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The power which our saui∣oure gaue to S. Peter ouer his churche militante was giuen him, as likewise the power giuen to other Apostles: to the consūma∣tion* 1.1 of the saintes, to the edif••nge of the bodye of Christ. vntill we all meete in the vnitie of saith & knowledge of the sonn of god. as S. Paule testifiethe, and therfore to continue in the churche, soe longe as the chur∣che is to continue.
which is also prooued by that: Vpon this Rocke will I build my chur∣che, and by that: feed my sheepe: for so longe as the buildinge of the churche cōtinueth, or the flock of christe is to be fed which will be to the end of the world: so long must the rock wherupon the churche is built, and the pa∣stours who must feede the shepe continue: But this cannot be in S. Peters personn: therfore in his successoures: see S. Augu∣stin his wordes before in that positione, that the true chur∣che can neuer want a lawfull personnall successione, of pa∣stores, vpon these wordes of the psalme 44. For thy fathers are borne sonnes to thee.
And S Chriso. who. saith: why* 1.2 did oure lord shed his blood? surely to redeeme those sheepe the cure wherof he commited to Peter, ād also to his successoures
Now, that the Bishope of Rome is the lawfull and lineall successoure of S. Peter is as au∣thentically and euidently pro∣ued as that Lewis the 13. of Fran∣ce is lineall successoure to Hu∣ghe* 1.3 Capet or his maiestié of In∣gland to wiliam the cōquerour S. Ireneus, Optatus, S. Epi∣phanius, and S. Augustin, doe deriue the successione of the bis∣hopes of Rome from S. Peter vntill the bishopes that liued •• theyr tymes. Besides Eusebius,* 1.4 or S. Hierosme, Prosper, and all such as haue written the cro∣nicles of ecclesiasticall affayres, doe not omitt to continue the Bishopes of Rome vntill theyr* 1.5 owne dayes And soe wel is this successione knowne that M. Fulke sayethe, wee can coumpt it on our fingares.
And S. Augustine doubteth not to saye, that the succession of preistes
from the seat of Peter, (to whom our* 1.6 lorde after his resurrection commen∣ded his sheepe to be fed) vntil that pre¦sent Bishopp held him within the lapp of the churche.
Ephesiās cap. 4. vs. 12. 13.
Lib. 2. de Sace.
a. lib. 3. cap. 3. b. lib. 2. against parmea niane c. here∣sie. 27. d. epla. 65.
ansvver to a coū∣terfai∣te catho∣pa. 27.
Contra epla••n. funda∣menti. cap. 4.