lyfe and quietnes of conscience and yf at any tyme throughe our frail nes we hapen to fall we haue readye to rayse vs vpagayne the holye Sacramentes throughe the comfortable helpe whereof we be made sironge and so daye by daye more able to procede in al kynde of vertue and thus hauynge vpon earthe oure mother the holye churche which is the spouse of Iesus Christe the Sonne of God we maye be bolde to call vpon GOD our father and be assured that he wyl heare vs as hys dearebeloued chyldren and gyue vs the inheritaunce of heauen whyche is prepared for vs through our sauiour Iesus Christe To whōe wyth the father and the holy ghost be honour prayse and glory world without ende Amen H Pendilton sacrae theologiae professoris ¶ An Homelye of the Primacy or supreame power of the 〈◊〉 gouernor of the militant Church AS in euery natu rall and polytyke 〈◊〉 so in the churche militāt whych is a misticall body superioritie and inferioriti must neds be amōgest that m mbers thereof or ells it cannot endure And for thys cause speciallye our Sauiour Chryste when he was here conuersaunte on the Earth dyd hymselfe appoynte hys Apostles Disciples and there successours to haue the ouersyght cure and hygh gouernement of hys church to the worldes edde And to the intente that no man should contempne theyr aucthoritie he dothe saye in the thyrtenth of Saynt Ihon Amen Amen Dico vobis quis accipit si quem misero me accipit Qui autemme accipit accipit eum qui me misit That is to say Uerely Uerely I saye vnto you who that receyueth hym whome I sende receyueth me And he that receiueth me receyueth hym that sent me And in the tenth of Luke he sath Quiuos audit me audit qui uos 〈◊〉 me spernit Qui autem me spernit spernit eum qui misit me That is to saye He that heareth you hearethe me and he that dispiseth yon dispiseth mee and he that dispiseth me dyspiseth hym that sent me Of the Apostles also and theyr successours and of theyr charge ouer Christes flocke doth Saynt Paule speake in the fourthe chapiter to the Ephesyans saying Ipse dedit quosdam quidem A postolos quosdam autem Prophetas aliouero Euangelistas alios autem pastores et doctores ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerū in edifieationem Corporis Christi donec 〈◊〉 omnes in unitatem fidei agnitionis filii dei in uirum perfectum in mensuram etatis plenitudinis Christi ut 〈◊〉 non simus paruuli flue tuantes neque clicuferamur omniuento doctrine in nequitia hominum in asturia ad circumuentionem erroris That is to saye He meanyng Chryste hath gyuen or appointed some to be Ipostles some Prophets some Euangelistes some pastores and teachers to the perfytynge or consummating of the holyons to doo the worke of the mynistery to edyfye the body of Chryst vntyll we all come together in one vnitie of fayth and knowledge of the sonne of God vnto the estate of a perfecte man after the measure of the age of the fulnes of Chryst that from henceforth we should not be as babes waueryng neyther should we be caryed aboute with euery blaste of doctryne in the wicked nes of men in the wylynes of them who go aboute to deceyue vs. Thys place of Saynt Paule most playnelye setteth before our eyes the aucthority and gouernemēt whyche our sauiour hath apoynted to contynue to the ende of the worlde in his churche and howe the Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes Preachers and teachers are giuen of Chryst to hys pleple to gouerne them And therewyth al Saynt Paule in the sayde place she weth to what ende suche gouernement and authoritie is instituted it is to wytte for the spiritual edifieng of the hole body in the fayth for the defense of the hole bodye from the poyson of heresye And in dede no one thing can so muche suppresse heresye as yf the Anthoritie and gouernment 〈◊〉 be accordyngly therevnto estemed obeyed as 〈◊〉 Saynte Ciprian the blessed Martyr in hys fyrst boke and thyrd Epystle saieng Neque 〈◊〉 bereses obortae sunt aut 〈◊〉 sunt scismata 〈◊〉 lnde quod sacer 〈◊〉 dei non obtemperatur 〈◊〉 unus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos 〈◊〉 tempus iudex uice Christi cogitatur cuisi sneundum magisteria diui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uniuersa nemo 〈◊〉 sacerdotem collegia 〈◊〉 moueret That is to saye Neyther other where or hy othere meanes are heresies 〈◊〉 vp and scisines rysen than hereof that obedience is not gyuen to the preiste of God Nor one is consydered or thought to be in that churche for the tyme the preist and for the time the iudge in Christes stede vnto which one yf the hole fraternitie dyd according to the heauenly commaundements 〈◊〉 no man woulde stirre or moue anye thynge against the Colleges or cōpanies of preistes Hereby you may perceyue that saynt Cypryans cōclusion or iudgemēt is that the gouernment Ecclesiasticall and especially of one to be caken and reputed as Christes vicar is the best meane to let and suppresse heresies and that such one gouernor is 〈◊〉 be o beyed of all chrysten people which thynge may be proued very playnely and euidently by the holye scriptures them selues For the scryptures doo witnesse that our 〈◊〉 appoynted S. Peter to thys hygh rowme and charge ouer his hole flocke and no one of the Apostles 〈◊〉 In the. xxi of S. John it is wrytten howe oure sauiour after his resurrection appearing at the sea 〈◊〉 Tiberias to certen of hys Apostles amongest whome was Peter dyd fyrste take breade and fyshe and gaue vnto them And when they had 〈◊〉 them selues he fayde vnto Peter Simon Iohannes diligis me plus hijs 〈◊〉 ei 〈◊〉 domine tu scis quia amore Dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as eagnos meos Dicit ei iterum Simon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligis me Ait illi Etiam domine tu scis quia amo te Dicit ci Pasce 〈◊〉 meos Dicit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amas me Contristatus est Petrus qui a dixit 〈◊〉 tertio amas me 〈◊〉 ci Domine tu omnia nosti tu scis 〈◊〉 amote 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 oues meas That is to saye Symon the sonne of Ioannes 〈◊〉 thou loue me more then these do He aunswered vnto him Yea Lorde thou 〈◊〉 that I loue thee He sayde vnto him Fede my lambes 〈◊〉 he spake to hym agayne and sayde Simon the sonne of Ioannes doeste thou loue me He aunswered yea Lorde thou knoweste that I loue thee Hesayde vnto hym againe Feede my lambes Then spake he vnto him the third tyme and sayde Symon the sonne of Ioannes doest thou loue me Peter was sorie because Christ sayd vnto him now the thyrde tyme doest thou loue me and he aun swered and sayde Lorde thou knoweste all thinges thou knowest that I loue thee He sayde vnto him feede my shepe Thys processe of Scripture hath in it many
deus noster benignissimus remissione peccatorum mihi gratis largiatur quam ob causam historias imaginum illcrum honoro palā adoro hoc enim nobis a sanctis apostolis traditum nō est prohibendum sed in omnibus ecclesijs nostris eorum historias erigimus That is to saye Euen as we haue receyued of GOD oure Christian and inculpable faith as it were by right of inheritaunce so do I confesse it and abyde in the same I verelye do beleue in one God almyghtye God the father GOD the sonne and GOD the holy ghost these three beynge one God I adore and gloryfye I cōfesse also the hole dispensation of Chryste in carnate and next the holye virgin Marye of whome Christ toke fleshe and was borne I callyng her mother of God I reuerence also the holy Apostles prophetes and martyres whiche do make intercession to God for me that thorough their mediation oure mooste benigne god may be merciful frely graunte vnto me remissyon of sinnes For whyche cause I do honoure and openlye adore also theyr Images for this thinge beinge of the holy apostles deliuered vnto vs is not to be letten or bydden but in all oure churches we erecte or set vp their Images Besydes all these there was in the sayde 〈◊〉 generall counsayle alledged the aucthoritie of Germanus patriarche of Cōstantinople who sayde thus Non offendat quenquā quod ante sanctorum imagines lumina 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accendūtur Simbolice enim ista fieri nō lignis aut 〈◊〉 bus sed in honorem illorum opinandum est quorum cum Christo requies quorum honor adipsum recurrit hoc ipsum testante sapiente Basilio quod ergo conseruos bonos honor erga ipsum dominum commune 〈◊〉 signum exhibet Sensibilia