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 forgeue sinners afterward and to beare with the flocke Christe called Peter the stone where vpon he builded his church Peter receiued of hym y e keies of power like as Paul did the keyes of science More ouer who knoweth not saithe he that Saint Peter was the chiefe of al the appostels Seing now that thus manye holy martires and confessours of christes church receiued this doctrine one of an other as by hande euen from the beginninge and first foundacioÌ„ of the church and seinge againe that not only y â— Latine church but y e greke church also as appeareth bothe by these fornamed wryters and likewyse by many holy counceles euer receiued Peter and euery one of his successours as chief head and ruler ouer al can he then be couÌ„ted a christin man that wyl not onlye denye but that wil doubt of this receiued trueth euen from Christe Now to the obiections Here nowe folowe sundrye obiections inuented againste thautoritie of Peter his successours in citinge and answerynge to them I kepe no ordour bycause thinuentours of them did breake all faytheful and comelye order that ought to be kepte in the ecclesiasticall hierarchie misticall bodye of Iesus Christ That obiection whiche firste came in place is first answered vnto And here gentel reader by these obiections ye shal plainly perceiue that like as coper gildid ofte semeth to be gold but if it be rubbed hardlie tried it wil vtter him self to be copper and then lesse to be set by eueÌ„ so the falsitye gilded colored w t wittye and rethorical perswacioÌ„s appereth ofte to the symple to be the veritye and trueth but opened tried by the scriptures verities thereof shall appere but copper counterfete And I trust in Iesus Christ that the crafty deceite in this matter of y e primacy which in these yeares past hath killed a thousaÌ„de soules is here in fully detected and disclosed So that no man shall haue cause hereafter to set by theÌ„ onles he wil forsake golde and chose copper ¶ The first obiection The saing of Christ Math. xvi blessed art thou SimoÌ„ c. the rest that foloweth in the text is not saye they to be appropriate peculierly to Peter but to al the Apostels whome Christ generallye did aske the question and for whom Peter generallye gaue aunswere Againe christ did not builde his churche vpon Peter but vpon Peters faith and vpoÌ„ Peters confessioÌ„ yea vpon Christ him selfe For none can put anye other fundation sayth Paule but that whiche is set already whichis Iesus christ ¶ The answere It must nedes be appropriate peculierly onlye to Peter for the whyche knew no mans mynde but his owne tolde but onely his owne faith They all had not then one faith in christ as appeareth â—i Iudas which beleued not as it is in Iohn y e vi It rwas not reueled to them al as yet but suppose it had beÌ„ yet that Peter was not preuie of Euery maÌ„s herte was only knoweÌ„ to god Wherefore Peter answered but for him selfe onlye And therefore it is to be thought saithe Hilarius that at that time y e other Apostels were not as yet so firmely established in that sure senteÌ„ce and belefe now coÌ„fessed by Peter yea he made answere streight way without respect to his felowes eueÌ„ as tholy ghost moued him and so likewise y e aunswere was made to him againe alone callyng him by his fathers name saying to him in the singuler number tibi to the and not vobis to you he blessed not theÌ„ al but he gaue y e blessiÌ„g to him alone by name As before Iohn the first he sayed to hym and not to Andrewe or other thou shalt bee called a stone so now here he saithe to veryfye hys promesse before made thou art a stone not as before y u shalt be calde a stone vpon whyth I wyl builde my church That whyche I haue by nature that is to saye to be the foundacioÌ„ that do I now perticipate with y e. This was the true vnderstanding of this foresayde text Mathewe the .xvi. in the primatiue church as now shal apeare most plainlye by these testimonies folowinge ¶ Anacletus disciple and successour to S. Peter Anacletus the seruaunt of Iesus Christ by gods calling set in the see apostolike and appointed there vnto by S. Peter prynce of the Apostelles seÌ„deth greting to all Byshops and to the residue of Christes flocke c. The holye and appostlyke church of Rome receiued the primacy and power aboue all churches and vpon al faithful people he doeth exempte neither Kyng nor Emperour euen of our Lord our sauiour not of the Apostels he sainge to Peter thou arte a stone vpon this stone I wil builde my churche c. And I wyll geue to thee the keyes of heauens c. and sone after he saith amonge y e holy Apostels there was diuersitye of power for although al were apostels yet by god him self Peter was made head yea this Thappostels theÌ„ selues would haue that Peter should be the head and should haue the rule and principalitye of Thappostelshype ¶ Anacletus also