were fellow-Ministers and seruants in the house of God What an honor is this to be exalted lifted vp by the blessing of Kings by the fauour of Bishops beyond our fellowes Who am I or what is my Fathers house what is my worth what is my seruice that I should be exalted aboue and before others Verily he that said Amice ascende superiùs had a sure confidence that thou wouldst be his friend If wee be found otherwise negligent slothfull not trusty in our Masters seruice but couetous or proud exalting our selues in pride and tyranny ouer our fellow-fellow-seruants it will not succeed well with vs. Hee that lifted vs vp can cast vs downe many wayes when it will be too late to complaine Psal 101. as it is in the Psalme Quoniam eleuans allisisti me Saint Bernard therefore said well Non est Bernard quod blandiatur celsitudo vbi solicitudo maior Celsitude in our offices threatens vs dangers solicitude in our Ministery allowes vs for friends 92. This solicitude in our Ministery as I haue said is proposed to vs by the example of the Law-giuer himselfe who was himselfe in the middest of the Apostles Luc. 22. tanquam qui ministrat and who can thinke himselfe in-glorious by the sole title of Minister wherewith the Master of glorie hath first signed himselfe and this was that which Saint Paul gloried in more then in the power of his Apostleship which was not inferiour to that of Saint Peter Ministri Christi sunt ego and brags not of any Riches Power Iurisdiction but of his labours his stripes his imprisonment and the like 93. For the true care and solicitude of a Minister of Christ doth not stand with a care of our owne riches honour and Iurisdiction which made Saint Paul say Philip. 2.19 Neminem habeo c. qui de vobis germanè solicitus sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why so Omnes enim quae sua sunt quaerunt These Saint Augustine saith are not Filij but Mercenarij they labour not for the inheritance which is promised as Sonnes doe but like Mercenaries for the wages of worldly riches and honour and yet for all that will preach Christ continually Aug. Tract 46. in Johan Multi in Ecclesiâ commoda terrena sectantes Christum tamen praedicant per eos vox Christi auditur sequuntur ones non mercenarium sed vocem Pastoris per mercenarium Many that are in the Church seeke after earthly commodities and yet they preach Christ and by them is heard the voyce of Christ and the sheepe follow not the hyreling but the voyce of the shepheard by the hyreling None of these saith Saint Augustine who seeke their owne and not Iesus Christs will preach vnto you Quaere tua non quae Iesu Christi seeke thine owne and not that which is Christs Quod enim male facit non praedicat de Cathedrâ Christi inde laedit vnde male facit non vnde bona dicit so that no Minister 〈◊〉 germanè solicitus who seekes for here by his labour and preaching his owne profit and honour but whose solicitude is ioyned with piety and sanctity of life which if you marke well is seldome found in mercenario 94. Therefore Saint Peter as you haue heard excepts against these mercenary affections and bequeaths vs as it were per tabulas testatorias first 1 Pet. 5.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a care and solicitude to feede Christs flocke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose life and safety depends on vs and secondly that you might be germanè soliciti he wisheth you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. vers 3. to become exemplary formes or formall examples of good life and sanctitie vnto your flockes and when that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that arch-shepheard that Prince of shepheards shall appeare you shall receiue not as mercenaries temporalem mercedem conducentis festinanter exoptatam the temporall reward of him that hyres you which is speedily desired but as Sonnes aeternam hareditatem patris patienter expectatam the eternall inheritance of the Father which must patiently be expected not the glory of a golden triple Crowne which is now fought for but a Crowne of Amaranthus as the Apostle calls it Metaphorically Jbid. vers 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the incorruptible and neuer-fading crowne of glory which God send vs for his Sonne Iesus Christs sake to whom with c. AMEN THE THIRD SERMON Luke 12.42 And the Lord said who is a faithfull Steward and wise whom the Master shall make ruler ouer the houshold to giue them their portion of meate in season c. 1. I Doubt not but hearing these words read whereby Bellarmine challengeth the high Stewardship that is the Church Monarchie vnto Saint Peter and so consequently to the Pope you remember Quid in adiutorio Domini tractare promiserim Aug. de verb. Apos ser 31. What by Gods helpe I promised to performe which I shall not neede to resume Aug. trac 17. in Iohan. Ne adhuc eadem repetendo ad illa quae nondum dicta sunt peruenire minimè permittamur lest peraduenture by repeating them I should not reach so farre at this time as I intended 2. I then entred into the first part which was to proue that Saint Peter had no spirituall Monarchie in the handling whereof Aug trac 46. in Ioh. Non sum dimissus coniecturae meae I shewed that it was to be determined by Scripture proofe onely because the regiment of the Church is confessed by both parts to be onely of our Sauiours institution and therefore I shewed Quid fecerit what he did to equalize his Disciples and quid dixerit what he spake by word of mouth by occasion of their manifold contention for the maiority or precedency which they thought to be Monarchicall not once onely but by many instances first that it was Aristocraticall Luc. 22.26 Qui maior est fiat sicut minor c. whereof I shall speake in fit place Secondly that it was not Monarchicall Ib. v. 25. for Reges gentium dominantur vos autem non sic and thirdly I shewed that Saint Peter practised no Monarchicall power seeing in the primitiue times the Church neither had riches nor coerciue power nor domination or honour without which a Monarchie hath no consistence Aug. in Jo. trac 46. 3. Now as Saint Augustine said Nulla est necessitas aliquid aliud quaerere for this is sufficient to confirme vs Protestants in the beliefe we professe Nulla est necessitas saith he sed tamen est voluntas not ambitiosa voluntas but iusta grounded vpon reason and this rule of Tullie Cic. 1. de Oratore Non sufficit id quod intendimus confirmare nisi id quod contra dicitur refellere possumus it is not sufficient to confirme our owne assertions but wee must remoue those obstacles which our aduersaries cast in our way those grounds which
