Now if the Apostolic Church of Rome, hath obtained the primacy, and preeminence of power over all Churches, and over the whole flock of Christen people of our Lord Saviour himself as Anacletus saith:1 if it be evident to all that know the Gospel, that the cure and charge of the whole Church, hath been committed to the holy Apostle Peter, Prince of all the Apostles, by the woord• of our Lord,2 as Gregory witnesseth: if the whole Brotherhood (that is to say, all Christen folk) ought to obey the one high Priest or Bishop of God, and the one Judge that is Christs Vicar, or in stead of Christ for the time,3 according to the precepts and teachings of God, as Cyprian writeth: if it be God, that hath placed and ordained the Bishop of Rome in the highest state of the Church, as Athanasius, with all the Fathers of that Alexandrine Council recordeth: If this, I say, be true: then is it easily seen, upon how good ground this doctrine standeth, whereby it is affirmed, that the Bishop of Rome his primacy hath his force by God's Law, and not only by mans Law, much less by unjust usurpation. The Scriptures, by which as well these, as all other holy and learned Fathers were lead to acknowledge and confess the Primacy of Peter and his successors, were partly such, as Anacletus and Gregory here allegeth, and Cyprian meaneth as it appeareth by his thirde treatise De simplicitate praelatorum, and sundry moe of the New Testament,4 as to the learned is known: of which to treat here largely, and pithily, as the weight of the matter requireth, at this time I have no leisure: neither if I had, yet might I conveniently perform it in this treatise, which otherwise vvil amount to a sufficient bigness, and that matter throughly handled, will •il a right great volume. Wherefore, referring the readers to the credit of these worthy Fathers, who so underst••de the Scriptures, as thereof they were persuaded the primacy to be attributed to Peters successor by •od him self: I will proceed, keeping my prefixed order.
Now if the Apostolike Churche of Rome, hath obteined the primacie, and preeminence of power ouer al Churches, and ouer the whole flocke of Christen people of our Lorde Sauiour himselfe as Anacletus saithe:1 if it be euident to al that knowe the Ghospel, that the cure and charge of the whole Churche, hath beene committed to the holy Apostle Peter, Prince of al the Apostles, by the woord• of our Lorde,2 as Gregorie witnesseth: if the whole Brotherhed (that is to saye, al Christen folke) ought to obeye the one highe Priest or Bishop of God, and the one Iudge that is Christes Vicar, or in steede of Christe for the time,3 accordinge to the preceptes and teachinges of God, as Cyprian writeth: if it be God, that hath placed and ordeined the Bishop of Rome in the highest state of the Churche, as Athanasius, with al the Fathers of that Alexandrine Councel recordeth: If this, I saye, be true: then is it easely seene, vpon howe good grounde this doctrine standeth, whereby it is affirmed, that the Bishop of Rome his primacie hath his force by Goddes Lawe, and not onely by mans Lawe, muche lesse by vniuste vsurpation. The Scriptures, by whiche as wel these, as al other holy and learned Fathers were leadde to acknowlege and confesse the Primacie of Peter and his successours, were partely suche, as Anacletus and Gregorie here allegeth, and Cyprian meaneth as it appeareth by his thirde treatise De simplicitate praelatorum, and sundry moe of the Newe Testament,4 as to the learned is knowen: of whiche to treate here largely, and pi•h•hely, as the weight of the matter requireth, at this time I haue no leysure: neither if I had, yet might I conueniently performe it in this treatise, whiche othervvise vvil amounte to a sufficient bignesse, and that matter throughly handled, wil •il a right great volume. VVherefore, referringe the readers to the credite of these woorthy Fathers, who so vnderst••de the Scriptures, as thereof they were perswaded the primacie to be attributed to Peters successour by •od him selfe: I wil proceede, keepinge my prefixed order.
- 1Anacle••• forged.
- 2S. Gregory nipped.S. Gregorie nipped.
- 3The next words immediately following are these, Ta•men Pet••• Universalis Apos•olus non vocatur.The nexte vvoordes immediatly folovvinge are these, Ta•men Pet••• Vniuersalis Apos•olus non vocatur.
- 4S. Cypria•• mind •wise falsified in one place.S. Cypria•• minde •vvise falsified in one place.
