A gagg for the new Gospell? No: a nevv gagg for an old goose VVho would needes vndertake to stop all Protestants mouths for euer, with 276. places out of their owne English Bibles. Or an ansvvere to a late abridger of controuersies, and belyar of the Protestants doctrine. By Richard Mountagu. Published by authoritie.

VIII.

That Saint Peters faith hath failed.

ANd yet Saint Peter denied Christ. Dare you deny that? Belike, in your opinion, and new diuinitie, a man may deny Christ, and his faith not fayle: Turne Turke, and his faith not faile: onely, turne Protestant and his faith faileth. But wee must hold it howsoeuer: for it is con∣trary to our owne Bible, Luke 22. 3. I haue prayed for thee that thy faith faile not.

Your Proselites may know you are an Empostor: That propose it in these words, so opposite to Scrip∣ture and euent. That leaue it so suspence, without di∣stinction. Saint Peters faith fayled, after this very prayer and assurance: and yet Christ obtained what hee did pray for. God heard him euer, how can you reconcile this?

Your Masters consider Saint Peter two wayes, euen in this prayer made by our Sauiour for him, as a pri∣uate man, as a publique person: or as they loue to speake, Head of the Church. As a priuate person, Christ did pray for him, that though his faith fell to∣tally for a time, it yet might not faile eternally, and for euer; as Iudas failed, and fell: and hee was heard in

that he prayed for. Peter denied, but repented: hee recouered after his fall, and perseuered vnto the end. Our Sauiour said not to him, thou shalt not deny mee; but, That thy faith fayle not: and that his faith did not eternally fayle, it was out of his speciall fauour vn∣to him, and care of him, saith Chrysostome hom. 83. in Math.

This is the prime, true, and literall meaning of the Text, euen in the opinion of your owne Partiaries: that Christs prayer was personall for Saint Peter: restrained vnto Saint Peter alone: which being so first setled and acknowledged, Peter may be said in a secon∣dary sense, to sustaine the person of the whole Catho∣lique Church: in which sense many, and they no Pro∣testants, doe vnderstand it. And so his Faith, that is the Faith of the Church, fayled not either totally or finally, no not in the greatest eclipse that euer was: because Christ was euer heard in that which he pray∣ed for: and he prayed for the Church.

The refiners of Popery, the quintessense of villany, the Iesuites, haue inuented a third sense to fit the pur∣pose more than the former. This promise was made, say they, to Peter, not personally, but as Pope. And therein was inferred, thereby assurance made that the Pope neuer did, neuer should, neuer could maintaine, decide, hold, belieue any thing against Faith. A thing not heard of but out of such mouthes, a late dayes. False in euent, for their faith hath failed; totally, fi∣nally, vtterly for euer. False according to themselues, and their other resolutions. For Peter was not Bishop, much lesse Pope, when our Sauiour Christ prayed for

him: insomuch as by inchoation: when hee denied Christ, saith Bellarmine. And good reason for his say∣ing so: lest his successours might fall into the same predicament. His principality in and ouer the Church, was not inuested in him, vntill after our Sauiours Resurrection. Thus hee, de Rom. Pontif. 4. 8. therefore hee did not pray for him as Pope. There∣fore Bellarmine contradicteth himselfe: and is contra∣ry to his companions. Therefore this prater gagleth hee knoweth not what, against his owne rules, and a∣gainst his Masters.

As also out of Matth. 16. 18. The gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it. It? What? Saint Peters Faith. Was the Church therefore built vpon Saint Peters Faith? Take heede of that. It, is the Church; not his Faith, nor his Person: nor his Papacy. But let it, for once, be his Faith. I answere, there is a two∣fold preuayling against. First, to ouercome: So Iosua in fight, preuayled against Amalec, by the signe of the Crosse, rather than the sword. Secondly, a pre∣uayling against, to destroy. So did Saul preuaile a∣gainst the same Amalec. The Gates of Hell did not preuayle against Peters Faith, to vndoe it. For be∣ing lapsed, hee recouered: and mightily preuayled against them. They did preuaile against it, to ouer∣come him: For he forswore and denyed his Ma∣ster. The Faith of Marcellinus and Liberius fayled: but they recouered as Saint Peter did. The Faith of Honorius, and Iohn 12 fayled: happely hee re∣canted before his death: and so his Faith did not fayle finally: But Iohn 12. liued and dyed in his

Faith; that is, in his Sinne: and so Body and Soule went to the Diuell. Saint Peters Faith fayled one∣ly for a time: Of this speake the Protestants, His Faith fayled. Saint Peters faith did not finally or ir∣recouerably fall. Thus intended our Sauiour in that saying; I haue prayed that thy Faith fayle not. But, Sir, it mattereth not much what became of his Faith: His Person is the thing to be stood vpon: his Power, Principality, Papall Prerogatiues, sea∣ted therein; this, I trow, is so cleare in holy Scrip∣tures, no great neede to fortifie it by or from the Fa∣thers: and yet I maruaile why, if so cleare, there, wee haue so few Texts of holy Scriptures for it: one∣ly two Texts; nay scarcely that: For one of these is cleare for another thing. And againe, whatsoeuer you vaunt of Fathers, needelesse to be brought, it is more than presumption, you had not one Father to fling at this Faith, not fayling: For when you haue them, you spare them not.