enim lumina 〈◊〉 sunt immateriales illius 〈◊〉 a deo datiluminis Aromatum autem incensio sincerum totum sancti spiritus afflatum in replitionem significat That is to saye Let it offende no man that before the ymages of Sainctes Candels and 〈◊〉 sauoutyng encence are brent For we must thynke that these thynges are done mysticallye not vnto the very wode or stones but in and for the honoure of thē whose reste is with Christ the honoure of whiche sainctes repaireth or commeth agayne vnto Christe the sage Basyll testifiynge the same and saying that the honour done to oure fellowe seruaunces being good doth geue or exhibit a common 〈◊〉 or signe of beneuolence to oure Lorde or maister hym selfe For the sensible lyghtes or candels are a sygne of that pure and immaterial lyght geuen of God And the burnynge of frankencense dothe sygnifye the pure and the ful or hole inspiration and 〈◊〉 of the holye ghost There was also in the saide assemble or counsayle an other testimonye or sayinge of the sayde patryarche Germanus and that is thys Deūsepe 〈◊〉 designasse mi racula hominibus qui admonitione imaginum argente ergadeum sanctos eius affectu commoti fuerint That is to say God oftentymes 〈◊〉 haue wrought or shewed wonderfull myracles to men who by the contemplation of Images haue with an ardent affectyon or loue to God and hys saintes bene moued and styrred And the sayde patryarche Germanus amongest very many myracles there by hym recyted both saye that in the ecclesiasticall hystorye of Eusebyus it is wrytten howe that in the 〈◊〉 Panneada called in the Gospell Cesarea Philyppi before the doore of that woman which had the bloudye 〈◊〉 was cured thereof by touchyng the hem of our sauiours garmet as Marke in hys v. chap. wytnesseth there was an ymage of brasse erected which was made according to the fourme and shape of Chryst wearynge a longe garment and that before the same ymage was sette direct ye the ymage of the sayde womā knelynge deuoutely and humblye holdynge vp her handes to the sayd ymage of Chryst and that at the fete of Chrystes ymage a certen vnknowen herbe of a straunge forme dyd growe and that euer as it came in growing to touche the hem of the sayde longe garmente of Chryst then had it the power and vertue to cure and remedy all maner of diseases Further the fathers at the sayde seuenth counsayle assembled doo in the actes and recordes of the sayde counsayle testify and re corde that thys matter of ymages was entreated of and debated in the syxt generall counsayle kepte and holden at Constantinople declarynge howe that in the sayde syxt generall counsayle it was defyned and determined that it was a chrysten vsage to haue the Image of the crucifixe to the intente that hereby we shoulde be broughte in remembraunce of Chryste whych toke awaye the synnes of the worlde And at length the sayde seuenthe generall counsayle concludyng doth saye that the honour and reuerence geuen to Images is not that kynde of honoure which is cal led Latria That is to saye Godes honoure whyche onely is due to God and muste of vs creatures be geuen to none other but onelye to our creature but it is another kynde of honoure done in remembraunce of theyr vertues godlynes and conuersation and for other godlye respectes before expressed And thys determination as concernyng Images wyth all other thynges then and there agreed vpon was of all and euery of the Patryarches and catholyke byshoppes then and there beynge aswell of the Greke as of the Latyne Churche beynge in all aboue three C. Bysshoppes besydes other degrees of the clergye wyth an vniforme consent well allowed gladelye receyued and earnestly and obedientlye obserued 〈◊〉 these premysses duely consydered and wayed al men oughte to conforme them selues to the vse of the Catholyke Churche herein and to folowe the rule and counsayle of Saynte Paule in hys thyrde chapyter of hys epystle to the Collossenses where he sayeth thus Omne 〈◊〉 facit is in uerbo aut in opere 〈◊〉 in nomine domini 〈◊〉 stri 〈◊〉 Christi gratias agentes deo patriper ipsum That is to saye Euerye thynge whatsoeuer ye doo in worde or in dede do ye all thynges in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste gyuynge thankes to GOD and the rather by or throughe Chryste Whiche rule who that foloweth in the vse of these Images as the hole Catholyke Churche heretofore hath and no we doth can not iustlye nor ought not to be reprehēded or misliked nor rekoned to haue don a mysse or to breake thys seconde commaūdement For by the very wordes therein conteyned we be not forbydden to make or to haue similytudes or Images but onelye we be forbydden to make 〈◊〉 to haue them to the intente to gyue Goddes honoure vnto them or to take them as Godes as it appeareth in the. xxvi Chapyter of Leuiticus And therefore although Images of Chryste and hys saynctes be the workes of mennes handes yet they be not so prohibited but that they may be hadde and sette vp bothe in churches and in other places to the intente that we in beholdyng and lokynge vpon them as
euerye one hath deliuered the fayth that they from the Apostles haue receaued and so euen from Chryste to this presente daye one fayth hath euer stande stedfaste Whiche thoughe it hath sundry tymes bene assayde and sore pynched yet euer hath it preuailed at the last and had the vp per hande accordynge to Christes promise neyther ought anye man lesse to credyt the catholike church because there are in the same dyuers euyll wicked synners For Christ him selfe doth compare the churche to a nette cast into the sea whiche taketh both good and bad fyshes but at th ende the good shal be reserued and the euyll cast awaye Was not twelue chosen by Christe yet one of them he calleth a deuyll Doth not Christe allo saye that Scribes and Phariseis doo syt in Moyses chayre neuerthelesse he wuld the people should obey theyr lessones Euen so though some members of Christes catholyke churche doo not lyue accordynge to theyr vocatyon yet ought no man therefore the lesse to regarde the fayth and doctryne of the same churche These thynges good people thoughe they are suffi cient to declare the holye Churche what it is and how it may be knowen yet I besech you most diligently to note and cary awaye one rule which shall neuer deceaue you but is a sure tryall of the ca tholyke churche and the fayth thereof This rule is not myne but taken out of a learned auncient and ryght godly father in Chrystes Churche He sayeth There are thre meanes to trye a churche or doctrine the first is antiquitie the second is vniuersalitie the third is vnitie By the fyrste we are taught that a true doctrine must be knowē by that it is not lately spronge vp or rysen but commeth from Chryst and his apostles and hath cōtynued styll in the churche By the seconde we maye vnderstande that a true faythe or doctryne of the churche is that onelye whiche vniuersallye in all countryes hath ben taught beleued By the thyrde we ought to learne that a true doctryne or faith of the church doth always agree and is alwaies one Nowe those three thinges wel noted may instruct and teach any Christian man to knowe the catholyke churche whiche euersynce the Apostles tyme and in all countryes with one consent in al things concerning our faith hath shewed her selfe the wor thy spouse of Chryst. Contrary wise false doctryne and heresye euerhath doone and shall doo to the worldes ende 〈◊〉 arise 〈◊〉 in priuate cor ners neuer agre with it selfe Which thyngs I myghte easely at large proue and open to you by playne and manifest demonstratiō But because 〈◊〉 the next homelie I intende to speake of the auctho citie of the churche and also of the commoditie and profite that we haue by the same here I wil make an ende besechyng al you good and godly people to geue your bodyes and soules an humble holy sacrifyce to almyghtye God prayinge euermore that we maye be altogether lyuely members of our sauioure Iesus Chryst and of hys catholike church here vpon earth and after this life partakers of the ioyfull kyngdome of heauen through the same our 〈◊〉 Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghost be all honour and glory world without ende Amen H Pendilton sacrae theologiae professoris ¶ An homely of the aucthoritie of the chutche declaryng what commoditie and profyt we haue thereby LYkewise as in the last homelye it was declared to you good chrysten people