are not possible for man to vtter yet did he not therefore broche anye new reuelations or dreames but confirmed his doctrine by the testimonie of the law and the Prophets He exhorteth his scholer Timothie 1. Tim. 4.13 to giue attendance vnto reading to exhortation to doctrine to learning and to continue therein to saue himselfe and them that should heare him God reuealed vnto Peter and the rest of the Apostles that he was the sonne of the liuing God but by preaching so vnto Cleophas and the other Disciple going to Emaus Luc. 24.45 expounding the Law and the Prophets hée opened the doctrine of his passion God opened the heart of Lidia conuerted her vnto Christianitie but by Paules ministerie Wherefore although God reuealeth all thinges Act. 16.14 yet is not the spirite to be seuered from the word neither yet the word from the spirite God doth vse both these instruments ioyntly And thus much for the first part The second point I sayd we had to consider was what the foundation and rocke is wherevpon the Church of God is builte for that is expressed in the 18 verse Thou art Peter and vpon this rock I will builde my Church and the gates of hel shal not ouercome it Concerning the true meaning and sence of these wordes what it is that Christ appointeth to be that rock wherevpon he will build his Church there is no small variance betwéen vs and the church of Rome We according to the tenor of the rest of the scriptures and circumstance of the place affirme that Christ by this word Petra a Rocke meaneth that whiche Peter confessed whiche was Christe himselfe But the Popishe Cleargie to establishe the authoritie of the Bishop of Rome and his superioritie power and dominion ouer all other churches hath applied this saying of our Sauioure Christ vnto Peter alone making him that Rocke whereof Christ here speaketh against which the gates of Hell cannot preuaile affyrming that Christ in this place hath giuen by these wordes a certayne chiefetie and preheminence to Peter aboue all other Apostles and made him the foundation and heade of his church here in earth and his vicar generall for the gouernmente thereof enduing him with especiall power and authoritie aboue all others Whiche exposition as also Article of Religion to bee most vntrue being the mayne poste of their religion and suche an Article of fayth the whiche who beléeueth not as they saye cannot bée saued and this place being vsed of them all especiallye aboue all others as the cheefest for the confirmation of the Supremacye and authoritie of the Bishop of Rome it shall not bee amisse being apparante sithens this Progresse that howsoeuer this Doctrine hath bene heretofore beaten downe that notwithstanding it remayneth rooted in many mens mindes it shall be expedient to shew and declare this their interpretation to be erroneous and their collection vaine and friuolous Which I will doe first by the very words and circumstaunce of the place Secondly by that this their exposition is contrarye to the expresse wordes of the Scripture and rules of Fayth Thirdely by the opinion and practise of the Apostles And last of all by the iudgement and interpretation of the antient and learned Fathers and practise of their age Firste that euen the verye wordes of the Texte do argue that when Christ sayth vppon this Rocke I will builde my Church by this worde Petra a Rocke hée meaneth not the person of Peter the Apostle but that which Peter confessed which was Christe it maye appeare by this in that it pleased the holye Ghoste the Euangelist shoulde alter and chaunge the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 when as hee mighte haue vsed the selfe same worde to expresse that their meaning to make Peter the Rock wherevpon he would build his church for although the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe agrée in significatiō in that both of them by interpretatiō doth signifi a stone or rock yet the alteration chāge of the word in propriety of spéech termination in gender in construction of persō doth import that the holy ghost by these diuerse words would mean a diuers thing For the one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nomen atticum after the proprietie of the Attike tongue the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is nomen communis linguae after the propriety of the vulgar tōgue the one word is the masculine gender the other the feminine the persō in cōtruction differeth for from the second person he goeth to the third he saith not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpō thée Peter but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon this rock By this varietie and change it is plain the Euangelist ment to expresse some diuerse thing otherwise it néeded not to haue made any alteration at all there is no doubte therefore but the holye ghost vpon purpose did alter and chaunge the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen to auoyde that erroure that mighte bée gathered thereof if Christe woulde haue taughte vs in this place so weightye an Article of oure Fayth as that is as they make it that Peter muste bée the Heade of the Churche vppon whome excepte wée bée builte we cannot bée saued hée woulde not in declaration thereof so haue varied from his ordinarie name hée gaue him séeing it mighte so well haue serued the turne and by whiche hée mighte playnely haue declared this grounde of Fayth Wherefore by the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meante not the Person of Peter but Christe whome Peter confessed and beléeued on For whiche cause Peter immediatelye before in the former verse was pronounced blessed by our sauioure Christe for that GOD had opened and reuealed vnto him that Christe was the sonne of the liuing GOD and further for the knowledge and beleefe hereof hée did not