that the gates of hell should neuer preuaile against the same that he would giue him the keies of the kingdome of heauen and that all that he sholde bynde and vnbynde in earth should be bound and vnbound in heauen he hath not spoken of giuing the keyes to the other Apostles So the church is builded vpon the faith and confession of S. Peter And the faith which is the seed of our regeneration is called the faith of S. Peter Let that also be considered which is spoken of in S. Luke that the people pressing Luc. 5. on our sauiour for to heare the word of God our Sauiour seing neare the lake two shippes went vp into the one which belonged Luc. 5. Io. 21. to S. Peter where being set he did teache the people And those that sailed in the other shippe transported them selues into that of S. Peter with Iesus Christ Let it be further considered that the two miracles done by our sauiour in the taking of fishes were done in the ship of S. Peter and by the ministerie of S. Peter That S. Peter also is only he among the Apostles that our sauiour made goe vpon the waters for whom only he paied tribute for whom only in particular he praied to his father to the end his faith should not fayle to whom onlie he gaue charge to confirme the faith of his bretherē of whom as head of others he did require more loue then of others whose feet he did first vvashe accordng to S. Augustin to whom he did first appeare after his resurrection to whom only he foretould his death and death on the crosse to whom onlie he said three tymes feed gouerne my sheepe meaning his Church whome more preciselie than others he commaunded to folowe him who onlie vvhen the disciples were scandalized at the vvordes of our sauiour saying that he vvolde giue his bodie to eate answered for all the Apostles and sayd Lorde thow hast the wordes of life euerlastlng and we beleeue the same whom onlie among all the disciples our sauiour did baptize with his owne handes First Euodius immediat successor of S. Peter in the Bishopryke of Euodius in lib. Anthioche hath written that our sauiour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did baptize onlie the virgin his mother among women and S. Peter onlie among men and that S. Peter did baptize S. Andrew S. Iames S. Ihon and the others That S. Perer also as head of the Apostles after the ascension of our sauiour did assemble the church for to chuse an Apostle in the place of Iudas That S. Peter after the sending of the holie ghost did first preache and conuert in two sermōs eight thowsand soules That he Act. 1. did the first miracle on the lame man which was at the gate of the temple That he as soueraine iudge did condemne the fraude and hipocrisie of Ananias and Saphira whom he did kill with his woord That he knew and did condemne the first notable Archeheretike Simon Magus that to him was directed as to the head the vision of that sheete Let downe from heauen hauing of all sortes of beastes and comandement to preache to the Act. 1◠gentiles the which vision doth concerne the direction of the vniuersal Church that for him as head of the Church prayer was made without intermission in al the Church Act. 15. which is not sayd of anie of the others That he in the Councel of the Apostles did speake first as head That he in the most holie Creed of the Apostles did begin first by that high woorde Credo therby making the christian religion a religion of faith for whose sake S. Paul saith that he went vp expresselie into Hierusalem note also that S. Peter him selfe doth testifie that God chose him emong the Apostles that by his mouth the Gentiles should heare the woord of the Gospel and beleeue Let it be also considered that after that the twelue Apostles had receiued the holie Ghoste and the gifte of all tounges hauing distributed among them selues all the earth therin to plant euerie one in his quarter the Gospel of Iesus Christ S. Peter as head of the twelue is sent to the head of the world to the Queene of cities the cheif citie of the Romain Empire to the end that the law of trueth which did reuele it self for the saluation of all people might sprede it self abroode more easilie from the head to all the bodie of the world and vvhere the vvorld had the head of his Empire there the prince of the Apostles hath had his seate in the citie of Rome in the which hauing first giuen order to the affaires of the East he comes him self to make his aboade for to forme and set in order the affaires of the west and of all the world where hauing ended his course before the tyme of his death 2. Pet. 1. Iesus Christ made vnto him yet one prerogatiue more by appearing vnto him and saying to him that he would be glorified by his martirdome within the citie of Rome Let it be further considered that the Churches founded by S. Peter that is to saye Antioche and Alexandria haue bene named the chief In Con. Calced Patriarchal Churches and did goe before all the others in the Councels Let it be considered Optatus lib. 2 that in the primatiue Church in the testimonial letters that they gaue to those that went in to farre coūtries did chaunge their habitations to the end they might be receiued where they went to the cōmunion Sidon Apol. l. 7. ep 2. there was put downe in subscription after the first letters of the names of the father of the sonne and of the holie ghoste the first letter of the name of S. Peter for witnes that such a one was Catholike Finallie let it be considered that the Church hath made a feast or holie dare of the chaire of S. Peter fos to praise God for the soueraign benefit that he hath done to his Church to giue him a chaire eminent aboue the others which shold alwais be certein vnto whom al the world may haue recourse of whom all the world ought to be instructed as sayth Optatus the which feast is very auncient For Bede and S. Augustin make mention therof Optat. li. 2. Bed in Thetl Aug. ser 15. de sanct But in none of the other Apostles are the prerogatiues found to be called of our sauiour into the feloushippe of his name and of his office and pastoral care and euen of his death to be the mouth of the other Apostles in all occurrent affaires nor the other prerogatiues the which haue bene attributed of all the aucients to the supremacie and principalitie of S. Peter which being euident in S. Peter it is superfluous to speake of them in his successors For it is well knowen that our sauiour giuing a head to his Church hath not intended to giue onlie the same for the time of S. Peter as
