inferior to Peter nor to the other apostles consequently to this purpose it foloweth thus in the glose when they had sene or perceyued that the preachynge of the gospell to the vncyrcumcysed gentyles was betaken to me as faythfull and trusty so pryncypally as the gospell of cyrcumcisyon was betaken to Peter Lo that Paule was sent as pryncypallye as Peter was and not of Peter or of any other of the apostles but of chryste iÌ„medyatlye whiche thynge the apostle more largelye expressynge in the fyrst chapytre of the same epystle sayth thus Paule the apostle not of men or by man but by Ihesus chryste god y e father where the glose sayth after the mynde of Ambrose Paule the apostle not electe or sent by men that is to wyt by Ananias as certayne men sayd or by other men as certayne were elected and sent by the apostles and a lytle after it foloweth in the same glose alter the mynde of Augustyne For the other apostles semed to be greatter because they were afore And this apostle semed to be leaste because he was laste but hereof he appereth more worshypfull because the fyrst apostles were made and ordayned by chryste beynge yet partlye a man that is to saye mortall but the last apostle that is to wyt Paule was constituted and made by chryste nowe beynge whole god that is to saye vtterly mortall and by god the father whiche dyd or wrought this by the same and that he myght open and declare wherfore he sayd neyther by man he sayth afterward which hath raysed hym vp from deathe And so he hath more worthelye or worshypfullye made me by chryste beynge iÌ„mortall than he dyd the other by chryst beynge mortal Agayne the apostle coÌ„fyrmynge this afterwarde in y e same chapytre sayth thus I gyue you knowlege or do you to wyt brethern that the gospell whiche hath ben preached of me is not after man for I haue not receyued it or learned it of man but by the reuelacyon of Ihesu chryste where the glose after the mynde of Augustyne sayth I do you to wytte bretherne that the gospell whiche hath ben preached of me is not after the mynde of any man teachynge me verely it is not of man for I haue not receyued it neyther learned it of man so that man dyd electe me to preache it or inioyne me to preache it Neyther I learned it of man teachynge me but by the reuelacyon of Iesu chryste Lo here that neyther Peter neyther any other of y e apostles or any man hath chosen Paule or sent hym or inioyned to hym the mynystery of preachynge the gospell The same is to be iudged also of y e other apostles Peter therfore had no powre moche lesse than he had coactyue iurysdyccion of god iÌ„medyately vpon y e other apostles neyther of iÌ„stytutige them in y e offyce of preesthode neyther to segregate and departe them in sondre or to sende them to the offyce of preachynge sauynge onely that this maye safelye be graunted that Peter was afore or aboue other in age or auÌ„cyentnes or perauenture afore them in offyce as touchynge tyme or the chosynge of the apostles that is to saye fyrste elected apostle for whiche cause the other apostles had hym in reuerence not vnworthely albeit y t no man can proue this eleccion of Peter afore the other apostles by the holy scripture And that this is trewe which we haue sayd it is an euydeÌ„t token seynge that we do not fynde any where in the scrypture that Peter toke vpon hym any auctoryte syngulerly aboue y e other apostles but rather that he kepte and vsed egalytie with them for he toke not to hym selfe auctoryte to determyne suche thyngê which were doubtfull concernynge the preachynge of the gospell whiche pertayneth to doctryne teachynge but suche thyngê as were doubtfull concernynge this busynes were determyned by the coÌ„mune delyberacion or counceyle of the apostles and of other chrysten men most learned and not by the determynacyon of Peter alone or of any other apostle seuerally by hym selfe wherfore in the. xv chapytre of the actes when a dyssencyon was rysen amonge y e preachers of the gospell whether it was necessarye to cyrcumcyse the chrysten men that were vncyrcumcysed for the gettynge or obtaynynge of euerlastynge saluacyon and certayne sayd that it was necessarie but Paule and Barnabas sayd playnly agaynst it the apostles and the senyours assembled togyther to take consultacyon of this mater vpon which Peter and Iames sayd that it was not necessarye to whose sentence and iudgement the senyours and the other apostles consented wherfore it foloweth afterwardes in the texte Than it pleased the apostles and senyours with the whole congregacyon to chose men and to sende them to Antyoche with Paule Barnabas c. sendynge letters by theyr handes the maner of theyr wrytynge was lyke to the maner of a delyberacyon or consultacyon in this fourme and facyon The apostles and senyours and brethern to the brethern of the gentyles whiche are in Antioche in Siria and Cilicia sendeth greatynge c. A lyke thynge is also had afterwarde in the same chapytre whan it is sayd it pleased vs therfore beynge assembled togyther in one to chose men and to sende them vnto you agayne the same thynge is had in the same chapytre a lytle after it hathe pleased the holy ghost and vs to laye no more burthayne vpon you Thus than it is euydent that Peter dyd not determyne the aforesayd doubtes coÌ„cernynge the fayth of the fulnes of powre which fulnes of powre certayne maysters and teachers in Israell dreamynge dothe saye that the bysshop of Rome hath whiche also hath pronounced and gyuen senteÌ„ce in theyr decrees wryten that the bysshop of Rome by hym selfe alone whiche thynge Peter durst neuer be bolde to do may determyne the doubtes which are concernynge the fayth whiche is openlye and euydentlye false and playnely contrary to the scrypture wherof also we shall speake largely in the nexte chapytre hereafter folowynge in the. xx chapytre of this dyccyon It was the coÌ„gregacion than of the learned chrysten men whiche toke couÌ„ceyll whiche determyned the doubte whiche chose messengers and which wrote And by this auctoryte of the whole congregacyon the thynge whiche was so determyned and coÌ„maunded was of strength for the congregacyon of the apostes was of more or greatter auctorite than Peter alone or any other apostle by hym selfe wherfore we do rede that Peter was sent by the congregacion in to Samarye as it is euydent in the. viii chapytre of the actes by these wordes whan the apostles had herde whiche were at Iherusalem that the Samaritanes had receyued the worde of god they sent to them Peter IohnÌ„ Why then or wherof dothe certayne cursed flaterers take vpon them to saye that any bysshop hathe fulnes of powre gyuen to hym by chryste not onely vpon laye men but also vpon clarkes seynge that saynt Peter or any
