him twise to feed his lambs and the third tyme to feed his sheep whereby he made him the Pastour of his flocke And for a conclusion to keep him in Humility he gaue him warning that as he was to follow him in his place so also he should imitate him in his death signifying what death he should dye That is to say the death of the Crosse In the exposition of which place there is no diuersity of opinion amongst the Fathers neither do they make any doubt or questiō but that our Sauiours speach in this place was directed only to S. Peter that by the word Sheep the whole flocke of Christ was recommended vnto him for the rest of the Apostles themselues were not excepted And that by the word Feed he was commaunded not only to teach but also to gouerne the Church of Christ so far forth as should be necessary for the conduction of the members thereof vnto their supernaturall end which is life euerlasting And therefore albeit all the Apostles in respect of their Apostolike power which was extraordinary and dyed with them had equall Iurisdiction ouer the rest of the Church yet were they not equall amongst themselues but S. Peter in respect of his supreme Episcopall and ordinary authority was the chief and head of them all and especially as they were Bishops or capable of Bishoprickes wherein others might succeed them they were all subiect to S. Peter And for this cause albeit the Church is sayd to be built vpon the other Apostles in generall and that they are also called the Pastours therof yet you shall neuer find that any of them in particuler as for example S. Iohn or S. Iames is tearmed the foundation or the Pastour of the Church without any other limitation but that these titles and the like are giuen by the Fathers to S. Peter alone in respect of the excellency of his dignity and plenarity of ordinary power ouer the Church of Christ SECTION VII The former Expositions of the two places aforesayd togeather with S. Peters Supremacy in dignity doctrine and gouernement are proued out of the testimonyes of the ancient Fathers FOR manifestation whereof and for the more euident proofe that the expositiōs which I haue deliuered of those two places of Scripture aforesayd are conformable to the doctrine of the Fathers I will alleadge some of their authorityes as briefly and succinctly as possible I can And first the same is proued by those titles with the Fathers haue giuen to S. Peter alone By the Councell of Chalcedon (a) Act. 1. therefore he is styled the Rocke and Top of the Church By Origen (b) hom 5. in exod the most solide Rocke By Cyrill (c) Lib. 2. c. 2. in Ioā the Rocke and Stone most firme By Euthymius (d) In cap. 16. Matt. the foundation of the beleeuers By Ambrose (e) Lib. 4. de fide c. 3. the firmament of the Church By Hilary (f) In cap. 16. Matt. the happy foundation of the Church and blessed porter of heauen By Augustine (g) Ser. 15. de Sanctis the foundation of the Church which the Church doth worthily worship By Damascen (h) Orat. de Transsig the key-bearer of the kingdome of heauen By Chrysostome (i) Hom. in psal 50.1 part the basis or bearing-stone of fayth By S. Hierome (k) Lib. 1. cont Iouin the Rocke of Christ Out of which titles or appellations giuen to none of the Apostles but only to S. Peter it must needs be gathered that the words of our Sauiour in the 16. of S. Matthew are to be vnderstood of him alone and that as he was the foundation of the whole buylding so which is all one that he was also the head of the whole body which may be further declared and more expresly proued if need be out of the Fathers For therfore S. Cyril (l) Lib. 12. in Ioan. cap. 64. doth call him the Prince and head of the rest S. Hierome (m) Lib. 1. cont Iouin the head of the Apostles S. Augustine (n) Serm. 124. de tempore Verticem the Crowne Optatus (o) Lib. 2. 7. cont Parmen Apicem the top or highest perfection of the Apostles Euthymius (p) Inc. vlt. Ioan. the Maister of the whole world Epiphanius (q) Epiph. haeres 51. Ducem the Captaine or Leader of the disciples Ambrose (r) lib. 10. in Luc. sc 24. the vicar of the loue of Christ towards vs. S. Cyprian (s) Lib. de vnit Eccl. sayth that the Primacy was giuen to Peter S. Leo (t) Serm. 2. de SS Pet. Paul that he Peter who was the first in confession was the first in Apostolicall dignity S. Athanasius (u) Epist au Pelic. That vpon the foundation of Peter the Pillars of the Church that is to say the Bishops are set or confirmed S. Ambrose (w) Ser. 47. that he was the immoueable Rock contayning the whole Pyle and Iuncture of the whole Christian worke or buylding S. Basil (x) Ser. de neditio Dei that he was happy in being preferted before the rest of the Disciples to whome the keyes of the kingdome of heauen were committed S. Augustine (y) Lib 2 de Baptis hath these words Loe where Cyprian relateth that which we also haue learned in the Scriptures that the Apostle Peter in whome the Primacy of the Apostles appeared aloft with such an excellēt grace was corrected by Paul a later Apostle And againe (z) Serm. 29. de SS he alone among the Apostles deserued to heer Thou art Peter c. Truly a man worthy to be a stone for foundation a Pillar for sustentation a key of the kingdom vnto the people which were to be built vp in the house of God To which purpose S. Ambrose (a) In cap. vlt. Luc. sayd therefore because he alone professed of all the rest he alone is preferred before all the rest And why sayth S. Chrysostom (b) Hom. 87. in loā omitting the rest doth he speak of these thinges to Peter alone He was the mouth of the Apostles the prince and top of that company therfore Paul ascended to visit him before the rest Among the most blessed Apostles sayth Leo (c) Ep 85. ad An ast there was a certayne distinction of power and though the election of all was equall yet vnto one it was after giuen to excell aboue the rest S. Cyprian (d) Ep. ad Iubaia sayth that the Church is one founded vpon one who receiued the keyes thereof by the word of our Lord. The prerogatiues also of the three first Chayres that is to say of Rome Alexandria and Antioch the Bishops whereof were anciently the three first Patriarcks and are so acknowledged in the first generall Councell of Nice do euidently proue the Supremacy of S. Peter whereof S. Gregory writeth in this manner Albeit there were many Apostles Greg. l 6. epist 37.
of Alexandria any other singuler ornament of that age inclyned to the opinion of S. Cyprian But then the authority of S. Peter in his successor Pope Steuen did well appeare who with no other armes but with the tradition of his Predecessors sustavned the brunt of so many most famous both Orientall and Occidentall Bishops who excommunicating those that had made a decree against the ancient custome of the Church threatning the rest that taught rebaptization to be lawfull preuailed so much that all the Orientall Churches conspyring togeather mone mind as Dionysius sayd Euseb l. 7. and changing their opinions were reunited againe with the band of peace And Dionysius himselfe changing also his opiniō became so scrupulous that he refused to baptize one that had not beene sufficiently baptized of the Heretiks retourning to the Catholike Church before he had made the Pope acquainted with it And the Bishops of Africa likewise that had followed S. Cypriā made a new decree to the contrary as witnesseth S. Hierome And S. Augustine sayth Hier. cōt Luciferiā August epist 48. that it is very probable that S. Cypriā also corrected himselfe and that his change in opinion was suppressed by the Heretikes And truly who can imagine that such a man as he tendring so much the peace of the Church as he did should remayne obstinate alone in his owne opinion See this more at large in Baronius Vin. cont Lyrin c. 9. in the yeare of our Lord 158. and 159. And Vincentius Lirinensis who notably descrybeth the successe of this victory Lastly Pope Pius the first hauing made a decree that the Feast of Easter should be celebrated only vpon Sunday against those Euseb l. 5. cap. 24. that pretended the example and tradition of S. Iohn to the contrary and 3. of his successors forbearing to cōpell them for quietnes sake Tertul. de praescrip cap. 53. Euseb lib. 5. cap. 14. by Ecclesiasticall censure therunto Pope Victor succeding and perceyuing them to be much confirmed in their opinion called a Councell in Italy and caused others to be assembled in France and also in other Countreys And Theophilus Bishop of Cesarea and Palestina Beda de equinoctiali in verno receiuing his command as Bede our Countreyman recordeth assembled Bishops not only out of his owne Prouince but also out of diuers other countreys and shewed the authority that Pope Victor had sent him and declared quid sibi operis fuit iniunctum and in all the Easterne Councells it being determined that the Feast of Easter should be kept vpon Sunday according to the custome of the Roman Church Euseb l. 5. cap. 24. Niceph. l. 4. c. 38.39 Pope Victor denounced excommunication against all the Churches of Asia that would not conforme themselues thereunto Whereupon though some did thinke it rigourously done not only the greatest part of the Churches of Asia did yield therein but also as Nicephorus testifyeth it was decreed throughout the world that the Feast of Easter should be kept vpon Sunday and they that refused so to do were holden for Heretakes and called Quartadecimani The same Controuersy being growne very great in Britany August haeres 29. Beda lib. 3. hist cap. 2. betwen the English that mantayned the custome of Rome and the Scottish that stood out in schisme and the matter being debated in the presence of King Oswy Colomannus with the Scottish Clergy relyed vpon the authority of Anatolins and Columba his predecessours Wilfrid on the other side answered That Columba albeit a holy man could not be preferred before Peter to whome our Lord sayd thou art Peter and vpon this Rock c. King Oswy that had beene infected with the Scottish schisme asked Colomannus whether