if the Church had had no need therof after him But it is the custome of GOD to make the first formes of thinges as moulds and afterwardes to let the same be continewed by succession propagation according to their nature TESTIMONIES OF THE fathers and of Councels for the supremacie of S. Peter IT should not be neede full to procede here any farder But because heretikes be so impudent liars as to sey that the auncient fathers haue neuer geuen to S. Peter nor to his successours Bishops of Rome those names of Prince of Head or of Soueraigne I will bring forth some testimonies for to confound them S. Irene being nere to the tyme of the Iren. l. 3. c. 3. Apostles sayd That it muste necessarilie be that all the vniuersall Church that is to say all the faithfull which be in all the world should resorte to the Romain Church for her most high principalitie and doth adde that in this Church the true traditions of the Apostles and the faith vvhich geueth life hath always bene kept S. Ciprian he which forsaketh the Chaire of sainct Peter vpon the vvhich the Cyp. l. de vâ—ita eccl ep 55. 69. Church is founded doth he think to be in the Church Moreouer he doth call S. Peter the head the fountain the Roote and the matrice of the Church He doth attribute to him the supremacie of the Apostles in preheminence of excellent grace he saith that vnfaithfulnes can not haue accesse to the chaire of S. Peter and that the cause of all heresies procedeth of this that men be not obedient to one onelie Bishop vicar of Iesus Christ S. Hierome Among the twelue Apostles one ys chosen head for to take away all occasions Hieron cont Ioâ—â—a 71. of schisme And being in the holy place of our lords natiuitie in Iurie he did write to Rome to Pope Damasus in these termes Loe here the faith which I haue learned Hieron ad Damas pap in the Catholike Church If I doe erre in any maner of fassion as Ignorant or as misaduised I desire that you correcte me sithens that you haue the seate and the faith of S. Peter And if you allow my confession I protest then bouldelie against whosoeuer shal reproue me that I am not ignorant that he is wicked or an heretike Your citie of Rome is happie where the faith of the fathers kepeth it selfe vncorrupted Here the euil children haue consumed their Patrimonie Here the good graine is degenerate into cockle whereas your Rome being allwayes fertile with diuine seede watered with heauenlie graces fructified in one selfe same puritie Now in the vvest the sonne of Iustice doth rise Here in the East that Lucifer vvich did fall from heauen hath set his throne I pray yow therefore to teach me that which I ought to keepe secret or vtter concerning the fayth I shunne euerie heretike I folowe yow onelie I am the sheepe vvhich demaundeth succour of the Pastour I speake to the successour of the fisher to the disciple of the Crosse I hould me to your holines that is to say to the chaire of S. Peter I know that vpon this Rocke the Church is gronded that vvhosoeuer out of this house doth eate the Lambe he is prophaned he is not of Iesus Christ he is of Antechrist Moreouer he calleth the Romain Church a verie pure fountain vvhich doth not receiue Illusions against the faith vvhich hath neuer norished heresie vvhich hath allwayes continued immaculate Ruffinus Ruffin in sym sayd also that neuer heresie tooke beginning at Rome S. Augustine who knoweth not the principalitie of the Apostleship of S. Peter is Aug. tract 55. 124. Ep. 164. lib. de Bapt. to be preferred before any Bishoprike The Principalitie of the Apostolike chaire hath allwayes had force in the Romain Church S. Peter as concerning his person by nature was but a man by grace a Christian But by more abundant grace that on selfe same man is the cheef Apostle and for the supremacie of his Apostleship doth represent the vniuersall Church And speaking of the Repentance of S. Peter Our Lord sayth he hath healed the disease of all the bodie in the head and in the verie toppe of Aug. ser 144. de paen Pet. the Church And praying for S. Peter he hath prayed for all for that the benefit of the head doth redounde to the people He doth moreouer call the Pope father of the Christian Aug. in q. vet nou Test q. 75. Amb. ser 47. people S. Ambrose saith our Lord ascending into the onely ship of the Church whereof S. Peter is the gouernour that ship doth so swimme in the high See of the world that the vvorld perishing she shall kepe safe as did the Arke of Noe in the shipwrake of the world those whome she shall haue receaued And as the flud being passed the doue brought into the Arke the signe of peace euen so after the burning of the vvorld to those whom the Arke of the Church shall represent Iesus Christ shall bringe the signe of his peace of his Ioye He sayth further that Peter is the vicar of the Loue of Iesus Christe towards vs that he is the stone of Churches which as an vnmouable Rocke conteineth the heape and Ioining together of all Christian building That not S. Andrew but S. Peter hath had the primacie and care of Churches Optatus emong the markes of the true church putteth the chaire Optat. li. 2. of S. Peter for the first and cheefe There is saith he but one onely chaire which hath bene set at Rome where the head of the Apostles S. Peter hath bene president in whom the vnitie of the chaire is kept of all and he should be a Schismatike and wicked man who against that singular chaire would set vp an other S. Leo. Of all the world onely S. Peter Leo ser 3. is chosen president for the vocation of the gentiles for all the fathers of the church And allthough there be many priestes and many pastours emong the people of God Yet S. Peter doth gouern them all And it was so ordained by great prouidence that in euery place there should be one head in the great townes other superiour heads hauing more ample Iurisdiction by whose meanes the care of the vniuersall Church should come to the seat of S. Peter and that nothing should be disagreing with his soueraigne head Prosper Rome is the seat of S. Peter A Hatchet of heresies the head of all the Prosp lib. de Ingratis world That which she can not possesse by Armes she doth hold the same by religion S. Gregorie It is most cleere vnto al those that know the Gospel that the care principalitie of the whole Church hath bene giuen to S Peter Prince of all the Apostles by the voice of our Lord him selfe S. Bede S. Peter hath specially had the keyes Bed in vigil S. Andr. of the kingdome of heuen
