold build his Church For euerie Apostle was a rock in his kind but none beside Peter and the Successours in his office was this kind of Rocke whereof Christ now speaketh That the confession of Peter might tarie immoueable after Christes ascension for the Church should alwaies neede a visible rock Christ praied for Peters faith Lucae 22. euen so farre that he was â—idde to strengthen his brethern â—fter his conuersion from the denial of â—hrist Last of all to shew what kind of â—rength Peter should geue to his breâ—hern Christ bad him feede his lambs The promise of the name of Peter was the first cause of Peters being the Rocke The geuing of the name was the â—erformance of the promise The confession of Christes godhead was the fruit of the gift and of the promise The promise to haue the Church built vpon that Rock was the reward of the confession The praier of Christ for Peters faith was the warrant of the perpetuitie of his strong confession The power to feede Christes sheepe was to make Peter such a rock Ioan. 21. Luc. 10. as should stay vp his Church by teaching and ruling the faithfull as whose voice the sheep should be bound to heare vnder paine of damnation Al these things concurring togeather cause Peter to be this rock whervpon the militaÌ„t Church is built Wherof I wil now intreat more at large The IIII. Chap. Diuerse reasons are alleaged to proue cheefely by the circumstance and coÌ„ference of holy scripture that these words thou art Peter and vpon this rock I
thou Isai art Peter Moreouer Thou and This doe answere one to the other Super hanc Both are Pronounes both shew a thing reallie present to the vnderstanding of the hearer As therefore Thou apperteineth most certainely to S. Peter so doth also the Pronoun this Thou art Peter and vpon this rock which thou art I wil build my Churh Petrus and Petra doe most literallie agree Petram in so much that in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which name Simon Peter is called doth signifie a Rock And in Latine Petrus is named of Petra as if a man said in English thou arte stonie or of the nature of a Rock and vpon this stone or rock I wil build my Church Who can denie but Thou and This stonie and stone â–ª be referred al to one person Hitherto I haue considered thou Conference this and rock seuerally Now let vs ioyne them altogether It is first sayed thou art Peter to the intent it might be knowen whereunto the word this rock belongeth For the nature of the Pronoun is The Pronoune most properly to declare a certainty either presently pointed vnto before the eye or next of al named and described Thou art stony and vpoÌ„ this stone Which this If not this which was last named For albeit Christ be aboue al things the rock aÌ„d corner stone 1. Cor. 10. Ephes 2. yet he was not at this time named so This rock doth refer it self to one certain rock which is poiÌ„ted vnto one way or other But no material rocke is pointed vnto naturally and in deede for no such was then present or minded therefore it is a Rocke by a Metaphore which is described He is a rock by a similitude And seing it is not only sayd I wil build vpon a rocke but also vpon this rocke that rock must be vnderstanded to be such a one as before was shewed But none was before shewed except he were named for at this time al that is shewed is shewed by words so that for as much as it was saied in wordes to S. Peter only Thou art Peter or a rocke when it foloweth vpoÌ„ this rocke it must needes be meant most literally Vpon thee vpon thee wil I build my Church Yet not absolutely vpon thee as thou art a bare maÌ„ but as thou art Peter and thou art Peter to th' end thou shouldest confesse mee to be the sonne of God And thou diddest confesse mee because I promised thee that thou shouldest be called Peter and because my father did reueale it to thee therefore vpon this rocke vvhich thou arte made by Grace I will build my Church It is said in the time to come Aedificabo In Cant. conticoruÌ„ expsello I wil build which declareth a building as yet not perfitly made but onely promised as also Theodoretus hath noted But the Church was built vpon Christ the great rocke concerning his diuine nature from the beginning and concerning his humaine nature from the first moment of his incarnation Wherfore that kind of building Gods Church vpon Christ was already past Likewise the confession of S. Peter was already made and past But the building whereof Christ speaketh is to come I will or shall build my Church vpon this Rocke Therefore this rocke is meant chiefly at this time S. Peter in such respect as he may no lesse hereafter confesse the true faith then he had done alreadie EcclesiaÌ„ meam Mark these wordes my Church It was Christes Church alreadie It was his when he spake the words and before also He therefore doth not now speak of planting or founding it vpon him self but of making one to be the Rock and Head thereof who hitherto was not the Rock and head but onely by promise and hope For whiles Christ was visible vpon the earth he gouerned al things not onely by his power but also by his visible presence by preaching and gouerning the flocke in his owne person being for the time the visible Rock and Head But when it pleased him to dedepart out of the world then he sayed to S. Peter Ioan. 21. Pasce agnos meos pasce oues meas Feede my lambes feede my sheepe At which time that power of being the head stone of Gods Militant Churche Holy scriptures are conferred nexte vnto Christe was moste perfectlye geuen which was before minded when â—t was said vpon this Rock I will â—uilo my Church For to be the Pastour and Gouernour of Christs flock and by the open confession of the faith to keepe it from straying into false doctrines and heresies that is to be the rock wherevpon Christ wil build his Church Who seeth not that so long as the chief shepherd is acknowleged and obeyed Cyp. ep 3. lib. 1. all Christendome must needes beleue and say one thing Now by beleuing and woorshipping one truth the Church is built vp from the lowest to the highâ—est from earth to heauen To shewe that this Rock is meant of S. Peter it foloweth Et tibi dabo and to thee I will geue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen Behold if this Rock were not meant to be S. Peter Christ should in his wordes runne in and out speaking now to S. Peter and now to him selfe He beginneth with S. Peter saying thou art Peter he endeth with him saying and to thee wil I geue the keies betwen which two sayings these wordes vpon this rocke do stand Which being so reason would that we drawe not the middle wordes from the first and the last but that we saye S. Peter concerning his office wherby he beareth the keies to be