other apostle neuer presumed to ascribe such maner powre vnto hym selfe neyther by worde or deade wherfore they which affyrme and say this are to be laughte to scorne and nothynge to be beleaued and lesse to be feared seynge that the scryptures crye playnlye the contrarye in the lytterall and manyfest sence of them For saynt Peter had neuer suche powre vpon the apostles or other but he kepte rather equalyte with them accordynge to the precepte of chryste as we haue sayd before wherfore it is red in the. xxiii of Mathewe Be not you wyllynge to be called Rabbi y t is to say in englysshe mayster for your mayster is but one chryst all you ar brethren y t is to say equall one of you with an other he sayd al you exceptynge no man This sentence also is coÌ„fyrmed by the apostle in the seconde chapytre to the Galatianes where he sayth And I went vp to Iherusalem accordynge to the reuelacyon and I conferred with them the gospell which I do preache amonge the Gentyles where y e glose after the mynde of Augustyne sayth And I dyd not learne of them as of superyours that is to wyt of Peter nor of the other more pryncypall apostles of whom it shall be spoken hereafter But I coÌ„ferred with them as with my frendes and peers or felowes The same is shewed agayne afterwardes in the same chapytre whan the apostle sayd but whan Peter was com to Antioche I withstode hym openly to his face because he was reprouable c. where the glose after the mynde of saynt Iherome sayth they gaue nothynge to me but I gaue to Peter and it foloweth there coÌ„sequentlye I resysted or withstode hym as his peer or matche for he wolde not haue ben bolde to do this excepte he had knowen hym selfe not to be inferyor Beholde here therfore that Paule was egall to Peter in offyce dygnyte not inferyor albeit that Peter was senior to hym in age and also pastor afore hym in tyme. Lykewyse it appereth that neyther saynt Peter nor any other apostle had preemynence or powre auctoryte aboue other in the dystrybutynge of the teÌ„porall goodes which were offered to the prymatyue churche wherof it is red in the. iiii of the actes for as many as were possessyoners of landes houses solde them and broughte the pryces of them and layde them afore the fete of the apostles and they were deuyded to eche man after as eche one had neade Lo here that the dysposycion orderynge of the temporall thynges whiche were offred vnto the churche was done by the apostles in coÌ„mune togyther and not by Peter alone for it is not sayde they layde afore the fete of Peter but afore y t fete of the apostles neyther is it sayd and Peter deuyded but they were deuyded c. ¶ Tel me therfore wherby or from whence or howe coÌ„meth the auctoryte to the bysshop of Rome for to dystrybute suche thynges accordynge to his owne pleasure or elles to clayme as dewe to hym selfe alone the thynges bequest in mennes testamentê for charytable causes to good and godlye vses but yet coÌ„mytted to other men for to be kepte or dystrybuted seynge that it is neyther laufull to hym alone neyther yet with an other neyther by the law of god nor yet of man to demaunde or clayme suche maner thynges whiche hath ben coÌ„mytted and betaken to the faythfull custody of other men by reasonable lawes as by the wyll of the testatours or of them y t so ordayned for let the testatour say or wyll any thynge coÌ„cernynge that whiche is his owne it shall be a lawe as it is wryten in other placê For there can be no cause or reason taken of the holy scrypture which maye make vs to beleaue that this powre belongeth to the bysshop of Rome or elles to any other bysshop but rather the contrarye but yf these legacies or bequestê were coÌ„mytted by the kynge to the churche of a certayne and a determynate dyocese for to be dystrybuted than shall it appertayne to those bysshoppes whiche are rulers of y e sayd dyocese but in no wyse to the pope of Rome And the cause of this is for that the bysshop of Rome neyther hathe neyther had of chryste any powre or auctoryte aboue the other that be bysshops or preestes as well as he And this was one of the thyngê purposed of vs syns y e begynnynge of this chapytre For as Peter had not any suche prerogatyue or powre aboue the other apostles euen so neyther the successours of Peter in the epyscopall see of Rome hathe any prerogatyue aboue the successours of the other apostles For Peter had no powre or auctoryte to gyue vnto them preesthode apostleshyp or the dygnyte of a bysshop for all they toke this powre or auctorytie iÌ„medyatlye of chryste not by the mynysterie of Peter more than Peter toke it by the mynysterie of them as we haue proued heretofore euydentlie of the scrypture And saynt Augustyne also sayth the same expressely in his boke of the questions of the newe of the olde testameÌ„t in the. lxxxiiii questyon where he sayth thus The same daye that is to wyt the fyftie daye the lawe was gyuen vpon whiche daye also the holy ghost lyghted cam downe vpon the dyscyples that they shulde take auctoryte also haue cunnynge