of the Church vicar of the souerain head essential Iesus Christ and successor of S. Peter in that vicareige to whom al Catholikes which are dispersed throughout the world are ioyned as members to their head Loe here 12. markes of the true church That is to say 1. The possessiō propertie of the name Catholike 2. The succession of the Apostolike priesthood 3. Antiquitie 4. The long cōtinuance without interruptiō 5. The largenes of the kingdome 6. The victorie of the whole world by efficacie of doctrine 7. The conformitie in doctrine with the primitiue Church 8. The holynes of doctrine 9. The holines of life of the possessours 10. The gloire of miracles 11. The Infelicitie of the impugners and prosperitie of the Protectours 12. And the vnion of the members with their head the successour of S. Peter These are comprised in fower woordes of the Creed that is to say in that she is one Holy Catholike and Apostolike I doe not enter here into the groundes of the doctrin of the Catholike Church The principal scope of this present treatise was onely to shew that out of the Catholike Church man can not be saued whatsoeuer thing he doth whereunto I haue added these outeward markes the which without farder disputation may be sufficient to euery Christian mā to resolue him selfe touching all difficulties whatsoeuer for all the controuersies which haue bene are and euer shal be in the faith doe rest therein and are reduced to that onely head to finde the true Church Which being ones found a man is out of all hazard and peril of errour For all agree vpon this principle that there is but one Church and that the same can not erre being as saith S. Paul The piller and seur grounde of truth And therefore whosoeuer shall doubt of any thing as of Sacramentes of the Inuocation of saincts of praying for the dead or of any other point of lerning he must onely marke that which the Church doth teach thereof and then therevpon to resolue him selfe more assuredly then if an Angel of heauen were descended expressely to informe him of the same And euery other cōgregation which shal call it selfe the church teaching the contrary must needes be conuinced of falsehood of being sent from sathan of heresie and of impietie All the markes of the Catholike Church are euidenly found in the Romain Church The respect of the name Romain is not to the town of Rome but the to chaire of S. Peter which hath that highnes of glory to haue bene cheefely and especially priuileged by the prayer and promise of our sauiour who prayed for S. Peter to that ende that his faith might not faile and founding vpon him his Church hath promised vnto him that the proud gates of hel shall neuer preuail against her as in fact we see that sathan hath ouercome the Churches of the other Apostles and ouerthrowen their chaire In Hierusalem in Alexandria in Ephesus and els where But not the chaire wherewith S. Peter hath innobled the citie of Rome This Church is onely inuincible insupplantable immouable frō her foundation It is she that hath born away the victory of the whole world She hath destroyed Paganisme ouerthrowen Idolatrie expelled al heresies tamid kingdomes Empires ouercome the Philosophers driuen away the darkenes of the world hath gained to god all men of good will She hath troden down and always shal tread down the head of sathan She hath ben euer sithēs S. Peter an obiect vnto the world very apparant as a moūtain of vnderstāding A burning light not to be quenched and an infallible Pole starre directing the way of God To her onely in the troublesome and tempestous sea of variable opinions of men we must haue regard She is the quickening plant that God hath planted in earth hauing her Roote in heauen Yt is not possible for men to root her out no more than it is to throw downe God from his heauenlie seat vpon whom she is founded All the heresies of the world haue bent them selues against that Church Titans Hypocrites and euel Christians haue assaulted her but she remaineth victorious ouer all her enemies not by the merits of men but by the efficacie of that prayer which our sauiour made to his father for the faith of S. Peter and to make his promise effectuall The promises of the truth it selfe can not be vaine Iesus Christ sayd of the temple of Hierusalem that there should not one stone remayne vpō an other and so it came to passe The Iewes edeuonred them selues with might and maine to build the same again but fier came from heauen and placed it self in the foundations for to hinder their intreprise He said of his church that it should endure as long as the world shal remain And men doe see that hither to she remaneth as long as the world hath indured heauen and earth shall passe but the woordes of our Sauiour shall not passe Let these wicked Spirites heretikes Schismatikes Hypocrites and deuelishe men lay their embushes conspire make warre and doe all they can against that Church yet shal they get nothing They fight against the prayer and promise of our Sauiour they doe fight against GOD him selfe The deuils haue not gotten the victory in heauen against the Angels neitheir shall they get it in earth against the Church Many Angels did fall many members of the Church doe fall dayly But as the kingdom of Angels was neuer wholly ouerthrowen so the whole Church shall neuer be vanquished Hel may shake the earth but not the heauens The Church is not an earthly building a building of Adam a building of no other foundation then natural It is an heauenly building whollie supernatural and diuine whereof not man but God him selfe is the foundation and founder and the holy Ghost is the Architect which hath gathered together the liuely stones This building is not made of men borne by nature as the children of Adam but of men made heauenlie regenerate by grace as the children of God Faith which is the bond of the bodie of that Church is aboue the heauen the obiect of that faith which is IESVS Christ Author of that regeneration doth appertain more to heauen by his diuine person then to earth by that humain nature Therefore a thowsand hels shal neuer be able to preuaile against that church whosoeuer thou art therfore which hast separated thy self from that Church what so euer thing thou doest thou art not apparteining to IESVS Christ thou art a member of sathan and a pray of euerlasting damnation Goe about the earth and the see trott vp and downe the world and goe where thou wilt searching the truth thou shalt not find the same out of this Church The Church Catholike Apostolike and Romain is the same of whom doth spring rise as from a center all the droctrine of Christianitie the chaire of S. Peter is the chaire of Iesus Christ and of the truth it self al other
