others as hath been before declared To imagine Saint Peter to bee called a rocke because hee is a patterne of imitation is as dull and blockish as to call a duske darke stone a cleere looking glasse Abraham was more properly by the prophet called though in another sense a rocke out of which the Iewes were hewen and a pitt out of which they were digged bicause all the Israëlites descended out of his loynes as stones are hewen or digged out of a rock 10 M. Abbot not being able to disprove S. Peter to bee the rocke bicause our Saviour Christ alone is the rocke turnes himself on the other side and will needes prove that all the Apostles were rockes and Peter therin not to haue beeÌ„ alone but that as hee spake in the person of all the Apostles so Christes wordes returned in answere to Peter should appertaine to them all for saies hee Saint Austin affirmeth that Peter answeâ—ed for all a Aug. in psal 8â— one for vnitie And Hierome by the words here spoken to Peter concludeth b Hieron in Amos l 3 c. 6. that Chrâ—st the rocke gave not to one only Apostle but to his Apostles that they also should bee called rockes And in like sort Origen conceiueth when he saith c Orig in Math. c. 16. If thou thinke that the church was built vpon Peter only what wilt thou saie to Iohâ— the sonne of thunder and to every of the Apostles c. wee must rather say that in all and evâ—rie one of thâ—m is verified vpon this rocke I will build my church and in a word hee reasoneth thus bicause that which followeth after I will giue to thâ—e the Keies of the knigdome of hâ—aven is coâ—â—on to them all therfore that going before is also coÌ„mon to them all and this the scripture confirmeth in that it saith d Ephes 2.20 the houshold of God are builded not vpon the foundatioÌ„ of Peter only but vpon the foundations of the Apostles and Prophets e Reuelâ—t 21.14 And not Peter onlie but the lambes twelve Apostles haue their names written in the twelue foundations of the Citie of God hitherto M. Abbot Doth not this great inconstancie in answering argue plainly that there is no setled soundnesse in the protestants doctrine but that they are caried about with the wind Before you heard that no other bodie saving Christ alone could bee that rock and to make that good M. Abbot was verie earnest there now the wind blowing in an other dore not only Peter is the rocke but all the Apostles aswell as hee yea and euerie Christian man too is a rock as you shall heare heereafter And all this to make men beleeve that it is but an ordinary matter to bee that rocke vpon which Christ built his Church wee that hold it to bee one of the greatest priviledges that could bee graÌ„ted to a mortall man do notwithstanding graunt that the Apostles may be called rockes as they are called foundations after a certaine proportion that is as S. Peter was the fundamentall rock placed next vnto our Saviour over the whole Church So the Apostles were constituted principall pillers or rockes of certaine countries laying the foundation of Christian religion in them by preaching the Gospell and by ruling the severall flockes coÌ„mitted to their charges As Metropolitans primates may bee said to bee the rockes and foundations of Christian religion in their provinces bicause they do principally commaund over all Ecclesiasticall persons therin and do keepe all vnder them in vnitie of faith In like manner to preserve all Christian countries in the said vnitie of faith and vniformitie of religion there ought to bee one supreme pastor over all the world who first was S. Peter and ever since have been his lawfull Successors the Bishops of Rome All this is good doctrine but to saie that these words in S. Mathew were spoken aswell to the rest of the Apostles as to S. Peter which M. Abbot would faine haue his reader believe is flatt against the evidence of the verie text For S. Peter is there severed from the rest by all circumstances that can bee devised in so few words first by his owne proper name for our Saviour said to him happie art thou Simon then by the name of his father the sonne of Ionas thirdly by mention of a speciall revelation made to him for flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee fourthly by expresse direction of this speech to him I say to thee not to all the Apostles thou art Peter none of the rest were so called Out of which it doth ensue most cleerly that the words immediatly following and vpon this rocke I will build my church were particulerly spoken to S. Peter and not to any other of the Apostles To the others afterward was given the power of binding and loosing remitting of sins and retayning yet with out any mention made of the keies of the kingdome of heaven which albeit they do signify there a supreme coÌ„maunding power yet they maie in a certaine sence bee said to bee given vnto the other Apostles as is the title of a rock though they bee not that principall rocke vpon which Christ built his church so they had not the prime