CERTAJNE SERMONS Made in OXFORD Anno Dom. 1616. Wherein is proued that Saint PETER had no Monarchicall power ouer the rest of the Apostles against Bellarmine Sanders Stapleton and the rest of that COMPANIE BY John Howson DOCTOR in Diuinitie and PREBENDARIE of Christ-Church now BISHOP of OXON Published by Commandement LONDON Printed by T. S. for John Pyper 1622. LVKE 12.41.42 c. Then Peter said vnto him MASTER tellest thou this parable vnto vs or vnto all And the Lord said who is a faithfull Steward and a wise whom the Master shall make ruler ouer the houshold to giue them their portion of meate in due season Blessed is the seruant whom the Master c. 1. IN this short Parable our Sauiour deliuers the qualities requisite for a good Steward and the ample reward which shall bee giuen him and secondly the faults obseruable in an euill steward withall the punishment that is due vnto him 2. The qualities required in a good Steward are many 1. He must be fidelis faithfull 2. He must be humble and seruiceable to his Master for hee is but aeconomus or seruus a Steward or Seruant verse 43.3 He must be Prudens wise 4. He must not be an intruder but lawfully called by his Master Quem constituit Dominus super familiam suam for the Lord makes him ruler ouer his houshold 5. He must be diligent and carefull in executing his office and function Et dare in tempore tritici mensuram and giue them their portion of meate in due season 3. The particular circumstances of the reward as also of the euill steward and his punishment I will note hereafter August for as S. Augustine said Haec pauca de multis breuiter perstringo ne propositum operis mei nimia longitudine diuisionis impediam For before we come to speake of the qualities of this Steward wee must finde our who the Steward is Hilar. de Trin. lib. 1. 4. The antient Fathers Qui dictorum intelligentiam expectant ex dictis potiùs quà m imponunt who rather collect the meaning out of the words then impose a new sense vpon them doe commonly vnderstand the Apostles and the Bishops their successors to be the Steward here described Thus Ambrose super locum Hilarie super 24. Math Ierome super locum Chrysost lib. 2. de sacer dote Theophilact super locum c. Thus also the interpreters and commentators of the Church of Rome Beda Thomas Gorran Abulens Caietan Salmeron and Iansenius But when those of the Church of Rome come to matter of question and controuersie they behaue themselues like Poets who as Seneca notes Non putant ad rem pertinere verum dicere Sen. de benefit lib. 1. cap. 3. sed aut necessitate coacti aut decoro corrupti id quemque vocari iubent quod bellè facit ad versum and name him the steward who best fitteth in their opinion the businesse in hand 5. Thus Bellarmine Bellar. de Cler. lib. 1. cap. 14. when hee proues against the Presbyterians that Bishops are superior to Priests iure diuino tum ordinis potestate tum iurisdictione alleageth for one proofe this parable as S. Mathew deliuers it Quis est seruus fidelis prudens c. Who is a faithfull seruant c. and saith fairely and truely Haec verba Hilarius coeteri patres de Episcopis dicta esse volunt Hilarie and the rest of the Fathers will haue these words to be vnderstood of Bishops and so proues the superiority of Bishops aboue Priests But when he disputes against vs Protestants for the Monarchie of the Bishop of Rome then this Steward is the Pope and although saith he Ambrose Hilarie and Ierome vnderstand it of the Bishops generally yet surely the Scripture entendeth the Popes Monarchie Bellar. de Concil lib. 2. 17. Quamuis patres saith he non loquantur expressè de Episcopo Romano tamen sine dubio sententia scripturae illa est Although the Fathers speake not expresly of the Bishop of Rome yet without doubt that is the meaning of the Scripture 6. Sine dubio sententia scripturae illa est Nay it will not be carried with so slight a proofe as Sine dubio The Popes Monarchie ouer the Church ouer the whole Christian world is a matter of highest moment Non coniecturâ sed manibus oculis tenenda we are like S. Thomas we will see it with our eyes feele it with our fingers it must be made sensible before we will grant it Tullie saith Cic. offic lib. 3. Turpe est dubitare philosophos quae ne rustici quidem dubitant If euery vulgar interpreter together with the Fathers had deliuered that sense it had beene a shame for so great a Deuine to haue doubted of it but the Fathers he confesseth vnderstand it of Bishops indifferently and no late expositor that I haue read once dreames of the Pope and yet sine dubio sententia scripturae illa est Without doubt that is the meaning of the Scripture 7. It is but a rhetoricall tricke Id sumere pro certo quod dubium controuer sumque est not to doubt of that which he knowes is controuerted Eorum quae constant saith Tullie exempla ponenda Cic. de Inuent lib. 1. eorum quae dubia sunt rationes afferendoe seeing he knew this interpretation would be especially controuerted he should haue kept on his course and haue brought proofe and reasons for it not tell vs Sine dubio sententia scripturae illa est Without doubt that is the meaning of the Scripture If he thought it did constare and were euident to his party yet exempla posuisset hee should haue brought some certaine and vndoubted examples or authorities for our satisfaction from Greeke Fathers or Latine or Councels c as his manner is 8. There are two faults much vsed inter Polemieos