probation which was but one pece named drachma in value a payse grote payd onelye for the head of euery house Christ caused Peter to gyue .ii. peces in sygne and token sayeth he that Christ then was y e heade of the house that Peter was after to be iÌ„ his stede to supply his rowm wherfore as al then were conteined in Christ so after y e asceÌ„sion al were coÌ„teined in Peter whom Christ appointed to be head ouer theÌ„ al. And like as Moyses when he asceÌ„ded commytted all the cure to AaroÌ„ so did Christ wheÌ„ he asceÌ„ded coÌ„mit all the cure to Peter saying thrise fede fede fede ¶ The .xvii. probation Many priueleges which S. Peter had aboue other geuen hiÌ„ by Christ plainly declare hê primacy one is he gaue Peter power to lose bind iÌ„ y e heueÌ„s to other but iÌ„ one heueÌ„ which thing plainelye decareth sayth Origen a man of no small authoritie vpoÌ„ y t same place Peters preeminence aboue al the rest An other priuelege is that thaÌ„gel after christes resurrection onlinamed peter saying go tel to the disciples and to Peter whiche was not as some saye onlye to comforte him lest he shoulde haue dispaired seinge Christes first appering to him was sufficient comfort for him but it was as auncient writers doo testifye to shew his primacy â–ª like as that was to se how al the .iiii. euangelistes so exactly do set forthe his .iii. denials An other priuelege is that Peter thoughe he came to the Sepulchre after S. Iohn yet he went fyrste into it he went fyrste to Christes place whyche after hym shuld be first chief iÌ„ y e church It was also a great â—uelege y t last of al christ said only to Peter folowe me by which wordes sayth ChrisostoÌ„ he shewed agayne both his great loue and charge that Peters cure should be greater then all the rest Here now then I will demaunde certayne questions if Peter should not haue bene y e chiefe of all and that euen by Christes will why then didde Christe onelye geue to him a name deriued forth of hê own name Why was heâ— named first in al places Why was the churche promissed to be buylded vppon him Why gaue Christ onely to hym the keyes of the heauens Why ioyned he onelye Peter with him in paying the tribute Why prayed he onely for Peter committinge the charge of his brethren to him Why did he fyrste appeare to Peter alone Why did he byd Peter folow him in kinde of deâ—th And why was onely Peter crucified as christ was Why had he al these priueleges Euen bicavse he was head of all And this is the censure and iudgemente of all the whole churche of Christe and of all the holy Saynctes Martirs and Confessoors euen since christes time hitherto The .xviii. probation Peter alone euer as head spake for al as it is both in the ghospel and in Thactes both before christes ascension and after his sayinges doinges also sufficieÌ„tly set forth his primacy and declare euidently y t he had the keies only y t he had y â— blyssing onely that al was there spokeÌ„ by christ to him as by priuelege only this caused hiÌ„ euer still to take vpon hiÌ„ as he did and that in sundrye places of thactes as iÌ„ the chosinge of Mathias to supplye Iudas rowme iÌ„ excusiÌ„g thappostles froÌ„ droÌ„keÌ„nes in making the sermon at receiuinge tholy ghost when he couerted 3000. at once to christ And here marke y t Peters name alone as it is in the probation next before is expressed Why shuld he so haue bene seperated froÌ„ thother but for preeminence superiority Againe he alone healed the lame man Iohn being then preseÌ„t saying that which I haue I geâ—â— the vsinge the singuler number at what time he alone made y e .iii. sermon al being then present where also ye se that the firste miracle after Christes ascension was wrought by Peter and al the sermoÌ„s yet stil made by Peter He also aunswered the rulers for healing y e lame maÌ„ â–ª he alone vsed thauctority in punishiÌ„g Anany Saphire likewise iÌ„ subduing simoÌ„ Magus c. besyde thê all the other apostels are put w tout names in their doiÌ„ges by thandes of thappostels sayth luke many miracles wer wrought c. but Peters name is still expressed peters shadow saith he cured many wher as thappostels w t laying on haÌ„des healed them And here marke also iÌ„ y t point y e diuersity Yea Peters â—emineÌ„ce playnly appeared both in y e visioÌ„ actes y e .x. where he only had then shewed vnto hiÌ„ y e receiuiÌ„g vnitiÌ„g of y e heatheÌ„s also iÌ„ y e .xv. of y t actes iÌ„ pacifiiÌ„g y e strife about y e Legals where Peter as first chiefe yea y t in y e presence of Iames beinge Bishop there answered to the matter gaue hê seÌ„tence fyrst vnto whoÌ„ Paule Barnabas w t other did coÌ„sent then S. Iames which there by Peter as ChrisostoÌ„ witnesseth was appointed bishop last of all recited the decree as it was mete for hiÌ„ to do being bishop there But of thê ye haue more declared in y e answere to y e .xii. .xiii obiections And therfore now to our purpose do not these thiÌ„ges I pray you sufficientlye proue Peters superiority and â—eminence yea did not Peter in al these if I mighte not rather say y e holy ghost speaking in Peter shewe him selfe to be chefe of thappostels to haue â—emineÌ„ce aboue theÌ„ al Surely if it had not bene his office appointed to him by God he wold not stil haue ben so bold yea so malapert arrogaÌ„t as at euery time to take y e preemineÌ„ce vpoÌ„ him namelye as to speake first iÌ„ an other maÌ„s see the bishop being present ¶ The .xix. probacion The working of sundry miracles which be set forth iÌ„ thactes plainly declare Peters superiority primacy Did not 3000. people as ye heard turne to Christ froÌ„ infidelity heariÌ„ge but one sermoÌ„ of his yea thê was a greater miracle accordiÌ„g to christes ê“misse theÌ„ euer Christ hiÌ„ selfe wrought either in raysing Lazarus or other Christ raised but one theÌ„ bodily Peter here raised 3000. ghostly Againe did not tholy ghost descend vpoÌ„ al y t heard Peters sermoÌ„ Did not he heale y e lame maÌ„ Eneas beiÌ„g sick of y e palsye Did not he raise Tabitan Did not hê shadow heale many What like do ye rede of thother apostels May we not theÌ„ wel coÌ„clude y t Peter had y e superiority preemineÌ„ce of al other eueÌ„ geueÌ„ to hiÌ„ by Christe Did not he here iÌ„ these exaÌ„ples put hê authority sufficiently in executioÌ„ seing tholy ghost did coÌ„firme establishe y e same w t so many wonders miracles ¶ The .xx. probation It doth greatly proue Peters authoritie that Christ after his ascencion did
only shew to him as to the heade and chiefe of all the vision of ceasing the legals and that in the storye folowinge prayer was made of thole coÌ„gregacion for Peter where as we rede not y e like done for any other ¶ The .xxi. probacion S. Dionise S. Paules dissciple nameth Peter supremuÌ„ the highest also he nameth hym culmen the toppe aboue all other ¶ The .xxii. probation S. Clement disciple and successor to S. Peter saith y t christ gaue not equall power lyke authoritie to all the Apostels indiffereÌ„tly But he appointed one y t is to saye Peter aboue al other And after S. ClemeÌ„t Ireneus affirmeth the see of Rome to be the head see of all other c. ¶ The .xxiii. probation Tertulian asketh whether anye thing was hyd from Peter the stone where vpoÌ„ Christ dyd builde his church Christe gaue to him saith he to be the stone or rocke of his churche he gaue to him y â— keyes of the kiÌ„gdome of heaueÌ„s he gaue to him power iÌ„ heaueÌ„s which all seynge he gaue to Peter alone who wil deny him to be chieffe of al the other he alone was ordeined to be the stone to him alone y e keyes were geuen he alone receiued the power in the heauens ¶ The .xxiiii. probation Origen saith let none saye Iohn was greatter then Peter which both is called and is the top of al other Agayne he saith Christe sayd to the great foundacioÌ„ of the church to the moste sure stone where vpon he did founde his churche O thou of lytle faith why didest thou doubte ¶ The .xxv. probation S. Ciprian that holye Martir saâ—th that the vnity of the churche dothe depende of the vnity of Peters authoritie and he sayth also that vpoÌ„ Peter whom Christ did chose first not in calling but in dignity he buylded his churche and he answered for all oft times Again he saith y t the see of Rome is y e roote mother of al churches al heresies schisms do spring onely of that that men will not obey the head bishop And moreouer he sayth y t christes churche was to be builded vpon Peter What can be said more playnly then this for the confirmacioÌ„ of Peters authorytye and his successours ¶ The .xxvi. probacion S. Hillari doth highly set forth S. Peters authoritie his dignity calling him y e foundatioÌ„ of Christes church And so likewise doth Ciril callinge him the prince head of thappostels And also in an other place saying In petro taÌ„que in petra lapideque firmissimo suaÌ„ esset edificaturus ecclesiam In peter as in the rocke and moste sure stone Christ would buylde his churche Rursê° apostoli inquit