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B00958 Homelies sette forth by the righte reuerende father in God, Edmunde Byshop of London, not onely promised before in his booke, intituled, A necessary doctrine, but also now of late adioyned, and added thereunto, to be read within his diocesse of London, of all persons, vycars, and curates, vnto theyr parishioners, vpon sondayes, & holydayes. Bonner, Edmund, 1500?-1569. 1555 (1555) STC 3285.2; ESTC S103088 74,513 149

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and saint Paule at Rome saieth thus I thinke it not done without a great cause that in one day in one place and vnder on persecutoure they bothe dyd suffer In one daye for that they should come to Christ together In one place that neither of theym bothe shoulde be destitute of Rome and vnder one persecutoure that lyke cruelty should slaye them bothe The day was for their merite the place for theyr glory the persecutour for theyr vertue And in what place I praye you dyd they suffer martyrdome Euen in Rome whiche is the heade and chyefe citye of the worlde to the intente that where the head of superstition was there should rest the heade of holynes and where the prynces of the heathen did dwel there the princes of the churche shoulde lye Thus sayeth saint Ambrose wherevnto agreeth Egesippus Egesippus an auncyent wryter in his thyrde booke of the distruction of Hierusalem and lykewyse Dionisius Dionisius the byshop of Corinthe Corinth and Caius also whiche lyued in the dayes of zepherinus Sepherinus the Byshop of Rome as more at large appeareth in the .xxv. Chapiter of the foresayde seconde booke of Eusebius Eusebius Ecclesiasticall hystory Nowe that we haue in the homely goyng next before this declared that our sauioure dyd appoynt Saincte Peter to a greater and hygher offyce then he dyd any other of hys Apostles and haue in this homely intreated of the abode of saincte Peter and martyrdome at Rome we wyll consequentlye proue that the Byshoppes of Rome haue alwayes in the catholyke churche bene estemed iudged and taken for sainct Peters successours euen in that hys special and hyghest offyce and that to hym and thē by the wyll of God doeth appertayne the gouernement of Christes hole flocke on earthe And fyrste I wyll begynne wyth the aunciente Authour Ireneus Ireneus 3. Lib. aduersus hereses who in the thyrde Chapiter of hys thyrde booke agaynst heresyes doeth say that the church of Rome is the greatest the eldest and the best knowen of all churches and that it was foūded by the moost glorious Apostles Peter and Paule and that through the succession of the byshops of Rome frō sainct Peter vntyll hys tyme the trueth was deryued from hande to hande that it might there easely be foūde and had And herevpon he sayeth further these wordes Ad hanc enim ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatē necesse est omnem conuenire ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vbique fideles That is to saye For vnto this churche meanyng and poyntynge the sea of Rome for the more mighty principalty of it al the hole churche of Christ that is to saye all the faythfull where soeuer they be muste assemble or repayre vnto Augustinus And sainct Augustyne agreably herevnto doth in his .162 Epistle saye that in the churche of Rome the primacy of the Apostolike Sea did euer florishe And the same sainct Augustyne wrytinge agaynste one Petilianus whyche dyd blaspheme the sea of Rome as heretykes doo nowe a dayes doeth more ouer write in this maner Yf all the byshoppes of the worlde were suche men as thou dooest moost falsely reporte theim to be what hath the sea of Rome hurted the where Peter dyd syt and nowe Anastasius sytteth or what hath the sea of Hierusalem hurted the where Iames did sit and now at this presēt Ioannes dothe sit with whome we are in the catholike vnitie ioyned and from whome ye haue deuyded your selues in youre wycked rage or fury why doest thou cal the Apostolike sea the sea of pestilence If thou doo it for the mēs sake whō thou thinkest to preache the lawe and not to fulfyll the lawe dyd our sauiour I praye the any suche iniury to the sea or chaire of the scribes and Phariseis of whome he sayeth They say but they doo not c. Moreouer the holye Martyr sainct Cipriane in the thyrde Epistle Ciprianus of hys fyrste booke speakynge agaynste certayne whyche dyd disobey contempne Cornelius the byshoppe of Rome writeth in this maner Neque enim aliunde hereses oborte sunt aut nata sunt scismata quam inde quod sacerdoti dei nō obtemperatur nec vnus in ecclesia ad tēpus sacerdos et ad tempus iudex vice Christi iudicatur Cui si secundum magisteria diuina obtemperaret fraternitas vniuersa nemo aduersus sacerdotum collegium quicquam moueret That is to saye Of none other cause are heresyes spronge vp or scismes rysen than of this that the priest of GOD meanynge Cornelius the byshoppe of Rome is not obeyed and one is not taken in the churche to be the hyghe priest for the tyme and for the tyme in Christes stede a iudge or