autoritie to rule as kynges No said I if ye wil be iudged by the worde the Greke worde must be iudge in this case For in Greke it was first written and spoken there wil appeare an other kind of gouernement far diuers from that whyche belonges to Princes the Greke worde in that place is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which signifies to fede as the sheperde fedes his sheepe and yet not without all gouernment or autority but only such a simple kinde of rule and autoritye as shepeherdes haue ouer their flocke If ye wil conferre one place of the scripture with another where this word is red or found which is the best kinde of interpretinge the Scripture rightlye as S. Austin teaches and see what kind of gouernment it signifies there than this place shall more easely be vnderstand Fede the flocke that is among you sais Saint Peter Fede my shepe sais our sauiour Christ to Peter Where in other like places also the same Greke worde that is commenly translated in the Actes regere to rule is put and signifies as ye â—s to feede The same word is aplied also to our sauiour Christ in the Gospel where is declared plainly what kind of autority it signifies Thou Bethleem in the land of Iuda thou art not the lest of the Prynces of Iuda for oute of thee shal there come to mee a Prynce that shall rule or feede my people Israel Also I am the good shepeherd sais Chryste where likewise is the same Greke word placed Than if Christ our Lorde had any temporall iurisdiction or these other places vsing the same Greke worde conteine any such thing they might haue some appearaunce to clame their vsurped autority elles it is not probable to giue the same word in that place alone that meaning contrarye to so manye other places hauing the selfe same word Nay further to say did not our Lord and Maister Iesus Christ refuse this wordlye autoritye himselfe when it was offered vnto him and the one brother desired hym to deuide the enheritaunce betwixt hym and his other brother he would not but said who apointed me a deuider betwixt you as though he shoulde saye It is not my callinge nor belonges to me his kyngdome was not of this worlde but he came to teache his fathers will likewise he taught his Appostles not to chalenge this superiority sayinge the Princes of the people haue rule ouer theym but it shall not be so amonge you but he that woulde be the greatest shalbe the least that they might folow his steppes truly But the manyfest place where the proper signification of this word appeares is in Paule Where he reckens what officers God hais set in his Church and sais Firste he sette some Apostles other Prophetes some Euangelystes other shepeherdes and teachers These shepeherdes whiche are noted there by the same word that they clayme their autority by are placed by S. Paul almost the lowest officers in Goddes Church than much more they can not haue the highest rowme in the common welth and Churche both I knowe the Greke Poetes attribute this word to kynges but I trust they build not on heathen mennes writinges and yet that name there is geuen theym for their fatherlye loue towarde their Subiectes rather then their royall autority But compare them with shepeherdes that keepe oure sheepe in dede of whom they haue their name and easely their nature property office and autority shalbe spied Gods people are cald oft in the Scripture sheepe as we thy people the shepe of thy pasture will praise thee and their teachers are called shepeherdes because the one should in liuyng followe the simplicitye and obedience of shepe and the other the carefull paines and diligence of shepeherdes in fedynge healynge releuinge guydynge correctynge c. Looke than what temporall autoritye the sheepeherde hais ouer his sheepe and the same spirituall power haue the Byshoppes ouer the Churche The good shepeherde will not lette hys shepe feede in hurtful and roating pastures but wil remoue them to good feding grouÌ„des No more wil Gods good shepeherbes let Gods people and his brethren be poisoned wyth false doctrines but by his autority roote out and confute