this Rock wherevpon Christ promiseth to build his Church The property of a rocke is to withstand al tempestes of fluddes and winds Math. 7. and so neither to faile it selfe and to strengthen the house built vpoÌ„ it But Christ said in an other place to S. Peter Luc. 22. Ego rogaui pro te vt non deficiat fides tua et tu aliquaÌ„do conuersus confirma fratres tuos I haue praied for thee that thy faith faile not and thou being once coÌ„uerted strengthen thy brethern Behold thou art Peter because of my promise Holy scriptures are coÌ„ferred and therby thou diddest receiue the gift of the right faith which thou hast coÌ„fessed of mée I haue prayed that thy faith may not faile yea it shal be so farre from failing that I bidde thée when thou art conuerted to stablish confirme and strengthen thy brethern For of all thy Brethern thou art the chief and the stroÌ„gest Rock through my prayer Yf then it be out of all question that S. Peters faith doth not faile and that he hath power to strengthen his brethern seeing these are the properties of a Rocke not to faile it selfe Math. 7. but to strengthen the whole howse built vppon it against raines fluddes and windes it is euident by the order of Christes wordes by Grammar by
reason and by conference of holie scriptures that S. Peter is called This Rocke when it is sayed to him Thou art Peter and vppon this Rock I wil build my Church It followeth And hel gates shal not preuaile against it Epiphan in Anchoratu Origenes in Matth. That is to say the power and strength of heresies shal preuaile neither against thée who art the Rock nor against my Church Not against thée being the Rock because I haue prayed for Peters faith not against my Church because so loÌ„g as the Rocke whervpon it is built is sure the Church it self which standeth vpoÌ„ the same Rock is sure also These words can not be wel referred to Christ only the chief Rock For it is Christ the chief Rocke who warranteth the assurance of the vnder Rocke And so it is Peter who is assured that hel gates shall not preuail against him nor against the Militant Church which is built vppon him Ioyne to these considerations the authoritie of Tertullian of Hippolytus of Origenes S. Cyprian S. Hilarie S. Basil S. Ambrose S. Augustine S. Gregorie S. Hierom S. Leo S. Chrysostom S. Cyrillus Theodoretus Prosper Theophilact with a greate number of the Fathers of the fourth General CouÌ„cel who teach S. Peter to be this Rock as I wil shew anon Neither doe they onely speak it but they bring such reasons for S. Peters being the Rocke as can agree to no man els but to him and to his successours in the same office Ioyne the practise of fiftene huÌ„dred yeres in which the seat of S. Peter standeth in Rome aÌ„d florisheth like a most immoueable Rocke among so many tyraÌ„s heretikes and naughty Christians Ioyne so many General Councels as haue ben in Christendome which all haue so acknowleged this Rock Tripart lib. 4. c. 9. which S. Peter is that they were all either aucthorised by his Successours or els for lacke thereof disanulled as vnlawfull Adde to the former reasons that if the Churche were built onely or chiefllie vpon the confession alone it must needs haue been built vppon the confession of S. Iohn Baptist before it was built vppon the confession of Peter Ioan. 1. For Iohn Baptist confessed Christ to be the Lambe of God who tooke awaye the synnes of the worlde before S. Peter and in moe woordes then S. Peter did But the ground of Christes building is the Rocke which Peter is and S. Iohn Baptist is not that kinde of Rock And the Churche is now promised to be builte vppon his confession who is first made the Rock and who being the Rock doth strongly confesse Remember also that I shewed in the former Chapiter how al the foure senses which the Fathers geue of the foresaid wordes vpon this Rock I wil build my Church are perfitely conteined in this one sense wherein the church is promised to be built vppon Peter For so it is proued to be built vppon Christ because he is so vniuersall a Rocke of the whole Churche that he maketh Peter a particular Rocke of the Militant Church In Peter is the faith which he confessed in him are all faithful Disciples comprehended But in none other sense al the auncient Fathers interpretation can be saued vpright Moreouer seeing it is cleere that to be the Rock is to be a certain foundation of the Churche for Christe buildeth his house vppon a Rocke sith al the Apostles are certaine foundacions of Gods beautifull Citie Matth. 7. Apocalip 21. and thereby they are also certeine Rockes vppon whiche the Churche is built how can Peter be denyed to be a Rock and foundation of the Churche for his part Now that his parte doth passe all other mennes partes I proue it moste euidentlie because the names of things are tokens of the things them selues and that moste speciallie when God himselfe geueth the name as now he hath done For yf the thing were not so before as he nameth it at the least his naming it so maketh it to be that which he nameth it Therefore seing onely Peter after Christ beareth the name of a rocke it is out of all question that the said name is a signe of his being the rock in some such sort as none other Apostle is the rocke But the faithfull are built vpon the foundation of all the Apostles and Prophets as S. Paul saith and thei are the Church of Christ Ephes 1. therefore the Church of Christ is much more notably built vpon S. Peter aboue all others because he is the rocke and foundation aboue al others And whereas by the power Apostolike al the Apostles were equal certainly S. Peter is this rock Leo serm 2. de anniuers assumpt not only as an Apostle wherein he had manie fellowes but also as a chefe bishop and as the primate of all Bisshops and Priests wherin he was perelesse being the head and top of all others in that sense as I shal declare hereafter In the which highe priesthod only Peter hath a successour who sitteth in the See of Rome to continue a Rock for euer sith Christes militant Church needeth to be alwaies built vp by visible preaching and gouernment This my interpretation is not a litle fortified by the preuarication of our aduersaries For they being at a point to deny that Peter and his successours are this rock whereupoÌ„ the militaÌ„t Church is built are yet by no meanes agreed what chiefe sense these words vpon this rocke I wil build my Church ought to haue Ievvel in his Reply fol. â—21 But sometime they make Christ to be this rocke sometyme the confession of the faith sometyme euerie disciple not regarding what they graunt or hold so that the truth be denied But it were reason they told vs some one chefe literal sense wherevnto they wold stand Which if they did all the world should perceaue their vanitie For if all our reasons were not diuided to answere diuerse senses as now they are but were driuen al to one purpose that opinion of theirs should haue ben much more easily destroyed and vtterly vanquished which neuer the lesse is now sufficiently disproued by the circuÌ„stance and coÌ„ference of holy scripture It is proued out of the aunciene Fathers that S. Peter is this rock whereupon the Church was promised to be built otherwise then M. Iewel affirmeth The V. Chap. THE chiefe ground of our disputation are the words of Christ spoken to Simon his Apostle Matth. 