Christes vicar vnto whome yf the hole fraternitye were accordynge to Goddes commaundementes obediente no man woulde any thing moue or styrre agaynst the colledge or companye of priestes Sainct Augustyne also wrytynge agaynste the Epistle of a Maniche whyche Epistle is intituled Augustinus or called Fundamentum giueth to the sea of Rome a meruaylous prerogatyue and dothe buylde hys faythe amongest other thinges vpon the succession of the Byshoppes of Rome who after sainct Peter dyd folowe orderly euen to hys tyme whych was .300 yeres after Christe And he wryteth in this maner Multa sunt que me in ecclesie gremio iustissime tenent Tenet me consensio populorū atque gentiū tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata spe nutrita charitate aucta vetustate firmata tenet ab ipsa sede petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suas post resurrectionē suam dominus commendauit vsque ad presentem episcopatum successio sacerdotum That is to saye there are many thinges which of very good reason doo kepe me in the lawes of the catholyke churche The consent of so manye people and nations or cuntries dothe kepe me the authoritie of the churche begon with myracles nourysshed with hope encreased with charitye and confyrmed with antiquitye doeth kepe me the succession also of bysshoppes from sainct Peter the Apostles seat or tyme to whome oure Lorde dyd after his resurrection commyt hys shepe to be fedde vnto this presēt Bishopricke meanyng Rome doeth kepe me in the catholyke churche Sainct Hierom also in his Epistle to Damasus doeth set fourthe very notably Hieronimus the primacye and supremitye of the byshoppe of Rome as beyng sainct Peters successours and amongest other thynges he sayeth thus Si quis cathedrae Petri iungitur meus est That is to saye Yf any man be ioyned to Peters chayre or hold of Peters seat meaning the sea of Rome he is myne and I receyue and ioyne wyth hym Ambrosius Sainct Ambrose also in his thyrd booke of the sacramētes and in the fyrst Chapiter doth say thus Ecclesia Romana hanc consuetudinem non habet cuius tipum in omnibus sequimur That is to saye the churche of Rome whose forme or trade we doo
hath the true vnderstandinge of scripture the knowledge of all thinges necessary to saluation To this church Christ maketh promis in the .xvi. of Iohn Ioh. 16. saying Whē that spirite of truth shal come he shal teache you al truth To this churche also he maketh that other promis written in the .xxviii. of Mathew where he sayth Math. 28. Beholde I am with you to the ende of the world This Catholyke churche thus gouerned by the holy Ghost assisted alwayes of Christ him selfe neuer yet fayled frō the tyme of the Apostles hitherto ne shal fayl to the worldes ende nether can it be deceaued in any necessarye truth accordyng as Chryst promyseth in the .xvi. of Mathewe Math. 16. saying That hell gates shal not preuayle agaynst the churche where by hel gates he meaneth errour as yf he had sayd that the catholyke churche shall neuer be ouercome with erroure For this cause S. Paule in the third chapiter of his first epistle to Timothe Timoth. 1. calleth the catholike church the piller and grounde of truth This catholike churche must in al ages nedes be an open knowen churche and such a company as among whych the trueth is openly preached ells Chryst woulde not haue sayd as it is wrytten in the .v. of Mathewe A citie that is set on a hyl Math 5 can not be hyd nether do men lyght a candel and put it vnder a bushel but on a candelstycke and it geueth lyght vnto all that are in the house Wherfore they do great iniury to Chryst which saye that the catholyke churche is an vnknowen churche seing it is that citie which our sauiour there ment and that candell of whiche he there speaketh So manye as deuyde them selues frō this open knowen Churche of Chryste and refuse the doctryne thereof thoughe they be neuer so diligent in readyng of scrypture yet shall they neuer truely vnderstande scrypture but runne continually farther and farther into erroure and ignoraunce euē as a man that is once out of his way the farther and faster he goeth furth the more he loseth his labour 2. Peter 1 Saint Peter therefore in the fyrst Chapiter of his second epistle geueth vs a most certayne and sure rule which if we folowe we shall not fayle ryghtly to vnderstande scripture his rule is thys We haue sayth he A ryght sure worde of prophecie wherevnto yf ye take hede as vnto a lighte that shineth in a darke place you doo wel vntyl the day dawne and the daye starre aryse in your hartes So that you first knowe this that no prophecie in the scripture hath any priuate interpretation For the scripture came neuer by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holi ghost Here you se how saynt Peter willeth euery man fyrst of all to knowe that scripture must be vnderstanded after the generall meanynge of Chrystes churche and not after the priuate interpretation of any seuerall man or companye And in the thyrde chapiter of the same Epystle 2. Peter 3 he sayeth further