holie Apostle aboue his fellowes by Christes owne declaration which were overlong to set downe how many ancient fathers do deduce and inlarge vpon these places of scriptures and factes of our Sauiour alredie rehearsed And agayne after the ascension of Christ to heauen that Saynt Peter first of all called the Councel of Apostles together and caused Saint Mathias to be chosen in place of Iudas That he first of all the rest did publish and promulgate the ghospel after the coming of the holie ghost and conuerted fyue thousand at one seâ—mon That he wrought the first miracle in healing the lame man at the temple gate called Speciosa That he first of all as high iudge gaue sentence and condemned to death Ananias and Saphira for their hypocrisie That he first of al presumed to preache the ghospel of Christ to Gentils as he had don before to the Iewes That to him alone was shewed the vision wherby Christ declared that the tyme was now come to admit Gentils to Christianitie That of him only is written dum transiret vniuersos that is as S. Chrisostome sayth whyles he as a general of an armie walketh vp and down to see what is in order what is not That of him only among all the Apostles S. Paule writeth after three yeares I went vp to Hierusalem to see Peter the reason wherof Saynt Chrysostome affirmeth to be quia os erat princeps Apostolorum for that he was the mouth and prince of the Apostles And fynally that by Christes particulir order as is to be supposed he left the bishoprike of Antioche and went and tooke vpon him that of Rome that was head ciâ—tie of the world All these thinges put together do wel argue that Saint Peter well knew the dignitie and prerogatiue he had aboue the rest both for himself and for his successours wherunto if we ad the playne commission geuen by Christ in two distinct places of scripture that are recorded besides other perhaps that are not written the matter wilbe more euident The first is where after that glorious coÌ„fession made by S Peter of the God head of Christ recorded in S. Mathew his ghospel our Saueour sayth to him agayne Thou arte Peter or a rock for to this end Christe before had geueÌ„ him that name that signifieth a rock and vpon this rock will I build my churche and I will geue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen c. By which wordes is promised to Peter the principalitie in gouernment of the churche as the wordes themselues do shew and the consent of ancient fathers both Greek and Latin do expound The second place is in Saynt Ihons ghospel where Christe after his resurrection gaue to Saynt Peter that preheminence which before he had promised for being in the companie of diuers other principal Apostles he asked Peter alone three seueral tymes whether he loued him more then the rest or no which holy fathers say was don in respect of the three tymes that Peter had denied him before and the other answering that he loued c. Christ three tymes sayth to him pasce agnos meos pasce oues meas feed my lambes and feed my sheep making him pastor general of all his flock and committing the whole churche to his pastoral charge by those wordes as both the wordes themselues do import being vttered to Peter alone and with particuler emphasie for him to feed Christes flock aboue the rest of the Apostles as he had thryce byn asked whether he loued more then they and as all antiquitie with one consent haue euer taken the sense to be quia solus profitetur ex omnibus omnibus antefertur sayth Saynt Ambrose for that Saynt Peter only did professe to loue so extraordinarily aboue the rest he was preferred in charge before all the rest And Saynt Augustine vpon this place oues ipsas pascendas id est docendas regendasê™ committit Christ committed here his sheep to be fed by Saynt Peter that is to say to be taught and gouerned And Saint Chrisostome vpon the same wordes alijs omissis Petrum duntaxat affatur fratrum ei curam committit Christ leauing the other Apostles there present speaketh only to Saynt Peter and committeth the charge of his brethren to him And a litle after agayne Cum magna dominus Petro communicasset orbis terrarum curam demandasset when our lord had imparted great matters to Peter and had geuen him the charge of the whole world c. And Saynt Epiphanius Hic est qui audiuit pasce oues meas cui concreditum est ouile This is he to whome it was sayd feed my sheep to whome the whole flock of Christ was geuen in charge c. I haue thought good to ad this litle taste of ancient fathers interpretation leaving out infinite others to the same sense to preuent heretical shiftes in this behalf who first would make this commission of pasce oues meas to be onely to feed by preaching and not to gouern with superioritie and secondly to be a common and indifferent commission giuen to all