repose in God a name vtterlie denying him selfe to the end he may be ouerwhelmed in God and that to leane and staie vpon the Church is to leane and staie vpon God him selfe and that contrarie wise to staye vpon him selfe that is to say vpon his owne iudgement is to stay him selfe vpon the deuil they should knovve that the Church teacheth the people faythfully and that she is assisted of the holie Ghost that she hath the trevve traditions of the Apostles and doth take the scripture in the Euangelical sense sayeth nothing of her selfe putteth nothing of nevve dothe not make any article of fayth but only giueth vvitnes of the Euangelical sense and discerneth the good from the euil pasture euen as the holy Ghost doth reueale to her in common And contraryvvise that the heretike is not stirred but of his ovvn particular spirit hath not any tradition but of his owne proper making taketh the scripture in a sense by him self inuented handling the same as if him self were the authour making him self a prophet to hym self and iudge of God and somtymes setteth him self aboue al that which is God in som much that he doth iudge by his owne priuate sense the eternal woord of God in such sort as al heresie maketh a new paradox putteth a new sense neuer Euangelized not of the holy Ghost but inuēted of Satan by the mouth of one particular man The spirit of God is not particular but common and the same is in common to the Church to whom hath bene giuen the assurance of the holy Ghost to shew vnto her al truthe in such sorte that as it is certein that the holy Ghost is authour of the scripture so is it certein that the holy Ghost is the soule and lyfe of the Church by whose direction she can neuer erre for which cause S. Paul doth cal her the piller and ground of trueth And 1. Tim. 3. this is it that S. Augustin did confesse o lord S. August lib. 12. cōfess c. 25 sayeth he thy trueth is not myne nor this mans or that mans but it is euerie mans whom thou publikly Veritas tua est domine nōmea nec illius aut illius sed omnium nostrū quos ad cōmuniomem publice vocas terribiliter admones ne priuatam veritatē habeamus ne priuemut ea Ioan. 8. calleste to the communion therof warnyng vs terribly that we take greate heed to chalenge that in priuate lest so we be vtterlie depriued of it For he which speaketh of his owne telleth a lye And as many particular opinions as are in the world so many banners are there displayed by the deuil A true catholique doth estrange him self as much as he can from all particular opinions and from al attributing to him self his being his liuing his power and knowledge and neuer doth vse these termes I am I can I wil as for me this is my opinion and such like speches which be termes of deuelish arrogancie He dares not so much as to say of him self that he is a part of Christendom standing as it wear by him self alone but holdeth this for a principle that he can not so much as thinke any thing that good is without the continual dependence of God and instruction of the Church vnto whom in all simplicitie and in deep humlitie he leaueth him self to be edified and instructed euen as a litle childe of his mother so that it is in a maner easier to plucke a sterre out of the element than to plucke a true catholique out of the bosome of the Churche Litle Iacob when Rebecca his mother commanded him to faigne him self to his father that he was Esau to get thereby his blessing he answered like a childe that he feared lest the deceit being discoueced he should procure hym self malediction in stead of benediction but then his mother sayd to him that maledictiō Genes 27. my sonne be vpon me only obay thou my voyce in that I commaund the which he did and was blest euen so it is in our obedience to the Church If the Church should deceiue vs then vpon her be the maledictiō to vs doth apperteyn the glory of obedience with the which we be very wel assured to obteyn the euerlasting benediction But now the Church can not deceiue vs yea I say further that the iniquite of him that is in the Church is better that is to say is lesse dānable then the good works of him which is in heresie For if one of the howshold of the Church haue sinned he hath but committed that sinne wherein he is fallen the which is blotted out by pennance in the Churche and he may obtein the promisses of the kyngdome of heauen but he which is fallen out of the Church sinneth alwayes in al that he doth for al that which is not of faith is sinne as S. Paul saith Yea although he do pennāce yet cā he obtein no pardō because in the societie where he is there is no remission of sinnes there is no good worke meritorius no pennance no vertue to be rewarded withe life euerlasting where faithe is not and that persone dothe not fruitfully fulfil any comaundement of God which doth not fulfil the same in the Church The pretended good works of those which be out of the Church be like a swyft running out of the way and lyke great paynes taken for a matter of nothing where no reward is to be gotten He which runneth out of the listes shal neuer carie away the price he must be first with in the barriers of the Church seing that the course of good woorkes shal be crowned according to the merits of the rightuousnes of eache one I meane according as euery one shal shevv hymself valiant and couragious in christian spirit and according as the new regenerat man in him hathe brought foorth due fruits and effects of his regeneration There is no good without the soueraign good The soueraign good is God God Iesus Christ and the Churche are three things coherent and fast vnited together There is no accesse to God but by Iesus Christ and there is no accesse to Iesus Christ but by the Churche let no man sayeth S. Ambrose accept good woorks done before faith Faith is the soule of good woorkes without the which they be dead and be not to be rewarded with lyfe euerlasting faith is the soule of our soule the substance of man in such sorte as man without faith is without substance True it is that an heretyke renouncing his heresie is straight wayes cleane and incorporated againe to the Church and as a member partaker of the prayers of all the vniuersal Church he is made woorthy of the body of Iesus Christ after he hath purelie and entierlie renounced his heresie in which case a Ioh. Clim grad 15. fornicator repenting hath need of teares of tyme to be throughly clensed and to extinguish vtterly the concupiscence which hath occupied the
