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
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
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.
reasonable people and as for the other sorte God I beseche him open theyr eies to se the truth or els take them awaye quicklye for feare of infectinge the flocke of Christe and speciallye the simple Lambes of his folde ¶ The .ii. obiection Saynete Augustine in sundry places as 50. tract in euan Ioa semeth to saye that christe builded the churche vpon Peters faith or vpon his cōfessiō yea or vpon christ him selfe c. ¶ Thanswere This is fully answered vnto in the laste responsion but yet somewhat to saye further S. Aug ofte vseth in treatinge of matters to dispute and reason sundry wayes so to trye forth the truthe But ye must marke that it is not alone to teache a sure and true doctrine and to dispute to reason or serch forth a verity or doctrine S. Aug. in his sermons wherin he taught the truethe to the people euer shewed playnlye that Christe buylded his churche vpon Peter accordinge to the fayth of the church not mathamaticallye vpon Peters faith but vpon faythfull Peter So that a catholike fayth is necessarilye required to euerye membre of Christes church And thus it is to be taken that authors oft do ascribe it to Peters fayth For els bothe Nathaniel and they also which in the tempest that Christe swaged with his woorde made like confession with Peter and before him ought to haue had y e same blessynge that Peter had ¶ The thyrd obiection The gates of hell shall not preuayle agaynste the foundations of the church but manye bishops of Rome haue bene heretikes yea and many other haue bene sinful in their liuinge very wicked against whom the gates of hell haue preuayled Wherfore y e church is not founded vpon them Thanswer If they be wicked they shall not escape the hande of God Potentes potenter tormenta patienter but wicked or not wicked al we are bound to obeye The Scribes and Pharasies sayth Christ sate vpon Moyses seate obei obserue al that they bid The sinne of y e ruler is no derogacion to the power and authoritie god hath putte him in yea and none is pure w tout al sinne neither one nor other head nor foote no nor y e churche it selfe here whyche is the congregacion of faitheful people is al wholly pure without spot or wrincle but y e churche triumphāt in heauē ephe the .v. shalbe al pure holy and immaculate withoute spot or wrinckle Peter him selfe the head foundacion of y e church after the keyes receiued was called sathan yea and after denyed his Maister thrise Wherfore against y e catholyke churche builded vpō Peter the gates of hel shall neuer preuaile that is to saye the faithe shal neuer faile neither in the catholyke churche nor in the head of it neither in Peter nor in his successours but there the faith shall euer abyde sounde and perfecte The gates of hel haue preuayled I graunte against the persons of the Popes but not against the power c. The gates of hel shall not preuaile againste it that is to say neither infidelitye nor heresye For lyke as y e perfection or integretye of faithe is the porte or gate throughe whyche we enter or goe in to the way that leadeth to y t kingdome of heauens so is infidelitie or heresie the gate throughe whyche the enteres go streighte to hel fire Now as for that they saye the faith of Peter in manye of his successours hathe fayled as in Marcellinus Liberius Felix the seconde Anastasius the seconde Iohannes the .xxii. Benedictus the .xi. and Honorius wyth other whyche saye they dyd erre and their faithe did faile And therefore the prayer of Christe is not so to bee taken that he dyd meane the person of Peter and his successours when he prayde that Peters faithe shoulde not fayle but he dyd meane that it shoulde not decay or fayle saye they in his whole congregatiō or church but that one or other thoughe he were not openlye knowen should euer kepe the true faith Here vnto I aunswere that Albertus Pighius defēdeth all these Byshops of Rome wyth diuerse other from al errours heresies in the fourthe boke and viii Chapiter of his Hierarchie so that their faithe saith he did neuer decaye no nor the faithe of any that euer was or shalbe in the place set in Peters cheare Neuertheles it is no inconuenyence to graūt y t some of the Popes for a time haue