them The true shepeherd if he see the wolfe or foxe come to deuoure the flocke he will watche and defende the folde so shoulde the good Bishop by his office The good shepeherde will saue the scabbed sheepe bring home the stray and fede the weaks and hungry so wil the good Byshop according to his duty The good shepeherde if his shepe be vnrulye wil set his dogge to pul him downe and tame him yf any can not be healed he will cutte it of and kil it for infecting the rest so wil Gods good Byshop with the threatninges of Gods vengeaunce pul downe the vnbridled stomaches of the people make them to tremble and quake at Gods iudgementes and if anye can not be reclaymed he wil cut him of by excomunication seperate hym from the felowshyp of gods people not suffer him to communicate the Lordes Supper whyche is the bande of brotherly loue and forbidde all good folke his company y â— through suche shame he may be brought to knowledge his faut amend that he may ioifully be receaued as a brother in the companye and felowship of Gods people agayne and communicate with them in prayer doctrine discipline and sacramentes as afore In these pointes the autoritye of Byshops is so great that it extendes to Prince pope prelate none is exempt but as they be subiect to Gods word sacraments and doctrine so must they obey Gods true minister and discipline As for example the good Byshop Ambrose dyd sharplye correct and excommunicate the Emperour Theodosius for a rashe murther done by his commaundement and whether he is more praise worthye that would or durst rebuke and excommunicate so mightye a Prince or the good Emperor that willingly submitted him self and obeyed his correction it may be doubted the power and autority than of Bishoppes is spirituall belonginge to mans soule as their office and ministery is and it standes cheiflye in these twoo pointes in doctrine and disciplyne As the temporall officer in the comen welth hais not the swearde committed to hym in vaine but to defend the good and punishe the euill to smite the ennemy and saue the subiect to prison the frowarde and loose the giltles so hais gods minister in his Church full power and autority to teache sound doctrine and confut the false to beate downe hawty mindes and raise the weake to bind loose the conscience by vertue of Gods worde to throw into hell the obstinate or lift into heauen the penitent to cast out of Gods Church and receiue agayne suche as he rightlye iudges by the Scriptures mete for mercy or iustice And as Saint Peter calles Christ our lord the shepeherd and Bishop of oure soules so those Bishops that folow
they see howe foolyshe it was laughed at it and thought it to bee passed awaye wyth sylence for that foolyshnesse of it selfe would confound it selfe to theym that hadde witte or learnynge Yet that the simple ones for whose cause chieflye thys labour is taken should not be deceyued and ouercomen wyth founde phantasyes of ydle braynes and least Goddes ennemyes shoulde crake that none coulde or durste aunswere it I thought good bycause other that can doe better woulde not thus shortlye to aunswere the chyefe pointes of Poperye touched in thys hys vnlearned apologye Thys is the politye of Papystes to sette oute a broker to vtter their ware and catche the vnlearned but the sutteller sort hold their toung stande alofe to see howe thys forerunner wil take place and are thought by their sylence to be able to saye muche more whan as they feare in dede least in beinge aunswered they should take the foile to the cleane ouerthrowinge of their cause Thys proude Golyas hais craked and prouoked all Goddes people as thoughe none durst medell wyth hym but I truste poore Dauid hais wyped hys nose and gyuen hym a falle wyth hys poore slyng and few stones But I feare I lose my laboure for as y â— Prophet says Can the blacke man of Iude chaunge hys colour No more can thys Morian learne to saye well If the miserable state of the people had not moued me I woulde haue holden my tounge and laughe at it as wyse menne doe but that wyth the poore symple ones whom they deceyue in