that in S. Paules epistles are manye thinges harde to be vnderstanded whych they that are vnlearned vnstable doo peruerte as they doo also the other scriptures to theyr owne destruction ye therefore beloued seing you be warned afore hand beware leaste ye with other men be also plucked a waye through the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse Lo here S. Peter telleth the very cause why men mysvnderstand scrypture which is lacke of knoweledge and lacke of constancie when men ether thorowe ignoraunce or thoroughe inconstancie swerue from the catholyke meanyng and folowe pryuate interpretation Such men he sayeth do peruerte the scriptures to theyr owne destruction Saynte Paule also wrytyng to Tymothe and willing hym to be earnest in the study of scripture 1. Timo 9 geueth him withal this foresayd rule saying in the very ende of his fyrst epistle O Timothie kepe sure that whiche is committed to thy custody and auoide newe fangled termes and bosting of science falsely so called which science whyle some dyd professe they haue erred from the fayth The thinge whiche S. Paule sayth was commytted to Timothies custody was the truth of the catholyke fayth which he sayth some fell frome by reasone of new fangled termes and by reason also that they tooke vpon them knowledge beinge in dede ignoraunte And in the thyrd chapiter of his seconde epistle to Timothie 2. Timothei 3 he farther sayeth Contynue thou in the thinges which thou hast learned which also were commytted vnto the. S. Ireneus also a blessed martyr and very nyghe to the tyme of the Apostles a man of greate learning and no lesse vertue and such a one as by the consente of all men had the perfyt knowledge and vnderstandynge of scryptures in his third boke agaynst Valentyne the arche heretyke and in the fowrth chapiter of the same boke sayeth Ireneus in his third boke against Valentine chap. 4. touchyng the catholyke churche in thys maner We must not seke the trueth among other seing we may easely take it of the church for as much as the Apostels haue fully lefte with it as in a rych tresury all truth that who so listeth may thence take the drinkes of lyfe for this is the entre to life All other are theues and robbers wherfore them must we auoyd that doctryne that the church teacheth we muste loue with great diligence embrace the tradition of the truth For what and yf a controuersy should happen to ryse vpon neuer so smal a questiō ought not men in that case to haue recourse to the most auncient churches in which the Apostles were conuersaunt and ther learne the truth in that controuersy ye what yf the Apostles had lefte behynde them no writyng at all must we then not haue folowed the order of tradition delyuered by them to such as they committid the churches vnto to which tradition manye barbarous nations beleuing in Christ do giue credite with out any other wrytyng then that which is in their hartes wrytten Al this wryteth Ireneus and within a lytle after he sayeth Yf to these barbarous nations any man should preach in their owne language these inuentions of heretikes by and by they would stoppe their eares and flye as farre as they could frō him and not once here his blasphemous talke thus sayeth S. Ireneus Now yf christen people at this presēt would folow this trade which this blessed martir here speaketh of thē should no mā runne into heresy but al mē shold cleue fast vnto the wholesome doctrine of the catholike church abhorre and detest whatsoeuer any precher wold vtter vnto thē contrary to the same For whosoeuer preacheth any doctrine not agreable to the general receiued doctrine in the open knowen church he it is such as be like to him of whō our sauiour biddeth vs to beware saiyng in the .vii. of Mathewe
Beware of false prophets Math. 7 which come to you in shepes clothing but inwardly they are rauenynge wolues Our sauior calleth them wolues for that they deuoure the soules of so many as giue credite vnto thē he sayeth fardar of them that they come in lambes skins because they pretend the woord of God and therewith bleare the eyes of poore simple men and make them beleue that it is as they saye where in dede whatsoeuer is taught contrary to that that al christendome openly teacheth and from tyme to tyme hath taught is false and cannot possible be true vnlesse we wold say that christ him selfe were not true For he promyseth that hym selfe wil be for euer with the churche and that the holy ghost shal for euer gouerne the same Forasmuch than as there is no other schole on the earth for men to learne theyr duety towardes God and the world but the catholyke churche nor no other doctryne auayleable to eternall lyfe but that whiche the catholyke churche teacheth therefore all christē people are requyred to make a solempne vow at theyr baptisme to beleue the catholyke churche And he that so doeth is in an assured trade of saluation if in his conuersation he folowe the same but contrarywyse he that beleueth it not is in a mooste certayne estate of euerlastynge dampnation Wherefore that