soule and defiled the body the reliques of the one being harder to be healed then of the other but if the one and the other die in their sinne the heretike shal carie a more rigorous iudgement than the fornicator This point then is without contradiction that in all the vniuersal vvorld there is but one only Church vvhich doth administer eternal lyfe vvhich hath the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen in vvhich good deeds be revvarded vvith lyfe euerlasting vvhich dravving out of the holy Scriptures the right line of interpretation both prophetical and Apostolical according to the sense that hath bene preached and taught geueth her children assured certentie of the good pasture knowledge of the euil whō who so obeyeth not shal neuer see God For this cause S. Paul according to the care vvhich he had more then fatherly of the saluation of men doth exhorte very earnestly to be carefull to kepe the vnitie of spirit which is to hold them selues ioint firme and locked in the bosome of the Churche knowing that euerie where out of the same dwelleth death and that euerie particular assemblie out of the same is the Synagog of Sathan All diuinitie out of the Church is vaine false basterdly cōfuse ful of deceit impietie When the heretike alleageth woordes of the Gospel that is now no more saieth S. Hierom the Gospel of God The Gospel in their mouth becometh the woord of man and the woord of the deuil the trueth is poysoned by their leauen in suche sorte that it is altogether vnlike to it selfe wherin they fare as the false and leud counseilors of a prince or state whoe in giuing counceil redounding to ther owne particular profit and not of the Prince or common welth doo betray the Prince and the comon welthe euen so the heretiks be traitors to God and to the holy scriptures And let no man be deceiued if somtimes they seeme to teach the same doctrine that the catholikes do betwene the true and the false there is but a hears difference But now suppose they preached in all throughout the self same doctrine of faith and Sacraments as the catholiques doe that they be also otherwise irreprehensible of their life in external honestie yea finallie though they spend their bloud for the name of Iesus Christ all this notvvithstāding fith S. Aug. lib. de fide ad petro they make a bodye apart and hold not the vnitie of the catholike Church they be in state of perdition The vse of the Sacraments the woorks of mercie and the gloriouse confession of the name of Iesus Christe can not profit but vnto him which is in the vnitie of the catholique Church Which vnitie who holdeth not he diuideth the body of Iesus Christ which is one and indiuisible and his Church hath not two bodyes Iesus Christ is not diuided sayth S. Paul and that point is of so great importance as the creed of the faith which is dayly songe in the Church doth expressely shew that there is but one Church to the end that all men might know that out of the same there is no saluation Such as come near the brinke of a deep pit or of any dovvneright pitche conceiuing the horrour of tēporal death all trembling they retier far of for fear to fall therin but there is not any deep pit or dovvneright pitche or peril vvhat so euer in this vvorld vvherein a man should conceiue so much feare to fall as into heresie For in all heresie dvvelleth the horrour of eternall death And to fall from the assured firmament of the Churche in to heresie is to fall from cleaning to God to the bottomles pit of him self vvhich is as the fall of Satan vvhen he vvas headlonge throvven dovvne from heauen to hell Let vs then take heed God Christian people of separating of our selues hovv litle so euer it be from the catholike Church no not in one only litle thought let vs yeeld vniuersallie to all that the Church doth teach vvithout reseruing any thing vvhat soeuer it be to our particular iudgement against the iudgement of the Church Looke hovv much any man reserueth to his ovvn resolution vpon his ovvn proper sense in matters of faith so nigh he is to the losse of his lyfe so farre is he in darknes of errour so near is he to death so much diuided from God so fast cleaueth he to the deuil Farre from all those vvhich haue care of their ovvn euerlasting saluation be that deadlie presumption vvhich would share his faith vvith the Church that is vvould make a choise and particular separation of the points vvhich it pleaseth him to beleeue or not to beleeue vvith the Church as if that syde vvhereunto by our ovvn direction vve resolue to leane vvere to vs a better euidence and cleeret testimonie than the vniuersal Churche This is in verie deed to censure the Church and to make our selues iudges of the Church and of the holy Ghost also vvhich teacheth her This is to be too too much ignorant of our own ignorance vveaknes and mesure of our ovvn state and condition The iudgement of one particular mā hovv vvise so euer he may be is but as a litle candle in the darknes of the night the which giueth light scant fovver or fiue pases in circumference but is incōtinent obscured inuironed with the exceding force of vniuersal darknes Wher the Church vvhich as S. Iohn sayeth is clothed with the sunne hauing the moon Apoc. 12. vnder her feet dothe cast her beames vpon the face of the vvhole earth taking her brightnes from aboue and drawing her light out of the sea of the Intelligence diuine Avvay say I vvith this presumption farre be it from all our friends farre from the chosen and elect of God farre from al those vvho haue an earnest desire of their ovvn saluation wolde vvillinglie forsake this worlde to see God eternallie and to attain vnto the glori of eternal felicitie Avvay vvith this rashenes of particularities in opinions seuered from the Church This is the verie cockle of wicked spirits This is the vvay to fall in to the hands of the deuil vvho being not able to wound a man to death by making him to forsake the Church absolutelie dothe yet vvound and disfigure the integritie and sincere purenes of a Christian in this point at least that novv he is not sound and sincere nor such a one as the beautie and state of a christian requireth Deformed is that member sayth S. Augustin which is not conformable to the whole Raither suffer the soule to be diuided August Turpis est omnis pars vniuerso suo non congruens from the bodie with all the torments in the worlde than to be diuided from the Church or to dissent from the Church in any one iote only or in any one sole litle point He that would agree with the Church in all except one only point is not a catholike Faith is more