and knowlege to preache the lawe of the gospel ¶ Moreouer as Peter is red to haue ben elected and chosen bysshop by the multytude of chrysten people neded not the coÌ„fyrmacyon of the other apostles so also y â— other apostles were bysshoppes gouernours in other prouynces without any knowlege of Peter or any instytucyon or consecracyon taken of hym for they were consecrated suffycyently by chryste wherfore it is to be thought supposed lykewyse that the successours of the other apostles neded not any confyrmacyon of the successours of Peter but rather moreouer many successours of the other apostles were elected and instytuted bysshops in dewe fourme and maner and also dyd gouerne and rule theyr prouynces holylie and vertuouslie without any other instytucyon or confyrmacyon of them done by the successours of Peter And this was so laufully obserued euen vnto the tyme of Constanstyne the emperour which gaue as it is lyed a certayne prehemynence powre to the bysshops to the churche of Rome vpon the other churches or all other preestes of the worlde And this equalyte of Peter and the other apostles the apostle Paule dyd sygnyfye in y e seconde of the epystle to the Galatianes whan he sayde They gaue theyr ryght handes of socyetie felowshyp to me to Barnabas that we shulde be apostles preachers amonge the gentyles they them selues amonge the Iewes They gaue then the ryght handes of societie equalyte as it was sayde before of the glose after Augustyne albeit y t the sayenge of the apostle in this poynte is so open
in the persone of what soeuer apostle he be as we haue vndoubtedlye certyfyed by the scrypture and the auctoryties of sayntes in the. iiii v. and. ix of this dyccion But in that newe faynynge and whiche was neuer afore harde of any man the bysshop of Rome no lesse falslye than presumptuously is not afrayde to speke openly agaynst his owne mynde agaynst the mynde well nere of all chrysten men beynge partakers of this consyderacion whyles he dothe styffely affyrme that it is vndoubted hym selfe to haue superyoryte as he inteÌ„deth meaneth of coactyue iurysdyccion or domynyon in coÌ„paryson vnto y e emperour of Rome And agayne y t the empyre beynge vacante he succedeth the sayde emperour of Rome For by these wordes is manyfestly shewed the wrongfull and vniuste vsurpacyon of the emperyall iurysdyccions whiche the bysshops of Rome hetherto haue exercysed and nowe adayes do exercyse namelye whan the emperyall see is vacante For who is so farre from shamefastnes and vtterlye shamelesse as to saye that thynge to be vndoubtedly tre we whiche thynge was neuer afore harde neyther hathe ben strengthed and confyrmed by the lawe of god or of man or by ryght reason and whose contraryety accordynge to the sayd lawes and ryght reason hath alwayes ben conceyued and spoken forthe as a token of the truthe beleued of all men wherfore lykewyse as the prouerbe of physycions is as he doth heale most men of whom most men haue confydence and truste so may we say in very dede he is wyllynge to dysceyue begyle moste men to whom moste credence is gyuen nowe adayes ¶ Nowe the bysshop of Rome hath vsed the same fulnes of powre more specyallye agaynste the emperoure and the empyre of Rome The xxvj chapytre THus than the bysshops of Rome haue so vsed hytherto the aforesayd fulnes of powre contynuallye euer longer worse and worse and so do styll but yet most of all agaynst the emperour empyre of rome For agaynst hym they may moste largelye exercyse thus theyr wyckednes that is to wyt of subduynge y e empyre vnto them selues by reason of the dyscorde whiche hathe ben hytherto raysed vp and contynuallye is raysed vp and norysshed by those men whiche ben called pastores or moste holy fathers Betwene the inhabytantes of the empyre amonge them selues and also agaynst theyr prince And agayne because this empyre beynge ones subdued vnto them they suppose and beleue that they may easely haue a waye open to subdue other kyngdoms also and yet are they moste largelye and syngulerlye bounde to the emperoure empyre of rome for benefytes receyued of them as it is knowen vnto all men But that we may speake a thynge not vnknowen to any man or nedynge my wordes or testymony they smytten with couytousnes with pryde and ambycion and by vnkyndnes made worse then yll serche and go aboute all maner wayes to prohibite and let the creacion of the romayne emperour yea and in conclusyon go aboute to destroye his empyre or els go aboute to translate it in to an other forme or fascyon beynge subiecte vnto them and this they do leste the excesses myght be corrected and redressed whiche they haue coÌ„myt agaynst y e empyre by the auctoryte and powre of the sayd prynce or emperoure lest also them selues myght suffre chastysment accordynge to theyr deseruynges And thoughe for that intent whiche we haue sayd they do euydently lay some maner stoppe or impedyment vnto the aforesayd emperour yet gylefullye they pretende an other thyng to couer and hyde this theyr intente sayenge that they do it to defende the ryght and lybertyes of the spouse of chryste that is to wyt of the churche but this pypyked pyetie sophistycall deuocyon is to be laughed to scorne For I am that temporall thynges yea rather theyr couytousnes theyr ambycion and desyre of iurysdyccyon or domynyon is not the spouses of chryst neyther haue chryste coupled it vnto hym selfe by matrymonye but hath expressely refused and forsaken it as it hathe ben here tofore declared by deuyne scryptures Neyther is it the inherytaunce whiche the apostles haue lefte to theyr true and vnfayned successours as saynt Batnarde sayth openlye and playnly to Eugenius pope in y e boke De consideratione in the. iiii chapytre This is Peter sayth Barnarde whiche is not knowen to haue come forthe at any tyme outher adourned and decked with precious stones or sylkes or couered with