vse of the keies which was appropriated to S. Peter I do also further grantâ— that the name of a rock maie bee in a good morall sence applied vnto everie constant Christian that doth confesse the true faith with S. Peter and is constant and vnmoveable in the same confession like vnto a rocke And this is all which Origen and S. Ambrose cited by M. Abbot do saie as may bee seene by him that pleaseth to read the circumstances of those places for Origen discourseth how all may bee called rockes that have this effect of a rocke And that the gates of hell cannot prevaile against them that is all that do perseuere constantly to the end in the true faith S. Ambrose exhorteth all men to endevour to bee roâ—kes that is to haue soundnes in constancie and stedfastnes of faith Origen addeth that which I before said that the Apostles and Prophets maie bee called rockes in a higher degree bicause they are the foundations of others that are builded vpon them but these expositions as M. Abbot saith bee Allegoricall or rather morall explications of these our Saviours wordes that do not destroie the prime litterall sence therof which according vnto the generall consent of the ancient fathers is that Christ built his church vpon S. Peter as the supreme governor therof as hath been alreadie proved Now to M. Abbots last evasion that the fathers in all this matter make Peter to beare the figure of the whole church and therfore that to bee applied to all and everie one in the church which was there spoken to Peter for these fathers hee alleageth only S. a August Epist 165 Idem de verb Domini ser 13. Austin and S. b Gregor expos in
Romans that he should neuer afterward be able to lift vp his head against them in any matter of faith wherin S. Hierom seemes to bee so confident that he doubts not to write to Ruffinus that which M. Abbot may take as spoken to himself Notwithstanding know you that the Romane faith by the Apostles mouth praised S. Hieron Apol. 3. con Ruffinum Attamen scito Romanam fidem Apostolico ore laudatam eiusmodi praestigias non recipere Etiam si Angelus aliter annunciet quam semel praedicatum est Pauli auctoritate munitam non posse mâ—tari doth not admit anie such deceites and tromperies yea if an Angel should preach anie other thing besids that which hath been alreadie preached yet that faith being by the Apostles authoritie fortified could neuer bee changed will M. Abbot yet be so shameles as to stand vp and to giue this graue holie doctor the lie as he must needs do if hee will yet sing his old song and saie that the Roman faith notwithstanding all the Apostles praier and prophecie is foulie changed and that in verie manie great points with the forsaid testimonies may be linked for the antiquitie of it this that standeth on record in the third generall councell holden at Ephesus S. Peter the head of the Apostles and pillar of faith c. did receiue from Christ the keies of the kingdome of heauen c. and doth vnto this daie liue in his successors and determine causes And shall alwaies liue Behold S. Peter alwaies liueth in the Bishops of Rome his successors to determin causes and gouerne the church what then shall become of M. Abbots change will he make S. Peter also a changeling This point I will close vp with this memorable sentence of S. Leo. The soundnes of that faith praised in the prince of the Apostles is euerlasting Leo in serm 2. Assumptionis suae ad sumum Pontificem Soliditas enim illius fidei quae in Apostolorum Principe est laudata perpetua est Et sicut permanet quod in Christo Petrus credidit ita permanet quod in Petro Christus instituit c. Manet ergo dispositio veritatis beatus Petrus in accepta fortitudine petra perseuerans suscepta ecclesiae gâ—bernacula non reliquit and like as that which Peter beleeued of Christ continueth for euer so doth that which Christ did institute in Peter c. Therfore the ordinance of the truth standeth fast and blessed Peter perseuering by his successors in that strength of a rocke hath not forsaken the gouernment of the church Seing the faith and fortitude of Saint Peter shall continue for euer in his successors the bishops of Rome that cuckoes song of M. Abbots that the now church of Rome is in matter of faith degenerated from the old must needs be false And what more manifest signe can one demaund therof then that all the wits of the protestants hauing travailed after nothing more for this fiftie yeeres cannot yet find out any one errour in matter in faith wherin the church of Rome hath at any time dissented from her self in former ages I know right well that they avouch boldlie that it hath changed manie articles of faith but let him that will haue credit given to him so saying name the error it self in particuler and the time when it was first receiued and by what pope it was approued which if no learned Protestant be able to performe let them be well assured that repeat it neuer so often over and ouer that the church of Rome is not the same