onely terme him blessed but hée also gaue him another name that whereas before hée was called Simon Bar Iona hée shoulde nowe bée named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a Rocke according as hée had promised in the firste of Iohn because hée knewe and beléeued in the Rocke vpon whiche not onlye hée but the whole Churche of GOD shoulde bee builte For hée was so named of Christ not because hée shoulde bée Petra the rock wherevppon the Congregation of God shoulde bée builded but hée was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because hee was builte vpon that Rocke whereon the Churche should be founded Petra whiche is the Rocke as Augustine August serm 21. de verbo domini sayth hath not his name of Peter but Peter of Petra the Rocke as Christ hath not his name of a Christian but a Christian of Christe Ierom in 8. Math. and Sainte Ierome affirmeth that Peter had his name of Petra whiche is Christ whiche name agréeth not onely to the person of Peter but vnto all Christians and faythfull people which beléeue
calling and what the riches of his glorious inheritaunce is in the Saintes These thinges as the opening of the eyes the vnderstanding of the waye of Gods commaundementes the making vs to goe in the path of them the creating of a cleane hearte the renewing of a righte spirite the clensing of sinne the inclination of oure heartes to his testimonies they woulde not haue craued so constantlye at Gods hande by earnest and humble prayer if they had not bene perswaded they came onelye from him to be his méere giftes Secondlye as the meditation of this oughte to make vs to praye to obtayne so hauing atteyned by his goodnesse to anye of these benefites it shoulde excite vs also to thankefulnesse after the example of all Gods Children and of our Sauioure Christe who giueth thankes to his father Lorde of heauen and earth Mat. 11.20 because he had hid his gospell from the wise and men of vnderstanding and had opened it to babes Thirdelye hauing receyued anye lighte of knowledge and graces of GOD wée must haue a greate care in vsing them to encrease his giftes in vs to prouoke God through our thankefulnesse to bestowe his mercyes in moste humble manner vppon vs. Mat. 13.12 For whosoeuer hath to him shall bee giuen but whosoeuer hath not from him shall bee taken awaye euen that whiche hée hath it cannot neyther oughte it to ingender sloothfulnesse in vs because GOD giueth and worketh all in all for moste true and excellent is that warning which Saynte Augustine giueth in his Booke De correptione gratia Aug. de Correptio gratia cap. 2. Non se itaque fallant qui dicunt vt quid nobis predicatur c. That is Let not sayth Augustine them deceiue themselues who saye Wherefore is it preached and taughte vs to eschew euill and to doe good if wee doe it not but it be GOD which worketh in vs both the will and the deede but rather let the faithfull know that they are led with the spirit of God that they may doe that they ought to doe and when they haue done it they may giue thanks to him that caused them for they are driuen to the ende they should endeuour to worke not that they should doe nothing themselues Fourthly and last of all this putteth vs in minde of our owne want and imperfection of our blindnesse and ignoraunce wherby we are driuen to acknowledge our owne miserye to humble our selues before the Lorde to prayse God in his giftes we sée in our brother and not to contemn and despise them whome we sée to want nor to be proude and loftie for any thing in vs but to geue the whole praise and glorye to God alone Thus noteth Augustine verye well in his booke De bono perseuerantiae Cap. 63 6 Nos volumus sed Deus operatur in nobis velle August de bono perscuerantiae cap. â—3 6 nos operamur sed Deus operatur in nobis c. that is We will but God worketh in vs to will we doe but God worketh in vs the déed after his good pleasure this is profitable for vs to beleeue and to say that is godly and true that our confession may be humble and lowly the whole may be giuen to God and in his sixte chapter of the same booke he sayth Tutiores viuimus si totum Deo damus non autem nos illi ex parte nobis ex parte committimus wée liue or deale the safelier if we giue the whole to God and not partlye to him and partly to our selues The Apostle S. Paule hereof beateth downe the pride and vainglorye of the Corinthian Doctors in that whatsoeuer they had they had receiued it of God For so he reasoneth 1. Cor. 4 7. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued why reioycest thou as though thou hadst not receiued it If the knowledge of this doctrine work these effects in vs then shall we haue learned this lesson that Christ here teacheth vs to good purpose otherwise it shall auaile vs no more then to sée the meate whereof we may not féede shall nourish our bodies or to beholde the gold which we may not vse shal serue our turne To conclude on this part one onelye caueat is to be giuen that we take héede that we abuse not this doctrine and maner of spéeche as the Euthusiasts Anabaptists and the family of Loue to the contemning or neglecting of the preaching of the word of God who for as muche as here and in diuerse places besides it is sayde that God reuealeth the misteries of his kingdom vnto vs and worketh all things by his holye spirit therof haue they condemned the vocall preaching of the word and haue fled to priuat inspirations reuelatioÌ„s dreames and fantasies whereby they haue ben lead into diuers dangerous heresies But wée must this learn vnderstaÌ„d that although god reueleth his wil vnto vs and worketh both knowledge fayth by his holy spirit yet doth hee it not but by that meanes hee hath appointed that is by the ministerie of his word and therefore Esai Esai 59.21 the Prophet ioineth in the promise of God made