he could proue the like authority to haue been giuen to Columba as was giuen to Peter who answering no Nay then quoth the King merily I assure you I will not in any thing contradict that Porter but to my knowledge and power I will obay his comaundements Whereupon all that were present sayth S. Bede allowed therof and yielded to receiue the Catholike custome of keping Easter on the Sunday And now to go forward with the receiued practise and execution of the Popes authority in other Iudiciall matters Leo. Ep. 89. Pope Leo writing vnto the Bishops of France biddeth them remember and acknowledge with him that the Priests of their Prouince had consulted with the Apostolike sea in innumerable matters and according to the diuersity of their causes and appeales their former Iudgments had been retracted or confirmed As touching deposition of Bishops you haue already hard of the deposition of Dioscorus in the fourth generall Councell by the Popes Legates which was done in these formall words Conc. Chal. act 3. Leo the most holy and Blessed Pope and head of the vniuersall Church indued with the dignity of Peter the Apostle who is intituled the foundation of the Church the Rock of Faith and the doore-keper of the Kingdome of Heauen By vs his Legates the holy Synode consenting hath depryued Dioscorus of Episcopall dignity and excluded him from all Priestly function Cypr. lib. 5. epist 13. S. Cyprian wrote to Pope Stephen to excommunicate and depose Marcian the Bishop of Arles in France and to aduertise him who should succeed him that he the Bishops of Affrick might know to whome to direct their letters Peter the Patriarch of Alexandria Soc. lib. 4. hist. cap. 3. as Socrates relateth returning with the letters of Damasus the Roman Bishop the people confiding in them Nicol. ep ad Micha expelled Lucius and receaued Peter into his place Nicolaus the first writing to Michael the Emperour reckoneth vp 8. Patriarches of that Church deposed by the Bishops of Rome before his tyme. Theod. l. 5. hist c. 23. Soc. lib. 5. hist c. 15. Sozom. l. 8. cap. 3. Flauianus Patriarch of Antioch was deposed by Pope Damasus and both S. Chrysostome Bishop of Constantinople and Theophilus Patriarch of Alexandria were intercessors for him to the Pope And to conclude Polichronius Patriarch of Hierusalem was deposed by Sixtus the 3. Tom. 2. Concil in actis 60. So that you see the exercise of the Popes authority in the deposition of many of the foure principall Patriarchs of Constantinople Alexandria Antioch and Hierusalem And as for those that appealed to the Sea Apostolike and were restored by the same the examples are infinit Let it suffice that Athanasius the great Patriarch of Alexandria Paulus Bishop of Constantinople Marcellus Bishop of Ancyra Asclepas Bishop of Gaza and Lucianus Bishop of Adrianopolis Sozom. l. 3. hist c. 8. Tripart hist l. 4. cap 15. were all at Rome at one tyme iniustly deposed and expelled by the Orientall Synode And that Pope Iulius as Sozomeus hath recorded vnderstanding whereof they were accused receiued them into his communion that the care of all belonging vnto him in respect of the dignity of his sea he restored
haue to say into one argument alone which I frame in this manner S. Peter the Apostle had Supremacy ouer the whole Church of Christ but the Pope of Rome is only the true Successour of S. Peter therefore the Pope of Rome in the place of S. Peter hath also Supremacy ouer the whole Church of Christ Out of which argument you may obserue that the state of this Controuersy consisteth in the proofe of two points The first of S. Peters Supremacy and the second of the Popes succession to S. Peter For probation of the first point out of almost twenty places of Scripture alleadged by Bellarmine togeather with the exposition of the holy Fathers thereupon acknowledging therein the Primacy or Principality of S. Peter in the gouernement of the Church of God I will produce but two places alone The first out of the sixten of S. Matth. Matt. 10.17 where the same was promised in these words And Iesus answering sayd vnto him Blessed art thou Symon Bariona because flesh and bioud hath not reuealed it vnto thee but my Father which is in heauen And I say to thee that thou art Peter that is to say a Rock and vpon this rocke will I build my Church and the gates of hell shall not preuatle against it And I will giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen And whatsoeuer thou shalt bind on earth it shall be bound also in the heauens And whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth it shall be loosed also in the Heauens Concerning which words there are three thinges which I find to be questionable The first what our Sauiour promised vnder those tearmes of a Rocke or Foundation of the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen and of binding and loosing in earth and heauen Which because the foundation is the rule and strength of the whole buylding and that the keyes commaund the whole Citty opening and shutting the gates therof and that the sentence of a Supreme iudge doth bind and loose vpon earth It seemeth to be manifest that nothing els can be meant thereby but only the rule the commaund and the gouernement of the Church as it is compared to a building or to a Citty and as it is called the kingdome of God in Scripture In which sense our Sauiour himselfe who of himselfe is the supreme King Head and gouernour of the whole Church is many tymes called a Rocke therein And he is also sayd to beare the key of Dauid and to haue the key of Hell And he himselfe affirmeth Da. 2.34 1. Cor. 10.4 1. Pet. 28 Esa 22.22 Apoc. 1.18.3.7 Matt. 11.30 the yoake which he imposeth to be sweet and the burthen which he byndeth vpon vs to easy And in the same sense all the ancient Fathers haue euer vnderstood this text of Scripture without any difference or variation betweene them The second thing which may be questionable herein is the person to whome these thinges were promised which being described to be S. Peter with so many circumstances of his Name and Syrname and the Name of his Father of the prayse of his former speach and Christs answere thereunto and so many particles applyable only to S. Peter as Iesus answering sayd to Him blessed art Thou flesh and bloud hath not reuealed to Thee and I say to Thee Thou art Peter and vpon this Rocke which according to the originall is this in English Thou art Peter and vpon this Peter or thou art Rocke and vpon this Rocke I will build my Church And againe vnto Thee will I giue the keyes c. Whatsoeuer Thou shalt bind c. whatsoeuer Thou shalt loose c. I say if all these things considered the person of S. Peter being thus particulerly described doubt may be made vnto whom the Gouernemēt was promised then we may well say that nothing is plaine but that all thinges are most ambiguous in holy Scripture Wherefore in this also the Fathers do all agree and all of them do gather out of this place that the gouernement of Gods Church was giuen to S. Peter Only S. Augustine who maketh no question to whome the keyes and the authority of binding and loosing was giuen in this place expoundeth sometymes the word Rocke to be meant of Christ whome S. Peter confessed Because saith he our Sauiour sayd not tu es Petra but tu es Petrus wherein he was deceiued as all men acknowledg not vnderstanding the Syriack tongue which maketh no more difference betweene the Masculine and Feminine then doth our English Aug. lib. 1. Retract cap. 21. And S. Augustine himselfe also hauing oftentymes expounded the word Rocke to be meant of S. Peter leaueth both these expositiōs to the choyce of the Reader without condemning either of them The rest of the Fathers out of this place do all affirme the Church to be built both vpon Peter and vpon the Faith of Peter or vpon Peter in respect of his faith which is al one For which faith our Sauiour promised to reward him by building his Church vpon him and by giuing such solidity and stability thereunto that the gates of Hell should not prenayle against it Lastly because the Fathers do oftentymes affirme that S. Peter receiued this power and authority in the person of the Church for the benefit of the Church the last thing questionable cōcerning these words is this Whether he receiued the same as a Procter or substitute alone or as the head and chief of all the Apostles For in both of these respects one man may represent the persons of many as in it selfe it is manifest But it seemeth also that this is a question of that wherof no question can be made For al the Apostles being present there was no necessity nor apparence neither why nor how they should make S. Peter their atturney And our Sauiour naming S. Peter in particuler Symon Bariona commending him in particuler Blessed art thou and confirming vnto him the name of Rocke in particuler it must needs be vnderstood that to him in particuler these promises were made of the regiment of Gods Church and of founding the same vpon him in such manner as that the gates of Hell should not preuayle against it And in this also the Fathers do generally agree as you will perceiue by those testimonyes which shall be produced thereby The second place of Scripture which I will alleadge for the proofe of S. Peters supreme authority is in the second of S. Iohn Ioan. 21.15 for what was promised in the 16. of S. Matthew was there performed For calling him by the name of Symon by the name of Peter and by the name of Symon the sonne of Iona to signify that he applyed his speach to himselfe alone and asking him first whether he loued our Sauiour more then the rest and twice more whether he loued him whereby our Sauiour would signify that he commended to his loue the thing that was most deare vnto him he commaunded