16 wherin he said Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke I will build mie Church By the force of which words the Catholicks beleue and teache that S. Peter was made a rock wherevpon Christ would build his Church And because it appereth afterward that the building of Christes Churche vppon Saint Peter was the making of him to be the chiefe shepheard of Christes whole flock the Catholicks teache that who soeuer succedeth S. Peter in the office of the cheefe shepherd as the bisshop of Rome doth that he is also the rock
fathers at once Concil Chalced. Act. 3. who in the fourth general Councel teache thus Petrus Apostolus est Petra crepido ecclesiae Catholicae Peter the Apostle is the Rocke and toppe of the Catholik Church What meant you then M. Iewel to say that the olde Catholique Fathers haue writen and pronounced not any mortal man as Peter was but Christ himselfe the Sonne of God to be this Rocke The old Fathers affirm both Christ and Peter to be the Rocke Christ by nature Peter by vocation and election Christ to be both the Rocke absolutelie and also by a consequent to be this Rocke wherupon the militant Church shal be built Peter to be this Rocke but not absolutely the Rocke But what did not M. Iewel know all this that surely is scant likelie sith these things are so riue in the old Fathers and so oft alleaged by the new writers Vnlesse perhaps M. Iewel readeth not the old Fathers and trusteth not the new writers aÌ„d so be ignoraÌ„t of these authorities For in dede id appeareth by his doings that either he neuer saw the originals whence he citeth his testimonies but onlie followeth blind note bookes made and collected by other his auncestours and masters in heresie or els he is one of the most manifest falsifiers that euer was in the Church For willinglie to belie so manie Fathers at once as he now hath done it is a malice not much lesse then Simon Magus or any scholar of his had I rather thinck he saw not the originals Howsoeuer it be he is an horrible instrument of perdition to the childern of perdition O syr Are Tertullian Origenes Cyprian Hilarie Basil Epiphanius Ambrose Hierom Augustine Chrysostome Cyrillus Damascenus Psellus Theodoretus Theophilactus Euthimius Prosper Leo Gregorius no auncient Fathers Al they teache a mortal maÌ„ as Peter was verily euen Peter him self by the gift of Christ to be this Rock whereof it is said vpon this rock I wil build my Church What a lyer now is he who saith they doe not so their bookes be foorth in print let them be sene If M. Iewel be an impudeÌ„t lier let him either openly recant or be auoided as a falsifier of Gods Gospel and of true religion yea as one more worthy of a whetstone then of a bishopricke But now lette vs consider also the reason why the fathers confesse the Church to haue ben built vpon S. Peter For euery thing is made the plainer and surer when the reason of it is knowen The diuerse reasons which the Fathers bring to declare why S. Peter was this rock doe euidently shew that he was most literally this Rocke whereupon Christ would build his Church The VI. Chap. HE that geueth a cause of a thing done or said sheweth himself to be most fully persuaded concerning the truthe of the thinge otherwise he would neuer indeuour to find out the reasons why that should be so doÌ„ or said which he thought not to be don or said at all Seing then the auncient Fathers do shew why and how S. Peter is this Rocke wherevpon the Church is built it is impossible that they should anything dout thereof and much lesse can they denie him to be this rocke wherevpon Christ said he would build his Church And yet M. Iewel hath said most falsely that they doe write and pronounce not any mortal man as Peter was to be this Rocke To beginne with S. Basil he saith Petrus Ecclesiae aedificationem in seipsum suscepit Aduersus EunomiuÌ„ lib. 2. Peter receaued the building of the Church vpon himself But why propter fidei excellentiam for the excellencie of his faith Behold his faith alone was not properlie the Rocke but Peter was the Rocke and that not onlie for his faith for then other faithful meÌ„ might haue ben the like rock but for the excellencie of his faith Two things then are necessarie for being this Rocke that he be Peter and that he haue an excellent faith to wit such as none other had as the which was promised most singularly and for the continuance whereof Christ himself hath praied And because this faith was most excellent Libr. 6. de Tainit Saint Hilarie teacheth farther that Supereminentem gloriam beatae fidei suae confessioâ—e promeruit Peter by the confessing of his blessed faith deserued a passing glorie Peters faith had not excelled yf anie man had ben like to him neither had Peters glorie passed for the confession of his faith yf any man had bene like to him in glorie His glorie was to receaue the building of the Church vppon him for the excellencie of his faith therefore the Churche was more singularlie built vppon him then vpon any other manels S. Cyprian writeth of S. Peter Ecclesia quae vna est super vnum Ad Iubaian qui claues eius accepit Domini voce fundata est The Church which is one is by the voice of our Lord fouÌ„ded vppon one who hath receaued the keies of it This reason can beare but one such Rocke at once as Peter was for els the Church as one is not founded vpon one if there are moe such rocks at once Otherwise what can be saied why if there be many such rocks there should not also be many Churches But the Churche beinge one is built vppon one therefore that one who is Peter hath no fellow in that behalf vntil after him an other doe succede in that one office Homil. de Pastor S. Augustine discoursing vpoÌ„ those wordes of Christ spoken to S. Peter Feed my sheep writeth thus Dominus in ipso Petro vnitatem coÌ„mendauit c. Our Lorde hath coÌ„mended vnitie in S. Peter himself Vni dicitur There were many Apostles aÌ„d it is said to one feed my shepe S. Augustin calleth the other Apostles also good shepherds but S. Peter he calleth the one good shephearde by whose one pastoral office vnitie is commended and set forth verely because it is meant that as many Pastours and particular flocks in this life are vnder Peter one chief pastour and in him â—hey al are one euen so all the states â—nd ages of the Church that euer haue â—en be or shal be are vnder one chief â—astour Iesus Christ and in him they â—al are one But as al the ages of faithful meÌ„ are one Church in Christ the chief pastour because he in deed and in truth conteineth them al vnder his vnitie right so Peter shuld not be the chief one Pastor of al the particular flocks in respect of the other Apostles except in deede he had power geuen him to feede them all within the compasse of his one folde S. Hierome hauing called S. Peter Lib. 1. aduers IouiÌ„ the Apostle of Christ and the Rock afterward confesseth to Iouinian who reioysed to see a maried man so honoured that Super Petrum fundatur Ecclesia The Church is built vpon Peter Adding therevnto Licet id ipsum in alio loco super omnes Apostolos fiat