both the word and the spirite together My spirite that is vpon thée and my words which I haue put in thy mouth shall not departe out of thy mouth of thy séed nor out of the mouth of the séed of thy séede sayth the Lord from henceforth for euer Where we sée he ioyneth both the word the spirit together they are not to be sundered The Apostle Paul plainly teacheth to the Romains Rom. 10.14.17 that no man can beleeue in him of whome hee hath not heard and that they cannot heare without a preacher that faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the worde of God And in the 4 to the Ephesians Ephe 4.10 he testifieth that when Christ ascended vp into heauen he led captiuitie captiue gaue gifts vnto men that he therefore gaue some to be Apostles some prophets and some Euangelists some pastors and teachers to what end he expresseth it to that gathering togither of the saints for the work of the ministery for the building vp of the body of Christ If beléefe faith in him cannot come but by hearing the word of god preached his ministers in his church be appointed by him that the saints might haue all thinges necessarie to the edifying of the bodye of Christ what impietie is in these Anabaptisticall spirites eyther to condemn or neglect this so excellent not only an instrument but euen the sole ordinarye meanes God hath appointed to his church to work our saluation Paul in the 5 to the Thessalonians Thes 5.19 giueth warning that we quench not the spirit but therewithal he ioyneth that we despise not prophecying he himself though he was rapte vp vnto the thirde Heauen where he hearde wordes which cannot bée spoken 2. Cor. 12.2 which
in this Rocke and hold the same fayth and confession Peter did Whosoeuer confesseth and beléeueth that Christ is the sonne of the liuing God as he did is a Peter Therfore Ierome vpon the sixt of Amos Ierom in 6. Amos Origen tract 1. in Math. termeth al Christs Apostles Peters And Origen plainly testifieth that if we affirme and confesse that Christ is the sonne of the liuing God as Peter did then are we Peters and shall obtaine the same felicitie that he hath obtayned because our confession and beléefe is al one and againe in the same place if wee confesse Christ to be the sonne of the liuing god the father reuealing it vnto vs it shal bee sayd of eche one of vs thou art Peter and vpon thee will I build my congregation euery man is Petra a Rock that is a follower of Christ Thus muche Origen By whome it is playne that Peter was so named because of the Rock he beléeued in not for that hée was to be the foundation of the church and that also that name to be tearmed a rocke is not agréeable to Peter alone but vnto all the faithfull and no maruaile for it is an vsuall thing for the properties of Christe to be attributed to all his children as christe is called a stone so are his people and seruauntes named lyuelye stones by participation as they are the lighte of the worlde and salte of the earth because the salt and lighte that they haue is deriued and procéedeth from him And as wée are called righteous because christe is our righteousnesse and wisedome so are wée tearmed Rockes because by him we are so made being the true perfecte and sounde Rocke Wherefore if Peter be pronounced blessed onely because of the confession hée made and that his name was chaunged from Simon vnto Peter for that cause alone and that his name agreeth to all christians who holde and make the same confession hée did as well as vnto him then is it apparante by the order and Sequel of the Texte and truth of the matter that the Rocke whereon christe will builde his churche is not the person of Peter no more then it is the person of anye other Apostle but that whereby both Peter and other faythfull shall be come both blessed and Peters For if wee marke the order and course of the Dialogue betweene Christ and his Disciples first wee may obserue that the Question is propounded not to Peter alone but generallye vnto all whome doe ye saye that I am And agayne Christ demaunded not what they thought of Peter but what they thoughte of him so that in the respect we cannot imagine any especiall thing ment and intended toward Peter more thē any other For in that he made aunswere alone that was in the person of them all to auoide confusion and declare vnitie Cyprianus de simpli praelat August serm 21. de verbo domini as Ciprian sayth he was but their mouth So also Austin saith Petrus saepe vnus respondit pro omnibus c. Peter oftentimes made aunswere for all the Lord asking and saying whome say ye that I am Peter answered Thou art the sonne of the liuing god he only gaue answere for many to declare vnity in many And what was the cōfessiō of Peter it was that Christ was the son of the liuing God this confessiō was approued commended of Christ not the person of Peter but in respect of the confession herewithall if wee marke what happened immediatly after the conclusion of the dialogue vnto Peter nothing can be more plaine than that Peter cannot be that rocke whereupon God will build his Church for that rocke must be such against which the gates of hell can not preuaile how can Peter then be that foundation who immediatly after this confession fell so grieuously that he was termed of our Sauiour Christ Satan For Peter diswading him from going vp to Ierusalem to accomplish the worke of our redemption he saide vnto him away from mée Satan thou sauourest not the things that are of God but the things that are of men And afterwarde he denyed abiured his Master he was farre therefore from being that vnmouable rocke which could not be shaken such an one against which the gates of hell could not preuaile so then to conclude this pointe if the change and alteration of the word and construction may argue the meaning of a diuerse thing when