would keep all the Pastours in the world in peace and vnity c. For in all societyes authority which cannot be where all are equall must procure vnity and obedience Thus Doctor Couell who goeth further and sayth If it concerne all persons and ages in the Church of Christ as surely it doth the gouernement must not cease with the Apostles but so much of that authority must remayne to them who from time to time supply that charge c. Which also is the doctrine of Melancthon who further confesseth Melanthō that as certayn Bishops are presidēt ouer many Churches so the Bishop of Rome is President ouer all Bishops Luther And Luther himselfe is inforced to acknowledge that for the vnity of the Catholike Church consisting of al Nations with infinite diuersity of māners conditions it was necessary that one should be chosen vnto whome and his Successors the whole world being made one fold might belong or pertayne Cart wright M. Cartwright likewise vrgeth the Protestāt Doctors with their owne argument saying that the peace of the whole Church requireth as well a Pope ouer all Archbishops as one Archbishop ouer all Bishops in a Realme Iacob And to conclue M. Iacob another Puritan sayth if a visible Catholike Church be once aknowledged there is no place in all the world so likely as Rome to be the visible and spring head of the gouernement thereof Protestant Apology See the Protestants Apology tract 1. sect 3. subdiu 10. And thus appeareth the force of this truth which God almighty hath caused to be iustifyed euen by the mouthes of our aduersaries themselues And now by the resolution of this first point alone hauing clearly ouer throwne and disproued whatsoeuer the Bishop can say in the fiue first books of his Commonwealth against the Monarchy Primacy and Papacy of the Church of Rome the succession therof the subiection of other Bishops therūto and in fine against all Iurisdictions of the Church of Christ I come to the explication and proofe of the second poynt concerning the succession of the Bishop of Rome to S. Peter wherein the folly and impudency of this man will be more discouered and his whole Volume of Ecclesiasticall Cōmonwealth either extant or not extant will be sufficiently answered SECTION IX The continuance of S. Peters authority is proued by Scripture and by the Fathers and by the confession of many Protestants and therof is inferred the succession of the Pope to S. Peter IN the beginning of the former point concerning S. Peters authority I shewed how the Catholiks considered and distinguished a double power in the Apostles of Christ the one extraordinary Apostolicall whereby they had equall Iurisdiction ouer the Church of Christ which is therfore called Extraordinary because it dyed with them for if others had succeeded them therin their successours also by vertue therof had beene all Apostles The other ordinary and Episcopall wherein others were to succeed them for the gouernement of the Church and which in S. Peter alone was supreme absolute and independant but in the rest it was limitted to particuler places and therefore albeit as Apostles they had all equall authority ouer the rest of the Church yet they were not equall amongst themselues but S. Peter by vertue of his supreme Episcopall authority was the chiefe Pastour and head of the rest And now likewise for your greater light in the handling of this second poynt we must distinguish in S. Peter a double Episcopall power the one in particuler proper to the diocesse of Rome wherof he was the immediate Bishop the other vniuersall ouer the whole Church of Christ whereby albeit he be not the immediate Bishop of the particuler Churches yet is he the vniuersall supreme Pastour ouer them all As the Bishop of Canterbury for example although he be the immediate Bishop of Canterbury alone yet as he is Archbishop he hath the care of those other Churches and Bishopricks of our Nation which are vnder his charge This distinction therefore being granted first there is no question to be made but that the Bishop of Rome doth succeed vnto S. Peter as he was the immediate Bishop of that Diocesse For this is euident not only by the catalogue of the Bishops of Rome and tradition of the Church but also by the testimony of all Historiographers and ancient Fathers and in particuler of S. Irenaeus Tertullian S. Hierome S. Augustine Optatus and others as we shal see anone Which being commonly granted by all the learned Protestants because if the supreme authority of S. Peter did not dye with him as the generall power of the Apostles ouer the whole Church did cease with them but remayned and continued in the Church after his death thereof it would follow that the Pope who succeeded him in the one should succeed him also in the other as he who is made Bishop of Canterbury is thereby also made Archbishop and Primate of all the kingdome For this cause diuers Protestants haue affirmed that albeit the Pope do succeed to S. Peter as he was Bishop of Rome yet they deny that he succeeded him in his vniuersall Pastorall function because they say it dyed with him And therefore on the other side if the Catholikes can shew that the Primacy of S. Peter doth still remayne in the Church that being proued there will be no difficulty but that the Pope doth succeed to S. Peter as wel in his Primacy ouer the whole Church as in his particuler authority ouer the Church of Rome especially no other Bishop hauing euer pretended or made claime to that Succession but only the Bishop of Rome Wherefore that the Primacy of S. Peter was to descend and remayne to his successors is proued by these two places of Scripture Matt. 16. Ioan. 21. alleadged for the proofe of his Supremacy For in the first place our Sauiour promised that he would make him the foundation and build his Church vpon him in such manner as the gates of Hell should not preuayle against it Whereby as he signifieth that the Church was to remayne and indure perpetually so much more he promised that the Foundation therof was likewise to remayne from whence the Church it selfe was to receiue her perpetuall strength and duration origen in 16. Matt. Which Origen considering sayd very well that it was manifest albeit not expressed that the gates of Hell cannot preuaile neither against Peter nor against the Church for if they preuailed against the Rock whereon the Church is founded they should also preuaile against the Church it selfe The like also may be easily inferred out of the second place where S. Peter was made the vniuersall Pastour of the sheep of Christ and by consequence the sheep of all ages were commended vnto him and therfore not only to him in person but also to his seat and to his successours represented and contayned in him as in theyr seed and foundation In which
lesse pouerty of meanes and matter in buylding without a foundation as much want of proofe to persuade in giuing you nothing but wordes insteed of other substance But you will reply whatsoeuer he sayth here he promiseth to proue and pursue hereafter in his Booke of Ecclesiasticall Common Wealth I pray you were it fit that when a souldier cometh into the feild to fight he should come without weapons and should thinke either to ouercome his aduersary or to satisfy the beholders of his prowesse by saying that he hath an excellent sword a making Were it not absurd that a Scholler comming to dispute of any Probleme should thinke to satisfy the arguments of his aduersary or to perswade his auditours that the truth were of his side by affirming that he would or that he had composed a great volume of that matter This booke being made by the Bishop to proue his spirit to disproue his aduersaryes and to approue his change of Religion to all those that should here thereof now was the tyme to vse his Weapons to shew his Wisedome and to bring forth his euidence And therefore if he sayle of his proofes it is an euident signe that he is altogeather destitute and vnprouided of them Neither is it true which he sayth That when his worke cometh forth whatsoeuer he hath heere affirmed shal be there proued For how will he proue that Rome hath coyned not a 100. or a 1000. new articles of Fayth in one day but as he sayth innumerable and that euery day How will he proue that the Church of Rome suppresseth the Councells Doth it not make them a rule of Fayth hath it not alwayes preserued them doth it not mayntayne and defend them from the calumniations and contradictions which the Heretikes of these dayes oppose against them How will he proue that we belieue the whole spirit of Christ to remayne in the Pope alone and that all which hath been sayd heretofore in the honour of the vniuersall Church must be applyed to the Court and Pallace of the Pope alone Do we belieue that to be Catholike one holy visible to haue conuerted Nations and Kingdomes which are some of the supernaturall prayses and excellencyes of the Catholike Church whereby she shyneth like the sunne in the Firmament aboue all other Congregations or assemblyes Do we belieue I say as an article of our Fayth that these things agree to the Pope and his Pallace alone That the Pope or his Court is extended ouer al the world That the Vnity Holynes Visibility and Miracles of the Church and of the Pastors and Saints thereof are only to be found in the Pope and his Pallace and that all other Catholike Nations and Kingdomes are excluded from the participation of these graces can this be proued thinke you And can it stand with the grauity and reuerent authority of a Bishop to affirme these things with promise to confirme them making them also the ground of his conuersion Could any ignorant shamelesse Minister whose learning were nothing els but lying Could any Zani or Counterfait that had been hyred to rayle against the Pope haue spoken more fondly more intemperatly or more absurdly The innumerable new articles whereof he speaketh and the whole doctrine of so many Churches impugned by the Church of Rome which he vndertaketh to defend can surely contayne no lesse then all the points in Controuersy betwene you and vs which are so farre from being decided in his Ecclesiasticall cōmon Wealth that for the greater part of them they cannot be so much as mentioned