gold or rydynge on a whyte palfraye neyther garded with men of warre neyther compased aboute on euery syde with seruauntê makynge noyse and yet without those thynges he supposed that hym selfe myght suffyciently fulfyll y t holsome coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t or charge yf thou louest me fede my shepe In these thyngê y t is to wyt golde precious stones other teÌ„porall thyngê thou arte successour not to Peter but to CoÌ„staÌ„tyne So than by stryuynge for teÌ„poralles the spouse of chryst is not defeÌ„ded for y e popes of rome y t are nowe adayes do not defende but offende the very spouse of chryste y t is to wytte the catholyke faythfull multytude of chrysten people and they do not saue and kepe but do defyle and blemysshe the beaultie and fayrenes of this spouses that is to wyt the vnyte therof whyles by sowynge cockele and scysmes they do teare the membres therof and do dysseuer them one from an other And whyles also they do not admyt and receyue y â— true accompanyers and wayters vpon chryste pouertie humylyte but done vtterlye exclude them they do shewe them selues not to be the mynystres of the spouse but rather his enemyes The bysshoppes of Rome therfore goynge aboute to subuerte and destroy this empyre do suppose y e thynge which we haue brought in here afore of theyr owne narracyoÌ„s called Decretalles that is to wyt that them selues by the lawe of god or of man or perauenture by bothe haue superiorite in comparyson to the prynce or emperoure of Rome other beynge alredy created or elles to be created and that the emperyall powre or iurysdyccion doth appertayne vnto them whan the empyre is vacante whiche supposycyons for all that are moste euydentlye false and strengthed by no lawe of god or of man or ryght reason but the contrarye of them hath ben proued by demonstracyon in the. xii of the fyrst dyccyon and hath also ben more largely confyrmed by scrypture in the. iiii v. and. ix of this dyccyon And the occasyon of these supposycyons nay rather presumpcions with other aforesayd was a certayne superfluous yea superstycyous deuocyon for it foÌ„dely pleased certayne of the prynces and emperours of Rome syns the tyme of Constantyne frendely and amyablye to sygnyfye and gyue knowledge of theyr eleccyon vnto the bysshops of Rome that in the persone of the bysshops they gyuynge syngulare reuerence to Chryst they myght optayne of chryst by the intercessyon of the bysshops as they thought larger benedyccion and grace
and ordayned to the sustentacyon of the mynystres of the gospell and to the succurrynge and releuynge of impotent poore people and also vniustlye chalengynge the temporalles bequested in testamentes vnto vertuouse vses as to the passage ouer the see and to the redemynge of the prysoners taken of the infydels and to other lyke vses I saye chalengynge them as belongynge vnto his powre he gothe aboute to tourne them in to the aforesayd vses Albeit that it is no worke mete for the successoure of the apostles or a preeste neyther it dothe become a preeste or a man consecrated vnto god to moue weapon or to bydde warre to be made amonge chrystes faythfull people and namelye vniustlye but rather by conuenyent exhortacions to call agayne the same people vnto concorde and vnyte yf they shall be at dyscorde or debate amonge them selues one of them with an other as it hathe ben suffycyentlye shewed by the auctoryte of the apostle by Chrysostome Hilarie and Ambrose in the. v. and ix chapytres of this dyccyon it is not therfore from hensforthe to be permytted or suffered that this bysshoppe or any other shall haue so generall absolute or so great powre to gyue or dystrybute the ecclesiasticall temporalties but the sayde powre is by the prynces and parlyamentes vtterlye to be reuoked from hym or elles so to be tempted and measured that those thynges whiche hathe ben statuted and ordayned hytherto to the helthe of chrysten men bothe present and for to come and contynually are ordayned may not tourne to the contynuall vexacyon of them and in conclusyon to the euerlastynge tornement or dampnacyon of them Also he that is called pope euen nowe adayes with his mynystres whom he calleth legates haue proceded of late dayes and contynuallye do procede with suche maner processes so laudable and so pleasaunt vnto god as euery man beynge of ryght mynde and not cortupted in affeccyon maye perceyue agaynst the foresayd Ludouyke kynge of the Romayns And so they haue proceded agaynst his deputyes and faythfull subiectes namelye in the prouynce of Lombardye of Tuskayne and of the matches of Anchone Amonge whome most specyallye and syngularlye he hathe hytherto persecuted the gentle noble and famouse catholyke man syngulare amonge all other Italyons in honestye of maners and in grauyte Mathewe of good remembraunce sherefe and by the emperyall auctoryte his lyefe tennaunte vycare or deputie in Mylayne with a verye great multytude of chrysten people adherentes vnto hym for this sayde Mathewe the aforesayde bysshoppe thoughe verye vniustlye by his prophane and wycked sayenges and scryptures dothe pronounce to haue ben of a shamefull lyfe and of an euyl daÌ„pned memory But not y e sayd Mathewe but he by whom slauÌ„ders offeÌ„cioÌ„s do come which bryngeth forth of y e treasures of his malyce alwayes cuylles is counted openlye of dampned memorye afore god and man and it shall be more largelye accompted and layde to his charge bothe afore his death and after his death accordynge to the manashynge of Chryste which is verye trouth in the. xviii chapytre of Mathewe where he sayth woo be to that man by whom slaunder coÌ„meth and agayne in the same chapytre who soeuer shall offende one of these lytle ones whiche beleueth in me it were more expedyent for hym that a mylnestone be hanged in his necke and that he be drowned in the depthe of the see whiche sayenges