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
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
the vniuersall church obserued from y e beginning both in the Greke and latine church ¶ The .xxxviii. obiection In the .vi. .vii. article of the councel Nicē it was decreed y ◠in thorient the bishop of Antioche should be chiefe in Egipt y e bishop of Alex about Rome the bishoppe of Rome and in Iury the bishop of Hierusalē ¶ The aunswere Histories from time to time haue fully declared y t the see of Rome euer hath had y e preeminēce since Peters martirdome ouer al christēdome Loke in hist tripertita li. 4. ca. 6. ix xii 14 ▪ 19. 23. 24. 29. et li. 5. ca. 29. Therfore al the determinacion that was had in Nicē coūcell must nedes stand agre therew t as no doubt it doth if it be trulye applied For if ye marke well Osius bishop of Corduba in y e absence of the bishop of Rome was the chiefe in y e coūcel only bicause he was ībassador there in y e place of y e bishop of Rome Also at y t time it was decreed y t y e .3 patriarchal sees shuld kepe theyr dignytyes without anye derogacion to the see of Rome which then was declared to be y e head ouer al. And likewise in the great councell of Lateranense vnder the most holy father Innocentius the thyrde were established the olde and auncient priueleges of the patriarchall sees of Constanti Alexan. Antioche and Hiern So y t they euery of thē firste receiuing y e paule at Rome as of y e chiefe head of all mighte afterwarde communicate the same to all other accordinglye being vnder their iurisdiction and also might cary theyr crosses mall places of christēdome Rome only except and where the pope or his legate shoulde be present The priuelege also of the see of Rome to be aboue all other patriarchall sees as to whom all other owe obedience euē from the beginning ye haue playnlye declared in y e decrees distinct .80 ¶ The .xxxix. obiection The see of Hierusalem in the councel of Constantinople as ye haue li. 9. tripert cap. 14. was declared to be the mother of al churches The aunswere As ye haue in the same chapiter that counceil acknowledgeth Rome to be the chiefe that Constantinople shuld be the chefe see next to Rome and y t hierusalem there had a great priuelege graunted for that it was the mother of all other churches as it is there put in the margente that is to saye the mother and firste in time but not in dignitie As is further declared in y e aunswer to the .xviii. obiection ¶ The .xl. obiection The .xii. appostels did chose the .vii. deacōs and not Peter onely Wherfore it semeth ther by that Peters authoritye is not aboue the rest ¶ The answere As for chosing inferior ministers it is done by eueri bishop in his dioces as it hath bene euer from the begīning to this day Paules example agreing therwith yea and at that time they vsed to haue the consēt of y e multitude bicause as Paule sayth they ought to haue good testimonye of them whiche be without ¶ The .xli. obiection Al the apostels did put their handes vpon the .vii. deacons The aunswere That was done for y t through the prayer of them al together rhey might receiue more aboūdant grace Howbeit an other aunswere to these two obiections maye be thys that Peter by his priuelege might alone haue chosē Mat. also y e .vii. deacons but he would not for sūdry causes one leste he thereby shoulde haue ben thought to haue geuen and cōferred grace of him selfe an other for humility the thirde for to kepe vnitye and peace the forth to folow christes example and doctrine whiche bade the higher you be so muche humble youre selfe the more the fifte and last thereby to geue honor and reuerence to the holye councels Yea and here note that seinge Peter was not ordeined to putte in execution the primacye but after Christes death and passion therefore bicause of humilitye Peter was lothe at the beginning to take his authority vppon him but in maner as halfe against his wil so that by litle and litle his authoritie daylye increased more and more ¶ The .xlii. obiection The pope was neuer ruler of al the world nether in Inde Persidia Egipt c. ¶ The answere What then no more is he receyued in Bohem nor in parte of Germany Is he not therefore the heade of the whole churche yes truly He is receiued of all that be