The practise of prelates. CompiledThe practyse of prelates. Compyled

¶Howe the pope corrupteth the scripture and why.

Moreover lest these his lies should be spied & least haply the emperors following / might say, our predecessors had no power to bind us, nor to minish our might: And least kings following, should say after the same manner / that the sword & full power to punish evil doers indifferently is given of God to every king for his time, and therefore that their • decessour could not bind them contrary unto the ordinance of God: but rather yea it was unto their damnation to make such grants / & that they did not execute their office. And therefore the foul & misshapen mom stre, gate him to the scripture & corrupted it with false expositions / to prove y• such authority was given him of God / & challenged it by the authority of Peter▪ saying / that peter was the head of Christs church and that Christ had made him lord over the apostles his fellows, in that he bad hī fe• de hys shepe & lambs John y• last / as who should say the paul which came long after, was not commanded to feed as specially as peter, which yet would take no authority ⟨image 35⟩over the bodies or over the faiths of them which he fed, but was their servant for Christs sake, Christ ever the lord and head. And as though the other apostles were not likewise as specially commanded as Peter: And as though we now and all that here after shall love christ, were not commanded to •eade christs flock, every man in his measure, as well as Peter. Are not we commanded to love our neighbours as our selves, as well as Peter? Why then are we not commanded to care for his flock as well as Peter?

MOreouer lest these his lyes shuld be spyed & least happly the emperours following / myght saye, our predecessours had no power to bynde vs, nor to minish our might: And least kinges following, shuld say after the same maner / that the swerd & full power to punish euel doers indifferētly is geuē of God to euery kynge for hys tyme, and therfore yt theyr decessour coulde not bynde them contrarye vnto the ordynaunce of God: but rather ye it was vnto theyr dāpnation to make such graūtes / & yt they dyd not execute theyr office. And therfore ye foule & mysshapē mō stre, gate hym to the scrypture & corrupted it wyth false exposytions / to proue y such aucthoritie was geuen hym of God / & calenged it by ye aucthoritie of Peter saying / that peter was the head of Christs church and that Chryst had made hym lorde ouer the apostles hys fellowes, in yt he bad hī fe de hys shepe & lābes Iohn y last / as who shuld saye ye paule which came longe after, was not commaunded to feade as specyally as peter, which yet wold take no aucthoritie