he nothynge markynge or regardynge lykewyse as he regardeth not the other monycions and counsayles of Chryste as beynge frowarde and vnpenytente contynuallye without ceasynge dothe persecute and blaspheme very many other noble men for the prosecutynge of theyr faithfulnes and constancye to warde the sayd prynce or emperour of the Romaynes whose fame beynge swete bothe afore god and man by his aforesayde prophanacyones and blasphemyes he gothe aboute to spotte and defyle This is the bysshoppe the iudgement of whome and of his churche god dothe not folowe because he iudgeth by surrepcyon and ignorauncye as the mayster of the sentence saythe in the. iiii booke the. xviii dystynccyon and the. vi chapytre And the cause hereof saynt Iherome sheweth vpon that texte in the. xvi chapytre of Mathewe And to the I shall gyue the kayes of the kyngdome of heuyns For he saythe whiche I am not greued to reherse Certayne men not vnderstandynge this place as for example this bysshoppe vnderstande thou take vnto them selues somwhat of the pryde or hyghe mynde of the pharyseys that they do suppose them selues to condempne innocentes or to lose and assoyle malefactours and gylty persones and it foloweth afterwardes to the same purpose albeit that in very dede afore god not the sentence of the preestes but the lyfe of the persones accused is soughte for God therfore dothe not folowe the iudgement of suche maner preeste bysshoppe or churche beynge so vniuste and contrarye to equytye wherfore the blasphemyes of hym and of his complices are not to be dredde or feared of any Chrysten man as we haue sayde for they do not entre in to the flocke of Chrysten men but they haue learned rather by the powre of god to stryke and lyghte vpon the fowle bodyes and the cursed and wreched soules of them that braste forthe in to suche blasphemyes These than whiche we haue rehersed are the trewe begynnynges of the thynges inquyred and those thynges whiche also haue bothe duelye and vnduelye procedyd and gone forwardes albeit that by reason of longe tyme and the folysshenes and ydlenesse of men they are fallen out from the syghtes and memoryes of them and in the stede of these thynges throughe custome of herynge false and fayned thynges certayne falsehodes haue ben broughte in secretelye and fastened in the soules of verye many chrysten men whiche thynges are contrarye cleane to trouthe The begynnynge and fountayne therof was auerice or couytousnes and Ambicion or pryde And no lytle instrumente of the increase and mayntenaunce therof hathe ben that execrable opynyon and sayenge by whiche the bysshoppe of Rome and the companye or colledge of his clarkes or cardynalles do affyrme that vnto the same bysshop in the persone of saynt Peter the apostle was graunted and gyuen by Chryste fulnes of powre But after moche dylygent and labourfull serchynge and exquysycyon of the scrypturê of god from the scryptures of men whiche certayne bysshoppes of Rome had confounded and almoste set at nought the sayd scryptures of god and mengeled the one with the other and wrestynge it to theyr pleasures supposynge beleuynge y t of such menglynge gatheryng of them togyther the same auctoryte which is due onely to the holy scrypture shulde be coÌ„mune to theyr owne instytucions and ordynacions we haue determyned the sences of the sayde tytle and haue suffecyently opened and declared in the. xxiii chapytre of this dyccion to all that vseth reason at the least wyse whiche are not troubled with croked affeccions that the sayde sences are false and
as they are called by the. x. chapytre of Luke where it is sayd that the lorde marked forthe or assygned also other lxxii c. by whom after the exposycion of Bede is fygured the ordre of preestê whiche he calleth the seconde ordre that is to wyt the nexte after the ordre of bysshops it is to be sayde that accordynge to the mynde of the apostle and to those thynges whiche haue ben broughte in and alledged of the auctoryte of sayntes in the. xv chapytre of this dyccyon by these lxxii is fygured more conuenyently the ordre of deacons than of preestes or els it may be sayd coÌ„uenyently that it foloweth not hereof of this that a bysshop hath a greatter essenciall ordre than hathe a preeste But that sendynge wherby chryste sent them in to the worlde to preache dyd sygnyfye rather the humayne eleccion or instytucion by the whiche in dede one of them shulde be preferred vnto an other in the ecclesiasticall I conomye or admynystracion for chryste dyd not than gyue vnto them any essencyall dygnyte when he sayd Go you therfore teache all nacyons but he had gyuen the essencyall dygnyte vnto them afore that tyme and the case put that at one or lyke tyme he had gyuen to them both dygnytes or auctorytes yet I do saye that the sendynge of them to preche dyd not adde vnto them any intrynsecall perfeccyon whiche they had not before when they receyued preesthode by the holy ghost and this secoÌ„darie instytucion of the apostles aboue other that shulde be made preestê was done by chryst for bycause that at y t tyme there was no multytude of chrysten people by whom suche maner eleccyon myght be celebrated and thoughe there had ben yet coulde it not haue yet ben done so coÌ„uenyently by any multitude as by chryst hym selfe For whiche cause the apostles also after the passyon resurreccyon of chryste reduced brought them selues to eleccion in deuydynge the prouynces amoÌ„ge them selues for it is red in the seconde chapytre to the Galatians thus Iames Peter IohnÌ„ gaue the ryght handes of socyetie felowshyp vnto me Barnabas y t we shuld go preache amonge the gentyles they vnto the Iewes and therfore the case put that this chosynge of the. lxxii had ben a fygure such as Bede sayth of the state of preestes yet I do saye that a bysshop hath not any greatter intrynsecall dygnyte or perfeccyon or characte gyuen