erred but quickelye by the authoritie of the see and the holy ghoste the matter hath bene refourmed againe so that the faith hath not bene counted there to faile no more then y u righteous man fallinge vii times in the day is counted to lose y e name of a righteous man Furthermore like as the vniuersal church in discussinge matters of oure faithe can not erre and yet all men as men may erre bycause of Christes assistaunce continuallie gouerning the same euē so Christes vicar y e pope as a priuate person as infirme man may erre both in lyuinge and beleuinge and then neither heade nor member of Christes churche beinge cut of but as pope and head he can not decide nor determine anye thinge amisse Marcellinus did amisse in sacrifising to Idoles yea Saint Peter offended Galathas the secōde but neither of them erred in discussinge matters of faith that through Christes assistaunce and his holy spirit And so theuangelistes as men mighte and did offende and erre but as writers of scripture they coulde not so doe But here nowe to speake more of that they sclaunderouslye obiecte sayinge that manye Popes haue bene nought and sinful in lyuinge What is that to the purpose the authoritye remaineth yet stil perfite How manye of the Kinges euen of Iuda were most wycked was their authoritye anye thinge diminished thereby No truly Ofre for the synne of the people God suffereth the wycked the tirāde or hypocryte to rule beside mani other plages whiche he daylye powreth vpon theym for synne and euen the same he ofte sendeth in to hys churche and yet thauthorytye is euer to be obeyed As they whyche sat in Moyses chere euen so now they whyche sitte in Peters seate So though y t they be euel nought thauthoritye yet still continueth And here now forthermore though for a time they know not who is ryght Pope through y e doutes that may be in elections or that for the tyme there be a Schisme and then two or thre named Popes sedicyouslye whereof in dede none is ryght Pope as it appeareth in the counsel of Constanciense and also in the time of Henry the ii Emperoure where Benedicte the ninth Siluester the third and Gregorie the sixte dyd al contende at one time and yet none of the three beynge the ryghte Pope nor anye other then electe for Clemente the secōde was after lawfully chosen and they iii. deposed yet stil euer remained y e see whole and thautority firme and sure Christes cote was neuer cutte
the canticles and fourth of Paule to the EphesiaÌ„s Corinthians are to be referred to the triuÌ„phant church do also now shew y t onlye the good in gods knowledg to be rewarded in glory are christê spouse not withstandinge here in the nomber amoÌ„ges christes people al are couÌ„ted oeÌ„s n. sunt de ecclesia numero sed noÌ„ merito y t be knit together in one faith one baptim c. Whether theâ— be good or bad So y t the vnitye agrement here in maketh y e church to be knoweÌ„ How be it if ye take or count all faithfull people which are sinners to be darkenes y e righteous onlye to be the light so no doubte y â— good bad do not al pertaine to one coÌ„panye but coÌ„sidering al faithful people as wel sinners as iust meÌ„ in that they be knit together iÌ„ one faith which is y e light of al faithful soules so they are al couÌ„ted to be w t in the cumpany of thunitie of the church militant w t out whiche be al scismatikes al heretikes al y t be excommunicat And here by appeareth y t only vnitye agremeÌ„t vnder one head iÌ„ one faith in one baptim in one order of sacrameÌ„tê sacrameÌ„talê ceremonies c. in one hope one charity in one spirit iÌ„ one reward to be receued of one head in heaueÌ„ doth make the churche of christ to be knoweÌ„ but al we both good or bad do depeÌ„d of thê vnity vnder one heade in one faith one baptim one hope one loue in one spirit al loking for one rewarde vnder one heade christ in heaueÌ„ therfore all we whether good or bad not erriÌ„g in y e faith are of thê church which theÌ„ coÌ„sequeÌ„tly herby appereth to be knowen Now for the profe of al these for y e first there is one christ ephe i whoÌ„ God the father ordeined to be head ouer al his church which is his bodi mistical Peter and his successours being immediate vicars therof as is fulli declared in this boke For the second we al are knit in thunity one faith i. co i saie al one thiÌ„g let ther be no scisme amoÌ„ges you