the Apostles equally and not to Saynt Peeter aboue the rest which is aparently false For albeit we graâ—nt that this commission pasce oues meas in a general sense may be and is vnderstood and spoken not only to Saint Peter but also to all the rest of the Apostles and not only to them but to all other inferior pastors besides yet in preheminence and highest degree of special authoritie oueral it is spoken in this place to S. Peter alone as hath bin shewed and consequently also to his successors and by the same consequence it followeth in lyke manner that if Sir Francis Hastinges and his people be either lambes or sheep of Christe or do any way apertain to his flock and fold they apertain also to the gouernment and iurisdiction of this vniuersal pastor Saint Peters successor agaynst whome he rayleth and rageth so pitifully as in his booke appeareth And for that all the Christian world hath made euer this most certayne and infallible deduction that Christ gaue not to Saint Peter these eminent prerogatiues of authoritie and superioritie for himself alone but for his posteritie and successours also that should ensue him in his seate and charge ouer the church of Christ vnto the worldes end for this cause they haue reuerenced and respected so much the Bishops of Rome as by all general Councels fathers and Ecclesiastical stories doth appeare and only certayn broken heretiques both in old tymes and ours as guiltie people fearing their iudges haue set themselues agaynst them but euer to ther owne perdition among which rable not withstanding if Sir francis Hastinges will needs be one still hauing red what here hath byn alleaged I can say no more but leaue him to Gods iudgementes cum apparuerit princeps pastorum when Christ the prince of
before he auowch it outwardly For if he iudge only by the external shew and outward honor of his estate he may as wel condemn of pride all other princes and great men in the world for admitting honor according to their degrees and among others our present Bishops of England may be called in question as they are by the puritanes for being termed lords and for the lord-lyk honor donn vnto them in outward demeanure To the Lords also of her Maiesties counsel may be obiected the like for causing men to kneel vnto them at the counsel table and such other like external honor admitted As for bloody monster it is a monstrous slander and a great monstruositie of inciuilitie in a gentlemans mouth so to speake for it is wel knowen that the Bishop of Rome that now is and many of his predecessors in our dayes and eyes haue vsed and do vse dayly great curtesies to infinite protestantes that passe through their states And as for blood I think verely that there hath bin more shed in onely London for religion in one year within these last twenty that haue passed then in all the whole twentie within all the townes citties and states of the Bishop of Rome and this is easie to be verefied VVell then Sir knight you rayl at randon and litle do you seem to think or consider what peril of Godes iustice may hang ouer you for the same You may remember it is written principi populi tui non maledices and agayne qui patri suo maledixerit morte moriatur The Bishop of Rome hath euer byn held for our spiritual prince and parent in England vntill with in these few yeares and so is he still holden by all Catholique kingdomes round about vs and in ours also by such as follow the old vniuersal fayth which if it be true then are you in danger of damnation by this your fury And you remember that Saynt Paule was so respectiue of this danger that hauing spoken a hastie worde agaynst Ananias calling him whyted walle for an open iniurie donn vnto him in publique iudgement agaynst the law yet when he vnderstood he was high priest notwithstanding S Paule wel knew thar his priesthood now was nothing worth the old law being abrogated by the death of Christe he did openly recall his word agayne and shewed to be sorowfull for hauing spoken it agaynst one that bore that tytle But Sir Francis hath no such feeling or remorse of conscience in him for that he is not gouerned by the same spirit of humilitie and pietie that Saynt Paule was wherunto notwithstanding I would gladly persuade him if I might and for that respect do mean to alleage vnto him the considerations insuing about the Bishop of Rome First himself in the 31. page of this his libel hath these wordes The Lord from heauen commandeth to all men vpon earth that euery soule should be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God and euerie power is ordayned of God VVhich wordes if they be true then must the Popes power also be of God seing it hath byn an acknowledged power by all Christendome for so many yeares and ages not only for a lawful power but also for a holy