and saint Paule at Rome saieth thus I thinke it not done without a great cause that in one day in one place and vnder on persecutoure they bothe dyd suffer In one daye for that they should come to Christ together In one place that neither of theym bothe shoulde be destitute of Rome and vnder one persecutoure that lyke cruelty should slaye them bothe The day was for their merite the place for theyr glory the persecutour for theyr vertue And in what place I praye you dyd they suffer martyrdome Euen in Rome whiche is the heade and chyefe citye of the worlde to the intente that where the head of superstition was there should rest the heade of holynes and where the prynces of the heathen did dwel there the princes of the churche shoulde lye Thus sayeth saint Ambrose wherevnto agreeth Egesippus Egesippus an auncyent wryter in his thyrde booke of the distruction of Hierusalem and lykewyse Dionisius Dionisius the byshop of Corinthe Corinth and Caius also whiche lyued in the dayes of zepherinus Sepherinus the Byshop of Rome as more at large appeareth in the .xxv. Chapiter of the foresayde seconde booke of Eusebius Eusebius Ecclesiasticall hystory Nowe that we haue in the homely goyng next before this declared that our sauioure dyd appoynt Saincte Peter to a greater and hygher offyce then he dyd any other of hys Apostles and haue in this homely intreated of the abode of saincte Peter and martyrdome at Rome we wyll consequentlye proue that the Byshoppes of Rome haue alwayes in the catholyke churche bene estemed iudged and taken for sainct Peters successours euen in that hys special and hyghest offyce and that to hym and thē by the wyll of God doeth appertayne the gouernement of Christes hole flocke on earthe And fyrste I wyll begynne wyth the aunciente Authour Ireneus Ireneus 3. Lib. aduersus hereses who in the thyrde Chapiter of hys thyrde booke agaynst heresyes doeth say that the church of Rome is the greatest the eldest and the best knowen of all churches and that it was foūded by the moost glorious Apostles Peter and Paule and that through the succession of the byshops of Rome frō sainct Peter vntyll hys tyme the trueth was deryued from hande to hande that it might there easely be foūde and had And herevpon he sayeth further these wordes Ad hanc enim ecclesiam propter potentiorem principalitatē necesse est omnem conuenire ecclesiam hoc est eos qui sunt vbique fideles That is to saye For vnto this churche meanyng and poyntynge the sea of Rome for the more mighty principalty of it al the hole churche of Christ that is to saye all the faythfull where soeuer they be muste assemble or repayre vnto Augustinus And sainct Augustyne agreably herevnto doth in his .162 Epistle saye that in the churche of Rome the primacy of the Apostolike Sea did euer florishe And the same sainct Augustyne wrytinge agaynste one Petilianus whyche dyd blaspheme the sea of Rome as heretykes doo nowe a dayes doeth more ouer write in this maner Yf all the byshoppes of the worlde were suche men as thou dooest moost falsely reporte theim to be what hath the sea of Rome hurted the where Peter dyd syt and nowe Anastasius sytteth or what hath the sea of Hierusalem hurted the where Iames did sit and now at this presēt Ioannes dothe sit with whome we are in the catholike vnitie ioyned and from whome ye haue deuyded your selues in youre wycked rage or fury why doest thou cal the Apostolike sea the sea of pestilence If thou doo it for the mēs sake whō thou thinkest to preache the lawe and not to fulfyll the lawe dyd our sauiour I praye the any suche iniury to the sea or chaire of the scribes and Phariseis of whome he sayeth They say but they doo not c. Moreouer the holye Martyr sainct Cipriane in the thyrde Epistle Ciprianus of hys fyrste booke speakynge agaynste certayne whyche dyd disobey contempne Cornelius the byshoppe of Rome writeth in this maner Neque enim aliunde hereses oborte sunt aut nata sunt scismata quam inde quod sacerdoti dei nō obtemperatur nec vnus in ecclesia ad tēpus sacerdos et ad tempus iudex vice Christi iudicatur Cui si secundum magisteria diuina obtemperaret fraternitas vniuersa nemo aduersus sacerdotum collegium quicquam moueret That is to saye Of none other cause are heresyes spronge vp or scismes rysen than of this that the priest of GOD meanynge Cornelius the byshoppe of Rome is not obeyed and one is not taken in the churche to be the hyghe priest for the tyme and for the tyme in Christes stede a iudge or Christes vicar vnto whome yf the hole fraternitye were accordynge to Goddes commaundementes obediente no man woulde any thing moue or styrre agaynst the colledge or companye of priestes Sainct Augustyne also wrytynge agaynste the Epistle of a Maniche whyche Epistle is intituled Augustinus or called Fundamentum giueth to the sea of Rome a meruaylous prerogatyue and dothe buylde hys faythe amongest other thinges vpon the succession of the Byshoppes of Rome who after sainct Peter dyd folowe orderly euen to hys tyme whych was .300 yeres after Christe And he wryteth in this maner Multa sunt que me in ecclesie gremio iustissime tenent Tenet me consensio populorū atque gentiū tenet authoritas miraculis inchoata spe nutrita charitate aucta vetustate firmata tenet ab ipsa sede petri Apostoli cui pascendas oues suas post resurrectionē suam dominus commendauit vsque ad presentem episcopatum successio sacerdotum That is to saye there are many thinges which of very good reason doo kepe me in the lawes of the catholyke churche The consent of so manye people and nations or cuntries dothe kepe me the authoritie of the churche begon with myracles nourysshed with hope encreased with charitye and confyrmed with antiquitye doeth kepe me the succession also of bysshoppes from sainct Peter the Apostles seat or tyme to whome oure Lorde dyd after his resurrection commyt hys shepe to be fedde vnto this presēt Bishopricke meanyng Rome doeth kepe me in the catholyke churche Sainct Hierom also in his Epistle to Damasus doeth set fourthe very notably Hieronimus the primacye and supremitye of the byshoppe of Rome as beyng sainct Peters successours and amongest other thynges he sayeth thus Si quis cathedrae Petri iungitur meus est That is to saye Yf any man be ioyned to Peters chayre or hold of Peters seat meaning the sea of Rome he is myne and I receyue and ioyne wyth hym Ambrosius Sainct Ambrose also in his thyrd booke of the sacramētes and in the fyrst Chapiter doth say thus Ecclesia Romana hanc consuetudinem non habet cuius tipum in omnibus sequimur That is to saye the churche of Rome whose forme or trade we doo