otherwise the selfe same worde might haue better and plainlyer declared that so weightie and necessarie an article of our faith as they make that is of Peters supremacie if the blessednesse of Peter and the name be obtained of Christ and that the same be not only proper to Peter but vnto all who shal in like manner lay holde vpon that rocke and professe the same faith if the whole course of the dialogue be directed not to know Peters opinion alone but of them all what they thought not of Peter but of our Sauiour Christ and to confirme them in that firme and stedfast faith they had in him against all troubles and persecutions that should after ensue and with all to haue a publike testimonie of them all that they had a better and truer opinion of him then the common multitude if the rocke wheron Gods Church must be founded must be such an one as cannot be shaken by any force and subtiltie of Satan and Peter as hath appeared was so weakened at diuerse times that he was ouercome almost for euer I may well saye that euen the wordes and circumstance of the place doth euict that Peter is not made that petra the rocke vpon the which the Church is to be built But yet that this may be further out of doubt if we well weigh the assertion of our Romish Catholikes we shal finde it to be contrarie to the expresse wordes of the Scripture and the doctrine of the holie Ghost in other places yea and to the analogie and rules of faith Saint Paul in the 1. to the Corinthians 1. Cor. finding fault with the Corinthians who were deuided by choosing to themselues sundrie doctors and teachers whome they would heare and followe Some saying I am Paules another I am Apollos another I am Cephas the fourth I am Christes he flatly setteth downe 1. Cor. 3.11 that fundamentum aliud nemo ponere potest preter id quod positum est Iesum Christum Other foundation can no man lay then that which is laid which is Iesus Christ If onely Christ be the foundation and no other If neither Paul nor Apollo nor Cephas ought to be so accompted how can they challenge this prerogatiue vnto Peter being denyed so expressely vnto him or vnto any other Paul affirmeth Eph. 1.22 that GOD had made all things subiect vnder Christes feete and appointed him aboue all things the head of the Churche which is his bodie and of what kinde of bodie that he declareth also in the fifth of
assigning Christ the head the husband of his bodie the church his spouse his wife in which thinges there can be no communion or fellowship Further this controuersie arising so often among his disciples who shoulde be the chiefest and our Sauiour Christ denying all superioritie at all times to any of them neither yet giuing any signification that Peter shoulde be their chiefe no not after his death and this their interpretation being such as causeth to giue that vnto man which is proper to GOD alone as faith and beliefe and to make diuerse bodies diuerse churches diuerse heades diuerse foundations when the holye Ghoste appointeth but one Church one head one foundation and last of all the Holye Ghoste assigning vnto Peter the ministerie of circumcision onely wée may iustly affirme the exposition of our Romish Cleargie to be contrarye to the expresse worde of GOD and rules of our faith I am not ignorant here of their blinde subtilties and distinctions whereby they would shift of the force of these reasons in making Christ natiuum reale fundamentum The naturall and substantiall foundation but Peter ministeriale fundamentum the ministeriall foundation here in earth that is that the ministerie and office of Peter is appoynted of GOD aboue the function of all the other Apostles to be that ministerie wherby he will builde his vniuersall Churche and gouerne it vppon whome and of whome all other Churches must hang and depende Which assertion to be most vntrue that any principall authoritie either for the buylding vp of the Church or gouernement thereof was by this place or any other committed vnto Peter aboue the other Apostles it may appeare by this that none of the Apostles either in their writings or doinges hath euer acknowledged any such thing but the contrarie accounting him but equall to others giuing him no preheminence aboue his fellowes For proofe hereof what can be more manifest than that Paul writeth to the Ephesians Ephes 2.19 where the Apostle of purpose speaking of the building of the Church and their Apostolicall function sayeth that nowe they were no more straungers and forrenners but citizens with the Saintes and of the housholde of GOD and that they were buylt vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the head corner stone By this worde foundation in this place he meaneth vndoubtedly the doctrine of the Apostles and wee see further that hee speaketh in generall of the Apostles in the plurall number not attributing any thing to any one of the Apostles as to a principall who shoulde be preferred in this buylding before others and besides he hath layde Christ the head corner stone vppon which the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets must worke vpon The same Apostle in the fourth Chapter of the same Epistle Ephe. 4.11.12 describinge what gyftes and functions GOD hath left to his Church for the building thereof hee sayeth Christ after his ascention gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelistes some Pastours and teachers to the gathering together of the Saintes and buylding of the bodye of Christ but to haue appointed or giuen any generall and vniuersall Bishop or Pastour to that ende there is not one worde neither there nor in the first to the Corinthians where the Apostle declareth the diuersitie of giftes and functions GOD hath giuen to his Church 1. Cor. 12.28 Saint Iohn in the one and twentéeth of the Reuelation Apoc. 21.14 describing