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
partlye that the people mighte the rather geue eare to christes doctryne and lyâ—e more vertuously hauing him theyr heade shepeherde whome they loued and chose them selues What meruel was it then that themperours coÌ„sent y e chiefe of the comen people was desired in that electioÌ„ what maketh this agaynste our holye father the popes authoritie Surely nothiÌ„g at al. Howbeit in processe of time manye inconueniences rising herby as tiraÌ„ny sinister affectioÌ„ with diuerse other corruptions it was lafte to the election of the clergy agayne that euen by the consent of the holye emperours as ye maye rede in graciaÌ„ dist 63. in many other places mo Wherfore HildebraÌ„d which after was pope named Greg. y e .vii. answered vnto Otto Archb. of Colen coming froÌ„ Hen. the .iiii. emperour that neither emperoure nor any other but onely the clargye had any power or Authoritye in chosing the bishop of Rome that the permission or sufferaÌ„ce y t emperours for certayne causes had had therin was iustlye for more lawful more reasonable causes taken awaye ¶ The .xxxi. obiection At NiceÌ„ counsel y e bishop of Rome was not present c. The aunswere What then his authoritye was there as it euer was and is in all councels lawfully gethered by his legates Theyr names at that time were Victor Vincentius and Osius bishops of Corduba Yea there it was declared confirmed not instiTute for y t was done by Christe that no generall councel shoulde be kept without the consent authority of the bishop of Rome So y â— although ye bring neuer so many couÌ„cels wherein the bishop of Rome in his owne person was not present yet his authoritye and power was neuer abseÌ„t And here note further that in the .iiii. firste and chiefe general councels wherunto S. Gregory saide he gaue credite euen as to the .iiii. euaÌ„gelistes all the doinges were referred to be iudged and confirmed by the authoritie of the byshop of Rome At Nicen couÌ„sel which was the first of y e iiii they did send this epistle folowing Vnto the most blessed Siluester bishop of the citye of Rome Osius bishop of Corduba Victor and Vincentius priestes of Rome with the rest of y e bishops .318 sende greting in our lorde What so euer we haue ordeyned in this counsell of Nicen we desire that it may be confirmed by the agrement of youre mouth And in the second councel which was the first at Constantinople al that blessed coÌ„panye there gethered obeid vnto Damasus Byshope of RoÌ„e he geuing sentence against the heretikes MacedoniuÌ„ Sabellium EunomiuÌ„ Likewise at the thirde chiefe general councel which was holden at Ephesus Nestorius was coÌ„demned by Celestine then Bushope of Rome being chiefe iudge And finallye at Chalcedon the last of the .iiii. all the councel there gethered did write as in moste submission vnto the most holy Bushope of Rome Leo Byshope of thuniuersal church c. ¶ The .xxxii. obiection Ireneus bishop of Lyons did resiste Victor bishop of Rome eueÌ„ sone after y e apostels time concerning y e feast of Easter And Anicetê° bishop of Rome euen immediatly after thappostels gaue place to Policarpê° S. Iohns disciple ¶ The answere Anicetus then Pius after them Victor successours vnto peter made decrees coÌ„cerning easter And y e East church first did resist y e ordre bycause they hadde kepte an other custome whiche was after the Iewes fashion takeÌ„ of S. Iohn euaÌ„gelist Then Policarp bishop of Smirma in y e greke church yea being S. Iohns disclple also came to Rome to Anicetê° to aske councell of the matter And here marke y e al that they dyd was to edifye not to destroy and marke also that Policarpus acknowledged supirioritye when he came to holye Anicetus Byshope of Rome about the determinatioÌ„ of Easter notwithstanding he was S. Iohns disciple a Byshop yea that in the greke church Agayne after this when Victor that holy martir about the same mater would haue excominicate as heade of all the bushoppes of the greke church Ireneus exhorted him to the contrarye lest more trouble discorde and disquietnes thereby myght haue risen What maketh this obiectioÌ„ now against the popes authority Ireneus god knoweth acknowledged al to be subiecte to that highe authoritye as ye may rede in his worke li. 3. ca. 3. et 4. ¶ The .xxxiii. obiection Christ came in al pouertye not hauing as he saith where to hide his head his Disciples likewyse were called beinge pore fishers c. ¶ The answere Christ thereby did no more burtheÌ„ the Clergie then he did y e laitye yea then he did kinges or Princes being ones subiectes to y e ghospel It was mete that he and his then shoulde come without all worldlye honour riches or seculer authoritie bothe for our example and also that infidels should haue no occasion to saye that he had institute his religion by violence by tirannye by power earthlye goodes as no doubt they