Master Bezaes sermons upon the three chapters of the canticle of canticlesMaster Bezaes sermons vpon the three chapters of the canticle of canticles

Peter at Rome, & the chair wherein they say he sate, are the essential, immutable, necessary, & infallible visible marks of the true religion & of the Church which they call Roman & Catholic ▪ that is, particular & universal both together. Al this founded, if you will have me say that which is, upon this repose of too great an ease. But to bring farther asleep those who are already brought asleep, there are no fair pretences wanting, of the excellency of S. Peter among the rest of the Apostles, which they turn into a principality: afterwards for that Saint Paul so highly commendeth the faith of the Romans of his time, as if their successors were like unto them. Besides this they allege the preeminence which the ⟨p. 307⟩Bishops of Rome had above others, which we know well enough, proceeded partly upon the authority of that City, as being the head city of the whole Empire▪ which preeminence was also maintained by the godliness and constancy of the Bishops there & the notable examples of their martyrdoms: partly also being afterward authorized by the first council of Nice, until such time as the persecutions ceasing, and ambition together with wealth & riches increasing, every one sleeping soundly in their peace, entered in place of doctrine doting dreams, so that finally the poor spouse at her awaking found herself in a most wretched & miserable estate, in which she yet continueth to this day, persecuted in so grievous manner as she is, by the officers of the whore, who hath taken her place while she slept so quietly, as it was also expressly foretold of the Church of Rome, both by Saint Paul, and also by Saint John in his Apocalypse, if we will credit in this behalf the most ancient expositors, Greeks and Latins. And (as it is come to pass by a more then admirable providence of God herein) the Italians themselves, whose poems & rimes are at this day printed & song in Rome, call her Babylon full of covetousness & impiety, the harbour of the wrath of God, & the temple of heresy, besides that common experience maketh the same most plain & evident unto the eye of those, who are not utterly blind. Neither is it in our time, or our fathers time only, that satan hath first begun to deal in this sort.

Peter at Rome, & the chair wherin they say he sate, are the essential, immutable, necessary, & infallible visible marks of the true religion & of the Church which they cal Roman & Catholick that is, particular & vniuersal both togither. Al this foūded, if you wil haue me say that which is, vpō this repose of too great an ease. But to bring farther asleep those who are already brought asleep, there are no faire pretences wanting, of the excellency of S. Peter among the rest of the Apostles, which they turn into a principality: afterwards for that Saint Paul so highly commendeth the faith of the Romanes of his time, as if their successors were like vnto them. Besides this they alleadge the preeminencie which the