you maye knowe what the catholyke churche dothe in all poyntes beleue there shal be hereafter particularly set forth vnto you the seuerall matters requisit to be beleued and practised of all Christen people that no man maye haue iuste cause hereafter to pretende ignoraunce but all men beynge sufficiently instructed maye by folowynge suche doctryne attayne to euerlastynge lyfe whiche sende vnto vs all the blessed trinitie the father the Sonne and the holye Ghoste to whom be all honoure and glorye worlde without ende Amen Io. Harpesfelde sacrae theologiae professor Arch. London ¶ An Homely of Christian loue or Charitye FOrasmuch as the pithe and summe of all thinges which be conteyned eyther in the lawe or in the prophetes doth stād and cōsist in the loue of God and in the loue of oure neyghboure as our sauiour Christ dothe plainely testifye in the .xxii. Chapiter of sainct Mathewe Math. 22. sayenge One of the Pharises beynge a doctoure of the lawe tēpting did aske him and say mayster what is the great cōmaūdemēt in the law Iesus answerynge sayd vnto hym Thou shalte loue thy Lorde God wyth all thy harte wyth al thy soule and wyth all thy hole mynde this is sayeth he the greatest and fyrste commaundement And the seconde is lyke vnto it Thou shalte loue thy neyghboure as thy selfe and of these two commaundementes al the lawe dothe hange and the Prophetes And forasmuche also as we can not loue God well except we doo loue oure neyghboure in a due order ne yet loue oure neyghboure well excepte we doo loue God in that due order that we oughte to doo Sainct Ihon the Euangelist so testifyeng and declarynge Iohn 3. and 4. in the thyrde and fourthe Chapiters of his fyrst canonicall Epistle And finally forasmuche as he that loueth not after this sorte is by the testimonye of the sayde sainct Iohn in the sayde thyrd Chapiter iudged to be in death therefore it is ryghte expediente and necessarye to haue alwayes this loue whiche nowe in oure vulgare tongue and common talke is ofte named by the name of Charitie but very megerly and coldely practised and set fourthe in dede as it shoulde be And of trouthe yf we woulde iudge vpryghtly and well we ought to saye that of all thinges that be good to be taught vnto Christen people there is nothynge more necessarye to be spoken of and daylye called vpon then charitie aswell for that all maner of woorkes of righteousnes be cōteyned in it as also that the decaye thereof is the ruyne of the worlde the banyshement of vertue and the cause of all vice And forasmuche as almost euery mā maketh frameth to him selfe a charity after his owne appetyte and howe detestable so euer his lyfe be bothe vnto God and man yet he perswadeth with hym selfe styll that he hathe charitye Therefore you shall heare nowe a true and playne descripcion of charitie not of mens ymagination but of the very woordes and example of oure sauioure Iesus Christe In whyche description euerye man as it were in a glasse may consyder hym selfe and see plainely without errour whether he be in the true Charitye or not charitie is to loue God with all oure harte withall our life with al our powers with all our strength With all our harte that is to say that our hartes mynde studie be set to beleue his woorde to truste in hym and to loue hym aboue all other thynges whyche we doo loue best in heauen or in earthe Wyth all oure lyfe that is to saye that our chief ioye and delyte be sette vpon hym and his honoure and oure hole lyfe gyuen vnto the seruice of hym aboue all thynges wyth hym to lyue and wyth hym to dye yea and to forsake all other thynges rather then hym For he that loueth hys father or mother sonne or doughter house or lād more then me saieth Christ is not worthy to haue me Wyth all oure powers that is to saye that with our handes and feete wyth our eyes and eares oure mouthes and tongues and wyth all other partes powers bothe of body and of soule we shoulde be gyuen to the kepynge and fulfyllynge of hys commaundementes This is the fyrste and the principal parte of charity but it is not the whole For charitie is also to loue euery man good and euyll frende and fooe And what soeuer cause be gyuen to the contrarye yet neuertheles to beare good will and harte vnto euerye man to vse oure selues wel vnto thē aswel in woordes and countenaūce as in all our outeward actes and dedes For so Christ hym selfe taught and so also he perfourmed in dede And of this loue that we ought to haue amongest oure selues eche to other he instructeth vs thus Mathew v. You haue harde it taught in tymes paste Thou shalte loue thy frende and hate thy fooe but I tell you loue your enemyes speake wel of them that diffame you and doe speake euil of you doo well to them that hate you praye for thē that vexe and persecute you that you may be the children of your father that is in heauen For he maketh the sunne to ryse bothe vpon the euyl and good and sendeth rayne to the iuste and to the vniust For if you loue them that loue you what rewarde shal you haue Doo not the publicans lykewyse And yf you speake well onely of them that be your brethren and derely beloued frendes what greate matter is that doo not the heathē the same also These be the very woordes of oure sauioure Christ him selfe touching the loue of our neighbour And forasmuche as the Phariseis wyth theyr moost