of those wordes but expresly of the other words which went â—fore when Peter said False conueiance Thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God And that would haue appeared plainâ— if you had not cut of the sentence For after S. Hilarie had said this is â—e only happy Rock confessed by Peters â—outh it followeth immediately Tu â—s filius Dei viui Thou art the Son â—f the liuing God And whereas the â—ronoune Haec petra this Rock was â—eferred to these wordes False diuision Thou arte Christ the Son of the liuing God â—he falsifier of al good writers diuided â—he Pronoune Demonstratiue Haec â—rom the Proposition which it should â—oint vnto and did cut of the sentence â—n the middest making the ignorante â—eleue that S. Hilarie spake of the rock wherevpon Christ promised to builde his Church whereas he speaketh of the â—onely Rock which is the Sonne of God To make the mater plaine Peter saith to Christ Thou art the Sonne of the liuing God Matth. 16 this Rocke whâ—â—â— the Son of God is Peter out of al coÌ„trâ—uersie is not Neither did euer any Catholike say that Peter was the nature Sonne of God by whom al things weâ— made But after that Peter had confessed this only blessed rock then Christ said vnto Peter Thou art Peter aÌ„d vpon this Rocke wil I builde my Church Of this later sentence oâ— disputation is And surely S. Hilarie denieth not Peter to be this kind of Rocke which we last spake of but expresly confesseth it in his CoÌ„mentaries vpoÌ„ S. Mathew as I haue shewed already In the V. chap. But now S. Hilarie speaketh only of that Rock which the Son of God is So wheras there are two rocks Christ and Peter M. Iewel would deceiue vs by conueying the one in stede of the other But God hath detected his vnhonest dealing Ievvel Again he saith vpoÌ„ this Rock of Peters coÌ„fession is the building of the Church Sander This place is abused as the â—ormer was De Trinitate lib. 6 For S. Hilarie there inâ—reateth of these wordes Thou art Christ the Son of the liuing God And sheweth that Peter both beleued and confessed Christes Godhead The confession of which Godhead is in deed the foundation of the Church but that confession is one thing and the answer to it is an other thing The confession toucheth the honor of Christ saying Thou art the Sonne of God The answere toucheth the honour of Peter saying Thou art Peter and vppon this Rock I wil build my Church Christ is the Rocke that Peter confesseth Tvvo Rocks and Peter is the Rocke which Christ maketh The confession concerning the thing confessed is a greater Rock then Peter But concerning the thing who coÌ„fessed Peter is no lesse a rock then his own act of coÌ„fession was Now when Christ saith Vppon this Rock I wil build my Church he meaneth not only nor first of al literally that he will hereafter build his Church vppon the thing confessed to wit vpon the Godhead of Christ which Petâ—â—â—onfessed for therevpon it was built already Tvvo buildings euen from the beginning of the world but he meaneth that he wil build that Church which was for euer built vpon his Godhead and was built vpon his manhood euer sith his incarnation that Church I say he wil hereafter build vpon the inward faith aÌ„d outward confessioÌ„ of S. Peter whiles he by confessing the truth shal vphold staie aÌ„d stablish al other faithful meÌ„ So that S. Hilarie includeth S. Peters person most necessarily vnder the coÌ„fession of S. Peter And so M. Iewel telleth the tale alwaies against him self as liers do Ievvel Dial. 4. de trinit S. Cyrillus The Rocke is nothing els but the strong and assured faith of the Disciple Sander This is that I would haue M. Iewel for I said before that Christ in saying Vppon this Rock I will build my Church did not now onely or most literallie meane so muche vppon the thing confessed as vppon the faith of the confessour and now M. Iewel confirmeth my saying For the Rocke is the faith of the Disciple But the Disciple is S. Peter therefore the faith which is the Rock is the faith of S. Peter Who hiered M. Iewel to bewraye his owne cause When I say that Saint Peter is this Rocke I meane S. Peter beleeuing Saint Peter confessing Saint Peter feeding his sheepe S. Peter strengthning his brethern But yet euery way S. Peter is the rocke And so it is true Dial. 4. de trinit that Cyrillus saith the rock is nothing els but S. Peters strong and assured faith But S. Peters faith is not Christ therefore Christe who is somewhat els beside the faith of the Disciple is not now said to be that Rocke wherevppon he wil build his Church And yet M. Iewel saith that and nothing els O trustie preacher to build a mans sowle vpon Thus he reasoneth not Peter but Christ is this rocke because the Rocke is nothing els but the faith of the disciple as though the faith were not in Peter who is the disciples Ievvel So likewise Chrysostom vpoÌ„ this Rock that is to saie vpoÌ„ this faith and this confession I wil build mie Church Sander But he that beleued and confessed was Peter and not Christ and Peters faith and confession was in himselfe as being reuealed to him by God the Father ergo S. Peter is the rocke in that God gaue him grace to confesse Christ to be the Sonne of God You confound your self M. Iewel not caring how your words agree so that a shew of sumwhat be made In the v. Chap. I shewed also before that S. Chrysostom nameth S. Peter himself a strong confession so â—hat the name of confession doth neâ—essarily include S. Peter within the meaning thereof Ievvel S. Augustine De verbis Domini Christ was the â—ock vpon which foundation Peter himself vvas also built Sander Did you neuer know M. Iewel that one Rocke might be built vpoÌ„ an other 1. Pet. 2. the lesser vpon the greater is not the house of God built of many stones Christ is the chiefe Rocke 1. Cor. 10. the corner stone vpoÌ„ him lieth S. Peter a rock in comparison of Christ verie smal in comparison of vs verie great Vpon Saint Peter the rest of the Church which liued vnder him was built which also is a Rocke aswel through Christ the Rocke of Rocks as through Peter the second Rocke and through it self sith euery man is according to his degree a liuelie stone concurring to the building vp of the whole Church which stones being ioyned together and fastened by faith and charitie make also a Rocke of themselues Ephes 2. besyde that they are built vpon the foundations of the Prophets and of the Apostles One of these verities doth not imbarre the other Ievvel S. Augustine addeth in Christes person I wil not build my self vpoÌ„ the but I wil build thee vpon me