therin For as it appeareth by his owne description therof the 4. first bookes proue only in effect that all Bishops and their Churches by the Law of God are equall And that neither S. Peter nor the Pope nor the Roman Clergy should haue any Primacy or Papacy or Prehemynence aboue the rest In his 5. and 6. Booke he taketh away all kind of iurisdiction from the whole Church not only in temporall but also in Ecclesiasticall matters In his 7. booke he disputeth of the rule of Fayth In the rest that follow he speaketh of nothing els but only of the temporalityes and immunityes of the Church In the 8. he considereth the external gouernemēt of the Church by Lawes and Canons which if he affirme to be lawfull it is directly contrary to his 5. and 6. booke wherein he reiecteth all kind of Iurisdiction from the Church of Christ So that this great booke wherof he braggeth so much contayneth in effect but one Controuersy alone And he that should proue the Popes Primacy and Supreme Iurisdiction ouer the Church of God should ouerthrow the substance of this whole Volume For thereof it would follow directly that the gouernement of Christs church vpon earth is Monarchicall against his first and second booke that the gouernours of the Church are not equall in authority by the Law of God against his third booke That the Pope and Church of Rome hath preheminence ouer other Churches against his fourth booke That the Church of God hath Iurisdiction both Ecclesiasticall directly and temporall indirectly the latter being necessary for the maintaynance of the former against his 5. and 6. booke That the decree of the Pope as Head of the Church in a generall Councell is a sufficient rule of Fayth against his 7. booke The resolution also of the matters contayned in his 3. other bookes is of no great importance and may easily be deduced from the former conclusion Wherefore if he thinke to discharge himselfe of all other poynts in Controuesy by handling the titles of these bookes alone he shall behaue himselfe like a Banquerupt who insteed of the whole debt should scarce make payment of one in the hundred SECTION VI. Concerning the Popes Supremacy The state of the question is proposed and S. Peters Supremacy is proued by Scripture BVT now as oftentymes it falleth out that vnder the fayre shewes of Banquerupt Merchants vnder their goodly inscriptions of many rich commodityes and dissembling text letters vpon pots packs and boxes there is nothing to be found except perhaps some poore refused brockage that is not salable so to make it manifest that vnder these glorious titles of the ten Bookes which the Bishop promiseth there is nothing contayned but false wares and idle tryfles lapt vp in so many bundles of wast paper And to giue you withall some satisfaction in this one point of Controuersy of the Popes Supremacy the occasion being so fit the labour not great the way so well beaten by others I will briefly set you downe some of those euident proofes wherewith the Catholikes are wont to demonstrate the Popes Supremacy in spiritual matters Whereby also it will appeare how well the Bishop hath spent his 10. yeares in reading of the Fathers whether he haue more attended to his study or to his belly For the greater breuity and more perspicuity in handling this ample and copious matter I will reduce all that I
ad Eulogium Alexan. yet the only seat of the prince of the Apostles preuayled in authority of principality which was of one man in three places For he aduanced the seat wherein he was pleased to rest and to end this present life that is to say Rome He honored the seat to the which he sent his disciple the Euangelist that is to say the seat of Alexandria whither he sent S. Marke He confirmed the seat wherein he sate six years before he left it that is to say wherein he left Euodius to succeed him Thus S. Gregory And as S. Peter S. Marke and Euodius were in Order one aboue another so also the seat wherin S. Peter dyed was the first that of S. Marke was the second and the other of Euodius was the third And each of the three hauing been some wayes the seat of Peter was in respect thereof preferred in honour authority before all the other seats of the rest of the Apostles Epist 3. Epist 53 ad Anatholiū Of this also do make mention S. Anacletus and S. Leo. And in particuler in the honour of the seat of Rome the Church did anciently celebrate a feastiual day called the Feast of the Chayre of Peter which also hath beene euer since obserued August serm 15. de SS Whereof S. Augustine sayth in one of his sermons the institution of this dayes solemnity by our Elders tooke the name of the Chayre c. Worthily therefore do the Churches celebrate the originall day of that Chayre which the Apostles vnder tooke for the welfare or safty of the Churches Vnto these testimonyes which are more then sufficient I will adde some other authorityes which make mention of gouernement to declare what manner of superiority it was that was conferred to S. Peter Eusebius (a) Euseb serm de S. Ioan. Euā Emissenus calleth him the Pastour of Pastours S. Augustine (b) In cap. 21. Ioan. sayth he committed to Peter his sheep to be fed that is to be taught gouerned S. Chrysostome (c) In cap. 21. Ioan. Others omitted he speaketh to Peter alone to whome he committed the care of his brethren c. and the care of the world S. Ambrose (d) Serm. 48. detem pore He Peter was assumed to be the Pastour and receiued the others to be gouerned And againe (e) ad Gallatas 1. vnto him among the Apostles our Sauiour delegated the care of Churches And againe (f) Lib. 4. de fide c. 3. Could he not confirme his fayth Peters to whome with proper authority he gaue a kingdome S. Cyprian (g) De vnitat Eccl. vpon him alone he built his Church and commaunded him to feed his sheep and although he gaue all his Apostles c. equall power yet that he might shew vnity he appointed one Chayre alone where also he calleth him the head the well and the root of the Church S. Chrysostome (h) Ho. 11. in Matt. he made Peter the Pastour of the Church to come and after God only can grant that among so many and so great flowds breaking in with fury the Church to come may remaine immoueable whose Pastour and head is but a poore fisher ignoble And againe God the Father did set Hieremy ouer one Nation alone but him Peter Christ hath set ouer the whole world Theophilact (i) In cap. vlt. Ioan. dinner being ended he commended to Peter the Prefectship of the sheep of all the world not vnto another but vnto him he gaue it And againe (k) In cap. 22. Luc. S. Peter after his denyall was to receiue the Primacy of all men and the Prefectship of the world Damascene (l) Orat. de transfig as Prclate he receiued the stern or gouernemeut of the whole Church S. Maximus (m) Ser. 3. de Apost of how great merit was S. Peter with our Lord that vnto him after the Oare or guidance of a little boat the sterne or gouernement of the whole Church should be deliuered Leo (n) Ser. 3. de an assū out of the whole world Peter alone was chosen who was set ouer the vocation of al Natiōs ouer all the Apostles and all the Fathers of the Church that there being in the people of God many Priests and many Pastors Peter might properly gouerne all whome Christ also doth principally gouerne Eusebius Emissenus (o) vbi supra He Peter gouerneth subiects and Prelates therfore he is the Pastour of all because besides lambs and sheep there is nothing in the Church Bernardus (p) Lib. 2. de confid Thou alone art the Pastour of all not only of the sheep alone but also of the Pastours You will aske me how I proue it out of the words of our Lord to which I do not say of the Bishops alone but also of the Apostles were all the sheep committed so absolutly and without distinction feed my sheep sayth he to whome is it not plaine that he designed not some but assigned all Nothing is excepted where nothing is distinguished And not to cloy you with ouer many testimonyes in a matter so euident I will conclude with our Countrey man S. Bede (q) Hom. in vigil 3. Andreae Therefore sayth he did S. Peter specially receiue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the principality of Iudiciall power that all the faithfull through the world might vnderstand that no such as separate themselues any kind of way from the vnity of his fayth and society can be absolued from the bands of their sinnes nor enter into the gate of the kingdome of Heauen Out of that which hath beene so copiously alleadged if you please to reflect a little thereupon you may gather the reason and ground of this institution of one Supreme herd in the Church of God Which also because it doth more confirme the truth of that which hath beene sayd I will open a little briefly declare vnto you First then there is no question to be made but that our Sauiour Christ whose workes are perfect did therfore ordayne his Spouse the Church to be gouerned by one alone in his owne place vpon earth because this is the most excellent and most perfect kind of Gouernement as Bellarmine proueth at large out of all the ancient Fathers and Philosophers And therefore the gouernement of the Church and Commonwealth of the Iewes in the old Testament being ordayned by God himself was Monarchicall or of one in chief Which was also a Type and figure of the same kind of gouernement of the Church of Christ to be established in the new Testament The originall cause therfore and formall reason of this kind of gouernement and institution in the Church of Christ was the perfect vnity of the members therof which our Sauiour specially intended For the which also he prayed Ioan. 17.21.22 Ioan. 13.35 Lib. 1. ep 8. and would that his Disciples might be knowne thereby from the rest of the