now as it was in S. Austins time they deserue not to be beleeued Neither am I ignorant that some more hardy then their fellowes haue gone about to designe the time when the church of Rome began her Apostacy But therin they agree no better then the false Elders that accused Susanna of adulterie did of the tree vnder which the fained fact was pretended to bee done And therfore be no more worthy of credit then they were 30 M. Abbot goeth on to proue that I racked and wronged my authors and saith that Tertullian whoÌ„ I alleaged as sending to the church of Rome to learne the true doctrine doth send also to other churches as well as to the church of Rome Be it so but if he appealed vnto the church of Rome as well as to others did I him any wrong in saying that he appealed vnto the church of Rome I did not saie that he excluded all or ane ony other Doth not M. Abbot rather rack my words and wrong himself in imposing that vpon mee which I said not Besids M. Abbot doth offer great wrong to Tertullian not so much by racking his words as by chopping them quite of in the middest for where Tertullian saith If thou border on Italy thou hast the church of Rome vnde nobis authoritas presto est whence authority comes to vs. M. Abbot cuts of the latter part of the sentence which imports that men in Africk for that was Tertullians countrie did acknowledg the church of Rome to haue authority ouer them M. Abbot then hauing so cunningly conueyed the matter by cutting of that which made for vs doth afterward aske mee what was there left to serve my turne if his conueiance be no cleanlier then so it were better for him to leaue those trickes ro them that haue more nimbles fingers The Cathalogue of the Bishops of Rome set downe by Epiphanius doth serue to shew that the Bishops of Rome are S. Peters true successors which M. Abbot and the protestants sometimes when they are at a stand do not stick to deny Optatus Bishop of Milevitane S. Austins auncient did proue as M. Abbot cannot deny his part to be Catholike in that it comunicated with the church of Rome yet M. Abbot to detract some what from the see of Rome addeth that Optatus did not proue his part Catholike by communicating simply with the church of Rome but for that communicating with the church of Rome it communicated with the church of the whole world which words of Optatus are so farr of from detracting any thing from the church of Rome that they do much magnifie the comodity of her communion for he saith not that he communicated with the church of Rome and with all other churches making them seuerall parts but that in communicating with the church of Rome he communicated with the churches of the whole world thereby declaring the comunion with the church of Rome to be the meanes of communicating with all others which is the very same that we do now go about to proove His words which containe manie memorable instructions are these spoken vnto Parmenianus a Donatist Thou canst not deny but that thou knowest an Episcopall chaire to haue been placed in the city of Rome Optatus mileuit l. 2. co parmenianum Igitur negare non potes scire te in vrbe Roma Petro primo Cathedram Episcopalem esse
that I will do that for him which hee blinded with self loue imagined impossible for any man to do to wit I will put downe his argument more cleerly and formerly then he hath done himself as every scholler that can Iudge of the forme of an argument may easily perceaue in this manner No part can be the whole but the church of Rome is but a part to wit the head of the church Ergo it cannot be the whole This his so often repeated argument without any new fortificatiō needs no other refutatiō than that which hath been once or twice giuen before Thus at length we come to the end of M. Abbots first chapter which was diuided into fower sections or parts and haue by the helpe of Gods good grace both defended and proued that supreme commanding power of Iurisdiction which consisteth in the chief government of Christs church vpon earth to haue been by our blessed Saviour first established and placed vpon the person of S. Peter Prince of the Apostles that there should be perfect vnity in his Ecclesiasticall kingdome then that the same might endure not for tearme of S. Peters life only but alwaies continue vnto the worlds end He ordained that S. Peters successors the Bishops of Rome should enioy the same soveraigne authority ouer the whole Catholike church vntill the worlds end which I made good specially by the confession and acknowledgment of the greatest Patriarks most learned and best approued Prelats of the East churches because the better learned Protestants do after a manner grant vnto the Bishop and pope of Rome Of this read more in the note at the end of this chapter as patriarch of the west supreme authoritie and Iurisdiction ouer all the west churches Moreouer because the protestants do all and some obiect that fact of the African Bishops wherin they seemed to deny