heauenly Hierusalem the Church of GOD buylt by the similitude of a Citie he maketh that the Wall of the citie had twelue foundations and in them the names of the lambes twelue Apostles Here wée see in this built citie of GOD nothing is giuen to Peter aboue the rest all are made equall the doctrine of all the Apostles is alike tearmed by the name of foundations and haue all share alike in the Walles of the Citie of GOD What cause is then why any prerogatiue should bee giuen to Peter more then to any other They shall eate and drinke at Gods table in his kingdome and sit and iudge the twelue Tribes of Israell alike as appeareth by Luke Luk. 22.30 which coulde not bee if principall power were giuen to Peter which they striue for ouer the whole Church And yet that this may appeare more manifest Let vs marke that Paul writeth in the 15. to the Romanes Rom. 15.20 where he sayth that hee enforceth himself to preach the Gospell where Christ had not beene preached and why least sayth hee I shoulde haue built vppon an other mans foundation 1. Cor. 3.10 And in the first to the Corinthians he testifieth that according to the grace of GOD giuen vnto him as a faithfull builder he had layde the foundation of the Church of Corinth If Paul in diuerse places did so preache the Gospell that he might not build vppon an other mans foundation if the Corinthians the buylding of GOD were founded by Paules ministerie then Peters ministerie is not necessarily the foundation of all Churches or else Paul challenged to himselfe more then he ought But if none of these testimonies were extant the Epistle to the Galathians were sufficient to conuince their assertion For it appeareth there that diuerse false Prophets and vaine glorious teachers went about to deface Paules doctrine and bring him out of credite and his disciples saying that Paul was not so excellent an Apostle as Peter and Iames were and the other Apostles that were conuersant with Christ while he liued here vppon earth that hee was since called to bee an Apostle therefore the other were rather to be followed and belieued than hee and so forth Paul vnderstanding and perceiuing this he goeth about to prooue that hee is no whit inferiour to Peter Iames or anye other the Apostles for that the Gospell hee taught hee receiued it not of man neither was hee taught it but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Gal. 1. 2. Chap. After his calling hee went not of manye yeares to Ierusalem to learne any thing of the chiefe Apostles when hee came vp to Ierusalem it was to see Peter onely and to declare his consent and agreement in preaching of the Gospell because of sclaunders not to learne anye thinge of them that seemed to bee the chiefest Apostles Peter Iames and Iohn seeing the Gospell of vncircumcision was committed to him as the Gospell of circumcision was vnto Peter in that God which was mightie in the one was mighty also in the other they required no submission or obedience at Saint Paules handes or to doe any homage to any of them but they gaue vnto him the right hande of fellowship And further hee was so farre from acknowledging Peter his superiour or better That when he came to Antioche he withstoode him and rebuked him to his face for his dissimulation betweene the Iewes and Gentiles If this be well considered wee may well perceiue that Paul accounted not of Peter as
also at Ierusalem and at Antioche as appeareth in the actes of the Apostles why should not then the Bishops of Ierusalem and Antioche be accounted Peters successours as well as the Bishop of Rome If it be because Peter suffred there so did Paul also and surely that is but a meane reason to make Rome the Sea of Peters succession because that citie put him to death But wherein are the Bishops of Rome his successours whether in his Apostleship or in his Bishoprike not in the former for then must they immediatly be called to that office of God Secondly their duetie must be to preache to all nations for both these properties be required to make an Apostle as may appeare Gal. 1. Matth. 28. Gal. 1. Matth. â—8 But neither of these are agréeable to the Bishop of Rome being neither immediatly called of God neither executing the office of an Apostle in going about to preache to all nations he cannot be his successour in his Bishopricke for neither doeth hee take vppon him the office of a Bishop to be tyed to a certaine charge and besides how can he be successour to Peter in that which Peter was not he was by office an Apostle not a Bishop And further if we will beléeue auncient writers Irenaeus contra Valent. Peter was neuer Bishop of Rome for Irenaeus and Eusebius say that Paul and Peter founded the Church of Rome and that Linus by them was appointed the first Bishop Then succeded him Anacletus and thirdly Clemens And Tertullian Tert. lib. 10. de pres heret nameth Clemens the first Bishop of Rome appointed by Peter as Policarpus was the Bishop of Smirna appointed by Iohn Thus although Tertullian agreeth not with Irenaeus and Eusebius in appointing the first Bishop yet it is euident that neither of them accounted of Peter as of the Bishop of Rome but as of an Apostle who taught there as Paul did also So that the Pope cannot be Peters successour in his Bishopricke because hee was neuer Bishop of Rome If hee saye hee is his successour in his doctrine if he were able to iustifie that it woulde beare some colour But if the quite contrarie be prooued then is that allegation nothinge and besides that ought to be common to all Bishops and therefore by that he can challenge no prerogatiue I might declare at large howe farre he is from succéeding Peter in many respects but that were too large a fielde to enter in but euen as all those be not the children of Abraham which come of Abraham concerning the flesh but those that