post ascensionem Petrum loco domini habuerunt et in signum huius subiectionis prius seorsum ei datae vel promisse sunt claues c. ¶ The .xxvii. probation Chrisostome in sundry places doeth greatlye extolle Peters authorytye In one place he saithe Peter was y e head of thapostels In an other place he saith Peter a pore fessher a simple man Christ made the shepherd the mouth of Thappostels master of the worlde and head of his church whom for this cause Paule went to Ierusalem for to se c. Would he then haue hys churche to haue a head since to be withoute God forbid ¶ The .xxviii. probation The holy father Athanasius writinge to Liberius affirmeth that the cure of the vniuersal church was committed to him as it was to al his predecessours successours also in y e see of Rome And in many mo Epistels which the said Athanasus sent vnto Marke vnto Felix other he proueth very largelye the lyke primacye of Peter and al his successours ¶ The .xxix. probation Eusebius affirmeth Peter to be greatest to be chefest principal of all Thappostels And Sozomneus also an olde godlye Historiographer euen about the time of IuliaÌ„ thappostata writeth y t the Byshop of Rome had cure and charge ouer al Byshopes bothe of the Easte and of the weste church bicause of the excelleÌ„ce dignitye saith he of his see Wherefore socrates an other auncieÌ„t and holy Historiographer affirmeth that the holy Canons euen in the beginning did forbyd that any thinge should be concluded in any councel without the Byshope of Romes authoritye ¶ The .xxx. probation Holy Basil saith that Peter bycause he did excel other in faith therfore the church was builded vpon him And Theophilus also writeth that Peter to whome thee cure of all the church was committed asketh Christ whether he tolde that parable Lu. to them alone or to al ¶ The .xxxi. probation Saint Ambrose saith that Peter was the stone wherevpoÌ„ Christ did bild his church Christ saith he called him the stone bicause he firste laied the foundacion of faithe amonge the heathens and bycause like an immouable rocke coÌ„teineth or vpholdeth thole burden of Christes building Agayne he saith it was mete that Paule should desire to see Peter bycause he was first amoÌ„ges the Apostels to whome christ had geueÌ„ charge ouer hê churches ¶ The .xxxii. probation Saint Hierom calleth the Byshop of Rome the highest priest And in an other place he saith like as Plato was chiefe and Prince of al philosophers so was Peter of al y e Apostels vpon whome Christes church was builded with a stable and sure foundacioÌ„ whiche neither with violence of water nor other teÌ„pest can be ouerthroweÌ„ Also he wryting vnto Damasum sheweth that like as al peryshed whyche were forthe of Noes ship so do al now which be fourthe of Peters shyp the catholike churche Moreouer he affermeth that although after a maner vpoÌ„ all y e apostels the churche was builded so y t they be called the foundacions of it yet vpon Peter as chiefe after him â–ª christ chose him one as Prince heade ouer y e rest y â— therby al occasion of schsime might be clerely taken awaye Againe he saith in an other place peter was chief prince of Thapostels also he saithe y t Peter reproued S. Markê Gospel and coÌ„mitted it by his authoritie to the churche to be red as S. Clement saith he witnesseth in the sixt boke writen to S. Iames Thapostel ¶ The .xxxiii. probation Saint Aug. in many places doth highly set vp Peters authoritie aboue all others In Peter Thapostell saithe he the primacie ouer the rest of y e Apostels did haÌ„ge and that in high excellent grace Againe saith he who is ignoraunte y â— Peters priÌ„cipality of Apostle shipe is greatelye to be preferred to the offyce of all other Peter for the primacye of hys apostleshipp in that he had the keyes geuen to him did represent the whole churche Peter which after should be ruler of the churche was suffred to fall that he might lerne the rather thereby his owne weakenes
to forgeue sinners afterward and to beare with the flocke Christe called Peter the stone where vpon he builded his church Peter receiued of hym y e keies of power like as Paul did the keyes of science More ouer who knoweth not saithe he that Saint Peter was the chiefe of al the appostels Seing now that thus manye holy martires and confessours of christes church receiued this doctrine one of an other as by hande euen from the beginninge and first foundacioÌ„ of the church and seinge againe that not only y â— Latine church but y e greke church also as appeareth bothe by these fornamed wryters and likewyse by many holy counceles euer receiued Peter and euery one of his successours as chief head and ruler ouer al can he then be couÌ„ted a christin man that wyl not onlye denye but that wil doubt of this receiued trueth euen from Christe Now to the obiections Here nowe folowe sundrye obiections inuented againste thautoritie of Peter his successours in citinge and answerynge to them I kepe no ordour bycause thinuentours of them did breake all faytheful and comelye order that ought to be kepte in the ecclesiasticall hierarchie misticall bodye of Iesus Christ That obiection whiche firste came in place is first answered vnto And here gentel reader by these obiections ye shal plainly perceiue that like as coper gildid ofte semeth to be gold but if it be rubbed hardlie tried it wil vtter him self to be copper and then lesse to be set by eueÌ„ so the falsitye gilded colored w t wittye and rethorical perswacioÌ„s appereth ofte to the symple to be the veritye and trueth but opened tried by the scriptures verities thereof shall appere but copper counterfete And I trust in Iesus Christ that the crafty deceite in this matter of y e primacy which in these yeares past hath killed a thousaÌ„de soules is here in fully detected and disclosed So that no man shall haue cause hereafter to set by theÌ„ onles he wil forsake golde and chose copper ¶ The first obiection The saing of Christ Math. xvi blessed art thou SimoÌ„ c. the rest that foloweth in the text is not saye they to be appropriate peculierly to Peter but to al the Apostels whome Christ generallye did aske the question and for whom Peter generallye gaue aunswere Againe christ did not builde his churche vpon Peter but vpon Peters faith and vpoÌ„ Peters confessioÌ„ yea vpon Christ him selfe For none can put anye other fundation sayth Paule but that whiche is set already whichis Iesus christ ¶ The answere It must nedes be appropriate peculierly onlye to Peter for the whyche knew no mans mynde but his owne tolde but onely his owne faith They all had not then one faith in christ as appeareth â—i Iudas which beleued not as it is in Iohn y e vi It rwas not reueled to them al as yet but suppose it had beÌ„ yet that Peter was not preuie of Euery maÌ„s herte was only knoweÌ„ to god Wherefore Peter answered but for him selfe onlye And therefore it is to be thought saithe Hilarius that at that time y e other Apostels were not as yet so firmely established in that sure senteÌ„ce and belefe now coÌ„fessed by Peter yea he made answere streight way without respect to his felowes eueÌ„ as tholy ghost moued him and so likewise y e aunswere was made to him againe alone callyng him by his fathers name saying to him in the singuler number tibi to the and not vobis to you he blessed not theÌ„ al but he gaue y e blessiÌ„g to him alone by name As before Iohn the first he sayed to hym and not to Andrewe or other thou shalt bee called a stone so now here he saithe to veryfye hys promesse before made thou art a stone not as before y u shalt be calde a stone vpon whyth I wyl builde my church That whyche I haue by nature that is to saye to be the foundacioÌ„ that do I now perticipate with y e. This was the true vnderstanding of this foresayde text Mathewe the .xvi. in the primatiue church as now shal apeare most plainlye by these testimonies folowinge ¶ Anacletus disciple and successour to S. Peter Anacletus the seruaunt of Iesus Christ by gods calling set in the see apostolike and appointed there vnto by S. Peter prynce of the Apostelles seÌ„deth greting to all Byshops and to the residue of Christes flocke c. The holye and appostlyke church of Rome receiued the primacy and power aboue all churches and vpon al faithful people he doeth exempte neither Kyng nor Emperour euen of our Lord our sauiour not of the Apostels he sainge to Peter thou arte a stone vpon this stone I wil builde my churche c. And I wyll geue to thee the keyes of heauens c. and sone after he saith amonge y e holy Apostels there was diuersitye of power for although al were apostels yet by god him self Peter was made head yea this Thappostels theÌ„ selues would haue that Peter should be the head and should haue the rule and principalitye of Thappostelshype ¶ Anacletus also in another epistel to the catholyke churche In al difficulties questioÌ„s of greate importaunce let the censure be referred vnto y e