built upon him, it must have fallen with him; secondly, as upon a publique person and supreme Pastor, who is to have successors, to whom constancie in faith is promised, by which they shal uphold the Church: and so the Church dyeth not with Peter, but keepeth her standing upon successors. And because Peter and his successors, by their indeficient faith, in which as supreme pastors they shal never erre, do uphold the Church, therefore the Fathers alleaged sometimes say that the Church is builded on Peter, sometimes on his faith, as it is the faith of the supreme head: which in effect is al one. For if Peter upholde the Church by his indeficient faith which he teacheth, then Peter upholdeth the Church, as he hath assured faith, and his faith upholdeth the Church, not howsoever but as it is the faith of Peter, and the supreme head, whose faith especially which he teacheth out of his chaire (that is, not as a particular man only, proposing his opinion; but as a publique Doctor and chiefs Pastor) defineth and commandeth what al Christians ought to beleeve, shal never faile; and consequently the Church which relyeth on his definition, though she may be shaken, yet shal never be overthrowne.'[1]
In a work published by S. N., Doctor of Divinity, 1634, we read: 'The same is proved by all such texts as convince that the head or chief Bishop of the Church cannot err in defining matters of faith. "Simon, Simon, Satan hath desired you that he might winnow you as wheat, but I have prayed for
- ↑ A Survey of the New Religion, set forth by Matthew Kellison, first book, chap. vi. p. 74. Doway, 1605.
