vertuous neuer so good and holy and sit neuer so lowe But what saieth the spirite of God He that is proude and will not obey the highe pristes commaundemeÌ„t for it is onelye one that is to saye the chief priest whom he speaketh of there let him die And be ye sure the death in hell is prepared for all suche at the ende ¶ The fifte probation Not onely Ireneus S. Ciprian and S. Augustine declaclare the preeminence of sainte Peter and his successors how the establyshement of our hole fayth doeth depende thereupon and all heresies do springe of the coÌ„trarie but also all and euerye one of Peter his successours in that seate haue confirmed and established y t hyghe Authoritie which thinge they would neuer haue done being so holy men many of them eueÌ„ martirs of Christ withoute anye spotte of ambition no nor could haue ben suffred to haue done if they had not had that verye preeminence by Christe hym selfe But now let vs here some of their testimonies ¶ Anacletus the Martyr disciple and successor to S. Peter in hys sea Let all harde causes which be of greate importaunce be brought before the apostolical sea of Rome as vnto the head there to be determined and defyned For so Christe hym selfe dyd ordeyne it and so woulde haue it For onelye he dyd appointe that the Apostolical sea of Rome shoulde be the chiefe and heade and euen the verye henge of all For as by the henge the doore is gouerned and ruled so by Christes appointment all churches muste be gouerned and ruled by the authoritie of the Apostolicall sea of Rome ¶ Euaristus hys successor in in the sea of Rome also a holy martyr Your wysedomes desyryng of vs to be instructed folowiÌ„g the ecclesiasticall rule haue referred al to the Apostolical sea as vnto the heade rather willyng in doutful thynges to be taught what to kepe theÌ„ rashlye by vsurpation to presume after your owne phancies ¶ Alexander martir and next successor to Euaristus in the sea of Rome Relation is made saith he vnto this holy sea whereunto the decisinge of all great ecclesiastical coÌ„trouersies by christe him selfe was geuen he saying to Peter the prince of the Apostels thou art Peter c. That certen enemies of christ do presume to accuse the Priestes of God before the publyke and comen iudges ¶ Sixtus martir and next successor in the sea of rome Sixtus Bushop of the vniuersall and apostolicall church vnto al bishoppes sendeth gretinge c. If any of you be iniured or wronged it shalbe lawfull for him to appeale to thys holy sea apostolyke to haue refuge here vnto as vnto the head For the holye aposteles willed bade that all Bishoppes should be defeÌ„ded and holpen in their right by the authoritye of this holy sea ¶ Thelespherus Igenius holy martires in the same sea apostolike next successoures vnto Sixtus the one after the other These .ii. holy martires iÌ„ their epistels haue euen the same 〈◊〉 effecte that their predecessour Sixtus did publishe Pius the next successouâ— This moste holye father about the obseruing the feast of Ester thus doth wryte vnto al places of christendome We by oure apostolike authoritie do institute decree that ye kepe the feaste of Ester as we receued of oure elders haue appointed vnto you RemeÌ„ber y t you the meÌ„bers by no meanes must disseÌ„t froÌ„ vs beyng youre head seynge Christe commanded thys oure Apostolicall sea to be the head of all seas c. ¶ Victor a holy Martyr and after successor in the same Thys holy martyr and Bisshoppe of Rome concernynge the breakers of the ordour taken for the sayd feast of Easter sendeth a sharpe excomunication agaynste all the transgressours ¶ The same Victor in a certen epistel vnto Theophilus and to all other in Alexandria The Ecclesiastical decree receyued eueÌ„ froÌ„ Peters tune coÌ„cerniÌ„g appellatioÌ„s to be made vnto y e appostolical sea of rome oughte to be obserued so that we wyll that you defyne nothynge therin wythout our authoritie seyng that Christ sayd only to Peter whose place we nowe kepe what so euer thou losest in earth c. Marke here now I besech you All these holy mens testimonyes and iudgementes concernynge thys oure matter of the primacy These meÌ„ sought not their own as Paule hath to the Philippians but that whiche was Iesus Christes These men receyued it by succession as ye haue hearde one euer of another goynge before euen receyued it as it were by hande And euer synce these holy fathers thus dyd beleue and thus dyd teache all christendoÌ„ hath and stil doeth beleue and teache the same doctrine As I coulde proue and trye froÌ„ thys holy martir Victors tyme eueÌ„ tyll this daye But no man I thynke will denye that for all y e difficultie as heretikes take the matter is to proue it in the begynnyng But that I trust in God is here now sufficiently proued And yet beside all these testimonies S. Clement saieth that S. Peter hymselfe with his owne mouth gaue hiÌ„ that highe authoritie aboue al other Symon Peter saieth he before his death toke me by the hande sayinge these wordes to all the people then present This man I leaue to be Bishoppe of this city of Rome I geue to hym the power that christ gaue to me to lose bind that whatsoeuer he decreth in earth the same shalbe decreed and approued in the heauens Nicen councel also in the .xviii. Canon commaundith all appellations to bee made to the sea of Rome Therefore here now I would wish y t the SwiÌ„glians Ecolampadians Lutherans withal y e whole rable which counte all equal would trye their doctrine w t this se howe they stande together in fygure They saye the Popes Authoritie was but a thynge inueÌ„ted of late daies that only by man but this proffe here trieth y t it was fouÌ„ded euen froÌ„ the beginning that by christ Se nowe who here in is to be beleued y e truth or falsed right or wrong God or the deuyl ¶ The sixt probation All which professe christ truly are membres of Christes ecclesiastical body vnder hym as head whether they be priestes or lay men Emperours kinges or byshoppes this no maÌ„ denieth I am sure but they caÌ„ not be couÌ„ted to be vnder christ as their cheif head which wilfully do breake the order that he toke when he was here in earth whiche order was that Peter should be lafte as head vnder him ouer all hys flocke as I haue and shall proue it sufficieÌ„tly in this smal boke by gods mercyful assistance whether they be of y e laitie or of the clergie If thou wilt be one of christes shepe whether thou be kiÌ„g or eÌ„peror y â— must be vnder his shepeherde It were a moÌ„struous â—yghte to se the shepe rule the shepherd Nowe yf ye say thautoritie of Emperours
only shew to him as to the heade and chiefe of all the vision of ceasing the legals and that in the storye folowinge prayer was made of thole coÌ„gregacion for Peter where as we rede not y e like done for any other ¶ The .xxi. probacion S. Dionise S. Paules dissciple nameth Peter supremuÌ„ the highest also he nameth hym culmen the toppe aboue all other ¶ The .xxii. probation S. Clement disciple and successor to S. Peter saith y t christ gaue not equall power lyke authoritie to all the Apostels indiffereÌ„tly But he appointed one y t is to saye Peter aboue al other And after S. ClemeÌ„t Ireneus affirmeth the see of Rome to be the head see of all other c. ¶ The .xxiii. probation Tertulian asketh whether anye thing was hyd from Peter the stone where vpoÌ„ Christ dyd builde his church Christe gaue to him saith he to be the stone or rocke of his churche he gaue to him y â— keyes of the kiÌ„gdome of heaueÌ„s he gaue to him power iÌ„ heaueÌ„s which all seynge he gaue to Peter alone who wil deny him to be chieffe of al the other he alone was ordeined to be the stone to him alone y e keyes were geuen he alone receiued the power in the heauens ¶ The .xxiiii. probation Origen saith let none saye Iohn was greatter then Peter which both is called and is the top of al other Agayne he saith Christe sayd to the great foundacioÌ„ of the church to the moste sure stone where vpon he did founde his churche O thou of lytle faith why didest thou doubte ¶ The .xxv. probation S. Ciprian that holye Martir saâ—th that the vnity of the churche dothe depende of the vnity of Peters authoritie and he sayth also that vpoÌ„ Peter whom Christ did chose first not in calling but in dignity he buylded his churche and he answered for all oft times Again he saith y t the see of Rome is y e roote mother of al churches al heresies schisms do spring onely of that that men will not obey the head bishop And moreouer he sayth y t christes churche was to be builded vpon Peter What can be said more playnly then this for the confirmacioÌ„ of Peters authorytye and his successours ¶ The .xxvi. probacion S. Hillari doth highly set forth S. Peters authoritie his dignity calling him y e foundatioÌ„ of Christes church And so likewise doth Ciril callinge him the prince head of thappostels And also in an other place saying In petro taÌ„que in petra lapideque firmissimo suaÌ„ esset edificaturus ecclesiam In peter as in the rocke and moste sure stone Christ would buylde his churche Rursê° apostoli inquit post ascensionem Petrum loco domini habuerunt et in signum huius subiectionis prius seorsum ei datae vel promisse sunt claues c. ¶ The .xxvii. probation Chrisostome in sundry places doeth greatlye extolle Peters authorytye In one place he saithe Peter was y e head of thapostels In an other place he saith Peter a pore fessher a simple man Christ made the shepherd the mouth of Thappostels master of the worlde and head of his church whom for this cause Paule went to Ierusalem for to se c. Would he then haue hys churche to haue a head since to be withoute God forbid ¶ The .xxviii. probation The holy father Athanasius writinge to Liberius affirmeth that the cure of the vniuersal church was committed to him as it was to al his predecessours successours also in y e see of Rome And in many mo Epistels which the said Athanasus sent vnto Marke vnto Felix other he proueth very largelye the lyke primacye of Peter and al his successours ¶ The .xxix. probation Eusebius affirmeth Peter to be greatest to be chefest principal of all Thappostels And Sozomneus also an olde godlye Historiographer euen about the time of IuliaÌ„ thappostata writeth y t the Byshop of Rome had cure and charge ouer al Byshopes bothe of the Easte and of the weste church bicause of the excelleÌ„ce dignitye saith he of his see Wherefore socrates an other auncieÌ„t and holy Historiographer affirmeth that the holy Canons euen in the beginning did forbyd that any thinge should be concluded in any councel without the Byshope of Romes authoritye ¶ The .xxx. probation Holy Basil saith that Peter bycause he did excel other in faith therfore the church was builded vpon him And Theophilus also writeth that Peter to whome thee cure of all the church was committed asketh Christ whether he tolde that parable Lu. to them alone or to al ¶ The .xxxi. probation Saint Ambrose saith that Peter was the stone wherevpoÌ„ Christ did bild his church Christ saith he called him the stone bicause he firste laied the foundacion of faithe amonge the heathens and bycause like an immouable rocke coÌ„teineth or vpholdeth thole burden of Christes building Agayne he saith it was mete that Paule should desire to see Peter bycause he was first amoÌ„ges the Apostels to whome christ had geueÌ„ charge ouer hê churches ¶ The .xxxii. probation Saint Hierom calleth the Byshop of Rome the highest priest And in an other place he saith like as Plato was chiefe and Prince of al philosophers so was Peter of al y e Apostels vpon whome Christes church was builded with a stable and sure foundacioÌ„ whiche neither with violence of water nor other teÌ„pest can be ouerthroweÌ„ Also he wryting vnto Damasum sheweth that like as al peryshed whyche were forthe of Noes ship so do al now which be fourthe of Peters shyp the catholike churche Moreouer he affermeth that although after a maner vpoÌ„ all y e apostels the churche was builded so y t they be called the foundacions of it yet vpon Peter as chiefe after him â–ª christ chose him one as Prince heade ouer y e rest y â— therby al occasion of schsime might be clerely taken awaye Againe he saith in an other place peter was chief prince of Thapostels also he saithe y t Peter reproued S. Markê Gospel and coÌ„mitted it by his authoritie to the churche to be red as S. Clement saith he witnesseth in the sixt boke writen to S. Iames Thapostel ¶ The .xxxiii. probation Saint Aug. in many places doth highly set vp Peters authoritie aboue all others In Peter Thapostell saithe he the primacie ouer the rest of y e Apostels did haÌ„ge and that in high excellent grace Againe saith he who is ignoraunte y â— Peters priÌ„cipality of Apostle shipe is greatelye to be preferred to the offyce of all other Peter for the primacye of hys apostleshipp in that he had the keyes geuen to him did represent the whole churche Peter which after should be ruler of the churche was suffred to fall that he might lerne the rather thereby his owne weakenes