And in the Gospell of Saynt Mathewe also teachynge the order of brotherly reconciliation he saythe Yf thy brother trespasse agaynst the go and tell him his faute betwene hym and the alone but yf he hear not the Math. 18 yet take with the one or two yf he heare not them than tell the churche Oh Lorde howe shall he tell the church yf it be not knowen as the euyll doo contende Lykewyse Saynt Paule speaking to the preystes and elders at Ephesus Actu 20. doth warne thē to take hede to them selues and to al the flocke amonge whome the holy ghost sayth he hath placed you to rule the churche of God Thus playnely the scrypture declareth that the catholyke churche is and oughte to be manyfestly knowen yet lest you should anye thynge doute of the vnderstandynge of these scryptures heare I besech you howe playnely Saynt Augustyne doth wryte hereof Sicut per uerba dei nouimus ubi sit plātatus paradisus sic per uerba Christi ubi sit ecclesia didicimus Contra Petil. lib 2. Cap. 13. As by the woordes of God we know wher paradyse was planted so by the woordes of Chryst we haue learned where the churche is Marke here good people that Saynt Austen in thys place doth write agaynst an heretike being one of the donatyste secte who denying the catholyke churche dyd ascrybe the fayth of chryst and al saluation to them selues onely being a smale parte of Aphrica lyke as all scismatical congregations in thys late tyme haue done some saying in germany here is Chryst here is the churche some in Heluetia here is christ here is the churche other in Bohem here is Christ here is the churche and we in Englande here is chryst and here is the churche Wherof euery one dyssentyng from an other and that in maters of great weyght doth declare that the spyryte of God which is the spirite of truth and vnitie promysed by Christ to the catholyke churche dothe not leade nor gouerne suche sectes neyther oughte they to mayntayne and set furth false doctryne to the people vnder the name of the churche yet sainte Austen in the same place addyth hys or rather gods threatnyng Ibidem saying Ab isto uniuerso ad partem quamlibet quisquis separat hominem ille diaboli filius homicida conuincitur Whosoeuer doth seperate one man frō thys whole to anye parte he is proued to be the sonne of the deuyl and a very manqueller Alas than in what heauy 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 doo penance Moreouer to knowe more manyfestly the catholyke churche of Chryst we ought to consider what Saynte Paule wryteth of the foundation thereof For al scismatycall congregations though they grounde them selues apparantly vpon the holye scrypture yet haue they there profession seuerally taken of some noughty man as saynt Augustyne sayth They are called euery one by proper names August de uitilitate cred Cap. 7. whiche they dare not denye But the catholyke churche though heretykes haue named it papysticall yet receyued it neuer any other name but catholyke and chrystian but al mē that rede may se how gloriously some haue vsyd the name of Marchion Ebion Arrianus Manicheus Pelagius Donatus and in our tyme lykewyse the name of Luther Zwinglius Carolstadius wyth thousandes such other which hereticall fashion S. Paule doth rebuke in hys epystle to the Corinthyans who were euen in lyke case and bostyng vpon men sayd Ego Pauli Ego apollo I hold of Paule 1 Cor 3 and I of Apollo But the holy apostle rebuketh them saying As longe as there is amonge you enuying and stryfe or sectes are you not carnall So that euerye chrysten man and woman may playnely se by the scrypture that these hauynge suche diuision and sundrye sectes amonge them selues are by S. Paule accompted altogether carnal and farre vnworthy to vse the name of the churche whiche is the onely and chaste spouse of Christ Ephes 2 But of the catholyke churche saynt Paule sayth Now therfore ye are not straūgers and foreyners but you are citisens with the saynctes and of the housholde of God and are buylded 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 him dyd forsee that all heretykes would callenge to them selfes the aucthoritie of the Apostles prophetes and that they wold with out authoritie or knowlege wraste theyr writinges euery one to there owne sense therefore this holy apostle Ephes 4 in the same epystle tellyth vs the order whych Chryst hath apoynted to be obserued in hys church for he sayth that Chryst ascending into heauen 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 whom the rest ought both diligently to heare and humbly to obey So dyd the same S. Paul 1 Timot 4 Tit. 1 before hys death apoint Timothe to the offyce of a Byshoppe and also Tite he dyd leaue in Creta that he shoulde ordeyne prestes in euery citie whiche preistes and Byshoppes should not be dysdained or litle regarded as in this tyme of manye they are but they shoulde dooyng there duetie haue double honoure and faythfully gouerne the church Actuo 20 Tit. 2 as saint Paule sayeth And writyng to Tite he byddeth him exhort and rebuke with al feruentnes of commaūdyng by these places of the holy scrypture you may easely see and vnderstand that in the catholyke churche there are and ought to be degres and orders and that whosoeuer doth breake contemne or deny the same he denieth and forsaketh the verye truth and ordinaunce of Chryste and his Apostles Nowe further we oughte to consider that as S. Paule dyd ordeyne Timothe and Tyte yea and other byshoppes and Preistes in his tyme so they by his commaundement dyd in theyr tyme ordeyne other delyueringe also to them the doctryne whiche they haue receaued of Paule and by contynuall discurse of tyme 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 vpper hande accordynge to Christes promyse Math. 16 neyther ought anye man lesse to credyt the catholike church because there are in the same dyuers euyll and wicked synners For Christ hym selfe Math 13 doth compare the churche to a nette caste into the sea whiche taketh both good and bad fyshes but at the ende the good shal be reserued and the euyll cast awaye Was not twelue chosen by