see apostolyke For y t Christe him self willed wheÌ„ he said to peter thou arte a stone vpon this stone I wil builde my churche c. Hereby appereth not onlye Anacletus owne iudgement in this matter but also what was then the commen takinge of it by the commen censure of the vniuersal churche Whyche thing also appereth by Saint Clemens testimonie others euen then at the same time in the primatiue church ¶ S. Clement in the first epistel to S. Iames. By Christes owne mouthe saith he Peter was y e chiefe of thapostels vnto whom god y e father had reueled his sonne Iesus Christes vnto whome Christe gaue thee blessynge Math. the .xvi. This was the iudgemeÌ„t then yea and if you loke further ye shall see howe thie toke this truth as it wer by hande one of another ¶ Tertulian which was shortlye after Was anye thinge hid from Peter as it is in the .xxiii. probation whiche was called the stone whereupoÌ„ Christes churche was builded to whom the keyes of heauens were geueÌ„ and whyche had power to lose and bynde in heauens and in earthe Now ye here the commen faithe hereof at that time in the vniuersal church ¶ Here also what OrigeÌ„ saith yea heare the censure and iudgement of the vniuersal church herein in Origens time and that in the Greke church Peter saith he vpon whom christ builded his church wrote but onely .ii. epistels Also he saith wheÌ„ christ committed the charge of fedinge his shepe to Peter and that vpoÌ„ him euen as vpon the earthe he woulde buylde his churche he moued him to no other vertue but only to loue and charity
Againe he saith mark what christ saith to the great foundacion of his churche and to the moste sure and stedfast stone where vpon he buylded his church c. ¶ Behold now here vpon S. Ciprian the iudgement in his time of al the catholike churche in this weighty matter Our Lorde sayth he gaue first vnto Peter power to forgeue sinne vpon whoÌ„ he buylded his churche and whereat the vnity therof had his beginning And a litel after he saith the churche of christ whyche is but onely one christ did onely buylde vpon one and the like he sayth in the epistel ad Quintinum and also in the Epistle ad Cornelium ¶ Herken also holy S. Basil Peter sayth he bicause he did excede and passe al other in the excellency of fayth therfore he toke the buildynge of christes church euen in him selfe Petrê° inquit quoniam fide prestabat ecclesie in se edificationeÌ„ suscepit ¶ S. Hillari vpon the same wordes Peter for his confession obteyned a worthy rewarde for that he did see the sonne of god in man c. and a litle after O happy foundacion of y e church laid in geuing of a new name A stone chosen meete for that building which shuld brust the gates of hell and deathe O blessed Porter of heauen to whose arbitremente the keyes of the eternall kyngedome are geuen c. Moreouer he sayth Peter by reuelacion of the father seinge y e soÌ„ne of god which thinge farre passed maÌ„s infirmitie to know deserued a verye high place aboue other through the confession of his blessed fayth ¶ S. Ambrose exposition also vpon the forsayde text what was then therof the vniforme consent of all other Christ called Peter a stone saying thou art Peter c. Peter for stedfastnes in an other sermon sayth he was by christ called a stone the foundacion of the church c. Moreouer he sayth who doubteth but Peter the moste stedfast stone which was partaker both of the vertue and name of the principall stone christ euer feruently desired to haue constancy to dye for Christ ¶ S. Hierome likewise in declaring the former text I saye to the sayth Christ but hê saying was his doing thou art a stone and vpon this stone I wil build my churche Euen as Christe gaue light to the Apostels to be called the lighte of the worlde and gaue them also other names forthe of his owne name so didde he geue to Simon the name of a stone that accordinge to the propriety therof he sayd vnto hym I wyll buylde my church vpon thee ¶ S. Augustines testimonye also therupon The churches do iustly worship the birth daye of that see which Peter receiued for y e saluation of the churches Christ saying to him thou art Peter c. he called him the foundation of his church c. Agayne he sayth ye haue heard christe cal Peter a stone where vpon he would buyld his church ¶ Chrisostome in the Greke church here his testimony By christes wordes saying thou art Peter I wil buyld my church vpon thee c. clerelye appeareth how great Peters power was aboue other Also he calleth Peter y e prince of the apostels vpoÌ„ whoÌ„ christ builded his churche the verye immoueable stone whiche for the fishers hooke receyued the keyes of heauens ¶ Cyril in expoundinge the same text agreeth herewith Christ in chaunging of Peters name did signifye that in him as in the surest stone he would buyld his churche All these most holy and reuerende fathers with one consent moued by tholy ghoste didde as it were from thappostels tyme here vnto theyr owne tymes playnlye declare from time to time what was the iudgement euen of the vniuersall churche of Christe in all places of christendome both East and West as wel among the Grekes as the Latines concernynge the former text thou art Peter c And as for the time since these godlye men were thousandes with one consent haue agreed herewith and none euer denied that exposicion but fleshely heretikes whose propurtye was and is euer to denye all godlye lawes whereby theyr wickednesse mighte be improued And therfore ye shall sone knowe whether a man be an heretike or not by this one profe If he beleue accordnige as he hath bene taught by the churche of Christe from the beginninge and receyue the truthe by succession of the Bishoppes in the see of Rome according to the fayth and doctrine of Ireneus and after him of Sayncte Augustine then is he a good christeÌ„ man els not though he crye a thousand times scripture scripture scripture wrastynge and applyinge it stil amisse after his owne and others wicked phaÌ„cyes For what Shal we condempne all these holy fathers our mother the church and al was Christes promisse nought Was tholy ghoste neuer here til Luther came ¶ Here now the councel of Alexandrine wherein y e Arians were condemned here I saye all y e bishops of Egipt Thebeans Libians among whom holy Athanasius was they writing to Felix then bishop of Rome Here I say how they ded expound the former text All those holye fathers did there playnlye declare that it was decreed in NiceÌ„ counsel y t meÌ„ should appeale in certayne cases to the see apostolike y e see of Rome to whome Christs gaue by speciall prerogatiue aboue all other power to lose and binde and that it was the guide and henge in whom all must be susteined vpholden mayntayned he sayinge thou art Peter and vpon thy foundacioÌ„ the pillers of the church that is to saye the bishoppes whose office is to susteyne the church are builded and confirmed vnto thee the prince the teacher the head of all christian religion the keyes were geuen and power in heauen and earthe c. Oh howe great then is this authorytye where vnto wyth one consente whole christendome thus doeth agree Yea and that not all beinge stil gathered together in one place but being ofte seperated farre a suÌ„der not one knowing of an others minde and yet al agreing euer in one all after one fashion expounding the forsaid text thou art Peter c. Euery one hereby geuinge to Peter and his successours the hyghe preeminence and authority aboue al christendom So that by the consent of al these both fathers and counsels it well appeareth that Peter aunswered onely for him selfe like as didde the scribe marke the .ix. where as christ demaunded a question indifferentlye of all Sometimes when he demauÌ„ded of all al gaue answere as when he asked whom do men saye the sonne of man is Sometimes wheÌ„ he asked all none aunswered but euerye one held his peace as when he asked wherof they reasoned in the waye And some tymes one alone aunswered as did Peter in the former texte and the scribe marke the .ix. And here now I iudge this obiection is sufficiently answered vnto to satisfye herewith al