only when it was geueÌ„ in Marke the thirde chapiter and yet this their comen name was not added withoute a great prerogatiue for y t onelye Iohn and Iames were admitted with Peter to be at the traÌ„sfiguracion and at the raysing of the ruler of the Sinagoges doughter also at his prayer in the garden before his death Howbeit Peter had his name chaunged and had a name geuen which was deriued out of christes owne name which is petra a stone so that christ did communicate his owne name to Peter signifyinge that he should kepe his owne place after him and be the stone the foundacion of his church But of this chaunginge of Peters name is more largelye spoken in the .xii. probation The .viii. obiection Al the apostels receyued immediatly of Christ like equal dignity power and authoritye euen ouer thuniuersal churche of christ he saying to al and to euery one indifferently as my father send me I send you receyue al â—holy ghost go into al places of the world preache baptise heale diseases and forgiue sinnes Thanswere Not onlye thappostels but also .72 disciples receyued all these of Christ in so much that y e people of Samaria through Phillp the deacons preaching receyued the ghospel and were baptised then was rather the tyme to congregate and gether together with all spede the flocke of Christe then to make any mention of rulinge or gouerninge them Notwithstanding before all these commissions Peter was made head ouer all Math. the .xvi. as is declared in the answeres to the first and tenth obiectioÌ„s in sundrye places mo of this booke Wherfore Saynct Ambrose sayth that at the beginninge all taught and baptised at all times and in all places not only in churches as occasion serued but as sone as the people were somewhat gathered together in the fayth and churches builded then were ordres sette and rulers appointed by tholy ghost some in this place and some in that euen as christ promised So that this now iustlye weyed what maketh this obiection against Peters authoritie which was geuen to him before by Christ Surelye no more then now it should be agaynst the legates prerogatiue if Peters successour the Pope woulde for vrgeÌ„t causes constitute certayne inferiour Bishops to be legates equall with him geuinge them all and to euerye one of them his owne full authoritye some into Germany some into Denmarke c. Yea and beside this who doth not se y t though legates haue the Popes full authoritie geuen them yet in the foundation of the authoritye all is not equall no more then Christe geuinge to all the appostelles and to the .27 disciples also his owne whole and full authoritye that he had of his father was in the roote foundacion to be counted all equall power and authoritye with that whiche he him selfe had of his heauenly father Agayne what Idiote will iudge the .27 Disciples to be equall with thappostels thoughe in that legacy and imbassage concerninge preaching and baptisinge they were appoynted by Christ as all equall And euen now here the same is to be said to that in this imbassage or legacye Christe for the time send all forthe wyth that equall commyssyon to gether the people not then speakynge of anye gonerninge of theym in whiche gouerninge when it shoulde ones be put in execution Peter was ordeyned eueÌ„ by Christ to be the head Mathue the .xvi. So that all this theyr commission and aucthoritye was but taken forthe of Peters ¶ The ninthe obiection Anacletus and also Ciprian do saye that all the apostles had equall power and dignitye geuen to theym by Christ but bycause all should preache one thinge therfore the beginning thereof first began by one which was Peter Yea and he sayeth further in the church there is one office of all bushoppes wherof euerye one hath a part allotted whollye vnto him ¶ The answere This is somwhat answered vnto in the last responsion Neuertheles to speake a lytle further therin S. Aug. saith that S. Peter and S. Paule were equall but he doth not leue it so raw but declareth how sayinge they were equall in merite but in power and authorytye Peter didde farre excell like as Paule did in science Howbeit in power to forgyue sinnes in power to preache in power to minister the Sacramentes in excommunicatinge c. all were lyke and all theyr power was like not onelye amonge thappostels but also if ye ioyne the .72 disciples wyth them as is declared in the last responsion so that herein doth not consist Peters authoritye aboue others but it doth coÌ„sist in the iurisdiction aboue all other So that thoughe in some thinges all the apostels had equall power and dignitie geuen vnto thyem by Christe yet bycause they shoulde all preache one thynge Christe woulde one that is to say Peter to be the begynner the chiefe and heade of al bycause the vnytie of the church should depende vpon the vnitie of Peters authoritie As concerning thoffice of apostelship or edifyinge in fayth so they were equal but in gouernement and power Peter heade of all the rest And where you saye there is one office of all bishops wherof c. S. Ciprians wordes be these Ecclesia vna est c. episcopatus vnus est cuius a singulis in soliduÌ„ pars tenetur id est The church is one the bishopriche is one wherof parte is holden of euerye one as in the whole This is the englishe of it and not as ye for youre purpose haue translated it wherby appeareth nothinge els but that al dependeth vpon the vnitye c. If this were not here S. Ciprians meaninge why then in other places did S. Ciprian say as we haue it in the .74 probacion and iu aunswering to the first obiection that vpoÌ„ Peter Christe builded his church as vpon the first in dignity And that the see of Rome is the roote and mother of all churches And agayne y t al he resies and schismes do springe only of that men will not obey the head bishop I set Ciprian to answer to Ciprian Thinke not y t the holy Martir will be coÌ„trary to him selfe ¶ The .x. obiection The keyes were equallye geuen to al though he promised them but to Peter alone when Christe brethed vppon them and sayd receyue the holy ghost whose sinnes ye forgiue they be forgiuen c. ¶ The aunswere The keyes were geuen to the churche but in the person of Peter bicause of the vnitye And here first note that there is no mention made of the keyes but onlye Mathue the .xvi. where as only to Peter Christ promised them but his promisse and his saying is his doing So that although to forgeue sinnes which was geuen to all the apostels and .72 disciples also as is declared in the laste answere but one do perteyne to the keyes as a parte therof yet is there in the keyes a
Christ to him and his successours to be aboue all other both spirituall and temporall and some do manifestlye shewe that no temporall magistrate kinge nor Emperour can be head of the churche ¶ The first Probation CHrist said to Peter beholde SathaÌ„ desired to sifte you as it were wheate but I praide for the that thy faith faile not and when thou arte conuerted strengthen thy brethren Christ assone as he had told them who should be greatest he said turning to Peter beholde Sathan desyred c. If Peter here by this text had not the burden laid vpon him beynge made chiefe of al then the question who was greatest is yet stil vnsolued which thinge were a great absurditie to graunt Theophilact therfore saieth here vpon lu xxii the sence herof is playne saith he bycause Christ toke Peter for Prince of the Apostels he sayd after thou hast wept and done penaunce for thy denyal confirme thou other not only the Appostels but al the faithfull whiche shalbe to the wordes ende Beside this the chauÌ„gynge of the plurel numbre in to the synguler is not without hyghe misterie euen to declare Peters preeminence hereby The pexell was vpon all and yet the prayer whiche Christ made was but for one alone to signifie that he as head should haue the chief cure and charge committed vnto him And therfore he bad hym strengtheÌ„ and confirme his brethren Againe it was not without high misterie that Christ thus prayed for him alone seing that in al places of christeÌ„dome which then in the primatiue church had receiued the faythe the same is now decayed both among the Corinthians the GalathiaÌ„s the Ephesians the Philippians the Collossians the Thessalonians and other onelye amonge the Romaynes where Peter was appoynted to bee and for whom onelye here Christe prayed the fayth styll doth continue and shall do for euer ¶ The second probation After that Christ â–ª had ended al hanginge vpon the Crosse and after his resurrection he most earnestly coÌ„mitted to Peter as to the chiefe the cure charge of al his flocke speakiÌ„g to him onely in y e singuler noÌ„bre and onelye biddynge him fede theÌ„ gouerne rule them for y t doeth signify the distinction of the two Greke wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby appereth Peters preeminence principality Kinges in y e scripture be named pastors for y t purpose Dauid .ii. reg v. had said to him by god y â— shalt fede my people be price ouer theÌ„ And y e like ye rede eze 34. esa 44. 56. hie 2. 