appeales of all vnder the degree of Bishops vnto the court of Rome as an argument of great moment against the said supreme commanding power of the sea of Rome I haue produced testimonies of the most ancient and best learned Bishops and Doctors of the African church averring the Iurisdiction of the church of Rome ouer themselues and their countrie So that there can remaine no scruple in the vpright and iudicious Readers vnderstanding but that the Bishop of Romes supremacy hath been acknowledged witnessed and obeyed all the world ouer even in the pure times of most florishing Christianity And consequently that all they who desire to bee sound and perfect Catholiks must imbrace and professe the faith and religion of the same Roman church or els be content to bee reckened in the rew of hereticall or schismaticall Congregations And as in this life they willingly take part with them in their schisme and errors so they may assure themselues vnles God giue them grace to repent to bee against their wils sorted with them in the finall separation at the last day and to haue their vnlucky lott with them in the lake euer burning with fire and brimstone from which our most mercifull Lord and sweet Saviour Christ Iesus deliuer all them that professe his truth and holy name Amen M. Richard field Doctour of diuinity in his fift book of the church printed at london 1610. of the bishop and church of Rome hath these positions FIrst in the 32. chapter that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed S. Peter in the Bishoprique of the City and in the honour of being one of the prime Bishops of the world Secondly in the 34. chapter that the church of Rome was head of all churches that is first in order and honour among them but not in absolute supreme commaunding power 3 That the same church was in more speciall sort head of such churches as were within the Patriarchship of Rome as was all the west church To which effect his maiesty of England our soueraigne lord writeth to all Christian Monarches Pag 46. If there were yet question among the Patriarches for the first place I would with all my hart giue my consent that the Bishop of Rome should haue the first seat I being a westerne king would go for the patriarch of the west 4 That the Bishop of Rome had the care of all churches not as absolute supreme commaunder but as most honorable among the Bishops who were first to be sought vnto in matters requiring a common deliberation and from whom all things generally concerning the state of the whole church were either to take beginning or at the least to seek confirmation before they were generally imposed and prescribed The same Doctour in his preface to the reader teacheth that to compose variances rising between Patriarches and their Bishops or among themselues he that was in order and honour before the rest might lawfully interpose himself and in his synode iudg of such differences And in such cases as could not be so ended or that concerned the faith and the state of the whole vniuersall church there remained the iudgment and resolution of a generall councell wherin the Bishop of the first sea that is the Bishop of Rome was to sitt as President and moderatour Obserue how easily that which we teach of popes the supremacy may be gathered out of these principles for if it appertaine vnto the Bishop of Rome as prime Patriarch to compose the differences rising betwixt other Patriarches and their Bishops if he must be principally sought vnto for finall resolutions in matter of faith if care of all churches belong to him and from him all thinges generally concerning the state of the whole church were either to take beginning or els to seek confirmation let any vnderstanding man exercised in gouernment tell me how Patriarches and Bishops may be conuented to appeare without commaunding authority and how without compelling power the popes finall determinations would be of all parties obeied THE SECOND CHAPTER M. ABBOT The comparisons betweene the Donatists and Papists iustified and enlarged page 51. R. AB IT is a meere vsurpation wherby the Papists call the Roman church the Catholike church and the same that the Donatists of old did They held the Catholike church to be art Cartenna in Africk and the Papists hold it to be at Rome in Italy W. B. THis cōparison is a fond new deuise of M. Abbot wherin there is skarce one spark either of wit or learning wherfore it deserued rather to be abridged or wholy cāceld then to haue been enlarged Iustified it can never bee because it hath not many true words in it Take a tast of this first branch which is false on both sides for neither was Cartenna in Africa but in Mauritania nor did the Donatists hold their pretended Catholike church to bee at Cartenna but esteemed the Rogatists who so much magnified Cartenna to be wicked Schismatiks altogether vnworthy the name or communion of their supposed Catholik church as S. Austin M. Abbots owne author doth testifie Aug. Epist 48. in the place
