violence of this inexpugnable argumēt be denied, for that it breaketh the rules of Logike, making his conclusiō vniuersall, which in that figure must needes be perticular, either affirmatiue or negatiue. And so this argument inuincible, falleth into one of these two straites, either cōcluding thus, the forme wil not serue him, or cōcluding in another figure, the wordes of Chrysostome will not aunswer to his purpose, to proue that all the world was committed to Peter. Which proposition as it is strange in scripture: so neither is it the proposition of Chrysostome. And though it were, yet both without inconuenience might be graunted of vs; and being graunted, serueth his purpose nothing, so long as the proposition is not exceptiue, excluding other Apostles. For the words of Chrysostom do not so sound, that the whole world was committed to Peter onely and to none other. Likewise then as it may be well affirmed of vs, that the world was committed to Peter, so can it not be denied of them, that the world was also committed to Iohn, Iames, Bartholomew, Paule, Barnabe, and other all and singular Apostles.MarginaliaThe worlde was committed as well to other Apostles as to Peter.For he that said to Peter, Feede my sheepe, said also to all and singular his Apostles: Go into all the world & preach, &c. Math. vlt. Moreouer, for as much as this man collecteth out of Chrysostome, that the whole world was committed to Peter, how shall we then ioyne this meaning of Chrysostome wth S. Paule,MarginaliaA place of Chrisostome examined by S. Paule.which sayth that the Gospel was committed to Peter ouer the circumcision, as was Paule ouer the vncirumcision? And here an answer to this doughtie argument, both to the forme, & to the matter thereof, albeit concerning the matter, here lacketh much to be said more of Peters successours in the text of Chrysostome. By the which successoursMarginaliaThe successours of Peter.is not ment the bishop of Rome onely (as the Papists would beare vs in hand) but all such true and faithfull Pastors, whom the Lordes calling sendeth, and setteth ouer his flocke; where so euer, or whatsoeuer they be. For as Peter beareth a representation of the church, by the testimonie of August. in Ioan. tract 124. Præfat. in Psal. 108.MarginaliaAugust. in Ioan. tract. 124.so the successours of Peter be all faithfull Pastors and ouerseers of Christes Church, to whom Christ our Lord hath committed the charge of his flocke. Wherefore they are not a little deceiued, which looking vpō the rocke onely of the person, and not the rock of confession (contrary to the rule of Hilarie, De trinit. lib. 6.MarginaliaHilarius. lib. 6.) doe tie the Apostleship or rocke of Peter, to one onely Bishop, and the succession of Peter to one onely sea of Rome: where as this being a spiritual office, and not carnall, hath no such carnall race or discent after any worldly or locall vnderstanding: but hath a more mysticall meaning, after a spirituall sense of succession, such as Hierome speaketh of, epist. ad Euagrium.MarginaliaHierony. Epist. ad Euagrium.Omnes, inquit, Apostolorum successores sunt &c.  

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Gregory the Great and his epistle: citation from St. Jerome

Foxe text Latin

Omnes, inquit, Apostolorum successores sunt. &c. Hierony. epist. ad Euagri?.

Foxe text translation

All, sayth he (speaking of Byshops) be successours of the Apostles. &c.

Actual text of Jerome

P.L. Vol. 22. Col. 1194

Caeterum omnes Apostolorum successores sunt.

Comment

Accurate citation and translation.

Of like force and fashion, and out of the same figure, the same Author patcheth moreouer another argument, proouing that the Bishop of Rome was tituled the head of Christes church, in the primitiue time of the old aunciters, before the age of Gregory. His argument procedeth thus, in the third figure.MarginaliaAn argument of the Papistes.

S. Peter was called by the auncient fathers, head of Christes church.

S. Peter was bishop of Rome:

Ergo, the bishop of Rome was called head of þ^e Church in the old auncient tyme.

This argument expositorie, beyng clouted vp in the third figure, and concluding singularly, hath rather a shew of an argumēt, then maketh any necessarie conclusiō,MarginaliaAunswere to the argument.standing vpon no moode in the said figure, if the Author thereof were put to his triall. Albeit to leaue the forme, and to come to the matter of the argument. First, how wel he wil dispatch himselfe of the Maior, & prooue vs that S. Peter, although he were at Rome, and taught at Rome, and suffred at Rome: yet that he was bishop and proper Ordinarie of that citie and speciall sea of Rome? As touching the allegation of Abdias, Orosius, Ado, Tertullian, Cyprian, Hierome,MarginaliaOsorius, Tertul. lib. de præscript aduer, hære. Cypri lib. 1. Epist. 3. Hier. in catal. & Epist. 42.Optatius, and Augustine, brought forth for his most aduantage, to prooue his Maior: thus I answer cōcerning Orosius, Tertullian, Cyprian, Hierome, and Augustine, that where they speake of S. Peters chaire, or planting þ^e faith at Rome; straightway this man argueth thereupon, that Peter was Bishop of Rome. But that doth not clarkely follow. For the office of the Apostles was to plant the faith in all places, and in euery regiō, yet were they not bishops in euery region. And as for the chaire, as it is no difference essentiall that maketh a bishop (for so much as a Doctour may haue a chaire, and yet be no bishop) so cannot he conclude by the chaire of Peter, that S. Peter was Bishop of Rome. For all this proueth no farther, but that Peter was at Rome, and there taught the fayth of Christ, as Paul didalso, and peraduenture in a chayre likewise: yet we say not that Paule was therefore Bishop of Rome. But that he was there as an Apostle of Christ, whether he taught there standing on his feete, or sittyng in a chayre. In the Scripture commonly the Chaire signifieth doctrine or iudgement; as sitting also declareth such as teach or iudge, whether they sit in the chaire of Moyses, or in the chaire of pestilence. Planting likewise is a worde Apostolicall, and signifieth not onely the office of a Bishop. Wherefore it is no good consequent, he sate, he taught, he planted at Rome, his chaire and seate was at Rome: Ergo, he was Bishop of Rome. And thus much touchyng Orosius, Tertullian, Cyprian, Augustine.