reasonable people and as for the other sorte God I beseche him open theyr eies to se the truth or els take them awaye quicklye for feare of infectinge the flocke of Christe and speciallye the simple Lambes of his folde ¶ The .ii. obiection Saynete Augustine in sundry places as 50. tract in euan Ioa semeth to saye that christe builded the churche vpon Peters faith or vpon his cōfessiō yea or vpon christ him selfe c. ¶ Thanswere This is fully answered vnto in the laste responsion but yet somewhat to saye further S. Aug ofte vseth in treatinge of matters to dispute and reason sundry wayes so to trye forth the truthe But ye must marke that it is not alone to teache a sure and true doctrine and to dispute to reason or serch forth a verity or doctrine S. Aug. in his sermons wherin he taught the truethe to the people euer shewed playnlye that Christe buylded his churche vpon Peter accordinge to the fayth of the church not mathamaticallye vpon Peters faith but vpon faythfull Peter So that a catholike fayth is necessarilye required to euerye membre of Christes church And thus it is to be taken that authors oft do ascribe it to Peters fayth For els bothe Nathaniel and they also which in the tempest that Christe swaged with his woorde made like confession with Peter and before him ought to haue had y e same blessynge that Peter had ¶ The thyrd obiection The gates of hell shall not preuayle agaynste the foundations of the church but manye bishops of Rome haue bene heretikes yea and many other haue bene sinful in their liuinge very wicked against whom the gates of hell haue preuayled Wherfore y e church is not founded vpon them Thanswer If they be wicked they shall not escape the hande of God Potentes potenter tormenta patienter but wicked or not wicked al we are bound to obeye The Scribes and Pharasies sayth Christ sate vpon Moyses seate obei obserue al that they bid The sinne of y e ruler is no derogacion to the power and authoritie god hath putte him in yea and none is pure w tout al sinne neither one nor other head nor foote no nor y e churche it selfe here whyche is the congregacion of faitheful people is al wholly pure without spot or wrincle but y e churche triumphāt in heauē ephe the .v. shalbe al pure holy and immaculate withoute spot or wrinckle Peter him selfe the head foundacion of y e church after the keyes receiued was called sathan yea and after denyed his Maister thrise Wherfore against y e catholyke churche builded vpō Peter the gates of hel shall neuer preuaile that is to saye the faithe shal neuer faile neither in the catholyke churche nor in the head of it neither in Peter nor in his successours but there the faith shall euer abyde sounde and perfecte The gates of hel haue preuayled I graunte against the persons of the Popes but not against the power c. The gates of hel shall not preuaile againste it that is to say neither infidelitye nor heresye For lyke as y e perfection or integretye of faithe is the porte or gate throughe whyche we enter or goe in to the way that leadeth to y t kingdome of heauens so is infidelitie or heresie the gate throughe whyche the enteres go streighte to hel fire Now as for that they saye the faith of Peter in manye of his successours hathe fayled as in Marcellinus Liberius Felix the seconde Anastasius the seconde Iohannes the .xxii. Benedictus the .xi. and Honorius wyth other whyche saye they dyd erre and their faithe did faile And therefore the prayer of Christe is not so to bee taken that he dyd meane the person of Peter and his successours when he prayde that Peters faithe shoulde not fayle but he dyd meane that it shoulde not decay or fayle saye they in his whole congregatiō or church but that one or other thoughe he were not openlye knowen should euer kepe the true faith Here vnto I aunswere that Albertus Pighius defēdeth all these Byshops of Rome wyth diuerse other from al errours heresies in the fourthe boke and viii Chapiter of his Hierarchie so that their faithe saith he did neuer decaye no nor the faithe of any that euer was or shalbe in the place set in Peters cheare Neuertheles it is no inconuenyence to graūt y t some of the Popes for a time haue erred but quickelye by the authoritie of the see and the holy ghoste the matter hath bene refourmed againe so that the faith hath not bene counted there to faile no more then y u righteous man fallinge vii times in the day is counted to lose y e name of a righteous man Furthermore like as the vniuersal church in discussinge matters of oure faithe can not erre and yet all men as men may erre bycause of Christes assistaunce continuallie gouerning the same euē so Christes vicar y e pope as a priuate person as infirme man may erre both in lyuinge and beleuinge and then neither heade nor member of Christes churche beinge cut of but as pope and head he can not decide nor determine anye thinge amisse Marcellinus did amisse in sacrifising to Idoles yea Saint Peter offended Galathas the secōde but neither of them erred in discussinge matters of faith that through Christes assistaunce and his holy spirit And so theuangelistes as men mighte and did offende and erre but as writers of scripture they coulde not so doe But here nowe to speake more of that they sclaunderouslye obiecte sayinge that manye Popes haue bene nought and sinful in lyuinge What is that to the purpose the authoritye remaineth yet stil perfite How manye of the Kinges euen of Iuda were most wycked was their authoritye anye thinge diminished thereby No truly Ofre for the synne of the people God suffereth the wycked the tirāde or hypocryte to rule beside mani other plages whiche he daylye powreth vpon theym for synne and euen the same he ofte sendeth in to hys churche and yet thauthorytye is euer to be obeyed As they whyche sat in Moyses chere euen so now they whyche sitte in Peters seate So though y t they be euel nought thauthoritye yet still continueth And here now forthermore though for a time they know not who is ryght Pope through y e doutes that may be in elections or that for the tyme there be a Schisme and then two or thre named Popes sedicyouslye whereof in dede none is ryght Pope as it appeareth in the counsel of Constanciense and also in the time of Henry the ii Emperoure where Benedicte the ninth Siluester the third and Gregorie the sixte dyd al contende at one time and yet none of the three beynge the ryghte Pope nor anye other then electe for Clemente the secōde was after lawfully chosen and they iii. deposed yet stil euer remained y e see whole and thautority firme and sure Christes cote was neuer cutte
nor deuyded Agayne we see that through ambiciō of Emperours Kinges Princes other inferior magistrates whiche ofte cause their bloude and kinred to be chosen and set in highest dignities in the church beinge moste vnmete there to greate sclaunder and sore decaye commeth to the true religion of Christe We see moreouer y t wycked lyuers ofte falle into errours and heresies and then lyue more licētiouslye after thexample of Paulus samosatenus whereof Eusebius speaketh We see also that God ofte for the synne of his people sendeth as I euen now sayd wycked rulers bothe spiritual and temporal and so greuouslye plageth them by that meanes as ye bothe rede in Iob in Esaye But what maketh this agaynst the Popes authoritye Forsothe nothinge at al. Howbeit here by we maye be put in remembraunce styl to crye vnto GOD to sende holy Fathers of the cleregye to bee set in dignities to rule ouer vs. Which thing I suppose would be muche better then ofte it is yf temporall Magistrates woulde lette elections of the Cleregye alone and that all myghte be done by callynge of tholye Ghoste wythout simonye without auarice without ambicion without desyre of pompe in the worlde But I wyl not medel with this matter it ferre passeth my reache I wyl onelye say with the holy man Chrisostome O yea men of the laitie reioyce not laugh not yf ye se wycked and vnmete ministers of the Clergye crepte in to the Churche but wepe and wayle and thinke that it is for your sinne thinke that if they be brasse saithe he then be ye Irne yf they be Irne ye be earthe For ye be euer worse then they If the salte of the earth be vnsauery where with all shal anye thing be well seasoned If the lyght be gone yf the candel be oute howe shall ye se then in darkenes Lorde be mercyful vnto vs. The spiritual ministers of god from the highest to the lowest should be chosen and takē of the purest of y e most godlye and of the best learned But alasse of late yeres here in this Realme of England the most vnmete the mooste vyle and naughtest were made bothe Prestes and Byshoppes Oh what greate plage was y t to the simple soules and innocent people I remember the like chosynge .iiii. regum xvii.iii regum .xiii. et li. i. eccle cap. v et .xii. but thākes be to Iesus Christe suche be taken away they be well weded fourthe of the churche and both godlye learned placed in their romes But nowe to retourne to my processe intended ¶ The .iiii. obiection Christ called Peter checkinglye sathan streight after that blessing and high preeminence geuen to him Wherefore it should appeare that Christes wordes in that blessinge were only to be referred to y e church and not to Peters person The answere Peters fallynge toke not away his power geuen to him before Christes chekinge him doth not frustrate his blessing nor take away the strenght of Christes wordes pronounced in blessing him whych blessing was geuē for the time to come and not for the time present For al the time til thappostels had receiued tholy ghoste they were but infirme and feareful they were vnperfite before the passion saith Origen Hilari Wherfore if ye aske how could he whyche had opened to him the highe misterye