heads of virgins that were veiled drawing from them the markes of their profession which were inuented to declare that in will and professiō they were maried to Christ By these few resemblances hitting the protestants so right on the thumbes to omitt many other the indifferent reader may see whether my retorting of M. Abbots comparisons were to the purpose or no and whether of vs haue more fortunatly travailed therin §. 6. W. B. TO conclude this passage seing M. Abbot went about to prove the church of Rome to bee like that of the Donatists by no one sound argument but by diuers trifles and vntruthes hee must looke vnles hee repent to haue his part with liars in the poole burning with fire and brimstone And if it please the reader to heare at what great square the Donatists were with the said church of Rome to which M. Abbot would so fayne resemble them I will briefly shew it out of the best records of that time L. 2 co lit Petil. c. 51. S. Austin speakes thus to the Donatist Petilian what hath the church or sea of Rome in which Peter sate and now sitteth Anastasius done vnto thee why doest thou call the Apostolicall chaire the chaire of pestilence See how friendly the Donatists were wont to salute the church of Rome stiling it the chaire of pestilence That noble prelate Optate to this Issue hath thus deposed whence is it that you Donatists take vpon you to vsurpe the keies of the kingdome and that presumptuously and with sacrilegious audacity you do wage battell against the chaire of Peter If the Donatists did wage warre against the church of Rome surely there was no likelihood of any good intelligence betweene them wherfore like as the Catholiks of Africa then so they were linked in communion with the church of Rome sett light by the outcries of the Donatists against them as witnesseth S. Austin when hee said of Cecilianus Archbishop of Carthage Epist 162 one of the princes of the Catholike party hee needed not to care for the multitude of his conspiring enemies the Donatists when hee saw himself by communicatorie letters ioyned with the Romane church in which alwaies florished the primacie of the Apostolicall chaire c. Even so wee at this time need as litle to esteeme of the bitter reproches and deceitfull arguments of the protestants So wee stand vpright and firme in the like society of faith and religion with the same church of Rome R. AB MIstake I did in some circumstance but lie I did not because to lie is to go against a mans owne mind and knowledge That the Donatists were at square with the ancient church of Rome wee confesse But what is that to the latter church of Rome which is degenerated from the old and in tying the Catholike church to her owne place and function doth rather resemble the old Donatists besids the Donatists were at as great square with all other Catholike churches some of which were also mentioned by saint Augustin in that and other places why then doth M. Bishop make that peculiar vnto the church of Rome which S. Austin leaueth indifferent to that and other churches and as other churches afterward became chaires of pestilence so might the church of Rome for ought that S. Austin there saith of it The like is to bee answered vnto Optatus who teaching the Donatists to haue been whole enemies vnto the church of Rome doth not hinder but that the latter church of Rome might agree well enough with them Finally S. Austin doth not say that Cecilianus ioyned with the church of Rome alone but ioyning with that and other Catholike churches needed not to care for the Donatists So that there is no more there for the cōmuniō of the church of Rome thē for the cōmuniō of other churches Hee will say that a principality is there attributed vnto the church of Rome I answere as before I haue done that a principality of honour may bee givē to it but not a principality of power And doth it follow that because the principality of the Apostolike chaire florished there till that time therfore it should do so ever vnto the worlds end These are loose and vaine collections vnfit to stablish the conscience of sober and advised men W. B. FOr a conclusion of this chapter M. Abbot tells vs that albeit hee mistooke somethings yet hee did not lie in any part therof and the proofe in part is very prettie because for sooth hee went not against his owne mind His mind and pleasure then being to say that the Donatists taught the true church to bee only at Cartenna Secondly That the Papists do teach now that the same true church is conteyned within the wals of Rome only 3. That no other mans Baptisme besids a papist priests is avaylable to Salvation 4. That none among the Indians bee truly converted to the Christian faith but all of them are forced to receiue baptisme with out religion when hee I say wrote these and twentie mo such like most luculent lies yet in all this hee did not once lie the reason is in readines bicause hee never went against his owne mind His mind then