corners wyth such lyes as these suche commen balde reasons as he hais broughte shoulde not preuayle I thought good for pity sake to say thus much to staye theym â–ª whose eyes God shall open to see My reasons and aâ—torityes of pourpose are commenlye taken out of their owne Doctours and writers and suche bookes as are not counted protestauntes nor made by anye of this newe learninge For the nonest I forbare to alledge the learneder sort least the vnlearned shoulde saye they coulde no skyll on such bookes nor knewe not whether they were truelye broughte in and seynge their owne Doctours and schole maysters haue geuen vs thys vauntage against them I feare not to trye wyth theym in writers of greater autoritye and auncientye Thus muche I haue spoken for my parte let the rest whom Godde hays geuen greater knowlege and vtteraunce vnto helpe thus to stoppe the mouthes of Goddes ennemyes and I trust by the power of hys holye spiryte Antichryst wyth hys members shall dayly decay and Goddes gloryous trueth shall shyne to the coumfort of all hys elect though their eyes bee not yet fullye opened to see nor their heartes lyghtned to vnderstande it Godde the father graunts for hys Sonne sake Iesus Chryste crucifyed that we all maye be partakers of his spyryte of trueth and hys wilfull obstinate ennemies confounded his poore lambes deliuered from the wolfes and strengthened against thassaultes of Satan that at the length we may be glorified with hym for euer and euer Amen ¶ Beholde sayes the Lord of Hostes to thee I wyll laye thy skyrtes on thy face and open thy fylthynesse to the people and thy shame to kyngedoines and I wyll cast thy abhomynations vppon thee and I wyll reuile thee and make thee lyke dunge and it shall come to passe that euerye one that sees thee shall fall from thee NauÌ„ iii. ¶ Haue mercye on vs O Lorde haue mercye on vs for we are vtterlye despysed Oure soule is fylled wyth the mockynge of the ryche and despyte of the proude Psal. C. xxiii ¶ Commen places entreated The autoritie of Byshops A. 8. S. Ia. Masse and others B. 7. Englande receyued not the fayth from Ro. D. 3. None is vniuersall Byshop ouer al. E. i. Extreme vnction is no Sacrament E. 7. Our Churche seruice F. 7 Communion Burials Communion table G. 6. Altars H. 1. Confession H. 8. Fasting I. 2. Lent I. 7. Mariage of Priestes K. i. Orderinge of Mynisters L. 5. Succession N. 4. The people learne the Scriptures O. 5. The Princes autoritie in religyon Q. 2. R. 7 ¶ Faultes in pryntynge B 3 leafe line 24. I meane not C 1 leafe page 2. line 19. turned into latin D 1 leafe page 2. line 26. as wel as their D 3 leafe pag. 6. line 25. it cannot be E 1 leafe line 31. nere theym G 1 leafe line 23 Ausegisus G 3 leafe line 1. put out mete page 2. line 17. put out not H 2 leafe line 1. as Iehu page 2. line 20. by blind H â— leafe line 16. some of Duns H 8 leafe line 17. for Ioan Dominus alwayes read Ioan Duns 25. Confession and bow I 5 page line 12. so muche of page 9. line 11. let vs eate fleshe with them K 2 leafe line 17. Epistle to the Ephesians K 7 leafe page 2. line 1. that History placed 16. leaues after M 5 leafe line 9. that Linus was O 3 leafe line 17. 1382. ¶ Imprynted at London by Wyllyam Seres dwellinge at the West end of Paules at the sygne of the Hedge-bogge ¶ The tenth of March Anno. 1563. 2 3 4 5 â— xi â—e vi 7 Math. Esa. 62. Esai 5. Ezech. 3. 9 10 11 12 Osee Hier. 8. Hier. 1. Esai 2. Esai 6 â—â— 14 Luc. 4 Math. 4 Trueth must be truly vttred 1 VVhat autoritye Byshops haue ouer the Church i. Pet. 5. Ioan. 21 Math. 2. Ioan. 10 Luk. xii Luk â—xii Ephe. 4. Psa. 79. Mar. xvi Ioan xx Act. xx Mynyster autoritye of like power all Ezech. 33 Epistula lib. 7. Câ— â–ª 63. Saint Iames neuer sayde Masse i. Cor. 14. aeneas syluius Pistoâ— Boeica Ca. 13. Lib. Epistula 7 Ca. 63. Ioan Faber de missa ver â—ger Masse Hebre. 7. Deut. 1â— Lib. 5 Epistula 33. Good Fridayes Masse Retract i. cap. xv 3 Englande receiued no the fayth first from Ro. buâ—â—n Thapostles tyme. Polychronic lib. 5. ca. 17. Elutherius Epistle to kyng Lucius Rex a regendo non a regno 4 The best witstoode Austin the Popes legate Austynâ— christening Neyther Pope noâ— other ought 〈◊〉 be called â—he vniuersal â—or head bishop of all Lib. 4. epistoâ—â— â— Lib. 7. Eâ— 30. Câ— â–ª 19 â–ª Lib. 4. Eâ—stola 76. 