what the church is and how it maye be knowen soo nowe ye shall learne the aucthoritie of the same catholike church and the commoditie or profyt that ensueth to vs all beyng members of the same churche Fyrste whan our sauioure Iesus Chryst did send forth the twelue apostles to preach who were and are the cheite and principal pyllers of this catholyke church he dyd geue to them great power and aucthoritie as saynt Mathew beareth wytnes saying Iesus dyd call together the twelue disciples and gaue to them power ouer vncleane spirites that they should cast them out and shoulde heale al maner of diseases and infirmities And sundry tymes we do rede in the holy Gospell that our Sauiour Chryst doth speke to his Apostles after this maner Qui uos 〈◊〉 me audit qui uos spernit me 〈◊〉 That is to say He that heareth you hereth me and he that dispiseth you doth dispise me Meanyng and wyllyng thereby that all the worlde should knowe and confesse the aucthoritie of the catholike church which Christ him selfe dyd buyld in and vpon these hys holy Apostles And to the same purpose he sayd to thē I am non dicam uos seruus sed amicos c. That is to sai Nowe I wyll no more call you seruaunts but frendes for al thinges that I haue herd of my father I haue declared to you And agayne he sayeth As my father sente me euen so I send you By these and many such other places we maye see that our louyng 〈◊〉 did giue greate aucthoritie to his apostles But nowe it is expedient and nedefull to declare in what specyall poyntes this aucthoritie doth consist and that the same aucthoritie was not onely geuen to the Apostles of Chryst but also to theyr 〈◊〉 in the catholyke churche euer to endure Which aucthoritie though it be greate and manyfolde yet these are the chefest partes thereof that 〈◊〉 doo folowe Fyrste almyghtye God hath geuen power and aucthoritie to the catholike church to haue the true sense and vnderstandyng of the holy Scrypture yea and to approue also or reproue al writing as Scripture or no Scripture Whiche thynge good christen people you may well vnderstande to be moost true yf ye call to remembraunce who is the guyde and gouernour of the church that is to wit the holy Ghost as Chryst dyd promyse saying Ego rogabo patrem et alium paraclitum dabit vobis vt maneat 〈◊〉 ineternum that is to saye I wyll aske my father and he wyll giue to you an other comforter that he maye a byde with you for euer And after that our lorde and sauiour had rysen frō death he dyd breathe vpon hys Apostles and sayde A ccipite spiritum sanctum Take you the holy ghost and also after hys ascention into heauen accordynge to hys merciful promise he did send downe the holy Ghost vpon his Apostles as sayncte Luke writeth Nowe that the holy ghoste was not geuen to the Apostles onely but also to the catholyke churche to the worldes ende it is manifest forasmuche as Chryste dyd promyse the conforter vt maneat uobiscum ineternum That he should abyde sayeth he with you for euer Nowe we are moost 〈◊〉 that the Apostles of Chryste dyd suffer deathe for the faythe of Chryste and that within fewe yeres after they thus had receyued the holy ghoste Neuertheles Christ sending furthe hys Apostles to preache and baptyze
circumstaunces to be noted The fyrst is that other Apostles beynge than present and amongest them euē he of whom Chryst did euē make very much of that is to say S. Iohn yet our Sauiour Christ dyd dyrecte his speach and talke but to Peter onelye sygnifyenge the matter wherof he dyd speake to appertayne to Peter chieflye and pryncipallye and not in so speciall a sorte to anye one of the apostles els Another and seconde circumstaunce to be here considered is that oure sauioure dyd aske Peter moost earnestly whether he loued him more than did the other apostles And the thyrde cyrcumstaunce is in that Chryste dyd commytte both hys lambes and his shepe vnto hym These cyrcumstaunce I saye and other suche lyke well considered doo conuince and clearelye proue that the hyghe charge ouere all the church militant was especially committed to Peter 〈◊〉 sauiour Chryst had not intended to giue vn to Peter a speciall authoritie aboue the rest what nede was there to speake this seuerallye vnto Peter seing he had spoken it generallye to them all before 〈◊〉 what thing ment he els when in that pre sence of all the twelue he promised to giue vnto Pe ter the keyes of the kingdome of heauē sainge a spe ciall 〈◊〉 or prerogatiue to Peter Our sauiour through his heauenly wisedome perceyuynge that it is most necessarye one to be ouer a hole multitude specially being a multitude congregated of so infinite a number of people and of so sondry nations as is the catholyke churche dyd appoynte S. Peter to that offyce and Peter hauinge receyued such charge at chrystes handes did incontinently practyse and exercyse the same and al the rest of the Apostles dyd geue place vnto him And therfore in the first of the Actes it is wrytten hawe that after Chrystes ascension incontinently S. Peter rose vp in the myddest of the faithfull and 〈◊〉 them to goo to the election of one that should succede in Iu das rowme with offyce he vndoutedlye woulde not haue takē vpon him but that oursauiour Christ had Authorised him in such sorte as is before declared In the. ii of the Actes it is wrytten howe that in the presence of all the Apostles S. Peter tooke vpon him to speake in all their names to the people on whitsonday in the mourning streight after that they had receyued the holy Ghoste in the lykenes of clouē tunges In the third of the Actes it is writtē how that s. Peter healed a lame mā which was lame hys mothers wombe and that whē the people wōdred at so straunge a myrycle the sayd Peter made an oration vnto them In the fourth of the Actes and in the fyfte and syxt there is the lyke and in manye other places of the same booke All whyche places of scripture oughte to perswade euery godly harte to thynke that oure sauiour did giue vnto sainct Peter that aucthorite aboue all the rest of the Apostles vpon hys hoole church for an vnytie and good order to be kept in the same And yet for your better contentatiō here in you shall here the authorities of the auncient fathers in thys behalfe Origine a greeke wryter whyche was wythin two hundred yeares after Chryst in hys exposition made vpon the. vi Chapter of S Paules epistle to the Romaynes wryteth thus Petro cumsumma rerū de pascendis ouibu straderetur et super ipsū tan qsuper terr am fundaretur 〈◊〉 clesia nullius confessio uirtutis alterius nisi charitatis exigitur That is to say When the hyghest authoritie orfeedinge of chrystes sheepe was omitted vnto Peter and the churche was builded vpō hym as vpon a sure grounde ther was requyred or exacted of hym the profession of none other vertue saue onely of charitie The blessed martyr saynt Cyprian in many pla ces affyrmeth the same and amongest other in his epystle wrytten Ad inbalanum sayeth Manifestum est 〈◊〉 ct per quos remissio peccatorum dari possit 〈◊〉 dominusprimum petro su per quem edisicauit ecclesiam suam et vnde unit at is origenē institute 〈◊〉 ostendit potestatem istam dedit That is to say It is manyfest where and by whome remission of synnes maye be gyuen for oure Lord fyrste vnto Peter vpon whome he buylded hys churche and from whome he dyd ordeyne and shewe the begynninge of the vnitie to procede dyd giue that power or authoritie And in the same Epystle within a whyle after he sayeth Ecclesiam que una 〈◊〉 sundauit super unum That is to say He dyd founbe his chuche which is but one vpon one Sainct Basyl in his boke against Tauonius writeth thus Perhanc uocem intelligimus 〈◊〉 filiū qui fuit ex Bethsaida An dreae 〈◊〉 qui expiscatore in Apostolatus ministeriū uocatis est Qui quoniam fide prestabatecclesiae in se aedificationem suscepit That is to say by this voice we vnderstād the sonne of Jonas which was of Bethsaida the bro ther of Andrewe which son of Jonas was called from a fyther to the ministerye of the Apostleshyp and bycause he excelled in faith he had the church buy 〈◊〉 vpon hym Saint 〈◊〉 in his fourth sermon sayeth Petrus denique pro 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ecclesiarū petradicitur sicut ait dominus 〈◊〉 et 〈◊〉 hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiammeam Petraenim dicitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 fidei fundamenta