giving him belike that to vilify and slaunder the Papists he might tell a hundreth worse tales of them then those are Good Sir if vpon Etymologies of words you presume to deliuer such senseles and wicked doctrine it may trulie bee said to you for ought I see Domine mentiris whether you teach it against your owne mind or no. For although a man that of meere ignorance telleth an vntruth doth not properly lie yet when hee presumeth to shoote his bolt to giue his censure rashly of things commonly spoken of contrary to the truth as M. Abbot hath done then hee may bee said to lie though hee know not perfectly the contrarie Because hee might and ought to haue learned out the truth therof before hee presumed to deliuer his Iudgment theron in such absolute and peremptorie tearmes As the Donatists were at open warre with the old church of Rome So doth the moderne church of Rome as greatly as the old detest the same positions of the Donatists To wit that the church of Christ is perished all the world ouer saving in some odd corners 2. That men baptised by vnsanctified Ministers ought to bee rebaptised And so of all the rest which either Optatus or S. Austin then recorded for speciall points of the Donatists doctrine That the now church of Rome doth differ in any one article of faith from the ancient is that which M. Abbot doth often say and repeate but never yet could nor here after shall ever bee able to bring any one sufficient proofe therof wherfore by all right and reason the said church is to retaine her former good reputatiō and credit with all honest and vpright consciences For if everie man haue title vnto his good name vntill hee bee conuicted to haue committed some such
church vpon him when he said to him Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke will I build my church these wordes would haue marred M. Abbots market therefore he did wisely to ouerskip them now that which followeth may serve rather to confirme our opinion then make anie whit for theirs for thus it may bee vnderstood Saint Peter for that his confession of faith received power and vertue from Christ to confirme others in the faith thereby to establish them to life And so by that confession of faith made by Saint Peter the faithfull are established to life Againe Saint Ambrose who elswhere often and in that verie place teacheth S. Peter to bee that rocke vpon which the church was built might make a secondarie good morall construction of those wordes teaching every man to believe as Saint Peter did and to make the like confession of their faith that they might be setled in the right way to life everlasting which moralization of Christs words doth not crosse but suppose the true litterall sence to bee as before you haue heard out of Saint Ambrose with the vniforme consent of other fathers To that which followeth in the same Author these words of the Apostle in him all the building is coopled together c. are the sense and meaning of that which our lord said vpon this rocke I will build my church I answer there is a cunning tricke vsed in cutting of the Apostles wordes in the middest with an c and making that to be the exposition of the first part of the sentence which Sainct Ambrose makes the interpretation of the last as may appeare vnto him that will see the place for his reason is fideles enim sunt superficies templi dei c. for the faithfull of holy conversation bee the walls or over parts of that temple of God which suteth well with the latter end of Saint Pauls sentence which is in whom you also are built togither into an habitation of God in the holy Ghost in brief S. Ambrose meaning in that place is no other then that the Apostle vsed the same Metaphore of building which our Saviour did when he said Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church Of which spirituall building the faithfull are the over partes the Apostles the foundations amoÌ„g whom S. Peter is the rocke and Christ the head corner stone that closeth all togeather and beareth vp both peoples aswell those that went afore as those that came after his incarnation M. Abbots fourth obiection Epla Iuuenalis â—t Epist pal in Apendice Concil Cholced the whole number of the Bishops of Palaestina in the councell of Chalcedon vnderstood Christs words so vpon this confession the church of God is confirmed and strengthened ANSWERE THat whole number I find to bee but two or three and they not in the councell neither nor during the time of that councell but after they came home from the councel and their meaning is plaine for vs. They having been att the councell of Chalcedon and there heard and saw how Discorus patriarch of Alexandria was for his heresie and obstinacie censured and condemned by the sentence of Leo the great Bishop of Rome did certifie all them that were vnder their charge that the church of God was confirmed and strengthned by the confession and declaration of the Bishop of Rome S. Peters successor and how in him was verified