the writers of controuersies which are very offensiue to ingenuous readers and no maruell for Quibus rebus animus quasi debito fraudatur offenditur The minde of man is offended when it is defrauded of that which is due vnto it Tullie saith that both these faults are ridiculous Ridiculum est quod est dubium Cic. pro Quint. relinquere incertum saith he It is but a mockerie to passe that ouer without proofe which is doubtfull And againe Ridiculum est quod nemini dubium est iudicare It is also a ridiculous mockerie to vse many proofes and reasons to confirme that which no man denies 9. The former tricke is heere vsed by Bellarmine but because this assertion this sine dubio is very thinne pellucet and we may discerne great weaknesse through it hee vseth inexpiable fraudes to abuse this Text and first he hath this sleight to deceiue his readers That whereas disputing against the Presbyterians for the superiority of Bishops hee saith Sanctus Hilarius Bellar. de Cler. lib. cap. 14. caeteri patres de Episcopis haec
of a respect to persons that is precisely because they are rich Altera est ex lege regiâ the other is by reason of the Kings Law that is because saith he they are placed in authority by the King or because they are the Kings Embassadors or because the King hath so commanded as appeareth plainely in Mardocheus of whom it was saide in his highest honour Sic honorabitur quem Rex honorare voluerit Thus shall the man be honoured whom the King will honour And the Apostle gathereth this precept out of that rule in nature alledged by him Diliges proximum tuum Iac. 2.8 sicut teipsum Thou shalt loue thy Neighbour as thy selfe where the particle sicut is vsed proportionaliter as if he should say Diliges proximum tuum in gradu in officio in dignitate in priuilegio suo sicut teipsum in gradu in officio in dignitate in priuilegio tuo 49. This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or law of ciuility which S. Iames mentioneth is much neglected in these daies by the Anabaptists who after the manner of some false Apostles in S. Pauls time so teach equality that they acknowledge no superiority or ciuill difference in Christianity so that if at the administration of the Eucharist an Earle Lord or Bishop be present they take not any notice of them nor obserue Legem regiam but beginne to administer to the next vnto them of what degree soeuer as if Lex regia and the Law of ciuilitie could not stand with Christianitie and the Law of true spirituall liberty whereas Saint Paul 1 Tim. 6.1 2 tells those seruants and inferiours who being Christians neglected their dutie and reuerence to their Masters or Superiours because either they were not Christians or if Christians yet comprehended with their seruants and inferiours vnder the name of Brethren or the Faithfull as the vse was then at the first conuersion of the Gentiles that by this conceit of paritie in Christianity which was onely in spiritualibus and by neglect and contempt of superioritie which is due by nature in temporalibus and in ciuilitie Lege regia by the Kings prerogatiue Nomen Domini doctrina blasphematur both the name of Christ and his Gospell and doctrine is blasphemed For if they who were newly conuerted should with-draw from their superiours in acts and ceremonies of Christianity that respect reuerence and honour which was due vnto them the vnbelieuers would haue detested vilified and persecuted the Gospell quasi aliena inuadens Dominis aut Regibus sua anferens and therefore when in another place the same Apostle exhorts inferiours to be subiect to their superiours and pleasing in all things he telleth them that such behauiour and ciuilitie would be an ornament to their Christianity and the doctrine of our Sauiour 50. Whether Caietans exposition be the true sense of that Text of S. Iames I doe not determine but surely it is very morall and mannerly not like the English marginall glosse at the 23. of the Acts for where S. Paul saith there modestly in his owne excuse when he was charged to reuile Gods high Priest I knew not Brethren that he was the high Priest Acts 23.5 for it is written Thou shalt not speake euill of the ruler of thy people the marginall note saith He made this excuse as it were in a mockery as if he should say I know nothing in this man worthy the office of the High Priest 51. Time serues not nor this businesse to exagitate this vnciuill note but these and the like glosses make many so insolent in their behauiours and answeres both to ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Magistrates whom they relish not well because in their fancies they esteeme them not worthy the office they beare or those honours the King hath aduanced them to and so by consequent to be no Magistrates but subiect to scoffes and scurrill dicacity But the Ciuilians haue this rule L. dubitare c. de â—rimine Sacrilegij Dubitare de eo an dignus sit quem princeps elegit sacrilegij instar est It is a kinde of sacriledge to call his worth into question whom the King hath preferred Thus much by occasion of my second reason why Monarchicall gouernment is here forbidden drawne from the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is proper to Kings of the best note and not vnto Tyrants 52. Thirdly the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are vsed indifferently in the same sense for S. Peter teacheth the Bishops that they should not dominere ouer the Clergie 1 Pet. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and St. Paul saith he neither might nor did dominere ouer the faith 2 Cor. 1.24 and the Christian religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cuts off all absolute power and Monarchicall which the Pope chalengeth either ouer the Christian religion or Ecclesiasticall persons 53. Lastly not to speake of the vse but of the propriety of the word which Bellarmine chalengeth we finde not that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in composition addeth force or violence to euery word but what signification so euer it hath Scapulâ— in compositione aliquando retinet aliquando amittit as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both of them signifie to die neither of them to die violently and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by St. Mathew in this argument and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed by St. Luke signifie both of them absolute power not soure bitter or tyrannicall command Beza sup Mat. 20.25 as Beza notes that our word here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth onely dominari in eas resolutâ compositione the composition adding no force vnto it more then is found in the simple verbe It is Beza's annotation vpon this place If his authority haue no credite with them let them consult the olde vulgar translation which reades simpliciter Dominari at both those Greeke words resolutâ compositione as Beza doth 54. This which hath beene spoken in answere to Bellarmine may serue to shew both the true sense of the words and helpe to satisfie all the reasons which are made by others to proue that this Text excludes not a Monarchie for if this double Canon of our Sauiour or duplicated rule for his Apostles Mat. 20. and Luke 22. Vos autem non sic you shall not rule as the Kings of the world be not transplanted and remoued from the siege of the Popedome it will batter downe all that is built on that Monarchie and the Monarchie it selfe from the very foundation Wherefore euery one busily sets to his helpe to remoue it and we must as earnestly maintaine the assault 55. Gretzer as he is bound seconds the Cardinall GRETZER Gretz Antimpro deliro dos 28. and saith in his Antimonie pro deliro that our Sauiour doth onely forbid dominatum violentum and truculentum and makes it an indefinite proposition and to implie a particular as if our Sauiour said
St. Peters and the Popes Monarchie which is founded saith he vpon our Sauiours verball institution Non vno tota momento sed gradatim Stapleton relec cont 3. q. 1. art 1. per partes à Christo facta tradita est was not made and deliuered all at one time by our Sauiour but it was giuen by degrees and by parts and therefore as it was instituted by degrees so it must be manifested and proued by degrees and so necessarily by degrees be confuted Thirdly because Gretzer tells vs Gretz defens Bellar. l. 1. c. 23. de Rom. Pontif. that the prerogatiues of St. Peter doe not proue his Monarchie Si considerentur solitariè non iunctim If they be considered apart and not ioyntly and therefore to disproue any one of his prerogatiues is not much to the purpose Finally because they falsly obiect that they being tyed as a Beare to the stake to defend those propositions which are deliuered in print and so professed to the whole world we take no fast hold nor come to handy-gripes but a snatch and away like the dog at Nilus Qui bibit fugit for feare of a Crocodile I will therefore at my next opportunity ioyne issue with them and proue first That the Apostle St. Peter had no Monarchy ouer the Apostles or Church of GOD as Bellarmine Stapleton and Sanders teach Secondly That Saint Peter had a Primacie of order as in an Aristocracie amongst the Apostles who were his equalls and that by the testimonie of the ancient Church Thirdly That the ancient Bishops of Rome of the purer times neither had nor chalenged any Monarchy in the Church or any part thereof Fourthly That by the iudgement of the Fathers they had the Primacie among other Bishops Lastly That this Primacie is not fastened to that See but may for their tyrannies and vsurpations vpon Churches and Kingdomes be remoued from it and conferred on another 62. My conclusion should be if the time did serue with an exhortation to beware how wee vndertake the defence of any vntruth either in Religion or Moralitie considering that neither the honour wit or learning of this great Cardinall can possibly maintaine it but vni sustinendo mendacio necesse est accumulari plura Vntruths are onely maintained by vntruths and one corruption or falsification begets another Truth and a good cause are fairely defended suâ claritate as Lactantius saith by her owne clearenesse Via illa mendax saith hee the way of lying and falsifying and corrupting c. Via illa mendax quae ducit ad occasum multos tramites habet That false deceitfull way which leades to destruction hath many crosse wayes and many trickes too but being examined as you see shame followes after and as he saith Ab aniculis quas contemnunt à pueris nostris error illorum stultitia irridebitur Their error and folly shall be laughed at by our olde women and children whom they scorne 63. God who is the author and defender of truth and reuenger and reuealer of falshoode and lies so possesse your hearts with the loue of truth that it may be the scope and end of all your studies and actions and at length direct you to that true way which leadeth to the true euerlasting life This GOD grant for Christ Iesus sake to whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be all honour glorie praise and dominion for euer and euer AMEN THE SECOND SERMON Luke 12.41.42 c. Then Peter said vnto him MASTER tellest thou this parable vnto vs or euen to all And the Lord said who is a faithfull Steward and wise whom the Master shall make ruler ouer the houshold to giue them their portion of meate in season c. 1. I Haue heretofore diuided this Text into certaine conditions requisite for a good Steward but because we are to enquire Quis sit Who he is before we come to the question Qualis sit What his qualities and conditions are I shewed you that Bellarmine disputing against the Presbyterians affirmed out of St. Hilarie and the rest of the Fathers that the Bishops and Prelates of the Church were this Steward but discoursing against Protestants Cic. de Orat. Tanquam Academicus nonus qui contra omnes dicere solebant hee makes the Pope this Steward imagining these words to be spoke to St. Peter onely and to that purpose he corrupted as I then noted euery circumstance of this Text for as