As for Abdias, Ado, Optatus, and such other, although we should haue much wrong offered, and neuer should make an ende, if we should be prest with the authoritie of euery one that could or did mooue pen, in all the whole first age of the church, to be our iudges in euery ecclesiasticall matter: and much more wrong should haue, if the authors either corrupted, or counterfaited, should be layd vnto vs, speaking not in the same sense, or in the same tongue, or in the same time wherin they wrote: yet to helpe and to salue the authorities of these authors so much as we may, I answer to their allegations, with this distinction of a bishop, which is to be taken either generally or specially.MarginaliaA double taking of the word Bishop.After the first, a bishop is he to whom so euer the publike cure and charge of soules is committed, without any limitation of place. And so the name of Bishop is concident with the office of Apostle, or any publique Pastour, Doctour, or Curator of the vniuersall flocke of Christ. And thus may Paule, Peter, or any other of the Apostles be called Bishops. So also is Christ himselfe by expresse worde called xxx and xxx , that is, Bishop and Pastor, 1. Peter. 2.MarginaliaChrist himselfe a Byshop.And thus may Peter wel be named a bishop of these foresaid authors after this maner of taking. But this publike and generall charge vninersally ouer the whole, without limitation, ceased after Christ and the Apostles. For then were bishops by places and prouinces appointed, to haue speciall ouersight of some perticular flock or prouince, and so to be resident and attendant onely vpon the same.

The other diuersitie of this name bishop, is to be taken after a more speciall sort, which is, when any person orderly called, is assigned, namely & specially to some one certain place, citie, or prouince, wherunto he is only bound to employ his office & charge, and no where els, according to the old Canons of the Apostles, and of the Councell of Nice.MarginaliaCanon. Apost. 23. 14. 34. Con. Nice. cap. 15. Concil. Antioch. cap. 3. 13.And this Bishop differing from the other, is called Episcopus intitulatus, hauing his name of his citie or Dioces. And thus we deny that Peter the Apostle was euer Bishop elected, installed, or intituled to the Citie of Rome; neyther doth Optatus, Abdias, Ado, or Hierome affirme the same.MarginaliaPeters being at Rome.And if Ado say that Peter was bishop of Rome 25. yeares, vntill the last yeare of Nero, that is easilie refuted both by the Scriptures and Histories: for so we vnderstand by the declaration of Saint Paule, Gal. 1. 2. that 14. yeares after his conuersion, Saint Paule had Peter by the hand at Hierusalem.

Moreouer, the said Paule in the foresaid Epistle, witnesseth, that þ^e charge Apostolical was cōmitted vnto Peter ouer the Circumcised, and so was he intituled. Also S. Paule writing to the Romains, in his manifold salutations to them in Rome, maketh no mentiō there, of S. Peter, which doubtles should not haue bene vnremembred, if he had bene then in Rome. Againe S. Peter dating his Epistle from Babilon, was not then belike at Rome.

Furthermore, histories doe record, that Peter was at Pontus v. yeares, and at Antioch. 7. yeares. How could he then be 25. yeares at Rome? Finally, where our aduersary alleaging out of Ado, saith, that S. Peter was there 25 yeres, vntil the last yere of Nero. how can that stand, when S. Paule suffering vnder Nero, was put to death the same day tweluemonth, that is, a whole yeare after Peter, &c. But especially how agreeth this with Scripture, that Christ should make Peter an Apostle vniuersall to walke in all the world: Item per vniuersum orbem. Item, Eritis mihi testes vsque ad fines terræ. &c.  

Latin/Greek Translations     Close

Gregory the Great and his epistle

Foxe text Latin

Item per vniuersum orbem. Item, Eritis mihi testes vsque ad fines terræ. &c.

Foxe text translation

Not translated

Translation

John Wade

University of Sheffield

Go throughout the whole world. Likewise, You will be witnesses for me to the ends of the earth.

Comment

This seems to be a reference to Acts Chapter 1, Verse 8

sed accipietis virtutem supervenientis Spiritus Sancti in vos et eritis mihi testes in Hierusalem et in omni Iudaea et Samaria et usque ad ultimum terrae

And thus haue I resolued the first vntrueth of that Popish demonstration aboue rehearsed, Pag. 14. wherein they thinke to proue that as Peter, although hee was not called vniuersall Apostle, yet was the head of the whole Churche: so the Pope might and hath had after him the charge of the whole Church, although he was not called vniuersall Bishop in the old tyme. &c.

Now followeth the second vntrueth to be touched in the