that sentence of our Saviour vpon this rocke I will build my church and that other also Thou being conuerted confirme and strengthen thy brethren which is all as direct for vs as can bee besides what other pregnant proofe there is in that generall councell for S. Peters supremacy and that the Bishop of Rome is his successor in the same supreme authoritie shal bee heerafter declared more at large Out of these former arguments M. Abbot maketh this inference that by the exposition of the ancient fathers it maie appeare that Christ eueÌ„ the true faith of Christ for Christ is nothing to vâ— but by faith is the true rocke whervpon the church is builded to which S. Iohn accordeth This is the victorie that over cometh the world even our faith for who is hee that overcometh the world but hee that believeth that Iesus is the sonne of God what is this good Sir to the preseÌ„t purpose of the popes supremacie though faith in some good sense may bee called a rocke bicause it is the foundation and ground worke of all other Christian vertues yet how doth it follow therof that S. Peter is not that rocke vpon which it pleased Christ to build his church what because ther is an order in the frame of a vertuous life must it needes ther vpon ensue that there is no order in the government of Christs Church is not this a very strange inference For the clearer explication of this doubt â—â—t this distinction bee observed the building of Christs church as it is like to a kingdome differeth much from the building of a spirituall temple vnto the holie Ghost in our soules to the first kind of building beloÌ„g subiects and magistrates Bishops Archbishops and so forth the highest wherof vnder Christ was S. Peter To the other inward building concurre all such divine graces and qualities that serue for the reformation of our soule as faith hope Charitie humilitie and such like among which vertues faith in Christ Iesus is at it were the fundamentall stone to the argument then this is the answere that albeit faith in Christ be as it were the rocke and foundation of all Christian vertues yet that is no let but that in the order of Christian magistrates S. Peter may be the rock and haue the chief commaunding power giuen to him and to his successors the Bishops of Rome purity of faith boldnes of confession fervour of Charitie rare gifts of God bestowed on S. Peter were the principall dispositions in him to that other high dignitie and authoritie but the authoritie it self of government was not bestowed on those vertues but vpon the person of Saint Peter though in regard of the same divine qualities After these arguments M. Abbot inferreth that if Christ bee the rocke properly and truly Saint Peter cannot bee the rocke but accidently and vnproperly in respect of his doctrine and example of saith vttered in his confession As Abraham is the rocke from whâ—nce wee are hewed so is Peter the rock wheron wee are built not that either of them conferreth any thing to vs but only for that they staÌ„d before vs for patterns of imitation I answer that he should rather haue made this inference bicause Christ is the rocke of the Church most properly therfore S. Peter is the rocke therof also properly both for that Christ made him the rocke who maketh all things well and properly and also because the properties of a rocke do fitlie agree to S. Peter that is to bee constant and firme in the faith to strengthen and vphold
1. Reg li. 6. cap. 3. Gregorie yea and S. Gregorie speaking of another matter thus that which never was said to them of the old testament is now said to the vniversall church whatsoever thou shalt bind vpon earth which sheweth some difference between the old and new testament but nothing coÌ„cerneth these wordes of Christ Thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my church which is another kind of matter then that whatsoever thou shalt bind vpon earth c. Againe is M. Abbot so simple as to thinke that the power of binding loosing is giuen to every particuler member af the church can women and Children bind and loose all a like perhaps in the protestants church but it is not so with vs. yet that power maie bee said to bee given to the whole church because it is given to the benefitt of the whole though the charge and administration therof be not committed and giuen to all and everie person in the church But to returne to S. Austin he saith Aug de ver Dominiser 13. that the name Peter was given to him that by that figure hee might signifie the church bicause Christ is petra the rocke therfore Peter is the people of Christ So M. Abbot well let all this bee true what is this allegoricall interpretation of the name of Peter to our present purpose It cannot bee but a great honor to Saint Peter to haue had a name given him by our Saviour derived out of his owne name and that maie represent the people of Christ and further which followeth in that place of S. Austin though M. Abbot thought it policie to suppresse