hath the true vnderstandinge of scripture the knowledge of all thinges necessary to saluation To this church Christ maketh promis in the .xvi. of Iohn Ioh. 16. saying Whē that spirite of truth shal come he shal teache you al truth To this churche also he maketh that other promis written in the .xxviii. of Mathew where he sayth Math. 28. Beholde I am with you to the ende of the world This Catholyke churche thus gouerned by the holy Ghost assisted alwayes of Christ him selfe neuer yet fayled frō the tyme of the Apostles hitherto ne shal fayl to the worldes ende nether can it be deceaued in any necessarye truth accordyng as Chryst promyseth in the .xvi. of Mathewe Math. 16. saying That hell gates shal not preuayle agaynst the churche where by hel gates he meaneth errour as yf he had sayd that the catholyke churche shall neuer be ouercome with erroure For this cause S. Paule in the third chapiter of his first epistle to Timothe Timoth. 1. calleth the catholike church the piller and grounde of truth This catholike churche must in al ages nedes be an open knowen churche and such a company as among whych the trueth is openly preached ells Chryst woulde not haue sayd as it is wrytten in the .v. of Mathewe A citie that is set on a hyl Math 5 can not be hyd nether do men lyght a candel and put it vnder a bushel but on a candelstycke and it geueth lyght vnto all that are in the house Wherfore they do great iniury to Chryst which saye that the catholyke churche is an vnknowen churche seing it is that citie which our sauiour there ment and that candell of whiche he there speaketh So manye as deuyde them selues frō this open knowen Churche of Chryste and refuse the doctryne thereof thoughe they be neuer so diligent in readyng of scrypture yet shall they neuer truely vnderstande scrypture but runne continually farther and farther into erroure and ignoraunce euē as a man that is once out of his way the farther and faster he goeth furth the more he loseth his labour 2. Peter 1 Saint Peter therefore in the fyrst Chapiter of his second epistle geueth vs a most certayne and sure rule which if we folowe we shall not fayle ryghtly to vnderstande scripture his rule is thys We haue sayth he A ryght sure worde of prophecie wherevnto yf ye take hede as vnto a lighte that shineth in a darke place you doo wel vntyl the day dawne and the daye starre aryse in your hartes So that you first knowe this that no prophecie in the scripture hath any priuate interpretation For the scripture came neuer by the wil of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holi ghost Here you se how saynt Peter willeth euery man fyrst of all to knowe that scripture must be vnderstanded after the generall meanynge of Chrystes churche and not after the priuate interpretation of any seuerall man or companye And in the thyrde chapiter of the same Epystle 2. Peter 3 he sayeth further that in S. Paules epistles are manye thinges harde to be vnderstanded whych they that are vnlearned vnstable doo peruerte as they doo also the other scriptures to theyr owne destruction ye therefore beloued seing you be warned afore hand beware leaste ye with other men be also plucked a waye through the errour of the wicked and fall from your owne stedfastnesse Lo here S. Peter telleth the very cause why men mysvnderstand scrypture which is lacke of knoweledge and lacke of constancie when men ether thorowe ignoraunce or thoroughe inconstancie swerue from the catholyke meanyng and folowe pryuate interpretation Such men he sayeth do peruerte the scriptures to theyr owne destruction Saynte Paule also wrytyng to Tymothe and willing hym to be earnest in the study of scripture 1. Timo 9 geueth him withal this foresayd rule saying in the very ende of his fyrst epistle O Timothie kepe sure that whiche is committed to thy custody and auoide newe fangled termes and bosting of science falsely so called which science whyle some dyd professe they haue erred from the fayth The thinge whiche S. Paule sayth was commytted to Timothies custody was the truth of the catholyke fayth which he sayth some fell frome by reasone of new fangled termes and by reason also that they tooke vpon them knowledge beinge in dede ignoraunte And in the thyrd chapiter of his seconde epistle to Timothie 2. Timothei 3 he farther sayeth Contynue thou in the thinges which thou hast learned which also were commytted vnto the. S. Ireneus also a blessed martyr and very nyghe to the tyme of the Apostles a man of greate learning and no lesse vertue and such a one as by the consente of all men had the perfyt knowledge and vnderstandynge of scryptures in his third boke agaynst Valentyne the arche heretyke and in the fowrth chapiter of the same boke sayeth Ireneus in his third boke against Valentine chap. 4. touchyng the catholyke churche in thys maner We must not seke the trueth among other seing we may easely take it of the church for as much as the Apostels haue fully lefte with it as in a rych tresury all truth that who so listeth may thence take the drinkes of lyfe for this is the entre to life All other are theues and robbers wherfore them must we auoyd that doctryne that the church teacheth we muste loue with great diligence embrace the tradition of the truth For what and yf a controuersy should happen to ryse vpon neuer so smal a questiō ought not men in that case to haue recourse to the most auncient churches in which the Apostles were conuersaunt and ther learne the truth in that controuersy ye what yf the Apostles had lefte behynde them no writyng at all must we then not haue folowed the order of tradition delyuered by them to such as they committid the churches vnto to which tradition manye barbarous nations beleuing in Christ do giue credite with out any other wrytyng then that which is in their hartes wrytten Al this wryteth Ireneus and within a lytle after he sayeth Yf to these barbarous nations any man should preach in their owne language these inuentions of heretikes by and by they would stoppe their eares and flye as farre as they could frō him and not once here his blasphemous talke thus sayeth S. Ireneus Now yf christen people at this presēt would folow this trade which this blessed martir here speaketh of thē should no mā runne into heresy but al mē shold cleue fast vnto the wholesome doctrine of the catholike church abhorre and detest whatsoeuer any precher wold vtter vnto thē contrary to the same For whosoeuer preacheth any doctrine not agreable to the general receiued doctrine in the open knowen church he it is such as be like to him of whō our sauiour biddeth vs to beware saiyng in the .vii. of Mathewe