of Christe whereby he cōfessed him to be the sonne of God now be ignoraunt of his death and passiō the answere is that Peter had the highe misterye of Christ opened vnto him that he was y e sonne of GOD but as for the misterye of the passion it was hid frō him Therefore it was no maruel that he was ignoraunte of it Agayne Origen saith that the rebuke or checke then geuen to Peter callynge him sathan whyche is but aduersarye was but gentel lyke a rebuke of the father geuē to the childe For Christe saithe he tourned to him when he rebuked him But blessed is he to whome Christe doth turne He turned to Peter and that moste mercifullye after that Peter had denyed him thrise Yea and moreouer Christ bad him here come after hī whiche is euer to be taken in the good parte Lyke as contrarywise it is euel and wicked to go after youre owne lust or concupiscence Post concupiscentias tuas neeas accordynge to Helias saynge do ye yet halte in two partes yf God be he go after him yf Baal be he go after Baal Finallye some doe holde that Christe rebuked not Peter heare but the euel spirite whiche caused him so to saye to Christe ¶ The .v. obiection Some thinges be spoken saithe Sainte Aug. whyche are thought properlye to perteine to Peter yet they haue not their chief vnderstandinge except they be referred vnto y e churche whose person Peter was wel knowen to beare in figure for y e preeminēce which he had ouer thother Apostels As that is I geue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauens with suche other ¶ The answere Be it so y t that is true y t Peter bare a figure of the church and that Christes wordes to him I wil geue thee the keyes c. haue a more highe vnderstanding being referred to the church then if they be referred to Peters person bycause of the vnitye the primacie prerogatiue of the church whych was begone and institute in Peter the geuing of the keies and the highe power to lose binde was not to bee referred to the onlye person of Peter there to ende but to continue in the churche stil by succession yet all this is but referred to the churche by the meanes of Peter and through Peter and so shall contynue by succession whiles christēdome endureth For whē christ sayd to hī alone thou art Peter c. he made of hym the beginning of y e church saying I will build my church vpon the or vpon this stone c The .vi. obiection Christe is the foundacion heade of the church how shuld then Peter be the foundacion or head therof Thanswere Christ is the chiefe foundacion whiche by his owne vertue power and strength vpholdeth all the building he is also the chiefe heade from whence the spiritual and liuelye influence doth descende and flowe into al the members but therfore ye can not conclude that the church hath two foundacions or .ii. heades and so to be as monstruous seing y e Peter receyued but only of Christ to be the head the foundacion after him As christ the light and the appostels the light Christ the shepeherd and thappostels the shepeherdes ¶ The .vii. obiection There is muche a do about chaunging Simons name in to peter as though that made any thinge for it seing Iames and Iohn hadde theyr names chaūged and were called Bonarges the sonnes of thonder ¶ Thanswere Iohn and Iames had not theyr names chaunged but had a comen name added vnto them which neuer is spoken of but
muche more large power conteyned For therein is comprehended the fulnesse of all ecclesiasticall power and dignitye whiche euen then in the xvi of Mathue Christe gaue onlye to Peter sayinge tibi to thee and through hym to all his successours He promissed theym onelye to him but his promissinge or his sayinge as I saide was his doinge Eius dixisse est fecisse that it is so by goddes helpe I shall nowe trye by sufficient testimonye But first note that when christ had spoken of the churche and that the gates of hell shoulde not preuayle agaynste it he no further continued hys promisse to the church but turned then his speache to Peter sayinge I wil giue to thee the keyes so that the churche receyueth them throughe Peter to whom in his own person then they were geuen as to the heade and foundacion of the churche vnder Christe But now let vs heare testimonies hereof ¶ Tertulian libro de prest haer Was there anye thinge hid from peter as ye haue it twise before whiche was called the stone of the foundacion of the church Which had the keyes of heauens geuen him and power to lose and binde both in heauens and in earthes Tertulian here speaketh of that Christ sayde to Peter after he had geuen him the blessynge Mathue the .xvi. that which I do nowe thou knowest not and yet he graunteth there that Peter had receiued the keyes before which can be no time els but euen when the promisse of geuinge them was made as wil appere by conferrynge the textes the places and the times together ¶ S. Ambrose also in the xx of Luke Peter which came later first entred into the sepulchre as he which had receyued the keyes of the kingdome to open vnto other Marke here Sayncte Ambrose saythe likewise that the keyes were geuen to Peter before the passion whyche must nedes be euen at the promisse Math .16 or els neuer as shal appeare by reding the processe of the ghospell S. Ambrose also in libro de Isaac c. Christ sayd to Peter thou canst not folowe me nowe c. but he had before geuē to him the keyes of the kingdome of heauens c. Loe all this was before the passion Therefore we must nedes graunt that he gaue the keyes when he promyssed them seinge none can shew any other time of geuing them ¶ S. Aug. con 124. de tempore In declaringe the geuinge of the keyes Mathew the .xvi. he saith Christ gaue the keyes then to Peter and therfore he saith tibi dedi claues regni celorum I haue geuen to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauens the like S. Aug. hathe tract 50. in Ioa. et li. 2. contra gau dentii epistolam S. Hilari in psa lii S. Hilari saith that christ toke not away the keyes from Peter whē he denied him here we see S. Hilari iudgeth that the keyes were geuen before the passion but that must be when he promyssed them Mathew the .xvi. c. S. Hilari in psal .cxxxi. Christ saide to Peter come after me sathā or aduersarye to whome he had geuen the keyes before But that must nedes be when he promyssed them seing this foloweth euen streight after in the same chapiter the .xvi. of Mathew Chrisostome in explicando propitius esto tibi c. Math .xvi. He saith O Peter what is this thou which haddest a heuenlye reuelacion and the keyes geuen to thee of the heauens arte thou so sone fallen so sore By al these auncient writers it appeareth y t the keyes were geuen whē they were promessed and that Christ gaue them presentlye in saing I wil geue thee the keyes And this hath caused that euer since y e keyes iustlye haue bene put vnto all Peters successours to none other As for the power to minister the sacramēt of penaūce and to forgeue sinne was geuen after the resurreccion both to the Apostels and to the .27 Disciples as a parte of the keyes and yet as vnder Peter he beynge the head But who I praye you is so foonde to saye that the .27 Disciples receiued the keyes equallye with Peter ¶ The .xi. obiection Christ said to al indifferentlye what so euer ye shal bynde vpon earth shal be bounde in heauen and what so euer ye lose vpon earthe shalbe losed in heauen ¶ The answere That power geuen Math .xviii. was as appereth by the processe but to excommunicate the wicked and to lose thē from it againe if they were trulye penitent whyche power Paule caused the Corinthians to execute vpon y e fornicatour And here note wel that it was not without great cause that Christe vsed here the plurel number saynge what so euer you bynde c. For one dyd neuer thys at that tyme onelye Peter the heade excepte but it was geuen to the churche and rulers of the congregation beyng for that cause gathered together as ye rede .i. cor .v. It is in no place of the gospel wherby any one may excōmunicate onely Peter for him and hys successours except which beīg head had it geuē to him alone with the keyes and therefore he alone put it in executiō vpō Anani vpon Saphire vpō Simō Magus c. How be it if a man should graunt that y e power of losing and bindinge Mat. xviii was spokē to the apostels as before Mat. xvi to Peter yet must we nedes confesse as appeareth in the answers to y e .iii. last obiectiōs that to Peter as to y E head the power was geuen to other but as vnder him stil kepinge obseruing a due order which order is broken if Peter the other Apostels and the .72 disciples or the successours of euerye of these had like power geuen in al thinges ¶ The .xii. obiection The .viii. of thactes Peter and Iohn were sent by thother apostels to Samaria but y e senders seme to be greater then they whiche be sent c. ¶ The anwere When by Philip the dracon the people of Samaria were cōuerted to y e faith by y e cōsēt of all y e apostles the holye ghoste being y e chief author Peter as whose authoritie was greatest was chosen as beinge thought moste mete to goe to confirme them with tholye spyrite the matter and case then requirynge the chiefe power What did this againste Peters authoritye or to the derogation of his high power and preeminece It semeth rather to sette fourth his excellent priuelege bycause none was thoughte yea euē to the holy gost which was the chiefe sender so mete as Peter he being the head of al to goe to destroye the great member of the deuil Simon Magus a thinge of passinge difficultie which required Peters presēce This was an argument of tharians the father sent the sonne ergo the sonne was lesse then the father How be it Herode sent y e .iii. Kinges to Christ yet he was not greater then they May not y e King and the Counsel of a Realme