it Apostolorum principatum tenens S. Peter held the principalitie amoÌ„g the Apostles all this maketh much for S. Peters preheminence but doth it follow thervpon that nothing which Christ said to S. Peter doth properlie appertaine to him but all is to bee imparted to all Christian people how absurd were it to vnderstand so iudicious a Doctors words as S. Austin was after that childish manner thou art Peter that is after this new glosse all my people and vpon this rocke which containes also all Christes people I will build my church so that the sence after M. Abbots exposition must bee Christ did build all his people vpon all his people One might verie well bee chosen out of the rest as a foundation vpon whom Christ might lay all the rest but how all the people should bee built vpon all the people passeth I think all vnderstanding Epistola 165. But S. Austin elswhere saith M. Abbot hath these words to S. Peter bearing the figure of the whole church our lord said vpon this rocke c. bee it so that S. Peter bare the person of the church that doth not hinder the words to bee spoken to him effectuallie but rather argueth him to bee the chief governor of the church Aug. in Psal 108. câ—cione 1. as the same saint in the like places doth expresse in this manner Cuius Ecclesiae ille agnoscitur in figura gestasse personam propter primatum quem in discipulis habuit the person of which church Peter is acknowledged in figure to haue represented by reason of the primacie that hee had among the disciples And yet more plainly in another place thus Aug. Quaest ex nouo testam quaest 75 Saluator cum pro se Petro dari iubet pro omnibus â—xoluisse videtur quia sicut in domino erant omnes causa magisterij ita post Saluatorem in Petro omnes continentur Ipsum enim constituit esse caput eorum vt pastor esset gregis dominici when our Saviour commaunded tribute to bee paid for himself and for Peter hee seemeth to haue paid for all for like as in our Saviour there were all the partes of a maister so after him all were contained in Peter for hee coÌ„stituted Peter head of the rest that hee might bee the pastor of our lords flocke By which words of S. Austin wee gather that S. Peter sometimes did represent the whole church because he was head and chief pastor therof as a king doth in some cases represent a kingdome which is so for of from disproouing S. Peters supremacy that hence wee maie take a strong argument to prooue it and withall the propagation therof to his successors for we are taught out of these wordes of S. Austen to say that S. Peter maie bee considered either as a priuate person or as a publike magistrate that which pleased our Saviour to bestow vpon him as a private person was proper to himself and continued no longer then hee liued but that which Christ bestowed vpon S. Peter as a publike magistrate that was granted to the whole church and was to continue with the church to the worlds end like as that which is granted to a king as a publike person is holden as annexed to the Crowne and to descend alwaies after to all his successors now to our purpose S. Austin when hee said that that prerogatiue was giuen to S. Peter as representing the whole church doth not deny it to bee given him trulie and actually but doth signifie that it was given him not for his owne proper vse but for the benefitt of the whole church and therfore giuen in remainder for ever vnto his successors which was in the fullest and best sort that could bee Having thus answered all M. Abbots obiections and declared how S. Peter is the speciall rock vpoÌ„ which our Saviour built his church and how the other Apostles and everie constant ChristiaÌ„ may bee called rockes one truth not destroying but rather fortifieing the other I now come to cleere that imputation of dishonestie which M. Abbot would with no great honestie haue cast on mee I did affirme that it might bee deduced out of the ancient fathers that the Bishop or sea of Rome was that rocke vpon which the church was builded M. Abbot was bold to saie that I belied the fathers therin and doth avouch peremptorilie that never anie of them so vnderstood these words of our Saviour well let vs see whether of vs is like to prove the honester man of his word I do heere omitt the manifold deductions in this Chapter before mentioned and will add one more out of Saint Austins words by M. Abbot himself last before cited thus whatsoever was said to S. Peter as representing the person of the church is taken to bee said to all his successors as before hath been declared but those words of Christe vpon this rocke I will build my church were spoken to S. Perer as representing the person of the church by the verdit of S. Austin approved by M. Abbot himself therfore these verie words are to bee vnderstood as spoken vnto all S. Peters successors who being the Bishops of Rome as in due place shal bee proved it followeth evidentlie that the Bishops or church of Rome for I take both them for the same