wold haue done if he had commen as he might if it had pleased him with all worldlye power he euen as man beinge kiÌ„g of al kinges Neuertheles in this pouerte it ought not to haue continued no nor coulde so haue done seinge Christe would haue but one body mistical in al christeÌ„dome and one head thereof his successour to gouerne al the rest must it not then nedes folow y t eueÌ„ in temporal substaunce bothe he and al other vnder him accordinge to their callinge ought to haue where with all to maintene defende their places would it not els sone come to passe that al the ministerye should come in conteÌ„pt or at the least waye smallye be regarded yea and would not all thereby shortlye come to confusion call to your remeÌ„brauÌ„ce I pray you how y â— Christ did send his Disciples twise forthe ones long before his passion and thother time after his resurrection At the first sending he bad them go al porely knowing that al necessaries then should be prouided for them to with drawe all men therby from Auarice and that nothing shuld be an hindraunce to the settinge fourthe of his Ghospel But at the seconde tyme of sendynge them fourth whyche was after his resurrection and ascension he byddynge them tarye tyl they had receiued tholy ghost they were charged to take all thinges necessarye yea and shortly after Saint Paule him selfe dyd appoint beinge euen led with the same spiryte of God that no mo pore ignoraunte fishers should be made Bishoppes or priestes but that they should be bothe doctours and men of good hospitalitye At the beginnynge all was rawe symple and rude yea and at that time when the Bushoppes were suche as hadde bene but poore ignoraunte fyshers then the verye Princes and rulers came and layde al their goodes at their fete If ye now wil nedes haue y e one ye must then nedes haue y e other How be it like as at the begynninge of the worlde the
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
finde a cause that shal seme expediēt y t the Kinge in his owne person shall goe Wil they not then say it hath pleased y t King the Councel y e the King him selfe shal goe take one chiefe Duke with him as Peter had Iohn w t him May it not then be sayd the cause was so great they haue euē sende fourth the King haue not euen the verye consuls of Rome as histories declare ofte so bene sente was not therfore the consuls authoritye the higheste but to be counted equal with other yea haue we not a lyke example in scripture how the head of al Phinees was sēt .x. Princes with him in to the land of Galaad euē so Peter the head as moste mete and as most honorable was put therunto being so sent to Samaria yea note this that Peter euer vsed humble submission but where authoritie was required But further yet herein to speake what derogation were it now to the Popes authoritie if the whole college of Cardinalles did conclude that it were expediēt for his fatherhode now to come in to Englande Moreouer note wel concerning this obiectiō that in thactes Lukes chiefe purpose was to describe y e pere grinatiō of him self of Paule so y ◠not one worde is there of Peters tarieng nor of his stallaciō at Antioche nor of y e deuidīg thapostels into sūdry cūtres nor whō they cōuerted nor what martirdōe they suffered ¶ The .xiii. obiection In y e xv of thactes in y e questiō had about the legals Iames had y e chefe preeminēce for the coūcel was cōcluded by hī c. The aunswere S. Peter made S. Iames Bushop of Ierusalē as Anacletus Peters disciple successour saith after him Chrisostome cōfirmeth y e same with these wordes Peter y e Master of y e whole world made Saint Iames Bushope of Ierusalē Do ye thinke then that Saint Iames would take vpō him to be aboue his head but now I pray you iustlye pouder wey the place Actes the .xv. and ye shal fynde that both Peter did first as head say his mind yea though it were in S. Iames see and also that which Peter then said toke place shortly after yet doth S. Iames euen then confirminge Peters sayinge with the prophetes testimony What maketh it then against Peters authoritie that S. Iames approuing all that Peter had spoken added somthīg to Peters wordes which addicion yet shortly after was quite taken awaye and neuer since obserued that is to saye to abstene from bloud c. yea may not y e chiefe of a councel first geue his sētence as Peter did here yet after him an inferior may say something more whyche shalbe thought to the whole coūsel better for y e time doeth this any thing againste thautoritie of the chiefest Peters iudgemēt was y t the heathen people should be quite deliuered frō al the Iewishe burdens so shortlye after it was fullye concluded though for a shorte time S. Iames counsel was taken as appeareth by y t Paule then sone afterwrote to the Corinthians bye al that cōmeth into y e shambles eate all thinges c. to Tite all meates be cleane vnto the pure to