Christe yet one of them he calleth a deuyll Doth not Christe also saye Math 23. that Scribes and Phariseis doo syt in Moyses chayre neuerthelesse he woulde the people should obey theyr lessons Euen so thoughe some members of Christes catholyke churche doo not lyue accordynge to theyr vocatyon yet oughte no man therefore the lesse to regarde the fayth and doctryne of the same churche These thynges good people thoughe they are sufficiente to declare the holye Churche what it is and howe it may be knowen yet I besech you most diligently to note and carye awaye one rule which shall neuer deceaue you but is a sure tryall of the catholyke churche and the fayth thereof This rule is not myne but taken out of a learned auncient and ryghte godlye father in Christes Churche He sayth There are thre meanes to trye a churche Vincentius Lirenensis or doctryne the fyrst is antiquitie the second is vniuersalitie the thyrde is vnitie By the fyrst we are taught that a true doctrine must be knowē by that it is not lately spronge vp or rysen but commeth from Christ and his apostles and hath contynued styll in the churche By the seconde we maye vnderstande that a true fayth or doctryne of the churche is that onelye whiche vnyuersallye in all countreys hath ben taught beleued By the thirde we ought to learne that a true doctryne or fayth of the church doth alwayes agre and is alwayes one Nowe those three thinges well noted may instruct and teache any Christen man to knowe the catholyke churche whiche euer synce the Apostles tyme and in all countreys with one consent in al thinges concernyng our fayth hath shewed her self the worthy spouse of Chryst Contrary wyse false doctryne and heresye euer hath doone and shall doo to the worldes ende lately arise lurke in priuat corners neuer agre with itselfe Which thyngs I myght easelye at large proue and open to you by playne and manifest demonstration But because in the nexte homelie I intende to speake of the aucthoritie of the churche and also of the commoditie and profite that we haue by the same here I wyll make an ende Roma 12 besechyng all you good and godly people to geue your bodyes and soules an humble and holy sacryfyce to almyghtye God prayinge euermore that we may be altogether lyuelye membres of oure sauyoure Iesus Chryst and of his catholyke churche here vpon earth and after this lyfe partakers of the ioyfull kyngedome of heauen through the same our Lorde Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy ghoste be all honoure and glorye worlde without ende Amen H. Pendilton sacrae theologiae professoris ¶ An Homely of the aucthoritie of the churche declarynge what commoditie and profit we haue thereby LYkewyse as in the laste homelye it was declared to you good chrysten people what the churche is and how it maye be knowen soo nowe ye shall learne the aucthoritie of the same catholyke church and the commoditie or profyt that ensueth to vs all beynge members of the same churche Fyrste whan oure sauioure Iesus Christ dyd send forth the twelue apostles to preach who were and are the cheife and pryncipall pyllers of this catholyke churche he dyd geue to them great power and aucthoritie as saynt Mathewe beareth wytnes Math. 10 sayinge Iesus dyd call together the twelue disciples and gaue to them power ouer vncleane spirites that they shoulde cast them out and shoulde heale all maner of diseases and infirmities And sondrye tymes we do rede in the holy Gospell that our Sauiour Chryste doth speake to his Apostles after this maner Qui uos audit me audit qui uos spernit me spernit That is to saye He that heareth you Mathe. 10. heareth me and he that dispiseth you doth dispise me Meanynge Iohn 13. and wyllynge thereby that all the worlde shoulde know and confesse the aucthoritie of the catholyke church whiche Christ him selfe dyd buyld in and vpon these hys holye Apostles And to the same purpose he sayd to them Iam non dicam uos seruos sed amicos c That is to say Nowe I wyll no more call you seruauntes Iohn 15 but frendes for al thinges that I haue herde of my father I haue declared to you Iohn 20 And agayne he sayth As my father sente me euen so I sende you By these and many such other places we maye see that our louynge sauiour dyd giue greate aucthoritie to his Apostles But nowe it is expediente and nedefull to declare in what specyall poyntes this aucthorytie doth consyste and that the same aucthorytie was not onely geuen to the Apostles of Christe but also to theyr successours in the catholyke churche euer to endure Whiche aucthoritie thoughe it be greate and manyfolde yet these are the chefest partes thereof that hereafter doo folowe Fyrste almyghtye God hath geuen power The churche hath the true sence of the scripture and is iudge therof and aucthoritie to the catholike churche to haue the true sense and vnderstandynge of the holye Scripture yea and to approue also or reproue al wryting as Scripture or no Scripture Whiche thynge good christen people you may well vnderstande to be moost true yf ye cal to remembraunce who is the guyde and gouernour of the churche that is to wit the holy Ghost as Christe dyd promyse sayinge Ego rogabo patrem et alium paracletum dabit vobis vt maneat vobiscum ineternum Iohn 14. that is to saye I wyll aske my father and he wyll giue to you an other comforter that he maye abyde wyth you for euer And after that our Lord and sauiour had rysen frō death he dyd breathe vpon hys Apostles and sayde Accipite spiritum sanctum Take you the holy ghost and also Iohn 20. after hys ascension into heauen accordynge to his merciful promise he did sende downe the holy Ghost vpon his Apostles Act. ii as saincte Luke writeth Nowe that the holy ghoste was not gyuen to the Apostles onely but also to the catholyke churche to the worldes ende it is manyfest forasmuche as Chryste dyd promyse the conforter vt maneat vobiscum inaeternum That he should abyde sayeth he wyth you for euer Nowe we are mooste certayne Iohn 14 that the Apostles of Christe 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 sayd to thē Math. 28. Ecce ego vobiscū sum omnibus diebus vsque ad consūmationê seculi That is Behold I am with you at al tymes euen to the ende of the worlde Wherefore we maye playnly see that the holy ghoste beynge promised to the Apostles to abyde for euer and to the very ende of the world was promised and giuen to them and to their successours in the churche where he doth and shall abide for euer Now