22. And psa 2. And euen so here is by thê coÌ„missioÌ„ now geueÌ„ to Peter y t he ought both to fede gouerne or rule al christê flocke as chiefe shepherde ouer theÌ„ But herof rede more iÌ„ y e aÌ„swer to y e .46 obiectioÌ„ ¶ The thirde probation WHen it was demaunded of the disciples whether theyr master woulde paye the tribute which was but one single pece of siluer named drachma in value a paise grote and it was paide only for the head of the house Christe then bad Peter paye two of those peces of syluer one for me saieth he another for thy selfe Whereby we may easelye perceaue that Christ would him to be y e head of a house euen his vicar after him that it was not in vaine that he had a name geuen vnto hym euen deriued fourth of Christes owne name that is to saye to be called Peter as Christe is called Petra bothe signifiynge one thynge but of this ye shall here more anone and this preeminence geuen to Peter the other dysciples yet then beyng some what carnal did partly perceyue and vnderstande whyche thynge caused them euen at that tyme to contende aboute the superioritye But Christ then mouing them to humilitie set a childe among theym shewynge howe they oughte to humble them selues and that he shoulde be hyghest in the kyngedome of heauen whiche woulde be moost lowlye in spirite And thys forsaid texte of payinge the tribute Sayncte Augu. declarynge sayeth thus when Christ bad â—aie .ii. peces of money one for hym and another for Peter he was thoughte to bydde paye for all as easely he myghte yf he would haue byd Peter pay xiii peces of money as two for lyke as all were counted to be in Christ as heade bycause of mastership rule authoritie euen so after Christe all be conteyned in Peter whom Christ ordeined to be their heade and ruler ouer all his flocke And note here well that the tribute was but payde onelye for the heade of the house Christ therfore saying paye two one for me and another for thy selfe did signifie that Peter shoulde be lafte head after him ouer al his familie and his house ¶ The .iiii. probation In al thinges order is euer to be kept No societie or companye can contynue withoute order But there is no order where there is no heade In euerye priuate house that is well gouerned there is one heade in euerye cytye or good towne one heade ruler or gouerner vnderneth that head euery other officer kepeth hys place and order As firste the Maiour as head theÌ„ shiriffes Aldermen Deputies Bayliffes Constables wyth other In euerye kyngedome one kynge the heade then Dukes Earles Barones Knyghtes c. Shal not theÌ„ a lyke seÌ„blable ordre be kept in the churche of Christ and in Christes house As one heade and chiefe Bisshop Peters successor by christ appoynted then Patriarches Cardinals Archbishops Bishops with many other offycers to kepe al the whole mistical body in godly ordre Yea and who dothe impugne this comely and godly ordre let vs trye what case he is in Let vs see what that glorious martyr Ignatius S. Iohns disciple doth say It is your duty saith he to obey your high Bishop and in nothing to impugne or contempne him for he that so dothe doth not contempne maÌ„ but God which geueth to him his aucthoritie RemeÌ„ber god sayde to Samuell they haue not despised the but me also Moyses sayde to the people your murmurynge is not agaynst me but agaynste god Dathan and Abiron murmuringe agaynst Goddes minister and contempning his commaundemeÌ„t were counted to blaspheme god and were therfore swalowed vp quicke into the earth And likewise Chore and his company for resisting Aaron were consumed with fire from heauen Ozias a kinge for vsurping the priestes office was strikeÌ„ with lepresye And kinge Saul for the same was depriued his kinglye dignitye Thus muche sayth S. Iohns disciple holy Ignatius What then are all our wicked and obstinate contempners of the hyghe and chiefe byshoppe worthie to haue Paule byddeth obey your spiritual gouerners and Christ saieth he that coÌ„teÌ„neth y e minister euen coÌ„teÌ„pneth him him selfe Yea he coÌ„mauÌ„deth to obey them though they be euell bycause they sitte in Moises seate But our men wil not obey them though they be neuer so
kynges princes in christeÌ„doÌ„ ought not to be of lesse mighte power theÌ„ is the power and authoritie amonge the heatheÌ„ Emprours and kynges which be free from any suche subiection Hereunto my answere is that Seruire deo regnare est Seruitus enim dei summa libertas to serue God and to kepe his ordinaunces is not to be couÌ„ted seruyce but greatest fredoÌ„ it is no subiection but most libertie And yet furthermore here I speake not of a kynge as a kynge to be vnder the head of Christes churche but a kynge as a christen man a kynge as a member of Christe a Kynge as a shepe of Christes folde so muste he be vnder and obedient to Christes shepeherd For Christ made the law generall in geuynge to Peter full authoritie to lose and bynd withoute any restraynt or anye respecte or consideration had to kynge or Emperoure so that none of Christes flocke be exempte from this hyghe shepeherde but of necessitie compelled to obeye onles they wyll nedes wilfully breake oute of the folde and fle from Christ Herein thys place I myghte bringe in to serue my purpose that noble Emperour Theodosius whiche wyth all humble obedyence submitted hymselfe lyke a lambe to the shepherde vnto that holye father Ambrose hys Bushoppe beynge content to suffer what punishment it pleased tholy Byship to put vnto him for his offense And oughte not all men in lyke maner to obey their spirituall shepeherdes speciallye the heade shepeherde of al excepte they wil be exempted froÌ„ Christes flocke yea thoughe they be earles dukes or princes Haue we not a notable storie not longe ago of Henry the fourth emperour whiche with all submission suffringe that willingly al penaunce put vnto hym by the Popes holynes Grego the .vii. for hys former contempte was receyued agayne as a membre of Christes Churche beynge before for obstynacye iustelye cutte of would god that at these and many such like examples laft in stories for oure instruction kinges and princes now a daies would take occasion to acknowledge them selues to bee liuely membres of Christes ecclesiasticall body and with all humble submissioÌ„ to iudge theÌ„selues much inferiors as they be in dede vnto the chiefe and spiritual head Christes vicare their principall guide and shepherde ¶ The .vii. probacion It is euident that al the EuaÌ„gelistes which as it were with one month do iÌ„ al places geue preemineÌ„ce to Peter puttinge him euer in the fyrste place were at that tyme assured that Peter was heade and Prince of all the apostles He was not first called as it is writen in Iohn the fyrst chapter no nor the Euangelistes do obserue to recite them after their callyng but sometymes one in this place and contrarywyse the same in an other place but Peter is euer in the first place Andrew is put seconde in Mathewe .iiii. in Marke and in the Actes Iames is fifte in Mathie secoÌ„d in Marke third in Luke Iohn is the sixt in Matheu secoÌ„d in thactes in Mark the third and in Luke the .iiii. And likewise is the chauÌ„ginge in all other bycause they were all equall Yea. Luke himselfe in his gospel doeth vary from that he writeth in thactes for there he putteth Andrew y e secoÌ„d but here he couÌ„teth him the iiii but Peter in all places bycause christ apointed him to be chief head is of al named still the first yea that not only nuÌ„bring the Apostels but also in al places where Peter with anye other is recited as in healinge the woman that had the issue of bloud Luke xii And in the secoÌ„d and also .v. of thactes Peter is euer the first ¶ The .vii. probation The scriptures truly vnderstanded geue euer Peter y e preeminence so doth the whole coÌ„sent of al the holy fathers so doeth and euer hath done the vniuersall catholike churche of Iesus Christ whyche is the foundacion and pyller of all trueth Who can then stryâ—e against this and yet thinke him selfe to be a lyuely member in Christes churche ¶ The .ix. probation Ruling and obeinge being coniugata can neuer bee one with oute the other Therfore Christ bidding Peter rule and gouerne al his flocke as it is iÌ„ the second probation euen by the selfe same word commaunded all the flocke to obey him So that whether he be highe or lowe if he wilbe of Christes flocke he muste nedes obeyâ— the shepherd ¶ The .x. probation Both Nicen councell and moste parte of all the generall councels euer since haue established coÌ„firmed as a verity receiued froÌ„ christes time that appellations should be made to y e sea of Rome yea and that no couÌ„cels shuld be kept without the consent of the bishop of Rome and also that lyke as Peter was the chefe and head of all the Apostels so shoulde y e church of Rome in his name consecrate by christes appointmente be head and chiefe ouer all other churches whereunto euen as vnto the mother all other churches in al matters of contrauersie shoulde seke all causes there to be determined and ended Haec Iulius primus ¶ The .xi. probation Christ hath but one spowse Vna est columba mea vna est amica mea As it is in the caÌ„ticles his coote was withoute seame it can not be cutte his kingdome can not be deuided for then it would sone come to dissolucion which can not bee seinge the gates of hel shal not preuayle agaynst it There is but one shepeherd there is but one shepeâ—ote wherin the holy ghost set an ordre which ordre the deuill shall neuer breake though he shake at it neuer so sore He went about to breake this ordre first eueÌ„ in him selfe when he couâ—ted to be equall w t the highest as it is in Esai the .xiiii. And after wheÌ„ he caused our firste parentes to disobey goddes commaundement Yea euer since from time to time this hathe euer bene hys chiefe endeuor Thus he caused y e CorinthiaÌ„s ofte to striue againste this order first in the SacrameÌ„t of baptim preferriÌ„g the baptim of one minister to an others ego pauliego appollo c then in the sacrameÌ„t of matrimony despisinge that bicause Pauâ—e had preferred virginitie therunto After this in the Sacrament of y â— Alter vnreuerently receuinge it and puttinge no diuersitie saithe Paule betwene the bodye of christ and other meate More ouer where God appointed suÌ„dry giftes to suÌ„dry meÌ„ to some more to some lesse y â— deuel is euer redi to stirre moue one to enuy an other to coÌ„temne all to breake thorder set by the holy ghost Yea amonges all these breches of order y â— deuil is iÌ„ none so busy as he is to perswade y e people agaiÌ„st y â— vnitie of christes church against y e head of his mistical body sayiÌ„g y e church is vnknoweÌ„ here one there one but none knoweth where al this is
finde a cause that shal seme expediēt y t the Kinge in his owne person shall goe Wil they not then say it hath pleased y t King the Councel y e the King him selfe shal goe take one chiefe Duke with him as Peter had Iohn w t him May it not then be sayd the cause was so great they haue euē sende fourth the King haue not euen the verye consuls of Rome as histories declare ofte so bene sente was not therfore the consuls authoritye the higheste but to be counted equal with other yea haue we not a lyke example in scripture how the head of al Phinees was sēt .x. Princes with him in to the land of Galaad euē so Peter the head as moste mete and as most honorable was put therunto being so sent to Samaria yea note this that Peter euer vsed humble submission but where authoritie was required But further yet herein to speake what derogation were it now to the Popes authoritie if the whole college of Cardinalles did conclude that it were expediēt for his fatherhode now to come in to Englande Moreouer note wel concerning this obiectiō that in thactes Lukes chiefe purpose was to describe y e pere grinatiō of him self of Paule so y ◠not one worde is there of Peters tarieng nor of his stallaciō at Antioche nor of y e deuidīg thapostels into sūdry cūtres nor whō they cōuerted nor what martirdōe they suffered ¶ The .xiii. obiection In y e xv of thactes in y e questiō had about the legals Iames had y e chefe preeminēce for the coūcel was cōcluded by hī c. The aunswere S. Peter made S. Iames Bushop of Ierusalē as Anacletus Peters disciple successour saith after him Chrisostome cōfirmeth y e same with these wordes Peter y e Master of y e whole world made Saint Iames Bushope of Ierusalē Do ye thinke then that Saint Iames would take vpō him to be aboue his head but now I pray you iustlye pouder wey the place Actes the .xv. and ye shal fynde that both Peter did first as head say his mind yea though it were in S. Iames see and also that which Peter then said toke place shortly after yet doth S. Iames euen then confirminge Peters sayinge with the prophetes testimony What maketh it then against Peters authoritie that S. Iames approuing all that Peter had spoken added somthīg to Peters wordes which addicion yet shortly after was quite taken awaye and neuer since obserued that is to saye to abstene from bloud c. yea may not y e chiefe of a councel first geue his sētence as Peter did here yet after him an