in another epistel to the catholyke churche In al difficulties questioÌ„s of greate importaunce let the censure be referred vnto y e see apostolyke For y t Christe him self willed wheÌ„ he said to peter thou arte a stone vpon this stone I wil builde my churche c. Hereby appereth not onlye Anacletus owne iudgement in this matter but also what was then the commen takinge of it by the commen censure of the vniuersal churche Whyche thing also appereth by Saint Clemens testimonie others euen then at the same time in the primatiue church ¶ S. Clement in the first epistel to S. Iames. By Christes owne mouthe saith he Peter was y e chiefe of thapostels vnto whom god y e father had reueled his sonne Iesus Christes vnto whome Christe gaue thee blessynge Math. the .xvi. This was the iudgemeÌ„t then yea and if you loke further ye shall see howe thie toke this truth as it wer by hande one of another ¶ Tertulian which was shortlye after Was anye thinge hid from Peter as it is in the .xxiii. probation whiche was called the stone whereupoÌ„ Christes churche was builded to whom the keyes of heauens were geueÌ„ and whyche had power to lose and bynde in heauens and in earthe Now ye here the commen faithe hereof at that time in the vniuersal church ¶ Here also what OrigeÌ„ saith yea heare the censure and iudgement of the vniuersal church herein in Origens time and that in the Greke church Peter saith he vpon whom christ builded his church wrote but onely .ii. epistels Also he saith wheÌ„ christ committed the charge of fedinge his shepe to Peter and that vpoÌ„ him euen as vpon the earthe he woulde buylde his churche he moued him to no other vertue but only to loue and charity
Againe he saith mark what christ saith to the great foundacion of his churche and to the moste sure and stedfast stone where vpon he buylded his church c. ¶ Behold now here vpon S. Ciprian the iudgement in his time of al the catholike churche in this weighty matter Our Lorde sayth he gaue first vnto Peter power to forgeue sinne vpon whoÌ„ he buylded his churche and whereat the vnity therof had his beginning And a litel after he saith the churche of christ whyche is but onely one christ did onely buylde vpon one and the like he sayth in the epistel ad Quintinum and also in the Epistle ad Cornelium ¶ Herken also holy S. Basil Peter sayth he bicause he did excede and passe al other in the excellency of fayth therfore he toke the buildynge of christes church euen in him selfe Petrê° inquit quoniam fide prestabat ecclesie in se edificationeÌ„ suscepit ¶ S. Hillari vpon the same wordes Peter for his confession obteyned a worthy rewarde for that he did see the sonne of god in man c. and a litle after O happy foundacion of y e church laid in geuing of a new name A stone chosen meete for that building which shuld brust the gates of hell and deathe O blessed Porter of heauen to whose arbitremente the keyes of the eternall kyngedome are geuen c. Moreouer he sayth Peter by reuelacion of the father seinge y e soÌ„ne of god which thinge farre passed maÌ„s infirmitie to know deserued a verye high place aboue other through the confession of his blessed fayth ¶ S. Ambrose exposition also vpon the forsayde text what was then therof the vniforme consent of all other Christ called Peter a stone saying thou art Peter c. Peter for stedfastnes in an other sermon sayth he was by christ called a stone the foundacion of the church c. Moreouer he sayth who doubteth but Peter the moste stedfast stone which was partaker both of the vertue and name of the principall stone christ euer feruently desired to haue constancy to dye for Christ ¶ S. Hierome likewise in declaring the former text I saye to the sayth Christ but hê saying was his doing thou art a stone and vpon this stone I wil build my churche Euen as Christe gaue light to the Apostels to be called the lighte of the worlde and gaue them also other names forthe of his owne name so didde he geue to Simon the name of a stone that accordinge to the propriety therof he sayd vnto hym I wyll buylde my church vpon thee ¶ S. Augustines testimonye also therupon The churches do iustly worship the birth daye of that see which Peter receiued for y e saluation of the churches Christ saying to him thou art Peter c. he called him the foundation of his church c. Agayne he sayth ye haue heard christe cal Peter a stone where vpon he would buyld his church ¶ Chrisostome in the Greke church here his testimony By christes wordes saying thou art Peter I wil buyld my church vpon thee c. clerelye appeareth how great Peters power was aboue other Also he calleth Peter y e prince of the apostels vpoÌ„ whoÌ„ christ builded his churche the verye immoueable stone whiche for the fishers hooke receyued the keyes of heauens ¶ Cyril in expoundinge the same text agreeth herewith Christ in chaunging of Peters name did signifye that in him as in the surest