forasmuche as the holye ghoste is the gouernour and ruler of the catholyke churche we ought there onely and in no other corner to serche the true vnderstandynge and dyscernynge of the scryptures And for this cause the aucient fathers were they neuer so godly and so wel learned yet woulde they neuer presume vpon theyr owne iudgementes but euer referred them selues to the vnderstandyng and interpretacion of the catholyke churche before them Therfore the godly lerned and ancient father Ireneus Ireneus li. 3 capi 4 wryting agaynste schismaticall heresyes sayeth thus Quid enim si qui de aliqua modica questione disceptatio esset nonne oporteret in antiquissimas recurrere Ecclesias c. that is to saye but what and yf there were contencion concerning some smal question were it not necessarye to returne to the mooste auncient churches and immediatly after he sayeth Quid autem si neque apostoli quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderunt hijs quibus committebant Ecclesias What sayeth this holye father yf the Apostles had lefte to vs no scripture at all had it not bene necessarye to folowe the order of that tradition whyche they delyuered to those to whome they dyd bequethe the churche Alas good people howe farre are manye in these dayes gone from this olde and aunciēt rule this blessed martir here exhorteth or rather commaundeth that yf any small dyscorde thoughe it be in a matter of lytle importaunce doo chaunce that we woulde not accordyng to our fantasy iudge therein but though we haue no scripture for the same yet sayeth he we ought to folowe kepe and obserue the tradition of the aunciente churches Where as in these late dayes the impudente procedars haue taughte the zely people that euery man shoulde and may be a iudge of controuersyes and that we oughte to obserue no tradition nor ceremonye other than we fynde in the holy scrypture Of suche the same holy Ireneus dooeth speake thus after many other notable lessons to the same purpose Omnes autem hij decidunt a veritate Ireneus li. 4 Cap. 43. et heritici quidem alienum ignem afferentes ad altare dei id est alienas doctrinas a celesti igne conburentur c. All these sayeth he doo fal from the trueth and the heretykes truely bryngynge straunge fyre to the aulter of God that is to saye straunge doctrine shal be brent with the heuenly fyre With suche lyke threatnynges in the same place to those that disobey the authoritie of the churche Lykewyse sainct Augustyne speakynge of the baptysme of chyldren and howe that sacrament can profyte them seynge many die before they know the effecte of the same affyrmeth that the faythe of those that brynge the chylde to christenynge shall profyte the childe that is broughte but for his probacion August de li. arb lib. 3. Cap. 23. he bryngeth thys Hoc commendat ecclesie saluberrima authoritas This thynge the mooste holsome aucthoritye of the churche doethe commende And euen wyth lyke reuerence the same saincte Augustyne dooth many tymes submytte all hys iudgementes Epist 7. In proemio Li. 3. De. Tri. and woorkes to the catholyke churche And fynally to declare hys iudgemente concernynge the aucthoritye of the catholyke churche He saieth thus Ego vero Euāgelio nō crederem nisi me catholicae Ecclesiae commoueret authoritas that is to say Truely August contra epist Manich. Capi. 3 I would not beleue the Gospell onles that the aucthoritye of the catholyke churche dyd moue me thereto And we ought here to consyder that after the ascension of our sauioure Christe for the space of certayne yeares there was no gospell at all wrytten but all thynges concernynge the faythfull christians were ruled and gouerned by the dyscyples of Christ beyng than the heades of the church Afterwarde we rede that dyuers of the dyscyples of Christe dyd wryte Gospelles as sainct Bartylmew Nicodemus and an other Gospel was called Euangelium Nazareorum But the authorite of the churche dyd onely admitte those fower euangelistes which nowe the whole churche dooth retayne Whyche thing might well seme maruelous seynge that bothe saincte Bartylmew and Nicodemus were present and dyd see the woorkes of Christ and also dyd here hys doctryne where as sainct Luke dyd learne hys gospell of saincte Paule and other and so lykewyse dyd S. marke but hereby it dooeth moost playnly appere that the catholike churche onely hathe this hye aucthorite to dyscerne scriptures and that scriptures allowed by the church shoulde not be refused of anye particulare persons Nowe therefore seynge that the catholyke churche bothe hathe delyuered to vs the scripture and in all ages and tymes hath bene taken of all Godly lerned men for the true iudge thereof I exhort and beseche all you good christen people that in all doutes opinions and