posuerit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 immobile to 〈◊〉 operis Christiani compagem 〈◊〉 cō tineat That is to say Fynallye or for a conclusion Peter for the soundenes or substācialnes of his deuotion is called ' the rocke of the churches as our Lorde sayeth Thou arte Peter or of a rocke vpon this rocke wyll I builde my churche In dede he is called a rocke bicause he was the fyrst that did laye the foundation of faith amongest the gentiles as a stone or a rocke that cannot be moued he docth conteine or kepe the frame and weight of the hole christen woorke S Augustyne hath the lyke in his syxe twenty sermon de sanctis and in his xvi sermon de tempore but moost notably in his 124. sermon de tempore wher he maketh a large processe of sainct Peter emōgest other thinges speaking of Peters denial of his mai ster he writeth thus of hym Totius corporus morbum 〈◊〉 capite cura ecclesie et in ipso 〈◊〉 componit membrorum omniū sani tatem That is to say He meanyng Chryste doeth cure in the very heade of the church mening Peter the dysease of the hole bodye in the very crowne or top of the head he frameth the healthe of all the members Here ommyttynge infynite other authorities of the auncient fathers touchyng the primacye or hyghest anthoritie ecclesiastical to haue beue geuen vnto sainct Peter of our sauioux Chryst himselfe I exhorte you in con sideratiō partely of these testimonyes some wherof are taken out of the very scrypture some out of the
auncient and famous doctours of the churche and partly and moost especially in consyderation of the cōsent of the hole catholike church herin nothing to dout in thys matter but that that holy Apostle S. Pe ter was Christes vicar on earthe and had hygher and more authoritie generall then anye one of the Apostles els and that the special purpose why that Christ would haue such authoritie to be in one mā was is for thepreseruatiō of vnitie in his church whych church is but one and thus much for this time shal now suffice you In the next homely you shal here further of thys matter Io. Harpesfelde sacrae theologiae professoris et Archidiaconi London An other Homelye of the Prymacye IT is wrytten in the. viii chapiter of the actes howe Si mon Magus dyd offer vnto Saynte Peter mony togiue him power that on whome soeuer he shoulde laye hys handes the same parson myght therby receiue the holy Ghost But being for this his most wycked request greuously reproued and fearyng withal to contynue any lōger in those parties that is to say in Sa maria so nighe thappostles he the sayde Symon Magus fled to Rome and there by hys enchaūte mentes dyd greatlye delude the people as Iustynus the martyr a verye auncient writer in hys second Apologie directed or sent to the Emperoure Antonius doth playnely testifye Ireneus also in his fyrst boke Contrahereses doth recorde the same And the said Simon Magus did so delude blind the people that they did esteme him for a God and dyd set vp his image in the Citye with this inscrip tion Simoni de sdncto That is to say To Simon the holy God But it was not longe after those 〈◊〉 played by Simon Magus thus seducing that 〈◊〉 ther but God sent his great 〈◊〉 saynct Peter thyther that is to say to Rome who both did confounde the sayd Simou Magus and dyd also conuert a great number of the people there vnto the fayth of Chryste as is at large set fourthe in the. xiiii chapiter and second booke of Eusebius 〈◊〉 historye Nowe this Apostle sayncte 〈◊〉 by the wyll and prouidence of God beynge brought to Rome did there continue bishop of that Sea xxv yeares and ther also did suffer a glorious martyrdome in the last yeare of the reygne of cruel Nero Themperoure whyche thynges Saynte Hierome in the verye begynnynge of hys worke De 〈◊〉 scriptoribus doth wytnes in thys maner Simon Peter the sonne of Ioannis of the prouince of Galile and of the towne of Beth saida the brother of Andrewe the Apostle af ter his byshopricke in 〈◊〉 and after his preching in Pōtus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Asia and Bethinia to the Iewes which were dyspersed abrode in sondry contries came to Rome to ouer throwe Simon Magus and ther did kepe his sea fyue and twenty yeres until the last yere it is to wyt the xiiii yere of the reigne of Nero by whom he was crucified and so crowned with a crowne of martirdome his heade being turned downe to the grounde and his feete vpwarde bycause he sayde or accompted hym selfe vnworthy to be eruci fyed in such forme and maner as hys mayster Chryst was S. Ambrose in his lxr sermō speakyng of that matyrdome of saynt Peter and saynt Paule at Rome sai eth thus I thinke it not done without a gret cause that in one day in one place vnder on 〈◊〉 they bothe dyd suffer In one daye for that they should come to Christ together In one place that neither of them both shoulde be destitute of Rome and vnder one persecutoure that like crueltie shuld slaye them both The day was for their merite the place for theyr glory the persecutor for theyr vertue And in what place I praye you dyd they suffer martyrdome Euen in Rome which is the heade and cheyfe citye of the worlde to the intente that where the heade of superstition was ther shuld rest the head of holynes and where the prynces of the heathen did dwel ther the princes of the churche shoulde lye Thus sayeth saynt Ambrose whervnto agreeth Egesippus an auncient wryter in his thyrd booke of the distruction of Hierusalem and like wyse Dionisius the byshop of Corinth and Caius also which lyued in the daies of Zepherius the Bishop of Rome as more at large appeareth in the xxv Chapyter of the fore sayde seconde boke of Eusebius Ecclesiasticall hystory Now that we haue in the homely going next before this declared that our sauyour dyd appointe Sayncte Peter to a greater and hygher offyce then he dyd any other of his Apostles and haue in this homely intreated of the abode of saynct Peter and martyrdome at Rome we wyll consequentlye proue that the Byshoppes of Rome haue alwayes in the catholyke church bene estemed iudged and taken for saynt Peters successours euen in that his speciall and hyghest offyce and that to him and thē by the wyll of God doeth appertayne the gouernement of Chyst es hole stocke on earth And fyrst I wyll begyne wyth the 〈◊〉 Authoure 〈◊〉 who in the thyrde Chapiter of his thirde booke agaynst heresyes doeth say that the church of Rome is the greatest the eldest and the best knowen of al churches and that it was foūded by the most gloryous Apostles Peter and Paule that through the succession of the byshops of Rome frō samct Pe ter vntyll hys tyme the truth was deryued from hande to hande that it myght ther easely be foūd and had And herevpon he sayeth further these 〈◊〉 des 〈◊〉 hane enimecclesiam propter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 necesse est omnem conuenire ecclesiam hocest eos qui sunt ubique 〈◊〉 That is to say For vnto this church meaninge and poynting the sea of Rome for the more mighty principalty of it al that hole church of Christ that is to saye all the faythful wheresoeuer they be muste assemble or repayre vnto And saynt Augustyne agreably herevnto doth in his 192. Epystle saye that in the church of Rome the primacy of the Apostolyke Sea did euer florish And the same sainct Augustyne wrytyng agaynst one Petilianus whyche dyd blaspheme the sea of Rome as heretykes doo now a dayes doeth more ouer wrytte in thys maner 〈◊〉 al the byshops of the worlde were such men as thou dooest moost falsely report them to be what hath the sea of Rome hurted the where Peter did syt and nowe Anastasius syttethe or what hath the sea of Hierusalem hurted the 〈◊〉 Iames did sit and now at this presēt Ioan nes dothe sit wyth whome we are in the ca tholyke vnitie ioyned and from whome ye haue deuyded your selues in youre wycked rage or fury why doest thou call the Aposto like sea the sea of pestilence If thou do it for the mēs sake whō thou thinkest to preache the lawe and not to fulfil the lawe did our sauiour I praye the any such iniurye to the sea or