stone he would buyld his churche All these most holy and reuerende fathers with one consent moued by tholy ghoste didde as it were from thappostels tyme here vnto theyr owne tymes playnlye declare from time to time what was the iudgement euen of the vniuersall churche of Christe in all places of christendome both East and West as wel among the Grekes as the Latines concernynge the former text thou art Peter c And as for the time since these godlye men were thousandes with one consent haue agreed herewith and none euer denied that exposicion but fleshely heretikes whose propurtye was and is euer to denye all godlye lawes whereby theyr wickednesse mighte be improued And therfore ye shall sone knowe whether a man be an heretike or not by this one profe If he beleue accordnige as he hath bene taught by the churche of Christe from the beginninge and receyue the truthe by succession of the Bishoppes in the see of Rome according to the fayth and doctrine of Ireneus and after him of Sayncte Augustine then is he a good christeÌ„ man els not though he crye a thousand times scripture scripture scripture wrastynge and applyinge it stil amisse after his owne and others wicked phaÌ„cyes For what Shal we condempne all these holy fathers our mother the church and al was Christes promisse nought Was tholy ghoste neuer here til Luther came ¶ Here now the councel of Alexandrine wherein y e Arians were condemned here I saye all y e bishops of Egipt Thebeans Libians among whom holy Athanasius was they writing to Felix then bishop of Rome Here I say how they ded expound the former text All those holye fathers did there playnlye declare that it was decreed in NiceÌ„ counsel y t meÌ„ should appeale in certayne cases to the see apostolike y e see of Rome to whome Christs gaue by speciall prerogatiue aboue all other power to lose and binde and that it was the guide and henge in whom all must be susteined vpholden mayntayned he sayinge thou art Peter and vpon thy foundacioÌ„ the pillers of the church that is to saye the bishoppes whose office is to susteyne the church are builded and confirmed vnto thee the prince the teacher the head of all christian religion the keyes were geuen and power in heauen and earthe c. Oh howe great then is this authorytye where vnto wyth one consente whole christendome thus doeth agree Yea and that not all beinge stil gathered together in one place but being ofte seperated farre a suÌ„der not one knowing of an others minde and yet al agreing euer in one all after one fashion expounding the forsaid text thou art Peter c. Euery one hereby geuinge to Peter and his successours the hyghe preeminence and authority aboue al christendom So that by the consent of al these both fathers and counsels it well appeareth that Peter aunswered onely for him selfe like as didde the scribe marke the .ix. where as christ demaunded a question indifferentlye of all Sometimes when he demauÌ„ded of all al gaue answere as when he asked whom do men saye the sonne of man is Sometimes wheÌ„ he asked all none aunswered but euerye one held his peace as when he asked wherof they reasoned in the waye And some tymes one alone aunswered as did Peter in the former texte and the scribe marke the .ix. And here now I iudge this obiection is sufficiently answered vnto to satisfye herewith al
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
sayeth Saincte Hierrome whervpon Christe dyd builde his churche whereunto who so euer is not vnyte and knitte is but a rotton and putryfyed bowe and perteyneth nothynge to thys spirituall buyldynge of Christe but shall vtterlye perishe Let vs therefore flee here vnto as to the chieffe refuge and holye ancoure in all doubtes knowynge that Christe prayd for Peter that hys fayth shold neuer fail but y t the truth shold euer still contynue in hys see so that hys shyppe shoulde neuer drowne The fayth is quite exyled frō those churches whych schismaticallye haue diuided them selues from Peters see their shippes be drowned but Peters shyppe shall neuer drowne Let vs therefore for Iesus sake nowe beynge in hys ship agayne continue styll therein kepynge all in one as Paule wylleth vs and saye all one thynge sufferynge no Schisme to be amongeste vs. but with al feare and reuerēce cōtinuing here in let eueri one medle with his owne office doe his owne duty simply and warely euer obeing as paule biddeth our rulers both spiritual and temporal namlye the head of all Peters successour And then shal we perceue how good and ioyful a thing it is to continue as brethren all in on Which thing if we do not then surelye shall we stil fele gods heauy hād vpōn vs gods Ire and greate plage as we haue done by the space of .xx. yeares and moe and as the Hebrues did deuiding the vnity of gods tabernacle seperatinge them selues from Hierusalem from the house of dauid where was wonte to be the seate cheare of Moises