controuersies ye would resort to the holy churche and there learne what the same catholyke church hath beleued and taught from time to time concernynge doutes or controuersies and yf wyth lowly and meke hartes ye wyll so doo surely the holy ghoste wyll instructe you he wyll comforte you and he wyl leade you into al trueth But yf in suche case ye wil fly from the catholike church aske coūsell of your selues or of any that dooth swarue from the sayd churche than for so muche as the holy ghost is not your guyde you shall fall from ignoraunce to errour and from doutyng and dysputyng to playne heresy and so from one to another to the vtter confusion An other aucthoriti of the churche of bothe body and soule Yet beside this great authoritie of the churche whereof you haue hearde there is an other gyuen by God of mooste hye excellencye that is power to forgyue and pardon the penitent synner and to punishe and correcte the obstinate or frowarde synner which power and aucthorite Leuit. 13. as it was fygured in the preesthood of the olde lawe as in Iudgynge of leprose persons and in punyshynge to death those that did not obey the priest euē so is it giuen by our sauiour Christ in very dede Deut. 17. in the gospel to his Apostles and to all theyr successours For after that our sauioure hadde rysen from deathe he came amonges hys Apostles and brethed vpon them and sayde Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum dimiseritis peccata Iohn 20. dimittuntur eis et quorum retinueritis retenta sunt That is take you the holy ghost whose sinnes you shall forgyue they are forgyuen to them and whose synnes you doo retayne they are retayned Whyche aucthorite by playne woordes gyuen by Christ though some hath or doo contemne and set at noughte Ciril in Iohn Lib. 12. capi 20. yet saincte Cyrill byddeth them cease to merueyle that Christ should giue suche power for he sayeth Certe absurdum non est peccata remitti posse ab illis qui spiritum sanctum in seipsis habeant
lyuely faythe oute of whyche wyll sprynge in vs muche holynesse of lyfe and quietnes of conscience and yf at any tyme throughe our frailnes we happen to fall we haue readye to rayse vs vp agayne the holye Sacramentes throughe the comfortable helpe whereof we be made stronge and so daye by daye more able to procede in al kynde of vertue and thus hauynge vpon earthe oure mother the holye churche whiche is the spouse of Iesus Christe the Sonne of God we maye be bolde to call vpon GOD our father and be assured that he wyll heare vs as hys dearebeloued chyldren and gyue vs the inheritaunce of heauen whyche is prepared for vs through our sauiour Iesus Christe To whōe wyth the father and the holy ghost be honour prayse and glory world without ende Amen H. Pendilton sacrae theologiae professoris ¶ An Homelye of the Primacy or supreame power of the highest gouernor of the militant Churche AS in euery naturall and polytyke body so in the churche militāt which is a misticall body superioritie and inferiority must nedes be amōgest the members thereof or ells it cannot endure And for thys cause speciallye our Sauiour Chryste when he was here conuersaunte on the Earth dyd hymselfe appoynte his Apostles Disciples and there successours to haue the ouersyght cure and high gouernement of his church to the worldes ende And to the intente that no man should contempne theyr aucthoritie he doth saye in the thyrtenth of Saynt Ihon Amen Amen Dico vobis qui accipit si quem misero Iohn 13 me accipit Qui autem me accipit accipit eum qui me misit That is to say Veryly Veryly I saye vnto you who that receyueth him whome I sende receyueth me And he that receiueth me receyueth hym that sent me And in the tenth of Luke he sayth Qui uos audit me audit qui uos spernit me spernit Qui autem me spernit spernit eum qui misit me Luce. 10. That is to saye He that heareth you heareth me and he that dispiseth you dispiseth me and he that dispiseth me dispiseth hym that sent me Of the Apostles also and theyr successours and of theyr charge ouer Christes flocke doth Saynt Paule speake in the fourthe chapiter to the Ephesyans saying Ephes 4. Ipse dedit quosdam quidem Apostolos quosdam autem Prophetas alios uero Euangelistas alios autem pastores et doctores ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerii in edificationem Corporis Christi donec occurramus omnes in unitatem fidei agnitionis filii dei in uirum perfectum in mensuram etatis plenitudinis Christi ut iam non simus paruuli fluctuantes neque circuferamur omniuento doctrine in nequitia hominum in astutia ad circumuentionem erroris That is to saye He meanyng Chryste hath giuen or appointed some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelistes some pastores and teachers to the perfytynge or consummating of the holyons to doo the worke of the mynistery to edyfye the body of Chryst vntyll we all come together in one vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto the estate of a perfecte man after the measure of the age of the fulnes of Chryst that from henceforth we