doe the workes of Abraham euen so those are not to be estéemed the successours of Peter or any of the Apostles which followe them in place or in name but those which followe them in their faith and doctrine which thing if they can shewe they doe we will in parte graunt them to be successours to the Apostles I will not stande longer vppon this point I trust that which I haue sayd shal be sufficient for the confirmation of the second part part I tooke in hande to prooue Nowe I will hasten vnto the third There remaineth then the third parte to discusse which was what the power commission is that was giuen to Peter in this place when it is saide to him To thee wil I giue the keyes of the kingdom of Heauen whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shal be bounde in Heauen c. which wordes being spoken vnto Peter giuing him by expresse wordes the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen and the authoritie of binding and loosing thereby they haue inferred some speciall authoritie and prerogatiue to haue bene giuen to Peter aboue all other by our Sauiour Christ in this place Wherefore concerning the interpretation and sense of these wordes séeing there is no agréement betwéene vs the church of Rome in that they saye that hereby Peter was endewed with speciall commission aboue all other the Apostles we contrariwise doe affirme that that which was spoken vnto him was spoken to all the rest alike For the better examination of this it shal be necessarie for vs to consider these two pointes First vnto whome these wordes were spoken whether vnto Peter alone or principally as the Papistes woulde haue it or vnto all in generall Secondly what is that power and authoritie which was giuen vnto Peter for in neither of these points do wee agree with them For the first that although these wordes were directed to Peter alone yet that thereby our Sauiour Christ meant not to giue him any speciall priuilege or prerogatiue aboue his fellowes but to endew them al with the like authoritie first both the wordes and circumstance of the place and the doctrine of the scriptures in other places doth declare it and secondly the iudgement and opinion of the auncient learned fathers doth approue the same That the whole course and circumstance of the place doeth euict this promise gift of our Sauiour Christ to appertaine to them all it may be apparant by this First that the question of our Sauiour Christ is propounded to theÌ„ all Whome do ye say that I am and therefore he requireth not the opinion of Peter alone but of them all that their knowledge and opinion of him may better agree and be more constant truer perfecter than the opinion of the common people which before they had declared vnto him And the aunswere also Peter made was not in his owne person alone but for them all So sayeth Austine as was alleaged of mee before The Lorde asking and saying saith he Whome do ye saye that I the sonne of man am Peter aunswereth Thou art the sonne of the liuing God one gaue aunswere for many The conclusion of the dialogue appertaineth also vnto all for in the ende Christ forbad not onely Peter to tell any bodie that he was Iesus that Christ but he charged them all to tell that to no man So that the beginning of the dialogue the middest and the ending appertaining to all why then shoulde any speciall thing be attributed to any one aboue others by these wordes Besides that which is spoken here alone to Peter in the singular number in the 18. Chapter is spoken to all in the plurall number Verily I saie vnto you whatsoeuer ye binde in earth shall be bound in Heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose in earth shal be loosed in Heauen Here equall authoritie is giuen to all in the same wordes But let vs obserue further that Christ saith here Dabo I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen and so forth Here the keyes are promised but not giuen If then Christ when he perfourmed this promise gaue not any special power to Peter but endued them all with the like shall we imagine here any special thing giuen him to be preferred before others in the 20. of Iohn Iohn 20. where Christ perfourmed this after his resurrection he committed this power and
authoritie he promised here vnto al equally in these wordes Peace be vnto you as my father sent me euen so sende I you when he had said that he breathed vpon them they receiued the holy Ghost adding Whose soeuer sinnes ye remit they are remitted vnto thē whose soeuer sinnes ye retain they are retained Here we sée he giueth his peace vnto them al he breatheth on them all they all receiue the holy ghost alike they are al endewed with the same power of forgiuing reteining sins Where is then Peters prerogatiue especially now when it should specially haue bin specified But what if any principall authoritie and power had béene giuen to Peter by Christ here what doth that belong to the Bishop of Rome where is Peters will and testament by which he hath bequeathed his keyes rather vnto him than vnto the Bishops of Ierusalem or Antioche by what Scripture can they proue that Christ hath made them rather Peters successours in this authoritie and commission then other Bishops If the keyes were promised giuen to Peter alone and to none of the other Apostles howe dare they giue them vnto the Bishops of Rome There is not one worde in the Scripture of their succession by inheritance Seing then that neither the course of the dialogue nor yet the authoritie and function is other that is here giuen then was giuen to all the Apostles of Christ himselfe afterwarde in like manner and that although some more speciall and excellent office was cōmitted to Peter then to any other Apostle yet that the B. of Rome cannot claim that more than any other Bishop it maketh nothing for the establishing