neyther infidels heretikes nor scismatiks which be only conuenticles of the deuil and not membres of christes church But he shal be head of all when that sayinge of Paule shalbe fulfilled that all the rest of the iewes shalbe saued y t ther shal be of al one shepecote and one shepeherde ¶ The .xliii. obiection S. Hierome writing ab Eua grium dothe seme to make Bishops priestes al equall c. ¶ The aunswere Though that wer most true as it is most false y t Bishops pristes wer al equal yet doth not y e proue y t ther is noheed of the church Howbeit to answer to S. Hiero. he in that epistel doth extolle so highly the office of a priest thereby to suppresse a certayne deacons arrogancye whych preferred him selfe to priestes Writers oft vse for theyr purpose to do as a man that would make a croked rod streight doth bend it as farre the contrarye waye And so dydde Sayncte Hierome in that epistle where as in other places he both declareth the office of a Byshope and y e office of a prieste to be diuerse y e one to be a name of age the other of dignity and also highly setteth fourth the preemynence authority of the high Bishope the head of al as ye haue in the 32. probatiō also in y e answer to y e first and .44 obiection ¶ The .xliiii. obiection Some men haue stoutlie affirmed yea and set fourthe in print that Peter was neuer at Rome Therfore though Peter were head Bushoppe yet rōe ought not to be y e head see The answere Saint Hierom vpon y e first chapiter to the Romaines declareth that saint Peter was at Rome Bushoppe and preacher there but what should I speake of S. Hierome alone seing Linus Ignatius Dionisius Egesip Ireneus Tertulian Eusebius Papias and Atha this plainli declare with many mo olde writers Linus in epistola ad orientales Ignatius in y e third epistle to Tharsenses et epistola 11. ad ro egesippus li. 3. de exci Hierom. ca. 2. Iren. li. 3. cap. 1. 3. tertul li. 4. cō mer. li. de praes Her Euse li. 2. ec hist ca. 14. 15. 25. papias Saīt Ihōs scholer affirmeth y e same and so dothe Atha Ambrose with other Tertuliā li. de praescrip haer saith y ◠S. Peter suffered martirdōe at Rome euē y e same kinde of death y t christ dyd
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
saintes apoc y e vâ— reueÌ„g o lord our bloud soÌ„thiÌ„g serue to be applied to this oure purpose And moreouer might not the Popes holines iustlye haue geueÌ„ forth y e seÌ„teÌ„ce of excoÌ„municatioÌ„ or cursing agaiÌ„st al obstinate schismatikes heretikes in thê realme he beinge Gods chiefe minister here in earth yea or might he not iustlye haue inceÌ„sed christiaÌ„ Princes agaiÌ„st vs god biddeth y t al they which wil not here y e churche that is to say not obey thâ— chiefe rulers thereof shalbe taken as ethnikes publicans and as a canker or roten flesh shalbe cutte of saithe Saint Ambrose for feare of corrupting more of the body He that wil not obey y e high prieste by the sentence of the iudge shall dye for it y t wickednes florishe not in y e middest of the church the wolfe muste be driueÌ„ away or killed lest the flocke should be deuoured Yea and it shalbe the dutye and office of christiaÌ„ Princes saith S. Austin vpoÌ„ Iohn to vse the sworde agaiÌ„st heretikes knowinge y t Saint Paule wissheth that al such as with schisme or heresie trouble the flocke of Christe should be cutte of not saithe he that we should wisshe anye to perishe but be sory as Dauid was for Absalon if it might otherwise be remeded how be it quietnes wil not be gotten vnto y e house of Dauid but by the death of Absalon Therfore eueÌ„ as god biddeth let the blasphemer be brought forthe put to death so ought al christindome to say by all obstinate heretikes Yea and as it is in Hieremie cursed be he y t in this case witholdeth his sword from bloud sheding seing we haue so manye examples iÌ„ scripture to declare how god helped Abraham Moises Iosue and other euer to shede the bloud of the infidels bad by Samuel destroy Amalech shall not we then thinke y e like to be done to scismatikes and obstinate heretikes gods extreme enemies And therefore where ye say y e sterers to murther be the children of the deuil therby to bringe the Popes holines other in to contempt as murtherers or sekers of bloud who so doth seke bloud as to reuenge his owue cause