inferior may say something more whyche shalbe thought to the whole coūsel better for y e time doeth this any thing againste thautoritie of the chiefest Peters iudgemēt was y t the heathen people should be quite deliuered frō al the Iewishe burdens so shortlye after it was fullye concluded though for a shorte time S. Iames counsel was taken as appeareth by y t Paule then sone afterwrote to the Corinthians bye al that cōmeth into y e shambles eate all thinges c. to Tite all meates be cleane vnto the pure to the Romās no meate is to be coūted cōmen or vncleane ye whyche eate not misiudge not them that eate Againe to the Collosians let no mā iudge you in receiuīg your meate c Wherby wel appereth that S. Peters sentēce was chiefe as spokē by the chiefe But herin yet more to speake note wel y t Peter ofte amonges thappostels vsed suche modestye humilitie and in so doinge did folow Christes cōmaūdemēt which bad y e higher they were the lower more humble they ought to be y t he dyd not euer put his high authoritye in executiō but as S. Ciprian saith y t Peter whome Christe made head of al and vpon whom he builded his church whē Paule dyd contende with him aboute circumcision dyd not reuenge or boste him selfe that he was the Prince or chief of al as he iustly might haue said but stil he humbled him selfe But god forbid y t we should ascribe this his hūble gentil submittinge to the derogation of his highe power authoritie but thinke y t euer whē Christes glorye or the profit of y e flocke required it then he vsed his ful and high authoritye as appereth in the punishīg of Anany Saphire Simon Magus c. And yet furthermore in the primatiue churche it was rather time as is in the .viii. responsion to cal people in to Christes flocke then to set euerye man in his owne place or to talke then of rules and orders or of Peters authority that was to be done afterwarde the people beinge first instructed in y e faith Thē was rather y e time to seke for gethering thē for gouernīg And if we loke well we shall fynde not onlye in the ghospel before Christes ascēsion but also afterwarde in thactes that Peter behaued him selfe as head and Prince euer when time required and occasion serued He spake for al he answred for al he for al said to Christ beholde we haue forsaken al and folowed thee what rewarde therfore shall we haue againe he sayde to Christe speakest thou this parable to vs or vnto all when Christe asked whether they woulde goe awaye also from him Peter alone made answere saying to whom shall we goe thou hast the wordes of lyfe None dyd thus but he and that bycause he was heade Howbe it as yet whiles Christ was present with them in his naturall shape for in y e forme of breade he is euer stil presēt it was not meete that his vicare should greatlye medle But after thascension Peter firste stode vppe as heade and made the sermon at the chosynge of Mathias and sayde oportet we must chose one c. And after when they had receyued tholy ghoste and were illuded of the people he alone spake and preached conuertinge them to the faythe .3000 people at once Also when he Iohn came into the temple at y ◠.ix. houre of prayer he alone sayde to the lame creple that whych I haue I geue the in the name of Iesus arise c. The lame mā asked almes of both and Peter bade loke vpon both but he sayd not in the name of bothe we haue neyther golde nor siluer y t whiche we haue we geue thee c. But as head he in y e singuler number as hauinge a singuler authority said yea though Iohn one of the chiefe of the appostels were present I haue neyther golde nor siluer y t whiche I haue I geue thee c. And this declareth him to be head Likewise he alone for all as head made the oration to pacifie the people and he alone as prince did strike Ananye and Saphire Whiche of all the apostels in the presence
yeares ordeyned Euodium there after whom folowed Ignatius euen then in the primatiue church by the apostels it was ordeyned for y e third chiefe see and Alexandria for the second bicause Peter appoynted his dearely beloued disciple Marke there to be Bishoppe and yet bothe it and Alexandria subiectes to Rome bicause both they there receyued theyr prerogatiues dignities euen of Peter y e head bishop which had his see by y e holye ghoste there appointed saieth Chrisost as was couÌ„ted the chefe city of al y â— world And where as he w t his death coÌ„firmed the prerogatiue dignity thereof appointinge also before his Martirdome y t S. Clement shuld succede him in that highe place to receyue the keyes sayth S. Clement him selfe writinge to S. Iames which Peter then said he had before receiued of christ This vndoubtedlye is the catholike fayth So that no scriptures wrasted ought to moue a christen maÌ„ froÌ„ this the faithe of y e church receyued before al scriptures were writteÌ„ This is y t Paule sayth if any maÌ„ preach any other ghospel to you theÌ„ y t which you haue receiued cursed be he Paule neyther sayde nor did meane if any man preche any thing but y t which Mathue Marke Luke or Iohn haue writteÌ„ as for some of theÌ„ then had not written but he did meane if anye preache agaynst thappostolicall tradicions thoughe they were neuer writen cursed be he Al the consente of the apostels scholers disciples successours to this day thê haue taught and shall we now bring al into questioÌ„ Yea shal we condemne all and inuent newe of oure owne as men haue done in this realme of late yeares most wretchedly Sayncte Austen sayth that the succcession of Bishoppes in Peters see is one of the .4 causes y t kept him in the catholike fayth Ireneus agreeth with the same S. CipriaÌ„ affirmeth that all heresies springe forth of the denial and refusinge the see of Rome to be head Anacletus a holye Martir disciple to S. Peter and successour to him in that see sayth that y e see of Rome had his preeminence and power aboue all not geueÌ„ by the Appostels but euen by Christe hym selfe This doctrine euer hathe bene taught of all the writers from the beginninge with one consente bothe of the Latines and the GreciaÌ„s Sayncte Clemente Anacletus Ignatiê° Policarpus Dionisius Papias with many other which all were in thapostels time after them Ireneus Tertulian Origen Ciprian Athanasius Eusebius Ambr. HieroÌ„ Aug. Chriso with thousandes since them whyche haue euer kept y e same line and succession receiuinge thys doctrine as it were by hand one of another Whether shal we folowe al these holye learned fathers being saintes in heauen or els geue eare to a rablemeÌ„t of rascal herytikes verye limmes of the deuel ¶ The .xix. obiection Christ before Pylate refused an earthlye kingdome saying his kingdome was not of this worlde yea wheÌ„ they would haue made him a kinge he fled awaye ¶ The answere This maketh nothinge against the authority of S. Peter or his successours y t Popes holines Christe came not to reigne in a teÌ„poral kingdome No true christen man euer beleued or taught the contrarye He came not to depriue kinges of their worldly dignities and honours He came to establish a new kingdome whych is spiritual for the saluation of the soule and here of Saint Iohn speaketh saing thou hast redemed vs with thy bloud made vs a kingdome to oure lorde and we shall reigne vpon the earth This kingdome Christ did ordeine and made Peter head here of his successours for euer so that euery worldly Kinge or Prince if he wil be in this kingedome muste be subiecte to the head of the same or els shall he neuer come to the kingdome of heauen which is thonly cause of comming in to this spiritual kingdome here As for infidels and heathen Princes whyche wyl neither thone nor thother I speke not of Christe although he were Prince of y e kinges of y e earth as S. Iohn saith and as maÌ„ not onlye as God Kinge of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes his vesture wherin that was written signifyed the humanitye that couered the godhed yet when they woulde haue made him a Kyng he fled and no meruel for he came not therfore His onlye comminge was to redeme maÌ„ with his bloud beynge obediente to his father euen vnto the vilest death so that he came not to beare here in the world an earthlye scepter for that he sayde to a certaine yonge man requiringe right at his handes againste y e iniuries of his brother O thou man who appointed me to be iudge or deuider betwene you and your brother as though he had sayd that is not y e cause of my comminge at the leaste waye principallye to meddel with suche ciuile matters but it is to suffer death for mans raunsome Howe be it now to note a worde or .ii. although Christe in his owne person came not to take in hand anye earthly kingdoÌ„ being notw tstaÌ„ding as maÌ„ king of al kinges yet he would his disciples that is to say al that trulye professe him be he of the laitie or clergy Kinge Byshop or other for al suche be Christes Disciples iustlye and godlye to vse and exercise all rules and offices here in the world both kinges Byshoppes Dukes Lordes Ladyes both men and womeÌ„ riche or pore high or lowe ¶ The .xx. obiection Christe to declare how he and his should bee subiectes bade geue to Cesar that which was Cesars and to God that whyche was Goddes c. ¶ The answere By these wordes of Christe there is no derogation against his chief minister here in earth no nor anye power geueÌ„ to the laytye here by to be ouer the cleregye For here the wicked Pharises came craftely being determined whether he hadde sayde yea or naye to haue had a great vauntage against him ether as a traitour or els as a dissembler demaunded not whether they were bounde to paye tribute or whether he could iustlie receiue it but whether they might geue tribute to Cesar or no he being a strauÌ„ge prince which thiÌ„g thei thought to be against the fredoÌ„ of their lawe Nowe Christe whyche saw al thinges perceuing their deceytfull hertes sayd neither it was lawefull nor not lawful but only bad geue to euery one that whych was his right to haue And this is euery christen mans dutie to do But yet further here in to speake iÌ„ case Christe then had geuen commaundemeÌ„t to the Iewes as his people to haue payde tribute to Cesar or to other foreÌ„ Princes his commaundemeÌ„t had bene no more againste the Clergie then againste anye other of the laytye be he King or Emperour if he be a member of Christes church and a shepe of his flocke ¶ The .xxi. obiection Christ bad go paye tribute whyche should seme to make