none but himselfe so drunke at this day with heresy in Christendome as to deny the lawfullnes of all Iurisdiction in the Church of God And as this position is most pernicious to all kind of Churches or spirituall Cōgregations whatsoeuer they be in taking away al obligation of obedience from them so also it is most dangerous to kingdomes and commonwealthes for such as in our tyme haue opposed themselues to the Iurisdiction of the Church haue likewise for the most part denyed their band of obedience to all temporall gouernement And their principall ground or reason is the same in both For no man say they that seeth not another mans conscience can bind the conscience of his brother And that all being made free by Baptisme ought to enioy the liberty of the Ghospell Whereof it followeth that neither sonnes nor seruants nor wyues nor subiects are bound to obay their Superiours for conscience sake but only and at the most either for feare or els for the auoyding of some publike scandall which doctrine if it were once receiued would in short space make Christians worse then Heathens And therefore I marueile how your English Bishops could let such doctrine passe being no lesse contrary to their authority then to the Popes Supremacy and no lesse perillous to themselues then to the gouernement of the whole kingdome vnles perhaps finding their case to be desperate they desire more to offend their enemy then to defend themselues would be cōtent their heresy should sinke so the Catholike Religion might be drowned with it But the Bishop being reputed to haue gotten some learning when he was yong and not being yet so old as to dote for age aboue all it is to be marueiled how he could suster himself to be so much deceiued by the Diuell as to ground his 10. yeares studyes the 10. books of his Christian commonwealth and in a word his whole religion and the saluation of his soule vpon an absurdity so grosse so fowle enormous dangerous to Church and Common-wealth as this is and the strangenes of his illusion is so much the greater because he was so blinded therewith that he saw not how manifestly he was inforced to contradict himselfe not only in other places of this his booke where he grāteth that Christian Princes haue power to do many thinges in the Church and challengeth vnto himselfe I know not what authority ouer Bishops in some cases which should make the Bishop of Canterbury to looke about him but also in the very title of his Booke which he calleth his Ecclesiasticall Cōmonwealth because it doth inuolue a manifest contradiction to this his strange position For vnles it be meerly a dreame and much more fantasticall then Platoes Idaea no man can imagine how any Cōmonwealth should be framed or est ablished without some Iurisdiction or power of gouernement giuen thereunto If he had contayned himselfe within any reasonable bounds and relyed his proofes vpon the Scripture alone interpreting the same according to his own sense how strang soeuer he might perhaps haue made some shift therewith for a while as his fellowes haue done before him But to pretend and contend as he doth that according to the Fathers Councells and Canons there is neither superiority of gouernment in the head nor power of Iurisdiction in the body of Christs Church is an euident signe that as he hath forsaken God so also God in his iustice hath not only forsaken him but also in great part hath taken his wits and reason from him For as S. Augustine sayth of the Prophesyes of the Church that they are more cleere in Scripture then the prophesyes of Christ himselfe because the tryall of all other Controuersyes dependeth vpon the knowledge of the Church so also for the same reason God Almighty in his prouidence hath so ordayned that the Iurisdiction of the Church and the authority of the head therof should be more expresly taught and aboundantly proued by the Doctours Pastours and ancient Fathers then any other point in Controuersy So that he might better haue gone about to proue and maintayne out of the Fathers Canons or Councells that the Sonne is not equall with the Father or the holy Ghost not equall to the Sonne or not proceeding from the Father and the Sonne or that our Blessed Lady ought not to be called the Mother of God or some other of those anciently condemned and rotten heresyes then to proue that there is no Iurisdiction in the Church nor any inequality of gouernment amongst the Pastours thereof And therefore as most impudently he denyeth the latter so it is much to be feared that he faltereth also in the former whereof he giueth many shrewd signes and apparant tokens in this little booke and much more is it likely he will bewray himself in the greater whē it cometh forth For being borne vpon the confines of Turky and Greece in which Countrey those ancient heresyes haue tirannized heeretofore and worse succeeded them in latter ages the suspitions wherewith as he professeth he was troubled when he was yong by all reason were more in fauour of the Easterne heresyes which he knew then of these of the West which he knew not And the bookes of the Arian Greciin heresyes being no lesse forbidden in Italy then the hereticall writers of these westerne parts whereby his suspitions were much more increased it is very probable that they swayed his mind more to that side then to this His maisters also do commonly dispute more against them then against these whome they are content to pretermit in these parts there being no vse of the knowledge of them And therefore by al likelihood his suspitions increased most in fauour of those opinions whereunto he was naturally most affected and wherewith he had more to do and which did more belong vnto him to know then the other did And besides all this that which he maketh his chiefe quarrell against the Pope is only the excommunication and condemnation of those opinions for heresyes which he sayth are not sufficiently condemned by the Church although it be manifest and he denyeth it not that they haue byn condemned by generall Councells And that inborne desire of peace Pag. 35. and vnity which he pretendeth of the East and West seemeth to consist in nothing els but only in permitting euery Bishop at the least to abound in his owne sense and to hold what he list as long as he doth not separate himselfe from the rest nor condemne their opinions And lastly to returne to the matter which we haue in hand by taking away all Iurisdiction from the Church of God he maketh voyd and repealeth the Anathema and excommunication of all former heretikes and by condemning the Fathers and Councells for condemning them without iudiciall authority he restoreth them all to their first pretended pleas and old forged titles And the renewing of these ancient censures condemnations of Heretikes by the Churche of Rome at this
Luther in Coloq c. de Past Eccl. Beza ad cap. 13. act Apost Caus dial 6.7.8 that in his writings he had not one word of Faith true ReligioÌ„ that he was manifestly blasphemous impious and intollerable bold in the detorting of Scriptures that if he perseuered in his opinions he was no lesse damned then Lucifer That (a) Cartwrigh in his Reply pag. 562. Damasus spake in the Dragons voyce That (b) Perkin Probl. p. 93.94 Paulinus Fortunatus Fulgentius Petrus Damianus were stayned with sinne and guilty of Sacriledge That (c) Whitaker de Cone coÌ„t Bell. p. 37. Beza in confes Geneuen c. 7. sect 11. Perkins vbi supra S. Leo was a great Archeretike of the antichristian kingdome that he breatheth out the arrogancy of the Antichristian Roman sea That (d) Luther in Colloq mens c. de patr Eccl. S. Basil was of no worth and was wholy a Monke (e) Luther in Colloq Germ. p. 499. Melauth in cap. 14. ad Rom. That S Gregory was grossly deceiuedly the Diuell and he that fell into open impiety tyranny And of the Fathers in general Schastianus Franeus (b) In epist de abrogandis in vniuersuÌ„ omnibus statis Ecclesiasticis concludeth that presently after the Apostles tyme all things were turned vp side downe c. and that for certayne through the worke of Antichrist the externall Church togeather with the faith and Sacraments vanished cleane away preâ—eÌ„tly after the Apostles departure D. Downham (c) Down treatise of Antichrist 〈◊〉 2. c. 2. affirmeth that the generall defection of the visible Church foretold 2. Thessal 2. began to worke in the Apostles tyme. M. Fulke (d) Fulk answere to a Counterfait Catholike pag. 35. auerreth that the true Church decayed immediatly after the Apostles tyme. Luther (e) Luther l. de seruo arbitrio VVitemb pag. 434. presumed to say that vnlesse the Fathers repented and amended they were neither Saints nor Members of the Church Caluin (f) Lib. 3. inst cap. 3. num 10. saith that the Fathers were carried away with errour Peter Martyr (g) De votis pag. 476. refrained not to say as long as we do insist vpon the Councells and Fathers we shall alwayes be conuersant in the same errours Beza (h) In his preface to the new testameÌ„t dedicated to the Pr. of Condy. affirmeth that in the best tymes Sathan was president euen in their assemblyes and Councells Cartwright (i) Cartwright l. 1. p. 5.13 154. affirmeth that seeking in the Fathers writings is a raking in ditches a mouing and sommoning of hell a mensuring of truth by the crooked yard of tyme. Whitaker (k) Cont. Duraeum l. 6. p. 423. auoucheth the Popish religion to be apatched couerlet of the Fathers errours sowed togeather Doctor (l) HuÌ„ph in vita lewel p. 212. Humfrey did grieuously reprehend M. Iewell for his so bould appealing to the Fathers affirming that M. Iewell herein gaue the Papists too large a scope was iniurious to himselfe and after a manner spoyled himself and the Church And M. Fulk (m) Pulk Reioynder pag. 4. Aug. coÌ„t Iul. l. 1. c. 2. De verbis Apostol serm 14. lib. 2. cout Iul. 6.10 being charged with M. Iewells confession in his reioynder to M. Bristowes reply sayth I answere if he charge me with the contynuing of the Church in incorruption for 600. yeares next after Christ he lieth in his throate Thus as S. Augustine saith they persecute those with hostility whom they should follow with fidelity which we cannot impute to their ignorance but to their impudency Alas they kick against they prick and