should not be as babes waueryng neyther should we be caryed aboute with euery blaste of doctryne in the wickednes of men in the wylynes of them who go aboute to deceyue vs This place of Saynt Paule most playnelye setteth before our eyes the authoritie and gouernemēt which our sauiour hath appoynted to contynue to the ende of the worlde in his churche and howe the Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes Preachers and teachers are giuen of Chryst to his people to gouerne them And therewith al Saynt Paule in the sayde place sheweth to what ende suche gouernement and authoritie is instituted it is to wytte for the spiritual edifieng of the hole body in the fayth for the defense of the hole bodye from the poyson of heresye And in dede no one thing can so muche suppresse heresye as yf the Authoritie and gouernment Ecclesiasticall be accordingly therevnto estemed obeyed as witnesseth Saynte Ciprian the blessed Martyr in hys fyrst boke and third Epystle saieng Neque aliunde hereses obortae sunt Ciprian Lib. i. epistle ●3 aut nata sunt scismata quam inde quod sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur Nec unus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus iudex uice Christi cogitatur cui si secundum magisteria diuina obtemperaret fraternitas uniuersa nemo aduersus sacerdotum collegia quicquam moueret That is to saye Neyther other where or by other meanes are heresyes sprong vp and scismes rysen than hereof that obedience is not gyuen to the preist of God Nor one is considered or thought to be in the churche for the tyme the preist and for the time the iudge in Christes stede vntowhich one yf the hole fraternitie dyd according to the heauenly commaundements obeye no man woulde stirre or moue anye thinge against the Colleges or cōpanies of preistes Hereby you may perceyue that saynt Cypryans cōclusion or iudgemēt is that the gouernment Ecclesiasticall and especially of one to be taken and reputed as Christes vicar is the best meane to let and suppresse heresies and that such one gouernor is to be obeyed of all chrysten people which thinge maye be proued very playnely and euidently by the holy scryptures themselues For the scryptures doo witnesse that our sauiour appoynted S. Peter to thys high rowme and charge ouer his hole flocke and no one of the Apostles els In the .xxi. Ioan. 21 of S. Iohn it is wrytten howe our sauiour after his resurrection appearing at the sea of Tiberias to certen of his Apostles amongest whome was Peter dyd fyrste take breade and fyshe and gaue vnto them And when they had refresshed them selues he sayde vnto Peter Simon Ioannis diligis me plus hiis Dicit ei Etiam domine tis scis quia amo te Dicit ei Pasce agnos meos Dicit ei iterum Simon Ioannis diligis me Ait illi Etiam domine tu scis quia amo te Dicit ei Pasce agnos meos Dicit ei tertio Simon Ioannis amas me Contristatus est Petrus quia dixit ei tertio amas me dixit ei Domine tu omnia nosti tu scis quia amo te Dicitei Pasce oues meas That is to saye Symon the sonne of Ioannes doeste thou loue me more then these doo He answered vnto him Yea Lorde thou knowest that I loue thee He sayde vnto him Fede my lambes Then he spake to him agayne and sayde Symon the sonne of Ioannes doeste thou loue me He aunswered yea Lorde thou knoweste that I loue thee He sayd vnto hym againe Feede my lambes Then spake he vnto him the third tyme and sayde Symon the sonne of Ioannes doest thou loue me Peter was sorie because Christ sayde vnto him now
Christe yet one of them he calleth a deuyll Doth not Christe also saye Math 23. that Scribes and Phariseis doo syt in Moyses chayre neuerthelesse he woulde the people should obey theyr lessons Euen so thoughe some members of Christes catholyke churche doo not lyue accordynge to theyr vocatyon yet oughte no man therefore the lesse to regarde the fayth and doctryne of the same churche These thynges good people thoughe they are sufficiente to declare the holye Churche what it is and howe it may be knowen yet I besech you most diligently to note and carye awaye one rule which shall neuer deceaue you but is a sure tryall of the catholyke churche and the fayth thereof This rule is not myne but taken out of a learned auncient and ryghte godlye father in Christes Churche He sayth There are thre meanes to trye a churche Vincentius Lirenensis or doctryne the fyrst is antiquitie the second is vniuersalitie the thyrde is vnitie By the fyrst we are taught that a true doctrine must be knowē by that it is not lately spronge vp or rysen but commeth from Christ and his apostles and hath contynued styll in the churche By the seconde we maye vnderstande that a true fayth or doctryne of the churche is that onelye whiche vnyuersallye in all countreys hath ben taught beleued By the thirde we ought to learne that a true doctryne or fayth of the church doth alwayes agre and is alwayes one Nowe those three thinges well noted may instruct and teache any Christen man to knowe the catholyke churche whiche euer synce the Apostles tyme and in all