St. Augustine saith Aug. li. 83. quest q. 69. Non possit ijs error oboriri palliatus nomine Christiano nisi de scriptur is non intellectis aut malitiosè expositis 2. This counterfeit columne of the Popes Monarchie I then shooke asunder but it is seldome seene Cicero that in vno praelio fortuna Reipub. disceptat and this Monarchie was not collated by our Sauiour with any one speech or at any one time as Stapleton saith but by many and sundrie donations nor the great prerogatiues which were giuen to St. Peter and so consequently to the Pope are to be considered solitariè but iunctìm as Gretzer saies wherefore they must be confuted seuerally and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Tullie hath it exactly Cic. de Orat. and with a iust proportion Vt verba verbis quasi demensa paria respondeant 3. But because all the reasons and arguments which the Iesuites now make in defence of this Monarchie by vertue of any prerogatiue Monarchicall which they attribute to St. Peter Adiunante misericordiâ Domini as St. Augustine saith anteà sunt antiquorum patrum praeuentione refutata Aug. cont epist 2. Gaudentij lib. 2. cap. 6. quam illorum circumuentione prolata are preuented by the ancient Fathers interpretations before we could be circumuented by their obiections as appeareth by sundry answeres which haue beene framed of late as also because it is an argument more beseeming many volumes then a fewe Sermons I will therefore as I then promised proue to all indifferent hearers First that S. Peter had not any Monarchy ouer the Apostles or Church of Christ by our Sauiours institution Secondly that St. Peter had a Primacie of order as in an Aristocracie among the Apostles who were his equalls as the Fathers affirme Thirdly that the ancient Bishops of Rome of the purer times neither had nor challenged any Monarchie ouer the Church or any part thereof Fourthly that by the iudgement of the Fathers they had the Primacie among other Bishops Lastly that this Primacie is not fastened to this See but may for their tyrannies and vsurpations ouer Churches and Kingdomes be remoued from it and conferred on another 4. The first is that our Sauiour bequeathed no Monarchie to S. Peter nor to his Church and so consequently that the spirituall gouernement is not Monarchicall 5. This argument hath beene copiously and learnedly handled of late but especially by those two worthies of our Church the most learned and reuerend Bishops of Winchester and
in Saint Peter onely of whom we discourse Valentinus accused him of ignorance in the businesse betweene him and Saint Paul Tertul. de Praescrip c. 23. Cont. Marc. l. 4. c. 3. Cyril cont Julian l. 9. infine Galat. 2. but Tertullian defends him Marcion layes to his charge preuarication and simulation which accusation the same Tertullian remoues also Iulian the Apostata condemnes him of hypocrisie whom Saint Cyril confutes to say nothing of Porphyrie Hieron ad Aug. Ep. 39. who vilified Saint Paul as Saint Ierome testifies nor of the Maniches who slandered the Patriarches of the old Testament whom Saint Augustine defends in his bookes against Faustus 11. On the other extremitie the Papists ouer-extoll the fauours and dilate and enlarge the Prerogatiues Cic. which are giuen to Saint Peter in omni genere amplificationis exardent they transforme the Primacie which the Fathers afford him into a Monarchie Bellarmine holds that he was Primus Ecclesiae vniuersalis Monarcha as I haue shewed before and Gretzer he will proue it Gretz defen Bellar. l. 1. c. 8. de Rom. Pontif. and giues him Monarchicall independent fulnesse of power whereupon followes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potestas legislatiua for the whole Church and so consequently coerciua as Suarez proueth They call him The Head of the whole Church The Type of the Church The Lord and Master ouer the Apostles and so acknowledged by them The Vicar of Christ They say that Christ and Peter and the Pope pro vno tantùm Ecclesiae capite reputantur That the Apostles receiued no power of iurisdiction immediately from Christ but mediante Petro. That the other Apostles receiued the power and authority to preach from Saint Peter That potestas clauium was giuen to Peter as to the Head to the rest as to the members That Saint Peter was called in plenitudinem potestatis the other Apostles in plenitudinem solicitudinis That Saint Peter onely among the Apostles was made a Bishop by our Sauiour Christ and the others receiued ordination from Saint Peter That the Pontificalitie of the Priest-hood in the New Testament was originally from Saint Peter and consequently all Orders That Saint Peter had ordinariam potestatem which hee left to his successor the other Apostles delegatam which ceased with them That after his last Supper and before his Passion our Sauiour deliuered the gouernement of his Church into the hands of Saint Peter ne quà m diu Christus esset in sepulchro desolata maneret orbata capite Pastore To conclude all in briefe They say that the power of Saint Peter differed from the power of the other Apostles in fiue things First in modo dandi accipiendi because power was giuen to Peter ordinariè to the other Apostles ex speciali gratiâ and to themselues onely Secondly in officio for Peter was made Christs Vicar the other Apostles had but power legantine Thirdly In the obiect of their power because Peter had power ouer all the Apostles but the other Apostles had not power one ouer another but ouer the people who were subject to them Fourthly in the perpetuity of the power for the power of the other Apostles was personall to themselues only but Peters was perpetuall to him and his successors Fiftly In the very essence of their power for the authoritie committed to the Apostles was potestas executiua or as Thomas calls it authoritas gubernandi according to the Lawes prescribed to them such as our Iudges power is but the authoritie giuen to Saint Peter was potestas praeceptiua as Thomas saith authoritas regiminis which is proper to a King onely 