5 i. kyng 17 Iam v. Mar. vi VVhether extreme vnction be a sacrament or no. Ma. sententiar li. 4 disti 23. Ioan dâ— Sco â—us 4 senten distic 23. Midnyghte Mattins oore none masses i. corint ii Antems in the steple 3. kin 18. 6 II. Ebrew Iere. 6. Councels â—ur Church â—ruice agreâ—s wyth the â—uncient Church The Porâ—uds antiquityâ— 7 〈◊〉 6 Paules 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 fatâ—â—rs â—nd the apists be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—rayer 〈◊〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 Epitaph Fabiola Burials Eccle. 11. Mariage The Communion table Luke 22. 1. Corâ— 10. Lib. 5. Ca. 18. Altars 4 king 10. â—â—â—â—e is not Catholycke â—he difference beâ—â—yx the â—reke Ghurâ—he and the â—atin Our religion is elder than Counsels Ephe. 2. Isai. 40. Luk. 6. The Papistes tourne with the world and dyffer one from another â—â—â— 1â— â— Masse Confession 4. kin 6. The Prelates othe to the Pope Fastynge Ambrose August P. pâ—â— 06. 58. Math 15. Lent Sozo lib. â— ca. 〈◊〉 Prayer Supersticion Ethelothresceia Supersticions Deisidâ— moniâ— Prayer Maryage of priestes Polid. lib 5. ca. 4. de inuenâ—or Act. 21. Roiff lib. 2. Ca. 9 Euseb. lib 5. ca. 26 Sozo lib. 3 Ca. 14. â— Paule Ambrose Platina Ierom. Gregorâ—â—â— â—ii Math. 19. 1. Coâ— 7. Gregorie Note also this notatable Epistle concernynge the same matter Ernulph Ansel. Paschall Polychro Duresme Math. 15. Sozo lib. 1 Ca. 23. â—â—i Ca. 11. Math. 8. 9 The ordeâ—â—ng of myâ—â—ysters Act. 13. Math. 15. Palle Ecclesiast Hieraâ—ch S. VVyllya of Yorke Edmond Lanfranc Ansel. Tho. Becket VVilfride egenda noa Sanctorm in hys fe 10 Spirituall mens landes Gala. 6. Psal. 2. 1. Cor. 9 Act. 5. Ioan. 15. â— thessa 3 1â— Polychro lib. 5. Succession Math. 23. Ioan. 8. Clemens Alexander Pius Marcellinus Liberius Felix Anastasius Leo. Ioan. Sergius Gregory 3 Zachary Steuen Leo. 3. Ioan. 8. Nicholas Syluester 2 Benet 9. Innocent 3. Ioan. 23. Math. 16. 12 Moe and greater plagues in popery than the Gospel Psal. 148. The people shoulde learne the scriptures Psal. 73. Deut. 32. Psal. 133. Ro. 1. Ia. 1. Math. 15. Hospitalitye Dearth Iere. 44. Iustice. August caâ— Epist. fuÌ„d Hiero. con Lucifer August Epist 1512. Ciprianâ—â— simpliei Hiero. coâ— Lucifer Iudg. 17. 2 3 Tit. 3. i. Cor. 1. 11. 4 Hebr. 10. Act. 5. 5 Act. 6. Act. 15. Act. 20. Mala. 1. Osee. 9. Ezech. 22. â—â—â—ac 2. Act. 1â— 1. Chro 〈◊〉 2 â–ª king â— 2. Chroni 30. 34. 17. in VVâ—â—frido â—hro 23. Act. 18. 6 Leuiâ— 10. Math. 19. Ciprianus de lap â—iprianus cecundum â— Ciprianus de lap August ciuitate dei â— 21. ca. 25. 9 Ciprian de lap 10 Num. 16. Ciprian Epist. Lib. 7. Ep â–ª 63. Lib. 4. sâ—â— tent distinâ— 8 II Roma 1 â–ª Math. 1â— â–ª Math. 10. 12 â—3 Isai. 49. â—ere 1â—
necessary to be obserued continually in the churche The cheife reason whereon they ground it is the saiynge of Saint Iames. If any be sicke let him call the elders of the congregacion and let them pray for him annointinge him with oyle in the name of the lord c. The other place of saint Marke where the Apostles vsed oile in healing the sicke thoughe they allege it it proues not their purpose euen as their owne Doctours teache Than was a time of miracles and God gaue that power of healynge diseases to confirme his gospell withall now it is not lawfull to looke for suche miracles If they wey the wordes of Saint Iames well they wil not so much glory in that their sacrament Saint Iames biddes theym annoint hym wyth oyle I aske them with what oyle I meane not whether with oile Oliue or lampe oile or other kinde of oile althoughe that question can not be aunswered out of the text of the scripture yet according to the general rule I graunt that where oile alone is named there is ment oile oliue but whither it be halowed consecrate oile or commen and vnhalowed I trust they will not saye vnhalowed for than their holy sacrament