iÌ„mediatly by god than hathe a preeste beynge no bysshop and the cause hereof hathe ben suffycyently assygned in the. xv of this dyccion ¶ And to the secoÌ„de obieccyon taken of the. v. chapytre of the fyrste epystle to Timothe agaynst a preeste c. I do say y t Timothe receyued of the apostle no secoÌ„darie instytucion essenciall ouer the other preestê of that prouynce the instytucyon wyll of the whiche sayde apostle was equiualent of egal strength to an eleccyon because of the lacke insuffycieÌ„cie or rudyte and ignoraunce of the multytude of chrysten men wherfore the apostle in the. iii. chapytre of the fyrst epystle to the Corynthians sayth in this wyse And brethren I myght not speake to you as to spirituall ê‘sons but as to carnall as vnto babes in chryste I haue gyuen you mylke to drynke and not meate for you were not as yet of strength no more you are of strength nowe for you are yet carnall persons this texte we haue opened declared more largely in the. xvii chapytre of this dyccion the. vii parte ¶ And as for the auctoryte whiche is alledged of the epystle of ClemeÌ„t whiche is intytled to Iames the cosen of our lorde I do not receyue it as vndoubted for it is very greatly suspected that it shuld not be y e epystle of Clement for cause of many thynges that ar contayned in the same epystle Agayne these canons or epystles are suspected for in that epystle whiche is intyteled of the sacramentes of the apparell or vesture and of the vesselles vnto Iames the cosen of our lorde and also in that whiche is intytled of the coÌ„mune lyfe of the apostles it is wryten as yf Clement dyd tell vnto Iames those thynges which chryste dyd or wrought with his apostles But this shuld haue ben a great ignoraunce because I wyll not saye a great presumpcyon of Clement that he wolde go aboute to gyue knowledge of these thyngê which he had onely harde as it were to teache them vnto hym which had ben present at y e doynge of them had hym selfe sene chryste and his apostles of whome hym selfe also was one for who coulde better instructe the dyscyples which were in Ierusalem of the lyfe of chryste of his apostles or whether ought to knowe more of the ecclesiastical custome or vsage y e apostle thynke ye or he that was but the successour of an apostle there is no man I trowe that doubteth wherfore the epystles are to be accoÌ„pted amonge the apocryse scryptures but thoughe we dyd graunt that the sayde epystles were the epystles of Clement so as some men do affyrme trustynge and groundynge them selues vpon fables lyenge tales yea in somoch that they do saye ClemeÌ„t because he was bysshop of Rome to haue ben of greatter auctoryte in the churche of god than Iames the apostle of whome this questyon conuenyently may is to be asked why the epystles of Clement ar not put in the body of the holy Canon or byble as well as y â— epystle of saynt Iames is put there yet for all y t I wyll make answere vnto these thynges whiche in the sayd epystles shall seme to beconsonaunt agreable to the sentence and mynde of chryste of the apostles whan we shall treate of the auctorytes of scrypture wherupon they seme to be grounded ¶ But vnto that obieccyon whiche sayth that this hathe ben the sentence or opynyon mynde of all the bysshops whiche hath succeded saynt Peter in the episcopal see of Rome Answere is to be made as we haue answered to the fyrste obieccion that theyr meanynge was so as we declared there or yf they vnderstode or meaned otherwyse than so we do leaue or forsake them and do folowe the apostle Iherome in the. xv and. xvi chapytre of this dyccion ¶ But vnto those auctorytes of the Canon or holy scrypture wherin it semeth to be shewed proued that saynt Peter was superyour to the other apostles in dygnyte not onely by mans lawe but also by y t iÌ„mediate ordynacion of chryst And fyrst where it was alledged of y e. xvi of Mathewe Thou art Peter vpon this stone I shall buylde edyfye my churche to the I shal gyue y e keyes of the kyngdom of heuens c. by which wordes chryste shulde seme to haue made instytuted Peter the heed fundameÌ„t of the churche at the left wyse in his owne absence I do saye that there
cheyfe and pryncypall of all other The seconde is that by these wordes Chryste made hym prelate of the other apostles but I do saye that neyther of these two thynges do folowe of the wordes of Chryste by the vertue and strengthe of the wordes For in this consequence or argument the contrary rather of that that is inferred and concluded standeth with the antecedent or with that wherof it is inferred Secondarylye I do proue by the scrypture that neyther of them dothe folowe and that by the wordes of chryste hym selfe and none other The fyrst of the two that is to saye that the faythe of the churche of Rome onely can not fayle I proue to be false in that that chryste sayde to them all in the laste chapytre of Mathewe Go you therfore and teache all nacyons c. And loo I am with you at all tymes euen vnto the endynge of the worlde Yf chryste than dyd promyse hym selfe to be with the other apostles at all tymes euen vnto the worlde shall be at an ende it foloweth than that he vnderstode also of y â— successours of the other apostles yf y e other aucthory â—ie brought for them ought to be vnderstaÌ„ded of the successours of Peter Agayn yf the bysshoppe of Rome be called syngularelye or specyallye the successoure of Peter it is vndoubted and euydently knowen that a certayne heretyke or certayne heretykes haue ben made bysshoppes in that see as it hathe ben shewed of Liberius and of certayne other popes it hath ben proued in the. xvi of this dyccyon that the bysshop of Rome is not syngularlye or seuerallye the successour of saynt Peter for the causes assygned accordynge to the scryptures in the same chapytre And the seconde consequence or argument lykewyse is of no strength that is that the bysshop