and supreme spiritual power and then let men iudge in what cause Sir Francis standeth that not only resisteth but reuileth also this sacred power notwithstanding that the illation which Saynt Paule inferreth immediatly after the former wordes is this wherfore he that resisteth power resisteth Gods ordination those that resist Gods ordinatiō do purchase damnation vnto themselues More ouer that saying of Christ vnto the Apostles he that heareth you heareth me was not spoken only for them selues but for all their successors also that by succession should gouern the churche vnto the worlds end as all men wil cōfesse And cōseqētly the other parte also of the same sentence he that contemneth you contemneth me must needes in like manner belong vnto the same man And that the Bishops of Rome be successors in the Apostle Saint Peeters seat is no lesse manifest to all men of vnderstanding and learning And albeit Sir Francis will say presently that they follow not Saint Peeters steps and wil proue it at leisure yet if that were true the princes authority is not taken away hy his euil life or deportement for then should we haue few true princes in the world But aboue all others it pleased Christe himself to take away this obiection touching Popes and Ecclesiasticall princes when he sayd that vpon the chaire of Moyses should sit both Scribes and Pharisees and that we should notwithstanding obserue and do whatsoeuer they sayd but not according to their woorkes So as stil there remaineth the obligation to obey them though their liues and hehaueour were not correspondent but much more the obligation not to slander contemn and reuile them as our harebrain and headlong knight doth I say it is harebrain and headlong dealing to runne so furiously in so dāgerous a path as this is For besides that maledicus a railing tongued man is placed by Saint Paule among them that shall neuer attaine the kingdome of heauē it is much more grieuous sinne to vse this vice agaynst Magistrates that represent the power of almightie God and far yet greater agaynst spiritual magistrates that haue this authoritie in a far higher degree then temporal magistrates but most of all agaynst him that representeth immediately the person of Christe Iesus vpon earth which is the Bishop of Rome as presently more particulerly shalbe shewed Furthermore if all the holy and learned men of Christēdom haue not bin deceiued for so many ages together as they haue confessed this general doctrine of the Pope of Rome his prerogatiue without doubt or contradiction then is Sir Francis out of his way then is he in the open path of perdition then is he furious frantik and besides himself in rayling as he doth And that this only vniform consent of such and so many holy learned men gon before vs were a sufficient argument to make any man that were discreet and fearing God to enter into doubt at least of his doing in this behalf cannot in reason be denied and so without doubt would Sir Francis also do if his temporal life lay on the bargain as his eternal doth For let me aske Sir Francis if an herb should be presented to him to eat that all learned phisitians for a thowsand yeares together haue held for strong poyson and onely som one or two of later yeares haue begonne to teache the contrarie without actual experience whether it be so or no but only by discourse and new argumentes of their owne would he abstayne to eat it think you or no Or if an action should be offered him in England which by all old lawyers iudgment of former tymes hath byn taken for high treason ipso facto and losse of
religion in England had not byn changed we had had no breach with Rome nor consequently had the excommunication followed whereof so great noise hath byn made in the world abroad and so great trouble at home And what the vnion and frendshipp of the Bishop of Rome may importe euen as a temporall Prince the effects shewed of late in Fraunce where espetiallie by his indeuour and authoritie matters haue byn compounded that seemed verie hard and desperate before not only between that King and his owne subiectes but also between that crown and Spayn and the states of Flaunders which without such an arbiter and vmpyre would verie hardly haue euer byn accommodated Sixthly England had continued in her old ancient amitie and leagues moste honorable with Spayn and Burgâ—ndie and with their dependents and consequently had auoyded all these long and costly warres which by that breach we haue byn inforced to manteyne with losse of so many worthie men and expence of so great treasure as easelie maie be imagined and the quarell not yet ended Seuenthly so great and bloody warres and tumultes in Christian kingdomes round about vs had neuer happened as before in part hath byn declared and all the world doth impute