as he sayth againe they push against that wall which will break them to peeces what the Father 's deliuered that they receiued and therfore as Tertullian noteth very well Tert de praesc c. 28. to condemne them is nothing els but to condemne the Apostles and Christ himselfe that taught them SECTION XIX That the Protestants dissent very much from the doctrine of the pure Church is proued out of the Protestants themselues condemning one another LIKE as a peece of earth deuyding it selfe from a high Mountayne and falling downe is againe deuyded into many peeces wherunto it breaketh or as the Kingdome of this world which was giuen by God to our Father Adam being separated by him from the obedience and from the Kingdome of God fell preent thereupon into many factions and was afflicted with many contrarietyes of Angells and men and beasts and Elements and the foure humours of the body and of sense and reason one against the other so it fareth with those that deuide themselues from the vnity of the Citty set vpon the mountayne and from the Kingdome of God which is the Church of Christ For now being destitute of that publick and inuincible authority which Christ hath ordayned to keep the members of his body in which they must needs deuyde themselues one from another euery man abounding in his owne sense and in the self pleasing loue of his owne iudgement The examples whereof haue been such in this miserable age as nothing is more to be admyred or lamented then to see so many Sects and diuersityes of opinions in these tymes as perchance do surmount the number of all the heresyes of former ages put togeather The most notorious heere with vs are the Lutherans the Protestants the Puritans and the Brownists Protest Apology pag. 502.503 504.684 The Lutherans differ from other Protestants in 33. seuerall articles whereof in particuler haue written Schlusselburg Osiander and Samuel Haberus The Lutherans are againe subdeuided into very many sects and the Protestants into more then seauenty seuerall opinions of most important matters the most of them set downe by M. Doctor Willet in his meditation vpon the 122. Psal printed anno 1603. pag. 91. Wherefore as sinne is punished with it selfe so it is the nature of falshood to ouerthrow and confound it selfe Which as it appeareth to be true in the infinite contrariety and confusion of doctrine among the Protestants themselues so alse it wil be manifest in the bold assertion of this vayne man which we haue now in hand And therefore hauing shewed already that to be most contrary to the Fathers which he sayth he hath found in the Fathers and that both by the testimony of the Fathers condemning the Protestants doctrine for heresy and also by the Protestants themselues who spare not to reuyle and blaspheme the Fathers before I conclude this whole matter you shall also heare both him and them condemned out of their owne mouthes Wherfore supposing that our Bishop is now a perfect English Protestant and that he belieueth his owne words to be true affirming those Charches which Rome hath made her aduersaryes to differ little or nothing from the ancient pure and true doctrine of the Church of Christ I argue in this manner The Church which followeth Luthers doctrine Luth. tom Witemb f. 381.382
of vnderstanding could not be ignorant of it that no fornicator or vncleane or couetous person hath inheritance in the kingdome of Christ and of God And theÌ„ followeth Let no man seduce you with vaine wordes speaking directly of the seducers of these tymes for from these thinges come the anger of God vpon the children of diffidence become not therefore partakers with them c. In which place he goeth further on speaking much more to the same purpose And els wher The works of the flesh are manifest which are fornicatioÌ„ vncleanes Gal. 5.19 dissensions sects c. which I fortell you as I haue fortold you that they who do such things shall not obtayne the kingdome of God All which most expresse places being written to saythfull and meant of the saythfull euen in the most pure and sincere tymes of the Apostolike Church it is manifest that no faith could excuse them but did rather augment their sinne in such cases and increase their damnation according to the sentence of our Sauiour The child that knoweth the will of his Father Luc. 12.47 Hebr. 10.26.27.28.29 doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes Which is also confirmed by S. Paul where he sayth If we sinne willingly after the knowledge of the truth receiued now is there not left an host for sinnes Where his meaning is that albeit in Baptisme all sinnes are easily forgiuen yet such as belieue offending after Baptisme haue no such easy means to be forgiuen but must redeeme their sinnes by pennance and such other hard remedies Cyril l. in 10. cap. 17. as the Church prescribeth after Baptisme For if they do not nothing remayneth but a certayne terrible expectation of iudgment and rage of fire which shall consume the aduersaries as it followeth in the same place And he addeth immediatly If a man making frustrate the law of Moyses without mercy dyeth how much more thinke you doth he deserue worse punishments who hath troaden the Sonne of God vnder foot and esteemed the bloud of the testament polluted wherein he is sanctified and hath done contumely to the spirit of grace Which words although they be principally spoken of Heresy and Apostasy from the Catholike Church yet must they needs be also vnderstood of all other Mortall sinnes which S. Paul placeth in the same ranke with Idolatry and sects and diuisions as you haue heard and do equally exclude the doers of them from the kingdome of Heauen Wherefore to draw to an end I say with the holy Ghost whome I beseech to open the harts of all those that with indifferent mind shall read this SectioÌ„ Rom. 1.2 to see the truth of this cleare doctrine that as all those are inexcusable before God who do not giue him thanks nor glorify him by obeying his Commaundments Rom. 1.25 Rom. 1. â—2 Rom. 2.1.2 but dishonour him preferring the loue of the creature before the loue of God doing those thinges which they know to be worthy of death which they condemne in others and for the which they beleeue Rom. 5. that God himselfe doth lastly condemne them whome they confesse to be no excepter of persons but to giue euery one according to his wokes 1. Ioan. 5.3 Matt. 11.30 Rom. 8.3 So there can be no other true ground of our iustification but only the loue of God â—owred not aboundâ—â—tly into out harts by the holy Ghost who is giuen vnto vs which maketh his Commaundments not to be heauy his yoake sweet his burden easy For that which was impossible to our weake flesh the Sonne of God taking flesh aid conquer sinne in the flesh Rom. 8.4 Gal. 5.17 Rom. 8.6 Rom. 8.5 that the iustification or obseruation of Gods Commaundment might be fullfilled is vs. Not walking according to the flesh but according to the spirit for the spirit and the flesh are contrary lusting and couetting one against the other The wisedome loue and pleasure of the flesh is death but the wisedome of the spirit is life and peace Gal. 5.14 Rom. 8.7 they that liue according to the flesh sauour those thinges that are pleasing to the flesh but they that liue according to the spirit delight in that which is pleasing to the spirit and haue crucified their flesh with her vices and concupiscences Rom. 8.13.14 Rom. 6.11.16 They that are in the flesh or giue way to the desires thereof cannot please God for the wisedome of the flesh is an enemy to God for it is not subiect to his law nor can be subiect and therfore they that liue according to the flesh shall dye but such as are led by the spirit of God RoÌ„ 7.20 are the sonnes of God and because by the spirit they mortify the deeds of the flesh Apoc. 2.16 Tit. 4.7 therefore they shall liue If we consent to the motions of the flesh to obey the concupiscence therof sin raigneth in vs For we are the seruants of him whome we obey either in sinne vnto death or of obedience to iustice and life euerlasting But if we consent not and oppose our wills against it it is the outward man that doth it but the inward man will not do it And therfore because it is not his worke he shall not be punished for it but rather shall be rewarded for his fight against it And this is the greatest assurance which the state of faith can affoard vs that our consciences do not reprehend vs 1. Ioan. 3.21 but rather giue testimony vnto vs that we resist and oppose our selues constantly against our spirituall enemyes not yeilding at any tyme vnto them but euermore obseruing faithfully the will of God in keeping his Commaundements because this conquest being impossible by nature we may be sure that we are assisted therin by the holy grace of God without the which we could not obtayne it But he that sayth he is the sonne of God 1 Ioan 2.4 and doth not loue him or who sayth that he knoweth God and doth not keep his Commaundements is a lyer and the truth of God is not in him Ioan. 14.23.24 Who keepeth his Commaundements he it is that loueth God and he that loueth him not keepeth not his word And this is the mayne and the great argument wherin S. Paul seemeth to glory and was not ashamed to preach Christ Crucified to the mighty men both of the Iewes and of the Gentils because saith he the doctrine thereof is the vertue and power of God to saluation Rom. 1. For it reuealeth vnto vs how we should obtayne the grace of inward goodnes of true inherent iustice at the hand of God by vniting our selues vnto Christ the sonne of God which we cannot do but by making our selues the members of his body which is the Church of God Out of the which as all are concluded vnder sinne so all remayne in their sinnes which they may change but cannot put of and the more they striue against
