But,1 for as much as they seem to make greatest account of these words of Christ,2 Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I vvil build my Church, Therefore for answer hereunto,3 understand thou good Christian Reader, that the Old Catholic Fathers,4 have written & pronounced, not any Mortal man as Peter was,5 but Christ him self, the Son of God to be this Rock. Gregorius Nyssenus saith, Tu es Petrus &c. Thou art Peter, and upon this Rock I vvil build my Church. He meaneth the Confession of Christ: for he had said before: Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God. So saith S. Hilarie, Haec est una fo•lix fidei Petra,6 quam Petrus ore suo confessus est. This is that only Blessed Rock of Faith, that Peter confessed with his mouth. Again he saith: Upon this Rock of Peters Confession,7 is the building of the Church. So Cyrillus, Petra nihil aliud est, quàm firma, & inconcussa Discipuli Fides. The Rock is nothing else, but the strong,8 and assured Faith of the Disciple. So likewise Chrysostom, Super hanc Petrā, ⟨p. 222⟩id e•t, In hac Fide, & Confessione aedificabo Ecclesiam mean. Upon this Rock, that is to say,9 upon this Faith, and this Confession I will build my Church. Likewise S. Augustine, Petra erat Christus, super quod fundamentum etiam aedificatus est Petrus. Christe was the Rock, upon which foundation Peter him self was also built. And addeth further bisides, Non me aedificabo super te: sed te aedificabo super me. Christ saith unto Peter, I will not build me self upon thee: but I will build thee upon me. Al these Fathers be plain: but none so plain as Origen. His words be these, Petra est, quicunque est Discipulus Christi: Et super talem petrā construitur omnis Ecclesiastica Doctrina. Quod si super unū illum Petrum tantùm existimas aedificari totā Ecclesiā ▪ quid dicturus es de Johanne Filio Tonitrui, & Apostolorum unoquoque? Num audebimus dicere, quòd aduersus Petrum unum non praevaliturae sint portae Inferorum? An solely Petro dan•ur a Christo Claves Regni Co•lorum? He is the Rock, who so ever is the Disciple of Christ: And Upon such a Rock all Ecclesiastical learning is built. If thou think, that the whole Church is built only upon Peter,10 what then wilt thou say of John, the Son of the Thunder, and of every of the Apostles?
But,1 for as muche as they seeme to make greatest accompte of these woordes of Christe,2 Thou art Peter, and vpon this rocke I vvil builde my Churche, Therefore for answeare herevnto,3 vnderstande thou good Christian Reader, that the Olde Catholique Fathers,4 haue written & pronounced, not any Mortal man as Peter was,5 but Christe him selfe, the Sonne of God to be this Rocke. Gregorius Nyssenus saith, Tu es Petrus &c. Thou arte Peter, and vpon this Rocke I vvil builde my Churche. He meaneth the Confession of Christe: for he had saide before: Thou arte Christe, the Sonne of the liuinge God. So saith S. Hilarie, Haec est vna fo•lix fidei Petra,6 quam Petrus ore suo confessus est. This is that onely Blessed Rocke of Faithe, that Peter confessed with his mouthe. Againe he saith: Vpon this Rocke of Peters Confession,7 is the buildinge of the Churche. So Cyrillus, Petra nihil aliud est, quàm firma, & inconcussa Discipuli Fides. The Rocke is nothinge els, but the stronge,8 and assured Faithe of the Disciple. So likewise Chrysostome, Super hanc Petrā, ⟨p. 222⟩id e•t, In hac Fide, & Confessione aedificabo Ecclesiam meā. Vpon this Rocke, that is to say,9 vpon this Faithe, and this Confession I wil builde my Churche. Likewise S. Augustine, Petra erat Christus, super quod fundamentum etiam aedificatus est Petrus. Christe was the Rocke, vpon which •undation Peter him selfe was also builte. And addeth further bisides, Non me aedificabo super te: sed te aedificabo super me. Christe saithe vnto Peter, I wil not builde mee selfe vpon thee: but I wil builde thee vpon mee. Al these Fathers be plaine: but none so plaine as Origen. His woordes be these, Petra est, quicunque est Discipulus Christi: Et super talem petrā construitur omnis Ecclesiastica Doctrina. Quod si super vnū illum Petrum tantùm existimas aedificari totā Ecclesiā quid dicturus es de Iohanne Filio Tonitrui, & Apostolorum vnoquoque? Num audebimus dicere, quòd aduersus Petrum vnum non praeualiturae sint portae Inferorum? An soli Petro danur a Christo Claues Regni Colorum? He is the Rocke, who so euer is the Disciple of Christe: And Vpon suche a Rocke al Ecclesiastical learninge is builte. If thou thinke, that the whole Churche is builte onely vpon Peter,
- 1Math. 16.
- 2Mark. 8.Marke. 8.
- 3Luke. 9.
- 41. Corinth. 10.
- 5Gregor. Nyssen. in Testimonijs delectis exveteri testam.
- 6Hilar. de Trini. •i. 2.
- 7Hilar. de Trini. li. 6.
- 8Cyril. de Trini. li. 4.
- 9Chrysostom. in Matthae. hom. 55. De Verbis Domini secundum Matthae. Serm. 13 Origen. in Matthae. tracta. 1.
- 10Marc. 3▪