12. These false and imaginarie prerogatiues which the Schoole-men and Iesuites ascribe to Saint Peter Aluarez Guerrero calls aurea Thesaur Christ Relig c. 1. n. 60. and gemmea the gold and jewels in Saint Peters Myter fundamentum totius sacrae paginae totius sacrtiuris Pontificij the foundation of the Popes Canon Lawes and of the holy Scriptures For indeede the Scriptures are not the foundation of them but to these propositions the Scriptures are wrested but the true foundation of them is the Popes Canon Law concerning his Monarchie 13. Thus wee see that the one extremitie hath one qualitie of the Beast which is blasphemare Tabernaculum Dei Apoc. 13.6 eos qui in coelis habitant To blaspheme Saint Peter and the Saints which are blessed in heauen The other extremitie is a qualitie or condition of the horne of the Goate which is Magnificare Petrum vsque ad fortitudinem coeli Dan. 8.10 11. deijcere de fortitudine de stellis conculcare eas vsque ad Principem fortitudinis magnificare To magnifie Peter aboue all the Apostles and his successors aboue all Bishops to conculcate and trample vpon all the lights or starres of the Church and to magnifie Peter with the honour of his Master our blessed Sauiour 15. I affect rather a quality of the Sea which doth medium terrae locum expetere that is Cic. I will runne a middle course betweene both Ne vera laus Petro detracta oratione nostra vel falsa affectata esse videatur And first with the Fathers I will either excuse any infirmitie of his which shall be tolerabile erratum and say with Saint Cyrill Cyril com Iulian. l. 9. that the controuersie betweene Saint Peter and Saint Paul which is mentioned in the Acts and gaue occasion of offence to such as would quarrell was but artificiocissima in illis dispensatio for Non mihi tam bene est Tertul. de Praescrip c. 4. Jbid. c. 23. immo non mihi tam malè est vt Apostolos committam Or with Tertullian Si reprehensus est Petrus conuersationis fuit vitium non praedicationis Or with Saint Augustine Aug. Ep. 9. ad Hieron Jbid. that Saint Peter did Iudaizare Gal. 2. compassione misericordiae non simulatione fallaciae or as hee saith afterward Non mentientis astu sed compatientis affectu as the Fathers mollifie with good reason his other infirmities or else I will make vse of them as Saint Augustine did when hee spake of that great weaknesse of denying his Master saying Hunc intuendo admoneri nos oportet ne homo quispiam de humanis viribus fidat Or say with Saint Basil Basil homil de Poeniten Tertio Dominum Petrus negauit non hoc fine vt Petrus caderet sed vt tu quoque consolationem habeas which moderation the Fathers obserue in all his infirmities but especially Epiphanius in his Booke called Ancoratus Jn argumen Anchor Quia instar anchorae ducit mentem de vitâ salute perscrutantem where it seemeth to be as it were a necessary poynt of the Christian Faith to speake honourably of Saint Peter and to extenuate or excuse his imbecillity and weakenesse 15. Secondly I will grant any
dilectos diligentibus But I thinke here should be an hard choyse for if we should demand with Saint Augustine Quis duorum sit melior vtrùm qui plus August super Ioh. tract vlt an qui minùs diligit Christum no doubt wee would answere He is the better that loues most Againe if we demand Quis duorum sit melior vtrum quem minùs an quem plus diligit Christus we would answere againe Hee no doubt is the better whom Christ loues best Now if a third question were proposed who is more likely to be preferred to the Primacie or Monarchie Peter who loued his Lord more then Iohn and the rest did and was lesse beloued of his Lord or Saint Iohn who loued his Lord lesse then Saint Peter did and yet was more beloued of his Lord and Master I might answere with Saint Augustine in the like case Hîc planè cunctatur responsio augetur quaestio a man may sooner diuise more questions then make a good answere But if it be questionable as I thinke it is whether Saint Peter loued our Sauiour more then St. Iohn did and it bee granted that our Sauiour loued St. Iohn more then he did St. Peter quantum ipse sapio saith St. Augustine as they are both alike good who loue our Sauiour alike so hee is more happy that is best beloued and more likely to be preferred to the highest dignitie But this is sayd onely to shew how weake their arguments are who would proue St. Peters Monarchie or Primacie by these consequents of phrases not to disanull the Primacie which the Fathers allow him 64. The rest of the Prerogatiues are of so small moment to proue this Monarchie or Primacie that you may imagine hee meanes to carry it numero non pondere authoritatum and he professeth so much as I haue noted before For the first prerogatiue whereby Bellarmine would chalenge it is Mutatio nominis the changing of his name from Simon to Peter but we say that his name was not changed as Abrams was but another super-imposed or super-added to it as appeareth Pet. Epist 1. c. 1. v. 1. because he still retained the name of Simon and was so called by our Sauiour after his resurrection and hee so stileth himselfe in his second Epistle And when we answere that this was no greater priuiledge then Iames and Iohn had who were called by our Sauiour Boanerges he replies that there was a difference betweene the one and the other for Mutauit nomen Petro saith he sed imposuit cognomen Iacobo Iohanni but Simons name was not changed otherwise then were the names of Iames and Iohn but they were all three reteyned and Saint Marke vseth the same word at the imposition of them all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marc. 3.17 and addeth in the same place naming Iames and Iohn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he imposed vpon them the names of Boanerges that is the sonnes of thunder so that this is a corruption of the Text to say that our Sauiour changed Simons name and not the names of Iames and Iohn for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he super-imposed or super-added names to them all If this were a