vertuous liuers to the outwarde apperaunce to take his parte beynge his Angels transfygured in to the Angels of lyght So that as â–ª then they dyd euer slaunderouslye blaspheme and reuyle the true christians and woulde theyr own decrees and lawes to be called the trueth their errours the veritie and them selues to be couÌ„ted godly that their churche was the catholyke church and they y â— Catholikes and earnest defendours of the trueth euen so was it fullye and whollye within this Realme of Englande in all the miserable yeres nowe paste As then the Arians called theyr secte when they suffred for their heresies holye martirs euen so now at this time theritikes cal their champions which stande obstinate to the fire holy martirs not markinge if I maye speake a word or two by digressioÌ„ that the kinde of death maketh not the Martir but the cause not markinge that euen among the HetheÌ„ many haue willyngly suffered deathe and yet no christen man so folysshe as to call theym Martyrs of God not markynge agayne that I one of Kent which said christ toke no flesh of y â— virgin deniyng therby his manhode had fauourers whiche bothe thought sayd when she was burnt that she was the Martir of God but then surelye the deuil shalbe called a confessor whiche confessed that Christe was the sonne of God Whose confession was then as true as truly made as either Iâ—â—s of Kent or els as any of theirs whiche as obstinate heretykes breake the vnitie of the church diuide Christes cooâ—e and yet crie the Lordes worde the lorâ—des worde wrestinge our lordes holy worde to their condeÌ„nation Howbeit we may well perceayue that it is no more wonder to se an obstinate heretyke stande stiffe to the fier then it is to se a man kill haÌ„ge or drowne him selfe The same deuill which causeth the one caÌ„ soone cause the other But of this matter I will speake another time Nowe therfore to retourne from whens I haue a litle while digressed we may easely coniecture that thonlye cause of al these mischiefes and miseryes that we of late haue suffered hath bene the breache of thunity of Christes church When we ones fledde forth of Peters shippe then we fell streyght way headlong into al licentious libertie then we forsaked vtterly al general counsels all ordinaunces froÌ„ the beginniÌ„g kept in christes church al iudgemeÌ„tes vpon scripture saue our owne then of singularytye we did select and chose a new fayth euery daye chaunginge and alteringe and no maruayle after that our noble Prince through counsel of some wicked men aboute him toke that in hande whiche neuer true catholike king did vsurpe before him that is to sai to sit in Peters chere Since what time oh good lord what misery haue we fallen into as wel bodylye as gostlye But nowe thankes be to Iesus Christ which through his mercye hathe broughte vs againe vnto our mother y e catholyke church euen into Peters ship and Iesus longe preserue her amoÌ„ges vs by whose meanes we were brought agayne into it Now we se that God suffereth as he didde in tharians time heresies ofte to floryshe for a seasoÌ„ but yet euer iÌ„ time of mercy he remembreth vs agayne and wil not heresie stil to preuaile but y t we may haue good coÌ„fort say w t AthaÌ„ Nolite turbari freÌ„s nubecula est et ci to pertraÌ„sit Let not your hartes faile you brethreÌ„ be not dismaied saieth he this heresie is but lik a litle cluod it wil sone vade away Nowe we se also that it was not withoute great cause that S. August sayde that amongest other thinges the succession of the bishops of Rome froÌ„ Peters time did kepe him in the true fayth as Ireneus had grauÌ„ted loÌ„g before Now we se y t y t faith is to be receiued beleued holden whiche hath bene kept of al meÌ„ at al times in al places of christendome since y e begiÌ„niÌ„g and y t we must leaue onely to y e generalitye to the antiquity to the conseÌ„t of the fathers al stil agreiÌ„g iÌ„ one For experience sheweth no 〈◊〉 onely y e scripture stories doctors y t as heretikê be euer ful of diuissioÌ„ scisme eueÌ„ oft amoÌ„ges theÌ„ selues as appereth by Luther EcolaÌ„padiê° Carolostadiê° SwiÌ„gâ—â—ê° c. being liuely figured iÌ„ y e coÌ„fusioÌ„ at BabiloÌ„ so are the catholikes euer most surely knit iÌ„ this vnitye wherunto tholy ghost stil doth moue suÌ„dry waies perswade meÌ„s coÌ„sciences Furthermore we se clerely what wickednes misery it is stil to waÌ„der iÌ„ palpable darknes froÌ„ error to error being ones out of y e vnity for which christ praied saying O father graunt y t as y â— I be one so mai these which beleue iÌ„ me be one ioyned knit together iÌ„ one faith iÌ„ one coÌ„fessioÌ„ in one loue in one grace pietye Nowe we se the cause why we fell from this vnitie and vpon what grounde We se the cause was nothing els but to maintayne wyckednes and synne We se what was the progresse and what styll folowed of it that is to saye more synne and more errour vpon errour and heresye vpon heresie We se also that the ende was almost vtter destruction of all together bothe bodely gostly extreme pouertie extreme miserie euen as people quite forsakeÌ„ of god Finally therfore we se y t there is no way so easie for the deuil to bringe in all kindes of heresies errours diuisions scismes contentions strifes and mischiefes as is to denye the vnitie of Christes churche and to forsake the head therof the Popes holines All heresies spriÌ„g hereout saith Ciprian And for this cause I haue nowe right honourable lorde and most holy father taken this worke in hande and haue dedicate the same vnto your fatherhode a chiefe and head pyller of Christes churche to the entente it myght do more good and the soner be embraced of al catholike people within this realme And herein accordynge to my small talent I haue not onely declared by sundry probations some apparent and some demonstratyue the moste hyghe authoritie aboue al other both spirituall and temporal geuen to Saincte Peter and to hys successoures for euer but also haue answered to all the comeÌ„ obiections whiche I haue eyther heard or redde deceitfully inuented agaynst the sayd authoritie Beseching your grace well to accepte this my small labour and construe all to the best for Iesus sake Whom I beseche longe to preserue your noble and vertuous estate in continuall honoure ioye and prosperytye to the great comforte and profit of all true faythful people within this realme and after this life to graunt you eternal glory in heauen wyth god almighty and his holy aungels Amen ¶ Here do folow sundrye probatioÌ„s wherof some do set forth onlye S. Peters preeminence aboue the other apostles some declare the most high authoritye and power geuen by
Christ to him and his successours to be aboue all other both spirituall and temporall and some do manifestlye shewe that no temporall magistrate kinge nor Emperour can be head of the churche ¶ The first Probation CHrist said to Peter beholde SathaÌ„ desired to sifte you as it were wheate but I praide for the that thy faith faile not and when thou arte conuerted strengthen thy brethren Christ assone as he had told them who should be greatest he said turning to Peter beholde Sathan desyred c. If Peter here by this text had not the burden laid vpon him beynge made chiefe of al then the question who was greatest is yet stil vnsolued which thinge were a great absurditie to graunt Theophilact therfore saieth here vpon lu xxii the sence herof is playne saith he bycause Christ toke Peter for Prince of the Apostels he sayd after thou hast wept and done penaunce for thy denyal confirme thou other not only the Appostels but al the faithfull whiche shalbe to the wordes ende Beside this the chauÌ„gynge of the plurel numbre in to the synguler is not without hyghe misterie euen to declare Peters preeminence hereby The pexell was vpon all and yet the prayer whiche Christ made was but for one alone to signifie that he as head should haue the chief cure and charge committed vnto him And therfore he bad hym strengtheÌ„ and confirme his brethren Againe it was not without high misterie that Christ thus prayed for him alone seing that in al places of christeÌ„dome which then in the primatiue church had receiued the faythe the same is now decayed both among the Corinthians the GalathiaÌ„s the Ephesians the Philippians the Collossians the Thessalonians and other onelye amonge the Romaynes where Peter was appoynted to bee and for whom onelye here Christe prayed the fayth styll doth continue and shall do for euer ¶ The second probation After that Christ â–ª had ended al hanginge vpon the Crosse and after his resurrection he most earnestly coÌ„mitted to Peter as to the chiefe the cure charge of al his flocke speakiÌ„g to him onely in y e singuler noÌ„bre and onelye biddynge him fede theÌ„ gouerne rule them for y t doeth signify the distinction of the two Greke wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby appereth Peters preeminence principality Kinges in y e scripture be named pastors for y t purpose Dauid .ii. reg v. had said to him by god y â— shalt fede my people be price ouer theÌ„ And y e like ye rede eze 34. esa 44. 