that S. Peter came to Rome notwithstanding some brainesick men woulde now persuade the contrarie but also the selfe same thing is witnessed by the expresse word of God when S. Peter saith in the end of his own epistle Petrus in epist 1. c. 5 salutat vos Ecclesia quae est in Babylone collecta The Church which is gathered together in Babylon saluteth you For there he called Rome Babylon Because as Babylon was named of the cōfusion of tongs and had in it whiles it was the seat of the monarchy al maner of nations and consequētly al maner of vices euen so had Rome being now the seat of the Romane Empire when S. Peter wrote thence al maner of tonges of nations and of vices in it And of this mind was that Auncient Father Papias Euseb histor lib. 2. c. 15. Graecae scholia and diuerse other holie writers concerning the same place of S. Peters epistle Neither did S. Peter only come to Rome and preache at Rome for a tyme but he also died there ād so died there that it appered euidently God would haue him die no where els For whereas according to the duty of the chiefe pastour he came to Rome chiefely to saue his flocke there from the raging furie of Simon Magus the capitaine of al heretiks who began to be worshipped for a God in Rome whē by his praier he had caused the deuils who caryed Simon Magus a long in the ayer Euseb li. 2 c. 13. 14. 15. Egesippus lib. 3. c. 2. to let him fall whereupon his death insued shortlie after the Emperour Nero who toke no small delight in the sorcerie of Simon Magus being sore offended with S. Peters dede sought straight waies his apprehension and destruction At that tyme the Christians being verie loth to be depriued of so good a pastour as S. Peter was Amhros post epist 32. lib. 5 with much intreating and many teares praied him to goe out of the way and to saue himselfe At whose requeste Saint Peter otherwise vnwilling therevnto beganne to take his iourney out of the citie But when he was come to the gate he seeth Christ comming toward him whome he adoring said Domine quo vadis Ambos episto lib. 5. post epi. 32 O Lord whether goest thow Christ said vnto him venio Romam iterum crucifigi I come to Rome to be crucified againe Peter vnderstoode thereby that Christ would suffer in him at Rome who suffereth in euery of his members not by paine of bodie but by compassion of pitie or rather by the greatenes of glorie which is gotten to him by the victoriouse death which his Saints are put vnto Vpon this vision Peter returned againe into the Citie of Rome and being taken he was putte to death vppon the crosse with his head downward so that Christ himselfe appointed Rome to be the place where S. Peter should rest This matter is witnessed Lib. 5. post epist. 32. Egesip lib. 3. cap. 2. not onelie by Saint Ambrose but also by Egesippus who was a very auncient writer euen straight vpon the tyme of the Apostles albeit his worcke being translated into Latin seemeth to haue certain names of Cities added by him who did translate it about the tyme of S. Ambrose and of Ruffinus Neither is it to be douted but S. Luke would haue writen the same appearing of Christ vnto S. Peter as wel as he wrote the appearing of Christ vnto S. Paule if he had gon so farre forward in his storie of the Acts of the Apostles Actor 9. But seing he did not continue his narration vntill the death of S. Peter and of Saint Paule we must needes credit those faithfull auncient witnesses who reporte the same By which historie we learne that Christe who might easilie haue graunted the the glory of Martyrdom to his Apostle in any other place had a special regard that both hee Vvhy S. Peter shuld die in Rome and his fellow Apostle S. Paul might die in Rome Whereof I find diuerse causes alleaged in the Fathers Augustini de sanctis serm 27. One is for the glory of the Apostles ne alteri Roma deesset that Rome might not lacke to either of them or that they might not lacke the glory of the chiefe Citie Rome concerning the place of their Martyrdom An other is for the destruction of superstition Augustin ibidem Vt vbi caput superstitionis erat illic caput quiesceret sanctitatis Et vbi gentiliū principes habitabant illic Ecclesiarum morerentur That where the head of superstition was there might be the head of holines And where the Princes of the Gentils dwelt there the Princes of the Church might die The third cause is for the honour of the west Church Ibidem Cum Dominus orientis regionem propria illustra uerit passione occidentis plagam ne quid minus esset vice sui Apostolorum sanguine illuminare dignatus est Et licet illius passio nobis sufficiat ad salutem tamen etiam horum Martyrium nobis contulit ad exemplū Whereas our Lord hath made the East part lightsom with his owne passion he voutsafed in his steed that it might be no lesse to geue light vnto the west quarters by the bloud of his Apostles And albeit our Lords passion suffiseth vs for saluation yet their Martyrdome also hath done vs good for example The fourth cause is Leo serm 1. in natali Petri Pauli for the spreading of the Gospel Vt lux veritatis quae in omnium gentium reuelabatur salutem efficacius se ab ipso capite per totum mundi corpus effunderet That the light of the truthe which was reuealed for the saluation of al nations might spread it self more effectuouslie frō the very head through out the whole bodie Now forasmuch as God vsed the Citie of Rome as a most special meane wherby to enlarge and spread his faith through al the world which obeied that one citie it came also to passe that the same citie per sacrā B. Petri sedē caput orbis affecta Leo ibidē latius praesideret religione diuina quà m dominatione terrena Being made the head of the worlde through the holy See of S. Peter shuld rule more largely by Gods religion then by earthly dominion Lib. 6. epist 37. Petrus enī saith S. Gregorie subli mauit sedē in qua etiā quiescere praesentē vitā finire dignatus est For Peter hath lifted vp a high the See wherin he also voutsafed to reast and to end this present life Marke that the glory and prerogatiue of the Romaine Church is most speciallye imputed to S. Peter For although two Apostles died in one Citie at one time for one truthe of Christes Gospel yet they left not two Chaiers or successions there Iren. lib. 3 cap. 3. August ep 162. 165. Neither is the Bisshop of Rome called the successour of