forasmuche as the holye ghoste is the gouernour and ruler of the catholyke churche we ought there onely and in no other corner to serche the true vnderstandynge and dyscernynge of the scryptures And for this cause the aucient fathers were they neuer so godly and so wel learned yet woulde they neuer presume vpon theyr owne iudgementes but euer referred them selues to the vnderstandyng and interpretacion of the catholyke churche before them Therfore the godly lerned and ancient father Ireneus Ireneus li. 3 capi 4 wryting agaynste schismaticall heresyes sayeth thus Quid enim si qui de aliqua modica questione disceptatio esset nonne oporteret in antiquissimas recurrere Ecclesias c. that is to saye but what and yf there were contencion concerning some smal question were it not necessarye to returne to the mooste auncient churches and immediatly after he sayeth Quid autem si neque apostoli quidem scripturas reliquissent nobis nonne oportebat ordinem sequi traditionis quam tradiderunt hijs quibus committebant Ecclesias What sayeth this holye father yf the Apostles had lefte to vs no scripture at all had it not bene necessarye to folowe the order of that tradition whyche they delyuered to those to whome they dyd bequethe the churche Alas good people howe farre are manye in these dayes gone from this olde and aunciēt rule this blessed martir here exhorteth or rather commaundeth that yf any small dyscorde thoughe it be in a matter of lytle importaunce doo chaunce that we woulde not accordyng to our fantasy iudge therein but though we haue no scripture for the same yet sayeth he we ought to folowe kepe and obserue the tradition of the aunciente churches Where as in these late dayes the impudente procedars haue taughte the zely people that euery man shoulde and may be a iudge of controuersyes and that we oughte to obserue no tradition nor ceremonye other than we fynde in the holy scrypture Of suche the same holy Ireneus dooeth speake thus after many other notable lessons to the same purpose Omnes autem hij decidunt a veritate Ireneus li. 4 Cap. 43. et heritici quidem alienum ignem afferentes ad altare dei id est alienas doctrinas a celesti igne conburentur c. All these sayeth he doo fal from the trueth and the heretykes truely bryngynge straunge fyre to the aulter of God that is to saye straunge doctrine shal be brent with the heuenly fyre With suche lyke threatnynges in the same place to those that disobey the authoritie of the churche Lykewyse sainct Augustyne speakynge of the baptysme of chyldren and howe that sacrament can profyte them seynge many die before they know the effecte of the same affyrmeth that the faythe of those that brynge the chylde to christenynge shall profyte the childe that is broughte but for his probacion August de li. arb lib. 3. Cap. 23. he bryngeth thys Hoc commendat ecclesie saluberrima authoritas This thynge the mooste holsome aucthoritye of the churche doethe commende And euen wyth lyke reuerence the same saincte Augustyne dooth many tymes submytte all hys iudgementes Epist 7. In proemio Li. 3. De. Tri. and woorkes to the catholyke churche And fynally to declare hys iudgemente concernynge the aucthoritye of the catholyke churche He saieth thus Ego vero Euāgelio nō crederem nisi me catholicae Ecclesiae commoueret authoritas that is to say Truely August contra epist Manich. Capi. 3 I would not beleue the Gospell onles that the aucthoritye of the catholyke churche dyd moue me thereto And we ought here to consyder that after the ascension of our sauioure Christe for the space of certayne yeares there was no gospell at all wrytten but all thynges concernynge the faythfull christians were ruled and gouerned by the dyscyples of Christ beyng than the heades of the church Afterwarde we rede that dyuers of the dyscyples of Christe dyd wryte Gospelles as sainct Bartylmew Nicodemus and an other Gospel was called Euangelium Nazareorum But the authorite of the churche dyd onely admitte those fower euangelistes which nowe the whole churche dooth retayne Whyche thing might well seme maruelous seynge that bothe saincte Bartylmew and Nicodemus were present and dyd see the woorkes of Christ and also dyd here hys doctryne where as sainct Luke dyd learne hys gospell of saincte Paule and other and so lykewyse dyd S. marke but hereby it dooeth moost playnly appere that the catholike churche onely hathe this hye aucthorite to dyscerne scriptures and that scriptures allowed by the church shoulde not be refused of anye particulare persons Nowe therefore seynge that the catholyke churche bothe hathe delyuered to vs the scripture and in all ages and tymes hath bene taken of all Godly lerned men for the true iudge thereof I exhort and beseche all you good christen people that in all doutes opinions and controuersies ye would resort to the holy churche and there learne what the same catholyke church hath beleued and taught from time to time concernynge doutes or controuersies and yf wyth lowly and meke hartes ye wyll so doo surely the holy ghoste wyll instructe you he wyll comforte you and he wyl leade you into al trueth But yf in suche case ye wil fly from the catholike church aske coūsell of your selues or of any that dooth swarue from the sayd churche than for so muche as the holy ghost is not your guyde you shall fall from ignoraunce to errour and from doutyng and dysputyng to playne heresy and so from one to another to the vtter confusion An other aucthoriti of the churche of bothe body and soule Yet beside this great authoritie of the churche whereof you haue hearde there is an other gyuen by God of mooste hye excellencye that is power to forgyue and pardon the penitent synner and to punishe and correcte the obstinate or frowarde synner which power and aucthorite Leuit. 