56. hie 2. 22. And psa 2. And euen so here is by thê coÌ„missioÌ„ now geueÌ„ to Peter y t he ought both to fede gouerne or rule al christê flocke as chiefe shepherde ouer theÌ„ But herof rede more iÌ„ y e aÌ„swer to y e .46 obiectioÌ„ ¶ The thirde probation WHen it was demaunded of the disciples whether theyr master woulde paye the tribute which was but one single pece of siluer named drachma in value a paise grote and it was paide only for the head of the house Christe then bad Peter paye two of those peces of syluer one for me saieth he another for thy selfe Whereby we may easelye perceaue that Christ would him to be y e head of a house euen his vicar after him that it was not in vaine that he had a name geuen vnto hym euen deriued fourth of Christes owne name that is to saye to be called Peter as Christe is called Petra bothe signifiynge one thynge but of this ye shall here more anone and this preeminence geuen to Peter the other dysciples yet then beyng some what carnal did partly perceyue and vnderstande whyche thynge caused them euen at that tyme to contende aboute the superioritye But Christ then mouing them to humilitie set a childe among theym shewynge howe they oughte to humble them selues and that he shoulde be hyghest in the kyngedome of heauen whiche woulde be moost lowlye in spirite And thys forsaid texte of payinge the tribute Sayncte Augu. declarynge sayeth thus when Christ bad â—aie .ii. peces of money one for hym and another for Peter he was thoughte to bydde paye for all as easely he myghte yf he would haue byd Peter pay xiii peces of money as two for lyke as all were counted to be in Christ as heade bycause of mastership rule authoritie euen so after Christe all be conteyned in Peter whom Christ ordeined to be their heade and ruler ouer all his flocke And note here well that the tribute was but payde onelye for the heade of the house Christ therfore saying paye two one for me and another for thy selfe did signifie that Peter shoulde be lafte head after him ouer al his familie and his house ¶ The .iiii. probation In al thinges order is euer to be kept No societie or companye can contynue withoute order But there is no order where there is no heade In euerye priuate house that is well gouerned there is one heade in euerye cytye or good towne one heade ruler or gouerner vnderneth that head euery other officer kepeth hys place and order As firste the Maiour as head theÌ„ shiriffes Aldermen Deputies Bayliffes Constables wyth other In euerye kyngedome one kynge the heade then Dukes Earles Barones Knyghtes c. Shal not theÌ„ a lyke seÌ„blable ordre be kept in the churche of Christ and in Christes house As one heade and chiefe Bisshop Peters successor by christ appoynted then Patriarches Cardinals Archbishops Bishops with many other offycers to kepe al the whole mistical body in godly ordre Yea and who dothe impugne this comely and godly ordre let vs trye what case he is in Let vs see what that glorious martyr Ignatius S. Iohns disciple doth say It is your duty saith he to obey your high Bishop and in nothing to impugne or contempne him for he that so dothe doth not contempne maÌ„ but God which geueth to him his aucthoritie RemeÌ„ber god sayde to Samuell they haue not despised the but me also Moyses sayde to the people your murmurynge is not agaynst me but agaynste god Dathan and Abiron murmuringe agaynst Goddes minister and contempning his commaundemeÌ„t were counted to blaspheme god and were therfore swalowed vp quicke into the earth And likewise Chore and his company for resisting Aaron were consumed with fire from heauen Ozias a kinge for vsurping the priestes office was strikeÌ„ with lepresye And kinge Saul for the same was depriued his kinglye dignitye Thus muche sayth S. Iohns disciple holy Ignatius What then are all our wicked and obstinate contempners of the hyghe and chiefe byshoppe worthie to haue Paule byddeth obey your spiritual gouerners and Christ saieth he that coÌ„teÌ„neth y e minister euen coÌ„teÌ„pneth him him selfe Yea he coÌ„mauÌ„deth to obey them though they be euell bycause they sitte in Moises seate But our men wil not obey them though they be neuer so
chiefe Kinge Adam oure firste parent was al naked bare whiche thinge can not proue that all Kinges since should be as pore euen so in y e primatiue church to shew the pouertye of the Apostles can not proue that nowe all should continewe in lyke state no more then it wil folow that a childe newlye borne wrapt in ignoraunce in unbecillytye and want of al perfection lackinge knowledge lackinge streÌ„ght not hable to staÌ„d speke or go c. should stil continewe in the same miserable estate Marke wel this similitude seinge Paule lickeneth y e mistical body vnto y e natural bodye of man This both well proue that al ought not to be brought to the weake and vnperfite estate of the primatiue churche whych yet heretikes for a confusioÌ„ euer desired to haue But here note also y t we must not chaunge that which was then in the primatiue churche but wel consider that more perfeccion hath bene stil added thervnto Sit profectus inquit aug fidei ac religionis noÌ„ permutatio Againe though Christ as man cam in al humilite for our redeÌ„tioÌ„ for our instruction yet as maÌ„ he was king lord of al hauing so writteÌ„ in the hemme of his garment king of kinges lord of lordes And in y t he dyd nether chose rich priÌ„ces to be hê discip nor willed his disci after to passe of earthly riches he declared plainly by facte y t which he taught in worde sayinge be not careful for erthly thinges but first seke y e kingdome of heuen al these shalbe cast vnto you he y t prouideth for the birdes of y â— ayer will also prouyde for euerye one accordinge to theyr vocation he y t prouided for princes theyr domynyons prouided also for Peter hys successours theyr dominioÌ„s he y t prouided princes to laye their goodes at Peters feete hath euer since ê“uided for Peters see will do stil to y e ende He biddeth al be pore in spirit but as for to be pore in goodes no maÌ„ is coÌ„mauÌ„ded but rather coÌ„trari seiÌ„g he bade al meÌ„ make freÌ„des of y e wicked MaÌ„mon that it is more blessed to geue sayth he theÌ„ to receiue Happy is he whoÌ„ god at theÌ„d shall try to haue ben a good bayliffe or a faithful stuard here iÌ„ these trifeling thinges For hauing much no maÌ„ shalbe reproued but for euil kepinge getting or spending daÌ„nation shal come He is most mete to haue worldly possessioÌ„s riches dignities whiche bothe caÌ„ will best bestow them whether he be of the clergye or of the laity but all y e matter of the laytye agaynste the clergye these .xx. yeares mo hath euer still bene to take awaye the double honoure that Paule speaketh of then it woulde sone folowe that al godlines should shortlye after ceasse seing honos alit artes and as Martial saith Sint mecenates noÌ„ desunt flacci marones ver giliumque tibi vel tua rura dabuÌ„t ¶ The .xxxiiii. obiection Christ came not to beare rule but to be in all subiection he would his Disciples to folowe his stepes both Peter other Thinke that Christes wordes were not contrarye to his doinge c. ¶ The answere Christ came first most humbly for our erudicion but afterwarde he boldlye sayde all power is geuen to me both in heuen in earth God the father then did exalt him causing al in heauen hel and earth to bende and bowe vnto him and then he gaue to his disciples power to worke miracles to forgeue sinnes c. Then he appointed Peter to be porter of heauen gates then he made him chiefe shepherd ouer al his flocke c. Yea and yet beside this Christ in the time of al his subiection and basing him selfe would be taken counted to be Master ouer his flocke ye cal meÌ„ Master saith he and so I am c. What then I praye you maketh it against Christes Mastershipe or superioritie that he so to teache humility humbled him selfe yea or what proueth that lesson or that example against Peters