vertuous liuers to the outwarde apperaunce to take his parte beynge his Angels transfygured in to the Angels of lyght So that as â–ª then they dyd euer slaunderouslye blaspheme and reuyle the true christians and woulde theyr own decrees and lawes to be called the trueth their errours the veritie and them selues to be couÌ„ted godly that their churche was the catholyke church and they y â— Catholikes and earnest defendours of the trueth euen so was it fullye and whollye within this Realme of Englande in all the miserable yeres nowe paste As then the Arians called theyr secte when they suffred for their heresies holye martirs euen so now at this time theritikes cal their champions which stande obstinate to the fire holy martirs not markinge if I maye speake a word or two by digressioÌ„ that the kinde of death maketh not the Martir but the cause not markinge that euen among the HetheÌ„ many haue willyngly suffered deathe and yet no christen man so folysshe as to call theym Martyrs of God not markynge agayne that I one of Kent which said christ toke no flesh of y â— virgin deniyng therby his manhode had fauourers whiche bothe thought sayd when she was burnt that she was the Martir of God but then surelye the deuil shalbe called a confessor whiche confessed that Christe was the sonne of God Whose confession was then as true as truly made as either Iâ—â—s of Kent or els as any of theirs whiche as obstinate heretykes breake the vnitie of the church diuide Christes cooâ—e and yet crie the Lordes worde the lorâ—des worde wrestinge our lordes holy worde to their condeÌ„nation Howbeit we may well perceayue that it is no more wonder to se an obstinate heretyke stande stiffe to the fier then it is to se a man kill haÌ„ge or drowne him selfe The same deuill which causeth the one caÌ„ soone cause the other But of this matter I will speake another time Nowe therfore to retourne from whens I haue a litle while digressed we may easely coniecture that thonlye cause of al these mischiefes and miseryes that we of late haue suffered hath bene the breache of thunity of Christes church When we ones fledde forth of Peters shippe then we fell streyght way headlong into al licentious libertie then we forsaked vtterly al general counsels all ordinaunces froÌ„ the beginniÌ„g kept in christes church al iudgemeÌ„tes vpon scripture saue our owne then of singularytye we did select and chose a new fayth euery daye chaunginge and alteringe and no maruayle after that our noble Prince through counsel of some wicked men aboute him toke that in hande whiche neuer true catholike king did vsurpe before him that is to sai to sit in Peters chere Since what time oh good lord what misery haue we fallen into as wel bodylye as gostlye But nowe thankes be to Iesus Christ which through his mercye hathe broughte vs againe vnto our mother y e catholyke church euen into Peters ship and Iesus longe preserue her amoÌ„ges vs by whose meanes we were brought agayne into it Now we se that God suffereth as he didde in tharians time heresies ofte to floryshe for a seasoÌ„ but yet euer iÌ„ time of mercy he remembreth vs agayne and wil not heresie stil to preuaile but y t we may haue good coÌ„fort say w t AthaÌ„ Nolite turbari freÌ„s nubecula est et ci to pertraÌ„sit Let not your hartes faile you brethreÌ„ be not dismaied saieth he this heresie is but lik a litle cluod it wil sone vade away Nowe we se also that it was not withoute great cause that S. August sayde that amongest other thinges the succession of the bishops of Rome froÌ„ Peters time did kepe him in the true fayth as Ireneus had grauÌ„ted loÌ„g before Now we se y t y t faith is to be receiued beleued holden whiche hath bene kept of al meÌ„ at al times in al places of christendome since y e begiÌ„niÌ„g and y t we must leaue onely to y e generalitye to the antiquity to the conseÌ„t of the fathers al stil agreiÌ„g iÌ„ one For experience sheweth no 〈◊〉 onely y e scripture stories doctors y t as heretikê be euer ful of diuissioÌ„ scisme eueÌ„ oft amoÌ„ges theÌ„ selues as appereth by Luther EcolaÌ„padiê° Carolostadiê° SwiÌ„gâ—â—ê° c. being liuely figured iÌ„ y e coÌ„fusioÌ„ at BabiloÌ„ so are the catholikes euer most surely knit iÌ„ this vnitye wherunto tholy ghost stil doth moue suÌ„dry waies perswade meÌ„s coÌ„sciences Furthermore we se clerely what wickednes misery it is stil to waÌ„der iÌ„ palpable darknes froÌ„ error to error being ones out of y e vnity for which christ praied saying O father graunt y t as y â— I be one so mai these which beleue iÌ„ me be one ioyned knit together iÌ„ one faith iÌ„ one coÌ„fessioÌ„ in one loue in one grace pietye Nowe we se the cause why we fell from this vnitie and vpon what grounde We se the cause was nothing els but to maintayne wyckednes and synne We se what was the progresse and what styll folowed of it that is to saye more synne and more errour vpon errour and heresye vpon heresie We se also that the ende was almost vtter destruction of all together bothe bodely gostly extreme pouertie extreme miserie euen as people quite forsakeÌ„ of god Finally therfore we se y t there is no way so easie for the deuil to bringe in all kindes of heresies errours diuisions scismes contentions strifes and mischiefes as is to denye the vnitie of Christes churche and to forsake the head therof the Popes holines All heresies spriÌ„g hereout saith Ciprian And for this cause I haue nowe right honourable lorde and most holy father taken this worke in hande and haue dedicate the same vnto your fatherhode a chiefe and head pyller of Christes churche to the entente it myght do more good and the soner be embraced of al catholike people within this realme And herein accordynge to my small talent I haue not onely declared by sundry probations some apparent and some demonstratyue the moste hyghe authoritie aboue al other both spirituall and temporal geuen to Saincte Peter and to hys successoures for euer but also haue answered to all the comeÌ„ obiections whiche I haue eyther heard or redde deceitfully inuented agaynst the sayd authoritie Beseching your grace well to accepte this my small labour and construe all to the best for Iesus sake Whom I beseche longe to preserue your noble and vertuous estate in continuall honoure ioye and prosperytye to the great comforte and profit of all true faythful people within this realme and after this life to graunt you eternal glory in heauen wyth god almighty and his holy aungels Amen ¶ Here do folow sundrye probatioÌ„s wherof some do set forth onlye S. Peters preeminence aboue the other apostles some declare the most high authoritye and power geuen by
to breke the order bicause thei would be vnder no head but al at lose liberti so many heades so many wittes euer sturriÌ„g to diuersity in opinioÌ„s mouiÌ„g theÌ„ to sedicioÌ„ euer causing y e priÌ„ces magistrates to leaue to their parte How be it al y e deuels indeuor hereiÌ„ is iÌ„ vaine For christ promissed as ye haue herd that y e gates of hel should neuer preuaile agaiÌ„st this Peters shipe neuer drowne though sometimê it be sore tossed Christ to Peter alone as to the heade shepeherd gaue charge ouer al his shepe biddinge him alone fede gouerne them appoyntiÌ„g him not ouer Rome alone saith Chrisostome but ouer the whole worlde which professe Christ when at his assenscion he goinge into the farre countrey mencioned in y e gospel gaue him that large commission So that who so euer obeieth not hereunto he is cut of and perteyneth no more to Christes churche then a roten bowe cut of the tree and cast a side parteyneth to the liuelye tree And this both the Greke church and the Latine playnly do teache Clement Anacletus Ireneus Tertulian Origen CipriaÌ„ Basil Ciril Chrisostom Athanasius Ambrose Hillari and Austine with all the rest euer since Whom shall we beleue then herein Al these with the consente of the whoâ—e churche or els shall we geue credit to Swinglius Ecolam podius and Luther whereof not one can agree with the other ¶ The .xii. probacion The cause why Christ chauÌ„ged Simons name and called him Peter was for y t ye he should be head after him And here first note y t rede of no chaunging of names in scripture but for some great benefite priuelege or high dignity as appeareth in AbrahaÌ„ Iacob and other And as for Peters name it was not geueÌ„ with out most high mistery and as a signe of greate priuelege For Peter is deriued of Christes own name a petra of the stone which was Christ So y t he had his name most like vnto Christes name euen deriued taken forthe of it not only thereby to signifye vnto vs that Peter shold haue Christes chiefe authoritie and office coÌ„mitted vnto him but also bicause christ did build his church here upoÌ„ when he sayd to Peter vpoÌ„ this stone I wil builde my churche What is y t S. Hierom Hilari theophe vpoÌ„ Mat. the .xvi. Tertul. also in li. de presc her And S. Aug. con 26. de san do plaiÌ„ly declare say y â— christ gaue to Peter an exceding great reward for his coÌ„fessioÌ„ in that he ded build his church vpon him he being named the stone of y e church to be builded Whereby appeareth y â— Peter was y e stone where vpoÌ„ the church was builded This is the ceÌ„sure herein of these auÌ„cient fathers and holye saintes But of thê matter ye haue more in the aunswere to y e .vii. obiection ¶ The .xiii. probation There was stil one chief head in y e olde law which christ as he saithe came not to breake Therfore one must nedes coÌ„tinue stil iÌ„ y e new If ye say christ is now y e head whereof y e other was the figure trueth is christ was and is the head euer as Paule sayth Christus heri et hodie c in thold as wel as in the new and yet as he had his vicare vnder him then so must he haue nowe as Aaron was then so was Peter nowe All chaunsed to them in figure Aaron diuerslye was a figure of Peter Aaron offended in the calfe Peter in denying his mayster Aarons highe office was confirmed with the death of Chore and his company so was Peters with the death of Ananye Saphire Aarons wyth buddynge of the rodde Peters with raysing TabithaÌ„ with healing the lame man with curing diseases eueÌ„ with his shadow c. ¶ The .xiiii. probation In the sinagoge there was one head bishop and diuerse degrees vnder him in the church triumphant Christe the heade with diuers degrees and ordres of aungels shall then the churche militaunt be without a head In al natural thinges there is euer one head In euery politike and comen wealth one heade one kynge in a realme as is in the faurthe probation one maior in a citye one shiriffe in a shire one head in euery house and shall there not be one head in the churche vpon whom and vpon whose aucthoritie all other must depende to desise all contrauerses shal Christes church be a monster either without a head or els hauinge many heades and euery one to do as he wil shal we graunt this confusioÌ„ Shal not theÌ„ euery one wrast scripture after his owne braiÌ„e but what shall we say further hath not the successioÌ„ in the sea of Rome continued froÌ„ the beginninge doeth not Ireneus declare this doth not S. Aug. say y â— the successioÌ„ of Bishopes in the see of Rome til this daye kepeth me saith he in the bosome and vnytie of Christes churche ¶ The .xv. probation If Christ had lafte Thappostels without a head yea or if siÌ„ce we could haue bene without one then must nedes haue chaunsed that which is spoken the last chapter of the boke of Iudges y t in those daies there was no ruler in Israell but euerie one dyd that whyche he thought good him selfe And this were an opeÌ„ way to al herisies as s CipriaÌ„ wytnesseth And therfore it is no meruell that y â— deuil is euer most busiest to bring christeÌ„ people froÌ„ y e vnitie froÌ„ hauing one head to make christes body a moÌ„struous body with manye heades For then throughe variaunce scisme contention he euer soweth heresies at hys pleasure So that ther is no more open waye to let in all heresies then to take awaye Peters primacye and authorytye frome the church wherfore let thautoriti of the church neuer go aboute to extincte other heresies tyll this great wound be healed we clerely restored to the vnitye agayne Where the bone within is perished to heale the flesh without nothiÌ„g helpeth ¶ The .xvi. probation Aaron was a figure of Peter like as Moyses was of Christe And as Aaron was vnder Moyses so Peter was vnder Christ al being priestes Moises et Aaron in sacerdotibê° eius And as Moises w t God and Aaron with y e people haÌ„dled all matters god sayinge to Moyses Aaron shall be thy mouth to the people and thou his to me euen so Christ was Peters mouth to god wheÌ„ he said I haue prayed for the. c. And Peter was Christes mouthe to the people when Christe sayde to him confirme thou and strengthen thy brethren And here obserue this sayth S. Aug. vpoÌ„ y e said text lu 20. y t Christe neither prayd for Iames nor Iohn but only for Peter in whom al the other were coÌ„teined he beinge y e head of the familie And therfore in paying the tribute money wherof is spokeÌ„ in the .iii.