Deade For the profe of whych fyrst parte we haue besides other testymonies of Scrypture the speciall testimonye of Saynt Luke in the fyrst chapyter of the Actes wher he spea king of the Disciples who dyd beholde our Sauiour Chryst when he dyd ascend saieth thus Cunque iutuerentur in coelum euntem illum ecce duo uiri astiterunt iuxta illos in uestibus albis qui et dixerunt uiri Galilei quid statis aspicientes in celum HicIESVS quia assumptus est a uobis in celum sic ueniet quē admodū uidistis eumeuntem in celum That is to say Whenthey dyd beholde or loke vpon hym departing or going into Heauen Lo two men dyd stande by thē in whyte garmentes who also dyd say 〈◊〉 men of Galile what do you stande lokynge vp into Heauen This Iesus who is assumpted or taken vp from you into Heauen shall so come as ye haue sene him goyng or departing into heauen And so ye see that into Heauen he is ascended and from heauen he shall descende or come And here shall ye learne that there are two speciall commings of Chryste into the worlde mentioned and spoken of in scripture and they be very diuers in them selues the fyrst commynge of Chryste into this worlde was to be borne of the virgyn Mary and by his deathe passion to redeme the worlde of which is spoken fully and largely in the exposition or declaration of the thyrde Article of this Crede The second commynge of Chryste into this worlde shal be to iudge bothe the quicke and the deade as is conteyned in this vii article And concernyng the second parte whyche is his comminge to iudge the quicke and the deade ye shall vnderstand that our sauioure and redemer Jesus Chryst beyng ascended as is declared afore into heauen shal come from thence that is to saye from heauen into this worlde and he shall come in his glorye and maiestie and shall then in the verye visyble fourme of his naturall body appeare vnto the bodely eyes of all the people of the worlde in his perfecte manhode and in the selfe same bodye wherein he ascended to the inestimable comforte and reioyse of the good and the extreme terroure and confusion of the wycked Where being accompanied with hys holye Angells his ministers waytynge vpon hym he shall sit openly in the cloudes of the ayre and shal iudge al quicke and deade accordinge to truthe and iustyce accordyng to his holye worde expressed in scrypture that is to saye accordyng to euery mans owne workes and dedes done by him in hys lyfe tyme whyche workes and dedes shal be then examined dyseussed tryed not after menes owne fantasye and inuention wythout aucthoritie and grounde of Scryptur but accordyng to the commaundement of God and the teachyng of Chryste and his Apostles For at that day of iudgement all the people of the worlde quicke and deade that is to say aswell all those whiche shall be founde on lyue in the worlde at that daye as also all those which euer syth the creation of Adam lyued here in thys worlde and dyed before that daye shall come and appeare afore the presence of Christ in their very bodyes and soules And when they shall be so gathered and assembled together oure sauyoure IESVSCHRIST shall pronounce the finall sentence and iudgement of euerlastyng saluation vpon all those persons whyche in theyr lyfe tyme obeyed and confyrmed them selues vn to the wyll of God and excused the workes of righte beleife and charitie and so perseueryng in well doing sought in theyr hartes and dedes honoure glory and lyfe immortall And contrarywyse vpon all those which in theyr lyfe tyme were coutentions and dyd 〈◊〉 agaynst the wyl of God and folowed in iustice and iniquitie rather than truth and vertue our sauiour Chryst shal than and there pronounce the sen tence of euerlastynge punyshment and dampnation In whyche sentence there shal be made a perfect sepa ration or diuision betwene these two sorts of people that is to saye betwene the shepe and the goates the come and the chaffe the good and the badde the blessed and the cursed the members of his bodye and the members of the deuyll and so the good and the blessed being vpon his ryght hande he shall clearely and perfectly delyuer them for euer from the power ma lyce of the wycked and from all paynes and euyll and so take them all vp with him into heauen there to be crowned and rewarded in bodye and soule with honoure and glorye and euerlastyng ioye and peace which was prepared for them from the beginnynge of the worlde And all the other whych shal be iudged to euerlastyng payne and death beyng vpon hys lefte hande he shall send them downe into Hell there to be punyshed in bodye and soule eternallye with fyér that neuer shall haue ende whych was pre pared from the begynnynge of the worlde vnto the Deuyll and his Angels And here it is speciallye to be remembred howe thys article was for great considerations added immediatelye and conioyned vnto the former articles and chiefly to the intent that no man shuld in his life tyme 〈◊〉 vpon the sayde benefites of Chryste or take occasion of carnal liberty or securitie and so liue without feare to transgresse or withoute regarde to obserue the commaundementes of God but rather that euery good christen man shoulde in euerye parte of his lyfe haue a continuall remembraunce and respecte vnto the laste daye of iudgemente and so be in continuall feare to commytte any thyng contrary to the wyll of God for the whiche he myghte deserue to haue the sentence of euerlastynge dampnation pronounced vpon hym For thys is certaynely true that at that daye euery man shal be called to an accompte of his lyfe and shal be than fynally iudged according to his workes good or badde done in hys lyfe tyme that is as S Paule sayeth to them that perseuer in well doing and laboure to attayne glorye honoure and immortalitie shal be gyuen lyfe euerlastyng and to them that be contentious and obey not the truthe but folowe and do iniustice shall come indignation ire afflyctyon trouble and paynes euerlastynge In this article it is further to be noted that like as there is nothynge more certayne vnto vs than that we be all mortall and shall once dye and yet no man 〈◊〉 knoweth the tyme whan he shall dye euen so there is nothyng more certayne than that thys daye of iudgement shal once come and yet the houre and tyme whan it shal be is hydden and kept secret from the knowledge of all men and angels and is reserued to the knowledge of God onely whyche thynge precedeth onely of hys goodnes towardes vs and is done to the intente we should alwayes here in oure lyfe tyme flee from sinne and imploye all our hole stu dy and indeuour to walke in the wayes of God that is to saye in such fayth hope and charitie as God
a fygure of the newe and hath not the verye lyght it selfe And seing that in the olde testamente all those that should be healed were commaunded to offer theyr gyftes shewe them selues to the preistes Leuit. 14. so also in the newe testament Chryste 〈◊〉 that to be done Mathei 8. to signify that thynge whyche in the olde lawe was figured by the shewing of the persons vnto the leuitycall preistes to be nowe in the newe testament by auryculer confession accomplyshed and fulfylled or ells shoulde there haue bene a shadowe 〈◊〉 out a body and a fygure wythout a verytie 〈◊〉 vnto thys sence S. Augustyne Chrysostome Bede and other entreating vpon the same place or Mathewe do fully agre Secondely Salomon the wysest of all men Prouerb 27 doth saye 〈◊〉 agnosce uultum pecoristui That is to saye Dilygently knowe and be holde the countenaunce or behauiour of thy 〈◊〉 Not 〈◊〉 thereby a brute or 〈◊〉 beaste but as S. Paule in the. ix to the Corinthians by oxen doth vnderstand reasonable creatures so he in the sayd place by the beast doth vnderstande such reasonable creatures as are vnder the charge of other the pastors and gouernours whereof be boūde diligently to loke vpon them perfectly to knowe thē and discreatelye to vse them discerninge skab from skab and lepre from lepre Whiche thinge man not knowyng the hart or conscience of man cannot doo vnles it be by the partie that is infected soo confessed and reueled vnto hym Whiche thing openly to do 〈◊〉 is not commaunded nor the matter so requyreth and yet not to doo it secreatly and in confession it is synfull and daungerouse Wherefore S. James not requiryng that men shoulde openly diffame thē selues by vtteryng to other theyr synfull lyfe and yet neuerthelesse willing that we should vnburden oure constience 〈◊〉 mynde penitentlye by confessyon after that he hath spoken of the bryngynge in of prestes to annoynt the sycke he by and by lest parchaunce anye man shoulde thynke that mentall confessyon to God onely were sufficient dothe saye Confitemini ergo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uestra c. Whych is