13. as it was fygured in the preesthood of the olde lawe as in Iudgynge of leprose persons and in punyshynge to death those that did not obey the priest euē so is it giuen by our sauiour Christ in very dede Deut. 17. in the gospel to his Apostles and to all theyr successours For after that our sauioure hadde rysen from deathe he came amonges hys Apostles and brethed vpon them and sayde Accipite spiritum sanctum quorum dimiseritis peccata Iohn 20. dimittuntur eis et quorum retinueritis retenta sunt That is take you the holy ghost whose sinnes you shall forgyue they are forgyuen to them and whose synnes you doo retayne they are retayned Whyche aucthorite by playne woordes gyuen by Christ though some hath or doo contemne and set at noughte Ciril in Iohn Lib. 12. capi 20. yet saincte Cyrill byddeth them cease to merueyle that Christ should giue suche power for he sayeth Certe absurdum non est peccata remitti posse ab illis qui spiritum sanctum in seipsis habeant
lyuely faythe oute of whyche wyll sprynge in vs muche holynesse of lyfe and quietnes of conscience and yf at any tyme throughe our frailnes we happen to fall we haue readye to rayse vs vp agayne the holye Sacramentes throughe the comfortable helpe whereof we be made stronge and so daye by daye more able to procede in al kynde of vertue and thus hauynge vpon earthe oure mother the holye churche whiche 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 wyll heare vs as hys dearebeloued chyldren and gyue vs the inheritaunce of heauen whyche is prepared for vs through our sauiour Iesus Christe To whoÌ„e 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 highest gouernor of the militant Churche AS in euery naturall and polytyke body so in the churche militaÌ„t which is a misticall body superioritie and inferiority must nedes be amoÌ„gest the members 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 his Apostles Disciples and there successours to haue the ouersyght cure and high gouernement of his church to the worldes ende And to the intente that no man should contempne theyr aucthoritie he doth saye in the thyrtenth of Saynt Ihon Amen Amen Dico vobis qui accipit si quem misero Iohn 13 me accipit Qui autem me accipit accipit eum qui me misit That is to say Veryly Veryly I saye vnto you who that receyueth him whome I sende receyueth me And he that receiueth me receyueth hym that sent me And in the tenth of Luke he sayth Qui uos audit me audit qui uos spernit me spernit Qui autem me spernit spernit eum qui misit me Luce. 10. That is to saye He that heareth you heareth me and he that dispiseth you dispiseth me and he that dispiseth me dispiseth 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 Ephes 4. Ipse dedit quosdam quidem Apostolos quosdam autem Prophetas alios uero Euangelistas alios autem pastores et doctores ad consummationem sanctorum in opus ministerii in edificationem Corporis Christi donec occurramus omnes in unitatem fidei agnitionis filii dei in uirum perfectum in mensuram etatis plenitudinis Christi ut iam non simus paruuli fluctuantes neque circuferamur omniuento doctrine in nequitia hominum in astutia ad circumuentionem erroris That is to saye He meanyng Chryste hath giuen or appointed some to be Apostles 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 wickednes of men in the wylynes of them who go aboute to deceyue vs This place of Saynt Paule most playnelye setteth before our eyes the authoritie and gouernemeÌ„t which our sauiour hath appoynted 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 his people to gouerne them And therewith al Saynt Paule in the sayde place sheweth 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 Authoritie and gouernment Ecclesiasticall be accordingly therevnto estemed obeyed as witnesseth Saynte Ciprian the blessed Martyr in hys fyrst boke and third Epystle saieng Neque aliunde hereses obortae sunt Ciprian Lib. i. epistle â—3 aut nata sunt scismata quam inde quod sacerdoti dei non obtemperatur Nec unus in ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos ad tempus iudex uice Christi cogitatur cui si secundum magisteria diuina obtemperaret fraternitas uniuersa nemo aduersus sacerdotum collegia quicquam moueret That is to saye Neyther other where or by other meanes are heresyes sprong vp and scismes rysen than hereof that obedience is not gyuen to the preist of God Nor one is considered or thought to be in the churche for the tyme the preist and for the time the iudge in Christes stede vntowhich one yf the hole fraternitie dyd according to the heauenly commaundements obeye no man woulde stirre or moue anye thinge against the Colleges or coÌ„panies of preistes Hereby you may perceyue that saynt Cypryans coÌ„clusion or iudgemeÌ„t is that the gouernment Ecclesiasticall and especially of one to be taken and reputed as Christes vicar is the best meane to let and suppresse heresies and that such one gouernor is to be obeyed of all chrysten people which thinge maye be proued very playnely and euidently by the holy scryptures themselues For the scryptures doo witnesse that our sauiour appoynted S. Peter to thys high rowme and charge ouer his hole flocke and no one of the Apostles els In the .xxi. Ioan. 21 of S. Iohn it is wrytten howe our sauiour after his resurrection appearing at the sea of Tiberias to certen of his Apostles amongest whome was Peter dyd fyrste take breade and fyshe and gaue vnto them And when they had refresshed them selues he sayde vnto Peter Simon Ioannis diligis me plus hiis Dicit ei Etiam domine tis scis quia amo te Dicit ei Pasce agnos meos Dicit ei iterum Simon Ioannis diligis me Ait illi Etiam domine tu scis quia amo te Dicit ei Pasce agnos meos Dicit ei tertio Simon Ioannis amas me Contristatus est Petrus quia dixit ei tertio amas me dixit ei Domine tu omnia nosti tu scis quia amo te Dicitei Pasce oues meas That is to saye Symon the sonne of Ioannes doeste thou loue me more then these doo He answered vnto him Yea Lorde thou knowest that I loue thee He sayde vnto him Fede my lambes Then he spake to him agayne and sayde Symon the sonne of Ioannes doeste thou loue me He aunswered yea Lorde thou knoweste that I loue thee He sayd 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 sayde vnto him now