of Peter did anye thynge that semed to be of authoritye aboue other but onely he euer in the presence of all as ye heare vsed authoritie aboue al. ¶ The .xiiii. obiection Paule saith that nether Peter nor other apostel gaue or added any thyng to him Wherby it appeareth that Paule gaue no place to Peter ¶ The aunswere Paule most reuerently gaue place to Peter as to the head and for that cause from a farre he came to Hierusalem to se Peter whyche was the chiefe of the Apostels And that Paule sayeth that Peter addeth nothinge to him nor other Appostels he saythe it leaste Goddes glorye should haue bene diminished and doth meane that he hadde christ to be his authour of his apostleship and sender forth that he was not sent by any any apostle but euen by Christ hym selfe ¶ The .xv. obiection Paule sayth he did resist Peter euen openlye in his face at Antioche ¶ The answere Clemēt Origens maister saith this Peter was not Peter the prince of thappostels but one named Peter a disciple one of the .72 And of this Eusebius speaketh affirming the same Howbeit if we graunt y t it was euen S. Peter the prince of y e apostels no inconuenience wil folowe For Paule was equal with Peter as concerning the defence of fayth quoad fidei de fensionem but not concerning the dignitye of prelacye non quoad dignitatem prelationis Agayne an other aunswere if the ruler y e superiour or heade do erre in any point of his faith or offēd other and cause thē therby to erre either by his saying or doinge openly slaūderously then the inferiour may charitably eyther secretelye if that be sufficient admonishe or els openlye reproue if suche occasion serue as did here Neuerthelesse S. Hierome Chrisostome and Theophilact affirme that S. Paule in rebukynge Sayncte Peter did but feane was not in earnest So y t like as s peter did feane before the Iews for the time so to winne them the soner in y t he did kepe theyr legals being amonge the Gentiles euen so s Paule whē the Iewes were gone seing y t many of the Gentils were offēded with Peters doing did feane an earnest checkinge agaynste Peter so to winne y e Gentilles and euen so nowe he writeth to the Galath so that on both partes there was a godly feaninge the one by Peter the soner so to winne the Iewes the other by Paule so likewise to winne the Heathens Yea and Paule vsed this ofte as in circumciding Timothe in shauing his head in Chēchreis as perfourming his vow and in like maner actes the .20 c. And yet beside this remember that S. Ciprian sayeth as ye hearde euen now that Peter whom christ made head of all and vpon whom Christ buylded his churche when Paule did contende with him aboute circumcision dyd not reuenge or boast him selfe that he was the prince or chiefe of all as he iustly might haue sayd but stil he humbled him selfe c. ¶ The .xvi. obiection Paule sayth that authority was geuen ouer the Heathen vnto him lyke as vnto Peter ouer the Iewes ¶ The answere Christe him selfe sayde he was sente to the Iewes and not to the Heathens and bade the Apostels go preache to the Iewes and not to the Heathēs for that first he was sent chiefelye to the Iewes as to his people yea and therfore S. Peter durste not medle w t the Heathen till he had his vision actes the .x. whiche was shewed to him as heade and neyther to Paule Iohn nor other and therefore chiefelye and principallye Peter was sente to the Iewes as Paule was amonges the Heathens but yet Christe whiche sayd he had other shepe beside theym bade Peter fede all his shepe making him chiefe ouer all Also Paule preached firste amonges y e Iewes as it is in thactes we shuld haue preched to you c. but bicause he dyd moste good profyte amonge the Heathē and the Iewes refused for y e moste parte his doctrine therfore he gloried in the Heathen and not in the Iewes callinge him selfe theyr apostle But Peter equally profited in both being head of all but bicause he was firste sēt to the Iewes Paule calleth him their apostle chiefely not w tstāding after he won y e people at ponthum Galatiam Capadociā Asiam et Bithiniam c. ¶ The .xvii. obiection Peter knewe no commission he had ouer the Heathen as appeareth Actes the .x. till he had the vision The aunswere It is sufficiently ▪ answered vnto in the last respōsiō Howebeit this I say further that he knew his high commission to be ouer al the flocke of christ Howbeit as cōcerninge y e time whē y e Gētils should be called receyued into the shepecote that Peter knew not before he had the vision to receiue them But what is y t against y e preeminēce surelye nothinge at al. ¶ The .xviii. obiection Hierusalem shoulde rather be thought to be the heade see then Rome if any such should be where Christe worked our saluacion where by Christ by his apostles also the ghospell first was preached as the prophet before had said y e law shal come forth of Sion the word of our lord forth of Hierusalē Agayn Antioche shuld be preferred to Rome also bicause Peter was first there .vii yeres before he came to rome yea chiefelye for y t the name of christians there first began ¶ The answere First note that the bishoppe taketh not his dignitye of the place but the place of y e bishop not peter of Rome but Rome of Peter Peter was prince of all before he was bishoppe in Rome Now as for Hierusalē which was vtterli to be destroied ▪ by gods reuēgemēt for christes deth their impenitēt hartes not one stone to be left vp on an other god woulde not y ◠head apostle to be there setled Where also fleshly y e iewes stil loke for a carnal kingdome that yet Messias is there to come in whyche erroure the sonnes of zebedy ones were also the disciples with whome christe talked goinge towarde Emaus And for this it was ordeyned by the holy ghoste in the primatiue churche amonges the apostles that Hierusalem was not onely none of the principall and metropolitane sees but was subiect vnto the see of Caesaria as appeareth in Nicen counsel Nowe as for Antioche rather Hierusalem should haue bene head bicause the worde was firste preached there then Antioche where through Paules diligence onlye the name of christians began Howbeit the answer is y t Peter the head bishop made y e head see so y t if he had cōtinued there still and there died heade bishop then had Antioche bene the head see for euer But that was not gods will Neuerthelesse bicause Peter was ones there bishoppe and preached longe amonges them and conuerted them to the faythe and after .vii.
againste his preeminence to be ouer al. c. ¶ The answere A man might saye it was no more againste Peter then againste Christ him selfe King and Lorde of al which here of humilitye thus submitted him self for al our exaÌ„ples whether we be of the clergye or of the Laitye if we be his Disciples Christes wordes there biddinge Peter take fourth of the fishes mouth a pece of money c. were ful of high misteries How be it here for this matter it is sufficient to note that by Christes wordes their in the processe it plainlye apperethe that bothe Christe and Peter were free from painge any tribute mony by any law but yet to auoyde sclaunder offence for the time christ did permitte that it should be payed ¶ The .xxii. obiection When the disciples contended to gether aboute superioritye Christe sayde amonges the heathen their kinges haue rule ouer them c. but amonges you he that wil be gretest must be as seruaunte ¶ The answere By Christes wordes it plainelye appeareth that he would haue superioritye amonge his Disciples but yet it shoulde be with all humilitye and godlynes and that the superioritye or primacie should be without all ambicion or vaine glorye Christ said not here their shalbe amoÌ„g you none greter then other he saide not amonge my Disciples whyche professe me there shal be no ruler no Kinge or Prince c. but he plainlye describeth what maner of men they should be whych amonge christen people ought to beare rule office and authoritie whether thoffice and burden be ecclesiasticall or polytical they ought to rule to y e profite and commoditye of their subiectes not to their own luchre poÌ„pe or vain glorye For this to rule is counted mere tiraÌ„nye which heatheÌ„ Princes oft vse AmoÌ„g christen men it ought to be onlye to gods glorye honor remembring S. Ambrose saing to the Emperour Theodosius whiche was that his subiectes were ioined vnto him not only by kind and nature but also by the commen seruice of one god which is Master lorde ouer al both ouer y e Prince and his subiectes And here note that christ in y e former wordes saiÌ„g amoÌ„g y e heatheÌ„s their Kinges haue power c. but it shal not be so amoÌ„g you c. speaketh to al hê flocke as wel to y e laity as to y e clergie y t is to saye to all y t be subiectes members of his y t none of them should rule be he Prince or other after y e maner of the heatheÌ„ which saith OrigeÌ„ there vpoÌ„ only to their owne coÌ„modity vauÌ„tage yea and y t violeÌ„tly ofte w t spoyliÌ„g killiÌ„g not knowiÌ„g god do exercise great tiraÌ„ny ouer their subiectes But thus it shall not be saithe Christe amonge you nor anye that professe my name whiche know that there is one god aboue Lorde ouer king and subiect here in earth and y e both Maister seruauÌ„t must geue a count as seruauntes together vnto y t one lorde and god Ye therefore when you rule se it be with all humilitye euer loking to their commoditie ouer whom ye do rule to the honour glorye of god not to your owne pompe or vaineglorye to youre owne pride or couetousnes ¶ The .xxiii. obiection S. Peter forbiddeth any spiritual shepherd to beare anye lordelye rule ouer y e flocke but willeth to fede them with all dilygence c. ¶ The answere That which is in the laste respoÌ„sion wil serue to answere here vnto this obiection For neither Christe nor Peter forbiddeth rule gouernaunce or primacye so that it be accordinge to the right rule and order with al humilitie godlines and charitie Both Christ and Peter describe and appoint an order as wel to the ciuil ruler beinge a Disciple of our sauioure as to the ecclesiasticall notwithstandinge the ecclesiastical example in ruling being more perfite more high in dignitye and the eye of the bodye requireth a straiter examination with al perfection godlines he to gouerne the shepe subdue the wolfes he beinge in the churche of Christe the great priest y e highest Bushop the Prince of all ministers the very ayer to the Apostels Abel in primacye Noe in gouernaunce in patriarcship AbrahaÌ„ in order Melchisedech in dignitye Aaron in authoritye Moises in iudgemeÌ„t Samuel in power Peter in anoynting Christ one shepherd oboue al hauing power to lose binde Wherfore now to returne a christiaÌ„ ruler whether he be of the clergye or of the laytye can not nor ought to beare anye lordlye rule after the maner of the heatheÌ„ Princes which like tiraÌ„tes vse their subiectes onlye rigorouslye to their owne