for ye are al one gal iii y t is to say in y e faith of christ For y e third we al agre in thuniti of one bapti VnuÌ„ baptismacte eph 4 that coÌ„cerniÌ„g the matter of bap concerning y e maner forme of bap concerninge also the effect profyt of bap tiÌ„ For these .iii. ye rede Iohn y e third Mathue y e last Marke y e .xvi. excepte ye be regenerate of water tholy ghoste ye can not eÌ„ter iÌ„to y e kingdoÌ„ of god c Go and teache al nacions baptysing them in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost c. He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued c. For the fourthe ye are all called Ephesians the .iiii. vnto one hope of your vocatioÌ„ Hoc est in vnaÌ„ reÌ„ sperataÌ„ que est effectus vocationis vestre For y e v kepe stil one charity phi ii being al of one minde as the apostels were Actes the .iiii. as we are al being the church counted as one lofe i. cor x or one bodye For as one lofe is made of manye graines one bodye of many members so is the church compacte of manye faithfull people knit together in charity For y e sixte i. cor xii the giftes of grace are many but al coÌ„meth of one holye spirite Be ye therfore carefull ephe iiii to kepe the vnitye of this spirit seing y t as one soule doth quickeÌ„ norishe al members of the natural bodye So doth one spirit quickeÌ„ norish al the faithfull meÌ„bres of christes bodi mistical For the last mat 20. We loke al for one peny to be geuen of god whyche is our onely one head Iohels i rewarder of all we being then all brought into one shepecote of hym our onelye one shepeherde and pastour By this aunswere ye maye fullye perceyue the palpable darkenesse wherein these heretikes blindlye do walke which obstinately holde that the church is vnknowen and that none be of it but such as be all pure without spotte and that the smaller number is euer the better concernyng beliefe RHomanê° pontifex est caput orbis vniuersi et hierarcha summus ac princeps omnium vbique perpetuo hoc Authoritate diuina necnon iudex summus a quo appellare noÌ„ licet sed eius semper est modo sitvere papa catholicus causas fidei ambiguitates omnes iudicio vltimato decidere ac determinare Verum toto tempore quo ignoratur quis sit verus pontifex sacrum concilium authoritatem habet a deo ad sedandum schisma ¶ The conclusion WE maye perceyue now hereby ientill reader howe weake feble all the obiectioÌ„s are which be commonlye made agaynst the Popes authoritye We may perceyue the long coÌ„tinuance of it euen from Peters time hitherto with sufficient profes of the same We may perceyue also that thonly occasion of all heresies and other mischiefes whiche haue bene here in Englande and caused miserable scismes amoÌ„gest vs in the late miserable yeres was the forsakynge of the heade of the churche and breakynge the vnity therof We perceyue moreouer that y e only cause of leauinge and forsakyng hym was sinne aduoutrye pride and auaryce but the cause being nought how could the effecte be good Yea howe nought euil and wicked the effect hath bene and what misery we haue both felt and suffered still worse and worse as wel bodily as ghostlye euerye good man doth playnly se We perceiue also by example now to speake that lyke as yf ye take a clue of yearne and let the top thred be fast knit tosse tipe and playe at the ball with it so longe as the toppe threde breaketh not all holdeth faste together but breake ones the toppe threede and then playe with it tosse it vp downe all will sone come to nought euen so it hath chaunsed here in England with christes true religioÌ„ after that we ones brake the toppe threde Experience hereby hathe taught vs that amonges christen meÌ„ nothing is so sore to be feared as to be deuided from the vnity of christes churche as all they be whyche forsake the head therof In vnity peace and concord all thynges do florysshe and prosper but through diuisyon and schisme what euell commeth not And that caused the holye emperour Theodosius so greatlye to laboure for vnytye amongest Christes flocke Which thinge nowe earnestly pondered and throughlye weped let vs with all dylygence wyth all studye and prayer endeuoure our selues to kepe vs in the vnitie of christes church and to kepe vp the charet that it fall no more to the grounde Let vs mooste humblye obey vnto Peter and his successors as vnto the heade and chieffe stone