should stand on an vnhalowed thinge which is a great inconuenience than if it muste be consecrated I aske with what wordes and after what sort must it be done there is no wordes of consecration for the oile in Saint Iames nor in anye place of the Scripture If there be let them shew them but their owne Doctours say that there is none Than it must be halowed with woordes of their owne deuisinge why than folowes it consequently that man is better than God which is blasphemy to graunt It is a greater might and power to make a holy thinge than to make the vnholy and bare thinge it selfe as the baker makes the bread but Christes holy ordinaunce sanctifies the breade in his holye supper but in thys their sacrament God shoulde make the oile and the Byshoppe shoulde make it holye And because they stycke so stiflye that all consecrations stand in speakinge certayne woordes I aske what those wordes be where they be taught in the Scriptures and whether manne haue power of hys owne head to make a thinge holyer than God haies done and to deuise the woordes himselfe also wherewith it shalbe consecrated and made so holye the Scripture hays no suche wordes and that manne shoulde deuyse those holye wordes is great absurditie Whan these are aunswered â–ª more maye be replyed against them Againe I demaund what Scripture they haue to proue that Byshoppes onelye must halow this oile for those that be sacramentes in dede as Baptisme and the L. supper euerye Priest hais autoritye to vse minister and consecrate them accordynge to their holye institutyon and dooe all that belonges thereto as well as the Byshoppe Is this they Sacramente of an oylinge more holy than the other because Byshoppes aâ— more holye menne are put to the doing and consecratynge of the oile Yet one doubte more They haue ii sortes of Oile to annoint withall differinge in holynesse consecration and vse of them and yet both halowed by the bisshoppe One is of Oyle and Balsam blend together whiche is called commenlye oile and Chreame wherewyth Byshoppes and Priestes in their consecratinge and Children are anointed in Christenynge and that is more holy than thys for sycke persons is for this is Oyle alone withoute other thinges blend thereto as their maister teaches What scripture is there for these toies and the consecratinge of them Saynct Paule sais that our meate is sanctified by the word and prayer but I trust they will graunt a better consecration than this and more holines in that oile than in our daily meate But howe wil they proue it Further euery sacrament hais a promise anexed of god working some spiritual grace by theÌ„ in the receyuer bere is none such but S. Iam. sais the faithful prayer shal heale the sicke man The promyse here named is corporall bodily health and is attributed to praier and not to their sacrament Than as the promise is corporall so was this Oyle a corporall medicyne and Salue for diseased bodies althoughe I doubte not but than by such godly prayers and exhortacions god wrought a spirituall grace inwardly Nothinge was more commenly vsed for weake and wearye bodies than oile in all those countries and nothinge does more ease the paines of the sicke bodye than these supplinge oiles therefore partlye for the custome of the Countrye partly for the holsome strength and medicinable nature of oile and partly for an outwarde signe of an inward grace wrought by God while that gift of healinge diseases did continue in Christes Churche Saint Iames biddes them call the elders anoint him with oile in the name of the lorde and the faithful prayer shall heale the sycke person but what does that belonge or howe is it to bee applied to oure dayes where no suche gift is I woulde faine make an ende of their foolishnesse if it had any ende Their owne Doctors teache further that this annointing takes not away mortall sinne but venial onelye and that it must not be vsed as longe as there is hope of life in the sicke person than by their own doctrine it is not so holye a Sacrament nor a Sacrament at all Their opinion holdes that Sacramentes doe both gene grace and