Prerogatiue to Peter it was common to others and no Primacie much lesse any Monarchie can be chalenged by it 65. If he onely conclude out of these impositions of names as Saint Chrysostome doth Chrysost super Ioan. c. 1. Deum nunquam imponere noua nomina nisi maximis de causis wee yeeld to that and he gaineth nothing but that which wee confesse with Saint Augustine Petrus Iacobus Aug. super Ep. ad Galat. c. 2 Iohannes honorabiliores in Apostolis erant But Saint Chrysostome seemeth to giue a good and particular reason why our Sauiour Christ changed some names Vt ostendat saith he se eundem esse Chrysost super Ioh. hom 18. qui vetus dedit testamentum ipse est qui nomina apte imponit qui Abram Abraham Sarai Sara Iacob Israel vocauit And if any should chalenge a principalitie for changing his name it should be Saint Paul for Saint Chrysostome saith Chrysost super Act. Apost Paulo nomen mutatur cum ordinatione Saulus qui Paulus or else Saint Matthew for Abulensis saith Abul super Mat. c. 9. q. 34. 35. nomen Matthaei anteqùam à Christo vocaretur non erat Matthaeus sed solùm Leui c. Matthaeus autem fuit vocatus post assumptionem in Discipulum c. Et ita videtur esse veritas so that our Sauiour calling but sixe Apostles at most for the rest followed him voluntarily of themselues and changing or adding to foure of their names Peter can carrie no Monarchie by it nor any priuiledge 66. Another Prerogatiue whereby Bellarmine chalengeth principalitie to Peter is this That Saint Peters feete were first washed by our Sauiour and then the feete of the other Apostles which although Saint Augustine seeme to affirme August super Lu◠c. 13. yet Saint Chrysostom and Theophilact say that hee washed Iudas feete first and then Peters Origen who is the most ancient of them saith that Lotis omnibus Discipulis vltimò venit ad Petrum and so doth Cyprian in the tract De ablutione pedum if the worke be his if not yet is the bokoe antiqui eruditi scriptoris Bellar. de Scriptor Eccles as Bellarmine confesseth and so of force against him and the same Author giues a reason why Saint Peter refused to be washed and not the rest If by this Prerogatiue a Monarchie or Primacie may be proued the question is betweene Iudas and Peter for the precedencie and the greater part giue the prime place of being washed to the traytor Iudas 67. All the other Prerogatiues serue rather for number then waite in this question and doe aime but at a Primacie which we deny not though the aduersaries doe not proue it by all those Prerogatiues taken together and hauing beene once proposed and shewed to the world each one may say to the Cardinall Discedam expleui numerum Virgil. redaarque tenebris I haue made vp a number and so I haue done and here I will make an end with them C. quando Prouo because Allegans frustratoria non auditur such trifles and not to the question deserue not an answere Yet I thought it fit to obserue somewhat that may satisfie the vulgar which are fed with vaine fancies for vnto them C. l. 1. de Diuin Obijciuntur saepè formae quae reà pse nullae sunt speciem autem offerunt 68. Lastly it is euident that in this question of the Monarchio they intend not to finde out the truth but onely endeauour to maintaine the gouernement in that state wherein they finde it though it consist onely in tyranny and vsurpation and therefore they fit it not to the Gospell or the Primatiue times but straine the Scriptures and Antiquitie to make it good and so they maintaine
Monarchie and it is to be thought that had their education beene there-after they would haue shewed themselues as prompt and ready to vphold the Monarchie as they be forward and resolute to oppugne the Hierarchie 89. For the Deuill who is praecursor viae stultitiae the chiefe guide in the by-pathes of errour and folly cuius vis potestas omnis in fallendo est whose chiefe power consists in falsehoods and fallacies as appeareth both by his discourse with our innocent parent and our innocent maker and redeemer Homines in fraudem non posset inducere Lactan. l. 6. c. 7. nisi verisimilia illis ostendando and there is as much probability at least in the defence of the Popes Monarchie as in maintaining the Puritans Democracie or oppugning our Hierarchie 90. Wherefore good counsell is not amisse in this place to take heede of these fraudes not rashly to giue credite to the Polemicall writings but to stand to the truth of our owne profession and to vse our best wit and industrie to discouer their fallacies for Inter ingenium diligentiam perpaulùm loci reliquum est arti or fraudi Vse your wits and diligence Cic. de orat l 2 and their fraudes will easily appeare 91. Neither are you to wonder or much to be moued that so sleight and weake glosses should captiuate so many with a false conceit and setled imagination of this Monarchie so that they should refuse the oath of Supremacie to their true Monarch nay euen the naturall oath of Allegiance to their Liege-Lords and Soueraignes euen in their temporalties with hazard of liberty life and liuing for you know that there is not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ignorantia purae negationis cum quis simpliciter alicuius rei cognitione destitutus est such as Children and meere rustickes are subject to and such as follow and maintaine a custome in errour who are vncapable of all conclusions of arts and other faculties but there is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist ignorantia prauae dispositionis cum quis falso argumento deceptus falsam sententiam animo complectitur and so perswadeth himselfe to know that which he knowes not or not altogether as hee ought to know it 92. Now this ignorance prauae dispositionis which is common to many Students is the mother of the first of those three kindes of error which Saint Augustine mentioneth Aug. de vtil Creden c. 4. and is this Cum id quod falsum est verum putatur etiamsi aliud qui scripsit putauerit as if a man should beleeue that Radamanthus heard and determined causes in Hell which concerned the