to saye Confesse you ther for one to another your sinnes Not meanyng that euery man to other indifferently shoulde confesse hymselfe but referryng the matter to the preiste of whome immediatly before he dyd speake 〈◊〉 of the visiting of the sicke and the anointinge of them and thus doth Saint Augustyne Saynt Bede and Eusebius vnderstand those Scryptures And 〈◊〉 you maye be assured yf ye accordyngelye doo confesse youre synnes that from and by Godes owne mouthe 〈◊〉 are absolued that all preistes in the Apostles receyued full aucthoritie bothe to bynde and louse the synnes of the people ye shall for a profe here in consider emongest other thinges the facte of CHRIST in the reuiuinge of deade Lazarus which is notable recorded in the. xi chapiter of Saynte John where Christ thinking it not sufficient to reuyue Lazareth and to call hym out of his graue sayde Lazare ueni foras Lazarus come forth And there vpon lazarus by and by reuyuing and in hys wyndinge shete rysynge beinge bounde hand and fote dyd come fourthe And yet to 〈◊〉 by a visible sygne the Aucthoritie to remayne with Christes 〈◊〉 and their successoures to louse men bounde with synne Chryste dyd say to them Solui 〈◊〉 uos eum et sinite abire That is to saye Lose you him and suffer him to goo his waie And as for that place of the. xvi of Saynte Mathewe where the power of the keyes is promysed to be geuen vnto preistes and mynisters to absolue and forgyue synnes and also for the place in the. xx of Jhon where Chryst after his resurrection breathinge vpon his dyscyples and perfourmyng hys promyse dyd saye 〈◊〉 spiritum sanctum quorum remiserites peccata remittuntur eis et quorum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt That in Lake ye the holie Ghoste whose sinnes ye forgiue or release those are forgeuen or released and whose sinnes you withholde they are with holden These places I saye are so euydente that no man can with any learnyng or christen conscience withstand or depraue them but they must be most vay leable for this present purpose And for the establyshyng of al menes faythes herein here foloweth farther the consent and determination of three of the moste godly and auncient fathers of the primatiue church in this case to whose determi nation all other catholike almost 〈◊〉 writers do agree And fyrste Clemente the successoure of S. Peter in his first epistle to S. James the brother of Chryst sayth these wordes Quod st forte alicuius cor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uel insidelitas uel 〈◊〉 malum latenter irripserit non 〈◊〉 qui 〈◊〉 suae curam gerit confit eri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui 〈◊〉 est ab ipso per 〈◊〉 Dei consilium salubre curetur quo 〈◊〉 integra 〈◊〉 et operibus bonis poenas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effugere ad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 proeuinere That is to say If peraduenture anye rancor or infidelitie or any other euil hath priuely crept into any mans hart let not him whiche estemeth his owne soule be ashamed to confesse those faultes vnto hym which hathe charge ouer hym that he maye of hym be cured by the worde of GOD and holesome 〈◊〉 that he may thorough perfect faythe good workes auoyde the paynes of eternall fyre and come to the perpetuall reward of eternal lyfe In lyke sorte Orygen vpon the. xxxvii Psalme and in his seconde Home ly doth compare sinne not confessed to a preist vnto rawe and vndigested meat distemperatynge verye sore the stomacke and the hole bodye whiche yf it be vomited vp easeth the stomack and restorith health so sayth he sinne 〈◊〉 pryuelye kepte doth inwardelye trouble the conscience ther fore he wylleth vs to confesse the same and also dylygently to loke about and take good hede in chusinge our spirituall yhisition whiche maye minyster vnto vs a conueniente medecyne for the purgynge of oure consciences And to knytte vp this place of pryuate or auriculer confession we wyll nowe brynge onelye one place more whiche is written in the seconde boke of Saint Augustyne De 〈◊〉 infirmorum in the. iiii chapter wrytten to his Nephewe lyinge on his death bedde where he sayth thus Sunt quidam 〈◊〉 sibi adsalutem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si solideo cui nihil 〈◊〉 est quem nullius later conscientia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 crimina Nolunt enim aut crubescunt siue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dere se sasardotibus quos tamen inter lepram et 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per 〈◊〉 constituit dominus Sed nolo ut ipsa decipiaris opinione quatenus confundaris confiteri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uicario 〈◊〉 praerubore uel cerui cosus indignatione nam ipsius 〈◊〉 subeundum est iudicium quë domi nus sibi non dedignatur uicarium Ergo ad te 〈◊〉 roges 〈◊〉 sacipsum conscientarum tuarum penitus 〈◊〉 Non seducat te somni atium illa superstiti quae uisitando confirmat quia saluat sacerdote 〈◊〉
vnto God and lykewyse in the. xxiii of the same boke where it is commaunded that on the seuenth daye both the Oxe and the Asse shall cease from worke and the sonne of the bonde mayde and the straunger muste be refresshed And also of thys we haue in the. xxxi chapyter of the same boke where almyghtye God dyd by Moyses gyue commaundement to the chyldren of Israell to kepe the sabbotte and that so strayghtly that he commaunded the 〈◊〉 thereof to be put to deathe the 〈◊〉 whereof is expressed in the. xxxv of the sayde Exodus And for example thereof ye maye reade in the. xv chapiter of Numeri That a poore man hauyng gathered a fewe stickes vpon the Sabbotte daye was by the commaundement of God stoned to deathe and besydes these places ye haue a greate numbre of other places of scrypture but these here alreadye alledged are sufficiente for thys purpose to proue that the Sabbote daye or Sondaye ought to be kepte as is before declared But yet besydes the foresayde Sabbotte daye or Sonday Chrysten men haue always euen from the tyme of the Apostles vsed to kepe holye sondrye feastes aswell of our sauiour Chryst and of the blessed vyrgyn Mary his mother as also of othere saynctes in whyche feastes also men ought to cease frō worlde lye busynes and occupatyon yea and to spende the same in Goddes seruyce and contemplatyon of heanenly thynges doing such good workes as are mete and conuenient for the holy daye of whyche feastes you shal hea 〈◊〉 certayne auncient aucthorities of the ho ly fatheres for youre better instructyon herein And 〈◊〉 S. 〈◊〉 in hys 118. 〈◊〉 wrytten to Ianuatius sayeth thus 〈◊〉 autem 〈◊〉 non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 custodimus qui quidem toto terraram orbe obseruantur datur intelligi 〈◊〉 ab ipsis Apostolis uel plenarijs 〈◊〉 quorum est in ecclesia saluberrima authoritas 〈◊〉 atque 〈◊〉 retincri sicutiquod domini passio resurrectio ascensio in coelum 〈◊〉 us de coelo spiritus sansti anniuarsaria solempnitate celebrantur That is to saye Concernynge those thynges whych we doo kepe or obserue not beynge wrytten but by tradition lefte vnto us beynge suche whyche in dede are kepte througheoute the whole worlde it is to be vnderstanded the same eyther of the apostles themselues or of generall coūsailes whose aucthoritie in the churche is moste holesome cōmended establyshed or decreed to be reteyned or kepte as that the passion of oure Lorde and resurrction and ascension into heauen and the commynge of the holye goost from heauen are 〈◊〉 anniuersarye or yearelye solempnitie celebrated And the same saynte Augustyne in hys 244. sermō De tempore Doth there not onelye declare moste mauifestly that the feastes of blessed martyres were in his tyme solempnysed and kepte holye but also that the people dydde on suche feastes with greate deuotyon repayre to the churche and for that theyr deuotyon he there doeth declare hym selfe hyghelye to haue reioysed sayinge Magnummihi gaudium facitis fratris charissimi dum insolempnitatibus martyrum tanta deuotione fidei ad 〈◊〉 cons 〈◊〉 That is to saye You mooste derelye veloued brethren make vnto me great ioye whiles you on the solempnities of the martyres with so greate deuotion of fayth doo come to gether to the churche And immediately after that he doth further instructe them and in them vs howe they should vse them selues on the festyuall dayes to the pleasure of God and