the thyrde time doest thou loue me and he aunswered and sayde Lorde thou knoweste all thinges thou knowest that I loue thee He sayde vnto him feede my shepe This processe of Scripture hath in it many circumstaunces to be noted The fyrst is that other Apostles beynge than present and amongest them euen he of whom Christ did euer make very much of that is to say S. Iohn yet our Sauiour Christ dyd dyrecte his speach and talke but to Peter onelye signifienge 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 Christe dyd commytte both his lambes and his shepe vnto hym These cyrcumstaunces I saye and other suche like well considered doo conuince and clearelye proue that the hyghe charge ouer all the churche militant was especially committed to Peter And to this purpose maketh and serueth an other talke of our sauiour vnto S. Peter written in the .xvi. of Mathew where the texte is in this maner Venit autem Iesus in partes Caesareae Philippi Math. 16. interrogabat discipulos suos dicens Quem dicunt homines esse filium hominis At illi dixerūt Alij Ioannem Baptistam alij autem Heliam alij uero Hieremiam aut unum ex prophetis Dicit illis Iesus uos autem quem me esse dicitis Respondens Simon Petrus dixit Tu es Chrictus filius Dei uiui Respondens autem Iesus dixit ei Beatus es Simon Bariona quia caro sanguis non reuelauit tibi sed pater meus qui in coelis est Et ego dico tibi quia tu es Petrus super hanc petram aedificabo Ecclesiam meam portae inferi non praeualebunt aduersus eam Et tibi dabo claues regni coelorum Et quodcunque ligaueris super terram erit ligatum in coelis quodcunque solueris super terram erit solutum in coelis That is to saye Iesus came into the coastes of Cesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples sayinge Whom doo men say the sonne of man to be And they aunswered some Iohn Baptiste some Helias some Hieremias or one of the prophetes Iesus sayd vnto them But who saye you that I am Then Simon Peter made aunswer and sayde Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuinge God And Iesus answered and sayd Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ioanna for fleshe and bloude hath not this reueiled and opened vnto the but my father whiche is in heauen And I saye vnto the that thou arte Peter or a rock and on this rocke I wyll buylde my church hell gates shal not preuayle agaynst it And I wyl gyue vnto thee the keyes of the kingdō of heauē whatsoeuer thou shalte bynde vpon earth shal be boūd also in heuē whatsoeuer thou shalt lose vpō the earth shal be loosed also in heauē These wordes of Christ were spokē longe before that Christe gaue that other cōmaūdemēt to Peter to feede hys flocke and that thynge whyche is perfourmed in the other woordes is here promysed in these woordes In the other woordes oure sauioure dothe presently put him in authoritie saying Feede my Lambes feede my shepe In these woordes he dooeth but promyse the sayde authority vnto him sayenge Vnto thee wyll I gyue the keyes of the kyngedome of heauen and what so euer thou loosest or byndest in earth shal be loosed or bounde in heauen The lyke of this did our sauiour neuer speake to any one of the Apostles els seuerally but onely generally For generally to Peter and to the reste being al together sauing Thomas who was absent Christ sayed the woordes whyche are writtē in the .xx. Iohn 20. of Iohn it is to witte Receyue you the holy ghoste whose synnes ye remyt they are remytted and whose synnes ye retaine Math. 18. they are retained And in the .xviii. of Mathew Christ sayeth vnto the twelue What so euer thynges you shal bynde vpon the earthe shal be bounde also in heauen whatsoeuer you shal lose vpō the earth shal be losed also in heauē Yf our sauiour Christ had not intended to gyue vnto Peter a speciall authoritie aboue the rest what nede was there to speake this seuerallye vnto Peter seing he had spoken it generally to them all before And what thing ment he els when in the presence of al the twelue he promised to gyue vnto Peter the keyes of the kingdome of heauē sauing a speciall priuilige or prerogatyue to Peter Our Sauiour through his heauenly wysedome perceyuynge that it is most necessarye one to be ouer a hole multitude specially being a multytude congregated of so infinite a number of people and of so sondry nations as is the catholyke churche did appoynte S. Peter to that offyce and Peter hauinge receyued such charge at Christes handes did incontinentely practyse and exercise the same and all the rest of the Apostles dyd gyue place vnto him Act. i. And therefore in the first of the Actes it is written howe that after Christes ascension incontinently S. Peter rose vp in the myddest of the faythfull and moued them to goo to the election of one that should succede in Iudas rowme which offyce he vndoubtedly woulde not haue taken vpō him but that our sauiour Christ had Authorised him in such sorte as is before declared In the .ii. Actes 2. 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 morning streighte after that they had receyued the holye Ghoste in the likenes of clouē tunges In the third of the Actes it is writtē Actes 3. how that S. Peter healed a lame mā which was lame from his mothers wombe and that when the people wondred at so straunge a myracle the sayd Peter made an oration vnto them Act. 4.5.6 In the fourthe 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 scrypture oughte to perswade euery godlye harte to thynke that oure sauiour dyd gyue vnto sainct Peter that authoritie aboue all the reste of the Apostles vpon hys hoole churche for an vnytye and good order to be kepte in the same And yet for your better contentation herein you shal here the authorities of the Aunciente fathers in this behalfe Origene Origenes a greeke wryter whyche was wythin two hundred yeares after Christe in hys exposition made vpon the .vi. Chapiter of S. Paules Epistle to the Romaynes wryteth thus Petro cum summa rerum de pascendis ouibus traderetur et super ipsum tanquam super terram fundaretur ecclesia nullius confessio