Irâ—n lib. 1. ca. 20. Chrisostome The sectes say they be called of the name of the arche heretike but to vs no man hath giuen a name faithe it self which is catholike surnameth vs so and S. Ierome If thou S. Hieron cont Luciferanos heare those which are called Christians to beare a name not of our lord Iesus Christ but of some other as Marcionites Valentinians know ye certenly that they are not the Church of Iesus Christ but a Sinagoge of Antichrist Now yow poore abused Lutherans and Caluinists be holde the horroure of your bothomlesse pitt you are no more Christians and you haue no part in the saluation by Iesus Christ All aucient Fathers do witnesse with one consent that the only Catholike is in the Church of Iesus Christ and all that bear the name of one particular man be heretikes and excluded from the kyngdome of Iesus Christ Those witnesses can not be reproued and this is one marueilous iudgement of God against heretikes and a comfort for the Catholikes by the Creed of the Apostles it is a necessarie consequens that any Church if it be a true must needes be catholike but there is not a societe in the vvorld which doth possesse the name Catholike saue only the Romain Church All others will call them selues Arrians Lutherans Caluinists the reformed Church Gospellers ProtestaÌ„ts and such other kinds of special names as they haue but Catholikes doe not so for in all parts of the vvorld vvhere the name Catholike Church doth sounde it is intended and vnderstood to be the Romain Churche yea by the heretikes them selues A maÌ„ that passeth by Geneua being asked what he is if he answere I am a Catholik is taken of no man there for a Caluinist Seek not here to blynde your selues against so manifest a trueh but forsake both the sect and also the name of these wicked deceiuers the Archeheretikes of this tyme which will draw you with them selues in to their bottomlesse pitt of euerlasting damnation if you do not enter again in to the Church and mount vp in to the firmament of Catholikes The secound marke of the true Church is the succession of Bishoppes sithens S. Peter to this day which neuer hath bene interrupted the vvhich succession the fathers haue alwayes obiected against heretikes of their tyme as an inuincible argumeÌ„t for euen as to the propagation of mankinde mariage is necessarie so to the procreation of the children of God according to the spirit the order of preisthood is instituted vvhich can not be continewed perpetuallie but by spiritual propagation from those priests whom Iesus Christ did first institute It is not so of kings as it is of preistes for if all the kings of the earth should faile at once the people might create new But if all the priests of the world should happen to fayle it is not in the power of all mankinde to make new Their institution is diuine and not humain Iesus Christ him selfe must come again in person in to this vvorld for to institute som new S. Ireneus Iran li. 3 c. 3. sayth that by this succession all heretikes be coÌ„founded for neuer heretike could shew his next predecessor in communion of doctrin And to proue that the Romain Church is the true Church he rekeneth the Bishoppes of Rome from S. Peter vnto S. Eluther the Pope of his tyme vvhich vvas the twelveth Tertullianus Eusebius Prosper S. Hieronimus S. Augustin Epiphanius Optatus and all the auncient fathers haue vsed this argument against heretikes Tertullian sayth shew the Tertul. lib. de praescr beginÌ„ing of your churches and the orderlie succession of your Bishoppes deriued by succession froÌ„ some one of the Apostles as vve doe shew the orderlie succession in the Romain Church from S. Peter Account sayeth 8. Aug. epist 165. in psal S. Augustin the priests sithens the state of S. Peter and look in to that order of fathers vvhich haue succeded one an other and you shal fynde that the Romain Church is the same stone that the proud gates of hell can not vanquish And he sayth further that the Aug. cont ep fundam succession of priests in the romain Church by one continual line holdeth him in that Church Likerwise Optatus Shew sayth he the first beginning of your chayer you which wil Optatus lib 2. chalenge the holy Church vnto your selues And Epiphanius hauing orderlie recited the names of all the Bishops from S. Peter vnto Siricius then Bishop which was the thirtie eight Epiph. har 27. he addeth Let no man meruail if we be so exact in this recital for by thies things the euident trueth of the Church doth alvvayes shevv it self If then those auncient fathers haue so greatlie estemed that continuation of twelue twentie or forty souerain bishops successors of S. Peter how much stronger is that argument at this day for vs which shew the continuacion of more than two hundred thirtie thre without exception This argument is insoluble and all the heretikes of the worlde caÌ„ not answer the same for the Church can not be without priests nor without Bishops and pastors There must needes be as S. Paul sayth some for the edefying of the body of Iesus Christ Ephe. 4. vntil he come to iudge the worlde And as S. Hierome sayth the Church which is without priests is not a Church and none S. Hierom. can be priest if he be not ordeined by a Bischop being successor of the apostolike priesthode This marke is not only most certain most euident but forcible to know Con. Laud. con 12 do 61. c. the true Church for where the succession of priesthode is there is the succession of doctrine Moyses the prophets our sauiour him selfe in the Gospel doth affirme the same Deut. 17. Math. 2. Now then we shew the succession of priesthode of the soueraign Bishop of this tyme by ascending froÌ„ predecessor to predecessor vpward vntil we arriue at S. Peter and enter as it were in to the side of Iesus Your Caluin seing him selfe by this argumeÌ„t so intangled Caluin that he could not slip away he striueth he wringeth him selfe he tourneth and tosseth he broyleth with so great rage as he speweth out a whole flud of iniures against Popes priests and Bishops Oh the madde dogge seing cleerlie that succession is a verie certein signe of the true Church to which he could not answer whereby he is proued to be a deceiuer sent of the deuil he casteth from the poysonful pit of his harte iniureis sufficient to darken the heauen O ye Lutherans and Caluinists if you be capable of reason if you may be taught by the holie Ghost if you be touched with the desire of your saluation then examin you without passioÌ„ this argument hearken to that which your own consciences shal teache you and be ye not enemies to your own saluation For sithins that you haue not the order of priesthood from any Bishop successor