successour vnto Peter is the cheyfe and pryncypall of al other which thynge I proue also by the scrypture For Paule gaue somwhat vnto Peter and dyd profyte and helpe hym in the gospell and not contrarye wyse Peter vnto Paule as we haue alleaged heretofore suffyciently of the seconde chapytre to the GalatiaÌ„s in the. xvi chapytre of this parte And which is a more euydent thynge The wordes of chryste afore alledged of the. xx of Mathewe and of the. xxii of Luke destroyeth this consequence by whiche wordes playnly openly chryste defyned hathe determyned the contrary wherfore the glose expouÌ„dynge this place sayth thus As I haue defended the by my prayer y t thou shuldest not fayle so do thou coÌ„forte the weake brethren by the example of the penaunce or repentauÌ„ce that they do not dyspayre of forgyuenes vnderstaÌ„dynge meanynge by brethren indyfferently all chrysten men whiche wordes also he speakynge to Peter gaue knowledge to the other apostles that they shulde do the same wherfore in the. xiii of Marke he sayd That I saye to one or els after the other letter but coÌ„mynge all to one sence That I do saye to you I do saye to all Or peradueÌ„ture he spake these wordes specially to Peter this semeth also to be y â— mynde of the glose because chryste knewe before that Peter shulde denye hym wherfore thou beynge ones conuerted repentaunt coÌ„formeth and strength thy brethren by the example of thy repentaunce because he wolde that he whiche had optayned forgyuenes shulde by his wordes example of hym selfe coÌ„forte or coÌ„fyrme syngulerly those y t were weake in the faythe that they shulde not dyspayre of for gyuenes ¶ And to the other auctoryte of y e scrypture taken of y e. xxi of IohnÌ„ by whiche certayne men go aboute to proue and conclude the same because that chryste sayde to saynt Peter fede my shepe fede my lambes it is to be sayd fyrst that after the mynde of y â— glose this is the sence and meanynge of this texte that to fede the shepe is to comforte them that beleueth that they do not despayre and to prouyde earthly subsydyes succour or releaue yf nede be to theyr subiectes to gyue them examples of vertues to withstande the aduersaryes of the faythe to correcte or amende them that synne or do amysse and it foloweth in the glose And whan he hereth the thyrde tyme that Peter dothe loue hym than he byddeth hym fede his shepe This knowledgynge of his loue towarde chryste thre tymes is sette agaynst his thryes denyenge of chryste that his tonge shulde no lesse do seruyce to loue than it had afore done seruyce to feare But yet it is not hereof prouyd or concluded but onely that chryst dyd instytue hym apostle or feder of shepe and it foloweth not for all that hereof that he made hym superyour or afore the other apostles in auctoryte or dygnyte neyther agayne it foloweth hereof that the other apostles haue not ben instytuted pastores and herdysmen For the contrarye of bothe these conclusyons standeth with the auncedent that is to wytte with the wordes or saynge of chryste afore recyted that these aforesayde thyngê are trewe it may be prouyd by this that the catholyke churche syngeth one preface indyfferently of all the apostles whiche is this folowynge Verelye it is accordynge and ryght reasonable and holsome humblye to beseche the at all tymes that thou whiche art the eternall pastor do not forsake thy flocke but that thou do kepe them with contynuall proteccyon by thy blessyd apostles that it may be gouerned by y e same gouernours rulers whome thou hast gyuen to the same churche as pastores or herdysmen vycars debytê of thy worke or offyce Lo here y t the churche calleth y e apostles in y e plurell noÌ„bre gouernours vycars herdysmen by y e iÌ„medyate collacyon or gyfte of chryst she doth not cal any one of them alone a gouernoure vycare or herdysman constytuted by chryste and to hym that wyll aske why chryste spake these wordes syngulerlye to Peter it is to be answered that chryste somtyme dyrected his speache to a man in his owne proper persone as in the forgyuenes of synnes in the healynge of sycke men and in the reysynge of deed men to lyfe and otherwhyles he dyd dyrecte his speache to one in the person of all or of many as in the. v. chapytre of IohnÌ„ whan he sayd go and synne no more lest it chaunce or happen worse vnto the wherfore chryste in coÌ„myttynge or betakynge that offyce to Peter he spake vnto hym in the persone of all the apostles as he hym selfe wytnesseth or recordeth this maner of speakynge of his owne in the. xiii of Marke whan he sayd that whiche I do saye to one or to you I do say to all but yet he dyrected his speche specyally vnto Peter because he was more auncyent or aged or because he was more feruent in charyte or elles because he wolde sygnyfye and gyue knowledge to the churche that was to come after what maner herdysmen ought to be iÌ„stytuted that is to wyt
god And to the obieccyon whiche was brought in of the. xxii of Mathewe the. xi of Marke and the. xix of Luke where it is redde Than Ihesus sente ii descypses sayenge vnto them Soo you in to the castell whiche is ouer agaynst you and you shal fynde an asse bounde c. it is to be answered lykewyse lykewyse as vnto the obieccy on imeoyatlye aforegone And that obieccyon of the two swerdes whiche is taken of the. xxii of Luke the other of the fedynge of the shepe taken of the. xxi of Ihon dothe make nothynge agaynst neyther dothe inferre or conclude any thyng necessarely whiche is contradyctorye to the sentence whiche we do holde as we haue shewed seryously in the chapytre aforegone For Chryst by these wordes dyd not gyue to saynt Peter or to any other apostle or to any successoure of them iurysdyceyon or iudgemente coactyue of any maner in this worlde but he gaue to hym onely the offyce of a pastor or herdysman of whiche offyce we haue spoken suffycyently in the. ix of