should then only be made and neuer els If now Luther be the same to vndoe Matth. 5. or to fulfil Christes Lawe whiche Christ was in the dissoluing or rather in fulfilling Moyses Law then I haue done let Luther preuaile But if Luther may be an heretike wheras he can not be Christ surelie the Argument of his departure stil concludeth him and al his to be members of Antichrist Hitherto concerning the going out of the Churche The second mark of an Antichristian SEcondlie he that goeth out of one Church if he wil be in any Churche at all either he goeth into an other Church elder then that which he was in or he maketh a new Church of his owne The Pope is not without a Churche but rather he is in the Romaine Churche as who is head and pastour thereof But he could not goe into any other Church elder then his owne For S. Irenaeus coÌ„fesseth the RomaÌ„ churche to be antiquissimam Lib. 3. c. 3. the moste auncient Neither did he make a new Church of his own For then it must needs be knowen which Pope it was who erected this new Church And of the Pope it must haue taken a proper name as the Arrian Church was named of Arrius and the Churche of the Donatists was named of Donatus And the holy Martyr Iustinus fourtene huÌ„dred yeres past gaue this note that all new sects be named by their Authors Iustin in tryphone Exorientur multi pseudoc christi et pseudo apostoli multos seduceÌ„t ò fidelibus Et sunt inter nos distincti cognominibus Denominati à quibusdam viris vt quisque fuit author alicuiê° nouae doctrinae sententiae Auctor nouae doctrinae Ex ijs alij vocantur Marciani alij Basilidiani alij Saturniniani alij alio vocabulo quisque à primo inuentore sui dogmatis There shal arise manie false Christes False Christes and false Apostles aÌ„d they shal seduce many of the faithful And they are distincted among vs by their surnames taking their names of certaine men as euery one was author of any new doctrine and iudgement And of these some were called Marcianists others Basilidians others Saturninians and other some with an other name euerie one of the first inuentour of his opinion In Apolog. secunda To this rule Athanasius alludeth saying Meletius schisma fecit adeo vt illius sectatores etiam nunc pro Christianis Meletiani vocitentur Meletius made a schisme in so muche that euen at this time his followers are named Meletians Lib. 4. c. 30 De vera sapient in the steed of Christians Cum Marcionite aut Arriani nominantur Christiani esse desierunt When they are named Marcionits or Arrians they haue ceased to be Christians saith Lactantius Firmianus But now if al the Popes from S. Peter dounward should be named the Protestants were not hable to say that either Anacletus or Victor or Calixtus or Sozimus or Leo or Gregorius or Bonifacius or any other Pope beganne any new sect or left any disciples who might be named after his proper name And yet if the Popes did goe out of the Church it was some one or other who did lead the daunce He had a certaine name he had a time to do it in he had companions who folowed him otherwise there could be no suche going out if there were no circumstance thereof Seing then it is not possible to name anie Pope who first went out of the Churche and made the Schism nor to shew any name geuen to his Disciples it is cleere that it is only a vain fable and slaunder fained vpon the Popes without any truth at al. For no heresie began without an author Who if he were vnknoweÌ„ in some obscure sect yet at the least the heresie was straight named of the couÌ„trie or of the doctrine it self or of some other notable circumstance But when our ennemies studie to geue vs a name eight or nine hundred yeres after that we departed as they saie from the true Church what signe is that Verilie that they belie vs. Nowe they name vs Papists and Romanists and what they list But I pray you Masters was there any man called Papa by his proper name or anie called Romanus who was our Capitaine Shew the Historie and we beleue you Or did euer any heresie tarie in the Churche eight or nine hundred yeares wlthout a name geuen to it Naie I think it can not be shewed that euer any heresie taried eight or nine yeares without a name wherby al the church might learne to beware of it Al these vvrote against heresies I appeale herein to antiquitie to Philaster to Epiphanius to S. Augustine to Theodoretus Damascenus Euthimius who al writing against heresies neuer left any of them al without a pecular name And in deed how could they els describe the heresie vnto vs but by naming it And yet those who nowe firste after eight or nine huÌ„dred yeres begin to haue a name haue all this while remayned without anie proper name at al which might shew or describe anie sect or heresie of theirs and that because it was not possible to name that which was not For we in dede are and alwaies were Catholikes and nothing els what so euer spightfully maiâ— be inuented and fained vpon vs without cause or ground after so many hundred yeres whereas a newe sect hath straight a new name But is it so trow ye with the Lutherans the Zuinglians the Caluinists and the Suenck feldians Doe not their names shewe who instituted and inuented that sect Can we not tel in what yere euerie of them began How he went forward And who succeded in his Chair of Pestilence The Protestants therfore going out of our Catholik Church and leauing vs within did not goe to any elder Churche either of the GreciaÌ„s or of Aethiopians or any like but did sette vppe a new Synagoge whiche was named of them Wherefore they are heretikes and members of Antichrist An other obiection ansvvered Neither can they iustlie obiect as they doe folishlie endeuour that we haue also Benedictins Franciscans Dominicans Iesuits and such other for the rule of S. Iustinus then taketh place when as himselfe expreslie saith there is an author or a beginner nouae alicuius doctrinae sententiae of anie new doctrine or iudgemeÌ„t Beholde it is not onely a new name geuen of a special man which name sheweth an heresie but it is a name geuen by reason of a new doctrine and of a new iudgement or sentence in Gods religion Saint Benedict or Saint Francis A great heresie Matth. 19. taught none other thing but that it was good to forsake all that a man had and to follow Christe The whiche thing because it is not easie to doe perfectlie without a guide they declared what way seemed best vnto them to accomplish that Counsell of the Gospel And that their institution was not fulfilled by their aucthoritie