vauntage But a christiaÌ„s rule and gouernauÌ„ce ouer his subiectes is nothinge els but a charge and a solicitude or carefulnes ouer his brethren in Christe and a balishippe or stewardshippe ouer them that be seruauntes together wyth hym vnder god the commen lorde and Master of all ¶ The .xxiiii. obiection No man seruing almightye God ought to intermedel him selfe with seculer busines c. sayth the Apostell ¶ The answere Seinge al christen men in baptim do promisse and vowe to fight vnder Christe the forsayd text doth as wel bind the laitye as the cleregye beinge christen men so that no christeÌ„ man ought so to medel with seculer busines that he forgote his spirituall dutye whyche ought to be y e chiefest care of al christen men Moyses Iosue Dauid with all godlye rulers euer since haue had no impedimentes by their worldlye busines and earthlye substaunce but rather thereby great ayde and helpe vsinge them wel as they did to the furtherauÌ„ce of their spiritual cure charge ¶ The .xxv. obiection Let euerye soule be subiecte to y â— higher powers c. paying tribute and tolle to whome it is due c. ¶ The answere Thappostel here as wel commaundeth to obey spirituall rulers geuing them their dutyes as seculer He doeth not hereby bynde y e shepherd to be â—nder the shepe nor binde the shepeherde to pay any tribute to any membre of the misticall body he being the head therof I mighte here nowe declare how not onely among the christen flocke the priestes euer were and ought to be fre from al exactions tooles and tributes but also amonge the HeatheÌ„ people they were euer free as ye rede in the genesis in the time of famine in Egipt And likewise in the oration of Sun machus coÌ„sul of Rome to Valentinian Theodosius Arthadius emperours which he made agaynst the Christians So that Paule did binde no priestes by y t text being amoÌ„ge christeÌ„ men to pay any tribute or toole Howbeit if priestes or bishops of christeÌ„dome yea or the heade bishop the pope himselfe were in a HeatheÌ„ realme he or thei ought to be subiectes to the lawes there and pay tribute or toole For christes law taketh no right or duety froÌ„ any party And that is it
partlye that the people mighte the rather geue eare to christes doctryne and lyâ—e more vertuously hauing him theyr heade shepeherde whome they loued and chose them selues What meruel was it then that themperours coÌ„sent y e chiefe of the comen people was desired in that electioÌ„ what maketh this agaynste our holye father the popes authoritie Surely nothiÌ„g at al. Howbeit in processe of time manye inconueniences rising herby as tiraÌ„ny sinister affectioÌ„ with diuerse other corruptions it was lafte to the election of the clergy agayne that euen by the consent of the holye emperours as ye maye rede in graciaÌ„ dist 63. in many other places mo Wherfore HildebraÌ„d which after was pope named Greg. y e .vii. answered vnto Otto Archb. of Colen coming froÌ„ Hen. the .iiii. emperour that neither emperoure nor any other but onely the clargye had any power or Authoritye in chosing the bishop of Rome that the permission or sufferaÌ„ce y t emperours for certayne causes had had therin was iustlye for more lawful more reasonable causes taken awaye ¶ The .xxxi. obiection At NiceÌ„ counsel y e bishop of Rome was not present c. The aunswere What then his authoritye was there as it euer was and is in all councels lawfully gethered by his legates Theyr names at that time were Victor Vincentius and Osius bishops of Corduba Yea there it was declared confirmed not instiTute for y t was done by Christe that no generall councel shoulde be kept without the consent authority of the bishop of Rome So y â— although ye bring neuer so many couÌ„cels wherein the bishop of Rome in his owne person was not present yet his authoritye and power was neuer abseÌ„t And here note further that in the .iiii. firste and chiefe general councels wherunto S. Gregory saide he gaue credite euen as to the .iiii. euaÌ„gelistes all the doinges were referred to be iudged and confirmed by the authoritie of the byshop of Rome At Nicen couÌ„sel which was the first of y e iiii they did send this epistle folowing Vnto the most blessed Siluester bishop of the citye of Rome Osius bishop of Corduba Victor and Vincentius priestes of Rome with the rest of y e bishops .318 sende greting in our lorde What so euer we haue ordeyned in this counsell of Nicen we desire that it may be confirmed by the agrement of youre mouth And in the second councel which was the first at Constantinople al that blessed coÌ„panye there gethered obeid vnto Damasus Byshope of RoÌ„e he geuing sentence against the heretikes MacedoniuÌ„ Sabellium EunomiuÌ„ Likewise at the thirde chiefe general councel which was holden at Ephesus Nestorius was coÌ„demned by Celestine then Bushope of Rome being chiefe iudge And finallye at Chalcedon the last of the .iiii. all the councel there gethered did write as in moste submission vnto the most holy Bushope of Rome Leo Byshope of thuniuersal church c. ¶ The .xxxii. obiection Ireneus bishop of Lyons did resiste Victor bishop of Rome eueÌ„ sone after y e apostels time concerning y e feast of Easter And Anicetê° bishop of Rome euen immediatly after thappostels gaue place to Policarpê° S. Iohns disciple ¶ The answere Anicetus then Pius after them Victor successours vnto peter made decrees coÌ„cerning easter And y e East church first did resist y e ordre bycause they hadde kepte an other custome whiche was after the Iewes fashion takeÌ„ of S. Iohn euaÌ„gelist Then Policarp bishop of Smirma in y e greke church yea being S. Iohns disclple also came to Rome to Anicetê° to aske councell of the matter And here marke y e al that they dyd was to edifye not to destroy and marke also that Policarpus acknowledged supirioritye when he came to holye Anicetus Byshope of Rome about the determinatioÌ„ of Easter notwithstanding he was S. Iohns disciple a Byshop yea that in the greke church Agayne after this when Victor that holy martir about the same mater would haue excominicate as heade of all the bushoppes of the greke church Ireneus exhorted him to the contrarye lest more trouble discorde and disquietnes thereby myght haue risen What maketh this obiectioÌ„ now against the popes authority Ireneus god knoweth acknowledged al to be subiecte to that highe authoritye as ye may rede in his worke li. 3. ca. 3. et 4. ¶ The .xxxiii. obiection Christ came in al pouertye not hauing as he saith where to hide his head his Disciples likewyse were called beinge pore fishers c. ¶ The answere Christ thereby did no more burtheÌ„ the Clergie then he did y e laitye yea then he did kinges or Princes being ones subiectes to y e ghospel It was mete that he and his then shoulde come without all worldlye honour riches or seculer authoritie bothe for our example and also that infidels should haue no occasion to saye that he had institute his religion by violence by tirannye by power earthlye goodes as no doubt they wold haue done if he had commen as he might if it had pleased him with all worldlye power he euen as man beinge kiÌ„g of al kinges Neuertheles in this pouerte it ought not to haue continued no nor coulde so haue done seinge Christe would haue but one body mistical in al christeÌ„dome and one head thereof his successour to gouerne al the rest must it not then nedes folow y t eueÌ„ in temporal substaunce bothe he and al other vnder him accordinge to their callinge ought to haue where with all to maintene defende their places would it not els sone come to passe that al the ministerye should come in conteÌ„pt or at the least waye smallye be regarded yea and would not all thereby shortlye come to confusion call to your remeÌ„brauÌ„ce I pray you how y â— Christ did send his Disciples twise forthe ones long before his passion and thother time after his resurrection At the first sending he bad them go al porely knowing that al necessaries then should be prouided for them to with drawe all men therby from Auarice and that nothing shuld be an hindraunce to the settinge fourthe of his Ghospel But at the seconde tyme of sendynge them fourth whyche was after his resurrection and ascension he byddynge them tarye tyl they had receiued tholy ghost they were charged to take all thinges necessarye yea and shortly after Saint Paule him selfe dyd appoint beinge euen led with the same spiryte of God that no mo pore ignoraunte fishers should be made Bishoppes or priestes but that they should be bothe doctours and men of good hospitalitye At the beginnynge all was rawe symple and rude yea and at that time when the Bushoppes were suche as hadde bene but poore ignoraunte fyshers then the verye Princes and rulers came and layde al their goodes at their fete If ye now wil nedes haue y e one ye must then nedes haue y e other How be it like as at the begynninge of the worlde the
S. Ciprian nameth y e church of RoÌ„e peters see and calleth it the principal churche whereoute the vnitye doth springe Li. i. epist epis iii. ante calcem S. Amb. also bearethe testimonye hereof saying we think it was not without a cause that tholy apostels Peter Paule did suffer martridome iÌ„ one day in one place vnder one tiraÌ„d In one day y t thei might come together vnto christ at one time one place y t Rome should lacke neither of theÌ„ vnder one persecutor y â— either might fele like crudeliti The day was appointed them for their merit the place for their glory the persecutour for their vertue What place did they suffer in In the citye of Rhome whiche was the chiefe and head cytye of all the nacions So that there shoulde reste the heade of all holinesse where before was the head of al supersticion there the princes of y e churches shoulde remayne where before y e princes of y e GeÌ„tils did dwel Haec amb in coÌ„ in natali petri et pauli coÌ„ 67 Agayn S. Ambr. saith Peter went forth in the night sawe Christ mete him goinge into y e citye to whoÌ„ Peter saide lorde whither goest y u christ aunswered I go to Rome there to be crucified againe And theÌ„ Peter knew y t christes auÌ„swer did perteine to his crucifyinge or death Haec ambr li. 5. epistolaruÌ„ in orÌ„one coÌ„ auxentiuÌ„ And this sam iÌ„ effect w t much more hath Egesippê° li. â— excid hiera cap. 2 an olde writer eueÌ„ sone after y e apostels time â–ª yea he being a GreciaÌ„ which would haue ben loth to haue testified any thing to the glory of Rome if the verye trueth had not compelled him y â— to haue done s Hierome likewise in catalogo illust viro rum in titulo peâ— intitulo pauli in titulo philonis saieth Peter priÌ„ce of the apostles after that he had bene byshop in Antioch c. came to Rome the seconde yere of Claudiê° the emperour and kept y e see there .xxv. yeres euen vnto the last yeare of Nero vnder whom he beyng crucified did suffer mertirdom Orosius thistoriographer affirmeth y e like li. 7. ca. 4. v. And so doth Euse li. ii ca. xiiii etiaÌ„ in li. croni And holy Bede our couÌ„tremaÌ„ in his cronacle testifieth y e same of s Peter s Hie againe saith in the place recited Philo fel into gret acquaiÌ„taÌ„ce loue with Peter in the city of Rome c. Ireneus moreouer scholer to s Iohns disc Pol. li. 3. ca. 1. 