theyr owne 〈◊〉 saying iu thys maner Sedsivultus deo auxiliante uestrum profectum nostrum gaudium spiritualiter adimplere ita 〈◊〉 uos pacem charitatem inspirante domino conseruare ut contra hominem nullum odium habeatis in corde probonis orate ut semper ad meliora proficiant pro malis assidue supplicare ut cito se corrigamt secundum ponceprum domini Quecunque uultis ut faciant nobis homines hee uos facite omnibus Tunc enim in veritate pax iustitia misericoraia custoditur 〈◊〉 non solum nullis hominibus malum facimus sed etiam vbicunque poterimus adiuuare contendimus 〈◊〉 go hec Christo adiuuante fidcliter agas mus beatos martyres in hijs quae supra diximus praecipius et preclaris operibus imitantis partem eum illis in eterna beatitudine habere proterimus Et tune pro nobis absque ulla dubitatione sancti martires intercedunt quando in nobis aliquid de suis uirtutibus recognoscunt That is to saye If ye by Gods helpe wyll spirituallye fulfyll or make perfecte bothe your owne profytte and also my ioye soo doe you amonge or be twene your selues kepe peace and charytye God inspiringe you that agaynste no man ye haue anye hatred in youre harte praye for the good men that they maye alwayes encrease to better and for the yll men make sup plications continuallye that they maye quic kely amende them selues and accordinge 〈◊〉 the commaundement of oure lorde Math. 〈◊〉 Whatsoeuerye would that men shoulde doe to you do you the same vnto al. For then in trueth or veritie is kepte peace iustyce and mercye when not onelye we doo not euyll to any man but when we indeuour oure selues or labour to helpe whensoeuer we maye So that yf we Christ helpyng vs do these thynges faythfully imitatinge or folowynge the blessed martyres in those principal and notable workes wherof we dydde speake before we maye haue part with them in euerlasting blysse And then with out anye doubte the holye martyres doo make intercessions for vs when as they doo perceaue or knowe anye of their vertues in vs. To the foresayde places of S. Augustyne we wil here for the same purpose nowe ioyne the testymonye of S Hierome who in his exposition made vpon the epystle ofs Paule to the Galathians and declaring these wordes written in the iiii chapyter of the same epystle Dies obseruatis mensis tempore annos That is to saye Ye obserue dayes and monethes and tymes and yeares doth wryte in thys maner Dicat aliquis si dies obseruare non licit menses tempora annos non quoque simile crimen incurrimus quartā sabbati obseruantes parasces 〈◊〉 diem dominicum et icunium quadragesimae paschae festiuitatem pentecoste lctitiam prouarictate regionum diuersa in honorem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tempora constituta That is to saye Som maye peraduenture saye yf it be not lawfull to obserue daies monthes and times and yeres then we also meanynge Chrysten men runne into lyke faulte obseruynge the wednesday and the Frydaye fastyng dayes and the Sonday holy daye and the faste of Lent and the festiuitie of Easter and the ioyfull solemnitie of Whitsonday accordinge to the diuersitie of countryes diuers tymes appoynted in the honour of martyres By whiche obiection besides manye other notale thynges this is mooste euydente that no man was so lewde in those dayes but that he dyd obserue besydes
stande in Who is there almoost emongest vs but that vncharitably calleth hys neighbour fole or som like euyl name yea who is ther in maner that doth not far passe thys degree of vncharitablenes And yet our sauiour nameth no mo degrees partely bicause the payne of thys thyrde degree beinge hell fyre no greater payne coulde be named for suche as should passe the same degre partly because the Chrystyan man should at the least be soo wary circumspecte in kepyng brotherlye loue and charitie that thoughe he dyd perchaunce so farre forgette hymselfe as to call hys brother foole vucharitably yet fardar than so he should not so much as thinke thoroughout his whole lyfe It is written of one Solon an infidell but yet a very polityke man howe when he made lawes for the gouernmēt of that famous citie of Athēs he in all hys lawes appoynted no punyshment for a parricide that is for suche a one as shoulde kyll hys father or mother and when he was demaunded why he prouided not for that case he aunswered that he verely thought and beleued that no one beynge brought vp in Athens vnder hys lawes wolde at any tyme attempte suche an heynous synne Euen so may we say of our sauiour that he speketh but of those fore saide three degrees of 〈◊〉 for that it is not lykely chrysten men beinge traded in Chrystes most parfyt religion woulde at any tyme proced in the violatyng of 〈◊〉 charitie fardar then so But here may be moued a question whether our sauioure hath so forbydden vs to be angry to saye Racha or thou foole one to an other that in no wise anye man may soo doo but therby he falleth in daunger of iudgement of councell or of hel fyre For answere to thys questiō it is to be noted that our sauiour in thys place forbiddeth vs al kynde of vncharitablenes and nothyng els For asmuch then as in that third of Mathewe S. Ihon Baptist calleth the scribes and pharisies adders brode and S Paule calleth the Galathians fooles and men without vnderstā ding in the second chapyter of his epistle writtē to them yea Chryst hymselfe in the. xxiiii of Luke calleth his dere beloued apostles fooles and 〈◊〉 of belefe and the thing which they dyd cannot be iudged vncharitable therefore we must say that when such as haue aucthoritie vpon a good and Godlye zeale rebuke trespassoures offenders therby to make them ashamed of there euyl doynges and the rather to leaue the same that this kind uf rebuking is lawfull and in no wise ment in the foresaid talke of Chryst. But the onely thing that is there forbydden is the breache of charitie when one man meaneth ne good at all to an other but for the onelye satisfyeng of his vncharitable harte wyshed hym hurte in his harte or vtteryng his secret vncharita ble mynde doth thou hym or tush at him or finally speaketh contumelious wordes expresly vnto hym callyng him fole ideot or by other lyke opprobrious names Wherefore to conclude seinge you nowe know what parfytte loue and charitie our sauiour Chryst doth requyre to be in vs let al accustomed tancour and malice from henceforth be vtterly banyshed from emongest vs that we dwelling in cha ritie may dwell in God and haue here in this lyfe GOD dwell in vs and in the worlde to come dwell in heauen wyth hym for euer which graunt vnto vs the blessed trinitie the father the sonne and the holye Ghoste to whome be all honor and glory worlde without ende Amen Io. Harpesfeld sacrae theologiae professor Arch. London 〈◊〉 An Homelie of the church what it is and of the commoditie thereof WHosoeuer good people wyll call to hys remembraūce that inestimable good nes of almyghtye God and his inesti mable mercye towards vs nothing deseruing the same yf there be any spot of heuenly grace in that person he shall be ashamed of hys owne vnthankfulnes and disobediens and be compelled to fall downe in body soule before our Lorde to aske pardon for his trāsgression Of the which goodnes and mercy of god you haue a sufficiente and moste euident declarati on in these godly and deuout homelies that are set fourth to you of the creation redemption of man Neuerthelesse for your further instruction gostlye comfort in this behalfe I haue thought good to lett you vnderstand an other hye benefytte geuen to vs by our sauioure and redemer Iesus Chryste that we hauyng perfyt knowledge of God maye euermore prayse and magnifye hym accordynge to our moost bounden duetye And this hye and heauenly benefyte is the holye catholyke churche whi che our deare and dreadefull Sauiour both before and after his paynefull deathe dyd ordeyne and ap poynt to be for euer to vs a moost louinge tender mother a perpetual preseruation for our soule helth and a pyller of truth in all our doutefull daungers Which churche forsomuch as he hath bene latelye assaulted by sundry sectes and heresies and so sore shaken that manye more is the pitie had separate them selues from the same and wylfully haue rune astray beynge ledde and caried with euerye waue and wynde of newe lerning I purpose by Godes grace to open shortly to you what this churche is what maner of church it is and what commoditie we haue by it