the principal causes and motions therof vnto the diuersitie of religion in England And lastly most dolefull alterations in our own countrie had byn auoyded as the depriuation in one day of all the sacred order of Bishops in England with their perpetual imprisonment for that they would not subscribe to this infortunate change of religion wroong out in ParlameÌ„t as all men know by the oddes only of one or two voices of lay men The disgrace and abasing of so many noble houses with ouerthrow of others wherof let Norfolk Arundel Northumberland Oxford VVestmerland and Dacres giue testimonie For of the rest I will not make mention seing perhaps themselues would be loth I should all which had passed otherwise by probabilitie if religion had not byn altered The continual and intollerable affliction also of so many honorable and worshipfull Gentlemen had neuer happened for perseuering in their fathers fayth wherto our country was first conuerted from infidelitie without any other offence obiected or to be proued agaynste them but only refusing to accommodate themselues to this change The torturing hanging and quartering of aboue a hundreth Preestes for the same cause the moste of them good Gentlemen and youthes of rare witt learning and other partes which other Common wealthes would highly haue esteemed and so would ours too in tymes past and will agayne in tyme to come when these blastes shall once be ouerblown All these inconueniences and calamities had bin auoyded or the moste of them if change of Religion in England had not byn made so that the innumerable benedictions which this poore man would needs threap vpon vs by the change do come to be in effect these that follow First in Spiritual affayrs to haue no certaynty of Religion at all as hath bin proued no stay no foundation no rule but only euery mans own priuate iudgment and fansie wrangling and iangling without end and without iudge or meanes to make an end Nouelties without number and liberty of lyf without feare or force of Ecclesiasticall disciplyne to restrayn it And theÌ„ in temporall matters the blessings are such as haue bin discouered our Realme deuided and shiuered in a thowsand peeces our Princess olde without children or hope of any our Crown without Succession our olde frends and allyes made our enemies our new frends vncertayn our own flesh and countrymen most pitifully deuided within their own bowels and most miserably tossed and turmoyled both abroad and at home abroad and in other countries with Prisons Yrons Chaynes Gallyes and other Afflictions euen to Death it self for being Protestants Pirats Spies Practisers or other such imputations incident to enemyes At home afflicted with no less persecutions of our own Magistrates for being Catholiques or deemed to be such So as I would fayn know who are they in our litle Iland that feel these innumerable benifits and blessings by change of Religion which this gentleman talketh of seeing there are very few either of one Religion or other that taste not of the miseries wherof I haue spoken either in themselues their frends children seruants kinsefolks goodes honours or otherwise and most of all the Realm and Commonwealth it self It may be Sir Francis sitteth easier then other men hauing gotten som fat morsel to feed on by this change yet ought he to haue some sens and feeling also of other mens greefs or at least-wise so much wit as not to put himself to sing in publique when so many thowsands of other men do weep and complayn And so much of his blessings THE SECOND INCOVNTER ABOVT CERTAIN ABSVRD GROWNDS and principles forged by this Knight to be in Catholique Religion WE haue taken a scantling in the former incounter of this our knightes folly and flatterie now followeth a fuller view of his cogging and lying for these two vertues coÌ„monly go together qui adulator idem mendax sayth one the flatterer is a lyar in lyke manner For neither truth can stretch herself to flatter nor flattery can be manteyned without lying This man then after he hath flattered the state of England so grosly and fondly as you haue heard by telling them of the innumerable benedictions powred out vpon the whol Iland by the change of religion now he will needes take vpon him to set before our eyes the spiritual miseries and maledictions that Catholiques were in before this change to witt in Queen Maries dayes and in former raignes of ancient Catholique Princes by reason of certayne absurd and false principles which as he sayth were then receyued for truthes in matters of Religion But before he come to set down those principles he maketh for his preface acertain poetical description of the dark clowdy and mistie state of thinges in Queen Maries tyme in these woords It is not vnknown sayth he to many yet liuing nether can it be