3. sheweth that peter was byshop iÌ„ rome so do chriso hê abbreuiator the ophilat in coÌ„mentariis epistolae poster ad Timo. Yea here now final lie to coÌ„clude s Peter him selfe in his first epistle .v. cha speaking vnder y e name of BabiloÌ„ for so he calleth ther rome bicause of superstition idolatry then vsed amongest y e infidels sheweth y t he wrot y t his epistle from rome as al authors doe declare whiche do interprete that epistle of Peter and so do Tertu li. con Iudeos pag. 128. Sainte Hierome in catalogo viroruÌ„ illustr titulo Marci papias disciple to S. Iohn euaÌ„g and bishop of HierusaleÌ„ Eusebius li. 2. ec his ca. 15. with many mo I nede not here to bring in certayne germayn writers which expouÌ„ding the fornamed place of Peter affirme him there to speake of Rhome vnder the name of Babilon where not without great blasphemy ofte they rayle agaynste all godlinesse and yet they be not ashamed to say and write yea and putte forth in printe thousand volumes wherein they denye y t Peter euer was at Rhome ¶ The .xlv. obiection Christ bade peter fede hê flock saying Pasce but this word pasce be tokeneth seruice not preeminence It is I say a word of seruice not preeminence The answere Christe in y t place vsed .ii. wordes twise he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whiche is pasce fede but after he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is both rege et pasce rule or gouerne and fede And so in the Ps god biddeth rule them w t an irne rod and in y e Actes Paule willeth them to take hede to them selues and â—o al the flocke amoÌ„ge whome y e holy ghost had made them bishops to rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the church of god Also in Peters epistle rule ye the churche of Christe though it be fede in the damnable translacions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therfore now to coÌ„clude seinge euerye man knoweth that to rule or gouerne is thoffice of superiours heades and rulers we maye well and truelye aunswere that to Peter and to all his successors was geuen not only commauÌ„dement to fede but also to rule his flocke And for this saith Paule which was but an inferiour to Peter will ye that I shal come to you with the rod of correctioÌ„ Rebuke sayth he to Timothe and checke in season out of season But of this ye haue more in y e .2 probation ¶ The .xlvi. obiection Ezechias that good kinge as hauing hygh authoritye ouer all geuen vnto him eueÌ„ by god sayde herken o ye Leuites and priestes be ye halowed make ye pure and cleane the house of our lord put away al wickednes and all vncleanes from the holy place c. ¶ The answere There were in Iuda by goddes permission manye wicked kinges whych did most filthyly pollute gods howse with Idolatrye and but fewe good whych wyth all theyr myghte did seke goddes honour Among whych fewe kyng Ezechias was one of the chyefe But if ye marke the text wel ye shall not fynde that he dyd vsurpe or take vppon him the priestes offyce but wyth his temporall sworde did defende it in all godlye ordre c. The .xlvii. obiection Mokst coÌ„moÌ„ly at al times causes of heresies haue ben debated before Emperours kinges princes both in this Realme also in other places of christeÌ„dome As appeareth euidentlye by manye chronicles ¶ The aunswere Good Kinges and Princes haue ofte made lawes and ordeined sharpe statutes to preserue the churches ryght therwith as mainteners and defendours thereof but not as chiefe authours or heades of the churche ¶ The .xlviii. obiection Kinges haue grauÌ„ted many priueleges preeminences and immunities to the clergi wher by appereth plainlye the Kinges authoritye to be aboue theirs c. ¶ The answere Thereby appereth plainlye that all suche godlye Princes were euer redye with all their power to defende Christ his churche and with al their indeuore to set vp his glorye ¶ The .xlix. obiection In tholde testamente the priestes were in subiection to the high Princes And firste to speake of Aaron he euer toke Moises for hê souereigne lord The aunswere Moyses was a figure of Christe as AaroÌ„ was a figure of Peter his vicare yea and bothe Moyses Aaron were priestes as y e
herte he declared still in his owne person al subiection The .lvii. obiection In scriptures ther is no mencioÌ„ made of Peters supremaci The answere Not as heretikes wraste the scriptures but there is mention ofte many times in scripture of Peters supremacye as christeÌ„ people take y e scriptures As it is both in y e probacioÌ„s also in sundrye responsions in this boke ¶ The .lviii. obiection In diuerse consideracions a man may be head and chiefe yet iÌ„ other relatioÌ„s or respectes inferiour subiect y e chiefe tayler y e chiefe paynter the chiefe phisicion or surgeÌ„ here in London within y e parishes wher eueri of them doth dwel are but takeÌ„ as neyghbourlike may chauÌ„ce as much inferiours w tout aâ—â—i such preemineÌ„ce which they haue amoÌ„g their owne coÌ„panies in their owne halles so Peter chiefe first in placing chiefe in coÌ„staÌ„cye stedfastnes of minde chiefe in ferueÌ„tnes of deuocioÌ„ chiefe in preaching godlines but not chiefe or first in preemineÌ„ce here in y e world to be aboue princes c. ¶ The answere Peter in y t respect or coÌ„sideracioÌ„ y t he is christes vicar chief heade vndernethe him here in earth so is he heade ouer all y e be of the same occupatioÌ„ y t he is of bicause the similitude depeÌ„deth soÌ„what vpoÌ„ craftes or occupatioÌ„s that is to say of christes religioÌ„ He is chefe ouer al y â— professe christ whether he be tayler paynter phisicioÌ„ or surgen yea whether he be king or emperor not y â— Peter doth chalenge any seperiortye ouer an emperor or kiÌ„g bicause he is emperor or kiÌ„g or ouer a phisicioÌ„ or paynter bicause he is phisicion or paynter but in respect in consideracion al they be christeÌ„ meÌ„ so are they al vnder Peter like as y e head phisician the head tayler the head paynter head surgeÌ„ as it is iÌ„ thobiectioÌ„ will euer require and that by right all that be of the same crafte science or occupation to be vnder theÌ„ that w tout any respect or coÌ„sideracioÌ„ to riches or pouerty to wysedome or ignorance ¶ The .lix. obiectioÌ„ Oh howe many scriptures haue bene w tin these .xxii. yeares brought cited against the popes authority The answer Euer wheÌ„ ye heare any scripture alleged sayth OrigeÌ„ vpoÌ„ Mathue coÌ„trary to y t which y e vniuersal church obserueth beleue theÌ„ not Geue no credit to theÌ„ for they would but deceiue you w t false allegatioÌ„s or false applicatioÌ„s of scriptures coÌ„trary to y e meaning of tholy gost Thinke y t scrypture is no scripture if the true intente meaning be not there yea if therin ye folow not y e authority of the churche For howe shall we know I pray you that Moyses wrote al y t is in hê .v. bokes seing we neuer saw his hande writing Yea though we had sene it howe could we know it to be his haÌ„de he being dead so loÌ„g ago or if we knew al this how were we sure y t all that he wrote was true y t god spake vnto him And y e same is likewise to be demaunded of al the prophetes writinges If ye say christ bare testimony of Moyses of y e law of y t prophetes then I aske further howe ye know by christes testimonye y t these which we rede be Moyses or the prophetes writinges although we grauÌ„t y â— by christê testimony Moy. y e ê“ph wer true faithful Yea yet further how know ye y t christ bare testimonye of Moyses y e prophetes whoÌ„ ye neuer heard preche nor teache If ye say by y e euaÌ„gelistes theÌ„ I turne agayne aske how ye know these to be y e ghospels of Mathue Marke or Luke seing ye neuer sawe theyr haÌ„des writing And if ye had sene theÌ„ yet ye knewe theÌ„ not but suppose ye know them how do ye wote y t all is true y t thei wrote seing eueri maÌ„ may be deceyued yea speciallye Marke Luke whiche wrote but of here say dyd neuer see christ If ye say they wrote being taught by tholy gost then y e same doubt cometh agayne howe ye knowe tholy ghoste taught theÌ„ or how know ye y t these be their writinges w tout corruptioÌ„ or mixture CaÌ„ ye by any menes saue or defeÌ„d thautority of y e scripture but onlye by thauthority of y e ecclesiastical tradicioÌ„s surely by none other Ye know which be the canonical scriptures y e true seÌ„se therof only by y e testimonye of y e church vnderstaÌ„d receiued by successioÌ„ of the fathers froÌ„ y e beginniÌ„g til this our time Dionise ClemeÌ„t Policarpe Ignatiê° TertuliaÌ„ OrigeÌ„ Ciprian Athana Basil Hilari Chriso Ambrose Hierome Austine w t al holy meÌ„ euer since had neuer other rule to know y e truth of scripture by but onely y t comeÌ„ professioÌ„ coÌ„seÌ„t of al the fathers euer in their time by successioÌ„ linking together their testimonies for y e ful knowledge of y e truth This is was euer shalbe y e very piller fouÌ„dacioÌ„ wherunto we must nedes lein So y t we haue receiued y e truth of y e ghospel by y e ecclesiasticall tradicioÌ„ rather theÌ„ by writing yea y e certitude of our religioÌ„ sure fayth hath not depeÌ„ded froÌ„ y e begining vpoÌ„ y e authority of y e gospels writeÌ„ but rather coÌ„trarywise y e authoriti of y e gospel writteÌ„ hath depeÌ„ded vpon the certitude of our religioÌ„ c. Paule wheÌ„ he sayd if an angel froÌ„ heueÌ„ preche any other ghospel theÌ„ thê cursed be he did not meane of any ghospel writen which theÌ„ had no authority iÌ„ y e church though sone after y e gospels writeÌ„ for certeÌ„ causes receued their authority of y e church And here is now to be noted y t we rede in Eusebius how that Serapion that learned holy bishop of Antioche sayd we receyue Peter other of thappostels euen as christ but we refuse such thinges as be falsely writen vnder their names bicause we haue no such tradicioÌ„ of the church c. This was y e rule then to know thinges by when they euer receiued al as it were by haÌ„d one of an other TheÌ„ they perceiued y t thauthority of y e ecclesiastical tradicyoÌ„ exteÌ„ded much further then the authority of y e ghospel writen y t in al doubtful cases it must geue seÌ„teÌ„ce iudgemeÌ„t whych is truth which is falsily So y t here nowe to coÌ„clude though heretikes wrast neuer so mani textes of scripture agaynst the popes authority it maketh no force nor proueth any thing agaynste our purpose And yet moreouer hereby appeareth y â— though there were no scripture at al to proue the popes authority by as there be very mani yet y t made nothing contrarye herevnto seing that by successession it hath bene stil receiued eueÌ„ froÌ„ Peters time