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
probation which was but one pece named drachma in value a payse grote payd onelye for the head of euery house Christ caused Peter to gyue .ii. peces in sygne and token sayeth he that Christ then was y e heade of the house that Peter was after to be iÌ„ his stede to supply his rowm wherfore as al then were conteined in Christ so after y e asceÌ„sion al were coÌ„teined in Peter whom Christ appointed to be head ouer theÌ„ al. And like as Moyses when he asceÌ„ded commytted all the cure to AaroÌ„ so did Christ wheÌ„ he asceÌ„ded coÌ„mit all the cure to Peter saying thrise fede fede fede ¶ The .xvii. probation Many priueleges which S. Peter had aboue other geuen hiÌ„ by Christ plainly declare hê primacy one is he gaue Peter power to lose bind iÌ„ y e heueÌ„s to other but iÌ„ one heueÌ„ which thing plainelye decareth sayth Origen a man of no small authoritie vpoÌ„ y t same place Peters preeminence aboue al the rest An other priuelege is that thaÌ„gel after christes resurrection onlinamed peter saying go tel to the disciples and to Peter whiche was not as some saye onlye to comforte him lest he shoulde haue dispaired seinge Christes first appering to him was sufficient comfort for him but it was as auncient writers doo testifye to shew his primacy â–ª like as that was to se how al the .iiii. euangelistes so exactly do set forthe his .iii. denials An other priuelege is that Peter thoughe he came to the Sepulchre after S. Iohn yet he went fyrste into it he went fyrste to Christes place whyche after hym shuld be first chief iÌ„ y e church It was also a great â—uelege y t last of al christ said only to Peter folowe me by which wordes sayth ChrisostoÌ„ he shewed agayne both his great loue and charge that Peters cure should be greater then all the rest Here now then I will demaunde certayne questions if Peter should not haue bene y e chiefe of all and that euen by Christes will why then didde Christe onelye geue to him a name deriued forth of hê own name Why was heâ— named first in al places Why was the churche promissed to be buylded vppon him Why gaue Christ onely to hym the keyes of the heauens Why ioyned he onelye Peter with him in paying the tribute Why prayed he onely for Peter committinge the charge of his brethren to him Why did he fyrste appeare to Peter alone Why did he byd Peter folow him in kinde of deâ—th And why was onely Peter crucified as christ was Why had he al these priueleges Euen bicavse he was head of all And this is the censure and iudgemente of all the whole churche of Christe and of all the holy Saynctes Martirs and Confessoors euen since christes time hitherto The .xviii. probation Peter alone euer as head spake for al as it is both in the ghospel and in Thactes both before christes ascension and after his sayinges doinges also sufficieÌ„tly set forth his primacy and declare euidently y t he had the keies only y t he had y â— blyssing onely that al was there spokeÌ„ by christ to him as by priuelege only this caused hiÌ„ euer still to take vpon hiÌ„ as he did and that in sundrye places of thactes as iÌ„ the chosinge of Mathias to supplye Iudas rowme iÌ„ excusiÌ„g thappostles froÌ„ droÌ„keÌ„nes in making the sermon at receiuinge tholy ghost when he couerted 3000. at once to christ And here marke y t Peters name alone as it is in the probation next before is expressed Why shuld he so haue bene seperated froÌ„ thother but for preeminence superiority Againe he alone healed the lame man Iohn being then preseÌ„t saying that which I haue I geâ—â— the vsinge the singuler number at what time he alone made y e .iii. sermon al being then present where also ye se that the firste miracle after Christes ascension was wrought by Peter and al the sermoÌ„s yet stil made by Peter He also aunswered the rulers for healing y e lame maÌ„ â–ª he alone vsed thauctority in punishiÌ„g Anany Saphire likewise iÌ„ subduing simoÌ„ Magus c. besyde thê all the other apostels are put w tout names in their doiÌ„ges by thandes of thappostels sayth luke many miracles wer wrought c. but Peters name is still expressed peters shadow saith he cured many wher as thappostels w t laying on haÌ„des healed them And here marke also iÌ„ y t point y e diuersity Yea Peters â—emineÌ„ce playnly appeared both in y e visioÌ„ actes y e .x. where he only had then shewed vnto hiÌ„ y e receiuiÌ„g vnitiÌ„g of y e heatheÌ„s also iÌ„ y e .xv. of y t actes iÌ„ pacifiiÌ„g y e strife about y e Legals where Peter as first chiefe yea y t in y e presence of Iames beinge Bishop there answered to the matter gaue hê seÌ„tence fyrst vnto whoÌ„ Paule Barnabas w t other did coÌ„sent then S. Iames which there by Peter as ChrisostoÌ„ witnesseth was appointed bishop last of all recited the decree as it was mete for hiÌ„ to do being bishop there But of thê ye haue more declared in y e answere to y e .xii. .xiii obiections And therfore now to our purpose do not these thiÌ„ges I pray you sufficientlye proue Peters superiority and â—eminence yea did not Peter in al these if I mighte not rather say y e holy ghost speaking in Peter shewe him selfe to be chefe of thappostels to haue â—emineÌ„ce aboue theÌ„ al Surely if it had not bene his office appointed to him by God he wold not stil haue ben so bold yea so malapert arrogaÌ„t as at euery time to take y e preemineÌ„ce vpoÌ„ him namelye as to speake first iÌ„ an other maÌ„s see the bishop being present ¶ The .xix. probacion The working of sundry miracles which be set forth iÌ„ thactes plainly declare Peters superiority primacy Did not 3000. people as ye heard turne to Christ froÌ„ infidelity heariÌ„ge but one sermoÌ„ of his yea thê was a greater miracle accordiÌ„g to christes ê“misse theÌ„ euer Christ hiÌ„ selfe wrought either in raysing Lazarus or other Christ raised but one theÌ„ bodily Peter here raised 3000. ghostly Againe did not tholy ghost descend vpoÌ„ al y t heard Peters sermoÌ„ Did not he heale y e lame maÌ„ Eneas beiÌ„g sick of y e palsye Did not he raise Tabitan Did not hê shadow heale many What like do ye rede of thother apostels May we not theÌ„ wel coÌ„clude y t Peter had y e superiority preemineÌ„ce of al other eueÌ„ geueÌ„ to hiÌ„ by Christe Did not he here iÌ„ these exaÌ„ples put hê authority sufficiently in executioÌ„ seing tholy ghost did coÌ„firme establishe y e same w t so many wonders miracles ¶ The .xx. probation It doth greatly proue Peters authoritie that Christ after his ascencion did
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