altogether â—idden from the yonger sorte that liued with them what a dark mistie clowd of ignorance which brought in popish idolatrie and all manner of superstition did ouershadow the whole Land c. and againe after In these dark and clowdy daies least the sun-shine of knowledge should dispearce the mists of ignorance and giue light to the dimm of sight c. Doth it not seeme that this graue gentleman describeth the lake of Auernus in Italy or some foggy marsh in England or some smoaky kitchin or wood-howse of his own without a window when he speaketh of our famous Country in former tymes Aboue a thowsand years the state of England and the Princes People Nobility and Learned men thereof had continued in that Egiptian or rather Cimmerian darknes which he describeth vnder clowds mists and shadows vntil his new Sun-shyne doctors came in to
parasite pratleth but vpon â—ome other cause giuen rather from England as himself after page 57. of his libel confesseth in these woords The king of Spain and Popes malice saith he to the Queen is not for that she is daughter to king Henry the eight and sister to Queen Marie but because she hath banished the Pope that Antechriste of Rome c. ergo the Q. began with the Pope and the Pope not with her But secondly let it be considered in what maner this banishment of the Pope was contriued that in this time of peace between Rome and England after the Queens entrance what was donn at home by vs against the Pope to stir him to this act of hostilitie First not only the whole body of religion was changed that had indured aboue a thowsand years and this contrarie to expectation and promes but diuers peculier statutes were made also against the Bishop of Rome by â—ame with the most spiteful and opprobrius woords termes that any malice of man could deuise all the whole Catholique body of England enforced to sweare against him and his authoritie by name or els to incur most greeuous and capital damages the like detestable othe was offered and repeated again and again to all such and as often as they were to take any degree of preferment within the land All the clergie was deposed and depriued of liuings libertie only for adhering to the Popes religioÌ„ the Bishops other principal prelates of our land committed to prisons holds and restraints for the same cause and there continued vnto their dying day for that they refused to subscribe to so violent a statute Then such as would leaue the realme or fle were inhibited those that staied at home were inforced to participate not only of these other but also eating new deuised Sacrament bâ—ead against their consciences condemned also and anathemazed by the lutheraÌ„s first founders of this new religioÌ„ The Pope euery where was cried out of reuiled made a matter of scorne infamy not only in all sermons pulpits and conuenticles but also in comedies plâ—ies and interludes by euery base and contemptible companion In the schooles of vniuersities most ridiculous propositions were set vp as paradoxes to be defended that the Pope forsooth was Antechriste the man of sinne talked of by S. Paule and other like toyes And that which moued perhaps more then all the rest was that these things were not only practised alowed of in England and Ireland subiect to her Maiestie but were begun to be introduced also by ouâ— meanes that is by the turbulent attempts and practises of protestants her Maiestie perhaps knowing litle therof in all the realmes and regions round about vs and namely in France Flanders and Scotland where the warres tumults rebellions deuisions sects heresies and other outrages came to be so many and excessiue great as the lawfulâ— and naturà ll princes of those contries seeing themselues so far indomaged and highly endaungered therby were inforced first of all to complain vnto the Pope as chief pastor and common father of all to vse such spirituall redresse as he might for his party in respect oâ— his ecclesiasticall souereigntie whilest they prepared also to defendâ— themselues and their troobled countries by force of armes Not malignitie then of the Pope and his adherents agaynst heâ— Maiesties crown and diadem wherunto willingly they had concurâ—â— and assisted moued this first breach and bickering as this malignanâ— barking-whelp would beat into mens eares but necessities of greatâ—â— violence inforced the same And if perhaps we in England after the change made in religion had taken that course which Protestants did in Germany to follow our new opinions without gawling of others none of these open hostilities had euer insued And let this stand foâ— the second notandum wherby is ouerthrown all this slanderous caâ—lumniation of the kinght The third note may be to consider with indifferency what this acâ— of the Popes excomunication is in it self