A iustification of the Church of England Demonstrating it to be a true Church of God, affording all sufficient meanes to saluation. Or, a countercharme against the Romish enchantments, that labour to bewitch the people, with opinion of necessity to be subiect to the Pope of Rome. Wherein is briefely shewed the pith and marrow of the principall bookes written by both sides, touching this matter: with marginall reference to the chapters and sections, where the points are handled more at large to the great ease and satisfaction of the reader. By Anthony Cade, Bachelour of Diuinity.

§. 7.

But there is one poore castle more which hee la∣boureth to hold, though very weakely, that is in Iohn 21.15. where it appeareth, saith hee, that Christ gaue more to Saint Peter then to the other Apostles, for hee said vnto him, Louest thou mee more then these? and then addes, Feed my sheepe. To him that loued more, he gaue more, to wit, the care of his whole Flocke, euen the care ouer his brethren Apostles, making him generall Pastor ouer them also: for there can no cause or rea∣son

be imagined (saith Bellarmine) why vpon Peters an∣swere of his singular loue aboue the rest, Christ should singularly say to him Pasce oues meas, if he gaue him not something aboue the rest.

To which, we say, the Fathers shew another cause or reason: Peter had denied Christ more then the rest, and being forgiuen, was to loue more then the rest, (Luk. 7.43.47.) and therefore Christ vrged him singu∣larly, by thrice asking (Louest thou mee?) answerable to his three denials, to performe the office enioyned in generall to all the Apostles. So saith Cyril, Because he denyed him thrice at his Passion, therefore there is a threefold confession of loue required of him: and so the glosse: and Saint Augustine saith, A threefold con∣fession answereth to a threefold negation, that the tongue may expresse as much in loue, as it did in feare. And so in very truth, Christs words were rather a stay of Peters weakenesse, then a marke of his worthinesse, or a proofe of his supremacy.

Thus we haue the onely place of Scripture (where∣upon Bellarmine insisteth) of performance and bestow∣ing supremacy particularly vpon Peter: and that not a plaine and euident place of Scripture, or by deduction of euident reason (such as necessary points of diuinity should haue,) but onely their owne infirme, and vn∣sound interpretation: a poore and weake ground of so great a building. The transcendent supremacy of the Pope of Rome ouer the whole Church of Christ, and the many Doctrines and practises that depend thereup∣on, haue no other ground in Scripture but this, their owne conceited and forced interpretation of this place, [Peter louest thou mee more then these? Feed my sheepe:] that is, Take thou authority more then these, to make thy successors aboue all theirs, heads of the vniuersall Church, with such power, as themselues shall list to take or exercise.

Antiq. I cannot but ingenuously confesse this infe¦rence

to be weake indeed, and it doth much amaze me, and makes me quake and stagger, to consider how con∣fidently I haue beene perswaded that the Scripture is most plaine and euident for the Popes supremacy, and now to see that nothing of any moment can thence be alleadged for it.

Notes

• Bellar. de Rom. pontif. l. 1. c. 12. •• vt autem. See D. Field. Church, book •• chap 22.
• Cyril. super Ioan. lib. 12. cap. 64. Augustin. tract. in Ioan. 123. See this large∣ly handled be∣twixt Raynolds & Hart. p. 135. & seq.
• Bellarmin saith De iustif••t 3. c. 8. initio. Non po∣test aliquid cer∣tum esse certitu∣dine fidei, nisi aut immediate contineatur in verho Dei, aut ex verbo Dei per euidentem consequentiam deducatur, &c.