Reims Against Rome, Propositions · Proposition 20
XX. Propoſition. That Peter was the onelyonly Vicar of Chriſt here on Earth:
Confuted by their owne Bible.
FOr Vicaradge vntounto Chriſt properly ſo taken, it teacheth vsus, That Ieſus Chriſt, going out of the world, promiſed to ſubſtitute in his roome, not any Peter, nor any man, but ſuch a one as could bee eueryevery where with his Church, in his bodily abſence, which was his holy Spirit, Ioh. 15. 26. & 16. 7. And by this would hee be euer with them, Math. 28. 19, 20. & 18. 20. to remember them of all things, Ioh. 14. 26. to guide them, Ioh. 16. 13. and to dwell with them, Ioh. 14 17. Rom. 8. 9. which a Peter could not doe.
Secondly, it telleth vsus, that according to this promiſe, when Chriſt aſcended, hee ſent downe his Spirit, Act. 2. by which Gods people are ſtill guided and taught, Rom. 8. 1, 5, 9. 11, 14, 26. 1. Cor. 2. 10, 12. 1. Ioh. 2. 20, 27. which beareth witneſſe to our ſpirits, that wee are Gods children, Rom. 8. 16. Gal. 4. 6. by which wee are ſealed to eternall life, 2. Cor. 1. 12. Epheſ. 1. 13.
Thirdly, it declareth vntounto vsus, that when Chriſt aſcended, hee was mindfull of his Church, and gaue gifts vntounto men: Some, toEpheſ. 4. 12. be Apoſtles; ſome, Prophets; ſome, Euangeliſts; ſome, Paſtors, and Teachers: but among theſe, no one generall Vicar, or Head ouer all. If there had beene ſuch a one, Paul had as good reaſon to hauehave mentioned him, as the reſt. But his Vicar generall was Gods Spirit, and no man. And note, that the Apoſtle ſhewes a threefold vſe of theſe afore-named. 1. For that they were the conſummation of the Saints. 2. For the worke of the Miniſterie. 3. For the edifying of the body of Chriſt.
Now, if a generall viſible Vicar on earth had ſerued for any of theſe purpoſes, hee had been giuen of Chriſt: but he needed not, and therefore this needleſſe gift was not giuen to any.
As for a ſupply of Inſtructers, Guides, and Lights in the Church Militant, wee deny not, but Chriſt hath left many Vicars, and doth ſtill ſend dayly Embaſſadours to his Church, to reconcile vsus to God. And ſo our Biſhops, and other Miniſters of the Church, by the Keyes of power and knowledge, open the way of Heauen to Chriſtian people, which they doe in Chriſts ſtead, and therein are his Vicars, or Deputies, lawfully called. But this Vicaradge is too ſmall a portion for Sir Pope.
Contraried by Antiquitie.
Tertul. de violand. Virgin. The Lord ſent the Holy Ghoſt, that mans mediocritie, not being capable of all things at one time, might by little and little bee directed, orderly diſpoſed, and brought to perfection, by that Ʋicar his holy Spirit. Alſo in his Booke, de praeſcript. hee ſaith, that Chriſt taken vp into heauen, ſent the power of his holy Spirit, as his Ʋicar, to conduct the faithfull. Wee ſee in theſe dayes, who was held the Vicar of Chriſt.
Gaineſaid by their owne men.
Aquinas in Opuſc. 20. calleth all the Apoſtles the Vicars of Chriſt.
Tolet. in Ioh. 20. 21. ſaith, that Chriſt inſtituted his Apoſtles, his Ʋicars. How then was Peter his Vicar? for their cannot be a Vicars Vicar. If Peter was then the Vicar of Chriſt, they could not be Vicars too; and, by theſe mens teſtimonie, they being Vicars, he was not Chriſts onelyonly Vicar.
Now then I conclude, that if Peter was not the Prince of the Apoſtles, nor the Head of the Church, nor Chriſts onelyonly generall Vicar here on earth, then the Pope cannot poſſibly bee any of theſe. For he claimeth all from Peter, as being his onelyonly ſucceſſor. Therefore Peter neuer hauing theſe from Chriſt, as is fully proued, the Pope cannot hauehave them. But if it could be proued, that Peter had all theſe (which yet is moſt falſe:) what were that to the Pope: by what right could hee claime them? when al the Papiſts in the world are not able, by vndeniable arguments, to proue; 1. That Peter was euer (after he was ChriſtsSee my Booke: The fabulous foundation of the Popedome Diſciple) perſonally at Rome. 2. That albeit hee had beene at Rome, therefore (already being an Apoſtle) hee was the Biſhop of Rome, an inferiour Dignitie. 3. That whatſoeuer was giuen to Peter, the ſame was alſo giuen to the Pope, ſucceſſiuely to the worlds end. 4. That the Pope is truely Peters ſucceſſor, both in Doctrine, and life. 5. That theſe laſt Popes, for many hundred yeeres, are one and the ſame with the Biſhops of Rome in the firſt three hundred of yeeres, for Doctrine and conuerſation, following Peter therein. Till theſe be proued ſoundly, though Peter had been, that which they ſtriue to make him: yet is the Pope neuer the better; but a proud and an arrogant vſurper of Titles and Authoritie not due to him.