primacie Surelye nothing at all ¶ The .xxxv. obiection Beatus Rhenanus gethereth thus of Tertulian Tertulan saith he couÌ„ted the see of RoÌ„e amonge the chiefe sees but he did not say it was the chieffest of al. Therefore he beleued not that it was the chiefest of al. ¶ The answere Rhenanus was not counted in all pointes catholike that iustlye Therfore it makethe small force for his collection How be it if he were either happye or blessed accordyng to his name or els had my lerninge in tharte of dialecte he woulde not collect or gether his argumeÌ„t in the negatiue per locum abauthoritate The philosopher dyd not saye this ergo the philosopher thought not this to be true S. Paule did not say tholye ghoste proceded from the father and the sonne therfore Saint S. Paule thought not or beleued not y t tholy ghost did procede froÌ„ y e father y e sonne A wise reason wel releshed ¶ The .xxxvi. obiection Ephes the .ii. al the apostels are shewed to haue like dignitye where Paule sayeth y t the ephesians be builded vpon the foundacioÌ„ of the apostels c. And Sayncte Iohn sayth the churche hath .xii. foundacions and in them the names of the xii apostels written c. The aunswere Sayncte Hierome saythe that vpon the appostelles the church was builded whych indede was onely buylded vpon christe as vpoÌ„ y e chiefe rocke vnder christ priÌ„cipally vpoÌ„ pet christ by his own power vpholdeth y e bylding is y e chief head as he is the chiefe lyght y e chief shepherd c. and vnder him he appointed Peter next in dignitye notwithstandinge all the Apostels in a maner of speaking be called the foundacioÌ„s ¶ The .xxxvii. obiection In the sixt councel at Cartage it was decreid that no appeale ought to be to Rome but ought to be determined with in the countrye ¶ The answere We rede in Socrates historye that there was a determination made for constitucions prouincial at y e councel of CoÌ„staÌ„tinople And the same be stil allowed approued But ther be none of theÌ„ which be to y e derogation of the see of Rome For there it was decreed also that next to Rome as chiefe Constantinople should haue his see Now if y e greke church decreed as ye saye at y t couÌ„cel to haue al causes w tout appellation to Rome to be finished there w tin y e same prouince we must eyther saye that it was to be vnderstanded in inferioure causes or els y t that restraint notw tstanding they still did acknowledge their obedineÌ„ce to y e see apostolike of Rome For els how could this their doing agre w t y e appellations had froÌ„ y t beginning as appereth in y e v. probatioÌ„ to y e see of Rome Therfore thê councel being catholike did decree nothynge against y e faith of
the canticles and fourth of Paule to the EphesiaÌ„s Corinthians are to be referred to the triuÌ„phant church do also now shew y t onlye the good in gods knowledg to be rewarded in glory are christê spouse not withstandinge here in the nomber amoÌ„ges christes people al are couÌ„ted oeÌ„s n. sunt de ecclesia numero sed noÌ„ merito y t be knit together in one faith one baptim c. Whether theâ— be good or bad So y t the vnitye agrement here in maketh y e church to be knoweÌ„ How be it if ye take or count all faithfull people which are sinners to be darkenes y e righteous onlye to be the light so no doubte y â— good bad do not al pertaine to one coÌ„panye but coÌ„sidering al faithful people as wel sinners as iust meÌ„ in that they be knit together iÌ„ one faith which is y e light of al faithful soules so they are al couÌ„ted to be w t in the cumpany of thunitie of the church militant w t out whiche be al scismatikes al heretikes al y t be excommunicat And here by appeareth y t only vnitye agremeÌ„t vnder one head iÌ„ one faith in one baptim in one order of sacrameÌ„tê sacrameÌ„talê ceremonies c. in one hope one charity in one spirit iÌ„ one reward to be receued of one head in heaueÌ„ doth make the churche of christ to be knoweÌ„ but al we both good or bad do depeÌ„d of thê vnity vnder one heade in one faith one baptim one hope one loue in one spirit al loking for one rewarde vnder one heade christ in heaueÌ„ therfore all we whether good or bad not erriÌ„g in y e faith are of thê church which theÌ„ coÌ„sequeÌ„tly herby appereth to be knowen Now for the profe of al these for y e first there is one christ ephe i whoÌ„ God the father ordeined to be head ouer al his church which is his bodi mistical Peter and his successours being immediate vicars therof as is fulli declared in this boke For the second we al are knit in thunity one faith i. co i saie al one thiÌ„g let ther be no scisme amoÌ„ges you for ye are al one gal iii y t is to say in y e faith of christ For y e third we al agre in thuniti of one bapti VnuÌ„ baptismacte eph 4 that coÌ„cerniÌ„g the matter of bap concerning y e maner forme of bap concerninge also the effect profyt of bap tiÌ„ For these .iii. ye rede Iohn y e third Mathue y e last Marke y e .xvi. excepte ye be regenerate of water tholy ghoste ye can not eÌ„ter iÌ„to y e kingdoÌ„ of god c Go and teache al nacions baptysing them in the name of the father the sonne and the holy ghost c. He that beleueth and is baptised shall be saued c. For the fourthe ye are all called Ephesians the .iiii. vnto one hope of your vocatioÌ„ Hoc est in vnaÌ„ reÌ„ sperataÌ„ que est effectus vocationis vestre For y e v kepe stil one charity phi ii being al of one minde as the apostels were Actes the .iiii. as we are al being the church counted as one lofe i. cor x or one bodye For as one lofe is made of manye graines one bodye of many members so is the church compacte of manye faithfull people knit together in charity For y e sixte i. cor xii the giftes of grace are many but al coÌ„meth of one holye spirite Be ye therfore carefull ephe iiii to kepe the vnitye of this spirit seing y t as one soule doth quickeÌ„ norishe al members of the natural bodye So doth one spirit quickeÌ„ norish al the faithfull meÌ„bres of christes bodi mistical For the last mat 20. We loke al for one peny to be geuen of god whyche is our onely one head Iohels i rewarder of all we being then all brought into one shepecote of hym our onelye one shepeherde and pastour By this aunswere ye maye fullye perceyue the palpable darkenesse wherein these heretikes blindlye do walke which obstinately holde that the church is vnknowen and that none be of it but such as be all pure without spotte and that the smaller number is euer the better concernyng beliefe RHomanê° pontifex est caput orbis vniuersi et hierarcha summus ac princeps omnium vbique perpetuo hoc Authoritate diuina necnon iudex summus a quo appellare noÌ„ licet sed eius semper est modo sitvere papa catholicus causas fidei ambiguitates omnes iudicio vltimato decidere ac determinare Verum toto tempore quo ignoratur quis sit verus pontifex sacrum concilium authoritatem habet a deo ad sedandum schisma ¶ The conclusion WE maye perceyue now hereby ientill reader howe weake feble all the obiectioÌ„s are which be commonlye made agaynst the Popes authoritye We may perceyue the long coÌ„tinuance of it euen from Peters time hitherto with sufficient profes of the same We may perceyue also that thonly occasion of all heresies and other mischiefes whiche haue bene here in Englande and caused miserable scismes amoÌ„gest vs in the late miserable yeres was the forsakynge of the heade of the churche and breakynge the vnity therof We perceyue moreouer that y e only cause of leauinge and forsakyng hym was sinne aduoutrye pride and auaryce but the cause being nought how could the effecte be good Yea howe nought euil and wicked the effect hath bene and what misery we haue both felt and suffered still worse and worse as wel bodily as ghostlye euerye good man doth playnly se We perceiue also by example now to speake that lyke as yf ye take a clue of yearne and let the top thred be fast knit tosse tipe and playe at the ball with it so longe as the toppe threde breaketh not all holdeth faste together but breake ones the toppe threede and then playe with it tosse it vp downe all will sone come to nought euen so it hath chaunsed here in England with christes true religioÌ„ after that we ones brake the toppe threde Experience hereby hathe taught vs that amonges christen meÌ„ nothing is so sore to be feared as to be deuided from the vnity of christes churche as all they be whyche forsake the head therof In vnity peace and concord all thynges do florysshe and prosper but through diuisyon and schisme what euell commeth not And that caused the holye emperour Theodosius so greatlye to laboure for vnytye amongest Christes flocke Which thinge nowe earnestly pondered and throughlye weped let vs with all dylygence wyth all studye and prayer endeuoure our selues to kepe vs in the vnitie of christes church and to kepe vp the charet that it fall no more to the grounde Let vs mooste humblye obey vnto Peter and his successors as vnto the heade and chieffe stone