uirtutis alterius nisi charitatis exigitur That is to saye when the hyghest authoritie or feedinge of christes sheepe was committed vnto Peter and the churche was builded vpon hym as vpon a sure grounde there was requyred or exacted of hym the profession of none other vertue saue onely of charitie Ciprianus The blessed martyr sainct Cipriane in many places affyrmeth the same and amongest other in hys Epistle written Ad Iubatanum sayeth Manifestum est vbi et per quos remissio peccatorum dari possit Nam dominus primum Petro super quem edificauit ecclesia suam et vnde vnitatis originem instituit et ostendit potestatem istam dedit That is to saye It is manyfest where and by whome remission of synnes maye be gyuen for oure Lorde fyrste vnto Peter vpon whome he buylded hys churche and from whome he dyd ordeyne and shewe the begynnynge of the vnitye to procede dyd gyue that power or authoritie And in the same Epistle within a whyle after he sayeth Ecclesiam que vna est fundauit super vnum that is to saye He dyd founde his churche which is but one vpon one Sainct Basyll Basilius in hys booke against Tauonius writeth thus Per hanc vocem intelligimus Ionae filium qui fuit ex Bethsaida Andreae fratrem qui ex piscatore in Apostolatus ministerium vocatus est Qui quoniam fide praestabat ecclesiae in se aedificationem suscepit That is to saye by this voice we vnderstāde the sonne of Ionas which was of Bethsaida the brother of Andrewe which sonne of Ionas was called from a fysher to the ministerye of the Apostleshyp and bycause he excelled in faith he had the churche buylded vpon hym Sainct Ambrose in hys fourthe sermon sayeth Ambrosius Petrus denique pro soliditate deuotionis ecclesiarum petra dicitur sicut ait dominus Tu es petrus et super hanc petram aedificabo ecclesiam meam Petra enim dicitur quod primus in nationibus fidei fundamenta posuerit et tanquam saxum immobile totius operis Christiani compagem molemque contineat That is to saye Fynally or for a conclusion Peter for the soundenes or substancialnes of his deuotion is called the rocke of the churches as oure Lorde sayeth Thou arte Peter or of a rocke and vpon this rocke wil I buylde my churche In dede he is called a rocke bicause he was the fyrste that did laye the foundation of faythe amongest the gentiles as a stone or a rocke that cannot be moued he doeth conteine or kepe the frame and weight of the hole christen woorke Augustinus S. Augustine hath the lyke in his syxe and twenty sermon de sanctis and in his .xvi. sermon de tempore but moost notably in hys .124 sermon de tempore where he maketh a large processe of sainct Peter and emōgest other thinges speakyng of Peters denial of his maister he wryteth thus of hym Totius corporis morbum in ipso capite curat ecclesie et in ipso vertice componit membrorum omnium sanitatem That is to saye He meanyng Christ doeth cure in the very heade of the churche meaning Peter the dysease of the hole body and in the very crowne or toppe of the head he frameth the healthe of all the members Here ommyttynge infynite other authorities of the aunciente fathers touchynge the primacye or hyghest authoritie ecclesiasticall to haue bene gyuen vnto sainct Peter of our sauiour Christ hym selfe I exhorte you in consideration partely of these testimonyes some wherof are taken out of the very scripture somme out of the aunciente and famous doctours of the churche and partly and mooste especially in consyderation of the cōsent of the hole catholike church herein nothing to doute in this matter but that the holy Apostle S. Peter was Christes vicar on earthe and had hygher and more authoritye generall then anye one of the Apostles els and that the speciall purpose why that Christ woulde haue suche authoritie to be in one mā was is for the preseruation of vnitie in his church whyche churche is but one and thus muche for thys tyme shall nowe suffice you In the nexte homely you shall heare further of this matter Io. Harpesfelde sacrae theologiae professoris et Archidiaconi London ¶ An other Homelye of the Prymacye Act. 8. IT is wrytten in the .viii. chapiter of the actes how Simon Magus dyd offer vnto Saynte Petermony to giue him power that on whome soeuer he shoulde laye hys handes the same parson might therby receiue the holy Ghost But being for this his most wicked request greuously reproued and fearyng withal to contynue any lōger in those parties that is to say in Samaria so nighe thappostles he the sayde Symon Magus fled to Rome and there by his enchauntementes Iustinus Martir dyd greately delude the people as Iustynus the Martyr a very auncient writer in his seconde Apologie directed or sent to the Emperoure Antonius doth playnelye testifie Ireneus Ireneus also in his first boke Contra hereses doth recorde the same And the said Simon Magus dyd so delude blind the people that they dyd esteme him for a God and dyd set vp his image in the Citye with this inscription Simoni deo sancto That is to say To Simon the holye God But it was not longe after those prankes played by Simon Magus thus seducyng the inhabitātes ther but God sent his great Apostle saynct Peter thyther that is to saye to Rome who bothe did confounde the sayde Simon Magus and dyd also conuert a great number of the people there vnto the faythe of Chryste as is at large set fourthe in the .xiiii. chapiter and seconde booke of Eusebius Historia Ecclesiastica Eusebij Ecclesiasticall historye Nowe this Apostle sayncte Peter by the wyll and prouidence of God beynge brought to Rome dyd there continue byshop of that Sea .xxv. yeares and there also dyd suffer a glorious martyrdome in the last yeare of the reygne of cruell Nero Themperoure whyche thynges Sayncte Hierom in the verye begynnynge of hys woorke Hieronimus De Ecclesiasticis scriptoribus dothe wytnes in this maner Simon Peter the sonne of Ioannes of the prouince of Galile and of the towne of Bethsaida the brother of Andrewe the Apostle after his byshopricke in Antioche and after his preaching in Pōtus Galatia Cappadotia Asia and Bithinia to the Iewes whiche were dyspersed abrode in sondrye contries came to Rome to ouer throwe Simon Magus and there dyd kepe his sea fyue and twenty yeres vntyl the last yere it is to wyt the .xiiij. yere of the reigne of Nero by whome he was crucifyed and so crowned with a crowne of martyrdome his heade beynge turned downe to the grounde and his feete vpwarde bycause he sayde or accompted hym selfe vnworthy to be crucyfyed in suche forme and maner as hys mayster Christ was Ambrosius S. Ambrose in hys .lxx. sermō speakyng of the martyrdome of sainct Peter