or how far it may in reason and iustice without malice and calumniation be streched against thâ— Catholique subiects of England In it self it was an act of iurisdiction between two superiours thâ— one Ecclesiastical the other temporal wherin the subiects sentencâ— or consent was neuer asked nor admitted Secondly it was no new thing for that we see and read that thâ— like hath happened often and vpon many occasions between thâ— Bishops of Rome and diuers other great princes common-wealthes Emperours Kings and monarchs and sometymes also with kings of England and of late with the king of France as all the world knoweth And yet the subiect is neither afflicted nor accused for it nor â—nforced to change their old receaued beleef about the Popes authoâ—itie in such matters though in that particuler fact for reuerence of â—heir naturall Prince and dew respect in lyke manner to the other â—hey will not medle nor yet discuss the question whether the Pope â—ad iust reason or sufficient information whervpon to proceed but with dutifull loue and honour to the one and to the other they chuse â—ather to commend the matter to almightie God which is the only â—hing that resteth for a pious and dutiful subiect to perform in such â—ases when two superiours shall disagree vntill God by his goodnes â—hall determine the controuersy and bring all to some happie end as â—e hath donn of late in France where after the foresaied excomuniâ—ation by the see Apostolique the same king hath receyued exceeding great fauours and benefytes from the same sea and Bishop which almightie God graunt we may once see also in our countrie to the conâ—entment of all parties and therby all such hastie hoate-spurres as this â—s who still would kindle more fier and bring all to desperation may â—e reiected and put to silence And with this I might end the matter of her Maiesties perils were 〈◊〉 not that this playntiffe proceedeth on with a long rehersal of other â—ostile actions committed as he sayth by English Catholiques also â—gaynst her Maiestie As the rising of the two earles in the north â—orthumberland and VVestmerland the rebellion of diuers of the â—obilitie in Irland Doctor Sanders going thither Mayster Francis â—hrogmortons practises in England M. Charles Pagets going â—orth of the land the other two earles of Arundell Northumberâ—ands commitment and the like All which are ouer long to examine more in particuler and all put together do weigh so litle in the matter we haue in hand as by that which followeth shal appeare None of all these actions brake out to any hostilitie sauing only â—he two earles rysing and gathering their tenantes together in the â—orth where yet there followed neither battayle nor bloodshed and â—hey were no sooner almost together nor heard of at the courte â—ut they were seuered agayn and retyred into Scotland Flanders And this is all the actual rysing that hath byn among Catholiques within
lyfe landes though some â—iewer lawyers were of contrarie opinion that now it is not I persuade my self S. Francis would looke twyce er he lept once in committing that action for the loue he beareth to his temporally fâ—nd state but in this other case though all ancient diuynes and doctors for aboue a thowsand yeares together haue taught that it is blasphemie to rayle at the Bishop of Rome appoynted by Christ to gouerne in his place and damnation not to acknowledge his authoritie and only Martin Luther a loose Apostata fryer and Sir Iohn Caluin a sear-backt priest for sodomie haue begonne in our dayes to teache the contrarie for feare to be punished by him for their wickednes yet Sir FraÌ„cis rusheth on and casteth at all and will hazarde hell and all eternitie of tormentes theron depending rather then not to satisfie his passion in this poynt and please the state wherin he liueth by shewing himself a forward man And who will deny this to be headlong and hare brayne dealing And yet further though this vniuersall consent of Christendome agaynst two or three so contemptible authors of nouelties be more then sufficient to induce any man of reason to looke about him and to consider what he doth and whether he may adventure his soule vpon such inequalitie of testimonies as this is between two or three nouellants and twentie millions of holy and graue ancients which difference of witnesses I suppose would preuayle in VVestminster-hall with any equal and discreet iudge or iurie yet for further light to such as wilfullie will not shut their eares and eyes I will set downe heer some other considerations also to the same effect besides the prescription of tyme and antiquitie before mentioned and besides the weight and number of so many holy and learned mennes iudgmentes of former ages whom yet in reason we cannot presume to be inferior to ours if we be not ouer fond and passionate in our owne cause First then it cannot be imagined but that Christe our Sauiour instituted a churche to continew and to be gouerned not only for that first age after himself but euen vntil the worlds end and so himself sheweth Math. vltimo This gouernment was to be vnder Bishops and Prelates ordained by the holy Ghost by imposition of handes of the Apostles whose successors they were as Saint Paule she weth playnly act 20. 