fleing into Samarye being then afterwarde sore plaged and caste forth frō gods face he killinge then the prophet whome he had sent to inproue them bicause he dyd but onlye eate meate amonge such as were deuided from his house shewinge thereby howe gretly he doth detest abhorre al scismatikes willing them al as it is in the ghospel euer to be taken as heathens ethenikes or publicans And note here y t as Moyses chere was then so is thappostolical seate now As god plaged then Dathan Chore and Abiron for scisme so hath he done now in the new lawe and wil doe stil except we amende And as he cast Saul fourth of his kingdome and stroke Ozias the kyng with lepresie for peruerting his ordor wherby the vnitie of his house was kepte So hath he of late dayes iustly plaged many amonge vs and wil do to thende all suche as wyll not mekelye do penaunce amend quite forsakīg al scisme with whom heresie is euer ioyned which .ii. as Origen vpō Ezechiel testifieth wer thonlie ruine vtter destructiō of hierusalē as thei be vndoubtedly of al places whersoeuer thei do cōe vbi scismata inquit ibi hereses ibi dissēsiones ruinae wher be schismes there be heresies there be dissensiōs finallie vtter destructiō but where is vnion there is peace and concord Here vnto therfore Peter him selfe exhorteth vs biddinge all be of one mynde and Saynte Paule also God graunt you saieth he to be of one mynde together after the example of Iesus Christ that ye all agreynge together maye wyth one mouthe praise hym wyth one mouth saith he one consent of manye in God is called wyth one mouth but bycause a consente together maye be in euil therfore he addeth secūdū Iesū Christū consent together after the exāple doctrine of Iesus Christ Like exhortaciō Paule hath to the Corin. to y e Philip. I beseche you brethren by the name of our lord Iesus christ y t ye al speake one thing that there be no dissētiō amōg you but y t ye mai be a whole bodi of one mind and of one meanīg with out strife or sectes amōge you And for this christ praied his father that his Disciples might be all one addinge further that when they were gathered together in one in his name he would be among thē And so in thactes they getheringe them selues together in one w t one accorde in prayer the place moued where they stode and they all were replenesshed with tholy ghost And then there was one heart one mynd and one wyl of all that did beleue This vnitye tholye ghoste had worked amongest them cōming downe inlikenes of firye tonges against y e colde poyson and enuious intisemēt of the deuil In babilon was y e confusion and diuision of one tonge into many in token that the deuil author of sediciō doth euer deuide a sūder but tholye ghost as author of vnity concorde at his cōminge made a vnion of all tonges in to one See therfore saith S. grego nazian the agrement vnitye that cōmeth by tholy ghoste the schisme diuision y t cōmeth through the deuil At the buildinge in babilon al their tōges coulde not make one tonge to agre with an other but here one tonge made al to agree so that one man speakinge one language in one tonge was vnderstande of all nations This vnion euer pleased God as it is in Exodus in Iudeth in Esdras All w t one voyce turned to god and prayed yea and thus as one man the people euer gethered them selues in God and so ouercame theyr enemies as ye rede in the bokes of the iudges of the kinges and of Esdras Yea and furthermore god him selfe to declare how hyghly this vnity pleaseth him and how acceptable it is vnto him beganne the creacion saith S. Austine onlye with one manne that we shoulde euer therefore bothe thinke and saye let there be no strife among vs as Abraham sayde to Lothe for we be bretherne Oh howe pleasaunt and comfortable a thinge is it for gods people to continue together in vnity Holy Chrisostome after he hathe declared thunitie obserued amongest y e angels w t settinge forth theyr laudinge and praysing of god sayth thus do ye see what reuerence what obseruaunce what ordre the āgels do kepe and what negligence what cōtempt and disordre is among vs The angels do laude and honour god in vnitye and concorde together but wycked men do set all at noughte do searche and stryue together and that aboue theyr reache euer breakynge the godlye vnitye Al thinges saith he saue onelye man do obserue the vnitye and euer kepe ordre The Aungelles kepe theyr ordre in this vnitye so do the sonne the moone and the rest of the planettes kepe theyr ordre the starres the elementes the foules of thayer the fishes in the sea the beastes on the earth euer still kepe their ordre onely manne wyll styll be out of ordre And this is the cause saythe he whye the vnitye is broken and not kepte amonge vs. And marke here sayth he further that lyke as in musycke when tharmony in stringes pipes and tunes do well agree together then is ther swet and pleasaunt melody and els it is grief