this last parte And as touchynge to that which the apostle sayth in the. vi chapytre of the fyrste epystle to the Coryntheans Do you not knowe that we shall iudge aungels Howe moche more than shall we iudge seculer thynges This texte is neyther it selfe coÌ„tradyctorye neyther inferreth any thynge contradyctorye to the sentence whiche we do holde For Paule in the aforesayde wordes or scrypture dyd not monysshe speake or counsayleth vnto preeses onelye but generallye vnto all the chrysten people of Corinthe he wrote that epystle as appereth and is euydent by his salutacyon For they dyd contende and stryue one with an other aboute seculer thynges drawynge one an other afore heathen iudges wherfore the apostle monysshed them as a pastor or herdysman gyuynge them councell that they shulde constytute and make iudges vnto them selues of the company of chrysten men And chose not bysshoppes or preestes but other that were not bysshoppes or preestes wherfore the apostle saythe iÌ„medyatlye folowynge Therfore yf you shall haue seculer iudgementes ordeyne and sette them to be iudges whiche are contemptyble in the churche I saye it to your rebuke is there none so wyse a man amonge you whiche maye gyue iudgement betwene his brother and brother but dothe one brother contende and stryue with an other brother in iudgement afore infydels and heathen iudges whiche texte of the apostle the glose expoundynge after the mynde of Ambrose Augustyne and Gregorye saythe in this wyse In lyke maner as he hath repreued them for that they pleaded causes and stroue in iudgement afore infydels despysynge and smally regardynge chrysten men euen so nowe he rebuketh them because they made conteÌ„ptyble persones iudges althought they were chrysten And therfore he saythe yf you shall haue seculer iudgementes because suche iudgementes are not to be had but rather to be despysed but yf you haue suche iudgementes ordayne and sette to gyue iudgement those contemptyble that is to saye vndyscrete and vyle persones whiche are in the churche That is to saye thus haue you done by reason wherof the brethren myghte be compelled to haue recourse agaynâ—â— vnto infydels or hethen iudges The apostle repreueth and rebuketh this in them speakynge Ironycallye that is to saye meanynge the contrarye to that that his wordes dothe sounde And because it was not semely or conuenyent that they shulde do so therofre he sayth by and by after I speake to your shamefastnes or to your reuerence that is to saye I do not coÌ„maunde but I do speake that you shulde be asshamed and you oughte to be ashamed that there is not one man amonge you so wyse that he is able to iudge betwene his brother and brother but that you must nedelye make fooles iudges And yet for all that these fooles are to be made iudges rather than you shulde go to heathen iudges yf there wante wyse men amonge you I saye is there not so wyse a man amonge you but dothe one brother stryue with an other brother in iudgement whiche is an euyll thynge yea and that afore heathen iudges which is a worse thynge or elles thus Therfore yf you shall haue seculer iudgementes c. Because the apostle had sayd that they myght iudge of these leaste or smalest thynges therfore he doth nowe determyne who are to be ordayned and appoynted iudges to the determynynge of suche maters that is to wytte the contemptyble persones which are in the churche For the greatter or more worshypfull persones oughte to gyue attendaunce to spyrituall thynges But you whiche ought to iudge for asmoche as you must iudge yet do after this maner Yf you haue seculer bysynes or maters ordayne or sette them to be iudges whiche are contemptyble in the churche that is to saye some wyse men which for all that are of lesse meryte for the apostles whiche went aboute to preache the gospell coulde not gyue attendaunce to suche busynesses The apostle wolde therfore that those wyse chrysten and holy men whiche contynued and abode styll in one place and not those whiche ranne aboute from place to place to preache the gospell shulde be the examyners and iudges of suche maner bysynes and causes From whiche we can not excuse our selfe by no maner wayes althoughe we wolde For I call god to wytnesse and recorde that I hadde leuer eache daye worke somwhat certayne howres with my handes and to haue certayne houres at lybertie to rede and praye or to worke somwhat of the dyuyne scryptures than to suffre the troublouse perplexites of causes concernynge seculer maters and busynesses or stryues whiche are outher to be decyded and ended by iudgement or elles to be preuented put awaye by entreatynge or goynge betwene I saye ordayne you or appoynte you contemptible persons and this I do saye to your reuerence that is to wyt that they shulde examyne and iudge erthly causes whiche haue gotten the wysdome and knowledge of exteryoure or outwarde thynges And they whiche are enryched with spyrytuall gyftes ought not to be entangled with worldly maters or busynesses so that whyles they are not compelled to dyspose these worldlye goodes they maye be able to do seruyce to the superyour or celestyall goodes But yet it is greatly to be prouyded and taken hede of that they whiche are excellent in spyrytuall gyftes do not in any wyse vtterly forsake the busynesses of theyr we ake neyghbours but lette them outher coÌ„mytte the sayde busynesses to be ordred and brought to an ende vnto other mete and conuenyent persones or elles take the same maters in hande theyr owne selues And these scryptures of the apostle and of sayntes are to be noted and marked for fyrst it appereth by the sayd scryptures that all contencyons betwene what soeuer persones aboute suche thyngê whiche do not appertayne to the lawe of god are seculer and not spyrytuall and do belonge to seculer iudgement For the apostle speaketh generallye and so lyke wyse doth the sayntes