of the supreme power ouer the vniuersall Church of God which the Pope arrogateth vnto himself But let vs sée what the auncient learned fathers thinke on this point That which Origen writeth is most plaine against them which think any speciall thing was giuen to Peter An soli Petro dantur claues regni coelorum c. Doest thou thinke that the keyes of the kingdom were only giuē to Peter and to no other neither any other should receiue them If these words were not common to all men as they are I will giue thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen how can al these sayings things which are applyed to Peter before be common to all men For Christ thus spake in common to them all Whome do ye saye that I am and Peter answered in the name of all Doeth he not vtter the same in plainer wordes in the 20. of Iohn saying to all the Apostles Ioan. 20. and breathing vpō them receiue the holie Ghost whose sinnes ye forgiue c. They were all of like authoritie with Peter Thus much Origen then which wordes what can be more plaine Cyprian Cyp. de simp praelat also in his booke de simplicitate Prelatorum against the Nouatians confirmeth this The Lord sayth he saith vnto Peter thou art Peter The Lord after his resurrection gaue vnto his Apostles like power yet to declare the vnitie he disposed the originall of vnitie beginneth at one The rest of the Apostles were euen the same that Peter was endewed with like fellowship both of honour and power but the beginning procéedeth of vnitie to declare one Church Basil Basil 23. cap. de vita solit also sayeth Christus Petrum post se suae Ecclesiae pastorem constituit c. Christ appointed Peter to be Pastor of his Church after and so consequently giueth the same power and authoritie to all Pastours and doctours a token whereof is this that all Pastours doe equally binde and lose as they list as well as he Augustine de Agone Christiano Cap. 32. Cum Petro dicitur pasce oues meas omnibus dicitur When it is sayde to Peter féede my shéepe Aust de Agon Christ cap. 31. cap. 32. it is saide to all And in the 31. Chapter Wretched men while in Peter they vnderstande not Christ which is the rocke and while they wil not beléeue that the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen are giuen vnto the Church not vnto Peter alone they haue lost the keyes out of their handes and in another place hee sayeth the Churche which is founded in Christ Aug. tract 124. saper hath taken the keyes of him so that not Peter onely but the whole Church receiued the keyes of him Beda Beda sayeth the power of bynding and loosing although it seeme to be giuen onely vnto Peter without doubt this is to bee knowen that it is giuen also vnto the other Apostles Haymo one of their owne doctors well weighing the text affirmeth contrarie vnto them Wee must not thinke sayeth hee that vnto blessed Peter alone this power was giuen but as hee for all aunswered Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God so in the person of one all heard whatsoeuer thou shalt binde in earth c. Cyrill Cyr. in Ioan. li. 3. cap. 20. Christ gaue full power vnto the Apostles and vnto others that succeeded them in the Churches To conclude then if by the testimonyes of the auncient and learned fathers Christ gaue full and like power to all his Apostles If the rest of the Apostles were the same that Peter was endewed all with like honour and power If Christes wordes were common to all the rest If all Pastours doe equally binde and loose as well as Peter then is there no speciall priuilege giuen vnto Peter aboue others by this place Wherefore I trust this first poynt is manifest by the circumstance of the place and opinion of ancient writers that there is no speciall prerogatiue or function giuen vnto Peter that was not committed to all that whatsoeuer was spoken by Christ here vnto Peter did not belong here vnto him only but to them al in common Now secondly haue wee to consider what was that power authoritie that was giuē vnto Peter here that was to haue the keyes of the kingdom of heauen the authoritie of binding loosing but herein haue wee to weigh what is meant contained in these words how farre they ought to stretch For the B. of Rome claimeth by right of succession inheritance whatsoeuer power iurisdiction was giuen vnto Peter therfore by the vertue of these wordes promise of Christ claimeth al power authoritie whatsoeuer may be contained included in these speaches Hereof hath he challenged to himselfe to be aboue kings Princes to haue the authoritie of consecrating deposing them to be aboue all general councels to haue fulnes of power to expound the scriptures to whose determination the Church of God must necessarily stand to haue authoritie to dispense with Gods worde to make that lawfull which before was vnlawfull to haue absolute frée power to decree whatsoeuer he liketh of and that of the church is to be obserued as an heauenly Oracle that he hath power to giue heauen to throwe downe into