forgeue sin and should be geuen onelye to theym that haue vse of reason to repent for their sinnes and call on God for his mercye beynge not children but comen to full age this does not so nor is so vsed by their owne doctrine and therefore no sacramente The Popes holy water is as good or better as this their sacrament by this doctrine for he sais that his coniured water canne forgeue veniall sinne and driue away deuils to Than after their owne teachinge this their sacrament is not so good as the Popes holye water for it can driue away deuils beside forgeuinge veniall sinne whiche this oylinge can not But thus to teache is to blaspheme God in makinge Goddes Sacramentes woorse than the Popes dregges To conclude thautority and auncienty of this their sacrament from whence it comes and what it is Polychroni teaches lib. v. Ca. v. that Pope Felir iiii Graundsir to Pope Gregories father marke whether he was maried or no ordeined the sycke to be anointed with oile If ye loke for greater autours Uolaterram teaches the same but I had rather proue it by their own doctours because they call other newe felowes thaÌ„ christ taught it not Forther where he charges vs with declynynge from the steppes of blessed fathers whiâ—he ordeyned in Paules mattins to be had at midnight all forenoone Masses and in the steple antems these thinges we do not onely not deny for we do not count suche supersticious Idolaters to be oure fathers in religion but we reioise and praise God for our
grese a goose or shepe So that some were compelled to tether their horse in their Orcharde and yet haue these holy fathers prouided that if they be restored as they loke for as manye thinke that they shall haue al their commodities againe O notable charitye and mete for the children of suche a father The Lorde God for his mercy amend this at his good wil and pleasure The people are so blinde that they rather beleue him that fils their bely than him that teaches theym Christe so rude that they care more for y â— bodye than for the soule Euen as christ whan he filled v. M. with fiue loues they woulde haue made him a king but within few dayes after they would haue stoned him Paul wrought for his owne liuynge and would not be a burthen to any congregacion yet he sais that it was lawfull for him to take all hys necessaries of them whom he taught Chrisost. in the lxxxvi Homil. on Matth. writynge entreates the like question and tels causes why he and others had landes belonging to their Churches He sais the vnthankfulnes of the people was such that if they had not such prouision they shoulde goe a begginge So surelye I thinke nowe if the Byshops and ministers hadde not that prouisyon they might sterue for hunger Loue and dutye to Godde his worde and ministers is so decayed that to gette awaye from them is thought godlynes pastime and profet Surely God will not haue his seruauntes so mocked God turne from vs for Christes sake that whiche we deserue and prouoke him to in these oure doinges Iulianus apostata Themperour that forsaked hys fayth hearinge that the Gospell taught the Christians to liue in pouertye and suffer persecution toke their goods from theym and punyshed them sayinge he would helpe theym to heauen bycause their Gospell taught theym to lyue poore and suffer so oure papistes hearing the Protestantes preach pouerty and condemne their proude prelatie haue leased graunted and giuen awaye their lyuynges that now the pore gospeller hais scars wheron to lyue through their malice In Chrystes Church hays euer bene a succession of Byshops from the Apostles time to this daye in euerye see Tertullian sayes yf in any see there be a Byshop that walkes not in hys fathers steppes he is to be counted a bastard and no true inheritour in Christes Church Saint Ciprian does saye they that be made Byshops out of the order of the Churche and not by tradicion and ordinaunce of the Apostles coming by succession from time to time are not bishops by the will of god but theues and murtherers A succession of Byshops or ministers â—e graunt hais bene in the worlde rather than in