Abridgment of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 4 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the ſupremacie of the Sea of Rome.
1 NOW let vsus intreat of the ſupremacie of the Sea of Rome.
2 The ſtate of the queſtion is, whether it be neceſſarie for the true forme of Eccleſiaſticall order, that one Sea be aboue another both in dignitie, and power, that it may be the head of all the whole bodie.
Obiect. In the lawe there was the higheſt Prieſthood, and alſo the higheſt iudgement.
An. That which was profitable in one nation, muſt not be extended to al the whole world. Again, the higheſt prieſt was a figure of Chriſt,Chriſt neadeth no vicegerent Heb. 7.12. Whether peter wer the firſt pope but nowe the prieſthood being tranſlated vntounto Chriſt, as hee beareth the office himſelfe alone, without any vicegerent, ſo he reſigneth the ſame to none*Mat. 16.18.
3 Ob. It was ſaid to Peter: Thou art Peter, and vponupon this rocke will I build my congregation*Ioh. 21.15. Alſo, Feed my ſheep.
An. Hee made the ſame power common to the reſt. For to binde and looſe, is to retaine and forgiue ſinnes, which is done by preaching of the worde.Ioh. 20.23
4 Obiect. He promiſed the keies of the kingdome of heauen to Peter alone*Mat. 16.16..
The doctrine of the Goſpell is the keyesAn. The heauens are opened by the doctrine of the Goſpel: the ſame was common to the reſt of Peters fellowes in office, as well as to Peter.
Obiect. Peter excelleth therein, becauſe hee receiued that both with the reſt,Mat. 18.20. Ioh. 20.23 & alſo a part by him ſelfe, whiche is not giuen to the reſt but in common*.
An. Chriſt did not this to preferre one man aboue another,Cypr. de. ſimp. praelat. but that he might by this means commend the vnitie of the church*.
5 Obiect. It was not ſaid to the reſt, vponupon this rocke will I builde my church*.Mat. 16.18.
An. As if Chriſt ſpake anie other thing there of Peter,Eph. 2.20. 1 Pet. 2.6. but that which Paul and Peter himſelfe ſpake of all chriſtians*. For hee maketh Chriſt the corner ſtone vponupon whom are builded thoſe which grow to be an holie temple to the Lord.
Obiect. Hee aboue the reſt: becauſe hee hath the name properlie.
2 Conceſſion.An. Let him bee the firſt and chiefeſt of all the faithfull in feruentneſſe of ſtudie, doctrine, courage: yet he hath not power therefore ouer others.
Peters confeſſion.6 Peter had confeſſed both in his owne name & alſo in the name of his brethren, that Chriſte is the ſonne of God: vponupon this rocke doth Chriſte builde his church:1 Cor. 3.11 becauſe there is one onlie foundation, beſides which none other can be laid*.
7 If anie thing bee to bee done, hee referreth it vntounto the councell*. Hee exhorteth his fellowes in office*1 Pet. 5.1.,Act. 15.5. he doth not commaund them: beeing accuſed he purgeth himſelfe*. He was ſharplie reproued by Paul*.Act. 11.3. Gal: 2.8. 3. Grant By theſe it appeareth manifeſtlie that there was no more power in Peter, then in the reſt of the Apoſtles.
8 But admit he were chiefe among the Apoſtles, yet they were only twelue: & it was done but once. Therfore that is a miſſe made to continue for euer,Continuance of ſucceſſion that one ought alſo to bee appointed as head ouer an hundred thouſand.
Obiect. Bees and Cranes chooſe one onelie captaine and no more.A ſimilitude.
An. But they come not together out of all the whole world to chooſe one king: euerie king is content with his owne hiue.
Obiect. The Poets commend the gouernment of one.Monarchie.
An. Not becauſe one ought to gouerne all the whole world. But becauſe a kingdome cannot eaſily ſuffer two: for power cānot abide to hauehave a partner.Chriſt is the head of the church.
9 Queſt. Is it not neceſſarie that the Churche hauehave an head?
An. Chriſt himſelfe is the head of the Church, of whom the whole body being coupled and knit together in euerie ioynt, wherewith one miniſtreth to another according to the operation in the meaſure of eueryevery member, maketh encreaſe of the bodie*.Eph. 4.15.