1. Tim. 3. 3. Tit. 1. And this succession was to endure to the worlds end also by continual new ordination and imposition of hands so as none could enter by stealth or violence into this rank but such as lawfully should be admitted That among these Prelates and spiritual gouernours of his churche and kyngdome Christe would haue some subordination of the one to other for auoyding strife schisme and confusion and one ouer all the rest is verie lykely and probable euen by reason it self if no other proof were For so he forshewed by light of nature to all Philosophers who held without controuersie that the monarchie or gouernment of one head in highest degree was the best among all other manner of regimentes and consequently it is lyke that Christe tooke not the wurst for the regiment of his churche and spiritual common wealth God practised this kynd of gouernment in the creation of Angels geuing them one vniuersal superior vnder himself which was Lucifer before his fall as is gathered out of Iob. 40. and Isay 14. by ancient fathers that expound those places And afterward when Lucifer fell he remayned still head of the wicked spitites and Michael of the good as is signified playnlie Apoc. 12. God practised the same kynd of monarchial gouernment for spiritual affayres in erecting the churche common wealth of the Iewes that was to be the figure of our churche to come geuing them one high preest to gouerne direct and hold in vnion and obedience all the other preestes which were almost infinite in all their synagogues throughout the world He practised the same in lyke manner in al other thinges lightly of this world appoynting subordination and reducing all to one as all the vnder heauens to the gouernment of one supreme the branches of different brookes and riuers to one fountayne the infinite armes and branches of one tree to one body and roote And all creatures fynally to the subordination of himself But yet more spetially was this needfull in the erection of his churche vpon earth as hath byn sayd for preseruation of conformitie and auoyding of diuision and confusion For if there were many gouernours therof ioyntly vnder himself â—â—â—h equal authoritie they disagreed who should attone them If any of theÌ„ would be obstinate or wilfull who should correct them And fynally this churche is compared to an armye that needs must haue some knowen general and not only to an armie simply but to acies castrorum ordinata a wel ordered armie that hath all other officers also in good order vnder the Captayne general And it is compared in lyke manner to a house to a sheepfold to a ship to the Arke of Noe and the lyke all which thinges haue one head gouernour as the world knoweth And that his priuilege was geuen by our Sauiour to Saynt Peter among all the Apostles if no play ne commission were extant as the re is yet Christes proceeding with him far different from any of therest of the Apostles sufficiently declareth his intention in this matter That he reuey led vnto him first of all the rest the hidden mysterie of his incarnation and of the blessed Trimitie Math. 16. That he sayd only to him rogaui pro te ne deficiat fides tua I haue asked for thee that thy fayth shall neuer fayle hauing sayd first that the diuel was to sift them all Luc. 22. That he promised only to him that the gates of hell should neuer preuayle agaynst his seat Math. 16. That he paied tribute only for Peter and for himself Math. 17. That he changed his name from Simon to Cephas or Peter that signifieth a rock or stone Ioan 11. which is the name of Christ himself attributed to him by the prophets as is to be seen Isa. 8. 28. Daniel 2. Psal. 117. That Christ called only Peter to walk with him vpon the water Math. 14. That he preached and wrought two such notable miracles in the only â—hip of Peter as appeareth Luc. 5. Ioan. 21. That he foretold only to Peter the kynde of death he should dye allotting him the same that himself was to suffer vpon the crosse Ioan 21. And that he being to go toward the same death he washed Peters feet before all the rest And that after his resurrection he appeared first of all the Apostles to Saynt Peter and besydes this that his angel willed the woman to tell Peter by name of Christes resurrection c. All these things I saie and manie other do shewe the preheminence of this