any one see or countre sins christ which succession we say we haue and folow better than they but not after such sort as he sais and meanes God is neuer withoute hys Churche in the worlde although some countries falle and his churche neuer wantes his Ministers and true teachers at the lest priâ—elye althoughe in some ages it hais theym more plenteouslye than in other some and some times the outward face of the Churche wantes not his errours and blottes But where he sais there hais bene Byshoppes in euerye see sins Thapostles time it must nedes be false For here with vs vnto the time of king Lucius almost ii C. yeare after Christ there were no Byshops in this Realme at al but Flamines as Fabian Polychronic saye and heathen Priestes and sundrye times sins dyuers sees in thys Realme manye yeares together had no Byshops at all whan the vnchristened Saxons were here and diuers Bishopprickes here are not halfe so olde as Thapostles time Yet in all these ages were some that both knew taught priuatlye and folowed the truth thoughe they were not horned and mitred bishop pes nor oyled and sworne shauelinges to the Pope Such popishe Bishoppes I am sure no manne is able to proue to haue bene in euerye see of this Realme continuallye sins the Apostles time nor els where whan he hais proued it I wil say as he does Does the see make the bishop and his doctrine good or badde Does the place make him good or bad If his sayinge bee true that they haue such a succession the manne must nedes be good bicause he is Bishop of suche a place or suche for he meanes to haue a continuall succession of good byshoppes euery where without interruption but whether they succede in agreement of one true doctrine as they doe of one seâ— or place he cares not If succedinge in place be sufficient to proue theym good byshoppes than the Iewes and Turks haue their good bishops and religioÌ„ stil at Ierusalem Constantinople and els where for there they dwel where Thapostles did and haue their sinagoges leuites Priestes and bishops after their sort UUe do esteme and reuerence the continuall succession of good byshops in anye place if they can be founde if they can not we runne not from Godde but rather sticke fast to his worde I thinke ther is no place where euil bishops haue not bene If Corinth Galatia Ephesus Philippos Colossa Thessalonica Macedonia where Paule preached to whome he wrote his seuerall Epistles might fall and haue turkysh prelates why maye not Rome fall to the same maye bee saiâ—e of Ierusalem where S. â—a was and of Aphricke where Ciprian and Austin were and of other places where Thapostles preached now be fallen awaye Succession of good Bysshoppes is a great blessinge of God but bicause God and his trueth henges not on manne nor place we rather heng on the vndeceiuable trueth of Gods worde in all doubtes than on any Byshoppes place or manne For all men are liers and may be deceyued onely god and his word is true and neyther deceyues nor is deceyued In the. x. tribes of Israel where Iereboam made him Priestes against Gods lawe and the greater part of their religion was defaced with idolatryâ— yet were there euer some good Prophetes amonge that taughte Gods people their duetye thoughe not of the higher sort of Priestes and in autoritye as there be some fewe among the Turkes at this daye also Elias complaines that he was left alone Of all the true folowers of Gods lawe he knewe none that feared God beside hym selfe but god said he had reserued vii M. that neuer bend their knee to Baal So surely though the great number of priests and bishops hauing autority haue bene these many yeres the Popes deriyngs rather seruing Baall than God yet our good God pitâ—inge his people hais in al ages reserued some few that taught the truth and feared him God hais not promised that euerye Byshoprycke no nor anye one Bishopricke shoulde haue alwayes good Bishoppes one after an other no more than one good father should haue alwaies good children borne of him nor a good king shoulde haue good Princes to reign after him After wise Salomon reigned foolyshe Roboam