them the more because of our corrupted nature they find themselues subiect vnto them and especially heretikes in whome God punisheth one sinne with another by with-drawing from them more and more the assistance of his holy grace to the end that their Pryde may either be humbled thereby or els confirmed And thus much for the first Catholike motiue expressed in the Creed vnder the signification of the word Holy which as I thinke you will graunt is most sufficient to persuade any well disposed mynd to imbrace the Catholike Faith by means whereof all men are inabled to resist sinne to obserue the Law and to preserue their loue and friendship with God And as all Christians belieue that very many in former ages haue attayned thereby to wonderfull sanctity holynes and perfection of life so none can deny but that this age of ours hath affoarded sundry the like examples Whereas on the other side experience teacheth that through the want therof many Christian Countreys and ours among the rest haue lost their ancient practise of good workes their former exercises of piety and deuotion and their exemplar disciplyne of Christian conuersation and insteed of these things changing the liberty of the spirit into the liberty of the flesh they are fallen into such corruption dissolution and prophanes of life manners that their owne Maisters and Doctours are ashamed of them SECTION XXII The force of the second Motiue signifyed by the word Catholike in the Creed of the Apostles is declared IT followeth to declare the second Catholike motiue comprehended vnder the name Catholike and contayned in the Apostles Creed which signifyeth the vniuersality of the Church in tyme and place and that the Catholike Faith was to be spred ouer all the world and to contynue in all ages vntill the day of iudgment which as in it selfe it is sufficient to moue any man of iudgement to follow this vniuersall and eternall Truth so is it set downe so clerely and aboundantly in the Scriptures themselues which prophesy thereof that a man would wonder if any blyndenes were to be wondered at in those that are obstynate how it is possible that such as professe to be much coÌ„uersant in the reading of them should not see and discerne them A stone (b) Dan. 2.34 cut without hands from the Mountayne was made a great Mountayne and filled the whole earth All (c) Esa 2.2.60.5 nations shall flow into it Thou (d) Esa 60.10.11 shalt see and abound thy hart shaÌ„lbe astonied and inlarged because the multitude of the sea shal be conuerted vnto thee The Iles expect thee their Kings shall minister vnto thee thy gates shall be continually open neither day nor night shall they be shut that men may bring to thee the riches of the Gentiles (g) Esa 49.23 Kings shall be thy nursing Fathers and Queenes thy Mothers (h) Esa 54.2.3 The place is strait for me giue roome that I may inhabit Inlarge the place of thy tents spread out the Curtaynes of thy habitation for thou shalt increase on the right hand and on the left thy seed shall possesse the Gentiles These and infinit others like to these are the Prophesies of the extension of Christs Church vniuersally to all Kingdomes and Nations according whereunto our Sauiour compared his Church to a little Mustard-seed Matt. â—3 31 Mar. 16.15.16 Acts. 1.8 which after should come to be a great tree bidding his disciples to preach to euery creature to go forth into all the world to teach all Nations from Hierusalem to Samaria and so forward euen to the ends of the earth The continuance therof was likewise foretold that their watchmen or Pastors should not be silent (k) Esa 62.6 That their Priests should not want to offer Sacrifice all the dayes That Gods (l) Ierem. 33.18.20.22 couenant with them should be like his couenant with the day and night that is to say to contynue foreuer That they should be multiplied like the starres of heauen and the sand of the sea which you know can neuer fayle Ministring (m) Esa 66.21.23 to him euen from moneth to moneth and from Sabbaoth to Sabbaoth that is to say allwayes In (n) Dan 2.44 the dayes of those Kingdomes God shall rayse the Kingdome of heauen which shall neuer be dispersed and his Kingdome shall not be giuen to any other people and it shall consume all those other Kingdomes and it shall stand for euer from generation to generation (o) Psal 85.30.31.32.3 Gods Couenant therewith shall not be broken for any offence committed by her children but shall contynue like the Sunne and the Moone for euer According whereunto our Sauouir also sayd that the Gates of hell should not preuaile against it and that he himselfe would be with it to preserue it all the dayes vnto the consummation of the world From the which as you see no tyme nor any one day can be excepted From these two propertyes is euidently deduced the visibility of the Church for it being so great as that morally it may be sayd to fill the earth and also of such emynent glory as to haue so many Kingdomes Nations subiect vnto it according to the former prophesies thereof no man can be ignorant where it is nor what people they are who are members of it Also the Priests therof being compared by the Prophets for their number and quality to the starres of heauen their Sacrifices their Lawes and executions of them their Sacraments and the administration of them their preachings and teachings and to let passe many other things their continuall and glorious fight against heretiks and Infidelles and wicked Christians must needs be so well knowne that no man dwelling neere the most inhabited and best part of the world possessed by them can be ignorant therof For as the Assyrians Persians Grecians and Romans in respect of the greatnes force and fame of their dominions were morrally sayd to haue conquered the world and to haue possessed the Empyre therof in which respect it can be no lesse then madnes to affirme that they were inuisible so also the Kingdome of Christ in respect of the extension inuincibility eminent apparence and great fame which it hath euer enioyed aboue any other sects of Religion whatsoeuer may be said more properly to fill the earth and to be the only Catholike or vniuersall Religion diffused through the world as you shal heare anone out of S. Augustine And for this cause God himselfe sayd Esa 61.9 that he would make an euerlasting Couenant with them that their seed should be knowne among the Nations And that all who did see them shall know them to be the seed which our Lord hath blessed And the prophets hauing fortold that it should be a mountayne Matt 5.14 prepared in the top of Mountaines exalted aboue other hills our Sauiour accordingly sayd of it That being a Citty placed vpon a Mountayne it could not be
Church according to the Scriptures must needs haue been one chiefe cause of those swarmes of Athiests in Protestant Countreyes whereof their principall writers do so much complayne Whereat I wonder nothing at all For to what end did our Sauiour come into the world but only to espouse his Church in Faith To what end did he instruct her with his preaching redeeme her with his death and Passion and sanctify her with his holy Spirit augment and confirme her with the labours of his Apostles and with the bloud of so many millions of Martyrs but only to make her such a glorious Kingdome euen vpon earth according to all the former Prophesies so constant so stronge so imoueable that she should vphold the glory of his name against Princes and Potentats against Kings and Emperours against Schismaticks Heretikes and wicked Christians and against all the force of the world and on the Diuell himselfe that would seeke withall his arts and engines to suppresse it Wherefore if our Sauiour be the true Messias whose Name was foretold to be Deusfortis Emmanuel Esa 9 6. Esa 7.15 the strong God God with vs and who according to his owne speach came into the world to bynd the strong man which is to say the Diuell that held all the world in peaceful captiuity before his comming then it must needs follow that the Kingdome which he erected shall stand for euer Matt. 16.18 and that the Gates of hâ—ll shall not preuaile against it But on the contrary side if it were true which the Protestants affirme that his Church hath erred ceasing to be the true Church or which is all one that his Kingdome was destroyed and that there came one after him stronger then himselfe that is to say the Diuell who did bynd his body whereof he was the head defiled his Spouse bereaued him of this Kingdome Matt. 12.20 and tooke his vessells and riches from him then of necessity it must be granted either that the former Prophesies of him were not true and that the Scripture is false or els that our Sauiour was not the true Messias who contrary to the Prophets and to his owne promises and protestations to maintayne his Church for euer hath suffered it to perish and therfore was not able to defend it This argument therefore of the largnes glory contynuance visibility and inuincible constancy of the Church is of great force to induce any man whatsoeuer whether he haue the Name or not so much as the Name of a ChristiaÌ„ to become a Catholike For the Scriptures euen as they are in the hands of our enemyes the Iewes â—iâ—t full of the Prophesies of those excellent perfectioÌ„s of the Kingdom of Christ which according to the present tymes and according to the historyes of all former ages we shewe to haue been performed since the death of Christ in the Catholike Church that was planted by himselfe and propagated by his holy spirit which according to his promise was giuen to his Apostles and their successours after them to remayne with them for euer And if it be manifest that this world in respect of the beauty and perfection therof Rom. 1. is the worke of Gods hand condemning all those that do not acknowledge him to be the Creatour of it much more manifest is it Eph. 5.27 that this glorious Kingdome and Church is the worke of God wherein he sheweth the riches of his power of his wisedome and of his infynit goodnes condemning all those that will not acknowledge it and subiect themselues to the gouerment therof SECTION XXIIII Foure other particuler motiues