dead because Virgil saith Gnossius haec Radamantus habet durissima regna Aeneid 6. Castigatque auditque dolos which is most false and Virgil himselfe neuer beleeued it but vsed poeticall fictions to teach and delight his Readers For I assure my selfe by most euident proofes of so many sleights and shifts and falsifycations and contradictions and all manner of fallacious dealings vsed by heretickes and false teachers of the Primitiue times and imitated by Bellarmine that he beleeues no more that the Pope is the Monarch of the Church then Virgil thought that Radamanthus was the Lord chiefe-Iustice in Hell 93. I take not vpon me herein to censure his learning which I admire for vbi benè nemo doctiùs as also vbi malè nemo fallacius the former excellencie is to be found in his writings against the Anabaptists Sectaries Schismatickes of these times but especially against the Arians and Antitrinitarians in his bookes De Christo but this that I speake is to note his dishonestie symbolizing with those false Apostles in all those sleights which St. Paul notes to be vsed in his time to seduce the simple and they that through weaknesse beleeue such teachers fall into two errors Aug. Ibid. as Saint Augustine notes Quòd rem non credendam credunt neque id putandus est credidisse ille quem legunt first they beleeue that which is false and secondly they falsly imagine that their teachers beleeue it 94. I speake all this to confirme you in that truth which you professe not that I thinke any here present tainted or infected with this errour for as Saint Augustine sometimes said beholding his Auditorie Aug. in Joh. tract 39. as I doe you Quidam fortasse sunt in istâ multitudine Arriani non audeo suspicari esse Sabellianos So there may peraduenture be present in this Auditorie certaine Puritans or Precisians I doe not beleeue there is any Papist Hoeresis ista as Saint Augustine said of the Sabellians nimis antiqua est paulatìm euiscerata Poperie in this place blessed be God is antiquated by little little in processe of time euiscerated vnbowelled and the heart of it broken Arrianorum autem as he saith videtur habere aliquam motionem quasi cadaueris putrescentis aut certè vt multum quasi hominis animam agentis The Puritan error seemeth to haue but little motion in the elder sort so much as may be in a putrifying carkasse or at the most Cic. as in a man giuing vp the Ghost but Qui norunt os adolescentioris Academiae they who know the conditions of many of the younger sort qui non delectu aliquo aut sapientiâ ducitur ad iudicandum sed â—â—petu nonnunquam quadâm temeritate think that this error hath taken hold fast on many of them Aug. Ibid Oportet inde reliquos liberari sicut inde multi liberati sâ—m It were well for the peace of the Church that the rest were deliuered from that error as others haue beene and were informed that they also hold this first kinde of error that Saint Augustine mentions and I haue obserued in the Papists Id quod fatsum est verâ—m putant cum aliud qui scripserunt putauerint they hold those positions which are absurdly false and destructiue of that forme of gouernement which our Sauiour left to his Church by one extremitie of the Democracie as the Papists doe in the other extremitie of a Monarchie and yet their leaders and guides and corrupters aliud quà m scripserunt putant beleeue not as they write and instruct others but the very opposite part which they seeme to oppose as appeareth both by this their ambitious encroachment vpon the Churches honour which none affect more preposterously or abuse more corruptly as also by their fraudulent manner of writing for in some of their bookes are found mille testimonia Vincent Lirin c. 37. mille exempla mille autoritates de lege de Psalmis de Apostolis de Prophetis but yet interpreted tam nouo tam malo more that you may be assured that they were racked and strayned to this purpose euen to contradict that truth that Hierarchie which their consciences acknowledged as you may obserue to omit others in Parkers schismaticall books of the Crosse and the Church gouernement where you may obserue more Scriptures and authorities of Fathers and Councells voluntarily abused to ouerthrow that ancient Christian cerâ—monie of the Crosse in Baptisme and the Churches Hierarchie then can be found in Bellarmine to maintaine his false vsurped Monarchie 95. Both these extremities know the truth which they oppose and though they be daily conuinced yet pro animositate suae peruersitatis as Saint Augustine said of the Rogatians contra veritatem sibi notissimam dimicant Aug. Epist 48. An impiety saith he quae fortasse Idololatraim superat and wherein the Diuels triumph aboue measure dum errores suos humanis erroribus fraudes suas humanis fraudibus pascunt Aug. de Catechiz rudibus c. 19. 96. But let vs speake nothing but the truth in these and the like questions let vs heare nothing but that truth which our Sauiour deliuered who himselfe prescribed the true forme of gouernement in his Church Out of his mouth wee haue learned him who is the truth out of his mouth we haue knowne his Church which is partaker of his truth from his word interpreted by his Church we haue learned the true Church gouernement which hee instituted and which we entertaine and in which wee liue and if we make our selues not vnworthy of the continuance of so great a blessing shall by Gods good fauour remaine in the same to the worlds end Grant this Lord Iesus the great MASTER and sole Monarch the Author and establisher of it To whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be ascribed all honour praise and glory for euer and euer AMEN FINIS ERRATA PAge 7. line 25. for Monarchium reade Monarchicum P. 13. l. 14. corruption r. corruption P. 25. l. 25. Dominm r. Dominum P. 32. l. 9. to makes law r. to make lawes P. 39. l. 22. not r. non P. 53. l. 19. seruus r. seruum P. 56. l. 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 120. l. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 144. l. 22. imagine r. imagine