The Pope confuted The holy and apostolic Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…The Pope confuted The holy and apostolique Church confuting the Pope. The first action.…

What? say they, did not the Scribes and Pharisees sit in M•yses chair,¹ whom Christ commanded to hearken unto? He doth so command in deed: but when they teach the truth: neither doth he command so, in respect of the chair, but in respect of the doctrine. Moreover why did Christ and his Apostles sequester them selves from the self same Jews, Scribes and Pharisees, if that succession could not err? What say y•u to this, that Christ him self being rejected of the ordinary priests, who enforced the self same argument, ought not to be hearkened unto, if your Romish Pharisees may be credited in their lusty vaunt of succession? Go to, and what shall be said of the Apostles then, who having no manner of right in ordinary succession, were the first founders of the church of Christ, and renounced utterly the ordinary priesthood? To be brief: If to sit in a place, be of such efficacy and force, I suppose the temple of God be far more honourable then the chair of Peter. And yet in this very temple of God, Antichrist must have his chair, according to the testimony of the prophetical scriptures. Shall Antichrist be therefore called holy Antichrist in respect of his seat? To conclude: Let it be as forcible as it may for the church, to have what seat, or what foundation it will, so that it hold fast the lively spirit of Christ, his holy word and sacraments, by the which it is begotten sanctified, and made holy.

What? say they, did not the Scribes and Pharisees sitte in M•yses chaire,¹ whom Christe commaunded to hearken vnto? He doth so commande in deede: but when they teache the truthe: neither doth he commaunde so, in respect of the chayre, but in respect of the doctrine. Moreouer why did Christe and his Apostles sequester them selues from the selfe same Iewes, Scribes and Pharisees, if that succession could not erre? What saye y•u to this, that Christe him selfe being reiected of the ordinary priestes, who enforced the selfe same argument, ought not to be hearkened vnto, if your Romishe Pharisees may be credited in their lustie vaunte of succession? Goe to, and what shalbe sayde of the Apostles then, who hauing no maner of right in ordinary succession, were the first founders of the churche of Christe, and renounced vtterly the ordinary priesthood? To be briefe: If to sitte in a place, bee of such efficacie and force, I suppose the temple of God be farre more honourable then the chayre of Peter. And yet in this very temple of God, Antichriste must haue his chayre, according to the testimony of the propheticall scriptures. Shall Antichrist be therefore called holy Antichriste in respecte of his seate? To conclude: Let it be as forcible as it may for the church, to haue what seate, or what foundation it will, so that it holde fast the liuely spirite of Christe, his holy worde and sacramentes, by the which it is begotten sanctified, and made holy.