Fyrst the churche is a conuocation of all people throughout the whole worlde professyng one faith of God and one vse of all the holy sacraments whi che churche because it is purchased and sanctified by the death of oure Sauioure Iesus Christe it is most derely beloued to God the father and is called in holy Scripture by most hie and excellent na mes as Corpus Christi Sponsa Christi Regnum celorum c. that is to say The body misticall of Chryste the spouse of Chryst the kyngdome of heauen For S. Paule speakyng of Chryste sayeth That he hath appointed sundry officers to maintaine the holy ones into the worke of ministration to the edifieng of the bodi of Christ. And kyng Salomon taught by the holy ghost dyd forsee the dignitie and beutye of his holye Churche and sayde in the name of GOD thereby 〈◊〉 est 〈◊〉 mea perfectamea That is to saye One is my doue and my perfyte one Wyth many other such louing words as my sister my spouse c. And Saynt Paule byddeth husbandes to loue theyr wyues euen as Chryst loued the church Lykewyse in the holy Ghospell our sauiour Chryst doth compare the 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 thinges vnder the name of the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 as vnto a kyng whych made o mariage for his sonne somtimes to tenne Uyrgynes and many such other by al which names callings we may learne that the churche is a high and excellent thing and derely beloued to almyghty God who for his churche sake did gyue hys onely sonne to most vyle death for that whiche also he hath prepared the kingdome of heauen Nowe
forasmuch as we rede of an other church in the holy scrypture which is called Ecclesia malignanti um The churche of the malignaunt nough tye people And yet of late a great number of scismaticall persones being in very dede members of thys malygnaunt church haue vsurped to thē selus the name of the true churche I intende to gyue you sufficient instructiō to dyscerne and know the true churche of Chryst from all hereticall and scysmaticall congregations Fyrst this holye and true churche of Chryst is called in our Crede as it is in dede the catholyke churche That is to saye the vniuersall church bycause it is not lurkynge in any corner or anye one country but is in all countryes dyspersed neyther is thys catholyke churche hyd 〈◊〉 vs or inuisible or vnknowen but we maye ease ly dyscerne and know the same For christ doth cal it Ciuitatem supra montem A citie vpon an hyll And in the Gospell of Saynt Mathewe also teachyng the order of brotherly reconciliation he sayeth Yf thy brother trespasse agaynst the go and tel him his faute betwene hym and the alone but yf he hear not the yet take with the one or two yf he heare not them than tell the churche Oh Lorde howe shall he tell that churche yf it be not knowen as the euyll doo contende Lykewyse Saynt Paule speakyng to the preystes and elders at Ephesus doth warne thē to take hed to them selues and to all the flocke amonge whom the holy ghost sayth he hath placed you to rule the churche of God Thus playnely the scripture declareth that the catholyke churche is and ought to be manyfestly 〈◊〉 yet lest you should any thyng doute of the vnderstandynge of these scryptures heare I besech you how playnely Saynt August 〈◊〉 doth wryte hereof Sicut per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nonimus ubi sit plātatus paradisis sic per uerbi 〈◊〉 ubi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 didicimus As by the wordes of God we know wher paradyse was planted so by the wordes of Chryst we haue learned where the churche is Marke here good people that Saynt Austen in this place doth write agaynst an heretike beyng one of the donatyste secte who denying the catholyke churche dyd ascribe the fayth of Chryst and al saluation to them selues onely beyng a smale part of Aphrica lyke as al scismatical congregations in thys late tyme haue done some saying in germany here is Chryst here is the church some in Heluctia here is christ here is the churche other in Bohem here is Chryst here is the churche and we in Englande here is chryst and here is the churche Wher of euery one dyssentyng from an other and that in matters of great weyght doth declare that the spiryte of God which is the spirite of truth and vnitie promysed by Christ to the catholyke churche dothe not leade nor gouerne such sectes neyther oughte they to mayntayne and set furth false 〈◊〉 to the people vnder the name of the churche yet saynt Austen in the same place addeth hys or rather gods threatnyng saying Ab isto uniuerso ad partem quamlibit quis quis separat hominem ille diaboli filius homicida conuincitur whosoeuer doth separate one man frō this whole to any parte he is proued to be the sonne of the deuyl and a very manqueller Alas than in what heauye case are those that haue separate from the catholyke churche not one man onely but many thousandes surelye in heauye and miserable case vnlesse they doo speadelye and in due tyme repent and do penance Moreouer to knowe more manyfestly the catholyke churche of Chryst we ought to consyder what Saynt Paule wryteth of the foundation thereof For all scismati call congregations though they 〈◊〉 themselues apparantly vpon the holye scrypture yet haue they there profession seuerally taken of some noug hty man as saynt Augustyne sayth They ar called euery one by proper names which they dare not denye But the catholyke churche though heretikes haue named it papystycall yet receyued it neuer any other name but catholyke and christian but al mē that rede may se how gloriously some haue vsed the name of 〈◊〉 Ebion Arrianus Manicheus 〈◊〉 Donatus and in our tyme lykewise the name of Luther Zwinglius Carolstadius with thousandes such other which heretical fashion S. Paule doth rebuke in his epystle to the Corinthyans who were euen in lyke case and bostyng vpon men sayd Ego Pauli Ego apollo I hold of Paule and I of Apollo But the holy apostle rebuketh them saying As long as there is amonge you enuying and stryfe or 〈◊〉 are you not carnall So that euerye christen man and woman may playnely se by the scrypture that these hauing such diuision and sundrye sectes amonge them selues are by S. Paule accompted altogether carnal and farre vnworthy to vse the name of the churche which is the onely and chast spouse of Chryst. But of the catholyke church saynt Paule sayth Now therfore ye are not 〈◊〉 and foreyners but you are citisens with the sainctes and of the housholde of God and are builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles prophetes Iesus Chryst hym selfe being the heade corner stone And further bycause saynt Paule throughe the holy Ghost in hym did forsee that all heretykes would callenge to them selfes the aucthoritie of the Apostles prophetes that they 〈◊〉 without aucthoritie or knowledge wrast theyr wri tinges euery one to there owne sense therfore thys holy apostle in the same epystle telleth vs the order whych Chryst hath apoynted to be obserued in his churche for he saith that Chryst ascendyng 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dyd gyue gyftes to men and that he made some apostles some prophetes some Euangelystes some shepardes and teachers declarynge thereby that in the catholyke churche there are orders and offycers some hyer some lower whome the reste ought both diligently to heare and humbly to obey So did the same S. Paule before his death apoint Timothe to the offyce of a Bishoppe and also 〈◊〉 he dyd leaue in Creta that he shoulde ordeyne prestes in euery citie whiche preistes and Byshoppes should not be disdained or litle regarded as in this tyme of manye they are but they shoulde doynge there duetye haue double honoure and faythfully gouerne the church as S. Paule 〈◊〉 And writinge to Tite he byddeth him exhorte and rebuke with al seruentnes of commaūding by these places of the holy scrypture you maye easely se and vnder stand that in the catholyke churche there are and ought to be degrees and orders that whosoeuer doth breake contemne or deny the same he denieth and forsaketh the verye truthe and ordinaunce of Chryste and his Apostles Nowe further we oughte to consider that as S. Paule 〈◊〉 ordeyne Timothe and Tyte yea and other byshoppes and Preistes in his tyme ordeyne other delyuringe also to them the doctryne which they haue receaued of Paule and by contynual discurse of tyme