is the child of y e deuil but who so seketh to haue gods enemies punished which be obstinate in infidelitye in heresy or in schismes he seketh not hê owne glory but gods glory he reueÌ„geth not his owne quarel but gods quarel To be remisse to be ful of lenity to be ientil colde in your owne cause iÌ„ your owne iniury wroÌ„g sufferiÌ„g is both godlie and vertuous but to be toÌ„ge tied in gods cause so to suffer hê glory to be diminished as it hath bene greatly in thê realme w tin these .xxii. yeres is both wicked damnable Also where ye say god abhorreth so wers of discord c. do ye thinke them to be sowers of discorde which being gods high officers do seke meanes to punish abhominable vices scismes heresies wel applied by my fay like a clerke The 64. obiectioÌ„ How can meÌ„ in this realme take or receiue againe y e pope seing al their othes haue bene to the contrarye shall plainlye wilful periurye be committed The answere Vnlawful othes are not to be kept And here note y t in othes makiÌ„g y e matter ought rather to be weyed regardyd then y â— maner or forme If ye sweare neuer so ofte y t thinge that ye ought not to do y e othe is to be broken An othe can not be the bond of wickednes No maÌ„ is bouÌ„d to perform an vnlawful othe seing an othe caÌ„ not bind a man to sinne The .65 obiection The church of christ is vnknowen and al they whych be of y t church be only knoweÌ„ to god For none be of that church but only the godly which are pure without spot thou art all faire saith god to his churche in the canticles w t out spotte or wrincle saith Paule eph v ye whiche were ones darkenes now are light in our lorde what agrement is there betwene the light and darknes ii cor vi with manye textes mo for the same purpose But if the bodye can not be knowen how shal y â— head be knoweÌ„ And if none be of the church but y e good who be then of the churche where be they Euerie man knoweth that y e smaler nomber is euer y e better in which nomber neither the Pope nor the infinite multitude iÌ„ christeÌ„dome which taketh his part can be couÌ„ted For their nomber is the greter and not the smaller The answere Amonges christenmen euer since y e name of christians Act. the .xi. firste begaÌ„ the greater number was alwaye counted the catholike sorte and such as ranne astraye beinge stil the lesse noÌ„ber were had euer for loste shepe as S. Iohn saithe i. Ioh. ii they weÌ„t froÌ„ vs but they were not of vs for if they had ben of vs thei would haue continued with vs of whyche sectes haue bene some at all times eueÌ„ from the beginning Nicholas y e DeacoÌ„ Himeneus Alexander Cherinthus Marcion Nouatus with other and now in our daies Swinglius Ecolumpadius Luther with diuers such Angels of darkenes but in verye dede amoÌ„ges infidels the lesse nouÌ„ber was euer the godly chrystyaÌ„s yea amoÌ„ges christen meÌ„ the fewer sorte are the elect according to christes testimonye but yet be christen meÌ„ and of the church which haue receyued the sacrameÌ„t of baptim though theyr lyuyng be not according to their professioÌ„ Neuertheles y e wycked do coÌ„teÌ„d to haue y e churche vnknowen a Mathematicall church to y e enteÌ„t they wold be free froÌ„ al ceÌ„sures ecclesiastical to liue as they would w tout any ordre where as iÌ„ dede christes church is manifestli knowen or els he wold not haue bid his people tel y e church 〈◊〉 y e rulers therof if thei knew not to whoÌ„ they shuld tel nor Paule would haue sayd act 20 y t bishops office had bene to guide y e coÌ„gregacioÌ„ nor would haue cald y e bishops eph 4. rulers of y e church if they had not knoweÌ„ where nor whoÌ„ to haue ruled Therfore we muste nedes coÌ„fesse y t al be of christes churche which be knit together iÌ„ one religioÌ„ haue receiued one baptiÌ„ w t al other sacrameÌ„tê sacrameÌ„tals ceremonies together vsed iÌ„ y e church whether they be siÌ„ners or not siÌ„nnersal is one iÌ„ thê point in y e state of grace or not iÌ„ vertue or in vice And to this do agre christes parables of y e net ful of fish good bad of y e corne tares together in one feld of y â— flock of shepe gotes of y e .x. virgins .v. wise .v folishe withoute oyle in their lampes that is to say they had faith with y e wise but no good workes Now as for the textes brought iÌ„ thobiectioÌ„ takeÌ„ forth of