countreys with one consent in al thinges concernyng our fayth hath shewed her self the worthy spouse of Chryst Contrary wyse false doctryne and heresye euer hath doone and shall doo to the worldes ende lately arise lurke in priuat corners neuer agre with itselfe Which thyngs I myght easelye at large proue and open to you by playne and manifest demonstration But because in the nexte homelie I intende to speake of the aucthoritie of the churche and also of the commoditie and profite that we haue by the same here I wyll make an ende Roma 12 besechyng all you good and godly people to geue your bodyes and soules an humble and holy sacryfyce to almyghtye God prayinge euermore that we may be altogether lyuelye membres of oure sauyoure Iesus Chryst and of his catholyke churche here vpon earth and after this lyfe partakers of the ioyfull kyngedome of heauen through the same our Lorde Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghoste be all honoure and glorye worlde without ende Amen H. Pendilton sacrae theologiae professoris ¶ An Homely of the aucthoritie of the churche declarynge what commoditie and profit we haue thereby LYkewyse as in the laste homelye it was declared to you good chrysten people what the churche is and how it maye be knowen soo nowe ye shall learne the aucthoritie of the same catholyke church and the commoditie or profyt that ensueth to vs all beynge members of the same churche Fyrste whan oure sauioure Iesus Christ dyd send forth the twelue apostles to preach who were and are the cheife and pryncipall pyllers of this catholyke churche he dyd geue to them great power and aucthoritie as saynt Mathewe beareth wytnes Math. 10 sayinge Iesus dyd call together the twelue disciples and gaue to them power ouer vncleane spirites that they shoulde cast them out and shoulde heale all maner of diseases and infirmities And sondrye tymes we do rede in the holy Gospell that our Sauiour Chryste doth speake to his Apostles after this maner Qui uos audit me audit qui uos spernit me spernit That is to saye He that heareth you Mathe. 10. heareth me and he that dispiseth you doth dispise me Meanynge Iohn 13. and wyllynge thereby that all the worlde shoulde know and confesse the aucthoritie of the catholyke church whiche Christ him selfe dyd buyld in and vpon these hys holye Apostles And to the same purpose he sayd to them Iam non dicam uos seruos sed amicos c That is to say Nowe I wyll no more call you seruauntes Iohn 15 but frendes for al thinges that I haue herde of my father I haue declared to you Iohn 20 And agayne he sayth As my father sente me euen so I sende you By these and many such other places we maye see that our louynge sauiour dyd giue greate aucthoritie to his Apostles But nowe it is expediente and nedefull to declare in what specyall poyntes this aucthorytie doth consyste and that the same aucthorytie was not onely geuen to the Apostles of Christe but also to theyr successours in the catholyke churche euer to endure Whiche aucthoritie thoughe it be greate and manyfolde yet these are the chefest partes thereof that hereafter doo folowe Fyrste almyghtye God hath geuen power The churche hath the true sence of the scripture and is iudge therof and aucthoritie to the catholike churche to haue the true sense and vnderstandynge of the holye Scripture yea and to approue also or reproue al wryting as Scripture or no Scripture Whiche thynge good christen people you may well vnderstande to be moost true yf ye cal to remembraunce who is the guyde and gouernour of the churche that is to wit the holy Ghost as Christe dyd promyse sayinge Ego rogabo patrem et alium paracletum dabit vobis vt maneat vobiscum ineternum Iohn 14. that is to saye I wyll aske my father and he wyll giue to you an other comforter that he maye abyde wyth you for euer And after that our Lord and sauiour had rysen frō death he dyd breathe vpon hys Apostles and sayde Accipite spiritum sanctum Take you the holy ghost and also Iohn 20. after hys ascension into heauen accordynge to his merciful promise he did sende downe the holy Ghost vpon his Apostles Act. ii as saincte Luke writeth Nowe that the holy ghoste was not gyuen to the Apostles onely but also to the catholyke churche to the worldes ende it is manyfest forasmuche as Chryste dyd promyse the conforter vt maneat vobiscum inaeternum That he should abyde sayeth he wyth you for euer Nowe we are mooste certayne Iohn 14 that the Apostles of Christe dyd suffer deathe for the faythe of Chryste and that within fewe yeres after they thus had receyued the holy ghoste Neuertheles Christ sending furthe hys Apostles to preache and baptyze sayd to thē Math. 28. Ecce ego vobiscū sum omnibus diebus vsque ad consūmationê seculi That is Behold I am with you at al tymes euen to the ende of the worlde Wherefore we maye playnly see that the holy ghoste beynge promised to the Apostles to abyde for euer and to the very ende of the world was promised and giuen to them and to their successours in the churche where he doth and shall abide for euer Now