that they vvould leaue their confederates in peace touching the point of their faith vvithout adding this vvords true indoubted Catholike In Germanie 1547. Charles the fifte vvith a small number had a marueilous victoire of the Lutherans which had an armie of more then threescore thowsand men In Fraunce the Catholikes haue alwaies for the most part ouercome the heretikes as at the battell of dreuz of Ierna of Mountcounter and seldome or neuer haue the heretikes in iuste battel ouercome the catholikes neither in Fraunce nor in flaunders nor in Almaine nor els vvhere and vve shal see doubtles vvith the grace of God that those vvhich at this daie put them selues in force to defend the Church God shal croune them vvith honour and glorie and shal heape vnto them goods prosperities and temporal blessings shal cause his vvrath and all maledictions and shames to raigne vpon the persecutors and vpon the secret traitors vvhich doe fauour heresie The twelueth marke is the vnion of the members vvith their soueraine head which is the successor of S. Peter in the gouernement of the vniuersall Church Our Sauiour being desirous to giue vs suer and setteled centre in the sphere of his church from the vvhich all the lines of the doctrine of saluation should be drawen to the circumference of the vvorld did chose the chaire of S. Peter that is to say the place consecrated by the seat and martirdom of S. Peter the vvhich by prerogatiue of honour he did appoint to be head of the vnitie of his Church making him not his successor for it is IESVS CHRIST him self vvhich is alwaies the onlie true head of his Churche remaining vnmouable and immortal and vvhich neuer shal haue successor making it fruitful alwais him self onlie by his holie spirit But making him his depute liftenant and vice gerent in earth in the outward ministerie and soueraine iurisdiction of his Church and after him all his successors in the same sorte So that the soueraine Bishoppes be vicars of IESVS CHRIST and not successors and successors of S. Peter not his vicars who so euer wil take from the church that Monarchie called the vicareige of IESVS Christ he vvold haue a floke vvithout a pastor an armie vvithout a leader a bodie vvithout a head a building vvithout foundation and the starres vvithout their sonne that is to save he would haue the dispersiō of the flocke the discomforture of the Armie the death of the bodie the ouerthrow of the building the darkning of the starres he would haue a confused chaos disordered voyd of all proportion and an Anarchie or gouernemēt more horrible more confused and more disordered than the bottomlesse pit it self he deserueth not to be heard God vvhich is the author of order and not of confusion vvhich hath appointed an order among the Angels wil not that we goe mingle mangle in the societie of this world We know wel as touching the power of the order vvhich concerneth the real bodie of the person of Iesus Christ all priestes be equal to S. Peter and to the soueraine bishoppe in the priesthood But as touching the Iurisdiction vvhich doth concerne the bodie misticall of the church there it is where there are different degrees and where one soueraine head of all priestes is requisit which may hold the principalitie ouer all the Ckurch Who so euer dissembleth to Thirtie tvvo prerogatiues of S Peter see in the text of the gospel the principalitie of S. Peter and of his successors he is a rebel to light and fleeth the truth of set purpose and doth shew that he is stirred by the wickednes of a poisoned hart for these prerogatiues of S. Peter which are witnessed in the gospel are to be considered First that S. Matthew manifestlie and expresselie hath Matth. 10. giuen to S. Peter the title of chief of the Apostles And all the Euangelistes making mention of the holy college of the Apostles doe giue alwaies the first place to S. Peter That S. Peter is only he among the Apostles to whom our sauiour hath chaunged the name and hath giuen him one of his owne names most famous wherbie he is often signified noted or designed in the scriptures that is to saie the rocke for in those two that were surnamed sonnes of thunder the name was not chaunged they had onlie the gyft of vehemencie Now God did neuer put new name but when he made some great new benefite in the vvorld giuing vvith the name the efficacie of the which it doth signifie as naming Abraham he gaue him to be made a father of manie nations euen so naming Peter he gaue him the firmnes of the rocke and of stone for to ground vpon him some great new building Let it be also cōsidered that S. Peter is only he among the Apostles to whom the father euerlasting did reueale that Iesus vvas Christe the sonne of the liuing God For al the other holding their peace suffering the ignorant opinō of the cōmon people to preuaile which had so base an imagination of IESVS Christ that they did esteme him only for either Elias for the zeale of the lawe or Hieremie for the holines of lyfe or Ihon Baptist by reason of his baptizing or some prophet for to reueile the things to come S. Peter only put him self forward not hauing respect to the substance of fleashe and blood but passing on beyond those corporal and humain thinges by reuelation of the soueraigne father he did see with the eies of the minde the sonne of the liuing God and confessed the gloire of his deitie pronouncing with hart mouth theese wordes or rather that sound of the diuinitie and humanitie of IESVS Christ Thow art Christ the sonne of the liuing God as if he had said thow art not Elias which was taken vp into heauen thou art Iesus Christ which art descended from heauen for to lift vp man from the earth thou art not Hieremie or Ihon baptist sanctified in the woumbes of thir mothers But Iesus Christ sanctifying the world thou art not a prophet to whom are reuealed the things to come but Iesus Christ which hast present in thy sight all eternitie Those woordes be verie high but the sense vnderstood by S. Peter is yet much higher And it was necessarie that it should so be that he which ought to hold the chaire of Iesus Christ for to teach all the world the true religion should haue that loftines of faith that greatenes of knowleige that feruour of loue and confesse the same by the which his cōfession as Iesus Christ had made him to know God so S. Peter had made Iesus Christ to be knowen Whervpon Iesus Christ hath therfore loued him aboue all the other hath therfore declared him verie happie and hath giuen him that greate participarion of his name rocke And to the end that that name should not be void and idle he promised him rhat vpon that stone he would build his Church and