the Romās no meate is to be coūted cōmen or vncleane ye whyche eate not misiudge not them that eate Againe to the Collosians let no mā iudge you in receiuīg your meate c Wherby wel appereth that S. Peters sentēce was chiefe as spokē by the chiefe But herin yet more to speake note wel y t Peter ofte amonges thappostels vsed suche modestye humilitie and in so doinge did folow Christes cōmaūdemēt which bad y e higher they were the lower more humble they ought to be y t he dyd not euer put his high authoritye in executiō but as S. Ciprian saith y t Peter whome Christe made head of al and vpon whom he builded his church whē Paule dyd contende with him aboute circumcision dyd not reuenge or boste him selfe that he was the Prince or chief of al as he iustly might haue said but stil he humbled him selfe But god forbid y t we should ascribe this his hūble gentil submittinge to the derogation of his highe power authoritie but thinke y t euer whē Christes glorye or the profit of y e flocke required it then he vsed his ful and high authoritye as appereth in the punishīg of Anany Saphire Simon Magus c. And yet furthermore in the primatiue churche it was rather time as is in the .viii. responsion to cal people in to Christes flocke then to set euerye man in his owne place or to talke then of rules and orders or of Peters authority that was to be done afterwarde the people beinge first instructed in y e faith Thē was rather y e time to seke for gethering thē for gouernīg And if we loke well we shall fynde not onlye in the ghospel before Christes ascēsion but also afterwarde in thactes that Peter behaued him selfe as head and Prince euer when time required and occasion serued He spake for al he answred for al he for al said to Christ beholde we haue forsaken al and folowed thee what rewarde therfore shall we haue againe he sayde to Christe speakest thou this parable to vs or vnto all when Christe asked whether they woulde goe awaye also from him Peter alone made answere saying to whom shall we goe thou hast the wordes of lyfe None dyd thus but he and that bycause he was heade Howbe it as yet whiles Christ was present with them in his naturall shape for in y e forme of breade he is euer stil presēt it was not meete that his vicare should greatlye medle But after thascension Peter firste stode vppe as heade and made the sermon at the chosynge of Mathias and sayde oportet we must chose one c. And after when they had receyued tholy ghoste and were illuded of the people he alone spake and preached conuertinge them to the faythe .3000 people at once Also when he Iohn came into the temple at y ◠.ix. houre of prayer he alone sayde to the lame creple that whych I haue I geue the in the name of Iesus arise c. The lame mā asked almes of both and Peter bade loke vpon both but he sayd not in the name of bothe we haue neyther golde nor siluer y t whiche we haue we geue thee c. But as head he in y e singuler number as hauinge a singuler authority said yea though Iohn one of the chiefe of the appostels were present I haue neyther golde nor siluer y t whiche I haue I geue thee c. And this declareth him to be head Likewise he alone for all as head made the oration to pacifie the people and he alone as prince did strike Ananye and Saphire Whiche of all the apostels in the presence
of Peter did anye thynge that semed to be of authoritye aboue other but onely he euer in the presence of all as ye heare vsed authoritie aboue al. ¶ The .xiiii. obiection Paule saith that nether Peter nor other apostel gaue or added any thyng to him Wherby it appeareth that Paule gaue no place to Peter ¶ The aunswere Paule most reuerently gaue place to Peter as to the head and for that cause from a farre he came to Hierusalem to se Peter whyche was the chiefe of the Apostels And that Paule sayeth that Peter addeth nothinge to him nor other Appostels he saythe it leaste Goddes glorye should haue bene diminished and doth meane that he hadde christ to be his authour of his apostleship and sender forth that he was not sent by any any apostle but euen by Christ hym selfe ¶ The .xv. obiection Paule sayth he did resist Peter euen openlye in his face at Antioche ¶ The answere Clemēt Origens maister saith this Peter was not Peter the prince of thappostels but one named Peter a disciple one of the .72 And of this Eusebius speaketh affirming the same Howbeit if we graunt y t it was euen S. Peter the prince of y e apostels no inconuenience wil folowe For Paule was equal with Peter as concerning the defence of fayth quoad fidei de fensionem but not concerning the dignitye of prelacye non quoad dignitatem prelationis Agayne an other aunswere if the ruler y e superiour or heade do erre in any point of his faith or offēd other and cause thē therby to erre either by his saying or doinge openly slaūderously then the inferiour may charitably eyther