of the Conuersion of Nations of the Miracles of the Martyrdoms and of the vnion of the members of the Catholike Church are briefly propounded VNDER these generall tearmes of Holy Catholike Church are comprised many other partiticuler gifts and graces which being all supernaturall and diuine ech of them is a sufficient motiue to perswade any mans coÌ„science that the Catholike Church is the only blessed of God and the elected spouse of Christ our Sauiour Whereof being entred into this matter of Motiues I thinke good to giue instance in some few remitting you for the rest to other Catholike authours who haue treated more largely of this matter Diuers therfore haue been induced to belieue that the Catholike Fayth is the only true Religion by obseruing that all Nations and Countreys which at any tyme professed the Name of Christ haue been conuerted by Catholikes alone And in this last age since the Protestant religion began they haue reduced and subiected very many Kingdomes vnto the yoke of Christ whereof Philippus Nicolaus Coment de reg Christil 1. pag. 315. p. 52. Sym. Lyth in respons altera ad alteram Gretseri Apol. p. 331. Tertul. de praescrip c. 42. a Protestant numbreth more then 20. In so much as another Protestant in his answere to Gretser the Iesuit sayth The Iesuits within the space of a few yeares c. haue filled Asia Affrick and America with their Idols Whereas in the meane tyme the Protestants haue only sowne tares among the wheat atteÌ„ding as Tertullian sayd of the Heretikes of his tyme not to conuert the heathen but to peruert those that were before conuerted And although they haue sundry tymes attempted to conuert some heathen with hope to possesse their Countreys yet no King or Kingdome or Countrey or Prouince Sarauia in defension tract de diuersis gradibus Ministrorum pag. 309. was euer conuerted by them And Beza sayth plainly that the Protestants may leaue such peregrinatious to those locusts that belieue the Name Iesus Which conuersions of so many sauage and barbarous Nations by the words of a few poore men with a little broken language to imbrace a Religion so far aboue the reach of Nature and in respect of the austerity therof so contrary to flesh bloud and especially to their former intemperate liues and brutish customes as it shewath Gods promises by the Prophets to be dayly fullfilled in them and proueth our Church thereby to be the Church of Christ So it is most euident that their conuerters were supernaturally assisted by the strength of Gods Arme which is sufficient to perswade any indifferent man that the doctrine they preach can be no other then the true Ghospell reuealed by Christ to his owne Apostles Which also is a manifest token that the grounds of Christianity and of our Catholike doctrine are the very same And that the Protestants for want of them can neuer conuert any Heathen Nation to Christian religion denying as they do the grounds therof which are the same with the grounds of the Catholike doctrine Secondly therefore many haue submitted themselues to the obedience of the Catholike Church by consideratioÌ„ of those notorious miracles which in all ages haue beene wrought therin being such marks of truth as no man can deny them to be the seales of God and the signes of his owne hand If I should
Sacrament that the (b) Matt. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. Ioan. 6.51 Blessed Sacrament of the Altar is not Christs Body that men are (c) 1. Cor. 13.2.3 Iacoh 2.14 c. iustifyed by Faith alone that (d) Iac. 2.21 c. Eccles 18. Rom. 6.19 no good workes do merit that the (e) Matt. 11.30.1 Ioan. 5.3.3 Reg. 14.4 Reg. 23. keping of Gods Commaundements is impossible that we haue (f) 3. Rag. 3.5 Eccl. 31.10 Gen. 4.6.7 1. Cor. 7.37 no Freewill to do well that Christ (g) Act. 2.24.2.7 1. Pet. 3.18 descended not into Hell And to be short that the Church of God is (h) See before Sect. 21. inuisible that it hath erred and that many true Prophets or preachers haue been sent to reforme it whereas the Scripture only tells of false Prophets to come and saith expressy that the gates of hell shall not preuayle against it Lastly if you will but barre the Protestants their owne expositions and argumentations vpon the Scripture which they confesse themselues to be no part of the written word they cannot produce so much as one expresse place of Scripture for any of those opinions so peremptorily defended and stifly obiected against vs which me thinkes considering how much they vaunt of Scripture is sufficient of it selfe to make such as are good amongst them ashamed of their errours and sheweth most euidently that the first authours of this new Ghospell haue founded the same vpon nothing els but only vpon their owne impudency the malice of the tyme and the weaknes of their hearers By all which considerations it is more then manifest that the Protestants denying the authority of the Church they ouerthrow the authority of the Scripture and that refusing to receiue the same from the Church they haue no Scripture at all but that diuers wayes contradicting their owne grounds insteed of Scripture they miserably abuse themselues with their owne translations and their owne imaginations and haue nothing els but only the bare name and outward shew of Scripture And now to come to the second Stone of their foundation which is the point of their pryuate spirit First they can produce no place of Scripture to proue either that the Scripture alone is a sufficient ruie of Faith or that God hath promised his holy spirit to euery particuler man in expounding the Scripture And therefore belieuing either the one or the other they ouerthrow their owne grounds and belieue something more then Scripture which is not expresly contayned therein Secondly this manner of interpreting the Scripture according to the priuate spirit of euery particuler man is not only warranted by the Scripture but also expresly contrary thereunto For the Scripture commaundeth vs for the deciding of controuersyes about the same to ascend to the high Priest for the tyme Deu. 17.9.12 Matth. 2.7 Mat. 18.17 Mat. 23.2 and to obay him vpon payne of death to require the Law from the lips of the Priests to heare the Church and that such as will not heare it shal be accompted as Heathens and Infidells to do as they say who shall sit in the Chayre of Moyses and the like Which places are contrary to that infallible assistance of euery mans priuate spirit which the Protestants pretend and are further confirmed by the practise and execution of them in the primitiue Church recorded also by the Scripture For all the Apostles were not commaunded to write but to preach Mar. 16.15 and the world was obliged not to belieue any particuler spirit but the words and writings proceding from the spirit of the Apostles Act. 15.28 And the question of the obseruation of the Legall Cerimonyes was not left to the arbitrement of euery mans priuate spirit but was reserued to the common spirit of the Church And therfore as the Church was founded not only by Scripture but also by the vnwritten word of God so also it must be preserued And as the world at that tyme belieued the words and wrytings of the Apostles deliuered by themselues so now it must giue credit therunto being likewise deliuered by their Successors We haue a more firme Propheticall speach whereunto you do well to attend sayth S. Peter 2. Petr. 1.20.21 and after adioyneth first vnderstanding this that no Prophesy of Scripture is made by priuate interpretation for not by mans will was Prophesy brought at any tyme but the holy men of God spake inspired with the holy Ghost Whereof you see it followeth that the Scripture must be interpreted by the same spirit wherewith it was written being communicated by the spirit of God for the publike benefit of the Church with the publike authority of those that wrote it it must also be expounded by the same spirit for the publike weale of the Church with the like publike authority of those that haue the keeping of it so vnderstanding this that no Prophesy of Scripture is made with priuate interpretation The spirit sayth S. Paul deuideth vnto all in particuler according as he will 1. Cor. 12.17 All the members of the body haue not the same act for if the whole body be ancye where is the hearing Where also he denyeth that all haue the gift of Prophesy Matt. 18.17 Hebr. 13.17 2. Thes 2.23 Phil. 4.9 Gal. 1.8 Marc. 7.15.24 Marc. 13.22 2. Pet. 2.1 1. Ioā 4.1 2. Thes 2.2 the interpretation of Tongues discretion to discerne of spirit which is expresly against the Protestants c. In conclusion as the Scripture exhorteth vs to heare the Church to obay our Pastours and spirituall Superiours to remayne in those thinges which we haue heard of them not to beleeue an Angell from heauen but rather to hold him accursed that should preach contrary thereunto and the like which do signify the great authority giuen to the publike spirit of the Church promised to be sent vnto it and to remaine with it for euer so all those places of Scripture which aduise vs to beware of false Prophets that is to say of Heretikes to try the spirit not to be terrifyed neither by spirit or speach and the like must needs be vnderstood of those who out of a priuate spirit should oppose themselues against the common doctrine of the Church or publique authority of the gouernour thereof wherein also consisteth the very essence of heresy Aug. ep 162. deciuit l 18. c. 51. de Bapt. cont Don. l. 4. c. 16. and in this sense S. Paul affirmeth (a) Tit. 3.11 that an hereticke is subuerted and sinneth being condemned by his owne iudgment That is to say opposing his priuate iudgment against the Church and so giuing sentence against his owne soule to his eternall damnation And as this Protestant ground is most opposite to Scripture so also it is no lesse contrary to reason it selfe For as in a Commonwealth or Kingdome the law being publique and common to all the interpretation of the law and the finall sentence