the principalitie of Iudicial power to the ende that al the faithful which are in the world might vnderstaÌ„d that whosoeuer doth separat him self from the vnitie of the faith of the societie of S. Peter he can not be absolued from the bandes of his sinnes nor be brought in at the gate of the kingdome of heauen S. Bernard A man doubtles very holy and very farre of from al flattery obseruing euery where the seueritie of brotherly correction vsed these termes to Pope Innocent we must Ber. ep 190. bring to your Apostleship all the perils and scandals which rise in the Church being a thing mete that the detriments of the faith may be restored in that place where the faith caÌ„ not receiue detrimeÌ„t for this is the prerogatiue of that seat And to Pope Eugen. Thou Bernar. l. 2. de consider art the great priest the soueraign Bishop Prince of Bishops Inheretour of the Apostles In Primacie Abel In Patriarchie Abraham Moises in authoritie S. Peter in power Iesus christ in vnctioÌ„ The others haue euerie one flokes assigned a part to the all flockes are coÌ„mitted thou art not onely Pastour of Sheepe but Pastour of Pastours Among the Greekes Origen saith that the gouernement of the Church hath bene giuen to S. Peter that S. Peter is the cheefe or head of the Apostles hauing more power and perfection then others S. Greg. Nazianz. The disciples of Iesus Christ all great excellent wourthie to be heades haue neuer the lesse bene very wel content to be put behind S. Peter vpoÌ„ whose faith the church hath her foundation Io. Chrisost Our lord hath shed his blood Chrysost lib. 2. de sacerd for to get together the sheepe of whoÌ„ he hath giueÌ„ the charge to S. Pe. to his successours Hieremie was father to one nation but Iesus Christ hath set S. Peter ouer all the world S. Basil Iesus christ him self is trulie the Basil de paenit immouable Rocke S. Peter is so by Reason of that Rocke Iesus christ giuing him his dignities doth not spoyle him selfe of them nor hath any thing lesse Theoph. in illae verba Confirma fratâ—es tuos Theoph. bringeth in our sauiour speaking to S. Pet. Thou whoÌ„ I haue made Prince of the disciples who after thou hadest denied me hast again receiued the Primacie of all the preheminence of the whole world who art after me the stone and the foundation of the Church confirme the others and be to them a good example of repentance S. Thomas citeth out of S. Cirill these woordes As Iesus Christ hath receiued of the father the scepter of the Gentiles eueÌ„ so hath he plainlie coÌ„mitted it to S. Peter and to his successors and hath not geuen that which is his own to any other but vnto S. Peter Epiphaneus Oecumenius Euthymius and all the rest of the auncient Greekes doe speak of this matter conformably to the Latines And Origen and S. Hierome haue applied that place of S. Paule to the Romaines your faith is preached through the vniuersall world in the sence of the principalitie of the Romain Church As if S. Paul should giue thancks to GOD for the conuersion of that place which should be the oracle of the vniuersal Church and wherof dependeth the conuersion of the whole whorld Ephrem the Syrian saith that as Moises was head of the societie of the Hebrewes euen so was S. Peter of the Church of Christians And as the one was Prince of the olde Testament so the other is likewise head of the new One Eritrianus in the time of Emperour Emmanuel It doth appear manifestlie by euidence of the thing it selfe that our sauiour hath appointed S. Peter Prince head for euer not onely of the Latines and of Greekes but of Armenians of Arabians of Iewes of Madianites of all the people of the East and of the West of the South of the North. The General Councels which be as it were the cheefe seat of the holy Ghoste doe testifie the Primacie of the chaire of S. Peter as it doth appeare in the first Councel of Nice where it is sayd that the Romain Concil Nice Church is the Rule of the others In the Councel of Calcedon where Pope Leo is caled Bishop of the vniuersal Church Chncil Cal. 1. Act. 16. to whom the keping of Gods vineyarde was committed by our sauiour In the Councel of Constantinople where Menas the Patriarche was president it is said Concil Const we folowe the Sea Apostolike it we obey with them which communicate with it we communicate those which are condemned by it we condemne also In the seuenth Synod of Carthage the seat of S. Peter hath primacie through al the world being head of all the Churches of God In the Councel of Laterane where the Greekes the Latines were In the general Councel of Lions in the Councel of Florence Conci Lat. c. 5. by consent of the Greekes of the Latines it is sayd defined that the holie Apostolike Seate and Bishopricke of Rome doth hold the Primacie ouer all the vniuersal worlde that the Pope is the true vicar of Iesus Christ father and doctor of all the Christians and head of all the Church He should make a great volume which would gather together all the testimonies of the supremacie of S. Peter of his successors ouer the Church This point was so cleere in the primitiue church that certain heretikes Theod. lib. 5. c. 14. act coll Carthag for to procure authoritie to their sect did faigne to haue coÌ„munion with the Romain Church so farre forth that the Donatistes did suborn a Bishop of their sect whom they caused to remain at Rome secretely that they might say that they had that marke of the true church which is of the chaire of S. Pet. And they suborned an other which did practise Optat. lib. 2. with some raskall fugitiues of the citie of Rome coming froÌ„ thense for to proue by theÌ„ that he was bishop of Rome successour of S. Peter but these coÌ„panions being conuicted of this falshood were coÌ„founded and made ridiculous The Emperours theÌ„ selues haue acknowleged the bishop of Rome to be head of the vniuersal Church and they haue called him Pastor of Pastors father of fathers and the toppe of the crown of the Clergie And that so publiklie as the Paymin Authors make mention therof as it appeareth in Amianus Mancellinus which named Pope Liberius souerain Bishop of the Christian law and the Emperour Constance caused S. Athanasius Bishop of AlexaÌ„dria to be sent to the same Pope of purpose to cause him to be condemned by him which hath the soueraign authoritie ouer the Christians Thus by these testimonies as wel of the Gospel as of the ancieÌ„t fathers Councels and by the practise of the Church it selfe sithens the Apostles to this day it is manifest that there hath bene one soueraiÌ„ head in the ministerie