hell whome he will that he hath power to assoyle mens sinnes and to deliuer them both a pena culpa both from the fault penaltie and to reteine and kéepe them at his pleasure that he may binde and loose aboue all other Bishops for he may loose whome other Bishops binde he may bind whome other Bishops loose but whome he bindeth or looseth can no man assoyle or binde but onely he himselfe for Bulles pardons indulgencies anathematizations and all the rest of such trishtrash hath béen founded vpon this power and prerogatiue he challengeth vnto him self by this place the refutation of which particuler pointes being too ample a matter to be handled at this time and besides hauing sufficiently both in this seconde part and also in the thirde declared and proued that no prerogatiue is giuen vnto Peter aboue others by this place that his ministerie was endewed with no greater power and authoritie then the ministerie of the rest of the Apostles it shal bee needelesse to deale with them at this present onely that is needefull to shewe what is meant by the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the authoritie of bynding and loosing By the keyes is meant nothing else here but the preaching of the Gospell and herein wee agree with Chrysostome Crysostom that sayeth they are the knowledge of the Scriptures with Tertullian Tertullian which tearmeth them to bee the interpretation of the lawe and with Eusebius Eusebius that they are the worde of GOD. and verie well may the preaching of the worde bee expressed by the Metaphore of a keye For as by it wee are let into the house so by the preaching of the worde are wee brought into the Church and housholde of GOD and haue accesse to his kingdome For Christ being the dore as Saint Iohn testifieth by whome wee must enter if wee will be saued and the ladder by which wee must ascende vp into heauen as appeareth by Iacobs dreame and the preaching of the Gospell opening and manifesting vnto vs Christ as Paul witnesseth that vnto him the least of al Saints was giuen this grace that hee shoulde preach among the Gentiles the vnsearchable riches of Christ and being the meanes whereby wee are reconciled vnto Christ Paul tearming his ministerie therefore the ministerie of reconciliation the publishing and preachinge of Christ and his Gospell may well therefore be tearmed a keye This Metaphore is vsed of our Sauiour Christ in the same sense Woe be to you interpreters of the lawe Luc. 12.52 for you haue taken away the keye of knowledge Ye entred not in your selues and them that came yee forbad in which wordes our Sauiour Christ termeth the true interpretation of the lawe and preaching of the Gospel the key of knowledge For it was that the Scribes Pharises did suppresse adulterate It is apparant enough that the worde of God according to the sundry effectes and properties therof hath sundrie names So for that it encreaseth and multiplyeth it is called séede for that it cutteth the heart and deuydeth the fleshe from the Spirite it is called a Sworde For that it taketh vs and encloseth vs and bringeth vs togither it is called a nett For that it washeth vs cleane it is called water For that it enflameth vs it is called fire For that it féedeth vs it is called bread euen so for that it openeth giueth vs an entrance into the house it is called a keye This house is the kingdome of heauen Christ is the dore the worde of God is the keye and Preachers the keye bearers So sayeth Chrysostom Chrys opere â—nperfect cap. 23. The keye bearers be the Priestes to whome is committed the teaching of the worde and of the expounding of the Scriptures So then that by the Metaphore of the keye the Euangelist should declare that Christ committed vnto his Apostles the preaching of his worde by which his Church should be gathered togither and built vppon Christ the rocke is no strange speach but verie fit and significant to declare that vnto vs and hereby also he sheweth that he hath committed vnto them a great office and weightie function and that he putteth them in chiefe place and authoritie For he hath the chiefest authoritie in the house or citie to whome the keyes are committed and who hath authoritie to let out and let in by them To this end God vseth this Metaphore in the Prophet Esay Isa 22.22 when he promiseth to Eliachim the chéefe power and authoritie in the King Ezechias house saying with my garments I will cloath him with my girdle I will strengthen him and the keye of the house of Dauid will I lay vppon his shoulder so he shall open and no man shall shut Hereby haue we to learne that as those to whome this charge is committed to beare the keyes of the Kingdome of heauen ought to haue a great care of the well ordering of them so we must also with no lesse carefulnesse and reuerence embrace and receyue them The vse of these keyes is in more perticular manner declared by our Sauiour Christ when as he saith that whatsoeuer he bindeth on earth shall bée bound in heauen c. by the power of binding and losing is meant that which is expressed by Saint Iohn Whose sinnes yee forgiue they are forgiuen him Ioan. 20. and whose sinnes ye retayne they are retayned for when our sinnes are forgiuen we are losed from them when they are not forgiuen wée remayne bound in them these things are brought to passe in vs by the ministerie of his word and by the vertue and power thereof So sayth Ierome Hieron Esai lib. 6 〈…〉 whatsoeuer yée loose in earth shall be losed in Heauen the Apostles lose them by the worde of God and testimonies of the scriptures and exhortations vnto vertue And Ambrose Sinnes be forgiuen by the worde of God the expounder thereof is the Leuite and Priest Ambr. de Cain Abel cap. 4. The Prophet Esai prophecying the sending of Christ sayth that the Lorde had annointed him that he shoulde preache the Gospell to the poore that he shoulde heale the broken hearted and preach deliuerance to the Captiue recouering of sighte to the blind and setting at libertie them that are loosed so that to binde and loose to forgiue and retaine sinnes is a propertie and effect of the worde of God preached For that publisheth vnto vs remission of sinnes worketh in vs mortification deliuereth vs from the power of Sathan and restoreth vnto vs the libertie and fréedome of the children of God which thinges bée brought to passe not by the bare publishing and hearing of the worde but when as by faith we lay hold vpon the swéete promises and greate benefites which bée offered vs in Christ which be deliuered vnto vs by his ministers as by his Legates for remission of sinnes is in the Priest as in the messenger in the worde of God as in the instrument