But they submitted their order and rule vnto the chiefe bishop who allowed it for good and vertuouse so that now their followers be named of their rule and obedience and not of their doctrine which in all points was Catholike as the very writen rule doth testifie It is then the property of hereticks to goe out of the Church And the Protestāts are gon out It is the property of Capitaine hereticks to leaue their own names to their scholars Hereof some protestants are called Lutherans other Zuingliās other Caluinists other Hosiandrines and so foorth from both which conditions the popes of Rome and their adherents are free as it hath ben declared The third marck of an Antichristian THirdly when heretickes are once without the Church they can not possibly agree partly because the grace of God and the spirit of vnity is not amōg them partly because they are without one visible iudge and head and are al so proud and puffed vp that euery man wil be a master so that no one of them wil yeld to the other So the old hereticks were diuided as S. a Lib. 1. c. 30. Ireneus witnesseth So the Arriās wēt straight into three diuerse sects as b heres 73. Epiphanius declareth And the like chaunced to the Donatists as S. c heres 69. Augustine hath testified But are the popes or the Catholiks in this case concerning their faith Who can shew a pope vnlike his predecessours or a Catholike disobedient to the pope from the first to the last their faith is one their professiō stil the same their gouernment is al after one rate Which thing could not possiblie come to passe except they were all directed by the God of peace and by the spirit of vnity But on the otherside how many sects are sprong in Germany alone within these forty yers How doe the Lutherās daily write and preache against the Caluinists in so much that they were in armes of late in Antwerp the one against the other How doe the Anabaptists dissent from them both How cruellie doe the ciuil Lutherās of Wittemberg persecute euen with filthy and slaunderouse Images Flaccus Illyricus a stout and straight Lutheran Neitheir can this matter be iustly coloured as it is to them who perish by the example of the Apostles and disciples hovv the Catholiks end their strife Act. 15. For if any small disagreing did fall out betwen them it was first rather about some temporal fact then any doctrine of the Gospel As when Paule and Barnabas dissented in this point whether Marck should goe with them or no. Againe if the fact did towche in any point the doctrine of the Gospel the one straight waies yelded to the other Galat. 2. as S. Peter did yeld vnto S. Paule who reproued him for a dissembling deede concerning the law of Moyses Or if the doctrine it selfe was called in doubt straight waies a visible iudge was chosen who might end the strife Act. 15. as when S. Paule and Barnabas came to Ierusalem to haue the Apostles decree concerning the law of Moyses not to binde any more Thus the Catholiks also dissent somtime either vpon a fact as whether it be best to reduce the keeping of Christmasse to the shortest day in the yere or no which is of no great importaunce or els the one yeldeth to the other who reproueth him if the matter be plaine or if it be intricat they both must vnder pain of damnation be content to referre them selues to a visible iudge in the earth after whose determination their strife is at an end as it was euidently sene in the matter of Clandestine Mariages at Trent For among vs he that obeyeth not the sentence of the highe priest is excommunicated Deut. 17. and separated from our societie But Luther being reproued of his brethern at many meetings did euermore stand in this matter of faith against thē that the body of Christ was really present with the substāce of braed Zuinglius on the otherside being reproued often tymes yet died stubbornly in this opinion that the body of Christ was present not in truth but in a signe and figure As it is certaine to vs that neither of those two is saued so their faith must needes be monstrouse Note vvel who beleue that they both are saued The contentiō was not of a matter which as yet was hiddē or vnreuealed For what in all the world ought to haue ben or was more knowē then the supper of Christ Which these fiften hundred yeres hath ben in daily practise and therefore the whole doctrine cōcerning the substance of it may not be vnknowen no not to weomē and to yong men Moreouer eche of thē said he was sure of the truth and beleued his opinion most constantly And shal now both he be saued who teacheth stubbornly euen to death that in this sacramental bread the substāce of Christes body is present and he also who teacheth stubbornly euen to death that in this sacramental bread the substance of Christes body is not present If both these preachers defended the truthe what kinde of religion is this where contradictory articles are true at once If the one was a false teacher euen with stubburnes he was therein a member of Antichrist And seing it must needes be that the one did auouche false doctrine and yet did warrant it for the true Gospel we are sure that one of the two must nedes be a mēber of Antichrist And yet seing the Popes Catholike doctrine doth dissent from them both which soeuer of two be an Antichrist the Pope shall not be thereby in any daunger to be an Antichrist together with any of them Mark the reason wel It goeth not to this opiniō or to that wherin there is no end of contention But it concludeth a necessary sequele vpon a confessed truthe If any man for false doctrine may be an enemy of Christ as doutlesse he may he is that enemy who teacheth most presumptuously his false doctrine But of these two doctrines it is the body of Christ and it is not the bodie of Christ the one must needes be false Therefore seing Luther tawght stoutlie the one and Zuinglius stoutly the other either Luther or Zuinglius is an aduersarie of Christ. This poīt vvuld be ansvvered But all the whole number of Protestants a verie few Illyricans excepted accompt them both saued and consequentlie they iustifie the stubborn preachers of clean contrarie doctrines therefore the whole number of Protestantes doth iustifie one who is an Antichrist And therefore the whole number of Protestants is condemned of God for iustifying a false prophet and for defending an euident member of Antichrist as who teache euil to be good VVo to them Isai 5. and good to be euil To you I speake M. Iewel did not Luther teache false doctrine when he said that the bodie of Christ was really and substantially present with the substance of bread in the Sacrament