Obiect. It is needfull that there be another miniſteriall head, to beare Chriſtes office vponupon earth.A miniſteriall head.
An. There is none ordained by Chriſt Furthermore the ſcripture giueth this honour to Chriſte alone*.Eph. 1.22. &. 4.15. &. 5.23.
10 Obiect. It is neceſſarie that there be a certaine likelihood betweene the heauenlie hyerarchie and the earthlie.
An. To play the Philoſophers and diſpute ſubtillie about both, is to be wiſe beyonde meaſure of the ſcripture.
11 But let vsus graunt that the ſupremacie was in Peter,4 Graūt. yea that it ſhould alwaies continue by perpetuall ſucceſſion: yet how wil they proue that his ſeat was ſo eſtabliſhed there, that whoſoeuer is Biſhop of that Cittie, hee ſhoulde bee ſet ouer the whole worlde?
Obiect. Peter liued at Rome, and there hee died.
An. And Chriſt liued in Ieruſalem, and there died:Deut. 34.5 and Moſes in the wilderneſſe*: yet did they not giuegive ſuch honor to the place.
12 Ob. Peter was chiefe of the Apoſtles: therefore the church wherein he ſate, ought to hauehave this priuiledge.
An. Then the church of Antioch ſhould by right chalendge to her ſelfe the ſupremacie, becauſe hee ſate firſt there.
Marcell. papa 12, q. 1. cap. Roga.Obiect. It was in times paſt the chiefe: but when Peter remoued thence hee tranſlated to Rome the honour which he brought with him.
An. If this be a priuiledge, it is either perſonall, and then it belongeth nothing to the place: or real, & when it is once giuen to a place it is not taken away againe:The maner of priuilege. or mixed, then the place ſhall not bee ſimplie conſidered vnleſſe the perſon doe alſo agree.
13 But let it bee ſo: let vsus graunt that the ſupremacie was tranſlated from Antioch to Rome:5 Graunt. yet why had not Antioch the ſecond place? But Alexandria is before Antioch.Gal. 2.9. Paul * nameth three which ſeemed to be pillers, Iames, Peter, and Iohn. If the honour of Peter the Sea of Rome hauehave the firſt place, doth not that of Epheſus & of Ieruſalem deſerue the ſecond and thirde, where Iohn & Iames ſate?
14 Howbeit that which they report of Peter his ſitting in the Churche of Rome hath no credite.Whether Peter were at Rome.
Obiect. Euſebius ſaith, that hee ruled there fiue and twentie yeares.Peters pilgrimage Gal. 1.18. &. 2.1
An. He was at Ieruſalem about twentie yeares after the death of Chriſte*, afterward hee came to Antioch, where how long he continued it is vncertaine. Gregorie reckoneth ſeuen, & Euſebius twentie yeares. But from the death of Chriſte vntill the ende of the Empire of Nero (vnderunder whom they ſay he was ſlaine) there ſhall be founde onlie ſeuen and thirtie yeares. Thereby wee perceiue and ſee that he could ſit at Rome but a ſhort time. Furthermore Paul wrote to the Romanes*,Rom. 15.25 16.3. but there is no mention made of Peter.
15 Obiect. But it is a firme opinion of writers, that hee gouerned that Churche vntyll his death.
An. Writers tell manie fables.6 Graunt. But admit it bee ſo: yet not long, becauſe his Apoſtleſhip appertained vntounto the Iewes. The ſupremacy had been meeter for Paul who was the Apoſtle of the Gentiles.
16 Furthermore,Why there was ſo great honor geuē to Rome. the men of olde time gaue ſo great honor to the church of Rome for three moſt waightie cauſes. The firſt was, becauſe it was a cō mon opinion that it was founded by Peter. Secondlie, there was the head of the Empire. Laſt of all it was quieter and leſſe troubleſome then the reſt.
17 Notwithſtanding in time of the gouernment of the olde Churche,De Simplie prel. Rome neuer had the ſupremacie ouer other Churches. Therefore let vsus conclude with Cyprian*, that the biſhoprick of Chriſt alone is vniuerſal, which comprehendeth the whole Church vnderunder him