secretelye if that be sufficient admonishe or els openlye reproue if suche occasion serue as did here Neuerthelesse S. Hierome Chrisostome and Theophilact affirme that S. Paule in rebukynge Sayncte Peter did but feane was not in earnest So y t like as s peter did feane before the Iews for the time so to winne them the soner in y t he did kepe theyr legals being amonge the Gentiles euen so s Paule whē the Iewes were gone seing y t many of the Gentils were offēded with Peters doing did feane an earnest checkinge agaynste Peter so to winne y e Gentilles and euen so nowe he writeth to the Galath so that on both partes there was a godly feaninge the one by Peter the soner so to winne the Iewes the other by Paule so likewise to winne the Heathens Yea and Paule vsed this ofte as in circumciding Timothe in shauing his head in Chēchreis as perfourming his vow and in like maner actes the .20 c. And yet beside this remember that S. Ciprian sayeth as ye hearde euen now that Peter whom christ made head of all and vpon whom Christ buylded his churche when Paule did contende with him aboute circumcision dyd not reuenge or boast him selfe that he was the prince or chiefe of all as he iustly might haue sayd but stil he humbled him selfe c. ¶ The .xvi. obiection Paule sayth that authority was geuen ouer the Heathen vnto him lyke as vnto Peter ouer the Iewes ¶ The answere Christe him selfe sayde he was sente to the Iewes and not to the Heathens and bade the Apostels go preache to the Iewes and not to the Heathēs for that first he was sent chiefelye to the Iewes as to his people yea and therfore S. Peter durste not medle w t the Heathen till he had his vision actes the .x. whiche was shewed to him as heade and neyther to Paule Iohn nor other and therefore chiefelye and principallye Peter was sente to the Iewes as Paule was amonges the Heathens but yet Christe whiche sayd he had other shepe beside theym bade Peter fede all his shepe making him chiefe ouer all Also Paule preached firste amonges y e Iewes as it is in thactes we shuld haue preched to you c. but bicause he dyd moste good profyte amonge the Heathē and the Iewes refused for y e moste parte his doctrine therfore he gloried in the Heathen and not in the Iewes callinge him selfe theyr apostle But Peter equally profited in both being head of all but bicause he was firste sēt to the Iewes Paule calleth him their apostle chiefely not w tstāding after he won y e people at ponthum Galatiam Capadociā Asiam et Bithiniam c. ¶ The .xvii. obiection Peter knewe no commission he had ouer the Heathen as appeareth Actes the .x. till he had the vision The aunswere It is sufficiently ▪ answered vnto in the last respōsiō Howebeit this I say further that he knew his high commission to be ouer al the flocke of christ Howbeit as cōcerninge y e time whē y e Gētils should be called receyued into the shepecote that Peter knew not before he had the vision to receiue them But what is y t against y e preeminēce surelye nothinge at al. ¶ The .xviii. obiection Hierusalem shoulde rather be thought to be the heade see then Rome if any such should be where Christe worked our saluacion where by Christ by his apostles also the ghospell first was preached as the prophet before had said y e law shal come forth of Sion the word of our lord forth of Hierusalē Agayn Antioche shuld be preferred to Rome also bicause Peter was first there .vii yeres before he came to rome yea chiefelye for y t the name of christians there first began ¶ The answere First note that the bishoppe taketh not his dignitye of the place but the place of y e bishop not peter of Rome but Rome of Peter Peter was prince of all before he was bishoppe in Rome Now as for Hierusalē which was vtterli to be destroied ▪ by gods reuēgemēt for christes deth their impenitēt hartes not one stone to be left vp on an other god woulde not y ◠head apostle to be there setled Where also fleshly y e iewes stil loke for a carnal kingdome that yet Messias is there to come in whyche erroure the sonnes of zebedy ones were also the disciples with whome christe talked goinge towarde Emaus And for this it was ordeyned by the holy ghoste in the primatiue churche amonges the apostles that Hierusalem was not onely none of the principall and metropolitane sees but was subiect vnto the see of Caesaria as appeareth in Nicen counsel Nowe as for Antioche rather Hierusalem should haue bene head bicause the worde was firste preached there then Antioche where through Paules diligence onlye the name of christians began Howbeit the answer is y t Peter the head bishop made y e head see so y t if he had cōtinued there still and there died heade bishop then had Antioche bene the head see for euer But that was not gods will Neuerthelesse bicause Peter was ones there bishoppe and preached longe amonges them and conuerted them to the faythe and after .vii.