cap. 7. which thing Caluin accompted a beastlie matter Againe at Geneua his doctrine is decaied For wheras he beleued that Christes soule went downe into hell euen to the place where the soules are tormented in euerlasting fire In 2. Act. Apostol Beza so much misliketh him therein that he wil haue Christes soule to goe no lower then into the graue The which opinion the Englishe translation of the Actes of the Apostles made at Geneua doth embrace And concerning his opinion of the Sacramēt that I may omit how vehementlie Flacius Illyricus hath shaken it already in his bokes against Beza it can not long stande because the common sorte can not vnderstande it And worthelie for that whiche is not true is not able to be vnderstanded and his doctrine is altogeather grounded vppon imagination without any assurāce of God words To be short if the Anabaptists shall not by a worse heresie oppresse the glory of Caluins doctrine or if all other meanes to destroy it should faile at the lest by this one way it is sure to perish For as the Marcionists the Manichees the Arrians the Nestoriās the Eutychians the Monothelites the Pelagians the Donatists the Imagebreakers were at the last all wrapped in Apostasie and infidelity and were swalowed vppe by the Moores the Saracens and the Turcks euen so is it most certaine that if the Caluinists do scape other destructions they shal perish in the end either being made infidels or being conquered of others But in the meane tyme how safe stādeth the See Apostolik How many hundred yeres hath it dured alwaies like to it selfe How vnremoueable is that rock How doth the doctrine therof florish more and more euery daie Truth which is the dawghter of tyme hath now made many hereticks to confesse that they thought so much could neuer haue ben said for the Apostolike See of Rome as now they finde In so much that if al these things which are now reuealed had ben knowen before thowsands of them would neuer haue gonne that way But now either shame or slewth or couetousnes or feare of wordly princes or the hard profession of the Catholikes or desperation causeth them to stoppe their eyes and their eares lest perhaps they might see the truthe and be conuerted Ioan. 1◠Yet God to shew his almighty power doth daily reuoke some to his true Church both in Germannie and Fraunce and I beseche him to doe the like in our countrie of England also The fifth marck of an Antichristian THe fifth marck wherby to know the forerūners of Antichrist is if any man preache Gods Word without commission rom his superiours For such a one runneth before he be sent and cometh of himself as Antichrist shall doe Rom. 10. For how shall they preach saith S. Paul except they be sent Now as Christ the head preacher of all was sent of his Father visiblie in flesh so he visiblie sent his Apostles Ioan. 20. 2. Tim. 4. and they by imposition of hands sent others to preache And their successours frō age to age haue sent others in the Catholike Churche euen till this day So that all Catholike preachers are hable to reduce their commlssion from step to step vntil they come to Christ himself But seing Luther Zuinglius and Caluin rebelled against their own bisshops who are the successours of the Apostles and seing they were not sent of any in all the world who had a knowen and publike authority from the Apostles of Christ it must nedes follow that they came of themselues and were not lawfully sent at all As for temporall magistrates who are onely sheepe and which can not preache themselues can much lesse send others to preache For no man can send an other to doe that which him self is not able to do Ioan. 13. sith no Apostle or Legat is greater then he that sent him And yet it was not possible for any temporal magistrate or any common weale to send Luther to preache because they who should haue sent him were by his iudgement misbeleuers vntil he had conuerted them to a new faith And so when he had first preached his doctrine he was sent of no mā in all the world but came of himself ād therefore was an Antichrist Ioan. 5. who cōmeth in his own name as Christ hath tawght It is well knowen also that Luther would not send Zuinglius to preache against himself Neither would Zuinglius send Caluin to deface his own doctrine And consequently euery one of these is a false preacher who cometh not from Christ nor from his Apostles or their successours as the Pope doth who succedeth lineally S. Peter as it is knowen The sixth marck of an Antichristian THe sixth marke whereby to know this broode of Antichrist may be in that Antichrist himself being alltogether carnal shall prefer the temporal reign or sword before the spiritual A certaine signe wherof this is because he shall constraine men with force of armes not only to kepe their former faith for that were lawful for hī who is a true officer of God but also to take a new faith which thing no mā would doe except he were of this minde that mens consciences ought to yeld to his violent force And in dede when his master the diuel said to Christ Math. 4. If thou fal down and adore me I wil geue thee all these things shewing al the kingdōs of the world he declared himself to be of this minde to pluck the seruice dew to God to himself and to make vs prefer the kingdoms of the world before the faith of Christ And therefore Antichrist who is ruled by the deuill shall putte confidence also in an earthlie Kingdome And as Saint Paule saieth he shall come in virtute that is to say 2. Thess 2 in power and strength Whereunto it is very agreable that his preachers also doe preferre the iurisdiction of temporall princes Note In Horn against M. Fecknam aboue the iurisdiction of the spirituall ministers of Christ teaching that Kings are the supreame gouernours of Christes Churche And that secular princes may visite correct reforme and depose any bishop in their owne realmes Which is directly to say that the power of the Kinge is a higher and a greater power in Gods Church then the power of a bishop or of a pastour For as the lawiers know and natural reason teacheth Lege 3. 4. de Arbitris nec par in parem potestatē habet nec inferior in superiorem Neither any aequal hath power vpon his equal nor any inferiour hath power vpon his superiour But say the Protestants the temporal King may depose a bishop and yet that he can not doe iustly except he may first sitte iudge vppon a bishop euen as he is a bishop and sitte iudge ouer him as he is a bishop he can not except he he be his superiour therefore it is the protestants doctrine that a Kings temporal power for we speake